"Love is in bloom! A beautiful bride, a handsome groom..."
Screams and cheers erupted from a massive crowd as Princess Cadence and Shining Armor did their first dance as a married couple. Rhubarb and Merry watched on, cheering and stomping hooves just as much as anypony else. A few seconds later, Rhubarb was caught by surprise as Merry grabbed him and held him in her arms, leaning back to dance. Although nervous, he complied to her wishes and danced. As it turned out, he was a fine dancer when Merry May led.
Just about everypony was dancing that night. Rhubarb and Merry, Shining Armor and Princess Cadence, Rainbow Dash and Soarin', and even Sweetie Belle and Spike. At one point Rarity even gave in and danced with Spike (well, as much as they could with height difference.) Applejack played the fiddle and created sweet country music. Merry laughed in the background as she spied Pinkie Pie gorging herself with sweets. If only for awhile, Scales forgot his woes.
Finally, near the end of the night, right as Merry May was swinging Rhubarb down, her eyes caught onto a nearby clock tower. The massive clock read eleven. Alarmed, she dropped Rhubarb flat on his back and gasped. Rhubarb gave a groan and coughed. "What was that for?"
"The bride and groom are leaving in twenty minutes and I'm not even by the carriage or with my flower petals! Sorry, love you, gotta go, see you shortly by the train station," she said as she flew off. Had she flown off any faster, no doubt a trail of smoke would be following her path in the night sky. Rhubarb watched her speed off, and he turned to the tables where catering was and got himself a glass of punch. A green glow surrounded his cup as he lifted it to his lips.
He pulled it away from his face just long enough to see Pinkie Pie bouncing up to him. "Rhubarb, Rhubarb, Rhubarb!" she gave him a tackling hug, which would've sent his drink flying. Had it not been suspended in midair by magic, that is. Rhubarb fell to the ground and Pinkie laughed. The changeling simply laughed as well.
"Nice to see you, too, Pinkie." He got up and brushed himself off. He began to sip from the cup again. Pinkie then bounced off to the next pony to be tackle-hugged. Slowly he looked around. Nopony seemed to notice him for the moment. He then began to walk around the castle, until he found a nice spot overlooking the city and country right along the western reach of the palace. There was a stone bench set out to sit and look out.
He took a seat and stared out at the starry sky, mingled with the leftover smoke of fireworks. The city below twinkled and shined as the festivities ran through the streets. Ponies young and old ran rampant with confetti and treats, balloons in tow. The surrounding country was mostly empty except for a train chugging along, gentle puffs of smoke rising out from it. It lay silent, an ocean of darkness with an island of light and partying. Scales should've felt amazed, awed by the beautiful sight. Instead, a different feeling came.
A deep feeling of guilt and forlorn hope returned to him. The party was over for him. As much as Rhubarb hated feeling sorry for himself, he couldn't help it. Helplessness was painful, and mingled with guilt made it worse. When he was distracted, he was fine. When he was idle and with free time to think...that was bad. That was very bad.
Woeful, he kept his feelings to himself and looked out over the city. For a moment, he swore he heard a swooshing noise behind him. The stallion shrugged it off as probably just a bat or two. When the noise was accompanied by the sound of hooves touching the ground, he looked behind himself. What he found was not what he was expecting.
Princess Luna stood behind him, meeting his gaze collectedly. He stumbled over his own hooves to bend down in a bow immediately, almost tripping over the bench to do so. "Your majesty." he remarked, a little embarrassed by his depressed display.
"Arise. What is your name?" she replied.
"Rhubarb, your majesty."
"I notice you are not partaking in merry-making any longer. What ails you?"
"I..."
"Do not hesitate to tell me," Luna said kindly, "it is my duty to help my subjects when I can clearly see something is wrong."
"It's nothing you need to be concerned about, Princess Luna." he commented anxiously. "I just...I've been feeling down lately."
"For what reason?"
He stiffened. "I just...I did something bad recently. I knew something was going to happen but I didn't say anything because I was scared. And then it happened and ponies got hurt. That means it's my fault."
Luna did not ask what it was. She didn't want to make this unicorn any more uncomfortable. "Cowardly indeed." she stated. Rhubarb frowned, and she frowned as well. "But do not mistake my words. I, too, have done bad things." She shuddered and looked to the sky sadly for a moment before looking back to her subject. "Take a princess's advice. If you do bad things, it's understandable to be sad. But nothing changes if you merely mope." Rhubarb looked back to her, hoping to understand what she was to say. "You can't allow these bad things to follow you and darken the rest of your life. The best thing you can do is move on.
"I recognize this is much easier said than done, but it is possible. Be a good pony instead. Be loving and gentle and understanding, just as others might forgive you if you do wrong. If you can help others, help them, and if you cannot, help by doing something else...I notice your cutie mark is a pie. Thou art a baker? I tried thy delicious yet fattening cupcakes." she guessed.
Although a little confused by her archaic language, he nodded. "Then keep making those cupcakes and pies and keep making those sweets. Fill ponies' hearts and stomachs with love." The princess giggled a bit. "Above all, forgive yourself. What's done is done and you can't go back to fix it. Might as well learn from it and be good in the future."
Rhubarb was shocked by the princess's kind words of wisdom. Luna, the princess who had been in prison for a thousand years and separated from her sister. Luna, the princess who vowed to plunge the world into eternal night. Luna...the princess who spent a moment to help a pony in need like him. True, she had done bad things. But now? Now she was good. Luna did little things like this for little ponies like him. And it really did help.
"Thank you, your majesty." He sniffled and wiped a tear from his eye. "Those words. They help a lot."
"It is my job along with bringing the night." She smirked slightly, proudly. "Pray tell, where are you heading now?"
"I'm heading to the train station for Ponyville. My girlfriend is waiting for me there so we can go home. I have work tomorrow." he said with a yawn.
"A hard worker. Admirable. I can teleport you, if you so wish, with my magic to the train station." the princess offered.
"Wow...really?"
"Really."
"Thank you so much. Is there anything I can do to repay you for everything?" Scales asked. The princess was about to say no, when she looked to his cutie mark again and paused.
"Actually, yes. I tried your cupcakes at the dessert table and they were good. Can you make me a blackberry cobbler and sent it to the castle within a few days?"
"Done and done." He shook hooves with the princess, and with a flash of her magic, he was teleported to the train station. Shortly after, he found Merry May, and both boarded the midnight train to Ponyville. Within a few moments of the train taking off, both had fallen asleep against each other. They slept silently in peace, and the train chugged and puffed the way home.
Aww, a lovely little end.
Hurray a new chapter!
-reads-
Oh no! No more chapters!
What are you talking about? Twi isn't even close to Luna, and above all, she isn't even a princess. She merely acquired a flight pack, and thats it.
images.wikia.com/mlp/images/d/d0/FANMADE_So_much_yay.gif
2793018 what does "jsyk" mean?
2793074 Finally another Twilacorn lover! And same.... I just feel like I have to choose between Luna and Twilight -.-
Oh yeah, and another fantastic chapter!
So will Rhubarb be found out by everyone else or not?
2793126 ok
(my impluse is to press enter and its annoying me a bit :(
Huh...
I was completely convinced that this chapter was going to be his big reveal.
2793074 Nah, man. I'm just stating the truth.
2793132 I love both... But I just don't know how to break the news to both of them. *joking*
And it's not like it was That big of a surprise :)
You mean he got away from the wedding without his cover being blown? What is this witchcraft!
Have not read yet. Its featured, though, and I felt I should mention something.
Your description box seems like it reveals way too much of the plot. I think that something much, much shorter would grab attention better, maybe...
I dunno if that would match up with your personal changeling fannon, but that's my snap judgement that it's too much.
PS. Looking at your author page, it looks like you did the same on your other stories, too. I dunno, I've just noticed that it seems the most read stories tend to have short synopses... Or maybe that's just the type of story that tends to grab my attention. Anyways, on to read! (because I want something new tonight)
No disguises breaking!? This isn't possible. How could this happen? Quick! Someone hit him with a falling anvil!
2793841
Looks quite a bit better, yes. Maybe instead of 'he finds peace' more like 'hoping to find peace' and leave it at that. Like I said, usually don't want to give away too much, just enough to get a reader interested.
I've gotten halfway through the prologue. Do you have a pre-reader/editor? There are some grammar/awkward phrasing issues.
No security catching him? Almost feel disappointed... but only almost. This was great as is and adorable. Please sir, more whenever you can write it.
Hm, i like it
Hrnnnn why is this so good
*Sniff*
I think I was a littler teary-eyed at the end...
waiting patiently for veritable shitstorm.
*stabs the A/N repeatedly* NO. >____>
Aside from that, yay Luna! Although I was worried for a moment that somehow Luna's teleport spell would somehow interfere with his shapeshifting one and cause him to end up at the station with his disguise lowered in front of several ponies- like the element-bearers or something. xD
2793152Nah, man. You're just stating an opinion.
And speaking of opinions, I have one on this chapter! It was a cute read and the scene with Lulu was long coming!
i like this story, its cute :)
2796231... Surely you jest?
2796235
Sorry, I've heard of many, many people but this "Fuast" person is alien to me.
2796266 Heresy!
...
...
2796327
?
Seriously, I might be uninformed. Please explain to me who this "Fuast" person is. If that's okay with you.
2796355 Oh... Well my good sir, as you know Luaren Fuast is the creator of mlp fim. In my stories/headcannon she is the "creator" and Celestia, Luna, Discord, etc are her children. I'm not the first person to feature her as a deity. She's also been called "Fuastia" "The Records Keeper" and "Queen Fuast".
2796418
...
No she isn't. Where ever did you get this information?
2796428 Are you denying that it's Fuast's name displayed after the intro? Or are you simply denying my headcannon?
2796440
Well, yes. I've seen a name after the intro, the same name many times but never "Fuast"
Many you should watch that intro again...
2796480 .... .... oh my...... I've been spelling it wrong this whole time...
Faust - Fuast.... how in Tartarus...
My apologies...
2796493
Finally. I knew that, I was just messing with you. It was rather fun conversing with you, sir. I hope you have wonderful endeavors writing fanfics about LAUREN FAUST's world of ponies.
To end off,
Lol you two are funny
2796555 Well played sir, well played...
Well now I feel crunchy... great song
MOAR! Also, congrats, your writing is getting less awkward.
2793834 Sorry i'm using that anvil for crafting
Hmm, does Luna know as well? Are they trying to show that they understand.
So Luna and Twilight are tied huh?
derpicdn.net/media/W1siZiIsIjIwMTMvMDQvMDIvMjFfNDdfMDFfODcyXzI4NjQyMl9fVU5PUFRfX3NhZmVfcHJpbmNlc3NfbHVuYV9zb2xvX2JlZHJvb21fZXllc193ZXRfbWFuZV9yYWluX3BvcnRyYWl0X3dldF9hcnRpc3RfemVkcmluLnBuZyJdXQ/286422__safe_princess-luna_solo_bedroom-eyes_wet-mane_rain_portrait_wet_artist-zedrin.png
Nah, Luna wins.
Magic: Better than an airplane flight.
I have a weird tingly feeling in my stomach that something bad is going to happen...
Nah, love always wins.
Why I love Luna