Tragedy Averted
A Human, a Pony Princess, and a Mistake
Chapter 6: Tragedy Averted
Tom was following Twilight’s directions to Doughnut Joe’s when he turned a corner and literally ran into Fluttershy. Fortunately neither was moving faster than a steady walk.
“Whoops, sorry Fluttershy,” Tom apologized.
“No, it’s my fault, I wasn’t paying attention,” Fluttershy apologized in return. Tom smiled fondly.
“Let’s just say it’s both our faults and leave it at that, alright?” Tom asked and Fluttershy nodded in agreement.
“Howdy Tom, Twilight,” Applejack, who had been behind Fluttershy, greeted.
“Hey Applejack. Say, I was heading over to Doughnut Joe’s to meet some of Twilight’s old friends. Apparently she forgot all about them after she moved to Ponyville. And before you say anything, yes, the idea that Twilight had friends before Ponyville is as strange to me as it is to you,” Tom snickered.
“Really Tom? That was such low hanging fruit,” Twilight almost managed to sound disappointed in him. Applejack just rolled her eyes good naturedly.
“Anyway, would you two be willing to come with us?” Tom inquired. The two mares looked at each other for a moment.
“I ain’t got nothin’ better to do,” Applejack replied.
“If they’re friends of Twilight, they should be alright…” Fluttershy answered demurely.
A few minutes later, the quartet walked into Doughnut Joe’s. Tom didn’t even have to scan the area to spot Twilight’s old friends.
“TWILIGHT, OVER HERE!” A light blue unicorn mare all but screamed. She was waving her hoof around like a crazy person trying to get Tom’s attention, and boy did she get it.
“I think that’s Minuette. How on Equuis could I forget somepony so loud?” Twilight sounded exasperated, but Tom was pretty sure that was mostly directed at herself. Tom, Applejack, Twilight, and Fluttershy slid into the booth that had been selected.
“Hello, Minuette, it’s been awhile,” Tom greeted, “I hope you all don’t mind, but I brought some of my friends from Ponyville.”
“Of course not,” A lemon yellow mare waved it off.
“Lemon Hearts,” Twilight supplied.
“Thanks Lemon Heart,” Tom replied.
“Especially if those friends are the Elements of Harmony!” Minuette exclaimed, “I told all my friends at work that I used to be friends with you, Twilight, but nopony believed me!”
“Imagine that,” Lyra chuckled.
“I don’t wanna hear it from you, miss humans-are-real,” Minuette said sourly. Before Lyra could protest Minuette continued, “Would you mind if I took a picture? I want to prove I’m not just telling tales.”
“Minuette, we were friends, you don’t really have to ask to take a simple picture,” Tom said with a shrug.
“I just thought I’d ask, what with reporters probably hounding you at all hours,” Minuette responded as she dug out a camera to snap a few quick pictures.
“Not really. Everyone in Ponyville already knows me so the local reporters don’t bother me and since Celestia knows I like my privacy, it wouldn’t surprise me to know she has out of town reporters on a leash of some kind.” Point of fact, Celestia had told Twilight the day after her ascension that she’d keep the reporters away if Twilight wanted. Naturally the new Alicorn had taken her up on the offer.
“Yeah, come to think of it, I can’t think of a time the reporters bothered you while you were just Princess Celestia’s protégé either,” An ivory mare, who Twilight informed Tom was Twinkleshine, spoke up for the first time.
“So how’d ya’ll meet Twilight anyway?” Applejack asked.
“Well, we all went to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, so we met when we were about six or seven,” Lyra answered.
“Yeah, those were some crazy times. Twilight and Moon Dancer were always wanting to try some new magic they had learned and we were the guinea pigs in chief,” Lemon Hearts giggled.
“Oh dear, I hope you didn’t get hurt,” Fluttershy worried.
“Nah, those two were good enough to undo just about anything they did. Besides, it was pretty fun more often than not,” Twinkleshine reminisced and the other three made noises of agreement.
“I wonder where Moon Dancer is.” Twilight pondered.
“So was Moon Dancer not able to make it? I know this was on pretty short notice and all,” Tom said. Twilight’s Canterlot friends shared a look that set Tom ill at ease.
“Soon after you left, Twilight, Moon Dancer started hanging out with us less and less often,” Lemon Hearts confessed.
“I’ve been in Ponyville most of the time, so I don’t know if this counts for much, but I haven’t heard from Moon Dancer in weeks, maybe longer,” Lyra added. A pit started forming in Tom’s stomach. When the others confirmed they hadn’t heard from Moon Dancer in a similar length of time, both Tom and Twilight started to get very worried.
“Where is Moon Dancer currently living? Sounds like she could use some visitors,” Tom kept his voice light. What he really wanted to do was demand they take him to Moon Dancer immediately. Too many tragedies of history and crime dramas painted a horrible picture in his mind. Modern Equestria seemed a happier place than Earth, but as Luna had pointed out, a lot of that was Celestia’s censoring.
“Sounds like a good idea! Let’s go!” Minuette cheered. The bill was paid and the group was out the door. Once they were underway Applejack and Tom fell to the back of the group.
“Are ya gonna tell them?” Applejack asked quietly.
“Maybe later, when I can get Luna or Celestia to vouch I’m not insane,” Tom replied. Something in his voice must have tipped AJ off.
“I take it yer meeting with the Princesses didn’t go well?” She questioned.
“I only got to ask one question,” Tom sighed.
“About the Changelings?” Applejack guessed.
“Right in one. Luna looked mad enough to send Celestia to the sun without the help of the Elements. She’s going off to the Badlands after she teaches me and Twilight how to move the moon,” Tom answered.
“Probably fer the best she gets some space if she’s half as mad as ya’ll think she is,” Applejack observed.
“I agree, but right now my focus is on Moon Dancer,” Tom reveled. Applejack cocked her head in questioning, “Slowly withdrawing from friends until no one has seen you for weeks or even months is usually a bad sign where I’m from.”
“Bad signs fer what?” Applejack seemed honestly oblivious and Tom didn’t want to ruin that. It had been bad enough when he had forgotten to moderate for Twilight and she hadn’t been satisfied until she knew every grim detail about Humanity’s past and current society.
“I won’t tell you, because if I’m wrong I don’t want my paranoia to trouble you,” Tom said wearily. Applejack gave him a searching gaze, but ultimately decided to leave it alone, for which Tom was very grateful.
After what seemed like an eternity to Tom, but was really only a couple of minutes, the group arrived at Moon Dancer’s house. The lawn was overgrown, the mailbox was stuffed with letters, and the whole house looked to be in a state of disrepair. The pit in Tom’s stomach seemed to grow ever deeper.
“Please be alright, Moon Dancer,” Twilight prayed. Tom steeled his nerves and walked forward to knock on the door. Each second that ticked by with no response was agony to Tom.
“Maybe she isn’t home?” Lyra suggested. Tom knocked again with more urgency, accidentally breaking the door in the process. A few moments later an eye peered out of the new hole.
“Go away!” A female voice barked.
“Moon Dancer, is that you?” Tom asked.
“Who else would it be?” Moon Dancer asked testily.
“Oh thank the Stars,” Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, but Tom wasn’t satisfied yet. Just because the absolute worse possibility hadn’t come to pass, that didn’t mean Moon Dancer was hale and hearty.
“Moon Dancer, please let us in, it’s your friends,” Tom said pleasantly.
“I can see that. Go away!” Moon Dancer barked again.
“Moon Dancer, are you taking care of yourself?” Tom asked softly.
“What do you care, Sparkle?” Moon Dancer all but snarled. The mares behind Tom seemed to be growing confused, but he ignored them.
“We can play this game all day Moon Dancer. I’m not leaving until you let us in,” Tom was entirely willing to be stubborn as Moon Dancer was. The door flew open, its hinges nearly flying off.
“I will have you arrested for trespassing!” Moon Dancer threatened. Tom took in her appearance. Long, unwashed tail, unkempt mane held up by a scrunchie, thick dark sweater that hid her forelegs entirely in summertime, and glasses held together by tape.
“I’d like to see you try and have a princess arrested,” Tom said mildly, fluffing his wings, “I could make it a royal order for you to let us in.”
“GO AWAY! Leave me alone! That’s what you’re best at anyway,” Moon Dancer sneered. Twilight recoiled, but Tom was unaffected.
“Roll up your sleeves Moon Dancer,” Tom ordered softly. Moon Dancer’s pupils shrank to pinpricks in panic and surprise. Fear seized her heart.
“NO!” Moon Dancer was on the edge of hyperventilating. She wanted to turn and run back into her house, but her legs wouldn’t obey her commands.
“I’m sure you have nothing to hide. Just roll up your sleeves and you never have to see this mad mare again,” Tom offered. This was not the reaction of someone with nothing to hide.
“You know…” Moon Dancer’s voice was barely audible. The terror in those two words caused both Twilight’s and Tom’s hearts to break.
“I suspect. I won’t know and can’t help unless you show me,” Slowly, carefully, Tom hugged the trembling mare.
“I care about you, Moon Dancer. I know I’ve done a horrible, horrible job showing it over the last year. I abandoned you, walked out of your life without a second thought…but you are one of my first friends. I will care about you no matter what, so please, show me,” Twilight felt a sorrow she had never felt before. Tom didn’t have to pretend to cry as he repeated Twilight’s words. Tom released the hug and slowly, with a face burning with shame, Moon Dancer rolled up her sleeves.
The assembled mares gasped at what they saw, but Tom retained his composure, for Moon Dancer’s sake. Her eyes were glued solely on him. Moon Dancer’s forelegs were a mess. Cuts in every direction, of every length and depth crisscrossed her flesh. Most were in various stages of scabbing, but a few were still fresh enough to bleed.
Tom took a deep breath as he listened to Twilight’s input before speaking.
“Moon Dancer, I’m going to give you two options, both of which involve you coming with me to Ponyville. Option one is I check you in to the psychiatric ward of Ponyville General Hospital. I can’t let you live alone when you’re clearly a threat to yourself. Option two I give against my better judgment. Option two is you live with me in Ponyville. However, if I find you keep hurting yourself while living with me, it’s straight to the psychiatric ward. Understood?”
“I understand,” Moon Dancer said meekly, “I…I don’t want…I can’t…please don’t put me with the crazy ponies. I don’t know if I-”
“No thinking along those lines,” Tom ordered, cutting off Moon Dancer. He had a fair idea what she was about to say.
“OK,” Moon Dancer bowed her head. It was all Tom could do to not slump tiredly.
“I have things I need to do, royal matters. I don’t anticipate it’ll take more than two hours. That should hopefully give you time to pack. We’ll meet at the station at moonrise to catch the last train to Ponyville,” Tom turned to Applejack, “Applejack, stay with her. Help her pack and make sure she stays safe.”
“Of course,” Applejack replied and Tom was extremely grateful for her levelheadedness.
“I’ll stay too,” Fluttershy volunteered, somewhat surprising Tom and Twilight. It was a reminder that beneath her usual timid exterior, the former Bearer of Kindness was made of some stern stuff.
“We’re staying too!” Minuette and Lyra shouted at the same time, both offered a weak smile.
“We haven’t been the best friends, but we are still friends,” Lemon Hearts said firmly and Twinkleshine nodded in agreement. Moon Dancer was too overcome with emotion to form words.
“Thank you, all of you,” Tom said sincerely.
“Don’t mention it, it’s what friends do. Now, ya’ll go on and get. That royal business of yours won’t keep forever,” Applejack quipped.
“Alright, I’m going,” Tom acquiesced and after a quick hug with Moon Dancer, headed towards the palace.
Luna’s horn was alight as she talked.
“Focus on my magic, follow it from my horn to its connection with my moon. Once you find it, try and tie your magic to the moon in likewise manner,” Luna guided. Tom nodded and closed his eyes. Banishing images of Moon Dancer’s wounds, he forced his attention on Luna’s magic. It was smooth and calm and cool like the night she shepherded. He allowed himself a moment to savor its feeling before doing as Luna had told him and following the current of mana.
Tom had lost track of time since finding Luna, but he supposed it had been over an hour of exercises lead by Twilight and Luna in Magic before they had reached this point. He put this from his mind as he felt the soft power of the moon through Luna’s connection. Copying Luna, he poured mana into establishing a link between himself and the moon. It resisted, but only for a moment as Luna pushed more of her own mana through her link with the celestial body.
“You have done well, now all that is left is for you to move my moon. I doubt Celestia will complain overmuch if the moon is raised ten minutes early,” Luna mused. Tom’s eyes snapped open.
“Ten minutes?! I told my friends I’d be at the station by moonrise!” Tom exclaimed.
“I doubt your friends will hold it against you if you are a little late. However, I know something has been bothering you since you came to me. Please, speak your mind and unburden yourself young ones,” Luna offered.
“Long story short, one of Twilight’s old friends was hurting themselves and likely suicidally depressed. We’re bringing her to Ponyville, hopefully to help her recover. I don’t want my first act of that to be me being late,” Tom explained.
“I am sorry to hear that. Would that I could visit every dream and soothe every heart, but alas, there is but one of me and so very many dreamers,” Luna lamented with a shake of her head, “Go to her. I trust if the need ever arises you know enough to take care of my moon. I will raise it on time.”
“Thank you, Luna,” Both Twilight and Tom said before rushing out the door. A quick teleport later and the pair were at the station. To only mild surprise, all of their friends were already at the platform.
“Twilight!” Everyone exclaimed.
“Hello, everyone, I’m glad to see both my new and old friends getting along,” Twilight said, which Tom repeated with a smile.
“Ya’ll get yer business taken care of?” Applejack asked.
“I did, thank you for asking,” Tom replied.
“Yep, these last couple o’ days sure has been eventful, but I’ll be glad to go back to the farm and relax for a spell,” Applejack said honestly.
“I don’t blame you,” Tom agreed with Applejack’s desire for some peace.
“Now, Twilight, darling, why is your friend coming to live with you? I’ve asked the others, but they’ve been tight lipped,” Rarity inquired.
“I don’t want to be rude, but it really is none of your business, Rarity. I’ve already had to oust the problem to AJ, Fluttershy, and my old friends. Moon Dancer deserves some privacy. Just suffice to say Moon Dancer had a problem and I offered to help,” Tom said with a note of finality.
“I understand, darling, I shan’t bring it up again,” Rarity replied respectfully. Rainbow had been curious as well, but decided if Rarity wasn’t going to dig into it, she wouldn’t either.
Soon thereafter, goodbyes were said, luggage packed away, and the train was underway for Ponyville. Once everyone was comfortably seated in an empty car, Tom spoke.
“Moon Dancer, since you’re going to be staying with me, there are certain things you should know.”
“Like what?” Moon Dancer asked curiously. Tom noted she must have bathed sometime during her lesson with Luna, for her mane and tail didn’t look quite as bad as they had earlier.
“There’s really no way I can think of to say it myself, so if you could explain, Pinkie?” Tom requested.
“Sure thing! Well, about a month ago Twilight found a super duper old spell in Luna and Celestia’s old castle out in the Everfree Forest. Twilight, being the Element of Magic, absolutely knew she had to try out any spell she didn’t know, regardless of consequences! That’s how things are discovered, after all, like mint chocolate chip!” Pinkie exposited.
“I knew it was a summoning spell,” Twilight mumbled mulishly.
“Anyway, the spell turned out to be a summoning spell…a summoning spell that drew a consciousness into oneself. But Twilight messed a few things up,” Pinkie paused for dramatic effect.
“I didn’t mess up! The page with the rest of the instructions was missing!” Twilight complained indignantly.
“So instead of a spirit being drawn into Twilight and them being in equal control, Twilight summoned a Soul and the magic caused that Soul to usurp control of Twilight’s body completely! Luckily that Soul wasn’t a meany-pants like Nightmare Moon, but just a regular guy named Tom, who’s a Human. Say ‘hello’ Tom!” Pinkie instructed.
“Hello Tom,” Tom dutifully replied. Pinkie snorted in amusement and even Rainbow chuckled despite herself. Moon Dancer looked back and forth between Tom and Pinkie.
“So you’re saying you aren’t Twilight, but an alien- excuse me, a Human controlling her body?” Moon Dancer asked skeptically.
“That is exactly what we’re saying. Twilight is still here and can talk to me. Twilight meant what she said about being sorry for being a terrible friend and I mean it when I say I want to be your friend and that we both care about you,” Tom answered.
“And you wanted to put me in the psych ward,” Moon Dancer gazed heavenward, “But somehow, that sounds exactly crazy enough to be believable.”
“I’m sure someone like Pinkie could make something like this up if they tried, but I’m not that creative,” Tom quipped.
“Lyra is gonna lose it when she finds out,” Moon Dancer warned.
“Knowing my luck, it’s inevitable she’ll find out somehow. First order of business tomorrow is beginning construction of an anti-Lyra bunker,” Tom deadpanned.
Before they knew it, the train pulled into the Ponyville station. The group disembarked, bid each other good night, and went their separate ways. A few minutes later, Spike, Tom, Twilight, and Moon Dancer arrived at Golden Oaks Library.
“You live in a library? If I had known that I would’ve come a long time ago,” Moon Dancer joked.
“Twilight is head librarian too. Due to unfortunate circumstances, she’s had to ‘hire’ me as junior under librarian,” Tom joked back.
“Do I want to know who the regular librarian is?” Moon Dancer asked.
“That’d be me!” Spike said proudly.
“And Twilight’s pet owl, Owlowiscious is the junior librarian,” Tom reported.
“Really, Twilight? Owlowiscious?” Moon Dancer tried to keep the smirk off her face. Only Twilight had such a gift for names.
“It’s a cute name!” Twilight pouted as Tom showed Moon Dancer to the guest room.
“Right, before we head off to bed, a few ground rules. Breakfast is at 7, usually cooked by Spike. Everyone washes their own dishes. If you choose to stay in your room, Spike and I are going to conduct random visits. I won’t tell him why unless you agree to it. Otherwise, if you leave the library, you have to be accompanied by someone else at all times. Your curfew is 10 PM unless otherwise cleared by myself and Twilight or in case of emergency. I will also be conducting periodic inspections to both make sure your cuts are healing properly and you aren’t making new ones. Does that sound good?” Tom inquired.
“Yeah, that sounds reasonable. I, uh, thanks for not just throwing me in the loony bin and have done with it,” Moon Dancer said.
“Thank Twilight, not me. We wouldn’t have left you to rot in the psych ward, but she’s the one who convinced me to let you stay with us,” Tom said with a shrug.
“I see…thank you Twilight,” Moon Dancer said gratefully.
“She says ‘you’re welcome’,” Tom said before yawning, “Goodnight, Moon Dancer,”
“Goodnight Tom, Twilight,” The pair left the room for their own bedroom, leaving Moon Dancer alone. She contemplated how things had ended up like this, but shook her head to clear it of looming dark thoughts. She decided she could unpack later; it was late, after all. So she climbed into her new bed, set her glasses on the bedside table, and allowed herself to drift to sleep.
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Wat
10288918
"Wont" adjective: (of a person) in the habit of doing something.
So in this case, Twilight is in the habit of experimenting with Magic.
10288938
I get it but it looks so weird
10289001
In my, admittedly limited, experience, English is a strange, confusing language. I've only been speaking it my whole life and I still find it baffling at times.
10289028
In my experience, I've been speaking it my whole life as well, and I firmly believe English isn't even a language, It's three languages stacked on top of each other in a trench coat.
10289382
That's the most plausible explanation I've ever heard. Or read, as the case may be.
Hum, interesting read, normally I am not a fan of possession or retreading the same episode, but you manage to to keep it mostly interesting, and I am happy that you are starting to deviate from the show order. The MC sounded rather dull at first but I am happy that he is starting to get a little depth to him. Still I hope that he will get his own body soon enough. I found it strange that Flash Sentry was nowhere to be scene is there a reason for that maybe?
Also if you are looking for a cover art please let me know I am open for commissions, you can just PM if you want to talk about it. As for example of my art work, you can go at the link bellow to my DA gallery:
https://www.deviantart.com/amalgamzaku
Seriously this story deserves more attention, it's so damn good.
Really looking forward to the next chapter
10290412
I feel blessed with the attention it has been getting thus far. I am very grateful for your praise.
10289431
I'm glad you think my story is of good enough quality to see past your usual dislike of the story telling device.
As we move deeper into the story, certain events will be changed, rearranged, or skipped altogether. From a flap of a butterfly's wings a hurricane is born and all that and Tom's arrival is a bit more than a butterfly's wing flapping.
Flash may yet appear in the story. I intentionally left him out of the EQG chapter because human Flash was just a tool for a forced romantic subplot and I couldn't think of a way to justifiably change that with Tom doing his best to stay laser focused on reclaiming the Element of Magic. Pegasus Flash, now, that might have potential. We'll just have to wait and see what unfolds.
As far as Tom getting his own body, all I can say for now is 'spoilers'. It will come up as a point of contention sooner rather than later. Two of the brightest minds of their generation are living under the same roof now, after all.
I'm pretty sure she could have you arrested, if you had - I dunno - murdered somepony or participated in torture or drugs, or whatever.
Surely there's some crimes not even a Princess can escape.
So you decided to not quit when you realised a page was missing, but instead to forge ahead like Rainbow Dash, regardless of the risks of an incomplete ritual circle and spell?
For buck's sake, I thought you were smarter than that, girl.
I agree more with your take on events, quiet afew of us thought this also
Are you planning to write a harem clopfic as a sequel?
Thank you.
You clearly have talent and passion for your work, I was watery eyed up the whole chapter. You made it feel real to those who have been through that kind of hardship, yet you didn't invoke the bad memories from that time rather. For me at least you reminded me of all who I hold dear and those who hold me dear to themselves. And while I am not proud of having been in a similar state that Moon Dancer was in I will not hide it away and try to forget it, as it was a very important time of my life. I wouldn't be who I am now if I hadn't gone through that.
So I very much look forward to watching Tom and friends help Moon Dancer be in to heal. Though I have a feeling that you dear author will be going about this very realisticly so I don't expect MDs problem to go away easily or quickly.
10347279
Poor, silly Tom, don't you know Lyra breaks reality just as easily as Pinkie when she really wants something?
Craaaawliiing iiiiiin myyyy sskiiiiin!
Before anyone asks, I've been there so I have the self harm joke card. :P
Welp, he's gonna get Lyra'd.
Hopefully Luna's mission goes well.
Well that took a darker turn then expected but it does make sense with the kid-friendly glaze peeled off that episode.
Darker than I expected, but a welcome addition non the less. I'm just immensely glad Moon Dancer is given more than just a quick episode... Seriously, one episode!? She isn't ever even so much as mentioned afterwards.
Wow, Tom's handling of the Moon Dancer issue makes me so mad that I think i can't go on.
10297853
Twilight thinking ahead before getting into something. This is the girl who almost became a dragon pancake because she went to the usual way of handling the problem without knowing anything about dragons and how one would get what they want out of one.
Looks like Tom's suspicion was correct moondancer was going through depression if the cuts are anything to go by
The next thing she would have done is suicide by either hanging her self or slitting her throat two very effective methods of suicide I've heard of this before because I'm a well read person
Called it I knew it
I knew because it almost happened to one of my cousins so I saw the signs in moondancer that's how I could tell
Indeed hehe ohhhh boy Lyra is obsessed with humans she would go gaga over twilight sparkle if she knew that a human spirit is controlling her body