> Blue Moon; The Story of Starry Blaze
>  by Lunar Splash
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Why am I here?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Tears streamed down the mare’s face as she ran through the shadowy forest. What she was about to do saddened her, but it had to be done. She had to give away her only child, to save it from the monsters that chased after her. A  magic beam shot after her and the mare ran even faster.
Starry Blaze, my child, I’m so sorry! She thought as she came upon a crystal-like tree. The mare set down the filly she was carrying, and ran off, swiftly opening her wings and taking to the sky. The little filly stirred and begun to softly cry, but it was loud enough to gather the attention of the pony living inside.
The pony opened the door and found the dark blue unicorn filly on her door step. The purple alicorn looked from side to side, searching for the filly’s mother, but saw no one. With caution, the alicorn scooped up the filly into her arms and took her inside.
“What was it, Twi?” A baby dragon asked the mare.
“”I’m not sure, Spike.” Twilight replied. “I walked outside and found this,” she gestured to the sleeping bundle in her arms, “on the doorstep.” Spike stared at the little filly, having not noticed it until now.
“What do we do? Should we tell the princess?” Spike then asked Twilight.
“We’ll tell the princess.” Twilight answered and Spike ran over to the drawer. 
“Woah, Spike, what are you doing? Princess Celestia is asleep by now. We’ll send a letter tomorrow.” Twilight yawned drearily. The alicorn flew up the stairs and found one of Spike’s beds from when he was littler. She set down the filly, made sure she was settled, and climbed into bed.
“Night, Twi.” Spike whispered.
“G’night, Spike.” Twilight replied, drifting off into sleep.

~~~~~

“Aww! She’s so cute! Where’d ya get her, Twilight?” Pinkie Pie said, gazing at the little filly in the stroller.
“Yes, Twilight. The foal is simply adorable! I, for one, would love to know how you got your hooves on one of these. Why, I could start a fashion line for newborn foals!” Rarity walked over to her alicorn friend.
“I heard something crying in the middle of the night, so I opened my front door, and found this,” Twilight nodded to the foal, “on my door step.”
“Well, do ya at least know what the rascal’s name is?” Applejack turned her head.
“I found a necklace on the foal that said Starry Blaze on it.” Twilight said, using her magic to pull the piece of jewelry out from under the swaddling blanket. Spike belched and a letter came out of the green flames. Twilight picked up the note and began to read it out loud,
“Dear Princess Twilight, I know not of how this foal has been sent to you, but I do know that you would be a great caregiver until it’s parents are found. You are more than able to teach this young unicorn the ways of magic and friendship. Good Luck, From Princess Celestia.” The group of friends stared at the note, bewildered.
“You, you’re going to teach the foal?” Rainbow Dash held her hoof over her mouth, trying not to laugh.
“Rainbow Dash! You’re being very rude to Twilight. The princess said Twilight would teach the foal until we find it’s parents, and laughing at her isn’t going to help anything, besides spacing yourself from your friends.” Fluttershy glared at Rainbow Dash and everyone stared at Fluttershy. She silently trotted over to the foal carriage and pulled down the blanket, just enough to get a good look at the features of the tiny form inside.
Starry Blaze had a deep blue coat, which faded out to a light purple on her ears, hooves, horn and muzzle. Her mane was a mixture of navy blue and purple, fading into a light pink at the ends. The little filly opened her eyes to reveal a warm turquoise. She smiled at Fluttershy, and Fluttershy smiled back.
“Wow, Fluttershy. I think she likes you.” Twilight said, noticing the smile on the now awake foal. 
“Can I see it? I wanna see it!” Pumpkin Cake jumped out from behind the counter. She was now 5 years old, just beginning to learn magic. 
“Okay, okay, Pumpkin Cake! You can see her!” Twilight said, opening her wings. Using her magic, she levitated the smiling filly above the carriage to see Starry Blaze. Pumpkin Cake looked at the small form, her blue eyes wide with curiosity.
“Is that how I looked when I was that little?” She asked.
“Sort of, you were yellow and orange.” Mrs.Cake came through the door, her saddlebags full of baking supplies. “I’m sorry if she has been a hoof-full. She gets her muzzle into everything these days.”
“Oh, don’t worry Mrs.Cake, it’s perfectly fine. Curiosity is what helps a pony gain knowledge. Speaking of knowledge, I’d be more than happy to help Pumpkin Cake with her own magic studies.” Twilight suggested to the blue mare. 
“It’s ok, Princess Twilight. I just want to learn how to bake and stuff. Like my Mom and Dad.” Pumpkin Cake said, reminding Twilight that she had to set down the filly. Once safely returned to the floor, Pumpkin Cake ran over to her mom and, using her magic, took out multiple bags of flour and sugar and ran to the kitchen.
“Well, I best be off. I’ll see you guys later!” Twilight said, pulling the carriage away. Everyone called out their good byes, and Twilight walked out the door.

~Time Skip: 6 years Later~

“Okay. Pop quiz. Where did the Elements of Harmony originate from?” Twilight Sparkle asked her student, Starry Blaze.
“The Tree of Harmony, located by the castle of the Ancient Royal Pony Sisters, Princesses Luna and Celestia.” Starry Blaze said, confidently gazing at the Princess in front of her.
“Correct. Where are the time spells located in Equestria?” Twilight asked.
“The Starswirl the Bearded Wing, which is located in the Canterlot Archives.” Starry Blaze said. You’ll have to do better than that to stump me! She thought.
“Correct. What magical objects have been used to protect Equestria and it’s surrounding lands?” Twilight said, sure she had the filly stumped.
“Many magical objects have been used to protect Equestria,” Starry Blaze began. “The Elements of Harmony-loyalty, kindness, laughter, honesty, generosity, and magic-were used three times, in order to stop Discord before he was reformed, ending his previous reigns of chaos, and two more times, first banishing Nightmare Moon into the moon, and then again, changing her from Nightmare Moon into Princess Luna. The Tree of Harmony from which the Elements originated from has great magical power and that is used to prevent the Everfree Forest from spreading out to all of Equestria. The Crystal Heart was first used to prevent the draconequi from taking the Crystal Empire after King Reubenus was killed. Later on it was used to defeat the unicorn Sombra and prevent him from taking the Empire again.” Starry Blaze finished, leaving Twilight amazed. 
“Outstanding. Now to test your magic skills.” The alicorn princess pulled a book off of the shelf beside her. She quickly flipped through it and stopped.
“Okay. Using the gem finding spell, locate the six gems I have hidden in this room. Go!” Twilight said, Spike popping out from inside a bookshelf with a stopwatch and nearly scaring her half to death. Starry Blaze quickly activated the spell and ran across the room. There were two gems here, one dark purple and one bright orange. In the shelves beside her there was a light pink gem. Under the throne in the room there was a baby blue gem. A red one was tucked on the folds of the drapes.
“Spike!” Starry Blaze shouted at the baby dragon, right as he was about to chomp into a deep magenta gem.
“Oh, uh… Sorry!” He said as she took it from his claw with her magic. He stopped the watch.
“20 seconds!” Spike told Twilight.
“Good job. Now, teleport to three different locations in this room, then beside me. The filly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her horn began to glow and a flash appeared in her place. There was another flash in the throne and Starry Blaze found herself sitting there. Once again the horn began to glow and the flash came. This time the filly was on top of the bookshelf next to Twilight. Another flash and Starry Blaze was standing at the door. One final flash and the filly was standing in front of the teacher.
“Perfect! 100 A plus!” Twilight said, proud of her student.
“Umm… Twilight… There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you…” Starry Blaze said, brushing her hoof across the floor.
“What is it?” Twilight said, Putting her wing on the little filly, trying to comfort her. 
“Why am I here? I know that my mom left me here, but why? Why couldn’t she keep me?” Starry Blaze said, tears streaming from her eyes. Twilight pulled her close.
“I don’t know why your mother left you here, I was extremely surprised the night I found you at my door. But one thing I do know, is that she must’ve done it because she loved you.” Twilight said, wiping the tears away from her student’s turquoise eyes. “Now, come on. Let’s set up for the blue moon tomorrow night.”
> The Dream
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


~Time Skip: After Much Searching Around the Library~

“Okay, time to check the checklist.” Twilight said. “Spike?”
“Got the list and a freshly inked quill!” He said. “Oats?”
“Check!” Starry Blaze answered, looking through the wagon. The wagon would make it easier to transport everything to the hill where they could look at the blue moon.
“Astronomy books?” Spike called out.
“Check!” Starry Blaze said once more, touching the bound books with her hoof.
“How about… telescope?” Spike said, checking off the previous two items.
“Whoops! Almost forgot that one.” Twilight said, using her magic to put the telescope in the red foal wagon.
“Punch?” Spike called, licking his lips. He loved the punch. 
“Right here!” the little filly said, pointing at the jug with her horn. It continued like this for about fifteen minutes.
“Check, check, and done! We’ve got everything on the list!” Spike said, rolling the parchment up.
“I don’t know about you two, but I could use some shut-eye.” Twilight said, yawning and stretching her wings.
“Do we have to go to bed?” The tireless filly said, not wanting to sleep.
“Well, do you want to watch the blue moon tomorrow night?” Twilight asked. Starry Blaze noded enthusiastically and rushed up the stairs, into her small bed. Twilight and Spike called out their goodnights (once they got upstairs), and she returned their wishes. Starry Blaze soon fell asleep.

~In Starry Blaze’s Dream~

In the dream, the little filly was right at the edge of the Everfree Forest. Starry Blaze couldn’t remember how she had gotten here, nor the desire to be here in the first place. To her left she could see Fluttershy’s cottage, all the lights were out and not one of her critters were stirring. 
“Starry Blaze… Come here my dear… I wish to see you…” A soothing voice cooed from somewhere inside the trees.
“Mom? Is that you?” She asked, stepping into the darkness. It chilled her spine. Rainbow Dash had told her that this place wasn’t safe, that monsters lurked in the shadows. But she had to go in. The possibility of her mother being in here was great, as was the possibility that she could be in danger.
“Come here…” The voice repeated, louder than before. The filly cantered on, wary of what monsters could be watching her, following her. Soon, Starry Blaze came to a house in a tree, much like Golden Oak Library.
“This is Zecora’s Hut…” She said to herself. A large mare stepped out from behind the zebra’s house. This mare was a cornflower blue, and her eyes were a darker shade of blue than the turquoise of Starry Blaze’s eyes. Her mane resembled the night sky, and it’s rhythmic flow soothed the filly’s nerves. 
“Greetings, little one.” The mare said, and Starry Blaze recognized it as the one that called her into the forest.
“H-Hello. Who are you?” The filly asked, looking into the pony’s soft, loving gaze. 
“I am Princess Luna. Twilight has sent my sister and I many letters of your progress.” She said. Starry Blaze quickly bowed-hopefully she hadn’t offended the princess.
“It is okay. You do not have to bow to me.” Princess Luna smiled. “I have come into your dream to show you something.” The Princess of the Night turned and began to walk away.
“What are you showing me, Princess?” Starry Blaze quickly followed her.
“You will see once we get there.” She said. “Look at your surroundings. Remember the marks of the land. You will need to remember how to get to the place I wish to show you.” The filly looked around. There was a rock bigger than she was to her left. Two trees stood intertwined to her right. Once they had stopped, there was a huge tree with many vines hanging down. Wrapped in one of the tree’s branches was a small chest.
“Tomorrow night, come here and we will open the chest. There is something inside that, only on a blue moon, can be turned good again. And the only way to do that is with your magic.” Luna said.
“Wi-with my magic?!” Starry Blaze said. She was standing in front of a princess with immense magical abilities, and she said that she needed a filly’s magical ability.
“Yes, Starry Blaze. You have great magical abilities. Princess Twilight’s letters have told me that you have these powers. Many unicorns take years to learn teleportation. You mastered it within a couple of months.” Princess Luna pointed out. The dream begun to ripple. 
“What’s happening?” Starry Blaze said.
“You are waking up. Remember, tonight, after Twilight and Spike are asleep, come to the Everfree. I will insure your safety.” Luna said, flying out of the dream.
Starry Blaze opened her eyes to find that the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon. Twilight’s bed was empty, and Spike was snoring in his own bed. The filly got out of her bed quietly, as to not wake the baby dragon. He let out a huge snore and turned in his bed. Carefully, she made her way to the mirror. She wasn’t tall enough to use it, so Twilight got a hoof-held one for Starry Blaze to use. Using her magic, she got the mirror and a brush. She quickly brushed away the tangles in her mane. Some ponies said that her mane resembled Princess Luna’s mane after Nightmare Moon was defeated. 
“Psst! Starry Blaze!” Twilight whispered from the stairs. “I got you some breakfast.” Starry Blaze put down the brush and mirror and silently trotted down the stairs. On the table there was a box of oats and some milk. Twilight sat in her chair, chomping away at her oats. The filly got into her own chair and started to eat her own oats.
“Morning Twilight.” She said after swallowing her first bite of oats. 
“Good morning, Blaze.” Twilight said. Everypony called her “Blaze” in Ponyville. Sometimes they’d call her “Star,” or maybe even use her full name, but most of the time, it was just Blaze. The filly took a sip of her milk.
“I was thinking, maybe my special talent is magic?” Starry Blaze asked Twilight.
“Only one way to know that.” Twilight said. “What’s your favorite spell?” The filly though for a second, then got off the chair. Her horn begun to glow a bright turquoise, the same color of her eyes. A small ball of light begun to appear at the end of her horn. It drifted away from her horn, and the filly opened her eyes. She had created a temporary star light. When a unicorn wants a light, but doesn’t want to use an illumination spell, they create a small star, leaving their magic open to more activities.
“Starry Blaze, you might want to look at your flank.” Twilight said. Starry Blaze turned her head, and saw that a cutie mark had appeared on her flank. It was a red, flaming star, with two orange stars around it.
“I got my cutie mark!” Starry Blaze started bouncing up and down with joy. “I got my cutie mark!” Twilight smiled. Her student had come a long way.
“Let’s save this for tonight and surprise everypony else when we get to the hill. Is that okay?” Twilight asked the filly. She excitedly nodded and got back into her chair. While she finished her oats, she couldn’t help but think about her dream. Should I go? What if Twilight wakes up in the middle of the night and realizes i’m not there? Questions poured through her head. I’ll go. She finally decided. I’ll just have to find out how to keep Twilight from finding out.
> The Amulet
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


~Time Skip: Later That Night~

Twilight, Spike and Starry Blaze had just finished setting up the blanket, drinks and food when Rarity and Sweetie Belle arrived. 
“What a marvelous night it is for star gazing!” Rarity said, looking up into the cozmos. The sky was a bright pink with sunset, and some of the dimmer stars were beginning to appear.
“Hey, thats a big grin you got there! What happened?” Sweetie Belle bent down to be eye to eye with the filly.
“I got my cutie mark!” She said, turning so her flank could be seen. Sweetie Belle smiled and stood up, smiling down at Starry Blaze.
“Well, aren’t you quick! It took me a long time before I got mine.” She said. “Now, let’s look for the others. I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces!” The unicorn turned and Starry Blaze could see her cutie mark; a bright pink bell with a purple music note. The mare did have an amazing voice.
“Howdy Y’all!” Apple Jack shouted from closer to the bottom of the hill. Behind her Apple Bloom was waving her hoof in the air. Starry Blaze did the same and Sweetie Belle beckoned them up.
“What’s up Sweetie Belle? Okay, somefin’ must of happened. Spill!” Apple Bloom said. Once again, the little filly turned to show the two mares her flank.
“Well done, Sugar Cube! I’m proud of ya!” Apple Jack smiled. Apple Bloom simply hugged Starry Blaze, too happy for words. Rarity remembered something and opened her saddle bag.
“Blaze, come here! I just remembered something.” She said, obscuring an object with her hoof. The filly trotted to the white unicorn. “Now, shut your eyes. No peaking!” Starry Blaze shut her eyes unwillingly as something pressed into her mane.
“Vwalla! You can open your eyes now.” Rarity said. Starry Blaze opened her eyes to see that there was a mirror in front of her. In her mane there was a moon shaped barrette.
“Thank you Rarity! It’s beautiful!” She said. I wonder if Princess Luna will like it too… 
“Hey! Whats all the hullabaloo?” Rainbow Dash called from above.
“Yea! Did we miss something?” Scootaloo said. 
“Come on down and I’ll show you!” Starry Blaze said. Once their hooves touched the ground, the filly turned her flank, once again revealing the blazing star.
“Sweet! Magic cutie mark huh? Wonder if there’s a spell that could trick out my scooter…” Scootaloo thought the last sentence aloud. She quickly blushed, though nopony noticed it.
“I think that’s awesome! Following in Twilight’s hoof steps, I see. You’re gonna go far, kid.” Rainbow Dash said.
“Hi girls! Hi Spike! Did I miss anything?” Fluttershy touched the ground with Angel bunny holding tight to her mane. Pinkie hopped up behind her, with a tray of cupcakes on her back.
“Hi ya!” She said, making Fluttershy jump. “Did something happen?”
“I got my cutie mark!” Starry Blaze bounced. Fluttershy and Pinkie looked at the filly’s flank.
“Congrats! I remember how excited I was when I got mine.” The yellow mare said.
“Yea! It must’ve been awesome the moment you got it!” Pinkie inferred. 
“Okay guys! The moon should turn blue any second now!” Twilight said, her eye glued to the telescope. Just as everypony looked up, the moon faded into a bright blue.
“Woah.” Was all Starry Blaze could say. This looked beautiful. They all gazed in wonder as Spike gulped down a cup of punch. Twilight’s quill scratching across paper was the only other noise.
“Best night ever!” Pinkie said.

~Midnight~

Starry Blaze stood at the edge of the Everfree Forest. Every light was off in Fluttershy’s house, and the filly let out a relieved sigh. Before she left, she cast a spell on Twilight and Spike, a spell that made sure they wouldn’t wake up till the light of dawn. The shadowy glow of the moon and stars guided her through the woods. She came to Zecora’s house. She heavily sighed once she saw that the zebra was also sound asleep. The filly trotted forward, seeing the intertwined trees and the large rock. Princess Luna stood in the clearing. 
“I’m here, Princess Luna.” Starry Blaze said, trotting to stand beside the mare.
“Good, I have the chest here,” she pointed to the wooden object with her hoof. “We shall open it together, and I shall tell you what you must do.” The filly put her hoof on one side, and the Princess put hers’ on the other. The chest opened with a creak, and inside was an object she was told to avoid, to never, ever wear.
“That’s the Alicorn Amulet.” The filly said, amazed. Did Zecora seriously hide this in a tree? A tree, of all places. She thought.
“Now, I’m sure you know a reform spell. Is this correct?” Princess Luna asked.
“Yes, Princess. That was one of the first spells I learned.” Starry Blaze answered. She could pretty much guess where this was going now.
“Good. I need for you to use the reform spell on the amulet. It will transform back to it’s original state. Before it’s user corrupted it with dark magic.” The Princess said. The filly nodded, and her horn begun to glow. A magical light branched from her horn and onto the object. It too, begun to glow. Once the spell was cast, Starry Blaze opened her eyes. The alicorn amulet, which used to be red and black, was now gold and blue.
“This was how it looked when it was first created?” The filly asked Princess Luna.
“Yes, and I need you to keep it. Don’t tell anypony. This must be our secret.” The princess said. “Understand?”
“Yes, Princess. I will do as you wish.” Starry Blaze said.
“You should sleep here tonight. I will wake you before sunrise. That way you can get back to the Golden Oak Library before Twilight and Spike wake up.” Princess Luna opened her wing and beckoned the filly to lay beside her. Starry Blaze cautiously did so, and felt Luna’s wing wrap around her.
“Would you like for me to sing you a lullaby?” The princess asked.
“Yes, please. I sometimes like to think that my mom sang me lullabies, before she gave me to Twilight.” The filly said, resting her head on her hooves. Princess Luna smiled, and began to sing her lullaby.
“Ask not the sun why she sets, why she shrouds her light away, or why she hides her glowing gaze, when night turns crimson gold to grey.” The lullaby began. “For silent falls the guilty sun, as day to dark does turn. One simple truth, she dare not speak; her light can only blind and burn.” Starry Blaze closed her eyes. Luna has a beautiful voice. She thought.
“No mercy for the guilty. Bring down their lying sun. Blood so silver black by night, upon their faces pale white.” Luna turned to the filly, only to see her smiling face. “Cruel moon bring the end. The dawn will never rise again.”
“You have a-” Starry Blaze stopped her sentence for a small yawn. “-A really great voice.”
“Thank you, little one. Now, you should get some sleep. You only have until dawn before that spell wears off.” Luna said. She watched the filly fall asleep. “You are a true child of my night.” She whispered in the ear of Starry Blaze.