Chapter Nine: Rekindling Friendship

~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener Blooms cracked his back with a grimace, back in his half-pony, half-Wyrm form as he stood with the others in front of a scenic, two-floor cottage, muttering: "You're all a lot heavier than you look."

"Shut up, Scrivy." Twilight said absently, and then she paused for a moment to gaze along the wooden paneling of the rounded structure, smiling a little and adding in a softer voice: "But you two really went to great lengths making this for Fluttershy and... I'm glad. The pens in the back, the big front yard, the beautiful... everything..."

She shook her head, then smiled and reached up to knock twice on the door as Luna smiled radiantly and Celestia laughed quietly, before the winged unicorn leaned towards her sister and said kindly: "See? And I designed this cottage myself! Aye, the Nibelung built it, but it goes to prove that I can do much more than just destroy."

"I never said you could not, sister." Celestia replied gently, and Luna grumbled a bit and nudged her sister firmly with her shoulder, the ivory pony sighing a little, but then nudging Luna back as she added dryly: "I do wish you had sent the Nightmares away sooner, though... and that you wouldn't tease them so much. They are known for biting the hoof that feeds them if they get the chance."

"I'll make them eat my hoof if they try that." Luna grumbled, and Celestia shook her head but smiled despite herself before the four looked up as the door swung open, revealing a grinning Rainbow Dash. "Thou art not Fluttershy. Nor art thou my daughter."

"Yeah, good thing, too." Rainbow replied mildly, and then he winced and leapt nimbly backwards when Luna swung a hoof at him before he called easily over his shoulder: "Hey, Scarlet Sage, your parents are here with your uh... other aunts!"

Celestia blushed a bit at being referred to this way, and then she smiled radiantly when Luna nodded firmly, grinning a bit despite herself at the Pegasus. "Thou art not entirely an idiot after all, Rainbow Dash."

"Not entirely." Rainbow agreed as he stepped to the side to let them walk into wide front hall, and Luna imperiously turned through an archway and stepped into a spacious den: the furniture had been pushed aside to give more room to the group of ponies that looked up at Luna's approach, and Scarlet Sage smiled warmly as she bounced towards her mother with Apple Bloom on one side and Sweetie Belle on the other.

Luna grinned down at the foals, looking oddly pleased as her eyes roved over them and then up towards where Fluttershy was seated on the floor with a warm smile, several open coloring books around her as well as boxes of crayons and blank paper. Applejack and Rarity were both sitting back on the couch, and Spike was standing behind this, almost squeezed up against the wall as he beamed happily over at them, calling warmly: "Hey, Twilight, hey guys!"

"Well, don't we all seem in a merry mood?" Luna said warmly, and she gazed down at the foals before asking curiously: "But where is Scootaloo? As I recall, she too is a member of thy merry little band."

"She left with her parents a little while ago, we're gonna meet up with her again tomorrow." Apple Bloom replied warmly, and then she whistled as Scrivener strode into the room, adding with a grin: "Y'know, Scrivy, I ain't never seen nopony beat Big Mac before at hoof-wrestling."

"Yeah, well, my claw still hurts." Scrivener said dryly, raising his right forelimb and twiddling this, and Apple Bloom laughed as he smiled at her. "Your brother and your sister are some of the strongest ponies I've ever met. And I guess Rainbow's pretty impressive, too."

"I totally am." Rainbow declared with a grin, nudging Scrivener as he passed and headed towards the couch to flop down between Rarity and Applejack, the unicorn wincing and almost spilling a cup of tea she was lifting towards her lips before she glared at him, but he only winked at her as Applejack snorted in amusement and rolled her eyes. "What?"

"Can I get anypony anything? I have lots of tea, and some other snacks and such..." Fluttershy spoke up courteously, and then she smiled as Twilight approached and sat down beside her, gazing affectionately towards the violet pony before she added softly, as her eyes roved back towards Luna: "And this cottage is so perfect, again... I can't thank you enough."

"Yeah, it's even got a guest bedroom upstairs and stuff, and Rarity and Applejack said me and Sweetie could stay here tonight, so maybe you guys can let Scarlet Sage stay over too so we can have a sleepover?" Applebloom rambled, and then the three foals all looked up at Luna at once, making her rear back slightly as Celestia smiled with entertainment at her sister. "Please, please, please?"

"Oh... very well, foals, if Fluttershy is alright with it. I shall be by in the morning to pick thee up though, Scarlet Sage, to spend the day with thee tomorrow." Luna said kindly, and Scarlet Sage nodded happily before Luna strode across the room towards one of the large windows, gazing out curiously as a shape flitted by before she caught the distinct glow of a Phooka's eyes near the edge of the forest. "Well, what wildlife we have here."

Celestia approached the window as well, and Fluttershy blushed a bit before she asked quietly: "Princess... I mean, Queen Celestia, is there anything..."

"No, no. Just Celestia is fine... and I think we're all alright for now." Celestia replied softly, and then she asked curiously: "How have you all been? I know it must have taken some adjusting to over these days, and with what happened at the celebration..."

Fluttershy blushed a bit as she shook her head, replying quietly: "Everypony was really afraid, but I know that once I was able to get back here... home... I felt a lot better, and I was able to think again... about how lucky I was. How we've all got such a second chance here, even if the world is different."

Rarity nodded slowly, and then Applejack said quietly, glancing towards Luna: "But those things wanderin' around Ponyville... they ain't exactly natural. I mean, those Phooka aren't really going to bed down here every night for instance, right?"

Luna frowned slightly, tilting her head a bit, but Fluttershy quickly shook her own and added with a blush: "Oh, I don't mind at all... I know they're supposed to be... unpleasant... but I tried feeding them a little earlier-"

"Fluttershy, you shouldn't encourage 'em, we should get rid of 'em. I mean, look at the foals here, Phooka are supposed to lure foals away or... well, you know." Applejack looked pointedly at the blonde Pegasus, who only blushed a bit in response.

"What'd you feed them?" Rainbow asked curiously, and Applejack gave him a surly look, which made the Pegasus wince and hold up his front hooves. "Hey, it's a valid question! Besides, Fluttershy, that was kinda gutsy, going out there to give food to some... demon... thingies."

"They're not demons, they're... somewhere between mischief spirit and animal." Scrivener corrected, and Rainbow rolled his eyes and mimed talking with one hoof, but the half-pony only gave him a flat look in response.

Fluttershy nodded a bit, however, saying gently: "But that's why I think I wasn't so scared of them. It was just like feeding any of the other scary animals, after... the world went dark back in... old Equestria." She halted, looking around the room at the memories mentioning this brought up, the ponies all visibly shifting before she hurriedly continued: "I'm sorry, I... I just mean to say that... they're not bad to have around. They liked the milk and blueberries, even if they weren't fond of much else."

"I think it's fine, as long as they don't try to give you gifts like Opalescence used to try and give me." Rarity shivered a bit at this thought, then sipped at her tea before she smiled faintly, murmuring: "We've all lost so much. But gained so much too, have we not? Luna, darling... thank you for everything. And I want to say you have my vote of confidence, no matter what goes on."

"Yeah... yeah." Applejack didn't sound entirely convinced, however, studying Luna and Celestia for a few moments before her eyes roved to Scrivener Blooms, inscrutable but dark. Then she shook her head quickly and instead smiled at Apple Bloom, saying kindly: "You and your friends should probably get on off to bed, though. Y'all have had a big day today and got another one tomorrow, after all."

"I'll go and tuck the foals in." Fluttershy volunteered even as the foals whined and groaned, and Luna smiled over at her before she glanced at Scrivener, who nodded as they traded thoughts and emotions back and forth.

But the fillies said their goodnights, traded hugs with their parents and parent-figures, and went with little fuss before Fluttershy smiled as Scrivener joined her, heading back to the hall and towards the steps to take them upstairs, leaving the other ponies in silence for a few moments. As a door quietly closed somewhere upstairs, the quiet was finally broken as Applejack asked quietly: "About the zebras... Luna, you didn't really leave Zecora high and dry, did you?"

Luna grimaced at this as Celestia looked at her quietly, and the black-coated winged unicorn sighed as she stood up and paced moodily across the room. "A very wicked part of me wishes that I had, fair Applejack. But nay. I gave her the time requested, I did all in my power. Aye, I could have waited for the signal amplifiers, but 'twould have been months, perhaps years more of waiting. In the space of that time, who knows what could have happened?

"'Tis not that I do not understand her outrage, but all the same, she sows dissent at a time when I know that I am... vulnerable." Luna muttered, dropping her head forwards and looking disgusted... and beneath that, anxious. "I mean, thou sees me now, and my husband! I appear more and more like Nightmare Moon, and he like a Tyrant Wyrm... oh, there is no denying that he is a Tyrant Wyrm. And aye, we have made allies with the darkness, but it was either allegiance with their kind or war; and believe my words when I say they would have wasted little time in immediately exploiting the ponies as a new food source, and there is no way I could be all over Equestria all at once to fight all these threats whilst the ponies are all... disoriented."

She halted, then reared her head back, mane twisting and flowing around her as she shook her head slowly. "Do not fear, I have Equestria's best interests at heart... but 'twill be a different Equestria than that which thou all came from. Yet it must be, for the old Equestria..."

"Change happens, that is all: it's evolution, not degradation." Celestia said softly, and all eyes turned to her as she smiled a little. "I'll say what I have been saying from the start: I believe in my sister. I believe in you, Luna, and that you know what you're doing. And I'm here to support that."

"Yes, well, do not treat me like a ruler, Celestia. That is thine job, not mine." Luna grumbled, looking ruffled, and Celestia laughed and shook her head slowly before the dark-coated winged unicorn straightened nodded briskly once. "I shall attend to Zecora's problems in time."

"Perhaps Celestia and I could go tomorrow to see how they're doing... I know you're angry at her right now, and if the other zebras feel the same way, well, you walking into wherever they must be camped would be a little..." Twilight broke off, and Luna sighed a bit, but then nodded grudgingly, and Twilight straightened with a smile. "Good. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Spike... what about you four?"

"I do like the sound of that. Maybe we can get Pinkie Pie to come with us too, get her away from that nasty piece of work Pinkamena. I don't got no idea where she dragged her off to, though." Applejack grimaced a bit as Rainbow shuddered a little, the goldenrod mare shaking her head slowly. "She sure is a strange one too. I sometimes wonder if she remembers anything we shared at all."

"She does, Applejack, worry not." Luna said softly, smiling a little, and then she glanced over at Scrivener and Fluttershy as they entered back into room, asking curiously: "The foals have been put to sleep, then?"

"We put them in bed. Or well, they're in the room, at least." Scrivener replied mildly, and Fluttershy smiled and nodded as she headed through the den towards another archway leading into the kitchen beyond. "But they're foals, Luna. They're just like you: you tell them to do something, they pretend to listen, and the moment you're gone go back to doing whatever they please."

"Then 'tis no wonder I am so fond of them." Luna said thoughtfully before she met Scrivener's eyes, and memories, thoughts, and emotions passed between them before he smiled and nodded in agreement.

Fluttershy returned a few moments later with a cup of tea for herself, and she sat back on the floor next to Twilight, smiling a bit at the fact the violet winged unicorn had already gone about the process of cleaning up the coloring books and crayons. Then she smiled curiously as the violet pony asked: "We're going to see if we can find Zecora and the other zebras tomorrow, and offer some help to them... do you want to come along too?"

"Well... maybe, Twilight. It would be nice to see if we could help Zecora after everything she's done for us and Ponyville." Fluttershy replied softly, nodding after a moment before she asked curiously: "But how long will we be gone?"

Twilight shrugged and glanced towards Celestia and Luna, who traded a look before Luna said thoughtfully: "Zecora is not to be underestimated, but I know that even if infuriated, she would not waste time and energy to cross a great distance to scold me and deride me as she did. Perhaps at least part of her tribe is close... I would suggest beginning at Zecora's hut, which is not that deep within the Everfree Forest. 'Twill most certainly at least be some clue there."

The others nodded slowly, and then Celestia said thoughtfully: "But we should put in preparations for a longer journey all the same... at least enough to spend one, two nights in the wild. Especially because if we do truly want to help, we can't show up expecting them to feed and take care of us: it will only add insult to the injury they have already suffered."

Applejack grunted, looking thoughtfully around at the others before she asked curiously: "Should we take a wagon, then? That'd let us carry more than enough to stay over for as long as we'd need."

"Yes, but we may be traveling through the forest or over rough terrain, and the wagon won't survive that journey with ease." Celestia answered, shaking her head with a smile. "I can enchant some simple saddlebags tonight, and they should more than suffice. We can leave tomorrow before noon."

The others nodded as Luna looked quietly at Celestia, and Celestia turned her eyes to her, the two seeming to communicate as clearly as Luna and Scrivener could... and then the older sibling smiled a little, saying softly: "Don't be jealous, now, my sister. You can't have every adventure... let me have one little quest of my own before I'm pushed back into the role of Equestria's ruler."

"Speaking of which, Spike and I were talking to some of the Nibelung earlier and we heard a very interesting rumor." Rarity piped up, and all eyes turned to her as the white unicorn smiled warmly, flicking her corkscrewed mane back and asking Luna curiously: "Is it true that there were plans to set up different territories, with different rulers, across Equestria?"

Luna cleared her throat at this, and Celestia cocked her head curiously as the dark-coated winged unicorn fidgeted embarrassedly before she glanced awkwardly towards her sister. "'Twas... honestly, more a security measure than anything else. I did not know how any of thee would awaken... had we used the amplifiers and our original plans, 'twas likely none of thee would have possessed many memories of the past when thou came to. Separated baronies would have been smaller, self-enclosed in some ways but working with each other, governed by barons and baronesses whom had already been chosen from our list of candidates. They would have been easier to protect, and the risk of them corrupting into war-states or miniature kingdoms was minimal because I am sure that within a few years, we would have found a way to either begin returning thy memories to thee or... I would have come marching in myself, like to be seen as some mad prophetess until I pummeled the truth into each and every one of thee."

Celestia sighed a little, but she smiled all the same as the ponies traded looks between themselves, before Twilight smiled a bit and said quietly: "I would much rather... have had that shock I did, and that temporary confusion and tiredness and pain, than come back... ignorant of everything I'd gone through. It might have hurt less but... I worry that it would have... made me different."

"Imagine comin' back and not knowing who your friends were." Applejack said quietly, glancing towards Rainbow Dash, and he smiled a little in return as he reached out and locked a hoof with her, the two nodding slowly before the goldenrod mare tipped her hat towards Luna, saying softly: "I guess we owe you another vote of thanks for that, too, then."

"I think some of our most important memories might be the ones from the very end... I'm so glad that..." Rarity halted, then she smiled over her shoulder at Spike as the dragon reached forwards and squeezed her shoulder gently. "Well, Applejack said it best already."

"And here I thought I was uncouth." Applejack smiled despite herself over at Rarity, who laughed a bit at this remark before the two turned their eyes to Luna, who only shuffled awkwardly on the spot before she grunted and nodded to the ponies.

Her sister nudged her after a moment as Scrivener Blooms smiled amusedly at the female, and then he laughed despite himself, wrapping a forelimb around her when she buried her face against his neck and mumbled half-clearly: "I am... only glad all of thee approve and it worked out. I know I still have much to prove, much to do, and much to make up for... but I swear to each and every one of thee, I shall."

Fluttershy smiled softly in response to this, replying gently as the other ponies gazed at Luna: "No, I think we're the ones who owe you now, Luna... because you've done more than save us. You've given us back our homes, built a world for us, made sure all of us, all of our friends could be together... we owe you."

Luna smiled softly at this thought, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards as she blushed a bit, comfortably settled against her husband's strong frame, and then she opened her eyes and said kindly: "Then let us lose track of debts and only continue to work as hard as we can for one-another's sake. But know, my friends, I am always there for everything any of thee shall ever need. Thou art important to me, every one of thee."

And she smiled again around at them all, looking affectionately over these ponies, her ponies, her friends, as they gazed back at the dark-coated winged unicorn and the Tyrant Wyrm that had helped restore their world and promised to protect them in the deep and glorious night.

---

The gathering ended just past midnight, and the ponies went their separate ways: Rainbow Dash and Applejack headed home to Sweet Apple Acres, Rarity and Spike to the unicorn's boutique, Twilight Sparkle and Celestia to the library to prepare for tomorrow, and Luna and Scrivener back to their own home deep in the Everfree Forest despite Luna's grumpiness that neither Twilight nor her sister would be joining them.

When they arrived back at their cottage after a comfortable walk through darkness of the living forest – and accompanied by phantasms that neither hid their presence nor attempted to make themselves known – they found the lights were on and could hear the faint hum of music from inside. The two traded looks, then headed inside, more curious than irritated despite whatever violation of their privacy had occurred... and found to their stunned disbelief Discombobulation, Pinkie Pie, Pinkamena, Greece, and the demon Atrus all sitting around a large, square table they had set up in place of their rolled-aside futon, playing poker as Pinkie Pie beamed and bounced cheerfully in her seat at the sight of Scrivy and Luna. "Hey, look who it is! You were wrong through, Pinkamena, they took a lot longer to get back here than you said they would!"

"Well, excuse me all back to Helheim, sissy." Pinkamena retorted rudely, absently poking at her large pile of poker chips before she groaned when Pinkie Pie threw down her cards with a giggle, then winced when Pinkamena snapped: "That's not how you play the game!"

"Oh, stop it. I hope you don't mind, fancy-corn Luna, they... kind of dragged us into this." Greece said awkwardly, raising a hand from the uncomfortable folding chair he was seated in, and Luna only sighed and stared once more disbelievingly over the group: Greece, with a tiny stack of chips in front of him, Atrus, the demon only looking lost, hulking form looming over the table, Pinkamena with her sharkish grin, cards held close against her body and the towering pile of poker chips in front of her, her twin only bouncing cheerfully in her seat beside her... and Discombobulation, puffing slowly on a large cigar, a green visor shading eyes that were peering moodily over a pair of sunglasses that rested low on his muzzle.

Luna rolled her eyes, then she strode up beside Atrus, who bowed his head respectfully to her before she asked him curiously: "What art thou doing here, Atrus? I thought that I had given thee the night off, as Scarlet Sage does not need protection at the moment."

"Yes, mistress Luna, but I wished to see if I could be of service to you in any case. You have been generous to me." Atrus replied quietly, bowing his head respectfully before the demon awkwardly looked up, rubbing at a curled horn with one claw. "But the half-demon pony and her reflection demanded me to stay. They said 'party.' I am not familiar with this term."

"You know some funny people, Luna." Pinkie said mildly, and Luna snorted in entertainment before the bright pink pony smiled and slipped out of the chair, bouncing out of the room as she called cheerfully: "I brought some treats and stuff! I got a big cake for us all to share!"

"We'll eat it after we're done here, sissy, now let us play!" Pinkamena snapped, and then she grinned across at Discombobulation, shoving her stack of chips forwards. "All in, patches. If you don't got the money to cover it I plan to take it out in flesh and blood. So please be stupid and call."

"Well, it never hurts for your opponents to think you're more than a little stupid and can hardly count all the money in your hip pocket, much less hold on to it." Discombobulation replied plaintively, and then he shoved his own sizable stack of chips forwards. "Call. Money won is twice as sweet as money earned."

Luna and Scrivener both glanced at one-another as Greece folded with a mumble, tossing his cards on the table before the dwarf crossed his arms and dropped his head flat on them, and Atrus carefully slipped out of his seat, the demon continuing to look confused as he muttered: "I am not a Greed demon. This is all nothing but confusion to me."

Discombobulation snorted at this, the Draconequus smiling calmly before Pinkamena dropped her hand on the table with a wide grin and a flash of her eyes: "Straight flush, and look at that, all hearts just like me and only a card shy of being monarchy. Gimme my money."

Discombobulation looked meditatively down at the cards: nine, ten, jack, queen and king of hearts all laid out in a row, and he shook his head slowly at this, saying mildly as he pulled his cigar out of his muzzle: "That's not the hand I dealt you at all. You're cheating."

Pinkamena only rolled her eyes, beginning to reach forwards for the large pile of chips... and then the Draconequus reached out and poked her nose firmly with his eagle claw, pushing her back into place as he dexterously spun the fan of cards around in his other hand... and the half-demon gaped at the sight of the all-diamond royal flush, Discombobulation saying kindly: "You'd make a very good bloody queen, but don't forget: you only get to shout 'off with her head' so many times before someone does off with yours. Fools, on the other hand, have a very good history of making very good kings, and we don't end up food for the gallows tree quite nearly as often as your kind does."

With that, Discombobulation sat back, pushed his cigar back into his mouth, and snapped his fingers, the pile of poker chips vanishing as he looked pleased with himself before Pinkamena growled at him, slamming her hooves down on the table hard enough to make Greece wince back with a start. Before anything could happen, however, Pinkie Pie bounced cheerfully over to the table and threw an enormous chocolate cake on a platter down into the middle of it, saying cheerfully: "Okay everyone, let's dig in! I know it's late but we've still all got some life left, huh?"

Discombobulation rose a hand and seesawed it back and forth as Luna smiled despite herself, shaking her head and saying kindly: "I do appreciate seeing all of thee here, strange and... assorted friends, but Pinkie Pie and Pinkamena, I should tell thee that thy friends were curious as to where thee were. We were at Fluttershy's for much of the night... and tomorrow, Celestia plans to lead an expedition into the Forest to find Zecora, and offer help to the zebra-folk. All thy friends will be going."

"Is that supposed to make me want to go or something? Because it really doesn't." Pinkamena said moodily, and then she poked grouchily at the cake before wincing when Pinkie Pie smacked her hoof lightly with a spatula. "Hey!"

"Where are the plates?" Pinkie Pie asked curiously, and Luna glanced dumbly at Scrivener, who sighed and headed towards the kitchen before the pink earth pony added in a gentler voice: "And I think our friends can probably do without me and Pinkamena tagging along this time. It's not that I don't want to go, but... you haven't seen the Cakes or anything, have you? I... I don't think they made it. Or if they did, they're not here in Ponyville."

Luna softened at this, nodding slowly and lowering her head slightly, and then Pinkie Pie blushed a bit before leaning forwards and saying firmly: "But don't feel bad! I know you saved everypony you could and more... I know we're all really so lucky to have survived ourselves, too... but... that means somepony's gotta be there to run the store. It means it's kind of our store now, me and Pinkamena's..."

"Oh God, yes, that's what I want. To be trapped working in a candy store with you, serving foals and prancing ponies... ugh." Pinkamena looked disgusted, crossing her forelegs sulkily before she glowered over at Scrivener Blooms when he returned from the kitchen with a stack of plates and forks. "You still got room in your head? Let me just kill myself and I'll move out of this meat-bag body and go back to possessing ponies for kicks and hanging out with you losers."

"Someone needs a hug. And antidepressants." Discombobulation remarked mildly, and then he leaned back with a grimace when Pinkamena hissed at him, her eyes flashing. "It's funny how you're more acidic than the actual demon we have present."

Atrus rumbled moodily, and then Luna reached out and touched the demon's side, saying kindly: "Worry not, they are merely..." She paused, looking meditatively at Pinkamena and Discombobulation as Pinkie Pie hummed and began to slice the cake into even pieces. "They are special. I would like for thee to go by our friend's cabin, however... Scarlet Sage is there, and 'tis guarded by several Phooka, thou should have no problems finding it. Just ensure that all is well. Then thou may do whatever takes thy fancy. Well... within our agreement, of course."

"Of course. I shall go, then." Atrus said softly, bowing respectfully to Luna before he turned towards the door, then simply burst apart into dark smoke that vanished quickly from sight. Pinkamena sighed wistfully at this, and Luna couldn't help but snort in entertainment, turning an amused look towards the half-demon.

"If there's one thing I miss, it's that. Being stuck physical sucks." Pinkamena muttered, looking grouchily down at one of her hooves and flexing her limb absently. "I want to possess things again. And let myself be broken into pieces that can be put back together any way I like, until I find the right way to do it..."

"Pinkamena sat on a wall, Pinkamena had a great fall, and all the Queen's ponies and all the Queen's dwarves, couldn't put Pinkamena back together once more." Discombobulation intoned dryly, and the dull-pink pony glowered at him before he looked meditatively down at the piece of chocolate cake Pinkie Pie put in front of him, rubbing absently at his chest before he gingerly picked up the fork that rested beside it. "This looks both revolting and tantalizing all at once, and I'm not sure which disgusts me more."

"Hey!" Pinkie Pie said in a hurt voice, and then she huffed and looked almost pleadingly over at where Luna was still standing and moodily surveying the group. "So are you please gonna join us, please? I mean, really, this was a surprise party for you! It's just that no one here is very good at surprises or parties. Well, except for Bob, but he's being a party-pooper right now."

Discombobulation touched his chest and feigned an injured look behind the sunglasses still on his face, and then he held both hands up before waving them quickly over his features. And a moment later, sunglasses, visor, and cigar had all vanished in place of white makeup that completely layered his scales, his lips painted with black lipstick and dark circles around his eyes with small red triangles above, and a single blue teardrop on one cheek as he laced his fingers together, giving a silent, sad look at Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie Pie stared at this, then she gave a long sound of sympathy before bouncing over to him and hugging him tightly around the neck, and Bob silently mimicked a shocked expression as he threw his arms out comically, wordlessly shouting as Luna snorted in amusement and Pinkamena grinned despite herself, pointing at him and saying mildly: "You are about ten times funnier to me when your stupid mouth isn't running."

Discombobulation responded to this with a particularly rude hand-gesture, but Luna only rolled her eyes as she sat down in the chair abandoned by Atrus and Scrivener leaned against it, the poet adding clearly: "We do appreciate the thought, though, it's... just very strange to come to see our home invaded by... such a variety of creatures."

"Discombobulation invited us in, blame him." Pinkamena replied moodily, and the Draconequus grumbled as he finally pried Pinkie Pie free from him before he snapped his fingers, the mime makeup vanishing from his face. "And blame sissy, too. Everypony blames me for stuff that ain't my fault, someone should blame her for once."

Scrivener sighed and rolled his eyes at this, then Pinkie Pie beamed across at them as she quickly scooped cake onto other plates, sliding them smoothly over as she said warmly: "I guess it is kind of funny, but you know, so what? I really like Bob..." Pinkie Pie smiled over at the Draconequus, who leaned slowly away from the bright pink pony. "And of course I love my twin sister!" She paused again, hugging Pinkamena fiercely around the neck and almost getting the cake-splattered spatula tangled in her straight hair, the half-demon cursing in frustration and shoving at her angrily. "And Greece seems like he's a nice friendly guy, even if he's been a little quiet, and that demon really seems to want to help! So I'm not gonna judge anyone, whether they're pony or not. And anyone that likes chocolate cake can't be all that bad."

"I hate chocolate cake." Pinkamena grumbled, stabbing her piece violently several times with her fork, and Pinkie Pie sighed and gave her an exasperated look before Pinkamena glared back and added moodily: "I hate you too. Especially your face. And your fat flank."

"My flank isn't fat!" Pinkie retorted, even as she awkwardly looked over her shoulder, then glanced with a wince towards the others and asked apprehensively: "It's not is it? I hope it's not. Is it?"

"Thou has a fine flank." Luna said empathetically, and Pinkie smiled warmly over at her as Pinkamena rolled her eyes with a grumble as she continued to moodily mulch her cake with her fork. "I think thy sister is only jealous. But I am only glad that thou art so open-minded and so compassionate, Pinkie Pie. 'Tis truly a wonder to see... it makes me truly grateful for thy company."

Luna smiled, then glanced down at the cake in front of her meditatively before her horn glowed and lifted the slice up, and she took a large bite out of it before chewing slowly and looking pleased. "And this is most excellent as well! Thou art a good friend and a good baker and I know not which is more valuable, truly!"

"See, ponies only like you when they can use you." Pinkamena grumbled, but Pinkie Pie only laughed and smiled across at Luna, and the dull-gray pony muttered as she slumped back a bit in her seat, adding grouchily: "Oh right, I forgot how much you like being used. Whore."

"You're silly, Pinkamena." Pinkie replied kindly, and Pinkamena grumbled under her breath before the bright pony smiled as she hopped into her chair now that she had finished passing the cake out, asking cheerfully: "So who wants to sing a song?"

Greece only stared as Luna snorted in amusement and shoved more cake into her muzzle, chewing slowly and greedily as Scrivener cleared his throat awkwardly. Then they all stared as Bob hesitantly rose his eagle talon, Pinkie Pie beaming ardently as Pinkamena glowered at him before the Draconequus cleared his throat as he flicked his wrist, an acoustic guitar appearing in his hand.

Pinkamena continued to glare as Bob strummed the strings calmly, Pinkie giggling gleefully and clapping her hooves before the Draconequus began in a low, rough voice, eagle talons plucking out the melody on the guitar: "Cyrus Jones from eighteen-ten to nineteen-thirteen... made his great grandchildren believe you could live to a hundred and three-"

"Oh no, no, not that kind of song!" Pinkie Pie babbled, flailing her upper limbs wildly, and Luna and Scrivener both stared as the Draconequus only continued to play.

"A hundred and three is forever when you're just a kid... so... Cyrus Jones lived forever." the Draconequus sang rustily, then he closed his eyes, leaning forwards as Pinkie Pie stared at him with eyes like plates. "Gravedigger... when you dig my grave... would you make it shallow? So I... can feel... the rain... gravedigger..."

Another verse, and Luna was staring as Pinkie Pie sniffled loudly on the other side of the table, and this time when Discombobulation started in on the chorus, Pinkamena threw her head back and joined him, her sharp, jagged voice mixing with the gravelly melody of the Draconequus before he leaned back, almost chanting: "Ring around the rosy... pocket full o' posy... ashes-to-ashes... we all fall... down..."

"Gravedigger..." And this time, Luna joined in the chorus as well, leaning back and singing roughly along with Pinkamena and Discombobulation: "When you dig my grave... would you make it shallow? So... I can feel the rain... gravedigger..."

He strummed his way through another verse, humming it absently before starting in on the chorus again... and this time, Pinkie Pie joined them as well despite herself, singing ardently despite the fact she was rubbing at her face and snuffling between words. And as the chorus repeated one final time, Luna threw one foreleg around Scrivener, and he found himself joining in as well despite himself, ponies and Draconequus all singing loudly together as Greece only leaned back in his seat and looked at them with disbelief.

Then Discombobulation finished with a flourish of the strings before he looked calmly over at Pinkie Pie, who was now firmly hugging Pinkamena around the waist, head resting against her body, and the dull twin had her forelegs moodily crossed as she rested back in her seat, looking distastefully upwards before she said finally: "Okay. You ain't so bad, Bob. Not all the time, anyway. Sissy, get off me, the sad song is over."

"Yeah, but it was a real sad song. A real sad song." Pinkie replied plaintively, and then she winced when Pinkamena firmly shoved her off, huffing a little and pouting a bit. "Well, sorry, Lemon Drop, but we don't all like sour in our sweet."

"I'll sour your sweet." Pinkamena grumbled in response, and then she scooped up some of her chocolate cake and shoved it into her mouth, looking distasteful. "You messed up the eggs again, didn't you?"

"I did not!" Pinkie looked almost outraged, and the twins immediately broke into arguing as Luna smiled wryly across at them before her eyes flicked with concern towards Discombobulation as he rubbed at his chest with a grimace. His eyes roved to hers, but he only gave a small smile before shaking his head slightly and then looking down at the guitar as he absently began to tune the strings.

Scrivener smiled a bit despite himself: the chaos entity was a strange creature for more ways than his quirks and appearance, after all. But the poet's eyes were drawn shortly to Greece as the dwarf cleared his throat, leaning towards Luna and saying gently: "There are a few things I should talk to you about."

"Well, then speak, artificer. We are in trustworthy company... although I hesitate to call them 'good.'" Luna said after a moment, and Pinkie Pie looked up lamely before Pinkamena shoved her firmly to the floor, the bright pink pony yelping and then whimpering a little from the other side of the table. "Pinkamena, will thou not exercise a little kindness just once with thy sister?"

"Hell no." Pinkamena retorted grouchily, and then she shook her head with a grumble before saying flatly: "Disagree with my methods all you like but I'm doing sissy a goddamn favor. All you chumps are always being so nice to her. Someone's gotta toughen her up for the real world. The real world ain't a nice goddamn place."

Luna only sighed at this, however, then she took another large bite out of the little that remained of her cake, looking pointedly towards Greece, and the dwarf shrugged after a moment before he said awkwardly, glancing towards the Draconequuus: "Well, if you're sure..."

"I am not sure: well, I am sure that you weren't actually referring to me, but that's about all I'm sure of, and even then it's hard to be completely sure because you did look at me when you spoke." Discombobulation replied calmly, and then he gave a wry smile, making the dwarf wince back a bit. "Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind."

Greece grimaced a little, raising his hands, and Luna snorted in entertainment, shoving her now-empty plate aside and instead dragging Scrivener's in front of her just as he managed to scoop a last piece of his half-eaten cake away. He glared at her, but she ignored him as she returned to eating, looking curiously at the dwarf.

Greece sighed, slumping a bit, and then he looked awkwardly over the group: Pinkamena and Pinkie Pie were still bickering, Discombobulation had gone back to tuning his acoustic guitar, and Scrivener was glaring at Luna as she paid more attention to her cake than the dwarf. For a few moments, the artificer only looked at the group... then he rolled his eyes and sighed a bit, muttering: "Well, alright, alright. I suppose it doesn't matter much either way.

"For one thing, Roma's already cut and fled. I know you never thought much of him... in fact, not a lot of the Artificers did, whether he was an enchanter or not... but I guess I never expected him to actually run the moment he got the chance." The Nibelung shook his head slowly, looking a little disgusted despite himself. "And Babylon has set up a temporary office in city hall, but he wanted to ask about that transfer to another area, a larger metropolis... he and the others, at least, seem to be interested in continuing to work for you. And I've never seen Illyria so enthused with a project before."

Luna grunted in response to this, and Pinkamena snorted in entertainment before she put Pinkie Pie in a headlock, making her squeak as the gray-pink earth pony muttered: "Ain't no surprise. Every family has a coward, every pack has a weakling. Right, Pinkie Pie?"

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself." Pinkie Pie said kindly, and Pinkamena looked stupefied at this response before Pinkie slipped smoothly backwards, popping free from the headlock before she hugged Pinkamena around the neck with one forelimb and ground her other hoof playfully into her mane. "You're my big twin sister, after all!"

"Knock it off!" Pinkamena growled, but when her sibling laughed, she only slumped and sighed, looking moodily at the table. "You all suck."

Greece looked awkwardly towards the twins, and then he shook his head quickly, returning his eyes to Luna and saying in a slower voice: "But listen. There's something else, too, unfortunately. Babylon has been getting a lot of letters recently about how a lot of ponies are saying their friends and family are all missing or gone. You saved a lot of ponies, but-"

"But of course I could not save them all. I saved only the Pales I was able to find, the ones Scrivy and I could draw out with the Khlōros." Luna murmured softly, shaking her head slowly and looking down quietly. "Damnation. I was hoping that I had saved a larger number... but I suppose that... yes."

She sighed a little, and then Pinkie Pie leaned across the table towards her as Scrivener reached up and squeezed Luna's shoulder quietly, the earth pony mare saying softly: "Don't feel bad, Luna... you saved all of us, and everypony is really grateful. I just imagine that... everypony's trying to adjust, feel everything out right now. I think there'll be sadness in the future, sure... I mean, I knew everypony in Ponyville. I saw all the faces that were here, but I also saw how many faces... weren't here. But I'm not letting myself feel sad about it because I know... I know how much you did for us, I see that first-hoof. Let them see it too, Luna. They'll remember they've had ten years to be sad, and now we gotta smile and move on."

Luna glanced up at this, smiling a little despite herself, and Pinkie Pie nodded firmly. "Exactly! Just like that, and don't let nopony tell you different or take that away." She paused, then winked at Pinkamena and wrapped a leg around her shoulders, and this time Pinkamena only sighed grouchily, blowing at her curtain of a mane but not bothering to shake her off this time. "There's lots to be happy about if you know where to look."

Greece looked thoughtfully towards the Pink Twins, then he shook his head a bit before glancing over at Luna, saying quietly: "She's right. About everything she said, too... look, fancy-corn Luna. I'm sure the other Artificers are going to start bombarding you with questions, requests, and a few will want to leave... and I know the only reason the other Nibelung haven't pushed to go off into the wilds is because they've gotten used to laboring and living here, and the ponies are treating them peaceably enough. Offer them steady work and a lot of my fellow dwarves won't want to leave this: I'm sure a few will be determined to go and build a new home and village for themselves, but we have a good thing here, no Artificer nor warrior Nibelung is stupid enough to not see that. Well, except maybe for Roma, but he was always... self-focused."

"Twitchy." Luna corrected, and Greece grunted and shrugged a little in response before Luna shoved the last of her cake into her mouth, then looked thoughtfully at what remained on the platter. Discombobulation was slowly eating his, calmly using a knife and fork to nibble small pieces at a time, and Pinkie Pie had only managed a few bites out of hers so far due to her squabbling with Pinkamena, whose own cake lay in mushy disarray. Then the winged unicorn sighed and leaned back, saying moodily: "Why can't the entire world simply be made of candy? Then all could be happy. 'Twould be paradise even greater than Valhalla ever was."

"Dentists would live as kings." Discombobulation said mildly, and then he looked meditatively up, saying wryly: "Kings, of course, often live as paupers... it seems that no matter how much wealth and fortune you have, it's far easier to lose it all than keep it safe. That's why you should always give away everything you earn... that way, you never have anything to lose, and everything to gain."

"Hippie." Pinkamena muttered, and then she glared at the Draconequus when he flicked a piece of cake into her face, chocolate crumbs slowly rolling down her cheek. "I'm going to cut you. I'm going to do it slowly. And then I'm going to drink your blood like fine wine."

"Well, if you insist, but please do make sure you drain my blood into a glass so your mouth stays far away from me. I don't know where it's been, nor do I frankly want to know." Discombobulation replied kindly, and Pinkamena ground her sharpened teeth together before the Draconequus asked kindly: "Do you have such a fascination for blood because somepony in this room never got her monthly visit from the cardinal?"

Pinkamena gaped at this as Luna and Scrivener both coughed violently and Pinkie Pie covered her mouth with her hooves, and then the half-demon snarled and lunged onto the table, kicking plates and dishes aside and knocking the cake flying as she dove at the Draconequus, who winced and leapt hurriedly backwards before he brandished his acoustic guitar at her like a club. For a moment, they stood in awkward standoff, Pinkamena tensed on the table, ready to pounce, and Discombobulation with guitar raised... and then she threw herself at him with a yell, and the Draconequus swung the guitar down with a wince, swatting her out of the air with it even as it burst apart into cheap wooden shrapnel before he threw his arms in the air and made a series of whooping sounds as he charged down the hallway towards the door leading out of the house.

Pinkamena shook herself off with a snarl, pieces of wood falling out of her mane and off her body before she shot after the Draconequus like a wildcat, and Pinkie Pie winced before hurriedly excusing herself to chase after her sister, leaving Scrivener standing moodily by the table and Greece staring at Luna, who had dived out of her seat in order to catch the cake. It was balanced on the platter in her front hooves, secure in a telekinetic bubble, and the winged unicorn wheezed before she muttered: "At times like these I wish I could teleport my home to a better location. Scrivener Blooms, be a dear and fetch us a round of cola."

"That's alright, Luna. I think that was probably a cue I should head off too." Greece said kindly, and he awkwardly slipped to his feet before he bowed to her courteously as Luna grumbled and put the cake aside, standing up and nodding back to the dwarf. "I will keep you updated as things develop, but of one thing I am rather sure even at the moment, and it is that Illyria will be contacting you likely by the morning to let you know the plans for construction of your... castle."

He hesitated, then leaned forwards, asking quietly: "Don't take this the wrong way, fancy-corn, but the demons, the Phooka... they are in great number across Equestria, especially in Ponyville. Are you sure alliance like this is such a good idea? It is not that I don't trust you... it's that right now, the ponies are so..."

"Aye, I know. They are... Scrivener Blooms, what is the word I am looking for?" Luna glanced towards him, their eyes meeting, thoughts and images flying back and forth before she grunted and nodded as she turned her attention back to Greece. "They are impressionable at the moment, yes. But then let us make a good impression upon them... and know that if a single demon steps out of line I shall pummel it like I have not pummeled anything since Fenrir."

Greece smiled a bit, and then he nodded slowly. "That reassures me a little, in spite of everything. Alright, Luna. Then I shall take my leave and let the other Nibelung know what you have said."

"Tell the laborers that there is safety here, and I will be more than happy to negotiate fair trade and pay with them if they choose to continue their work." Luna said suddenly, and the dwarf looked at her curiously as she smiled wryly. "Perhaps I have grown fond of the dwarves. Not in the ways that Freya was, but all the same."

Greece chuckled a bit at this as Scrivener smiled and shook his head slowly, and then the dwarf bowed deeply and said courteously: "I shall have the message spread, then. And what about the Nibelung determined to leave?"

"Once Babylon is able to tell me how many ponies have been revived and what is going on in the other communities across Equestria, I shall grant fair territory to the Nibelung." Luna replied calmly, nodding firmly once, and Greece smiled at this. "That is my promise and my word. 'Twill be no barrens reminiscent of Niflheim or Helheim either, that I also guarantee."

"You have my thanks, fancy-corn." Greece bowed his head to her, and then he smiled as he turned to head towards the door, calling kindly over his shoulder. "Be well, Luna. You are a good friend."

"And the same to thee, Greece." Luna replied warmly, and then she settled back a bit and nodded once as the door leading out of the house swung closed behind the dwarf, and then she paused and frowned at Scrivener Blooms, asking slowly: "Scrivy, that table... did we have a table?"

Scrivener paused at this, then he looked dumbly over his shoulder at the furnishing before he shook his head and said finally: "Discombobulation must have created it. Usually the things he makes don't stick around that long, though..."

"Then he shan't mind that I do this." Luna said briskly, and then she spun around and kicked the table across the room, cracks spiraling through the wood before it crashed into the wall opposite, making the paintings hung above rattle as Scrivener twitched with a wince of almost physical-agony at the scratches on the hardwood surface. Luna, however, only looked pleased with herself as she flicked her horn, their bedding unrolling from where it had been shoved aside to drop back into the center of the floor, Luna sighing contentedly before she added mildly as she dragged the platter of cake towards herself: "And thou still hast not gotten me my cola, Scrivener. Thou art a bad husband."

The poet sighed at this, and then he leaned down and moodily breathed blue mist over the cake, and Luna stared with horror as this half-melted before she glared up at Scrivener as he strode towards the kitchen, replying kindly: "I'll be just a minute, dearest."

"Murderer, thou killed my cake." Luna mumbled, and she poked disconsolately at this before she looked moodily towards the kitchen, grumbling childishly to herself. Yet all the same, for all the things in the world that irritated her, from her melted cake to the bits of broken wood on the floor to the faintly-audible yells of the Pink Twins as they chased Discombobulation through the dark night wilds outside, she could feel happiness growing in her heart. The world might be changing, but they were adapting with it, evolving alongside everything else... and Luna smiled softly as Scrivener returned and tossed a can of cola to her with one claw, catching it easily with telekinesis; for everything that changed, after all, they still had some things that would always remain the same.