Stars In Moonlight

As Lily, now Stardust, woke up for the day, she looked out the window to see somepony being rude to other ponies. “Is that the alicorn Moonlight told me about yesterday?” the filly thought to herself. As she pondered this, she saw two of them get teleported away. “What a weird way to start the day,” she said aloud with a tired yawn, walking down the stairs to see Moonlight cooking breakfast — or at least trying to.

“Aah! How did it even catch fire this time?!” Moonlight yelled at the burning stove. Stardust saw this and zoomed to grab some water and put out the fire, getting drenching Moonlight in the process.

“Oops, sorry, Moonlight,” Stardust apologized.

“It’s fine. At least the house didn’t burn down,” Moonlight reassured. “Besides, what’s a bit of water going to do?” she chuckled as water dripped off her.

“Doesn’t it make your wings heavier?” Stardust questioned.

“Well sure, but only for a short period of time,” Moonlight answered. “Li- Stardust, sorry, still getting used to the name change, want me to take you to school today?”

“I would like that,” Stardust responded.

“Ok, but think of me more like an older sibling. I mean, we do look a bit alike. Now, let’s get you to school.”

“Wait, I haven’t had breakfast!” Stardust mentioned, pointing at the burned food.

“I-I’ll make it up to you,” Moonlight promised, nervously glancing at the charred food. “Now, let’s fly!” Moonlight said confidently before she attempted to fly, crashing to the ground immediately. “Right, water,” Moonlight grunted, “Ok, let’s walk then.”

As they arrived at the School of Friendship, Stardust turned to Moonlight sheepishly. “Can you take the band out?” Stardust asked, pointing a hoof to the band in her mane.

“Why? Didn’t you want it?” Moonlight responded, puzzled.

“Yeah it’s just..,” Stardust paused for a second, “I don’t know what other creatures would think of me.”

“So what, maybe a few of your peers might think of your band as weird. What does it matter? Don't let what they think hold you back,” Moonlight said gently.

“Maybe tomorrow, but not today. Thanks for the motivation, though,” Stardust said as Moonlight helped her to take off the band.

Moonlight watched Stardust enter the school before she started walking towards the town. Her eyes caught sight of Nyx, who was buying some apples.

“Hey Nyx, how are you?” Moonlight asked, trotting up to the unicorn.

Nyx smiled in response, giving a friendly flick of her mane.

“You're good?” Moonlight questioned, still getting used to Nyx’s lack of words.

Nyx nodded and pointed a hoof in the direction the pegasus had come from, towards the school and raising her brow in question.

Moonlight looked back at the school, confused. “The School of Friendship? What about it?”

Nyx shook her head and gestured with her hoof going down about half her size, and pointed back at the school.

“Are you trying to ask me about Stardust?” the pegasus questioned.

The unicorn nodded to confirm.

“She’s just a filly who came to my cabin in the Everfree forest a month ago, when I was still the Everfree witch. I took her in when I moved here,” she explained.

Nyx’s eyes went wide in shock and she stood frozen, silent.

Moonlight waved a hoof in front of Nyx’s face. “Uhhh, Nyx? Are you there?”

Nyx didn’t move.

“Well, when you're out of this shocked state, we’ll catch up. See you, Nyx.” Moonlight said with a slightly confused tone. She walked away to head home, leaving Nyx standing there.

As Moonlight got home, she grabbed a book about constellations and sat down on the couch to read. “Wow, I never knew the stars could make that,” she said out loud, knowing no one would hear her. As she continued reading, she heard a thud at the door. She approached it carefully and opened the door — it was just the daily newspaper.

Moonlight took the newspaper inside and looked it over, the headline reading ‘Crazed alicorn bent on causing disharmony in Equestria and separating the races sent to Tartarus.’

“I don’t know what she was thinking, challenging the unity and harmony of Equestria like that. It was bound to end terribly,” Moonlight mumbled as she continued to read. ‘Ancient artifacts recently discovered near a house in the Everfree forest.’ Her brow raised in slightly shocked interest at this information. “Huh, I never knew there were ancient artifacts near my old home.”

As the sunlight streaming into the room dulled to a low orange glow, the sun finally setting after a long day, Moonlight wondered where Stardust was. “Where could she have gone? It's way past the time school should have ended,” she mused. “I should probably go see if everything is alright.”

Moonlight left her home and started flying to the school. As she flew, she passed her friend Phosphor, the changeling flying his daily route to make sure the sky was empty of threats.

“Hey Moonlight, where are you heading?” Phosphor asked curiously.

“To the School of Friendship, looking for my friend,” Moonlight answered.

“At this time?” Phosphor responded as he started to piece together what he thought was happening. “What does your friend look like?”

“Her coat is dark blue, her eyes are an ethereal yellow, and her mane is like the Aurora Borealis,” Moonlight described.

“The mystical reindeers?” Phosphor asked, confused.

“The mystical reindeers?” Moonlight repeated, confused before realizing what he meant. “No, the Aurora Borealis. Not Aurora, Bori, and Alice,” she explained.

“Oh!” Phosphor realized. “She’s right over there” he said as he pointed towards the Everfree forest, where Stardust had just walked out of.

Moonlight flew away with an appreciative wave to Phosphor, landing in front of Stardust.

“Stardust, what happened? Why were you in the Everfree forest?” Moonlight asked, worried.

“The newspaper said there was ancient artifacts near your old home so I went to check it out” she responded

“I respect your curiosity, in fact, I encourage it. But please tell somepony next time,” Moonlight said firmly.

“I did, I told Nyx,” the filly responded. Moonlight looked as confused as can be. “Did she not tell you?” Stardust asked.

“Ok, you did tell somepony, it’s my fault for not telling you ahead of time. But next time please tell anypony except Nyx. Nyx is mute, and it’s hard to understand her gestures sometimes,” Moonlight responded. “Now let’s head home, it’s been a long day," Moonlight said as they walked back home, both ready to sleep.