//------------------------------// // Plants, Friends, Aliens...Luna? // Story: Ask Chatterjoy // by Chatterjoy //------------------------------// Chatterjoy, Jazzy, Wordplay, and Timber Coil were lounging in Wordplay's living room. "Uh. Chatterjoy. Remind me why Jazzy is here again?" Wordplay asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because, she is a friend. Friends have sleepovers. Plus, she asked what I was doing and when I explained it to her it would be rude not to invite her. Right? Unless. My life has been a total lie! That would be horrible. That would mean I didn't have a mother and a father and a brother! That would be simply awful! Imagine my family being nothing but fakes. What if they weren't even ponies! But were something disguised as ponies. Like Changelings! Oh my Celestia! My family is a bunch of changelings feeding off of my love of them! What am I going to do?" Once Wordplay had heard her answer she had already tuned out the pegasus, "Well, glad to have you aboard Jazzy. This is Timber Coil. He is being pursued by brutes. Uh...what kind of brutes?" "Hmm? Oh yes Timberwolves." "That sucks," Jazzy piped up. She was currently hugging a pillow and was resting her head on it. "That does indeed. Still we shouldn't fear the timberwolves coming into town so boldly. They don't care much for civilization. They won't come so far into town," Wordplay reasoned out, rubbing her chin. "Still, feel free to stay here until they have gone. I imagine they'll be waiting for you on the edges of town." "I am eternally grateful for your help Madam Wordplay," Timber Coil replied, bowing his head. "What if Celestia was a changeling? Then everypony's life would be a lie! Wait. If Celestia is a changeling, then that means that Princess Luna is a changeling as well! No! My wonderful idol! A changeling! What a horrible day. First my family is a bunch of changelings and now our government is a lie!" "Would you like some tea Timber Coil?" Wordplay asked, getting up to get her own cup. "That would be greatly appreciated," he replied. "I'll take some too," Jazzy said. "All right. Three cups of tea coming right up." "What about dear Chatterjoy?" Timber Coil asked pointing to the still rambling pegasus. "What if this isn't Equestria? What if this was some evil country, but the entire populace has been fooled by Changelings and in fact Princess Celestia is actually Queen Chrysalis? And. We are at war, but nopony knows that because the Queen has kept us in the dark. Wait. If the princesses are actually changelings that means that the guards ponies are as well. Then that means! Oh no. That means that we are being watched by changelings on a daily basis!" "She'll be fine," Wordplay deadpanned, "Here is your tea." She levitated two cups. One to Jazzy and the other to Timber Coil. The steam was rising from the cups and Timber Coil blew light to cool it off, before he took a sip. "What if I'm not actually a pony but a changeling as well? What if ponies don't exist and the entire world is a lie? What if this is actually a nightmare? I haven't actually met all of you yet." "Enough Chatterjoy," Jazzy said over her shoulder. The pegasus had managed to huddle in a corner and stroked her tail. A habit she probably developed from Princess Twilight. The pegasus had often sought out the Princess to have questions answered, and Chatterjoy was an avid lover of books. Before the library was destroyed, the pegasus spent a lot of time reading books. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to learn that Chatterjoy picked a few habits up from the Princess. "She'll be fine," Wordplay repeated. She took a seat between the plant pony and her unicorn friend. "Shall we tell ghost stories to pass the time?" "I am always up for a good tell, I suppose," Timber Coil replied. He looked generally interested in what story Wordplay had in mind. "This is the story of an alien," Wordplay began. She dimmed the lights in her house with her magic and put a flashlight under her face. "He was lost and somehow found himself in the land of Equestria. This was during the time of the warring tribes, and as a result each tribe thought he was a monster sent by the other to destroy them." Jazzy was already hiding behind her pillow. Timber Coil remained sipping his tea. He waited patiently for the purple unicorn to get to the scary part. Chatterjoy remained in the corner, stroking her tail and muttering unintelligible things. Wordplay never got to finish her story for a green light enveloped the house. It was eerie and spooky, and a humming sound resonated with it. Chatterjoy freaked out and ran around the room in a panic. "The changelings are onto me!" Wordplay grabbed the crazed pegasus within her own magic, "For the last time Chatterjoy. There are not changelings!" "The purple one speaks true!" A voice boomed in the house, "For we are not changelings, but we are aliens!" The sound of the voice echoed in Wordplay's home and the residents had to strain their hooves to remain standing. "We have come to probe your minds to improve our own technology." Chatterjoy began to shake uncontrollably and she began to bite away at her hooves. A pony shape teleported into the green highlighted room. It was tall, dark, and ominous. When it opened it's eyes a teal reptilian gaze landed on them. At this point Jazzy had hidden completely behind her pillow. Timber Coil had taken to hiding behind her. "A little early for Nightmare Night wouldn't you say Princess Luna?" Wordplay asked. "We are not who thou speakest of. We are the aliens who have to probe your mind to increase our own technology," The voice boomed from the large pony. Wordplay sighed but managed to shut off the spell that made her house turn green. "You were using a light spell on my light bulbs to make them give off this color. The humming came from you making your wings buzz like a hummingbird. And you're using your nightmare moon form to scare people." When the lights returned to normal. Nightmare Moon stood before the group of ponies. Her wings deflated and she cast away her illusion spell to return to looking like Luna. "Very good citizen. If we had talents like thy own in Our guard. It would certainly make them less incompetent," Luna replied with a smile. "Thank you your majesty," Wordplay replied with a bow. Jazzy and Timber Coil soon remembered to bow as well. Chatterjoy had been set on the floor, but the poor pegasus was in such a shock she remained a shivering huddle. "What is wrong with Our number one fan?" Luna asked, lightly poking Chatterjoy. "She had gotten on a rant about Changelings, and when you did your appearance she flipped," Jazzy answered. "We see. Please rise. Let Us inquire what thou were doing before we 'rashed' thy party," Luna asked. "Crashed, Princess. We were having a sleepover while we wait for the timberwolves to leave our friend Timber Coil alone," Wordplay replied motioning towards Timber Coil. "Our apologies. If We may, can We stay during this 'sleepover'?" "We don't actually sleep," Jazzy said. "We are aware." For the rest of evening the Princess, the two unicorns, and the plant pony played different games throughout the night. Chatterjoy remained huddled, but at the insistence of the Princess, she was put next to Luna, which did not help her condition one bit. "We enjoy the reactions of this 'leaking' out," Luna said putting down one of her cards. "Freaking out your majesty."