The transition to wakefulness was sometimes hard to notice. We were not just in the same position as the dream, but our snouts were pressed together too. I poked my tongue out and licked from Luna's chin to the tip of her nose.

Pulling her head back, Luna giggled as she scrunched her snout in response to my attack. "That was uncalled for."

Rolling over and sliding off the bed, I walked over to the huge bathing area that took up half the room. I only got my first hoof into the water before Luna passed me and slid down into the water like a cragodile. "Show off," I said, and walked into the bath as well.

I had to admit, royalty really got the royal treatment. A bath this big and this luxuriant wasn't possible for everypony, but Luna was hardly everypony. She guarded dreams and helped run the country—with great responsibilities came great power. Power like having her own private pool-bath.

"Do you want to try that again, Stygian?"

The question caught me off-guard. I'd floated a brush over with my magic and was preparing to scrub my mane. "First I want to say how it made me feel." Getting the brush to work, I started on my mane and added some shampoo to help wash it. "Powerful. I felt—dominant. I was on top for the last bit, and I—I liked it."

Luna had waded back to the shallow water and started ruffling her wings in the water—fluffing out her feathers. "But you were in control?"

"That's what felt so good. Though, I did enjoy it when you had control. It was a lot of fun on both sides." Worry assailed me. "Was it fun for you?"

"It was good fun, though I swear I still feel a little sore from how big you were. It might be a dream, but it's our dream." Luna let out a happy sigh when I swapped over to brushing out her mane. "Mmm, I'd like you to be bigger, though."

The comment caused me pause. "Bigger?"

"Yes. Bigger. You won't be able to get in me, but that means we can do other things. That rubbing—"

"Frotting," I said.

"…frotting, was quite enjoyable. Perhaps I could do something like that for you as a much bigger stallion?"

My heart had sped up and I was breathing hard. She wanted bigger? She wanted to—to let me play like that more? I tried to get my brain and body on track again. "W-We could try that. I don't want to hurt you, Luna, you mean too much to me."

Luna stepped closer and kissed me on the cheek. "Like what just happened, I'll tell you if I want you to stop."

"If we keep kissing, we'll get distracted and your sister will have to send somepony to collect us." Of course, I kissed her cheek right back and continued on to nuzzle her jaw.

It took time to clean ourselves up, but it was time spent whispering soft and hungry words to each other while preparing for the night ahead.

We were just about to leave when Luna stopped me with a hoof. "You want to have the wings again?"

I thought about it. The wings were neat, and I certainly enjoyed flying with Luna, but what I knew about them was that Luna loved seeing them. "If Your Highness pleases?" I focused my gaze on her eyes and attempted my best I'm cool with this look.

"That's a yes?"

"Luna, I'll be honest. The wings are nice, but the only reason I like them is it means I can fly with you. Otherwise, I have no real opinion on them." Rolling my shoulders, I lifted one eyebrow. "But I certainly saw how you reacted to them. I liked how you reacted."

"So yes?"

She looked conflicted and confused. How had I had such an effect on a princess?! "Very yes."

Her consternation turned to a bright smile, and a cobalt glow surrounded her horn. Princess Luna's magic was potent. She could move the moon—causing wings to sprout from my shoulders wasn't a huge stretch for her.

New muscles stitched their way across my back, sides, and chest. I felt the new limbs push free and stretch out. I pulled them down long enough to get out the door and then extended my new wings to their full expanse.

When I looked back over my shoulder, it was just in time to see Luna picking her jaw up. She'd made these wings for me, but seeing the effect spreading them had on her made dealing with them worth it. "That's exactly what I mean."

"Huh?" Luna followed me out the door and closed it behind her. "What exactly do you mean?"

"That if you were a stallion, you'd be showing a lot more than a big grin. You really like wings that much?" I closed one and then the other to my side, trying to remember how to fold them so they would sit neat.

"I like wings."

That's when it hit me. "You liked Pony of Shadows' wings."

Luna's prancing walk faltered for a step and she blushed. "He's a mighty stallion, though he could definitely get my blood pumping more if he did some flaps with those monsters."

Without a word I spread my wings and gave them a weak flap. It wasn't enough to launch me into the air, but I heard Luna's breath catch in her throat. Wings are definitely her thing. Information to file away for later use.

Two members of the events council—Fleur Dis Lee and Fancy Pants—were leaving the main hall. They didn't notice me at first, but the moment Fleur's eyes caught me, I had her full attention.

"Princess Luna, I don't believe you've introduced us to your friend," Fleur said.

I cleared my throat. I actually liked the pair, since the majority of our dealings were through Luna's office and, as such, they were generally working for Luna at the time. "Miss Fleur Dis Lee, we have been introduced. Stygian, at your service." I bowed my head and neck in my best emulation of a courtly bow and swept one wing forward and around to shroud my breast.

Fleur's look of shock was plain to see. If she were a pegasus, I'd expect her wings would have shot up in surprise.

"My dear, Master Stygian has been Princess Luna's personal assistant now for some time, and—if the rumors swirling around Canterlot are correct—her consort. Given the proclivities of her sister regarding ponies sprouting wings and horns, I find it unsurprising." Fancy was a sharp pony, which is probably why he held the position he did. He hadn't gotten all the facts right, however. "Congratulations."

I looked from his bowed form to Luna, and finding Luna grinning happily, returned to looking at Fancy. He was a handsome stallion, but that he had Fleur always at his side meant he was strictly eye-candy. "Not as ground-shaking as all that, sorry. We're just—just practicing for next Nightmare Night."

"Oh." Fleur sounded so let down. "Do they work?"

Luna took a half step forward to head off not just the question but any further interactions. "Well enough that he can fly. You'll have to excuse us, I need to raise the moon."

"Of course, Your Highness." Bowing again, but stepping back this time, Fancy Pants nonetheless had a smile on his face. "You will come to our little anniversary next week?"

"Absolutely," I said. "We wouldn't miss it for the world. Do drop us an invite one evening."

Confusion crossed Fancy's face, but Fleur saved him by giving her best smile and nodding her head. "Absolutely. Come along, Fancy-darling, we have to prepare for an evening out in the city tomorrow. I have the perfect thing to wear."

Waiting for them to leave, Luna turned to me. "You accepted?"

"Of course. They're two of Canterlot's most important ponies. Besides, it will be a date, and a chance for us to tell everypony what's going on between us." I ruffled my wings a little and walked up to the main doors that led to the central castle and its throne room.

"But—But we can't!" Luna trotted to catch up to me. "Can we? What will ponies think?"

"That I am a lucky stallion."

"No more than I'm a lucky mare. You think it's a good time to reveal us?" Luna mustn't have realized how high she was lifting her hooves—practically prancing.

I felt like prancing too.

Dressing up for a ball was easy for a stallion. Steel Horn had outdone herself with armor that was not just light, but showed off my wings and horn as if Luna herself had said "Make him look like an alicorn."

So I stood there, wearing the armor I'd actually been training to wear, and watched as Rarity fussed over Luna for two whole hours. It had gotten predictable—Luna would finally be happy with how part of her outfit looked, and Rarity would change it completely.

What mattered, however, was that Rarity had all her focus on Luna. Since I was ready, I figured I could sneak out now.

I got nearly halfway to the door before Rarity's voice cut my plans to ribbons. "And where do you think you're going? I'm almost done with Princess Luna, and then I need to start on you."

Sirens? My own inner evil? Every other monster or beast I'd helped my friends fight would be preferable to this. For a brief moment I wondered if my magic might be up for a teleport spell. I'd certainly never teleported myself before, and there were some strange accidents that could happen if you did it wrong, but I was perfectly willing to give one a shot.

But Rarity was looking at me as if I were a canapé. She was a lot better with her magic than I was. Having been the close friend of both Princess Twilight Sparkle and Headmistress Starlight Glimmer, it wouldn't be a huge stretch to assume she'd picked up either being able to fly or teleport from one of them. "In fact, I believe we're done, Your Highness?"

"Yes!" Luna was too fast on the reply, but I couldn't blame her. In this one field, Rarity was the princess and Luna just a mare. Being dismissed, Luna practically ran for the door to escape.

The moment Luna was out of the room, Rarity walked right up to me. There was no way she was more imposing than Princess Celestia, but she sure seemed to be. "Now, Stygian, we need to work on your mane and tail."

"But Steel Ho—"

"Steel Horn is the most capable armorer in all Equestria, and her garments are second to none when it comes to the compromise between battlefield effectiveness and fashion, but it's you that needs a little work. Over here please." Rarity gestured to the spot where Luna had been for two hours.

My heart sank, but there was no way out of this. Besides, I wanted to look my best for Luna. The enchanted armor was light on my body as I walked over to the huge mirror and table scattered with Rarity's equipment. "So what are you going to do?"

"You need to make as much of a splash as Princess Luna, but not outshine her. Ponies are going to find themselves looking at you anyway—being at her side as you are—so you need to be the essence of what they'll expect." She went to work on my mane.

"Isn't this all a bit much?" I asked.

Rarity froze and all her implements settled back on the table beside her. Locking her eyes on me, Rarity took a deep breath and let out a disappointed sigh.

"Sorry I asked," I said.

When I finally made it out of that room, it was an hour later and my mane was carefully styled up into a style not all that unlike Commander Fizzlepop Berrytwist's. My tail had been worked differently—Rarity having braided the lot together and formed it into a short but wide mass that barely extended further than my dock. I also sported eyeshadow and mascara that made my normally impossible to see lashes stand out.

It was all too much for me, and I'd have washed it off in a heartbeat if:

1. I knew how.
   
2. I had amnesty from Rarity.

Combined, I was doing everything in my power to not think about how I looked. But as I stepped out of our bedroom, and Luna's eyes fell upon me, I truly did forget about the makeup. She looked impressed, sure, but there was a look of love and desire mixed that almost stole my breath.

"Stygian?" Luna sounded incredulous, as if she expected another stallion had walked out wearing the same equipment I'd gone in with.

And about that moment I realized the work Rarity had put into Luna's makeup. I'd barely noticed it earlier, what with my impending doom, but the eyeshadow made Luna's eyes practically glow, and I adored how full her lashes were.

I couldn't help myself. I strode forward and tilted my head up to her and—with her reciprocating—we kissed.

"Stop that this instant! If either of you ruin your makeup I'll—" Rarity froze for a moment as we both broke our kiss to face her. She suddenly looked as defeated as I'd been for the previous hour. She sighed. "Well, I guess without lipstick on either of you, kissing shouldn't be a problem."

It was strange how much I'd learned about ponies in my time working with Luna. For instance, I could tell that Rarity was completely drained mentally, and anything at all would set her off if we weren't careful. But, I also knew it would only take a tiny—humble—push and she'd be completely emotionally recharged.

"Thank you, Rarity," I said. "Without your help, we wouldn't look a fraction as good as we do."

Compliments, with somepony as invested with their craft as Rarity was, were powerful. Her eyes flickered and whatever weariness wrestling with the two of us for three hours had brought was gone in an instant. Her face brightened, her stance changed, and Rarity was once more Rarity. I could still see a little weariness in her, but now she had energy.

"Oh, no-no-no! Thank you both! It has been an honor to prepare you for your first big date. Why, when I heard that you'd both accepted an invite to one of Fancy's soirees, I was tripping all over myself to find the right colors to suit you." As Rarity spoke, her vitality only strengthened until I wasn't even sure I could see the weariness of her work in her.

"I for one quite enjoyed a little pampering," Luna said. "Perhaps we should meet up tomorrow at the Ponyville Spa to discuss the goings-on of tonight's event?"

If my thanks had been revitalizing to Rarity, Luna's request seemed to completely finish her off. I fully expected to have to catch her fainting away any moment.

"That would be an excellent idea. Perhaps you could bring your—ahem—special somepony too?" Rarity asked.

Hold up. Now I had to—

"It's a date," Luna said.

—go to Ponyville Spa tomorrow, apparently. Our nightly duties were already on hold for a few days to accommodate the party tonight. Princess Celestia hadn't so much as batted an eyelash when we told her. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Now Rarity's enthusiasm seemed to have spread to Luna, and as I realized I'd get to see Luna pampered utterly, I had to admit that I was looking forward to it too.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get ready for the party too," Rarity said.

"Please, use our room. There's no reason for you to go hunting for somewhere to get ready when all your things are already here." Luna gestured to the door to our bedroom with a hoof. The movement made me realize how much her dress shifted and moved with her. I still might not be completely enamored with the female form, but I could appreciate that Luna was on the strong and powerful end of the feminine scale.

Or she was at the effeminate end of the strong stallion scale. That was one I could appreciate more.

So we waited while Rarity did her own makeup and got dressed—something that was much faster than the ordeal either Luna or I put up with. When she left our room I almost recoiled. Rarity was always firmly entrenched in female beauty, but she was now far and away the most mare-y mare I'd ever seen. A flowing dress, sparkling shoes on her hooves, all the makeup a mare could wear, and her mane was spectacular.

Well, my libido was safe from Rarity, at least. She was so much a mare that she didn't even seem to rate on my personal hotness scale. Or maybe my hotness scale only consisted of Luna now?

"You waited for me?" Rarity held one of her shod forehooves to her breast. "Darlings, you shouldn't have!"

Together we made our way to the party. It was… unique. Everypony seemed to fawn over Luna as if she didn't attend parties often (and I was pretty sure she didn't). A lot of the ponies present were ones I'd seen at court, though this was a much more relaxed place to meet them.

I was sure we'd done a full loop of the room and met everypony when a chime started and slowly got louder until everypony had turned to see what was interrupting their important conversations.

"Thank you for your attention, everypony. I am delighted to welcome you all to another of my little parties, and while I'm sure you'll all continue to be enraptured by any speech I give"—Fancy Pants paused to let a short round of laughter rise and fade—"we have no less than three special guests here tonight.

"Our first guest is one I've invited countless times in the past years, but alas she's been far too busy running Equestria and protecting our dreams to surrender an evening to my silly little parties. This time, however, I employed a secret weapon the likes of which our attending princess could not contend.

"A stallion whose skill with a quill are simply unmatched, be it in a novel or in the positively scathing legal documents he presents to all and sundry who attempt to waste royal time. Please, come join me and share a few words Princess Luna and… prince… Stygian?"

I froze in place and couldn't so much as think until Luna's wing settled over my back—then I managed to start breathing again. Prince?! I wasn't a prince!

"Stygian, it was a joke. Come on, and try to not look flustered by his words," Luna's voice was soft and right by my ear. Given the applause in around us, I doubt anypony took it for anything but her whispering sweet nothings to me. "Where's my powerful stallion?"

The last words, spoken in a deeper tone—Nightmare Moon's tone—broke me from my stupor completely. I stepped forward at Luna's side as a path opened through the crowd. When we got all the way to where Fancy Pants and Fleur dis Lee were standing, I was almost under control again.

Luna turned first to face the crowd of faces. Somewhere during our walk her wing had slipped off me again, and so I had to turn myself around to match.

"Thank you, everypony. You're too kind. First I feel I must make a correction. Stygian isn't a prince until I marry him." Luna turned her head and winked to me, and the crowd seemed to explode with a cheer. "Though I will admit that he's already having a good influence upon my person."

When Luna made a greater show of looking at me, everypony's attention seemed to follow.

What would I say? This was—my own fault. Well played, Luna. "It's all true. I'm not a prince yet." This time I paused for laughter, and sure enough I got some. "It was purely a whim to attend tonight, but I'm glad we did. With such company as is present, and in the spirit of the days gone by I find myself remembering far too often, I wish to state before the assembled my intention to woo your princess." My mouth had turned traitor, or was on automatic—there had to be a lie I could tell myself for why I'd said what I said apart from love.

What I hadn't been prepared for was the stomping, cheering applause from the ponies present, or the way Luna used her magic to grab my chin and cheeks as she pulled my face toward her to kiss.

As our lips touched, it was like time stood still. I could still remember the days before she'd found me—or had I found her? Listless, searching, and unable to grasp what I was meant to do with myself.

In the past I'd helped my friends with tactics and ways to take down big bad monsters, then I'd doomed all of us to a horrid fate by becoming a big bad monster. Was this worth it? Could I ask my friends to forgive me trying to destroy everything because it brought me to this point?

And what of me? Gay to the bone and kissing Princess Luna before all the assembled nobility of Canterlot. Kissing her—and loving it. Who was I to say if I was even gay anymore. I like stallions, but I love Luna.

I love Luna.

Reaching my wings up and forward, I cradled her jaw on each side and deepened the kiss. Bat wings also had the added bonus of giving us a little privacy. I held her there as surely as her own lips held me, and we relaxed into the kiss for what I felt was becoming an extended period of time.

"Ahem! I think we might have to give Canterlot's newest couple a little time—they seem… busy." Fancy Pants' voice was warm and flowed like silk, distracting everypony and encouraging them to move on from their fascination.

Our lips broke only long enough for us to feel the other smiling, then we kissed again. This one was like a small shock after a big earthquake—brief and intense. But, we had to rejoin the party at some point.

"I love you, Luna," I said.

"Yes. I am well aware of that, Stygian. I hope you've realized one thing from all this."

Tilting my head a little, I raised an eyebrow.

"I love you too," Luna said.

I'd seen bright flashes of magic overtake ponies. I could remember each of the times Twilight had been forced to use it in my presence and had read books detailing further times when it had happened. I felt like that now. Everything in the universe felt right. "I want to kiss you again."

"Hmm. Will you be able to stop if we do that?"

I chuckled at her question. "Probably not."

"Better not risk it. Lower your wings and try to blush a little more—they'll expect it." Just as I started to lower my wings, however, she kissed me on the cheek. It was just the thing to make me blush, because I couldn't stop thinking of all the things I wanted to do now, but couldn't because of all the ponies present.

The party was easier to deal with after our announcement. Ponies would smile at us whenever they got close, and there was no expectation to hold up a conversation. All we had to do was look at each other and ponies would giggle and slink away.

Before I even knew what was happening, the party was winding down. Ponies split off in pairs and small groups (some claiming they had other parties to attend), though I was at a loss as to what to do with Luna. We weren't needed for our duties to the Court tonight.

"It was simply marvelous of you to choose our little soiree to make your announcement. The rumors had been growing, and I know several of my peers who'd cooked up reasons to be in your Court just to judge for themselves how much of an item you were." Fancy Pants had a way of looking and sounding like a noble fop, but actually holding a good conversation and revealing he was sharp as a tack.

Ruffling my wings, I stretched one up and over Luna's back. She was larger than me still, but I was content with my height. "It needed to be done. I'd noticed the odd cases we were getting—will this mean an end to them?"

Fleur didn't have wings, but the artful way she leaned against Fancy almost made me blush anew. "Of course not. They'll all want to see the royal couple up close now. They'll want to evaluate you both more than ever."

"Quite so," Fancy said before he pressed his muzzle to Fleur's cheek and kissed her. The kiss was brief, but the change it quickened in Fleur was amazing. She perked up and nuzzled into Fancy's mane without a shred of decorum.

"We should probably leave them to cleaning up," Luna said, and to my surprise she did a mirror of what Fleur had done. Feeling her muzzle trailing along my neck and through my mane would have caused me to have a major faux pa if it weren't for the armor bucked onto me. I hadn't realized it when I'd put it on, but there was a spot where my shaft just sort of slid into and didn't hang below my belly like a young stallion seeing his first love.

But I was still a stallion and Luna was definitely my love. "Mmm, yeah. Come on. I want to see what's still open."

The doughnut shop, sadly, was not open. We walked around Canterlot in the cool night air and exchanged kisses, giggles, and soft murmurs together. When we started hearing music, however, it got both of us interested.

Far out on the edge of Canterlot, shrouded by trees that were probably there to cut down on the noise, we found the nightclub that was the source of the music. Pushing our way in the front door wasn't hard since there was nopony guarding it. There was a dim hallway that led to another pair of double-doors.

I used my magic to push these inner doors open, and it was like being hit in the chest with raw sound (mostly because that's exactly what happened). The music thumped repetitively, and all the fancy lighting in the club drew my eyes toward the mare on a stage surrounded by speakers and music equipment.

The beat faded and a zipping noise poured from the speakers as the white unicorn on stage pointed her hoof at us while a bunch of lights seemed to trace a line to our hooves. "Looks like we've got somepony important here tonight! Come on, Princess Luna, come and say hello to your biggest fans!"

"Don't you dare make me go up there alone," Luna said aside to me, then started walking through the parting crowd of ponies.

As we neared the stage, the DJ's bespectacled eyes landed on me and the sound of a crash came from the speakers. "Whoa! Not often you see a legit bat pony, let alone one of the Pillars of Equestria! Come up here, too, Stygian!"

"Vinyl Scratch—" Luna said as she neared the stage.

"DJ Pon-3, when I'm working, Your Highness." She lifted her voice and almost swallowed a mic to shout, "Everypony put your hooves together for the princess of the night and her stallion of choice!"

The roar of hooves had nothing to do with the stacks of speakers we were standing beside. It sounded like there was thunder in the room with us.

"Hey hey! What does our princess and her… prince, want to hear? I don't normally do requests, but royalty are totally an exception," DJ Pon-3 said, only much louder than just her voice thanks to us standing right beside her speakers.

"Something we can dance fast to!" Luna's shout surprised me almost as much as the piercing look she gave me. For some reason I was suddenly grateful I was wearing armor—even if it was just ceremonial.

"Ohhhhh! You got it, our dark mistress of the night!" The last word from the DJ's mouth was drowned out by the first thud of the music starting back up. "Everypony make some noise and move your plots!"

The sound seemed to match the rhythm of my heart. With Luna bouncing around with me, I found the magic of song compelling me to dance with her. The tempo sped up and so did we.

We danced until the music stopped. I don't know the exact time, but if my new circadian rhythm was anything to go by, Luna and Celestia would be performing their morning ritual in less than an hour.

Luna, bedecked in glowing loops and with her feathers painted by glow-in-the-dark paint, was still bouncing to the beat she only heard in her head now. "Stygian! We should do this more!"

Her enthusiasm was as contagious now as it was when we'd started dancing. I found my hooves moving to the same rhythm as hers as we made our way to the exit. "Perhaps on weekends?"

"Hey! Your Highness! Stygian!" DJ Pon-3 shouted from across the room before she ran over to us. "That was a real blast! I really dig the getup, you know. It's almost like you went to some fancy party before coming to my digs. So what's up? I haven't seen you since… whoa, like the wedding."

"Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor's wedding? That could be correct. That was a lot of fun tonight. Do these parties normally run so early?" Luna stopped at the door to chat with the DJ. Now that the house lights were illuminating her, I could recognize the DJ as somepony I'd seen the few times I'd visited Ponyville.

"What? This? Nah. We normally shut up hours earlier, but it's not every night that a princess comes in to dance with us. Where you going now? Back to the palace?"

"Yes. Would you like to come and watch my sister and I do our thing?" I noticed how much Luna's language had changed since first meeting her. Had mine changed too?

Vinyl Scratch (I finally remembered her name from earlier in the night) levitated a bottle of water over and opened it. "Whoa! Thanks for the invite, but seeing the sun rise is literally against my code of ethics. Maybe one night you could show me how you raise the moon?" She took a long pull of the water.

Pull?

Yes, my language use was changing. Where did I even pick that one up?

Luna grinned wide. "Be at the palace before sunset tonight."

"I needed that. Right, I'll be there. Hey, what's the deal with you two, anyway?"

I cleared my throat, stepped closer to Luna, lifted myself as tall as I could and kissed her on the cheek. "That's what the deal is," I said.

"No way? You're dating? So this was a date? You came to my club for a date?!" Vinyl emptied the bottle of water over her head and let out a shout. "This is amazing!"

"He is pretty amazing." Luna kissed me back and I almost lost myself to the feelings from earlier. She broke the kiss before I could make it not stop, and grinned devilishly at me.

"You're something else yourself, but your sister will be expecting you soon," I said.

Luna let out a groan. "You're right. You're always right. Sorry, Vinyl, we must away. Duties and all that." As she turned back to the door, Luna paused for one more moment. "Sweet dreams," she said to Vinyl. Given the source, it was probably a promise.

I followed Luna out into the morning. There was no sun in the sky yet—of course—but the whole world seemed to tremble in anticipation of it. "We're cutting it fine," Luna said. "Come, my stallion, let's fly!"

My surprise made me take a few moments longer to get airborn than Luna did. The wings she'd given me were well-versed in flying on their own, but I'd started trying to get a feel for doing things on my own. Flapping hard, I shot into the sky and after Luna.

Flying at night was a strange kind of freedom. Before Luna had given me this gift, I would have been squinting into the gloom and been barely able to see the nose in front of my face. My eyes worked a little different now, however, and I could widen them somehow and see a lot more in the dim light.

We had to gain a lot of height to reach the same level as the castle, and even more to get over the low outer wall so we could swoop in to the front doors of the palace. Most ponies would at least be questioned as to why they were flying directly to the palace doors just before sunrise, but not Princess Luna.

Would I be stopped and questioned if I was alone? Probably. In all honesty, if I was flying directly to the palace, it would probably be to get help with something. Of all the ponies I could think of to get immediate help from, the larger-than-life Royal Guard were right up there. The two standing at the main doors didn't so much as twitch as we approached, though their eyes did flick to us just once before scanning the sky and grounds again.

It had been Luna's insistence that the Royal Guard's numbers be swelled with the addition of mares and stallions of all shapes and sizes. One of those on duty was Diving Stoop. She was a mare that stood almost as tall as Luna and was the biggest pegasi I'd ever seen. She had an off-brown coat and a cascade of yellow mane and tail that was bordering on platinum. Opposite her was Brave Hoof, an earth pony stallion that I'd personally seen restrain a unicorn who'd tried to insist he should remain talking during Court.

I would never want to test myself against either.

As we marched into the entry hall, a yawning mare gaped at us. "Y-Your Highness! Princess Celestia is awaiting you at the balcony."

"Am I late?" Luna asked, to which the mare could only tremble in reply. "You can tell me I'm late if I'm late."

I cleared my throat and smiled to the mare, who seemed to be a new scribe in the palace. "Am I late to see the sunrise?"

Realization and relief seemed to explode onto the mare's face. Her shaking stopped and she nodded her head rapidly. "Y-Y-Yes!"

We marched on and through the throne room. Luna chuckled as she used her magic to open the door to the balcony. "You have a way with ponies."

"I managed to keep the Pillars together long enough to realize they could all be friends. A mare who's awed at being in the presence of a princess struggling to point out said princess has a fault was easy to handle." I looked from Luna to the end of the hall and saw it open to reveal Princess Celestia standing to one side and looking out over the dark world below her.

Princess Celestia didn't turn as we approached. "Did you both have a good evening?"

"We certainly did. You waited." Luna stepped out on the balcony above the world and looked down. She didn't often look down—she smiled a little wider. "We announced ourselves as a couple."

Huge white wings seemed to engulf the entire world—not really, but Celestia's wingspan was more than enough to ensnare Luna and me. She squeezed us together until I wondered if we would be able to come apart ever again. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Sister?" Luna asked. Then a little louder, "Sister?!"

When Luna repeated herself a third time, Princess Celestia loosened her grip. "What's wrong?"

"I don't think Stygian was able to breathe. Are you alright, love?"

Luna's voice using that word for me revived every bit of strength that Celestia's constriction had stolen. Taking long, deep breaths, I arched my neck a little and looked up to Luna and kissed her cheek. "I am now, love." As my lips drew back, I noticed there was a rosy little touch of blush in Luna's cheek. The butterflies in my stomach seemed to like that more than her saying the word to me.

"Luna?" Celestia asked. This time it was Luna's (and my) turn to barely notice her. "Luna!"

Turning her head, Luna looked up at her sister. "Huh? Oh! The Moon!" That familiar rush of magic poured through her and thundered into the sky as Luna grasped the moon and eased it down.

Just like when she pulled me into her dream, I could feel the wash of her magic pouring over and through me. I would never know this level of power myself, but I delighted in feeling it from her. It was a raw energy that reminded me of the stallion Luna was in our dreams.

Celestia's power, on the other hoof, was bright and sharp. It wasn't a gentle shower pouring over me, but a glaring heat that burned away all shadows and bid the umbra to oblivion. It was its own delight, but it wasn't from the mare I loved.

As we turned, heedless of the deadly fall for any creature lacking flight, I spread my right wing over Luna's back and we led the way back into the tunnel.

Having wings was strange still, but not half as strange as my love life—and I'd managed to ride that wave so far. We reached the throne room and that poor scribe was waiting. She looked shocked at my wing over Luna's back, and I could see growing panic in her eyes.

"You're Princess Celestia's new scribe?" I asked.

She nodded mutely, then let out a little gasp (had she been holding her breath?) and replied, "Yes!" She coughed, then said, "Yes," much softer.

"If you need any help, ask Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, myself, or Raven Inkwell. Our job as scribes is to assist the princesses—just ask if you aren't sure about anything, and remember that you are here because you are the best at this." I was about to offer more advice, but the breakfast table was being set up.

"'Inner, Your Highness, Stygian, or 'ave you eaten already?" Pomme Frites' accent was on point today.

"Actually, Pomme Frites, would some hash and eggs be too much? We're up a little late, and the evening was…" Luna seemed to fish for a word before winking to me. "… energetic."

"I think I'll have that too, if you don't mind?" Princess Celestia asked.

"Non-non-non! I will have three plates ready soon!" Pomme Frites turned and pranced out of the room, leaving us time to sit down.

Pomme Frites had no horn but she could work literal magic in the kitchen. I knew what hash was, and how long it should take for her to prepare and cook it, yet she was walking back into the throne room in half that time.

We'd barely even gotten to blushing, and Celestia hadn't managed to grill us on the evening we'd had.

With our breakfasts in front of us, I noticed Celestia smiling a little wider. "So, what did the two of you get up to last night?"

I turned to look at Luna, and she looked at me. We both had big grins on our faces even as Luna replied, "Stuff." Then we started giggling.

"And where did this stuff take place? Are we really going to play this game?" Celestia asked.

Her questions were worth another giggle, but I decided to answer. "We attended a party and I announced my intent to court your sister there." With my magic I started scooping up the slightly oily breakfast. With the night we'd had, something heavy to fill our bellies was a must.

"I only know of one party last night—Fancy Pants and Fleur Dis Lee's ball." The only problem with eating breakfast with Princess Celestia was how bright her magic was. "I take it that's where you've been all night? Strange, though, I don't remember their balls running quite this late."

Up until her last sentences, she had us dead to rights. "Oh no. We only just got back from a nightclub party hosted by DJ-PON3, when she found out we were formerly an item, she extended her party until dawn."

"Or what should have been dawn," Luna said between mouthfuls. "Having me there may have made it hard to run until dawn, but I think her patrons were happier knowing they could get home before the sun came up. Thank you for waiting."

"Y-You announced your relationship at a night club?!" Celestia's fork clattered to her plate as she stared between us in what seemed like complete shock. "You—You're a princess! You have…" But her vehemence seemed to drain as we broke into a fit of giggles. "What?" Her tone was now that of a defeated mare.

"We attended Fancy and Fleur's party first. When it finished, we went to the club and danced until the early hours. It was a wonderful night. Did you know they proclaimed that I was their princess? It was hard to follow their logic, but the gist was they stay up most of the night anyway, like myself, and… Sister, you look ill. Maybe you should take light duties today?"

I decided to keep my mouth shut now, only opening it to put more food in. The food, of course, was excellent. Eating so well was one of the many perks of dating Luna.

"You're doing this to rib me, aren't you, Luna? It worked, but now I see that you had a good time and took your duties seriously. It's quite becoming of a princess to connect with the citizens of her nation. Perhaps you could take more such evenings off and perhaps attend more social events?" Once again calm, Celestia retrieved her fork and returned to her breakfast.

Luna, who had somehow managed to nearly finish her breakfast already, smiled at Celestia without revealing a thing. "You know, I might just do that. Perhaps once night a week. Saturday sounds good to me. What about you, love?"

It took the tiniest jolt of my magic to summon an official scroll and quill, animate the latter, and start taking notes. "That sounds good to me. I'll make sure to let Vinyl Scratch know." I didn't just write that down, of course. There seemed to be a dress code for the club, and while they hadn't said anything earlier, I was sure we'd have fit a little better if we'd adhered to it.

That, of course, I did while eating my breakfast. There wasn't many situations in which I could manipulate more than one thing at a time, but when paper was involved I could. "Anything else?" I asked.

"And you'll both have to attend more balls. You've given the nobility of Canterlot something new to talk about. Either you continue giving them little things to talk about or they'll get curious and come looking." Celestia yawned and stretched out her wings in a display as awkward as it would for any pony. Yet another reminder that the princesses are just that—ponies. "They're going to want to know about your wings."

"That's easy to explain," Luna said. "They're a hazard of his job."

"Or a perk," I said.

"You really like them?"

I nodded. "It's nice to share flying with you. You always look so—so alive and vibrant when you fly."

Luna leaned over and kissed my cheek briefly. "That's for keeping your eyes on me while flying." She kissed me again. "That's for trying it out in the first place, and—" She used her magic to turn my jaw so that her next kiss connected square on my lips.

I had to gulp down my mouthful of food quickly so I could give the kiss the attention it (and Luna) deserved. While I kissed, I watched as Luna's eyes slowly fluttered closed and let mine do the same. The touch, taste, and smell of the embrace all heightened—though it was mostly a reminder that we were eating the same breakfast.

When our lips finally broke, Luna let out a happy sigh and made my hooves curl a little in happiness. "—that was for wanting to be beside me."

"Where else would I ever want to be?" It was sappy and sweet, and I could remember reading it in a terrible love novel, but now I realized how those words were a big point in the book.

I wanted to grab her up and carry her off to our quarters. Looking at the food revealed we'd both eating a good share each. Well, it was time to do a little taking charge of my own. I wasn't strong when it came to magic, but I had a trick that let me do a lot more.

Feeling out with my magic, I found notes and papers and spoke to them. It was an aspect of my magic I didn't share with others, but paper spoke to me. It told me how important it was, and it also listened. I need the finest papers who aren't busy to help me care for a princess.

The paper answered me.

Blue magic boiled and fizzed off my horn as paper whirled through the palace toward the throne room. Blank pieces of paper, empty scrolls, and a small collection of doodles rushed in and around Luna and myself.

"W-What are you doing, Stygian?" Luna asked.

"Carrying you away."

The paper was gentle, as I wanted it to be, when it pressed to Luna's back, shoulders, and rump. It tilted her and lifted until she was on her back—floating in the air.

I turned to Celestia. "Excuse me, Your Highness, but I have to steal your sister away for a day of sleep. May I have your leave?"

"Hrmm." Celestia tapped her chin with a teaspoon she'd just used to stir some sugar into her tea. "On the one hoof you are foalnapping my sister, but you seem to have your paperwork in order."

"Puns, sister? Really?" Luna asked.

Seemingly ignoring her sister, Celestia lifted her tea up and took a sip. "I give you my full consent to steal Luna for the day."

Dipping my head low, I bowed to Celestia. "Thank you, Your Highness. I promise to return her in good condition." Straightening again, I turned toward Luna. She was blushing, looking a little sheepish, and above all a little vulnerable. My heart pounded a little quicker. "Make way! I'm foalnapping a princess!"

The guards all put their weapons aside and saluted as I floated Luna out of the throne room. Walking along with her beside me, I felt excited and proud of the fact that I was trusted again. Fresh out of Limbo as I'd been, nopony would have seen fit to leave me alone with a deck of cards. "I trust you're comfortable?"

"Stygian, what are you up to?" Mirth colored Luna's tone as we passed the guards and turned for the royal quarters. When I didn't immediately respond, she used her magic to twitch my ear.

"I thought it was clear. I'm foalnapping you for a day of relaxation and snuggles." I turned for the hallway that led to our quarters and nodded to the two Royal Guard who stood at the entrance to the long hallway. "Unless you'd like a day without snuggles?"

Luna turned her head to look down at me. "Snuggles are an acceptable excuse for foalnapping me from breakfast." She wiggled a little as we neared the door to our shared abode. "Will we sleep while we snuggle?"

I opened the door and carried her inside. A touch of my magic and the enchanted lighting came up to a soft luminosity that had me already relaxing for the day. "Did you have plans for something else? Maybe Her Royal Highness would like her lowly servant to give her a massage?"

When her eyes flashed with excitement, I knew I had a winner. Juggling her carefully toward the huge inbuilt bathing area that took up nearly a third of the room, I turned her over so she could set her hooves down on the tiling around the bath.

Removing my outfit was a little more work, but by the time I joined her beside the bath I was free of any clothing and ready to descend with her.

The papers I sent into a neat pile well away from the water.

"You're going to spoil me." Luna stepped slowly into the water, and I watched it cover her hooves, fetlocks, legs, and eventually ease over her back. It had stopped being strange to watch a mare with such intensity with the same I would give a stallion. Her body had feminine curves, sure, but she wasn't a weak mare by any stretch of the imagination.

"Yes. Wasn't I meant to?" Lighter things I could handle with my magic included brushes and shampoo bottles, but for a massage I wanted to be hooves on. Lathering up her mane with some shampoo, I had to rear up on her back—something that was a lot easier to do in the water—to start the massage.

Luna leaned into the attention, her body shifting slightly to let me move easier. "You are so much more comfortable with me now."

"Familiarity and knowing that it's you I love made it easier to accept you for who and what you are—even in reality. If there's one thing that's proven to me how crazily in love I am with you, it's that."

With a soft groan, Luna arched her neck for me to massage up. The suds from her mane were no problem, though her mane was always so expansive that it gave me a minor thrill to work on. "You're a big, strong mare. There's not a lot different between you and a big, strong stallion."

"Except a penis." She was right to the point and her point was right—that was something that was different. Turning her head, Luna looked at me. "You sacrifice much to be with me, Stygian."

"And you with me. Another stallion you satisfy you physically—"

"But not mentally. Of lovers I could take my pick, Stygian, but there's only one stallion I'm interested in and only one who can hold up a shred of a conversation and see things from my side." Luna's horn lit up and a moment later I felt a brush start working through my mane. "Besides, I can always masturbate."

"Perhaps, but I still look on you with wonder that you'd do all this for me—with me." I worked slowly down her neck to her wings and started to rub gently over the strong muscles there. "We must both be crazy."

"That's probably part of it. We've both been driven beyond our breaking points, Stygian, we both know what evil can coil around the hearts of ponies. I look at my sister's Royal Guard and I see brave ponies, but has a single one of them faced what we have?" Luna's voice had a touch of sadness to it.

"Well, Shining Armor faced his fair share of darkness, as did the Royal Guard when Cozy Glow stole most of the world's magic. Quite the harsh feeling, I'd gather, to have sworn your life to protect ponies then have that ability stolen." I focused down her left wing, rubbing the muscles I knew were there to relax them. "And again when all Equestria was falling apart. Remember how the tribes broke asunder, but the Royal Guard stood as one."

"You're right. Of course you're right. Sometimes it's hard to see that they're doing their job when they are always th—" Luna let out a low moan as I reached her wingtip.

The tiny muscles that worked her feathers tightened under my hoof, only to release again as I slowly worked on them. "You're flight muscles are tense. We both need to do more flying." I swapped sides, which required dismounting her, circling around behind, then coming up to her other wing.

"… right there. You're spoiling me."

"No more than you're spoiling me. Did you know I thought my life was all-but over? I was content to scribble down what words I could while my nightmares ate me up. I was a wretch." I nibbled along her wing as I worked, my teeth gentle along the softest feathers at the leading edge of her wing.

"You're just trying to get me to talk so you can"—Luna halted as I found the same spot on this wing—"so you can do that to me. I think I'm relaxed enough now."

"What if I wanted to continue?"

"Then I'm telling you as your lover to come to bed. You can work on my rump and tail there—and in the morning." She turned to steal my prize away and started walking up the steps and out of the bath. "Are you coming?"

I pouted at her until she climbed back into the bath and let me wash her tail. Only when she was fully primped did I start to climb out too.

"You look a lot better than you used to, you know?" Luna used her magic to waft us both with hot air to quickly dry us off. "I wonder if your time as the Pony of Shadows didn't sap some of your vitality."

Her expression showed not a hint of concern, but rather I realized she was looking at me like I was a bag of apples! It only then occurred to me that she really did want to get to bed and have some fun. Well, too bad, I like brushing your tail. "It wouldn't surprise me. That was a stressful time of my life." I dried off first, which gave me the opportunity to strut to the bed and ruffle my wings.

My wings.

Half the time I forgot they were there. A pegasus would be gesturing and using their wings to hold things. I tended to just fold them and leave them unless I needed to fly. That is, I did that unless I knew Luna was checking me out. Stretching out my left wing, I reached all the way across to touch the wall as I neared the bed. A casual glance back at Luna over my shoulder showed me somepony who'd forgotten how to dry herself—she was staring at me. "Almost done?" I asked.

Luna shook her head and stepped out of the drying area. "Yes. I believe I am now. Your wings are amazing."

"I've been working on them. You said the magic would take better the more I use them, well, I've been talking to the Royal Guard about what exercises I can do with just my wings." I shook both limbs in question before settling them back at my sides. "I still don't use them as much as a pegasus might, but I understand that will come with time."

"Mmm, you like them that much?" I hadn't been watching her and thus hadn't seen how quickly she'd moved to the bed. Luna pressed against my side and grabbed me with one of her wings before she nibbled on my neck.

Arching my neck a little to let her have free rein with my throat, I stretched my own wing over hers and used it to wrap from the top of her spine all the way over her and tucked the farthest two fingers under her belly. "I like flying, but I also like what I can do with them in other ways."

Luna clamped her teeth down over my windpipe, not crushing it, but making sure I knew she wanted to do something more. I held stock-still for her until she released her bite. "Sorry, I needed to—to do that."

Flashing her a smile, I let go of her body and flopped sideways onto the bed. "Have you forgotten I enjoy a little struggle?"

"No. I was counting on it." Luna tried to pounce onto me, but I'd seen her ruse and rolled away—that didn't stop her from reaching out with a wing to grab my shoulder and slide me across the bed and against her.

She was so big and so strong, but somehow I managed to forget that sometimes. She leaned against me and pinned my body against hers. When our lips touched, we both slipped into a dream.

Author's Note

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