Guardian Angel paced the floor of Luna’s lounge. He trotted about more as a means to count time than to calm his nerves. Until his mission was complete, stress was going to continue to be a very regular part of his life, and there was nothing he could do to alleviate its effects. Pausing in his rotation for a moment, he cast a glance out the dark vista of the picture window. Being nighttime most of the Palace and her grounds were a canvas of deep blues and faint purples. He vacantly wondered how ponies slept at night knowing that the Dragons were trying to petition them to join forces and go to war. He had bigger problems to be worried about than the country’s ignorance, for now anyway.

He rotated his wing up to reveal the little stopwatch he held in it. Zeccaran and Luna still had thirty seconds before the two minute mark. It was proving to be perhaps the most trying two minutes of his life. Breaking mental connection with Gusty for any length of time was getting more and more difficult. He could not tell if the mare did not want to lose the link or if her resident demons forced it to remain open. Either way, cutting ties was essential for Luna and Zeccaran to do their work. They could not risk his knowledge of the rituals of old and the horrors wrought by his kin injecting itself even deeper into Gusty’s mind via their connection while they examined her memories.

Wiping a line of sweat from his brow, Guardian Angel continued to watch the clock click down to the failsafe time. He breathed a long sigh trying to decide if he had gotten weaker or if Gusty had gotten stronger. Frankly, he hoped that he was still not fully recovered from the dreadful soiree in the Frozen North. Gusty’s inability to control her power as it began to spiral into a death spin was not something he relished the thought of, especially with the recent political events. It was a one way ticket to a war that might very well engulf the world. But, more than that he was nervous about how the wayward mare might react. He could hardly take the thought of her changing into a monster just after she had finally come around.

Five seconds remained on the stopwatch and Guardian Angel moved towards Luna’s planetarium dreamroom. A loud yawn and a grunt caught his ears as he walked into the room.

“That went well,” Zeccaran mumbled through another yawn.

“Indeed. Things seem to be quite normal still. A welcome relief, all things considered,” Luna agreed. She sat up from the lush pillow where she lay, spying him standing in the doorway.

“Were we right on time then? You look like you planned to get the buckets.” She stood on the cushion and stretched like a cat.

“I was looking forward to making you wet.” He smiled at his entendre. Both Luna and Zeccaran groaned making him laugh perhaps a little too hard.

“If I knew you were gonna make puns like that I would have rathered you just kill me,” the zebra complained.

“Careful what you wish for, you striped idiot. If you weren’t so important to helping Gusty, she and I would have teamed up to finish you off as soon as I heard the news about what you did to Gabriella.” Guardian Angel scowled at Zeccaran. He did still harbor quite the hatred for the fellow, given all that he had done, both recently and in the past. He was not about to let him forget it either. However, so long as he remained pleasant, dutiful, and useful, the zebra was in the clear. Petty vengeance on a stallion that did not even remember his sins served no purpose but pleasure anyway.

“Regardless. It would seem that we have passed another week without Gusty experiencing any relapse or symptoms. Welcome news for all of us,” Luna chimed in over the tension, clearly intent to break it.

Except the feeling remained, all the while the Princess of the Moon attempted to look relaxed and dignified. He did not remove his eyes from Zeccaran, suspicion welling up in his chest as he stared. Guardian Angel could not quite decide what he found more upsetting about the zebra recently. Ever since they had returned from the Frozen North the cretin had seemed more confident than before. The faintest hint of familiar smells of creatures that should not be in Canterlot always seemed to dance about Zeccaran, taunting him with their presence. It did not help the situation that the zebra would sweat buckets when he would examine him closely. Whatever Zeccaran was hiding, something, somewhere in his mind told him he did not need to find out, and he should not want to find out either.

“Guardian Angel, he’s a third your size. Even if you weren’t a demon you could crush him without a contest. Please, just let him alone. He hasn’t done anything,” Luna complained as he turned away from the other stallion.

“That’s the problem. He’s usually doing something. I don’t like it when he is all composed and idle. It’s uncharacteristic!” he shot right back at his lover.

“Oh yes, always soooo concerned with your investments. Have you no mind for anything else?!”Luna scowled with righteous indignation.

“At least let me throw Zeccaran out before we have this fight, would-ya please?” He closed his eyes as he heaved the resigned sigh of acceptance.

“Zeccaran, begone!” Luna shouted her voice nearly straining into the Royal Canterlot version. The zebra obeyed immediately, without so much as a response. It was as if his body willed itself out of the room and away before his mind could catch up to agree.

After he was gone, they stood silently for a time staring at one another as Luna’s look of anger dwindled to pinched concern. Guardian Angel pursed his lips and did his best to not get upset with her attitude.

“What is it, dear,” he struggled to sound calm.

“I’m jealous. I’m tired. And I am fed up with everything we have been doing.” She spat out every word as if it was trying to stay glued to her tongue.

“What? You mean with work? With Gusty? What do you mean?” Guardian Angel squinted at her, truly confused with her proclamation.

“All of it! It’s like I’m watching you walk down the same path I watched you go before. You throw your whole being into what you are trying to do. And while I have always admired you for that, you seem to be losing track of things that matter.” Luna explained broadly.

“You mean you? How in the world could I lose track of you?” he countered trying to force her to be more specific.

“Not just me, Guardian Angel, us. You haven’t been paying attention to our relationship hardly at all over the last two months. You’ve been on more missions, nearly died, twice! I just..it’s like before, how you were possessed with revenge.” She hearkened back to the darkest portion of his past.

Her words stung. Gritting his fangs he turned his face down to the floor. It might have been true that they had not been spending time together like they had before. This situation, however, was nothing like before. Nothing would ever be like this situation again, either. That was the thought he prayed to be true every spare moment he had.

“So you think that I should just...ignore the pressing matters of Gusty Twilight simply because, at the present moment, everything is nice, safe, and stable?” He was not capable of hiding his contempt from his voice.

“I’m saying you need a damn break! By the Hellish Layers of Tartarus I need a break! We haven’t seen each other for longer than two hours a day over the last month and before that you spent some five weeks cavorting about in that shithole of an ice palace, leaving me to worry about you day and night. Because if you forget my foolish stallion you are the one mind I cannot enter while you sleep!” Luna was flat shouting now. Guardian Angel closed his eyes and shook his head, keeping his angry sigh small but still noticeable.

His mare stomped past him into the lounge muttering curses under breath. Her words shook as she spoke in that way that signaled she was genuinely upset. Still, nothing was more important than keeping the world from imploding in on itself. Gusty Twilight, much to Luna’s chagrin was the mechanism that would start that monumental problem and the health of their relationship would matter little if they could not solve it.

“You know how important this is. We can’t relax. The moment we do we’ll lose our chance to fix it. It will slip past, quietly and then it’s over...there’s nothing left,” he said as he followed her into the other room.

“How do you know that?! Huh?!” Luna threw herself onto one of the couches, giving him a particularly sour stare. “You might be smart Guardian Angel but you aren’t omnipotent. Even though you’ve been acting like it more and more!”

“I have not!” He protested. Her words were just an attack on his quite reasonable concern that the action of his ancestors were a hair’s breadth from destroying everything he loved, Luna included. No expense or resource was spared in this quest to remove the Curse of his kin, the result was he did know much about it.

“You could have fooled me. Your constant obsessing on what path the future is going to take, all the theories, all the contingency plans? You fucking expect me to believe you aren’t doing what you started doing those thirteen years ago? You forget I was there. I might not have had the gumption to speak up before, but I certainly do now!” She snarled. It was more as an aside to herself, but it affected him nonetheless.

Pacing around the sofa where Luna lay he growled at the feelings of guilt that clawed at his will to keep up his vigil. He knew in his heart of hearts that he was going to cave to his mare, but she would have to drag him kicking and screaming. Otherwise he would not be able to deal with himself for shirking his post. Especially if they did miss their opportunity to set things right.

“That’s hardly an issue. The whole idea has always been my life for everypony else’s. That’s my job. Hell, it’s in my name. What exactly do you expect me-” he caught Luna’s face. She was crying. It was not a loud, dramatized display, but instead a silent, pained sort. He immediately nixed the idea of fighting as hard to prove his point.

“So…” she wiped her face with a hoof. “Go on, since this is clearly more important than us. Bigger than us. You’re right of course...but I just…”

Luna did not need to find more words to work on his heart. Guilt had never been an emotion he coped with easily. It was even worse when you suddenly have your moral compass kicked back into functionality by a rather spiteful demi-goddess. Thus, he scooted around the couch and lay down on the floor at its foot so he could be closer to Luna without crowding her.

“You will always be the most important thought on my mind, love. We are just so close...we right there...like the answer is just waiting behind the next clue and then everything can be...you know, actually normal! Without any looming threats to the world’s safety.” He murmured excitedly to her.

“You’d be a touch more convincing If perhaps I did not know what thoughts danced on Gusty’s mind. She knows full-well that any flirting now is not to aggravate her like it once was, nay your actions have always been earnest. How warm are her thoughts of you, Guardian Angel. I’ve seen everything there is to know about her in her dreams. And I know how things have been different between the two of you since the Frozen North. She fantasizes about you. ” Luna whispered back not looking at him.

Guardian Angel blushed, fully understanding her apprehension She felt like she was competing with a mare that dominated their work life and could literally beam her thoughts into his head. What Luna did not know was that there was not much competition. Before now she had kept the score of this game one-hundred to zero. Gusty had finally scored a few points after three years of playing and that was not near enough to even make him consider changing his choice of girlfriend. That thought made Guardian Angel smile at her, even though she did not turn to see it. She had always been a jealous-type and he loved it.

“Well since you haven’t had time to snoop yet tonight I’d been meaning to tell you that I convinced her that we need to talk about our behavior toward each other. Specifically, this Monday we intend to nip this little bit of flirting in the bud. As it’s pretty difficult for either of us to focus on other ponies when we can talk so freely across that damn link of ours.” He reassured her.

That was his ultimate intent. He liked Gusty after all, and keeping idle minds from being a threat was tough with her. Especially now that the crazy teal mare had enough of her wits to realize what was going on around her. Gusty was not the sort of pony to wait on things should she take fancy to them, if she wanted him, she would come get him. That was made all the more alluring because before Luna had finally confessed to him, he had his eyes set on the mare that had saved his life.

“Y-you are?” Luna continued their conversation. Her face shifted to curious and less hurt. “Strange. I picked Monday morning to try and help her stop thinking about you as much too.”

“We have always been good at working together whether or not we realized it.” He smiled at her.

“I’m just happy you knew what was going on and acted on before I even said anything. It makes me feel like you chose me all over again. Which is a much needed pick-me-up... It has been a hard month for me. After discovering the curse’s true nature, watching you be so withered and broken, seeing how vibrant and endearing Gusty actually is...then watching the two of you give eachother bedroom eyes every Court you’ve both been to: it has been a slog.” Luna gave a sort of relieved sigh.

“Well...that’s why you said we need a break. So...let’s have a break then!” He smiled standing up. He offered a hoof to her so he could help pull her off the sofa. She took it and stood on the couch instead of stepping down from it, peering down from her vantage point thoughtfully.

“You know I can’t help but like her, even if she intends to become my rival in a contest for your affections.” She wiped her tears and fixed him with a surprisingly playful look. “It’s a good thing you have me to help you with her because I don’t think you could handle her on your own, Guardian Angel.”

A little bit of his mare’s snarky attitude came out with that statement and he could not help but smile wider. In his opinion, Luna was an objective good that very few ponies got to enjoy. He was particularly pleased he had the opportunity, he mused to himself.

“I know that look, meddler!” his mare proclaimed drawing him out of his thoughts.

“So you don’t want to go on a break? I had such a magnificent evening planned out” he pouted back, trying to prey on her pride.

Luna pushed her nose towards the ceiling as if to say she was offended he would think of anything besides her. She held the pose until he reached a wing out to her neck and lightly raked it through her fur. Releasing a small squeak of surprise she turned her gaze back to him with faux-incredulousness.

“I guess I can always go hunting instead...I am kind of hungry,” he grinned through his fangs knowing she would break for the break.

“Cheater! I’m not about to pass up such an opportunity!” She played her part perfectly.

“Why don’t we go flying then? We haven’t had a quiet moment like that in almost twenty years. Then maybe go pick up some coffee at our favorite coffee shop down by the Market Square...maybe bring some friends, Ember and a few of the Nightwatch...yeah...then I could parade you through a couple bars, since I know you like the attention.” He watched gleefully as Luna tried to hide her smile.

“Only the bars where you know ponies. It is high time we make our relationship public.” She nodded curtly. The gesture was more to herself than him. After all, the call to keep things private had been hers, and rightly so, she was the Princess.

“Well, no shit! Are you sure that’s a good idea...to just spring out into public eye like that?” Guardian Angel proclaimed quite pleased that she had finally come to this decision with pride, but a little hesitant to help it along. It would not do to cause a civil uprising on the perchance the populous would be upset with their courtship.

“And why not? It is not as if I will take anypony’s criticism seriously. So, indeed. No shit!” Luna hiked her nose back up again.

“And wait until they hear you talk like an old tavern wench. Half of Equestria will laud you, the other half will faint in horror!” he started to laugh as he walked around the couch in a happy little trot

“I do not talk like a tavern wench, you vile inbred cur!” she hissed behind him. Guardian Angel did not need to see her face to know Luna was both blushing and trying her best to not giggle. Or she was mad, there was always that option.

“Come on, potty mouth let’s start this date,” he said after sticking his tongue out at her. Before she could respond he bounded over the couch in the lounge and out the door onto the balcony his wings carrying him up quickly. Luna cursed vehemently behind him, either to show that, in fact, she did talk like an old mare or because she was angry he was leaving her behind. It did not matter which, either option was the start of a good night.

Zeccaran sipped his coffee across from Pixie in the small little coffee shop. It was half past after midnight and a few hours since he had escaped the presence of his girlfriend’s older brother. It had been a wonderful evening so far. Pixie had been a little envious of his time in the dream realm with Luna and had insisted they do something in public. Which was perfectly fine with him; they did not have much to work on in the lab anyway and being seen as the stallion that landed the beauty across from him did make Zeccaran feel pretty phenomenal.

“What?” Pixie questioned noticing his half-lidded gaze.

“Nothing just enjoying myself. I’m just not used to it and it makes me daydreamy,” Zeccaran replied setting down his mug cautiously.

The ding of the store’s doorbell echoed barely audible over a rowdy crowd that entered the shop. Curious, the zebra leaned around his mate to look at who had come in the establishment. A dull purple dragon taller than Pixie stood next to a thestral mare of deep blue. Perplexed, Zeccaran scooted his chair around the table some making his snowy companion turn her head as well. Next in line was a cyan-colored dragoness, standing next to two stallions, one a big brown earther the other a lean looking unicorn. They chattered loudly about hoofball while the pair in front of them kept looking at one another then away from one another. However, it was the dulcet tones of Princess Luna and the dry sarcastic sounds of Guardian Angel that drew his attention. There they stood speaking to each other or shouting occasionally at the ever louder dragoness.

“This is it. I’m dead. He’s gonna see us and I’m dead!” he whimpered.

“Oh, settle down. He’s not gonna kill you in a public space!” Pixie turned around and fixed him with a stare that was somewhere between playful and predatory. “Besides, unless you start screaming or something stupid like that he probably won’t even notice. He’s a bit distracted if you can’t tell.”

Zeccaran did not believe her but peeked around her red-maned head cautious about seeing what she meant. The demon seemed to be rather fixated on the group with him. His eyes mostly kept to Luna, who he held, one of each of their forelegs twined together. Otherwise he seemed to monitor the cyan dragoness with a sort of fatherly gaze as if he wanted to make sure she stayed out of trouble.

He did not relax, but at least Pixie was not lying to him for sport. It was strange to have somepony like her both care for him but also enjoy his discomfort. Stranger still he rather liked the sensation. Meanwhile his ears caught the sound of Luna telling the party they should make their coffees to go, that all haste was to be made going to the taverns on the other side of town. The party all agreed rather quickly and they left nearly as fast has they had arrived.

However, as Zeccaran hazarded his first steady breath since the princess and the demon entered the shop. It was quickly cut into a gasp when the pair paused in the doorway. They graciously held the door open for their companions, the zebra staring on in horror. Luna who was closer to them turned about as the rest of her party departed and gave him a big wink and a mischievous grin like she had gotten away with something. That felt nice, she was trying to help him. The feeling was much to short-lived, the white hot gaze of Guardian Angel seemed to sear his neck, forcing him to look at the demon. Zeccaran withered at the sight of the harsh red eyes and the fangs large enough to split his ribs.

As quick as the moment had come and the contrast sent him into cold nervous sweats they were gone. Pixie took a sip of her cappuccino as she tried to contain her smile.

“I guess he noticed,” she stated more than questioned.

Zeccaran could only managed to nod shakily in response.

“Ahh. Don’t worry. He probably isn’t all that mad at you. I’m not exactly supposed to be in Canterlot. It probably came as a bit of a shock to him. Seeing you with me only it made it worse I’m sure,” Pixie explained matter-of-factly.

“Yeah…” he mumbled, “you didn’t have to look him in the eye when he did that thing he does.”

“Oh, the Stare? I can do that too. Probably not as good as him though.” She smiled.

“The what?” Zeccaran carefully reached for his coffee trying to not hyperventilate still recuperating from the fear.

“It’s an old Shadow-kin trait, they used it to intimidate ponies or other creatures. Evidently it’s not all that uncommon in your average pegasi, I’ve heard about a few that can do it here and there. Makes sense really, after all the old lords did do quite a bit of raping and pillaging. Not may ponies know what to do with it though so, it’s mostly gone unnoticed by regular society.” Pixie waxed philosophical over her ancestors’ influence on the modern world.

“Let’s just go to that late show you wanted to see, I can hide there and it’s still in public!”

His girlfriend laughed at him but agreed. Quickly finishing their well-cooled coffees, Zeccaran rushed them out of the shop and to the safety of the theater. However, the movie was not nearly as entertaining as they had planned. The process did successfully calm him down and when they decided to leave about halfway through the production he had a new idea.

“As dangerous as this seems to me….want to go grab a drink?” Zeccaran asked his girlfriend.

“Sure! I think my favorite bar has a special on mixers tonight, and they don’t close until three in the morning!” Pixie chirped merrily.

Zeccaran went to ask what time it was when the hearty old bell in the train station's clock began to chime. It cycled its tune and finished with only two tones. They had enough time for exactly what was planned. Pixie immediately prodded him on her back and in only a few minutes they hand flown over the dark streets to were where she wanted to go.

“I’m kinda surprised you want to be so bold, Zeccaran.” She commented as he scrambled down after she landed.

“Why not? I don’t have much to live for besides hanging out with you. We did have a conversation about that, remember?” He smiled at her. It was his whole reason for being out in the first place. Even if it increased his chances of bodily harm, Pixie was worth it.

“I know,” she leaned down and nuzzled him. “Let’s see how lucky you are then, huh?”

“Don’t bring luck into it. Every time I do it backfires spectacularly.” Zeccaran grimaced, taking the first steps into the old tavern.

He pushed open the ancient glass and wood door, it was covered in knife marks and graffiti. The sound of drinking ponies reached his ears almost instantly. Even at an hour to last call the place thrummed with activity. He could vaguely make out a large group who were right against the U-shaped bar, keeping the bartenders quite busy. The loud boisterous yells of Princess Luna called out for another drink, backed up by a chorus of cheers. Zeccaran’s smile slowly started to vanish as he realized he had walked into the lion’s den.

“Well, well, well...look who decided to join the party everybody.” Stormwalker’s voice seemed to crawl out of the great wooden pillars that suspended the roof.

As if sliding up behind them on the whims of the shadowy walls in the dingy bar Zeccaran felt him standing behind them.

“If it isn’t my sister and her coltfriend!” he declared more than questioned as per the turn of phrase. A hearty hoof as hard as iron pressed its surface into the area at the bottom of Zeccaran’s neck pushing him forward. The same was happening to Pixie as he looked over at her, her face twisted into an annoyed scowl. He dared not look back at the face of his assailant and he found a reason to resist curiosity; a clopping of hooves drew his gaze back towards the bar.

“Pixie, Zeccaran! I was ever so hoping you would join us!” Luna shouted as she charged into them. The alicorn wrapped them both in a tight hug giggling like mad.

She smelled strongly of alcohol. The dizzyingly stench powerful enough to make him gasp for breath instead of fawn over the fact she was hugging him. However, the Princess released her grip. He looked at her face, an uneven smile spread across her lips, her features relaxed and cheery. Zeccaran could not help but think that her appearance was even more gorgeous than normal. He looked back to Pixie to confirm his suspicions but his marefriend won the momentary mental contest, she had stopped scowling, which was akin to cheating for her.

“Come, let us get you drinks!” The Princess of the Moon started pulling while her significant other kept pushing. The result was he and Pixie nearly being forced to run up to the bar.

The most disheveled barkeep ever stood shuddering as they stopped before him. Zeccaran puzzled over the empty liquor bottles he saw on the lower shelves, and the curious lack of selection that was still available to drink.

“How about two beers...since what I was after has been drank by these two fools.” Pixie pointed at Luna and over her shoulder at her brother. The barkeep nodded and hustled to get what they wanted.

To Zeccaran’s surprise both instantly started to laugh. Even Guardian Angel’s laugh was surprisingly endearing, before he started muttering something barely intelligible to Luna. The pressure released from his neck and he turned around to look to find him advancing on the blue mare a gleeful smile on his face. The Princess had her mouth open as she panted, her face flushed enough that her blue fur was managing to turn a pink-red on her cheeks. The demon lunged forward, knocking her from her hooves and into his as he stood up on just his back legs.

Luna shrieked not in fear but merriment as he did. She threw her hooves around his neck, her wings flopping every which way, her intoxication clear. However, finally getting a good look at Guardian Angel, Zeccaran could see he looked red-faced too, but not quite as bad as Luna. Remembering the fifteen or so empty bottles Zeccaran shuddered. However, he trembled as the demon laid Luna out on the bar knocking empty glasses out of their way and disturbing the other patrons drinks. The barkeeper cried out in dismay and the other guests cursed loudly at them, drunk enough to not realize a crown princess and a demon lord were the culprits.

“I didn’t think we’d get a drink and a show!” Pixie laughed next to him. “I can’t believe him, he’s gonna make out with Luna in public!”

Pixie’s words calmed the chatter of the crowd. All eyes in the bar looked directly at the sloppy couple at the counter. They seemed not to notice, their muzzles pressed together and eyes locked. Guardian Angel broke the stare his gaze flicking over the broken glass and the angry, and enraptured patrons. A huge smile exposed his fangs, Zeccaran even noticed his slit-pupils appear.

“Luna, my love. Do you remember that present I arranged for the bar we closed down?” He asked the princess over the frozen ponies.

“Mmmhmm!” She nodded her head, her horn brightening before a snap! echoed over the room.

A huge cloth sack appeared next to them. A clattering of contained coins clambered its way into the rafters and the crowd collectively gasped, Zeccaran included. Lightly over the noise Pixie giggled, making him look at her in surprise.

“That should take care of things Mr. Bartender…” he looked down at Luna. “Now...where were we?”

Luna grabbed his face and they got busy. The crowd looked on in total shock. Everypony knew who the Princess was, even while drunk now that they had been reminded. If this did not make tomorrow’s paper Zeccaran would probably kill the editor. This was simply too much of a bungled mess for them to miss, it would have been a slight against all papers that thrived on gossip as news if they did.

Their beers arrived finally drawing his attention to them.

“It’s on the house,” the now very, very, very tired bartender remarked. “You folks might want to drink and run. We got dragons doing the same thing in here”

He pointed towards a booth off in a corner where the rest of Guardian Angel and Luna’s party from sat in various states of intoxicated, lips locked, or asleep.

“Noted.” Both he and Pixie quipped grabbing their respective beverages.

That they did. The couple was quickly running down the street away from the tavern not looking back. They ran all the way back to Palace, where Zeccaran had to stop, his cardio not as good as Pixie’s.

“That was dreadfully embarrassing.” She flipped her mane back to its normal position as he caught his breath, their pace slowed down to a walk as they climbed the stairs up to the main doors inside the Royal abode.

“I would have gone for terrifying, but sure.” Zeccaran groaned. “I’m just glad he somehow wasn’t trying to murder me.”

“That’s the least of your worries...I just can’t believe him. Walking around with his fangs out like that. Makes me so angry!” Pixie stomped a hoof breaking her stride.

The zebra raised a brow at her. He had yet to see his marefriend mad at anything. The guards at the front doors also looked at them curiously. One of them called out their names cautiously, acknowledging that they were cleared to enter the castle. Silently they did as instructed. Pixie’s brow remained furled in frustration while Zeccaran kept quiet not knowing the questions to ask on the long journey down into their lab.

“My brother…” Pixie sighed as they hit the basement lobby.

“What about him?...Specifically?” the zebra grasped at straws.

Slowing her pace, his mare’s face turned philosophical as she rolled her jaw. “He and I have a strong difference in opinion regarding our ancestry”

“Like..how you should act, or how they acted? I don’t really know what you are referencing, babe.” Zeccaran rubbed his mane watching her closely. It took her a minute to respond as they mosied aimlessly down the big hall that led further into the complex.

“It’s more a disagreement about what he and I should do, what ponies should know, how we interact with others,” Pixies finally said.

“That’s a pretty huge topic scale. Where do the two of you fall on it?” he asked, more than curious.

“Let’s just say, I’m of the opinion that lots of things don’t need to be told to the average laypony. Why do you think they are so happy these days? Most don’t even realize how close we’ve repeatedly come to destruction the last twenty years. It’s how Celestia has always run the country and I agree with it,” She explained

“Your brother?” Zeccaran hesitantly felt the words exit his mouth.

“He is opposite. He wants ponies to know about the the atrocities that have been happening around the world. How Equestria has been saved by a scant twenty individuals repeatedly throughout recent history. He thinks the populace needs to be ready to combat external threats, he believes they can do it without the help of our country’s heroes. In truth he’s not wrong...” Pixie paused, her face curling into a snarl that made her look ever so slightly more like her sibling, if perhaps without the sharp teeth.

“But, what upsets me is how he goes about it. He wears his fangs...his scars, his eyes like a badge of honor. He. Is. A. Monster. And he’s proud of it. He wants ponies to not be afraid of him, to be able live normally among them. He knows better. How could a Shadow-kin ever live normally alongside ponies? After everything we have done? It’s why I invent things...so I can make everypony’s life better. It’s why I agree with Celestia...regular folk need to have a break. They might have had one for a couple hundred years since the last international war, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to keep that facade in place as long as we can.” She stopped walking her eyes starting to water.

“Pixie…” Zeccaran tried to comfort her by placing a hoof on her shoulder. She looked at him her bright yellow eyes nearly glowing in the low light of the night time luminance of the Palace’s bowls.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offload all of that onto you.” She whispered. The zebra was starting to get the suspicion that Pixie had not been exclusively talking about her brother when she mentioned the monster part of her speech. Still, they had not been the originals. The guilt might be born in their blood but that did not make either of them equivalent of their ancestors. Zeccaran stood up a little taller, he was proud of her, and she needed to know it.

“Don’t worry. My baggage is not any better than yours. We all have our skeletons.” He smiled at her. It was at that moment that his heart reached out and took over his mouth.

“I love you all the same. And I’m very proud to be your stallion-friend” Came the words, and came the red to the white stripes of his face. His girlfriend’s face flushed just as red as the heat on his face felt before her upset eyes fluttered dreamy.

She leaned in and kissed him. “I love you too, Zeccaran. And I wouldn’t have it any other way either.”

They stood in the hall, kissing more as the moment overtook them. After a time, they got back to moving home. That was a strange word to Zeccaran. The lab, the trouble with Gusty, this new life: it was his home. As Pixie lay down on their big bed, beckoning him to nuzzle into her chest fluff his smile turned into true contentment. The only thing left was to make sure he could keep it this way. He faltered as he looked up at Pixie he face gentle and eager. A familiar voice emerging from her hiding spot.

So this is what happiness feels like, Conduit? I rather like it. Nyx metaphorically yawned.

It is. It’s been a while for me. I think you and I need to talk with Luna about the Gusty Project when we go to sleep. He responded his mind starting to drift from the present of his mate.

Oh! Aren’t we determined suddenly! She purred.

Just call it a hunch, but for now help me make sure my Pixie is most pleased with my endeavors. Zeccaran requested.

Nyx just rolled her tongue louder as he went in for the kill. It was quite a while before he fell asleep that night.

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