//------------------------------// // Chapter Ten Luna // Story: A Chance Meeting of Two Moons // by Evilhumour //------------------------------// Chapter Ten - Luna Luna yawned a bit, shaking herself awake. She was a bit put off that something forced her to be awake, but what have you. What was done was done. She arched her back, shaking herself like a cat. She was dimly aware that she was back in Artemis’s bedroom, and was previously tucked into his cloud bed, the blanket half on the floor. She almost smiled at the scene, to be in the bed of a pony that cared for her was a secret desire of hers, one that even Celestia did not know. But the weight of what they feared stole any joy from her. It would be just like every time for her now; anytime she thought she found somepony that loved her would be proven false. Sombra had used her in his attempts to gain more power, Celestia claimed she loved her- No, she would not go down that path again. Not now, not ever again. She did not wish to do anything that could bring Her back. She shuddered at the thought of her darkest time, as Ni-Nigh- She bit her lip, unable to say the name even in her head. She had gotten better at dealing with Her, but the thought of having Artemis, a pony like her, not really caring for her was just…. She bit her lip, curled up sobbing for who knows how long until she felt a hoof rub her back. She leaned into the pony, crying into his form. “There there Luna, let it out,” Solaris’s calm, caring voice soothed her. There was no judgment, no falsehoods. “Just let it out.” She sobbed harder, feeling so angry, so cheated by everything. “Why-why is it it always me?” “Hush.” Solaris tried to comfort her, but the mare was too far gone to notice this. “Whenever I find somepony, why cannot I just have him?” She stared at the alicorn who looked so confused. “Why must I be always so alone?” “Luna, whatever do you mean?” “Artemis, I, we-” She pulled in closer, crying harder saying his name. “We might think that we art the cause for thee dalliance with thine sister.” “Luna…” Solaris pulled back, looking shocked, hurt and confused. “Nay, it would make the most sense,” Luna whimpered, “After all, who would ever wish to love me?” “Luna, don’t say that,” Solaris pulled her close to him, nuzzling her with tears running down his own face. “Never say that. I know my brother, and his actions means he cares for you.” “Solaris, we might know the reason why that you acted as you did,” Luna, stared upwards at the pony, still not ready to believe him. “We fear that it was our own selfish desire to have somepony that caused us to meet and fool ourselves that somepony actually lo-” “Luna. Stop.” It was the sharp tone that forced Luna to meet his eyes. It was filled with steel and compassion, something that she often saw in Celestia when she tried to talk to her. “I know my little brother. I am not my nephew Bolero. I am not the alicorn of love, but I can tell he does care for you.” “But… what if it is because of me?” She broke the eye contact, pawing the bed. “What if this is all because of me?” She could hear him breathe sharply, and then felt his wings around her frame. “Sweet Faust, Luna, I don’t know what happened to make you so unsure of yourself, but you must believe me, I don’t think for a moment this thing you and my little brother have is fake.” “But-” “Luna, I am going to tell you the exact same thing my mother told me a long time ago; butts are for sitting.” The solar alicorn chuckled, brushing away some of her mane. She pouted at his foolishness, but at the same time was feeling a bit better. “Even if it was based on falsehoods, which I seriously doubt, I don’t see why it cannot become true.” Luna blinked, startled by this. It had never occurred to her that even if Artemis only cared for her because her mind had tricked him in the beginning, they still could actually make something that was real now! She might have somepony that lo- “Feeling better now?” Solaris smiled gently, sitting down on the bed. Luna let out a tiny meep as she fell close to the stallion. She found his hooves around her stomach, lifting her upright. “Ye-yes, I am,” she smiled back, feeling better, almost like when she first meet Artemis. “Thank thee- you,” she rubbed her face, trying to rid herself of her sorry appearance. “I do believe your words to some degree but-” “You need to know, right?” Solaris smiled gently again, lifting himself off the bed, keeping his eyes on her. “Indeed,” She pulled her hind legs inwards, wrapping her wings around them. She stole a look at Solaris, who was already looking concerned for her again and gave him an easy smile. “Artemis and I are sure that your student and my sister’s can unravel the why Artemis and I were able to meet and switched places, as well as…” “See if Dusky and this Twily try to rut each other or not?” Solaris smirked at her sudden blush, her ears darting upwards and then backwards, becoming flush to her head. “Um, I, er...” Luna stammered, trying to get the mental image out of her mind; her best friend getting bent over and having a lavender stallion place his hooves on her flanks. He would lean over her, his mouth tracing over her twitching ear, all the while gently caressing her flanks- “Luna?” Solaris’s voice broke her out of that strain of thought, thank Faust. “I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable or something or-” He was starting to yank on his beard, looking very worried. “While crude, that is the secondary reason for why we wish to have the alicorn of magic with us, as wrong as it is to use our friends like that.” “Luna, let me be crude once more, but buck that.” Solaris rolled his eyes, letting out a small grunt. “On one hoof, they may share a strong desire to research each other,” he shared the chuckle with her, smiling now. “On the other hoof, they might not feel anything and-” He gulped and bit his lip, watching Luna’s eyes dart downwards. “In any case, Luna, I know that Dusky, and I am going to guess the same with Twily, will understand that you two needed to know and that tricking them was required.” “It is still deceitful…” “Luna, my friend,” Solaris leaned down to nuzzle her head, having a sad smile on his face. “You must have faith in your friends that will understand when you lie to them, there is a reason for it.” He gave her a pat on the head, which caused her to grumble and try to swat away his hooves. “You just need to make sure it is for a good reason.” “Yes, I know,” Luna huffed, smiling fondly at Solaris. He truly did have a good heart… but Artemis was the only one for her, even if it was based on a falsehood. She yawned, shaking herself a bit more awake. “My, what time is it?” “A few hours before I need to set my sun…” Solaris’s eyes went wide as he began to think of something no pony had paid much thought to. “Solaris, I do believe I can do the task of raising Artemis’s moon. After all, I do have a great amount of experience.” She lifted her head proudly, shaking her mane. She then pulled out her mane and stared at it. “After I wash up, though.” “Sounds like a plan, Luna,” he chuckled a bit, moving towards the door to give her some privacy despite the obviousness that his lax country approach to clothing meant he would not be seeing anything new. “I assume that tonight Dusk Shine, you and I will meet my brother, Twilight and…” He bit his lip, halfway out of the door, freezing in remembering a certain mare. “Yes Solaris, I do assume Celestia will be there,” she called out from the bathroom, poking her head out. “And I do believe that if she is able to keep her hooves to herself this time, everything will be ju-” “Hey now, I was there too, missy,” Solaris called out, standing in the doorway, frowning playfully. “As the phrase is in my land, and I am sure it is for yours as well, we stallions tend to think more with our smaller heads than with our bigger ones.” Luna just chuckled and blushed at him, throwing some pillows at his white bulk as he left the room, closing the door with a click.