New Moon (My Little Pony)

24 Lies and Deceit (3/3)

In the garden, the mothers decided to place their foals in the middle and allow them to greet each other. Well, all but Nebula, who was wrapped in Pear's hooves.

Shining anxiously looked toward Limestone, but the filly glared at him and scared him into Little Mac's hooves, who tried to rub his forehead to stop him from crying.

Blueblood and Artemis appear uninterested in the others as Blueblood attempted to return to Beryl. His mother constantly pushed him back to the group and courteously urged him to make some friends.

Artemis's attention was caught by a butterfly that fluttered about around the picnic. He turned about following its trail as his body nearly teetered to the ground from his erratic movement.

Nebula silently observed Artemis, getting anxious when he nearly falls over. Her eyes briefly shift to Limestone. She swore if that brat makes her Luna cry, she will fare a far worse pain than her Princess.

The butterfly flutters off away from their picnic blanket as Artemis widened at the disappearing from his sight. He kicked off as he rushed out of the picnic to chase after the butterfly.

"Artemis," Pear voiced as her grip loosed from Nebula. The filly immediately soars to the air and follows behind her brother. "Oh, not you too." Pear trailed behind the two foals.

The butterfly landed upon a large flower that had such massive petals that it could be mistaken for an exotic venus-fly trap. Artemis crept close to the butterfly and awed at its blue wings.

Nebula descended beside Artemis, "What are you doing Luna? We need to go back."

Artemis pointed at the butterfly, but then it flew off when his hoof drew near it. Artemis attempted to run after it, but then Nebula grabbed his hoof. "It's just an insect Luna, it bears no importance."

Artemis voiced his opposition to Nebula as he tried to pull his hoof away from his sister. "Stop fighting with me Luna," Nebula urged. "You're going to get us in trouble with mo-" Nebula pulled her hoof away from Artemis to clamp her mouth shut. She faltered at the gaffe she was about to make, not realizing the large flower her flank bumped upon. At the touch, Nebula flipped towards it as the flower unbudded right before her and shot its spores squarely upon her face.

Nebula let out a series of coughs as she aimlessly swatted looming spores away from her. Her vision began to blur and her face started to feel numb all of a sudden. The next thing she realized was that her head was resting upon the walkway after an alarmed Pear Butter rushed her way.

"Luna..."