Always By Your Side

After her tremendous success, Coloratura came up with the idea to visit Applejack and tell her everything about her career. She started to write a letter to her friend.

Dear Applejack,

I'm glad to tell you that Moonstone did it, and now I am the most famous singer of Equestria. Don't take this wrong. I know that I am just a pony, and I'm nothing more or less than anypony else. I'm not letting myself be blinded by my fame again, and Moonstone is supporting this idea.

How are the things going at Ponyville? What about Sweet Apple Acres? How are the Cutie Mark Crusaders? I'm sure I will get the answers to my question when I take a visit to Ponyville! Yes, I will visit you again, and it will be very soon!

I can hardly wait to meet you and Ponyville again!

Rara.

She had sent her letter and started to write another song. A song about dreams. But what are dreams? Well... They are something coming from the soul and the brain. Powers that leads somepony wanting to realize something. Each dream can come true. Determination, self-confidence and passion are the keys that can ensure this.

Next day morning, they started their trip to Ponyville. They felt like the way was shorter then when they went to Manehattan. Maybe because both of them were thrilled to arrive at their beloved home.

Applejack saw them coming and was very excited. She ran to her chariot as soon as our ponies got out of it and hugged Coloratura while she was shedding tears from happiness.

"I’m so proud of you, sugarcube!" She said.

"Thank you, Aj, but all the thanks should go to Moonstone, who made everything possible in such a short time," Coloratura replied, and Moonstone was smiling at them.

"Moonstone, you’ve got my appreciation!" Applejack said.

"Thanks, Applejack!" He replied.

In the meantime, Coloratura went to her chariot and took out a bag. She walked to Moonstone and gave it to him.

"What is this?" He asked while he was looking at her very confused.

"Something you deserve."

He opened the bag and looked in.

"But this is money."

"I know what it is."

"I’ve told you already; I don’t expect money from you. I’m doing this with pleasure, for your career, not for money."

"It’s still your part, and I would be pleased if you would accept it. You have already proven that you do this only for me. Now I trust you more than anypony else."

Moonstone went to Coloratura and hugged her.

"Thank you, Rara!" He said.

"It's me who should be thankful!" Coloratura replied.

Coloratura and Applejack went to discuss many things. Things about Sweet Apple Acres, about Coloratura's career, new songs she has written and so on. Coloratura was about to stay longer in Ponyville for this time.

Meanwhile, three bodyguard-like stallions came to Moonstone. One with a dark blue fur, one with a light green one and another with a yellow one.

"Hello, Mr. Moonstone. We’re three professional bodyguards, and we would like to make your job easier by being Coloratura’s bodyguards. Do you like the idea?" The one with the light green fur said.

What Moonstone didn't know was that the bodyguards were working for Svengallop, and they were part of his plan.

"Hello, fellows. Sure! How much do you want to be paid?" He replied.

"We will decide this while we work." The bodyguard with the blue fur stated.

"Okay. Thank you for your interest." Moonstone said and hired them.

He continued to write some articles. He was overworking.

"Just look at him. He is working too much. He skipped sleeping last night just to finish some projects for me. He needs to rest." Coloratura said to Applejack.

"I have an idea!" Applejack exclaimed. "Let’s invite him to Sweet Apple Acres. We all could take a nap with fresh air, and we could enjoy this wonderful sunny day."

"It's a brilliant idea!" The singer mare replied. They went to Moonstone, to tell him the idea.

"You’re working too much. That’s why Applejack and I have planned to spend some time at Sweet Apple Acres. We will be relaxing and enjoying the sun." Coloratura said to Moonstone.

"I'll be actually not relaxing because I have some things to do at the farm," Applejack said.

"Okay, but you will also join!"

"Sure thing."

"It's a splendid idea, but I'm afraid, I can't join," Moonstone replied. "I have a lot to do."

Coloratura started to think and came up with an idea. She began to sing a lullaby to Moonstone, so they could take him to Sweet Apple Acres.

"Hush-a-bye now, kind little foal,

Silence to come, and shone over you.

Rest now my foal, count the sheep..."

"No, please," Moonstone said while Coloratura was singing. "Don’t... I will..." He was closing his eyes softly and started to sleep.

"He’s so cute when he sleeps," Coloratura said, and Applejack looked at her with an odd looking. "Let’s bring him to Sweet Apple Acres now!"

The mares have been taking him to Sweet Apple Acres, where they started to spend their time. Coloratura was going to visit Rarity while Applejack and the sleepy Moonstone remained at the farm.

Suddenly, Moonstone woke up.

"Oh no! I was sleeping too much. Wait. Why am I at Sweet Apple Acres?" He was worrying and started to remember. "Oh, yeah. Rara's lullaby that always makes me sleep."

"Hey! What’s up? Are you awake already?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah, I was sleeping too much," He replied.

"Really, sugarcube? You slept only an hour. Don’t take the work so seriously, okay? Just rest a bit."

"I can’t. I’m not sleepy. Where is Rara?"

"She went to visit Rarity."

"How could I leave her alone?"

"She’s not alone. She’s with her bodyguards."

"Oh, right. But what can I do now? I can’t sleep."

"If you really can't sleep, you could help me with farming, maybe. But only if it’s up to you."

"I don’t know many things about farming. I could buck apples, at least," Moonstone said and smiled.

"Sure, you can try!"

They went to the apple trees. It was the first time when Moonstone did this.

"Here ya go!" Applejack said.

Moonstone started to buck a tree. Applejack began to buck another.

"This is not hard, but you forgot to give me a basket." He said, but no answer was coming. It was a great silence. "Applejack?" She said again, but still no response. He was worried and stressed. "Applejack, where are you?"

He looked over the place and noticed that some ponies have kidnapped Applejack in a chariot. He started to follow them.

"Hey, stop!" He shouted.

The chariot went much faster than Moonstone, but he kept following it. He noticed that the bodyguards he has hired were those who were in the chariot and kidnapped Applejack.

Meanwhile in a cave, Svengallop was there, along with some other ponies. He planned revenge on Coloratura, Applejack and Pinkie Pie for what they did. Coloratura and Pinkie were kidnapped already, so only Applejack was missing.

"You all ruined my life and my reputation." Svengallop said and had an evil laugh. "And now, you will pay your debt! But let’s wait for your pretty orange friend, too. You will suffer together."

The mares couldn't speak because their mouth was tied up. They couldn't move, either.

After a few minutes, the guards have arrived with Applejack.

"Who are you and what do you want from me?" She yelled. "Leave me alone, I'm an element of harmony," She noticed Coloratura and Pinkie Pie. "And Pinkie is also an element of harmony. You can't harm us! I’ll kick you in your face if you do not leave us alone!"

"I don't care... and you are actually unable to do anything." Svengallop said and asked a unicorn to perform a spell on her. She did, and Applejack started to sleep. They tied up Applejack, too.

A few minutes passed, and Applejack woke up. She couldn't speak or escape.

"Now that all of you are here, the suffering can begin!" Svengallop said and laughed viciously.

"But Moonstone is not here, and he was following us," A bodyguard pony said.

"Moonstone will suffer the more when he sees the last moments of the life of his friends. Though I don’t think he will find us," The evil former manager of Coloratura replied.

He went to Coloratura and said:

"You are the only reason of why I am a nopony. Everypony hates me now. Do you think it’s fair? You are responsible now for what have you done!"

Meanwhile, Moonstone finally found the cave where the chariot went, and he ran inside.

"Perform the mortal spell on her!" Svengallop asked a unicorn.

The unicorn started to perform the spell. Moonstone noticed this and jumped in the same fraction of the second when the ray of the unicorn’s spell would've hit Coloratura, and hit Moonstone instead of her. With his last unicorn powers, Moonstone performed a shrinking spell on Svengallop and all his accomplices.

Everypony ran out of the cave, including those who held the mares, to not escape. Applejack has escaped, and freed Coloratura and Pinkie Pie.

"No!" Coloratura shouted while she ran to Moonstone. "What have you done?"

"It’s okay, Rara. I did what was right. Now you are safe." He replied and caught.

"But why? Why did you do this? You’ve paid your life for me."

"Nothing is more important than you, Rara!" He said and looked deeply in Coloratura's eyes fulfilled with tears. She couldn't stop crying, and cried more and more.

"I don’t want to lose you!" She said.

"Don’t worry. Just tell Red Blossom to help you find another manager. Maybe a better one."

"I don’t want any other manager. Also, you are the best!"

"No, I’m not. It was me who hired those bodyguards who kidnapped you all. I’ve put your life in danger."

"You couldn’t know that they work for Svengallop!"

"I’m still guilty for this," He said and continued after a few moments: "But please, stop crying. I don’t want to see you like that!"

"How could I not cry if I'm suffering?"

"I don’t want to live my last moments while I see you crying," Moonstone said, and started to be weaker and weaker.

"No. No, it’s not over yet!" Coloratura said.

"Right. It isn't over for you. Just keep following your dreams and do what your heart says!" He said with his last powers, and closed his eyes.

"No! Please, don’t go! I don’t want you to die... Moonstone! Don’t leave us..." Coloratura said. "I love you!" She continued after a few moments, cried even more and shed a tear on his face.

She has turned to Applejack and Pinkie Pie.

"Somepony, please! Call Princess Celestia!" She shouted.

They’ve put him on their back and went out of the cave. Pinkie Pie went to Twilight, to send the urgent letter to Princess Celestia. Luckily, the Princess of Friendship was in Ponyville. She sent the letter and followed Pinkie Pie back to the cave. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have arrived quickly.

"Thank you, Your Highness, for coming so quickly!" Coloratura said and bent down. "Please, if there's any way to save him, do it. I don’t want him to die!"

"I will try to do my best to save him," Princess Celestia said.

She has checked the situation. It seemed to be a spell that only an alicorn or an element of harmony would've survived. It was more complicated than she thought. She was wondering about which unicorn was so powerful to perform such a strong and forbidden spell. After many minutes of thinking and trying, she came to Coloratura with a reply. She didn't look happy.

"I’m afraid, we can’t do anything. The spell was too rough, thus resulting in a very deep wound," She stated.

"No!" Coloratura shouted and cuddled Moonstone. She started to cry even more. "You was more than a manager for me, Moonstone. Even more than a best friend."

Twilight Sparkle was thinking a bit and turned to Princess Celestia.

"Maybe if we all will try to save him with our powers?" She asked.

"We could try," Celestia replied.

The three princesses united their powers and performed an immense spell on Moonstone.

"Please, work!" Coloratura said.

They stopped performing the spell, and Moonstone was falling from the air. Huge silence. The princesses looked sad. Then suddenly, a cough broke the silence. It was Moonstone's cough! Coloratura raised her head and looked at him. He was moving! She ran to him and took him between her arms. She was happier than any time.

"You really scared me. I’m so happy to see you alive again!" She said. "Thank you so much for saving my life, but trust me, it’s not worth to sacrifice yourself for me."

"I’m also happy to see you!" Moonstone exclaimed. "Again, I would do anything for you, Rara. Wait. How did you...?" He looked over and saw the princesses. He went to them and bent down. "Thank you so much for saving my life, Your Highnesses. I haven't expected it, though."

"Thank you for your support. I can’t imagine what I would’ve done if I would have lost him forever." Coloratura said to the princesses. "I love him!"

"Wait. What? Sorry, I haven't heard it right," Moonstone was looking confused.

Coloratura went to Moonstone and kissed him on his lips.

"I'm sure you did," She replied.

"Well... Umm... The truth is that... that... I also love you!" Moonstone said and started to blush. "I just don’t know, why me?" He continued.

"That’s a silly question!" Coloratura answered and started to sing.

When everything became dark

You were here for me

When the sun just couldn’t shine

You didn’t leave me

When the trouble followed me

You took my hoof and helped.

I want to thank you for everything!

Obstacles don't matter,

We remain one forever!

‘Cause my love is yours now

It cannot break anyhow.

I love you with all my heart!

Hoofsies!