Who Rules?: Interlude

by Nom_deCheval

Rating: mature
Tags: Alternate Universe, Sad, Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, Sex
Length: 5152

Following on the events of Who Rules?: Relations, Luna pays an unexpected visit to Cadance.

In a moment of desperation, Celestia reached out and had one night of passion with Cadance.

That didn't sit well with Luna, who has come to visit her niece to explain things in a direct and succinct manner.

This is a one-shot short story in the Who Rules? universe.

WARNING: This story contains graphic sex. If that sort of thing bothers you, then you do not want to read this.

Published 2015-08-18 22:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-08-18 22:50:01 UTC

Chapter 1

“Oh, Shiny, that feels so good.”

The pillows piled under Cadance’s stomach supported her body almost perfectly. Every nerve and sensation reminded her of flying without the effort of magic or wings. It was so easy for her to lose herself in the moment, with all four legs splayed out and both wings extended away from her at full extension.

A pair of hooves worked the sore muscles on her back, moving along in slow circles to drive out the last vestiges of stress that dared to linger. They moved with delicate intimacy along her coat, touching every spot with practiced precision.

“Anything for you, my love,” he bent down and whispered in her ear softly.

A slight turn of her head allowed her eyes to focus on her husband, dressed in his delicate silk and veils, barely hiding the beautiful makeup adorning his face. Instantly her mind went to the fables of Saddle Arabia and the romantic tales of love and adventure that filled volumes of the books she kept in her library.

“You make such a wonderful harem pet,” she stated.

“You honor me, my love.” He bowed his head, not daring to look her directly in the eyes. “It is my pleasure to do all that you ask.”

A wry smirk crossed over her face. “Is that all? I would have thought that you would want to anticipate my every desire. Do you really need me to tell you everything? I suppose maybe you aren’t as good as I might have thought.”

“Oh no! Please don’t think that!” He scrambled around, betraying his task to stand in front of her before falling instantly to his knees. “I would create worlds for you. Defeat the most vile dragon and drag its treasure back so that it would pale to your radiance. The only reason I do nothing is because you have not asked it of me. My every moment is filled with nothing but thoughts of ways to make you happy, I swear!”

It took every ounce of her strength to keep the smile off her muzzle. She stared at her husband’s face, looking at the blue eyeshadow that brought out his eyes and the brilliant red lipstick that pursed his lips so wantonly.

“Oh, Shiny,” she chuckled, “you can never disappoint me. I’m just playing with you.”

His shoulders fell and his face lit up. “Oh, my love, you needn’t be so cruel. I felt my heart crushing inside my chest!”

Cadance moved her right forehoof up to his cheek, happy to discover it still dry to her touch. “Well, maybe there is something that I could do to make it up to you?”

“You mean…?” A sparkle danced in his eyes.

“Of course I do.” Rolling her shoulders, Cadance rose up, gathering all four hooves beneath her and staring down at the figure of her strapping stallion prostrate before her. The right half of her mouth curled up sharply. “Bend over.”

Before she heard anything, she saw his eyes change. They moved away from her face to something behind her, and without hesitance he acted. A blur of white and blue moved past her, coming to a quick stop just beyond where she sat. Even as she turned around her world began to change.

“Really?” The voice was dark and full, easily matching the look and scale of the mare standing behind her. Her dark wings ruffled slightly, barely visible beyond her ever-flowing mane of stars.

“Auntie Luna!” The shock of the moment dashed her currently reality, sending her would-be defender husband up in a twirl of mist, disappearing in the ether.

“I would understand a normal mare having such a dream, but I did not expect it from the Princess of Love.” Luna’s voice carried more than a hint of amusement as she moved from the shadows of the dream and into its light to stand beside her adopted niece. “Surely you have enough of such things filling your daily life, do you not?”

“I…well, I…that is…” Cadance stopped herself. She stood still and took a moment, drawing in a deep breath while bringing her hoof to her chest. Slowly, she let the air back out and let a simple smile cross over her face. “Well, despite anything that might happen while I’m awake, I am still a mare, and I have my own fantasies from time to time. I’m sure that you can understand that, Auntie.”

“But to have Shining Armor dressed as a harem mare from Saddle Arabian fantasy tales?” Luna laughed. “I’m surprised at such things.”

Looking around in a broad sweep of her neck, Luna watched the dreamscape change. The towering columns of ivory and gold faded away, taking the hanging sheets of silk with them, replaced by strong walls of quartz and amethyst. Beneath Cadance the mountain of pillows began to dissolve, revealing a floor of solid anthracite.

Luna raised a single eyebrow. “Do the two of you already practice this fantasy?”

“Oh! Oh, no. No, Shining Armor doesn’t even know about it. He’s far too proud and…” Cadance screwed her face into a tight squint. “He’s far too embarrassed by his own kinks for something like this…” She shook her head. “I don’t want to challenge his manhood.”

“Ah, I see. Interesting.” Luna stopped and brought her wings out wide, the gust of air clearing the floor behind her of any dust or debris. Gracefully she moved to a sitting position, staring over at Cadance with a dry smile.

“Wait a moment,” Cadance looked around at the landscape becoming increasingly nebulous, “this is my dream. You’re visiting me in my dream.” Her eyes grew wide. “Is something wrong? Has something happened in Canterlot? Am I needed? Should I get Shiny and head your way?” A toss of her mane was accompanied by a slight tamping of her forehoof. “I knew I shouldn’t have left Chrysalis there unguarded!”

Every word took her further into a spiral of emotion. And with every word Luna raised her chin slightly higher, carefully looking down her muzzle while a smile grew larger across her mouth. “Canterlot is fine,” Luna chuckled. “Though I thank you for your concern.”

“Oh, thank goodness!” The words came out of Cadance as much a sigh as a statement. “You had me concerned there for a moment.” Her eyes met Luna’s and Cadance found herself narrowing her gaze slightly. “Wait, then why are you here? You don’t normally visit my dreams, do you?”

“No, I don’t. I have too many responsibilities, but tonight is a little slow, so I thought I would catch up on some…unfinished business.” A shadow fell across Luna’s face.

Cadance pulled back slightly, twisting her head to the side. “What sort of unfinished business do we have? I don’t remember any—”

“You took something from me,” Luna said coldly. “I’m here claim my debt.”

“Auntie Luna! I have never stolen anything in my entire life! Who told you such a thing?” At no time did Cadance’s mouth fully close during her statement, and her jaw remained slack at the end.

“Really? So you don’t recall spending a night with my wife not that long ago?” Luna growled.

The pink mare blanched white. “I…it wasn’t like that. I was just…. She practically begged me to—”

“Oh good, then you do remember,” Luna snapped, quickly cutting off Cadance.

“It…it wasn’t stealing,” Cadance whispered. “There was nothing taken.”

It appeared as though the shadows swelled around Luna, making her taller somehow. “Celestia is my property. You did not have my permission to touch her.”

“Property?!” Multiple blinks accompanied Cadance’s words, and then her face turned to stone. “Auntie Celestia is her own mare! I know that you two have a…unique relationship, but that does not mean that you can come here and say something like that!”

There was no reply from Luna. At least not a verbal one. A deep growl swelled around them both, seemingly coming from nowhere and everywhere, while the darkness that was once just shadow surrounded Cadance, isolating her from any avenue of escape.

To her credit, Cadance’s expression never changed. The ruffle of her wings and twitch of her tail spoke rather loudly, however.

The oppressive darkness hovered nearby, waiting for its chance to move and swallow the Princess of Love—but it never did. A strange thing about darkness is that the sudden removal of it is blinding, even without a bright light. So it was natural for Cadance to recoil and close her eyes tightly when the darkness unexpectedly disappeared.

Closed eyes turned to narrow slits, and gradually opened to full to look upon the new surroundings.

A lush horizon of blue-grey rock extended the full width of Cadance’s peripheral vision. There was no vegetation, but something about the color and the structure kept it from looking desolate. The exact details escaped Cadance, because she was unable to move her eyes from the structure filling the center of her vision. Six massive blue travertine columns stretched into the sky, almost seeming to pierce into the nebula-laced blackness above. Between the columns were long, sheer stretches of fabric—perhaps silk or maybe satin—in a medium blue swirled with a darker shade inside it. Below that was a bed unlike any that Cadance had seen or imagined. Almost round in shape, the four corners—if they could be called that—were short arcs of white marble standing at least eight feet high.

Lying in the middle of that bed was Princess Luna. Her crown and shoes were missing, neither on her body nor nearby the bed. Luna herself lay on her side, spread across the bed in a luxurious, if not borderline lewd, manner. Luna’s mane spread the width of the bed and spilled over the back like a waterfall of midnight, while her tail narrowed and trickled off the base like stream not wanting to escape its home.

And she was not alone.

Cadance’s first response was to move to one side and get a good look at the figure just out of view, but her body was completely non-responsive. She looked to her hooves, expecting the worst, but finding nothing unusual. Again she tried to move them, but they did nothing. Instinctively her wings spread out and she tried to take to the air, but the wings she was born with also betrayed her, refusing to flap, even though she could extend them fully.

“You can’t move, Cadance,” Luna spoke, confirming what Cadance already knew, but somehow pushing down the panic rising inside. “I want you to stay right where you are.”

“What’s going on?” Cadance replied. “Where are we?”

A short snort of a laugh moved Luna’s head slightly, but she said nothing more to the other princess. Instead, she turned to the figure beside her and brought heavy lids down halfway over her eyes.

“Come here,” Luna purred. “I want you.”

When the dark hoof surrounded by a white fetlock came into view, Cadance gasped.

“What’s going on?” Shining Armor asked as he looked around, his eyes focusing on almost everything within his field of vision. Everything except his own wife.

“Shiny? What are you doing?” Cadance asked.

“Isn’t it obvious,” Luna’s eyes roamed over the stallion’s body, “I am a princess, and tonight I want you to be my prince.”

“What? I…Princess Luna, I don’t know what—”

“Don’t talk,” Luna whispered up to him. “Please, I know that this is wrong, that you already have a wife, but…but I can’t stop myself. I think about you constantly.” Her eyelashes fluttered. “I know that I’m not the perfect princess of purity that Cadance is, but that only draws me to you more so. I’m a dark mare that needs taming…my prince.”

Luna’s hooves reached out and took hold of Shining Armor’s hoof, holding it tightly and pulling it to her chest. She lowered her head down, but her eyes moved up to stare at his face.

“Shining Armor!” Cadance snapped. “You step away from her this instant! And Auntie Luna, I am disappointed in you to say the least! This is…it’s petty!”

“Princess Luna,” Shining Armor said softly, “how could I do this to Cadance? I mean, yes, you are lovely. Very, very lovely. Your coat is…” A smile grew over his face.

“Shining Armor!” Cadance snorted.

“Do not think twice of it, my prince. In this private sanctuary of mine, nothing escapes. No mare, no stallion, and no secret. Princess Cadance could no more affect anything here than she could quench my desire.” Luna’s chest heaved with every breath.

Cadance’s eyes bulged.

Luna lowered her head. “Though if you do not want to help me in my time of need…”

“Need? What are you talking about?” Shining asked.

“Luna! You stop this instant!” Cadance shouted. “I swear to you I will—”

A midnight glow surrounded Luna’s horn, and at that same moment a night black muzzle covered Cadance’s mouth, closing it tight.

“I…I feel a darkness rising in me again,” Luna sighed. “The shadow that once overcame me is trying me once more, and I’m not sure how long I can fight it off. But don’t let that be your concern. I will find a way…somehow.”

“Darkness? Are you saying that…that Nightmare Moon may be taking over?” Shining took a half step closer to the mare.

“Yessssss…” In a low, long arc, Luna swung her head up until her nose pointed directly at Shining Armor’s face. “I’m a dark mare. Something savage rising from the depths of depravity. A wild beast that needs to be tamed.”

At first they closed tightly, but when her eyes reopened, Cadance rolled them almost through the back of her head. Immediately she stared at her husband with an expression of complete disbelief.

“Well,” Shining began as he raised his head upwards, “then, for the good of all Equestria, I must do what I must do. I will bring you back from the brink, Princess, as only a stallion possibly could.”

Cadance’s jaw dropped down to her chest, taking the rest of her head with it since it couldn’t actually open. Shaking her head violently, she tried to dislodge the gag keeping her mouth closed, but to no avail. Instead, she simply gagged at the scene playing out in front of her.

“Oh, Shining Armor, I can’t…” Luna paused for three heartbeats, “Take me! Take me now before it is too late!”

“Do not fear, Princess.” With delicate care, he lowered a single hoof to her chin, pulling it upward just enough to have it move. “I will not fail you.”

Lifting her neck, Luna moved towards Shining as he lowered his mouth down, where their lips met softly in the middle. They turned and twisted, moving together to find the optimal position, and once they did their lips parted ever so slightly.

With a narrowing gaze, Cadance watched a tongue slip out of her husband’s mouth and move over to tease against Luna’s lips. The dark alicorn opened her mouth slightly more, letting the invading muscle into her oral cavity, where it danced playfully with her own tongue. When they finally parted, a long trail of saliva joined them together for a brief second before falling to nothingness.

Staring into Shining Armor’s eyes, Luna spoke with a deep, husky tone. “Please, let me….” Her eyes trailed down between the stallion’s legs and then back up to lock vision once again as she licked her lips.

One of his eyebrows went up, and Shining Armor slowly gave a nod of approval. A high-pitched whine of dissent worked past the muzzle on Cadance’s face as she watched her aunt move her head down between her husband’s hind legs, twisting it carefully so that her horn would stay clear of his tender underside.

Cadance’s eyes followed ahead of Luna’s mouth, revealing her husband’s manhood already unleashing itself from inside its sheath. It almost immediately went to full attention when Luna let her long tongue drag along its length.

The hard shaft bobbed in the air, pressing up again and again until it found resistance in the form of Luna’s cheek. The mare rubbed her muzzle against it, circling around its length and stroking it with the short hair of the coat around her mouth. Finally, she pulled back, staring at the granite shaft as a wide, thin smile grew across her face.

“Oh, my prince, I am in awe of your stature. So very, very hard, and,” she made a show of inhaling deeply, “so powerfully fragrant—in all the right ways.”

“Thank you,” Shining said as he raised his head up. “I try to keep myself clean. At least until it’s time to be dirty.”

“Is it that time, my prince?” Luna’s voice dropped an octave.

“You’re about to find out.”

Cadance felt her breathing stop for a moment as her husband thrust his hips forward, driving the head of his cock into the waiting mouth of the Princess of the Night. She watched it slide in easily, only stopping because Shining Armor ceased pushing forward. As he pulled away, Luna went with him, barely allowing his manhood any retreat from her assault.

When Shining pressed forward again he quickly found his entire length swallowed and his balls bouncing against Luna’s chin and cheek. He was doubly surprised when he felt her push herself even further forward, to the point where he was certain that she would take all of him down her throat and into the depths of her stomach.

“Oh, goddess, Luna,” he gasped—and as he did, so did Cadance.

He felt her pull free completely. Cadance saw a long trail of thick saliva hanging between the tip of his cock and the end of Luna’s tongue. Luna’s lips curled around the spittle, taking back into her mouth, but only for a moment. With a sharp sound, she spat the wad of mucus onto his manhood, coating it in the slippery solution.

In a single motion Luna extracted herself from beneath Shining Armor, rising up to her full height in an instant. Her wings spread out, eclipsing the view of anything besides her massive form in front of the panting stallion.

“And now, my prince,” she growled, “I shall bow before you.”

Once more Cadance tried the confines of the straps holding her mouth closed, but to no avail. As Luna spoke, Cadance could not see her husband’s expression, but that quickly changed as Luna turned herself about and bowed down, pressing her head into the ground as she faced away from Shining Armor—while leaving her hindquarters high.

Shining Armor’s expression transformed smoothly, going from something between fear and confusion to fire and arousal. Luna’s ethereal tail slid to the side, revealing all of the princess’s depth before him.

“My gates are open, and the path is clear, my prince,” Luna spoke with a tremor in her voice, “I beg you to come inside.”

If there was a hesitance, Cadance did not see it. His forehooves rose up, wrapping themselves around the base of Luna’s wings and using them as leverage to pull himself forward. His hips shifted, finding the right place for his manhood to rest. He waited a heartbeat, the pause that Cadance wanted to see, but not for the reason that she hoped.

“You’re mine,” Shining Armor announced as his hips drove home.

The expression on Luna’s face spoke volumes. Her eyes squinted half shut as she pulled her lower lip in between her teeth. “Yessss,” she hissed. “Fuck me, my prince. Fuck me hard.”

He growled. She whinnied. The sound of his hips slapping against the flesh of her plot echoed through Cadance’s ears. She wanted to look away, to close her eyes, but her vision stayed focused. And with every thrust it became more resolute.

“Is it…everything you…dreamed of…my prince?” The words came from Luna in panting gasps, spaced in time with the jolts racing through her body.

“More,” he snarled.

A deep indigo glow surrounded Luna’s horn and Cadance felt the straps around her mouth disappear. She said nothing.

“Am I…good? Do I…measure up?” Luna stared into Cadance’s eyes. The normal purple of the younger alicorn’s eyes turned a steely blue as she stared back.

“Easily!” Shining Armor shouted. “You are exquisite!”

“Tell me, my prince,” Luna panted, “tell me…I am…the best you’ve had.”

“You are! Nothing compares!” His voice became little more than primal grunts.

“Am I your princess?” Luna growled.

“Yes! Yes!” The rapid thrusts of Shining Armor’s hips rose to a fevered rate, and then suddenly stopped as he buried himself as deeply as he could into the mare beneath him. A few tremoring thrusts jerked through him as he rode out his orgasm.

He collapsed onto Luna’s back, his breathing rough and ragged, seemingly too weak to move at all. Once more Luna’s horn came to life, lifting the stallion from her back and gently placing him to the side. Luna stood, stretching her legs and wings. She smiled over at Cadance, who saw a white liquid drip from between Luna’s hind legs.

“Thank you, my prince,” Luna said softly, her eyes still on Cadance. “For everything.”

“Mhmnn rruggma,” he mumbled incoherently.

A flash of light crossed over Luna’s horn and eyes, and Cadance felt her hooves slide free. She didn’t take a single step.

“Rest now,” Luna spoke, and immediately a snore rose from Shining’s body. She stepped down from her massive bed, taking a single stride towards Cadance.

Luna walked towards the other mare slowly. The only motion from Cadance was the slow, steady rise of her chest as she breathed in and out, as well as the slight shift in her eyes as she kept a constant gaze upon the larger princess.

Finally, Luna stopped, no more than two wing lengths from Cadance. “Well?” she asked.

“When I awaken, you need to get your affairs in order, because the next time we meet, it will not be pleasant.” There was no anger in Cadance’s voice. Nor was there sorrow. There was simply a matter of statement.

“Really?” Luna on the other hoof, almost chuckled.

“Don’t underestimate me, Auntie. Or have you already forgotten what a heartbroken version of me did to you on another world.” She stepped forward, bringing her barely a full leg’s length away. “And on this one, too, actually.”

“You could never be her,” Luna said. “You still have hope. Coldheart was broken. This was simply teaching a lesson.”

The tension that suddenly grew in Cadance’s jaw was almost audible, but the only sound that actually came from here was a single word. “Why?”

One of Luna’s eyebrows raised up. “Are you angry?”

“Of course I’m angry!” Cadance finally shouted. “How did you expect me to react?”

“What’s the matter? I did nothing wrong,” Luna stated.

“You had sex with my husband. In front of me. My husband!” she barked. “How dare you!”

“It wasn’t my fault,” Luna said as she brought a hoof to her chest.

“Not your fault?! You practically begged him to fuck you!” she shouted back

A loud laugh ripped through the air as Luna threw her head back. “What’s the matter with that? You act as though you own him.”

“He’s my husband!”

Luna leaned closer. “So what? That doesn’t mean he’s yours.”

The sound of a deep breath matched the swell in Cadance’s chest, which stayed inflated for a full set of seconds before exhaling. “Fine. I understand. I don’t own Shining Armor any more than you own Celestia.”

“Wrong,” Luna stated bluntly. “You do, actually. You are husband and wife! There is a bond between the both of you that should—that must—be respected.” Now it was Luna’s turn to take a deep breath. “Never take that bond for granted, Cadance. And never disrespect it.”

“Oh, so that’s why you brought my husband into this dream and tortured me like you did? That’s…wrong. It’s cruel, Luna.”

For a moment Luna looked at Cadance with a twisted expression across her face. Then a light seemed to cross over it. “Oh! I see.” Luna’s wing lifted up, and like a breeze that it would create, it blew across the form of Shining Armor—who dissolved into nothingness like so much sand.

“Cadance,” Luna said softly, “I would never betray your marriage. It would make me a hypocrite.”

“So, that was…” Cadance stepped back slightly.

“Nothing more than a dream.” Luna smiled and the world around them wavered and disappeared, leaving them floating amongst a field of stars.

“Why…” Cadance looked around at the endless void, “why didn’t you just talk to me about this? Why torture me?”

“I didn’t torture you, Cadance, I just—”

“You put my heart on edge!” Cadance cut her off. “That sort of pain is almost unbearable. And to hear him say those things that you made him say? About how good you are, and how…” Her voice trailed off.

Luna stood still, staring down at her adopted niece.

“You’re afraid,” Cadance said.

“Me?” Luna recoiled. “There is nothing in Equestria or beyond that I fear!”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Not like that, though.” Cadance smiled. “I’m so sorry, Auntie. I wasn’t thinking.”

“What are you saying?” Luna scoffed.

“When we spoke, back in Equestria, and I explained that Celestia was afraid of losing you, I just…. I’m so stupid.”

Both of Luna’s wings flared out and then upright, and with one powerful downstroke they took her aloft, where she quickly turned away. “It…it is different with me.”

“What do you mean?” Cadance asked softly.

The only view that Luna allowed Cadance was of her back as she replied. “Celestia feared—or maybe still does fear—the deceit that Chrysalis brings. I had something far more dangerous happen.”

“I…I don’t understand,” Cadance leaned over, trying to get a view to Luna’s face.

When Luna finally turned around, there was a glisten in the corner of her eyes that ran down past her cheeks. “How can I possibly compete with the Goddess of Love?” she asked with a crack in her voice.

“You don’t have to! I’m not…it’s not like that!” Cadance rushed forward, only to have Luna recoil slightly.

“Isn’t it?” Luna laughed. “You can offer her things I cannot. You aren’t…you aren’t a monster.”

Cadance sighed. “No more than you are.” She shook her head. “A version of me tried to kill her, too, remember?”

“That wasn’t you. It was another being from another world. It actually was me who not only tried to take her life, but did far worse to her at times,” Luna said. “One morning she will wake up and see me in the proper light of day.”

“What makes you think that she hasn’t already?” Cadance asked.

Luna’s head snapped around to stare at her with wide eyes. “Do you know something?”

“Yes, I do.” Cadance gently reached out with a wing, letting it fall onto Luna’s withers. “I know how much she loves you. I also know that she isn’t blind to you, Auntie. She knows you for who you are, and she loves you for what she sees.”

Luna paused. “She’s a fool.”

“Everypony in love is. It’s the nature of the beast,” Cadance replied. Quickly she added on, “Ane please, let me apologize, Luna. I…I shouldn’t have done anything with Celestia.”

A warm smile grew on Luna’s mouth. “Actually, the thing that started this was the fact that you didn’t ask permission. I would have said yes, if you had.”

“Really?” Cadance’s eyes grew larger and her pupils shrank.

“Of course. I would have been there, too, actually. We enjoy bringing another pony into our bedroom at times. Besides, it’s not like Celestia doesn’t have her own fantasies.” Luna leaned over slightly. “You have no idea how many times I’ve caught her dreaming about Twilight Sparkle.”

“I’m…not sure I want to hear any more of this. That is my sister-in-law you’re talking about,” Cadance answered. “And, honestly, I’m trying to steer clear of physical trysts. I want to be faithful to Shining Armor.”

“Bring him along,” Luna stated.

“What?!” If there had been any water nearby, Cadance might have spit it out of her mouth without having actually taken a drink. “You want…you’re suggesting…no! No, Shining is way, way too vanilla for…” Cadance’s eyes narrowed. “You know, that dream version of him had some amazingly realistic anatomy of my husband. Not to mention some scenes and action that seem rather out of place for you. Where did you get that?”

The right corner of Luna’s lip curled up. “I would never betray a pony’s dreams, Cadance. Would you reveal a secret love?”

“No, but…but you just told me about Celestia’s dreams, and—”

“That’s different. We’re married,” Luna interrupted.

Cadance’s tongue clicked off the roof of her mouth. “Uh-huh. Well, I think I might have to have a long talk with Shiny once I wake up, since he and I are married and everything.”

“Yes, and maybe you should tell him about how pretty you think he looks in makeup. Perhaps you can even find him a nice dress to wear,” Luna answered. “That way you can both share dreams, can’t you?”

“I…” Cadance raised up her hoof and held it for a moment. “I won’t say a thing. Good point.”

Luna laughed, and in short order, Cadance joined her.

“Oh, and for what it’s worth, Cadance, you now do have my permission to be with Celestia—in your dreams.” As Luna spoke, a figure of Princess Celestia materialized behind her, smiling past her and directly at Cadance. “You’d be surprised how many ponies do.”

“Actually,” Cadance sighed, “no, I wouldn’t.”

A quick glance behind her brought a bigger smile to Luna’s face. “She is beautiful, isn’t she?”

“Gorgeous. And remember, Luna,” Cadance stepped up beside her aunt, “you are the only one in her heart.”

“For now,” Luna whispered.

Cadance looked up at her. “For always.”

They shared a look, and Luna spoke first, “You should get some rest.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Cadance answered. “I think I’ve had enough dreams for one night, though.”

“Really?” Luna shrugged. “That’s a shame,” the expression on the dark alicorn changed, “because it wouldn’t bother me if you dreamt about me, either.”

It took a second, but Cadance finally replied, “Good night, Aunt Luna.”

“Good night, Cadance.” Luna leaned over and kissed her niece on the cheek, and Cadance swore that she felt something not unlike a lick trace just behind it.

It took two seconds to contemplate that feeling before Cadance could look over towards her aunt, only to find her already gone, taking the dream of Celestia with her. Gradually, the dreamscape began to mold itself around Cadance once more, taking on the flowing shape her subconscious drove.

It took every bit of effort she had to keep herself alone for the rest of the night.

The End