Trick of the Moon

by Misty Meadow


Chapter 2

“So this is where all of us stay before continuing on our way towards the next festival, do you know how to set up a tent?” the Grand Jester inquired.

“Sadly I do not,” Carnival replied, “There was never a reason to camp where i lived.”

He chuckled and shook his head, “Most ponies don’t, so don’t worry.”

“Oh... I am sorry,” she said with a smile, rubbing the back of her neck with a hoof.


“Here, how about I teach you?” he replied softly as he gathered up the tent supplies.


Carnival yawned and stretched her hooves out, her muscles popping as bits of the sunrise crept through the tent’s opening. She grumbled at the light, wanting to sleep in longer before she recalled the night’s events.

Yawning lightly, she heard a voice outside her tent. “Carnival, are you up? The Grand Jester asked me to show you around.”

“Coming,” she called out. As she stretched her body with nimble grace, her hooves splayed in front of her. “Just give me a second.”

Once Carnival got to her hooves, she trotted forward with a luminous smile and swung the tent flap open. She stared at the amusing sight before her. A stallion with a vibrant ruby colored coat sat at a table with other ponies, his quick moving hooves working around a deck of playing cards. The stallions bushy bright pink mane bounced as he chuckled to the others.

Carnival repressed a gasp as she felt a strange magic coming from the earth pony. She watched as he flipped the final card and it turned into a glass of lemonade. Even with her powerful mastery of magic, she couldn't tell how he performed the trick. This stallion was a mystery that she wanted to solve.

“Ahh you must be Carnival Surprise, I'm Humble Pie, transfiguration extraordinaire.” His voice was like a soft purr as he took her hoof in his and kissed it.

“A refreshing beverage for a lovely mare?” he asked as he offered her the drink in a slight bow.

Carnival blinked at him as she hesitantly accepted the drink in his hooves. Taking a slight sip, her taste buds exploded in the blissful flavor. Confused, she looked down at the yellow drink that tasted of strawberries. “This... is amazing.” she said with a smile, “How do you make it?”

“It's my grandmother’s secret recipe,” he whispered with a chuckle, “maybe someday I’ll show you.”

She nodded with a smile as she saw the Grand Jester coming from his own tent with a smiling filly next to him, laughing at a joke he’s made. The filly's fur was dark pink, with a long, luxurious, grayish blue mane, and tail.

The Grand Jester chuckled and pointed over in their direction which caused her to look over at them and gasp happily. She started to trot over as fast as her little legs would carry her.

“Hi, Carnival! Hi, Daddy!”

Humble chuckled as he became enveloped in a hug from the filly, “My little Rosie, I missed you.”

“Morning, Humble.” The Grand Jester greeted as he smiled lightly, “Have you shown Carnival around yet?”

“I was just going to do that, Dad.” Humble chuckled, beaming brightly, “and Carnival here likes grandma’s secret lemonade.”

The Grand Jester laughed heartily at that with a wide smile on his face and ruffled Humbles mane. “I know ma’s recipe was always the best.”

“Dad really,” Humble complained, as his mane was slightly messed up, which caused Carnival to start to laugh.

The stallions grinned at that as Humble looked at Carnival and said, “You truly have an adorable laugh.”

I have an adorable laugh? Carnival thought to herself as she looked at him a slight red tinge on her cheeks, “Really?”

Although he wasn't able to answer as Rosie approached them again.

“Have you seen my friend's daddy? they were supposed to be back with berries for lunch.” Rosie asked, Carnival was surprised by the demure nature of the filly. The filly moved with a gait of an experienced handmaiden,

Rosie paced the perimeter of the camp, which gave Carnival a good look at the rough cut moonstone, jade, and amethysts that adorned the band around the base of her tail. The work reminded her of the royal jewelers back in the Everfree Forest.

On the eastern edge close to where Rosie was pacing, the bushes began to rustle. Rosie blinked, trotting closer to the bushes. Suddenly, two fillies came galloping out of the forest as fast as their legs would carry them, screaming at the top of their lungs. Rosie blinked again as they rushed past her. She stared at the bushes they came from, several sets of glowing eyes gazed forward at the camp hungrily. Soft growls and the sounds of snapping jaws resounded from the tree line before retreating back into the woods. She had a feeling the threat wasn't over yet.

”Rosie get back here,” Humble called out to her frantically waving her back to them.

Rosie trots back over to them her eyes wide from what she heard and all that she saw. “What was that?” she asked her lip quivering slightly.

“I’m not sure but go check on your friends I think they need some comfort.” Humble softly whispers to her giving a quick hug to try and soothe her before she trotted over to her shivering friends.

"Timber wolves... They roam the forest but they don't usually go after ponies. " The Grand Jester nodded, resulting in the bells on his head to Jingle. "We will set up a guard, so don't you worry."

Carnival nodded as her gaze softened nudging her head over at the fillies. “I’m going to go check on them,” Carnival replied.

“I’ll go with you,” Humble said.

Carnival smiled lightly, trotting forward with him, looking forward to avoid showing the soft tinge on her cheeks.

Humble put a hoof on Rosie’s back as he asked, “hey kiddo, you and your friend’s doing ok?”

“I think so daddy, but what were those… glowing eyes?” Rosie answered, her eyes growing wide, as she turned to look at her father.

“You fillies don’t have to worry bout em any longer, we won’t let em get you,” Humble said softly as he hugs his daughter tightly, “I promise.”

Carnival smiled at the interaction between father and daughter, thinking to herself, ‘He really loves his daughter, but where is her mother?’

Suddenly, Rosie held a hoof out to Carnival, wanting her to join the hug. She glanced at them nervously, shifting on her front hooves as she pondered joining them, 'Should I? what if it ruins their moment.'

Rosie swung her hoof towards the hug again, her gaze soft as she smiled brightly at Carnival. Gazing at the happy family moment, tears trickled down her cheeks. It reminded her of her sister and how they had been before all of the responsibilities. She tried to hide her tears but not before Rosie saw them. “Are you Okay, Carnival?”

“I think...“ she said as she smiled warmly, “I will be.”