//------------------------------// // Chapter One: Luna's Lonesom // Story: Moon Rising // by kibamudkip2 //------------------------------// Luna, princess of night, paced her room grumbling angrily to herself. Her parents had taken her sister with them to the royal courts to see their subjects and she had been left alone in her room, again. The little filly sniffled back a few tears as she continued her pacing. Her mother had only just beckoned the sun to begin its rise and already she could hear the happy chatter of the merchants out in the markets of the royal city. They annoyed her. Did they not know that their youngest princess felt unhappy? Did they not care? Without a second thought, Luna leapt onto a pillow that lay on the floor by her bed. Her mild annoyance boiled into anger as she reared up and stomped down on the pillow with her small dark blue hooves. “Tia, Tia, TIA!” the filly princesses cries were punctuated by another stomp to the pillow. “Always Tia!” she cried as the seams began to rip. “Why do they pay me no mind? No thought? Why do they spare me hardly a glance!?” the stuffing was falling out of the abused pillow. “WHY!?” with one final stomp the pillows stuffing exploded from its casing. She looked down on it as if expecting it to answer her. Getting none she kicked it aside and walked over to her window. She lifted herself up into the window seat and gazed out longingly. Why did nopony care for her? Small tears began to well up in her eyes as she ruffled her small wings, still to small to grant her any true flight. “Mother… Father…. Do I not please you as sister does? Have I wronged you?” she closed her eyes tightly to stop the tears from falling. She leapt from the window seat, spreading her wings so that she glided to the floor to land with grace. She walked slowly to the other side of the room to where her mirror stood. She stood before it in the most regal way her small body would allow and looked herself over. Her coat, the colour of the sky at dusk, that wondrous shade of blue, gleamed ever so slightly. She walked in a slow circle, looking herself over. She looked every bit as a princess should, and acted just as so. So why was her existence so over looked. She stomped a hoof loudly before sighing. The little filly sighed again. She was barely seven years of age and was prone to such hissy fits, often when her parents would take Celestia with them on royal duties. Celestia was twelve and was being trained in the royal ways. Learning a great many things that would, in time, help her be a great ruler. But they were sister, destined from birth to rule Equestia together. In time that same training that same alone time with her mother and father would be granted to Luna. But she was impatient. She stood up and shook out her light blue mane and tail. “Right Luna! You are a princess and should not sulk so!” she turned and walked back to the pillow. She scrunched up her face in concentration and fired up her horn. Slowly the pillow floated up before her, wrapped and a starry glow. The stuffing soon joined it in the air before the filly and was re-stuffed into the casing. She smiled and let the pillow drop. She clapped her hooves at her success. Celestia had been trying to teach her levitation magic’s for weeks and this was the first real thing she had down with it. She made a mental note to tell her sister later. Her sister, no matter how angry she got, she could never bring herself to be upset with her. She did her best to be there for her and support her and Luna loved every minute of time they got to spend together. Feeling a bit better the filly walked to the door “No sense moping all day. Tia will be back with lots to tell you, you must be sure to return the favour! Tis only polite of a princess to do that much!” she said rather matter of factly, as if such a thing should have occurred to her from the beginning. There had to be something for her to do around the castle. She wasn’t about to be too picky either “Beggars can’t be choosers” she said imitating the voice of her sister. “That’s what she would tell me. Alright, I’ll make the best of my day”. With a deep breath she put on her well-practiced smile and used her magic to open the door and out into the hallway she walked. She was greeted by two maid ponies that were passing by. The pair bowed lowly “Morning Princess Luna” they said in well-practiced unison. Luna hated when they did that. It always made her think that they needed to practice being civil with her. Making sure her smile was still firmly in place she nodded to them “Tis a good morning is it not? Mothers sun seems to shine especially bright today no?” she tilted her head cutely as she spoke drawing a small ‘aww’ from the two mares. They nodded “Yes, the queens sun is most wonderful today young princess” the younger of the two said cheerily. Luna’s eye twitched at this mare pointing out her age. The nerve of her! She would let it slide, for the sheer fact that there was nothing she could do. She inclined her head slightly to the mares and trotted past them. She would not find the good day she was looking for with them. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Luna galloped away from the kitchen as fast as she could. She had thought she could find some enjoyment there but she had forgotten one small fact. The head chief was the only pony in the staff that didn’t care the two royal sisters were well, royal. To him they were just annoying little fillies that got under hoof. Getting under hoof was exactly what Luna had done. He had been making lunch, presumably for her mother, father and sister in the court and she had only wanted to help, only wanted to be able to proudly tell Celestia that she had helped. It didn’t go quite as she had planned it to. Somehow she had managed start a fire, in the soup. That had been the end of that. “You dumb Foal!” the chief had raged as he tried to save the soup “Out, Out, OUT!” he shouted. She happily obliged, but not before knocking into a bag of flour, covering her in the white powder. She came to rest in the eastern courtyard and sat sneezing the rest of the flour out her nose. Happy to be done with the sneezing she looked herself over and groaned. Her coat had been turned pure white by the horrid powder and she could not for the life of her think of any easy, dry, way to be rid of it. She stood suddenly and kicked a rock across the courtyard. Tears of pain welled in her eyes as she cradled her hoof. “Mayhaps I hit the rock too hard” she whimpered as she sat back down. She stared out across the yard, glaring at the rock “stupid rock” she grumbled “how dare thee hurt a royal hoof?” she demanded quietly. Her glare softened and she sighed. “What am I doing? I talking to a rock that’s what” she sighed again and lay down. “Hurry back Sister… I’m lonely without you” she mumbled. Sniffling once she closed her eyes. Maybe a nap would do her good, it would sure make the time go by. Her eyes hadn’t been closed long before she heard the clatter of a rock skipping across the courtyard. She lifted her head and blinked. Sitting a little bit before her rock was a second rock. She tilted her head in confusion. How had it gotten there? She was sure she was alone, at least she hadn’t heard anypony. “The trick is to hit the rock with the side of your hoof, not the front, hurts less that way” said a voice from behind her causing her to leap to her hooves in shock. The young princess spun around ready to ream out the one who had startled her so, only to meet the eyes of a young Pegasus. She blinked as she looked the colt over. He had to be the least colourful pony she had ever met, looking like he had bathed in dust with his light grey coat and mane of a darker grey. His wings seemed to big for his small size and folded awkwardly by his sides, unlike hers folded tight that they were invisible with her flour covering. She momentary glanced at his blank flank and judged him to be about her age but her eyes were almost immediately drawn back to his. They were a fresh green colour that shimmered like dew. Realizing that she had been staring she looked down. The colt chuckled and rubbed a hoof against the side of his head. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. Guess I landed a bit softer than I thought” He smiled and explained “I was flying by when I noticed you and thought you might have needed some help.” Luna didn’t reply. Why was this colt acting so calmly around? All of the castle servants, the chief being the exception, and their foals had always treated the royal sister with the utmost respect, or more rather fear that if they did something the princesses would run to the King or Queen. A foolish notion, but an understandable one. But this colt was different; he was talking to her as if she was nought but a regular filly. Luna didn't understand why so she held her tongue and allowed the foal to speak. He laughed awkwardly, obviously ready to try something different, “So, you must be new to the castle.” He said with a smile “I mean, I haven’t seen you around and I know all the staff and their foals, Father makes sure of it. He’s the captain of the guards and all and he wants me to follow his hoof steps. So it’s important that I get familiar with all the castle ponies to and well I haven’t met you so-“he stopped his rant when he saw Luna take and an uneasy step back. He cleared his throat “aheheh sorry, I do that sometimes. Allow me to try again” he extended a hoof “My name is Falling Star, and you are?” That was it! This colt was treating her like an everyday pony because he didn't recognize her! It took all of her self control not to giggle with delight. She no longer saw the flour as filth she needed to be rid of. It was a disguise, and from the looks of things a very good one. She didn’t have to worry about responsibilities or her feelings of loneliness. She could be anypony she wanted! Anypony, and this colt, this Falling Star would talk to her without kissing her plot, without knowing who or what she was! She could be a regular unicorn and the thought made her oddly joyous. Sure she loved being a princess, and she loved being an alicorn even more. It made her different, made her special. But it didn’t leave room for true companions, for friends. At least she hadn’t been able to make any. This would be the perfect thing for her, the perfect distraction from her life. All she needed was a name. “Um, hello?” Falling Star’s voice pulled her back from her thoughts. She smiled and tapped her hoof to his “It’s nice to meet a friendly foal” her smile widened “My name it Daydream” Luna said with a light giggle, this would be too much fun! Falling Star smiled “Daydream eh? What a sweet name, come on, I’ll show you around” he said before trotting off. Luna giggled and hurried after him.