Luna in the Sky With Diamonds
It was another perfect sunset. The sky was cloudless this evening, so the light shaded evenly from pale yellow at the horizon, through pink and purple to a deep indigo blue. A single star had emerged, and Celestia couldn't help but let out a little happy sigh at the sight of her sister's lovely night mingling with the last traces of her beautiful day.
She turned to see the moon just edging above the horizon. It was waxing, close to full. Its silvery light grew brighter even as the last traces of her sunlight faded to purple twilight and vanished.
“This is how things should be,” she said to herself with a smile. Luna was back. She suspected it would be decades before the wonder of that faded away. Her sister was back! She no longer had to tend the sky alone. All was finally, finally, right with the world.
She walked inside with a spring to her step. Despite the fact that her day was over, she still felt full of happy energy. Ordinarily she would be settling down with a cup of tea and a good book to unwind a little bit before going to bed. But tonight she felt too buoyed up with delight for such sedate pursuits. Perhaps she could visit Twilight down in Ponyville? Dropping in unexpectedly was the only way to keep Twilight from turning such visits into formal occasions. Or perhaps... ah this was a much better idea, and didn't require a long flight either. She should visit Luna's Night Court! It should be beginning soon.
She paused in her room to look in the mirror and make sure her regalia was on properly and her feathers were straight. She should look her best if she was to appear at her sister's court. She buffed a microscopic scuff out of her peytral with her magic and smiled. There. Perfect.
Celestia trotted through the palace halls. She found herself humming a little bit, even. Soon she reached the large double doors that led into the Midnight Chamber, the grand audience room where Luna held court. The black oak doors were decorated with night-time imagery in bright silver. A pair of Luna's bat-winged thestral night guards stood at attention on either side of the doors.
Which were shut. Quite definitely shut. Celestia frowned. Perhaps she was too early?
“Excuse me,” she said to one of the guards, both of whom were dutifully staring straight ahead, “when will the night court begin?”
“Try again tomorrow,” said one.
“Or next week,” said the other.
“Possibly next month,” added the first.
“What? What do you mean? Luna is not holding court?”
“No, Your Highness. She hasn't held court for more than a month now.”
“Oh.” Celestia stood and stared at the doors. That wasn't good. That wasn't good at all.
Celestia walked heavily as she traversed the palace halls towards Luna's room. In fact, although no sign showed on her well-schooled face, she felt a cold knot of fear in the pit of her stomach. Luna had stopped holding Night Court once before.
She reached Luna's door. This was also black oak, though smaller and with nothing much in the way of decoration. She knocked softly. There was no reply. She knocked again. Still nothing.
“Luna?”
Only silence answered her.
With a great deal of trepidation, Celestia put her hoof on the latch and swung the door open. Inside it was dark. Not an ordinary dark, but a dark that ate the light, just swallowed it up in velvety blackness. The light from the doorway barely penetrated three feet before disappearing into the inky gloom.
That was new. Celestia regarded the darkness for a time, then shrugged and stepped within. Though the door remained open behind her, she soon lost its light entirely. It was like walking inside a cave. “Luna?” she called again.
“What dost thou want?” The reply was sulky, almost petulant.
“I just wanted to see if thou wert well, sister,” said Celestia, carefully slipping back into the archaic form with which Luna was most comfortable.
“I am as well as 'tis possible for me to be. Now depart.”
“I do not wish to intrude,” said Celestia cautiously, “but thou dost not sound well.”
A huge sigh came from the darkness. Celestia felt a breeze push her mane back. “Thou hast no need to walk as if on eggshells with me, sister. I shall not return to the Nightmare, I know 'twas folly. Nevertheless I do not desire thy council, so please depart and leave me to lament my lot in peace.”
Celestia took a few more steps forward, finally able to make out a dim shape that might be Luna in the gloom. “Thy guards tell me that thou hast not convened Night Court in some ti-”
“Did I not say that thou hast no need to walk softly with me, sister? Thy speech is yet over-careful, as is thy presence here! Leave me be! Thou canst not mend my misery.”
“Fine.” Celestia's horn suddenly lit, dissolving the blackness with brilliant light. Luna scowled and put a hoof over her eyes. She was lying on a reclining couch, staring up at the ceiling with one leg draped off the couch's edge. Black mist was gently oozing from her, and her mane and tail had gone completely black, there were no stars sparkling in them at all. “If you want to be that way, Luna, we'll be that way. But I'm not just leaving. I can tell you're hurt. I want to help.”
“Thou? Ha!” Luna waved her hoof at Celestia dramatically as she spoke. “Thou canst not even comprehend the nature of my wounds, 'Tia. Thou knowest naught of what 'tis like to have thy finest work shunned! Thine art hath always been admired and praised. Thou hast lived with a thousand years of fame both night and day! Thou dost know even less of my pain now than thou didst know in days of yore. There is no pony that knoweth my pain! Not in all of Equestria!” Luna put her hoof back over her eyes. The darkness oozing around her started to deepen again. “Now leave me be. I shall not drive back thy day again, sister, but there is no consolation for me in thy presence now. Let me wallow in my misery in peace.”
Celestia raised one eyebrow. “You are being rather... dramatic, you know.”
“And what hast thou 'gainst that? I shall indulge in drama if I wish! 'Tis mine only remaining solace.”
Celestia sighed. “There are ponies who love your night, you know. My student Twilight constantly studies your stars. Many others do as well. In some cities there is a night life that is vibrant and active, too. Just because Canterlot is a bit of a stuffy, daytime city...”
“No! Console me not with such crumbs, sister. I do appreciate the care of thy student, and the astronomers, and those who are part of this 'night life' thou hast mentioned. Yet they are few, and they do not understand me. Nopony understandeth me.”
“Nopony, hmm?” Celestia let a small smile creep across her face. “Perhaps. Yet I think that with all the thousands upon thousands of our citizens, sister, there might perhaps be one who understands how you feel.”
“Give me no false hopes, 'Tia! I am destined to be alone with my pain for all eternity.” Luna had nearly vanished into her cloud of thickening blackness at this point.
“I won't make you any false promises, Luna. And I will leave you be for now. But I would appreciate it if you'd join me tomorrow, just after sunset, on the viewing deck. There is somepony I think you should meet.”
“Very well, 'Tia. If thou dost insist upon't before thou wilt leave me in peace.”
“I do insist, yes.”
“Then I shall. Now canst thou please go and let me wallow?”
“Of course. Goodnight, Luna.” Celetia let the light at the tip of her horn die as she retreated out of Luna's once-again darkened room. As she walked through the halls towards her own room she once again walked lightly.
All this was almost certainly nothing. Luna had always been extremely melodramatic, often all out of proportion with the actual seriousness of the problem. Still, the fact that she'd shut down Night Court was worrying, and she didn't want to let a small thing grow into a huge problem, as it had once before. All the same, Celestia allowed herself another small smile as she walked. Seeing Luna, lying there on her couch, making dramatic proclamations about how no pony could understand her, and “wallowing”, as she'd put it, had given Celestia an idea.
The sun was a hoof's breadth above the horizon as Rarity climbed the stairs to the Viewing Deck. The high balcony gave a stunning view of the city below and the countryside beyond. The deck itself was elegant as well, with huge stone planters bearing damson plum trees which were currently in fruit.
Rarity, however, had eyes only for the Princess. She was intensely curious about why she'd been summoned here. Celestia stood beside the railing, looking towards the lowering sun. Rarity went directly to her side.
“You wanted to speak to me, your Highness?” Rarity gave the Princess a graceful bow.
“I did, yes. Thank you for coming.”
“I am always at your service. And after you have yet again generously allowed me to stay at the palace while I'm here in Caterlot, I feel as though I owe you quite a few favors, your Highness.”
Celestia smiled. “I hope that you won't find this little favor too onerous.”
“I'm sure I won't.” Rarity flashed Celestia a bright, assured smile. “Whatever it may be.”
Celestia chuckled. “Twilight tells me that you once had a bit of a crush on my nephew, the Prince.”
Rarity's smile turned to a scowl. “Blueblood,” she said darkly. “This favor has to do with him? I must inform you that I have sworn off princes, Your Highness.”
Celestia laughed, a gently ringing peal of a sound. “Oh no, it has nothing to do with him. But tell me, Rarity, have you also sworn off of princesses?”
Rarity opened her mouth, then shut it again. She stood, looking up at Celestia, blinking, feeling utterly baffled. Surely Celestia couldn't be suggesting what she seemed to be suggesting. “Forgive me, Your Highness. Are you... asking me out?”
Celestia laughed again. “No, my little pony, I am not asking you out. I am setting you up. Would you be amenable to taking my sister Luna out to dinner?”
Rarity's eyes went wide. Her thoughts whirred. Her? With Princess Luna? Part of her wanted to jump for joy. A princess! Real royalty! And though she had not met Luna, she knew that the princess of night was neither a bore nor a cad. Yet... she had always dreamed of stallions. She'd never even considered being with a mare before. It didn't seem much like her romantic fantasies. Then again, she'd seen where those got her. And to date not merely a princess, but an alicorn princess, one of the rulers of all Equestria! That would be a social coup greater than any she'd dared dream of attaining. She could just imagine the reactions of the Canterlot elite to a casually dropped "When I was dining with Princess Luna..." And, if it turned out that she really wasn't capable of dating a mare, well, Princess Celestia hadn't mentioned a lengthy courtship, only a single date. She could endure a single date with anypony short of Blueblood himself, for the social capital that would gain her.
She realized that she'd been silent far too long. She managed to gather her wits to reply. “It would be an honor, Your Highness.”
“Thank you. A moment while I finish lowering the sun, and I shall introduce you to my sister.”
“Of course.” Rarity looked to the horizon, where the sun's edge had just touched. She stood and watched while Celestia gently lowered the sun below the horizon. It was a subdued sort of sunset, partly blocked by clouds that hovered on the horizon. They were dark and didn't catch much of the sun's light. Soon even the few lingering rays they did reflect were gone. The stars began to emerge in a sky the color of blackberry wine, deep and dark.
Rarity heart a faint hoofstep behind her. She turned, seeing a mare whose mane matched the sky above. “Rarity?” said Princess Luna, sounding puzzled.
Rarity bowed, her answer coming slowly as she tried to re-shape her dreams of romance to match the starry-maned alicorn before her. “Princess Luna.”
“I see you two need no introductions,” said Celestia warmly.
“Nay. I know that Rarity is the Element of Generosity, though we have not yet spoken. She was not present when last I visited Ponyville.”
Rarity inclined her head. “On Nightmare Night, yes. I was quite worn out, and retired early.”
“'Tis a pleasure to meet you,” said Luna, inclining her head in return.
“Likewise,” said Rarity.
Celestia made a tiny, polite throat-clearing sound. Both Rarity and Luna looked up at her. She gave Rarity a slightly pointed look. “I believe Rarity has something to ask you, sister.”
Rarity flushed just a bit. Right. She had agreed to ask Luna out, and apparently Celestia meant just that, she needed to do the asking. Not exactly how she'd wanted her royal romance to go, but... “Princess Luna? I would be honored if you would accompany me to dinner this evening.”
Luna stared, seeming rather taken aback.
Rarity found herself holding her breath. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about this, but she was sure she didn't want to be rejected.
“Well?” said Celestia gently. “I believe you've just been asked on a date, sister. Do you accept?”
“A date? As in a... a courtship? A romantic evening?” asked Luna, still staring at Rarity with wide eyes.
Rarity hunted around for an appropriate answer, and finally found one. “If you want it to be, Princess.”
Suddenly Luna's eyes lit up with a veritable kaleidoscope of shimmering starlight. “Oh yes! It has been so very long since I was courted. I would be delighted to accept.”
Luna had difficulty keeping from dancing with glee as she followed the hostess to their table. Rarity, beside her, seemed more subdued. At the tables around them, curious eyes followed them as they made their way among the other diners. In a place like this—one of the most exclusive restaurants in Canterlot—nopony was so crass as to turn to stare at the sight of the princess and her date, but everypony there took every possible chance to sneak a discreet peek at the pair.
That was partly her fault, Luna knew, for spending so little time out and about among her subjects. But even her sister did tend to draw stares, she knew, so it was probably unavoidable. She wished it were, she didn't like the stares. Rarity, though, obviously didn't mind them. She tossed her mane and preened a bit as they followed the hostess to their table.
Thankfully for Luna's peace of mind, the table they were shown to was in a little alcove, away from the other diners, so they wouldn't be stared at during the whole meal. The table was directly beneath a large window that let the moonlight shine in on the pair seated there. A somewhat overwrought display of silk flowers stood on the table, spearing up higher than Luna's own horn, but thankfully the flowers were set against the window rather than in the center of the table, else Luna would not have been able to see Rarity's face. Overwrought rather described the entire restaurant in fact, and Luna wondered for a moment if she should have suggested somewhere a bit less high end. Still, what was done was done. She made a mental note to be certain it was she who paid for this, and not Rarity.
She turned her attention to her companion as they waited for the waiter to arrive. Reminding herself to try to use the modern vernacular, Luna smiled and said, “So, I am told that you design clothing?”
Rarity had been staring into space, a faint frown on her face. When Luna spoke, she twitched as if startled. She recovered instantly, however, putting on a bright smile and replying, “Why yes! I run a lovely boutique in Ponyville. I am here in Canterlot to visit the fashion district to select new fabrics and accents for my next line. I must say I have made a few marvelous finds, too. My fall fashion line this year may well be my best ever!”
“You must show me some of your designs,” said Luna, her ears pricked forward with interest. “I do love seeing the work of other artists.”
“You are an artist as well?” asked Rarity.
Luna's ears went down a bit. “I craft the night sky,” she said, her voice suddenly a little bit stiff.
“Oh! Forgive me, that was dreadfully rude of me. I have often appreciated a beautiful night. They are quite artful. I am simply not used to thinking of the sky as a canvas. I'm afraid my work is on a much smaller scale.”
Luna bit off a sigh and waved her hoof dismissively. “Most ponies pay little attention to the artistry of night. In any case, I do also paint, and dabble a bit in various other art forms. I will admit sewing is one thing I have never tried my hoof at.”
“The basics are quite easy to pick up, I could teach you sometime,” offered Rarity.
“I would like that.”
Just then the waiter arrived, and both mares placed their orders. In the silence that followed, Luna noticed that Rarity was fidgeting a bit. She seemed oddly nervous. No doubt she was unused to spending time with royalty. Luna fished around for some topic of conversation, something that would set Rarity at ease. She couldn't think of anything.
The silence stretched out awkwardly. Finally Rarity cleared her throat awkwardly and said, “So... Twilight mentioned that she enjoyed your company on Nightmare Night last year. Do you anticipate returning to Ponyville for this year's celebration?”
Luna seized on the topic with desperate gratitude. “Yes!” She coughed and continued in a somewhat softer tone, “I have promised a charming young colt there that I would return, and I do keep my promises.”
“A colt, you say?” Rarity seemed to relax just a bit. She arched her eyebrow and said, “Do I sense a romance on the horizon?”
Luna chuckled. “Oh no. He is much too young yet. While there is an inevitable age difference in all my relationships, I do draw the line at courting actual foals.”
“Ah. I see.” Rarity sounded a bit disappointed. Luna tried to puzzle through why that might be. Rarity had asked her out, why should the unicorn be sad to learn that Luna had no other romantic prospects?
“Will you be attending the celebration this year?”
Rarity shook her head. “Unfortunately not. It is the one time of year when nearly everypony wears clothing, you see. Although most do make their own costumes, enough do not to keep me madly busy. It is my yearly tradition to deliver the last few rush orders just before sundown and collapse into bed immediately thereafter.” Rarity gave her a wry smile. “I hear that the festivities are quite enjoyable, but I have not participated since I was a filly.”
“I hadn't considered the consequences of this custom of dressing in costume.”
“Well, you hardly need a costume, do you?” said Rarity with a little giggle.
Luna echoed the laugh. “Nay, I do not.”
Their food arrived, and for the next few minutes both mares devoted themselves to enjoying it. Some ponies did come to the best restaurant in Canterlot merely to be seen, but Luna was certainly not the sort of mare who could do anything less than full justice to the sort of superb food served there. Rarity seemed of similar mind, for she kept her eyes on her plate as much as possible. Or perhaps she was still nervous? Luna had very much enjoyed the evening so far, but that didn't mean that Rarity had.
When Rarity did glance up, Luna captured her eyes, seeing the moonlight that shone in through the window shimmering in them. Acting on sudden impulse she reached out and put her hoof over Rarity's where it rested on the table. “Rarity... I am enjoying your company very much.” She gave Rarity a warm, encouraging smile.
Rarity went very still, a fork full of salad in her field stopped half way to her lips. She stared at Luna for a long moment. She slowly set her fork back on her plate. Her muzzle twitched, as if unable to decide what expression to settle into. Finally she pulled her hoof out from under Luna's and stumbled to her feet.
“I... I am sorry, Princess. Truly sorry. But I simply cannot do this. Forgive me!” She turned and ran out of the restaurant, heedless of the stares that, despite all decorum, followed her path out.
Luna was left sitting, gaping, for a long moment. What had just happened? She swiftly collected herself and followed after Rarity, shouldering aside a staring waiter rather less carefully than she should have as she followed the unicorn out into the street.
Once there she looked around, but Rarity was gone.
For a moment Luna wanted to give up. Whatever had gone wrong, it had no doubt been her fault. There was probably no way she could salvage this evening, she would probably just make it worse. She could just go back to her room and wallow in misery at yet another failure. Not only did no pony appreciate her art, no pony would want to date her either.
Yet she remembered the sight of moonlight in Rarity's eyes, and how beautiful it had been, and couldn't quite give up that easily. Her wings snapped open and she took to the air, circling up above Canterlot's sloping streets, looking for a white shape moving below. She spiraled out wider and wider, her eyes ceaselessly scanning the darkened streets. There were a few ponies out and about, but not many.
That meant that it wasn't long before she spotted Rarity. The unicorn was no longer running, but walking slowly with her head down, along a cobbled path that led towards a bridge over the swift-flowing river that wound its way through the city as it fell down the mountain's slope.
She reached the center of the bridge and stopped, looking down into the water. This was one of the more level stretches, so the faint splashing of a fountain in the square beyond the bridge was louder than the river itself.
That meant that the sound of Luna's hooves touching the bridge's cobblestones was clearly audible. Rarity looked up and flinched at the sight of her. Luna felt a stab of pain at that. Rarity had no reason to fear her. “I wish to offer my apologies,” said Luna. “I have offended you-”
“No,” interrupted Rarity, looking back down at the river, “you haven't done anything wrong, your highness. The problem lies entirely with me. I am sorry. I let myself get worked up over nothing. Celestia wanted you to have a good time, and I ruined it.”
“Ah. So.” Luna sighed. “I should have known that this was all my sister's doing.” Luna came and sat beside Rarity, looking over the edge of the bridge at the rushing water below. “She ordered you to ask me out?”
“She asked. I suppose I could have said no.”
“It is rather difficult to say no to her.”
“It is, yes.” Rarity sighed. “I always dreamed of marrying a prince, did you know that? Then I met one...”
Luna's lips twitched a bit at that. She knew exactly which prince would inspire the mixture of disgust and disappointment in Rarity's voice. “Blueblood?”
“Yes. I told myself I was swearing off princes after that. When Celestia suggested I ask you out, the thought crossed my mind that perhaps a princess would better fulfill my silly, foalish fantasies. But... I've never been into mares. The whole evening, all I could do was think about how strange it was to be with a mare. I should have just been enjoying your company, mare or not.”
“So when I went to hold your hoof, it distressed you.”
“I shouldn't have been upset, your highness. It's not as though you did anything inappropriate.”
“Please, just call me Luna. Even if we're not dating, which I gather we are not, I would rather we be friends.”
Rarity finally looked over and met Luna's eyes. A faint smiled curved her lips. “Luna.”
Luna smiled back. “I am sorry.”
“So am I.”
They sat in silence again, but it was a slightly more comfortable silence. The splashing of the fountain was the only sound for some time. Luna looked over at it, recognizing it, and had an idea flit through her head. “You know, we never got dessert.”
“That would be because I ran out of the restaurant in the middle of dinner,” said Rarity, scuffing one hoof on the ground. “Without paying,” she added as an afterthought. “We should probably go back and take care of that.”
Luna waved a hoof dismissively. “Privileges of royalty. The crown shall take care of it, we need not concern ourselves. What we should concern ourselves with is having a fine evening as friends. Including dessert. I happen to know that we're near the thestral quarter here, and there's a little stand that serves the best moon pies there. Have you ever been to the thestral quarter?”
“No, I'm afraid I haven't.”
“You haven't experienced Canterlot until you've eaten at a thestral street cart. Come!” Luna got to her feet and beckoned to Rarity with a broad grin on her face.
Rarity hesitated, then suddenly laughed. “Why not?” She rose to her feet and trotted jauntily after Luna as Luna led the way past the fountain and around a corner. Only one more turn and they came out into another square. This one, however, wasn't deserted at all. It wasn't exactly thronged either, but a hoof-full of bat-winged thestrals were moving around, including half a dozen standing in line by a little wooden cart parked on one corner. Several of them waved cheerfully at Luna, who waved back.
Rarity looked around curiously, taking in the sight. Luna smiled, enjoying being able to show Rarity something new.
“Here, I'll fetch the pies," she said. She trotted briskly over to the line at the cart. She sighed a bit as the thestrals all stepped out of the way, allowing her to go to the front of the line. The thestrals honored her highly, and she tried to be worthy of it, but sometimes she thought it would be nice to be treated as just another pony. She ordered a pair of pies, then dropped her bits on the counter and trotted off with the treats before the thestral running the cart could tell her not to pay.
She floated one of the chocolate-covered treats over to Rarity, who took it delicately with her field. The bite she took from it was also delicate, and Luna had another moment of admiration for Rarity that went a bit beyond friendship. She was one of the most beautiful mares Luna had ever met. But she was also a friend, Luna reminded herself, and that was far more important.
They walked through the streets of the thestral quarter, eating the marshmallow-filled deserts and talking. Before long they reached another bend of the river. They had descended a few levels by this time, and here the river descended too, running down over a series of not-quite-waterfalls to another slow stretch below. At the base of the rapids a few boats clustered. Luna recognized them, they were taxi gondolas, that carried ponies along this section of the river. They were a luxury more than a means of practical travel, and often used by couples for a romantic moment.
“You know, I've never ridden in a gondola,” said Luna, looking at them. “There are so many things I've never done. I've been shutting myself up, as though I were still in exile...”
“There's no time like the present,” said Rarity with a smile. “Let's go ride one.”
Luna hesitated. She didn't want Rarity to think she was pushing this evening back into the category of “date”. But then this was Rarity's idea, so why not?
They both trotted down the steps to the water and boarded a boat. The gondolier was a yellow earth pony mare, who steered them along the riverbed with her pole quite skillfully. They pair chatted as they floated peacefully down the river, swapping stories.
Luna had asked about Rarity's friends, the other Element Bearers. Rarity was telling a story about how she'd made a set of dresses for them, which had apparently gone rather wrong before finally going right.
“So there they were, five of the finest creations I had ever made at the time—though I am certain I could do better now, but none of us really wanted to go to this year's gala..." She shook her head ruefully. "But in any case, they were simply stunning, and when I led my friends into the room, at first I thought their silence was awe. But it wasn't. They are all dears, and each has many wonderful skills, but not one of them has an ounce of taste, I swear! I cannot tell you how heartbreaking it was when the best any of them could come up with to describe those works of art was 'nice.' Nice!” Rarity tossed her mane.
“I know just what you mean. Celestia often said my nights were 'nice', in the days of our youth. Always with that tone, that little pause, that ponies use while hunting for something to say that isn't rude, and then 'nice' is the best they can come up with.”
“Yes! Exactly! You pour your heart and soul into something, and nopony even notices! Even when they do like the end result, they never note the tiny little touches that are the best parts. The stars on Twilight's gown were the perfect accent, I spent hours carefully crafting them so they would shimmer just enough for a touch of pizazz, and yet not enough to overwhelm the rest of the ensemble, and all she noticed was they they were not astronomically correct!”
Luna snorted. “There's no such thing as 'astronomically correct' anymore! Did you know that Celestia actually lost several of my stars while she was managing the night? She hadn't even noticed! I still haven't put them back, I'm not quite certain if I should or not. The sky has been so thoroughly charted since I last added anything new, I would hate to upset the astronomers. And yet I do have several ideas for new constellations, even if I don't replace the ones that my sister lost.”
“I say you should! One should never let thoughts of what the critics will say affect you in the moment of creation, darling. After, perhaps, when one is putting the final polish on, but not when one is in the grip of the muse.”
“You're probably right. Would you wish to come and help me lay the new constellations out? I shall not put them up tonight, but I can do some sketches. I should love to have your opinion on them.”
“That sounds absolutely delightful!”
The boat arrived at the next set of rapids, and the pair disembarked there. Luna looked up the slope of the mountain towards the palace and considered the long climb up to it. Then she grinned and spread her wings. Her horn lit, her field folding itself gently around Rarity. The unicorn let out a little “eep!” of surprise. Luna leaped skyward, pulling Rarity with her. “This will be much faster than walking,” called Luna as they soared up above the sleeping city.
“I'm sure it will be, but I'm not sure I wouldn't rather walk!” said Rarity, her legs flailing.
It was so endearingly awkward that Lune had to struggle not to laugh. “Nonsense!" she called out. "Hold your legs out as if you are jumping, 'twill feel more natural.”
Rarity stretched out her forelegs. She looked over at Luna after a moment and smiled. “Yes, this is much better.”
“Huzzah! Now, to the palace!” She spiraled up, pulling Rarity beside her, the pair ascending over the sleeping city until they were on level with the place itself, and Canterlot was spread out beneath them.
Luna smiled, for Rarity had apparently forgotten that she was suspended in midair and was twisting and craning her neck to take in the spectacular view. Her mouth was just slightly open, in a little "o" of delicate, lady-like surprise and delight. Something about that was so perfectly, quintessentially Rarity, and it warmed Luna's heart to have helped put that expression on her face.
But she had constellations to design! She made one last turn and headed for the palace, her broad wings beating steadily, Rarity supported by her magic beside her, the wind blowing both their manes back.
Rarity looked up from the spectacle below and smiled at Luna. "This is amazing!" she said. "I've flown before, but not like this!"
"Oh? You've flown before?" asked Luna, intrigued.
"Yes. Twilight had a spell to give a pony wings. We visited Cloudsdale to watch Rainbow Dash compete. I'm afraid I made a bit of a fool of myself, unfortunately." She gave Luna a somewhat wry smile. "I seem to be rather good at that."
"No more than I. Rather less, perhaps, given some of my rather unwise choices in the past." Luna felt a bit melancholic, as she always did when she thought of Nightmare Moon, and her past foolishness and selfishness.
"You're only equine, darling," said Rarity, still smiling. The starlight glimmered gently in her deep blue eyes, and Luna could not help but smile back as they soared together towards the palace.
Luna came awake with a sense of distant urgency; something desperately needed doing. The sensation was a quite familiar one. She lifted her head in response, still half-awake, and lowered the moon, making way for Celestia's sun. As the first hints of dawn light filtered into the room through a gap in the drapes, Luna sighed and laid her head back down on her velvety soft pillow.
Her velvety soft, warm, breathing pillow. Luna jerked her head up and looked down, to find that she had been resting her head on Rarity's barrel. She flushed, feeling more than a little awkward. She hadn't meant to fall asleep like this. The bed was scattered with the papers, writing implements, and other artistic tools that the pair had used to sketch designs for everything from constellations based on current Canterlot chic to hats inspired by fashions from Luna's ancient foalhood. Sometime in the small hours of the morning they must have both nodded off.
Luna carefully lifted herself away from Rarity, who made a tiny little whining sound of disappointment in her sleep. It was so utterly endearing that Luna had to smile. She was sure that Rarity was not dreaming of her, yet she found that she didn't mind. Last night had been wonderful. Rarity was the kind of true friend that Luna had been missing all this time without even realizing it.
She wished she could keep Rarity here, at least for a little bit, but she recalled that Rarity had mentioned a morning train back to Ponyville while they'd been creating together last night. So she lifted a hoof and prodded Rarity gently with it.
Rarity turned over with another of those adorable little whines. Luna chuckled and prodded her again. "Wake up, sleepyhead. What time is your train?"
"Huwha?" Rarity's eyes blinked open, and she looked up at Luna uncomprehendingly for a long moment, then she blinked again, her eyes finally focusing. "Oh! It leaves at eight, and I didn't finish packing yesterday!"
"Well then, we must hurry!"
"We?" asked Rarity, sounding puzzled.
"Aye! 'Tis my fault that you stayed so late with me last night. I should not wish to besmirch my honor by leaving a fair damsel such as yourself unaided when I am the cause of thy woes." She gave Rarity a broad grin, and was rewarded with an amused smile in return. "So, let us go swiftly. I shall help you pack, and summon a royal chariot to take you to the train station, that you may catch your train in a timely fashion. Come!" She trotted off briskly, what the still amused—and still rather mussed—Rarity trailing behind her.
Rarity had a truly astonishing amount of luggage, but fortunately she had packed most of it previously, so it was within the pair's ability to pack the remainder with time enough remaining for Rarity to fix her appearance to her satisfaction as well. Luna proved useful in lifting the entire pile in her magic and carrying it to the royal chariot, where the various boxes and bags took up so much of the available space that Luna was forced to fly alongside.
The train was already at the platform when they arrived, and the luggage was swiftly loaded. Luna stood at the turnstyle, watching as Rarity trotted across the platform to the train itself. The unicorn mare paused, however, just as she was about to board.
She spun suddenly, and ran back to Luna. Luna nearly jumped in shock as Rarity put a hoof around her shoulders in a hug and planted a brief but not quite chaste kiss directly on her lips.
"I'll be back in Canterlot soon, darling," she said, smiling and batting her eyes at Luna. "There's a gem show I was going to skip just next week, but I find I suddenly have a burning need for a few rare specimens that I won't find in Ponyville." She winked and added, "One especially fine and extremely rare specimen in particular."
"I thought thou didst not like mares," said Luna, so astonished that she completely forgot her modern vernacular.
"A lady is allowed to change her mind," said Rarity.
Luna’s eyes lit with sudden delight and she threw her hooves around Rarity, hugging her tightly. “You mean you are willing to embark upon a romance after all?”
“I am willing to try, Luna, darling. I make no promises about how this will turn out, it may be that I really can’t love a mare. This is all new to me, and I will admit it’s still a bit intimidating. But last night was so lovely, and you are so much a mare after my own heart, that I can’t help but want to give it a chance.”
The final boarding call echoed across the platform, and Rarity gently extracted herself from Luna’s embrace. She paused for a final look at the lunar princess, and the kaleidoscope of delight, wonder, and joy shining in Luna’s eyes told Rarity that however this turned out in the end, in this moment she had made the right choice.
Author's Note
I seem to be making a habit of writing stories based on songs, and on Beatles songs in particular. In this case the song provided even more of the framework of the story than usual. I have wanted to write this particular story since season one, when I had the thought that Rarity and Luna have every bit as much in common as the more usually shipped Luna and Twilight. It wasn't until Jordanis filked the song for me, though, that I knew how the story should be told.
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