Slice of Velvet and Pear

by David Silver

51 - Lesson 27

"Hm." Celestia strode at a steady pace through her castle. It was a subtle thing, hidden behind her well-practiced smile, but still. "Hm."

"Sister." Luna approached at a more spirited trot. Something bothers you. What is on thine mind?"

"Thank you." Celestia paused her walking as Luna came closer. "For caring. It's just... my student."

"Stud... Ah. Moon Dancer, was it not? She was quite helpful. What hast she done to trouble thou?"

"It's what she hasn't done. This way." She led Luna away from the main hallways, towards her private quarters. She pointed to a small pile of scrolls. "That is all she sent this moon."

Luna counted the scrolls, three in total. "How many missives doest she usually send?"

Celestia turned in place, pointing to a larger pile, then a larger one, then one still larger. "It has gotten smaller by the moon... I worry that something has happened. Perhaps she's grown discouraged?"

Luna turned with each new pile showed, humming gently to herself. "I do see... She struck me as a determined and, neigh, focused pony. What doest thou imagine happened to her?"

"I am quite uncertain, sister mine." She brought down a wing to curl about her sister. "I was thinking to visit her. With mine... my eyes, I could see personally what the problem is."

Luna colored faintly, detecting her sister tripping up with one of her old ponyisms. "Mine apologies." She raised a hoof to her mouth. "Hm, what if I visited her instead? We reached something of an accord, and my presence is less likely to cause difficulties. Besides, sister, your duties occupy you thoroughly, on last mine viewing."

Celestia sagged, ears drooping with an agitated swish of her tail. "You're not wrong there... Is this a task you want to do?"

"I will get to visit a friend." Luna trotted off without another word, a little smile on her snout.

Celestia listened to the receding clops of Luna's walk. "Thank you." She turned to the latest, smallest, pile. "You'll figure this out. It's not like her..."

---

Moon Dancer nodded at a pony she knew. "Missus Cake."

"Moon." She returned the wave, but didn't slow. She was pulling along a cart full of... something. It was covered. "Nice to see you, but I have a delivery to make."

"Of course." Moon stepped well out of the way. "Good luck with your delivery."

"Thank you." And she went on with a smile.

"Not every conversation has to be lengthy..." Moon tapped at her chin as she resumed her walk. "No, that's obvious. Even a foal should know that."

"Know what?" Apple Bloom was ahead and to the side, having heard her thinking to herself. "Do ah know it?"

Moon brightened. "Ah, an excellent opportunity. While I have you, how is Spike doing in school?"

Apple Bloom inclined her head. "Oh! He's doin' fine, me too! Cheerilee's a brilliant teacher." She clopped with a big smile at that. "Ain't no problems there. Now what do ah know, or don't know?"

"Hm, thank you." She considered the filly that she was, honorarily, related to. "If you approached Applejack for a conversation, she explained she had something occupying her, and the conversation was short, but cordial, how would you feel?"

"Ah'd feel... like she was real busy. Ah'd check if ah could help." She nodded once in a firm stroke. "Two Apples get thin's done even faster!"

Moon resumed her walk. "Of course. That's entirely logical." And, as it turned out, something a foal knew already. There was no need to... "Thank you."

"Mighty welcome!" Apple Bloom waved briefly, then dashed off to do some other filly business.

"Hey." There was Spike, next to Diamond Tiara. They were just walking down the road, and happened on her. "Why the long face?"

Diamond swatted at Spike. "That joke was bad and you should feel bad."

"Yeah..." He didn't look that guilty. "Seriously, what's up?"

Moon inclined an ear at her ward. "How are you two doing?" She waved a hoof between them. "Have any difficulties?"

Diamond hiked a brow high with an agitated lash of her tail. "That's a rude question. It's none of your business how we're doing."

"Hey, she's kinda in charge of me." Spike slid between them. "So it's at least a little her business. Uh..." He rubbed one arm with the other hand, eyes darting. "If your mom asked that, you'd tell her, wouldn't you?"

Diamond flinched back. "Mmmf.... I guess... Just enough to make her happy."

Spike waved at Moon with a big smile. "Well, I like my guardian slash sister slash mom. So... if she wants to know how we're doing, I want to tell her."

Diamond threw up her hooves. "Fine! But you better not get into private stuff. There's things you don't talk to moms, or sisters, about."

Spike cleared his throat officiously. "I am pleased to report that Diamond and I are getting along! I am really happy to have her as a girlfriend, and hope she feels the same." His finger curled. "Wait, I mean, that she likes me as a boyfriend, not as a girlfriend."

"So close." Diamond pulled him back, hooves curling around him. "He only annoys me once in a while. We're doing fine." She wrinkled her nose at Moon. "By the way, if we get super serious... That would make you my... sister too? Or mom? You two have a complicated relationship."

"You can choose." Moon dipped her head. "I will not be offended if you call me a sister-in-law or a mother-in-law. Whichever you prefer, should we reach that point. But I can't report that..." She turned away. "There has to be something..."

Spike shrugged softly. "She's hunting something... Um, let's go." He left the scene with Diamond, off to do other things.

Moon hopped up onto an empty bench and sat back, watching ponies pass by, most with pleased enough smiles. It was a fine day in Ponyville, which didn't help her at all.

"Good evening." Luna sank beside her. "Art thou searching for something in particular?"

"No..." It was only then she realized who had asked. "Princess! What are you doing here?" She ran a hoof back through her mane. She acknowledged that the princess had permission to be there with a nervous chuckle. "Of course..."

"Of course..." Luna inclined her head to the left, wings fidgeting on her back. "Th--You appear to be very distracted. How can I help?"

"You, help me?" Moon pointed to Luna, then herself. "You're a princess."

"That is correct." Silence grew between them a moment. "How can I be of assistance with thine problem?"

That Luna wanted to help was made quite clear. "Well..." Moon waved out at the passing ponies. "They're happy."

"That is a good thing..." Luna looked from one passing face to the next. "Is it not?"

"Yeah..." Moon slumped. "But I should be reporting my findings to your sister."

"And thou doest not, because...?" Luna rolled a hoof, ears quivering. "Is something preventing you?"

"I have nothing to write!" Moon flopped bonelessly against the bench. "I have learned nothing new about friendship for some time. I've reached a steady point. I feel certain I haven't learned everything, but how do I push past it? I don't know! I'm just good enough for most ponies to not bother trying to get me further, and I don't know how to do it myself and I'm letting her down." She sagged, belly to the bench, forehooves dangling off the front. "She must be so disappointed."

Luna sat in companionable silence, watching the ponies go by. "I am told... You did not do this before."

"Do what?" Moon sat up. "Talk with you? That is still fairly new, but I enjoy your company."

"Thou flatter me." Luna smiled gently, reaching with her magic to straighten Moon's glasses. "But no. Mine sister has gone into detail, how lost you were in your varied tomes and studies. Now you are watching ponies." She waves at those passing, one of which panicked at a princess pointing at them and bowed low. "This is new, for you, is it not?"

Moon waved for the pony to move on past them. "I know most of them... This is new, I confess. But is it worth reporting?"

"Not as a discovery, but an event, to be celebrated." Luna curled a wing around Moon Dancer warmly. "You have accomplished something you would not have even predicted. Why, even I have not learned so many names of so many ponies. Soon, you will make even that pink party pony blush with jealousy."

Moon snorted, uproarous laughter from her. "I struggle to imagine that to be true, Princess."

"Thou may callest me Luna." She directed to herself. "Friends should not let honorrifics stand betwixt them, hm?"

Moon sat up, ears perking. "Oh... Oh! Thank you." A paper appeared with a pop, quill already scribbling into it. "You have given me something to write about. Two things. Both accomplishments, not discoveries..." She paused. "Wait... Does this mean your sister and I aren't friends?"

Luna considered that in silence for a moment. "I would not say that so quickly... Different ponies have differing relationships, but you would, perhaps... You could ask her?" She pointed at the floating paper. "You're already writing to her. A fine place for a question."

"Brilliance." Moon redoubled her writing efforts. "We will both benefit from making our relationship... clear..." Her quill came to a slow stop. "I have been mistreating Spike."

"Spike? Thine dragon?" She looked around, but no dragon was in sight. "What troubles him?"

"Our relationship." Moon tapped the paper. "It's unclear, and I have made no effort to clarify it, and it came up today. I've been thoughtless..." She rubbed a hoof against each temple. "I should remedy that as soon as I can."

Luna hummed softly. "Then, it would seem, thou hast learned a lesson worth learning."

Moon jumped, as if stung at this realization. "Oh... You're... right." She sank back in place. "I'll chat with Spike, next time I see him. He's enjoying his time with his girlfriend."

"Do you wish to speak of it?" Luna leaned in. "I am told having one's ward find love for the first time can be a challenging time."

Moon slid to the ground with a clop. "Thank you, but I've already taken up far too much of your time, Luna. You are a dear and lovely friend. I owe you one."

"Neigh. We are even now." Luna joined Moon in standing. "You brought such joy and understanding to mineself during Nightmare Night. Now we are both one favor in. Equilibrium has been reached." She looked quite overjoyed at this announcement. "I look forward to seeing who gains the next point."

Moon folded her paper carefully to tuck away. "Whichever of us it is, I will enjoy it. Do you plan to stop by again?"

"I can make no promises of when." Luna directed a wing at the distant Canterlot. "I have mine own duties to attend, as do you. Still, when I can..."

"I will look forward to when circumstances allow it." Moon offered a hoof. "Oh, have you learned any new spells? Close friends of mine always like magic."

"That will not be true of all thine friends, I feel certain..." Luna stroked at her chin. "Still, you are not incorrect in this case. Mine sister has shared a most wondrous spell! I am still learning its intricacies. I will have a place and purpose in the night." She did a little canter in place, excitement growing. "I have but to master it." She pointed at Moon between the eyes. "Like your studies, it involves the mind of ponies, and winning them."

"Your sister wants everypony around her better at that..." She hummed softly. "Tell me how your studies progress. Are you permitted to share this sorcery?"

"Neigh." Luna shook her head. "A forbidden spell, shared only because I am royalty. You are also trusted, but you have a different task. I am not at liberty to share this spell."

"Pity." Moon turned towards the library. "I will attend mine duties."

Luna colored. "You did that on purpose! I'm trying to be better about that..."

"You have improved considerably." Moon walked off. "See you next time. You can write to me too."

Luna gasped with a sudden smile. "Then I will do just that!" She had earned her first modern penpal.

Author's Note:

Less going crazy, more just frustrated. Luna returns! Both are pleased with the result.

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Comments

[TheGJ90]

So, Moon Dancer has completely avoided a certain incident involving panic, mania, misguided use of magic, and a whole kerfuffle over a doll.

Thank Luna for that!

[Booster Spice]

Poor BigMac.

[Venerable Ro]

Best moon princess is most reassuring, huzzah!

[No one is home]

But now how will Big Mac ever get his doll?

[Toffee Tales]

sdlkjfs I love reading about Moon Dancer and Luna interacting; they're both kind of awkward in their own ways, and equally as earnest and sincere. Their shared enthusiasm over learning how to navigate friendship (Luna having been out of the game for a long time, and Moon Dancer simply never having had a knack for it) is very sweet.

[Sidetrack]

I think the whole 'undefined relationship' thing is kinda adorable. The fact that they don't have a name for it but acknowledge that it's dear to both of them makes it more other ponies problem than theirs.
"So what are you guys to each other "
"He's my Spike."
"She's my Moo dancer."