Shadows Within the Light

by Oddling

8 - A Delicate Balance

The room was quiet… very, very quiet. In the center of the large room was a round crystal table, with the magical image of Equestria displayed on it. Surrounding the table were seven stone-like chairs that resembled modest versions of throne room seating. Each chair had a mark engraved upon the back, the marks matching the corresponding cutie marks of the Elements of Harmony members, with the exception of the smaller seat next to Twilight Sparkle’s – the last seat belonged to Spike, his was blank.

The eyes of all six mares were fixed onto Mathew. He stood on the edge of the table with his arms crossed and his gaze locked with Twilight’s. His body was only slightly tense, which was mildly surprising to him, since he had just dropped the bomb of all bombs on the discussion table. In a part of his mind, he found it slightly amusing that their laughter and cheer during the earlier party could vanish in an instant. Still, he expected that kind of a reaction to what he had just shared.

The thick silence of the room was shattered when Rainbow Dash leaned forward and slammed her hooves on the table.
“So you mean to tell us that, for some reason, you were brought here from another world by something that Nightmare Moon made?” she asked, her wings slowly growing tense and her gaze hardening.

Mathew nodded and looked to her with a level gaze. “Yes.”

Rainbow was about to say something else, but was interrupted by Rarity clearing her throat. “So, you said that the princesses tried to seal that gem? Do they know why it didn’t work, or how you were brought here?” she asked.

Mathew sighed and shook his head. He closed his eyes before he answered. “No. I’ve spoken to Luna about this a few times. The best we could gather was that the item was made for some reason. I was the unlucky one to be ripped through time and space to wind up on the floor of that magical containment room. There are a few theories as to what Nightmare Moon’s goal was, but Luna and I figured that, if it wasn’t a random occurrence, then I was brought here for a specific reason,” he said.

Twilight spoke next. She looked at Mathew with a determined expression, gaining quite the intimidating air. “Mathew, have you noticed any changes since you came to Equestria – anything outside of what you consider normal for your kind?” she asked.

Mathew opened his eyes and turned back to Twilight. “I have. When I realized where I was, after I had been teleported from Earth to that room, I only felt confused. Then, after meeting both Princess Celestia and Luna for the first time, something… changed in me. To sum it up, and after nearly dyeing in the process – or rather, dying a few times – I found out that I had magic. The castle doctors said that they found an unusual crystal formation connected to my heart,” he explained.

Fluttershy gasped. “Your heart!? Is it just sticking to the outside or…?” she could not bring herself to finish. She knew what it would mean if her guess was right. Her medical knowledge may not have been as vast as a royal physician’s, but she knew enough about the subject to know the severity of the alternative.

Mathew’s eyes softened for a split second, but everypony present saw the brief glimpse of his sadness. “It’s become an intricate part of me. Over eighty percent of my heart was replaced by it. The rest of the crystal spread out like roots and fused with my ribs and part of my spine.” he said, then intensified his gaze on Twilight.

“There were other things that have changed in me as well. Humans are omnivorous, we need a varied diet, but the entire time I’ve been here has been less than optimal as far as my nutritive needs. It’s still a theory, but I think my body has been changed on a deeper level because of it. I can also heal any injury rapidly. Cuts mend in mere seconds due to my body’s magic,” he said.

Applejack was next to chime in. “So, ah take it that you didn’t have magic back on Earth?”

“Yeah, our knowledge of magic is more from myth and imagination. On Earth, magic is just quick movements to trick the eyes into thinking it’s real... real magic doesn’t exist. I’m still amazed at some of the things I can do in this world,” Mathew replied.

“Oh! Can you show us your magic?” Pinkie asked in excitement, which was totally out of place, but... well... Pinkie Pie...

Twilight also showed an interest in the idea. It was another chance for her to see his magic at work. Mathew nodded, though it was clear he held some reservations about it. “Fine, but I’m not going to use any spells. I’ll just activate my magic,” he said and uncrossed his arms to hold them in front of his body.

He focused on bringing his power out and his hands were quickly engulfed by his pale blue magic. Rarity smiled and mumbled something about how his magic’s color was pretty. Pinkie simply ooh’d and awe’d, while Rainbow eyed it with suspicion and made it clear she was not impressed just yet. Twilight, on the other hoof, was not satisfied by the display. She shifted forward in her seat and gave Mathew a firm look.
“Cast a spell,” she said.

Mathew refocused on her and gave her a questioning look. “Why?”

“I want to check something. I noticed it at the castle and also when you healed Fluttershy, but I can’t be sure just yet. I want you to cast a spell,” Twilight said, growing increasingly more determined.

Mathew sighed and frowned. “What kind of spell did you have in mind then? At this point, I’m only confident in levitation or healing. The other spells I’ve tried have backfired on me – once I blew off my own arm,” he said defensively.

Twilight’s eyes widened for a moment, then she composed herself. Mathew instantly noticed the look in her eyes at that point and he got a better idea about her motivation. “Use a levitation spell,” she said to him firmly, like an order.

She talked with Celestia about me, Mathew thought suspiciously, while doing his best to keep his outward expression calm. I think I know why they talked in private that day… Celestia’s using Twilight to examine me on a deeper level. Now I get it. With her skill and knowledge of magic she would be able to see if Nightmare’s magic is mixed with mine. This is a test to confirm it. Sorry to disappoint you, Princess of Magic, but you won’t see what you’re looking for.

Mathew’s eyes turned more neutral and he returned Twilight’s gaze. “What will I be lifting? Everything in this room is connected to the castle itself,” he pointed out, though he already had an idea of what she would say.

“Lift me,” was her response.

Though he held his gaze with Twilight, he could feel the tension radiating off of the other five ponies around the table. He ignored them and focused his magic to surround Twilight. His pale blue aura formed around her body and he wasted no time in lifting her into the air. He levitated the purple alicorn a good five feet into the air and kept his gaze locked with hers. They were silent for a few moments until Mathew felt the need to break the silence. “Is that enough?” he asked.

Twilight’s gaze hardened for a few moments as she critically eyed his magic. Then she let out a long breath. “Yes, you can put me down now,” she said and visibly relaxed.

Mathew gently placed her back on her seat and his magic faded away, much to the relief of the remaining five mares.

“Mathew,” Twilight began. “I have to admit that your magic is very unusual. The way it flows through your body is complex. You also seem to be gaining magic constantly. Have you ever felt like you have drained your magic yet?” she asked.

Mathew thought about it for a few moments. Then he tilted his head at her. “I have – only once though. After I had seen my hand heal, the first time I cut myself, I experimented with it. I wanted to know what it would take before my body couldn’t recover… so I damaged myself many times over the course of six hours. My body draws on my magic to repair itself, so after enough damage my reserves do drain. Why did you want to know?”

Twilight thought for a moment, categorizing his response, and showing slight discomfort at his admission. Then she took a breath and answered him. “You’ve been gaining a lot of magic, but you are too efficient when you use it. I’m a little worried that you might have too much in you to handle at some point. Unlike other unicorns, or even Alicorns, your magic is gathering within you from that crystal. It looks like your magic is slowly building too much pressure inside you. How often do you use your magic?”

“Not very often. I had been using it a bit more when I was being taught in Canterlot, but over the past few days I’ve not had to use it as much,” Mathew said, then he took a moment to think about it. He wondered if Nightmare would be able to confirm Twilight’s ideas. As if she had been listening in the whole time, he felt a reassuring feeling in the back of his mind. So that means Twilight is right. My magic is coming from Nightmare’s core.

“Twilight, just how much magic do I have inside of me now?” he asked.

Twilight’s eyes widened and she shook her head. “Right now… you have enough to rival mine, and that’s purely in amount. At the rate you’ve been gathering magic, you could have enough to match up to the princesses in a few days. It’s actually hard for me to tell, though, because your magic is hidden by something.”

Mathew’s gaze softened a bit at that and he sighed. “Ah… that’s another theory I had. Luna had told me it was very hard for her magic, and that of the doctors, to affect me. It could be because my body is from a world without magic – like it’s got a field around it that negates magic. It’s probably why I’ve had some trouble using my magic in the past,” he said.

Twilight’s eyes narrowed and she thought about that concept. “That… would make sense. Still, from what I could see, your control over your magic was pretty solid just now. But you did have a more chaotic use of it when you healed Fluttershy… we’ll have to check that.”

“About that…” he started, “it might have to do with my mental state.”

Twilight’s eyes widened and she leaned closer. Then Rarity spoke. “Oh, I think I understand. It’s like the younger unicorn foals. When they are first learning magic they have to get their minds in just the right frame. If they lose their focus, or think too hard about it, their magic can go awry. Is that what you are referring to, Mathew?” she asked.

Mathew nodded to her. “Yes. Like I said before, magic isn’t the same in my world. The times I’ve lost control of my spells have been when I… well, when I stopped paying attention to them. When my spells are successful, it’s because my way of thinking stays the same – or, rather, I let myself accept that my magic is real.”

Twilight suddenly brightened as the information clicked in her head. It all made sense to her then. However, there was still somepony who had something to add to the conversation. “Well, it’s nice that we know what his problem is with magic, and all that, but what about that part that he was brought here by Nightmare Moon?” Rainbow Dash asked. She had held her temper in check throughout, but she could remain quiet no longer.

The room went quiet again and the unease took hold. Mathew had expected it, but he had an answer for her. He turned to the rainbow-maned Pegasus and locked her in a calm gaze. “This is one of the reasons why I was brought here, Rainbow. You’ve all faced her once before – and defeated her. Luna believes that I stand a better chance against her if I have help. She dealt with Nightmare Moon on her own in the past,” he said.

Rainbow snorted and crossed her hooves, glaring at him. “That still doesn’t change the fact that she might come back. And if your body is as tough as you say it is, how would we be able to beat her?”

“The Elements,” Mathew quickly stated.

Fluttershy and Applejack gasped as soon as he said that. All eyes turned to them and Fluttershy sank into her seat, not wanting to say what was on her mind. Applejack, on the other hoof, looked at her friends sternly. “Usin’ tha Elements ain’t an option,” she said.

Mathew quickly moved and slammed his hands on the table, meeting Applejack's gaze firmly. “Yes they are. I’m well aware of the risk, but it’s worth it. If Nightmare Moon truly wants to use me to take over Equestria, then none of you should hold back if it means stopping her,” he said.

Rainbow slammed her hooves on the table again, glaring at Mathew. “If we used them on you, it would kill you. That crystal in you would probably be taken out of you, just like Nightmare Moon’s armor was ripped off of Princess Luna! There’s no way we’d be able to do that to you!” she argued.

Mathew shot her with a stone cold glare, his resolve on full display for all to see. “Humans are different from you ponies. I admire your regard for life, but my people make exceptions to preserving life. If the fate of an entire world is at stake and the price is one life, then we will gladly give it up. I will not let my body be used as a tool to ruin this world. You will use the Elements of Harmony on me if Nightmare Moon takes over me. Until then, all I ask is that you do whatever you can to help me,” he said… then his expression softened and he deflated as his head hung low.

“But this is all just hypothetical. We don’t know if Nightmare Moon is really behind this or not. The crystal had similar magic to the Nightmare Moon you fought before, but it was still different. For all anyone knows, it might have nothing to do with that Nightmare… I could just be the unlucky winner of the random life-changing event game and I never knew. All I do know is that I’m stuck here, for now. Please…” he stood up and looked at each pony around the table. “Help me, but promise me you won’t let me become a monster.”

The energy of the argument died with his words. Rainbow Dash sunk down into her seat, refusing to look at Mathew. Fluttershy slumped and looked at her hooves with utter sadness in her eyes. Rarity did her best to keep her composure, but her downcast eyes were sufficient enough to show her thoughts. Twilight seemed to retreat into her thoughts, most likely trying to find an alternate solution. Applejack held her gaze on Mathew, searching him for something, but also feeling just how much his words weighed on the rest of her friends.

Pinkie just looked around at her friends, seeing their faces without a smile, and she sighed. “You silly fillies, why are you all so downy n’ frowny? Everything will be fine.”

“What makes ya so sure, Pinkie?” Applejack asked.

Mathew also gave the pink earth pony a questioning look. Her overly calm reaction to everything was probably the most surprising, she had even been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the entire meeting. Pinkie simply shrugged and smiled. “It’s just a feeling.”

Mathew, as well as most of the others gave Pinkie a skeptical look, but they eventually let it slide as another one of Pinkie’s odd premonitions. Mathew still held doubt, but he had other things to consider at that moment. His gaze met with Applejack’s again and she had been giving him quite the fair bit of attention. For the first time, since they had met, he saw something in her eyes that he could not explain. Something continued to flicker within those pools of green, never staying the same, like the ripples of a pond shifting with the wind.

Mathew stared into her eyes and time seemed to slow to a crawl as they searched each other, peering into the metaphorical windows to the soul. The others took notice of their strange moment and Rarity took it upon herself to inquire about it. “Applejack, darling, is there something wrong? You’ve been staring at him in… an unusual manner…” she said, tilting her head.

Applejack blinked and looked around at her friends. It was clear she had something on her mind, but lacked the right words to describe it. Rainbow Dash heaved a heavy sigh and shook her head. “Don’t worry, AJ… we won’t use the Elements unless there’s no other way,” she said.

Applejack glanced at Rainbow then trailed her eyes to look at the table. “Right…” she sighed.

Mathew watched the orange farm pony for a few moments longer. He swore he had seen something in her eyes, but just what it was felt it best to dance a mere breath outside of his cognitive grasp. He gave up on figuring it out, deciding it was time to address Twilight again. He turned to her and crossed his arms, mixed emotions dancing behind his calm gaze. “Well, unless there’s anything else you want to discuss… I think I’ll head to my quarters. This has been a rather taxing meeting,” he said.

Twilight looked at Mathew for a long moment before glancing to the rest of her friends. Nopony seemed to have much else to say, so she dismissed him. She asked her friends to stay a while longer, just to talk about a few other details. Mathew nodded and left the large room. The moment the doors shut, he flicked his fingers out and sent a tiny string of magic to wrap around the hinge of one door. The moment his magic connected to it he heard their discussion while he continued to go to his room.

Just as he had thought, Twilight had wanted to tell her friends about what Celestia wanted them to do. Twilight had been given a mission. She was to take Mathew away from Canterlot – specifically to separate Luna from him. While he was in Twilight’s care, she was to keep a close watch over him and report any and all interactions – effectively creating a log of his activities. The goal of the mission was to find out if Nightmare Moon was hiding within Mathew.

As Mathew listened to the rest of the discussion he found it hard to keep his anger from showing. He was glad there were hardly any other ponies in that area, and that Spike had gone to bed already. Yet again, he felt that Celestia had manipulated him for unjust reasons… even though her fears were not entirely misplaced. Nightmare Moon was inside of him... well, a part of her was. If anything, it hurt him more knowing that she had chosen to treat him so poorly, rather than approach him directly about it. There had been plenty of chances for her to talk to him. Why did she treat him so differently? Why did she push him away? When did her offer to help him turn into such a sick game – toying with his emotions and his life? What was so wrong about him being friends with Luna? For the love of all that was holy; what did he ever do to deserve being treated as some villain!?

He closed the door to his room, softer than he had intended… and then slumped against it and slid to the floor. He was about to cut off his connection to the room, cutting the fuel for his anger off, until he heard a shift in the conversation.

“I-I’m not sure I’m all that comfortable with this idea, Twilight,” Fluttershy spoke in a near whisper.

“Ah agree,” Appljack added. “It ain’t right to do that kinda thing to him. Ah may not know that much about him, but ah can say that he don’t need us all watchin' him like he’s some scoundrel. Ya’ll saw it, he’s a kind fellah, with a good heart. Why’d tha Princess ask us to do this anyway?” she said, clearly battling her emotions.

“Well for one thing, this is the same thing that separated Celestia from Luna in the past,” Rarity said. “I can see at least some reason for this responsibility to be placed on us.”

Rainbow groaned and flapped her wings in agitation. Even without seeing her, Mathew was pretty sure the blue Pegasus was itching to blow off steam with a good flight. “None of that matters. What we really need to look at is how we can help him. You all heard what he asked us to do! There’s no way I could do that – even if Nightmare Moon were to come back – I just…” she slumped down into her chair with a thump.

“Dash is right,” said Applejack. “The Princess wants us to watch him, but ah think we should do more to actually help him. Maybe we should try to talk with Luna, she might be able to-“

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “Princess Celestia doesn’t want Luna involved in this. She said that Luna had been getting too close to Mathew. What if Nightmare Moon’s goal was to try and take over Luna again? Mathew is the key to something, but nopony knows what. That’s why he’s here. It’s our duty to keep watch over him and make sure that Nightmare Moon can’t hurt anypony again,” she firmly stated.

Applejack huffed. “This just ain’t right. Are ya sayin that it’s fine for Nightmare Moon to take over him, so long as Luna is safe? Ah won’t sit by and let that happen ta him. He might not be a pony, but that don’t mean we should let him suffer. If none a ya’ll help him then ah’ll do it mahself!” she said firmly.

“Me too. He was so kind to me before, I can’t sit by and not help him,” Fluttershy agreed, surprisingly more firmly than what anyone would have expected from the timid mare.

“Yeah!” Pinkie chirped cheerfully. “He’s such a nice human! I mean, he loved my cupcake so much he even hugged me and gave me a kiss on the cheek! Even though he thought it was a little over the top, but who cares! If he was happy and has made each of us happy, even though we’re making him feel upset and alone right now, it’s alright because he’s super duper nice and I can’t wait for the next party to-”

“Okay! We get it, Pinkie. Ugh,” Twilight groaned. She rubbed her chin in thought before she sighed and continued with her point. “You’re all right. We really should try to help him. It was just so shocking when he was here before. His magic is so strange… it’s beautiful, but also terrifying. And when he asked us to use the Elements on him, knowing what might happen, I just…”

“It was scary to hear him say that,” Fluttershy finished for her, “but I think we need to give him a chance. We should get to know him better. As things are now, we’re unsure around him because he has so much to him that we just don’t know about. I think everything will be much better once we learn more about him and the place he came from,” she said with a smile.

Applejack sighed. “That might be harder than ya think, sugarcube. When ah was talking ta him before, I learned some things about him. But… there were a few times when he became… distant, and sad, but he wouldn’t tell me about it. He said that there were things from his world that have no place in ours. Ta be honest, I really wish he’d tell us, but he ain’t gunna do it if it means hurtin us.”

The room fell silent again. A few minutes passed. Then, Rarity cleared her throat. “Well, this has been quite the eventful evening, but there’s just one thing that’s really been bothering me,” she said and turned her gaze to Applejack and lifted one of her brows. “You seemed to be getting along quite well with Mathew during the party… exactly what made you get so close to him in such a short amount of time, I wonder,” Rarity teased, a sly smirk weaving across her lips as she spoke.

Applejack stared at Rarity for a few moments, wondering what she was getting at, until the meaning behind it dawned on her. Her cheeks flushed and she tilted her head down so her hat covered her eyes. Mathew killed his listening spell in that instant and sighed heavily. He brought his fingers up and rubbed at his forehead. As he did so, he felt that familiar presence come forth from the depths of his mind.

“Well… I was actually looking forward to her response to that. Why did you not wait to hear it?” Nightmare Moon asked, partly teasing but also serious.

Mathew sighed again and let his hand drop to his side as he gazed toward the window across the room. I have a few reasons for that, he thought to her.

Nightmare let out a soft sigh of understanding. “Is it because you are not a pony?” she asked.

That’s one reason, he replied. She’s a pony, I’m a human, and I highly doubt either of us would change that. However… there are more things to consider, aside from just that. Our pasts are different, which shows in our individual personalities, therefore we don’t share the same views on friendship and love. Then there’s the biggest problem of all… at some point I won’t be a part of this world – and even in the unlikely chance that I am, it wouldn’t be fair to her or anyone else that I would outlive anyone who’s not immortal... provided that I don't die from old age.

I won’t let myself fall in love with any of them, nor will I give them reason to love me more than any normal friend… even if I have to be a jerk to ensure their hearts stay away from mine, he finished.

Nightmare would have argued, were it not for the finality of his words. There would be nothing she could say to change his mind. Only the passage of time would tell. She left him alone for a while to let the mood soften before she approached him on another subject. “So, it would seem that Twilight’s affinity for magic has allowed her to notice the effects of my core in you. The solution is to find a way to stabilize it. The only reason why your magic has no end, as of yet, is because the core is not complete,” she said calmly.

Mathew took note of her deliberate attempt to keep her tone calming. He thought about what her words might hold, but decided he was not in the mood to think too hard. He asked her to continue.

“You need to take my power, like you said you wanted before, and then use it to complete the bond. Our current bond is only temporary. Though my core won’t be leaving you any time soon, the magic being generated by it will not stop until we are truly joined. I won’t lie to you… being placed inside of you completely without being the one in control makes me nervous.” she explained.

Mathew’s curiosity perked up at that. Two things… firstly, are you saying that when I take your power from you, you’ll be unable to do the things you do now – like see through my eyes and such? And secondly, what exactly is it that I’ll need to do to complete the… bond? he asked.

Nightmare chuckled warmly, she could feel his concern about her, but she knew it was not as bad as he feared. “Do not fear. I’ll still be able to do the same things that I can now. The only thing that will change is… well… my whole self will be contained within you after the bond is complete. Essentially, you and I will be bound in a very intimate way. Everything that I am, everything that you are, will combine into a singular form. You will see all of my memories, feel all of my emotions, and know the true depth of my pain… just as I will you. And…” Nightmare paused, taking a breath to prepare her for the last part. “And should you perish, so shall I. Our fates will be connected that deeply.”

Mathew took that in, slight hesitation dancing within his heart. They would be two minds, and souls, in a single body, but able to share everything with the other. Such a thing had many advantages, but he knew why she had hesitated at the end. They each had secrets… which would be shown to the other upon the completion of the bond. Still, Mathew’s personal sins were not as bad as he made them out to be. The worst he had done was let his rage go uncontrolled once, which led him to take a life.

It was more the fact that his mere twenty-plus years were about to be paled by the thousands of years that Nightmare Moon held within her. He swallowed hard and steeled himself before he asked her the important question. What will this do to my mind? Having everything you have mixed with mine… would my brain even be able to comprehend that much?

Nightmare was quiet for a moment. She had thought about it before, but with the way things had progressed, she was very certain of her answer. “I believe there is nothing your mind would not be able to handle. Yes I have lived for a very long time, but you have shown quite the ability to adapt and learn. I have faith that you will not be altered by it. If anything, I think you’ll be able to use much of what I have to offer you, and maybe it will help you find that inner peace you’ve sought for so long. This is still your decision, Mathew. You can choose to deny this bond and simply purge the excess magic from your body to prevent an overload.”

Mathew thought, long and hard, and went through the possible outcomes in his head. The obvious outcome, one where this all turned out to be a trap that let Nightmare take full control of him, was the first thing to come to mind. Then he thought of how he could learn so much more about Equestria from her, especially all the magic she possessed and how he could incorporate it into his own budding abilities. He could also be crushed beneath such vast amounts of knowledge; losing his mind, his brain cracking from the amount of data, he could change as a person and no longer be the same… so many things could happen.

Before he knew it, the moon had reached the peak of its rise through the sky, and he could feel something searching for him. It took him but a few seconds to realize that Luna must have been trying to reach him. Nightmare quickly receded into his mind and Mathew stood up. He walked to the window and opened it, fixing his eyes upon the glow of the moon. The moment his gaze fell upon the creamy arc in the sky, he felt a sense of relief in the air and he offered a smile.

“Hey there, Moon Princess. If you can hear this, I’m alright… I was just thinking about some things,” he said to the moon above. He hoped that Luna could hear him, since he was sure they could not meet again, not for a while anyway.

Suddenly, there was a pulse in the air, accompanied by a soft flash of silver. Mathew turned around and was surprised to see Luna standing in his room. She wore a small smile on her face, but the look of sadness in her eyes told him everything. He walked to her and gently embraced her. She returned the hug and nuzzled her face into his chest. They stood there, sharing their warmth with each other, and letting the silence sooth their tired minds and hearts.

At some point, Mathew found that he had started petting her mane, and he was softly humming to further ease Luna’s mind. She moved her head and rested her muzzle in the crook of Mathew’s neck. “Thank you, Mathew. I feel much better now,” Luna whispered.

Mathew leaned his head to rest on top of hers, getting a slight tingly tickle on his face from her waving starry mane. “I thank you as well. I was feeling a bit down myself. I told Twilight, and the other Element Bearers about how I got here… and it wasn’t the easiest meeting I’ve been a part of. It left me with quite a lot to think about,” he said. “I also learned that you shouldn’t be here… you know Celestia would be angry if she found out you came,” Mathew added and sighed in worry for the younger royal sister.

Luna chuckled and nuzzled against him firmly. “And since when have I listened to her? I know why she fears my closeness with you, but she could never know just how much it has helped you. I can feel it… your heart was being torn when you came to the window, but now it’s at ease again. I shan’t let you fight this alone, even if I have to go against my sister.”

Mathew let a small laugh escape him and he pulled away to look her in the eyes. “Ah, but you’re safe from her ire. I, on the other hand… hoof, am a viable target. Besides, I worry about you, too. I am undoubtedly grateful for your help, but you know just how much my heart would break if something happened to you because of me,” he said softly.

Luna stared into his eyes for a few moments. She debated on what she should say in response to it, but found it difficult to bring her voice out. Her attempts to speak her mind were stopped when Mathew’s hand came up and gently caressed her cheek, slightly forcing her to look him strait in the eyes. “Luna… you’re my best friend, in this world. I know how much you worry for me, but please let me try things out without putting you in any danger. We’ll always have the night to see each other, and I will let you know if I think I’m in trouble, but please don’t anger Celestia like this. I think things will be fine… heck, even Pinkie said so during the meeting. Have faith in the Elements of Harmony… in Twilight and her friends… and in me,” he said with a kind smile and a small wink.

Luna sighed and let her face rest against his palm. She closed her eyes for a few moments. “Promise me…” she said.

Mathew straitened his posture and pulled her face closer to his. Luna’s eyes opened and he stared deep into her. “You have my word, Luna. Everything will be alright,” he smiled. Then, just to take away the seriousness of the moment, or maybe to get his daily dosage of amusement, Mathew slid his hand to her nose and gently tapped it.

Luna scrunched her nose up and gave Mathew a playful glare before letting a smirk grace her dark blue features. “Why do you always do that?” she asked him.

Mathew shrugged and tilted his head at her with a grin. “Still figuring that one out… probably because I like the faces you ponies make when I do it,” he said jokingly.

Luna huffed and shook her head, smiling the whole time. “Well, you might want to be careful when you do that again… it might be taken as a sign of affection to some. After all, your hands give off quite the interesting aroma,” she said, eyes half lidded and smirking playfully at him.

Mathew got the hint instantly and his face turned sour. He sighed in slight annoyance and turned his head away from Luna. “I’d appreciate it if you never joke like that with me again,” he said.

Luna stiffened and stared at him in shock. “Did something happen? You used to joke with me on this manner of subject at the castle…” she said.

Mathew narrowed his eyes and took in a breath through his nose. “Let’s just say that there’s the chance that one of Twilight’s friends got along with me… pretty well. We actually spent most of the time at the party with each other. All we did was talk, though. She’s probably the second closest friend I have in this world, next to you,” he admitted.

Luna’s shock turned into a warmer joy and she stepped around to look him in the eyes. “That is most fortunate news indeed. But the way you say it… was there something that happened to make you think she might see you more than just a new friend?” she inquired, fighting back the urge to grin at his mixed emotions.

Mathew eyed her for a moment before he sighed and averted his gaze to the side. “I heard part of a conversation. Ra- one of the bearers started to tease the other about how we spent so much time together during the party. I didn’t hear the rest to know anything more than that,” he said.

Luna stared at him for a few long moments. Then, as if she had grown bored of the subject, she turned away and walked to the open window. “I know that you must feel strongly against such things, but know this, Mathew; when it comes to matters of love, nothing should stop your heart. If you think that interspecies relations are a problem, you should know that there have been many such couples in Equestria. Nopony would see you poorly should you find love in this world,” she said.

Mathew sighed again and closed his eyes. “That may be true, but I have more than that to keep my mind made up. I won’t find love here… I can’t. Don’t try to offer me any other options either, I will not change my mind,” he said and opened his eyes.

The moment his eyes focused, he felt the warmth of lips on his own. His gaze was locked with Luna’s and he could see a deep yearning within her cyan orbs that almost made his heart crack. His mind had locked up, multiple thoughts fought for control to get him to react appropriately, but he held his body still. All too soon, the moment passed and Luna pulled away and walked back to the window. She stopped at the opening and gave a half glance back at Mathew. “Even if you can’t do so now… there will be at least one heart that will wait for you,” she whispered.

Luna then vanished in the gentle flash of her magic. Mathew stared at the spot where she had just been. His mind struggled to free itself from what had just happened, but the cold reality of it was inescapable. Luna, the Princess of the Night, younger sister of Celestia, the Princess of the Sun, and daughter to Nightmare Moon… had just said she had feelings for him… a human. Speaking of… he was positive he could hear Nightmare laughing at him… how wonderful.

Author's Note:

Another chapter done!

Went from happy party to emotional roller coaster and ended with a little touch of humor. As always, I hope you enjoyed the read and look forward to the next installment of my weird little tale.

Comments

[fluffyunicorns]

that pic is great

[Hairy Rainbowish Thingy]

This story has a lot of potential.

I like that,Nightmare Moon is just trying to talk with her daughter luna instead the overused 'night will last forever'that i've seen so many times.
its original.

I sadly dont have much to say right now...too tired.

so lets just say,i love how this story is going so far,pls oh pls continue this awesome thing you created and goodnight

[Oddling]

7650470 Awesome, glad you enjoy it. I've just about finished writing the last few chapters for it, so no worries on it dropping into the shadows to never be completed. I fully intend to put the whole thing up.

Thanks for the comment, too. If you have anything else to add (whenever you feel the need) please feel free to let me know about it. Despite what my skills seem, I'm actually a fairly novice writer, so I really enjoy getting feedback on my stuff.

7649447 Thanks! I've got a good friend who is an epic artist (even though she might say otherwise). She was infected by my excitement when I was thinking about posting this as my first story.

[Detsella Morningdew]

Wow, this just keeps getting better and more interesting.

And you've managed to get me mad at Celestia, all without breaking her character.