Princess Luna and Twilight Sparkle were on their way to Fluttershy’s house when Twilight suddenly decided to stop. “Princess… Did we ever pick an alias for you in case anybody wonders who you are? I mean, it’s not exactly like you can go around in that form and still call yourself Princess Luna.”

Luna stopped alongside Twilight to consider what she meant. “I see what you mean Twilight Sparkle, perhaps I should choose an alias… What about just Luna?”

Twilight facehoofed. “Uh, perhaps we should choose something that doesn’t have your name in it?”

“Hmm, I suppose… What about… Moonlight Eclipse?” Luna suggested.

Twilight facehoofed once again. “You’re going to suggest something that’s somehow related to the moon each time, aren’t you?”

“Indeed.”

Twilight sighed. “I suppose Moonlight Eclipse will have to do then…” Twilight said in an annoyed tone. “At least Fluttershy’s house isn’t far from here, we should be there in a couple of minutes.”

And in a couple of minutes they were indeed there. But before Luna, or Moonlight at this point, had the chance to knock on the door, Twilight had stopped her. “Luna, what should our backstory for you be?”

“Whatever do you mean Twilight Sparkle?”

“Well, first off, stop calling me Twilight Sparkle, just call me Twilight, okay?” Luna nodded in response. “Secondly, I don’t think anypony’s gonna believe that I just met you today, so we need to think of something that would make the other ponies in town believe us.”

Luna put her hoof on her chin trying to think. “Hmm… What if… What if I was your friend from Canterlot when you still lived there, and that I’m just visiting you for a while.”

Twilight thought about it. “Hmm, I never really did talk about my life in Canterlot… I guess we could make it believable.” They both agreed on it and proceeded to knock on Fluttershy’s door. Luna spoke up once more before she came to the door.

“Twilight?”

“Yes Princess?”

“Why didn’t we think of these things before leaving the library?”

“… No idea.”

Just then Fluttershy answered the door with Angel on her back. “Oh, hello Twilight, I wasn’t expecting you today.” Fluttershy said to her friend with a smile, only to notice Luna milliseconds later. “Oh, h-hello. A-are you one of Tw-twilight’s friends?” She nervously said, unsure of who this new pony was.

“You don’t need to worry Fluttershy.” Twilight spoke to her timid friend, trying to soothe her of her being frightened over Luna. “This is Moonlight Eclipse. She’s a friend I had from Canterlot when I was still studying under Princess Celestia.”

“O-Oh, it’s, um, very nice to meet you Moonlight.” Fluttershy now said in a more calm voice, now knowing the new pony wasn’t going to harm her in anyway.

“Likewise dear Fluttershy. Twilight has spoken proudly of you and the rest of her friends here in Ponyville. You seem to have treated her very well since she had left Canterlot.”

“O-Oh, um, y-you’re welcome?” Fluttershy said, still somewhat uneasy, before she turned to Twilight again. “W-Was there anything I could help you girls with?”

“Actually Fluttershy, there is. It was actually the entire reason we came to see you.” Twilight responded.

“Oh? Whatever could it be Twilight?... D-did something bad happen in town? D-did th-that new p-pony do something bad to s-somepony?” Fluttershy said with fear in her voice.

“No, nothing bad is happening in town.” Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief after hearing that. “Though it does concern that new pony from last night.” Fluttershy went right back to being afraid as she was very scared of the new pony that had insulted her and her friends last night at the party.

“I-it does?” Fluttershy said timidly, as Angel got on top of her head trying to act tough for the timid pegasus.

“Actually Fluttershy, we were wondering if you could help us to get him to open up to us, as I’m sure last night was just a fluke.” Twilight said trying to reassure Fluttershy. “We need you to come with us to the house he’s staying at and want you to come along as for some reason I think he sensed you weren’t threatening to him.”

“H-Help you open him up? I-I-I mean, I-I s-suppose I could... B-B-But why? I mean, i-if you don’t mind me asking...”

“Why? Well...” Twilight began to rub the back of her neck with her hoof, unsure as to what to say to her friend. Luna happened to know that Twilight was unsure what to say, thanks to all of the studying she did on how modern ponies acted, and was able to cut in to help.

“What she means to say dear Fluttershy, is that Twilight here had gotten a request from Ti- um, I mean Princess Celestia-” Having to say her sister’s name in royal form irked Luna a bit, but was able to continue to have a straight face on. “To help this pony open up and help him gain friends, as it turns out that he’s had a very miserable life so far, and could really use some good friends.”

“I-I see. W-Well, I suppose I have time to spare-”

“Great!” Twilight said, using her magic to begin pulling the poor mare before she even had a chance to finish speaking. Fluttershy, stunned at the turn of events, could only ‘eep’ as Twilight and Luna pulled her along to the home that Fiery had lived in.

On the other side of town, back in the home of the musicians, Fiery had just gone upstairs to smoke while Octavia had gone downstairs to clean the dishes. Walking out to the balcony, Fiery pulled one of the cigarettes out of the tiny box and brought it up to his mouth, ready to light it. Right as he activated the lighter and brought it close to his mouth, a knock came from his door, making him groan and take the cigarette out before turning around.

“Yeah?” He called out in an aggravated tone, but he got no response. Sighing, he turned back around onto the balcony and brought the cigarette to his mouth again, but once more, a knock came from his door. ‘God damnit!’

He stomped his way over to the door, clearly irritated at the game that was being played, and swung the door open. “What?!” He yelled out, expecting somepony to be there, but nopony was there. Looking both ways, he still didn’t see anypony, until Octavia poked her head around the corner at the bottom of the stairs.

“Is something the matter Fiery?”

Fiery looked back downstairs with a face of annoyance on. “Were you knocking on my door?”

Octavia shook her head. “No, why do you ask?”

Rolling his eyes, Fiery shook his head in return. “Nevermind.”

As he was closing the door to his bedroom, he finally caught a glimpse of something that was lying on the floor in front of his door. Reaching his hoof out, he picked it up with ease to get a closer look at the item. “A vial?” He thought out loud. As he got an even closer look though, he could see that the liquid in said vial was clear but with a hint of blue, and a note on the ground as well. Picking up the note with his other hoof, he stood on his back legs so he could continue to hold the vial while he read the note.

‘Drink this before going to sleep for wonderful dreams.

Love, Somepony close to you.’

Looking back at the vial, Fiery raised an eyebrow. “The fuck?”

Completely ignoring what the note said, although it did make him wonder a bit, he walked back inside his room and closed the door after he was able to walk over on his back legs to the nightstand and place the items on top of it. He went back out onto the balcony, grabbing the cigarette one last time, and finally lit it. Inhaling the toxic fumes, he accidently breathed too much in, making him cough. “Shit… Haven’t had a damn cigarette in such a long time that I almost forgot how to smoke one.”

After several minutes and after finishing the cigarette, he threw it onto the ground and began to stomp on it with his hoof, turning around and going back into the room after he was done. After he had gone to the bathroom and cleaned up in there so that he wouldn’t have the smell of cigarettes stuck to him, he came back out and jumped onto the bed, spreading himself out as he began to relax on the fresh blankets. He could feel himself becoming more tired the more he relaxed, when he opened his eyes a bit and saw the vial from before.

He reached out with his hoof and grabbed it, pulling it back in and beginning to look at it as he laid on his back. “So I’m supposed to drink this, huh?” He thought out loud. Sitting upright, he pulled the top off and thought about smelling the liquid. What he didn’t realize though, was how foul-smelling the liquid was, making him go into another coughing fit as the smell penetrated his nose.

Quickly plugging the vial back up, he tried his best to continue to cough as he walked back into the bathroom, vial in mouth. ‘Sorry whoever sent this; I don’t know if you were trying to help me or make me sick or whatever, but there’s no way in Hell I’m drinking this.’ He thought to himself as he unplugged the vial and began to pour the substance down the sink. After the last of the substance went down the drain.

After all that was said and done, he went back to bed, happy and somewhat refreshed.

Back in Canterlot, the royal white alicorn whom everypony knew turned towards her visitor who had just come back from their ‘mission’. “So, how did it go?” Celestia asked the figure as they walked into the room.

“It went well.” The figure replied. “I had knocked a few times on his door, just in case he didn’t hear me the first time.”

“And you’re sure neither he nor anypony else saw or hear you?” Celestia asked worriedly.

The figure rolled her eyes. “You worry too much Celly. Of course I’m sure nopony saw me.”

Sighing, Celestia smiled at the figure once more and nodded. “Forgive me, I only wish to know if your mission was a success or not. After all, it’s very important to keep them both in the dark until it is time.”

“Again, don’t worry about it Celly. I’m more than certain he found the potion and drank it. All we have to worry about now is waiting for the right time to wake the two. Once they wake up, we’ll be able to proceed with the prophecy like we planned all those years ago.” The figure replied, finally smiling back at the alicorn.

It had been a while since Fiery had a bizarre dream, but he could safely say that the one he was currently having was taking the cake. He had been walking in a forested area for quite some time, not really sure what he was looking for. For some odd reason or another he was still in his pony body, but at the same time, it felt right for him to be in it.

Finally, after walking for what felt like forever in his dream, he had found what he was looking for; the ruins of an old castle. He didn’t know he was looking for it, but when his eyes laid on it, something in his mind clicked and said that he needed to go inside of it. Crossing the bridge built across the large chasm, He entered the old ruins.

Upon entering the ruins, he walked up to what looked like a old throne, and touched it with his hoof, feeling the smooth, cold surface. Looking up, the shadows of what people would call the past began playing out in front of him without him even realizing it.

Squinting hard, Fiery could see a small figure in the direction he was looking in. He barely got a glimpse of it, but what he saw was a small red unicorn. He tried calling out to the figure, wondering why such a young pony was in some place dangerous. “Hey! Yeah, you! You okay?” He called out, but the pony only stood still, not responding at all.

When he tried taking a step forward towards the pony, the pony would take a step back. “Hey, hey, I’m not going to hurt you.” Fiery said calmly, even smiling at the pony. “I just want to get to know you. Where are your parents? Are you alone? What’s your name?” Before he could venture any further though to figure out who this red unicorn was, his thoughts were disturbed, as he began to hear the voice of someone very familiar.

“Wake up Fiery!”

“… Octavia? Where are you?” Fiery called out, not sure which way the voice was coming from. When he looked back in the direction of where the small unicorn was, it was gone, making him begin to wonder.

“Wake! Up!”

“What do you mean wake up? I am awake! Where are you Octavia?”

“Wake up Fiery!”

With a sudden thrust, Fiery began to fall downwards. Not knowing what was going on anymore, he began to do the only thing he could do. Panic.

“Wake up Fiery! Wake! Up!” Octavia yelled as she began to smack Fiery on the cheeks, trying her damndest to wake him up. As she was walking up the stairs after had finally cleaned all the dishes and made sure that was everything put away neatly, she had heard murmurs and whimpers coming from Fiery’s room. She had knocked on the door, even calling out for him, but got no answer from him. She went into his room hoping he was alright, when she saw him thrashing about in his sleep. At first she tried to nudge him awake, hoping he would wake up, but to no avail. That’s when she got up on his bed and began to smack his cheeks to get him to wake up.

Finally, after smacking him enough times, Fiery had woken up in a sweat, panting hard. “W-What? What’s going on?! Where am I?!” He asked, clearly panicked.

“Calm down Fiery, calm down… It’s alright.” Octavia said in a soothing voice, trying her best to calm him.

Fiery looked at Octavia, still clearly confused as to what was happening. “O-Octavia… What happened? I-I remember… Why did you wake me up?”

“Why? Because you were freaking out in your sleep, that’s why! You were flailing around asking for your mother and… somepony else, I don’t know who. Anyways, you were so out of control in your bed, I did the only thing I could think of to help you, which was slapping you and yelling for you to wake up.” She replied in an upset tone, as well as a look of worry on her face.

“Oh… Um, thanks then, I guess…”

“You’re welcome Fiery, just… please; don’t begin freaking out on me like that again. I was seriously scared when I saw you acting that way when I passed by your door.”

Finally calmed down enough, Fiery looked up at Octavia and smirked a bit, trying to make her relax now. “Um… Octavia?”

“Yes Fiery?”

“Could you… perhaps tell me who I was calling out for?”

Octavia shook her head. “I just told you, I don’t know who you were calling out it for, because it sounded garbled almost each time you said it.”

“Oh…”

Trying to make him feel better, Octavia smiled and spoke in a calming tone. “Well, I need to get going Fiery, practice with my cello and all. If you need anything, I’m right next door.” She said, using her hoof to point at his wall.

Fiery smiled back and nodded. “Alright, will do Octavia.”

After Octavia left the room, Fiery put his head down on the pillow, trying to sleep once more. Sighing, he began to try to remember the dream he had. ‘What was it?’ He thought. ‘I remember a forest, and I was walking through it… What happened after that?’ Before he could remember anymore though, he began to hear what he would describe as the most beautiful music he had ever heard. Getting up from his bed, he went to his door, following the sweet flow of music to the room next to his.

Slowly opening the door to the room, he crept inside. Upon entering the room as quietly as possible, he saw that Octavia was sitting on her bed, cello in hooves and eyes closed, letting her hooves do the work as she let the music she played flow through her.

He watched her, stunned not at how well she played, but for other reasons. He didn’t know if it was because he was in pony form now and so he was starting to be attracted to mares, but right at that moment, while she was playing her cello, he thought that she was the most beautiful mare in the world. So graceful, so brilliant, so-

Before he could think of anymore words though, the music had stopped.

With a sweet and sincere smile, Octavia had opened her eyes and was looking at Fiery, who was still stunned by her beauty. “Did you enjoy the performance Mr. Strings?” She asked in an alluring tone.

Fiery, not knowing what to say, began to nod before he began to stumble on an answer. “U-Uh, um, t-that was a very beautiful piece.”

“Why thank you Fiery. I do try my best to be as perfect as possible.” She said in the same tone, not knowing the effect it was having on Fiery.

Before Fiery could comment anymore though, a knock had come from the front door downstairs. “U-Um, I should probably go get that.”

“Alright then, I’ll be up here still practicing.”

Fiery nodded, then went back into the hallway, closing the door to Octavia’s room behind him. As he closed the door, he clenched his heart with his hoof, feeling his cheeks with his other hoof. ‘Was… Was I falling for her right there?’ Before he could ask himself anymore questions though, the knocking had continued. “Yeah, yeah, alright…” He said out loud, knowing that nopony could hear him, but didn’t really care about it. Grabbing his guitar from his room on his way down, he opened the front door of the house to reveal a butter-yellow coated pegasus with a pink mane and tail and three butterflies for a Cutie Mark. Fiery raised his eyebrow as he looked at the new pony with confusion. “Can I help you?”