Chapter 12: Under the Moon
PART II: Dreams in the Dark
Chapter 12: Under the Moon
Big Mac briskly trotted up the hill. Ordinarily he would, like most ponies, take more care when walking at night, lest he trip and drive his face into the earth or step into a hole and twist a fetlock. However, Big Mac showed no such concern this night. For one thing, he knew this hill like the back of his hoof. He spent his whole life on Sweet Apple Acres. As a young colt he ran about, playing among the trees and wading in the clear, cold waters of the stream that cut through the center of the farm. As a stallion, and indeed as an older colt, he spent his days working the fields, harvesting the fruits of the trees, and repairing anything and everything that needed fixing around the farm. But beyond his knowledge of the land, Big Mac could actually see quite well. The full moon shone more brightly than he ever remembered, making it rather easy to see the ground in front of him. The moonlight illuminated the grass and the trees, the latter casting long dark contrasting shadows across the land. But even if he wanted to slow down, he couldn’t – he could barely contain his excitement for this evening.
Reaching the crest of the hill, he paused for a moment, the soft grass brushing against his feet. Big Mac carefully surveyed the area, his eyes scanning for any shadowy forms, his ears straining for the slightest sound of movement, his nose searching for any scent out of place. Slowly he turned, sweeping the area around him until he completed a full circle. Nopony but him stood on the grassy knoll, not that he expected anypony to be out here at this hour. But one couldn’t be too careful. Next he gazed upward. If a pony didn’t know any better, one would think he was stargazing. But Big Mac sought out not stars, but pegasi. He didn’t see any and was relieved that Rainbow Dash’s projection of clear skies had been correct. The last thing he wanted were clouds concealing eavesdroppers. Satisfied, Big Mac let out a sigh of relief.
Reaching behind him, Big Mac drew forth the pack he had been carrying. Carefully he pulled out a large, checkered blanket and in one sweeping motion spread the blanket upon the grass. He picked up some heavy rocks and planted them at the corners of the blanket to ensure it would not blow away in a sudden gust of wind. Next, he picked up the basket and placed it at the center of the blanket. Finally, with everything ready, Big Mac sat down next to the basket and began to reflect upon his surroundings.
From the top of the hill, Big Mac could see the glittering town of Ponyville sprawled out before him. Scores of tiny points of light poured forth from the windows of houses, flickered from lamps along the streets, and glowed from lanterns carried by the ponies themselves. But from this distance the tiny lights blended and merged, until Ponyville ceased being a town and became a shimmering field with a glowing yellow hue. It was as if a magical spider had weaved a web of golden light upon the grass of a meadow. It was beautiful, delicate, and fleeting all at the same time. The warmth of the light coming from the town enveloped Big Mac like a soft blanket, filling him with a sense of confidence and eager anticipation for the night to come. Surely Princess – er – Luna would enjoy such a magnificent view?
Big Mac paused and glanced to his right. On a neighboring hill stood the farmhouse and associated outbuildings of Sweet Apple Acres. How it contrasted with Ponyville! Most evenings one would see a brightly lit, inviting home set against the blackness of the night. Dark silhouettes of ponies would pass back and forth in the windows and, if one came near enough, the sounds of a close and loving family could be heard. Tonight, though, he saw a darkened farmhouse standing silently in the bright moonlight. But this did not bother him, for the house lay peaceful and quiet in his absence.
Big Mac turned his attention upward to the sky, to Luna’s realm. The full moon was climbing higher in the sky, its bright light drowning out the light from many of the stars. On a dark night one could see hundreds if not thousands of tiny twinkling specks of light. But tonight only the brightest stars dare compete with the moon. Over there shone Sirius, the brightest of the stars. And in Carina glowed Canopus. For many of the other stars he couldn’t remember their names. Big Mac thought hard, back to his private tutelage in stellar cartography given by the master of the night sky herself, Princess Luna....
***
It was on the night of their first dinner. Luna insisted on taking Big Mac to a fancy restaurant to thank him for saving her life. What started out as a simple dinner turned into a truly magical evening. They dined on the back patio, the scene lit with dozens of candles. It was just the two of them in this intimate, romantic setting. After dinner Luna walked home with Big Mac. Along the way she explained the design of her celestial tapestry, pointing out all the constellations and the brightest stars of her night sky.
Two nights later Big Mac enjoyed an evening concert with Luna. The two of them sat together, the big simple farm pony sitting next to the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria. Though they found themselves surrounded by hundreds of other ponies, it felt as if they were alone, the whole world revolving around the two of them. After a touching romantic serenade, Big Mac leaned over and tenderly kissed Luna – their first kiss. But it all turned out to be just a dream, a dream that, unbeknownst to Big Mac, the real Princess Luna had entered. The next day she spoke to Big Mac about the events of the night before. Luna revealed that dreams are a window to the heart and, even if he didn’t know it, he possessed feelings for her. She told him that she harbored no such feelings for him beyond friendship. And that is how their relationship was supposed to be.
Five days later Big Mac, unable to sleep since kissing Luna in his dream, laid down to take a late morning nap. Upon closing his eyes he found himself at the royal castle of Canterlot on the night of the Grand Galloping Gala. Princess Luna approached him and asked for a dance. The two gracefully swept across the dance floor in perfect harmony before the dream ended. The next day Big Mac was again visited by the princess. He tried to apologize for dreaming about her again. But Luna revealed that it was not his dream, but hers. Hesitantly and fearfully she admitted that she possessed feelings for him. And that was the moment their relationship changed forever.
Big Mac and Luna took a walk alone through the orchards. For the longest time they walked in silence, Big Mac giving Luna the chance to compose herself after admitting her love for him. After a while, they began discussing the best way to approach their relationship, a new experience for both of them. The first thing they agreed upon was that they should handle it with the utmost discretion. Princess Luna sought to avoid the media scrutiny until their relationship reached a more serious level. And though the press would provide free advertising for the farm, Big Mac wanted to avoid the frenzy almost as much as Luna. Besides, there was no point in publicizing their relationship when they didn’t know where it would end up. It could end just as quickly as it began. Further, both agreed that keeping it between the two of them for the time being would be best. Luna feared her sister’s reaction to the news, for Princess Celestia long counseled against courtship with a stallion. Big Mac, on the other hoof, knew his two younger sisters would, after their initial shock, react with great enthusiasm. But with Applejack the Element of Honesty and Apple Bloom unable to hold onto many secrets, he knew keeping them in the dark would be the best approach. Lastly, they agreed to meet again for a date – a formal date. Big Mac recommended Saturday evening, to which Luna agreed. She suggested they meet in the dreamscape, but Big Mac noted that their two previous rendezvous occurred there so the two of them should spend time together in the real world. They decided upon a time of ten o’clock in the evening. With their plans laid, they continued to walk through the orchard, unsure how to depart. At the end of the path they came to a stop and stared at each other. Finally Big Mac bowed and Luna, with a smile, took off into the sky. Big Mac watched her soar high above the orchard and fly alone back to her home in Canterlot….
***
Big Mac sat by himself on the grassy hill, staring up at Luna’s beautiful night sky. He left the farmhouse early, so he knew he would have to wait. But time had no meaning. For Luna he would wait the rest of his life.
The moon, that ancient celestial disc, continued its nightly journey across the sky. It climbed higher and higher, as if scaling some dark, hidden mountain. Still its pure white light shone down, but with a greater height that produced shorter shadows from the trees. Far below, the lights of Ponyville continued to produce a magical yellow hue, a wonderful sight that could only be enjoyed during Luna’s beautiful nights.
A scent caught Big Mac’s attention… apple pie. He silently chuckled to himself. Throughout the day, he had assembled this covert dinner for Luna under the very noses of his family. Early in the morning, before anypony woke up, Big Mac sneaked downstairs and commandeered the family picnic basket and pulled from the closet a large red-and-white checkered blanket. He also crept down to the basement and removed some bottles of coveted apple cider from the private family stock. Carefully he slipped from the house and made his way to the barn where he concealed his secret stash, before quietly returning to the house and crawling back into bed before anypony noticed. Anxiously he laid awake, unable to get back to sleep until the rooster announced it was time to get up. Peering out the window to the easterly dawn, he saw the resplendent red sky Princess Celestia had painted to announce the new day. Later that morning Big Mac absconded with one of the freshly baked pies cooling on a window sill. And during the afternoon, when Applejack was in town selling the farm’s produce, Apple Bloom was at school, and Granny Smith was taking her usual nap, Big Mac slipped into the house and prepared the rest of the dishes... lettuce and tomato sandwiches, mixed greens, coleslaw, and potato salad. By the time dinner rolled around, nopony suspected a thing. Well, they were still scratching their heads over a missing apple pie, but they chalked it up to somepony miscounting. Big Mac’s plan was going without a hitch!
Luna’s moon hung high in the sky now. It ascent was slowing, soon it would reach its apex before beginning its gradual descent to the far horizon. It must be ten, or close to it, thought Big Mac. A soft breeze blew, rustling the trees, causing shadows to dance beneath them, while the grass of the meadow gently swayed to-and-fro. Down below, the soft glow had dimmed, but still remained a beautiful sight to behold.
Waiting for the princess, Big Mac reflected on his departure from the farmhouse that evening. He knew leaving after dark would raise suspicions and engender questioning from his sisters and grandmare in the morning. Such an interrogation might lead to his clandestine courtship with the princess of the night and all the unwanted scrutiny the two desperately wanted to avoid. So he told Applejack he was headed into town to meet with some fellow stallions for some guy time. When asked at what time he would return, he simply said they shouldn’t wait up. It was a small white lie, nothing more, but still he hated lying to his sister. He knew Applejack, the Element of Honesty, wouldn’t approve of such duplicity, but he was sure she would understand in the end. With that he left the farmhouse and trotted to the far side of the barn where he entered through the back door. Climbing the ladder, he made his way to the loft where a large mass lay shrouded in the darkness. Carefully moving a mound of hay and miscellaneous farming implements revealed a simple wicker basket and checkered picnic blanket. Silently descending the ladder, he slowly slipped into the shadows of the apple trees and quietly waited. He remained hidden until the lights of the farmhouse went out, indicating the family had finally gone to bed. Emerging from his concealment, Big Mac headed for the knoll that overlooked Ponyville.
Big Mac continued to stare at the moon. He had seen it all his life, but only in the past few days had he really looked at it. Most of the time he might catch a glimpse of it setting just before the dawn, or see it rising after Princess Celestia lowered the sun. Even when he was out after dark, he usually was busy with something... escorting his youngest sister home from an after-school activity... an evening concert by the Ponytones... prepping for zap apple jam season... Nightmare Night festivities. He could only remember a few instances of just staring up at the night sky in admiration of its beauty. The most recent time was, of course, on the night of the dinner. Luna had created the celestial tapestry and took great pride in explaining its design, pointing out constellations, stars, planets, and even a passing comet. Her enthusiasm was contagious, her voice intoxicating.... Another instance was one evening when he escorted Apple Bloom and her friends to the Golden Oaks Library for a sleepover. Those three fillies were trying for cutie marks in astronomy. Big Mac stayed a few minutes and observed Twilight teaching the girls about stargazing. Since he didn’t have to pay close attention to proper techniques for reading star charts, he was free to let his eyes wander upward. Never in a thousand moons would he have thought he would go on a date with the astronomic architect herself.... Beyond that his mind wandered to a cold spring evening, far away from Ponyville. A youthful Macintosh, too young to be known by the moniker “Big”, stood with a group of colts huddled around an elderly stallion. They all listened as the scoutmaster talked about how to use a telescope to study the mythological Mare in the Moon. The colts took turns peering into the eyepiece, exploring the hundreds of circular craters, large and small, that pockmarked the lunar surface. Big Mac never earned his Astronomy Merit Badge, but then again, life had other plans.... The earliest memory he had of looking at the night sky was one autumn night, so many years ago. It was a cold night, with a chill that that cut to the very core. Yet two ponies stood outside, one a large stallion, the other a small red colt. They had gone on a camping trip, just the two of them. Earlier in the day they had hiked up a steep hill, though to the younger pony it seemed like an imposing mountain towering above him. Later the two cooked hayburgers and baked potatoes for dinner. They roasted marshmallows over a roaring fire, the warmth fending off the cold chill of fall and the foreboding darkness of night. Now, with the fire doused and the forest quiet, they headed for the tent for some well-deserved shuteye. The younger pony looked up and stopped when he saw the beautiful moon high in the sky. He stood there, staring at it. The older stallion stopped too and looked up. They remained motionless, transfixed by the magnificent harvest moon. In a moment of loving affection, the father wrapped his foreleg around his son....
Big Mac shuddered. It must be the wind, he thought. It’s getting colder as the night wears on. He cast his gaze downwards and observed the soft glow of Ponyville had dimmed as ponies went to bed and turned off their lights. The streets of town came into sharp focus as strings of glowing streetlamps weaved amongst the darkened homes and shops. Still, the inviting bright signs from the bars and restaurants shone brightly, trying to entice ponies to enter and part with their bits. He shifted his gaze to the distance. Looming over Ponyville stood a massive structure, shrouded in darkness. Maybe Twilight is stargazing. Either that, or she’s gone to bed.
Big Mac turned his attention back to the moon, the luminous pearl of the night sky. One would never look upon Celestia’s sun as they would Luna’s moon. The sun’s intense radiance blinded anypony who dared stare at it, while the moon rewarded its admirers with a beautiful white light. Sunlight was harsh, blazing, burning. Moonlight was soft, embracing, soothing. The sun’s illumination made the world stark and plain. Yet the moon’s illumination blurred shapes, softened hard edges, and always teased an air of mystery. The sun symbolized work and toil. The moon peace and calmness. The sun was the source, illuminating everything with an all-encompassing light. The moon was merely a reflection of the sun, a fraction and an echo, but the best of what could be. The sun was constant, never-changing, the eternal presence of the ages. The moon was always changing. It was born of the darkness, played like a child across the sky, grew to maturity, gracefully aged, then graciously accepted inevitability as its light was extinguished. It was predictable, a full life that was never cut short in its prime....
Big Mac closed his eyes and breathed deeply, the cool air filling his lungs. He held his breathe and became one with the moment... a gentle rustle passed through the trees... a single owl hooted in the distance... a slight breeze gently stroked his fur and tousled his mane. Big Mac exhaled and slowly opened his eyes. The moon continued to shine down its soothing light, allowing him to regain his calmness. Below the glow of Ponyville had dimmed, with only a few establishments continuing to advertise. Most of the town had gone to bed, passing into Luna’s dreamscape.
The dreamscape, that domain that seems infinite yet exists only in the subconscious mind. A place that is everywhere and nowhere. Where perception becomes reality. Where the intangible becomes tangible. Where the impossible becomes possible. Full of limitless potential, constrained only by the creative capacity of the dreamer’s mind. A place of beauty or ugliness. Of joy or sorrow. Of peace or fear. Of calm or chaos. A place where all contradictions and paradoxes can simultaneously exist in harmony.
Luna’s words came back, “Dreams are a window to the heart.” Big Mac had no idea that he possessed feelings for the princess of the night, yet his affection was plainly displayed when she came to visit him in his dream. The dream pierced his stoic exterior, cutting through his fear and doubt to show the pure love of his heart. He had dreamed the impossible dream, a dream that was now coming true.
“Dreams are a window to the heart.” How ironic and prophetic those words proved to be. Luna had denied she possessed feelings for Big Mac. They were to remain friends, perhaps close friends, but nothing more than friends. Yet when he found himself pulled into her dream, he found she had been expecting him. They shared a single perfect moment. Luna kissed him, and their lives would never be the same again.
The moon was lower, starting its slow descent to the far horizon. It was definitely past ten, and almost certainly past midnight. Where was Luna? She was coming, he knew it. But where could she be? Maybe she was delayed? Yes, that was it. She was running late, so he would wait.
Big Mac continued to stare at the moon. Somehow the moon seemed different this night. It was bigger and shone more brightly than he ever remembered. The brilliant white disc traveled slowly, deliberately, with newfound certainty. It appeared to move with a happiness and sense of purpose that had long been forgotten but had only recently been reawakened. He could tell, perhaps the one pony in all of Equestria that could tell, that tonight the moon reflected not just the sun but also the princess of the night. Not too many nights before, Luna stood taller and looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her. The princess moved deliberately, with a certainty and confidence that she had last possessed a thousand years before.
Big Mac reflected on that most wonderful of nights....
***
Ponyville Town Square lay calm and quiet. A few ponies moved about, heading home from a long day at work or to dinner at a local restaurant. Big Mac stood there, enjoying the cool evening air and peaceful setting. Turning his gaze up, he admired the hundreds of sparkling stars filling the night sky, though he did not know their names nor could he identify more than a hoofull of constellations. Yet he didn’t need to know their names to simply enjoy the magnificent sight of Luna’s grand design.
Something caught his attention, forms moving in the night. Four figures soared through the darkness above him. The lead pony descended and Big Mac recognized Princess Luna. She circled around and gracefully landed a few feet from him, whereupon he bowed to his royal sovereign, “Good evening Princess Luna.”
“Call me Luna.”
“Luna.” Luna, the most beautiful name in all of Equestria....
Stepping out the back door, the two were astonished to find the back patio transformed into a magical, secluded retreat for just the two of them. Dozens of candles lit the scene while scents of flowers drifted in the cool of the night air. The couple took seats at the small, private table. Big Mac looked across and gazed upon the princess of the night. Luna carried herself once more with poise and grace, but also with a tranquility and peace that brought joy to his heart. The candles cast a soft light upon her, subduing her coat to a dark alluring shade as subtle and seductive shadows danced across her face. She was undoubtedly the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria....
***
On that night Luna possessed a serenity and peace of mind that he had not seen from her before. How different that was from her first official visit to Ponyville on Nightmare Night. Initially she became confused and flustered at the poor reception from the townsfolk. This turned into an awkward attempt to be accepted by her subjects, before she succumbed to her temper and banned the observance of the holiday. It wasn’t until Twilight Sparkle convinced her that Nightmare Night was a celebration and not a somber remembrance that Luna began to understand that she was indeed loved by the ponies that once harbored fear and distrust of her.
Indeed, the next time Luna visited Ponyville she was eagerly greeted by her subjects. It was just after Lord Tirek had been defeated. While the beloved Golden Oaks Library had tragically been lost, a new shimmering crystal castle grew out of the ground. In a grand reception, the princesses and all the ponies of town entered to explore Twilight’s new home. Princess Luna moved about the crowd, greeting the townsfolk, conversing about recent events. From the far end of the grand entrance hall, packed with scores of ponies young and old, Big Mac observed the princess of the night moving amongst the crowd. Even from this distance, her beauty was unquestioned. But Big Mac was too shy and reserved to approach the princess, instead spending time helping his grandmare and listening to the more talkative guests chat.
The moon had fallen quite a bit. It continued its descent, approaching the western horizon. Big Mac realized that it was far past midnight, now very early in the morning. Yet Luna had not arrived. Could he have made a mistake? It was the day they agreed to meet. He was at the selected location at the appointed hour. He had even packed a special dinner to surprise Princess Luna. What could he have overlooked? No, she would come. They had professed their love to each other. The tender moment they shared was real. She would show up.
Big Mac looked down to Ponyville. All the establishments were closed, the homes quiet and dark. Only the streetlamps, like shining yellow pearls on strings weaving amongst the buildings, continued to shine. Yet this was not enough, and the town lay in near total darkness. The beautiful web of golden light had been reduced to a dull, faint glow. Shortly this too would be extinguished, leaving no signs of the wondrous sight that had been.
It was on a night like this, not too long ago, that Princess Luna had come to Ponyville. Except this time it was not a social call, but a matter of the utmost importance. The tantabus, an amorphous emotionless creature, terrorized all the citizens of town. It threatened to escape from the dream realm and turn all of Equestria into a living nightmare. Except this was no monster from the Everfree Forest, nor some sentient spell conjured by a dark wizard. This threat was created by Princess Luna herself. She had unleashed this horror, placing all of Equestria in grave danger.
No, Luna would never put innocent lives in jeopardy. She was a good, compassionate princess that had risked her own life to save Ponyville from the riesen. She was caring, and kind, and loving... and not there.
Memories came rushing back, of the time Big Mac had first seen Princess Luna. But her appearance was not one of celebration but dread. On the night of the Summer Sun Celebration, all the residents had gathered in Town Hall to witness Princess Celestia raising the solstice sun to announce the start of summer. With great fanfare, the curtains were pulled back to reveal... nothing. Princess Celestia had disappeared. Seeping forth from the shadows came an eerie blue mist, one that revealed a terrifying black alicorn clad in armor – Nightmare Moon. She had attempted to plunge the world into everlasting night.
Something caught Big Mac’s attention. Far away, on the very cusp of the eastern horizon, a change was taking place. Ever so slowly the dark of night was fading, the sky beginning to lighten. Dawn approached, and soon Celestia would raise the sun.
Ah spent all night out here, he thought. A terrible thought began to take root in Big Mac’s mind. She’s not coming. Celestia talked her out of a relationship. Or she decided that she didn’t want to be with me, my life ending long before hers. Or, it had been a mistake and she didn’t have feelings for me after all. Big Mac began to despair and hung his head low. Ah was a fool. She’s a princess of Equestria, and Ah’m just an apple farmer. She an immortal alicorn, me a simple pony. How could it ever have worked? It couldn’t have. Ah was a fool. Still he sat alone on hilltop, for there was nothing else for him to do.
The sky in the east was growing brighter now, soon it would be dawn. Finally Big Mac stood up, moving the picnic basket to the grass. He gathered up the blanket, not bothering to fold it. He crammed it between the basket and its handles before placing the now useless pack on his back. Slowly he trudged back to the farmhouse and the day of hard labor that awaited him.
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Don't worry Mac. She just got caught up in looking at you in the moonlight. Got too embarrassed to tell you and flew home to think of a properly worded response. Nothing to worry about.
Good to have you back and great chapter to get back into!
8159201
Good to be back.
Dreadnought
8159203 I'm glad to hear that, looking forward to the next chapter!
8161380
I'm about 1/3 to halfway done with Chapter 13. Hopefully publishing next week or so.
Dreadnought
8161564 Awesome!
You could have grabbed a nap while you were out there, big guy. You know, since it was night time anyway.
8244349
Just wait and see what happens in the next chapter.
Dreadnought