Practice Under the Moon

Practice Under the Moon

Ch.1: Dream Valley

“Stupid, stupid, stupid.” A mare’s voice rang out through a part of the Whitetail forest that out stretched into the outskirts of a small town. Her breaths grow short from running from the ravenous pack of timberwolves that was chasing her. She tried every spell she knew, which wasn’t many, to get the wooden wolves to leave her alone all with fail. One of the wolves got close enough that the mare could feel it breathing on the back of her leg, she fired a flash-bang spell that she used for her shows.

The blinding light caused the wolves to slow down and back off, only if for a moment the mare let a triumphant smile spread across her face. The smile soon did a one-eighty when she turned around to see that most of the wolves had regain their sense of sight, and resumed the chase. “Fucking pony feathers!” The mare cursed thinking off anyway to get herself out of the doomed situation. However, whatever the powers be seem to be against the mare forced her to tip over a protruded root, causing her to fell horn first into the dirt, and rolling down a hill.

The show mare tried her hardest to remain awake, fearing that the pack of timberwolves would reach her at any moment. She willed her body up and off of the ground, a throbbing pain in her head and horn. The mare slowly ran a finger through the horn to find that it was fractured in several places, she winched at the pain knowing that magic was now not an option. Sound of howling and rustling brushes told the mare that she wasn’t out of troubles just yet. Fighting through the pain the mare continued to run from the bloodthirsty pack, taking care not to make the same fatal mistake of tripping.

As the mare duck under a low barring tree branch, she looked back to see the wolves gaining ground on her. She gritted her teeth and redoubled her efforts into living to see the next day. Not being able to see the path in front of her, cause of the moon begin obscured by the tree line, she crashed through a wall of vines, and fell down yet another hillside that seem to make up the landscape around her. Tumbling head over feet, the mare landed with a small thud against the ground, only serving to further the damage in her horn, and received a small concession from the impact.

The mare was barely able to fight of the blackness that has been threatening to overtake her the entire time. The sounds of timberwolves closing in on her made the mare gave up all hope. She started to softly cry to herself fearing the end, the pale moon light failed to comfort her as she knew the one in control of it, wouldn’t be coming to her rescue, nor would any one else.

The timberwolves caught up to the injured mare, circling around her awaiting the alpha to strike first. The alpha timberwolf tensed its body ready to pounce on the down mare, but before it had the chance to do so it was sent flying by another timberwolf slamming into it. All attention turned to the culprit of the surprised attack. Standing in front of Luna’s big moon was a hooded shadow, and the mare could tell that it wasn’t a pony from the way its snout was shaped.

The timberwolves drew their attention away from the mare and towards the figure standing before them. Each one ready to pounce the shadow at the command of the alpha wolf, who had already recovered from the surprised attack. The alpha wolf locked eyes with the figure both showing no fear behind them. The alpha wolf let out an ear piercing howl, commanding the other wolves to attack the figure. As the two combatants clashed, the mare lost the will to fight the darkness off any longer, and passed out as the shadow smashed his way through the timberwolves.

An unknown amount of time later the mare could faintly feel her senses coming back to her, she open one eye, and was relieved to see that she was away from the bloodthirsty pack. She let out a groan of pain, when all of her senses came back. “Oh so you're awake?” She faintly heard a voice call out, that’s when she noticed that she was being carried on the shadow’s back, dry green and red spattered all over the shadow’s hooded robe. Unable to respond the mare let out another groan, hoping that the figure would be able to take that as a response. “You’re still out of it huh? Well that’s to be expected, I guess, anyway don’t worry we’re coming up on Dream Valley, I’ll get you somepony to look at that horn of yours.” The figure said continuing the path to the small village town.

“Who...who are y-you?” The mare asked finally gaining enough brain power to form words.

“The name’s Rockwall but most just call me Rocky.” The figure said stepping over a fallen tree lim. “So what’s yours?” Rocky asked trying to keep the mare awake as long as possible.

“M-my...my name is T-Trixie Lulamoon.” The mare said revealing her to be Trixie. Rocky nodded for remembrance knowing that the hospital would have some questions as to what happened and who is the mare. “Y-you not a p-pony are you?” Trixie asked unsteady.

“Me? Nah, I’m just your good ol’ diamond dog that knows some zebra magic that’s all.” Rocky said in a lay back manner, despite of the situation. “So, what about you?”

“I use to...use to be a t-traveling show mare.” Trixie said finding it harder to form words.

“A show mare huh?” Rocky said, Dream Valley coming in view, he pick up the pace as fast as he could despite his own injuries. “Hang on Trixie, we’re almost there.” Rocky said breaking into a sort of run, grunting each he put pressure on his right leg. Trixie blankly looked ahead to see a hospital coming in view, her eyes lazily looked at Rocky, remembering all of his small features, and the determined look in his eyes. For some reason that she couldn’t figure out a smile stretched across her face. As soon as Rocky was through the door calling for help, Trixie allowed the darkness to take her once again.

The Next Morning

Small rays of sunlight spilled through the window of Trixie’s hospital room, waking her to the biggest headache in all of Equestrian history. She grumble to herself, cursing the busted sun waking her early in the morning. She tried to shield her eyes from the irritating light with her arm, and frowned when she saw that her arm was wrapped in bandages. Slowly she propped herself up on the bed, mumbling a curse with each new wave of pain and soreness. She looked around the white room, noting all of the usual hospital items and monitors.

“Guh, what in Celestia’s name happened last night?” She asked the empty room while she rubbed her head, trying to ease the throbbing pain. The sound of grumbling caught her ears, telling her that she is not alone in the once thought to be empty hospital room. She looked to her left, where the sound was coming from, and her eyes nearly shot out of her skull.

Next to Trixie was a male diamond dog with a reddish-brown fur and black hair. At first Trixie didn’t know what to make of it, having not remembering all of last night, but soon the memory hit her hard. She let out a loud growl of irritation and frustration, remembering that her horn was now rendered useless for the time being. “Not like it was any useful anyway.” She murmured to herself, again remembering why she was in this mess in the first place.

“Twilight Sparkle.” Trixie spat out, thinking about the humiliation of being one upped by the adept unicorn. “Hump, well at least I can say I was the bigger pony.” She said crossing her arms in a huff. Trixie knew that she didn’t hold any real hate towards the unicorn, but she lost a house from the first time that they met. She cut her eyes towards Rocky, wondering why a diamond dog would save her of all ponies.

She soon would get her answer as the dog started to stir awake. “By Cerberus’s fangs, I haven’t been this sore since that bar fight in Manehatten.” Rocky said holding his head in his hands. He noticed shades of blue out of the corner of his eye. “Oh hey Trixie, you're awake.” He said sitting up on the bed.

“Yes, I am, now could you tell me just where you brought me.” Trixie said trying to sound distant but Rocky could tell that she was begin more nervous than distant.

“The Dream Valley hospital to be exact.” Rocky said rolling his shoulders to fight off the stiffness. “So how are you feeling?” He asked the mare.

“Tired, sore, and without a place to call home. So I’m doing just fine.” Trixie said in an irritated and sadden tone, remembering that she no longer have a place to call home.

Rocky’s friendly attitude faltered slightly at the mare’s tone of voice. “So homeless huh? Well I can relate with you with that, I’m just been moving around Equestria for the last six, or seven years now.” He said thinking of a way to get the mare to calm down. “Hey why don’t we travel together?”

Trixie dropped the distant act for a moment when Rocky said that, she turned her head towards the dog a unsure and flustered look on her face. “W-why?” Trixie asked in an uncharacteristic sly voice.

Rocky rubbed the back of his head and pointed at Trixie’s horn. “I mean for the time being, a traveling unicorn that can’t use their magic would have some troubles moving around on her own.” He said pointing out the fraction line going about the horn.

Trixie ran a finger through her horn to find that it did in fact have fracture lines running through it. “Well that’s just great.” She said in a annoyed huff. “How in the hell am I going to make money now?”

Rocky shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know, if I was in your position I would do some odd jobs that don’t involve magic for awhile.” He said not really knowing much about unicorns’ horns.

“Do you have any idea how long that would take?” Trixie asked raising an eyebrow.

Rocky laid back down on the bed, putting his hands behind his head. “No, not really, but it can’t take that long though. Horns are just like bone right?” Rocky asked not noticing the blank look on the mare’s face. “So, like a few weeks?”

“No.” Trixie said in a flat tone.

“Umm...a month?” Rocky guessed, There’s no way that it could be-

As if Trixie could read Rocky’s mind she interrupted his thoughts. “Try two months.” She said a frustrated tear rolled down her face. She turned away from the dog trying her hardest to hide crying, but it was all in vine as Rocky’s sensitive diamond dog ears picked up on the quiet sobbing. He was going to ask if Trixie was alright but the door opened to a light-brown earth pony doctor.

“Ah, well ah see that you two are up, how’s ya’ll injuries?” He asked in a deep southern drawl. There was two unicorn nurses behind him, they quickly went over to Trixie to check up on her horn. “So Rocky, how are ya feeling. Been awhile since I’ve seen ya all banged up like this.”

Having already knowing the doctor quite well and helping him out on several occasions, Rocky just rolled his eyes at the doctor’s obvious statement. “Well Doc Dusty, you try and taking on a pack of timberwolves trying to protect their young.” Rocky said in a flat tone.

“Aww, don’t go and be like that feller. I’m just teas-”

“Wait, what do you mean protecting their young?” Trixie said interrupting Dusty. “Those things chased me through most of the Whitetail forest! And you’re trying to say that they were ‘protecting their young?!” Trixie shouted at Rocky, venom laced in her voice.

“That’s cause you were in the part of Whitetail that was their territory, so they took you as a treat to the young.” Rocky said unmoved by Trixie’s shouting, guessing that she knew next to nothing on predators’ mindset. “Also I’m guessing that you used your magic on them as well?” Trixie didn’t say anything and Rocky took the hint. “And that’s why they chased you. You tried to fight back, and you just pissed them off even more.”

“I don’t get it,” One of the unicorn mares started, “If the timberwolves were just trying to protect their young, then why did they chased Ms. Lulamoon?” She asked with a puzzled look on her face.

“She fought back, they were properly just trying to scare her off of their turf, but when she used her magic against them they took that as a sign of aggression, and they attacked.” Rocky answered the mare’s question. “But what I don’t get is, why didn’t the alpha back off when we locked eyes ummm…” Rocky thought out loud.

“Wait,” This time it was the other unicorn mare, “Why would he back off, when you two locked eyes?” She asked with the same puzzled look as her co-worker.

“Cause when two predators lock eyes, they can see, and feel each others intentions. He’s was to protect his pack and mine was to get Trixie out of their.” Rocky recalled the feeling that he got from the alpha wolf. “You must have really pissed him off then.”

“Well that no longer concern me.” Trixie said turning her nose away from Rocky. “So now that I’m awake, can I go now?” She asked Dusty, rather impatiently too.

“Well of cause ya can leave, once someone comes look after ya.” Dusty said looking at the charts in his hand. “So how will be that person?”

“What are you talking about, I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself.” Trixie said in a defensive tone.

“Oh well I’m sorry miss, but the law says I can’t allow a unicorn to move around without someone taking care of them.” Dusty said, recalling the many laws, and other legal stuff that was stuffed down his tough back in med school.

“Well I don’t have anyone like that.” Trixie said, her irritation growing. I knew that I should have kept that stallion’s phone number. She thought to herself, scolding her mistakes. “Could you please overlook this?” Trixie begged which was really hard for her to do.

“Sorry its the law.” The southern doctor said in a stubborn tone.

“Please.”

“No.”

Rocky could see that Trixie really did wanted to leave so he did the only thing that he could think of. “I’ll watch over her.” All of the attention turned to Rocky and what he said.

“What?” Trixie asked staring blankly at Rocky.

“I said, I’ll watch out for ya.” Rocky said crossing his arms. “Come on, both of us never stay in one place for any given point of time. So the way I see it, it’ll make sense for me to look after you.” He explained in a brotherly tone.

“I don’t need anyone watching after me. I’m perfectly capable of doing so.” Trixie said in a mild annoyance.

“Well I hope that you got the bits to stay here Ms. Lulamoon, cause this ain’t no hotel.” Dusty told Trixie.

“Ummm...Doc you just said a double negative.” Rocky said in an offhanded manner.

“Oh, did I? Well my point still the same.” Dusty said in a stubborn fashion. “Ms. Lulamoon, either go with Rocky, or start working as a temporary nurse.” He delivered an ultimatum.

Trixie gritted her teeth, to her both options were undesirable, but she didn’t have the kind of bits to stay in the hospital's care. “Fine! I’ll go with Rocky.” She growled.

“Great to hear, Rocky could you come with me? Ah need ya to sign a few things.” Dusty told Rocky, who hopped out of the like he wasn’t hurt as all. “Whoa there partner, ya shouldn’t even be standing right now.” He said.

“Pfft, for a pony maybe, but I’m a diamond dog. I’m fine, been though a worse.” Rocky shook off the doctor’s warning. “So, about those papers?” Dusty led him out of the room.

When the door was closed, and Trixie was sure that they were gone, she let out a loud groan of disapproval. “Guah, I don’t need anyone looking after me! Who does that dog think his is anyway?” She complain slamming her head back down on the pillow.

“Oh Ms. Lulamoon, I would say otherwise.” One of the nurses said.

“Really? How so?” Trixie asked not believing the mare.

“It’s true Ms. Lulamoon,” The other mare nurse started. “We’ve met Rocky on several other occasion, and each time we’ve met him he’s always was kind and friendly.” She finished with a dreamy smile on her lips.

“Huh-uh, especially towards the mares, I think he said it was the way he was raised.” The first nurse said with an equally dreamy smile.

“And just how the way he was raised have to do with anything?” Trixie said rolling her eyes at the expressions of the nurses.

“Oh it has to do with a lot, isn’t that right Gem?” The second nurse asked the other one.

“Yup, that’s right.” Gem said. “You see Rocky grew up with just with his mother so he really knows how to treat a mare.” She finished with a happy sigh. “Hey Jewel, remember that time we saw him give those foals all of his apples?”

“Yeah, he’s really kind Ms. Lulamoon, give Rocky a chance.” Jewel told Trixie.

He did risk his own life for me...and from what these mares say he’s not a bad guy. Trixie thought to herself, still unsure if she should trust the diamond dog. “Fine, I see your reasoning, but I still don’t think that I need someone to look out for me.” Trixie stubbornly said.

“Well be that if it may, I still say you're one lucky mare.” Gem said walking away from Trixie’s bed, with Jewel following close behind. “We’ll go see if Rocky and Doc are ready for you Ms. Lulamoon.” The two mares walked out of the room, and Trixie could have sworn that she saw them wink at her.

Trixie was now alone in the room, giving her time to think about the events that unfolded right before her eyes. “Great, first that stupid alicorn amulet, those timberwolves, my horn, and now this!” She throw her hands up in the air in frustration. “Why everything I do end in failure?” Trixie’s eyes began to water; sadness, frustration, and the looming sense of failure hanged over her head in a cloud of emotions. “And this horn!” She glanced upwards to the damaged bone, “Always have been a thorn in my side.” The sound of footsteps coming from the door made Trixie whip away any tears that threaten to start flowing.

“Well Ms. Lulamoon, ya are all set.” Dusty said walking in with a file of paperwork. “Just sign here and ya’ll will be free to go.” He told Trixie handling the paperwork to the mare.

Trixie took the paper and pen, and signed her name down with a dejected sigh. “Now can I please go? I’m tired of being stuck in this bed.” She said crossing her arms.

“Sure thing Miss, Rocky ya take good care of her, and remember what I told ya.” Dusty said reminded Rocky.

“Sure thing Doc, come on Trixie, we’ve got a long road ahead of us.” Rocky said grabbing his stuff that was seated on the other side of the room.

Trixie slowly got out of the bed, with the help of Gem and Jewel. “What do you mean that we have a long road ahead of us?” She asked not sure what Rocky meant.

“I mean that we’ve got a long road ahead of us.” Rocky said rhetorically much to Trixie’s annoyance. “Okay, when I found you I was already getting ready to head out of town, and I’m one day behind schedule.” He said in a more serious tone.

“What schedule?” Trixie asked standing in front of the dog.

“No real schedule, but I wanted to be in Moon town before the harvest moon festival.” Rocky said, Gem’s and Jewel’s ears perked up when they heard Rocky tell them where he was going.

“Oh you’re heading to Moon town?” Gem asked with a sly smile on her lips.

Rocky didn’t pick up on Gem’s playful tone. “Umm...yeah?”

“During the harvest moon festival?” Jewel asked matching Gem sly smile.

Again Rocky remained oblivious to the mares trying to lead him on. “Pretty much.” The two mares started to lean closer to Rocky, making the dog nervous. “Ummm...girls, can I help you with anything?” It wasn’t that it was Rocky’s first time by being hit on by the mares, it was just that he never could think of anything to say.

Trixie started to became irritated with an unknown sense of jealousy towards the mares. Dusty rolled his eyes, as it wasn’t the first time he caught the two mares fluting with Rocky. “Alright you two leave the poor dog alone, he has enough on his plate as is.” The two back off but still had sly smiles on their faces. “Alright Rocky, when can I expect ya’ll to show ya face around here?”

“Not really sure, though when I do I’ll be sure to have that drink with you.” Rocky said shaking Dusty’s hand.

“Well alright, ya’ll stay safe. Ya here?” Dusty said and Rocky nodded.

“So Trixie, ready?” Rocky asked wanting to get on the road as soon as possible.

“Yes, to Moon town I presume?” Trixie asked, Rocky nodded confirming her guess. “Mind if we stop and get me some new clothes? These are a bit ruined.” Trixie said gesturing towards her tattered clothes.

“Alright I’ve got stuff to pick up anyway. See ya Doc, see ya Gem and Jewel.” Rocky said waving to the three ponies. He and Trixie walked out of the hospital and into the small village town. A strong cold wind made Trixie start to shake and shiver, her clothes and fur providing little to no resistance from the cold winds.

Rocky caught Trixie shivering from the cold, he took of his jacket and handed it to Trixie. “Here, don’t want you catching a cold.” He said with a friendly smile.

“I-I don’t...don’t need it.” Trixie said stubbornly. “I’ll...b-be f-fine.” Her shaking growing more violent as the winds started to pick up.

“Trixie, you just got out of the hospital, you still should be in bed.” Rocky said sternly, his dark-brown eyes piercing through Trixie’s stubbornness. “Take the jacket, Trixie.” He said again in his commanding voice.

Trixie took the jacket and put it on, despite it being nearly twice her size. She started to blush when she caught a whiff of Rocky’s coal smell. “Thanks.” Trixie said feeling the warmth from the jacket fighting against the cold. “But what about you?”

“Pfft, diamond dogs have thick coats, especially this close to the winter months.” Rocky waved off Trixie’s worries. “I’m more suited for the winter anyway.” He said walking towards the town market with a still blushing Trixie in tow.

“So Rocky, tell me just why are we going to Moon town’s harvest festival?” Trixie asked starting idle chit-chat.

“Well I heard that Moon town was the only place to get some good star cakes.” Rocky said remembering a rumor that he heard from west Manehatten.

Trixie deadpanned, “Star cakes? We’re going all the way to Moon town just for star cakes?”

“Pretty much.” Rocky said looking at Trixie’s deadpanned expression. “Hey, have you ever tasted one of those star cakes? Cause I haven’t.” He said walking into a small store.

“Well no, I haven’t but still to go all the way to Moon town?” Trixie asked. “That has to be at least, what? A two day walk.”

“Well...yeah but, its worth it.” Rocky said to Trixie as he appreciated the store’s owner, a young rosey-pink mare with a two tone green and white mane. “Yo, Orchid.” Rocky called out to the mare causing her to jump dropping a can that she was restocking.

She turned around to find out how was responsible for startling her. The mare beamed after adjusting her glasses to see that it was Rocky. “Rocky!” She ran over to gave the dog a near bone-crushing hug. “Oh Rocky, it’s been way too long…” Orchid said nuzzling into Rocky’s fur coat, and Rocky could have sworn that he heard her purr a little.

“So...Orchid how’s everything with the shop been?” Rocky asked getting a little uncomfortable with the prolonged hug.

“The shop? Oh! Yeah everything's been going great so far.” Orchid said sadly breaking the embrace she was sharing with Rocky. “I heard that you were coming by town soon, so I struck you a bag of Chewy Bits.” She said pulling out a bag of the snack from a hidden spot on one of the selves.

“Aww, sweet!” Rocky cheered, grabbing the bag.

Orchid stood on the tips of her toes to whisper into his ear. “Guess what they’re meat flavor too.”

“What, how did you managed that?” Rocky asked, since meat-based foods were a rarity in a country that’s run by herbivores.

“A friend of a griffon stopped by and gave me a whole shipment, also said that he’ll come back around every now and again.” Orchid said finally spotting the other mare in the store. “Oh hello.” She greeted with a blush, that went completely unnoticed by Rocky.

“Hello, I take it that you and Rocky are really good friends?” Trixie said again with the unknown hint of jealousy.

“Well you’re the one who's wearing his jacket.” Orchid retorted hiding her eyes with the glare from her glasses. “And Rocky, what are you doing walking around without a jacket? It must be, like what, fifty degrees outside.”

“Orchid, Trixie here ran into some problems with the local timberwolf population, and I’m looking after her on Doc’s orders.” Rocky explained, “Anyways, the cold weather doesn’t do much to me anyway, what with my winter coat coming in.” He said pulling on a lock of the thick brown fur. Rocky knew that no matter how cold it would get, his winter coat would grow thicker to accommodate the change.

“Well alright, but Trixie still needs a jacket of her own.” Orchid said thinking to herself if she knew anything that would work. “Humm...Ribbon may have something for her to wear.”

“That’s what I was hoping.” Rocky said with sarcasm in his voice.

Rocky’s sarcasm flew right over Orchid’s head as she turned, “Let me check.” She said ascending the stairs from the back-room.

“Are you friends with everypony here?” Trixie asked not removing her eyes from the back-room door. Even Trixie didn’t know where this odd feelings were coming from and that fact alone annoyed her more than when another mare would talk to Rocky.

“Huh? No, not really.” Rocky answered after a short pause. “I don’t really stay in one place for too long, so I don’t really have anyone to call a true friend.” He said in a dejected sigh, that remained Trixie the way she would feel when traveling alone on the road.

“Ah I see.” Trixie said mostly to herself, still unable to tell just how she feels about the dog, but one thought dared to creep into her mind, but she quickly shook it off. Come on Lulamoon, you just met him and you’ll only know him for two months at the most. Don’t repeat what you did in Las Pegasus. She screamed in her head.

“Hey Trixie,” Rocky started pulling Trixie out of her thoughts.

“Yes?”

“How long have you been moving around like this?” Rocky asked with an unreadable look on his face.

“Since I was eighteen, I wanted to see if I could make it big as a show-mare.” Trixie said with a smile on her face, remembering the day she left home. “What about you?” She asked, but seeing the dark expression on Rocky’s face made Trixie want to take back the question.

“Far too long…” Rocky said the dark expression suddenly disappearing as quickly as it came. Trixie was going to ask if he was alright, but Orchid came down the stairs with a dark-purple jacket in hand.

“Here Trixie try this.” Orchid tossed the jacket to Trixie, who barely caught it much to Rocky’s joy. She shot the chuckling dog a death glare and put on the jacket, noticing that it was more or less a near perfected fit, with it just begin a bit long. “Humm...looks like it fits. What you think Trixie?”

“Yeah, it’ll work. Thank you.” Trixie said handing Rocky’s jacket back to him.

“Oh and here you are Rocky.” Orchid tossed a large brown sack to Rocky. “Those are the Chewy Bits we don’t need, help yourself it’s the least I could do for all the times you helped me out.”

“Jeez, thanks Orchid. Well me and Trixie should get going we’ve some other stuff to pick up.” Rocky said giving Orchid one last hug, who accepted the hug burying her nose in Rocky’s thick winter fur. “Umm...Orchid?”

“Humm?” Orchid half respond and half purr in Rocky’s fur.

“Could you let me go? Me and Trixie got to get going.” Rocky said trying to claw himself out Orchid’s impressive grip. Just as Orchid started to squeeze harder, a purple-blue aurora overlapped Orchid, and forced her away from Rocky.

He looked towards the back-room door to see that it was Ribbon that save him from being crushed by Orchid. “Hey Rocky, don’t worry about filly here, you two stay safe alright?” Ribbon said with a knowing smile, Rocky shot the smile back and waved off the two mares.

“So, where to now?” Trixie asked slightly off-put with the mare’s affection towards Rocky.

“Come on, the next few stops aren’t going to be long.” Rocky said continuing down the dirt road of Dream Valley with Trixie at close tow.