It was finally his, after so much waiting, so much planning, so much acting as if he had forgotten! But now, now it was in his claws and the plan could move forward. The prize was his, and his alone. He laughed as the thoughts and images of the real treasure that would soon belong to him swirled around his mind. The sound of his manic glee bounced around the small wooden tree fort, normally silent and still at this late time of night, and filled the space with the echo of a cheering chorus. He quieted himself, glancing about quickly to ensure he remained undetected. Clutching his precious prize tightly to his scaled chest, Spike poked his head out of the window and held his breath. Nothing moved across the midnight-blanketed fields of Sweet Apple Acres Farm;his moment of glory had gone unheeded.
With a deep sigh of relief, the young dragon slinked his way out of the headquarters of the notorious Cutie Mark Crusaders and entered the orchard. While he attempted to find his way through the unlit trees, he let his mind wander. It had been months since the … 'incident'. Everypony had forgotten and moved on. Hearts and Hooves Day was long behind them now, and far more pressing matters than one little near disaster, perpetrated by a trio of mischievous foals, were on everypony’s mind now.
He grinned to himself in the dark and stole another quick peek at his prize. The bulbous bottom of the flask rested so perfectly in his palm and was still more than half full of the iridescent violet liquid that glowed faintly. He wanted to laugh again, to raise his trophy to the moonless night sky and cheer until he ran out of breath. They'd all forgotten! Even Twilight Sparkle had! Oh, she'd made the Crusaders promise to destroy the rest of the potion of course. And of course, they had sworn to do so.
A sly smirk crossed his face as he shook his head. Those three little fillies had the attention spans of drunk butterflies so naturally they hadn't actually gotten around to keeping their promise. And now it was his, all his!
Picking his way through the darkened orchard, he let his mind wander to the possibilities that lay ahead. A soft sigh escaped him as he envisioned his beautiful Rarity; her silken white coat, her shining mane the colour of the ripest and most succulent amethyst gemstones ... It had been hard to wait for just the right moment to put his plan into action, and that time had come with opening of the Summer Cider Celebration tomorrow.
Spike yelped suddenly, stumbling as his toe-claw snagged on a patch of bramble. He hugged the precious flask in one hand as the other pin-wheeled for balance, a struggle that was quickly lost. His fall, however, was almost immediately interrupted by something on the path. Something very solid, and very, very big. Looking up, Spike found himself staring into a luminous pair of eyes that seemed to float in a pool of complete darkness, eyes that came closer and closer until the young dragon found himself nose-to-muzzle with Big Macintosh.
“Heya there Spike,” the powerful colt said in a voice that carried with it the low, gravelly rumble of somepony about to ask some very serious questions.
“Hiya Big Mac!” Spike blurted out, his heart racing a mile a minute as he racked his mind desperately for some way out. “Hi! Heya, fancy meeting you here!” Spike’s lips just kept running on autopilot, completely disengaged from his brain at this point. “Nice night isn't it? I mean, it's really dark right, which is good, because otherwise it'd be day, and then why would the stars be out too, you know? Unless Luna and Princess Celestia were fighting again. Haha, sisters, am I right?”
Finally Spike’s rambling wreck of gibberish wound down as he ran out of breath. Panting heavily, he leaned an arm against the unmoving earth pony's muzzle and attempted an award winning display of nonchalance: “So, working late?” he inquired.
“Eeeyup.” Big Mac replied; the word came out as one long drawl as he stared intently at the bright, brittle smile on Spike's face. “What're you-”
Spike interrupted quickly, pointing back toward the dark line of trees behind him, “I think I saw a ... a … Diamond Dog, stealing apples! I was just looking for Ra ... for Applejack to warn her. Heh, you know how those dogs like to burrow everywhere. Could be pretty bad for the trees ... ” As he spoke, Spike casually moved his hands behind his back, shielding the flask from view.
Big Mac reared up, looking intently in the direction the young dragon had pointed. He snorted angrily and galloped, without another word, into the darkness. Spike paused a moment to thank his lucky stars and took off running in the other direction. Stumbling blindly forward in panic, he found his way into the main barn. I have to hide the potion, he thought desperately. There! Under that huge stack of hay. Running across the nearly pitch black barn, he yelped as his foot found and wedged inside a carelessly left out bucket, making him pitch face-first into the ground for the second time that night. Spike threw his hands up to protect his face as he landed heavily on the hay strewn strewn floor; he watched in horror as the fragile flask flew away from him and sailed, tumbling end over end, across the room.
Before he could rise, he heard the distinctive sound of glass shattering from where the flask had vanished into the hayloft. Small glowing drops of the precious potion seeped through the wooden slats of the loft, falling like violet raindrops over a tall stack of barrels; the glowing liquid dimming and vanishing as it soaked into the wood. Moaning in loss, Spike dragged himself up to his feet and shook in disbelief.
All his work, all his planning, all for nothing! Spike struggled to get a grip on himself and bit down on his fist to keep from screaming in frustration. Outside, he heard the sound of awakened ponies, Applejack among them, moving about in the orchard. Swallowing his tears, Spike pushed himself up and ran again, dodging between buildings and thick-trunked trees until he was clear of the farm.
Oh well, he thought as he dragged one foot in front of the other along the road back home. At least no one will ever find out what happened.
***
“Spike! Come on sleepy-head, get up,” Twilight Sparkle said with a gentle laugh as she nudged the sleeping dragon's basket with her hoof. A single scaled arm rose from beneath the nest of blankets and waved dismissively at her.
“Meh!” was the only reply to her further attempts to rouse her assistant.
Shaking her head, Twilight left the grumbling grump and headed out into the bright Equestrian morning. She easily slipped into the milling crowd of bodies that flowed from Ponyville along the curving road that led to the Apple family's farm. Brightly festive bunting and banners had been strung up alongside the road, announcing the first day of the eagerly awaited Summer Cider Celebration. Twilight sighed happily and hoped nopony else heard the soft rumbling in her stomach. She'd only been living in Ponyville long enough to have experienced one Cider season, but that one taste had been enough to ensure she'd be in line bright and early for the next.
Twilight spotted a manicured white hoof waving frantically at her from ahead in the queue, and the unmistakable cultured tones of her friend Rarity.
“Twilight darling! Over here!” she shouted. As Twilight neared, it was obvious the well-groomed unicorn was not in a good mood this morning, “I'm so glad you're here! Perhaps you can talk some sense into these ... gentlecolts,” she gestured at a small crowd of ponies standing in front of her in the already long line.
“Umm, what's the problem Rarity? They didn't steal your place in line did they?” Twilight asked, a little shocked to imagine that anypony here would be so rude. The look of annoyed indignity on Rarity's face suggested a truly terrible affront must have taken place.
“Ah, well … “ Rarity began, and got no further before a soft timid voice spoke up from behind her.
“They were here first Rarity, just because they wouldn't let you go ahead doesn't mean they're ‘uncultured brutes’ ... at least, that's what I think. Sorry … but … sorry … eep!” Fluttershy's voice trailed off as Rarity turned the full intensity of her glare on the timid pegasus. Twilight couldn't help but giggle quietly as she got in line with her friends and smiled kindly at Fluttershy.
“Come on girls, it's not so bad. At least we can see the front of the line this year, and Applejack promised she'd make enough cider for everypony.” She looked around, scanning the crowd of mostly familiar faces. It looked like half of the town was already here, lined up and waiting eagerly for the precious beverage to be dispensed.
“Where's Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked as she tilted her head up to scan the bright clear sky. A few birds soared across the horizon, intent on inscrutable errands of their own, but there was a noticeable lack of rainbow-hued streaks amidst them.
“I … I umm ... I tried to get her up Twilight, but she yelled at me … and threw things at me... “ Fluttershy answered with her head bowed and face half hidden behind her long pink mane.
“That brute! What did that ill-mannered tomfilly do to you? You poor, poor thing,” Rarity said, her voice practically oozing with syrupy-sweet concern.
“Oh, she threw … her pillow at me. And her other pillow … and some clouds … “ the timid yellow pegasus continued a slow litany of hurled objects in hesitant fits and starts.
With each new item added to the list, Twilight couldn't help but wince a little more. Rainbow Dash was a wonderfully loyal friend, but perhaps not really a morning pony. She sighed as Fluttershy counted off more objects of ever greater size and weight. Rainbow Dash and Spike both being grumpy - maybe it was catching?
“Oh you poor mistreated thing,” Rarity cooed, her voice exactly loud enough to ensure everypony nearby could 'accidentally' overhear her, “what you need is -”
“And then she … threw her tank at me.” Fluttershy continued, her head hanging down enough to nearly touch the road beneath her.
“Of course she did, she … wait, she threw what?” Rarity said and blinked in confusion, her train of thought suddenly running straight into a wall.
“Her Tank.” Fluttershy mumbled.
“What tank?! Oh ... you mean her pet turtle! She threw a turtle at you?” Rarity exclaimed, aghast.
“Tortoise!” corrected several ponies in the crowd, including Twilight.
Rolling her eyes, the fashionista unicorn raised her voice again and attempted to regain control of the situation: “Yes yes, whatever. Now look Fluttershy my dear filly, you've been through a terribly traumatic morning. It must have been simply awful! What you need is a strong, refreshing drink to help soothe your poor nerves. Isn't that right?”
“Oh, no, it's all right Rarity. I'm fine, really...” Fluttershy said sweetly, smiling at her friend.
This did not seem to go over well.
“No! No no my dear, you must be just devastated, completely overcome with despair after such a harrowing experience. I'm sure some kind and understanding ponies will let us through to the front of the line so we can get you the help you clearly need!” As she spoke, Rarity held Fluttershy's face between her hooves, smooshing the trembling pony's cheeks into a properly despondent look.
By means of loud declarations of emergency and, when that failed, several nudges with her flank, Rarity guided them to the front of the grumbling queue. Finally letting go of the trembling Fluttershy, Rarity used her magic to deposit a small stack of shining bits on the counter, behind which sat Applejack.
The blonde-maned pony was alone behind the newly constructed concession stand, the site of which had obviously been carefully chosen to provide a decent view of the winding line ponies waiting to hand over their bits. It also provided shade from the heat of the sun by virtue of being built in the shadow of a particularly large apple tree.
“Now Rarity, y’all know ya can't keep doin’ that. It ain't right and it ain't fair,” Applejack said with an admonishing tone. Nonetheless she passed over a tall serving of freshly-drawn cider, its foamy head already sliding down the sides of the wooden mug.
“Ooooh yes yes yes yes!” the white unicorn chanted with glee as she magically lifted the mug and hurried away.
Twilight couldn't help but laugh again. Rarity might be the very spirit of generosity at times, but at others, well sometimes generosity began at home. Bumping her shoulder into the still frazzled Fluttershy, she smiled and deposited several bits on the counter.
“Come on Fluttershy, this round is on me, OK?” she said brightly, reaching up to brush the gentle pony's pink mane back, revealing the pegasus’ sheepish smile.
Fluttershy squeed happily, her eyes widening with anticipation as she carefully picked up the offered mug of cider: “Oh … thank you Twilight. I'm surprised that Pinkie Pie isn’t up here, she’s always at the front of the line!”
Twilight looked around the crowded clearing once again. It was true, the boisterous pink party pony was nowhere to be seen. She started to voice the question, and saw Applejack pointing straight up with one hoof, an expression of resigned annoyance on her face. There, lying on her back along a stout limb of the tree that stood over the concession stand, was Pinkie Pie. She was sleeping with one leg dangling down off the branch and several empty mugs balanced atop her gently rising and falling tummy. Her eyes were closed with the blissful expression of a pony deep in a cider-induced coma.
“She's been here since the middle of the danged night. Big Mac found her out in the middle of the orchard and near flattered her thinkin’ she was a no-good Diamond Dog! Ah'll tell ya Twilight, Ah worry about that filly sometimes,” Applejack said, but her grin betrayed the severity of her words.
Twilight, leading Fluttershy along, made her way over to where Rarity had established herself in the shade of a well-shaped tree; the white unicorn was already reclining on an elegant chaise longue acquired from somewhere unknown . They smiled at each other, raised their mugs to toast a perfect Cider Day Celebration and drank deeply. One by one, the mugs fell to the ground, and each pony stared blankly ahead. Slowly, her eyes rolling up in her head, Twilight teetered over and collapsed. A moment later Fluttershy did the same, falling with her head resting on the purple unicorn’s back. Rarity, already lying down, escaped the indignity of collapsing and simply closed her eyes. All three ponies began, very quietly, to snore.
***
“Not again, not again, not again, not again!” Rainbow Dash panted as she tore across the sky. It had been hours now since the Cider Celebration started. Hours since that incredible, delicious, once tasted never to be forgotten amber magic had gone on sale. Why, she grumbled to herself, why had Fluttershy let me sleep in so long?!
Gliding close to the ground, she wove her way through the empty streets of Ponyville, thirsty desperation rising in her throat with every passing second. Distracted as she was by thoughts of a whole year without getting to taste any cider, she failed to see the small purple dragon standing in the middle of the road. The two did, however, see each other as they collided in a tangle of limbs, tails, mane, scales and startled cries.
“Oww, what do you think you're doing Spike!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she struggled to extract herself from the roadside rosebush she’d tumbled into.
“Me? Are you serious? You ran into me! I was just walking along the road like a normal, sane dragon … and then BAM!” Spike shouted right back as he picked himself up off the road and tried to brush the dust from his purple scales.
“Gah! I don't have time for this! Come on dragon-boy,” Rainbow Dash said impatiently as she shook herself, shedding the newly acquired coat of thorns and leaves that were stuck to her. Before Spike could escape, the agile pegasus flew overhead scooping him up in her forehooves and racing along the road toward Sweet Apple Acres
As they neared the farm they saw more and more ponies, the residents of the town spread out in small groups. Most were clustered together under the shade of nearby trees, or lying atop colourful picnic blankets. One thing they all had in common though was that none appeared to be moving. Undaunted, Rainbow Dash continued her hectic flight until she found her target.
“AJ! AJ!! You better have saved me a mug this year or ... or ... or else!” she shouted as she reached the concession counter, having dragged her unwilling passenger face first along the dusty road for the last dozen meters. Standing atop the struggling dragon's back, Rainbow Dash thumped a hoof down on the countertop, several brightly polished bits gleaming as they were slammed against the wooden surface.
“Cider me! Cider me now!” she cried.
“Little … little help here … “ came a muffled voice from beneath the pegasus. Growling to himself at being ignored, Spike took in as deep a breath as he could, trying to ignore the taste of road dust, and blew a stream of glowing green flame at the pony using him as a throw rug. His efforts were rewarded with a startled scream, and the weight of hooves suddenly removed from his back.
“Geez Spike, what'd you do that for?” Rainbow Dash asked as she held her tail tightly, sucking on its scorched and blackened tip.
“Yeah, I wonder,” he replied, exasperated.
“Will y'all two hush up already. Something's wrong here, Ah think there's something a mite off about the cider this year,” Applejack finally managed to break in, putting a mug of the golden beverage carefully on the table. “We made it same as ever, but -”
“Less talk, more cider!” Rainbow Dash shouted, grabbing the mug in her hooves and attempting to bury her entire muzzle in its frothy, sweet-smelling goodness.
“No!” Applejack yelled, throwing herself across the table and tackling a surprised Rainbow Dash. The two of them struggled, rolling back and forth on the ground in a cloud of dust and leaves. Somehow, despite the flying tackle and subsequent wrestling match, the blue pegasus managed to keep the mug upright.
“What are you doing?! Lemme go! Lemme go it's mine! I paid for it it's mine, gimme!” Rainbow Dash howled at her friend, the mug of precious cider now caught in a tug of war between them.
“Darn stubborn mule … would y'all just listen to me! There's something wrong with the cider! Everypony who drinks it -” she was interrupted by Rainbow Dash suddenly losing her grip on the mug.
Now freed from the opposing tension, it flew back toward Applejack, catching her full in the face. Or more accurately, catching her full in the mouth. Swallowing a huge gulp of the cider, Applejack stared blankly at her friend and hiccuped.
“Somethin … not quite … right … with the … “ Applejack stammered. As Rainbow Dash watched, the earth pony's eyes seemed to look right through her in a thousand yard stare before they closed and Applejack fell over backwards, snoring softly.
“Ok, that was NOT my fault!” she said, looking around quickly in case anypony wanted to argue the point.
Spike was about to enjoy a good laugh at the look on Rainbow Dash’s face when something caught his eye and made his heart sink to the bottom of his scaled toes. There, behind the banners and serving tables, was a stack of barrels that looked entirely too familiar. He recognized them as the ones he had seen on his disastrous mission the night before. A sense of dread crept across his mind as he backed away slowly. Everywhere he looked he saw ponies sprawled on the sun-kissed earth, or lying together beneath the sheltering branches of the apple trees. A majority of the Ponyville population was accounted for by those sleeping.
I'm just being paranoid, he tried to reassure himself. There were lots of barrels in the barn, the odds of them being the same ones that … that … he couldn't finish the thought. And yet, he knew they were indeed the same barrels, the very same ones that had been sitting beneath the shattered flask of the love potion.
“Hey, Spike … what's going on around here. You know something, don't you. Come on, I can see it in your eyes! You look guiltier than Fluttershy when she accidentally steps on an ant! You know something and you're going to tell me … right … now,” Rainbow Dash said menacingly as she gave up trying to wake Applejack and moved to stand over the young dragon.
“Or else what?” he asked, distracted.
“Exactly!” the pegasus shouted, poking a hoof into Spike's chest dramatically.
“Umm, Rainbow, I think they’re starting to wake up,” Spike said by way of response.
The pair watched as various ponies began to rise slowly from where they had been sleeping. Each would stand, mumbling quietly to themselves, and then turn to begin walking with slow, mechanical steps toward the town. Rainbow Dash started toward one mare whose bright yellow coat and vivid orange mane made her easily recognizable as Golden Harvest.
“Hey Goldy! What the hay is going on, why is everypony napping in the middle of the - “ Rainbow Dash was close enough now to see the other mare's eyes as Golden Harvest turned toward her. Without another word, Rainbow Dash dug her hooves into the ground and took off back the way she'd come as fast as she could. Grabbing Spike around the waist, she ignored the struggling dragon's protests and took off into the sky with one thrust of her wings.
Hovering well above the slowly walking crowd, she held Spike up in front of her.
“Spike … this isn't a joke Spike. Tell me what happened! That … that was so NOT Goldy! Her eyes Spike … her eyes … “
“I think, ummm, I think something might have gotten into the cider,” the young dragon said hesitantly, his stubby legs kicking slowly in the air as he squirmed under Rainbow Dash's accusing gaze. “Now isn't the time to be worried about little details like who's to blame. Or how even the very best intentions can sort of, you know, go a bit wrong. The important thing is -” the rest of his words were lost in a warbling cry of surprise as Rainbow Dash shook him like an overstuffed rag-doll.
“Spiiiiiiike!!!” she shouted, her fragile patience pushed beyond its limits.
“OK OK OK!” Spike whimpered until the manic pegasus held him still once again. It took a moment for him to gather his wits, and to convince his stomach not to empty itself in spectacular fashion, “OK well … ummm, you remember that love potion Sweetie Belle and her friends made last year?”
Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at the young dragon in her hooves: “Go on...” she hissed.
“So, let's just say some innocent person just happened to stumble on the potion they'd made. Which they totally promised they'd get rid of and didn't; so really, it's their fault for being so irresponsible in the first place. I mean heck, when you think about it, it was really heroic of m ... some innocent stranger … to take the potion away from their clubhouse and I'm sure he was going to take it to someone who could dispose of it properly and not use it to make the most beautiful pony in Equestria finally feel about him the way he’s always felt about her.” Spike knew he was babbling, but the way Rainbow Dash kept glaring at him was whittling away at the excuses he'd built up in his mind.
“And this 'innocent stranger' thought the best way to get rid of a crazy dangerous love potion was by dumping it in the cider the ENTIRE town was going to drink.” Rainbow Dash's voice was a low growl as she spoke, her muzzle pressed against Spike's nose.
“No! It was an accident I swear! It was dark and I couldn’t see and there was this bucket and I … urk” Spike slapped his clawed hands over his mouth, too late to stop the admission.
“Spike! What is wrong with you! I mean come on, you know I love a good prank as much as the next pony, but this is going way too far. Look at them Spike, they're... they're like zombies!” Rainbow Dash said, pointing down with a hoof to the shambling crowd of ponies below to emphasize her point.
“Wow, it's the day of the loving dead!” Spike said, and regretted it immediately. “Oh man, we are in such, such deep trouble. What're we going to do Rainbow?”
“How should I know? I’m not the one who comes up with the plans, I’m just the one who does all the awesome stuff!” She paused for a moment, a thought nagging at the back of her mind. “Hang on, I thought the love potion made you fall in love with somepony else who also drank it. How come they’re not falling in love with each other?”
Spike looked down at the slowly marching ponies below and shrugged his small shoulders. “No idea. The potion was pretty old I guess. Maybe it was past its use by date? Maybe something in the cider mixed up the effect? I’m just guessin’ ere, feel free to help me out Rainbow.”
“Look, that’s Twilight and Fluttershy. Let's get down there and grab them, find the others .. and then it's time to bust out the Elements of Harmony and save the day in awesome style!” Rainbow Dash said with renewed confidence, completely ignoring the young dragon’s gibberish.
Before Spike had a chance to reply, he found himself once again at war with his stomach, which felt as if it were trying to escape through his ears as Rainbow Dash dove straight down, still clutching him tightly. “Urk!”
As they drew closer, the pair saw that their friends weren't alone. Mayor Mare and Cheerilee were already there, helping the woozy pegasus and unicorn to stand.
“Miss Sparkle, are you alright?” Cheerilee asked kindly as she reached up to brush Twilight’s tangled mane back.
Twilight looked up, her eyes unfocused but wide, each pupil a tiny dot surrounded by almost hypnotic pulses of colour that spun and danced. She looked up into the concerned schoolteacher's eyes and slowly smiled. The smile grew as Twilight’s cheeks blushed, and she stepped closer to her new-found love.
“Oh, Miss Cheerilee. Yes, yes I'm fine thank you. I'm perfect actually, now that you're here.” Rainbow watched with slack jawed amazement as Twilight spoke. Cheerilee seemed a little taken aback, but rallied quickly and smiled at the blushing unicorn.
“Well, that's wonderful then. I'll just … umm yes, I'll just go see if anypony else needs my help.” Cheerilee stepped back, but for every step she took, the infatuated Twilight Sparkle took one toward her.
“No, please don't go! Stay with me and be my Learned Lecturer of Love!” Twilight blurted, moving up even closer to the shocked schoolteacher and nuzzling at her neck.
“Wait! What do you think you're doing young filly?! That is simply not appropriate!” the Mayor's shocked cry dragged Rainbow Dash's attention toward the other pair of ponies.
At first, Rainbow Dash assumed the outcry was directed at the overly amorous Twilight, but quickly saw that this was not the case. Instead, the dignified mayor of Ponyville had problems of her own to deal with. Foremost among them was the happily squealing Fluttershy, who had grabbed the mayor's grey tail and was hugging it tightly.
“Oh my! It's so soft, like Angel’s fur, or clouds in winter.” Fluttershy murmured with her eyes squeezed shut in joy as she rubbed her face against the captured prize.
The look on the proud Mayor's face was enough to send Spike into a nervous gigglefit. Rainbow Dash had to hold a hoof tightly over her mouth as her shoulders shook helplessly.
“Mayor Mare, you must work so hard for all of us. You poor thing. Let's go to my cottage and I'll look after you! I'm reallly good at looking after things!” Fluttershy practically sang as she kept her tight grip on her new love's tail, hovering behind the shocked mare on her wings.
Cheerilee backed away further from the increasingly affectionate Twilight, and finally turned to gallop off into the orchard. As fast as she was going, she was overtaken a moment later by the Mayor, who was making a spirited attempt to outrun her own tail.
“Wheeeeeeeee!” squealed Fluttershy as she was towed through the air like a pink-tailed kite.
“Come back! Oh come back my codex of cuddling! My grimoire of gentleness! Stop running and teach me! Let me write reports for you! Dear Princess Cheeriliee, today I learned a very important lesson about ... stop running! ” Twilight cried as she alternated between galloping after her escaping love, and attempting to teleport ahead of the terrified mauve pony.
Slowly, and without looking, Spike raised his hand and pushed Rainbow Dash's gaping jaw closed.
“We're in really... really deep trouble aren't we?” he said in a terrified whisper.
“So very deep,” she replied.
***
The two hid together behind the concession stand as the last few awakened cider zombies lurched past on their way to an unsuspecting Ponyville.
“Look, it's not that bad OK?” Spike said reassuringly, patting Rainbow Dash’s twitching wing.
“Not that bad? Were we watching the same thing? Because what I saw was very, very bad Spike! There's a horde of ponies marching into town who fall in love with the first normal pony they see!” Rainbow Dash seethed. Her whole body was trembling with a barely suppressed need to do something, anything other than hide like a scared little foal.
“Yeah, but we have a secret weapon!” the young dragon said with a smug grin. Reaching under the countertop, he pulled out a sheet of paper and a writing quill. “All we have to do is write to Princess Celestia and tell her what's going on … maybe leaving out one or two little details that really aren’t important. She'll swoop in, cure everypony with her magic, and we'll all have learned a very valuable lesson about … something. See? Easy-peasy!”
Spike's triumphant smile withered as he watched Rainbow Dash's expression change from hopeful to horrified.
“Wait ... everypony who drank the cider is acting like … like Twi and Shy were right?” she said slowly, poking at each word like a sore tooth.
“It looks that way,” Spike replied, feeling a foreboding dread creeping up his finned spine.
“Then yeah, we might have another problem. I was hanging around by the postal department yesterday, and some of the colts were talking about a special delivery going to the palace this morning. Being picked up from Sweet Apple Acres ... ” Rainbow Dash's voice trailed off. She and Spike were still staring at each other when a new sound shattered the silence of the deserted farm.
A frantic wailing cry filled the sky, coming from a grey pegasus who streaked through the sunlit afternoon, her wings flapping so fast they were little more than a blur, and her long blonde mane and tail streaming out behind her like windblown banners.
“Help me help me help me help me heeellllpppp meeeeeeeee!” The panicked voice of Derpy Hooves was easily recognizable as she zipped by high above Rainbow Dash and Spike.
They watched as a larger shape came into view, trailing behind the fleeing mailpony. The regal, glowing figure of Princess Celestia sailed gracefully after her prey, though much more leisurely and with an almost foalish skip to her wing strokes.
“You needn’t run my little pony. You have captured the royal heart, my most precious mailmare. Let the love we share blaze like the very sun itself for all of Equestria to see!”
Rainbow Dash buried her head under her hooves, her shoulders shaking again as she fought back and forth between peals of laughter and moans of despair. Spike simply gazed upwards, his small mouth hanging open like a barn door and the quill falling from his suddenly nerveless claws.
It was several minutes of stunned silence later that a shadow fell across where they hid, followed almost immediately by a voice that thundered at them with enough force to plaster both the pegasus and dragon to the boards of the empty concession stand.
“You! You Are The One Called Rainbow Dash, And You Are Spike, The Assistant Of Twilight Sparkle. Is This Not So?” Princess Luna bellowed as she landed before the trembling, and now slightly deaf, pair, “We Must Insist That You Take Us To Twilight Sparkle Without Delay, We Require Her Assistance In A Most Urgent Royal Matter!”
Rainbow Dash lay still, her hooves jammed into her ears while Spike attempted to hide behind her.
“Why Dost Thou Not Obey? Are We Not Friends Rainbow Dash?” the royal alicorn shouted, her voice like an aural hammer.
“Please Princess … volume. Hurting … “ Spike hissed, wondering if he was ever going to be able to hear properly again.
“Oh, yes. Our apologies. M-my apologies. Even after many lessons with Twilight Sparkle, I sometimes forget that the Royal Canterlot Voice is not always appropriate. But surely, this is such a time! My sister has gone mad! She has taken flight from the castle as if possessed!” the Mare of the Moon said with urgent dismay, her black hoof stamping hard against the road for emphasis.
“We know Princess, ya just missed her. And it's not just her either, half the ponies in Ponyville are acting all kinds of crazy! I … that is, we,“ Rainbow Dash paused and glanced at Spike, “think they might have been poisoned with a love potion.”
“Love potion? Such a foul thing still exists in this age? Why Hath No Pony Told Me Of This!?” Luna's voice rose to its royally painful levels in sudden fury.
“I don't know! It wasn't me! I was sleeping!” Rainbow Dash shouted back, hooves digging in against the ground to keep herself from being blown away by the thundering voice.
They were interrupted by Mayor Mare and Cheerilee as the two ponies came galloping through the clearing, their hooves throwing up leaves, dust and scraps of decoration as they raced for all they were worth. Moments later the purple blur of Twilight Sparkle sped by, Fluttershy now clinging to the unicorn’s tail and flapping her wings gleefully.
“Wheeeeee!!!” the usually timid pegasus squealed as she sailed past the stunned trio.
“Truly, this is no small matter. But take heart dear friends! For we ... that is I, know of a cure that may yet be -” Luna stumbled forward a half step as something bumped into her from behind. Turning, she smiled and greeted the newcomer, “Oh, you are the one called Rarity! Welcome friend Rarity, we were just … friend Rarity? Why Art Thou Looking Upon Us Like That!? Why are you … wait … what are you … woah!”
Rarity had looked into the eyes of her one true love, and now the graceful, elegant Night Princess was all that she desired. Moving closer, the white unicorn threw herself around Luna's leg, gripping it tightly with all four hooves.
“Mine!” she cried passionately, glaring at her friends. “She's mine, do you hear me Rainbow Dash? You can just … flitter off and find your own amour royale!”
“Amour ... Royale” Spike moaned, slapping his hands across his face as Rainbow Dash stared blankly at the fawning Rarity.
Luna looked back and forth between the love-stricken unicorn and the less than helpful pair. With a deep sigh, she concentrated, causing her horn to flare with magic.
“Come, you three. I shall proceed to the Everfree Forest and deal with this … situation. You, friend Rainbow Dash and friend Spike, shall provide what aid you can within the town. Once this is all over, be assured that whomever was responsible shall be found out, and There Shall Be A Reckoning!” Luna flexed her wings and took off in one powerful thrust, a lovestruck Rarity bobbing along behind her in a dark-tinted magic bubble. Rainbow Dash grabbed Spike and took off after them, relieved to finally be doing something, even if she wasn’t exactly certain what it was.
***
As they flew over Ponyville, it was abundantly clear that the situation had already gone from bad to significantly worse in a very short time. Ponies galloped across the streets, pursued by friends and strangers alike, who now saw them as objects of overwhelming desire. It was complete chaos. Rainbow Dash watched as a fleeing colt was brought down by a double flying tackle from two lovestruck fillies, each quickly grabbing one of his legs and pulling in opposite directions.
“You know, this is terrible and all … but kind of awesome at the same time,” she said quietly to herself as they flew over the scenes of mass infatuation. Above the panicked shouts she began to hear music, a steady thumping bass that rose and crashed like a tide of beats. Carefully she made her way above the chaotic town, avoiding eye contact with everypony until she found the source of the infectious sounds.
Vinyl Scratch stood behind her mixing board in the center of the town garden’s gazebo, two huge speakers standing like looming sentinels to either side and powered by the DJ pony's unique magic. Behind her and standing back to back was Octavia. The austere musician held her concert cello like a shield before her, bow flying back and forth in a blur as she wove her own style of symphonic melody into the pulse of her partner's pounding beats. Surrounding the duo like an ocean was an entire crowd of spellbound ponies, each staring at the performers with absolute, ravenous adoration.
It took Rainbow Dash several tries, but finally she managed to get the musicians’ attention. Hovering just above the pair, she shouted at the top of her lungs, “Are you two OK?”
Vinyl's head nodded as she kept the beat, and she spared a moment to look up.
“Don't sweat it RD, we're used to this kind of thing. A gig's a gig right?” the DJ shouted, grinning wickedly as the music rose and came crashing down in a sweeping dubstep. In a brief lull, the blue-maned unicorn held her hoof out at the same moment her partner did. They bumped hooves without looking and seamlessly returned to their performance.
Rainbow Dash climbed higher into the air, scanning quickly for any sign of the Night Princess over the pandemonium-stricken town. A series of loud crashes and a sound like a bull in a china shop drew her attention earthward again. Directly beneath her, the unmistakable form of Big Macintosh smashed headfirst through the closed door of a shop and out into the street. A hulking figure filled the shattered doorway behind him for a moment before striding out into the daylight on two cloven hooves.
“If your colt tries to shove, show him your love!” Iron Will chanted with his usual forcefulness. The towering minotaur closed on Big Mac, who slowly backed up until his flank hit the wall of the house behind him.
“If he tries to retreat, tell him he's sweet!” the minotaur shouted, apparently having no middle gears on his voice. “To win the one you adore, you must declare WAR!”
Rainbow Dash could see that the powerful colt had no further room to retreat, and was about to offer what assistance she could when he lowered his head and exhaled a heavy, steaming breath. Pawing at the ground, he squared his shoulders and charged. Iron Will stood ready, his arms spread wide in a classic wrestler’s stance and his eyes bright with intoxicated love.
At the last second, Big Mac dodged to the side and slipped past. “Eeenope!” he panted as he escaped down the road, the thwarted minotaur giving chase.
“They're all going to lynch me aren't they,“ Spike whimpered. “As soon as we save them, they're going to run me out of town! I'll have to live with those other dragons! Those other dragons were total jerks!”
Rainbow Dash sighed deeply, half-heartedly patting the despondent young dragon on his finned head. Spying a relatively calm section of town, she flew over and landed on the elaborate pink and white tiled roof of the Carousel Boutique. Setting Spike down, she sighed once again.
“Well Spike, we lost Princess Luna, Ponyville is a war-zone, and everypony we know is in terrible danger. Do y'know what the worst, the very worst part of all this is?” she asked rhetorically, looking out over the ongoing havoc that consumed the town before raising her forehooves dramatically to the uncaring heavens. “The very worst part … is that I still didn't get any cider this year!”
“Umm … RD … little help?”
Rainbow Dash turned back to the young dragon she'd taken her eyes off for no more than a minute. Somehow, in that time, Spike had acquired a soft looking white coat. A coat with a shock of purple and pink striped hair. The blue pegasus pinched the bridge of her nose with her hoof and tried not to scream.
“Oh Spikey Wikey!” Sweetie Belle's voice sang out as she hugged the blushing dragon, nuzzling at his cheek. “Mmm, you're so strong and brave Spikey. You came all the way up here just for me!”
“Dash … help … me,” Spike begged as he pushed at the tenacious Crusader clinging to him. The harder he tried to escape, the more determined Sweetie Belle became in her attempt to cover every inch of his blushing face in kisses.
Rainbow Dash reached out and flicked the tip of Sweetie Belle's muzzle. “Hey kid, check it out. You got your cutie mark for dragon taming.”
“I did!? What does it look like? Oh my gosh oh my gosh I have to see!” Letting go of him, Sweetie Belle galloped around the deeply blushing Spike in circles, trying to see her own flank.
“Hey … there's no mark. Rainbow Dash that's not fair! Bring back my little Spikey Wikey Snookum Pie!” she shouted at the ascending figure of the pegasus, who held Spike under one foreleg like a squirming scaled football. The young dragon waved down at Sweetie Belle as he was airlifted to safety.
“I owe you one Dash,” he whispered in deep relief.
“Think again dragon-boy, you owe me two! One for getting you off the roof, and two for not telling Rarity about this. She'd stomp you into reptile paste for cheating on her with a younger filly ya know.” Rainbow Dash grinned, hoping Spike couldn't see her expression. “I can't see Princess Shouty anywhere, and I don’t think there’s anything we can even do here that won’t just make everything worse! Any ideas?”
“Hmm, we could head back to Sweet Apple Acres. At least we could make sure no other pony drinks any of that cider,” Spike offered.
“Works for me! Hang on tight, we're doing this at the speed of awesome!” With that, the pegasus aimed herself at the distant landmark of Sweet Apple Acres and left a blazing rainbow trail behind her as she raced through the sky.
***
Luna landed in a small undergrowth-littered clearing among the strange and harrowing trees of the Everfree Forest. Even after a thousand years, she mused, this eldritch wood remains so much the same as it has always been. Wild, dark, untamed and uninviting. Well no, perhaps not completely unchanged... I am fairly certain that hut was not here before.
Trotting slowly over to the unfamiliar abode, she noted its uniqueness from the homes and buildings of nearby Ponyville. It bore the classic design and style of the tribes of the Eastern Lands, and she recalled seeing a zebra at the last Nightmare Night festival. Likely then, this hut was her home. Tapping a royal hoof on the door, Luna was startled to hear the sound of breaking pottery from inside. Her horn flared with magic as she pushed the door open.
“You are not yourself, that much I see. But I must request that you let me go free,” the deep, oddly accented voice of Zecora greeted the Princess of the Night as she let herself in. The comment though, was not directed at Luna.
“Oh come on Zeccy! You're not still mad about way back when are you? I saiiid I was sorrrry. I know you're not evil now!” Luna looked around curiously. That was most certainly the voice of Pinkie Pie, a pony one did not easily forget, yet there was no sign of the pink party pony to be seen.
“Child you are clearly not well, something has you in the grip of a spell.” Zecora said calmly, reaching into a wide-based jar near her worktable. Drawing her hoof out, she found it held not the specially prepared herbal extract she needed, but instead a cotton candy puff of pink mane. A moment later Pinkie Pie’s head popped up from the jar and grinned hugely.
“ Oh Zeccy. I love how you talk! It's so weird and funny and amazing and cute and clever and smart and - oh wow you're really pulling hard on my mane do you like it I just had it poof-styled last week and I reallly like how it came out!” Somehow Pinkie managed to say all this in one breath, though she was clearly struggling to not pass out toward the end.
Zecora glanced over at Luna and with one swift yank, pulled the entirety of Pinkie Pie from her pottery hiding place. “You! Royal mare of night-cloaked dark, have you done this for a lark? I seek to know just what now looms, and whether it will spell her doom!”
“This was not our doing, I swear it upon my Royal Oath. The townsponies have been poisoned with a love potion, and I have little time left to cure them,” Luna said, adding quickly, “we must find a ponydrake root; with it I should be able to create an antidote to the potion’s enchantment.”
As she spoke, Luna couldn't help but watch Pinkie Pie, who was still held aloft by Zecora's hoof. Swinging herself back and forth with cheerful giggles, the puffed pink party pony slowly built up enough momentum to flip herself backward over the surprised zebra and land atop her striped back, hugging tightly.
“Oh Zeccy, show me your evil dances! Put me in your trances!” Pinkie cried.
With a frustrated growl, Zecora bucked hard and in one fluid motion tossed Pinkie from her perch and out through the open door of the hut.
From outside, Luna faintly heard Pinkie's voice. “Oooh Hi Rarity! How'd you get in that bubble? Is it gum? Urgh, if it is it's the worst tasting gum eeever!”
“I do not believe you to be a liar, but the news I give is truly dire. The root you seek does not still grow, for it vanished long ago,” Zecora said sadly as she moved across her workspace. She gathered a hoof-full of glittering powder from one small painted jar and pulled the heavy cover from the ornate cauldron that dominated the center of the room.
Pinkie Pie sprung up like a demented pony-in-the-box and squealed, “Let me be your tasty stew!”
Immediately, the zebra raised her hoof and blew, sending a cloud of powder into Pinkie's face. The pink pony wrinkled her nose, then sneezed several times, each sneeze making her bounce higher above the heavy iron cauldron with a sound like a small squeezetoy being stepped on.
“What ... why did you do that, Zeccy?” Pinkie leaned over the edge of the cauldron, her forehooves reaching for Zecora's shoulders.
The zebra shaman gently pulled Pinkie from the cauldron and laid her on the floor. Pinkie Pie blinked slowly, her eyes opening less wide each time.
“So watch ... out! ... She’s ... mine ... ” The party pony's usually high pitched and effervescent voice was little more than a whisper as she gazed up at Zecora, then her eyes closed and she began to snore like an industrial logging machine.
“Without the ponydrake root, there is no hope for my people. The poison will claim them, and there is nothing we can do to avert it.” Luna spoke softly, her body trembling as she stared at the floor of the hut. “We have ... I have failed them all. The townsponies, my friends, my sister.”
“Raise your head, daughter of night, we have not yet lost this fight,” Zecora said gently. “This young one now sleeps, so for her you need not weep. All the rest may be saved soon, if you can but raise your namesake moon.”
“I cannot! Hast thou not noticed how the sun remains still in the sky? Our ... my sister has forgotten her royal duty. Without her to set the sun, it is impossible for me raise the moon. Perhaps if I were not so weak, I would be able to do something. I could make them all sleep, as I did in the days before my banishment.” Luna stomped her forehooves against the floor, frustrated and angry.
“You will not know unless you try; heed my words royal one, for to you I would not lie. While you were gone, your sister did both moon and sun lay claim; now it falls to you, to find the strength to do the same.”
Luna made herself stop grinding her hoof into the floor and looked up. She watched the thoughtful zebra as she picked up the comatose Pinkie Pie and laid her out on the hut's small cot. The pink party pony curled up instantly into a tight ball, her own poofy mane clutched in her hooves like a cherished teddy bear, and her snore quieting to a soft murmur.
“What you say is true, and we find it wise. Thank you friend Zecora. We will … I will try my best,” Luna said as she turned to leave the hut. Standing outside for a moment, she sighed deeply and re-entered the hut.
“I had forgotten a small problem with which I could once again use your sage assistance. Wouldst thou watch this young filly for me, and see that she comes to no harm?” Luna asked as she raised one royal leg, around which was tightly wrapped a cooing white unicorn.
“So elegant, so regal, so royal!” gasped Rarity. “Oh my dear dear amour royale, we were tailor-made for each other! Your beauty is embroidered across my heart!”
Zecora chuckled softly and nodded. Taking up another hoof-full of powder, she leaned down and lightly blew the sparkling dust into the enraptured fashionista’s face. Within moments, Rarity's grip slackened and she slumped to the floor like a well-groomed marshmallow.
“Oh, darn … ” she mumbled before slipping into the peace of magical sleep.
Luna made her way back outside once again and looked up at the clear sky, where the noonday sun still blazed despite the late hour. Her powerful dark violet wings spread out and lifted her from the ground with one push, sending fallen leaves scattering through the tree-lined clearing. She rose into the bright sky like a living shadow, summoning her strength as she climbed.
***
Rainbow Dash flashed across the Ponyville rooftops, trying to keep below the randomly drifting lovestruck pegasi, and above the adoration-crazed earth ponies. Her forehooves were wrapped tightly around Spike, hugging the dragon to herself like the world’s most scaly stuffed animal as she pushed harder against the wind for speed.
“I see Fluttershy!” Spike managed to squeak out.
“Huh? Where? I don’t see her,” Rainbow Dash shouted, her words carried away on the wind almost instantly.
“Wheeeeeee!!!”
“Oh, never mind, saw her,” she amended with a sigh.
Finally the two cleared the edge of the town and soared out across the wide green fields and orchard land leading back to the farm. Although Rainbow Dash had agreed with Spike, she somehow doubted they were likely to find anypony here, and even less likely to find anypony looking for a drink. Landing by the now half-collapsed concession stand, Rainbow released her passenger and leaned against the broken counter.
“Well, this was a total bust. Spike, you stay here, I'm gonna go grab some sky and look for Princess Yelly-hooves,” she said.
As she turned to leave, she caught sight of a single pony who leaned against the trunk of a thick apple tree across the empty festival grounds. Unlike every other pony she'd seen so far, this one wasn't chasing, wasn't running, wasn't moving at all. Even at a distance, Rainbow Dash had no trouble recognizing her friend.
“Hey, AJ … are you OK?” the blue pegasus flew over to the statue-still Applejack. Worry overcoming caution, she landed and lightly touched the earth pony’s flank.
Applejack turned with mechanical slowness and lifted her head. It took only a moment for their eyes to meet, but in that instant Rainbow Dash felt as if days had flickered by. She found herself blushing at the way Applejack looked at her.
“Oh … pony-feathers,“ she said quietly, desperately trying to will her frozen legs to move.
“Hey there hon. Ah was hopin’ y’all would come back.” Applejack's voice was whisper-soft as she stepped closer to the nearly paralyzed pegasus. Reaching up, Applejack stroked her hoof lightly along Rainbow Dash's cheek and down the side of her neck. The blush covering Rainbow Dash's face deepened and spread in an unstoppable tide that threatened to turn her pinker than Pinkie Pie.
“You've been poisoned AJ! You're not … yourself, you know? Spi … someone dropped a love potion in the cider, everypony who drank it, they're all crazy … they think they love -”
Applejack moved her hoof to cover Rainbow Dash's babbling mouth and smiled.
“Ah know all that. Ah also reckon that there potion was only made to trick somepony into fallin’ for somepony else. It don't work on you if you already felt … “ the earth pony's voice trailed off as she lowered her hoof and stared down at the ground, a blush of her own half-hidden beneath her blonde mane.
“What Ah feel ain't a game hon. But not like this. Someday, when there ain't no question and ain’t no tricks, ain’t no magic interfering.” Applejack leaned forward and brushed a feather-light kiss against the now trembling Rainbow Dash’s lips. “Someday sugarcube, when there ain't nothing but honesty between us.”
Applejack smiled again, a gentle but bittersweet expression on her face as she turned from the breathless pegasus and slowly trotted away into the orchard. Rainbow Dash suddenly remembered the importance of oxygen, and gasped in a deep, ragged gulp of air. Her hind legs gave out and she found herself sitting on her rump in the dusty clearing, staring up at the bright sky with her heart hammering a staccato of confused joy in her chest. She watched as a dark silhouette rose higher against the sun.
***
Luna strained against the natural resistance of the world as she tried to summon the moon. It was like trying to push a balloon underwater. Her wings beat down again, raising the Princess of the Night higher still. She looked down at the tiny scene of utter bedlam below her and fought to shake off the sense of hopelessness that threatened to overwhelm her heart. This is impossible, the sinister thoughts whispered in her mind, even with the power of Nightmare Moon you couldn't do this. Nopony could. Not even the oh-so-perfect Celestia!
She closed her eyes and raised her head toward the warmth of the light, letting the sun wash over her and burn away the insidious voice like morning fog. She thought of all the innocent ponies, all the friends she had made after being so long alone. They needed her. They needed the night to come.
Her wings spread wide and the darkness of her mane and tail flowed around her like an aura as she unleashed all the power she had. Her horn glowed a black and violet nova as the magic poured from inside her and spread across the sky. At first, nothing seemed to happen as the darkness faded and was lost in the light of the burning sun. Still, the magic flowed.
The sun appeared suddenly to have had a bite taken from its edge, a round indentation of black encroaching on the bright sphere. The occlusion grew moment by moment as the moon rose to cover its sister. With a final surge of magic and desperation, Luna pushed the moon fully in front of the sun, covering the land below in the soothing shadow of a lunar eclipse.
As the darkness spread over Ponyville, the Mare of the Moon’s magic went with it, seeping into every corner and hiding place. Where the darkness touched the struggling, fleeing and frantic ponies, it carried a single siren message.
Sleep now.
***
In the Ponyville schoolhouse, Cheerilee flipped through her syllabus frantically. The blackboard behind her was covered in diagrams and formulae, and every flat surface of the classroom was buried under open books. It was the only way she had found to keep her infatuated student distracted.
In a seat much too small for her, Twilight Sparkle stared with utterly rapt attention as Cheerilee began reciting the district zoning laws of first century Canterlot. The purple unicorn thrust a hoof into the air, waving it madly back and forth.
“I know the answer! Oh I know it! Oh please pleeease let me answer!!” she begged. Darkness poured in through the windows and shrouded the classroom. Little by little, Twilight's head bowed as the magic took hold. She tucked one hoof under her head atop the desk and kept the other raised up high even as she closed her eyes. “ I know the … “
***
In a small, ramshackle cottage on the edge of the Everfree Forest, Mayor Mare reclined in a rather comfortable bed as a yellow pegasus flitted about, bringing her extra pillows and blankets, hot soup and cool drinks.
“Oh my, please don't worry Mayor, I know you'll be back on your hooves in no time! You just need to rest and relax for a little while. Is there anything else I can get you? Anything at all? Please don't be afraid to ask … “ Fluttershy smiled, a smile that the distinguished Mare found just a little disturbing for reasons she couldn't quite put her hoof on.
Still, that soup was really quite good, she thought as the unnatural night fell outside. Moments later, she was nestled back in the pillows, snoring softly. Fluttershy knelt at the edge of the bed, her head resting atop the Mayor's hoof as she fell asleep, smiling sweetly to herself..
***
Iron Will and Big Macintosh glared at each other across the town square. The two of them had painted a swath of destruction and havoc across half of Ponyville in their chase. Both were exhausted, chests heaving to draw breath for one final clash. Big Mac pawed at the earth and surged forward in a flat-out charge. Iron Will flexed his enormous chest muscles and bellowed a challenge:
“When your love is near, you must show him no fear!” With that, he lowered his horned head and ran forward.
Darkness swept over them and both colt and minotaur were sound asleep by the time they collided, ending up in a tangle of limbs in the middle of the street, Iron Will's head resting atop the earth pony's broad chest.
***
On the rooftop of the most celebrated dress shop in all of Ponyville, Sweetie Belle stared up at the eclipse, still longing for her lost dragon love. As the darkness fell, she lay down and sighed quietly.
“How the heck did I get up here anyway … ”
***
Still standing back to back on the gazebo, Octavia and Vinyl Scratch fought to keep the music going. They’d been performing for what seemed like days now. Both musicians knew that the moment they stopped, the crowd would crush them like a tsunami.
Vinyl fed the last of her failing magic into the sound system and brought the heavy booming bass up to a fevered crescendo, its primal energy mixed and interwoven with Octavia's haunting melody. Together, the performers drove their music to a peak and held it there; the final note vibrated in the air like a fragile crystal thread. The sound faded and the following silence was broken by the clatter of the bow falling to the floor as it slipped from Octavia's exhausted and numb hoof.
The two ponies sagged back against each other as the crowd began to wake from its trance.
“My dear Vinyl, it was a pleasure to work with you,” Octavia said as the sky darkened above them.
“You know it babe … you know it,” Vinyl Scratch replied weakly, but happily.
As the adoring crowd charged, the two performer-ponies fell to the gazebo floor, each holding the other in a protective embrace as around them sleep overtook the surging crowd, dropping them one by one into blissful slumber. The last few fell only inches from the huddled musicians. Neither noticed as they gazed into each other's sleepy eyes and let the night take them.
***
In the farm clearing a blue pegasus slept, her rainbow tail curled tightly around herself, and dreamed of falling leaves.
In the orchard nearby, a blonde earth pony slept while still standing on her hooves, and dreamed of endless blue skies.
***
An exhausted Luna landed in the middle of the sleeping town and fought to keep from collapsing into slumber herself. She heard nothing but peaceful silence around her, and together the sun and moon above began to sink to the horizon, leaving a dark star-filled blanket across Equestria.
When all this is over, she thought with a tremble of exhaustion, I think I shall banish myself to my room to sleep for a week. Perhaps two.
***
The next day dawned on schedule, allowing the confused, and rather embarrassed, citizens of Ponyville to begin cleaning up the mess their town awoke to find itself in. Many ponies seemed to be having trouble meeting each others’ gaze, but by tacit agreement it was understood that no one would ever … speak of this … again.
Twilight Sparkle stood with her friends in the Royal Audience Chamber of Canterlot Castle. Each of the six ponies, and one terrified dragon, fidgeted and squirmed uncomfortably under the piercing gaze of Princess Celestia.
“Well my little ponies, it would seem once again your town has been the source of some very strange events. Spike, would you step forward please?” the Sun Princess’s voice was gentle, but carried with it the undeniable power of command.
The young dragon reluctantly left the cover of Twilight's flank and moved to stand at the foot of the dais atop which Celestia sat.
“I'm really sorry Princess Celestia … it was an accident and I never meant for anyone to get hurt. I'm sorry … please don't banish me to live with the jerky dragons! I'll be good from now on, I swear!” he pleaded, tears welling at the corners of his eyes. Turning to face his friends he bowed his head and sniffled.
“I hope you guys will be able to forgive me ... eventually. I know I put everyone in terrible danger, and Rarity ... Rarity I’m so so sorry! I didn’t think ... I didn’t think it would be like that. I never wanted to trick you or hurt you. I just thought ... maybe the potion could help you understand how I feel about you.” Spike sniffled again, a few warm tears escaping to slide down his face. “When I saw how you ... how everyone was acting, it was awful! You weren’t yourself at all. You weren’t the amazing Rarity I love. I never meant for that to happen.”
Spike could feel the burning tears flowing freely now as he spoke directly from his heart, “Just because I love you, doesn’t mean I have the right to demand you love me back. And ... and even if you never do feel that way about me, I’ll still always love you and be happy for you and ... maybe in time get to be your friend again.”
When he looked up, he saw that several of the ponies gathered were also sniffling, and even Rarity looked at him in a way which suggested that, while what he’d done was by no means forgotten, there was still hope for forgiveness. On her dais, Princess Celestia rose from her cushion and stepped down closer to the trembling dragon.
“Spike, what you did was very serious. I am very proud of you though, for having the courage to confess everything in front of your friends. Normally I would ask if you had learned anything from what happened, but I believe you have already. However, it will not be up to me to punish you. You will have to seek forgiveness from your neighbours and friends just as you’ve asked for it here. I hope that in earning their forgiveness, you will learn more about what friendship really means than anything I could tell you.” Princess Celestia gave her pronouncement sternly, though she smiled a little at the end.
Spike swallowed the painful lump in his throat and nodded, moving back to stand behind Twilight with a thoughtful look on his face.
“As for the rest of you … if I ever, ever hear of anything that even sounds like ‘love potion’, I Will Banish The Offending Pony!” The day Princess's voice boomed through the hall, shaking the ivory walls and making manes and tails whip wildly about.
“But .. but Princess...” Twilight Sparkle stuttered.
“To The MOON!” Celestia's voice echoed around the room.
Six ponies, and one terrified dragon, stumbled and climbed over each other in a frantic effort to escape the Royal Chamber. After they had fled, two sombre guards closed the heavy doors behind them. Alone in the brightly-lit Chamber, Princess Celestia stared up at the high vaulted ceiling for a moment, and then began to chuckle, smiling to herself.
“Gotcha … “
Flying down from her dais, the royal princess made her way down empty halls and gilt etched corridors to her bedchamber. With a soft word, she dismissed the guards who stood outside the door and entered her room. The huge and normally immaculately made bed was a complete shambles of tangled blankets and heaped pillows.
Celestia extended her magic, drawing the drapes closed across the windows as she moved to stand at the edge of the bed. A pair of bright, misaligned eyes stared up at her from the grinning face of a grey coated, blonde-maned pegasus who was buried within the blankets.
“Now then, my little mailmare, where were we?”
End