Chapter 2

Moondancer

Minuette, Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts led Twilight, Neo and Spike to Moondancer's residence, which was a ramshackle Canterlot cottage.

Twilight knocked on the door. The door creaked, it slowly opened and a unicorn answered the door. The unicorn had a yellowish colored coat and a red mane with a purple strip going down the middle, she looked very similar to Twilight, except she wore glasses and a black sweater.

"Moondancer?" asked Twilight.

The unicorn just glared at them and said, "What do you want? I'm trying to study."

"It's us, your old friends," said Twilight.

The unicorn grunted and rudely slammed the door in her face.

Minuette nervously chuckled and said, "That's old Moondancer, all right. She always did like her books. Hey! Kinda like you used to be, huh?"

Twilight sighed and said, "Exactly how I used to be."

"She used to be a friend of yours?" asked Neo.

"She was," Twilight replied.

"She's kind of bitchy," said Neo.

The ponies gasped at his language.

Twilight just sighed and said, "Sadly, I used to be like that too."

For the next several days, Twilight, Minuette, Neo and Spike followed Moondancer around and spied on her. As they spied on her, they noticed that Moondancer never interacts with other ponies.

Come on, Twilight!" Spike said in an annoyed voice. "We've been watching her for three days! Library, house, library, house. That's it!"

"Nopony looks at her or says hello or even gives her a smile," said Twilight. "It's like she doesn't even exist. Was she always like this?"

"Well, she always was a little shy," said Minuette. "But for a while there, she was really starting to come out of her shell. Remember when she threw that party? Oh, right. I think you might've been busy that day."

Twilight had a flashback of Twinkleshine asking Twilight if she was going to come to Moondancer's party and she couldn't because she had too much studying to do.

"Thought she finally might be letting her guard down a little with that party," said Minuette. "We invited her out a few times after that. But she was always too busy studying. So, eventually, we just stopped asking."

"I had no idea that party was so important to her," Twilight said in a sad voice. "I've gotta find a way to make it up to her!"

"How are we gonna do that," asked Neo. "We can't exactly go back in time."

"Don't worry Neo," said Twilight. "We'll think of something."

Twilight followed Moondancer into the Canterlot Library. Twilight tried to talk to her but she just ignored her and brushed her off. Then Twilight had an idea. She went outside to Neo and she transformed herself into a book, which intrigued Neo. Then Twilight told Neo to take her inside and place on the table where Moondancer was sitting.

Neo picked up Twilight in her book form and as he took her inside.

"Twilight, you're amazing," said Neo.

Twilight giggled and said, "Oh you flatter me."

Then Neo walked into the library very quietly. The other ponies there tried not to stare at him, they all knew who he was, but they just went on with their reading. Then Neo placed Twilight on the table where Moondancer had been and he walked out of the library.

When Moondancer came back to the table, she saw the book form of Twilight on the table. She opened the cover and saw Twilight's face.

"Sorry I missed your party," whispered Twilight.

Moondancer screamed, surprised that this book was Twilight. The other ponies in the library told her to be quiet.

Moondancer growled and whispered, "Why won't you leave me alone? I'm trying to study! You've got the wrong pony! I don't have parties!"

"You did once," said Twilight. "And I was so caught up in my own studying that I didn't take your feelings into account."

"Look Twilight Twinkle," said Moondancer.

"It's Twilight Sparkle," Twilight corrected her.

Moon Dancer got aggravated and said, "Whatever! I just need to be alone so I can study without some crazy pony trying to make friends, all right?!"

Twilight rolled her eyes and said, "Fine, fine."

Wait, how did you perform this book spell?" asked Moondancer.

Twilight turned back into herself and she and Moondancer talked for a few minutes.

Twilight told her how she did the book transformation spell.

"I've been studying a new studying technique. I can only do it for a few minutes, but you'd be amazed how much you can pick up when you're actually in a book!"

"It's one of Hayscartes' methods," said Moondancer.

"You know Hayscartes?"

"Of course! He's a genius!"

"I have a copy of his Treatise on Ponies, you know."

Then Twilight took Moondancer to the tower where she used to live. She looked around and said, "What is this place?"

"This is where I used to live," said Twilight. You mean, I never had you over?"

Moondancer picked up a book and said, "Wow! A first edition of Principles of Magic! Hey, didn't I give this to you? "

"Maybe?" said Twilight.

"I did!" said Moondancer. "Look, I even wrote something! "To my friend, Twilight Sparkle. Thanks for introducing me to the classics." I can see by the fact that you left it here that it meant a lot to you."

"Look," said Twilight. "I didn't bring you over here for even more poignant reminders of what a bad friend I was. I brought you here to give you this. You can come here whenever you want and study to your heart's content. "

"Really?"

"But first, you've gotta do something for me."

"What's that?"

"Have dinner with my old friends tonight and my new friend Neo."

Moondancer tried to get out of it and said, "I can't. I'm reorganizing my biology scrolls."

"I've been spending a lot of time with Minuette, Twinkleshine, and Lemon Hearts since I've been back. They really miss you."

Moondancer got aggravated and said, " Look! I already told you! The last thing I need is a bunch of ridiculous friend-making ponies keeping me from studying!"

"Moondancer, wait!" Twilight shouted, "A wise pony once taught me that there's more to life than dusty old books!"

"I tried friendship and it's just not for me. Now, if you'll excuse me... "

Twilight cut her off and said, "What if I taught you Hayscartes' method?"

With that, Moon Dancer agreed to having dinner with Twilight and her old friends.

Twilight, Moondancer, Neo, Spike and Twilight's old friends met at a restaurant in Canterlot.

When Twilight and Moondancer got there, Twilight introduced her to Neo. Moondancer knew who he was but she didn't seem very interested in him.

And so the friends sat at a table, they ate their food and talked to each other. But as they talked, Moondancer was getting very eager to leave, but Twilight kept trying to convince her to stay.

They talked some more, but eventually, Moondancer got really annoyed and she teleported away from them.

Twilight teleported to her and said, "Moondancer, you've gotta give friendship a chance."

"Dah!" Moondancer said angrily "I gave friendship a chance a long time ago! It didn't work out then – it isn't gonna work out now!" And she left the restaurant.

Neo went to Twilight and asked her if she was alright.

"I don't know, Neo," Twilight said in a sad tone. "I really messed this one up. That party was everything to her. I can only imagine what it must've felt like when I didn't show up."

Twilight had a memory of the party that Moondancer was having when she left Canterlot and how heartbroken she must have been when she didn't come to her party.

Then Twilight had an idea, "Neo, I know what I need to do. And I know just who can help me."

Twilight flew back to Ponyville and came back about an hour later with Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie had so much fun riding on Twilight. Minuette greeted them and she seemed to know Pinkie Pie.

Twilight asked her how she knew her and Pinkie Pie said, "Oh, sure! She was one of Cadance's bridesmaids! We hang out all the time when she's in Ponyville! Didn't you know that? Ha! And you call yourself the Princess of Friendship! Twilight briefed me on the way here. We'll need fifteen bags of confetti and as many hooves as we can get."

"Let's go!" said Minuette. "We can pass by the donut place on the way!"

"Come with me girls," said Twilight.

And they ran off to plan something special for Moondancer.

End of chapter 2.