//------------------------------// // Heading to the Moon/The Pippsqueaks' Homesickness // Story: G5 Adventures in Space Buddies // by ponydog127 //------------------------------// Back in the main part of Fernfield, while the Vision One mission control team, the ponies, the Buddies and their new friends watched the RRSS explode into a million pieces, the Buddies' kids were on a different mission entirely... ...finding their pups and their missing friends. An entire day had passed, and no one had seen any sign of them since the day of the field trip, so Sam, Alice, Pete, Bartleby and Billy decided to go out with flashlights and search for them on their own. They split up and searched all over town, calling their names repeatedly, but to no avail. Once they had gotten back to Town Hall, where they originally met earlier, Alice looked toward her friends. “You guys find anything?” “Nope,” Bartleby shook his head. “Haven't seen hide nor fur of them.” “Don’t worry,” Sam reassured the others. “We’ll find them. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” The other kids seemed to agree with this before they all went their separate ways for the night-- after school tomorrow, they would keep searching. But they had no idea that the Buddies and their friends were currently on one of the most exciting adventures of their lives... one that took them right off the surface of planet Earth. XXXXXXXX Now that everypony was aboard the shuttle, they strapped themselves in and prepared themselves for their homecoming back on Earth. “Are you ready to go home, you guys?” Rosebud asked. “Oh, am I ever!” Hitch said. “I love being in space, but… this mission has been a little too much even for me.” However, Spudnick looked over at the screen in front of him and frowned in concern. “Everyone, we are not heading to Earth. The coordinates show we are going to the moon.” “I-I’m sorry,” Zipp said, raising a hoof. “Did you just say we’re going to the moon?!” “The ship is being controlled from Earth,” Spudnick confirmed. “Yes, it seems as though it is taking us to the moon.” “Oh my pony, I literally just had a brainwave!” Pipp exclaimed with an excited grin. “I can take some really good pictures on the moon’s surface to show to everypony back at the Moon Festival! That would make SUCH a breakthrough for my social media feed!” “Pipp, I think we might have a little bit more to worry about than your social media feed,” Sunny frowned. “Like… maybe the Pippsqueaks and how THEY might be taking this?” “What do you…?” Pipp looked over at her fans, and her spirits diminished when she saw how dejected they looked. “Oh… now I see it.” “The moon is even farther away from Equestria than summer camp!” Peach Fizz said with worry. “What if we never get home?” “Oh, girls, it’ll all be okay,” Misty comforted the Pippsqueaks. “Eventually, once we reach the moon, those piloting the ship will want the ship to return to Earth, and once that happens, we’ll be right here, waiting for the shuttle to land back in Fernfield, and we’ll be home free. At least… I hope.” The Pippsqueaks sighed and laid their heads down on the seats, hoping that Misty was right. XXXXXXXX Sam sat in his bed, looking at the moon and thinking about Buddha and the rest of the Buddies, along with their pony pals. Where were they? Did they run away? Were they in trouble? These questions and more were running through his mind at a rapid pace as his mom entered the room to tuck him in for a good night of sleep. “I'm sure Buddha and the other Buddies are out there on some wonderful adventure,” she said. “And I’m sure your friends are with them, and making sure they don’t get into trouble.” However, Sam still remained down and out. “I feel like he's a million miles away.” “I know, sweetie. We’ll find him,” his mother reassured. “Let’s get some sleep now.” And so, Sam's mother kissed his head before turning out the lights and leaving the room. Sam took one last look at the moon, sighing wistfully while thinking about Buddha for the final time that night. “Come home soon…” he whispered before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep. XXXXXXXX Back onboard the space shuttle, most everypony was asleep, even though they weren’t sure what time it was, trying to give themselves enough energy for what might be ahead. However, Rosebud looked over at the bull terrier that sat up front, not being able to sleep herself. “Spudnick? Are you awake?” “Yeah,” Spudnick nodded. “Night Star is too.” “What are you both thinking about?” Rosebud asked curiously. “I was thinking about my boy, Sasha,” Spudnick explained with a sad expression. “I hope he's still waiting for me.” “I’m sure he is, Spudnick.” That’s when the three turned to see the Pippsqueaks, who had been sleeping together for most the entire time, awake and looking over at them. “Sorry if we woke you, girls,” Night Star apologized. “No, it’s okay,” Glory dismissed. “We were already awake.” “Yeah,” Seashell nodded sadly. “We were… thinking about our parents.” “We’re… kinda scared about being so far from home,” Peach Fizz admitted. “I know that must make us look like big losers…” “No, it doesn’t make you three look like losers at all,” Rosebud told them. “Pipp would agree with me if she weren’t asleep. Just the fact that you had the courage to come on this Unity Quest with the ponies means you’re not losers-- you’re heroes, just like them.” “...I don’t feel like a hero,” Glory said with a sniffle. “I… I miss my dad…” Night Star frowned in concern before getting out of her seat and sitting with the Pippsqueaks. “I know you do, Glory. I miss all my old friends from Earth, too. And I know it can’t be easy to be without them, especially on such a big mission like this.” “I wish they were here,” Seashell murmured quietly. “That way, maybe they could tell us what to do…” “You know… the woman that raised me all that time ago told me a story that I think you three would like,” Night Star said with a smile. “A long time ago, in ancient Equestria, an alicorn by the name of Princess Luna raised the moon and protected ponies and guided them in their dreams. Though she has passed on for many moons now, some believe that her spirit still lingers in the night, looking out for ponies while they slept. I'm one of those firm believers, and I bet if you close your eyes, you'll feel her spirit around us too.” The Pippsqueaks looked at each other before shrugging-- it was always worth a shot. So, they closed their eyes for a few moments before feeling something they had not felt since they started this mission… comfort. Seashell was first to gasp. “I feel it, I feel it!” “Me too!” Glory agreed. “Her spirit is like my dad wrapping wings around me to make me feel safe!” “That’s the idea,” Night Star smiled. “Don’t worry… we’ll be home soon. But for right now, you three need to get some sleep-- we'll be at the moon sooner than you think, and if we want to explore the surface, we're going to need our rest.” The Pippsqueaks nodded at this before settling down in their chair and going off to sleep, their homesickness diminished for now. Once they explored the moon's surface, they would FINALLY be able to go back home to the loving hooves of their parents... ...and hopefully, no kind of disasters would occur before that point.