Your Loyal Subject

Luna awoke the next morning to ready herself for yet another day of her royal duties... starting off by filling out the Dream Reports she just gathered over the night. However, noticing the additional bed in her quarters... she happened to remember the event that unfolded the previous night. Sleeping in the other bed was a somewhat-familiar stallion. A smile appeared over the Princess' face as she recalled that Aversion had accepted her friendship.

Wow... after over a thousand years... I finally have managed to acquaint myself with somepony! Luna thought triumphantly. Who cares if he is but a subject before my royalty? I have gotten my first friend in a truly long time!

Soon enough, Aversion began to stir, his eyelids fluttering at the blinding morning light. After getting some awareness to his surroundings, his eyes opened widely as he became fully awake in an instant. He looked over at Luna, who was laying in her own bed, smiling at him.

"Good morning, new friend!" Luna said, warmly.

"P-Princess Luna..." Aversion uttered, just before tipping his head down. "...s-so... it wasn't a dream..."

"Of course it wasn't a dream, silly!" Luna said.

"I know..." Aversion said. "...it's just... so much to take in. Especially for somepony like me! I've always felt worthless compared to other ponies... and who else to truly feel sorry for me than a Princess of all others? The odds are just... out of this world!"

Luna stood from her bed, putting on her crown, chestpiece, and horseshoes. "I understand if this is all very jarring and sudden, Aversion. But I want to reassure you about this: everything is going to be fine. You've been hurt, and I intend to help you through it! Not to mention... I have been wanting some more excitement in my life."

"Really?" Aversion asked. "I always thought Princesses were free to do what they want, when they want."

Luna chuckled. "No, it's nothing like that. Royal duties are extremely... time-consuming, and tiresome. It's always the same thing everyday. I need excitement to retain my sanity!"

"...Sounds quite a lot like me." Aversion said.

"Yes, and much like you, I always look at the commoners..." Luna said, her gaze shifting to her window, over the city of Canterlot. "...I envy their free reign... they don't realize how easy they've got it compared to ponies like me, or you... and for many, many years... I've wanted to be more like them."

"WOAH!" Aversion said, in an amused manner of surprise. "Jeez, stop being so real! You're totally warping my perception of monarchy!"

Luna laughed again. "You sure are a funny stallion, Aversion! I like you for that!"

Aversion nervously rubbed his hooves together. He wasn't trying to be funny... he never does. But, it actually was kind of nice to hear somepony think it of him.

"In any case, it was nice to acquaint myself with you, Aversion." Luna said. "But now I must return you to your home in Ponyville... especially before my sister knows you're here!"

"But, I have to wonder..." Aversion asked. "...why did you even bother bringing me here in the first place? Isn't that kind of... risky?"

Luna inhaled to speak. "I brought you here, Aversion, for such a brief time, and taking such a bold risk... so you would know about what is truly going on. It was not pointless if it was only a few moments in the night. The fact is that you now know this: you are not alone. And especially... you are not alone in being alone."

Aversion chuckled. "You stole that line from a lyric in that one song by The Pon-lice!"

"Yeah, I just love classic rock..." Luna said. "...but anyway, I brought you here, Aversion, to let you know that I care about you. If you ever feel like you are at your lowest point... always know that there is somepony you can talk to, somewhere. And now... you have me! So... what do you say?"

Aversion let his eyes fall toward the floor as he pondered. Eventually, he looked up at the Princess with a warm smile on his face.

"...I look forward to seeing you again, Luna." he said.

Luna, now looking happier than ever, charged her horn with magic and began to levitate Aversion, preparing to send him home.

"Thank you, Aversion." Luna said. "I'm so glad that I am able to help you... but I think you should know that you are helping me even more. For many years... I've wanted a friend... somepony to talk to... and have fun with..."

"Well..." Aversion said. "...you can call me your first real friend! At least... in this era, right?"

Luna nodded. "And, also... you don't happen to have work tomorrow, do you?"

"Nope." Aversion responded. "I've got the next two days off. After that... it's back to the usual grind for me."

"Good." Luna said. "Then I shall bring you back over here again later tonight! I will have to resort to levitation again, though... since I'm still a bit off on my long-range teleportation skills."

"Fair enough... I don't mind the flying... so long as I'm able to just keep my eyes away from the ground." Aversion said.

"And, Aversion..." Luna said, her eyes becoming a bit sad. "...please don't ever think that taking your own life will solve your problems."

Aversion blushed, both in embarrassment and shame.

"You might not think it... but many ponies would actually be very sad if your life ended too soon." Luna said.

"...I understand that now." Aversion said, knowing that Luna actually cared enough about his situation... not to mention, he could not even comprehend how Scolus would feel if he committed suicide.

"Well, you best be off. I've got my work cut out for me today, before I get a day off tomorrow from it all..." Luna said, opening the door to her balcony, and Aversion began to float backward through it, still facing her. "...Farewell for now, Aversion!"

Aversion waved as he floated away. "Goodbye, Your Hi--uh... Luna!" he remembered to call her.

It was a bit... offsetting for him to address royalty by only their given name. Hopefully, he would get used to it.

Soon enough, he spun himself around in the direction of his flight back home, and Luna entered a meditative state to ensure her magic could continue to be used over a long range. As Aversion was slowly drifting through the sky back to the small speck in the distance that was Ponyville... he was still heavily fixated on the grand opportunity he has just been presented with.

"Wow... a Princess is actually my friend!" he said to himself. "And she's the Princess of the Moon, no less! Oh... hoh-hoh-hooooooh...!" a wicked grin appeared over his face. "Aversion the earth pony should not have access to these kinds of powers... but once he does...!"

He began to laugh in a very devious manner. However, he was quick to snap himself back to his true persona.

"What am I saying!? I can't let myself become a spiteful vengeance-seeker! I would just become no better than all the other bad ponies in my life..." he said.

A short while later, Aversion flew discreetly over the town of Ponyville. It was still early dawn, so many of the citizens were still sleeping. Nopony was out on the streets, but the few who were merely assumed that Aversion was just another bird flying through the air, since they did not bother actually looking up. Once he was near his house, Aversion stopped moving forward, and slowly descended onto the walkway to his front door. Once his hooves made contact with the ground, his gravity came back and his mane and tail reshaped.

Aversion more or less spent the day working on caring for his garden, going for a usual walk, playing some video games, watching a bit of television, and generally passing time. He was, above all else, eager to be brought back to Canterlot Castle to be with his new friend. One whom he could truly relate to with his melancholy...