Sunset Romance

"Luna I just don't see why I ask for a vacation. Then we wouldn't need to lie to our ponies." I stated.

"Sister, then you would have guards riding your flank for an entire year!" Luna pointed, and mind you it was a good one. "Faking your death makes it easier, and I can inform Twilight to tell her friends. That way you can get help if anything bad happens."

We were continuing our conversation after we made the deal. "Cadence can be informed as well?"

"She can!" Luna nodded. "The elements, and Cadence will know. That way it doesn't start another Twilight Episode."

I remembered that day. When Twilight has yet to learn anything, she started quite a mess over her reports to me. "I see..." I sighed. "So you'll send them a letter tonight while I sleep, and..."

"I'll tell you what they say. Mind you they might not like it." Luna sighed. "However I'm sure this plan will work!"

"Whatever you say Luna."

We had stopped for a few moments to grab a couple snacks to eat while we would watch the meteor shower. I still had my thoughts on finding a job though, and I didn't know where to start. While I was an alicorn I could show off my strength, my magic, and my fight abilities. However now that I was a unicorn I couldn't show off my abilites. I had to be the weaker of the races, but I didn't need to hold back as much.

I sat in a booth on the far side of a building called Sugar Cube Corner as I waited for Comet to return. I had wished for him to get me a banana nut muffin because I loved them so much. Bananas were so good, although their dirty appearance that would cause one with a perverted mind to shoot to the gutters.

I watched as he grabbed our orders, and paid with this own bits. I tried to offer some of my own, but he felt like it was impolite to make a mare pay for her own if she was accompanied with a gentle stallion like himself. He turned around with a smile on his face with a brown bag in his mouth. He placed it on the table.

"Here is our order Eclipse!" He pulled out my muffin with his golden magical aura, and placed it in front of me. "They told me its fresh so be caref-" I had ate it already in one bite. "Okay...that happened." He laughed. "I've never seen anypony eat a muffin that fast, other than my friend Derpy, and she loves her muffins."

I chuckled. "I see...so when does this meteor shower start?"

He looked over at a clock on the other side, then turned back to me. "About two more hours, so we can go start mapping if you want to."

I nodded. "Sure, lets go." I replied standing up. He was so kind even to open the door for me on our way out.

He told me he had a private place to map the night sky, and it was far enough away so there was no light pollution. Apparently light kept him from looking at all the stars, and would have to guess where the rest were by using previous maps he drew.

When we arrived there were two large desks placed on the left and right to a telescope he had that looked up into the sky. On the left there were dark blue sheets, and on the right there were two large plates made of wood that covered most of the desk. I would ask him what they were for, but I knew it was only time when he started to explain.

"Alright, so here we are, my special spot!" He jumped ahead. "The best place outside of Ponyville to get the best view of the stars." He pointed to the sky. "That constellation is called Ursa Major. You can tell because it's tail is made with the constellation the Big Dipper. And over there is Orion!"

"You sure do know your night sky don't you?"

"I've had my cutie mark before I was six. I read what ever books about space as I could, learning about planets, the stars, and the universe. I had my mom help me read everybook, and for my fifth birthday I got a telescope." He hugged the telescope he had now. "This is the same one, with a few new lenses, but it had the same exact appearance it had when I got it."

I chuckled. "Wow, I've never had something for more than six years..." I laughed. "Why do you still have it?"

"Well, I said my dad was a alcoholic." He frowned, and a tear started to form. I winced when I noticed I had struck something deep. "My gave it to me before she started taking blows from my father."

"I-I'm sorry!" I said trying to repair what I broke. "I didn't mean to strike something! If you don't want to talk about it, you don't need to!"

He shook his head, and rubbed his eyes. "No....no it's alright." He said. "It's just a memory, nothing big."

"Clearly I hurt you!" I stated.

"And I said it's alright Eclipse." He smiled again. "You didn't hurt me at all. Just a memory, that's all it is now, a memory."

I was sure I was going to hate myself for that later on. I'd been so stupid asking about what happened with his mother. Then he walked over to me. A clean smile was in his face, it seemed so kind, and light.

"Let's get past that." He said. "If it helps you any my mom is still alive. She's just still in rehab to walk again."

"Oh," I said with a relieving sigh. "Well, I hope she gets better."

He nodded, and looked through his telescope. After a few moments he used his magic to pick up a quill, and dunk the point into yellow ink that was the same color as his magic, a clean gold color. Then he walked over to the sheets of what may have been plywood, and drew twenty circles. He counted aloud in sort of a sing song tone, his voice was light, and showed no sign of any negative emotion whatsoever.

"So to explain what I'm doing in simple terms, I am drawing these little circles in proportion to the stars I look at. I mark out the sky is fifty sectors, and it looks like I might finish tonight. All the stars are out, so I guess Luna must want to make this a beautiful night for her sister." He explained. "After I finish drawing the stars I then punch holes through the wood. Then I draw the circles on the map, and then I'm done. It's alot harder then you think."

"I see, so how many stars are in the night sky?" I asked.

He looked up, and smiled. "I have no idea..." He laughed, scratching the back of his neck. "But looking at the sky now, I guess I've drawn over a half a million."

How come this stallion wasn't the royal star map maker? At least then he'd been in the castle! A half a million stars in the night sky, and he's counted to that point. I was surprised to hear this from a pony from Ponyville. Not even Star Cluster had counted that much in the night sky in his entire life. Maybe when I come back from the dead I might make him the new royal star map maker. However as I watched him get back to work it was close to the time when the meteor shower would start.

I was so busy watching the sky, I had not realized he stopped until I heard him open a bottle. I looked down, and saw a bottle of rum next to him. I laughed as he poured the rum into two red plastic cups. When he was done, he closed the cap, and placed the bottle of rum under a fake sheet of grass that covered a small hole. He did all of this with his magic.

"Told you I liked the heavy stuff." He laughed, then gave me one of the cups. "You want some?"

"This still isn't a date." I laughed, accepting his offer to some rum. I took a small taste, and the coughed as hard as I couof. It burned my throat as if it was liquid fire. "Ugh...Damn...That's heavy." I coughed.

He took a gulp of his own, then laughed. "Light weight...you're so used to that wimpy wine, you don't know what real alcohol is."

"I'm only twenty-two, so there hasn't been much of a time frame for me to drink."

He laughed again. "You're a goody two hooves aren't ya?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't tell anypony, but  I've been drinking since I was eighteen!" He drank more rum. "Anyways, so what did your parents do before they....ummm....died."

"Well, my dad....he...he was the CEO of a major corporation that minted two thirds of Equestria's bits." I lied. My dad was actually the king of the moon. "My mom she was a shop owner until she had me." My mom was literally the sun, well she became part of it anyways.

Comet nodded. "Cool, cool...I'm nothing special like you."

I giggled. "Are you trying to flatter me?" I asked him. He rolled his eyes then looked up at the sky. "So, what's your mom like?"

"My mom is nice, she took the blows that I was going to take from my dad." He sighed. "She would make me little toys made of wood. Once she even showed me her little workshop. The smell of wood glue would kill brain cells."

"Nice, my mom once made me a blanket she hoof stitched herself. She infused it with magic to keep me warm during winter nights." That part was kinda true. My mom did make me a blanket, but it was infused with dragon magic to keep heat in.

Then the meteor show started. We looked to the sky, and saw tiny streaks across the dark sky. Ponies behind us cheered on as the meteors rained on the sky above. A truely wonderful sight for one to enjoy.

"So, how come you love Celestia so much?" I asked.

"Her beauty, her power, her wisdom," He listed. "Her voice, it's so divine. However, it is only visual love Eclipse. There would be no way I could match to her. For starters I'm just a regular unicorn with a nack for space. I don't think I could love her truly. She'd outlive me, just like like, and she already has." He yawned. "You got a place to sleep tonight?"

I nodded. "I do, princess Twilight offered her spare room for a while, until I find a house to stay." I replied. "Why?"

"Well, you just moved here, I didn't want you sleep outside."

I smiled as I stood up. "Can we be friends Comet?" I asked. "You'll be my first in Ponyville, and it'd be an honor to talk to you more. Maybe you can teach me how to make your star maps."

He nodded. "Sure, besides I do need some help anyways." He stood up, and held his hoof out. "Friends?"

"Friends!" We locked our hooves, and smiled at each other as if a bond there was formed.

After that I started to walk to Twilight's house. Hopefully she's still awake, it was one' o clock in the morning. Her tree was repaired thanks to a bit of magic, and looked good as new. Can't say the same about the hundreds of books that were incinerated by Tirek.

I knocked on the library door, and my heart began to have a small sinking feeling. I was relieved when I saw Twilight open the door. A small smile was on her face.

"Hey...Eclipse." She said. "Come on in. You're a bit late, but the girls are waiting for me to get back to the sleep over." I heard a twing of excitement in her voice. "If you want, you can join us."

I shook my head. "No thank you Twilight. I am just glad you know who I am." I walked in, and Twilight closed the door behind me. "Can you get me something to drink before I sleep?"

"Sure princess, anything in particular you want?" Twilight asked as I changed back into my true form.

"Some red wine." I facehoofed. "I left my bottle with Comet..."

A flash of interest appeared in her eyes. "Who's Comet?" I saw a smile grow on her face.

"It's just a pony who said they'd show me around Ponyville. We met near my grave yesterday, so it's just a friendship between us." I felt a growing hate. "He is beneath me, and is a smiling dolt."

Twilight lost her smile, and was replaced with a sad frown. "Princess...." She walked away into a kitchen.

I walked passed the other elements, all seeing my long distant frown, and just sat in a circle, looking at me. Even Pinkie Pie, element of laughter, didn't speak up. I went to my room, and began to feel myself about to cry. Why was I feeling like this. I am a princess! I should be strong, not a crying maiden. It was like my heart was beating heavy after I spoke so wrong about the stallion. A stallion who would show me around town, and buy me my favorite type of muffin.

I flopped onto the bed, slightly shaking the tree. I turned back in my Eclipse form. Who was the stallion that was so kind to respect my princess self, and my Eclipse form? Was he always this kind, or is he like the rest of the stallions in Equestria that only have that one moment of temporary love that lasts no more than two, maybe three weeks? Only Luna would know. I laughed at muscle again. Changing the last part of that is slightly funny. I suppose I know what those Lunar Guards feel when they say it, it's different.

I closed my door, and slouched over onto my bed. It was big enough for two ponies, giving me enough room to toss and turn. I was a very physical dreamer, and it was like you were really there. My finished star map rested inside of a tube rolled up neatly. I pulled it over my head, and placed it next to the door with my magic.

Looked out my bedroom window from my bed, and sighed. Eclipse wasn't like most rich snobs, in fact she didn't even seem like me. Every word that came out of her mouth seemed kind, and caring, as if she was a mother. When she didn't mean to bring up my mother, she apologized right then, and then it hit me. She was a goddess sent from the Summerlands to bring happiness into my life. She was kind, beautiful, generous, and she walked as if she was a princess.

Then I remembered her teacher was Celestia. It explained why she was so elegant when she walked, but her kindness was another thing. Her words were like gold, pure, and with little flaw.

"So what now?" I ask myself. Clearly it was time to sleep, it was a quarter'till two in the morning. So I pulled my blanket over me, and turned off my bedside lamp. I stretched as I yawned, then I closed my eyes, waiting for my dreams to take me.

I heard a knock at my door as I woke up. My head was banging from a bad night's sleep. The knock was louder this time, and I covered my head.

"What?" I asked, my voice still raspy.

The door opened, and it was Twilight with a unicorn nurse next to her. My eyes narrowed towards Twilight, and she stepped back.

"Um...this is Eclipse nurse Asile. I was wondering if you know of any magic spells that can block overloading magic." Overload? Did I overload last night? It might explain my headache.

"I do princess, is that what's wrong with Celestia?"

Our jaws dropped. "How?" I asked.

"Princess, it is clear to me that you wish to keep your identity a secret, and your death a kept ideal for your kingdom. If you wish  to know how I know you are Celestia, it is my tallent to see through spells to find causes of illnesses. Believe it or not princess, but many CEOs visit me with their employers to see if they are making themselves sick. It is also how I know when my son is lying to me." The mare explained, bowing. "I can do what you say Twilight. However because this is Celestia, she needs to accept the spell. It's called Well of Drain."

"I know of it." I said with a nod. "It will drain any unused magic while I sleep. After a quick bite to eat my magic will restore."

Asile shook her head. "Incorrect, I have changed it to only drain magic that causes overload to occur. You will not be drained completely."

"Alright!" I said. "Anything that'll keep these headaches from showing up again."

"Glad this worked out then..." Twilight sighed, dropping to the floor. "I thought I was dead for sure..."

I laughed. "Why would I kill my former student? It wasn't your fault, in fact Asile aren't you my sister's doctor?"

The mare nodded. "She said my services would be needed here princess. Twilight just pointed me the way." A book floated out of her side bag. "This is my spell book of healing, restoration, and magical defence."

"The book of Fregga? You read old books Asile." I laughed as I read the title of the book.

"Ma'am old books give better knowledge." She fixed her glasses with a heavy sigh. "And your sister refuses to use modern magic, or accept it. Now, shall we get started on your headache?"

I nodded, rubbing my left temple. "Yes, please."

Twilight began speaking as Asile began to spell. "So is this magic build up because you aren't casting the Solar Rotation Spell?" She asked.

"That will explain it..." Asile said with a grunt as she was reciting the spell in her head.

I felt my horn being pulled towards Asile. I look at my horn and saw a circle with symbols that I had trouble reading. A book by my mother would have ruins she would understand would drain why she was using a crude version of a spell. It wasn't long when I opened my eyes to see Asile panting, and Twilight giving her a glass of water. However just a moment ago she was standing infront of me, and now she was to the right of me.

"You were just there?!" I said, shocked. "Like, a second ago!"

"Ma'am it's been two hours. You fell under the drain, and I had to pull you out." She said breathing heavily. "You had so many magic blocks on you, somehow you went into shock....Has your heart been shaken?"

I blushed, and the mare nodded with a long 'ah'. "Okay..." Twilight smiled. "So, how much do I owe you?"

"Don't worry. It's always a pleasure to help Luna in anyway." She smiled as she wiped sweat off her brow. "She is my teacher."

"I'm glad my sister has you." I said. "Maybe she too has a void needing to be filled."

"You see it that way too?" Twilight asked, looking at me.

"I did, but I am glad what it came out too." I smiled. "There isn't a void anymore."

Twilight looked reassured, and smiled knowing know I had still saw her as a success, it was true too. She is bigger than Star Swirl ever was. Yes, he succeeded in creating powerful spells that allowed Celestial Creatures enter our world. Twilight had sped her way to ascending to alicorn state. She used an age spell as a filly by accident. It showed me she had the most potential I have ever seen out of the twenty other students I had.

"Luna has been acting strange lately. She said something about repenting." Asile said shrugging. "Well, I must be going. Luna wants me to return when I fixed her right up. If there is anything I can do, just give me a wink." She teleported away, and there was a kiss mark on the floor.

Twilight sighed. "That's going to be hard to get out..." Then Asile teleported back.

"I almost forgot. Princess, you need to watch your emotions. If I am correct you have lost a great deal of them over the time of Luna's banishment." She bowed again, and teleported away again. The burn mark on the floor started to smoke, and Twilight facehoofed.

"Dammit, where in tartarus is she teleporting, the Crystal Empire?!" Twilight grunted as she walked out of my room.

I looked outside, and sighed. "Day one of three hundred and sixty-five days."