True Chaos

by Woolytop

Chapter 1: The Prank

Two yellow eyes with red irises erupted open. Mismatched, the large one blinked, followed by the small. Moonstruck yawned and sat up in her bed, then reached over and turned the lamp on.

The room Aunt Celestia had given her was fairly large. It was a turret room about midway up the northwestern spire. The bed sat against the southern portion of the wall, which gave Moonstruck a good view out to the balcony, and her telescope. Directly across from the bed was a desk, which was covered in sketches of things like ponies and areas around the castle, as well as a whole bunch of things that simply didn't make any sense. Next to that was a bookshelf, then the door.

Moonstruck hopped energetically out of bed. Her limbs made a distinct click, slap, patpat as she landed. She turned to a mirror that was between her bed and the door to the balcony, and grabbed a brush. She thought she looked just fine with her mane all scraggly from her pillows, but Auntie had insisted on her brushing it every morning. It wasn't morning yet, but today she wanted to impress her Aunt, so maybe she would get permission to do something she had wanted to do for many months now. She combed out her mane as straight as she could get it, trimmed her fingernails, filed her talons, clipped her claws, shined her wings, preened her feathers, straightened her scales, and brushed her coat, all the while with one eye out the window for signs of the sunrise.

Once done, Moonstruck reared up on her hind legs and spun once, careful not to smash her vanity with her tail. It took a lot of work, but Auntie was always delighted when she cleaned up like this. Falling back on all fours again, she turned and bolted from the room.

In years past, Moonstruck's distinctive steps at any pace above a slow trot heralded doom for all potted plants and small decorations that lined the halls. More recently, however, she only ever frightened new servants when she ran through the castle. Most of the older servants had grown tolerant of her, but only a few were willing to perform their duties for her, and fewer still were anything approaching friendly to her. She didn't mind so much, since she had Aunt Celestia, Aunt Luna, and Nana, and those three were the only ones she needed.

Moonstruck saw the guards at the entrance to the royal balcony, from which the sisters guided the heavens every day. They were still night guards, which meant that Aunt Luna presided for the moment. Moonstruck dropped on her rump, skidded the remaining two hundred feet or so across the polished castle floor, and turned as she got close to the guard. Her tail wrapped around his body as she draped her right arm across his withers.

“Is Aunt Celestia going to be ready to raise the sun soon?” she asked the guard, who despite all of this, hardly even blinked.

“Princess Celestia is due in about fifteen minutes, Miss,” he replied flatly.

“O~kay,” Moonstruck sang. They sat like that for about a minute. “You smell like apples.”

“Get off me.”

Moonstruck disentangled herself from the guard and scooted a few inches away from him. Her horn started to glow as she cast a spell. She summoned to her a violin from her room and began to play it.

“You're improving, Moonstruck.”

“Auntie!” Moonstruck chirped, up on her hind legs with a bounce. She had grown quite a bit in the last few years, and now almost stared the princess directly in the face when she stood fully erect. “Auntie, can I help lift the sun today?”

Celestia smiled as the door to the balcony swung open, and Luna trotted out. She'd gotten taller as well, now just as big as her elder sister.

“Good morning, Sister,” Luna said.

“Good Morning, Luna,” Celestia replied. “How was your evening?”

“'Twas unremarkable. Excuse me,” Luna stifled a yawn, then motioned for her guards to follow her.

“So can I help with the sun?” Moonstruck asked.

“I'm sorry, Moonstruck, but lifting the sun is a one pony job,” Celestia replied, smiling. Moonstruck's ears drooped. “I'll tell you what, though. You can help me practice for the Summer Sun Celebration coming up.”

Moonstruck followed the princess out to the balcony, and lifted her violin to play the piece she had played at every sun celebration, while Celestia took off into the air. The sun rose gloriously behind her and brought light to the city as Moonstruck finished the piece.

“Perfect,” Celestia said as she landed.

“Hey Auntie, have you ever considered maybe using a different song?” Moonstruck suggested, her horn glowing as she teleported her violin back to its home.

“That's such a lovely piece, though, from one of the greatest musicians of the time,” Celestia said.

“Oh, I'm not saying that Beethooven's piece is bad, it's just... always the same,” Moonstruck explained.

“Tradition is an important part of any celebration,” Celestia pointed out. “Come, you have studies to attend to.”

Dear Princess Celestia

I've always had fun playing with little kids, and I thought babysitting meant just more playtime, right? Wrong! Being a caregiver is way more responsibility than just being a playmate. And today I learned that sometimes our desire for responsibility can outrun our actual ability to handle it.

Moonstruck kicked her legs as she read the slightly yellowed paper. Aunt Celestia had her read these friendship reports from her student, and her friends. They'd worked through them steadily, but new ones always came to increase the pile.

Moonstruck yawned as she set the report aside. Her assignment was to read a report, and then find some way to apply the lesson in the castle. She was almost certain Auntie had picked this one out today. She grabbed a sheet of paper and a quill.

“Today I learned that I'm not responsible enough yet to pick up the sun,” she dictated to herself. “Done! Let's go for a walk.” She hopped out of her desk and walked out of the room. She wandered the halls for a bit, and ran across a white unicorn stallion.

“Hel~lo, Brother!” Moonstruck sang as she paced next to him.

“For the last time,” Prince Blueblood began, “I am not your brother. We aren't related in any way, you insane monstrosity.”

“Yes we are!” Moonstruck insisted. “We nursed from the same mare, we both live in the castle, and both call the princesses Auntie. Therefore, we're siblings.”

“That is, by far, the most absurd line of reasoning I have ever heard,” Blueblood replied.

“Is that a challenge?” Moonstruck smirked.

“Shouldn't you be studying?” Blueblood asked. “Or having a luncheon? Or pestering anypony else in the castle?”

Moonstruck considered for a little bit. “...Nah.”

“Well, I have an important meeting to attend to,” Blueblood said.

“Is it about the wedding?” Moonstruck asked as her ears drooped.

“...Yes. I need to approve the... color scheme,” Blueblood replied.

“Oh. That sounds boring,” Moonstruck sighed.

“Yes, quite, but as the groom it is part of...” Moonstruck didn't hear all of what Blueblood had said, and he hadn't seemed to notice she'd turned down a different hall completely. She made her way to her bedroom and leaned on her balcony's railing.

“There sure is a lot of Equestria out there,” she said, staring at nothing in particular. She wanted to see what else was outside the castle walls, but every time she brought it up, Aunt Celestia would tell her that as long as she was studying, she needed to stay within the castle. There will be time to explore the world once you're ready for it, she'd said.

Moonstruck retreated back into her room and turned to her drawing desk. There was an almost finished piece in the center. It was a picture of a mountain, or more likely an island. At least she'd always dreamed of it as an island. It looked like a rather silly place, with things like trees that grew upside down and deer that bounced on enormous rabbit's feet. She added a few final details to the picture, then picked it up to examine it. It was a nice picture, but it was missing something. She tapped the base of her fang with her finger a couple of times.

“Color,” she concluded. In her dream, the island had always been so lush and colorful and alive, but like the rest of her compositions, it now sat in simple monotone. She rolled the picture up and took hold of it with her magic. She knew just where to get some color.

Moonstruck pushed the nursery door open and pattered in as silently as possible. As long as she stayed off her talon, she moved far more quietly than any pony ever could. It was nap time, as dictated by the sign near the nursery.

“Psst! Mobile!” Moonstruck hissed to get a pink unicorn's attention.

“Why, hello Moonstruck. Are you here to see Lullaby?” the unicorn replied in a gentle, matronly voice. Moonstruck nodded enthusiastically. “She's in the office. Come on.”

Mobile led Moonstruck through the nursery, past the nurses that were picking up wayward toys and cleaning the floors, past the bathrooms, and into the very back of the nursery.

Lullaby hadn't aged very gracefully in the past seven years. Her mane was now fully gray and looked as though it would snap off at the slightest touch. Her wings drooped quite a bit, and every so often a feather would drop off one of them. The skin around her face and barrel sagged. She snored quietly in her chair, a pile of paperwork on the desk in front of her.

“Oh. I'm sorry, Moon. It looks like it's her nap time as well,” Mobile whispered.

“Gnyeeh... Who's nappin'?” Lullaby grunted. Her eyes opened as she sat up straighter.

“Hi Nana!” Moonstruck chirped.

“Well hey there, li'l dragonfly,” Lullaby said as she reached over and mussed Moonstruck's mane. “My, you're bigger every time I see ya. How ya doin' today?”

“Good! I wanted to show you my new drawing,” Moonstruck said. She unfurled the paper and presented it for approval.

“Looks good, sprout, but... It's missin' somethin',” Lullaby said, straining herself to stand. “Come're. Let's see if we can't dig out some o' the old hoofpaints.”

“Lullaby, we just finished cleaning the art room,” Mobile objected.

“T'ain't no point'n cleanin' a room if ya ain't gonna make it dirty again,” Lullaby replied.

Moonstruck dipped her finger in the sky-blue hoofpaints and rubbed it across the top part of the paper.

“You done some pretty landscapes 'fore, but I ain't ever seen that island,” Lullaby said as she watched her.

“It's not a real place. At least I don't think it is,” Moonstruck replied as she got some purple to work into the sea. “I hope it's a real place. In my dreams, potatoes would pop out of the ground to watch you go by, corn would dance to the music of the trees, and caves would tell me secret things, like how my brother's blood isn't actually blue.”

Lullaby started to laugh. “Ya know, that colt used to love playing in the hoof paints,” she said. “Was a time when his coat was more red 'n blue than white.”

“Really? He gets all bent out of shape if I so much as leave a feather on his coat,” Moonstruck giggled.

“Yeah, well... My, I ain't heard that colt really laugh since those days.” Lullaby looked away a little wistfully. “I 'spose 'tain't a big surprise. He was a fussy eater, and with his folks spoilin' him and all...”

“I bet I could get him to laugh,” Moonstruck said. She got some pink next.

“Why are you making them pink? Trees are green,” Mobile asked.

“Oh, if the filly wants pink trees, let her have them,” Lullaby said.

Moonstruck bounced along the castle halls in high spirits. Her completed painting floated in mid-air next to her, as she passed by Blueblood's room. She stopped, then knocked on the door. Maybe she could give the painting to him? He liked art, and she knew he'd picked up a few pieces far more abstract than her island of pink, inverted trees. There was no answer, so Moonstruck knocked again. This time, the door swung open from her rapping.

“Bro~ther. You in here?” Moonstruck called out as she let herself in. Blueblood's chambers were much larger than her own, perhaps only second the the princesses' chambers. The room was more like a house unto itself, with a personal bathroom, bedroom, and sitting room. Moonstruck placed her painting on the table near the fireplace, then turned to leave. She stopped as she glanced through the door to the bedroom, where a neatly made and decadent velvet bed sat.

“Hmm. If he liked playing in the paints when he was little...” Moonstruck got an idea. She looked around to ensure she was alone in the room, then snapped her fingers.

“Moon, I've told you about this before. You need to elaborate on your answers, because otherwise it looks like you haven't learned anything,” Aunt Celestia said over dinner. Aunt Luna, who had just lifted the moon, pulled the paper from her sister and read it over.

“'Tis self-explanatory, Sister. After all, her schoolwork is the sole thing she's responsible for,” she pointed out.

“I think I get it,” Moonstruck said with a nod. “Since my schoolwork is always sloppy and unfinished, you think that I'd do a poor job with the sun or moon.”

“Exactly,” Celestia said. “Can you think of a way to prove to us that this isn't the case?”

“Byyyy... doing my schoolwork properly?” Moonstruck guessed.

“Very good. Write it down,” Celestia said as she slid the paper to Moonstruck.

She lifted a quill to pen her additions to her work when a shriek echoed throughout the castle.

Mere moments later, the door to the dining hall burst open. Prince Blueblood stood with a mad look in his eye. His entire front legs, and a large portion of his face were coated in purple paint.

“Blueblood? What happened to you?” Celestia asked.

“That happened,” Blueblood spat as he pointed his hoof dramatically at Moonstruck. Paint whipped off his leg and splattered across the floor. She let out a choked chuckle; he looked ridiculous. “Listen to her! She's proud of it!”

“Moonstruck, what did you do?” Celestia asked calmly.

“Well... I went to visit Brother's room...” Moonstruck began as she continued to fight her urge to burst out laughing.

“I am not your brother!”

“...to give him a picture I drew. He wasn't there, and the door was open, so I left it on his table. On my way out, I remembered that Nana told me that he used to love to play with hoofpaints. I know he's been busy with the wedding plans all month, so I thought I'd give him something to help lighten up a little.” She broke at this point and began to laugh heartily. She rolled over onto her back and kicked her legs into the air.

“Lighten up?! You turned my bed into a vat of purple paint! Are you mad?!” Blueblood demanded. “Don't answer that, of course you are. Auntie, you simply must do something with her.”

“I will handle her, Blueblood. Go clean yourself up before you track more paint through the castle,” Celestia said.

“I want...” Blueblood began.

“I said,” Celestia cut him off, “I will handle her.”

The room fell silent. Moonstruck put her hand over her mouth to try and help silence her mirth. Blueblood huffed and walked out of the room, trailing purple paint behind him.

Moonstruck sat back up, still shaking from her laughter.

“Why did you do that?” Celestia asked.

“Because I thought it would be funny,” Moonstruck answered.

“Blueblood didn't seem to think so,” Celestia said.

“That's too bad. I'd hoped to at least get a smile out of him,” Moonstruck sighed.

“Sister, 'twas a harmless prank. The paint will wash easily enough. Surely you're not planning on severely punishing her?” Luna said.

“What spell did you use to turn the bed into paint?” Celestia asked.

“Spell? Um,” Moonstruck fidgeted, “I... didn't use a spell.”

“So you used your chaos magic,” Celestia said.

“...Yes,” Moonstruck said.

“And what did I tell you about using chaos magic?” Celestia continued.

“To never, ever, ever, ever, ever do it?” Moonstruck smiled.

“Yes. I want you to clean up the paint on the castle floor, without magic. You're also grounded for three days,” Celestia said.

“Ooooh.” Moonstruck let her shoulders slump and her ears droop.

Comments

[Woolytop]

Fun fact: The friendship report from Baby Cakes was almost literally picked out of a hat. I don't think I could have chosen a more appropriate one by hand.

[Meeester]

Adorable chapter. This looks like it will be an excellent and original tale

[Lord_Kalbario]

for some reason, i can faintly see where this is going

[Reader Wolf]

Yeah, Moon's cute.

[Woolytop]

340702 Is that a bad thing?

[Lord_Kalbario]

342326
nope, not at all.
i just hope Celestia realizes before she regrets it

[AliCentaur Br0ny]

"This above all, to thine own self be true." Moonstruck is just being true to herself as a draconequus. Princess Celestia, you should know more about harmony than anypony. You should know that for harmony to exist there must be Day AND Night, Light AND Darkness, Order AND Chaos. Where Discord is the Spirit of Chaos and DISharmony, why can't Moon be the Spirit of Chaos and HARMONY? Be careful Celestia, refuse to allow Moonstruck to exercise the chaotic part of her nature, as well as her chaos magic on occasion, and they may just burst their confines one day.

[Ziper Ace]

Bruh….
At least teach her how to use Magic safely