Rush alert! Don't be surprised that it's crappy!
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Gunner propped the final post of his tent up, pushing it down a ways into the ground and stepped back looking at his final product, and just before nightfall. The door of Twilight's home opened, and Spike the dragon stepped out, holding his stomach with one hand, a small bag with the other.
"The Princess… Wanted me to give this to you…" He huffed, placing the bag next to Gunner and walking back inside.
Light Haven poked her head out from the opening of the tent and giggled. "I call this tent!" She laughed. Gunner joined in the laugh and walked over, poking his head into the tent.
"Seems a bit big for you, doesn't it?" He asked looking about at how much room she had in the triangle shaped cloth tent.
"Not at all! I am the daughter of a Princess after all." Light Haven smiled, and Gunner smirked back.
"You don't expect me to crawl into that small one back there, do you?" He pointed out the opposite opening where a smaller version of the tent stood just barely a foot away. "Besides, out here there are a lot of dangers, it's not like up on top of Canterlot, you're lucky I made you one."
"Then can't I just stay out here for tonight?" She cried, giving the saddest expression forcefully possible.
"You can… But not in my tent." Gunner stated.
"B-but I need something to sleep with… I can't sleep without something soft to cuddle…" She sobbed. Gunner nodded and walked over to the bag Spike had dropped off, looking around at the contents.
A blanket, pillow, and note were all it contained. No plushy of any sort. "I'll be right back, Haven. I have a solution to your problem." Gunner called to Haven as he stepped inside of Twilight's home and grabbed his own bags and brought them outside. Light Haven trotted over as he dug around, pulling out a small animal toy. The small brown, black, and white spotted dog toy was taken gently from his teeth and snuggled by Haven.
"It's so cute! Where did you get it?" She asked. Gunner looked around for anyone within earshot, and was satisfied to see no one.
"Back when I was only a colt, the woman who took me in on my travels while in Stablestill gave me the toy. I was never able to sleep without it. I pull it out every now and then when I can't sleep at night still." Gunner smiled. "I think I can part with it for tonight." Light haven bounced up, giving Gunner a large hug, then sitting back down. He smirked and stated. "Don't think just because I gave you my toy I'll give you the only tent I fit in." He laughed.
"Fine. And thank you." Haven mumbled as she stood and strode to the smaller tent, toy clutched in her teeth and flapping her wings a bit.
"That was so cute." A soft, low voice said behind Gunner. He turned to see the shy yellow Pegasus from before.
"Glad to see you're finally talking to me." He said turning to her.
"You have such a way with kids! It's amazing!" She said excitedly. "How do you do it?"
"I'm just a kid at heart I guess." Gunner calmly stated. "It's not as amazing as your ability to befriend wild animals."
"Oh… Why thank you…" She nervously stated, hiding her eyes with the large lock of pink hair that hung forwards in front of her right eye.
"Is something wrong?" He asked, taking a small step forwards, and she took an equal step back.
"Nothing… I'm… Not one for being the center of attention." Fluttershy stated softly.
"I wasn't singling you out, miss. I was simply complimenting you on your amazing talent." Gunner stated, Fluttershy nodding lightly in response. "I never caught your name by the way." He stated. "If I may ask, what would it be?"
"Oh… I'm… I'm Fluttershy." She stated, hiding her eyes again. Gunner stuck a hoof out in a friendly gesture.
"Nice you meet you, Fluttershy. I'm Gunner." Fluttershy slowly reached out and touched his hoof, as he moved theirs up and down in a friendly hoof-shake.
"A pleasure…" She shyly stated as the door behind Gunner opened and Rarity stumbled out. "Rarity, you're up!" Fluttershy softly exclaimed as she walked over to her stumbling friend.
"Oh, hello there darling." Rarity stated as she straightened herself out. "Would you mind telling me what that ruffian did to me? THERE HE IS! WHAT DID YOU DO!" She exclaimed pointing at Gunner.
"I have no idea what you are talking about Rarity." Gunner stated calmly. "If you're talking about why you were knocked out, the evidence is still in your hair. A porcelain vase fell on your head and broke when the tree fell."
"A tree fell? And what about my… MY HAIR!" Rarity yelled once more as she ran a hoof through her long purple locks and they emerged covered in blue painted porcelain dust. "Ohhhh my beautiful beautiful hair!"
"It doesn't look all that bad." Fluttershy stated. "If you replaced the dust with hair dye it would give you nice looking blue highlights."
Rarity stepped over to a window and looked at her reflection, gasping. "My hair is a complete and utter mess! But otherwise you are right Fluttershy, nice call." Fluttershy smiled and nodded. "I need to bathe, if you need me I'll be at my home." Rarity stated starting to walk towards her house, and was stopped by Gunner.
"I don't recommend that… Remember that tree I mentioned that fell?" He stated.
"A TREE HIT MY HOUSE?" Rarity yelled as she dashed towards her home.
"Well, saw that coming." Gunner said to himself. "So where were you going?"
"I was going to go say goodnight to one of the animal friends I haven't seen in a while. I'm hoping he is still around." The yellow Pegasus stated continuing her walk down the now dark street.
For someone so shy and afraid, she sure isn't frightened of walking around at night. Gunner thought to himself as he trotted over to his tent, looking over at Haven's to see her fast sleep wrapped up in her blanket, Gunner's toy clutched tightly in her arms. (Would you call them arms?) Gunner laid himself upon the thin blanket that covered the grass underneath his tent, and pulled one of the blankets he had bought himself on his travels over himself. The fluffy, large and colorful blanket with a pattern of rectangles and squares stitched into the silky fabric reminded him of his former home. He could feel the gentle touch of his 'mothers' lips upon his snout as he closed his eyes trying to sleep.
Luna stepped off from her dark and gloomy carriage and looked back at her devilish looking guards. "Come for me in exactly 2 hours, this should not take long." She said calmly as they flew off, Twilight bowing as a greeting.
"Nice to see you again, Princess Luna." Twilight stated.
"The feeling is shared, Twilight Sparkle. And hello to you too Rainbow Dash."
"What's going on, P.L.?" Rainbow Dash waved as she floated around in a circle.
"I'm sure you got something clever planned as a practical joke against me, am I not mistaken?" Luna laughed and Rainbow nodded.
"Sure do! Thought it up on the way here." Rainbow Dash stated confidently and landed, looking at her hoof as to look impressed of her deed, smiling devilishly.
"So, shall we get started, Miss Twilight?"
"Certainly Luna!" Twilight said turning and motioning them to follow her down the dirt path. When Ponyville came within view through the trees she pointed towards an open field with a small gently rising hill in the direct middle of the field, a large pile of lumber atop it. "That is where the festival is being held this year, as you can see their already building most of the major stands and the center stage. I was hoping for you to come in from the direction of the moon, which I have mapped out for future reference. Add a bit of lightning effects and a cloudy day and it'll be perfect!"
"All well and good, but what about a bit of fog?" proposed Luna.
"Perfect! That would make a perfect fear factor to add before you actually teleport in! But what about a speech? Something to rattle everyone up."
"I shall think of something. What about decorations? So that I may use it to my advantage."
"Certainly. Over here there will be…"
An hour later, and the tour of the festival area was over. Rainbow Dash flew off saying she was going to talk to Wild Gunner before she went to bed. Luna seemed distant all of a sudden.
"What is wrong, Luna?" Twilight asked as they walked down a barely lit empty street.
"Nothing is wrong. The decorations are perfect for my use, the plans are set, I have my spooky speech ready, but… You're friend Rainbow Dash mentioned an old friend of mine… I wish to apologize to him… For things I have done in the past…" Luna trailed off. Twilight nodded.
"Follow me, he should be at my place." Twilight lead her the short way to her house, but sadly Gunner was nowhere to be seen.
"Light Haven is here? Why has my sister given her to you?" Luna questioned looking over at the small tent, the white alicorn sound asleep.
"Keep it a secret!" Twilight Sparkle retorted. "Princess Celestia is letting her stay with me for a short time. Says she needed to get out more."
"I see… Our ancient parents did the same with me and my sister." Luna stated. "But where is Gunner? Is he not supposed to be here?"
"I think he might be back here." Twilight stated walking around to the back of her house, where Rainbow Dash and Gunner sat looking up towards the stars.
"So we have a deal?" Rainbow Dash stated after a moment of silence.
"Deal." The two tapped hooves and Rainbow Dash floated in front of him.
"See ya when I see ya, dude!" She flew off towards Cloudcity off in the distance. Twilight walked up to Gunner, who continued to stare blankly at the sky.
"What were you two talking about?" She asked.
"Something we're going to do for Nightmare Night. What's up with you?" Gunner stated as Twilight motioned someone over. Luna stuck her head out from behind Twilight's house, and Gunner pounced to his feet.
"Nightmare Moon!" He yelled, his hooves glowing with pure focus of magic in his rage."
Twilight jumped in front of him. "No! She's changed Gunner! She's come to apologize!"
"And how can I trust her?" Gunner stated as he stepped to the side, ready to fight Luna at any moment.
"She came with me to apologize to you, she wants to fix what she has done in the past." Twilight said as she placed a reassuring hoof onto his shoulder. Gunner lowered his head in thought.
"Fine… I'll give her one chance."
"Thank you for understanding… I'll give you two a bit of privacy." Twilight walked back around her house as Luna approached Gunner, a small smile spanning across her cheeks.
"It has been a while." She stated. Gunner sat silent, a blank expression was all the emotion being shown. "Listen, I've never really apologized to someone before like this… Please, at least make this less awkward."
"I honestly have nothing to say…" Gunner calmly stated. Luna sat next to him. Her head sagged a bit, overcome with guilt.
"I'm sorry about what I did. I was not myself then. I did not mean to force you to join me… I was not in control of myself…" Luna sadly stated.
"I understand that… It's what you did after that I'm angry about."
"The town? Of course I'm sorry about that! Again, I wasn't myself. I did not mean to do such a thing to so many innocent ponies… Please, I'm Princess Luna once more, not Nightmare Moon. Please accept the new me."
"I shall, but I can't help but expect something to happen. I will not go beyond acquaintances with you." Gunner stated. A small smile of accomplishment scrolling across Luna's muzzle.
"At least I have gotten us away from being enemies. That is all I wished." Luna said, looking towards the horizon, where a large field ended by a forest lay. "So… That Rainbow Dash… What do you think of her?"
"She's a cool pony. The rest are real nice so far."
"Are you interested in any of them?"
"That's a personal question."
"I did not mean to intrude."
"Then you shouldn't have asked."
"Why do you have such a harsh attitude?"
"Cause I'm still trying to get over what you did."
"I thought we were over that."
"Not that easy."
Luna stood, pushing her head into his, almost knocking him over. He turned his head and their noses touched, both starring into their eyes angrily. "I have changed, but I can see you have not. Thou are still the most stubborn pony I know." She stated.
"I can't say that I'm not. I know I am. At least I don't destroy towns."
"Drop that already!"
"Do you know how hard it is to forget something like that?"
"I do, but at least I can move on!"
"I've been trying to, I wanted to go home and live a normal life, but now I'm stuck here in Equestria where I can't live a normal life because I'm different! I'm forced to wonder and sulk on the past! I Can't settle down without someone shunning me, or mocking me. I can't even get a job!"
"And how do you think I feel? I destroyed cities and towns, almost killed my older sister all because I couldn't handle my responsibility and let anger consume me. I cannot return to my once fulfilling duty of princess because of my ignorance and rashness! I'm forced to live farther away from my home then just the moon. I'm living off of the land on the other side of this planet we now stand on. Do you know how I feel because of that? Art thou telling me that you have felt such pain?"
"Honestly…" Gunner looked down at his hooves, a look of sadness overcoming his expression. "I don't know how you feel… I'm sorry, for miss judging you."
Luna took a step back, lowering her extend wings and sighing, looking down upon the dark coated pony in front of her. She stepped back up to him, kneeling down and embracing him. "Apology accepted."
"Selene… Please forgive my harshness." Gunner trailed off. The name alone caught Luna off guard.
"It… has been so long since someone who has used that name for me. My sister used to call me that a lot."
"I know."
"How do you… ?"
"Don't ask."
"I won't… But… It was nice to finally become friends." Luna paused for a second and then stood, taking a few steps away. "It was nice seeing you again." She turned and walked around to the front of the house where Twilight lay on the steps.
"How'd it go?" She asked, lifting her head up from her resting position.
"Better than I had hoped, I just wish he wasn't so stubborn about everything." Complained Luna as she continued her walk. "I shall be returning to my carriage now. It was nice seeing you again Twilight Sparkle, enjoy your sleep." She finished walking away with a wave from Twilight.
Gunner slipped himself into his tent, throwing the thick blanket over him and sighing. Twilight walked over and nudged him a bit, and he turned over.
"Yes?" He said blankly and calmly.
"Everything with you and her straightened out?"
"You can say that." Gunner pushed the blanket farther up his neck and readjusted. "I don't want to talk about her all that much."
"I know, I just wanted to make sure… I'll wake you up tomorrow, it's mine and the girls group breakfast day, I was hoping you could join us." Twilight turned and started to walk back to her house. "Night Gunner."
"See you in the morning Twilight."
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Another one bits the dust.
I'm starting to grow on this series, I might start putting more effort into it later on, cause as you can see I'm mostly bullshitting it as I go.
If you guys would like to (though no one has reviewed this story yet) tell me if you guys want this to become an actual story, cause I've been thinking of a story arc to use.
Hope you enjoyed!
