//------------------------------// // Bundle // Story: Fundamentals // by FerociousCreation //------------------------------// Fundamentals Ch.1 A slight breeze breathed in the early autumn morning as Moon Dancer slowly walked within the Canterlot city walls, the tall towers looming their dark shadows over her. Moon Dancer carefully moved, knowing she was carrying something that she didn't want to lose. Moon Dancer also wanted to keep her steps quiet, even though there was nopony to be found; however, the crunching of the fallen leaves made it hard for her to do so. After rounding a corner of a large castle wall, Moon Dancer found what she was looking for: a tall tower with a rooftop that resembled a very round candle flame. Most of the tower's color was white, but it had a nice trim of golden colored paint that spiraled up the body of the cylinder shaped building. Well... Moon Dancer thought to herself as she walked over a small stone bridge. Twilight Sparkle did say I can come here whenever I wish. Moon Dancer reached into the cuff of her sweater and pulled out a key. The handle of the key was a small hourglass with some sand held inside. To amuse herself, Moon Dancer would rotate the key, watching the sand slowly fall into the other half of the hourglass. Eager, Moon Dancer began to pick up her pace. I wonder if she has Magical Math in her study. Or Rapid Plant Growing for Advanced Users! Maybe I can find that spell that can transfer myself into books just like Twilight was able to! Before she realized it, Moon Dancer was jogging toward the tower. She quickly slowed down to a brisk walk, realizing she was being to hasty and short of breath. It was no surprise to Moon Dancer that she was suddenly out of breath, knowing how she was no where near the athletic type. Done playing with the key, she looked at the door and found the key hole. With a quick shove of the key and a “click,” “shunk,” and “shink,” the tower was now accessible. Moon Dancer pushed the doors open and went inside the dark room. Only dark shapes and outlines made for indescribable objects. Moon Dancer almost stripped over a few things that lay on the ground here and there, but managed to come out unscathed. The only thing, or rather, the only area that showed any source of light was a large round window to her right. Since the mare didn't know anything about the room, Moon Dancer went toward the window. The view was nothing spectacular. After all, she was on the bottom floor. The majority of what she could see was the long white wall that stretched a long ways away and a house that rested along side the towering barricade. The ground was littered with leaves, leaving a large arraignment of mixed colors strewed about the lawn. The unicorn looked up to the stars and admired the sky as the blue-purple morning sky began to slowly mix with the east horizon's colors of orange and yellow. Moon Dancer stood there for a good amount of time, waiting for the sun to crack over the castle walls, just so she can have some light so she can see better. Then the moment came. Peaking over the large wall, the sun beamed into the study, showing more detail of everything that was within the first floor. Moon Dancer turned away from the window and tried to open her eyelids, but her eyes have not yet adjusted to the brightness. It took some time for her pupils to fix themselves, but Moon Dancer was able to see in no time. With a quick adjustment of her glasses, Moon Dancer looked around and smiled with delight at the mass of books that towered over the pony. Old dust danced in the air as Moon Dancer walked through the study. Knowing there was plenty to read, she decided to check the second floor just to see what she hadn't the first time she visited. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, there was a bookshelf immediately to her left. One of the books instantly grabbed her attention, labeled: Solids, Liquids, and Gasses. Instead of using her magical skill of levitation, the unicorn eagerly grabbed it. Moon Dancer was beginning to find an interest in chemistry and was willing to stick her snout into a fascinating study. As she obtained it, Moon Dancer walked over to the guard railing, looking down at the first floor. I can't believe Twilight Sparkle lived here... A light smile found its way onto the unicorn's face. It's nice that she made it up to me by giving me this place all to myself for my studies. Moon Dancer remembered the book she had in her hoof and quickly opened the book the the first page. Unfortunately, a collection of dust from the book found its way into her nose. She tried to shake the incoming sneeze out of her, wiggling her snout in hopes for it to go away. But to no avail, she began to huff, “Ahh... Ahaaa... AHHHH! ...acheuu... Even though her sneeze was as intimidating as a squeak from a mouse, Moon Dancer's large spectacles slid off her face and down to the first level of the study, making a “tink” and “tadink” as it hit several things on its way down. “Ah NUTS!” she exclaimed aloud. Moon Dancer dropped the book, and the mare grabbed onto the bar railing, her vision now impaired. Great! Of all the things that could have gone wrong, this had to happen. Very carefully, she walked down to the second floor, clinging to the guardrail so she does not make a terrible fall. The last thing she needed was an injury that would make herself unable to go get help; the thought alone made her shiver. Luckily, she made it to the first floor without harming herself. Alright, if I were to judge where my glasses fell, and by the sound it made from whatever it collided with, it would be safe to assume that they would be somewhere near the walls above from where I sneezed. Moon Dancer tried to make out where she was before she lost her spectacles. Sadly, her poor vision made it hard to make out where she was. Still, she tried to make do with what she had. Moon Dancer slowly moved along side the wall, extending her arms out, using anything solid as support to get her forward without tripping or bumping into anything. She gained a good amount of distance before stopping. Okay, this will be a good place to start searching. Down onto her knees and elbows, Moon Dancer began her search. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! “What?” Moon Dancer said aloud as she raised her head. To her misfortune, her cranium collided with the underside of a desk, pain surging though her head. Instinctively, she shouted, “GO AWAY!” Her plea, however, did not cause the knocking to stop. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! “I am very busy right now!” Moon Dancer called aloud once more as she resumed her search. “Go bother somepony else!” Instead of a knock, a voice spoke, “Umm... I am very sorry to bother you, but I seem to be lost.” “Yes you are. You are at the wrong place, wherever you may need to be.” “Well, I know that. That is why I need directions to the Canterlot Ballroom.” “Keep looking,” Moon Dancer grunted, hoping the one at the door would go away. “Please, can you just tell me where to go? I am terrible with directions.” “I would, but I am in the middle of searching for my glasses!” “What if... I help you find them? Then will you can help me get to the ballroom?” Knowing it may take some time to find her glasses, Moon Dancer decided to allow the visitor to help her in exchange for the whereabouts of the Canterlot Ballroom. “Fine. The door is unlocked, I think...” The creaking of the door hinge told the unicorn that the one at the door had entered the study. “I'm over here,” Moon Dancer called to where she thought the visitor was, carefully turning her head so she may not hit her head on anything again. “Wow, you got a lot of books in here,” the male spoke as his voice echoed in the hollow tower. “If you would mind, I would like for you to look for my glasses instead of sightseeing,” Moon Dancer said in a huff. “Oh, right... sorry.” The unicorn heard the visitor's hooves clop on the tile floor in a quicker tempo. Reaching his destination, he asked from behind the mare and asked, “Alright, where should I start looking... umm... Might I ask your name?” “Moon Dancer,” she replied without looking back. “Okay, where should I look Moon Dancer?” “Look aside the wall. I think my glasses might be along it.” “Okay,” the stallion said cheerfully. “Thanks umm-” “Party Favor.” “Yes. Thank you Party Favor.” Resuming her search, Moon Dancer scuffled along the wall when she bumped into the side of the desk. Going along side it, Moon Dancer carefully removed herself from under the desk and continued against the wall, moving to her right. “Hey, Moon Dancer.” Turning her head to reply to Party Favor, the mare hit her right cheek on the side of a bookshelf. Grunting in pain, she replied, “What... is it?” “I found your glasses.” Glad to hear that her spectacles have been found, she reached out into the blur of space in front of her, wanting to retrieve her vision back. It was the first time she was able to look at the stallion. He was a blur of light-blue and his mane looked to be a dark-blue color. When her hoof touched her glasses, Moon Dancer closed her eyes and rested the nose pads on her snout. Upon opening her eyes, a friendly smile greeted her. “I see you got your vision back,” Party Favor said as he reached out a hoof to help Moon Dancer off the ground. Taking the offer, the unicorn wrapped her wrist around his hoof and gave a pull. Back on all fours, Moon Dancer said, “Thank you for the help.” Taking a good look at him, she noticed his mane was wild and curly, yet short. And if she would have guessed, his smile and hair style gave the impression he was related to Twilight Sparkle's friend Pinkie Pie. “My pleasure,” Party Favor replied with a smile. “Now, can you help me find the ballroom?” However, Moon Dancer had another response, “What are you doing awake at this hour?” Without hesitation, the stallion said, “There is this HUUUGE birthday party being held today and I was asked to assist in making it.” “I thought birthday parties are more of a small shindig rather than a large event of festivities.” Party Favor smiled, “Well, Princess Twilight Sparkle will the there so it must be an important event for her.” “Oh...” Moon Dancer frowned upon hearing Party Favor say that her friend didn't bother to tell her that she was holding an event without her. Maybe it is for one of her friends back in Ponyville. “Is something wrong?” he asked. “It's nothing," Moon Dancer shook her head. “O-kay...” Trying to remove the awkward tension in the air, Party Favor asked, “So, since you have this huge tower, can I go to the second floor and look for the ballroom?” “Alright.” Moon Dancer beckoned the visitor to follow her and walked upstairs. As the two of them went up the stairway, the mare noticed that the sun was not beaming its light into the study and moved to a location that she preferred most: not in her face. As they reached the top of the stairway, the second floor circled around the side of the wall, going 180 degrees before reaching a doorway that lead to the outside balcony. Reaching it in no time, Moon Dancer opened the door to the balcony and allowed Party Favor outside first. “Wow,” he said in awe. “What a nice view you have here!” Looking left and right, he enjoyed the high heights he was at. Sure he was on the second floor; however, the second floor was much higher than he thought it would be. Moon Dancer was still quiet, still thinking about the party she was not invited. But her sad thoughts quickly evaporated because of what Party Favor did moments after he was finished sightseeing. Reaching to a side Moon Dancer could not see, he pulled several long strands of deflated balloon strands. Quickly inflating them, he then crafted them into what looked to be binoculars. Party Favor squinted his eyes and peered into them. “So, where is the Canterlot Ballroom?” “Umm... where did you get those balloons from?” Moon Dancer said in bewilderment. Looking back at her with a smile, Party Favor replied, “Let's just say it was magic.” The mare was about to question how he go the balloons further, but she realized that he was a unicorn, so she only assumed that he teleported them in. She then asked, pointing at the so called binoculars, “Do those... actually work?” “Of course!” Without hesitating, Party Favor handed her the object. “Here you go!” Walking to the ledge of the balcony, Moon Dancer slowly peered into it. And to her surprise, it actually worked! She saw the library, a close up of the castle, and even her own beat up house. “Do you see the ballroom from here?” Party Favor asked again as Moon Dancer continued to marvel at the fact that a bundle of balloons worked like a proper pair of binoculars. “Oh, right... let's see...” Since Moon Dancer was able to get a close up on the castle, she looked around to see if she could find the ballroom from her current position. And to her luck, she was able to find it. At the entrance of it, she saw her friend Lemon Hearts walking inside of the building. I wonder what she is up to... Maybe she is helping with the big party that is going on today. Trying not to feel left out by not being invited to the event, she remembered Lemon Hearts works in the Canterlot Palace. I guess it is no surprise to see her. “I see it,” Moon Dancer finally spoke. “Great, show me where.” Hoofing the binoculars over to Party Favor, Moon Dancer pointed in the direction to where she saw the facility. “Is it the one where the yellow mare is?” “Yes. Her name is Lemon Hearts. She is a friend of mine.” “Really,” the stallion replied, raising his eyebrows. “Well, at least I know I can tell her who sent me.” “Tell her I said hello when you see her.” As the two exchanged smiles, Party Favor walked back inside and Moon Dancer followed in suit, first making for the stairs, then door. “Thanks for helping me find where I need to go,” Party Favor said as he pushed the front door open, walking outside. “Sure thing,” Moon Dancer nodded as she continued to follow. “And thank you for helping me find my glasses. I cannot live without them... or see.” “Your welcome.” Looking up to the sky, Party Favor noticed the sun was starting to get higher in the sky. I need to hurry! “Well, I am off! Goodbye!” “Goodbye!” As Moon Dancer waved, Party Favor took off in a sprint. Without looking to watch where he was headed to, the mare simply walked back into the study and closed the door. Eager to get back to the book she was about to read before her glasses mishap, Moon Dancer began to walk back up the stairs. Reaching the top of the stairway, something caught her attention. It was the balloon binoculars that Party Favor had crafted. Using her magic, she picked up the bundle of inflated rubber and levitated it over to her. Curious, Moon Dancer rotated it, wondering how the design was able to be used to see things at long distances. In her peripheral, she saw the book that she dropped earlier and used her magic to pick it up as well. Reading the title of the book and then looking back at the pair of binoculars, Moon Dancer decided to make her way back to the first floor. I need to see how a balloon modeling skill make something as silly as this function properly. Finding the desk she bumped her head against when she was searching for her glasses, the mare went over to it. Lucky for Moon Dancer, there was nothing on it, so she tossed the book onto the table with ease and carefully placed the balloon binoculars down. Flicking through the book of Solids, Liquids, and Gasses, Moon Dancer got the the section of solids. Reading the definition of a solid in her head, it read: Solid: An object that has a fixed surface and shape. Flipping to the gasses section, she read the definition of a gas: Gas: A particle that is very small and can easily be passed through. Now looking back at the bundle of rubber, Moon Dancer levitated the object up, rotating it, looking at it, rotated it again, and placed it in her hooves. Let's see if I can take this apart and put it back together... Very carefully, the mare attempted to untie a knot that was at the back end of the eyepiece. But as soon as she pulled, the craft burst in a plethora of colors and rubber. “AH!” Moon Dancer screamed as she flinched from the small explosion, spinning her head around to avoid being hurt. But when she did, her glasses shot into the unknown, leaving the unicorn, once again, without vision. “Oh, this is just perfect!” Turning away from the desk, Moon Dancer slowly walked around, shuffling her hooves on the ground in hopes that she would bump into them. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! “Umm... hello? Moon Dancer?” The voice was muffled but the mare knew it was Party Favor. “Oh, thank goodness you are here!” she said back. “Umm... me too?” Realizing that this is the second time that he came to the study, she asked, “Why have you come back?” “Well, remember how you helped me find the Canterlot Ballroom and what to look for? Now I need directions to get to it.” This would have normally irritated Moon Dancer, having her studies interrupted. But this time, it was different. “I would love to help, but...” If Moon Dancer could see herself, she would have seen her cheeks burning with embarrassment. “...I lost my glasses again.” The unicorn heard Party Favor laugh from behind the door. “I suppose you want me to help you find them again.” “Yes please. Come back inside.” Having the go to enter, Party Favor opened the door and went inside, he saw Moon Dancer shuffling her hooves on the ground; and as soon as he saw her, he noticed her spectacles were right in front of her. Chuckling, Party Favor said, “Well, I found your glasses.” “Really? Where?” Getting hasty, Moon Dancer began to move forward. “Don't move!” the stallion shouted. Heading his instruction, the mare stopped in her tracks, only leaving her to stand on her front left leg and back right leg. As she began to start losing her balance, Moon Dancer asked, “What is it?” Running over to her, Party Favor quickly picked up the spectacles and hooved them to the mare. “Your glasses were in front of you,” he said as Moon Dancer took the glasses from his possession. “Well, it's a good thing you warned me,” the mare replied back, removing herself from her ridiculous stance and took back her glasses. Just as Moon Dancer applied her spectacles to her face, Party Favor asked, “So now that I helped you, could you help me again?” “Sure,” Moon Dancer nodded. Clearing his throat, the stallion spoke, “Alright, so I know what to look for, but I need directions to the facility.” “Hmm... let's see...” Taking her time to remember the directions, Moon Dancer replied, “Okay, you first go down the pathway from this study and you will reach Orchard Avenue. Go left and you will then make a right when you get on Princess Pathway. The path of Princess Pathway will end with a water fountain at the center of the market place. Make another left and you should see a pathway up toward the castle.” Nodding, Party Favor quickly repeated the directions, “Orchard Avenue, Princess Pathway, fountain at the market place, pathway to the castle. Alright, I think I got it!” “Okay then.” Turning around, the stallion made for the door and went outside. “Thanks again,” he called out with his back turned to Moon Dancer. “Your welcome,” she replied back. She watched him walk until he reached the small stone bridge before closing the door and walking back to her desk. Remembering what she was doing before, Moon Dancer looked at the ground of balloon fragments that were strewed about the place. I guess I won't know if the pair of binoculars were magical or not... But even though the ribbons of rubber, Moon Dancer still pondered about the device that Party Favor. Looking left and right, the mare was able to find a magnifying glass on a tool shelf not far from her. Moon Dancer levitated the object from its holding place and brought it over to her location. With the magnifying glass at the ready, she brought the tool below her lower left peripheral and brought her head down toward the ground. Let's see if there is anything special about these fragments... But luck was not with the mare today and tilted her head a bit too far forward, causing her glasses to fall of her face once more. “Great...” Moon Dancer grunted as she crouched down, waving her arms around in an attempt to bump them into her glasses. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! “Umm... Moon Dancer?” Party Favor's voice spoke once more. “Come inside,” she responded with a mix of happiness and irritation. “I dropped my glasses again...” As he entered, Party Favor saw Moon Dancer shuffling her arms about. Walking over to her and easily finding her spectacles once more, he picked them up and tapped her shoulder. “Here you go.” “Thanks.” Moon Dancer quickly placed them back to their appropriate place and asked, “So what do you need?” “Heh... umm... was it a left or right on Orchard Avenue?” Cracking a light smile, the mare replied, “Left.” “Thanks.” As he turned, Party Favor said, “Forgive me... I don't know this place much and I am terrible with directions.” “Don't worry. I have been living here all my life and I sometimes get lost in this white stone jungle.” “Haha, you got that right!” Leaving once again, Party Favor called out, “Thanks again,” and took off in a jog. Moon Dancer didn't have time to say goodbye back because he was already out of view. Using her magic, she closed the door with ease. Letting out a chuckle, the mare thought about the last five minutes. She had just arrived to the study, lost her glasses three times. And when she lost them each time, Party Favor came to the door almost too conveniently. Hmm... I wonder... Very carefully Moon Dancer took her glasses off with her hooves and held them barely above the ground. Then, she let them go, hearing them tap a few times on the ground. Silence... Rolling her eyes, Moon Dancer shook her head. Like he was going to knock on the door a fourth time. She bent down to pick up her glasses. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! The sound startled Moon Dancer and she accidentally swatted them away from her. I... that can't be him again... “Umm... Moon Dancer, it's me again... I need help with directions once more.” It is! “Come on in. Hehe, and guess what?” “You lost your glasses again?” Party Favor said as he poked his head inside. Rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment, she replied, “I was doing a test and... yeah, I did.” Looking down, the glasses were right in front of him. She must have a hard time keeping track of these things, the stallion thought as he went over to Moon Dancer and gave her spectacles back. “I just hope this doesn't become a running joke...” she said with a grin. “Anyways, what do you need help with now in terms of directions?” “Oh, right! So umm... left on Orchard Grove and a... left on-” “Right on Princess Pathway. Then when you reach the fountain, you will also be at the marketplace. Once there, make a left and you will see the road to the castle.” “Alright then. This will be the last time I come back because I finally have it down now.” However, Moon Dancer was not convinced. “You sure?” she grinned. “Because if I lose my glasses, you might end up back at the front door.” “Positive,” Party Favor replied with a nod and a smile. Taking his leave once more, the stallion walked outside and Moon Dancer poked her head outside. “Now, do remember where to go?” “Yes I do,” he replied, looking back at her. “Left on Orchard, right on Princess, and make a left in the market, and walk to the castle.” “Good. Now take care Party Favor!” “You too Moon Dancer!” Making her way back inside the study, Moon Dancer closed the door. However, she didn't go back to the desk. She continued to stand by the door. Hmm... Taking her glasses off once more, she placed it on the ground and scooted it away from herself. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! “I haven't moved from the door yet,” Moon Dancer called behind her, laughing in the process. “Sorry,” Party Favor replied from outside. “I, heh, want to be sure your glasses are secure on your face.” “Please! I know where my glasses are.” Reaching in front of her, where she scooted her glasses, she said, “They are... right... here?” Once again, Moon Dancer lost her spectacles, even though they were not far from her. “Do you... want me to come inside?” Party Favor asked. “Please...” Opening the door, the stallion went inside, watching Moon Dancer reach in front of her, trying to touch her glasses. Because his eyes were not as hindered as hers, Party Favor retrieved the mare's glasses that were a bit to her left and gave them to her. “Thank you,” she said, pushing the spectacles onto her face with her hoof. “What where you doing that made you lose your glasses this time?” Party Favor asked with a raise of a brow. “I was... doing another test,” Moon Dancer replied, blushing from embarrassment. “Anyways, were you just here to check up on me?” “Hehe... well...” Party Favor looked unsure about something, and darted his eyes around, trying to avoid eye contact with the mare. “Can you... please... show me to the castle?” he asked with an awkward grin. *** The two unicorns walked quietly as they walked through the kingdom, or rather, tried to walk quietly, but the dry leaves on the path to the castle were making a good amount of sound as they were crushed from their weight. Party Favor looked side to side as he marveled at how big the city was while Moon Dancer still plagued her mind with the fact that she was not invited to the party that Twilight Sparkle was attending. Just don't think about the party, Moon Dancer told herself. It's probably for some royalty that's from a far away land... But curiosity tormented the mare and she asked Party Favor as they entered the castle grounds, “So, who is this party for?” Bringing his attention to her, Party Favor said in response, “I don't know to be honest. I don't live around here, so it is obvious I don't anything about this event, let alone my way around. I received a letter from a pony named Pinkie Pie saying that there is a huge party going on today and that I am needed to be sure everything goes according to plan. She would have been the one behind most of the party planning, but something came up and thought I was a great second choice.” “Interesting... Do you know Pinkie Pie?” “Yes I do,” the stallion nodded. “I know she is also friends with Twilight Sparkle. I should know, I met her.” Party Favor held his head up high knowing that he has met the Princess of Friendship. “And... how do you know her?” Moon Dancer was intrigued at Party Favor's statement. In an instant, the stallion's happy smile deflated. “It involves a long story I rather not talk about...” Noticing her question effected Party Favor, she quickly came up with a response. “But did she help you?” “She did,” he replied as he looked forward without looking at the mare. Suddenly, Party Favor's smile came back to him. “But it is done and done! Nothing to worry about, yes?” “Y-yeah, heh.” Something didn't sit right with Moon Dancer. His smile... it was a wide and happy grin. But it didn't seem real to her; it was more of a facade if anything. I need to find out what happened to him if I am to know any relationship between him and Twilight Sparkle. “Oh, we are here,” Moon Dancer said as she looked ahead of her. The mare didn't even realize how quickly she and Party Favor got to the ballroom. “Perfect!” Party Favor responded with a smile; not as bright as the one he did before. Walking with him, they went up to the door and pushed it open. As they entered, they saw a lot of tables against the walls of the ballroom. Decorations were still in their boxes, waiting to be placed, hung, or strung. There was a pony who stood in the center of the room. It was Lemon Drops, moving a table across the tile floor, causing the legs of the table to screech as they dragged along the ground. Looking to see who was entering the door, Lemon Drops looked to see Moon Dancer and Party Favor. “M-Moon Dancer?!” she responded in shock. “W-well... what a surprise!” Stopping from what she was doing, she scampered over to the two of them. “What are you doing here?” Lemon Drops asked, giving a smile that closely resembled Party Favor's wide grin. “She was helping me find the ballroom,” the stallion replied as he gestured a hoof to Moon Dancer. “Yeah, he is new to Canterlot. So, I just helped him find his way here,” Moon Dancer said. “That's great!” Lemon Drops smiled brightly and nervously. “I was wondering when he would get here. Hey umm... Moon Dancer, Party Favor and I have to get working on setting up the party and would like for there to be no distractions- I mean, we really need to hurry with getting everything ready and I am sure you have some studying you need to get to.” “Umm, yeah.... I do...” Moon Dancer was becoming suspicious with Lemon Drops. Normally she would be ecstatic if she saw her friend away from a book and into some sunlight. But her attitude was causing Moon Dancer to raise her bushy eyebrows. “B-but don't worry,” Lemon Drops said and came up to Moon Dancer. “When I am done here, I'll come and get you and we can hang out and stuff.” “Alright.” Despite the offer, Moon Dancer was still skeptical about her friend. But she didn't question it. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more relieved Moon Dancer became. I guess when she is done, she can tell me what the party is about. And I am sure that this is a big event, so I think I can take my leave. Turning around, Moon Dancer said, “Well, I will leave you two to do your work.” As she went toward the door, she heard Lemon Drops say, “I'll come see you in the afternoon, okay?” “Okay. Goodbye.” Without looking back, Moon Dancer left Lemon Drops view. “That was close...” Lemon Drops said in a sigh of relief. Party Favor was confused. “Why do you say that?” *** Ugh, you need to stop thinking about that party Moon Dancer! Moon Dancer sat at the desk in the study she was previously using before helping Party Favor with finding his way to the ballroom. In her chair, the mare rubbed her temples and closed her eyes, trying to maintain her focus. On the desk was the book Solids, Liquids, and Gasses that was opened about one-fourth through; the current page was explaining the melting and freezing points of various elements and compounds. Notes were neatly written in a notebook to the left of the text and a quill stood upwards in a small ink jar, waiting to be used once more. Letting out a sigh, Moon Dancer looked to her right. A grandfather clock ticked loudly in the hollow study. The time read: 12:47. Each time its pendulum made its ticktock, it grew louder in the mare's ear, causing her to lose her focus even more. Lemon Drops told you she will be over in the afternoon. Even though it is now the afternoon, its too early to assume she is finished with what she needs to get done for that party. Unable to retain her focus, the mare stood up from her chair and began to pace the floor. Something bothered her. Yes it was the fact that she was not informed about the party, but it was how Lemon Drops was behaving. She was very nervous and wanted Moon Dancer to leave quickly. What could it be... Why didn't she want me around? Is there something going on today that I wasn't aware of? Curious, Moon Dancer went over to the desk and pulled out her planner. Very quickly, she went to today's date. Then it dawned on her as to why her friend was trying to get her to leave. A bright smile found its way onto Moon Dancer's face. If Moon Dancer were to see her face, her mouth would look like a very wiggly letter U. Today is my birthday! the mare thought to herself. Who would have thought that MY party would be held at the Canterlot Ballroom! Taking her seat at the desk, Moon Dancer removed her glasses and placed them on the desk so that she can wipe the beads of tears that were beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! The sudden sound made the pony's heart jump. I wonder who that may be, she thought with a smug grin. “Come in!” The sound of the door hinge creaked open and the one who knocked entered the study. “I know that is you Lemon Drops,” Moon Dancer said as she looked behind her, though she couldn't see Lemon Drops too well because she was not wearing her spectacles. “Guess again!” said a familiar voice. “L-Lemon Drops?” Moon Dancer reached to where she thought she placed her glasses, but couldn't find them. Not again... “Nope, not Lemon Drops,” the voice said again as the pony approached from behind. Moon Dancer then saw through her blurry vision a pony who reached onto her desk. Then she felt her glasses touch her hoof. Instinctively, the unicorn took them and reapplied them to her face. With her vision back to normal, she saw a familiar stallion, Party Favor. “Oh, Party Favor!” Moon Dancer said, surprised to see him. “Hello,” he replied back with a smile. On top of his head was an extremely large top hat made out of balloons. At the center of the balloon hat was a white star. Darting her eyes back at forth, the mare asked, “So, not to be rude, but I thought my friend was going to come get me.” “Who? Lemon Drops?” “Yeah.” “Well, she did go to your house, but you weren't there and didn't know where you were. I told her I knew where you were and came over here as quickly as possible.” Scratching the back of her neck, Moon Dancer replied, “I... did forget to mention to Lemon Drops where I was going to be...” “Don't sweat it. I just came here to tell you that that you have been invited to a party!” Trying to play dumb, the mare asked, “What kind of party?” “Why to a birthday party!” Levitating the hat from off his head, Party Favor placed it atop the unicorn's head. The mare rotated herself in the desk armchair to face him in anticipation for an answer. Trying to contain her excitment, Moon Dancer asked, “And who's birthday party is it?” “Why none other for the alicorn of love herself, Princess Cadence!” It was an answer she was not expecting. Slowly, Moon Dancer's smile dissolved into a frown. “Is something wrong?” Party Favor asked. “It's... nothing...” Slowly, Moon Dancer took the hat off of her head and hoofed it over to Party Favor. “You can tell my friend that I am caught up in my studies and can't make it...” The sad expression that Moon Dancer was holding made Party Favor pursue her with another question. “Are you sure it's nothing? You look awfully sad and-” “I SAID 'IT'S NOTHING!'” The sudden burst of anger caused the stallion to jump back a few inches. His balloon hat he was holding was lost from his grasp and rested in the space between himself and the now upset mare. “Now if you don't mind,” Moon Dancer said as she turned back toward the desk, “I have a lot to do. Will you please leave?” Concerned, Party Favor asked yet another question, “What about your invitation? What about your friends who want you there?” “What about them!?” she barked without facing the stallion. “It's not like today is important to me or anything!” “Alright... I will tell them you... won't be coming...” “Good. Now leave.” Looking on the ground, he saw his balloon hat laying on its side. I'll just leave it here just in case she wants to come later. Without another word, Party Favor made for the door. Just before he closed it, he called out to Moon Dancer, “Goodbye.” “Bye...” she responded weakly. With a soft kalunk, the door was closed. But after a few steps away from the door, he heard a loud POP sound. He knew exactly what it was. Something obviously upset her... And I don't think it was me... Or was it? *** A small table sat in the middle of the study and Moon Dancer stood by it, levitating a thin piece of wood and stick. On the desk was a mess of papers, some with spheres, cubes, and magical inscriptions written on them. Two books were opened amidst the mess of papers. One book was open to the subject of solids and how solids require pressure in order to be penetrated. The other was about the magic of phasing objects through one another. At the bottom of the right page was a clear warning about the magic of phasing. It read: When using the magic of phasing, you must consider that if concentration is lost while something or somepony is trying to phase though something, both will become fused with one another. Results of such a scenario can be harmless to catastrophic. If a fusion occurs, refer to Chapter 17: If Something Bad Happens... “Okay,” Moon Dancer said aloud, “Let's try this out.” Using her magic, the mare's horn radiated a green aura from it. Just like her horn, the objects were also coated in the same color aura. Keeping her concentration centered on the thin plank and stick, she slowly drew them toward one another as beads of sweat began to collect on the mare's thick eyebrows. At a snail's pace, the objects came closer and closer. Then, the result Moon Dancer was hoping for happened. The stick went through the wood with ease. Perfect! Now let's see if I can get it all the way through. Traveling it further into the plank, the stick was now half way into the thin piece of wood. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! In the moment of glancing over toward the door, the stick and plank fused with each other. Looking back at the now fused objects, the mare grunted in frustration. Almost stomping, Moon Dancer went over to the door, wondering who would bother her and her studies. “What?,” she said bluntly as she barely opened the doory. “Hey Moon Dancer!” A familiar curly blue maned stallion replied as he looked into the crack of the door. Pushing the door open further, the mare asked with ears pointed back, “What do you want Party Favor...?” Her creased brows indicated to Party Favor that he interrupted something and was the cause of her upset attitude. “I was woooooondering...” the stallion said, rolling his head clockwise once, “If you were still interested in going to Princess Cadence's birthday party.” “No... I am not...” “Are you suuuure? You will miss a ride on the elephant.” “A-an elephant? You brought an elephant?!” Moon Dancer quickly moved outside to see if Party Favor meant what he said. Several meters away from the study, Moon Dancer did see an elephant, but not the alive kind. Not the one that stomps around and sucks up water with its trunk. It was a balloon animal type of elephant, and for a balloon animal, it was quite large; really large; it was the size of an elephant! The legs and body looked as though someone knitted it with yarn. But instead of yarn, it was made of extremely long balloons. There were two black circular balloons for eyes and the nose was made up of one very large and long balloon. Despite the size and craftsmanship that was put into the balloon animal, the mare's surprised expression quickly left her. “I would love to ride this... 'elephant,'” Moon Dancer said, walking up to the makeshift mammal, “but I have plenty of studying to do.” From behind, Party Favor approached and said, “Come on, it will be fun!” “No.” “Why not? Your friends wish for you to come and have some fun. Why not show up in style?" “Because I don't want to be with them right now! I'm... upset with them currently!” Scratching his chin, Party Favor asked, “Well, why are you upset with them?” “Let's just say they are very forgetful of me. Now again, leave me alone.” “Are you sure?” Looking at the ground, the mare saw a sharp rock by her hoof. Levitating it, she looked at Party Favor and said, “Let me show you what I mean by 'no.'” Bringing the sharp stone close to the balloon animal, Moon Dancer looked angrily at the fake elephant. “P-please don't do that,” Party Favor pleaded. Moon Dancer didn't listen. With a quick jab, the rock pierced the balloon animal's front leg. But instead of making a loud 'pop' sound, it generated a different noise. As the entire elephant exploded in a shrapnel of rubber, it roared like an elephant! The blast of noise was so loud that it caused Moon Dancer's face to become warped as the compressed air blew past her. Leaves scattered from the force of air, flying in random directions. After the sound died down, the mare's mane was messy and her glasses were cocked to the side. Several flakes of leaves began to fall into her hair as they began to descend from the sky. “I told you not to do that...” Party Favor said trying to hide his smirk. “Just leave...” Moon Dancer replied, leering at him. Instead of continuing of trying to convince the mare, the stallion took off in a run. *** Peering through a telescope, Moon Dancer stood on the second floor balcony as she looked toward the ballroom watching ponies enter the building, dressed in fancy attire. Letting out a “pfft” the mare pulled her head back from the scope and said aloud, “Why do I even care? I mean, they don't care to remember that it's my birthday, so why am I spying on them like this?” Walking back inside, Moon Dancer went to a desk that was right beside the balcony entrance. On the desk were her two books she was using before and the plank with a stick inserted at the center of it. The Solids, Liquids, and Gasses book was still on its page of how solids require pressure to be penetrated while the book on the magic of phasing was on the first page of Chapter 17: If Something Bad Happens... Still bothered by the party that was happening at the castle, Moon Dancer went outside to take a look once again. Peering back into the telescope, she looked back at the ballroom. “Why should I care?” “Why not?,” said a voice as a large eye came into her view. Letting out a shriek, Moon Dancer jumped away from the telescope. To her surprise, she saw Party Favor and a bunch of balloons that held him up in the air. Grunting, the mare asked, “What do you want?” Reaching behind himself, he pulled out a sign made of balloons. It was an arrow that pointed in the direction of the ballroom. Party Favor spun the sigh in his hooves as he hung in the air. “I am here to tell you that you are wanted at the birthday party of Princess Cadence!" “So my friends want me there?” Moon Dancer replied with a raise of a brow. “Of course they do,” he smiled. “I told them that you were upset at them because they forgot something.” “Is that so? Tell me, did they remember what they had forgotten,” the mare asked. “I... don't think so...” Party Favor was quiet for a while and then smiled, spinning his sign once more. “But why don't you go remind them?” “Because I am studying!” In a huff, Moon Dancer turned around and began to walk into the study. “But you are spying on the ballroom.” Paddling though the air, Party Favor made his way onto the balcony and lightly touched down. “Something is obviously bothering you.” “It's you, okay!” The mare was now in Party Favor's face, her cheeks red with anger. “Now go away!” Letting out a sigh, the stallion said, “Fine. I'm just trying to do you and your friends a favor.” With an easy pull of a string, Party Favor's balloons drifted up into the air. He placed down the sign he was holding and began pulling more balloons out from wherever he was pulling them from. In a quick moment, he made what looked to be a teeter-totter. Blowing into one last balloon, he twisted it into an odd looking shape. “Can you hold this?” Party Favor asked as he hoofed it over to Moon Dancer. Confused, the mare slowly reached for it. “What is this supposed to be?” “An anvil.” As soon as she grabbed hold of the “anvil,” she felt a sudden weight pull her down as she struggled to hold onto the balloon-made creation. It made a heavy thunk as it touched the ground. What the...? Sitting at the end closest to her, Party Favor said, “Just throw the anvil at the other end and I will be off.” This stallion... What is up with him and his balloons? Using her magic, the mare heaved the heavy balloon into the air. Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead as she lifted it. Holding it over the lifted side of the teeter-totter, Moon Dancer raised the balloon high up into the air. Smiling, Party Favor said to the mare, “Have fun with your studies.” Upon hearing his last statement, Moon Dancer removed her focus from the anvil and it quickly fell through the air. As it pressed down on the opposite end of the teeter-totter, Party Favor was launched into the air. It amazed Moon Dancer at how far he traveled toward the ballroom. Then something hit her. HOW IS HE GOING TO LAND SAFELY?! Quickly, Moon Dancer dashed to her scope and watched him as the unicorn flew through the air. As she watched him, she saw something that looked like a pack made of balloons on his back. She also noticed his expression. Despite his inability to fly, the stallion had the happiest grin on his face. Reaching to the pack, Party Favor pulled a string. In a quick moment, a parachute made out of balloons shot out of the pack and stopped Party Favor's fast momentum and brought it to a slow and steady decline. Sighing in relief, Moon Dancer took a step away from the telescope. At least he will be alright... Taking a step back into the study, the mare looked at the plank of wood and the stick that was stuck inside of it. Looking back, she saw the teeter-totter and anvil. Walking toward the balloon-made objects, Moon Dancer said aloud, “I can study the magic of phasing any day. I need to take a closer look at these balloons.” *** At the first floor of the study, Moon Dancer had a bundle of inflated balloons and the balloon anvil separated from the pile. In hoof, the mare attempted to duplicate Party Favor's creation by dismembering the teeter-totter so that she may use the balloons to make it into whatever she wanted. Moon Dancer made several attempts to create her own anvil, but they ended up in a strange bundle of inflated knots. But to her luck, she managed to make something that somewhat resembled Party Favor's anvil. Taking a small walk to her work desk, the mare went over to the book, Solids, Liquids, and Gasses, and peered onto a page that read The Weight of Gasses. Moon Dancer thought to herself, So the gas that was used to inflate all these balloon was carbon-dioxide, a gas that is produced through exhaling air out of the lungs. Looking back at the original anvil, she continued her thought, Yet that balloon is as heavy as lead... What did he do to his balloon that made it so heavy? The mare was at a loss. Was it magic that made the so called anvil so heavy? After all, Party Favor was a unicorn. It was the only logical presumption. Looking at her creation, Moon Dancer pondered at her creation, wondering how to make it heavy. But she has never done any type of magic that would manipulate mater. I wonder if there is a book around here that can help me make this balloon heavy. Quickly, she began to look at the bookshelves around her, wondering if there was such a piece of text that would help her with her needs. To her surprise, Moon Dancer quickly found a book appropriately named: The Magic of Matter Manipulation. The book was on a high shelf, so the mare had to levitate the object from his place. However, when she did so, her glasses shifted on her face. Reaching a hoof to adjust them, she lost her focus on the book and it fell onto the mare's head. Flinching from the pain, Moon Dancer's spectacles fell off her face by accident. Oh great! This is like the... fifth time this has happened to- KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! “What do you want Party Favor,” she asked almost assuming it was him. “How did you know it was me?” Party Favor replied from the door. Letting out a sigh, Moon Dancer said, “Because you are the only one who keeps bothering me.” After a brief moment, the stallion asked, “Did you lose your glasses again?” “N-no, not this time.” “Oh, that's good.” Moon Dancer was getting the feeling that Party Favor was there to try and convince her to go to the party. She called out, “I know that you are here in hopes that I may go to the princess' event, but you will not convince me!” “I just...” Party Favor paused, so that he may say the right thing. “I just want to talk. You seem so upset and I was hoping that I could help in any way.” He was expecting Moon Dancer to yell at him, telling him to go away. But he did not receive such a message. The only thing he was given was silence. Moon Dancer looked at the ground through her blurry vision wondering why this stallion, who she had just met today, wanted to talk to her. She didn't know whether to be happy for the fact that he was willing to go out of his way to talk to her or annoyed by his persistence. Since she had nothing better to do, Moon Dancer said weakly, “Come inside...” Moon Dancer was hoping that Party Favor didn't hear her, but he did and slowly entered the study. He saw her gazing at the ground, indicating to him that something was bothering her. Slowly, Moon Dancer turned her head to face the stallion. As soon as the unicorn saw her face, he asked, “You lost your glasses again?” Without words, she replied with a light nod. Suddenly, Moon Dancer felt wave of sorrow come over her. Come on, Moon Dancer! Why are you feeling so mopy? You don't care about that stupid party! I mean, yeah your friends forgot your... birthday... but... Quickly, she retracted her head, looking away from Party Favor. It took little time for Party Favor to get over to the mare. As he approached, he found Moon Dancer's glasses right next to her. Picking them up and hoofing them over to her, he asked without seeing her face, “What seems to be the problem?” Looking back, he saw the pile of balloons and his anvil sitting at the center of the study. “And how come my anvil balloon is down here?” “I'm... studying them,” Moon Dancer replied as she continued to look at the ground. “Why,” Party Favor asked with a chuckle. “They are just balloons.” “Yeah... they are nothing more than just empty air, like words that mean nothing...” Moon Dancer's statement made Party Favor raise his brows. “Why are you saying stuff like that? What do you mean 'words that mean nothing?'” “Exactly what I said!” With a quick jerk, the mare looked at Party Favor and gave a harsh stare as tears ran down her face. “H-hey, what's wrong?” the stallion asked with concern in his voice. He would have embraced her if he knew her better. Realizing what she had done, Moon Dancer got up and walked to the center of the room. In suit, Party Favor followed her. The mare plopped her flank onto the floor and stared downward, watching her tears begin to puddle at her hooves. “You don't know... what it's like to feel forgotten...” Moon Dancer said as she huffed through her sorrow. “Hugh? What do you mean Moon Dancer?” Taking precaution, Party Favor slowly drew close to the sad unicorn. When she turned to look at him, the stallion's heart sank. Moon Dancer's eyes were creating an endless stream of water and her lips writhed into a sad frown. Weighted by depression, Moon Dancer hung her head low, her glasses sliding easily from her snout and falling to the ground. “You don't know what it's like to feel forgotten...” “Why do you say that, Moon Dancer? You have friends who want to see you. Who want your presence. They have not forgotten you.” “They forgot my birthday!” she exclaimed without moving her head. “I don't want to be with ponies who forget such an important day!” “Well, why don't you tell them that it is your birthday so you can have a little party for you and your friends?” “Because...” The pain was too much to bare. The weak and heavyhearted mare was filled with so much sadness that she slid onto the ground, placing her arms on the ground and hid her face in them so she can try to hide from Party Favor. “...I don't want to be forgotten...” Letting out her emotions, Moon Dancer began to cry a bit louder than she was before. Her cry was a mixture of whimpering and gasping while she cried in a curled up fetal position. This is your chance Party Favor! Help her! Remember how Twilight Sparkle and her friends helped my town in need. Now it's your turn to help somepony. Reaching out a hoof, he placed it on her shoulder, slowly rubbing it so she may be comforted. Slowly but surely, Moon Dancer's crying began to cease. After a short while, she lifted her head. Shifting herself from her fetal position to sitting upright, her arm bumped into her glasses; she grabbed and reapplied them. Feeling more composed, Moon Dancer looked at Party Favor. The stallion gave her a smile as she cracked a small grin; but the mare's smile quickly faded away. “Thank you for being here,” Moon Dancer said weakly. Smiling, Party Favor replied, “I'm just here to help.” Letting out a sigh, the mare looked at the door. “It would have been nice to have at least one of my friends come and check up on me once in a while. Heh... it's funny...” “What's funny? A bumblebee in a clown outfit?” Chuckling, Moon Dancer said, “W-what? You are so weird.” “But it was funny,” Party Favor responded with a raise of his brow. “I guess.” It was a random statement, but made her laugh nonetheless. “What I was trying to say,” Moon Dancer continued, “was that it is funny that I am known as a smart and intelligent unicorn who takes her studies very seriously. And yet, despite all of my efforts... I feel so... useless... Like I have no purpose.” “Why do you say that?” “Because nopony comes to say hello to me often. I know I have friends, but I feel like I'm nothing when no one makes a valiant effort to come out of their way to see me... Do you know what it is like to feel useless or without purpose?” It surprised Moon Dancer when Party Favor's smile quickly evaporated. His expression turned into a slated one and he looked up into the air. The happy stallion she once knew quickly disappeared. “I know what you mean all too well...” “You... do?” Moon Dancer was shocked to hear him say that. “Acceptionalism is a lie...” Party Favor said in a monotone voice. “Hugh?” The mare got up and looked gave Party Favor a concerned look. “H-hey, what's wrong? “To excel is to fail.” Moon Dancer was beginning to become worried. “Party Favor,” she said as she waved her hooves in front of his eyes. “Say something.” “Be your best my never being your best... You're no better then your friends-” “Party Favor!” Without flinching, the stallion brought his head down and looked at Moon Dancer. “There, I got your attention. I was beginning to get... worried.” “At least you care,” he replied without a change of expression. They stared at each other without speaking for a short while. “Well, you have been checking up on me during the last few hours so I might as well consider you as a friend.” To her surprise, Moon Dancer saw Party Favor's expression turn from a slate faced expression to a happy smile. “Heh, that's good to hear. I'm glad to be your friend as well.” “So,” the mare said with a shift of her shoulders, “why were you saying those questions?” “It's a long story...” Party Favor replied as his ears folded back and his eyes became sad. “If you like, you can tell me. I have all day.” “Let's put it this way, remember how you asked me if I know what it is like to feel useless or without purpose? A pony had locked me in a room telling me that I am useless over and over for hours...” Terror crept onto Moon Dancer's face. “That's... horrible! Turning his expression neutral, Party Favor said, “But that's not important right now. You don't have all day and your friends want to see you.” Upon hearing his statement, Moon Dancer turned and walked away from Party Favor. A few meters away from the stallion, she spoke, “I don't want to see them... They forgot my birthday.” Approaching from behind, Party Favor asked, “Even if they did forget it, does that mean that they don't care about you?” “No, but... none of them... well, besides you, has made a valiant effort to come and see me.” Coming into her view, the stallion asked, “Are you sure?” Suddenly, the door to the study began to creek open. Both Moon Dancer and Party Favor's attention was drawn to it as somepony began to walk in. “T-Twilight?!” Moon Dancer said in shock. “Hey Moon Dancer,” the princess replied. “What are you doing here?” “Party Favor said that you seemed pretty upset about something so we came over to check up on you.” “Wait... did you say we?” To her surprise, Moon Dancer watched as she saw Lemon Drops, Lyra Heartstrings, Twinkleshine, Minuette, and a pink alicorn who was taller than the rest of them enter the study. Smiling, Twilight Sparkle replied, “Yes, I did say 'we.'” Walking over to them, Moon Dancer stood speechless in front of her friends; the pink alicorn was the only one she didn't know. “Who are you,” she asked the taller pony. “I'm Princess Cadence,” the mare replied with a smile. Taking in a deep breath of air, Moon Dancer said, “Oh... So it's your party that is going on at the castle, hugh?” Without words, Cadence nodded. “What were you girls doing outside the study?” Moon Dancer asked. “Were you waiting for me to leave or something?” Twilight was the first to answer, “We came to check up on you and sent in Party Favor to try and lure you out. We... also heard everything you told Party Favor...” Her ears folded back upon telling Moon Dancer that she and the others were spying on her. Saying the first thing that came to mind, Moon Dancer asked, “Why?” “Because we care about you,” Lyra answered, taking a step forward. Looking away, Moon Dancer replied, “If you cared, you wouldn't have forgotten my birthday...” Stepping forward, Twilight Sparkle said, “So this is why you haven't come to the party, isn't it?” With ears pointing back and brow creased, Moon Dancer looked back and answered, “You and the others have been spying on me the last few minutes, right? You tell me.” “But why?” Lemon Drops asked. “Why just stay by yourself and not spend time with us?” “Because,” Moon Dancer said as she lunged her neck toward her friends, “you should not forget an important date like my birthday.” “But just like anypony, sometimes your friends can be forgetful,” Cadence spoke. “No offense princess, but I don't see anypony forgetting your birthday.” Moon Dancer felt a hard lump in her throat. “You are the alicorn of love! A princess! You have a husband!” Looking at Twilight, the mare continued to vent, “I know I have forgiven you for skipping out on my party and I am glad to have you as a friend. And that goes for all of you girls. But... you all still barely see me. You don't come out of your way to come and visit my home. The only time you ever see me and associate with me is when I am out and about, and even then it is only for a brief while! I just want you girls to do that. To remember that I am around. Remember that I am your friend. Just remind me... that I mean something...” Moon Dancer was able to fight back her tears, but her throat was sore. Minuette took a small step forward and said, “But you don't go out of your way to see us because you are so wrapped up in your studies. We could only assume you are busy, so we leave you alone.” “Well... umm...” The cream colored pony was at a loss for words. She thought that going to be able to make her friends feel bad for neglecting to see her, but Minuette made a valid point. Moon Dancer is always studying; always wanting to gain more knowledge; always away from her friends. Cadence spoke once more, “Moon Dancer, is it?” “Yeah... that's my name...” “It seems to me that you want others to recognize you but you don't take the time to see others. Friendship requires intimate love; a love that requires both sides of any two friends to show genuine care for one another. That is the requirement for having a best friend. Do you have a best friend?” “I... think I do.” “You do? Then who is it?” As Moon Dancer looked at her friends, they all looked back, smiling in anticipation. “When you put it that way Princess Cadence... I don't think any of you girls would be my best friend because I don't show as much care as I should... B-but that doesn't mean I don't want you all to be my best friend.” Smiling, Moon Dancer looked at the unicorns who stood in front of her. “But you said you think you have a best friend, yes?” Princess Cadence asked Moon Dancer. “Oh, umm... yeah I did.” “Then who is it?” Blushing, the unicorn replied, “I... may have known him for only a short while, but he has helped me today more than I can help myself to a lifetime of studying.” Looking behind her, Moon Dancer saw Party Favor blowing into a balloon and then twisting it into a balloon animal version of Princess Cadence. He then placed it next to a group of other balloon animals that looked like Twilight Sparkle, Lyra Heartstrings, Lemon Drops, and Minuette. When his eyes met hers, he froze, watching the mare came toward him. “You have done everything a good friend would have done: not to give up on me. And I... thank you for that.” A bright smile came across Party Favor's face. “Aww, thank you Moon Dancer.” “Don't you mean 'your welcome'?” “No, I meant 'thank you'.” Lifting a brow, she asked, “How so?” Taking a quick glance at Moon Dancer's friends and then back to her, he answered, “Because it is nice to hear somepony tell me that I mean something to them. That makes me feel special; like I am worth something.” In a fast motion, Moon Dancer gave Party Favor a quick embrace. She held him tightly, but not too much that it hurt. “Again, thank you Moon Dancer,” the stallion said. Taking out another balloon, he blew into the end of it and began twisting it. “I think you are-” Finishing his twisting, the balloon was in the shape of a pony; it was a balloon version of Moon Dancer. “-a bundle of great things.” Without warning, beads of tears began to form at the corner of the unicorn's eyes, and Moon Dancer's friends let out an “aww” upon hearing Party Favor's words. Turning away to hide her silly smile, she said, “Stop flattering me.” “Oh! Sorry...” Party Favor said as his ears folded back, not knowing he was beginning to fluster his friend. From behind, Twilight Sparkle tapped Moon Dancer on the shoulder and the cream colored pony turned to look at the princess. Twilight then said, “It looks to me that you have a great friend here.” “He is.” Again, Party Favor smiled brightly. “Now onto a different subject: your birthday, Moon Dancer,” Twilight said. This statement caught her friend's attention and straightened herself out. “We are sorry that we forgot your birthday. However, we can all be forgetful, which is an unfortunate trait we all share. Because of this, a friendly reminder of your birthday would be the best thing you can do. Then, you can plan ahead and set up for your party so that all of your friends have a good chance to celebrate your birth.” “Okay,” Moon Dancer replied weakly as she looked downward. Feeling a hoof on her shoulder, she looked up at Twilight Sparkle. “So, why don't we go to Cadence's birthday and then celebrate yours after, okay?” “Alright. I actually like that.” Reaching out, Moon Dancer hugged her alicorn friend. She felt the grip of Twilight tighten around her. Then, she watched as the rest of her friends began to come toward her as they too began to surround her and then hugged her as well. “Thank you,” Moon Dancer said as her ears pointed back and her lips began to create a goofy smile. “Thank you all.”