//------------------------------// // 46. Moon Dancer // Story: X Steps Through The Portal // by Tennis Match Fan //------------------------------// Moon Dancer shifted her backpack as she walked out of Canterlot High one afternoon. She pushed her glasses back as she read another book she had checked out from the school's library. "Hey, Moon Dancer!" Minuette, a rather annoying student, ran to catch up with her. "Watcha readin'?" Moon Dancer glanced up at Minuette. "Just Slumber Parties 101," she responded, though she had no emotion in her voice. "Really?" Twinkleshine, another annoying girl, popped up next to Minuette. "Does that mean you're going to have a slumber party?" she asked. Moon Dancer rolled her eyes. "No. It's just a book I haven't read, and I will finish reading if you guys stop talking to me," Moon Dancer rolled her eyes and began reading once more. "Hey, Moon Dancer?" Lemon Hearts commented. "I know you're trying to go for the whole 'friendless recluse' thing, but why do you have your hair up like that? And that sweater doesn't work at all!" "Lemon Hearts!" Minuette protested. "That's rude!" Moon Dancer paid no attention to the friendly bickering that ensued. After a quick walk across the street, she sat down on a bench to read in peace. For the life of me, thought Moon Dancer, I can't understand why Mom and Dad make me go to a school halfway across town when Crystal Prep is two blocks away. No matter; the bus should come soon. After she finished the book, Moon Dancer glanced at her watch. Hmm. She frowned. The bus should've come a half hour ago. Moon Dancer slipped Slumber Parties 101 in her backpack and walked back across the street. Maybe Principal Celestia will let me call my mother. Despite her parents' insistence, Moon Dancer did not carry a phone with her, or anything else "social." As Moon Dancer walked past the statue of a horse that stood in front of the school, Minuette, Twinkleshine, and Lemon Hearts watched her from their perch on the statue. "We need to do something about her," MInuette remarked. "Why?" Lemon Hearts asked, flipping her hair. "She obviously doesn't want to be our friend." "We have to try!" Minuette pleaded. "I'd feel awful knowing this is all she does!" "Quick, she's about to walk into school!" Twinkleshine jumped down and ran after Moon Dancer. Lemon Hearts and Minuette followed in suit. "Moon Dancer!" the trio cried. Moon Dancer pursed her lips and turned around. "Why do you keep bothering me?" she growled. Lemon Hearts stuck her hands into her hoodie. "Listen, Dancer, we want to help you." "You don't have a choice!" Twinkleshine added. "Can you please bother me tomorrow? The bus didn't show up and I need to get home." "But-" "Be quiet!" Moon Dancer snapped. She spun around to open the door. The force of the motion caused one of her books to fall out of her unzipped backpack. "Hey! You dropped a book!" Minuette giggled as she picked the object up. "Give it back!" Moon Dancer shouted. "No way!" Minuette giggled. Moon Dancer grabbed for her book, but Minuette deftly maneuvered out of the way. "Catch me first!" she teased, jumping back and out of Moon Dancer's range. "Um, Minuette? I don't think you should make Moon Dancer angry," Lemon Hearts called out in concern. Twinkleshine and Lemon turned to look at Moon Dancer. The girl's face was turning shades of red. "Give it BACK!" she shouted, sprinting after Minuette like a cheetah. MInuette's eyes widened. "Oh no!" Minuette took off running; Moon Dancer was in hot pursuit. "Careful guys!" Twinkleshine called out. "Huh?" Minuette turned to look behind her. As she did, she tripped and fell. "Ouch!" she cried. The book spiraled out of her hands. "My book!" Moon Dancer cried. The book fell into the statue. "What?!" Moon Dancer gasped in shock when it disappeared, but she wasted no time jumping in after it. "That was my plan," Minuette remarked to Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts, who were staring in shock. "You banished Moon Dancer to another dimension?" Lemon Hearts asked. "Nah, she'll come back in due time," Minuette responded confidently. "It might take three days, or it might take a few hours!" The first thing Moon Dancer did was push her glasses up to their proper position. At that moment, she realized she had lost feeling in her fingers. "Peculiar," she remarked. "I have somehow turned into a pony." No matter, I won't be here for long. Moon Dancer walked over and picked up her book. She had previously read a book on equine anatomy, so this was rather easy for her. Moon Dancer was about to return through the portal when she noticed where she was. "I'm in a library!" she realized. Moon Dancer looked around. She seemed to be alone. She spent the next few minutes gathering as many books as she could carry. When the stack was sufficient and towered over her head, Moon Dancer left. "Wow, you learned about friendship already? That was fast," MInuette remarked. "Friendship?" Moon Dancer asked from behind her pile of books. "I don't have time for friendship. But thank you, Minuette." She pushed her glasses back before continuing, "If you hadn't threw my book there, I wouldn't have discovered even more books to read!" "W-what?" Minuette sputtered. "No! How did my plan go so wrong?" "Oh, and look- my bus is here!" Moon Dancer smiled. "This day has been pretty sufficient!" With her books in her hands, Moon Dancer ran to catch her bus. "Nooooooo!" Minuette wailed.