//------------------------------// // Ponyville - Dash and the Apples // Story: The Ever Changing Moon // by CommanderX5 //------------------------------// The Ever Changing Moon - Chapter 1 Ponyville Part 2 - Dash and the Apples Twilight was deep in her lecture, reading the ‘Legend of Nightmare Moon’ and ‘The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide’ at the same time, levitating both books in front of herself as she walked towards the apple farm. Spike was on sentry duty to warn her if she was about to accidentally walk into a wall or another obstacle on her way. “Hey, Twilight, can I ask you a question?” Spike asked, poking his caretaker’s head to get her attention. “Sure, what is it?” “If those blood-drinking creatures are so dangerous, why were they waiting for some banished princess to return? Wouldn’t they have tried to take over Equestria a long time ago?” Spike asked. “Not really,” Twilight responded. “According to my research, thestrals as a race are weakened by the rays of the sun, becoming very vulnerable. Silver neutralizes their healing capabilities and they are weak to light magic and healing spells… which makes sense since they specialize in dark magic.” She added in a relaxed tone, “They have quite a few weaknesses, in my personal opinion.” “Oh, right. I guess it’s not easy defeating the princess when she can raise the sun anytime she wants. Though they could still attack when she is asleep.” He shrugged. “No offense to your brother, but most of the guards he commands aren’t that reliable. You could probably knock out a bunch of them with your powerful magic, so how can they protect their sleeping ruler?” “That’s a very good question, one I don’t have an answer for,” Twilight said with a hint of disappointment. “No problem, I will just ask the princess,” Spike said as he opened Twilight’s saddlebag, taking out a fresh scroll, an inkwell and a feather. Twilight sighed before levitating him onto the ground, making sure that he wouldn’t spill the ink on her fur. "You really want to bother the princess? What if she’s very busy or..." Twilight asked. Upon hearing the writing already in progress, she sat, crossing her legs in meditation and closing her eyes. "Alright, but be quick about it." A moment of writing and a burst of green flames later, Spike looked at Twilight and said, “I just thought of something. If that returning princess…” “She is referred as Nightmare Moon and as a two-faced princess in the tale,” Twilight pointed out, not opening her eyes. “If Nightmare Moon returns from her banishment and brings night eternal, wouldn’t that mean that Celestia wouldn’t be able to raise the sun?” Twilight gasped, her eyes snapping open open. “You’re right! But if that’s the case, how would surrendering Ponyville help? Defeating Nightmare Moon so Princess Celestia can raise the sun unhindered would be a better solution.” “I dunno,” Spike shrugged before pointing at the sky. “By the way, doesn’t that pegasus look like one of the ponies we are looking for?” “You mean the Element Bearers?” she asked before looking up, noticing a pegasus dashing through the sky at an impressive speed. A rainbow-colored afterimage following her. Twilight raised her foreleg to protect her eyes from the sun as she tried to take a better look. She took a quick glance at the pictures before saying, “She must be a candidate for the Element of Loyalty, there’s no doubt about it.” She lit her horn, shooting a spell into the air. As expected, the spell exploded like a flare, attracting Rainbow Dash’s attention. She quickly shot another while waving her forehooves, a magical flare proving to be useful for more than just calling for help. “Over here!” she shouted, not taking her eyes from the approaching pegasus. Rainbow Dash landed in front of Twilight with a loud thump, spreading dust around her hooves from the impact as her legs bent slightly. “Did you shoot those fireworks?” “Those were flares, actually,” Twilight explained. “Fireworks, flares, whatever. What matters is that they were pretty cool!” Dash said, wiping dust from her chest. She stepped forward with a smile. “If you wanted my attention, you sure got it. The name’s Rainbow Dash by the way.” “Nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said before placing forehoof against her chest. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia.” Dash took a step back. “Personal student, are you kidding?” She laughed before pausing upon receiving a firm glare. “W-wait, you're serious?” Twilight frowned and stomped. “Do I look like I’m joking?” “Prove it!” Dash said, now hovering above the ground with crossed forelegs. Twilight blushed and looked to the side. While impressing her mentor was always a high-priority on her agenda, she never liked to show off in front of other ponies. She was studying hard to improve herself and help fellow citizens, not for the attention and praise. "What are you, a chicken?” Dash asked with a smirk while her wings flapped slowly but steadily. “I knew you were bluffing, but I’d hoped you could at least try to prove me wrong.” “Come on Twilight! Just one spell to wipe the grin from her face,” Spike pleaded. Twilight sighed and spoke resignedly, her foreleg raised, “Fine, I’ll do it, but on one condition.” “And that is?” “I want you to listen to me, and seriously consider what I have to say,” Twilight responded. She was fully aware that being called a chicken was a simple trick meant to provoke her to do something, but she needed Dash’s attention. “If you impress me, sure. However, don’t expect I will believe you’re the student of the princess without seeing something amazing.” Twilight grit her teeth and closed her eyes, charging magic into her horn. Her spectator seemed to be an energetic athlete, so instead of casting a complicated spell, she need a flashy one. She opened her eyes and aimed at a nearby fountain, shooting a beam that turned it into a block of ice. Seeing as Dash’s attention was now on the fountain, she grit her teeth and focused on the ground beneath the fountain, causing a small tremor as the large pile of ground was levitated upward. As sweat rolled down her forehead, Twilight held the massive weight in place, her legs shaking slightly from the four percent of levitated weight pushing her against the ground. Just like a few bypassing ponies, Rainbow Dash gasped, her eyes wide. “Ohmygosh.” “You think that’s impressive?” Spike asked before crossing his arms with a grin. “She’s just getting started.” Twilight grinned, tearing off an ice fragment before slowly lowering the mass back onto the ground. She shattered the ice, creating a fog of ice crystals and forming a small rainbow. She followed it up with another spell, melting the ice before turning the upper part into a frozen replica of Celestia. She bit her lip and blushed at the misshapen appearance of her creation, incinerating it in a burst of flames before anypony could take a closer look upon her failure. “So, do you believe me now?” Dash turned around towards Twilight, her mouth still agape as she nodded, feeling excitement quickly replacing her shock. “That… was… awesome!” she shouted, spreading her legs in all directions. “I’ll take that as a yes,” Twilight said before looking at the pegasus with a serious stare. “Now, I need you to listen to me carefully, this is important.” “I am all ears,” Dash said as she landed on the ground and sat, staring at the unicorn expectantly as if awaiting a camp-fire story. Twilight took a deep breath before speaking, “I know it might sound like crazy talk, but during the Summer Sun Celebration, a two-faced princess will return from her banishment.” “Two-faced princess!” Dash shouted, sweating and shuffling her hooves nervously as she glanced away. Twilight flinched, quickly recovering from the verbal assault. “Yes, two-faced princess, also known as Nightmare Moon according to this book.” She pointed at one of two books by her side. “She was banished one thousand years ago and will return soon.” “I see,” Dash said, chuckling. “And you’re telling me this because...?” “Because I was tasked by my mentor to ensure that nopony in Ponyville will rebel against her sister.” “The princess has a sister?” Dash asked. “I was just as surprised when she told me. The point is, if we welcome her and surrender, she may keep Ponyville, and maybe even the rest of Equestria, safe from the purebloods’ wrath.” Twilight explained, “Purebloods and thestrals can drink blood and use dark magic, they are supporting Nightmare Moon and plan to attack Canterlot during her return. Equestria is in grave danger. Canterlot has already been evacuated, and being on Nightmare Moon’s bad side when the capital is invaded is the last thing we need.” Her head dropped, panting after her extensive monologue. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up a moment,” Rainbow said, raising a forehoof to stop the onslaught of words. “Are you saying that we should give in to Nightmare Moon? You could’ve said that from the start instead of blathering on.” Twilight grinned sheepishly and blushed. “Sorry.” “Uhmmm... why are you telling me this?" Dash asked, rubbing the back of her head in confusion. “Telling this to every single pony in Ponyville will take forever.” She puffed her chest. “Unless you want me to spread the news. I’m the fastest pegasus in Equestria after all.” “I have a much quicker way to inform the town, so that won’t be necessary,” Twilight said, causing Dash to frown. “I’m going to inform the mayor and make a public speech. What I need from you is a promise not to fight or antagonize Nightmare Moon.” Dash stomped angrily. “And why not fight her? Is the princess putting her tail between her legs and surrendering without a fight?” Twilight stomped as well, glaring sharply. “She’s going to fight, maybe even expecting to lose, but she doesn’t want her subjects to suffer. Don’t you dare insult her like that!” Before Dash could respond, Spike burped a gout of green, magical flame, a sealed scroll appearing from within. Twilight caught it with her magic and unrolled it. “What’s that?” Dash asked as she flew behind Twilight, reading the scroll. “Hey! It’s a private message from the princess, thank you very much,” Twilight said as she rolled the scroll and levitated behind her back. She glanced at Dash and said, “If you need to know, the princess had a plan to fight Nightmare Moon. It involved me, you and four other ponies to use artifacts called the Elements of Harmony to heal her from the corruption without hurting her. But since Fluttershy is no longer among us, the Elements won’t work.” “F-Fluttershy,” Dash said and stepped back in a panic. “W-what do you know about Fluttershy?” “Just that she was a candidate for the Element of Kindness and that she… has passed away.” “Oh…” Dash said in relief. “How do you know her name?” Twilight levitated the pictures and Guide to the Elements, presenting them to Dash. “I know only as much as my mentor told me. An event called a Sonic Rainboom that was somehow caused by the Elements as they chose their bearers. I don’t know too many details, but from what she has told me, she learned that all of the candidates were in Ponyville and obtained their pictures.” “Was she spying on us?” Dash asked before stomping in anger. “Was she stalking Fluttershy!?” Twilight shrugged. “Not really. Somepony was providing her with information. The princess asked me to inform each potential Element Bearer first, as she was afraid you would be most likely to fight Nightmare Moon.” "Okay..." Dash said, sighing in relief. "As fun was talking with you, I have places to go, stuff to do, so... bye." Before Twilight could say a word, the pegasus had already flown away, leaving a rainbow contrail in her wake. She rubbed her chin, staring at the sky suspiciously. “She was acting strange.” "What do you mean?" Spiked asked as he grabbed the scroll from Twilight’s levitation and unrolled it. “Just like Pinkie, Rainbow Dash wasn’t surprised when I mentioned Nightmare Moon. Instead, she seemed to believe in most of what I told her. They seem to know far more than they should.” “You may be onto something,” Spike said, now reading the scroll. “Check this. The princess’ response may interest you.” Twilight approached and sat next to Spike, her attention fully on the scroll. My Dearest, Most Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle I fully understand your curiosity and will gladly answer your questions. My connection with the sun, which helps me restore my magic, is also very useful in defending against the thestrals. I surround myself with a solar aura whenever going to sleep. Merely being in my presence weakens even the strongest purebloods. As an alicorn, I am protected by a magical aura. It activates without my influence whenever I am in danger. The stronger the force that is brought against me, the more visible it becomes. Because of those two factors, I am safe from any attempt at assassination and blood-drinking while mental barriers protect me from any assaults on my mind. I am certain that my defenses have flaws, but they give me enough time to wake up and fight off the intruders. Now to your next question. I took measures to ensure that the purebloods wouldn’t be a threat, measures I am not proud of. However, Nightmare Moon possess enough power to fight against my control over the sun and the moon. Fighting for control will leave me greatly weakened and without the sun I will lose my main advantage. Even my solar aura can last only for a few hours without access to the power of the sun. I hope my answers satisfy your curiosity. Your Proud Mentor, Princess Celestia Twilight and Spike looked at each other, unsure what to say. After a moment of silence, Spike raised his head, looking at his caretaker with a relaxed smile and said, “Well… we’re doomed.” “Are ya ready, Ditzy?” Applejack asked, her attention on the wall-eyed pegasus who was wearing goggles and a badge with ‘demolition for hire’ written on it. Her smile was wide, displaying her shiny fangs. “I am! I am!” she shouted, flapping her wings in excitement. “Alright,” Applejack said as she raised her forehoof. “On my mark, get ready, set…” Ditzy bent her legs, her attention focused on the barn. “Applejack!” Dash shouted, performing a hard landing, her flank pressed against the ground, leaving a trial and dust behind her. “What is it, Dash?” “The student of Celestia is in Ponyville and she told me that the two-faced princess is returning for the celebration, while the purebloods are planning to take over Canterlot,” Dash said in a rush, taking a few quick breaths. “The day your thestral dad told us about while he was brainwashed by Moon Shadow is almost here. We gotta do something!” “Well, that ain’t good,” Applejack said, now looking towards the farm. “Ah’d better inform Shackles ‘bout this. Maybe they can help.” “Are you kidding me?” Dash said angrily. “That bastard killed Fluttershy’s parents for a bounty! He blackmailed us and then tried to dig out Fluttershy’s grave to get more bits, thinking she was dead, and now you want to ask him for help?! You can’t be serious!” “And what do ya expect me ta do? Ah hate him as much as ya’ll do ever since Ah befriended Fluttershy. But not all purebloods are as kind, an’ we need all the help we can get.” “And what about Nightmare Moon? From what the Princess' student told me, she will be coming to Ponyville soon. Princess Celestia wants us to surrender.” Applejack rubbed her chin for a moment, her eyes widening. “Oh, ponyfeathers. Ah need ta cancel the Apple Family Reunion.” “What, why?” “Fer starters, some of ’em are monster hunters like me,” Applejack said, pointing at herself as her ears drooped. “Do ya think they’d welcome the two-faced princess with open hooves?” Rainbow Dash rubbed back of her neck. “Yeah… I guess it would be kinda messy.” Ditzy’s wings and ears drooped upon watching this exchange. “Does this mean I can’t destroy your barn now, Applejack?” “Fraid not, Sugarcube.” Ditzy groaned. Being a demolition mare for hire beat being a mail-mare hooves down. Rainbow Dash looked between both of her friends and asked, “Didn’t Derpy’s family already rebuild your barn two years ago? Why you want it destroyed again?” Applejack sighed. “It took a while, but Granny Smith finally trusts Hawkeye. Ah’d hoped that, with help of a few other Apples, we could rebuild it bigger with an extra room for Hawkeye ta live in. Hidin’ him in our small home ain’t easy.” “Oh, yeah,” Rainbow Dash said. It was one thing for a family of hunters to accept their relative after he was turned into a thestral, and another to befriend a young pureblood thestral. But explainin’ to the entire town why a dead pony was suddenly alive was whole different level. Applejack slammed her forehooves together. “Then it’s settled. Ah’ll inform mah family and send a letter to the guild. Dash, yer the fastest of us, inform the rest of the clan ‘bout what ya learned.” “On it,” Dash said, saluting. She was about to fly towards Ponyville, but the yelling of Pinkie Pie caught her attention. “Wait!” “Huh?” All three mares turned to the source of voice, now staring at galloping Pinkie Pie. Pinkie pressed her flank against the ground, sliding to a stop in front of her friends while breathing heavily. “The student of the princess, she–” “We know,” Dash and Applejack said in unison. “Dash here was about to inform the rest.” “There’s no time. We have a party to take care of!” Both athletic ponies looked at each other in confusion while Ditzy flapped her wings in excitement and licked her lips. As a half-breed thestral, she always prefered the taste of cakes and muffins to blood, the only exception being if blood was the main flavour. “Are you saying that Applejack isn’t here?” Twilight asked, standing in the shadow of a red stallion as he towered over her. “Eeyup.” “And she is attending a party?” “Eeyup.” “And Applejack’s friend, Rarity, is also attending this party?” “Eeyup.” “Do you know where said party is taking place?” “Eenope.” Twilight sighed and lowered her head. As if her day wasn’t bizarre enough, now she would need to add searching for a party to her busy schedule.