Situated cozily amongst a hodgepodge of ancient but trim buildings on Ponyville’s old west side, the Draught Horse Pub was well-known by the locals for its cheery service, generous pours, and buoyant music played by the four same musicians time out of mind.

Along with his two grandfoals, Revel and Reverie, the little pub was tended exclusively by a lined and wrinkled old stallion, Celebration by name, who happened to be a retired potioneer from Manehattan. Celebration had grown tired of his life of peddling potions to the grand city’s proletariat and retired to Ponyville where he had lived with Revel and Reverie ever since. Its owner being of such an origin, it is safe to assume that the eclectic concoctions, as scientific in nature as they were artful, were some of the best the country had known and were to be found exclusively at the Draught Horse Pub of Ponyville.

Magically and chemically engineered inebriating masterpieces aside, the little pub also offered beer. One beer, in fact. From the Draught Horse’s tarnished brass taps flowed exclusively the amber glory that was the Equestrian Brewing Company’s famous Twin Horse Ale. At just two bits a pint, the Twin Horse was the cheapest stuff a pony could greatly regret getting drunk on when the following morning came. While the flavor was absolutely excellent, the only readily available thing to dispel the misery it wrought upon its unfortunate victims was a special tonic brewed by none other than old Celebration himself, the recipe for which he had never divulged to any but his grandfoals.

Once in a blue moon and always when it was least expected, Revel and Reverie would assist their grandfather in tapping a cask of the world-famous Apple Family Cider to be served at no charge to the pub’s ever-thirsty patrons. It would be worthwhile to note that, in the nearly one-thousand years since its inception, the Apple Family cider’s worth-per-pour had grown by orders of magnitude known only by the history books and a few overenthusiastic connoisseurs of the beverage. Once served to the very last drop, empty cask would then be set on an equally empty white marble pedestal placed just outside the front door in the courtyard where it would be left to sit for three full months down to the hour.

Into that well-lit courtyard stepped six very thirsty ponies from a high walled alley, laughing heartily and trotting along merrily as though without a care or concern in the world. Wind Song, who noted at once to his great relief that the ostentatious pedestal was empty and had not, therefore, been missed by himself or his friends, led Moonlight, Willow, Snow Star, Honeybell, and Orange Blossom up to the pub’s narrow porch just as a cool wind began to blow in from the north.

From within, the pub’s glowing hearth cast many a dancing shadow across the frosted windows. The sound of a tambourine could be heard above the familiar din of happy revellers as the six friends approached the old building.

“And here...we...are…”, Honeybell said matter-of-factly as they stepped up onto the porch.

Several merrymakers sat at tables and benches on the porch, enjoying a pipe or sipping at mugs of ale or other drinks.

One of them, an old unicorn mare holding a floating a clear glass cup of something which kept shifting through a plethora of pearlescent hues before her, stood to greet the six as they approached.

“Wind Song! I thought that was you! That was some show you put on for us earlier. Haven’t seen the like since I was your age!”

Wind Song took a moment to see who the speaker was in the dim light before his face lit up with recognition.

“Pine Frost! How have you been? I hope Winter Breeze is well?” he asked amiably.

The wizened unicorn replied, “As well as can be expected, Windy. As well as can be expected. As far as my husband though…” her face dropped into a scowl, “He insisted on staying home to finish chiselling away at that dratted old hunk of birch he keeps in the sitting room instead of coming out with me for a few of Celebration’s finest cocktails. But that’s quite alright, I’ve got plenty of fine company here. Ain’t that right, boys?” she said, turning to wink at several uncomfortable looking stallions Wind Song hadn’t noticed who were significantly younger than Pine Frost.

When no reply was forthcoming, she turned back to Wind Song. “Poor lads have drunk their fill from my purse tonight. I may also have been a bit over enthusiastic about our conversation.”

Wind Song noticed one of the stallions rising slowly from his bench and beginning to creep off in the direction of one of the dark side-streets. Thankfully, Pine Frost seemed not to have noticed. She would probably forget by the time she sat back down anyway.

Wind Song laughed uneasily, “I’m sure they’re just...um...tired. Hot day today, eh?”

Pine Frost seemed to have noticed the others for the first time and either missed or ignored Wind Song’s question.

“Willow, darling! It’s so good to see you again.” she said, stepping over to Willow and pulling her into a rough one-hoofed embrace, her drink swaying precariously in its little glowing magical bubble. Then she saw Snow Star. She gave the white unicorn a blunt expression.

“Snow.” she said flatly.

Snow Star, whose face had adopted exactly the same expression, replied, “Pine. Always a…” he coughed. “...pleasure.” he concluded with visible effort.

Pine Frost ignored this last statement and moved on to greeting Honeybell and Orange Blossom. Wind Song cast Snow Star a quizzical look at which Snow Star rolled his eyes and mouthed, “I’ll tell you later.” Wind Song was determined to hold him to that.

“And there’s Moonlight!” Pine Frost exclaimed enthusiastically, reaching one hoof out and touching one of Moonlight’s cheeks.

“Hi, Pine. It’s wonderful to see you, as always.” Moonlight replied with a genuine smile.

“And you as well, my dear. You as well. My goodness, always so polite!” Pine Frost beamed before she turned to Wind Song.

“Windy, my boy, why haven’t you married this beautiful mare yet? My what beautiful foals the two of you could make together! Your athleticism with her looks and brains...Celestia have mercy!” she said with an almost petulant shake of her head.

Wind Song felt that every last drop of blood in his body had somehow made its way to his cheeks and was too distracted by his own embarrassment to see that Moonlight had turned her face so it was covered by her long wavy mane. He heard a snort come from Snow Star’s direction and he turned to give him a scowl, but Willow had already given him a subtle kick to the hindquarters that was making his own face turn red with pain.

Pine Frost either didn’t notice this exchange or she didn’t care. “Well, it’s been wonderful to see you youngsters, but I suppose it’s time I got back to my guests here.”

“Have a wonderful night, Pine. It’s good to see you!” Willow replied. The others gave similar words of farewell except for Snow Star, who was still doing his best and very convincing impersonation of a pony in pain.

As Wind Song pushed the front door of the pub inward, his senses were overwhelmed by a barrage of sights, sounds, and smells. The string band situated in the opposite corner of the room played a melodious jig that danced satisfyingly across his ear drums. The measured hoofstomps of a dozen dancing townsponies accented the music as they jumped and twirled across the floor in a space which the surrounding crowd had cleared for them. The scent of various perfumes mixed with the effluvia of the sweat and hot breath of forty enthusiastic customers, all intent upon making the most of every last second of their time at the Draught Horse.

The pub’s clientele was as diverse as its drink selection. A griffon could be seen playing a hand of cards with a trio of rather put-out unicorns whose stacks of playing chips had shrunk to near extinction. Two hippogriffs were showing a bright pink filly how to throw a dart at a target pinned to the wall, but being without claws, she was having trouble mastering the trick. Off in the corner opposite the band, a little group of foals was gathered around a changeling who kept shifting colors in time to the music for their amusement.

As the six friends entered, a shout of cheering went up from the direction of the bar and Wind Song could see several ponies beckoning them with their mugs. Obliging, the six made their way carefully around the dance floor to join their fellow revellers.

“Ey! There he is! The buck of the hour!” one of them called over the music and cheering as Wind Song found a place nearby to sit, joined almost immediately by his five friends. “Oy! Reverie!” He called.

These last words were shouted at a pretty young filly who was in the process of hesitantly serving two rather drunk looking pegasi another round of ale. She looked up at the stallion who had called her name.

“Would you mind gettin’ my six friends here a round on my tab when ya get a chance, please?” he asked politely, still shouting to be heard over the music, to which Reverie nodded.

“Really, Moonshine, you don’t have to…” Wind Song and Moonlight began together, but Moonshine was having none of it.

“Nonsense! It’s rare enough I get to see you all in here these days. Much less just after one o’ ya cracked a bloomin’ rainboom right over Ponyville, eh?!” he laughed. “A blasted rainboom! In all my born days I never expected I’d see one o’ those, but ‘ere ya went ‘n did it right over me head!”

The six gratefully accepted their first round of drinks and began sipping slowly, enjoying the delicious ale and hoping that Celebration had a few flasks of his hangover remedy handy.

Just then, another stallion spoke from Wind Song’s other side.

“Enjoy it while ya can, lads. A storm’s a comin’.” he said cryptically.

Honeybell looked over at the speaker saying, “Well, now that’s a mighty optimistic outlook ya got there, buddy. What are you rattlin’ on about?”

The stallion sighed and, shifting his posture slightly to get more comfortable, replied, “Y’all ain’t heard of the strange goings on in Canterlot?”

All within hearing range shook their heads.

“Word’s been gettin’ around that ponies is disappearin’. They’ll show up in the city at random, shoutin’ all kinds of fantastic bullshit about someone threatenin’ the Princess. Then, by the time the royal guard gets ‘round to findin’ em, they just vanish. Poof!”

Willow leaned forward so she could see the stallion better, “Well, mister...um…” she paused.

“Fiddlesticks, love.” said Fiddlesticks.

“Fiddlesticks.” Willow nodded. “What proof is there exactly that this is anything more than just another idle threat like what Equestria has been dealing with since the defeat of Cozy Glow, Tirek, and Chrysalis?” she asked.

Fiddlesticks looked a bit annoyed, but continued anyway, “Well, miss, you see, the issue ‘ere is more one that’s been gettin’ worse as time goes on. Usually, when somethin’ comes up worth the Princess’s notice, she’ll send out a few soldiers, kick a little flank, ‘n things just die out after a few days and go back to normal. Some don’t even make the paper. But not this time. This time, we got not only these weirdos popping up ‘n vanishin’, but word ‘as it the whole council’s been sent out to investigate. ‘n can you tell me when the last time was that ‘at happened?”

It was Snow Star’s turn to reply, “And what proof is there that the council is gone? And why haven’t we heard any of this?”

“Got cotton in your ears, ‘at’s why.” Fiddlesticks said, reaching to his right and sliding a newspaper across the bar toward him. “Town crier’s been out all day shoutin’ about it too.”

Wind Song caught the newspaper between his hoof and the bar as it slid by. Opening it, he read the headline, emblazoned in huge letters across the front page, “Equestria Remains Strong”, it read. Beneath it, in smaller bold lettering, was written, “Princess Twilight Sparkle assures Equestrians that the council’s departure is only a temporary precaution. Read more on page 3.” Wind Song passed the newspaper to Snow Star who was seated next to him.

“Sure enough, lads. Gettin’ shadier ‘n shadier all the time. ‘n what about those funny lights in the south? You tellin’ me ‘at’s an aurora? I don’t think so. Wrong time o’ year. And wrong place.” Fiddlesticks added as Moonlight, seated at the far end of the bar, finished reading and passed the newspaper back.

“I don’t know.” Willow said less certainly than before. “This still all seems a bit exaggerated for my taste. A bit of tabloid journalism is a good way to stir things up a bit. Not sure why they’d do it now though.”

Reverie arrived with a second round of drinks. They all nodded their thanks.

“Any o’ you been to Canterlot in the last few weeks? I got a friend what delivers food n stuff to the palace every couple ‘o days who says the royal guard won’t even let him pass no more. Says the whole bloody city has tightened security enough to smother a body.” Fiddlesticks continued.

Willow, Snow, Honeybell, Orange Blossom, and Moonlight all looked at Wind Song who they knew quite well had been in Canterlot over the last few weeks. Wind Song tensed. He well remembered the unusually stringent security measures which had been taken during the time he was in Canterlot. He had been so preoccupied with his training and tryouts that he hadn’t bothered to think that the extra checkpoints, the oddly frequent armed patrols, the fact that there was a guard posted at every street corner, had been anything more than routine practice related to the tryouts. Now that he realized this, however, it became painfully obvious that something strange was going on.

“I...um…” he stammered. “Well, yeah. I mean, well, there was a lot of extra security, but I thought that was because of the Wonderbolts tryouts and shows.”

They all continued to look at Wind Song as though offended he had left out this crucial piece of information.

“You see what I mean?” Fiddlesticks said with a sinister air. “Something strange is happnin’ ‘ere ‘n I swear before long it’s gonna rear it’s ugly head ‘n crash over us all like a wave on the sand. But ‘ey. What’s that matter when we got drinks like this, eh?” He laughed, taking a sip of his drink.

“So, what exactly do you think the threat to Equestria is?” Honeybell asked seriously.

Fiddlesticks guffawed. “I ‘unno. A big ol’ ugly witch what sucks the life out o’ ‘er enemies prolly.” He laughed. “But what do I know?” he lifted his mug and gulped down several long draughts of amber ale. His point evidently having been made, he didn’t speak again.

The six friends dragged their stools closer together, huddling as best they could over the straight countertop.

“I admit,” Wind Song began, “It’s a bit odd. I mean, I didn’t see any ponies running around claiming the world was ending or anything...just the bit about security.”

“Still, that earns some consideration. And what about the bit about the council being gone? It’s been eons since that happened. How many threats are there really that warrant the use of five immortal spirits?” Snow Star whispered loudly.

Honeybell spoke next, “I dunno about y’all livin up here in town, but down by the groves, it’s way darker, ‘n we’ve been wonderin’ what them lights are down south. Figured it was nothin’. I mean, they’re pretty dim even where we are, but they’re definitely there.”

“Snow and I haven’t even noticed them.” Willow said. “We’ve been too busy with Fairweather’s campaign and...OH! Windy! We forgot to tell you! Fairweather won the election!”

“What!? Really?” Wind Song asked, exhilarated. “I’m so glad to hear it! We’ll have to drop by tomorrow so I can wish her congratulations. She’s going to make an amazing mayor.”

Fairweather, a close friend of the six, was the first pegasus mayor Ponyville had seen in more than three hundred years. Her campaign, hotly contested by a crusty old earth pony stallion named Levity who hadn’t even lived in Ponyville for more than a few years, had been the result of countless hours of effort in the weeks leading up to her election...weeks during which Wind Song had been in Canterlot preparing for the tryouts.

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t be here for her inauguration.” Wind Song continued. There’s no way she’ll let me live this down.”

“She understands, Windy.” Moonlight said. “She tried out for the Wonderbolts herself once, you know?”

Wind Song, nonplussed, gaped stupidly at Moonlight before answering, “You’re kidding? We’ve known her for what...twelve years? And I’m just finding this out?”

Moonlight smiled.

“She doesn’t tell many ponies, and the last thing she wanted before your tryouts was to have you pestering her with questions. She didn’t want to have to discourage you by telling you how difficult it is.”

“Well, I’m not going to lie.” replied Wind Song. “I’m a bit sad I didn’t know that before. There are so many things I would have liked to ask that would have made it so much easier. At the same time though, I can’t resent her. It must have driven her crazy not being able to tell me.”

“Even while she was campaigning she was constantly talking about how she hoped you’d place in the top three.” Moonlight said. “Actually, I think she was as concerned for you as we were.”

The other four nodded in agreement.

Wind Song looked at his five closest friends and felt butterflies in his stomach for how lucky he was to have them...or maybe that was just the ale?

“I love you guys.” he said, and he meant it. “Let’s get some more drinks, eh?”

And so it was that the two pegasi, two unicorns, and two earth ponies spent their night of celebration. Many a toast and expression of congratulations graced the lips of those they encountered. The ale flowed freely, the music played on, and even the somber looking griffon was seen joining the dancers on the dance floor. After a number of hours unknown, when all were spent from the dancing and carousing, they sat at the bar or tables to listen as, one after another, ponies would step up to the stage by the musicians, and sing a song. Most were fast-paced pub songs sung time out of mind in taverns and bars across Equestria. Others were slower and more measured, singing of loves lost or friendships won.

Drink after drink, the six friends talked of their time apart, voices becoming increasingly slurred with their intoxication. Aside from Honeybell, Moonlight was the only one of their number who seemed mostly unaffected by the drinks.

Wind Song filled the others in on the details of his near impossible training and finally, the tryouts themselves.

“So, just before I executed my last heartline roll, I accidentally turned right into the sun. It blinded me so I had to do the roll with my eyes closed. The moment I was level, I pulled up as fast as I could. I missed the judges by like two yards. I could hear them gasp and shout as I went over them.”

Snow Star laughed jovially as he said, “HA! Now there’s something I’d have to see in person to believe.” He snorted, looking around at the others, “That’s just about as likely to happen as Moonlight singing on stage. No offense, Moonlight.” He looked around. “Umm...Moonlight?”

“Fillies and gentlecolts!” came a loud voice from the stage across the pub. “We have a rare treat for you tonight. On stage for the very first time, we present to you the lovely miss Moonlight Whisper!”

Wind Song whipped his head around, as did Orange Blossom, Honeybell, Snow Star, and Willow. He felt as though his jaw had dropped off the bottom of his skull when he saw Moonlight, gorgeous as ever, standing on the little stage in the corner.

Snow Star, who was sitting head-down, face smashed into the table at which they sat, had another mug of ale thrust into his hoof by Willow who sat grinning at his side.

The crowd, still rowdy from the night’s revels, clopped their hooves together and carried on their conversations as though nothing were amiss. Wind Song felt instantly furious at them. Could they not see who was on stage getting ready to...SING of all things? Moonlight had probably spent weeks mustering up the courage to put herself at the mercy of a crowd who was now ignoring her.

Then, the music began to play, slow and soft and his anger was forgotten. It was a tune Wind Song had not heard many years. Not since he had lived in Cirrus with his parents. His mother had sung him this song, not as a lullaby, but as a story.

The fire burned low in the hearth as Moonlight began the first verse in a soft, lilting voice. The sound of her singing was like the sweetest birdsong or like wind blowing through pine needles. The lay began like this:

In the happy land of Equestria

Five hundred long years past

In the little town of Ponyville

Lived six young mares steadfast

Their virtues shone like lightning

Or a lantern in the night

Beloved by friends and fellows

Their lives a leading light

By the beginning of the third verse, Moonlight had the full attention of the crowd, which had gone dead silent to listen to her sing.

The melody continued to tell about the six mares, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie, whose heroism had led to the defeat of Cozy Glow, Lord Tirek, and Queen Chrysalis beneath Canterlot on the edge of what was now known as Bell Meadow. It told of Grogar’s Bewitching Bell and how the three villains had used it along with the poison of division to gain supremacy over all the races of Equestria. By uniting those once divided, the six heroes were able to overcome the villains against all odds, turning them into stone, and retrieving the Bewitching Bell.

Wind Song was captivated. Never before had he thought it possible that this song could be sung more beautifully than by his own mother, but here it was. Moonlight had done it and he had the privilege of hearing her every last word.

After nearly fifteen minutes, the tune drew to a close. The last echoes of the strings were the only sounds to be heard above the crackling of the embers in the hearth. Moonlight bowed low, then stood awkwardly as everypony simply stared in wonderment. As she began to turn to walk down the step, the crowd erupted in wave after wave of cheers, hoofstomps, and assorted shouts of approval.

“Well, time to grab some more drinks.” Willow said as she stood, followed by Honeybell, Orange Blossom and Snow Star.

Wind Song, who was still standing, sat down hard on a bench beside the table. Wind Song gazed at Moonlight, transfixed by her performance...and by her beauty. As she passed him, she gave him a shy little smile but continued on without a word. He watched her go as her flanks swayed gently like a tree in the wind…

“WINDY!”

Wind Song, distracted as he was, hadn’t noticed Snow Star creeping up behind him. Snow Star’s head had been almost level with Wind Song’s ear when he had made his presence known and, as a result, Wind Song now lay on his back, having rolled backward off the bench he had been seated on. Snow Star was in hysterics.

“Damnit Snow! Why in Tartarus did you have to go and do something like that?” asked Wind Song angrily, feeling suddenly far too sober as he tried to pick himself up off the cool floor.

Snow Star took a few moments to compose himself. “Luna’s pants, Windy! You should have seen your face!” he laughed. “That was the most priceless thing I’ve seen in a long long time, buddy.”

“Not as priceless as the face you’ll make when I find something long and hard to hit you with. And wait...Luna’s...what?” Wind Song scowled.

“Speaking of long and hard, why is it you haven’t asked that mare out yet? Sober or drunk, you look at her like a hungry manticore staring at a rabbit.”

Wind Song’s anger deflated. Snow Star was right. Why hadn’t he asked her out yet?

“I don’t know, Snow. Every time I try to bring myself to ask her, I always look at her. She’s way too wonderful for somepony like me. I mean, she’s smart, she’s beautiful...she has a heart of gold. She’s way out of my league.” As Wind Song said these words, a pit seemed to form in his stomach.

Snow Star shook his head slowly, smiling a bit. “You know something, buddy? You sound exactly like somepony I know who had a very similar problem.”

Wind Song’s ears perked up. “Do I? What did he do?”

“Well…” Snow Star continued. “That pony was me. And what he did was stop overthinking things.”

“Wait, what? You mean you and Willow?” Wind Song asked.

“Yup!” Snow Star said proudly. “You remember when the six of us had first started hanging out in Ponyville say...five years ago or so?”

Wind Song looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded.

“Well, the way you feel now is exactly how I felt then. Yeah, I was a good bit younger and way more prone to overthinking every little thing, especially when it came to a mare like Willow, but I plucked up the courage and, against all of my expectations, she said ‘yes’.”

“So, you think I should just...wing it? Just ask her out of the blue? But what if it’s the wrong time? What if I say the wrong thing?” Wind Song asked disconsolately.

Snow Star looked Wind Song dead in the eyes and said, “You won’t. It’s in your blood. You and her are meant to be together. Have you seen how she looks at you?”

Wind Song thought for a moment. No...he had never really noticed. He was always too nervous around her.

Snow Star seemed to know what Wind Song was thinking and followed up, “Well, buddy, let me tell you something. Ask her when you’re sober, and ask her as soon as possible. There’s no time like the present, my friend. Don’t tell my wife I said this, but that’s a damn fine mare over there.”

Giving a shifty smile and wiggling his eyebrows at Wind Song, Snow Star stood and began walking away, Wind Song shifted his gaze back to Moonlight, who was now leaning on the bar talking animatedly to Revel as he poured her the first of what was undoubtedly many free drinks the rambunctious crowd had bought her after her brilliant performance. “Yeah.” he thought. “A damn fine mare.”

At that moment, Wind Song decided he would ask Moonlight out. Tomorrow night. That’s when he would do it. At sunset perhaps? Maybe just when the moon was coming out. That was her favorite time of day. Yes, that was it.

Wind Song stood, emboldened by his own determination, and walked over to join his friends. The rest of the night wore on in a drunken haze as drink after drink, the revelry and carousing melded together with his own inner thoughts. He remembered himself telling, only Celestia knew how many times, the story of the Wonderbolt’s tryouts. He remembered dancing with Moonlight, her face the only thing he could see clearly as the background whirled behind her in a blur.

As the moon rose ever higher into the starry night sky, unseen by the merrymakers within the walls of the Draught Horse, the six friends became lost in a jovial haze. A few hours later, sitting around a small wooden table on the front porch of the pub, they spoke in slurred sentences of hopes, dreams, and darkest secrets none of them would remember. At long last the moon, drifting slowly closer and closer to the dim horizon, shone over six ponies, all fast asleep.

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 2

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 2

By Wind Song

REVISED 21SEP20