Princess Celestia looked at her sister with a stern look. "Luna, I fear you are taking Twilight Sparkle away from her studies. She hasn't been studying or sending letters. When I have inquired this to Spike, he told me she was asleep. Now, Luna, you wouldn't want to take Twilight away from her real studies would you?" Princess Luna looked down and replied softly, "It is her choice if she studies with me or you. I do not force them to come, they arrive at their own free will. I cannot make Twilight stop coming," Princess Celestia let out a snort. "No, but you can call off all of this nonsense. There's no need for you to waste these ponies' sleep time for something they can learn from books. Just be warned, Luna. If Twilight falls behind on her studies because of your lessons, I will not be mad at her, I will be mad at you," As Princess Celestia stopped speaking, the sun went down and Luna went off to raise the moon.
Luna walked along the path, thinking of what her sister said. She could be really mean to her sometimes. "Something had changed within Celestia while I was gone," Luna thought. She concluded that because her sister had had to raise the sun and the moon for 1,000 years and had been the only active princess for the same period of time, perhaps she had gotten used to being number one, and the only one.
Luna chewed her lip in thought. She shook her head. No, her and Celestia were equal, no pony was greater than the other. Celestia was older, but they both shared the same rights and freedoms, or so Luna had thought.
As time wore on, she contemplated not having her lessons, or perhaps having her lessons every other night? Or perhaps even once a week? Yes, that should work out just fine. Maybe three times a week. That still left four nights of her being left alone, though.
Luna thought more. She knew the ponies would want to all be together, so they could share their findings with each other, so she couldn't have three ponies on some nights and the other three on other nights.
Luna sighed and her lively spirit crawled back inside its little shell it was so often hidden in. She blocked herself off from the world, slowly returning back to her silent self, her more reserved side, her depressed side.
She didn't even notice that she was walking towards Twilight's. Luna stopped, the wind whipping her mane and hair in the silence. She looked down and saw traces of stardust. She gasped and followed the faint trail away from the path, growing ever closer to the Everfree Forest. As she slowly crept up to the forest, Luna gasped. The stardust was falling softly, gently pouring onto Luna's back, mane, and tail. It felt cool to the touch, and sent shivers up Luna's spine.
She slowly walked through the glittery snow, soaking up its beauty. She approached two trees that grew very strangely; they were bending away from each other, like two parentheses back to back. Luna peeked through the small gap between the trees and couldn't believe what was before her eyes.
The moon's light shone down on the meadow, making the grass appear a silvery green. There was a small pond with lily pads floating atop the glassy surface. Fauna were celebrating the night, basking in the moon's coolness.
Luna thought she heard music drifting in the wind, but maybe that was just her mind playing tricks on her. The place laid out in front of her was real, though.
She closed her eyes and soaked up the serenity, her earlier depression far away now that she had her tranquil meadow. Luna galloped off to Twilight's, eager to tell the other ponies about her discovery.
The ponies were all milling around, waiting for Luna, who was an hour late. Rarity was just about to go stomping home when Luna cantered up to them. "Girls, you won't believe what I just found!" she cried happily. Every pony looked at her.
"What, Princess Luna?" Rainbow Dash asked. Luna smiled and said, "Follow me," she turned and followed her trail back to the meadow.
"Isn't it gorgeous?" Luna breathed. Pinkie Pie nodded in agreement. "Oh yeah, it's really pretty!" Twilight only stared, transfixed by the scene in front of her.
"This is beautiful, Princess Luna," she breathed. Luna smiled softly. "Come, let's go explore," she said happily. She made the gap wider with her magic, and then joyfully jumped through. Pinkie followed her.
When all other ponies had jumped through, the trees vanished, leaving the seven ponies stuck in the meadow. The ponies all started looking around in confusion. "Princess Luna? What the hay is this?!?!" Dash cried, eyes narrowed and turning on Luna. Luna only shook her head, not having the slightest idea why the trees disappeared.
"I knew it! You're trying to make us stay in your stupid night! Well it's not going to work! I will find a way out of here, and once I escape this place, I'm NEVER doing anything in the night again! I never liked it anyway! I don't even know why-" Luna cut her off.
"I'm sorry. I know I'm a failure, and I know my nights are not fun. The only point for my night is so ponies can have time to sleep so they can enjoy my sister's day. I get it. I'm sorry for this," Luna looked at Rainbow Dash with a look of such remorse, and her voice was so full of regret and sorrow Rainbow Dash's anger flooded away instantly. She walked towards Luna and hugged her.
"No, Princess Luna. I'm sorry. I know this wasn't your fault. I was just mad because we're stuck here and I needed someone to blame. Your nights are magical, and I love them. Princess Luna, you are not a failure. You are amazing," Luna started crying and wept into Dash's shoulder. The other ponies crowded around and gave Luna a huge group hug.
"Hey, Princess Luna, there's some more of that shiny stardust stuff!" Pinkie Pie said, hopping up and down excitedly. Luna peered over all the pony heads to look where Pinkie was pointing.
Luna gasped and gently emerged from the sea of ponies.
This dust wasn't stardust; stardust was pink and gold and lavender and pale blue and mint green and pale red. This dust, however, was silver and black and dark blue. This dust was rare. This dust was moondust.
Luna turned to the ponies. "Girls, this is not stardust. This is moondust! This dust is very rare. I haven't even seen it. I had always thought moondust was just an old pony tale. Oh girls,"
The other ponies crowded around Luna and Pinkie Pie, straining to see the small glittering specks on the ground.
Suddenly there was piano music playing softly. Twilight looked up and spotted a small music box sitting on a fallen moss-covered tree. She trotted over and inspected it. "This is the most beautiful music box I've ever seen," she said.
It was a white rectangle, with flowers carved into it. Moondust decorated it prettily, with some stardust thrown on for good measure. A pale pink ribbon was tied around the box. Inside was a violet velvet cushion, and a moondust covered snowflake was twisting in its own revolution, slowly curving round and round as its sweet music quietly filled the studious purple unicorn's ears.
Luna and the others walked up to see the music box. Luna smiled happily and walked on, enjoying the music.
As she walked farther, the others following close behind her, they happened upon another surprise: a field where deer and wolves were laying down together peacefully. A deer and a wolf were laying next to each other, asleep. Luna's first instinct, of course, was to run, but seeing the deer not worrying, Luna's heart slowed down and she tentatively took a step. A wolf glanced her way, looked behind her at the other ponies, then put its head back down, ignoring them completely.
It was simply impossible. This went against their nature. And yet here they were, together in harmony. A larger silver wolf approached the ponies, a smile on her face. "Hello, Princess Luna, keeper of the moon. Hello Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy. I have been expecting to see you ever since I sensed you had entered into our kingdom. I'm happy to have met you all at last. Please follow me,"
Luna looked back at the other ponies, then gulped and followed the gray wolf slowly. They were brought to a fire. Nopony had noticed before, but it was snowing. Snow fell quietly onto the ground, covering the naked trees and the grass.
The ponies gratefully lay down next to the fire and were given hot soup. Pinkie Pie quickly gulped it down. Twilight gave her a stern look, then turned to the wolf. "Um, excuse my asking, but... where exactly are we?"
The wolf looked at the ponies with a warm smile and replied, "You are in the kingdom of Syarrd, where it is always a calming night. I'm sure you will enjoy it here,"
Rarity spoke up, "Yes, well, um... it is very nice, but... how do we get back to Ponyville?"
Fluttershy added in a small voice, "And why are the wolves not fighting with the deer? I mean, not that that is a bad thing, not at all, but..."
The wolf smiled understandingly. "All the animals here are vegetarian. We all had to band together during a horrible storm years ago, so we have all learned to live together peacefully. As for you returning to Ponyville, you can follow this path," she said, gesturing to a small path leading away from the clearing, "but only after you have truly learned and accepted the night,"
Luna looked up slowly. "Does that mean I could go back?" she asked. "I'm just wondering," she added when the other ponies looked at her. The wolf shook her head and said, "I'm afraid not, Miss Luna. Remember how you thought moondust was only a pony tale? You have yet to understand all the beauties and magic that live in the night,"
Twilight stood up. "Well... may we know your name?" the wolf stood up as well and turned to go. "My name is Amaranth. Just think to me whenever you need help or have a question," and she left.
Pinkie Pie bounced up and down, "Yay! More night learning! Who's ready to get started?" she tripped over and face-planted into the snow. Everypony stared for a minute, then burst out laughing and helped Pinkie up.
"Well... let's continue our lessons," Luna said, leading the way through the woods. She thought to herself, "Sister, I'm sorry I'm disobeying your orders,"