S4 CH 2. Vines
“So, there I am, soaked to the bone when who should walk by but Fancy Pants himself,” Lyra said before shaking her head. “Suffice to say, I took the job in Ponyville and Bon Bon and I have been here ever since. Its been wonderful. The lunches, the long talks, the benches we’ve sat on. Every day is a brand new adventure when you get to spend it with your best friend.”
Bon Bon’s cheeks were a little red and she lightly nibbled on her spinach. “Yeah. I really thought I’d end up moving here alone. Its been so much nicer knowing I have a friend. How, uhhh, how have you been, Moondancer? We see a lot in the newspapers, but it’s a little… different now. Even Lemon barely sees you and she works in the castle.”
“Only some days,” Lemon said quickly. “Most of the prep work is done at our HQ, I’m rarely one of the main organizers these days.”
“I’m sorry,” Moondancer said, keeping her eyes downcast. “I know when last we saw each other, well…”
“You were swearing fealty to Nightmare Moon in order to save us all from a lifetime trapped in a tiny ball?” Twinkleshine asked. “Yeah, won’t lie. We uhhhh… didn’t handle that one the best.”
“That’s an understatement,” Bon Bon said with a light snicker. “Twinkleshine accidentally summoned a balor.”
Moondancer’s eyes went wide and she covered her mouth with a hoof. “A-again?!”
“This time it was… slightly less unexpected,” Twinkleshine said sheepishly.
“She was trying to summon a cyclops,” Lemon said. “So, half there. Suffice to say, she’s officially been banned from the restricted section of the library and I’ve forbidden her from practicing any more experimental magic.”
“Well, if you’re going to mess up you should at least mess up big,” Twinkleshine said.
“I’m so, so sorry,” Moondancer said softly. “None of this would have happened if I’d just been able to use the elements. If I hadn’t failed again. If I’d just--”
“It’s not your fault,” Bon Bon said. “How could you have--”
“Of course it was, Bon Bon,” Moondancer said softly. “You all got me there. I had the five elements there. Right there. But I couldn’t use them. I couldn’t make the sixth one appear. No matter how much magic I used, I wasn’t able to wield them. They just wouldn’t respond to me.”
“It’s not your fault,” Minuette said in a soothing tone. “It wasn’t fair for you to have to deal with everything on your own.”
“It really wasn’t fair to make everypony else depend on me, considering my track record,” Moondancer said before givng a soft sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m just… bringing the mood down, aren’t I? I should go.”
“Moondancer,” Lyra said with a small smile. “We’re your friends. We’ll always be your friends. We get it, you blame yourself. But we don’t. What happened is no more your fault than any of ours. You tried your hardest. You’ve sacrificed more than anypony we know trying to keep Equestria safe.”
Moondancer gave a light chuckle before shaking her head. “Second most, likely. Twilight I think has me beat in that department.”
“I wouldn’t be certain about that,” Bon Bon said before glancing to her ear.
“I’m sorry,” Moondancer said again. “I just… I just wish I could have done all of these things right. Even now I’m not sure what I’ve done right or wrong. Even me getting hurt was my fault. If I hadn’t messed up again then--”
“Oh my gosh, are you really going to spend the whole meal beating up our friend?” Lyra asked in a teasing tone. “Because I’ve got to tell you, it’s really not very nice. She doesn’t really fight back.”
Moondancer’s cheeks went scarlet and she glanced away, a small smile on her face. “I… I guess that’s fair. I’ll stop. I’ll try to stop.”
“Good,” Bon Bon said. “So, how about some good news? What’s been going on that you like?”
“Uhhhh… Twilight, she’s pretty great,” Moondancer said. “Smartest pony I know. Talented, clever, knows possibly more about magic than me.”
“Wait, the earth pony?” Minuette asked. “Err, ex-earth pony?”
“Ahem?” Bon Bon asked. “What’s wrong with being an earth pony?”
“Hey, you know a lot,” Minuette said. “But this is an earth pony knowing more about MAGIC that Moondancer. Our resident massive magic nerd who is also a unicorn. She knows more than the five of us put together when it comes to magic.”
“I know, but she’s brilliant,” Moondancer said. “Though, uhhh. Now she’s… kind of got the whole… earth pony, unicorn, mixed thingy I have. She’ll probably outpace me eventually. Once she figures out telekinesis. Oh, and there’s Spike. He’s wonderful.”
“Spike?” Lemon asked.
“He’s the dragon,” Bon Bon said. “Remember, from the papers?”
“Ohhhhhh,” Lemon said. “I thought that was made up.”
“Then there’s Twilight’s friends,” Moondancer said. “Or… kind of her friends? I think they’re her friends now. Rarity, she does a lot of work around the castle. Applejack has done some catering things. Rainbow--”
“Ohhhh, the Shadowbolt?” Lyra asked.
“Yep!” Moondancer said.
“Then you have to have met Pinkie Pie, right?” Lyra asked.
“I think everypony within a ten mile radius has met Pinkie Pie,” Minuette said in a flat tone. “I’m pretty sure she qualifies as everypony’s ‘good news’ in that regard.”
“Yeah,” Moondancer said before blinking. “Huh. Then I guess there’s Trixie, she’s--”
“Ohhh, the librarian?” Lyra asked. “She’s sooooo loud. But her recommendations are top notch. Benches through the ages, such an amazing read.”
“Rumor has it she even got Rainbow to read one or two things,” Bon Bon said with a light snicker. “Her performances can be fun too.”
“Are they really that good?” Moondancer asked.
“Ehhh, off and on,” Minuette said with a shrug. “I saw one of her shows, it was okay. She’s a bit obnoxious and some of her acts are a bit over the top for what she actually does. But she definitely has a lot of passion and her zebra assistant is a blast to watch. Once you get past the arrogance, she can be pretty interesting. Honestly, compared to some of the pony’s back in Canterlot, she’s borderline humble. Isn’t that right, Lemon?”
“I’ve seen wayyyy worse,” Lemon said. “She’s a showpony, what can you expect? If you’re too humble the hecklers will tear you apart.”
Moondancer couldn’t help but snicker, lifting a hoof over her mouth to try and stifle them. It felt… nice. She felt relaxed. Calm. Safe. She wished this meal could last forever. Perhaps--
A scream made her stand at attention and look around in confusion. “What in Equestria?” Moondancer asked. A few moments later the ground under them began to rumble and black, spiked vines started to force their way out of the floorboards. What now? Was it Nightmare Moon? Did she find out about her friends? No no no no no! Moondancer tried to think, tried to come up with a plan, but she was drawing a blank. All she could do was stare while the vines came closer and closer, coiling around furniture and knocking over tables.
“Okay, everypony outside!” Bon Bon yelled before grabbing Lyra’s hoof and dashing towards the door.
Moondancer and the others soon followed suit, though outside wasn’t much better. Her mouth fell open when she saw the vines erupting all over, damaging homes, destroying streets, frightening ponies.
“Do you think this is Nightmare Moon’s doing?” Twinkleshine asked.
“Maybe? No,” Moondancer said. “I’m not sure. I… I should… I…”
“Should regroup with Twilight?” Bon Bon asked.
“Yes,” Moondancer said. “Listen, if there’s something dangerous then Nightmare Moon will likely show herself. If she does it could put all of you in danger. I should go alone.”
“As is tradition?” Lemon asked with a small smile. “Relax. If there’s nothing we can do we’ll keep out of the way, okay? But, just this once, why don’t you stop trying to hold everything on your own shoulders and let us help you out?”
“Besides,” Minuette said. “I kind of want to meet this Twilight and Spike outside of the letter. We’re not going to let just anypony watch out for our old friend.”
Moondancer blinked but, slowly, she gave a small smile and nodded.
------
“The results would be tragic,” Zecora said before pointing towards the potion and then glancing up at the large assortment of gathered ponies of all kinds. “It only responds to alicorn magic.”
“Well, that sounds useful,” Rainbow said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “So I guess we just go get Nightmare Moon to guzzle a random mystery tonic. I’m sure she’ll be giddy to try it. If that stuff even works.”
“Hey!” Trixie snapped, her voice filled with ire. “Of course the potion works! My assistant is not some street peddling hack!”
“Easy, Trixie, easy,” Applejack said, holding up a hoof. “Ain’t nopony accusing Zecora of being a hack. We’re just a little concerned is all. Nightmare Moon isn’t really, well… keen on taking… help.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Twilight said before glancing to Moondancer. “But, there might be an alternative. Moondancer?”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Moondancer said. “It could be dangerous, though. We’re not true alicorns, there’s no telling what will happen if it only works with one. If anypony is going to try it, it’ll have to be me.”
“Again?” Bon Bon asked.
“I have the most experience with magic,” Moondancer said. “I’m a lot more durable than I was. On top of that, Nightmare Moon already hates me so if I get hurt she won’t be that annoyed.”
“Wait, hates you?” Lemon asked.
Moondancer ignored her, her horn glowing before she unleashed her magic on the jar. The liquid within changed from purple, to red, to orange and then, finally, to white. “See? Nothing to it.”
“What do you mean Nightmare Moon hates you?” Lemon asked.
Moondancer didn’t answer, instead grabbing the jar. “Wish me luck.” With those final words, she drank from it. Her eyes glowed a bright, white light a moment later. She started whimpering, whining and cowering.
“W-what’s wrong? Is… is she going to be okay?” Minuette asked.
“The potion merely shows her the past related to our current threat,” Zecora said. “No damage will she suffer even should her cheeks become wet.”
“Is anypony else concerned about this whole ‘Nightmare Moon HATES her’ thing?” Lemon asked. “Anypony? Just me?”
“It’s Moondancer,” Lyra said with a sigh. “She thinks everypony hates her. Always.”
“She’s… not… altogether wrong in this case,” Twilight said softly. “Nightmare Moon does have a… uhhh…”
“Wait, what?” Lyra asked. “But… but she’s Nightmare Moon’s student! We all saw it! How can a pony hate her student?”
“It can’t really be that bad, can it?” Minuette asked.
“No, it’s pretty much that bad,” Spike said. “Nightmare Moon is one bad sundae off from, well… what happened last time.”
“We can’t let her go back to that,” Lemon said.
“I doubt we have much choice,” Bon Bon said. “You know how Moondancer is. She--”
A moment later the crying stopped and Moondancer wobbled for a moment before shaking her head. “That… what? What’s wrong? Why is everypony staring at me?”
“You, ummm, you were crying,” Twilight said. “And mumbling a lot. What… happened?”
“I saw… Celestia,” Moondancer said softly. “I saw her use the elements and stop Nightmare Moon. Alone. But… but I don’t think it’s related to this. It’s not… I don’t think these thorns are Nightmare Moon.”
“Perhaps deeper in the past are the answers we seek,” Zecora said. “Another sip may be what is needed, but perhaps another alicorn should take a peak.”
“No. I’ll do it,” Moondancer said before taking another sip of it. This time, after a moment, she started giggling.
“Okay, if she starts singing I am out of here,” Trixie said. “I’m gonna go… hang out with the changelings before this gets weirder.”
“What, you think they’re the normal ones?” Spike asked.
“Compared to this? Yes. Really makes you think, doesn’t it?” Trixie asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “That and they have the cupcakes.” She trotted off. When she approached the cupcakes three of the changelings hissed at her before shaking their head, though Chitin reached out and offered her one. “Thank you, ummm… whichever one you are. One of the girls. I think.”
“Chitin,” the changeling said.
“Right, right. Now, while they deal with… that weirdness, let me regale you of the time I rescued Ponyville from the villain Candlebra.”
“Wasn’t it Caballeron?” Chuck asked.
“Yes, yes, him,” Trixie said.
“As I was saying,” Bon Bon said. “Moondancer isn’t one to run away from… well…”
“Anything? I noticed,” Twilight said softly. “Even when she certainly should.” She glanced back towards her wing, hidden under her saddle. “It’s… my fault any of this happened. If I hadn’t resisted, then--”
“Now hold on a moment,” Applejack said. “I ain’t sayin’ any of this is Moondancer’s fault. But it sure as plum isn’t yours, Twilight. Yah didn’t want any of… this forced on yah. And Nightmare Moon didn’t have any right to force it on yah. If Moondancer tried to stop it then she did the right thing. She got hurt for it, that ain’t right either. But it doesn’t make it your fault.”
“But if I had just accepted it,” Twilight said gently. “If I’d let her change me…”
“Dear, please try to understand I am being quite delicate when I say this,” Rarity said. “Her highness, Nightmare Moon, is a bit… testy. I do not imagine anypony of any measurable level of sanity would desire to spend the rest of an, ahhhh… extended life as their… I’d say colleague, but no. Toy. Plaything. Puppet.”
“Basically, she’s not treating you like a pony and that’s not your fault,” Rainbow said flatly. “Buck, if I’d been there I’d have tried to fight her too.”
“Wait, WHAT?!” Moondancer’s friends asked, staring with looks of horror.
“Did you say that Moondancer tried to FIGHT Nightmare Moon?” Bon Bon asked.
“You said she disrupted the ritual!” Lyra said.
“You never mentioned she tried to FIGHT her!” Minuette said.
“She—” Lemon’s words were cut off when Moondancer’s eyes stopped glowing and she shook her head.
“O-okay,” Moondancer said. “That was weird, but, ummm. I don’t think that was it either.”
“Third time’s the charm!” Twinkleshine said before gripping the bottle and holding it to her lips.
“Err, what? R-right!” Moondancer said before her eyes started glowing again.
“She out? Good!” Lemon said before turning to Twilight. “Please, please tell me you’re exaggerating. She didn’t actually TRY to fight her, did she? After last time? She--”
“Oh, no, she very much attempted to fight me,” Nightmare Moon said a moment before her frame materialized out of the shadows of the trees. She gave a small, narrowed eye glance to Rarity, who eeping and quickly took a step behind one of the apple trees.
Fluttershy squeaked and her eyes shot open. She flailed for a moment before tumbling out of the tree onto the Ruler of the Night. “S-sorry…” she said softly.
Nightmare Moon sighed and gripped the vampire pony in her magic before lifting her up, depositing her back on a tree branch. “You, little one of our night, should be in bed.”
“Didn’t want to miss the… get together,” Fluttershy said with another soft yawn.
“We can see that,” Nightmare Moon said before turning her gaze back towards the group of ponies. “We take it, then, that you have begun to unravel what it is causing this plague upon our lands?”
“Err, Moondancer is trying to,” Twilight said softly. “How, ummm, how much did you hear?”
“Enough,” Nightmare Moon said before glancing away from her and towards Moondancer’s friends. “I must say I am surprised to see you five again.”
“It, err, was just a coincidence,” Minuette said sheepishly. “We were in the neighborhood and--”
“My my, what a happy coincidence it is, then,” Nightmare Moon said before walking towards them and pausing when she passed Moondancer. “Perhaps even one we can use. Shall we wait to see what it is my precious student has learned?”
The gathered ponies slowly nodded, watching Moondancer until, finally, her eyes stopped glowing.
“I figured it out!” Moondancer said proudly, nearly hopping in place. “The Tree of Harmony! Something must have happened to it!”
“T-the w-what now?” Twilight asked, her eyes locked on Nightmare Moon behind Moondancer, mentally willing the other mare to turn around.
“The Tree of Harmony, where the Elements of Harmony came from,” Moondancer said. “Celestia and Nightmare Moon found it and took the Elements from it. Since they were destroyed, something must have happened to it and it’s no longer containing the magic of the forest. We just need to inform Nightmare Moon about the--” Moondancer turned and went entirely still, one hoof pointing at the forest.
Her eyes falling on Nightmare Moon. She gave the softest of whimpers.
“Fascinating,” Nightmare Moon said before, slowly, she smiled. “And it is well that you desired to inform us first and foremost.” A hoof reached out to stroke Moondancer’s chin. “Such a good, loyal student we have.”
“Y-your highness… I… I was… My friends didn’t… they…”
“Hmmm?” Nightmare Moon asked before glancing. “Why do you seem so afraid, little student of ours? We think it is quite clear what you intended.”
Moondancer gulped, staring at the alicorn and feeling as if there was a blade suspended over her head. Never knowing if or when it would fall. “Y-you… d-do?”
“But of course,” Nightmare Moon said before giving her a gentle pat on the head. “A new threat rears its head against our kingdom and our dear student gathers the ponies she believes can deal with it.”
Moondancer stared at the ruler before, very slowly, giving a nod. “Y-yes?”
“We see,” Nightmare Moon said before glancing towards the forest. “The Everfree Forest has changed much since we last traveled through them. Even moreso now. The journey to find the Tree of Harmony will not be an easy one. However, as you have sworn allegiance to us and know better than to risk attempting a second coup… we instead have a new task for you.” She spread her wings out. “Go forth, our little ponies. Find the Tree of Harmony and stop whatever… force is attempting to damage our kingdom. When we last journeyed to it it could be found near our castle, we advise you to begin your search there.” She glanced at the sky before smiling. “Consider it… a test. If you have not returned by tomorrow’s dusk, we will have assumed you have failed. Should you… succeed, however? We will see that perhaps the six of you are still useful to us as a whole, despite earlier… mistakes. We will even have a reward for you, our little student. One even you would agree is quite generous.”
“And… and if I fail?” Moondancer asked nervously.
A fanged smile formed on her lips. “Should you fail, little Moondancer, it will merely show you are incompetent as we suspected. An incompetence that is seemingly infectious even by ponies of… higher caliber,” Nightmare Moon said before glancing towards Bon Bon, who glared at her. “Now go. Your orders have been given. Do as your ruler demands.” Her horn glowed before the six were enveloped in her magic, disappearing from sight.
She then glanced back towards Twilight. “As for you…”
“Y-your highness,” Twilight said nervously, quickly kneeling down and bowing her head. “I-I assure you, we--”
“How goes your little project?” Nightmare Moon asked, before glancing towards the changelings.
“Huh?” Twilight asked. “Errr… well… enough, I suppose. They seem to be, ummm…” She nervously watched as one of the changelings started to, very timidly, approach the Ruler of the Night. She could almost feel everything going poorly.
“U-ummm… N-Nightmare… Moon… Your highness?” Chitin asked softly, her entire body shaking.
“Oh my, whatever is it?” Nightmare Moon asked with a fanged smirk on her lips. “Do you wish to challenge us as well?”
“N-no!” Chitin said softly before, nervously, she held up a small cupcake. “T-the… the wise… pink… p-pony says… when you meet a p-pony and… and aren’t sure what to do… g-giving them something nice to e-eat is the best way t-to say… h-hello. S-so… so… h-hello…”
Nightmare Moon paused, staring at the cupcake before giving a confused look to Twilight. The other mare just shrugged. “We… see. You’re… welcome for allowing you to partake in this… task, then,” she said before gripping the cupcake in her magic. The changeling didn’t leave, though. “Yes? Was there something else you wished?”
“Could… could, errr, could… if… if I make them… could… you give some of my cupcakes to the other changelings? To the ones back in Tartarus? The ones held captive and starving?” Chitin asked.
Nightmare Moon stared down at the cupcake. Ugh. It looked like garbage. The frosting was barely holding itself together, the cupcake was oddly lumpy and it was even a little burnt. Still, she supposed from a creature like that it was the best it could do. “Very well, we see no reason to deny this request. Our bard can manage the details as required.”
“Oh, thank you your highness!” Chitin said before lunging forward and hugging Nightmare Moon’s leg, then buzzing away to join the others.
Nightmare Moon went entirely still, unsure of what she could do now. How was she even supposed to react to THAT?
------
Moondancer let out a yelp when she landed on the ground outside the forest. Well, that wasn’t so--
A moment later all five of her friends landed on her back, knocking the air out of her. “O-ow…”
“Think… yeah… definitely feeling the hate here,” Lemon said softly.
“Sorry… Moondancer… just… need a moment…” Bon Bon said before she dug her hooves into the ground and bodily lifted the others off them, tossing them off before rolling off the student. “Ow. You okay?”
“Y-yeah,” Moondancer said gently before, gingerly getting to her hooves. She was not okay, not in the slightest. She ached and didn’t want to imagine what would happen if they failed. “I’m so sorry, you shouldn’t have had to go through this. I should—”
“Oh, we know, we know,” Minuette said before rolling her eyes. “But we’re your friends, Moondancer. We already told you we’re not going to leave you behind.”
“But you’re all in danger because of me. If--”
“And so begins another batch of Moondancer’s greatest hits,” Lyra said before she started to lightly trot into the forest. “Fine, you win. Moondancer, if you’d like to wait here, that’s fine. But me? I’m going to go try and find this fancy tree. Now, it might be dangerous for me to go alone, but I’m sure if anypony wants to come with me they’re more than welcome to.”
Moondancer blinked a few times. “That’s, you can’t--”
“Oh, I can, I do, I did and I will,” Lyra said before pausing. “Err, I think I did those out of order. Either way…” She took a step into the forest. “See, now if anything goes bad it’s my fault. So there.”
“Well, there’s no way I’m letting Lyra go off on her own,” Bon Bon said before lightly trotting after her.
“If we’re going to run off and find an old tree, might as well do it together,” Twinkleshine said before lightly trotting after them.
“We have a deadline, if anypony is going to make sure we get there in time it’ll have to be me,” Minuette said before lightly trotting forward and then glancing back at Lemon. “Are you coming?”
“Honestly? I’m trying to figure out if the mayor needs a new event manager,” Lemon said. “Because I’m pretty sure I’m going to get fired from my party organization job if we do this without Nightmare Moon’s student.”
Moondancer gave a sigh before rolling her eyes. “Fine, fine, I get it. I’m coming.”
“Are you sure?” Lemon asked. “I don’t imagine managing a mayor’s town events could be that much different from assisting at the one’s in Canterlot.”
Moondancer gave a light chuckle and shook her head. “No, but thank you. I… mean that. Thank you.”
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Poor Moondancer. This chapter reflects her powerlessness which is underscored by Nightmare’s insincere compassion.
I feel that Discord will be bad when Nightmare Moon finds out that the original cause of this attack of the forest will be Discord itself.
Omg I laughed out loud at Twinkleshine forcing the bottle back at Moondancer so they could continue the conversation. Loved it.
This is feeling a lot like how Twilights first adventure into the forest went, with all of them assuring Moondancer that they're her friends. :)