Slice of Velvet and Pear

by David Silver

19 - Seeing Stripes

"Heading out." Moondancer was going for the door, Spike on her back. But she stopped without anyone asking her to. "Twilight?" She turned to look at the mare, hunched over a book, staring at it. "Is that book especially engaging?" That was an idea Moon could get behind.

Twilight looked up. "Hm?" She sat up on her chair. "Oh, did you say something?"

Spike laughed a little from atop Moon. "You were way into that book. A real page turner, huh?"

"Yeah." She nudged the tome away, not that she had actually really been turning it so much. "Sorry, I was distracted. I had a friend... A friend's friend?" Was your aunt a friend? They were, right? "A friend... ask me a question that left me with a dozen of my own."

Moon gave a thoughtful hum. "Sounds like you're having a friendship related difficulty." She approached, bringing Spike with her. "Perhaps I can assist? I would be glad to put my recently gained experience to work at your benefit."

Spike fire an emphatic thumbs up. "Yeah! We're here to help!"

Twilight looked between Moon and Spike. "Well..." She raised her hooves, tapping them together. "Alright, since you're both offering... Spike, how did you decide who you wanted to approach when seeking a romantic connection?"

Spike went from confident to a tomato shade instantly. "Um, well, uh... I... didn't?"

Moon turned an ear back at Spike. "You did make a decision," she argued. "Please share your thought process."

"But I wasn't..." He rubbed behind his head helplessly. "It just came to me? It felt right. I, um... liked you..."

Twilight pointed at Moon Dancer. "I like her, and she likes me, but no romantic involvement came from that."

Moon tensed under Spike. "Y-yeah..." She glanced away and back. "There must be another step past liking somepony."

Spike wriggled with thought, which was perhaps not the most ideal of ways to get thoughts free, but it is what came to him. "To me, you're pretty and amazing, and... Do I have to?" He let out his breath in a gust. "This isn't very nice, seeing as you already turned me down."

Both the adult mares suddenly looked guilty. "You are right," admitted Twilight. "This is not very fair of me, and I do apologize. Alright, to be more fair... this is about my feelings." She turned a hoof on herself. "Applejack's mom, Pear Butter, brought up romance."

Spike burst into giggles, his own awkwardness forgotten. "With Big Mac?"

Twilight got a new shade of color. "He's a perfectly fine pony, but no. With... Applejack."

Spike looked baffled at the very idea of it. Moon, on the other hoof, was suddenly looking at Twilight with new intensity. "Did she? What did you say?"

"I wasn't sure what to say!" admitted Twilight, clopping her fore hooves down in a shuffle. "I never thought of her that way... or anypony else, for that matter. Applejack brushed off the topic, giving me nothing definitive."

Moon raised a bushy brow. "You already talked with her then?"

Twilight sagged with misery. "Yes, but it didn't help! I'll be honest with you both." She set a hoof on her own chest, just to point at each of them. "I don't even know if I have those feelings! My heart doesn't... flutter when I look at anypony. That is what it's like, right?" She suddenly punched the book, knocking it back and revealing the smaller book hidden under it. A guidebook to romance. "It says so right here!"

Moon colored at the sight of it. "Twilight."

"Yes?" She was fixed on Moon Dancer. "Do you know the answer?"

"I would be delighted to help you." Moon let out a shaky breath. "When Spike is off playing."

Twilight blinked once numbly, then several more times in rapid succession. "Oh! Oh... yes, of course. I am being a terrible aunt."

Spike angled his head at Twilight. "Wait, you're my aunt?"

Twilight smirked at that. "Me and Moon Dancer are practically sisters, so calling you a nephew feels right, even if, I suppose, a little brother is also possible? Nephew feels right. Is that okay?" She rubbed behind her head. "If Pear Butter can be my aunt, I can be one too! Bringing up confusing questions on this topic seems to be a things aunts do..."

Moon turned for the door. "We're not actually sisters, but I accept your aunt status in relationship to Spike. You have been a kind peer, assisting in his development, and I value your input on that."

Spike turned with Moon, but his head kept trained on Twilight as best he could. "Aunt, huh..." He was still weighing the word and its meaning in relation to Twilight. "We're gonna head out, Aunty!"

Twilight burst into laughter at Spike calling her that. "Have fun, Nephew." Whatever tensions she had, a genuine smile spread on her face. "Be good for Moon Dancer."

"Yes, ma'am!" He saluted even as he was carried away, the two exiting the library.

Only to find that the town was seemingly abandoned. There were no ponies in the street. There were no ponies at their stands. There were just no ponies anywhere. "Is today a holiday I was not informed of?" She peeked over her shoulder up at Spike as they continued forward.

"Not that I know of." Spike gave a big shrug at that. "They gotta be around here somewhere. Oh! Maybe they're celebrating another pony like they did for Applejack?"

"Not impossible." Moon veered towards the town square, but there was no gathering there. No pony was being celebrated. "Hm. They would inform me if I acted in such a way as to require this level of shunning, wouldn't they?"

"I'd hope so." Spike had nothing but another shrug to offer. "They gotta be here somewhere."

"Psst!" Both looked over just in time to see Pinkie leaning out from Sugarcube. "Over here!"

Moon began in that direction. "At least one pony has not shunned me. Perhaps they know what I did?"

"Get in!" came Pinkie's urgent stage whisper, waving a hoof at them, the rest of her inside.

Moon accelerated inside to find most of the crew. Applejack, Applejack's little sister, Apple bloom, Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. "Is this a new game? What are the rules?"

Applejack kicked the door shut behind Moon Dancer. "Ain't no game."

Rarity nodded. "That strange... creature from the everfree's come back again!"

Spike blinked owlishly. "A creature from the Everfree Forest? Is it dangerous?!"

Pinkie bobbed her head quickly. "She's an evil echantress!" Which was cue enough for her to sing a song on the matter.

The other mares nodded in agreement along with it. Apple Bloom did not look nearly convinced. "Hey, Spike."

"Hey, AB." He waggled fingers down at her and hopped free to meet hoof to fist. "So what's your view on this?"

"Ugh! They're all a bunch of foals scared of somethin' that ain't even hurt 'em!" Apple Bloom stomped in place with obvious irritation. "Ain't even tried jus' sayin' hi!"

Applejack's hooves came down on either side of Apple Bloom's head, trapping her. "Now don't you be sayin' that. We're just lookin' out fer you."

Apple Bloom swatted one of the hooves. "By bein'--"

"There she is!" The ponies of the room rushed to a window. There she was, cowled and mysterious, hooving at the ground as if searching for something.

Apple Bloom nudged against Spike and threw her head quietly towards the back. She fled quietly while the adults were busy. To her joy, she saw Spike had caught her meaning and had come with her. "The adults are hopeless." She rolled her eyes. "It's up to us to put this straight. Let's go talk to her!"

"Yeah!" Spike bobbed his head as he left the back of the bakery with Apple Bloom. "She didn't look that mean."

"She didn't look mean at all." Apple Bloom snorted at the idea. "How can we know without givin' her no chance?" She pointed at Spike. "Yer a dragon. If we jus' assumed that, we'd be scared plenty of you, right?"

Spike laughed at the idea of anything being scared of him.

"See how silly it is." Apple Bloom looked vindicated. "C'mon!"

Back inside, the mares continued talking about the mystery creature that had already wandered away. "Perhaps they have social anxiety?" The mares looked at Moon dubiously. Moon pointed at Fluttershy accusingly. "Don't turn your back on a fellow sufferer. If you're scared of speaking with ponies, irregularities in behavior are to be expected. A patient hoof is the proper response."

Applejack looked around. "Where'd Apple Bloom go?" The mares looked around, but there was no filly to be seen. "Aw shoot, maybe she ran off after the witch!"

Moon hiked a brow. "Witches are a specific thing, which I doubt that creature was."

"Evil enchantress?" ventured Pinkie.

"They may be that. Further--"

Applejack grabbed Moon by the shoulders. "Enough talkin'! We gotta find my little sis! Mom'll kill me if ah'm the one what lost her."

Noises of approval lifted through the rooms and the mares set out in search for the lost filly.

Ahead of them, Apple Bloom pointed. "She's headed fer the Everfree."

"Well, that's logical." Spike shrugged softly. "She's from there, right?"

"I dunno." Apple Bloom kept on track, ignoring the potential danger of the forest. "That's what they said, but they ain't battin' very good in my book right now."

"I hear ya." Spike rolled his shoulders as they plunged into the dark embrace of the forest that had its own weather without pony input. "So, uh, how are things?"

"Hm?"

"I mean..." Spike fiddled with his fingers. "She hasn't had much chance to bother you, right?"

"Oh!" Apple Bloom swatted Spike on the back. "Yeah, thanks. The girls and I are real happy to not be hassled by her. But ya can stop that. Ah mean, real 'ppreciate it, but ya don't have to do that fer the rest of yer life fer us."

Spike's steps became longer but slower, his fingers playing with one another. "Well... You see... I mean, it started just wanting to give a hand, then I got to know her, and then..."

Apple Bloom burst into titters, which became full on laughter. "You didn't!" But Spike's reddened expression was answer enough. "Ya did! Ya fell fer her?" She closed in from the side, bumping against him. "Hey, yer call, but ah don't envy ya none. How do you put up with... that?"

"She isn't so bad!" he protested, throwing his hands wide. "She's just... She has expectations, um... Anyway, she doesn't treat me so bad, and I like her..."

"Aw," gushed Apple Bloom with a smile. "That's real nice. Hope you two are happy then."

"Thanks." A moment of quiet grew between them. "You mean that?"

"Why wouldn't I mean that?" Apple Bloom shrugged softly. "Two ponies find each other, seems nice t'me. Sure, one of 'em's a pain in mah rump, but it ain't like ah done got hooked up with her." She snorted explosively. "Can ya even 'magine that?! Shoot... Better you than me." she thumped against Spike anew. "Seriously, sounds nice, so long as you two are treatin' each other alright."

"Yeah..." Spike smiled as he walked, confidence returning. "Thanks." He fired her an emphatic thumbs up. "We should talk more often."

"If your ladyfriend won't yell at you," countered Apple Bloom in a teasing tone, a grin on her face. "Seriously though, let's keep up with her! She's right fast!" It was true, the strange creature had slipped ahead of them some distance and they had to scramble to catch back up.

"There she is!" Apple Bloom pointed at where the mysterious creature was passing carefully through a field of blue flowers.

The creature turned at the noise, her eyes narrowing. "Beware! Beware, you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!"

The adults had arrived, a fact Apple Bloom learned when she was snatched up by Applejack, who was busy glaring at the creature like she had done something wrong.

Moon dipped her head at the creature. "Thank you for the warning." And she turned to Spike. "Are you alright? You startled me with your sudden absence. Did you follow her?" She pointed at Apple Bloom. "Or did she follow you?"

While Moon Dancer and Fluttershy seemed happy enough to have found the little ones, Spike and Apple Bloom, the others advanced, shouting taunts and threats at the creature as it withdrew away. Moon frowned softly. "I remain convinced she is simply shy."

Fluttershy rubbed behind her head. "You may have a point. She didn't try to hurt anypony."

Rarity tossed her mane back as she walked free of the blue flowers. "Just because we happened by at just the right time."

Applejack snorted softly. "Which ah'm glad we did." She bopped Apple Bloom lightly. "What were ya thinkin' runnin' off in here like that? Ya coulda got yerself hurt! Or somethin' else could got to hurtin' ya."

Moon Dancer soon had Spike on her back, and Applejack had her sister. They all moved to leave, all ignoring the warning the zebra had given, well except Moon Dancer. Information was a valuable asset, and one she took to heart, circling around the patch of blue flowers instead of going through. "You did not answer my question."

"Oh, right." Spike pointed at Apple Bloom. "I followed her, but that's, uh, not an excuse. Not like she forced me or nothing like that."

"I appreciate your candor." Her magic reached to pat Spike on the head. "Then what was your motivation?"

"Part of me was just curious," admitted Spike with a shrug. "But also if she was gonna run off on her own, I figured... she'd be a little safer if I was there too?"

"Spike." Moon turned an ear at him. "That was brave, but a little foalish. You should have gotten my attention. I would have accompanied you."

"So you're not scared of her?" Spike pointed back in the direction the zebra had gone.

"I have no reason to be," reasoned Moon Dancer. "Zebras and ponies do not have hostile relations. I am pleased to report that ponies do not have hostile relations with any creature at this point and time. Hopefully it will remain that way."

"Huh." It was difficult to argue with that logic. "Alright. Sorry for not trusting you then. You would have been cool."

"I would have been a perfectly standard temperature for a pony," contested Moon with a raised bushy brow, missing that figure of speech entirely. "But I would have assisted to the best of my ability. I am glad you two are unharmed."

The group headed home for the day, disaster avoided!

Or so they thought.

---

A timid knocking at the library door got Twilight moving. "We're not open yet." She cracked the door open anyway, and saw Fluttershy. "Oh, hey Fluttershy. What brings you by?" But Fluttershy said nothing. "Um..." She was still there, looking extra bashful. "Do you... want to come in?" Fluttershy took that invitation silently, stepping inside.

Just in time for Pinkie to arrive, bursting through the door. "Thith is the worth thing ever!" She was lisping wildly, her bloated tongue spraying the area with her saliva. She shook her head vigorously as if she could tame her tongue that way, but it went back to lolling out of her mouth, refusing to even be tucked away.

"You think that's bad," came the refined voice of Rarity, not that one could see her eyes as she walked in, concealed entirely in her mane and pelt, all growing wild and long in unruly locks. "This is not a fashion that will ever be in season, darlings."

Spike began to snicker as each pony revealed their individual curse, but they hadn't finished. Rainbow flew in directly into a book case, her wings upside down, completely ruining her ability to control her flight reasonable. "This isn't funny!"

Moon looked from pony to pony. "Where is Applejack?" Of the friends, she was conspicuously missing. "Is she also suffering?"

"Right here." In came Apple Bloom, with Applejack perched on her back in a reversal of fortunes. "And ah ain't happy, not one--"

"Tiny?" proposed Spike suddenly, his snickers growing overpowering. That got him a glare from Applejack, which just made him laugh all the harder. "This is too much! We have Hairity, Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Apple Teeny, and..." He looked to Fluttershy expectantly.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said with a deep male voice.

Spike fell against a table he was next to. "And Flutterguy!"

Rainbow was hopping mad, scowling. "That zebra hexed us!"

"A cuth!" agreed Pinkie with a nod.

"Most foul." Rarity nodded, her frown concealed. "However do we rid ourselves of it?"

"This is my fault," sighed Apple Bloom, moving quietly to leave, though she failed at eluding attention of several. Applejack tossed a rope and caught the filly by the tail, lassoing herself up onto her sister's back.

Spike just followed, a bad habit he was getting into with Apple Bloom. This time, however, he nudged Moon before he did so, and they both trailed after the filly.

Outside the library, Moon inclined her head. "Thank you for taking my instructions to heart, Spike. Apple Bloom, where are we going?"

Apple Bloom squeaked, looking over her shoulder to see Moon Dancer and Spike. "Don't try an' stop me!" Neither looked like they were stopping her, still following her. "Um... That zebra seemed like she knew about things... I was just gonna ask her fer help."

Moon nodded. "An excellent idea."

Apple Bloom's ears waggled wildly, almost catching the sister hiding her her mane. "It is?! Ah mean, 'course it is."

Moon continued to nod sedately. "She showed knowledge of the troubled nature of those flowers. I avoided them and was not affected. The others did not, and were. Logic dictates they are the source of the problem. If she is aware of their danger, she may also be aware of how to treat the condition."

Spike inclined his head from atop Moon. "Huh, that's..."

"Logical?"

"Yeah." He nodded with a little mmhmm. "She did try to warn everypony. Not her fault they didn't listen."

"That ain't logical at all!" proclaimed Applejack, stepping out of her hiding spot. "Apple Bloom, you get home right this instant! Mom's gonna tan yer hide when she hears 'bout this."

Apple Bloom squeaked anew, discovering she had a sister as an unknown rider. "Ah ain't gonna!"

"You have to. I'm your big sister and ah done told ya to!"

Apple Bloom raised a brow. "No ya ain't." She easily snatched Applejack in her teeth and set her on a branch. "From where ah'm standin', ah'm the big sister right now. You stay right there." The three left the fuming Applejack behind there.

Moon glanced over her shoulder. "I advise taking cover."

This was not advice Applejack would take, fuming and stomping about until her world was shaken, Rainbow crashing into her tree. She rejoined the other mares quite by accident.

But the group of three had pressed on ahead, arriving at the hut that held the zebra they were seeking. Apple Bloom charged up front to clop on the door. "Miss? Sorry ta bother."

"Hm? Who is this that knocks on the door? One step, or did I hear more?" The door swung inwards, revealing the zebra that was looking at Apple Bloom but also past her at the waving Spike stop a calmly watching Moon Dancer.

"Ya gotta help us! Please." Apple Bloom sank to her haunches and put her hooves together pleadingly. "Mah sister and her friends got all--"

Zecora held up a hoof. "What happened, I can guess. There is no reason for you to confess. " Her eyes went to Moon Dancer anew. "You are not touched by the flower's sly jokes. You heeded my warning, unlike the other pony folks?"

Moon nodded softly. "Thank you for the warning. Do you know the cure? I apologize."

Zecora inclined her head at that. "What are you apologizing for? It is you that will be stuck with a chore." She turned away, lost to sight behind the door a moment, only to emerge with a piece of paper in her mouth. "These are the things I need. Only all together will we defeat this weed."

Apple Bloom hopped up, snapping up the letter. "We're on the case!" And she ran off in a hurry.

Spike reached for her, falling off Moon and scrambling to his feet to pursue her. "Don't go running off!" he shouted as he went.

Moon let him go that time. "What will you be doing?"

"A proper brew is not a simple task. I will be preparing to dispel the cursed mask." She turned inside, pausing. "You should help your friends. There is no need for further amends."

"Your name!" suddenly blurted Moon, getting Zecora's impassive stare. "I mean, what is your name? I am Moon Dancer."

"Zecora is what they call me," she gave with a gentle smile. "Now I should begin, this is more complex than a tea."

Moon advanced a step, but paused. "We'll be back." And off she hurried after Spike and Apple Bloom, bothering the zebra no further. "Excellently done," she complimented herself as she went. She made a connection with the socially awkward zebra, and did not press too far on the first meeting. Perhaps they could become friends! She was learning so much on that topic. She let out a little giggle, only to get confused. Why was she so happy?

It was an assignment, but the happiness she felt was more personal than even a research project, as hard as that was to imagine for her. "Princess, I have so many questions." But she was not equipped to even ask them, with Spike off in the forest ahead of her. They would have to wait until later.

While they were busy fetching ingredients, the rest of the gang arrived to see Zecora laboring over her cauldron. The mention of Apple Bloom's name was enough to send them into a panic, storming the hut and assaulting the zebra in her own home.

Fortunately, that was when Moon Dancer, Apple Bloom, and Spike returned. "Stop it!" called Spike, rushing ahead with Apple Bloom to interpose themselves between the irate ponies and the zebra.

"I agree." Moon arrived more sedately. "Zecora is--"

"Gonna eat Apple Bloom?" Applejack was looking down at Apple Bloom with clear confusion.

"--going to fix you all." Moon nodded with her words. "We were gathering the required components." She shook her own saddlebags and pointed to Apple Bloom's.

Zecora huffed softly. "Now that this misunderstanding is put aside, I am still missing one ingredient, an herb that is dried." She shook her head. "It is located in your town, but the doors are closed. With that one ingredient, you would no longer be indisposed."

Rarity blushed, not that it could easily be seen. "Oh... Well... if that's all you need, dear." The others gave soft voices of agreement with that, the anger lost limply.

Rainbow Dash huffed. "Why didn't you tell us in the first place?"

Applejack kicked Rainbow Dash, to little real effect with how small she was. "We should clean up the mess we done made."

Pinkie bobbed her head quickly. "Good idea. Thorry about that!" The rest echoed the sentiment and they got to cleaning things up.

Another lesson had been learned, to Moon's contentment. That her friends were restored to their usual selves, a positive side effect. "I would like to talk with you," she told Zecora. "But only when you feel like it." She pointed the way. "I live with Twilight, in the library. You're welcome to visit me at any time."

Zecora inclined an ear. "Pony villages are not my home. I have little reason to visit your source of tome. Still, you seem pleasant enough, So I extend the same offer, if the path to my home you would rough."

Author's Note:

Hi Zecora! My favorite zebra. Even her typos rhyme, I hear. Spike gets closer to Apple Bloom, in a friendly way, and Twilight is still confused about herself and her relations, oops.

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Comments

[Autumn Maize]

Pinkie bobbed her head quickly. "Good idea. Sorry about that!" The rest echoed the sentiment and they got to cleaning things up.

Should the curse on Pinkie not interfere with her saying this?

[David Silver]

11047625
Th added!

[badninja]

Well that was good that Moondancer understood the warning. Still it would have been interesting to see how it could have affected her.

[Zhafran]

Well, Moon Dancer could've said something the moment she noticed (or even before) some of her friends stepped on the flowers, but I guess Moony is being Moony after all.

Still a nice chapter though.

[David Silver]

11048223
I think she's already made lovely progress since the start, but she had a long road yet to go.

[PhycoKrusk]

11048223
Alas, they had to step in them. Cuz if they hadn't stepped in 'em, they wouldn'ta learned nothin'!

[Moonlight_Mist]

Spike's name for the joke played on Applejack is my favorite. It's a double joke, because with the pronunciation you end up with Apple Teeny which ties in with the name Applejack if you think of it as jack like jacked because of her strength, thus Apple Teeny because of her shrunken size taking that strength from her. Then with that same pronunciation you also get Appletini, which is a kind of cocktail and ties in with Applejack being the name of a specially prepared kind of hard cider.

[JOEBLACK]

"You think that 's bad," came the refined voice of Rarity, not that one could see her eyes as she walked in, concealed entirely in her mane and pelt, all growing wild and long in unruly locks. "This is not a fashion that will ever be in season, darlings."

To be fair, she would probably fit in in Yak-Yakistan. At least until she opens her mouth.