The two friends sighed with relief once they made their way out of the Everfree Forest and Ponyville was in sight. They’d spent another night camping in the Forest since they decided to see Zecora again and let her know that the presence haunting the village ruins was gone, and the morning sun was shining warmly upon them as they made their way into town.
“So what do you plan to do with those phials of the Tears’ nectar?” asked Midnight curiously.
“I’m not sure yet,” Bright considered as they kept walking, “I think I’ll donate one phial to medical science, maybe they can study it and replicate its properties. The other? Well, it might just come in handy one day, save someone’s life.”
“Sounds good to me,” Midnight nodded approvingly, “but after all that, I’m in serious need of something sweet. You?”
“I could go for a cupcake myself, yeah,” Bright smiled with a lick of his lips.
“Then I know just the place,” Midnight led the way towards Sugarcube Corner.
However, before arriving...
“LOOK OUT BELOOOW!!!”
“Twilight?!” Midnight looked up and immediately ducked in time to avoid being hit by Twilight, Spike on her back, as she came in for a landing, skidding along the dirt but managing to stick it.
Spike slid off in a relieved slump, as Twilight shook the dust from her hooves when she looked to see, “Oh, Midnight! There you are, I wish you’d told me you’d come back to Ponyville-”
“Princess Twilight Sparkle!” chuckled Bright, earning him Twilight’s attention and her eyes slowly lit up when she recognized him. “You haven’t changed much since you were a filly, haven you?”
“Bright Side...?” Twilight slowly smiled big and happy and laughed as she and Bright met in a big and warm hug. “I can’t believe it! What’re you doing here in Ponyville?”
“Why don’t you join me and Midnight and we’ll tell you all about it over a snack,” Bright invited.
Twilight was excited to hear about the ruins of Everfree Village and Spike thought the story of the Sirian Knight was awesome. Then, Bright showed Twilight the two phials of the nectar from the Tears of Gaia.
“I bet Princess Celestia would love to have one of those phials for her research team,” suggested Twilight, “a shame you couldn’t bring one of the Tears of Gaia back with you. But I’m just glad that you’re both alright.”
“I feel bad that Grrawl spent all that time protecting a flower only for it all to have been for nothing,” Spike commented, “it’s scary... being obsessed that you don’t even notice how much time has passed or...”
“Grrawl is gone, Spike,” Midnight assured, “and if there’s any justice in this world, he’s with his family now, at rest.”
“I still can’t believe that on the same day I go to Canterlot to rekindle my old friendships that you found Bright!” Twilight looked to the earth pony, “Talk about a coincidence.”
“What you call coincidence, Twilight, I think is fate at work,” Bright shrugged, “sometimes things really are just coincidence but even then I think it’s actually something bringing about these unusual circumstances for some kind of purpose, big or small.”
“Speaking of purpose, how’d it go catching up with your old friends, Twily?” asked Midnight but when his beloved’s smile faded into a dispirited look, he knew something was wrong.
“That bad?”
“Oh no, actually...” Twilight explaiend the whole thing, that it had gone swimmingly when she and Spike had caught up with Minuette, Lemon Hearts, and Twinkleshine. It was how things had gone with Moondancer that things had soured. Apparently, Moondancer had become a bitter recluse, studying and studying, but no longer spent time with friends, having given up on friendship altogether. Twilight had tried several times to make things right with Moondancer and it wasn’t until after finding out that Moondancer had turned out this way because Twilight hadn’t gone to Moondancer’s party on that same day when she had left for Ponyville to oversee the Summer Sun Celebration preparations.
“I have to make things right with Moondancer, which is why I’m here.
“PINKIE PIE! CHEESE SANDWICH! Front and CENTER!!”
Midnight and Bright both chuckled at Twilight as the two party ponies popped out from under the table, both wearing army helmets and saluting at attention.
“Party Pony Services reporting for duty, SIR-Ma’am-SIR!!”
“Lemme guess,” Bright spoke up, “you’re gonna throw a party for Moondancer.”
“Do you think it’ll work?” Twilight asked hopefully.
Bright shared a stony look with Midnight before saying, “I think it’ll help... Just be ready.”
“For what?” asked Twilight.
“For when the floodgates open.”
Minuette had just knocked on the doors to Twilight’s tower and waited a few moments before shrugging, “Huh. Guess they must’ve gone back to Ponyville.”
But as Minuette turned to leave...
“WHEEEEE!!!” “YAHOOOO!!!” “WhoaOAOAOOOOGGH!!!” “HEEELLLLPPP!!!!”
She looked up to see Twilight and Midnight flying while pulling a makeshift chariot that carried Pinkie Pie, Cheese Sandwich, Bright Side, and Spike, the two party ponies enjoying the wild ride (thanks to Twilight destabilizing them) while Bright and Spike were hanging on for dear life.
“Mayday- MAYDAAAAAYYYYY!!!” Midnight screamed as they crashed into Minuette, knocking her off the tower, before they all came crashing down into a pony pile on the grass of the castle grounds.
“That was AWESOME!” Pinkie cheered while spinning her tail like a gyrocopter to hover while Cheese Sandwich blew his tail up like a ballon that held him up.
“We gotta go flying more often, guys!” Cheese added excitably as everypony stood up.
“Sure, Cheese. After somepony catches up on some flying practice she’s clearly been neglecting,” Midnight gave Twilight a light stink eye.
“I’ve had other things occupying my time...” Twilight twiddled her hooves when Minuette sat up.
“There you are! I thought you threw in the ol’towel and headed home,” the blue unicorn commented.
“I did head home, but not to throw in the towel. I went to get my secret weapon,” Twilight explained before pointing out the party ponies, “Minuette, meet-”
“Hey, Pinkie Pie!” Minuette beat Twilight to the punch when her eyes fell upon the pink party pony.
“Hi, Minuette!” Pinkie replied before they shared a warm and friendly hug.
“Hey there, Minuette, real gouda to see you again,” Cheese shook Minuette’s hoof before giving it a kiss, causing Minuette to giggle with a slight blush.
“Oh Cheese, you’re still such a charmer” Minuette tittered.
“Twilight, you didn’t say Minuette would be here!” Pinkie hopped happily in place.
“...You three know each other?” Twilight was baffled when she got a face full of pink.
“Oh, sure! She was one of Cadance’s bridesmares,” Pinkie answered, “We hang out all the time whenever she visits Ponyville! Didn’t you know that?”
“Hah! And you call yourself the Princess of Friendship,” Cheese ribbed in a friendly teasing way to Twilight, who took it in stride.
Pinkie and Cheese then zipped up to Minuette.
“Twilight briefed us on the way over,” Cheese began.
“We’ll need fifteen bags of confetti,” Pinkie added, “and as many hooves as we can get.”
“Let’s go! We can pass by the donut place on the way,” Minuette suggested excitably as she led the party ponies off to get the supplies.
“And... what’re we gonna do?: Spike spoke up, looking to the alicorns and Bright.
“Just come with me,” Twilight instructed and they all followed after her.
Moondancer had just stepped out of the Canterlot Public Library, in all of her unflattering glory, when she noticed something on the ground, a book and got excited when she read the title, “Ooh! ‘A Brief History on the Wagon Harness’!”
She levitated it off the ground when she noticed another book and read the title, “’The Life and Times of Marwari the Maneless’?”
It was at this moment when Moondancer noticed the trail of books that led across the street and around a corner. Now, a sensible pony would find it odd to see all these books lying in a trail on the public sidewalk... but Moondancer was too curious to see what sort of books these were as she followed the trail, colelcting them, findign each titled something more interesting than the last.
She didn’t even pay real attention to her surroundings and it wasn’t until she’d collected two stacks of books that she found where the trail had been leading her, to a very familiar location where what could only be a party had been prepared. There were streamers, balloons, a nice spread that included a punch bowl, and even a pink glitterball hanging overhead from some white archways.
“Wh-what is this?” Moondancer adjusted her glasses in confusion.
“It’s a party, for you.”
She looked to see Twilight Sparkle wearing a party hat, along with Minuette, Lemon Hearts, and Twinkleshine, as Spike rolled in a multi-stacked cake that was even taller than the average pony... and out popped Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich, shouting, “SURPRISE!!”
Pinkie slapped a party hat onto Moondancer while Cheese put a noisemaker into her mouth, to her annoyance, as she spat it out, crushed the party hat in her magic, and said, “Uh, thanks but no thanks, I don’t do parties.”
“Eesh, Twilight wasn’t kidding about Moondancer,” commented Midnight as he and Bright watched from behind a pillar, having been asked to hide so Moondancer wouldn’t feel crowded.
“It’s more than that,” Bright said as he looked sadly at Moondancer and saw Twilight teleporting in front of her to talk, “She’s... in pain. But it’s a pain she’s kept buried for quite some time to dull its sting.”
“And you think this is going to do it, huh?” said a bitter voice, causing both stallions to pay closer attention.
Moondancer had taken a stick from Twilight to bat unenthusiastically at a piñata.
“...Yes?” Twilight responded weakly.
“Well, sure, why wouldn’t it?” Moondancer said, her tone bitter and growing angrier with every word, “That was only the first time I ever put myself out there and then you didn’t even bother to show up!”
By this time, Moondancer had turned while pointing the stick accusingly at Twilight, “Then you left town without even saying goodbye, even though we were supposed to be friends. I was humiliated! I felt like I wasn’t important! I never wanted to let myself be hurt like that again!”
Then she pointed the stick at Minuette, Lemon Hearts, and Twinkleshine, yelling as tears filled her eyes, “THOSE THREE FINALLY CONVINCED ME THAT I HAD VALUE! That other ponies might like me and want to be my friend! AND YOU! DIDN’T! SHOW! UP!!!”
Midnight knew Moondancer’s unloading was coming from sincere pain but he felt it was unfair. He was about to step out there when he felt a hoof on his shoulder and saw Bright shaking his head, “This needs to happen and they must work this out for themselves.”
Bright spoke wisely and Midnight sighed as he continued to watch.
By this time, Moondancer had thrown herself onto the ground in a sobbing mess, causing everypony to look on sadly, some feeling guilty, when Pinkie perked and whispered into Spike’s ear while Twilight stepped over to console Moondancer.
“You’re right. This party can’t make up for the way I hurt you. But please... don’t let my mistake be the reason you can’t be friends with anypony else!”
Moondancer looked up at Twilight, who helped her to her hooves when she saw Minuette, Lemon Hearts, and Twinkleshine approach.
“We were your friends then and we’d be honored to be your friends now.”
In their eyes, Moondancer saw sincerity, the warmth of their smiles breaking through her defenses as she struggled to calm down and wiped her tears. Then she felt Twilight’s hoof and looked as Twilight pointed out a group of ponies. Three of them she recognized, the other two not so much.
“Wha- She’s the librarian, and the bookseller, and my sister!” Moondancer was confused, “And... Prince Midnight Blaze?”
“You have more friends than you realize, Moondancer,” Midnight spoke, “and it would be the pleasure of myself and my friend Bright Side here if we could be your friends too.”
Moondancer teared up again but this time with a smile.
“I’m sorry, Moondancer,” Moondancer looked to see it was Twilight as she said, “I’ve faced magical creatures, the End of Equestria, all sorts of things! But seeing how my actions affected you, that was one of the worst feelings I’ve ever had.”
For a moment, Moondancer didn’t know what to say before she composed herself and responded, “Thank you, Twilight. I never realized how much I needed to hear that.”
Twilight held out her hoof in friendship but noticing Moondance’rs hesitation, she shook it off and pulled her old fillyhood friend into a warm hug. Then, a sudden surge of emotion invigorated Moondancer after she and Twilight broke the hug, and she calledo ut, “Now... come on, everypony! Let’s party!”
Then she whispered to Pinkie and Cheese, “Is that right?”
“RIGHT!!!” The party ponies pulled out a trio of party cannons and everypony cheered in a blast of confetti!
It wasn’t a big party. it wasn’t a formal party. It was a good and happy party of friends getting together, sharing laughs and smiles and even stories, all around having a good time. Moondancer found herself hitting it off with Bright Side and spent a a lot of time with him during the party. She received a personal invite from Midnight to his and Twilight’s upcoming wedding. She caught up with her sister, who was happy to see Moondancer out of her slump and having friends in her life again, and shared some refined conversations with the librarian and book seller.
It lasted a good while after the sun set and by that time, everything slowed down, and Moondancer had already said goodbye to some of the partygoers when she heard Twilight behind her, “I think it’s time for us to go, Moondancer.”
She looked to see Twilight, Midnight, Spike, the party ponies, and Bright Side, giving her warm smiles.
“Thank you for helping me make some new friends,” Moondancer said while giving Bright a warm look, the two of them sharing a mutual blush, “even if most of them are my old friends.”
“We’ll come back and visit soon,” Bright offered.
“That would be great!” Moondancer replied just a tad too enthusiastically before clearing her throat and saying to Twilight, “You...’ve still gotta teach me that Haycart technique.”
“Deal,” Twilight promised when Spike stepped up.
“Um, Moondance,r it got a little banged up, but...” Spike held out his somewhat crumpled present, “Here’s a little something I wanted to give you back at your first party.”
Moondancer accepted it, undid the wrapping paper with her magic and smiled with a tear to see it was a framed picture of herself, Twilight, and the rest of the girls all enjoying treats at Joe’s donut shop.
“Thank you, Spike, it’s just perfect!”
“And you’d better show up at our wedding,” Midnight gave Moondancer a teasing smirk, “or else I’ll hunt you down myself.”
“I’ll be there, just send me the date,” Moondancer promised and waved goodbye as they all turned to leave. But then Bright paused and trotted over to Moondancer.
“I didn’t have time to get you anything since this party was kinda sudden, but...” Bright dared to do it and planted a quick smooch on Moondancer’s cheek, causing her to gasp and blush.
“See you soon, Moondancer.”
Moondancer watched, almost frozen, as Bright hurried to catch up with the others while absent-mindedly touching her cheek before she smiled.
“You dog you,” Midnight chuckled as he ribbed Bright, who was blushing but smiling just the same.
“Alright, alright, knock it off before I change my mind,” Bright laughed.
“About what?” Spiek asked.
“I’m just taking Midnight’s offer,” Bright explaiend, “I’m settling in Ponyville!”
“Ah! Double amazing, then you’re due for an extra-spectacular ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ Party!” Pinkie Pie declared.
“I’ll get the monkeys!” Cheese added.
“And i’ll get the airship tickets,” Midnight spoke up, “I think a more safer flight home is in order.”
Seeing the teasing look Midnight had given her while saying that, Twilight groaned, “O-kaaay, I promise to practice my flying more.”
The friends all shared a laugh as they made their way to Canterlot Airfield, but Bright couldn’t help but think of Moondancer and felt his heart flutter at the thought of seeing her again.
Real soon.