Lunastice

[no_vampires_plz]

As Twilight leads the little foal down the path, the character of the woods around them changes. The trees are bigger, the brambles thicker, and the few plants that are still growing look considerably more... exotic than what one generally sees around Milliways. The most noticeable change, though, is in the weather. The thin layer of snow and frost on the ground is replaced by thick snowdrifts that crunch under their hooves, and the leaden sky of a Scottish winter gives way to a clear dark blue. The setting sun makes the snow gleam gold and pink as the trees thin out and give way to rolling hills.

"Alright. If anyone asks, your name is Sharp Tack and you're a friend of the family visiting from Canterlot."

Comments

[basic_powers]

There might be a small delighted noise coming from Tyler. It's hard to tell between the gleeface he's got going on and the music coming up from below...

At least until he tries joining in the song.

"Can't wait to see everyone
They'll all be here
Before too long we'll bring in
A brand new year.."

[always_the_moon]

By now they're low enough to attract some attention from the parade participants. The line is held up as several ponies stop in their tracks and gawk up at the sky.

Princess Luna leans out over the side of the chariot to wave at the ponies below.

"Season's greetings to thee, citizens of Ponyville!"

[basic_powers]

WhaHOOGIEjeez that's a big voice. Tyler's bag of goods catches on an edge of the chariot and with a faint tearing noise...

A few of the cookies, opals and money he had inside rain down onto the citizens below.

"...oops."

[nponyc]

There are a few yelps and whinnies as the spilled goodies land, but they're more of startlement than pain--the gems are too small, and the distance they fell too short, for them to hurt anypony.

After a moment, the shouts turn from surprise to joy.

"Gems! She's showering us with gems!"
"And treats!"
"Gifts from the Princess!"

[basic_powers]

...Tyler's just going to back away from the edge of the chariot and look up at Luna with a sort of startled guilty face.

[always_the_moon]

The Princess stares back at Tyler for a moment... then breaks into a broad grin. "What a splendid idea!" she says, then leans out over the side again.

"If gifts you desire, then gifts you shall receive!"

Her horn glows a pale blue, and hundreds of wrapped hard candies materialize, drifting down from the chariot like snowflakes.

(What, you thought she ate all the candy offered to her as tribute on Nightmare Night?)

[basic_powers]

"I got a jasper!" Calls one pony from below at unwrapping the hard candy. "And it tastes like coffee!"

Tyler's just peering out the chariot now at the ponies getting lightly showered with candy down below.

[nponyc]

"Mmm, the sapphires taste like raspberries!"

"And the amber is butterscotch!"

"Thank you, Princess Luna!"

A tiny brown-and-white spotted bounces up and down eagerly. "I told you she was my favorite Princess!" he cries enthusiastically (in what sounds like a Yorkshire accent).

[basic_powers]

Tyler just..okay there's not point in hiding the fact that he's giggling about all of this. And grabbing just one hard candy, an amethyst to suck on for himself as it drifts past.

"Happy Lunastice to all!"

[always_the_moon]

After a little while, Luna ceases the rain of candy and turns back to her passengers. "Dost thou wish to join the parade here?"

Twilight considers for a moment, then shrugs. "Sure, why not? You coming, Tyler?"

[basic_powers]

"Yeah just bit..." He's got to try and save what is left of his money bag after all.


...wait. There's a look at Twilight of 'oh crap'.

[no_vampires_plz]

Judging by her expression, Twilight realized her mistake at the same moment that Tyler did.

Luna, on the other hand, simply looks puzzled. "'Tyler'?" she echoes. "Is thy name not 'Sharp Tack'?"

[basic_powers]

"...it..kinda is and isn't." Tyler's wincing at this..thanks ever so for this...

"...'m not really a pony, either."

[always_the_moon]

...

Yeah, Luna's just gonna stare for a moment.

[basic_powers]

"..just wanted to join in the celebration tonight so...so I asked a friend to change me into one with magic for a few days..." May as well spill it out. "My real full name is Tyler Marlocke but...I couldn't go by that..not a pony around that uses that name."

[always_the_moon]

"Twilight Sparkle," says Luna, "didst thoug know this?"

"Yes..." Twilight is cringing back from Luna, wishing it were feasible to just teleport back home and avoid this conversation. "He's not from our world, either--did your sister tell you about the place I found called 'Milliways'?"

"No. She did not." The Princess nods to her charioteers, who pull the chariot higher into the sky so that they'll be out of earshot of the town below. "But We would very much like to hear of it."

[basic_powers]

At least Twilight has the option of teleporting. Tyler's not even sure if his little protective medallion would work in hiding him from this long talk.

"...can..uhm..can we talk about this after the festival?"

[always_the_moon]

Luna just gives the two of them a Look.

[basic_powers]

it's super effective, tinyhero is paralyzed!

...forget he even asked.

He's just going to shut up now.

[no_vampires_plz]

Twilight takes a deep breath and begins.

"Well, it all started when I got lost in the Everfree Forest a few months ago..."

[always_the_moon]

* * *

Several minutes of complicated explanation later, Luna frowns in bemusement. It's a lot to take in.

"So... Tyler, is it?... tell me something."

[basic_powers]

"Yes'm. ...what is it?"

...sure, he's not scared at all right now. Just that resigned 'I am in deep trouble' look.

[always_the_moon]

"Why," she says, "didst thou hide thy true nature from thy fellow beings?"

[basic_powers]

"...b...because people don't like me as I am...or or..." He's trying hard not to throw up on the words. "They either already think I'm something else, or they want me to be someone else back home."

[always_the_moon]

This stuns the Princess even more. "But... why would they do such a thing?"

"Human society doesn't work like ours, Princess," Twilight explains. "They don't have cutie marks, so they don't know what they're good at. A lot of them end up forced into a job or a life position they don't like, because it's what other humans expect of them or they feel like they don't have any other choices."