7/27/16; New Friend

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Marwari glanced up to Mirage when he spoke of experience. In truth she was curious. Sweets have never been something she enjoyed, the bitter cocoa treats of her country were not suitable to her tastes. She had never had confectionaries from other countries so learning how to make cakes would be interesting. She could not deny that it would be -- fun to learn something new. When Mirage gave salute to the princess she furrowed her brows. Shuffling a bit she would face the honored beast and young looking diarch, lowering her head in a bow. She wasn't quite sure how to, if she should, salute. She was not a working member of her military, merely a guest. She caught herself blushing a bit at the claim he would stand with her all night. She would be glad for the company, but it would be most embarrassing none-the-less. Turning to follow Mirage towards the kitchens. This would be interesting, well all of this was! The decorations, the colors. Everything in Equestria, thus far, seemed so bright, like a kaleidoscope of colors! Nothing like the earthy tones of Saddle Arabia. It as as if this kingdom was -- the sky.

Discord seated himself once Mirage and Marwari found they way from the throne room. He looked to Luna when he felt her touch. "I am healthy, but I find it difficult to focus..." He admitted. He looked down to his paw, eyes turning back to Luna. "Can we go check on her?" Celestia would have likely been taken to the temple to once over, but she was so far from ... them. He couldn't keep an eye on her, protect her were anything more to happen.

He pushed to tuck his head under Luna, a soft motion of affection. The castle would be fine for a little bit right? He wanted to see Celestia, check on her. He had been the same when Luna had injured her leg and wing, concerned and watchful over her. He was downright aggressive to staff. This time one of them suffered -- horrendously. Near fatal perhaps.

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Mira pondered something along his way to the kitchen. He wondered what it was that his mentor wished to talk about? And perhaps if it was alright to hang out with his new friend when what his mentor seemed to want to tell him was important...was this selfish of him? He had so many questions and didn't know how to answer them all...his nightmares also plagued his thoughts...he thought he shook them, but in, truth his dreams were there...even to the point where he sees alterations of the dream world while he is wide awake. He perhaps should use this time when he goes to speak with the moon matriarch to speak about these...dreams...or visions...what ever they were seems to be affecting him as of now he could tell what was real and not, but more and more...they merge with his reality...what if soon he could no longer tell?

Mira was silent all the way towards the kitchen and he even passed the kitchen! He snapped out of his daze and shook his head groggily, "O-oh...sorry...we passed it..." He told Mari as he turned his head towards her; offering a light yet sad looking grin. Mira turned around and headed through the kitchen door as his horn lit up and along with the crimson glow soon light bored into the dark room revealing the refrigerator, sink, stove and oven and all the hanging pots and cupboards. Mira turned to Mari and sighed as he looked sleepy, but he simply shook his head and it went away...or rather he suppressed it like he does a lot.

"Well...this is it...do you um have any cooking experience...?" He asked, before turning to the refrigerator and his horn lit up with the crimson aura and soon it surrounded the door; pulling it open as out floated ingredients like eggs chocolate milk and a bunch of other things. Mira then shut the refrigerator and sat everything about on the counter top as he opened up a cupboard close to the refrigerator and out floated a bag of flour as he moved it to set with the other stuff. Mira turned to her again and smiled as he lifted his right foreleg to extend his hoof to point towards the cupboard by Mari near the entrance of the kitchen, "Um can you get out some bowls from there please...um the big metal ones...going to need the biggest bowls to get this cake done...sigh he is always so demanding when it comes to sweets, ya know?" He let out a slight chuckle as he pulled open the drawer on the counter and pulled out some mixing equipment and beaters.

[Mal]

A small nod of her head was offered Mari's way before the pair of ponies went off to the castle kitchens. After they disappeared beyond the tall double doors that lead into the throne room, all of her attention was upon Discord, concern in her teal eyes.

"Check on her? We may. The healers are taking good care of her in the temple, but I understand seeing her well may help you. Soon, once her body has taken its rest, she will rise and rejoin us." Luna didn't think she had anything important to do here in the Day Court, anyway, save hear the squabbles of nobles over business. It was always one thing or another, with them. The princess curled out a wing to drape over Discord briefly, offering him a single-sided embrace for some comfort. Only once she'd extended it, and he acknowledged, Luna rose to descend the throne. She was glad to leave it behind, and head for the throne room doors, provided that Discord wanted to go now.

She'd never been down to the healing temple here in Canterlot, not after what she heard about it before with its old leader who still believed her evil, all because of her brief time as Nightmare Moon. Now another pony ran it, somepony who she took to have a kinder heart than he, but Luna wasn't sure if she'd ever learned the mare's name. Hopefully she did not share anything of the same feelings as the old leader.

While Luna strode on, her mind did briefly wander back towards Mirage and Mari, who were no doubt busy in the kitchens now. She couldn't wait to see what sort of cake they'd make for Discord, and what it might look like.. and she thought it nice that Mirage would aim to learn other skills that didn't involve spellcasting. Being in a place like Canterlot, or any spot of civilization, would help him learn what he never got to in the depths of the Everfree Forest.

"Are you merely worried about Tia?"

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Marwari was legitimately impressed with the way things were proceeding. She had heard so many awful tales about Canterlot and its tendencies to war, but this place seemed peaceful. It was like walking into a fairy tale. She almost giggled at the thought. It was hard to assume negatively of the habits of a country when their courtyards glittered with flowers and walls were decorated naught in weapons but in banners of art and shimmering mosaic works. It was beautiful and she admired it. A country that could put down its blades and carry their hooves to work on such beautiful art was worth respect. She could see why the Ambassadors had been so -- pleased and confused. Haha! No pony would expect this with the stories they grew up with. At least the history the other tribes did. In the desert Bat Ponies were a bit more -- displaced. Still following ancient nomadic practices these ponies were some of the few that existed among the horses.

Marwari startled when Mirage spoke up. "Oh!" She chirped, stepping back elegantly and turning to follow Mirage.

Her steps were phantasmal. The way she moved, ghosted along the ground, one could believe she was not even walking. her hoofbeats barely left behind a click, no audible sound of a clop to indicate she had been there. This was -- a very peculiar kitchen. Being nomadic she was used to a fire pit and limited supplies to make what they needed and quickly. Why this even surpassed the cooking halls in the crowded market places. She couldn't imagine what wonderful meals could be produced here. The leisure and time -- did make her a bit uneasy. She was a simple mare with a life she could no longer go back to.

Looking up to Mirage she frowned. "I am sorry, I have never cooked before. My meals were always prepared for me." It did sound as if she was a princess, but being a warrior she had her duties. She hunted the food, she did not prepare it. If it was not bitten by her own fangs she had never the need to use the kitchen's tools or the fire. Fire... that was good for lighting one's way in the darkness of the desert, but Marwari was not sure she could tame it for something as precise as cooking.

Discord tucked himself against Luna as she pulled to hug her wing against him. It was rather difficult for the wiggly noodle to get in under that wing, but he finally managed. He rubbed his head agianst her own, ears swiveling forward. She was awfully confident in Celestia's eventual recovery. But -- the blood still wouldn't wash off. He looked down to his paw, his claw supporting him against the ground. When Luna moved he nearly tumbled, but managed to float his rump into the air before he face planted. The male hovered after his little princess. The mismatched forelimbs would tuck against his chest, feathers twisting a bit. After a moment or two he would shift his body, his white aura surrounding him as he would lower himself to the ground. A few clippity clops and it would become obvious that the spirit no longer followed through in his true form, but reverted to a small, grey-fluffed unicorn.

He would move to walk side by side with Luna, skipping a bit faster with his limping gait to keep up with those long legs of hers. He made a bit of a face at her question. "Ah... of course I am, but given that the current Temple head and I are oft at odds..." Well more like Discord terrorizes them and disrupts their work, often.... "I would be safer in this form to visit." His ears pinned back recalling their dislike of Luna and oooh the trouble he gave Luminescent over it. He was not fond of that mare, not like he was Azure. 

Yet it turned out like this...

"I don't want to leave Tia there... I want to bring her home where I can watch her." He trotted along, holding a rather serious look. "I mean what if somepony tries to draw on her face?!" While a lighthearted response... he was worried of far more devious prospects.

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The black stallion listened to the bat mare intently with a tilt of his head as his ears perked curiously. He honestly had nopony...that prepared anything for hi...he always had to scavage for his own food and survive on the lands, but he was used to it by the time he got to the castle. He wasn't used to any pony serving him food before...and was taken aback when the staff first served him...cause Princess Luna asked them...and he was well fed that day. He sighed as he thought about it all...things weren't always that easy and he did go many nights without food his self. He shook his head and got rid of his past thoughts...nothing ever came about thinking of the past...it always seemed to hurt him...remembering...

Mira looked to Mari with a light smile, "Well then...I suppose we can start by the utensils and basics of cooking...like this bowl..." He said as he held out a bowl and then waved a beater around with his crimson magic, "This is for mixing things...basically what we are ghoing to put into this mixing bowl will be beated with this beater..." Gosh...did he just blush from saying Beat so much in a row? Beat...beat...beater...? Yup that did it...he was embarrased...he normally didn't talk this much to any pony...especially not a...a...and he lost his train of thought, but those are cute ears...so pointy...and those fangs...also...um...pointy? Oh dear he was a mess for sure.

[Mal]

Luna didn't mean to move away from Discord just as he'd gotten comfortable under her wing. Her mind had been on her sister and the temple, provided it was safe enough for her there among the sun-worshipers. Their guards really did try to do their jobs, and it wasn't their fault they came off so incompetent. They'd been trained to handle normal ponies, not monsters nor changelings, or any being more powerful than the average unicorn. They did what they could to keep an eye on Canterlot and its citizens. Its princesses, too. They tried. Luna could trust them to keep watch for Celestia's sake, and alert Luna when something was too difficult for their skills.

The sound of hooves behind her drew her out of these wandering thoughts, and a glance told her that Discord had taken the form of his alter-ego, Dark Strife. She understood his reasons for doing so. "If you feel you have to." What came next from the guised spirit earned him a quizzical look from the lunar deity.

"Somepony drawing on her face is what you are worried about?" Luna tried to jest with him, but it came off more skeptical than she intended. "She will be fine, in that case, unless you do not want competition." After their vacation to Chaosville, she hadn't forgotten the time she spent doodling on Tia's face with a black marker. The silly things they did.. A soft, wistful sigh escaped her, reassuring herself yet again that all was well now, even if her sister's grave injury still left her feeling worried and on edge, constantly thinking on what-ifs and what-might-have-beens if Celestia had died, or if Luna couldn't reach her in time, or if none of them had been aware at all what had happened until morning came and Kibitz tried to fetch her from bed for her usual schedule. Luna was thankful for Discord's senses. She shook her head to stop her mind from going back down that dark path, knowing where that might lead her. It wasn't a good place, for sure.

"I, too, would prefer to have her here where we can watch her. If they allow her to be moved, that is." The princess could soothe herself with more positive thoughts of her student baking a cake with a new friend. How were they doing in the kitchens? She could only wonder, for now, until she had the time to peek in later.

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Marwari had no trouble keeping pace with Mirage. She may be small but she was quick! He lighter fur made the hot, desert days easier, but she was reluctant to spend time in the sun, even out of necessity. She looked to Mirage as she followed. He had rather nice colored fur. Finally arriving in the kitchen she walked up to the counter with him and sat. Her curled tail lay at the side of her back legs, eyes following the male. He began by explaining the use of the tools. The bat pony was used to weapons. While she knew what a bowl was, she did not think it was for cooking, as she has only seen it used for serving meals. It was truly fascinating, learning new things.

"I see, so I guess things have to be placed in there to put it all together. Do you cook it in yhere, or is there another receptacle?" Gently oblivious of Mirage's social faux pas. "What do we put in there to mix?" Certainly there had to be ingredients. What made a cake?

He walked along, feeling a little foolish. Luminescent was absurdly patient with him. All the trouble he caused her and Celestia. He was pretty sure she even tried to eradicate him once due to his blasphemous tomfoolery after he miniaturized Celestia and made day duties difficult. It was funny watching little filly Tia trying to handle paperwork. It was also a little depressing. She had preferred to ensure the kingdom ran rather than taking advantage of her newfound freedom. He couldn't blame Luminescent and her cult for being a little perturbed with him.

His ear swiveled towards Luna when she made the comment of his not wanting competition. "Well who wants that?!" He reaponded. "If you're the best at something, why wouldn't you want to keep it that way?" He cooed, moving up to her side. "Besides, competition isn't as healthy as coaches would have you believe." He protested. "I mean according to them pain equates to gain." Barbaric really.

He did not sit as passive at Luna in such a regard. 'If they allow her to be moved,' bollocks. He would choose to move her anyway he did hope Mirage made a good cake… maybe Tia would wake up at the sight of it! But that was wishful thinking and arrogance of just not understanding the limited immortality faced by… He could only follow Luna. He did not know where the temple was, on hoof. So he would depend on her for now. He exhaled a sigh.

No cheer from the spirit, though he did try. He embraced his sarcasm, when he had naught but worry to behold. They were fragile too…

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Mirage nods, "Well yes...and no...some mixing bowls can be placed in the oven, but some can not...as for this one for now it shall only contain our ingredients for the cake and once ready shall go into a bigger pan for baking into the oven." He told her as his head tilted slightly...yes the ingredients were needed. His horn lit up with the crimson aura that surrounded the refridgerator and opened it...then eggs and milk and chocolate bars floated out of it and they all levitated into the bowl. Eggs of course cracking and pouring their contents into the bowl, before the shells were levitated to the trash. The milk followed along with the chocolate bars and thehe levitated the bag of flour over the bowl, but then floated it over to Mari, "...here open this it is needed for the boul contents...while I go over to get some cake mix from the cupboard." He told Mari, before walking to the far cupboard close to the door and opened it to grab up some vanilla cake mix, before walking back with the mix in tow in his magic.

[Mal]

The thought of cake, in a time like this, did sound enticing. Luna wasn't so big on cake as her sister was, but it didn't mean she didn't enjoy it. In fact, perhaps a slice of chocolate cake sweet on her tongue might help soothe her further. However it would have to wait. Her sister came first. Before bed, then, if they had any stored away in the kitchen anywhere. She could eat it while she spoke with Mirage, whether that cake belonged to Tia or not. She wouldn't notice a slice missing, surely.

Luna left the throne room behind, the doors opened for her by the day guards' magic, they standing their stoically with their shining gold armor. She paid them little mind, as things went, as she strode out over the carpet at her stately pace, her long legs covering a lot of ground despite it. Her wings were kept folded; she only held them up and out for appearances, the same reason she only exerted enough power to make her starry hair flow the way it did. None of this was the case now.

"I do not agree with these coaches and their claims. Pain does not get you anywhere. No, competition can be healthy if it is handled correctly. It in facts tends to enliven the events happening at hoof. Although I do not believe using somepony as your canvas in that manner is an ideal thing to fight over." Least of all her sister, but Luna couldn't talk of drawing on a sleeping pony's face. She'd done the very thing to Tia on their vacation in Chaosville. Her lips parted to expand more on competition, but she decided against it. She didn't want to go down that path, either. Competition could be healthy, and it prevented something from stagnating.. however, not when it involved fighting for who got to draw on somepony's sleeping face.

Luna flicked her tail, which floated airily with the movement, as she walked along towards the castle courtyard and beyond. The temple, if she knew or thought she knew where it was, wasn't connected to the palace. They had an infirmary and their own few healers, but none so skilled as those that worked in the temple itself. She trusted they could take care of Celestia properly, considering the taint of dark magic that Luna herself had found in that life threatening wound. The thought of it made a frown cross her face. She'd have to go and talk to Azure later in greater detail about that.

Realizing that she'd gone off in her own mind again, Luna pulled herself back to the present where she walked alongside Discord and extended a wing to drape over him- provided that he could keep pace with her to remain beside her, that was. "I am sure they will release her, provided she is doing fine and her condition is stable. I am self-assured that she is."

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Marwari seemed interested, looking to Mirage's face whenever he spoke. She gave him the upmost respect on the matter, since he was teaching her! Her large eyes blinked, watching as Mirage's magic seemed to wrap around his horn. Her jaws parted in amazement as the magic wrapped around the food stuff in question. She was unused to seeing magic up clsoe, and used for something practical. She moved closer to the counter, closer to Mirage, to better see. When the bowl was floated over to her she pushed to stand on her hind legs to better reach and see the counter. His forward facing ears twitched.

"Right! I can do this." She reached her hooves around the flour, trying to grab the flaps of the bag.

She was a warrior, so her dexterity was fantastic. She had no problem lifting the flaps of the package, but -- she was a warrior. She did not know her own strength and with a ripping sound she tore the bag too open, sending flour into the air. An explosion of white power filled the vicinity making it look as if snow had consumed the summer in a haze of white. When the plume of white settled the somewhat dark bat was now as white as a sheet. She blinked her large eyes owlishly, clearing the dusting, her hooves held up as shock still rattled her body. her wings spread out in surprise as she took ready to fly.

"...I... suppose I do not know my own strength." She murmured as her head sunk and she slumped down, hooves touching the ground. her entire head and fort area as covered in the white dust, poor thing looked like she had a fight with a marshmallow and lost.


Discord nearly laughed aloud as Luna responded to his complaints. He was a bit touched she was actually listening to his words rather than looking passed them, but he was still a bit tired from it all. His forepaw and claw dragged him forward as his hind legs pulled forward to keep him in a loping motion, which was better for keeping up with Luna's long legs. It had ben nice simply relaxing with them, spending time together as they once had, but everything caught up with them.

Like an avalanche: Discord found himself drowned in the deafening silence after all became still again. It was unfair. He did not want to play this game. He was the gamemaster. They were the players. By his word they should dance, stop in fear. He had to take it back: the power he once had. Turning his head, cocking it a bit, he would refocus and brush up to the mare when her wing was settled over his body. His own wings were loose from his spine: hanging lowly to help his walking.

"Your confidence is endearing princess." He teased, moving his head to brush up against hers. "But you must understand something very important about the matter at hoof~" He could see the structure in the distance. "Tia is coming home." No matter what anypony said.

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Mirage was a little side tracked when he was walking back over to the table. He was thinking passed this point in time...to perhaps when he could talk with his mentor...there was a lot to discuss, to say the least. Such as these dreams and what has happened lately...along with perhaps friendship questions...even though she wasn't the princess of friendship...she would perhaps know something about it. He wasn't very comfortable with asking others that he didn't really know even if...it was in their title.

Mirage was so caught up in his own thoughts he did not notice right off the bag was opening...rather forcefully opening. And as he got back to the counter and sat the mix on the counter; releasing his magic from it that when his ears twitched. The sound of the bag ripping brought his attention back to Mari as his head jerked upwards towards her just in time to see the flour cloud and his horn instinctively perhaps...sparked a crimson shield moments later went around him, but it was a bit too late...the flour it's self mostly was stopped, but a little bit went through and it turned his muzzle white as the rest of the flour seemed to be on Mari or levitating, before hitting the floor; suspended in a crimson aura.

Mirage blinked a few times and looked to the now white bat and couldn't help, but grin at her, "Heh...well...it's opened, but...I do believe we are not making you the cake....even if you do look tasty." He laughed before the magic bubble faded and the levitating flour and what was left of it floated into the bowl. The bag levitated and dumped the remains of it into the bowl before he tossed it into the trash. The Black Unicorn sighed slightly and walked over to Mari, "...well...I think when we are done I shall show you to your room so you can take a bath while the cake is baking...you might need to freshen up after all this...and I'll use that time to talk with Princess Luna if she is around." He informed her and levitated a towel up to her.

[Mal]

While they walked, there was a brief reconsideration on what she said of pain. The more she thought on it, the more she realized she was wrong to an extent. Pain could be a good motivator, but mostly emotional pain. Physical pain often left one curled on the ground with tears in their eyes, if it was great enough, and begging an unknown force for it to stop. Even a small, persistent ache tended to sink into ones bones and drive them mad. No, pain of a certain type was a good motivator, but she still thought these coaches claims were wrong on one account. Only the soreness of one's muscles told them they were making any progress in physical activity.

Luna was drawn from this brief pondering when Discord spoke beside her and moved against her offered wing. He didn't say much, but he shared a confidence she held that Celestia could be moved back to her own bed. A bed Luna had the unicorn maids clean thoroughly of blood with spells. The sheets and blankets were also properly washed, as were the pillows. Luna also thought to have somepony fix Celestia's balcony doors from where she'd come barging in to see what the emergency was; it wouldn't do for there to be a draft in Tia's room while she rested, all for a few missing panes of glass.

The lunar maiden's head was turned slightly down as she walked, which made it easier for her to brush her head back up against Discord's when he came near. She tried to offer any and all comfort that she could through these casual, physical exchanges, any that she could manage. Her lips parted to speak further, to keep the conversation going, but she was at a loss on what to say other than to agree aloud with Discord. Not that she hadn't already, with her expressed confidence. They were coming upon the temple, anyway.

Luna kept her silence, for the lack of anything to expand on, striding importantly towards the temple with her head held high. She did end up eventually withdrawing her wing from Discord, but only after a brief brush of its feathers against his back, and folded it back against her side. Approaching the temple, Luna felt slightly apprehensive, as though she might find Tia had taken a turn for the worse. It wouldn't be the case, as she'd overseen her healing and the healers' care of her, but still it was something that decided to crop up and worry her for the sake of worrying her. The moonbringer would greet those at the temple doors when they did finally reach it and move on without breaking stride.

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Marwari's ears twitched as her muzzle came to scrunch up. With a sharp sneeze she jumped up. The flour had a funny smell and it tickled her sharp nose. As a bat pony she depended on her sense of smell after all. Pushing to her hooves her wings were folded back. She curved her brows in a frown. Luckily for her the white powder coated her face, hiding the blush on her muzzle. She had not meant to display her wings. For many her wings were scary, at least in Saddle Arabia. She tried not to spook her neighbors, but Mirage seemed far less concerned than she. His magic had protected him from any wayward spillage, but she was troubled she had made such a mess., as a guest no less! It was quite troubling. The mare looked tio Mirage who seemed quite amused by her social faux pas.

"It was not so amusing..." Her weak complaint rumbled out.

She looked to the bowl where the ingredients were mixed together. She sighed a bit before looking to Mirage and nodding. Things here was so strange and different..It was all very foreign. She did wonder how the cake would turn out after she wasted so much flour. She let out another little sneeze, ears folding back.She took the towel, thankfully, and did her best to brush off the dust from her fur. It was super tickly. Soft but strange. So many sensations.

"Mirage, ah, Mira." She corrected. "I do not have any of my oils or brushes. How could i wash up?" Of course it was a little complicated to wash up and groom for the desert dweller. She had a most luxurious mane to care for. Those bouncy curls didn't make themselves!

The pair made their way towards the temple in view, at the least Di-- Strife kept pace with the mare. He had slowed down a moment, forgetting he had changed his form. He wouldn't be recognized. He wouldn't be disbarred from visiting his mate. The male folded his ears against his skull, pressing to his mane as he hobbled along the mare's side. Well princess. He was a with a princess. They wouldn't stop him.He was unusually passive, but he knows that he would do if they got in his way. He knew his responses would be unpleasant.

He felt at edge.

Step by step he climbed up onto the steps leading up towards the massive doors. The temple was pretty -- fantastic. Windows, doors -- even the stone was so smooth that one could believe it was made of clouds. Inside it was even more extravagant. They did not only tend to services uplifting Tia's glorious rule-making, but they did heal ponies and were damn good at it. He may have given Luminescent and the cultists a hard time, but he was never malicious, at the very least. She had even helped Ruby! Inside there were many bodies moving. It wasn't hard to see that this unicorn heavy temple was filled with ponies who looked to Tia as the light of their lives. It was so damn bright inside.The decorations were borderline creepy. Portraits of Celestia, mosaics, and various decorations that gave a spirit like Discord the creeps -- or was that the urge to paint mustaches on all of them? Well never-the-less, they were inside, now it was a matter of flagging somepony down and finding Tia.

[Deleted]

Mirage smiled lightly and warmly, "Mmmm it shall be alright." He said as he started to mix the ingredients into the boul with the beater as they started to combine into a chocolate swirled banana looking mixture. He tilted the bowl in his magic to beat it from the side as he looked over her and giggled. He may not of seen the blush, but she still looked adorable covered in the white flour; he thought to his self.

Mirage sighed and sat the bowl down onto the counter, before reaching down and pulling out a round pan from the opening in the counter beneath him with his muzzle. He placed it onto the counter top and then levitated the mixture into the round pan, "Most of the flour may of went to decorate you, but there should still be enough for the cake to turn out...decently." He added with a small nod; fighting back yet another giggle.

Mirage walked over as his magic surround the pan and opened the oven as well as he placed the pan into the oven and closed it. He turned the oven onto 400 degrees and then turned to face Mari, "Well...I suppose we shall get you to your room now? I believe the Princess...um said it was..." He pondered for a moment...did she actually say...? He couldn't remember...ah hell...buck it he would just give her his room for the night and ask his mentor where her room was when he went to see her...after all he did not use his room that often so he wouldn't really need it for the night atleast. He sighed and started towards the door to lead her out into the hall, "Well follow me...for now you can atleast take a bath or a shower or rinse or what ever it is you want to do...and we will get the room thing situated later in the morning. Also the bath has alot of different soaps and oils and other stuff...not sure if ya will make use of them, but if anything we can have a castle staff member go fetch you some of your oils you prefer...Canterlot has a big variety after all." He chuckled as he went out the door to lead her down the hall way and to his room which was close to the throne room...incase of emergencies he requested it...so he could get to the throne room faster.

[Mal]

The way the interior of the temple shone and glittered didn't quite surprise Princess Luna in the least, when they finally gained entrance, nor the many decorations and portraits depicting her radiant sister. It must've been an honor to them to watch over and take care of the injured sun deity. She felt a ghost of past feelings, the old flickering jealousy and feeling of being unappreciated, in this bright place. Were there any ponies that worshiped Luna? Built a temple in her honor as they had Celestia?

Luna knew of the cultists that worshiped Nightmare Moon thanks to the information of the unicorn and the nightmare who she'd caught in a shared dream they forged for their lady companion, yet not if there was one for her, Princess Luna as she truly was. It was disheartening to think of it, but the nightbringer tried not to dwell over those feelings. She pushed them down and strode on, a dark blue stain within the shining white of the solar temple, her teal eyes slightly narrowed against it. Luna paused to request directions to where her sister was kept, hoping that she could get in and out of here with Tia as quickly as she possibly could. It made her feel uncomfortable, being here. If they looked to Princess Celestia with such love, what did they think of Princess Luna? After the way their previous priest looked upon her?

Her wings tightened in their folded position against her sides as she made to follow whatever pony chose to lead her to her sister, if they planned to do so. Luna was in a slightly paranoid state of mind by this point, expecting that they might treat her with indifference or dislike, perhaps might even refuse to show her to Celestia at all. With her injured, what did they think? Did they think Luna hurt her? Some sort of second attempt at a power grab? Surely not!

The princess took a deep breath to calm herself, trying to be subtle. Her head remained held up high, a pose of authority, and followed the first pony to beckon to the pair so that they might be lead to where they were keeping Celestia, where she might be resting safe and sound. Whoever was overlooking her recovery, Luna hoped to ask them about having Tia transported back to the castle and to her own bed if she was doing well enough. On the heels of that: what if they thought she was just trying to maneuver Celestia away to finish the job?

No, no, they probably didn't think that. She was just being paranoid and letting her past affect her in a place such as this. Luna made an effort to shove those thoughts down and away, hoping they didn't show on her face, and took comfort that Strife was there with her. She sidled over to walk closer against his side for as much her comfort as his.