“Luna... I'm not exactly up to date with pony customs, but if this is such a fancy gala as you have indicated, should I not be wearing something?” I asked as I walked along.

Then again, Luna hadn't gotten changed either, wearing her dark silver and... glass stuff. Seriously, silver and glass shoes could not be comfortable. They had to be enchanted not to break or something.

That earned me a rather amused look. “Neither am I. In my time, you had been wearing a sword at your side and a hat with a feather. A blue one, in this case. Perhaps ornate armor depending on your station. In this time, I am not entirely sure. I suppose we will find out.”

“...A blue feather?”

“Dark blue. You are escorting me, are you not?”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah.” That made some amount of sense. That made me wonder, though...

“Uhm... Luna?” I hesitantly asked. “I'm not... courting you, am I? You know I'm not completely up to date on pony social cues, I don't want to give the wrong idea. I have no idea what signals I might be showing.”

Luna stopped as well, looking back at me before she smiled. “Page, despite the rumors across the castle, to my knowledge you have not acted in a way out of place for a close friend.”

I paused for a second at that, my right front hoof slightly raised from the floor in confusion. What did that even mean?

“Is that a... I know you are just a friend or is that a...”

“It is a 'come, we are already hours late'. And that with time, you learn to ignore rumors.” Luna chuckled and continued down the corridor, forcing me to rush to catch up just before the guards by the large double doors opened them to allow us into the large ball room into a scene of chaos.

Columns of stone had fallen over and several statues had been smashed, ponies and creatures from bunnies to... was that a flamingo?... were running around in panic as the guards were desperately trying to catch the critters.

Luna took a step back as I blinked in surprise.

“...What?”

“Guard! What is going on here!?” Luna demanded, turning to the closest of the guards as he pounced, trying to catch a weasel that dodged out of the way and escaped out through the open door.

Well, it tried to as I caught it in my magic, holding it in the air as it wiggled while folding my ears back at her volume. Oh no you don't. I squeezed it a bit tighter in the magic as the pegasus guard picked himself off the floor.

“I'm not entirely sure, your highness.” He admitted. “We believe the element bearers were somehow involved.”

“What of our sister?” Luna asked as she looked around the chaos.

“I believe she vacated the area together with the Element bearers.” the guard explained. “I'm not on her personal squad, your highness, I usually guard doors.”

Luna looked quite annoyed by now. “Get the situation under control.” she ordered before she facehooved. “Then send these ponies home with our apologies.”

“Yes, your highness.”

She sighed and shook her head, turning to walk back out.

I couldn't help but grin and shake my head. Saved by the bell! I'd have to remember to thank the Elements for that if I ever met them.

I eyed the creature wiggling in my magic, trying to get free. Or perhaps I should say 'saved by the weasel'.

Floating it over to the guard I waited until he had a firm grip on it before letting go. “Good luck.” I said and turned to follow Luna, the guards closing the doors behind us.

“Well... That went better than I expected.” I said with a grin as I trotted up next to her.

That earned me a raised eyebrow. “I suppose it did turn out to be somewhat more amusing.” Luna chuckled and continued; “But it was not quite what I expected. In my time, such a thing would not have been permitted.”

I considered that for a moment. Someone letting loose a pack of flamingos during... say, a dinner party with all the politicians held at the Whitehouse or the Buckingham Palace...

The words 'Political Shitstorm' didn't even get close to covering it and it would most likely end with mean angry men with submachine guns kicking in the doors of anyone even close to involved in it.

“I don't see it as going down too well back home either.” I admitted. “There might very well have been quite a bit of... bloodshed for the people involved.”

Then again, I was having problems seeing how they would have managed it in the first place without getting shot, but I held that back. I didn't want humans to seem quite that trigger happy.

Luna snorted. “In my time as well, I believe the intruders might not have have been executed, but they would certainly have been thrown in the dungeons depending on the intention of their crime” She frowned and continued; “But perhaps not. They are the Element bearers.”

“What exactly does that entail?” I couldn't help but ask as she lead the way into one of the gardens, this one well away from the commotion.

The Princess stopped and leaned down to smell a flower before eating it. “The Elements of Harmony are a powerful force in this world. Once up on a time, I carried half, Celestia carried the rest. They... each represent the strongest part of the carriers personality. When channeled together, they can do great things.”

“Such as to defeat Nightmare Moon.”

She nodded, said; “Such as that.” and ate another flower. “When Celestia and I used them, we defeated a great force of chaos and bound it in stone where it can never escape.”

“...Bound it in stone?”

“Over there.” Luna said and looked to the right.

I turned to stare at the statue of a dragon-like creature with limbs from different animals.

Tzeentch, is that you?

“...And now you display it in your garden?”

“It is perfectly safe. It has been stone since long before my banishment.” Luna explained calmly. “There is no danger.”

Well, if she said it was safe.

“Which elements did you carry?”

She smiled at that. “I used to carry the Elements of Honesty, Laughter and Loyalty. My sister carried Kindness, Generosity and Magic.” She frowned and looked down at the rosebush. “When I turned to the Shadow... I lost my honesty, laughter and loyalty. That's how she could use them to banish me.”

Well, that conversation took a turn for the worse.

Finally, she shook her head. “It is no matter now. As you said, I am no longer her.” She looked over at me and continued; “But it is time that you leave me, it is late and you require sleep.”

I hesitated for a long moment before I nodded. “Good night, Luna.” I could tell that she wanted some time alone.

“Good night, Page.” she answered with a smile of her own before looking to the right and behind me. “Guard, show Page to one of the guestrooms.”

I twitched in surprise as one of her guards exited from behind a bush. I had NO IDEA somepony else was here!

“At once, Princess.”

How long had he been there!?