Two weeks before the 1000th Summer Sun Celebration, Moondancer discovers a forgotten spell scrawled across the pages of an ancient book. Casting it threatens to turns her world upside down: faced with glimpses of an Equestria contradicted by historians, she must use all of her intellect to piece together the mystery surrounding Mage Meadowbrook, Princess Celestia, and the mare with the mane of stars—before the project destroys everything she's worked for.
It's a good thing she can rely on Twilight Sparkle for help.
Written under the influence of the London Ensemble's rendition of "Requiem for a Dream – Lux Aeterna." Not a crossover.
Chapters (6)
...
I'm calling it before anyone else tries to!
I adored reading the first two chapters, and the story's tone strikes that perfect blend of mystery and unease, making me curious as to where Moondancer ends up in the following chapters. Either way, it's clear that Meadowbrook's spell isn't what you'd call ordinary, and solving the mystery behind its purpose looks exciting. I'll definitely be following this one.
tracking this.
Ooh, now this is a promising start. We've got a subtly but interestingly off AU, a magical mystery, and some lovely gratuitous poetry. Looking forward to tracking this one.
Ooh, I love the poem.
This is looking extremely promising! Moondancer is a nicely nerdy viewpoint character, and whatever is going on with the book, I'm sure this will be interesting. And, of course, the millennium is looming ahead, too...
That diadem-crafting scene...
Yeah, this story is going to go to places. I'm going along for the ride.
Moondancer, no. Stop. This is a bad idea, and you know it deep down. This is going to ruin your GPA!
Also, I find it neat how one-sided her friendship with Twilight seems, and how much Moondancer wants to Show Them All, especially Twi, even though she doesn't quite put it that way.
Ever since this story began, I've been curious as to how Twilight not attending her party would be incorporated into the story and how it'd affect Moondancer's research, but it looks like we'll find out soon enough. The way those stories about Celestia and Luna were woven into the narrative at the chapter's end was brilliant, especially how some of them connect with Moondancer as a character. Excellent chapter as usual, and I'm eager to find out what happens next!
I guess there wasn’t any other way this could have turned out. Still hurts, though. And the next few days are just going to be more salt in the wounds. “Oh, you discovered Celestia has a sister? That’s nice. I was busy saving Princess Celestia’s sister from insanity, and stopping her from ending the world. You know, the usual.”
I love this story. I know there is very little place to go with it. It has ran its course. The narrative is complete. Still its one of those tales that one wishes did not have an ending. A story that the reader could just exist in as it continues and be content. Thank you for writing such, especially involving Moondancer. A character I very much wish had volumes more written about her and her life.
I love how this manages to cram in so much character amid the tension of the deepening mystery.
That Leonard Cohen. That Cohen.
And the twist of the knife as this aligns with canon. Oh! Exquisite.
This is criminally underviewed.
I wish to report a problem with your story.
It's too blurry.
Along with the screen around it. And the coffee shop.
I hope you can assist with that. If I can see properly, I can make it to the restroom to do something about this odd wetness on my cheeks.
... And recommended.
Bravo, and thank you.
A beautiful, beautiful finish. You wove this story into the series in a utterly believable way, and this epilogue both wraps it up nicely and opens up Moondancer's future. And it's so fitting that Luna, the center and focus of the whole story, gets the last word so to say. Well done!
8266804
Thank you ever so much. I'm very glad to hear that you've enjoyed this story. It's always nice to find others interested in side characters like Moondancer!
8267429
Once again, your generosity exceeds my ability to properly express gratitude for it. "Thanks" is hardly sufficient, but thank you anyway—for reading, commenting,
picking up on Leonard Cohenand writing such a flattering recommendation.8267693
Thank you thank you! This was originally written without the scholarly frame story—I'm glad to hear that it fits together. It's been a delight hearing your thoughts throughout.
This makes me really glad my mother isn't a unicorn. Like, she'd use that sticky note spell all the time.
ouch
Very much enjoying the ride. I like what is done with the formatting.
Correction offered without malice.
led
8274569
Fixed; thanks!
Excellent start.
Marked all as read and continuing my read via epub.
I don't much like pointing out errata, but thought you might like to know that you used "feet" referring to hooves, just before and just after the incantation.
I laughed when I realized I'd done a word search for feet in the text file. And I did actually find an incantation.
Wow. Horizon’s right – this is criminally underrated, undervalued, undervoted … so on. An upvote and a fave for you, as well as my thanks for granting us such a wonderful, well thought-out and superbly written story. This would easily turn Luna into my favorite pony if she weren’t already, and your depiction of Moondancer will probably stick in my head whenever I read other stories with her or watch “Amending Fences” again.
I’m only sad that Twilight seemed so cold about their friendship … though given what we saw on the show, how it took six seasons for her to even remember she had friends in Canterlot, I can’t imagine writing this any differently and still have it stick to the show’s canon. (Also, am I mistaken in interpreting Moondancer’s relationship with Twilight as having the beginnings of a crush on her, given her particular prevalence in MD’s thoughts?)
Edited to add: Forgot to mention – thanks to 8267429 for pointing me and the rest of his readers here in the first place. I likely wouldn’t have found this story otherwise.
Enjoyable story, I particularly liked the ending. Thanks for the recommendation, horizon.
probably not intended? (though I find that idea compelling)
I already thought this story felt complete with chapter 5. All the story threads wrapping together beautifully, everything I wanted to see was delivered. It was perfect.
Then somehow the epilogue goes one step further, adding in something new I wasn't even expecting. And it made the story just a little bit better than perfect.
Reading this was a magical experience.
*Dies of amazingness*
^Basically all I can think of to say.
I think what really gets me is how this conclusion is something you could see coming miles away, but rather than turning me away, the story draws me inexorably towards it, and there is nothing I can do about it.
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Coming back to the story and seeing these sorts of comments makes me really happy to have passed on the recommendation.
That was quite a bit more incredible than I was expecting, even with horizon's glowing recommendation. Also kudos for portraying a Moondancer that would believably have had the meltdown she did in the episode without her being in love with Twilight. (Don't misunderstand, I still totally ship it.
But it is nice to see well executed alternatives 
)
Honestly, I think this is the single best written piece of pony fiction on this entire site.
I have to thank Horizon for sharing it, and will be sure to share it with the few friends of mine who also read pony fiction.
You have an amazing grasp of the English language and how to draw emotion from the reader.
From the first paragraph you have the reader in the mind of Moondancer, and keep them there to the very end.
I will be sure to follow and read anything you write, for if it is even a tenth as marvelous as this, it'll be worth any number of late nights spent reading.
Thank you for this magestic story.
Please, please write more.
This story was well written, but I just never really enjoy stories where the main character is insane. Given that Moondancer has given up rational thought for most of the story and is losing track of where she is and what she is doing, it's a hard sell for me. However, the underlying ideas are great (I love Moondancer's lists) and the closing scenes are really poignant. I can't personally give it top marks, but I'll definitely remember it. Thank you.
Holy fuck this last chapter just turned a great story into an amazing one.
The history, the mystery, the nature of magic and its genii who can never do enough, the principal and her target chosen too early to effectively strike, and the rhyme of Luna and Moondancer across the millennium between them.
So much woven together.
And what a tapestry it forms.
8276055
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Could be!
8276079
Thanks for reading!
8276440
Writing this was most certainly not, 😆 but reading reactions like yours makes it worth it. Thank you!
8277517
Aw gosh
Love your profile pic, btw. Gloriously epic.
8278190
The readers deserve options! So very glad you enjoyed this one.
8278639
You honor me greatly with such praise. Thank you ever so much for your kind words; I'll strive to ensure that this isn't my last story.
8281201
They definitely aren't for everyone! Regardless, I'm very glad you were able to glean some amount of enjoyment out of this; thanks for reading!
This is great! Love your interpretation of who Moondancer is. Including her silly mental lists. I featured it on my podcast, Pony 411.
Mind-blowing. Amazing writing.
You are the unnamed musician, and we are the court. You step forward bearing nervously a work of art, just one of dozens that litter the dais below the throne, anonymous amid a surfeit of beauty. But then you raise your bow, and instantly we are seized from the first note to the last by something so crystalline, so heartfelt, so expert and astonishing, that everything else is swept away and we are left only with grief and anguish and wonder and gratitude above all.
Who are you, and how have I not found you sooner?
This was beautifully written
Moondancers story was so well woven around Twilights.
This is really fascinating so far, and I'm loving how the school environment is being described.
8267429 Brought me here.
This is excellence. I too wish to submit a blurriness report.
There's something funny about FiM using the story of the Royal Pony Sisters as a backdrop for the series. It single-hoofedly makes it feel like there's a lot of depth and history to the setting, but it only ever gets addressed directly in two-parters or when they let Larson write an episode. It eventually became what I really wanted out of FiM, which is disappointing because they'll never devote the show to it.
Fortunately there's fanfiction by people who can weave the threads they leave hanging everywhere into something poignant.
8323535
Yes yes. This. Twilight and co. may be the protagonists of the show but the sisters are its silent beating heart.
The last part of this chapter--the bit with the musician--gave me chills. Almost gave me tears. Wonderfully, wonderfully done.
I may not be able to fully appreciate this story, but I love this part. Thank you.
So, this story became number 500 on my favorites list. And Just the perfect story to be that number. I am seriously considering making a separate Epic list just because of this story.
This is just so beautifully written, Requiem made me cry out loud, that final memory was just......
More practically, I think it was actually a good thing that it wasn't Twilight who used the spell, I am sure some of the descend was due to Moondancer's own insecurities, but I suspect some of Meadowbrook's madness might have manifested in the spell, not to mention Celestia's grief. Knowing Twillight, the effects could have broken her.
This is already looking good. There aren't enough stories about Moondancer on this site and this is the only one that I know of that's about the time at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.
Moondancer saw a vision of the past as a result of Meadowbrook's spell. I wonder what the purpose of the spell is and what the role of the music is that directed Moondancer to the palace.
This is a great story and it also shows why Moondancer was so angry at Twilight when Moondancer finally made a big discovery Twilight didn't seem to think it important. Moondancer has some similarities with Luna as both wanted the attention of somepony else who didn't give it to them. I always had the idea that Moondancer looked up to Twilight like the case is in this story. I really like this story.
This was agreat epilogue and I am glad that Moondancer still decides to reveal her discoveries. Of course Moondancer should thank Spike for reminding Twilight how horrible she had been to her classmates. One of the things of Amending Fences that I like most is that Twilight's description of what the results are of her behaviour is her typical kind of overreaction but it fits Moondancer perfectly.