Raising the Moon Princess

It's been 4 days since I found her. It's happened again for who knows how many times. I turn over tiredly and look at my clock: 4:36 AM. Ah, for the love of..., I groan to myself, removing the blankets and getting up from my bed, exiting into the hallway. Her cries sound like their everywhere, in the hall, in the living room, but the main source is behind a half-closed door. Gently pushing it open, I immediately catch a glimpse of the baby alicorn sitting up on her bed, her eyes closed in a sad way as small tears run down her face. Her tiny sobs sound so cute...yet so heart-breaking. She cries for a few more seconds before she finally notices my presence. Luna sniffles several times before holding her hooves out for me, whimpering softly. I sigh and walk forward, slightly bending down to scoop her up, cradling her in my arms, "Again, Luna? It's way too early." I whisper to her, slightly annoyed at being woken up again. The only response I get is the baby alicorn sniffling a couple of times, before she her tiny hooves cover her eyes, crying again but only more quieter than before. Poor girl..., I thought as I walked with her to the living room,...She must be lonely. As I mentioned before, this had happened quite a few times. Luna would wake up in the early hours of the morning, crying for at least 3 extra hours, before finally falling back asleep. I was starting to wonder if anything was wrong with her. Was she sick? No. She would have been coughing and might've had a fever if she was. Was she lonesome? Highly possible, she doesn't have a mother or a father to comfort her properly, though she seemed to like my own method's. Sitting on the couch, I slowly begin to rock her back and forth, all the while the little alicorn continued to cry softly. What was I supposed to do next? She already had a bottle with her in the bedroom, just to help her sleep more easier when I put her to bed. She flutters her tiny wings against my arms as I try to rock her to sleep, giving a few small hiccups, looking up at me with a tear-stained face. I sigh softly, closing my eyes in exhaustion, opening them to look into her eyes, "Can you please go back to sleep, Lulu?" I ask, slightly in tired annoyance, still rocking her gently. She lets out another sad wail, her tiny whooves lightly wave at the air, her back legs kicking in a cranky manner. Good grief...I can barely keep up this. What else can I do to make her stop crying and go to sleep? I thought to myself, groaning in frustration at the problem at hand. I honestly tried anything that would have worked! I tried to give her a bottle earlier before, but she only pushed it away with her hooves. Rocking her to only calmed her down a level, but not enough to get her to stop crying. I began to wonder if I should sing her a lullaby. Do I even know any songs? Then again, the thought of trying to sing her to sleep never came to mind.

I never actually sang a lullaby before, I thought to myself, looking down to see a sad, tear-streaked face sniffling up at me. Sighing, I try to think of any type of song that would help her relax. Well...I remember one...I think it would be perfect for her.

Looking back down at Luna, who's wiping the tears from her eyes, I smile and take a deep breath...it would be worth a shot. As soon as the words began to flow, her cries reduce to whimpers...

You would not believe your eyes

If ten million fireflies

Lit up the world as I fell asleep

I began to sing softly, looking down at the little alicorn, gently rocking her back and forth.

'Cause they fill the open air

And leave tear drops everywhere

You'd think me rude but I would just stand and...stare~

I smile at Luna, brushing a tear soothingly off of her face, earning a tiny smile from her.

I'd like to make myself believe

That planet earth turns

Slowly~

It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep

'Cause everything is never as it seems

Luna smile grows, looking right at me with a happy expression, she claps her hooves together softly with a giggle.

'Cause I get a thousand hugs

From ten thousand lightning bugs

As they try to teach me how to dance

A foxtrot above my head

A sock hop beneath my bed

A disco ball that's just hanging by a thread

Her smile is still on her cute little face, but her eyes start to flutter slightly.

I'd like to make myself believe~

That planet earth turns

Slowly~

It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep

'Cause everything is never as it seems

Glancing down at Luna, I catch her holding a hoof to her mouth, trying to cover a yawn.

Leave my door open just a crack

'Cause I feel like such an insomniac

Why do I tire of counting sheep?

When I'm far too tired to fall asleep?

To ten million fireflies

I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbye's

I got misty eyes as they said farewell

But I'll know where several are

If my dreams get real bizzare

'Cause I saved a few and keep them in a jar

I'd like to make myself believe~

That planet earth turns

Slowly~

It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep

'Cause everything is never as it seems~

I had my eyes closed as I finished the last verse of the song. Opening them slowly, I look down at my arms, smiling brightly. Luna has fallen into a peaceful looking slumber, her small breaths the only sound heard through the living room. I lean down and tenderly kiss her on the forehead. Not wanting to disturb her, I carefully manuevure myself so I'm laying on my back, resting my head on the arm rest of the couch. Making sure she's safely cradled in my arms, and that she was comfortable, I give a quiet yawn of my own.

Finally...time to get some shut-eye...

Unable to hold my eyes open any longer, I fall to sleep. With Luna safely cradled in the crook of my arm.