Pip was simply speechless; the young foal had no idea what to do after he had left. His parents had told him that they were fine no matter what he chose, he would have to decide for himself what he should do. Only just moved into ponyville, he truthfully didn't have very many friends, and he didn't even really talk to them all that much outside of school. But on the other hand he would have to move away from his new home to live with the princess'.
He had somehow stumbled into the garden while exploring the castle, the birds were chirping and the fruit trees smelled incredibly sweet. He trotted around to the musical birds while sampling the gardens berries and fruit. And then he slowly went over to a park bench and it was getting dark, he dozed off for a short while.
"I just wish I knew what I should do," the young foal cried out, not in anger but frustration, waking himself up in the process.
He pondered the dream he was having, back when his parents had told him that they had to move within a month because Pips father had gotten a job building and designing homes in ponyvile. Pip was sad to lose his friends and in his dreams he was running to his friends but the faster he ran the farther they were. Then the dream went straight to moving into ponyvile and getting pinkie pies traditional welcome, it was a great party with welcome presents and everything, and the sweets oh the sweets. Pip wiped the drool from his muzzle remembering his dream and the smell from the memory.
Before he had realized it, it was late at night, and the moon was high and surrounded by thousands of stars. He stared at the giant marble coloured moon in silent awe. He did not know how long it was, nor did he care, staring at such a beauty like he had never seen, it wasn't even a year ago when the stars were dull and the moon was blemished.
Pip did not know how long she had been there, but when he dared look away from the moon, he saw Princess Luna sitting beside him. She was looking very intently at him, staring right at him. Immediately Pip rocketed backwards.
"P-P-Princess!!! How long have you been there?" Pip said while recovering from his shock.
"About ten minutes, why do thou ask?" Luna said, her voice being the quietest Pip had ever heard.
"Why were you staring at me?" Pip asked while standing back up.
"Why were thou gazing upon my moon?" Luna replied quizzically.
"Well, because every where I've lived has been much lower than this… I can see the moon better, and it's very beautiful when you get to see it this close" Pip said, and then quickly added "now why were you staring at ME?"
"One thousand years ago, I was jealous of my sister, not because everypony loved her, but because everypony slept through my night that I worked so hard on. It's still new to me to come upon anypony who notices my work, much less stare at it for well into what my guard said was two hours." The Princess of the night replied.
"Wait, you mean to tell me that I was out here, staring for two hours straight?" Pip said, visibly shocked.
"Yes, and as you watched you kept asking yourself many questions while staring at the moon, as if asking myself for guidance, so I came to you." Said Luna bashfully.
It was all Pipsqueak could do to hold in his embarrassment, and then a thought came to his mind. Am I really considering leaving this pony? She is just as vulnerable and left out as I am. It was then that pip realized that it wasn't his own happiness he had to think about, but everypony around him, his parents, Princess Celestia, and especially Princess Luna.
"Well princess, since you're here and all, what do you think I should do?" Pip asked, almost pleading.
The dark blue alicorn thought deeply for a moment and replied, "Young one, you should do what makes you happy, but you should also consider what would make others happy as well, only if you can do both, will it be the right answer."
"But I don't know what will make me happy" begged the young foal, feeling more helpless with every word
"You needn't rush it, there is plenty of time to figure it out, for now, just think about what would make you happy right now," said the princess kindly.
After thinking for a second, Pip said quietly, "right now, I just want to watch the stars."
And so the two ponies sat and watched the stars for the entire night, the princess which was banished for one thousand years, and the young foal. Equally new to the world that they lived in and both equally as confused what to do with themselves now that they know this.
It was almost noon when Pipsqueak awoke, gently nuzzling his pillow. He arose slowly, having slept through all of the morning due to his late night star gazing. He looked down and noticed something that surprised him. What he believed to be his pillow was dark blue, almost violet in color, with soft feathery wings and a large horn, with a crescent moon cutie mark. It took him a few seconds to bring all of this into his still half conscious mind; he had slept alongside Princess Luna all morning. Pip jumped back, but quickly regained his senses, he didn't want to get caught out in the open with someone as important as the princess, especially using her as a pillow, he thought surely they would execute somepony for this!!
As he got up to leave, he looked back at the alicorn in the middle of the garden; she had since curled up and shivered slightly. Pip slowly walked over to a royal guard he found in the hallway and asked for help taking the princess to her room. The guard obliged and helped carry the princess who was obviously a heavy sleeper, as she didn't wake up while she was being piggy backed to her own personal chambers.
"Mr. Guard, why is the princess so sleepy in the middle of the day?" Pip asked the very serious guard.
"Your new here aren't you kid? Princess Luna is in charge of the night. While most of us ponies are asleep, ever since she got back, she has been recreating the stars that her sister had tried but failed to maintain in Princess Luna's absence. She has been using her magic every night to recreate each of the consolations, which a lot of ponies depend on." The guard replied praising the princess.
"So she is the reason that the night is brighter? I thought she only controlled the moon… wow Princess Luna is amazing." Pip said, having a newfound respect for his favorite princess.
"You don't know the half of it, before she went to keep you company last night, she re-created Ursa Minor and Ursa Major" interjected the guard.
Pip slowly walked away from the princess' room and the guard who helped him, he was in stunned silence. He walked into his parent's room in the castle for now and sat in the chair he assumed was meant for him.
"Mom, papa, what would you do if I chose to stay here with the princess? Pip asked.
His mother, almost expecting that replied, "We would come to visit you whenever we could, and we would be incredibly proud and happy for you."
His father simply said "you have a good head son, and a better heart, you know where you are needed most."
Pips father was a pony of very few words, and at times had a bad temper, but he was at his core a kind colt, and whenever one of the rare times he would speak, it was the advice of many years and generally it was more cryptic than this, pip was without a doubt shocked at the straightforwardness of his father's answer.
Pipsqueak waited until supper again before he would say another word to his parents or either princess, he was too deep in thought. Thinking of all of his friends back in Trottingham, all of their adventures, but also, of how smart and independent most of them were. Sure his friends would miss him, but they didn't truly NEED him, in fact Pipsqueak had never felt needed in his life.
And then it was time for the royal supper again, Pipsqueak went down the hall with his parents to meet with princess Celestia for supper again. But to the surprise of all three, princess Celestia wasn't in the room, instead, Luna was already sitting in the same seat as before.
"I am sorry for my sisters absence, she had urgent business but I have came to great you in her stead." Said the princess politely.
Pip didn't know how to respond, he was happy that Luna was there and waiting on him. But it was slightly more awkward for him, even though he couldn't place why.
Princess Luna was much more vocal that night, asking pips mother and father about their line of work, and almost everything about their daily lives, absorbing the information like an unused sponge. Pips family happily complied, knowing that the princess was in need of knowing how her subject lives differed from her age to now but also that someone showed interest in their line of work. Meanwhile Pip ate in silence.
After the supper, Pip went out to the garden again, this time to stare at the constellations, and the guard was right, there they were, Ursa Minor and Ursa Major, back to the glory as described in his old school books. The moon was brighter yet again tonight, lighting the garden up with silver light. All of the stars were getting brighter and brighter, almost trying to emulate the moon, like thousands of millions of admirers of the moon, just as pip was becoming. The night wasn't as cold as it normally was this time of year; it was in fact warm, almost like being hugged by an invisible force. Just as pip went searching for Orion he felt like someone was watching him and same as last night, there was Princess Luna staring at him. And even though he half expected it, he still jumped backwards a little.
"So…. Uhm… do you like the stars?" Princess Luna asked clearly embarrassed at trying to start the conversation.
"Yes, Very much, thank you for helping bring such art back to equestria" Pips comment actually made Princess Luna blush.
Luna then smiled, "I'm glad you like them"
Pip couldn't bear the waiting any further so he just had to say it, he KNEW he had to say it, he had to protect this powerful princess of the night from the simple fact… that he knew she was just like him, lonely.
"I've decided what I'm going to do about staying here princess." Pip said, his voice cracking
"What is your decision?" Asked Luna, regaining her composure.
"I will stay here and be your frie…." Pip didn't even have time to say the word "friend" before Luna pulled him close and embraced him. She held pip close to her bosom, partially because she was ecstatic about having her first friend, and partially because she knew she was blushing and she didn't want her new friend to see it.
The two separated from their long embrace and sat next to each other in the garden, pip asking questions about each constellation, and Luna asking questions about Pip.
As all of this was going on, Princess Celestia looked out her window into the garden and smiled. Her sister had made her first friend in over a thousand years. And for now the two were getting along great. All is well in equestria, and no one knows what tomorrow will bring.