Spike turned left and right in front of one of Diamond's large mirrors. "You two seemed to get along."

"Huh? Good enough. An interesting change of pace." An impish smile formed as she crept up behind him and grabbed him into a hug. "But he isn't you, my jealous little dragon."

"Jealous?! I didn't say anything about that!" He looked anywhere but at her. "He, uh, just seemed to 'get' you in ways I didn't."

"It was nice to talk to another rich foal." She kissed a cheek from behind. "But he's still weird in that uniquely Vigorous way. And he isn't you." She rubbed against him gently. "I like you, Spike."

He blushed at the contact, shying away from the mirror, his form blocked out by hers. "Well, I guess that's good." He turned around in her grip. "Would you rather I knew how to act all rich and stuff?"

She shrugged. "Not really. It'd be nice to have a colt who can understand it, but I don't need you to be anything you're not." She nuzzled him gently. "Besides, dumb dumb, you have a future of being rich ahead of you."

"What?" He blinked at her owlishly. "I do?"

She slid down to her own hooves. "If you don't know, I won't be telling you."

He stared flatly at her a moment before bursting out laughing. "That's so silly."

She grinned. "Maybe, but I mean what I say." She tugged him to the door. "Now you should get home before your sister has a panic attack." Her smile turned impish. "Unless you'd like to spend the night again. Mommy and Daddy won't mind."

Spike felt his cheeks heat up, but shook his head. "No, thank you, though. I should get back home." He nuzzled her cheek. "I have other plans tomorrow, but the day after, we can hang out?"

"That sounds perfect, Spike. Now get walking!" She pointed out the front door. "Before I drag you to bed."

***

Moon sat at the kitchen table, looking over a few papers, when Spike wandered back into the house. She glanced up at him. "How was your evening?" She smiled faintly. "You look like you had fun."

He laughed. "Yeah, Diamond is always fun, and Vigorous dropped by."

She perked up, both ears pointing forward. "What? Vigorous. Vigorous." She tapped at her chin. "You said it like a name, but it is not one I recognize. Who is that?"

"Oh! Uh." Spike chuckled nervously, scratching his head. "Vigorous Lévy, the rich foal we met in Canterlot last time we were there."

"Oh." She tilted her head to the side. "It's nice you're making more friends. I thought the purpose of the evening was a deepening of bonds with Diamond Tiara?" Her brows furrowed. "Why are you hanging out with another filly?"

Spike chuckled and shook his head. "Not that kind of friend, I promise. It was a party, and Vigorous is a partier. Also he's a colt, not a filly. We just ran into him. Uh, she had fun, Diamond that is. We all did." He rubbed behind his head a moment. "Say, maybe you know, but Diamond said I'd be rich later, but how's that?"

Moon furrowed her considerable brows with thought. "You mean your future prospects? What she means is that, you will likely be the personal assistant to a very powerful pony." She turned a hoof on herself. "I am Princess Celestia's personal student, not to blow my own horn. If I find financial success, you would be included. I can't envision a future where I wouldn't."

Spike blushed and sat back. "Oh. Well, that's kinda nice of you." He rubbed behind his head. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, Spike. You are my little brother after all." She shook her head gently. "I'm glad you had fun, though." She got up from the table and walked over to him. "And I hope you'll have more."

The two met, nose to nose and arms wrapping around a moment of soft warmth. "Are you tired? We could go upstairs together, if you like?"

He smiled. "Yes please." He turned to head up the stairs. "Where's Twilight, speaking of that?"

"Hm? Oh, already ahead of us. She retired about half an hour ago." She followed him up. "I stayed awake for you."

***

"Psst!" Moon looked towards the hissing sound to spot a horn poking out a bush. "This way!" Moon pointed at herself, then walked over to the strangely talkative shrubbery.

Trixie grabbed her and pulled her out of sight into the bush. "Trixie is glad to see you. She has a magical question for a magical unicorn, which you are." She paused for dramatic effect. "You are Moondancer, the friend of Trixie, and fellow in magical learning."

Moondancer smiled at her. "Hello Trixie. What's this about? If I can assist, I will attempt."

Trixie curls on herself and drew out an amulet. "Trixie found this and could not resist it. It is called the Alicorn Amulet. It cost Trixie considerable amounts of bits, and is said to grant even Greater and more Powerful magic than Trixie has reached on her own. But she is uncertain if it is safe."

Moon looked over the amulet critically. "This appears to be a very dangerous item. I can see that just by looking at it. I would not trust its usage." She lifted a hoof to brush along the pendant. "It has a pleasing aesthetic, but also a sinister one." She took a step back. "I don't know if this is something that should be messed with."

"Moondancer!" She tossed her mane and put the amulet away. "Are you afraid? Trixie thought you were a magical pony."

Moon pointed at Trixie. "You called me because you had concerns of your own. Acting rationally is a strength of magical ponies."

"Hm." Trixie shook her head. "Perhaps. In any event, Trixie has this." She angled her head at the amulet. "And she spent so many bits on it. What is she to do with it? Simply throwing it away feels like a waste. Trixie had been thinking of Greater and more Powerful tricks she could perform with it!" She struck a pose and pulled off a magic hat trick. "She might even be able to make a return to Canterlot."

Moondancer looked up at her, curious and thoughtful. "Canterlot? That sounds interesting. Why do you wish to return there?" She tapped at her chin with a hoof. "The city is quite large. Is it simply your love for performance that draws you to that particular stage?"

Trixie stomped a hoof. "Yes, but also no. Trixie was to attend a school there, as a foal. It didn't quite work out." She looked over her shoulder, but there was little there but the bush they were hidden in. "Trixie would like to rub her skills in those stupid teachers' faces." She looked up towards Canterlot, eyes glittering. "Trixie was good, they just wanted to hold her back because she had better skills than their own!" She tossed her mane and flicked her tail.

Moon sank to her haunches. "Was it a school of stage magicians?"

Trixie waved that away. "It was a school of unicorn magic. Celestia's school for gifted unicorns. Is Trixie not one of those? She is one of the most gifted unicorns she is aware of! And her skills at stage magic only enhance that talent." She puffed out her chest proudly.

"Stage magic is a skill." Moon smiled faintly. "That school." Moon had gone there, but bringing that up felt like maybe a bad idea in that moment. Just not saying it wasn't a lie, she was fairly certain. It wasn't as if Trixie had directly asked. "It can be quite difficult to earn entry into that school."

Trixie blushed. "Yes, and Trixie should have made it in! They were so unfair, telling her she had no place there. Her skills were better than many of their students!" She levitated up the alicorn amulet. "But, perhaps, with this, Trixie could show them in a dramatic way how wrong they had been."

Moon glanced up at the amulet. "Do you feel you need it though? You seem very talented without it." She rubbed at the back of her head. "I'm not sure it would be safe to use such an artifact, Trixie. And, besides, you'd be showing it off instead of showing yourself off. Don't you like showing Trixie off more?"

Trixie inclined her head. "This is why Trixie came to you. You speak such sense! Trixie does like showing off Trixie. It is one of her favorite things to do." She smiled down at herself. "Trixie makes an excellent subject. But still." She tapped the amulet. "If it could be made safe..."

Moondancer considered a moment longer. "Instead of going so far away, and risking yourself. Why don't you trust somepony else to chance it? If it goes wrong, then Trixie is safe."

Trixie's eyes widened at those words. "Moondancer, you are full of wisdom. But where would Trixie find a pony willing to do that? She knows of few ponies even close to Great or Powerful enough to make a good showing to see if it works and how well it works."

Moon pointed at herself. "What about me? You said I was also a magical unicorn.

Trixie gasped. "You would do this for Trixie?! She could not ask such a thing of a friend!"

"Friend..." Moondancer blushed. "Well, I suppose I could try it out. She took the amulet from Trixie's magic grip into her own. "I have friends. They'll be here if things go awry. And if they do not, then you can proceed without fear." She looked into the glinting eyes of Trixie. "You can trust me."

"Moondancer." Trixie drew closer. "She thanks you for your bravery. You are a credit to unicorn magic. You may not be as Great and Powerful as Trixie, but today you show a glimmer." She hugged her fellow unicorn with a pleased noise. "Go forth! Trixie is beyond excited to see the power of this amulet and its proper usage."

Moon nodded once, face serious. "I shall go." With the amulet secured, she trotted back towards the library.

At least, that was the idea. Trixie grabbed her from behind. "Where are you going?" She angled her horn at the floating amulet. "Put it on. You won't be able to test it just holding it like that. Trixie already tried that. Holding it does nothing." She let Moon go and stepped back.

Moon looked from Trixie to the amulet, and then down at herself. "Well. All right." She put the amulet on and felt the surge of power through her body as if an electric jolt. More than that, she felt as if she had power, vast power that she struggled to put a hoof on. She could solve all of her problems with that power.

"Moondancer!" Trixie's voice cut through her haze of thought. "You are glowing."

Moon blinked several times. "Glowing? Me?" She looked down at herself, but the full-body glow had already faded to just her eyes, which she couldn't see herself. "You appear to be mistaken. Have no fear, Trixie. I can handle this." She could handle anything, or so she felt sure of.

Author's Note

Moon and Trixie developed a different relationship last time, so this one kinda can't go the way it did before. The fluttering of that butterfly ripples onwards.

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