Night of the Winter Solstice

Soft hoofsteps graced the night as the blue princess walked out onto one of Canterlot’s many balconies overlooking the rest of Equestria. However, as Luna strode out, it was not the land she looked at, but the floor beneath her hooves.

Today had been the day leading up to the Winter Solstice Celebration, but when the time had come for Luna to raise the moon, only a small audience had shown up in contrast the herds that had attended this year’s Summer Sun Celebration. Dejected, the lunar princess had decided to teleport away once the celebration was over.

Luna didn’t understand why nopony showed up. She had proven to the ponies that she was no threat. Ponies were willing to stay up all night on the summer solstice to watch Celestia raise the sun, so why weren’t they willing to come at the end of the day to attend her raising the moon? Did ponies still not appreciate her and her work on the night?

“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” The voice startled her. Luna looked up to her right to see a familiar figure sitting on the roof, staring out into the sky. The figure wore a black hooded robe with a grey stripe along the middle, which made it difficult to see the majority of him aside from his ebony wings and a small portion of his face that showed just how pale he was. When Luna had first seen him, she had thought him a cursed Pegasus until she noticed that he stood upright, similar to a monkey. He even had paws on his forelegs that resembled a monkey’s, only they were much more slender and furless. She assumed his hind legs had paws, too, but they were covered with a pair of black boots. When asked, he said he was not a winged monkey, but an angel.

When Celestia and Luna had first found him, he had been standing in the Canterlot courtyards at night, thankfully with nopony else around. The angel had explained he had come to the world of Equestria for a break from his work. In order to try and keep others from panicking at his sudden appearance, the two princesses had asked that he remain at the castle with them, and unseen by others, of which he was content to oblige.

Now, he sat cross-legged on the roof to Luna’s right with a strange orange staff across his legs that he tended to carry with him. “The night?” he tacked on when she didn’t respond.

The princess glanced out at the night sky. As always, her stars littered it, all glowing at slightly different strengths. Some of them crowded together, some stood apart; some were just light enough to be seen, while others threatened to overtake others with their brightness. But no star was any less important. Luna knew every star played its part in the mural of the night sky. Mustering up what voice she could after the disappointing turn out, the moon princess managed, “It’s glorious.”

“It may not light up everything, but it is quite beautiful with how it turns everything the softest shade of silver.” His voice, as calm as ever, only made Luna’s disappointment turn to anger.

Swiftly, she turned to look at him. “If you want everything lit up, why don’t you just go out during Celestia’s daytime like everypony else? Why don’t you just ignore the stars and moon and gentle shades like all the others? Why bother coming out at night at all?!”

The angel didn’t even seem to bat an eye-though Luna couldn’t tell as his hood shadowed over his eyes-at her outburst. As calm and smooth as before, he replied, “My senses are heightened compared to yours. On a good day, the light can still hurt my eyes despite my hood. The noise can hurts my ears, as well. The soft light of nighttime is much easier on my eyes, and it’s much quieter compared to the day. It’s also a lot cooler, which I good for me because I don’t deal well with heat.”

Gently, he turned his gaze to the moon princess. “I’m sorry there weren’t a lot of people-ponies, I mean-at your celebration. But there are others that appreciate your work,” he added, is voice much gentler and more heartfelt.

Once more, Luna cast her gaze to the balcony beneath her. “Yes, Thanatos, because those who appreciate my work wouldn’t want to attend a celebration acknowledging it. What do you mean others appreciate it?”

“What about the bats that spend their time sleeping during the day, and flying at night? And what about the owls that do so, as well? The nightingale sings at night, doesn’t it? Moths flutter during your night, don’t they? Wolves and coyotes run at night. Fireflies light up at dusk to find partners. Star spiders even embody your work with the stars, and there are many creatures that have come to life from your constellations, aren’t there? They might not be as…well, sentient as ponies, but they appreciate your work, don’t you think?

“From what I’ve seen of visitors to Canterlot, there’s also a number of ponies that stargaze. A small number, but here all the same. And if no one else, I appreciate your work.” His words nearly brought tears to her eyes. She often forgot at times like this about all the nocturnal animals that depended on her. But, their need for the night never felt the same as ponies’ appreciation of her work.

For a moment, the moon princes remained quiet. “I…I don’t want this to be like last time. I don’t want to feel forgotten again. I don’t want to become prey to that monster again.” Luna paused. “I just want to feel as loved as Celestia is.”

Effortlessly and elegantly, one paw gripping the edge of the roof, Thanatos swung down onto the balcony next to her in silence. The paw that had gripped the roof lightly took her chin. The smoothness of his skin caught her off guard as the angel directed her gaze up towards him.

“Your sister waited one thousand years to bring you back and cleanse you of that monster. She will listen to your concerns if you tell her, and she will support you.” The angel let his paw fall back to his side while pointed his staff in the direction of Ponyville. “There are at least six ponies who would be willing to help and comfort you. They are but one letter away.”

He then swapped his staff to his other hand and pointed to the mountains behind Canterlot to the north. “There is a princess that regularly visits because her empire is relatively uneventful. She can afford to help you.” Thanatos relaxed his arm. “And I’m always here as well.”

Luna folded her ears back, eyes glancing down again. Thanatos was right. She did have ponies that could help reassure her of her importance. Celestia was, after all, her sister, and Twilight had helped her reassure the ponies of Ponyville on Nightmare Night. Princess Cadence was as nice as anypony could get, even with her royal duties. And yet, she still felt so alone.

“It doesn’t have to be like last time. You don’t have to go through this alone, Luna. But the choice is yours to make.” She didn’t want it to be like last time. She didn’t want to become subject to that monster. She didn’t want to hurt anypony, much less her sister and her friends. She didn’t want to feel alone and worthless again.

Luna looked up at Thanatos, her ears perking back up, and gave him a faint smile of thanks.