The Bright Equestrian Moon

Rarity opens the door and gives us both a polite smile with a slight blush as she sees me on Luna’s back. “Please, come in and make yourselves comfortable.”

Luna walks into the large, round room as she carries me. “Thank you for inviting us here, Rarity.” The room looks similar to the guest rooms I stayed in during my first and second nights here, except it’s round, and with a better view of the city. There is also an easel near the door by the side of a desk. Some sheets of paper are set up on the easel that have various sketches of suits and outfits.

Rarity looks at me with concern as I remain on Luna’s back. “Did something happen to you, Travis?”

“Yeah, I managed to get my magic working, but now I’m hurting all over.” I give her a soft, and slightly pained smile.

Rarity’s look of concern turns into one of curiosity. “Oh my, did you overexert yourself when you used your magic? However, I have never known magic use to cause pain; only exhaustion.”

“I’m not really sure, although it might just be something to do with my specific type of magic. According to Luna, I transformed into a wolf. I guess the transformation into a wolf, then back into a human put a physical toll on my body.”

Rarity nods and looks me over. “That sounds… Interesting… I do hope that you’re able to keep that magic in check.”

I nod softly. “Yeah, I’m sure I can. I mean, I have to focus to transform, so I doubt I’ll do it by accident. Anyway, what about the clothes you want me to try on?”

“That is quite reassuring to hear, darling. As for your clothes, I will go get them in a moment. Do you think that you can try the outfit while you’re still recovering?”

“Luna can use some spell to numb the pain so that I can try it, as long as I don’t do anything too active.” I look at Luna and gently nuzzle the back of her neck. Her magic envelopes me and I feel the pain melt away, then I get off her back and onto my feet. I feel normal, as if I never transformed in the first place, but I know that my body isn’t actually healed. “Thanks, Luna, I feel much better now.”

“You are welcome, Travis.” Luna gives me a peck on the cheek which I return.

“You two are so cute together.” Rarity blushes. “I’ll go get the outfit now.” She then goes to a large wardrobe and with a nervous look pulls out some kind of coat, as well as pants and a shirt. They look as if they belong to some sort of military officer from the eighteenth century. The main colour is the same as Luna’s fur like the night sky, while the collar and middle are black with two rows of silver buttons going up it. They have silver embroidery along the borders of the middle and around the buttons, as well as around the collar, cuffs and pockets. The shirt is just a plain white.

The coat and pants look so royal and epic. I’m definitely going to be wearing this outfit for the announcement. I grin and can’t help but giggle giddily, excited to test its fit. “Oh, that looks so freaking awesome! I can’t wait to try it on!”

Rarity relaxes and smiles. “I’m relieved to hear that you like it.” She hovers the coat, pants and shirt over to me. “You may change behind that screen.” She points to a wide and tall screen made with a wooden frame and white cloth.

“Thanks, I’m not gonna waste any time waiting.” I delicately grab the outfit and take it behind the screen. There is a mirror and a coat hanger behind the screen which I place my current clothes on as I undress. I then carefully put on the pants, shirt and coat. It feels like it fits me perfectly already. I’m amazed that Rarity could make it to fit me so well before any adjustments. I then look into the mirror. Holy shit. This has got to be the coolest outfit I’ve ever worn. I walk out from behind the screen to show Rarity and Luna how it looks on me.

Luna smiles and blushes as she sees me. “You look so handsome in that outfit. If any nobles were still not aware of you, they would assume that you come from a noble family.”

I blush as well. “Thanks, although it was Rarity who made this for me.” I turn to Rarity. “Thank you for making this, it feels perfect.”

Rarity waves a hoof. “Oh, it’s nothing, I rather enjoy working with a new form and the challenges that it presents.” She then steps closely and begins inspecting me. “It may feel perfect, but I still have to make the final adjustments.” She levitates a pin cushion over and begins fine-tuning how the materials on the outfit sit on me, before putting pins in to hold the adjustments. Rarity also jots down some notes on a nearby notepad with a quill while she works, then she steps back to look at me again. “There we go, I just need to finalise these adjustments and it’ll be ready. I should have it completed by the end of tonight or tomorrow morning.”

I look back in a mirror again, although I hardly notice any differences from before. I mean, maybe it looks a little better - minus the pins - but I can’t really tell, although it does seem to feel nicer. “Thanks again, Rarity. This seriously looks and feels so amazing to me. If this’ll be ready by tomorrow, perhaps Luna and I can make the announcement to Equestria then.”

Rarity giggles with a bit of excitement. “If you think your outfit is already amazing, then let me show you how it looks when it’s completed with the cape!” She uses her magic to lift a cape matching my outfit out from the wardrobe. The inside is black, while the outside matches Luna’s coat, but there is a subtle twinkle to it as if there are stars in it. There is also silver embroidery like on my coat around the edges of the cape. What really catches my attention though, is a motif on the back of the cape of a full moon with the silhouetted head of a howling wolf on it. Maybe a little cliché in terms of wolf imagery, but I love it.

I give Rarity a big grin and laugh a bit. “And I thought that this outfit couldn’t get much better. You’ve seriously done an awesome job with this!” I turn around so that she can put the cape on me. I feel her fasten the clasp under the collar of my coat and then I feel the fabric of the cape sit on my back. It feels slightly weighty, but pretty comfortable and not heavy. I turn my head to see how it looks in the mirror behind me. Damn. It’s just too awesome. I feel kinda badass with this cape and outfit. “Rarity, this is ridiculously cool. I love it.” I spin around so that Luna can see the cape on my back. “What do you think, Luna?”

She beams at me. “I think it suits you perfectly… And I love that the outfit matches me… It shows our close bond with each other.”

“I’m delighted that you love it.” Rarity looks to Luna. “And that was what I had in mind when designing it. I thought it would be good to display that bond, especially since you two are making that announcement soon.” She then looks back at me. “Perhaps when I finalise the adjustments, I can properly inspect your current clothing while you wear the new ensemble. It’ll allow me to see the casual style of clothing from your world so that I can create more casual outfits for you.”

I look down at the awesome clothes I’m wearing now, then towards the rack where my normal clothes are. After wearing this and feeling so awesome, I’m tempted to give up casual clothes. However, that wouldn’t be very smart, since casual clothes could help if I manage to go to Earth again, or if I go someplace where the fancy outfits could be damaged. Also, there’s something freeing and relaxing about casual clothes. “About that… I would still like some casual clothes for some situations, but I think I’d prefer more of this fancy style over my usual style.”

Rarity claps her hooves and gives me a big smile. “Oh, I’m overjoyed to hear that you’ve changed your mind on only having one formal outfit! I’ll get to work on more attire fit for a noble, after I am finished with your casual clothes.” She writes down some more notes. “You can go and change now, so that I have the outfit to complete. And you can take the cape with you; it doesn’t need any adjustments.”

I nod and head behind the screen to change out of the fancy outfit and back into my usual clothes. I carefully hand the nearly finished clothing to Rarity, while keeping the cape folded and draped over my arm. “Thanks, yet again. I just can’t stop thanking you for working on something so epic for me.”

Rarity dismissively waves her hoof again. “You’re welcome, it is one of my best works, but I wouldn’t call it epic.”

I turn to Luna. “Well, I’m guessing that you’re going to end the pain numbing spell now, right?”

She nods. “It would be wise to end it sooner rather than later.”

“Okay…” I get up onto Luna’s back and try to rest on her with as little effort as possible. It’s gonna suck to feel all that pain again, but I suppose it’s for the best. “You can end the spell now, I guess.” I feel her cool magic wrap around me and the pain slowly comes back. “Damn, that hurts…”

“I am sorry, but you will be better off this way.” Luna then turns to Rarity. “It was lovely seeing your brilliant work, Rarity. Will we see you tomorrow to pick up the finished product? Or will you have it sent to us by messenger or guard?”

“Whichever would suit you best, Princess Luna. If you need the outfit sooner rather than later, I can have it sent first thing in the morning or tonight before I go to sleep.”

Luna smiles softly. “Tonight would be wonderful if it is not too much trouble, but I would not be unhappy if you send it in the morning.”

Rarity makes a quick note of it. “Then tonight it is. I’ll be looking forward to your announcement with Travis tomorrow.”

“I am sure that it will proceed rather well, and the great outfit that you made will surely contribute to that. Good bye, Rarity, and thank you for your wonderful work.” Luna dips her head slightly.

I chime in too with a pained nod. “Yeah, good bye, Rarity.”

She gives us each a polite smile. “Good bye, Princess Luna and Travis. Now I must work on finishing your ensemble.”

Luna walks out from the room and takes us back down the spiral staircase. “Do you think that you could handle being present at the announcement tomorrow?”

I should be able to. It’ll be pretty daunting, but I could at least try. I mean, the sooner we get this out of the way, the better. “Yeah, as long as your recovery spell works on me by morning, I could give it a try. The new awesome clothes Rarity made should boost my confidence a little as well. I kinda felt stronger when I was trying them on. Besides, we really need to get that announcement out of the way.”

Luna turns her head around to nuzzle me, and I nuzzle her back. “Very well, that is quite reassuring to know.” She focuses back on the path ahead. “Now, would you like to see if we can find a book on the origin of ponies?”

Finally, talking about something I would enjoy. “Definitely; I’m so curious now. Although, if we can’t find any, should we ask Twilight if she knows anything?”

“I would be unsure if Twilight herself has any answers, but she may have books that are not present in the Canterlot Castle library. She used to work at and live above a library. When that was destroyed and she got her castle, she filled it with books like her previous home.”

I look at our surroundings, the castle still very impressive, but slowly becoming a little more normal. It doesn’t really change, but I’ve only been here for a few days. “Well then, that sounds like a promising back up plan.” We soon arrive at the library.

Luna gently sets me down on a chair in the science wing of the library. “I will not be long.” She then goes through the wing to check every shelf, flying to get through more quickly, and using her magic to inspect the books. “Hmmm…” She uses her magic more intensely as she searches harder. It isn’t long before she returns. “I could not find a single book about it… Perhaps history… Wait here.” She then quickly leaves.

Wait here. It’s not like I could do much else in the state I’m in. More time passes, and I notice the sun getting lower. Eventually she comes back. “Did you find anything?”

Luna shakes her head. “Not exactly. There is information on very early pony civilisation, but nothing to do with the origin of ponies as a species. I am sorry. We could check with Twilight tomorrow if it is that important to you.”

“I see… That's okay. The fact that you can’t find any books about it only makes this more intriguing… But if Twilight comes up with nothing either, maybe I’ll just have to let it go. I’m not a scientist, or an archaeologist.”

Luna lifts me onto her back with her magic. “That is understandable, but if Twilight does not know either, she will no doubt take it upon herself to find the answer.”

“She’d definitely be able to do a better job than me at trying to figure it out, even though she’ll be busy already from figuring out how to make a portal to Earth.”

Luna makes her way to our tower. “Indeed, your arrival to Equestria has made her rather busy, but I think she enjoys having a project to constantly work on.”

I nod. “Yeah, working on a portal to another world or universe would be pretty freaking cool.” We soon arrive at our private chambers, Luna placing me carefully on the bed with her magic.

“It certainly would be.” She kisses my forehead. “I must go soon to night court. Searching for a book on the origin of ponies took far longer than I thought it would. Is there anything simpler you would like before I leave?”

I strain to lean up and kiss Luna’s lips briefly. “I would like a copy of the latest newspaper, and for you to put this cape up on a rack or something.” I offer the cape to her.

Luna takes the cape in her magic and carefully hangs it in her wardrobe. “I will ask somepony to bring you a newspaper. Do you need anything else?”

“I don’t know if it’s proper, but being bed ridden, I think I have an excuse. Could you order some dinner to be sent up here? A lasagne or pasta would be fine.”

She gives me a caring smile. “Of course, I can.” She kisses my forehead one more time and gets up. “I have to go now. I will be sure to order a newspaper and dinner for you. I love you, Travis.”

I smile back and nod. “Thank you, and I love you too, Luna.” She then walks out from the room and quietly closes the door behind herself.