//------------------------------//
// Part 7: A light in the dark. 
// Story: Harmony Unfurled 
// by Saturni_Rose 
//------------------------------//

Luna put on that familiar helmet of powder blue enamel on mithril steel. The fluted spout at the top made a sickening sound as it scraped along her tall spiraled horn, like a saw blade taking to bone. But it had to be done. Her righteous quest was coming to an end. 
Two dutiful retainers finished the work of getting her ready. At her flanks, they fastened the last few bits of plate into place, making sure no portion of her chain hauberk hung loose where it shouldn’t. Then, over her haunches, they buckled down a long, heavy cloak, of cloth so black, it threatened to consume the very light around it. 
Then a new light shone upon her when a tall section of canvas came open. And there, tugging at the entrance, was none other than Pinkie Pie. She asked Luna, rather pointedly: “Are you ready? Your lovely sister called for an early breakfast.” 
It was a joke, but there was something so dry and bitter about it. Luna wasn’t sure she cared for that. She supposed she couldn’t blame her, though. “Doubtless she saw us drawing lines, and hoped an early dawn would blind us. But we shall not be deterred.” 
They left her retainers behind. And it was funny; though they looked so familiar, Luna couldn’t remember their names. Once out into the extra early sunlight, Luna could see Pinkie in armor which matched her own, bright blue enamel and all. Her fluffy magenta mane had been shaved on both sides, and where it came through her barbute helm created a curly crest of sorts. This look certainly did not suit her. 
“Anything you’d like to say to our forces before we begin, oh queen of the ponies’ choice?” With a flurry of her own long black cape, Pinkie directed her to crest the hill. Before them were battle lines drawn up and ready to ascend the mountainside toward the city of Canterlot, haloed by the rising sun. 
There came a rush of nerves, and Luna pushed them down. She took the top of the hill and raised her voice. “All my little ponies. How you’ve all grown before me. I still remember the first time some of you visited my library. Like you, young Wick.” 
A knight with long braided red hair falling out of her bascinet helm took a deep bow. Her platoon cheered for her. When her head again raised, swelling with pride, she gave a chant that they repeated. “Ours is a pewter queen; a lunar queen!” 
It was symbolic as it was practical. The cheap alloy would forgo the opulence of royalties past, and stand for a unity of ponies from all walks of life, in the same way it was formed of a mix of many metals. Luna felt her heart. “I was so honored when the lot of you chose me to be your new queen. Today, the lunar rebellion takes Canterlot back, once and for all. Let us ascend, and forge our own destinies! Stars and moon above guide us!” 
Pinkie climbed onto her back, as she did so long ago to join her fight against prior monsters, and Luna took off. She soared to the head of her columns, whether they marched or flew. The ramparts rose in the distance, and atop the nearest wall, a figure of white and gold crested the defensive line; they stood several heads taller than all the rest. 
There was no mistake as to who that was. 
Celestia too rose into the air, and the sun flared behind her. Suddenly, her body became engulfed in radiant white flame. She alone flew out to meet the invaders head on, streaking across the sky like a holy phoenix. Halts were called. Wizards rushed through the lines between blocks of soldiers to get ahead of the knights and soldiers, and put forth a sturdy barrier of combined magical might. The burning solar nightmare that Celestia became got closer, and closer still, faster than any of them hoped she might. The entirety of Luna’s army braced for an unfathomably strong impact, and…
Click. 
“What?” Luna’s jaw hung agape. 
Click, click. When Celestia’s fiery form crashed against the magic barrier, it sounded like a light click, click, click. It was so tiny and insignificant, like… like… 
“Glass?” 
It were as though someone were lightly tapping harmlessly against a glass window pane. Luna well and truly did not understand, gawking at this mind-boggling display. 
And that’s when she woke up with a “Mmng-huh?” 
The real, actual Pinkie Pie with unshaved hair, and a distinct lack of armor, was standing on that sturdy branch just outside her biggest, second-story window. She tapped the glass more excitedly when she saw Luna finally stirring. 
Luna ambled over, not fretting about the sheets she dragged to the floor, but remembering to wipe the drool from the corner of her mouth. She opened the window and quietly… very calmly… respectfully… shouted “Pinkie Pie what on earth are you doing the sun is not yet risen how did you get up here this is dangerous where have you been!” 
In that order, Pinkie answered her. “I’m standing here, I couldn’t wait, I have my ways, I know, I was busy with my plans last night, and I’m sorry.” 
Luna lifted shaking hooves. “Plans? What plans? Get in here before you hurt yourself.” 
At first it seemed like she might fall right on top of her, but Pinkie managed to hop over with part of a flip, tumbling upright on the other side. “Right, so, what were we talking about again?” 
“Don’t act so casual!” demanded Luna flippantly, flipping a loose bit of Pinkie’s mane. But when it flopped to one side, she immediately regretted this. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t yell.” 
“Luna.” chided Pinkie, wiggling her head just a moment until her mess of a mane was back in its usual place. “You’re allowed to yell, sometimes. Your oath is just about not hurting your friends, and not fighting just ‘cause you’re angry.” 
“Still, I’m sorry. I was worried when I didn’t hear from you, but you’re a grown mare. You don’t owe me an explanation every time you can’t spend time with me.” She sat in the floor, anxiously tapping her hooves together. 
“Well, maybe I should anyway.” said Pinkie sheepishly, stowing one ankle behind the other. “Since I like spending time with you.” A latch clicked in her mind; she recalled what she came here for. “Which, we’ll have a chance to do tonight, when my plan goes into action!” 
“What, may I ask, is this plan that could not wait until I woke up?” Unsure of why, Luna found herself trying to smooth down her frazzled powder blue locks from where she’d slept on them. Surely, if there was a single pony in all of Equestria that would not judge a few loose ends, it was Pinkie. All the same, she smoothed away. 
“We always talked about you coming to see where I worked at some point. Now’s a great chance.” After a quick rummage through her bag, Pinkie produced a long roll of paper. 
“A party?” asked Luna when Pinkie unrolled the poster for her. As her eyes read on, she felt the pangs of worry creeping in. “For Gilda?” 
Pinkie Pie nodded in a most interesting, potent mixture of pride and giddiness. 
When Luna let her head lean to one side, some of her hair fell over her horn, and her bangs halfway blinded her. She pulled it back, but only half of it stayed behind her ear. “Now, Pinkie Pie. Are you… certain this is a good idea?” 
“Yes. I’m sure it will take care of everything.” Pinkie winked, but this did little to assure Luna. 
“Oh no, you’re not going to mistreat her in a public setting, like she did to that showpony the other day, are you?” Luna covered up her mouth, as though it might somehow stop her worst concerns from spilling out as they already had. 
Pinkie pursed her lips into a pout, and simply said “No. What?” 
“I’m sorry.” blurted Luna, recoiling somewhat. “You’ve been so mysterious about your intentions, all I could do was speculate.” 
Pinkie’s mouth widened out with an elongated “Hmmmmmm.” her focusing brows tightening as she pulled a small spiral notepad from her bag. On the most recent page was a box list of assorted groceries like sandwich bread, sandwich wrap, sandwich peanut butter, and non-sandwich milk. She drew a new box and began to scrawl it out. “Work. On. Commun. Nication. Okay, got it.” 
Luna ambled over and took a seat on her bed, trying to get more comfortable. She invited Pinkie to take the spot next to her. When the springs finished creaking, she continued. “I, of all ponies, ought to know better than to assume the worst of somepony. I was just so confused about what you were going to do. And, to be honest, I’m still confused.” 
“Nah girl, this one’s on me. I think I need to be clearer when I speak.” She peered at her list again, eyes narrowing, tongue sticking out, gears in her head turning. Then, with big, innocent, totally and completely ernest eyes, lashes fluttering, she asked Luna “What section of the store do you think they’ll have that in?” 
“Snrk, alright, alright.” Luna playfully nudged her. “You can try it out on me now. Explain to me how a welcome party will solve our griffon problem.” 
“It’s simple.” Pinkie told her. “Gilda will have such a good time playing games and eating snacks, she won’t want to be mean to ponies anymore. Because it’s awfully hard to dislike someone after you’ve partied with them.” 
Luna slumped more and more with each word, trying her best not to frown. “Pinkie, that’s a very sweet idea, mind you.” 
“Why thank you.” She seemed proud of it.
“But are you quite certain it will work out the way you intend?” Here, Luna reached out to her, holding onto Pinkie’s shoulder. Like her intent, her grasp was firm, yet gentle. 
“Listen.” she said, and so Luna listened. “I’ve dealt with a few Gildas here and there. They usually lash out because they’re unhappy. If I can make them ununhappy, then no more lashing out.” 
Something about that resonated with her. Luna thought back to when Pinkie had accused Nightmare Moon of that. Of course, in that moment, it had been a bid to distract the monster; even so, it rang no less true. And after all, that was, in a way, what Pinkie had done for her as well. When she spoke at last, she changed the subject, and said “You know, I had a dream that was… vaguely about this.” 
“Oh yeah?” Pinkie wanted to hear all about it. “Tell me all about it.” 
“Well, it was you and I, and we were dealing with… what’s the new term, a bully? Like Gilda, only it wasn’t Gilda. And the solution was, let us say, not one I would have come up with. Or put my confidence behind, for that matter.” She fiddled with her hooves in her lap. 
About that time, Pinkie’s ever wandering eye honed in on a magazine lying half-read on Luna’s nightstand. The article was hard to parse from this angle, but there was no mistaking it; this was about the queen. “Waaaaaas the bully your sister?” 
Luna bounced once in her seat. She trebled “Wow, am I truly so transparent?”
“You are when you leave the answers lying around.” teased Pinkie, pointing at the rag Luna had probably glossed over before getting ready for bed. 
“Oh.” halfheartedly mused Luna. “That.” She grabbed it with her magic and dragged it over. Flipping it closed, she showed a cover boasting a radiant, smiling Celestia. Likely not a recent photo. At least, that was Luna’s assumption, given the state she’d left her in last. “It’s mostly about fashion, but they claimed to have a story about why my sister has been appointing new alicorn princesses in my absence. Only, it’s five pages of speculation that amounts to nopony knowing for sure.” 
“Yeah,” admitted Pinkie, equally unimpressed, “bait articles can be like that.”
Fwump! The magazine hit Luna’s pillow as she tossed it with a “Hmph.” 
Pinkie briefly considered that happy, smiling, cheery picture of her queen. But she refocused on Luna. “You okay there, champ?” 
“I don’t like my time being wasted.” she said coldly, turning away and slouching with crossed hooves. More to the point, not knowing was frustrating. 
Pinkie’s soft blue eyes followed Luna’s gaze to the window. The dark, dark blue of the clouds began to fade, almost to a shade of purple it seemed. The first light of morn had arrived. “Pretty sure that’s not what’s really bothering you.” A tender hoof reached out for hers. “C’mon. You can talk to me. I’m your oath keeper, after all.” 
Luna trembled, ever so slightly. “Stars and moon above, I’m doing it again, aren’t I? Lashing out.” 
The air caught in Pinkie’s throat. She was losing her again. Quick, she had to say something to bring that smile back. Anything at all. What happens when you cross a chicken and an egg? she thought. But what came out was “Luna?” 
“That was the promise I made to myself, when swearing that asinine oath, like some fool paladin. Does Equestria even have those anymore?” She didn’t wait on an answer.  “I want to get… I want to be better.”
“Hey,” mewled Pinkie, trying to smile enough for the two of them, hoping it might help, “you’ve been doing just fine. You coulda flown right off the handle the other day, and gone after Gilda. O-or, yeah, your pride didn’t get the better of you when that magician challenged you.” 
“I simply don’t understand what comes over me when it’s something more…” Luna’s mouth tightened, her mind straining to choose the right word. 
“Personal?” Pinkie leaned on her with a sigh, soft tufts of magenta warming that cold blue shoulder. Peering out the window, dark, dark navy blues gave way to the pinkish beginnings of morning light catching on the underside of clouds in the distance. 
“I suppose.” It felt more like defeat than revelation. Her head rested on the soft bed of hair which Pinkie seemed to offer. “I know it’s been such a long time, but it’s difficult not feeling like I’ve been replaced by the sorbet trio.” 
Pinkie Pie gasped, getting out from under her. The image conjured in her head of the pink, orange, and lavender princesses under their queen. “They do kinda look like different flavors of sorbet. Luna!” She nudged for attention. “This is off topic, but you just made a super modern joke, I’m so proud of you!” 
“Oh.” Their eyes met, Luna blinking down at her as she pieced together what she herself had just said. “Huh.” 
“You’re pretty funny, Luna, even if you don’t realize it.” Pinkie smiled wide. Her grin parted, widening further into a big, toothy grin as she finally got Luna to smirk. 
“Heh. Heheh.” With a sigh, Luna leaned back, the gap between them growing. A single tear rolled down her cheek, darkening the already dark blue hue of her natural coat. 
Pinkie’s heart sank nearly as fast as the corners of her smiling mouth. “Oh no, what’s wrong, was it something I said, was it something I didn’t say, I’m sorry Luna, I-” 
“No, no, not at all. Don’t you see?” said Luna as she dried the lone streak. “Pinkie, I just made a joke where I wasn’t self-deprecating.”
Missing no opportunity, Pinkie batted her lashes and quirked one brow. “I thought you said you didn’t care for toilet humor.” 
“I, wh-oh! Snrk, Pinkie!” With a single hoot of laughter, she gave her a playful shove. The difference between them in size and strength became more apparent when Pinkie rolled over into a giggling tumble. “Come now, I’m being serious.”
Pinkie shot upright, brushing her mane from her eyes. “Right, right, sorry, you weren’t the butt of your own joke, got it.” 
“Exactly.” Luna lied across her side, head raised, so they were close again. “It wasn’t negative at all, or self-defeating. And, well, maybe it’s a sign.” 
“A sign?” Pinkie inched in closer right back at her. 
“That maybe I finally am starting to get better. Slowly, but surely.” A warm smile overtook her. 
“I’m so glad for you.” cooed Pinkie, smiling right back at her. 
“I can never thank you and the other girls enough.” Luna comfortably folded one hoof over the other. 
“Oh stop it.” Pinkie felt a little flush. 
“I mean it. You’ve done so much for me.” 
“Luna please, you’re making me blush.” Pinkie hesitated. “You’ve done a lot of this work yourself, you know.” 
Luna got just that last little bit closer in, until her head was above Pinkie’s. Now she could nary escape her gratitude and praise. “You are the anchor keeping my vessel still in these stormy seas; the keeper of the my oath where others might not understand; the court jester who taught this former princess how to smile once agai-mm?!” 
Pinkie had tried to listen to her prattle on with the praise. She really had. But her mouth tightened with each extra, largely unnecessary word, the butterflies in her tummy flying into an impatient maelstrom as every new compliment began. So instead of listening any further, she craned her head up to silence her with a quick and tiny peck. And when she realized exactly what she’d just done, her pink cheeks somehow became pinker. 
Luna was still, as though gazed upon by the petrifying glare of a basilisk or cockatrice. The first things to reanimate were her eyes, honing in on this impish little trickster with the uncertain smile. She whispered in a hush, for the very air of her lungs seemed gone, like she was winded by a heavy fall. “Pinkie?” 
“I’m sorry.” blurted Pinkie in a meager squeak. “I’m really bad at this but you’re cute and I kinda like you would you like to go on a date sometime but stay best friends if it doesn’t work out?” 
“A date.” pondered Luna, trying to parse the meanings into terms she could understand. “Like courtship?” 
Pinkie translated this back in her own head, then nodded, nervous as her heart pounded loudly like a drum. 
Luna felt her cheek, pupils coming apart to stare off countless yards away. “Even though we’re both fillies? Huh.” 
As Luna tapped her chin at the notion, Pinkie slumped off her bed and rolled over onto her hooves. She headed for the door. “I’ll let myself out.” 
“Hold on, Pinkie, wait.” Hopping to her hooves, she took hold of her shoulder, over which Pinkie looked back. “I’m so sorry if I seemed cold at your proposal just now. Many of the taboos of my time slipping away, well it still surprises me; it just… never occurred to me.” 
That didn’t exactly make Pinkie feel any better. “Never?” 
“There was a time when romance didn’t cross my mind at all, I was so caught up in my adventures, and my royal duties.” Luna shook her head, drawing herself a little closer now. 
Pinkie felt her face brush up against Luna’s shoulder. It felt warm; it felt nice. “And now that you’ve had time to think about it?” She tried to laugh. “Heh, now that you aren’t caught up with those pesky royal duties?” 
“I think all the suitors I’ve had up until now annoyed me.” scoffed Luna. “They were all obsessed with what I was: a regal hero.” She cupped Pinkie’s chin, drawing her up. “So it is a rather nice change of pace to have one that actually knows me for who I am.”
Pinkie’s eyes widened, practically sparkling in the early light as the sun began to peak over the horizon. “Does that mean…” 
“I do not wish to raise your hopes only to dash them. Let us not say any of this is, how to put it…” Luna’s frown did little to encourage, as she scratched at the back of her neck. “Official as of yet?”
Pinkie began to sink in her hold again, but kept her disheartened knees straight as she could manage. She tried to cast her despondence elsewhere. “Okay. I understand.” 
“But-”
“But?” interrupted Pinkie, her head shooting back up to look her in the eyes. 
“I think… we can give this a chance.” For her, she managed a smile, despite the nerves. 
Pinkie Pie chewed on her lip for a moment, words tumbling around her head. What eventually spilled out was “Only if you’re sure this is okay, okay? I mean, I don’t want you to feel pressured just ‘cause I’m excitable.”
“I rather find that aspect charming, though.” One of Luna’s ears flickered. With all the deadly encounters she’d had, somehow this made her heart beat faster. The idea of getting close to anyone else left her nerves completely shot. It was a wonder she was still standing. 
“Heehee.” Pinkie’s bashful face shrunk back behind her hoof, her warming ears folding back. “Oh my gosh, stop.”
Luna shifted her weight to one side, holding her head up high. She wanted to appear more confident than she felt, hoping the farce might become reality. “It is true though.”
When Pinkie approached again, she found she slid right under Luna’s chin, accidentally offering up her mane as a cozy pillow. This mental image and Luna sputtering either out of shyness or a little hair getting in her nostrils made Pinkie giggle. “I’ve never had a gal pal this tall before. I feel like a perfect fit.”
Just as Luna motioned to reciprocate by completing the embrace, a switch turned her head. The gears turned a little more, her brows furrowing. And she realized with a start, covering her face with an ashamed hoof. “Oh no, moon and stars above…” 
“What’s wrong? Should I not have said that yet?” Pinkie gave her some space. 
“I just now understood what Applejack meant!” 
A most incredulous look took over Pinkie’s face as this oblivious mare, whom she admired and respected, completely fumbled the entire mood. “Say what now?” 
Luna gestured at the open air, as if to fling away this bizarre mix of euphoria at finally grasping something, and frustration that it took this long. “When she said I’d ‘gal palled’ her!” 
And that was it. It was simply too much for Pinkie. She fell out from under Luna’s chin and rolled around on the floor howling with laughter. Through the tears, she saw the mortified pony above her. As she brushed at the corner of her eye and settled down to a giggle, she made her a new promise. “I’m gonna help you get less awkward, girl. Because I like you, okay?” 
“Yes.” chuckled Luna rather dryly. “That’s fair.” A moment passed, and as below, so above was there a smile concocted of relief, amusement, and just that tiniest hint of joy. “And I’m… rather fond of you as well.” 
“Off to a great start.” She said, facetiously. 
“Oh come now!” hollered Luna above the new bout of laughter. “That took a lot to admit!” 
Eventually, the two settled down. Luna went to open the library, and Pinkie departed. Before she did, though, she gave Luna another flier to invite her to Sugarcube Corner, then hopped up high enough to kiss Luna on the cheek. Luna didn't get the chance to scold her, though, as she was already skipping along and round the nearest bend. And so alone, she felt her cheek while glancing at the flier. But none of the words reached her, for she was far and away, drifting across the listless skies like a cloud. 
“Moon and stars above.” she said to nobody, heading back inside. “I hope and I pray, with the cosmos as witness, that this is one sweet pony I won’t hurt.” And, teeth clenched, she closed the door to get ready for the day. 



The sun had set into a balmy midsummer eve. Cicadas in the distance had finally settled their long winded chirping, just in time for the fireflies to take over for the night. Moon and stars above alike seemingly parted the clouds to watch the tiny lights blink and dance without a breeze to brush them away. One such tiny sprite landed onto Luna’s nose, blinking a few times as though to make sure she noticed. 
Luna resisted the urge to wrinkle up her nose and scare the tiny creature off. After a moment, it didn’t need a hint, and flew off on those little black wings. And in the calm, Luna found herself surprisingly wistful. Part of her wished to stay in this peace, to hop this bit of wooden fencing and lie down across the tiny knoll of grass it meant to protect ponies from accidentally tumbling over. 
She pressed on. And in time, she found it. It was a fairly busy intersection of dirt and cobble roads, with several ponies and even a couple wagons still moving about it at this hour. Luna waited for a gap in the winding down hither and thither to get across. On one corner stood a pink building with a sign put front reading “Sugarcube Corner.”
The quiet backroad with the dust and grass and tiny dancing lights felt very far behind indeed. And before her, near the door, stood a gaggle of strangers. They all had plastic cups of punch, and were chattering loudly over the generic pop music coming from inside. Not that Luna realized how samey this particular hit sounded with last year’s chart toppers, as she still lacked that frame of reference. 
Once Luna’s hoof approached for the entrance, the chatter fell to a hush. One of them realized who she was, and made the others aware. The gaggle began to gawk, gendering at what must have been some goddess among mortals, truly gorgeous to behold. And some part of Luna deep down wished to bask in it, like so long ago. Perhaps she might strike a pose for them on her way by, leaving them wanting more as she sashayed beyond them. 
This is how it would seem to the average onlooker. But another, louder part voice in Luna’s head told her these looks were judgemental, and that an awestruck gaze was impossible. Perhaps the chatter she hadn’t heard was to alert them of the figurehead, fallen to darkness, who dared to live and walk among good, honest folk. 
“I really dig your look.” said a filly with long, long hair, straight as the rows of spikes in an iron gate. Her mane was also just as black as them, a little light from inside giving her gleaming highlights. 
“I’m sorry?” Luna’s leg trembled a little less. 
“Yeah.” she affirmed, fwipping her hair over one side, reddish eyes brightening with a smile. “You’ve got like, the dark coat, which suits the broody air about you. But you’ve got that bright hair. Like powder blue. Pastel goth is just, ya know, such an underrated look, and you totally rock it, girl.” 
Luna found herself approaching this unicorn girl. “It’s a bit of a recent change, actually. I darkened my hair for the longest time.” 
The gray unicorn girl took a long, thoughtful sip of punch, her brow quirking. “Oh yeah?” 
“After a pretty bad day I had, though, I simply stopped putting in the effort.” Luna pushed a few locks back behind her ear. 
“Dang, girl, that’s pretty rough.” She set down her drink and extended her hoof. “I’m Hope-Heart, by the way. My friends just call me Hope, though.” 
Luna shook her hoof, nerves fading away. “It’s nice to meet you, Hope. And thank you for the compliment.” 
Smiling back up at her, Hope broke away from the throng of this meager crowd. She continued, now that they were slightly more alone. “You’re Luna, right? I heard you became our new librarian.”
“I am indeed, on both accounts.” confirmed Luna with a little smile, stepping away with her. “Although, I’m not sure how I feel about my reputation preceding me.” 
“Heheh, nah girl. You’re good.” Hope leaned against a post by the street, oil burning above casting a shadow over her eyes from her long black bangs. “Everypony’s heard your story; how you and your friends killed your monster alter ego. Pretty hardcore.” 
A moment passed where Luna’s mouth was a little open, but no words came out. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised such an event is well known. But something about hearing it described back to me still feels almost surreal.” 
This gave Hope pause for concern. “I could see why. Sorry if I’m overstepping here by commenting on it, like, to your face.” 
“Oh, you’re quite alright, friend.” said Luna right away. She started to wonder though, how it was so easy, that she’d readily prattle on with this stranger. 
“For real, though, it’s super cool. Honestly, it’s a huge surprise to see a pony as cool as you at a party like this.” A flitting shadow caught Hope’s attention, and she tilted her head up to watch a moth flutter by. 
Luna followed her gaze, catching a hint of soft wings of a tiny thing bouncing around by the light. “Well, it has been a long time since I was at a big social gathering. I’m trying to get comfortable with it again. It helps that my very best friend is going to be here.” 
Hope’s playful little smile widened a bit. “Oh yeah? Who might that be?”
Right on cue, the front door to the bakery opened with a bang. “Luna, you came!” 
“Oh.” mewled Luna. She pointed at Pinkie Pie as she skipped over toward them. “Her.” 
“I see.” said Hope in a long, strangely drawn out manner which confused Luna. 
“Ah, you met HH.” announced Pinkie with glee. “I figured you two might hit it off.” 
“HH?” asked Luna, confused. 
“Hope-Heart, silly.” giggled Pinkie with a playful nudge. “You’re lucky you’re cute.” 
“I suppose you’re right.” dryly admitted Luna with an incredulous smirk. “It isn’t as though my cutting wit and schemes ever got me anywhere.” 
Pinkie Pie laughed a little nervously, so Hope-Heart sidled up beside her. Her voice was soft and a little raspy. “Now, now, Pinkie. It can be healthy to joke about your mistakes now and again.” 
Luna had to cover her mouth, realizing she had done it again. “She’s right to worry about me. I’ve been guilty of this entirely too often.” 
Hope waited for a confirming nod from Pinkie. “Ah, I see. Yeah, too much can definitely be bad for your self-esteem, girl.” 
It never ceased to amaze Luna how quick otherwise total strangers were with their empathy in this new world. “I suppose, like with many things in life, moderation is tantamount.” 
Someone from inside called for a refresher on the punch bowl. Pinkie told them “I’d better get that. Will I see you inside, Luna?” 
“In a moment, dear.” She shared a smile and watched her go. 
“I’m about to head out too.” announced Hope once they were alone again. “But I live nearby. Maybe I should visit the library, though, and show you some of my poetry. I have a feeling some of it might resonate with you.” 
“Oh?” This really captured Luna’s attention. 
Hope stifled a shy laugh. “It can get a little edgy at times. But, like I said, that can be good sometimes. It can help, you know? To explore one’s darker side in a way you know is safe.” 
“Huh,” mused Luna, “that does make sense.” She watched Hope shove off from the post and turn about. “But yes, feel free to drop by. We even have a book club at the end of every week.” 
“That does sound nice.” said Hope from over her shoulder, peering back at her with one piercing red eye. And again her lips curled into a smile, this mischief ridden little grin like that of a fey spirit about to dupe someone but good. “By the way, hope I didn’t sound judgemental when I saw it was Pinkie Pie. Truth be told, I like the preppy ones too.” 
Luna’s brow and mouth alike scrunched in, as though they might try to push past the other parts of her face to meet in the middle. “What?” 
Instead of an answer, Hope gave her a laugh and a farewell. “See you around, princess.” 
“Wait, what does that mean?” Luna watched her walk away for a moment, hoping for a response. None came, so instead she told her before she got completely out of earshot “And I’m not a princess.” 
But it was too late. She was already gone, off into the night.