Best Friends For Ever! (6 page)

‘We haven’t succeeded yet. For Chevalia to remain the beautiful place it is we have to hang this horseshoe on the ancient Whispering Wall by sundown.’

Queen Moonshine flew over the centre of the courtyard.

‘Go quickly, my foal – time is running out. Then tonight we will celebrate, first with a Royal Concert with our new friends the unicorns, then with the Midsummer Ball. Everyone is invited – you are all my guests. From this day forth the Royal Ponies and the Volcano ponies will be better friends. The island of Chevalia belongs to us all.’

‘Never!’ shrieked Divine. ‘I will never allow it.’

The guards surrounded Divine but she was too quick. Leaping in the air, she threw herself at Queen Moonshine. The Queen shied back in alarm, flapping her pale gold wings, but not before Divine had rubbed noses with her. There was a brilliant flash of light and a crack rent the air as the Baroness sprouted her own wings. Whinnying in triumph, Divine flew away.

‘Stop her,’ shouted the guards.

Ponies bolted in all directions, until the Queen called them to attention.

‘Don’t fear Divine. It’s unlikely that she’ll show her face around here again. But if she does, we’ll be ready for her. If all of us stand together we can stop her from carrying out any more evil plans.’

Pippa leaned forward and spoke into her friend’s ear.

‘Stardust, we have to go.’

‘I know,’ said Stardust. ‘Hold on tight, Pippa.’

The Princess Pony’s white wings flapped gracefully as she rose up and out of the Volcano and, in a straight line, headed for home.

Chapter 6

With the sun setting behind her, Stardust flew straight to Stableside Castle. Pippa urged her to fly faster as the sinking sun fell towards the horizon. As Stableside came into view, the sun was merely a golden sliver above the darkening sea. With a burst of energy, Stardust flew over the Castle walls and came to land in the Royal Courtyard. The moment her hooves touched the ground her wings disappeared. Pippa had to hold on tightly.

‘There’s not much time left,’ Stardust said as she approached the ancient Whispering Wall.

Pippa was dimly aware of the rush of wings as the entire Royal Court returned behind them. All but Cloud landed in the courtyard – she remained above the ground, keeping her hooves tucked up beneath her.

The last rays of the sun lit the seven golden horseshoes on the wall. The magic crackled as it renewed itself but Pippa could see the bare patch of wall where the eighth horseshoe needed to be placed.

As Stardust came alongside the wall, Pippa stood up on her back. A smile tugged at her lips as she remembered how scared she’d been the very first time she’d stood on Stardust. That had been to rescue the first golden horseshoe. She’d never completely got rid of her fear of heights but she’d come a long way to managing it. Proudly Pippa reached up and hung the golden horseshoe back where it belonged.

A sunray slanted towards it and, reaching down, kissed the horseshoe with its buttermilk glow. There was a moment of complete silence, then the Whispering Wall seemed to let out an electric sizzle. Suddenly it was as if someone had lit a thousand sparklers. The horseshoes glittered brighter than the noonday sun as their energy was fully renewed.

A huge cheer rose into the air, along with cries of ‘Chevalia for ever!’

Pippa slid from Stardust’s back and threw her arms around her friend’s neck.

‘We did it,’ she sobbed. Happiness welled inside her like a mountain stream. ‘We found all the missing horseshoes. We saved Chevalia.’

Stardust nuzzled Pippa’s hair.

‘Thank you, Pippa,’ she whickered. ‘And thank you for being my best friend.’

As the very last ray of sunlight disappeared, a warm, amber light bathed the whole island. The energised horseshoes were charging the island’s magic for another year. Stardust stood very still, drinking it in. All of a sudden, for Pippa, time froze. The courtyard became sketchy like a shadow, and through it she could see her family on the beach in the horseshoe-shaped cove. Her mother, brother and sister were stiller than statues, sitting with a picnic half laid out before them. A wave of longing swept over Pippa. She missed her family so much it hurt.

The light disappeared, leaving Stardust and Pippa in the darkness. Time moved on again.

‘I love Chevalia,’ Pippa said softly, ‘but I love my own home too. It’s time I returned to my family.’

‘Of course,’ said Stardust. ‘You can’t leave just yet, though.’

Pippa raised an eyebrow, making Stardust giggle.

‘You can’t miss the Royal Concert or the Midsummer Ball.’

There was so little time to prepare for the concert that everyone mucked in and helped. Pippa smiled as Queen Moonshine rushed past her with a huge bunch of wild flowers for King Firestar to hang around the Royal Court.

Just as the last garland was put in place the unicorns arrived from the Cloud Forest. They were greeted by courtiers who’d hurriedly changed into their best sashes and who ushered all the guests to the courtyard.

The opening bars of music soared in the air and Pippa’s heart flew with it as she was carried away by the exquisite voices. Honey’s coat looked pale in the moonlight as her duet approached. She needn’t have worried. She sang beautifully, her confidence boosted by her unicorn twin and singing partner, Goldie. Afterwards Stardust whispered to Pippa that the concert was the best one Chevalia had ever held. Queen Moonshine thought so too.

‘Much good has come from these troubled times. The ponies and unicorns who live here on Chevalia need not fear each other any more. We will work and play together for the good of the island and all ponykind.’

‘What, even the Night Mares?’ called a pony who hadn’t flown to the Volcano with the Royal Family.

‘Especially the
Volcano ponies
,’ Queen Moonshine answered. ‘They’re no different from us.’

The courtyard was full of nervous neighs but when the Volcano ponies arrived for the ball, shyly shuffling their hooves, every single pony welcomed them warmly.

Riding on Stardust’s back as they danced with Prince Jet and Prince Storm, Pippa was bursting with happiness.

‘Ouch!’ Stardust squeaked, as Jet stepped on her hoof again.

‘Sorry.’ Jet blushed. ‘Dancing’s not really my thing.’

‘Look at Crystal and Trojan.’ Honey giggled, pointing to the other side of the room with a sparkly hoof.

Crystal and Trojan, the farm pony from the Grasslands, were dancing together, nuzzling as they swayed to the music.

‘And there’s Blossom,’ Stardust said, her eyes wide with surprise. ‘Who’d have thought my “clumsy” friend would be so good at dancing?!’

‘It just shows you don’t know what you’re good at until you try different things,’ Pippa said, remembering all the new things she’d tried and achieved in the last week.

There was a huge banquet at the ball. Pippa realised how hungry she was as she and Stardust ate from the flower-decorated troughs. Stardust enjoyed honey-dipped carrots and roasted oats while Pippa polished off a glass of lemonade and a plate of fish and chips prepared especially for her.