//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Ponyville // Story: A New Ruler // by ThePrinceOfTheNorth //------------------------------// Chapter 9: Ponyville I followed Twilight to her tree house at the center of town, and I must admit, the real thing looked spectacular. I quickly followed Twilight in, thankful I hadn’t encountered Pinkie Pie, yet. “Spike,” Twilight called as she shut the door behind me, “”I’m back.” Spike came running down from the second floor. He was even cuter in person, too. “Hi Twilight,” Spike said before turning to me, “Who is she?” “I’m Ella,” I said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Spike.” Spike smiled and blushed at the same time. “Uh, Rarity asked me to come over to her place,” Spike said, “She said she has somthing she wants to give me.” “Okay,” Twilight said, “But no going crazy if it’s a jewel or something, and don't sty out too late, okay?” “Yes Twilight,” Spike said as he hurried out. “He’s just how I’d imagined him,” I thought out loud. “Indeed he is,” Twilight said, “Now, take a look around town if you want. I’ll be in my room if you need anything.” “I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, “But where will I stay?” “I’ll talk to Mayor Mare to see if there’s a house you can buy,” Twilight replied, “Winter put a fair amount of money in your satchel, so you should be able to buy whatever’s available.” I lifted the bag and opened it. Sure enough, it contained about one million bits along with the spell book. “Okay,” I said hesitantly as I closed the satchel, “I’m going to look around. I really hope I don’t run into Pinkie Pie, though. I’ve watched the show, so I do know how she gets.” “Noted,” Twilight said, “Keep an eye out for anything pink with a balloon cutiemark.” We both laughed before I walked out, right into Pinkie Pie’s snout, much to my and Twilight’s dismay. “Ouch,” Pinkie Pie said, rubbing her muzzle, “Do I know you?” Thinking fast, I came up with a brilliant idea. “Umm, I think so,” I replied. I’d watched the show enough to know all the characters quite well. “Okay then, see you later,” Pinkie said as she bounded off. I let out a sigh of relief and looked at Twilight through the open door, a look of relief on her face as well. I closed the door and began exploring the town. I met the school teacher, Cheerilee, first, as I hoped she’d ignore the fact that I was an alicorn. She did just that, and we talked for awhile about numerous things, including my enrollment at the school. “Oh, Prince Winter mentioned that when he visited a few hours ago,” she said, “He said you’d look a lot younger during school hours. How do you plan to do that?” “Magic,” I said with a wink. Cheerilee nodded and I left to meet the rest of the ponies. I wandered around for most of the day. Everypony just generally stared at me. I noiced a few that were obviously my former friends, though they did not recognize or remember me, and avoided me like the rest of the ponies. I made my way back to Twilight’s house as the sun was going down. I had been at Sweet Apple Acers before now, and had a nice chat with Granny Smith, who didn’t mind the slightest that I was an alicorn. I was still depressed, though. My friends were here but had no idea who I was and everypony avoided me for fear of saying the wrong thing and being banished or something. I arrived to find the lights all darkened and the door slightly ajar. “Hello,” I said as I cautiously opened the door, “Twilight? Spike? Anypony?” No answer. I stopped when I heard somthing behind me, and turned as the door closed, plunging the room into complete darkness. Suddenly, the lights came on to reveal everypony in Ponyville yell “Surprise!” I almost leapt out of my fur, but still fell over. Applejack and Rainbow Dash helped me up. “Thank you,” I said, “I must say, I wasn’t expecting somthing like this until at least tomorrow!” Everyone laughed at that joke. It turned out that Twilight had been trying to figure out how to restore some of my friend’s memories, and had made a breakthrough, partially restoring their memories, enough so that they remembered me. Tim, Ellen, Carl and Wendy were now Buck Wild, Rainboom, Scribe and Wind, all fitting names for their personalities and all pegasi, so we could still do just about anything together. Tim, now Buck Wild, had a stong build, black fur, a grey mane and tail, and a crossed swords cutiemark. He was the first to come, and had already made a name for himself all across Equestria as a great and honourable adventurer. Ellen, now Rainboom, looked a lot like Rainbow Dash, but with a full rainbow coloured mane and tail, but with the same fur and cutiemark. She had been creating Sonic Rainbooms on a daily baisis, causing havoc with the filming of the show. Carl, now Scribe, had brown fur, a cream mane and tail, and a paper and quill cutiemark. He’d turned his house into a public library, and had written a few books himself already. Wendy, now Wind, had light blue fur, a dark blue mane and tail, and a Tornado cutiemark. She could fly as fast as Rainboom, but not cause the sonic boom, basically a ninja of the skies. Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash joined our conversation. They were a bit unnerved about some things the show had shown us, but were only upset by it. We promised not to tell, and the conversation resumed as if nothing had happened. The party lasted well into the night, but everypony had gone home by about midnight, Rarity was the last. “You know darling, you could use an update to you wardrobe,” she suggested. “I could use a wardrobe bottom line,” I said, “Once I get a place to stay, I’ll be you’re newest customer.” Rarity smiled as she left. I turned to Twilight, “So, find anything?” “Actually, I have,” Twilight, “It’s an old, run-down mansion on the far side of town.” I loved the idea of living in a mansion, but it sounded like Twilight was holding something back. “What aren’t you telling me,” I inquired. “The mansion is rumoured to be on the site of a large moonstone deposit.” ‘And,” I asked, “My birthstone is moonstone.” I only just remembered the Moonstone amulet necklace my mother had given me before her and father had died in a car accident. I turned away, ashamed I’d forgotten it. “Oh, I almot forgot,” Twilight said as she levitated a familiar rosewood box toward me. I took it from her magic grasp and placed it on the floor. I carefully opened it. Inside was the moonstone necklace my mother had made me, with a note. I lifted it carefully and read it. It was in her mother's handwriting. “My dearest Ella,” it read, “I hope this gift brings you great happiness on your adventures in the far away land I know you are now. otherwise, this note would still be invisible. Take care in Equestria, as I, too, came here, and am not gone, but am here, somewhere. With love, Othelia Moonstone.” I teared up a little, and lowered the note to see the necklace had transformed into a collar, much like one Luna wore, but with a circular moonstone emblem. I levitated out of the box and put it on. It fit perfectly. “Now, what’s so special about moonstone,” I asked Twilight. “In Equestria,” Twilight said, “It has a vast amount of magical properties, and enhances your magic if worn. That must be why your mother made the necklace from moonstone.” “I see,” I said with a nod, “I think I know what the mansion is called.” “Moonstone Manor,” Twilight said, confirming my suspicions, “But let’s woory about that tomorrow. I’m tired.” I nodded and made my way to a makeshift bed twilight had made. I used my magic to transform it into a proper bed before falling into it and falling fast asleep. The first thing I dream't of wasn’t a dream, but a late night visit from Luna and Winter.