Luna's Hero

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Luna wasn't exactly sure how long she had slept when she woke up to find that Danny was no longer lying down next to her. She shot up and looked around trying to find the little pony when she spotted his outline against the night sky at the entrance to the cave.

"Have you been awake long?" She asked coming up behind him. He jumped in surprise so hard that he hit his head on the ceiling.

"Oh Luna, you surprised me." He said as Luna giggle at his reaction. He had been so calm and collected during a time of emergency, but now he was more of a goof. He sighed in embarrassment. "No, I haven't been up that long. I was just looking at the moon and stars." He said looking back out.

Luna smiled a little also looking up at the night sky that she knew so well. She thought about the little pony and couldn't help but to ask. "What is your cutie mark supposed to be?"

Danny looked up at her confused. "My what?" He didn't have the slightest idea what a cutie mark was.

"You know, the symbol on your flank." Luna said giggling a little. 'Didn't he learn anything from his parents?... He does have parents... right?' The thought turned to one of horror. "When a pony finds out what their special talent is, then they get a mark relating to that talent called a cutie mark." She explained.

"Is that what this is called?" Danny said looking at the blackened rocket. "Well, I think it's a rocket."

"A what?" Luna said confused.

Danny looked a little horrified by the question. "A... a ship that is used to go into space." He said trying to find the right words. "The people that fly in them are called astronauts, and it was my dream as a child to be one." Danny said a look of pure longing on his face as he looked up at the moon. "I always wanted to go to the moon. I watched the night sky every night when I was young until my parents would find me and force me to go to sleep. Even when I got older I would still climb as high as I could trying to reach out for the moon." Luna was touched by the young pony's love for her night. She smiled gently down at him, But his smile faltered. "I had to give up my dream." He said a little sadly.

Luna was shocked. A pony giving up on their talent. "Why?" She asked knowing that it was rude but curiosity was getting the better of her.

Danny tried to keep up his smile. "Being an astronaut takes a lot of hard work and time. You have to pass all kinds of tests and show that you're the best." His head lowered from the sky. "I couldn't do it. I had to put all of my time and energy into helping others. I became a hero and protected everyone I could. But... I had to give up my own dream to do it."

'So that is why he is a forsaken. He gave up his dream... for the sake of others.' Luna thought sadly.

"Come on." Danny said standing up and grinning at her with his crystal blue eyes. "I think we've rested long enough." A ring as white as the light of the moon flashed over him and he was once again a midnight black Alicorn colt with a pearly white mane. "Do you know how to get to this, Ponyville?"
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Twilight Sparkle was reaching her breaking point, as were most of the adult unicorns in Ponyville. They had to keep up a constant barrier even stronger than the one that had been around Canterlot in order to keep themselves safe. Even with over a hundred unicorns contributing to the spell working in five sets of three-hour shifts it was still extremely tiring work. They didn't have any specialist guards like Twilight's brother Shining Armor, who could keep one up for months by themselves. With each dawn that never came without any change in sight, the ponies were starting to give into despair.

"Dear me Twilight, you really are letting yourself go." Rarity said to her friend. Rarity was one of the few who was still worried about their appearance during the dark time. "You really do need to come by my house sometime so we can clean you up."