The Vacation Crew

by Dafaddah

Chapter 7: A Night In Lunablanca

Applejack was supervising several of her kin laying out trestle tables in preparation for the evening's meal, when her guests arrived in a group. Princess Luna was in her normal guise, but looking like the very summit of cowpony elegance in a night black Stetson and golden spurs! She called to the Apple clan together and then addressed the assembly.

"Tonight the Apple clan welcomes these ponies ta join us in a celebration of friendship, Apple style! Our special guest is none other than Princess Luna herself, so let's show her and all our guests a Royal good time at Apple Acres farm. Yeeeee-haaaaaww!"

The ponies clopped hooves, and started to mingle and chat. There literally was food everywhere. Ponies filled plates and sat down to dinner. Several of the Apple cousins got out musical instruments and started playing Country and Western tunes. Periodically ponies would get together to dance, often at the instigation of Pinkie Pie. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were there as well and spent much of the time sitting, eating and chatting with the Princess, as they were less shy in approaching the royal Alicorn than were many of the Apple clan.

Shortly before dusk, dinner wound down, and Applejack called the Vacation Crew, augmented with the three fillies, to assemble for the hay ride. They piled into the big hay wagon, with Big Mac and three huge Apple cousins towing it.

The wagon left the farmyard, proceeding at a stately pace into the fragrant apple orchards. As they passed by, Applejack would relate stories about the trees - the types of Apples they produced, their age, who had planted them, and even humorous stories about them or the events that had transpired among them in these places. To her each tree was an individual, and her face glowed with pride and love as she shared her passion with the riders in the wagon.

Sitting on a hay-bale next to Twilight, Luna whispered to her as Applejack wove images and inspired feelings with simple words honestly spoken. "I have lived a long time, and I had forgotten this... Twilight. Applejack is so full of the magic of the earth ponies! Here, in this place, she is the living heart and beauty of the land, made real in the shape of a little pony! Like all of your friends here, she carries so much... truth... on her four hooves. As do you, Twilight. As Nightmare Moon, I had forgotten this about the ponies of Equestria. Perhaps this is why Celestia sent me to you, and I am grateful to you all for giving this back to me."

Of a sudden she realized that the wagon had stopped some time ago, along with Applejack's narration, and that much of what she had just said was heard by everypony, not just Twilight Sparkle. She smiled sheepishly, looking up at Applejack.

"Thank you for those kind words, Princess, thought ah'm not sure they was meant fer so many ears! We-all purty much feel the same about ya'll, an we're powerful obliged to ya for the great time we've had t'gether in the last few days. So last night at the dance, we figured on a way to show you our thanks. But ya'll will have get things started by raisin' the moon for us, just about yonder." Applejack pointed to sky between two hills.

Luna stood up, and spreading her wings, began to glow. The moon began to rise over the horizon between the hills.

Fluttershy rose and gave a low whistle. From the forest rose the sound of chirping tree frogs and buzzing cicadas. A lone coyote called forth, and was then joined by others in an eerie choral.

As the moon inched upwards, its light hit the surrounding hills, creating a magical wave of light descending towards the wagon. As it progressed, the light was reflected by hundreds of gems suspended in the trees on both slopes. A short distance in front of the wagon, the descending moonlight revealed a small lake, reflecting the image of the moon and the colored beams issuing from the gems in the trees.

Pinkie Pie stood, and began to sing in a haunting voice in harmony with Fluttershy's animal chorus.

"She walks like beauty in the night,
through stardust paths, in mystery
Clad in a veil of pale blue light,
love's sidereal sanctuary

Her sparkling gems in endless flight,
trace constellations wandering slowly
Each one a hero there to fight,
seek truth, or love or justice holy

In her embrace there is no fright,
safe from all toil and from worry
Our guardian on high to smite,
Fear's illusions and darkest folly

For all who gaze upon the sight,
do wonder at this ancient story,
Feel in their hearts that all is right,
To see the Moon in all her glory."

As the echo of Pinkie Pie's voice faded, a lone pegasus flew over the rising moon, creating an arc of reflected moonlight. Then fireworks bloomed around the moon, slowly disappearing as the music ended.

All was quiet, as the mares waited to see the Princess's reaction to their performance. She had lowered her head, when the song ended. Slowly she raised her forelegs, and began clopping her appreciation. She raised her face and all could see her smile of joy. The wagon erupted in pony cheering, as the friends complemented each other on their respective parts in the performance.

Luna rose, and the group grew quiet. "All these things I said earlier were true, and I do not regret that you heard them. So with this evening, I must declare that I am returning to Canterlot, after a most successful and rewarding vacation. I will forever treasure these days with you all. Thank you for all you have given me!"

In a sweet, low voice, Luna added a verse to Pinkie's song:

"The Moon's heart danced upon the sight,
and shared the joy of every pony.
Truly beloved was the night,
so full of beauty and Harmony."

She disappeared with a flash.

Twilight looked up at Applejack, then around at her friends. "I suspect we may have made two Princesses very happy tonight. Big Mac, let's go home."

"Eeyup!" said the stallion, and the wagon lurched into the night... Luna's blessed night.

Comments

[YSuriktaY]

Very entertaining, and I'd like to hear that song XD

[Mythee]

Already told you what I think IRL, hehe. ouo The song at the end is real nice!

[Dafaddah]

250153
Mea culpa! I will edit, now that I can.

Dafaddah

[Dafaddah]

Hello all,

I have been intensively editing the Vacation Crew, which is taking more time than I had initially planned. However, I think the story needs the attention and I am too fond of it to merely let it stand as is. By the way, I deserved those six thumbs down above (at the time of my writing this entry). But I have learned my lesson that haste makes waste, and I want the Vacation Crew to be an enjoyable read, so I will carry on with the edit over the next week or so. Of course, your suggestions are VERY welcome. Every comment I have received has hopefully contributed to improving my writing skills and the quality of my stories.

Dafaddah

PS - I really love doing this - so thanks for reading!

[Dafaddah]

OK - so it's done. I have finished editing the Vacation Crew. Please let me know what you think. BTW I have heard several songs to which the lyrics in the last chapter could be sung. If you have any suggestions please leave them here.

Dafaddah

[Dafaddah]

1455774

Don't get all excited. Twi's intro of Daring Do to Dash is canon! It could just be gratitude. Maybe....

[Fido]

Good story. Maybe a little fast paced though, but 'tis good!

[Dafaddah]

2604423

Thanks! It's my first completed story and was written in three days as my entry in a contest. And yes, it is rushed because I was trying to it within the 10K word limit (the contest admin gave me a few dozen words of leeway.)

I've thought of going back and rewriting it, but I feel rather sentimental about this story, and so have so far decided to keep it as is.

[Silent Strider]

The story has some nice ideas, though not aways executed in what I consider to be a good way. It also gives the impression of being written for children due to the simplicity of the plot and the almost exclusive use of very easy to understand, but somewhat monotonous, sentences, in a few places to the detriment of characterization or pacing.

Not what I would consider bad, specially for a first attempt, but it could really be improved. Of course, having already read a couple of your other stories, I do know that you improved quite a bit as a writer after writing this one

[Dafaddah]

Thanks for taking the time to let me know what you think of this story. Although I started writing "The Good of the Many" first, "The Vacation Crew" was my first completed story. It took me almost a week of evenings to write. I've thought of rewriting it, but I admit a reluctance to change even a word of it for rather sentimental reasons.

My priority remains finishing Renaissance Pony, a rewrite of Filial, and other original works. I might get time for other rewrites in the summer timeframe, but given my limited writing time It's far from a certainty. But thanks from the encouragement!

Dafaddah

[BenRG]

That was a nice little tale very much in the spirit of 'slice of life' - the basic aim of the show. I think that you got the characters basically correct and I could actually see this happening as an episode.

Overall, a better-than-average work. Thanks for sharing it with us!

[Dafaddah]

4177603

Thanks for the feedback, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[TheEmpressEclipse]

I almost started cry- I mean......liquid joy, yeah, thats it, liquid joy. I love Luna stories, so thank you very much for writing.(is sad there is no Luna emoticon)

~TheEmpressEclipse~

[Dafaddah]

4259978

Thanks for the feedback!
And yes, we do need a Luna emoticon!

[PinkieLunaShy]

When your reading another story and you think "Hmm. I really should read The Vacation club again." The you look it up and no such story exists and you have a panic attack and spend an hour going through your bookshelf to find it and realize the name is The Vacation Crew.

I did that. And I'm glad I did.

[Dafaddah]

600686
Le Blush! Will fix. Thanks!

[Dafaddah]

6006793

A return read! I blush even more!

[denneylaw]

So, why exactly was this put in the three stooges fanclub group??

[Dafaddah]

10379540
Check the chapter titles. I hoped somebody, somepony, somedragon, ANYONE would have noticed, especially after all this time and with a Three Stooges group, no less!
But no one did.
Sigh.