Renaissance of The Moon

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Epilogue
Bonus - A Christmare to Remember
Bonus - Admiration
Chapter 4

Chapter 1

“Sister, I understand where you're coming from, but the only way to satiate your wonder is by going to see it in person. No book can really give you the full picture.” Celestia spoke kindly to Luna, a tone of understanding in her voice. Her eyes softened as she looked upon her younger sister, with only the utmost care in her gaze.

As shy as she was, deep down, Luna knew she was right. For the ten weeks she had been back to Equestria, most of her waking moments, aside from her duties raising and lowering the night sky, were spent in the royal library. Desperately wanting to catch up on everything she missed, it was a sub-conscious effort to relieve some of the remorse she felt for letting Nightmare Moon consume her physical being.

Luna rarely left the castle grounds, but even there, she could tell much had changed during her millennia-long banishment to the moon. The goddess had her nose in every book, every scientific journal, every legal document she could get her hooves on. Soon, she could understand modern theology, history, politics and science. She even tried to modernize her room, adding a soft carpet and a crystal chandelier to the décor of her room. Well, almost everything, as her cherished abacus still remained always close by.

The clacking of the beads, how smoothly they ran to and fro. Whenever she felt in despair, Luna could always turn to her abacus, softly toying with it and marveling at how something so simple could be used to do so much. The pale blue and silver color scheme reminded the alicorn of her own beloved night sky, it's stars twinkling in harmony with the moon and the streak of the milky way.

Even through her relentless studying and analyzing of every text she could find, Luna still felt her curiosity unsatisfied, chewing away at her like a parasprite. Therefore, today she gathered up enough courage to ask the only pony she had ever talked to since her return, her older sister, Princess Celestia. Celestia bore no essence of surprise as Luna confessed her burning desire to find out what innovations the world experienced. Instead, she simply smiled, stating “In order to truly know, you have to find out for yourself.”

-~-

Those very words reverberated in her mind, as Luna hugged the cloud in front of her. Reluctantly, she had accepted her sister's advice, and was now going off on her small journey to see what the world was like. Celestia offered to have some guards to escort her where she pleased, but her reserved nature turned it down. Celestia never told her she had to meet other ponies, but simply see how the world changed, right? She could just slip in for a few days, watch from the safety of the shadows, and leave.

Unfortunately, she didn't know where to go. She'd been in Canterlot her whole time back in Equestria, except for a few hours for a party in... in... 'Ponyville! That's it!' She had thought to herself, 'I'll just observe Ponyville for a bit, take a note or two, and then I can head straight for home.' And so, as quickly as she could, she flew out from Canterlot, and headed towards Ponyville.

At first, her re-acquaintance with flight was euphoria of emotions. She had felt a fluttering feeling of freedom, as she nimbly dipped and dove among the clouds. Her mane rippled in the wind as Luna skimmed over a cloud, only to dive through it a second later.

'Luna, stop being such a silly filly.' She giggled as she thought to herself. Even though she didn't embrace her title as “Princess” as much as her sister did, she still felt bound to act somewhat on par with the nobility.

As she was about to continue her controlled descent, two voices roared out around her.

“Scootaloo, come on, are you racing or not?” a voice called out. It was feminine, but not by much.

“You betcha!” replied another, this higher voice belonging to a younger pony. Luna squeaked in surprise, diving behind a nearby cloud. She hugged onto it tightly, not wanting to be seen. Her plan would be foiled if anypony saw her!

Moments passed before she dared peek to check if the coast was clear. Luna let go a sigh of relief as she saw nopony around. All she could see was the blue sky, and a green field below. Squinting, she examined it closer. A vegetative area rimmed the heath, one section leading off into a forest. She could also make out a small creek flowing, and a cheery cottage behind it. But, besides that, it was a welcome contrast to the bustle of majority of Ponyville, which lay a little far off to her right.

Luna brightened a little, feeling her luck had changed. 'All I need to do now is hop down a few clouds without getting seen, and I can land on the border of the field. No pony will see me, and I'll be okay', she reassured herself, as she flew down to the next cloud below her, bouncing a little as the fluffy mass absorbed her momentum.

Gradually, she made her way down, as the warm breeze of late summer began to flow over her navy coat. It was a pleasant surprise from the chilly climate in Canterlot. Being situated half-way up a mountain was only a surefire way to ensure colder weather.

Looking down below, Luna realized this was the lowest cloud before ground-level. Taking a deep breath, she let her eyes roll over the landscape, wanting to take it all in. She gasped, marveling at the beauty of something so simple. The green heath rolled into a dense thicket of shrubbery, which eventually morphed into an emerald forest. The same creek that flowed past the cottage, now cut through the trees, glimmering like a path of sapphires in front of her. Birds chirped and sang happily, as a rabbit grazed amongst the grass. Luna hadn't seen something so wonderful, yet basic, in over a thousand years.

On one side of the cloud, and still entranced by the landscape in front of her, Luna barely heard the pegasus' arrival. A rainbow streaked through the cloud, it's wing clipping the princess. She gasped in shock more than pain, knocked off from her cloudy perch. Dazed from the swift impact, she began to fall towards the ground.

Rainbow Dash grunted a bit as she flew through the cloud. Her wing snagged a little, but that was normal. Wind sometimes built up behind a cloud, and could provide some resistance if strong enough. Air flowed past her ears, muffling the sound of Luna's squeak. Rainbow Dash wondered for a second, doubting if she heard something or not. She took a quick glance over her shoulder a second later, but saw nothing. The alicorn had already fallen out of her line of sight.

The pegasus was about to examine it further until she felt a hoof tap her head. “Tag!” Scootaloo screamed in delight, taking off up into the sky.

“Oh, it's on!” Rainbow replied, soaring after her.

Unbeknownst to her, Luna was plummeting towards the earth. She was still dazed, her vision fuzzy and ears ringing. It took her mind a few seconds come to and process what was happening. She tried to scream, but the wind rushing past her face prevented all vocal sounds. Beginning to force her body to work, Luna desperately tried to flap her wings, her legs flailing about.

But, a millennia spent in the moon had weakened her muscles, and she could not fly as strong as she once could. Looking down, Luna saw the ground rapidly approaching. She put all her strength into stalling her descent, her wing muscles straining to fight the force of gravity.

She attempted conjuring a spell to slow her down, but once again her years on the desolate satellite had taken a toll on her skills. A little blue spark erupted from her horn, only to peter out and vanish altogether

However, another quick glance told the Princess that she would still impact the green field at a painful speed. The thought only lasted for a second, before she summoned the last of her strength, tapping into some reserves she herself never knew existed. Luna's shield flashed into being, the navy blue sphere enveloping around her. It wouldn't save her completely, but she could just possibly avoid anything to serious.

Luna last heard the shield evaporate in a sizzle as she ran into the ground. The world went black.

-~-

“Hello?” A quiet voice rolled delicately on the wind. Luna felt a soft hoof prodding her shoulder.

'Where am I?' she asked herself, 'All I remember was sitting on that cloud until something hit me and I..' The fall. It all came back to her. The rushing of the air, the swirling view of blue and green. The vain attempt at screaming, the futility of her wings and magic, and eventually the casting of her shield before impinging into the ground below.

Now, she was laying on her back, the faint rustle of grass rubbing up
against her. The air was calm, but comfortably warm. Luna would have
enjoyed the feeling more, if her head did not ache like a fury
Celestia herself hadn't seen.

“Are you okay?” The voice asked again. It was gentle, with no traces of negativity, only care to be found. Oddly enough, the she felt surprisingly calm. Even with her pains, she didn't worry as much as she expected she would.

Luna attempted opening her eyes, the world coming in as a blur. The world around her was fuzzy, her sight becoming adjusted to the light. Blinking again, she looked up, staring into a set of reassuring blue eyes, almost the same shade of her own. The face surrounding them was of a young mare, her yellow coat matching nicely with her natural pink mane. For a second, she didn't mind, after all this pony seemed very nice.

'This pony!' The though ran through her mind. Luna screamed, instinctively scrambling back a few feet. The other mare screamed as well, a startled look in her expression. Without a second look, the new pony turned tail and began running away.

The alicorn watched as the yellow pony charged towards the cottage. After a quick examination, Luna realized that she was a pegasus, small wings hugging her sides. The mare kept streaking away, the last of her pink tail visible before she entered the house and slammed the door behind her.

Luna propped herself up, taking a deep breath. 'Odd,' she thought, beginning to calm down, 'Why did she decide to run and not fly?' Sighing, she rhetorically pondered whether more had changed than even she could imagine.

As she got up, her thoughts evaporated to the sight around her. Everywhere, flora and fauna alike populated her view, reintroducing herself to the world she had left behind , as curiosity once again flared in her mind. She could barely remember her last encounter with nature this vivid.

Her headache now no longer as harsh and too engrossed in her surroundings, the alicorn began to let herself wander. She smelled every flower she could spot, their scents only furthering her desire to explore. Although she preferred the allure of the night's sky, Luna couldn't help but agree with herself that this was truly marvelous to take it all in.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Luna reminded herself to stick to plan. Observe. She began walking throughout the forest, carefully scrutinizing anything that seemed different or new to her. As she continued her walk, a raging battle developed in her head, where emotions swung and fought each other.

On one hoof, she would love to do nothing else but let out a squeak of joy and roll around in a flowerbed. She wanted to give in and let her inner child, one who had been locked up for so long because she wanted to be like her older sister, run free in the surrounding forest.

On the other hoof, she still clung to the reasoning behind why her inner child was locked up, to be just like Celestia. She could almost see it that if her sister were in Luna's position, she would act with such wisdom and composure that Luna could only hope to achieve someday.

The alicorn groaned as her head began to hurt, as she weighed the possibilities. The pain kept growing as her headache roared back to life, stimulated by Luna's concentration being withdrawn from the forest. Pain scorched through her horn, until she thought she could bear it no more.

With a moan, Luna fainted onto the ground, her body landing softly along the comforting forest floor.

-~-

Fluttershy gasped in worry as she saw Luna collapse onto the ground. She had been following her for the past few minutes, after summoning the courage to go after the Princess.

She had just been getting back from a day at the spa with Rarity when she saw the goddess fall from the sky. Just before she hit the ground, and brief flash shot through the air. The yellow pegasus could only think the worst. With her compassionate side taking over, all Fluttershy could do was gallop as hard as she could to check on Luna.

Luckily, her fears dissipated as she neared the navy blue pony. All her bones were intact, and apart from a moderate concussion, the mare was in miraculously good condition.

Only after tapping her a few times and calling to her, did the goddess awake. As her eyes blinked open, all Fluttershy was able to do was to bite back her involuntary urge to scream, a byproduct of her shy attitude towards new ponies. Especially such a highly renowned pony like Princess Luna.

When the alicorn screamed first, the emotional dam broke and the pegasus screamed too, her anxiety coming out in a high-pitched yell. Without even really thinking, Fluttershy ran home, the wind swooshing by as she galloped straight to her doorstep, panting heavily as she slammed the door behind her.

And now, watching the princess in another state of unconsciousness, Fluttershy knew she had to do something. “Oh dear...” She sighed to herself, apprehension building like a toxic cloud in her chest.

With a grunt, she wrapped her forelegs around the mare, and used her wings to lift up. At first, she could go no further than getting Luna just above the ground.

'Oh no...' Fluttershy began, wondering if she could ever get the Princess to her house, 'Come on Fluttershy, be strong! She reassured herself, 'It's a bit like Pinkie Pie told you... Not a “Hop, Skip and a Jump”, “But a Flap, Heave and a Pull.”... I hope.’

-~-

The fragrance of tea tickled Luna's nose as she awoke. A damp, cold cloth that was once over her face, had now flopped onto a soft blanket as she lifted her head up. She rubbed her hooves over her eyes and stifled a yawn. “Where am I?” Luna asked herself for the second time that day, only this time it was out loud.

The room was a mix of a calming and somewhat pale color scheme. Brown and green were the dominant colors, but others could be found, such as a pale yellow shelf, or a few blue and red books that resided in a small bookcase to her left.

Sounds of birds chirping flowed past her ears, the pattering of little feet scurrying around could be heard throughout. A small bunny hopped into her view, carrot in paw, directly across from her. Making eye contact, the little creature pointed it's remainder of a carrot straight at Luna, before scurrying off.

Luna gasped a bit, not expecting such a level of intelligence from a forest animal. 'Did Equestria really change that much?'

A small tray clattered quietly to her right, as it was placed on a nightstand. Luna looked over, to see that the same yellow mare from before was standing next to her. Her pink mane flowed to the ground as her eyes studied the small alicorn.

“I'm very sorry, Princess Luna. I just saw you collapse, and I couldn't resist but to help you.” Her light blue eyes shifted from Luna to the ground, “If you want to leave.... I can understand that.” Her voice was the same as before, quiet and soft.

“No no, thank you very much.” Luna replied quietly. She was overtaken by this pony's willingness to allow herself to stay in her home. Perhaps not all ponies were as self-centered as those in Canterlot.

“Can you tell me...” Luna stopped. She almost could feel herself hitting the ground. The rush of the wind ending as she closed in closer the the earth. She bit her lip, not knowing if she could finish the sentence. Without the charm of the forest around her, the real weight of how close she was to becoming seriously hurt or injured, now hung upon her like a thousand pounds.

Tears began to well up on the corners of her eyes. They sprung up with a vengeance, threatening to sweep her off her hooves and dump her in sniveling mess. How careless she had been!

“Shhh... It's okay.” Fluttershy told her. “It wasn't too bad,” She continued, the calming effect in her voice amplified as she realized Luna's distress, “all you hurt was your head, and not nearly as bad as it should've been. You don't have to worry about it any more.” Fluttershy put a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. The blue mare looked up at her, giving her a half-hearted smile.

Luna was still in a little bit of shock, but the smell of the nearly-forgotten tea wafted into her senses. A twinge of bergamot resided, giving the smell a more exotic touch. “Is that tea?” She asked, her voice shaking. There were two little cups, each steaming around a a flower-painted porcelain teapot in the center.

“Oh yes.” Fluttershy replied, eying the tray. She looked back at Luna, trying to smile a bit, “Would you like some?” Luna nodded, and accepted the cup the mare gave to her. As she took it, Fluttershy realized this was a good time to change the subject.

“So... Why are you here in Ponyville?” Fluttershy asked, trying her best to keep a casual tone, and get the Princess' mind off her terrifying ordeal. Admitting it to herself, Fluttershy knew she would never act so open to an unknown pony, unless it were under circumstances like this.

Luna looked up at Fluttershy, and adjusted herself on the bed so she could face her better. Her light blue mane getting in her eyes as she did, before blowing it out of her face. “Well, you see...” Luna began, relaying her story, including her task from Celestia and even admitting her reclusive plans to studying Ponyville, up until getting knocked out of the sky. “And then I just started falling...” She concluded, her voice beginning to shake again.

Fluttershy was growing a little frustrated. All her animal friends usually didn’t work themselves into more grief after being hurt. Instead, they usually listened to her and did as she said. ‘Why do other ponies have to be so difficult?’ She thought, arguing between her compassion for others, and her growing disappointment in herself. ‘But I have to help her! She’s hurt and...’ Fluttershy looked at Luna, seeing how badly shaken she was. ‘She looks just like I would after a tumble like that. I’ve got to help... Somehow.’

Determined to stop the younger goddess from worrying too much, Fluttershy asked her another question, “What do you plan on doing tomorrow? You're welcome to take a look around here at nearby the plants and animals.”

Luna sniffed, still a little emotional still from talking earlier. “I honestly don't know. Even after observing all the nature around here before I passed out, a voice inside me is telling me that I still will be looking for answers... It was all very beautiful, but it still feels like something would be missing.” She zoned off towards the ground.

As Luna began to sniffle some more, Fluttershy realized she was right, she would miss out on something. After going on a few adventures with Twilight and the other Elements of Harmony, she knew exactly what the Princess needed to help her understand the world. A friend.

Chapter 2

Fluttershy shut her front door, Luna waiting next to her. The goddess put a hoof
on the clumsy, low-brimmed gardener's hat Fluttershy had given her,
vainly trying to move it into a comfortable position. It was too big
for her liking, but Luna didn't want to be noticed in the streets of
Ponyville.

Ahh, yes, where were they going? The... Spa, was it? Luna had only briefly heard the
term mentioned in a few of her texts, but she didn't look into it.
She hadn't really seen the importance in them, but Fluttershy sure
did make them sound nice.

She told Luna how she and her friend Rarity met there once a week, to
talk and catch up. Fluttershy explained all the relaxing things they
could do there, from mud baths, to massages, and even a new concept
she didn't quite understand... A sauna? That was the one part she was
wary of... Sitting in a very hot, humid room was relaxing?

However, she reminded herself that she had already accepted her proposal. She
surely couldn't turn back now. Fluttershy had been so kind to take
her in and heal her, although Luna simply used a medical spell on her
concussion when the yellow pegasus left the room, and the least she
could do was take her word for it and try to enjoy it.

“So Fluttershy”, Luna began as they walked down a dirt path, “How far
is it to the spa?” She was curious, because she hadn't been in
busier part of Ponyville yet. The mare looked over at her, a little
smile on her face.

“Oh, not too far, we won't have to go too deep into town.” She turned her
focus down the path, a few buildings of Ponyville emerging into view.
“After you told me your plan to observe the town, I understood how
shy you were, so that's one of the reasons why I picked going
there.”

Fluttershy turned back to Luna, “Besides, I'm not the most outgoing pony myself.”
Luna chuckled a little, glad that the other mare understood her
fears. She was a princess after all, and without this hat in public,
she'd surely be spotted. Almost all ponies in Ponyville knew what she
looked like, because of the party there a few months earlier.

As they entered the main part of Ponyville, it felt as if the gears in
Luna's stomach churned like clockwork as she saw all the other ponies
in the streets. Some were talking, others selling goods from small
kiosks and stalls, looking through the windows of the various stores,
even three fillies running wildly, yelling happily as they went.

And Luna had to get through all of this, undetected. She began walking
again, trying to keep her breathing regular, 'Just
calm down...' She thought to
herself, 'All I have to do is
just act normal and stick by Fluttershy.' Exhaling
deeply, she heard the pegasus whisper to her.

“Luna... Are you okay?” She asked. Luna looked over to her, Fluttershy's
eyes wide with concern, as they flickered towards her forelegs. She
looked down, noticing they were wobbling uncontrollably.

Luna blushed a little, “Ummm yeah... There's just...” She stopped, her
voice tinged with concern. She glanced quickly at all the ponies in
front of her. “There's just so many other ponies.” Luna concluded, her
voice a little quieter.

Fluttershy smiled at her, “It's not that bad.” She began her way up towards
a yellow door in front of them, looking back up at it. “Besides,
once we get inside, you can take your hat off and relax. The spa
ponies working there are really nice.”

As she approached the door, Luna couldn't help but feel better after
talking with her. No wonder she was good with animals. She never
seemed to get frustrated or angry with Luna's constant
distress.

Fluttershy opened the door, forcing Luna to take another deep breath and follow her in.
As she entered, she had to admit that the spa looked exactly like the
comfort it sought to provide. A warm purple color was painted on the
walls, the room decorated with lush, leafy plants. A small,
comfortable couch was in one corner, a plushy pillow on each
end.

Luna took her hat off, reluctantly, as Fluttershy walked up to the counter. A blue earth
pony was on the other side, with a pink mane similar to Fluttershy's
own.

“Hello, Fluttershy!” The pony said, a smile on her face, “Weren't you just here
yesterday?” Luna fumbled as she tried to place the clumsy hat on a
hanger, now in a set of dismay over the new pony's observation.
Trying to keep out of sight, she slowly began to creep back over to
Fluttershy. She desperately hoped the pony at the counter wouldn't
notice her.

“Oh yes, I was here recently, Sunbreeze.” The yellow pegasus replied, “But me
and my friend wanted to relax a little today. Surprisingly, I don't
have much to do this afternoon, so why not spend it here?”

“Well, I don't see Rarity here...” Sunbreeze said, her eyes searching for
her. Luna groaned quietly to herself. She really didn't have any way
out of this, so she gathered herself, and took a few brave steps
towards the center of the room, trying her best to look as royal as
she could. Although she attempted to keep her posture in check and
walk balanced, she knew it looked feeble, at best.

The spa pony's face lit up a bit, spotting Luna. “Ahh, so you brought
Princess Luna with you!” Her tone was only slightly surprised, not
nearly as giddy and shocked as the alicorn thought it'd
be.

Fluttershy turned around, looking at her. Her gaze softened, reassuringly, as she noticed the princess trying to show herself in public. The pegasus winced a
little, her own thoughts switching to memories of the pressure she
was under, when Rarity asked her to model for her. As her short-lived
career into the modeling business took off, she was constantly
annoyed by pushy fans and photographers. She could definitely
sympathize with Luna.

“Yes, I thought I'd show her the best spa in all of Equestria!”
Fluttershy responded, without looking back at Sunbreeze. She signaled
for Luna to come over to her, before turning back towards the
counter.

“Hehe, well, I don't know if I'd go that far.” The light blue pony told her. “But,
I'm sure you two will enjoy it here. Feel free to head over to your
tables when you're ready. We'll have somepony over soon for your
facials and massages.” She turned around, grabbing a few things
behind her. Placing them on the counter, she faced the two ponies
again. “Here are your robes and your key. Your room is number 12,
down the hall on your right.” Luna was glad that Sunbreeze referred
to the both of them, not directing attention solely on her.

“Thank you!” Fluttershy said, taking the two robes in her mouth. She left
the key up there, which Luna grabbed precariously with her
telekinetic magic. She followed the yellow mare, making their way
down a white hallway. The floor was made out of a dark hardwood, and
what were supposed to windows were little more than squares in the
wall. A thin linen cover was draped over them, which swayed
peacefully and allowed a breeze to enter through the hallway.

In Luna's mind, perhaps Fluttershy really was right, this could be the
best spa in Equestria. So far, the mare at the counter was pleasant
and courteous enough, and the rooms were painted and designed to be
as light and inviting as possible. With a breath, she finally felt
the cool ecstasy of calmness entering her brain.

Abruptly, her friend stopped at a glass-framed door to her right, with he blue
mare almost running into her. She placed the robes down, looking over
at Luna. “Key please,” She asked sincerely. Luna floated the thin
metallic object over to her.

Grasping it with her teeth, Fluttershy put the key into the bronze doorknob.
With a turn and a click, the door opened.

Passing the key back to her, Fluttershy picked up the robes and moved into
the open room. It was colored in a pastel green, with similar open
windows along one wall. Two small white beds were in the middle of
the room, above a floor of polished wood. Luna let go a sigh of
relief.

“Nice, isn't it?” Fluttershy asked. She picked up one of the robes, turning it over to her.
As the yellow pegasus pony went to close the door, Luna examined the
clothing. It was a rectangle of a soft, white material Luna hadn't
recognized before, but after feeling it, assumed it to be like the
towels she'd used in Canterlot. It came attached with two sleeves, a
fluffy collar, and a belt, all of the same material, wrapping around
the middle of it.

'Surely this can't be too difficult.' Luna
told herself. She slid her forehooves through the sleeves, and pulled
the belt around herself, tying it with her telekinetic powers. It
felt a little odd, the collar was a little bulky around her neck, and
the odd stitching, or lack there of, was in such a manner that it was
restricting her ability to move her forelegs together. But, since it
was so soft and nice on her dark blue coat, she didn't mind.

She turned around to face Fluttershy, who already had put hers on. The
yellow pony's eyes widened a little, before she let out a soft
giggle. Luna could tell she saw something wasn't right and
frowned.

“What's wrong?” She asked, the her voice turned a little frantic, “Is there
something on my face?”

Fluttershy allowed herself another giggle before replying, “No, you put your
robe on upside-down, silly.” Luna stared at her for a second,
before realizing that her robe was tied around her stomach, while she
felt her belt was tied on her back.

Luna squeaked in embarrassment, before she felt blood rushing to her face.
She dreaded the thought of looking at herself in a mirror, because
right now the amount of red on her expression would clash with her
navy blue coat.

“Haha, silly me.” Luna replied nervously. She looked up at the other pony
to see the look on her face, but her eyes only held amusement in
them, nothing else.

Hastily untying her robe and putting it on correctly, like she saw it on
Fluttershy, she began to feel better. The robe, when on properly as
it was now, was immensely comfortable. It's plushy texture conformed
to her, the collar acting like a pillow around her neck.

“There ya go.” Fluttershy observed, noticing Luna now wearing the white
robe in the correct fashion. “It should feel better now, huh?”
Not waiting for an answer, she walked over to one of the padded
tables, laying upon it.

“Ooh, this does feel good.” Luna said, half to herself. She climbed on
the vacant bed, just like Fluttershy was doing.

“If you think the robe feels nice, then I think you'll love the rest of
the stuff we'll be doing here.” Fluttershy told her. “You
shouldn't be so afraid to see the world, Luna. If a shy pony like
myself can do this once a week, along with openly walking around
Ponyville, and even attending an occasional party hosted by my friend
Pinkie Pie... I don't see why you can't either.”

Luna's heart warmed with that comment, only being able to nod, before the
door opened again, with two other mares entering. Neither of them
stared at her, just simply smiled and walked over to a side of the
room, where a small table was. One carried a bowl and a few brushes,
the other holding a plate with slices of cucumber in it. The
alicorn's curiosity peaked.

“Why are we eating?” She asked Fluttershy. She never expected a spa to
be somewhere to serve any food. Although, the cool, crisp taste of
them certainly did match the spa's calming atmosphere.

“Oh no,” Fluttershy replied, “Personally I usually don't use them,
but someponies like to put them over their eyes. They're supposed to
help against wrinkles.” Luna tilted her head to her response. It
seemed a little strange to her, but all the other ponies in the room
didn't look like they shared her thoughts.

“And the bowl with the brushes?” Luna continued.

“Oh, that's just an avocado facial mask. It's supposed to help keep your
skin and coat from drying out.” She looked to Luna, reading her
next question. “I get a few touches on my face.”

Luna took a deep breath. Since even Fluttershy did it, it couldn't be too
bad. “I'd like to try what you do, I guess.”

“Great!” The pink-maned mare replied, a smile on her face. Within an instant,
one of the spa ponies came over, and brushed a few strokes of the
green-ish cream on her face. Luna gasped a little in surprise, the
cool sensation of the paste on her cheeks was new to her. Over the
next few seconds although, she began to enjoy the touch of the cream,
feeling nice on her skin. Personal upkeep wasn't high on her priority
list while in Canterlot. Aside from her daily bath, she hardly paid
attention to herself between her studies.

“And now for the massage. I assume you'd like the same as I?” Fluttershy
said. Luna turned to her and nodded.

One of the spa mares came over to her, placing her hooves on her back. As
with the facial, it felt odd at first. But after a few minutes, she
began to enjoy the rhythmic kneading along her spine. Luna placed her
head down on the bed, exhaling deeply as she closed her eyes in
comfort.

-~-

“Luna... Luna are you awake?” A quiet voice called to her. Luna ran a hoof
over her eyes as she lifted her head. She yawned slightly, before
realizing Fluttershy was staring at her.

“What?” Luna asked, sounding a little drowsy.

“You've been asleep for nearly the whole massage.” A little giggle mixed in
with her voice. Luna blushed again in embarrassment. “Don't worry,
I did the same thing my first few times.” She continued, getting
off the bed. She stretched, arching her back a bit. “Come on, get
up. I'm sure you're feeling great, and we still have lots more to
do.”

Luna picked herself up and off the bed, smiling warmly at how well she felt. Her neck
usually had a permanent crook in it, after having it angled for so
many books and tomes. Now, her whole spine and its surrounding
muscles were in bliss. “Oh, by the stars, you're right!” Luna
exclaimed, joining Fluttershy in a luxurious stretch. She felt now
more than a little eager to continue on their way.

“I knew you'd like it.” Fluttershy replied with one of her smiles.
“Come on, let's go!” She said, oddly enthusiastic, as they exited
through the door.

The mud bath had been quite a challenge to Luna, at first only being able to
stick a single hoof in the ill-reputed mixture. But, with Fluttershy
consistently encouraging her, she managed to get in. She began to
enjoy the calming bath as she talked and chatted with her friend.
Unlike their previous conversations, these were friendly, both sides
doing as much talking and listening as the other.

Fluttershy told Luna about her friends, the other elements of Harmony, and of
their many crazy adventures. She talked about the time she had
persuaded a dragon to leave Equestria, and how she once had become a
famous fashion model, even though she hated it. She also included
what she did in Ponyville, keeping good care of the various animals
that lived in Ponyville's limits, and also about her mischievous
bunny Angel.

Luna gasped, “So that's who pointed their carrot mockingly at me this morning!”
Before Fluttershy was about to reply, Luna began to laugh. Fluttershy
was at first stunned by her comment, but her laugh was so contagious
that Fluttershy herself couldn't resist. Within moments, both of them
were giggling and laughing like a pair of fillies.

As they entered the hot tub, Luna told Fluttershy of the grandeur of the
castle in Canterlot. The elegant tinted windows that seemed to litter
across every wall. She talked of the majestic, floating chandelier in
the dining hall, and more importantly to her companion, the charming
gardens, telling her about all she’d seen there. Luna talked about
the sublime melodies sung by the birds, as they flew from tree to
tree. She even admitted that the only time she really stopped
studying was to admire the blooming flowerbeds, going into detail how
the gardeners planted them in such a way to make things such as
rainbows and other pleasantries. Luna explained how she loved to read
there, nestled under one of her favorite oak trees.

-~-

The two concluded their trip to the spa in the sauna, and unlike Luna’s
previous predictions, it was indeed a nice invention. The warm, humid
heat put her in an even calmer mood, and she almost drifted off to
sleep before the yellow mare poked her.

A sense of urgency was in her voice, “Oh my, it's time we should get
going. I have to get home soon to feed my animal friends. It'll get
dark in an hour or-” Fluttershy stopped and blushed a bit,
realizing her mistake. Luna was
the pony who brought upon the night to
begin with. “Well, actually, no it won't, if we sit in the spa
longer.”

Luna shook herself, her bright blue mane sprinkling little droplets of water
that had remained from the tub. “Oh yeah, I guess you're right.”
She added in. The alicorn was a little sad to leave, but the other
mare did have a point. If she forgot her duties as the night goddess,
Celestia would surely be displeased. Luna began following behind
Fluttershy, who had opened the sauna door.

They both returned their robes and the key as the left, Luna even managing
to say goodbye to Sunbreeze on their way out. The friendly earth pony
just smiled, waving goodbye, thanking her for coming.

As they left the spa, a thought popped up in the alicorn's mind.
“Speaking of the night, what do you ponies do during the night?”
Luna asked Fluttershy. She secretly hoped she'd say something better
than just “sleep”. She may not be Nightmare Moon anymore, but she
still felt a pang of jealousy because ponies were so active during
the day, and seemingly dormant in the night.

“Well, sometimes when she has one,” Fluttershy began, “My friend Pinkie
Pie throws parties, and more often than not, they last long into the
night.” She giggled, “Once, I didn't leave 'till after the sun
had risen the next morning. Also... what else...” Fluttershy racked
her brain, “I know I'm forgetting something.”

The pegasus tilted her head a bit, pondering in the deep stretches of her
memory. Then, her face brightened again, “Oh silly me! How could I
have forgotten sleepovers?” Although Luna didn't sense it, hope was
weaved into her voice.

“What's a sleepover?” Luna asked questioningly. She gave Fluttershy a
puzzled look.

Realizing a chance to spend some more time with her new friend, Fluttershy
offered suggestively, “Well, why don't you try it? Your sister
Celestia did tell
you to find things out yourself.”

Luna smiled back at her. She didn't know what it was, but after her
enlightening visit to the spa, Luna knew she could trust her, and she
sensed that Fluttershy felt the same way. This new revelation hit her
harder than the ground she landed on earlier that morning. 'Is
this what having a true friend feels like?'

Chapter 3

"Oh! I think I get it now," Luna claimed. The setting sun was playing a dance of gold and orange on the sky, as the two mares walked over a bridge towards Fluttershy's house. The house cast a long shadow upon them in the waning sun.

Fluttershy, on the inside, was about to explode with happiness. This slumber party, unlike her previous with the "Cutie Mark Crusaders", was surely looking up. It was the first one she'd ever hosted with another equine, at least personality-wise, of the same age as her. Her new friend certainly seemed to enjoy being around her, and the pegasus was sure they'd make this one a success.

Also, on a more personal level, Fluttershy was proud of herself. This was the first friend she'd made on her own in a long time, not aided by the whole "Elements of Harmony" thing. Actually, on second thought, she hardly made any other friends in her whole life. Only a few ponies even tried to approach her in Cloudsdale, and only a slim fraction of those got to know her on any personal level.

As she approached the dimly-lit red door, Luna turned to face her. "Fluttershy, I'll be in the house in a second. I just have to go do my duty and raise the moon. It'll only take a few moments." Her blue mane rippled a bit in the breeze, her equally blue eyes gazing into the Fluttershy's own, filled with excitement and wonder.

"Oh... Oh sure, Luna!" Fluttershy told her cheerily. Her hopes rising once more, as the alicorn's gaze had confirmed her hopes. "I'll go inside and make some tea." She concluded, going inside.

She exhaled in delight as soon as she closed the door behind her. This is going to be SO fun! She thought. Fluttershy continued onto her small kitchen, it's old, cast-iron stove and oven adding a rustic touch. Turning on the stove and setting a kettle over the flames, she heard a small cough coming from behind her.

Whipping around, she saw it was her bunny, Angel. He gave her a huge smile, before repealing it and replace it with a quizzical look. She had to admit, that mischievous little rabbit knew her well.

"Oh Angel, I just made a new friend today." Fluttershy responded sweetly. Instantly, she felt compelled to share her feelings. "We're going to have a sleepover, and it's going to be great!" Her tone was brimming with expectation and delight. "It'll be just the best. We're gonna tell stories, laugh, braid tails... Maybe we'll even play 'Shhh!'" Giggling, she noticed that Angel had dropped into a sulky composure. His shoulders sagged, his ears flopped down. The bunny even dragged his carrot behind him by the stem. He started out of the room, eyes drooping.

"Aww..." Fluttershy said, catching up to him, "Angel, you know you're my favoritest bunny ever." He didn't even turn around, continuing on in his melancholy march. She flew over him, landing in front of Angel, blocking his path. Placing her head on the same level as his, Fluttershy stared at him, her pupils big as saucers. A small smile crept up on his face.

Noticing a crack forming in his sullen attitude, Fluttershy scooped the rabbit up in her forehooves, nuzzling him gently. Angel tried his best to resist, but within seconds he couldn't help but hug the yellow mare, his tiny arms going halfway around her neck.

"Don't you worry." Fluttershy told him, as she put the white animal on the floor, "Now, go get ready for bed. It's almost nighttime y'know." Not bothering to wait for a response, she headed back for the kitchen.

The kettle was just beginning to whine, steam starting to show from the covered spout. Daintily gripping the covered handle, she set the kettle to the side, and turned the stove off. Just as she finished filling the teapot, Fluttershy heard the door open and close.

"Sorry I took so long, Fluttershy. I also wrote a letter to Celly so she wouldn't worry." Luna called out, unaware of her friend's exact location. Fluttershy took the tray in her mouth, rounding the corner towards the door.

Luna spotted her instantly as she entered. "There you are! For a second I thought you went upstairs or something." Realizing Fluttershy couldn't speak with the tray in her mouth, she chuckled, "Her, let me take that for you."

Her horn light up blue as her telekinesis took hold of the tray, as they both walked over to a green couch in the corner of the room. Luna placed the tray on the wooded coffee table in front of it, before sitting down on the simple, yet comforting furniture piece.

Fluttershy joined her, her ears suddenly perking in excitement. "So, what do you want to do first?" She asked, her manners coming into play as Luna was, after all, the guest.

"I don't know, I've never done this before? You have, right?" The blue mare looked at her. "By the way you explained it, I think you must have had some great slumber parties in the past."

"Well... No." Fluttershy confessed, "My last one was actually a disaster."

"Oh..." Luna said, her eyes dropping to the floor in disappointment.

Fluttershy giggled, "Would you like to hear about it? My friends all loved hearing the story."

"Oh sure!" Luna replied eagerly. "You did say storytelling was a part of having a sleepover!" Her eyes glaring at Fluttershy in curiosity. She took her tiara off, trying to get comfortable, letting her hair run loose.

"Well, it all began when I brought Opalescence back to Rarity's house..." Fluttershy started, retelling a tale she had on numerous occasions.

-~-

"Wait, wait!" Luna gasped, trying to control her laughter, "Are you telling me that the three little fillies broke your table, and then tried to fix it to find their cutie marks?"

Fluttershy giggled a bit, reminiscing in the image of Applebloom and her friends creating something that did not look like it's former self. "Oh yes," she giggled once more, "I had to get Applejack to fix it for me the next day."

Luna burst out laughing, almost falling off the couch, "That is so cute!" she exclaimed. Her sides heaved before she could contain herself, "So what happened next?"

"I suggested that we play a game." Fluttershy responded. The alicorn's eyes lit up at the mention of it.

"Ooh! What game?" She asked.

A rare, playful glint appeared in the pegasus' eyes, unnoticed by her still-giggling friend. "You want to play?"

"Would I!?" Luna gleamed.

"Okay... It's called 'Shhh'" Fluttershy replied, trying her best to keep a level face.

"What's that?" The alicorn asked, cocking her head to one side. Her expression was clueless.

"Well... It's a game about who can stay quiet the longest. Sound fun?" Not waiting for an answer, she continued on as Luna's look went from clueless to utterly lost. "I'm the world champ y'know. I bet ya can't beat me!"

Fluttershy stuck her face a little closer to Luna, before taking in a huge breath and slamming her mouth shut, her cheeks puffed out.

For a second, the princess was mystified. Then, she squinted her eyes in competition, before following the mare's actions.

For a few seconds, both of them sat there on the couch, facing each other. They looked like enormous squirrels, cheeks as if full. Soon enough, both of them started to shake. Luna's face twisted with effort, as Fluttershy's eyes widened.

At nearly the same time, both exploded with laughter, giggling like fillies on a winter morning. "Hehe, Fluttershy, you should have seen the look on your face!" Luna exclaimed, falling on her back.

"Oh, haha, I couldn't!" Fluttershy responded between laughs, "I was too busy try to not laugh at yours!" She collapsed, toppling off the couch with a thud.

Luna scrambled over to the edge of the couch, where the until-recently quiet pegasus had been. "Fluttershy, are you okay?" She asked with concern in her voice.

Fluttershy, who was sprawled on the run below, picked herself. She rubbed a hoof on her forehead, touching it gently. "Oh yes, I think I'll be fine." Hey eyes scanned the scene, noticing the tray, which had not been touched. "Care for some tea?"

"Sure!" Luna replied, as Fluttershy poured some of the steaming drink into her cup. She grasped the cup in her magic, bringing it to her face. She blew on it carefully, before taking a sip. "Mmmm..." She murmured, relishing the taste and comfort of the warm brew.

"I heard that some famous musician is coming to Ponyville next week." Fluttershy said, before taking a sip of her own. "My friend Rainbow Dash can't stop talking about her. Actually, both Rainbow and Pinkie Pie are going to the performance. Ooh... What's her name!" Fluttershy racked her brain for answers. "DJ Pon four or something like that."

"Oh yeah?" Luna responded. "I wonder what music she plays. I don't know what DJ means, but I've heard the Canterlot Orchestra once when they played in the castle for Celestia. I liked it." She began to pretend to play a violin, the imaginary instrument being played slowly by a bow made of air.

Fluttershy giggled, "Oh no, it's not classical. Rainbow let me listen to some of her music. It had a catchy beat to it... and some sounds used were nice, but..." The mare tried her best to compliment it, but she smirked as she realized it was futile, "It's just very loud, very strong and really fast at times. I'd rather listen to my birds' melodies any day... Just don't tell either of them I said that."

"Well, I think I'll have to listen it sometime, can't hurt to try, right?" The words came out of Luna's mouth before she knew what she was saying. 'What's this?' She thought, 'A day ago, I would have just disregarded it. Now, I've decided to listen to some music that sounds, well, not like something I'd prefer. Although, the openness feels... Nice.'

"I guess not," Fluttershy replied with a smile, "Come on, let's go see if I can find my picture book of all the different baby animals I've met. They're really cute."

"Okay!" Luna said, head picked up in interest, as she followed the pegasus.

-~-

Luna took a deep breath, watching the faint glow along the horizon begin to grow. She wished that the night would've never ended, being one of her favorites in her whole thousand-year-plus lifespan. She was a stranger to this harmless fun that she had with Fluttershy during their slumber party. Most of her life had been dictated by drawing up legal codes, planning economic budgets and deeming where the country's governmental power should be exercised.

She was the mastermind behind all of the Equestria's basic foundations of government. Viewing the problems her subjects faced as a big puzzle, Luna did enjoy creating new solutions, but she left the presentation to the aristocracy to her older sister, Celestia.

Celestia was charismatic and could woo any crowd if she so desired. She was like a real estate agent, selling a house that was built from Luna's blueprints. Before the navy blue alicorn thought to participate in politics, Equestria was a loose confederacy of feudal kingdoms. Constant strife between these princedoms were uncontrollable, Celestia's poorly drawn-up laws and regulations being easy to find loopholes in.

Luna, distraught at the chaos, put her creative mind to work. Just like the night sky, she worked around problems like arranging her constellations. She wiped the slate clean, disregarding all progress her sister had made. Starting from scratch, she built the basic system of the aristocratic-dependent Oligarchy that had been in place until now. Although it was fun, Luna always knew the risks involved. One slip up, and certain ponies would be at each other's necks by the following morning.

This is why the previous night had such an experience for her. Never before had she felt so carefree, like the binds of royalty had disintegrated into stardust. She never felt the urge to act overtly proper around Fluttershy, the understanding in her voice and eyes telling Luna that she wouldn't mind however the princess acted.

Sighing, Luna dropped her leer at the rising sun. It wasn't worth trying to bring back the moon, because Celestia would send guards for her and probably search for her herself. Luna may as well accept it and enjoy the rest of the day with her friend.

As the alicorn walked away from the clearing she was in, a faint breeze carried a melody through her ears. It moved it a range of ups and downs, the notes rising and falling like the waves on the ocean. It spoke of sadness, the dramatic lows basically spelling out "regret". Often, the sounds rose to a cheery high, speaking of joy. Just as the music were to reach it's highest potential, with the tempo rising, in a blink of an eye the notes dropped by octaves.

Even Luna couldn't help but shed a tear. It were as if the most beautiful day appeared, only to have it ruined by the worst of storms. As the sounds began a succession of deep chords, it began to change once more. The tempo was slow, but began a steady rise in tone. But, unlike the sunny notes beforehand, the melody was drawn out, notes as long as eternity, even more depressing than the quick descent only played seconds before.

Trying to triangulate the sound, Luna crept through the undergrowth, as the sound grew louder and louder. Little thorns pricked at her coat, but curiosity was an anesthetic to her menial pains. Although she couldn't pick out what instruments were played, this music was beautiful, even if it was sad. Like in nature, some of the most desolate, most melancholic locations held unfathomable emotion and grace.

Soon, the ferns and bushes began to thin out, leading into a gray area between the forest. Small saplings grew, with long grasses and flowers along the ground. As Luna walked through the softer grass, it led to a rocky clearing, with a sole sapling growing on it's exterior.

"Fluttershy, what is this?" All ranges of birds were sitting on the young tree, and glanced over to the alicorn as she entered. She had spoked quietly enough to not scare them, but got the pegasus' attention nonetheless.

Fluttershy normally would have squeaked in surprise if an unknown pony had entered, but Luna's voice broke through her concentration while still keeping her calm. As she turned to face her, Luna could see the anxiety in her eyes.

"The Apple Harvest Celebration is only a few days away, and Applejack asked me to perform with the Aves, my ensemble of birds here in the forest." She fidgeted her hooves on the ground nervously, "Umm... This is the only time they have available to practice, so... I'm sorry I had to leave the house, Luna."

Luna chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, "Don't worry, it's fine." Her voice turning more considerate, "Besides, it was wonderful." A few of the birds puffed their chests out at the comments, proud for being commented on their musical abilities.

"Oh..." Fluttershy was taken aback, "Thank you." She was about to turn around, before stopping. " I just can't get rid of the feeling that something is missing." A look of fretfullness was on her face.

"May I ask who wrote it? I'd love to hear the Canterlot Orchestra perform it. It was so emotional, like a spectrum of feelings." Luna replied, trying to change the subject slightly. "It was sad, but nonetheless beautiful."

Fluttershy lightly flipped a few strands of hair out of her eyes, the morning breeze gaining a little speed. "Well, I did..." Fluttershy peered into her eyes, as Luna felt the gaze reach into her soul, "They say the best music comes from the heart."

Both her heart and stomach did a flip, as Luna knew what she was talking about. "I'm..." She started, trying to sound as reassuring as possible, "I'm so sorry."

"No no... It's okay. My fillyhood in Cloudsdale wasn't the brightest," Fluttershy said, zoning out, lost in memories. "It got to a point where I just rejected other ponies in total, and that's sorta why I'm so..." Tears began to form along the ridges of her eyelids.

Luna could only take a few steps towards her, before placing a hoof on her shoulder. Fluttershy sniffed loudly, a single tear streaming down her cheek. Her face was a mix of sadness and depression, and a few touches of anger thrown in. She slammed her eyelids shut, her brow wrinkling as she tried to bite back her feelings.

Unknown to seeing this strength of emotion in others, Luna tried to replicate what Celestia had done for her. "Shhh..." Luna replied, her own voice shaky. She wiped away the single tear still lingering on Fluttershy's face, but she could tell more were coming.

Without warning, the pegasus wrapped her arms around Luna's neck with alarming speed. At first, Luna was shocked by how suddenly it happened. But, within a few seconds, she had her own hooves around Fluttershy's back. The princess rubbed her back in a slow, calming manner, trying to comfort her.

By then, the yellow mare's single teardrop grew into a constant stream of moisture, most of it ending up on the princess' shoulder and mane. She let go a fury of sobs and sniffles, as she hugged Luna even tighter.

As if by sheer coincidence, Fluttershy's rhythm of sobbing matched that of her custom-made melody. The teardrops were sprinkled in like high notes. To Luna, it seemed as if the mare had poured all her anguish and grief into her sole piece of work.

Fluttershy buried her snout into Luna's mane, the sobs still coming out between gasps for air. The normally calm equine was now a raging torrent of despair. Luna said nothing, letting her friend cry on her shoulder. It pained her to watch, she never knew the pony had such pent up sorrow. Fluttershy always acted immune to any serious negative emotion; anger, frustration and dismay never lasting for more than a second.

Now she knew why. All the room for containing her true feelings was taken up by her memories of her younger days. A simple mask is all she wore, a thin dam that was now bursting over Luna's shoulder.

With the new epiphany rapidly making sense in her mind, Luna too felt the tears coming from her eyes. With so much she had seen in the world, and from the rocky satellite orbiting it, the alicorn knew exactly how she felt. After all, she had been locked up in the moon for a thousand years, regret and remorse eating at her soul like a virus since the second she became trapped in Nightmare Moon's grasp.

Until now, she really hadn't known how badly she had been cut by her banishment to the moon. Nightmare Moon had plunged an invisible dagger into Luna, who only now had figured out how deep it went. The new-found feelings from within her heart were pouring out now, in the form of blue teardrops, containing emotion darker than the night itself.

"Shh..." Luna whispered in Fluttershy's ear, her voice shaking. The pony in her arms was still shuddering tremulously, but it didn't matter. Luna had to help. If there was anypony to help the pegasus with her internal grief, the alicorn knew it was herself.

"Don't worry, shh..." She continued on, as moisture rolled down both their faces. She nuzzled her quickly on the cheek, exchanging teardrops. Luna drew her mouth closer to Fluttershy's ear than previously before, taking a deep breath between her own sobs. Tears squeezed out of her eyes as she shut them closed.

She began to move her lips, barely reaching a whisper. Although Fluttershy didn't know it, the words were meant for the both of them.

"It'll be okay."

Chapter 5

Fluttershy awoke with a start, her eyes agape. Frantically scanning her vision across the room, she tried to make sense where she was. 'This isn't where I fell asleep...' The memories of the previous night flooding back to her.

Then the quiet mare facehoofed, coming to realize this was her own room, she was sleeping in her own bed. She figured Luna must have brought her back. 'Oh no! Luna may have left for Canterlot already,' She thought, literally flying out of her bed towards the stairs. 'I didn't get a chance to say goodbye!'

As Fluttershy zoomed downstairs, she lost control of her speed and bumped her head into the slanted ceiling above. “Ow!” She squeaked out loud, rubbing her forehead as she landed at the base of the stairs.

“Fluttershy, are you okay?” A voice called from another room, before showing itself. Luna stepped out from a doorway, trotting over to her.

“Luna!” Fluttershy said in shock, her surprise numbing her pain, “I thought you'd left for Canterlot already...” She said, her voice lowering.

“Hehe, no silly.” A new warmth was in her voice that the pegasus couldn't place, “I wouldn't dare leaving my best friend without saying goodbye.” Her eyes glistened as she looked at Fluttershy. She guessed her next question, “After you fell asleep, I brought you back to your bed...” Luna looked away towards the ground. “I thought about leaving a note... But it didn't feel right,” She confessed, looking back up, “So I stayed here for the night until I could properly thank you.”

Fluttershy looked a little confused, “Thank me for what?”

“For being so hospitable and nice, of course!” She said, before moving in and giving her a hug. Luna wrapped her arms so tightly around her, that Fluttershy had trouble breathing.

“Oof... Lu-Luna... It w-was... Noth-Nothing.” The yellow mare managed to say, trying to breathe.

The alicorn maintained her snake-like grip, “Aww, sure it was!” She said happily, smiling.

Fluttershy tried to inhale, but all oxygen going into her lungs were repelled by Luna's bearhug. “Luna... I-I can... can't,” She attempted to speak, in between gasps for air.

“Can't what?” Luna said, frowning. Her grip loosened a little.

“Breathe...” Fluttershy finished. Instantly, Luna let go over her, as the other mare coughed and took a huge breath of air.

“I'm so sorry!” Luna apologized, before adding, “I guess I got carried away.” She blushed.

Fluttershy put a hoof up, trying to catch the breath. “No, it's okay,” She said after a few seconds, “I understand.”

“Anyways...” Luna said, trying to break the mood, “I'll be back in a few days to see your performance. I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer, but Celestia needs my help for planning next year's budget.”

“Really?” Fluttershy said, mild astonishment riddling her voice. The Apple Harvest Festival was a small thing, no royalty ever attended it, unlike the Running of the Leaves or Summer Sun Celebration.

“Yeah, I wouldn't miss it for the world!” Luna said eagerly, the odd warmness coming back into her voice.

Fluttershy just smiled, as she looked out the window. The sun was approaching it's zenith. “Luna, I'm not trying to rush you, but it looks like I overslept, and it'll be noon in a bit...” She hesitated. “I think you might worry Princess Celestia if you stay too long.”

-~-
Luna frowned, knowing she was right. “I guess you have a point.” She walked up next to Fluttershy, opening the door with her magic, her heart trying to give her confidence, 'This is your time to tell her.' The alicorn hesitated, looking over at her. 'Go on... She'll understand.'

“Fluttershy, I... I” She couldn't muster the strength to finish the sentence.

“What?” The other mare asked her, her soft blue eyes staring directly into Luna's. Fluttershy's gentle voice almost coaxed the words out of the goddess' heart.

“I- I'll miss you.” Luna's frown deepened as she accepted defeat.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy smiled warmly to her, “Stop worrying, I'll miss you too. But, you're going to be back in a few days, right?”

Luna gave a half-hearted smile of her own. “Yeah, I guess.” She said, walking out the door. As she took off, she called back to the Fluttershy, “Bye!”

“Bye!” The quiet mare said, her voice raising to an unusually strong level, as she waved goodbye.

-~-

“Luna! There you are!” Celestia said, as the dark blue mare entered the castle. “To be honest, I was a little worried. But you look fine, come on, you can tell me about what you learned back at your room. I managed to get you a small surprise while you were gone.”

“Okay,” Luna responded, her tail sagging sullenly. Celestia didn't notice as she was already leading the way up the stairs.

“So, I got your letter that you found somewhere to stay overnight?” Celestia said, trying to start the conversation as they walked down a windowed hallway. Adorned with marble, they sun bounced and reflected everywhere, even Luna's coat shined a little brighter.

“Oh yes,” Luna replied, unfocused, “The pony was real nice about it.” She didn't feel like talking much.

Celestia turned to her right, opening a door, which led to Luna's room. She walked inside, as Luna followed. Using a flick of magic, she opened a closet door, floating out an object as her younger sister sat down on her bed.

“Surprise!” Celestia said, drawing out the object from behind her back. It was Luna's cherished abacus, it's fading colors now repainted, and the cracking frame was now replaced with new, polished wood. “Since you were finally away from your abacus so much.” The larger princess explained, “I managed to get the royal carpenters to fix it and refurbish it to it's former glory.

Luna looked up, only the slightest warmth sparking in her eyes. “Oh...” She said quietly, “It's looks good, I guess.”

Although she was one of the wisest ponies in Equestria, Celestia couldn't help but leave her mouth agape, utterly stumped and confused. She expected her younger sister to be giddy with delight, not so... Disinterested and melancholy as she was now.

She frowned, “What's wrong Luna? Didn't you enjoy your stay? Didn't you learn a lot?”

“Oh, I did really like it there,” Luna answered, trying to sound more appreciative of her experiences, “And I learned a lot too.” She counted back all she found out, “I went to the spa, I shopped at all the neat stores... I even got to enjoy a nice walk in the woods. I truly did learn more than I expected.

If Celestia was confused before, now she sounded utterly lost. “Wait... You? MY Luna went to the spa, and did some shopping?” She tried to hold in a chuckle, to no avail. “You're joking, right?”

Luna looked up at, giving her a glare that could freeze the sun. Celestia's chuckling died instantly, realizing she was serious, as her sister insisted, “I did. I did all of it, and you know, what the hay, I enjoyed it too. It's just...” Her voice trailed off, before setting her head down gloomily on her forehooves, sighing.

“Luna, you know you can tell me what's wrong.” Celestia said, reassuringly.

The smaller alicorn looked up the her, “Yes, I know...” She replied, before adding in, “And I will, someday. Although... Not yet.” Luna zoned off into space, before concluding, “Somepony else just needs to hear it first.”

-~-

The sun had set and risen twice, as Fluttershy found herself staring at Canterlot once again. Perched on cloud up in the sky, she usually enjoyed watching the whole town and it's surrounding forest from here. But now, only one place caught her eye, and that was the distant capital of Equestria.

Growing accustomed to her newfound friend, Fluttershy felt partially empty with Luna now gone. Sure, she'd be back the next day to watch her performance, but the pegasus knew that they couldn't enjoy the same experiences they had only days before.

The royal alicorn brought a sense of openness to the timid mare. Fluttershy didn't feel the need to always apologize for saying what she thought, and she felt she could trust Luna with her fears and dreams.

Now, there was no release valve, nothing to keep emotions from building inside her. She had tried confiding with Angel, but it felt like it did no good. Luna was just something different completely, and it only made Fluttershy feel worse because she couldn't place it.

Sighing, she took one last weary at the grand, white city on the mountain before turning around and fly down to earth.

Tomorrow was going to be a big day, so the yellow pony decided to get home early to rest for her performance, anxiety already rooted in her bones.

-~-

Mayor Mare just started her speech as Fluttershy paced behind the curtain. Streaks of nervousness shot up through her hooves. Her stomach had passed away hours ago, flipping and flopping so much she barely noticed it now.

Her mane had been styled nicely by Rarity that morning, who surprisingly, didn't make any suggestions when Fluttershy showed her the new dress she'd bought. Now, the earrings shone in the dim light, her necklace swaying a bit as she walked in circles. Her light blue dress was reaching all the way to the floor, making swishing noise as she traipsed on the dim stage. Her birds were all lined up on an elaborate lateral metal bar, which was connected to another, vertical bar that was firmly secured into the hardwood flooring.

Luckily, the timid pony wouldn't have to face the audience as she conducted her ensemble, her back turned to them to monitor the music being played. But, the thought didn't comfort her much... She'd still be playing in front of all those ponies, a daunting variable that she hoped wouldn't wreck her performance.

Fluttershy had been practicing the same melody for weeks now, sure her birds knew it by heart. Even she could hum it in perfect tune, and had the pitch of each bird memorized. She may not be as a perfectionist as Rarity, but she still wanted this to go as smoothly and as un-attention-attracting as possible. The only thought worse than performing in front of such a crowd, would be to mess up.

Her coat began to turn hot with extreme worry, almost turning into temporary paranoia. This was much, much worse than she imagined. She began to breathe rapidly, coming close to hyperventilating. This was too much.

“Fluttershy!” A voice called out, before a familiar blue mare stepped up onto the stage with her. Or, perhaps less than familiar. Fluttershy had never seen Luna in a dress before, a maroon and navy blue skirt going over her flanks. A maroon bow was tied cosmetically on the back, with two ruby earrings to match it.

“L-Luna?” the pegasus said weakly, “Is that you?” She was still breathing hard, but the comfort of her friend being there had taken the edge off.

“Of course it's me!” Luna replied, “I told you I wouldn't miss this for the world...” Fluttershy's ears ticked in remembrance. There was the odd warm tone again, and she was getting irritated that she couldn't place it.

“Oh...” She replied, in between breaths, “Thanks so... Much for... Coming...”

The alicorn walked straight up to her, placing a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder. “Hey... Hey calm down. You're going to be just fine, okay?” Luna's reassuring tone further slowed her breathing, forcing the yellow pony to take a few deep breaths, albeit shaky.

“There we go...” Luna said, “Think, Fluttershy, you've been practicing and rehearsing for weeks. The song is beautiful. You have nothing to worry about.” Her voice grew confidently towards the end.

“But... But what if they don't like it?” Fluttershy asked, her breathing now lessening in speed. “What if I mess up?”

Luna brought a hoof up to her chin, staring directly into her eyes. “Listen, no matter what you do, no matter what it sounds like... I'll always be there for you.” The blue mare said, before giving her a gentle, reassuring hug.

Fluttershy was choking up a bit, those words lifting her spirits out of the dark hole they were previously in. She returned the hug, her friend's grip no longer like a constrictor, but now much more considerate of her. A sole tear of raw emotion dripped down her cheek.

Luna let go of the pegasus, wiping away her tear, “Besides, you look gorgeous. We don't want you to wreck your makeup with crying, now do we?”

Fluttershy could only nod, taking a deep breath, confidence rising within her chest. Her friend's calming words made her feel like she could do it. Like she could take on the crowd of ponies, and give them the best quasi-classical performance they've seen. Maybe she was over-exaggerating a bit, but she felt more confident than she had in a long time, perhaps ever.

“If it makes you feel better.” Luna concluded, “I'll stay behind the wall here, and you can look to me if you have trouble... Okay?”

Fluttershy could only nod, smiling as she turned to her birds. “Okay, let's get ready. Mayor Mare should be done any second now.” Her voice sounded as crisp as mountain air, even if it was her usual quiet level.

As if on cue, Mayor Mare raised her voice a bit, to be heard well enough through the velvet curtain, “... And now, we have Fluttershy performing a musical treat for us, before we get this festival underway!” Luna retreated to a safe distance, as Fluttershy took a deep breath and pointed at her birds with a hoof.

Shaking it in a steady beat, she counted off quietly, “And a one, a two, a three, and...”

The pink-maned mare shone as the curtain's opened, the light meeting her dress. The soft sound of birdsong floated in the air, as the majority of the stage was now in view of the audience.

Just as she had heard before, Luna listened as the melody rose steadily, happily. Fluttershy raised her forehooves at a section of her ensemble, a higher tone added in to the mix.

The noted kept dancing higher and higher, skipping and jumping around. The bird's music radiated everywhere, even the night's crickets tuned out. The joyful sound was all around, and only two ponies knew what came next.

Without warning, the happy timbre died with a few short notes, plummeting to deep octaves. The newer notes were stretched out, the birds holding sullen sounds for seconds at a time. The beat slowly rose, and so did the tone.

The tunes were still long and drawn out, as their pitch finally reach it's starting point. Unlike the first time Luna heard them, however, they began morphing into the same cheery notes as the beginning. Then, after half a minute of a more happy melody, the song finally slowed to a stop.

Fluttershy turned to face the crowd. After some initial clapping, a few ponies stood up and kept clapping. More and more ponies followed suit, until it blew up into a full standing ovation. The mare wanted to cower in her shyness, but a sideways glance at Luna changed her mind. The alicorn was beaming, her expression giving Fluttershy the strength the stand firm on the stage.

After twenty seconds or so, the clapping died down, “Thank you.” Fluttershy said, before exiting behind the stage. A cheer broke out, as the other ponies began to gravitate towards the festival's numerous attractions.

As soon as Fluttershy got behind the curtain, Luna began jumping up and down in excitement, “You did it!” She cried, “Yay!”

Fluttershy looked around to check if no one was around, before unorthodoxly joining in on the hysteria, “I know, I know!” She exclaimed, “They even liked it! And I didn't hide or anything, but I stayed there! I did it!” The rush felt so... Liberating to her.

“I'm so proud of you.” Luna told her, now quieter. She gave her a quick hug.

“Aww, thanks.” Fluttershy said bashfully. A rush of emotion overcame her as she looked at the other mare, adding in, “I could have never done it if it weren't for you, Luna.”

The pegasus' mind ticked again at the sound of that reemerging, excessively warm tone. Within that same second, she realized Luna hadn't said it.

'That was in my own voice.' She thought, shocked, '...By the stars, what is it? I know... I know I've heard it before.'

Fluttershy browsed through her memories, trying to find it. She thought back to her recent times with her friends in Ponyville... But no, it wasn't there. Reluctantly, she pried into her darker memories of flight school. Again, no, it wasn't amongst the bullying, name-calling, and crying.

Concentrating more, she forced into her days as a foal. There, she found it. She could only remember the voice of her father, although it was all she needed.

“Fluttershy, you're the best thing that's ever came into my life.”

It wasn't quite the same, but the realization hit her like a train. It all made sense now... The feelings of emptiness when she was gone, the tolerance for everything she did, the simple joy of just being around her.

The warmth in her own voice, nearly an exact copy of her father's. It was unmistakably it. It, it was primal, unbreakable, undeniable, unsurpassed love. This love, this was not shared to any other organism for Fluttershy. She loved her animal and equine friends all the same, but this one for... For Luna, it was many times stronger than anything she'd ever felt.

The warmth in her voice now enveloped and covered her whole body. It made her feel impervious to anything. Like a suit of armor, she could go through anything. Luna was all she needed.

'Luna... I love you.'

Chapter 6

The moon was now steadily rising in the night sky. It's reflected light glittered in the trees around two lone ponies. A light wind rustled through the trees, quietly adding a sweet melody of swaying tree branches. The ponies were walking side by side, talking quietly as they both enjoyed the beautiful scene in the night sky.

Luna had outdone herself again, bringing a wide spectrum of colors into the night, and calling upon the stars to glitter with a ferocity that hadn't been seen before. She wanted the night to go well, to be perfect, if she could make it so.

Her friend Fluttershy had put on such a dazzling performance of musical prowess earlier, that the alicorn felt she had to return the gesture in her artwork. It'd also serve another purpose, to help encourage her to confess her feelings to the yellow mare... But for the hour and a half they'd been walking together, she had no such luck.

Luna was a stranger to admitting her true feelings. Pre-Banishment era, she would confide her feelings deep within herself, which had a dangerous consequence. The brewery of grief and jealousy had spawned Nightmare Moon, a side of her that she lost control to. Never again would she place such a role on herself, to carry all her feelings inside.

But, every time she looked at Fluttershy, Luna lost all her will to tell the mare what she felt. Fluttershy was so sensitive, that the goddess felt if she told her, the other pony would be intimidated or scared. She didn't want to lose her best friend, now of all times when she was still weak from her exile in the moon.

“Luna, are you okay?” Fluttershy giggled, “You've been staring at that tree for some time now, hehe.”

Luna blinked back into her reality, her love's quiet voice derailing her thoughts. She blushed, as she realized she had been zoning out at a tree during her revelations. How long had she been staring?

“Haha...” Luna laughed embarrassedly, “No, I was just...” She sighed, before continuing on, “...Thinking.”

“Oh I didn't mind.” Fluttershy replied, “Besides... You were kinda cute with your mouth open, looking like you were trying to chop down the tree with your mind.”

Luna's mind was blown at the comment. Fluttershy thought she looked cute? She blushed even harder than before, not knowing what to say.

“Uhhh, y-yeah, well I just had something on my mind.” She managed to reply.

Fluttershy giggled again, her pink mane flowing in the breeze, “Well, come on. I know a great place around here where we can see the whole sky.”

“Okay,” Luna replied, her coat returning to normal color. It still felt hot though, an unusual sensation to the blue pony. She hadn't been social with nearly anypony in a long time, excluding the previous few days, and in those days she had blushed more than ever before in her life. It felt... Good, knowing she was still capable of behaving like a normal pony.

She followed Fluttershy out to the outskirts of the treeline, the dim white light showing around the silhouette of two deciduous trees. From here, both could see the night's sky, the awe of the lights produced by unknown cosmos.

“Wow,” Luna said, “You're right, it looks really neat from here.”

“I thought you'd like it,” Fluttershy said, “Besides...” Her voice broke off quietly, as she gulped, “I need to tell you something.”

Luna tilted her head in curiosity, before butting in, “No, I have to tell you something first, Fluttershy. It's... Important. I have to leave for Canterlot in a few hours, and I really need to say this.” Luna's eyes turned pleadingly to her.

The mare only nodded, gazing into her eyes. Luna took a deep breath, trying gather herself.

“Fluttershy, I... I,” She stuttered, “I, I Lo-,” Her words clung to her throat, refusing to come out. Fluttershy gave Luna a puzzled look, as the princess chuckled nervously. “I mean, I looo...” Her lips were puckered out, a surprised expression on her face.

Fluttershy tilted her head back and gave out a high pitched laugh. She almost fell over until she saw how down Luna now looked. “Oh, Luna, what is it?” She said, sitting back up and killing her laughter. “I'm sorry if I laughed, it's just the look on your face was hard to resist.”

“I was trying to say something important!” Luna told her, frustration in her voice. She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, turning away from her friend.

“Aww...” Fluttershy cooed, bringing herself right up behind the blue mare, their coats narrowly brushing. The timid pony reached her snout up towards her face ever so slowly, so Luna wouldn't notice.

Luna recoiled in surprise as she felt Fluttershy nuzzling up against the side of her face, rubbing against her as gently as possible. Then she shut her eyes, enjoying the heartwarming gesture.

“You can tell me anything you like,” Fluttershy told her, bringing her head away. Luna opened her eyes, softening as she locked hers with Fluttershy's own.

'She's too beautiful.' Luna thought to herself. Those harmonious blue eyes, she could get lost in them forever. 'It's now or never...'

“Fluttershy,” Luna said quietly, command now back in her voice, even if it was a whisper. She kept focus on those eyes, taking a deep breath. The pegasus kept her gaze on the alicorn, her pupils growing in earnest.

“I love you.”

-~-

Fluttershy said nothing, her mouth silent. The same could not be said for her mind, however. It was a beehive of emotion and activity. Did she hear right? Did the one she love, Luna, really love her too?

If hearts could grow wings and fly, hers would have then. No words, no concept could explain how she was feeling, knowing that her love, a royal pony who she thought she would never have had a chance to be with, loved her too.

Fluttershy knew she wasn't a pony much for words. Gestures of kindness was her language, a reassuring hug, or a friendly smile were her dialogue.

She knew there was only one way she could convey her feelings fully to Luna. Gestures of love were a different type of language for her, although somewhat similar to kindness. Fluttershy didn't know exactly how to do it, but she was sure the message would get across.

Leaning in closer to Luna, Fluttershy slowly brought her lips to hers, translating those three iconic words perfectly, as she wrapped her forehooves around the blue mare.

-~-

Luna had fidgeted nervously, in the half second Fluttershy said nothing. She was almost compelled to apologize, before she felt soft lips upon her.

Her eyes widened, in complete disarray as the yellow pony brought her hooves over her mane. She never expected this, admitting to herself that she'd be less surprised if Fluttershy fled in embarrassment.

'Take it for what it is, Luna. The most wonderful pony in Equestria loves you too, don't worry.' A small voice told her in her head. It was a long time since her conscience had visited her, well over a millennium.

Following the advice, she closed her eyes, tilting her head to kiss her companion better. She too wrapped her arms around her, drawing herself closer in.

Luna unclenched her teeth, letting her tongue gently coax out Fluttershy's own. With a little effort, the pegasus opened her mouth.

Their tongues met, finishing a bond that had been building for almost a week now. This bond, unbreakable, was represented as the two ponies kissed in the night.

Fluttershy let herself go headfirst into bliss, and immersed herself in the moment. Her heart slowed as she embraced Luna more passionately, pushing even closer to the mare off her hooves. Breathing in her scent, Fluttershy lost it and tried to bring herself as close as possible to Luna.

However, the added push from her companion pushed Luna off balance, as she tumbled to the ground, Fluttershy falling on top of her. The mare was completely sprawled on Luna, their bodies merging flawlessly, as her back rested on the cool grass below. Their lips were still locked, but not for much longer.

Fluttershy finally broke the intimate kiss, breathing heavily. A small strand of saliva was all that remained, but only for half a second as it disintegrated in the breeze.

Luna was panting as well, but her eyes were calm as she stared up at the one she loved. It felt as if Euphoria itself could be crackling like lightning between them, the goddess enjoying the physical closeness she was sharing with the other pony, warmth radiating from all around her.

She could stay like this forever, her arms wrapped around Fluttershy, their coats brushing.

“Do you really have to go?” Fluttershy finally whispered in her ear, before burying her muzzle along Luna's neck and mane.

Luna smiled, “No. I think Celestia will understand.” She kissed Fluttershy's neck, rubbing her back.

Slowly, Fluttershy got up, much to Luna's dismay. She gently poked Luna's shoulder, “Come on, get up.” The pink-maned pony closed her eyes, smiling as she browsed the previous few moments in her memory. “That was amazing, Luna... But I- Uhh... we should be getting home soon.”

She was still standing over Luna, and noticed she still hadn't gotten up. The yellow pony looked down, and saw that she was grinning up at her. Fluttershy replied more sternly, feeling something was wrong, “What is it?”

“You're so beautiful.” Luna told her, then began to get up, as the other mare's serious expression dissipated.

“Aww...” Fluttershy felt her heart melting. Being it told to her, the phrase sounded better than anything she'd read in her romantic novels. “I love you too.” She said passionately. Then the two began to walk off towards her cottage.

-~-

Luna pecked Fluttershy on the neck as the came over the small brick bridge, which led to the front door of the small house in front of them.

Fluttershy giggled, playfully pushing her away, “Stop, hehe, that tickles!” Her companion laughed, enjoying the moment. Luna was about to do it again, when a light flashed in front of the pair.

In the brief second, Celestia appeared. Fluttershy eeped in surprise, as the older goddess teleported in front of them.

“I'm sorry to intrude, and I'll try to make it quick, but I have to ask Luna somethings.” Celestia explained, her words coming out in rapid succession. Confusion riddled her voice, as she continued on, “Is it really true, you two in love? I mean, I heard the news half an hour ago, but I had to make sure. Sorry if I was interrupting, but even I didn't expect this.”

Luna looked over to Fluttershy, rubbing her back to calm her down, before turning back to her sister, “Yes, it is true, sister"

Celestia's eyes softened, gladdened by the news that her younger sibling had found someone she loved. “Well, then that would bring up my second question... Would you like me to raise and lower the moon for the next few days?”

“That'd be great.” Luna told her, “Thank you, Celestia.”

“I figured you'd rather like to sleep in and enjoy being with her for awhile. Don't worry Luna, I'll keep it in check.” The sun goddess replied. Her horn glowed, readying to teleport back to Canterlot.

“Wait!” Fluttershy called out. Celestia stopped, casting her a puzzled glance. “Umm... I mean,” The mare's voice got quieter, “Who told you we were in love?”

“Why, nature's own messengers, of course,” A small green bird flew down, perching on the Princess' shoulder. “They can do more than just music.” She winked at them both, and with another brief flash, was erased from view.

“That's just like Celly,” Luna chuckled, “She's so nosy and it's no wonder she ends up ruining the mood.”

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow curiously, “The mood was ruined?” She asked, before planting a kiss on Luna's cheek. “Besides, I couldn't care,” She yawned, “I'm too tired to care.”

They approached the door, Luna opening it for them with her magic. The cottage was dark, but it lit up slightly from Luna's horn. She followed her upstairs, Fluttershy's hooves plodding along tiredly. Now, Luna herself was feeling a little weary.

The pegasus climbed into the bed, pulling aside some blankets to make room for her companion. Luna gulped, before filling in the vacant side of the bed, lying on her back

Fluttershy snuggled up to her, resting her head on Luna's shoulder and threw her forehooves around her neck. Her breath gently rolled over the princess' face, her sweet scent flooding Luna's senses.

“You know what?” Luna said. She turned her head over, seeing Fluttershy had her eyes closed.

The yellow mare simply replied with a drowsy, “Hmm?” before nestling her muzzle along Luna's neck. She hugged the alicorn tighter to her, the coats meshing like one.

“This just feels so... Right.” Luna continued, staring up at the ceiling, “Lying here with you, with you so, so close to me. I feel, fulfilled.”

“You know what I mean?” She asked Fluttershy, looking over at her. But, the mare was now asleep, her chest rising and falling peacefully, brushing up along Luna's side.

Using her arm that wasn't wedged between herself and her love, she brushed a few strands of hair out of Fluttershy's face.

Luna sighed, “You look too peaceful to answer right now...”

She rested her head on the pillows, turning herself to be chest to chest with Fluttershy. She wrapped her free hoof over her, taking one last glance at the mare's pretty face.

As Luna closed her eyes and drifted off into sleep, a single, poetic thought rose to her mind.

'Even if a ship sails too far, it can still end up somewhere beautiful. And that's right here... With Fluttershy.'

Epilogue

Luna stopped short of Sugarcube Corner, Fluttershy at her side, “Well, what if they don't like the me?” She asked. A worrisome tinge was in her voice, anxiety chewing at her insides.

Fluttershy nuzzled her gently, “Don't worry... Just stay out here until I call you, okay?” She looked up, still seeing her partner casting fretful glances at the door in front of them. “Hey, they won't mind... I promise.” She added, reassuringly.

Luna sighed, “I guess you're right. I trust you, and that's good enough for me.”

The pegasus pecked her on the cheek, before walking up towards Ponyville's bakery. Inside, she could hear quick, bass pounding music playing. The party's host, Pinkie Pie, was still ecstatic after the DJ P0n-3 concert, and was now playing some of her music.

Pinkie Pie was holding one of her signature parties, the day after she went to see DJ P0n-3. There, the energetic pony had got to talk with the famous musical artist, and even managed to get her hooves on some DJ equipment, after leaving such an impression on the celebrity. Apparently, her love for the party scene and tireless enthusiasm struck a chord with the DJ.

Fluttershy gulped. It was over a week since she embarked on her romance with Luna, and so far, no ponies in Ponyville really knew about their intimate relationship. She'd gotten an invite to the party this morning, and decided it was the best time to tell her friends the news. However, it seemed easier said than done, as nervousness tingled at her hooves.

Without bothering to knock, she opened the door. The floor was a mess of confetti, balloons everywhere. A few pink strobe lights revolved around, their rays filling the room. Refreshments lined a table along a wall, while an enormous, vinyl record-shaped cake was placed on the other side of the room. In the middle, a dance floor was positioned, lights illuminating it's borders. Behind that, a Pink mare was standing at a table, large headphones over her ears. She was concentrating on one of her turntables, adjusting the record with one hoof, while playing with mixer with her other hoof.

Two ponies, her friends Rarity and Applejack, appeared in her view. “Hold up y'all! Fluttershy's here!” Called the orange earth pony. The music quieted down, Pinkie Pie placing down her headphones and bounced over to them.

“Oh hi, Fluttershy!” She said enthusiastically to her, “Glad you could make it!” Two other ponies, Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, joined the others.

“Yeah, I haven't seen you around lately, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said, eying her suspiciously, “Not in the air, or even transporting your animals. You look... Different.” She stared at her, “You didn't go into the Everfree Forest, did you?”

“What?! No, of course not... I couldn't, I wouldn't!” Fluttershy recoiled in surprise. Her fellow pegasus' scrutinizing looks made her feel uncomfortable.

“Now hold on,” Twilight butted in, “I'm sure Fluttershy didn't do that. However, I too have noticed your absence... Did something happen?”

No other pony spoke, her five friends' eyes looking on questioningly. The nervousness in her hooves now shot up through her legs, causing them to wobble a little. Fluttershy took a deep breath.

“Well, Yes. I mean, sort of... Ooh I don't know.” Her voice growing quieter, “I met somepony special to me.”

Her friend's faces contorted with bewilderment, with the exception of Rainbow Dash, who asked, “Wait... What? Special? I don't even...” She trailed off, lost in thought. Then she gasped, “Oh! Y-You mean like... Dating?” Her voice sounded lost, unaccustomed to the thoughts of love.

“Umm....” Fluttershy replied, lowering her head, “Yes?”

Rainbow Dash's expression joined the ranks of the others, all of them staring in astonishment. They sat like that for a few seconds, before the timid pegasus broke the silence, “Oh dear...” Fluttershy said to herself, blushing hotly. “I-I guess I better go ask her to come in now.”

As she turned around, Applejack and Rarity looked at each other. Rarity mouthed a single word, unable to speak, “Her?”

The quiet mare opened the door, calling out, “Okay, you can come in now! They're just a little... Umm, surprised.” She held it open as Luna sheepishly entered the room, her shy expression deepening as she saw the other ponies' faces. She smiled awkwardly to them, as Fluttershy closed the door, coming up next to her.

By now, the amazed equines had their mouths open, not knowing what to make of the spectacle in front of their eyes. The quietest pony of them all, first off, was in a serious relationship. That alone was something they never even considered. Second, and completely mind-blowing, was the fact that she was dating a princess, an immortal alicorn that seemed as distant as the stars she created.

Fluttershy put her arm around Luna, trying to ease the awkward standstill, to no avail. “Hello,” Luna said, trying to help, “Fluttershy has told me so much about you girls, and I've always wanted to meet yo-”

“Aww, ah'm so happy for ya, sugarcube.” Applejack randomly blurted out. Being the element of honesty, she was the first to tell that this indeed was real. “You two look perfect for each other, better than caramel an' apples, if ah do say so mahself.” Her gaze softened, her freckles rising in her cheeks as she smiled.

Her words broke the spell, and an outburst of praise barraged the couple as the other ponies came back to life.

“You two are soooo adorable together!” Pinkie Pie squealed, her hair bouncing up and down as she jumped with delight.

“Yeah, I think you'll make a wonderful couple. I'm so happy for you!” Twilight said, before giving both her and Luna a quick hug. The latter mare was not expecting it, and tensed in surprise as the lavender pony hugged her.

“Umm... Yeah, ditto.” Rainbow Dash said, scratching her mane, embarrassed. Emotions, especially the more caring ones, were not her strong suit.

Rarity, the last pony to talk, stepped up to her, an expression of faux insult on her face. “Now, Fluttershy... We both know that I was the one whose always wanted to marry a noble pony... And now, you upstage me by falling in love with the top of Equestrian society!” Then her expression lightened, as she chuckled, her voice replaced with joy. “I'm so glad you found somepony special in your life. You both must join me at the spa sometime to tell me how you two met.”

“Ok, Rarity.” Fluttershy replied, giggling. Rarity's sarcastic humor really helped her feel better.

Pinkie Pie dashed in the middle of the group, “Hey, weren't we here to party?!” She cried. Not waiting for a response, she jumped over her DJ Setup, placing the headphones over her ears. Pushing up a slider, the volume of the music returned, it's hard, yet catchy beat reverberating throughout the room.

The ponies, dispersed, except for the couple. Luna looked over to Fluttershy, unconsciously tapping her hoof to the beat, “Is this DJ P0n-3?” She asked.

“Oh yes,” Fluttershy responded, “It's probably her most successful release. It's called 'Manticores n Stuff'.” She nuzzled her, quietly whispering in her ear, “Don't tell them, but I really like this song.”

Luna experimentally moved her body to the beat, enjoying it. “I do too,” she announced, before padding over the illuminated floor tiles. “Wanna dance?” She asked, looking back at the pegasus.

“Umm, yeah.” Fluttershy responded. She walked up to her side, slowly moving her shoulders and head to the song.

“There you go...” Luna told her, steadily dancing with greater enthusiasm until her whole body flowed with the booming bass. “Come on!” She continued delightfully, “It's really fun once you get into it.”

“Okay,” The yellow mare said, trying to match her partner's rhythm. After a few minutes, Fluttershy got the hang of it, dancing with joy. She giggled as she and Luna synced their movements, their coats continually brushing together.

Until the early hours of morning, the two mares enjoyed themselves, dancing, talking, eating and drinking to their heart's content... Which of course, was each other.

-~-

The sun was cresting along the horizon as the pair left Sugarcube Corner. “Thanks for the party!” Luna called out behind her, towards Pinkie Pie, who was waving good bye at the door.

The alicorn was leaning on Fluttershy's shoulder, her legs weak. “You know, I've never had that much fun, ever.”

Fluttershy looked over at her as they kept walking, “I can tell, since you overdid yourself. You danced for so long, it looks like your hooves are going to fall off!”

Luna giggled, “No they won't. Even if they did, It wouldn't stop me from dancing with you again.” She paused, smiling at her memories, “You know, you're quite the dancer once you get going.”

“Really?” Fluttershy's voice squeaked, blushing. They kept walking towards the outskirts of town, the majority of it's inhabitants just beginning their day.

“Oh yes.” Luna told her, “There's a lot more to you than meets the eye.” The two were rounding the corner of the path they were on, which soon changed from stone to dirt as they got closer to the cottage. “For instance.” She continued a moment later, “You seem very quiet and timid, but you've been the most inspiring, caring pony I've ever met.”

“Aww, Luna, that was really sweet. But, I'm sure there are other ponies like me.” Fluttershy said modestly, as the sight of her cottage came into view.

“No, I doubt it.” Luna dismissed, “That's what I was going to say next; You're always so focused on other ponies and animals, that rarely do you get a chance to see how wonderful you are.” She took a deep breath, reaching over to nuzzle her “And that's where I think I fit in. I'm here to remind you of how compassionate, funny, and undeniably beautiful you are, even if you don't always see it.”

Fluttershy returned the nuzzle, “And I will always be there for you, whatever troubles you face. Your joys are my joys, your problems are mine aswell.” She stopped, now on top of the small brick bridge, “And I think... Since your problem is to remind the most beautiful pony in Equestria of how amazing she is, it's also my problem to remind you as well.”

She leaned in closer to her, whispering a single sentence, “I know only one way to do it.” Then she embraced Luna, kissing her passionately.

As their tongues met, Luna could once again feel electricity forming between them, symbolizing a bond that could last eons, if forever. With that, the alicorn could feel an older, darker part of her wither and vanish. It was like erasing all the shadows from a sunny day, or taking out the trash. Getting rid of the bad, keeping the good.

She felt anew. Falling in love with Fluttershy was her most cherished accomplishment of her life, forcing her to look at the world differently, a rebirth of Luna herself. Old knowledge was flowing into her brain, ones she never learned a thousand years ago. It was like a Renaissance of the Moon.

Fin.

[For now...]

Dear Dead Frontier's Brony Brigade

I would like to thank you all for your unwavering support and constructive criticism throughout my first fanfic. The amount of time and effort you put into proofreading those 115 pages of drafts (Yes, I counted them) was undoubtedly stellar. You may not be the largest MLP-community. not by a long shot, but you're definitely the best.

~Smiggel Aka Habanc

P.s. Note: Have the Orbital Friendship Cannon ready for when the trolls come back from their bans. Kthxbai :D

Bonus - A Christmare to Remember

This is a short add-on to the storyline. It plays no real significant part within the actual story, set months after the Epilogue took place. This chapter wasn't designed for much more than the enjoyment of Luna x Fluttershy shipping (Because, to be honest, there isn't nearly as much as there should be). It was inspired, or more specifically made me depressed/angry enough to write, by this picture:

So, yes. I saw this picture, got incredibly sad for a few moments, and then I thought to myself 'Well, why can't Luna have a happy Christmas? Or, for that matter, A happy Christmare? So, if you find this not as enjoyable as the others, here's an explanation.

This part isn't going up on Equestria Daily. It's too much of a pain to get stuff on there.

Luna felt a soft hoof rub her shoulder. “Come on, time to wake up Luna. It's almost morning.” Eyes not even opening, she used her magic to pull her blanket closer to her. She had no intentions of getting up yet, her body and mind still drowsy.

“No! Five more minutes!” She pouted, nestling her face deeper into her pillow. She shuffled herself in a more comfortable position before letting out a elongated yawn.

Fluttershy rolled her eyes, sighing humorously. Even though the lunar goddess didn't need sleep, she had since become dependent on it ever since meeting Fluttershy. Usually she would get the extra few minutes of rest, but today was different. Today required immediate action.

Fluttershy gently flew over the bed and landed behind Luna. She rubbed up close to her companion, whispering in Luna's ear, “Loons, can you get up, if you don't mind?” She tried her best to sound as caring as possible.

Luna's mouth began to twitch into a smile, the rhythm of her breathing changing slightly. Fluttershy kissed her on the cheek, realizing a crack was forming in Luna's stubborn attitude. “Besides, do you remember what today is?”

The alicorn opened a single eye, peering at Fluttershy questioningly. “Oh, you don't, do you?” Fluttershy continued softly. “Because I do, and I remember how it was almost impossible for you to fall asleep last night. You were so excited because you knew today is-”

“It's Christmare Day!” Luna squealed in delight, shooting up out of bed. The blanket was still wrapped around her, now covering her head due to her rapid movement. Fluttershy laughed at the sight of her beloved mare hovering in the air, a blue blanket draped over her head.

Not even wanting to take the time to remove the blanket, Luna flapped her wings, carrying her in the direction of the stairwell. “Woo hoo! It's Christmare Day!” She yelled childishly as she flew. “It's Christmar- Oof!”

Luna crashed into the wall, the stairwell mere inches to her left. She knew Fluttershy's cottage well, but not well enough to navigate it blinded. Bouncing to the ground, the blanket undid itself as Luna eventually came to. “Ouch...” She said, rubbing her horn gingerly.

Fluttershy gasped in surprise as the darker pony slammed into the wall. She was worried that Luna could have been hurt, and scrambled off the bed to reach her.

However, Luna was quicker, shaking her head briskly as she rose again to her feet. “Come on Fluttershy! It's Christmare Day!” She called back, scampering down the stairs.

Fluttershy giggled as she trotted behind her. Despite her royal position and stature in society, she had discovered that Luna tended to act like a filly at times. Not that it was bad, quite the opposite, as Fluttershy couldn't help but find it adorable.

Fluttershy found Luna waiting for her downstairs, sitting by the ornament-laden tree they had put up a few nights earlier. She was happily reaching under the tree, as if to find something. “Uh, Luna... Are you sure you're okay?”

Luna looked up at her, smiling brightly. “Why wouldn't I be? This is my first ever real Christmare Day!”

Fluttershy recoiled slightly in surprise. “It... It is? Don't you and Celestia celebrate it too?”

“Oh, well... Yeah I guess.” Luna waved her hoof in dismissal, “But we were too busy doing parades and celebrations to really do anything like this.” She got up and trotted over the the yellow mare, “Besides, I have the best pony to share it with.” She quickly kissed the now-anxious Fluttershy.

Fluttershy felt her heart drop at that comment. Fear pulsed through her veins, her mind fighting itself over a single fear. 'What if I ruin it?'

“Anyways, can we open presents?” Luna took a step back, looking up at Fluttershy with pleading eyes. “Please?” Fluttershy sighed and nodded, as Luna gave a joyful whoop before charging back to the tree.

Fluttershy settled herself on the couch as Luna came back, presents carried by her magic, perhaps ten in all. Setting them on the ground, Luna hopped onto the couch next to her. “Here you go!” She said cheerily, lifting a present to Fluttershy.

The pegasus grabbed it, it's bulky, rectangular shape hard for her to figure out it's contents. Cautiously, she began tearing off the red and white polka-dotted wrapping paper. Underneath, revealed a white box. Prying it open, Fluttershy removed the translucent wax paper to reveal...

“Socks?” Fluttershy said, picking one up questioningly. It was predominantly pink, with small blue butterflies on them. They were very soft and plush, undoubtedly made by some of Equestria's best tailors.

“Yeah.” Luna said, “They're really comfortable and soft on your hooves. I know you don't like getting the high-end treatment all the time, but these ones are much better than what you'd find in an average boutique.” She stammered slightly, “I-I thought about getting you regular ones, but I felt it would be a dishonor to buy you something that may not have been comfortable as these.”

Fluttershy couldn't find any spot to disagree, not speaking as she felt the expertly-crafted hoofwear. These socks were indeed the perfect things to wear around the house, especially in winter. They were light, yet incredibly cozy and warm.

“I love them.” Fluttershy said, a smile forming on her face. She noticed that Luna withheld a doubtful expression. The nagging fear about ruining Luna's first Christmare Day raced back to the front of her mind. “I really do, in fact I think I'll put them on after we finish with the rest of the presents.”

She looked down, grabbing a blue present in her hooves and tossed it to Luna. “Speaking of presents, here's one for you.” All remnants of her previous emotions dissipated as the alicorn squeaked in joy and began opening her present. Unlike Fluttershy's dainty procedure, this was more like a mad dash to discover what was inside. Wrapping paper flew as the eager pony charged onwards, landing on Fluttershy amongst other places.

Pushing a piece of vibrantly-colored paper out of her eyes, Fluttershy saw Luna hugging a small blanket. It was dark blue, with a sole crescent moon in white. “How, how did you know about this?” Luna asked, looking up at her.

“Oh, Celestia told me about it a month ago. You never told me you had a special blanket as a filly.” Luna blushed furiously and tried to respond, but Fluttershy cut her off, “She said you lost it a long time ago, so I decided to make you a new one.” Then she added in more quietly, “Do you like it?”

“Of course I do!” Luna said loudly, only changing her voice after seeing Fluttershy cringe and massage her ears. “It's perfect... Just as I remember it.” She rubbed her face into the comfortable texture of the blanket one last time, nostalgia almost overpowering her before setting it down.

“Time for another present!”

-~-

“Aww, this is perfect!” Luna said cheerfully, putting down a small card, “This spa pass is going to be a wonder for my back. Although, how'd you get it?”

“Oh...” Fluttershy began quietly, “Y'know, I just asked Rarity to get a deal with them. It was nothing.”

Luna looked around, the hill of wrapping paper almost half a pony high on the floor. There was a stack of boxes and gifts on the small coffee table, almost creating a short wall. No other present remained, and she smiled as she looked back to her love. “Anyways, this was perfect, Fluttershy. Thanks so much for making my first Christmare day so amazing, I'll remember it always.”

She leaned in to give the pegasus a peck on the cheek, but was stopped by hooves along her chest. Luna looked down, and noticed that the hooves barring her way were yellow. She looked at Fluttershy, her quizzical looks rapidly forming into a confused frown.

“It's still not over, Loons. I have one last present for you, the most important of them all.” Fluttershy said, withdrawing her hooves off Luna and retrieving something from behind the couch. Pulling out a small brown box , she passed it to the blue mare.

“What is this?” Luna asked, mystified. She shook the box with her magic, pressing an ear to it.

Fluttershy giggled, “I guess you won't ever know, since you aren't opening it.” Luna blushed quickly, before being replaced by a joyful expression as the opened the box. She poked her head inside, smiling in anticipation.

When she looked back up at Fluttershy, a sullen look was on her face. Her bottom lip was trembling. “You got me a piece of string?”

Fluttershy smiled warmly, shaking her head. “No. Try pulling it out of the box.”

Luna sniffed slightly, before her horn lit up in a magical aura. Fluttershy could see as the string made it's way out of the box, until it stopped short with a twang. Not backing down from the challenge, Luna's face hardened and her horn grew a little brighter as she put more force into pulling the small tendril.

The string flew out into air, Luna's magic tearing it out of the box. She hardly noticed it fly by, as a small compartment opened within. Carefully, she lifted the hidden objects out of the cardboard box.

Two thick slips of paper were held in the air, suspended by Luna's telekinesis. She brought them close to her face, it's expression morphing rapidly back to joy. “Are these what I think they are?” Luna asked, giddiness rising in her voice.

“I-I think so?” Fluttershy said, sounding uncertain, “I mean... I certainly hope they are. You've only been talking about going to the Haliflanks Convention for weeks now.” A playful glint appeared in her eyes, if only for a second.

The Haliflanks Convention was a musical jamboree hosted within the city square on New Year's Eve, where performances were held unlike any in Equestria. Musicians and bands came from all across the spectrum of music to play there. What made the convention special, was the types of music that were played. More often than not, musicians of totally different genres would be paired together and given only a few days to come up with a song to perform.

This year, the main attraction was a performance by two earth ponies. The first was the renowned Double bassist from Canterlot's royal ensemble, Octavia. Second, was a dance music composer, a pony from Germaney known on stage as “Moguine”. Luna admired both of them, and it was undoubtedly the only time the two musicians would perform together.

Fluttershy was caught off guard as Luna wrapped her arms around the pegasus. A small “oof” could be heard as the air was expelled from her lungs. However, all sense of discomfort disappeared as she felt the alicorn nuzzling up against her. It was times like this that could cause a pony like her to just forget about the world.

Fluttershy hugged her back, whispering, “I'll take that as a yes.” Then she added in a less humorous voice, "I love you too, Luna."

Luna said nothing, instead enjoying the pulses of emotions that soared body. Although it'd happened to her before, merely knowing that she was loved was a euphoria. It was indescribable by any words created by ponykind, impossible to create at any laboratory or scientific facility.

This sense of belonging, of being deeply cared for... This was what truly made her Christmare Day one to remember.

Bonus - Admiration

Luna wrapped her forehooves tighter around Fluttershy as she awoke. She let herself enjoy cuddling her mate for a moment longer. Burying her nose in the pegasus' mane, she inhaled deeply before opening her eyes.

Fluttershy was still asleep, her chest rising and falling peacefully as sunlight dappled across the bed. It was early in the afternoon, on a gorgeous, sunny February day. The two had left early that morning from Ponyville, the moon still hanging in the sky.

Even though Fluttershy fell asleep on Luna's shoulder on the chariot ride over, both were exhausted after arriving in Canterlot. So, after enjoying a late breakfast with Celestia, the two went up to the lunar mare's room and took a nap.

This week, the two ponies had decided to take a vacation in Canterlot for a nice way to relax from the daily bustle at the cottage. Writing treatises and legislature was especially stressful when you had forest creatures running around everywhere. Luna had come around to love each and every one of them, but that still didn't make it any easier.

Therefore, the alicorn decided to take her companion out for a breather and show the mare around her favorite spots in Canterlot. It took some convincing, but a promise to save one of the days for a quiet night in sealed the deal.

“Fluttershy,” Luna whispered in her ear, before nuzzling her cheek softly. “Come on, it's time to wake up.”

The yellow mare opened her eyes slowly. “Hmm? What time is it?” she asked.

Luna smiled. “Time to out of bed and into your best dress.”

“Why?”

“Because tonight we have reservations at Le Chantehoof, remember?”

Fluttershy got up with a start. “Oh my gosh! You're right!” She looked around frantically. “What time is it?! Are we late? Do you think we cou-”

Luna reached in calmly and kissed her. Fluttershy's eyes widened for a second, before closing them as she kissed the princess back.

Seconds later, they broke apart. Luna opened her eyes and smiled, announcing casually, “The reservation is hours away. You're fine.”

Fluttershy sighed. “Oh, good, I was really getting worried for a second there.” Blushing slightly, she added, “Thanks for being so sweet, it's not everyday I get woken up with a nuzzle and a kiss.”

Luna put a hoof to her chest, pretending to be hurt. “What?! I give you a peck on the cheek every morning!”

“Yes, but also I'm the one who wakes you up and the only thing you can do is peck me on the cheek until you've had your tea.” Fluttershy giggled. “I meant a more romantic kiss like what you did back there... I liked that.”

The alicorn grinned. “Maybe I should make a habit of it.” She reached in and quickly kissed Fluttershy again before hopping off the bed. “C'mon Flutters, we don't have all night to get ready!”

-~-

Fluttershy rubbed up closely to Luna as they walked side by side down a sidewalk in downtown Canterlot. The night was windy and chilly, but also as clear as could be. Ponies walked to and fro along the street, the busy lifestyle of the city not slowing down as the moon began to rise.

Luna looked over at the pegasus, admiring her new outfit. A dazzling, crimson dress reached from her neck down to past her cutie marks and it sparkled in the moonlight brilliantly. She also wore a set of boots and a woven scarf of the same color to compliment it.

Luna herself wore a sleek, luminous white dress, with ruffled edges that blew in the wind. But that was far from her mind as they neared closer to the restaurant.

“Whew, it's chilly in only this dress.” Fluttershy shivered, pressing even closer against her.

“Don't worry, we're just about there,” Luna reassured her. “Besides, have I told you that you look gorgeous in it?”

The mare laughed. “Oh yes, numerous times.” She looked up at Luna, “So, what's this place like?”

The alicorn shrugged, as they came up to a door being attended by a very official-looking pony. “Why don't we go in and see for ourselves?”

The pony outside opened the door for them, bowing slightly. Luna thanked him as they entered.

Fluttershy, meanwhile, was much more preoccupied with looking around the high-quality restaurant. An adorned chandelier hung from a high ceiling, presiding over a room filled with tables of the highest echelons of Canterlot. Serving ponies dressed in tuxedos scurried across the room, refilling refreshments and serving meals. Exquisite artwork adorned the walls, and a huge, luxurious carpet covered the floor.

Luna came back over to her and smiled. “Do you like it?”

“Well, yes... But don't you think that this is a bit too upscale?” Fluttershy glanced around nervously. “You know how I feel about being around so many upper class ponies.”

A month ago, the two had to stay for a day in Canterlot so Luna could give an address to the nobility of Equestria on the new tax laws. Fluttershy tried to sit-in and watch her beloved mare in action, but she couldn't handle the scrutinizing eyes of all the dukes, duchesses, barons and counts as she entered to room.

“I know,” Luna said as she nuzzled her comfortingly. “That's why I made reservations for a private room.”

An usher promptly came up to the pair and bid them to follow her up a set of stairs that ended in an open hallway overlooking the main dining room. The usherpony led on, and quickly arrived at a door at the end of the hall.

Opening it for them, she let Luna and Fluttershy in first. The room was furnished with similar adornments as in the main dining room, except the seating was a wide booth that faced a large window. From there, they could see all over Canterlot, including the many spires jutting out above normal-sized buildings. It all glimmered like a thousand candles, with the moon rising still above the horizon.

“Wow...” Fluttershy managed to utter as she entered the room.

“So, now do you like it?” Luna asked. She wrapped a foreleg around her shoulder. “Come on, let's go sit down.”

Fluttershy smiled as she scooted into the booth. “This is simply amazing, Luna. How did you do it?”

The princess waved a hoof dismissively as she slid next to Fluttershy. “Oh, it was nothing. I just wanted to make sure you could enjoy a great night out without feeling anxious.”

Doubt flashed in the pegasus' eyes for a moment. “Thanks... But are you sure I look okay? Everypony in the main hall looked so proper and well-dressed.”

Luna rolled her eyes. “This is our own room, so nopony out in the other room can see you.” She gently took the scarf off from around Fluttershy's neck. “Besides, you look absolutely stunning, so you don't have anything to worry about.”

Fluttershy looked into her eyes, and planted a kiss on Luna's cheek. “Thanks.” She giggled a second afterwards. “And don't think I haven't been looking at you either.”

“Ah- um... Thanks.” Luna opened up her menu and held it close to her face to hide her growing blush.

-~-

A waiter rolled a cart into the room, stopping just around the corner of the booth. “Your meals, Princess Luna and Miss Fluttershy,” he announced. Using his own magic, he placed two plates on the table, a serving of vegetable casserole for Fluttershy and truffles over pasta for Luna.

“Mmm, this looks good,” Fluttershy muttered aloud as the waiter left.

“Yes, well... I wish we were served a little more than this,” Luna replied, looking down disappointedly at her meal. “It's maybe only a little bigger than my hoof,” she pouted.

“Oh, stop it.” Fluttershy giggled. “I have plenty here if you finish yours.”

“But I don't like vegetable casserole...” Luna said, still pouting. She crossed her forelegs stubbornly.

The pegasus rolled her eyes, and took a bite out of her meal. “The city looks beautiful tonight,” she said, changing the subject.

“Winter nights in Canterlot usually are,” Luna responded, forgetting entirely about her portion dilemma. She stared out the large window in front of them. “I've kinda missed this place. It's not as clean or friendly as Ponyville, but it still has its charm.”

“Yeah, I guess it does.” Fluttershy agreed, taking a sip from her glass of wine. She grimaced as she swallowed, and quickly took a large swig from a glass of water.

“Ugh! Th-that tasted horrible!” Fluttershy remarked. “How do you drink that?”

“What, you've never had wine before?” Luna raised an eyebrow. “Why did you order a glass then?”

“I- I thought it would make the dinner feel more fancy...” Fluttershy admitted.

The dark blue mare giggled, leaning over and hugging the other pony. “You don't have to order a certain way to impress me or make this date feel any more special. Besides,” she continued, “it took me two centuries of feasts and ceremonies to get used to the taste.”

“Oh.”

Luna took a bite of her own dish. “Wow, these truffles are great! I haven't had any in months!”

Fluttershy gave her a quizzical look. “What's a truffle?”

“Oh, it's just a rare, tasty mushroom that grows under the ground. Want to try a bit?” Luna asked.

“Umm... Oh sure, why not,” the pegasus replied as she shrugged. Luna stabbed a small piece with her fork, and fed it carefully to Fluttershy.

The pink-maned equine chewed it slowly, examining it's flavor. She swallowed, and tapped her chin with a hoof for a few seconds. “Hmm, it's actually not that bad. It's a little too rich and hearty for me, but I can tell why you'd love it.”

Luna took a sip of her wine and winked at Fluttershy. “You know me too well.”

“And I love every bit I know.” Fluttershy replied, leaning in and kissing her.

-~-

Princess Luna helped her marefriend up into a hoofdrawn carriage, before getting onboard herself. Going to the front of the cabin, she tossed a few bits to the driver, then turned back around. She sat down and wrapped a foreleg around Fluttershy, who was grinning at her.

“What?” Luna asked promptly. “Is there something on my face?”

Fluttershy shook her head, “Oh no, I was just admiring something about you.”

Luna grinned back. “It's my good looks, right?”

“Oh, something like that.” She giggled, before changing the subject, “Tonight was really nice.”

“Thanks, I had fun too.”

Fluttershy leaned against her shoulder, exhaling deeply. “So, what do you think about a foal?”

Luna coughed and choked abruptly, “Ahh- um what?” She looked completely caught off-guard.

Fluttershy laughed. “Oh, calm down! I'm kidding!” Then she added quietly, “...for now...”

“Ha ha, very funny,” Luna said. “You've been quite the joker tonight.”

The pegasus nuzzled her affectionately. “I'd be honored, if I were you. I'm only this open when I'm really comfortable with the other pony.” She settled back in the crook of Luna's shoulder.

Luna kissed the top of her head. “I know.”

The carriage rolled quietly down the streets of Canterlot, slowly heading for the royal castle as the moon reached its zenith.

“Wait,” Luna began with a start, minutes later. Fluttershy looked up at her curiously. “So, what were you admiring about me earlier? Was it my mane or my eyes?”

“Uhh, no.” Fluttershy replied, looking away.

“Well, what was it?” Luna asked. “I know you always make that grin when you see something you like.”

Fluttershy chuckled anxiously. “It's nothing, honestly. I just expected a pony as old as you would know.” She smiled. “But it's perfectly fine that you don't understand.”

“Hmph,” Luna pouted, just as the carriage rolled to a stop outside the castle doors. The two ponies got out, and walked side-by-side into the castle.

Inside, Celestia was waiting for them. She was sitting near the base of the stairs, looking over a stack of papers. Her eyes lit up as she noticed the two enter.

“Celly!” Luna exclaimed, “What are you doing up so late?”

“Oh, I just couldn't miss the opportunity to ask you two how it went.” She replied. “So?”

“It was a lot of fun,” Fluttershy answered. “Your sister here was very considerate, courteous and funny.”

“Wow, are you sure you're talking about my sister?” Celestia joked lightly. “I'm proud of you, Luna. Who knew you'd be like this six months ago?”

Princess Luna blushed slightly. “Oh, I just did my best to have a great time. It was nothing, really.”

“Nothing?” Celestia echoed her. “Luna, this is the first time I've seen you in a dress so...” She fought to find the right word. “So...”

“Slimming?” Fluttershy offered.

“Ahh, yes,” Celestia agreed. “Quite slimming.” She turned to the yellow pegasus. “You like it, don't you?”

Fluttershy nodded, “Why yes, I do. I definitely wouldn't mind if she wore more like it more often.”

The white alicorn nodded with understanding, a smile gracing her lips. “I can see why you would.”

Luna yawned, not understanding the conversation completely. “Alright, well can we go to bed? I'm tired.”

Celestia shook her head. “Fluttershy may, but I'd like you to stay down her for a second so I can tell you something in private.”

Luna looked up in curiosity. Meanwhile, Fluttershy came over and kissed her on the cheek. “Don't worry, I'll keep the bed warm until you come up.”

As the pegasus ascended the stairs, Celestia stepped in closer to her sister. “So, how was it? No offense to Fluttershy, but I wanted to hear from you about how it went.”

Luna smiled. “It was really, really nice. We walked out to the restaurant, had a beautiful room to ourselves, and enjoyed an excellent dinner.”

“Good, good,” Celestia said. “Did you do anything afterwards?”

Luna shrugged. “Not really. We shared a small dessert and then we got a carriage to take us back here. It was a little weird in there, but overall it was a great night.”

“Weird?” Her sister asked. “How?”

“Oh,” Luna waved her hoof dismissively. “I went up the front of the cabin to pay the driver, and when I turned back around to go sit with her, Fluttershy had this weird grin on her face. I don't understand why and she wouldn't tell me.”

Celestia had to hold a hoof up to her mouth to stop her from chuckling too loudly. “Alright, let's pretend I am you, and you are Fluttershy. Okay?” She took a few steps away from her.

Luna gave her a confused look. “Okay, sure, but I have no clue where you're going with this.”

Celestia was facing away from her. “So, you were like this when you paid the driver?” She asked without looking back at Luna.

Luna scratched the back of her neck. “Yeah, just like that.”

Celestia turned her head around to look back at her sister. “You don't notice anything?”

Luna shook her head.

The taller alicorn smirked, and walked back over to her. “Well, it appears she was admiring you.”

“Yeah, she said that, but I still don't understand.” The lunar princess looked perplexed.

“Well, take some time to think about it, dear sister. There's only so much one pony can see when another has their back to them.” When Luna still looked lost, she winked. “Just think about it.”

Then, the solar princess walked out of the room towards her study.

Luna tapped her chin with a hoof. ”Fluttershy was admiring me from behind... Hmm-” Suddenly, she blushed. But unlike before, she didn't feel self-conscious or too embarrassed. Rather, she felt more confident and esteemed.

She pumped a hoof quietly, before bounding up the stairs with some newly-acquired energy.

-~-

Author's Note

I hardly ever do these kind of notes at the end, but I'd just like to say thanks for all the support I've gotten for this fic. It was the first one I've ever written on the My Little Pony universe more than a year ago, and the awesome response I got from everyone on FIMFiction encouraged me to finish this story and go on to write many more (There are a ton of WIPs that aren't published here either). I've written these bonus chapters for you guys and gals here because you're all awesome and incredibly supportive. I could have easily put these up on EqD, but I feel it's better here for all of you to enjoy.

Sorry if the editing is off, but I can't find enough time to edit it at the moment. Once I find an hour or two this week I'll look through it and give it a proper look-over. Until then, enjoy it as much as you can! It's been awhile since I've written such an innocent (although I may have just taken that down a few notches, sorry!), heartwarming, up-close, emotionally-lifting and heavy shipping, but I tried my best to recreate what I was putting out a year ago!

Chapter 4

“Thanks, Luna.” Fluttershy's voice had returned to normal, the tears dried
on her face, “I haven't done something like that in front of
another pony, except my mother.”

“Don't worry,” Luna said, gazing into her eyes, “I needed that too.”
The sun now rose above the treetops, its warm rays lacing the ground
around them. “Let's go for a walk. Even though I don't say it much,
it looks beautiful today.”

-~-

Fluttershy had begun to feel better, as they walked among the deciduous trees
near her house. Her and Luna hadn't barely said a word, both admiring
the scenery.

“Hey Luna,” Fluttershy began, “Do you sleep through the day, or the night? Or
do you even sleep at all?” She'd wondered why the goddess slept the
previous night, when the night was her own creation.

“Well, technically, I don't need sleep,” Luna told her, “But I do enjoy
it... When I was helping Celestia create Equestria, or times when I
got engrossed in painting the night, I wouldn't sleep for years.”
She closed her eyes, memories running through her mind. “But, sleep
is refreshing and it feels nice.” She concluded, opening her
eyes.

“That's not what I meant” Fluttershy said, then realizing she had come off too
assertive for her liking, “Umm, but you don't have to say it... I
mean.”

Luna laughed, “I don't mind. But yes, onto the point,” She glanced up to the sky, as
they continued walking on the forest floor. “I tend to sleep in the
day, so I can enjoy the night... But, since it was a sleepover, I
thought It'd be proper.” She looked back to Fluttershy,
“Besides...”

The alicorn took a deep breath, “Besides, I'd rather not sleep during the day,
if I could spend it with my best friend.” She smiled weakly, not
knowing what to expect for voicing her feelings. It felt so...
foreign to her.

Fluttershy was taken aback for half a second, not expecting such a touching
response. Then, she moved a little closer to her, “Aww, that's
sweet of you. M-Maybe I should stay up for the night more often,
too.” She giggled, as they came out of the trees near the pegasus'
house. “Now, come on. I have to do some shopping today in
Ponyville... Want to tag along?”

Luna let go a sigh of relief, “Sure, that sounds great!” She said
ecstatically, never before going into the town's stores. A rush of
excitement shocked through her body, from her hooves up to the tips
of her wings.

Fluttershy led her friend over to her house, both of them entering. She grabbed the
big gardener's hat from a hanger and gave it to Luna.

“Oh no,” Luna said, “I think I can manage today,”

The quiet mare smiled, “That's the spirit! See, you're getting better.”
She pointed out.

Luna thought for a second, tilting her head. “I... I guess I am.” she claimed,
a bit of confidence rising in her voice. She began to ponder on the
new enlightenment now at her hooves. She began to act- well, weird around
her pegasus companion. She spoke her mind freely,
laughing with snort and all. The goddess felt
welcome and accepted by her, not overtly trying to be nice or polite
because of her royal status. Luna realized that around Fluttershy,
she could be herself without fear or shame. Something... Something
she even didn't do much around her sister.

Before she could go any further in her thoughtful discovery, a voice broke
through her musing, “Luna... Luna, are you okay? Oh dear.”

Luna shook herself back into reality. “I'm fine.” She smiled, “Just
a daydream.”

“Oh good.” Fluttershy exhaled, “Well, I've made sure everything is okay while
we're gone, so let's go on over to Ponyville.” Her saddlebags that
she had on clumsily sat over her wings, restricting her movement.
“Quickly...” She added in quietly, “Don't tell Rarity, but...
um, these saddlebags aren't the most,” The twin bags sagged and
slumped over to one side, “Comfortable...” She ended with a sigh,
before adjusting them again.

Luna giggled, opening the door as the pegasus followed her out. As the
walked along the dirt path, she slowed down to let Fluttershy catch
up to her.

“Hey, you got to ask me a question earlier, so do you mind if I ask you one now?”
Luna asked.

Fluttershy turned her head to face Luna, her pink mane getting in her face before she
moved in with a hoof. “Sure.”

“Well, I've wondered why you treat me like a regular pony.” She started,
“Most ponies in Canterlot are always bowing, calling me 'Princess'
and doing me unnecessary favors. Meanwhile, you listen to me and
respect me like any other pony.”

Fluttershy frowned, thinking that she may have offended her. “Oh no!” Luna
doubled back, “I really like it... a lot. Celestia is the only
other pony who calls me by my name only, and it's nice to be able to
talk with somepony else who doesn't grovel half the time.”

Her friend's ears perked up, “Oh! Well... I mean, I don't like to talk
about it much... But, I am the element of kindness.” She said,
trying to sound as modest as possible. “When you were hurt, I sort
of panicked and forgot my manners. As time went on, I thought you
didn't mind. After hearing about your business here in Ponyville, and
how scared you were, it was only in my nature to try to help you.”

“I appreciate that,” Luna replied quietly. Her emotions taking over her, she bent
over and quickly nuzzled Fluttershy. Her coat was so soft, even
better than the robes she wore at the spa the other day. A sense of
security once again flowed over her.

The timid pegasus eeped in surprise, bringing Luna back to her
senses.

“Oh!” Luna squeaked in shock of her own compulsive action. She blushed hotly,
the heat so intense, she could imagine her whole coat being red. She
looked up the path, realizing Ponyville was at their hooves.

“Err,” She started, looking at the yellow mare. Her cheeks were still
blushing too, but she seemed to have calmed down. “S-Sorry... Well,
I guess we're here.” The awkwardness in the air was as thick as
fog.

“Y-yes...” Fluttershy said quietly. “Well, come on. I'll show you some of the
stores.”

Luna followed farther behind, her tail drooping a little. 'Luna! What did you do there!' She screamed at herself, within the confines of her own mind, 'Will
Fluttershy even like me anymore... I mean, it was just a quick nuzzle.' Guilt chewed at her, making her itch, 'Right, I better go apologize.'

Now in town, Luna could feel the eyes of several ponies boring into her,
even a few gasps and whispers. It made no difference though, her mind
occupied on more pressing matters.

As Fluttershy approached a small market stall, Luna trotted up to catch her. “Fluttershy,” she began.

The pegasus turned to face her, her eyes revealing no secrets. “Yes?” She asked, in her usual, quiet tone.

Luna rubbed a hoof on her neck. “I just wanted to say I'm sorry about
before...” She trailed off, but blurted out again before the mare
could answer, “Friends don't do that, do they?”

“Luna, it's okay.” Understanding now began to show in her expression. Luna
began to feel better, as Fluttershy continued on, “And no...
Friends usually don't do that, but you've been gone so long, I
couldn't blame you for not knowing. It's fine... I was just startled,
that's all.” A faint blush formed on her cheeks.

“Thank you.” Luna said, heaving a sigh of relief, as Fluttershy turned
towards the stall and began browsing through it's products. The
alicorn scanned the vendor in front of her, various burlap bags
positioned on a red cart. “So...” She continued, trying to break
the mood, “What are you buying here?”

“Oh, just some seeds for my birds. The last Winter Wrap-up brought back
more birds than usual, so I'm constantly running low.” Fluttershy
replied, before picking up a small bag of seeds in her mouth and
placed in her saddlebag, while simultaneously placed a few bits on a
ledge of the cart.

“What's the Winter Wrap up?” Luna asked, mystified. The two ponies walked
up to a small store, a green door in front of them, with an image of
a sewing machine on it.

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, opening the door, “It's just an event in which the
whole town clears the snow and ice to make way for spring. We have to
plow the land, plant seeds, clear the sky, and fetch the birds that
flew south.” She explained.

The pegasus browsed through a shelf of spools of thread, before picking
out a gray one. “Can you hold this?” She asked Luna. “I need to
fix a blanket for Angel. I think he had a dream where he ate a
carrot, and ended up biting his own bed,” she chuckled.

“Sure,” Luna replied eagerly, “No problem.” She lifted the spool over her
head with her telekinesis, as she followed Fluttershy around the
store. The small shoppe was full of various clothing repair material,
but it also had a small selection of saddles and dresses.

Fluttershy had noticed it too, as she made her way over to them. She stopped at
a mannequin, upon which rested a cyan dress, with white and light
yellow curves added in as the skirt swept over the tail and onto the
ground. It came with a set of light blue sapphire studs and a white
gold-chained necklace with the same gemstone on it. On the feet of
the mannequin were four cyan boots with white straps that wound up
the leg.

“Oh my,” she muttered.

“Try it on,” Luna said, encouraging her. “I don't know much about fashion,
actually hardly any at all... But I do know when something looks
perfect for somepony.”

Fluttershy took a second look at it, before turning to Luna, “Oh I don't
know...” she sighed, “It is really gorgeous, but I think... I
think it's too much for me.” Her voice was low, but the goddess
could sense the underlying hope in her tone.

“Now, Fluttershy,” Luna's voice became softer, “It can't hurt to try it
on. We both know that you want to.” The pegasus' expression started
to show a smile forming. “Pleeaaseee,” Luna added in with a smile
of her own.

Fluttershy pouted, playfulness glinting in her eyes, “Oh alright, I'll try it
on.”

“Yay!” Luna squeaked, telekinetically taking the dress and it's add-ons, while
simultaneously pushing Fluttershy into the sole changing room before
she could change her mind.

The blue mare laughed as she closed the door behind her friend, “Now,
don't come out until you have put it on.”

After a few minutes, the door clicked open, as a single, cyan boot-clad
hoof poked it's way out. The timid pegasus lowered her head a bit,
feeling out of place in her elegant dress amongst ponies in their
everyday self.

Luna's eyes lit up, “Fluttershy! You look gorgeous in it!” She took a few
steps closer to her, marveling at how well the blue jewelry
accentuated her eyes.

“I know...” Fluttershy said quietly. Turning around, she examined
herself in the mirror hanging on the door. A smile crept up on her
face. “Maybe I will buy it.”

“That's the spirit!” Luna said, walking with the superiorly-clad mare over
to the mannequin.

Fluttershy lifted the price tag and gasped. “Oh no...” She murmured to
herself, “That's much to much for me.” Her face drooped.

“Let me see,” Luna butted in, determined to help her friend out. “Oh,
this?” The mare giggled a bit. “It's only eight hundred bits.”

“Exactly!” Squeaked Fluttershy, lowering her head as she realized she raised her
voice above her normal level. “That's a lot of money, Luna.”

“Well...” Luna began, “You have been such a help to me lately, and here's finally
somewhere in which I can assist you.” Her horn glowed a bit, a dark
light enveloping it. “Hold on, I've got to get a cheque paper from
Canterlot.”

With a poof, a small booklet and a quill appeared in front of Luna. Fluttershy eyed
it curiously, “What's cheque paper?”

“It's a new form of payment. It's a piece of paper which I sign and give to
someone, and when they turn it into a bank, it's basically a note
saying that I gave that pony a certain amount of bits from my own
depository of money.” Luna was glad she remembered it from her
studies. Teleporting a chest of 800 bits wouldn't be so easy.

“But Luna... I can't accept this.” Fluttershy told her quietly.

“Oh, I insist, Fluttershy.” The alicorn looked into her eyes. “You
have been too kind to me... Kinder than anypony I could imagine, and
you've been patient with my inaccuracies because I've been gone for
so long,” Luna blushed a little at the memory of nuzzling the
pegasus.

“Come on, go take it off and we'll bring it up to the counter,” Luna told her,
opening the dressing room's door.

Fluttershy sighed, “Since I know you won't give up," Then her voice raised excitedly, "Thanks so much, Luna!"

-~-

The sun was setting once more as the two burdened mares approached the
small cottage by the woods. Even though Fluttershy's saddlebags were
bulging, and Luna's horn was glowing brightly as a trail of items
followed her, both were laughing as they entered the rustic
house.

“Honestly,” Luna admitted, “I never knew walking around and looking in stores could
be so fun!”

“I usually shop alone, so it was nice to go with somepony else for a change.”
Fluttershy placed her saddlebags on the floor, as Luna followed suit
and dropped off her train of bags nearby.

The goddess looked out the window, gazing at the approaching dusk. “Well,
I have to go raise the night sky soon.” She felt her heart plummet
as she said those words. She'd probably have to go home to Canterlot
soon. “If you want, you can come watch.”

Fluttershy muffled a yawn with one of her forehooves. “Sure... I'm a little
tired, but I'd love to see it.”

“Okay, come on,” Luna said, opening the door. The yellow mare followed her
out, a little drowsy as she went.

The alicorn led her out into the middle of the nearby clearing, which
gave the best view of the darkening sky.

Luna sat down on the grass and closed her eyes, a breeze ruffling her
mane. Channeling her energy from deep within, she made a mental image
of the night sky in her mind. Opening her eyes again, she focused on
the thought that her mental image would appear in front of them both,
in the sky.

Over the course of a few minutes, the sky darkened, stars peeping out. Just above the
horizon, a gibbous moon shone. The sweeping blanket of the Milky Way
splashed along the dark void of space.

Fluttershy gasped, overtaken in admiration. “I tend to think that the night is
myself,” Luna explained to her, “When it was just me and
Celestia, I spent years pouring work into the sky we see now...”
She chuckled a bit, “I know it sounds cheesy, but I feel like I
poured my soul into it.”

“I've never seen a night so clear as this,” Fluttershy replied, her eyes
huge.

“Hold on...” Luna told her, the alicorn's horn now brightening once more with primal
magic, “I think I can reveal the older stuff I created, stars so
far forgotten that they've clustered together and almost vanished
completely.”

Luna gave a grunt of effort, before a shock of energy raced from her and shot up
towards the sky. It kept going farther and farther out, until it was
smaller than a star.

“Watch,” Luna told Fluttershy, a little winded. As if on cue, the night lit up
like it never had in a long time. Distant galaxies erupted into the
seemingly black void, their colors of light orange, dusty blue and
deep red adding a mix into the fray.

The now endless, infinite number of stars twinkled like the finest
jewelery, each a sparkling diamond. The black abyss the night was
previously known for was now replaced by a beautiful display of
colors and light.

“Luna...” Fluttershy said in complete awe. “This is the most...” Her voice
was searching for the correct words. “This is... I can't find what
to say. 'The most beautiful thing I have ever seen' would be an
understatement.”

The goddess was shocked at her reply. She never knew ponies could take
such delight in her creation. “Re-Really?” She sniffed, overtaken
with emotion.

“Yes.” Fluttershy told her firmly, before looking over into Luna's eyes.
“Thank you so much for letting me watch this.” She said, giving
Luna a hug.

If a pony could ever melt into a pool of happiness, Luna was sure she could now.
Waves of strong feelings overcame her... Ones she was unaccustomed
to. Fluttershy's coat brushed on hers, her pink mane mingled with the
Princess' own, the yellow mare's soft breathing tickling her
neck.

Then, much to Luna's internal dismay, Fluttershy let go of her, stifling another yawn. She laid down on the cool grass, resting her head on her forelegs as she
still gazed at the sky. “I could almost... Fall asleep here.”

Luna's eyes remained locked, still rigid in shock over her flood of emotions.
She dared not to move, still trying to make sense of what she felt. Her
analytical mind raced, trying to solve the gigantic mess of puzzle
pieces laid out in front of her.

However, her heart had already figured it out. As much as she tried to tell
herself it wasn't true, she knew deep down it was. Taking a deep
breath, a single thought floated into her mind.

'I've fallen in love with her.'

Like opening a Pandora's box of joy, she felt like she could do anything.
The single act of admitting it to herself caused her heart to flutter
with bliss. All of her worries, her regret and pain had been erased
by a morphine of pure affection for the other mare.

She finally turned her gaze to her. Fluttershy was asleep, her body
rising and falling slowly, her breathing barely audible. Luna's eyes
softened at the adorable sight of the resting pegasus.

“Oh Fluttershy...” She said in a whisper, “How can I ever tell you?”
With her confession, Luna felt much more open with herself. But, even
though she’d finally come to admit she loved the mare, her shy
personality made it seem impossible to tell Fluttershy the truth.

Realizing that she still needed to be taken home, Luna picked her up as daintily and
gently as she could with her magic, making sure not a limb moved the
slightest. A faint glow of blue enveloped around the yellow pony, as
she began her trip back to the cottage.