"Big Sister Best Friends Forever"
Equestria Noir
Side Story
“Big Sister Best Friends For Ever”
Dear Private,
It’s been so long since that incident in Trottingham. I'm sorry it has taken me this long to write you. Things are going great here, but I have been very busy. Everypony in the city knows me because of Arson’s plays. He’s doing so much better now; his scars are starting to heal to the point where he no longer needs to wear his mask. I used whatever bits I could earn to help him achieve that. He and I have gotten closer throughout our time working together. Speaking of getting closer, I was happy to hear about you and Twilight. I can’t wait to see what fruit your love will bear. Hopefully, I can stop by on my Equestrian Tour and visit you guys. Looking forward to hearing back from you soon.
Sincerely,
Moongale
I looked at the letter with a small smile on my face. It had been too long since I had last heard from Moongale. The last time I saw her was at the train station as we left Trottingham. Since then Arson, aka Phantom has helped her career grow exponentially. She’s even planning on touring Equestria,
“What’cha got there, Private?” I heard a voice ask next to me. I looked over to see Tailspin rolling into the living room and looking at the letter held aloft my magic.
I smiled. “It’s a letter from Moongale, just an update on how she’s doing.”
“I never met Moongale,” Tailspin said, curiously. “What was she like?”
“Well, it’s a pretty interesting story,” I replied wistfully, as my grey eyes stared off into the past…
____________________________________________________
18 years ago…
I sat on the coach in the library of my home in Manehattan. I was reading another mystery story. It was so badly written that I could figure out the bad guy in my sleep. I threw away the book and rolled onto my back with a sigh. I was so bored!
I saw a grey head appear in my vision as my father smiled down at me. “Bored are we?”
“You got it, Dad” I said, unenthusiastically. “I’m bored as heck, there’s nothing to do.”
I sat up and my father sat down beside me on the couch with a smile “Don’t you have your friends to play with?”
I shook my head. “Potso’s going to Bitallia for a family reunion, Raiden’s sick with the feather flu, and nopony else wants to play with me.”
“Oh dear, we can’t have that” My father said, with a slight chuckle.
“Can’t have what?” my mother asked, as she entered the room with a sweater on her back.
“Preventus here is bored,” my father replied, smiling at his wife, “and he doesn’t have any friends to play with at the moment.”
My mother thought for a moment and then smiled. “I have just the solution!”
“What do you mean, mom?” I asked, turning the grey eyes we shared to her.
“Irenius,” she said, ignoring me. “You remember Leopony right?”
Dad tapped his chin in thought and then nodded. “That musician you went to school with? How could I forget him? He did handle the music during our wedding after all.”
“Well,” My mom said, smiling. “He has a child who’s also an only child. We’ll bring Preventus over and they can play together.”
My dad nodded. “We are visiting them today, aren’t we? I think it’ll be great for Preventus to meet other ponies his age.”
I looked nervously at my mother. “I won’t have to wear a suit, will I?”
My mother smiled innocently. “Maybe a little bow tie…”
“Mom!” I whined.
My parents laughed at my protest. Mom usually looked for any excuse to use me as a model for her outfits. I started to think this is one of them…
____________________________________________________________
Thankfully she didn’t ask me to wear anything beyond a bearable suit jacket. Our carriage pulled into the driveway of a mansion only a little smaller than ours. This guy was rich as well it seemed.
The carriage came to a stop and a coach hand got out opening the door for us. Mom looked down at me and smiled. “Why don’t you go play in the garden while your father and I talk to Leopony?”
“All right,” I said with a nod, it was better than being forced to sit through a conversation I had no interest in. I walked around the garden, it was filled with flowers and statues of various musicians I recognized from posters my mom had. She was a huge music fan, so I could pick out all these musi-
Ribbit!
I was shocked when a frog leaped out of a nearby bush and landed in front of me. It’s awesome! You don’t see a lot of frogs in the city! I bent down to get a better look at the frog. It took notice of my presence and began hopping off. “Hey get back here!” I shouted, as I followed it.
The frog hopped ahead of me as I ran after it. I tried to pounce on it like a cat would, but its slimy body squirmed out of my hooves and hopped away. “Stop! I just want to play!”
The frog got to a nearby pond and jumped in the water. I looked at my reflection in the pool with a frown. “Fine, I wouldn’t want to play with a stupid fro-“
I stopped as I noticed another reflection next to me. Slowly the ripples died and I saw a unicorn filly standing there. Her coat was a dark blue and her mane was midnight blue, the color of a dark starless night. Her blue eyes looked at my reflection playfully. I looked up and gasped in shock. She giggled at my reaction and grinned at me. I just stared at this strange creature before me. She giggled even more as I stared at her. “Hi!”
Okay Private, maybe she’s just lost or something, just back away slowly…
My hind legs tripped over a tree root and I fell on my back. She appeared again in my face, and smiled down at me. I got up onto my legs before she could say anything. I bolted away from her, She was just too weird for my-
I looked behind me and there she was, chasing after me. She laughed at my attempts to flee from her and ran alongside me. She spoke in a nice sounding voice, “Hey this is fun! Want to keep playing?”
“I’m not playing!” I said, frantically, leaping over a flower patch to get away from her. She just hopped over the patch, and giggled at me again.
Jeez she just can’t take a hint can she?
I dodged and weaved my way through the garden with the strange blue filly hot on my tail. I dared to look behind me and saw she actually managed to catch up with me. I had to get away before-
Smack!
I ran into something solid and saw it was my mother’s legs. She looked down at me with a raised eyebrow. “Preventus? Why are you running so fast?”
“Hide me!” I said, getting behind her front legs, I watched the blue filly come around and look up at the mare standing opposite my mother. I could only guess this was that filly’s mother. She looked like an older version of the filly I was desperately trying to hide from.
My mother bent her head down to look at me; a smile was on her face. “I see you’ve met little Moongale.”
“Moongale?” I asked, looking at the filly who giggled a little.
“The friend I wanted you to meet,” my mother replied, with a sly smile.
“But mom, she’s a filly!” I whispered.
“So?” My mother asked, nuzzling me “You don’t have any problems playing with me.”
“That’s different! You don’t chase me around the garden like a griffon with a mouse!” I said, hiding behind my mother’s legs even more.
The filly looked up at her mother with her blue eyes. “He’s kind of shy, isn’t he, mother?”
Her mother lowered her head to Moongale’s level and looked at me. “Well, maybe he won’t feel as nervous if you say hello.”
Moongale walked up to me, smiled, and said, “Hello, Preventus.”
I got out from behind mom’s front legs only to hide behind her back legs to put as much distance as possible between us. I didn’t want to associate with this odd creature by any means. She was just too weird.
Moongale frowned, and tried to look behind my mother at me. “I said hello!”
My mother looked back at me and gestured her head to Moongale. “Well, aren’t you going to say hello back, Preventus?”
I shook my head vigorously.
My mother frowned and then smiled at me mischievously. “You aren’t afraid are you?”
Me? Afraid of some goofy mare! Puh-leeze! I can handle one mare! Should be simple right?
I shook my head in defiance at my mother’s claim.
She walked around, and pushed me with her head towards Moongale. “Well, go ahead then.”
I stumbled in front of the mare, who tried not to laugh at my clumsiness. I got up and dusted myself off, before looking back at mom. Puppy dog save me eyes, activate!
She frowned and gestured with her hoof “Go on, say hello.”
It was not very effective…
I just sighed and looked at Moongale, and then I begrudgingly said, “Hello…”
She laughed out loud and started bouncing around me. I tried to run off from her only to fall down a small hill in the garden. I rolled down the hill and crashed into a nearby bush. I felt a sharp pain in my leg, and looked down at it. One of the thorns from the bush must’ve cut me. I covered the bleeding wound with my suit jacket, trying to stop the bleeding. Thank Celestia for those first aid classes at school!
I heard the bushes rustle, and I saw Moongale emerge from them. She looked ready to pounce on me again, but then she saw my bleeding front leg.
Her blue eyes looked at mine apologetically. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean for you to get hurt.”
“Well, then you shouldn’t have chased me around!” I retorted, indignantly.
She walked slowly towards me and pointed with her hoof at my wound. “Does it hurt?”
“A little,” I admitted, slowly.
She sat down beside me and asked, “Can I see it?”
Her eyes were not the merry ones they were earlier. She seemed very concerned for my well-being. I felt like I could trust her.
I showed her my cut, and she looked at me with guilty eyes. “I’m sorry, Preventus. If I hadn't chased you around so much, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”
“It’s no big deal” I replied, with a shrug. “I can take it.”
She looked at the wound and planted a kiss on it. EW gross!
I pulled my leg away as if it were suddenly burned. “What did you go and do that for?”
“Mother always kisses bumps whenever I get hurt,” she explained.
“No, you’re going to make it worse with your cooties!” I retorted.
“Girls don’t have cooties!” she fired back, angrily.
“Do to!”
“Do not!”
“Do to!”
“Do not!”
“Do to!!”
“Do to!”
“Do not!”
“Do to!”
“They don’t, and that’s it!” I said, angrily.
“Well, thank you for agreeing with me,” she said, smugly.
Wait what? My mouth dropped open. That dirty rotten trickster!
I frowned, crossing my legs, and turned away from her. Just then I felt somepony move my leg and saw that she was laying a Band-Aid on it. She smiled at me. “I fall down here a lot too; it’s always a good idea to have Band-Aids around.”
I smiled at her; she wasn’t that bad, I guess. “Thanks. I’m Private, by the way.”
“I thought your mother said your name was Preventus,” she said, with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah,” I replied, tilting my head, “but all my friends call me Private.”
It dawned on her that I was accepting her. She pulled me into a tender hug and held me. It felt, kind of nice to be here with her. She looked at me, “I’m sorry about earlier”
“Hey it’s okay,” I said, wrapping my own forelegs around her. “You just wanted somepony to play with and I was there”
“It gets kind of boring around here all by myself” Moongale said, as we broke our hug. “You were fun to chase around, ya know.”
“Next time warn me before you start chasing me,” I said, with a nod.
“All right.” She then tapped her hoof on my shoulder. “You’re it!”
She then took off at the speed of a bullet. She laughed as I took off after her. “Get back here!”
________________________________________________________
Present Day….
Tailspin laughed at the story “You actually thought she had cooties?”
“Hey, I was seven at the time!” I retorted
“I just can’t believe you would be scared of her,” Tailspin said. “She sounds like so much fun.”
“After that meeting we were practically brother and sister,” I said, smiling. “You remember when I told you about me getting locked in that shed?”
“The one where you freak out about being locked up anywhere?” Tailspin asked, with a nod. “Yeah you told me about that after Nightmare Night.”
“I’ll still remember what happened after that…”
__________________________________________________
14 years ago…
I was lying on my bed after being brought in after the storm last night. The storm got so bad last night that my parents couldn’t even leave the house if they wanted. They found me in the shed the very next morning. My mom stayed home from her teaching job to deal with me. Dad came by a short time later with a doctor to make sure I wasn’t injured. I could hear them talking about me outside.
“Doctor, how is he?” my father asked, outside my room.
The doctor, a young stallion, probably my dad’s age, with an odd muffin shaped hair style simply sighed. “Physically he’s suffered no injuries, but psychologically he’s suffered a traumatic experience”
My mom spoke up. “Is there anything we can do, Doctor?”
I imagined he was shaking his head. “All I can offer is sympathy, and recommend some psychologists to visit. I wish I could do more, but all I can say is, give your son the comfort he needs. He may carry these scars for years.”
I heard his hoof steps walking away. I just lay down on my bed burying my face in my pillow. The experience left me with a lot of bad memories. I just kept thinking about the storm, being trapped and helpless. I hated it…
I heard another set of hoof steps that weren’t my parents, too fast.
“Mr. and Mrs. Eye, is Private okay?” That was Moongale’s voice.
My father replied, “He’s suffered a very traumatic experience, Moongale. The doctor said he may have scars for a long time.”
“Can I see him?” Moongale asked, pleadingly.
“Certainly, just be careful with him. He’s not going to want to play,” my mom admonished, gently.
“I wasn’t going to play with him, ma'am” Moongale replied, politely “I’m just going to be there with him.”
My bedroom door opened and in stepped Moongale. I turned away from her; I didn’t want her to see me. I felt her hop onto my bed and sit down next to me. “Private, I heard about what happened, you didn’t come to school today.”
I didn’t answer; I was too embarrassed, and ashamed at her seeing me like this…
Slowly I felt somepony nuzzling me on my grey head. I looked up to see Moongale smiling down at me “Private, it’s okay, I’m here now.”
I reached up and wrapped my forelegs around her. I just clung to her as I cried into her blue coat. “It was just so scary, Moongale; I’ve never been so scared in my life…”
She gently ran a hoof along my back and sang sweetly to me:
Cry no more, my dear.
for I am near.
Dry your tears on me,
as I sing to thee.
She just repeated that chorus as my parents watched us. My father smiled at my mother and she in turn. I just clung to Moongale until my tears finally stopped. I didn’t care if she wasn’t my real sister. She may as well have been…
___________________________________________________________
Present day
“Wow Private, you two were awfully close,” Tailspin observed, as I levitated him from his chair onto the couch with me.
“We were,” I said with a smile. “Honestly, Moongale was about as close to an older sister I’ve ever had, despite being a year younger than me.”
“So, what happened to her?” Tailspin asked.
“Well, when I was twelve, Moongale got a part in our school play. I threw a fit during auditions, because I thought nopony could play opposite her. I guess I was just a jealous little brother.”
“Did she wow the crowd?” Tailspin asked
“That’s the understatement of the year”
_____________________________________________________________
14 years ago
I sat down in my seat as Moongale sat on a carpet on the stage. She had the crowd completely enthralled as she sang Princess Jazzmina’s song with Raiden on stage. Raiden was the only pony I begrudgingly let sing with her. He was one of the better singers at our school, but I made sure he knew that Moongale was off limits for his flirting ways.
I flushed a little as I recalled him saying I was defending her like I was dating her. Truth is I just didn’t like other stallions around her. I wanted to make sure she had the right colt. Raiden, who would kiss a cactus if he could figure out how, was certainly not a prime candidate.
The pair sang on the magic carpet, Raiden’s smooth voice contrasted well with Moongale’s emerging soprano voice.
Raiden sang to Moongale with a smile:
I can show you the world,
Shining, shimmering, splendid.
Tell me princess, now when did you last
Let your heart decide?
A stage hand put a flower in Raiden’s hoof and he handed it to Moongale, who sniffed it with a smile.
I can open your eyes
I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways, and under
On a magic carpet ride
Raiden sang out to the audience:
A whole new world!
A new fantastic point of view!
Nopony to tell us no!
Or where to go!
Or say we’re only dreaming
Moongale opened her mouth and the music filled the room:
A whole new world!
A dazzling place I never knew!
But when I’m way up here,
It’s crystal clear
That now I’m in a whole new world with you
Raiden harmonized with her, smiling.
Now I’m in a whole new world with you!
Moongale’s blue eyes looked around in wide eyed wonder.
Unbelievable sights, indescribable feeling!
Souring, tumbling, freewheeling!
Through an endless diamond sky!
A whole new world!
Raiden removed Moongale’s hooves, as she tried to cover her eyes, when the carpet made a pretend fall.
Don’t you dare close your eyes!
The carpet righted itself, and Moongale kept singing:
A hundred thousand things to see!
I’m like a shooting star,
I’ve come so far
I can’t go back to where I used to be
Every turn a surprise
Raiden sang the next bit, putting one wing around her, and the other wing out to the audience:
With new horizons to pursue
They both sang in harmony leaning into one another:
I’ll chase them anywhere
There’s time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you.
A whole new world,
That’s where we’ll be.
A thrilling chase,
A wondrous place,
For you and me.
The crowd went wild…
_______________________________________________________
Moongale and I sat together on our little hill after the cast party was done. I looked over at Moongale. “You were amazing!”
She blushed in embarrassment at being told that for the millionth time. “Private stop, my parents are already showering me with praise. I don’t need you doing it too.”
“I mean it!” I exclaimed, looking right at her. “You killed it tonight! You could be a great singer someday! You’ll be awesome to the core and wow the world!”
She smiled, and nuzzled me on the cheek. “Thank you. I’m happy you believe in me.”
I nuzzled her back gently, but then I heard a sound coming from the house. I saw a servant run past and I called to him, “What’s going on?”
“It’s Lady Ponticello, sir! She’s suddenly fainted. The doctor is on his way now!”
“Mother!” Moongale cried, as she took off towards the house…
_______________________________________________________
Present day…
“What happened to her mom?” Tailspin asked, nervously.
“Cancer. She’d been fighting it for a while without anypony knowing. Sadly, not all the magic in the world could cure it without causing permanent damage to her. She died peacefully…”
“That’s rough,” Tailspin said, looking down. “How did Moongale take it?”
“Not well.”
__________________________________________________________
14 years ago….
Moongale sat down in front of her mother’s grave crying into the wet grass. I walked to her with a sullen expression, “Moongale…”
She got up from the grass and ran to me. She threw her forelegs around me, holding me tightly. I held her close as she cried into my suit. Everypony else had left already, but I wanted to make sure she didn’t get left behind.
“Why did she have to die, Private?” Moongale asked, looking at me through tear filled eyes, “Why did she have to leave me?”
“Moongale, I can’t explain that,” I said, slowly. “Maybe there’s a reason ponies die, maybe it was simply her time..”
She looked down. “What am I going to do now?”
“Keep using the old song and dance,” I replied, gently. “Your mom would want you to use your talents to their fullest. You got that cutie mark for a reason.” I pointed to the musical note cutie mark on her flank.
She nodded and smiled weakly. “Thank you, Private. You’re the greatest friend a pony could ever have.” She hugged me even tighter
I held her in my hooves and simply smiled. “The blessing goes both ways, Moongale.”
_______________________________________________________
Present Day
“That’s so sad Private, then she moved to Trottingham?” Tailspin asked, leaning into me.
I nodded. “Manehattan held too many memories for Leopony, so he and Moongale moved away. I wouldn’t see her again until last month, when I went Trottingham to visit her. She’s just as wonderful as I remember.”
Tailspin smiled at me. “I hope to meet her someday.”
I smiled in turn and ruffled his electric blue mane. “Now you need to get off to bed.” I pointed to the moonlight peeking through the window. “You have school tomorrow, and you need your rest.”
I levitated Tailspin back into his chair and he rolled off singing softly.
Big Brother,
Best friends forever…
I smiled a little, but in all honesty there was another part of the story I was slowly remembering….
__________________________________________________________
14 years ago…
I sat down on my bed, it had been at least six hours since I said goodbye to Moongale. I just watched Manehattan’s night life going. I didn’t feel like doing anything, not even sleeping.
I heard my door open and my father walked in. “Preventus, it’s past your bedtime. You should be asleep.”
“I can’t, dad,” I said, not moving. “I keep thinking about the fact I’m never going to see Moongale again.”
My dad settled beside me, and looked down at me with sympathy. “Preventus, Moongale is going to be with you forever”
“That’s bull crap, dad!” I retorted, glaring at him. “She’s gone! I’m never going to see her again! How can she be with me forever if she’s not here?”
He simply smiled, and tapped my head. “Do you still remember her?”
“Of course,” I said, slowly. “How could I forget her?”
“Then she isn’t truly gone,” my dad replied, sagely, his blue eyes showing a great amount of wisdom. “Our friends are never truly gone when they leave us. So long as we remember them in our minds,” he tapped my head, “and in our hearts,” he prodded my chest. “They never truly vanish forever.”
I nodded slowly. “I guess you’re right. I’ll still miss her though.”
My dad reached a hoof over and pulled me into a hug. I pressed myself into his grey coat. My dad rested his head on top of mine as I clung tightly to him. “Preventus, nopony is truly gone forever. Always remember that.”
I will dad….
________________________________________________________
Dad, why is it I’m finding myself more and more conflicted about you every day?
