New Moon (My Little Pony)

22 Mother Moon 6 (1/3)

Bud had always imagined coming to this place one day. Many ponies had described it to be a majestic sight to behold. The ancient stones of its constructs appeared smooth and enchanting despite its old age. An eternal beauty as they described. As eternal as its ruler.

Bud should feel joyous to finally stand before the place she always wanted to visit as a foal. She had hoped for this opportunity for at least once in her lifetime.

But things are different now. What with her last conversation with the Princess, she was plagued with a mixture of curiosity and dread of why the Princess invited her here for.

"Sis," Bud snapped from her anxious thoughts. She turned her sights from the gates of Canterlot castle and faced her proclaimed sister, Pear Butter. Pear held her son, Little Mac, with a hoof. Bud was surprised to come across Pear on her way to the castle. Apparently, she also received a letter from the Princess. "You doing okay?."

Pear had explained that she received a letter from a Pegasus guard, similar to Bud, during her daily bucking for apples. She was exhilarated for the chance to spend time with the Princess, though she was saddened that only she and her son would be the only ones permitted to come.

"I'm fine," Bud responded to Pear. "I just thought this would've been more exciting for me."

"Well it hasn't started yet," Pear said. "Who's to say you might change your tune."

"Maybe," Bud sighed and glanced into her stroller. Artemis was fast asleep in the stroller while Nebula wrapped her wings around him to provide more warmth. The little colt has become more bombastic the more days have passed. It's nearly impossible to keep him in place due to his love to dart around the area and play with every creature within his sight. The only moment of peace Bud could find is when he finally tuckers himself out or when he has a pineapple dangling over his head.

"What food do you think they serve at the castle," Pear wondered. "Probably something really fancy and expensive."

"I think that's a given. This is the castle of our Princess."

"Well I sure hope the Princess likes what I spruced up for the picnic," Pear briefly glanced at the basket that was holstered to her back

"You and me both." Bud agreed. The two were unsure if they were required to bring their own share of dishes for the event, but going by their past experiences, they assumed it would be best to take precautions.

Bud cooked a basket full of honey-roasted salad with the greeneries that her mother would always serve her back in her younger days. She was thankful that Chiffon and Hope helped her in her endeavor to cook it all in one night. It was rather inconvenient that this picnic would take place the day after the festival in Manhattan.

Pear made a dozen of Granny Smith's well-beloved apple pies to share with the Princess. It is rumored that their Princess is infamous to have a monstrous sweet tooth. Bud guessed that Pear is interested to know if the stories are true.

"Hey," Pear said. "If she brought the two of us, think there might be some other ponies involved?"

"Like whom?"

"Ah," a voice startled Bud and Pear. "Then thou art also guests of the Princess." Behind them was a gray mare that had a baby filly strapped to her back. The little filly glared at the two, befuddling the both of them.

"I'm guessing you're a part of the picnic too, right?" Pear asked.

"Yes," the gray mare confirmed. "That is right."

"Well, the more the merrier I say." Pear stated and held a hoof toward the gray mare. "Name's Pear Butter, and then is my sis, Loving Bud. It's nice to meet ya."

"Cloudy Quartz," the mare answered and bumped Pear's hoof. "Tell me, dost thou perhaps know the purpose of this festivity?"

"Afraid not," Pear answered. "Both of us were tossed a letter without reason. Still exciting though, right?"

"Regardless, I see no reason to dismiss a call from the Princess."

"Excuse me," the mares turned their attention to a royal guard that has approached them from the castle. "But is there a reason that the three of you are standing here?"
"Oh...Well," Bud couldn't find the right words to say.

"The three of us were invited by our Princess for a picnic," Cloudy Quartz answered. "If thou is generous, could you perhaps guide us to thy Princess's whereabouts?"

"Oh yes," the royal guard said. "The Princess did mention that she would be absent from the throne for that. Do each of you have the letter as proof?" Each of them presented their personal invitation letter to the guard and he nodded in confirmation. "Follow me then. The Princess is currently at the castle's garden.

Bud gazed in astonishment of the portraits she passed through in the halls of the castle. The stained-glass windows of wondrous images of the past of Celestia's feats and the deeds of other ponies that have long passed. All were an impressive sight, except for one.

A dark figure loomed over the lands within a portrait. Its eyes appeared vicious under the moon as it glared at the Princess of Equestria beneath it. Those eyes were so familiar to her, bringing her new sense of dread and sadness. "Nebula..."

"What do you want now?" She heard her daughter speak.

"N-nothing," Bud quickly said. She would prefer not to let her daughter see this image and spark any more hatred that she has already.

"Is that Nightmare Moon?" Bud perked at the voice of her sis who was observing the stained-glass portrait.

"I believe so," Cloudy Quartz said. "However, I hath always presumed her to be a foal's tale."

"Yeah. It does sound hard to believe that there was a creature so bent to cast an eternal night upon the lands, isn't it?"

Bud kept her gaze upon Nebula, ensuring that she doesn't overreact to their words. Her daughter perked at the two mares' conversation, but her eyes did not leave her sleeping brother.

"I honestly find its endeavor to be pitiful," Cloudy Quartz commented. "A land consumed by only the night is destined to shrivel without nurture from the sunlight."

"I kind of wondered about that back when I was a filly," Pear said. "I once thought the moonlight could do the same thing. I read from a book that the moonlight is basically the moon reflecting light from the sun. I came to think that there wasn't much of a difference between the two, but then Papa Pear told me otherwise. He said that the moon does not provide enough nutrients as compared to the sun. A different rate in photosynthesis was what he was arguing. Kind of the first time I ever heard him say something so sciency."

"In the end, it was a plan that was inevitable to fail. Unless it intended to kill us all."

"That's a really dark thought," Pear said. "I sure hope that wasn't its intention else I'll have to thank the stars that she's no longer here."

"..." Nebula's eyes gleamed menacingly out of the stroller, but Bud persisted to stare at her daughter.

"Don't," was all Bud said to her and the filly resigned to burying her face upon Artemis's neck. This was the last thing Bud needed right now. Who knows how Nebula will react when she is confronted by the Princess? Can she really hope for Nebula to hold back her fangs? ...No, definitely not.