//------------------------------//
// Show Time 
// Story: Moon Time 
// by flutterspin 
//------------------------------//

	I rushed over to Sweet Apple Acres. If Twilight Sparkle and Rarity changed, I just had to see what else changed. I followed down the white picket fence and entered into the field. I slowed down to see a mysterious building where Applejack's barn should have been. I noticed a small stand with a sign on it. 

"Flim Flam Fields!" I shouted.

A pony behind me said, "You will have to come back later if you want to buy some cider."

I turned around and saw a familiar face. "Carrot Top?"

"It has been awhile since any pony called me by that name. I go by Golden Harvest."

I asked, "What happened here?"

"What do you mean?"

I pointed to the building. "Where is Applejack's barn?"

"Applejack? She hasn't been here since Flim and Flam took over."

"How?"

Golden Harvest explained, "Well you see, the Flim Flam brothers arrived one day during the cider season and challenged her family to a contest. The winner to whoever could produce as much cider as they could in an hour would become sole cider provider for all of Ponyville. Despite their best efforts, the Apple family didn't have a chance to win over the brother's machine."

I said, "I remember that event. Applejack's friends stepped up to help with the contest. The brother's machine couldn't keep up with them, so Flam came up with the idea to have the machine accept everything. The result ruined their supply and their business."

Golden Harvest said, "Applejack's friends? I was there and no pony helped. It was only Applejack, Applebloom, Big Macintosh, and Granny Smith. The Flim Flam brothers won the competition."

"That can't be right."

Golden Harvest pointed at the hourglass in the field. "In fact, they kept that hourglass as a souvenir. Since the Apple family were unable to sell any cider, they didn't make enough sales to keep their business afloat through the winter. They eventually lost Sweet Apple Acres and had to move. It was quite sad to see them go."

I collapsed my head onto the hourglass. I arose to see the sun shining bright on my face. I could see Applejack's barn and the rest of her buildings still intact. I looked down and saw Applebloom standing in front of me.

"Hey Moonlight, what are you doing out here?"

Then in the blink of an eye, everything returned back as before. 

A pony from the distance shouted, "Hey!"

"You better get out of here before Flim catches you," Golden Harvest said.

*	*	*

I raced back into town square.

I only walked a few steps before hearing a pony shout, "Cherries! Buy your cherries! Right here!"

I wandered closer to where the voice was coming from. To my amazement, it was coming from Applejack. She was standing in front of a cherry stand. Another pony wearing a black Wonderbolts outfit was facing her.

The pony said, "I don't want cherry pie. I want apple pie."

Applejack slammed her hooves on the stand. "I told you Soarin', I don't sell apple pies anymore."

Soarin replied, "But you made the best apple pies!"

Applejack ignored Soarin'. "Cherries! Get your cherries!"

Soarin stomped the ground and snorted. He glanced over his shoulder and flew off.

I walked up to Applejack and playfully asked, "Is that Applejack I hear?"

"Hi, Moonlight. Come to buy another cherry chimichanga?"

"Excuse me?"

"I got some fresh, straight from Dodge Junction."

"Dodge Junction? Isn't that where Cherry Jubilee lives?"

"Yeah! After hearing about the whole fiasco, Cherry gladly hired us."

Applejack looked past me and shouted, "Not them again!"

I turned around and saw a cart unravel into a giant stage.

Applejack said, "Why don't you go home? No pony wants to see your act." 

A pony announced, "Come one, come all! Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

I asked, "Trixie?"

Applejack explained, "They always seem to show up the same time I do. It's bad for business, I tell ya'."

"Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!"

A pony behind the curtain whispered to Trixie, "Now?"

"Not yet," Trixie said, "Watch and be amazed at the magic of Trixie!"

The pony whispered again, "Now?"

"Not yet," Trixie said, "Behold as I-"

The pony jumped out in one of the silliest costumes I have ever seen. "And her assistance, Pinkie Pie!"

I asked, "Pinkie?"

Trixie was aggravated. "Pinkie! That wasn't the cue."

Pinkie Pie was wearing a clown outfit. She had a giant rainbow-colored wig and big red shoes. She was covered with white flour on her face and a giant red nose. Despite the interruption, Trixie tried to continue with her act.

"Behold as I-"

"Shoot me out of the party cannon?" Pinkie asked.

"Behold as I-"

"Oh! Oh! Throw some pies at me? I hope they are razzleberry," Pinkie said.

Trixie grew impatient from Pinkie Pie's constant barrage of interruptions. "Behold as I-"

Pinkie Pie waved her right hoof in the air. "Oh! Oh! Oh!"

Trixie asked, "Pinkie, do you want to go first?"

Pinkie put down her hoof and widened her eyes. "You are good! How did you know I was going to ask that?"

Infuriated, Trixie simply turns around and heads back behind the curtain. Pinkie Pie waddled up to the front of the stage. Her shoes squeaked to every step she took. I decided to come closer to the stage and watch. 

Pinkie Pie pointed at me. "What would you like to see the amazing Pinkie Pie do?"

I quickly said, "Blow up some balloons?"

"Good choice!"

Pinkie Pie waddled over to the side of the stage and picked up a small bag. She opened the bag and pulled out a bunch of balloons. She started blowing them up one at a time.

"Watch as I form these balloons into an alligator!"

She grabbed the balloons and tied them together. "Tada!"

I said, "But that is a pony."

"Exactly!"

I gave out a big smile. 

Pinkie Pie smiled even bigger. "What would you like me to do next?"

"Whatever you got?"

"I got it! You happen to have a pile of rocks handy?"

I bashfully looked around me with my hooves in the air.

"Nevermind, I found some."

Pinkie collected the rocks around the stage. She stacked the rocks up on a stool and placed a party hat on top. She deepened her voice and animated the rocks.

"I'm Rocky!"

Trixie's head popped out through the curtain. She checked to see how Pinkie was doing. She looked at me and became terrified.

Trixie said, "That's enough Pinkie Pie. Show's over."

Pinkie Pie stopped moving the rocks. "Already?"

"Wait," I said, "I wanted to see Pinkie Pie."

Trixie tilted her hat. "Better do what he says."

Pinkie Pie pulled out her wig and shook off her shoes. She rubbed away the makeup and plopped the red nose on the stool. She jumped off the stage and walked up to me.

Pinkie asked, "What did you want?"

"Pinkie, what are you doing?"

"My act, silly. They don't call me Pinkie the Clown for nothing."

"How long have you been with Trixie?"

Pinkie responded, "Quite awhile."

Trixie shook her hoof back and forth. "Quiet, Pinkie."

"How well do you know Nightmare Moon?"

Pinkie tilted her head. "Nightmare Moon? Oh, you mean Black Snooty!"

Trixie stomped her hoof. "Pinkie."

Applejack joined in. "I wouldn't be talking about Nightmare Moon around here if I were you."

"Why?" I asked.

"I should be going now," Trixie said.

Trixie pushed the rocks aside and transformed the entire stage into a traveling cart.

"Wait, Trixie. Where are you going?"

"I'm sorry, Pinkie. Things weren't working out between us."

Pinkie reminisced as the cart pulled away. "She always had the best party hat."

"Pinkie, what was that about?" I asked.

"I have no idea."

A pony from above us said, "Maybe because she saw me coming."

I looked into the sky and saw a pegasus in a black uniform on top of a dark cloud. There were two pegasi wearing the same costume hovering behind her. All three dropped down onto the ground. 

The pegasus said, "You better not be stirring up trouble, Moonlight."

I noticed the rainbow-colored mane and realized who was speaking. "Rainbow Dash?"

Applejack said, "It's alright, Rainbow Dash. You can cool it."

I asked, "Rainbow Dash, what's with the uniform? Did you join the Wonderbolts or something?

Rainbow Dash nudged one of the pegasi behind her. "Get a load of that guys. Moonlight thinks we are the Wonderbolts."

They all had a good laugh.

Rainbow Dash said, "You were always funny, Moonlight. We're the Shadowbolts. You know that."

"The Shadowbolts? I asked.

Rainbow Dash stretched out her legs. "See the awesome uniforms Rarity made us? It was Spitfire's idea to get new uniforms ever since Nightmare Moon kicked us out and all."

A pegasus with green hair walked out from an alleyway behind Rainbow Dash. She looked identical to the pegasus from the Gala. She saw me and immediately stopped.

I pushed Rainbow Dash to the side. "You!"

The pegasus flew over our heads. I chased after her.

"Wait!"

"Where are you going?" Rainbow Dash asked.

*	*	*

The pegasus flew all the way past the Everfree Forest. I slowed down to catch my breath. There was no way I could follow her through the forest at night. I turned around and noticed Rainbow Dash and her pals swooping down next to me.

Rainbow Dash said, "You sure are quick with your hooves. Why were you running so fast? Did it have something to do with that pegasus?" 

I gasped for air. "She has... to know... what is going on."

I heard a door open and saw Fluttershy exit out of her cottage.

Fluttershy said, "My, what is going on out here?"

Rainbow Dash said, "Go back inside, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy shrieked, "Moonlight!"

She rushed back into the cottage and slammed the door.

Rainbow Dash asked, "Now tell me, who or what are you after?"

"I don't know. I've seen her before. She recognized me. I know she knows something."

Rainbow Dash checked the bottom of her hoof. "Doesn't surprise me. You are one of Nightmare Moon's lackeys."

I responded, "She may hold the key in finding out the truth behind what happened."

Rainbow Dash quickly placed her hoof onto the ground. "Care to explain?"

"You aren't going to believe me."

Rainbow Dash walked closer and poked me in the chest. "Try me."

I resented Rainbow Dash's response. "Yesterday, Princess Celestia was ruling, not Nightmare Moon."

One of the pegasi laughed. He was quickly interrupted by Rainbow Dash.

"Quiet, Rapidfire! You guys go ahead and head back. I got things covered here."

"Are you sure, boss?" Rapidfire replied.

Rainbow Dash's stance didn't change. The pegasi nodded to each other and dashed off.

Rainbow Dash turned back to me and asked, "What do you know about Princess Celestia?"

"Princess Celestia is a caring ruler who raised the sun each day. She wouldn't stand to see us ponies divided like this."

"How would you know? It has only been a couple of months since you came to Ponyville. Are you a spy?"

I replied, "No, something happened. If I can figure out what, I may still have a chance in changing everything back."

"How do I know what you are telling me is the truth? How do I know this isn't some sort of trick?"

I deduced that if I could somehow get Fluttershy to trust me, Rainbow Dash would have no choice but to trust me too. I walked over to the cottage and knocked on the door.

Fluttershy said, "Go away. No ponies here. Just us chickens."

I knocked on the door again. "Fluttershy, can you please open the door?"

Another pony inside said, "He sounds upset. Maybe we should do what he says."

I asked, "Scootaloo?"

Fluttershy slid the door open a couple inches. "How do you know Scootaloo?"

"She is part of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The CMC."

Scootaloo poked her head out. "The what?"

I shook my head. "Nevermind. Fluttershy, can we talk?"

Fluttershy closed the door again. I continued knocking on the door.

"Come on, Fluttershy. I just want to talk!"

Scootaloo whispered to Fluttershy, "Would it hurt just to talk to him?"

Fluttershy responded, "Junebug told us not to talk to anyone from Canterlot."

I heard a couple of ponies galloping up the hill. I turned to see Pinkie Pie and Applejack run up next to Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash asked them, "What are you two doing here?"

Pinkie Pie said, "We wanted to see where you guys went."

Applejack said, "We figured it must have been something important."

I knocked once more, but there was no response. I had to come up with a solution. That was when I remembered the one thing that got Twilight's attention in the library.

I sturnly said, "Elements of Harmony."

All the ponies were stunned to hear those words come out of my mouth.

Fluttershy opened the door. "You know about those?"

Rainbow Dash flared up. "How do you know about those? Who told you?"

Fluttershy and Applejack looked at each other, and then they looked at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash said, "Oh no. I know what you two are thinking and the answer is no. We are not taking him."

Applejack said, "If he knows about the Elements of Harmony, then maybe we should."

Rainbow Dash stumbled over her own words. "But... I... he..."

Scootaloo asked, "Can I come?"

Fluttershy said, "You should stay here where it's safe, Scootaloo."

Rainbow Dash crossed her arms. "Fine, let's go before I change my mind."

I asked, "Where are we going?"

Rainbow Dash said, "You'll find out when we get there."