Many of the wood land creatures knew how the sun would set and night would come. Those with cubs and young would gentle push them into the safety of home as the sun would sink low into the west sky. Painting the sky in rays of purples and pinks on the clouds as morning birds sang a song of good-bye till the sun would rise once more to cover the land in warmth and light.
Ponies would wrap up their days task, coming home to dinner and good company with friends and family. Some like their pony neighbors would be getting ready to send fillies and colts alike to a fresh bed and a night of dreams as the moon would rise. Stars switching out from the veil to join in the nightly call of the moon and the trigger it would put into the lands of tender silver light and the ruler of the night making a soft art of light and stars.
There where some ponies that yes did still fear the hidden darkness of the night, knowing many things lay hidden from the days light. Now not all ponies feared the night, those who had took to time to gaze at a star, make a wish or smile at the moon. Others knew caster of the night was a kind type with a warrior’s heart and a bit awkward in this new world she had woken too with a little aid of a new friend.
One of the ponies, the keeper of the woodlands creatures big and small would help her little friends to sleep and once the last furry tail was home she would sigh, taking in the spring air of scents fading flowers and sweet grass. Letting her wings open to feel the breeze and warmth of the sun fading as pink hair would fly about her calm features and eyes would flash a kind tone. This was one known as Fluttershy, a keeper of the element of kindness she showed and a brave heart in her own way just not always knowing it herself of what she could do.
Unlike many of those of the of Pegasus the air who took to living in the sky, she choose the earth and its creatures of many kinds as a calling. Bit of rare type more then called by the Rainbow manned one in a joking way but still loved as a friend. No the shy one was not the strong flyer of many of her kind but what she did was enough for her.
Those animals of the night waking up from the crocking of the frogs on the lily’s and toads alike in the grass, the faint wush of bat wings in chasing down dinner and a few owls calling out in the hoot from the braches of trees. Soft aglow was her home with little candles enough to see as Fluttershy came to walk in and sit down to enjoy in being alone in the evening.
A filly of simple needs and pleasures fit into her form. The most things she might spend on money were a good tea and a good book with many lined her walls. Being the care taker of many animals and also dealing with the every day problems of her friends did not leave much time for herself as before but once the night hit, the animals lay to sleep and her friends back in town, Fluttershy could read a book and relax for a few hours. This was the reason the gentle flyer had come to love the time of night but also what it brought out.
Then and more then once, she would walk to a little stream near a weeping willow, hearing the song of night life as those dancing lights called fireflies would come and fill in the air, moving and twirling like the living stats. On summer days, while many would sleep she would fly to a high hill and watch the stars fall in a show of the heavens by herself. Seeing the moon phase from new to full, glowing soft light on the land between the clouds like a ghost and making her dream of things beyond the lands it might touch. Night time was full of a magic all its own which many a pony still did not see but she did.
Much the reason also she was not a morning type as many might think given her nature and friends had learned to stay away till the passing of the none time and also the animals now too. Some few hours passed the book lead to the end and the hero saving the lady he loved. She had a hidden thing for bad romance stories as she signed in a girlish way and giggled in the thought of a knight saving her in dreams of long ago.
Evening strolls before bed time was a routine thing, blowing out most of the candles save a lone glass lamp to help her find the way home. Taking in for the moment as she opened her door to the night world, the soft scent of glover danced on the winds. Pulling in a deep breathe and letting it out slowly in a happy manner.
Fluttershy always walked the same little dirt path, knowing it like the back of her hoof. Seeing the fireflies moving to dance over the little stream, reeds coming to blowing in the wind and making their own wild music for those to listen. Scents of flowers and trees made the air a serene perfume in ways she could not say in words. Loving the sense of peace the night took out, stars peeking in the night with the half moon out to cast out a light to those out right now. Yes night time was her favorite time if anything and for a pony scared of many things this was one that held no fear for Fluttershy.
Moving to a small hill in the landscape, the stars lay out in full splendor for a gazer to behold. Lying down in the grass with a chill forming on the blades, the gentle Pegasus only smiled to her eyes to watch the stars. Fluttershy just would lay there for an hour, letting the worry and stress of the day move away in the soothing light of moon and stars. Yet unknown to her, there was some other soul. Someone was watching her with a slight cause having brimmed for some time.
She knew all that was touched by her moonlight, from dreamers to late nights and the many events that happened hidden only in this period of darkness. With always on the same time, she had felt and seen the golden flyer come this hill and lie in the grass and stay a hour or two to watch the stars. This had caused a slight confusion in the mare of the night from their few meetings, knowing Fluttershy was still scatted of her even now outside some time in visit Twilight Sparkle and coming to Ponyville for events and such. So why not fear the night?
Luna shimmered under the oak, opal eyes narrowing in on the wearer of kindness. Part of her feared if she came out to speak to Fluttershy, or that she would run or play dead or her voice would grow silent in every passing of a word like last time. Still Luna sensed there was a kindness she might share with her, also the hunger to make a new friend was also a call for the Princess.
Fireflies did their serene, moving around the pair and mirroring earth bound stars. Gentle and understanding as she was from Pony to animal, she did feel in a way a light wave of loneliness. Having chosen to live not like many of her kind in choosing the sky for their home but the earth. Her parents had wondered what they had done wrong, hearing those whispers from a door frame even after getting her cutie mark. Never acting like one of their “kind” and living like an earth pony. Her choice in life style had confused her parents. Dash was one of the few rare souls who knew her family past, save one unicorn fashioner.
Fluttershy had not spoken to any of her parents in Cloudsdale for nearly five years after leaving and coming to Ponyville. Closing her sea green eyes, the Pegasus let the peace hold her heart for a beat and two to wash away the regret. Peace might have come, but a sneeze made her blink and look around in a bit of shock some other pony was out this time of night and here of all places!
Standing up to turn her head for a moment as wisp of pink mane moved in the breeze, the light of a single firefly caught her eye under the oaks as they came to widen of the outline, knowing who it was and a bit of tilt of her head in seeing this. Which, Princess Luna, ruler of the Night was wrinkling her nose, eyes crossed at the tip of her nose, a ear slightly back with a firefly now pinched on her nose. Such an image would shatter most a pony on what they thought of the princess on site, wiggling her nose to get the firefly off and shaking her head in backing up a bit.
Fluttershy turned her body around, eyes blinking and taking in the moment but seeing the Princess in such a pernickety made her come to a gentle laugh, forgetting her fear from their first meetings. Finally the firefly took back to the night air as Luna shook her head to get rid of the tickle it left behind but the sounds of gentle laughter reached her royal ears as she looked up to see the yellow Pegasus laughing at her, yet there was no sort of malice in it. Blushing under her dark fur, she had been caught in a breaking of her image if anything.
Pulling in the night air, standing up tall and recovering from the moment, Luna came to walk out into the moon light, with Fluttery pausing in her laugh as she spoke, “We did not intend to disrupt your peace Fluttershy. We merely were taking a nightly walk in the woods to clear our royal heads.”
Fluttershy for the moment raised an eye brow, more in question. Feeling also out of place in talking to the Princess one on one was something different all together. Somehow Luna did not seem all to “princess like” with her looking awkward and even glancing from the Fluttershy to the stars now then. Even the air around her felt gentle if not a little sad to the filly in making the first steps on this meeting. Approaching it like she might a scared animal was the only thing.
“Its ok Princess Luna, I was enjoying the night in truth and thinking of a few things.” Fluttershy voice was supple but she smiled at the princess.
Having the not Pegasus pull on an all out shut down like she normally did around Luna was a strange event for the Alicorn if anything given their past meeting but it was also a welcome if anything. What got her in the exchange was can in truth the flyer being enjoying her night? Seeing the wonders it held for eyes that could see more? Old fears lingered in doubts of the past reactions of the ponies. Hope did also fill her and spoke with out holding back in the thoughts.
“You enjoy our night? Luna said, her whole body perking up from wing tip to tail.
Something of the sound of the voice, the surprise from the Alicorn maybe even the question along made Fluttershy gaze at her with a rare eye to eye stare but she was not a pony to lie.
“Oh yes I do, the quite is a welcome after dealing with my friends and all the animals with my duties to them. Everything is softer under the moonlight and you can hear things you normally miss in the sounds of the days and the stars twinkled and glow and make you think there is more out there then you what you might think. There is much I’ve come to love about the night.” Fluttershy shyly spoke out; pawing a bit at the grass and thinking how long winded it sounded to speak to the alicorn like that.
Luna had never heard her night phased and shaped into words such as Fluttershy spoke. For the first time in many days it seemed something bloomed on her regal face which many few had witness minus her sister or that Twilight Sparkle from the night flyer: a true smile. Smiling did not come easy to her and when the shy Pegasus looked up it made her eyes widen in seeing such a wonderful and truth thing from Luna. Fluttershy blinked a few times but let small smile bloom on her own lips as a yielding voice came out.
“I think you Fluttershy for giving such sweet words to my night. It has been long time sense my ears have heard such things in truth.” Luna’s voice was soft, like silk. Eyes half covered for the moment before looking up at the shy one, “Truly I thank you…”
Fluttershy was shock to hear not only thank you from the Princess but the soft truth hit her in the heart. How many ponies could not see the beauty and gifts Luna gave them every night? It seemed sad to her for the first time how many judge and feared the night but also how she herself had looked at Luna in the same way. Yes, always trying avoiding her when she came to Ponyville or making up an excise try to and not be alone with Luna at all. She was like those ponies who gave into fear with a good reason. Princess Luna was not Nightmare Moon anymore but now a lonely soul who needed a friend.
Gulping in the cool air and looking up the stars to gather her courage, she walked up softly to the Princess who was only looking at the ground. “Princess Luna?”
Hearing Fluttershy, seeing the bearer of kindness close to her and with a question in her eyes, an ear perked up in meeting the un-wavering gaze. “Yes Fluttershy?”
Smiling comforting into the questioning gaze of the Princess she moved her wings and blushed lightly on her yellow coloring, “Would you want to have a cup of tea with me tonight? It is getting a bit cold out here and having a cup of tea with a friend is a good way to warm the soul.”
Luna might have been shocked to sit down on the spot or fade away from the move of Fluttershy or any other pony in the action of invading her for not only tea but to call her friend on the spot. Stars seemed to sparkle and laugh in their own way as the moon glowed brighter from the light coming from the soul of the princess of this new turn. “I would love a cup of tea Fluttershy.”
Laughing softly, she trotted pass the Alicorn and gestures the way with a hoof, “My home is not far. So please follow me but please be quite Princess Luna, I just got many of the animals to sleep.”
Following, Luna did make one statement with a smile, “Fluttershy if you could do me one act kindness.”
“Yes Princess?”
“My friends just call me Luna.”
Smiling brighter, the two friends made their way to the cottage and a cup of hot tea. While above the pair the moon glowed brighter than ever and the stars sparkled with a new vigor for the first time in a long time.