//------------------------------// // Much Ado About Friendship Part 1: The Mare in our Moon // Story: Much Ado About Friendship // by gaitiem //------------------------------// ACT 1 PROLOGUE CELESTIA Two sisters, both alike in royalty, In fair Equestria, where lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where sister’s strife makes sisters hooves unclean. One blessed us with day, that most revered Of times, so she too fain in thought was kept; One blessed us with night ponies so feared, for this the younger sister nightly wept. Resentful then became she, so she did Deny her duty and refuse her name; Her sister's words unheeded, true self hid, Through “Nightmare Moon” she cursed pitious fame! Eclipsed was dawn and day to draw, yet our Celestia, choice made reluctantly, Took arms with things that ponies say held power, Harnessed, “The Elements of Harmony!” Thence twas that “Nightmare” locked long in her own fair moon, lost permanently royal post, And ponies seldom even make a moan Of her among the daily horde or host. “What then became of her position?” ask. The eldest, rightful on the throne and right To bring about the sun, took up the task Of raising her lost sister’s moon at night. TWILIGHT Hark, tis familiar, yet I do not know Where, by curiosity, I shall go… SCENE 1, A Bridge Enter TWILIGHT right, TWINKLESHINE, LEMON HEARTS, and MINUETTE left TWINKLESHINE There you are, Twilight! We pray you to join Moon Dancer and ourselves in the courtyard. A get together, nothing more. Prithy come? TWILIGHT Oh, sorry, girls... I have a lot of care To give to these, my studies mine, forsooth. [Aside] “The Elements of Harmony” I know... Exit TWILIGHT TWINKLESHINE Lo, tis a common scene. For her intents In going back to school in her tower, It is most retrograde to her friendships. Exeunt SCENE 2, Twilight’s Tower Exit SPIKE, with a present. Enter TWILIGHT, cutting the exit of SPIKE, slamming the door in his face. TWILIGHT Oh, Spike! Where art thou Spike? Oh, there thou art. Make haste at once! Predictions and Prophecies  Is just the thing I need and you must find... Prithy, that box? SPIKE A gift. At least, it was. TWILIGHT Oh, Spike! Our hours are best not spent on frills. SPIKE But we are said to be at rest! TWILIGHT She shuffles through the books Nothing. Nothing! Nothing. Nothing will come of nothing! Ugh, Spike! SPIKE Merry, tis o’er here! TWILIGHT Ah, Elements… Aha! The Elements of Harmony! “Thou seeketh ‘Mare in our Moon’, scholar!” The same? SPIKE The Mare in our Moon? That old pony’s tale? TWILIGHT Aha! The Mare in our Moon, eureka! To quote the book: “The Mare in our Moon Is a myth of times long since past, A pony of great and terrible powers Whose intent on empire was For not, for she was bested by the Elements of Harmony. The moon Was made her prison, yet on the Day most lasting of the year Fifty score hence, the mare will Be loosed of her bridle, and her Time nocturnal will be made Perpetual. The stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about an everlasting night.” My Spike, you know the rub? SPIKE Not I, lady. TWILIGHT Then scribe my words as I do dictate them. To her, our princess, this note goes. SPIKE Ready! TWILIGHT My dearest teacher, studies continued And knowledge sought have led me to a dire Discovery. To this precipice, toward Disaster, we- SPIKE Nay, hold! Preci-? TWILIGHT Threshold? SPIKE Thresh- TWILIGHT Brink? Simply... that something wicked this way comes! In truth, “The Mare in our Moon” masks the name Nightmare Moon, who is prophesied to bring Night to no end. To action, I plead, make haste To make assured this terror goes undone! Thy quick response is my humble request. Thy faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. Spike, yet finished? SPIKE “Twilight Sparkle”… finished ma’am! TWILIGHT Tis well! Away with it! SPIKE At once? TWILIGHT Of course! SPIKE I dare not, Twilight! Princess Celestia Makes preparations for the Summer Sun Hours of Merriment. The days are twain. TWILIGHT Ay, there’s the rub! The days are twain and so The years are counted at one-thousand all! It is imperative she know at once! SPIKE Imper… imper… TWILIGHT Important! SPIKE Oh! Fair. It is sent. Hold not thy breath long. TWILIGHT No doubt! No doubt have I for my princess, nor her For me. Our faith is undeterred. How now? Has she replied so soon? What haste! SPIKE Huh. Quote the princess: “My most dear student, Twilight, my dusk, my dawn, my faithful one, I prize thy diligence, my trust complete, But those old books corrupt thy reasoning.” Exeunt ACT 2 SCENE 1, Ponyville Enter TWILIGHT, SPIKE, and two charioteers, with a chariot SPIKE “My dear Twilight, thou need to know my thought: A young pony’s hours are precious gems. Thou cast too many at swine o’er studying. Thou fail to rest, then be my agent, yet, Though thy task is preparation made For Summer Sun day yet to come, instead, Consider thee thy mission to be thus: That Ponyville is thy ends, go make friends!” Her royal highness, et cetera, end. Take brighter view, Twi. Thank Celestia, Thy living space shall be a library. May thou be mirthful? TWILIGHT Yea, I may. And why? Because I’m right! The preparations swift Shall be done, then the library with haste To find some proof of Nightmare Moon’s return. SPIKE Prithy... and making friends? TWILIGHT Duty only. These preparations need check from me, Celestia’s student I am, yet this Consideration over making friends Holds not Equestria in sway of fate. [To the charioteers] O, farewell, honest souldiers, duty done. Exit soldiers, Enter PINKIE SPIKE [To TWILIGHT] Perchance these ponies speaketh well. TWILIGHT [To PINKIE] Um… hail? Exit PINKIE with a gasp TWILIGHT Tis diverting for certain well enough. Exeunt SCENE 2, in Sweet Apple Acres Enter TWILIGHT and SPIKE SPIKE Our Summer Sun Day letter of request At once requires a trip to make notice Of Sweet Apple Acres banquet prepared. Enter APPLEJACK APPLEJACK Hey, nonny nonny! TWILIGHT [Aside] O, Mercy, may this be most brief… Good day, And you may give my name as Twilight Spar- APPLEJACK Well, hail and good morrow, Maid Twilight! Tis a jolly acquaintance made! I am Applejack, sincerely yours! Not only I, but each of us at this Sweet Apple Acres are anxious to become friends. TWILIGHT My friend? To this I am most contrary- APPLEJACK What ask you of I, your humble servant? TWILIGHT Well, I am fairly here to ensure your Readiness made for Celebration hence, Of Summer Sun, to be on mark as well. And you are charged to ready food, Maiden? APPLEJACK No less than truth, as sugar’s sweet. And sugary sweets are our provision Which will prove it to be true, and no less. We could lick our own hooves, Or give you some to judge yourself! TWILIGHT May Brevity invited be, tis well…  APPLEJACK Everypony, come in from thy labors! For festive treats in festive flavors! Enter BIG MACINTOSH, APPLE BLOOM, GRANNY SMITH, and assorted apple family members It is my honor and custom to introduce My kinsmares to thee. Tis well I do, savy? TWILIGHT My thanks, and yet for haste necessar- APPLEJACK May I present: Apple Fritter. Apple Bumpkin. Red Gala. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp... [Aside] I catch my breath, but these three you must know…. Big MacIntosh, Apple Bloom and Granny Smith. Rise from thy slumber, Granny Smith, And break thy fast with these strange folks we host. GRANNY What? Supper this hour? I draw near to take my place… APPLEJACK Stranger though thou be, thou are as kin already! TWILIGHT Alright, tis well, the realm of food is fair, Tis best that we should journey on our way. BLOOM Prithy, thou will not stay to eat? TWILIGHT Oh, sorry, yet our labors beckon us... [Aside] What mournful cry they make… oh fine, we stay! Exeunt SCENE 3, Ponyville Enter TWILIGHT and SPIKE SPIKE Food is readied, then next is storm. TWILIGHT Oh, pain! That pie should go from sweet to sow despair… SPIKE A pegasus pony, Maid Rainbow Dash, Is said to cast away the clouds. TWILIGHT ‘Tis said, And yet I see these vapor puffs of white That do corrupt the air; how banished they? Enter RAINBOW, colliding with TWILIGHT RAINBOW [Laughing] Uh, kindly pardon me? Too late for that? TWILIGHT [Aside] Though I am coated with this mud, I feel So strangely lighter than I was before. RAINBOW So how about you let me help. SPIKE [Aside] Observe! She pours forth rain from out a cloud. RAINBOW [Laughing] Now wet? I over showered you, it seems. No worry! I shall string you up with my Own “Rain-Clothes-Line.” She causes a tornado over Twilight No thanks do I desire. ‘Tis well. Oh, any time would I… your hair… [Laughter] TWILIGHT I do presume to address Rainbow Dash. RAINBOW The same. And me so much renowned to you? TWILIGHT “Renowned” for task assigned to clear the sky. Renowned is she the Princess, by her reign I, Twilight Sparkle, oversee your work. RAINBOW Simplicity itself. A moments work. For now, I practice. TWILIGHT Practice? Why? What for? RAINBOW The Wonderbolts! I mean to impress them During the Celebration soon to come. TWILIGHT The Wonderbolts? RAINBOW The same! TWILIGHT Equestria’s Most skilled of all who fly in t’air? RAINBOW The same! TWILIGHT I scoff at this! Your work remains undone. They can not trust the greatest work to one Who fails to even clear the sky all day. RAINBOW Let turn the minute glass! Let fall the grains! You mark when one of six have fallen down. The sky at then is cleared! TWILIGHT You say, then act. RAINBOW She clears the sky With ease, I cast away these clouds from sky! The time I gave myself sufficed in flat. Deny I Ponyville its light? Never. Your face is struck with awe, Twilight Sparkle. What jest! Your company I’ll ever enjoy. Exit RAINBOW SPIKE I will admit to awe. TWILIGHT [Aside] “I will admit?” He has no qualm! SPIKE Hold fast, thy hair looks well! Exhuant SCENE 4, Town Hall Enter RARITY, then TWILIGHT and SPIKE SPIKE Such decorations found! Beauty… TWILIGHT Indeed, The decking carries on surpassing well. Assuredly this will be done in brief. So done, we take our leave to library. Beauty indeed. SPIKE The decking? No! ‘Tis her! RARITY She examines fabric. [To herself] With neither this, nor that, oh goodness no. SPIKE [To TWILIGHT] My spines had best be straight. Are they? TWILIGHT [To RARITY] Good day- RARITY A moment, prithy, as I do my work! I am astray within the task at hand. [To herself] Eureka! Sparkle always does the trick. Not so? Oh, Rarity, a talent thee! [To TWILIGHT] May, now, I help you- Fie! Oh stars, Darling! Whatever happened that thy locks are so? TWILIGHT My mane? You might prefer I hold my tongue. I’m merely here to look upon your work. I’ll play the bat but briefly in your hair. RARITY A bat set on my hair, yet look at thine! TWILIGHT Nay, hold! Where do you shove me toward? Nay, help! Exeunt SCENE 5, Carousel Boutique Enter RARITY, TWILIGHT, and SPIKE RARITY I’ll try to find the dress that suits thee best, Yet each, it seems, carries some flaw against. Too green, too gold, too puffed, too flat, too frilled. Even thy name betrays this shininess… Continue, dear. From whence came thee, prithee? TWILIGHT [Gasping for breath] I have been sent to here from Canterlot. RARITY Huh? Canterlot!? I sway with envy, dear! What great allure, what cultural impart! I lay my head to sleep and I am there! We two shall be the best of friends indeed… What? Emeralds? That will not do. Rubies! Exit RARITY TWILIGHT Let us depart, before she paints my coat In unfamiliar hues against my want! Exeunt SCENE 6, A Wood Enter SPIKE and TWILIGHT happening upon FLUTTERSHY SPIKE I burn, I pine, I perish... TWILIGHT Romeo, Prithee lose thyself in work as well. What next have we to do? SPIKE Last is… music. FLUTTERSHY She conducts the birds [To the birds] Oh my. Prithee, halt thy musings. Pardon me? I don’t pursue injury on thy pride, but Thy rhythm, by a hair's small width, is off, sir. Onward, prithee to play to my instruction. On count of one, of two, of one and two and- TWILIGHT Hello! Pardon the fright I gave your birds. I am to judge your music, lovely sound. I’m Twilight Sparkle. And your name is which? FLUTTERSHY I go by name of Fluttershy, my lady. [Aside] Oh, no. I am too soft of voice. She’ll ask more… TWILIGHT Sorry, I heard you not. What was the name? FLUTTERSHY My lady, call me Fluttershy the pony. [Aside] It is most retrograde to end our speech, yet I can not summon strength to speak more loudly. TWILIGHT I do not catch your gab, I fear. Again? [Aside] Oh, what a suttle shriek she maketh now. I right shall say some parting words and leave. Your birds return, so all is well for me. Your work maintain and worries part for us. [To SPIKE] Most well, ‘twas simple task for once at least. FLUTTERSHY Oh, do my eyes behold a baby dragon? In all my life I never saw such sweetness! SPIKE What flattery... FLUTTERSHY Oh my, he speaks? I knew not That dragons had the gift of speech. What wonder! My words evade their use at this juncture. TWILIGHT ‘Tis for the better that we do depart. FLUTTERSHY Less haste! What, may I ask, is his name given? SPIKE I’m Spike. FLUTTERSHY Hail Spike, I’m Fluttershy. Amazing! How do dragons their words employ? SPIKE What questions Might be desired to know? FLUTTERSHY All things absolute. TWILIGHT [Aside] Oh fie, this story too familiar is! SPIKE At first I was a green and purple egg… TWILIGHT [Aside] Oh let us close this act before that tale. Exeunt ACT 3 SCENE 1, A Library in a Tree Enter TWILIGHT, SPIKE, and FLUTTERSHY SPIKE …And thus concludes the story of my life. That is except today. Hear of today? FLUTTERSHY Oh yea, a pleasure it would be for certain TWILIGHT What pitiable luck: have we arrived? This is my final stop, my dwelling now And so my baby dragon’s resting place. SPIKE I tire not-- whoa! Twilight subtlety knocks him over TWILIGHT Oh look, how sleepy he Can not so much as stand on little feet. FLUTTERSHY Poor thing, he simply must be cast to cradle… TWILIGHT I shall accept your sage advice at once. Goodnight! Exit FLUTTERSHY SPIKE Huh. Rude performance, right? TWILIGHT Sorry, And yet I need convince the Princess soon That Nightmare Moon anon makes her return. I need to be alone to study with No interruption. Maddened ponies sue For friendship, yet there is no time for that. Prithee, the lights? This room is dark as pitch. These words I say in confidence might be Absorbed by sponges of the library, But surely these few lights are from our eyes And each for t’other. Where is light? Enter PINKIE and a host of ponies hiding in the shadows PONIES and PINKIE Suprise! TWILIGHT [Aside] Oh fade to black again for mercy’s sake. PINKIE Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie! I brought this party About just for you! Surprised? You are, huh? Were you? Where you? Won’t you tell me so, huh? TWILIGHT Surprised, yea… libraries are quiet, true? PINKIE Well, that’s foolish! It’s a sorry party With no ruckus and revelry. Bo-ring! See, I saw you when you first arrived here, Remember? You said “Um… hail?” I let a Gasp, you remember? You see, I never Saw you before. If I never saw you Before then you’re surely new, because I Know fain everypony Ponyville holds. TWILIGHT [Aside] Among such ponies these, I take to cups. PINKIE If you’re new, that meant you hadn’t met a Soul quite yet, and if thus, faithfully, then Loneliness you carry with you only, So I much distressed was to think of, So instead I had a thought that made me Gasp, a great idea whose results you See! A stately pleasure-dome decreed I, Welcoming you alongside all ponies Now made neighbor to you. Shall you witness? Now you are possessed of friends, oh many! Enter APPLEJACK, RAINBOW, RARITY, FLUTTERSHY TWILIGHT [Aside] Oh cruel bottle, thy taste is hot as fire! APPLEJACK Are you well, lady? Exit TWILIGHT, full-steamed PINKIE In her joy, mistaken tears she let fall! SPIKE Mistaken she was, having drunk hot sauce. Pinkie Pie eats the hot sauce on a cupcake PINKIE No objections shall I hear. ‘Tis good food! SCENE 2, A bedroom Enter TWILIGHT, half-enter SPIKE hovering in the entrance SPIKE Twilight, that pony Pinkie Pie has called A game of “tails return to pony.” Play? TWILIGHT Nay! All the ponies living here are mad! You know what hour it is, or do you not? SPIKE It is the Celebrations eve, Twilight. We stay awake to watch the sun arise With Princess guiding it, those resting miss. Raise not thy ire so, Twilight. ‘Tis a fair! Exit SPIKE TWILIGHT Ugh, here believed I that I would have time To learn the Elements of Harmony’s Significance, yet, fool I was, I found The insignificance of friends acquired. “The stars will aid in her escape, and she Will bring about an everlasting night.” I pray the Princess had the right idea. I pray I am a fool to think it true. Enter SPIKE Onward, Twilight, the time has come to watch The sun as it is made to rise today! Exeunt SCENE 3, A Town Hall Enter crowd of ponies, including TWILIGHT, SPIKE, APPLEJACK, RAINBOW, RARITY, FLUTTERSHY, PINKIE, and MAYOR PINKIE Isn’t this exciting? Be you roused, for Cause I am fain roused, I’ve never been Just so excited, save that hour you Entered into town and let I one gasp, Truly, though, what claim could be the greater? MAYOR Fillies and gentlecolts, lend me your ears! Fair Ponyville, I am thy mayor proud! It is my pleasure great to declare start To Celebration of the Summer Sun! Our town shall witness sunrise, magic’s work, And celebrate the longest day this year! And now, it honors me to introduce The ruler of our land, so good and wise, The sun and moon her gifts to us each day, The bringer of the harmony to all Who live in peace in great Equestria… FLUTTERSHY [To the birds] Prepare thy song, my lovely ones, for here’s she. MAYOR Our Princess Celestia! [To an empty stage] Princess, your cue… TWILIGHT [Aside] Oh surely some misfortune hath befell. MAYOR Be not alarmed, everypony, for sure It is to be reasoned and short explained! PINKIE Make a guess then? Does she hide in playing? RARITY Darlings, I fear she is simply gone. PINKIE Playing with such skill as that impresses. Enter Nightmare Moon, at which all ponies gasp in fear TWILIGHT [Aside] ‘Tis Nightmare Moon! ‘Tis what I had so feared! NIGHTMARE Oh, my beloved subjects. Too long we have Been kept apart, you who so loved the sun. RAINBOW What have you done? Our Princess make return! APPLEJACK Be restrained! My mouth I may employ To hold thee back. It does no good to charge Straight toward such wicked fate. NIGHTMARE I am not thought to be as royal? You’re Too ignorant to know who I may be? PINKIE Make a guess again! How’s “Cleopatra”? Cross that... try “Queen Mab”! Again not rightly? Oh, right! “Titania”, “Titania”! NIGHTMARE These thousand years have tarnished black my crown? You did not know the legend? Did you not see The signs of who I am and what I’ll do? TWILIGHT I did. I know you are the Mare in our The Moon. What’s more, you are the Nightmare Moon. NIGHTMARE Somepony who remembers well my name. You must then know my cause in being here? TWILIGHT [Aside] I know, but speech has failed me at this time. NIGHTMARE Remember today, little ponies, well, For ‘twas your last. From now until the end, The sky turns not to day, the night shall stay!