Celestia wearily scribbled her signature into yet another of the blocks of the quintuple-duplicated form. A small part of her cursed whatever misanthropic, self-hating, bored sadist that had come up with the concept of paperwork; then another reminded her that she only had herself to blame. She should be with her daughter enjoying their precious evenings, instead of filling out notices of a change of celestial body ownership for Luna. As she dipped her quill back into her inkwell to continue signing, a small tapping against her withers interrupted her.
Celestia turned to her right, looking down to her youngest daughter. In her teeth she clutched a notice poster for one of the latest attractions of the modern night life, one of the infamous 'Monster Buck Rallies'. A smile graced Celestia's muzzle before she patted Scootaloo on the head in pity.
"No, my little pony. We can't go, I have paperwork to do so I can transfer the moon back to its rightful owner." Scootaloo's lip trembled in disappointment as she continued to stare at her mother. "No, Scootaloo, I can't put it off. We're stuck away from home until it's done." The trembling lip was joined by quivering, soulful eyes. "If you can find another to be your adult supervision, you can go, Scootaloo."
"MPPHHH-HOOO" What would have been an exuberant cry of youthful joy was swallowed up by the muffling crinkling of the poor abused poster.
"Princess Cadance doesn't count. Anypony who calls herself a 'Love Ninja' needs the supervision themselves." A small whimper was the only response Scootaloo had. "Luna might, as would Eaglehoof or Shining Armor." Scootaloo's ears, formerly laid back in worry perked straight as she heard her mother's suggestion. "You grabbed a poster off the board before the glue was dry again, didn't you?"
Celestia smiled lightly at the muffled yes from her daughter. "Well, Luna has the ungluing agent. If-"
The door to Celestia's study slammed shut as Scootaloo ran to get her mouth free, her soft pitter-patters of hoof on hard flooring fading away as she ran. Quill dipped into inkwell once more, the wax of the royal seal melting over a small open flame in preparation to shut a letter. Celestia inspected the densely printed page, comparing it to the thirty left to go. And their forty brothers.
Joyful.
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"Monster... Buck... Rally? We must ask, what manner of madness is this?" Luna held up the poster she had ripped from Scootaloo's mouth. Tiny stylized overmuscled stallions of all races were depicted across the panorama as a hint of what was in store. Luna glanced down to the information section, where some small part of her mind understood the abbreviations and lingo within. Curious.
Scootaloo massaged her raw lips with a hoof; wishing that Luna has read her note before just ripping it out. "You know, where a bunch of stallions get together in an arena for wrestling, smashing some stuff the producers found, that sort of thing."
The lunar diarch's room sat still at the nonchalant explanation as its master paced. Luna took a moment to cast a healing spell on Scootaloo as she pondered the implications of what her family member had said. "An exhibition of the greatest feats of strength, cunning, and martial acts of this time? Why doth thou believe we are interested?"
Scootaloo shrank down against the carpet as she was subjected to Luna's piercing gaze and the echoes of the still barren room. "Uh, I kind of didn't. But Mom wanted me to have adult supervision and she said Princess Cadance didn't count. And Shiney is going to be busy that night, Twilight is in Ponyville, and I don't know who else to turn to. Please, Luna?"
"Why doth she consider thy Aunt Cadance not trustworthy enough to guard you?" Luna closed her book at last as she devoted her attention to the problem at hoof. Her memories of the Neighties could wait for a time.
"Because she loves her job as much as she does Shining Armor, and I'd be the trusty one of us. Big, big show and the press and Mom having to take something for the stomach problems she'd get. Probably a bad idea, even if it would be even more entertaining than the show itself." Scootaloo drew a small pictogram of Cadance sneaking about the Canterlot Arena helping everypony find love and joy in their lives, with two smaller ones of a crowd of ponies crowding a sick looking Celestia alongside a drawing of herself chasing Cadance while carrying a giant sign saying 'No'.
"See? Really bad idea."
"Perhaps thou has not thought this entirely through. Princess Cadance shall attract the attention of the modern vultures known as the 'press' for her antics. We, however, shall require no antics to attract them. Our mere presence escorting thou would inspire a great and terrible event that would give thy mother the worst sickness the world hath ever known. The speculation alone would be enough to inspire years of these 'reporters' to hound us mercilessly no matter where we dared travel." Luna stood and slowly circled about Scootaloo as she spoke. Her echoing hooffalls against the marble floors leant an ominous tone to her voice as she prowled and prayed that Scootaloo had a better plan.
"Well duh, 'course I knew about that. That's why you're not going as yourself! You'll be my big sister Moonbeam, and Cadance can come along so you don't slip into your old-timey Equish. It's the perfect plan!" Scootaloo hopped into the air at the height of her proclamation, her wings buzzing furiously with excitement as she did.
Luna rubbed at her ears one at a time, clearing the ringing in them that had come from the excitable filly's shout. "Surely thou jesteth. Surely?"
"Nope! Gotta buzz, Luna. I'll be right back!" Scootaloo dropped to the floor and ran for the door, nearly bowling Luna over in her haste to recruit Princess Cadance for her mad scheme.
"But we hath not agreed," Luna said as she stared after the little filly in confusion. She then turned to the drawing Scootaloo had left behind and gently picked it up. Luna studied it as her mind rumbled down a train of thought. While she wasn't particularly interested in the dubiously entertaining show, she still had far more extensive considerations at hoof.
"Well, 'tis not like we needed that night anyway."
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"So, I've got to get you trained in speaking modern Equish and undercover in-" The pink mare of love itself opened her pocketwatch, frowning at the date displayed. "- A week. Well, I'm sure I've faced more difficult challenges. I can't think of any right now, but they'll come to me."
Luna glanced down to her side, where Scootaloo clutched a Cadance sports flag in her mouth. She decided it would be better not to ask where her young companion had produced it from. "Yes, charming. We have the utmost confidence that thou will do something for us."
"Princess Luna? There isn't any need to be excessively formal today. This is going to be awkward enough already." Cadance gave a slight smile to her protege as she clicked her forehooves together in unease.
"Tis the problem at hand. Since we returned from our exile we have been unable to talk except in the royal 'We'. We consider it to be our greatest obstacle against successfully infiltrating undetected." Luna kept herself from following Cadance's pacing as the younger mare began planning her elder's social rehabilitation.
Cadance frowned at the specificness of the complaint and gave her aunt a puzzled look. "That... doesn't make any sense. So, no first pony at all, or is it some form of verbal tic for the word 'I'? I ought to ask Twilight if she has any-" Cadance stopped at the frantic headshaking of her student and began to wonder just what exactly was between her and Luna. Her hoof pawed lightly at the hardwood floors of her tower in agitation over the issue as she leaned in closer. "Yes, Scootaloo?"
Luna slipped a hoof in between them to defuse a potentially messy chain of events. "Twilight would inquire more than is necessary, Cadance." Luna's face twitched oddly as she continued to speak, her eyes shiftily looking about as she did. "Our- urg- sister would be informed. We would prefer to avoid the amusing antics of her involvement."
"Shouldn't Aunt Celestia know already?"
Scootaloo giggled around the flagstick in her mouth and ignored the gentle jab from the lunar diarch. Luna cleared her throat and kept talking past her. "Nay. Rather, she believes that we are being archaic either to be contrary or that we are merely taking our time in fully reintegrating. We hath no interest in correcting her." Steadfastly she kept her gaze straight ahead, avoiding the distractions of Cadance's slow browsing of her bookshelves and Scootaloo's exuberance for her teacher.
"Right. You know what? I'm not even going to ask. Do you have any means of hiding your identity? I know it goes against your nature, but it'd help out. I mean, sure it'd be easier to hit everypony with a 'Work it Out' charm if they're all prostrate or trying to steal a piece of your mane, but Aunt Celestia would make me work through my ministry for a month." Cadance mused aloud as she searched through her jumbled collection of books, reports, and paperwork. Finally though, she paused her hoof at a particular favorite of hers and she eased it gently from it's home.
"Yes."
"Yes, you have a disguise or yes, you agree with me?" Cadance floated over her book, looking at the title with anticipation of everything she would be teaching her newest aunt.
"Yes, we hath a disguise nearly foalproof in richness and impenetrability. We think." The lunar diarch deadpanned back to Cadance, patiently restraining her charge as she did.
Scootaloo gave a muffled 'yeah!' for a moment before confusedly pausing to look at her cheeree.
"Think? Oh aunty, this is going to be bad. Okay then. 'How not to be Heard; The Art of the Lingo'. Everything and more about how to talk and converse in a way that makes everypony ignore you." Cadance clip-clopped happily at the thought of formally passing along everything she knew to a fellow alicorn. Especially the lessons on helping her find love herself. "So, do you want to start at the heart of the matter? Say 'I'."
"We." Luna's eye twitched ever so slightly.
"No, 'I'!"
"We!"
"Grr. 'Iiiiii!'"
Luna inhaled deeply, her face growing red through strain as she tried to force out that single letter word. "Urghh- ah! Wee-eeeee ARRG!" Her voice pitched dangerously up in volume as she spoke, it's titanic power from her struggle blowing the light and casual tiara from Cadance's head to where it embedded itself quivering in the wall. The small Cadance sports flag fell from Scootaloo's mouth as it hung open in shock; and her sensei vigorously shook the surprise from her system.
"Well okay. Is everypony okay? Okay. Let's not do that again." Cadance smoothed her mane with a trembling hoof before ripping her poor abused light tiara from the plaster of the wall. She hardly noticed its bent state before she set it atop her head absentmindedly. "I guess we had best start from the beginning, then."
Scootaloo looked at her sensei with worry and uncertainty, wondering how Luna would react. Cadance had a tendency to solve problems that defied her in a way that could be confrontational, after a fashion. The lunar diarch raised her eyebrow in inquiry to her young companion as the pink alicorn before them began humming.
"Tell us that she is not-"
"Wish I could."
Cadance's humming grew to a crescendo as she rose fully to her hooves and spread her wings wide as she broke into song. "Word by word, putting it together~!"
"Kill us now."
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Tenderhoof grumbled gloomily as he stared across the formal entrance to the royal apartments at his inexperienced partner. The almost-foal nodded once to him before slipping into the small guard post in the side room. With only Celestia within, the posting wasn't as necessary as normal, but it was maintained for necessity's sake. Just as he was about to sigh and take up counting the pieces of decorative molding on the wall, a damp 'thunk' came from between his forehooves. A cupcake, of all things, with a string attached to it.
"Scootaloo, the 'cupcake filled with sleeping potion' trick stopped working a hundred years ago. What's so important that it requires me being out cold?" The guardspony listened carefully, noting where the muffled 'darn' had come from. Poking his head around the corner, he found the little orange menace hunkered down in thought as she tried to work out a plan B. "Right behind you, you know."
"Oh. Uh, yeah that was kind of a stupid idea. You've gotta help me, though!"
Tenderhoof fought down his guards training as Scootaloo pounced on him and took ahold of his breastplate. The little filly had a wild look of desperation in her eyes as she buzzed her wings in an attempt to drag him along someplace. A frown emerged from him as he contemplated what strange worst case scenario could possibly drive her to willingly ask any of the guards for help with her problems. He hoped it was one of the strange kind, anyway.
"Scootaloo. Count of three, or else I'll have to do something about your clinging to me." He glared down into her eyes as she clung to him, calmly beginning his count. "One."
And that was more than enough as she immediately dropped to the floor in a graceful landing. Scootaloo quickly straightened up as Tenderhoof readjusted his breastplate back to its proper fit, waiting patiently for her chance to speak. After a moment, the guardspony clopped his hoof against the carpet to signal that he was ready for the little filly to babble out the explanation of her woes.
"I was helping Miss Cadance with a project of hers and she got all frustrated because something wasn't working right! Then she decided to try and focus herself by singing and she's been stuck in a musical number for the past thre-"
"Whoa! No! No-no, no, No! The royal guard division is banned from getting involved in any musical event in the palace. I'm in enough trouble from letting those con artists down in the lower markets get Eagle and me riled up, I don't need to bring the Sun down on my head for encouraging Cadance's problems with music." Tenderhoof scuttled back from the favored filly of Luna in something that more resembled terror than prudence; waving his hooves before him in warding off the horror of getting caught in another musical event.
"But you'll please the Moon! Think about it, you'll be in a prime position to be in Luna's personal guard if you help us. And Princess Celestia will understand if you're doing it for her extra special only family in the whole wide world." Scootaloo followed him, advancing on him in a way that reminded him of how Princess Celestia would lay the pressure upon some hapless noble. The little pegasus kept coming after she rapidly maneuvered him into a corner and pressed her hooves against his chest as she looked him deeply in the eyes.
"Look, Scoots, I can't just leave my post even if it is for Luna, or if I wanted to confront whatever dark magic Cadance uses in her songs. It's just-"
"-Just what, exactly?" Scootaloo pressed harder against him, summoning some strange show of force as her gaze drew him deeper. Her voice had some slight echo in it as she spoke; some aura or sense of power that made him listen very carefully to every word that she had to say. "Just afraid? Just unwilling to work for one of the rulers of everypony who needs your help? Just worried that Luna won't help those who help her? I didn't know Princess Celestia and Mom allowed the guard to hire cowards."
Tenderhoof's demeanor changed instantly at the accusation, a new light in his eyes as his sudden movement bounced Scootaloo to the floor. "You win, you sneaky little- err, well, point me towards them, I'll have Cadance getting too snogged by her 'sweetums' to think about singing anything."
"I don't know if that's going to work."
"What? Why?" Tenderhoof never noticed the pink leg wrapping around his neck until its owner tightened her grip and dragged him backwards across the marble floors. His helmet tumbled to the ground as he watched Scootaloo in shock before he himself was twirled by Cadance to join a small throng clustered behind her.
"-Word by Word~ Thought by Thought; Luna's new voice is going to be so hot!" Cadance pushed her 'volunteers' towards the stairs with her magic, singing all the way as she did. Several pegasi guards watched warily from outside the windows as she walked on, all of them flinching down out of sight as she glanced their way.
Scootaloo's small forelock of mane drooped ever so slightly over her eye as she watched her plan fall apart. Sure, she had others, but none were ready to go. The soft thud of the old oak doors to the royal quarters alerted her to the new guard coming out and returning to his post.
"Say, kid. You wouldn't know where Lt. Tenderhoof went, do you? He said he'd cover for me."
Softly, quietly in reverence of the sacrifice Tenderhoof was about to make, Scootaloo responded. "Princess Cadance got him for her musical number."
The new guard's armor rattled loosely as he shivered in horror behind her. "Oh, wow. The poor guy was a good guard too. Hey, he left his muffin behind!"
Scootaloo twirled about to the bleach-white pegasus behind her so she could watch him. He had already taken a great bite out of the delicious trap and was noisily swallowing it down bit by bit. "Mmmm! Omnomnom, this thing is delicious! It's like somepony took a cloud and made it out of sugar. Got a funky aftertaste, though- tastes like-"
He never got a chance to finish as his eyes rolled back in their sockets. His limp body crashed bonelessly to the floor before the orange filly, splayed out like some poor squirrel hit by a train. 'How does Mom make her plans work? This is harder than it looks. I wonder what my Plan C will be.'
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The almost metallic slicing of mage-armored wing on mage-armored wing drew Celestia from her work. The guards could be over-enthusiastic at times but they had never moved to defend her in her sanctum before. Her quill clattered to the desk as the paperwork was forgotten, the solar princess rising to face whatever threat had come for her. It wouldn't be the first time she had stood within her own room to do battle, and it wouldn't be the last. Two soft thumps of guards hitting the door hurried her pace once more. Moments were all that it took to unweave the spells upon the wide doors of her study and fling them open for her inspection.
"Hi Princess Celestia! Can I talk to you?"
Celesta's gaze was drawn to the floor, where Scootaloo had put forth her bravest and most innocent face. Scootaloo, standing in the guard's position in place of her brave soldiers. Celestia's uncovered eyebrow raised as the faint sound of two bodies clattering in their armor reached her ears from above. Looking up, their forms were clearly visible as the pegasi hid in the farthest corners of the doorframe from the harmless little filly.
"Really, now? If you wouldn't mind, gentleponies, would you please get down before you make any more of a scene? Why in Equestria are you so afraid of little Scootaloo here?"
The two guards looked to each other, quivering in fear of the doom that Scootaloo heralded. Even so, the two slowly lowered themselves to the ground as they answered their royal commander; all but hugging the white marble walls as they moved.
"She's a herald of doom!" "A bringer of cheerful gloom!" The two looked at each other over once more and spoke as one. "She'll bring Princess Cadance here to drag us to a musical fate!"
Celestia looked from one guard to another in exasperation before turning to her filly of affection. Scootaloo beamed a smile as best she could; seemingly so innocently that a halo was hung above her head. A sigh escaped Celestia's lips as she began to withdraw back into her study. 'I need to find a new spot to do paperwork. I'll never get Luna's new position ready at this rate.'
All three reached out to her in an attempt to keep her from shutting the door in their faces. The guards called out first, even as they kept their backs in a corner protectively. "Your majesty, you can't leave us out here!"
Celestia gave her guards the strongest look of disappointment she could before she finally pressed her study doors shut. With the distraction out of the way, she could finally finish her pape-
"Mom, you've got to help me! I was trying to help Luna, but we made Cadance relapse! We didn't mean to!" Scootaloo's voice rang in her ears as a familiar weight wobbled upon the solar diarch's back.
Celestia jumped ever so slightly in surprise; only barely stifling the reflex to spread her wings wide and yelp in shock. She turned about, glaring at her young daughter in disappointment as she smoothed her feathers flat once more. "Scootaloo Morningstar, I cannot solve all your problems for you. And you nearly scared ten pounds off of me."
"Yes, Mom." Scootaloo hopped from her mother's back hastily at the use of her full name. Finding a seating pillow nearby, she dragged it to her mother's desk and sat down atop it in wait.
Celestia returned to her paperwork, quill scratching away in her telekinetic grip. A slight glance to her left revealed her daughter patiently and worriedly waiting for her turn to talk. "I've never seen you wait on me before. Are you that worried about your cousin Cadance?"
Scootaloo nodded vigorously, piping in loudly enough that the soundproofing wards barely held the noise in. "Yeah! I mean, all I did was ask her to help Luna with her speech problems so she could be understood."
"Okay." Celestia signed off upon a new draft of her treaty with Zebabwae with a flourish of her quill.
"Then Cadance found that Luna couldn't talk in first-pony and that she was talking in the royal Canterlot voice all the time. It made her all wig out and her mane got all funky. Next thing I know, she's started singing and dragging everypony in for 'social activity obstacle courses', and everypony is running screaming because they don't want to get involved and Shining's off on business and can't distract her and-" Scootaloo found her increasingly hysterical rant cut off with the touch of a golden shoe to her mouth. Celestia looked down upon her with pity as Scootaloo's eyes watered ever so slightly with panic and worry.
A small smile tugged at the corners of Celestia's lips as she thought through everything her foal had said. She could work with what she had been given. Slowly, she removed her hoof from Scootaloo's mouth and patiently waited for her filly to pay hopeful attention before speaking. "Its alright, Scootaloo. I need you to distract Cadance with something other than Luna's speaking voice."
"But Mom-"
"I, will be busy getting Shining Armor back from his assignment in order to finish her off." Celestia's grin grew wider as Scootaloo worked through her statement. The fading of the little pegasus's worry and confusion was deeply satisfying, especially as it transformed into the determined look of somepony who knew victory was in their grasp. "I can see I may need to create a new guard division with him at it's head. Now go on. Scoot, Scootaloo."
"Mom, I don't know how you come up with this stuff. You've got to teach me." Scootaloo saluted as she spoke, before the solar diarch teleported her in a flash of yellow to the corridor outside the royal tower.
"I wish I could. I really do, but I mostly make it up as I go along." Celestia sighed into the empty air, before pulling forth a blank letter to write a new set of orders for Cadance's fiancee. "At least Luna likes musicals."
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"We. HATE. Sing-alongs." Luna glowered at Cadance as the pink alicorn at long last finished off the last note of her song. Seated in Cadance's own tower room, the trio awkwardly looked at each other in the silence that followed.
"Oh, it wasn't all that bad. We've got you talking in modern Equish now." Cadance awkwardly smiled at Luna as she glanced over to the last of her 'volunteers' shuffling out tiredly.
"We would agree, save for one minor problem."
Scootaloo winced as a cowlick popped free in Cadance's mane once more. The little filly shuffled closer to Luna as the alicorn of love slumped over and groaned at the unfairness of it all. Scootaloo's little orange hoof poked at Luna's haunch until she got the diarch of the night's attention. She whispered into Luna's ear as soon as her older counterpart leaned over. "Keep her distracted, Mom's got a plan with Shining to break her out of it."
"Tia has a plan!?"
Cadance perked up at the stifled shout of surprise from the dark alicorn, who flashed her a distracting smile. Cadance frowned in concern over what her guests were planning, even as a white hoof reached out from under her desk and stroked her back a few times. Her content purr of relief eased the tension in the room as she laid her head back down onto the floor.
"We've never seen Tia plan out properly. And what do you expect Us to do, dance for her?" Luna whispered once more, keeping her voice softer so as not to alert Cadance once more.
"Uh, she didn't give me any ideas. Maybe work on a disguise?" Scootaloo worriedly looked at Cadance once more, hoping that her mother would come through on her plan shortly.
Cadance shot upright with a startling burst of energy at the reminder of what remained in her task. She looked around her room, eyeing various wardrobes full of her own disguises in worry over what to make Luna wear."I can't believe I forgot that we need a disguise for you! Rocking goddess of the night is something nopony forgets! Give me just a second, I know-"
"It will not be necessary, Cadance. We can assure you. May We, praytell, borrow your bathroom? The spells necessary tend to be rather intensive and We would prefer not to be interrupted." Luna waved her forehooves to dismiss any help from the Princess of Love. Cadance began to advance on her counterpart as she began levitating drab outfits out, only to be stopped in her tracks by a solid bubble of magic. "Please."
Scootaloo looked up to Luna, hoping that the alicorn of the night knew what she was doing. "You sure, Luna? You used to wield Honesty. And hiding who you are would be kind of like-"
"Lying? Yes. Unless We change who We are."
Cadance rubbed her chin with one hoof as she pondered what Luna meant. Slowly, she retreated back to her desk and sat back before it in silence. "Alright, I suppose we can try. I don't know how we're going to hide you if what Scootaloo said is true, though."
Luna smiled smugly, as she noticed the hoof emerge from the shadows under Cadance's desk once more. She nodded to the alicorn of love; even as the pink demigoddess arched her back at the feeling of the wondrous massage working against her. Luna began to retreat towards the bathroom, carefully making certain Cadance kept her eyes on her as she did.
"Trust us. We already know exactly what We are doing." Except for the small, tiny voice in the back of Luna's head that continued to scream out that the lunar diarch didn't have a clue as to what she was doing. The poor little voice back there hadn't quite gotten the proclamation yet. Luna reached out with her magic and slid Cadance's bathroom open as she steadily retreated towards it. With a last glance over the bedroom, Luna pulled her head inside and shut the door behind her.
"Well, she might maybe only sort of knows what she's doing. She might explode. Twice, even." Scootaloo was too busy watching the bathroom door to notice the irritated and exasperated look Cadance gave her.
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Luna breathed deeply as she prepared herself. Celestia's spell was fiendishly complex and immense in its scope. To hide an alicorn's full power, to make others perceive another form and to make it her own took a spell thousands of times more complicated than anything she had cast before. Nopony but Celestia herself had actually managed to achieve a psuedo-shapeshift. To layer a new being, a new truth so to speak, over herself would strain her abilities to levels she had never even considered.
Slowly, she focused deep, closing her eyes to draw her mind inward to her soul and the ten tiny sparks of light that surrounded it. It had taken her all of the previous month to decipher what even one had been, the one that now seemed to gladly float from her core to greet her. A life, a shard of a soul that seemed so hauntingly familiar; a truth she could cling to instead of her own. She didn't know how it had come to her, but she knew it now and knew it well. She grasped the shard of being, hugging it tight as she brought it forth to the surface and into the beginnings of her spell matrix.
The dark alicorn gasped in pain and cold, icy shock as the first strands of magic began to lace themselves over her form. The process began to feel like she was stuffing herself into a box ten sizes too small as the magic wove its tight mesh of change over every inch of herself. Light blotches of azure blue began to polka-dot her form, the very texture of her fur altering as her regal coat was swept away by something more... common. Tingles erupted on Luna's flanks; nearly disrupting her grasp on the tightening spell as the night skies behind her lunar cutie mark retreated into themselves to leave her crescent moon and star shining alone on her sides.
She was compressing, squeezing into herself and down to the size of a 'mere mortal' as the spell continued. Light began to shine as the spell grew in intensity and focus; shifting to remove signs of the other races from her form. Her glorious, beautiful horn was wrapped in a mummifying layer of magic; no longer than even the impressive point of Twilight Sparkle. Luna's majestic wings clamped themselves fully around her barrel, painfully squeezing to her sides before appearing to meld away into unbroken fur under the influence of the symphony of magic.
Luna began to choke back a wordless cry of pain as her body fell fully under her spell; the echoes of the Element of Honesty fighting fiercely against her subterfuge as the last aspects began. She allowed the shard to move to the forefront of her mind, struggling to make it her persona for the time being. Memories of times both good and bad flickered within the forefront of her mind as she twisted and bent to the patterns of thought and reconciled them with her own. Light flared from her eyes as the shard joined fully with her, and a mind long thought lost awoke once more.
"Am I? What- I..." She glanced towards Cadance's mirror and stumbled backwards in shock at what she saw. "I did it... I made her who I am. We really were one and the same. I did it... I did it! I DID IT! So magnificent."
The purple eyes with which she glared into the mirror slowly narrowed. A sly and snake-eating grin creased her muzzle as a phrase bubbled up within her mind. "The Magnificent. Mighty and Magnificent. Oh yes."
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Cadance and Scootaloo winced at the grunts and choked cries of pain coming from the bathroom. Their impulse to go in and check on Luna warred with her warning that the spell she was attempting might react dangerously to any interruption. Scootaloo shuffled closer to her foalsitter and friend, the welcome hug keeping her from rushing in on the lunar diarch.
"I should be in there with her, I know disguise magic better than anypony alive." Cadance impatiently swayed from side to side as she waited for Luna to emerge.
"Not this kind. Nopony knows this kind very well." Scootaloo wobbled as Cadance broke her grip and marched over to the door. Her eyes widened and her wings flared in alarm at the sight of the lonely hoof that continued to reach out from under Cadance's desk. The little filly scooted across the carpeting towards Cadance as the hoof reached in her direction, pressing against the older mare's legs as it reached out forlornly and then retreated back into the shadows. "Uh, is there something with your desk?"
"Not now." Cadance shrugged off the worried pokes from Scootaloo as she knocked loudly on her bathroom door, listening within for sounds of the lunar diarch. With no response, she knocked again and pressed her head against the sanded wood of the door. "Luna, its Cadance. Are you alright in there? Scootaloo told me about how you were trying an entirely new variety of disguise magic."
Not even a peep emerged from within in response to her words. "Luna? Please, I have other ways of disguising you. Could you come out now?"
The two of them felt it before they could hear it; a chill in the air and a shiver in their bones. Low and nearly below their hearing, the cackle of joy slowly built up into a thunderous and maniacal roar of laughter that pierced the quiet atmosphere. Slow, even hoof-falls echoed upon the tile floor within the bathroom as their owner began to speak. "Oh, no. I'm afraid I'm not going by Luna at the moment."
"What?" The little filly's voice squeaked in surprise as she spoke; Scootaloo's eyes meeting Cadance's with worry at the sultry and sly voice from within as the hoof-falls stopped at last.
"Oh, no. For behold-" The bathroom door slammed open as Luna's voice paused; bowling the pink alicorn over to rest dizzily next to her desk. Illusory fireworks burst from the bathroom as the unfamiliar form of a ghost-blue unicorn strode from within the cloud of mist they generated. "- The glory of the Mighty and Magnificent Moonstone!"
Cadance and Scootaloo looked at each other with identical expressions of shock and surprise, jaws hanging open slightly as they tried to process what had just happened.
"Oh, no need, hold your applause. Only the finest illusory work and the second shapeshifting spell ever created. Nopony shall ever know my real identity." 'Moonstone' flicked her head to toss her mane back, dramatically posing before the pair. Taller than the average unicorn and with a grey-white mane and a sky blue coat that glistened under the light, she stood imposingly there for a moment as she basked in her achievement.
Cadance began to rise up to her hooves as she came to her senses at last. Her voice grew loud and she pointed an accusing hoof at the freshly concealed princess of the moon. "What is this? That's the exact opposite of being subtle and unnoticed! What in Aunt Celestia's name possessed you to think that going anywhere as a famous magician who's been dead for ten years was a good idea?"
"Dead magician?" Scootaloo looked between Cadance and 'Moonstone', trying to figure out what had just happened as she sat down in confusion.
'Moonstone's face drooped in embarrassment and a seeming lack of self confidence as the mare seemed to shrink in upon herself in a startling transformation. Her grey mane slipped from the bangs she had it held within, cascading down into a gently flowing stream of hair that partially obscured her face. Even her body language seemed to change as she rubbed her hooves awkwardly and timidly in a strange sort of dancing in place. 'Moonstone' looked up to her companions, giving them a slight sad and humble look. "Oh, I'm really sorry. I guess I could go as her Meek and Merciful alter ego, Moonbeam. Um, if that's okay with you that is."
"Wait a second, you're talking in first pony! How the-" Cadance found herself caught mid-roll by the persistent hoof as it wrapped itself around her barrel with the gentle and strong caress of a lover. She looked down at it as it began to gently stroke her, squirming her head to one side from the tender kiss that nuzzled her just behind the ear. "Wha- Hey!"
"Smoochie, Schmoopiedoo." Shining Armor pressed himself further from the magical portal hidden beneath his fiancee's desk, kissing her ticklishly once more. "Smoochie." And again. "Smoochie!" And again. "Smoochie!"
"Shining! Not- eeik! Now! Shiiinneeey! Eeeik!" Cadance began to giggle helplessly as Shining Armor began sliding her across the floor into the center of the room, kissing her slowly down the curve of her neck and tickling her with his telekinesis and hooves. It was all the pink princess could do to keep her hooves from flailing sillily at the attention being paid to her by her wonderful knight as he kept her belly up and on the ticklish defensive.
"Smoochie! Smoochie! Smoochie! Somepony has been a naughty girl and got me called back from my assignment. I guess I'm going to have to smoochie my dear Schmoopiedoo until she learns to relax a little." Shining Armor draped himself over Cadance as the room's other two occupants held back cheerful snickers at the helplessly wriggling alicorn. His teasing lips kissed at her ticklish spots, before he broke contact to look at the duo interrupting the couple's alone time. "Run."
Scootaloo and 'Moonbeam' scuttled backwards as they rushed out the door as fast as they could. The gentle touch of 'Moonbeam's magic shut it soundlessly Shining Armor kept up his playful attack.
"Fly you foals! Smoochie, smoochie!"
Scootaloo and 'Moonbeam' looked to each other as they listened through the door for whatever might come next, their faces slightly flush with embarrassment from the sounds of young puppy-like love. What came next made them run for the castle grounds, fearful that the mad guardspony would come for them next.
"Shiney, don't you dare! No, no, eeeeeeeeiiiikkk!"
"Bbbbbbppppppppppppbbbbt!"
"Not my belly button! That tickles, cut it out! Shine-ey-ey-eyyyy!"
"Aww, I thought you liked getting raspberried there. Hmm, what about here?"
Squeals of ticklish princesses echoed long into the night from the north tower, keeping many of the lights in the castle on as the occupants wondered what in the name of Celestia was Shining Armor doing to his marefriend and bride to be.
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"All three, I've got all three!" Scootaloo bobbed her head in time with her horrifyingly off-key singing as she waited with the rest of her small group in line to get into the rally.
'Moonbeam' hung her head in irritation as she leaned against her more conventionally disguised companions. The grating singing of the little filly upon her back had been continuing for close to an hour as they inched their way across Canterlot to the ticket booth. The trio's trenchcoats and hats were uncomfortably warm in the summer evening, even though the night breeze was whistling through the streets of Lower Canterlot, channeled by the mountain and the balconies of the upper city.
"Yes, we know. Keep it down, please." Shining Armor nuzzled up against his fiancee protectively as they continued to slowly trudge forward. At least they were finally in view of the ticket booth just around the corner. Almost there. A fresh wisp of wind brought the faint sounds of the crowd within the auditorium, and the smell of a thousand tasty snacks taunting their taste buds.
Cadance snorted slightly as she stepped forward with the line. "And I did not need guarding! You have your own career-"
"As the new captain of your guard. The guard meant to keep you from doing silly things, and to protect the common ponies from your bad days until you get older and wiser. Err, not that your bad days are really harmful, just annoying and disturbing. Please don't look at me like that." Shining shied away from Cadance as she glared at him, leaning on 'Moonbeam' as he did.
"Um, we totally shouldn't be fighting. Wouldn't that be a memorable thing?" 'Moonbeam' looked up and over to them, flashing a small smile as she did. The fighting couple grumbled ever so slightly, before both nodding. As the group moved up again almost to the ticket booth, Cadance and Shining Armor looked back at each other and smiled once more. "See?"
"Uh, Moonbeam? I think the ticket guy is calling us." Scootaloo leaned over the tall unicorn mare's head, pointing a forehoof in the direction of the ticket booth where the ticketmaster held up four tickets already behind the glass of his booth.
"You guys Party 'Moonbeam'?" The gruff Manehatten-accented pony waved them forward to him as he inspected a photo within his booth.
"Yeah! Uh wait, why? This isn't bad is it?" Scootaloo buzzed her wings in confusion atop 'Moonbeam's head as the ticketmaster passed them the tickets through the small opening in his booth.
"Only if you weren't supposed to be getting four tickets for box seating. Some mare going by Sunbeam came by to reserve them for you." A soft buzzer ring signaled the doors unlatching to allow the group entrance to the auditorium lobby. As the steel and glass doors popped partially open, the ticketmaster waved them in. As he did, he got a good look at the little filly atop 'Moonbeam's head. "She wouldn't happen to be your mom, kid?"
"Oh, yeah. She's always doing stuff like this."
'Moonbeam' nodded slightly, unsure of how exactly to respond. "She's radical like that."
Shining Armor and Cadance hunched over slightly, both in embarrassment and in fear that they would be revealed as they made a break for the door. Meanwhile, the ticketmaster frowned in the darkening sunset light, trying to place where he had heard 'Moonbeam's voice before. "Say, why do you sound like you came from the Neighties?"
The surprised mare scooted back from the window slightly as she tried to come up with a response, cursing the blank that her mind drew before Scootaloo slid down from atop her back. "She is! We've been trying to get her to talk like somepony normal for years! Totally stuck in 'em."
"Oh. No wonder, then. I could have sworn I've heard her voice before. Better get in there, you're holding up the line."
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The group seated themselves in their box as quickly as they could sneak their way through the crowd. Nervous chuckles broke out among them as they considered their near miss with exposure.
"Heh. Stuck in the Neighties. That's a new one." Shining Armor rubbed the back of his head as he took off his large hat in the privacy of their enclosed booth.
"But accurate, for this fragment of me. Um, if you know what I mean." 'Moonbeam' stretched and sat as she spoke, quietly taking one of the front seats. The show was already warming up for the opening events; giving the group a view of the massive and not so massive stallions as they prepared to perform insane feats of strength.
Scootaloo and Cadance perked up at 'Moonbeam's remark and inquisitively sat down to either side of her. The shy blue mare chirped slightly in concern as she studiously tried to keep her eyes on the activity of the auditorium floor far below.
"As in 'multiple personality' fragment, or should I get an exorcist on the castle staff?" Shining Armor leaned in next to Cadance, nuzzling her as he did.
'Moonbeam' began to sweat at the attention she was on the receiving end of. Below, the stallions were all heading back to the staging area for the event as the time grew near. She fidgeted as her companions drew in closer, old twitches coming to the fore as they did.
"Would you imprison an innocent mare alongside a guilty one? The elements would not- oh, look! We never purchased any condiments! Let me get those for us!" 'Moonbeam' rushed to her hooves and squeezed out of the box while the other three were distracted; her fluttering tail the last they saw as she rushed away.
Shining worked his mouth for several moments as he tried to think up a response to the poor mare's flight. "What in the hay was that all about? I think I need to follow-"
"-NO!" Scootaloo's exclamation drew her companion's full and undivided attention to her. Realizing that she had puffed up in an attempt to look threatening, the little filly tucked her wings back against her side and ran a licked hoof across her mane to calm it down.
"I mean- oh boy. Princess Luna's been getting antsy lately around everypony. I think it's 'cause whatever the Elements did is wearing off and leaving her with whatever issues she used to have." Scootaloo slid around the two grownups, planting herself firmly in the doorway to the box to keep them from following.
"All the more reason to keep an eye on her." Shining began to step towards the door when Cadance's hoof arced between him and Scootaloo.
The little filly nodded and began to scoot out the door. "I know, adult babysitter and all that. But she trusts me, out of all the crazy ponies in town. She says I remind her of Starswirl or something. I'll stick with her, okay?"
"Cadance, I can see those eyes. You can stop staring at me now." Shining wilted under the withering eyes of his beloved, before getting poked in the flank for his troubles. He gave her a curious glance, somewhat shocked as she tapped out a message quietly with a hind-hoof. The old guard code was one that Scootaloo hadn't picked up, yet easily conveyed her message. Shining Armor made a show of grumbling and deliberating for a moment and at last spoke once more. "Oh, alright. Go, catch up with her fast."
Scootaloo started to walk out the door to the private box, before her brain caught up with her hooves. "Wait a second, that was too easy. Were you trying to reverse psycho-whatsis me?"
"No! Go get 'Moonbeam'!" Shining Armor gave a good shove to Scootaloo, pushing her into the hall where the disguised lunar diarch's tail could still be just barely seen. And then, with just a moment more, he shut the door behind her to prevent any further conversation.
"So, why exactly did I just lock Scootaloo out with Luna?"
Cadance sighed as she realized that Shining couldn't sense and see love as a material force of the world, like she could. Drawing him back to the seats, she lovingly nuzzled against him before explaining as quietly into his ear as she could. "You can't see love, dear. The two of them love each other. As sisters, as tightly as you and 'Twiley'."
"What do you mean, as sisters?"
"Sush, the show is starting. Supposed to be a magic challenge against somepony known as 'Trixie'." Cadance draped her wing over Shining as the lights in the arena grew dim. A spotlight blazed forth in the darkened arena, highlighting a cloaked blue unicorn deep below as she crouched down there. Shining wanted to say something in that moment, wanted to ask, no demand to know what Cadance was keeping from him. The self-proclaimed 'Ninja of Love' gave a loving and tiny smirk as his words were drowned out by a massive plume of fireworks from the stage as the magician below began her act.
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Scootaloo chased after 'Moonbeam', catching up with her as the elder mare came to the front concession stand. 'Moonbeam' seemed boggled at the sheer number of treats and items available to her as the little filly snuck up upon her. It took Scootaloo grabbing her elder's tail in order to gain her attention.
With a yelp, the elder mare jumped at the tug, seemingly partially metamorphosing as she turned to face her 'attacker'. The aura of electrical energy she had gathered to her in a split second evaporated just as quickly as she saw Scootaloo before her; looking irritated as she did. 'Moonbeam' rubbed the back of her foreleg against her brow in irritation as her mane fell back somewhat into place with the last of her energy dissipating. With a sigh, she at last spoke in irritation, looking to discover why she had been followed. "Do your other minders know you're out here?"
"Well, duh. Think of how crazy Mom might get if I started making a habit of running off on my own? I came to make sure you were alright, yanno, after you ran out of the box upset." Scootaloo walked around her to the counter, legs wibbling in mid-air as she struggled up onto the foal's stand so she could make an order.
"Let's not talk of her getting crazy. It isn't a pleasant subject, I'm afraid. As for me, I'm afraid I let the past get the better of me. I- err, left, because of the way others treated me, especially those of status. He reminded me far too much of them for a moment. I needed the air." 'Moonbeam' hummed to herself as she turned back to the rich array of goodies, and ordered for herself and her small companion.
"What? Shi- err, he's not that bad. Watch the lemon drops, by the way."
"I know he's not. Intellectually, that is. But, some small part of me that still remembers how I was hurt back then started twitching when he acted like that. No matter that I know better, it is hard to... trust. My loyalties, my so-called friends hurt more than you might imagine." 'Moonbeam' took her order with a smile, passing a small chunk of it to Scootaloo as she gestured for the tiny pegasus to follow her. The two looked at the movie posters as they passed them heading for their box, 'Moonbeam' catching up on history as she did.
"Well that's silly. But given what you carried, I can see where you're coming from. What happened- wait, don't eat the-" Scootaloo looked on in horror as 'Moonbeam' tossed several of the Lemon Drops into her mouth. The filly whimpered slightly in sympathy as the mare mmm'ed in delight for the first few moments.
Then, as expected, 'Moonbeam' yelped as best she could as the sourness kicked in. Eyes watered, her mouth puckered to an unusable tiny pinprick as she clutched at it. Scootaloo pulled out a straw, sticking it in one of the drinks the elder mare had ordered so that 'Moonbeam' could try and get the sourness out. The grateful mare snatched it from Scootaloo, and drank from it greedily with a slurp that echoed through the lobby as she desperately tried to suck down enough liquids to kill off the taste.
"Well, I did warn 'ya." Scootaloo forlornly averted her eyes from her companion as they sat there, a refrain passing through her mind as they noisily slurped along the way back to their private seating. 'Now how am I supposed to find out the full story?'
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"Oh dear, what happened to her?" Cadance looked back at the sound of their private box's door opening as Scootaloo and 'Moonbeam' walked in.
"Lemon Drop. Told her to watch out for them, but she already had it in her mouth." Scootaloo helped the whimpering mare into her seat and took off the saddlebags full of goodies for everypony to enjoy. Once the little filly had settled in, she dug into the completely full bags and passed the puckered up 'Moonbeam' a drink for her to wash the tartness out. Scootaloo then turned to the arena, peering down into it unable to see anything in the darkness between acts. "So, what'd we miss?"
Shining took the moment of distraction and deftly nabbed a box of popcorn to share with Cadance, passing it tantalizingly close beneath 'Moonbeam's nose as he did. "Some crazy showmare was the first act. She was beating every last one of these 'monster bucks' in magic and everything else."
Cadance nodded at Shining's words as she remembered the rather memorable act. "She was something rather special. She could even use lightning magic of all things." She reached towards Shining Armor's box of popcorn, only for him to teasingly slide it away from her. "Wait, isn't lightning magic a domain of the pegasi only?" Cadance wouldn't let up even as she pondered the interesting implications, nabbing Shining's ill-gotten popcorn with her magic along side swiping some of Scootaloo's sweets.
"HEY!"
'Moonbeam' mumbled an affirmation of Cadance's observation through her puckered mouth as she watched the floor far below. As she took a deep and needy slurp from the tiny straw in her mouth, an idle thought convinced her to pick up one of the program guides from the balcony rail to investigate the rest of the show. A further thought paused her pinkish counterpart mid-popcorn toss as a realization struck her.
"Odd. You know what, I seem to remember that the performer you based your current persona on used to use better lightning magic than most of the royal air guard before she vanished. Hmm." Cadance nibbled on the buttery goodness of the popcorn once more. Shining Armor grumbled a weak protest as he tried to keep her magic from sliding pieces of popcorn from under his shielding hoof, too busy to consider the implications of her idle inquiry.
'Moonbeam' tried to mumble something back as she mentally cursed every moment of her predicament. Lights blazed forth upon the stage and music drowned out her cries, however, as the main event began. Far below, a motley assortment of worn furniture was in the glare of the spotlights, piled atop the stage and waiting its rendezvous with mayhem.
'Moonbeam' tried to speak up over the music, only for the sound of a distant scream to stop her. Not a cry of horror or sorrow, but a call of challenge as several of the spotlights turned upwards to highlight a white shape emerging from atop a platform in the scaffolding decorating the ceiling. The strangely-proportioned pegasus high above surveyed all before him, staring down the challenge ahead. He launched himself from the scaffold towards the stage far below, screaming like a maniac all the way down.
"YEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH-!"
Wood became kindling in a great shower of splinters as the over-muscled white pegasus smashed through the props far below. A cheer rose from the stands at his feat, including the quartet's own box as everypony encouraged him to continue. The white pegasus's head popped clear of the debris as he gave his characteristic cry once more. Bursting free of the mess, he snorted and prepared to face his next task. All thoughts about asking anything else fled from everyponies minds, or found themselves gagged and stuffed in a deep dark closet in anticipation of the glorious carnage and mayhem to come.
Several more of the massive stallions emerged from the corners of the arena, carting improbably large objects as they did. Many of these were destroyed long before they could even reach the stage through flying kicks or sensational spells cast upon them. 'Moonbeam' did her best to cheer on the madness below with her companions between tastebud-saving gulps of liquid as the show continued.
Acts and events rotated in and out, growing ever more elaborate as they moved deeper into the show. A dull, hidden part of the disguised lunar diarch's mind erupted back into life at the sights and sounds of the show below. Stallion-to-stallion combat began in the form of hoof wrestling and synchronized headbutting. 'Moonbeam' would jump to her hooves and attempt to cry "Huzzah!" every time somepony upon the stage found themselves flying through the air from the friendly competitions; the good sport of the stallions strangely familiar to her as everything came together in the strange and eclectic show.
Thankfully, eventually 'Moonbeam' found her mouth unsealing, having at last worked the sourness from itself over the course of the hour-long show. She even managed to collect a few souvenirs that had found themselves ejected from the arena to land in their box. But, alas, all good things come to an end.
The fanfare of the small band behind the stage grew to a crescendo, and then fell entirely silent as the wooden stage below went entirely dark. Spotlights faded from the stars of the show one by one; casting ghostly after-images into the audience's eyes. Cadance flipped through her show program as she laid there waiting; her wing draped over her sweetheart. She could find nothing left in the night's lineup as far as she could tell. Reluctantly, she clambered to her hooves at the signs of a finished night's entertainment.
"Oh schmoopie, where are you going?" Shining Armor hooked one of his white forelimbs around Cadance's leg and gently drug her back into her seat.
"Shining, the show is over. We can go home now." Cadance stomped a hoof cutely as she sat back down.
Shining Armor paid no heed as he snuggled closer to her, expecting a last surprise from the show. "These shows always have a last hidden act that you have to wait for. Be patient, this ought to be good." Shining gave his love a brilliant smile as they rested there. At her coy grin back, he followed up with a surprise deep kiss that tickled her tonsils.
"So, besides Shining doing things to Princess Cadance's mouth I don't want to think about, what else is there to do?" Scootaloo impatiently tapped her hooves upon the sticky carpet as she waited for something, anything to happen.
"Well, usually a show is capped by an unannounced act. Something that is visually and constructively different from the earlier material and the rest of the show, but still related somehow in theme." 'Moonbeam' munched upon a Strawberry Bite as she spoke from a wellspring of knowledge within the shard of herself she wore.
"And what is that supposed to mean? Sudden Opera? Blleaaagh."
"I was thinking the Overture of 812, maybe, given the rest of the show."
Whatever else Scootaloo's older companion was about to say died in her throat as the music returned. Not the clarion call of a trumpet or the wail of a stringed instrument, but the strange and melodic tinkle of breaking glass. Beats joined it, from the smashing of sledgehammers into wood to the squeak of bending metal. The cacophony of sound brought an eerie harmony to the assembled watcher's ears as the show's stars were illuminated one by one once more.
Lighting crackled amidst the lighting above as a thunderclap drum beat. Tinkling arrays of glass being delicately broken one by one served in place of a string section, and even the great smash of steel on wood served a place in the strange new orchestra that stood assembled before them all. 'Moonbeam's thoughts went to the sheer insane effort it would take to set up the mad instruments. The magical tuning of all the objects breaking alone had to have taken somepony absolutely brilliant in spellcasting. Why, they even-
'Moonbeam' snapped herself out of her trance and fixed herself on just enjoying the show for what it was. A glance was spared for Cadance and Shining Armor, who were merely basking in the ambiance of an orchestra piece set in 'B Smash'. Satisfied in their own satisfaction, Moonbeam began to hum along. A silly whim struck her, and after a few nudges to her younger companion along with a gesture or two the two began to pretend-conduct the Demolition Orchestra.
Lightning boomed constantly overhead as the concussive piece began to come to it's climax. Smashes grew in intensity as the massive stallions furiously worked to keep the music going. Fireworks burst once, then twice, and thrice more as the piece at last ground to a halt in a fury of triumphant notes. The herd of stallions wearily stepped back from their instruments, bowing before their audience as one; basking in the sudden tumult of over 10,000 ponies breaking into stomping applause.
'Moonbeam' looked to Shining, Cadance, and Scootaloo as she flashed a gleaming smile. "And that, my good ponies, is how you end a show. The Overture of 812 in B Smash. Wish I had thought of that myself."
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Ponies crowded the lobby like candies in a jar as they all slowly trundled towards the doors and the comfort of their homes. Darkness had fully fallen upon the land in the evening hour and the glitter of a thousand streetlights twinkled all about Canterlot. Of all of them, a quartet stood alone, an island in the stormy sea of coats and manes as their waited for their own carriage ride towards their home.
Amidst them, 'Moonbeam' gave a quiet sigh as she stared up at her beloved moon. The very reason for her existence, and the former cursed prison that reminded her of how far she once had fallen. The crowd parted about her as she contemplated the rocky path ahead, and the nightmare she had left behind. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on each of the shards within her soul, taking in the strange memories that each of them brought to her.
The Healer, The Captain, The Firebrand, The Businessmare, The Equalizer, The Explorer, The Rebel, The Warrior, The Leader, The Showmare.
She could remember each of their experiences as easily as she could her own life. But why? Granted, she had already considered the hypothesis that the Elements of Harmony would not imprison a just mare for the actions she performed while unjustly controlled. But it was just a hypothesis, and how could it be true? The only 'proof' that she had was that The Showmare supposedly had existed. There was nothing to tell her if the experiences she remembered were actually a part of a shard of herself, or just memories adsorbed from the void.
Shining Armor's hoof jolted her from her introspective trance, nudging her in the shoulder. 'Moonbeam' cleared her throat awkwardly in the silent moment afterwards before speaking. "Yes."
"Well, it looks like our carriage got caught up in mid-town traffic. The porters say it'll take another ten to fifteen minutes to get here. The castle isn't exactly on the other side of the city, we could walk back if you'd like." Shining Armor apologetically rubbed his mane with a hoof as he explained their situation.
"Oh, that's fine. I can wait. Though I do notice that somepony is ready to go to bed. Scootaloo looks like she only needs a lullaby to sleep." 'Moonbeam gave a small, quiet laugh at the sight of the filly only just barely managing to stay awake atop Cadance's trenchcoat-covered back.
"I'm not- yaaawwwwwnnn~ sleepy. I can do this all night." Scootaloo was still fighting off the lethargy that threatened to drag her off to her dreams. A second massive yawn cracked her face as she tried once more to rub the tiredness from her eyes.
Cadance adjusted her stance at the sounds of the great yawns, trying to make Scootaloo more comfortable. With bags of leftover goodies at her flanks, her sweetheart trapped in the feathery embrace of a wing, and a hat on her head she looked positively ridiculous as she stood there. A deft touch of her magic telekinetically dragged a small blanket from her coat's pockets to drape across the little filly. "Oh, I don't know, you could have fooled me, Scootaloo."
'Moonbeam' slid up to Cadance's other flank and began humming quietly. Waiting until she spotted Scootaloo sleepily nodding along, she turned her nearly inaudible tune into a soft lullaby.
"Hush now, quiet now the Moon is watching high above;
Hush now, quiet now, feel safe in all its love.
The morning light shall end your dreams,
So keep them in your heart then.
Wake up with the dawning skies,
and search them out and find them!
Oh, hush now, quiet now, time to rest that sleepy head.
Hush, now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed~"
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Haunting thoughts, seeing a belly filled with a life not her own. A half-remembered children's song is all she can think of to comfort herself in the uncertainty she faces.
Pain, searing pain of childbirth. The screams of an awakening daughter.
"Momma!" The joy of knowing her daughter's first words, of seeing her first spell.
The roar of the crowds before her; drowned out by the tiny, happy clip-clops of the beautiful foal watching her in the front row.
Silence, the watchful gaze of a young mother over her young in bed as she proudly reads over the report of her child's brilliant schoolwork and the promise of what is to come.
"Momma! Stoppit!" The playful food fights of a family over alfalfa; it's green splattered across both of them equally.
The disbelieving parent/teacher conference to inquire as to how a unicorn filly of all ponies could use weather magic so easily, so casually.
"Oh yes, Mom. I'm a very Trixie pony."
"MOMMA! Please don't leave me!" Numbness. Watching herself dissolve into a blue mist bit by bit before her beautiful, courageous daughter. Feeling the icy tendrils of the lunar prison reclaiming her soul for crimes she tried her damnedest not to commit. The dread as she tried to speak, to reassure her foal that everything would be alright; only for her words and ability to speak to be stolen from her as soon as she tried. The look of horror on her daughter's face as she pleaded and begged and tried to hang onto her as she dissolved away in her filly's grip.
The flash of light, and the proud realization that her daughter had found her purpose in life; that she had been privileged enough to get the chance to see that one defining moment. And then nothing more.
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"'Moonbeam'? C'mon, snap out of it, the carriage is here!"
The mare in disguise shook her head violently as she rejoined the world of the living. The memories invoked had nearly drowned her identity with their intensity and urgency. 'Moonbeam' snapped her gaze to Shining Armor with terrifying force as she realized that of all the things in the world, she only needed to know about one at that very moment. "The showmare that I missed! Was her name Trixie?"
"Err, uh- yeah. Yeah, it was. Why?" Shining Armor took a step back as 'Moonbeam' seemed to grow in stature. The wind fluttered about her as she dropped her innocent and meek persona; filling herself back with the intimidating presence of her first transformation. Her sudden telekinetic grip upon him picked him up and gently dropped him in the waiting carriage before he could protest.
"Take them home, I'll catch up at the castle. There is a wrong that I must fix." 'Moonstone's horn glowed brighter as she shut the door to the carriage and turned her gaze towards the back of the arena. Electricity built in the air as she charged her rather unique teleportation spell, and she vanished from view in the brilliant flash of a lightning bolt.
By some miracle, Scootaloo didn't awake at the spectacle. Shining Armor enviously looked at her for a moment before sticking his head out the window and looking out into the dark skies. Cadance joined him in looking out as she realized something was amiss.
"Honey, tell me she didn't just put her 'Moonstone' personality back on and start something incredibly reckless."
"Cadance, I wish I could."
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She followed the dream, the shifting thread of sleep that her target was deep within. Lightning flashed again and again as she teleported from rooftop to rooftop in pursuit. 'Moonstone' could sense how close she was to her goal, yet always just barely around the corner from the showmare she followed.
The street was filled with dozens of carriages, with nothing to tell them apart other than the thread she followed. She knew she would shortly need to return to street level in order to continue her pursuit. A dangerous proposition, given the chances of her being recognized. A glimmer of thought became caught within her senses, and the vehicle her quarry obliviously trundled along within came into sharp focus.
Legs tensed, magical fields intertwined, and 'Moonstone' lept fearlessly from the top of the three story building she had stood upon towards the sidewalk below. Her magical might and true nature came to bear as she caught herself upon a descending staircase of tiny puffs of cloud; allowing her to land soundlessly on the stone sidewalk. 'Moonstone' marched briskly towards the carriage stopped at the corner, shouldering aside anypony that impeded her movement. Murmurs grew amongst the crowd as they grew irritated at the rude mare within their midst. Whispers of whom she might be passed from ear to ear as the gaggle grew even more packed and as the milling throng of ponies threatened to dislodge her disguise.
"Move, please. Let me through." 'Moonbeam' pressed through a particularly thick clump of ponies, almost in reach of Trixie's carriage. The slight glimmer of recognition in the eyes of one sea-green mare was all the warning she received before everything went horribly wrong.
"It's Moonstone! She's BACK!"
The thread of dreams snapped instantly as the murmurs of the crowd turned into an adoring roar of affection. 'Moonstone' struggled back as the herd of ponies surged upon her, trying to lift her up and cart her back to the arena. Ponies began to chant her shard's name as she found herself upside down and helpless upon an endless wave of hooves.
"Let me go! I need to see somepony! Begone, and curse you all to the Everfree, LEGGO!" 'Moonstone's hooves waved midair as she tried to wriggle off of the equine wave. A chill ran down her spine as the carriage's occupant leaned out the window to glare upon her hapless form. Venomous hate seemed to pour forth from Trixie as she at last gained a glimpse of her pursuer.
The young mare made a series of hoof gestures in the knowledge that nothing would be audible over the roar of the crowd of fans. Crude gestures, yes, but effective as she signed her intent to pummel 'Moonstone' at the first chance she could possibly take. Shouting something to her driver, Trixie's carriage pulled away into the jammed streets and blended into the sea of traffic as it passed from sight.
'Moonstone' squirmed and struggled to free herself from the crowd, to try and catch up and explain herself before she lost sight of Trixie. But it was of no use, the crowd was far too massive and enthusiastic for her to slip free. Magic glowed about her horn as she teleported herself once more; cloaking herself with spells to hide from aerial observation atop the very same rooftop from which she had started.
A ragged sob was all that she could force from her lips as she looked upon the sea of carriages. She had failed Trixie. Again. Just as she had failed Starswirl, Celestia, the Old Court...
Her mane slipped free from it's clips to obscure her face. Tears dripped from her eyes as she wondered what had embittered her beloved Trixie so much. She had to do something, there had to be some way to explain to her the metaphysics and her helplessness before the might of the Elements. Somepony had to be able to-
Oh. Ooooh. He would do nicely. He hadn't accepted yet, but the new captain of the Lunar Guard would work nicely as her messenger.