The Heart of Pleasure
By Haunter Rayne
Chapter 125 - A Moon and the Lagoon

Over the next several days it became almost commonplace to see Rayne within Canterlot Castle. “And here I thought you had said you weren’t going to be around when I awoke, again.” Princess Luna chastened with a wry smile as she walked into the dining room where her sister sat having dinner that evening.

“What?!” Rayne remarked as he sat at the table with a half-finished plate of food. “The Ponyville Day Spa is running a promotion and I was asked to help deliver advertisements through Canterlot. But your sister saw me and invited me to dinner. I didn’t want to be rude and refuse her generous hospitality.” He explained as he and Celestia glanced between each other with mischievous grins.

Then the next morning, there was a knocking on Luna’s bedroom door not long after she had returned from traversing the realm of dreams. “Who dareth pound upon my door at this hour?! I am exhausted, so whatever your concerns you may take them up with my sister!”

“But your highness… I brought you your tea.” Called a voice that sounded like one of the servants in the castle.

Lifting herself off her bed, she stormed over to open up her door. “What?! I didn’t order any te-” She stopped in surprise as she looked out into the hall, only to find a dark stallion in a handsome little waiter’s suit while holding a silver serving tray.

“It’s lavender, to help you sleep after working so tirelessly last night,” Rayne said to her as the two guards stationed outside her door turned away in opposite directions pretending to not see that anypony else was there.

Luna scoffed with an eye roll, but she smiled all the same. A moment later she levitated the teacup with her magic before gripping Rayne by the collar and pulling him into her room. Then with a bit of giggling, she yelled at the two guards that they saw nothing before slamming her door shut.

• The Next Evening -

When Luna awoke, it was with a blissful smile that spread out across her face. As she stretched her hooves across her bed, she was a little disappointed to find that she was waking up alone. However, her bedsheets still lingered with the scent of a stallion, and the memory of falling asleep while cuddled against his chest was still fresh in her mind.

As she pulled her hooves in from a long, smiling stretch, she looked beside her at the crinkling of a paper. “Oh, what’s this?” She asked while rolling herself over and discovering a note on the pillow beside her.

Dear Luna,
I hope this note finds you well after a long and
fruitful rest. I also wish that you
forgive my playful side, however, I feel a lady
should still deserve a letter
even should we be finding more of our time
being spent together.

To my regret, I will not be there for you when
you awake. Nor will I be available
for you the next morning. I would, however,
like to ask you if you could accompany
me next evening in Appleloosa?

As I recall, my lady has requested another
movie outing again soon. As luck
would have it, the town has recently expanded
its selection, while also adopting
a new way to experience the entertainment.
Should it please you, I can secure us
tickets for tomorrow evening.

But even as I write this, while you lie sleeping
so beautifully beside me,
I miss thee already. So until I can kiss those
peaceful resting lips once more...

With all my love, Yours always,
Rayne ~ ~ <3

By the time Luna had finished the letter, she was squealing with her face half-buried into a pillow as if she were hiding from it. “AAAhhhh! Rayne, I want thee here NOW so that we may drown thee in kisses!” She shouted to herself while hugging the letter and kicking her hooves into the air after rolling over onto her back. “Mmm, I need to respond… and I must do so immediately!” She cheered, almost falling over while scrambling out of bed.

Rushing over to her vanity table, she levitated up a quill and pulled out a fresh parchment and ink.

Dear Rayne,
Oh yes, behest I do.
For to see you again I-

However, not a moment later Luna crumpled up the parchment and frowned. “Luna, whatever are you writing? Surely you can do better than that.” She scolded. Then pulling out a fresh parchment she started again.

“To my Dearest Rayne,
I do happily accept your invitation
for tomorrow. Having another
movie date would be lovely. If we coul-

“Oh stop it, Luna!” She again reprimanded herself before once more crumpling the parchment with her hoof. “Rayne is our boyfriend now, not some dignitary we art required to be so formal with.” After pulling out a fresh parchment for a third time she hesitated. “We know what it is we would wish to say, but to voice such intimacies in a letter… do I dare?” She asked herself while staring down at the blank page.

Placing her quill down once more, she began.

Rayne, my love,
I would happily go anywhere with you.
You have stolen my heart and I
no longer even hesitate to admit to it.
Do not fret over making excuses
to see me, for it always makes me smile to get
to spend time with my now beloved.

Whether it be sharing a meal together,
or even embracing your hooves
upon me, no moment is ever too grand.
You fill this mare with butterflies
and instill a melting to my heart whenever
we are together.

Please do secure tickets for Appleloosa,
but know that this mare is also eager
to be once more at your side. I miss your
voice and your candor. I miss your
eyes and the taste of your lips. And even
the scent of you as you lay your
hooves around me. My heart doth seeketh
the bastion that is your chest and
the warmth I can only find in your embrace.

Do not keep my heart waiting long. I shall
meet with you in Appleloosa tomorrow.
Until then, sleep sweetly and remember
that I love you. My heart is yours,
and I couldn’t be happier.

Dreaming of being in your arms, Sincerely,
Your Luna

The princess was blushing from ear to ear while feeling scandalous over the first official love letter she’d ever written. With a snicker, the bashful mare quickly hid the letter within an envelope as if the walls themselves might spy upon her writing. Turning her back now and using her magic to levitate the envelope before it disappeared, she stepped over to her bedside table and opened up the drawer.

“Alright then, time for me to put this away.” She said to herself. “While I might have meant every word, I don’t think I’m quite ready yet to share such feelings out in the open.” Then she reached up to retrieve the letter and hide it away.

What confused her though was when her hoof never made contact with anything in the air. “That’s strange, where did-?” She asked aloud while looking around. Luna stepped back toward her vanity table and even bent down to check underneath it but the letter was nowhere to be found. “Well, that certainly is odd. I was certain that I… OH NO!!!” She screamed as she realized what she had done. “I SENT IT?! OH NO, OH NO! I must be quick and teleport it back!”

Quickly she snapped her horn but then was discouraged when no envelope appeared before her. Three more times she tried to reverse the teleportation spell but nothing succeeded in appearing. “It isn’t working! But that can only mean that the letter has already been moved from where it was sent! Who in the world could have possibly picked up my letter so quickly?!” She gasped, as unbeknownst to her, Derpy Hooves had picked up the basket of outgoing mail in the post office just as her letter appeared on top of the pile.

Meanwhile, back in her bedroom, the princess was now pacing back and forth. “It is alright… it will be okay. It is not as if I wrote anything truly scandalous. I mean, I didn’t, did I?” She asked herself in a panic. “Ohhh, all that talk of lips and touching! Ohhh and when I wrote that I dreamed of his hooves around me! Wait, I did write around me and not upon me, didn’t I? OH NO! I think I did write upon me! But that is not what I meant! What if Rayne believes I am requesting him for methods of seduction?! I did not mean that!” She panicked as her brow began to sweat.

However, Luna stopped when she suddenly had a realization. “The envelope! I did not address the envelope!” She sighed with relief. “With no addressee to indicate who to mail the letter to, it will never reach his hooves!” She cheered. But just as quickly her blood froze in fright as she also remembered, “Alas, I did not seal the envelope either! What if somepony READS the letter in an attempt to determine who it was meant for?!” Then she shrieked so loudly that the guards outside her chamber jumped. “I must get that letter back!”

Down in Ponyville, Derpy Hooves was just finishing up for the day. She had already set the basket of outgoing mail to be sorted for delivery in the morning and then had just finished locking up the post office before heading on down the street for home. However, only a moment later, a panicked princess teleported into the town and knocked furiously on the door. “H-Hello?! This is Princess Luna! Please, this is a mail emergency! Is anypony there?!” She called out while rattling the handle of the locked door.

“Um, Princess? Are you okay?” Spike asked, as he just happened to be walking by and then saw her shouting.

“Oh, heh heh. Um, yes.” She remarked nervously. Then while grimacing she ordered, “You never saw me here… or this, any of this.” She gestured to herself being in Ponyville before teleporting away again.

• The Next Evening, in Appleloosa -

“Oh Rayne, the town seems much more active tonight than when we first came here together.” An alicorn princess stated from beneath her inconspicuous farmer hat.

Standing close beside her the dark stallion said, “Well, they’re all excited for the new show that is going to premiere tonight.” He explained while walking with her slowly through the streets.

Luna held tight to his hoof as the two of them walked together. She had been nervous about this date and didn’t know what to expect when she saw him. But after she appeared in town and saw her stallion waiting for her, it put her heart at ease to see that he did not look upon her with lustful eyes and instead just seemed genuinely happy to see her. “Come on, I cannot wait to discover what this ‘new way’ of viewing the movies will be.” She said, now feeling almost giddy to herself about it.

“Heh, I’m sure you’ll like it.”

• -

Their trip through the theater line was a short one as they were one of the few patrons to have already purchased their tickets in advance. However, Luna’s curiosity only grew after Rayne began leading them away from the theater building as opposed to inside it. “Rayne my darling, I do believe that the entrance is over there. Why doth thou…” But she could only gasp as her eyes went wide and her hooves reached up over her mouth.

There beyond the far side of the building was a large open space with theater screens lined up along either side. Scattered out in front of the screens were dozens of carriages or spaces for carriages to be had. “This is typically called a ‘Drive-in’ type of theater. Patrons are able to bring their own carriages and watch the movies in privacy along with their dates, but there are also carriages provided by Appleloosa for those who do not possess their own.” Rayne explained while walking the princess up to one of the enclosed riding carts.

“Oh, I see,” Luna whispered, feeling embarrassed by the seclusion now available to them. “And how exactly are we to hear the movie while sitting in luxury and staring through a window?”

“Well, that is what we were waiting in line for,” Rayne explained while holding up a small device which they were given. “This little box here is magically attuned to match whichever movie we paid to see. The sound comes from this, and every other patron has their own device for their own carriage.”

“Mmm, I believe I understand. And this little switch here… I assume it is to turn the device on?” She inquired while taking hold of the soundbox and indicating toward the little button located on it.

“Yup, that’s right,” Rayne said as he also climbed inside and closed the door behind him.

However, Luna was giving him a curious look while slowly twirling the box within her hooves. “And if let’s say, we were to not turn the box on while the movie were to play?”

Despite his gentlemanly demeanor so far, now Rayne was looking at her very amorously as he picked up on what he thought was an underlying tone to her voice. “Then that means we would have a whole lot of time alone to ourselves in this carriage together.”

He didn’t make a move but allowed his tone to make the innuendo clear. Luna actually paused to bite her bottom lip at him for a moment, but no sooner than she had did she quickly press the button and then set the device down upon the dashboard in front of them.

Rayne smiled and kept to his manners as the two of them settled in comfortably together. “If, in fact, you plan to place your hoof around me tonight, then your lady would prefer that you do so now and not under some false pretense later in the evening.” She stated to him clearly.

Rayne didn’t seem to mind as he was all too happy to wrap himself around her and to see Luna eagerly lean in against him without having to be self-conscious about the other moviegoers taking notice.

After only a few brief animations had played across the screen, Luna’s ears perked up as suspenseful music began to play. “Ohh, what manner of film are we to see tonight?” She asked him excitedly while leaning her weight against him,

“Mmm, it’s supposed to be a really spooky film. Definitely with lots of screaming involved.” He teased as she looked up to him playfully.

“Well then needn’t you worry, for if it gets too frightening then I shall protect thee.” She bantered at him, and he gave a mock surprise for what he had intended to be his line. Then as a smoky background filmed the screen, Luna read aloud as the movie title appeared in all capital letters. “The Creature from Luna Lagoon?” She asked in surprise. “Why, there is no such body of water, what is this insult?!” She protested toward the screen.

“Heh, easy now my love. I am sure that whoever or whatever the antagonist of the story happens to be will also not be based on reality. It’s just for the story darling.” Rayne eased, tightening his hold around her.

Luna nodded but was otherwise quite enthralled by the screen. “Rayne, who are these ponies? It says this title is starring Rich Coltson and Jewely Adore, with screenplay by Hair Esquis. Now I might not be as involved as my sister, but one would think I would still be familiar with such names if these were someponies to recognize.”

Rayne snickered and didn’t mind that his date seemed the type to talk a lot during films. After just nuzzling her a bit he answered, “Well, perhaps they are new names on the scene who are just making their debut. I would imagine that if this movie goes over well, we’ll probably be seeing a lot more of them in the future.” He told her as she picked up the bag of popcorn they had ordered and they both watched as the movie began.

The opening scene started with a location deep within a jungle. Ponies seemed to be scrambling around what looked like an archeology dig site. “What is it, doctor? Do you think it’s important?” One of the field hands asked.

“Yes, I think it is very important.” An older stallion in a white coat replied as the camera focused on a monstrous claw jutting outward from a rock formation. Rayne was amused at hearing a few startled screams from other moviegoers around them. But Luna just looked on with fascination, similar to how the scientist had in the film.

Now the movie progressed to a laboratory building which the actors only referred to as ‘the institute.’ As they conversed to move the story along, Luna’s voice softly spoke out, “Rayne, art thou attempting to get a little fresh with me?” She queried while eyeing him inquisitively.

“Hmm? Pardon?” He asked as he looked back at her in surprise.

Scooting even closer up against him as if that were even possible at this point, she stated, “While I adore having thine arms around me, and I do not wish for it to stop, one of your hooves is reaching quite low upon my waistline dear.” She pointed out. Rayne had only thought to be holding around her stomach but realized his touch had accidentally fallen almost entirely between her legs. However, no sooner had he raised his hoof did she start kissing him while smiling to show she hadn’t been upset by it.

While they were kissing, Luna’s ears perked up as she stared back at the screen right after several other moviegoers screamed out in alarm. There they saw one of the field assistants from the dig site fighting for his life while being attacked by something standing off-screen.

“Wait, what happened to the pony? Rayne, what hath happened to that field assistant?!” Luna shouted in dismay, as no hero arrived to save the stallion who was under attack before the scene cut away.

“Heh, heh… well, it looks like the monster got him.” Rayne surmised as the movie carried on before them.

“Art thou saying this movie actually depicted the untimely end of a pony?!” She balked at the uncensored violence of the story, even though nothing graphic had actually been shown.

“Well of a fictional pony... then yes, your highness.” He reminded her. “But if this is too scary for you…”

“Oh, I’ll show you too scary if you continue to tease me, Rayne.” She scoffed at him playfully.

“Me being the one teasing?!” He replied a little louder than he had meant to. “You’ve been the one sitting there looking like a million bits and driving me crazy all evening.” He said to her with a smirk.

Luna smiled and blushed in the seat beside him as she whispered, “Rayne, do you really think so?” She asked while twirling her hoof through her mane. But when he bit his lip and leaned toward her, she interrupted him by pointing to the screen, “Oh, what is happening now?”

In truth, Luna took little interest as the movie highlighted the cast, with the lead researcher, the brave hunter, the female research assistant, and the riverboat captain all sailing through the jungle river together. Instead, Luna’s eyes returned to the stallion. She nodded to him and motioned him closer before closing her eyes and pressing her lips to his.

A few minutes later, while the two of them were still enjoying being tongue to tongue in each other’s mouths, Rayne sighed remorsefully as Luna suddenly pulled away when suspenseful music began to play from the movie. “Wait, haha Rayne wait!” She called out, pushing for him to get off of her as she struggled to look at the screen again.

The character played by actress Jewely Adore had commensed in a swimming scene after the riverboat had stopped at a large lagoon. As she swam, another being was portrayed stalking her movements from beneath the water's surface. Other moviegoers screamed when the screen depicted an underwater pony that was covered in scales instead of fur and was adorned with gills as well as sharp claws. It had a flat, stretched-out face, more closely resembling a frog than a pony. And it most definitely seemed to be fixated upon the swimming mare, with an unknown intent in its gaze.

Rayne was quite entertained to see that Luna couldn’t pull her eyes away from the screen. “It… fancies her.” She whispered as the creature swam beneath the mare on screen, watching and studying her as the actress's legs were zoomed-in on several times. “OH!” Luna gasped and held onto Rayne as the creature dared to reach up and caress the base of the mare’s hooves while she swam, not once but three different times. “What is it going to do to her, Rayne?” Luna awed at the screen, clearly picking up on the suggestive sexual undertones of the scene.

“Do you want for the creature to get her?” Rayne whispered almost alluringly, which then made his date blush and partially cover her face from him with her mane.

“Rayne, I…” She began and then stared breathlessly at the stallion. She allowed Rayne to place a hoof at the very top of her thigh, clearly enjoying it as he began applying pressure to her hip. All at once, the scene broke and they both pulled away looking embarrassed, as in the movie, the riverboat captain called out to the actress saying she had swum too far away. Considering now that perhaps she had allowed their flirtations to carry them too far away, Luna snuggled back in against Rayne’s chest and took hold of his hooves to place them securely near to her heart.

Returning to the movie again, they watched as the scientist and the young hunter studied samples taken from the lagoon’s base. Meanwhile, the heroine stood atop the deck of the ship watching from the doorway as the stallions conversed. However, both Luna and the actress screamed in surprise as the creature was revealed standing aboard the ship, directly behind her.

“AHahahaha!” As the scene continued, Luna could not stop laughing out of embarrassment while Rayne just held her in his arms. “I cannot believe I was so overtaken!” She snickered and they watched the plot of the movie change to a hunting theme rather than a research expedition.

As the film carried on with underwater chase scenes and an exploration of the creature’s lair, Luna felt no embarrassment in how she just curled up with Rayne. She shut her eyes and leaned her face into Rayne’s fur, just taking in his scent while enjoying his arms around her. “Thank you.” She whispered to him softly.

“Hmm? What for?” He asked while matching her gentle tone.

Luna peeked one eye open and stuck out her tongue playfully before saying, “For allowing me to set my own pace. For letting me flirt with you, and all the same not taking advantage or chastising me for being a mare and making the first move.”

Nuzzling his face against hers while their horns rested gently together, he said, “We want the same things here, Luna. To make each other happy, and be in love. And having you feel comfortable around me is a big part of what’s important to me in this relationship.” He said to her, and her lips were immediately drawn to his as if they were magnets.

After a while, they just cuddled until Luna commented, “My goodness, I never expected such a violent motion picture.” She confessed, while the actors succeeded in capturing the creature but not before it strangled one of the field assistants live on screen. But when her date gave her a legitimately concerned look, she reached up to hold his arm, “Oh, but I am enjoying it. And perhaps, I might be milking my fright just a tinsey bit.” She giggled, but neither of them really seemed to mind.

Taking the opportunity to lean in and caress their snouts together, Rayne smiled to himself as she blushed. But then after scooping her back up into his arms so that they could see the screen together, he said, “I’m glad you’re enjoying it. But much like this date, I don’t think the movie is over with yet.” Then he smiled at the surprise that spread through her eyes.

“What?! But they hath caught the creature! Surely it will be imprisoned and that will be-” However, seeming as if it had only been asleep, the creature began to stir in its confinement and then made short work of tearing through its holdings.

Resting their shoulders together now, Rayne and Luna shared in the popcorn as relations began to devolve for the cast on the ship. The hunter and the researcher argued about the dangers of going after the creature in the dark, however, the ship's captain explained that he was no hero and that it was time for them to leave. Luna raised an eyebrow as the hunter clenched a hoof to threaten that he would not depart without his trophy. The captain, however, seemed to be no stranger to dealing with unruly passengers, he just smiled and brandished a large knife until Rich Coltson’s character suddenly changed his tune.

“Mm, wise choice,” Luna smirked in between bites of popcorn.

“I agree.” Rayne acknowledged, enjoying the pleasant coo from his date as he gently began playing with her mane.

“This movie really doesn’t let up on the suspense, does it?” She commented as after the ship’s passengers set out to leave, they were forced to stop at finding a collapsed tree blocking the exit to the lagoon.

“MmMm,” Rayne responded, while the two of them enjoyed the action of the scientist attaching a hook and winch to the tree whilst the hunter chased the creature through the water with a harpoon gun.

However, after an arm struggle with the creature beneath the depths, Luna accidentally spit a mouthful of popcorn across their carriage after watching the hunter drifting away to the bottom of the lagoon. “Did… Rayne, did they just murder off the male lead of the film?!” She exclaimed while the remaining crew managed to move the tree out of their way.

“That’s science fiction, my love. You never know what to expect in movies like this.” Rayne explained to her.

As the ship began to sail away down the river, the captain, the scientist, and the heroine looked on remorsefully. “The hunter never got his prize.” The only surviving assistant said while they looked on at the water together.

“Yeah, but we got to escape with our lives.” The captain replied, as they sailed away with Jewely Adore’s character crying into the scientist's arms.

• -

It wasn't long after the movie had ended that Rayne and Luna teleported back to Canterlot together. The guards averted their eyes and the princess amorously threw her hooves around the stallion. “Rayne, science fiction is quite the curious genre. Are there many other movies like that which we can see?”

“Heh, that film really got you hot and bothered, seeing the monster going after a damsel in distress, didn’t it?” Rayne teased and she bopped him playfully on the chest for that comment. All the same though, she knew she couldn’t disagree with his statement either.

“Tell me!” She laughed as she pleaded to know.

Wrapping his hooves around her to hold his girlfriend tight, he said, “As a matter of fact, I think that same studio is releasing a series of science fiction films soon. So, we could watch all the movies you want.”

Biting her lip excitedly now, Luna nodded to him. “I would like that.” However, as she reached out for his hoof and he half expected her to invite him up to her room for the night, she suddenly pulled away. “But for tonight, a lady bids thee farewell, lest her excitement gets the better of her.” She could see the disappointment in his eyes even though he was too gentlemanly to complain. “Fear not and rejoice, Rayne. For you have more than succeeded in coercing a mare into being smitten with you.” She divulged, reassuring him that he wasn’t the only one having thoughts or desiring for more. “But please, allow that to be enough for now.” She pleaded with him.

Stepping up to her and looking deep into her eyes, Rayne reassured, “The only mistake that could be made tonight, is thinking that I could ever leave unhappy after spending this night with you.” He told her and her relief upon hearing that was evident on her face. “I love you, Luna.”

“I love you, Rayne.” She said before kissing him once more, lingering upon his lips before departing from him for the evening.

Author's Note

Alright, well here we go folks. Whether you find it cheesy or adorable, Rayne and Luna are officially a couple and the stallion is definitely living it up to get to see her as much as possible. Now just to make one thing clear, even when the two of them occasionally sleep together, they are actually doing just that. Sleeping, together. They haven't had sex or even started to fool around yet. But that certainly doesn't mean the desire is absent from either of them. Rayne isn't specifically out to just get Luna into bed. He just honestly wants to be with her, and he's getting that now. Whether she's ready to get hot and sweaty in the sheets or not doesn't bother him, it's her company that he loves, not some ulterior motive. Whenever she's ready, he will be too. And until then, he's still already more than happy.

So who liked Luna's amorous love letter that she wrote to Rayne? I had just a fun time writing it that I was almost giggling at my keyboard, probably very similarly to how Luna was at her parchment haha.

A quick note about the 'drive in' though. Basically at this point I have it designed so that Appleloosa has both indoor and outdoor theaters now. And the movie they were watching was Rayne's ponyfied version of The Creature From the Black Lagoon made in 1954. The two leading roles in the film were portrayed by Julie Adams and Richard Carlson, with screenplay by Harry Essex. I of course ponyfied these names as well, and it can be assumed that all of the actors in the movie were actually performed by Rayne using changeling magic while making different copies of himself. But that's a secret that only Rayne and Svengallop will ever know.

And of course, this leaves the door open for a wide variety of science fiction movies to appear in dates with Luna in the future. As I said before, I do not plan to flood the story with films like I did with songs in earlier chapters. But while going out dancing had been Starlight's thing with Rayne, going out to movies is going to be Luna's thing with him.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter and as always, thank you for reading!