//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: A Bartender's moon 
// by The Lutece twins 
//------------------------------//

"Last call for drinks! Last call for drinks!" A bartender with a nametag that read Joe called out to the empty bar to his knowledge. Still it was his job to say as so since time has come to the end of his shift: 4:00 am. He notices the empty bar, except for a few people around some tables. He wipes down the bar with a rag, humming a little tune and having a small smile on his face. The last remaining costomers were either leaving or passed out, one with their mug tipped onto it's side on the table, the remaining contents dripping to the floor. Amongst the dead silence besides the faint sound of country music playing from the stereo, came what sounded like a small sniffle. Joe heard the sniffle and looks up towards the direction it came from. There at a table to his right, a hooded woman, sitting while crying, her clothes speckled white from snow. He notices the women crying and walks over to her. The women's head pops up from the table.

"Who's there?" She asked.

"Excuse me, is something wrong?" Joe asked. The woman turns her head in sight of joe in his brown shirt and dirty apron. Those fetching blue eyes of his, partially hidden behind those blonde bangs for a short moment distracted her from her sorrow.

"Excuse me, is something wrong?" He asked again. With a shake of her head as to get her attention back on the bartender, she wipes her eyes of their tears.

"W-what?" She asks in a timid and rather shaky voice.

"I noticed that you where crying, so I came over to see what was wrong." He said.

"Oh." the woman replid, with an obvious worry in her tone as she turned back to face the table with a sigh. ""You have no idea," she says, staring down into the half full mug in her hands, although she may see it as half empty instead.

"Did something happen that you don't want to talk about?" He asked. The lady nods.

""I miss my dear sister..."" She said. Joe sighs.

"Family problems, I know how that feels." He said.

"But I may never see her again!" The woman whines, with tear filled eyes.

"Hey!" came another voice, belonging to that of a man, based on the deep tone. The creaking of the old floorboards signaled his approach. Joe looks at where the voice came from and sees a man slightly staggering towards them, the smell of booze coming off of him.

"Michael, not right now, go home you're drunk." He said.

"Man...that's not cool..." Michael replied, slightly diappointed as he wobbled his way out of the bar. The lady gives a long saddened sigh, propping her elbows up on the table, her chin on her hands. Joe looks back at the lady.

"I'm sorry for your sadness, is there anything that I can do to help?" He asked. The lady shakes her head.

"Not even I even help myself. Nopo-nobody can..." she said.

"There has to be something that I can do, I just can't leave you here all sad. It just wouldn't be right." He said. The woman takes down her hood and sighs, revealing a head of blue hair.

"Trust me...there's nothing you can do to get me back to her." She said.

"Well, at least we can know each other's names. My name's Joe, nice to meet you." Joe said, holding out his hand to her.

"Prince-...Luna...just Luna" The lady says softly, wiping her eyes with one hands, shaking Joe's with the other.

"Would you, like anything?" Joe asked.

"To go home..." she sniffed.

"Do you live around here?" He asked. She shakes her head.

"Farther than you could ever possibly imagine." She said.

"But, then that means that you have no home then." He said, frowning slightly. Luna rolls her eyes.

"I do, just far away. Real far..." she said.

"Well I know you have a home over there, I'm just saying what about now." He said.

"Homeless..." She sighed as a tear falls from her cheek.

"You can stay with me if you'd like, I got a extra room at my house." He offered. Luna shakes her head.

"I couldn't possibly." She said.

"Nonsense, I won't let you sleep in the streets. Besides, you don't know what's out there anyways." Joe added.

"An unfamiliar world..." Luna says without realizing the awkardness in the statement. Joe is slightly confused.

"What do you mean an unfamiliar world?" He asked. Luna sighs.

"Never mind..." she said as she turns her gaze back to her mug, gripping it tightly.

"Anyway, I can't just let you sleep out there in the streets, because it's snowing, and you don't know what's out there." He said.

"I guess you're right..." Luna sighs for a second time as she gets up from the table.  "I just want to go home...I have responsibilitiess...big ones at that and...now my sister has to do hers and cover for me." She said, sadness in her voice. Joe smiles and places a hand in her shoulder. 

"Hey, cheer up, I'm sure that you'll see your sister." He said.

"I hope so." Luna mutters quickly, removing Joe's hand from her shoulder. "So...are you going to take me to your place, then?" She asked.

"Oh yeah, sorry. Just let me grab my jacket real quick and we'll go." He said. Luna nods and goes to wait by the door, leaning against the wooden frame, arms wrapped around her lower abdomen. Joe runs back to the bar area and grabs his jacket. He walks back to Luna.

"You ready?" He asked. Luna gives a hesitant nod.

"Y-yeah." She said nervously. Joe gives Luna a reassuring smile.

"Hey, it's going to be all right, I'm sure that you'll see your sister soon." He said.

"Okay." Luna sighs heavily, following Joe out of the bar. Joe takes a deep breath, breathing in the cool fresh air as some snow falls.

"I hope you don't mind, but I walked here. My house isn't far from here." He added.

"So be it." She said. Luna shivered from having to be out in the cold again. "'s make it quite or I'll get frostbite. I've been out here quite long enough already." She said. Joe notices that Luna is shaking and takes off his jacket and places it over her.

"Here, this should help until we get to my house." He said. Luna shakes her head.

"No you have no protection." She says softly, placing the jacket back on Joe. "I'll be alright." She said.

"Nonsense, I can't let you be cold out here, besides, I've gone without my Jacket in this type of weather before. It looks like you could use it more than I can." He said. Luna sighs, taking the coat back.

"Alright." She said. Joe smiles as he walks towards the direction of his house.

"So what was your home like?" He asked.

"M-my home? It was great, everybody was happy and..." She said as a tear stings her eye, she looks away. "I'd rather not talk about it...it hurts too much..." She sniffed.

"Oh, um, I'll... just be quiet." He said. Luna's breaths become shaky as she fights back the tears.

"I bet this is how Celestia felt when I was...I..." she stops short, realizing what she was about to say. Joe stops just a little bit farther then Luna and looks at her with a look of worry.

"Luna?" He asked. Luna doesn't answer, so many thoughts flying through her head as she stares blanky out to the moon, lacking the image of her. Joe shakes her shoulder slightly.

"Luna?" He asked for a second time.

"What if I'm gone for another millenia?" She quietly mutters to herself without realizing it. "I can't go another thousand...I can't..." She sniffed. Joe shakes her shoulder a little harder.

"Luna, snap out of it." He said.

"Wha..." She said, shaking her head slightly.

"You had this far away look on your face. Are you okay?" He asked.

"I wish I could say I was..." She says softly, still gazing up at the moon. "L-let us keep going..." She said. Joe nods.

"Were almost there anyways." He said, pointing at a two story building with a balcony with a telescope on it.

"Okay." Luna said as she takes a deep breath and resumes walking. Joe grabs his keys from his pocket as they walk up to the front door. He opens the door for Luna.

"After you." He said. With a freezing shiver, Luna nodded and went inside. Joe closes the door behind them and flips a switch, causing the light above them to come on. Luna immediately takes a seat on the couch, at least hoping this man has no bad intentions.

"You're very kind for letting me stay, Joe." She said. Joe hangs up his jacket on a coat hanger.

"Please, I couldn't let you stay out there in the streets, especially since that it was partially snowing out there. And would you like me to hang up your sweater for you?" He asked. Luna shakes her head.

"No thank you. It's keeping me warm." She said. "My fur would have kept me warm if I didn't need this disguise" she thought to herself. Joe nods and walks over to the kitchen.

"Would you like anything warm to drink? I got hot coco, coffee, and tea." He offered.

"Tea would be nice, thank you." Luna said. Joe nods and gets a glass measuring cup and fills it up with water. He puts it in the microwave and sets it on for a few minutes. He walks back to the living room where Luna was sitting and sits in a chair.

"Is, there anything that you would like to know?" He asked.

"A way back home..." Luna replies, turning her head to gaze out of the window and up to the stars. Joe sighs and leans back in the chair.

"I wish I can help you there, but I don't know where your home is." He said. Luna sighs, deciding to finally spill the beans.

"I'm not of earth, Joe." She said, turning to look at him. Joe has a confused look about his face.

"Um, what?" He asked. WIth a sigh, a blue light envelopes Luna, lifting her into the air a foot as sparks went off. As the light died down, Luna came back to the ground, only now she was a blue coated equine with a long flowing blue mane, with a tail to match. Her eyes shown like stars in the night, a winged unicorn.

"Hear me, Joe. I am Princess Luna, and I rule alongside my sister, Princess Celestia over the world of Equestria! I am the ruler of the night, stars and moon!" She yelled. Joe blinks multiple times.

"Heh." He said, before his eyes rolled back, and he fell forward, the momentum causing him to fall out of the chair and out onto the floor. Luna gave a heavly sigh, moving Joe back into the chair with her magic. She then sat back on the couch, staring at her hooves.

"Oh, Tia...I miss you dearly..." She said.


MINUTES LATER


Joe stirs as he starts to wake up.

"Ugh... My head." He moaned.

"So your awake, now." Said Luna as she magically replaced the warm ice pack on his head with a fresh one. "You hit your head pretty hard on the floor..." She added. Joe looks over at Luna and his eyes widen.

"Please don't pass out again..." She pleaded. Joe takes deep breaths. Luna looks down with guilt, his reaction making her feel like a monster.

"I guess I'll leave, then..." She says sadly, turning towards the door, opening it with her magic as she approaches it. Joe quickly gets up.

"No, wait!" He yells, staggering a bit because of how fast he got up. 

"If my presence causes you stress I cannot." She says sadly as she leaves, a tear falling from her eye. Joe runs after her.

"Luna, wait!" He yells again. Luna turns around.

"What?" She asked. 

"Don't leave, please." He said.

"Fine, if you insist." Luna gazes down at the floor, draggng her hooves along the carpet as she went back inside. Joe sighs and walks back in.

"Luna, I'm just trying to help." He said.

"I know you couldn't help it, but fainting doesn't help..." Luna muttered before sitting back on the couch. "I'm never going to go back home..." She sniffed.

"And the reason why I'm not freaking out right now, is that my father taught me to never freak out, even at something new or never seen before." Joe said.

"Well you certainly fainted when I revealed my true identity..." Luna added.

"Yeah I was quite a bit surprised when that happened, I won't lie about that. But I promise you that won't happen again." He promised. Luna nods.

"Alright." She said. Joe has an idea.

"I know what might cheer you up a little bit." He said. Luna stared down at the floor, again unresponsive.

"If you'd like, you can follow me so that I can show you." He offered. Luna nods.

"Sure thing." she replied, getting up from the couch.

"It's upstairs, second door on the right." He said as he walked towards the stairs.

"Okay then." Luna responds, heading up the stairs. Joe takes his keys out again and unlocks the door as they reach it.

"Luna, welcome to my little observatory." He said. Luna looks around the balcony.

"So I see..." she said a bit awkwardly, noticing only a single telescope. "This is it?" She asked, pointing to it with a hoof. Joe chuckles.

"Yea it isn't much, but I just love the night sky. You can say it's a hobby of mine, to look at the night sky." He said.

"I've always enjoyed watching my night pass by up from the clouds. To gave me a sense of peace where I could just relax and forget about the stresses of life. But this sky is foreign to me...the moon is not mine and...the stars dont shine like the ones during Equestrian nights." Luna sighs sadly. "I bet my sister is worried sick about me." She sniffed. Joe places a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, I'll be here for you, no matter what." He promised.

"But how can you trust me just like that? Who knows I could be somepony with bad intentions!" She yelled. Joe laughs.

"I know that you're not a bad person, or in this case, pony. I can tell it in your eyes. You're lost, sad, confused, and in need of comfort. No offense." He said.

"I guess it isn't everyday you come across magical talking horses from alternate dimensions, huh?" Luna chuckled to herself.

"That's true. And in this world, pegasi and unicorns are myths." Joe said.

"Well I happen to be a alicorn." Luna said with a smile, flaring her wings as well as lighting her horn to indicate both. Joe remembers something. 

"Oh crap, I forgot about the tea!" He yells. He places his keys on a table and runs back inside. "I'll be back." He said. Luna gives a slight giggle before curiosity gets to her as she noticed the locket attached to the keychain had opened. She pick it up with her magic and stares at an image of a man she found to be Joe standing, smiling next to a long blonde haired woman. Joe comes back with a tray with two cups and a box full of different tea bags.

"I didn't know what tea you liked, so I brought the box." He said. He notices Luna looking at his locket. "Oh, um, I see that you're looking at my locket." He added.

"I don't mind what tea it is as long as it puts me to sleep. And yeah...who is this woman?" She asked. Joe places the tray on a table next to two chairs and sighs.

"She was my wife." He sighed.

"I'm so sorry..." Luna apologized. Joe sits in one of the chairs and sighs again, a look of sadness on his face.

"No, it's fine." He said. Luna sighs as well and puts a hoof on his shoulder.

"I'm sure she still loves you very much. She wouldn't want you to be sad I'm sure...just as I'm sure Celestia would want me to be strong as well..." She stated. Joe looks at Luna with a slight smile.

"Thank you." He said. Luna smiles back and pulls Joe into a gentle hug.

"No problem." she says softly, nuzzling his cheek.

"Now then, let's enjoy our tea." He said. Luna nods. Joe grabs a mug and makes his usual tea mix. He stares at the sky and sighs happily.

"You know, I did want to become a astronomer." He said. Luna smiles.

"Take my hoof." She says, holding a hoof out to him. "And look into my eyes." She said. Joe places his hand on Luna's hoof. Luna smiles and lights her horn. Soon the world around them fades and they appear in space, surrounded by stars, staring down at earth.

"How's this?" She asks kindly. Joe's mouth drops open as he stares at the stars.

"This... This is amazing!" He yells. Lighting her horn, she moves the stars around to create Celestia's face.

"Thats my sister." She said.

"So that's what your sister looks like. So let me guess, since your the princess of the night, then that makes you're sister the princess of the sun. And there is one question that bothers me." He said.

"And what might that be?" Luna asked.

"How am I still breathing, in fact, how am I still alive?" He asked. Luna giggled slightly at that.

"Magic!" she says pointing to her horn then to the bubble around them.

"Oh man, scientists would flip their lids to see this." He said.

"I bet!" She said, smiling. "Nopony in Equestria really pays too much attention to my night." Luna said looking down. "What's the point of being a princess and ruler to something nobody cares about..." She sniffed, turning her head down. Joe places quite hand on her.

"Hey, cheer up okay? I'm sure that there are some ponies where you're from that actually like the night and you just don't know it yet." He said.

"My sister, and my neice, Twilight Sparkle, but that's it. It makes sense nopony would like me." She sniffed.

"Need a hug?" He asked. Luna nods and hugs Joe.

"Thank you, for being so kind to me." She said happily.

"I couldn't let you be sad." He said, hugging back. Luna gives a sad sigh, tightly hugging Joe.

"I haven't had a friend in so long...I'm going to miss you when I have to leave..." She sniffed.

"I will miss you too when you leave." Joe said. Luna nuzzles his chest, not wanting to let go.

"We should probably head back, it's getting quite late and I bet you're tired." He said.

"I am tired..." She yawned. Luna lights her horn and they appear back on the balcony. "I guess I can take the couch." She mutters before heading inside.

"Wait, how about you take the bed in the guest room It's the third door on the left." Joe said.

"No, it's fine, I promise..." She yawned as she changed back into her human disguise as she lays on the couch. Joe nods and grabs a blanket and a pillow for Luna.

"Here you go." He said. Luna nods a thanks, taking them and covers herself up. She smiles softly at Joe. Joe smiles back.

"Sleep tight." He said.

"I hope so. Goodnight, Joe." She says as she closes her eyes. Joe yawns.

"Night, Luna." He said as he walks upstairs and enters his room. He tosses his keys on the table next to the bed and flops onto the bed falling asleep before he even hits it.

TO BE CONTINUED