the Equestria dialouges

by Paradise Oasis

chapter seven- the harmony of harmony

chapter seven- the harmony of harmony

"I'm telling you, my Queen! It is Princess Luna!"

"And I say, North Star, that it is not."

As soon as I have confirmed that the mysterious unicorn I had been talking to was indeed the long lost Princess Luna, I immediately request an audience with Queen Majesty to inform her of this shocking turn of events. But when I go in to speak with her, I find Masquerade already before the throne, waiting for me.

"Majesty, as per your orders, at four days ago I followed North Star to the Canterlot ruins. I observed her and Wind Whistler speaking to the alleged night princess, and was clearly able to go undetected, in front of what is supposed to be a a class-42 Alicorn Mage." Masquerade recited meticulously, holding her eye mask up in front of her jewel eyes. "This leaves no doubt in my mind that we are dealing with an imposter, plain and simple."

"I tell you, she is no impostor!" I reply angrily, stamping my hoof. "I don't know why she couldn't detect Masquerade the other day, but I swear by the great Horsemaster that it was Luna I saw last night!"

"I have the utmost confidence in your judgement, North Star." Queen Majesty interjects, staring down at us from her throne. "But I also trust Masquerade's judgement, as well."

"Are you sure you saw, what you saw?" Masquerade asks. "Truth can be deceiving, as I am a perfect example of. How do you not know it was not some lackey of Tirek, or perhaps a magically disguised member of the Witches Three?"

"If it were a Tirek or Hydia scheme, I think Wind Whistler I would have been able to tell." I reply, trying to sound confident. "Besides, Masquerade was not there the other times that I met with the princess. How could she possibly make a total assessment after only one observation?"

The white Unicorn with the blue mane looks back and forth between the two of us, before tilting her golden crown forward regally, and proclaiming. "We have decided that we shall take a neutral stance on this issue, until more evidence comes forward."

Great, she's gone into her 'Queen' mode. I roll my eyes in frustration. "But my Queen, Luna is probably one of the most important ponies from the old world still alive, should we not-"

Masquerade puts her hoof to my mouth, speaking softy. "Don't bother, North Star, you know neither one of us will get anywhere with her when she's like this."

I nod in reply, then look back to Majesty. "We thank you for your time, your highness. We shall return when we have more information." We both bow, then trot out the door.

"North Star, please understand... I bear no mistrust or ill will towards you or Wind Whistler. You are loyal servants to our Queen, and I like and respect you both." She shakes her mane. "But I do greatly believe you are being led astray by a spy or foe of some sort. Trying to take advantage of your good nature, by disguising herself as a historical figure."

"Masquerade, please just go away and leave me alone." I snort. "I need some time to think."

"As you wish, good explorer." The pony master of disguise melts back into the shadows, and is gone.

I trot through the palace gardens, lost in my own thoughts. That really was Luna, wasn't it? I'm not really that gullible, am I?

I trot through the gardens, lost in my own thought. I looked over all of the beautiful roses, tulips, and marigolds... trying to put my troubles out of my mind and relax. It is then I spot a yellow earth pony with a pink mane, watering the marigolds.

"Poesy!" I yell, trotting up to her. "How's it going? I haven't seen you in awhile!"

"Oh, hello, North Star." She out down the watering can, and spoke to me in her usual timid demeanor. "I heard about what happened in Majesty's throne room, I'm so sorry."

"Oh, it's all right. I've just been asked to bring more proof to-" I look at her. "Wait, how did you find out about that so quickly?"

"Oh, I heard it through the grapevine." She replies with a giggle.

I groan at her pun, leave it to a gardener to come up with one like that. "Your garden seems a little nicer than usual." I note.

"Why yes, that's because I have so much incredible help!" She replies, smiling.

"Yes, your daughter seems to be a good little gardener herself." I note, looking across the garden at baby Poesy, whose struggling to pull a garden rake along in her mouth.

"Oh not just her!" The shy earth pony tells me. "My newest helper, right over there."

I look over at the large pond in the middle of the garden... and to my surprise, there is Quackers, herding a flock of the ducks and geese into the pond.

"That's it little ones- Quack!- into the pond now- Quack Quack!" She looks up and sees me. "Oh, hiya Nawf Stah! -Quack! -Good to see ya!"

"Hello, Baby... Quackers" I reply, surprised to see her here. "What... what are you doing down here in the garden?"

"Poesy thought I might be good with the ducks, cause of my cutie mark- quack!- I found out they can understand me, so I made friends with them, and -Quack!- ask em to move around the garden and stuff. It's lots of -quack!- fun!"

"Does... your mum know your down here?" I ask nervously.

"Nah, she'd never let me follow my 'special talent -Quack!- She wants me to be a balweenina or sumptin. -Quack!-" Quackers told me sadly. "You not tell her, pweashe? -Quack!-"

"Of course I won't tell 'er." I reply, even though I knew it was wrong not to do so. "I'll just... forget to mention it."

"By da way- Quack!- tell Baby Nawf Stah tank you for heping me find my special tawent -Quack!-"

"I'll... tell her." I just wish you could've discovered it without gaining a new color palette, and a waterfowl speech impediment.

"She's been a lot of help with the garden birds." Poesy continued. "I've never been very good with animals... except maybe bluejays."

"You? The descendant of Harmony bearer Fluttershy?" I ask in surprise. "Blimey, I thought you be great with animals!"

"Oh no! Plants are my thing! Though I do think some animals are cute." She looks away in disgust. "Except icky bugs! They eats my little babies leaves and stems, and they're all gross! Yuck!"

"I can understand that, though bugs really don't bother me." I reply. "Anyway, I think I'm going for a wee bit of a flight. cheerio, you two!"

I fly off, and up into the clouds. Far above the grounded world of the Earth and unicorn ponies, this is where a Pegasus or Flutter Pony can come to quietly collect there thoughts. It's so serene and quiet up here... almost makes one wish ponies still lived this far up in the clouds.

What should I do, confront Luna with my suspicions? Do I potentially want to insult one of the greatest heroines in Ponykind's history just because of Masquerade's paranoia?

"Greetings, young one." I hear to my left. There she is simply sitting on on of the cloud bank, and staring down at the world. "We did not expect to see you this far off the ground. Come, sit here by our side so that we may converse."

"Begging your highness's pardon, but I don't have magic like you do." I reply, hovering nearby. "I'll fall through if I try to land on an intangible gaseous body like a cloud."

She looks at me, stunned, "Can not the Pegasus still walketh on clouds? Or haveth control over the weather when they desire?"

"I'm afraid not." I reply sadly. "Nature has become an untameable beast, and will never submit to pony control again."

She touches her horn to the cloud she is resting on, and I am able to sit down beside her.

"Yet some of their weather control magic remains." She remarks candidly. "Look to yon horizon, and observeth what we hath been observing."

I look to the skies, and see two Pegasus, one pink and one green, cavorting through the clouds. The pink pony is leaping from cloud to cloud, creating the sound not unlike the beating of a drum. While at the same time, the green one is strumming the lighting, as if playing the strings of a harp. Together, they create a beautiful song that is unlike anything I have ever heard.

"That... that is amazing!" I reply, dumbfounded. "And isn't that Firefly and Medley?"

"Indeed. They they beith two Pegasus originally from Fort Rainbow Dash, though they now live with you and your kindred at Dream Castle." Princess Luna tells me. "They are the best of friends... and by achieving perfect harmony, they doth produce perfect harmony."

"Without that harmony, the Windigoes would come to Ponyland, and freeze our home solid." I reply, with a chill in my voice.

"It beith a good thing, that harmony and friendship were the one good thing to survive Equestria's fall." She adds."For in these dark times, it is Ponykind's greatest salvation."

Just then, I remember why I wanted to talk to her. "Princess, there has been some concern over your identity at the castle...." I then tell her everything that had transpired.

"So... your friend thinks I am an imposter? And your queen is suspicious of my intentions?"

"I am so sorry." I apologize. "She can just be that way sometimes."

"She has every right to question us, even as I am the real Princess Luna." She replied, shaking her mane. "Queen Majesty beith descended from the old unicorn royal family, dating back to the time of the great sundering of the pony tribes. Her ancestor, Princess Platinum, did rule the unicorns long before our sister and ourselves were even born."

"What became of the unicorn royal family during your and Celestia's rule?" I ask curiously.

"They did becometh a secondary branch of the royal household." Luna replies. "Majesty's ancestor, Prince Blueblood, was an adopted nephew of Princess Celestia and ourselves."

"And then the royal family returned to power following your departure." I look up at her. "But I wanted to ask you, Princess... why did you leave ponykind?"

She looks away, a great look of sadness crossing her face, She is about to respond, when Wind Whistler came frantically flying up through the clouds.

"North Star! You need you return to the castle at once!" She whinnys at me, nearly out of breath. "Something terrible has happened!"

I look over to the Princess... who is gone again, as usual. Sighing, I ask. "What is it this time? Did Baby North Star steal Applejack's apple crop again?"

"There's been a murder at the castle!" She whinny's back. "One of the palace mares is dead!"

Without a word, I follow Wind Whistler back down towards the surface, saying a silent prayer to the horsemaster that this has nothing to do with Luna....