After a long period of them walking around, Fang lead them to Queen Chrysalis's castle. As they walked in they noticed that Queen Chrysalis herself was asleep. Dark was about to ask when Fang told him that the Queen had a tough time today working on getting their rooms ready. Dark nodded and decided to thank Chrysalis in secret as to not wake her up. Fang lead them all to their respective rooms and went to sleep himself as the night was beginning to come soon. Dark slunk off and went to see the moon rising through the throne room in silence. He always did love seeing it, it was so big and beautiful, almost as beautiful as the pony that raised it. Dark turned beet red as he walked back to his room to, at least attempt, to get used to his new found sleeping schedule that he had to do for a month. The words of Fang earlier that day, and the words of Starnight on the train echoing in his mind. The implication that Dark was in love with Princess Luna. Truth be told, he never did really think about her in that way before; Princess Luna was always just his idol, somepony that he looked up to and admired for her power and her kindness and her moon. He never thought about her in a more romantic kind of way, though there was that kiss he got from her during his knighting, and he really enjoyed it, but...it was just a bonus right? She would never go for a pony like him, he's just her knight and even worse he's a thestrial...she deserves better than that, right? Maybe? Dark laid down as he struggled to get some sleep.
His eyes opened and he soon found himself into his old stomping grounds, and his moon watching area. He turned and then looked as a light glowed. He covered his eyes as the bright light revealed Princess Luna herself standing right beside him.
"You aren't a dream this time right?" Princess Luna responded by simply giving him a little smile and Dark knew that this time this was the genuine article. Dark responded quickly by bowing and Luna quietly rolled her eyes.
"You know you do not have to kneel to me all the time, Dark Sidewinder," she said sitting next to him. "So, how goes the negotiations?"
"Oh they are going quite well!" Dark responded. "Though, I must admit it is quite difficult to get used to the new sleeping schedule after I had finally gotten used to staying up all night with you," Dark confessed as a small joke, badly hiding the fact that this reason was not the real reason why he was having trouble sleeping. Luna, not being an idiot, just looked at him and Dark looked away, afraid to meet her gaze. "I'm a terrible liar aren't I?"
"I pray you never get good at it," Luna replied. "Now, my Knight...please speak to me. What is truly the matter?" Dark paused as she just gave him a little look. He turned a large ting of pink and slowly looked away. "Dark Sidewinder, you have confessed to writing me a letter once a month when you did not know me, to having dreams where you and I watch the moon together and your 'method' of knocking yourself out of the Queen of Dream's spell. There is nothing you can say to me now that would make me think any less of you or surprise me."
Dark mumbled, "I..." He choked up as he looked away. "I just can't say it, I can't say what is on my mind Princess Luna; it's to embarrassing and I'm afraid that if I say it you may never look at me the same way again."
Princess Luna sighed and sat next to him, tilting his head up with her hoof. "Dark Sidewinder, I promise that no matter what it is, I won't look at you any differently. You are a wonderful kind pony, and nothing you can say can change that opinion I have of you."
Dark whispered something so quietly that nopony could ever hear him. "A little louder please?" Luna asked. Dark repeated himself a little louder, but it was clear that this was something he was terrified to say. "Please Dark, I have a feeling of what it is but I need to be sure." she said, doing something she's never ever done before, which is call Dark by just his first name.
Dark was mentally processing that, then looked at Princess Luna in the eye and he looked away, fearful of the look Luna would make after he said this following sentence. "Princess Luna, I think that I'm in love with you."
Luna's own cheeks turned a slight ting of pink as she, herself had to mentally process that Dark just said that to her. Dark turned to run but stopped when he remembered that he was in a dream, and Luna was the Princess of Dreams as well as Princess of the Night, so where would he had to go; however, he did hide his head, practically burying it underneath his hooves in embarrassment. Luna looked at him and couldn't help but slightly giggle at his own reaction to what he just said.
"Dark," she laughed, again just using his first name. "You do realize you're going to have to look at me eventually, right?"
Dark slowly brought his hooves out from beneath his hooves. "I'm sorry! Please, please, know that I really really didn't want to say that to you yet, or maybe even ever," Dark explained, beginning his ramble. "It's not that I don't find your beautiful, I do you look amazing, you're also smart, powerful, kind and so many wonderful and amazing qualities." Luna once again flushed at that compliment. "I mean, you're my hero you know, I just really really hope I didn't just mess it up by opening up my stupid mouth and saying something that ruined everything. I wouldn't even be thinking about this if Starnight and Fang didn't say anything, but I have been kinda feeling that way ever since I met you personally, but I kept chocking it up to just hero worship, and I don't know I mean, what do I, how do I, what do I even say or do now I have no idea anymore. Please can we just go back to the way things were before I opened my stupid mouth." Dark finished his rant completely depressed.
Luna sighed. "Dark, I can't just ignore this, and I'm sorry that I can't keep my word to you that I would." Dark looked away. "But Dark, you must understand that I'm not the kind of pony you should fall for. I'm grateful for your friendship, and I'm grateful that you worship me like you do, but if your are truly in love with me, and from your actions lately as well as some of your previous actions part of me thinks that you are serious about this, you have to be absolutely sure that you are." Luna looked Dark in the eye. "That also means that you would have to look at my bad qualities as well as my good qualities and determine if my good qualities really do outweigh the bad in your mind." Dark looked away from her again. "There is a side to me that you don't want to see, my Knight. You think your confession would ruin our friendship, this side of me could very well ruin everything." Luna paused and he looked away from her again. "If you are serious about this Dark Sidewinder, then I would like to propose a test if you will, that will test if you are serious, but note it is not for the faint of heart and...what you would see during it could very well change your opinion of me for life. Are you sure you want to take that risk?"
After a moment of silence Dark slightly nodded. "I think that I am in love with you Princess Luna; I have to try this test to be absolutely sure that I am." He then slowly smiled. "But don't worry, nothing you can show me can ever change my opinion of you, no matter what I see, and even if it turns out I'm being an idiot right now with my feelings, will ever stop you from being my hero."
Luna's horn glowed. "Very well, prepare yourself...for now you will be face to face with a nightmare."