//------------------------------// // Part 4: To Lay With The Moon // Story: The Night Claims A Rainbow // by CloudWatcher //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash had begun to freak out as soon as she had acted, the kiss being a mere subject changer that she hadn't thought through at all. The subject change had, in only a split second, lead to the answer she had wanted to give, the answer that both ponies desired. One, showed it much more than the other, but both had the same feeling in mind. Luna only took a moment to wrap her larger wings around Rainbow Dash, closing her eyes and kissing back as gingerly as anypony could. Pulling away after near a full minute, "We take this, as a yes...?" Her voice was softer than normal, more a whisper than the normal 'Canterlot Voice' that she held. For the first time since she was returned from the moon, in which she had stayed for a thousand years, she had begun blushing. Rainbow's own blush had begun seconds before, as she leaned in toward the princess. Now, she could only give a slight nod, not entirely sure whether her words would agree with her mind, or whether it would be words that came out at all. She blinked a few times before she leaned against the princess, laying her head on her shoulder, something she had thought that she would have never done. "We think that, perhaps we should bring thee to a less... Public, opening? Seeing as we are still on a stage?" She chuckled softly, gently putting a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder and standing straight up to allow her wings to fully outstretch. After allowing her wings to stretch to the full length she lifted off into the air, her larger wings moving much slower than Rainbow's, she needed much less work to catch the air to hold her in flight. She lifted into the air and headed for the small cloud castle that Rainbow called her home, she had made the thing out of clouds she had gotten from the sky. She was one of the single most crafty pegasi that either of the princesses had ever met. Now, Rainbow had begun to think of what the Wonderbolts would think of her, seeing as she was the one lucky pony that was able to call the Princess of the Night, her own. However, after a moment she dismissed those thoughts, as they were rooted from the prideful side of her thoughts, thoughts that she didn't want to take control her actions now, as they had quite a few times before. "Princess? What is it about me, that you find worth your time?" Her voice was quiet and soft, unlike her normal tomboyish voice and attitude. The princess just gave her a smile that was as happy a smile could be, unless you're Pinkie Pie of course, and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Rainbow Dash, there isn't just one single thing about you that we find worthy. We see things inside you that we've not seen in anypony, a heart that dreams, and a courage to face things no pony ever would. But, after that, you've a heart that cares deeply about those who you hold close, though you don't always attempt to show it." The smile softened a bit as slowed to a stop in her flight, the cloud castle being just ahead. "We believe this is what you call your home?" Rainbow had a tear forming in her eye as she listened to the princess speak, turning her head as she asked the single question. Along with a nod she spoke, quietly, but happily. "Mhmm, but it looks different inside than the outside.. I had more time to decorate the inside than when I made the outside of it. The other pegasi tell me that I'm the only one that they've ever seen to be able to make entire house out of clouds that hadn't fallen to the ground or dispersed." This single thing in her life, fired a whole new battlefield in her egotistical behavior. At that time, it had caused her to become ever more arrogant in flight school, until she was eventually chastised by both teachers, and students. This calmed her down a bit, but the arrogance still remained, and showed in certain activities. Especially now, even as she had been trying to keep it from being obvious. She noticed this shortly after she had finished speaking her piece. "Oh... Sorry Princess, I wasn't trying to-" Rainbow's words were silenced as she felt the Princess's hoof around her, a soft voice whispering into her ear. "Shush Rainbow, you've not a reason to be sorry for who you are. If such things bother you, than we shall work and try to fix these points. The Princess tightened her grasp on the flustered pegasus, who had begun to understand how Fluttershy felt.