14. Besties with Moon: Princess Luna
Moon Sky was not a typical unicorn. She had a secret. A secret nopony was to find out. A secret she had to keep from others, for their own safety. A secret that was in grave danger.
"Hey, you heard about Moondancer?”
"What’s she up to this time?”
"She claims that, get this, Princess Luna is here in our school!”
SPLASH!
The two unicorns stopped their chatter to notice the new transfer student, Moon-something, choke on water she splashed herself full of from the fountain. They shrugged and ignored the dripping wet, awkward nerd, unaware that this little piece of news was among the worst things Moon Sky, better known as Princess Luna in disguise (that was her secret, but you probably already knew that), could’ve heard. It didn’t help that she overheard that little conversation while she was taking a drink in a hallway, thus shooting an epic level spit take at the innocent pony waiting for his turn. She smiled sheepish at the bemused and soaking colt, then zipped away. After drying herself with magic, she found the two gossiping mares from before and stalked them a bit longer, trying to overhear the rest of their conversation.
"Did she tell you who that is?”
"Nah. She said it's a secret.”
"Pfft, seriously! Why would Luna of all ponies go to a school? Isn’t she like, omnipotent and all knowing?”
"That’s, like, the same thing.”
"Whatevs.”
Having heard more than enough, Moon Sky stopped following the pair. All this time she spent around Moondancer taught her that this young mare was a lot smarter than anypony gave her credit for. She probably always knew the truth and kept bugging Moon Sky, a lone, bland and perfectly normal unicorn because of it. All of her doing was to garner attention and favor of Moon Princess, by acting oblivious, but friendly. Luna had to admit, it was working, as the more she knew about that little pony, the more inclined towards her she was becoming (the dreamscape journey notwithstanding).
Either way, there was only one thing left to do. She had to come clean, tell her the truth before she told everypony. She had to find her, and find her fa-
„Hiya, Moonbutt!”
„MEEP!”
Never ready. She accepted that long ago.
„Wow, Moonbutt," Moondancer whistled, seeing the filly cling to the ceiling "if I didn’t know any better, I would’ve suspected you had well hidden wings on your back!”
“Haha… yeah…” She smiled sheepishly, as she descended back on the ground. Once down, she took a deep breath and tried to open a conversation, but the other moon pony interrupted her.
“So, I assume you heard the rumors?” Moondancer asked. Moon Sky looked down, nodding reluctantly. “Good, saves us time.” Moondancer announced, then grabbed her hoof. “Come on, no time to lose!” And before she could voice a complaint, she was dragged around the hallway, unable to find strength or resolve to stop the cheerful mare any longer.
The outside courtyard of the Academy was hardly the most private place Luna could think of, but during afternoon lessons (which both were skipping, apparently) it was all empty. The two stopped at the bushes near the road towards the art wing. While Moondancer was looking around and making sure they were not spotted, Moon Sky sighed deeply, trying to decide what was the best course of action right now. She could deny it all she wanted, but it was only a matter of time before Moondancer exposed her to all Equestria. In the end, she decided to come clean right now and here and hope she can be trusted to keep the secret.
“Moondancer, there’s something I’ve been meaning to…-“ But she was quickly interrupted.
“Quick, hide!” With that said, she lowered her head below the bush level, grabbing the other unicorn along, covering her mouth so wouldn’t squeal like usual.
On the other side, a few sets of hoofsteps and conversations could be heard.
“Oh thank you thank you thank you! I will cherish it forever!”
“Think nothing of it. It’s always a pleasure.”
Moondancer put a hoof to her mouth to hush her friend, then opened a small hole towards the scene, where a group of ponies was just passing by. Most of them were students from different years, as well as Professor Paint Brush, their art teacher (or to be exact, Moon Sky’s, as art was one of her few subjects she had to attend), clearly getting late to his own class. Last but definitely not least from the group, was a mare whose sight alone made Moon Sky’s eyes widen.
“Alright students, back to your classes, chop, chop!” Paint Brush shooed the crowd of students. “Miss Fleur de Lis did not come here to socialize.”
Fleur de Lis. That was a name that even Princess Luna heard in passing here and there. A new, but astonishingly talented model and stage/movie actress, known for her silky, delicate pink mane, soft, angelic voice, and of course, those long, slender hooves, making her almost as tall and spectacular as a princess. It was Luna's first time seeing her, live or picture, and she lived up to all the hype she was surrounded by and then some.
“I don’t really mind.” She giggled, waving a hoof. With few words alone, she managed to melt anypony around her, inspiring jealousy and lust, as well as comfort and ease. But most of all, respect.
She was…
“Hello, Princess Luna!” Moondancer whispered, smiling sly.
Moon Sky, or Luna (she was getting confused as well) almost jumped out of her hiding spot, but the greeting turned out to be not directed at her. She was going to think “perfect”, but what Moondancer said fit as well. Even if she was wrong.
The conversation on the road continued, as Paint Brush coughed, then said while wiping sweat that the model often generated in stallions with ease.
“R-right, but the classes started already and we’re running out of time.”
“Oh well,” Fleur shrugged, then addressed her fan club “mister Brush is right, we all have more important things to do right now.” She was of course met with communal moans of disappointment. She giggled and added. “I’ll ask my manager to give me ten minutes after class.” She ended the sentence with a playful wink, earning a few hopeful smiles.
Once gone, Moondancer got out of her hideout and smiled.
“Ooh, she’s good! That’s definitely the princess I was looking for! Come on!”
She followed after them, Moon Sky close behind her. Both fillies stopped near the secluded building, more resembling a small cottage than an actual classroom (at least from outside) and peeked inside through the window. There, they saw professor and Fleur talking about something, while the model sat herself on a small couch, trying a few poses until finally settling in on a tamer version of what most ponies referred to “draw me as one of those prench mares”, making herself, professor and a bunch of students laugh in the process. Of the latter there were around a dozen, each standing eagerly before an easel, with a set of paints and brushes ready to go.
“So that’s why she’s here,” Moondancer nodded, smiling “I dunno what Paint Brush had to go through to get a top model for his lesson, but dangit, he just become one of my favorite teachers!”
Moon Sky sat quietly and watched as her classmates started painting the flawless beauty, lying patiently, not allowing herself any movement aside from occasional blinking.
“Moondancer,” she turned to the white unicorn “why exactly do you think that this mare is…”
“Oh Moonbutt,” she slowly shook her head “isn’t it obvious? Everything about Fleur de Lis stinks… well, smells, like a princess! The way she moves, the politeness, manners, charisma, not to mention the looks! I mean, come on, we have an entire category of spells dedicated to transforming your body, but nopony living less than hundred years has been able to have flanks like these! That is, nopony, except a princess!”
Moon Sky nodded. The logic behind her reasoning was again as sound as it was completely incorrect.
“Plus, there’s that thing that happened…”
“Thing?”
“It was on a huge party thrown by Princess Celestia to celebrate Luna’s return.” As she was speaking, Luna went back in her head to that party. She remembered it very well. “She invited most of the noble houses from around Equestria and even some allied nations. Anypony who was somepony was there to meet and mingle with Princess of the Night for the first time in thousand years!”
'Everypony' was not a stretch. Luna had to shake hooves, bow and receive ten times as many greetings from hundreds. She wasn’t ready for that kind of workout then, neither was she versed in the proper etiquette of the times, resulting in…
“And boy howdy, was she an awkward piece of mess!”
Moon Sky’s cheeks went red, just remembering several faux pax she made that time. She was of course forgiven easily, using the true and tried method of having Celestia nearby to explain her not being with the current times, which didn't help her confidence much.
“But here’s where it gets interesting!” Moondancer continued, leaning over Moon Sky. “Some time later, after I had some… 'interaction' with a certain young griffon ambassador,” she coughed and let Moon Sky overcome her mental image “as I went back to the party, on my way there, who do I see, talking face to face, on a balcony, away from the crowds?”
Moon Sky raised an eyebrow, unaware there were witnesses to this.
“Princess Luna with, who else, Fancy Pants! They were talking about something, but I couldn’t quite gather what. Of course, I didn’t know who he was back then, well, I knew who Fancy Pants was but I haven't met him personally and didn't know how he looked until recently and then all of a sudden, brain-wham! And everything started making sense!”
Luna fondly remembered her short, but very uplifting interaction with Fancy Pants. Their conversation was not exactly a thing of legends. They talked about the how different punch tasted than a millennium ago and about Wonderbolts, particularly about Captain Spitfire having an open slot in main team (which she was well aware of). She was glad to see her in good health after her encounter with Nightmare Moon’s signature petrification spell. Sadly, keeping the secret of her identity prevented her from offering any official apologies, so she reasoned that an anonymous, generous gift package from a “fan” would suffice for now.
Moon Sky shook her head and listened to the rest of the story.
“A week after that party, guess who made her exclusive, Equestria-wide debut? Exactly, Fleur de Lis! Hottest mare since Celestia, appearing out of nowhere? I know shenanigans when I see them! Not to mention, Luna was nowhere to be seen since then, only occasionally appearing, but never at the same place. Coincidence? I. Don’t. Think. So. Exclamation mark. There are no other models like Fleur, so it has to be Princess Luna in disguise. After the humiliation she received at the party, she had to rebuild her confidence somehow, and how else but by pretending to be somepony else? All she had to do was hide her wings, dye herself pink-ish, grow a size or two and nopony was the wiser!”
Once again Moon Sky had to nod at the flawless, still incorrect, logic.
“I’m not so sure about it,” Moon Sky finally said “I don’t think Princess Luna is a type that would enjoy being in a spotlight… you know, being a princess of the night?”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Moonbutt, Moonbutt...” Moondancer shook her head “I love you even if you can be a little dummy sometimes. See, this disguise is perfect BECAUSE it’s so different! I mean, think about it, if you wanted to be somepony else, wouldn’t you want to be somepony COMPLETELY opposite? Like, night and day different, no pun intended? I mean, she doesn’t want to leave too many hints, right? She’s not so naïve to think that she could take a form of a meek, demure, socially awkward, night themed unicorn and have nopony notice at all, right?” She paused for a while and took a better look at her new friend. Moon Sky started sweating, uncomfortable with the sudden attention.
“W-what?” She took a step backwards, swallowing. "W-why are you looking at me like that?"
“Now that I think about it," she inspected her blushing, sweating friend closely "you fit the image I just described pretty well. Is it possible…?”
“Umm… I-I…”
Moondancer gasped, dramatically pointing her hoof at Moon Sky “…YOU’VE been Princess Luna this entire time!”
"OH NO! SHE KNOWS! SHE KNOWS!" Yelled heart.
"Ok, calm down, I have a plan that should-..." Said Brain, shuffling a clipboard full of notes, before being brutally interrupted.
"NO TIME FOR LOGIC! PANIC! PAAAAANIIIIIC!"
"...eh, whatever, it was a lame plan anyway." Brain shrugged, threw his papers away and joined his companion.
“N-no, t-tha-tha-tha-tha-that’s… ummm…”
The panic attack of Moon Sky gradually weakened, just as Moondancer's smile grew with every passing second, until she couldn't help but release it in a fit of giggles, while Moon Sky covered herself in largest blush possible, pouting away.
"You...pfft, you... hehe..." Moondancer tried to form a sentence, but every attempt ended with another burst of laughter "you shou-... you should've seen the look on your fa--pffft, hahahaha!"
Moon Sky groaned and turned away.
"I'm leaving! Goodbye!" She couldn't make a single step before Moondancer grabbed her by a hoof.
"No, no, please wait, I'm sorry, okay? You were just too adorable and I couldn't help it!" She smiled brightly, blinding Moon Sky with her innocence and beady eyes. "Pleaaaaase?"
Moon Sky blushed and turned away, muttering something to herself. She couldn't fight that face, not now, nor ever.
"Fine. Just don't look at me like that."
After the two composed themselves, their attention went back to the classroom, now in full motion, as every student tried their best to capture the perfect beauty of a "princess" on their canvas, with mixed results. Moondancer rubbed her chin, trying to think of a plan.
"Okay, we need a plan. We can't just barge in and announce it to everypony. We have to be discreet! We need somepony inside and I'm not taking this class, so..."
Pause.
"...what?" Moon Sky looked around, as she noticed Moondancer staring at her. "What?" She blinked once, then again. "...oh!"
"Ah, miss Moon Sky, I'm glad you could've joined us after all!" Professor Paint Brush greeted his late student with a sarcastic smirk. Moon Sky blushed a little, scratching her head.
"Excuse me sir, I was, uh, stopped by a friend on the way." She said, not entirely lying. Paint Brush rolled his eyes.
"No time to explain. Go on, take your place and start working! Clock is ticking, and not backwards!"
Moon Sky nodded and took her place at the lone, empty easel. She grabbed a brush and palette, mixed some paints and started scribbling something on the canvas, more concentrated on the model in question than the "art" she was producing. She was finally able to observe the "princess" from up close, without the risk of getting detected or looked at with suspicion. Few moments of observations, yet Fleur didn't so much as flinch, as she lied on her couch, breathing slowly, barely blinking, with her gaze away from anypony or anything in particular. Luna reached into her memories to all those times she modelled for painters across generations. Back in her times photography didn't exist and even magic capable of capturing someponies visage on piece of paper or fabric was a rare special talent, enough to warrant somepony a lifelong job in the castle. Having a picture of your ruling princess was a privilege, not a norm, which is why many ponies lived their entire lives never once witnessing their majestic rulers. Some made pilgrimages to Everfree castle just to witness either The Summer Sun Celebration or The Winter Moon Celebration, and that journey was often the most prominent event in their lives, even if they only managed to catch a small glimpse of either ruler. And while she was at this train of thought, she remembered her last Celebration before, well, IT happened. The empty yards, dark and gloomy weather and reports of ponies being unable to travel due to harsh weather was only one of the triggers which led to her downfall. And it took her a thousand years to realize just how stupid and petty her jealousy was.
Nowadays, having a poster of your favorite princess was a matter of two bits at your nearest newspaper stand. Fifteen bits for an entire calendar, with each month having a different hat. And apparently Celestia has been doing it for years, each year with different sets of hats. Make of that as you will.
But before being able to have a monarch on your wall, most ponies had to use their imaginations to fill the gaps left by stories and rumors. The image of Fleur de Lis was probably how most ponies imagined her sister or herself. Except with wings. Giant, majestic, snow white wings, giving her an angelic visage. As her mane moved along with the brisk wind, the ponies on the ground tried to look upon her in awe, but seeing very little of her, as the bright sun blinded their eyes, but even then, they knew somepony was there, watching over them with caring, motherly eyes.
Nothing was blinding them at night, yet they couldn't see at all...
One day I might get over it.... maybe... I hope.
Moondancer was wrong all along. Fleur de Lis wasn't Princess Luna. She was Princess Celestia a lot more. At least, that's what she presented at a first glance. And second. And third. And...
"Miss Moon Sky?"
"MEEP!"
It didn’t take Moondancer to send poor Moon Sky flying with a heart attack. As she hung herself to a ceiling, waiting for her heart to calm down, she heard some voices from the ground. She expected jokes and ridicule at her expense, as she sometimes got whenever Moondancer decided to pay her a visit. But this time it was different. There was mostly silence, interrupted by gasping, as another pair of eyes was set on her easel.
Oh no, the painting! When did all this time passed?!
She landed on the floor, right next to a group of students, Paint Brush and Fleur de Lis, all watching the horror she must've produced half-awake.
"I-I-I c-c-can explain!" She couldn't, but it sounded like something you'd say at moments like these.
"This... this is..." Paint Brush was looking for right words, which somepony else found for him.
Fleur covered her mouth with her hooves, as tears appeared in her eyes.
"It's... beautiful!"
"...what?" Moon Sky blinked, then actually looked at the canvas filled with her absent minded painting to see what all the fuss is about. Her eyes grew wide, as they should.
She saw Princess Celestia. A tall, slender frame, with long legs, flowing mane, long, sharp horn and a pair of opened wings, as she flew through the clear, blue sky, gazing from above at the viewers with a warm, gentle smile. Except, upon further inspection, it wasn't Celestia. Her crown, necklace and other accessories were gone, she was soaring in the skies naked. The colors were a bit off as well. Her mane was not multi hued as per usual, but instead has a consistent, light magenta color, just as her coat was an even lighter shade of it. Probably because she didn't put too many colors on her palette to begin with, so even her apparent art genius had nothing to work with.
This wasn't the Fleur de Lis she saw next to her. This was a princess everypony imagined.
"By any chance," Fleur leaned over to Moon Sky "your special talent doesn't happen to be fortune telling, right?" Moon Sky raised an eyebrow at her, followed by every other pony in the room. Fleur shrugged. "What? I'm ambitious!"
Professor Paint Brush coughed.
"I must admit, I wasn't expecting this sort of talent from you, miss Moon Sky!"
"That makes two of us."
"What?"
"Nothing!"
Sometime later, after all the grades were given (she received the highest possible, despite not quite catching the objective of the exercise) and all the other paintings paled in comparison with hers, the class ended and Paint Brush had to almost force his students out, despite Fleur's constantly insisting that she didn't mind and in fact enjoyed interacting with youth. Moon Sky had to stay after class due to being late.
"Miss Moon Sky, regarding your late arrival to my class..." he started, making Moon Sky, Luna, lower her head in shame. But before he could continue, Fleur interjected, gently placing her hoof on his shoulder.
"Now, now, professor, there's no need to punish our little prodigy here." She smiled innocently, tilting her head slightly. "She seems like she's regretting it already."
"I..." Paint Brush stopped, then coughed, looking away. Or trying, at least. "...I believe that misbehavior should be properly disciplined, otherwise..."
"Preeettyyy pleeeaaaase?" The smile on Fleur grew wider, not to mention closer to his face. "For me?"
Paint Brush covered himself in blush and sweat. He looked left and right for an answer, but it was never there to begin with. He scratched his forehead before replying.
"Well... seeing as this is her first time, I'll leave miss Moon Sky with just a... verbal warning. Now, is it me, or is it getting hot in here?" He turned away and went to open a few windows. As he left, Moon Sky could swear she saw Fleur winking to her, making her blush as well.
Before the curse of awkwardness could develop any further, the door to the cottage opened and a few familiar faces entered the room.
"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Fancy Pants asked, as he slowly entered the room.
"No, we just finished." Fleur reassured him, letting him inside. He didn't enter alone.
"Moondancer?" Moon Sky raised an eyebrow, as her nymphomaniac friend entered the room with the stallion.
"Moondancer?" Fleur repeated after her, walking towards the happy, white filly. "Fancy told me all about you and your friends. I heard you made quite the first impression." She extended her hoof, which Moondancer gladly accepted.
"I get that a lot." She answered with a smile. "But it was nothing big. My friends did most of the work, I was just helping out." Moondancer was about to say something else, but the majestic painting caught her eyes. She couldn't help but walk away from Princess Luna (Fleur) to stare at the marvelous work of Princess Luna (Moon Sky).
"Woah! Did YOU do this?" She asked, getting a halfhearted nod from the mare herself and a much more lively one from Fleur. "Sweet Celestia's flank, I didn't know you were that good of an artist!"
"That makes three of us."
"What?"
"Nothing."
Fancy Pants approached the painting and gazed at it for a small while, before giving his opinion.
"I'd say, it's a fantastic piece in and of itself and I wouldn't mind if my gallery had it on display. However..." He hummed, trying to find a way to say his mind, while the pressure was killing the three mares present. "...if it was supposed to match the current vision of my lovely model, than I'm afraid it's a little... off."
Fleur blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Fancy Pants took a deep breath and looked Fleur deep in the eyes, as he confessed his feelings.
"This painting... makes you look older."
Beat.
"WHAT!?"
"You see, this," he pointed at the picture, wings in particular "is how I imagine you in few years." He ended with a smile.
Immediately, it was Fleur's turn to widen her eyes and cover herself in a deep red blush.
"Oh, sh-shush you!" She turned away, sweating like crazy. "Flattery won't get you anywhere!"
In the distance, Moon Sky and Moondancer couldn't help but daww at the pair, even if it wasn't specified if they were an item or was it just harmless flirting. Upper crust had mating and dating rules so convoluted it was difficult to tell sometimes. Moondancer leaned toward Moon Sky.
"He's good!" She whispered to her ear, earning a nod in response. "I bet that's how she'll look in few years. In negative. And I mean the "photography" kind of..."
"I understood that part."
"Okay." She coughed, then turned back to the lovebirds(?). "So, miss de Lis--..."
Fleur interrupted her. "Actually, I prefer Fleur. Miss de Lis is my mother." Pause. She blushed a little, then corrected herself. "Actually, she's not a miss. And that's not her name. B-but the point stays!"
Moondancer nodded, noting the awkwardness of that last statement. Fitting for a pony so detached from culture for more than a few centuries.
"So, 'Fleur', how does it feel to be, ehem, at the top of Equestria? As a mare whose beauty is from out of this world', if front pages are to be believed?" She didn't see Moon Sky rolling her eyes.
"I try not to let it go over my head."
"Believe me, she tries very hard." Fancy interjected.
"I said shush you!" She coughed and went back. "And to think that I owe it all to my gracious manager."
"Am I allowed to say 'you're most welcome', or am I still shushed?"
Fleur rolled her eyes and ignored him.
"Don't let the sweet appearance fool you, he's like that all the time when we're not in public. Either way, my life changed completely when he approached me and asked me to be a star of a morning parade during the Summer Sun Celebration. It's a shame it had to be postponed to two weeks after, due to... you know, the 'thing'."
Moon Sky lowered her head, noting yet another pony whose life she almost screwed up in her petty search for revenge. At least this one had a happy ending. She looked at Moondancer, smiling and humming to herself. She could almost hear the mental mathematics she performed and it all added up, in theory.
"Either way," Fleur continued "that day (the show, not the thing) marked my ascension, umm, no pun intended," she blushed, looking at the painting again "from small time, soulless commercials to a world of show business!"
Moondancer blinked.
"Commercials?"
Fancy answered instead.
"Truth is, I first found about Fleur from an ad in a newspaper I bought on my way. I couldn't believe how they let a beautiful pony like that waste her time and talent like that. So I sent my people to scout her and few weeks later, there she was!"
"Weeks?"
"I have a hard time imagining how our lives would go on, had I decided to take a carriage, instead of taking a casual walk."
"And I'm glad I never have to touch dog food in my life ever again!" Fleur added. "I'm a cat pony anyway. Not the crazy, cat obsessed one though, I just prefer them over dogs. I don't even have a cat. Yet."
Moon Sky nodded, but didn't pay them much attention, her eyes concentrated on Moondancer. The happy, confident smile was no longer there, this one she had right now was a bit too forced to fool her. She could tell that something inside her broke. She finally shook her head and spoke after a while.
"Well, it's been a pleasure to meet you two, but I think we need to go now. Come on, Moonb--Sky."
"Um, sure." She leaned over and whispered. "Where are we going?"
After saying their goodbyes to their new, influential friends, the two fillies left towards the one place where a definitive answer could be found, which was of course the library. As soon as they went there, Moondancer started sifting through some old newspapers, while Moon Sky stood around, not sure what to do or say. She noticed a baby dragon librarian (what was his name? Spines? Scales?) walk by and give the filly a surprised look, before tip-toeing away, putting a finger at his mouth to hush Moon Sky... for some reason. Few minutes later, Moondancer finally gave a reaction.
"Dangit!" She slammed her head at the desk, groaning from irritation and minor pain. Moon Sky leaned over to look at the papers spread out before her, noticing exactly what caused it. The things in question were several small advertisements for different products, ranging from home appliances, soap, cookies and dog food, all standing out thanks to a beautiful face attached to them. Moondancer got up and pointed at the ads. "It all made sense! The party, the disappearances, the figure! But, apparently, I was wrong all along! Stupid newspaper! Stupid perfect-flanked and beautiful, nice model that I can't even dislike! Argh!" Then she slammed her head again, no doubt earning another bump on her forehead.
Moon Sky watched the filly groan for a while. It felt wrong. She saw very few sides of the filly. Some very awkward, but most of the time one that was always glad to be alive. Seeing her in any other state was creeping her out and as surprised as she was to admit it, she preferred the old one better. She hummed for a moment wondering what to say.
"If it's any consolation..." she begun, earning at least some attention, as Moondancer rolled her head to look at her with one eye. Moon Sky swallowed, before continuing.
"...I believed you." She didn't quite lie with that one. She saw more of her old, true self in Fleur de Lis than she saw in mirrors, whether she was Moon Sky, or not.
It seemed to work at least a little, as the white filly chuckled and raised her head.
"Thanks. And, uh," she scratched her head "sorry for today."
Moon Sky tilted her head. "Sorry for what?"
"You know, for all this? Dragging you around, involving you in my crazy, little schemes? I know I can get carried away sometimes, especially when I'm excited about something. Twily and Sunny learned when to say no eventually, but, yeah... sorry for being a bother."
Moon Sky blinked, then chuckled.
"Moondancer, you're not a bother. Well, you kind were at first, but... I actually had fun today!" She announced, earning a surprised glare from the other pony. "I met interesting ponies, helped you solve a mystery and I even learned a.... few things about myself, that I didn't know before."
"Like the fact that you're another Vantrott?"
"Yes, that too." Even if she had no idea who that was. The two smiled, remembering the amazing painting (she let Fleur keep it).
As the two were cleaning the newspapers away, Moon Sky had one more question to ask.
"Why did you want to meet Luna so much? I mean, she's a princess and all, but still..."
Silence fell in the library. Moondancer stopped what she was doing to think for a while. She shrugged.
"It's just how I am, I guess?"
"What do you mean?"
She hummed, sitting at the table again.
"I just hate the idea of somepony being lonely."
Moon Sky was silent.
"Back when I was a filly, I had a very sheltered life. My parents didn't let me out of the house, it was just studying, studying and studying, to be their perfect little 'princess'. And I mean it quite literally, they raised me in hopes they could somehow marry me to Prince Blueblood!" That information made Moon Sky raise an eyebrow. As shocked as she was, she couldn't quite oppose seeing her new nephew with Moondancer. At least they could keep the family line alive. A lot. She shook her head from yet another terrible mental image and listened more.
"But then, one day, I met somepony. He was the most amazing colt I've ever seen, well, the first one outside the family at least. He was nice, handsome, charming, strong and dependable. A little less on the brain side, but eh, nopony's perfect."
Meanwhile in Golden Oak's Library in Ponyville, Shining Armor sneezed for no reason.
"So," Moon Sky started "he became your first friend?"
"Not really. But his little sister did. She was my age, so we got along just fine. We're besties to this very day."
Moon Sky, using her super senses which she often forgot about, could swear she heard somepony sneeze in the library. She decided to ignore it.
"So yeah," Moondancer shrugged "I just wanted to meet her, talk, not sure about what, but I'm sure we could get along. She's a Moonbutt too and we stick together. That way, none of us are ever alone again! Moonbutt, you okay?"
Moon Sky turned away and held a hoof at her eyes, trying to stop the tears that were flowing like a waterfall.
"I-I'm fine. It's just, uh, dust." She took a moment to compose herself, wipe her tears, before turning back, to a slightly less concerned filly.
"So, do you always go this far?" She asked. "To make friends with ponies?"
Moondancer giggled at the question.
"Nah, it's usually a lot easier. In fact, today was the third time I ever did it this way."
"Third?"
"Yep. First one was, well, troublesome, but it worked out in the end. She's mean to me sometimes, but I know that's how she shows affection."
Moon Sky heard another sneeze in the library. Was it dust? A virus? She ignored it again.
"What about the second one?"
Moondancer rolled her eyes and smiled sheepish.
"Weeeeeell, it's a work in progress. But we're getting there."
The two looked at each other for a while longer, until one after the other, they cracked a smile and started giggling, which later turned into laughing, which lasted until they were hushed by Mrs. Bookmark. Barely composing themselves, the two fillies sat at the table, still keeping the goofy smiles on their faces in silence, until Mrs. Bookmark finally left and they were able to breathe properly again.
The day turned out better than Moon Sky could ever figure out. But there was one more thing she needed to do. And she's been meaning to say it for the longest time, but never got the courage, until now.
"Moondancer, I decided that... I'll go to your birthday party."
Moondancer stared at her with blank stare, blinking, as her brain processed the information.
"It just happens, that I have nothing planned for that day, so... yeah, I'll come. I hope the offer's still on, I know a lot of time has passed since, but... Moondancer?" The other filly left the seat, gently pushed the chair back into the table and turned to Moon Sky, her smile getting wider.
"What are you doing?" She made a step forward. Moon Sky shuddered and she left her chair as well. Moondancer made a step forward, Moon Sky made one back. "M-Moondancer, w-what are you doing? This is starting to... to... MEEP!"
A trio of Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer and Spike the dragon was not even slightly surprised when they stumbled upon a scene which would otherwise confuse or terrify some ponies. Instead, they felt a lot of sympathy for the poor, dark unicorn, getting crushed at the floor by a walking, breathing glomp machine.
"H-help!" Moon Sky cried at the trio, trying to get out of the hugging nightmare.
Twilight Sparkle hummed, then looked at her friends.
"Umm, shouldn't we do something?"
"Yeah," Spike answered "get out before she see us!"
"For once, I agree with the reptile." Sunset nodded.
Only earning their sympathy, but no help, Moon Sky watched longingly at the three traitors as they ran away.
Even though they were never on her side to begin with.
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Interesting.
Fair enough.
If I didn't know better, I'd say she's doing this on purpose.
Troll.
As you wish.
Fair enough.
She clearly knows what she's doing and having fun with it.
Oh he is GOOOD
I love this guy.
I see.
In a sense. And I'm proud to say that I understood that reference.
Same.
HEH!
Typo in your summary.
5943608
Brain-wham is a new favorite word.
Luna has met Fancy Pants!
I like this Fleur.
And of course, FANCY PANTS!!
...
Also, a peek into Moony's backstory at last!
5943613
Prep the double facehoof, my friend.
5943678 Mistakes? What mistakes? None here, move along.
This was a great chapter. I loved this mini series and I can't wait for the next chapter. Good luck.
Fleur would make an excellent disguise.
Fancy is one of the most underused characters out there. And your version is GOLD.
I need one of these calendars.
Fancy is unnaturally smooth.
I'm mildly disappointed that neither Luna nor Celestia ended up being Fleur, that was a fun theory while it lasted.
But not as disappointed that Moonbutt One still doesn't know that Moonbutt Two is actually Moonbutt Prime!
Wow. These two are lucky Twilight wasn't there to set them straight.
Oh, and very touching chapter. Yay for the Moonies.
The cake fund needs to come from somewhere after all
I ship it.
Well, the typos have finally dropped from atrocious to just bad so I can actually add this to a publicly visible bookshelf unlike the earlier stories. Your characters are great (even if Rainbow was badly out of character) and the stories are a lot of fun, but you really need to find a good grammar nazi to go back and edit them into a more presentable form.
5962772 Believe me, I found one that does his job very well.
You know who you are!
5968533 It is definitely better now than it was at the beginning, but I do remember noticing a few issues even in the later chapters. I do not feel like going back to do an editing pass on it now, but I will try to remember to note issues in the next chapter so you can see what I mean.
There's a giant warehouse somewhere filled with hats.
Moondancer... never change!
No. That would be Omniscient.