//------------------------------// // Us? Together on a quest? // Story: When the Moon saved the stars // by kittypetro //------------------------------// Chapter 3 Us? Together on a quest? Nopony spoke as Luna finished talking. Trixie spoke up breaking the silence. “All right… so an evil unicorn has escaped and is out for revenge… Bad news I am certain. But why tell us? What is special about us?” Luna frowned. “When she got loose… I can only imagine she was pretty mad, I know I was… The first thing she would have done was to go to the castle… to challenge Celestia.” “Again, why tell us this, why not the holders of the elements?” “Because the holders of the elements were already there… Celestia had invited them to teach them more about their powers.” Another powerful silence followed this. Vinyl spoke up. “So… where exactly are Princess Celestia and the holders of the elements now?” Luna gulped but dragged out her chart. “When I raised the moon tonight I too got a similar vision that you all had… I also noticed something different with the sky. A bunch of new stars that hadn’t been there before.” Luna rolled out the chart, not speaking as everyone looked at the familiar cutie marks. “That cold in your visions? That would be them… calling out.” Big Mac closed his eyes painfully. “AJ…” Zecora looked downcast. “It’s so sad it could make me cry, to think of the pain of poor Fluttershy.” Gilda scowled. “So we’re doomed then? Without the holders of the elements, nothing can stop this psycho right?” “There is one last hope” Luna said. “Celestia and I learned something useful when we were the holders of the elements. If the true holders are indisposed, the holders themselves can choose a substitute to act in their place.” “All right then” Derpy said with a smile. “So let’s find these substitutes.” Luna looked at her. Derpy blinked, but Vinyl was the one who spoke up. “Wait… are you saying what I think you’re saying?” “There is no way” Gilda said shaking her head. “Dash doesn’t even care about me anymore; no way has she asked me to do this.” Luna raised her head towards the roof, closing her eyes and reaching out to the stars with her magic. Finding the form of Celestia she found her sisters memories without trouble. “Hi there Tia. Sorry about the cold but I can’t get you out yet… the crew has been gathered but they need incentive, so I need to borrow your thoughts, as well as the holders.” Celestia didn’t answer, but Luna felt a flash of warmth. It was all she needed. She reached out further and tugged at the minds of the holders, and soon the 6 in the room held their heads again as they quickly saw the world through the eyes of their friends a day before. Celestia looked over her shoulder at them all. “I need you to do one thing for me. First off, can you think of a place near here that can be used as a safe meeting point?” Twilight looked worried out at Starvoid who grinned sardonically and lit up her horn. “Err… Pony Joe’s?” “That will have to do” Celestia said with a sigh. “Now I need you to think of this. You know your elements pretty well, but if you were out of commission who do you know that could take your place and use the element you possess?” ‘Trixie… she’s the only unicorn I know with as much knowledge of magic as myself.’ ‘Vinyl Scratch, she’s always up for a laugh, and she’s an awesome party pony too.’ ‘Zecora, she’s always so kind to us, even if we treated her so badly in the beginning.’ ‘Dear Derpy Hooves, the darling lives from paycheck to paycheck but never complains and always give out complimentary muffins with her deliveries. Never was there a more generous pony than her.’ ‘Big Macintosh. There is no one more honest and hard working than my big brother. But why is the princess asking us this?’ ‘Gilda… true we had a row but… I could always depend on her having my back in flight school. She was always loyal to me back then.’ Everyone gasped as the memory faded and they once again were in the backroom of Pony Joe’s. “Do you believe me now?” Luna asked. Gilda didn’t speak. Vinyl had taken off her glasses to dry her eyes. Big Mac was staring out into nowhere, Derpy sniffed. “To hear such words from them… it’s almost too much… How could I possibly turn them down?” “Damn straight” Vinyl said, standing up. “Where do we go?” “Hold it” Trixie said speaking up. “Twilight Sparkle ruined my life, why in the world should I help her?” Luna looked at her. “You would leave her up there? And let the world fall?” Trixie’s frown turned softer. “You are asking us to possibly risk our lives here… I like living thank you very much.” Derpy turned to look at Trixie. “The way I remember it… didn’t Twilight save you from being eaten by an Ursa Minor? You owe her.” Vinyl spoke up. “Besides, if you are a unicorn with talent for magic, who’s to say that Starvoid won’t kill you anyway for your skills?” Zecora smiled and spoke her piece. “A performer by trade you are, how about becoming a world saving star?” Trixie thought it over. “Very well, the great and powerful Trixie will join your cause. So… what do we do and how do we get out of it alive?” Luna smiled at her. “Celestia put an enchantment on the elements so they could always be tracked. A precaution since the Discord incident. Once we find them the elements themselves will lead us to where the artifacts lie. Now before we do anything else, I’d like you to tell your close ones, friends and family that you are ok but that you will be out of town for a while. This could take some time. We meet back here in 12 hours. Get some rest, because this will probably be a long journey.” Everyone left, Trixie lingering at the door. “I have one question for you your majesty.” “Yes?” “Obviously you can’t go back to the castle… where will you be resting?” “Don’t worry about me Trixie, I will manage.” “The great and Powerful Trixie is never worried… but I am concerned that we will all be back here tomorrow with you gone and no one to lead us in the right direction.” “Your concern is noted Trixie and you have my word that I will be careful… now can I ask you one thing in return?” “Of course.” “Are you the same Trixie that frequented towns and villages and boasted about having defeated an Ursa Major?” Trixie flinched. “I might have been… over exaggerating a little.” “I should say so” Luna said with a smile. “Next time start with something smaller so somepony don’t call you out on your bluff.” Trixie smiled a small smile as she left and closed the door behind her. Luna rose from her seat, stretching her wings. Gently she walked out into the main shop of pony Joe’s. “Thank you for letting us use your back room” she said, the unicorn bowing slightly. “My place is always open for you your majesty.” “Good. Because we will meet here again in 12 hours, I hope that will not be a problem.” “Of course not.” Luna and Pony Joe turned as the doors opened. Spitfire and Soarin came in, wheezing out of breath. “Your majesty ‘gasp’ we got most of the staff out of the castle” Soarin said, barely on his feet. “Most of?” “There were some that already was beyond saving ‘gasp’ and a few guards that refused to run.” “Good work you two, take a breather.” Luna turned to pony Joe taking out a few bits. “Here, give them something to drink.” “Keep your bits your majesty; they shouldn’t have to pay for doing what was right.” Pony Joe lifted a pair of mugs filled with hot chocolate. “Here, you two rest as long as you need… I live upstairs; I have an extra bed and a couch if you need a place to stay tonight.” “They will take the bed” Luna said. “I have a night to look after. And you two are to rest until I wake you, understood?” “Yes Ma’am” Soarin said with a small salute. Luna nodded. “I’ll be back in the morning” Luna said walking outside. Looking around she stretched her wings and flew upwards. Landing on a cloud she concentrated her magic on finding the elements. “Please don’t be in the castle, please don’t be in the castle please don’t be in the… oh by Faust thank you.” The elements were not in the Canterlot castle… they were in the tree library in ponyville. Very well, might as well go now before Starvoid decides to look for them. Nopony except Celestia knew that Luna was responsible for the creation of the wonderbolts. Back in her younger days the princess loved to fly across the sky at breakneck speeds. A Pegasus guard noticed this and thought that a guard was at little help if one could not keep up with the princess he was sworn to protect. So he went to Celestia and asked for permission to train a group of elite Pegasus fliers to better protect the princesses in flight at high speeds. The Pegasus’s name was Lightning Bolt. The rest was history as they all said. So Luna flew. Flew as fast as she had ever done, without triggering a sonic rainboom in the process. She wanted nopony to know she was there. That was one of the things she loved about her coat color. When in the air she could be invisible if she felt like it. Fly high enough and nopony would notice her in the sky. Finally the familiar silhouette of Ponyville came into view, Luna landing quietly at the library, knocking on the door. Not getting any response she knocked again, finally hearing movement on the inside. The lights turned on and the door opened to reveal Spike the dragon. “Princess Luna? Is something wrong? Twilight isn’t here.” “I know” Luna said. “Can I come in?” “Sure” Spike said letting Luna in. “So… why are you here this late?” Luna sighed. “I’m afraid I got bad news for you Spike.” Luna started talking and Spike looked at her shocked. “You mean… Everypony is in the sky? Trapped?” “I’m afraid so.” “But… you are the princess of the night. Why can’t you just undo the enchantment if you are the warden of the stars?” “Because the moment I try the unicorn will know about it and then lock up me and go after the holders and Celestia again. Right not she thinks that I’m the only pony she needs to worry about because she doesn’t know about the others who is out to get all the power of the elements. So right now we have the upper hoof. Now please Spike I need the elements.” “Yeah sure… I think Twilight laid them here somewhere.” “Excellent.” Luna searched for the magic, quickly finding a large metallic box. Opening it she found the elements. All 6 lay there, shining gently in the moonlight. “All right, Spike I need to borrow a saddlebag.” “On it” Spike said getting to his feet, rushing to get a saddlebag for Luna. As Luna fastened the bags and secured the elements inside them she turned to Spike. “Spike I need you to do me a huge favor, if you are up to the task.” “Anything your highness.” “As we are out traveling we will have no chance knowing what is happening elsewhere. I need you to be on the lookout for anything suspicious. The moment you know something important, send me a message with your dragon flame. Can you do that for me?” “No problem” Spike said, saluting. “Good. Now I need to get back. Be careful Spike, and keep out of sight.” “Hey Princess one more question… is it very cold up there?” Luna didn’t meet his gaze. “It is… colder than anything else in this world.” “Then… you’ll rescue them right? As fast as possible?” “You have my word Spike; I will do anything in my power to get them down from that fate as fast as I can.” Luna walked out, looking around carefully before jumping into the air once more. She didn’t rush this time. She had precious cargo with her and she wanted nothing to happen to them. As she flew she looked up to the heavens. She knew what her sister and the holders were feeling. She had been there herself, for a thousand years. Floating in and out of conscious freezing her tail off, not managing more than a few coherent thoughts, although most of them planned the demise of Celestia and exiling her to the frozen north when she was guaranteed to be the sole ruler of Equestria. And now… now she had sole rule until this was all over. She had to step into her sister’s horseshoes, taking care of both the sun and moon, all the while running from a maniac with a vengeance. Luna shuddered. Starvoid had been up in that cold for twice as long as she had been imprisoned in the moon. She alone had been pretty obsessed and vengeful of Celestia. A small part of her didn’t want to know how bad Starvoid was out for blood but she had a small inkling that it was pretty bad. Stopping up at a cloud near Canterlot Luna looked towards the clock tower nearby. ‘Sunrise already… well let’s get this over with.’ Luna reached out with her magic and grabbed hold of the moon, guiding it. She then reached out towards the sun, carefully gripping it. It was hard trying to control it, the solar flares and gases was more fluid than the cold rock of the moon. Just as she had control another magic touched the sun and grabbed hold. At the Canterlot castle Starvoid grinned, using the spell she had borrowed from Celestia before she had been banished to the heavens, sensing Luna at the other end. So… she knew about her sister then, that was pretty interesting. ‘Well, well what’s this… what are you doing touching my stuff dear Lulu?’ Luna growled. ‘The sun is not yours Starvoid, it’s my sister’s... and don’t call me Lulu, it’s not your privilege to call me that.’ Starvoid grinned, hatching a plan all the while holding onto the sun enjoying the feeling of power. ‘Privilege? I’m in charge now Lulu, you are below me… It’s you that has the privilege of still being allowed to walk around in my kingdom. As for the sun, it’s still not yours. Now how about you let go and let me do my new job in peace?’ Starvoid held onto Luna’s mind, the alicorn being too upset to notice that Starvoid was looking for a special memory in her head. Luna huffed. ‘You don’t have a job you vile monster.’ ‘Ah now that’s kind of harsh coming from you, isn’t it my dear Nightmare Moon?’ The response was fast, angry and predictable. ‘DON’T YOU DARE.’ ‘Oh but I dare… So how does it feel? To finally have your sister out of the way?’ ‘I swear to Lauren Faust herself that when I get my hoofs on you…’ ‘You will what exactly? You have been there Lulu… been in that cold hell, though only for half the time I was there. However I can’t be stopped, I have made sure of it. Now for the last time peasant, let the sun go.’ Luna did not budge, simply continued to drag the sun up into the sky. Starvoid smiled in triumph, finding the hidden memory, her horn sparking and giving just a hint of magic towards the source. ‘Now that’s not nice, disobeying your new queen… Maybe some time in exile will make you see things from my side. Another millennia or so in the moon might do the trick.’ ‘Good luck doing that without the elements’ Luna sent back before she let her magic go. Starvoid grunted and stepped back, as Luna pushed her away. The elements… they aren’t here in the castle? Well I suppose a more thorough search is needed. Luna panted in exhaustion. She had to move. She and Starvoid had been holding their magic’s intertwined enough to let Starvoid know where she was, but not much more. So Luna rushed off, hiding in the backstreets all the way to Pony Joe’s. Once there she walked inside, seeing that Pony Joe was still waiting for her. “Have you been up all this time?” “No your highness, I just woke up actually, I need to start baking donuts for my customers.” “All right, I’ll go and rest for a while. When our friends come, please wake me up, and if a purple unicorn comes in and asks about us you have never seen us and known next to no magic is that clear?” “Yes ma’am.” “Good. Have a good day Pony Joe and thank you once again.” “I will your highness… by the way you can borrow my bed, it’s softer than the couch.” Luna smiled in gratitude. “I will take you up on your offer, now I best be off before I fall asleep in the hallway.” Luna walked towards the living quarters of Pony Joe’s café, ending up in a room that was obviously a bedroom. Luna sighed and looked into the mirror. The pony that looked back looked like she had been attacked by a gang of manticores. Starvoid’s voice called out to her. ‘How does it feel?’ It felt horrible. Luna sighed and placed the saddlebags under the bed for security and lay down. Closing her eyes the last thing she saw was her own reflection… or rather the reflection of Nightmare Moon, cackling in triumph.