The Moon and her Shadow

by Aquarian_Sage

Chapter Two

Winter was approaching the queendom of Equestria. By now, frost was replacing the morning dew, pale slivers of ice lined water, and trees were all but bare of their leafy crowns.

Luna stood on the roof of the solar tower with wings flared open. Every night, the winds caressing her feathers grew colder and colder. She inhaled the crisp, biting air and drunk in the tapestry of stars. Each night grew longer and longer. Soon, the longest and most beautiful night of the year would be upon world.

She dropped down on all fours and studied the castle grounds below.

The Night Court drifted through the misty evening. The Night Guard was returning from their patrol, Shadow Bolts tended to the Everfree clouds, astronomers and mages huddled close together in hush conversations, and a musician plucked sweet serenades on her lyre.

Queen Luna smiled at her subjects. Though few, she could never question their loyalty or love of the night. She only wished she could see more little ponies basking in the moonlight too. Every year, it felt like she had less and less, while her sister had more and more.

"... busy schedule today!" Celestia's chipper voice rose from the stairs below.

Luna rolled her eyes and groaned in annoyance. Honestly, who could be this cheerful this early in the morning. She fluttered in through a window just in time to see Celestia canter up the stairs with Sombra in toe. "The harvest moon shall soon be upon us, so today, we'll have a meeting with several of the—"

"We?" Luna raised a brow. "I didn't schedule any meetings with the harvest moon committee today. As a matter of fact, I didn't even invite you to the next meeting. The harvest moon festival is my—"

"Oh hush hush, Lulu, don't worry!" Celestia waved a dismissing hoof. "I just want to..."

Well that settled that.

Luna didn't bother to listen another superfluous word. The moon goddess instead shifted her gaze onto the colt.

Ever since Celestia invited him to see the sunrise several weeks ago, Sombra had been a permanent feature at her side.

And it showed. Sombra's chest heaved as he stifled a yawn, his bloodshot eyes blinked at his hooves, and he sniffled in vain at the mucus crusted on his nose.

Luna plucked an ivy leaf from a vine and approached the pair, keeping her gaze locked on Sombra. "Fine, then, Celly-dearest. Who am I to get in the way of what you want? Enjoy the meeting."

Celestia's usual smile faltered for a moment. "Is something the matter, sister?"

Luna ignored the question. "Good morrow, honored guest."

The colt jolted out of his half-slumber and quickly bowed. "Good morrow, Queen Luna."

"It is rather early."

He glanced up at her and quickly looked away at the sight of her cold, impassive countenance. "It-it is, your grace."

"Too early for a foal," Luna shot Celestia a pointed look, "in Our humble opinion."

Celestia stopped smiling. She went to speak, but Luna cut her off. "May We have permission to touch thee, Sombra?"

Sombra recoiled in surprise. "Excuse me, Queen Luna?"

Luna repeated her inquiry with a gentler tone. "May We have permission to touch thee?"

Sombra sniffled at the mucus that kept dripping out his nose. "Uh, yes?"

The moon god shook her head. "Nay, Sombra. Only with thine honest consent."

Sombra took a moment to consider his option. Then he nodded. "You may, Queen Luna."

And Luna wiped his boogies away with the ivy leaf. "There. It seems thou hath forgotten to wash thy face this morning." She looked at Celestia with a cold expression. "One tends to forget things when they're tired. Especially foals."

Celestia scowled for a moment, but then forced a beatific smile. "How kind of you, sister." She draped a wing over Sombra and squeezed him close. "Are you ready for the sunrise? I know I am."

The colt stiffened and looked off to the side in silent discomfort. "Yes, Queen Celestia."

"Wonderful! This one is going to be spectacular."

Sombra nodded, still not looking at her. "Thank you, Queen Celestia."

The sun god pulled away from him and cantered to her dais. Luna moved next to Sombra, but maintained wing's-distance from him.

Celestia inhaled before lighting her horn.

Dawn waded into the dying night. Everfree clouds became ablaze with soft oranges and pinks, lark song overtook the nightingale chirps, and what bare branched turned to embrace the sun's warming light. Celestia's wings snapped open and morning birds hovered just outside the Solar Tower's windows singing in invitation. The sun god took flight.

Luna and Sombra watched Celestia join the birds in a delicate dance.

Luna lost interest in the performance immediately and Sombra sighed under his breath a moment later.

"Why does she always have to do this right in front of the sun?" he bemoaned.

Queen Luna chuckled.

Sombra's nearly jumped out of his skin. She wasn't supposed to hear that! He glanced at her before looking back at Celestia's blinding dance.

"If thou would like to rest thine eyes from sister-dear's Dazzling Daily Dawn Dance, then look where We look."

Sombra dared to meet her gaze and found himself disarmed by her good-humored grin. She looked into his eyes for a moment and then turned her head west. Sombra followed suit.

She closed her eyes and relaxed her grin into a small smile. Sombra watched as the last vestiges of night were tucked in below the horizon until the last star of the western sky faded out of sight.

With her night resting, Luna trotted over to a window. "Would thee join Us, honored guest?"

He turned to Queen Celestia, still gliding through the air with her dance troupe, and blinked at the assault of bright light. He looked to Queen Luna and joined her.

"What doth thou see?"

He peered down below. "I see... a muscian packing up her instrument... ponies are putting their telescopes away... the Shadow Bolts are going to the stables. What do you see, Queen Luna?"

"We see ponies retiring for the day." She turned to him with a small sweet smile. "We think thou would like to retire too."

Sombra sighed in relief. "I want to so much, but it would be rude of me to refuse Queen Cele—"

She scoffed. "It was rude of her to keep touching thee without thy consent. It was rude of her to rouse from thee at this dreadful hour." Luna walked to the stairs before looking over her shoulder. "We shall make no such impositions upon thee, Our guest. Instead, We shall ask: If it would please thee, shall We escort thee to thy chambers?"

He glanced back at Celestia and then to Luna. "Her dances are pretty..."

Luna turned around and sighed in quiet disappointment.

"... but I've already seen so many." Sombra got up and joined Luna. "I'm so tired."

She smiled at him again. "Then come, come, child. As the night, it is Our duty most sacred to secure rest for all."

And both Luna and Sombra descended down into the darkness.

Celestia, caught up in her dance, noticed none of this. When she at last finished masturbating to her own glory, she landed back on the dais. "Why did they go?"

Author's Note:

Please point out any typos.

I need a break from my novel so I got high and typed this up.