“You made him a what!?”
Princess Celestia shot her sister a glare as they were both eating breakfast the next day. Princess Luna, despite her sometimes coming off as intimidating, even felt a chill shiver down her spine from her sister’s expression. It was rare to see Celestia look really angry, but when she was angry, her glare could make anypony shake in their hooves.
“Sister, you’re not understanding why I did this to him,” she protested. “I know it sounds like I’m rewarding Philip for making him a bodyguard, but I’m not at all.”
“Oh really? So the next time a Royal Guard attacks me or one of the other members of the royal family, then I should make that guard the next Prince of Equestria?”
“Tia! You aren’t listening!”
“I am listening Luna, but you have to understand that this is setting a bad example,” said the white alicorn. “If word of this gets out, Blueblood will never let let you hear the end of it. Not to mention that the other guards will think that there’s something going on between you two.” She narrowed her eyes again. “There is nothing going on between you two, right?”
“N-no, of course not,” said Luna. “But Tia, this truly isn’t what you think it is.”
Celestia let out a deep breath and softened her expression. “Please explain yourself then Luna.”
“I’m sure you remember what happened last night at the Canterlot Carnival.”
“You don’t need to remind me about that. The media has been having a field day over Blueblood’s arrogant act last night. The paparazzi are still outside the castle wanting me to let them see what’s become of Blueblood, but I won’t let them. All I can do is wait for them to leave the castle grounds, which usually takes a week before they move on.”
“Right, well as it turns out, Philip was actually an accomplice in exposing our nephew’s nefarious deed. Although he did attack Blueblood, I’ve been told by several witnesses that he was about to hurt the representative from the Society of Orphaned Foals and Philip intervened.”
“But then why make him a personal bodyguard?”
“Well . . . I was thinking that if I kept him close by and monitored his behavior, I could make him think twice before acting out, especially in front of a princess. Not to mention that he has been placed on probation and will not be allowed to leave the castle for two weeks.”
Celestia simply looked in her sister’s eyes, before closing hers and sighing. “Very well, I’ll let that slide...”
Luna lifted her head slightly and smiled. “Glad that you see reason, dear sister. Now if you excuse me,” Luna said as she finished her breakfast and wiped her muzzle clean. “I need to take my rest, for a princess cannot be exhausted when performing her duties.”
Celestia shook her head slightly before giggling as she rolled her eyes. “That is true... but I can only imagine what a princess must do in the morning...” she muttered to herself as Luna went outside the dining hall towards her chambers. Celestia tapped her chin in thought and scrunched her lips slightly as her mind was going in thought.
She’s hiding something, but what?
Ninety nine!
Pip was in the barracks’ training hall, weightlifting the heaviest weights available. Most Earth ponies were naturally strong, but with added training they gain herculean strength. Pip huffed as he readied himself for the final push, bearing about six hundred pounds of weight.
One hundred!
Pip threw the weights to the ground and got up from the platform, sweating up a storm. He looked back to see the floor dented thanks to the weights and he chuckled to himself as he shook his head and blew the hair away from his eyes.
“Bugger! That’s coming out of my pay!” he cursed to himself as he reached for his towel and began walking to the entrance, stopping only for two more guards, a gray stallion and white stallion, walking in. They saw Pip and whistled.
“You really worked up a storm there, hey soldier?” The one guard asked him.
“More or less...”
The other shrugged and smiled. “From what I hear, he’s gonna need it. Seeing as he is Princess Luna’s new personal bodyguard.”
“Whoa, really?” Asked the guard. “From what I’ve heard, there hasn’t been a personal bodyguard for the princesses since before Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon. Why would she bring back such an old tradition though?”
“It’s hard to say really,” shrugged the other guard. “She’s been acting a little out of it for a while now. And with what Blueblood pulled last night, it’s only getting crazier it seems.”
“So do you know what you have to do Philip?”
“Probably just traditional bodyguard stuff. Protect the princess from danger such as assassins, escort her to safety, and maybe taste her meals to make sure they aren’t poisonous.”
“Do you get to get up to her up and personal?” Asked the gray guard. “Maybe get to be around her in the royal baths?”
“H-hey!” Pip looked down to hide his blush.
“Ooo, it seems somepony likes that idea,” teased the gray stallion. “Didn’t know you had such a dirty mind there Philip!”
“Cut it out already Crossbow,” said the white stallion. “I knew Philip from my days in training camp and he’s nothing like that.”
“Yeah, what Spearhead said is true!” Protested Pipsqueak. “It’s just that . . . that . . .” His mouth clamped shut and immediately went into attention stance.
“What’s with you? Can’t stop thinking of Princess Luna? Man Philip, I really have to . . .”
“Um . . . Crossbow?” Asked Spearhead in a cautious tone. “I really think you better stop now.”
“You too? Geez, what’s with you two all of a sudden? Cat got your tongues?”
“More like alicorn instead,” said a voice.
Crossbow turned around to see, to his horror, a rather angry Princess Luna. “Um . . . hi there your highness,” he said in a shaky voice. “We were just uh . . .”
“I couldn’t help but hear you mention something about Philip peeking at me in the Royal Baths. Do you wish to explain yourself Corporal Crossbow?”
Crossbow was started to sweat profoundly as his eyes dared not look at Luna’s. “Well- Princess... you see, I-”
Princess Luna raised her hoof and grinned slightly, scaring Crossbow for the moment. “Crossbow, maybe you need to get yourself clean. . . so take a bath right now.”
“I beg your pardon Princess?”
Luna levitated a brush with a spray bottle and gave it to Crossbow. “While you're cleaning yourself, go ahead and clean the entire bathroom. All two miles of it,” she ordered him and smirked at his shocked face.
Crossbow held both items he was holding and saw the glare Luna was giving him, he sighed and bowed to Luna. “Yes, your majesty,” he said as she walked out and headed towards his punishment.
She turned to Spearhead. "Guard, leave us now." The white stallion didn't waste a second as he bowed and quickly bolted out the room.
Luna sighed and walked up to Pip, looking intently at his toned legs. She couldn’t help but smile slightly, before shaking her head and removing the grin from her muzzle. “Philip, please escort me. . . once you are done,” she said, seeing the sweat from his body.
Pip quickly wiped himself clean from all the secreted liquid and tossed the towel to the used-towel bin on the other side of the room. “All done, Princess,” he said as he grinned and walked alongside Luna.
Once they were outside the barracks, Pip looked at Luna for a moment and saw her smiling. He arched a brow slightly confused at Luna’s mirth.
“Something happen?”
Luna’s ears perked and she turned to Pip. “I beg your pardon?”
“Why you so happy, Luna?” He asked her softly, looking over his shoulder to see that no other guards, nobles or worse. . . royals were around to hear him use the Princess’ first name.
Luna giggled softly at Pip’s lookout. “Oh Pip, its just good to have my personal bodyguard with me and besides,” she continued as she too looked behind. “Can’t really be careful, what with some guard giving a royal a thorough beating.”
Pip’s head jerked slightly. “Oi! If I was given the chance to relive that moment again, I’d have knocked him out till next Summer.”
“Well let’s not make this a habit, understand?”
“Yes Princess Luna,” said Pip. “So, how did your sister take my ‘punishment’?”
“She managed to take it, but only barely. I would honestly try to watch yourself around me Pip. I have a feeling that this isn’t the last I’ve heard from Princess Celestia about this.”
“So I guess that means no seeing each other for a while, huh?” He asked in a disappointed voice.
Princess Luna stopped and rubbed her chin. “Actually Pip, I think there’s something we can do.”
“Really?” He asked, with his face beaming.
“It depends. Do you want to accompany me somewhere tonight?”
His expression then drooped as a thought hit him. “Gee, I don’t know Luna. The last time we were out, I ended up beating up a royal family member and causing trouble. Maybe we shouldn’t do anything.”
“Who said we were going anywhere that’s crowded?”
“I’m not following you Luna.”
“It’s easy, just meet me near the castle gates after I raise the moon and I’ll take you there.”
“Take me where? Can you tell me please?”
Luna giggled and said, “It’s a surprise. Now come along Pi- um, Philip, it’s time to get to the barracks to help me inspect the Lunar Guards’ barracks.”
Pip was about to say something, but he saw a group of Royal Guards marching nearby and gave a salute. “Yes, your highness.” He quickly followed the blue alicorn into the castle before anypony saw anything strange.
The following night, Pip was standing near a fountain of Luna spraying water out of her mouth, waiting for the alicorn. He didn’t dare make a move since there were many guards patrolling the entryway. He was about to consider moving to another location, but then out of the shadows of a tree, Luna stepped out. Pip couldn’t help but jump in surprise and look a little shaken.
Luna giggled at his antics. “My my Pip, did I scare you that much?”
Pip straightened himself and cleared his throat. “I will admit, just a little,” he said as he walked forward towards her. “By the way, you look beautiful tonight Luna,” he whispered to her.
Luna’s cheeks burned brightly and she looked away from his eyes, smiling coyly. “Stop it will you!” She said she looked up to face his eyes, batting her eyelashes to him.
Pip rolled his eyes as he grinned. “Whatever you say Luna,” he answered her and both began walking to their destination. “So, where exactly have you thought of taking me?” He asked her innocently, noticing her smiling growing.
“Follow me.”
Both of them began to gallop away from the garden and towards the open fields before them.
Celestia was not a happy mare tonight. She waited at the door of the conference room, tapping her hoof impatiently and looking up to the time on a clock before her.
“Where is that sister of mine?!” She muttered to herself and saw her guards looking away from her gaze. She was about to walk towards Luna’s quarters, when she was met with a silver unicorn.
“Princess Celestia, I do apologize for Princess Luna’s absence. . . but a matter of the night court has arisen and she had to take flight immediately,” Silver said profienally, looking straight in Celestia’s eyes and not breaking eye contact with her.
Celestia groaned as she unfurled her feathers in frustration. Oh Luna why now?! She groaned to herself. “Doesn’t she realize how important this meeting is?!”
“I am certain she is aware of the importance of this gathering, your majesty. As her advisor, I have specifically reminded her of tonight’s events,” Silver answer her. “Yet I cannot control, as much as I wish to, certain elements which must be addressed to. . . immediately.”
“She knew about this meeting though. We both need to plan out the financial situation with the regional mayors of Equestria. I know some of them want to try to spend over the budget Luna and I set earlier this year, but we can’t let them do this.”
“Maybe try rescheduling for tomorrow night?”
“This has to be done tonight Silver,” said Celestia as she rubbed her temples. “Some of the mayors have sent me letters saying they need emergency funding for roads, education, and piping projects. Luna and I both need to find a way to resolve these issues without going-”
“Excuse me, Princess Celestia?”
The white alicorn turned to see a white mare with a brown mane and tail in a tight bun and wearing thick frame black glasses.
“What is it, Raven?”
“The mayors are getting restless in the conference room. Mayor Jewel of Trottingham is wondering what’s taking so long and is considering leaving.”
“Can you tell them to hold on a little bit longer?”
“I did that five times your highness, but they are just about at the end of their ropes with waiting for you and Princess Luna. I’m sorry your highness, but we really need to get started now.”
Princess Celestia looked down both sides of the hallway again, hoping to see her sister was just coming up the corridor but to no avail. Letting out a heavy sigh, she gave a nod.
“I understand fully Raven,” she said. “I’ll just have to go at this alone and hope for the best.” She turned to Silver, who was looking a little worried. “As for you Silver, if you do see Princess Luna, tell her that I will want a word with her immediately after this meeting, understand?”
“As you wish, your highness,” he said as he bowed.
Princess Celestia, along with her secretary, Raven, went into the room and the door shut. Silver stood up and could feel a few beads of sweat forming on his head and rubbed them off.
Princess Luna, wherever you are, please hurry back, he thought to himself. I can only hope you are doing something other than hanging around with Pipsqueak.
Princess Luna was in complete halcyon. She sat on the soft grass of a hill looking up high to the stars that painted the night’s sky. She could feel the gentle breeze of the evening flowing through her mane and could smell the fresh grass that lay before her. The sounds of the nocturnal life could be heard as they were giving off their melodious nocturne.
What made this special from any night of stargazing was the stallion that lay next to her, looking up at the stars too with awe and wonder.
“Wow, you really outdone yourself Luna!” He said as he was looking around the sky as though it were a masterpiece come to life.
Luna giggled slightly. “Oh ‘tis was nothing really...”
Pip looked at her as though she had sprouted a second head. “Are you kidding me?!” He asked her rhetorically. “This is far from nothing Luna. Only one mare in the world can do this kind of work, and I’m sitting right next to her.”
Luna smiled demurely and her cheeks turned red. “You are most kind today Pip.”
Pip chuckled as he looked at Luna with a smirk. “Shouldn’t you say, ‘everyday’?” He teased her lightly.
Luna blew a raspberry as she laughed. “Oh my, what a fatal error on my part! What shall I do to redeem myself!?” She shouted out dramatically as she swooned her head.
“Maybe another date will do good?”
Luna pushed Pip softly on his shoulder, realizing too late that he was about to tumble down the hill. She tried to grab him, but then she was caught in his hooves as the tumbled down the hill together. Luna and Pip laughed as they were tumbling further down, until finally they stop. With Pip lying on top of Luna.
Pip breathing became slow as he looked into the teal eyes of Luna. He saw her looking back at him and he laughed softly as he turned his head away. His eyes widened as he felt her soft lips to his cheeks and he turned back to her in surprise. Where once he saw the giddily face of a princess, he now saw the sultry look of Luna.
He smiled softly as he leaned his head towards her, with Luna doing the same. Once his lips connected with hers, he could swear he felt her soul and could see her mind. As the kiss intensified, he felt her hooves circling him in bringing him closer to her. Once they stopped to breath, he looked back into her eyes that were now slightly moist and saw Luna giving off the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Pip felt her hoof caressing his cheek and he held onto it with his.
“Luna, I love you...” he finally told her, and saw her gasp. “Ever since I saw you as a colt in Ponyville, I never stopped thinking of you. I've dreamed about seeing you again and being around you again. Some ponies may think that you're rather strict, but I know deep down that you're a gentle mare who loves everypony and care for your subjects. You’re graceful, cute, funny, beautiful, and the most wonderful mare I ever saw. Everypony may now love your nights, but I love more than the beauty of the night sky, I love you.”
Luna lips quivered as they smiled towards the stallion that held her heart. She closed her eyes softly as the build up of tears began to leak. She looked back at Pip and brought her muzzle closer to his.
“I love you too...” She gave him another small peck on his lips. “I . . . I have to admit that you weren’t like most stallions I’ve seen. I know other stallions such as nobles had interest in me, but they weren’t anything like you. I still remember how you called me your favorite princess and I was deeply touched by that. No other pony, aside from my sister, has showed me this much love and dedication. You, who willingly defended me when Blueblood and Polished Shield spoke ill about me. You were the first pony to call me a favorite princess, when many consider Tia to be the favorite. You never stopped caring about me, nor stop thinking of me. I only wish I could’ve seen you more before you became a Lunar Guard.”
“Don’t worry Luna, we have all the time now to make up for lost time.” He nuzzled her nose and smiled. “Come on, let’s go for a nice walk and catch up on old times, shall we?” He extended his hoof to her.
The alicorn giggled and took his hoof to stand up. “I would be delighted, Pipsqueak.” Together, the two of them walked off into the meadow and nuzzled against each other.
Nearby though, a small group of tattered black tents were circled around a blazing campfire. Near the fire, a group of ponies were laughing and chattering with each other. A few of them were wearing some various rings and necklaces around each other and passing other jewelry to other ponies.
“So then I said, that’s no bull, that’s my wife!”
The entire group burst into laughter and let the cider they were holding spill a little.
“Cut it out already Funny Pants!” Shouted a mare. “My sides are splitting!”
“I’ll take you to a doctor then for surgery,” he chuckled.
“Hey! What’s with all the laughter here!?” Barked a deep stallion voice.
The entire group went silent as they turned their eyes to a brown Earth pony stallion with a messy yellow mane and was wearing an eyepatch over his left eye. He was also wearing a slick, black pimp hat with a golden feather on it, a black cape, and a necklace around him saying, THE END, in gold.
“Why are you all laughing your flanks off and drinking yourselves silly?”
“Forgive us Brass Hoof, but we were-”
“That’s Boss Brass to you!” Barked the brown stallion.
“Um . . . right Boss Brass, but we were just celebrating the success of gaining more jewelry and bits. We’ll soon be the richest group of thieves in all of Equestria.”
“Well it’s hard to be the richest thieves when I have slackers like you lot laying around! One of our lookouts said they saw two ponies walking nearby and they could be trying to get our loot!”
“I thought we drove off the Badland Devils a month ago. Unless we got other thieves moving in on us.”
“Well you know our saying here,” said Boss Brass. “When somepony comes across the Dead End Gang, they meet the end of their road.” He pulled out a small dagger from under his cape. “Sharpen those blades guys, those ponies are about to reach the end of the road.”
The gang readied their tools for work, and galloped towards their destination, following their leader who was before the band of thieves. They slowed their pace slightly, as they heard the laughter of two ponies.
Brass Hoof lowered himself to the ground and waved his hoof behind his head, seeing the others doing the same. He saw a spotted stallion walking with a mare that looked awfully familiar to him. He squinted his eyes to get a closer look, and his jaw became agape at who the mare was.
Princess Luna?!
He turned to his fellow thieves and pointed his hoof to different locations, with them rushing off to their posts. He looked back at the two and licked his lips
“Let’s have some fun~”
Luna walked alongside Pip in a slow canter as they were both looking at the other with shining eyes. Luna rested her head to his shoulder and felt him nuzzle her head affectionately. She closed her eyes slowly, as she was in peace.
Crack
Luna’s ears perked as she rose her head sharply. She noticed Pip was looking around him to see for anything that was out of the ordinary. Luna sharpened her eyes as she looked to the distance, and saw what made the noise.
“You there! Come before me!” She shouted out the distance, and saw a silhouette of a pony walking towards them.
Brass shook his head as he chuckled. “My my my, the lovely princess is quite sharp to find me sneaking up to her and having a peek at her fine moon~”
Luna’s face flustered as she stomped her hoof to the ground. “The insolence! You dare address your princess in such a manner! Leave now or no mercy shall be displayed!”
“How about you listen to us?”
“Why would I ever want to listen such a group of crude ponies?”
“Now boys!”
Before Luna could react, Pip was tackled by two ponies and dragged away. He struggled to break free, but they only increased their grip and forced him to stand up. One of the ponies pulled out a dagger and held it against his throat, forcing him to stop fighting back.
Luna looked at Boss Brass with a cold glare. “Release him at once! He has done nothing to you!”
“Not yet your highness,” said the leader. “He’s going to be our bargaining chip while we negotiate how much it’ll cost you to have him back.”
“Don’t do it Luna!” Shouted Pip. “I’ll find a way to give these blokes what for and we can both leave!” He was then punched in the stomach by one of the two ponies holding him.
“Best keep that mouth of yours shut, otherwise those will be the last words you ever say,” said the pony with a gruff voice.
Luna looked at the pony holding the dagger to Pip and then to a smug Boss Brass. With a heavy heart, she said, “What . . . what do you want?”
The brown stallion laughed callously. “I knew you would see things my way Princess. Here’s the deal, you go to your castle, pull out one billion bits from the treasury, bring us some new weapons from the armory since our current ones are rusting out, and then we’ll give you back this stallion. And you must do it without alerting the Royal Guard and Princess Celestia. Do we have a deal?”
Princess Luna looked down as she thought about her options. Even though she was an all powerful alicorn, she knew one slip up could cost Pip his life, and she would never forgive herself if that happened. Reluctantly, she knew what had to be done.
“I . . . I . . .”
“Refuse to!”
Luna and Boss Brass turned to see Pip breaking free of the two ponies holding him. He punched the one holding the dagger and grabbed it as it was falling out of his hoof. He pointed the dagger at Boss Brass and quickly threw it at him. Before he could react, the dagger hit him in his left front leg and let out an anguished yell.
“My leg!”
Pip tackled Brass and decided slammed his hoof to Brass’ jaw, feeling his hoof becoming sore from the impact. Pip’s jaw was the next thing to feel pain as Brass fought back and both ponies were soon in a bloody brawl.
Luna readied her magic as she walked towards the two, but suddenly felt pain in her abdomen. She skidded a bit and saw one of the two thieves that Pip had subdued, standing next to her and hitting her hard.
Pip looked up to see Luna was in trouble. He got away from Brass’s hold and tried to make his way to Luna.
“Luna!” Pip shouted out but suddenly his world turned black as he lost consciousness and fell hard to the ground below him.
Brass stood behind him, looking down victoriously to the fallen pony. “That’s what you get for trying to fight me boy!” He shouted out and grabbed hold of Pip’s mane, putting his knife to Pip’s neck and looking up to see Luna staring at the two before her. “Princess, why don’t I just kill your lover colt right here and now?!”
Luna looked up to what Brass was doing and she got the other two thieves’ away from her as she rushed to Pip. “Stop this right now!” She shouted out but Brass just laughed and placed his knife closer to Pip’s neck, that was beginning to seep a few droplets of blood.
Luna froze as she saw Pip’s unconscious form. The other two thieves that slowed her down rushed to their boss and pointed their weapons to Pip, for added insurance. They were snickering at her, seeing how useless she was at that moment.
Luna’s mind became blank, and she clenched her teeth as she glared to the thieves who were oblivious to what was to come. Dark smoke began to emit from Luna’s hooves and slowly crept over her body as though it were forming a shell around her.
“What the hay is happening to her?” Asked one of the thieves to another one that was watching the spectacle. “I’ve never seen her or Celestia do this before.”
“Boss! I think we’ve got a problem here,” warned a mare.
“What could it possibly be?” He demanded. “Princess Luna here surely . . . can’t . . .” He noticed the dark smoke growing around Luna and heard some rumbling thunder. “What in the name of Tartarus?”
“YOU SHAN'T GET AWAY WITH THIS FOUL DEED!” Boomed a voice.
The entire group of thieves jumped and were shivering with fear from the commanding voice. Boss Brass though, played it cool and shrug it off.
“Come on now! What are you all, ponies or mice!?” He barked. “She’s just trying to scare us all with some cheap tricks!”
“Oh really now?” Asked a contorted voice. “Would a cheap trick look like this?”
From out of the smoke, Luna stepped out but she looked radically different. Her entire body was nearly covered in complete blackness, with a couple of spots of her midnight blue coat still showing. Her mane turned a deep dark blue and her eyes changed from blue to cyan and had catlike irises in them. She smiled sinisterly, showing a long row of sharp demonic teeth, at Boss Brass, who was now realizing the severity of the situation.
“You’re acting more like a mouse at the moment,” she said in a mixed voice. “Let me show you what happens when you mess with a nightmare.”
“Boss! What do we do now!?” Asked a thief. “She’s going to kill us all!”
The brown stallion looked around to see the other thieves were petrified with terror and couldn’t move a muscle. “T-try to take her anyway! She can’t take us all down!” He released Pip and charged at her with the dagger.
The gang tried followed their leader’s example and charged at the corrupted Luna with various swords, spears, and daggers. Luna glared and waited for them to come closer until they were within inches of her. Just as Boss Brass was about to stab the alicorn, her horn glowed and a barrier formed around and expanded. The force of the shield pushed the group back and sent them to the ground. As they all got up, they tried to attack again, but noticed they were missing something.
“Hey! Where’s my weapon!?” Shouted Boss Brass.
“Looking for these?”
The gang looked to see Luna levitating not only Brass’ dagger, but she had various swords, spears, and axes in her magical grasp as well. They all saw, to their horror, that she was holding all their weapons and that they were all pointed towards them.
“Let’s get out of here!” Shouted one of the thieves.
Brass nodded furiously and all of them ran to the opposite side. They were nearly out of the area, when all of a sudden smoke appeared before them and Luna was in front of them again.
“You shall not pass...”
Luna’s eyes turned white and lightning struck the the ground near the band of thieves, and she began to laugh maliciously as she lit her horn to emit magic. The magic began to envelop the group, though nothing seemed to happen.
Brass looked down on himself and saw something that made him scream. His hooves began to turn to stone, and the petrification was slowly invading his body. He turned to his comrades, who were also in the process of petrification and they were screaming out to him for help. Brass turned to Luna once more, crying to her and calling her out.
“Please Princess! Don’t do this! We will change our ways! Please!!!!!!!” Brass shouted out at the top of his lungs, and the magic slowly began to fade as he saw Luna closing her eyes. He sighed in relief and smiled softly.
Luna opened her eyes sharply and glared at the helpless thief before her. “I think not!” She told him and the magic intensified, until a bright flash covered the whole area.
When the light dimmed from the flash, there stood statues of screaming thieves with their eyes showing nothing but terror. Luna slowly began to chuckle and laughed hysterically as more lightning shot from the sky. Her horn lit up again and the statues began to levitate in her grasp.
“What say I crack you to ensure that you will never-”
Luna felt the leave her body violently as a pony charged her and held onto her tightly. She looked bewildered with wide eyes at who would dare tackle her. It was Pip that brought her to the ground and held onto her with all his might.
“Luna! Stop this! I’m fine now! Please stop Luna!”
Luna’s dragon like eyes began to round as she started to breath slowly. The armor around her body disappeared as the smoke slowly faded into oblivion. She began to shrink to some degree and her sharp teeth retracted almost instantly.
She let out a breath as though she were holding it in for a few minutes. She looked around her as her head shot to all directions until her eyes fell onto Pip’s. Luna’s eyes watered and she wrapped her hooves around the earth pony and began to cry into his shoulder.
“I’m so glad you’re alright!”
“Shh . . . it’s okay Luna, I’m right here,” said Pip as he nuzzled her. “You don’t have anything to worry about now that I’m here.”
“But I do!” The alicorn sobbed. “I . . . I thought you were dead! I thought I saw you die in front of my eyes!”
“It’s alright Luna, what matters is I’m alive now.”
“But . . . I wasn’t even myself when I attacked those thugs. Everything was such a blur to me, all I heard was the screaming of other ponies and somepony cackling. It wasn’t until I heard you pleading me to stop that everything became clear to me.” She quivered her lips as she looked up to Pip’s eyes, hot tears running rampant from her. “I . . . I nearly killed a bunch of ponies without a second thought!”
“Luna!” Scolded Pip. The alicorn looked at him with tears streaming down her eyes. “Dry those tears Luna. I know you were only trying to save me from those brutes and you shouldn’t blame yourself for acting the way you did.”
“But I-”
“No buts. What happened to you was something you had no idea would happen. But I promise you that from here on out, I will make sure that never happens to you ever again. You have to trust me Luna. After all these years and waiting to meet you again, I would never abandon you, especially when you need somepony like me the most.”
Luna blinked as her eyes became more moist. Her tears were wiped away by Pip’s gentle hooves and she held onto him tighter. She brought her muzzle closer to his until they were only a breath away from each other.
“Thank you so very much...” she said softly as she kissed him.
Pip’s held onto Luna as the kiss went deeper, and for that moment they were in bliss again. The passionate embrace of the two ponies continued for how many moments until they had to disconnect for a breath of fresh air. When he looked back at Luna’s face, he saw her tears drying almost instantly and the sadness was replaced with a soft smile of joy.
Pip stood up from the ground and helped Luna to her hooves and helped dust her off, careful of avoiding her cutie mark and the rest of her flank. She had done the same with her wings, and she laughed slightly at the ticklish feeling she got from it.
Luna looked up to the moon and sighed. “I think it’s time we head on back to the castle...”
Pip nodded as he also looked to the stars. “Yes,” he looked back to the statues. “What should we do with them you think?” He asked curiously as he pointed the the band of thieves in their new prison.
Luna tapped her chin as her lips scrunched in thought. “Well I suppose we could leave them out here till further notice, a reminder to other thieves in this area,” she said as she readied her horn. “For now, let us return,” she said and with a flash, both she and her knight were gone.
A bright flash illuminated the castle corridor for a brief second before fading away. Luna and Pipsqueak both looked around to see there were no guards nearby and let out a sigh of relief.
“Where in the castle are we?” Asked Pip.
Luna looked around and noticed a portrait of her, shortly after being freed from Nightmare Moon, and Celestia hugging each other and smiling. “We’re near the castle’s throne room,” she said. “My sister hangs all her portraits near this room to help new guards figure out they are near where me and my sister are often at.”
“Should we teleport to your room then? Since we’re so close by to where Princess Celestia is, I think it would be best to.”
“It’s not that-”
“PRINCESS LUNA!” Boomed a voice.
The blue alicorn immediately froze and turned to see none other than Celestia glaring at her. It wasn’t the glare though that scared her, it was hearing her own sister use the Royal Canterlot Voice, something she abolished because she found it too intimidating for her subjects. Hearing that commanding voice made her feel petrified and couldn’t find the courage to speak up. She looked over to Pip to see he too was intimidated by the white alicorn’s presence and was visibly shaking in terror.
“WHERE HAVE THOU BEEN!?” She barked. “WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU ALL NIGHT FOR THE GATHERING OF THE MAYORS!”
Gathering? Luna pondered what her sister meant for a few seconds before the realization hit her. Her heart sunk and her insides froze up. “Oh my! The meeting!”
“NOW THOU REMEMBERS!?”
“Tia! I . . . I can explain! Just please calm down!”
“EXPLAIN THYSELF THEN!”
Luna sighed as she closed her eyes, opening them up slowing to face her sister. “We received words of a band of thieves who called themselves the Dead End Gang terrorizing ponies in the night, on one of the lesser known roads leading to Manehatten. I wished to see to it personally that they would forfeit such foul acts and come to justice, hence why I brought my personal body guard, Philip Brave along, with me,” she said stoically as she pointed to Pip who nodded in agreement. “Unfortunately, as I tried to negotiate with my guards and Philip here, they refused to see reason and tried to assault me, leading to their...” Luna could not continue as she lowered her gaze and her eyes turned moist as her lips quivered.
Celestia gasped slightly in seeing her sister near tears. She was still bitter about the meeting, but the lives of ponies were of more importance than the financial plannings and over budgeting. Celestia approached her sister and draped a wing over her, drawing her in closer.
“I apologize for shouting out to you like that Luna... I don’t know what came over me,” she said softly as she nuzzled her sister’s head. She let go of her sister and looked sternly into her eyes. “However, the meeting has been postponed for tomorrow night and I must request that you attend this meeting... for this could lead to a financial crises if not dealt with,” she said as she never left her sister’s eyes and saw Luna give a nod. Celestia closed her eyes and nodded too. “I also request that you give me a report on the gang’s wrong doings and of the guards present at their encounter.”
“Yes Sister,” Luna said as she furled her wings and gave a soft yawn. “Forgive us, but tonight has tired us,” she said with her ears drooped and her eyes hooded.
Celestia smiled softly. “Go and rest Luna, I think you need it...” she said as she saw both her sister and Pip walking away. Celestia’s eyes narrowed as her gaze fell upon Pip. Something was etching in her mind and she didn’t like it.
What are you playing at?
Pip looked behind him to see Celestia was no longer in sight and blew out a breath of relief. “Blimey, that was a close one,” he said.
“It was indeed too close for comfort,” said Luna. “I guess I should be thanking those thieves for attacking us, otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to think of that story. Maybe I’ll go back to that field and free them sooner than expected.”
“Luna, what are we going to do about tomorrow though?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Princess Celestia said that she wanted a report and all the guards who were there when the ‘confrontation’ happened. We can’t forge a report and just ask some guards to testify for us like that.”
The blue alicorn opened her mouth, but immediately shut it. She knew what he was saying was the truth and her story held no water since she had no witnesses and no report. The thought of what Celestia would do to her when she found out she lied to her sent shivers down her spine.
“Princess Luna?” Asked Pip. “Do you have an idea?”
“I . . . I . . . I don’t, I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t know what we’re going to do Pipsqueak. My sister’s not that easy to fool ever since the Changeling Invasion a decade ago. She’s going to see right through this lie and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“Throwing in the towel already?” Asked a voice. “Your highness, you know one of the things a royal family member should do is never give up, no matter how hopeless it seems.”
Pip and Luna turned to see Silver Storm standing near a staircase. As he approached them, Luna could tell her advisor looked rather angry and his tidy, combed back mane was now a mess.
“Silver Storm, am I glad to see you,” said Luna. “I could really use your counsel at the moment.”
“Like Princess Celestia needed you tonight?” He asked, sounding a little cold.
Luna’s ears drooped as well as her head. “Silver, we apologize for what me and Pip did, but I forgot about the meeting tonight with the regional mayors.”
“You knew very well about the meeting your highness. I told you about it this morning, then at lunch, and then shortly after dinner. I don’t know what you were thinking tonight, but this is highly unacceptable. You nearly exposed what you were doing and put both you and Pip here in the line of fire.”
Luna’s lowered her head in shame slightly, biting her lower lip as she cursed herself for being foolish. “Forgive us Silver, we were-”
Silver waved his head as he rolled his eyes. “What’s done is done. Now,” he continued as he reached out for a thick report. “This here is the report on you’re encounter with the gang,” he said as he passed it on to Luna. “And signatures of several guards who have sworn to speak as witnesses to your ‘encounter’. It’s amazing how quick you can think when you eavesdrop on a conversation.”
Luna sighed as a smile spread her muzzle. “You are a star Silver, thank you!” She exclaimed in a hush tone, in fear that her sister may be eavesdropping on her and the other two ponies.
Silver nodded, but then grinned maliciously at Luna. “So, tell me...” he leaned his head forward to Luna’s ear. “How was your first time with him?”
The Princess of the Night’s coat would turn red completely if she didn’t shake her head and wings slightly at Silver’s question. “W-I have no idea what you are insinuating Silver!”
“Come now...” he chuckled softly, glancing at Pip who was just standing there oblivious of their topic of talk. “You can’t fool a stallion like me princess . . . I have seen the faces of many who has had their first kiss.”
Luna’s head jerked away from Silver’s and her mouth was agape as she wordlessly spoke and looked to every corner. Pip saw this and walked up to Luna, tapping her once on the shoulder.
“Everything alright Princess?”
The alicorn gave a nod and said, “It is now Pip, we don’t have anything to worry about now.” She levitated the report and showed it to the spotted stallion. “Now all we need to do is play it out and everything will work out.”
“That’s great!” He exclaimed.
“Shhhh!” Hushed both Luna and Silver.
“Um . . . right, sorry.”
“Princess Luna, I’ll go and prepare the guards about what they should say tomorrow morning. But I want you to promise me something in exchange.”
“And what would that be?”
“Don’t ever do something like you pulled tonight, understand?” He demanded. “You had me in a panic after you and Pip here sneaked off without telling me. You have to also be aware that Princess Celestia is getting suspicious and one wrong move could expose you and Pip here. You can’t just sneak off with him whenever you feel like it, you’re a princess after all and you’ve got your duties to attend to. Now then, promise me you and Pip will never pull something like this ever again.”
Luna lowered her head and said, “I understand Silver, I won’t do it again.”
“Good.” He then turned to Pip. “And you?”
“You have my word sir,” he said with a bit of remorse in his voice.
“Glad to hear that. Now then, I think you two better get back to your own quarters. We don’t need Princess Celestia getting more suspicious than she already is.”
“I understand Silver, but first...” She looked around and saw no other guards were nearby. She leaned in and gave Pip a kiss on the lips, making him blush a little as he returned it as well. Just as quickly as the kiss came though, Luna broke the embrace and gave a wink.
“See you tomorrow . . . Pippy.”
The spotted stallion blushed and giggled a little. “Goodnight, Lulu.” With that, he turned around and walked down the corridor until he was out of sight.
Silver let out a bit of a laugh. “Pippy? Lulu? And I thought the nickname Teal gave me was corny and cheesy.”
“Oh hush you,” said Luna. “I actually find it kind of cute.”
“Whatever you say, Lulu,” he said as he chuckled again.
“Nice to see that you’re so amused by this. But in all seriousness Silver, there’s something I need to talk to you about, now.”
Silver immediately stopped chuckling and looked at Luna with a stoic face. “What is it your highness? Is there something else that needs to be arranged for to throw off Celestia?”
“No . . . it’s something far more grave,” she said as she walked passed him. “Not here though, let’s get to my room to discuss this matter more.” Silver gave a nod and followed the blue alicorn to her room.
Celestia sat on her throne and was busy reading through a report that Silver gave her a few hours ago. She sighed as she looked up to the roof and her eyes half hooded from being tired.
The guards all say they were there... but something is off...
A knock on the door brought Celestia’s attention back to other matters, and she cleared her throat. “Come in...”
A white unicorn with a brown mane in a tight bun entered the throne room, walking slowly to Celestia and bowing to her. Celestia smiled softly and lifted her hoof to allow the pony to rise. “Raven, thank you for coming in at this hour of late.”
Raven shook her head and smiled. “Not a problem at all Princess . . . what can I help you with.”
Celestia stood up from her throne and walked towards Raven. “I need you to head on to the head office of the Equestrian Tactical Special Forces...” she said but stopped for a moment as she lowered her head slightly. “and find me Stealth Sneak...”
Raven cocked her eyebrow slightly and looked confused. “Why Princess? What requires his use for-”
“It doesn’t matter,” Celestia cut Raven off and headed back to her throne. “Find him and bring him here at once.”
Raven bowed to the princess and made her way outside, leaving Celestia alone. Celestia got up again and walked towards the window overlooking Canterlot and her eyes looked up to the moon. Her eyes closed slightly before opening them up again, revealing them to be moist.
What are you hiding from me again, Luna?