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Orpheus, Thestral Guard

by Majin Syeekoh

Chapter 1: A Star is Born...and Promptly Explodes

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“Well, Orpheus, I’ve taken your request under consideration.” Luna said while looking at the thestral standing in front of her. Orpheus was visibly sweating under his armor, waiting for Princess Luna’s decision.

“Yes?” he asked. He then mentally facehooved. Yes? You say yes? Say something else, dammit! “And?” And? What is she, your servant? She’s the damned Princess of the Night! Luna smiled, seeming to enjoy the protracted silence as a small smile escaped her lips. She stared at Orpheus, who was quaking in his horseshoes. Damn it, Orpheus! You’ve just ruined your transfer request! Say something else! “I’m sorry if I offended you, your majesty.” Orpheus then took a bow. Maybe too much? Well, it can’t be any worse than when she made us wear those angry faces when she first made her return on Nightmare Night in Ponyville.

Luna giggled. “You may rise, Orpheus.” Orpheus righted himself. “As for your transfer request, I’ve approved it. You will be accompanying me into the observatory.” Luna then stood up. “Starting now.”

Orpheus’s eyes widened in shock. “Thank you, my liege...but now?”

Luna nodded as she walked out of her study, Orpheus quickly following. “Yes, now. Try and keep up, will you?” Luna trotted quickly through the hallways, Orpheus keeping up. They finally approached their destination. Orpheus looked around the room. Ok, there’s the skylight. There’s the communications changeling, what was its name again, eleven-thirty eight? Yes, that sounds right. But what’s this? An anvil? Why is there an anvil in the observatory? Unless…

“Princess Luna, this appears to be a forge.” Luna giggled.

“Of course it’s a forge.” Orpheus raised an eyebrow.

“But why call it an observatory?”

“Tax write-off.” Luna said as she briskly took center stage in the room.

“But…you’re a Princess. You collect taxes.” Luna shook her head.

“Yes, but we also have to pay them. Technically, the City of Canterlot and the Equestrian Empire collect the taxes.” Orpheus thought on that for a second.

“But how do you get away with this?” Luna chuckled.

“Well, apparently, if the building has to do with stars and has a skylight, it’s an observatory.” Luna then started dragging sidereal matter from the skylight, condensing it on the anvil. “You may want to take a step back.”

“Why—” Orpheus started before an ear-splitting clang was heard and sparks flew from the anvil, which caused Orpheus to leap back, the changeling standing there unfazed. Oh, right. Stars being forged. Orpheus quickly located a singed wall which he quickly ducked behind, then peeked his head out to watch a star being born. He watched, entranced by the process as Luna kept adding more and more starstuff to the anvil as it reported violently with each strike of the blue alicorn’s magic. What started off as a red star soon turned a magnificent orange. He kept watching until the star was the same color as Celestia’s sun, thinking that Luna was finished. What surprised him, however, was that Luna kept adding astral elements until the star turned a burning white as Luna’s magic pealed against the newborn star, which was shining brightly. Good, maybe she’s done—

Orpheus was quickly proven wrong as Luna sucked even more stellular protoplasm from the night sky and infused it into the white star, her magic booming vigorously into it until it turned a lustrous blue as Orpheus watched in awe. He had never seen a blue star before, and the star before him was blooming magnificently.

“It’s...it’s beautiful, your majesty.” Orpheus said. Luna shook her head.

“I’m not done yet.” Orpheus raised an eyebrow. Not done yet? What in blazes could she possibly be planning now? “And would you be a dear and get eleven-thirty eight behind then blast surface?” Orpheus stared at the Lunar Princess in confusion. “Now?” Luna said irritatedly.

“Of course, your highness!” He said as he flexed his bat wings, flying over to the changeling and depositing him behind the blast surface with himself. He then peeked out from behind the surface, where Luna kept adding celestial matter to the blue star as it turned invisible, her magic thundering against the invisible thing as its heat filled the room. Luna, normally stoic, had a worried look on her face as she turned to Orpheus.

“Orpheus, you may want to duck.”

Orpheus nodded and ducked behind the blast surface when he saw blue light flashing above him, blinding him, followed by a cacophonous boom, then nothing as his ears were ringing. His training told him to stay put behind cover until he regained his bearings. His sight returned first, followed by his hearing. He then turned to the changeling who was sitting next to him. “Does she do this often?”

The changeling shook his head. “You have no idea.”

“Hello? Orpheus?” Orpheus raised his head to see Luna firmly planted a foot into the wall in a supine stance.

“Yes, my liege?”

Luna giggled. “Would you be a dear and grab my horn? It appears a bit of it was blown off in the blast, and I can’t extricate myself until it’s reattached.”

“Of course!” Orpheus said while saluting, quickly scanning the room for a piece of horn. Not here. He then spread his wings and powerfully flapped them, exiting the observatory through the skylight, searching the area surrounding the observatory. He quickly spotted it in the palace gardens, where he swooped down and picked it up with his mouth. He returned to the observatory, hovering in front of Luna, the midnight blue alicorn waiting impatiently.

“Well, what are you waiting for! Put it on!” Luna said. Orpheus shook his head and placed the horn gingerly onto Luna’s stub, where it magically reattached itself. Alicorns are the most amazing creatures. Luna then surrounded herself with a blue glow and plucked herself out of the wall, a mad gleam in her eye. “Eleven thirty-eight! Come here!” She barked. The changeling revealed itself from behind the blast surface and buzzed over to Luna, landing gently. Luna then touched her horn to the changeling’s, then spoke.

“Hello? Discord? Ah yes, there you are! Well, my experiment with the ultraviolet flashbang didn’t go as planned...what do you mean, there’s no flash? It flashed blue!...Of course, the light redshifts upon explosion! Everypony knows that!” Orpheus stared at the conversation in shock. I didn’t know that. “Well, I already have a couple, I suppose that’s good for now...yes, yes, you have fun too.” She then disconnected her horn from the changeling.

“Were you talking with...Discord?” Orpheus asked. Luna nodded.

“Why, yes. The flashbang was his idea, after all.”

“Flashbang?”

“How do I explain this...it’s like what you just experienced only on a smaller scale. Here, take one.” Luna then grasped a ball of light that Orpheus was surprised that he didn’t notice earlier and placed it in one of Orpheus’s saddlebags. Luna smiled at Orpheus. “May you use it in good health.”

“Wouldn’t I have to be in a very dangerous situation to even consider using one of these infernal devices?”

“Yes, and it will keep you in good health. Now come on Orpheus, it’s time for my midnight constitutional!” Luna then trotted towards the exit, then looked back at Orpheus seductively. “Try and keep up.” She then cantered out of the room. Orpheus shook his head as he cantered off to catch up with her. I swear, I’ll never understand royalty as long as I live...

Next Chapter: The Essence of Ecstasy Estimated time remaining: 27 Minutes
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