A Promise Not Forgotten

Dan and Luna made it to Sugarcube Corner, luckily the lights were still on so they didn’t have to worry about waking up Mr. and Ms. Cake.

“So, let me get this straight, the Doctor has a ‘time machine’ he calls the Tardis?” Luna asked to confirm, Dan replied with a nod. “And he and his companions travel through time and space solving random problems?” She asked.

“Something like that,” Dan said.

‘I’d be surprised if he WASN’T real, considering the whole Equestria ordeal,’ Dan thought.

“That’s… weird, didn’t he have a family?” Luna asked.

“Nah, he lost them all in a big war. He is the last of his kind.”

“So he isn’t a human?” Luna asked, becoming more confused by the description of the second best show ever.

“Nope, just looks like one.”

They stopped their conversation when they came to the door of Sugarcube Corner. “Good they are still up,” Luna said.

“Not that being asleep would stop me,” Dan said. Luna shot him a glare, “What?”

Luna knocked on the door to be greeted by Pinkie Pie. She looked like a completely different mare, with her mane deflated and bags under her eyes. The downtrodden Pinkie looked up to Luna then to Dan. *LONG GASP* “OhmygoshDanhowareyou?!?” Pinkie asked excitedly as the color and poof filled her mane.

“I’m fine, Pinkie,” Dan said with a chuckle.

Pinkie looked to Dan’s left and flashed a curt smile before bowing deeply, “Oh, I’m sorry Princess Luna.”

‘Perhaps she’s still a little unadjusted to the new Luna,’ Dan thought.

“That’s quite alright, rise,” Luna said.

Pinkie got up from the floor before smiling ear to ear again. A smile like that shouldn’t even be possible! “What are you two doing here so super-duper late?” Pinkie asked with a confused smile. Don’t ask me how you can make a smile look confused; just chock it up to Pinkie being Pinkie.

Dan again looked to Luna, who shook her head. Their unspoken system of deciding who would break the news could prove useful, depending on who they were talking to. If Dan broke the news too bluntly to certain ponies then their reaction might be a bit… extreme; Pinkie was one of these cases.

“Well,” Luna began. “There has been some trouble in Canterlot.”

Pinkie’s poofy pink mane instantly deflated, “Oh no! What kind of trouble?” She asked.

“Well, Aidan needs our help,” Luna said, trying to make it seem like nothing was wrong.

“Aidan? What happened?” Pinkie asked, looking more and more depressed by the second.

“Nothing bad, he just… well,” Luna started before looking to Dan who had a smirk and an eyebrow cocked. Luna returned a nod, telling Dan that he could tell the news.

“Aidan’s in prison, doesn’t deserve it, needs our help, we need to get supporters, we’re gonna protest,” Dan said, flashing a smile to Luna.

Pinkie’s gray, flat mane instantly recolored and inflated itself. How she can do that still eludes everypony. “Well why didn’t you just say so silly?” Pinkie said giggling. “I can get everypony in town!”

“Thanks, Pinkie,” Dan said showing a genuine smile, not one of sarcasm. “They need to be in Canterlot by tomorrow morning.”

“Okey dokey lokey,” Pinkie said bouncing away happily.

The duo followed her out the door, “To Fluttershy’s?” Luna asked.

“Lead the way, m’lady,” Dan said waving a hand.

“Why, thank you kind sir,” Luna said, mimicking Dan’s mock manners.

After a short walk they arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage. Luna walked forward and knocked on the door. After a few short seconds, Rarity answered the door. “Oh, Dan, Luna whatever are you doing here at this hour? Please come in!” She said, letting the duo inside the cottage.

“Thanks, Rarity. Actually, we’re here on official business,” Dan started.

“Oh? What kind of official business?” Rarity asked getting up from her bow. “Is there something wrong?”

“Yes, im afraid,” Luna said. “You see, Aidan has been falsely accused and is now in prison. We are gathering supporters to show my sister that Aidan isn’t guilty and that he can be released.”

“What? Celestia is keeping him in there? After all he’s done for us?” Rarity asked.

“Yep,” Dan said with his arms crossed.

Fluttershy who walked in from the kitchen asked, “What was he convicted of?”

The unusually bold mare surprised Dan, “Well. When he was being controlled by Prophet, there were killings in the gryphon kingdoms. Celestia thinks it’d be better if he was kept in prison until the public sees him as a member of society,” He said. “That’s what we are here for: to gather supporters and show her that Aidan can be trusted.”

“Is Prophet really gone?” Fluttershy asked.

“From Aidan, yes. From Equestria, no,” Luna answered.

“We’d be happy to help Princess!” Rarity said, with an affirmative not from Fluttershy.

“Thanks, just meet us in Canterlot tomorrow morning,” Dan said, the idea of Prophet being the falsely accused victim plaguing his mind. Dan didn’t want to believe that Prophet had changed, and wasn’t one for mercy in this scenario, but it was out of his hands now. Aidan was headstrong that Prophet had changed, and if that’s what Aidan truly believes then Dan wouldn’t doubt him, although instincts will.

The human and alicorn left the cottage and started heading for Sweet Apple Acres. “That’s four down, two to go,” Dan said as they walked. Fluttershy’s cottage was relatively close to Sweet Apple Acres, about a two to three minute walk.

The walked in silence to the farm. Dan didn’t want to talk about anything with the bigger questions at hand distracting him. Questions such as: Is prophet really good? Can he be trusted? Can Aidan? Will this work? And possibly the biggest yet, is Celestia still on their side? These and many more continued to occupy Dan as he and Luna walked along the moonlit path.

“Hey,” Dan started. Luna looked to him, “Do you think Celestia still trusts us?”

“What? Why wouldn’t she?” Luna asked.

Dan let out a long sigh, scratching the back of his head. “Well, if she did trust us, then we wouldn’t be doing this right now. Aidan would be here with us, right now!”

“I’m sure she has her reasons,” Luna replied.

“That’s just it. I’m scared that she might be a little… changed,” Dan said.

“What do you mean?”

“Think of it. Ever since Prophet was discovered she’s been a little disconnected, more so than usual. I don’t have to be her sister to know that something is wrong.”

“Y- You,” Luna said in anger, but struggling to find the words. “You’re right,” She said as her face fell. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her. She just seems so… different. Whatever Prophet did so long ago, she hasn’t forgotten.”

Dan thought to himself. “Time for an explanation, Luna. Prophet isn’t all bad,” Dan said. The look he gained In return showed him all the confusion in Luna’s mind. “Yeah, he isn’t. Turns out he did it all to stop a plague. Same thing as before. Apparently there was some plague in the gryphon kingdoms that needed to be purged and there wasn’t time for medical help, and it resurfaced recently. That’s why Prophet used Aidan to kill them.”

“How do you know all this?” Luna asked in disbelief.

“Aidan told me, the REAL Aidan,” Dan replied.

“The plague…” Luna shuddered but then didn’t say a word, just kept walking.

“Luna…” Dan started.

“Dan, don’t.” she said, now visibly angry.

“Luna, there’s a reason I’m telling you this. A question that I want answered above all that. Just hear me out okay?” Dan asked.

Luna didn’t say anything, but slightly nodded.

“If all he was doing was trying to stop the plague, then why hasn’t Celestia told any of us yet?” He asked.

Luna looked down as she stopped walking, “I don’t know…”

Dan walked in front of her so they were eye to eye, “Do you think that’s why she is different?”

Tears welled in her eyes, “But Dan, then that means…” She choked out before hugging Dan and burying her face into his shoulder.

‘Nice job, Dan, ya made her cry,’ Dan thought to himself.

“Don’t worry, Luna. We’ll figure this out. It’ll all be okay,” Dan said as he started stroking her mane.

“But, Dan, if Prophet is actually good, and my sister is… then why did he go against her the first time?” Luna asked through teary eyes and sobs.

Dan knew the possibilities of what all these questions meant, but hearing Luna, Celestia’s sister, doubt her, then all those possibilities sounded a little more possible. “We’ll find out later. Come on, let’s go get the others,” Dan said with the best gentle voice he could muster.

His failed attempt made Luna giggle, “You sound stupid,” She said with a teary smile.

“Hey!” Dan said in mock offense. Luna’s face dropped again, “You ok?”

“It’s just… Do you trust Aidan?” Luna asked.

“Of course,” Dan replied.

“How much?”

“With my life. Is there something wrong? Do you not trust him?”

“No, it’s not that, it just… Well, Prophet could have told him anything, do you really believe him?” Luna asked, the tears had stopped falling.

“Yes.”

“Then I do, too,” Luna said with a smile.

The realization that Luna trusted Dan this much made him happy, but at the same time was odd. She had only just met Dan, but now completely trusts him.

The two walked up the moonlit path to the farmhouse and knocked on the door. Luckily, the lights were still on here, too. Dan wondered why all the ponies were up this late, but he figured that normal for a farmer.

Big Macintosh opened the door before seeing Luna and dropping to a low bow.

“Hey, Bic Mac,” Dan said.

He returned a nod.

“Is AJ here?” Dan asked.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac replied, but didn’t move from the door.

“Can we see her?” Dan asked.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac replied before walking away to fetch his sister.

“Well that was awkward…” Dan said, not knowing what to make of the meet.

Before long Applejack walked out to meet them, “Oh, Princess, Dan, what are y’all doing here so late?”

“Hey, AJ, official business,” Dan said.

Luna was still a bit sore from their more serious talk and therefore didn’t talk.

Applejack, being the caring mare that she is, instantly noticed the distress is the Princess. “Luna, is something wrong?”

Luna looked down. ‘Damn this must be hitting her harder than I thought,’ Dan thought.

“Yes actually,” Dan interjected. “Aidan’s locked up.”

“Wha? What fer?” Applejack asked.

“For Prophet controlling him and doing what he did to the gryphons,” Dan replied. “Aidan didn’t do that, Prophet did, and now Celestia is holding him in prison because of it.”

“Well, that aint fair!” Applejack said. Dan was glad he could rely on the ponies to help him. “What are we gonna do?”

“First off, we need to gather supporters. Get anypony that will help and meet us in Canterlot tomorrow morning,” Dan said.

“Will do,” Applejack said with a look of determination.

“Thanks, AJ,” Dan said as he and Luna began to walk away.

Dan and Luna began the walk back to the carriage. The silence was deafening. Luna didn’t even look at him the whole way back. With every second he worried more and more about Luna, he had never seen the Princess like this.

When they got in the carriage Luna looked away from Dan, “Luna…” He began.

“Dan,” Luna interrupted. “If Celestia is doing something bad, what are we going to do?”

The bluntness of the question took Dan off guard. “What?”

“If she is bad, then what will we do? She –is- the most powerful pony in Equestria,” Luna said, her words sounding more and more forlorn as she spoke.

“Hey, don’t worry about that,” Dan said. “Luna, as long as I am here, I won’t let anything happen to you, or Equestria.”

“Another empty promise… You know, Aidan promised, too, and look where he ended up,” Luna said, looking completely hopeless.

“Luna, if he promised, then his stubborn ass will take it to the grave if he has to…” Dan said coldly, with every shred of sympathy gone. This wasn’t a voice of pity, mercy, or hope, it was the voice of truth. “Listen, Luna, we will fix this. We’ll do everything we can to make things right again,” Dan said wrapping an arm around Luna’s shoulders.

She closed her eyes and just sat there, “Thank you, Dan.”