//------------------------------// // Cosmic Conversation // Story: Moondancer's misguided mission // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// Cosmic Conversation At first, everything around her was dark. She had no idea where she was, to say nothing of what she was doing. But then, a sound suddenly came out of the total darkness. "Greetings, young ones." A voice gently whispered in Moondancer's ear, as if it were a soft breeze on the wind. "We are so pleased you have arrived in this place, and we welcome all of you to our celestial domain." The unicorn mare opened her eyes slowly, a strange haze filling her vision. As things came into focus, Moondancer saw a beautiful garden spread out, filled with the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. Lilacs and Daffodils, Marigolds and Chrysanthemums... it was a sight that would have sent Poesy into euphoria. The whole place evoked warm and happy feelings in the mare she couldn't explain, like being wrapped in a warm blanket made out of pure bliss. everything around her seemed brighter- more alive- than anything she had ever before experienced. Farther off from where the mare lay, Moondancer saw Zigzag and Truly lying amidst the tulips, thier own eyes slowly beginning to open. ""W-where are we?" Zigzag asked, "What on earth is going on?" "Moondaincah, is thait y'all?" Truly asked, trying to shake the grogginess out of her head. "Who the heck of those ponies?" "Greetings, Moondancer of Dream Valley." A voice behind the unicorn, greeted the new arrival. "We have brought you and your companions here, to assist in your most terrible plight." Moondancer spun around, to face three magnificent ponies that stood before her. A unicorn, a Pegasus, and an earth mare- all glowing with an inner light that outshone the beauty around them. And at once, Zigzag bowed politely, immediately knowing who these three mysterious figures were. "Twinkler, Star Hopper, Star Dancer..." the zebra greeted them reverently. "...most esteemed Sparkle ponies, it is an honor." "The Spahkle Ponehs?" Truly asked, her eyes going wide. "But if theyah heah, thiat means weah in...." "-the friendship gardens." Moondancer replied, going pale even as she said it. "We're in the land of the dead." "Worry not, my little ponies, you are still amongst the living." Twinkler assured them. "We have drawn you here from the land of your dreams, to this place somewhere between sleep and awake." "We know of your problems with the hateful mare, Sun Shimmer." Star Hopper continued, shaking her glittering mane. "She seeks an undeserved revenge on Dream Valley, one that will leave your home as a frozen wasteland." "But whut cain we do?" Truly asked. "Her lies have warp ahll our friend's mahnds, an we cain't get through to em' anymoarh." "Your friends eyes have been clouded over by the ignorance of lies." Star Dancer replied. "You must open them again with the one force lies and deception cannot defeat- the truth." "But how, honored ones?" Zigzag pleaded. "How can we possibly get them to listen?" "The truth will always shine through the darkness of deception." Star Hopper continued. "Remember that the truth has always only helped Dream Valley, even when your herd would not face the truth about yourselves." "Wait, what do you mean 'the truth about ourselves'?" Moondancer asked, uncertain. "What can we not see?" "Your herd, like the rest of Ponyland, claims you scorn and detest friendship as weak." Twinkler responded. "Yet the family-like bond you each share with each other, such as with you and Applejack, are they not simply friendship under another name?" "Honorable Sphakle ponehs, we would nevah show the waekness of befrendin ah enemies!" Truly protested. "Thait was the weakness of th' Equestrians we look dawon upon!" "But you would forgive a foe who repented and aided you, would you not?" Star Dancer countered. "The truth is you would vanquish any threat to your families and love ones, but your hearts are not truly consumed by hate." "Forgive me for asking, great ones." Zigzag interrupted. "But what exactly does that have to do with the current problem?" "The point is, that it is the self deceptions in each pony's own heart that is allowing Sun Shimmer's spells to control them." Twinkler explained. "Only when they are forced to face the truth, will your friends be freed from their enchantment." "Much as this pony here faced the truth about the world he knew existing no longer." The sparkling unicorn lowered her horn, and the image of a ship lost in a storm appeared in a vision before them. Moondancer saw a young earth pony aboard the ship remove his shirt and jump overboard, swimming back towards the island the ship had come from. "This young sailor finally overcame his self-deception that he wished to leave hid new home, and realized that his happiness lay in the arms of a mare he was about to leave behind." "The point is, that making the ponies you love face the truth, will be the thing that brings them the truth." Star Hopper finished. "There is the answer you seek." Moondancer looked between her two friends, confused and honestly not knowing what to think. She had no idea why the mysterious mares had shown them that odd, seemingly unrelated vision, and she was left with more questions than answers. But being that they were dealing with divine pony spirits, the unicorn did the only thing she and her friends could do. "We thank you for your wisdom, great ones." Moondancer bowed, the other two following suit. "We shall contemplate the meaning of your words." And with that. the three ponies and the gardens around them vanished in the sea of swirling mists. ... "Sparkle Ponies!" Moodancer yelled allowed, as the three mares sat up in bed. Moondancer lit the room with her horn, and saw the other startled ponies were awake, as well. They all looked at each other in shock, unsure at first that what they had each just experienced had, in fact, actually happened. Burt the look they each saw on the other's faces confirmed that the vision of the sparkle ponies had been no mere vision. And they each began to silently wonder what they were going to do next. It was at that moment, that Gypsy suddenly burst through the door, and came galloping in the room. "Ladies I heard a noize!" The panicked mare exclaimed, a look of worry crossing her exhausted face. "Vhat ze hay iz goink on in here? Iz everyvon okay?" "Oh Gypsy, You just wouldn't believe" An exausted Moondacer replied, climbing out of bed and shaking her mane. "And oh boy, have we got a story to tell you..."