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// Dance With the Moon 
// Story: Myths of the Night 
// by VelasBane 
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	Her room in the castle was unchanged since her youth in many aspects.  The walls were still deep blue and black, and the stars of the night sky seemed to shimmer in the very stone itself.  They swirled slowly, creating endless constellations and patterns.  A large sunroof permitted a heavy filtered stream of sunlight in the day, but the moon’s rays were welcomed.  Her furnishings were few; a large black wood bed with deep blue and violet bedding and pillows, a matching vanity, and a long table strewn with papers and books.
Ever since her return to Canterlot, Princess Luna was determined to catch up on the history of the lands she had been banished from.  She had grown much from the time she was freed to her showing at Ponyville’s Nightmare Night; she chalked it up to her natural body catching up with where it was supposed to be.  She was still not nearly as tall as Celestia, but she had matured enough to develop the flowing mane and tail typical of the Royal Family of Equestria.  Her locks showed sparkling stars, much like the walls of her room.
When she had first begun to walk among the ponies of Equestria once again, she had originally done so in the old style of living – she had reverted to old Equestrian and using royal speech, right down to her bellowing voice.  It took the intervention of the Chosen Ones in Ponyville to bring her down from her high pony, so to speak, and ground her along with her sister.  She had since watched Celestia in her dealings with the common ponies of their lands, but from a distance.
As accepting as Ponyville had shown to be of her, Luna was still scared and hesitant to openly walk around as her sister sometimes did.  She was even afraid to venture back to Ponyville, since the young ones had only asked for her to return on Nightmare Night.  Surely, she would be welcomed if she chose to appear, but they all slept at night…
Hush, she gently admonished herself, shaking her mane quickly.  Now was not the time to reminisce on such things, else she would fall back into old, hateful habits.  The sadness and bitterness still lurked beneath the surface; she could sense it, almost feel it rising in her throat like bile.  But Celestia had been so grateful to have her home, so kind to her, so apologetic for what had happened…
“Sister?”
The voice was gentle; Luna turned her head from the large bay windows leading to her balcony just enough to cast an almost shy glance over her shoulder.  Celestia stood in all of her glory, seeming to glow warmly in the eternal night of Luna’s private chambers.   The white mare stepped in elegantly, coming up next to Luna and staring outside with her.  Since Luna’s return, the elder had made an effort to watch the sunset with the younger; oftentimes in complete silence as the two simply made up for a thousand years of bitter loneliness.
“I love watching you dance in the darkness,” Celestia said quietly.  Luna ducked her head and glanced sidelong at her sister, her teal eyes glittering with embarrassment and pleasure.  “Full moon tonight?”
“Yes,” the younger said quietly, reaching out to nudge the windows open with her nose.  The two moved out into the fresh spring air and Celestia closed her eyes, a warm smile spreading on her face.  Luna, meanwhile, looked down into the city of Canterlot, her wings folding at her sides.  She could see a gathering of ponies at the base of the castle, their eyes craned expectantly upward – not toward the setting sun, but toward her.
“They love watching you too, you know.  Maybe tonight we can go down to them.”
Luna ducked her head.  She had the largest crowds for the full moon – she wasn’t sure what they saw in her work.  It was the same thing that Celestia had always done – but perhaps that was just it.  They were so used to Celestia that the newness of their long-lost Princess taking her rightful place in the cycle of life was still amazing to them.
A soft song began to stir in her heart.  As her wings unfurled next to her, Luna replied softly, “Perhaps,’’ before – as though in a dream – she rose into the sky.
Referring to what she did as a ‘dance in the darkness’ wasn’t too far off the mark.  Each beat of her purple wings brought her higher into the sky, her mane and tail trailing below her like a cloak made of the night sky.  Her eyes closed, the song in her heart grew louder; she felt it reaching a climax, her blood pounding through her body with expectation.  Her ascent stopped suddenly, her wings outstretched, her head bowed.  When her eyes snapped open, they were glowing white, and a small point of light was forming at the top of her horn.
She turned a sudden somersault as the sun vanished below the horizon and she dropped in a freefall for several seconds.  The point of light grew brighter, winking out of existence as her wings again shot open and caught the mare’s descent.  As she rose again, her head was thrown back and her front hooves outstretched.  She spun slowly as she moved until the song had died down; though this time, when she stopped, she was framed by moonlight.
Her eyes opened and a look of wonder crossed her face.  After missing her duties for a thousand years, she had forgotten how much she missed this task.  The murmurs of admiration from the citizens of Canterlot warmed her almost as much as the moonlight at her back, and she began to drift lazily around, allowing herself to flow as freely as her mane did.  Luna flowed around and through clouds, somersaulted in the air, soared high into the sky and dropped back down.  It was all she could do to exude her joyous energies; and through it all, whenever she looked to her balcony, her beloved sister was watching with a warm smile.
As she was reaching the end of her dance, she heard a soft gasp from nearby and spun upright, her wings beating rapidly as she glanced around.  Her gaze settled on a cloud nearby, where she saw three pegasi heads silhouetted by moonlight. She started to fly toward them, but they dropped out of sight and sped away.  She could see nothing beyond their silhouettes.  Luna’s quiet voice called out, “Wait – “, but they were lost to the darkness.
Even the younger ones were expert fliers, and Luna wasn’t sure if she should give chase.  Instead, she turned tail and flew back down to her balcony.  Celestia was there, a look of concern on her face.  “What troubled you, sister?  You stopped so suddenly.”
“What city lies in that direction?” Luna replied, motioning with her nose toward the horizon the three had vanished toward.  Celestia followed her gaze, frowning thoughtfully as Luna elaborated.  “There were three pegasi, but they did not go toward Cloudsdale.  They went – “
“East,” Celestia finished, her face darkening some.  She looked down at Luna, her face stern.  “My dear sister, do not chase them.  If they are who I believe, they are not a part of Equestria proper and have denied their bonds of fellowship to this land.”
“But…”
“Enough,” Celestia said, gently yet firmly.  “Come, dear one.  Let us mingle with our subjects this night.”
The graceful Princess took to the skies, and Luna followed her hesitantly.  She turned a final longing glance to the east before she followed Celestia down, forcing the disappointment out of her face so she would not upset the ponies of Canterlot.  But she already knew exactly the pony she would have to see to appease this curiosity…