The following night was filled with seething silence from Luna, a rage Arin did not want to be the victim of. Though they finished dinner in peace (with less delicious food than Arin recalled), Luna marched off alone to her bedroom.

Strange. At first, she couldn’t get enough of him. Now, she wanted him out of her life. He knew it was trying times at best, and he also knew what Umbra did was rough and… not like her, at all. If anything, he’ll give her that date, and the dark mare would settle down. Until then, there was nothing he could do but wait.

He made his way steadily up the stairs. It’d be rude to just barge in through the balcony, but he needed to make sure Luna was alright.

Arin gave the study door a knock. A minute passed, and no reply came. Fidgeting with his wings, he knocked again – flicking his feathers out of nervous habit. When no response followed, he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise – and he tried the lock. The door wouldn’t budge.

Another red flag. Luna didn’t lock her door unless absolute privacy was required. Pressing his thumb over the keyhole, a bolt of magic scorched through the lock – a trick he picked up from Umbra after misplacing his keys in Alma Sol.

With a click, the door opened. Luna was sitting behind the window of her balcony, staring at the moon in pitch darkness; taking in the features of her sister’s visage gracing the surface. Unease washed over him. He felt that familiar sense of dread welling up inside, something he couldn’t place stirring his sixth sense. Like something was stirring in Luna he couldn’t place.

“Luna? Are you alright?” His footfall across the threshold from the door broke her from her stupor, and the sense wavered. It’s like just the words alone were enough to keep the peace, and she turned back to face her Knight.

“Arin!” She scowled, glaring daggers at the Seraph. “What are you doing here? Perhaps I wasn’t clear with my intentions. You are not welcome in my chambers tonight.”

“Oh.” He frowned, feeling a little heartbroken at that. “Is it because of what Umbra did? I… well, I didn’t have anything to do with that, Luna.”

She ignored the question, turning her eyes back to the window. With a flash of her horn, the door slammed shut in his face – nearly knocking him to the floor. Okay, maybe he deserved that. He didn’t realize Luna would be so… jealous.

It didn’t seem like her at all. But, times change. Stress was mounting. Let her be angry, she’ll stew for a while before that sweet, loving mare would come back. Right? He did just… let it happen, after all.

The couch it was. Luckily, Luna’s study – just in front of her chamber doors – offered plenty of acceptable lounging. A few low chairs (ponies loved their near-ground seating), large pillows strewn about. A fireplace to keep warm on cold nights, and books galore to keep even the most idle minds interested.

Stripping his gear, he decided to throw himself onto a nearby cushion. Legs a bit too long, they found themselves resting on the carpet. Of course, there was another problem. His wings.

He always had trouble finding a comfy position for his wings. He used to be a back sleeper, before he met his Princess. And now that he Ascended, every position came with some form of discomfort in the morning. Luna’s body helped – she was a good arm rest, not to mention fluffy, warm, and sweet.

Idle thoughts turned to hours – and before he knew it, he was dozing fitfully in dreams of the past. He couldn’t help but recall the fight with Leotoln now – and his mind reflected it. Luna calling out to him for help, as he lay by that serene lake on the verge of death.

He snapped awake to the afternoon sun in his eyes, rolling off the pillow with a sigh. It hardly felt like he slept at all. Popping his back, and with a flick of his wings – he was dressed once more, looking to the massive, old-fashioned clock for the time.

Late. Not a good sign, especially if he wanted some form of peace in this castle.

He plunged towards the front gate a few moments later after finding a window to soar from, a beat of wings more than enough to stir up a proper landing. Umbra was already waiting for him, studying the Seraph as she always did.

“Sorry, couldn’t sleep well last night. I uh… missed breakfast and lunch, it seems. Let’s just head out. I’ve still got some bits from the last time Celestia gave me a check, so we should be covered.”

She said nothing, only nodded with an unreadable expression. Umbra joined his side, as they started on foot and hoof towards Canterlot proper.

“I apologize for asking you on this date, Arin. But I had good reason for it; two, in fact,” Umbra said, her eyes scanning for any ears that may catch her words unbidden. Luckily, the path to Canterlot from the castle was usually devoid of traffic, save for when Day Court was in session. And from the looks of things, Luna must have delayed, or even cancelled it.

“A good reason, besides pissing off my girl… mare… marefriend? Is that what you call it? Yeah, you sent her into a mood I’m not very fond of.”

“Good. More of a reason to keep you away from her.” She spoke with a slight disdain, enough to catch Arin off guard.

“Do you seriously think pissing me off is a good idea for our little date here, Umbra?” Arin started, but her green magic shushed him in an instant. He fought her aura with his own magic – and would have won that little magic duel, too, if her words didn’t cut him off.

“We are being followed, Arin. Let us play along for now.” Her eyes flicked behind her, the magic fading from his lips. Surely, he’d have noticed first – he was trained for this, after all. With a tilt of his head, he could just catch the softest hoof fall in the grass. Yet nothing met his eyes.

“Keen. Better ears than me, that’s for sure. Alright Umbra, you’ve got a point. Where are we going?”

“I have an idea. A place with noise, lots of noise – we need to talk, and the Castle simply isn’t the place to do it.”

Their journey turned to silence, as they approached the hind gates of Canterlot. Two silver armored soldiers stood guard – and saluted Arin as he passed. Good. He was worried that maybe Seraphs had a bad name following the war. It seems that wearing his royal armor gave him some form of recognition, and would keep the worst of prejudice away in city limits.

Strange. He only ever visited Canterlot under Celestia’s supervision, when he was still injured from his imprisonment in Erenorn. His training sucked away the rest of his time here in Equestria, leaving him little room to grow outside of those pristine white walls, though the now banished Princess intended for him to explore at some point.

The cobble road seemed a little rougher since the last time he set foot here, too – a few errant pieces of trash littered the streets, lack of attention starting to crop up among the homes. A few buildings had maintenance left forgotten, and less smiles were seen among the populace too. Though it was still a shining example of a wondrous, well designed city, it was starting to show neglect in its earliest stages.

The eyes that followed Arin and Umbra as they walked weren’t forgotten, either. Some looked to him with appreciation, keenly aware of who he was. Others showed signs of worry, and a select few saluted him as Luna’s Knight. These were mostly city police and guards. Regardless, it was better than some of the looks he received back home, before his ascension.

They made their way down main street, before Umbra took a sharp left down an alley. Her keen ears swiveling, eyes scanning – until they popped out onto a Farmer’s market. Fresh produce in stalls sat in an open pavilion, dozens of shoppers taking to the works of their local earth ponies.

“I don’t think the trade square is a good place to have a conversation. Not unless you want someone to listen in,” Arin said quietly to Umbra.

“You and I have two different definitions of noise. For you, it is sound and speech. For me, it has always been magic.”

Unsure what she meant, he stuck by her side as Umbra clopped through the streets. Stall after stall, groups of ponies pointing or speaking in hushed whispers. The crack of a radio nearby caught Arin’s ear, and he used it as an excuse to look behind him. Still, nothing. And now, he just couldn’t hear the clop of a second set of hooves – there were simply too many of them all around.

Umbra stopped before a local shop, the heavy iron sign above the door catching Arin’s eye. ‘Vee’s Magic Emporium and Coffeetorium’.

“A magic shop? Really?” He frowned.

“A coffee shop. A perfect place to speak quietly without worry among friends. But there is another reason why I chose this place.”

The door clipped the bell overhead, as they made their way into the mostly empty, purple-themed cafe. Lining the walls were dozens of magical trinkets and baubles to stir the imagination, curtains galore to keep the sun at bay and the mood low. Behind the counter, an extremely purple pegasus sat lazily on her pillow, preening her wings. She wore a black witch’s hat, coupled with an extremely fashionable lantern at her side – no, wait, it was on her tail!

“Welcome to my shop – Oh hey, it’s Umbra. And you’ve brought a very Tall-fry with you. Welcome back,” what was apparently Vee said, before plucking a tiny, bent feather out of her wing. “I don’t suppose you’re here to snoot up some coffee or books this time, are you? It’s been five years since we’ve had a chat, d’ohoho~”

Arin turned to the dark mare, a bit shocked. “You visited Canterlot as an Umbrum?”

“I have visited many places without the Princess’s knowledge. Vee, we are in need of sanctuary from prying eyes and ears. Would you mind?” She nodded to the Pegasus, who rolled her eyes.

“You say that every time you come here. Pumpkin! Blinds, please.”

“What? Again? You can’t keep dragging the bird bath in the lobby, Vee, it’s not legal or healthy, and it’s supposed to be for the birds!” An orange hatted, equally witchy mare peeked her head from around the corner. Her red and brown mane fell over her eyes, and with a puff from her lips to blow it away – she gawked at their guests. “O-Oh!… R-Right away then.”

Darting into the lobby, the smaller witchy pony quickly shut the blinds, locked the door, clicked a button – the wrong button, as a sparkly orb dropped from the ceiling. She righted her mistake and pressed the right button, and a soft thrum shook the now deathly quiet cafe, the thin light from outside vanishing in a heartbeat.

And just like that, she vanished to the backroom. Watching quietly from behind the corner to the kitchen, flour on her nose from her work. Despite her best efforts to be stealthy, it seemed Pumpkin’s hat gave away her position.

“You’ve got about ten minutes there, Spooky-fry. Can’t keep the store on magic lockdown for fun, y’know. Something about fire safety codes and the fuzz banging when I leave it shut for a week, all that jazz.” She waved a hoof about, before staring blankly at Arin.

“I’m a fan of the get up, by the way. But you seriously need more purple,” she said nonchalantly to the Seraph, who gave a very bewildered ‘thanks’ before joining Umbra at a nearby table.

“So… is that why you chose this shop? Blinds?” Arin asked, sitting on an orange cushion. Umbra took the purple one, after removing what seemed to be a dozen feathers from the top.

“Vee sells magical artifacts, and to keep in line with safety regulations, a cafe of this caliber needs a magic blockade to prevent any unwanted discharges of product. Because of this, you can not eavesdrop through magical means when the barricade is activated. Which for Vee, is just about thrice a day. Accidental or not, it has become a useful tool for when I need a place to speak with an ally.”

“And she just… let you do this, back when you were a danger to society.”

“I typically bribe her with a rare, northern coffee for her silence on the matter. I have known her for well over two hundred years, since she lived in Vanhoover. Some witches are long lived, after all.” She straightened her back, before turning back to the topic at hand. “Arin, I sense a malevolent presence interfering with Luna in some way. A gnawing darkness, hiding within her.”

Arin stared for a moment, unsure what she’s playing at. Is this even a date?

“How can you tell? First you’re an expert in harmony, now you’re an expert in disharmony, too? I’m gonna need a bit of an explanation here, Umbra. It’s not that I don’t believe you or anything, I just need more details before I commit. You have never lied to me before.” Arin raised an eyebrow, but was at least willing to entertain the thought. Luna did seem to be acting… strange.

“It is not that I am an expert, but I had a hoof in many dark dealings. And while it is not exactly the Umbrum’s presence I sense pervading Luna’s mind, I do feel a dark presence similar to it. My history has given me an extreme sensitivity to magic, and I am sure that I feel something within her growing.” She said, tilting her muzzle up with absolute and unshakable confidence.

“What, like… Nightmare Moon?”

Umbra closed her eyes, reviewing the signs and symptoms. “It is not impossible. As I last recall, Nightmare Moon was destroyed by harmony – but that same destruction could have instead been a proper banishment. I even passed Twilight a letter on the matter, back in the library - and she agreed. We later discussed this further, when privacy was attained.”

“Okay, hold on. What’s the difference between a banishment and a proper banishment. Things are becoming a bit… convoluted here, Umbra.” Pumpkin reappeared by their side, offering two cups of coffee and a fresh batch of spiced muffins in a faint orange aura - wasn’t she an Earth pony? Gingerly, they accepted both, before the mare darted for the counter again – watching with enraptured interest. Vee simply wing patted her as she obviously eavesdropped on the duo.

“A normal banishment sends the entire being to a plane of your choosing. But a proper banishment is often given another name, in some circles. That would be an exorcism, through either religious pursuit or magical force. When done properly, it will spare the creature, but abscond wickedness. If the creature is entirely vile, and no plane is chosen for the banishment – it instead imprisons the entire being in stone, or outright destroys them if they lack a proper body to sustain themselves. This is why the Elements have never given entirely consistent results; every cast of Harmony has the same effect, the accuracy of the effect is left to the strength of the source.” Umbra sipped at her cuppa properly, enjoying the robust taste. It was cooling rather quickly, after all.

The entire time, Arin was just idly eating his sweet, buttered spice muffin. Finally, when she went quiet, he took his chance to speak. “So. Care to explain how you know the difference here, or?…”

“Who do you think banished the entire Crystal Kingdom out of the mortal plane? Not through harmony - but through other forces, of course.” She said bluntly, nibbling at her muffin.

“For once, I am giving speculation. But my thoughts are backed by the Princess’s recent behavior, and the presence slowly awakening within her heart. The Lunar plane is entirely unexplored, and no scholar alive nor dead has details to its existence. If Nightmare Moon was truly exiled, then she resides there – trapped for eternity, with no host to possess.”

“Well, Celestia is there too. Right now. So she could be possessed by Nightmare Moon, right?”

“Wrong. You have a simple understanding of magic, for that I apologize. I should have guided the process in Erenorn, not the court mages. For every spell, there is an element – and it must come from a plane of magic to exist. Imagine the life flow of the universe, as a fabric that binds our reality together. This fabric has layers – and when a Unicorn casts a spell, it draws from one of these layers.”

“So like when Leotoln opened the ‘Green Scar’ – that did something to the fabric of reality, and allowed him to open a portal to and from Alma Sol. Right?” He said, giving an example he could recognize off the top of his head.

“Correct. The more powerful the magic gathered, the more damage it may impart on the fabric of reality. While raw magic is wild and untamed, Harmony is balanced and refined magic – and thus, it is the perfect antithesis for disharmony. This is why Harmony has little use beyond banishment; it does not target a specific layer of the fabric, rather all of them at once in a clean cut. When cast on you, it will burn and sear – but it can’t throw you into a different plane of existence, as your magic is still considered harmonious in nature unless the caster was able to fully inflict the spell, without resistance. That’s why you could wield Harmony through your body; you are in tune with it. Much like Twilight and her friends are, as you are strong enough to absorb it without long term consequence.”

Arin leaned back in his chair. “So does that make me special, or?…”

“Not particularly. Even I may hold harmony in my magic ember now, as I am no longer an Umbrum. I would surely die afterwards, but it is possible that any creature of a morally good alignment may brandish its effects in some way.”

Twiddling his thumbs, Arin gave another nod. “Alright. So. How is this affecting Luna in the long run? And how can you even tell?”

“You will see the results yourself, is the only thing I may honestly say. Luna is losing her magical spark, as if she’s being drained of energy. And in its place, malice is flowing. Few may have noticed, as it has been a slow process. I saw it first, when I stepped into the throne room just before you landed; and again, when I asked so bluntly for your company. She had the look of murder in her eyes, one I know all too well. I’ve seen that same look before, ages past when Nightmare Moon took over her form, and attempted to destroy me.”

“Then why not tell me this in the castle? Or better yet, to Luna herself?” Arin finished his mug with a swig, the dark mare stepping lightly with her response. She elegantly traced her hoof over the rim of her mug, thoughts coming to life.

“It is not something you face with direct confrontation, unless the being in question is ready to accept the truth. Much like a possession, those affected by it hardly notice the difference between their normal selves, and the shift in their mood. I would know personally, as I have felt the clawing voices in my own mind before. For years, they ran rampant through my soul – and now, I am here. I found the light. The hope. And I am… content with it. Additionally, you are under the highest form of scrutiny, among all guests of Canterlot. Now, as for our date, the second reason why I wanted time alone with you…”

She nodded to Vee, who – with a flick of magic from her hoof (wait, hoof?) the switch to the cafe’s safety barricade flicked up.

Umbra tossed the remains of her – thankfully cooled – coffee against Arin’s face, splashing down his front and leaving him soaked in brown, right after the blinds to the street rolled into place.

“What! What the hell, Umbra! What was that for?”

“I think we should just stay friends. For now. You obviously don’t know how to woo a mare. Luna will be pleased to know, I am sure. Maybe she will feel hopeful for some sense of normalcy.” She said this without a lick of emotion, staring deep into Arin’s soul. “I will forgive you, with time. But Luna will not. Tread lightly, until I may find a solution – and try your best to keep her happy and well.”

Umbra nodded to Vee – who nodded back – before darting for the door, leaving a dumb founded Arin rooted to the spot.

Pumpkin returned, scratching the back of her head with a hoof, the bill hovering before her… she was an Earth pony, how did she have magic, too?

“That’ll be um… ten bits. H-Here.”

Gently, the small witch stuck the receipt to his coffee soaked face, the sticky drink binding it to his cheek in an instant.

“I’ll u-um… Let Vee check you out. I-I’m Pumpkin Spice, by the way! It’s nice to meet you, er… important K-Knight, sir.”

Arin just stared right through her, as she slowly shuffled her way into the kitchen. After a moment to dry off with a few spare napkins on the table, he made his way to the counter.

“Rough day? D’ohoho~ Of course it was. My shop is open any time. Except in the mornings. They’re not good for snooting up sleep, with all the birds singing in my bath.” She plucked the receipt from Arin’s face with a purple haze of magic – tapping the buttons on her register while Arin fished ten golden coins from his pocket. And another five for the tip jar, it’s not like he had any real use for bits anyway.

“I don’t suppose you sell magic cleaning products, huh?”

“Oho! Brave of you to assume I have clothes to begin with! But I think you should let those stains set. After all, Umbra decided to paint you for a reason, Tall-fry.”

She scooped the coins into her register. “But! I do have brains and feathers, in both spades and on the floor. Actually, I mostly just have feathers on the floor. The spades of brains doesn’t make much sense, since I keep spare brains in jars for potion reasons. If you ever need a piece of pumpkin pie, or simply the opinion of a seven hundred year old mare, I’ll be here. Snooting up pretend sleep and coffee both.”

“I’ll uh… keep that in mind. I don’t suppose you two – yes, you in the back – will keep this behind locked doors, huh?”

“My feathers flap for no one. And if Pumpkin doesn’t want an angry wing chop to the throat, her gums will take a vow of silence. As with all special guests. Isn’t that right, Smol-fry?”

The mare peaked her head up from behind the serving counter, nodding. “Gotchya Sis! Will do.”

“Very good. By the way, Stains – that Unicorn that’s been following you buzzed off about a minute ago. Keep an eye out for invisibility spells like that, they’re common among the less winged folk. You can be invisible, you can magically muted, but you can’t be both.”

“Vee, how-” Arin went to speak, but a single purple wing flapped away the words.

“Vee-Ness, blue boy. It’s Vee among friends. Or at least with Umbra, suppliers of fine coffee.”

“Alright Vee-Ness, how do you cast magic without… y’know. A horn.”

“Trade secret. Can’t have the non-witchery kind learning the purple arts for fun and all that jazz. You’ll have the ugly red ones running amok, making a mess of reality if you did. Which isn’t good news for preening, makes the wings sticky with cotton candy.”

Vee was a handful and a half. Clearly insane, but there’s a method to her madness. If Vee knew magic – then Pumpkin did too, by default. Regardless, his time here was up. Maybe in the future, he’ll swing by for more… sage-like wisdom. Or another exceptionally delicious muffin. If baked goods like that were the norm, there would be no wars.