Abandoned Drabble: Moony's Confession (Patreon)

I figured one more thing I could make patreon exclusive are the bajillion lil scraps and bits of writing that I end up either abandoning, or setting aside for later. Here's a brief scene between Moondancer and Cupcake, set in their late teens. It didn't sit well enough with me to make canon, but who knows, maybe I'll touch the idea again someday. For now, enjoy a scene that never was.

~~

 "This is absurd."

"It's good to talk about your feelings."

Moondancer scowled. "There aren't any feelings to talk about. I'm just having a bad day, is all."

"Because Panny beat you in a magic duel?"

"No."

"....Moondancer."

"Fine." Moondancer groused. "...Yes. Not because she beat me. Because she crushed me. I spent weeks working  on that new curse, and for what? She countered it without a second  thought." He sighed, sinking to the ground. "....I might as well be an ant trying to fight an elephant."

"True." Cupcake nodded. "So why do you keep trying?"

Moony glanced at her. "Haven't you  been competing against your mother in the Great Canterlot Bake-Off  since you could hold a whisk? Surely you understand the importance of rivalry. It's kind of a big deal for unicorns. Why else do you think my mother always tries to get under Princess Twilight's skin?"

"The war between my mother and I is another matter entirely."  Cupcake waved her hoof dismissively. "I don't want to defeat her, I want to destroy her. It's not about petty rivalry, it's about proving my complete and total baking supremacy to the world, once and for all."

"Yes, that sounds very normal, and not insane at all."

"In any case, in the rare instances Mom manages to best me, I always take my defeat in stride. I don't sulk about it all day."

"Whatever  helps you sleep at night, darling." Moondancer smiled at her, and it  only widened as she gave a rare pout. "....Are you implying that I sulk?"

"Sulking is putting it lightly. You marinate in your own bad feelings, like some sort of sourpuss stew. You've been avoiding Panny since the duel." Cupcake paused. "...That  hurts her feelings, you know. She talks a big game when she's tossing  around hexes, but underneath that, she's sensitive."

"Oh, please,  Cupcake. The she-beast doesn't know the meaning of 'sensitive'." The  unicorn's brow knit in frustration, and some strange emotion Cupcake had  yet to place. "She's just so.......stupid. When it comes to other ponies' feelings. I just wish...." He trailed off, chewing his lip.

"For  as many powers as she claims to pack, mind-reading isn't one of them.  That's dark magic, forbidden arts, all locked up and safe within  Celestia's archives. She can't know what you're feeling unless you tell her, Moony."

Moondancer jerked, and his expression became careful and guarded. "....Unless I tell her what, Cupcake?"

"...Um."  Cupcake froze. His eyes were accusing, and she feared she'd perhaps  misread the situation. "....I don't know. Why you're always so angry at  her...?"

"Why shouldn't I be angry at her?" He said testily, "She's an idiot. She  blunders around with those stupid powers and accidentally flips the  school upside down, or turns my coat bubblegum pink. She snored through  my ballet recital. She ate my mother's heirloom teapot, tray and all."

"That she did." Cupcake pondered. "....Didn't she quest for a month to find an exact replacement? With real sapphires?"

"Yes."  Moondancer groaned, rubbing his temples. "She stumbles her way through  life, keeps making mistakes- big mistakes, mind you- and she thinks she  can fix it with some....sheepish smile, and priceless Kirin-forged  teapot? Maybe my mother preferred her old tea set with big fake gems. But the thing is....I can never stay angry. Never for too long." He sighed. "....I don't know why. Perhaps she's enchanted me."

Cupcake frowned. "With......magic?" 

Moondancer looked away. "No."

For  a long moment, there was silence. Cupcake had always enjoyed that  aspect of her friendship with Moony- unlike many ponies, he didn't feel  the need to fill the air with inane chatter, which was just as well,  because she wasn't the best conversationalist. But now, the silence felt  heavy. She wondered what her mother would do. A jaunty song about  smiles and parties would probably make Moony feel worse. Maybe a balloon  animal? Or a-

"I think I love her."

Moondancer had mumbled it to no one in particular, so softly Cupcake barely caught it. Again, there came silence.

"....What?"

Moondancer finally turned to look at her. "I said this is stupid." He growled. "This is....Every play I've seen, every book I've read.....they all make it seem so easy.  It should all just....click into place, right? The girl watches from  her balcony as the stallion gives some grand confession, and it's poetry,  and the words never get tangled up, and his feelings don't gum up in  his stomach, and the maiden swoons. Cut, scene, fade to black." He'd  stood abruptly to his hooves, beginning to pace. "What do you do if your  maiden is a twenty-foot long  mayhem monster, with big purple eyes  that make you feel brave- and afraid- all at the same time? How do you  find the right words? How do you say Pandora, you colossal, perplexing, vexing creature with a brain cell count in the single digits- can't you see I'm in love with you?"

He paused, breathing hard.