How Moonstruck Got Her Groove Back

Finite Sledgehammer

Disclaimer: Hasbro's toybox, I'm just playing in it.

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Chapter 2

Time seemed to slide by very slowly, as of late. Although winter wrap up was over and done only a few weeks prior, it seemed ages since the weather ponies had moved in some warmer air, and started directing some of the naturally occurring storms away from the island chain. The days were pleasant, the nights were mild, the rain was being tapered off, and one day oozed placidly into another, making it increasingly hard to tell how much time had actually passed.

About the only way Moonstruck kept track of things was by Saturdays. Her best friends both had Saturdays off, so that was their goof-off day. The rest of the week was something of a blur, but Saturday? Saturday had card games, and hunts for new bakeries they hadn't tried, and sometimes trips up the coastline to their favorite beaches, if the weather was agreeable. This particular Saturday was quite pleasant, but they were content to spend it in Trot City huddled around a worn but well cared for table in their favorite saloon.

"Aces and eights," Moonstruck grinned, dropping her cards on the table. "Read 'em and weep!"

"Oh sonnova..." her opponent, a grizzled stallion flung his cards on the table. He had a pair of tens. "You cheated!"

"I never cheat, it would tarnish my good name." Moonstruck sniffed haughtily, then grinned mischievously, using her magic to lift the pile of chips at the center of the table and arrange them into neat stacks next to her.

"There's no way you could have won that! I'm the best dang card player this side of Equestria! Even I don't just win six hands in a row like that!" He huffed, standing up and stamping a hoof.

Moonstruck gave him an exasperated look. "What would I gain from cheating? This is all for charity. No matter who wins, the money goes into the donation fund. It's…."

"The library." The earth pony to her right – Heather Patch – supplied helpfully.

"Right, the library this week. Last week it was the animal shelter."

"Next week it's the farm school." Patch added.

"Besides, I have money in the pot too, you know. It's two bits for three hands, and I always match funds."

The stallion ground his teeth together. "So this is all a publicity stunt! A scam to get people to spend their hard earned money on a bunch of moldy old books!?"

Moonstruck lifted a brow. "It's printed on the sign. You even dropped your money in a big pickle jar that says 'donations'."

"You flea bitten royals!" He spat, half turning. "If you're not taxing us, you're scamming us out of our hard earned money to fund some sissy causes." He stormed off, kicking his stool out of his way as he went.

"It also makes me feel really awesome when I win all the time!" Moonstruck called after him. A few of the other saloon patrons chuckled.

"Talk about a sore looser." The pegasus sitting to her left – Spring Breeze – stuck her tongue out. "He wasn't even that good, even Patch coulda played circles around him.

"Hey!" Patch huffed.

Moonstruck righted the wayward stool and slid it back to where it should be before settling back down at her spot and collecting the cards. Once she had the began shuffling them.

"How long are you gonna keep this up, anyway?" Breezy asked, taking a sip of her ginger ale.

"This charity thing? Eventually you'll run out of ponies who'll want to challenged Maverick Moonstruck. I think you've already played half the ponies in Trot."

"Yeah, and most of the charities don't actually need much help anyway. They're pretty well funded." Patch added. "By taxes, incidentally."

"I dunno." Moonstruck shrugged. "I might try entering some high stakes games in Equestria or something. I dunno if I want to hit the celebrity circuit though. I mean, I only really get away with it here 'cause Trot is so small. Everyone practically knows everyone anyway."

"Yeah, that's true." Breezy wrinkled her snout. "Probably not proper for a princess to get wrapped up in celebrity poker out in Equestria."

"It'll probably be okay, since she'd be playing for charity." Patch mused. She took a sip of her cider. "It's your royal pet cause."

"And my best idea of all time." Breezy beamed.

"Your one good idea." Moonstruck smirked and finished shuffling the cards.

"I've had a few good ideas! This was just the best of 'em so far!" Breezy barked, as Patch giggled.

"Another round while we wait for more victims?" Moonstruck asked, absently using her telekinesis to float the cards in ornate patterns over her head. Her friends laughed and nodded, so she gathered them up again, gave them one last quick shuffle, then dealt.

The game progressed smoothly; it was a friendly match, so Moonstruck didn't try particularly hard to beat them. Patch and Breezy were a cut above most ponies when it came to poker, but she was usually a cut or two above them.

Midway through the second hand, one of the castle guards marched into the saloon, his polished armor reflecting the dim lighting with a dull silver and copper sheen. Although castle guards were not an uncommon sight in Trot City, the saloon-goers fell silent. The pegasus stallion stopped by their table and swept into a low, wide winged bow.

"Princess Moonstruck, your sister, Queen Starshine requests your presence at once."

"I dunno what it is, but I didn't do it this time." Moonstruck grunted, not looking up from her cards. "And why so serious? Take a seat, Windwake, I'll deal ya in."

Breezy and Patched giggled, while a few nearby ponies smirked.

Windwake scowled, giving the three of them a reproachful look. "Some of us have to work today."

"Hey, everybody knows I don't work Saturdays." Breezy quipped before taking a pull off her ginger ale. She ruffled her wings.

"I only work weekends during the busy season." Patch added, smiling sheepishly.

"And we all know I haven't had anything to do in a long time." Moonstruck smirked, eyeing him over her cards.

Windwake sighed irately, straightened up out of his bow, and gave her a flat look.

"Fine, fine, sheesh." Moonstruck sighed. She let her cards drop to the table and stood up, stretching lazily. Patch took a quick peek at her hand. "Where is she?"

"Her office."

"Drat, I can't teleport there." Moonstruck grumbled. She ambled around the table. "She keeps moving all of my nodestones, so I can't get an accurate enough location to just pop in."

"Yes. I know. She makes us sweep the room for them every morning." Windwake grumbled.

Moonstruck giggled. She let the tall, lean pegasus lead her out of the saloon.

"Be back in a jiffy!" She called over her shoulder.

She was surprised when Windwake broke off into a swift trot as soon as he was outside. She scrambled to keep pace, huffing and puffing all the way. She needed to get out more. They trotted in silence (aside from Moonstrucks heavy panting) to a more open area where they could take off without hitting the trees that arched over the roadway. Moonstruck wondered what was so important to pull her out of a game on a Saturday. She didn't bother asking Windwake, he probably didn't know. Starshine could be pretty tight lipped about things – even more-so since she'd taken over the queendom.

They reached the intersection at the end of the street, and Windwake took off, bounding into the air in one smooth leap. Moonstruck scowled and lumbered into the air after him. She'd never been very good at taking off. She was a strong enough flier once she was actually in the air, and she had no trouble landing; gravity just seemed reluctant to let her go without a fight.

She made a mental note to take up jogging or something to build up leg strength as Windwake set a swift pace. Surprisingly he led her to the balcony nearest her sisters offices – something that was rarely done. Normally she'd be escorted to the main entrance, then forced to climb several flights of stairs.

Trot Castle was a modestly sized castle, so it took little time to make it up to the royal offices where her sister had set up camp in the months that their mother had dropped off the planet. Windwake pushed the door open, announced her, then left promptly as soon as Moonstruck was inside the spacious office. She sauntered over to the loaded desk and squinted through the gap in the tower of books and papers to spy her sister laboring away on the other side.

"'Sup?"

Starshine didn't immediately reply, was scowling down at something she was writing.

After a sufficiently long pause, Moonstruck levitated some of the books and papers on the desk so that she could see her sister more clearly. "Hellooooo?"

"Moonstruck, don't mess those up!" Starshine gasped, throwing her a stern look, "I heard you the first time."

"Yeah, well, you also didn't say anything for a long time." Moonstruck gently set the paperwork back on the desk and sat down. "Out with it, I was in the middle of a game."

"You're always in the middle of a game. You spend too much time at the Green Dragon." Starshine muttered as she came out from behind the desk. She stared sternly at Moonstruck for a few long moments, then heaved a sigh.

"I'm afraid there's no way around it."

"Pardon?" Moonstruck furrowed her brow.

"I have been summoned to Canterlot to meet with High Princess Celestia."

Moonstruck sat up a little straighter and blinked a few times. "Really? Cool! Does this mean I'm in charge while you're gone?"

"No." Starshine shook her head, still eyeing her sternly. "I cannot go. Mother didn't leave everything in working order as we previously assumed. Actually things are quite disarrayed… I fear she hadn't been focusing on work for some time."

She frowned, her gaze shifting to the side for a moment before she snapped her eyes back to Moonstruck.

"And somepony didn't inform Canterlot of her departure."

Moonstruck grinned sheepishly, her mind racing back to a sheaf of paper, ink and quills that were gathering dust on her desk in her room. She knew she'd been forgetting something these past few months.

Starshine closed her eyes. "There's simply too much for me to do here. I am going to send you in my stead."

"WICKED!" Moonstruck bounced to her hooves and fanned her wings. "Breezy and Patch are gonna flip their lids! Weekend in Canterlot is GO!"

She hunkered down and focused on the crystal she left embedded in the outside wall of the Green Dragon Saloon, was about to cast her teleport spell, when Starshine snapped her wings open dramatically and stamped a hoof.

"They cannot come! You must go alone!"

"Huh? Really? But - "

"No. This is official business. You will not have time to play with your friends. You have a job to do!"

Moonstruck straightened up out of her crouch. "What?"

"You are being sent on a mission. I was not given any details, but it is exceedingly important." Starshine let out a sigh akin to a growl and began to pace, the sun reflecting off her snow white coat, and silver mane and tail. She was tall and lean, like most alicorns, and unlike Moonstruck, whom had always been on the short and chubby side. She also seemed to have gotten most of the good mane and tail genes, since both had a nice, natural wave to them. Moonstruck, by contrast, seemed to have scooped up all of the messy curls the gene pool had to offer.

"Before your mission, you may well be representing the Queendom of Trot in the royal Equestrian court. This is not a game."

"What's going on?" Moonstruck asked, feeling like a little filly again at the prospect of having to hob-knob with Canterlot royalty – most of whom she had only met once when she was a foal. She'd never been very good at the nitty gritty bits of being a princess; like the diplomacy, and responsibility, and the paperwork, and the part where she had to stand around and look majestic to inspire her subjects, and which fork to use during fancy meals, and the paperwork, and negotiating trade deals that didn't involve drunken karaoke, and the paperwork. Did she mention the paperwork? She really hated the paperwork.

"Princess Lunas letter was vague. You will be briefed when you reach Canterlot." Starshine hesitated a beat, then continued pacing the length of the room.

"All I can tell you is that an alicorn is needed to undergo a quest. And it can only be an alicorn. She requested me, but I cannot leave our ponies at this time. Which is why I am sending you. As a Princess of Trot, you have a responsibility to represent our family and ponies with strength, grace, and dignity. And as an alicorn, you have a sacred duty to do what High Princess Celestia asks."

Moonstruck felt even smaller. "This is serious. Like, really, really serious, isn't it?"

"Yes, I fear it is." Starshine stopped pacing and closed her eyes for a few moments, gathering her thoughts. "I know… we haven't always gotten along. And, I know that as the second sister your position is… how do I put it…."

"Superfluous." Moonstruck supplied dryly. "Pointless. Expendable. Mostly unneeded."

"I wouldn't put it that harshly." Starshine frowned. "At any rate, I am grateful for you, just as I am grateful for our dear brother Acorns Promise. Without you two around, I don' think I could begin to take over for Mother."

"So please do this. Treat it as the most important thing in the world. And come back safe."

Moonstruck stared at the floor. It's either this, she thought, or back to the Green Dragon to try to heckle ponies into playing poker while I wait around for a dragon – or any kind of monster – to try to start trouble.

She loved card games, and card tricks. And winning. But, Breezy had brought up a good point earlier; what would she do when there was no one left to play? She probably actually had played half the ponies in Trot. She'd already toured the tiny queendom twice in search of new opponents and smaller causes to support.

Back when she'd first started there were lines out the door to play a few rounds of cards with her, but now she was lucky if two or three ponies decided to give it a shot on the days she set up shop in the Green Dragon – or any of the other saloons around the country. Would it be the same in Equestria? Would the celebrity circuit be any better, or would ponies get tired of her winning all the time, and stop paying attention? Would she even be allowed to compete? Did she even want to?

She focused on her reflection on the smooth stone floor; noted vaguely that only her eyes had any color. Her shimmering periwinkle mane was washed out, and her dark gray coat had lost its luster in this lighting and the imperfect mirror of the white marble floor. She looked as hollow as she wouldn't admit to feeling as of late. She let out a breath and looked up, her forelock hanging half over her face.

"Okay, I'll go. And I'll try my best."

---

Moonstruck was pensive when she teleported back to the sidewalk outside the Green Dragon, very much inclined to simply look at the street for a while, a strange sense of finality settling deep in her guts. Like she'd never see this place again. She did look, for a few moments, noted that the oak trees that lined the street were leafing out spectacularly, and the moss and ferns growing on their branches were bright and green and healthy. The painted wooden sign of the saloon needed to repainted, although she had a certain affinity for its faded gold lettering, and coiled green dragon sipping a flagon of frothy cider.

She shook herself then pushed the door open, pausing a moment in the entry to let her eyes adjust to the dim lighting. Breezy and Patch were right where she'd left them, playing a game of war, from the looks of it.

"Yeah, apparently I have to go on a quest." She said once she was back at the table.

They laughed, then quieted when she didn't laugh with them.

"Really?" Breezy asked, furrowing her brow, as Patch pulled her ears back.

"Yep. They're already prepping a carriage for Canterlot."

"We get to come with you, right?" Patch asked.

"No, not this time. I have to go alone." Moonstruck shook her head. "Top level stuff, I guess. I don't even get to find out what it is until I get there."

"And you agreed to go!?" Patch gasped.

"You, on a quest, by yourself?" Breezy narrowed her eyes. "Aren't you too lazy to walk? I mean, you're a decent flier, and good with magic, and you can do the thing with the woosh, and the KABOOM and the rawwwww!" She reared up on her hind legs and flailed her hooves for a few seconds.

"But you've never left Trot, and Trot isn't even that big!"

"Hey! I go to Vanhoover sometimes!" Moonstruck was feeling a bit attacked, though Breezy was not wrong.

"Vanhoover's just across the strait, it doesn't count." Breezy huffed.

Moonstruck gave her a sour look. "Yeah, well, it's something only an alicorn can do, and everyone else is busy, so I get to go."

She shrugged uncomfortably. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she wasn't really cut out for questing. Sure, there was the whole dragon slaying thing, and she played some tabletop RPG's and some fantasy card games, so she understood the theory of proper questing. She'd just never felt the urge to leave the queendom, aside from zipping across the Orca Strait to haunt Vanhoover from time to time. Vanhoover had cool stuff. She did like camping, at least.

"Oh, that makes sense." Breezy said into her thoughts. "And you don't really have anything to do most of the time."

Patch nudged the pegasus and gave her a reproachful look.

"How very reassuring." Moonstruck grumbled. "I guess I'll be gone for a while. Better grab what munchies you can from the castle kitchen 'cause I don't think Starshine 'n Acorn'll let you in to raid the fridge whenever you feel like it."

"You really are going!" Patch gasped, as Moonstruck plopped a few coins on the table and started gathering up her poker stuff.

"Yup."

"And we're really not going with you?" Breezy gasped.

"Nope."

"They're definitely not gonna let us into the castle for no reason, are they? Even though they know us."

"Highly unlikely."

They exchanged glances. "We'll help you pack."

---

"Ah, perfect timing, the carriage is almost ready." Starshine said as Moonstruck came down the last flight of stairs to the main courtyard with full saddlebags, and an extra pack on her back.

"It will take you the rest of the day, and most of the night to get to Canterlot, provided the wind is favorable. I didn't want to pull weather ponies away from their usual duties, so you'll have to deal with the scheduled weather on the mainland."

Moonstruck paused at the bottom of the stairs. "What? I'm leaving now?"

"Yes." Starshine sighed, turning her back to the proceedings. One of the royal flying carriages was being prepared with six harnesses for six pegasus up front. She knew it was possible to have more than two pegasus pull a passenger carriage, but she'd never seen anyone hitch up more than four at a time – and four was rather unusual.

"Guess they weren't kidding about getting there as fast as possible." Moosntruck muttered, slipping out of her saddlebags and hoofing them off to an attendant. They promptly trotted over and placed the bags in the storage area.

"Indeed." Starshine nodded.

Breezy and Patch came down the stairs just then, each holding up one side of a large, folded blanket. Attendants rushed over to take it from them.

"Wow, leaving already?" Patch yelped.

"Apparently." Moonstruck shrugged.

"Dang, six pegaus. You're gonna haul tail." Breezy whistled.

"I know, right? Who even does that?" Moonstruck chuckled.

Starshine frowned at the common ponies. "Neither of you should be here, this is supposed to be a secret."

Moonstruck masked a grimace with a cough. "Oooooh, don't worry; I'm sure half of Trot knows by now."

"News does travel quickly 'round here." Patch said vaguely.

"Especially when a certain princess announces that she's going on a mysterious quest in the middle of the Green Dragon." Breezy added not quite under her breath.

Patch nudged her winged companion roughly as Starshine let out a long sigh.

"I suppose everyone would have found out eventually anyway." The young queen muttered in defeat.

"Yeah, I think Acorns more of a gossip than we are," Said Breezy, eyeing Patch darkly.

"I am not a gossip." Patch huffed. "But… Prince Acorn is a good source of information."

"Which is precisely why I didn't tell him." Starshine stated firmly.

Moonstruck half turned to look at her sister. "Okay, I have done some dumb things in my time, but not telling Acorn takes the cake." She was slightly ashamed that she hadn't noticed that her little brother was not in attendance to see her off.

"It's as you said. He'd tell too many ponies, and he'd only worry." Starshine rolled her eyes.

"Like he won't worry if I up and leave out of the blue like Mom did?" Moonstruck snarled.

Starshine took a step back, her white coat somehow getting paler. Breezy and Patch took three large steps back, hoping they were clear of the blast radius.

"I was going to tell him! Just… not right away!" Starshine blurted, suddenly dropping her queenly voice for something more sisterly. "You know how much he worries! I was just going to tell him you decided to go on holiday, then mention that you sent word that you were having an adventure or something. It's damage control! He's even worse about keeping secrets than you are!"

"Really? You think he's dumb enough to believe that?" Moonstruck growled. "The poor colts traumatized! You know Mom leaving hit him harder than anyone else." She lowered her head and fanned her wings.

"Besides, I already spilled the beans. You need to remember to tell me when things are a friggin' secret!"

"I thought you were more mature than that!" Starshine hissed. "Clearly I was mistaken!"

"Never underestimate my big mouth. Or my magic!" Moonstruck snapped. Then she teleported.

Her brother was generally easy to find; at this time of the afternoon he was typically in the south orchards inspecting the hazelnut trees. Moonstruck shook a bit of static from her fur, mane and feathers, then moved into the old grove at a trot. Starshine was not a strong teleporter; had only just gotten comfortable with line-of-sight teleportation in the past few years, and she absolutely refused to use Moonstrucks nodestone trick to zero in on locations without a line-of-sight destination – which was easier in many ways. She would have to fly at least part of the way to get within sight of the orchard, which meant Moonstruck had a few minutes. Luckily Acorn was not very deep into the ancient grove.

"Hey, Acorn, I'm going on a quest, 'kay?" She said once she was in earshot.

"Huh?" He looked up from the plant he'd been investigating.

"Yeah, something top secret from High Princess Celestia. I'm gonna be gone for a while. Starshine didn't want to tell you." Moonstruck panted as she came to a stop in front of her flabbergasted brother.

"WHAT? Wha – when are you leaving? And Why didn't Starshine want me to know!?" His jaw dropped open, and seemed inclined to stay there.

"As soon as the carriage is ready to go. And because you're a blabbermouth." Moonstruck shrugged.

He closed his mouth. Opened it again, then closed it, worked his jaw around a little.

"I'm not sure what to tackle first."

"Neither am I." Moonstruck shook her head. "Starshine will be here soon, and she is gonna be miffed, so I'm gonna pop back to the main courtyard. You gonna see me off, or what?"

"Yeah, of course! Can I use your nodestones?"

"Sure, if you can find 'em." Moonstruck grinned, then teleported back to the balcony above the main courtyard. She hopped over the rail and fluttered down to where her friends were still waiting. Acorn popped into existence a few moments later. He shook off, then hopped over the railing, casting a quick spell to allow himself to land relatively lightly on the ground below.

"Ugh, still getting used to that."

"Yeah, it can take a while. You're taking this surprisingly well." Moonstruck noted, then to her friends, "How long since Starshine left?"

"About three minutes ago." Breezy supplied.

"H-hi Prince Acorn." Patch ducked her head and blushed darkly. Breezy smirked at the earth pony, but didn't comment.

Acorn noticed the common ponies, made a funny, panicked sort of face, then straightened up before dipping into a short bow.

"Good afternoon Heather Patch, Spring Breeze. I hope the day has been pleasant for you thus far."

Breezy and Patch giggled. They could never keep a straight face whenever Acorn acted princely. Which was whenever he was in public, or around his sisters friends.

He straightened up, then shuffled a little uncomfortably.

"It's okay, bud, you can talk all common-like." Breezy winked and adopted a thick drawl.

"Breezy!" Patch hissed, nudging Breezy as Moonstruck giggled.

Acorn blinked a few times, then shrugged. "I'm actually kind of glad you're going."

Moonstruck felt her eyebrows travel up towards her mane. "Really?"

"Yeah, well..." he nudged a pebble with a hoof. "I know I've been moping around the gardens a lot lately, and Starshine has been keeping herself super busy to keep her mind off of… but you just seem really lost. I mean, you don't have many official duties, but before you always seemed to be able to keep yourself amused, at least."

He shrugged. "I mean, when was the last time you TP'd Starshine's office? The taps haven't run rainbow in ages, and I can't even remember the last time you turned all of the cottonwood fuzzies into tiny butts."

"This just seems like it might be a good thing for you."

Acorn was the one pony who always appreciated her pranks. Moonstruck felt a feeling of sisterly pride swelling in her chest. Naturally she had to squash it the only way she knew how. She sidled over to her brother, got him in a headlock, and proceeded to administer a hearty noogie.

"D'aaawwwww my widdle brudder's all grown up and makin' wise decisions and stuff!"

"ACK! MOONEEEEYYYY!" Acorn squealed, trying desperately to escape. Moonstruck really had to plant her hind hooves – he was getting strong!

"Aww c'mon! Not in front of your friends, at least! You're ruining my imaaaage!"

"But I won't be able to overpower you much longer! Indulge your big sisterrrr!" Moonstruck cackled, then let him go. She bumped foreheads with him – or at least as much as unicorns could bump foreheads without impaling one another. "Thank you."

He chuckled wearily. "Yeah. And for the record, I can totally overpower you now. I was just playing along."

"Pff, yeah, right."

"Yeah, I know I'm right."

"Wanna bet?"

"Bring it on!"

Starshine landed with a loud fwoosh and a heavy thump. She lifted her head and gave Moonstruck an irate stare, breathing hard. Her mane was disheveled in such a way that indicated she'd likely botched another teleport spell, and had to fly much faster than she'd wanted to keep up with her more teleportation-savvy siblings.

"I'm a blabbermouth!?" Acorn blurted in his whiniest tones, he even managed to get his voice to crack a little.

Starshine hung her head, still panting. "Oh, good grief!"

Breezy, whom had already been laughing hard at the noogies, proceeded to fall on her side and roll around on the ground. Patch was too enamored with the prince acting casual to notice much else.

"Mayhem, chaos, destruction – my work here is done!" Moonstruck cackled. She started towards the carriage, which seemed to be about ready.

"Okay, good luck! Have fun! Bring me back something cool!" Acorn called after her, then turned back to his eldest sister. "But seriously, you weren't gonna tell me?"

"Well, I – wait, you're okay with this?" Starshine blinked, looking back and forth between Moonstruck, whom was arranging her things in the carriage with Breezy and Patch, and Acorn, who was scowling up at her.

"Yup. She needs out of the castle. Her moping is getting on my nerves." Acorn snorted dismissively.

"Your moping's getting on mine!" Moonstruck barked from the carriage. Acorn stuck his tongue out her, and Moonstruck replied in kind.

Starshine shook her head slowly and laughed quietly to herself. "I sometimes forget there's no winning against you two."

Goodbyes were brief, as time really was of the essence. Before Moonstruck knew it, they were aloft, speeding away from Trot and towards the distant city of Canterlot. Sunset was still a few hours off, but it felt as though the afternoon was already waning.

"So, Windwake, how about a game of I Spy?" Moonstruck shouted once they were at cruising altitude.

The pegasus stallion turned as much as he could to eye her over the backs of his teammates. Windwake was one of the team charged with getting her to Canterlot ASAP. It was a lucky break, Moosntruck had assumed that she'd be stuck with a bunch of fliers she didn't know particularly well.

"I'm kind of busy." He grumbled.

"Aw c'mon, it's easy!" Moonstruck kicked back in her seat. "I spy with my little eye…."

The other pegasai chuckled as Windwake rolled his eyes and proceeded to ignore her. Moonstruck grinned and tilted her head back to watch a high layer of clouds drift overhead. She tried to remember how long it took to get to Canterlot. She'd only been there once as a small foal, so she couldn't remember a clear time frame – everything seemed to take forever when you were little. If she were to fly herself, maintained a good clip, and stopped every night at an inn, it would probably take three or four days. She scowled up at the blue sky and made a small correction. If she was in shape and flew at a good clip, stopping every night, it would take her three or four days. She hadn't done any serious flying in some time.

It was always disheartening to realize that she was still quite young as alicorns go, had a long life ahead of her, and yet, much of her glory days were likely already behind her. She shook her head and shoved that thought aside.

A fast pegasus – like the strapping young stallions pulling her carriage – could probably make it in two days if they stopped for the night. If they didn't stop, one - although they'd be exhausted when they got there. Six of them meant it would probably take a half a day, and all night traveling nonstop, as Starshine had said. She'd be able to kill that much time pretty easily.

She played solitaire for a while. Then switched it up with a tarot deck she'd bought at a street fair eons ago, but had never really done much with. Then scribbled down an idea for a new card game she'd been developing. That took her to about sunset. She pulled her lunch bag out from under her seat.

"Hey, you colts hungry? I have extra sandwiches here!" She called.

"We cannot eat on the wing, your highness!" One of the fliers – she thought his name was Seven Leaf – replied crisply.

"Nah, it's cool, I can cast a spell that'll float the sandwiches in front of you." Moonstruck offered, magicking the sandwiches into the air around her.

Windwake poked his head up. "We have to focus on flying. We'll be alright, we had a special meal before we left."

"Oh." She let the food settled back in the lunch bag. Except for one, for herself. "Well, just say the word if you get the munchies."

They did not. At least while she was awake. Moonstruck was typically something of a night owl, but she found herself drifting off shortly after sunset. She pulled a blanket over herself and settled down on the plush seat, chin resting on her forelegs, scowling ahead without seeing anything. She was determined to stay awake for a while longer, although she couldn't put her hoof on why. She wasn't fast enough to fly along with the carriage for some exercise, and the pegasai didn't seem to need her help for anything. It was probably a good idea to get as much sleep as she could now, before she set off on her quest – whatever it was.

Heaving a sigh, Moonstruck closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off.