''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6890238/1/Moonbeam Moonbeam]]'' is a ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fan fiction by Laurence Brown, which answers [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse what happened to Luna]] but staying as close to the show as possible.

It has been a month since Luna has returned and things haven't been working out. Most ponies would rather run away then look at her; over the years most of her tasks have been filled by others and most of the government is opposed to her taking back the moon. It wasn't until Luna has a bad dream where she meets Nightmare Moon face to face that she gets an idea to change things. Using an illusion spell to make her look like another pony, Luna will be able to make friends without anyone worrying about her past. [[BroughtDownToNormal The spell works, but it turns her into a real Earth Pony.]] She also made some friends: Dewdrop, a Unicorn maid; Feather Down, an Earth Pony who's a narcoleptic waitress; a grumpy Pegasus farmer Haystack and an Earth Pony farmer named Pine Needle.

A sequel was released, called [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7361097/1/Phases_of_the_Moon Phases of The Moon.]] This deals with Luna and friends trying to work on her approval rating. [[TheVerse It also shares community with Laurence Brown's other works.]]

Also available in Platform/FimfictionDotNet [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/9767/moonbeam here]] and it's sequel [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/10342/phases-of-the-moon here]].

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!!This fanfic contains examples of:

* BadassNormal: Luna's friends do a pretty good job-fighting Nightmare Moon until Luna is able to banish her again.
* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Just like in the show the ponies often get messy, [[spoiler: Like Dewdrop's dress]] but are fine later on, Justified with [[spoiler: Dewdrop, her magic is cleaning base, she is a maid after all.]]
* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: One of the reasons why Pine Needle likes Luna is because she's the only one to take his "Earth Pony Magic" Seriously.
* BelligerentSexualTension: [[spoiler:Dewdrop and Haystack.]]
* BoringButPractical: Often.
* BroughtDownToNormal:
** The spell Luna uses, turns her into an Earth Pony as so removes everything that normal Earth Ponies don't have. [[spoiler: Her immortality being one of them.]]
** [[spoiler: Twilight later tries out the spell.]]
* CoolBigSis: Played With. While Celestia wants what's best for Luna, she really can't force others to like her.
* DeadFic: The sequel hasn't been updated since 2012.
* DecadentCourt: Celestia is revealed to keep the nobles like this (well a mostly just a lot of favours and multiplication) [[spoiler: so they are too distracted to run Equestria allowing Celestia to appoint ponies based on Competence rather than connections.]]
* EnemyWithin: Nightmare Moon whenever Luna has a dream.
* [[spoiler: EnemyWithout: Turns out they're not dreams, she's really talking to her dark part on the moon, and later Nightmare fully breaks free.]]
* EveryoneCanSeeIt: Dewdrop and Haystack.
* {{Fetish}}: Pine Needle wants to be tied up by Applejack too. [[spoiler: The Running of the Leaves overlaps with ''Fall Weather Friends'' from the series. Pine Needle, who has a massive crush on Applejack briefly sees her tying up Rainbow Dash in preparation for the race.]]
--> Pine Needle: Lucky Rainbow Dash.
* AGodAmI: Nightmare Moon goes on a rant about how normal ponies should be worshipping them as gods.
* GreenThumb: "Earth Pony Magic" is a passive version.
* {{Handwaved}}: In-universe, Celestia explains that Luna is on a trip. The fact that everyone buys it without a problem upsets her greatly.
* HatedByAll:[[spoiler: Thanks to Nightmare Moon.]] Very few ponies like Luna at the start of the story, one even flat out insults her.
* HeavySleeper: Feather Down, big time.
* ICallItVera: Feather Down named her ''bed'' Phillipe. On top of that, she named Luna's bed Ricardo. Just don't tell Phillipe as Feather Down doesn't want him to know that she's been sleeping in other beds.
* IJustWantToHaveFriends:
** Guess who?
** [[spoiler: Turns out Celestia wants some too.]]
* ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne: During the Running of the Leaves a group of ponies throw a pillow near Feather Down, she's insulted that they think she'll sleep down anywhere ''with such a poorly made pillow.''
* JerkAss: Nightmare Moon doesn't seem to be able to not insult someone whenever she talks.
* LampshadeHanging: The cast make a few jokes about the show, like how during the Running of the Leaves Pinkie Pie doesn't mention any other runners.
** Later Luna and Pine Needle dig a hole using shovels, poorly, Luna wonders why they made something that 2/3 of the population can barley use it.
* LargeHam: Pine Needle, he's from Stalliongrad.
* ManipulativeBitch: [[spoiler:Nightmare Moon]] is the reason for both Luna's low self-esteem, and is able to effect ponies around her so they will mistrust and fear Luna.
* MundaneMadeAwesome: Dewdrop's boss has a secret weapon for when the staff is out of the Inn [[spoiler: A "We'll be Back" sign.]]
* NoSocialSkills: Luna, of course, she gets better as the story goes.
* OnceDoneNeverForgotten: An in-universe example with Feather Down; she fell asleep during last year's Running of the Leaves.
* PainfulTransformation: The spell wasn't designed to be used on Alicorns.
* PlayingAgainstType: Haystack is a Pegasus that farms rather than something flying related.
* PrincessesRule: [[spoiler: The sole reason why Celestia keeps the nobles around is to justify using her princess title.]]
* KingIncognito
* SeriousBusiness: Feather Down with sleeping and Pine Needle with farming and being an Earth Pony.
* ShoutOut: [[spoiler:Nightmare Moon conjures an illusory [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Umber Hulk]].]]
* ShownTheirWork: One of the few Fan Fictions that remembers Alicorns have the traits of all three ponies.
* SliceOfLife: Most of the story is about Luna and her friends day to day life.
* TeamMom / TeamDad: Dewdrop and Haystack.
* WorldBuilding: A big part of the story is how the ponies do things without Unicorn magic.
* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: [[spoiler: How Luna's friends are able to save her from Nightmare Moon.]]

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