Resting my hooves against the railing, I looked down into the courtyard far below. There was actually quite a bit of activity for the time of the evening and I frowned slightly in thought.
“Luna, is something going on at the castle today?” I asked as I looked back at where she was laying on the couch on the balcony, a book hovering in front of her.
The moon was already high in the sky, having been raised a while ago and the first time I actually saw it done.
Been quite a sight, her horn shining of moonlight as she raised her head, the moon rising with her horn.
Luna looked away from her book, “My sister is having the Grand Galloping Gala tonight. She's had it tonight annually for the last... five hundred plus years.” she explained before she frowned, “...Do you wish to have a invite? I could get you a last minute one.”
A royal party filled with the stuffiest ponies in Equestria.
I was not a fan of parties at the best of times. That sounded like one of the worst possible ways to spend my time that I could possibly think of that didn't involve physical torture.
“Unless you really want me there, I hope you don't mind if I skip that. I'd rather do... well, just about anything else.” I answered as I quickly shook my head.
She chuckled at that and returned to her book, “I am not attending either.”
Dropping down on all four hooves again, I turned to look at her before I sat down on the floor, “What? I... thought you were kind of required to. Being the co-ruler of the country and all.”
Luna closed her book and shook her head, “I... did not wish to go. My sister has it well in hoof. It is not yet time for me to return to the public.”
I frowned at that, observing her for a long moment before I spoke up again, “Luna... when was the last time you talked to somepony? Somepony not Celestia or myself, I mean.”
She gave me a surprised look, “Everyday.”
“Actually talked. Not order or command.”
Luna looked away, “...Not regularly. As I said, it is not yet time that I return to public. I perform my duties.”
...Luna...
Sighing, I shook my head and returned to look out over the castle, putting my hooves back on the railing. Music had started playing softly far below. It was up to her, I could not force her to do anything.
“Speaking of duties...” She asked, speaking up after a long moment, “Have you had any luck in acquiring a new occupation?”
“Not yet.” I answered, shaking my head, looking up at the stars and moon far above, “I am still searching.”
There were some possibilities.
“If you wish, we could find you a task in the castle.” Luna said and moved up to stand next to me, giving me a playful look, “Perhaps the royal fool?”
I rolled my eyes, “I think the castle contain more than it's share of fools at the moment.” I retorted and looked down at the courtyard lit up by the large windows, “Thank you, but I prefer to make my own way if possible.”
“As you wish.”
I returned my gaze to the dark skies far above. Even with the light pollution from the city and the palace, the stars and moon was much more visible than back home. Frankly, I suspected my eyes were a lot better here than even with glasses back home.
The moon. Not Earth's moon, but still. The one place I always, as long as I could remember, have dreamed about visiting. I glanced to Luna who was watching the stars next to me. She had actually been there... for a long, long time.
Most likely, she didn't want to talk about it.
She most have noticed me gaze as she turned to look at me in turn, “You have a question?”
“I don't want to poke old wounds.”
“Ask it.”
I hesitated for a moment before I nodded, “...How was it on the moon?”
“What?” Luna asked in surprise, turning to look down at me.
Sighing, I kept looking up at the moon, “It is a dream of mine. One I've had my entire life... that of standing on the surface of the moon and looking up at the Earth far below. To reach for the stars.”
Luna shifted uncomfortably next to me, “We... nobody have dared asked us that before.” she finally said, “In truth, we do not remember much of it. We were not fully conscious, but... we remember parts. Rage... fury. Sadness. We remember thoughts...” she slowly said, seemingly speaking to herself, forgetting I was there, “We remember... but it is fuzzy. We remember the sight. It was...”
She went quiet and turned away, walking into the tower.
I looked after her before following, finding her bedchamber doors open and I carefully approached, stopping by the door.
Her bed almost seemed larger than my apartment, with four large posts, thick fabric hiding the bed itself hidden by view. I had never seen the inside of this room before.
If you thought the rest of her personal quarters were expensive looking, you had seen nothing yet. Expensive dark woods, bookshelves covered with rare books and scrolls.
“Luna?” I asked with a frown, looking around as I dared to take a step through the door, finding her sitting by a small table by the window.
She glanced in my direction but other than that she didn't react, so I approached her, stopping about a meter away.
“...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.”
“You did not.” She answered quietly, “It was simple curiosity.”
I regarded her for a moment. Fuck it. She was hurting. If Luna started to hate me for this, so be it but she needed to hear it.
“It was not you that did it.” I finally told her.
“What?”
“You are not Nightmare Moon. She is the one that hurt ponies and your sister. Tried to bring darkness and eternal night to the entire world. Not you. So stop beating yourself up over it.”
Luna's eyes widened, surprise and fury flashed in them, “...How dare you...”
“I know what I have seen.” I continued, “I saw the darkness until the Elements freed you from the grasp of the shadow madness. I may never have seen Nightmare Moon on my own... but I have gotten to know you, Luna. It is not something you would ever do.”
“You assume to know us... after a short few months!?” She hissed and surged to her hooves, “We entertain your company out of amusement, outsider! We are immortal, your life are like a moth by a flame compared to us! We led legions in uniting Equestria! You have no idea what We have done!”
I didn't back down. Worst case, I might actually 'get' to see the surface of the moon but I would be DAMNED if I let her do this to herself, no matter how foolish this might be, “I may not know all about you, but I DO know you are not the same being that tried kill your sister and destroy the world. The pony I have come to know is not capable of such horrors.”
She snarled, slowly circling me, wings half spread, “So certain of that are you?”
“I am, Moonbutt.”
The Princess of the Moon froze, her eyes widening in shock, “...What...?”
Turning to face her, I glared straight back, “You heard me, Moonbutt. You are Luna, Princess of the Night, not Nightmare Moon.”
“I'm a ape in the form of a unicorn, barely able to even touch magic. Nightmare Moon would have flayed me alive for the insult before I was half way through the last sentence!” I snarled at her, talking a step closer, poking her in the chest with my hoof as she reared back slightly, “So what is it, 'Moonbutt'? Are you Luna or are you the Nightmare? Either you are Luna and innocent of her crimes or you are the Nightmare and about to kill me. Make your fucking choice already!”
Luna stared at me for a long moment, her eyes wide, before she started to slowly chuckle, her chuckling slowly turning into full blown laughter as she collapsed onto the floor, rolling onto her back.
...Not entirely sure what I expected, but that was certainly not it.
Her laughter slowly died down, “Dear Page... you are braver than you are intelligent.” she chuckled as she started to calm down, “But thank you.” she finally said and reached up, pulling me down onto the floor next to her.
“...So I'm not about to end up on the moon? Or flayed alive?” I carefully asked as I rolled onto my stomach, crossing my forelegs, moving off her.
Luna chuckled and shook her head, rolling onto her own stomach next to me, “No. No you are not. But call me 'Moonbutt' again and I might reconsider it.” she said playfully, “I am unable to remember a time anyone but our... my sister... no, I don't think even my sister have ever spoken to me quite like that. You know little of what you speak, but there is a kernel of truth. Without corruption of Dark magic, We would never be capable of such acts, even in our fury... but that do not absolve us of guilt. It was still we that did it, we that chose to turn to the dark.”
I folded my ears back, “I didn't mean anything bad by it, I just... Eep!”
She bit my ear!
“We know.” she stated as she let go, “You were trying to help us.”
I flicked my ear as she let go and relaxed next to me. I followed her example and lowered my head onto my forelegs, mostly glad that I survived that.
What the hell had I been thinking deliberately provoking somepony as powerful as her?
We stayed like that in silence for a long moment before Luna moved again, “But you will not escape punishment completely, no matter your intentions. A commoner does not speak to a Princess like that and escape unharmed, even in these times.”
I sighed and nodded, “...Very well.” The fuck had I been thinking? She is a couple of thousand years older than me. If she had been on Earth, she might have seen rise of the roman empire, she and her sister united this land. She didn't need my help.
“Then get up.” the princess ordered as she got onto her hooves, “If I am to suffer through the Gala, so are you.”
What. No! That's not what I wanted at all!
I looked up at her in surprise, “...Is the moon still a valid option? Dungeons maybe?”
“No.”
Bollocks.