The snow covered gardens of Canterlot Castle were not exactly the most ideal place to be on a late winter evening with its chilling air that could cut right through to the bone. Though, for the alicorn that was the princess of the night, she enjoyed times like these. Whether it was watching the snow gently fall upon the city she called home or seeing her subjects enjoy the company of their friends, Luna enjoyed this time of year. Though, the reason why that was the case was not quite what most ponies would expect from a princess.
As she felt a small chill from beside her on the balcony to her room, she smiled, “Why hello, Shawn.”
Snow Dust, or as Luna knew him, Shawn Kingston, let out a chuckle as he arrived on the balcony. The snow drifts that fluttered around him like a veil slowly dissipated. Leaving only him, Luna, and the cool air of this evening to keep each other company. “Good evening, princess.”
“Shawn, there’s no need for formalities,” the princess reminded him.
“Good evening, Luna,” he corrected himself, “How has everything been?”
“Busy, as usual during this time of year. Still feels as if there’s a lot to do, even when most of the staff are on holiday,” Luna then looked back to the pegasus, noticing the ice on his wings as he chuckled, “How about you, Mr. Angel?”
“Trying to keep up with Twilight’s curriculum is tricky, but I’m making it work,” the pegasus told him, “Though, for the… other things I do, I… might have slipped up a bit.”
Intrigued, Luna asked, “Really? Do tell.”
“Are you familiar with Gallus, the griffon that’s at the school of friendship?” Shawn asked. Though, his words didn’t really seem to help Luna with understanding him, “Blue? Friends with a few other creatures in Twilight’s class?” It still looked like nothing seemed to fit as the pegasus let out a sigh, “Dressed like a violet unicorn during the play Twilight put together about when your sister first raised the sun?”
“Ah yes, I had wondered who that was,” Luna said, a bit surprised to hear that, “Come, in what manner had you, as you say, ‘slipped up’?”
“Well, I did the normal routine that I had done before to help others when I’m ‘the Angel’, but he wasn’t buying any of it,” Shawn told her, “So, as a bit of a last ditch effort, I… revealed who I was.”
At that, Luna paused. Though, after a couple of moments, she had a new question for him, “How much does he know?”
“Well, he knows I’m the Angel, but I didn’t tell him about me being a conduit. If anything, he probably assumes that my powers are my ‘special talent’,” the pegasus explained, “I also had to tell him bits and pieces of my past too. However, I did make him swear to not tell anyone else. He at least seemed sincere when he did promise.”
“And why exactly did you share all this to him?”
“Because he reminded me of myself… like before I met you,” Shawn continued, “Although, he didn’t have parents to help him through difficult times and I was worried that if he doesn’t open up and share about this that he would end up making a big mistake. One that might tear apart the bonds between him and his friends.”
For a couple of moments, Luna was silent. Though, after some time, she let out a sigh. “I see… While I do see why you might be a bit concerned for him, I don’t think that it’s as bad as you might think. Nevertheless, I think you made the right choice.”
“Thank you, Luna. I appreciate that,” Shawn let out a sigh of relief. He looked like he was going to go somewhere, but after a bit, he soon realized something, “Quick question before I go. Do you have suggestions for a Hearth’s Warming gift? I… still haven’t got one-”
“Oh? For who?”
“Well, she’s… a close friend,” he now blushed, “We’ve been talking on and off for sometime and she’s been rather supportive.”
“My word, Shawn. Are you telling me that you have a marefriend?” Luna asked with a sly smile.
“I… think?” The pegasus said, scratching the back of his head with an outstretched hoof, “Our relationship is… complicated, but I want to really get her something nice this time of year. We might be in two different places now, but she was one of a few ponies that helped me get back up on my hooves after I arrived here.”
“If I may be so bold, who is the creature you’re getting the gift for?”
Shawn only had one particular answer for that question. “Do you happen to remember Sunset Shimmer?”
The name rang some bells as the princess blinked for a couple of moments, “Why, of course! Twilight told me that after you used your… well, powers to restore the mirror to her world, she had been keeping in close contact with her.”
“Well, there’s… a bit more to it than that,” the pegasus admitted, “Every once in a while, Sunset usually comes to visit and helps me with my ‘readjusting’ to Equestrian life. Though, for as long as I can remember, it’s always her coming to me, here in Equestria. This time around, I want to go see her instead on the other side. You know… to surprise her and show how much she means to me.”
“And you need my help for a gift because…?”
“Well, even though I have powers, I can’t read minds,” Shawn sighed, “It’s… hard for me to even think about what to get her since I haven’t seen her in such a long time.”
The princess chuckled, putting a hoof to her mouth as she looked back at her friend. “My dear friend, I believe you are overthinking all of this a bit too much,” Luna told him, “I think to her, just you being there for her is the best gift.”
“Luna, with all due respect, and excuse my language, it would be a bit of a dick move to go all this way just to not show up with anything-”
“I think you’re misunderstanding the point,” the alicorn of the night interjected, “Sometimes the best gifts are not material things, but being with one another. For those moments are more valuable than anything you might purchase.”
“Wow… um, I… never thought of that,” Shawn replied, baffled and a bit embarrassed by the most recent turn of events, “Am I really talking to Luna right now? Because for a moment, that sounded like something Princess Cadence would say.”
“It’s funny you say that, because she told Twilight the same thing. There was a time where she was stressed out with finding the ‘perfect gift’ for everypony, only for Cadence to explain everything to her. Hence, why I’m telling you the same thing.”
“I see,” the conduit replied, before scratching his chin, “You know, now that you said that, I think I know what to get now. Thanks, Luna!”
Before the night princess could say anything, Shawn disappeared in a dash of snow as he slipped away into the gardens underneath. Luna smiled contently as she turned back towards her room and closed the doors to the balcony. It was just as she walked back inside though that the alicorn found her sister coming in through the door.
“Luna, I understand that you like the winter chill in the evening, but-”
“My apologies, sister,” Luna replied, “Shawn decided to drop by and I was talking to him on the balcony.”
“Oh?” Celestia asked. It had been some time since she had last seen the conduit that lived in Equestria, so, hearing this had caught her attention, “How is he?”
“Doing well, though he’s trying to find a Hearth’s Warming gift for his special somepony,” the night princess replied, “On a related note, did you know that he might be dating your former protégé?”
It might have been a cold winter night, but in that moment, a rather warm blush began to form on Princess Celestia’s face. Her sister, in contrast, smiled like a cheshire cat as she sauntered off to enjoy the rest of the evening.