Summary: Princess Luna invites a number of ponies to play a game with her, but Luna does not play simple games. This is an ancient game of symbols, buried desires, and revelations, within and without. For some, much will be discovered, for others, great sadness unlocked, and a few secrets revealed.
Luna: Luna has invited company to her chambers in Canterlot: Some of her guard, of course, and some associates, such as the shy young unicorn she's taken an interest in. The ponyvillian sheriff who has made such a stalwart effort in her duties. Other invitations have been sent to some who may arrive later, though for those who made it now, there is already a trolley there, with tea and coffee, small pastries, and more coffee. Luna has become quite the fan of coffee since her sister first introduced it to her during her time handling both the Day and Night courts while Celestia took the day off.
The room you are in is dark, blue marble walls and floor, a black marble ceiling, tall obsidian columns gilded in gold. The ceiling is a mirror of the sky, with little motes of magic representing the stars and moon. A fireplace is ablaze, providing the only major light in the room. One door leads to her personal rooms, and another to a guest sweet. Nightingale would know this area well, from her visit with Princess Luna prior.
Shank: Shank, of course, has been there from the start. Dressed in shining, polished, guard's armor. He's standing rather stoically, at least until people get inside. Once the visitors have arrived, Shank... doesn't relax, per se, but he does ease down from his strict posture. He moves opposite the fire, closest to the door to watch it, and keep an eye out on Luna. He doesn't look... thrilled, and, as ponies file in, he lights up one of his large cigars.
Riverred Bloodcrest: Luna's chambers, a place the guard she was used to, muttered and made uncouth jokes about.. a wonder why she didn't spent time with them. It was not as she was expecting, unlike the gilded walls, and violet silks and lace that she had imagined strung up the place, this was... this was new. Now newly entering, most likely the first, bar Shank of course, she would give the other' a nod of the head, and a bow of her own to the Princess, should she have revealed herself. River never took her time with summons, and although this were the first she had been called forth by a Princess... she did not waste time with sightseeing.
But of course, wrapped in her overly typical winter coat, the blue-beige coat fluffed of course, shield strapped to her back, and rapier sheathed to her side, she was rather unprepared for.. for anything. She had herself under the suspicion of an err, or some sort of complication, a summons usually lead to the needing of a resolution... oh how she hoped it was not public relations.
Luna: Luna nods to each pony as they come in, her smile is pleasant, serene, even if she has something of a serious look to her. Luna is seated on a large cushioned floor-mat, relatively close to the fire. Large enough for herself, and one other pony. If Nightingale makes her way into the room, she nods to for the shy and often despondent pony to come and join her, gesturing to the space next to her with a wing. "Good evening my guard, and my guests. Welcome to my chambers this night. We're here for a purpose, but also a social gathering. The evening will be... revelatory, but I hope enjoyable in the end."
She watches her stallion guard lighting up his cigar, and had previously given him dispensation to do so. She has, she must admit, given into the curiosity to experience whatever pleasures such a thing bring to him. While they're not for her.... well, even if they were, she has a public image to maintain! ... she did find the aroma of them to be pleasing enough, and the smoke against the firelight added a haze which she found a mysterious delight to watch swirl about the room.
Falling Star: Falling, a Canterlot citizen, received a letter to come to visit Alona and Princes. She thought to dress up a bit, so she came in with a simple Luna colored themed flowing dress, while combing her fine red hair. She stayed quite, not sure why she was invited, but she would never in a thousand years turn down in invitation from Princess Luna.
Luna: "Sheriff Bloodcrest... I have not had a chance to see after you since my healing spell, I hope my magic helped rather than hindered your recovery?"
Alona: It had been a rather boring night on patrol when Alona had received the invitation through Shank, and despite her patrol of the quaint sleepy little town that night, she had chosen to leave it to the other staff of the town to handle, opting not to ignore the invitation. It had taken some time, but had finally reported to the castle as quickly as her onyx tinted wings could carry her, albeit perhaps somewhat late in the proceedings. Her green and blue eyes would settle upon the pair as she moved through the chamber doors, panting slightly as she had flown from Ponyville here in full armor, with a lance, longsword, and a set of hoof talons all ready and equipped. Of course, Alona would halt in her movements as she came within a few hoof steps of her mentor/CO, and the her Princess of the night. She would cast a glance at River as she also made her entrance, making sure to nod in her direction; a simple hello to the crème pink mare before returning her attention to both Luna and Shank.
With a soft jostle of her fully encompassing steel armor of deep intimidating purple and black with the eye like jewel embedded in the center of her cuirass and her heavy steel lance laid in the holster at her side, Alona would stretch out a wing, wrapping it around her chest as she bowed before her princess, Commanding Officer, and fellow Guard comrade(s) who were present. She would remain quiet, until she was spoken to, as was her normal way. Alona was shy, meek, and otherwise a collected mare, but within held the fury to protect those she cared for. And as she watched Luna, she would be constantly reminded of her duties.
Riverred Bloodcrest: "It helped indeed, although the break has not yet fully recovered, you have given me back my flight, and use of my wings. Something I can not thank you enough, for." The mare giving another bow, not one for curtsies, unfurling the formerly maimed wing.. and although still a little puffy around the bone near the joint... it was much less mangled than prior. A lovely change indeed. Now River of course returned Alona's nod, even giving a wave of the extended wing, for yes, she did feel like showing it off, she could not have been more happy about the reparations, and of course... showing off was the best way to leave one giddy. "Hello there Alona, Falling."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: Arctic politely knocked on the door, or nearest thing to knock on. Ashamed of her actions as due to the curse. The reminder still on her neck. Beyond that, she remained silent.
Falling Star: Falling stayed quite, but she nodded in Rivers direction. She was never good talking in front of Princess of the night. She took a seat next to Shank, raising an eyebrow at Shank unsure why she was here. Though she was still sick, she covered it up as best she could. Perhaps thats why she kept her distance away from anyone, mostly away in a corner close to Shank.
Shank: Shank opens the door, welcoming in Arctic. The cigar held between his lips, he looks over Artic, and shakes his head. "You too, huh, MP?" He holds the door open for Artic, and the pony behind her. "Friends, guardmates, allow me to introduce a pony I think only Falling Star knows. Please welcome Master Plan, one of Luna's tactical advisers and.... much as I hate to admit it, a damn good friend."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: "...?"
She entered and took up a position next to the door.
Star Constellation: As Star entered the castle he began to wonder around before one of the royal guards who was on his basic patrol spotted him and asked Star of his business at the castle. Once Star said that he had he had been requested to see Luna the guard guided him to the hallway which the door was located before going back to his post leaving Star to find it himself. Beginning to feel his way down the long hallway he listened for voices he knew to locate the right door, but as he came to the door of Luna's chambers he listened and knocked lightly hoping this was the right door.
Riverred Bloodcrest: It seemed that most before her were suffering from an ailment. Alona with the thing cut from her neck last night, Falling and Arctic having seemed to befall the same issue, at least she, Luna, and Shank were healthy enough. For now of course, "A pleasure to greet, Master Plan. But I suppose with several members of the Lunar Guard, Civillians gifted with magic, and other things, and myself, that there is some sort of plan? Considering a tactician has been brought forth... combat?" A reasonable assumption, the mare's silky voice wavering... she presumed it to be of the same basia behind the other's neck-runes.
Master Plan: Master Plan smiles a touch sardonically at his friend and enters, bowing to the Night's sovereign first before nodding to each of the other ponys in turn recognizing a few of them. "Good evening all." his accent is distinctly bittish and charming, but he's otherwise a rather plain tan colored unicorn with a grey mane and a blue streak in it, out of his armor.
Luna: Luna bows her head to those just coming in, and offers a smile to her strategic adviser. "I'm pleased to see you tonight, Master Plan, this is an unexpected pleasure. Riverred, I'm glad your wing is coming along. For all the work you have done, and your efforts at keeping order, restoring your flight is, perhaps, the least we could do. There are many of us here tonight... but I called all together for a reason. Most of you here know Alona, and she is coming upon a phase in her advancement as a guard where faces her Nightmare Trial, a test of fear and character. That trial is not tonight, but we will... offer Alona a bit of a preview of what is to come. And once that is done, I have something quite enjoyable for all. No, Ms. Bloodcrest, no combat, no battles tonight."
Riverred Bloodcrest: River of course let free a sigh of relief, sitting, and finally bringing her wing in, ears perked and listening. Now... she was in the dark. But of course, at least there would be no fighting~ Not this time.
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: Her upper lip twitched. Not this. She had heard enough about the Nightmare Trial. Some fancy training that Alona would get, meanwhile Arctic herself would be forgotten about. When was the last time she got training? Thinking back, never. Meanwhile Alona got to spend every single day with their CO.
Alona: Alona would again nod to River, before turning to Arcy as she entered, and the new pony that Shank had introduced. She would remain quiet still, but, she would quietly shift herself closer to River, hoping their little... revelation the previous night was not lost on her. She would on occasion rub the newst scar in her collection, the one where River had tried to carve out that damned curse rune with her buckler. She was lucky to have a friend such as her, for she was unsure if she would have seen another day without her. She would pause to watch the stallion would enter, but pause upon hearing Luna's comment. Her eyes would lock onto the deep navy blue mare, listening intently to her words, as she was now speaking of her future in the guard.
Falling Star: So thats why she was here. Emotional support. That was something that Falling was good at. She looked over to Alona. With a wink at Alona, though she would hug her and talk, it would be ill advised due to her condition at the moment. But clever magic and easily had the fact. Its Alona's day, and Falling made sure that it would stay in such a way to the best of her ability.
Master Plan: He chuckles politely "No, no, Im simply here to make Shank seem more Equine in company." he informs Bloodcrest and nods to Luna again "The pleasure is mine your highness, thank you for the invitation."
Star Constellation: Sighing lightly Star slowly turned and felt his way to another door and once again knocked lightly.
Nightingale: Nightingale had received the invitation, but wasn't sure whether to go or not. After thinking for a while, she had finally decided to go. She soon arrived at Princess Luna's chambers, wearing a fluffy white winter coat to keep her warm. She looked inside for a moment but when she saw all the ponies inside, she backed away from the door a bit. She tried, but couldn't keep herself from sneezing. her ears went down. surely they knew she was there now! oh, what was she to do?
Falling Star: Falling hear the knocking and open the door for Star. "Star? Come in come in..."
Shank: Shank heads for the door, and guides Star into it, whispering to him softly, letting him know who is in the chambers with him, and guiding the colt closer to the fireplace. He also whispers to Nightingale that she was invited by Luna to come sit next to her.
Luna: Luna looks bemusedly at Artic, shooting her a mildly reproachful look. "The Nightmare Trial is not an easy thing... it's never easy confronting one's fears. The first half of tonight's events is... how should I say it... by hearing the experience of another, you shall be better prepared to face your own. It is training, after a fashion, for your own potential future encounters with the Trial. For some of you, for others, you are friend to Alona, or friend to me... and I wished a night of good company. But, let us begin, shall we?" She looks over to Nightingale, gesturing with her wing for the mare to join her side. "Sejanus, describe your Nightmare Trial, please."
Star Constellation: Sitting down in the spot he was guided to by Shank nodded respectfully and spoke timidly. "T-Thank you S-Sir."
Nightingale: "Me?" She asked quietly, walking into the room as she looked at all the other ponies inside "I um.. think she said the wrong name by mistake o-or something.." She told Shank before looking at Luna "Oh um.. ok.." She walked over beside Luna. "H-hello Princess Luna.."
Shank: Shank takes a long drag on his cigar, and exhales out the smoke, he moves closer to the group. "In essence, it begins like this... you go to sleep, with some of your fiends and companions. In my case, Master Plan, along with a number of thestral guards. Luna uses her magic, and takes all of your companions, and brings them into her dreamscape. My test... so I thought, was a test of command. I was placed in charge of all of Luna's troops. Master Plan was tasked with executing my orders, but not allowed to advise me, only to help implement the plans I made."
He drags slowly on his cigar again, and lets the smoke flow out. "Luna created a scenario.... a rebellion. She stated that she was rebellion against the rule of Celestia. I was to lead her troops in an assault on Canterlot, take the castle, and bring down Celestia."
Luna: Luna folds one wing down over Nightingale, and other wing over Star, a friendly, if protective, gesture to the two young ponies. She wishes them to hear of this, but wants them assured that there is no malice or danger here. "And what plan did you come up with, Sejanus?"
Riverred Bloodcrest: River frowned at this, frowned quite heavily. Although unlike most of the Solar Guard, she did not hold Celestia as her token, treat her as her deity and such.. that sort of Fear Landscape... and topic was quite treasonous... she feared internally that Luna might just be trying to brainwash her own guard... but of course her fears remained silent for the time being, the mare biting her lower lip in thought. Any harder and she'd be giving herself a pair of piercings. And yet again she waited.
Master Plan: MP settles in a little distance from the fire in half shadow and grins at Shank bemusedly while nodding absently, recalling the task.
Shank: Nodding, Shank presses on. "I tried to think like Master Plan. I knew regular ponies could not take down Celestia, and Luna's thestrals were outnumbered two to one by the Solar Guard. I opted for a plan of total war." He looks at Luna, and sighs. "I.... split my forces into two groups. One group engaged the guard in a token battle, clustering them in and around the castle. But the bulk of my forces were sent elsewhere. To... render Celestia powerless."
Luna: Luna looks at Shank, and speaks more... coolly, neutrally. "And what was your plan for rendering my sister powerless?"
Alona: This sudden and very unexpected revelation would cause Alona to widen her eyes in rather heavy shock. Shank, she knew was more of an aggressive, and intimidating thestral, but more so he was the idol in which she placed her trust, and looked towards as inspiration in Luna's Guard. She like River, bit into her lower lip, not out of mimicry, but simply because she had not been expecting this new information. And still she stood there, quiet, steeled and silently wondering, what was he truly capable of?
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She remained impassive. She knew the feeling of wanting to get the Solar Princess.
"..."
Shank: Shank looks down, moving the cigar from one side of his mouth to the other, drawing the smoke in, he pulls it out, and speaks. "I... ordered the bulk of my forces to hospitals, orphanages, poor houses. To capture the weak, the sick, the foals. To have so many hostages in so many places... that there was no way her magic could spread far and wide fast enough to save them all. I played upon her concern for her people and demanded that if she did not surrender to my forces, and to the reign of Princess Luna, that I would give the order to execute them. To burn them alive in their orphanages, their beds, that I would slaughter her beloved ponies by the legion before she could save them, and before her guards to mount any serious rescue. Celestia, in this dream, of course, surrendered."
Luna: Luna levitates over a cup of coffee for herself. Her horn glows silver-blue, and she brings the cup to her lips. "And what was the end-result of your trial, Sejanus?"
Shank: Shank frowns. "I failed my Nightmare Trial."
Star Constellation: Star only remained silent and listened he didn't really know what they were talking about so he rested his head against his front hooves and flattened his ears.
Luna: Luna nods her head. "Yes you did, Sejanus. And why? Tell them... you would die for me, yes? You would fight for me? You've dedicated your life to my service, yes? And why would you do all these things for me?"
Riverred Bloodcrest: And this is where River's expression flickered. The fact that any, ANY pony would round up the weak... was brutal in it's essence. Were not the trial a failure, she would be standing, shouting this very moment. After all, to succeed on such violence... was a dreadful and condemning prospect in it's earnest.
Master Plan: MP smirks "And I'll tell you all what I told Shank then afterwards. That's what you get for tying to think above your pay grade."
Shank: Shank looks down, and sighs. "You know why, Princess Luna. Because I love you. I've always loved you. I loved when you when my people were anticipating the return of Nightmare Moon. I loved you when you became Luna again. Before ever meeting you. And once I met you, once I came to know you, that love only deepened into something profound, something that changed my life. I would do anything for you."
Alona: Alona was speechless, mentally, and verbally. She could not muster a single thought to even process this. She would go, well slightly rigid as she listened, paying close attention to the pones speaking.
Luna: Luna nods again, and looks at the guard. "I know, Sejanus, and I am sorry to make you live through this again, but this is for the benefit of those you're trying to help train. Explain to them exactly how you failed your trail?"
Falling Star: Falling smirked at Shank, but nothing more. She stayed silient for shank and anyone else that may have a chance to speak about these nightmare trials.
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: Arctic remained forever silent. There was nothing to be said. Nothing she would say. Not unless spoken to. For nothing she had to say wasn't a whining complaint.
Shank: He nods his head. "I.... wasn't supposed to help you. I was supposed to stop you. I was supposed to refuse the order, to talk sense into you, to keep you from repeating the same mistake that got you banished in the first place."
Luna: Luna nods her head to him. "Precisely, Sejanus. And, if tomorrow, I refused to lower the moon, if Nightmare Moon rose again, and I asked you to become general to my armies, to lead a crusade against Celestia, would you?"
Nightingale: Night remained silent as well, not seeing a reason for her to speak. She however, was not too focused on the current topic. She was more focused on the fact that she was not currently out in the cold, searching for somepony who was missing. She sneezed quietly, having a small cold and all.
Shank: Shank sighs, and bows his head down. "Yes... I would. I could never refuse you."
Luna: Luna looks from Shank over to Alona. "And that is why Sejanus has never passed his Nightmare Trial. What you will face in your dream will be more than simply horror or terror. It will be a confrontation with the worst part of yourself, and the best. In the case of Sejanus, his loyalty to me is the source of his greatest strength, and his greatest weakness."
Alona: She would simply nod to the Princess, the expression in her eyes telling the story of rather deep... concern. But, nod she would in either case. What was that part? She could not answer it, because she did not in honest truth know herself.
Master Plan: "For Shank, his is not to reason why, his is but to do and die. Into the the vale of death, he would fly for his Sovereign." he recites
Shank: Shank settles down on his haunches, thankful that dreadful story is doing being told. He has a long long, LONG drag on his cigar, inhaling down the smoke, which one really should not do when smoking a cigar, and sighing it all out, as if the burn of the smoke and the intense hit of it can offer some distraction for the shame of his failure, and his rather frank admission of how much he is in love with Luna.
Falling Star: Falling patted Shank back is such a way to convey, 'you did good.'
Luna: "Master Plan.. I do not wish to take up the whole night on this, but if you have a summation of your own events, perhaps it would do Alona some good to hear another tale of the Trial?"
Riverred Bloodcrest: "Your trial sounds similar to what my family used to pit our siblings to, when we wanted to claim our father's shields. Although safer to the body... more dangerous in spirit." She simply remarked.
Master Plan: MP nods and takes a moment to think of how to best put this succinctly.
Luna: Luna nods to Riverred. "Speaking truth to power was Sejanus's trial. Blinded by his love for me, Sejanus did not realized that his greatest terror was not something he feared, but the terror he could become. My guards are there to protect me, yes... both from the outside, and, if it comes to it, from myself." Luna gives Shank a look. "You will never let me be anything perfect in your eyes, you refuse to see that I am a danger to Equestria. I will bear the shame of my rebellion forever."
Shank: Shank looks up at Luna, locking his eyes on her, he can't bring himself to verbally contradict her, but there's a defiant look in his eyes, he simply cannot conceive of Luna as being in the wrong, even if, intellectually, he knows a rebellious Luna would be. Shaking his head, he looks to Alona, and Artic. "When your times come, I expect you to do better than me. I hope this... helps you with that."
Falling Star: "...I understand why..." Falling said silently for the first time sense she came here,
Shank: "What's that, Falling?"
Falling Star: "I said I understand why your majesty made the relellion. And I understand why she might feel ashamed of what she has down. But...The fact is we can't change the past, we can only learn from it, grow from it..." she rubbed the back of her neck. "Something I'm trying to learn myself..."
Alona: Alona would look t her captain, then to Luna, then River, then both her sisters, then to Star, then to Plan, and then finally back to Shank. A little unsteady sigh would escape her muzzle, but she would nod to him, understanding his set standards for her, and her sister. She did not say a word though. She could not bring herself to, so instead of forcing it, and making herself look the fool, she remained silent.
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: "It would help. If I had time to talk to you. Rather then something else occurring which means that we can not discuss matters. I have needs, all of you. And it feels as if those needs have been neglected. Shank and Alona, you two always seem to have opportunities to talk, meanwhile I go on these patrols, and I do nothing. River, you plain despise me it seems. And I acknowledge that, so I shall not make any complaints. It seems that only two in this room take the time to talk to me. To ask how I am. And those two are Falling and Nightingale. Take that what you will. I shall say no more."
Master Plan: "I am not technically full night-guard but I felt compelled to undergo the trial and.. well.."
Master Plan: Shank was not far off when he said he tired to think like me. My scenario was rather similar I was dropped into a dream where I was required to play out a scenario of griffon aggression, and, well, total war was the most economic way to go about it. I could go point counterpoint but its the end of it's that's most telling. In then end I had decimated 43% of the griffin population with famine and disease and outright warfare on population centers. The problem was my scorched earth policies and retaliatory strikes also lead to a 11% loss of Equestria's population.
Master Plan: "1 in 10 Ponies, not good odds in this room.. and it didn't even factor in post war economic devastation. Needless to say I too failed. That was when I realized that absolute victory is sometimes not worth the cost.." he goes quiet contemplating
Shank: Shank blinks, and ashes his cigar. "That.... actually makes me feel somewhat better, knowing I wasn't the only pony who missed the forest for the trees."
Falling Star: Falling ears pinned to the back of her skull, such loss and war, how can any creature on earth fight for petty things such as gold or cultural differences.
Luna: Luna gives Falling Star a nod. "My past has not defined me, destroyed me, deterred me, or defeated me; it has only strengthened me. Sejanus, Master Plan, we need to tell these tales. There's magic in that. It's in the listener, and for each and every ear it will be different, and it will affect them in ways they can never predict. From the mundane to the profound. You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift." She looks bemusedly over at Artic. "Talking tonight is what we are here for. Do not be so consumed by your lack of time that you lament your way through the very thing you would like to have. These two have told their stories to help you with what is to come in your own life."
Shank: Shank pats Falling on the side. "Sometimes, the desire to win becomes more consuming of a thought than the consequence of winning, or what it does to ponies. When war becomes a game... well, you can do brutal things in the name of winning."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She simply stared at Luna. What she said flew completely over her head.
"I have no idea what that means..."
Master Plan: "Yes, Well.. Okay, I first tired to mess with the parameters of the scenario so they would be sufficiently cowed by the fact I was in command but luna did too god a job on the dreamscape..."
Master Plan: "Sorry, Princess Luna. "he corrects himself as if realizing she was in the room after being in deep thought
Shank: Shank grunts. "It means your CO brought you before the bucking Princess of the Night to help prepare you for your own trials to come, Artic, and all you're doing is complaining about your own past. You're here, in the private chambers of a princess, cribbing for the hardest test you will ever take, in the company of your close friends. Try and live in the moment for a while."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She raises an eyebrow.
"Test? As far as /I/ have been told, the Nightmare Trial is for Alona only. /You/ said you would give me basic training."
Luna: "Your trail awaits you at the end of that training, Artic Frost. As we have mentioned tonight, several times." Luna keeps her response short, and looks to Shank to manage this particular issue.
Alona: And the mare would stand there, mesmerized by the tale of the trials both Shank and MP had gone through. But, her good rather somber mood was quickly vanishing the more and more Arcy was whining. She was acting like a foal who did not have the attention direction placed upon her, and began to cry because of it. Small wonder why she normally did her patrols alone. She would stay quiet however, as to not add fuel to the fire, watching Luna, Shank and MP with eyes of curiosity, and a small spark of fear hidden beneath. She needed every edge she could gain from this little per-trial test season.
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She rolled her eyes and fell quiet. It was quite obvious she didn't believe the training would ever come.
Falling Star: Falling stays silent, she has played her part of just being there quite well in her mind. But she looks over to Arctic, with a perplexed look. Shank was right, but it concerned Falling that her sister was acting in such a matter. She shrugged it off, a can of warms to look at another time.
Riverred Bloodcrest: "What would be the word of another, outside the Lunar guard, be of going through this trial?"
Shank: "Hers is coming up first, Artic. You really need to stop thinking that there's some horrific difference between the amount of time I spend with you on training and Alona on training. Tonight IS part of your training, and you would see that if you weren't so busy bitching about not getting any training."
Luna: Luna looks at Shank and Artic, this a problem the two of them need to resolve. She coughs once, and looks at Riverred. "Are you asking if it would be possible to take the trail yourself, Ms. Bloodcrest, purely for the purposes of self-examination?"
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She shrugged. She would not talk anymore. For she had said what was on her mind. And to her, she needed to speak it, otherwise she was likely to flip a table, cry, or something else.
Star Constellation: Listening to the conversation between everypony else he still remained silent and curled up his confusion of trying figure out what thy were speaking of rendered Star's mind rather rampant yet curious so he began to try to pick out key words he heard from everypony who was involved.
Riverred Bloodcrest: "Indeed, that is my question Luna." She replied, canting her head. Already she felt this would be a harsh task, but something she should benefit from.
Luna: "It would certainly be possible, yes, and, if you have fellowship enough with either Artic or Alona, and time permits, you would be welcome to take the trials with them to stand in support of them as they endure their own tests. For all you have done to help protect and police Equestria, it is the last we could do for you. I hope you would gain from it."
Luna takes another sip of her coffee, and looks about. "Lest we run too late into my night, the other portion of the evening is a kind of a game we can all play together, one that reveals its true purpose only at the end. All of you may play it." She looks down at Star Constellation. "Even you, little one. Because you are blind, I will use a special magic that will allow you to play. It will not grant you sight, but it will... assist the others in understanding your contribution to the game."
Nightingale: She stayed silent, not sure she wanted to play this game. She wanted to know the purpose of it now, not at the end.
Master Plan: "Oh good, I always enjoy games." he grins
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: "..."
Star Constellation: "Y-Yes Ma'am." Star nodded respectfully and timidly.
Alona: Alona's ears would perk, looking to her Princess, curious as to this, 'game' in which Luna had suggested. She would not verbally respond, as she felt no need at the moment, but offer another simple nod of her muzzle towards the nightly mare.
Luna: Luna flares up her horn with its silver-blue magical glow, and creates a kind of illusion in front of the circle of ponies, in the center of the group. What you see before you is a desert landscape, at present nothing is there by sand. Barren, empty, wind blowing softly, well lit. It is generic, bland even. She touches her horn to Star's head, and Star.... because he cannot see, he gets in his mind all the cues that a blind pony would get, and in the back of his head, Luna's voice will narrate to him the images.
Falling Star: "What kind of game and festivity we are participating in?" Falling ask. She hoped that it would not take enough of her time. Though she loved to play, she needed to to take care some things.
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She simply raises an eyebrow. She had never seen a desert before. She doesn't even know what the real term for this giant sandpit is.
"Giant sandpit...?"
Riverred Bloodcrest: Rivvs was just left staring at it, puzzled.
Luna: Luna smiles. "This is game of revelations. It works as such: Each pony will be asked to imagine three things, as I ask you. When you settle on what that thing looks like, it will appear in the illusion I have projected, and Star Constellation will have it described to him in telepathy. Likewise, what Star thinks will be translated back into an image the sighted among us can understand. You may participate or not as you would like, of course."
Luna gestures with her horn towards the projection she has made. "To begin with, each if you please imagine a cube. How big is the cube? The size of a house, a pony, the size of a small cake? What is it made of? How does it rest in the sand. Its it worn and old, is it new? Decorated, or simple?"
Demonstrating, the center of the desert landscape shows off her own cube. A hunk of black obsidian, half buried in the sand, cracked, broken, worn with age, the corners dulled and blunted, about the size of a large stallion."
Star Constellation: Feeling the sand blowing lightly where he was sitting he looked around blindly. "W-where are we?" He asked immediately standing up and flattening his ears.
Luna: Luna pets Star down with a wing. "You are where you were... what you feel is just illusion..." She lessens the spell's effects, so that Star can tell the difference between reality, and projection. "Now, all of you imagine cubes of your own, and they will appear close to you in the illusion."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: Arctic's cube was a solid block of ice. Carved intricately with images of snowflakes. If the cube was allowed to effect the desert itself, the sand touching the cube would snap freeze, slowly becoming part of the cube, making it grow. It started off the size of an ice block, and when it finished, it was the size of Arctic.
Shank: In Shank's area of the illusion, he envisions a cube, high atop a dune, large, rather imposing, perhaps the size of a house. The cube is made of heavy iron, crisp and sharply defined, like a fortress or barricade of some kind. The iron is dark black, absorbing the light, and casting no reflections, and the shadow of it looms down over the dune.
Nightingale: She imagined a small cube of marble, roughly the size of a jewelry box, mostly buried in the sand with only the top able to be seen. it had no design, no decoration, but was polished.
Luna: Luna smiles at the images being projected. "Ever I am amazed how well this ancient game still plays. You will understand my amazement at the end. There is no wrong answer, simply envision the first thing that comes into your minds."
Star Constellation: Nodding lightly Star began to imagine a small block the size of himself. It was rather clear and tinted black with no surface but inside was filled a black void with the night sky, but 3 chains were connected from the top of the seemingly nonexistent top and bottom preventing the stars from moving and changing like they naturally would.
Alona: Alona would understand these instructions, and simply closed her eyes. The cube in which she would imagine, would be no more the size of a little filly. The makeup of said cube would be worn, rusted metal, cracking as the harsh sand itself would be licking away at the brittle and reddened surface; the whipping winds beginning to cover it, slowly over time forcing it to vanish beneath the sea of ever shifting sands. It would look to those around as though it had never been maintained, and that it was mere minutes away from falling apart. Such a pathetic little thing the cube was.
Master Plan: MP thinks a moment and a cube slowly faides into view in the illusion about the size of his head, with a lustrous but unpolished metalic surface, spinning very slowly on a single point just barely on top of the sand, a raised set of symbols the vaguely resemble different constellations adorn each flat surface of the cube.
Falling Star: A box? easy. Falling imagine a box the size of a cake. Texture of the box was as if yellow silk. Light enough to to pick up. A single white star on each of the six faces. Falling smiled as she loved to own such a box.
Riverred Bloodcrest: River's own cube was was smaller, and of course a thick red, almost opaque, a split running down it's centre, it's edges crisp and sharp, one may even call it bladed. Of course this cube sat on the sand like a leaf on water~ Not too heavy, and rather soft.
Luna: Luna smiles a again. "Excellent. there are two more objects for you to envision. The next is a ladder. As before, place it within your scene, and define it in relation to the cube... as thus." She nods, and a ladder appears next to her cube, it seems almost as if a solid brace, keeping the cube level. As you watch, you see that one part of the sand under the cube erodes away, and the cube would topple over were it not for the ladder. The ladder is made of a strong sterling silver which contrasts in gleaming finery against the dilapidated nature of the cube it supports."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: Arctic's ladder was one of fire. Emerging from the sands, pushing the cube up a good 2 metres. Upon coming to a stop, the ladder froze, the frozen flames making beautiful, if not hypnotic patterns in the light.
Shank: Shank's ladder is standing upright next to his cube, but not against it. It's made of nice solid oak, with big rungs, something the pony hooves could easily ascend. The ladder is maybe half the height of the cube.
Riverred Bloodcrest: Rivers appeared under the cube, not upright like one's, but lengthways, propping the cube up, thin, made of a thin birch, flexing under the cube's meagre weight, but supporting it still.
Nightingale: she... couldn't figure out with to do with the ladder and so, beside her cube, on the ground, was a regular old ladder. Her ears went down, knowing she had failed to be even the slightest bit creative.
Star Constellation: Star's Ladder was on top of the box fading inwards as it came closer to the center of the box, But the ladder was old, cracked, and abused with a few broken struts, and the other's missing.
Luna: Luna pets Nightingale with her wing. "This is not a test of creative imagination... you are supposed to visualize the first thing that comes to mind. If you think about it too much it doesn't work as well. This is suppose to be what immediately pops to mind, on instinct. There is no wrong imagining."
Alona: Her eyes would remain closed as she started on the next task given to her. The ladder that would materialize would again, be of a rusted worn look on the verge of collapse. It would be resting upon the wearing cube the base slowly being swallowed by the sands giving slight shelter to the cube from the sands that buffeted it. Many of the struts would be missing and the frame cracking, but it would not fall apart.
Master Plan: MP concentrates again and a small spindly silvery ladder of the same metal but polished rises up from the spinning cube and sits perched atop the opposite pointed tip perfectly balanced and spinning in the opposite direction.
Nightingale: "OK.." She looked at her little box in the sand and the regular old ladder beside it and let out a small sigh, teeming with discontent in what she had just done.
Falling Star: Falling cube just floated just above the sand, gently grazing the sand. Her ladder was a step ladder, leaning against it just double the size of a cake. This made the cube not float, but to just sit. The step ladder was a green mint.
Luna: Luna nods to them all. "Excellent, and now for the last. Imagine a pony.. not a specific pony, not someone you know, but let your mind wonder and conjure the image of a pony other than yourself. What race of pony? Are the dressed, or armored? Old, young, stallion, mare? Again, place them with respect to the cube, ascribe to them whatever attributes first come into mind. Again, go on instinct."
Riverred Bloodcrest: River winced. Initially thinking of a pony did not go well for her. But slowly her own 'pony' developped, sitting on the lengthside of the ladder, peering down at the cube, hoof reaching out to touch it, licking it's lips. Wrapped all warmlike, fluffy coat, boots and jacket, even with forehoof mittens. Almost as if the earth pony were set for a very harsh winter. Pale while mane peeping out from under the fluffed hood.
Luna: Luna's conjured image is of a pony which stands atop a hill of sand, overlooking her cube. The pony is hazed, mysterious, a stallion, possibly an alicorn. He cuts a large and imposing figure, though he's covered in shadow, so one cannot tell much about the pony, though he looks adored in ceremonial armor, perhaps even wearing the Alicorn Amulet."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: Arctic's pony stood atop the cube, looking down at all. A younger mare, smaller then most. Her mane yellow, and her body red. She was an Earth pony. And she stared down at all, slowly turning dark blue in terms of coat, and evergreen in terms of mane. She wore nothing but a cloak made from flames, which upon coming into contact with the cube, slowly turned into a cloak that spewed out snow, like a blizzard. She looked quite smug in her position, looking over the desert as if she owned it.
Star Constellation: With the first thoughts of a pony the only thing that came out was a Black Silhouette of a pony. The darkness it was made of was cloudy and void-like with almost a smoke like mist for a shadow and red faded eyes with no depth or life even coming from its eyes. To Star this began to slightly scare him but he only shook in place and remained silent...that is all he could do...that is all he could ever do.
Shank: Shank's pony stands atop of the cube, looking down imperiously from it's heights. As much as Luna has directed him not to think of a specific pony, it's pretty hard not to shake the impression he's conjured a pony that pretty much could pass for Nightmare Moon. He gives Luna an apologetic look. "Tis the first thing that came to mind, Princess."
Falling Star: Falling conjured up a small filly white pegasus, yellow tinted eyes looking at the ladder and having a pouty looking mood. The filly, flaring out the wings with a bit of grey hue at the end of the primary feathers.
Master Plan: MP imagines an older middle aged earth pony with salt and pepper mane with large saddle bags climbing 'up' the ladder, down towards the cube.
Alona: Her brow would furrow as her pony began to take shape. The filly in which she would imagine, the sickly little thing she was, a little unicorn of soft charcoal grayed fur, wearing not but a few ruined rags around her body, hunkering down against the side of the cube. She would appear to be malnourished, skinny, and otherwise faring poorly. The poor little thing would cough violently from time to time as her soft blue tinted eyes would look over the never ending sands wondering what her future held. Without sound, the filly would lay herself tightly at the base of the cube, curling in on herself as the sands began to cover her legs, slowly begin devoured by the shifting wastes around her.
Luna: Luna grins! The end is almost in sight, and she is giddy to explain to the players the point of this game!
Nightingale: She blinked once "a pony?" She questioned quietly before looking back to where her imaginary box and ladder were in the imaginary scene. Soon, a small changeling filly appeared beside her box, looking down at it with overwhelming curiosity as to what it could be.
Master Plan: He looks at his own creation oddly, unsure where such a bizarre arrangement came to him from.
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: And then without warning, the entire structure simply... Collapsed. The mare getting caught under the cube, disappearing into the sand. As if she never existed...
Shank: Shank ashes his cigar, and takes a drag on the cigar, and leans his head back, exhaling out the smoke. He quirks up at eyebrow at Artic. "You have issues...." He murmurs, and looks back to Luna.
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She looked at Shank, surprisingly enough, she was crying.
"Th-That's how I f-feel every d-day..."
Luna: Luna settles back, and brings her hooves together. She takes a moment to look upon the ponies, pleased. Even what happened to Artic's illusion makes a kind of sense to her, and presumably she means to explain all of it. She looks back to Shank, and watches the haze of smoke escape from his lips, and is almost temped to ask for a sampling of the cigar's smoke, but again, position and duty, royal image and all that. She would settle for a vicarious enjoyment. "Now is that part where, if I am lucky, I get to really take your heads for a spin...."
Luna: Luna stands, and gestures to the set of illusions her players have conjured. "This is an ancient game, older than myself, and taught to me in my youth by mystics who once visited Equestria from a far off land. A race of ancient and wise cats."
Master Plan: Master Plan looks at Luna curiously "Do tell Princess. What does all this mean?"
Luna: And this is where Luna beams a smile wide and eager. "Each element in the illusion is a symbol a metaphor for some part of your life. You could not be told of this beforehand, because to know the game in advance would bias your responses."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She sat down and sobbed silently. Not wanting attention to be brought to herself, but she kept an ear out for what Luna was saying.
Falling Star: "..." Falling knew something was up, she wondered what her sub consiuos is trying to tell her, or what the metaphors are telling her.
Nightingale: She looked at her illusion "I don't see what mine could mean..." She mumbles quietly, staring at the illusion in front of her
Luna: Luna points with her hoof at the illusion. "The cube... represents you... how you see yourself, the extent of your ego..." She looks at Master Plan, and Shank, both of whom projected some rather imposing creations. "The ladder... that is your friends... how close they are to you, do they support you, stand apart from you.... do they enhance you?" She points to Artic's fiery ladder and the effect it makes, or River's, supporting her cube as Luna's ladder supports hers."
Luna then gestures to the ponies each person conjured. "And then the pony represents, in some way, the qualities of somepony you would want to love. Strong, or weak. Needing you, or being supported by you. Do they have feminine qualities, or masculine... and so on."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She sniffs as she looks up. Did this mean she saw herself being failed by her friends? For the ladder would have been the one to cause the collapse.
Alona: Alona would blink, but otherwise stay quiet as she looked to the cube, the ladder, and the little filly there. She felt as if she had made an error in her creations, but she would not say a word about it. Perhaps there was a deeper meaning behind it other than the explanation Luna had offered that she just wasn't grasping.
Star Constellation: Star was at a loss of words from what Luna said...Is this really how he viewed things...if so he began to think rather hard but came up with nothing...
Shank: Shank flops back on his behind, and grunts smoke out his nose. "Well..." He pulls in more smoke, and lets it out again... damn."
Riverred Bloodcrest: River nodded, that made sense, a pretty small cube, supported by her minor amount of friends. And of course, a curious lover... odd. But still made sense.
Falling Star: Falling felt a little embarresed that she wanted a pouty filly like pony in her life. Falling cheeks burn crimsoned red.
Master Plan: MP looks at his pony climbing 'up' while upside down on the ladder "Well that's just plain disturbing then a little. that this is supposed to be me" he gestures with his hooves at his arcane struture
Luna: Luna gestures around. "The symbology is yours to discover. As with a dream, it make speak everything about you... it may speak nothing about you. Some of it may be right, and some wrong. In dreams, our symbols come to us unbidden, imagining awake, all manner of things may bias your thoughts. Take from this what you will, but from what I know of some of you, there I see some profound revelation." She looks at Master plan, and says. "Think about the mare as she approaches your cube, in wonder and curiosity. Is that not how you would like a mare to find you?"
Nightingale: She blinked once. "can I change my answer..?" She asked quietly, knowing the answer would be no but she still wanted to ask.
Luna: Luna smiles. "If it's true that these symbols come from inside you, the answers will change when your heart changes.... you could force a change to the symbols, but that would sort of defeat the purpose. The reason I did not tell you what anything meant at the start was so that you were free to imagine things. This is a game you can only really play once."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She stood up, her face showing acceptance.
"Take note as well... That who you are is not set in stone. You can change who you are. Even someone who seems as unchanging as Celestia can change. For even the deepest buried rock will erode and change some day..."
Master Plan: MP looks to Luna and back to his creation and smiles, smirks really, after a moment. "I see what you mean."
Luna: "This is well said... and this is, as has been said, a game. Revelation is to be found in it, perhaps, but nothing in you see here is set in stone."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She bowed her head, face tinted further red. Quite embarrassed by what she said.
Falling Star: "I don't understand...I don't feel like my friends are a step ladder to me or vise versa..." Falling felt odd about her internal symbolaism.
Nightingale: A small box buried in the sand almost completely.. is that really how she saw herself? and the ladder not even very close to the box... was she not close to any of her friends? what about that changeling filly? surely that was some sort of mistake on her part.
Luna: "Consider a step ladder, Falling Star... the most stable of all ladders, because it doesn't need to lean on anything to stand upright, and it's capable of supporting a burden placed on top of it. You may be in a rush to see something negative where it does not exist."
Shank: Shank moves to Luna for a moment, and whispers something to her softly, nodding his head, looking at Nightingale.
Luna: Luna nods back, and with her horn, opens the door to the guest rooms. "Sejanus informs me you have a busy schedule tomorrow, Nightingale. The game is over, retire for the evening, and consider the symbols you have seen here, and those of your friends. The rest of the night will be spent in idle discussion, we will catch you up on anything important after."
Falling Star: "I see..." She said but a bit perplexed with a pouty pegasus filly. "But...about about...the pony...and..." Falling was way to embarrassed to even comprehend what her subconscious was telling her.
Alona: Depressing. She had figured her wife, Sturm would the cube, and herself the filly. Sturm was anything but sick and weakly, while Alona herself was anything but strong. Crumbling, yes, worn, and in a sense, rusting away, but Sturm was the one who supported her, in all her misguided idiocy. The terms of the cube's and the filly's roles where very much reversed indeed. The ladder she could understand, as her few friends she had would stand by her side, such as River, Arcy, Falling and even Shank, but they were always at risk of crumbling beside her. They never relied upon her for strength, but merely tolerated her. She would pin her ears at that realization, understanding the meaning of the ladder.
Shank: "We make meaning where we can, Falling. Maybe what you want in someone to love is someone who needs your comfort, someone who can grow into something better with your guidance."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She went to Alona and wrapped a wing around her.
"Welp."
Luna: "When a symbol isn't clear to us, we take it to a dark place out of instinct. There is more than one way to look at each image. The goal of the game is to make you think... it's not crystal clear, or completely accurate. Merely a diversion to get you thinking about things in a new way. I do the same thing to ponies in their dreams."
Nightingale: "Oh um.. ok.." She went into the guest room, closing it behind her.
Star Constellation: Star still couldn't wrap his mind around it...did he really think of himself, his friends, and...his love like that? Trapped, Forgotten in emptiness, and in love with the darkness that scratches at his ever fearful mind? He may never know the true answer.
Master Plan: "It's easy to look at things darkly, look at Shank's, with his fortress of Ego dominated by a darker love of his life and his friends like an unattached siege ladder who have to try to assail to those lofty heights to really get over his ego. But I can almost guarantee that he doesn't see it that way." she smirks at he friend and looks at the others "Try to look at things brighter." he smiles
Riverred Bloodcrest: "And yet mine strikes me as clear as day." She shrugged, shuffling her wings. "Well if only this were a premonition in the place of a simple game."
Luna: Luna looks between Shank's image of a pony, and her own. A mild rosy blush comes to her cheeks, and before she feels compelled to make any admissions, she is blessedly relieved by Riverred's commentary. "Perhaps you have a touch of a prophetess in you, if so, it may well be a premonition of things to come. Or... perhaps your own innate realizing of some inevitability in your life."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She sighs as she nuzzles Alona slightly, careful to avoid touching the rune on her neck to Alona's skin.
Shank: Shank ashes taps his cigar, gives Master Plan a brief look, nodding to him, and conspicuously avoids looking at the pony images of himself and Luna, preferring to look anywhere else in the room. He also does his level headed best to avoid surrendering to the extreme unlikelihood of his image ever approaching truth.
Riverred Bloodcrest: Good Crestie, perfect timing. "Perhaps. But of course I would not know of my own prophetical powers, so either way..." She shrugged, "Must take it as it comes. Either way, may as well sign my resignation papers for the guard" The mare admit, stretching, "Mind, would you, if I momentarily depart Luna?"
Luna: "You need not become part of my guard to take the test, but by all accounts, if you did wish to be commissioned, we would be honored to have you in our ranks. And... this is a social visit, and the game is done, anypony is free to leave as they wish, we have been at this, mind you, for some four hours now. Tis a good run for a social and learning experience."
Alona: The mare would not respond to the nuzzling sister of hers, as she was lost in her own thoughts in a sense. She was mildly disappointed in the results of the game, but she really had none to blame as it was the work of her own subconscious. A muffled, silent sigh would break free, avoiding the rune on her sister's neck as she was very, VERY keen on not reliving that painful experience again. It had nearly cost her, her own life to have it removed from her neck and she was very certain if infect again the spirit would not let her free so easily again.
Hearing as River made ready to depart, she would pull her self away from Arcy, making her way to the creme pink mare, simply offering her a hoof.
"I never properly thanked you for last night River. I owe you much for saving my life."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She looked over at Luna. She had not had a simple conversation with her, but her nerve always failed her. Much as it did now.
Riverred Bloodcrest: "Sadly Luna, I seek not to become part of the Lunar Guard either. I would rather remain impartial, back to freelancing for either guard as they offer." So as River stood, Alona's moving over to her was simply take, the mare accepting the hoof and giving it her own little shake. "Any time Alona."
Master Plan: MP is nothing if not observant and looks between all of the structures not saying much but he does give Shank a look noting the detail on his nmm lookalike, after looking at Luna and Luna's structure. "At least your subconscious is honest." he says to the big batpony
Star Constellation: Star sat down lightly and decided to put the thought aside. He was already shaking enough from seeing the shadow-like pony he imagined but his ears remained flat and he did not say a word.
Shank: Shank smirks and nods. "Yeah... either I am very self-actualized, or just too dim to deceive myself about anything." he puffs on his cigar for a while, watching Luna out of the corner of his eye. "You know, Luna is right, of course... don't get hung up on the negative images, or the symbols. It is JUST a game.... nothing is fixed, and it only truly means what you allow it to mean. Dreaming 101... the symbols of the dream are what you make of them... and dark symbols can sometimes be just a warning." With that he ruffles Star's mane with a hoof, as if to make a special point.
Star Constellation: Flinching from the ruffle he still shook lightly. Darkness is something he wants no part of since all he ever knew was darkness.
Luna: Luna agrees. "I do not create these games to make you laugh, or to make you cry, but to let you experience something different, and with any luck, take something from the experience. It's a way to know yourself, or spend some time thinking about yourself, cloaked in the guise of a game." She looks about. "Also... it's a chance to get away from some of those places and times when one spends their whole night surrounded by the more... disappointing ponies of this land."
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: She remains silent, pulling her thin coat around herself.
Alona: Allowing River to do as River does, Alona would then return to her standing position, wondering just what lay before her now. The trial was soon, of that she was certain, and she was no more ready for it than she was before Shank's and MP's tales. However, she was in a sense more... at ease knowing Shank had high hopes for both her and Arctic. It gave her a sense of peace. She would turn to Luna hearing her statement, bowing again with a wing over her chest, before returning to an attentive stance. She may be in a relaxing environment for once, but she was still on duty, and awaiting an order from either Shank or Princess Luna.
Arctic Frost-Mizuki: Arcy then took up a position on by Alona, she too was on duty, but was without yet another set of armour.
Master Plan: "I think I understand your sentiment princess, its why I try to stay locked in the castle basement running tactical simulations and assembling strategic reports for yourself and your sister, but I will always be happy to join you and your gatherings at your, or even shank's, request."
Riverred Bloodcrest: And giving the company a bow, the mare left, for the time being.
Luna: She nods at Master Plan, and grins. "Sejanus has many plans, on many things... when they can bring us together again, I would look forward to it."
Shank: Shank notes the guards becoming more focused, and the end of the game, and he stands, looking about. "It's late, ponies, and I think we have done enough for one night. We should not impose more on Princess Luna's time."
Master Plan: "Likewise Princess." he grins back with a nod.