NightShy

Luna rushed towards the box, the metal clicking once to release the note. The alicorn giggled like a carefree foal, lifting the note up towards the light and reading it slowly.

Dear Luna,

I am very happy that you wish to speak to me on a regular basis...and...well, if you would like...I could come to Canterlot this Thursday. Many of the migrating birds are heading south, and the cold weather has forced most of the woodland creatures into an early hibernation. If you would allow me, I suppose I could stay until...um...Monday morning? I know that's alot of time, but...well...it gets lonely during the late fall season...no animals to care for. I hope you reply soon, but...if you don't want to...that's okay too, I suppose...

Fluttershy~

Luna squeaked happily, pulling the note to her chest and snuggling it tightly. With a tingling belly, the midnight-coated mare turned towards the door, where a smerking Princess Celestia sat, a heavy, deafening smile on her muzzle."Good letter?" she asked, her grin fixed to the ungodly length that it would be creepy if she did it at random.

Before Luna could form the right words, the letter was magically yanked from her grasp, and towards her sister."Tia!" Luna barked, extending a hoof,"that's not yours!" The mare had a slight whine as she spoke, portraying just how desperate she was to keep such menial trinkets.

Celestia read the not through slowly, humming as she snickered."Oh Luna...Fluttershy? How fitting...the shy and reclusive Pegasus married to the delicate, beautiful night princess..."

Luna furrowed her brow, whimpering."Tia...stop it..."

"I can just see it now. You, adorn in your finest silk...strolling down the steps of the castle.."

"Sister...I..." Luna tried, but failed to interrupt.

Celestia lifted a hoof dramatically."You slowly stride towards the main door, which housed the yellow mare, her pink mane flowing softly in the breeze. You would rush towards her, and she would mirror your moments. Then, with arms extended, you would leap into each other's grasp and kiss, slipping your tongues into each other's"

"TIA!!!" Luna was finally able to blurt out, stopping her sister mid-sentence.

"Oh fine, ruin my fun...but just you wait until I start flaunting my lover around...one day soon...just you wait Luna." Suddenly Celestia eyes gazed to something near the bottom of the page."Hey...something else is written here..."

"Hmm?" Luna wondered, tilting her head.

Celestia read it aloud."Also, if it is alright, I was hoping to bring a friend. She's a unicorn...her name is..." Celestia stopped reading, her cheeks turning bright red.

"Sister?" Luna began,"Are you alright?" Luna's ears swiveled softly, her eyes narrowing."What's that dripping noise?"

Celestia didn't speak, but instead turned tail and galloped out of the room. Luna, in utter confusion, tried to follow, but was quickly haunted by a liquid that had been spilt onto the floor moments ago."What is this?" Luna began, her hoof dipping into the clear liquid."Is this...CELESTIA, keep your damned 'juices' OFF of my floor..." the sister hollered, holding a hoof in the air, the 'royal nectar' dripping down the elevated leg.

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The royal mare rushed around the the entirety of Wednesday, hastily preparing any room that the guests of honor would be viewing. The royal guards wore deep smirks as they watched the alicorn rush from room to room. She spent nearly an hour clearing her own quarters, making sure the area was as clean as possible. As she made the bed, Luna stopped dead, looking around before screaming out "CELESTIA!!!".

Her sister, as always, casually trotted through the door, humming as she corrected a corner on the bed."Something wrong, Luna?" Celestia asked, her head tilting as she flapped her wings, floating overhead.

"Yea yes yes" Luna cried out, grabbing an extra set of blankets and pillows,"I don't know how Fluttershy wishes to sleep."

"Erm...come again, sister?"

"If I set an extra set of blankets out do Fluttershy can sleep next to me, she might think I don't care about her...BUT...if I expect her to sleep with me in bed, she may believe I am moving too fast in our relationship...WHAT DO I DO?"

Celestia raised an eyebrow, her brow furrowing heavily."Well...I suppose I would..."

"GOT IT!" Luna barked, her midnight mane flowing behind her as she galloped over to the bed."I'll slide the pillow and blanket under the bed, so when we go to bed...I can slide it out if she chooses to sleep on the floor. There, foolproof!"

"And if she let's you choose?" Celestia interupted, her own smile growing.

Luna turned towards her sister, her eye twitching lightly. She went to speak, but instead collapsed onto the bed, groaning."Damn it..."

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The music echoed through the halls, sweet violins and deep double bass meshing wonderfully as thursday night dawned. Luna was dressed in her best gown, much like Twilight's outfit at the Grand Galloping Galla, but far less flashy and much longer. Her royal hoofwear was propperly adorned, but Luna chose to wear silver instead of gold, more fitting to the dress.

As she slowly trotted into the main courtyard, a small alcove were guests could wait to be called on, and where she waited for the two mares to trot in. Celestia was close in tow, Fluttershy's guest making the alicorn very anxious as she tapped her hooves, straightening her white, floral outfit.

Fluttershy nervously made her way onto the scene, looking around at the decorations and banners."Oh...hello princess...this is my friend...Amethyst Star." Fluttershy stepped aside as the light magenta unicorn trotted slowly forward, bowing courteously. They were both dress in a formal, puffy dress that clung tightly to their form.

"But...but what about..." Celestia began, but looked towards Luna nervously, then towards Fluttershy."You said...erm...your friend was coming."

"Oh...I'm sorry...she couldn't make it." The Pegasus admitted, slowly looking towards her friend."I didn't want to come alone...I...I'm sorry."

Luna trotted forward, her own smile growing."Oh, it will be not a problem...since Princess Celestia was going to let that mare stay with her...I'm sure she would let Amethyst have the same privileges...right Princess?" Luna's smile was almost as wide as Amethyst's, who hopped around the grumpy Celestia's hooves.

"Oh my gosh...really? That...is...so...COOL!" the unicorn shouted."Can we go now? Come on, come on, come on...show me please?" Star giggled and looked up at Celestia."Can you show me?"

With a loud groan in her sister's direction, the white alicorn slowly trotting with the unicorn, her head low as she opened the door to her room. Amethyst giggled as she trotted inside, Celestia following. Star abruptly shut the door loudly, locking it with her magic.

"Amethyst...what are you...?" Celestia began before the mare's horn glowed bright violet. Within an instant, Amethyst Star transformed in a wirlwind of magic.

"Princess Celestia...you've been a bad mare...time to be...punished." Twilight Sparkle announced, galloping at full speed towards the alicorn.

Celestia blushed heavily."Twilight...I..." Again, Celestia's words were cut off, but that time it was stopped by Twilight pouncing the princess to the bed with a playful "Rawr!", kissing Celestia over-and-over.

Princess Luna and Fluttershy pulled their ears from the white alicorn's bedroom door, blushing hotly."Oh...my..." The Pegasus began, slowly trotting into Luna's chambers."Wow...it's...amazing in here."

Luna couldn't help but blush bashfully at those words."Well, I do try to clean up...when there's company, that is." The two explored much of the castle, Luna being the tour guide as she wandered aimlessly. After almost an hour, the two came to rest in the garden, the alicorn helping Shy onto the fountain's edge."I love to come here to think...or at least...I used to." Luna admitted.

"Used to?" Fluttershy tilted her head, slightly confused,"but I though you would have wanted to relax after coming back from the moon... after... Nightmare."

"I wanted to...trust me I did...but, I was very weak, and had to stay bedridden until just recently. Most of my strength has returned, but I fear the mental scarring is more...well, scarring." Luna set her hooves on either side of herself, looking down as she tried to explain."You mind if I explain something about myself?"

Fluttershy gave a light nod, extending a hoof to meet one of Luna's."It's ok...you don't have to."

"It's just...I know you don't trust me fully...you think Nightmare will break free and take over. I wish I could prove to you that it won't happen...but...well... I don't know. I don't think I can control her by myself if she breaks free of my subconscious...if I falter..." Luna pulled her hoof back, bringing it to her face as she teared up. Her lips quivered as she cried lightly, tears slowly tickling down her cheeks.

Fluttershy looked away, sighing before she trotted closer to the alicorn, pulling Luna's hoof away and bringing the mare into a deep, warm hug."I...I can't imagine how hard this is for you...but...I won't leave you. I wouldn't leave a bunny with a broken leg...and I sure won't leave a princess holding such a burden.

Luna's tears slowly dried up, the mare sniffling slightly."I...I..." Luna wanted to tell Fluttershy how she felt...how she wanted to love the Pegasus,"Thank you...you're a good...friend." the word 'friend' hit Luna's gut like a stone. She was so ashamed of herself for hiding her emotions, for hiding them from Fluttershy.

The two slowly made there way inside, directly into Luna's room. She went to offer Shy the bed, but was too weak from the tears and regret, simply slipping under the covers. She shivered softly, her mind clouding. Everything was going so fast, her emotion, thoughts, feelings...then, everything melted away. Luna's eyes widened, her face filled with pink hair. Fluttershy had gotten into bed next to Luna, blushing deeply as she put aside her timid nature to comfort her friend.

"Shh...I'm here Luna...just....go to bed." Shy hummed softly, beautiful notes played by the angel herself. Luna was out within minutes, her hooves wrapped around Fluttershy as she dozed off.

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Luna awoke cotton-mouthed, blinking as she looked around. As promised, Fluttershy was wrapped tightly around her, the Pegasus hugging the princess tightly. She smiled and gently loosened the yellow pony's grip on her, slipping out and stretching lazily. It had been a long time since Luna had a good sleep, but that night, she didn't wake up once.

With a light nod to the sleeping Pegasus, Luna quietly made her way to her sister's door, where a loud yelp was heard, followed by a few muffled protests. Luna blinked, still on the other side of the door when Twilight softly trotted out."Oh...hello Princess Luna...good morning" she said, a chipper attitude accenting the skip in her step.

Celestia tumbled out of her room, bags under her eyes as she looked towards her sister."We..um...did not get much sleep, dear sister. And I was...woken in a very...um...well...direct manner. I will see you two for breakfast...come to the archives..." The alicorn twitched, trotting down the hall with a slight wobble.

Luna let out a soft snicker as she watched her sister try to function, slowly making her way back into her bedroom. The midnight alicorn yawned loudly, stretching with a groan before a shuffling under the sheets alerted her of the Pegasus."Sleep well?" Luna questioned, using her magic to straighten Shy's mane.

Fluttershy gave a light nod, a faint smile on her face."Mm hmm...t...thank you Princess...erm...Luna. Is breakfast ready?"

"Archives...next right after you leave this room, remember?"

Shy smiled wider, slowly making her way outside."I...I'll see you there" Luna said as the mare passed, lifting a hoof. Her eyes widened as Shy passed, blushing furiously. Once the mare left, Luna gulped, whispering to herself."D...did Fluttershy just smack my flank?"