Chapter Three: Anger Of Artemis

~BlackRoseRaven

"I hate you. I hate you so much."

Luna grinned: Scrivener's glaring at her helped settle her nerves, which were still on edge. She felt like Celestia wasn't telling her everything, but the offer had been too enticing to pass up... and well, maybe part of her wanted to help, too, and this would be the best way she could. "Oh, Scrivy, but I am but a weak mare, I need thy big strong stallion self to protect helpless little docile me!"

"Docile. Docile as a wet manticore doused in catnip." Scrivener muttered, and Luna laughed loudly, forgetting her worries for the moment. "Can't you take Twilight Sparkle instead of me?"

"What is that, Scrivener Blooms? Thou wants to take Twilight Sparkle along too!" Luna feigned a gasp and shocked look. "Such impertinence, the Princess of the Night is not enough for thee, thou must demand another mare for thy harem too?"

Scrivener dropped his head on the desk with a thunk, and Luna laughed again, loud and clear and happy, and...

Horses of Heaven he hated how part of him wanted to smile.

Even if another part of him wanted to strangle her for getting him involved in this.

He didn't think he could ever be like her. A passionate whirlwind, a mare who wore her heart on her sleeve and bared her emotions to the world, who screamed and shouted and could be a moody grump, sure, but who also had more joy and strength of character and willingness to plod on through even the harshest of times than any other pony he'd ever met.

"Besides, Scrivy. A bard is necessary for any epic quest! Thou must record my incredible feats of strength and prowess, 'lest otherwise they are lost from remembrance and none are blessed with the knowledge of my grace, beauty, and wit." Luna added comfortably with a flick of her mane and a wink.

"Okay, warrior princess, I hope you live up to your own hype, then." Scrivener gestured at himself pointedly. "Because this minstrel can't even sing country, let alone hold his own in a fight."

"Oh, thou great baby!" Luna snorted in amusement. "Thou acts as if we are marching to a den of evil or banditry. 'Twill be a night's hike through the Everfree Forest to the ruins of the castle, where we shall like-as-not simply find that some adventurous soul or silly beast stumbled upon a security rune and activated the wards."

Scrivener grunted, clearly unconvinced, as Luna paced slowly across the floor of her room. "Still, though, I will not pretend I do not have mine own concerns, and that we must prepare for the worst. No, I do not believe 'tis some sordid assassination or serious danger... were it the Royal Court, perhaps they would attempt such, but not Celestia..."

"I don't think the Royal Court is smart enough to set up an assassination attempt, anyway. They can't even get the guards to beat me up half the time." Scrivener noted, and Luna grunted.

"'Tis pathetic, really." she agreed, before asking: "What is it that she had thou researching? Artifact and legend, but was there anything in particular?"

"I guess you wouldn't know what were in the vaults, huh? I'm just surprised Celestia doesn't, either." Scrivener paused, then nodded. "Mostly old legends. Archive records and cargo lists, but a lot of them have decayed into unrecognizability."

Luna grunted. "I dislike giving my sister the benefit of the doubt, but in this case I shall. A thousand years is a long time, Scrivener Blooms, and I would not expect her to remember the contents of every single vault... but that likely means we are searching for things that would be forgotten, not that which was most important to us."

She tapped a hoof slowly, then murmured: "I do have my reservations though, Scrivy, if thou must know. The thought of enemies or bandits or battle does little to frighten me, but it will be hard to step back into that place. It is where I became Nightmare Moon, and where I was defeated, twice, as Nightmare Moon; I fear there is an encroaching, terrible darkness, slithering in the realm of faded shadow, 'twixt the day and night, seeking to whisper its poison into innocent ears and corrupt them with foul promises and fouler-still desires..."

"You know, Luna, I'm the Court Poet here, you're the Princess. Not the other way around." Scrivener noted, and Luna blinked a few times, then glared at him even as a blush tinged her cheeks.

"Well, thou art the one always acting like a prim and proper princess!" she complained, then she shook her head grumpily. "'Tis funny, thou art supposed to be the one teaching me, and yet I seem to be the one teaching thee."

"Just because of how stubborn you are. I mean, if you want, of course, I can start complaining more about thy thee's and thou's." Scrivener answered, and Luna gave him a sour look. "It might be a good idea to use tonight to practice that, by the way. It'll make you come across as less formal to Twilight and her friends."

"Damn thee, thou art right, 'tis about time we should get going. Do not be so lazy, Scrivener Blooms!" Luna chided, and Scrivener gave her a flat look before she added: "Put on thy royal vestments, and then we shall..."

Her face wrinkled up before she mumbled: "Damnation, Scrivener Blooms. What if they have only come to... to watch me do more frightening tricks? What if I am only... like a scary play to them, or they are simply hoping to get in my good graces because I am close to Celestia, or-"

"Okay, okay, look." Scrivener shifted away from his desk, walking over to hip-check her gently, Luna blinking before the stallion promised: "I'm gonna make a worse impression on them than you, as long as you keep your temper and don't set anyone on fire."

"The only pony I shall set on fire is thee, if thou does not dress thyself properly. Thou shalt be representing me, the Princess of the Night, and I shan't have thee besmirch the reputation of Canterlot without thy jester's cap on." Luna ordered, shoving at him lightly with a hoof.

Scrivener snorted in amusement, then he gave a few exaggerated bows before answering: "As you wish, oh magnificent queen of fools! I learned all the best ways to talk funny from you, after all!"

Luna looked at him sourly for a moment before her horn lit up: a moment later, the door flew open and Scrivener was ejected from the room with a yelp, rolling painfully to a stop on his back.

He wheezed loudly, then glowered up at her from his inverted position. "Temper temper, like we just discussed."

"That was me keeping my temper, dearest little beetle." Luna smiled sweetly as she leaned slowly, menacingly down. "But if thou insists, I can give thee a demonstration of what would happen were I to lose patience with thee."

"Point made. I'm going to go put on my silly clothes now." Scrivener mumbled, flopping over onto his side before he picked himself awkwardly up and scuttled off down the hall to his room. Luna grinned in amusement, then she waited a few moments as he slipped through the door before she tiptoed down the corridor, her expression softening as she silently slipped to the ajar doorway to poke her head through and gaze in.

His room had a messy sort of order to it: things were flung here and there, but done so with some kind of purpose to keep them as separate and organized as lazily as possible. Scrolls, books, and sheets of parchment were shoved into crude categories in both shelves and wheeled carts, and a dresser and small bed were almost abandoned at the back of the room, and the former was covered in quills, the latter a mess of unmade sheets and blankets that Sammy had made into a comfortable little nest for himself.

Scrivener was wriggling his way into a gray half-coat that had Luna's crest on the front, back, and shoulders. Luna smiled a little at the sight of this despite herself, before her horn glowed gently, and Scrivy winced as the vestment was firmly yanked down and then brushed neat against his body before she delicately adjusted his dislodged glasses.

The stallion fidgeted awkwardly, then nodded lamely even as he cleared his throat and turned to her, noting: "You know, it's rude to spy on a pony while they're getting dressed."

"Well, the rules are different for us. Me." Luna said after a moment, and then she nodded firmly. "Aye, the rules are different for me."

Scrivener sighed tiredly, before the mare instead asked curiously: "Little Samael, will thou be joining us too?"

"Sammy might scare the other ponies right now. Let's let him rest for tonight, he can come join us later." Scrivener answered, and Sammy chirped in agreement and nestled himself comfortably deeper into his mess of blankets. "Does that mean you're ready to go?"

"Bah, as if I am some foal!" Luna grumbled. "Do not rush me."

She did a few exaggerated stretches as Scrivener watched her, not thrown off by the thunderous look on her face before he said gently: "You aren't going to get less anxious until you go and see them."

"Shut up, Scrivener Blooms!" Luna almost whined, before she walked over and bopped him with her horn, making him wince before she dropped her head and mumbled: "I am sure Twilight Sparkle is having a grand and wondrous time with Celestia right now. Sometimes I feel as if I am merely the following act, have I ever confessed this?"

"All the time." Scrivener gently patted her on the shoulder, but when he turned to head to the door, Luna sulkily followed, dragging her hooves even as the stallion encouraged: "Come on, though, you can show them the main course is better than the opening act, and I'll make everyone angry and you can save them from me. Even Twilight Sparkle."

Luna grumbled as they fell into step, scowling horribly, but all that anxiety still clearly showing through even before she blurted out: "And what if they do not like me, Scrivener? What if once more it all comes down to 'oh Luna, scare us,' 'oh Luna, do tricks for us,' 'ooh, Luna, tell us all about thy murdering as Nightmare Moon!'"

"Look, Luna, we all have our worries, and yours are more valid than most. You might even be more of an anxious mess than me." Scrivener admitted, and Luna didn't know whether to be insulted or pleased. "At the end of the day, though, all we can do is put one hoof in front of the other and make the most of what we've got. But hey, Twilight responded to you, she didn't go through Celestia or anything, and she and all her friends were eager to come to Canterlot. That's a good start, isn't it?"

"Perhaps, but perhaps the lure was Canterlot itself, and not great and terrible Nightmare Moon." Luna grumbled, and Scrivener snorted in amusement at her pessimism even as he bumped against her, and she grouchily bumped back against him as they made their way into the brighter halls of Canterlot.

The castle was alive with life this early in the evening, and neither pony felt exactly thrilled about it as others looked at them and gave them a wide berth, Luna's eyes flicking around as she mumbled: "I do not know if I prefer this, or the bowing and scraping out of terror. Is it better to be feared than ignored, or vice versa?"

Scrivener only shrugged. A small sizzle passed through Luna's mane and tail as they headed onward in silence, but they took comfort in each other as they made their way towards the dining hall: either they would find Twilight and her friends there having dinner, or they would enjoy whatever excuse for breakfast they were served before Twilight joined them.

As they entered, Luna's sharp eyes noted a familiar purple mare heading out onto the terrace in company of a group of others, and even as she rose her head her ears flattened anxiously. "There, 'twas Twilight Sparkle, was it not? Perhaps she and her friends only now sat down to dine, 'twould be rude to interrupt their dinner, and-"

"And you invited them here, you have to actually meet them at some point." Scrivener pointed out, and Luna pouted even as she nodded grudgingly. Then she scowled when Scrivener started across the dining hall, saying mildly: "But hey, don't worry about it. I'll just go say hello to Twilight Sparkle and her friends myself."

"Oh, how I loathe thee at times." Luna muttered, before she caught Scrivener by the tail with telekinesis, holding him in place so she could join him. "Beetle. Wicked as Celestia beetle-bard."

"Low blow, Luna. Low blow." Scrivener said wryly, before he cleared his throat as they left the hall and entered the terrace, the stallion raising his head and saying clearly to the six mares seated at a large table that had been set out for them: "Allow me to formally extend all of our friends from Ponyville a warm welcome to Canterlot! And oh, hi, Sparkles, I guess you're here too. How's tricks? Still dyeing your mane, I see."

The purple unicorn at the head of the table scowled at him, absently reaching up to touch the two lines of color that went through her otherwise dark mane as she said grumpily: "Girls, this is Scrivener Blooms, the only Court Poet in the last two hundred years to be a college dropout, although he did manage to break the record for most reprimands ever received by a member of the Royal Court for the last five hundred years."

"Why thanks, Sparkles, you read my biography! I'm really proud of you, continuing to study even after Princess Celestia unceremoniously kicked you out of the Magic Academy and all." Scrivener said positively, before he added at the mare's curdling glare: "Also you can't be a dropout when you never went to college, and it's the last four hundred and ninety three years. Still not ahead of that darn Frumpious Scrumblesnacks."

Twilight started to lean forwards, her electric violet eyes burning holes in Scrivener before both she and the stallion winced in surprise when a bright pink pony popped up between them with a burst of confetti.

"Look everypony! Twilight actually did have a friend before she came to Ponyville!" she declared, and Twilight and Scrivener both blinked, then threw their heads back and laughed loudly. "What? What's so funny?"

Twilight only shook her head as she slid out of her seat and stepped up with a smile, turning her eyes from Scrivener to Luna and saying: "Princess Luna, it's really an honor to be here, though, Scrivy notwithstanding-"

"Ouch."

"-and I've been telling my friends a lot about you! Come and sit down with us, maybe you can even join us for dinner if you haven't eaten yet?"

"Yes, Twilight Sparkle. We would be honored to." Luna held herself up, tall and imperious as she strode almost stiffly to the table. Scrivener smiled despite himself, recognizing that it meant Luna was nervous and anxious, no matter how intimidating the airs she might be putting on.

Scrivener followed, and the two took their own places at the table, with Twilight settling in beside Luna and the pink party pony popping up with a bright smile next to Scrivener, making him wince. "Hi new friend!"

"Pinkie, dear, give the stallion a little space." a pure white unicorn said gently, and Pinkie nodded with a blush as she sat back. Then the unicorn turned her smile to Scrivener and Luna, brushing back her coiffed purple mane as she almost posed in her seat. "It's lovely to meet you both. My name is Rarity, perhaps you've heard of-?"

"I'm Rainbow Dash!" interrupted a lanky blue pegasus, who shot into the air with a grin, her tousled and rough – and fittingly-rainbow – mane and tail fluttering in the wind the strong flaps of her wings caused. "I know you have to have heard of me, I'm the bestest, strongest, fastest-"

"Dumbest." noted a goldenrod earth pony, and Rainbow huffed loudly as she was tugged by the tail back to her seat, landing on her chair and glowering down at the mare beside her. "Settle down, sugarcube, and mind yer manners.

"Nice to see you again, Princess Luna, and thanks for inviting us here. Mr. Blooms, my name is Applejack, it's nice to meet you." She tipped her cowboy hat to him, and Scrivener nodded politely back before he blinked as the pink party pony bounced up on the other side of the table, like she had been there all along.

"And this is Fluttershy!" she exclaimed, and the slender, beautiful pegasus who was doing her best to hide behind her pink mane squeaked, straightening a bit before ducking back down again with a nervous smile.

"Yes, we remember all of thee to some extent, but 'tis nice to be able to have this time to meet at length. I never got to truly thank thee for all thy help controlling my voice and temper, fair Fluttershy." Luna said. She was trying, Scrivener could see: she was still hard-faced and serious, and her accent came out so much stronger when she was nervous, but she was also present, and speaking, and trying. "I am... it means much to me that all of thee... you, rather, that all of you came here to visit me from Ponyville. I hope that Canterlot has been accommodating."

The crazy pink pony giggled – how the hell had she popped back into her seat so fast? – and Rarity smiled as she answered: "It's been divine, your majesty, absolutely worth taking a few days off for, and I've even been able to use some of the time to make new contacts. And of course Twilight's been such a dear helping show us all around..."

"Well, you know. I did used to live here." Twilight shrugged with a laugh.

"Yeah, you used to." Scrivener said, and Luna couldn't help but smile despite herself at that tone. When he wanted to annoy someone, he always knew just the right tone to take.

And of course it didn't fail with Twilight, who scowled at him as she said: "Yes. Used to. Because now I'm on a special assignment studying the magic of friendship for Princess Celestia herself."

"That's right Twilight, that's a great way to look at it. 'Special assignment,' not 'exile.'" Scrivener encouraged, and Rainbow Dash snorted laughter as Applejack slowly cocked an eyebrow.

Before Scrivener could say anything further, Luna kicked him hard under the table, making him flinch with a wheeze as she interrupted: "Do tell us more about thy studies, Twilight Sparkle, if th- you don't find the subject too boring. I am very curious. Celestia speaks very highly of it, and of you."

Twilight puffed up at this, then scowled horribly when Scrivener muttered: "Yes, although some of her letters are more oopsy-doopsies than anything else."

"And how do you know that?" Twilight asked crankily.

"Court Poet. I get to hear all the juicy gossip." Scrivener replied with a sniff, and then he winced when Pinkie Pie leaned in towards him, beaming.

"I like juice!" she declared, before she cocked her head and asked curiously: "So how long have you been friends with Twilight anyway? A long time? A long-long time?"

Scrivener cleared his throat awkwardly as Twilight slapped her face with a hoof, and Rainbow Dash took the moment to blurt out: "So hey is it like true that there's some kind of super secret adventure you're going on, Princess?"

Applejack groaned as Twilight glared daggers at Rainbow, and Luna blinked in surprise. The earth pony hammered a hoof against Rainbow's head, making her squawk, before the orange earth pony said pointedly: "What Rainbow here means is that uh, we heard some stories about how you and Princess Celestia used to be adventurers or something once upon a time, before the founding of Equestria."

Luna brightened at this, even as Rarity scoffed and waved a hoof dismissively: "Everypony knows that those are just exaggerations. I mean no offense of course, princess, but some of those old stories are so... violent." She shivered. "And you and your sister are so elegant and refined!"

"Yeah, you gotta be athletic and super-cool and strong to go on adventures like that, right?" Rainbow Dash asked as she slammed her front hooves down on the table, making it wobble, and then she blushed when Twilight steadied it with magic, looking lamely across at her. "Uh, whoops."

"Well, yes, but 'twas more than a thousand years ago..." But Scrivener could see, almost feel, that yearning in the Princess of the Night, as she gave a small smile and continued: "Even my sister and I were young once and we... we craved adventure, to change the world, to make it a better place, and... well, times were different then. We were different, back then."

Scrivener chuckled, then he looked at Luna with a smile as he said: "Many of the old myths of the before-time you hear about this land are actually about Luna, her sister, and her brother. The stories of Sol, Titan, and Morgan, for example, are all actually based on their adventures."

"You had a brother?" Twilight asked with surprise.

But of course, before she could answer, Rainbow leaned forwards in excitement, blurting out: "Wait a minute, seriously? Even the one where Sol takes on a dragon single-hoofed?"

"Aye, Celestia was known as the Dragon Slayer in a past life." Luna remarked, shaking her head with a brief smile. "And my brother, Sleipnir, he was strong enough to lift mountains. The fastest and strongest earth pony to ever live."

"I bet I could beat him in a race!" Rainbow said as she flitted into the air and posed, and Luna grinned despite herself as Fluttershy peeked up with an awkward wince.

Applejack, meanwhile, put her hooves behind her head and said wryly: "You couldn't even outrace me in the last run we did. Heck, you got disqualified from the Ponyville triathlon!"

"Why would I swim when I could fly?" Rainbow complained. "It doesn't make any sense!"

"Triathlon?" Luna questioned curiously.

"Competition. Three different races, usually, tied together into one competition." Scrivener explained, and Luna brightened at this.

"Oh, that does sound like fun!" she said with a smile. "'Tis not quite as exciting as the jousts and duels of the past, but I did always enjoy a good run. Horn foiling was always my favorite, though."

Again, all eyes turned to her with surprise, and Luna huffed a little before she suddenly climbed to her hooves, saying quickly: "Scrivy, up on thy hooves, aid me in this demonstration."

"Horn foiling requires a horn, Luna. Hey, I know, Twilight Sparkle, you're the most talented unicorn in all of Equestria, right?" Scrivener teased, and Twilight scowled horribly, then winced when Luna grasped her with magic and yanked her out of her seat, a crooked grin spreading over Scrivener's muzzle as he dropped his head against his hoof and relished: "Horses of Heaven it's nice to watch Luna do this to someone else for once."

"Uh, I'm sorry, wait, I don't know-"

But Luna only smiled as she stepped back, facing the now-standing unicorn mare and saying kindly: "Nonsense, Twilight, Scrivy is actually right for once. Thou art the perfect student. Not just because thou art a unicorn, but my sister brags often how clever and adept thou art at learning."

Twilight blushed, but then she laughed lamely and rubbed the back of her head as she looked away: "Oh, I... thank you, Princess Luna, but I'm really the book-learning type, you know? Maybe um... Rarity, hey, or Rainbow Dash, or Applejack?"

"Oh no, dear! You'll do wonderfully!" Rarity gushed brightly, before she added: "I can't really risk ruining my precious mane here in Canterlot of all places, either."

"Hey, I'll fight you Princess, if that's what you want, I bet I can do it a whole lot better than a bookworm like Twilight!" Rainbow bragged as she zipped back and forth, throwing a few quick punches at the air, and then she halted and cleared her throat when several ponies scowled at her. "Um. No offense, Twi."

"It sounds like y'need a horn for this demonstration anyway, so why don't we just sit back and watch for now?" Applejack suggested, and Rainbow grumbled and crossed her legs as she dropped her rump back in her seat.

Then they both flinched in surprise as Pinkie appeared between them, throwing a foreleg around either mare, a party hat on her forehead as she declared: "Now I have a horn too, so I'm gonna play after Twilight!"

Rainbow whined, and Twilight grumbled before her attention was drawn back to Luna as the Princess of the Night encouraged: "Focus on me, Twilight. I shan't harm thee, fear not. We shall start with the basics, fear not. First, sheathe thy horn in magic, like this."

She rose her head, her horn taking on a brilliant glow, and Twilight bit her lower lip even as she automatically mimicked what Luna did, her own purple magic forming a glove over her horn. "Like this?"

"Excellent. And now, Twilight Sparkle, prepare thyself!" Luna leapt forward, and Twilight yelped and scrambled backwards as Luna swung her horn down in playful but elegant arcs.

"Waitwhatdoido!" Twilight blurted out in fear: not fear of being hurt, Scrivener immediately noted, but fear of not doing the right thing. That was Twilight Sparkle, he reflected: a princess twice her size bearing down on her and she was more frightened of checking the wrong box than she was getting stabbed in the face.

"Listen to thy instincts, strike back against my horn! Do not fear, Twilight Sparkle, thou shan't and can't harm me!" Luna replied with a grin as Twilight skittered in a circle, but the sapphire mare kept chase, jumping after her and swinging her horn down as she moved with the grace of a dancer. "Do not give in to fear! Attack me!"

Twilight yelped as she was backed up almost into a plant, and then she swung her head back and forth before attempting an awkward poke forward: Luna gently parried this attack with her own, then caught Twilight's horn against the side of her hoof to avoid knocking her staggering as she said kindly: "There, good! I shall not harm thee, Twilight, fear not!"

Twilight winced, then she swung her head again, and Luna smiled in amusement as she easily parried the strike before suddenly bulling forwards: her friends gasped, but Scrivener only smiled when Luna knocked Twilight rearing back. She didn't hurt her though, as promised, Twilight turning beet red as she realized instead Luna had almost picked her up and thrown her over her shoulder, horn and head alongside her as she teased: "Although I certainly could."

Twilight popped out of existence in a burst of magic, teleporting behind Luna and stumbling once before she flopped woozily down on her face, eyes rolling on her head and fire-engine red. Luna threw her head back and laughed as she turned around, and Twilight picked herself up and said with embarrassment: "I... I'm sorry, Luna, I don't know if this is for me, it's um... it's so..."

"Nonsense, Twilight Sparkle. 'Tis an ancient unicorn art and thou art a studious and stupendous unicorn." Luna smiled warmly, before adding as she poked her horn in Twilight's direction threateningly: "And does thou dare reject my gift of teaching thee this history, forgotten in part even by my sister?"

"N-No, no!" Twilight shook her head wildly, and when her friends cheered for her – and Scrivener blew a raspberry – she sighed loudly before grimacing, setting herself, and saying with only some resignation. "Okay, okay. What do I need to do?"

"First of all, remember this: horn and hoof were the weapons of the first unicorns, not spell or magic. A weapon is a tool, and it is up to us how it will be used." Luna straightened, smiling, but still serious and calm, and Twilight looked up at her, listening intently and attentively. "We are responsible for our choices. In the wrong hooves, an art once used to defend can become the tool of a tyrant, and the weight of these choices can make coward of even the largest and strongest of ponies. I teach you these things so you will defend, and use them to protect others. I trust in thee, Twilight Sparkle, not just because my sister trusts thee, but because of the light and love I see in thine eyes, and the compassion thou hast for all things."

Twilight blushed deeply, and then she nodded once before Luna set herself and grinned. "Now, Twilight Sparkle! Ready thyself, and this time, I shall attack and thou shall defend thyself by any means necessary!"

Luna's eyes flashed before she leapt forwards, propelling herself higher into the air with a single flap of her wings: for a moment, she was everything the legends had said about the mighty Morgan, ferocious and beautiful, her starlight mane and tail like the streak of a comet behind her as she dropped towards Twilight Sparkle-

A stallion leapt between them, a shield of magical energy forming and blocking the strike, and Scrivener sat up quickly as Luna was repelled, landing hard on her hooves and skidding backwards as she bared her fangs, snapping: "What is the meaning of this?"

"P-Princess Luna, I, uh..." The large, white unicorn was dressed in the ornate dress breastplate of a Captain of the Royal Guard. He looked nervous, concerned, and not a little angry even as he dropped his barrier of magic, but he did a good job of trying to hide it as he straightened and stepped back, asking: "Are you okay, little sister?"

"BBBFF?" Twilight asked dumbly.

Luna frowned and looked quickly over at Scrivener, but Scrivener only shrugged dumbly before Twilight shook her head quickly and blurted out, turning a different shade of red in a different kind of embarrassment: "S-Sorry, this is... Shining Armor, this is my big brother. My uh... Big Brother Best Friend Forever. BBBFF."

She gave an awkward donkey laugh as Scrivener slid out of his seat and walked up beside Luna, sizing the unicorn up. Shining Armor was tall, handsome, strong, a two-tone blue mane so perfectly messy it had to be copious amounts of mane gel and styling, and he was just about standing over Twilight Sparkle as he said quickly and politely: "Princess Luna. I don't know what's going on here but my little sister doesn't deserve-"

"She doesn't, but Luna's generous." Scrivener drawled. Twilight looked like she was about to cry, Luna looked nearly ready to explode, so he took the attention off them the only way he knew how. "Shining Armor, hey there! We've met once or twice before. You threatened to shove my head up my... well, it's not important."

"Scrivener Blooms." Shining Armor's voice turned to ice and his eyes burned into the stallion. "I should have known you'd be involved somehow. What did you say to make Luna so angry?"

"I say a lot of things to make Luna angry." Scrivener said as he took a step forwards, and Shining stepped forward as well, the two glaring at each other. "But you're the intruder here, you know."

"Canterlot is my home, not yours. I was just coming here to say hello to my sister, when I saw Lu... Princess Luna attacking her!"

"I wasn't being attacked! Please, Shining, step back for a minute okay? We can talk about this." Twilight Sparkle pleaded, tugging at her big brother, but Shining didn't even look back at her, stoically keeping his eyes ahead.

Stubborn. Refusing to admit he was a wrong. Where had Scrivener seen that before?

Charcoal grinned at white stallion, saying wryly: "If Luna was attacking anyone, believe me, they'd just be a smear on the ground and there's nothing any of us could do about it."

"The Royal Court might be afraid of you, Scrivener Blooms, because of your... connections..." Shining Armor's eyes looked uneasily at Luna: the eyes of a loyal soldier of the daylight queendom of Celestia, the eyes of an overprotective brother who thought of himself as the only thing standing between her and the evils of the world, Nightmare Moon included. "But I am not. If you continue to harass my sister I'll show you that not even you are above the law and you can spend some time cooling your hooves in jail."

Scrivener started to open his mouth, but Luna stepped forwards, her eyes glowing faintly, baring her teeth as she snarled: "If thou hast something to say, then say it to my face, Shining Armor, and not through thy cowardly threats at my assistant!"

Shining Armor glared back at her, and then he shouted: "Princess or not, you are out of line if you threaten my sister, and I have no doubt Princess Celestia would see it the same way!"

It was a terribly low blow. Luna looked stung, before she snorted steam, then hissed: "And does thou think thou could truly stop me if I actually desired to hurt thy precious sibling?"

Shining Armor stepped forwards and created a shield as his horn glowed. Scrivener tried to grab Luna, but of course it was too late, and she grinned, her eyes and horn alive with malicious light as she launched herself forwards and hit the shield hard.

Shining Armor probably expected this to be simple and clean. No matter how many ponies thought of her still as a relic of the past, as Nightmare Moon, no one thought that she was on the same level as her sibling, and of course if you pumped enough electricity into any pony they would go down in an embarrassing mess.

The high-voltage that raced across his shield did nothing to the Luna pressing against it, however, and it took Shining Armor far too long to realize it was nothing but an illusion before the real Luna leapt forwards, slicing her horn down the center of the barrier he'd created and not only rending his magical shield in twain, but absorbing that supercharge into her own horn.

She slammed into him from below and smashed him into the air, the unicorn gasping in horror at the raw power he was hit with before Luna drove him violently higher into the air, hooves a vicious, battering whirl that punched into every weak point of his armor and crushed the ceremonial breastplate into a ruthless cage before she was suddenly above him. She slammed her horn down, unleashing that stolen charge of electricity at the same time, and Shining Armor was launched straight down to slam face-first into the floor of the terrace with enough force to shake the concrete, laying in a drooling heap, his muscles twitching and spasming uselessly.

Luna landed on her hooves with a snort in front of him, and then she winced as Twilight Sparkle cried out and jumped forwards, wincing at the spark of electricity that sizzled across her hoof when she touched her brother before she looked up at Luna with... fear.

Luna winced, reaching a hoof forward, and Twilight flinched back from her. It was small, but Luna's expression and body physically sagged, her lower lip trembling as her eyes darted back and forth. Twilight winced and started to speak as Scrivener stepped forward, but all of them were caught in mid movement as a voice asked sharply: "What is going on here?"

They all looked up to see Celestia stride quickly out onto the terrace. Her eyes darted back and forth, and even Shining Armor seemed to sluggishly wince on the ground. She grimaced at the sight of him before leaning down, suffusing Shining Armor in a bright golden glow for a moment and lifting him up to his hooves.

He wobbled briefly, then stood on his own after a moment, bowing his head respectfully to Princess Celestia before he straightened and looked up at her nervously, as she asked: "What happened here?"

"Princess Luna-"

"Princess Luna was having Twilight Sparkle help her with a demonstration. Shining Armor interrupted it. There was an argument and Shining... fell down some invisible stairs." Scrivener Blooms said.

Celestia turned her eyes on him, and he grimaced at the cold and serious gaze she locked him with, repeating quietly: "Fell down some invisible stairs?"

"Fell down some invisible stairs." Scrivener said, keeping his head up, even in spite of the nervousness that ran through him.

There was silence for a few moments, before Celestia closed her eyes and seemed to think. Then, without opening her eyes, she said: "Shining Armor, please go to the infirmary to get checked out."

"Wait, Princess Celestia, I-"

"Falling down stairs like that is very clumsy of you. But I'm glad that's all it was. You have a spotless record and I would hate to see a reprimand on it for a rash and impulsive decision made out of love. Just as an example." Celestia said quietly but firmly, and Shining Armor quailed before the ivory mare slowly leaned forward and enunciated: "Because I am an older sibling as well, you see."

Shining Armor dropped his eyes in shame, then he nodded once before looking up and saying: "Twilight, come on."

"No." Twilight said very quietly.

"Twilight-"

"No!" she yelled hoarsely at him, tears in her eyes, and the silence that followed hung in the courtyard for a moment before the violet mare turned and hurried away to the side of the terrace, dropping her head and doing her best to swallow her sobs.

Shining Armor looked down for a few moments, and then he simply nodded before straightening, saluting Princess Celestia, and walking away. Princess Celestia waited some thirty seconds as she looked at Luna, and then she said gently: "Come with me, sister. Let's go have a talk."

"Yes, sister. Yes..." Luna murmured. She looked at Twilight Sparkle's back, then dropped her eyes and followed, trying to make herself small, looking miserable and ashamed.

Fluttershy hurried over to Twilight Sparkle as there was an uncomfortable quiet for a few moments, and then Rarity cleared her throat before she smiled hesitantly. "Well, it's... apart from a minor bump, I think it's been a wonderful day and... tomorrow, maybe tomorrow we could get together again? For now it's... it's late for us, anyway. We should retire to bed."

"Yeah. I agree with Rarity, let's head off. Thank you for everything, Mr. Blooms. And hey, thank Princess Luna for inviting us again and tell her... we'd all really like to see her again." Applejack added as the ponies all got up, heading to leave the terrace.

"I'll pass it on. Thank you for all being willing to give Luna a chance." Scrivener answered politely.

"I uh... I think she was really amazing." Rainbow offered almost bashfully, before flitting on.

"Yeah! She just needs more friends!" Pinkie agreed, even though there was almost a visible tinge of gray to her mane and tail now. She still tried to smile, though, as she followed her friends out.

Fluttershy came last, hesitating for a moment before she meekly dropped her head, then murmured: "I um. I know that she comes across as scary, but I know she's trying really hard and going through so much, too."

Scrivener smiled a little, but before he could even thank her, she hurried off.

That left him... and on the other side of the terrace, Twilight Sparkle, who had her head low, tears rolling down her cheeks, snuffling quietly as she swallowed back her crying. Scrivener sighed a little, and then he strode over to her, reaching up to touch her shoulder gently.

She gave a short, bitter cry, but then her breathing gradually slowed as he just stood with her on this empty terrace. Finally, she looked up at him and asked weakly: "Did I make things worse?"

"Yeah, because it's all about you, Sparkles." Scrivener gently squeezed her shoulder, and Twilight smiled faintly as she shook her head before he sighed a little and said quietly: "It's not your fault. I know you've seen the duality in her; part of her wants to be kind and generous, what everyone's come to expect from a princess like Celestia is; but part of her is wild and wants to be free and... and is still so hurt and angry from what made her into Nightmare Moon.

"She doesn't know if she wants to return to being the Luna she was in the past, or she wants a new future, as Princess Luna. It's hard on her. And... ponies won't let her escape the fact she was Nightmare Moon."

"Like Shining." she said bitterly.

"I didn't name any names."

"I... it's true, though." Twilight looked down, murmuring: "Shining's always been overprotective and... hey, did he really-"

Scrivener Blooms grinned, and Twilight Sparkle scowled and looked away, muttering: "I don't need him fighting my battles for me. But he wants ponies to rely on him. He's a good stallion. He's my big brother and I love him, and..."

She trembled, and looked down. "And it really scared me when Luna beat him up so badly. And so easily."

"Oh, she could have done a lot worse. Easily." Scrivener remarked, and Twilight glared at him, but she was surprised when Scrivener said calmly: "She could have broken his legs, or maimed him, or even killed him if she wanted to. Instead, she just bruised and banged him up and used his own magic against him."

"I... I know. But it was still so violent. So scary. It wasn't like-"

"Nightmare Moon didn't want to harm you or kill you, Twilight. She wanted to be loved. That's why she tried to bribe you with the things you desired most, rather than just outright crush you unless it was absolutely necessary. Even now, Luna just wants ponies to care for her, but ponies... won't let go of her past. Of who she was, rather than who she is now." Scrivener stopped, then said quietly: "And she has a lot of trouble letting go of that, too."

Twilight Sparkle looked at him, rubbing at her face slowly, before she nodded and lowered her head. She thought for a little while, and he let her think, puzzle things out, until she finally said: "It's hard. I know Shining was wrong and I'm angry at him but I love him and I was scared for him. Luna scared me and I'm upset with how she handled things but also... amazed by her, and I feel... I feel awful that I hurt her feelings so much. I... I hate you, but I'm glad you were the one who stayed behind to talk with me."

Scrivener only smiled and shrugged, and then the two shifted to turn and sit with their backs against the railing for a few minutes in quiet.

Finally, Scrivener said: "It would mean a lot to Luna if you came to see her before you went to bed tonight, or maybe tomorrow in the early morning, if you think you can manage not to scream in terror or anything like a big baby."

"Yeah. I think I can." Twilight Sparkle sighed, before she softened and said: "You really like her, huh? How does... doesn't she ever scare you?"

"She polymorphed her bed into a giant spider and made it attempt to eat me the other night." Scrivener said wryly, and Twilight Sparkle stared at him before he shook his head and murmured: "But she doesn't. I know she'd never... okay, she's used me a stressball a lot and flung me into things and she's a huge pain in the flank. But she'd never do anything to really hurt me, you know? And I guess I'm used to temperamental pain in the butt unicorns by now."

Twilight smiled despite herself, and then she bit her lip before asking hesitantly: "I heard that... she brought your pet Samael back to life. I'm sorry if it's a sore subject, I just wanted to ask if-"

"If it was true, or if he's an undead terror now?" A smile quirked at Scrivy's muzzle, but then he nodded and said softly: "Yeah. It's true, and it... it took some getting used to. I didn't know what to feel at first. But... Sammy is still Sammy, no matter what he looks like now, and I couldn't be more grateful to her. I'm a huge jerk, but even I know when to accept a gift with grace."

"Now there's a lie if I ever heard one." Twilight smiled though, looking thoughtful at this before she nodded slowly, then she bit her lip and said: "I have to go talk to my brother, and then get some sleep and I'll come by when I wake up. I... I'm glad you're there for Luna, and I'm... I'm grateful you're here."

She looked awkwardly away, and Scrivener grinned at her before Twilight shoved a hoof against his nose, grumbling: "Oh, don't let it go to your big head. I just... thanks, Scrivener."

She hugged him, and he blinked in surprise, but then lamely patted her on the back before nodding to her as she stepped back. They looked at each other for a few moments before she blushed and lamely excused herself, turning to hurry off, and Scrivener sighed tiredly as he looked up at the starry night sky.

He just hoped that Luna was okay, and that this wasn't going to end up being too much of a setback for her.