Don't Stop Believing

by Mitslits

Streetlights, People

Dawn awoke the next night. She leaped to her hooves, startling Indigo Moon. "We slept all night!" she said, turning to him. The sun was just setting, casting their shadows behind them.

Indigo woke and shook his mane. "With the way you leaped up, I thought there was a fire! Look, the streetlights aren't even on yet, and other ponies are still out on the street."

Dawn relaxed slightly. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Still, it's a long way to New York. We should get going."

Dawn and Indigo trotted, close to each other, they navigated the streets until they came to the main street. Indy went into a travel shop for business ponies and managed to snag a map. He unfolded it and held it up for Dawn's Glow to look at. Dawn led them in the right direction; they picked up the pace when the moon was high in the sky.

"Look", Dawn said, uneasily. Up ahead, a streetlight flickered. But that wasn't what made Dawn uneasy. She was most comfortable during the day, but the moon and the flickering light shone down on a pony, standing underneath the lightbulb.

The cream unicorn glanced quickly towards Indy and gasped. "Indy!" She remembered at the last moment, to lower her voice. "Where are you?" She spun in a circle, frantically hoping to see the deep blue unicorn standing off to one side. But she saw nothing.

A high, thin, keening voice called out, carried by the breeze. "Hello? I'm here! Is there anyone there?" A pause. "Please help me. I'm so scared." The voice stopped and low whimpers were heard.

Dawn froze. Eyes wide with fear, she turned slowly, lifting each hoof deliberately. "What's wrong?" she called out, hating the way her voice cracked with terror.

The voice yelled and the figure moved. "He's coming! Help me, please. I don't know when he'll be here. You have to help me!"

Dawn's Glow looked nervously around. When she returned her eyes to the lamppost, the shape was gone. The unicorn reared up, whinnying. She struck out with her hooves blindly, knowing the pony could be anywhere.

Hooves wrapped around her neck, slapping down over her mouth. Indy's voice came out of the darkness, close to her ear.

"Hush. It's okay. I knocked her out." He dropped his hooves, planting them on the ground. "Sorry I had to take off like that", he said, flashing a crooked grin. "I couldn't let that pony know someone else was with you."

Dawn glared at him. "And what if she had an accomplice? I was terrified! I nearly fainted when you grabbed me." She turned and trotted forwards, snapping him in the face with her tail as she passed him.

Indigo moved his muzzle around and cantered up to her. "Hey, Dawn, what about some thanks? I did take her out, you know. I knew there wasn't an accomplice! I thought you'd trust me enough to trust my instincts."

Dawn snorted in frustration. "And how would you know if she had accomplices or not?"

Indy leaped in front of her, crouching. "I am...a creature of ze night."

Dawn smiled, but then she quickly turned her head away from him, forcing her smile down. "No, stop it. I'm mad at you."

Indigo Moon, sensing his chance, slid up to her, until he pushed his head up to her jawline. "I vant to suck your blahd!" he whispered in her ear.

Dawn's Glow giggled, and leaned away from him. "No!" she shrieked in mock horror. "Not a vampire!"

"VAMPIRE!" a small voice shrieked.

Indy and Dawn froze. They had forgotten that the small pony he had knocked out would wake up. Both turned their gazes to the filly; they were now quite close to her.

The filly was tiny, even for a kid. She was a pale purple. Her mane and tail were both a straw-yellow. The filly's eyes were opened wide with terror, and they were slightly crossed. Only then could the two see that she was a unicorn.

"Mommy", the filly sobbed. "I want my mommy."

There was a sudden flurry of wings. A gray pegasus with a pale yellow mane and tail and a bubbly cutie mark landed between the unicorn filly and Dawn and Indy. "You stay away from my Dinky!"

Dawn's Glow narrowed her eyes. Something was off about this pony. Her voice...That's when she spotted her eyes. Both were askew, rolling off in random directions. "Y-your eyes!"

The pegasus tried to glare, but the effect was ruined when one yellow eye rolled to the bottom of it's socket. "So? My eyes aren't what I was talking about! Stop scaring Dinky!"

The little unicorn peeked out from behind her leg. "Go mom!"

A tan earth pony trotted up at that moment. His flank had three horseshoes on it, and his mane and tail were both a dark brown. "Ditzy Do! I told you to find Dinky and come home. I don't want you wandering around like this! It isn't safe."

The gray pegasus turned to the newcomer. "Sorry, Caramel. I thought Dinky was in trouble. I couldn't leave her." She turned to look at the tiny unicorn, who was gazing at Caramel.

Caramel pressed up close to Ditzy. "And I wouldn't ask you to. Now come on. Let's get you two home." He gently pushed Ditzy and Dinky away. Then he turned to Indy and Dawn's Glow. "If you two have a laid a hoof on Ditzy or Dinky..." he trailed off meaningfully.

Indigo Moon narrowed his eyes. "We didn't. Okay, I knocked her out, but it doesn't seem to have affected her."

Caramel's eyes lit with anger. "You did what?"

That was when the Doctor decided to intervene. He flew out from where he had been hiding (who knew bushes could provide such great cover?) and knocked Caramel away from Indigo Moon. "Stop! There's no reason to fight."

The indignant earth pony turned to the Doctor. "He hit Dinky!"

"And he was right that she wasn't affected. You two should go", he said to Dawn and Indigo. "Now."

The two unicorns dashed past the two earth ponies.

Caramel watched them, but he made no move to stop them. Turning, he stalked away until he reached Ditzy and Dinky.

Ditzy gazed up at him lovingly. "Caramel. Thank you for coming for me and Dinky."

Caramel nuzzled her gently. "Of course, Ditzy. I would never leave you. Not for all of Equestria." The two stood, staring at each other, love filling their eyes.

Dinky pushed her mom forwards, giggling. "This is the part where you kiss her", she whispered loudly.

Caramel blushed violently. He gazed into his girlfriend's eyes and closed his own. He leaned in slowly.

Ditzy rolled her straying eyes. He was taking too long. The gray pegasus pushed forwards, laying her lips gently on his.

Caramel's eyes shot open at this unexpected event. He soon closed his eyes in pure bliss and wrapped his front hooves around Ditzy's neck. Eventually, they pulled away, breathing heavily.

"I love you", the said simultaneously.

Dinky shrieked with laughter and the small group went on their way, laughing.

Dawn's Glow turned her head at the sound of laughter. She saw the happy family illuminated in the glow of the street lamp. The light flickered once more, and then shone strongly. Dawn smiled and leaned into Indigo Moon. "I love you."