As the sun began to disappear beyond the horizon Luna looked out into the distance with a smile on her face. It was time to light up the sky with her moon and it brought her great joy to do so. She raised the tip of her horn and could feel the mass in orbit as she concentrated to pull it upward into the night sky. Slowly it rose over the mountain tops to the east shining its light over the dark landscape of all of Equestria. Standing out on her balcony, she began to immediately hear the thoughts of numerous ponies, "I love it when she does that... The moon looks so beautiful tonight."
"Thank you Luna... Wouldn't know what we'd do without you" As much as she enjoyed hearing her subjects appreciation of her work, she couldn't help but wonder if she would ever be able to share the night with somepony else. She could interact with the kingdom's dreams, but those usually last only moments before she would be left alone to watch over the land. She let out a sigh as she considered to fly out over the night sky. Then she heard two voices that she could distinguish to be the mother and father of Starlight Skydancer.
"Honey... Babe... do you truly think our daughter is dead..." The mother's voice was filled with sorrow and pain.
"I'm not going to talk about this... Go to sleep." Luna could sense the anger in his voice as he replied back to his wife.
"But honey... What if she's still alive... And she's just having a hard time to get a hold of us."
"For three years! Are you stupid, mare! There is only one reason for her not being here and that's because she is gone! You need to accept that!"
"Don't you yell at me..."
"Or what... You know what, I told you I'm not going to speak to you about this."
"Where are you going?"
"I'm not going to sleep with you if your not going to respect that our daughter is dead. Good night," Luna could hear the poor mare beginning to cry. Her heart went out to her, for she didn't mean for the happiness of one pony to cause pain and suffering for another.
"I'm so sorry... I wish I could tell you what became of your daughter." Luna telepathically spoke to the female pegasus.
"Oh Princess Luna, I still have faith that my daughter is still out there alive and well. I just wish my husband would see that we can't consider somepony like our own daughter to be dead, but three years is a very long time your majesty and I'm starting to believe that she won't be coming back to us."
"Don't ever lose hope... one day hopefully everything will be at peace for you and your husband. But for now, know that you can sleep with the knowledge that I will continue to listen for her thoughts."
"Thank you so much my Princess..."
"Your very welcome..." Luna lowered her head as she returned to her own thought's, "I wonder how Starlight is doing in that world."
The long night continued and Luna decided that it was high time to make a quick outing. As she took off from her high tower two of her royal guards flew out beside her. "Please, I wish to fly alone this time."
"But your highness... our orders were to always be beside you if you left the palace."
"Not tonight... Now go and position yourselves back at the palace until my return."
"Yes your grace," They veered off and swung back toward Canterlot. Luna watched after them for a time and then turned her attention back in front of her. The valley below held the sleeping town of Ponyville. Everything was quiet as she soared through the dark evening sky. Until her ear began to twitch at the slightest sound of a voice that sounded very far off.
"Please Luna help me."
"Huh?" She could barely hear it but it sounded fairly familiar to her. Flying upward she began to hear it a little louder.
"Please Luna save me!" Luna's eyes widened as she recognized the pegasus's voice.
"Starlight?" She didn't waste any time powering up her most of her magic for the biggest teleportation that she ever attempted. "Don't worry Starlight I'm going to help you, just hold on..." Flying ever faster she ascended up through the cold air of the troposphere trying her hardest to pinpoint Starlight. She could feel her magic stretch toward her moving rapidly past moons and planets. Blood began to slightly drip from her muzzle. "Almost... there..." She gritted her teeth at the pain from using this much magic at one time.
"LUNA!"
"There!" Upon finding Starlight's location she instantly pulled her back to their planet. Starlight flashed in front of her and to her surprise she had returned back into her pony form and had her wings wrapped around herself in a defensive manner. She looked up to see the princess.
"Luna..." Starlight started to plummet towards the land below her. Luna pitched herself into a nosedive to push herself underneath her body. Pulling up very gently she felt the weight of Starlight against her back. Leaving no time to waste, she immediately landed somewhere north of Ponyville in a small clearing of grass. Ever so lightly she lowered Starlight to the ground with her wings and turned to check her over. She was bleeding from her side and could feel her spirit beginning to fade.
"Starlight! What happened to you..."
"Ken... you need to save him... Jason needs his father..." Her breathing was heavy as she uncovered her wings to reveal a trembling and freighted newborn human baby. His bright blue eyes stared up to Luna and immediately he began to cry. "Shh... my darling... please don't cry... Mommy's... Ahh!" She let out a shriek of pain as she attempted to stroke his little figure. Luna started to tear up at the sight of Starlight's agony. The baby began to cry once more and Starlight's eyes closed shut, as she began to sing to Jason with tears pouring from her eyes.
Hush now my love, precious please don't cry.
Listen to your momma's lullaby
Know that I'm by your side
Don't worry for I will be your guide.
Be strong my sweet love, always be true
Your Momma will always be proud of you.
At the end of her song Jason was calmly asleep in her forelegs. Starlight's light blue eyes pleaded with Luna. "Please... Luna save Ken... He is in danger."
"I can't... even if I could, I used almost everything to transport you here," Luna's voice was filled with sorrow.
"Then please... Hear my last wish..." she began to let out coughs as her voice became raspy. "Take my son... And find him a place... That he can call... Home," Luna slowly nodded
"I will honor your last wish Starlight. This I swear." Starlight let a smile cross her muzzle as she looked back to her son asleep in her arms. With one last effort she brought him up to kiss his forehead. She nuzzled his little curly brown hairs as she spoke her final words to her son.
"My... baby boy... gasp I will... always... gasp... Love..." Her eyes closed as she let out a long sighing breath, "...you," As her body fell limp, Luna began to tremble with sadness and grief. The tears began to fall uncontrollably as she looked over Starlight's lifeless form.
"Starlight... I'm so sorry."
The baby immediately started to stir at from no longer feeling his mother's heartbeat. At the point of his fussiness, Luna took notice to his backside. Connected to his back below the shoulder blades were tiny, little midnight blue wings. They began to flap as his fit became worse. A closer inspection showed that they were without a doubt the wings of a pegasus.
Luna encased the small baby in her magic and levitated him under her wing where she could cradle him while standing. Jason, upon feeling the warmth of her body, burrowed himself into her fur and she gave the baby a sad smile. "I will find you a home little one, I promise you that," She raised her head up and looked to the sky. "I promise both of you..."
+_+_+_+
She carefully made her way through the empty streets of Ponyville with Jason gently wrapped in her wing. Feeling terrible about just leaving Starlight's body without a proper burial, she headed towards a very large oak tree. Unlike any ordinary oak tree this one had a massive base with a door and reached above the rooftops of the surrounding houses. There were various sizes of windows on the upper trunk of the tree and a sign that read 'Golden Oaks Library'. Luna's eyes were focused on the door as she approached. "Hopefully, she'll be able to help me," Knocking against the wooden door with her hoof, an upper window opened and a tired purple ailcorn poked her head out with drowsiness. Her voice held an irritated tone as she spoke downward,
"Do you know what time it is... Oh Princess Luna," Her eyes nearly popped out as she regretfully wished to seem so cross with her fellow princess.
"Sorry to disturb you from your slumber Princess Twilight, but I need to ask of you a favor. May I please enter your home."
"Of course, I'll be down in just a moment," Twilight withdrew her head back inside the window and Luna could hear the approaching hoovesteps. The door became ajar and the lavender alicorn stood in the doorway. "Please come inside."
"Thank you kindly, Twilight," Luna stepped inside and the baby began to shift in her wing.
"Um... princess is your wing okay?"
"Actually, Twilight that is what I needed your help with..." Twilight peered at the wing in confusion.
"Princess, I don't think I can be much help when it comes to wings. I only got mine not even a month ago and I still don't know how to fly effectively yet, but if that's what you need from me I guess I can try to find a book that will..." Luna shook her head slightly and she tittered at Twilight's assumption.
"No, Twilight I mean this..." Gently unfolding her wing she exposed Jason to Twilight, who gazed at him with large eyes.
"What is that!" At her outburst, the baby awoke suddenly with a loud cry. Luna brought him into her forelegs as she sat on her haunches.
"Shhshhshh... Calm down little one your safe with me," Lightly nuzzling him, she began to rock him back and forth. Jason sniffled a little as he started to relax once more. Luna glanced to Twilight. "Please refrain from using loud voices, Twilight."
"I'm sorry. Exactly what kind of creature is that?" She spoke in a whispered tone. Before Luna could speak another sleepy voice could be heard coming from the wooden stairs behind her.
"What's with all the racket... Oh hello Princess Luna," The little purple dragon made his way in front of Luna with a small smile on his face. His green eyes seemed to glimmer in the moonlight that came through the upper widow.
"Evening, Spike your just the dragon I was looking for. I need you to write a letter to my sister,"
"You need to send a letter? Don't you have the ability to speak to each other telepathically or something?" Spike stood up on the tips of his toes as he noticed the small form being cradled in Luna's forelegs. "What are you holding?"
"I will answer all of your questions in due time, but it is important that I get a letter to my sister right away."
"As you wish Princess," He ran over to a desk and pulled out a parchment of paper and a quill. Returning the two alicorns he readied the quill onto the paper awaiting what to put down. "Whenever your ready, Princess."
"Dearest Sister, I have regrettably performed an act without your consultation, further explanation will be provided upon my return. For now my sister I have tragic news on one of our kingdom's subjects. The pegasus known as Starlight Skydancer is no longer with us in this life. I have knowledge that her body is in the northern fields of Ponyville. Please send somepony to retrieve her so I may deliver the unbearable news to her family. I also have possession of her..." She paused momentarily to quickly glance down to the small child in her arms. "Foal and will begin searching for a suitable home for him. Please forgive me my sister, Luna," As Spike finished writing, Twilight gazed at Jason with even wider eyes.
"That's a foal of a pegasus?" She violently shook her head in disbelief. "How can that physically be possible?" Her hoof jetted out towards Jason. "You're not physically possible."
"Like I said, Twilight. Everything will explained, but for now I believe Jason here needs to be allowed to sleep." Now awake the small child blinked his piercing light blue eyes at Luna, then he lightly turned his head to direct his vision to Twilight.
"Whoa, look at those eyes Twilight... Hey there little guy." Spike lit the paper with his green flame and Jason immediately cooed with a smile on his face. "Aww, he likes it when I use my flame." Luna giggled at the sight of the baby smiling.
"Twilight do you mind If I put Jason asleep in your spare bed?"
"No, I don't mind..." Luna smiled and began to hover upstairs.
"Thank you, Twilight."
"Not a problem at all..." She waited for her to disappear into the guest room before turning to her assistant Spike. "Spike quickly get me my notebook and three quills, I've got a lot to write down..." Spike saluted her in a military fashion.
"Aye aye, captain."
Entering the room, Luna hovered over to the bed and gently landed on the bed with Jason in between her forelegs. Her flowing mane brushed across his tiny figure and he let out a tiny chirp of laughter. She felt a smile cross her muzzle from admiring his adorable little features in the moonlight. From his curly brown hairs to his tiny feet she couldn't help, but feel a strong connection forming between them. Lowering her head to kiss his, she shifted a little into a comfortable position. "Okay little one let's look at your wings."
She tenderly turned him over and exposed his folded wings. With her muzzle she started to nudge against the joint that connected his wings to his back. Jason let out a little fuss as his tiny wings flapped outward as far as they would go. "You've got a very healthy pair of wings, little one. Your going to be an excellent flyer." With the utmost care she took his wings into her mouth and she began to preen his feathers. Jason with his hands tucked beneath his body fell asleep as she finished with his wing.
On finishing the other wing she lightly pushed them down with her muzzle until both wings were folded onto his back. She rested her head next to him and allowed her mane to drape over him as a blanket. As she lovingly glanced at him through the corner of her eyes, she softly whispered, "No matter what home I find for you Jason, I will always be there to protect you," she kissed him again on the forehead. "Good night, little one." Smiling, she closed her eyes as sleep passed over her. The moon continued to shine through the window on the two sleeping forms on the bed as the night went on peacefully.