Part Two: Luna Finds A Stallion.
As almost all ponies, Griffons and Dragons know, Equestria is ruled by the omnipotent sisters of sun and moon, Celestia and her younger sister Luna.
Celestia the goddess of the sun was a large white Allicorn, earth pony Pegasus and unicorn rolled into one who was adored by her faithful subjects and who secretly enjoyed the odd party, after all she was a good pony, not a complete troll...
…Right?
Luna however was the dark horse of the two, she had lost her rag with her sister in the past and transformed by the darkness within she had waged war upon her sister in a battle for control of their kingdom.
When this was thwarted by Celestia, with as Luna might add considerable help from the Elements of Harmony not to mention a light brown stallion with a long coat and an extra long colorful scarf, fedora hat, and an hourglass shaped cutie mark, topped off with buck teeth and a penchant for bags of sweets and trouble along with a grey Pegasus with a golden mane as his companion.
This as all ponies know resulted in her banishment to the moon for a thousand years, only returning after the magic that kept her there had worn off and despite her alter ego being defeated yet again, but this time thanks to Celestia’s protégé and her assortment of friends she was freed from the darkness.
And so a repentant Luna had been allowed to stay in Equestria and resume her duties as dual princess.
Luna strongly suspected this was a ploy by Celestia to get time off, but since she had spent a millennia on the moon alone and now could live freely in Equestria, (as long as she fulfilled her duties each sister being responsible for raising and lowering of their respective celestial bodies each day and night) Luna was prepared to overlook the odd sun coming up late because of yet another all night party thrown by her sister.
Today though Luna couldn’t shake the feeling of something being wrong, turning to her sister as they sat at the long table in the palaces great hall for their breakfast, Luna began to ask.
“Celestia...?”
“Hmph...?”
“Celestia…?”
“Urghh…”
Luna looked at her sister’s bedraggled mane, bloodshot eyes and hung over expression and tried to imagine what it took for a goddess to get drunk?
Sure Luna knew that the parties her sister threw were sometimes extravagant, and that she always invited at ‘least’ one of personal guard or a ‘friend’ to her chambers afterwards for a nightcap, but...
Luna didn’t really understand the situation, or what a ‘nightcap’ meant, and Celestias’ attempt to explain what she called the birds and the bees had resulted in confusion for Luna since she couldn’t understand what that had to do with ponies?
Luna studied her sister as Celestia sank lower into her chair, Luna decided perhaps disturbing her wasn’t the best thing right now, especially since every servants hoof tread echoed loudly in the marbled hall, causing Celestia to wince.
Leaving her remaining breakfast and her near comatose sister to wallow in self pity, Luna left the hall and headed outside to the palace grounds.
An idea quickly thwarted as Luna realized her sister had forgotten to regulate the sun’s temperature again, the result being it was scorching hot outside and the guards at the gate looked as they would burst into flame any minute.
Sighing deeply and wondering why everyone put up with her sister’s behavior she made her way towards the library, at least in there she would be cool enough and able to relax.
As Luna entered the grand library she breathed deeply; the smell of dust and old paper relaxed her as she walked past the many shelves, she began to hum to herself.
Just as she passed the first of many rows of books in the mythical creatures section she failed to see the large stack of books that unsteadily turned the next corner in front of her, colliding with it she was knocked over clipping the shelf next to her with her outstretched wings resulting in her being buried under the shower of heavy tomes and age old manuscripts that fell from the shelf.
As the dust settled on the heap of books Luna poked her head out from underneath it all before standing up, causing the pile to spread even further across the floor.
Looking for what she had bumped into Luna’s eyes came to rest on a young stallion, who was also attempting to extricate himself from the pile.
Wait… Him…?
Luna knew there were no male librarian ponies at the palace so with the best impression of her sister she could muster up; she stood looking down at the stallion with her most regal looking stance.
The strange pony managed to stand up after slipping about on the books, and for the first time noticed Luna.
“Umm... Hello…”
The stallion said with a slightly confused expression as Luna puffed her chest out.
“Who are you?”
Luna demanded with what she hoped was a commanding tone.
“Sorry, don’t you know who I am?”
Luna bristled as she eyed up the weirdo, he was an earth pony, brown fur with a dark brown unkempt mane, a brown overcoat and blue jacket with a red tie..
She screwed up the courage and looked him straight in his eyes.
As she stared he didn’t flinch or blink but those eyes she knew them from...
…The dark times, as her buried memories began to resurface the library dissolved around her into darkness as she began to panic...
“Noooo stop!”
With a look of genuine sorrow the stallion mumbled,
“I’m so sorry…”
That was the last thing she remembered before she lost consciousness.
The earth pony caught Luna as she toppled which for her size was no mean feat, gently laying her down he placed a few manuscripts under her head.
Satisfied he left the library, the book he wanted in his mouth he glanced back at the prone princess and smiled…
…A sad smile.
It was a long time ago he had first met Luna, before the darkness had taken her; even then it wasn’t this fragile looking mare or him for that matter, well sort of… With a craving for sweets he slipped quietly away.
A little while later, Luna awoke with a start, books and paper scattered around her as she hastily got up.
What had she been doing?
She calmed herself closing her eyes she thought back....
…The intruder!
Luna’s eye opened wide as she remembered.
Turning towards the main door of the library and in a less than royal fashion, she ran headlong out the library calling out as she did so.
“…CELESTIA!!!”
Followed by an even higher pitch as she cried out...
“…BIG SISTER!!!”
Meanwhile back in Ponyville.
It was now mid day and as busy as ever.
After the debacle at the farm and Applejack getting a mouthful from Granny Smith about…
“All that darn mud in mah kitchen!!!”
Rainbow Dash and Applejack had decided since it was too hot to work or as Dash put it lay out on a cloud, they would go looking for Ditsy.
“You know Rainbow, she could be anywhere.”
“Well… Why don’t we just check Sugarcube corner…?”
“And what exactly makes you think she’s there?”
“They sell muffins?”
Applejack stopped walking,
“Muffin’s Dash…?”
“Sure, they are her favorite thing in the whole of Equestria! She’s upset so I guarantee we’ll find her if we go to all the places that sell muffins.”
Dash flapped into the air and headed in the direction of Sugarcube corner.
“I sure hope your right Dash, you know Ditsy she could be flying into all sort’s of trouble.”
“Trust me OK, muffins for sure”
Dash sped away as Applejack followed behind, mentally she was questioning Dash’s logic and groaned when she started thinking how many places in Ponyville that sold muffins (which she realized was quite a few nowadays).
“Aww darn it all...”
It didn’t take long for the both of them to reach Sugarcube corner, as the pair reached the open door they heard the distinctive cheering and hollering of their friend and fellow Element of Harmony Pinkie Pie.
As the element of laughter Pinkie’s pink coat and mane along with her party balloons for a cutie mark personified her as the one pony, any pony would ask for help planning any party, anytime, anywhere, for any pony.
Trouble was if there wasn’t any parties happening anywhere and Pinkie couldn’t think of an excuse, she had the tendency to get a bit unhinged.
Not that she was crazy, well not in the traditional sense but she could be very scary if she didn’t get her quota.
Dash and Applejack caught sight of Pinkie through the open door, she was covered in bits of glitter and bits of streamer and was bouncing back and forth between the shelves and a pile of what looked like party bags, cakes, toys and sweets lying in the middle of the floor, it was immediately obvious she was preparing some kind of birthday party.
Deciding not to disturb her and glancing around the shop for Ditzy Applejack stepped back out the door and whispered to Dash.
“She isn’t here Dash”
“Well next stop then.”
Dash replied lazily flapping her wings turning in the air to head back down the street.
As Applejack followed Dash winged her way towards their next stop, a little café newly opened just off the town square.
Applejack who was a little behind the times and not so good at remembering gossip called up to her friend,
“Uh Dash you mind telling me who runs the place again?”
“Don’t you ever listen to Rarity?”
Applejack looked sheepish,
“Ah skip bits.”
Dash nearly crashed into a lamppost as she couldn’t help but agree with the farm pony.
“Look, last month Bon-Bon’s aunt passed away, you know Bon-Bon right?”
Applejack shook her head as she tried to picture Bon Bon, the name rang a bell though...
Dash just sighed as she explained.
“Well her aunt passed away and left Bon Bon a ton of bits, well Bon-Bon was going to do all this stuff like travel…”
“So what’s that got to do with this here café...?”
“I’m getting to that, well Bon Bon was convinced by Lyra to open a shop instead so Bon Bon could sell her amazing candied treat that she makes…
And so that they could live off the profits.”
“Uh Dash, this isn’t a candy shop.”
“Well Bon-Bon didn’t want to run a shop just for candy but she had always dreamed of owning a small café instead.”
“And she sells muffins.”
“Bingo.”
The small interior of the café was simple as was the outside all done out in white walls and oak wood skirting boards, small oak chairs and tables filled but not crowded the room and the atmosphere was quiet.
In the corner behind a small counter was a till, price boards and a selection of tea cakes, sweets and...
…Muffins.
Dash trotted to the counter as a cream earth pony with pink and purple mane and three candy sweets as a cutie mark came from a door presumably leading to the back.
“Hi there Bon-Bon…”
“Oh Dash! How wonderful, hold on… Lyraaaaa… Dash is here.”
She called loudly back through the door as Applejack finally recognized the mare from around the town; she nodded awkwardly to Bon-Bon, embarrassed she hadn’t remembered her.
Bon-Bon busied herself behind the till as they waited, although Applejack noticed she looked a little exhausted, looking around Applejack noticed there weren’t too many customers, in fact only two.
One was an old stallion quietly slipping tea and reading a paper, the other… Applejack realized was muttering quietly.
Applejack couldn’t hear what he was saying and couldn’t see him either, well not properly.
He was sat with an old dusty book with a moon on the cover labelled ‘Mythical beast’s myths and legends volume one’ which was open and standing upright on the table in front of him obscuring her view.
As Applejack turned back to Dash, she heard him say…
“Well that didn’t happen like that, (followed by) …Ha that’s wrong for a start…”
Dash and Bon-Bon didn’t hear him and Applejack still worried about Ditsy not to mention annoyed because a hard day’s apple bucking had gone to waste ignored it.
Dash and Bon-Bon were chatting away harmlessly when Applejack interrupted.
“Dash, don’t forget why we’re here now.”
Dash stopped mid sentence and gave a sheepish grin
“Hey, uh Bon-Bon, have you seen Ditsy anywhere, or has she bought muffins today?”
Bon-Bon paused thoughtfully for a second.
“No, sorry Dash, the only muffins I’ve sold were with tea and sweets to that stallion… She pointed a hoof at the stallion who was still muttering to himself behind the book.
It was clear Bon-Bon was a little nervous about her customer as she quickly glanced away frowning.
Unsure what to say, the trio stood for a moment trying to think of something.
This was fortunately broken by the arrival of Lyra.
Lyra a green unicorn pony with a lyre shaped cutie mark Applejack knew all too well since her arrival in Ponyville, Lyra had initially made few friends but when her and Applejack first met nearly a year ago, Lyra would often visit the farm and sit in the orchard playing her Lyre while Applejack worked.
However Applejack hadn’t seen her in a long time not since Lyra had taken up a bad habit and Applejack had found her wandering past the orchard one day seemingly spaced out smoking what smelled like medicinal herbs.
Now Applejack wasn’t always quick on the uptake, but she did know something about so say medicinal herbs, Big Macintosh her brother wasn’t the quiet law abiding farm pony everyone took him for.
Sneaking off to the barn all hours, Applejack blushed as she play thought of the stack of porn mags, bags of medicinal herbs and strong cider hidden behind a board in the back of the barn.
Needless to say Applejack had politely shooed Lyra away from the farm but still considered Lyra friendly, if a little strange.
“Wow Lyra, you look hammered…”
Bon-Bon and Applejack flinched at Dash’s blunt welcome.
Applejack studied Lyra, with her unkempt light green mane, her eyes bloodshot, yeah hammered suited perfectly.
Bon-Bon’s crushed expression said it all, her eyes though, Applejack thought the look in her eyes was a little strange, as if there was nothing she could do about it.
Dash wasn’t oblivious either.
“So uh Lyra, you’ve seen Ditsy Doo?”
“N’uh sorry Dash, uh which one’s Ditsy again?”
“Ah wonder.”
Dash gave Applejack a sharp kick as she continued.
“You know Ditsy Doo…? Derpy…”
“Oh yeah… Derps! Why not say so Dash…? Like no, haven’t seen her in a while been here with Bonnie all day”
“Ouch…”
Lyra flinched as Bon-Bon flicked her ear with her hoof.
“Stop calling me that.”
Bon-Bon sniffed with what looked like a real tear threatening to fall.
Lyra smiled apologetically, but her expression seemed so distant her eyes fuzzy.
Applejack motioned to Dash it was time to leave as a voice behind them piped up.
“Uh… Sorry did you say you were looking for Dixie Doo?”
The stallion behind the book now peering over asked.
“Uh no… A mare named Ditsy Doo, she’s grey, with a blonde mane… She’s a Pegasus who delivers the mail.”
“Really…?”
He blinked deep in thought.
“Nah couldn’t be…”
And with that he disappeared behind his book again.
Confused and with a lot of places still to check, Dash and Applejack bade farewell to Lyra and Bon-Bon and moved on.
“Uh Dash.”
Applejack asked, Dash flying a little off the ground next to her replied.
“Yeah...”
“How’d you know those two so well? They were pretty happy to see you, especially Lyra? You don’t you know...”
“What?” Dash asked panicking slightly…
“Uh you know... Herbs…”
Dash breathed out in relief.
“Certainly not… I’m training to be a Wonderbolt remember.”
Dash was clearly upset at the implication.
“OK, sorry ah should’ve known better...”
Dash flapped her wings slightly annoyed.
“Well how then?”
“I met Lyra at one of Pinkie’s parties for new ponies in town she was a bit partied out, (stoned most probably Applejack thought) so I helped her home, that’s how I met Bon-Bon.
“So they’re room mates huh, they live above the cafe then?”
Dash blushed…
“Not room mates... But they do share a room…”
It was Applejack’s turn to blush.
“Seriously those two are…?”
“Uh yeah…”
Dash glanced away,.
“Didn’t you notice, the lack of customers they had?”
Applejack nodded.
“Well at first lots of ponies went there, but after a week or so some pony started spreading rumors saying they were filly foolers and he’d seen them kiss, then Lyra and Bon-Bon admitted it and came out, and... Things haven’t gone that well recently.”
“That ain’t right.”
Applejack, a measure of uncertainty in her voice looked away from her friend as she continued.
“Sooo... you’re not bothered huh Dash?”
Dash while flying alongside didn’t look at her but replied.
“Princess Celestia said ponies could be what ever they want so long as it doesn’t hurt any pony.”
Had Applejack been looking she would have seen the mare go from cyan to a deep red in the cheeks.
Applejack was a little surprised at how Rainbow had replied but a sharp stone on the road reminded her they had a long way to go if they were to find their friend, as she quickened the pace something was bothered her.
“Uh Dash, is Lyra OK?”
“Ah mean did she seem a little funny to you, ah mean it don’t seem like they... were doing that well… Together…”
Applejack couldn’t help but frown as she said the last part due mostly to her lack of understanding.
Dash looked up, then away.
“Lyra’s been, well not good lately.”
“Is it because she’s been overdoing it with the herbs right?”
Applejack asked with a little disapproval sneaking into her tone.
“That’s what every other pony thinks, but...”
“Go on…”
“I told you, Bon-Bon’s aunt passed away right…?”
“Yeah…?”
“Lyra was alone with her when it happened, Bon-Bon told me a neighbor found Lyra in a corner of the front room, freaking out, screaming and stuff and covered in scratches.”
“Wow Dash, what happened?”
“Well the doctor reckoned Lyra just flipped due to the stress of seeing the body, since then she’s been having episodes more and more lately but its difficult to get her to talk about it, she gets really spacey and upset if you mention it...”
“And that’s why she was like she was today?”
Dash nodded.
“That poor mare...”
Applejack felt guilty about judging Lyra’s state so harshly.
“The reason she gets so wasted Bon-Bon told me is because she gets waking nightmares at random in the day time and at night she wakes up screaming.
Last week, she freaked out big time, cleared the shop”
Dash finished and by her demeanor Applejack figured it was best to leave it.
“So you’ve been helping Bon-Bon look out for her yeah?”
“Uh yeah a little...”
“You’re a true friend Rainbow.”
Again back in Canterlot…
Luna sighed, a few moments passed, and then she sighed again, it was late afternoon and Luna was waiting in the courtyard of the castle.
“Stupid sister of mine…”
Luna had encountered an intruder, an intruder who had broken into the library and done something to her to make her relive her darkest memories from a time best forgotten and then she’d passed out.
Luna had after regaining her senses and composure run to and told Celestia all about it!
Celestia’s reaction was a little underwhelming, in fact when describing the villain to her Celestia remarked,
“My dear sweet sister, did he have any distinguishing features?”
Luna paused,
“Uh no...”
“Did you see his cutie mark?”
“No…”
“So we’re looking for a brown stallion who was possibly stealing books when our chief librarian says all are accounted for.”
Pause.
“And after searching the castle and its grounds, our guards found nothing suspicious or out the ordinary?”
“But big sister… I saw him, he be-spelled me!”
“Oh Luna, don’t you think you may have nodded off reading one of your romance stories again?”
Celestia yawned hiding a smirk.
“No! I didn’t dream it, why won’t you believe me! A-And I certainly haven’t read any of that rubbish you keep leaving on my bed side table!”
Luna blushed as she remembered the trashy romance novels that Celestia thought might encourage her to try dating again, however the first she had tried to read called ‘Fifty Shades of Horsehair’ (a favorite of Celestias) convinced her that ponies these days were a lot more relaxed about such things than she remembered…
…Not to mention a lot more ’experimental’ and far more risqué, but that also her sister had some very dark tastes...
Luna’s voice was slowly getting higher pitched she continued to push her sister to do something.
Celestia who still was feeling a little less than virtuous after the previous night softened her approach slightly...
“Well sister, what do you plan on doing about it?”
Luna blinked,
“But I, I asked for your help?”
“Busy…”
Luna looked around them; it was quiet as a mouse so at first she felt angry, then sad, then confused, and as Celestia began tapping her hoof Luna screwed up her courage and in her most annoyed voice stamped her hoof on the floor making her sister flinch.
“I’m going outside the castle to look for him myself.”
“Capital idea sister, good luck.”
Luna blinked again.
“Aren’t you going to stop me?”
“Nope…”
“But ‘Tia…”
Luna whimpered.
“What’s wrong?”
“I haven’t been out on my own yet.”
Luna said this in a very small voice.
“Oh very well, wait in the courtyard, I’ll send some of my guards to accompany you.”
“But I have my own guards Tia.”
Luna whined referring to the two Pegasus guards Celestia had begrudgingly let Luna outfit with her own black bat style embossed armour and royal crests.
“No! And you can’t take your chariot either or mine for that matter.”
“But… ‘Tia!”
“No buts, you’ll scare our subjects.”
Luna huffed
“Fine...”
“Oh and do have them back by ten when their shift ends, there isn’t enough in the royal budget to cover overtime...”
“Only because you drank most of it I’ll bet.”
Luna muttered this part but adopted an air of innocence when Celestia narrowed her eyes.
“What was that dear Luna?”
“Nothing…”
“And don’t forget the moon.”
She called to the angry Luna who was now heading to the door.
Luna was furious as she stomped away; she turned at the door and shouted,
“I will prove he exists, just you wait! And do something about your sun its melting the statues out there!!!”
And with that she left for the courtyard, Celestia’s laughter following her out of the room.
As she cradled her throbbing head again Celestia chuckled at what she thought was her sister’s imagination, on the other hoof however getting out and about would do Luna some good she reasoned, while she wondered if having another drink would help her hangover.
After a little longer waiting in the courtyard two of Celestia’s guards turned up, Luna didn’t know their names but she didn’t have time for the niceties.
“We are going to find the intruder who assaulted me!”
“Uh, where do you think he is?”
One of pair asked.
The other guard nudged him with his hoof.
“I mean... where shall we start your highness?”
Luna shuffled uneasily since one thing was still bothering her, the librarian had said that there were no books missing, but why risk breaking into the castle? Especially since the entire place was stuffed to the rafters with guards, her and her sister of course.
Surely a thief would have taken something? A complete nut might have burned the palace down, but risking it all just for books? No sane pony would…
…Except maybe Twilight Sparkle Celestia’s darling student she thought.
Luna could understand it though, she would have sold her soul (for the second time) for just one book on the moon, but it didn’t seem right unless in the direst of circumstances…
Maybe he’d been a reporter? Or maybe one of those pap...paper...paparazzi?
Celestia had warned her about ponies wanting nothing but gossip and scandal to read, apparently they would pay others to go to great lengths to get it, Celestia had said they were the lowliest of all her subjects and not worth scuffing her royal hooves on.
(Although from what Luna had overheard some the maids saying, it sounded like Celestia had done just that on several occasions, not to mention the large number of pony statues in the castle grounds that were suspiciously holding cameras.)
It was then Luna realized the guards were just stood silently watching and waiting as she was thinking.
Turning away from them Luna screwed up her eyes and concentrated.
What to do? What would Celestia do? Then Luna remembered that was the reason she was out here.
Damn it she thought, it wasn’t that long ago she had returned from the moon, and she still didn’t fully understand the new world she now lived in.
She needed some ponies help, but who could…
Then it hit her! She could ask Twilight!
Celestia’s favorite student! The ringleader of those who had wielded the elements and freed her from Nightmare moon!
…Who she hadn’t spoken to since that night...
Luna’s insecurities resurfaced...
“Uh, your majesty...?”
One of the guards inquired nervously as the princess remained silent in her thoughts.
“We’re going to Ponyville.”
“Now…?”
“Yes now!!!”
Luna replied ignoring the less than acceptable way she kept being spoken to by the pair, her mind made up she headed for the castle gates with the guards falling into step behind her.