//------------------------------// // 48 - Reversal // Story: A Penny for your thought // by Damaged //------------------------------// It had ended up being a big night and Moon was getting ready to retire to her home. She stifled a yawn with a hoof. "I know you have a house here in Canterlot, but it would be remiss of me to not offer you a room for the evening." Princess Celestia was beside Moon Dancer, shocking her a little with the close attention. "Well, uh, Your Highness, that is okay oh…" Moon yawned again and the princess gave a chuckle. "Come on, lets get you somewhere to rest." It was impossible to struggle out from under the softest of wings, Moon Dancer was trapped by a gentle and well-meaning jailor. She tried to shake her head, to dispel the silly thought but all it did was remind her how tired she was. "Maybe, okay…" Moon kept telling herself it was just for convenience, even as she was led to a warm and soft bed that claimed her consciousness the moment she laid down in it. Lifting her head up from the pillow, the silvery rays of the moon filtering in the window, she sat up in bed but found herself not-alone. Luna was sitting, patiently, not two feet from the bed. "Is… is this a dream?" Moon Dancer looked around, things felt a little fuzzy, she decided it must be. The alicorn nodded. "It is indeed, we are presently in the Crystal Empire, but thought to check in on all our ponies. While you do not have a nightmare for me to chase away, I was intrigued. You walk in powerful circles of late, Moon Dancer." Moon tilted her head a little at this, the princess had spoken her name with an odd little smile. Then it hit her. She was literally named after the moon, of course Luna would be interested in that. "I… well I was friends with Twilight when we were at school together. She moved away to Ponyville and we lost touch." She took a deep breath that she really didn't need to in this realm. "I guess it kind of broke something in me, I was always a little subdued, but having my best friend leave without a word…" "She left on very important business. You know to which we refer?" The unicorn shook her head. It hadn't been a particularly fun time for her and she had sunk deep into her books to compensate for the loss. "She left to fight for u… me." Luna had dropped the royal plural, making Moon take even more notice of her words. "She and her new friends united and fought off Nightmare Moon, freeing me." Moon's eyes were wide, so that was why she had left… it wasn't anything she had thought, back then, or even any of the reasons she had thought up lately. One of the single biggest events in Equestria's recent history had cost their friendship. Moon thought she had shed all the tears for that, but more came unbidden. Luna moved and was on the bed, one wing tucking around the unicorn. "I thought you would want to know the reason. The full truth often has a tendency to hide and slip from our minds." Moon nodded against that soft wing, letting the wetness flow and even stain those feathers. "Now, on to the real reason for this visit. We wish to know the full meaning of your name. Why are you named Moon Dancer?" Luna kept that wing around the little mare, it meant much to be her protector and likely meant much to Moon to have that comfort. The unicorn shook her head. "I honestly don't even know why they called me Moon. Dancer is a family name." Luna pondered this and lifted her wing and gestured out to the balcony. "We wish to see something, come with us." The alicorn princess rose up and started to walk out into the moonlight. Moon looked a little worried, was something strange going to happen? Nothing odd had ever befallen her at night before… but then she wasn't at the side of the princess of the moon. Walking out there herself, she gave a soft sigh of relief when nothing did happen. "Well." Luna was looking down at the mare. "Nothing there, we believe there is much in a pony's name. We also understand you will be coming to the Crystal Empire soon?" "Tomorrow." Moon Dancer had felt nothing strange happen, but it was relaxing sitting out in the moon, with Luna beside her. "Good. Until then." The dream world faded and Moon was awake. Predawn light was filtering through the window. Celestia would be already taking the world into her hooves by preparing to raise the sun. Moon was conflicted with that. Science said that such things should be far too heavy to lift, but yet it couldn't be chicanery, the few times Celestia had been waylaid the sun had, indeed, failed to rise properly. There were sounds outside her door and Moon climbed out of bed. Her mane and tail had some frizz in them, so she spent a few moments with a brush to correct that. Opening her door she found nopony around and decided breakfast might be a good idea. "Excuse me?" Moon finally had found a cleaningpony and got their attention. "Is there somewhere to get breakfast in the castle?" The young mare with a cleaning trolly stopped. "Sure is, if you are a guest, the main kitchen is down this hall," she gestured with a hoof, "then right and down the stairs. Can't miss it!" "Thanks!" Moon felt much more chipper than usual. The party had been good, she had met some new friends there and even gotten to know Princess Celestia over a chat. Even when at school, she had only had casual encounters with the ruler of Equestria. Now Moon even knew what kind of cake she preferred! She followed the given directions to the letter and soon was entering a big room that had some glass-protected food trays at one end. A look around showed her Princess Twilight and Princess Fast chatting with each other. Moon headed over and got a bowl of thick porridge and some apple juice. Floating her breakfast along beside her, she decided to settle down on her own. Of course it was not to last. "Hay there!" Twilight moved up beside her, reminding Moon of how persistent she had been in the library. Fast Change slid into place opposite and just grinned. "Morning, Princess Twilight, Princess Fast." Moon Dancer gave them both their full titles. "How can a lowly unicorn help you?" The obvious joking tone in her voice had both the royal ponies laughing at her. "Moon! We are friends, just Twilight is fine." The alicorn beside her was eating the same as her, but Fast Change had some chunks of apple in her oats. Noticing her glance at her breakfast, Fast shrugged. "I know, I know, I don't really need to eat it, but it tastes really good and I can't kick the habit." Twilight looked intrigued with the concept. "So you don't need to eat at all?" The changeling snorted. "I still need to feed, just not like this." The alicorn blushed back. "Oh it isn't always like that. Any happiness is good, I can just take a sip here and there, from ponies that have given me permission." It seemed odd to Moon Dancer and the science-nerd part of her really wanted to investigate more. "Twilight, I don't suppose you could get me a copy of your notes on changeling biology so far?" Twilight beamed. One of her books… or at least part of a book, was already popular enough that another pony wanted a copy! "Of course I can, should I send it on to the Crystal Empire?" Moon nodded to this, starting in on her food. "You have notes? I would like a copy of this myself." Fast looked intrigued, she knew Twilight well enough now to know she would not leave a single stone unturned. "And I should offer, if you would do my hive the honor of a few more copies, I will ensure you can continue your research, here in Canterlot of course. Poor Slow Perfection was so upset he couldn't stay…" Twilight's ears flicked back as she realized her closest research subject was gone. But the prospect of being able to continue was a good one. "I hope he finds something else to do. He is such a nice pony." Hearing Twlight call a changeling a pony with no hesitation made Fast smile more, a little fang showing. "He is. Don't you worry, he was only with Rarity for a few days, but already he is speaking of fashion as if he is a master. Maybe I could employ her to come to Canterlot and tutor him further." As each spoke, the others ate their meals and, soon enough, Fast was done with hers and stood up. "Sorry girls, but I need to go and check on my hive. Twilight, until next week." The reminder of her offer to coach further on flying had the alicorn blushing. It had been nice and Fast Change really seemed interested in helping her learn. "Of course, my castle or yours?" "Mine. I think it would be best not to worry your little town about changeling queens dropping in. There is a very large difference between a drone or two and... myself." Fast stood, flexing her insectile wings and flicking her bright green mane. Twilight gulped a touch, reminded of Chrysalis and how powerful she had been. Then it hit her, Fast Change had fought off that nasty queen. But she was a nice pony. "Thank you." Twilight settled on courteous as a good way to not get any further mixed up in thoughts of Fast or how odd the touches to her wings had made her feel. "Until then." Fast sounded, despite having had a good sized breakfast, hungry. "She is intense." Moon was watching the newest princess leave and shook her head. "But nice, I feel a little safer knowing she is here to protect Canterlot." Twilight twitched her ears in thought. "I think I am too. So, when are you heading out?" Perfect had finally worked out what was going on. Clearly they had indeed only found out of Penny's condition prior to meeting her and Stick looked almost ready to try 'celebrating' with her mare right in the hallway. "Oh you two don't have to come with me, I can settle all this with the princess. You should maybe have a lay down, in your condition I understand mares frequently require some time in bed." Stick perked up at this, her attention managing to break from Penny for a moment as her grin widened. Perfect Poise had all but battered her over the carapace with hints and it was a perfect setup. "Oh, oh sure! I should make sure you are comfortable, Penny." The mare in question was at a loss. She hadn't heard all of what Perfect had said, but got enough of it to make her confused. "But I'm not tha-" "Yes you are dear, come on, let me get you to BED." Stick was all but clubbing Penny with hints now, her green magic giving the pregnant mare a little bump to get her moving. Perfect smiled, her thoughts drifting and circling back to Articulate, wondering if he was free in the evening to get dinner. "What is going on? I don't need rest ye-" Penny had been ushered out of the busy hall and into their shared room, but her little rant was cut off as soon as the door closed by a pair of pony lips. Stick closed her eyes, focusing on her very special somepony who seemed to be melting into the kiss too and pressing against the changeling just as eagerly as Stick was. "Oh…" Penny had finally gotten the hints, they had finally filtered through. She liked the plan. "Yes, 'oh' indeed. Now lets get back to things…" Stick was stripping Penny's pack and shawl off. "And after I have shown you how much you mean to me, we are going shopping for dress ideas."