Celestia's New Student

by Art Inspired


Ten: The Enemy In A Friendly Place

Trixie pounced through the portal and landed on a dirt road. At first, she stood there, a tingling sensation tumbling down her spine. She knew it was from teleporting, so she kept still for a minute or two. She looked down the road to her left, but she saw nothing. So, Trixie then looked to the right, and noticed some sort of glimmering light not too far away from her position. Timidly, she began approaching the attraction. She was still curious as to who might be her escort, but by the looks of things, it would be a pleasant voyage.

Before the fire encompassed with rocks rested two sharp look sticks dug into the ground. Each beared a slowly warmed marshmallow, something that Trixie hadn’t had the chance to enjoy for ages. There were also chocolates and graham crackers sitting on the stump there as well. Finally, the single tent with a shadowy figure beyond it. Trixie unzipped the opening, her presence being a secret up until now, and caught her escort right in the middle of preparing the bedding.

“Trixie,” Moon Dancer gasped after looking around her shoulder.

“You’re Trixie’s escort?” Trixie questioned, and at that, they both just stood there looking at one another. Trixie wanted to say something more, but held her tongue and waiting for the bat pony to speak instead.

“Well… yeah! I guess so… Princess Luna told me I was gonna be somepony’s guide through the Cave of Hungers. Been there before, but not all the way through. Said there was something in there that belonged to Celestia’s new student. That’s why I was headed down to see Druid Shield back at the castle… So, then... that must be you, huh? You’re the new student?”

Trixie looked around, miffed at the hard work put into preparing this. “You… did all this for me?”

“Was hoping it would make for a good first impression, seeing as how I’m a bat pony and all…” Trixie looked her up and down, and observed her spooky cutie mark. It was a full moon hidden away by the passing clouds. She could see why a good first impression would be needed here. “Too bad it’s already ruined.”

Trixie returned her attention to Moon Dancer. “What do you mean?”

“Well, y’know, it was kinda hard not to read you like a book back there in the castle. You acted all shallow after I kissed Druid Shield, and-”

Trixie bursted out, “Trixie doesn’t like Druid Shield!” Dancer just stared, her mouth agape. “... At least, not anymore she doesn’t.”

Moon Dancer came closer. “Why’s that?”

“Because!” Trixie looked away. “He… Did you know, he didn’t even mention you when he and Trixie met? He swore to be Trixie’s guard, but not once did your name come up. Not once.”

Moon Dancer merely laughed. “So that made him single?”

“But, he was so friendly.”

Moon Dancer continued to smile, rolled her eyes, and said, “He just wanted to be a good guard... Look, you know why he’s been so distanced lately?”

“Why?” Trixie asked.

“It’s because he and I only see eachother once a month these days.”

Trixie gasped, “A month?”

“Yeah, I know,” Moon Dancer resumed. “Sometimes, it can feel like I don’t even still have a boyfriend. He must be feeling the same way. Ever since he was reassigned to gate duty outside the palace walls, he’s been like... that! More bored with the job, and just… distanced. You know?”

Trixie just nodded. “Which is why he didn’t mention you. He misses you too much.”

“Plus, he’s a little resentful at me as well, because I’m the one that suggested to the princesses that he tries out gate duty. I thought it would be better for him, and I was right, but at the same time… I don’t know, maybe it was a mistake after all.”

Trixie looked down, and understood the story now. “Say, you made this tent for Trixie, right? Where’re you going to sleep?”

Moon Dancer merely giggled, and said, “Outside of course! I’m a bat pony. I can hang from my tail on a tree branch, and sleep like a baby in a crib.”

Trixie huffed. “Cool! Doesn’t that hurt, though? Y’know… Your tail?”

“Nah!” Moon Dancer chortled. “I’ll show you when bedtime comes around, but first, you wanna help me with those s'mores?”

Trixie found herself leaving the tent quickly, but faster than the smell of marshmallows could enter her muzzle, she realized at that time that she’d made a friend with yet another bat pony. “Say,” Trixie began. “First, Druid Shield is assigned to me, and then you… why only bat ponies?”

Instead of agreeing, like Trixie had expected, Moon Dancer said quite frankly, “Pure coincidence. Then again, it could be destiny.”

“Destiny?” Trixie questioned. “What? Am I to become a bat pony by the end of my studies? Although, that wouldn’t be a bad performance…”

Dancer had finished preparing a s'more, and gave it over to Trixie graciously. “There’s an easy way, too. Although, it doesn’t quite turn you into a bat pony like myself. Makes you all aggressive, and you’d ultimately be bound to… something. It’s a spell Druid Shield once told me about.”

Trixie nodded. “Doubt that’d be fun. Trixie likes being more kind, and besides, she’d never be able to pull off such a feat of magic. Now, with the help of Druid Shield, however… But, alas, as we all know,  Trixie shall not be requesting him of his assistance.”

“Still mad at him, huh?” Dancer asked as she finished half of her late night snack.

“Yes.”

“Y’know,” Dancer said after giving a powerful gulp. “If it wasn’t for the fact that I still have a bit of feeling, I’d dump him.”

Trixie blinked. “Why?”

“Not so you can sweep him away, mind you. Because, I feel tired. All the guys up there, and the girls, too, know I’m still seeing Druid Shield. It’d be insane for me to simply break up with him and stay up there, in the high towers.”

Trixie looked down at the single bite taken from the s'more in her hooves. “I’ll think of how that could work out while I sleep on it.” She put her s’more on a napkin, and said while yawning, “Trixie’s beat.”

Before entering her tent, she heard the sharp sound of wings fluttering open, and the eerie creek of a branch bending downwards behind her. She turned around to find out what it was only to see Moon Dancer hanging from a tree branch with her tail, her wings coating the entirety of her body. It reminded Trixie of a cocoon. “That’s cool…”

As she turned again towards her sleeping quarters, a thought crossed her head. She was too tired to worry about it at the time, but next morning, she and Moon Dancer would have something interesting to talk about.