The Search
The lunar alicorn looked back at her sister and gave her a nod before stepping off her balcony and gliding off to Ponyville with the promise that she bring Twilight back. Celestia hadn’t left her room in over two days and due to her emotional state had cancel court until further notice. Luna agreed with the choice sensing the state of the solar goddess’ mane alone would be enough to incite panic in the nobles. The darker alicorn had already taken over stewardship of the sun the last two days and was sure that if the nobles found that tidbit out she would be once again be accused of trying to usurping her sisters power, though if she took a slice of cake from her sister she would accused of a coup. The kitchen staff, namely Frosted Flourish the pastry chef, knew something was wrong with the princess by the tenfold increase in cake requests.
The dark princess always smiled as Ponyville came in to view, she had, after Nightmare Night, always felt welcome. She often mused if she didn’t have her royal duties she would move to the small hamlet. “I could live in the library with Twilight,” she thought. “I’m sure the idea of two princesses living together in the small out of the way village would cause some gossip. We’ll maybe in another life or timeline.”
She set down in front of the town library and with almost instinctual magic unlocked the door and strode in.
“Twilight?” she called, not expecting her to be there, “Spike, are you in here?”
“Who?” a quiet voice answered.
“Spike?” she asked again.
“Who?” the voice said again as a large barn owl, Twilights assistant Owlowishis flapped into view from his perch.
“Spi-no, I’m not getting drawn into that,” she said. “I imagine they are not home.”
Grumble-grumble
“I guess eating a little more would have been a good idea,” she said to the barn owl.
She took a quick look around the library and before leaving and trotting off to talk with one of Twilights friends and grab a quick bite to eat.
“Ohmygoshprincessluna! Whatareyoudoingher?Didyoucomeforasuperdeliciouscupcake?” the pink blur that was Pinkie Pie questioned as nearly pounced the alicorn as she crossed the threshold of Sugar Cube Corner.
She had become used to Pinkie Pie’s rambling over the years and had almost perfected a spell that would slow down her words at they entered her mind, but not yet. So, after a minute the dark princess processed and answer.
“I am here looking for Twilight?” Luna said.
“Twilight is in Canterlot and hasn’t come back yet,” Pinkie said. “You should know that because you came from Canterlot, thatisunlessyourachangeling.”
Pinkie gasped at the though and out of nowhere her party cannon fuse lit was now aimed at the royal alicorn.
“I am not the a changeling. Twilight left two days ago and we haven’t heard from her and we are starting to get worried,” Luna explained.
The fuse of the cannon went out on its own and Pinkie pushed it to the side.
“Ohmygosh!” Pinkie gasped again. “That’s teriable, Twilight is missing? She could be hurt or a monster could have got her while she was reading a book and she was so interested in the book she didn’t notice the monster and while she was reading the book the monster gobbled her up book and all.”
“I don’t think that is the case,” Luna dead paned.
“I wonder what books taste like? I bet they taste inky, maple suryp since you use ink on paper and maple trees taste good,” Pinkie contined.
“Pinkie, have you seen Twilight? Do you know where she is?” Luna asked.
“Well, no, should I be worried?” Pinkie asked.
“No, Twilight is a very powerful alicorn it would take a very strong creature to harm her,” she tryied to calm the pink mare.
“Oh, okie dokie loki,” Pinkie said with a smile on her face as she bounced back around the counter.
“I am going to check with her other friends. I will tell you if we find her,” Luna said. “No, how about a superdelicious cupcake.”
The Lunar princess only turned a couple of heads as she trotted through town, the residences having grown accustom to royal visits over the last decade. She began to trot out of town and down a country road until she was surrounded by the smell of apples, taking to the air she surveyed the neatly organized rows of apple trees covering hundreds of acres. The chances of spotting a single pony through the canopy of leaves were slim, but Luna knew she didn’t have to spot the pony. She could see in the distance movement in the leaves as a tree shook violently, and made it her destination. The dark princess glided down through a space in the trees and landed softly on the earth in front of an orange colored pony her eyes closed as she hummed a tune, and began to tense her muscles to buck and apple tree in to giving up its fruit.
“Excuse me Applejack?” Luna spoke up, startling the earth pony causing her to miss the tree entirely and sending her staggering to the side.
“What the-,” she began angerly before seeing the alicorn in front of her. “I mean Princess what are you doing here.”
“I am sorry to interrupt your work but you haven’t seen Twilight Sparkle recently,” she asked.
“I can’t say that I have,” Applejack said. “Is she alright? Its been a couple of day since last time seeing her.”
“No, she is fine. I just was looking for her was all,” Luna lied, and that was a mistake.
“Now Princess, I can tell when a pony is lying. I can even tell when an alicorn is lying,” Applejack said bluntly.
“I suppose that being the element of honesty makes you uniquely attune to what constitutes the truth,” Luna said.
“Well in a way it does. But, I’ve been able to tell a fib as long as I could remember,” Applejack answered.
“I guess it makes it very hard for your foals to sneak one by you,” Luna said.
“Well, Arlet and Autum are a little young to be fibbing to much at this point, but Apple Bloom, she was a handful,” Applejack smiled thinking about her twins.
“I remember,” Luna said. “And how is Apple Bloom?”
“Well, she’s…” Applejack stopped. “You’re trying to change the subject Princess. Is Twilight alright?”
“I should have know better than to try to hid it from you. You see Twilight and Tia had a rather heated discussion and Twilight stormed out of the palace and flew off,” Luna admitted.
“Well Twi and Celestia fighting. That doesn’t seem normal,” Applejack said taking a seat on the grass.
“It isn’t. I haven’t seen them argue ever. I don’t think they even fought when she was a teenage,” she admitted. “We haven’t heard from her in three days.”
“Well that really doesn’t sound like Twi. She probably just needs sometime to calm down,” Applejack said.
“I know but it doesn’t mean Celestia and myself aren’t worried,” Luna said taking a seat herself.
“Maybe she went to see Cadence?” Applejack offered.
“We sent Cadence a fire message yesterday and she says she hasn’t seen her,” replied Luna.
“I’d try Fluttershy. If I wanted some quiet and alone time she would be the first pony I’d go to,” Applejack offered.
“Thank you good Applejack. I will check with her next,” Luna said with a weak smile.
“It’s never a problem,” Applejack replied. “Besides, even before she was an alicorn Twi was the most powerful unicorn in Equestria, I’m sure now she has so much power she not in any danger.”
“I hope that is so, Thank you,” Luna said and jumped into the air.
Luna only took moments to fly from Sweet Apple Acres to Fluttershy’s animal sanctuary. The quiet spot at the edge of the Everfree would be the perfect refuge for Twilight, never getting many visitors with the exception of her friends and the mailmare. A flash of pink caught her eye as she circled over head looking down at the rolling meadow at the edge of the forest. She could just make out the shape of a butter colored pony sitting on a blanket in a sea of dandy lion puffs. The princess came in for a landing and as if by magic the dandy lions parted to make way for her. She was surprised before noticing that the dandy lions were indeed dozens of bunnies.
“Princess Luna how nice it is to see you,” Fluttershy said as she stood to offer a slight bow.
“Lady Fluttershy, it is nice to see you. You never need bow as I’ve told you. . .CRACK BOOOOOOOM!!!!...” the explosion sending Luna ducking and looking behind her.
“What was that?” Luna asked.
“Rainbow Dash, she’s only a loud to practice over the Everfree. The mayor told her if she shattered anymore windows at the town hall she would be arrested for vandalism,” Fluttershy explained.
“A prudent decision,” Luna said now making out the cyan streak in the sky. “She does know that she out ranks the mayor doesn’t she, being a in the guard as a member of the Wonderbolts and a knight of the realm?”
“I’m sure she does. I think she just want to be considerate,” Fluttershy said waving to the now slowing pegasus coming in for a landing.
“Hey Princess, you come here for a preview of the latest stunts to get into the show,” Dash asked.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but I came here looking for Twilight,” Luna answered hoping that they wouldn’t question her as Applejack did.
“Na, I have’t see Twi for a week. I just figure she is doing some princessy thing or researching or other egghead stuff,” Rainbow Dash answered.
“I’m sorry Luna, I haven’t seen Twilight either, is there something that is wrong?” Fluttershy asked.
“No not really,” Luna said. “She said she needed some time to think and left the palace three days ago and we haven’t heard from her.”
“I’m sure she’s all right. She awesome, not as awesome as me, but she’s awesome and can take care of herself,” Dash reassured her.
“Are you sure there is nothing wrong?” Fluttershy asked, and it was hard for Luna not to just tell the truth as she looked into those blue eyes that could make a dragon give up its hoard.
“No, nothing big. If you see her will you tell her to contact me or Celestia? Her mother is worried,” Luna tried to dismiss.
“Sure, if we see the princess, well tell the princess, where the princess is, unless the princess tells us to tell you Princess,” Dash said having fun with the statement.
“Thank you,” she bunched up her hind legs and prepared to jump, “One more thing. Have you seen Spike? He’s not at the library.”
“I’d imagine he is at Rarity’s,” Fluttershy answered.
“Yeah, he’s been helping her with a new spell she learned,” Dash said with a chuckle.
“Thank you both,” Luna said before taking flight to town once more.
“Helping Rarity with a spell? Rainbow Dash that wasn’t very nice to lie to the princess,” Fluttershy scolded in her soft wispy voice.
“Yeah Fluttershy he is helping her with a spell of sorts,” Dash answered showing the devious grin she gets when planning a great prank. “I just wish we could be there to see Luna’s face when she finds out which spell.”
* * * *
Luna landed by the brook just outside of downtown Ponyville and a short trot away from Carousel boutique. She stopped at the shop door tilted her head curious at the CLOSED sign hanging in the door window. “Why would the she close the boutique this early in the day?” she thought and turned to go back to the library and wait for Spike to show up.
-Crash, Bang! Roar!!!!-
The sound of a struggle emanated from the other side of the shop door. “Rarity!” Luna shouted before she turned on her heals and charged her horn and blasted the lock open. The show room of the boutique was dark as night all the shades pulled shut as if to hide whatever was going on inside, instinctually she cast a spell lighting every lamp in the room. She looked around the room for Rarity and the signs of an intruder, yet everything was in order, all the ponykins were in place with dresses in various states of completion causing her to second guess what she had heard from the street.
“Stay back you foul beast!” Rarity’s voice came from above.
Roar!!!
“You stay back! You will never take my virtue!” she said again.
Roar!!
“Help me! Is there anypony to help me?” Rarity’s voice echoed down the stairs.
-Crash- Scream-
Luna charged up the steps to the apartment above the shop her horn charged with a stun spell, but if what she thought was befalling the element of generosity it would take restraint to only stun the attacker.
“Unhand her curr!” Luna shouted firing the bolt into the purple back of the attacker.
“Ow! What the. . .” a deep voice said as an arm reach to the point of magical contact and rolled to the side to revel a white pony, in what appeared to be a Princess Platinum costume from Hearths Warming Eve, or a character in one of the Dlazerous novels the princess had hidden in her nightstand, sprawled out on the bed in unbecoming position.
“Luna!” Rarity shouted as she quickly rolled off the bed to a more modest position.
“Rarity! Are you unharmed? Get behind me while I take care of this . . . dragon?” Luna paused getting a better look at the large scaly creature writhing on the floor.
“Auntie?” the now familiar voice questioned.
“Spike?!” Luna said in surprise looking at the dragon and the white unicorn who was looking more pink from the blush forming under her coat. “What is going on here?”
“Well Auntie,” Spike began.
“Wait! Spike your grown! Twilight is in danger. I thoughT she was just hiding to calm down but now…” Luna said on the verge of panic. “Why did you not contact the palace?”
“Twilight is fine, or at least I think she is?” Spike said trying to calm his aunt.
“But the spell?” Luna said.
“Yes, the spell, maybe I can explain,” Rarity said stepping forward as she levitated her Princess Platinum of and on to the bed before standing next to Spike. “I kind of figured out how to lift the spell like you did at Twilights coronation.”
“But why?” Luna asked looking at both of them and tilting her head.
“Ah, um,” the couple hesitated.
The scene the alicorn walked in on now catching up to her and her own blush beginning to burn through her dark coat.
“I, ah, my apologies, I thought you were about to be ravaged by a beast, I was mistaken,” the Princess.
“Well you weren’t that far off…” Rarity said with a sly smile causing the princess to blush further.
“Alright then, I am happy, I guess you’re dreams were not just dreams after all nephew,” Luna said stuttering for a way to get out gracefully. “If you hear from your sister please let me know immediately.”
“Yes, ma’ma,” Spike said before uttering another word the princess disappeared in the flash and pop of a teleport.
The dragon and unicorn turned to look at each other and began to giggle as they wrapped each other in their forelegs and arms respectively. “Well, that was about as awkward as the time she walked on a dream of mine.”
“A dream?” Rarity said “What kind of dream?”
“A rather intimate one,” he said.
“Was I involved?” she asked.
“You?” he said. “What makes you think that? I’m sure it was another white unicorn with the most beautiful flank I’ve ever seen.”
“You are a flatterer my prince,” she said before kissing him.
“Its only the honest truth,” he said.
“Oh, really, should I get Applejack to be sure?” she said as he kissed her neck.
“Applejack here?” he said with a wicked smile. “That’s another dream entirely.”
The lovers chuckle and fall back on to the bed to continue what they had started.