Meeting Under Pale Moonlight
The sun has long since set over Equestria. The citizens of Canterlot and Ponyville alike had put away their parcels and closed their shops for another day. All was as clockwork in the eyes of the Night princess as she watched from atop her balcony. The ponies below all began giving their hugs as they conversed with friends and said their good-byes as they carried their things away and departed from one another.
She took in a breath through her nose, taking in the cool air and letting it calm her as she prepared herself to perform her nightly duties. Ever since her return into her role as the princess of the night Luna has always felt a slight twinge of nervousness when setting out. Mostly because of the wary looks from her subjects. They were warranted, however their effect was the same. The sting she felt from a subtle cringe or an inward flinch was potent, and made her heart throb painfully within her chest. It reminded her of the bitter times, but it also reminded her of the lesson she had learned from her imprisonment as well. And so Luna took in their resentment of the past and even their unease of today and held her head high.
The princess of the night unfurled her wings and gave them a brief stretch as she prepared to take off. She preferred to take off in open air rather than head out through the front doors of the castle, she felt freer this way. "Luna!"
The gentle call of her name made Luna turn her head around and her eyes settled onto the tired but welcoming smiling face of her elder sister Celestia. Out of everything that had transpired over the millennia, it was Celestia who still retained a genuine gentleness towards her beloved little sister. Her kind smile and gentle nature always made Luna feel a bit more at ease. Which is why Celestia always made sure to see her sister off before she went off into her night. Tonight though, there seemed to be something slightly different about her sisters' approach. She seemed a little less weary than she usually was, almost somewhat excited like a foal would be with the approach of Nightmare Night.
"Good evening, my sister!" Luna relaxed her wings and turned towards her sister, a smile on her muzzle as the two came close to nuzzle one another.
"I thought I had missed you before you left."
"As always, you're quite on time, 'Tia. Though I'd understand if you were to retire prior to my leave at some times."
To that, Celestia shook her head lightly. "I prefer to make sure you have a proper send-off every night before you depart, just as you remain to see me raise the sun every morning."
Celestia draped a gentle wing over her sisters' withers and walked her back to the edge of the balcony, their hooves making light clip-clop noises against the tiled floor. And still, Luna could see that eager smile her sister was trying keep neutral. Still, Luna let out a little chuckle and went along with things.
"And I could not ask for a better send-off. Really, Thank you 'Tia."
They both felt a cool wind gust by, followed by a steady flow of it after. Instincts made both of their wings give a little twitch in response, the winds rushing over their feathers priming them for flight. With a brief nod of her head, Celestia gave Luna space to span out her wings and with a mighty push, Luna was off into the night sky and disappearing in its shroud.
Celestia watched the sky for a time before turning around to retire to her bedchamber, all the while that same little smile never left her face as she disappeared through the entryway.
The princess of the night soared skyward, even as she excelled past the clouds she did not stop. The stars blurred in her speed as cool winds turned into sharp cold beats of air against her fur, causing her ethereal mane to whip around in an erratic way as the winds tried to resist her. Luna's eyes widened and soon, she stops just as her body aligns with the shape of her moon. This was always her favorite part!
Luna closed her eyes as she leaned backwards, letting her wings go lax as her back arched with the moons' shape. And just like that, Luna begins to freefall. The rush starts out small as the winds whip gently against her mane and body. The cold receeds slightly as the winds become mild gusts once more. Luna lets out a breath and suddenly tucks her wings in tight against her sides. She folds her limbs against her chest and barrel and soon, the winds pick up as her falling rate escalates. The winds whistle loudly in her ears, her fall turning into a spiraling nose-dive.
This. This was freedom, the freedom of flight! It gave an opportunity to liberate her nerves as the wide open skies gave her free range to move and dart about as she wished. No harsh glares to harm her. No doubts. No empty words to leave her cold. No troubles to daunt her mind. The expanse of the skies were vast enough to discard the worries of the day for just a brief moment and for that moment, Luna was free.
As fast as she had began her freefall, so too was her landing point coming into her sights. She always made it a point to make her first stop of the night Ponyville, home of the elements of harmony. It was out of courtesy but mostly out of gratitude more than anything. For it was the bearer of magic and her friends that had saved her and reunited her with Celestia. They both owed them a great deal.
The landscape, once a vast spread of rolling hills and tiny raised land, now grew in size as Luna drew closer and closer to her destination. Neighboring lands became recognizable and were pushed farther from her view as Ponyville drew steadily near. As soon as she could see the vivid details of the noticeable trees of Sweet Apple Acres she had passed over, Luna shot out her wings and threw out her legs, the sudden wind resistance pulling her back and giving her lift as she evened herself out. Luna maneuvered herself and flew straight over the fields and rolling hills of the Apple farm and headed for town square, where she touched down for an easy landing.
Luna let out an invigorated breath as her adrenaline rush began to simmer down from her flight and roamed the quiet town of a now-slumbering Ponyville. So relaxed and rejuvenated from her entry, Luna had missed the single pony that was standing by the Ponyville monument.
"A good moon to you, Princess Luna."
The pony's voice was deep and masculine, with a clarity that made the royal snap her head around and stop dead in her tracks. Turning her head, Luna then saw that it was a golden eyed pony that had addressed her. It was a plain stallion with a dark blue coat that could very well blend in with the starry sky overhead. He had a white mane that spiked from the top of his head, trailing down his crest and all the way down to blend with his tail. The three details that made the princess of the night wary of this pony was the scar on the lower right side of his muzzle, the sharp snaggle-like tooth at the corner of his mouth and the little slit in his left ear.
Her eye saw his cutie mark to be that of a simple, single die showing two dots at his flanks. Careful and courteous, Luna replied back in kind.
"A good moon to you, my little pony. Tell me, young unicorn. Why art thou still out among the stars? Should you not be slumbering in your abode, having retired for the evening?"
She was surprised to be addressed in the old way, especially by a pony of the current day, but she dismissed it and eyed the stallion closely.
She saw him stutter in confusion before he ran his hoof over his head. The mysterious stallion then let out a relieved laugh and smiled brightly at the royal. "Oh ho ho! Pardon my mirth, your grace, but I'm afraid my mane is playing tricks on you."
Once again the stallion ran his hoof over his head and Luna was surprised to see that the supposed "horn" gave way to his hoof and bent under the smoothening motion. "You see, I've never managed to tame that particular part of my mane. I'm actually quite used to it though, many have confused me for a unicorn over the ce- uh, years. No, No. I' am but a humble earth pony, your majesty. And it is an honor to meet the actual princess of the night."
The stallion gave a reverent bow to the alicorn princess, bending low at his knees in a humble manner then rising to his full height. Luna dipped her head in a brief nod of acknowledgement. "A pleasure to meet you as well, sir, uh...."
"Ah! Forgive me, princess. I was so excited to meet you that I had taken leave of my manners. I' am Chance, your majesty. A simple earth pony by the name of Chance is what I be."
"Mm. Well, I'm pleased to meet you as well. Though you haven't answered my question."
"You mean, why am I the only pony besides you to be out during the night?"
Luna nodded her head at his words and waited for his answer. The stallion Chance gave a light hearted chuckle and smiled once more. "I'm but a simple pony, your majesty. I've not much in life and it takes very little to make me happy. The part of the day I'm most active, however, is during the night. I think what draws me to the dark night is the fact that things are tranquil, calm...more serene than what the day brings about. Don't get me wrong though, I can be a daytime pony just as much as the next stallion. More so due to the fact that ever since I was a young tyke I hardly needed to rest. I even shifted my daily activities and made everything I did during the night, though for a long time back then...Well, suffice it to say, the nights weren't as enjoyable as they were after the imprisonment of Nightmare Moon."
He saw the little quirk of Luna's eyebrow and his grin widened further, more so when he mentioned Nightmare Moon. "Ha ha ha! It comes with repercussions, I assure you but I'll leave that for another time. To answer your question, it is your nighttime I favor most, princess Luna. It is my favorite time of day, one I can truly appreciate."
Luna was taken aback by the pony's words, never knowing there was a pony who intentionally switched their daily lives around entirely just to willingly enjoy her night time. It was unheard of, especially in her time. If his words weren't cause for alarm, Chance was also exuding something. It felt more prominent than the usual magic an earth pony contained and it made Luna change her stance, making her horn glow as Luna brought her magic to life.
"What are you playing at, vile secretive cur?!"
"W-What?!"
"You! I can feel it, something you're containing, suppressing. You're false flatteries will not save you from thine punishment if you seek to do this land harm!"
Chance raised onto his hind legs and waved his arms out, crisscrossing his fore arms as he waved them. "Y-You misconstrue my intentions, your majesty! I-I mean nopony harm, I assure you!"
Luna simply charged her horn further, making her magic spark and flicker like a lighted wick of a fire cracker, her piercing blue eyes narrowing at the stallion before her. "Then what is it you are attempting to hide from me, knave? Speak your intentions now, and do not try to deceive the princess of the night!"
Slowly Luna advanced towards Chance, pointing her proverbial cross-hairs at the stallions' chest. The stallions' eyes were wide and his ears flattened down as he stepped back as the princess approached. With a resigned sigh, Chance lowered his head and nodded as he kept his hooves up. "Very well. But perhaps we can move away from here, if you would grace me with your benevolence and grant that. I do not wish to alarm anypony else."
That last bit only served to make Luna even more suspicious but she hesitantly nodded her head once. Using her magic, Luna took a firm hold of the stallion, fanning out her wings and became airborne in mere seconds. Though he exclaimed out in surprise from the force of her lift-off, Chance was hardly effected by the fact that they were above the clouds.
Luna had taken them up into a mountainous region, high atop a ledge that was spacious but very dangerous at the edges. She released him from her hold and, keeping her horn primed, took a couple of steps back. "Alright, now reveal your true self at once!"
Chance nodded and got up on his hooves. He then closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. As he breathed out, lines of bright white spread out starting from his chest and stretching throughout his frame. Soon Chance was engulfed in a white light, its intensity making Luna raise a wing to guard her eyes from it. A low hum of magic came forth from the light and the stallion was encased in a small globe of white light. It turned and spun around as its rounded shape shifted and changed in both width and length. Soon the light began to thin out and it eventually died down, revealing not a pony but something else entirely!
In place of the pony stood a tall chimera! Its wings were folded calmly at his back with his bow-legs spread apart in his stance. His mane remained white and connected to his tail, said appendage gave a single sway as he opened his golden eyes. The chimera then interlaced his clawed fingers together and nervously clicked the claws at his thumbs together, awaiting the princess's judgment.
"Y-You see, I was biding my time down in that little village. Ponyville, correct? But in order for me to blend in with the ponyfolk, I had to, well, become a pony myself. This...."
Chance held up his arms and gave a quick turn-around of his body for the princess to see. "......Is the real me."
Luna, with her eyes still set in a serious scowl, dimmed her magic a little bit as she took in this new information. Her eyes then met the golden iris's of the chimera, searching for any signs of deception within his words. To her ease and great surprise, she found none and lowered her horn, extinguishing the aggressive light of her magic. "I see. But why mask yourself as a pony if you only come out at night?"
The chimera began to feel a bit more relaxed enough to smile again, something Luna noted with a positive feeling. "I thought if I just lumbered through there as myself, I'd come across another restless pony and then they'd see me. And freak out, causing a commotion. I don't really like commotions. I prefer calm and quiet places, with a cool environment and fun things to explore!"
Luna could feel the genuine sincerity of Chance's words, however she could sense something else was not being mentioned. "And that...is the entirety of your reasoning?"
Chance flinched and immediately regretted it as a corner of the princess's mouth twitched upward in a quick grin before she interrogated further, trying to hide her smirk as she read his sudden nervousness as easily as Twilight reads through books.
"And....well......I wanted...to...meet you. I wanted to meet the princess who brings about the moonlit nights that I enjoy so much."
The chimera turned away, a clawed hand scratching nervously at the back of his neck. A stunned Luna stood wide eyed and disbelieving at a suddenly shy chimera.
Her wings gave a nervous twitch as the impulse to run coursed through her frame. Everything the chimera had said was genuine, so genuine she was sure the new bearer of honesty could feel it in her sleep. Unsure of what to do, the alicorn princess did the only thing that came to mind: she quickly took his hands in her hooves and vigorously shook them while speaking in her royal Canterlot voice, eyes scrunched shut and ears flat against her head as a light dusting of red rose onto her cheeks.
"WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE YOUR AQCUIANTANCE, BEAST OF MANY BEASTS, HOWEVER WE HAVE ROYAL DUTIES TO ATTEND TO AND MUST NOT BE DELAYED ANY FURTHER! WE OF THE ROYAL CROWN BID THEE A GOOD MOON!"
And without waiting for a reply, or for Chance to stop shaking, Luna jetted off, leaving a trail of literal star dust in the wake of her sudden departure. Once Chance was able to stop his arm from shaking, he looked up from where he stood and watched as Luna's form shrank away into the night. The chimera chuckled to himself and shook his head while flexing his claws.
Ponyville rose with the coming of Celestia's sun, the lives of everypony getting started for the day. The princess of the sun herself stood at the same balcony she had seen her sister off of a few hours prior, who was now nestled back in her bed chamber and fast asleep. Luna had regaled her of what had transpired during her patrol and she found that her little sister still had trouble with adapting to new and unfamilair feelings. A small smile came across her face as she cast her eyes over the denizens of Canterlot, seeing htem going from place to place and setting up their place of work.
Her ear caught the faint sound of wind behind her and Celestia remained looking over her subjects, her smile growing just a skoosh. "I trust things went well for you?"
At the doorway, a stallion with dark blue fur and a white mane stood with a lop-sided grin while his eyes looked everywhere but at the alicorn princess. "Well, as good as one would've hoped I think."
"Oh?"
"I uh, think I scared her off. I'm sure she has already told you of our encounter."
She let out a little good-hearted giggle. "Naturally."
He thenlooked to his hoof and gave it a quick flex. "Mare's got quite a grip on her, I can tell you that much."
Celestia lets out another good-hearted giggle as she signed a document one of her solar guards was holding up. "My sister can be a tad extreme sometimes. She means well, Chance. Still, I'm glad you two were able to meet."
"As am I, your majesty. I cannot even begin to say how appreciative I' am for that opportunity. I'm in your debt."
With a nod of her head, the guard was dismissed. Celestia then turned her eyes towards the earth stallion, a warm and understanding smile on her face as she approached. "I must admit I was skeptical about the whole thing. A chimera coming out of the blue and nervously requesting to have an audience with not me, but my sister Luna. A chimera who is nocturnal by choice ever since the days of his youth, just for a chance to see Luna raise the moon. Had I known of such a being long ago...."
Celestia looked away for a moment, that fateful day still a fresh wound to her heart. Chance saw this and he too turned his head away. "Y-Yeah."
"Maybe then, I could've showed her that not everypony didn't appreciate her night. I'm hoping you can be of some help to her now though."
"M-Me? But how can I be of help to princess Luna?"
Without realizing it, Chance was now standing face to face with the princess of the sun and he reacted with a surprised yelp. "When Luna begins her reign during the night, all she has is Tibbles and her night guard. Luna will always have me to support her, but when the day is done I have to recharge myself for the next day and thus, cannot be there with her when the times are lonesome. As payment, Chance, I want you to be her confidant."
She saw the slight furrow in his brow as she spoke of Luna's beloved pet Tibbles, watching the stallion repeat the name with muted lips. "Will you be able to manage that, Chance?"
"Er, of course your majesty! But isn't it Luna's choice who her confidant is?"
"It doesn't have to be right away, Chance. I just want somepony to be there for my sister when I can't be there for her. Take your time and get to know her. While you're at it, you can also make acquaintances with the elements of harmony as well. They're bound to catch onto you sooner or later. Well...."
Celestia then walked past the stallion as she tried to think of what to say next. The only thing she could think up was the very same words she had spoken to her most faithful student: "Make some friends! That will be your payment to me." A slack-jawed Chance uselessly flapped his maw as words tried to escape, only to come out as weak little nonsensical sounds reminiscent of a gasping carp. His goofy looking display only made Celestia smile wider as she trotted off. "Very good! I'll be monitoring your progress. Good luck, Chance!"
And with that, the princess of the sun was gone, heading off to get her own agenda started for the day. Meanwhile, a frozen Chance stood in the middle of the royal balcony. Shocked, excited and horrified all at once as the gravity of what had transpired started to seep into his head. Chance slowly sank onto his haunches and continued to stare incredulously at the doorway where Celestia had disappeared through.
"What....just happened?"