Evenings with Princess Luna

The wide expanse of Equestria lay far below me. I stood on the balcony of one of the royal castle’s highest towers, facing east. The sun had already set, and for miles around, the tiny flames of candles began to dot the landscape. It was quite lovely, and I'm sure I would found it quite captivating had not the sight above it been so much more spectacular.

Far above the city, a dark blue figure twirled and danced, leaping from one corner of the sky to another with effortless grace and astonishing energy. A gauzy, purple glow trailed behind her, and wherever it passed, the featureless sky began to burst with brilliant stars and nebulae. The night unfolded like a ballet, and this lithe figure was both conductor and dancer on an endless, black stage. When it seemed there could be no more stars, she stopped, and the bright edge of the moon appeared on the horizon. She began to ascend, and the moon with her. Bathing the landscape in a soft, silver glow, the two climbed higher and higher, finally coming to rest near the zenith of the sky. The figure remained for a moment, silhouetted against the moon. Time seemed to slow; the world held its breath.

Then, she opened up a large pair of wings and dove fast for the ground. She swooped low, stirring up a cloud of dust, and raced toward the castle. I lost sight of her underneath the balcony until she appeared suddenly in front of me and alighted silently on the railing.

“I heard that I had an audience tonight. Welcome to Equestria; I am Princess Luna,” she said, regally.

Before me sat a dark, winged unicorn enveloped by moonlight. The purple glow I had seen before was her mane and tail, an ethereal, gossamer cloud that now floated around her. A long, spiraling horn rose behind her pointed crown, and she wore a large breastpiece bearing a small crescent moon. Her presence was so commanding as be almost frightening, but I was too amazed to be afraid. I eventually found my tongue and introduced myself. Then I noticed the odd implication in her words. “Surely, you must have an audience every night, Your Highness! That was amazing! Like a—” I cast about for an elegant, poetic description. “—a symphony of light!” Hmm. It would have to suffice.

She looked shyly at the ground, “I’m flattered, but really sir, you’re too kind. Your colleagues were not nearly so effusive.” I thought of the others who had visited and tried not to laugh: yes, they would likely have been terrified by her.

Then she straightened and said with renewed confidence, “I have several hours before my other duties. Would you care to walk with me?”

I was taken aback. For a ruling monarch to entertain a visitor personally was quite an honor. “I— of course, Princess, I would love to! I’ll just meet you downstairs then,” I said, turning back toward the room.

“There’s no need. Come and take hold of my mane.”

The words took a moment to register. I glanced over the balcony; surely she wasn’t suggesting— “You don’t— intend to fly me down, do you? I mean, on your back?”

Her eyes widened. “Oh! Oh my, no! No, no, no,” she laughed nervously. “Nothing like that, heavens!”

I crossed the balcony and grasped what was possibly the softest, most luxurious hair in all of existence. It was like kittens and warm wishes wrapped in a cloud of silk. It was like home. I tried very hard not to bury my face in it.

And then, without warning, the world around me melted away into a suffocating blackness. Before I could grasp this new and horrifying development, it was already over: the world returned, and we stood at the base of the castle.

“The castle gardens are quite lovely. I’ll show you around them if you’d like,” Luna said, as though nothing terribly unusual had just happened. Upon seeing my expression, she added, “Oh yes, it can be disorienting at first, but it’s very safe. I hope it didn’t frighten you.”

It had been utterly terrifying. “No, it was fine,” I said.

The gardens were beautiful, and as we walked, I discussed my plans for the week. I was not, technically, on vacation: I would be gathering some data on this strange, new world we had so recently stumbled upon, trying to make some sense out of a place that, so far, seemed to run primarily on wishes, magic, and rainbows.

I asked Luna what her usual day entailed.

She sighed. “I really only have two tasks: to summon the moon and stars, and to safeguard the dreams of Equestria,” she said, listlessly. Oh, is that all? I thought. Her words and her tone were so wildly at odds that I had to stifle a laugh. “And in between these tasks,” she continued, sighing even deeper, “I read— and sometimes take walks.” To her, this seemed a terribly underwhelming schedule.

“What, exactly, does it mean to safeguard the dreams of Equestria?” I asked.

“Well, once everypony is asleep, I look after their dreams, protecting them from any bad ones. Should nightmares arise, I guide them to happier dreams. It’s fairly simple.”

I felt the need to provide perspective. “Princess, that’s incredible. You have power over dreams? I can’t even—” And truly, I couldn’t. “How is that anything short of amazing? And your nights are so dramatic and beautiful. You should be so proud of your work!”

She turned to me with wide eyes and a half smile that seemed to say, really? It was unbearably cute, but I wondered how in—well, Equestria—she could be so unsure of herself. She quickly looked back and straightened up. “I— I am proud of my work! It’s only—” She stopped walking. “I don’t get many compliments. Also, I am very solitary. And I don’t wish to be.” There was silence for a moment; then she continued. “Nearly everypony is afraid of me, and I rarely speak with any of them. Even in their dreams, I must be very subtle, lest my very presence become a nightmare.”

I had thought her imposing at first, but that impression faded very quickly. “I’m so sorry, but how can that be? I should think every, er, pony would love you! I mean, goodness, I lo—” I couldn’t believe what I almost said. “I— am sure that, if they only got to know you, they’d realize how kind and caring you are.”

For a while, she said nothing and only kept looking ahead. Then she laughed and started walking again. “You really needn’t worry about any of that. I shouldn’t have mentioned it.” I caught up with her, and she continued, “In any case, I’m very glad that you came. To Equestria, I mean. It’s exciting to have such an exotic visitor.”

The thought was hilarious. “Your Highness, I have never been described as ‘exotic’ in my entire life.”

“You are, though! There’s nothing like your kind here.” She looked over at me, “And I still marvel that you walk so easily on two legs. Dragons at least have their tails for balance.”

“Well, we are built for it. And with practice, I’m sure you could do it too, though you’d look a bit silly.”

Luna raised her head high and almost glared at me. “Oh. I never look silly.” She turned back, closed her eyes, and smiled. “I daresay it would be almost impossible for me.” She stopped and began making small hops with her front legs, each a little higher than the last. I laughed when I realized what she was doing.

“Ha, you don’t need to show me! I’m sure you’d be the most graceful two-legged unicorn in Equestria.”

“Alicorn, thank you. And no, I want to try it.” She continued hopping up onto her back legs. After a few attempts, she unfolded her wings and, cheating a little, was able to execute a fairly elegant, winged stand. She turned fully to face me. “Well, what do you think?”

Actually, I had stopped thinking. It becomes relevant at this point to mention that ponies—princesses included—almost never wear clothes. I had been successfully ignoring this fact, but it was no longer possible: Luna stood proudly, the full length of her velvety, blue body on display in the moonlight. Hoping she didn’t notice me eyeing the small cleft between her legs, I quickly scanned upward and took in her soft belly and slender chest, moving all the way up her long neck, and finally staring into her enormous, turquoise eyes. I completely forgot her question and merely stood there in rapt silence.

“Don’t look so surprised,” she said with a satisfied smile. “I knew that I could. It wasn’t even that difficult.” She walked toward me, continuing to use her wings for balance. When she had almost reached me, she attempted to fold them away—and tripped almost immediately. She fell into me and, being surprisingly light, simply stopped, leaning on me in an awkward slouch. I looked down, and she looked up; her eyes were so large and close that I could see nothing else.

“Uh—” Luna vocalized. Her blue face had turned purple, and she was struggling to say something that might salvage her dignity. Then a large tuft of mane fell over her face, and the struggle was over. I felt the defeat in her posture.

A long, awkward moment passed, the purple cloud floating between us. “You have a lovely mane,” I whispered. Silence hung in the air for another moment, and then Luna started laughing.

“Thank you,” she eventually said. “I take very good care of it.”

“It looks very soft: might I feel it for just a moment?” I already had, of course, back on the balcony, but I thought she might not remember.

She pushed herself off and landed back on all fours. She then brushed the glowing hair back into position. “You have done so already, as I recall,” she said, eyeing me reproachfully. “But you may touch it again if you wish.” She turned her side to me, and I gleefully plunged my hands into the glorious mane once more. This time, I reached her neck, and as I stroked her hair, she began to make little, contented sounds.

“Mm, ah, actually, that feels nice. Maybe a little higher—there. That’s wonderful. Ha, I can’t remember the last time—” She froze, and, instinctively, I pulled my hands back. She finished her thought slowly, almost to herself. “—that I’ve been touched. I really can’t remember.”

I couldn’t think of anything to say. It seemed terribly unfair that someone so wonderful should be so lonely. She suddenly looked up at a nearby clock tower.

“It’s later than I thought. I must begin my rounds soon. I will take you back now.” She extended her front-right hoof to me, and I took it, realizing too late what she was doing. The world melted away, and, once more, we made the harrowing, instantaneous leap through space, arriving back on the balcony to my room. It was just as bad the second time around, and I resolved to never let her do it again.

“I’m sorry to leave you so abruptly. Thank you very much for walking with me; I… quite enjoyed it.”

My head was still spinning, but I managed to say, “The pleasure was all mine. It was wonderful to meet you, Princess.”

“Likewise, and please do call me Luna. I’m sure we’ll see more of each other soon. Goodnight!” Then she vanished in a brilliant flash of light.

An afterimage remained, and though it felt silly, I was glad to hold on to that small glimpse of her. Of course, I would see her again—the next day, probably. Or even sooner—I wondered whether she could appear in humans’ dreams as well. Excitement at the prospect made it difficult to fall asleep, but eventually, the day’s events caught up with me, and I drifted off.

-

I remember dreaming about an airport. A vast, dingy airport that slowly became a labyrinthine amusement park the more I explored it. It was getting dark, and I was feeling terribly lost when suddenly, the entire scene transformed into a lush, pastoral landscape.

“That one didn’t seem very nice at all,” said a familiar voice from behind me. I turned to see an abstract, blue figure slowly assume the shape of Princess Luna. “How do you like this one?”

I stood in a field of tall grass set atop a small hill. Sections of an old cobblestone wall peeked above the grass like little islands. The sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky, and a gentle breeze rustled my clothes. “It’s perfect,” I said, closing my eyes. “I wish it could last forever.”

“Ha, wouldn’t that be lovely. Alas,” she said wistfully, “the dream must always end. Yet it is beautiful, in part, because of its brevity. It is fleeting, and so becomes all the more precious. Besides, if it never ended, you could never have another, and one dream, even a perfect one, is not nearly enough.” She smiled. “Now I must be off.”

I waved goodbye as Luna dissociated once more and floated away over the horizon. When she was gone, I looked around. Nothing had changed, but now the scene felt empty. It was still beautiful, but it was lonely. I was glad when the dream faded away into the morning light.

I spent most of the day in the castle library, gleaning what knowledge I could in preparation for my little experiments. No need to reinvent any wheels, I thought. Unfortunately, what little I found was terribly contradictory, sometimes within the same book, and by the afternoon, I was tired and frustrated. As I was leaving, I asked the librarian where Luna performed her nightly ceremony; it had been too far away to see from my balcony. I got my information, along with a sharply raised eyebrow, and headed out of town, into the surrounding countryside.

It was a leisurely half hour’s walk away. On arriving, I was struck with a wave of déjà vu. Right in front of me stood the same grassy hill with the little cobblestone wall from my dream. Luna must really like it here, I thought. I waded through the tall grass and sat down on the least worn-out section of wall as the sun was just beginning to set. The wind whistled musically through the grass and I started singing something to myself. The grass swayed hypnotically against the sunset; I felt like I was back in the dream again.

The sound of someone walking nearby startled me. The wind had died and I had been singing a little louder than I meant. I stopped, and, moments later, Luna came into view.

“This is a pleasant surprise. I don’t get many guests here,” she said.

“It’s a lovely spot—dreamy, even.”

Luna laughed, rolling her eyes. “You did say it was perfect, and I agree. I use it in dreams from time to time.” She walked toward the center of the field. “A long time ago, Celestia would to raise the sun from this same hill. But when the castle was built, she relocated. The castle is more convenient, of course, but I still like it here. It’s very peaceful, and I can clear my mind before I begin.”

Strange, I thought. I hadn’t imagined the castle to be so new: it looked ancient. Luna reached the field’s center and closed her eyes, preparing for her performance. Then, she started to shimmer. She crouched low to the ground, spread her wings, and launched into the air. As I followed her ascent, I quickly realized that sitting was perhaps not the best idea. I flattened a patch of grass, lay down, and, from this more comfortable vantage point, watched as the night sky came to life before my eyes.

-

Luna flopped onto the grass next to me. “I daresay this is one of my better ones.”

I smiled, still looking at the sky. “I wish nights were like this at home. Stargazing would be so much more fun if the stars were in different places every night.”

“The same constellations do always appear. But they will move depending on the stories I wish to tell. For instance, tonight, in the southwest, one of our legendary heroes is battling a windigo.”

I glanced over; Luna was serenely gazing upward. I hadn’t realized just how much thought she put into each of these starry murals. I turned back to the sky and sought out the figures she had mentioned, marveling anew at her handiwork.

“You were singing something as I arrived,” she said sleepily. “It was very pretty.”

“Oh,” I said, horribly embarrassed. “I didn’t think you heard any of that. I don’t do it much, and I’m not very good.”

She turned, looking a little troubled. “Please don’t say that. I enjoyed it—what little I heard, anyway. Could you sing it again? I’d like to hear something from your world.”

Under most circumstances, I would’ve flatly refused, but it is very hard to say ‘no’ to eyes like that. Besides, Luna was a supportive audience, and she had just given a performance herself, so it seemed only fair. “All right, it’s not a very well-known song, but I like it, so here goes.”

She rolled toward me and settled in. I thought over the words and began.

It was a melancholy piece, and I immediately wondered why I had chosen it. Surely she would have wanted something less depressing. Yet she continued to listen, so I pressed on. It described a beautiful evening on which a man walked to an appointed spot to meet his love. He waited, but she never came, and he was left to reflect on her empty promises. Though sad, the words were poetic and the melody was enchanting.

After what seemed an eternity, I reached the end and then was silent. When one has finished singing, there is really nothing to say. The singer has exposed a deep part of himself and can only await the response of the audience. I looked over at my audience. Her eyes were barely open, but they looked right at me. She was smiling.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. “Truly, I thank you for that. It was lovely.” She held her sleepy gaze on me for a little while longer then laughed softly to herself and rolled onto her back. A pleasant silence lingered in the air as she lay contentedly, looking up, and I lay, beaming, looking at her. I became aware, however, that she seemed agitated and had started squirming around. I asked if something was wrong.

“Ah, this grass; I really should know better by now. It always makes me so itchy.” I hadn’t noticed anything of the sort myself, but Luna was quite bothered by it all of a sudden. “I always forget and—oh, on my back, of all places! Ugh, I never can reach it.”

Very slowly, the realization crept over me that there was someone around who could. “Maybe—maybe I could get that for you?” I ventured.

“Oh no, that’s really, ow—actually, yes, would you? That would be wonderful. It’s just between my wings.”

I got up and she rolled over toward to me. Kneeling down by her belly, I reached over her, brushed aside her mane, and started to scratch the area just behind her shoulders.

“Mm, yes, that’s perfect, thank you.” She moved a little under my hand, directing it a little further down her back. “Now, please don’t stop,” she said after a while, “I’m just going to move you a little.” Using her wing, she gently pushed my hand all the way over her side to a spot just below her breastplate. I looked over at her in surprise, but she was coyly avoiding my eyes. “I’m a little itchy there too,” she said, somewhat absently. Slowly realizing what was going on, I laughed and began to move my hand over her soft, furry chest in long, slow arcs. I began using my nails less—more petting, really, than scratching. She responded with a long, contented hum, and I continued for about a minute.

“That is marvelous,” she finally said, savoring each word. “Perhaps, just a bit lower?”

Feeling my face flush, I looked over to her again, but she had closed her eyes and appeared to be in a sort of happy, dream state. Her waist was very thin, and my hand almost covered her belly as I stroked her increasingly short fur. It was another minute before she spoke again.

“Maybe—a little lower,” she said quietly. My heart started racing. I didn’t need to look over this time; there was no mistaking her tone of voice. I repositioned myself so that I was lying beside her. I resumed stroking her belly, and then, very slowly, did as she had asked.

Luna drew a sharp breath as my fingers slid over the soft groove between her legs. I continued along the length of it and she seemed almost to melt, her whole body becoming slack. Pressing harder, I passed a finger back along the little slit, brushing against the tender flaps of skin inside.

“Ah!” she cried out, arching her back. She breathed heavily as I continued slowly back and forth. “Yes,” she said breathily. “I—ah, I—” Her wings were stretched out straight behind her as far as they could go.

“I— I don’t—” Suddenly, she pulled back and got to her feet, looking away. “I don’t know why I did that. I’m sorry; it was— not appropriate. I shouldn’t have asked you to do that.”

I was stunned and began to feel a little embarrassed myself. “Luna, please don’t— I mean, really, I was happy to.” A bit of an understatement, there. “Sorry, I would’ve stopped if I thought you weren’t enjoying it.”

“Oh, I was!” she said with an intensity that surprised us both. She calmed herself and said, “I just— felt strange all of a sudden. I’ve never been very close with anypon—that is, anyone—and it was overwhelming.”

“Luna,” I began, organizing my feelings on the fly, “I think you are wonderful, and I’m just happy to spend time with you. Please, don’t feel bad. You’re very—” my face was burning up, “—very attractive, and I thought it was very sweet and very, very—” I looked for the right word.

“Exciting,” she finished, quietly. “I like you very much, too. I hope you will forgive my spoiling the mood so suddenly. I promise I shan’t make a habit of it.”

Soon, we began the walk back—I told Luna I would not be making any more magical leaps through space, and she was kind enough to accompany me the long way. We travelled for the most part in silence, though Luna would occasionally begin giggling, eliciting a snicker out of me, and the resulting feedback loop would have both of us laughing for a minute or so.

We reached the castle and said goodnight. I wondered if I should say more, but Luna resolved the matter by disappearing immediately afterward. I walked up to my room in a dreamy haze and got ready for bed almost without realizing it. The bed was much more comfortable than the grass, I thought, though it did lack Luna and was, thus, somewhat less desirable. I fell asleep thinking of the little grassy hill.

-

When Luna appeared that night, she was standing upright on her back legs, her front ones crossed behind her. Wearing an impish smile, she encircled us both in her wispy mane and tail, pressing right up against me and touching her nose to mine. For a long while, I just looked into her eyes. Then I wrapped my arms around her, turned my head, and kissed her.

It was very nearly a perfect, beautiful moment. Unfortunately, the dramatically different shapes of our faces proved to be our undoing. It took a number of bumped noses and licked faces before we managed any coordination, and by then, we were laughing too much to continue. We settled on a hug. With a sigh, Luna whispered, “I must go now. Goodnight again.” Then she disappeared from between my arms. I stood for a while with eyes closed, just basking in the thought of her.

If I had other dreams that night, I didn’t remember a bit of them.

The next day was busy. Armed with a notebook and a dozen odd devices, I carried out a battery of experiments. The results were immediately disconcerting: readings differed from one moment to the next though I checked the devices repeatedly. As the day wore on, the numbers continued to drift, sometimes wildly. After a few hours, I had seen enough and tossed my equipment back in my bag. It was a fool’s errand. I had assumed this world’s magic to be a kind of fluke—the suspension of a more concrete reality—but I now wondered if it was actually the other way around: that, here, magic was the foundation, and ‘reality’ was just a useful convention. The confusing books from the day before began to make a lot more sense.

Thankfully, the day was not a total loss. I managed to fit in a little shopping: food mostly—and a few other things. In the late afternoon, I started for the grassy hill with a large basket in hand. I arrived just as the sun was setting and walked around to the far side, settling in behind some bushes. Luna appeared a few minutes later. She looked around, but I stayed hidden, not wishing to be seen just yet. She didn’t look for very long.

When she had left the ground, I emerged and ran up the hill. Opening my basket, I pulled out a blanket, flatware, glasses, and a small stack of sandwiches. And since cider was apparently in season, I had brought some of that as well. I finished setting up just as the moon was reaching its peak in the sky. She landed soon afterward, facing away, and it was a few moments before she looked over. When she did, her expression made all my efforts worthwhile.

“You—you set up a picnic?” she said in disbelief.

“I did. I haven’t had one in ages, and I thought it would be fun.”

She came over hesitantly, as though a sudden movement might scare it all away. Settling down on the blanket, she stared, wide-eyed, at the little pile of sandwiches. I had thought the picnic to be a fairly small gesture, but Luna seemed a bit overcome. Looking to break the silence, I reached for my cider.

“Cheers,” I said. “To a lovely evening.”

“Cheers,” she laughed, as her glass floated up magically in front of her. “Thank you so much. This is wonderful.” She removed her breastplate and sat down on the other side of the blanket.

The cider was excellent, but I couldn’t say the same for the food. I had been living off of my own supplies for the last few days, and this was the first time I had sampled the local fare. I cast a fearful look over at Luna but found that she was quite enjoying hers. That was a relief. Apparently, they were perfectly decent sandwiches—if one enjoys the taste of grass and flowers.

“Mm, did your work go well today?” she asked just as I was spitting some sandwich into my napkin.

“Oh, um, yes. Well—” How had it gone, I thought to myself. “It was interesting. Equestria is very different than my world.”

“How is that?” she asked.

“Well, let’s see.” I thought of a simple example. “If I weigh something back home—say, a rock—I expect it to be the same every time I check. But here, it isn’t. There’s fluctuation. Not a lot, maybe, but it’s measurable.”

Luna didn’t answer right away, and I wondered if she had understood. I was about to rephrase myself when she finally responded.

“Strange, that you would expect perfect consistency. Your world must really be very different. We do maintain a semblance of order, certainly, but underneath all of that, Equestria is unpredictable. At its heart, it’s—well, ‘chaotic’ is really the best word.” She pondered her next words. “Some disorder is useful, actually. Our magic exists in the space it creates between what is and what could be. But too much disorder,” she paused briefly, “can be truly terrifying. So it is a careful balance.” She laughed softly and turned to me. “Equestria is a lot like us.”

I laughed too. “What, tumultuous forces beneath a calm, collected exterior? Is that what you mean?”

“Yes,” she said softly, no longer laughing. “I feel that way.” She flopped onto her back. “But like Equestria, it is really best for all of us if the ordered part holds the chaos in check. Otherwise, well, I won’t bore you with the details, but it has been quite a problem in the past.”

“I really struggle to imagine you causing any problems.”

She laughed, darkly. “You would be surprised.”

“Well,” I said, clearing away the basket and moving over toward Luna, “I’d hate to think that you’re holding back emotions for fear of hurting others. Being more forthcoming might actually help you connect better with your subjects.”

She lay there, thinking. “Perhaps,” she said airily. “And anyway, it isn’t that I go about suppressing terrible thoughts all the time; I don’t mean to give that impression.”

“Ha, well, if you do have any terrible thoughts, you’re welcome to share them with me,” I offered, shifting closer. “I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

She laughed, and then, amusingly, seemed to actually consider my suggestion. “None at the moment. No, I am quite content right now, thank you.”

“So, no chaotic, inner emotions needing to be expressed?”

She hadn’t been looking at me, but she turned now; I was almost leaning over her. Her eyes showed surprise before narrowing slowly.

“I— wouldn’t say that. Although, were I to express them, I would do so very quietly, and you would need to come a little closer.”

I reached over her and leaned my face right next to her ear. “Is this close enough?” I whispered.

She turned her head slightly and caught my ear lightly between her teeth. It was completely unexpected. My elbow gave way and I fell onto her fluffy chest. She laughed softly and breathed into my ear, “Better,” as she continued to nibble gently.

I could only lay there, immobilized with euphoria. The princess, her impossible softness, the idyllic setting, the tongue around my ear—it was too much. It was all I could do to raise my free hand and start running it through her luxurious fur. Her neck was very thin, and my fingers almost wrapped around it as I stroked from the base of her jaw to her breastbone. Moving slowly along the arc of her chest and down the inward curve of her waist, I stopped short below her belly button and began to feel my way back up. Her anticipation and subsequent disappointment were palpable. I decided to have a little fun. Twice more, my fingers crept down to her abdomen and went no further before returning to the base of her chest. Her frustration grew until she finally caught on and laughed.

“You would dare tease your princess?” she whispered.

An odd sensation gripped my hand, and I felt it being pulled inexorably back down Luna’s body. Of their own accord, my fingers slipped over the bony ridge at the bottom of her hips and into the soft, warm folds beneath. She released me from her magical grip, and I took over. Luna pulled away from my ear and breathed out hard. “Yes—” The word came out in a feral rasp.

I caressed her for a little longer while she writhed in pleasure. Then I got to my knees and threw one leg over her so that I was kneeling astride her belly, looking down at her. She smiled a blissful, narrow-eyed smile; then, she reached up and pulled my head down toward her own. This time, our kiss was as elegant and romantic as I had hoped it would be in our dream. Her mouth still held the taste of apple cider.

She began to move underneath me; her hips rising up and back with each slow, heavy breath. I matched her rhythm and spread my legs further, lowering myself until I rode close on her undulating body. Locked in this embrace, I felt as though the night, the grass, the hill, and the world were all slowly disappearing, leaving only Luna and I. An overwhelming lightness passed through me, and it seemed that only our kiss would prevent me from simply floating away.

I opened my eyes and found Luna looking back at me with an odd expression. With a shock, I realized that my floating was no illusion. I was a full foot above her, suspended by nothing more than a faint, sparkling glow that emanated from her horn. I opened my mouth, not sure what I would say but afraid it might not be entirely kind. At that moment, I felt a pulling around my waist and looked down to see my belt struggling against my pants. Luna appeared to be having difficulty with the buckle.

“I’m sorry,” she said, sounding worried. “I didn’t mean to distress you; I had thought it would be fun to do it this way.” My annoyance at feeling so suddenly helpless must have crept into my face. Thinking it over though, I knew I would seriously regret letting a moment like this fizzle out so easily.

“No, no, it’s fine. I was just surprised is all. Do you want some help with the belt?”

Her relief turned quickly to irritation. “No, ugh, we have belts here; I don’t know why this is so difficult,” she said. She was visibly shaking with anticipation: I could imagine why it might be a little trickier than usual. Soon enough though, the stubborn buckle relented.

“Ha ha!” she laughed triumphantly before quickly regaining her composure. “My apologies. Where were we?”

She pulled me back into a kiss as my pants slid off my hips, down my legs, and caught on my shoes.

Undaunted, Luna struggled with the shoelaces before deciding to simply pull the shoes off, and the socks and pants with them. I wondered why she didn’t just make them all vanish but admitted it was more fun this way, regardless. The buttons on my shirt posed another obstacle, but she was getting faster. As her tongue lashed around in my mouth, I realized she was also growing impatient. The shirt flew off, revealing an undershirt.

“Sho many clothes,” she managed to say, her face still pressed against mine. She worked on the shirt for a moment but couldn’t pull it off without breaking our kiss.

“Tear it,” I said. Her giant eyes looked at me questioningly. “Jus’ shred it. I haf tons of ‘em.” She laughed, and the shirt fell off in pieces.

Only one piece of clothing remained. As my underwear cleared my ankles, Luna lowered me back down, spreading her legs, and I caught my breath as I realized there was no longer anything at all in-between us. Her furry body felt indescribable against my bare skin. I shifted around on top of her, partly to relish the glorious feeling but mostly because my little soldier had been standing at full attention for some time now and was quite ready to find a cozy spot to rest his head. I found it quickly.

Luna convulsed and made an indistinct sound with her voice. I slid into her, and we quickly assumed our rhythmic pattern from before. The circling of our hips and the back-and-forth movement of my body in hers called to mind a kind of wonderful engine, one that produced joy and love out of sweat and desire.

“Luna—” I couldn’t help but say her name. It was the only clear thought in my head. The world had ceased to be. There existed only she and the gyrations of our hips working in perfect unison. Her arms and mane were wrapped around me in a cocoon of warmth and comfort. And with every push, I noticed her great wings encircling us a little closer, like a feathery shield.

I stared into her lidded eyes as an electric thrill began to surge through me. Like a wave in the distance, it came on slowly and would be completely unstoppable when it arrived. Luna moaned and gasped. Suddenly, the wave began to break, and my thoughts swirled together and burst in a shower of light. Pure happiness echoed over and over across my body and, as it faded, left a perfect serenity in its place.

Luna giggled, leaned up, and gave me a small kiss. Then, using her wings, she suddenly flipped the two of us over. I fell onto the grass and she came down on top of me—a dark shape silhouetted against the moonlight. With wings outstretched and a new fire in her eyes, she looked terrifying. From her new position, she began to drive us faster than before. I could only lie there in awe and lingering bliss.

“Ah, ah, ah!” she cried, rubbing herself hard against me. Her horn had been glowing slightly all along but now began to flash and crackle, shining more brightly than ever. The air felt charged and my hair began to stand on end. Her voice rose in pitch and her movement reached a feverish peak. Then, with a forceful thrust of her hips, she threw her head back and opened her mouth wide.

Her deep moan was savage and sensuous, vulgar and beautiful. A blast of magic erupted from her forehead and formed a bubble of light all around us. I gazed up at her, fully illuminated, with arched back, outstretched wings, and face raised to the sky. She was a vision; she didn’t even seem real. Then the light sphere dissolved, leaving only a glowing ring in the grass, and Luna collapsed on top of me, breathless. I waited for her to open her eyes, but she didn’t stir, and her breathing began to slow. I tried to get her attention and realized she was fast asleep.

I carefully slid her off to my side. One of her wings was draped over me, and I chose not to move it as I snuggled into her fur. The grass was soft, and the night was warm. Sleep came quickly.

I dreamed I was floating high above the ground when Luna emerged from a cloud. She wore a beatific smile and laughed lightly as she made loops and circles in the air. Then she flew in and wrapped her arms around me. We embraced for a short time; then she looked me in the eyes. For a moment, she considered speaking, but she simply gave me a kiss and vanished. Honestly, I hadn’t known what to say either. Some things are beyond words.

-

A new ring of purple flowers surrounded me when I awoke. Luna was gone, and at one side of the flower ring lay my clothes, neatly folded. I dressed and walked over to the picnic basket, finding that Luna had already collected all of the leftover items inside of it. I began the trek back the castle, singing softly as I went.

I no longer had any real business in Equestria, but my schedule allowed for two more days, and I decided to use them. I saw Luna twice more, but only briefly, as she was busier now: she was making an effort to spend some time with her subjects. Her austere exterior had softened, and she had a confidence I hadn’t seen before. It was wonderful to see her so happy, but I selfishly wished she still needed my company. I had, of course, been incredibly fortunate to spend so much time alone with her, but to suddenly see her so sparingly was disappointing nonetheless. Neither night did she appear in my dreams.

On my final morning, I gathered up the clothes strewn around my room and balled them up into my suitcase. I didn’t have to walk far, as the doorway between our worlds happened to be a large, magic mirror located within the castle itself. This particular mystery would be the subject of later investigation, and I didn’t bother to wonder about the details.

My arrival in Equestria had garnered very little pomp and circumstance, and my departure even less so: I walked in and found myself completely alone with the mirror. Even the guards were absent, and I wondered if I hadn’t somehow caught them between shifts. I sighed and began to head back to my own world.

“I do hope you didn’t expect to leave without saying goodbye.”

I whirled around, and there was Luna standing in a corner near the door. I must have walked right past her. I was so touched to see her that my voice caught in my throat.

“Luna! You’re here! I’m so glad you came.”

“Of course! I’ve had much to catch up on these last few days, and I’m sorry to have been absent, but I would never have missed seeing you off.”

“I’m— glad I met you, and I will miss you terribly. You are a truly amazing person, Luna. I will come back as often as I can.” Just a few humans at a time were currently allowed into Equestria, though that was expected to change soon.

Smiling with sad eyes, she walked toward me, stopped, and suspended a single, large feather in front of her. “This may seem a small gift after all that you have given me, but I hope it will keep me in your thoughts until you are able to visit again.” I reached out and pulled the feather from the air.

“There was no danger of my forgetting you, but thank you. It is a beautiful gift, and I will keep it close.”

She stood up on her back legs, and we embraced for some time. Then I turned and walked through the mirror.

-

My office was keen to hear of my findings and was distinctly less interested in any personal details. The thought of a world unbounded by strict physical laws was, at once, horrifying and thrilling to them, and they immediately began to discuss the implications. I was asked to compile a detailed report from my notes immediately. As I had made fewer notes than anticipated, the task was fairly simple, though I still worked late into the evening finishing it.

-

It is unusual to dream of that which truly interests us. Too often, we are made to dream of things we care little about. However, crossing the threshold of sleep, I found myself standing once again at the balcony of the Equestrian castle. The night sky was filled with the brightest, most colorful stars I had ever seen. Innumerable paper lanterns drifted lazily past and music rose from the city below on the warm evening breeze. It was so beautiful I began to cry. Emotions in dreams have a mind of their own and go often to extremes. I watched for a long time, but the sights and sounds eventually began to dull, and I realized that I would soon be waking up. A voice seemed to call me from far away, but I hadn’t the energy to call back. Morning was at hand.

Suddenly, I was pulled back. The music and the bright colors roared back to life, feeling more vivid and real than ever. On the railing of the balcony sat Princess Luna.

“That was close! It took me a long while to find you, and I would have hated for you to slip away at the end of my search,” she said.

I couldn’t respond. I had no idea what was going on, and confusion had tied my tongue. Luna laughed.

“I’m glad to see you kept my gift close. I would never have found you otherwise.”

I had kept it very close indeed. It was under my pillow.

“The feather? But, where are we?”

“We are in your world! That is, in the dreams of your world. It is a long way from the dreams of Equestria, but that feather has a strong magical aura and can be felt from almost anywhere. And now that I have found you once, I will make my way back much more quickly.”

Perhaps my addled emotional state was to blame, but the crying returned. I was overcome by the thought that Luna had sought me, possibly for hours, over unthinkable distances in dream space just to see me for a few minutes. And the implication in her last statement was almost too good to believe.

“Then, you’ll be coming back?”

“Every few nights, I hope. I have to leave now, but tomorrow, I will make extra time. Time enough for—oh, whatever we should wish to do, I think.” Her face was hard to see with the moon behind her, but I could just imagine her smile.

“I’m—so happy, Luna. It seems—ha, it seems that, sometimes, the dream need not end after all.”

She laughed. “I suppose you’re right, in a sense. No, the dream will continue for a long time. It appears I was wrong, and I’ve never been so glad of it. I will see you tomorrow. Goodnight!”