The Heart of Pleasure
By Haunter Rayne
Ch 116 - A Date with Dreams Under the Sun

Luna's voice came out as rather skeptical as the two of them walked along together. "So Rayne, when you stated before that you did not mean to put me in harm's way…"

When the stallion had teleported the two of them away, Luna opened up her eyes with excitement at what she might see. However the sudden realization of being surrounded by dense vegetation with the air of murky lake water did not inspire confidence for what Rayne had planned.

"It's just this way, it's not far. I promise I haven't brought you out here for a wilderness hike or anything." He said to try to be reassuring while parting leaves along an unkempt trail.

"Where… are we?" Luna asked while trying to get her bearings but could find no landmarks that she could recognize.

After using his magic to push some tree branches ahead aside, Rayne revealed a great body of water that came into view before them. "We're finally here… at the Great Luna Bay." He said with a smile while looking back to see her reaction.

"I'm sorry, what?" She stated at him perplexed.

"Too on the nose?" He asked uneasily. "I tried to think of a place where we could be alone that might mean something to you. So I figured stopping by a landmark named after you might not be a bad idea. But uh… I mean you did know that you had your own bay, didn't you?"

Luna looked up to him in surprise. "Oh well of course I knew… but it has simply been so long since I've thought about it. Not to mention that this bay is an inhospitable hazard, for it's inconsistent terrain and being home to hostile creatures such as Fly-ders, and the like." She commented. However Luna did stop to look around and wonder as to why she couldn't spot any of the winged pests in the area. "Wouldn't one of the beaches at the North or South Luna Ocean have been a better spot for our date?"

"The-... The what?" Rayne stammered as he began to lead them through the last of the brush toward the shore.

Using her magic to help him clear a path Luna stated explained, "The ocean, Rayne. It is actually this whole coastline that is named after me. The Great Luna Bay is just a large bank that separates the North Luna Ocean from the South Luna Ocean. Or perhaps you are the one who did not know that?" She replied with a smirk. And sure enough, even using his memory charm to review the map of Equestria in his mind he could not recall anything about there being an ocean to the west. "Well it seems nice to know that there is at least one thing the ever resourceful pleasure pony wasn't aware of." She giggled lightly while they came through the last of the trees.

"Alright, I'll admit that maybe this wasn't the most traditional of date locations… but do you like it?" Rayne asked her just as he used a hoof to pull the last of the foliage away.

Luna's eyes spread wide as sitting right beside the water's edge she saw a blanket unfurled and holding one of the most picturesque little picnics she had ever laid eyes on. There was a tray tower of sandwiches with side plates of fruit. A bread tray held pastries alongside a basket with a bottled beverage for them to consume.

"I-... oh Rayne, this is lovely!" She gasped in surprise, quite literally having her breath taken away. "Whenever did you have time to set this up? Oh, oh no… don't tell me that you came all the way out here this morning just to prepare all this in advance?! Oh Rayne, please forgive me if I sounded unappreciative a moment ago. I think this is lovely." Then she gave him quite the affectionate smile to show her sincerity. "A camping picnic by the bay was a wonderful date idea." She reassured him before stepping off ahead to investigate what he had prepared. "Although I do wish for you to know that thy needn't always go through such lengths to impress me, Rayne. Be it as it may that I am a princess does not stop me from enjoying a simple movie date just as a normal couple would." She told him before sitting herself down.

"Wait, they have movies here?" Rayne thought to himself quickly before stepping forward to join her.

As Rayne sat down Luna had already been resting upon her side while looking like a picture of beauty. Her long legs stretched themselves out elegantly and her mane cascaded down framing around her face with her eyes shining toward him happily. "So what is first?" She asked, eager to see what he had in store for her.

"Your banquet awaits you princess." He encouraged while handing her a plate.

"So, you must be excited. Or perhaps thou art a bit nervous?" She asked him wryly while picking herself some berries as well as lifting a square cut sandwich from the tower tray.

"Oh?" Rayne asked, picking up the playful air between them that she was presenting.

"Well from your letters, Rayne. They presented you to have quite the romantic notion of the two of us going out together." Luna said with a smile. "And quite romantic all this is indeed. Well played sir." She said while clearly teasing him a bit. "Although I do wonder how it is you've managed to keep this little meal protected from the pests that are supposed to thrive in this bay." She wondered out loud while looking around and seeing nothing but shadows hanging from the otherwise vermin ridden trees.

"That I'm afraid will have to remain a gentlepony's secret. And besides, you must allow a stallion to keep at least a little mystery for you." He said while offering a playful smile back. However when she didn't respond Rayne looked up seeing that the princess had suddenly frozen upon taking a bite from a strawberry off her plate. "Um, Luna? Are you alright?" He asked while hoping that the food hadn't spoiled as he was away.

Proceeding to push her teeth the rest of the way through the berry Luna had to blush as a bead of juice ran down across her lips. "Mmm, mm yes, forgive me. That was just a very good strawberry." She explained. "I was a little taken aback by-'' However she stopped again after dropping a blueberry into her mouth. "Mmm Rayne!" She moaned while chewing with a hoof over her lips. "Wow." She exclaimed before suddenly giving him a suspicious stare as she reached for one of the sandwiches.

After taking a bite, everything in Luna's body seemed to melt as she slumped her shoulders and closed her eyes with a sense of bliss. "Mm mMm, that… that is just delightful." She mumbled in between bites. "I had not been prepared for the food at a simple picnic to be so delicious!" She mused to him with excitement. "The fruit tastes even more succulent than what we have at the castle! And what are these sandwiches? They are so light and frothy. Some sort of cream and-"

"Blended avocado with cream cheese and chives actually. Also I made sure the romaine was crisp while adding a fresh spinach chop for volume and texture." He explained while looking away as if it were no big deal. "But it makes me happy that you enjoy it. I'm glad that the efforts of my green hoof haven't gone to waste."

It was then that Luna suddenly choked in-between bites as she shook her hoof at him in disbelief. "MmMm, no way." She mumbled out, almost not wanting to put her plate down to speak. But after clearing her throat she shouted out, "Oh no, no way! Now I mean it, enough is enough Rayne. You bought these ingredients from a local vendor in either Ponyville or perhaps Canterlot maybe, am I right? You wouldn't seriously ask me to believe that you grew all these fruits and vegetables merely in preparation for our date?!"

Rayne looked up at her in surprise. "Hm? Oh no, that would be ridiculous." He answered to which Luna sighed in relief from the thought of being overwhelmed by him. "I just grew these as a hobby really. You see, I have a grove some ways outside of Ponyville that I tend to on occasion for a little bit of 'night gardening'. I find it therapeutic when the pressures of a long day get me down. But I figured, since I had all this produce available that I might as well use it for something. It was just fortuitous that I planned to take you out anyways." He answered matter of fact, even as Luna sat there staring wide eyed and nearly dropped her plate out of her hooves. "Banana?" He offered to which she took without even thinking.

"Rayne…" She spoke up eventually while slowly pulling away each strand of the peel. "Will I ever get used to how often you surprise me?" She asked him while having a contemplative expression about her.

"Well, I would hope not princess." He answered but decided to then lean back, wondering if he might be coming on too strong for her.

After that he just opted to sit and watch Luna with curiosity as she unfurled the banana. He had remembered an episode of the tv show when she once ate just the peel by itself while being in a particularly bad mood. But now she seemed to take a bite of the core and peel interchangeably between each bite. "Oh, it seems you only brought just one. Share with me?" She offered to him kindly.

"Oh thank you, no. I'm afraid that sitting around all day has put me off my peel." He responded which she seemed to find as an acceptable answer. After that the two ate together in silence but there was no awkwardness between them as they both seemed content to simply enjoy the meal in each other's company.

• -

A short while later when their bellies were full and amidst their occasional small talk, Rayne finally turned to her and said, "So Luna, since we have the time for it I was wondering if I could really get to know you. If you would allow me, I would like to get to know the mare behind the crown. What really makes you happy? How do you actually spend your free time when your duties and responsibilities don't get in the way?"

Luna dabbed her lips with a napkin and then gave a rather rehearsed smile as if she had been expecting this. "You want to know if there really is more to me than just being a princess?" She asked him.

"Well… I mean in a sense but-" He fumbled as that hadn't actually been how he meant it.

The princess set down her plate and then sat up straight to look at him now. "I understand that with being royalty there is a lot that may be presumed about me. But I'll have you know the same can be said for you too."

Rayne frowned a bit as he was not able to tell if he had upset her with his question or not. But he opened himself up to curiosity wanting to hear out her point and see how she really felt about him. "How do you mean?"

Crossing her front hooves together she told him, "Well you are a pleasure pony, Rayne. And believe it or not, that title sets some expectations within a mare's mind when she thinks about you."

Rayne didn't like how serious the tone in her voice had become as he felt the hairs along the back of his neck nervously stand on end. Up until now he had only ever considered the positive aspects of being a pleasure pony but now he imagined a little blue genie dressed as a bumblebee beside him shouting 'warning' and 'mayday' before crashing down.

With seeing the potential for trouble ahead, Rayne couldn't try to talk his way out of it until he knew what it was that she was thinking about. "Oh? And does knowing I'm a pleasure pony sway you for, or against me, princess?" He asked to tread carefully.

"Hmm." She mouthed while looking him over. "It's undoubted that you've made many friendships back in Ponyville. But I believe it would be more accurate to say that you've gone from pony to pony targeting those who you feel might need some sort of help in their everyday lives. And instead of genuinely making their acquaintance, you rather inject yourself into their lives by means of seduction and romance. And while the benefits of bonding with so many in such an intimate fashion can't be ignored, you actually use that connection to zero in on some insecurity they have or to right some wrong you feel that was done for them. Then when you feel the time is appropriate, you move on to somepony new. But you leave each partner you come across better and stronger upon their own hooves than they ever were before."

Rayne choked as he sat there nervously rubbing at his throat while thoughts of Rainbow Dash and Rarity jumped to the forefront of his mind. "Is uh… are you- ahem, are you feeling thirsty?" He panicked while popping open the bottle of fizzied fruit juice he had brought and poured them each a glass. "I'm sorry, my throat is just feeling a little dry." He wheezed while almost dropping the bottle from his grip.

"And furthermore," She continued on as if nothing at all had been the matter. "I'm sure it comes as second nature to you when creating events of voluminous enjoyment. Your ability to throw a party for the excitement of all almost borders on the limits of changing one's character for the sake of loosening morals or sacrificing ideals. I've no doubt that at some point in recent months you've hosted a gathered fueled by invigorating music and perhaps aided by alcoholic spirits?" She asked while twirling her glass with a hoof. Meanwhile Rayne found himself wishing there had been alcohol in the juice bottle he'd brought as he thought back to Zecora's party in the Everfree Forest. "And tell me sir, have you managed to achieve a harem for yourself in Ponyville yet?" She asked him lightly as if it were everyday table conversation.

Rayne had to turn and spit the contents of his drink in disbelief. "Ooookay, I think that's enough." He pleaded gently. "So it clearly seems you know your pleasure ponies." He chuckled uneasily. "I fear that you may have me at a disadvantage here princess." He stated feeling rather helpless as to how he was supposed to respond after all that. "I had no idea that being what I am could make me feel so transparent."

"Then perhaps you can now share in understanding my feelings as a princess, that some handsome young stallion keeps asking me out on dates despite knowing about my royal position." Luna's reply came sharply as she now regarded him without amusement or frivolity.

Rayne froze as he realized she was trying to share with him something that he hadn't considered before. "What do you mean?"

Luna bit her lip before reaching out to hold him by the hoof. "Listen to me Rayne, I deeply appreciate everything that you have done to impress me. I won't sit here and insult you by denying you have an affect on me. Yes, you are quite the gentlepony and dapper. But you also know how to make sure a mare is having fun. You're sweet and considerate, and if you don't allow it to go to your head you are quite handsome and enticing to be around as well." She said with a blush as he smiled in response. "But I am a princess Rayne and you must know what that means?"

"Why don't you tell me, Luna? What is it that you think that means for me?" Rayne asked while staring at her seriously.

With a bit of a huff Luna gave an outburst saying, "Oh come now. Life for me should be as obvious to you as you being a pleasure pony is to me." She responded with a bit of scorn. "When you awake in Ponyville each morning and find yourself thinking of visiting me at the castle, I will not be available to take your audience because I would either be just headed to bed or already indebted to my responsibilities to the throne." Rayne sat there in silence, carefully watching every detail as she started to become frustrated and emotional in front of him. "And do you think that what I would desire is to manipulate somepony that cares about me by forcing them to stay awake at evening hours because that is the only time in which they could see me?!"

"Luna, I-"

"No, Rayne!" She yelled at him while almost standing herself up as she emphasized her point. "You come up with these extravagant outings for me and every time manage to produce an evening that is so perfect… But I have no experience in holding an intimate partnership together. I can barely manage to maintain a stable relationship with my own sister without one of us banishing the other for a thousand years. I would be a terrible partner to maintain a romantic endeavor with! And I would never have time for you. Why would you ever think that I would be somepony that it would be enjoyable to have a relationship with? You are a pleasure pony, Rayne, and could literally have your pick of any mare! A mare who could be there for you, and to be available to appreciate the wonderful things that you do for them." She gestured endearingly to the beautiful picnic he'd made for her that now only brought a sorrowful tone for her to look at. "Whereas I am merely a fallen princess, scarcely even known about within her own kingdom and even less yet loved."

Now the princess turned away from him with her eyes closed. The weight and shame of a thousand years of loneliness added with the additional lifetime of royal emptiness bore heavy down upon her. She didn't weep for herself in pity but all the same her heart seemed like stone in the beliefs she had been cemented with.

"The stars…" Rayne began, to which Luna scoffed and looked at him as if he were mocking her. "Just hear me out." He requested and she nodded while crossing her hooves and turning back to face him. "The world exists being full of expectations. The ocean is salty, and the stars they are beautiful. But just like the stars, I commonly hear the same things being said about royals. 'Oooh look at the beautiful princess' everypony says. Then soon, it just becomes expected to always call royals beautiful."

"I assume you have a poi-"

"Give me a minute." Rayne laughed and continued on. "But when I think about those stars, sitting so high up above… I wonder if they're lonely living up there in space?" Rayne tried not to smile as he could see he finally struck a chord with her. "Every star is famed for its light, just like all the rest. But is that enough, being kept so far away from every creature who looks up to appreciate them? Being up there, and all alone? No one to hold, no one to know how the star is feeling while always shining down with it's light."

Raising her chin and biting back emotion Luna scowled as she spoke out, "So what you're saying is that I'm lonely? Being a princess, and kept away from somepony who might woo me?"

But just when she believed that he couldn't possibly surprise her any more than he already had, Rayne spoke up and drew the carpet right out from under her all over again. "No." He chuckled. "I have no doubt you are lonely… THAT is the expectation to me. What I see when I look at you Luna is the most caring and generous pony I have ever known. The lengths that you'll go through to help others... I mean even the bravest of ponies cannot deny that the most frightening thing of all is a nightmare they cannot wake from. And you face all the nightmares of Equestria bravely, every single night while never asking for a thing in return. You are honorable, and self sacrificing. You're mysterious, yet you wear your heart on your sleeve for all to see. Someone with the kindness and intelligence and grace that you show, Luna you are the most deserving of love out of anypony I know. And if a royal like you can be this amazing, then it makes me wonder if we don't praise the stars for being beautiful for the wrong reasons."

Instantly Luna gasped and rushed her hooves up to cover her face as she turned away from him. Rayne paused to give her time to process as he could clearly hear that she was crying. Moving slowly he rose himself up to his hooves and trotted to step over to her side. But she threw off his touch and pulled away from him when he got too near.

"Rayne, you daring fool!" She shouted emotionally, but with a definite lack of actual anger toward him.

"What?" He responded with a light hearted tone, stepping around in front of her as if to not allow her to get away from him.

Bringing a hoof up to her mane she growled at him in frustration. "Thy... thy cannot be serious! Urgh…! That was quite possibly the sweetest thing I hath ever heard. But you cannot just go around saying things like that to anypony!" She reprimanded him.

"But, you're not just anypony. Not to me." He said endearingly.

Luna hesitated as hearing his words left a tension in her chest that made her feel like her racing heart was going to burst. However this did nothing for actually calming her temper as her mood seemed to grow even worse. "Mmm… and is this how you get all the mares to fall for you? By dousing them in flattery and then telling them that they're special?" She scorned him haughtily.

However Rayne's resolve seemed as steeled as it had ever been as he told her, "It may be true that I've had other relations in the past, I won't deny that… but you're the only pony I'm seriously dating now."

That made Luna's eyes bulge as she nearly choked when she spoke. "Seriously dating?! Rayne, I wouldn't go quite that far. I mean you haven't even kissed me yet." She scoffed absentmindedly at the very thought.

"Yet? So you're saying that you want me to kiss you?" He asked eagerly, smiling almost comically wide at the thought.

"Ah, now, now I didn't-... Ahem, I did not say that is what I wanted!" She nervously began to back track even though her face clearly blushed a dark deep scarlet.

"But you're not saying that you don't want that." He smirked while feeling brave enough to be a little sassy with her.

The mare frowned before scowling up toward him saying, "Oh, well… and what of it?!" She suddenly snapped at him. "Perhaps it tis true that I do wish for that... and, you have not done so yet! And also perhaps, I don't quite know how it is that I feel about that!" She shouted without even knowing what she was yelling for. But to Luna it felt right. "Is… is this how it happens now?!" She added, slowly lowering her volume from yelling down to just a very insecure sounding state of worry.

Rayne however stood there just staring at the alicorn twisting nervously before him. "This isn't the moment." He thought to himself quietly. "Look at her, standing there eager… but this moment couldn't be more uncomfortable. This isn't wildly romantic, it looks almost painful… This isn't how I want things to be. Not for her, and not for us." He decided before stepping away to her side and telling her, "Take a walk with me."

"W-what?" Luna stammered as she looked at him in disbelief. In her anxiety stricken state she could not believe he hadn't taken his chance. She didn't understand why he didn't kiss her. She didn't know whether she felt relieved or disappointed by that. But one thing was certain and it was that he had given her a way out of this uncomfortable moment they shared together. "Yes… I think that I might like that." She agreed, turning her back to the picnic behind them as the two stepped slowly away together.

• -

Despite the feelings that were left behind, the two found peace within one another as they talked and walked together while headed nowhere and with no hurry to get there. "Aw, come on! That's not fair!" Rayne cried out

Luna was laughing now as she challenged him. "So you say that you too are a fan of the theatre arts and yet you cannot tell me the name of even a single play you have been to?"

"Wha-ah… I'm not even from Equestria! We don't have the same shows between where I grew up as you do here!" He argued, tactfully bending the truth without giving too much away. "But do I really have to give you references for my likes and dislikes?!"

"Mmm. Perhaps." She chuckled as they both laughed together.

• -

"Really, I find it hard to believe that you were the short one in your class." She snickered lightheartedly at the thought from behind a hoof.

"It's true. I was awkward and small once upon a time. I had dorky hair and was uncomfortable about speaking to others. But you know… you grow up and adapt." Rayne explained, carrying on a bit about his younger years with her. "What about for you? What were you like back in school before you were a thousand year old princess exiled to the moon?"

She gave him a wry smile but was able to laugh it off without taking offense. "Things were… different for me when I was just a filly. I didn't have schoolmates as you did. Most of my lessons were private tutors at the castle. And even Celestia was quite a bit older than me which made studying the same subjects as her at the same time a rarity between us. But you don't really want to hear about my boring old school days…" She said while glancing away from him.

"I do!" He encouraged, gently extending a hoof under her chin and guiding her to look back at him. With a tender smile they just stared into each other's eyes for a bit before she nodded at him.

• -

"Oh Rayne, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." She fretted regretfully as her horn shined, bringing up the moon after they had witnessed the lowering of the sun.

"And I'll say it again, you have nothing to apologize for." Rayne replied as his own horn shined, casting a light about them so as still to be able to see in the darkness. "Come on, this date doesn't have to end just because the sun and moon have shifted places. I thought that we were having a great time just exploring what was out here together."

With a warm smile she nodded, "And indeed I have." Then while sidling up a bit closer to him she said, "Rayne, this has definitely been a most peculiar date. After the picnic, which was indeed wonderful, you've taken me out into the middle of nowhere where we have explored around and found absolutely nothing!" She laughed but raised her hoof to reassure she did not mean that how it sounded. "And to me Rayne, that's not nothing. It was unconventional, and creative… and exactly what I think I needed tonight."

Rayne blushed as he looked at her in surprise when she suddenly leaned over resting her head against his shoulder. But despite his shock he just smiled and enjoyed the feeling of being against her, neither taking advantage nor doing anything to ruin the moment.

However they both could not help but to jump as a brilliant streak of light suddenly raced across the sky.

"What was that?!" Rayne asked as he attempted to see where it had went or even where it had come from.

"It's… it is a meteor shower." Luna whispered in delight as her eyes trained carefully up at the sky.

Sure enough as Rayne glanced up there was another and then another bolt of light that shot across the starry veil. Soon Rayne found that he could even turn out the light from his horn as the dazzling glow from overhead proved more than enough to illuminate the space around them.

After that the two just sat upon the ground and held each other while watching the cosmic lights overhead. "I love meteor showers… and I have not seen one so spectacular as this in many moons." Luna whispered half to herself but happy to share with him.

"It's beautiful." Rayne agreed, but then Luna turned from the stars above and look at him as the light radiated across his face.

"As beautiful as royalty…? Or, are we appreciating them for the wrong reasons?" She asked, paraphrasing his words from earlier.

"Luna…" Rayne said gently, turning to face her now while he held her hooves and she held his.

The two had locked their eyes together, staring deeply at each other as the shooting stars made the shadows seem to dance all around them. His gaze was warm and her stare was welcoming. She blushed as he smiled, but Rayne held underneath her chin gently so as to not allow her to look away from him.

That was when Rayne felt his pulse begin to quicken as Luna leaned her face against his touch. Her smile deepened and the warmth from her cheek told him that her own heartbeat was at an even race with his. Slowly, he leaned himself forward and was not disappointed when she subtly licked her lips and leaned closer to him as well.

It was with an endearing smile that Rayne raised his hooves to hold Luna gently around her shoulders. Then he held his breath and leaned in to kiss her both calm and smooth and slow. Or that was how he had been intent upon initiating their very first kiss. What took him off guard instead was when Luna's watchful eyes saw that he was finally leaning in to commit to making his move, she suddenly closed her eyes and thrust her lips as firmly against his as she could.

The couple both jumped as even Luna had frightened herself when their mouths first felt the tender feeling of each other. Although they both just remained still, allowing for this moment to sink it. And when Rayne lifted his hooves under her mane to hold the back of her head, they each pursed their lips and began to kiss one another again, and again, and again.

• -

Time seemed to stop for the two ponies laying together upon the ground, in the middle of some unknown wood, at an indiscernible distance from some uninhabited shore. But neither of them worried about that right now as their only concern had been the passionate embrace of each other.

Luna allowed herself to lay in Rayne's arms as she kept her eyes closed, kissing him passionately, while holding her hooves around him. The two barely stopped to breathe, smooching and savoring and breathing in each other's taste as if neither could get enough. Rayne cradled and supported her in his hooves as if she were precious and meant to be relished. Meanwhile she clung to him tightly as if never desiring to let him go.

"Mm, hm hm." Rayne eventually giggled as she accidentally had begun biting his lip without realizing.

"No-mm. No pulling away." She growled playfully, eagerly following his movements to continue kissing him as he moved. "You're the one who said he wanted to kiss me. Well I have news for you, I like kissing you sir. I find that I like kissing you very much." She said to him while having a deeply affectionate glow to her eyes.

"Then there's nothing more that I could ask for." He whispered to her, intimately stroking her cheek and caressing her neck as she leaned into his every touch with a smile.

Eventually the two laid down on their backs together and just clung into each other's hooves while she lay tightly snug in the crook of his shoulder. "I've got to hand it to you Rayne… pleasure pony or not, you really know how to pull it off." She sighed and nuzzled her snout against him happily.

"Hmm? What are you talking about?" Rayne asked her as he looked down not wanting to miss a moment of her beautiful smiling face cuddled against him.

Luna just gave him a playful shove and then gestured up at the sky. "This… all of this. This perfect moment. You kissing me at just the right time, and just like to match the romantic words that you said to me earlier this day." She answered to him. "This date has been like a dream, Rayne. And believe me… I would know." She said with a wink.

Rayne felt his cheeks grow warm but as he tightened his hold around her he laughed and admitted, "Well I wish I could take credit for it but this meteor shower came as a complete surprise to me as well. In truth, I hadn't planned a moment of this beyond the picnic. When I suggested we go for a walk, I honestly had no idea what we might find when we set out."

Suddenly lifting herself up to rest upon her elbow, Luna looked down to him and argued, "You mean to say that you really didn't plan for this? That you aren't somehow pleasure pony responsible for such a radiant cosmic display? Or that you didn't at least hear about it in advance which led you choose this bay as the location for our date to have the clearest view of the night sky?"

Giving an innocent look he shrugged and said to her, "Me? Control the stars? Well I'm sorry to say that there are some things that are beyond even my powers to control." She peered down scrutinizing him as if she weren't sure that she could believe him. But then she scoffed and threw her head back with a laugh. "Besides, aren't you the moon pony here? How do I know you didn't do this to bait me into kissing you?" Rayne added in to tease.

The princess opened her mouth in surprise at the scandalous accusation which led her to bap him playfully upon his chest. However after a shared laugh later all was forgiven as she laid herself down to snuggle back in against him. "Thank you for this wonderful date Rayne. I couldn't imagine feeling any happier than I do right now." She whispered into his chest.

"Mmm, I feel the same." He replied, burying his nose into her mane with his eyes closed and taking in her scent.

"Oh but Rayne, there's just one more thing." She told him while otherwise not moving from how she cuddled against him.

"Yes? What is it?" He asked.

"Don't ever call me moon pony again." She told him calmly but with an undertone that made her sound threateningly serious.

"Heh, yes ma'am." He answered by reflex without even having the time to think.

Shifting her body uncomfortably she found a new spot to roll into against him before adding, "Mmmm… and don't ever call me ma'am again either."

"Yes, hun..?" He tried and peeked down to her face as she cuddled with him still with her eyes closed.

But after torturing him with some silence, she eventually gave a deep sigh and with a comfortable smile replied, "Mmm, that's better."

Author's Note

Yay!!!! Lol. So who else enjoyed reading this chapter because I definitely had a lot of fun writing it. I think it's safe to say that Rayne and Luna's mutual interest in one another is definitely established.

Now for those who have seen the movie, I'm sure many of you recognized the reference to the Disney movie Aladdin. Robin Williams did a wonderful job of voicing the genie but I like to think that Rayne didn't crash and burn as badly as Aladdin did with Jasmine.

Alright now I've shown a lot of varying emotions in Luna in this chapter from happy to sad, to frustrated, to down right comical. But she's entitled to her feelings just like anyone would be. Being a princess or even o er a thousand years old has nothing to do with it. She's just a girl, standing in front of a boy, and the two of them are figuring things out together.

But as always, there is a calm before the storm. So I hope you are all prepared for some tension to arise in the upcoming chapter 117, hehe.