Epilogue 1: Lunar Eclipse and Luna
The medical wing at Canterlot Castle was mostly lit with natural sunlight, which helped alleviate the artificial and sterile feeling of most hospitals. There were enough beds for at least fifty ponies, but only one was being occupied. Lunar Eclipse lay on one of the beds closest to the large window, the cool breeze occasionally caressing his short blood red mane. In the time since the attack on Ponyville, Lunar Eclipse had been left in a coma due to the extent of his injuries and heavy blood loss he had suffered. His condition had been easy to stabilize, but what had proved to be difficult was the healing process. For hours on end, nurses would come in at random intervals and cleanse his wounds or use their magic to help with speeding up the recovery.
Lunar Eclipse started to shift about in his bed while a nurse tried to remove his bandages to switch them out with fresh ones. Suddenly, Lunar gasped deeply as he pushed himself to a sitting position on the bed.
He looked around frantically, trying to make sense of the situation, “What is going on? Why am I in the medical wing?” Lunar asked out loud to no pony in particular.
The nurse sighed, giving up on trying to remove the gauze, “Well after you were incapacitated, Blazing Dawn and the last few survivors fought until it only Nightmare Mo—”
“Hello nurse. You don’t need to worry yourself about explaining things to him. I have everything under control, but I appreciate your willingness. Please go and help the medical staff in the other medical wing if you may.” Princess Luna asked politely as she walked towards Lunar Eclipse’s bed.
The nurse gathered her equipment and bowed, “As you wish, your Highness.” and promptly left.
Luna sat down by his bedside and rubbed his shoulder, “Oh Lunar, what am I going to do with you?” She said teasingly, chuckling to herself, “You throw yourself head first into the hardest of frays, but take your time to think when it comes to easy battles. What makes you do that, huh?"
Lunar Eclipse blushed lightly at her jeer and settled for looking out the window, “I don’t know, Luna...sometimes I just...act out and try to follow my heart in the conquest for justice.” He explained in a distant, yet calm tone.
She stared down at him and bopped him gently on the shoulder, “You still manage to surprise me, even after your return all those years ago, you know.”
He chuckled deeply, “Gotta keep things fresh somehow.” Lunar looked at Princess Luna with a serious expression, “Can you inform me of what else happened in Ponyville?”
“Well...as the nurse tried to explain, the Nightmare kept taking over everypony in town using Shining Armor as his vessel...” She immediately shuddered at the thought, “It was all going in his favor until Twilight Sparkle was able to reach out to him and that, in turn, helped him free himself. From then onwards, it became a battle against time until I came in to help with less than twenty minutes before sunrise.” Luna bandaged up the last of his wounds and stood up, walking over to the window.
“Unfortunately, that might have been a bad idea in hindsight as it took over me...again. This time, Nightmare was serious in his attempt to kill Blazing Dawn, but Shining Armor didn’t allow it at any cost, giving him enough time to charge a very, very powerful spell that called on the power of the sun to extricate Nightmare from me.” A lone tear welled up in her eye at the mere thought of the loss of Shining Armor.
Lunar Eclipse stared at the unmoving princess, feeling as though something was off. Kicking his hooves over the bed, he slowly walked up to her side and placed a hoof on her shoulder, “Where is Shining Armor, Luna? I’d like to congratulate him on a job well done.”
She looked at him and choked back a sob, “H-hes...” Luna took a deep breath to compose herself, “You won’t be able to Lunar...he’s dead.”
He gazed at her with an empty expression before sighing to himself, “I really wish I could have been there to protect them...I feel as though I’ve let them down.”
“That’s not true! If you hadn’t tried to come get me, who knows how much worse things could have gotten in Ponyville.” She said passionately.
Lunar smiled softly at the Princess, “You always seem to know what to say to cheer up.”
The princess of the night merely blushed at his praise, “It’s nothing.” She shook her head as if to clear any distractions from her mind, “The funeral service is going to be held tomorrow and Twilight Sparkle wishes for you to attend, should you cho—”
“Of course I’ll go, Luna. Shining Armor was like a younger brother to me. I wouldn’t just leave him out to dry and act like nothing happened. I care for all my friends, even if it hurts!” Lunar said with a determined fire burning in his eyes.
Luna’s teal eyes softened hearing how much he cared for all those he knew, “Do you also care about the mare who snapped you out of the haze that clouded your mind?” She asked sincerely.
A hot blush exploded across his cheeks the moment he caught on to who she was referring to, “Yes, I still care for The Mare in the Moon and how she guided me back with her stars to the ponies who’d always care for me.”
She nuzzled him affectionately and heard him chuckle. Luna took a good look at him before nervously glancing away.
“What’s wrong Luna?”
“I...I—There’s something I’ve wanted to ask you about since last night.” She said hesitantly.
“You can ask me anything, Luna. Don’t be shy.”
“Alright.” She cleared her throat, “Do you remember when you first came into the observatory last night with all the guards chasing you?”
“Yeah, still got the wounds to prove it.” He said with a chuckle.
“What else do you remember before you passed out?”
He thought over the events before responding, “I remember telling you about Nightmare being back, Blazing Dawn being in danger, coughing up blood an—” Lunar stood there in shock as a specific memory came to mind.
“Luna...” Lunar coughed weakly as Luna leaned down to him. “Luna...you have to...to save Blazing Dawn...” His eyes flickered shut momentarily, then snapped open again after he inhaled deeply. “Don’t worry about me...”
“I am worried about you! You are bleeding all over! I’m not leaving yo-UMPH!”
Lunar suddenly mustered all the strength he had left, leaned up and pressed his lips onto Luna’s. She widened her eyes in shock at first, but slowly closed her eyes, kissing the injured Prince of Death back.
Lunar finally lost his strength and fell back down onto the floor.
“I...I love you, Luna...”
Luna gasped and smiled slightly, her face a bright red, “I love you, too...”
Lunar Eclipse looked at Luna with a loving gaze as he wrapped a hoof around her neck in a light hug, “Those feelings have only grown, Luna.’
She stared at him in shock, “Really!?”
“Really.” He said with the same smile.
Luna blushed lightly as she leaned her forehead against his, their horns tapping softly together, “I love you, Lunar Eclipse; with all my heart.”
He chuckled, “Taking initiative first, huh?”
She laughed, “Don’t ruin the mood.”
“I would never dream of that, my loving princess.” He whispered into her.
Luna blushed brightly.
Lunar Eclipse gazed into her teal eyes as he professed what he had kept beneath the surface for so long, “I love you beyond comprehensible meaning, Luna.”
Gently, he pressed his lips up against Luna’s, feeling her melt into hooves. The way her lips felt against his was simply divine as Luna tilted her head, allowing him to deepen the kiss as he pushed his tongue into her mouth and wrestled for control. Luna grinned into the passionate kiss as she guided them over to the bed he had slept on. Without interrupting his fierce tongue wrestling, she levitated them onto the bed, Lunar’s back softly resting on the bed with Luna on top of him.
Their wings spread apart as their passion began to rise like the afternoon sun. She gave him a devilish wink which he stared at her confusedly while still kissing her. Suddenly, his hooves were groping her tight flanks, eliciting a deep moan from Luna. He grinned right back at her as he caught onto what she wanted. It was then that the two reunited friends had become the closest of lovers, consummating their feelings like any other couple.
A/N: Awwww...ain't it cute?
Stay tuned. The next epilogue will feature Blazing Dawn and Applebloom.
Stay frosty.