A Spoon on the Moon

by Ponyess

A Lunar Meeting Episode: 2

Author's Note:

Echo Luna Lulamoon's POV

I had noticed that a balloon had landed in the court yard of my castle. A filly had apparently embarked, in order to venture into my castle, so I set off to greet her.

Picking the nearest door in the court yard, the one where I would spot her early and easily. Trotting off in a stately manner, rather than galloping there in undue haste. I am a Princess, even when in exile. This is my castle, I built it for myself within the time-span of a thousand years, a millennium.

Only when the spell exiling me here finally let up enough to escape, I was trapped within the walls of the castle I had built. I am the echo of the mare who had been imprisoned and exiled. I can never escape on my own.

---

I am the remnants of the creative spirit building the castle, brick by brick, while the hateful mare who escaped returned to Equus, and Equestria in order to exact her revenge and plunge the land in the promised eternal night.

For all I care, it is fortunate that she failed, I have no desire to see the land in darkness and despair. This never was my dream, I am a Pony of light and day. Even if I was a part of the Pony entrusted with the night, and the beauty of the night sky. The Moon and the stars. The original Luna painted the sky in a beautiful scenario she wished for her fellow Ponies, her subjects to adore and watch in wonder and bewilderment. She never realized that they would need their sleep and that her night was the time assigned for this purpose. The later Luna of today found her place in that world.

Just like an artist, I had been working hard on making this castle as grand as I possibly could, just as when I painted the night sky.

---

“Greetings, my dear filly!” I pronounced as I spotted her just a few yards from the chosen door.

“Greetings, I am Silver Spoon!” she responded in kind.

“Nice to see you, Silver Spoon. I am the echo of the mare you know as Luna Lulamoon!” I presented myself.

“Then you are Princess Luna?” she responded.

“In a fashion. I guess you could say that I am the Princess of the Moon. Yet, I guess I do prefer it, if you would call me Echo, if it is all the same to you?” I pointed out.

“Echo.. echo, echo.. ! she spoke, as if making a point out of a joke, not quite realize the situation.

“With magic as strong as that of an Alicorn, there is more than enough to go around. Enough to create an echo of the original Pony. That is where I came in, where I am!” I pointed out.

“I guess that is a kind of immortality!” she offered.

“Not the kindest of Immortalities goes, but yes. I will live on, even when she fails. Just as she can live on, even when I fail. I have little to no knowledge of what she is doing, or how she is feeling right now. I have but the faintest of echoes of her in my heart!” I continued as I lead the filly from the door towards the private chambers, and the little room where I use to have my tea.

Only now, for once, I will not have it in dark solitude and silence.

“Of course, there are consequences in being the echo. Even after all this time. I will leave a weak imprint on you, as you will leave one on me!” I pointed out as I entered my private chambers.

---

“Please, have a seat, I will prepare tea for us. Then we can discuss anything under the sun and on the moon!” I proclaimed with a wink.

“Thank you, Princess Echo. A cup of tea would be delightful, right about now!” she then responded as she sat down on one of the chairs around the hexagonal table.

“I think Laughter shall be yours, let me fix that for you!” I offered as I turned the circle of elements around on the table.

“Why do you say that?” the filly inquired.

“Not so much that you came with Pinkie Pie, who currently is the wielder of that Element, but because you are bringing joy to me in my solitude. You see, I have been here for over a thousand years. There is precious little to smile about, when you are alone. I hope you will never learn the depth or the weight of it in your lifetime!” I offered.

“If you have been here that long; your endurance is legendary. I couldn’t last a day, I am nowhere as stoical as to endure more of solitude!” she groaned.

“Good, then you know enough to make good the friendships you have and appreciate them for all they are worth!” I pointed out.

“I do have a friend named Diamond Tiara, a pink Earth Pony, just like me. Then I do have my family, of course. I have little need for more, or do I?” she responded, in uncertain tones.

“So long as you have them and they are loyal to you; that can be enough. Yet, I would suggest that you do enjoy a certain pink mare, the one who brought you to me!” I then added.

“Wait, Pinkie Pie? She is the Party Pony of Ponyville. She works at the café the Sugar-Cube Corner and throw every party in town. Every Pony loves her in one way or the other, at least after a fashion!” she responded.

“Every one of your birthdays, your cuteciniera? Even if she acts the filly, she is also timelessly wise well beyond reason. She is, and she has power. Oh well, enough about her. Even if she was the one kind enough to borrow you to me for the briefest of instants. What blend would be yours?” I rambled.

“These, right along with the parties for about anything and everything. She is literally throwing them left and right. Any and every reason is enough to her. Although she has thrown a few parties even outside of town, from what I have heard. Oh yes. The tea. Do you by chance have Filly Vanilla?” she responded.

“Certainly. With a millennium on my hooves, I have explored almost every blend currently in existence. It is one of the few things I can do here alone!” I pondered.

“Thank you, Princess Echo!” she responded in delight.

”Sorry, I have no Earth Pony cups. I guess we can make due? Would you accept my temporary gift, Silver Spoon?” the Echo of Luna, formerly known as Nightmare Moon inquired in a curious, yet friendly and polite voice.

“I guess I could, even if I worry about how I will react when I am to leave. Do I want to let go of the gift as I leave? How would my friend react on how I explain? If I even choose to tell her about you at all? Yet, I certainly do not wish to insult you by refusing your offer. It feels like too gracious an offer to reuse for someone such as me!” she expressed.

That is the question of life. How does one react to the quandaries of what you inevitably have to lose? Is it better to keep the silence? Yet, that is a question you can postpone, for now!” I put forth.

“Since you are here now, I would take the offer and hope for the best later on. Even if I can tell no Pony about you or the time here with you. Though I fear Pinkie Pie is the wiser to these issues as well!” she pondered as I poured her the cup of Filly Vanilly tea.

“That sounds like a wise choice. Knowing your friend can never do anything compared with what I may be capable of, knowing I am an Alicorn. Besides, you will always have Pinkie Pie and me, rest assured of that!” I explained, matter of fact but with a sly grin.

“Then, my greatest worry would be in how to manage the cup you offered me. I am after all new at this!” she then put forth, but with growing confidence.

“Of course, being a Princess; I still do have great power and influence even now. If it is in the lack of means to travel back to Equus, or if it is in lacking resolve. Yet, I am still just as powerful an Alicorn as ever Luna and her alternate ego Nightmare ever was. I have no power over the moon or the night sky. I have little interest in what is going on, on the planet-side, these days. Yet, I still do crave the company of Ponies. As an Alicorn, I have the combined weight of the magic of this Moon!” I pondered.

“Maybe I could convince Pinkie Pie to drop me off by your castle from time to time?” she responded.

“So long as it brings a smile to the face of just one more Pony, she would do it for you any time. Rest assured of that, dear filly!” I pointed out in no uncertain terms, but in a light voice.

“Then you do know her more than in passing!” the filly pointed out.

“No Pony knows her well, not even the mare herself. She resigned to let that part slide in the hopes of being able to do all the things she is doing. Some things are best left alone. Had she been an Alicorn like me, but she can do as she pleases!” I pointed out.

“Maybe the power of the magic of Earth Ponies are just as strong as that of any other type? Or is it in how she is the only one actually using magic in any quantity openly?” the filly pondered.

“I think I am more comfortable in seeing her as exceptional. Yet, there is a hidden reason why so few Earth Ponies use magic. If it is in requiring all to their farms, and the few who are not farmers no longer know how or even what magic truly is? On the other hoof, it is as they say; Friendship is Magic, and she has an extreme abundance of friendship. Maybe the answer is in her converting all that raw magic of friendship into what she is doing?” I proposed.

“The very same friendship that defeated Nightmare Moon, Queen Chrysalis, Discord and Lord Tirek?” she filly inquired.

“That magic could stand up to the combined power of the magic of Equus. I could see that, even from here, you know!” I then pointed out.

---

“I guess that was a spectacle of unrivaled proportions, Princess Echo?” she proposed as she tentatively touched her cup with the newly gifted arcane magic the horn gave her control over.

A faint purple glow had been alight on the horn of the filly; before a faint line stretched out, touching the edge of her cup.

“You know, right now it feels almost as if you had been my very own little filly. I enjoy seeing you handle the cup!” I then submitted.

“Thank you, Echo. How I have been longing to be told just something like this. My father never seems to have time for me, and I have no clear recollections of my mother to speak of. A little filly like me needs to hear words of encouragement, from time to time!” I pondered quietly.

“Then; maybe we are sailing the same ship, or sitting on the same Moon?” I put forth.

“Oh wait; I think I recall fragments of the tail of how Nightmare Moon came to be, and was consequently banished to the Moon. That is exactly where we are now!” she pondered.

“Oh yes; that old tale. I am not the first, and I know I will not be the last. I was just the one powerful enough to warrant the banishment and exile here!” I prompted, the old memory still with me and paining the back of my head every time it floated up to the conscious level.

“An Earth Pony like me can never do enough damage to warrant exile, they just imprison me and forget all about it!” she pointed out.

“Exactly, my little filly. Only now, you are a Unicorn, even if it may last only for as long as you are sharing my exile here on the Moon!” I filled in.

“Oh, but of course. Yet, what damage can a little filly, like me do? Even if I had been down on the planet with the others?” she inquired, to the point.

“Probably nothing, which is just as well. Be thankful for the little blessing it is. The day your resentment starts to grow and consume you; you will see the wisdom, just as I do now!” I prompted warmly.

“You know, Echo; I like being a Unicorn. Maybe it isn’t so bad to be here with you, as I had expected; before I met you, while she dumped me here!” she expressed.

“I guess I have something you enjoy. If it is a kind of blackmail, just just a friendly exchange; but that is for others to say later!” I prompted.

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