Falling For The Night

by Drunk Luna

Chapter Seven

Phoebus gasped for breath and opened his eyes. Black clouds of smoke billowed up from the scorched ground. Ashes danced in the breeze like gray flower petals. Charred corpses and miscellaneous burnt body parts lay scattered around Phoebus. The sickeningly sweet smell of death, dried blood, and gunpowder filled the bat pony’s nostrils as he struggled to move. His body felt stiff, and both of his wings were obviously broken.

“How long was I out?” he wondered. Disoriented and unable to stand up, Phoebus looked around. A few seconds later, he began to remember the land mines. The Appaloosans had lined the route that the Equestrian army used to transport supplies with land mines. Many of the mines had exploded, and all of Phoebus’ platoon had been blown to pieces. The field was littered with the frost-covered entrails of his fallen comrades. Severed heads and legs lay strewn across the icy ground. Miraculously, Phoebus had survived in one piece, though by the looks of it, his right front leg was barely attached to his body, and he was covered in severe burns.

“I need to get out of here!” he thought. He rolled over onto his stomach and crawling through the frozen grass, dragging his injured leg behind him. The smoke was so thick that Phoebus struggled to breathe and couldn’t see further than three feet in front of him, but he decided that no matter what happened, he would not allow himself to die here. He crawled about ten feet before his body finally gave out. Just before he closed his eyes, there was a sudden, blinding flash of light, and Luna appeared. She galloped over to him and lowered her head, immediately healing his wounds. With one sweep of her horn, Luna changed the dreamscape to a moonlit meadow with a small pond.

***

Phoebus woke with a start to see that Luna was lying by his side, cocooning him under her wing as if he were a tiny foal. Her eyes overflowed with concern.

“It was a flashback, wasn’t it?” she whispered. Phoebus allowed his tears to flow freely as he nodded and buried his face in her soft coat.

“Ssshhhhh, it’s all over,” Luna soothed him. “Nopony will ever hurt you again.” She gave his forehead a gentle nuzzle, and he curled himself into the alicorn’s body. “Sleep,” she said softly. “You are safe now. I will guard your dreams.” Before he drifted off to sleep, Phoebus felt a hint of embarrassment at the fact that the pony he was supposed to protect was protecting him instead.

Luna gazed down at the batpony nestled under her wing. Her heart ached for him, and she longed to heal the scars that only he could see. She stayed with Phoebus and let him sleep until it was time for her to raise the moon, then she woke him gently so that he could prepare for work. After raising the moon, Luna cantered to the foyer to meet with Celestia before the older alicorn went to sleep.

“Tia,” she said, “I think I might have a problem. I think I’m in love with one of my guards.” Hearing herself speak those words terrified Luna, but she wasn’t going to let fear stop her from saying what she knew with absolute certainty. Celestia’s face lit up as Luna told her about Phoebus. She had never seen Luna act this way, as if she were a little filly who was still in elementary school. Luna absolutely glowed as she spoke of the bat pony who had so quickly won her heart. As the older sister, Celestia was hasty in warning Luna not to fall too fast, and to know the difference between love and infatuation. Luna assured her sister that she would be wise, but also that she knew she had never experienced a love like this and probably never would again. She was certain that she would be a fool to let it slip out of her reach.

Just after Luna had dismissed her night court for the evening, Spike burst through the doors of the throne room, only pausing for a second to bow before hurrying up to the alicorn.

“Your Majesty, I have an urgent message for you,” he gasped, belching out an envelope. Luna thanked Spike and dismissed him, then magically opened the envelope and levitated the note in front of her, smiling at its contents:

Meet me at the lake.

-P

***

For the thousandth time that night, Phoebus wondered if he was making a fool of himself as he stood by the lake where he had joined Luna for a swim a year earlier. He was madly, hopelessly in love with his boss, and there was nothing he could do about it. Had he expected too much of Luna too soon by asking her to meet him here tonight? He had no idea what he would say to her or how he would react if he learned she miraculously had the same feelings for him, but he knew that he was about to risk everything. He had shown her every scar on his body, mind, and heart. He had shared his hopes and dreams with her, laughed with her, and because he guarded her bedchamber, he thought she was just as beautiful when she thought she looked like a complete mess as when she was perfectly coiffed and made up. He was absolutely certain that he loved her more than life itself. The fact was, however, that Luna was the best friend he’d ever had, and he didn’t want to ruin their friendship. What in Tartarus am I doing? he wondered, terrified.

Just as he was about to leave, Phoebus heard the beat of Luna’s wings as she landed behind him. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead, and he slowly turned to face the alicorn.

“You wished to see me?” Luna asked, walking up to the bat pony with a curious smile on her face. Phoebus started to bow, but Luna stopped him. “Dispense with the formality, Phoebus,” she said, laughing. “Come on, it’s only me. You know you don’t have to bow when we’re alone. Tell me, why did you want to see me?” Phoebus was unable to speak, so he stepped close to Luna and brushed a lock of starry mane away from her face as he looked up into her cyan eyes. His mouth felt cottony, but he finally found the words he wanted to say.

“Luna,” he blurted, “I love you. I never imagined it was possible to love anypony as much as I love you. You are my best friend, my protector, my guiding light. I love you.” The long-awaited words sounded sweeter and purer than church bells, and Luna’s heart swelled. Finally, she thought.

“I love you, too, Phoebus,” she said gently. He leaned in slowly and tentatively, and her lips met his as they embraced. Phoebus couldn’t remember much of their night at the tavern a year before, but he had never forgotten the impossibly sweet taste of Luna’s kiss. Feeling her mouth against his this time, when they were both sober, was nothing short of incredible. Luna opened her mouth ever so slightly, and their tongues mingled as they deepened their kiss. She moaned softly into his mouth, and Phoebus’ body responded naturally. After they broke their kiss to catch their breaths, Luna lay down on her back and motioned for him to join her. Phoebus obliged, and they lay in silence for a few minutes, watching the stars.

“What’s your favorite constellation?” Phoebus asked. Luna chuckled.

“Well,” she said, “the Lunar Princess is my favorite, but not for the reasons you might expect. If you look at a map of the constellations, you’ll notice that the Lunar Princess is isolated from all the others; she’s all alone. Yes, it reminds me of my banishment, but it also reminds me of Nightmare Moon’s defeat. The legend always said that the stars would aid in my escape, but it never specified exactly which stars would do so. Well, that constellation was originally known as Pegasus, but it actually came alive when Nightmare Moon was defeated and I returned to the throne, and because of the Elements of Harmony’s power, a star was added just above Pegasus’ head to turn the constellation into an alicorn, commemorating my redemption.”

Suddenly, a green cloud covered the clear sky, and thunder shook the ground. Luna leapt to her hooves and glared upward. A small cyclone appeared and quickly died down, leaving a smirking draconequus in its place.

“Discord,” Luna shouted, “what in Tartarus are you doing here?”

“Oh, dear,” DIscord purred. “Have I interrupted a romantic moment? Here, chocolate always enhances the mood.” A torrential downpour of chocolate began to hit Luna and Phoebus.

“Ugh, of all the times he could have shown up, he chooses now,” Luna groaned. All of the sudden, Celestia appeared with the Mane Six.

“It’s time for you to leave, Discord,” the solar queen yelled, scowling. “Did you not learn your lesson the last eighteen million times? We agreed that you could prank me all you wanted, but Luna is off limits. Fix this immediately, or I will send you on a one way trip to Tartarus!” Discord shook with laughter.

“You’re a funny one, Celestia,” the draconequus chuckled. “I was just trying to have some fun with your little sister. Why is that such a horrible thing?” He pouted innocently and hung his head in mock sadness.

“If you don’t leave in five seconds, I’ll throw you a going away party that you’ll never want to remember,” Pinkie Pie warned, glaring.

“That’s a marvelous idea,” Discord drawled. “Will there be balloons and cake? I love cake!”

“Oh, yes,” the plucky pink Earth pony said with an evil grin. “The balloons are dangerously fun!” She created some brightly colored balloons that Phoebus immediately recognized as mines. Discord was too stupid to notice, so he ran to grab a light green “balloon,” which promptly detonated, exploding in his face. He disappeared into thin air with the explosion.

“Way to go, Pinkie!” Twilight cheered.

“Yes, thank you, Pinkie Pie,” Luna told the pink pony, sighing with relief. “Your quick thinking saved the day.” As the other ponies turned to leave, she turned to Phoebus and said, “Come to my bedchamber, and we shall finish what we started.”

Comments

[Kingstar008]

Did Pinkie pie just committed murder?

[Halloween Spirit]

11464145
Give it a minute he'll likely be back dusting himself off.