//------------------------------//
// 61 - I’m Dancing in the Moonlight 
// Story: Sunburst to the Rescue 
// by David Silver 
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With glowing forms and slightly brighter horns, the group was attached to the idea of the moon. "Do not raise it, instead bid it to rise," counseled Luna. "Awaken it to the need to move."

Starlight's sharp eyes swept over the group, nudging in minute ways to keep things on the right track. Just as the moon began to peek over the horizon, Fancy wavered. Starlight was on it in an instant, helping draw away the spurs that had shaken loose in him. "Don't give up," she encouraged with a smile. "You're doing it."

"I'm doing it!" replied Snips as if he had been the one being spoken to, but with their eyes closed, it was perhaps forgivable as mistakes went. The moon came higher and higher, inch by inch. It wasn't as fast, or as smooth, as when Luna performed the magic, but it was coming, rising higher and higher, the ground almost left behind.

The precious moment of separation seemed to be the hardest, making the moon pull free of the ground, or trying. Breathing became harder around the circle and the silvery light that encompassed them grew brighter as the pivotal moment approached. 

Twilight shifted her focus from one pony to the next, monitoring their horns, clearing what was there to be cleared, and never staying for long. When she passed by Sunburst, she saw his expression was almost peaceful in its determination. She smiled gently, taking note of the effort he was putting out. "You're doing it," she whispered on her way.

The glow faded suddenly, the group collapsed almost as one, toppling to the ground as if their legs had simply lost all ability to perform the one task they had. With soft groans and heavy breathing, they lay there, recovering.

Luna clopped her forehooves. "It is done. You should be proud of yourselves." She pointed to the moon, separated from the ground by several inches. "It will move on its own now, your task is complete." She turned to Twilight. "Are we complete?"

"An excellent question. Starlight, I'll start on this side, you go the other way. Let's get updated peeks." Starlight saluted and began drafting the interiors of horns as Twilight worked along the other side of the circle. "How is everypony feeling? You look exhausted."

"That's a fair summary," got out Sunburst, panting for breath. "I can... see how this could drain a pony if they did it enough times."

"I did it!" eagerly, if tiredly, called Snips, one hoof raised a precious inch before it fell to the crystal floor. "Am I cured?"

Starlight was gathering sheet after sheet, taking maps without looking at the results. "That's what I'm finding out. Anypony feeling bad, besides tired?"

Sassy squeezed her eyes shut. "The world is spinning... Please tell me that will stop soon."

Fancy shook his head, eyes closed though with less force. "I'm fine, if lethargic. I feel I will sleep quite well tonight."

Twilight met Starlight, gathering up the other sheets and with a wave of a hoof, she set them up against the railing, the before and after shots lining up with one another. "And here we are. Let's see how we did." She trotted over towards it. "Snips, you've... improved. At a rough estimate, I'd say you have a 40% reduction in spurs, quite noticeable."

"Woo!" he weakly called, a big smile on his chubby face. "How do I get the, uh, other 70%?"

That was not proper math, but Twilight didn't correct him. "By doing this again. Sassy..." She leaned in, studying the sheets. "60% reduction, no wonder you feel dizzy. Please inform us if that does not abate."

"I will, I assure." She raised a hoof to her head and missed at first, even her sense of self thrown off. She found her forehead after a few more tries, rubbing at herself gently. "I can't say I enjoy this..."

"Fancy..." Twilight tilted her head left and right. "Hmm..."

"Something wrong?" Fancy slowly sat up, cracking open an eye along the way.

"There's clearly a difference, but we need more. I'll put this at 20%"

"Blast... Why are the results so variable?" He raised a hoof to his horn. "I suppose that explains why I'm the first to stir."

Sunburst rolled over onto his back. "How'd I do?" he asked, facing Twilight upside down, though his eyes remained closed.

"I was getting to you." Twilight smiled a little even as she approached his charts. "Mmm. I want to say a little under 50%. You must feel terrible."

"Not as bad as you might think." He rubbed at his horn. "I have felt what it's like to have a working horn before. It's... still off putting. You have my sympathy, Sassy. Just one or two more times should clear us up."

"We have to do it again?" she called out, a tear escaping her dizzy eyes. "Is it too late to put a pin in this?"

Fancy set a hoof on her shoulder. "I regret needing to ask this, but, please. I showed the least improvement and need the rest of you to proceed. I will make it up to you in whatever fashion we can find after this is done."

Sassy tried to sit up and slid right back to the ground with a grunt. Glowing magic wrapped around her as Fancy helped her back up. "Thank you, but no... right now I need a bed, softer the better. When I feel less terrible, ask then. Until then..."

"I understand. Miss Sparkle, where should I take her?"

"Now you know a taste of what I do every day." Luna looked perhaps a little too prideful at how hard it had been for ponies who were not her. "I do hope you all recover with a night's rest. My duties are just beginning. Twilight, I have dreams to patrol. I trust you do not further require my presence for this evening?"

"No, no. Thank you." She dipped her head towards Luna before approaching Snips, offering a hoof as the colt stood up, shaking but standing. "How are you feeling?"

"Dizzy but alright." He shook his head, which was the wrong thing to do. He collapsed into Twilight's magic, his vision swimming wildly. "Woah... don't do that..."

Starlight pointed to the stairs. "Sassy Saddles is on the tenth floor, just two doors down from you, Fancy. Her picture is hanging on the door, shouldn't be hard to find. Are you alright taking her there?"

"I had the least improvement, and it shows in how dizzy I am not. Still, improvement is improvement. Come, fair lady. Let's get you somewhere warm and soft."

"Warm and soft," dreamily agreed Sassy, a little smile on her face with the eagerness to have both of those things.

Starlight's magic wrapped around Sunburst, hefting him up as she casually pushed his hooves into place and set him down carefully. "There you are." She glanced at Fancy and Sassy leaving. "You need any help?"

Snips was the one that answered, "yes, please." His eyes were tightly closed against the dizziness.

"I have you," assured Twilight, moving off with the colt.

Starlight softly patted Sunburst on the back. "That leaves you with me."

"I can think of worse fates," he laughed out, leaning against her. "Thanks. That was harder than I would have predicted, but it's working!"

"You sound excited."

"Wouldn't you be?" He stood up properly and slowly started for the stairs. "I suppose you wouldn't really know. Your magic always worked properly."

"Hey!" She circled him abruptly, moving in front of him. "Don't you start telling me 'I don't get it'. I have been nothing but supportive and I'm still here."

"And I appreciate that, I do... but that doesn't mean you 'get' it. Only the other ponies in that circle 'get' it, because they've felt it. It's not... an insult, just the way it is."

She snorted loudly, nostrils flaring. "Just you wait until this is over. I'm going to drill you so hard on magic. You've seen Twilight and I duel, and I expect you'll be participating before the week's up."

Sunburst paled at the thought. "Before a week?! Your enthusiasm is... a bit much, Starlight." He adjusted the collar of his cloak. "For now, I need to rest."

"Rest now, you'll be joining us in the joys of advanced magic not long after that." She suddenly plucked him right off the ground, walking off with him floating just in front of her. "Stupid stallion, I hope you'll appreciate the time the ponies around you put into worrying about you."

He suddenly crashed into her, nudging himself with his magic so his forehead bumped into hers. "I really do," he whispered softly, smiling at her with closed eyes. "Thank you."

Starlight's cheeks warmed as she hastened her steps. "I swear..."

The recovering ponies did not get to enjoy the moon they had risen. Slumber called them far too swiftly, some before they even reached their beds.





The next morning had many of them around the breakfast table. Sassy was not present, but the others were. Snips was entirely recovered, bouncing a little without leaving his chair. "Oh boy oh boy oh boy! If I do that again I'll be cured right?"

Twilight nodded to the colt. "One or two more times should be sufficient to clear you." She looked to Fancy. "It is my hope that your progress actually accelerates as others slow down. I imagine with less spurs to clear, they will see far less extreme of a difference on the next attempt."

Sunburst speared a waffle with a fork and brought it to his snout to take a big bite. "I can already feel the difference, and it's great. I'm ready to finish this."

"As am I." Fancy nodded softly. "But Sassy is still feeling out of sorts, and I fear we will have an issue if she decides to back out. This condition is so rare, finding another afflicted pony to take her place may prove... difficult at best."

Starlight rolled a hoof. "It's still her call, right? We can't force her... right?" She raised a brow as if she were ready to do just that. It wasn't as if mental magic were beyond her.

"Right," sternly agreed Twilight, rolling her eyes. "She decides she wants to proceed, we convince her to, or we accept it and we look for alternative answers. At no point will anyone force her to proceed. That would be unethical at the very least, and just mean besides that."

Sunburst cut off a bit of his waffle and brought it floating over on a fork towards Twilight. "Eat." When she opened her mouth to complain, he popped the treat inside.

She snapped her lips shut, but began chewing softly. "Rude..." She still chewed and swallowed. "I can feed myself."

"Please do that," he bid with a smile. "Until then, it is my job to make sure it happens."

She stuck out her tongue at him, going for a new slice. "Spike, great job on the waffles today. Light, fluffy, and perfect."

"Thanks! So, Snips, Fancy, both feeling alright?"

Snips pumped a hoof. "I feel better than alright! I hope we can keep going tonight."

Fancy nodded softly. "It is as if a fog I never knew had just parted, just a little. I have seen a hint of light I would never have imagined was there, and I wish to see more of it. It excites and terrifies in equal measure, but I will not back away from it."

Sunburst raised a hoof towards his fellow magic impaireds. "Let's be patient. If we have to wait while she gets better, that's alright. It's not as if we haven't already waited this long. We'll get through this, together."

"Together." Fancy extended a hoof over the table.

"Together!" Snips reached out, tapping his hoof against Fancy's.

Sunburst was the last to join the gesture of solidarity, the three certain in their convictions.