Extended Holiday
Chapter 009: A Proper Reception
The final fitting for the trio of friends left them standing in pale white suits with a hint of purple. Blue accents in the form of flower buttonholes and ties with silver woven through helped to bring the look together. Due to their lack of hooves, the fashionista had to reach out to some old friends in the community to cobble together sets of dress shoes fit for a king. Or in this case, three noble guests. Much like the rest of their garb, the color was primarily white, though the sole of the shoes had somehow been transmuted from the typical dark hide to a sparkling silver to rival the flash of gold. To help distinguish the trio, Rarity also had the foresight to have three rings crafted. The first was of pure gold with a sapphire set on its top. The second was forged from black iron with a blazing emerald that flashed with frozen tongues of yellow flame. The third was a silver band studded with diamonds that seemed almost to flicker like starlight. A single tophat bound by silver ribbon at its base and a fancy cane completed Matthew’s accoutrement.
“Now, normally, I would insist on including a proper hat for all three of you, but I had the distinct impression that you two would rather dislike them,” Rarity noted as she gazed pensively at the trio.
“Hats don’t work too well for me.” Shawn gave a weak smile. “Admittedly, this suit’s a bit more than I’ve had for going to a wedding.”
“I suppose that’s to be expected with the differences between our two worlds. It’s not too much, I hope.”
“It’s all right. Though, the ring is certainly an interesting addition.”
“Are we done yet?” Taze asked. “This monkey suit’s driving me crazy.”
“I need you to move around in them to see how they hold. After that, I can have any last changes ready for you by the ceremony.”
Matthew smiled. He stepped off and walked in a series of marches to show his movements and how the fabric clung or sagged.
Taze did a short walk, then swung his arms around and performed some basic movements to test the range.
Shawn sighed as he performed a short series of movements with his arms to test the lengths of the sleeves, followed by basic movement for his pants. “Seems fine to me.”
Rarity smiled and nodded. “I do believe you’re ready.”
“That is good news to hear. I’m going to take a stab in the dark and say you’ll hold onto these for alterations needed and we come to you tomorrow before the wedding?”
Rarity shook her head. “No, there’s no need. You can take the suits with you or keep them here as you wish to change into before the ceremony.”
“I think I’ll take mine with me, then,” Matthew said with a grin.
“It’d probably be best to keep it with us. Ease of access and all that.” Shawn nodded. “Though, for now, I think I’m going to swap back into my usual attire.”
“You can keep mine,” Taze said, moving to swap back his stuff as well.
“I’ll make sure to keep it ready for you, then.” Rarity nodded.
“All right, after this comes the last rehearsal. And then the event takes place tomorrow.” Shawn hummed to himself as he kept track of everything.
“And then we figure out what to do from there.” Taze nodded.
“Agreed,” Matthew concurred. “Hopefully, I can finally get to see a museum.”
“I’m sure you’ll get the time after the wedding,” Shawn said.
Rarity smiled. “In that case, I suppose I’ll see you at the rehearsal dinner, darlings.”
The wedding itself was succinct and beautiful. Cadance was anything but the bridezilla that Chrysalis had made her out to be. The Vows were exchanged, as was the kiss that would seal them together for the rest of their lives. The crowds cheered, and Rainbow Dash unleashed the full power of her sonic rainboom to mark the occasion. Finally, the radiant afternoon trailed to evening as the stars slowly began to shine and the moon peeked along the horizon. What followed was incredibly touching as the two who were the center of this great celebration shared a loving nuzzle. At a subtle nod from Twilight Sparkle, a grinning Pinkie Pie zipped out of sight and returned moments later with a white pony wearing DJ glasses and a very unique piece of technology.
“Arcades, and now a turntable.” Taze chuckled, sitting back in his seat as he took a drink of punch while Twilight Sparkle began her musical number. “Their technology really is eclectically developed, isn’t it?”
Matthew nodded as he watched the Ponies dance or feast on the offerings from the buffet table. “I agree.” He grinned as the wind carried a sound. “I can’t tell if it’s coming or going, but I heard the steam whistle.”
“You have a problem, my friend.” Taze chuckled.
“And what would that be?”
“The train station is almost two miles away. The train shouldn’t even be at the station for another, I dunno, twenty minutes. You're picking that whistle up miles outside of Canterlot.”
“So? Whistles can travel long distances,” Matthew countered, not really getting the problem.
“During a reception, with active music, people talking, and other such noises?” Taze raised an eyebrow.
“I like trains. That’s all I have, really, Taze. I’ve got to do something. I don’t know how to dance with a Pony, and I don’t know many dance moves, so I have to listen to the music, Pony watch, and spend time with my friends. That, and battle the urge to run screaming and break down over everything.”
“It’ll take time.” Shawn sighed. “Especially given recent events. But the only thing we’ve got is forward momentum. So, we’ll take each day, step by step.”
“At least we’re not alone.” Taze shrugged.
“And after this, hopefully, you never will be,” Cadance said as she approached with her new husband. “Shining and I owe you, after all.”
“And on top of that, I owe you all a proper apology,” Shining said seriously as he looked over the trio. “I don’t know all of what I put everyone through, but I remember enough to know I hurt people.” He smiled ruefully. “It … wasn’t my finest hour, to say the least. I can’t take back what I did or said then, but if you need something from me, ask. I’ll do everything in my power to deliver.”
“Start by reminding yourself where your duty lies,” Taze said. “That's what you seemed to forget, even without the brainwashing. You're a married man now, and someday you may even have children. Make sure that you remember your rash words almost alienated you from someone you loved dearly, and your tunnel vision almost brought your nation to heel. I can forgive a lot, given the details, but you need to prove to me that you're worth it.”
“That’s a start, at least,” Shining said. “And that’s all I can ask for.”
“That's all I can offer,” Taze replied.
“Well, I’d like to offer congratulations on the wedding,” Matthew said. “I don’t exactly read equine body language well, but it looks like you two love each other very deeply.”
Cadance smiled. “That we do. And I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.”
“Indeed.” Shawn gave a gentle smile. “But, you have plenty of time to look to the future. For now, I’d suggest enjoying the moment.” He gestured to the event around them.
“Part of that is seeing you three,” Cadance said with a wink. “But I suppose it’s only fair that we get back on the dance floor. There are more people to see before we ride off into the night.” She kissed her husband on the cheek. “And then we’ll have another adventure waiting for us.”
Shining Armor blushed. “We’ll, um,” his voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “We’ll see you three later then, hopefully.” And with that said, the two strode back toward the dance floor and their many friends and guests.
“Well, that went about as expected,” Taze said.
“That it did.” Shawn sighed.
“Is that a bad thing?” Matthew asked.
“Not at all. Just a long day, as expected,” Shawn explained.
“It’ll be nice to sleep all of this off,” Matthew agreed. “Were we planning on staying until they drive off?”
“It’d probably be a good thing to do. Though I do wonder when that’ll take place.”
“Oh, I’d say pretty soon,” a pink party Pony said offhandedly with a smile. Confetti flew into the air as she leaped up and shouted, “Best party ever!” before galloping back toward the games where the foals had gathered to join them in merrymaking.
The air was calm and filled with the scent of incense as the two sisters sat together in council. The festivities were over, the newlyweds safely set off on their honeymoon. The roars and cheers had settled into the peaceful calm of night as the moon and stars spread their peaceful blanket over the world and ushered most of the kingdom’s denizens to sleep. The chamber in which the two royal sisters now met was decorated simply and warded with the proper charms to protect against eavesdroppers and scans alike. A tea tray sat next to Celestia, where the teapot and her cup both steamed. A massive tankard of ale sat before the Lunar princess on a solid wooden table that had been heavily reinforced with charms to ensure its sturdiness against the unnatural strength of the Alicorn.
Celestia sighed and sipped from her cup. “I’d like to start with small talk, but we both know that’s not going to help anything here. I’ll admit it. I messed up.”
“Yes. To be frank, Sister, from a military perspective, you BUBARed this situation,” Luna said evenly. “But not quite beyond repair. Though it won’t be fast, I think.”
“I don’t expect it to be.” She sighed and shook her head. “Regardless, recent events have shown just how woefully unprepared my negligence has made our troops. She was right under my nose, Luna, and I didn’t even recognize the signs! I should have known better. I should have—” The cup shattered, and tea splattered onto the floor. “Oh, Faust damn it,” she swore. “If he could see me now….”
“You kept the country from war for over a thousand years,” Luna said in a comforting tone. “More than admirable for anyone. The issue is that other nations eventually grow to view your passivity for weakness. They forget the damage we’ve done to their ancestors.”
“I feel like such a fool. And the worst part is, I’d probably do it all again.” Celestia sighed as she struggled to regain her composure. “The one thing I might have changed was not telling them the stakes.”
“Why do you think they are angry?” Luna asked her. “Do you realize why they're upset?”
“Shawn already made that abundantly clear after I visited him. They were all hurt because of my choice. Shawn nearly lost his life. And were it not for a miracle we have yet to determine, he would have been paralyzed for life, if not in a permanent coma. I deliberately placed them in harm’s way in the hopes that I could smoke out our enemy. You saw where that led.”
Luna sighed “So close, and yet so far away. You're missing the point, sister. Let's start from the beginning with the information I've been able to ascertain.” Carefully, she took several small cookies and arranged them, sorting by type. “We Ponies live together easily, at first by type, and then later as a combined nation,” she said, indicating several types of cookies making one larger pile. “For the most part, Ponies look toward the good of the herd through instinct. What's better for everybody is better for the self. Would you say this is essentially correct?”
“That and the Hearth’s Warming legend hanging over their heads,” Celestia said.
“Humans aren't like that, though,” Luna said. “They form groups, and then those groups may form larger groups, and those groups will form still larger groups. The problem is these groups could be decided by anything, a similar tribe or type, an ideal, or possibly just the need to survive. You would think these large groups all trust each other, wouldn’t you?”
“Naturally.”
“And you’d be wrong, Sister. From what I can tell from their dreams and the information Moonshade has given me, humans distrust each other on instinct. It seems even uncommon for one to fully trust their own blood beyond a point. Thus, when humans find one they believe they can trust, and that bond is shown to be true through the fires and flames of life, they consider that person theirs of a sort. Their friends, their associates, their humans. None of these three humans is angry that you put them in danger, Celestia. They’re angry you put the other two in danger.”
Tears rose in Celestia’s eyes, and she swore again as she wiped them away. “So, they’re brothers in arms, just like,” she winced. “Like the other humans I knew.”
“That's compounded onto the fact that their culture is warlike at its heart. Acts we might consider normal here are often looked at with great respect. Add on that their distrust seems to lead to an almost cultural paranoia and you have a truly Discordian mixture of a being. I’d say we got lucky the ones that landed on our doorstep were as moral as they are. I’ve seen similar personalities in Thestrals and Gryphons, but even they trust their clans and their tribes.”
“Then what do you suggest, Luna? You seem more capable of understanding them than I do.”
“I understand them only because I understand the chaos of battle better than you do, Celestia. To stand in the middle of disaster, not sure who you can trust and who has a knife for you.” Luna sighed. “For starters, if they are to come back to the castle, we need to offer them a place that seems less like a prison. I know that's not what you intended, sister, but it is likely what they felt. For the long term, I think we need somewhere we can send them that gives them some personal freedom, possibly a task added onto it to show a bit of trust. I can imagine it will only be a matter of time before your nephew or any number of the idiots at court put a flame to this powder keg.”
Celestia groaned. “Please, don’t even get me started about the Bluebloods.”
“Also, we need a show of solidarity, at least toward the public. I do believe their actions in the invasion have earned them a royal thank you,” Luna noted.
“There is no way they would be willing to go through with a ceremony like that. I agree, they deserve rewards for what they’ve done, but if we are to reward them properly and give them the protection they require, it will need to be something sufficient enough to pacify them toward the ceremony.”
“To be frank, Celestia, that part is rather easy enough,” Luna noted. “Up until now, either myself or you have been covering their expenses, and I imagine the concept is somewhat disconcerting for them.”
“And what do you suggest as a means to remedy this situation?”
“Oh, Sister, I thought that would be obvious.” Luna took a shot of an unnamed liquor from a crystal glass. “We pay them.”
“And you honestly expect them to just accept that? That would be the equivalent of blood money. Do you really think that would help our relations?”
“Honestly, Sister, sometimes you must let people think what they will. We throw in a few sheets of paper with writing on them, maybe a trinket or two for looks, but in the end, money gives them more room to move about without worrying about us tracking everything they buy. If it’s blood money, let it be blood money. It works for the Gryphons and the Minotaurs.”
Celestia sighed. “I suppose I can’t make things any worse than they already are,” she said, even as she knocked on the table with a hoof.
“There is no fast track to this one, Sister.” Luna shrugged. “Time heals all wounds.”
“Or buries them,” Celestia said softly as she slowly picked up the shambles of her teacup with her magic. “They probably won’t hear of it from me. If we are to move forward with this, it will have to be with an emissary from you.”
“I figured as much.” Luna nodded.
“I’ll try to find a way to insulate them from the other nobles’ machinations in the meantime.”
“Then we are decided.” Luna nodded.
“Yes.” She sighed. “Let us hope that we won’t be facing any more such … surprises any time soon.”
Prince Blueblood gazed distastefully at the pulsing speakers and sighed as the music of the DJ thumped through the air. The song Twilight Sparkle prepared for her sibling was touching enough, if a little saccharine for his tastes. The rest was peasant fare designed to keep the masses moving. He shuddered at the sight of the foals milling and galloping to and fro for their games and treats. The very thought of those sticky, filthy hooves brushing against his coat gave him the willies. Still, it wasn’t every day that royalty married, and it was his duty as heir apparent to his house to attend. He mulled his cider in his glass before taking a sip and sighing again at the sight of Princess Cadance’s “guests of honor.”
“At the very least, you would think they would have the respect to leave those barbarous things behind,” he said as he motioned toward the weapons the humans kept at their sides. “The invasion is over, and they bear the favor of the princesses. It would be a fool’s errand for anypony to move against them so openly.”
“I have it on good authority that they’re commissioning more dangerous weapons from the royal smithies.” Lady Jet Set was a pale yellow Unicorn mare with a wavy mane and dark brown eyes that could become soft as coal or hard as diamonds at her will. Her pompous tone made it only too clear how she felt about the outsiders.
“At the very least, they had enough sense to come in the proper attire, darling,” her husband noted. “I half expected them to come wearing furs and armor with how often they frequent the lower quarters.”
“It is funny to hear you say zat, darling, while wearing zat imported Gryphon perfume,” a familiar voice spoke up as Fleur de Lis approached them with a smile. Her Phrench accent washed over them with equal grace. “I would think you would have more gratitude.”
“I never once said I was ungrateful for their efforts on our behalf, Lady Lis, merely that I believed their choice of weapons to be … inappropriate for this setting.
“Upper Crust, my friend, you need practice. Zat lie was so terrible.” She shook her head. “You are, as you say, being unbecoming of your title. These people sacrificed so much to help us when zey had no reason to. We’d all be in much trouble right now without zem.”
Upper Crust winced at the jab to his ribs from Jet Set as she greeted Fleur with a nod of acknowledgement. “You’ll have to forgive my husband, Lady Lis. He often gets caught up in the moment without thinking about the consequences of his words.” She bared her teeth in a smile. “I haven’t seen Fancy Pants tonight yet. Is he well? I hope he wasn’t injured during the attack.”
Fleur laughed. “Oh, mon amie, you underestimate him. Non, he is fine, just handling other matters right now.”
“Excellent. It would be a poor thing, indeed, for Princess Celestia to lose the counsel of one who is so favored in the courts.”
“Oh yes, he works so hard and puts himself through so much for the country he loves. Why, just last week, someone sent an assassin after him. And my dear, you would not believe this. The connard had the gall to claim you hired him. Is zat not hilarious?” Fleur asked, though her eyes held no mirth.
Prince Blueblood frowned. “An attempt on the life of a noble is no laughing matter, Lady Fleur. I hope you were able to deal with him or her accordingly. Were you able to find corroborating evidence for the murderer’s claims?”
“Oh, mon ami, if there had been proof of such outrageous claims, lady Jet Set wouldn’t be standing here right now, would she?” Fleur asked. She kept that kindly mirthful tone, even as the glass in her magical grip slowly and soundlessly cracked and broke, compacting in on itself until the pressure alone resealed it into a single small marble. “Oops. It seems I need a new drink.” She set the marble down and picked up a new champagne flute from a nearby tray.
“Indeed,” Blueblood agreed, even as he eyed the marble, then Jet Set.
“It seems that I’ll have to have a word with some of my informants,” Jet Set said as she narrowed her gaze. “I don’t take kindly to my name being used in such a vulgar manner.” She offered a cool nod to Fleur. “If you’ll excuse us, Lady Lis.”
“Of course.” Fleur nodded with a bright smile. “Have a wonderful evening.”
Blueblood watched the pair depart as they charged into the crowd with Jet Set dragging her husband behind her. Finally, he returned his attention to the mare. “I can’t speak entirely for my house, Lady Fleur, but if there is any way that I can be of assistance within my personal power, please let me know.”
Fleur smiled in that coquettish way that only the Phrench seemed capable of replicating. “And I you, Your Highness. If you’d be so kind as to excuse me, I have many more Ponies I must greet tonight.” She gave a short bow of the head before turning and unceremoniously vanishing into the crowd.
Prince Blueblood took a deep shuddering breath, even as his own glass began to tremble in his magical grasp. “Sweet Celestia. Is she an alpha?” he muttered.
Shawn gave a small grin as he witnessed the departure of Cadance and Shining Armor. It wasn’t until they had left line of sight that he finally let out a sigh, allowing his shoulders to drop for a moment. “And, that’s the end of that.”
Taze sighed. “Why do I feel like it’s the end of a prologue?”
“Because there’s no way things can be simple,” Shawn replied simply.
“Sounds about right.” Taze nodded.
“Well, we are still going to be here till they find a way to send us home, now that this is finished. I’m both thrilled and terrified, honestly. With everything that’s happened, we’ll probably be the next focus of the nobility. We’re new, unknown creatures, and that means they want to ingrain their houses in our good graces for when they think communications are open between our societies.” He swallowed nervously. “And that’s the optimistic outlook.”
“I suppose optimism is the best choice we have.” Taze nodded. “Just wish we had some idea what to do next.”
“Probably figure out a point of survival.” Shawn hummed. “Need a stable point to stand on before we could branch out from there.”
“Then it seems like I may have caught the three of you at the right time,” Luna said as she approached.
Shawn looked to Luna with a raised brow. “I assume you were meaning to catch us before we left?”
“We need to talk,” she said bluntly.
“Is here fine, or do you want us to follow you elsewhere?” Shawn asked.
“I think we need to talk somewhere private,” Luna said. “It concerns how things are going to go forward from here.”
Shawn glanced to the others briefly before taking a breath. “Lead the way.”
Matthew followed the group slowly as Luna strode along the path. A toss of her head caused the firmament to become bright and lustrous. The streets were mostly quiet, now that the many guests and subjects had streamed toward their homes. The murmur of voices whispered in tired sighs and yawns as sparkles sifted from above in a silvery cloud that seemed to miss the four as they walked.
“So let's not play the small talk game,” Luna said bluntly. “I'm not here to order you, and I’m not here to bargain. I'm here to ask a favor.”
“And that would be?” Shawn questioned.
“I need you to publicly give Celestia face. Your part in the resistance against Chrysalis has already spread around the population, and they’re going to be expecting some sort of acknowledgement from the crown.”
“So some sort of award ceremony. Will this include the rest of the guards? Thestrals as well? They fought as hard, if not harder than we did,” Matthew said.
“Yes, and they are to be commended. However, the public expects its guard to defend it. It does not expect three foreign aliens with no ties to do so.”
Matthew frowned, “May I be bold enough to ask permission to witness the award ceremony for your troops, then? Because, with all due respect, this reeks of politics, and I’d rather thank the real soldiers of the hour.”
“They’d probably be happy to have you attend.” Luna nodded. “Unfortunately, this is not the subject at hand.”
Matthew nodded. “Then I suppose at least I’ll be willing to help Princess Celesita save face this time.”
“Let’s not rush into that decision right away,” Shawn spoke up. “Given the fact that we’re stuck in this spotlight, it would be best to at least minimize exposure.” He turned to Luna. “What would the repercussions be?”
“It would appear as though the crown had insulted a foriegn power. While I imagine Celestia would be forgiven, the disgrace would follow her for a very long time, and it would lessen her power over the nobility significantly.”
Shawn sighed. “Given their nature, it wouldn’t really work well for the nation. If we did go, there are several points that need to be discussed beforehand.”
“So I imagined.” Luna nodded. “I implied such to Celestia myself.”
“The first point that I believe the three of us can agree on is actual security, if it takes place. The Solar Guard may be the more up front, but we’d prefer actual guards. Beyond that, how public would this ceremony be?” Shawn asked.
“I’ll assign my personal guards to you, as before,” Luna assured them. “Unfortunately, the entire ceremony would be very public.”
“Joy.” Shawn sighed. “And I get the feeling that can’t be negotiated.”
Luna shook her head. “You’d also need to return to the palace, though you’d be coming and going as you please in a room set near my own quarters.”
“Complete freedom to leave the palace into the city, correct?” Shawn questioned. “I get the whole, ‘don’t leave the city’ bit, but we will be free to come and go from said room at our leisure, right?”
Luna nodded. “After the ceremony is done, we’ll see about putting you out of the spotlight until we can send you home.”
“We’re an unknown,” Shawn stated bluntly. “We lost that ability when we were put in said spotlight. It’ll take time before we get that ability again.”
“Maybe in Canterlot, but Equestria is vast, and there are plenty of places you could live comfortably and not be the center of attention.”
Shawn looked her in the eyes for a moment before sighing. “Unless Taze has any objections, then I suppose the three of us can accept those terms.”
Taze thought about it. “We’ll do what we have to, I guess.” Then he sighed.
Luna nodded. “Are there any other stipulations you have?”
“Nothing at the moment, though there are a few things I’d like to discuss with you alone afterwards,” Shawn replied.
“Very well.” Luna nodded. “I’ll arrange some time after. For now, would it be fair to say our business is complete?”
“So it would seem.”
“Then I’ll take my leave. I have preparations to make.” Luna nodded. “I’ll have a guard lead you to your new room when you're ready to move, make sure your … friend keeps under wraps.”
“Yeah, … he’d certainly bring more trouble.” Shawn sighed.
“Until next time,” Luna said as she turned and headed off.
The rooms that had been prepared for the trio were more closely associated with the night, as was to be expected for the wing of the castle they had been transferred into. Three great beds had been set in place under a large arching ceiling that pulsed with starry constellations and nebulae to light it up by night. Bookshelves and desks had been added for each human to make use of in their studies as they endeavored to better understand and speak the Equestrians’ language. A set of double doors opened out onto a large balcony that overlooked the castle grounds and the great waterfall. The view stretched on for miles, granting the humans a picturesque scene. The bathroom was exactly that, a true bath room. Steam rose in wisps from the pool-sized baths that spouted hot water from various miniaturized animals shaped like foxes, dragons, manticores, vipers, wolves, bears, and lions. A number of sinks and mirrors were also available, along with a shower stall for when they weren’t in the mood to wade or swim.
“Certainly more of an upgrade than I expected,” Shawn commented.
“I wonder if it’s symbolism?” Taze asked as he looked over the animals.
“It could be,” Matthew replied. “I mean, this is Princess Luna, after all. She doesn’t strike me as the type to indulge in opulence for opulence’s sake.”
“It’s an interesting line up of animals,” Taze noted.
“An interesting view out the balcony, too,” Matthew commented.
“Indeed.” Shawn sighed. “While we’ll still have guards with us, we were cleared for free movement around the city, so she fully held up her end of the deal here.”
“She’s only been honest with us from the beginning. I can’t see her saying or doing anything less than she promises, based on what we’ve seen and heard so far,” Matthew replied.
“Yeah, I know.” Shawn rubbed the back of his head. “I just … keep getting these feelings.”
“What sort of feelings, exactly?”
“Like something isn’t right.” Shawn frowned. “Like a constant nagging in the back of my mind that something just isn’t right, and I can’t put my finger on it.”
“We’re in a world of magical talking ponies,” Taze noted. “And we just survived an invasion by shape-changing insectoid ponies who eat love. You may need to narrow your scope there.”
“That’s the thing. I literally cannot. I can’t explain what’s giving me these feelings, nor can I explain why. Honestly, it’s getting worse than when we first arrived.”
Matthew frowned. “That’s definitely not good. Maybe there’s something in your head that’s causing it? I mean, this is a magical world, after all. Aren’t there creatures that can do that sort of thing?”
“It’s doubtful that any are close enough to,” Moon shade commented. “Most mind magic requires a relatively short range.”
“So, could it be something related to trauma, then?” Matthew suggested.
“It’s … definitely not. Nevermind, let’s just settle in for now,” Shawn dismissed.
Matthew nodded as he turned to his duffel bag on the bed he had claimed. “Want a book to read to take your mind off it?”
Shawn shook his head. “I’ve got stuff I want to get on paper, a few designs. Maybe later.”
“More of your designs?” Taze chuckled as he opened a bag he’d been given. He’d managed to borrow a few books from the Sparkle library, and was going to brush up on Equestrian history.
“Gives me something to work on.” Shawn shrugged.
“Just how many of those things have you drawn up since we got here?” Matthew asked.
“I mean, I used to do this plenty for my work as is, so it’s nothing too crazy.”
“That … doesn’t exactly answer my question.”
“I don’t have an answer.” Shawn shrugged. “I don’t really keep track of how many I’ve made.”
“Leave him alone,” Taze said as he opened a book. “Pretty sure people didn’t question da Vinci.”
Matthew sighed. “All right.” Then he turned to face Moon Shade. “Did you want something to read to help pass the time? I don’t have a large collection, but it’s enough to share, if you’re interested.”
“I’m not sure I'd be able to read any of your collection,” Moonshade noted.
“I could teach you, if you would like.” He chuckled. “Maybe we can teach each other a little without this thing helping,” he said as he motioned to his amulet. “I’d like to be able to do things without it one day.”
“I suppose we could try,” Moonshade said. “It may be beneficial to know how your language is written.”
Matthew Smirked. “Especially since those nobles don’t know a lick of it.”
Moon Shade smirked in return. “That is a good point.” She nodded, moving up to him “Let's get started.”
Luna sat waiting as Shawn was seen into her balcony. She stood by a fine onyx table which had been set with a large silver flagon intricately carved with the same animal figures he’d seen in their room. She lifted the mug in a toast to him as he was led to her. “I hope you don’t mind, but I figured we’d have this talk on the balcony.”
“That’s fine.” Shawn gave a nod as he leaned against the railing.
Luna nodded in return and gazed after him. “Something is troubling you. I assume it’s separate from the arrangements we’ve already made.”
“Yeah. The arrangement’s fine, so there’s nothing to worry about there. I was wondering if I could make a personal request, if it’s in the realm of possibility.”
“The only way to know that is for you to ask it.”
Shawn took a few seconds to form his question before letting out a soft sigh. “Given the whole situation that happened, I was wondering if a ceremony for those lost had occurred already? If it has not, though I didn’t know many of them, I would like to at least go to honor them.”
Luna nodded. “It’s only fair that you honor your comrade. You may not have known Crescent long, but from what I’ve been told, you were able to wield his glaive. No normal being could have done that. It would take someone with immense magical power to break through the restriction. And you don't have any to speak of. That means that you met the hidden requirement of the magic to enable the weapon’s use. And that requirement is trust. Crescent trusted you completely and implicitly. That particular kind of trust is not bestowed lightly by my children. You have more than earned the right to attend the proceedings.”
“Thank you,” Shawn replied as he looked to Luna. “Truly.”
Luna nodded gravely. “You have the soul of a warrior, Shawn.” Her horn glowed, and before the human’s eyes, a second vessel was summoned. This one was fashioned after a great bear with its silver teeth glinting brightly in the moonlight. A drink was poured, and Luna offered the vessel to Shawn. “Will you do me the honor of joining me as I drink to his memory?”
“Without hesitation,” Shawn replied with a soft smile as he took hold of the vessel. After a brief moment, he lifted it higher. “To the fallen. May the afterlife grant them everything they deserve.”
Luna nodded. “And until the day of reunion comes, I will endeavor to watch over their families, so that they may rest in peace.” She raised her stein in a return to Shawn’s salute, then brought it to her lips and drank deeply.
“Usque in occursum nobis,” Shawn spoke softly before taking a drink himself.
The dream world, was much as one would expect it, an ephemeral labyrinth of ever-changing pathways and scenery. That being said, Luna had always believed she’d gained a good sense of direction within, as well as an understanding with the fading consciousness of the realm that she had dubbed Morpheus. She had never truly had trouble coming or going before, never found a world she could not force her way into or a Pony she could not help.
Which made Shawn all the more of a curiosity to her. To say his dream state was closed off to her would be a gross understatement. She could feel the turbulence within, feel the ripples of the nightmares that assailed the sleeper in his own mind.
And yet she could not get past the door before her.
“It’s wrong…. It’s all wrong. It doesn’t add up.”
It caused her to go cold in her bones, a sentiment she’d heard a lot over the last few days. She spurred herself on even harder, tearing down the chains and shattering the portcullis. Then she attacked the door beyond with everything he had.
Every attempt had been like this. Every attempt had ended in failure. Why was his mind so well defended? Why was she so cut off from helping him?
But no. Tonight would be different. She would not allow this any longer. She slammed her own consciousness repeatedly at the barricade in front of her, forming it into a battering ram, then a crowbar, then a drill. Little by little, she was wearing it away. Already, she could see it beginning to open to her slightly. She could almost feel the other end of the passage before her.
She felt it crack. She felt the portal open for a second and pushed her consciousness forward.
...
Only for her to be thrown back at the last moment as several more barricades fell. Heavy doors of reinforced iron with locks and chains of every shape imaginable slammed in place, shoving her back farther and farther. And then, slowly, the portal began to fade, indicating the one behind it was waking.
Shawn gasped as he sat upright in his bed. Like every time before, his hand clutched at his chest as he regulated his breathing. Every night, the same thing happened. Whatever he dreamed of would wake him, and he could never remember what it was.
After taking several breaths, he finally sighed deeply and removed his covers. There wasn’t a chance he’d get back to sleep. He put on his boots and stood upright quietly. Given the fact they were sharing a room, he wouldn’t be able to get anything done without potentially waking the others.
Upon opening the door, he noted a glint of lunar armor off to the side of the doorway, “Morning Cres…” He trailed off as his mind caught up with him. “Right, sorry….” He sighed, ensuring he closed the door behind him.
“You're not wearing your amulet,” Moonshade noted with a raised eyebrow.
“Right.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the amulet, placing it around his neck. “Forget sometimes. Sorry.”
“You and crescent seemed to have made progress in your Equish,” she said.
“Yeah,” Shawn replied, moving over to Moonshade’s side as he leaned back against the wall. “Given this whole … situation, I would talk with him while he was on shift. Taught me some things, and I taught him some of our words.”
She nodded. “Well, it’s good to know he made the most of it.”
“Yeah.” He frowned. “He was actually the first one to warn me. If it weren’t for that, things might have been different for us.”
Moon shade smirked. “He must have found you worth saving. My people value respect. You probably showed him more of that than most of the Ponies he grew up around.”
“I suppose. Luna taught me some things, since Crescent wasn’t able to…” He sighed. “If anything, I’m glad I at least got the Changeling that was impersonating him, if nothing else.”
“You avenged him. That is more than most would do for my kind.” She shrugged. “They're proud of the puffed-up Pegasus, but when the real dirty work has to be done, they expect us to do it without a word.”
“Though the world may not look kindly upon you, at the least they know your worth, right?”
“If they want to keep their security.” She laughed. “Though I imagine you’ve been facing some pretty harsh battles yourself. I’m not sure how you function on so little sleep. Your other friend there would probably sleep all day and think nothing of it if you let him.”
“Probably.” He chuckled. “While it wasn’t this bad, I did deal with Insomnia back home, followed by another day of work in most cases. I’m used to a little less sleep than others, though this is quite a difference.”
“You're also suffering from nightmares,” she noted.
“Yeah.” He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “I just can’t recall them. That’s the part that gets me.”
“Sounds like you're suppressing them.” Moonshade nodded. “I’m surprised Princess Luna hasn’t helped you with them.”
Shawn blinked a few times. “Right, she can do that. Unless, maybe she can’t for us? Combining all the factors, we may just be too ‘foreign.’”
Moonshade shrugged. “I suppose that's the best answer we’ll get.”
“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to ask her next time I see her.” He shrugged. “Until then, I suppose I have one question for you, if you’d be willing. Seeing as I have absolutely nothing to do until the others wake up, would you mind helping me with my Equish?”
Moonshade nodded. “Might as well. it may help me get ahead of Matthew,” she noted.
“Indeed.” He gave a soft smile as he pulled off his amulet. “Prepare for much work.”
“Did you mean to say prepare for a challenge?” she asked, pronouncing the last word slowly in her native tongue.
“... What?”