Believe in the Heart of the Moon
Prologue
It has been an amazing day in Ponyville, the weather was beautiful and Twilight had met an alicorn she had never heard of before. He called himself, or at least Rainbow Dash had called him Blaze and everypony else went with the nickname. It was great talking to him because he knew all these little things about Equestria’s history. He got along very well as though he knew each of her friends. Blaze gave Dash tips on gliding with the wind, he was gentle with animals that Fluttershy brought to meet him, Pinkie Pie manages to always get a laugh from him, Blaze is even charming enough for Rarity to develop a crush on him. He seemed different around Applejack though; he would sit beside her, away from the others and talk to her. Applejack even took off her hat and put it on Terra, it didn’t matter what they were talking about because she seemed happy. Even Princess Luna was there, but she remained quiet and distant, much like Spike, except Spike always voiced his opinion.
Spike felt differently about Blaze, he kept saying that it was too good to be true. The strange thing was that he was right. None of this was real, just another addition to a series of dreams that Twilight and her friends have been experiencing recently each night. The dreams were unique though, each one of them had their own experiences, but every now and then they would all share the same dream when all of them were in it. Blaze was always friendly in the dreams, they even asked him what he was doing there but he would never answer, just glance toward Luna when she was in them. Eventually Twilight and her friends began to find the need to learn whether or not he is real, and why he is in their dreams.
Cry for the Moon
The streets of Ponyville are rather silent at night with all of the ponies sleeping comfortably in their homes. Ever since Luna had returned, the moon has risen brighter than it had in the past one thousand years, and Equestria had settled into a more stable time of peace. Equestria was now well defended from evil now that Princess Luna is once again in her position of power, and the Elements of Harmony are active once again as well. However, on this night there was something particular strange about Ponyville near Sugarcube Corner.
Blaze, a white alicorn stallion with a mane that practically seemed to burn, and a flaming heart for a cutie mark walked through the streets of town. Applejack’s hat rested on his head, just out of the way of his horn. He had spent quite some time outside of most cities publicly, so he felt a bit strange as he walked into the silent intersection. There were no ponies out in the streets, and all of the shops and stalls were closed at this time of night. Ponyville had definitely grown in size and structure since he last had business here. He had once saved a young green filly from timber-wolves in the Everfree Forest. Now once a year that filly, now elderly, harvests zap apples, which she discovered in the forest.
Blaze stopped walking and looked around the intersection of Ponyville. Sugarcube Corner was the only shop that was lit and open, unusual for this time of night. He entered the café style bakery with the ring of a bell from above the door. All kinds of baked goods and party supplies were shelved and on display throughout the shop. It had an old fashioned feel to it, but it was still the over exaggerated pony colors and woodwork design. It was a definite improvement from the first founding of Ponyville, though now most structures were lit by magically charged crystals that powered the lights; it’s just hard to apply that same technology to other things safely. There was only one pony inside the shop that was tending the counter, though a familiar baby dragon sat up on a stool by the counter sipping hot cocoa.
“Another doughnut,” Spike, the purple baby dragon said to the tender.
“Sir, haven’t you had enough?” The tender asked.
“Another!” Spike demanded, forcing the tender to place another doughnut on the counter.
Blaze walked up to the counter next to Spike, who just sat and stared at his doughnut, holding his cocoa on the counter. The tender took a single quick look at Blaze before turning away and shaking his head. Apparently this night was too much for him to believe an alicorn is standing in the shop.
“Most of them didn’t think you were real until they started to have similar dreams. There were some who thought you weren’t real, but there are also others that are now counting on you,” Spike said staring emotionless at his doughnut.
“Spike, did anything happen?” Blaze asked, both curious and worried because he had failed to complete his task. Now he wonders if everypony within that dream, including Spike, remembers him.
Spike looked at Blaze, and Blaze could see that anger grew in Spike’s heart. Looking into his eyes they watered with worry.
“Happen? Blaze you had a real effect on them and I’m holding you responsible for what does happen,” Spike said, expecting some form of resistance from Blaze but was rather surprised.
Blaze looked away from Spike, he agreed with him. Whatever happens to those six mares is his responsibility. It’ll be his fault if any one of them were to come to harm. It is his responsibility, and it will be some time before another can take his place. He had to keep balance in harmony, and dream-walking was the best way to check on the elements without revealing himself to the world. Now it seems as though he failed trying to do what he wanted, and even Princess Luna had come to Ponyville, most likely to see if Twilight knows about the dreams as well.
Blaze looked back at Spike and spoke with sincerity, “Wherever they are I have to find them, and Luna as well.”
Spike munched on his doughnut and sipped more of his cocoa. Since he woke from his dream with the others he wondered if Blaze was real, but so did they.
“Most of them went looking for you, or even to find something about you. Pinkie Pie and Rarity were the only ones to stay in town, because of the shops,” Spike said, leaning to one side so he could better see the hat Blaze was wearing.
Somehow Blaze had managed to get Applejack’s hat one night. In one of the dreams she had placed it on his head, and it was gone in the real world. The hat somehow had traveled with Blaze through the dream with the use of magic. It was proof that the Elements of Harmony were in power once again. Blaze made a promise to Applejack that he would return the hat, but he has yet to fulfill a much more important promise made to someone special a very long time ago. That promise is the very reason he is going through all of this.
“Do you know where they would’ve gone?” Blaze asked with some sense of urgency.
Spike took a moment to collect his thoughts before he spoke, “Twilight went to Canterlot to try to find research on you. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy simply left for Cloudsdale. It’s Applejack who actually went out looking for you.”
“I’d made a promise to her, and I keep my promises,” Blaze said, feeling the hat on his head with his hoof, but also contemplating on the other.
“Would you happen to know where Luna is in town?” Blaze asked with a sense of urgency, but also appreciation for Spike answering his questions.
“Luna is in town. Each night she’s out on the bridge over the creek,” Spike said, unsure of why Luna hadn’t returned to Canterlot.
“Then I should be going then, thank you Spike,” Blaze said as he quickly left the shop.
Blaze knows where the bridge is in Ponyville. He recognized it from Spike’s memories, which results from a clairvoyant ability for some alicorns to see the past through the eyes of another. So much can be learned by looking them in the eyes. Spike knew of the bridge because that was the place Rarity had kissed him. For some strange reason that bridge has had some sort of importance recently, but for another strange reason it has some other meaning to him, a much older and deeper experience he can’t quite remember. He tried to remember what it was as he made his way there.
When Blaze reached the bridge, Luna stood in silence with her front hooves on the rail looking down into the water. He recalled another memory that wasn’t his, but that of Twilight Sparkle. This bridge was where she found Luna when she had lost all hope of adjusting to things on Nightmare Night. It was also the first bridge built to bring ponies across the creek when Ponyville was first founded after the tragedy in the old kingdom.
“Whom-ever you may be, I am in no need of assistance,” Luna said sadly.
“Well that’s just fine then, I can still enjoy the night as is,” Blaze said as he put his hooves up on the rail next to Luna and looked into the creek.
Blaze could see their reflections in the still water. The moonlight shined from between flowered lily pads in the water. He thought now just as he did then, it wasn’t just the night he meant to speak of with a double meaning.
“The night seems so peaceful and quiet. I love it, the way it’s like a whole other world. It’s just, normally I’m all alone,” Luna sadly spoke.
“It gives you time to wonder, to contemplate on the world itself, the past, present, and the future,” Blaze said, admiring the moon and the stars.
“Time to wonder who I am, and if you are… real,” Luna said, taking her hooves off the rail.
“Why wonder if I’m real?” Blaze asked, taking his hooves off the rail as well.
“I wonder because I don’t know who I am, but you’re the only other thing I know besides my name and my passion for the night. I know you… from my history, a mystery in my memory,” Luna said sadly as she began slowly walking away.
Blaze stood for a moment to wonder as he gazed at Luna’s mane. Observing how well it blended with the stars in the sky. He then looked back down into the creek. This time however his reflection was not accompanied by that of Nightmare Moon. He then turned back toward Luna who stopped to look into the night sky. It reminded him of the past as well, the pain of having to walk away, silent and cold striking like a dagger into the heart itself.
“Hey, I didn’t come back just for you to return to the past and give up now. I won’t leave you, I’m keeping my promise,” Blaze said quietly yet boldly.
“I didn’t know what to think at first about seeing you again, but you really are here, you are back?” Luna asked, tears streaming down her face as she gazed up at the moon.
“You are back Luna, and no matter what I’ll make sure you stay,” Blaze said reassuringly as he watched as Luna cried toward the moon.
Blaze didn’t know what the outcome would be very soon. He can all but hope to save Luna, she is still conflicted with Nightmare Moon in her heart. Now that she has returned from her prison, and Nightmare Moon was quelled by the Elements of Harmony, he has to find a permanent solution. The elements weren’t created to destroy nightmares, they were created to keep balance in harmony, keep distance between hate and love, good and evil. A nightmare can only be resolved by its host, meaning that Luna will have to make peace with herself, or succumb to Nightmare Moon. If she does not and they fight each other in her heart, she will die.