Chapter 24
"Excuse me? I need that book.”
Looking up in surprise, I spotted a light yellow unicorn with a strange mane color and style. It was pink and purple. Most of it was left free, but the bangs that could get in her eyes was held together by a hair band, pointing straight up at the top of her head like a second horn. Even more unusually, she was wearing a polo neck shirt and a pair of thick rimmed glasses.
Ponies rarely wore clothes other than for specific work or formal occasions.
This was one of the reasons to why I preferred the royal archives. Much less traffic by ponies and students in general.
Sadly, their collection had some holes in it. For one thing, their collection of fiction was rather limited.
This wasn't fiction however, I got stuck reading a book about dragons. I'm sure this was somewhere in the royal library as well, but I had not run into it yes.
“Sorry, I'll be done with it in a couple of hours.”
She sighed, looking somewhat annoyed, “Fine.” before she blinked and put her hooves on the table, leaning closer, “...Is that a herald medallion? One with Princess Luna's mark nonetheless.”
Blinking in surprise I then looked down at it before looking up at her again, “...Yes?”
“Where in Equestria did you find one!? They are impossible to locate!” She exclaimed quietly, "Never mind! You can't wear it, it's illegal.”
What.
“I'm pretty sure it's legal for me.” I slowly said, “There is pretty much no way to say this without sounding like a egomaniac, but... don't you know who I am?”
That got a bit of a unsure look from her before she shook her head, “...No.”
That's actually pretty nice.
I was not overly excited about the entire fame thing. It was getting increasingly rare to find somepony in canterlot that didn't at least recognize my name. What was annoying about it was that it was less about my books and more about my relationship with Luna.
If I had to be famous, I wanted it to be because what I was doing instead of whom. But I suppose that kind of thing came with being Luna's consort.
“I'm Blank Page.” I said offering my hoof for a shake, “Don't worry, I got the medallion directly from Princess Luna. I can wear it legally.”
“Moondancer.” She answered, shaking my hood, “Oh... did it have something to do with the entire changeling thing?”
“Let's go with that.” I happily agreed.
The unicorn sighed and shook her head, “Sorry, I'm not overly up to date. I prefer to focus on my studies.”
I nodded. I could perfectly understand that. Back on Earth I couldn't have cared less what celebrity got together with which celebrity either. Hell, I likely wouldn't have known half their names.
“What are you studying?”
She settled down across the table from me and shrugged, “Pretty much everything. Pottery, calligraphy, sociology. Math. Magic.”
I grinned at that, “I'm doing the same at this point. Right now, dragons. A couple of days ago it was ship construction.”
“Oh! Have you written any thesis I might have read? I don't recognize your name.”
Shaking my head I shrugged, “No, sorry. This is mostly just some personal study. Collecting information to write a book.”
“What kind of book?”
“It's a...”
“Sssshhh!”
I folded my ears back and waved sorry to the librarian before leaning closer to Moondancer, lowering my voice further, “I'm going to write a novel and realized I knew way to little about the subject matter. I was going to look at similar novels, but I got stuck on a book on dragons. I'm sure I can work a dragon in there somewhere.”
She looked surprised at that, “A novel? Have you written anything before?” she asked, sounding somewhat dubious.
“The Jedi series.”
“Never heard of it.” Moondancer answered before she adjusted her glasses, “But then again, I don't read much modern fiction.”
I smirked at that, “A lot of it is of dubious quality.” I agreed, “But even you have to admit that it's nice to settle down with a cup of hot tea and a lowbrow adventure book like Daring Doo once in a while.”
Moondancer frowned at me, “Daring Doo?”
Resisting the urge to facehoof, I sighed softly, “Never mind. What do you need the book for?”
“I'm looking into the subject of dragon migrations.” she explained quietly, “And the different paths taken. One happened not too long ago but took a unusual path. I'm looking into if it's because the pony population redistribution since the last one.”
Huh. That actually did sound interesting. And possibly problematic if it really was true for the future. Because if ponies disturbed that kind of thing too much, it sounded like there might be problems with armored, hundred meter or longer firebreathing lithovores.
That ranked higher than my idle curiosity.
“I think I saw a piece in here on migrations.” I said and floated the book over to her, “Chapter nine I think. You can take the book, I have written the title down already, I'm sure there is a copy in the royal archives anyway.”
“Tha...you have access to the royal archives!?”
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Short, yet surprisingly hilarious.
6825977 Agreed.
He really need to point out that Moondancer needs to do something with her life...just studying with no TRUE purpose is no good.
6826059 In the long term, yes. However, it's far too early in their encounter for Blank Page to make that determination.
For many, there's nothing whatsoever wrong with pursuing many different subjects at the same time. Often, there can be just the joy of following various connecting threads from one field of study to another and how they relate to each other. Sometimes, in order to fully understand one specific subject, you have to follow any information even tangentially related to the main field. And while Blank Page has a purpose in his studies, he's pretty much searching randomly for as wide a range of subjects that are probably not even be related in any fashion, in order to gather material to toss into his upcoming novel--it's not much different than what Moondancer is doing: just accumulating knowledge for its own sake.
True, because of the rejections she experienced, she's using her studies as a bandaid to cover up her pain. She has no purpose in her studies, now. But we know from the episode that Twilight will eventually help her out. And who knows? In next season, there may be an episode where Moondancer's accumulated knowledge will help save the day.
6826107 True that, I think.
For now, we will wait and see.
o a super good job working in Moondancer a vary nice touch.
Intrigue! Enters the Moondancer, who might be next? Sunset? Trixie? Discord?
So she know what an herald medallion is but she doesn't know it will flash red for an illegal use or that it grant full access to the castle?
Let's befriend Moondancer, Go!
6826384 Discord? That would be hilarious.
6826443 it is only a matter of time.
Run, you fool!!!
Also, I don't really understand their decision to turn Moondancer into pre-prologue Twilight. It's like they didn't know what the prologue was about, or how Celestia's teaching methods are like.
He is doomed isn't he?
Nice chapter, good work.
Everyone is forgetting the Luna in the room. You think she'll pass up the chance to snatch up Moonie and turn her into her evil apprentice of eeeeeeeeee~eevil?
Okay, sorry, couldn't keep a straight face, but seriously, Moonie is getting snatched by the moony-mare so Celestia will stop nyeh-ing her.
I can feel the nerdgazam
6827167 yes yes
more more
OMG please have these two become friends PLZ
It's great. But the spelling errors distubs me
Uh oh.. He better be careful, if there is herding allowed, Luna might be amused enough to bring her into the fold for him...
6829847
6829847
No, no, no! It's "I find your lack of grammar...disturbing."
Ahh, the references to the episode 'Amending Fences'. I love it!
Also, I get the feeling that good old, Blank Page is going to continue messing up the show's storyline alot more. One change is that by the time twilight remembers moondancer and her other canterlot friends, moondancer will already have befriended page, and the episode Amending Fences will be COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
squints
...Moondancer?
HEATHEN
Minor spelling/grammar fixes:
Did you mean "yet"?
Shouldn't the word "What" be followed by a Question Mark?
8718143
Actually, this is proper in the context. A what, followed by a period, is an expression of using that word in a flat tone. There's even a trope for it. Flat What.
A good auditory example is Kyon when he does in in the Haruhi Suzumiya series.
9076625
Fist off, I feel there are better ways to convey a flat tone. For example, Hiver could have mentioned something about deadpanning at Moon Dancer, or something. Second off, there's no real indication that the author meant for a flat tone... except for the period, I guess.
Third off, I've never heard of "Kyon" (How do you pronounce that word? "Key-on", maybe? "Ki-on", with a long "i"/"eye"?) nor have I heard of "Haruhi Suzumiya". Is Haruhi Suzumiya an anime or manga (or both)? Is Kyon the writer?
As for, "Flat What", I've never heard of that, but I'm glad to have learned about it. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to mention it IRW and sound smart.
PS: If I sound like I'm being negative, that is unintentional. TBH, I've been staring at this post for a while, trying to figure out how to phrase this response without being negative and/or beating around the bush. This was the best I could do.¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Moondancer not knowing about Daring Do just kinda slams home how not close she and Twilight really were...
8718143
It was a confused what. Like, someone says something, and instead of saying it out loud, you kinda just go 'what' in your head. It was also a sort of deadpan what. As in he didn't realize someone hadn't heard of him and Luna. Thus, the:
What.
9362326
The word "confused" (strongly) implies someone has questions. Questions mean question marks. There was no question mark.
Of course, as another commentor pointed out to me, it could be a "flat what".
Wait, why would they be illegal?
9904946
She probably thought he had either found or bought it instead of it being properly gifted. In that case, wearing it would amount to impersonating a herald or ambassador.
9962209
Didn't Luna mention something about the fact they can't be used by those who aren't supposed to wear them, they have a fail safe? That means that anyone who knows what they are know that doesn't work and those that don't wouldn't use them anyway.
9962542
Maybe pony's can make incredibly accurate fake ones
9974325
Indeed. It was a flaw pointed out by Page when they went through the security checkpoint last book. A counterfeit need not flash after all.
9995194
Even a counterfeit, just make it glow when it-s not you touching it. Wouldn-t be hard, they have to have something special that the guards can check, that or like they do now, check Page is who he looks like he is.
Ah my second favorite bookworm in the series has been introduced, excellent!
10472125
Is it really impressive to have a comment chain this long?
Nerd buddy incoming?
10911508
The comment chain continues
TIME PORADOX
I'm still impressed that you use the term lithovor in this chapter most people wouldn't even know what that meant
9962542
Actually twilight mentioned that they glow red if the owner isn't wearing it. Not illegal and I can't imagine how many ponies would want to sneak into the palace anyway because there is very little point in the whole thing.
11231940
A real one yes but you could make one look like a fake with that "ability".
11211151
I've never heard of it myself but it's nice to learn new things.
*jet?
Tree if Harmony:
"Damn it Stallion! Stop changing destiny!"
11585846
h e h
you got a typo in your typo bud.
Heh
It's too bad that I can't theorize about Moon Dancer's future in this altered timeline, since so much more has been written. However, I'd like to see Moon and Page become friends. (And not in the "harem/herd" sense!)
Yes, I know that her name in the credits was "Moondancer," but I reject that reality and substitute my own.
