Prologue: I'll Take Thee Away
Moondancer brushed her shimmery pink mane out of her face, and looked out the window at the full moon.
What was that beautiful voice she had heard? Was it just her imagination? No, it couldn’t have been. A voice as amazing as that surely could not have been only in the mind of a drowsy filly.
There it was again. A voice, more beautiful than a siren’s. Who was it? Where were they?
“Moon-face?” a disoriented voice asked from below Moondancer. Moon looked over the side of her top bunk, and met the eyes of her long time best friend, Gari.
“What is it, Gari?” Moon asked in a worried tone.
“Nothing, nothing. I was just wondering if you were awake, too. Can you hear the voice?”
Moon tilted her head to the side. “You mean, the singing?”
Gari nodded. “So, you hear it too?”
Moon shook her head. “No, Gari. Go back to sleep.”
Moon looked back out the window. She didn’t know why she felt the need to lie to Gari, but something about this felt strange.
Moondancer rested her head on the bedpost and listened for the voice. It was very faint, but she could just barely hear:
Come little children
I’ll take thee away
Into a land
Of enchantment
Come little children
The times come
To play
Here in my garden
Of shadows…
Then she saw it. Something had quickly swooped by the window, and was just as quickly inside. Suddenly, Moondancer felt herself floating, a blue aura surrounding her and Gari.
Soon, Gari and herself were outside their orphanage, flying high over a sleepy Canterlot.
And the pony who was keeping them afloat was none other than the moon princess herself.
Along with Moondancer and her friend, there were four more fillies.
What is going on here? Moon said to herself. What is being attempted here?
Then, the princess levitated Moon over to herself and began singing again.
Come little children
I’ll take thee away
Into a land
Of enchantment
Come little children
The times come
To play
Here in my garden
Of shadows!
Then, Luna and the fillies flew out of Canterlot.
Out of sight, out of mind.
***
But not out of all minds.
Luna’s elder sister was tossing and turning in her bed.
Something’s not right. She kept thinking. Something’s just not right…
Finally, when she couldn’t take it anymore, she sat and looked out her window at the full moon.
