Luna Won't You Cry For Me

Twilight, Spike, and Blue Star wandered the palace gardens. Twilight was taking the opportunity to lecture Blue Star on all the history he has missed, using the various statues as a reference. Blue Star, however, was looking for one in-particular.

"Where is he?" Blue asked, more to himself than anypony else, as he scanned the various pedestals, "He has to be here somewhere."

"Who are you looking for," Spike inquired from the stallion's back.

"Discord. Like I said, I was alive when during Discord's reign of chaos. I know that Celestia and Luna imprisoned him in a stone statue and set him up to be displayed in the palace. But I can't find him anywhere."

"Oh," Twilight said with some hesitation, "that's because he's not a statue anymore."

"Discord escaped!?"

"I wouldn't call it escaping," a masculine voice replied from nowhere, "It was more like being set free."

"Discord," Twilight barked, "show yourself this instant."

"Whatever you say, princess, whatever you say."

A short, sharp sound was heard, followed by a white puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared, there stood the strangest being known to Equestria.

"D-D-Discord," Blue Star stuttered in non-belief.

"Well how many draconeques' do you know?" Discord replied, snapping his talons and producing a can of soda. However, when he went to drink it, the can went down his gullet, leaving the liquid behind.

"How is this possible?"

"Long story," Twilight said rolling her eyes, "Celestia asked us to reform him, and it was successful. Discord no longer causes destructive chaos."

"Hold up a second, Sparklebutt," Discord said with a cock of his head, "this stallion seems familiar to me, and I don't know why."

"My name is Blue Star van der Dusk," he answered, "you made me ageless."

"Oh, now I remember. You were Luna's consort, weren't you."

"Yes."

"I remember now, you two used to make out in the gardens. I could see you two, you know."

"We knew."

"And then, if I remember correctly, Celestia banished you or something like that."

"Correct again. Your memory is pretty good."

"Well you're bound to forget things from time to time when you've been around as long as me, but I remember all of that."

"I just can't believe Celestia freed you."

"She wasn't too keen on the idea either. But now because of my good friend Fluttershy, I have seen the magic of friendship and have decided to change my ways for the better."

"I don't believe you for one second, but I suppose if Celestia and Twilight think you're on the up-and-up, then I can't really argue."

"Precisely. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go pull a prank on Celestia. Toodles."

Discord snapped his talons again, disappearing in the same puff of smoke.

"Things have changed much in a thousand years."

*-*-*-*-*

Prince Blueblood had just woken up. To his surprise and annoyance, he found it to already be early afternoon. Most ponies in this situation would bemoan staying up and partying so late into the night. But not Blueblood. He was more worried about the hangover he was experiencing as he slowly made his way through the halls.

As he turned a corner, he spotted one of his favorite maids, a blue Earth pony with a sky blue mane. She wasn't his favorite because of anything she did in-particular, he just liked staring at her flank. On this day, perhaps emboldened slightly by his blood alcohol content, he decided to push the envelope. Celestia had warned him on occasion about harassing the staff. But to Blueblood, what Celestia didn't see couldn't hurt her.

He made his way innocently down the hall until his target was in sight. She didn't see him, as she was too focused on dusting the frames of the various portraits that hung in the hall. When he was within reach, he raised his hoof and swiftly brought it down right on her cutie mark. The action caused a resounding smacking sound, which pleased Blueblood greatly. The maid did a little jump in surprise and turned around to see who was there, only to find the one pony she couldn't say anything to.

Blueblood gave a little smirk as his sloshed brain saw a rosy hue on the cheeks of the maid which wasn't really there. He was about to open his mouth to say something suggestive, but before he could, he felt himself picked up bodily in a blue aura and slammed against the opposing wall. And before he could cry out that he had been attacked, a hoof was pressed against his sternum and another against his throat. He was soon staring down the navy blue eyes of a very pissed-off stallion.

"Who are you to strike mares," Blue Star yelled, giving Blueblood a stare that would make some stallions wet themselves.

"I...," Blueblood stuttered, with a look on his face as if he had seen a ghost, "D-Dad?"

By this point, Twilight and Spike had caught up. They had just seen Blue Star run off into the castle, not sure of where he was going. They now saw him basically assaulting another pony, maybe not the nicest pony, but a pony nonetheless.

"Answer my question first, asshole."

"How dare you speak that way to me," Blueblood snapped, his thousand-yard stare replaced by rage, "Don't you know who I am? I am Prince Blueblood."

"Prince? As in, you are Celestia's son?"

"No, I'm her nephew."

This caused Blue Star to press his hoof a little further into Blueblood's larynx, "Luna's son?"

"No. Prince is just a title. I'm not actually related."

"Well for not being royalty, you have some massive ones. Striking a maid in the middle of the castle in broad daylight? The nerve. When I was alive, we treated mares with respect, even if they were common workers. Now I'm going to let you go, and you're going to apologize!"

At this point, Blueblood was running low on oxygen to his brain. He would do anything to regain his breath.

"OK," he whined, "Just please let me go."

Blue Star let go, still staring daggers. Blueblood took a moment to fix his blonde mane before taking a step toward the maid and bowing his head.

"My apologies, miss," he uttered clearly.

The maid looked between Blueblood and the random stallion who had kicked his flank. Blue Star gave a little tilt of his head. Smiling, the maid pulled her feather duster back and hit Blueblood repeatedly over the head with it. her honor restored, she turned and went back to her work. Blueblood returned his gaze to this new pony, who was now smiling at him for some reason.

"Now that that's taken care of," Blue Star said, throwing out a hoof, "come give your many-great granduncle a hug."

Blueblood, as well as Twilight and Spike, was stunned to silence. Unsurprisingly, Twilight found her voice first.

"Granduncle?"

"Why yes," Blue Star said, "I knew it as soon as I saw him. He looks like a white-and-blonde version of my big brother. Tell me, Blueblood, what was your father's name?"

"Blue Shield."

"Of the family van der Dusk?"

"Well, the nobles haven't used names like that in centuries, but yes, that was my father's direct lineage."

"Blue Shield was the name of my older brother," Blue Star explained, "it is unsurprising that his name has been handed down. And your cutie mark?"

It was at this point that the three other ponies realized that the two unicorns had matching cutie marks, save for some color differences.

"A stylized compass rose," Blueblood answered, "I've never really understood what it meant."

"At least one male in every generation of van der Dusk's have that cutie mark. It's because the family were originally travelers and explorers, the ones who mapped Equestria and the ones who mapped the stars in the sky."

"So you are truly a blood relative?"

"If I am correct, yes. Celestia should be able to tell us for certain, or at least tell me where I can find the genealogy records."

"Have you been gone a long time?"

"Has my story not been passed down by my own kin?"

"I'm afraid not. I've never heard of you before."

Blue Star gulped. If it wasn't for Celestia, and Luna, wherever she was, he would have been completely forgotten.

"Celestia banished me to Tartarus over a thousand years ago. It is a long story."

"I'm sorry to hear that, uncle."

"It is alright. Now, Blueblood, this has been a lovely chat, but I have other things to see. We will speak again soon."

"Of course."

*-*-*-*-*

It was late in the afternoon. Twilight had shown Blue Star the whole of the castle. Blue had to admit that he was impressed, it was much more stately than the old palace in what Twilight had explained was now called the Everfree Forest.

Regardless, it was now time for supper, and the two ponies and drake joined Celestia and Blueblood in the grand dining hall. Soon after their arrival, the double doors opened again. In stepped a dark blue alicorn, her mane of stars billowing. She looked tired, as if she had just gotten up.

The alicorn looked across the dining table to see that there were more ponies there than she would have figured. Sure, Blueblood was unexpected, but at least he lived in the castle. Twilight and Spike could have come at her sister's request. But the last pony. She knew him, but couldn't be quite sure why.

Blue Star, meanwhile, had no doubt as to who had just walked in. He quivered in his hooves as he got up from the table and made his way over to the alicorn. When he was close enough, he looked up slightly, as was necessary, and smiled.

"Luna," he said, his voice vibrating, "it's me. I'm back."

Princess Luna's eyes went wide with realization. There in front of her stood her stallion, the stallion she loved. She couldn't contain her excitement. Instantly, she picked him up with her forehooves and flew into the air, wrapping him tightly in a hug. She was near crushing him, but Blue Star didn't mind. All that mattered was that he was in Luna's hooves again.

"Oh glorious night," Luna exclaimed, being careful not to use the Canterlot Voice with Blue Star so close, "We cannot believe that thou hast returned to us."

She gave him one big, deep kiss. Blue Star about lost consciousness. He had forgotten how good it felt to be kissed, to be loved. After breaking the first one, Luna proceeded to spread little kisses all over his muzzle. Blue couldn't have wiped the smile off of his face if he had tried.

"It is great to see you too, Luna," he said when he got a chance.

Eventually, Luna returned them both to the ground, but the affection did not stop. She continued to hold him, and he finally found an opening to return the gesture.

"We thought you had been lost forever."

"Ageless, remember?"

"We remember, but Tia told me that you had been killed. But that matters not now, since you are here."

Blue Star processed what his princess had just said, and took a step back, finally rending himself from Luna's grasp.

"She told you what!?" He shot a look at Celestia, his eyes glowing in a way that they had not in some time.

"Blue Star," Celestia said, trying to keep her calm, "I am sorry, but there was nothing I could do. When Luna returned, she asked where you were. I couldn't tell her what I had done, so I told her that you were dead."

"You...you lied to me," Luna said, hurt.

"Sister, I couldn't bring myself to tell you that I had banished Blue Star. And, besides that, I couldn't be sure if he would ever come back. You needed to move on."

Luna stood again, "The Moon is rising. Goodnight sister."

Her horn lit up with a bright blue glow, and in a flash, she was gone.

"Wait, Luna," Blue Star yelled. He looked back and gave Celestia a look before teleporting himself.

This left Celestia, Blueblood, Twilight, and Spike at the table, each with a different expression, but all feeling sad.

"I hope he can get to her," Celestia said, "he will be able to comfort her, he always was able to. Oh, and Twilight, I know how I want Blue Star treated."

"Yes, princess?"

"He will stay here in the castle. I have a feeling that neither him nor Luna could stand to be apart for one more second. However, I would like you and each of his friends to come and visit him. Like Luna, there is a lot that he needs to learn. His heart is still pained from his banishment, he needs ponies to reach out to him. Luna will help with that a lot, but I think you all will be an even bigger help. And I would suggest starting with Pinkie Pie."

"Are you sure, princess. Pinkie Pie might be a little much for him."

"That's precisely why."

*-*-*-*-*

It had taken a few minutes, but Blue Star had finally found Luna. He could hear her sobbing inside her bedroom, while he stood outside it, unsure of how he should proceed.

"Luna," he knocked, "it's Blue, may I enter?"

He knew he couldn't force her to see him, but he was hopeful. There were a minute of tense silence before another voice was heard.

"You may," Luna said, although the door muffled it so much that Blue hardly heard her.

Opening the door, Blue entered the room. Obviously, he hadn't seen this version of Luna's room, but it wasn't a lot different than how he remembered her old one. A lot of space, many Moon and star symbols, and a large canopy bed. Blue could make out an alicorn silhouette behind the drawn shades of the bed. He moved slowly, not wishing to startle her, though she was fully aware that he was there.

"Are you OK," he asked, a stupid question to be sure, but one that needed to be asked.

"Tia lied to me," Luna answered, "Tia has never lied to me."

"I know. I'm sure in her mind it was the right thing to do. But are you going to let a lie, no matter how egregious, ruin your relationship with her. I mean, you became Nightmare Moon, tried to kill Celestia, got banished to the Moon, returned, and after all that she is still your friend. I don't think it can go anywhere but up from there."

It was subtle, but Luna cracked a smile at that logic.

"Thank you. I needed to hear that."

"Anytime, Luna. Is there anything you wish for me to do, beautiful?"

Luna's smile grew wider, "Do you think you could stay up with me all night like you used to?"

"Well I'm a little out of practice, and it's been a long day, but I think I can pull it off."

"Excellent," Luna rose her head slightly, "Now, come and snuggle your princess."

"Yes, your majesty."