Little Keys

by Skijarama

A Display of Generosity

Moondancer awoke feeling like death. She lifted her head from her pillow as the first rays of the morning sun filtered in through her old ratty curtains. She could see the motes of dust flitting to and fro in the air, reminding her of the squalor she called home. A series of long-familiar aches and pains across her body reminded her of their presence as she lifted herself off her lumpy mattress.

She sat on the edge of her bed for several long seconds, idly kicking her hind legs as her mind caught up with the rest of her. She didn’t have any pressing obligations today that she could think of. Without a job, she basically had nothing but free time. If only she had the resources to enjoy said free time…

Her thoughts momentarily flickered back to her conversation with Twilight the other day, and her already unpleasant mood soured further. Her run-ins with that sanctimonious mare had been hounding her thoughts ever since they had chanced to bump into each other on the street. And now it seemed like Twilight was steadfastly refusing to just leave her be. Even the sanctity of her own thoughts wasn’t safe from her anymore.

With a growl of frustration, Moondancer shook her head, forcing herself to shove the memories aside. She didn’t want to deal with them. She wouldn’t deal with them. She had more important matters to fill her time with. With a huff, she rose to her hooves and made her way to take a shower.

The aches and pains in her muscles receded under the assault of the hot water, and she felt her senses coming alive and awake. Once she was clean - or as clean as she could reasonably be expected to be, given her accommodations - she had a quick breakfast of leftover donuts - courtesy of Twilight - threw on her ratty old sweatshirt, and stepped out of her apartment.

She wasn’t entirely sure where she was going. She rarely ever did these days. Often she would just find herself wandering aimlessly, letting her eyes draw her to whatever caught her attention. Sometimes it was a listing for a job opening, sometimes it was a street performer. Sometimes it was other ponies who had it even worse than she did in the wake of the invasion or Midnight’s rampage. Whatever it was, it would be better than just standing idly around in her apartment. It was a roof over her head, but that was it.

Moondancer’s wanderings took her from the dingy backstreets where her apartment was located, and out into the wider streets of Canterlot. She allowed her senses to absorb the sensations around her as she walked. The cool mountain air filled her lungs. The distant calls and responses of the birds. The muted chatter of the morning crowds slowly swelling their ranks as more and more ponies came out to join the day. The fresh smell of coffee and pastries as street-corner cafes met the needs of their customers.

Simple things. Pleasant things. The day-to-day of normal life passing her by without a care. She soaked it all in like the rays of the sun, using it all to ground herself. For as many troubles as she faced, the world still turned and moved. It helped put her troubles into perspective. It didn’t mean she could easily banish them. But it gave her a moment to breathe and think.

She momentarily stopped in at one of the aforementioned cafes to pick up a bagel and a mug of coffee, then made her way to one of Canterlot’s many scenic parks. A wide-open field, with squares of land set aside for playground equipment where foals could enjoy themselves. A few paths of aesthetically pleasing cobblestone wound between artistically arranged copses of trees and bushes, affording grown-ups a place to meander around.

Moondancer found one of the benches and got comfortable, taking in a deep breath. From this point in the city, none of what was left of the damage done during the changeling invasion was visible. It was a perfect slice of peace within Canterlot as she remembered it. Moondancer closed her eyes and took in a series of slow, deep breaths.

She wasn’t sure how long she was like that before something disturbed her sleepless rest. She heard the fluttering of wings, and the gentle click of talons alighting on the backrest of the bench. Annoyed, Moondancer opened her eyes and turned to glare at the offending bird.

She blinked in surprise. It was a black bird, like a crow or a raven, but somehow off. The angles of its tail feathers didn’t match either of those birds, and its face was slightly too short. Its eyes were a vibrant shade of sapphire blue and twinkled with remarkable intelligence. But the most unorthodox thing about the surprise animal was the folded-up sheet of parchment held in its beak.

“What?” Moondancer asked quietly, staring at the bird in confusion. It hopped toward her before leaning forward, giving off a quiet trill. Did this thing want her to take the parchment? Moondancer furrowed her brow and gingerly took the paper in her magic, half expecting the bird to protest as its find was taken from it. To her surprise, it released the parchment with a happy nod.

Moondancer’s mind was already running on all cylinders. “Okay, so clearly intelligent… judging by the eyes, I’d say you’re probably a magical creation of some sort. A familiar, maybe? An arcane messanger?”

The bird just jerked its beak at the parchment. Then, without a sound, it spread its wings and took to the air, soon vanishing behind nearby trees. Moondancer felt the urge to try and catch it with her magic, and for a moment her horn flared with light to do just that. Eventually, however, she decided against the waste of energy. Now curious, she unfolded the parchment and began to read.

Apologies for the unusual greetings.

I’d have come to see you face to face,

but I think we both find little joy in typical meetings.

A mystery, then - or rather, a race.

I would meet with you, Moondancer,

And I would give you a present.

But no fun is to be had in a straight answer,

And I know the allure of a riddle’s scent.

My little friend - you know of whom I speak.

He will have flown north. Follow him.

Over cobble and feather to the mountain’s peak,

Where knowledge sleeps and sings sunlight’s hymn.

Should the path become obscured,

And should your way be lost,

Then turn your gaze heavenward,

And find where the blackbirds crossed.

At journey’s end, I shall await.

I yearn to meet with you.

I pray that you can conquer your fate.

And that I can, too.

Moondancer read the poem a few more times, her brow furrowing with every repetition, and her mind racing. Who in the world could have sent her this? Whoever it was, they had been aiming for a sort of flourishing style with their writing, no doubt trying to make the words look fancier than they really were, and only mostly succeeded. Moondancer was very quick to pick out the tacked-on tail on that lowercase b!

She contemplated tossing it away. No good could come of listening to the instructions of a mysterious note given to her by a unique black bird. It was all just too suspicious…

But the note had been right about one thing. The alluring scent of this mystery was just a bit too enticing for the troubled academic to ignore. And so, with a huff, Moondancer rose from her bench.

“Follow the bird, huh?” she asked, gazing off to where the blackbird had vanished beyond the tree. “And keep my eyes on the sky? I think I can do that.”

With that, she set off at a brisk pace, curious - and apprehensive - about what awaited her at the journey’s end.

---

Twilight looked at it all with an equal mixture of anxiety and hope.

The inside of the observatory had undergone a remarkable transformation in the last twenty-four hours. A transformation she knew she never could have accomplished all on her own. Decorative banners stretched across the high ceiling, while various folding tables were arranged around the edges of the central chamber. There was also a large array of speakers - borrowed from a DJ down in Ponyville - that presided over the clear space in the heart of the room. ‘The dance floor,’ she had said.

Twilight wasn’t entirely sure if a dance floor was really what this event called for, but she wasn’t the expert.

The expert was currently chatting it up with Minuette and Rarity a little ways away. Pinkie Pie was bobbing energetically in place, thrilled to have been brought in to do what she did best. Thanks to some swift flying from Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie had been brought up from Ponyville to assist them in their plans.

Things had gone even better than expected when Pinkie Pie and Minuette turned out to already know each other. Apparently, Minuette spent a lot of time with her when she was down in Ponyville visiting Lyra, another member of their old friend group that Twilight had let fall out of her life. Thanks to that, the two had fallen into near-perfect synchronization when it came to putting all of this together.

A party for Moondancer, housed in Twilight’s observatory, where the deed to the tower would be passed on to the guest of honor - among other things. Everything was ready. All they needed now was for Moondancer to appear…

Twilight shifted uneasily in place, looking this way and that for any sign of their chosen messenger and guide. As of now, however, she saw no sign of the birds in question.

“Come on, you two,” she thought, shifting uncomfortably on her hooves. “Where are you…?”

“Oh! Somepony’s gone all frowny face again!” Came Pinkie’s sing-song voice from nearby. Startled, Twilight turned to her as she and Minuette walked up. “Are you still worried?”

Twilight nodded. “A little bit, yeah. She was pretty volatile last time I saw her,” she confessed, looking around at the prepared party once again. “All of this is wonderful, and I imagine she’d like it any other time. Or, at least, she’d appreciate the effort. But… coming from me?”

Minuette pulled Twilight into an affectionate side hug. “Aww, c’mon Twilight. Have a little faith. It’s not like things can get any-”

Pinkie’s hoof suddenly pressed itself to Minuette’s mouth, silencing her. Pinkie’s expression was paradoxically serious. “No! None of that! No Jinxies!” she commanded. “If you say things can’t get worse, they will get worse! Them’s the rules!”

Pinkie withdrew her hoof, drawing a bewildered blink and tilt of the head from Minuette. “Huh?”

Pinkie just grinned. “Haha, please,” she said before turning and pronking away, singing a little diddy to herself as she went.

The two watched her go for a few moments longer. Then Minuette chuckled and lightly elbowed Twilight in the ribs. “Well, either way. Fretting about it now won’t do anypony any good, Twilight. So come on, try to relax, mmkay?”

“Quite right. We’ve all done just about everything we can do for now, dear. Why don’t you sit down and take a rest? You’ve been running yourself ragged all day trying to get this set up,” Another voice added from behind. Twilight turned to see Rarity standing there, a warm - if tired- smile on her face. A face that was, Twilight couldn’t help but notice, sprinkled with the occasional bit of residual confetti or glitter.

Twilight was still not entirely convinced, but she knew well enough that it was pointless to argue with Rarity or any of her friends when they got uppity about her anxiety. Probably a good thing, really.

Unfortunately, there wouldn’t be a chance for her to sit down and relax. A thud from high above signaled the opening of an upper window. Twilight looked up, spotting Rainbow Dash soaring down for them from up above, followed closely by two blackbirds, one on either side.

Twilight felt a lump of dread and tension forming in her chest. “She’s coming. It’s time,” she muttered under her breath.

Rarity gave her a reassuring nod. “You will be fine, darling.”

Twilight took a moment to absorb the reassurance before stepping forward to meet Rainbow Dash as she touched back down. At the last second, the birds beside her both erupted into emerald flames, and Thorax and Spiracle emerged from the embers.

Thorax grinned. “Hook, likn, and sinker. She ate the note right up and followed us without a second of hesitation!” he declared triumphantly, thumping a hoof to his chest.

“She’ll be here any moment,” Spiracle added. “She spotted us flying in through the window.”

“Which means she totally knows that we’re behind that note,” Rainbow added, dusting off her flank with a few flicks of her wing. “Still dunno why you wanted me to write it, though…”

Twilight walked up to Rainbow and gave the mare a quick peck of a kiss, drawing an embarrassed squawk out of her. Twilight idly noted how Spiracle looked away uncomfortably and licked her lips at the display, but did not comment on it. When she drew back, she gave Rainbow a smirk. “She knows my horn writing, Dash, not yours. It was to keep her off the trail until she was in too deep to back out.”

“Sly,” Spiracle pointed out. “I like it.”

Rainbow shot her a look. “You would.”

Spiracle shrugged. She smirked slightly. “I was a spy.”

“Either way,” Twilight interjected before that discussion could continue. “She’s on her way! Which means-”

“SHE’S HERE!” Pinkie Pie suddenly bellowed like a banshee. “PLACES EVERYPONY!”

“Does that idiot not understand the meaning of subtlety?!” Midnight demanded irritably. “If you are all so deadset on a surprise then her yelling is-”

“Okay, Pot, yell at Kettle later!” Twilight cut her off with a scowl.

Internal bickering aside, the next few moments were a hectic scramble as the lights were shut off, the curtains were drawn, and everypony present found the best hiding spot they could. Thorax and Spiracle were quick to snap back into their bird forms and vanish up into the rafters, while most everypony else dove under tables. Pinkie elected to hide behind the music station. In a few short seconds, the room was plunged into silent darkness, illuminated only by a thin sliver of late morning sunlight streaming in through the gap in the curtains.

Twilight found herself next to Rainbow Dash and Rarity in their hiding place under one of the tables, hidden from view by a white tablecloth.

The seconds ticked by, dragging on as if they would last into eternity. Twilight held her breath anxiously the entire time, her wings starting to twitch against her sides. She felt a comforting hoof fall onto her shoulder blades and took what comfort she could from the touch.

The sound of the observatory’s lower door creaking open disturbed the silence, and the narrow sliver of light it let in mingled with that of the window. Hoofsteps echoed slowly up the steps. Twilight took a breath and chanced a peak under the tablecloth. Sure enough, there was Moondancer, stepping with even, measured paces into the room, her horn aglow.

And then the window drapes were yanked back with a burst of Minuette’s signature yellow magic. It was like a flash of thunder going by how Moondancer yelped and flailed back from the sudden change in brightness, a hoof flying up to her eyes. Twilight heard Rainbow snort in amusement before rising to join the next part of the plan.

From all their various places, all the gathered ponies and two changelings poked their heads out, and, as one, called out the word, “Surprise!”

Somewhere hidden within the observatory that Pinkie had stalwartly refused to reveal, a series of loud bangs went off, followed by the jovial squealing of party horns. Confetti and streamers exploded out of every conceivable nook and cranny, fluttering and slithering down to the floor like colorful snowflakes.

Moondancer rubbed at her eyes for a moment, growling in irritation from the sudden burst of noise and color, before lifting her eyes to look around. Twilight felt herself smile just a little wider when she saw the way Moondancer’s jaw dropped in surprise at everything that had been put together.

Pinkie Pie rose at the music station. She casually leaned over it with one hoof on her hip. “There you are, Moondancer! We’ve been waiting for you, silly filly!” she called with a happy wave. “I’m Pinkie Pie! Nice to meet ya!”

Moondancer shook her head, still clearly off-balance. “W-what is this?!” she demanded, looking around at the decorations and assortment of smiling faces. Twilight felt a twitch in her chest when Moondancer’s eyes landed on her. The unicorn’s expression instantly darkened. “Twilight. What are you doing?”

Twilight hesitated only for a moment. The weight of all of her preparations - and the fear that it might all be for nothing - settled over her shoulders. But it was too late to back down, now, and even if she could, she wouldn’t. So she swallowed the lump in her throat and stepped forward, putting on her best smile. “I think the balloons speak for themselves,” she said. “But this is a party. For you.”

Moondancer’s eye visibly twitched. “A party?” she echoed incredulously. “Really? Is this all you can think of? No thanks.”

Twilight’s ears drooped as Moondancer turned on the spot.

“I don’t do parties,” she spat, casting a bitter glare back at Twilight over her shoulder. “Especially not with you.”

Midnight growled in Twilight’s mind. “What an ungrateful horse. I don’t know what you see in her.”

Twilight, however, held her ground against both undesired responses. Ignoring Midnight’s scathing commentary, she stepped closer to Moondancer. “Maybe not… but you used to, didn’t you? After all… you tried to invite me to one.”

Moondancer looked away. “Yes, I did, and you and I both know how that turned out.”

Twilight flinched. Moondancer’s tone was as sharp as a razor, and every word dug deep and hooked into her mind like barbed wire. “We do,” she confessed, coming up to Moondancer’s side with a disarming smile. She waited a moment, and Moondancer finally afforded her an impatient, but waiting, glance. She took that as her cue to continue. “I didn’t listen. I didn’t even let you talk. I let you down that day, and no amount of saying I’m sorry will make it better.”

Moondancer opened her mouth to offer up some scathing remark, but Twilight held up a hoof to stop her. “And before you say it, yes, I know that a party won’t do anything to make up for what I let Midnight do to you, and it won’t make what the changeling invasion did to you any better.”

Moondancer’s lip twitched up to show her teeth. “Then why bother? Why did you drag my tail all the way out here on that stupid bird chase?! Why can’t you just leave me alone?!”

Twilight’s smile died at that. She looked down for a moment, taking a breath. “...Because I didn’t just put together a party for you.”

That got Moondancer’s attention. She turned fully to face Twilight, quirking a brow. As the conversation was dragging on, the other party-goers were forming a circle around them, albeit at a respectful distance. Pinkie remained by her place at the sound station but nonetheless looked on with hopeful eyes.

Twilight met Moondancer’s gaze again. “I don’t know if anything I do can make up for how I hurt you,” she began. “And if you really don’t want me to, then I’ll stop pressing the issue. But after everything that I’ve seen, I couldn’t just sit by and do nothing… And so, Moondancer, that’s why I have a few things I want to give you.”

That was the first cue. From above, Thorax and Spiracle took wing with loud caws, drawing all eyes up to them. Moondancer watched as the two blackbirds swooped to either end of a large furled banner that had been secured to the ceiling. They pulled at the chords that kept it hidden from view, unfurling it and revealing the contents.

WELCOME HOME, MOONDANCER!

The large words were written in large, pastel purple letters, with a stylish depiction of her cutie mark framing the last letter of her name. Moondancer’s eyes flew wide, her jaw dropping open yet again.

Twilight smiled at the reaction, and she heard Rainbow snickering in satisfaction nearby. Ignoring that, she pressed on.

“As you know, I used to live in this observatory before I moved to Ponyville,” she said softly. “And it was a perfect place for me. Far away from other ponies, easy access to every book I could ever want or need, and a beautiful view. As my friend Rarity put it, it was basically my own little wizard tower.

“But I don’t live here. Not anymore,” Twilight went on, her expression falling. Memories of her Fall flickered through her mind, and she could feel Midnight smirking at her. “I don’t have the right… But I do have the deed.”

Moondancer turned to her, eyes wide. “You didn’t…” she said in disbelief.

Twilight met her eyes, smiling confidently. “Moondancer, I live with Rainbow Dash. You would be surprised by what I’m capable of.”

Rainbow frowned. “Should… I be offended by that?” she asked. “I feel like I should be offended by that- Ow!”

Rarity kicked her in the hoof to shut her up.

Twilight rolled her eyes before continuing. “I want you to have this place, Moondancer. A gift from me to you.”

Moondancer stared at her in shock, her glasses sliding cutely down her nose. A moment passed before she noticed and quickly pushed them back up. “But- but- It’s enormous! And it’s on the castle grounds! I can’t afford to live in a place like this! How would I ever make rent?!”

Twilight shook her head. “You don’t have to worry about that. I didn’t have to pay a bit while I was living here, and I still don’t. Thanks to a little bit of help from a certain Princess I’m in love with, that benefit now extends to you.”

“You’re welcome,” Rainbow piped up once again with her signature cocky grin. Rarity gave her an exasperated glare, making her flinch back. “What?”

Moondancer still didn’t seem convinced. “Okay, fine, but… This place, it’s… it’s your home, not mine!”

Twilight’s smile softened even more. She shook her head. “Maybe it was my home, once. But like I said. I don’t have any right to claim it for myself. Not after what I did. But I don’t want it to go to waste, either. You’ll get far more use out of it than I will. And besides… what good is a home if there’s nopony to live in it?”

Moondancer was quiet. She turned around, looking around at the observatory with a new look in her eyes. A few seconds carried on in silence before she managed to choke something out. “You can’t just… I can’t just…”

“Take it off my hooves, Moondancer,” Twilight pressed gently. “I don’t need it.”

Moondancer didn’t say anything for a few more seconds. When she turned back to Twilight, she was obviously trying to hide a storm of emotions behind a stoic mask.”A-alright… if you insist, I guess I can take it,” she finally relented, a ghost of a smile flashing across her face. It was there only for a fraction of a second before it was gone, but Twilight saw it.

She relaxed, a wave of relief washing over her. So far, so good. “Thank you.”

Moondancer snorted. She took off her glasses and rubbed a hoof over her eyes. “F-for what? You’re the one that just gave me a freaking tower to live in.”

Twilight just shook her head. “Heh… never mind. Welcome home, Moondancer. Consider this a housewarming party, now.”

Moondancer let off a sound somewhere between a sob and a laugh. “Hah! I guess so, huh? Th-thanks…”

“And that’s not all!” Minuette suddenly piped up, hopping in place. “Twi, Twi Twi Twi! Go on! Tell her the next bit!”

Moondancer looked about ready to faint. “But- wait- there’s more?!” she asked.

Twilight snickered. “Heh heh. Yes, Moondancer, there’s more. You know the old theater where they usually put on the Hearthswarming Pagent every year?” she asked.

Moondancer nodded. “Uh… yeah?”

“I have a friend who works there, you see,” Twilight said, flicking her eyes briefly up at Thorax in the rafters. He nodded quietly, his beak visibly curling into a smile. Twilight turned back to Moondancer. “And he said they recently started looking for somepony to help with scheduling their events and performances. If you’re interested, he agreed to put in a good word there for you.”

Moondancer actually laughed. “Sweet Celestia, are you kidding me?” she asked, adjusting her glasses. “A party, a house, and a job?!”

“And we're not through yet,” Rainbow chimed in again. She deftly ducked away as Rarity took a swipe at her before sticking her tongue out at the fashionista.

“Oh, so there’s even more?!” Moondancer exclaimed, falling to her haunches and throwing her hooves into the air. “What’s next?! The throne of Equestria?!”

Twilight chuckled at that. “Ha! No, I don’t think I could pull off anything even remotely like that."

Moondancer tilted her head. “Then what?”

Twilight’s smile faded, and her voice lowered to a far gentler tone. “...I wish I could say that I can’t even imagine what it must be like, having to deal with what the changelings did to you. What I did to you… And maybe I can’t. But I do know that so many of the problems we face in our lives can’t be solved all on our own. That’s why we make friends, after all. To help us when we need help, pick us up when we fall down, and steer us right when we mess up. I’m lucky to have surrounded myself with so many friends to help me overcome my trauma. But… you don’t have anypony like that, do you?”

Moondancer was quiet for a few seconds. She looked down, her ears drooping, but she said nothing.

Twilight continued. “I thought so… Aside from Minuette, I didn’t see any sign of friends in your life. I can only imagine my blowing you off is to blame for that. Like you said… you didn’t want to be hurt like that again. And I get it. But that doesn’t mean you should have to carry your burdens all alone…”

That was Minuette’s cue. She stepped forward until she was at Twilight’s side. Her face was lowered, but her tender smile was no less genuine. “That’s why… if you don’t mind… I’d like to ask you to hang out with our old friends from magic school with me. I still hang out with them all the time, and I know they’d love to see you again. We…”

Moondancer’s eyes slowly widened as Minuette hesitated, a tiny tremor creeping into the blue mare’s voice. A second later, Minuette cleared her throat and affixed Moondancer with the widest, most sincere smile she could muster. “We’ve all really missed you. And maybe we can help you.”

Moondancer just sat there for a little while after that. She looked around the interior of the observatory one more time, mouthing like a fish. Finally, after what felt like forever, Moondancer slowly got back to her hooves. “This is… all of this… it’s…” she stammered out. “All of this… to apologize?”

Twilight nodded slowly. “Yes. Again, I don’t know if I can ever really make things right between us. But… maybe I can at least make things right for you. If I can do that much, at least, then… maybe I can live with myself, again.”

Moondancer gave her a questioning glance.

Twilight looked away. “Even after all of the things I’ve faced - Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Chrysalis, even death itself… nothing could have ever prepared me for what I felt when I saw how my actions affected you. It was the worst feeling I’ve ever had. And I can’t get rid of it. Maybe I can move on from it, but I can’t forget it. It’ll haunt me forever… I just hope that all of this can make sure that what I did doesn’t have to haunt you, too.”

Moondancer was quiet for a few more seconds. Finally, she got back up to her hooves. She sniffled quietly and again took off her glasses to wipe at her eyes. When she spoke again, there was a forced calm to it. “...I can’t forget what happened either. And I’m not sure I can ever forgive you for it. But, as far as apologies go…”

She looked up and around at the observatory again before affixing Twilight, for once, with an actual, genuine smile. “...This is a good start.”

Twilight almost toppled over with relief at that, her legs going weak from the sudden surge of relief she felt. She had to hold herself back from launching herself at Moondancer to give her a hug. So instead she launched herself at Rainbow Dash, who was appearing similarly triumphant.

As the two lovers struck the floor with a loud crash, Pinkie let out a holler of delight from the sound station. “Ha! Alright, everypony! In that case, if all of the drama is said and done, then how about we get this party started?!”

Without waiting for an answer, Pinkie practically punched a button on her control panel. Colorful party lights suddenly flashed on from hidden places along the roof, marking the dancefloor with a series of dancing, colorful circles. The room was filled with the deafening blast of electronic dance music, and even more confetti blasted out of somewhere.

“I guess that answers that!” Minuette cheered, rearing up on her hind legs. She turned to Moondancer with a wide grin. “How about it, Moonie? Wanna take your old school pal on a dance?” she asked, holding out a hoof.

Moondancer leaned back, eyes wide. “Uh, wha, I mean, I don’t- it is VERY loud in here!?” she yelled, though her words came out like a question.

Rarity tittered into her hoof. “Yes, dear. That is how a Pinkie Party works.”

Minuette wiggled her hoof enticingly. “C’mooooon~ Take me for a spin! Or I can spin you! Either way! Somepony is spinning on the dance floor today!”

Moondancer looked around as if for an escape. “I… I don’t really think- WHAH!”

Minuette, deciding that enough was enough, latched onto the bookworm’s hoof with one of her own before practically hauling her out onto the dance floor. To say that Moondancer was unprepared would be a dramatic understatement.

In a way, she reminded Twilight of herself on the night of Shining and Cadance’s wedding. How she and Rainbow had gone out onto the dance floor together and basically stolen the show… after Rainbow had to bear the ignominy of seeing Twilight try to dance on her own. She had moved like a stiff robot.

It was… charming, to put a charitable word to it. And a touch embarrassing. Twilight looked down at Rainbow, who was still pinned to the floor beneath her. “Did I used to look like that?” she asked in a whisper.

Rainbow kissed her on the nose and flashed her a smirk. “You kidding? You still look worse.”

Twilight’s expression flattened. “Gee. Thanks. I’m really feeling the love tonight.”

Rainbow snickered and lightly nudged Twilight off of her. “Heh. Love you, too.”

“Aaaw, Rainbow initiated! Adorable.”

Rainbow’s face immediately turned a very impressive shade of red at the sound of Rarity’s voice from beside them. The two lovebirds looked up to see the unicorn smirking down at them with a positively predatory light in her eyes.

“Rarity. Not a word,” Rainbow warned.

“Oh, darling, come now. Everypony knows how much of a softie you really are.”

“Rarity, I will break your sewing machines!”

“Try it and see what I can do with your hide using my bare hooves and a needle.”

“...Nevermind.”

Twilight laughed. This party was going to be amusing, she had a feeling.

---

Twilight was not wrong. Though it took a little while for Moondancer to get into the swing of things, she was unable to resist the allure of a well-prepared Pinkie Party. There was also the fact that Minuette was absolutely relentless in bringing Minuette from one activity to the next. Being both, Moondancer’s closest friend in the room, and a regular attendee of Pinkie’s parties when in Ponyville, she was the obvious choice to lug the flustered bookworm around.

Eventually, Moondancer did give in and embraced the chaos and the noise, though she remained close by Minuette’s side basically the entire time. Twilight did not mind, though. She was just glad to see an actual smile on the other mare’s face. She knew it wouldn’t last. One party and one massive apology wouldn’t chase her problems away.

But for this moment, this one special afternoon, Moondancer could at least focus on something that made her feel good for a bit, and Twilight was determined not to intrude on that. So instead, she capitalized on the occasion to dance with Rainbow - much to the amusement of all present who had yet to see Twilight trying to dance. She could hear Thorax chittering with laughter at her from above.

Things began to wind down as the sky began to shift from vibrant blue to a gentle teal in preparation for the evening. Twilight found herself seated at one of the tables off to one side, a cup of juice in hoof. Rainbow sat next to her with a mug of the hardest cider she had legally been allowed to fly with, while Rarity and Spike sat across from them.

Twilight looked across the room at Moondancer. She was sitting at a different table, talking quietly with Minuette. The two wore soft, thoughtful expressions. Some small part of Twilight wondered what they were talking about, but she refrained from listening in. Instead, she turned back to Rainbow Dash. “So… how did I do?” she asked.

Rainbow eyed her for a second, then flashed her a grin. “I’m kinda biased, but I think you did awesomely,” she said, lifting her mug as if for a toast.

Twilight rolled her eyes and lifted her juice to match it. “Heh. Thanks, Dash… I was so scared it wouldn’t work.”

Rainbow’s smile faltered somewhat. “Trust me. I know.”

Twilight’s own smile faded. Her mind wandered back to those dark days after Discord when Rainbow’s own insecurities had been at their worst.

“I second the notion,” Rarity added, drawing Twilight’s attention. The pearly mare leaned across the table, her eyes alight with warmth. “For what my opinion is worth, it is a very good thing you have done here, today.”

Twilight blushed slightly, a red tint coming to her cheeks as she looked away. “W-well, yeah, but I can hardly take all the credit. And besides, I was just trying to put right what I did wrong.”

Rarity nodded slowly. “Yes. But even with that being the case, the lengths you’ve gone to - and on such short notice besides - beggars belief. I mean, for Celestia’s sake, look around! This is remarkable what you’ve managed to throw together. And the gift you’ve given Moondancer is one she shall not soon forget.”

“I-I, uh… Thank you, Rarity.”

Rarity nodded once. The two sat in silence for a moment before Rarity’s smile began to fade. “So remarkable… so much so that it’s helped put a few things into perspective for me.”

Twilight blinked, turning back to Rarity. “Huh?”

Rarity hummed quietly, her eyes lowering. She seemed torn on what to say and remained silent for several seconds. Her brow furrowed, and her lips twitched down into a firm line. Eventually, though, she found her words. “Do you recall the day we ran into Moondancer the first time? Specifically, how I kept gushing at you over various places I thought might make a good storefront for my next boutique?”

Twilight tilted her head curiously. “Yes?”

“...Ever since we learned about Moondancer’s situation, about all of the damage the changelings did to the ponies of this city that we can’t see… It’s just got me thinking about my aspirations. It has me asking if another high-end fashion store is really what the ponies of this city need.”

Twilight watched as the passionate glint suddenly returned to Rarity’s eyes. She hadn’t seen it since their first encounter with Moondancer.

“But… but you love designing fashion!” Spike piped up in surprise. “You’ve been talking about opening more stores forever!”

Rarity smiled and gave the dragon a few pats on the head. “I know, Spikey. I’m not sure what I would do instead just yet. Maybe my efforts would be put to better use trying to offer ponies relief. It would be naive to tell ourselves that Moondancer is the only pony suffering like this, and as wonderful as they are, the Royal Sisters can’t be everywhere and solve every problem at once. Maybe I could open a shelter for ponies like her, or a soup kitchen. Just… something.”

Rainbow was the first to respond, slapping a hoof across the table with a loud bang. “Hey, that sounds like a great plan to me, Rares! If it’s a relief effort you’re wanting to start up, maybe I could run the idea by mom, get you some extra funding or something.”

Rarity’s face lit up, her lips parting into a massive grin. “Well, far be it from me to turn down an offer of royal support. But there is still so much thinking I have to do on the matter. Rest assured, when I am ready, you shall be the first to know!”

Twilight stared at Rarity for a few long moments, feeling a whole new wave of respect washing over her for the mare. After a moment, her lips curled up into a warm, approving smile. “That sounds like a wonderful idea, Rarity.”

“I’m glad you think so, Twilight,” Rarity said quietly before the two fell into a gentle silence. She slowly brushed back the elegant curl of her mane and affixed Twilight with a far more meaningful look. It felt like she was staring into Twilight, rather than at her. “And… thank you. I don’t think I would have found the inspiration for such a decision had it not been for this crowning display of generosity.”

Twilight blinked. There it was again. That feeling of a weight lifting from her shoulders. And there was something more, too. She might have just been imagining it, but she thought that she saw a brief shimmer of prismatic light shining in Rarity’s eyes as she said those words.

Midnight let off a frustrated growl, briefly making Twilight tense up. She waited for her inner devil to say something, offer up some scathing remark, but nothing came.

“Ahem.”

Twilight almost jumped out of her skin. Turning to the side, she was surprised to see Moondancer standing by their table. She adjusted her glasses. It was clear that she was tired after the day’s activities. Her posture was sagging, and her expression was strained. “Hey…”

“Sup?” Rainbow asked. “Everything alright?”

Moondancer nodded. “Y-yeah, fine. Everything’s… fine.”

There was a pause, an awkward silence. Twilight cleared her throat. “Did you want to talk about something?” she asked.

Moondancer hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah. In private.”

Twilight was surprised by the request. She glanced back at her friends for a moment before standing up. “Uh, sure. Lead the way.”

“We’ll be here when you get back, dear,” Rarity called after her.

Twilight smiled back at her, then fell into step behind Moondancer. The unicorn led her down the steps and out the front door, onto the front balcony that overlooked the castle courtyard. The afternoon sun was low enough to cast long shadows across the ground, painting the verdant grass of the courtyard in long, dark stripes. A cool breeze washed over them, sending Twilight’s mane drifting.

Moondancer looked directly up at the castle, her eyes distant. “...Do you remember when we were little?” she asked softly. “We went to class together all the time. We studied together. Minuette dragged us both into all kinds of weird projects all the time…”

Twilight nodded, thinking back on those bygone days. “I remember… Like the time Lemon Hearts got her head stuck in that beaker.”

Moondancer smirked. “Heh. Yeah…”

There was another pause. Moondancer turned to face Twilight directly. “You were my friend back then… They all were. But after you left… I sort of… forgot what friends were like.”

Twilight didn’t say anything, just letting Moondancer talk.

Finally, the mare put on a small smile. “Today was good, I think. It made me feel like the little filly I was back then. It was good to spend time with Minuette without any misunderstandings ruining it… I think I’ll take her up on her offer. Reach out to the others. Lemon Hearts, Twinkleshine… They deserve better than what I’ve given them.”

She shot Twilight a sidelong glance. “Was that your idea, too?”

Twilight was quiet for a second, then nodded. “I wanted to invite them to the party myself, actually. But Minuette advised against it. She said we shouldn’t overwhelm you with too much all at once.”

Moondancer snorted. “She said that? Really?”

Twilight nodded, a small smile on her face. “You don’t give her enough credit. She can be considerate when she needs to be.”

A second passed in silence. Twilight felt a small sparkle of hope in her breast. Licking her lips, she took a tentative step forward, deciding to take her chances. “And… if you want, maybe I could be your friend again, too? I could teach you the dragonfire spell. We could keep in touch with letters.”

Moondancer was quiet for a moment. Then shook her head. “No. Not with you. Not after everything. Don’t get me wrong, Twilight, this party, and this tower, and all of this… it was great. Wonderful, even. When I say thank you, I mean it. But…” her eyes turned down. “...too many bad things happened. I don’t think I can ever look at you the same way after everything I’ve gone through.”

Twilight wasn’t surprised. It was the same outcome that Rainbow had come to with Starlight, she recalled. They had buried the hatchet, and they held one another with mutual respect, but after everything Discord’s spell on Rainbow had caused, the two just couldn’t be friends. There would always be the memory of their fights lurking in the backs of their heads, making every interaction less than it should be.

She drew back slightly, offering up a small nod. “I understand.”

Moondancer looked off at the castle again. “...Thanks. For all of this. I can’t forget how you hurt me… but I won’t forget this, either.”

Moondancer reached up to her sweater, rifling through a pocket on the side. Twilight blinked, curious until Moondancer pulled out another pair of glasses. Twilight realized a moment later that it was the pair that had broken when they had run into each other. She hadn’t even noticed that Moondancer was wearing a new pair.

“Here. Have them,” Moondancer said, passing the damaged spectacles to Twilight with her hoof.

Twilight blinked, gingerly taking the accessory in her magic. “But… why?” she questioned.

Moondancer shrugged. “So you don’t forget this, either, I guess? I’m going to be honest, I’m not sure why I held onto them. I just felt like I had to keep them around… Now I don’t. So keep them. As a memento or something.”

Twilight was quiet for a second, then nodded, lightly taking the glasses into her hoof. The seam from their previous break stared back at her, forever scarring the once pristine surface. Not unlike Moondancer, really. Scarred, maybe, and probably never back to her former glory. But repaired. Or at least, on the path to being repaired. Twilight gently ran her hoof over the seam, and her heart felt settled.

“Thanks, Moondancer.”

Moondancer nodded, giving her a small smile. “Yeah…”

The two were quiet for a moment. Then Moondancer let out a massive yawn. Then she blushed.

Twilight gave her a knowing smirk. “Tired?”

Moondancer grunted, rubbing at her eyes. “A little, yeah. I think I’m gonna head home,” she said.

Twilight blinked, looking up at the observatory. “But… what about this place?”

Moondancer gave her a look. “Well, seeing as I’ve been busy partying all day, I haven’t had a chance to move any of my things here. Namely, my bed. So until that’s done, I’m gonna go sleep at my apartment.”

Twilight’s cheeks lit up slightly. “Oh… uh, right.”

Moondancer rolled her eyes and lightly punched Twilight on the shoulder. “Hah. Forgetting already?”

Twilight smiled quietly and rubbed her shoulder. “...It’s been a long few days.”

The two shared a quiet laugh at that, then fell into silence. The breeze washed over them again, howling softly between the distant towers.

“Are you going to say it, this time?”

Twilight looked up at Moondancer. The other mare was staring at her expectantly.

It only took a moment for Twilight to get what she meant. She put on a warm smile. “Yeah. I won’t forget this time.”

Twilight lifted a hoof as if to beckon Moondancer closer. A second later, Moondancer answered, allowing Twilight to draw her into a hug. The alicorn rested her chin on Moondancer’s shoulder and closed her eyes.

“Goodbye, Moondancer,” she finally said. “Take care of yourself, okay?”

“You, too,” Moondancer replied.

“I will.”

The two stayed like that for a few tender seconds before disentangling. Moondancer adjusted her glasses one more time, offered up a smile, and looked up at the observatory. “Heh… I’m gonna have a lot of room for my books, now,” she mused absently before turning to start walking down the steps.

Twilight watched her go, then turned to look up at the castle. The breeze washed by her one more time, but she didn’t mind the chill. The glasses in her hoof were warm, chasing away her dread, and the pall over her soul lifted just a little more.

Author's Note:

4 Down...

Comments

[Johnny B Mediocre]

Midnight taking a major L, cope you snarky little shit

[Zekrom117]

Element Keys Review:
Spiracles Orb - Key of Kindness
Mauds Candy Necklace - Key of Laughter
Group Picture - Key of Honesty
Moondancers Glasses or Something-within-Rarity? - Key of Generosity
4 down, 2 to go XD woot woot

[Pharaoh]

derpicdn.net/img/2022/2/23/2813051/large.jpg

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

Likely the best outcome for Moondancer and maybe in time something can be rebuilt.

[JMP]

Glad this went so well. Not surprised that Moondancer doesn't want to go back to being Twilight's friend. She just did too much to hurt her. This was the most realistic positive outcome.

[SilverScales]

I get the logic. Hell, I even get the emotional aspects... I feel like, if somebody offers you an entire home, a new job, a new everything and manages to hand you all the tools and foundation to completely improve your life in every conceivable way... A letter or two on occasion isn't that big of a deal.

Twilight made one mistake when she left and never reached out. But... It was, what, a year? A year of insanity and world altering peril resulting in her death and total amnesia. She made another mistake when she snapped and started ripping memories out of people. A mistake that was born of severe PTSD combined with literally unheard of other brands of trauma that they would need to invent new names for in the physiological study community.

A minor mistake exacerbated by circumstance, and further exacerbated by new and exciting medical conditions followed by literal death. Circumstances that resulted in the world continuing to even exist in the first place. A major mistake brought about by all of the aforementioned madness.

And She can't deign to exchange LETTERS? She's a petty and generally crappy person in context. I can understand resentment and bad vibes. I can't empathize with an unwillingness to even try to keep lines of communication open though. Not in the context of being gifted an entire new life and home outright.

[Skijarama]

11545474
Speaking from firsthand, personal experience, it is NOT a good idea to try and maintain lines of communication with someone when the friendship well and truly ended some time ago. When too many bad things happen in any kind of relationship, sometimes it is better for all parties involved to just move on after the hatchet has been buried.

I had to do that with one of my best friends years ago because things fell apart. Lots of bad decisions were made by both of us, and there was a lot of bad blood for over a year. We did bury the hatchet, eventually, and the bad blood between us was gone, but at the same time, there were no grounds upon which to rebuild a friendship. Not in any way that could be considered healthy, at least. And trying to force ourselves to maintain lines of communication would have only reminded us of the bad things we went through. Our every interaction would have invariably been poisoned by it. Nothing good would have ever come of it, we both knew it, so we agreed to just move on.

I used that real-life experience as the basis for how this plot arc was resolved. Is asking to keep in touch via letters too much to ask? At a glance, probably not. But it is also well within Moondancer's rights - and easily within her best interest - to say no. She wasn't being petty, she was recognizing that the dime in the thornbush is not worth the cuts and scrapes needed to retrieve it.

That said, you don't need to empathize. I simply write the story. What other people think of it is up to them.