//------------------------------// // Part 2a // Story: Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying // by l0x0r //------------------------------// I don’t own My Little Pony >implying that’s the best I’ve got >implying those are my strongest machines With a sigh, Luna awoke. It was late evening, and despite the thick drapes covering the windows of her room, thin rays of sunlight still managed to invade through the gaps, leaving her in dim twilight. With her eyes adjusted to the darkness, it was easy for her to make out the shadowy furniture and towering bookshelves in the gloom of the silent room. Weighed down by lassitude, Luna turned and gazed toward the spot where Twilight had slept so long ago. It had only been a few weeks, but it felt like it had been much, much longer. To wake up next to somepony, especially somepony as wonderful as Twilight Sparkle had felt delightful. Luna had been alone for so very long, that to simply see other ponies was a pleasure. But to touch them, hold them, feel the rise and fall of their chest, to listen to the soft sigh of their breath caused Luna a tremulous joy she couldn’t quite describe. How much the feeling came from having such a close relationship with another pony, and how much it was from that pony being Twilight Sparkle specifically, Luna wasn’t quite sure. The brief time she and Twilight had spent together had reawoken a longing in Luna, one she had thought she'd conquered long ago. A yearning for a relationship with a pony closer than that of a courtier and a princess, closer than one forged only from duty and obedience. She wanted a relationship as close as the one she had shared with Celestia so long ago, but one untainted by her terrible mistakes. Luna hoped, that is, she wished with all her heart that Twilight could be the pony who would fill the hole she had felt for so long in her life. That she could be the pony who she would be able to call a friend. Energized by her reflections on Twilight, Luna laboriously climbed out of bed. She left the sheets rumpled up and the pillows in disarray. Nopony had ever taught her how to fold them as expertly as the maids did, and the one time she had attempted to make the bed herself, things had ended badly. But the next morning, like all mornings, Luna had found her pillows fluffed, blankets folded, sheets expertly creased, and the singe marks all gone. She felt slightly guilty for having somepony come and clean up after her, but Celestia had explained to her that it was one of the things they had to bear with because it was what the ponies of Equestria expected from their princesses. Still, it didn’t sit well with Luna that she should leave a mess behind for other ponies to clean up. But, on the other hoof, perhaps it made them happy, somehow. Luna quickly brushed the tangles out of her mane and tail, and finished her evening ritual by donning her crown and other royal vestments. As she was checking her appearance in the mirror of her vanity, Luna received a reminder to the fact that she was running a bit late by the sun slipping past the horizon's edge.. She could feel the ball of light disappearing from the Equestrian sky, causing the light in her room to fade away and for true darkness to finally return. Luna closed her eyes and concentrated on her shadow covered crescent moon, pushing it up into the night sky to follow after the sun. The cold light of the moon was insufficient to banish the darkness, so Luna stretched out her magic once more and lit several of the lamps spread throughout the room, amongst the various pieces of furniture. In their warm, subtle light, Luna checked her appearance one last time before navigating through her still somewhat unfamiliar chambers, and out the door. Celestia would be awake for only another hour or two, so if Luna didn’t hurry, her sister might not have time for her. With that in mind, Luna rushed out of the hall leading to the royal apartments and was quickly intercepted by her personal assistant, Gimlet Lime. The always earnest unicorn seemed to appear out of the ether as she fell alongside Luna with her ever present clipboard and quill. “Good evening, Princess Luna. I hope that you’ve had a pleasant day.” “Yes, I did, thank you,” Luna good-naturedly lied. She slowed down slightly, worried that with the clipboard in front of her, the other pony might run into something, but otherwise continued on her way towards the dining room where she usually met with Celestia for their all too brief conversations. “Wonderful. I’m glad you’re well rested, because your schedule is rather full tonight. Moonrise has been completed.” There was a loud scratch as Gimlet crossed off something on her clipboard. “Next, you’re scheduled to dine with Princess Celestia for approximately forty-five minutes. Following that will be your nightly news briefing which will likely last for two hours. After which you will hear the arguments for and against the proposed dam project in the Ponysee Valley. Those are scheduled for three hours, and then we’ll proceed to the midnight meal, which is being catered by Café Fleur, and is expected to last forty-five minutes. “Following the meal will be the period of study you wished for, during which we’ve scheduled a few spontaneous breaks to relax through playing board games. According to the royal statistical data, Princess Celestia should arise at approximately 4:59 tomorrow morning, with a 98% probability she will wake between 4:40 and 5:18.” Gimlet broke out of her monotonal recital long enough to impart an interesting fact to Luna. “The last time that there was an outlier, was 324 years ago when the princess woke rather late because she ‘just didn’t feel like it.’” They had covered a vast distance through the wide and opulent halls of the palace during Gimlet’s recital. “Thank you, Gimlet Lime, that was very … precise.” The door to the dining room was quickly approaching, and Luna was very eager to see Celestia, but she couldn’t help making an observation, “I wasn’t aware that my sister’s sleep schedule was so closely studied.” Gimlet looked away from her checklist long enough to reassure Luna with absolute sincerity, “Oh yes, Princess Luna. We try to study and keep track of as much information about Princess Celestia as possible, so we can better serve her. And you of course.” Luna wasn’t too sure how she felt about somepony charting her bed time and who knew what other daily routines. “Well, I’m sure that Princess Celestia is grateful for the attention to detail you and the others have had for her, but perhaps you can relax a little. You don’t have to be so exacting all the time. It’s not as if the sun won’t rise and all of Equestria will be plunged into eternal darkness if you make a mistake.” Her unicorn assistant came to an abrupt halt and regarded Luna with a shocked and almost fearful expression. “That was a joke,” Luna explained, with an uncertain smile. “Oh yes, of course. Very funny, Princess Luna. Ha ha.” Gimlet Lime replied, actually enunciating her ha's rather than laughing. With an apologetic smile that was almost a wince, Luna entered the dining room, leaving Gimlet on the other side of the thick door to do whatever it was she did when Luna wasn’t around. The room was brightly lit by artificial light, almost painfully so. The long table dominating the room’s center was laden with food, but Celestia’s larger than life figure wasn’t seated before it as was usual. Instead she was standing at one of the narrow windows which lined the nearby wall. “Good evening, Celestia,” Luna cheerfully called out. Celestia seemed lost in thought, and it was a few moments before she roused herself and turned her head to smile back at Luna. “Good evening to you too, Luna.” “Is there something interesting outside?” “Oh no,” Celestia replied distractedly. “I was just thinking about something.” “Nothing too troublesome I hope.” “No. Nothing concrete really. I’m just hoping that the peace accords between the griffons and the dragons will last. I’d hate to have the months of effort and arbitration we’ve worked so hard on to be for nothing.” “They won’t,” Luna reassured Celestia. “While the griffons are known more for their passion then their restraint, they are honorable. As for the dragons, they’ve always been true their words. Besides which, the settlement you came up with was fair to both sides, neither could possibly have a grievance with it.” Celestia smiled, but still seemed distant. “You’re right. I know that I shouldn’t be worrying over it. I’m sure things will turn out for the best, and now that the negotiations are over, I can turn my full attention back to the things which are truly important to me. Now then, let’s put aside politics and have dinner, or breakfast, whichever you’d prefer.” Celestia gracefully settled down on one of the large cushions spread around the table and Luna took a seat on the opposite side of the table from her. “Would you like sugar with your tea?” Celestia asked. She levitated a large silver teapot at the far end of the table and perfectly poured its dark and aromatic contents into two delicate porcelain teacups while she waited for Luna’s reply. “Yes please.” Two lumps of sugar were dropped into one of the cups, and as it floated through the air, a small silver spoon gently stirred the tea. Celestia placed the cups with barely a clink in front of them and Luna deeply inhaled the scented steam. The highly caffeinated and very sweet beverage had quickly become her drink of choice after her introduction to it shortly following her return. She waited for a few moments to let the tea cool, filling the time by appropriating a few rose petal pastries. “So, have you had time to look over the schedule and decide when I’ll be able to visit Twilight Sparkle?” Luna tried to phrase the question nonchalantly, but couldn’t fully keep the eagerness from her voice. “Twilight?” Celestia perked up for a moment before she fully understood Luna’s question. “No, I’m afraid that I’ve been too busy as of late." “Oh.” Sensing Luna’s disappointment, Celestia was quick to add, “But now that the dragon and griffon treaty has been ratified, I should have the time to take over more of your duties, so I’m sure that you’ll be able to go on your trip soon.” They were silent for a few minutes, each lost in their thoughts, both only picking at their food. Eventually it was Celestia who broke the silence by clearing her throat. “Speaking of Twilight Sparkle, I understand that you two have been corresponding quite frequently with one another as of late.” “Yes we have,” Luna eagerly replied. “She’s been sending me letters describing Ponyville and her friends, all of whom sound like very interesting ponies. And I’ve been writing to her about what I’ve been studying, as well as informing her about the news from around Equestria. Apparently Ponyville's local paper doesn’t have as broad a scope as the news we receive here in Canterlot.” “I’m glad that you two are getting on so well.” Celestia paused for a moment in contemplation before she awkwardly asked, “Does Twilight ever mention me in her letters?” “Of course. She often speaks of the lessons you’ve taught her, and the many enjoyable years she spent under your tutelage.” “I’m glad. But does she ever write anything more … personal?” Luna was confused by the odd line of questioning. “I’m not certain what you mean, but I don’t think anything like that has come up. Would you like me to ask?” “Oh no, you don’t have to go out of your way, it was just idle curiosity," Celestia said, cutting her eyes away and hiding her mouth behind her teacup. They lapsed into another awkward silence that lasted for several minutes until Celestia abruptly announced, “Well, there were a few scrolls I wanted to attend to before bed, so I’ll bid you a good night, Luna.” “Good night, Celestia, don’t stay up too late working.” Celestia smiled in gratitude as she replied, “I won’t. I know that I leave Equestria in capable hooves every night.” Luna blushed at Celestia’s compliment while her sister majestically exited the room through the same door Luna had come in through. Alone, with a magnificent banquet still spread out before her, Luna remembered her impending duties and quickly finished one last cup of tea before quitting the room as well. She ran into Gimlet Lime who was patiently standing just outside, flipping through the many pages attached to her clipboard. “Shall we head to the throne room, Your Majesty?” “Yes, let’s.” They traveled through Equestria’s halls of power, which were filled with energetic and purposeful ponies by day. However, with night having fallen, only Luna, Gimlet, and the echoes of their hoofsteps traveled through the splendid halls. They entered the throne room through the relatively plain door which connected it to the rest of the palace. The guards flanking it, as well as those next to the throne, and the other entrances, all came to attention as soon as they saw Luna. To be honest, the royal guard sometimes intimidated her. They were all much larger and physically stronger than her, and their unflinching stoicism never betrayed their thoughts or feelings. Sometimes they seemed like little more than machines carved from stone and shaped into ponies. Thankfully they were all faithfully loyal to Celestia, Equestria, and of course, to her. The palace’s entrance to the throne room was quite close to the throne, so Luna was able to quickly climb up the ramp to Celestia’s impressive seat. Even after months of holding reign over the night, Luna felt that the throne was perhaps a bit too large, or she was a bit too small for it, to truly feel comfortable. Gimlet Lime had stopped at the foot of the throne, just beyond the guards, waiting for Luna to settle on the throne’s large cushion. “We’re running a bit behind this evening, Your Majesty. But we are still within acceptable parameters. Would you like to hear the day’s news now, or would you prefer to attend to other business first?” Luna took what she hoped was a regal pose and announced, “I will hear the news first, Gimlet. I think I will be better able to make decisions with the latest knowledge of the kingdom.” “Very well.” Gimlet bowed shallowly and turned away to summon Celestia’s advisor who was responsible for compiling the various reports of interest from across Equestria. It had been Luna’s idea that she should be as well informed as Celestia, so she would be able to rule as effectively as her sister. While Gimlet and the pony appointed to inform Luna walked up the length of the throne room from the entrance where the attendants waited, Luna contemplated the transformation which night brought about to the throne room. The tall, narrow windows were now black mirrors, reflecting the lights along the stone walls which were made dim by the enormous space they tried to illuminate. In their false twilight, the ceiling was lost to shadow and the tapestries were darker and more somber than they appeared during the day. In the silence, the small waterfall below the throne, made black for want of light, crashed loudly. On occasion it threw up a cool mist which caused Luna to shiver. The whole room, guards, throne, shadows, and the endlessly echoing spaces, all seemed too much to Luna. She had never liked their throne room in the old castle either, but she would much prefer it to this one, which was easily five times as large and even more intimidating. Ostensibly it was her throne room, but too often she felt like an interloper. The uneasy feeling it gave her often lasted through the night, and this one was no exception. The major events of the day were recounted to her by an obviously nervous and quite young assistant to the pony who performed the same duty for Celestia during the day. Thankfully, very little of interest had occurred since the previous night. No conflicts, no murders, no major disasters or hardships. Just the news of simple ponies with simple problems. The mayor of Fillydelphia asking for additional bits to repair the buildings still damaged from their parasprite infestation. A new town had been founded in the foothills of the mountains which demarcated Equestria’s sothern most border. And of course there were the additional calls for the construction of a dam in the Ponysee River Valley to better irrigate the surrounding farmlands and towns, including the relatively new town of Appleoosa, allowing them to plant additional crops. Unfortunately there was a wide variety of wildlife in the area impacted by the dam, and many ponies felt that it was unconscionable to destroy their homes. Luna spent the night mulling over the news, as well as reading the transcripts of the arguments both sides of the dam question had presented to Celestia earlier. Both camps had valid arguments, and Luna looked forward to discussing the issue with her sister. She also spent several hours poring over the books she had brought from the royal library concerning the history of Equestria. She broke up her hours of study with several games of chess with Gimlet. She was in the midst of the twelfth game of the night, when she felt Celestia begin to move the sun. Luna eagerly turned her attention from the game; she had won the past eleven, and was probably going to win the last as well, despite not being a very good chess player. No matter how poor her strategy, Gimlet always seemed to lose. Luna closed her eyes in concentration and felt the familiar cold rush of her magic envelop her. With her senses magically heightened, Luna could easily feel the sun eagerly waiting just beyond the eastern horizon. With only a small push, she sent the moon past the western edge of the world, allowing the sun to break the dark of the night with the reds and purples of the morning. Luna opened her eyes and turned to her assistant. “Well, Gimlet, the night is over, and it’s Celestia’s time to rule again. Let us retire.” “Yes, Your Majesty.” Gimlet raised her hoof and knocked over her princess on the chessboard. “It seems you’ve won again, Your Majesty,” she commented with a smile. Luna’s replying smile was rueful. “It seems so, Gimlet. Strange how that always seems to happen.” “It’s not strange at all, Your Highness. It’s simply a matter of having a more effective strategy than your opponent, knowing when to retreat and when to advance.” Gimlet put the chess set away and again took up her clipboard and quill. Several sheets of paper had been folded over the top, Gimlet’s heavy hoofwriting bleeding through the backs in several spots. The guards, who had remained as still as statues the entire night, seemed to take no notice of Luna and Gimlet as they left the throne room. Luna resolved to speak to Celestia about them. It couldn’t be interesting, or even healthy, to stand so still for so long. Perhaps they should change guards every six hours instead of the normal twelve. The two ponies walked through the halls of the palace, and came to a junction of corridors, where a pair of guard unicorns seemed to be waiting for them. “Princes Luna, Princess Celestia would like to convey her regrets, but she is very busy this morning with affairs of state, and will be unable to dine with you,” the darker of the pair informed Luna. “Oh. Well, if she’s too busy to have breakfast, then perhaps I should go speak with her and see if there is something I could do to alleviate her burden.” “I’m afraid that the princess, er, Princess Celestia, gave orders to not be disturbed, Your Highness.” “Oh.” Luna was certain that Celestia hadn’t meant to keep Luna away specifically, but at the same time, there was realistically little Luna could do to aid her older and much more experienced sister. So it would probably be best if she didn’t force the issue and insist on seeing Celestia. “If you’d like, we could escort you to your quarters, Your Highness,” the other unicorn guard suggested. “I’m sure that Princess Luna can find her way back to her apartments without your help,” Gimlet Lime interjected. The guard turned to Gimlet with a hint of annoyance. “We meant no disrespect, but simply thought that the princess would appreciate an escort.” “The princess doesn’t need …” “Gimlet,” Luna cut her off. “Thank you for your concern, but I’ll accept these gentlecolts’ kind offer. It’s been a long night, and I’m certain that both of us could use our rest. You’ve been very helpful tonight, as usual. Have a wonderful day, and I’ll see you tomorrow evening.” Gimlet looked at Luna uncertainly. “Are you sure, Princess?” “Yes, thank you.” Gimlet sighed and lowered her head slightly. She turned and disappeared down the side hallway her tail hanging limply behind her, and Luna watched her go before remembering the guard ponies when one of them cleared his throat. “Your Highness, would you care to take breakfast now?” Luna thought for a moment before replying. She had eaten a light snack a few hours ago during her chess session with Gimlet, and should be feeling hungry, but for some reason her stomach was feeling delicate and unreceptive to the thought of breakfast. “No thank you. I have no appetite for it, and if my sister is unavailable, then I may as well just go to bed early.” “Very well, Your Highness. We’ll escort you to your room.” “Thank you.” The guards turned and Luna followed after them, ruminating on just how polite everypony in the palace was. They were always willing to take the time to accompany her places and make sure that she didn’t get lost. In a few minutes they arrived at the familiar hallway leading to the royal quarters, and the guard ponies came to a halt. Luna left them with a parting nod. She entered her room to find it perfectly clean, without even a book out of place. Luna sighed as she closed the door behind her, sometimes her room seemed so sterile, as if she didn’t actually live there, but was just a guest, visiting for a few days. Hopefully, in time, she'd grow used to her quarters and come to view them as her home. By the glow of her magic, she removed her regal regalia and pulled back the covers of her too large bed just enough to slide beneath them. Laying down, she pulled one of the bed's many pillows into a hug and tightly clutched it against her chest. It was a poor substitute for the warmth and comfort of another pony, but it was the best she had. With a final thought, Luna snuffed out the room's lights, and drifted off to sleep, as the dawn’s pale light began to slip in through the windows’ cracks. “…ess Luna. Please wake up.” Groggily, Luna left behind her forgotten dreams and awoke to a sound she had very little experience with, somepony knocking on her door. “Princess Luna, Princess Luna, please wake up now,” an anxious voice called through the door. Luna didn’t need to consult her nearby clock to know that it was much too early for her to be awake. It felt like mid-afternoon if not earlier. Dazed, she stumbled out of bed and with her voice thick with sleep, she called out, “I’m awake, just a moment.” She managed to make it across the room to her door without tripping over her hooves. She magically cracked it open and blearily peered out. “Yes, what is it?” One of Celestia’s ponies-in-waiting timidly looked back at her. “Um, I’m sorry to interrupt your rest, Princess, but Princess Celestia wished to inform you that your nightly duties have been suspended for tonight, as well as the remainder of this week, so that you may travel to Ponyville.” It took Luna a moment to fully grasp what the other pony had said, but when she did, a burst of joy surged within her. However it was quickly tempered by a feeling of confusion. “You mean Celestia decided that my vacation should start today?” “Yes. In fact, the royal chariot has been harnessed and is ready to depart at your convenience.” Luna’s burgeoning feeling of joy was squashed by her senses telling her that something was wrong. It was strange that Celestia would prepare for Luna’s trip so quickly after they had spoken, and without any input from her sister. “Thank you for informing me. Tell me, where is Princess Celestia this afternoon?” “She’s spent most of the day in her study, with standing orders to not be disturbed.” “I see. Well, I’ll just pack a few things …” “Excuse me, Your Highness, but while you were asleep, Princess Celestia already bid us to pack a saddlebag with what you will likely need on your trip. It is already onboard the chariot, waiting for you.” “How … expedient of you. Please give me a few minutes to make myself presentable, and I suppose I’ll be ready to leave.” “Very good, Your Majesty. I’ll just wait here until you are ready.” “There’s no need for that. I’m sure I can find my own way through the palace, and you must have something more pressing you should be attending to then escorting me.” “But Princess…” “It will be fine, just go ahead and return to your other duties.” “Yes, Your Highness.” The smaller pony seemed somewhat relieved to leave Luna’s presence, and she quickly departed back down the hallway. Luna allowed her mask of pleasantness to slip into a small frown. All this haste seemed strange to her, something just wasn’t right with this picture. So, Luna quickly made sure she was presentable, and that her royal garments were perfect, before traveling through the palace, not to the royal concourse where the chariot would no doubt be waiting, but towards Celestia’s private apartments near the throne room where she often retreated to reflect and study. The halls were filled with ponies hurrying about their business, stopping long enough to bow courteously for Luna, before continuing on their way. A pair of pegasus ponies stood guard before the door leading into Celestia’s chambers. They came to attention as Luna approached. “We’re sorry, Princess Luna, but Princess Celestia isn’t seeing anypony today.” “I’m not anypony, I’m her sister, and I need to speak with Celestia.” Luna stepped forward and the two guards sharply crossed their wings to bar her way. She paused at their audacity, but drew herself up, buoyed by an anger that had slowly been building in her over the months of treatment by the royal guards toward her which seemed just shy of being outright hostile. “How dare you raise your wings to me! Don’t you know who I am? I am Princess Luna, co-regent of Equestria, the ruler of the night, and your princess. To raise a hoof against me is treason to the throne of Equestria. Now step aside or face the consequences!” The two guards looked nervously at one another before hesitantly folding their wings and moving away from the door, leaving Luna with more than enough space to open and step through it. She securely shut it behind her with a solid shove. Safe behind the door's thick wood, Luna let out the breath she had been holding; glad the guards hadn’t called her bluff. Truthfully she didn’t know what she would have done if they hadn’t backed down. Still a bit limp from relief, Luna looked around for Celestia, but didn’t find her in the study she had entered. The room, lacking her sister, was instead dominated by several tables overflowing with partially rolled scrolls and opened books. A large map of Equestria covered one of the wood paneled walls. Tucked into the corner next to it was the only other door out of the room, also firmly closed. As Luna approached it, she began to hear the muffled sound of voices. “...needs to be closely watched,” declared a deep and masculine voice. Celestia's easily recognizable voice replied, “And as I’ve said, that’s completely unnecessary. She did make a mistake once, but she has atoned for it. She deserves our trust and faith that she’s learned her lesson.” “With all due respect, Your Majesty, it was more than just a little mistake. And madness, in great ones, must not go unwatched.” “She is not mad.” The ice in Celestia’s voice was clearly audible, even through the door. Luna winced in sympathy for whoever was on the receiving end. “So you say, Your Majesty, but …” Deciding that she had eavesdropped long enough on Celestia’s conversation, and not wanting to hear anymore of it, especially if they were discussing the pony she thought they were, Luna pushed open the door to find Celestia seated behind a large desk, facing Captain Blue Blazer, the commander of the royal guards. They both turned in surprise at Luna’s sudden entrance. Celestia was the first to recover. “Dear sister, It’s a pleasure to see you so early in the afternoon.” She turned back to Captain Blue Blazer. “I’m afraid I’ll have to bring our conversation to a close, Captain. But make no mistake, my mind is made up in this matter, and while your concerns are appreciated, they are unnecessary." A muscle near Blue Blazer's eye clenched tightly, but he eventually growled out, “Yes, Your Majesty.” with a final low bow to Celestia, he straightened and walked out of the room. As he passed Luna, he cast a suspicious glance down at her, although it was possible that his scared face had simply been permanently frozen that way. He'd served Celestia loyally for over forty years, but since Luna's return, he'd had a difficult time separating Luna from Nightmare Moon.Even though he was unquestioningly loyal to her sister, Luna never felt completely comfortable around him. After the door had closed behind the captain, and his heavy hoofsteps had faded into the distance, Celestia stood and walked around the desk to nuzzle her sister in a hug. “And what do I owe this unexpected visit to, Luna?” Luna leaned up to return Celestia’s hug, exulting in the feel of the personal contact. However, as Celestia pulled away, Luna’s face fell slightly. “I'd think that you'd be fully aware of the reason for my visit. After all, you were kind enough to send one of your attendants to wake me. She informed me that not only were the preparations for my journey to visit Ponyville complete, but that my bags had been packed and the chariot needed but my presence to be away." Celestia’s face also fell, nearly imperceptibly. “Did I act improperly? From the way you spoke last night, I was under the impression that you wished to leave as quickly as possible to visit Twilight Sparkle. In fact I’ve already dispatched a letter to her informing her of your pending arrival. She should be expecting you at any moment.” Luna wasn’t certain, but she could almost swear that Celestia had put the slightest emphasis on Twilight’s name. “I do want to leave as quickly as possible,” she admitted. “But I don’t want to go away without speaking with you first.” Celestia turned away and strode over to one of the large windows flooding the room with light. “What is there that we need to talk about? You are going on a trip to visit your new friend, my most faithful of students, Twilight Sparkle, and I will continue ruling here in Canterlot. Looking after the needs of Equestria, thinking of everypony before myself.” Luna walked a little closer to her sister, but not too closely. The intense sunlight streaming in through the wide open window caused her sensitive eyes to ache as they slowly adjusted. “You’ve been acting strange recently, Celestia, and I’d like to know why.” Celestia stared out of the window for several long silent moments, before she sighed deeply. “As I'm sure you know, I’ve been under pressure negotiating this peace agreement between the dragons and the griffons for the past several months. It would be terrible to have them descend into a physical confrontation, especially on the borders of our kingdom.” “But that’s over now, the agreement has been signed, and if both sides aren’t exactly happy, then at least they aren’t openly angry,” Luna pointed out. “Yes, but I’m afraid that by concentrating so much energy on an issue which was so important to Equestria as a whole, I inadvertently ignored … certain things which are important to me personally.” Celestia looked back to Luna, whose face obviously betrayed her confusion, for Celestia attempted to clarify. “You know of course that Twilight Sparkle has been my student for many years. She is beyond a doubt one of the most impressive unicorns I’ve ever known. Not only in magical ability, but in her dedication to knowledge, to learning simply for the sake of learning. She wants to know positively everything about everything known to ponydom, and to accomplish that end, she’s sequestered herself in a library for much of her life. I feared that she had spent too much time alone, learning about the world through the lens of books, and not actually experiencing it. Her secluded life has left her more knowledgeable than most ponies, but at the same time, it’s also left her quite innocent in many ways.” Celestia smiled wistfully. “Her innocence and naiveté are rather endearing at times actually.” She looked at Luna almost guiltily, before composing herself. “But I digress. As I was saying, I was afraid that Twilight had spent too much time alone, insulated from the outside world by her books. So, I sent her out both to make friends, and to gather the elements of harmony, so that she could fix the mistakes we made so long ago.” Luna winced at the allusion to her transformation into Nightmare Moon, and the conflict which had followed. Celestia either failed to notice Luna’s reaction, or pretended not to at least. “As part of her assignment, I asked her to report on what she learned about the magic of friendship. Mostly as a means to help make the transition from her previous life of study to a more social one easier for her.” Celestia lapsed into silence once again, and looked downcast. Luna regarded her sister patiently. She still wasn’t sure what exactly the problem was, but she would help Celestia in any way she could. “But lately, they’ve been just that, reports. Before, Twilight’s letters were more expressive, and she would send me messages in-between the reports full of explanations and questions. You could feel her enthusiasm, her happiness, her confusion, every emotion she had been laboring under while writing. But now, she seems to treat writing to me as a duty rather than something to be enjoyed. A few weeks ago, she sent me a document on her efforts at Winter Wrap up administration, over 20 pages long. Yesterday, she sent me a report on friendship which was only two sentences in length.” An edge of frustration had wormed its way into Celestia’s voice, and Luna attempted to sooth her by explaining, “Well, perhaps she was busy with some other important task, and only had enough time to jot down a few things." “What I learned about friendship this week was that sometimes it’s best to speak up and tell your friends the truth, even if you know it’s going to hurt them. It’s better to hurt them a little with the truth, then to hurt them a lot with lies,” Celestia recited from memory. “That was all. No in-depth explanation, no humorous recounting of her adventure, no insight into her life, nothing.” Luna felt a nervous flitter in her stomach. The passion Celestia was exhibiting while speaking about Twilight was revealing the depths of her feelings for the unicorn, and just how much Luna had perhaps underestimated their bond. “It is a good lesson for a pony to learn…” “Yes. But normally there would be a follow-up report detailing just how she learned her lesson. Probably with diagrams attached, very detailed diagrams.” Celestia raised her hoof and clenched it to accentuate her point. “You’ve never seen such diagrams as Twilight can prepare.” She lowered her hoof and sighed deeply. Celestia seemed to shrink in upon herself as she left the window and slowly made her way back to her desk and wearily sat down. “But now, I fear that she’s forgotten about me. That she’s too busy with her new friends, like you, to have time for her old mentor anymore.” Luna drew a breath to rebut Celestia’s claim, but the elder princess smiled a battered smile at her sister. “I don’t blame you, Luna. It’s nopony’s fault. Relationships change over time, and I guess I just let my relationship with Twilight Sparkle drift away from me.” The flutter in Luna’s stomach had transformed into a full blown queasy feeling. “But what about your new student, Bay Breeze?” “Bay Breeze?” Celestia looked puzzled for a moment, before she seemed to recognize who Luna was talking about. “Oh, yes, Bay Breeze. What about her?” “Isn’t she your new student?” Luna asked with near desperation. “Well, she is a student of my school. She’s very gifted, but I’m afraid she lacks true dedication. I’ve been giving her a few afterschool lessons, but she lacks the drive, the passion, the desire to truly learn. I’m sure that she’ll be very talented in whatever path she chooses, but she doesn’t have that spark for magic that I look for in my personal students.” Luna was flabbergasted. How could she and Twilight have been so wrong? “But, Celestia, Twilight …” Celestia perked up. “Yes?” Luna hesitated. She should tell her sister about Twilight’s mistake, about how Twilight had thought Celestia’s distraction had been neglect; how she had felt that she had been replaced. She should probably even tell her about Twilight’s touching scene in the library, revealing just how deeply she cared for Celestia. But Luna was afraid. Twilight’s belief that Celestia had abandoned her had been what had driven her to Luna. If the cause for Twilight’s distress vanished, would that invalidate Luna’s comforting as well? If Twilight went back to adoring Celestia, would there be enough room in her heart for Luna too? Twilight was the first friend Luna had made since Celestia. If she stopped being Luna’s friend, that would leave Luna with … “Nothing,” Luna said quietly, turning her head so she wouldn’t have to see her sister’s disappointed face. “Nevermind. I’m- I’m sure that things aren’t as dire as you seem to think they are. Twilight likely has just been busy lately, a bit distracted. Perhaps she is just so busy learning about friendship, she doesn’t have time to write about it in-depth. Anyway, I should be going, the royal chariot has been waiting for me for quite some time, as well as Twilight Sparkle. I’ll give her your regards." With a wistful smile, Celestia said, “Thank you, and have a safe trip. I hope that you have a wonderful time, and make lots of new friends.” "I'll try my best." Luna smiled weakly before turning and leaving the somber room. Her trip to the Royal Concourse seemed longer than usual, as Luna was plagued by self-recrimination. It was painful to see her sister so upset, so despondent. But at the same time, she didn’t want to give up her newfound friend Twilight Sparkle so soon after finding her. Besides, perhaps it was for the best. Perhaps it was time for Celestia to let go of Twilight, and for Twilight to grow as a unicorn. Despite her justifications for her actions, Luna’s heart was still heavy when she arrived at the royal chariot where a team of guards had already been harnessed. Surprisingly Gimlet Lime was also waiting for her. “Good afternoon Princess Luna, are you ready for your journey?” Luna attempted to hide her inner thoughts with a smile as she replied, “Good afternoon Gimlet. Yes, I’m ready to go.” “Well, if you’re certain that you want to go on this trip, then the chariot is waiting for us.” The two ponies took their places on the chariot, and the lead pegasus whistled to the others, signaling the team to take off. Gimlet must have seen through Luna’s façade. They were both silent through the short trip, but Gimlet cast several worried glances Luna’s way. The day was bright, and Luna had to admit, beautiful. It was a different beauty from the dark and muted night, but it was beautiful nonetheless. As the chariot began to descend toward the picturesque village of Ponyville, Luna began to feel anxious. She had been looking forward to seeing Twilight again, enough to hide the truth from Celestia, but was Twilight going to be happy to see her? And what about Twilight’s friends, the other elements of harmony, who had so valiantly fought against Nightmare Moon and had freed her. What if they held her responsible for Nightmare Moon’s actions? What if they hated her? The only thing that could be worse than Twilight’s friends disliking her, would be if the purple unicorn did as well. Luna’s present nervousness and the guilt from earlier must have been apparent. Gimlet looked concerned as she quietly asked, “Princess, are you alright? Are you sure that you want to go through with this trip? We can turn back if you want to.” Luna put on a brave smile for her assistant. “I’m fine, thank you. I’m just feeling a bit unwell from being up so early. It’s refreshing to leave the palace every once in a while, and I’ve been looking forward to this trip for quite some time.” “Well, if you’re certain …” Gimlet shuffled a bit anxiously. “If you like, I could take up lodgings nearby and keep you company while you’re in Ponyville,” she hurriedly suggested. “Thank you. But, while I mean no offense, I believe it will be more of a vacation if I didn’t have any reminders of Canterlot with me.” “Oh. Of course.” Gimlet looked dejected, and Luna was worried that she had hurt the other pony’s feelings, but didn’t have enough time to properly berate herself before the chariot’s wheels contacted the ground. The pegasi pulling them came to a brisk stop in the wide thoroughfare in front of a large tree which had not only a door in its trunk, but several windows amongst its leaves as well. From Twilight’s detailed letters, it was obviously her home. “Thank you very much for transporting us,” Luna said to the pegasi as she hopped down from the chariot. While she was levitating her small traveling bag that had been prepared for her from the chariot, Gimlet leaned down with an earnest expression. “If you’re sure that you want to go through with this, Princess Luna, just remember that I’m only a note away. Feel free to contact me day or night, and I’ll rush over and take you back to Canterlot in no time at all.” “Thank you for being so concerned, Gimlet, but I’ll be fine,” she hoped. Gimlet regarded her with an unconvinced expression as the pegasi took off. As the chariot dwindled into the distance, Gimlet continued to watch her until the very last. Luna looked around her and found that her arrival had drawn some attention. Several ponies had paused in their daily activities to gawk at her. They obviously knew who she was, as soon as she looked in their direction; they would bow shallowly before returning to their business. Luna’s apprehension on how her subjects would feel toward her after the return of Nightmare Moon welled up within her. True, none of them were acquiring either pitchforks or torches, nor were they assembling into a mob, but they weren’t tripping over themselves to fawn over her as they seemed to do for Celestia. Although that might not necessarily be a bad thing. Deciding that at the moment there was only one pony’s opinion that mattered to her; Luna picked up her bag with a flick of her magic and approached the tree house. She rapped on the door with her hoof. Several seconds passed, and Luna was on the point of repeating her knocking, when Twilight Sparkle, with a hint of annoyance, called out from the other side of the door, “Yes, Pinkie, I’ll bring her over as soon as she comes, but right now I’m trying to clean up for…” Twilight’s voice had grown louder as she approached the door, and when she jerked it open, she loudly exclaimed “Princess Luna!” in a completely different tone of voice. Twilight smiled broadly though perhaps a bit woodenly, and a few hairs from her mane suddenly leapt away from the others at an awkward angle. “You’re early.” Luna gently set down her bag and asked, “I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?” “Oh no, no, no, I was just sprucing the place up a bit. I love to spruce.” Twilight laughed nervously. Luna felt a small surge of magic followed by a loud clanging and the sound of something tumbling down a flight of stairs. As the final echo faded, Twilight stepped aside and eagerly said, “Please come in, Princess Luna.” Realizing that Twilight was as nervous, if not more so then she, Luna smiled at her reassuringly before entering the tree. She found herself in a spacious but warm and welcoming room. She placed her bag on a conveniently placed table as she contemplated the massive bookshelves which stretched high overhead. Unlike the ones at the Canterlot library, these didn’t seem imposing, but were somehow welcoming. Scattered amongst the shelves and tables were various knickknacks, statues, and busts. “The bedroom is up here,” Twilight called to Luna. She was standing at the bottom of a staircase Luna had overlooked in her initial survey of the room. Luna picked her bag back up and followed Twilight up the stairs and into a room which, if possible, seemed even more crammed full of books than the library below. Though it still managed to have a lived in feel thanks to the many personal effects scattered around, such as the saddlebags Luna recognized from Twilight’s trip to Canterlot, as well as several unbound scrolls haphazardly perched atop a writing desk, and several books scattered across the floor open to seemingly random pages. “I brought out a guest bed for you,” Twilight said, pointing with her nose toward an alcove above them. “But if you’d like, I’m sure we can find someplace more comfortable for you to stay. My friend Rainbow Dash could bring over a cloud. I hear that they are very great to sleep on for ponies who don't just fall through them. In fact, I’ll go get her right now.” “I’m sure your guest bed will be just fine,” Luna reassured the obviously nervous unicorn before she could gallop out of the room. “Besides which, I never really developed the knack for sleeping on clouds. Rollover once too often in your sleep and you’re in for quite a rude awakening.” Twilight seemed to calm down a bit, although there was still a slight edge to her smile as she replied, “Heh, yeah. I can see how that would happen.” Deciding to stretch some of her underused muscles, Luna flew up to the alcove Twilight had pointed out earlier and deposited her bag on the simpler, more temporary appearing of the two beds. Even here, where most ponies would keep their most personal of possessions, there were even more shelves of books. Luna smiled to herself; she doubted that there had ever been very many ponies who enjoyed reading quite as much as Twilight did. The small smile still on her face, Luna swooped down and rejoined her host. “What’s so funny?” Twilight asked. “Oh nothing. I was just admiring the amount of literature you have here.” “Well, it’s not as extensive as the libraries at Canterlot, but I like to think that the Ponyville collection covers all areas of pony interest, and rivals any other library in Equestria.” Her tone turned from prideful to resentful as she added, “Although not too many ponies here take advantage of that fact.” Luna thought that she held in her laughter well at Twilight’s expression of displeasure over the other ponies’ slight to her books. “Oh, I’m sure that they take pride in the fact that their library is so extensive. And I’m sure they’re grateful to have a pony so dedicated to their library. But I’m afraid most ponies simply don’t have the same appreciation for books you do, Twilight. Most ponies tend to only read books when they need to learn something new, and unfortunately few ponies enjoy learning for the sake of learning.” “But you like books too, don’t you, Princess Luna?” “Yes, of course. I enjoy novels and poetry, as well as books and scrolls on Equestrian history and science. But I fear I lack the appreciation you seem to have for the more … dry reference materials. I was reading a treatise on the reasoning behind the modern weather schedule, and I’m afraid that I’ve been unable to get far into it. Average dew point this, and seasonal versus cyclical precipitation that.” “Oh, you’re reading Sazerac’s treatise aren’t you? I have a wonderful primer on the history of weather patterns by Lime Rickey which does a much better job of explaining the evolution of today’s weather schedule then Sazerac.” Twilight leapt into action and barreled down the stairs to the library proper. Surprised by Twilight’s sudden exuberance, Luna hurriedly flew after her. “It’s called ‘A Short History of Weather,’ and does an excellent job of not only covering the history of weather, but the history of Cloudsdale as well. It really goes in-depth about how modern weather is a product of post neo-formist ideas which advocated the non-ironic inclusion of the forms of weather patterns along with their function.” Not really flowing exactly what Twilight was saying, Luna sat and watched as the excited unicorn began pulling books off the shelves with her magic. “Of course this was fully supported by the Rainbow Party and, oh that’s not it, the Clear Sky Coalition, that’s not it either.” She was picking up and setting down books almost faster than Luna could follow, becoming ever more frustrated. “And this isn’t it either. Why can’t I ever find anything? Spike!” Twilight slowed her perusal of the books as she waited for a reply. Several seconds of silence later and she quietly murmured to herself, “Oh yeah, I sent Spike to help Pinkie over at…” Suddenly all the books which had been floating through the air, crashed to the ground and Twilight twirled around to face Luna with a panicked expression. “Ohmigosh, I forgot. Pinkie Pie is holding a party in your honor, Princess Luna, and I promised to bring you as soon as you arrived.” “A party?” Luna’s delight at seeing Twilight so enthused quickly faded, leaving only apprehension in its wake. Luna wasn’t much of a party pony, she had always felt out of place at the celebrations held in Canterlot, with nopony she knew there, and nothing for her to discuss with the strange ponies who were. “I’m not sure I brought anything appropriate to wear for a party,” Luna demurred. “Oh, don’t worry about that, Pinkie’s parties are always laid back, it doesn’t matter what you wear, or bring, just as long as you show up.” “But still, I’m afraid that I'm not all that skilled with modern social interactions yet. I’d hate to offend any of your friends at the party.” “Don’t worry about that, the only way you could offend any of my friends is by not coming. Or by loudly proclaiming that you are the greatest and most powerful pony ever. And I know what you mean about not being ready to interact with other ponies well. I mean I read a ton of books about interpony communication, and I had thought that I was fairly proficient in it. But when I came to Ponyville, I learned all sorts of things the books had never mentioned. In fact I’ve become quite the social butterfly if I do say so myself. So there’s nothing for you to be worried about, all the ponies here are really friendly, and if you have any questions, you can just ask me.” “Thank you, Twilight, and I’m sure they are, but…” Twilight interrupted her, “Please come, Princess Luna. It would mean so much to Pinkie, and to me.” How could anypony resist a face like that? “All right, Twilight, if it means so much to you, I’ll go.” “Oh Thank you!” Twilight leaned in and surprised Luna with a quick hug before stating, “We should probably go now. I promised Pinkie to bring you as soon as you arrived, and she’s probably heard that you landed in Ponyville by now. Sometimes she gets a little worried if you don’t show up at her parties when you promise to.” “Well then, we’d better go, I suppose,” Luna said dazedly, still stunned by Twilight’s abrupt contact. Seemingly unconcerned with the mess of books littering the floor, Twilight led the way out of the library and down the nearly empty street. Apparently the citizens of Ponyville were already becoming used to Luna’s presence. The few they passed gave her respectful bows, but otherwise minded their business and didn’t gawk at her. They arrived at a rather whimsically decorated building in the shape of a multitude of confections. Without hesitation, Twilight entered through the building’s double doors, and after a moment’s pause to take a deep breath, Luna followed her. Immediately Luna knew she wasn’t in Canterlot anymore. Instead of ponies spread out across a vast space, quietly conversing with one another in small groups, unimpeded by the soft strains of chamber music floating from the orchestra, it seemed as if everypony in Ponyville had been crammed into a single room. The music was loud, but not obnoxiously so, and very upbeat. Luna could see several ponies dancing to it, using a style quite strange to her. Several more were bobbing their heads in time to the rhythm of the lower notes. Instead of waiters constantly moving around the room with trays of tasteless hors d’oeuvres, or equally banal cider, it seemed as if every flat surface had been covered with a profusion of food and drinks. Luna had only a few seconds to take all this in before a loud and boisterous voice called out, “Twilight, Princess Luna, welcome to the Parrr-tay!” A pink earth pony, who Luna remembered as the element of laughter, leapt out from the crowd and bounced over to them. “Hey Pinkie,” Twilight called out jocularly. “Hello,” Luna echoed. “I’m so glad you two could make it to the party,” Pinkie exclaimed while pulling Twilight and Luna into a group hug, the first that Luna had been in since … ever. “Especially you, Princess Lunie. I mean you’re the guest of honor and everything, and how weird would a party be if the guest of honor didn’t show up? But then again, maybe that would be fun too. We could have a surprise party where the reason was so big a surprise that nopony would know why they were partying. We should totally try that next time! But look, we got you a banner and everything!” The pink hoof fondly wrapped around Luna’s neck pointed up to where a large banner read, “Welcome Princess Luna.” Although the a in Luna was written in different hoofwriting on a smaller piece of white cloth which had been tacked on the end of the banner which was light blue. Twilight put her head on her hoof and muttered something that sounded a lot like, “not again.” “That’s a … lovely banner. Thank you.” “I know, isn’t it awesome?! Carrot Top and Berry Punch worked super duper hard on it. Oh! You know what we should totally do? Games! Come on, we were just about to play pin the tail on the dragon.” Pinkie Pie eagerly pulled Luna deeper into the crowded party, giving up her hold on Twilight who seemed to be trying to hide her face after seeing the banner for Luna. As they passed several ponies, Luna was pleasantly surprised that they weren’t prostrating themselves before her. Instead of the rigid and sterile politeness of Canterlot, the ponies here were all enjoying themselves. Those that did pay attention to Luna merely smiled and nodded politely toward her. Instead of placing her on a pedestal, separated from ponykind, the citizens of Ponyville seemed to be welcoming her not as a princess, but as just another pony. Luna felt her chest tighten, and for some reason tears threatened to well behind her eyes. “Here we go,” declared Pinkie as she stopped in a less densely packed area of the party. “Time to play pin the tail on the dragon!” “Aw, Pinkie, I told you I never wanted to play that again,” complained a small purple dragon who was standing on a nearby table, next to a large bowl of punch. “My scales aren’t thick everywhere,” he commented while rubbing his flank. “Okie dokie then. We can just play regular pin the tail on the pony then. Now, where did I put the board for that?” Pinkie asked with a hoof taping her chin in thought. Abruptly she dropped down, low to the ground, and began to sniff the floor like a dog, moving off through the crowd. Luna could track her progress across the room by the exclamations and jumps of startled ponies. “You’ll have to pardon Pinkie Pie, she’s a bit… eccentric,” Twilight said as she joined them. “Twilight, there you are,” the small dragon said. “Rarity told me to get her some punch, but only if it was the kind that didn’t stain.” He eyed the bowl of dark purple liquid critically before turning back to Twilight. “Do you think this is stain resistant punch?” “Uh, probably not. But more importantly, Princess Luna, this is Spike, my assistant. Spike, this is Princess Luna.” “Oh!” Spike dropped into a courteous bow. “It is an honor to formally meet you, Your Majesty.” “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.” Spike straightened up and looked around the crowded room. “There has to be some non-staining punch somewhere here, I’m going to go find it.” “Good luck with that, just remember not to stay up too late,” Twilight said. As the small dragon hopped off the table and disappeared into a forest of pony legs, Twilight scanned the room until she saw a pony she recognized. “Look, there’s Applejack, I’ll introduce you.” Twilight led Luna over near the small stage where a white unicorn was producing the energetic music, toward a familiar blond pony who seemed uncomfortable despite her immaculately combed mane. “Hey Applejack,” Twilight called out loudly to be heard over the louder music. The pony, Applejack, turned their way, and upon seeing Luna, seemed to become even more nervous. “Princess Luna, this is Applejack, Applejack, Princess Luna.” As Twilight was introducing them, Applejack fell into a low and slightly awkward bow. “Please, you don’t have to bow,” pleaded Luna as she hastily looked around, hoping nopony was paying attention to them. “We’re all friends here. At least, I’d like to be your friend.” Having seen the new custom of equals greeting one another, Luna hesitantly put forward her hoof. Applejack looked up, first at Luna’s outstretched hoof, then at the princess’ uncertain expression, and broke into a wide grin. She leapt up off the floor and clasped Luna’s hoof with both of hers and began to vigorously pump it. “Well then howdy, Miss Luna. Ah’m Applejack, of the Apple family, of Sweet Apple Acres. Maybe you’ve heard of us. We’re famous for having the tastiest apples you ever did eat.” “Oh, yes,” Luna replied politely. Honestly she had little idea where any of the food prepared for her originated from. She would have to ask when she returned to Canterlot. Applejack finally decided to let go of Luna’s hoof, for which the princess was grateful. Nopony had ever greeted her quite so enthusiastically, and Luna could feel her shoulder pop as she put her hoof back down. “Say,” said Applejack in a more serious tone, closing one eye to better examine Luna. “You’re not one of those fancy ponies who think eatin apples and apple treats is below them are ya?” “Oh no, I quite enjoy apples. Although I’m not certain I’ve had these ‘apple treats.’” Applejack smiled enthusiastically. “Well good, I’m glad somepony from Canterlot has a bit of sense. You just come on over to Sweet Apple Acres and we’ll show ya what apples can do. We’ve got so many apples and apple accessories, we’ll be sure to find somethin you like. Then maybe when you go back to Canterlot you can tell your friends just how great our apples are, and we could open up a new Apple branch in Canterlot.” Twilight spoke up, sounding outraged. “Applejack, are you trying to get Princess Luna to advertise for you?!” “Aw, it ain’t like that.” “It’s alright, Twilight,” Luna interjected, attempting to calm things down. She’d hate to be the cause for an argument between friends. She turned to Applejack. “I’d love to sample your apples, and if they’re as wonderful as you make them sound, I’ll be sure to praise them wherever I go. Although I’m afraid you’ve overestimated my influence with other ponies.” Applejack appeared a little ashamed of her earlier entrepreneurial spirit as she replied, “Oh, Miss Luna, that’s alright. We’d love to have you over and sample our apples, and so long as you’re happy, the Apple family is happy, even if we satisfy just one extra pony.” Luna was about to reply to Applejack’s obviously heartfelt sentiment, when they were interrupted by a voice from above. “Hey Applejack, Twilight, you guys seen Pinkie? She was …” A blue pegasus who had landed near Applejack trailed off as she noticed Luna. “Hey, you’re Nightmare Moon right? Name’s Rainbow Dash. You might not have caught it last time, but I bet you remember my awesome moves, right?” Luna lowered her head as shame and regret welled up within her. “Rainbow Dash!” “What? She was Nightmare Moon right?” “Well, yes, but…” “It’s alright, Twilight.” Luna looked toward Rainbow Dash. “Yes, I was Nightmare Moon, but I’m afraid that I can’t remember very much before you and Twilight defeated me and returned me to the form you see now. I hope I didn’t harm you while I was Nightmare Moon, and if I did, you have my sincerest apologies.” Rainbow Dash nonchalantly dismissed Luna’s apology with a wave of her hoof. “Pfft, please. You couldn't even lay a hoof on me. Besides, don’t worry about it, it's all water under the bridge.” An exuberant voice rang out over the din of the party. “Found it!” Luna and the others looked up to find Pinkie Pie somehow hanging upside down from the ceiling, tugging at the small mismatched banner. She pulled it from the nails holding it up and turned it around to reveal a drawing of a tailless pony on the back. Unfortunately, without it acting as an anchor, the rest of the banner welcoming Luna began to fall, draping itself over several ponies. Pinkie lost her adhesion to the ceiling and happily screamed out, “Pony pile!” as she fell into the confused crowd below. Twilight turned to Luna with a stiff and pained smile. In a voice an octave higher than normal, she asked, “How about we go meet my other friends? I’m sure they’re someplace much quieter.” “Yeah, you guys do that,” Rainbow Dash said loudly. “I’m going to see what craziness Pinkie’s causing, it looks like fun.” She zipped off toward the thickest part of the party. Applejack sighed and her hair seemed to become frazzled as she commented, “I guess I ought to go and make sure they don’t get into too much trouble. Things tend to get out of hoof when Pinkie and Rainbow Dash get involved.” “It was a pleasure to meet you,” Luna called out as the earth pony began making her way toward where a very excited and familiar voice was crying out, “Woohoo!” Luna turned to Twilight. “Perhaps we should go and assist them as well. I’d hate for anypony to be hurt, especially at a celebration in my honor.” “I’m sure Rainbow Dash and Applejack have things under control.” There was a loud explosion from the direction Pinkie had last been seen, and the air was filled with confetti. Twilight ignored the spectacle though as she almost forcefully began nudging Luna in the opposite direction with her head. “Besides, there’re other ponies I’d like you to meet, and I’m certain they’re someplace far, far away from the excitement, and crowds, and loud noises, and stains.” Luna began walking in the direction Twilight wanted her to go in, leaving the chaotic epicenter of the party behind. Eventually they found themselves in a pleasant kitchen attached to the room the rest of the party was happening in. It was much quieter, and there were few ponies. In fact, there were only two, a white unicorn in a fanciful dress, and a Yellow pegasus who was speaking animatedly to the unicorn across the short counter they were standing at. “There you are, Rarity, Fluttershy, I’d like you to meet Princess Luna,” Twilight called out as they approached. The white unicorn positively beamed as she turned to meet them. “Why hello, Princess Luna, I am Rarity, a local clothing designer, seamstress, an proprietor of Carousel Boutique, where everything is chic, unique, and manifique .” She dipped into a shallow, but respectful bow, which was quick enough not to embarrass Luna. A bit nonplussed by Rarity's confident self introduction, Luna said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rarity. Twilight Sparkle has told me so much about you, and how much effort you put into your creations. Is that dress you’re wearing one of your designs?” “Oh this old thing? Why yes. Although I must admit it was something I just threw together. It does look rather fetching if I do say so myself.” “Yes, it‘s quite beautiful.” “Thank you. Perhaps you could come by my little shop sometime during your stay and I can show you a few of my other, more impressive designs.” “Certainly, that sounds wonderful.” Luna looked for the other pony who had been with Rarity and found her hiding behind the voluminous hem of Rarity’s dress. And you’re Fluttershy, I believe, correct? It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance as well.” Rarity respectfully moved away to clear the space between Luna and Fluttershy, revealing that the yellow pegasus’ mane had draped over her face, leaving only a narrow slit through which one of her large cyan eyes cut between Luna and the floor. “You’ll have to forgive Fluttershy, she’s a bit … well, shy sometimes,” Twilight explained to Luna. Rarity kindly turned to her friend. “Come now, Fluttershy, there’s no reason to be afraid, darling. Princess Luna is a friend of Twilight’s. She’s not some stranger, there’s no need to be so aloof.” Fluttershy looked at Rarity, then to Luna, and back at the floor. She said something, but it was said so softly that Luna couldn’t make it out over the background noise of the party in the other room. “I’m sorry, dear, didn’t quite catch that,” Rarity said kindly. Fluttershy hung her head lower, narrowing the slit in her mane further, and might have said something else, but Luna couldn’t be certain. However, she was certain that she was causing the other pony quite a bit of distress, so before Rarity could try to coax her friend into speaking again, she quickly interjected, “Well, it was quite nice to meet both of you, and I look forward to furthering our acquaintance during my stay.” She nodded in the ponies’ direction, then turned to Twilight. “Perhaps it’s time to avail ourselves of the refreshments?” she suggested. Twilight planted her hoof over her face. “Refreshments, right, chapter three. How could I forget?” She quickly composed herself. “Please follow me, Princess.” They plunged once more into the mass of ponies at the party, making their way through the tightly packed crowd to a table laden with several sweets as well as a large punch bowl with a light pink and slightly frothy liquid. Twilight served them both a glass of punch, and Luna found the beverage to delightfully tickle her nose as she sipped at it. Soon she was on her second cup, and then her third. The rest of the party however was something of a blur to Luna. She remembered feeling like the bubbles from the punch had gone to her head, making it feel rather light. She also remembered the music beginning to sound like something she could move to, no, something she had to move to. There had been a crush of bodies on the dance floor as Luna tried to match the movements of the other ponies, but she only really remembered Twilight’s as they had danced close to one another. She could also remember them holding each other and laughing uproariously at something, although for the life of her she couldn’t remember what. Eventually though, the party wound down and Luna found herself walking through the deserted streets of Ponyville leaning against Twilight Sparkle. The cool night air a pleasant contrast with her heated body. “I’m sorry about my friends,” Twilight apologized while balancing a sleeping Spike on her back. “They’re actually quite nice ponies.” “I thought they were charming,” Luna reassured her friend. For some reason she seemed to be having a tiny bit of difficulty maintaining her balance. “It’s refreshing to meet some normal ponies for a change.” “Well, I wouldn’t say that they’re normal exactly …” “I wouldn’t know,” Luna declared hotly. “I really wouldn’t know what normal ponies act like, because I haven’t met a single one since I returned from the moon.” Her tone quickly became somber. “I’m surrounded by guards who seem to expect me to go on an Equestria destroying rampage at any moment, and attendants who walk on eggshells in order to not upset me. The only pony who doesn’t treat me like I could become Nightmare Moon at the drop of a hat is Celestia, and even she …” Luna’s voice thickened. “Sometimes, I can see it in her eyes, like she’s scared. Not of me, but of herself, I think. She still isn’t sure why I transformed into Nightmare Moon, I’m not even sure. She surrounds me with ponies all the time, so that I won’t be lonely. But somehow, I feel more alone now than I did before being banished.” Luna’s mood was swaying almost as much as the nearby buildings were, from frustrated anger to introspective sorrow. But her drunken reflections were interrupted by Twilight quietly asking, “Do you still feel lonely? Even with me?” Luna steadied herself and met Twilight’s heartbreakingly beseeching face, and had to restrain herself from collapsing on the unicorn’s neck and sobbing. Instead she put as much sincerity in her voice as she could, and answered, “No. When I’m with you, I feel … wonderful. I’m happy and grateful that you’re my friend.” Twilight smiled sappily in a way Luna found quite endearing. Just as Luna was beginning to lose herself in the depths of Twilight’s violet eyes, the unicorn hurriedly turned away and loudly announced, “We’re here.” Her horn glowed as she opened the door to the tree house that had lurched out of the darkness. Luna followed her inside, and a few uncoordinated minutes later, the two ponies had made it up the perilous stairs leading to Twilight’s bedroom. Twilight tucked Spike into his basket that she had moved to the lower floor of the room while Luna prepared herself for bed. She slipped off her crown and hoof bracers, as well as her chest piece, carefully placing them on an empty shelf nearby. Lacking her royal accoutrements, Luna slipped in-between the sheets of the guest bed. A short while later and Twilight extinguished the lights and settled into her own bed, illuminated by the now bright moonlight pouring in from the nearby window. Luna didn’t remember raising the moon, perhaps Celestia had taken charge of it. Although it was entirely possible that she had performed her duty as usual. There was a lot about that night she didn’t entirely remember. It was late night, early morning actually, and still quite early for Luna to go to bed, despite her early awakening. She tried to drift off to sleep, first facing one direction, and then flipping over to face the other. A few moments later and she tried lying on her back, shortly before attempting to find comfort on her stomach. However, all her attempts to find a position to sleep in were in vain. It seemed that no matter which one she tried, the bed was just plain uncomfortable. She didn’t even have the aid of being tired to alleviate the uncomfortableness of the stiff mattress and painfully protruding springs of the bed. “Princess Luna, are you alright?” Twilight’s voice called through the darkness, causing Luna to pause mid-turn. She had thought her host was already asleep. Otherwise she would have been sure to keep her thrashing around respectfully quiet. “Sorry for keeping you up, Twilight. I’m just trying to find a comfortable position to rest in.” Luna could see Twilight sitting up in her bed and peering into the dark in her direction. “I’m the one who should be apologizing, Princess. I forgot you weren’t used to beds, and I know that mine is nowhere near as well made and comfortable as the ones in the palace. I should have remembered that and found you a better place to sleep during your stay.” “Don’t fret so much over it; I’ve slept in far less comfortable places I assure you. Although I usually had Celestia with me then. Whenever I slept with her, I could always manage to sleep easily, no matter where we were forced to find refuge for the night." In a voice barely louder than a whisper, Twilight suggested, “Well, I might not be Princess Celestia, but maybe you’d feel more comfortable if you slept with me. You know, like a sleepover.” Luna tried not to sound too eager as she replied, “Are you sure? I’d hate to impose any further on your generosity.” “It wouldn’t be any trouble at all.” Luna didn’t need any further invitation. She slipped out of her bed and into Twilight’s. Truthfully, it didn’t feel any softer, but Twilight’s warmth and presence seemed to envelop Luna, even though she made certain to lie with her back to the other pony. There wouldn’t be any awkward cuddling this time. “Good night, Twilight, and thank you.” “You’re welcome. Good night, Princess Luna.” The room was silent save for the gentle breathing of two ponies which quickly settled into a slow, deep, and synchronized rhythm. Luna’s slumber was deep and uninterrupted, save for a single disturbance. She was almost returned to full consciousness by a familiar pressure, but she didn’t bother to get up as she reflexively lowered the moon to make way for the sun. Her duty done, Luna snuggled closer to the soft source of warmth that she was entwined with. Her pillow murmured softly but settled down. Luna returned to her deep and restful sleep. Hours later, and Celestia’s sun ruthlessly shone upon Luna’s face, causing her to groan as consciousness was thrust upon her. She cracked open her eyes to find a brilliantly blue sky filling the window a few feet away. Knowing that further sleep was futile, Luna stretched her hind legs, unkinking her muscles, while squeezing the fluffy down filled pillow she was holding tightly. Aside from the pillow, Luna was alone in the bed. She rolled off of it, and spotted a mirror nearby. She trotted over to it, once again jealous of Celestia’s eternally perfect hair. After so much tossing and turning the previous night, Luna’s mane was sticking out in all directions and her tail was a tangle of knots. Picking up a nearby brush with her magic, Luna spent the next several minutes trying to look presentable. Just as she was finishing, a delicious aroma wafted up the stairs, causing her stomach to remind her that it was quite empty. She navigated down the stairs and followed the lovely scent through a small door squeezed in-between two bookcases, and into the kitchen. There Luna found Twilight Sparkle bent over a book with a partially eaten muffin floating nearby. “Good morning,” Luna called out to announce her presence. Twilight looked up, startled, with a blush quickly spreading across her cheeks for some reason. She hastily lifted her book up to cover her face. “Good morning, Princess Luna. I hope it’s not too early for you.” “It‘s several hours before the time I normally wake, but I feel very well rested nonetheless. Besides which, what kind of visit would it be if I spent all my time sleeping while you were awake, and were awake while you slept?” “That’s true. By the way, I picked up some muffins for breakfast this morning. They’re over on the counter if you’d like one. I’m afraid that I don’t have very much other food. I’m not that great a cook, so I eat out a lot.” “A muffin would be wonderful.” Luna walked to the nearby counter where she found a plate with several large and puffy muffins studded with voluptuous blueberries. She selected one and returned to the table, where Twilight was reading her book with dogged determination. Luna demurely sampled her muffin and found it to be delectable. “What is it that you’re reading, Twilight?” “Diotima’s meditations on the nature of love. It’s really quite fascinating. She’s separated love into four distinct types, the love we call affection, or fondness, the love that’s selfless or charitable, the love we have for our family and close friends, and of course the intimate or romantic love.” Luna enjoyed watching Twilight as she spoke. When she was interested in the subject, her eyes shone brightly and her face became animated as she lost herself in explaining the latest fact she had learned. It was obvious she enjoyed understanding new concepts, and her unabashed and innocent enthusiasm resonated somewhere deep in Luna, and she found herself warmly smiling in response. “It sounds like a fascinating subject. Have you been studying it long?” “Oh no, I just felt like reading up on it recently.” “And why the sudden interest in love?” Twilight hid behind her book once more before replying, “No reason really. I just had the urge to look into it.” Before Luna could inquire any further, they were interrupted by the front door slamming shut loudly. “Hey, Twilight, I’m back,” Spike called out from the other room. He entered the kitchen carrying a large paper bag. “I got that tea you wanted. Oh, hello, Princess. I like your new look.” New look? Luna was certain she had brushed her mane and tail into the same style she had always worn them. “Good morning, Spike. Thank you for running an errand for me so early. Now could you do one more tiny favor for me and prepare the tea?” “Aw, but Twilight, I have some important stuff to do. You know, guy stuff. As in not girly tea stuff.” “Please, Spike, nopony can brew tea like you.” Twilight leveled a pleading look at Spike, and under its influence, Spike threw up his claws and hotly replied, “Fine. I’ll make your tea, but you’re just using me because I can breathe fire.” “And because you’re my number one assistant,” Twilight cheerfully called after Spike as he traveled deeper into the kitchen. She turned back to Luna and closely scrutinized her. Luna was beginning to feel extremely self conscious when Twilight finally decided, “He’s right, your new look does look good.” “What new look?” “You know, the regular pony look. Well, as regular as a pony with both wings and a horn can look. Without your crown and other royal vestments, it’s easier to focus on your face and your beautiful hair.” Luna knew there had been something she had forgotten to do that morning. But perhaps that hadn’t been a bad thing if Twilight’s expression was any indication. “Do you really think so?” “Oh yes, you look wonderful.” Luna blushed at Twilight’s compliment and looked away from the other pony bashfully. She cleared her throat and tried to change the topic. “So, what do you have planned for today?” “I was thinking that it would be nice to visit Sweet Apple Acres and for you to meet the rest of the Apple family. They were the first friends I found when I first came to Ponyville, and they’re all very nice ponies.” As the energizing aroma of brewing tea filled the room, Luna smiled and replied, “That sounds wonderful. I’d love to get to know Applejack better, and I’m sure it would be enjoyable to meet the rest of her family.” “Good, then after lunch, er, breakfast, we’ll head over and I’ll introduce you to them.” Author’s note: Don’t think of it as stealing from Shakespeare so much as paying homage.