Changing Lanes

by AutoPony

Chapter 8

The few days since returning back to the correct body have been relatively uneventful, a welcome change after that two-day ordeal. Most of that time you've spent relaxing and catching up on much-needed sleep. Absent, however, has been Luna's presence. She has not visited you in the evenings since everything went back to normal. While you are certain she is likely busy catching up on matters, you miss seeing her.

As you lay inverted in the front seat of your Superbird, you head the muffled thump of hooves contacting the ground nearby, before hoofsteps begin to make their way towards you.

"Hey, Anon," Rainbow Dash says, poking her head into the open driver's side door. She cocks her head sideways as you turn away from the underside of the dashboard to look at her. "Uh, what are you doing?"

Carefully, you twist and turn your way back to a correct seated position. "Trying to get the tachometer gauge to work again. It just randomly jumps around from time to time, rather than read what the engine is actually doing" you say, pointing to the aforementioned dial.

Rainbow glances over at the instrument cluster, before focusing back on you. Her blank stare is all you need to tell you she didn't pay attention when you explained all these dials previously.

"It's not working right, I either have a plug loose or a broken wire," you say. Rainbow Dash nods at your short answer.

"If you want, I can look in the compartment at the front of this thing," she calls out while walking towards the open engine bay.

"Thanks, sounds like a plan to me," you reply back. "I'll keep looking through the mess of wires under here." You worm your way around the front seat again, until you can see underneath the dashboard. More than likely, you will regret laying in this awkward position when you wake up tomorrow.

As both of you work in silence, you begin to hear another sound outside the car after a time, barely audible. You can't quite put your finger on what the muffled sound is, but you've heard it before.

"Greetings, Anonymous," a voice sings, causing you to jump a bit. Turning your head, you find Luna's smiling face looking down at you from the open driver's window. Your heart skips a beat, excited to see her as you once again go through the process of sitting upright. Luna backs away from the door as you open it and step out of the car.

Oddly, Rainbow Dash is nowhere to be found. She must have gotten bored and left without you noticing, you figure.

"Where have you been the last few days? I missed having you around," you say, causing the night princess to blush a bit.

"Yes, our sincerest apologies, Anon," Luna says. "We have been catching up on royal matters with Celestia, not to mention filling her in on the happenings of recent."

Instinctively, you cringe. "So, how did that newsflash go over?" you ask.

"Celestia was..... less than enthused. She was relieved there was in fact nothing wrong with me," Luna says, taking a moment to blow a stray wisp of her mane away from her face. "But Tia was not fond of my experimentation with such obscure spells."

"She isn't mad at me for not saying anything, is she?"

Luna shakes her head with a slight smile. "Not at all. My sister was understanding in the predicament you faced. Secretly, I think she was impressed at how well you did impersonating me."

As pleasant as she was to be around, you were still a bit nervous that Celestia might be upset. You breathe a bit better knowing it's not an issue, considering she holds the power to banish you from existence.

"And how did she feel about me almost letting Nightmare Moon out?" you ask. Luna seems uncomfortable, playing with her mane.

"I didn't mention that, considering the situation is now under control," she says. You begin to protest her decision, but stop. If she feels it is not an issue that needs to be addressed, you trust her.

"Alright Luna," you say. "So what are you up to now?"

"I actually must get back to the castle," she says, looking over the horizon at the late afternoon sun. "I just stopped by to assure you everything is well."

You flash her a smile, glad to hear from her. "Thanks for letting me know. I was getting worried," you say, as you open the Superbird's door to resume work. An unseen force lightly tugs you back, and as you look down at yourself, you find Luna's magical aura gripping you.

"You did not expect me to leave without a hug, did you?" she says, giving you a sly smile. She rears up on her hind legs, placing her hooves on your shoulders. She gives you a tight squeeze, as you do the same, a bit surprised by her rather aggressive embrace.

"Or perhaps a bit more," she says, her grin growing wider as she leans in.

---

"Anon!" Rainbow's voice rings out, causing you to smack your head on the underside of the dashboard.

Wait, under the dashboard?

"Ow! Dammit, what?" you ask, rubbing your forehead out of pain and confusion. Craning your neck, you find Rainbow Dash smirking at you, holding back laughter.

"You managed to fall asleep. Laying like that," she says, acknowledging your befuddlement. "And by the way, I found a loose plug.

Rainbow helps you up and out of the car, before directing you to an unhooked wire in the engine back. How did you manage to miss that earlier?

"Yep, that's probably it. I'm embarrassed I didn't see that before," you tell her as you hook it back up.

"Speaking of embarrassing, what were you dreaming about?" she asks, her smirk growing bigger by the second.

"I don't know what you're talking about," you lie.

"Right, so you were just mumbling about Luna for no reason," Rainbow retorts. You feel your face grow hot.

"Don't worry about it Dash. And if you bring it up with Luna, I'll kill you."

Dash laughs at your threat. "You know, Luna watches over dreams in Equestria. She would probably be able to tell me about it," she teases.

"Really? She can see other people- er, ponies' dreams?" you ask? This is the first time you have heard of such a thing. Rainbow nods her head.

"Yeah. I mean, she is the princess of the night, after all. In fact, she can control dreams, and even appear in your dreams," Rainbow explains.

Perhaps that dream was not just a dream then? You doubt there is really any way to find out aside from directly asking Luna.

---

Sure enough, that loose wire was the culprit to the tachometer's erratic behavior.

Over the proceeding couple hours, Dash and you blast across the countryside, her in the air and you pounding down the roads. Through the various impromptu races to various landmarks, the two of you split about evenly in wins.

Rainbow Dash has outstanding agility, but she is no match for the Superbird's straight-line speed. In fact, the only pony that has shown to be a match has been Luna, in the few times she has raced you. But as you found out personally, her large wingspan does not lend itself to quick direction shifts.

You had noticed Luna was bothered by being unable to beat you, and never understood why. Of course, with her past pedigree in racing coming to light, it makes more sense.

Now as the sun begins to set, you keep a hopeful eye out for Luna, while cruising over to Twilight's home, the Golden Oaks Library.

You shut off the engine and leave the keys in the ignition, climbing out slowly after sitting in the seat for a few hours. Heading up to the treebrary, you pause and knock on the front door. Normally you would just walk in, as it is a public library, but it is beginning to get late in the day.

"We're closed for the day," you hear Twilight call out from within. It strikes you as odd, considering she is more than happy to welcome visitors into her home at nearly any time of day.

"Twilight, it's me, Anon," you say. "I just came over for a vis-" Before you can finish your sentence, the door opens just enough for you to be forcefully pulled in. You stumble as the door slams behind you, aided by the glow of Twilight's magic.

"Uh, alright then," you say in shock. Looking over Twilight, her mane is somewhat disheveled, while her face tells you she is clearly stressed about something.

"Sorry, sorry," Twilight says in a burst of nervous energy. You pat her on the head, trying to calm her down a bit.

"Relax, Twi. What's eating at you?" you quietly ask. In response, she levitates up a scroll with her magic.

"I just got a letter from Princess Celestia," Twilight says. You are perplexed by her answer, considering she and the princess regularly exchange messages.

"Okay," you say cautiously. "I'm assuming this isn't just a normal friendly letter, otherwise you wouldn't be stressed out."

"Princess Luna is missing, Anon," Twilight finally blurts out. Dumbfounded, it takes you a few seconds to process her words.

"Missing? As in, not even her sister knows where she is?" you ask, a shake of Twilight's head answering your question. As time ticks by, your head fills with worry, and yet more questions.

"How long has she been gone? Do you think it could be a result of the hallucinations I had afflicting her?" you ask in rapid succession. Twilight motions for you to slow down before a sudden bright light fills the room. It takes some time for your sight to return, finding Princess Celestia standing in front of you and Twilight.

"Good evening Twilight, Anonymous," she says with a radiant smile. It strikes you as odd, considering the fact her sister is missing.

"Princess Celestia, have you heard any news of Luna?" Twilight asks frantically. Celestia's smile dims down.

"No, I am afraid not," Celestia says, her voice monotone, devoid of emotion. "I have been unable to contact her via our link, and the information regarding Anon's encounters with Nightmare Moon you shared with me in your correspondence only makes this more unsettling."

So it seems Luna didn't tell her big sis about your hallucinations. Maybe that dream earlier was her? You briefly consider sharing but decide against it, too embarrassed.

Meanwhile, Celestia notices you have been quiet this whole time, and turns her focus to you.

"Anonymous, I want you to know I do not blame you for this," she says, stepping towards you and resting her hoof on your shoulder in reassurance.

"Even if it is my fault, letting Nightmare Moon loose and all? I mean, what if she is gravely injured? How many ponies know of her disappearance and are looking for her?" you inquire at a rapid pace.

Celestia closes her eyes, focusing on one question at a time.

"Anonymous, it is not your fault that you were afflicted by Nightmare Moon's trickery. In fact, even I did not know she was still harbored within my sister's mind," she says, wincing at the utterance of that sinister name.

"As for your other questions, I have as many guards as I can afford to spare searching for Luna as we speak. However, it is also my duty as Princess to make sure the kingdom has nothing to fear nor worry them, so I have kept quiet up to this point as far as notifying the public," Celestia says.

She pauses a moment, mulling over your last question before continuing. "Lastly, I am not exactly concerned for her physical health, more her mental state, considering the fact we are both immortal."

You aren't quite sure you heard her right the first time. "Wait, you two can't die?" you ask.

Celestia seems surprised at your question, as her eyes grow bigger.

"You mean you didn't know? I would have assumed somepony had told you by now," she says.

"I mean, I knew you two have been around for a long time. I know about Luna's past," you say, as Celestia solemnly nods. "But you two can't get injured at all?"

Understanding what you are getting at, Celestia chuckles a bit. "Well, we aren't that fortunate. You see, if we take ill enough or serious injury to a point where a normal being would pass, Luna and I merely turn to ash, and rise from the flames. Quite similar to a phoenix, really."

You can't resist asking yet another question. "So, how did you two figure out you had this gift? if you don't mind me asking, that is."

"Luna was always a bit of a daredevil when flying. That's all I will say for now," Celestia says with a smile. She looks over at Twilight, her face turning serious once again.

"I will be in touch if I find any information. Twilight, I am counting on you and Anonymous to keep quiet about this for now, for the sake of peace of mind for Equestria's citizens," she says, turning her eyes back to you.

Both you and Twilight silently nod in agreement, as Celestia's horn begins to glow.

"I must return to Canterlot now. As I said, I will be in touch." With a flash, the Princess disappears.

"So she expects us to sit here? And wait?" you wonder aloud.

"You heard her, Anon," Twilight says in a rather condescending tone. "This needs to be kept quiet. I'm sure Luna will be fine."

"Sure, whatever," you grumble. "I guess I'll just head home then." As you reach for the door, you feel a tug on your shirt, looking down to see Twilight's magic with a grip on you.

"Anonymous, don't," Twilight pleads. You turn back around to face her.

"Don't what? Go home?" you ask. While you understand what she is implying, you play stupid. Twilight shakes her head.

"You know what I mean. Go home, get some sleep. Nothing else," she demands.

"Alright, I'll behave. Goodnight, Twily," you tease. You have found she hates that name, so you enjoy using it when you can.

Twilight says nothing as she glares at you. With a chuckle, you head out of her home, closing the door lightly behind you.

Night has fully descended at this point, the air already getting a bit crisp as you slide into the front seat of your car and hit the key. The engine turns over quickly, settling into an aggressive burble.

As you slowly creep away from Twilight's home's, you flick on your lights, the pods in the nose popping up and illuminating the dusty road in front of you.

"I'm not going to be able to trust you, am I?" Twilight's voice rings out from behind you, in the back seat. While you didn't know she was there, it hardly surprises you.

"No, probably not," you respond, beckoning her with a wave of the hand to join you up front. Awkwardly, the purple alicorn makes her way to the passenger seat, trying a few seated postures before settling on her haunches as normal. "So we're good to go?"

Twilight gives you a look of pure disapproval. "Just shut up and go."

You come to the realization this is the first time you've had her in the car with you. She did say she wanted to 'go', right? With a smile, you mat the throttle, throwing Twilight into the seatback as she lets out a scream in unison with the engine's RPMs.

The speedometer does a steady climb, as the tachometer in front of you does its rhythmic dance in time with your shifts. When you hit one hundred, you let the throttle breathe, as the Superbird coasts down to a more comfortable, leisurely speed.

"What was that about?!" Twilight yells, her voice a bit shaky.

"It occurred to me this is your first ride-along," you say, smiling at her. "I did the same for Luna, I wanted to make it memorable."

"How about keeping it more civil from now on," she says in disapproval. You sigh and nod your head in agreement.

"So where should we look, Twilight? You know Equestria way better than I do," you say, hoping for a good idea. Twilight merely crosses her forelegs.

"This was your bright idea to disobey Princess Celestia," she grumbles, turning her head to look out the window. "I have a bad feeling about this, personally."

Just as she finishes her sentence, a loud thump echoes through the car, as if you've hit something in the road. Reflexively, you jam the brakes, sliding the car to a halt as Twilight struggles to keep from falling forward.

"What the hell was that?" you exclaim.

"Don't ask me, you're the one driving," Twilight replies, frustrated. "Weren't you watching where you were going?"

You look up in your rearview mirror, hoping to see something. Unfortunately, the dark of night makes it nearly impossible to see anything. Reluctantly, you open your door and climb out of the car, killing the ignition and taking your keys.

Rather than open the door, Twilight teleports next to you as you make your way down the trail, the sound of gravel crunching underneath mixing with the sounds of nighttime rural Equestria.

"I didn't feel anything when we heard that sound, are you sure we hit something?" Twilight asks after a quick search of the previous few hundred feet.

"I don't know what else it would have been Twilight," you tell her, feeling a bit uneasy. She continues to fidget nervously.

Suddenly, the night air is filled with the sound of a vintage Chrysler starter winding up, followed by the deep rumble of the engine as it fires. You whirl around on your heels, seeing your Superbird's lights come on.

"Didn't you turn the car off when we got out?" Twilight asks nervously. You merely pull your keys out of your pocket, twirling them around your index finger.

While the two of you stand in shock, the ass end of the car whips around with a rev of its engine, before lunging forward, towards you.

"Run!" Twilight yells. You grab her before she can, feeling her struggle against you as you stare off the Superbird's headlights. It quickly closes in, only about a hundred feet away.

"Anon, have you lost your mind?!" she cries, almost in hysterics. Just as the two of you are fully illuminated by the mechanical beast, you throw Twilight off to one side, before jumping in the opposite direction, landing on your back.

The Superbird growls past the both of you, before sliding to a stop. Just as you begin to get back on your feet, the engine cuts out, and all is silent once again.

"You could have told me you were going to do that," Twilight grumbles as she rises to her hooves, joining your side.

"There wasn't any time," you tell her. Slowly, the two of you creep towards your car, wary of any sudden sounds or movements.

You jump as the trunk lid suddenly creaks open, and a familiar face pops up from the abyss.

"Good evening," Luna says with a horrible Dracula impersonation.

"Luna?! What the hell?" you stammer. Your mind tries to make sense of what is going on as the night princess climbs out of the trunk, closing it behind her.

"You never said you were going to do... that!" Twilight yells out, taking a step towards the smirking blue alicorn.

"No, but that omission made it possible for me to scare you as well," Luna says.

"Wait, wait, so all of this has been a practical joke?" you ask in shock.

"Happy early Nightmare Night," Luna says. "Twilight and my sister helped me with it. She was right, you are fun to scare."

You just stare at her, completely at a loss for words.

"I think this is perhaps the best prank we have pulled, he is absolutely speechless!" Luna exclaims.

"Oh, sorry, I'm still trying to get my heart rate back to a normal level," you mutter, your hand on your chest.

Luna stares at you as if you have spoken gibberish, as you realize she never moved her lips when she said that.

"Whoa, Luna. What's going on?" you say, a bit scared.

"I... do not know," she replies. She focuses her eyes on you, as you suddenly hear her voice in your head.

"Can you hear me?" she asks.

You slowly nod your head, wide-eyed and dumbfounded.

"What's going on you two?" Twilight asks. "You're creeping me out."

"it seems somehow... Anonymous and I can speak to each other. Telepathically." Luna says, her eyes still focused on you.

What the hell is going on?

Comments

[ADFX-NightRaven414]

oooeck!

[Thunder--Clash]

Loving it

[Derpy_DragonV1]

"I didn't mention that, considering the situation is now under control," she says. You begin to protest her decision, but stop. If she feels it is not an issue that needs to be addressed, you trust her.

*Sigh*
All it would take. Is one bad day for nm to get loose.