Luna followed as Vinyl led the way through the auditorium and to the front row. It was nearing show time but most of the seats remained open. They took the two center seats in the row closest to the stage. Luna was excited to hear live music for the first time in a thousand years, but she was concerned by the bored look her friend was wearing, this was her idea after all.
“Full truth I don't want to be here, it's just not my scene, but I promised Tavi if she came to my last show I would be here for this performance. Sorry to drag you here under false pretenses but I thought it would be more fun if I had someone I knew come along.”
Luna smiled. “It’s okay, we absolutely adore music.” She was cut off before she could say more as the lights dimmed and the curtains opened slightly.
A grey, earth pony mare stood alone on the stage holding her cello. A spotlight suddenly sprung to life wrapping her in a heavenly glow. The moment the spotlight came to life so did the music. As the music started Vinyl began waving her forearms frantically to catch the mare’s attention. The mare on staged rolled her eyes in acknowledgment but continued playing as if nothing had happened.
Luna was giving Vinyl a confused look at this point as if she were begging her friend to explain herself.
“She needed to know I hadn’t skipped out on her,” Vinyl whispered in Luna’s ear.
After the opening cello solo, the curtains opened fully to reveal three more musicians, all earth ponies; a purple stallion with a blue mane sat ready to play the harp, a yellow mare with a purple mane was holding a violin, and finally, there was a brown stallion with a greyed mane sitting with his back to the audience in front of a piano.
The four ponies played beautiful music for the next two hours. After each song was finished Luna would join in with the rest of the small audience in stomping her hoofs lightly in applause. Vinyl never joined in she just sat in her seat eyes glued on the grey mare. When the curtains closed every pony stood up and gave one final thunderous applause. At that moment Vinyl jerked violently and fell out of her seat.
“I’m awake, I’m awake!” It took a moment for Vinyl to remember where she was but when she did she blushed slightly and joined in the applause.
The other ponies left but Vinyl insisted on waiting for her friend so the two took their seats and made some idle conversation. Fifteen minutes later the grey mare came out and was giving Vinyl a very sour look.
“Tavi you wouldn’t want to say anything to embarrass me in front of a princess now would you?”
At that moment Luna wondered if her whole purpose tonight was to defuse the situation when it inevitably came to this. The thought that her friend would be likely to do just that amused Luna. She however kept the laughter inside for the moment.
“Vinyl I’ll wait till your friend ‘the princess’ isn’t around so I can scold you, but that was very embarrassing for me. Had the rest of my group had been able to see you I don’t know what I would have done.” The grey mare spoke in a very sophisticated tone. She turned to Luna “My name is Octavia; Vinyl here never seemed to grasp that concept for some reason.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Octavia. We truly adored your performance. We haven’t heard anything like that in over a millennium.” It was at this moment that Octavia noticed that Luna was an alicorn. Her surprise was noticeable, but nothing in comparison to Vinyl’s initial reaction. Her eyes simply grew wide with shock.
“When Vinyl said princess my mind went someplace else. I'm dreadfully sorry your majesty.” Octavia said with a bow.
At the moment Octavia’s gaze was at the floor Luna gave Vinyl a wink, causing a sly smirk to appear on the white unicorn’s face.
“YOU MAY STAND SUBJECT! YOUR MUSIC HAS PRAISED US ENOUGH!!!!” Luna boomed and Octavia began to shake nervously as she quickly stood up.
Vinyl couldn’t contain herself anymore and fell to the floor in a fit of laughter. Octavia blushed when she realized she was made the fool.
“We must apologize for that Octavia. We don’t spend much time around other ponies. We wish not to be treated special because of our stature. Unfortunately, nopony seems to understand that when you just tell them.” Luna said with a warm smile.
Octavia recoiled a bit at the change in attitude.
“Oh I’m so sorry, I should have been more thoughtful, and of course, if you came along with Vinyl, Celestia love her, you wouldn’t be looking for that royal treatment.” Octavia stammered.
Vinyl had finally stopped her giggle fit, totally missing Octavia’s insult. “Luna that was great, but now that we're past that whole awkward ‘she is a princess’ phase, we should all go get something to eat. I have been craving nachos all night.” Octavia rolled her eyes but agreed, while Luna was quite puzzled as she had never heard of nachos.
*****
A half-hour later the three were sharing a booth at a very fancy restaurant. Vinyl and Octavia sat together on one side, allowing the princess a little more room to relax. Luna was a bit nervous that her presence might make a scene. No one said anything when they came in or sat down, nor did the waiter make a fuss, so Luna was finally starting to relax. Luna and Vinyl had ordered the nachos while Octavia ordered a salad. Octavia and Luna used the time waiting for their food chatting as they tried to get to know one another better. Their conversation was frequently interrupted by Vinyl begging for something exciting to happen. She was constantly making whining sounds and would occasionally pound her hooves on the table.
When the nachos finally arrived they weren’t exactly what Luna had expected, but she hadn’t a clue what she had expected before that moment. Vinyl quickly grabbed a glob of chips in her magic and shoved them in her face. Octavia once again rolled her eyes but she calmly started to eat her salad.
“You don’t have to be as messy with them as Vinyl. She just gets a little over-eager sometimes when it comes to nachos from time to time.” Octavia said while glaring at the white unicorn whose actions she was apologizing for.
Luna grabbed a chip in her magic and brought it to her mouth before taking a small bite. Her eyes went wide for a second before she mimicked her friend’s earlier actions. These nachos were unlike anything she had ever tasted, they were magical. Octavia rolled her eyes again, but she smiled this time.
An hour later and the trio was sat in Luna’s apartment in front of the big window where all of this blossomed.
“We absolutely must apologize for our behavior at the restaurant, Octavia.” That was the thirteenth time the night goddess apologized for her reaction to the nachos. Each time she apologized her tone carried more embarrassment than the last.
“It’s quite alright. Vinyl makes a fool of us whenever we go out in some way or another. It’s part of what I love about her.” At that Octavia gave the white unicorn a little peck on the cheek.
“YOU TWO ARE FILLY FOOLERS!!!!!” Luna managed to say before her jaw dropped and just hung there.
Octavia was giving Vinyl a death stare for this one. How was it she always got them into these uncomfortable situations?
Vinyl herself had lost all of her pep, her ears now drooping. How could her new friend be one of those backward-thinking ponies that couldn't just accept any two ponies could love each other.
Luna recovered from her shock and started shouting again, “IT IS FORBIDDEN! WE MUST TELL OUR SISTER, BUT IF WE TELL HER SHE WILL LOCK YOU IN THE DUNGEON AND WE LOSE OUR TWO CLOSEST FRIENDS, BUT IF SHE FINDS OUT AND WE HID IT FROM HER, THEN SHE WILL SEND US TO THE MOON AGAIN!!!!!!!!” Luna was pacing back and forth across the sectioned room that made up most of the apartment.
Octavia and Vinyl shared a nervous glance before trying to calm down the distraught princess. Luna was on the floor flailing and shedding a storm of tears now.
“Luna, sweetie, some things have changed in the last thousand years and that law was one of them. You would have to ask somepony who is more into history for the exact year but for at least five hundred years now any two ponies who love each other are free to do so.” Octavia spoke sweetly and softly, desperately hoping her words would soothe her new friend.
Luna took several deep breaths to calm herself down before she was able to speak again. “Oh dear us, we must apologize for that outburst. That must have sounded so offensive, of course, things are different than when we last walked Equestria. we never understood that law in the first place. Love is love, and if two ponies love each other they should be allowed to be happy.” Luna sighed nervously after she finished.
“No need to be sorry. Sure we were shocked when you started yelling at us, it was quickly apparent you weren’t looking down at us like some ponies still do, but that you were afraid for our wellbeing.” It was a little weird to hear such softness coming from Vinyl but Luna was comforted by her words.
Luna pulled her friends into a hug and they stood there for a few moments. When they all felt like everything was okay again they broke apart. Luna offered the pair to stay for tea, but they insisted it was getting late and promised a rain check. They left out the window with Vinyl’s wall walking spell so Luna wouldn’t have to open and relock the arcade to let them out, although it made Octavia a bit nervous at first.
After she waved her last goodbye to the pair Luna retreated to her bed, retrieved her writing tools, and began to scribble a message to her sister.
Dearest Sister,
Vinyl took us to see the most wonderful music performance tonight. It was so lovely to hear live music after so long. Afterward, we were joined by the cellist, Octavia, and we feasted on the food of the heavens, nachos. Unfortunately, we made quite the fool out of ourselves later when we found out Vinyl and Octavia were marefriends. In the stress of the moment, we called them an archaic name that even to this day remains a hateful slur. After we calmed a bit they told us you finally did away with that dreadful law while we were away. As you well know we never were a fan of that one, but we panicked at the thought of our new friends being locked away, or us being sent back to the moon for not telling you. We do wish you had told us of this change so we didn’t have to embarrass ourselves in such a way! For failing to do so we do hereby vow to get you back in some equal manner soon.
Love Your Sister,
Princess Luna Goddess of the Night