“Put simply,” Luna answers with a certain sharpness to her voice. It puts Spike on edge. “Because everypony, and perhaps everycreature, deserves a chance at redemption.”

Spike’s claws make harsh tinkling sounds as he raps them against his crossed arms. “And when the price of that redemption is measured in lives? How many must be risked, must be spent, to see one pony returned to Harmony?”

Luna raises an eyebrow. “Thou thinks us so callous as to hide behind our fellow equines? Dost thou forget who faced down the mad king?” Her mane billows behind her like a shockwave, snapping like a whip, then goes still. Golden Wheat flinches at the display, but Spike remains steadfast. “When we rose to forever supplant the sun in the sky, did’st our dear Sister sit weeping in the corner? Or did She contest our might, and place herself in the line of fire?”

“Yet she let you rise to power,” Spike fires back, landing on the desk. It creaks under his weight, all the more when he steps forward to thrust a sharpened claw in her face. “Just like Sombra, just like Discord, just like the Storm King! How many tragedies, how much suffering could have been stopped if she just acted earlier? Just like you should now!”

“If thou wishes to blame Her for all the suffering,” Luna retorts, “wilt thou also inculpate Her for all the joy She has allowed to flourish?”

Spike scowls. “She doesn’t get credit for not screwing everypony over. For letting them live their lives.”

A thin smile crosses Luna’s muzzle. “When thou divines the consequences of a pony’s life - neigh, of a single action before she has moved - we will gladly step aside, cede our thrones and our considerable power, to be directed by your every whim.”

Spike huffs. “You don’t know the consequences either, so don’t pretend like you do.”

“We do not, though perhaps we style ourselves more knowledgeable than most.” Luna motions to herself, her star-studded mane gradually settling against her back. “Which is why we are here to discuss what steps must be taken to ensure our safety, Equestria’s and the Crystal Empire’s, should our hope in Hope be for naught. We appreciate thy trust, and wish to assuage any fears and concerns, to help however we can.”

Spike flies to the large double doors that lead to the balcony, looking through the many-hued crystal. The sprawling city sparkles below like, well, an ocean of crystal, every wall and roof constructed from the glittering material. Even the fields that stretch to the edge of the transparent bubble shimmer with reflected light from the moon. “But not directly. Not at the source of the problem.”

In the reflection he can see Luna shake her head. “Unless thou has additional evidence, an angle we have not considered, then no. My Sister would allow ponies to succeed or fail on their own merits.” She sighs, glancing away. “It is a perspective we often do not share.”

“Which is why you’re here.” Spike turns to again regard the Ruler of the Night. “With her blessing?”

“She has ceded control of foreign relations to me, in more than name.” Luna meets Spike’s probing gaze. “She shall agree.”

“And are you here,” Spike asks, “because you think that the Crystal Empire needs help?” When she fails to immediately respond he digs deeper. “You said you often don’t share her perspective on allowing ponies to succeed or fail on their own merits. Is this one of those times?”

“Our primary goal,” Luna sidesteps,” is seeing the Crystal Empire, and all of Equestria, safe. We came here to warn and to freely offer our assistance. Dost thou believe our aid unnecessary?”

Spike grits his teeth together. He wants her to say that they don’t, that the Crystal Empire would be just fine on its own, thank you very much. Yet she is asking him to make that determination, an accounting of which he fears the answer. He turns again, staring out over the glittering ocean.

Would they be fine on their own? Could they spare the bodies patrolling the outer reaches, venturing out into the frigid cold? They would, he knows they would. Spotters from the top floors of the castle would be adequate in that regard. But it would pull workers away from other, more valuable work. Far more valuable than sitting around and watching for anomalous black clouds on the horizon. But it would take more than a patrol schedule to cover every avenue of attack, especially when the possibility of mind control is taken into account.

Then it dawns on him that Luna has come at dusk, with none of the fanfare normally associated with a Royal visit. The ponies she has interacted with could likely be the two of them and the guard standing outside. He states, to remind Golden Wheat not to mention this to her friends, “You want to keep this a secret.”

Luna cocks her head to the side just slightly. “This?”

“Sombra’s return.” Spike motions to the shimmering city below. “Whatever aid you give. The chance that your glorious plans might fall through, leaving everypony wondering whether their neighbors are who they say they are, if they have been corrupted by Sombra’s false promises or merely brainwashed into his service. You’re afraid of mass hysteria, or worse.”

Luna slowly nods. “We do not wish to spread mistrust, not without confirmation that Sombra has returned, much less declared his intentions.”

“And there’s no bet going on,” Spike muses, thinking about Chrysalis and the changelings. “Between Celestia and Sombra or anypony else, about whether or not they can successfully capture the Crystal Empire? Or anything of the sort?”

Luna’s countenance hardens to cold stone, her expression unreadable. “We t’would neigh speak of it, should that be true.”

Spike snorts. Could she have stated it any louder? “Yeah, yeah. Shining Armor gathered guards from everycity to Canterlot when Queen Chrysalis was going to attack. And you want to station troops here? Fine. I get it. So, what do we get out of it?”

Luna cocks her head to the side again. “We?”

Spike finds the question infuriating. “We. Me, the Crystal Empire, the crystal ponies. What do we get out of being a pawn in your game?” He snaps his claws before she can respond. “You need a pretext.”

A thin smile crosses Luna’s muzzle, like he’s been caught in her trap.

Spike grins a dragon’s grin, claws greedily tapping together. It’s a huge ask, the kind Triumph emphasizes in the book from which Spoiled Rich teaches Loyalty, How to Make Friends and Influence Ponies, and he goes for it. “The Equestria Games.”

“You wish…” Luna’s thin smile fades instantly. Her face scrunches up, and if it was Twilight she would be massaging her forehead just under the horn. “For the Crystal Empire to host the Equestria Games?”

“The Crystal Empire hasn’t hosted the games in over a millennium,” Spike states, glossing over the fact that the Empire hasn’t been around to host the games either. “I would say it is due - long overdue, in fact - for the honor. Wouldn’t you?”

Luna stares at Spike for a long time. His grin spreads wider with every passing second; he knows he has her, now he just needs to garner as much as possible.

“But if Fillydelphia is going to object too strenuously,” Spike continues, rolling a claw around as if to show his understanding and sympathy, “then we will just have to find another route to funnel in the guards you believe necessary.”

“T’would be a massive undertaking,” Luna replies, letting her whirling thoughts bleed through her stony expression. “Tracks, fields, equipment. Thou art missing a stadium. The logistics of it…”

“...Would be an excellent way to funnel in the required guards,” Spike finishes for her. His claws furl and unfurl at the mere thought of what he can accomplish. “And everything else. Materials for construction, increased lodging, fortifications. A way to transport everypony efficiently.”

Luna nods slowly. “An ambitious undertaking to accomplish in three months.”

“Accommodations for non-ponies,” Spike continues as though Luna didn’t say anything. When she raises an eyebrow he merely chuckles. “What? You didn’t think we would limit the Games to only Equestrians, did you?”

“It-” Luna starts before cutting off. Spike can see the words forming - it is the ‘Equestria’ Games - yet she holds them back. “T’would work,” she concedes.

“Then.” Spike steeples his claws and puffs his chest out. “Anything else?”

“...No,” Luna says after a long pause. She ruffles her wings before she inclines her head, as curt as when she entered. “Good night, your Majesty.”

“One more thing,” Spike adds before Luna leaves. She cocks her head minutely. “I want a list of everypony involved, delivered directly to me, as well as any changes. Got it?”

“Very well.” Luna turns to Golden Wheat, gives the same brief incline of the head, and shuts the door behind her.

“You did very well,” Golden Wheat congratulates, only for Spike to collapse into a heap onto the table.

“Scales,” Spike mutters, finally letting out the anxiety and rage and terror at having so brashly stood up to the Princess of the Night. Every limb wants to go a different direction, shaking and flexing and spasming uncontrollably.

“Of course,” Golden Wheat says, struggling to drag the shuddering dragon to the bed. Once she can put her weight on him and hold him in place he starts relaxing, though he still fights her on occasion. “You did very well,” she starts again, husky and drawn out, nuzzling him as the stress leaves his body.

---

Luna arrives on Canterlot Castle’s golden balcony with a ‘pop’ of displaced air, the instantaneous travel from the Crystal Empire exhausting but not as debilitating as the twice-as-far journey from Klugetown. At first all she can do is scowl; it will take a mountain of work to move the Equestria Games to the Crystal Empire. Doable, if everypony cooperates, but there would need to be smoothing of feathers and more than a little back-scratching for it to work.

She takes a moment to compose herself before opening the ornate double doors to Celestia’s quarters. The alabaster mare is hard at work as always, sitting at her massive desk and sifting through reams of paper, one report at a time.

Celestia glances up, showing no surprise, which isn’t unexpected given her teleport. “Luna!” She beams from ear to ear at seeing her Sister, though the papers continue their procession. “How did it go?”

Luna sighs, figuring it is better to get the bad news out of the way first. “We shall be moving the Equestria Games to the Crystal Empire.”

“Really?” Celestia’s joyful exclamation brightens the room, the exact opposite of how Luna thought it would go. “How on Equus did you convince him to do so?”

“Err,” Luna stalls, her face scrunching up. “T’was actually his demand of us. As a way of ‘concealing’ whatever troops we wish to station in the Empire.”

“Really.” This time, the single word has clear marks of suspicion running through. “You didn’t have to incept it?” At Luna’s raised eyebrow Celestia shakes her head. “No, nevermind, don’t answer that. I would appreciate some form of deniability.” She sighs heavily and happily as Luna rolls her eyes. “I would not have been able to accomplish that so easily.”

Now it is Luna’s turn. She is surprised, and more than a little elated, at the admission. “Really?”

Celestia nods solemnly. “You are quite talented at getting ponies on your side, especially by coming at them from oblique angles while I always barrel head-on. First Queen Novo, now Emperor Spike.” She chuckles to herself. “I would have had to convince him to accept our help, and struggled against his sense of pride and self-sufficiency. Yet you sidestepped that issue entirely by allowing him to demand those resources that we would have freely given them.”

Luna blinks. She hopes Spike doesn’t come to the same realization. “T’is fortunate we dodged that bolt, yes.”

The papers on Celestia’s desk settle down as the glow around her horn fades. She steps out from behind the desk, giddily trotting to her Sister’s side.

“Well done,” Celestia praises. She nuzzles Luna just under the ear as her head passes over her. She gently rests on the opposite side, their necks entwined, the white horn dipping under cobalt. She softly presses her head against Luna’s, grinning broadly, and lets out a long, content sigh.

Luna’s heart swells; she knew she wanted her Sister’s admiration, had desired it for so long, and here it is. Her legs shake with excitement, she wants to leap and bound and sing with joy, yet that would require her to break from their intimate position. She loves her Sister’s touch; how long has it been since they have done so? Too long.

The two stay together for a long time, long enough for Luna’s mind to wander to her remaining duties. She pulls away with a regretful sigh, one matched by Celestia, and offers a parting nuzzle her Sister eagerly accepts. “Much remains.”

Celestia gives an understanding nod. “Good night, Luna.”

“Good night, ‘Tia.” Luna takes off, hoping the head of the Equestria Games is still awake.

Next Chapter: Ch. 127 - Might and Influence, Part One Estimated time remaining: 11 Hours, 60 Minutes