Memories Across a Moonlit Month

by Paw Paint

Chapter 4: An Evening To Remeber

Chapter 4: An Evening to Remember

or

Really Short Chapter

***

The stars were twinkling above the balcony that a certain couple escaped to, seeking a period alone-- both with their thoughts and each other. Moonlight gave a sigh of exhaustion. “That was quite the party….”

Marscapone exuded the same tired aura. “You’re telling me.” They looked at each other, and shared a smile. “Wasn’t at all how I imagined it would be.”

“Do you think things should have gone differently?” she shifted in her dark ensemble, looking down at the stream of ponies leaving the gala.

“Not at all. Your last song was amazing, but the first was even better. ….I hope the Princess won’t go too hard on Mom.”

“I’m sure she won’t. Princess Celestia is very fair.”

He snorted in amusement. “Double meaning.” he explained when his close friend gave him a look of confusion. Moonlight blushed and lightly hit his shoulder with a wing.

“You’re taking it out of context!” With a wry smile, she looked up at the stars, remembering the smorgasbord of emotions that happened the past few hours.

000

Princess Celestia stepped up on stage, handling a microphone with her magic. Dressed in a gold and red ribbon halter, she looked disappointedly at the the crowd. Ponies of every race, and then some-- donkeys, griffons, and the like-- were rather separated. Unicorns from Canterlot kept to themselves, as did pegasi from Cloudsdale and earth ponies from Manehatten. The crystal ponies that had followed their princess to the Gala looked uncomfortably out of place, like a third wheel. And the bat ponies stuck to dark corners looking warily and talking amongst themselves.

As much as she hated to put the blame on somepony, Moonlight, hidden behind the curtains, knew this was the work of Lemon Zest, Marscapone’s mother. As biased as she was, the old mare turned out to be an excellent rhetor, and hearing that her son was still attending the Gala in a method that was out of her control, Lemon had used those skills over the last week of the month to sow disharmony among the minds and opinions of influential ponies and other individuals-- all in an attempt to make sure that the ensuing tension scared Moonlight away from Mars. Apparently, it had scared others as well; she could see mint green unicorn look longingly towards a cream earth pony mare with candies on her rump-- but said unicorn dared not do anything else.

Noticing Moonlight’s discomfort, Princess Luna put a hoof on her shoulder. “Thou will be great.” She smiled gratefully towards the night princess, but it did nothing to calm her nerves-- her stomach felt like she ate a whole jar of live ladybugs that were exacting their revenge.

Princess Celestia looked back with a reassuring smile, then began to address the disjointed crowd. “Good Evening, everyone! Not a lot of ponies know this, but over two thousand years ago, the Grand Galloping Gala was organized to celebrate the uniqueness of each tribe and the union between them. Lately, I seemed that I had also forgotten this-- fortunately, my sister and Discord took the planning for the Gala out of my hooves and together we planned for this event to be the coup de gras for the re-introduction of bat ponies in our dear Equestria. Tonight, as you dine, talk, and listen to wonderful pieces by many ponies about the country, I would like for everypony to reflect on that thought, and let it shape the way we interact with others.” She paused to let the information sink in, then continued in a cheerful manner. “This event was fought for and it’s ideals defended by wonderful ponies over the centuries. Let’s make their bravery count, have a joy filled night, and many more in the future!"

She bowed elegantly as the crowd applauded, as per the tradition of etiquette. As Celestia came behind the curtain Discord, looking suave in a suit, commented on her speech. “Nice way to manipulate the crowd.”

“It won’t do a thing if they didn’t listen to me.”

“Where are Twilight and her friends?” Cadence questioned quietly, as to not disturb the musicians behind them . “Maybe they could relieve the tension.”

Celestia sighed and shook her head. “I’m actually relieved that they’re not here.”

“Agreed.” Muttered the draconequus. “Poor Fluttershy would simply be crushed. Metaphorically, of course."

Luna moved away from Moonlight to join the hushed conversation. “How can but one pony cause so strife? It is worthy of ridicule!"

Celestia peeked out of the curtains once more. “Thank the Creator. We’re starting to get diverse groups out there."

“Tis only but a few,” Luna complained, peeking out with her. “And ‘tis only because Discord arranged the dining tables so.”

Celestia huffed in return. “It’s still something. Discord, start introducing ponies. Luna, I’m going to have to ask you to mingle. Find similarities and exploit them. Cadence-”

Said princess fluffed her gem-laced dress. “I’ll work on getting my crystal ponies to move out of their shell. If you see Shining, can you tell him I want a dance later?”

Her titular aunt smiled. “Of course.”

Moonlight witnessed the royal huddle disperse, and Discord strut out into the spotlight beyond the curtain. With all of the alicorn anchors gone, musicians began to drift nervously, wondering who’d be called by the random announcer first. Discord, to their surprise, began in order. “To celebrate the bat ponies tonight, we’ll be hearing several pieces by a wonderful composer from their tribe. But as to not make you party animals too bored, we’ll have them interspersed between different songs from different genres from different ponies, and a griffin too. But now, without further ado, our show mare for the night: Mooooooooooooonnnliiiiiight Sonata!"

Her dark dress trailing behind her, by the time she reached the violin on the floor, Moonlight’s red ascot felt like it was choking her. Her black vest was too tight,her sleeves stiff, and wings glued to her side. She wasn’t used to playing for so many, and she probably wouldn’t start tonight. Daring to open one eye, she saw millions. It made her head spin, her legs faint. The world was against her, and she was but one small pon-- her train of thought derailed as she saw the occupants of one table especially near the stage. It was made up of her friends.

Marscapone smiled at her, clad in his chef's uniform, while Creme Brulee did a hoof-pump, flapping his wings along with Forte as encouragement. Orange waved shyly, kind expression partially hidden by the simple dress hat she wore. Certainly something Lemon had not counted on was Marscapone’s friends forming a bond in the absence of his mutual friendship. Bru found a fellow prankster and confidante in Forte, and the relationship between Orange and Moonlight was….something else entirely, but the dark mare was confident enough to call her a friend. They had banded together during the last days of the month and cheered their earth pony pal up, going on an outfit shopping spree, and eventually settling on an expensive bow tie that Marscapone now wore proudly around his neck. Smiling nervously back, Moonlight pretended for a moment that she was merely playing for them-- her friends. As such the music emanating from the violin was passionate, intimate, and emotional, reflecting the feelings that Moonlight experienced throughout the month, up until this very point.

Ponies were put under a spell, relishing the raw feelings in the sounds coming from deep with her heart. Moonlight had originally planned to play a piece she had wrote years ago, but what ended up reverberating out of the violin was something entirely new-- a improvisation, built on the wonders of friendship. The song began to wane, but as it finished, the emotions Moonlight and her audience shared did not. Happy to prance back stage without so much as a bow, she raced to the ponies she cared for and happily threw herself into Marscapone’s arms. She hugged him tightly, messing up her hair do and the collar of her cape in the embrace.

“You came!”

“Of course I did. Mom was mad, but I told her I had to go anyway What you played up there was beautiful.”

Forte rested a cheek on his hoof, looking dapper in a tux and ascot to match his cousin’s. “That was new, wasn’t it? You looked as if you were somewhere else completely.” Discord introduced a grey earth pony with a cello, and classical music began to fill the room.

“Yeah, it was. I was thinking about how you guys are such great friends."

Bru smirked. “So the magic of friendship saves the day again.” Orange looked at him and he retorted with a tongue.

“It was very well done,” the unicorn admitted. “I loved it.”

The same sentiment was repeated throughout the night by ponies of all kinds-- even Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends complimented the piece, having arrived at the party right on time. Moonlight’s song, coupled with the Elements of Harmony to display an inspiring show of unity, brought on the end of the tension, allowing ponies and griffons to talk, to laugh, and to meet new friends. Even though Marscapone had to leave for the kitchens now and again, the five companions enjoyed the Gala, and were able to laugh at jokes and stories like old friends might.

The Gala itself was spectacular, setting itself apart from galas in recent years. Even when Blueblood and Shining Armor ended up trying to joust each other out the door. The song that Moonlight and Forte sang together, in honor of the alicorn sisters, also added to the sense of greatness-- it brought even Photo Finish to tears. It wasn’t until Moonlight was due to play her finale that something happened to ruin the mood.

Dragging the pegasi guards that tried to stop her, Lemon Zest stormed into room. Ponies avoided her path, the mare’s aura exuding anger. She made straight way for Moonlight, shrugging off all opposition.

“How dare you!” She cried, advancing. “How dare you!”

“What?” Moonlight backpedaled straightway into a dark corner, but it refused to conceal her from the threat. Marscapone, having heard a familiar voice, poked his head out of his station, only to find that his mother looked like a dog about to pounce on it’s prey.

“Mom! Mom, what are you doing!?” he raced from his post, trying to get to the two before something terrible happened.

“How dare you take him away from me!” Lemon rose high, and before princess or guard or friend could come to Moonlight’s aid, she dropped her full weight on the objective pony of her anger. Moonlight, thinking quickly, blocked the attack with her violin, wincing when it dug into her, splintering. “How dare you think that you are better than me! Wings don’t make you special! Wings make you nothing! A horn will make you nothing!” Each exclamation was punctuated by a blow, tears spilling from the attacker’s eyes. “My son deserves the best! Not something that will belittle him! Not something that will take him for granted!” The violin was beyond repair, and Moonlight considered kicking the old mother’s legs out from under her when a great big blur reached Lemon before any of the others and rammed her off the musician.

“Mom, stop!” Mars shouted as he pinned her to the ground. Lemon scrabbled underneath him and nearly threw her distraught son off when Cadence flew in, horn radiant.

“Let hate go. Let love flow through. We love you, your son loves you. All will be well.”

At first the chestnut mare resisted, but the crystal princess’ spell quickly took hold, and the old nag curled up in a sobbing heap, oblivious to the crowd surrounding her. Mars quickly turned his attentions to Moonlight, currently in the process of being helped up by their friends.

“Are you okay?!”

000

“....Where do you think her anger came from?”

“Mom was part of a family of unicorns, and whenever my aunt came to visit, even to help after Dad’s death…. she’d just harbor this jealousy. Sometimes I wish that I was born a unicorn or something else, so that she see not everything other than an earth pony was bad.”

“I think-- I think I’d like a proper introduction, after the Princess is done."

“I’m sure she’d like you if she wasn’t so angry.” Marscapone sighed. “So…”

Moonlight turned towards him. “So?”

Mars looked at the pony he’d come to love over the course of one long month. Her hair was a tangled mess of purple and white, her dress was ripped in some places, but she was still beautiful, simply because of her spirit. “You’re going back to your colony tomorrow.” The fact that she was going away made him...sad? Dissappointed? He didn’t know how to explain it.

Moonlight’s ears dropped a bit at the resignation in his voice. Nevertheless, she gave a small wistful grin toward him. “Yeah. You’ll write to me won’t you?” She would certainly write to him, simply because she would still want to talk to him in the early morning.

“Of course.” His normal optimism crept back through his sweet expression. “And maybe I’ll take time off to visit.”

Her fangs gleamed in a smile that shone through her eyes. “I’d like that.”

Author's Note:

The End!

Comments

[Wolfen Spirit]

beautiful!