Turn 18
OurLadyOfWires
Uh-oh, better hide those FOALS!
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2024
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[X] Plan: Almost all in on Baldomare
-[X] [SELENE] One more month.
-[X] Make two reagents (1 AP)
--[X] Lantern 2, Knock 1 (45 bits)
--[X] Lantern 2, Knock 1 (45 bits)
-[X] Summon Baldomare, using both reagents (95 bits, 1 AP)
-[X] Total cost: 185 bits (65 remaining), 2 AP (2 remaining)
-[X] [SELENE] One more month.
-[X] Make two reagents (1 AP)
--[X] Lantern 2, Knock 1 (45 bits)
--[X] Lantern 2, Knock 1 (45 bits)
-[X] Summon Baldomare, using both reagents (95 bits, 1 AP)
-[X] Total cost: 185 bits (65 remaining), 2 AP (2 remaining)
The sun rises. Tiny rays of light leak into your room through cracks in the badly closed curtain. They move at a quick pace. Or rather, the sun itself moves at a quick pace, as it rushes past the horizon until its entire circumference is visible in the sky. After that, it stops, and begins its hours-long journey through the heavens.
Somewhere in your house, a cuckoo clock chirps six times.
You are Velvet Covers. And right now, you are sitting on your bed with your husband.
It is the first day of the week. By all rights, you should be arriving in Canterlot soon. But you couldn't care less about the Lunar Bureau right now. Whether you will head to the capital later today, or if you will just skip the entire day, is something you will decide later.
The perks of being your own boss, you suppose.
But much, much more importantly, you and Stormchaser are…
Well, you and your husband are not really talking. Not anymore. You two already had a long, long conversation. The two of you decided on what to do about Selene, and then you talked about your lives, and then about everything else. The deep, personal, "laying on your bed while looking at the dark ceiling" kind of talk that you can only have with a pony who truly knows you.
The two of you have already talked about everything that was needed. And right now you two are just…
Enjoying the silence.
Keeping each other company.
And perhaps even commiserating.
Because now, the two of you know… or at least, it has finally struck you two that…
That days like this are numbered.
When Stormchaser said he wanted another month, or rather that he needed another month, you were surprised. But only for a moment.
After all, you too wanted another month. Another month, another year, another decade even. You wanted as much time as you could possibly get. You wanted to watch your two fillies grow up into beautiful mares, together, one day at a time. And do whatever you needed to do with Selene only when she became an adult, and even then only if she truly wanted it.
But you didn't feel like that was your choice to make. You owe it to Princess Luna to wake her up as soon as possible. You owe it to her parents, given the promise you made them. And as much as you echoed Stormchaser's sentiment, you also stopped yourself from trying to put it off. Because if you gave yourself another day, you knew you would not be strong enough to not give yourself another. And maybe an entire year would pass before you even considered the question once again.
But ultimately, you realized Stormchaser was right.
Delaying this would be selfish. Because how dare you give yourself another month?
Delaying this would be stupid. Because how dare you deny Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, and Equestria itself of an alicorn?
Delaying this would be irrational. Because nothing will really change in a month. If anything, you two will only become more attached to your daughter. And doing what needs to be done after a month will only be harder.
However, Stormchaser said, he doesn't want to do it for you. He doesn't want to do it for you, or for himself, or even for Equestria. He doesn't want another month for any rational, sensible reason.
He just wants Selene to exist for another month. Without lessons or nightmares, without your constant nudges here and there that led her to believe that something was wrong with her.
The two of you understand that you don't deserve another month with your daughter.
But your daughter deserves another month with her family.
This is all about Selene.
The fact that you will benefit from it, even if you will suffer more when it is over, is irrelevant. The fact that Stormchaser also needs this time to come to terms with it, even if he ultimately fails, is a coincidence.
So, you whispered words of calm and patience in her ears, and you obscured her perception, and you hid the keys that she had found in her mind, and you closed the wounds that were forming in her ready-to-burst soul.
And when you put her to sleep, she was nothing but a regular filly. And perhaps, she is even more mundane now than on the first time you ever saw her.
It won't last, you know. Even though you know her so well, and even though you were wheeling back the things that you helped put into place, you know this little trick of yours won't last.
But you have a month.
Or rather, Selene has a month.
Even if it is her last.
"Let's go to Cloudsdale," Stormchaser suddenly says, as he still looks towards the ceiling.
"What?" you say, honestly surprised. His words partially snapping you out of your own thoughts.
You lazily feel that, at some point, Soft Sweeps began making her way upstairs. Your nose picks up on how she just opened the door to Silky's room, only for the younger pegasus to immediately attack her. Probably an overexcited hug, or something like that. Moments later, the two presences make their way to Selene's room.
"You heard me. Let's make a trip to Cloudsdale. All of us! I always wanted to take Selene there, and I don't think Soft Sweeps has gone there either? But still, Selene asks me about my work all the time, and she always has this look when I tell her about the cloud factories and… What the hay, it's a city made of clouds, and she already cloud-walking horseshoes."
You can feel the slow-burning sadness in your husband's voice, even as he says that. But still, his growing excitement is more than enough to drown it out. And soon enough, you find yourself nodding to him, a smile appearing on your face as he talks about this little plan he just thought about.
"That sounds great, Stormy! Yeah, let's take them to Cloudsdale. It will be a family holiday. It might shave into a few of their schooldays, but…"
"Just a few? Sweetheart, why not go for two weeks? Silky won't fail out of school for just a few absences. Besides, what foal doesn't like skipping school?" he says, through a short laugh.
You let out a shocked gasp, but you don't have it in you to argue against him. Oh, what the hay, you actually agree with him.
You join him in laughter as you sense the Softy-riding Silky entering Selene's room. And moments later, the sleeping filly is also attacked by Silky.
And this time, the sudden, surprised yelp reaches you two, even through the closed door.
Which tells you now is a good time to let them know you are still home. Because they should be going downstairs for breakfast in a few minutes, and of course you are going to join them.
Of course, doing that will only make it harder for you to leave for the train station later today but…
Well, you suppose that will be the theme for this whole month.
"I think the fillies woke up, sweetheart," Stormchaser says, his ears perked up as he looks towards the door.
And with a shared nod, the two of you get up to start another day.
- - -
There is time for joy, and then there is time for work.
In the end, you and Stormchaser walked your daughters to school, and then Stormchaser and Soft Sweeps took you to the train station.
And when you arrived at the Lunar Bureau, you were greeted by your Deputy, as well as the full complement of your most important figureheads. Your most skilled investigators, as well as the ponies who had been given leadership roles, were in the middle of a very important discussion with Shining Armor when you arrived. Of course, they were gathered around him so he could relay their findings to you at your earliest convenience. But your arrival was all that was needed to upgrade their short meeting into a full-out war-room discussion.
What followed was a briefing session that barreled through the moonrise, and that you adjourned when it was close to midnight.
The subject of the briefing? The Blueblood family.
You all went through everything you have learned, and all the evidence you have gathered so far. And the utility that your meeting had was twofold.
Because first. Your investigators, who so far had been working in different areas of Equestria, were allowed to see the "complete picture" you had for the first time. And the gathered pool of inquisitive, puzzle-cracking and investigative cutie marks you had there was capable of reaching further conclusions you had not even considered.
And second. The gathered ponies were able, in turn, to educate you on what you were looking at. Which, in turn, allowed you to make the informed decision they were all waiting for.
"Deputy, how long do we need to get everypony in place so we can kick down their door?" you asked. To which Shining Armor, as well as two of the burlier stallions in the room, sat down a little straighter as they heard your question.
"Commissioner, we can break and enter in less than an hour, if you really wanted it right now," he said, looking at the two other stallions and getting a small confirming nod from each. "But what really matters is not when we can, but when we should go in."
You remember raising an eyebrow at him. But another investigator, his serious expression still looking down at the large map of Equestria on the table, spoke up before he could.
"Their house won't move, but the fish might. We want to cast the net when we know we will get as many of them as possible." You realized it was Reproach who was talking, and he was eyeing several of the more distant cities as if he was looking at something particularly vile. "Scheme this big needs trusted couriers. Lesser cousins or members of branch-families probably move around a lot. We have to strike at them when we know they will all be in the main house."
"Which leads me to another point, Commissioner," Shining continued. "Princess Cadance has declared earlier today that she will be making an… announcement, in the middle of the week."
He said that, and you were thankful that you were too tired to let a knowing smirk appear on your face.
"So, we would like to suggest you schedule the raid to that day, or the day after. But from experience, those kinds of announcements tend to make the nobility flock back to Canterlot."
After that, plans were made, opinions were voiced, and everypony expectantly looked at you for the final decision.
It was honestly daunting, to be in a room filled with so many competent mares and stallions, and realize that everything they were saying was for your benefit. That they were the underlings, and all their expertise was being pooled so that you could decide what to do next.
It was daunting, but ultimately that was what happened. You made your decision, and only then were the privacy wards of the meeting room lifted. Everypony went about their businesses (which would hopefully be their beds, given the hour), and you know that tomorrow they will all be extra busy.
Detective teams in the faraway cities must be recalled from their assignments. Equipment must be checked and re-checked for their action debut. Larger maps, from Canterlot at large and the noble district in particular, must be carefully studied. And a thousand smaller things must be seen to, for what will be the first overt action performed by the Lunar Bureau.
But all of that will happen… tomorrow.
And as your physically tired, mentally exhausted, and emotionally ragged self arrives at your room in the Royal Castle, all you can think of is going to bed.
Tomorrow will be a big day. A big day, in an even bigger week.
You don't even bother taking off your dress as you march towards your bed and throw yourself on its soft surface.
And almost immediately, you can feel your blood pressure lowering, your eyes slowly closing even as your conscience fades. Your vision blurring away into darkness as you fall asleep and-
-BLAM-
"VELVET COVERS!"
"VELVET COVERS!"
-and your door is kicked open and all your senses scream as a machine capable of easily murdering you marches into your room.
"Ahh!"
You barely register that strangled, frightened yell as your own, even though you are sure it just came out of your mouth. Your senses yell three different things at you, with your fight or flight impulses almost taking over your muscles for a moment.
But still, even though your heartrate just spiked, you at least manage to turn around towards the door before doing anything else. And you immediately understand what is happening.
Or rather, you immediately recognize who just barged in through your door.
It is Cadance.
Cadance is walking towards you, and she has a smile on her face.
She is happy. More than just happy, she is ecstatic. She is beaming at you, and you even think you can see little stars in her eyes.
A small part of your mind, that grumpy and tired part of you that just wants to sleep, tells you that you should be angry. That small part of you even tries to sour your mood, given how somepony just barged into your room without so much as a knock on the door. Especially considering how exhausted you are.
But that tiny lump of sourness inside your brain is quickly kicked aside. You can practically feel it being shoved into a closet, which is then closed, sealed, and hurled into an icy lake.
And as Cadance walks towards you with that brilliant smile, the only thing you can do is get up from your bed and stare back at her. A smile growing on your own face as your expression dawns with understanding.
Because to be honest, her happiness is infecting.
She smiles.
You smile.
She knows.
You know.
And now she knows that you know.
"Velvet! Velvet, Velvet, Velvet! You. Will. Not. Believe what happened!"
She says that, and you are prancing in place as she speaks. Tip-tapping on the floor like a filly who is about to be given a present.
And the next few words almost burst out of her, as if Cadance couldn't bear to contain them inside of her anymore.
"Shining Armor proposed to me!!!"
"Ahhhh!" you feel like her words alone just made you ten years younger. You act like you were younger. You yell at her with an excited squee, and you realize you are hugging her only after you bury your face on her mane. The alicorn herself, also, is so excited that some of her words seem to make the very air shiver.
"I'm a fiancée! I'm gonna be a bride! I'm. Gonna. Get. Married!!!"
You realize you two are jumping up and down now. But you don't care. You don't care that the door to your room is open (and maybe broken off of its hinges), you don't care somepony might be listening to this, you don't even care that the mare is flapping her wings as she jumps, and that she is carrying the two of you a bit higher than should be possible with legs alone.
"Cadance, that is wonderful! I am so, so happy!"
"So am I! I love him, Velvet! I love him sooo much! And we're finally getting married!!!"
She says that, and then she lets go of you. She still has her hoofs on your shoulders, but still she stares at you with those dreamy eyes of hers.
"Oh, but who am I kidding. You knew, didn't you? Tell me the truth, you had to know."
There is absolutely nothing accusatory in her tone of voice. In fact, she seems even more delighted at the thought that you were somehow involved.
And as you hear her say that, you hesitate. No, you even stammer. Which the mare takes as a confirmation of her owns suspicions.
Which only causes her to pull you towards her once again, burying you in the fluff of her chest in a loving hug.
"I knew it! I knew it, knew it, knew it!!! It's just too perfect! The way you told me to wait, how confident you sounded when you said it would work out. I should've known you were in on it!"
"I-I, really. Caddy I really wasn-"
"Did you help him plan it? Oh, I bet you did. Was the zeppelin ride your idea? Or did you help him pick the ring, which I loved by the way," the mare interrupts you. In fact, she probably didn't even hear you trying to speak. "Oh but it was just the perfect weekend. I almost feel bad! If he can think of something like that, then I have to step up my game! Make it up to him!"
You try to tell her that you didn't play a part in it. You really try.
But very quickly, you give up on the idea.
Cadance is euphoric. She won't believe in you even if you try to say otherwise. And frankly, there is no need for you to say anything else.
On top of that, the warm, fuzzy and growing happiness you are feeling inside of you wouldn't let you do anything other than celebrate with her.
Still, that doesn't mean you can't get her to tell you the specifics.
"Oh, what the hay. Tell me all about it, girl! How was it? What did he plan? Where did you two go?!"
You ask that, your own curiosity and happiness bleeding into your voice as you ask those questions. To which the mare immediately lets go of you, and begins to recount her last few days together with her lovestruck stallion.
And once again, the two of you talk into the early hours of the morning. News of this, you know, are probably bleeding through the maids of the Royal Castle even as you speak. Additionally, the mare confirmed to you that this will be the substance of the Royal Announcement she will make two days from now.
"Oh, and we simply must start planning my wedding! I want everypony to feel what I'm feeling. I want all of Equestria to cast off this gloom, and feel that we can all make it together through love!"
The two of you talk for a long, long time.
And the knowing, smug smile you give Shining Armor, when you meet him on the next day, is absolutely insufferable.
I realize the vote for Selene is not yet closed. But (1) I do not think it will swing, and (2) I wanted to write.
Don't forget to count the currently open vote from the LAST threadmark, when tallying it!
The summoning rolls (or the contested summoning rolls) will be made after the voting is closed. The results of that, and options for Turn 18, will be written after that.