I moved slowly and carefully across the grass, the shadows all around seeming darker than normal, the stars shimmering far above.
At least the moonlight gave enough light to see by.
Now, where are you?
The grass was cool beneath my hooves and I froze. What was that? A small sound, feathers against branches.
My prey was to the right.
Crouching down slightly, I started to sneak along the grass. Now, this was a moment where I missed actual feet... even if it was soft and slightly wet grass, hooves were not really made for keeping quiet.
But she was sneaky and most likely had better senses than me so I needed to be careful.
Narrowing my eyes to make it less likely that she would spot me by the whites of my eyes, I thanked everything that my coat or mane was not as florescent as some others I have seen. It gave me a chance to not get seen as easily.
Careful, careful... there.
A shadow moving in the shadow beneath that bush.
Currently in pony form or not, my species consisted of greatly evolved predator apes. Sure, we did our best work with fire and tools during daytime, but I would be damned if I let a herbivore out sneak me just because it was nig-
A rustle of leaves to my left caused me to freeze, slowly looking into the bush next to me to see a pair of large, light green eyes and I whispered the first thing that came to mind. “Clever girl...”
The Princess of the Night pounced, hitting me from the side before pinning me with a grin. “Got you!”
Omph!
She grinned down at me, and I nodded and couldn't help but smile back. “You did. How did you do that? I saw you.”
“You saw a shadow.” she answered and moved off me, laying down on the grass next to me. “A simple bit of magic.”
“...I suppose that's my own fault, not setting any rules.” I chuckled and rolled onto my stomach next to her as she rested her wing across my back.
Spring or not, it was still a bit chilly in the middle of the night so I was not complaining. This was... nice. Warm.
Besides, it was Luna. It made it... I don't know. Special.
I glanced at her as she looked up at her moon, her mane almost invisible against the night sky. Only way to see it was because it was moving.
Beautiful.
She smiled and turned her gaze to me. “Thank you for this. After today, I really needed it.”
“My pleasure.” I answered before I smiled back. “Luna...?”
“Hmm?”
“Remember when I asked if I was courting you?”
The Princess's smile widened. “Yes?”
“That was the wrong question, wasn't it?”
She nodded happily. “It was. Which is the right question?”
“Are you courting me?”
“That's the right question.” she giggled and leaned down to give my ear a nuzzle as she whispered; “And the answer is: Yes.”
I blushed slightly. “Sorry it took me so long to figure out.”
That earned me a gentle ear bite. “Well, you are just a stallion, you have to take that into account.” she teased before letting go and I flicked my ear, smiling up at her before shifting a bit closer to lean against her side.
She really was amazing. Wonder how much she had seen in her time? How many people she had met. To think that she really wanted to be with me...
Who cared if she wasn't human.
Luna blinked and looked down at me before she smiled again. “What?”
I grinned slightly and looked away. “There is no way to ask this politely... I was wondering what you have seen during your life. So many things you must have experienced... and there was a question that came to mind and I have no idea how to ask it.”
She raised her eyebrows in question. “What did you want to know? I'll do my best to answer.”
“How old are you?”
That brought a giggle from her. “You know, Page... I'm actually not sure. Mainly because that's before the invention of the first calendar and that was three calendar systems ago.”
Oh.
I blinked in surprise. “That's... actually a bit longer than I thought. I figured a couple of thousand years at most.”
Luna shrugged her wings, looking thoughtful. “I'm guessing somewhere between, perhaps, somewhere around five thousand? But I have no idea, I could be off by a thousand in either direction. The first calendar of any real accuracy was only invented three or so thousand years ago.”
“...You could be as old as metalworking?” I asked, looking up at her in surprise. Wow, she looked good for her age.
“I thought it was considered rude to point out a lady's age.”
“Sorry.”
Luna snorted and pulled me closer with her wing. “Page, It's better than the awe it usually gets which is why my sister and I don't usually go around proclaiming our ages. We get enough of that normally. After the first couple of thousand years, it loses some of its charm.”
“Still.”
She grinned and gave my ear a nuzzle and I flicked it, leaning softly against her side again as I closed my eyes. This was... very nice.
We stayed like that for a moment before I looked up at her. She had a far-away look in her eyes.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked after moment of watching her.
Luna blinked and then looked down at me before smiling. “Just remembering.” she said softly before she sighed, “The other times I have done... this.”
I considered that for a moment before I grinned and rolled onto my back to look up at her. “That must have been a lot of memories.” before I groaned and continued; “and I can not stop saying the wrong things today!”
Luna laughed softly and grinned down at me. “Actually, I believe you would be surprised. My sister was always the one to get romantically involved.”
I gave her a surprised look. “Five thousand years?”
She smiled and poked me with her hoof. “I have had plenty of lovers over the years, Page. Hundreds. Thousands, even. But I have only done... only had what we have... twice before.” she said softly.
“Is that what we are?” I asked her just as softly. She really was beautiful against the night sky like that.
Luna smiled, actually looking a bit nervous. “We could be.”
I lifted my head and gave her a small nuzzle as my answer.
So what if she isn't human? She is Luna. My Luna. That's what mattered.
“Tell me about them?” I asked as I relaxed back against the grass, looking up at her.
She nodded. “Thunder Bolt was first. He was a pegasus, a couple of years older than me.” she said softly as she settled down next to me with a smile. “I couldn't have been more than fifteen years old, it was before my ascension. In many ways, he was the opposite of you. Brash, action before considerations. The Element of Loyalty... Rainbow Dash actually reminds me a bit of him, they have the same kind of personality. But he was romantic around me. He... loved watching the stars with me.”
“So do I.”
Luna grinned and nuzzled me. “I know.”
“So what happened?”
She sighed softly. “We were happy for a while, but he died only a few winters later. There was a war and he fell to the spell of a unicorn. I... don't even remember what the war was about. Land, I think. They usually were.”
“I'm sorry.”
Luna nodded and relaxed again, looking down at me. “The second was... some two thousand years ago. Her name was Flower Burst. She was a unicorn. We met when she started working the royal gardens. The one unicorn among a staff of earth ponies.” she said softly. “She was so brave and so gentle. I still remember her laying under the tree in my private garden at night, reading by the light of her horn. That's how I got to know her, I went out to talk to her.”
I nodded, letting her continue.
“She was so hesitant. So... nervous about saying or doing anything wrong.” Luna sighed softly before she smiled down at me. “She was just so shy. It took months before she would even look me in the eyes when we talked. It grew from there and before I knew it... I loved her.”
I nodded again. “She sounds nice.”
“She was. We had many years together, but we lost her in the end. She reached 98 years of age.” Luna said sadly. “I knew that it would happen. It always does... I never understood how Celestia could handle it, again and again.”
“...Your sister falls in love easily?”
Luna nodded. “I was actually surprised when I returned and she didn't have a consort.”
A thought struck me and I frowned, remembering what I saw in that doughnut shop. “Have anyone told Twilight Sparkle?”
That brought a playful grin from the Princess. “I suspect that it's a possibility that she might find out on her own in a couple of years. Perhaps we should have a little revenge on my sister for that rumor and tell her early.”
We shared a laugh at that before I smiled sadly up at her. “Luna?”
“Mmm?”
“Will you remember me in a thousand years?”
She blinked down at me, her eyes shinier than normal in the moonlight as she whispered. “My Page... I will remember you as long as I draw breath.” before she leaned in with a gentle smile, her lips brushing against mine.
Lifting my head from the grass, I kissed her back.
And thus a hundred voices cried out: "YES!"
6359980 YES!
Maaaaaaaaaaaaaate!!!!
Good on ya!
D'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWW!!
Yes, yes, YES!
I don't understand how this hasn't been featured already
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My summary kind of suck. I am really bad at them and I hate having them give things away.
RANK UP!
LEVEL UP
Very sweet.
And this chapter moves this story onto my favourites list. That was just so very sweet.
Jeeze, the yells are still echoing a week later!
....
Might as well join in. HUZZAH! Clever girl indeed. 'Aim I courting you?' No, you must ask the right questions.
I want to see Blank page as an alicorn. The phrase "Til death do we part" should have a larger meaning with immortals in my opinion. To the point where the spouse should gain immortality in some fashion or another.
Finally! GO BLANK PAGE!!!!
i need to shave...oh sorry just trying to distract myself from losing man points for getting really into this romance...DAAAAAAAAW ....buck i lost man points
What he said.
6395084
Ok, how could you all miss that referance?!
6658958 I see this complaint, and give a raptor.
I'm getting the micro-cannons ready if the ship proves to be hostile. Ready to fire on command
The sweetness from that gave me Diabetes!
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Hello, I am John, I'm with the man government. I'll take your man card now.
Clever girl...
THAT is now one of my favorite exchanges of all time. Original, cute, and hilarious. Also I am kinda ashamed to say it took me as long as it took Page to figure out she was courting him. But now that I know that, I can say I am glad she FINALLY got his attention!
When he said "cleaver girl" did any pony else think of jurriasic park?
7226750
with that line "What Else"
66.media.tumblr.com/1207ddd54d7167928de5a24d4594a614/tumblr_nd91voSZ8Z1sjbr2bo1_400.gif
It's off! the ship has sailed! Long live Prince Blank Page!
It is always sad if the partner of the princesses doesn't have a way to live longer and to know they have to die, and I guess sometimes it "could" be also weird to know that you are not the only lover. Because of that reason it would be important to me that she is treating the relationship as serious as she probably does.
I mean we could think of a random Alicorn princess possible seeing it only as a hundred years of entertainment.
7601623 that was celestia who had that meny Luna had 2. Can't you read?
oh, this chapter reminded me of a fan-comic by Vavacung called "to love god/to love mortal": Celestia's long-dead lover, a pegasus named "Victory wing", gets re-incarnated as a unicorn named "paper mache'"...
http://vavacung.deviantart.com/art/Chapter-1-To-Love-God-To-Love-Mortal-386758861
That was probably one of the best romantic conceptions I have ever read. I cannot describe how happy this chapter made me feel. I literally had to throw my phone onto the couch and smile into my hands for a good minute before I could calm down enough to keep reading.
What a beautiful, beautiful collection of lines. This story continues to surprise and impress me. Good fucking job.
"Welcome to my web," said the spider to the fly...
7902636 God, I wish I could be that happy at at anything.
This chapter has got to be one of the BEST romance chapters we have ever read.
By the All Fathers beard.. This was a wonderful chapter
7926351
at at ?
i.ytimg.com/vi/GyVccrnNxjo/maxresdefault.jpg
*Cadence's head snaps to look off in the direction of Canterlot Castle*
Shining Armor: "Hmm? What is it dear?"
Cadence: "Hel, it's about time, Aunt Luna, My shipping senses have been bugging me for quite a while.... Silly Blank Page!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaa
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Took me a while; I recalled it was an iconic line in a monster movie but I thought it was from one of the Alien films.
Fuck yeah shipping!
8064213
no see its;
Oh hey the Changelings are here. If that's not the case then my god was that a lot of progression shoved into a single chapter when the author has been so good at pacing things out so well. Really thinking its the changelings.
We shared a laugh at that before I smiled sadly up at her. “Luna?”
“Mmm?”
“Will you remember me in a thousand years?”
She blinked down at me, her eyes shinier than normal in the moonlight as she whispered. “My Page... I will remember you as long as I draw breath.” before she leaned in with a gentle smile, her lips brushing against mine.
Lifting my head from the grass, I kissed her back.
(Loop ends and Blank Page Awakens back on earth) Looks around. "What? How? Nonononononononono. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"
sometimes i am too cruel.
7120999
am i the only one who sees an I-Robot reference?
9091105 The movie, or the book? Because I don't know if that would be from the movie, and I don't really remember much the short stories in the book.
I mean, we totally didn't see this coming from a thousand light years away. Also, I think you did this pretty good. Luna is best princess!
Lol, the question part remembered me of a movie but I couldn’t figure it out. Then I watch it a month ago, this is what it reminds me of.
Im glad you made the distinction between lovers and real love. I dont really soapbox it often but its a belief i hold strongly.
It actually endeared Luna to me quite greatly. And that line
Damn, thats a great line. It requires the whole scene to work, but thats a great moment for a romance story.