A Lesson in Laughter

Chapters

Chapter 1 - Taking Notice
Chapter 2 - The Best Medicine
Chapter 3 - All Fun and Games
Chapter 4 - Surprise
Chapter 5 - Brightest Lights

Chapter 1 - Taking Notice

Here she was, once again, alone in her tower during a calm afternoon, curled up on her overly-plush bed with a book floating ahead of her. She hadn't read a word of it for quite a while now - she had instead opted to stare absentmindedly out the window and be alone with her thoughts as she waited for the sun to set.

She felt a longing in her heart - a dull ache that she could not subdue no matter how hard she tried. The feeling was all-too-familiar to her, and she had become accustomed to it being around. That did not mean she liked it.

With a sigh, she placed a bookmark on the page of her book and floated it back onto the bookshelf. Immediately following that, she tossed herself backwards onto the bed. Her dark blue coat blended nicely into the similar-colored sheets, and the blanket atop of it was custom made to be both fluffy and smooth at the same time. It was like sleeping on a very warm cloud, and she absolutely adored it.

It did nothing to help in easing her burdened mind, however. As much as she'd like to just go to sleep and dream away her troubles, she knew that wasn't an option - the night was rapidly approaching, and she had her royal duties to look after. A lot of good being the "Queen of Dreams" did her; she couldn't even conjure up a properly distracting daydream. And so she was stuck staring at her ceiling until either her boredom overcame her and she was forced to move, or she fell asleep naturally.

There was, however, a third option, and it presented itself at perhaps the most opportune of times. There was a gentle knock on the door and a muffled voice calling from behind it, "Sister, are you in there?" When she gave no response other than to look over at the door and debate whether or not she should answer, a second call came in the form of, "Luna?"

With a sigh only audible enough for herself to hear, Princess Luna rolled over on the bed and assumed a more royal posture before answering with a courtly, "Yes, dear sister. You may come in."

The door clicked and glowed faintly as Celestia's magical aura surrounded it and pushed it forward slowly. She was ever-so gentle when it came to others' things. Even more gentle was the expression that she wore when she peeked from behind the door. It was a mixture of concern and care, but also one of doubt and worry. Luna had seen it enough times before to immediately recognize the mood that had befallen the room.

Celestia stepped through the doorway and shut the door gently behind her, careful to make as little noise as possible. After that, she moved only a few steps before sitting down in the most perfectly-practiced of ways. Celestia had the courtesy of giving others their space when she felt they needed it. Unfortunately this only caused Luna's heart to ache a slight bit more, for some reason.

"Hello, sister," Luna managed to say in a kind tone before her tongue was twisted by the knot now forming in her throat. She had no idea why, but it felt as if she was going to cry at any moment. Perhaps her sister simply had that effect on others; they wanted to burst forward with all of their emotions when they saw her.

"Is something wrong, dear?" Celestia asked. Straight to the point, it seemed. At least it wouldn't be like last time; Celestia had spent so much time trying to work up towards discussing the problem that they never actually discussed it at all.

"Is it that obvious?" Luna asked, her tone a bundle of amusement and sadness. It was an odd combination, but it got the point across rather well when it came to these situations. Something was indeed wrong, but Luna herself could not quite place a hoof on it.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Celestia asked politely, her faint smile only adding to the fact that she was sincere in her intentions to help.

But as lovely as the prospect sounded, Luna was never one for talking over her problems. She much preferred to find those problems and then find the solutions on her own. So with a simple shake of her head, Celestia understood her intentions.

"I thought so. But fear not, for I came prepared!" her tone was jovial, perhaps even a bit childish in her joy. Instead of awaiting a reply, she went on to explain, "You take on quite a burden by being in charge of the night sky and all of its splendor, I know this. I also understand that you have taken it upon yourself to control the dreams of the land - something not even I could have managed."

Luna blushed a bit at the compliment, but interrupted her sister to correct her upon the matter. "You did not manage it only because you had not desired to do so. I am sure you would be perfectly capable of doing so, should you wish to," she said sincerely.

She felt only a slight sense of pride in what she did - she believed she could probably perform her duties much better if she only knew how. That simple fact pushed her to work harder, in fact, and had even fueled her desire to brighten the night sky with stars in the first place. It was one of her most magnificent accomplishments, and yet she still wondered how to make it better.

"Now, now, my dear. Give yourself some credit," Celestia said, her smile still present as she wagged a hoof towards Luna. "And besides, I have not come to discuss your rapidly-growing skills. I came bearing good tidings."

"Oh?" Luna said, her eyebrow arched as she awaited this good news. She enjoyed pleasant surprises from time to time, and Celestia did seem to know what she liked. Perhaps this would be just the thing to cheer her up.

"Of course. I even brought someone to help me present the news to you properly," Celestia said, her grin growing ever-so-slightly. It was becoming less of an innocent grin and a bit more of a mischievous smirk, and Luna couldn't help but feel a little put-off by it.

"Oh?" Luna asked once again, but her tone was a bit more cautious this time around. She was fine with surprises; but when it involved introducing her to ponies she might not know, she couldn't help but feel a bit weary. After all, Luna still was not accustomed to the standards of modern society or their habits. Twilight was doing her best to teach her, but she lacked enough experience to formulate new opinions just yet.

"Not to worry, however. I think you'll find her company to be a rather joyous experience. But you're probably wondering just what I have in store for you," Celestia said, moving elegantly to take a standing position. "It's rather simple, really. Tonight I have prepared for you.."

She stopped herself in order to focus her magic upon the the bedroom door and open it one again. Erupting from behind it was a pony as pink as any candy and more energetic than any other creature that Luna had ever encountered before.

".. a SLUMBER-PARTY!" she shouted, her voice explosive and joyous. She threw confetti into the air and let loose the sounds of a horn of some sort. The expression upon her face told Luna that she was not only ready to party, but was completely determined to party.

"A slumber-party?" Luna echoed, her voice filled with worry. She turned her gaze away from the one known as Pinkie Pie and looked towards Celestia. "But sister, I cannot. I've got to raise the night sky! And I must tend to everyone's dreams! If I do not, then who-"

"Twilight has taken quite an interest in that field, dear sister. I do believe this is the perfect opportunity for her to learn," Celestia said, putting the latter issue to rest. As for the former, she was able to rid Luna of that worry as well by saying, "And I have taken care of the moon and its sky before. I surely can do so once again."

"But-" Luna started, but could find no suitable argument. "But I do not even know what to do," she said, settling for the truth rather than a convenient excuse. She hardly understood the customs of the nobility that surrounded her every day life; how could she possibly understand a concept that she had not practiced in over ten centuries?

"Don't you worry about that, Princess! Pinkie Pie's got it all covered," the pink mare said triumphantly, giving a wink along with her declaration. She was wearing two saddlebags, Luna noticed. No doubt they were filled to the brim with every manner of trinket, game, and other party favors.

Before Luna could protest any further - and she did try - Celestia spoke with utmost urgency, "Now. If I am to prepare Twilight for the night to come, I really should get a move on." She then turned to Pinkie Pie and gave a wink, "I'm sure you will take care of things here."

She then left the room, offering Luna only a quick, "Goodnight you two, and have fun!" After that, the door was shut and the games began - literally.

Chapter 2 - The Best Medicine

"So what do ya wanna do first, Princess?" Pinkie asked in the most excited manner possible, "We've got all sorts of stuff we can do. Video games, board games, word games, and even staring contests!"

"I.. Actually, I have a question for you first, if you would not mind answering it," Luna said tentatively. Even when speaking to her subjects, she still felt a sense of unease when making requests, for fear of coming off as too forceful.

"Go right ahead!" Pinkie exclaimed, adding emphasis by extending her forehooves outwards and giving a rather large grin. Well, at least she didn't look intimidating. At the very least, that might help put Luna's worrying to rest.

"I wish to understand just how you were put into this burdened position," Luna requested. "Undoubtedly you were called upon by my sister in order to entertain me, or otherwise just watch over me?" The tone of her voice was growing more and more annoyed, but it also grew to become rather quiet. That ache in her chest was ever-present even now.

"Nope!" Pinkie claimed simply. "Well, you're right about one itty bitty bit. Princess Celestia did call me on over and she said," before she went on, Pinkie made sure to put on her best 'royal accent', and kept alternating between that voice and her own when she found it appropriate, " 'Pinkie Pie! I understand that you are good at parties.' And I said, 'Of course! I love parties!' And then she said, 'Well my sister has been a bit sad lately, so I was wondering if you could cheer her up.' And I said-"

"Wait," Luna said, holding out a hoof to catch Pinkie's attention. "My sister told you I was sad? Usually she doesn't discuss this sort of thing with anyone." To say she was surprised would be an understatement; Luna was rather baffled at it. Celestia made it a point to keep such things between the two of them as sisters. She was the type to enjoy bonding much more than anything else.

"She sure did," Pinkie Pie replied honestly, but then got a bit quiet. Her expression went from overjoyed to moderately depressed in a matter of seconds, and the transition took Luna by surprise. "Was I not supposed to know? I don't want to make you any MORE sad! That's the OPPOSITE of what I want to do!"

"No, no!" Luna said in a sudden moment of sympathy. She had the strongest urge to reach out and hug the candy-pink mare across her, with the expression she had on her face. She would have, if she didn't believe it would make both of them feel overwhelmingly awkward. "I am just surprised that she entrusted you with the task of, well, cheering me up."

In another instant, Pinkie's expression turned from sadness to one of pure determination. She raised a hoof to her forehead in a salute, "She - and you, too - can count on me! I love making ponies laugh, and I hear that your laugh is really pretty!"

The mare was certainly full of surprises, that much was definitely true. Luna could feel her face warming up at the compliment, but she managed to shyly ask the question, "May I ask who said that?" It was true, she wasn't much for asking for praise; that did not mean she didn't like hearing it every once in a while. But not many ponies would have heard her laugh, so she figured it had to be someone in the castle.

"Twilight!" Pinkie admitted happily, "She said your laugh is quiet, but happy. And kind of sad, too. I've never heard a sad laugh, so I want to make sure your laugh changes from sad to full-on-ready-to-burst-at-the-seams happy!" She finished that sentence with flourish, tossing her arms up into the air and giving a wide grin.

It was all a bit amusing, really, and Luna covered her mouth to stifle a quiet giggle. In response to this, Pinkie softly whispered, "Your laugh is quiet!"

"I will have to thank Twilight Sparkle soon. Thank you for telling me, Pinkie Pie," Luna said graciously, bowing her head in respect. When she saw the look of confusion on Pinkie's face, she went on to explain, "My apologies. I'm accustomed to discussing such things with my sister. I act rather courtly with her, so forgive me if I get a bit mixed up."

"No worries! I really like it, actually!" Pinkie said, mimicking the bow a bit too quickly and rather stiffly. "I did that wrong, didn't I?" Pinkie said with a nervous laugh after seeing Luna's expression.

"You did it well for your first try. It's not so hard when someone teaches you, though," Luna said, hoping the mare might catch on to her subtle offer. It wasn't much of a party starter, but teaching Pinkie to bow like royalty could be a bit interesting.

"Hmm," Pinkie hummed as she looked to the side, and Luna was worried she may not have gotten the hint. But as soon as Luna had the thought to outright offer to her, Pinkie looked back to her with an expression of pure excitement. She leaned forward as she asked, "Could ya teach me? Please? I think it'd be really neat to know, because Twilight's a princess now, and when she bows to me I can bow to her and she'll say, 'Wow, Pinkie, that's a really good bow!' and I'll say, 'Thanks! Princess Luna taught me!' and she'll have to thank you too!"

Luna's thought process was slightly thrown off at Pinkie's reasoning, but eventually reached her original train of thought once again. "It would be my pleasure!" Luna said, her voice filled with glee. She felt giddy at the prospect of sharing knowledge; it's something she loved to do.

For the next few minutes, she began teaching Pinkie the steps: Don't be in a hurry, relax your muscles, try not to stare at the person you're bowing to. Simple steps slowly transitioned into finely-pointed movements as Pinkie caught on remarkably quickly.

"Yes, just like that!" Luna said happily as she observed Pinkie performing a near-perfect bow. She was an incredibly good student, Luna found, and she couldn't help but tell her so.

"Well you're a very good teacher!" Pinkie replied, and even went on to say, "Probably the best."

"I don't know about being the best, but I know I'm good because Celie taught me," Luna said, not catching her blunder before it was too late. She thought about what she said afterwards and covered her mouth.

"Celie?" Pinkie asked, then a grin began to grow on her face. "You mean Celestia? Is that her nickname?" Pinkie let out a giggle and a snort, and Luna began to wonder if she was laughing at her, rather than with her. Her smile began to fade, and that same ache in her chest slowly returned back to her.

"I like it. I wish I had a cool nickname like that!" Pinkie Pie said, much to Luna's surprise. Perhaps she was indeed just laughing. Her words seemed earnest, anyway. Still, however, she decided to test the waters.

"You don't think it's silly?" she asked tentatively. If she did, Luna believed she did not want to know. She'd rather think of Pinkie Pie as an enigma - a pony who has nothing on their mind but to make others happy. Perhaps that was a bit selfish of her, she thought, but it was certainly nicer than the alternative.

"Why would I?" Pinkie asked. Luna could see it - the mare's expression was genuinely confused at her question. She wasn't yet another source of sadness for Luna to bear, and she wasn't part of some elaborate prank to make Luna cry. Rather, she was likely part of a very simple plan to make Luna smile.

"Nevermind," Luna said with a shake of her head, attempting to dismiss the worries of the mare across from her. It'd be better if they both just forgot about the temporary moment of doubt that was invisible between them.

"Aww, come on. You can tell old Pinkie Pie! I'm a really good listener, I promise!" Pinkie said, but after a moment's hesitation she held up a hoof and began to chant something while doing some strange movements. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

"What is that?" Luna asked, curious as to what such a thing could possibly mean. She tried doing the movements from memory, but knew she failed halfway through and instead awaited an explanation.

"That's a Pinkie Promise! I never break a Pinkie Promise!" she said proudly, then took notice of Luna's gesturing. "I could teach you how to do it, if you want! You taught me how to bow, and now I can teach you how to Pinkie Promise!"

"I'd like that," Luna said with a nod and a grateful smile. "But first, I suppose I should tell you, huh?"

"I'd like that," Pinkie replied with a smile of her own.

Luna went on to explain what had been bothering her these past few days - or rather, these past few weeks, months, and even years. "Stuck all alone in a world that has passed me up by years. I didn't really socialize well even before I.. Well, changed," she said sadly, looking away.

"It's okay," Pinkie Pie said soothingly, "I know you're a lot different now. There's no need to focus on all the bad stuff when you've got plenty of good stuff to look at, too!"

"Like what?" Luna asked curiously. The mare seemed to have a keen eye for the good things in life, and Luna wished to understand what she thought of, well, her. She highly valued other ponies' opinions of her, and Pinkie Pie's opinion seemed even more valuable.

"Well for one," she began, "you're very smart. Apparently you read even more than Twilight, and she reads a lot. Not only that, but you're really nice. You didn't get mad at all when Princess Celestia told you I'd be sleeping over! On top of both of those, you're really pretty, too!

While Luna's face began to warm, Pinkie continued, "Like.. Like a full moon! And full moons are really pretty! The prettiest thing in the sky! And that's saying something, considering the stars are really pretty, too."

Not only did she compliment Luna, but she also complimented the very thing Luna worked her hardest on. The compliments filled her with a sense of satisfaction and an even deeper sense of gratitude. Above all else, however, she noticed that the aching in her chest had faded away - something that hadn't happened since she befriended Fluttershy.

With the sudden moment of gratitude, Luna reached over and pulled Pinkie into a tight hug - not too tight, as she learned her lesson from Fluttershy - and softly said, "Thank you."

She felt the hug returned in Pinkie's arms wrapping around her and heard the cheery mare's voice chime out a soft, "You're welcome."

The hug lasted just long enough for Luna to stop having the strong urge to cry tears of joy, and she now had a genuinely happy grin on her face. "Now, I really would like to learn the steps of your 'Pinkie Promise'. It is intriguing," Luna commented, eagerly awaiting Pinkie's teaching.

The mare's reply came in a quick, "Sure!" and she began immediately. The night had only just begun, but Luna felt it was passing by all-too-quickly, in her eyes, and she could only wonder at what was to come. Good things, she knew, but Pinkie was a mare that never ceased to amaze her, and she was giddy to find out what happened next.

Chapter 3 - All Fun and Games

".. a cupcake in my eye," Luna said carefully, slowly repeating the steps Pinkie had been teaching her. She felt a strange sense of competition overcome her thoughts, and she wished to learn this gesture just as fast as her new acquaintance had learned to bow.

"That was amazing!" Pinkie said, quite possibly a bit louder than was necessary. She looked positively astounded, Luna noted, and was staring at Luna with what looked like an expression of awe.

Luna had expected the gesture to take a few tries, but she hadn't thought it to be something of incredible difficulty. "Um," she began, trying to pick the best words for her inquiry, "not to be rude, but might I know why such an accomplishment is something that amazes you? Surely you have seen it done many times before."

"Yes, but usually ponies give up halfway through or look at me like I'm crazy," came the reply, as honest as it could be. Then there came a giggle and the giddy mare added, "The first time Twilight tried it, she forgot to close her eye! It was okay though - her hooves were clean!"

Luna continued to stare at Pinkie Pie, but now with an expression of sorrow, rather than one of confusion. "I do not think you are crazy, Pinkie Pie," she said comfortingly, feeling compelled to dwell upon that small bit of information. She thought Pinkie was rather kind - she couldn't imagine why any pony would mistake such enthusiasm as the rantings of a crazed mare.

"Oh, I don't think they mean it. Not really, anyway," Pinkie said, waving a hoof nonchalantly. "I'm sure they were just having a bad day, or maybe they ate something sour! Like this one time, Applejack - she's the orange pony with the really nice hat - she was.."

As Pinkie went into a long and what seemed to be very exciting tale of - quite literally - apples and oranges, Luna pondered upon something that had dawned on her only moments prior. Pinkie had not seemed at all sad; in fact, she seemed to take such negativity in stride. This was something she only wished she could do.

Perhaps there was more that this mare could teach her, after all. This was, however, only a slumber party. In the morning, the two would part ways and most likely draw apart naturally. They might write letters to one another, depending on how things went, but Luna couldn't quite imagine things becoming quite solid.

For now, however, she let out a small sigh and pushed such thoughts to the back of her mind. She could, at the very least, enjoy Pinkie's presence and revel in the joys she naturally brought with her.

As Luna's attention was brought back to focus, it seemed that she was catching only the very end of the story. She regretted going into such deep thought when Pinkie was speaking - a feeling of guilt briefly washed over her as she tried to recollect what she was speaking of.

".. and that's why Applejack isn't allowed back in their orange orchards. I've never seen a pony turn red before! Well, besides Big Macintosh, but he's always red," Pinkie finished, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye. Luna did her best to put on a happy smile, and only hoped Pinkie would not question her or test her listening skills, for surely she would fail.

The test never came, fortunately, and the conversation only hung in silence for a brief moment before Pinkie let out a rather loud gasp. Luna jumped at the sound and was about to ask if the mare was alright, but her worries were put to rest as she noticed Pinkie's focus having turned towards the balcony.

"Twilight's gonna bring the moon up soon! Let's go see it!" she said, leaning towards Luna excitedly before jumping up and bolting towards the open double-doors onto Luna's favorite spot.

The princess gathered her wits after having such a mix of emotions overcome her, then stood up and moved calmly over to the balcony. She had to admit she was rather anxious to see what Twilight Sparkle was capable of, She was also, however, slightly worried.

It seemed that the rumors about Pinkie being rather intuitive about the emotions of others was true, as she almost immediately picked up on Luna's worry. What made it all the more confusing was that Pinkie hadn't even seen Luna's expression to know that she was worried - she seemed to have sensed it.

As she did, the mare turned around on the spot with a concerned expression on her face and said, "What's wrong?" Luna was a little impressed at how quickly she had been found out, and was quick to offer and explanation.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm simply wondering about something," she said reassuringly, tossing a distant glance at the sky above. The light was beginning to give way to the dark and it had become what most called twilight - a befitting time for such an individual to practice. She then looked back to a now-determined-looking Pinkie Pie.

"It's okay, Luna! I'm sure Twilight's got it all sorted out! She's really smart!" Pinkie said, her grin lighting up her face even through the darkness.

To this, Luna gave a calm chuckle and a sagely nod, "Yes, I know. I have all the confidence invested within Twilight Sparkle. It is simply.. A personal worry." She saw the other mare give her an expression that matched one of Celestia's perfectly. It let her know that she was listening earnestly, and it gave Luna enough comfort to continue.

"The night sky is my own," she began, looking up with a warm smile. "I have spent centuries shaping its many constellations, and molding it to a certain image. Perhaps it is a little selfish of me, but when I think of another pony - besides Celestia - tampering with my creation.. It simply worries me."

She jumped slightly, having felt the lightest of touches bump against her. She jumped slightly at the sensation, but felt relieved when she realized it was simply Pinkie's forehoof wrapped around her own back. She gave her comforter a warm smile, then let out a nervous chuckle.

"I probably sound rather silly, worrying over such things. Twilight Sparkle is a very capable unicorn, and I am sure that, with Celestia's help, she cannot fail," Luna said, more to reassure herself than to comfort Pinkie Pie.

"No, it's okay. The sky is like your baby! In a way. Not like, an actual baby or anything. Or.. More like a really nice painting! Yes, that's it! It's like a huge painting you made yourself, and you should take pride in the things you make, because no matter what it's going to be nice!" Pinkie said, not one stopping to take a breath or consider her words. While one might think this might mean an overactive mind, Luna chose to believe it was her way of speaking from the heart.

"Thank you, Pinkie Pie," Luna said, finally returning the comforting gesture by laying a forehoof of her own around Pinkie Pie, pulling her into a gentle hug. To luna, it felt.. Incredible was a word for it. Warm was another. The ache in her chest, she noticed, felt as if it had melted away to release a new, soft feeling. And she liked it.

All too soon, however, the lovely gesture was broken as the final shreds of light died out in the sky, not to return until morning. It was then that silence hung in the air like tapestry. Were one to reach out with a knife, they might cut the tension. They waited for what seemed like an eternity for any signs of movement and then..

"Look!" Pinkie said, raising a hoof excitedly to point out what they had both been anticipating excitedly. Even Luna was leaning forward now, anxiously awaiting either success or failure. It felt as if everything rode on this one event - all or nothing. But then she saw it.

There, on the horizon, Luna's own orb of light came rising calmly into the sky. It was slow, painfully slow, but it was rising nonetheless. Whether or not Celestia played a role in the rising of the moon, Luna would not know until later. But for now, she was glad it went off without a hitch. Mostly.

What was missing tonight was one of Luna's most delicate features - her stars. She was a bit glad to not be seeing them, admittedly; it meant nothing was tampered with. She only hoped they had not disappeared permanently. Trying not to dwell on the possibility, she opted instead to turn to Pinkie Pie to see her reaction.

To her surprise, Pinkie had done the same to her. She was staring up at Luna with an expression of pure.. It looked like adoration. She could only imagine why, but Luna's attention was being pulled in an entirely different direction. The moonlight was casting an impressive glow - specifically, it was lighting up Pinkie Pie. She looked.. Different.

She looked amazing, actually. There wasn't anything rather specific about her that looked nice, but rather everything looked spectacular. There was a subtle glow to her that made Luna stumble over her own thoughts. She didn't quite understand it, nor did she know how to react to it.

The moment passed soon enough when Pinkie spoke in a very uncharacteristically quiet voice. "You wanna play some games now?" she muttered, her mouth hanging open ever-so-slightly.

"U-uh, sure," Luna said, not quite sure why she was stuttering. As the pink mare hopped to her feet with a smile Luna did not quite recognize, she felt flooded with the same warm feeling once again. As she stared after Pinkie as she reentered the room from the balcony, Luna was left with only one question.

What was that?

Chapter 4 - Surprise

Things had gotten rather interesting since Twilight raised the moon; Luna was in much higher spirits than she expected, and Pinkie Pie was working at her full potential. The two were laughing up a storm as they exchanged stories of all manners. Luna offered her stories of unruly royals and clumsy politicians, whereas Pinkie Pie had tales of mischievous pranks and adventures gone silly.

Somewhere along the way, Pinkie Pie had set up a game that looked rather unique. The board was colorful, decorated with all manners of baubles and trinkets. She had referred to the game as "Dragon's Hoard", and the objective of the game was to collect as many of the strewn-about decorations that one could manage. One would draw a card, Pinkie Pie explained, and perform the action indicated by the card.

This, of course, had led to more than a few interesting feats of dexterity and luck. One such card had Luna standing on one hoof and counting to fifteen whilst rubbing her nose, and another had caused Pinkie Pie to hop from hoof-to-hoof while simultaneously singing a children's rhyme.

Currently, Luna was balancing a small, pink stick on her left forehoof while also balancing a similar stick atop her head. If she balanced for ten seconds, she would get five crystals - and she was determined to do so. It was going well so far; she was up to six. It seemed, however, that her nose had other ideas. It began to itch uncontrollably, and Luna could only wrinkle it so much.

To her relief, Pinkie called out in a giddy voice, ".. nine, TEN! You did it!" She accompanied the words with a jump straight upwards that was both impressive and relieving. It meant Luna could finally concede to her nose's demands.

She immediately shook her head and brought both hooves to her face, the sticks falling away as she rubbed her nose furiously in order to relieve herself of the infernal itch that was plaguing her. She heard Pinkie Pie giggling - no doubt at the expression that was on her face - and gave a lighthearted laugh of her own.

"Five crystals," Luna announced proudly as she scraped together the appropriate amount of her prizes into her own circle - her "hoard". From the look of the board, it seemed that Luna was in the lead, but only just. Pinkie Pie was rapidly catching up, and neither could afford to back down from a challenge.

"For a second there, I thought your nose was gonna fall off," Pinkie Pie commented with a giggle, reaching for another card. Luna let out a giggle of her own, taking pleasure in the game.

"I'm not so sure it still won't," Luna replied, giving her nose another wriggle in order to shoo away the lingering itch. This elicited a laugh from Pinkie Pie that made even the Princess of the Night feel brighter. She had such a nice laugh, Luna believed. It was warm, and carefree. It was a lot like the laugh Celestia carried with her at all times, seemingly ready to pull it out at the mere thought of something nice.

"Oooo!" Pinkie chimed out as she read the card in her hand. Luna's ears reflexively perked up along with her eyebrows; her interest was piqued with this game. She did not quite know why, but it was more entertaining to her than anything she had done as of late.

"What does it say?" Luna asked curiously, trying to read Pinkie Pie's expression as the mare's eyes scanned over the card. Whatever it was, it seemed complex because Pinkie had taken extra care in reading over it a second time, mumbling along with it.

"Oh! Okay, okay. This is a good one!" Pinkie said with a wide grin, nodding along the way. "The card says that this is a 'Trust Card'. It says that," from here, she raised the card up to read from it directly.

Her voice changed from a chipper, melodious tone to that of a mixture of concentration and giddiness. "Both players must perform this action. If both players perform the act, then both get three bits. If one player backs down, the other gets six. In order to play, a coin must be flipped and called. Whichever player goes first must shut their eyes for thirty seconds while giving the other player their trust - they may not open their eyes to check if the other player is cheating. After thirty seconds, the next player goes."

A game of trust. The very idea of such a thing made Luna's heart skip a beat; she had never been the most trusting of ponies. She had been hurt by such a thing in the past - though not in such a carefree setting - and was a little wary of the whole idea.

But that was then, and this was now. And the mare across from her was no sneaky politician with a kingdom to gain. It was a lovely, kind friend that was engaged in a game of Dragon's Hoard, and seemed just as eager to have fun as Luna was.

Luna took a deep breath, calming her nerves and slowing her thoughts before they raced into more negative territory. "Okay. I choose night," she said, picking her side of the coin. The icon of the coin they used to flip featured Celestia and Luna's cutie mark. When one was calling a coin, they called "night" or "day" respectively.

"Okay!" Pinkie approved, placing the coin on the back of her right forehoof. She pulled it upwards in a smooth motion, flicking the coin with the tip of her hoof as it sailed upwards. When it came to a halt upon the floor beside the board, the two ponies leaned over to see the result. "Looks like I'm it! Okay, so you count and I'll count. Ready?"

When Luna nodded her confirmation, Pinkie closed her eyes and nodded her head slightly in rhythm as she counted, and Luna mentally counted. It wasn't until she reached five that Luna looked down onto the board and saw there were only a few pieces left. If one were to desire victory, they could easily steal away the rest of the trinkets and be done with the game right here. It truly was a game of trust.

She dismissed the thought, however, and turned her attention to the mare across from her. What she saw, however, was rather different from before. Pinkie Pie was serenely calm in this moment, and Luna felt that all she could do was admire her stature. For such a carefree pony, she held herself in a very royal posture. Her arms were straight, as was her back, and she had the most tranquil of expressions.

Every time she bobbed her head to count, the little curl of her bangs would bounce down into and then up out of her visage, and Luna couldn't help but grin at how cute it seemed. She took in all of Pinkie Pie's image, and found only one thought returning to her.

She was absolutely beautiful.

All too soon, however, Pinkie Pie opened her eyes and announced, "Done!" This snapped Luna out of her admiring state, and a warm blush came to her face as she realized just what she was doing.

She let out a quick cough in a vain attempt to hide her nervousness, and then said, "It is my turn, yes?" At Pinkie's nod and "Mhm!" of confirmation, Luna took yet another deep breath and steadied herself. She shut her eyes and did her best to keep her mind clear.

She just had to count to thirty, open her eyes, and everything would be fi- wait. That sound.. What was it? Could it really be that that was happening? No, that isn't possible. Pinkie wouldn't do that. The scraping of a hoof on a cardboard playing field must be all in her mind. Surely her new friend wouldn't cheat her way to victory, especially not over such a small game.

She just had to count a few more numbers off, then she could open her eyes and confirm that yes, that sound of gems plinking together was indeed just her imagination. She would open her eyes and find out that everything was alright, and the game could go on as normal.

And she did so. She burst open her eyes as soon as she reached thirty seconds in her countdown, and she looked down to discover.. Something changed.

But it wasn't what she thought. Her jaw hung open as she realized just what had happened. There was a considerable lack of gems in the middle of the board, but she could not for the life of her fathom where they had gone.

"Oh," Luna said simply, quietly, and in slight disbelief. Her pile of gems had grown. It was not a huge addition - five or so gems at most - but it was still there. Pinkie Pie had actually played the Trust Game, and allowed Luna to come out on top.

"You seem surprised!" Pinkie Pie said with a short laugh and a huge grin. She was absolutely proud of what she did, even as Luna sat stunned beside the board.

"But.. Why?" Luna asked shortly, only finding those words to express just what she was thinking. It was such an insignificantly small gesture to most ponies, but to her it was unfathomably important. She had put her trust in somepony else, and had actually come out even better than previously. Such a thing was almost unheard of to her.

"Because it seems like you were kinda worried. I figured you might be happy to know that you can sometimes count on other ponies without getting all worked up about it!" Pinkie explained gently, her wide grin coming down to form a small, innocent smile.

Soon, Luna joined in the expression, and formed a smile of her own. It seemed that Pinkie Pie was simply full of surprises. And it didn't stop there. "Aaaannnd.. That's that," Pinkie Pie said as she slid three gems into her own pile and pushed three more into Luna's.

"I won?" Luna asked, her eyes wide. Her smile was slowly growing, and she could feel a giggle waiting to escape from her throat. "I won!" she exclaimed, hopping to her hooves and doing a quick spin-around. Pinkie jumped to her own hooves, and began doing a little jig of her own.

"That was fun!" Luna said, and noticed she was being possibly a bit too loud but oh - for some reason it didn't matter! She won the game, and Pinkie didn't let her win like Tia sometimes did. Sure she helped her, but Luna had a feeling she might have won without it. But she would make sure to thank her new friend for the assistance nonetheless.

"And you helped me!" Luna said, turning her attention towards Pinkie Pie. She didn't know how to properly thank the mare, but she had a sudden urge and believed it would work appropriately.

"Oh, no pro-" Pinkie Pie began as she waved a hoof, but was interrupted when a pair of hooves found themselves locked around her. For a moment, she sat stunned and surprised, but after that moment of hesitation, she settled into the hug rather nicely. She wrapped her own forehooves around Luna and nuzzled her warmly.

"Thank you, Pinkie Pie," Luna said with complete sincerity. She probably seemed incredibly silly, getting so worked up over a cardboard game with silly cards and even sillier gestures. But to her, it was much, much more. Pinkie Pie had done something nice for her, and did not expect any sort of payment in return. To Luna, that was worth more than any amount of gems or trinkets.

"You're welcome, Princess Luna," Pinkie Pie whispered gently into Luna's shoulder. Unbeknownst to Luna, the pink mare that was now holding her was wearing a faint blush - though one would never know it due to Pinkie Pie's color of coat. Tonight was shaping up to be absolutely wonderful for both of them - in more ways than one.

Eventually, though, the hug was broken; the smiles, however, stayed upon both faces. Luna brushed a stray lock of hair from her face and took a moment to calm herself. "Now what?" she asked eagerly, her voice quiet but filled with subtle excitement.

"Actually, I was wondering if you had something in mind," Pinkie Pie admitted. "I've been picking all of the activities, and I thought it might be neat for you to have a chance."

In all honesty, Luna wouldn't mind another hug. But when she felt another blush arising, she figured that might be out of the question - she did not wish to impose upon her new friend's personal boundaries. She would play it safe. And if she could now trust Pinkie Pie, Luna believed she did have an idea.

"Would you, perhaps, mind telling me a bit about yourself? We could exchange stories, if you'd like," she requested sheepishly. On second thought, such a request might be pushing even farther than a hug. It was appropriate, Luna felt, to back her own reasoning up by saying, "We don't have to if you don't want to - we can find something else to do."

"Hmm.." Pinkie Pie said, rubbing her chin with a hoof. After a moment, her eyes lit up and she nodded happily. "Okay! That sounds like fun to me. You want me to go first?"

"If you don't mind," Luna said, kicking softly at the ground. She had observed Fluttershy do so once, and had quickly picked up on the habit.

"Sure!" came the reply. Pinkie Pie looked genuinely interested in the idea, even if she was being a bit quiet. Perhaps her story was not as happy as Luna was previously led to assume? In any case, she would soon find out.

"Perfect! Follow me, please," she said with a mixture of relief and happiness. The pink mare bounced after Luna as she trotted towards the door leading to the hallway, then out into it. If they were going to tell stories, they would need the proper setting.

And Luna had just the spot!

Chapter 5 - Brightest Lights

If not for the fact that there were other ponies in the castle trying to sleep, Luna would probably be giggling up a storm. She and Pinkie were, however, both trotting at a rather brisk pace - which was set by Luna and her excitement. Luna rarely got to come to the room she was leading Pinkie to. When she wasn't tending to the hearts and minds of all of her sleeping subjects, she was tending to the sky.

Hardly had she ever had the chance to simply sit down and enjoy the fruits of her labor. It was always an exhausting job, and Luna felt she had to give it her full attention, lest it fall out of grace and turn to chaos. But now, at an hour of which she usually found herself pondering the dreams of others, she was leading a new-found friend to a place she considered sacred - a place that, under her care, had blossomed forth into a wondrous display of unhampered beauty.

To say she was excited would be a massive understatement. She was elated with joy at the prospect, and the fact that Pinkie was keeping pace with her didn't discourage her in the least. She had subconsciously made it her goal to impress this mare, and she would do so with this grand display.

"Here we are, Pinkie," Luna said, stopping a few feet from the crystal door. It was embedded with gemstones that resembled the colors of the Elements of Harmony, and carved into the crystal itself was a beautiful assortment of constellations brought into form.

"Wooaaah! This door is really neat!" Pinkie said, the joy on her face rather evident. Luna was beginning to think that if a door was able to bring such happiness to the candy-coated mare, then what was behind the door just might cause her to pass out. "And ya know what they say about neat doors," Pinkie said, a sly smile replacing her giddy grin. "They hide the neatest stuff!"

Luna simply nodded in both agreement and confirmation, her happy smile breaking into a full-on grin with teeth - something she rarely did. This was going to work, she knew. Surely this would be the best moment of her night, and then the two would be best friends.

The very thought was enough to push Luna over the edge, and she began jumping from hoof-to-hoof in excitement. "Are you ready, Pinkie Pie?" she asked with a slight giggle in her voice. She felt like a little filly, eager to show the splendor that was her secret hobby.

"Am I? I can't wait!" Pinkie said, her gaze turning to the Princess. Soon she found herself bouncing in place, a soft thud echoing each time she made contact with the carpet.

"Stand back," Luna said softly, taking a step back and pointing her horn towards the door. She closed her eyes and calmed her giddy nerves, focusing her magic into one powerful burst. As she felt the rush of energy surging through her horn, she heard the mare beside her hum with amazement. This was going to be perfect.

For a brief moment, all went silent. Luna took another step back and opened her eyes, taking silent breaths as both her anxiety and her heartbeat rate rose. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't sure what she was hoping this room would do for her. She didn't actually consider the fact that she was doing this for Pinkie, rather than with her.

It was true that she was right there, standing beside Luna patiently as she awaited for the door to open. Her expression was that of pure awe, and it was ever-expanding in its graceful features. But even the mighty Princess of the Night couldn't help but worry over all of the possible outcomes that could come from this. After this room, she didn't really have anything else to show for herself.

She only had to hope that this would do something wondrous for her, or else she might have her spirit broken even further than before Pinkie came to visit her.

Whatever options she had for turning back had instantly vanished now. The door gave a muffled click, slowly opened away from the two ponies. A faint cyan light filled the hallway and showered over the two, causing Pinkie to stand on her hind legs and marvel at herself, giving a little spin.

Luna let out a small giggle despite her nerves being on their final stand. She couldn't help but admire Pinkie's curious and chipper attitude when it came to anything she did. It put her mind at ease, if only a little bit. The next part, however, was what made her worries melt away and change instead to bliss.

They both looked at each other in glee, simultaneously taking steps into the room, the door gently being shut behind them by Luna's hoof. Luna's magic was currently flowing throughout the walls through the use of special crystals made to perform like a trench for water. Brilliant light traveled up the walls and onto the ceiling, revealing carvings of yet more constellations.

These, however, were much more elaborate. The carvings told stories of correlations between the constellations, and the meanings behind each and every one to come to pass. If a scientist such as Twilight Sparkle were allowed into the room, it is safe to say they might remain in solitude for over a week simply studying the etchings of Princess Luna's mind put into form.

The most brilliant feature yet, however, may have been the final touch - the coup de grâce. High above both Luna and Pinkie's head was a chandelier made up of thousands of small, dangling crystals. They were strung together by a fabric designed by Starswirl the Bearded after Luna had confided her secret hobby to him. He had deemed the fabric "stronger than metal" and "lighter than clouds". Luna came to call it Swirl String, and the chandelier was one of the only structures to have made use of such material.

As it came to become brightened, the room was bathed in the same light that had been produced earlier, but was much more prominent now. The carvings and walls were lit up in sparkling blue light, making them seem as if they were on an astral plane of their own. It was everything Luna hoped it would be, and she only just noticed her smile had grown much larger than previously.

Unbeknownst to Luna, Pinkie had come to stare at her, rather than around the room. For whatever had captured the pink mare's attention had paled in comparison to what she was seeing now.

The Princess of the Night had few traits about her that were not unique. Even her coat was a rare shade, and such a thing on its own would have been enough to make Pinkie consider her beautiful. This was, however, an exception. Where the pink mare might have thought Luna could not get any prettier, she found herself proven wrong.

The light that now bathed over Luna caused her coat to almost sparkle with pure radiance. If she were here, even Rarity might have swooned over the pure elegance that was Luna's complexion and grace. All of these thoughts came to the young mare's mind, and she could do nothing but try and put it into words.

"I.. Uh," Pinkie stuttered for about the third time now. She was generally good at expressing her emotions, but they usually came out in strong, quick tangents of explanation or reasoning - even if that reasoning was somewhat illogical.

"What's the matter, Pinkie?" Luna asked, not sure of what could have overcome her friend. Perhaps the contents of the room had overwhelmed her? She had to admit she was a little impressed with how the room looked, but Pinkie didn't seem like the type to get choked up on her excitement.

"You," Pinkie said quietly, looking away for a moment to gather her thoughts. In that moment, Luna only became even more perplexed.

'You?' Was she herself the problem? She didn't think of anything she had done wrong. Maybe she was a bit overzealous about her hobby, but even then, she had been careful not to upset her new friend.

"You're really.." Pinkie said before hesitating, looking back to Luna for a second before letting out a frustrated sigh. This was unusually difficult. She rubbed her chin before having an idea. If she couldn't outright say what she meant, she'd just get Luna to understand.

"Have you ever looked at a bunch of flowers and thought, 'Wow! That's really pretty!'" Pinkie inquired, suddenly speaking quite clearly. After Luna nodded in confirmation, Pinkie continued, "Well imagine looking at that same field of flowers, but this time it's at night and you think 'Wow-ee! That's even prettier! I didn't think it could get so pretty!' Do you understand?"

Luna considered it for a moment, and came to the conclusion that Pinkie Pie was either calling her pretty, or she considered her a flower. Both were very nice compliments, but she felt it necessary to get at least a little clarification. While she appreciated both sentiments, one meant a little more than the other. And for multiple reasons.

"Do you mean to say I.. Look nice?" Luna said, carefully choosing her words. If anything, she did not wish to seem too eager or too vain. Especially not to her new friend.

"No, no! It's more than that. I think you're really -" Pinkie stopped, taking a moment to steady her nerves and do a few more gestures that Luna did not recognize. She seemed as if she was preparing herself to deliver some motivational, epic speech.

"Rarity once told me," Pinkie began, her words very deliberate, steady, and a bit more quiet now, "that if I have to tell somepony something nice, that I should make it really nice. And I think that you.." She stopped once again, but only to look Luna dead in the eyes as she said the next part, "Are the most beautiful mare in the world."

With that, she gave an exaggerated, proud nod. She also let out a large sigh of relief, as if she had said all of that in one breath - which she may very well have. She continued to stare at Luna, but her appearance was a lot more relaxed - at the same time, however, she seemed a little nervous. But it was an odd type of nervous. Through her pink coat, Luna spotted a dark blush spreading across her face.

Luna also noticed that a blush had found its way to her own face as well. Besides that, she also came to realize that her knees were sort of wobbling now, as if she was about to lose her balance. She remedied this by sitting upon her haunches carefully, trying not to stumble over.

Contrary to popular belief, not many subjects - regardless of species or homeland - would broach the topic of complimenting a princess. Many seemed more relaxed around her sister, Celestia, but it had been rare even before her own banishment for Luna to get compliments. Many seemed to either fear her, or hold her to a degree of silence; as such, never tried to converse with her.

This, in turn, left Luna horribly unprepared for Pinkie Pie's sudden flattery. She really did appreciate it - truly, she did - but she had no real response. She didn't even have the proper comprehension. She liked Pinkie Pie so much that she hadn't even considered that the mare might consider her a friend as well.

Or perhaps it was more than a friend? Celestia usually had incredible judgement when it came to ponies, and she also had a tendency to lay extremely elaborate plans involving others. One might attribute this to both her years as a political ruler and to her natural ability to tune in on the emotions of others.

This left Luna to wonder, then - was this all a fabrication of Celestia's design? Did she know that this is what the outcome would be? Or was she, perhaps, planning for a much simpler outcome? Perhaps Luna had truly accomplished this feat - whatever this feat may be - all on her own.

In all of her wondering, Luna found herself staring down at the pink mare that had just complimented her. She had unintentionally left a rather large gap in the conversation, and she was in a hurry to fill it. But without a proper plan in her head, she had to act on impulse. Considering the torrent of emotions she was feeling, she also deemed that to be a highly chaotic situation.

But, before she knew it, she had decided upon a course of action. For the second time that night, she reached over and wrapped her arms around the pink mare. This time was different, however - she put all of her emotion into this hug, rather than just her happiness and giddiness.

Pinkie had, in one night, come to mean much more to Luna than any possession, property, and quite possibly any memory that Luna had been holding to all these years. She now knew what that ache in her heart was telling her all this time, and she also understood why it had faded soon after meeting Pinkie Pie.

All these years of solitude even after returning to her people had caused her heart and mind to ache for company. And not just company, but the company of one who both cared for her well-being and genuinely wished to be around her - by choice.

She had found that in Pinkie Pie. And even if she had only just met her, she believed that her new friend felt the same way. Because she did care for Pinkie Pie. Quite possibly more than either of them knew in that moment.

She hadn't been aware of it before, but Luna now noticed the tears that had been streaming down her face. She wasn't even sure why she was crying - she felt really happy, actually. But Pinkie didn't seem to mind, as her hooves were now wrapped around Luna just as tightly as Luna's were around her.

She gave Pinkie Pie a caring - and careful - nuzzle, and found the counterpart of the hug return the gesture quickly enough to make Luna sure this was not a forced gesture. It was a genuinely affectionate hug between both parties.

What that meant, Luna wasn't absolutely sure. But she would worry over such details later, when she had time to herself. For now, however, she felt Pinkie's arms slump a little bit. And if that wasn't indication enough, Luna heard the tiniest yawn.

"Tired, Pinkie?" Luna muttered softly, her eyes opening ever-so-slightly. As the two pulled away, the Princess couldn't help but feel a little sad. That was, in her eyes, one of the best moments she had ever shared with someone.

"Kinda," Pinkie said softly as she rubbed one eye with the back of her hoof. It was blatantly obvious to Luna, but the mare seemed to be putting up a fight to look awake and alert. It was an admirable attempt, as well as an adorable one.

"Let's get to bed, then. I'm feeling a bit worn out myself," Luna said reassuringly as she stood up and offered a hoof out to Pinkie. It was a white lie that she told, of course; she was accustomed to staying awake through the night in order to watch over the dreamers and guard the lands. But if it meant disturbing Pinkie Pie, she wouldn't even consider it.

With a silent nod of consent, Pinkie hooked her own hoof with Luna's and stood up on her other three hooves. She slurred out something between a 'thank you' and a humming noise, to which Luna couldn't help but giggle at.

As the two walked towards the door once again, Luna shot forth another, smaller burst of magic towards the door. It opened slowly, and the lights began to fade away from the magical room.

Once they reached the hallway, Luna noticed that Pinkie had unknowingly - or so she thought - drifted closer to her as they walked. On yet another sudden impulse, Luna affectionately and caringly draped a single wing over Pinkie Pie.

They continued this way until they reached the room, where Luna magically opened the door and led Pinkie inside, closing the room off behind them. She hadn't really considered where Pinkie might sleep, however. But considering the fact that she was acting purely on impulses tonight, she figured she could act upon just one more.

She levitated the sheets and blankets of her bed so that Pinkie might climb up onto it to lie down, and instead got a look of questioning from Pinkie Pie. "Are you sure?" came the inquiry, but all Luna did to confirm was nod her head and smile.With that, Pinkie smiled a grin of her own and trotted over to the bed, a small bounce in her step.

Following her, Luna circled around the large bed, stepping over the strewn-about toys and games that they had used previously. She'd have to be careful not to step on those in the morning. For now, though, she climbed up onto her own bed, and laid the blanket down upon them both. Pinkie came to rest her head upon the pillow with her face towards Luna. Faint moonlight lit up her features and Luna could see a small, satisfied smile.

She gave another one of her own smiles and then scooted closer, wrapping her forehooves around Pinkie Pie. She felt a nuzzling against her chest, and felt her smile instinctively grow wider yet.

Whatever questions she had for Celestia, Pinkie, or even herself could wait until tomorrow. For now, she would simply sleep. She would sleep in the caring embrace of one who both understood her and accepted her. Of one who, quite possible, loved her.

But again, such questions could wait until morning. She had once heard 'Tia say that, "laughter was the best medicine, but love was what kept sickness away." She had never truly understood that phrase until just now.

So, just before she was sure Pinkie had fallen asleep, she gently placed a small kiss upon the top of the mare's head. Now Luna could sleep,

Now she could dream.