"Behold, Celina. The rising sun. Have you ever seen a more beautiful sight?"
"You come to mind."
"Oh, you flirt..."
"Well, that's what I would have said a long time ago."
"Is something the matter?"
"This is strange. Every time I look at you, you've changed. Your eyes are differently colored from last night, your hair is graying... by the divines, look! One of your wings is turning blue."
"Oh, would you look at that. I rather like it."
"...Who are you, Desmond?"
"I'm your husband, don't you remember?"
"Don't touch me.
“Aw, Celina...”
“I said hooves off!”
Chapter 13
Under the Stars...
Cerberus had heard the announcement. This was the day that Luna would bring night to Ponyville for the first time in a week. Somewhere deep inside he knew that he would never get an opportunity like this again. He launched himself from Town Square into the sky and touched down at the library. He hoped that his mother would take a break from her meditating for at least a little while to hear him.
In the most shaded area of the library, a corner off to the side of a curtained window underneath the staircase, Luna was levitating slightly above the carpet, processing the shade around her into pure energy. She intended to use this power to move the sun out of the sky and keep it that way for some time. She stopped floating and opened her eyes.
“My son. As always it is a delight to see you. Are you looking forward to tonight?”
“More so than usual. My nocturnal instincts are screaming at me from the inside. Not literally, of course.”
“That wouldn’t be pleasant at all.”
“Actually, I’m here to ask for something.”
“Anything in the world I would give you, child.”
“I want to make this a very special night for me and Fluttershy.”
“Why? Are you-” Luna looked puzzled for a moment, then she scrunched up her lips when she realized what her son meant. “Ah, yes. I understand completely. I assume you want to give her something special. I salvaged some jewels from my portion of the royal vault if you-”
Cerberus raised his hoof. “No. Anypony could get their dasforah some rubbish jewel. This is something only you can do.”
A comfortable cloud... check. Some healthy snacks for her and bits of sapphire for him... check. Nopony in sight? Check. Fluttershy had set up what Cerberus said would be the best night ever. She hoped he wasn’t exaggerating by any means. At the very least this was guaranteed to end better than their last date. Who knows? Maybe it would end in something wonderful. Fluttershy tried to keep her wings down when she thought of that.
She looked around the late afternoon sky and saw a familiar figure approaching from Ponyville. His dark coat and mane contrasted the white snow, and his dragon wings and tail could be seen from miles away, at least by her. Cerberus landed on the cloud and dropped a small hoofbag from his mouth, from which he pulled out a light blue scarf.
“You oughta bundle up, beautiful. It can get cold up here at night.” He got close to Fluttershy and wrapped the scarf around her neck. She moved closer still to embrace him.
“I suppose I could just snuggle up next to you if I do get cold.”
“Save it for later, love. I want you to see this.”
Soon both Cerberus and Fluttershy had settled down on their private cloud, trading gazes with each other, and the horizon where the sun was disappearing.
“I bet Celestia is pissed at your mother right now.”
“Imagine her face, it’ll cheer anypony up instantly.” They shared a laugh. “I bet the view is even better up in Cloudsdale.”
“Have you ever been to Cloudsdale?”
“Once, with Judas. They’re more tolerant of half breeds up there. We met a filly with butterfly wings, she was a doll.”
“Why didn’t you stay?” A brief silence, and Fluttershy answered her own question. “Captain Black.”
“Captain Black.”
“What’s his problem with you?”
“What’s anyone’s problem with me?”
“He seems to hate you more than the others.”
“He doesn’t hate me. He hates that Winter Solstice is friends with me.”
“Do they go back?”
“Oh yeah. I’d rather not talk about it. You can ask her, she tells it better.”
“If I even see her.” She chuckled at her own joke. “You know, despite everything that’s happened, I’m glad that I’m here. If you hadn’t come along, I’d still be the same quiet, timid, cowardly Fluttershy I always was.”
“I’d still be cold and friendless if I hadn’t met you. I still can’t believe you’re willing to risk your life to be with me.”
“You’re worth hell, baby.”
Cerberus laughed to hide his blush, though that was hard to see as it was getting darker by the minute. The sun was almost completely gone. "Okay okay, pay real close attention to this part."
"I'm looking, don't worry."
A few minutes in silence and... gone. All that was left of daylight was the faint orange glow past the mountains.
Fluttershy sighed happily. "I missed the sunset. Going a while without it makes you appreciate-"
"It isn't over. Turn around!"
This was the part that no one had seen before. From the east came several streaking white lights that filled an empty black sky with stars and constellations unknown to ponykind.
"Is your mother remaking the entire night sky?"
"It wasn't hers until now."
"Oh yeah... heh heh, Twilight's going to have a fit."
Shadows were cast by trees every time another star was created. Slowly but surely, the sky was decorated with lights large and small. A night sky that Celestia could never have imitated. This was Luna's artwork.
"Truly amazing, isn't it?"
Fluttershy rested her head on Cerberus' neck and yawned. "Couldn't be better." She spoke too soon. She perked up when she noticed one last constellation was being formed.
Several stars, brighter than the others, formed the bodies of a colt and a mare, intertwined in an embrace only true lovers could share. More stars came along and filled in the details, giving the couple eyes and hair... and the colt now had a dragon wing...
Fluttershy gaped. "Is... that us?" Her eyes quivered and she felt the sting of tears of joy.
"Mother rather likes us as a couple." Fluttershy's silence made Cerberus nervous. He began to babble. "But if you think I could do better, I could get a royal jewel, or maybe a brooch-"
Cerberus was pinned to the cloud and kissed furiously. "I love you so much," said Fluttershy. She sat up and removed her scarf.
"Why'd you take it off?"
"All I need is you."
"Oh..." Cerberus noticed that his dragon wings were now pointed straight outwards and he couldn't retract them. He crossed his forelegs. "I'm... I'm kinda nervous. You're my first."
"Please, Cerberus? I want to do this."
"I know, me too. Come here."
Their lips, their bodies and their wings touched, and for that night, and many nights afterwards, every ounce of love and passion Cerberus and Fluttershy had built up for each other blossomed into a romantic evening. They relished every thrash, seize, and release, and every time, fell asleep with one's forelegs wrapped around the other's neck.
One morning (Or what should have been morning, thanks to Luna and her artificial sun) Cerberus woke to his dasforah's loving gaze.
"Yay..." she whispered.
This time they had fallen asleep on the outskirts of the Everfree forest, quite possibly the most romantic place they had found yet. Cerberus sat up and took in the winter air, though no snow surrounded where he and Fluttershy lay. He remembered that he had used his flames to burn away the snow for a more comfortable evening.
Fluttershy had just noticed Cerberus was awake. "Aw, don't go anywhere."
Cerberus looked back and smiled. "Don't worry love. I'll go find us some breakfast, then I'll be back. Just stay right there. Seriously, don't budge. You look perfect like that."
"With grass in my mane?"
"Your beauty is never tarnished."
She smiled again. If it were up to Cerberus, he would make her smile forever. "Okay. Hurry on back now."
Little did Cerberus realize, that he had planted a seed of creation during one of those nights. He didn't know it yet, but that seed would be a symbol of hope for all of ponykind in the battle that was sure to follow.