Howl
By MidnightDancer
"But Twilight!" Pinkie's petulant pout dominated the aggravated alicorn's vision when said alicorn was, in fact, just trying to get a cup of coffee.
Designating the issue of how Pinkie Pie was able to get into the castle as a Future Twilight problem, she sighed. "Can I wake up a little, please?" Twilight gently but firmly moved her friend aside and set about pouring her coffee into her favored mug, one splattered across with constellations. Taking a deep sip, Twilight let her eyes flutter shut. So... good...
Her blissful enjoyment of the divine beverage was interrupted by two wide, baby blue eyes staring into her own, coffee sloshing as their noses pressed together. "Okay, you have your coffee, so can we go now? Can we oh please can we can we can we?!" The pink mare vibrated with excitement and panic, and her friend could only blink twice and grunt in annoyance.
"Pinkie. It's just a myth. I am not getting into whatever contraption I'm sure you have for this occasion just to go investigate something that has a simple explanation." She took another pull of her coffee, the cobwebs in her mind starting to clear out as she started her walk to the fireplace followed by a bouncing Pinkie Pie. Settling onto her cushion, she eyed the pink mare a bit less blearily. "I'm sorry, Pinkie. I'm not trying to be mean about this, but it's just a folk tale. Nothing more." Confidence ebbing into her with every word, Twilight Sparkle brought her coffee to her lips once more.
Only to have it promptly disappear, wrenched from her telekinesis in a surprising display of strength by Pinkie Pie. Balancing the cup, somehow, on her poofy mane, Pinkie Pie grabbed Twilight by the shoulders and shook her madly. "The Howling Beast is not a myth! This is serious! I know I say silly things and stuff sometimes but sometimes I'm right and do you remember the parasprites because if it weren't for me being me we wouldn't have gotten through that and all I want is your help and—"
With a burst of shield magic, Twilight disengaged from the other pony. "Pinkie Pie!" She glared through the shimmering magenta shield into the pleading eyes of one of her best friends. "I don't care how serious you think this is, but you are going to give. Me. My. COFFEE."
Pinkie Pie blinked in surprise. "Oh, sure." She hoofed it carefully towards the shield, where it was grabbed greedily by Twilight's telekinesis. "I just wanted to make sure your coffee was safe."
"Safe?"
"You know, during the shaking!" Pinkie Pie grinned, and Twilight groaned into her cup, dropping her shield.
"You could have just not shaken me," she muttered, taking another deep pull from her mug. Her ears perked suddenly, catching the tell-tale clop of hooves in her foyer, and she glanced at the door in mild interest until Applejack passed through it. She looked as hale and hearty as ever, orange coat gleaming in the early morning sun streaming through the castle windows, but her face held a pinch of worry. Filing that away for later, Twilight bounced up, grinning widely.
"Applejack! Just the pony I need to see." Twilight trotted to her friend, relief washing over her as she gestured to Pinkie Pie with her mug. "Pinkie has it in her head that The Howling Beast is actually something real and not a folk tale. And, well, I know you have relatives in Tall Tale that would have grown up with the story through generations. Can you please explain to her that this is just a myth so that we can all go back to enjoying our mornings?" She smiled warmly at her friend. Thank goodness. Now we can put paid to this nonsense. Pinkie is being unusually aggressive about this.
Shaking her head somberly, Applejack locked eyes with Twilight. "She's right, sugarcube. I'm goin' with her out to Tall Tale."
Twilight blinked.
And blinked again.
She swiveled her head slowly between the impulsive, silly Pinkie Pie and the calm, dependable Applejack. Both sets of eyes were unusually solemn, but Twilight realized there was something more buried in those eyes. Something potentially disastrous for her planned calm morning of reading.
Panic.
"An' I think," started Applejack slowly, "that you should come with us. Rarity an' the other girls, too. An'... you should write to the Princesses."
Twilight coughed on the coffee that she was trying to sip. "What?! No. Listen, this is getting out of hoof." Lighting her horn, she floated over a small book from the lower bookshelves. She brought it to her face, magenta magic flipping the pages quickly until they settled on a page with a picture of a woodburning of a wolf at the top. She turned the book towards Applejack. "See? It's a foal's story. 'Every year, when the moon is high and the villagers sleep cozy in their beds, The Howling Beast lumbers forth from its lair to scream its story across the land.' Just a legend." She shut the book quickly and smartly, Applejack sneezing at the dust that pushed out from the pages before her nose.
"Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape..." Pinkie cut off her recitation, smiling innocently when Twilight whirled to give her a sour look.
"She's got a point, sugarcube." Applejack laid a comforting hoof on Twilight's withers, smiling gently. "So, will ya write to the Princess for us?"
Twilight smiled nervously, tilting her head between the two ponies. "I mean, Pinkie's point notwithstanding, it's just a story. And I don't want to have to wake Spike up for this! He loves to sleep in, heh... heh..."
"It's okay, I'm already up." Twilight whirled, eyes falling upon the sleepy dragon at the foot of the stairs. Spike padded into the room, rubbing at his eyes and dragging his blanket behind. "I mean, I'm tired, but nobody is getting any sleep around here with the way you three are carrying on. So what's all this about a letter?"
"Sorry, Spike. I kind of overreacted a little when Pinkie took my coffee." She chuckled, fluffing her wings nervously. "But you don't have to worry about sending anything, the girls just think The Howling Beast is real."
At her words, the little dragon perked up, a big grin on his face. "Yeah! I heard they actually saw it! There's a whole big thing going on in Tall Tale now because of it! Ponies from all over are going there to try to find it."
"And they're tresspassin' on my family's land and harassin' my relatives to boot!" Applejack turned a pleading gaze on Twilight. "It don't matter if The Howling Beast is real right now, Twi, it matters that ponies think it is and it's causin' a whole heap of trouble there. Even if you don't believe, will ya at least come to help my family?" Twilight cursed internally, staring into Applejack's wide, honest, green eyes. She glanced to the side, taking in Pinkie Pie's soulful blue eyes, then further to the right and down at Spike's excited face.
She let out a gusty sigh, head lowering in annoyance. "Fine."
"Yay!" Cheers went up from the three assembled, and Spike whipped out a scroll and quill.
"So, I guess address it to both of them?" Spike tapped his chin with the quill, looking to Twilight for guidance.
Sitting down heavily and mourning the book on Alicorn physiology she'd planned to study, Twilight dictated, "Dear Princess Celestia and Princess Luna..."
...I'm afraid that I will be away from the Friendship Castle for some time. Apparently, ponies have started to believe again in the legend of The Howling Beast, and the small town of Tall Tale is suffering for it. This belief stems from some ponies claiming sightings of the Beast. I plan to take my friends and Spike with me to the town to try to disperse some of the crowd and allow the villagers to get back to a more peaceful life.
As a secondary goal, I plan to also disperse all belief in this myth and legend. Myths are fine when nopony is getting hurt, but this is starting to cause real issues for the safety and agriculture of Tall Tale. I do not believe, logically, that this creature exists. Any words of wisdom or guidance you two have would be greatly appreciated in this time. I'm going to gather the girls together and we'll prepare to head out by train later today.
Sincerely,
Princess Twilight Sparkle
Shaking the last pieces of stray egg from the bottom of the scroll, where they had stuck after the scroll plopped into her breakfast, Princess Celestia glanced across the table to her sister. "What do you think?"
The darker alicorn chewed thoughtfully, eyes narrowed. "I do not know, sister mine. My wish is for them to leave the beast, and all the mythos around it, alone; however, if it is truly causing the village distress, then perhaps they should go. But tell me, sister," and at this, Luna glanced down at her plate and pressed her front hooves together, "have you heard much, if anything, about this Beast? I... vaguely recall some oral tradition from back before my time upon the moon."
Celestia thought, taking a deep sip of her coffee before responding. "I believe so, but its much in the vein of a foal's story. Something just meant to scare them, nothing serious."
"Like Nightmare Moon?" Asked Luna, and even though her voice was quiet, it seemed to command the very air to be still.
After a moment, Celestia shook her head, determined to approach this diplomatically. "Not at all. For one thing, we know Nightmare Moon was real. I was there, after all." Her gentle jest had its intended effect, and the ends of Luna's lips quirked up slightly before relaxing back. "And for another, this is a classic tactic a parent probably came up with at some point. 'Stay in your beds, or the big bad wolf is going to come gobble you up!'"
Luna nodded slowly. "I suppose you are correct, Celestia. However, if Princess Twilight and her friends are going, I would very much like to accompany them." She stood, resolutely, clopping one hoof loudly to summon a servant.
"May I ask why?" Celestia hid a private smile behind her coffee cup.
"Because nopony knows more about what goes bump in the night than I." With an almost predatory grin, Luna whirled as the servant bustled in. "Servant! Make ready three sky-carriages pulled by my strongest guards. We have a mystery to crack!"
The servant quailed back almost immediately, dashing down the halls to wake a shift of Night Guards and attend to Luna's other requests. Celestia, smiling fully now, nodded in approval. "Shall I send them back a reply, Luna?"
"Nay, I shall handle it myself, dear sister." Plopping down in a rather un-princesslike fashion on the floor, Luna floated a quill and scroll to herself from the sideboard. "Mayhap it will ease the minds of Our little ponies to feel We are taking this seriously."
Celestia smiled gently, eyes softening as she watched her sister. "Mayhap indeed, my sister."
Luna chewed her quill for a moment, a stubborn habit from foalhood, before placing the nib against the scroll. "Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, Dutchesss of Everfree, Steward of Friendship, and Savior of Equestria: Fondest Greetings..."
The quill continued to scratch as Celestia rolled her eyes.
....It pains Us to hear of the plight of Our ponies, and so, you shall have not only the sage wisdom and advice of the rulers of Equestria, but also the presence of one most suited to assisting with all the terrors of the Night. Sky carriages will be arriving soon, so pray collect your friends and meet Us outside of the Castle of Friendship with all speed.
Sincerely,
HRH Princess Luna of Equestria, Dutchess of the Dreamscape, Steward of the Moon, etc.
"Well, I guess she ended it with an 'etc' instead of carrying on for two pages?" Fluttershy smiled hopefully up at Twilight, who was re-reading the missive for about the sixth time since it arrived. "And... and she has very nice hornwriting."
Rarity peered over Twilight's shoulder, before nodding once, decisively. "I must agree with Fluttershy." She shifted slightly, sliding her saddlebags to a more comfortable position, before continuing. "I think we all know that I would normally be the first to point out how important titles are, but Princess Luna can get... excessive, I suppose. I think it was quite tasteful."
Over Twilight's other shoulder, Rainbow peered at the scroll. "Pah! Wouldn't it have been easier to be like, 'hey, I'm coming, get ready'?"
"That's what she saiiiiiiiid!" Pinkie Pie sang, bouncing around the assembled ponies, poofy mane flipping up and down in time with her bounces.
Twilight stared at Pinkie Pie blankly. "No, it's not. What she said was—" A deafening trumpet blast interrupted her, Twilight's ears folding down against the unnecessarily loud noise. All six assembled ponies glanced to the sky, watching with some awe as the sky carriages circled before coming in for gentle landings on the packed dirt of the road. The carriage pullers, bat ponies all, gratefully stretched their wings downwards before furling them back in to their sides, usual stoicism overruled by the comfort of stopping.
"Land's sakes..." muttered Applejack, and Twilight found herself agreeing. All three carriages were made of dark, twisted metals with plush, velvety fabrics draped along the sides to soften the look. Rarity squealed in incoherent excitement, running one white hoof down the material before the soft but heavy sound of hoofsteps on the metal of the first carriage's floor behind her gave her pause, head turning slowly to meet the gaze of the Princess of the Night. Blushing, Rarity bowed low to the ground.
Princess Luna disembarked from the first sky carriage, and the other five ponies bowed low along with Rarity. Luna seemed to fidget for a moment, before waving a hoof. "Rise. Especially you, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Thou art on even hoofing with Me." The six did as they were bade, Twilight smiling diplomatically.
"Of course. Thank you for coming so quickly, Princess Luna—" Twilight was, again, cut off by Pinkie Pie giggling and bounding around her.
"That's what she saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaid!"
Twilight rubbed between her eyes, feeling a small headache forming. "No, no, it's what I said. Anyway, Princess, thank you for offering to accompany us on this journey." She pulled a small map from her saddlebags, along with the foal's book. Spreading out the map in her magic, she pointed. "As you can see, Tall Tale is a short way from here, usually easily accessible by wagon or train. I'm assuming you want us to take the carriages, though, which would speed things up quite a bit. I brought along the only book I know of with the legend in it, if you'd like to peruse it on our journey."
Princess Luna appraised the map critically, nodding. "Indeed. I believe that, in using the sky carriages, we can arrive within a scant hour or two, depending upon the speed set by Our most loyal guard."
"Hey, so, about the carriages or whatever, is anypony gonna talk about the elephant in the room?" Rainbow Dash flapped over almost lazily. "Cuz, I gotta say, no disrespect intended, but even I know when the elephant is too... elephanty."
Rarity looked around in confusion, then glanced in Rainbow's direction. "Darling, whatever do you mean? I see no elephants oh my Celestia what have you done?" Rarity dashed with a speed few realized she possessed to the side of the main carriage, eyes wide with stark terror.
"See, I tolja."
"Do shut up, Rainbow Dash. Princess, with all due respect, what has happened here?!" She flung out a foreleg, indicating the first carriage. The elegant, dark metal of the carriage had been paired, inexplicably, with garish pink and yellow streamers and bunting. A large wooden rendition of Twilight's cutie mark sat crookedly at the front of the carriage, clearly painted hastily as small beads of the paint had rolled down and dried in place during the journey. The batponies yoked to the carriage in question made a point of looking everywhere but at it or the semi-traumatized unicorn that paced around it.
Luna looked to the sky, blushing madly. "I apologize, but I was short on time and wanted to be clear this was headed by Princess Twilight." She cleared her throat, trotting regally as she could to the carriage. "It is fine if you do not like it, Rarity, as this carriage is for Twilight, Spike, Pinkie Pie, and I to ride in, since it is much more spacious. You and Fluttershy may take the second carriage, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash may take the third."
"Hey, how come I gotta ride in the back? I'm the most awesomest pony in Equestria!" Rainbow Dash glared at the third carriage indignantly.
Twilight Sparkle, still pinching the bridge of her nose, let out a long and calming sigh. "Okay. Listen. Luna, it was very kind of you to decorate the carriage, and I like it just fine. Rainbow Dash, frankly, I'd rather be upwind so I don't have to hear you and Applejack bicker about hoofball. Pinkie Pie, please just... stop being so... so..."
"So me?" Pinkie Pie giggled, throwing a foreleg around Twilight. "Twilight, Twilight! If I stop being me, Equestria would just fall."
"Just... okay. Whatever works. You're at an eleven, please tone it down to about a three?" Twilight turned to the castle door, tapping a hoof in annoyance. "And just where is Spike? I only sent him to grab some granola bars... Spiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike!"
At her shout, the little dragon bustled from the front door of the castle, dragging a sack behind him. "Sorry, Twilight, but I wasn't sure we'd have enough for everyone on the ride..." He trailed off, blinking at Princess Luna. "Oh. I guess we won't need as much food if we're going by carriage."
"It's fine, Spike. Let's just go." Twilight levitated the sack of snacks, distributing granola bars and fruit cereal bars evenly between her friends before clambering into the first carriage. Luna followed, with Pinkie Pie bouncing in. As soon as all ponies were securely in their carriages, Princess Luna smiled down at Twilight.
"Well? Will you not give the order to depart?" Merriment danced in the older princess' eyes as Twilight fidgeted nervously.
Craning her neck out slightly so the batponies could hear her, she thought for a second. "Um, mush?"
Covering their chuckles with coughs, the batponies took off, the other carriages following suit and pointing southwest to Tall Tale.
A mere half-hour into their journey, and Twilight Sparkle was already mentally cursing herself for bringing just one book. The book itself, of course, was the small book of foal's stories, which Princess Luna was intently reading in one corner of the carriage. Twilight glanced at her, admiring as always the way her mane flowed effortlessly, stars and nebula dancing across its length. Nose in the book, Luna's face betrayed no emotion as she read and re-read the tale.
In doing so, she also read and re-read the words that had, up until recently, been used to describe her.
Beast.
Monster.
Dangerous.
Uncaring.
Terrifying.
Luna squeezed her eyes shut, taking a deep breath, before levitating the book to Twilight. "It appears that our possible foe is mighty indeed. Is there more news from Tall Tale besides that which you have already shared?"
Turning the book over and over in her own magic, Twilight thought. "Not really. I guess Applejack would know better, seeing as she has family there. I suppose we can ask once we land." Stepping carefully around a sleeping Pinkie Pie and Spike, Twilight joined Luna in her corner. She scuffed one hoof against the floor of the carriage, glancing sideways at Luna. "Are you... are you alright, Princess? You've seemed... well, a little off, I guess."
Luna's ears flattened, and she shook her head. "I am alright, Princess Twilight. I am simply... nervous, I suppose. I wish to do right by you ponies, and I know that although you believe the creature to be a myth, it might well be real. You must be prepared for that possibility, and how you handle it will be important, should you meet the... the creature."
"You're talking like you think it is real. Do you know something we don't?" Twilight turned her soft purple eyes on Luna, who shook her head quickly, closing her eyes to avoid Twilight's gaze.
"No, no. When entering the possibility of battle, one must assume the worst." Luna's words made sense to Twilight, and the two sat in silence together in the carriage, wind whipping past them. A small shiver ran through Luna, who brought her wings around to cover her barrel. Luna looked at the sleeping pony and dragon, wondering if she should cover them instead, when the sudden brush of a downy wing across her back gave her pause. Twilight smiled sheepishly, a small blush tinging her cheeks.
"I should have brought blankets. I forgot how cold it gets up here!" Twilight forced a chuckle, daring by inches to tighten her wing around the Princess. Luna stared at her, also blushing. "Or, I mean, I could not... I'm sorry, you just looked so cold..." Twilight began to retract her wing, halting as Luna shook her head.
"Nay, is quite alright, Princess Twilight. I am grateful for the extra warmth, and I thank you for the friendly gesture." She shifted a little closer to take some stress off Twilight's wing. "I am merely unused to physical contact anymore."
"Heh, well, what are friends for, right?" Twilight tightened her wing more confidently, smiling internally when Luna finally relaxed back into it.
A tailwind blew up forcefully, bringing, as predicted, the faint voices of Applejack and Rainbow Dash. They were, indeed, arguing over hoofball. Rarity and Fluttershy seemed to be gossiping about the relative style merits of batponies versus pegasi.
Twilight smiled.
"What... in tarnation..."
"It's simply dreadful!"
"Awful... I guess... but I'm sure they're usually nice ponies..."
"What the hay?!"
"Oh, no... what are we going to do?"
"Ooooh, cupcakes!"
Pinkie Pie zoomed over to a food stall while Twilight turned a plaintive gaze up at Princess Luna, wings sagging sadly. "Luna... they're destroying everything!"
The dark alicorn nodded, face full of thunder. Their arrival had been fairly uneventful, as they elected to touch down outside of Tall Tale and finish the journey on hoof. It was, in the end, the best decision, as there was nowhere to land in town.
The town itself was chaos. The normally quiet farming village was packed with ponies, most wearing tee-shirts with grotesque depictions of the Beast. At least one unicorn jumped around in a frightful mask, terrifying the ponies with their own rendition of the Beast. Food carts were parked on once fertile and growing fields, and all around them they saw litter, heard screaming ponies, and occasionally saw the tell-tale glow of campfires dotting the farmlands. Teenagers and adults alike galloped around the town, passing out flyers and throwing up even more dirt with every hoofbeat. The small homes in town were hard to spot through the chaos, but fearful eyes peering over windowsills from within were enough to get Luna's blood boiling.
Luna stomped a hoof angrily, splaying her wings. "Guards, stay close and ensure none of the ponies we have come with today are lost."
Midnight Oil, a fairly new recruit, tucked his wings nervously before pointing at the pink blur that was somehow navigating the crowd. "Even that one, your Highness?"
The furious alicorn rounded on the poor recruit, eyes blazing with a snarl twisting her muzzle. "Didst. We. Stutter."
"I... no, no your Highness, you did not I'll justgetonthatnow." The guard rocketed off from his position, wings pumping as he elected to keep an eye on Pinkie Pie from the air. It would be easiest, given all he had heard about the pink pony. The other five guards shifted, each moving beside one of the remaining friends, but Twilight shooed hers away.
"No. You go with Applejack. I'll stay with Luna. I think two alicorns will be fine. But Applejack needs to find her family and make sure they're safe, so she might need the extra muscle." She smiled wryly, and the guard bowed and trotted off to Applejack, who was already drawing a plan in the dirt with a stick. Twilight turned to her remaining three friends. "Girls, I want each of you to go door to door. Make sure the locals are unhurt, and help them if they are, okay? And see what information you can gather about this story."
"Hay, yeah!" Rainbow punched the air with a hoof, grinning at her guard. "Better hope you can fly fast, buddy!" Rainbow took off, leaving her guard to sigh heavily and follow in the wake of her rainbow contrail. The rest were content to trot sedately, carefully weaving through the crowds that shrank back at the sight of a Lunar Guard. Applejack, in her usual no-nonsense fashion, simply barreled through the crowds, her Lunar Guards more than happy to fan out to her sides and assist.
"Twilight... what can we even do?" Spike clung to her back, peering around her neck nervously at the crowds. "There's just... there has to be hundreds of ponies here! Maybe even thousands!" His nose wrinkled in disgust. "And I'm guessing half of them haven't taken baths since they got here."
"I don't know, Spike, but I think Luna and I can come up with an ide—" She was cut off as Luna rose into the air, wings pumping, before crashing down hooves first into the thick of the crowd.
"Ponies! Bow before thy Princess of the Night, and explain thyselves this instant!" A little thrill ran up Twilight's spine, goosebumps rising under her fur as a goofy smile plastered across her muzzle. Stars above, what was that? I guess it's just nice to see her take charge!
Utter silence followed her proclamation as the ponies bowed low, almost in a wave of bodies. With no explanation forthcoming, Luna charged her horn and plucked one tee-shirt wearing earth pony from the crowd, bringing him to her face. The hapless pony hung before her, clutching his flyers to his chest, eyes wide. "Thou wilt explain, and quickly, my little pony."
"That works, too," whispered Spike. Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes.
The pony dangling from Luna's magic swallowed hard. "Um. My name is Wild Theory, Princess, and it's so nice to meet you..."
"That is not," Luna said, "what I asked."
"Well, uh..." The cream colored stallion lifted one of his flyers, smiling meekly. "Would you like to take a flyer?"
Snorting, Luna used a separate tendril of magic to pull the flyer to her. Her eyes quickly scanned the paper, eyes darkening. At the top, a caricature of a ferocious wolf sat, jaws dripping with blood. Below that, in a font that was done up equally to appear to drip blood, were the words "HOWLING BEAST OF TALL TALE". Below that, Luna read on.
It is no secret that even with the protection of our Princesses, many terrors still walk our lands! THE HOWLING BEAST walks among the ponies of Tall Tale, frightening all! Once considered nothing but a fairy tale, it turns out...
THE BEAST IS REAL!
IT HAS BEEN SEEN!
Join us tonight as we try to scale the ridge to find the beast once and for all!
BEAST HUNTERS UNITE!
"Utter tripe," mumbled Luna, as she balled up the flyer and slowly applied pressure to it until it incinerated before the hapless pony's eyes. As the ash fell, Luna stomped her hoof again, Wild Theory trying his best to hide behind his dark blue mane. "Tell me, what ridge did the flyer refer to?"
He pointed, upwards and to his right. Twilight squinted, just able to make out the form of a high mountain ridge. The lower portions gave way gradually into a patch of forest, and at the base, a small homestead sat. Though it was mobbed with ponies, Twilight could still pick out Applejack guarding the front door while speaking to what appeared to be an elderly brown pony. Turning her eyes back to Luna, Twilight was surprised to see Luna's brow furrowed, as if in worry or concern.
Luna cleared her throat and set the pony down. "I understand it is an interesting phenomenon, but please take it from one of the oldest creatures upon this planet that it is naught but a myth. I expect each able-bodied stallion and mare that caused this town such distress and damage to fix, clean, and re-plow fields as necessary. You have trod harshly upon the kindness of these ponies, and I expect each of you to fix it. Once you have fixed it, if you do not reside here, I expect you to leave back to your own towns." She took a deep breath, allowing the stress to flow from her. "Have I been clear?"
Wild Theory nodded numbly.
Twilight simply stared, mouth slightly agape. Luna's attitude had done a complete turn around from the time they had landed. She sidled up to Luna as Wild Theory scampered off to organize some cleaning teams. Twilight opened her mouth, then closed it, electing instead to send up a burst of magic, a magenta star hanging above the collected ponies before it burst, beautifully, into the most gorgeous and useful thing she could think of at the moment: a massive, floating checklist. Rarity's giddy squeal could be heard, faintly, to her right, and Twilight grinned. To their credit, the ponies were confused for only a second before getting to work on the items Twilight had carefully listed on the glowing checklist.
Sighing happily, she turned to look up at Luna. "Hey, that was a really good job you did! Thank you for getting them to listen."
Luna shook her head. "Nay. I feel foolish. This was meant to be under your jurisdiction. I feel as though I have trod on your hooves."
"Not at all! I'm still learning this princess stuff, and these ponies were more likely to believe you anyway." Twilight chuckled, stretching her wings out absently, feathers trailing over Luna's back. Blushing, she retracted her wings. "Sorry, sorry. Just, do you want to fly, maybe? Kind of oversee things?"
A gentle smile wound across Luna's muzzle, soft teal eyes pinning Twilight in place. "Indeed, but only if you fly with me, young Princess."
Nodding numbly, Twilight took off with powerful beats of her wings.
Over the next few hours, the ponies gathered repaired carts, re-seeded fields, and asked forgiveness from the residents of Tall Tale. Twilight darted in the air around her checklist, checking off the relevant line items when they were done. As an afterthought, she sent up a small burst of fireworks from her horn with each completed task, the tiring ponies below cheering. Rainbow Dash flapped up after clearing out some cloud cover, grinning madly. Behind her, her batpony guard, Night Flight, huffed and puffed as he tried to catch up.
"Yo, Twi! I got the weather situation all figured out. It was supposed to rain, but that's just gonna make the cleanup harder, so I moved the clouds for a bit." She grinned proudly, striking a pose in the air, and Twilight rolled her eyes with a smile.
"Good job, Rainbow! That's a really big help, actually." She flapped a bit unsteadily as a current buffered her, Rainbow's hoof coming out to steady her. Rubbing the back of her head sheepishly, she glanced at her friend. "Sorry. Still getting the hang of the flying thing. I've never been in the air for this long."
"Aw, it's okay. Tell ya what, how about I bring you a cloud to rest on? You've been up here for hours, your wings have to be hurting." Eyes sparkling with mischief, she elbowed Twilight. "I could get your marefriend up here with you, too."
Spluttering, Twilight rounded on Rainbow Dash, face beet-red. "I don't... what? I don't have a marefriend! I... I don't even think I like mares like that!" Night Flight's eyes widened for a bare second before going back to their normal, half-lidded state. Rainbow Dash chuckled.
"Uh huh."
"You're one to talk! Why don't you go find Pinkie Pie, hmm?" Twilight poked Rainbow Dash in the chest, smiling as she saw her friend's cheeks begin to burn as well. "I bet she misses you."
"She's not my marefriend," mumbled Rainbow Dash. "Anyway, I'm gonna go find you those clouds." With that, she took off hastily, rounding up some fluffy white ones. Twilight sighed, turning in place until her nose met an unexpected, but soft resistance. Luna's dark blue nose bopped hers, and the two blushed before pulling away.
"Ah... heh. Sorry, Princess." Twilight made a point of straightening up, head whipping from side to side until she spotted Rainbow Dash. "Oh! Here comes Rainbow with that cloud. I could use the rest!" Observing Rainbow Dash's smug grin, Twilight narrowed her eyes. I bet she knew Luna was behind me the whole time. Brat.
With a final push, the fluffy white cloud floated to Twilight. Rainbow Dash, still grinning, bowed. "For you, Princess Twilight." As Twilight settled into the cloud, Rainbow Dash tapped her chin with one hoof, grin becoming more sly. "You know, it is a pretty big cloud. Why don't you take a load off too, Princess Luna?"
Twilight stared daggers at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash just smirked, waving a hoof at Twilight.
"In truth, even my wings need a rest sometimes. Much of the checklist is done, so I suppose I could recline for a short while." Luna settled herself onto the cloud, dipping her head to Rainbow Dash. "Many thanks."
"Oh, it's no problem... no problem at all... Anyway, gotta dash! Somepony has to make sure those storm clouds don't come back too soon!" With that, she rocketed off, her guard sighing heavily once more as he attempted to keep pace with her.
Luna stretched out her forelegs, letting them dangle off the edge of the cloud, and gratefully folded her wings. Twilight and Luna rested for awhile, keeping a keen eye on the cleanup below. Occasionally, one or the other would light their horn to help a pony along: lightening loads, giving a plow an extra push, or encouraging the seeds planted to grow a bit faster. Looking down further, Twilight chuckled to see Spike running around with a sharp stick, stabbing garbage and depositing it in a bag. Further north, Rarity could be spotted helping to repair exterior brickwork and shutters on buildings. Fluttershy seemed to be trying to coax the wild animals and house pets to calm down and come out, and Pinkie Pie hopped among them all, carrying full garbage sacks and burying campfires.
Twilight risked a look at Luna, who was currently casting a spell to help hold up part of a collapsed porch as the ponies below worked to repair it. "Um, so, Luna... I need to ask you something."
Ignoring the small thrill up her spine at Twilight's words, Luna simply nodded. "Of course."
Hoof worrying at the cloud, Twilight shut her eyes tightly. Just ask her. This whole day has been weird. So just ask her bluntly, and you'll get a straight answer. "Luna..." She raised her head, locking eyes with the Princess of the Night. "You know more about this Beast than you're letting on, don't you? And if I'm right, why aren't you telling us?"
Luna's eyes widened in surprise. Gotcha! Twilight suppressed a grin. But... her forehead is wrinkled up, and there's a frown on her muzzle... why does she look... hurt? Clearing her throat, she broke the stare with Luna, looking out instead towards the dipping sun.
"Yes. I do." Luna sighed, Twilight not daring to look at her as confusion and anger warred inside her. "The Beast is not what the ponies make of it. It was argued, long ago, that the ponies themselves made the Beast. It will not harm anypony. I am certain that if it understood this area was populated now, it would have never howled over the town."
Glancing at her askance, Twilight shook her head. "But... why didn't you just tell us? Or tell the Beast to move?"
"I am going to do just that, once the town is cleaned up and the ponies are abed. It is not a task for the daylight hours, Twilight Sparkle."
With that, silence reigned once more on the small cloud.
Apple Family hospitality is a funny thing. The minute you set hoof on land with friendly intentions, you are A Guest. Further, should you happen to save the town upon which the land sits, you are Practically Family and are treated accordingly. None were surprised when the elderly brown pony, one Apple Crumble, insisted upon the five ponies, two princesses, and one dragon spend the night after a filling meal. No amount of royal politeness could get Luna out of this one, so she simply had to acquiesce.
After a hearty meal, comprised mainly of a hot vegetable stew and apple struedel for dessert, served at the cozy wooden table within the warm and dark kitchen, everyone simply sat back in their chairs. A second table had been hastily pushed up to the first to accomodate the six Lunar Guards, who had also been encouraged to stay. Twilight's chair creaked slightly as she turned to Apple Crumble, seated at the head of the table. "Mrs. Crumble, that was simply amazing! Thank you so much for having us!"
"Oh, now..." The elderly pony flapped a hoof, trying but failing to hide her prideful smile. "We Apples know a thing or two about cookin', don't we, Jackie?" Applejack grinned over at her, nodding.
"We do, but ain't nothin' beats one o' your meals, Auntie."
"Y'ain't gotta flatter me none, Jackie. Y'all know you're stayin' over anyways. But, as to that..." Apple Crumble trailed off, scratching her head and disturbing the nice plait in her white hair. "The homestead is big, but thirteen ponies and a baby dragon is a mite more than I'm used to hostin'. Princess Luna, o'course you'll be havin' your own room, same as you, Princess Twilight. That leaves two bedrooms an' the living room in the main house, along with the barn outside."
"Well, I suppose the logical thing would be to have myself and Fluttershy in one room, Applejack and Spike in another... or maybe Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash in the other?" Rarity tapped a hoof to her chin, and Rainbow Dash shook her head.
"Nah, I think me and Pinks will be fine with the couches. I could sleep out on a cloud, even..." Rainbow Dash trailed off, noting the narrowed eyes of both Apple Family members. "No, okay, yeah, couches are good. I like couches."
"Guess that just leaves me n' you then, Spike!" Applejack grinning, patting the little dragon on the back, who looked crestfallen. "Oh, now, cheer up! It's just one night, and then back to your basket at the castle."
Spike mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'something something Rarity something', but nopony paid too much mind.
"An' as for you fellas, well, I s'pose you can bunk in the barn or with the Princesses, whichever y'all like better." The batponies conferred quietly before Night Flight raised a hoof.
"We usually are awake at night. We're afraid that sleeping now is going to throw that off, so we'll take a nap in the barn and wake up around three in the morning. That might be easiest for us." The other five batponies nodded, and Apple Crumble smiled.
"Well, that settles that, then. Jackie, ya can help me clear up while yer friends get settled."
Of course, nopony would let Applejack and Apple Crumble do it alone, and soon the home was filled with the ringing laughter of all fourteen ponies (and one dragon) as they worked together.
"Never did think I'd see this day comin'," came the hushed tones of Apple Crumble, slowly rocking back and forth in her rickety porch chair. Applejack beamed down at her aunt, laying a hoof over her withers.
"Ain't somethin' you ever get used to, I reckon," Applejack assured her in a low tone.
Princess Luna's horn thrummed with magical energy, gently rattling the floorboards of the homestead beneath her silver-shod hooves. In the sky, the moon rose high, the stars joining to start their nightly dance across the heavens. Pinkie Pie stood to her other side, uncharacteristically silent as she watched the Princess employing her special talent. Some twenty hooves away, Princess Twilight, Spike, and the rest of their friends lounged in the grass, Twilight pointing out this or that star or constellation from memory. Her excited voice drifted to the porch, tugging Luna's lips into a smile as she set the final courses of the moon and stars and powered down her horn.
Taking a seat to the other side of Apple Crumble, Luna dipped her head. "Thank you for all your hospitality tonight, Apple Crumble. Your homestead is lovely, and will serve many Apples for years to come, I am sure."
Apple Crumble broke from her trance of awe, shaking her head mightily. "Princess, y'surely do honor me by comin' here, an' eatin' at my table, an' showin' me yer beautiful talent. An' I surely do appreciate it." Her dark hooves worried at the neat white braid cascading over her shoulders, soft green eyes, like Applejack's, fixing on the Princess. "But my children either moved on to other pastures, or passed on in that fever years back. Ain't go nopony to inherit the homestead once I'm gone. Might just give it over to the town."
Luna tilted her head back and forth, thinking, as Pinkie Pie finally joined them. "I suppose you could. However, I happen to know of one Apple who is aching to make her way in the world, and I'm sure once she's of age, she'd love to be here." Pinkie Pie's eyes lit up, head nodding as her pink hooves bounced on the porch.
"Yeah! Apple Bloom lives on Sweet Apple Acres, but if Applejack and Big Mac settle down there with spouses, it's gonna be too crowded for her!"
Luna nodded, ignoring Applejack's saucer-sized eyes. "If it were to happen that way... well, if I may?" Apple Crumble nodded, Luna charging her horn again. "I bless your home, Apple Crumble, and vow it shall be filled again someday with the laughter of foals, the heavy hooves of a sire, and the singing of a mare. May your trees bear the sweetest fruit, and may the Apple Family lineage continue for many centuries to come." Her horn winked out after the blessing, the only sounds the wind rustling over the porch and the faint laughter of their friends on the grass, oblivious to what had just happened.
"Why?" Apple Crumble's voice was small in the silence, smaller than Applejack had ever heard it.
Luna smiled kindly, nuzzling the elder pony briefly. "Because once upon a time, two fillies were running from a terrifying evil that had beset the land. They had nowhere to go, and nopony would take them in—nopony but a mare named Apple Slice who owned a small farm near what is now Ponyville." Her smile widened, and Apple Crumble sat in shock. "Staying with Apple Slice, the fillies were able to collect the weapons needed to defeat the evil, and thus usher in an age of peace." Tipping a wink at Apple Crumble, she giggled. "I guess we've just felt the need to repay your family where we can. Your hospitality and manners have never changed in all those years and in all these changes in this world."
Apple Crumble mumbled her thanks, dabbing at her eyes with a hoofkerchief as Luna dipped her head to her once more, much lower, before turning to join the other ponies on the grass. The two Apples and one Pie sat quietly together, watching the ponies laughing and lounging, before Applejack reluctantly broke the silence. "She's hidin' somethin'."
Apple Crumble simply nodded. "Eeyup."
Looking from one Apple to the other, Pinkie Pie finally reluctantly nodded her agreement. "Maaaaaaaaaybe. But I bet that if she is, it's for a good reason!"
Applejack snorted quietly, looking at Pinkie Pie askance. "An' just what good reason would there be for lyin'?"
Pinkie Pie's muzzle sported a gentle smile, blue eyes looking out at her friends. "It's not lying, it's omitting. And sometimes I omit that I'm throwing a big surprise party, because I want the pony to be excited. And sometimes Rarity will omit the mean comments she could make about somepony's dress, because being mean isn't helpful to anypony. And sometimes Mrs. Cake omits to the children that they're having financial problems, cuz she doesn't want the children to worry or grow up thinking they're poor." She turned her oddly calm and gentle look to Applejack. "Not all omissions are bad, and neither are all lies. Sometimes it's to protect the ones you love the most."
Applejack blinked once in surprise. "Huh."
"Yeah. Lies and secrets can hurt, but sometimes they can help." Pinkie Pie nuzzled Applejack affectionately, and the farm pony blushed.
"Gee, Pinks, you're being a lot more gentle than usual."
"Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat's what she saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaid!" With that, the pink pony bounced away, bounding into the center of her group of friends on the grass, chattering a mile a minute about everything and nothing.
Applejack chuckled, finally descending to spend some quality time with her best friends, too.
Twilight couldn't sleep.
She tossed and turned as quietly as was possible, finally huffing to herself and rolling to her left side. The window just in front of her looked out into the peaceful night, moonlight spilling across the sill and snaking across the floor. She lifted her hoof, as a foal might do, and watched the moonlight highlight the tips of her fur, casting the rest in deep shadow. Her lids grew heavier at the calming sight, a small smile winding its way across her muzzle.
She tucked her hoof in beneath the duvet, still dreamily looking out onto the view of the ridge.
Something moved.
Twilight's head shot up, wide awake now, eyes intently scanning what little she could see of the ridge. Above the treeline, she could just make out a large, almost circular shape before it disappeared into the rocky outcroppings. An icy chill of fear trickled down her chest as she crept to the window slowly, wings tucked in tight and ears folded back. Though she was loathe to admit it, Twilight Sparkle the scientist had fled. In her place, a small, scared filly stared out into the night, frightened once more of the big bad wolf.
A floorboard creaked, and she bit down on her own tongue to keep from screaming. Turning slowly, she saw Appleack standing in the doorway, looking towards the window as well. "Twilight. There's somethin' up there."
Swallowing hard, Twilight somehow forced her legs move, crossing the distance to her friend. "I know."
Her own fear was reflected in Applejack's eyes, and the two simply stood for a moment, taking deep breaths, before Applejack broke the silence, voice low. "Now. I ain't sayin' it's some Beast. Could be some prankster thinkin' it'd be cute to scare the beans outta the town on account o' us makin' them leave."
Twilight nodded automatically, grasping that explanation like a drowning pony grasping a life preserver. "Yes, I agree. It's the most likely scenario. In fact," she giggled quietly in the darkness, "I bet whoever is up there is going to try to howl and it's going to be very obvious that this is just a pony."
Before Applejack could answer, a heart-wrenching howl rang across the ridge and the homestead. It wasn't just a howl, not by Applejack's terrified estimation; no, this was a sob turned feral, pure mourning tearing across the night. Her baser instincts, as Twilight called them (though she herself preferred 'lizard brain'), jangled at her nerves, demanding she run lest the creature find her. Because, as her lizard brain helpfully informed her, that weren't no pony.
Twin thumps could be heard downstairs, followed by a mix of flapping and hooves on wood; and down the hall, Rarity poked her head out of her door as Spike did the same across the hall from her. Rainbow Dash bowled into the hallway, followed by Pinkie Pie. The four ponies and one dragon looked to Twilight, and all Twilight could see were tiny pupils, eyes that were a bit too wide and shiny, and shaking legs. Taking a deep breath, Twilight shut her eyes, visualizing a small checklist in her head.
First box: is everypony okay? She opened her eyes again, executing another quick headcount. "Okay. Where is Fluttershy? I want to make sure we're all together, but I don't see her."
In response, Rarity lit her horn, pale blue magic dragging the terrified yellow pegasus from their shared room. Fluttershy tried on a smile, but it faltered, and she hid her head in her hooves. Rarity sat down beside her, absently stroking the long pink mane with her hooves. "It's alright, Fluttershy. It was just a howl, and we're all here."
Twilight tried on her best comforting smile before turning back to her mental checklist.
First box still isn't checked off. Where's Apple Crumble and Princess Luna? Her ears swiveled, straining for sounds, before she finally heard soft snoring coming from the head of the hall. She glanced at Applejack, who smiled wryly. "Auntie Crumble will sleep through Armageddon itself, I'm sure. She's fine." Twilight nodded, mind turning over the last name on the list.
Princess Luna. Fact: Luna said she was going to take care of this. Fact: Luna said, specifically, she would take care of this at night. Fact: a very long time passed between seeing that thing on the ridge and the howl. Possibility of Luna being injured: moderate. Twilight rubbed her face with her hooves, mentally checking off the box before moving to the next one.
Second box: Assemble a party and prepare to depart. She glanced at her friends. Easy enough. But what about the town? She tapped her chin before remembering the guards. Nodding to herself, she took a deep breath.
One that was cut off by yet another mournful howl, sending her friends skittering, bodies pressing down to the floor and against the walls. Twilight shivered before finally stomping a hoof, snorting. "Listen. Everypony get yourselves together. Spike, I want you to stay behind here at the homestead. I need you to wake the guards, explain the situation, and tell them that their royal duty is to protect this town. The rest of us are going up the ridge to find this Beast and Princess Luna, and help her if we can. Are we clear?"
"Yeah! We'll show that beast a thing or two!" Rainbow Dash brushed off her legs as she stood up, wings twitching. She pulled Pinkie Pie to her hooves, grinning. "And we'll do it together."
Five out of six of them drew closer together, the exception being Fluttershy, who looked up in stark horror. "Oh. Um. Maybe I should stay here, with Spike. And, um, the guards..." She trailed off as Rainbow Dash marched up to her, and reluctantly allowed herself to be pulled to her hooves.
"Okay, seriously Fluttershy? First of all, you're the only one of us that can talk to animals, which is gonna be, like, extra useful here."
"Yes, but... but maybe you don't need to talk to it, just scare it away? I'm not very scary..." Fluttershy hid behind her mane to escape Rainbow Dash's eye rolling.
"You calmed a manticore."
"But..."
"You had a dragon terrified of you."
"Um..."
"You totally reformed an evil that even Celestia and Luna couldn't fix."
"That's true, but um, I couldn't have done it if he didn't want to..."
"Your eyes literally hypnotize animals into loving you."
"Um." Fluttershy noticed all five ponies (and one dragon) giving her a very flat stare. She sighed. "Oh, alright. If it means that much to you, I'll go."
To her credit, Rainbow Dash only grumbled a little about her shy friend as the six began to draw up their plan.
Ten minutes later, and all six ponies were standing at the base of the mountain. The wind was chilly for the time of year, and Twilight shivered once. A Lunar Guard, Silent Wing, sidled up beside her. "Are you sure you do not want one of us to accompany you, Princess?"
"I'm sure. We'll be okay. Luna told me she was going up there, so I'm going after her." Twilight lightly scraped a hoof over the cool grass, worried gaze on the ridge.
Silent Wing shifted uncomfortably. "She is our Princess, and we are sworn to protect her."
"I am also your Princess, and I am assuring you that we will be fine and that your job, in its entirety, is to protect the townsfolk. They need it more than two Alicorns do." Twilight huffed, turning her stare on Silent Wing, and paused. The guard's ears were folded back, and he averted his gaze from hers. Sighing, Twilight hung her head. "Sorry. I don't... I just think you'd be better off here, in case something happens. This town is full of quiet, honest folk, not fighters."
Silent Wing relented, nodding. "That's very wise, Princess Twilight. We shall wait here." He raised a wing, signaling the other five, and they spread out at the base of the mountain roughly equidistant from each other.
"Alright, girls!" Twilight punched a hoof in the air, hoping to appear to be more a confident general than an awkward pony. It only sort of worked, as her hoof flung grass into Fluttershy's face.
The pegasus winced, and wiped her nose daintily. "O-Ok."
"Sorry."
Rainbow Dash shot into the air, beckoning with a foreleg. "C'mon! Fluttershy and Twilight, come up here with me. Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie, you guys cover the ground."
Twilight nodded, leaping into the air beside her friend. "Yes! And Rarity, I know you know a couple concealment and defensive spells. Have a shield ready to go, just in case." Rarity nodded, brow furrowed with determination.
"That Beast won't lay a claw on my precious mane!" At Applejack's flat stare, Rarity cleared her throat nervously. "Nor will it lay a claw upon my friends either, of course!"
"Enough gabbin'. We got a plan, let's get goin'." With her usual straightforwardness, Applejack started a hard gallop to the face of the mountain, seeking out a pathway she vaguely remembered from foalhood. Pinkie Pie thundered along beside her, Rarity keeping pace easily with her horn glowing with a stored spell.
"I'll scout ahead, you and Fluttershy stay above the others!" With that, Rainbow Dash shot off, banking up the treeline with more caution than usual.
Twilight set her wings to beating, following the glow of Rarity's horn as Fluttershy fanned ahead and to the side, gently flapping to and fro as she scanned the ground for any animals that might pose a danger. Senses on high alert, Twilight kept her eyes locked on the rocky outcropping above. Ignoring the sting of the chill wind and the pulling at her feathers, she pushed herself on, ears swiveling to keep track of the ponies below.
Hard pounding, Applejack. Lighter beats with a longer stride, Rarity. Uh... Intermittent connectivity, Pinkie Pie. She smiled to herself before nearly crashing into Rainbow Dash, who was flying back towards them.
"Hey, stop! Halt! Whatever, just chill for a minute!" Breathing hard, Rainbow Dash darted to the ground, landing heavily beside Pinkie Pie. Twilight and Fluttershy touched down beside her, folding their wings. Twilight tilted her head at the blue pegasus.
"What's up? We're about halfway there already, why stop?"
"Because there's some kind of crazy shield. I bounced right off it." Rainbow Dash pointed to her side, lightly burned with magical feedback. "It doesn't really hurt, but whoever put it up put a warning in it. I never got this on your shields, Twi."
Twilight nodded slowly. "An invisible shield. I didn't see any magic..."
"It's there, trust me." Rainbow absently rubbed at her ribs with a wing, smiling ruefully. "So, what now? Do you think you can break it?"
With a nervous wing shrug, Twilight glanced up through the trees at the outcropping. "Where was it, exactly?"
"Right in front of the rocks. I flew up there, and like, there's this peaked ridge thing. But below that is some kinda cave. As soon as I got close to the ridge thing, I got stung and couldn't get through." Her brow furrowed, and she snorted. "I wanna get through it. I bet a Rainboom would break it!" She readied herself, crouching low and shooting into the sky, before magenta magic grasped her tail firmly and pulled her down.
Twilight shook her head. "No. If it doesn't break the barrier, it might break your neck! Absolutely not." She stared down the defiant pegasus, who was pawing at the ground with a hoof and snorting. "We want all of us to come back safe. So the best thing to do is for me to go up and try to deconstruct it."
"We're with you all the way, Twilight. I think that's a very sensible idea. I know you hardly need it, but my magic is at your disposal as well, if you need extra energy." Rarity glanced up the mountain, missing Twilight's touched look. "Well, nothing for it! Let's go!"
With Rarity in the lead, the other five fell into position, galloping up the forested path. Twilight pushed herself, pulling even with the unicorn as six sets of hooves thundered up the path, scaring sleeping birds from their nests. After ten minutes of hard running, the vegetation started to become sparser, and their hooves clacked loudly against rock versus the smooth thudding on the path. Soon, they had all slowed, turning to climbing more than running.
Stumbling on some scree, Applejack started to slide back before she was caught neatly in Rarity's magic and pulled up to the plateau where Twilight called a halt. Panting, she turned to the others. "Right... how close are we?"
Rainbow Dash just pointed, breathing heavily, at the outcropping above them. "Shield's there."
Twilight examined the outcropping. It could only be reached by wing, as the mountain face below it was a sheer drop some fifty hooves to where they stood. She sagged slightly. "So somepony has to fly up there and also dismantle the shield. It's like the Beast wanted protection from everything. It'd take an alicorn to get up there." She flopped down, pushing at the pebbles at her hooves.
"Ooooooooooor a really great pegasus slash unicorn team!" Pinkie Pie, somehow, was still full of energy, bouncing around Rainbow Dash and Rarity. "It'd be like a Raricorn! Or a Dashicorn! Or a Raridashicornicom!"
Hooves over her face, Twilight tried her best to tune out Pinkie Pie. Even with my new alicorn powers, I still get so tired after running... but Luna is up there. As the thought hit her, she shot to her hooves, staring upwards. The sky, naturally, chose that moment to begin releasing the torrent of rain that was meant for earlier that day, droplets pattering down onto the ponies and into Twilight's eyes. She blinked them away, shaking her wings out.
"Alright, I'm going up. Luna is up there, and we have to bring her back safe, too." Gathering her strength, she pumped her wings, flying straight upwards as the others grouped below simply watched. As she got closer to the outcropping, Twilight felt a vibration in the air, one that set her teeth on edge and made her horn ache. The storm intensified as she pushed through the pain, forcing herself upwards until she was level with the outcropping. Over the edge, she could see the cave Rainbow Dash had mentioned. Through the curtain of rain, she saw something dark move within its depths.
I'm coming, Luna. Ignoring the pain in her horn, Twilight sent feelers of magic over the shield, probing for a weak point. She observed as the raindrops pinged off the shield, sizzling into steam. Magical feedback or not, Twilight determined it was more or less a normal shield, and set about pulling apart the threads of magic on one portion, much as one might pull apart a knit hat or blanket. Once the hole was large enough, Twilight, near tears with the thrum of the feedback, slipped inside.
As much as she simply wanted to slump with exhaustion, Twilight instead readied a stun spell in her horn and began creeping quietly into the cave. It was large, but surprisingly warm after the bite of the storm, and the scent of lavender hung within. Twilight slowed her steps, sleepiness starting to overcome her. I could nap here. It seems safe. I mean, why not? I don't hear anything or see anything and I'm just so tired... Eyelids heavy, she let her body come to a stop, head hanging low enough to brush the cave floor with her muzzle. Mmm. I love lavender. She took a deep sniff, goofy smile surfacing on her face. Reminds me of Luna.
LUNA!
Panic gripped her then, tamping down her exhaustion long enough for her to set out at a full gallop into the cave again, hooves magically muffled by a sound spell. Light appeared ahead, a soft glow thrown on the cave walls, but with no shadows to be seen. Pushing her soaked mane out of her face, Twilight hugged the wall, creeping slowly towards the lair of the Beast.
Peering around the corner, Twilight gasped, muffling herself with a hoof.
Princess Luna sat, back to her, head bowed. Around the softly lit end of the cave laid trinkets of all kinds, and Twilight, natural curiosity taking over, entered the lair slowly. "Princess Luna? Are you alright?" She ventured towards the unmoving alicorn, reaching a hoof out to tentatively touch her shoulder. "We were so worried..."
"Leave me." Luna's voice was tiny in the silence, her head bowing even further as Twilight sat back, confused. Unsure, Twilight turned her attentions to the trinkets around the cave. In one corner rested a hornring, made of a simple gold. To her right, a large tome scored across with Old Eqquish letters sat, defying cursory translation. On a jagged bit of rock, a shawl that would make Rarity green with envy was draped, all colors of the rainbow dancing across its surface.
"I don't... I don't understand, Luna. Did the Beast steal these? Where is the Beast? Are you injured?" She saw Luna's back tighten, her large body drawing more in on itself. "I'm sorry, but we've all been worried. Let me help you." Gathering her courage, she approached, one wing spread out to cover Luna's back again.
The Princess of the Night hid her face in her hooves like a foal, shivering as Twilight's downy wing enveloped her. "This cave is pretty warm, but rocks are still kinda cold..." Twilight trailed off as a rather important realization hit her.
Luna was not shaking with the cold.
Luna was crying.
"Oh, hey, shhh..." Twilight wrapped both wings and her forelegs around Luna, feeling the frantic beat of the darker alicorn's heart through her skin. She rubbed Luna's back the way Twilight's mother used to do it, making gentle shushing noises as she rubbed between her shoulders. Slowly but surely, Luna's tears tapered off; and in that stillness that comes after a good hard cry, she stared at the wall over Twilight's shoulder. After a moment, she pulled back, wiping her eyes with a foreleg.
"I am sorry, Twilight Sparkle. I did not mean for you to see this..."
"It's okay. I'm just glad you're alright! Well, mostly alright," she amended with an embarrassed cough. "What happened up here?"
Luna sighed, running her hoof over a small collection of hairpins nearby. "The same thing that used to happen, once a year, before my banishment to the moon."
Twilight blinked.
"There is no beast, Twilight Sparkle. No beast but myself." She slumped to the cave floor, levitating a small stuffed bear, worn with age, to her forelegs. "But I did not mean to frighten anypony, I swear it. I enter through the other side of the mountain, and I could not see the village below."
"But you knew tonight."
Luna shivered at her words, pulling the stuffed bear closer. "Yes. I came to collect my belongings and go. But each has a story, and I was reminded... and... I'm sorry." She pulled herself up, using her levitation to briskly start packing the motley selection into a set of oversized saddlebags. Looking everywhere with her puffy, red-rimmed eyes but at Twilight, she busied herself with packing until one item resisted. She turned, seeing the shimmering, delicate scarf held firmly on the other end with Twilight's magic.
"I like stories."
A surge of anger rushed through Luna. The impertinence! That is not hers to touch! A snarl curled her muzzle, and she glared at Twilight. "Fine. Once upon a time, there lived a Princess. She was young, and she was stupid, and she took mortal lovers. They all died. The end." Twilight let go of her end in surprise, and Luna viciously shoved the scarf in the bag with the book. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself, turning to look at Twilight more evenly. "That is the summary. The stories... we could be here for eternity, and I would never finish telling them."
Twilight nodded numbly. "I... okay. But it's not stupid to love! I mean, Cadence and my brother got married and they're even having a foal! Love can do wonderful things."
"It can also hurt beyond all measure." Luna shrugged, tying her saddlebags closed. "So now, in this age, I wish only for the respect of my little ponies. But nothing more."
Twilight tilted her head to and fro, considering her words carefully. "I guess that's true, from the standpoint of trying to protect yourself. But... what if somepony did love you again, someday? You must get ponies coming in to court you, sometimes."
Luna laughed humorlessly, shaking her head. "They do not. After all I have done, and the beasts I have become—both literal and metaphorical—only a madpony would lov—" Her no doubt eloquent sentence was cut off, suddenly, by warm lips against her own. A fire lit in her gut, urging her to reciprocate, and so she did, lips working against Twilight's until Twilight pulled back, face afire. Both wide-eyed, they stared at each other for a moment, until what she had done clicked for Twilight.
"OhmygoshI'msosorry!" Twilight covered her face with her wings, scrambling backwards towards the cave exit. She chanced a glance upwards, seeing Luna standing rigid, her teal eyes unfocused and jaw slack. "You're just amazing and smart and talented and just everything I could ever want to be and I don't care what you did a thousand years ago because it's part of what makes you who you are and I wouldn't trade who you are for even an army of dainty little princesses!"
Luna finally focused on Twilight, blinking in confusion.
Backing slowly again, Twilight felt like her face was fit to burst into flames. "Please don't take my wings. I'll move far away, I'll stay away from Canterlot. I'm so sorry." She turned to flee out of the cave when blue magic enveloped her, dragging her roughly to Princess Luna. She quailed beneath her gaze, shutting her eyes tight against Luna's scrutinizing gaze.
Just as roughly, she felt herself jerked upwards and her lips pushed against Luna's.
Where Twilight's initiation had been swift and gentle, Luna's was slow and forceful. Twilight, at first confused, began to push back with just as much vigor. Luna dropped her magic, and the two ponies wrapped around one another, tongues dancing and small nips to the lips exchanged. After a few moments. the older alicorn pulled back, panting slightly and grinning at the flushed, fluffed up ball of alicorn in her hooves. "Twilight?"
"I... what? Yes?"
"Howl with me."
Far below on the plateau, the five anxious, waiting ponies huddled up together as twin howls ripped across the sky above them. Fearing the worst, Rarity charged her horn, blinking away tears and rain, and Rainbow Dash readied her wings, but another sound gave them pause.
Laughter.
Rarity huffed, powering down her horn. "Of all the immature..." She grumbled to herself, trying to find again a dry portion of the rock.
Rainbow Dash looked up into the storm and laughed right back.
The seven sleepy ponies had stumbled back to the homestead, waving the guards back in for another few hour's worth of sleep. Rarity, still grumpy about the state of her mane, grumbled all the way up the stairs. One look at the doe-eyes Twilight and Luna were pulling at each other, and the grumpiness was overridden by girlish glee. "Ahem. I would like the first shower in the morning, if it's not too much trouble."
Luna chuckled. "Of course. I apologize for all the trouble. I did not think, after speaking to Twilight, that you would all follow me."
"I think it's safe to say that Twilight here would follow ya anywhere, Princess." Applejack grinned as Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.
"That's enough lovey-dovey stuff. I'm going to bed." Rainbow Dash fluttered down the staircase, followed by a bouncing Pinkie Pie.
As they passed out of view, and Rarity and Fluttershy retired back to their rooms, Luna regarded Twilight with a fond smile. "I suppose Applejack is correct. And, betwixt you and I... I love that you came for me."
Twilight opened her mouth, and was cut off by a happy shriek from below.
"THAT'S WHAT SHE SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAID!"
Laughing, the Princesses retired to their rooms, happy to catch a few precious hours of sleep before the trip home.
Author's Note
I regret nothing.
Thank you to Fossil-Dragon-Messiah, Cynewufl, Majin Syeekoh, and Foughtdragon01 for looking this nonsense over in various places to tell me if it made sense. (It was very hard.)
