A Midwinter's Night Lucid Dream

by Loyal

Reaching For The Stars

The chill night air gave even Luna slight shivers as the pair made their way through the moonlit streets of Canterlot. Luna enjoyed the slow, solemn walk and the quiet between them, broken only by their hooves on the clean cobblestone streets. Luna and Mist Walker moved quietly through the slumbering streets, passing only three ponies in their entire walk. The first was the guard stationed at the gate, and the second had been a security guard making his rounds outside of Equestria’s bank. The third had been a wayward pony on their way to wherever ponies went in the wee hours of the morning.

The last had given the two of them a passing glance and a warm smile before turning a corner, disappearing into the annals of memory as a brief greeting, a momentary friend on the solemn journey through cold, quiet Canterlot. Luna had an ultimate goal that night, but there were steps to be taken to reach that point, and many of those steps lay along the path to and from Canterlot’s central park and open space.

It was there that they arrived next, leaving the stony streets for an even more quiet path through the trees and bushes. The chill breeze left them for a moment, leaving only a cool night wrapped around the two of them. Having left the streets behind for the solemn quiet of the city park, Mist Walker finally spoke.

“Princess, forgive me for asking, but why are we not attending to matters of state this evening?”

“Because,” Luna gave Mist a faint smile. “Even we princesses require a night off every now and then.”

“But-“

“Mist, how many days off have you had since you became my aide?” Luna cut him off succinctly, and her point cowed him into silence. He tucked his muzzle into his scarf, looking pensively down at the dirt path beneath their hooves. Luna, however, continued speaking. “I’ve not taken a break since my return. Two full years, with everything that has happened, without a single pause. Forgive me, Mist, if I’m so selfish to request a single evening to just…” She inhaled softly, catching the scent of rain in the atmosphere, a slight tang of ozone that promised thunder and lightning later on.

“Enjoy my night.”

“… Forgive me, Princess, I didn’t mean it to sound that way…” Mist spoke after a brief pause. Luna lifted her shoulder indifferently.

“I know you didn’t, but my point stands. Too many nights I’ve spent alone in the castle, looking out at this.” She waved a hoof to their surroundings, the lush foliage still clinging to its branches and stems despite the lateness of the season. “I just figured it was about time that I actually familiarized myself with the night, rather than observe it.”

They fell back into silence once more, their mute hoof-falls the only thing to break the night. Every now and then, the breeze would ruffle the trees above them, sending pinpricks of moonlight dancing across the path before them. Luna watched the night’s light show with a sense of wonder and merriment. The dance of the leaves and light left her breathless, so much that she had to pause whenever a stiff breeze brought the revelry to a fever pitch.

Mist Walker stopped with her, walked by her side, and marveled at the sights just as much as she did. They didn’t need to share words in those moments, but rather, bonded over their mutual appreciation for the night. She would steal surreptitious glances at him now and then, and each time she saw his eyes wide with wonder.

’That’s what you’ve been missing, Luna… One thousand and two years ago, you’d have killed for just one pony to look at the night like that. Thank the stars I’m not as blind as I was back then… They’re out there, these ponies who love the night… You just have to look for them.’

Their walk lasted a solid hour, spent meandering through Canterlot’s park at night. They crossed bridges over streams of molten silver, strolled across moonlit meadows with the wind tugging at them, and passed underneath rustling foliage, with nothing but each other and the dancing moonlight for company. But Luna’s machinations would not be without fruit that evening, and she was determined to see her plan through to fruition.

After the park, she led them back into the city streets, passing another couple of ponies on their way elsewhere. She paused to give the two of them a slight bow, and received one back in kind. They didn’t say a word, but the wide look in their eyes betrayed shock and excitement at meeting Luna in the pre-dawn morning.

“I recognize those two,” Mist Walker waited until they had moved on before speaking. “They work at the palace, in the library… I think they’re archivists.”

“I should take the time to introduce myself, next time we run across them.” Luna mused, drawing a curious eyebrow from Mist.

“Next time?”

“Well, I was hoping to make these walks something of a normality.” Luna alluded with a wave of her hoof. “Like I said, it’s been too long since I’ve taken a break from my work… I think a midnight stroll once per week is… admissible.”

Mist remained silent, but Luna could tell his tight-lipped pensiveness was product of deep introspection. She left him to his thoughts and walked on, turning onto Canterlot’s main drive. Here, the first illumination aside from the moon greeted them. The warm golden glow of a diner shone its beacon out into the night, promising a comfortable booth, warm coffee, and good food to wayward travelers lost in the night.

Luna may not have been lost, but she certainly was hungry, and an omelet sounded divine just then. Mist seemed to sense her desires, and he picked up the pace a little. The two of them made for the diner with eager expressions.

A cheery bell greeted them as they opened the door, ushering them in out of the chill air and into a blissful warmth. The solitary waitress emerged from the kitchen, her hooves stuttering across the polished linoleum at the sight of Princess Luna and her aide waiting patiently to be seated.

“W-welcome, Princess!” She was a cute thing, a bit heavyset for an earth pony, but with soft eyes and a warm coloration that supplemented the diner remarkably well. Her apron was spotless, and blended into her off-white coat well, accentuated by a warm mane of red hair. Her cutie mark was a plate heaped high with eggs and hash browns, steaming faintly. Luna returned her nervous smile warmly, nodding towards a nearby booth by the window, looking up at Canterlot Castle.

“Table for two?” She asked. The poor waitress blinked at her for a few moments, likely expecting Luna to be visiting for official reasons. When it clicked that the eternal regent of Equestria wasn’t there to banish them or something else nefarious, her smile turned a mile wide.

“Of course! Sit anywhere you’d like, Princess. What are you drinking tonight?”

“Coffee, please. Cream and sugar. Mist?”

“Tea, if that’s enough. With lemon.”

“Of course! I’ll be right back with drinks and menus.” The waitress trotted off happily, though Luna could swear she heard an excited squeal from the kitchen, preceded by a curious unicorn peeking out at them with wide eyes. As much as she hated being treated with privilege, Luna couldn’t help but smile at the thought that she’d be on the receiving end of some particularly delicious food before long.

Mist took his seat first, with his back to the castle. Luna slid in opposite him, looking out of the window and up at the tall spires of her home, blocking out the constellations. Only a few windows were illuminated that evening, likely the archivists they passed on their way in to work, or maybe one of the cleaning crew putting in some early hours. Either way, the solemn sight of the castle dim and quiet struck a chord with Luna.

“Princess,” Mist drew her out of her reverie. “Remind me why we’re here?”

“I was in the mood for some coffee.” Luna shrugged. “And it seemed you were a little cold out there. We could both stand to warm up a little before getting back to work this morning.”

“Yes, but… we’re hardly five minutes’ walk from the castle. We could just as easily have called the kitchen for food and coffee.”

“The kitchen staff all know my name, and I know theirs.” Luna shrugged. “I think it’s high time I learn the names of ponies who work through my night.”

“Y-yes, your highness.” Mist muttered quietly, nuzzling back down into his scarf with a pensive look. Luna looked at him for a few moments before smiling and looking back up at her castle. She had expected this silence to last a while, but Mist spoke again, his eyes still on the table before him. “But why this diner?”

“Because it’s open.” Luna answered, lofting a brow at him. “Why, do you have any issue with it?”

“N-no, not particularly, just-“

“Here you are.” The waitress returned with a tray sporting a carafe of coffee, a mug, cream and sugar, and Mist’s tea. She slid each across the table towards their respective owners, but Luna didn’t miss the sly grin she shot Mist’s way. “What, uuh… what can I get you to eat, your highness?”

“Please, you’re welcome to call me Luna.” She smiled at the waitress, who blushed furiously at the formality. “I’ll have an omelet with tomatoes, chives, mushrooms, and peppers. A side of hash browns, and toast. Do you have apple butter?”

“Fresh from Ponyville!” The mare beamed, hastily writing out her order. “Will that be all?”

“That’s it for me. Mist?”

“Eer…”

“Yeah, what can I get you to eat, brother?”

Luna blinked between them. Out of the haze of memory came a conversation she’d had with Mist a long while ago, about his family and their occupations.

“You’re Silver.” She surmised, grinning at the waitress.

“Aah, so my reputation precedes me.” The mare winked at Luna, nudging Mist playfully. “You always talk to royalty about me, little brother?”

“Shut up, Silver.” He groaned, covering his face with his hooves.

“Ah, that’s fair, I suppose. I get to brag about my little brother working at the palace, personal aide to Princess Luna herself. It’s divine karma that he talks about his older sister, bussing tables at the diner just down the street.”

“I assure you,” Luna tried her hardest to hide her mirth behind a hoof. “He only spoke of you with the utmost respect. In a way, I think he admires you.”

“Oh really?!” Silver Ware, or Silver for short, threw her hoof over Mist’s back, ruffling his mane playfully. “You look up to we lowly earth ponies, writing with our mouths and hauling dishes all around the diner?!”

Luna couldn’t help but chuckle at the display of sibling affection. In a way, it reminded her of herself and Celestia, at least if nopony was around. It wouldn’t do to have the servants seeing the two immortal princesses of Equestria needling one another or ruffling their manes. But still, whenever they could, the two of them displayed their affection openly. Watching Silver needle her little brother made Luna’s night that much more enjoyable.

“Eggs, over easy, and toast.” Mist finally managed to extricate himself from Silver’s teasing, and she winked at Luna playfully. “Thanks, sis.”

“It’s good to see you in the middle of the night, rather than every morning after you’re done.” Silver tucked her order booklet away, beaming at Mist warmly. “You should stop in more often. And you can bring the Princess if you’d like.”

“I should hope so.” Luna quipped, winking at Mist. “I’d hate to miss out watching him blush like that.” Sure enough, Mist’s cheeks had darkened considerably, his muzzle tucked ever-tighter into his scarf. He looked so much like a colt then that Luna couldn’t help but grin at him. Silver had chosen that moment to slip away and leave them alone, one Princess and her aide, caught between sibling affection and his burgeoning feelings for the mare opposite him.

Idly, Luna wondered if he had told his sister about his developing feelings. There was something in Silver’s wry smile that told her that he had, and seeing the two of them together was giving her all sorts of delight. Indeed, Luna lofted a quick glance towards the kitchen, and spotted two manes whipping back around the corner.

’Perhaps here isn’t the best place to confront him…’

“I see now why you were hesitant at first.” Luna broke their silence with a faint smile, one that Mist mirrored after a few moments.

“She’s really nice. After mom and dad… left… she really looked after me.” His expression turned melancholy, but there was a look in his eyes; a fire of sorts, that told Luna he was deeply grateful for Silver’s presence. “It’s not easy paying for rent in Canterlot on a waitress’ wages, but she did it… Held on long enough for me to get a job with the Scribes, and the rest is history.”

Luna recalled having recruited Silver out of the Scribes, the ponies who recorded incidents across Equestria and catalogued them with the help of the Archivists. It was dreadfully boring work, but required good planning and excellent time management. The ranks of the Scribes had always produced the best assistants and aides across history, and that held true even now, a thousand years after Luna’s departure. But her thoughts weren’t on Mist’s conditional employment, but rather his history.

“What happened with your parents?” She asked quietly. Mist looked up from the table to meet her eyes, his own wide and expressive. Luna had never in her history bridged this gap between them. In fact, his mention of his parents had been the first bit of personal information he had volunteered. Learning about his sister had been a wayward occurrence, a passing mention in conversation some time near the beginning of his helping her.

Now, it seemed, Luna would finally get to learn something about Mist. And not just his dreams or passions, but his history. What made him who he was.

Luna’s heart throbbed at the thought of learning more about him.

“They were astronomers. Both of them met and worked at the observatory, gave birth to my sister and me, and then…” He heaved a soft sigh. “Left. Packed up their books and personal belongings, left the furniture and bills, and just… left. We got a letter a few months ago, they’re living in some cabin in the mountains outside Trottingham. They said it’s beautiful out there, that they can stargaze all they’d like… I just hope they don’t have another kid.”

Luna felt her heart throb at that. Mist’s face was pensive, his expression serious and drawn. She could tell, he spoke his heart. Rather than belabor the point, she reached across the table to lay her hoof on his.

“I’m sorry you had a difficult foalhood.” She said quietly. “But I’ll tell you now, I’m honored to have somepony as resourceful as you working for me.”

Her words came from her heart of hearts, and she could tell, they’d struck a chord with Mist.

’Finally,’ Luna could have sagged with relief. ’He sees me for the mare I am. Not some heartless, untouchable despot… Real. Tangible. And heavens help me, I care for him.’ She pulled her hoof away as Silver emerged from the kitchen with two heaping plates of food. Her hunger won out against her compassion, and Mist seemed to share her sentiment. The two of them set in on their food, eating voraciously as the very first hint of dawn began to light the eastern sky, from pitch black to a deep, royal purple.

Daybreak would be on them soon.

But that didn’t mean Luna couldn’t enjoy her coffee and the company.

----------

The dreamscape was not as cold as Luna remembered it being. She wheeled through the sky, well above the pensive form of Mist Walker, who was so enraptured with the ground beneath his hooves that the magisterial night above him might as well have been invisible. For Luna, it made for convincing cover. She flapped a lazy circle around him, watching as the dream unfolded once more.

The dialogue between the two progressed as normally as it ever had, though each word Mist spoke from his heart still made her heart throb in her chest. Up through the kiss, everything was the same…

Until Luna’s counterpart gingerly wrapped her hooves around him, pulling Mist on top of her as she sprawled backwards. Luna watched her own mane and tail splay out onto the grass, painting that small patch with a bit of the night sky. Atop her, Mist lavished kisses onto her, the two of them tangling together in such a way that made her envy her own shade.

’Fly down there, Luna. Take the place of your shade. He’s finally surrendered to his passions; do you not want to receive them, as you should?’

Quietly, Luna flew through the door and into her hallway. Behind her, the door remained. She knew that if she were to re-emerge into that dreamscape, she would see herself and Mist locked together in the most passionate of embraces.

’You could just watch… Nothing wrong with that. Heaven’s know you’ve watched a thousand other ponies locked together with you. Many times, that’s your invitation to pursue them in the waking world…’

Luna looked back at the door, her lip drawn between her teeth.

’It’d be so easy… Just open it, fly above them, watch as he-‘

The door disappeared. Luna looked at the empty expanse of wall, her heart growing heavier in her breast. She didn’t need to have been there to know that Mist’s passions, however exuberant, did not last very long. Which meant one of two things to her…

’Either he’s lacking in the stamina department…

‘Or he’s still unsure.’

Author's Note:

Not 100% on this chapter... It feels a little off, but it feels like it's been ages since I've published anything, and I'm too tired to edit this to flesh it out a little more. I know it feels slow, but the story should wrap up in the next 2-4 chapters.

Comments

[Vic Fontaine]

Well, I'm way late on this comment, but hey:

Really dug this chapter and the amount of progression we saw. Luna's playing it a bit coy, and I'm glad for that. I see her written in such a way as to rush things far too often, so seeing her take it a bit slow is great. Also, Mist is just pitch perfect here, especially around her sister. Can't blame her for needling him a bit, especially when he brings a princess in for a late snack. ;)

My only critique is that the scene break near the end felt a bit abrupt. Took me a couple of re-reads to sort out where we jumped to after the cafe scene. But, that's a minor thing. Good stuff, as usual!

[The Old Plug]

WILL YOU TWO GET A ROOM!.......Oh? I mean a real room!........What? Taking it slow....(sigh)........OK........heheheheh! Romantic suspense. I think I can take it.......AH HELL! WHO AM I KIDDING! WILL YOU TWO GET A ROOM AND HASH THIS OUT? LOCK THE FREAKING DOOR! ORDER DINNER! AAAAAAHAHAGGGGG! (Love your work!)......(I'll go to my corner and shut up now........ mumbling... "get a room.......he's right freaking there...grumble.".) hehehehehehe!