Dreams of Regret

It was a cool spring night as the moon cast over Canterlot Castle. The moon gave the castle a low glow along with the torches that provided light to the ponies that lived there. The halls of the castle itself were empty, excluding the night guards stationed at every door. But there was one other walking the halls of the castle. Her hoof-steps making a small clip-clop sound, echoing faintly against the walls. The mare had no means to rush, but she felt a strong conviction to get to her destination as quickly as possible. It was the princess of the night herself, Princess Luna, and she was making her way to her chambers.

The lunar princess had just recently raised her moon, and she decided now was the time to get on with the matter that's been on her mind all day. She even closed the night court early so she could make it to her room on time. The royals who had waited in line all night to have an audience with the princess were angered, but Luna didn't care what they thought. This was too important to be late for.

Luna arrived at the doors to her chambers and slowly opened the door to her room. The room was quiet except for the small sounds of hoof-steps coming from Luna. Even though Luna was a princess her room wasn't exactly as large and regal as some might think. It was large enough for her bed, wardrobe, and some extra space on the side to put in her own personal restroom. The walls and ceiling were a midnight blue, with the ceiling having small yellow dots  to symbolize the stars. Luna's bed had a similar color design with a few variations in star patterns on the pillows and sheets. To the left of her bed stood two glass doors leading to a balcony, with a telescope pointing towards the night sky.

Making her way to the balcony, Luna opened the two glass doors to the cool spring night. She took a moment to take in her surroundings. The breeze ruffled her celestial mane and gave her a sense of peace. She looked up into the night sky and stared at her radiant moon. She always had a connection with it, she could feel it, and tonight was no different. The connection was emotional as well as magical. Luna's moon would reflect strong mood swings in the way it glows. When it glows brightest Luna is in her most joyous of moods. If it glows dimly the night princess is in her highest state of melancholy.

Tonight, the moon had a low amber glow.

After Luna felt satisfied in her surroundings she decided it was time to start. She inhaled a deep breath and started to concentrate on her magic. It started off as a small feeling in her stomach but quickly grew as she put more effort into her concentration. Her midnight blue aura started to encompass not only her horn, but her entire body. Her vision began to blur and her consciousness began to waver. She knew this was coming and, after so many times using the spell, she was prepared for it. Luna watched as the world around her began to fade away and she fell into a deep state of unconsciousness.

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Luna felt a strong warm breeze hit her face as she awoke from her short slumber. She slowly opened her eyelids and looked around her environment. She was elevated high atop a cloud and was looking down to a small open field. The field was full of luscious green grass and bright colored flowers. The sight was almost breathtaking to the lunar princess and she would've stayed there for hours if not for the sound coming from the earth below. The sound was laughter and it came from three different voices.

Laughter was coming from three little fillies who just emerged from the woods surrounding the small field. Luna instantly recognized the three and a tiny smile began to form on her muzzle. It was the  Cutie Mark Crusaders and they were playing in the bright green grass. They seemed to be playing a game of chase and it seemed that Scootaloo was it. The ones Luna knew as Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were starting to catch up to her. Scootaloo, with her options gone, chose to run around in a circle to try and shake off her two pursuers.

It was all in vain as the two fillies came crashing down onto the orange filly. The group of youngsters tumbled around the field in a giant ball of laughter until they fell onto a small patch of yellow dandelions. Their laughter continued as the trio laid in the patch of flowers.

Luna took this break to look at one filly in particular. She stared at Scootaloo as the orange filly laughed alongside her two friends. Luna noticed, in that moment, how happy Scootalooo was. That these two friends of hers could bring so much joy to Scootaloo. It made Luna happy that Scootaloo at least had friends in her life who could make her smile and laugh.

After the fits of giggles from the three fillies subsided the trio rose from the flower patch. They started to have a small conversation. Luna couldn't make out the words from her high altitude, but it wouldn't be necessary. The Crusader's chat was cut short because of a faint female voice yelling to them out in the distance. Luna noticed that Scootaloo seemed ecstatic by the interruption though. She quickly spoke to her two friends and dashed off towards the voice. She turned around for a moment to wave her friends off and they did the same.

Luna looked in the direction of where the voice came from and saw a small wooden house. She decided to  follow the small filly as Scootaloo made her way to the home. When Scootaloo made it out of the thickness of the woods Luna noticed there was a path leading from the forest all the way up to the house. Scootaloo took this path until she made it to the front door of the wooden structure. She knocked on the door and it almost instantly opened. What stood in the doorway was a mare and a stallion.

The stallion stood there with a proud and loving smile on his face. He had the same color design as Scootaloo with a little bit of a darker shade. The mare stood there with a loving and caring smile on her face. Her color design consisted of a dark pink coat and a light brown mane. The two looked down at Scootaloo and spoke to her with what Luna assumed to be a warm welcome. They bent down and embraced the orange filly in a loving hug.

Soft sobs came from above the scene. Sobs that the trio below could not hear. The tears from these sobs fell to the ground bellow but quickly evaporated before even getting close to the three below.

These were the sobs of a princess.

Luna sat on her cloud as tears streamed down her face. Though she was crying a small smile was on her muzzle. A small, sad smile.

'I'm sorry', she thought to herself. 'I'm so, so sorry I had to leave you.'

The night princess slowly rose from her cloud as her tears subsided. It was time to go. The sun would rise soon. She took one last look down at the happy family and thought about how happy Scootaloo was in that moment of tender embrace. She only wished to have a similar experience with the child.

Luna closed her eyes and concentrated on her magic once again. It encompassed her entire body and, in an instant, she was gone. Shortly after Luna left the world she was previously in it began to crumble away until it was nothing but blackness.

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Luna awoke on her balcony with a start. It was morning and Celestia's sun was just starting to rise over Equestria. Luna realized that she had been gone too long and hurried to get ready for her duties. She noticed that her face was covered in dry tears and decided to go to her restroom to wash it off.

Luna's bathroom was a sort of simple design. It had some royalties but Luna always liked to keep things as simple as possible. The walls and ceiling were an eggshell color design. With small wavy patterns on every other tile. Her bathtub had the same eggshell white color but the metal bits on the faucet were a gold color scheme. Her sink was the same as her bathtub. All in all a more simple design.

She turned to her sink and turned the handle with her blue colored magic. The cold water quickly flowed into the sink and Luna began to splash some on her face. During this procedure she thought back to the night before. She thought of the gleeful Scootaloo and the two ponies in the wooden house. These thoughts came quick and she silenced them just as fast. The dried tears that were currently being washed off her face would come back in full if she thought about it for too long.

After she washed her face, Luna quickly dried it with a nearby towel and walked out of her bathroom. She took one last look at her room and headed for her doors. Before leaving to greet her sister at breakfast and tend to her royal duties, her mind wandered back, again, to the night before. She knew she shouldn't dwell on it but her mind wouldn't seem to let it go. She was fine with that though. The memories of the previous night hurt but also felt good. At least her little filly was happy in her dreams.

With a deep breath Luna opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. She couldn't dwell on the thoughts all day. She had a kingdom to run and a sister to greet.

Luna didn't worry though. She would watch over the dreams of her little filly again soon, and she will always watch over those dreams for as long as she could.