What if I Existed???

Chapters

Prologue: Arrival
Chapter One - D i s c o v e r y .
Chapter Two - C o m f o r t .
Chapter Two and a Half, Interlude
Chapter Three, Part 1/3 - H e a d a c h e .
Bonus Mini-Chapter One: L a z y .

Prologue: Arrival

Twilight Sparkle
Rarity
Applejack
Pinkie Pie
Rainbow Dash
Fluttershy
Discord
Moone Stromhest (Me/My internet alias)

It is recommended that you read this chapter in 'Night Mode'.

Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow, and Twilight were gathered on a picnic blanket on a grassy hill, the sun shining down on them and bathing them an a gentle warmth. Baskets littered the blanket, some filled with food, and others with utensils. Fluttershy and Discord were yet to arrive, and Rarity was setting out plates as the group waited.

"Such a lovely day, isn't it?" Rarity let out a content sigh.

Rainbow responded from her perch on a nearby cloud, stretching out luxuriously. "Yeah, perfect for a nice, long nap."

"Come now, darling, it would be horribly rude if Fluttershy arrived and you were alseep!" Rarity scoffed playfully and started bringing silverware out from a nearby picnic basket.

Whatever Rainbow was going to say in response was cut off by a musical voice. "Actually, Rarity, I wouldn't mind waking up Rainbow Dash if she were to fall asleep," said Fluttershy.

"Fluttershy! You're here!" exclaimed Twilight.

Twilight trotted up to Fluttershy and gave her a quick hug. Her wings fluffed in excitement as she summoned a book to her side from her saddle bag. "I've been meaning to show you this absolutely fascinating thing I discovered-!" Twilight cut herself off abruptly and blushed in mild embarrassment. Her friends smiled at the flustered princess fondly. "S-sorry, my findings can wait until after we all get comfortable. Did you remember to bring the lemonade?"

"Yes, I remembered. I asked Discord to carry it for me," said Fluttershy, gesturing to the creature beside her. Standing next to her was an extremely strange creature. It had one goat leg, one dragon leg, a long body, the tail of a snake, a lion paw, an eagle claw, one bat wing, one pegasus wing, and the head of a horse. Adorning its head was an antler, a goat horn, and a goatee. A tuft of fur grew out of the tip of its tail. His name was Discord, and he was the Lord of Chaos. Well, former Lord of Chaos.

"I have it right here!" the draconequus gestured with his paw, only to find it empty, and said, "Well, I did. Where did I put it...?"

Discord started patting himself down, muttering things like "Is it here?" or "Hmm, maybe it's somewhere else," as he went. Suddenly, he straightened and snapped his talons. "Ah, I remember where I put it!" He strode over to Pinkie, reached his arm into her mane, and pulled out the jug of lemonade, proclaiming, "Ah ha! Here it is!"

Discord turned the jug around in his claws for a moment. "I wonder when I put it there...?"

The mares gathered either giggled or smiled at his antics.

He placed the jug on the blanket and sat down, looking at everypony expectantly. "Well? What are you waiting for, an invitation? If you are, I have one right here!" He pulled an envelope out of nowhere, and with a flash and clearing of his throat, he adjusted his newly-appeared monocle and started to read in a fake-noble accent.

"Elements of Harmony, you have been formally invited to sit down and start your picnic." With another flash, the top hat and monocle he was wearing were gone, taking the invitation with them. "Now that you have been invited, let's eat!"

"Okay, Discord," said Twilight with a smile.

"I don't know about any of you, but that was positively delightful."

They had all finished their meals, and were now settling down to chat. Rainbow had taken her place on the cloud once again, as she had come down to eat. Applejack and Fluttershy were laying under a nearby tree, and Discord had decided to perch in the branches above them. Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie were still on the blanket, putting away the dishes and leftover food. Once they were done, they closed they baskets and lay down as well, following Applejack's and Fluttershy's example.

Fluttershy perked up a little bit and looked over to Twilight. "Twilight, wasn't there something you wanted to tell me when I arrived? Something about a discovery?" she asked curiously.

Twilight straightened as well, and summoned the same book from earlier to her side again. As she began to speak, the rest of their friends turned their attention to Twilight, ever curious to hear about what she had found.

"Recently, Princess Celestia lent me this book about mythical creatures. It talks about beings I have never heard of, some extremely powerful, and others down right unbeleivable!" said Twilight.

Even Discord had his attention on her at this point, and listened intently as the alicorn continued. "What interested me most, however, was the mention of a void. It contains creatures that no living being has ever seen, and even Princess Celestia didn't know what was there when I asked her if it was real."

"So, do yah want to try and find this here 'void'?" questioned Applejack.

Twilight shook her head. "No, Applejack. It's too dangerous. Even if we were able to find this place, who knows what types of creatures are in there? It's simply too risky, and even if you girls did come with me, I'm not sure the Elements would work if we got into trouble," sighed Twilight.

"I'm sure you won't miss out on anything, Twilight. Besides, it probably need to be like twenty percent cooler before I go in there," said Rainbow.

"Yeah! Dashie's right, I'm sure it's no big deal! We go an crazy adventures all the time, you just need to wait for the next one!" Pinkie exclaimed. She placed a hoof on Twilight's back and started rubbing in a soothing motion in an attempt to comfort Twilight.

Twilight smiled at them and let out a sigh. "Thanks, girls. I just wish I could know more."

Watching from the tree branches was Discord. His eyes searched her frame, noticing how her posture was still slouched over even through the happy smile on her face. In a rare public show of compassion, he frowned. His eyebrows furrowed, and he soon replaced his frown with his signature smile. He teleported down to Twilight's side and gave her a playful few pats on the head. She swatted his paw away in an attempt to leave her sadness behind her. He stared at her a moment, and then went back to the branches of the tree. Discord was sure now; he would make her wish come true. He watched Twilight and her friends for the rest of the evening, occasionally coming down from his perch to join in a game or two. All Discord needed to do was wait for nightfall, where he could work under the cover of darkness, undisturbed.

After nightfall...

Discord stood in the doorway to Fluttershy's bedroom, listening to her steady breathing as she slept. He backed out of the room and silently closed the door behind him. 'It's time...,' Discord thought to himself.

He walked down to living room before teleporting out of the cottage, not wanting to risk waking up Fluttershy. He reappeared in his Chaos dimension, looking around before sitting down on a nearby wall-couch. He closed his eyes for only a moment before disappearing again.

Discord reappeared in a black space. He could tell that there was space stretching out in a vast expanse around him, but he didn't know where it ended. It was both cold and comfortably warm at the same time, and it made a shiver run down Discord's spine. It was silent at the moment, but the draconequus could hear voices in the distance. He decided to walk towards them. It grew loud very quickly, but it was never so loud that he couldn't stand it. Eventually, he heard something; something strange.

Discord heard a whimper.

He hesitated for a moment, then ran off in the direction he heard it from. He followed the soft yet impossibly loud sounds of whimpering and crying through the void, until he reached the source. He slowed to a stop and stared down at the creature in front of him.

The creature's cries and sniffles echoed in the once more silent space. It had its knees drawn up to its chest, and it didn't notice Discord's presence. It was whispering something through its cries, and Discord held his breath in order to hear what the creature was saying.

"Please... *sniff* I need- please-!! *sniff* He-elp... Some one, please, c-come find me... Can anyone *sniffle* hear me...? Please, save me.....," it took a shuddering breath, "I'm lost.... Hello? I-I don't want to be alone...!! *whimper* Just, please..." It curled up tighter, shadowy wings wrapping around it like a blanket.

Discord watched as it cried itself to sleep. He smiled at it. 'This one. This is the one I'll take to Twilight.'

He readied his claw for a snap. Discord looked at the creature again. 'I hope you find some peace where I'm taking you....'

When they arrived in the foyer of Twilight's castle, Discord noticed that the creature had been forced into a pegasus' body. He muttered to himself, "No, that won't do."

The creature, now leaning against a wall with its hind legs awkwardly sprawled before it, shifted in discomfort.

"Yeah, that definitely won't do." Discord snapped his fingers, and the creature was returned to its original form and position. The creature hugged its knees a little tighter and let out a barely audible breath of relief.

Discord noticed the tear tracks on its face. He summoned a handkerchief, and with a flick of his wrist, sent it to dab at the creature's face.

The draconequus sighed. He murmured,"I think I've been spending too much time around Fluttershy..."

Discord idly wondered if there was anything else he should do, but he came up with nothing. He smiled at the creature one more time, and left. He appeared on the couch in Fluttershy's living room and relaxed there, closing his eyes to sleep.

'Good luck, little creature,' thought Discord before falling asleep.

Author's Note

Hello! I spent like two days writing this, so I hope you enjoy! This fic is the spawn of a random idea that evolved into something truly amazing (to me at least), so I can only hope people like this. Ah, being cooped up in your house really spikes your creativity....

Chapter One - D i s c o v e r y .

Twilight Sparkle
Fluttershy
Rarity
Applejack
Discord
Moone Stromhest (Me/My internet alias)

It is recommended that you read this chapter in 'Night Mode'.

Chapter One: Discovery of a Creature

Twilight's morning was much like any other day. Wake up, freshen herself up in the bathroom, brush her hair, put on her crown if she needed to make a public announcement, and walk to the map room to see if Spike had set up breakfast and coffee yet.

But something was different today. Something she couldn't put her hoof on, no matter how hard she tried.

Twilight shrugged it off and trotted out of her room and to the map room at a sedate pace. When she got there, she found out what was wrong.

A creature was asleep in the map room, and it leant against the wall close to the door. Twilight approached it carefully, and as quietly as she could. She stopped about two yards away from it. She noticed that it was wearing clothes, so that accounted for its strange coloration.

It wore a shirt with sleeves that went partway down its arms, which were resting on its pulled-up knees. What Twilight could see of its arms was littered with scars, both old and new, the most recent ones looking to be about one month old. It's shirt was purple, and its pants were grey. Black, knee high boots covered its feet and lower legs, and Twilight knew they were the kind of boots that would give the wearer an extra inch or two of height.

Twilight took a closer look at its face. There was a scar going over one side of its jaw and it had light circles under its eyes, otherwise it looked fairly young. Its hair was a moderate length, flowing in gentle waves down to just past its shoulders. Twilight could tell it was thick and healthy, and she passively wondered if it was soft.

The alicorn thought that it could be a girl due to the length of her hair and the slightly visible dip in its waist. She didn't know for sure, as its torso was obscured by the semi-solid wings wrapping around it.

Suddenly, it shifted and breathed out. Twilight recoiled in surprise, and after a moment, decided to step closer. Just as she got close enough to see the creatures face in greater detail, its eyes opened. Dark brown, almost black eyes looked up at the mare, seeing yet not seeing her at the same time. Analyzing her. Their eyes looked up at her horn and turned into a hazelnut brown due to the light from the chandelier.

Twilight was about to introduce herself when the creature's eyes widened. Its body tensed up, it gasped, and tried to stand. It settled in a crouch with to a blue jacket that Twilight hadn't noticed before draped over its lap. Its wings fluffed up and spread out, seemingly massive now that they had been opened. It opened its mouth to speak.

It's voice was hoarse and not very loud, but clearly feminine. "Who are you." she demanded.

She looked around, tensing even more. Twilight could tell that she was looking for exits, preparing to flee. "Where am I? Why have you brought me here?!" the creature yelled.

Twilight took a step back at the sudden volume, and attempted to placate the creature in front of her. "My name is Twilight Sparkle, I'm a wielder of the Elements of Harmony and the Princess of Friendship. You're in my castle, and I found you here this morning. I'm not the one who took you here, and I don't know how you got here."

The creature calmed down slightly. After a moment, she asked hesitantly, "... Can I trust you?"

Twilight's eyes widened slightly at that. She wondered, 'What experiences has she been through to spur a question like that?'

Twilight perked up when she heard the creature speak again. It had tensed up once more. "Well? Can I trust you?"

The alicorn nodded and said, "Of course! I'm a protector of Equestria, why wouldn't you be able to trust me?"

The creature seemed to debate internally on whether or not to answer the question. She murmured, "I'd rather not tell." Her wings smoothed out before coming to rest loosely on her back, folding neatly in a practiced motion.

"Oh." Twilight scuffed her hoof on the floor, before asking, "Do you have a name? What pronouns should I use for you?"

The girl jumped in surprise, not expecting the question. Her wings momentarily fluffed before folding themselves again. "... My name is Moone. Moone Stromhest. I'm a girl, so you can call me she/her pronouns."

She fidgeted with the jacket on her lap. Twilight looked at it, and said, "That's a nice jacket. You seem to like it a lot. Have you had it for a long time?"

Moone looked down at the jacket, a fond smile playing at her lips and a soft look entering her eyes. "Yeah, I've had it all my life. Can't remember a moment without it." Her look had gained an old sorrow to it, most likely from unvoiced thoughts. Twilight couldn't help but feel a little sympathy.

"Well, let's get you a room. I'll call the girls over and introduce you to them once you and I have eaten," said Twilight.

"Moone, would you mind following me to the guest room?" Moone nodded and stood, scooping her jacket into her arms as she went. She stumbled, but regained her footing with a bit of help from Twilight. Together they left the room, Twilight supporting Moone whenever she slipped.

A few hours later...

Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Discord, and Twilight were gathered around a table in Twilight's library.

Applejack was the one to speak first. "Um, Twi, you needed all of us, right?" Twilight nodded. "If you needed all of us, then where are Pinkie and Rainbow?"

Fluttershy was the one to answer. "Well, Rainbow is at the Wonderbolts Headquarters."

"And Pinkie can be a little overwhelming, so I thought it would be best to leave her out until my guest has grown comfortable here," chimed Twilight.

Everyone perked up at that, including Discord. 'Is the creature I brought still here...?' thought the draconequus.

Rarity especially stood to attention. "Wait, a guest? Ooh, What is their coat color? Where are they from? Can I make a dress for them?!"

Behind a nearby bookcase, Moone shrunk in on herself, nervous about who might be on the other side. She was tired enough, surely it wouldn't hurt for her to take a nap. She put the warm mug in her hands down gently, so as not to make noise, and settled against the bookcase to wait for her cue.

Meanwhile, Twilight was breaking Rarity out of her fashion spree before it could got too severe. Once the pearl-colored mare had calmed down, she sighed, "I am sorry, darling, that was so terribly rude of me. I am curious, though. What does your guest look like?"

The princess smiled nervously. "Well, she's not exactly a pony, or any other creature we've met. She's more like those humans I told you about when I went to the mirror world. You know, when my crown got stolen?"

Everyone in attendance nodded in understanding, even Discord, although he wasn't there for that event.

Applejack looked at Twilight expectantly. "Where is she? Your guest, ah mean."

Twilight stood and trotted over to stand beside a bookcase. "Everypony, I want you to meet Moone Stromhest." Behind the bookcase, Moone rose, taking the mug of honey water* with her. She tentatively walked out into the room, the others staring at her. She took a sip of her drink, and murmured,"Hello. M-my name is Moone. What are your names?" Her voice was still hoarse, but not as much as it was when she first woke. She wore the same clothing as she did in the morning, except now she was wearing the jacket. Embroidered flowers and ladybugs were visible on the breast. Her hair had been braided by Twilight, and it was tied neatly with a blue ribbon. She stood loosely, clearly relaxed by the hot drink and the jacket around her shoulders. Her wings were fluffed, a sign of her nerves, yet they remained folded at her back.

"Hello, Moone. My name is Fluttershy. I like your name, it's very pretty," said the usually shy pegasus.

Moone smiled gently at the mare, and replied, "Thank you, I like your name as well." She looked around the room, and her eyes landed on Discord. Her wings spread ever so slightly, another signal that she was uneasy. She whispered, "I remember you. I remember you."

Discord perked up, and tilted his head as if to say "You do?"

"Yes, I remember you. From the dark place, I could feel your presence before I fell asleep!" Her eyes suddenly turned cold, as did her voice and her demeanor. "You brought me here, didn't you." The way she said it wasn't a question; it was an accusation.

The girls were startled by the sudden change in mood. Just as Discord was starting to feel as if he was in danger, Moone took another sip from her drink and sighed. She relaxed, wings stretching out, falling limp and touching the floor before folding themselves again.

"Thank you. For taking me away from there. A little warning would have been nice, though. I still feel bad for snapping at Miss Sparkle this morning..." she said. The tone she used was somber, and it shifted into one that would be used when discussing the weather as she mentioned the morning's events.

Twlilight turned to look at her curiously. "What do you mean, 'Miss Sparkle'? I'm not an old mare, you know!"

Moone nodded. "I know, but it is only proper that I address you as such. You have already expressed that you don't wish for me to call you 'Your Highness', but as you are my host, I must give you your due respect. Would you rather I call you 'Miss Twilight'?"

Twilight stared at her numbly before sitting down in one of the chairs, shaking her head. "I-I give up. I just, no. No. I am not that old, so why does she refer to me that way? I don't understand. This is ridiculous, I can't. Spike, would you mind getting me some tea? I need to calm myself..."

Spike gave the sullen princess her tea, and Rarity drew up the courage to ask a question. "Darling, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

"I'm fifteen, ma'am. Why do you ask?" she cocked her head and raised her eyebrow, looking so innocent for a moment that Rarity had to take a moment to fan herself. A quiet "squee!" was heard from Fluttershy's general vicinity. "Really? Only fifteen? Dear, you look so much younger! I thought you were eleven or twelve! And please, call me Rarity. No need to add 'miss,' although I do appreciate the sentiment."

Moone smiled, and nodded. The evening was spent asking and answering questions, getting to know each other, and just a tiny bit of scolding and explanation when Discord mentioned how he brought Moone to Twilight's castle.

Later, when everyone except those invited to stay the night (Discord and Fluttershy) had left and Moone was in the solitude of her room, did she cry. She broke down and sobbed, crying for all the pain she remembered, and all the joy she experienced in one day. She wept to celebrate the turn around of her situation, and to mourn the passing of it she knew was to come. She had learnt that things like this never stayed for long, and she was going to enjoy this bit of good fortune while it lasted. She didn't know that this change would be here for good.

Moone opened her mouth, and started to sing. Meanwhile, Discord was walking through the halls. He heard the music and came to listen. He gently opened the door, and saw the girl he brought sitting on her bed, singing to herself. Like the night before, he slowed his breathing to listen.

(Moone actually sings to the slower tempo of the music box version here, but I thought I'd link to my favorite cover of the song.)

Moone's voice floated through the air, lilting notes and sorrowful tone breathing life into the lyrics.

"I'm slipping through the cracks of a dark eternity,
With nothing but my pain and the paralyzing agony
To tell me who I am, who I was, uncertainty
Enveloping my mind 'til I can't break free."

"And maybe it's a dream, maybe nothing else is real,
But it wouldn't mean a thing, if I told you how I feel.
So I'm tired of all the pain, of the misery inside,
And I wish that I could live feeling nothing but the night."

Discord listened to the story being told, of the grief hidden and held behind those words. He felt like crying, because it was a sadness he had known while encased in stone. Unconsciously, he started to hum along with her. The notes were barely heard as they were whispered to the air, a secret told to the moon.

"You can tell me what to say, you can tell me where to go,
But I doubt that I would care and my heart would never know.
If I make another move, there'll be no more turning back.
Because everything will change and it all will fade to black..."

"Will tomorrow ever come? Will I make it though the night?
Will there ever be a place for the broken in the light?
Am I hurting; am I sad? Should I stay or should I go?
I've forgotten how to tell, did I ever even know?"

"Can I take another step? I've done everything I can,
All the people that I see, they will never understand.
If I find a way to change, if I step into the light
Then it'll never be the same and it all will fade to white..."

She trailed off, smiling. Her sorrow had been lifted, and she wiped her eyes. Discord smiled with her, a soft moment he hadn't known he needed forming. He closed the door with a quiet 'click!' and padded off to his own room, knowing that he had made the right choice.

Author's Note

*Honey water - A drink made of hot water and a spoonful of honey, ginger is optional. I would drink this whenever I got sick, as it would soothe my throat without me having to drink too much medicine (Day-Quil). It serves as a balm for a raw throat or a comforting beverage on a cold day.

Sorry it's dialogue heavy! I started writing like the scene played out in my head, so there was a lot of talking. Hehe. :twilightblush:

A big thank you to SethFilms for helping me decide on whether or not to use the singing scene, and even encouraging it! Thank you, friend! :rainbowkiss:

Anyways, Moone is now free for a little QnA! She'll respond as soon as I see the notification.

Hello! I'm willing to answer anything you decide to ask, as long as it's not personal...

Yeah, what she said! :pinkiesmile:

Chapter Two - C o m f o r t .

Twilight Sparkle
Discord
Fluttershy
Spike
Moone Stromhest (Me/My internet alias)
Onpolyx (OC child one)
Ophelia (OC child two)
Anyxt (OC child three)
Salene (OC child four)

It is recommended for you to read this chapter in 'Night Mode'.

Chapter One: An Attempt at Comfort

Moone walked in to the map room where everyone was taking their breakfast. Fluttershy, Discord, Twilight, and Spike were already seated and chatting quietly. Twilight turned in Moone's direction to greet her, but stopped once she saw the state Moone was in.

The girl had bags under her eyes, heavier than the ones she originally had. She slouched and swayed as she walked, as if she weren't fully awake yet. Her hair was a mess, and her wings were now solid and dragging limply behind her on the floor, feathers sticking out at odd angles.

Twilight gasped in shock, drawing everyone's attention. "Moone, what happened to you? Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm feeling alright. I had a rough night, that's all. A cup of coffee, some food and a good preening will have me good as new," said Moone. She waved her hand in Twilight's general direction, and put it on her hip soon afterwards. She stretched and yawned before rubbing her eyes, looking at Twilight. Her wings fluffed up and shook themselves out before coming to rest, folding neatly on her back. "So, what's for breakfast today?" she asked casually.

Twilight gave the girl another glance before levitating a plate of pancakes, orange juice and utensils to a place on the table. "We're having pancakes today. And you told me how young you are, a fifteen-year old should not have caffeine, no matter how much they think they need it," said Twilight.

The alicorn affixed Moone with a playful, but still stern glare. "Now, please sit down and eat your breakfast."

Moone looked around, but all of the thrones were too short for her to sit on. She considered sitting on the floor before Discord noticed her problem.

"Oh, it seems you're a bit too tall for these chairs. Here, let me get you one." Discord snapped his claws, making a chair tall enough for Moone to sit on appear. It landed on the floor in front of her, but it floated to the ceiling before she could touch it.

Fluttershy sighed and looked to Discord. "Discord, what did I say about summoning things for other ponies?" Fluttershy asked politely.

The draconequus looked down sullenly and grumbled, "To make sure that they didn't do anything chaotic."

"Very good. Please fix the chair, Discord." He did.

Moone knelt down and picked up the black feathers that had fallen, sticking them in her pocket to throw away later. She sat, settling down to enjoy her breakfast. A moment later, Twilight levitated over a cup of coffee, sweetened with honey and diluted with milk. The alicorn mumbled something about "maybe needing a pick-me-up" and "that this was the only time she could have coffee," but gave it to the teen anyways. Moone accepted it with a nod of her head, taking a sip.

Conversation started around the table, and everyone chimed in at one point or another. Strangely, Moone was mostly silent, looking at pieces of paper she had pulled from who-knows-where. Curiosity gnawing at him, Discord asked, "What is it you're looking at? Ooh, does it make a funny face or something?"

Moone looked up at the draconequus and chuckled. "No, they're drawings of my imaginary characters. I consider them my children, as they're the most developed ones I've thought of so far."

Discord perked up at this, starting to buzz with excitement. "What do they look like? Can they do anything chaotic?" Moone shook her head in a 'no' gesture, and handed him the drawings. "Be careful, I don't want the pencil smudged or the paper ripped. I've had these for a long time, so they're very fragile."

The draconequus nodded and took the offered drawings with a surprising amount of care. His eyes widened, and he showed them to Fluttershy, a small gasp coming from her mouth. "Twilight, Spike, come look at these!" They rushed to her side, Twilight taking the papers in her magic.

"Wow, these are amazing! And they're not even colored! Moone, did you draw these?" asked Spike excitedly.

Moone, embarrassed, flushed and nodded. "Yeah, I did. I've redrawn them a couple times, but those ones are my favorite and the originals." Twilight looked up at this. "Wait, you're telling me that these are the original versions? How old are they?" Moone looked down in thought.

"About two, maybe three years old? I drew them when I was thirteen. With some help, but it was mostly me. I started drawing around my thirteenth birthday too, so I didn't have a lot of skill then," she said. They gaped at her in astonishment. "Wh- Thirteen? You drew this when you were thirteen, and you had barely started drawing as well?!" Moone simply nodded. Twilight staggered to her throne and cradled her head in her hooves, muttering incomprehensible things under her breath. Discord got an idea.

"Say, what if I brought your characters to life?"

Everyone in the room snapped their head to look at Discord. Twilight opened her mouth, a firm 'no' on her lips when a shaky voice cut her off. "You... You can do that?" Moone stuttered, an excited and mildly scared look on her face. It looked as if she couldn't believe what the draconequus had said. He nodded, and handed her the drawings. She stuck them back in who-knows-where.

"I'll have to look in your mind to get them right, but yes, I can do that." Discord grinned. Moone looked at the alicorn in the room and murmured as cutely as she could, "Please, Miss Twilight? Can he please bring them to life?"

Every living being in the room who wasn't Discord or Moone suddenly came down with a chronic case of 'Squee!!'. Even the draconequus had to look away and take a breath. Moone stopped using the 'cute face' and waited for them to gather their wits.

Twilight, who had almost fainted on her throne, pulled herself up and assented. "Sure, he can. But let's go to the entrance hall for this." Moone cheered, and her wings gave an excited flap. She hovered in the air a moment before landing on the ground and running out of the room. The others followed her, excited to meet the real versions of Moone's drawings.

Later, in the entrance hall...

Moone had allowed Discord to go through her mind and gather all the information he could on her characters. Now, She stood with Spike, Twilight, and Fluttershy in a loose semi-circle behind the draconequus. "Well? Are we ready?" he asked.

A chorus of confirmations came from behind him. "Alrighty, here we go!" He snapped his paw.

Four beings appeared in the air in front of him, and limply fell to the floor. They looked to be about the same age as Moone, if not older. Moone gasped in shock, her hands flying to her mouth.

"They're exactly like I imagined them..." she whispered.

One of them began to wake up, and everycreature gathered held their breath. A female, with an undercut and hair covering one eye, looked up at them and stiffened. Her hair had cream streaks in it, and her eyes were a chocolate brown. She wore light make-up and had silver ball stud earrings. She rose to a crouch, showing her purple turtleneck sweater, jeans and moccasins. After looking around and spotting the others, she crawled over to one, a male, and shook him awake. She murmured something under her breath, and the other sat up. She went and woke the others, speaking to each of them in low tones. She clutched the other female, a blonde, in a hug. The other male, a light brunette, looked to the first and nodded.

The first male rose, taking a protective stance in front of where the other three were huddled. He wore a faded grey hoodie and jeans. He had bags under his visible eye, as the other one was covered with hair; it had cream streaks in it like the first female did, and he had the same earrings. Unlike the first female, his eyes were amber. His hair was a moderate length, about the same as Moone's. He wore black combat boots, and they were worn from use. His sleeves were pushed partway up his forearms and a few hairbands were gathered on his wrists.

He spoke, his voice low and curt. "Who are you, and why are we here?" His actions reminded Twilight of Moone, and she hoped he didn't snap like Moone had. The first female called out, her voice soft and smooth. It carried a note of anxiety in it. "Please, brother, be careful." Her brother's fingers twitched to signal he had heard her.

Moone stepped forward, a disbelieving look on her face. "You... You're here. You're here and alive and breathing and here." Her voice was shaky, and it expressed an emotion none of them could define. The male tensed even further, demanding, "How do you know us?!"

The winged girl sighed. "Onyx, I created you. I thought of you, your sister, your past, and who you've met. I breathed life into your character, and I did the same for all of you. I know about the incident, and I know that you're extremely protective of your sister and that she has a bubbly personality. I know that Anyxt is like a Golden Retriever puppy and that Salene is a little innocent cinnamon roll. I know you, all of you."

She brought her hands to rest over her heart, and she smiled. "You're basically my children, how could I not?"

Onyx, or so he was called, sat on the floor, trying to absorb all of that information. His sister, extracting herself from the cuddle pile behind him, turned to Moone. "So, you're like our mom? Cool! Also, What's your name?" she asked.

Moone grinned and nodded. "Yes, Opal, I'm kind of your mother. My name is Moone Stromhest, and it's a pleasure to finally meet all of you." She looked down at Onyx, and glanced up at Opal. "I think you might wanna fix your older brother, though." Opal looked down at Onyx, and in a voice almost void of emotion, said, "Onpolyx?" He bolted up and to her side before she could continue speaking.

Behind Moone, the others were gaping at the scene. Spike was the first to recover, and excitedly skipped up to Onyx. "Why are you named after a gem?" Onpolyx flinched so badly he almost fell. Twilight called the little dragon back with a wave of her hoof, and asked, "What are your names?"

From the two-person cuddle pile, the blonde answered. "My name is Salene, and I'm fifteen." She wore a sweater as well, along with knee-length shorts, converse, and a blue beanie. Her eyes were a light blue, and she wore a sapphire pendant. Her hair was straight and almost reached to the small of her back. Beside her, the brunette chimed, "I'm Anyxt, and I'm sixteen." He wore a plain t-shirt, an open jacket on top of it. He also had jeans and converse. His eyes were a light green, and his hair was combed down in a neat yet still messy style.

Onyx looked to Opal, and asker her to introduce them in a way only siblings could. "I'm Ophelia, but my nickname is Opal. This is my older brother Onpolyx, and his nickname is Onyx. I'm fifteen, and he's sixteen." she said. Moone nodded, and as Twilight, Fluttershy, and Spike went up to the group to ask questions, she turned to Discord.

"Thank you. Thank you, so much," said Moone. "You're welcome," said Discord. He laughed at himself then, he was turning into such a softie.

The group spent the day settling into the castle. The siblings shared a room, and Anyxt and Salene got their own rooms. Discord and Fluttershy went back to the latter's cottage. Twilight called Moone before she turned in for the night, wanting to talk to her.

"It looks like whatever you and the others are wearing is all the clothes you have, and you might need some spares," said the alicorn. Moone cocked her head. "Can't we just ask Discord to fabricate some for us?" she asked.

"If you wanna risk singing or flying clothes, then yes," Moone winced, "Or you can go to the human world and do some shopping there." said Twilight.

Moone smiled, and said, "I think the girls and I need a bonding shopping trip. I'll go see if they're still awake and talk to them about it. Is it okay if they come with me?" Twilight nodded, and gave her a warning. "Sunset Shimmer, a friend of mine in the human world, says it's winter over there. There's also a bit of drama going on, but if you're careful you should be able to avoid it."

Twilight levitated over a paper and pen, dipping the pen into ink and starting to write. "Also, you might need to attend some of the classes at Canterlot High School while you're in the human world, but that shouldn't be a problem. I'll write a letter to Principal Celestia to ask if you can stay with her while you're over there."

Moone excused herself then, leaving Twilight to write in peace. She made her way to the siblings' room, opening the door and standing in the doorway. Ophelia and Onpolyx were sitting on one bed, idly staring at the ceiling or making random jokes and comments. Moone cleared her throat, attracting their attention. "Opal, girls meeting in Salene's room. Wanna come?" she asked.

Opal stood up and came to the door, moving her hand in a 'lead the way' gesture. Moone looked over her shoulder and added, "Onyx, if you get lonely waiting for your sister just go cuddle with your boyfriend. I'm sure he won't mind." Opal sniggered and Onyx sputtered indignantly, blushing profusely. The door closed on his protests, and the two teens left to Salene's room. Opal knocked on the door gently, waiting for a 'come in' before opening the door. Salene was leaning against the headboard of her bed, shoes discarded on the floor.

"We're holding a girls meeting. Mind if we do it in here?" Ophelia said. "Not at all," Salene replied.

They settled down, Moone on the floor and Opal leaning against the bed. Salene stayed on the bed, shifting to sit cross-legged. "So, we need to get some clothes. We only have what we're wearing right now, and sleeping in jeans, wearing the same thing over again and possibly having to occasionally go commando isn't gonna cut it."

Opal and Salene winced at the thought.

"Twilight said we could go to the human world to buy some clothes! And before you ask, I'm guessing the 'human world' is a parallel dimension or something similar." said the winged teen.

The two other girls shared a glance before smirking and saying in unison, "Girls night out?"

Moone took a moment to process that, then gained the same evil look they had. It was a look only women could wear when they are at their most devious. (You know the one, you've seen it.)

She smirked along with the other girls. "Girls night out." Cheers erupted in the room, and a few more minutes were spent hashing out the details. Moone stood, about to go to her room. "Well, I think it's time we head to bed. Opal, are you comin'?"

Opal blushed, muttering something under her breath. Salene looked up, smiling apologetically at Moone. "I think she wants to stay a little longer." Moone nodded.

"Enjoy your cuddle time, lovebirds!~" she teased. Opal gasped, and Moone ran away laughing from her embarrassed screaming. She checked on the sibling's room, seeing that Onpolyx wasn't there. 'He must've gone to Anyxt's room,' thought Moone. She went to her own room, settling down in her bed. Today had been a fun day, and she was tired. She fell asleep to the sounds of hushed giggling down the hall and quiet footsteps of teen sneaking back to their room.

Author's Note

Hi! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Now that my children are here, I am happy. :rainbowkiss: :heart:

If any of you want to chat with my Children while you wait for my next post, then go ahead and ask them questions in the comments! I'm sure they'll be happy to reply-

No we won't.

Are you sassing me, young man?

... No, mom...

... You called me mom-

Anyways, now that I'm back, my children's speech colors will be the same as they were in the chapter. Ex: In this chapter, Onyx is red. So that'll be his color in the comments for this chapter. However, if in the next chapter he's blue for some reason, his color will be blue in the comments for that chapter.

So! Speech colors:
Ophelia
Onyx
Anyxt
Salene

Feel free to ask away! :twilightsmile:

Chapter Two and a Half, Interlude

The next two days were spent acquiring necessary items, at Twilight’s insistence.

A pocket watch, custom commissioned from the clockmaker’s in Ponyville. A bag for each of the girls, from Rarity; simple and functional, but still pretty. Also from Rarity, three wrap-around style shawls for Salene and Ophelia, Moone’s own stored as a spare in case her jacket got dirty.

Rarity had offered to make the clothes, but her schedule wouldn’t allow it; even if it did, it would be a massive hassle. Rarity had orders to fill, after all. She ended up making some quick alterations to some minotaur jacket bases for the girls’ shawls, much to her displeasure. The garments still served their purpose, however, so Rarity allowed it. The bags went much the same way, having griffon mail bags for bases. Rarity still made them pretty for the fun of it.

The next day, they received the pocket watch. Moone, confused, asked why she had received a pocket watch. Yes, she wouldn’t mind taking it, as it was beautifully metal worked with vine patterns and small flowers. However, as she turned the gold watch and chain in her hands, she said, “Don’t they have clocks in the other world?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes, they do, but this is for a special purpose. Speaking of which...” she looked Moone in the eye. “Can you dispel your wings?” Twilight asked.

The winged girl did so, then went about collecting the shadows from the corners of the room. “I can, but it’s uncomfortable for more than two or three hours at a time. Besides, the shadows from my wings disperse into the natural shadows of the environment I’m in, so I have to collect the ones that make up my wings when the two or three hours are up.”

Noticing something on the cover of the pocket watch, she exclaimed suddenly, “Eighteen karat gold?! Twilight, that must have been expensive! A simple iron or fake gold pocket watch would’ve been fine. There’s no need to spend so much!” Twilight chuckled, explaining the reason of her choice of metal for the watch. She would place an illusion charm on it, as she had suspected Moone’s wings couldn’t dispel. The gold would help the spell ‘stick,’ or endure the actual use of the pocket watch.

“The spell I’m using is pretty strong, and should last a good five days. More than enough for your trip.” Pausing to cast the spell, she continued. “Just in case the spell wears off, however, I asked for a small chain; the same type of chain used on your watch, actually. I’ll cast the spell on it, and it can be stored in a jewelry case to keep the enchantment fresh.”

“Oh. Smart! Still, bad Twilight. Bad! No splurging money on me without warning or necessity, okay? That honestly gave me a little scare...” said Moone.

“How come?” Twilight cocked her head in confusion. “Because, eighteen karat gold for a pocket watch is ridiculous. A pocket watch, of all things.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and muttered, “Tell that to some of the especially snobby Canterlot nobility.” Moone stared at the princess then, her expression screaming, ‘Really?’ She almost whispered, “Are you kidding?” Twilight shook her head and answered, “Sweet Celestia, I wish I was.”

Moone facepalmed. “Oh gosh.”

The spell was cast on the spare chain after it was made into a ring, and it was set into a jewelry box. Moone and the other four teens spent the next two hours making fun of stereotypical snotty nobility and rich high school girls who thought they were all that and a bag of chips just for the sake of it. Twilight walked in, all went silent, and she promptly did a horrible impersonation of Hoity Toity. They all erupted into a fit of laughter, and continued for another hour. Somewhere along the way Spike was dragged in as well.

The group of teens spent the rest of the day playing truth or dare, the game being kept strictly PG. A few dares elicited whoops or excited shouting. About half of them outrageous, like kissing the floor or licking your shirt. Another few tread in delicate territory, like daring Ophelia to pin up her hair to show her scar for two turns or asking Onyx about why he was so strong when he looked so thin. He passed on that one. They allowed it.

They played until night fell, joking and asking stupid questions to pass the time. Surprisingly, it was Anyxt who broke up the game and sent them all to bed, as he usually liked to stay up and look at the stars until late at night. Moone whined, saying she’d ‘like to know her children better’, and Anyxt argued that she ‘already did, and besides, you need to go on a trip tomorrow’. Moone agreed, and went to her room. Onyx left to Anyxt’s room, Salene staying in the siblings’ room (where they currently were). Each of the couples got cuddle time, and Moone was left as a single pringle.

.
.
.
.
The end.

Author's Note

Haha! Moone is a single pringle, and so am I-

Enjoy this interlude for Thanksgiving! Happy holidays, everyone! :raritywink:

Chapter Three, Part 1/3 - H e a d a c h e .

Twilight Sparkle
Moone Stromhest
Ophelia Lozano
Salene Emily
Mr. Spruce
Principal Celestia
Sunset Shimmer
Trixie Lulamoon

Transportation-induced Headache

Ophelia, Moone, and Salene were gathered around the mirror portal with Twilight, Anyxt, and Onpolyx. The siblings were a ways away from the rest of them, Onyx speaking hastily to Opal. She shushed him and soothed him several times, but what they were saying went unheard by everyone else. Twilight was rattling off instructions to Moone and Salene, making sure they had everything they needed, and generally mothering them.

"Do you have your bags?"

"Yes, Twilight."

"Your shawls??"

"Yes, Twilight, we wouldn't forget them."

"When you get there, make sure to give the letter to Principal Celestia and make friends with Sunset, okay??"

"We will, Twilight."

Twilight devolved into muttering, going over their list of necessities over and over again under her breath. Anyxt watched on, amused at the alicorn's nerves. Moone checked her bags.

Moone's wings fluffed up. "Wait, where's that pocket watch?"

Twilight looked at the teen for a second, an expression of utter confusion on her face. Suddenly, recognition dawned in the princess' eyes and she teleported away. She came back a second later levitating the pocket watch and the chain ring in its jewelry box. "Here! I have the watch, and the chain. Be careful not to lose either of these, okay?!"

"Okay, okay! Calm down, I won't." soothed Moone. She took the watch and the box, stashing the latter in her bag. She clipped the watch to the rim of her pants, bringing the actual watch up to her face. "Now, how does this thing work...?"

Twilight pointed at the button that would open the watch. "Click that twice in quick succesion. That should activate and deactivate the enchantment," said the princess.

Moone clicked to button twice, the watch opening. At the same time, her wings seemed to disappear from existence. A collective gasp of 'woah!' filled the room, Moone herself looking in the mirror behind her. "Wow... My wings, they're- they're gone." Twilight nodded proudly, glad that the spell had worked. She explained that opening and closing the watch as it was used would not activate or deactivate the enchantment; only the double-clicking of the button would do so. The group spent another few minutes going over instructions and saying goodbyes.

When the time came to leave, the girls stood in front of the mirror. They watched as Twilight placed the magic journal on the stand, muttering praise and sounds of wonder as the portal came to life. "Goodbye! Be safe!" called Twilight. Moone, Ophelia, and Salene smiled in farewell, and jumped through the portal.

"Ugh, my head..." groaned Moone from her place on the snowy ground. Opal swiftly picked her up, knowing that she wouldn't want her jacket wet. Opal continued to hold her, waiting until Moone tapped on her shoulder to gently let the shorter teen go. Moone's eyes were a dark color again, even in the weak winter sunlight. Salene picked herself up and came to the other two girls, noticing something about their attire. "Uh, guys? The portal changed us."

The portal did not change much, only a few select details about their attire. Moone's hair was now partially braided, a length of hair hanging over one shoulder and parts of it covering her ears. She was wearing a long sleeve shirt instead of her earlier shorter sleeved one. Opal was now wearing a hat much like Salene's, and the top inch or two of the inside of her boots was lined with faux fur. Her shawl had thickened and was now lined with soft micro-fleece. Salene's shawl was the same, and her sweater had become a slightly form-fitted sweater dress that reached down to mid-thigh. She wore tights underneath the dress, her knee-length shorts overtop of them. Opal blushed and looked away, flustered by how good Salene looked in her new attire.

No students were there, and the group moved to sit on the front steps of the school. Opal recovered from her blush rather quickly, and started to dig around in their bags to see if anything else had changed. Ophelia stumbled across a small bottle with a note wrapped around it. "Hey, I found something," she said, pulling the bottle and the note out of the bag.

"So did I," said Salene, revealing a single water bottle. Ophelia took the bottle, and unfolded the note. "The note says, 'In case one of you gets a headache from traveling,'" read the teen. She shook the small bottle, which was actually a small travel bottle of Tylenol*. A rattling sound filled the area around them.

Moone raised her head, making a grabbing motion with one hand. She took the note, scanning it. "It's not signed. Eh, I'll sum it up to magic stuff that I could care less about right now." Salene took the pill bottle from Ophelia, opening it and shaking one of the acetaminophen tablets into the cap. She offered the cap and the water bottle to Moone. The brunette took the coated pill, swallowing it with some of the water. "That'll help in about thirty minutes. It's still early, we can wait for the start of school in a nearby coffee shop if it gets too cold out here."

The group was determined to be tough and ride out the cold. Settling in, they waited for the first students to arrive. ... They ended up giving in five minutes later and took shelter in Sugarcube Corner about half a block away. They thanked Mr. and Mrs. Cake profusely for letting them ride out the cold in their shop. More than two hours later, Mrs. Cake suggested that they get to school.

Arriving in the courtyard about fifteen minutes later, most of the school had gathered and was either standing somewhere waiting for their friends or going into the building. Salene thought up a quick plan, relaying it to the other girls. "Okay, we'll split up and ask for directions to the principal's office in the main entrance. Once one of us has gotten directions, we'll go into the center of the room and make a strange noise, like whistling or clapping." The other two nodded, and Moone added another thing onto it. "Maybe if we want to have fun, we can act strangely? Like act and speak properly, as if in high society, or act innocent. You know, just to give them the sense that we're a weird group and it's probably not a good idea to try and understand us. Like Pinkie."

Salene and Opal nodded, liking the idea. "I think I'm strange enough as is, but I'm pretty sure that with a bit of practice Salene can give off a creepy living doll vibe. Kinda like Violet Evergarden, except a little more intense," said Ophelia.

The blond teen looked at Ophelia blankly, sapphire eyes losing their shine. Opal hid behind Moone, whispering something that sounded like 'mother help me'. Salene blinked, the look of a sane human being returning to her.

"I didn't even teach you that..." murmured Moone. Salene smiled, replying, "I figured it out." Moone shivered.

Recovering from their moment, the three girl headed inside, breaking apart as soon as they passed the threshold of the school.

Moone walked up to the nearest student, her movements fluid as she balanced on the balls of her feet. Her jacket swayed slightly with her movements. The nearest student just so happened to be Trixie Lulamoon, who was sitting against the wall. The magician stared dejectedly at her feet. A voice interrupted her thoughts. "Pardon me, young miss." Trixie looked up hurriedly, expecting to find a teacher, but instead found a freshman. The freshman continued speaking. "I'm terribly sorry for disturbing you, but I was wondering if you would be so kind as to give me directions to the principal's office."

She could have simply asked 'which way is the principal's office,' but instead phrased it as if she were in some old novel. Trixie would later realize that listening to this girl talk was like listening to a mixture of classic literature and modern speech, a comparison that everyone the girl talked to would make. For now, she was too dazed by the polite respect in the girl's voice to respond or really process what was being said.

The girl spoke again. "I'm sorry miss, have I disturbed you? I apologize. I shall go ask another for directions." She curtsied, and even though she had no dress to grab and pull, she still elegantly flared her hands as if she did have a dress. the girl straightened, and smiled. The smile was the barest curve of her lips, but it was still warm. She turned and started walking away.

Trixie didn't want her to leave; she was too polite for Trixie to not feel guilty that she didn't help the freshman. "Wait!" The freshman turned, facing her fully, giving the magician all of her attention. "Yes?" Trixie hesitated, feeling a few students' eyes on them. "Trixie can give you directions to Principal Celestia's office. Trixie doesn't mind." She stuttered, and her words were lilting awkwardly, but the girl smiled warmly again. "Is that your name, young miss? Trixie?" the girl asked, letting the name roll off her tongue. Trixie nodded.

"Trixie. I like it, and I think it rather suits you. It's rude to be given one's name without returning the favor, so I shall tell you mine. My name is Moone Stromhest, and it is a pleasure to formally meet you, Miss Trixie." Trixie was stunned beyond belief at this point due to this girl's strange air and mannerisms. She had to be prompted by the girl, whose name was apparently 'Moone,' before actually relaying the directions. "Thank you, Miss Trixie. Good day, and I pray we meet again!" Moone curtsied once again and turned on her heel, striding into the middle of the entrance hall with a straight back and a pleasant air. She never once paid attention to the looks and whispers of people around her, and Trixie shook her head in awe. What a strange girl she was.

Suddenly, her morning looked a lot brighter than it did before meeting the fifteen-year-old, and Trixie smiled. If the teen didn't make fun of her as soon as the next thing was posted about her, Trixie might make friends with the younger girl. She slid down the wall again, watching as Moone whistled at the room and two similarly aged girls came to her out of the crowd. They spoke for just a moment, and then walked in the direction of the principal's office. The blonde threw her head back and laughed at something Moone had said, the other brunette smiling as well.

Later, In the principal's office...

Principal Celestia put down the letter from Princess Twilight. "I understand your need to come, and I appreciate that you were recommended to come to my school. However, I cannot allow you three to simply sit in the teacher's lounge all day. I can give you free periods or a half day, seeing as you aren't students here, but you should still learn something while you stay."

Salene nodded. "I completely understand, Principal Celestia. My own mother is an educator, so I know where you come from and what your standpoint is. I think for the sake of us not being bored and messing with things we shouldn't, scattered classes with free periods in-between would be best. We can work on money and housing during our free time, so it won't be a complete waste." Principal Celestia took a moment to analyze Salene's plan, and realized it was well thought out. It was designed to keep their young minds entertained and working throughout the day. "That would work well, Salene, was it?"

"Yup!" the girl chirped.

"Then that is settled. I'll write up schedules for you all, and notes to give to your teachers to explain the situation. You will still need to participate in class, though." The principal smiled, and pulled up a list of classes with small student counts to pick from. Taking spare timetable sheets reserved for when a student needed a copy of their schedule, she wrote down classes, room numbers, and teachers on each sheet with free periods and a lunch period. "There. You all have mostly the same classes, but there are a few where you will be split up. You have the same free periods and the same lunch time. I'll send an email to the teachers you'll be seeing today, just to make sure everything is cleared up. Have a nice day, girls! Remember, my door is always open if you need anything."

The group said, "Thank you!" and turned to leave, Moone pausing in the doorway. "Really, thank you. It means a lot to us." She smiled, and Principal Celestia returned the gesture. "It's no problem. Take care of yourselves, alright? I'm sure you've heard about the drama that has befallen my school."

Moone's smile faded a little, and she nodded solemnly. "Yes, I heard, and we will. Goodbye, Principal Celestia."

"Farewell, Moone." The principal waved goodbye as Moone left. She breathed a quick prayer to Faust that the girls be kept safe from the school drama.

The girls waited in the courtyard, going inside once the bell rang. They made their way to a Mr. Spruce's class, entering and handing the note to him. Opal took a seat in the middle left of the class, Salene somewhere on the other side of the room and Moone taking a seat in the back right corner, near the door. Several other students came in after them, whispering not-so-secretly about who they were and what they were doing here.

Once everyone was seated, Mr. Spruce introduced the girls. "Okay, class, we have three new additions today. They'll be leaving by the end of the week, but I still want you to make them feel at home. Over here we have Ophelia Lozano," she stood briefly and waved to the class, "Salene Emily," the blonde raised her hand, "and in the back, Moone Stromhest." The brunette stood and bowed slightly, quickly retaking her seat. "Now that introductions are out of the way, let's get to learning about this week's subject of Amareican history." The class groaned.

Opal, Salene, and Moone half paid attention, half stared at nothing. They weren't actual students, they didn't need to pay attention all the way. Suddenly, Mr. Spruce asked Opal a question. "Ophelia! What happened on November eighth, 2015? Come up to the board to answer."

Ophelia's face grew dark, but she hid it skillfully. Salene cast a worried glance in her direction, and Moone straightened in her seat. They were tense, ready to leap into action if Opal lost her cool. Opal looked at them, nodded as if to tell them 'I can handle this,' and faced the class. Her russet eyes dulled, becoming doll-like. "On November eighth, in the year 2015, five outlaws were found brutally murdered in the Sunrise Forest, located in Northern Texas." Her voice was shaky, but she cleared her throat and carried on in a stronger tone.

"They were covered in claw marks, and it was assumed that wolves got them. Not many local residents heard the noises from the forest the night before they were found, but the few who did reported hearing a child's screams mixed in with the howling of wolves and the criminals' wails. The authorities looked for a child near the crime scene, but none were found. It was recorded as the most random and the strangest murder-by-wolves case ever found in years before or since. No one knows what the criminals were doing there or what could have caused them to be killed. The case has been closed for years, but some still wonder what the origin of this dark incident was."

The class looked extremely unsettled, but Moone and Salene were breathing silent sighs of relief. Opal had relayed the tale in a way that didn't really trigger her, and they watched as she carefully made her way back to her seat.

"Well, then. That was a surprisingly detailed answer, but it was all true. If you don't mind me asking, how did you know of it?" asked Mr. Spruce. Opal smiled weakly, replying, "I looked it up a few months ago." She gave no more information.

As soon as class was over, the group of girls relocated to the nearest restroom, collapsing on the floor once the door had closed. Ophelia was shaking, crying, gripping desperately onto Salene who held her firmly and comforted her. Salene whispered quiet praise and sweet nothings to Opal as she calmed down, hugging her until the other girl let go. They spent a good ten minutes on the floor, ignoring the bell when it rung, and comforting Ophelia.

Finally, Opal spoke. "It was so hard. Telling the story, when I knew what really happened. I lost half of my sight that night. I still dream about it, sometimes... I could barely keep myself together." She leaned against the wall, holding Salene's hand. She was still shaking, but she wasn't panicking anymore. "I know, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I designed you with that scar, with that trauma. At least you have something to show you survived." said Moone.

"It's okay. I don't know who I'd be without it. I'm surprised they even know of it, seeing as we were fictional characters before we met you," said Ophelia. Moone laughed weakly, shaking her head at the poor excuse of a joke.

Salene suggested they move to the library, seeing as they had a free period. They went that way until lunch, going to class and using the library's computers during their free periods to find places to stay or work. When the lunch bell rang, they went through the line, and stood against a wall while trying to decide which table to sit at.

Pieces of sentences left their mouths, incomplete but making sense between them.

"There's that table.. no, it's by an open window."

"See that table that's arguing? The table two over looks good."

"Too loud though."

"Wait." Moone and Salene looked to Opal, whom was staring at a table in the corner. "Look at that one. She's all alone, and she sort of looks familiar." said Ophelia.

Salene examined the girl more closely, taking in her appearance. Fiery hair, goldenrod and scarlet. Skin also colored goldenrod, with turquoise eyes. A leather jacket, and a pale blue dress. "I think I know her. Doesn't she look like that 'Sunset Shimmer' girl that Twilight mentioned?"

Moone considered this, making an impulsive decision. "Let's go sit with her."

The girls went, catching the attention of a few nearby tables. The students expected the three girls to insult Shimmer and make her cry, so they alerted other nearby tables. Soon, every table in the cafeteria was silent, and they watched as the girls approached Sunset.

Moone set down her tray directly across from the fiery-haired girl, with Salene and Opal sitting to one side of the startled teen. Opal asked, "Can we sit here?" Sunset nodded shakily, expecting them to snap at her. Salene comforted her. "Hey, I know Moone and Ophelia can be a bit scary, but you don't need to worry. We won't hurt you, I promise." The redhead seemed apprehensive, but stayed seated.

Opal started eating, and Salene started idle conversation with Moone. She complained about being too hot, so she removed her jacket and pushed up her sleeves. The sleeves on Moone's shirt were able to come up to her elbows, fully exposing her scars. Sunset gasped, "Where did you...?" She covered her mouth with one hand when the younger teen looked at her. "Pretty cool, aren't they? It hurt really badly when I got them, though. Yikes forever."

Some nearby students had also caught view of Moone's scars, and took photos of them sneakily. They sent the photos to a certain gossip and secret-revealing account on MyStable, expecting that to be posted soon. Moone had noticed the pictures being taken, but had deemed them harmless. She continued trying to talk with Sunset, unknowingly upsetting the entire cafeteria. Why was this random girl being nice to Sunset? Didn't she know what the little liar had done?

Author's Note

*I'm writing under the assumption that the Tylenol mentioned is the coated Extra Strength variety. Even though Moone is fifteen and she could probably take the recommended dose of two 500 mg tablets every six hours (as long as pain persists) safely, I still wrote her taking only the one 500 mg tablet. If it were Advil, which is 200 mg per pill with a recommended dosage of two, as I originally planned, she still would have taken only the one pill. Safety is important, kids.

Hi! Opal here! I want to say thank you so much for reading this chapter. The author put a lot of effort into this one, especially because it started out as vague scenes and random snippets that they had to connect in a way that made sense.
Yeah! The author was really stressed over getting this one out, due to homework and their new Jinglemas assignment. They wanted to make this the best they could.

Aww, thanks Opal, thanks Salene. But didn't you want to tell the readers the surprise?

Oh yeah!

This chapter is a three-parter!!

Haha! Yep, as they said, this chapter has three parts. I couldn't fit all the things I wanted to in my (personally) established limit of about 1.5-2k words per chapter (not including bonus chapters), so I made it into three parts. More of that ~~delicious tea~~ drama that way. :trollestia:

This chapter ended up at around 3k... wow. By the way, do I have a regular updating schedule?

Edit: Apparently, since I started this fic, I've updated roughly one or two times a week. Pretty cool!

Bonus Mini-Chapter One: L a z y .

Bonus Mini-Chapter One: Lazy Morning

Onpolyx
Salene
Ophelia
Moone Stromhest

Moone woke, stretching and relaxing into her bed. Her wings were shadows, and she sent them to mingle with the natural shadows in the corners of the room so they wouldn’t accidentally solidify. She would collect them later, once she got up. For now, she was content to lay in the warmth of her bed, dozing in and out of wakefulness. Moone laid there for two hours, and somewhere along the way she had retrieved a book and had begun reading it. Her mind was still foggy, so she was more running her eyes over the words instead of actually reading, but she didn’t care. She could re-read it later.

A knock was heard on her door, and she rolled over, closing her book. Moone now laid almost perpendicular to the long side of her bed, and her shoulders hung off of it, legs bent at the knee in a successful attempt to make herself smaller. One hand rested on the blankets gathered at her waist, and the other hung limply over the edge of the bed. “Come in!” she said, loud enough to be heard through the door.

Onyx opened the door, poking his head in. “Mom, can you please- ... What are you doing?”

Moone giggled drowsily. She rolled over, lying on her bed correctly. She yawned and stretched again, flopping onto her pillow. “Being lazy.”

Onyx left and came back with his sister and Salene. “Mom, you need to get up. It’s ten in the morning.” Opal sighed.

The girl in the bed whined, not wanting to leave the warmth of her sheets. “Will you make me pancakes?” Salene smiled and nodded. “As soon as you teach me, I will!” she chirped. Moone smiled, and got up. She went to the corners of the room, dipping her hands into the shadows, the ones that made up her wings crawling up her arms and solidifying on her back. Reformed feathers ruffled and smoothed, settling back into position after being away for so long. Moone shook the lethargy out of her limbs and walked to the door, humming softly as she went.

“Alright, then kids. Let’s see if Twilight keeps any instant pancake mix in her pantry...” Cheers were heard from the teens following the winged girl out of the room, promises of blueberry syrup and cooking lessons being made. Onyx smiled, happy to have a family like this.