//------------------------------// // Tea with the Princess // Story: Butterscotch's Adventures in Equestria // by butterscotchsundae //------------------------------// Luna stepped onto the podium and cast her huge cheerful green eyes across the assembled guests. "Thank you all so much for coming!" she began. "I know the party's only just started, but I thought I'd like to get all the formalities out of the way first, if I may." She turned to the old silver-maned butler standing beside her and looked at him with mock exasperation. "Apparently it's compulsory that every royal engagement have a formal component to it!" The butler nodded once, his serene expression unchanged. Luna turned back and continued. "I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to formally thank the Elements of Harmony for their courageous efforts on my behalf. You all risked your lives to undo the great evil that my jealousy and selfishness had wrought and prevented a titanic disaster from befalling our beloved Equestria. So let me just say this – thank you, Generosity, Honesty, Laughter, Kindness, Loyalty, and of course – Magic!" She grinned brilliantly at Twilight, who dropped her gaze, smiling nervously and blushing. "Without you, we would at this very moment be wreathed in darkness without end." "It was sooooo totally our pleasure, Princess!" shouted Pinkie Pie. "You're so much nicer than that mean old meanie-pants Nightmare Moon!" The other ponies stared at her in horror, but Luna merely chuckled indulgently. "Oh thank you so much, Pinkie Pie," she said, her eyes glittering in pleasure. "I don't think I could have stood another thousand years without laughter!" "Yay! Laughter! Woohoo!" cried Pinkie, throwing a foreleg into the air. Rainbow Dash shook her head in exasperation and groaned. "Augh!" Luna continued. "But that is not the only reason I have called you all here tonight. I would also like to take the opportunity to announce the formal resumption of my duties as Princess of the Night. For too long my older sister has been burdened with the responsibility of managing both day and night – it's time for me to once again do my part to keep Equestria running!" There were surprised murmurs throughout the crowd, but soon the assembled ponies were all stomping their hooves on the ground as they applauded pony-style as Luna bowed modestly. When the applause had died away, Luna again spoke. "But I can see I've already stolen away too much of our precious party time with these stuffy formalities," She glanced at the butler and inclined her head. "So sorry to disappoint you, my dear Sterling Silver!" He made no reply but bowed low, a gentle half-smile on his face. "So let these be my final words," Luna said, and then, stepping forward to the edge of the podium she threw her forelegs up in the air and shouted: "Let's dance everypony!" At once the lights flicked off and we were plunged into total darkness but after an eternity, which must really have only spanned a single heartbeat, the floor began to flash with multi-coloured squares of light as a huge disco-ball in the shape of the crescent moon descended from the ceiling. It caught the light from the dance-floor below and, shattering it into a million rays that flickered across the walls of the hall, it painted the coats of all the awestruck ponies with sparkling polka-dots of a thousand different shades. On the opposite side of the room, where the quartet had been, there was an explosion of smoke and a brilliant flash of laser effects (although it was probably magic rather than real lasers, of course): starbursts of pink and blue arced across the room, and we could all hear a heavy bass beat start up from somewhere within, and when the smoke dissipated the quartet had vanished and in its place was a DJ's stand and behind it a unicorn pony wearing purple goggles and – oh, who am I kidding? You all know who I'm talking about – it was DJ PWN-3! The bass heartbeat ended in a blast of orchestral fanfare and a sample of Princess Celestia saying "Send them to the Moon!", and then she started her set with a song I immediately recognised as PinkiePieSwear's remix of Giggle at the Ghostie. All of this transpired in just a few seconds, and we were all still standing there dumbfounded when Pinkie leaped onto the dance floor and slid across it on her knees. "What's everypony waiting for?" she cried. "You heard the Princess – everypony DANCE now!" She hopped onto her hind legs and started kicking her forelegs out like a Cossack dancer in time to the beat, and moments later Luna flew down to join her, laughing, and taking up the little pink pony's forelegs in her own the two were soon dancing like you often see mothers and their young children dance – hoof in hoof and swinging around in a circle as Pinkie squealed in pure delight. This final squeal seemed to have finally broken the ice, and there was a miniature stampede as everypony joined them – and even I did, for ignoring my protests Soarin had pulled me onto the dance floor. Now, I have to admit I'm a pretty bad dancer, but here on the Moon, full of sugar and silly from all the sarsaparilla I'd drunk, I found all my inhibitions fall away and soon I was shaking my groove thing with the best of them. Soarin winked at me, and arched his eyebrows up and down, and I blushed red and hot under his gaze. Spike, totally adorable in his little tux and top hat, was gyrating his hips next to me and he shouted over the music. "It's awesome to have somepony else with two legs around – I was getting pretty sick of being the only one!" "Doesn't Owlowicious have two legs?" I shouted back. Spike's face straight away fell, but when he saw me stifling a giggle he started to chuckle. "Aw Connie, you're almost as bad as Pinkie Pie!" he said, and then he did the mashed potato over to where Rarity was. The rest of that night was an amazing blur of colour and music and unrestrained fun – it'd been so long since I'd given myself over to just totally enjoying what I was doing without the added effects of alcohol and I was taken back to being a little girl, eating too much fairy bread and red cordial at a friend's birthday party and just running around mad like a dog let off its leash. Soon I slumped, exhausted, onto a chair and looked on the table behind me for something to drink. As soon as I'd grabbed a bottle of sarsaparilla, I turned back to find a big pink butt wiggling almost in my face, a butt that belonged to Pinkie Pie herself! I didn't know whether to blush or to laugh out loud, so adorable was the sight. Pinkie's butt, despite all her complaints about it, was not really all that much bigger than the other girls', but it did have a considerable amount of jiggle to it, and she was more or less giving me the equivalent of a lap dance. But within moments, Pinkie turned her head and noticed that she was almost sitting on me and she grinned. "Oh come on, Connie!" she cried. "Don't tell me you're all pooped out already! The party's just getting started!" She slipped a foreleg through the crook of my arm and literally dragged me back onto the dance floor. And somehow, with the little pink pony dancing beside me, I amazingly found a second wind and began moving as if this was my first dance of the evening. Was this another example of Pinkie Pie's magic? I thought, almost giddy with the joy of the dancing. I hadn't felt so alive and unself-conscious in a long, long time. When DJ-PWN-3's set was finished, her magically-amplified voice boomed out across the hall: "This is DJ-PWN-3 leaving the floor open to requests – so let's hear some!" "I Kissed a Filly!" yelled Spitfire as she grabbed a blushing Rainbow Dash around the waist. "Call Upon the Seaponies!" shouted Spike. "It's Raining Colts!" cried Caramel. A sudden silence fell upon the room, and everypony looked at the brown-coated stallion. Caramel stared back at them, grinning nervously. "Well, it is my favourite song." After the requests, the party started to wind down – the ponies had taken a break from dancing and were chatting around the edges of the room as DJ PWN-3 played chill-out music. The party must have gone on for hours, I realised, although it was hard to tell with no clocks in the hall and only the stars twinkling ceaselessly outside the great, arched windows – but now finally the huge green-blue orb of Equestria had risen behind the great stain-glass window at the top of the hall and it seemed to everypony that the party was coming to its natural conclusion. Spike had fallen asleep under a table, and Twi was covering him with a blanket, smiling affectionately down at the snoring little dragon. AJ was talking to a bored Soarin over in a corner, a soppy smile on her face, but he glanced at me and gave me a wink that made my face flush. I looked about, but I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that everypony else was involved in their own conversations and hadn't seem to have noticed. Everypony looked exhausted from all the hours of dancing – well, everypony except for Pinkie Pie that is! She was still doing cartwheels and pirouettes on the dance floor, a zany pink explosion of limitless energy. Truly she was Equestria's premiere party pony! But when she noticed she was the only one left dancing she went galloping around, pulling at pony-forelegs and pushing on pony-rumps, trying to reignite the flagging energy of the partygoers. "Oh c'mon everypony!" she cried, jumping back onto the dance floor. "One last time! Let's do the Pony Pokey! You put your…" "Augh, Pinkie Pie! We've danced it a dozen times already," groaned Dash, who was slumped in one of the many comfy chairs with a dozing Spitfire's head in her lap. "How about the Griffon Dance then?" suggested Pinkie, rearing up and flapping her forelegs in the air. "And-a shake-a your wing, and-a shake-a your wing, and-a shake-a your bu…" "Augh!" cried Rainbow Dash. "We've danced that a dozen dozen times!" But then Luna stepped forward and everypony fell silent and gazed at her. She still looked as fresh as she had when she first made her entrance – indeed, the magic of the Princess of the Moon was powerful! She was positively beaming with pleasure, clearly overjoyed at how well the party had gone. "I'd like to thank each and every pony of you for coming – oh, and our non-pony friends as well of course!" She smiled at me and the sleeping Spike. "I don't know about you, but I've had an absolutely wonderful time. I can see we're all exhausted, so please – feel free to-" She turned to Sterling Silver and asked him something, and he whispered into her ear. "-'crash' here tonight." Looking confused, she once again turned to Sterling Silver and said "Wait, you did say 'crash', right?" The butler rolled his eyes affectionately, a soft smile playing on his face as he nodded. Luna shook her head. "It just sounds so strange," she sighed. "I guess I still have a lot to learn." Pinkie suddenly leaped onto one of the tables and shouted: "Yay! After party! Woohoo!" "Augh!" cried Rainbow Dash. Luna went to go, but then she turned back. "Oh, and we'll be having waffles for breakfast tomorrow. See you all then!" And then, with a rousing fanfare and a flash of light she was gone. "Yay! Moon waffles! Woohoo!" shouted Pinkie. "Augh!" cried Rainbow Dash. ***** Everypony was exhausted but happy and we chattered together as the butlers escorted us to our individual rooms. Soon it was just me left with Sterling Silver, and he turned and opened the door to the guest room I was to sleep in with his telekinetic magic. "Please feel free to freshen yourself up, Miss Hayden," he said in his warm, stentorian voice. "The Princess would very much like to share your company for some tea in her study, if you would like to." He indicated the little gold bell that was floating in the air just inside the door. "When you're ready, please ring the bell and you'll be taken to the Princess right away." I stepped into the room and stared at the wondrous little thing, but when I turned back to thank him, he'd already vanished. Butler magic! I shook my head. Equestria was going to take some getting used to. It seemed that I'd have to get used to being in a permanent state of surprise. I looked at the opulent room, my mouth wide open. Against the left wall there was a impossibly old wardrobe, the wood intricately carved with all sorts of mysterious creatures – I noticed griffons and hydras and dragons, but there were many more I couldn't identify. But best of all – there was a four poster bed! Since I'd been a little girl I'd always wanted a four poster bed. My dad had nailed a wooden frame onto my ordinary bed and hung some curtains from it, but it hadn't been the same. And now here was a real one! I squealed and leapt onto it but then immediately rolled aside when I noticed that a dress had been laid out on top of it and I was in danger of creasing it. I slipped off the bed and lifted the dress up. For a second I had the terrible feeling that it was going to be a pony's dress, maybe one of those intended to reveal a nice, pert rump. But I needn't have worried – it was made to human dimensions, of course. Luna might be cheeky, but she was still an attentive host. Did she have human visitors often, I wondered? The material itself was absolutely exquisite. It felt impossibly light – it wasn't silk, but it resembled it in texture and the smooth way it fell. The dress itself resembled a long-sleeved cheongsam and was crocus yellow, decorated with swirls and filigrees of cocoa and chocolate brown. But as I admired it I realised what the colours meant, and I laughed out loud. Luna, Luna, Luna! I shook my head. How in Equestria did she know about Butterscotch? She really was the ultimate prankster! I put the dress back on the bed carefully and as I did I noticed that there were pajamas folded on the pillow as well. These were far more homely, made of blue flannelette and emblazoned with silver embroidered stars – standard issue for guests, I guessed. I wanted to slide straight into them, but I realised I hadn't washed for quite a few hours and was still sticky with sweat from all the evening's dancing. Besides, I was going to see the Princess, and wearing pajamas just would. not. do! no matter how informal a princess she was. So I leaped in the shower, where there was shampoo which literally exploded into a thick foam of apple-scented bubbles and vanilla soap that made me smell like a cupcake – if I hadn't been having tea with the Princess I doubt I ever would have left it! – but when I did finally drag myself out I was feeling much fresher and smelling a lot sweeter as well. I was sitting on the bed naked and drying my hair with a wonderfully fluffy towel when I heard a knock on the door. I skipped over and had a quick glance through the little spy-hole and saw that it was Soarin. He'd obviously also just got out of the shower as well – he'd changed into a striking blue dress-blanket and was busy slicking back his still-wet mane. I stifled a gasp of surprise and shouted "Coming! Just a minute!" as I wrestled myself into my new dress (luckily Luna had also provided fresh underwear as well, which I'd found in the little dresser – they were little boy-shorts, yellow as well, edged with cocoa-brown lace and extremely comfy!), brushed my hair into a semblance of order then threw open the door. Soarin stood blinking in surprise at me – and then his eyes travelled up and down before he finally got control of them again and coughed. "Uh, hi Connie," he began, shifting his weight a little from hoof to hoof as he talked. "Look, sorry to just kind of knock on your door unannounced – but I was just going to take a walk along the battlements and get some fresh air, and I was wondering if you'd like to join me? Uh, AJ was telling me that Equestria is full tonight and that it's a really beautiful sight and…" He trailed off and looked down at his hooves as if they were suddenly the most fascinating things in the universe. I found his nervousness absolutely charming and I was blushing when I replied "Oh, I'd love to Soarin, it's just that…" But when I saw how suddenly crestfallen he looked, thinking he was getting the brush off, I quickly babbled "No, I really would love to take a walk with you. It's just that the Princess has invited me to have tea with her and…" Soarin suddenly brightened up, and he smiled at me with flashing eyes. "Hey, it's cool. I understand totally. Some other time then? You're going to be staying at that bakery in Ponyville, right? Sugarloaf-something?" "Sugarcube Corner," I replied, grinning back at him. But then I suddenly felt a little guilty flirting with this handsome stallion. "Look, Soarin," I sighed. "I've got to level with you. I'm kinda involved with someo… pony at the moment…" His face flickered, but he masked his disappoint well. "Pinkie Pie?" "Oh no!" I laughed. But the thought made my heart leap, I must admit. "No, with a human filly… er, girl. At least I think we're in a relationship." Had Esther and I ever really talked about it? I suddenly realised that I'd assumed a lot from that little note on her coffee table. Soarin noticed my vacillation and he nodded, smiling. I guess he knew something was up. "Aw, that's no problem. I don't want to come on too strong. I'd still love to hit you up sometime and take you flying – as friends. Would that be OK?" I nodded. "I'd like that." I leaned down and hugged him, smelling the same apple shampoo I'd used as his soft mane rubbed up against my face. Blushing, I finally pulled away and Soarin grinned at me. "Gnarly! It's a date then." He turned and started to trot away, but then he turned back. "Those colours, Connie – they totally suit you, you know." "Thanks," I said. "And blue's definitely yours as well, Soarin. I guess 'cause it's the colour of the sky?" "That must be it!" he chuckled. "Anyhow, I'll be seeing you tomorrow for waffles anyway." "I wouldn't miss moon waffles for anything," I laughed. I watched him as he trotted away down the corridor and then I slipped back inside my room and closed the door, my heart beating fast. Esther wouldn't mind me going flying with Soarin, would she? I mean, there was no harm in it, right? But what about AJ? Would she mind? I was suddenly bombarded with images of being tied up with a lasso in an apple cellar and left for dead. I reeled with the confusion of emotions, so I quickly hopped over to the little floating bell and rung it before I could get myself into any more trouble. It straight away chimed in a series of pure gold notes and then it vanished in a puff of gold dust that spread out and enveloped me, and when I waved it away from my face I realised I was no longer in the guestroom but in a high-ceilinged study. I looked about, dizzy and a little disoriented, at the huge arched windows open to the night sky on every side and then at the roaring fireplace and a huge rug where a silver tea service was sitting on a tray. "Thank you for accepting my invitation," came Luna's unmistakable voice from behind me. "Did you enjoy the trip?' I turned to see her stepping out from behind a little desk beside which there was a telescope and a huge intricate clockwork globe. She was stifling a giggle. I stared at her, but I couldn't help but laugh. "Another prank?" She nodded, a strangely shy and apologetic smile on her face. "I'm so sorry. I know I really should try and be a lot more serious, but being stuck by yourself for so long makes you look for ways to pass the time and amuse yourself." There was a sudden sadness in her eyes. "I'm afraid it's become a bit of a habit – and one that my sis doesn't really approve of." "Thank you so much for inviting me, Y…your Majesty," I said, curtsying again. In the gorgeous dress she'd left for me it came off a lot more elegant than my earlier attempt. "And for being so kind to me, as well." I indicated the dress. "Oh, think nothing of it! And please – call me Luna!" She walked over to the rug and sat down. "Will you join me? I take it you enjoy tea." "Of course, Princess Luna!" I knelt down on the other side of the rug from her. "Oh, just plain old Luna will be fine," the Princess laughed. Then, with magical energy flickering about her horn, she levitated the teapot over to me and poured a stream of dark red-black tea for me into a cup. I took it gratefully as she poured herself another. "This tea is from the Islands of Morning, the easternmost part of Equestria," she explained, watching me intently as I took a sip. "It's the place where the sun first touches land and the volcanic soil there grows some of the best tea on the planet." I nodded in interest. The tea was refreshing – it was scented not unlike the bergamot of earl grey or perhaps cloves, but it had the overtones of a citrus fruit not unlike yuzu, and as I drank I felt my tiredness slipping away. "It's a most refreshing tisane, isn't it?" said Luna, sipping her own tea. "You know, I usually prefer very basic stuff – while I was imprisoned here on the moon all I ever wanted was to be able to taste hay fries again!" Her eyes went wide. "Oh, what a huge craving I had for hay fries! But the one expensive taste I have is for a nice tea. You can make tea out of Moonflowers, of course, but it'll knock you out in ten seconds flat." She arched her eyebrows and I realised she'd just made a joke, so I laughed politely. I'd decided that what Luna's personality reminded me of most was a charming mixture between a bubbly little sister who's always trying to impress you and a cool maiden aunt who's lived a crazy, adventurous life and is just now trying to learn how to settle down. But as I looked at the sweetly smiling Princess I realised I had to get something off my chest. "I'm so sorry to have just barged in so unannounced, Luna. To the party and to… well, the Moon, and Equestria as well." Luna smiled. "As soon as I laid eyes on you I could see that you have a kind heart, Connie. And those with kind hearts will forever be welcome in Equestria. Besides, nopony with hostile intentions can come anywhere near my castle." She took another sip of tea. "So you travelled here via the Mirror World?" "Yes," I replied. "At least, I think so. I mean, Pinkie pulled me into a mirror and I ended up here." I moved the teacup away from my lips and nursed it for a moment. "So all that strange whiteness was the Mirror World?" "Part of it," replied Luna. "That whiteness is the Light of Creation which still flows throughout the Mirror World – it's a place where all time and space converge, which is why you can pass between the worlds via it. But it takes somepony who knows the way – through experience, or in Pinkie Pie's case, blind luck." She laughed. "You know, the ponies of Equestria call me a prankster, but I'm a rank amateur compared to that Pinkie! I wonder why she chose Earth of all places to visit." "Well, I guess it's 'cause I tempted her there with a hot sauce-covered cupcake," I explained. I started to take another sip, but I stopped when I suddenly realised something and put down the cup. "Wait – I have to ask you something, Luna. It was my friend Esther – she's from the human world – who told me how to summon Pinkie Pie. She must have come to Equestria before. Do you know her at all?" "Esther?" Luna shook her head. But a sudden troubled look fell on her face. "I haven't heard of any other humans appearing in Equestria since the times of Meghan and the Heroes of Dream Valley. How odd! I must ask Tia about it." We continued to chat and sip tea for a short while, but Luna's mind was obviously elsewhere and she seemed to be becoming increasingly perturbed by my mention of Esther. The next time there was a lull in our conversation she suddenly turned to me with a serious expression on her face and began: "Miss Hayden-" "Oh, please call me Connie," I replied. I couldn't stand the thought of addressing Luna without her title while she called me Miss Hayden like one of my students. "Oh, of course – Connie, there's something I'd like to do, with your permission." Luna was uncharacteristically hesitant and I saw a sudden embarrassment in her teal eyes. I put down my tea. "Of course, Luna," I said, concerned. "What is it?" "I think I need to know more about your friend Esther," she replied. "And I'm afraid that I'll have to step into your mind to learn it." "Step… into my mind?" I frowned. "Will… will it hurt?" Luna shook her head quickly. "Oh no, not at all! It's just that entering another being's mind is a very intimate act, and I'm very sorry to ask to do it, even though we've only just met." "So how do we do this?" I asked. "Pony-human mind-meld?" Luna laughed. "I don't know what that it is, but I think I can safely say it's not that. No – as you know, I'm not just the Princess of the Moon, but also of the Night – I'm the one who brings dreams to mortal ponies. And part of that power is the ability to enter another's dreams." My eyes went wide. "And so you'll be able to see what Esther looks like from my dreams?" Luna nodded. "Dreams are merely a patchwork woven from one's memories, after all." Memories? I suddenly blushed. "Um, Princess – I think you should know that Esther and I were… well, friends." I was about to say girlfriends, but I'd been doubting that for a while now – it sounded more and more like wishful-thinking on my part and I was embarrassed to say it out loud. "Intimate friends?" "Oh, I would never wish to intrude upon any part of your memories you weren't happy to show me, Connie," Luna reassured me. "You'll be in complete control. It is your dreamworld after all." And then she winked. "Besides, there's nothing I haven't seen in my two thousand years of existence!" I looked around. "Um, do I have to lie down and just go to sleep or something?" A tiny little smile flashed onto Luna's face, and I suddenly realised I'd seen that smile somewhere before – except that time it had been mocking rather than playful. "Well," she said. "You do need to be asleep of course, and I'd usually give you some moonflower tea or whatever, but there's a quicker and easier way to do it." She stepped up so close to me that her huge green eyes were a hand's breadth away from mine and I could feel her breath, cool as a night breeze and smelling of a floral scent not unlike jasmine. I involuntarily stepped back. "A… and what's that?" Luna stopped. "I could just give you a kiss." She giggled. "Soporific kisses are another of my powers as Princess of the Night!" But when she saw my reaction of surprise, she looked suddenly crestfallen. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have even suggested it. I guess it must seem strange for a human to kiss what appears to be an animal in your home universe. I-" But I interrupted her. "It's not that at all, Princess." I lowered my eyes. "It's just that you're a Princess, and I'm – well, I'm me, and you're…" I looked up at her. "You're so beautiful," I whispered. Luna's eyes flashed in pleasure and she laughed – and again there was that crescendo of pure tinkling as if the night sky were full of tiny bells that were all ringing in happiness. "Oh, Connie, what a lovely thing to say! I'm… I'm afraid I may start blushing. But perhaps you would prefer me to take a more… familiar shape, perhaps?" She took a step back. "Say, like this one?" Luna reared up onto her hind legs and twirled about in a graceful pirouette on hoof-tip, spreading her wings out widely as she did. The feathers began to sparkle silver-white, and as the glow spread across her whole body she wrapped her wings tight around herself and with a flash of light Luna the pony was gone and standing in her place was a young woman. She was slender, and surprisingly petit – the top of her head only came up to my neck, and I'm not a tall woman – and with almost no bust at all she looked like she was little more than in her early teens. A glittering imperial-blue robe with all the weight of a breath of wind was draped around her and as she stepped towards me it slid about her like mist, adhering to her adolescent body, and at times parting to reveal skin so perfect and unblemished that it resembled that of a porcelain doll, and so pale a blue that at first I thought it was white, but it held the dream of blue at its heart, like glacial ice. Her hair was the night-blue of her pony-mane, and it framed her childlike face in a tufty bob that made her look even younger still. And those eyes! Wide and almond-shaped and the same teal-green of the pony Luna, they glistened between rows of dark black lashes while below them was a button nose and a tiny cupid's-bow of a mouth gently parted in a pixyish smile. Suddenly she hopped onto the tips of her bare toes and pirouetted again, giggling with joy – and her voice was that of the pony Luna's, except perhaps even younger, produced as it was in the tiny chest of the elfin-form she now possessed. "Oh, it's been forever since I've taken this form!" she squealed. "I'd forgotten how it feels to be bipedal." She skipped in a small circle, obviously enjoying the feeling of having two legs, and then she suddenly turned her sparkling eyes on me and winked. "So how do I look as a human, Connie?" "Luna, you look…" I found I literally could not take my eyes of her and I sighed. "You look so beautiful." I knew now how her subjects must feel around her, presented with a divinely perfect representation of their own form. When Luna had been a pony the full effect had been filtered for me as a human, although of course the effect of her entrance had still been absolutely breathtaking. But now, enduring the full onslaught of her immortal beauty, I felt as if I would fall to my knees and start sobbing. "So, shall we do this?" Luna skipped up to me and stood on tippy-toes to reach my face, but as she leaned forward to kiss me I shied away. Part of me craved the touch of her lips, but another, warier part, feared that I wouldn't survive them. And she looked so much like a child that I felt suddenly uncomfortable, despite knowing that she was in actuality thousands of years old. "Luna, I-" Every molecule of my being demanded my obedience and it was an emotional agony for me to contradict her, but somehow the words came. "If you don't mind too much, perhaps we can kiss while you're in pony-form?" Luna looked up at me, disappointed, but then she stepped back and shrugged. "Of course," she said, good-naturedly. And then she clapped her hands together in sudden pleasure. "Oh, you must want to know what it feels like to kiss a pony. I'm so sorry – I guess I was being a little selfish." I blushed, and the truth was that I was strongly curious about what it would be like to kiss a pony. Luna looked at her hands and body and sighed. "OK, I'll change back – but I'm definitely going to take this form again soon. Perhaps I can visit your world for a bit sometime, and you can maybe… oh, I don't know," She was suddenly impossibly adorably shy. "Show me around? Earth must be a lot different from how it was when I was last there!" Last there? "Oh, you've been to Earth before Luna?" She nodded. "Yes, but just for a trip – well, I guess you could say it was more a get-away." She giggled, but then her face was serious. "You see, things between me and Celestia were rocky for a long time before I ever became… well, you know. I needed a break." And then with a flash of light the little girl was gone and Luna took on her original form, if indeed her pony form was her original – after the apparent ease of her transformation I'd started to have my doubts. She flapped her restored wings and sighed, not unhappily. "But oh, this form is so nice and comfortable! And I guess it's better this way… the quality of my kissing might have been affected by being in human form..." She stifled a giggle with her forehooves, then trotted up to me. Now that she was tall again, I had to lean up to look into her eyes, and she had to lean down, and soon I could feel that cool breath against my lips again and it seemed as if my entire skin began to tingle at once, a subtle, heatless flame coursing along its surface. "I'm afraid I haven't kissed anypony for a while," said Luna. "So I may be a bit out of practice…" My heart leapt up in my chest. "Uh, when was the last time you kissed somepony? A thousand years ago?" Luna laughed. "Oh, of course not. The first thing I did after getting out of my prison, well, the first thing after eating a huge plate of hay-fries at my welcome-back party that is, was kiss somepony." I opened my mouth to ask the obvious question, but Luna just shook her head. "I'm afraid that's a secret," she said, good-naturedly. "But she won't be jealous if I kiss you, so don't worry." She? I opened my mouth to say something, but Luna had already leaned forward, her mane draping around the two of us. "You smell just like a cupcake," she murmured. And then I felt the warm lips of a pony touch mine for the first time. And it felt just like- To be continued... Connie Hayden's Fairy-Bread Recipe You will need: Slices of white bread Margarine Hundreds and Thousands Remove the crusts of the white bread, and then spread with margarine so that the whole surface of the slice is covered. Sprinkle on Hundreds and Thousands. Slice bread into small triangles and serve with red cordial for maximum sugar-fuelled insanity. Next time: Pinkie Pie's Most Favouritest Hot-sauce Cupcake Recipe Ever!!!!