//------------------------------// // Ponyville Nights // Story: Who is that mare? // by JosephRascon1789 //------------------------------// The train came to a stop in a flurry of steam. Twilight and Pinkie stood up and got their bags. Moon used his magic and got his bag off the top rack. Most of the ponies that were on their train car got off at the Canterlot stop. When they exited there were ponies waiting with a sign that read Welcome home. The ponies quickly forgot about the sign and rushed Twilight and Pinkie. They shared hugs and hoof bumps while Moon stood waiting to move into a warmer environment. When the hugs were all done and the hellos were all said, Twilight introduced Moon. "Everypony this is Moon and he will be here for the holidays." The group of ponies proceeded to give him a welcoming party as well. "Hi. Mah name is Applejack. Welcome ta Ponyville." She shook his hoof and was quickly replaced with a light blue pony with a rainbow streaked mane. "Hey. My name is Rainbow Dash. Just to let you know... I'm awesome." Before he got the chance to say anything, a familiar white mare stepped into the light. "Nice to meet you again Moon." "Hi Rarity." It seemed like everpony had gone until a yellow Pegasus trotted into view with her mane covering most of her face. "Hi. I'm Fulttershy." She whispered. "Nice to meet all of you" Moon said with a hoof behind his head. "I'm Moon Ray, but like Twilight said you can just call me Moon." They smiled and started for the town. The roads were clear, but there was snow pushed up on the sides. The whole town was covered in snow. It added a certain beauty to the little town. It wasn't like the busy streets of a major city. Nopony had time to look around and enjoy the season change. Moon looked around and saw ponies trotting around doing their daily tasks. Fillies and colts played in the snow and enjoyed their weekend. Moon had tuned out and basked the feel of the peaceful town. He bumped into something and re-focused on the group of ponies. Rainbow laughed and Moon could hear another pony giggling. He took a couple steps back and realized that he ran right into a tree. "Hey Moon the door is over here." Rainbow went back to her laughing. "Rainbow that's not funny." Twilight defended. She slowly died down and rejoined the group. Twilight opened the door and lead the way inside to her tree house. Moon found it interesting that such a smart pony lived in a tree. That was until he saw that the tree was actually a library. Makes a little more sense. --------------- Twilight spent the afternoon catching up with her friends. Moon went to the basement where a guest room was set up. He slept for the afternoon. His dreams were the one thing that came with him from home. "How dare you talk to your mother like that." "Mom please! I just want to go to a normal school." My mom put a hoof over her muzzle. "You don't belong at normal school. You're special." I hate that word. "Well I don't want to be special! It's never been something I wanted. I just want dad back and for us to live a normal life." My mom froze. "I want your father back to." She whispered. "I'm teaching you to be like your father. HE was kind and successful in life. He would want you to be the same." "Please mom I just want to be normal." My mom finally snapped. "Being normal got your father killed!" The covers flew off and Moon fell out of bed. The loud noise caused some excitement up stairs and 6 heads poked through the door way to see what happened. Twilight was the first to enter. "Moon... Is everything okay?" She called out. Moon got his legs under him and regained control. He slowly raised up from the ground. "Yeah. Just had a bad dream." He said with some regret. Twilight was at the bottom of the steps and she looked concerned. "Did you hit your head?" She approached him and Moon's heart began to flutter. "I-I'm not sure." Twilight nodded and gently ran a hoof on Moos's head. Moon winced when she got to a certain spot. "I'm sorry. Spike can you get Moon some ice" She said to the group of friends looking from the door. There was a shuffle sound that got quiet quickly. Moon closed his eye and took a deep breath. He could still feel the stress of the dream that scared him awake. "Twilight..... I'm going to take a walk." Twilight looked back at Moon and raised a brow. "I don't think it's safe to let you walk around after you hit your head." Moon chuckled a little bit. She sounds just like a mother. "I'll be fine. I promise." Just as Moon started for the stairs, a little purple dragon showed up holding a bag of ice. Moon used his magic and set the ice bag on his head. "See I'll even take this with me." Moon said jokingly. Twilight looked like she still had some fight, but she just sighed. "Okay but please be careful." Moon started up the stairs. The ponies looking from the door had gone back to their seats in the open library. Moon trotted out the door and looked around. He had slept through the afternoon, but the sun had not gone down yet. He trotted through the streets and marveled at the small town. Ponies were closing up their little shops and going home to loving families. In Phillydelphia, life was so different. Nopony would stop and say hello, police sirens echoed every night and even in the rich part of town, there were still fights that could be heard up and down streets. The peaceful town of Ponyville was like a dream. Moon approached a bridge over a little river. It gave the perfect view of the sunset and Moon watched at the sky changed colors. Purple, pink, orange, and purple. Back home, Moon never got to watch the sun set. He always had some place to be and something to learn. Sometime had passed before Moon decided to go back. Only a faint tip of Celestia's sun remained in the sky. He trotted back to the library and enjoyed the quiet and the cool breeze. When he got back, Twilight was sitting next to a table with a book. "You know vacation is meant for us to get away from books right?" Moon said in a joking manor. Twilight closed the book and looked back. "Oh ha ha. Well just to let you know I'm reading a book about Hearts Warming eve." Moon chuckled. "I don't understand why. We've been going through it all our lives. What else is their left to learn?" He asked. A small pool of red started to from under her eyes. "Oh just checking up on some things." She said rather shakily. The book she was reading disappeared and re-appeared in her room. Spike awoke from his slumber and saw the book. He picked it up and read the title out loud. "5 romantic spots in Ponyville By Rarity. When did Twilight get all mushy?" He tossed the book on the bed and stumbled back into his basket *Back down stairs* "Hey Moon. If you don't mind me asking, what happened when you woke up this afternoon?" Twilight asked while putting out some of the bigger candles. Moon's mood dropped and slowly the memories of that day and the millions of other days like that flooded his mind. "I remembered fights I had with my mom. How we both wanted to live separate lives. We drifted apart and when I came into power of my side of my dads company, I used the funds I raised to buy the house. Turns out my Mom had bought one for me. It was like an 'I'm changing the locks, so don't come back' gift." Twilight had finished blowing out the larger candles and all the was left were smaller candles that allowed enough visible light to make out shapes and where things were. She moved closer and started in a calm voice. "I would have never guessed that you had a bad relationship with your mother. What about your father?" "He was killed in Canterlot" Moon replied coldly. Twilight covered her muzzle with her hoof. "Oh my goodness. I'm sorry." Moon looked directly at the ground and was about to head to his bed. He felt a pull on his shoulder and looked back. Twilight's hoof was pulling him back and closer. She whispered in his ear: "Please don't be mad." Moon's heart started up again and his body was getting hotter and hotter. "Just learn to live with that choice. If you ever need somepony to talk to, I'm here" Moon's fear turned into compassion. Nopony had ever offered to listen to Moon. Everypony came to him and told stories about their lives to impress him. His school mates never talked in fear of reviling a weakness. Twilight pulled him closer for a hug and pressed her face into his black fur. Moon held her close and and felt her gentle breathing. They stayed locked in the hug for close to 45 seconds. After the hug they both bid each other a good night and went their separate ways. Neither of them wanted the embrace to end. That night Moon's dreams were peaceful and he actually got sleep. Twilight was restless in her bed as a familiar feeling came upon her. The curse the only stuck at certain times of the year. She dreamed about Moon all night and that added fuel to the big fire. All she wanted was Moon. She woke up constantly and went down stairs to pace and sometimes she would open Moon's door to check of she was awake Why now? Why did it have to be now?! She screamed in her head. I wanted to get to know him better. Now that will never happen. I have to stay away from him. Twilight paced around the room and tried to think of a solution. She was in heat and with a whole week plus the two most romantic days in Equestria, besides Hearts and Hooves day, right around the corner she didn't see a way out of it. Things are not going to go well.