Chapter 12: The Dates
A Nice afternoon and Beautiful Night
Fluttershy was looking at her collection of attire that she could wear for the lunch date. She didn’t know what she could wear.
“Maybe, it’s best if I don't wear anything fancy.” She paused for a minute and shook her head. “No, this may be my only date with him. So I should look my best at least.”
Though she only needed to take one look at her closet to realize her current selection is severely lacking. All she had was the dress from the Grand Galloping Gala and two outfits she wore as a model. Something she still regrets to this day, she didn’t like being the center of attention.
She sighed. “I’ll go see if Rarity has any recommendations for me.” She closed the closet door, headed downstairs, told her animal friends she’ll be back soon, and left for Rarity’s Boutique.
“Are you serious, Luna?” Celestia asked, still somewhat surprised.
“Yes, I am. He and I have a date tonight and I want to look my best.” Luna looked at her older sister. “Am I to repeat myself several more times?” Luna asked, half-serious, and half-jokingly.
Celestia shook her head and gave the warmest smile she could give. “No. It’s just so good to hear that it’s happening.” Celestia suddenly couldn’t help herself as she hopped around Luna’s room, singing “Luna’s got a date. Luna’s got a date.” for several minutes.
Luna’s left eye twitched seeing her sister’s display. “Sister! Can you please focus here? I still have to win over his affection.”
Celestia finally stopped, giggled to herself and blushed from slight embarrassment. She was so glad that none of her subjects or guards saw that display. She would hear it for days. “Of course. Forgive me, sister. I’m just so happy for you right now.”
Luna gave a small smile. “As am I. But you don’t seem concerned about my competition.”
Celestia waved a hoof. “Of course I’m not. If you want my personal opinion, Luna. I think you and Sarius are almost perfect for each other. No offense to Fluttershy though.”
Luna blushed at this. “Y-you really think so?”
Celestia giggled. “Do I have to repeat myself this time?” Celestia joked.
Luna’s face scrunched up. “No. Now please help me pick something nice.”
Celestia smiled and used her magic to pull a very beautiful gown out. It was a black gown with silver stars placed carefully across it to resemble the night sky when it’s filled with stars. It had space for Luna’s wings. To go with the gown, a moon pendant, and star earrings were in small boxes.
The entire set left Luna speechless for a minute. “It’s…. It’s so beautiful. But I don’t remember having this.”
“That’s because you didn’t. I had it made recently specifically for you.” Celestia recalls the day she had this made. “It was sometime before you returned as Nightmare Moon. I wanted you to have something as a reminder that regardless of what happens between us, I will always love you and care about you.”
Luna’s eyes started watering as she smiled. “T-thank you sister. It’s a gorgeous reminder.” Luna walked up and hugged her older sister as Celestia returned the warm embrace.
“Now-” Celestia breaks the embrace and levitates the gown and jewelry to Luna. “-Let’s see how it looks on you”
After a couple of minutes of carefully putting on the gown and the earrings, Luna stepped in front of a large mirror that showed all of her. The sight of the gown and the jewelry on her made her blush and feel like she was the most beautiful creature in Equestria.
“It feels…. Perfect.” Luna said, taking in the sight as long as she could.
“Indeed it should. I had it made for you and you alone. Now I’m certain Sarius won’t be able to keep his eyes off of you.” Luna blushed more at the thought. Celestia smiled. “I do believe you’re ready. You just need some sleep.”
Celestia helps her sister out of the gown and takes the jewelry off and puts them away as Luna walks to her bed and uses her magic to close the curtains till it’s dark. Celestia goes to the door before turning to Luna. “Sweet dreams, Lulu.”
Celestia walked out of the room and closed the door. Leaving Luna in a completely dark room. Luna slowly fell asleep.
Fluttershy arrived at the Boutique and knocked on the door.
“Coming~” Rarity’s voice singsong inside the shop. Sounds of objects being put away and moved are heard for a minute. The door opens showing Rarity with her cute red glasses and some specks of something on her coat.
“Hello. Welcome to the Carousel Boutique, I am Rarity. Now how can I-” She stopped mid-sentence as she opened her eyes to see who was at the door. “OH, Fluttershy. It’s you darling~. Come in please.”
“Thank you,” Fluttershy muttered as she walked past Rarity and into the main room, while Rarity closed the door.
Rarity stood in front of Fluttershy with a smile. “So did you need something, my dear?”
“Y-yes. I do.” Fluttershy started blushing, still trying to come to terms she was getting ready for a date with Sarius. “You see…. I have a lunch date with Sarius and I-”
She was cut off by Rarity gasping as her eyes sparkled to life. “I understand completely, Fluttershy. I will make you an outfit that will surely play your tune using his heartstrings. Just leave it to me, dearling.”
Rarity wasted no time running around grabbing various clothing materials and bringing them to Fluttershy. “Real quick, what color would you fancy?”
“Um… If I had a choice then-”
“Oh wait, how silly of me. I know exactly what color will be perfect.” Fluttershy was cut off again as Rarity grabbed some light blue cloth and held it against Fluttershy’s yellow body. “OH YES! That is a perfect contrast.” Rarity shouted in delight as she set aside the cloth and pulled out a quill and some paper and began drawing.
Only the sounds of a quill on paper were heard for a while. “Um… Do you want me to… do something?”
“No. Just stay put. I am working on a design.” Rarity answered without looking up from the paper.
A couple of minutes went by, as a small pile of crumpled up paper was on the floor from designs Rarity did not like. Rarity sighed. “I am stumped.” She said flatly. “I want to make your outfit stunning! Enough to woo that dragon into your hooves.”
“It’s okay, Rarity. He has to make the decision, so I don’t think a dress is gonna have an impact. In my opinion.” Fluttershy said, trying to make Rarity feel better.
But it had a somewhat opposite effect. Rarity’s eyes widen in disbelief. “Won’t have an impact?” She repeated. “Nonsense Darling! A beautiful dress will force his eyes to see nothing else but you. Giving him more time to see how priceless you are. I simply can not allow you to leave until I know for sure you’ll capture his heart.” Rarity vowed.
Fluttershy giggled. When Rarity gets like this there’s no point in stopping her. Fluttershy just wanted to look nice for Sarius. She felt she had no chance of winning Sarius’ affection against Princess Luna, but not only would the princess and Sarius be disappointed with her for not trying, but Fluttershy herself also wouldn’t be able to deal with herself. So she has to try.
For her, whether or not she wins Sarius’ heart she just wants him to be happy. At the very least, she will have some quality time with him on a date. And she was sure Princess Luna would want the same thing for Sarius, happiness. With that in mind, she had no worries or concerns.
“Try not to stress on it, Rarity. It is just a lunch date. I simply want to look nice for the occasion. Really there’s no need to go big or go home. As long as he’s happy in the end is enough for me.” Mused Fluttershy.
Rarity just looked at Fluttershy in the eyes. After a minute she smiled. “Very well. If you insist. But I will at least do my best to make sure the outfit is stunning.” Rarity looked at the blank paper in front of her. “As soon as I get the design right.”
Fluttershy smiled. “I’m sure you will. You always do.”
“While I think, I am curious to know how that power you gained works.”
“Oh.” Fluttershy looked at her hooves in thought. “Well, I’m not entirely sure myself, but Sarius explained that I had the power that barely a few creatures outside of dragons possess. Energtris, I believe he called it. He described it as the original primal source of all energy. Very powerful and hard to maintain control of, but he’s taught me a fundamental defense technique that is near impregnable.”
“I see. Well, we all knew you were special, Fluttershy.”
“We all are in our own way. You’re able to use actual elemental magic.”
Rarity’s eyes then widened for a brief second before sparkling and a smile appeared on Rarity’s face. “Idea!” Rarity sang out as she quickly went to the paper. “I have come with a design that will make use of my new abilities. And it will- Fabolous!!” She sang out again.
After a couple of minutes of hearing Rarity sketch a design, Rarity put the quill away. “There. Now time to work my magic.” She immediately went to work on making the dress as Fluttershy watched.
Nearly half an hour passed as Rarity wiped her brow. “Done!” She took the dress in her magic and showed it to Fluttershy. “What do you think, darling?”
Fluttershy’s eyes shone. “It’s lovely as always, Rarity.”
“Good, now let’s get you ready for your date.”
After spending several hours getting more practice and training with my energy control and the newest technique, I started getting exhausted and drained. Once it was close to reaching lunchtime, I just relaxed and waited only to realize I didn’t have the two specify whether I’ll meet them or they’ll meet me. I decided it would be best to go to them.
Once the optimal time for lunch was a few minutes away, I said farewell to Chrysalis, aka Kayleen, and left for Fluttershy’s cottage. My body was fully healed, especially my wings so I wanted to see if it was healed enough to fly. It was and I felt the cool air of the wind on the newly regenerated wing membrane even more than usual.
As I flew past the forest, I shivered slightly and tried to push the events from earlier out of my head. It’s a mystery I will solve one day but not today. I landed a couple of yards away from Fluttershy’s front door. The animals started gathering around me, happy to see me again while Angel was just staring at me. He still didn’t approve of me.
“I really wish you would stop giving me the stink eye,” I said to him hoping he would but I knew better.
Angel rolled his beady eyes at me. I just shook my head, sighed, walked up to the door, and knocked on it.
“Just a second, darling.” I heard Rarity say.
I was slightly surprised to find out Rarity was at Fluttershy’s cottage.
Rarity opened the door and smiled when she saw me. “Ah, Sarius. You’re just in time. I just finished helping Fluttershy with the dress I just made her.” She turned away from the door. “Fluttershy dear. Sarius is here and ready.” She called out.
“O-okay.” I heard Fluttershy say back in a very soft tone.
I heard the clopping of hooves on wood but it had a different sound to it. Rarity pushed the door open more for me to see inside. “Why would she need a dress for a lunch date Rarity? Wouldn’t that be excessive?”
Rarity giggled as the steps were getting closer and louder. “It may be, but as I always say ‘A lady must always look her best’. Besides, I very well believe you’ll have a different opinion when you see the attire I’ve chosen for her.” As she said that, I could see Fluttershy as she finally came to the door.
The sight before me made my jaw drop. Fluttershy’s mane and tail were braided and expertly done in a way that made her even more beautiful than usual with her mane being done into a ponytail. She had two simple earrings but they fit perfectly for her attire. Her dress was another entire story in itself, it was a gentle blue color with a blur of yellow on it. The dress had two straps that held the dress around Fluttershy’s neck as the bodice wrapped around Fluttershy’s chest and downwards. The straps actually looked like an ice necklace when I looked closely. The dress seemed to emit a low warm glow and I noticed that her mane was braided up in a water bind and her ponytail was subtly being pushed around by a small breeze all from the earrings. The skirt part of the dress seemed to be a noncombustible fire.
Aside from that, the dress wasn’t exaggeratedly large and was just seemingly a normal dress a female would wear on a date just more custom made since Rarity made it. But it caught my attention for a good few minutes, so much that I didn’t say anything since I was too busy taking in the details put in the dress.
“Umm, Sarius?” Fluttershy said in a hushed tone, blushing. “Are you okay?”
Her voice snapped me out of my trance. I shook my head slightly to get my brain back on track. “Yeah, I’m fine.” I then looked at Rarity who smiled knowing what I was about to say and I was staring at the dress. “You were right. I do have a slightly different opinion right now. I am impressed and proud you have gotten better at Elemency to the point of infusing objects with elemental magic.”
Rarity and Fluttershy tilted their heads in confusion. “Elemency?” Rarity repeated quizzically.
I nodded. “It’s what the art of Elemental Magic utilization is called.”
“Oh, I see. Well, thank you for the compliment.” Rarity’s smile returned. “I’m glad to know I’m getting better.”
“So, how do I look?” Fluttershy asked, starting to slowly spin around in place so I saw her and the dress in its entirety.
I smiled. “You look absolutely amazing. The dress is certainly a major hit.” I looked at Rarity again. “Maybe you should use Elemency in some of your work,” I suggested.
Rarity took a hoof and majestically flicked her mane. “Oh, nothing feels better than being praised for hard work and I think I will. I’ll need a lot of practice though.”
I turned my attention back to Fluttershy “Anyway I’ll follow your lead Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy paused. “My lead?”
I nodded. “Yeah, you and Luna set up the dates. So I have no idea what either of you wants to do.” I looked at her with concern. “Will you be able to handle it?”
Fluttershy nodded. “Oh, y-yes of course. It’s just… I’ve never been one to take the lead.”
I chuckled. “Well, I wasn’t either at first. But I took the role of leading simply cause I was naturally better than any of my friends. So don’t worry. Now let’s go.”
Fluttershy smiled warmly. “Alright. I do have an idea for our date. Since you haven’t had the time, I would give you a tour of Ponyville and then just relax on the hill overlooking it afterward. Does that sound good?”
I nodded. “Sounds like a good enough date for me.”
“I will accompany you two till we reach the town. So if there’s anything you wish to ask Sarius don’t hesitate.” Rarity said cheerfully. The three of us started walking to town with Fluttershy staying as close as she can to me without tripping us. “I must say though, I didn’t think you had any interest or knowledge of fashion. You are an interesting dragon.”
“Yeah, I’m full of surprises and I’m not really interested in fashion as much as you, but I know a thing or two about looking my best. Besides, believe it or not but my sister and one of her friends who is a fashionista had me be a model for them.”
Rarity looked at me in shock. “You were a model?!” She shrieked in amazement.
I chuckled and blushed a bit. “Yeahhh. It’s not really something I think of putting on a resume or telling others since it kinda embarrasses me. But I’m the type who will help however I can. Plus it’s nearly impossible for me to say no to my sister.” I grinned like an idiot at the thought.
Rarity’s eyes lit up in curiosity. “My goodness. Your sister sounds like she is very persuasive. I may just ask her for some advice.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, just know anything you learn from her won’t work on me.”
“Oh, and why’s that?”
“It’s because I doubt you’ll be able to get the same effect that my sister has on me. It may be because she’s my sister and knows very well what buttons to press on me.”
Rarity giggled. “That makes sense. My little sister Sweetie Belle learned from me and dare I say she’s gotten quite good at it. But don’t tell her that I said that.” Rarity said.
I chuckled. “I promise I won’t say a thing.”
We were halfway to town when the conversation finished and walked the rest of the way in silence.
When we reached Carousel Boutique, Rarity turned to us. “Alright, this is where we part ways. I hope you two have a lovely date.” Rarity pouted a bit. “Oh, I must confess, seeing you two like this is making me jealous.”
Fluttershy frowned. “Oh, I’m sorry, Rarity. Please don’t feel that way.”
Rarity waved her hoof in dismissal and simply smiled. “Don’t worry about little old me, my dear. I will be just fine. I am certain I will meet the right stallion when the time comes.” She placed a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “You just be happy, you found somepony or drake in this case that’s special and means something to you.”
Fluttershy smiled back and nodded. “I will and I’m gonna make the most of this date.”
Rarity then turned her gaze to me. “Please don’t hurt her or the princess, you hear?”
I nodded. “Trust me, that’s the last thing I want to do.”
“Good. Farewell for now.” Rarity then turned around and started walking to her shop/home while waving to us for a couple of seconds.
When Rarity closed the door, Fluttershy stepped in front of me. “Let’s go. The first stop is Sugarcube Corner. We will need snacks for when we stop at the hill.”
She started walking into town with me following closely behind her.
Fluttershy and I walked to Sugarcube Corner’s front door and walked in, causing a bell to chime that echoed in the building.
I decided to ask a question about my concerns about Fluttershy. “So are you doing okay walking around town and Sugarcube Corner in that dress?”
She turned to me and smiled. “No. As you know I’m really shy, timid and don’t like to be out in the open with crowds. But this time around I’m fine since I have you with me.” She then tapped her hoof in thought. “I guess I feel more confident and sure of myself when you’re around.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I tend to have that effect on others.”
“Hi again, Sarius!” Pinkie bounced seemingly out of nowhere with a cupcake in her hoof. “How long has it been since we last saw each other?”
I looked at her as she shoved the cupcake in her mouth and swallowed it without chewing. “Only a few hours at least,” I answered.
“I know it’s such a long time, right?” She asked. Neither Fluttershy nor I could tell if she was seriously asking that kind of question.
“Maybe your perception of time is vastly different than everybody else,” I suggested.
“Maybe.” She turns away from me and starts staring at something else. “You on the other side of the screen, how are you all doing over there?” She asked seemingly no one.
“Pinkie! No Fourth Wall breaking.” I exclaimed.
Pinkie turned her attention back to me and simply giggled and smiled. “Oh, right. Sorry.” She sang out.
Fluttershy tilted her head in confusion as she looked at the walls of the establishment. “Fourth wall breaking? But the walls seem fine to me.” She said.
I waved my claw. “No, no. That’s not what I meant so don’t worry about it. It’s something only Pinkie Pie would understand for obvious reasons.” I said as Pinkie gave me the goofiest grin possible.
“Oh okay. Anyway Pinkie, I wanted to buy some snacks for Sarius and me later.” Fluttershy said.
“Okie Doki.” Pinkie said as she bounced around to the other side of the checkout counter. “So what would you two like?”
“I don’t really have a preference, whatever you recommend is fine,” I said.
“Same here. There’s a lot of things to choose from and I’ll take a long time to choose for me. So take your pick Pinkie.” Fluttershy agreed.
“Alrighty.” Pinkie, leaving a dust cloud of herself behind, ran across the store grabbing various things and placed them on the counter so fast the dust cloud didn’t disappear fully before she was back in the same spot. “And that’s how you divide by zero.” She said as if she was explaining something. I blinked from that trying to not think of what train of thought produced that result.
There were a couple of boxes on the counter now. “Um, I don’t think we need that much Pinkie. It’ll just be the two of us.” Fluttershy stated.
Pinkie looked at the stack. “Oh. You got a point.” Pinkie then moved the boxes around until there was only a small box on the counter. “How about these?”
Fluttershy opened the box and a dozen cookies were in it. “Oh, that’s perfect. We’ll take them.”
“Awesome! Here you go. That would be 5 bits, but since you two are on a very special date, it’s on the house.” Pinkie beamed.
“Thank you very much, Pinkie. You’re the best.”
Pinkie leaned over the counter to whisper to Fluttershy. “Just don’t go telling others ponies about this. They might come to get free samples as well and Mr. and Mrs. Cake will give me an earful.”
“We won’t,” I promised.
Pinkie pulled back and smiled. “Thank you. Now have fun, you two.” She said as she bounced away upstairs.
Fluttershy closed the box and picked it up but couldn’t figure out where to put it. “Oh no. I forgot my saddlebag and I don’t think you have one yet. So how are we gonna carry this?”
I chuckled. “I got it.” I took the box from her. I then focused my energy into two of my claws and pierced the fabric of space and time opening a small window to my family’s pocket dimension.
Fluttershy gasped in surprise not knowing I could do that as I leaned in the window to create a table to put the box of cookies on for now. Once they were secured I pulled out of the window and refocusing my energy I grasped the bottom of the hole and pulled up, basically zipping up the hole.
“What did you do?” Fluttershy asked bewildered.
“I used my energy to open a portal to a pocket dimension my siblings and I share. It’s something the three of us managed to create when we finally got power and combined our energy together.” I explained.
“Oh, that sounds very useful.”
I nodded. “It is.”
“Hey!” Pinkie suddenly poked her head from the top of the stairs and stared at us. “Did you do something weird or strange just now? Cause I just got a really different Pinkie Sense vibe. It was something I’ve never had before. Seemed like a mix of a Twitchy Tail, Twitchy knee, and Itchy Back at the same time.”
I looked at Fluttershy who spun her left hoof around in a circle like she was telling me to just roll with it. “Yeah, I opened a portal to the pocket dimension my siblings and I shared. That vibe you got must be the ability you gained when I unlocked your potential. You know the one that allowed you to sense if something not part of your world was nearby.” I explained.
“Oooooohhhhhhhhh! That makes sense. Now I know what it means when it happens again. Anyway, I’ll see you two later.” Pinkie then quickly left.
I turned to Fluttershy and she just giggled. “Come on, we still got a tour to finish.” Fluttershy and I then walked out of Sugarcube Corner.
She then took me further downtown. There wasn’t anything interesting or amazing about the area, it was simply the section of town that has the majority of places that sell things. Fluttershy made sure I knew which places sold what things so I wouldn’t wander around aimlessly later when I’m shopping. The next place Fluttershy took me to was the Goldenoak Library where Twilight and Spike live.
“I’m sure you know this place right?” Fluttershy asked, already knowing the answer.
“Yup. I’ve been here twice.” I stated.
“Sarius, Fluttershy?” Called Twilight from the balcony. “What are you two doing?” She asked leaning against the rail.
“I’m giving him a tour of Ponyville and then relaxing on the hill overlooking it,” Fluttershy answered.
“Or we’re on a date. Considering her attire.” I added.
Twilight looked at Fluttershy but couldn’t make out the dress. “A date? Hold on, I’ll be right down.”
Twilight galloped inside and half a minute later the door opened and she walked out with Spike at the door wondering what’s going on. Twilight immediately checked Fluttershy and studied the dress she was wearing.
“By Celestia. This dress actually looks amazing, Fluttershy. Did Rarity really make this?” Twilight asked slightly bewildered.
“Oh yes, she did. Sarius said she used her new power of Elemency to make the features you see work.” Fluttershy answered showing Twilight the earrings and letting her look closely at the straps and fire skirt.
Twilight took in every detail with a glee in her eyes. “I never thought it was possible to imbue elemental magic into clothing.”
“You can,” I started getting both of their attention. “I’ve been to places where clothes were created a certain way to help the wearer resist or be immune to various things, including the elements. But that kind of making is only possible with special materials and those who are familiar with the elements or status ailments and how they work. But this-'' I pointed to Fluttershy’s earrings and dress. “-is easier to pull off as it just requires someone knowledgeable in enchanting.”
Twilight and Fluttershy stared at me for a good minute, possibly to process what I said.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing. It’s just you seem to be very knowledgeable in a lot of things.” Twilight answered. “Heh, I almost keep forgetting you’re not a full dragon.”
I shrugged. “I get that a lot.”
“Well, I just think that’s a nice dress, Fluttershy. Especially since Rarity made it,” Spike said, giving his two cents.
“Thank you, Spike,” Fluttershy said with a slight blush.
“Anyway, we’re burning daylight. Shall we continue with the tour, Fluttershy?” I asked, trying to not sound impatient.
Fluttershy looked at me and nodded. “Of course.” She then turned to Twilight. “I’m sorry we have to leave so soon. But we are on a date.”
Twilight shook her head. “It’s okay, I understand. I was reading something when you showed up and needed to get back to it. You two just have fun.” Twilight said walking back in the tree home and waving before closing the door.
Fluttershy and I continued the tour. She showed me where the hospital was, which I knew but what I didn’t know was how far from my home it was. It was practically on the other side of the town. I must not have noticed how far I walked when I recovered due to being lost in my thoughts. Next was the uptown which was the residential area where most of the ponies of the town live. Not much else was to be seen aside from the farms and outer areas of Ponyville so Fluttershy led me eastward from the Town Hall.
After a couple of minutes of walking and crossing the train tracks, we came to a hill with a sawmill and a couple of houses. The sawmill looked like it was old and not used often and the homes looked old as well.
“Who lives here?” I asked.
Fluttershy frowned. “No pony. At least not for a long time I believe.” She then waved to the sawmill. “The sawmill is used every once and a while to cut some trees and since it’s very close to the tracks, the train would make a quick stop here to load the lumber.”
She then focused her attention on the train station nearby seemingly in thought. “I don’t know how long it’s been since the sawmill was last used.”
I looked from Fluttershy to the station and back to her then turning my attention to the abandoned homes. “How long has it been since these houses were abandoned?” I asked.
Fluttershy shrugged. “I don’t really know. A long time I believe.” She then pointed at the nearby hill. “That’s the hill I mentioned. Let’s go make ourselves comfortable.”
We walked to the hill and using my power I opened a portal to my shared pocket dimension again and pulled out the cookies and absorbed the energy I used to make the table before closing the portal again. Something told me Pinkie just got a Pinkie Sense alert again. Fluttershy took the cookies as we sat down together and made ourselves comfortable.
The hill gave us a perfect view of the entirety of Ponyville and Canterlot in the distance. Cloudsdale was hanging overhead as well. The wind was blowing just slightly, bringing a slight chill breeze past us. I closed my eyes and took in the smell and the feeling of the air, brushing past me. It wasn’t adrenaline-pumping when flying at Mach speeds but more relaxing and calm just imagining the wind blowing through my body and carrying the negative thoughts and emotions in me away.
I didn’t realize several minutes passed by and I looked asleep until I felt something warm press against my right arm. I opened my eyes and saw Fluttershy poking me with her left-wing. “Sarius?” She asked slightly worried
“That’s me,” I responded.
She tilted her head as she smiled. “Are you okay? You went very silent for several minutes.”
I nodded and smiled back. “More than okay. I feel very relaxed and calm right now.” I watched the ponies of Ponyville go about their businesses as I recalled the last time I had this feeling of peace and relaxation.
Fluttershy giggled, which made me think of Kalia’s giggle. No. Something told me that Fluttershy’s giggle didn’t sound similar to Kaila’s but my sister’s, Circe. It then dawned on me, Fluttershy and Circe had the same Energtris expertise for defense and healing. They also had similar personalities and eagerness to help in any way possible. Not to mention they both have a way with animals. Now in my mind, Fluttershy was being seen as a sister to me.
“I guess I picked a good spot then if you really feel that way,” Fluttershy said with a bit of pride.
“Yeah.” I closed my eyes again this time making sure not to lose myself in my head and simply listening to the wind and sounds of the town. “The sound of the wind is very calming. You should try closing your eyes for a bit so you can hear it.”
I didn’t know if Fluttershy closed her eyes so I opened mine a bit and looked at her. Her eyes were closed. “Oh my. It is very calming.” A gust of wind went by bringing a bit more cold than the others causing Fluttershy to shiver. “But it can be cold sometimes. Brr.”
I extended my right-wing and covered her with it and considering the size of my wings it was able to completely cover her from the neck to the flank. The contact of my warm wings made Fluttershy gasp in surprise but she mellowed out rather quickly and sighed happily.
“Is that better?” I asked.
She slowly opened her eyes to look me in the eyes with her sea-foam green orbs. “Much.” She then leaned closer to my face like she was about to kiss me. But instead of lip contact, she kissed my cheek. She and I blushed a bit from it. “T-thank you, Sarius.” She said a bit flustered.
“No problem Flutters.” I gave a warm smile.
“Flutters?” Fluttershy was a bit taken by that.
I tilted my head. “Yeah, I decided that’s my nickname for you. I can call you Fluttershy instead if you want.”
Fluttershy shook her head. “No need. It’s actually the same nickname Rainbow gave me.”
“Oh. I see.”
After that, we opened the box of cookies and shared them with each other as we just relaxed and enjoyed each other’s company for a long while. Once the cookies were eaten, Fluttershy decided to roll to her side to take a nap and accidentally pressed her body against mine. It was nothing suggestive as my side was to her back, she subconsciously moved closer to me for warmth, comfort, and safety.
Before she fell asleep though I decided to ask her what was on my mind for a couple of minutes. “Flutters. May I ask something?”
She sighed contently. “Sure, what is it?”
I thought of how Fluttershy had the perfect chance to kiss me square on the lips but she went for the cheek at the last second. “Why a kiss on the cheek? I wouldn’t have stopped you from an actual kiss.”
Fluttershy blushed slightly and sighed. “I… Don’t know. I wanted to but I had a sudden feeling kissing you would feel….. wrong I guess is the right word.”
I turned my head to her slightly confused. “Wrong. Why?”
She shook her head. “Again, I don’t know. For some reason, I’m starting to see you more as a…. brother, I guess.” She then looked at me. “I’m sorry. I’m being weird it seems.”
This time I shook my head. “Nah. To be honest, when I started thinking about it more carefully earlier. You remind me more of my sister, Circe than Kaila, and started viewing you as a sister.” I turned my attention back to the town. “Besides, nothing wrong with being weird. Everyone’s weird in their own way.” I chuckled.
Fluttershy giggled. “Yeah. You got a point. Anyway thanks for putting me at ease about it. I was worried I was ruining a relationship with that line of thought. But now I’m happy to be considered a sister to you.” I could sense her smile.
I smiled with her knowing somehow she sensed my smile as well. “And I’m happy to be considered a brother to you.”
Fluttershy then yawned and not a half a minute later she fell asleep. I laid my head down on the soft grass with my head turned to have her in my sight. I decided I’ll take a quick nap too and closed my eyes.
After an hour I opened my eyes, now had enough rest to cover for the entire night and possibly the next day. I was sure Luna would want to spend the entire night with me. I just took in the sight of everything in front of me, from the ponies going about their lives to places far on the horizon that are either unexplored or I haven’t seen. Using my Dragon Sight, I took in as much detail of the surrounding lands as possible and made a mental note about them. When my sight shifted to Canterlot, I looked toward the castle itself. I didn’t know where Celestia or Luna’s rooms were so I just scanned the entire castle, if only to identify its structural makeup. That’s when I caught a glimpse of Celestia and Luna in a room doing something. Even with my Dragon Sight, I couldn’t see that much. I assumed Luna had asked Celestia to help with something
So I turned my attention more left as far as my head could turn. I could faintly see the Crystal Castle in the far distance. I started wondering what Shining Armor and Cadence were up to. I finally directed my attention more to the east. Aside from the Everfree Forest, which was still sending chills down my spine, I could barely make out another town that was a long way out and a very large canyon or mountain pass on the horizon.
I then sat in silence for a while just listening to a combination of the wind and Fluttershy’s breathing. The last time I felt this relaxed and calm was during a peaceful moment with Kaila. But the moment was done when Fluttershy started waking up.
She slowly opened her eyes and let out a yawn. “Feeling rested now?” I asked.
She rubbed her eyes and smiled. “Oh yes, thank you.” She yawned again. “How long was I out?”
“An hour at least.”
She was somewhat surprised by that. “Really? Well, I guess I was really comfortable and warm.” She then looked me in the eyes. I could see the trust and love she has for me as well as her feeling of safety when I’m around. “But as much I hate to put a stop to this, you need to prepare for your date with Princess Luna.”
“I guess you have a point.” Fluttershy and I got up and stretched out our limbs from sitting for so long. “Let’s head back then.” We then made our slow walk back to Fluttershy’s cottage.
“So how is our relationship gonna progress from here, Sarius?” Fluttershy asked as soon as we entered the town.
“If we’ve decided to see each other as mutual brother and sister then we’ll just become closer together as a family rather than lovers. That being said, having a love for each other is alright. It’ll just have to be more family love than lovers’ love.” I explained
“I see.” She replied, sounding a bit disappointed.
“You didn’t strike out,” I stated, getting her attention. “I know at the start you wanted to be in a lover’s relationship with me because I did too. But the fact we chose a different relationship doesn’t mean you struck out.”
Fluttershy looked at me with confusion in her eyes. “Let me put it this way; you wanted to love me as much as I wanted to love you right?” She nodded. “Well, even though we’re not lovers, we can still share our love for each other in another way. I mean our love for each other must have changed during the time we spent together. Our love for each other doesn’t have to be lost, just changed.” I tried to explain.
Fluttershy tilted her head slightly. “So what are you trying to say?” She asked, wanting me to get to the point without being rude.
“I already said it. Instead of loving each other as a couple would, we love each other as siblings would. Family’s Love not actual love, though both still basically are love just different in application. You get it now?” I asked, worried I would have to explain it more. Thankfully I didn’t.
She nodded and smiled again. “Yeah, I’m sure I do now.” She then giggled. “Love really is difficult to explain isn’t it?”
I chuckled. “It is. It makes you wonder how Cadence explains it seeing as she’s the Princess of Love.”
Fluttershy laughed a bit. This was the first time I heard her laugh, even if it was a small laugh. It always warms my heart knowing I can make others laugh. I had that in common with Pinkie.
Without realizing it, Fluttershy and I made it to her cottage and we stopped at her front door. “Well, we’re here. I guess I’ll see you later.” I turn to walk back to my mansion when Fluttershy stops me by placing her hoof on my arm.
“Wait. I-” She said, starting to blush a bit and getting nervous. “I want to try something real quick. If you don’t mind.”
“I-I don’t.” I was getting a bit nervous myself now as I turned back to her.
A couple of seconds went by as Fluttershy looked like she was mentally preparing herself. She then started leaning in close to me, slowly closing the gap between us. My heart started beating a bit faster realizing where this was going. Our lips were mere inches apart as she stopped. Something must have been trying to stop her from closing the distance. I pondered on the thought of closing the gap for her but decided against it since I wanted her to finish the deed on her terms.
She took a deep breath, which was warm against my snout and smelled of the chocolate chip from the cookies earlier, closed her eyes, and finally closed the gap. As our lips pressed against each other a warm sensation went through me but was quickly followed by a distaste. Fluttershy must have felt the same thing since she opened her eyes and broke contact after barely two seconds.
She rubbed her lips, almost questioning her decision. “Yeah. I thought so. It just felt weird and slightly wrong.” She then looked at me. “What about you?”
“More or less the same. Though if I had to be honest, I-” I started looking away in embarrassment. “-had kissed my actual sister before, by accident.” I could feel an embarrassed blush coming in.
Fluttershy was taken aback by this. “Really?”
I lowered my head. “Yeah. My sister and I had the same reaction too.”
“Well, I’m sorry I reminded you of that. Anyway-” She then stepped forward and hugged me with her hooves and wings. “-thank you for the lovely time we spent. I am kinda sad my love for you was simply sibling love but I am happy for you and Princess Luna.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I’m sure she’ll be happy that her competition threw the bout.”
Fluttershy laughed as she pulled away from me. “I am also happy that our love for each other won’t be wasted.”
“Well, it also means there’s more love for Chrysalis,” I added.
“True. You take care of her, okay?”
“Of course.” I then turned ready to walk back. “Anyway see you later, Flutters.”
“Yes. Later.” Fluttershy repeated as I started walking back to my mansion.
At the mansion, Dusty had to answer the door since a delivery was being made. Dusty nervously allowed the mover ponies to move various furniture from a carriage to a nearby room. After about an hour the bedroom was all furnished and ready for a new occupant.
“I apologize for our intrusion, but for now we have no means of informing the homeowner of these deliveries.” The stallion, who was at the front door said before taking a quick look around. “Where is he by the way?”
Dusty was starting to sweat just a bit. “He’s uh... Out… on a lunch date.”
“Oh really? He just moved to Ponyville and he’s already dating somepony. Hah, lucky dragon.” The stallion smiled. “Any idea when he’ll be back?”
“I don’t, to be honest.”
“I see.” The stallion then took a clipboard from another stallion standing next to him. “Well, we need a signature clarifying that we made a delivery and changes today. Just so we don’t accidentally make this delivery again.”
Dusty stared at the clipboard like it was infected. She was worried if she signed this, her hoof writing would be recognized by the princesses if they read it.
“Is something wrong?” The stallion asked, obviously concerned.
Dusty was fearing the worst, when she took the quill provided in her magic and about to sign when Sarius walked through the front door, slightly confused.
“What did I miss?” He asked.
“Ah. There you are.” The stallion said, turning to him. “We need a signature saying we furnished a room for you.”
Sarius nodded, walked over to Dusty, and placed a reassuring claw on her left shoulder. He grabbed the quill as Dusty turned her magic off. Sarius didn’t hesitate to sign the paper.
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you and Celestia for doing this for me.” Sarius insisted.
The stallion smiled. “Very well then. We’ll try to notify you or this mare when we’re furnishing another room.” The stallion then looked at Dusty. “What’s your name, by the way?”
“Dusty Homage.”
The stallion then wrote down that name on the paper. “I’ll make sure to add you as a tenant. Alright, we’re done here. Hopefully, you’ll be home next time, Sarius.”
“Yeah, hopefully.” He replied.
The stallion waved his hoof farewell and everypony left. Once the door was closed, Dusty sighed like she was holding in the air for a long while. “Jeez. How much more anxiety and scares am I gonna have to endure before I’m redeemed?”
Sarius shrugged. “Don’t know. It might be a while. Just try to hang in there okay.”
“And you mentioned Celestia. Is she helping with furnishing the mansion?” Dusty was somewhat reluctant to know the answer.
“Sort of. She helped build the mansion and put orders in for the furnishing. But I don’t think she’s in charge of making sure the furnishing happens.” Sarius answered.
“But would she have gotten the paper?”
Sarius shrugged again. “Don’t know. Maybe.”
Dusty started sweating from the thought of Celestia reading the paper and recognizing her hoof writing.
“I’m really sorry,” Sarius said out of nowhere.
Dusty looked at him confused. “Sorry for what?”
“For taking you in, trying to protect you and keep you safe. I didn’t think it would be very hard for you to keep yourself composed. So I’m sorry for that.” Sarius sounded sad and guilty like he was to blame.
Dusty lifted one of her hooves up and hit the wooden floor to make a sound for getting his attention but not to damage the floor, which did work. “Listen to me. Don’t blame yourself for being kind and caring. It’s only natural I would be like this when I did something bad and now living close to the ponies that were involved. I knew I was gonna be a literal nervous wreck for a long while when I accepted your offer.”
Dusty looked down at the floor for a second before shifting her gaze to Sarius’ eyes. “But, as long as you and Fluttershy are willing to help me redeem myself then I shouldn’t have anything to fear. I just have to accept this is my punishment for letting myself lose control.” Dusty then smiled. “Afterall, how can I be a great queen if I don’t learn from my mistakes?”
Sarius smiled back. “Alright. Though I’ve been told quite a number of times that I’m too kind and caring.”
Dusty shook her head. “Maybe so, but I would say that’s one of the best parts of you. I even bet Luna and Fluttershy would agree.”
Sarius didn’t respond but it seemed like there was no need to. He looked through one of the many windows of the mansion at the sunset. “Luna will be coming soon for our date.”
“I know. I’ll be alright as long as you’re here.” Dusty replied without any need to think about it.
“I’ll step in the shower real quick to rinse myself off. Luna might get a bit biased if she can sense or even smell Fluttershy on me without realizing it.” Sarius began walking to the master bedroom.
“But I thought they worked it out,”
Sarius stopped at the top of the stairs and turned his head to her. “Hence why I said, without realizing it. Trust me, I watched enough harem anime to know the involved party never comes to terms with each other right away.”
Dusty turned to look at Sarius utterly confused and raised an eyebrow. “What in Equestria is an anime?”
Sarius’ only response is continuing his walk to his room with the face of someone who said the stupidest thing.
I listened to the sound of the running hot water for what seemed like several minutes, mostly thinking I should be beating myself over mentioning anime but instead understanding I was clearing suspicion. The remaining part of me was simply enjoying the hot water running down my body.
Trying to remove traces of Fluttershy’s scent and presence on me was harder than expected. I had to use a combination of wind, water, and slight traces of fire to ensure it was wiped away, and being accustomed to her obviously made it take longer. Once I was comfortable with the results I shut off the water.
I stepped out of the shower and using wind, dried myself off especially in the creases of my scales. Feeling an average temperature breeze on what was essentially my literal skin under the scales made me miss the wind I felt when I was human. A normal breeze couldn’t move through my scales as precisely as controlling it can.
Once I felt I was properly dried off, I stepped out of the bathroom and into the master bedroom. I looked out the window to see the sun had nearly vanished over the horizon. “It’s almost time,” I said to myself.
I checked myself in the mirror that was in my room. The family pendant was around my neck and all the wounds I sustained since the time I arrived in this world were healed. Despite that fact, I knew where all the new wounds were. It still bothered me that there was a creature that could negate my regeneration and power.
I wasn’t dressed for the date but to me, there was no need. Wearing anything while I was in my dragon form would just ruin the majestic and amazing sight. I always had a fascination with dragons and any creatures/beings of supernatural or unexplained origins. Or simply just a fascination with the unknown and what most normal individuals fear.
I started wondering if Luna was gonna dress up but I quickly pushed that thought out. I didn’t want the surprise to be ruined for me. Seeing no reason to keep staring at the mirror I left the room and went downstairs. I looked outside again and the moon was over the opposite horizon now so I decided to wait for a couple of minutes.
After about 5 minutes a gentle knock was heard from the front door. Dusty, who was in her newly furnished room, opened the door to see who it was as I opened the front door. I was expecting to see Luna but to my surprise, it was her sister instead, with her usual warm smile.
“Good evening, Sarius. I know I’m not who you expected but I come on her behalf.” Celestia said with a slight bow. “Luna has suggested your date with her be in Canterlot.”
“A date in Canterlot huh? I have no objections.”
Celestia nodded. “That’s good. Shall we be off now? My sister is eagerly waiting for you.”
I turned to Dusty who smiled and motioned with her hoof as if to say; ‘Go on. Have fun’.
I looked back at Celestia. “Sure, let’s not waste a single second.”
Celestia’s smile returned as her horn ignited and with a flash, we were in front of Canterlot Castle. I blinked a couple times feeling my blood run a bit faster.
“I’ll admit, being teleported like that by someone else is quite the rush,” I said, just speaking straight from my mind.
Celestia frowned. “My apologies. I should have let you know I was teleporting us.”
I shook my head to get my brain working right. “No, don’t take what I say too seriously. I tend to say what’s on my mind without thinking it through on occasion.”
“Oh, I see.” Celestia stopped frowning.
“Anyway, where’s Luna?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
“She should be coming out right about now,” Celestia said looking at the starry sky.
I looked to where she was looking only to see nothing. I kept looking for a whole minute just to make sure but still nothing.
“Okay. Where is she really, Celestia?”
“I’m right here, Sir Sarius.” Luna’s voice replied.
I diverted my gaze to the source of her voice and my eyes widened at the sight as a sharp gasp fled through my maw.
Luna’s appearance was beyond my expectations. The soft black with streaks of silver and dark blue made it hard to tell she was wearing a dress. The flank part of the dress had a silver moon and stars that mimicked her cutie mark. The dress was a bit loose to allow her body to breathe I assumed. The skirt lowered close to the ground, barely touching it. A silver necklace with shapes that resemble the phases of the moon lined the outer part of the necklace. Her earrings were a couple of silvery stars. But what got my attention the most was her mane. The usual starry and black flowing mane and tail was now just a long straight light blue mane neatly brushed as was her tail.
My heart skipped a beat for the first time in a long time. “Now, I know the night sky is quite the sight but please try to keep your attention on me,” Luna said with a giggle.
My brain literally shut down and rebooted.
“So how do I look, Sir Sarius?” She asked, most likely hoping I didn’t pass out standing up. I kinda did, unfortunately, but only for a minute.
The smile I gave was the same I gave to Kaila on our first date when she also looked too beautiful for words. My heart skipped a beat then too. “Literally beyond words, Luna. You made my heart skip a beat from how beautiful you look.” I said feeling a blush coming on.
Her face also turned red from my compliment as she started feeling flabbergasted. “O-oh. I-I don’t know how to respond to that, Sir Sarius.” She said, almost struggling with the words.
“There’s no need. Also, you’ll need to drop the Sir for the entire night okay?” I said, wanting her to feel comfortable and less formal.
“O-okay. I’ll try my best, Sir-” She stopped herself and cleared her throat. “-I mean, I’ll try my best, Sarius.” She smiled.
I chuckled. “We’ll work on it.”
Celestia giggled. “See, Lulu. I told you, he’d love it.”
Luna pouted. “Don’t call me that in public, sister.”
Celestia smiled. “Sorry, it slipped out.” She said, playfully winking and sticking her tongue out.
Luna simply groans at the gesture.
“Anyway, try to be patient with her, Sarius. My sister, unfortunately, doesn’t get out much and just tends to her nightly duties every night. So for tonight at least, I’ll be doing them for her so she can just enjoy herself.”
“Understood. I may not be known for my patience but I’m a lot more patient than most tend to believe.” I said this mostly trying to reassure myself that part of me has changed.
Luna walked up to me, wrapped her right-wing around my left forearm, and smiled causing me to blush a bit more. I assumed what she was doing was the equivalent of holding a lover’s arm. “Then let us be off already!” She said barely trying to contain her excitement now.
Not wanting to wait for my reply, Luna started trotting into Canterlot and practically pulling me with her for a bit before I started walking at her speed.
“You have quite the strength to be able to pull me with just your wing, Luna,” I say as we started walking beside each other and finally slowing down.
Luna looked at me as if trying to figure out if she should take what I said as a question or a compliment.
“It was an observation, Luna. Though you should take it as a compliment. It is rare to see anyone pull me around so easily.” I tried reassuring her, but somehow it didn’t sound quite right regardless.
“I see.” Luna must have decided to brush the entire conversation off. “Anyway, do you mind if I ask how your date with Fluttershy went?”
Luna’s voice had a hint of jealousy and dislike when she spoke Fluttershy’s name. I know she doesn’t mean it but it still makes her beautiful and gorgeous appearance wane a bit with the negativity.
“I'd rather not say right now,” I answered simply.
Luna frowned and seemed a bit angry. “And why not?” She asked, trying to keep her voice from sounding annoyed.
I sighed. “Because I don’t want to right now.”
Luna scowled at me. “Are you thinking of choosing her over me?!” The anger was starting to be heard.
I returned her scowl and question with an annoyed expression. “And what part of what I said gave you that impression? I simply don’t want to answer right now. So I’ll answer it later.”
Luna’s scowl turned to a pout. “But why?”
I turned to her. “Because I don’t want that to be in our thoughts during our date. ” Luna’s eyes widened at the realization. “You get it, now?” I smiled. “I want us to enjoy this date to the fullest. Now push that question to the back of your mind. I promise I’ll answer it later when the time is right.”
Luna looked into my eyes for a minute and her smile returned. “Very well, Sarius. Allow me to take the lead then. I know exactly what I want to do first.”
She took me to a diner that seemed to serve Italian dishes though I knew better than to think it’s Italian in this world. The smell and aroma of various pasta, pizzas, and cuisine were enough to make me drool a bit. The interior also seemed typical for an Italian diner.
The host was an average-sized stallion with light grayish navy hair and a light vivid green coat color. He smiled as Luna approached the counter.
“Good evening. How many are we serving tonight?”
Luna smirked like she had the upper hand on her foe. “I actually sent a request for a reservation for two tonight. Surely you have gotten it?”
The stallion raised an eyebrow. “I’ll check.” He ducked behind the counter and sounds of rummaging paper were heard. He stood back up as he placed a letter with the royal seal on the counter. “Would this be it?”
Luna closed her eyes and puffed out her chest almost like she achieved a victory which made me tilt my head in slight confusion. “Why yes, it is. If you have it then you must have read it.”
The stallion with his eyebrow still raised looked from the alicorn to the mail and back again. “Uh, sure. Though I’ve never heard of somepony having a guard send a reservation. Plus the way it was written was kinda weird.”
Luna opened her eyes and looked at the stallion with confusion. “Weird you say? How is my hoof writing weird?”
The stallion pursed his lips. “Uh, it seemed like it was written in old ponish, I guess? I’m afraid I’m not too familiar with Equestria’s history so I may be wrong.”
Luna blinked. “Oh. I see.” She cleared her throat. “I apologize. I am still trying to, as the ponies would say, ‘kick the habit’ of speaking in old ponish. Seems I’ll have to work on my writing as well.”
“Right.” The stallion eyed her up and down as if he was now examining her. “But, how do I know you’re Princess Luna?”
Luna looked at him like she was insulted. “What do you mean? I am Princess Luna. Princess of the Night and sister to Celestia. Who else could I possibly be?”
The stallion frowned and shrugged. “A customer trying to use the name of royalty to get in and have a free dinner.”
If Luna wasn’t insulted by the stallion’s identity question, she certainly was after being accused of trying to falsely use her name and status as a princess. “How dare thee try to accuse us of falsely being thyself!” Luna’s eyes started glowing as her horn sparked to life. “Shall we give thee a demonstration of thy power?” Luna threatened nearing Royal Canterlot voice levels.
The stallion’s eyes being dots as he and everypony else in the diner started watching in horror. The magical aura around Luna was intense and seemed to make the very air itself crackle with magic energy. Even the ponies outside the diner were now watching and fearing for their lives.
I sighed and walked up to Luna’s right side. I placed a claw on her shoulder. “Luna, chill out. I do not want you starting our first date by blowing up a diner over a simple identity check.”
Mentioning our date was enough to make Luna cease her magic power up and look at me with a guilty and ashamed look. “F-forgive me. The last thing I want to do is ruin our first date.” She lowered her head as the air started to settle down.
I took my claw and lifted her head back up by the chin and smiled. “You’re forgiven. Now let me handle this.”
I walked to the counter as the host looked at me with fear still in his eyes. I assured myself he wasn’t scared of me but Luna, though he most likely was more nervous now cause I was a dragon.
“I deeply apologize for her actions. May I read the letter?” I asked politely and softly, trying to remove the tension in the air.
“S-sure. Knock yourself out.” He said trying to sound calm, which didn’t work.
I picked up the letter, opened and unfolded it, and read it. The letter was in fact written in old ponish, if I didn’t already understand the differences between Shakespearean and English words it would have taken me several minutes just to swap out the words in my head. It was pretty much a request to reserve a table for two before the moon was raised as Luna said. Luna even ended the letter with her name.
I looked up from the paper and at Luna. Aside from recently seeing her getting angry and trying to nuke the diner, it didn’t diminish her beautiful and otherworldly appearance in the attire. I took a minute to see Luna as the host would. Her mane and tail were different, the usual royal attire was nowhere to be seen, her cutie mark was being covered up and her wings seemed to blend in with her dress. I folded the letter back up and placed it on the counter.
“I think I see the problem,” I say to myself.
Luna raised an eyebrow since I was looking at her. “What kind of problem?”
I walked past her and did something I would never do unless it was necessary, which in this case was necessary. I lifted up her skirt so her cutie mark was able to be seen by the host. This action caused Luna to yelp and blush madly which caused her wings to unfold and reach their full wingspan.
“What are thou doing?! This is hardly the time nor place for this, Trusdale!” Luna shouted, flustered. Though I had a suspicion she didn’t have a problem with this, which I tried to push out of my mind.
I looked at the host who was now blushing and standing mouth agape. This must have been possibly the most eventful evening he’s had since he started working as a host. Going from normal to scared and now speechless in a matter of minutes.
“So, is this enough to convince you she’s Princess Luna? I mean how many Alicorns do you know?” I asked pretty sure of myself.
The host seemed to have lost his ability to speak for a good minute before forcing a smile. “Yeah, I’m convinced. I-I’ll take you two to your table now.” He walked out from behind the counter taking two menus with him.
I lowered the skirt then me and a still flustered Luna followed him to our table. “E-enjoy your time and dinner here.” He quickly left once he put the menus on the table.
I pulled out one of the chairs for Luna to sit in, she quickly sat in it and didn’t say thank you. I didn’t mind since I knew she was embarrassed by my actions. I then sat down in my chair.
The other ponies in the diner were taking occasional glances at Luna and me. Her outburst followed by my skirt lifting really made an impression. It was safe to say we would be getting unwanted attention for a while but I know it will go away rather quickly.
The atmosphere between Luna and I was beginning to get awkward and tense, so I decided I needed to say something. “I apologize for what I did.” This got her attention as she went from looking at the table to me. “I thought the best way to confirm your identity was to show your cutie mark and wings. I also wanted to help defuse the tense situation. The last thing I wanted to do was embarrass you in front of your subjects.”
Luna seemed to hang on every word. After a minute of silence, she smiled warmly. “You’re forgiven, Sarius. I understood your motive but despite my status and being, I’m still a mare. Having my skirt lifted like that triggered a natural reaction. Nothing more.” She used her magic to pick up the menu. “So I would naturally get embarrassed. Although, I must admit…” She paused for a few seconds and she started blushing as she brushed a hoof over her forearm. “...I kinda enjoyed it since it was you.”
I started blushing and my pupils grew a bit smaller. My suspicion was correct, even though I hoped it wasn’t and the gesture made her look cute. I took a deep breath to try and keep my composure. “Well, I’m happy to hear that. But let’s try to keep the naughty stuff to a minimum. This is our first date after all.”
Luna opened the menu with her magic while I opened mine. “Of course.”
A waitress then walked over. Her coat was Bilbao and her mane was pale blue. “Good evening, I’m Dew Charm and I’ll be your waitress. What would you two like to drink?”
Luna lowered the menu to look Dew in the eyes. “I’d love to have some coffee.”
Dew took out an order pad and a pencil and somehow wrote down on the paper with the pencil in her mouth. She then looked at me, waiting for my order. I was so baffled by what she did, I almost forgot to give her my order.
“Sweet Tea for me.” She again wrote on the paper which was still baffling me. She then put the pencil and pad away.
“Alright, I’ll be back with your drinks.” She then left for the kitchen.
I just stared at the general direction of the kitchen trying to figure out how she wrote with her mouth. I kept staring as Dew came out with a cup of coffee and a glass of tea balanced on a tray and over to our table. She places the cup and glass on the table and gets uneasy from my staring.
“Um, is everything okay?” She asked.
I finally realized what I was doing, blinked, and shook my head. “Yeah, sorry. Just trying to figure out how you wrote with your mouth.”
Dew stared at me like I asked a silly question while Luna understood the reason since she knows I’m from another dimension entirely. “My date here, Sarius, isn’t from Equestria. So it’s actually unusual for him to see how we do things. Please forgive him for staring.” Luna said politely.
Dew looked at Luna surprised and back at me. “I see. You’re forgiven. So where are you from then?” Dew asked.
I was reluctant about answering that question cause I knew what the natural responses would be. Either laugh it off thinking I’m telling a terrible joke or just saying I’m crazy or have an incredible imagination. Very few believe such a thing right away.
Thankfully Luna spoke up. “Where he is from is irrelevant, I’m afraid. Now, Sarius,” I turned my attention to her. “What will you be having? I’m having a hard time deciding.”
Dew didn’t seem happy about her question going unanswered, but she knew best not to push. Especially if the Princess herself says it’s irrelevant. She pulled out the pad and was waiting for our order.
I looked at the menu and quickly glanced over it. Only one thing got my attention as it naturally would. “I will have a large extra cheese pizza with…” I paused and thought of the various toppings I could have, only to remember the ponies don’t eat or serve meat. One thing did pop into my head though, “Green peppers on it.”
Dew wrote it down, which is still baffling me and she then looked at Luna. Luna looked like she was getting stressed out. She just closed the menu and sighed deeply. “I can’t decide. Sarius, do you mind sharing half the pizza with me?”
I was slightly taken aback by that. I nodded. “Sure, I don’t mind.”
Luna closed her eyes, clapped her front hooves together, and smiled. “Oh, thank you, sweetie.”
The endearment caught me off guard as I blushed. “N-no problem,” I replied, feeling conflicted about whether or not I should return the endearment.
Luna giggled, which made my heart skip a beat, and Dew was feeling a little awkward from this. She put the pad and pencil away. “Will that be all?” She asked, wanting to make sure she got everything.
Luna’s eyes opened like she got an idea suddenly. “Actually, is it possible to make this a bit more romantic?” My pupils shrunk knowing full well what she was trying to do. “Like maybe some scented candles, a musician for a jazzy feel. Oh, and can we dim the-”
“There’s no need for any of that!” I shouted, cutting off Luna, who was surprised. “Just the pizza, Dew. Just the pizza.” I tried my best to keep calm but my small chuckle gave away that I was getting a bit flustered.
“O-of course. I’ll go inform the chef.” Dew tried to casually trot back to the kitchen but failed just a bit.
I sighed trying to relax while Luna simply pouted at me. “Why would you interpret my request? I wanted to have a romantic evening with you.”
I looked Luna in the eyes feeling slightly guilty. “You will and I promise, we will have a romantic dinner eventually. But right now, let’s at least get to know each other a bit better and enjoy our time together.”
Luna tilted her head in confusion. “But don’t we already know enough about each other? I know plenty about you from your uncle and you most likely know about me from my sister and the Bearers of Harmony. What else is there to know about?”
I looked at her dumbfounded and slapped my forehead with a claw. This action made Luna even more confused. “There’s a lot to know about, Luna. You and I know the other’s history, but I’m referring to more personal things. For example, pizza is my favorite food, orange is my favorite color with sky blue being the second favorite. And more importantly, I’ve trained under a lot of dragons.”
Luna perked up at the sound of the last bit. “You have? How many?”
I tapped my chin in deep thought. I never thought to keep track of how many I trained with. “Hard to say. More than 20 at the least, that much I can say.” Luna was astonished. “Although, quite a few were fire dragons. More than I actually needed. I practically learned everything there is to learn about the elements of Fire, Lava, and Heat. I’ve even become immune to any forms of fire, lava, and heat. I would need to be exposed to the core of the sun for a whole minute before I start to feel something.” I was proud of that fact, but not of training under so many fire dragons.
Luna’s eyes showed she was very intrigued. “I see. That’s quite amazing, dear Sarius.” Luna then gave me a confused look. “Though I must ask. If it truly takes a whole minute before the heat of the sun’s core can affect you, why did you avoid my sister’s fire attacks?”
“Simple, natural instinct. I tend to rely on my instincts 80% of the time in combat against powerful opponents. I usually keep control of my actions, but you two weren’t willing to give me a second so my natural instincts took over for me.” I recalled the spar. “I will admit, Celestia’s flames were far hotter and more powerful than I’m used to. When she engulfed me in that flame pillar, it didn’t take 5 seconds before I felt the heat of the attack. I guess that proves her title of Princess of the Sun isn’t an exaggeration.”
Luna laughed. “Indeed. The same goes for my title, Sarius. There is a legend that says I’m capable of crashing the moon onto Equestria and well. It’s no exaggeration either.” The fact she straight up admitted that got me concerned for life on the planet. Luna must have sensed it cause she playfully winked at me. “Don’t worry. I would never do that. I love my subjects, my sister, and Equestria. There’s no part of me that would even think about destroying all that, not even Nightmare Moon.”
Luna’s mood took a drop after mentioning Nightmare Moon. “Don’t let that get you down, Luna.” She just looked at me, I gave her a smile. “If you ask me, I have a feeling that Nightmare Moon to you is what Kasulis is to me. Kasulis is exactly like me, only darker and less worried or afraid of getting his claws dirty if needed. Sure his methods can be questionable, but he has good intentions. Besides,” I maneuvered my tail carefully so I can effectively tickle Luna. It seemed to work as Luna started giggling and smiling. “We’re on a date. So cheer up.”
After a couple of seconds of tickling her, I decided I would spare her of any more tickle torture. Luna tried really hard not to laugh cause it would have been a bit loud, but she giggled enough to the point she started crying. She took a minute to recompose herself after I retracted my tail.
Once she settled her breathing, she returned a genuine smile. “Very well. I will try at least.”
“Oh, I’ll make sure you’re in an upbeat mood if you slip up.” I lifted my tail tip in front of me and wiggled it with a malicious smirk on my face.
Luna shook her head trying to not blush. “No please, Sarius. While I did enjoy it, I rather not be tickled in public. There will be no more need for tickling tonight.”
I lowered my tail and let it flop on the floor. “Alright, I promise I’ll try to restrain myself for tonight.” I chuckled while Luna giggled.
Luna then noticed her coffee cup. “Oh, I almost forgot about that.” She used her magic to levitate a packet of sugar, open it, and poured the contents into the cup. She then levitated a spoon and stirred the coffee. After stirring a few times, she took a quick sip.
“Hmm. Needs a bit more sugar.” She repeated the process again and took a quick sip. She smiled when she was content. “That’s good.” She placed the cup back on the saucer it came on.
Seeing her do that made me decide to check my tea. I took a quick sip from the glass. It was only slightly sweet, which caused my left eye to twitch. I disliked the fact that individuals occasionally don’t serve me sweetened tea.
I took two claw tips and poked the surface of the tea. Using my knowledge of controlling water or any liquid, I took the entire contents of the glass and formed an orb of tea in front of me. I reached for the packets of sugar and took a couple. One by one, I opened them and poured them into the liquid orb. The sugar particles were visible in the tea for a couple of seconds. I moved my right index claw tip in a circle to spin the orb and stir the sugar in it. I stuck my snake-like tongue out and softly licked the orb. Still wasn’t as sweet as I wanted it. I repeated the process again. It was almost there. I took one more packet and repeated the process one more time. It was just right now.
Satisfied with the tea, I carefully poured the orb back into the glass. I looked at Luna to see she was very intrigued about my water control and not at all surprised. “You don’t seem surprised.”
Luna raised an eyebrow at me. “Why would I be? I’ve already seen-” Luna stopped herself before she accidentally mentioned that she saw Sarius in her shower.
I tilted my head in confusion. “Seen what already?”
Luna started blushing from recalling the memory. She shook her head. “Forget I said that. What I meant to say was, you just mentioned training under dragons so I assume some were able to utilize the Water element.”
“Yeah…” I replied not really content with her dodging the question. “Though personally, controlling the water wasn’t that impressive.”
Luna stared into my eyes with disbelief. “Are you jesting? I have seen only a hoofful of unicorns manage what you did.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Really? Here I thought levitation was a simple spell.”
Luna scoffed. “Sure, while most unicorns are capable of basic levitation, or just picking stuff up and moving it around. That is only with solid objects. But levitating liquids is an entirely different story. That’s considered a master level spell. Levitating and keeping the shape of the liquid without any of it spilling is incredibly difficult and requires knowledge of how liquids work.”
“Huh.” I wasn’t keen on learning about magic, since I don’t have any magical potential. But that wouldn’t stop me from being interested in how it works. “So I assume most unicorns don’t have a lot of magic to wield?”
Luna blinked. “What do you mean exactly?”
I looked up, down, then to the side trying to think of how to phrase it. “In terms of being combat ready. I assume that most unicorns don’t have enough magic to perform combat duties?”
“Oh.” Luna looked down. “Well, you’re not wrong. But it’s just that there's barely any conflict in Equestria. So the citizens don’t have to do any kind of training preparations.” Her eyelids close half-way. “Though now that I said that, I can’t help but fear for my subjects when a crisis strikes.”
I looked down at my plate and for a moment I wondered, how long till the pizza was ready. Not even a second after that thought, Dew came back carrying the steaming pizza, fresh from the oven it seemed. “Here you go. Enjoy.” Dew walked off as quickly as she arrived.
Luna looked in awe at the pizza. I noticed it was cut into 8 slices, and the green peppers didn’t completely coat the pizza. I grabbed a slice close to me and took a bite and it tasted delicious. Luna levitated a slice of her own to her mouth and took a bite. She smiled as she chewed.
“That’s good.”
“It is. This is why pizza is my favorite, though it doesn’t taste the same without meat.” Luna looked at me, and so did a few other ponies. “But I can do without it. I’m not gonna eat anypony jeez.” I pouted. The other ponies turned back to their meals.
“Relax Sarius. They are just not used to seeing dragons. Don’t take it personally.”
I sigh and take another bite. “I’m aware, Luna. Still doesn’t change the fact I dislike others watching me like I’m a monster that could go berserk at any moment.” I glanced over to the side and locked eyes with a pony looking at me from the corner of their eyes. They quickly avert their gaze as a small drop of sweat slowly goes down their face.
“You just have to give them a reason to not fear you, Sarius.” Luna said, trying to comfort me.
“Anyway, you don’t have to worry about your subjects.” I stated, bringing the topic to an earlier one.
“Worry about what?”
“That your subjects are not prepared for a crisis. If ponies are anything like humans then when a crisis happens, they’ll come together and do their best to protect and help each other, all for survival. You might end up surprised when you see your subjects do things you wouldn’t think they’d be capable of.”
Luna looks me in the eyes, I can see there is some hopefulness in her eyes. “How can you be so certain?”
“I’ve seen it before. Trust me.”
“I’ll… take your word for it.”
We then ate our shared pizza in awkward silence, or perhaps it was a necessary silence seeing as we needed to eat the pizza before it gets cold. All I knew was I didn’t like silence lingering for too long. I took a glance at Luna for a second then back at my plate.
I started to recall the training I received from the dragons and ended up mumbling to myself without realizing. “8. 5. 3. 4. 3. 2. 1. 1. 4.”
I saw Luna’s ears flick slightly out the corner of my eye. “Pardon?”
I had a piece of a pizza slice in my mouth when she asked that. I looked at her. “Hmm?”
“I heard you mumble something. It sounded like numbers.”
I swallowed the piece. “Yes, it was numbers.”
Luna tilted her head slightly. “What do they mean, if I may ask?”
I may not have thought to keep track of how many dragons I trained under, but it didn’t mean my mind wasn’t keeping track of it subconsciously. “8 fire dragons, 5 water dragons, 3 lightning dragons, 4 earth dragons, 3 ice dragons, 2 poison dragons, 1 light dragon, 1 magic dragon, and 4 non-elemental dragons. That’s what the numbers mean.”
Luna was a bit surprised. “Oh wow. That’s impressive. I assume that’s how many trained you?” I nodded. “Quite a repertoire of trainers, if I do say. Although…” Luna gave me a perplexed look. “I never heard of a non-elemental dragon.”
“I’m not surprised. Most dragons can either breathe an element, manipulate the elements to their will, or can create them. So a dragon with no element is quite rare.”
“And you were trained by four while only have been trained by one magic and light dragon?” I nodded. “Are light and magic dragons just as rare?”
“Yes but for a completely different reason. You see in my world, magic and dragons don’t mix. Sure almost all dragons have some resistance to magic, but only because dragons are generally among the most powerful creatures to exist. Not only are magic dragons a rarity, but they are considered the black sheep of dragons.”
“What does a black sheep have to do with dragons?”
I shake my head. “It’s a term. It’s used to describe someone who is looked down upon by others of a group or even family.”
Luna was appalled by that. “That’s horrible.”
“Yeah…” I made a distasteful expression. “But that’s how it is.”
“Tell me what you think, Sarius.” Luna looked at me, interested to hear my thoughts.
“I think, it shouldn’t matter what you are but who you are as an individual that determines how you’re treated. To clarify, it shouldn’t matter if a dragon can use magic. What matters is if they use their unique power for good or evil.”
Luna smiled. “Well said.”
I smiled back. “Continuing on from earlier. Light and dark dragons are a rarity because possessing such a powerful element is rare in itself. Plus being a light or dark dragon unfortunately puts you on a metaphorical pedestal of being good or evil.” Luna seemed a little confused by my wording. “Basically, everyone views being able to use light or darkness as ultimate signs of being good or evil respectfully. Which isn’t false, but just because you can wield light or darkness, doesn’t mean you’re good or evil. A dark dragon can be a good guy and a light dragon can be evil. But because of that, light dragons are hunted down by evil beings to remove good from the world, and dark dragons are hunted down for fear of them being evil.”
Luna rolled her eyes. “That is truly hogwash.”
I shrug. “Hey, that’s how the general populace often views things. And history has told us that it can’t be changed. At least, not easily.”
“So what are non-elemental dragons exactly?” Luna took a bite out of her current slice. She and I were on our third slice now.
“They have no element associated with them. Simple as that. But they are generally far more powerful dragons in other ways though. For example; one of the non-elemental dragons I trained with, was able to manipulate energy and is considered the dragon god of power.”
Luna paused. “Dragon god of power?”
“Yes.” Luna looked like she was thinking about something. “Does it ring a bell for you?”
Luna shook her head. “No, but I remember it from somewhere. I just… can’t remember where.”
“I see. Well, regardless as a result of my training with them, I became naturally stronger with refined reflexes and instincts. I also got to test my power against one of the strongest dragons to ever exist.”
“Did you win?”
I shook my head. “It’s not a matter of whether I won or not. It was like our spar. Though if I had to guess if we had fought for a victor at the time, I would have lost.”
Luna was shocked by that. “That’s hard to imagine.”
“I know but I said at the time.”
Luna calmed down. “And what about now?”
I chuckle. “I think I’d still lose. Maybe it could end in a tie if I try my hardest.”
“Wow. Is this dragon god good or evil?”
“He’s neutral, but he tends to align himself with beings of immense power since he’s the dragon god of power, after all. That said he doesn’t lend his power to everyone. He only does so to those who prove themselves. So you don’t have to worry about him. As far as I know he’s not aligned with anyone.”
“That is reassuring.” Luna and I finished our half of the pizza as Dew came over.
“Are you ready to check out?”
“Yes, perfect timing Mrs. Dew.” Luna smiled.
“P-please just Dew, Princess.” Dew then places a piece of paper down in front of Luna. “This is the total amount.”
Luna looked at it and nodded. She used her magic to materialize a bag, opened it and pulled out several thick gold coins then gave it to Dew. All with her magic. I had to admit her control of magic is amazing. Dew took the coins and walked off, then came back with a receipt.
“Thanks for dining with us. Hope you enjoy your date, your highness.” Dew bowed and walked away.
Luna giggled as I got up out of my chair. I walked around and helped her out. I know she didn’t need it, I only did it to be a gentledrake. Luna gave me a knowing smile. “Why thank you, ‘Sir’ Sarius.” She giggled as I rolled my eyes in amusement and smiled.
She and I walked out of the restaurant together. “So did you enjoy the pizza, Luna?”
“Yes, I did. I can see why it's your favorite. What about you, was it to your liking considering the lack of ingredients?”
“It actually was. It tasted as good as a pizza with meat toppings surprisingly. I wager that with the lack of carnivore options, the attention to cooking the other options is increased. And the ingredients in this world might have some magical properties to them, which improve the taste.”
Luna smiled. “Good, I’m glad you enjoyed it.” The two of us walked around a bit. “So are we officially a couple?”
“Not really. While we are on a date, it’s the first date. Everybody goes on dates and friends go on dates.”
Luna looked at me with confusion. “Then how does this work?”
“Well, it’s our choice, but we shouldn’t rush a relationship. We should confirm our feelings for each other first.”
“I see.” We kept walking around for a bit. “In that case, let me show you around Canterlot. The night is still young after all.”
I smile. “Sure, that’ll be nice.”
For the next hour I assumed, Luna showed me the notable locations of Canterlot. Although Luna said she wasn’t really familiar with the layout of Canterlot, she made sure to ask her sister about it for the date. It was clear she was embarrassed about that fact but I assured it wasn’t a big deal to me.
Canterlot was definitely a city filled with high society ponies. The fashion stores had very classy and expensive clothes, which was something I wasn’t into. There were a few theaters on some of the main streets but they weren’t movie theaters, instead they were old fashioned theaters. Theaters you go to watch plays and such. Definitely not something I was interested in. There were other restaurants as well, but for some reason they seemed more or less the same. There were bars, which wasn’t all that surprising. What did surprise me was the strip clubs. Don’t get me wrong, seeing strip clubs in a city like Canterlot isn’t surprising. No. It’s the fact I was in a world full of colorful ponies that’s filled to the brim with positive energy. I was under the impression Equestria wouldn’t have places like strip clubs. Though I guess the more important question I should be wondering is: why are there strip clubs if ponies are always naked? The obvious answer would be, stripping still has an arousing effect.
But that just leads me to another question: if ponies are always naked then why haven’t I seen any anatomy for reproductive purposes? I looked around and noticed something out of the corner of my mind. I stopped to turn and look. The second I did, my eyes widened in shock. I was looking at the flank of a mare and for some reason saw the anatomy I know all too well was, for lack of a better word, glamering. I closed my eyes and shook my head feeling a blush and my arousal rising. When I opened my eyes, the mare’s flank was bare again.
I blinked in confusion. “Something wrong, Sarius?”
I snapped out of my daze and looked at her. She was looking at me with concern. “No. I think I was seeing things. Any other places to show me?”
“I believe I showed you everything. What do we do now?”
“Well, I don’t need to sleep so I got all night and I know your sister said she would handle your nightly duties, right?”
“Yes she did and in exchange I handle her duties tomorrow.”
“And you’re worried she won’t be able to handle it?”
“No.” I stared at her for a good minute. She sighed. “Yes… The thing is, I don’t think my sister understands how difficult my duties are. Managing dreams, providing support and advice to those suffering from nightmares, and protecting our subjects from terrors of the night isn’t easy. Oftentimes I have to forgo one task to manage another. So I…” She paused and rubbed her foreleg. “...I can’t help but think she couldn’t handle it.”
I understood where she was coming from. Luna has most likely been doing this for so long that she naturally believes only she can handle it. But I knew better. “I obviously have no idea of how you do those things nor do I know how you and Celestia can manage an entire kingdom. I couldn’t see myself being the ruler of an entire nation. Not in a million years. However, and I hate to remind you, Celestia has managed the kingdom on her own for a thousand years since she banished Nightmare Moon. Imagine what she must have gone through in the first year.”
Luna’s expression was seemingly a mix of sadness, jealousy, and mild anger. “What is thy point, Trusdale?” The fact she called by my last name, almost reminded me of my mother when she got angry. Almost.
“Mine point-” I paused letting the fact I used mine instead of my settle on her mind. “-Is that you’re both the best at what you do. But have you ever considered asking her if she tended to your duties as well while you were gone?”
Luna moved her mouth to respond but she stopped. “I… haven’t. I just assumed-”
“-That only you could handle it?” I interrupted and supposedly finished her statement. Her shock was proof I was correct. “Believe me when I say I understand why you think that. But the truth is I couldn’t do everything by myself and I learned that the hard way.” She looked down. “Okay, let’s assume that Celestia isn’t able to go into the dream realm and unaware of the nightly terrors. She still managed to keep the kingdom safe and the subjects protected by herself for a thousand years.”
Luna was quiet for a bit. I sighed. “Look, bottom line is there’s no harm in switching roles with your sister for one day and night.” Luna’s ears twitched and she looked at me. “Besides, this way even if you both fail at the other’s duties, you’ll learn more about what the other does. I’m sure Celestia’s duties are just as difficult as yours.”
Luna huffed. “I hardly doubt it. From what I’ve seen, she just smiles and waves while listening to nobles prattle on about simple, miniscule things.”
I smirked. “And Celestia most likely believes that managing dreams and providing advice to ponies suffering from nightmares is easy in comparison. Everybody can make claims all day long and not get anything done, only for their claims to be false. Point is, you won’t know for sure until you experience it yourself.”
Luna sighed. “Of course. Though this will mean we’ll have to end our date now so I can get some sleep for tomorrow.”
“That’s fine with me. Even though it wasn’t that long of a date, we shared a pizza, talked about each other, and you showed me around Canterlot while experiencing it yourself. So this date was fun. I enjoyed it.”
Luna’s eyes sparkled a bit and she smiled. “Thank you. I’m glad our first date was acceptable. I also had fun and enjoyed it.”
I smiled. “See. As long as we both had a good time, a date can’t be bad. Now let’s head back.”
“Very well.” Luna and I started walking back to the castle.
After a bit she decided to ask me something. “By the way, are you sure nothing was wrong earlier?”
I knew what she was asking about, but I didn’t think it was a good idea to mention or bring up. Recalling it was bringing the blush back so I kept my eyes forward. “Yes. I’m sure.”
I felt Luna’s eyes on me. I could sense she didn’t believe me and was waiting for her to call my bluff. Thankfully she didn’t as she stopped watching me. We walked together in silence, though internally I was questioning what happened. I know what I saw. So why did the moment I started to think about it, is the exact moment I actually saw the seemingly invisible anatomy? Was it a spell? No. The mare in question wasn’t a unicorn. Though I didn’t know much about how magic works in this Web of Reality, so a spell is still possible. I wondered if the same thing would happen for male anatomy.
I shook my head and removed those thoughts from the front of my mind. Now wasn’t the time. Especially since Luna and I were walking up to the castle gates. We stopped once we reached the courtyard.
“I suppose this is farewell, Sarius.” Luna said as she turned to me.
“Yup.” Luna stared at me for a bit like there was something on her mind. “What’s on your mind?”
“I know you told me to put it in the back of my mind, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how your time with Fluttershy went.”
“Oh right. I did say I would tell you when the time was right. I suppose now is as good a time as any. My date with Fluttershy went well but we realized we couldn’t be a couple. We see each other more as brother and sister.”
I could see Luna’s eyes light up with hope. “So she forfeits?”
“That’s… a harsh way to put it but yes.”
“I’m actually looking forward to our next date now.” Luna said excitedly.
I couldn’t help but smile at her excitement. “Ditto.”
I bowed to Luna. It wasn’t out of necessity but playfulness. Luna giggled. “Please Sir Sarius. You don’t need to bow to me.” Seems like she’s gone back to the surname.
I chuckled. “I know, I was messing with you Luna.”
“I see. Farewell then.”
“Farewell.”
With that Luna walked into the castle and I walked back out the gates. I stopped to turn back and take one more look at Luna. Coincidentally, Luna did the same thing. We smiled at each other one more time before turning away. I unfolded my wings and flew off towards Ponyville and my home.
Luna was walking to her room with a spring in her step and didn’t even realize it. Celestia noticed when she was making her last roundabout before turning in.
“The date went well, I take it?” Celestia asked in her warm and motherly voice.
Luna stopped and turned to look at her sister. “Oh, yes indeed it did. He also enjoyed it.” Luna’s tail was swinging around. Celestia could tell she was happy from the spring in her step and her tail swinging around. “We also look forward to our next date.”
“That’s great to hear Luna. And what about Fluttershy?”
“Sarius said they see each other as brother and sister now. So Fluttershy isn’t a rival now.”
“I’m glad they were able to sort it out at least. Anyway, you can sleep tonight, dear sister. I will handle your duties.”
Luna gave Celestia a semiserious look. “Are you sure? Do you actually know the spells used to enter the dream world?”
“I actually do. I studied your spell books on it today. So don’t worry.”
“I’ll try not to. Goodnight sister.”
“Yes, goodnight.” Luna entered her room and Celestia went to her room to prepare for her temporary night duties.
Luna carefully removed her dress and all the accessories then put them away. But she knew she’ll be wearing them again, hopefully soon. She then laid on her bed, feeling weird about sleeping during the night. After getting comfortable she turned the lights off with her magic and slowly drifted to sleep.
Meanwhile, Celestia is looking over the city. She noticed that not everypony was asleep. She didn’t really understand why. “Less dreams I have to manage, I suppose. This should be easy compared to what I have to do every day. I just have to watch over the dream realm and help ponies with nightmares.” Celestia then realized there’s really nopony around to hear her. “Oh, You’re talking to yourself Celestia.” Her eyes widened. “But there’s nopony to talk to. Not yet anyway. I can talk to ponies in their dreams. So best get started.”
Celestia closed her eyes and focused her magic, her horn glowed a golden yellow as the world around her slowly fades to darkness, including her. After a brief moment, Celestia opens her eyes to a starry realm filled with small bubbles slowly moving about. She can see images in those bubbles, images that show different ponies and what they’re dreaming of.
Some of the bubbles she peered into were of Pinkie Pie throwing a party, Twilight reading books while encased in a book fort, and Fluttershy was spending time with Sarius. On closer inspection of the latter, Celestia deduced it wasn’t a date but just a casual hangout with a friend. There was a rather tall pale, light grayish aquamarine pegasus stallion with a messy pale light grayish gold mane there as well. It looked like Fluttershy was introducing the two. She was a bit annoyed for some reason.
“Now all I have to do is save ponies from nightmares, which aren’t real. That doesn’t sound hard, right? Right. Good call Celestia.” She felt proud and confident about this, only to then realize she’s talking to herself again. “And I’m talking to myself again. I hope this doesn’t become a habit.”
Celestia spent some time wandering the dream realm looking for nightmares to help with. She found a couple but they seemed to be rather tame nightmares to her. One was about the rose ponies in Ponyville fainting and screaming about their flowers being ruined by a number of things. The other was Rarity having problems with fashion things, such as the sewing machine breaking, a mannequin falling apart, and her cat playing with valuable string.
“Huh. So far this has been easy. I have no idea why Luna thinks this is so difficult. This is nothing compared to dealing with politics.” She giggled. “Oh, I can’t wait to hold this over-”
She’s interrupted by a sudden unpleasant feeling. When she looks around, she doesn’t see anything noticeable. She should have figured there wouldn’t be anything in the dream realm with her. Only she and Luna have access to the spell that allows entry here, and as far as Celestia knows there aren’t any creatures or beings capable of entering here.
So why does she still feel uneasy. And that unpleasant feeling is also present. She looks around, this time at the bubbles. One in particular catches her eyes almost instantly. As she approached it, she can feel genuine dread from it. She wondered if this was one of the nightmares she’s meant to save her subjects from. She peers into it first.
It was extremely dark but what she can make out is a filly or colt that seems to be barely matured from infancy. After examining it, she sees the young pony has a horn… and wings.
She gasps sharply. “An Alicorn child?!”
The possibility of another alicorn existing and that’s suffering from a nightmare. Celestia couldn’t help but think this was a golden opportunity to try to find and save a member of her nearly extinct race. So she went into the dream.
She would realize too late this was a mistake.
Once she entered, she was surrounded by complete darkness. Even when she used her magic to create light, it did nothing against the darkness. She couldn’t shake the feeling she was being watched now. She tried her best to ignore it. She had to find the child and see if she could be able to locate where they are so she can save them.
Celestia then heard the crying of a colt. After figuring out which direction it’s coming from, she galloped off in that direction. After galloping for what felt like minutes, she found the colt in question. The light from her horn wasn’t helping again so she could barely make out the colt’s form. The crying was certainly coming from the colt. As Celestia slowly approached, she could see the colt was balled up. Crying and whimpering, as if he was hurt, scared, or both.
Celestia reached a hoof out to the colt. “Shh. It’s okay.” She said in her best motherly tone. “There’s no need to be afraid now. I’m here now.”
The colt didn’t respond. “Can you tell me where you are?”
Again no response. Just crying and whimpering. “Please. I can help you. You just need to tell me where you are. Any sort of description will help.”
Suddenly the colt stopped crying. Celestia thought she finally got through as the colt slowly turned his head to look up… But not at her. The colt’s face then contorted into a look of fear and dread. Celestia was hesitant to turn around to see what was causing such fear and dread in the colt.
“No… please…” The colt uttered. His voice sounded dry and weak. “I don’t want to…”
“Don’t want to, what? Who is forcing you to do something you don’t want?” Celestia begged, hoping she could get some kind of reply.
“Please… let me go… I just want to go home.” The colt didn’t answer her question. She now knew she couldn’t do anything here and she didn’t like it. The colt reacted to something, since his face contorted more.
”Is there someone talking to him? Someone I can’t hear?” Celestia thought.
“No…. This isn’t…”
Celestia decided enough was enough. She attempted to use her magic to try and interfere with the nightmare. She recalled some spells in Luna’s spell book about the dreamscape. She tried some of them but nothing worked.
”Isn’t this a nightmare? Why won’t the spells work?”
Suddenly the colt vanishes right in front of her. Her eyes widened in horror and shock. “No. Was there nothing I could do?”
“You really shouldn’t meddle in affairs that aren’t your own, Princess.” A stallion’s voice sounded behind Celestia. She quickly turned to see a cloaked figure that’s at least half her size. She could just make out a horn and a dark gray mane. “Especially if they have nothing to do with your duties.”
“Who are you?” Celestia asked sternly.
“Oh, so the sisters have switched roles? This is unexpected but it doesn’t really matter.”
“Answer me.” Celestia said, softly raising her voice to assert her authority as Princess.
“Tsk, tsk. Your authority means nothing to me, Celestia.”
“Then tell me whose dream I saw?”
The stallion doesn’t respond for a second. “I refuse to tell you.”
“What are you doing here?”
The stallion didn’t answer.
“Why and how are you here?”
Again, no response. It was clear this stallion was not going to answer any questions. Celestia in all her years has never met any creature that was uncooperative. There were plenty that refused but Celestia was able to make them talk eventually.
But this stallion. Whoever this stallion was, he showed no fear or respect. This stallion must believe he was Celestia’s equal. This upset Celestia but she remained calm.
“At least tell me who the colt is.” Celestia asked in as sincere a voice as possible, given her current emotional state.
The stallion’s light blue eyes met Celestia’s. Celestia could swear she saw a hint of sorrow in his eyes for but a second. “It won’t matter if I tell you. It’s far too late to save him now.”
Celestia’s eyes widened in horror. “No… Don’t tell me. Is that colt…”
The stallion looked away. “You’ve overstayed your welcome, Celestia. Farewell.”
Before Celestia could respond, she was forced out of the dream by a powerful force. The shock from being forced out was enough to break her focus on the spell and she opened her eyes with a sharp gasp. Her eyes were greeted by the gentle light of her sun slowly rising up the horizon.
She had no idea what forced her out and she didn’t get any information about the dream or the stallion. The stallion’s words are echoing in her mind.
It won’t matter if I tell you. It’s far too late to save him now.
Was a colt dead because she failed to save him from the nightmare? Or was the stallion’s statement more literal? The words, far too late, stand out to her. But wouldn’t that mean the colt has been dead for a long time?
Celestia rubbed her temples in a circular motion. “There’s no point in thinking it over. I don’t have anything to go on except speculations.” She sighed. “The more important question is if I should tell Luna.”
“Tell me what sister?”
Celestia nearly jumped at the sound of her sister’s voice next to her. “Oh Luna. You startled me.”
Luna walked up to Celestia with concern. “Is everything alright? Did the dream walk go well?”
“Y-yes. I had no problems. Everypony had good dreams. Not a single nightmare to be found.” Celestia looked away. “Well, not major ones at least.”
“What kind of nightmares were they?”
“Oh, the rose ponies freaking out over their flowers being ruined and Rarity having slight issues with fashion design.”
Luna sighed. “I see.”
Celestia was getting worried. “Should I have taken care of them?”
“No, no. Those kinds of nightmares are common and pose no threat to the psyche.”
Celestia breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh thank goodness.”
“Did something happen sister?”
“No. Nothing happened.” An obvious lie.
Luna stared at Celestia. Celestia was worried her sister would call her bluff. Luna sighed. “Very well. Get some sleep then. I will handle your duties for today as agreed.”
“I made a list of things to do for you. It should be on my dresser.”
Luna nodded and walked into Celestia’s room. Celestia stood up, her legs were shaking a bit as she walked into her room from the balcony. Possibly from the events of the night. She got into her bed as Luna was reading the list.
“Are you sure you can handle it, Luna?” Celestia asked with worry.
“Yes. You handled my duties, so it’s only fair I handle your duties. Just rest dear sister.”
“Very well. Thank you, Lulu.” Celestia laid down and started to get comfortable.
Luna had a small smile. “And thank you, Tia.”
Luna made her way out of her sister’s room, making sure to turn the lights off, and closing curtains so Celestia could sleep soundly. Celestia didn’t close her eyes, even after Luna left.
“I’m sorry sister. I didn’t want you to know before your shift. The last thing you need on your mind is learning about what I encountered.” She closes her eyes. “But I promise I’ll tell you.”
It took a bit of time before Celestia was able to fall asleep, given the recent experience she had.
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