//------------------------------// // New Friends // Story: Mother X: Father // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// Alinivar, Col. Saturn, and Zarbol stood back and watched as Niiue and Moondancer locked eyes. While none of them could clearly perceive it, the two were locked in a struggle of mental will as Moondancer tried to compel Niiue to explain why she knew things she couldn't possibly know and how it connected to Paula knowing her, while Niiue staunchly refused to give any information. Finally, Moondancer lowered her gaze. "I hate this..." she grumbled. "Everything's flying and falling apart, and I don't even know my own head anymore..." Niiue gently stroked her mane comfortingly. "It's what we have to work with," he offered apologetically. "If I thought telling you more would help you, I would...but I really believe it would only hurt you. For now, you might as well get to know these guys." Moondancer sighed ruefully. "Alright..." She turned back to Alinivar. "Lead the way." Nodding, Alinivar turned to lead the way. "So...who are you, anyway?" he asked after a time as he led the way along the red dusty path. "I admit I never left my home village before all this started happening, but you don't look like a Geeg, or like a Sol native." "Very strange, Boing!" Colonel Saturn confirmed. "Like Earth pony, Ding! But pony...no horn zoom!" "And how did you know me?" Zarbol asked as he floated up beside her. "It was...a little disturbing." "No arguments there," Moondancer told Zarbol, unaccountably comfortable with the tiny UFO. "As for your questions Alinivar, Colonel...I don't know anything about my species. I...showed up one day aboard Giegue's ship, and he adopted me. So...I'm the daughter of the vicious destroyer you're desperately trying to stop. Here's to awkward silences." She lowered her head, certain this would lead to a lot of avoided gazes, careful silences, and- "Not call Dad, zoom?" Colonel Saturn asked, his tone - what she could make out of it from the strange sound of his voice - sounding concerned. Moondancer closed her eyes. "Because he isn't Daddy...not anymore. He's...someone else now..." To her surprise, she felt several tentacles wrap around her, pulling her into a comforting embrace. Though she could tell this was meant to comfort her and make her feel better, she couldn't help sending a thought Niiue's way. Where did all that art from Earth's Far East say this goes again? Niiue tripped, nearly stumbling against the wall of the canyon they now had to move through. He turned back to glower irritably at the little pony, but that only made her giggle. "So tell me about yourself," Moondancer asked Alinivar. "Who are you, outside the one an Apple dragooned into stopping Giegue?" Alinivar gently set her down to have his tentacles free for combat since she seemed more emotionally stable now. "Well, other than the band, I used to paint," he explained. "Until the whole mess with the Apples, I was a bit of an outcast amongst Mooks for my odd coloring and my inability to use PSI. It's why I lived in a Mr. Saturn village." "A...Mr. Saturn village?" Moondancer inquired curiously. "What do you mean?" "All Mr. Saturn are Mr. Saturn, boing!" Colonel Saturn explained. "Except Colonel Saturn. Only one Colonel Saturn." "He means that his entire species, except for himself, are called Mr. Saturn," Zarbol translated. "...honestly, no one else can make sense of it, either." "No Mrs. Saturns?" Moondancer inquired curiously. "Not as far as anyone else can tell," Alinivar offered. "Colonel Saturn fought in rock war!" Colonel Saturn declared proudly. "Protect all Mr. Saturns!" "And I mostly worked with my friend Boson in music and music-related endeavors," Zarbol explained. "Other than that, I worked in product delivery. I'm only along on this because Alinivar invited me to join his band. I'm not really sure how much I can contribute, but Alinivar and Colonel Saturn are my friends. I'll do what I can. And Larice..." "He's going to be okay," Niiue insisted as they reached another clear space atop the cliff. "You'll even be able to check on him. He's being repaired aboard your ship." "Speaking of..." Alinivar murmured in surprise as his eye stalks lifted. A large saucer craft was moving into position, extending a boarding ladder for them. At the top of the ladder, a purple Mook dressed in a black and white suit with spikes on his shoulders greeted them. "Hey, we've picked up your buddy! Need a lift?" "Thanks, Elmadan!" Alinivar called up as the group clambered up into the UFO. Moondancer glanced around at her surroundings. It was slightly smaller than what she and Niiue had been riding in before, though that could have been because it seemed much more crowded. A couple Mr. Saturns were off in one corner, and a purplish-pink UFO hovered over a huge set of speakers and other musical instruments. However, what seized her attention was a Starman Super and a Starman Ghost standing over Larice's body as they carefully worked to sustain and extract his organic components. "Is he going to be okay?" she asked them hopefully. Niiue smiled softly as he moved to assist. "Alinivar, the next Apple Fragment is on a planet to the East-Northeast," he called out. "Set course while I help my men work on Larice." Moondancer flinched as she realized what planet Niiue meant. They were going back to Earth.