The night sky was full with a million bright lights. A better night could have not been wished for, a New Moon was in the sky and earlier that day the pegasi toiled for that there would be no clouds.
“Sure’s nice of them to do this for us” exclaimed Apple Jack “You ok with pulling your princess authority card like that Twi?”
Princess Twilight Sparkle looked at her friend from the telescope
“Well I didn't do it on a whim. Princess Celestia asked me to call in a favour from the pegasi of Cloudsdale.” She looked again at through the telescope "Plus this is a special event I'm not surprised she wanted a clear sky. The Tears of the Stallion appear once a century. Missing something like that out of bad weather would be a shame for everyone."
A loud munching noise could be heard from the side. Pinky Pie was sitting with the rest of the Friendship Council gobbling pastries.
“Wfy af tey calf Tirf of Stafion?” Rarity looked in a bit of discus as bits of food sprayed from Pinky's mouth as she talked some crumbs fell on the other ponies.
"Pinky Pie, please show some manners!" Rarity's horn began glowing slightly as she levitated a handkerchief to wipe herself clean "Though I'm wondering that as well Twilight. What sentimental stallion cries so much to fill the night sky?
Twilight raised her hoof to explain when a sudden look realization appeared her face. “Um…” a nervous smiled creeped up on the alicorns lips “I don’t know really… they are not tied to any constellation, and there isn’t a “Stallion” in the night sky. They just appear from the west horizon and vanish in the east. I'm guessing it's just a name?”
Rainbow Dash stretched herself on the ground letting out a yawn.
“Welp, it’s gonna be a show alright. How long till the lights come?” right on cue a single string of light soared through the sky “Oh…” more of its kin followed and soon the night was filled with hundreds of lights all flowing in the same direction. All the ponies gazed in awe as the stars blurred together into a flowing river of colors.
"How do they do that?" Fluttershy exclaimed what was on everypony's mind, no one looked away from the sky. It took twenty minutes until the final light disappeared behind the horizon. It took some time before anypony could say something. Rainbow Dash was the first to break the silence.
"That. Was. AWESOME!"
" I do admit, that was quite exquisite and inspirational." Rarity agreed "Not being able to see that would truly be a shame."
"Aye, well we should finish up the picnic…" a quiet burp interrupted Apple Jack, everypony looked a Pinky Pie slightly bloated from consuming all of the food "That pony has no restrain."
"What? If you're still hungry I'll treat you to supper." the pinky pony packed the blanket and utensils and threw the basket on her back.
Twilight rose an eyebrow.
"At this hour? Pinky I don't think you'll find anything open this late in the night" the group began walking back to the town.
"The inn is open 24/7. I'm sure they can give us something"
“We have an inn?” Twilight noticed a new building as they began entering the town.
Pinky Pie started pouncing towards the establishment
“Yup, The Mayor had it constructed last week, for guests coming on“Royal Friendship Visits”, you’re practically a tourist attraction.
Apple Jack followed the pink pony.
“The farm has been supplying it with cider since the opening. We should have a discount.”
Rainbow swooped and grabbed the earth ponies face.
“Cider? In there? Cheap?! WOOOOHOOO!” the pegasi dashed towards the inn almost breaking the door.
Twilight let out a chuckle.
“I guess we’re in the minority on this. Come on I’ve never been in a place like this.” As the group entered they noticed they saw Rainbow Dash already drinking her third glass of cider. The place was neatly kept, wood interior, with nice dark tables made out split tree trunks and chairs carved from stumps. Windows were crossed in a diamond pattern by a metal frame. A brick fireplace was lit slightly to keep the nights cold out, and there was smell of veggie stew coming from a pot hang over the fire. The wall were decorated by wood carving of various creatures and heroic ponies. What intrigued Twilight was a gathering of ponies over one of the tables.
“What’s going on there?” Twilight looked over at her friends who only shrugged and began approaching the crowd. No pony was saying anything, well that wasn't true, somepony was talking, but amongst the whole gathering, everypony was listening without a peep.
… and as the deps became dark, and the water ever so cold.
Thus ended the tale of our traveler so bold
Forever trapped in the ocean's embrace
Forever still searching for his lost golden mace
And the moral of the story, dear ponies of mine?
There are somethings not worth chasing, for all you do is lose time.
The gathering began clapping and cheering, apparently somepony was telling a story. As Twilight and the others managed to go squeeze to the front they saw who was the speaker.
A beige pony with a cream gold mane, looked at the newcomers with silvery eyes. A pipe in his mouth was emitting smoke, though the ponies couldn't sense the smell of it.
“Oh, hello! I see we have new listeners and what a treat it is. The princess of Friendship came to listen to tales of old?” He was wearing a hat a triangular rim four tiny masks on the front of the crown forming a diamond shape. Two masks resembled the theatrical mask of comedy and the tragedy, the other two looked.. excited and shocked? He was also wearing a brown long overcoat. Twilight blinked a few times from the bluntness of the proposal. She read that bards and storytellers are drawn to places like inns but she never thought she would meet one so soon after an opening. She noded quickly as her friends giggled at the princesses dumbfoundedness.
“Splendid, grab a seat and a beverage. Tell Tale’s my name, the Traveling Storyteller. Now...“ he let out a few puffs from his pipe "What tale shall Tell Tale tell?" a big puff of smoke obscured his face, but Twilight thought she saw a distorted light emitting from the bard's eyes "What tale shall Tell Tale tell…?" the pony looked to the side at one of the window and smiled
"It's dark outside with a mist that's thin
And here a princess visits me in an inn
I saw a light as bright as the sun
But it has been long since it was gone
If the day won't come for several hours
Where did the light when come the night is ours?"
Twilight blinked a few times, she didn't expect this to be a interactive spectacle.
”Erm, the Tears of the Stallion were falling… didn't you see them?"
Tell Tale looked a bit hurt.
"Never! A sight as the Tears must be witnessed
Do you know the story of the Tears princess dearest?"
Twilight's eyes winded.
"Do you?"
Tell Tale noded, took in a big puff from the pipe and exhaled the smoke above their heads. The smoke remained there swirling slightly. Tell Tale smiled and began,
There once was a time so I've been told
That there was no sun or moon to behold
In these dark times twilight was revered
In these ancient times two ponies appeared
A stallion and mare of exquisite might
Two alicorns that shone ever so bright
Tell Tale's pipe levitated to the smoke mixing it a bit. The grey mist began to shift taking the form of a mighty stallion. Some embers fell into the mist giving it a golden shine and making fire emerge where the mane should be.
The Stallion was golden with fire in his hair
The mist shifted, ate the flame and turned to a flowy silvery cloud the shape of a mare.
His bride was silver and a most lovely mare
Another change, the mist now formed bothe fiery stallion and silvery mare, as well as forms of other ponies.
He was Solarius the lord of the flame
She was of mists and Lunari was her name
Together they reigned over all that would be
And from their union all ponies are said to be
Great was their reign and wondrous their glory
Since then it's said it has been matched by no pony
Yet glory and might all have a price
And it is said that their reign was everything... but nice
Another shift, Solarius was presented as a mighty figure over cowering ponies before him
For Solarius' rule none dared to question or oppose
And Lord of Flame knew it was his duty to his will to impose
The smoke changed again, showing Lunari protecting her children.
It didn't take long for his wife to see
That for ponies to prosper they must be free
And so the beautiful mare hatched a cunning plan
She made him an offer to give him the one thing only she can
A small puff of smoked form a strand of silvery hair.
A bundle of hair of her silvery mane,
Something no pony, nowhere could ever gain.
Solarius asked for the catch of the gift,
The answer was "Show me you are swift
Catch me if you can and the hair is yours
Plus another prize if you dare name it of course"
The Stallion agreed and gave her a head start
So the chase began with fire in Solarius' heart
The smoke shifted showing to figures running through various sceneries.
They ran past cities, mountains and rivers and lakes
They ran so fast, so fierce... strange given the stakes
The figures spread their wings and began circling above the heads of the audience.
They flew, they soared, they dived, they danced in the sky
They flew so far and so high nopony thought anypony could fly
And there the chase still in this day goes on
The figures curled up and took shapes of spheres.
For Lunari turned into the Moon, and Solarius became the Sun
Now the Tears of the Stallion are the tears of Solarius
For every hundred years he get's tired of not being victorious
The sphere that was Solarius had a visage of the stallion's head in it, it began to cry.
And so he cries, wonders if Lunari still remembers the bet of this game
She always does, sends him a wink and a tease of her mane
But there is a peace caution to this story
For if she forgets we will all be sorry
The mist dispersed and Tell Tale took a quick sip of water, looking at his audience.
Everyone was silent, and it took a moment before the first clap began, followed by loud cheering and calls for more.
“Now, now. I’m happy you enjoy my tales, but my voice can’t take more of this. I’ll be staying in Ponyville for a while I’ll always have time to tell more.” The stallion looked at Twilight “And what say you dear princess? Did the story stir your excitement?”
The crowd dispersed, rest of the mane six began ordering some food. Twilight remained and was smiling.
“That was a wonderful story, you sure know your art. Can I ask you a question?”
Tell Tale nodded quickly and quenched his pipe with a slight hiss.
“What do you smoke in that pipe? I didn't sense any smell to it, and it reacted quite well with your magic."
"Oh this?" Tell Tale opened the bottom of the pipe onto the plate in front of him. "It's charcoal, it's not connected with the mouthpiece. It just heats up the source of the smoke." He opened the bowl and poured some liquid into the now empty glass "It's a special herb potion, keeps my throat moist and like you said i reacts to my illusion magic." the stallion hid the pipe in his trench "I don't smoke the regular stuff, ruins your voice after a while. Something I can't allow myself to happen."
Twilight looked at the glass for a while before turning to Tell Tale again.
“I have one more question I may” Tell Tale raised his eyebrows in waiting “I've never haird the tale of Lunari and Solarius. And I have read almost every book there is. How did you learn of it?”
"Some tales don't get written miss Twilight. Some are forgotten, lost or changed so much that they don't resemble the original thing. But the bards remember. We meet seldomly and share our tales, those we learned in our travels. Lunari and Solarius are an old tale, cherished by many."
"So why won't you write them down?" Tell Tale smiled.
"Would you be able? "Twilight rose an eyebrow "What you just experienced: the emotions, the sense of wonderment. I saw you looking at the moon as it started to crescent. You were worried that Lunari forgot the deal." the stallion noded "That's why we won't write it down. The words of course tell the tale… but they alone won't give it justice. Plus it allows me to do this." Tell Tale's horn let out a slight silvery glow as he gathered some dust from the floor. "Look at this" he threw the dust into the air clouding the moon for while. The cloud of dust dissipated from the center showing the round "face" of the moon, but the dust around it form a…
"Mane?"
"She remembers" Tell Tale's horn wasn't glowing anymore so this wasn't one of his tricks "And so the chase will continue"
It took Twilight a moment but she finally noded in agreement and smiled.
"Some stories are only to be said around a fire i guess" she looked at the entertainer one last time "And those mask on your hat?"
“ I get that one often” He pointed at two masks she recognized “Comedy and Tragedy, the two faces of drama.” Now he pointed at the two other two "That's Adventure and Horror. While not drama, they are stories in their own right and are extensions of their siblings. Plus it's my cutie mark."
"Extensions?"
"Comedy: It starts bad ends good. Tragedy: Start's good-ish ends bad. Adventure: Starts good/bad ends good, while being awesome on the way. Horror: Starts bad ends worse."
The princess noded again.
"I see." she looked at night sky again "Are you staying in the inn?"
"No, the inn is my stage, and you don't sleep on the stage. I've set camp outside Ponyville. I prefer the night sky to be my ceiling. "
Twilight smiled.
"Well, I'll be sure to visit. Who knows maybe other princesses will want to hear story."
At that Tell Tale coughed nervously
"Sorry, I just don't do well with authority."
Twilight eyes widened, and an angry frown appeared on her face.
"Oh, and I'm not authority to you?"
Tell Tale shook his head.
"I'm sorry, didn't mean to offend. You came into the inn after my third story. I was on a roll, and I had the perfect story to share. It was easier to break the ice. But if princess Celestia and Luna were to show up with you…"
Tell Tale gulped.
" I don't think I could handle myself so well…"
Twilight gave a mischievous smile.
"What, afraid of mare's taller than you?"
After a short silence they both laughed.
"Have to admit, never thought of it that way." Tell Tale managed to blurt out between the laughs "Plus making friends is your speciality isn't it?"
Twilight blinked a few times.
"What do you mean?"
"Well you're the Princess of Friendship. Celestia controls the day, Luna the Night, the Crystal Empress is the Princess of Love and I heard she excels at that. I thought that you being the Princess of Friendship means you got it a bit easier in that department."
Twilight considered the stallions words.
"I guess… I haven't been doing a lot of princess related duties until that affair with Tirek"
"I've heard, but maybe you just don't identify what you do as your "Princess Duties". Being an Alicorn is more than just Unicorn with wings. You embody so much more than you think... Sorry I ramble sometimes when I have some Bardic Knowledge up my sleeve."
"Bardic Knowledge?"
"Hey all those stories in my head have to be good for something. Alicorns appeared in many. Pretty sure most are about Princess Celestia and Luna under different names. " Tell Tale smiled and nodded to a table where her friends took residents "Your friends have ordered you some food. I'm done for today with my stories. I wish you a good night ." He bowed her goodbye and began leaving the inn.
"Goodnight Mr Tell Tale. " she rejoined her friends, there was a warm apple pie left for her, her stomach reminded her of himself so she eagerly began eating.
Everypony was looking at her, she hated those looks.
"What?" Rarity closed in on Twilight.
"Well, how was it?" the princess didn't look amused about the pronoun game "Oh come on Twilight. A dashing, rogue stallion woo's you with pretty words with magic tricks and you didn't take notice?"
"He was wooing me?" her friends laughed at Twilight's spiked curiosity "I hate you all…"
"Oh, come on Sugar Cube. We're just teasing." Apple Jack rubbed the top of Twilight's head "Rarity just said that bards like that Tell Tale fellow are known for romantic shenanigans so we wanted to know was he doing something like that with you."
"Well thank you for your concern but he was just very polite. I guess he likes to know how did he do." Twilight finished her pie "You have to admit his story was entertaining and made you think if it was true"
"When he was talking, yeah…" Rainbow Dash admitted "But come on Twilight, two Alicorn turned into the sun and the moon, because they're chasing each other over the dame's hair? You're the science geek and you believe that?"
"Oh Rainbow Dash, where's your sense of romance?" Rarities eye glittered up " Imagine how beautiful her mane must have been if this Solarius fellow still chases her."
" Plus how weirder is that from what happens to us every other month?" everypony looked at Pinkie
" What? An ancient Alicorn Tyrant returns to take over, A spirit of Chaos returns to take over, a race of shape shifters try to take over, an evil magical centaur tries to take over… you know I see a pattern here." Pinkie Pie smiled "A fiery Stallion from the sun coming to take over would fit it."
"What? What do you mean?" Twilight looked curiously at Pinkie.
"Why would Solarius return to take over?" Fluttershy being Fluttershy looked a bit scared at the idea.
"Were you even listening to the story? Tell Tale said If she forgets we'll all be sorry."
"So…?" Rainbow Dash eagered her to continue
"Well if she forgets, then the chase is off, and they will come back, right? You think a guy who was ruling once will now retire?" everyone looked at each other and laughed, even Pinkie.
"It's just a story Pinkie, you should take it with a grain of salt." Apple Jack rose up with the rest as they began leaving.
"Plus Tell Tale showed me she remembers look." Twilight gathered up some sand outside the inn and threw it to cover the moon. Like before it formed a mane around it. "See?" with that everypony snapfroze and looked again at the sand in the air.
Apple Jack ended the silence.
"Erm… Twilight if that was just a story, then why is the sand doing that?" Twilight looked at the sand as the wind blew it finally away.
"There must be a logical explanation to this… I mean it's just a story, right?" they returned to their homes in silence not sure what to think about what they just saw. Outside Ponyville Tell Tale was readying himself to sleep before looking at the moon one last time.
"Well, this day was eventful. Good thing your memory is as good as ever Queen Lunari. Would look like a fool in front of the princess if you forgot. " he closed his eyes "Not to mention what Solarius would do the following day."
Author's Note
Well there we go. My first story in officially go. Hope everyone enjoys it.