The Student of Luna, Princess of the Night

Chapters

Part One: My Little Phony
Part Two: The Royal Canterlot Cap Locks
Part Three: Trixie’s Tedious Training
Part Four: Meteors and Feelings
Part Five: Progress
Part Six: Beginner's Exams
Part Seven: Letters of the Students: The First Set
Part Eight: Meeting Princess Celestia
Part Nine: Field Trip
Part Ten: First Dream
Part Eleven: Amulet Wings

Part One: My Little Phony

My little phony

Celestia sat on her throne yawning heavily as the long, stressful day came to a halt. She was currently waiting for her sister to take the night and raise the moon, allowing her to get some well deserved sleep. As Celestia gave one last yawn before standing, Luna entered. She could tell her sister had a hard day, and asked, “Is your time that difficult to handle?”

Celestia giggled and claimed, “You have no idea. Paper work, complaints, scheduling and reordering the same thing you ordered somepony to do… It just piles up… but, then, that’s my life, and I say this with sarcasm. I may be worn out, but it pleases me to know my subjects are happy. You, on the other hoof are lucky. You don’t have any serious responsibilities.”

Luna smirked as she knew this to be true. Sure, she had to raise and lower the moon, but other than that, there wasn't that many troubles in her life, not like her sister, anyway. Pondering the subject, she asked, “Hmm… What could I do to bring myself more responsibility?”

Celestia shrugged as she hadn’t that much of an idea. “You could always… uh… Well, there’s… No, no that wouldn’t…”

After much thought, she received the perfect recommendation via magic mail. Her student, Twilight Sparkle had just written her a friendship report. As it floated in the air unopened, Celestia smiled at her sister and said, “You know what you could try?”

Luna, who stared at her sister with curiosity, asked what it was.

“You… my sister… could try teaching!”

Luna’s face was the kind one makes when greatly insulted. “T-teaching!? There’s no way I could teach at night!”

Celestia chuckled as her hoof covered her mouth. She then said, “No, no, you misunderstand. I took Twilight under my wing and made her my honorary apprentice. Why don’t you have one, too? I’m sure it would be fun, and worth your time to see a unicorn blossom before you with the magic you taught him... or her.”

Luna smiled at this. She never considered a pupil of her own, but now that she contemplated the notion a bit more, enthusiastic imagination dawned upon her mind. The possibilities could be endless.

“Yes… I like it!” she said with vigor. “But… who?”

Celestia offered, “Why not ask my student? Surely she could recommend you a unicorn that she’s met.”

Luna agreed to this and sent a letter to the purple mare in a hurry. As she waited for a reply, she thought to herself, "whoever it may be, the unicorn must be able to take painful exercises, and endure the hardest of trials early on, but with Twilight deciding, I’m sure I’ll get the perfect student!"

Meanwhile, in Twilight’s room, she struggled with an old friend who she was able to convince to return to Ponyville. The mare was a unicorn like Twilight, but her skills were highly undeveloped. Her spells were more like tricks and the motivation she presented was lackluster.

“Come on, Trixie… You can do it!” Twilight said to cheer the unicorn.

Trixie struggled with focus as she attempted triple levitation. One would think it to be easy, but the concentration required to hold three objects at once while they all had different shapes, weights and textures was actually very difficult, at least for Trixie. One was a hair brush. Another was a circular ball and the third object was a pillow. Trixie panted as she began to lose focus on the objects. This would be considered a medium spell weaver's practice warm up, and she was about to collapse from such simple strain.

“I can’t… I can’t…” Trixie said with squinting eyes.

“You can. Don’t say you can’t!”

“No… I… can’t!”

The three objects fell to the floor in a rather anticlimactic fashion. Trixie bowed her head with a sigh.

“It’s just no good, Twilight… I’ll never be as powerful as you.” Trixie’s motivation was low, so Twilight decided to give her some moral support.

“You only failed because you said that word. Can't is the single thing that will make you believe you can’t. Replace that word with something positive, and you’ll be able to do anything!”

Trixie rolled her eyes at this pep talk. “I’ll simply accept the fact that I’ll never be as good as you and return to Las Pegasus to continue my career as a show mare.”

“Not on my watch!” Twilight snapped back. “You get to your hooves and you work on getting those objects floating, but first, take a break. Are you thirsty?”

Trixie said she was and asked for some lemonade. Just as Twilight was pouring the drinks, Spike came down the stairs saying, “Uh… Twilight… I think I got a letter coming.”

Twilight turned and asked in a confused voice, “But… what could Princess Celestia want at a time like this?”

The green and purple dragon coughed up the letter as soon as she asked. Twilight unfolded the note and read aloud.

“Dear Twilight Sparkle. I request your assistance. This is of an urgent matter as I have decided to… to… adopt a new student?! But, I’m her student… Wait… Let me finish, I’m sure I misunderstand… Ahem! The nights grow dull as of late, and I find myself with little to do… But, Celestia sleeps during the… No, let me finish… As Celestia’s student, I could think of none other than you to recommend me a candidate for this position… Oh! I see. This is from Luna! Alright… Anyways; in response to this, I will send a chariot to the location of the unicorn to pick her up. Please reply quickly.”

Trixie gulped as Twilight’s eyes fell upon her.

“I can’t think of any other unicorn than you, Trixie, to be Luna’s student.”

Trixie claimed, “Oh, no, no, no! Trixie doesn’t think that’s necessary, I mean sure, She's wanted to perfect her magic, but… a student of Princess L-Luna? I don’t…”

Twilight put her hoof on Trixie’s shoulder to back her up. “I think you’ll do great.” She turned around and asked Spike to write a letter to Luna with her recommendations of Trixie.

Once the letter wafted out of the window and into the night air, Trixie started to feel nervous. She, of course, wanted to learn magic to perfect her abilities and live up to Twilight’s standards, but this might be a bit much.

“Twilight…” Trixie said to get the purple mare’s attention. “Are you sure about this? Because I don’t think I’m ready to take this challenge."

Twilight smiled and explained, “When I was starting out as Celestia’s pupil, it was hard. She expected me to practice my magic diligently. Not only that, but she also had me read a lot. Knowing Luna, though… I don’t know what’s in store. So all I have to say is… do your best!”

They waited for Luna’s carriage that night with anticipation eating away at Trixie. "What would the training be like?" Trixie thought as she lay in bed. "Would I be able to withstand the pressure? I hope so."

Part Two: The Royal Canterlot Cap Locks

The Student of Luna, Princess of the Night

The Royal Canterlot Cap Locks

As Twilight and Trixie fell asleep waiting, Trixie’s mind wandered to the far off distant past of early days. Back then, when she was a mere filly, she read the old tales of Nightmare Moon and her chaotic ways. "Could Luna be anything like her old self, or a kind and gentler pony that may prove to be enjoyable to learn from?" she asked herself while being half awake. In time, her questions would be answered.

Sounds of galloping and metallic objects clanking and banging on the hard soil could be heard coming from outside, waking Trixie and Twilight. As the two mares exited the premises of the library, they saw Luna’s dark carriage with two bat pony guards waiting to take Trixie to Canterlot. The two stared at Twilight, and then at Trixie. The one to the left of the mares asked in a very deep and hollow voice, “Which one of you is Trixie?”

The way the stallion asked this made things seem like she was in trouble for some heinous crime. Twilight smiled and said, “This is her.” She gestured to Trixie with her hoof. “She will be staying at Canterlot for… how long now?”

The guard claimed, “For as long as it takes her to learn everything her highness has to offer.”

Trixie gulped and said, “I don’t think Trixie's Ready for…”

Twilight turned and explained, “We talked about this. Luna will take good care of you, trust me. She’ll teach you lots of things and help you with your magic, I promise.”

As Trixie climbed onto the carriage, she said, “I don’t know how you get me into these things… First you persuade me to return to Ponyville, and now you’re making me be Princess Luna’s student… oh, well. Trixie guesses you and her can argue about it over letters. You will write me… Right?”

Twilight smiled. “Of course, just be polite to Luna, and you’ll be just fine. Trust me.”

As the carriage took off, Trixie could be heard screaming due to the high velocity and height. About an hour or two went by before they arrived in Canterlot. After they landed, Trixie was so shaken by the ride, she had to make sure she was on solid ground by feeling it with her hooves before exiting. When Trixie asked about her luggage, the two guards just stood there, as though they didn't hear her at first.

The guard who spoke at Twilight's house said “We will return to Ponyville to retrieve your belongings shortly. Luna is in her study. It’s down the hall just over there.”

The stallion pointed toward a door to the left. Trixie was resilient to enter, but when she did, she found long, circular stairs illuminated by candles mounted on the walls. She ventured down, every step slowly making her sweat despite the corridor being just as cold as it was hot. The walls seemed to be coated in dust, and the end seemed to never come. Trixie could feel her heart beat. All she really wanted to do was turn around and have those stallions take her back to the warm library where she might be able to learn from Twilight. At least the show mare still had her cape and hat to give her some warmth, though it wasn’t very much.

She finally reached a wooden door. Opening it, Trixie found a round room with old, decaying pillars, ivy growing all around them, peeling from the walls and rooting out from cement. The moon light shined through the roof which had been broken into. Some old rocks from the structure could be seen lying around, and in the middle stood a shadow of what appeared to be a mare.

“H-hello? Is that you, Luna?” Trixie asked in a scared voice.

As the being stepped into the crescent light, Trixie felt her entire back shiver with both fear and delight. Not only was Princess Luna intimidating, but to the show mare, she was also attractive.

“WE ARE THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT!” Luna said in the usual Canterlot voice, nearly blowing Trixie away. “THOU MUST BE THE ONE KNOWN AS TRIXIE, RECOMMENDED BY THY APPRENTICE OF OUR SISTER, CELESTIA; ART THOU NOT?

Trixie gulped and mumbled as she spoke, which the princess could barely hear her.

“SPEAK LOUDER! WE CAN BARELY TELL IF THOU IS SPEAKING!”

Trixie blurted out, “Yes, I’m Trixie! But, why do you need to yell?! It’s piercing Trixie's ear drums!”

Luna cleared her throat, and said in a calmer, but still powerful voice, “We are using the traditional Canterlot voice for our subject. It is common for us to use the traditional we and our. Twilight Sparkle said not to use it, but we found it necessary to use for this special occasion.”

Trixie, rubbing her sore ears. “Well, I’m right here you know! It’s not required in my opinion.”

Luna shook her head and observed the mare’s attire.

“What exactly are you wearing?” she asked while circling the show mare.

“Oh, this? It’s just some performing clothes, nothing more.”

“Then… you’re a common show mare?” Luna asked in a mellow tone.

“Well… I want to perfect my magic.” Trixie claimed nervously.

“I see… So you’re not familiar with the current basics?”

“Oh, but I am, and I can prove it to you,” Trixie said admirably.

The princess stopped her from trying to prove herself and claimed she would simply scan her being. Luna’s horn shined, a ray of light encircling Trixie’s body from head to tail for a moment. Once done, Luna stared at the show mare with anger.

“Twilight Sparkle sent me… this?! A local street performer who barely knows the foundations of magic? Thou must be kidding me.”

Her hoof planted itself on her head as she complained. Trixie argued, “But, I’m dedicated. I know I can become as good as Twilight!”

Luna rolled her eyes and said, “In order for me to train you, I would need to place you at the starting position. You would learn from scratch, and be put through multiple tests. Not only that, but the fact still remains that you skipped most of your training as a filly. You might as well go home! I shouldn’t even consider taking you under my wing; for what? So you can just drop out later on in the future?”

Trixie felt very offended at this, and she made clear how she felt. “If you think that way, not even give me a chance, then fine! Send me home, see if I care.”

Luna then stated, “The best magic spell you can perform for me is a silly fire dance, and that’s just your finality for your show!”

Trixie lowered her head knowing this to be true. “Alright, I understand. Send me home then.”

Unfortunately, with that, the two returned to the chariot room to wait for Trixie's ride back to Ponyville. As they sat there, Trixie mumbled, “Didn’t even give me a chance.”

“What was that?” Luna asked irrelatively.

Trixie worked up some courage to say, “You heard me! If you gave me a chance, I could prove myself to you!”

Luna rolled her eyes once more. “Fine… If you really wish to waste my time, then so be it… Follow me.”

Trixie was a little surprised to be walking down the stares headed for the royal Canterlot library instead of going home.

“You will be staying up all night tonight,” Luna explained after hearing her new student give a rather powerful yawn. “We must get you into the normal sleeping routine if you’re going to be my pupil.”

Trixie followed close behind, and for some odd reason caught herself staring at her highness’s royal flank. She wasn’t the only one to discover this. Luna stopped dead in her tracks almost causing Trixie to bump into her. She stood there looking very annoyed, saying, “As a princess, I have powers you couldn’t possibly comprehend. If I catch you starring at my flank again, I will be sure to make you regret it!”

She continued walking, and Trixie gulped, feeling highly embarrassed.

Trotting through the chilling and poorly illuminated halls, Luna said in a sarcastic voice, “Great… Not only did Twilight send me a meager show mare, but a perverted one at that.”

Trixie felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, figuring this experience probably wouldn't be as pleasant as Twilight's training. In actual reality, it would turn out to be very different.

Part Three: Trixie’s Tedious Training

The Student of Luna, Princess of the Night

Trixie’s Tedious Training

As the two entered the library, Luna cleared her throat in order to instruct her new pupil. Book after book flew off of a nearby shelf, while she explained, “Your training will consist of three factors. The first is reading. You will be required to start from scratch and work your way up without any complaining.”

Trixie saw this coming. She never did stick with the original basics, but instead skipped to the moderate levels of magic; a mistake on her part that showed plainly. "Yes ma'am."

“Secondly,” Luna continued. “I will be inspecting your work and grading it as such. You will be reading many topics like history, imagination made reality, the basic structure of the horn, and more. These books will all be read and understood by the end of the week. If you fail to do this, you will restart and study each and every single book from the beginning all over again.”

Hearing this struck concern into Trixie's heart. She was willing to read, but to reread all her research would be time consuming. Nevertheless, she knew she had to hold her tongue.

The books that were stacked on the floor went all the way up to her neck. There were roughly seven thick books in all. “And finally, you will read one each day. Start with Your Horn and You, then work your way up to the others. You may start a book early or late, the choice is yours.”

Trixie sat in front of the desk and started reading. As she did, she saw Luna exit. Looking at the book, she wondered if this was really necessary, but decided to just do the work. After all, her teacher probably knew what was best. “Chapter one… The Tip. Your horn is filled with a magical aura and… Oh dear Celestia, this'll put me to sleep!” Her thoughts wandered away from the book and trailed onto her stay in Canterlot. “I know I need to get myself into the correct sleeping schedule, but this is going to have me dozing by the end of the first chapter. Oh, well… Nothing Trixie can’t handle.” Her voice became boisterous as she continued. “After all, I am the Great and Powerful Trixie! I’ll have this book done by tonight, and memorize every single phrase by morning!”

She did as she promised herself, but by the end of the book, she was so sleepy that she could barely lift her head. That's when Luna entered, asking, “Is the book read fully, or have you wasted your time here?”

Trixie rubbed her eyes and tried her best to wake herself. As she lifted her sleepy head, she yawned “I… did it.”

Luna looked at the book. “... Good, maybe this won’t prove to be such a bad experience after all! Now then; a small test is in order.”

Trixie adjusted her hooves to gaze at her mentor while still half awake.

“What is the tip of a unicorn’s horn called?”

First question, and Trixie was already baffled as to how she didn’t know this. “Uh… Umm… It started with a P… right?”

Luna rolled her blue eyes, grunting, “It’s called… the tip!"

Trixie’s jaw dropped as she realized it was a trick question. “Oh, that’s not fair!”

“Are you complaining?” Luna asked in an annoyed voice.

Trixie looked down, pouting, “No…”

“Next question. Who was the first magic user?”

Trixie was unsure of this, but confident she read this in the book. “Didn’t the book explain that it was never documented?”

Luna smiled. “Very good! To this day, nopony knows.”

Trixie felt herself relax as Luna continued.

“This is the final question. Who wrote the book?”

The book was immediately levitated to Luna’s back to block the answer. Trixie looked around nervously. Tension built up in her chest as she prepared her answer. “Wasn’t it… uh… Observer the Mage?"

Luna raised her eyebrow, mentally asking if Trixie was serious. The book wafted to her, and Trixie couldn’t believe it was written by her own mentor. “I wrote this two thousand years ago. It was one of my first books on unicorn magic, and it provided the very basic fundamentals of harnessing power.”

Trixie faced hoofed at the silliness of the answer, looked back at the book and couldn't stop asking herself, “How could I not know?”

Luna smirked, and then offered, “Next time you promise yourself to memorize everything in the book, keep to it.”

Trixie looked at Luna and blushed. “You… h-heard that?”

“Of course I did.” Luna explained. “You’re my pupil, which means you require my constant surveillance. That way, I know you’re doing well. Now, follow me. It’s time to go to bed. It’s early, and as my student, it’s good for you to be asleep when I sleep, ensuring me you stay awake during the nighttime.”

After exiting and proceeded down the dimly lit hallways, Luna approached her room. Across the way was another room unoccupied. “I just had this put in for you.” Luna claimed.

“But… How? I just got here.” Trixie claimed with befuddlement.

“It’s magic, I shouldn’t have to explain anything!”

The two entered their rooms, and Trixie was surprised to see how luxurious the inside was. A balcony, a golden bed, twinkling walls that resembled the night time stars, and to top it all off, she even had her own bathroom. “A bathroom? All to myself?” Trixie asked rhetorically while she scoped through the room. Luna smiled and said “Get some rest, my little pony. We have a big night ahead of us, and I need you well rested if you’re going to do better on those future tests!”

Trixie smiled, hopped into her bed and said good night to her new mentor. As Luna closed the door, Trixie floated some paper and a quill over to her so she could write a note to Twilight. After sending it, she laid on her back observing the ceiling, marveling at the blinking lights. She couldn’t believe her eyes as ten million blinking lights lit up the room, and all she could do was stare.

Part Four: Meteors and Feelings

The Student of Luna, Princess of the Night

Meteors and Feelings

As Luna’s teachings carried on, Trixie's devotion proved to be impressive. Every night, she would read up on things like beginning spells, and unicorn history. Soon after, she would be tested by her mentor to see where she would go from there. Much time was put into just the beginning arts, and as a result, she was ready to take her beginner's exams, and hopefully pass. Upon entering Luna’s study, the same room she visited on her first night in Canterlot, she saw Luna smiling, and claimed she was ready.

“Good, my pupil. We’ve seen the commitment you put into your studies and practices. You have pleased us, but will you be able to continue to do so?”

Trixie stood still, ready to receive her assignment. Her head stayed high, and her will remained strong. Luna seemed hopeful she would be able to perform the task.

“Your test will depend on one spell. A simple force field is to remain up for thirty seconds. A basic spell, but one you have yet to practice… You may begin when you wish.”

Trixie nodded her head and began immediately. While the tip of her horn began to glow with small sparks jumping out, the glassy, blue shield morphed slowly, starting at the ground and ascending slyly upwards to her head. Once it crossed her chest, Luna’s gaze brightened with every inch Trixie gained. Soon, the small fragments were able to reach the very top of her horn. With light contacting, Trixie’s face perspired, and her focus was beginning to slip.

“Come now, just fifteen more seconds!” Luna cheered.

Her hooves were shaking, her chest began to get jitters, and just before Trixie thought she was going to collapse, she told herself, "No, I’m not giving up!" Her eyes closed as she gave every amount of magical energy she had left in her body to the shield.

…3 …

…2 …

…1 …

“You did it!” Luna celebrated.

The field crumbled and shattered into billions of shining sparkles. They floated around the room like fireflies, and Luna’s smile was all Trixie was able to concentrate on. All she wanted while she was there was to see her teacher be proud, even for a moment. Then, Trixie passed out. Luna caught her and levitated the exhausted mare over. She gave Trixie some energy to wake her up, and once Trixie regained consciousness, she grunted, asking, “D-did I… pass?”

Luna chuckled. “Yes, my student… With flying colors, too.”

Trixie giggled slightly while put down on solid ground. Looking up at the princess, she asked, “What now?”

Luna just closed her eyes, and said, “You may have the rest of the night off. Do anything you desire that is within reasoning.”

Trixie stared at her mentor who passed by her. Time seemed to be going by very slowly where Luna walked. Trixie followed, and asked, “What do you plan to do with your evening?”

Luna said, “I’ll be in my room watching the meteor shower that is taking place… Uh, would you… like to join me?”

For the first time since Trixie had been in the palace, she was offered to actually mingle with Luna rather than just follow her instructions, learning from her. She, of course, accepted this, and was escorted to Luna’s room. For the first time, she found herself inside a princess's royal chambers. Decorating it was a wide, circular bed with blue shaded sheets. There was also small glitter-like stars magically printed on the blanket and walls. The most noticeable feature of Luna's room, though, was the window located on her low leveled ceiling. Luna got comfortable on the bed while Trixie sort of, just... stood there, questioning herself if she should do the same.

Luna lifted a glass of water and looked at her student with a curious eye. “Well? Come on over, sit.”

Trixie smiled sheepishly and crawled up to the side of her mentor, looking up at the glass. “So, when's this meteor shower supposed to start?”

Luna sipped her drink. “Three… Two…”

A small line, barely visible whisked by the window… and then another. Soon, shooting stars were seen not just lighting, but lining up the night sky. Trixie watch in awe. Her eyes just stared in a trance as one by one, meteor after meteor sailed by. Luna averted her eyes and looked at the student, but something was different about her than the first time she saw Trixie when she arrived. She wasn’t the phony she was. In fact, she was much better than that. Luna's gaze copped a look at her flank, but was immediately averted back to the spectacle happening just above their heads.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Trixie asked.

Luna gulped and questioned, “What do you mean? I wasn’t-”

“The meteor shower…”

Trixie hadn’t taken her eyes off the miracle, and Luna was scared she meant her plot.

“Yes...” Luna said, returning her sight at the mare’s body. “It’s… gorgeous.”

She didn’t realize these odd feelings at first, but then, she didn’t regard them as odd either, even though she disapproved of them all the same. Her student really was a marvelous mare, devoted and willing to learn, yes; but she was also physically breath taking as well. Her mane glimmered with every splendid light that shined through the glass, and her coat was well kept. Her eyes that watched the night glistened uniquely, and almost everything about her was what Luna furtively feared to like.

“Luna,” Trixie began. “You ever get the feeling that… you’re built up for greatness, but never told you could be anything… It was always just assumed by yourself?” Luna didn’t know if she could answer this, so she just let the mare explain. “I’ve always been wanting to learn magic… ever sense I was a foal, and my uncle, Cheap Trick… He was never really good, but he always made amazing gadgets and things that seemed like magic, but never really was."

"What happened?" Luna asked.

Trixie took a deep breath, and said coldly, "He died. It was brain cancer. I was too little to understand, really, and before he passed, the last words I told him was that I wanted to be great, and that nothing would stop me from become what I thought he wanted me to be..."

"But, you never were able to learn magic this quickly, were you?"

Trixie looked at Luna, smiling. "If it wasn’t for you helping Trixie, teaching her the ropes, She might not have be able to get this far!” She looked at the teary eyed highness and said, “Thank you… Princess Luna.”

That night, Trixie fell asleep in Luna’s room, blissful and happy. This was fine with the nighttime ruler, mainly because she wanted her close by. She wasn't entirely sure why she wanted this, but didn't question it much either.

Part Five: Progress

The Student of Luna, Princess of the Night

Progress

So far, Trixie had been becoming everything Princess Luna had hoped for, and began to excel in varying areas of magic. Teleportation is considered a medium class ability, but usually isn’t practiced until much later into development. Trixie, however, was able to teleport from one area of the library to the desk, a few inches, but still, a good distance for her to accomplish.

Secretly, throughout the time Luna spent with her new pupil, not only did she resiliently start feeling friendly emotions, but lustful ones as well. Before the mare came to Canterlot, she wasn’t as divinely catered to like she was now. Her mane shined with radiance emitted from Luna’s moon, making it almost glow while she sat at her desk reading up on her newest spell. The coat she donned was extremely well kept, so much that it glistened as she walked by some candle lights. Observing her student through a one way portal, Luna began to question her own feelings and speculate where they came from.

"Why, just a few months ago, she was a mere show mare!" Luna thought. "But now... I don’t know, she’s different. Beautiful, even. Am I falling in love? Oh, come now, Luna. Get a tug of yourself, as they say. She’s just another unicorn, and her looks are nothing compared to yours, so all you have to do is look in the mirror to remind yourself that you are ten times more gorgeous, and that you should be in love with your own bodily design, not hers… Though, she really is shaping up into a, uh… sexy, is it? Yes, a sexy young mare!"

The time was near sunrise, which meant it was time for some much needed shuteye for the two mares. Trixie exited the library and intersected with her mentor at the forked path like they always do. Luna entered her room without saying as much as a howdy-do, but for Trixie, she uttered, “Good night, your highness.”

Luna turned standing at the open door, a bit confused at the remark. Usually the two wouldn’t speak until the next evening. With not much to say, Luna verbalized a, “To you… as well, Trixie.”

The door closed leaving the show mare a bit disappointed Luna hadn’t anything else to say but this. As she entered her quarters, she thought to herself about the first time they met. It seemed like a distant occurrence, and the Luna she knew now was nothing compared to the tyrannical, loud and menacing mistress she greeted on her first night at the palace. This Luna complimented her with every success, and occasionally invited Trixie into her room for a drink, or to watch one of the frequently occurring meteor showers. She could barely be considered a teacher now, but more like a close friend. For the student, though, she wanted her relationship with the alicorn to be much more than this.

"Ever since we met," Trixie thought as she got into her bed, "I’ve wanted to say this… Luna, you’re just… so beautiful. I mean, is it wrong for me to feel as if I want you? Her back laid on the lush and rich fluffiness of her pillows as she continued, You’re always there for me… helping with anything I need, and yet you still deny me even though I think you know good and well… I have strong feelings for you. Not only are you kind to me, which teases my whole night away, but you’re also probably the most tantalizing mare I’ve ever seen. Not even Celestia could compare in my opinion." Her hoof glided down between her legs as she continued to think fondly of her mentor, and the rest is what Luna could've seen coming.

Inside her highness's royal chambers, she looked over the balcony, observing the shadows of the land, taking in all she could see, smell and hear, but she heard more than birds chirping tonight. A small moan in the back of her consciousness caught Luna's attention. Whisking her horn upwards to create a crescent, blue line of mystically charmed holes in the air, she muttered obscure words, and the streaks of azure opened to reveal Trixie masturbating in her room. Luna gasped and closed the portal almost instantaneously. Backing up and laying on her bed to take in what she just saw, her mind raced with intensive perverseness.

Her own student was pleasuring herself, but what's more, if her highness wished, she could enjoy the free show. Would she? The phenomenon came up to her and opened ever so slightly to see Trixie spreading her legs wide open while gingerly smiling. The peeper closed her window once again with flushing cheeks. Her face was so red by this point, Luna swore she'd get a nosebleed if she continued. Her good will was thrown out the window, though for nopony could resist spying on this.

The curtains flapped back and showed Trixie massaging her lower lips, double hoofed. It was a good thing Trixie's moans could only be heard by the princess. The spell prevented the sounds from leaving her ears while the show was going. Otherwise, neighboring rooms would've heard a sudden, high-pitched whimper of amusement. Luna never expected to check up on her student doing something like this, and wondered why she hadn’t seen these events before.

Trixie’s hoof continued to lather her pussy while her sounds of enjoyment filled Luna's ears, and soon, the peeping princess felt her own hoof caress her royal pussy. On the other end, with every gliding streak came bone chilling whines of heavenly euphoria from the show mare arousing the princess more and more. There was no looking away from the entertaining spectacle. Her highness's mind eventually went into the leisure cesspool of wild and vivid fantasies, something that rarely happens to her these days. Just when things couldn’t get any better for the royal mare, she heard the one thing that forced her over the top.

“Oh… mph, Luna.”

Hearing her name being muttered as the student sexually played with herself, Luna felt her body become tense. Her hoof immediately felt the warmth seep through her bottom lips, and in an instant, she climaxed at the sight. Despite biting her lip to keep the noise down, the sound of her quick gasps for air leached through the walls like paper, alerting Trixie. Her head bopped up while her hoof removed itself from her waist. She got up and peeked out the door to see Luna’s slightly cracked. The princess, who was too busy cumming hadn’t noticed the missing performer.

She looked back expecting there to be a finish, but all she saw was pillows and a lightly watered bed sheet. Her eyes shifted to her door to see Trixie observing her mentor's raunchy acts. The mare yipped, closed the door to the room and returned to her own. Luna’s jaw dropped as she realized that Trixie could probably piece together the equation, then come to the obvious conclusion. She inspected Trixie through the portal once more and saw the mare scoping about her room, searching for some spy equipment of any type. Once she finally returned empty hoofed, she looked at her door and asked, “W-was she… watching me… do that little… She couldn't be watching me right now, could she? So much for privacy. I’ll never be able to relax with this in my head!”

Luna felt bad for the mare, mainly because she was so close. Then, she returned her gaze to the student and saw her continuing regardless of if she was being inspected or not. The unicorn gulped and muttered, “Luna, if you’re seeing this…” Her eyes closed momentarily only to re-open, falling upon Luna’s invisible gateway. She stared right into Luna’s own eyes, and finished, “You can watch me whenever you want, just let me know somehow that I… well, I guess… turn you on in some way.”

Her eyes looked down as she teased herself, and while she did, Luna’s mouth continued to hang. A good five or ten minutes was spent on Trixie massaging herself before her mouth formed a pleased grin. Something about the thought that she might be giving the princess a show like this put a sense of surreal happiness in her being. The mare’s body relaxed as her head lay back on the pillows, and soon, her own peak was reached. Her moans could be heard even without the magic earplugs. Her torso rose ever so slightly, and just when the last of her moan left Trixie's lips, Luna felt some drool escape her mouth. All Luna could whisper to herself was, “Damn… what a show!”

The two went to bed shortly after this, both unsure how this development would affect their mentor/pupil relationship, but if anything, this was pleasant for Trixie, more so than the princess.

Part Six: Beginner's Exams

The Student of Luna, Princess of the Night

Beginner’s Exams

The following morning was awkward to say the least. Naturally, watching one’s student pleasure themselves can leave the teacher in a state of misalignment. The same couldn’t be said for Trixie, though. Almost immediately, as soon as Luna entered the library, Trixie waved to her with a big grin.

Somepony woke up on the right side of the bed, and that pony wasn’t Luna, unfortunately. Unlike Trixie, who was looking all posh and clean, Luna’s mane was half combed and half tornado debris. “Uuugh,” Luna said as she came to the small desk Trixie sat behind. “Have you finished Warping for Fillies?”

Trixie beamed, “The Great and Powerful Trixie has done that and more! She’s also covered Back-fire Spells, Front-fire Spells, Spells for Hacking and Slashing!”

Luna interrupted with, “And what of healing?”

Trixie magically brought one of the books up to her, and confessed, “Hehe, I might’ve missed the other elemental spells... Whoops.”

Luna merely shook her head, and reminded Trixie, “Today was supposed to be your beginner’s exams in which I test and grade accordingly, and then hopefully rank you to the next level of magic, which is the basic. After that is intermediate, and then advanced.”

“Right! And then master’s, which is what Trixie aims for.”

Luna rose an eyebrow. “What makes you think I plan on teaching you master’s? That level isn’t taught, it’s achieved through self perseverance and progress made on your own. Besides, I doubt you’d be able to make it that far.”

Trixie stood from the desk and cut Luna off from turning around. “Hey, Trixie can take that dumb exam anytime!”

Luna walked by her, saying, “You’re not ready. You don’t decide when you take those exams. Finishing all the books I throw your way will make things go much more faster, though.”

“I’ve read them all,” Trixie exclaimed. “I’ve read the starting books, ranking order. Anything that seemed too tough for me at the time, I put to the side and came back to it when I was ready. I’ve got levitation, teleportation, and coffee making down easy!”

Luna countered. “Heh, yeah, right! You can barely hold the book you’re on, you can only teleport a few feet, and your coffee’s a horrible brand!”

Trixie gasped in shock. “You… Don’t like my magically brewed coffee?”

Luna stood there amongst the books looking as though she indeed felt guilty about saying that. “No, no… I like your coffee, it’s just, I had some bad dreams last night. Look, if you really feel up to taking the exams earlier than what I think is good timing, then I’m not stopping you. I just have this headache, and…”

Trixie walked passed her, saying, “Trixie is perfectly confident in herself. Where will you take her for the exams, Luna?”

The princess snickered, and instructed, “This way. We plan to train thee in the beginner’s magic, and thy shalt not achieve basic rank if ye cannot perform admirably. Thy, thou, thee…” Trixie looked at her with growing anger. “Am I making any sense?” Luna asked.

“No,” Trixie said bluntly.

“Neither are you with this Trixie thing,” Luna scolded with just as much bluntness.

Trixie’s eyebrow was twitching slightly by then, irritated at how Luna would behave so shrewdly. Soon, they’d reached the library door, and down the stairs they headed. Along the way, Trixie and Luna talked like always, if only with a pinch more difficulty thanks to Luna’s cranky mood. They soon arrived down below where Trixie first met the princess. “What’re we doing here again?” the unicorn asked.

“Today, as I said, we’ll be testing your magical abilities. Are you sure you feel up to this, Trixie?”

The mare simply nodded, a ready grin showing on her face along with concentration. It was mysterious to Luna, how Trixie seemed to not even remember last night. Either that, or she was feeling much more comfortable towards Luna than the princess does her. “Ready, your majesty.”

“That’s your highness,” Luna corrected. “Lesson one, transportation!”

For a multitude of minutes, even reaching a full hour, Trixie pulled off countless amounts of magic weaving, successfully conjured, levitated and did everything Luna had to throw at her. By the near end, she was working on her final lesson. Just because she completed the others isn’t to say they were easy for Trixie. Many were ones she was having great amounts of trouble with for days, but this one, the last one, was the hardest for Trixie.

The basic levitation practice she did with Twilight was using relatively light objects, and simply holding them. Instead, she was required by Luna to do the same, but with much heavier objects. Trixie was also being told to spin the weights of varying sizes around her body, putting even more strain upon her magical powers. Luna had her back, though. If there was one area Luna still helped her pupil out with, it was inner strength. “Come on, Trixie! You’ve almost got it. Just a few more minutes…”

Trixie stood in the center of the rubble, the moon shining down upon her and the objects. One was a green triangle, twenty pounds. The second, a blue square, thirty pounds, and finally, the last was a circle, forty pounds. Around and around, these shapes swirled circles around Trixie, her horn shooting faint, lose beams of energy off to the side every so often. A strand of sweat slithered down the middle of her eyes, onto her nose, and stayed there for a moment. Trixie’s muzzle squirmed in a futile attempt to get it off, but it wasn’t going anywhere. Then, to make matters worse, Luna startled her, yelling, “Hey! Day guards, what’re you doing up?”

Trixie looked over to see Luna looking out the window, completely distracted by a set of her sister’s loyal watch ponies patrolling after their hours. What’s worse is Luna leaning over the railing, her tail swishing to the side so Trixie could get a full view of her mentor’s royally private area. Just to add to the painstaking test, Luna’s entire back, plot and all was still in the moonlight, glowing while facing poor Trixie.

“Uh, Ma’am!” Trixie said. “Princess Luna…”

“No, it’s not day time! I don’t see a sun, do you see a sun?”

Trixie tried again, her eyes fixed on Luna’s cheeks. “Please, I need your attention!”

“Okay, I’ll see you two later!”

She turned around only to see Trixie looking at her, hunched over and bent down, some drool on the right of her chin. It didn’t take Luna long to put the pieces together. After all, Trixie’s face was tired, but lustful at the same time. She had worried eyebrows, almost pleading Luna to get out of the light so she could focus. “Just… s-stand over to the left, p-please. Thank you…”

Luna did as her pupil requested, her jaw slightly open. Naturally, with Luna out of the way, Trixie was able to complete even her hardest test. She’d reached basics, and after that, she excitedly left Luna in the room with a satisfied smile on her face. Next time Luna would see Trixie, she’d be reading in the library, a whole new stack of books beside her along with some older ones she still wished to study a bit more.

Part Seven: Letters of the Students: The First Set

The Student of Luna, Princess of the Night

Letters of the Students: The First Set

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

The more time I spend here, the more easier it gets, it seems. Princess Luna is very supportive of me now, but even after so many months, I still feel as though I could do so much better in her eyes. She congratulates me on my jobs well done, is supportive, and sometimes even shows a tiny bit of joy that I’m her pupil.

Her way are tough to follow. I don’t see how you put up with all these books, researching everything, and studying day in and day out. I mean, Twilight, my eyes currently have bags under them from the three books I just finished reading tonight. Right when I but the second one down, I was all ready to go to bed. Then, Luna came in with yet another one.

I was tempted to ask her if I could go to bed, but decided it best to keep going. I thought I’d drop on that final page, not even bother with walking all the way up here and writing this, but we hadn’t talking in a while. Last letter was, what? A week or so ago? I knew you’d missed these, as I was starting to miss them, too. So, I put forth some extra strength. It feels like I’m doing that a lot lately.

Seriously, though, beginner’s training was tedious for Trixie, but she prevailed, and passed! Luna was so proud of her once it was all complete, but she didn’t come back to the library and meet me all night after the big test. She and I have been having an odd friendship, not like the kind with you. It’s more of a furtive attraction to one another that she enjoys fighting most of the time.

Such a mare she is, though. The princess of the night and moon, formerly Nightmare Moon… is actually really sweet, and a bit shy on occasions. Not being from this time, her ways are almost foalish. I don’t mean to be blatantly forward, but it’s like a little filly that’s developed a crush for me. I know it, she knows it, but if I address the situation forwardly, she’ll deny it predictably.

Until this, Trixie supposes she’s been lying to herself. She’s been pushing back her own emotions much like how she was before you forgave her. With this new concept of ‘friendship’, something Trixie once liked to consider fabled, she realizes that perhaps it’s not that bad of a thing, and she supposes she hardly ever tried it out because it seemed so frivolous in the past.

Curse Trixie’s old ways of being stuck up and relentlessly boasting for attention, and thank you, Twilight Sparkle, for helping her discover this new acquaintance. Never before had Trixie thought herself to get as close she is now with a princess! Oh, and she’s funny when she wants to be, friendly, invites me to watch the frequent meteor showers in her room…

Keeps giving me shivers how close we are already, Twilight! Did it take you this long to become this close with the cyan, rainbow haired one? You two are a lot like me and Luna. We’re together most of the time, reading with each other, getting excited whenever one of us does something great, and much like how the rainbow one likes to tease you, Luna does the same, if only subconsciously, I think.

Since Trixie is starting to fall asleep as she writes this, she must end this with a thank you for recommending me, and a question. In your honest, focused opinion, do you, Twilight Sparkle, think I should pursue a deeper friendship with Princess Luna, or should she back off before Trixie gets herself into serious trouble?

~Trixie

Dear Trixie,

I think you should ‘pursue’ whatever you think you’ll like more, though you can only do that because unlike me and Princess Celestia, you and Princess Luna have only just met a few months ago. I’m using me and Celestia as an example, mind you. It’s entirely possibly that had I been introduced to Celestia much like you were to Luna, I cannot reject the possibility of me feeling the same way as you do with your teacher.

Know now, Trixie, that I have hardly any desire for Princess Celestia… Hardly. I’d be lying if I said she doesn’t strike me as incredibly approachable, but we met years ago when I was just a little filly. She’s a mother figure to me, if anything. However, you and Luna are friends, and maybe, with time, you and her could become much more than that. It depends on how you go about… I don’t wanna say it, but I will. It depends on how you flirt with her.

Now, I’ve known Luna since she was still Nightmare Moon, and the only time I’ve ever had the serious pleasure of sitting down with her and talking coyly was on Nightmare Night. The instances with me being in the palace consisted of a simple nod to say hello, but that’s about it. In the short version, I shamefully don’t know how you should go about alluring her. I say ‘shamefully’ because I’d really like to help! You two, in my opinion, would make an amazingly cute couple.

Other than sounding creepy, I’m also going to try and sound overjoyed that you passed your first exam! That’s great! So, now you can cast my kind of spells, but at lower levels. You’re going to improve, though, with time. Just keep your chin up, and you’ll be just as good as me someday! Well, maybe not as good, but definitely rivaling others. As more training hits you in the face, just remember, it’ll all be worth it once you’re ready to work yourself up to master rank.

What sort of friend would I be if I said advanced rank? I believe in you, Trixie! I can see you making your own magic spells, creating enchantments for all sorts of uses, and I know you see yourself doing the same exact thing! With Luna by your side, you can become as strong, and as magically powerful as Star Swirl the Bearded himself. You just have to try, and never give up, but enough with the pep talk, right?

Some days, you’re going to feel worn down, and incomplete. That’s normal, and you can fight your way through that drought. Shoot, I wish somepony would’ve warned me about that when I was training with Princess Celestia. It came out of nowhere, and before I could even finish ‘Forbidden Curiosities of Magic’, I suddenly felt weak, and needed a break. Take my advice, Trixie. Around intermediate levels of magic, if you’re unable to continue, ask for a break.

Or, you could push yourself through it. Whichever floats your boat, I suppose. Still, I wouldn’t mind seeing you again for a few days, and that’s all you’d need is about a week to recuperate your abilities, and then, you’ll be set to sail! Luna’s very understanding, and will probably be okay with this. If not, just let me speak to her. Maybe I can persuade her into going more easy on you, but just a bit. After all, we don’t want your horn to shrivel up while on vacation.

Recently, the tree branches have been growing more and more. I think that spell you and I tried together way back before you left has finally started to blossom, and kick in. Spike woke up this morning in his basket. Now, it would’ve been normal had he been on solid ground. Instead, his bed was suspended in the air by a branch. He fell down and got a pretty nasty scar on his arm. He’ll be fine, though.

Right now, what I need from you is the book on photosynthesis enchanting. It’s the green one with ivy for a binder. Send it my way if you have it. See, my copy has been unfortunately gobbled up by the fireplace acting as the stump’s mouth. Just have Celestia send it, please. Last time Luna magically delivered a package for me, it appeared in a giant, regal box that nearly choked poor Spike to death. He’s been through enough recently already, so please, keep Luna from killing my dragon, I guess is what I’m trying to say.

You’ve still got a lot to learn, Trixie. But, you know? You’re already… like, fifteen percent of the way there? Yeah, that sounds accurate. Keep reading, practicing magic, and socializing with Luna. Believe it or not, just like Celestia, she’s probably got some secret spells of her own you might be more than interested in. As for myself, I have a dragon to heal, some attacking branches to trim, and a book to wait for. Sorry about making you stay up a bit longer to go pester Celestia. I’d letter her myself, but Spike says he can only get one note through at this time. Until later, continue to have some fun with this, and give Luna my regards.

~Twilight Sparkle

Author's Note

There is a secret message hidden within this chapter. Can you figure out what it is? If so, and you find it, and you feel compelled to say what it is in the comments, use spoilers to do so. Thank you, and hope you've enjoyed the read thus far!

Part Eight: Meeting Princess Celestia

The Student of Luna, Princess of the Night

Meeting Princess Celestia

Trixie shifted in her bed, her eyes slightly open. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t seem to get any sleep. She was tired enough, but just couldn’t nod off. After a minute or so, she looked upwards, her eyes blinking at the open curtains, and gave a startled yelp once Twilight’s letter arrived. She was a little thankful towards Twilight for being so forward, but also mad that she asked Trixie to go see Celestia at that time in the day.

The curtains flooded with the sun rising in the distance, and out the door Trixie went. She stumbled through the hallway and up the stairs, down some stairs and across some huge bridge. She went left, right, up and sideways, eventually sighing at how tired she was. “Oh, where is she?”

If Trixie hadn’t mailed Twilight so late, she would’ve been asleep rather than looking for her highness, wherever she may be in the palace. Trixie finally reached the royal garden and saw a pair white wings fluttering pass some trees close by. She chased after it, but came to a pair of pillows sitting by a table. Trixie came up and sat, her head obviously playing tricks on her.

“Poor dear, you look exhausted.”

“Mmh, oh, yes… Trixie’s very,” she looked up. “... Exhausted?” Princess Celestia, only seen a few times in Trixie’s whole life stood before her with a raised eyebrow. “Princess Celestia…”

She quickly bowed, bringing her highness to ask, “Do I know you, young unicorn? The castle’s not exactly supposed to be open to citizens.”

“Oh, no, no,” Trixie said, getting to her hooves. “I’m Trixie.” She gave a cheeky grin, but Celestia was still confused. “Err… Luna’s student?”

“Student?” Celestia asked, looking around. “She hadn’t informed me she’d started that yet…”

Trixie frowned. “I’ve been here for a few months! You mean she doesn’t talk about me at all?”

Celestia sat on the opposite side of the table. “We’ve been distracted with duties, and I’m sure Luna’s got you on her mind just as much as I’ve got Twilight on mine, if not more.”

Trixie looked down, and then remembered the whole reason behind seeing Celestia in the first place. “Oh, your highness, your highness!” Trixie said, jumping up and down on her pillow. “Twilight needs a delivery!”

“What kind?”

“A book.” Trixie lead the way to the library, eventually found the book, and requested the princess deliver it.

“Why can’t my sister send it?”

Trixie said, “Because, last time, she sent in some big, regal box.”

Celestia nodded. “That sounds like Luna… Alright, let me see now…”

While Celestia sent it, Trixie warily sat at her usual desk. “So tired…”

“How has your training with my sister been going?” Celestia asked after a trail of yellow smoke wafted away from the castle.

Trixie looked up to say, “Smoothly, I’m on basic level magic.”

Celestia looked at her funny. “Basic? Shouldn’t a mare your age be on intermediate by now?”

Trixie shook her head solemnly. “No, actually. Trixie’s not really that good at magic, but Twilight recommended her anyway.” She yawned after blinking at the princess a few times.

“Interesting… She started you from scratch. Has she… taken you out anywhere, like on a field trip?”

Trixie giggled. “Don’t be silly. At night? That’d be dangerous! I mean, you didn’t do that with Twilight, did you?”

Celestia smirked. “Actually, I did indeed. I took her many places, and told her lots of personal stories. We bonded the way friends always should… and Luna really should be doing the same with you. If you want, Trixie, I could talk with your mentor and help her out. You might like the outcome, too.”

Trixie thought about it, listening to the solitude of the garden. Then, nodded with a grin. “It’s boring over here sometimes! Trixie would very much like a field trip!”

Celestia promised Trixie she would converse with Luna by night, and she would see to it that the sister would take Trixie somewhere, though where they were to go was a bit bizarre for Trixie. Luna’s choices when it came to exciting and fun things was questionable at best. Celestia simply told her some place historical. To Luna, that meant one of the oldest locations in all of Equestria.

Trixie went to bed shortly after parting ways with the princess. She was all too tired, and could barely keep her eyes open by then. Despite not being able to go to sleep earlier, she was sure to doze off this time around. Upon reaching her door, she closed it with her hind hoof, glanced at the plush, inviting bed, and swung herself onto it, almost immediately drifting off into slumber. After all, she’d need the sleep.

By the next evening, she’d wake up to Luna knocking on the door telling her to get ready to go. She fell out of bed, her heart thumping from an earlier dream, and stood, looking around while the door continued to knock. “Trixie, hurry up, take a shower, put on makeup, get dressed and meet me at the chariot room in less than one hour! We’re going out!”

“Wh-where?" Trixie asked. “Princess Luna, where are we going? Princess Luna?”

She’d gone away already, leaving the stunned mare to huff that rude awakening away and do as her mentor instructed. The only thing Trixie liked more than sleeping was showering. The waters flooding around her and bouncing off her coat while shampoo cleaned her mane was one of her favorite things to do in the morning. Sometimes, much like this time, Trixie was tempted to stay in there, rinsing herself with nice, warming water.

Though, she had some place to be. Pouting after getting all that soap out of her furry coat, she stepped out wishing to stay in there and drizzle more suds around herself. She reluctantly grabbed a towel, wiped herself dry and picked out her uniform; the signature coat and hat. After a quick make up check and something to eat, Trixie was finally ready to go. Hopefully, she’d stay that way. Eventually meeting Princess Luna at the chariot, Trixie asked again, “Where are we going?”

Luna simply looked down and said, “It’s a surprise…”

Part Nine: Field Trip

The Student of Luna, Princess of the Night

Field Trip

Trixie came galloping up, panting from the run down stairs. Her hat flew off, but as she turned to catch it, Luna brought it over to the departure zone. Instead of ridiculing it like she did the first time around, she placed it on her head, and said, “I’ll wear this until we arrive at our destination.”

“Where’re we going?” Trixie asked.

Luna simply got in once her bat ponies arrived, the same ones from before, and said, “It’s a surprise.”

Trixie trotted up to the open door slowly, glanced over at one of them, and smiled. They didn’t return the kind gesture. Instead, the one closest said, “We need to leave, student of Luna.”

Trixie roller her eyes with an attitude, got in, and looked over at Luna who currently had a map spread out. Only so much was covered, but more importantly than that, it wasn’t even of the correct date. Canterlot wasn’t even on it, and there were cities Trixie had never even heard of, but one place, the area she did recognize and the place Luna seemed to be looking at was the Everfree Forest. “Uh, Luna?” Trixie asked.

“Yes, my student?” Princess Luna responded while trailing along the route.

“We aren’t headed into the woods outside of Ponyville, are we?”

Luna shook her head. “No, we are not. We are going beyond that, and into the past itself. Everything should be well preserved…”

Trixie looked out at the city disappearing behind her, the sun lowering. Luna would raise the moon on the way there, but Trixie would simply stare out at the distance for most of the ride. Once they finally arrived at the edge of the woods, Trixie looked down at the glowing jungle thickening in size the further along they floated. It’d seem like it was never ending. Just beyond the hurds of trees up ahead of them, she saw their destination.

What must’ve been a great castle at one point was now ruins spanning the rest of the forest. Everything beyond them was blocked by the walls that ascended high into the clouds. Ivy covered most of everything and tore through its old surface. The only part of the castle that was still remarkably untouched by time itself was the small, wooden door they landed in front of. Luna got out, her horn lighting the way through the darkness.

“Where are we?” Trixie questioned as she left the chariot as well. Above her were small bridges linking buildings together, some broken in the middle, and some barely in tact.

Putting the mare’s hat on her head, Luna explained, “We are at the old castle, the one my sister and I used to live in.” She opened the door and entered fearlessly, and was instantly engulfed by darkness, leaving Trixie alone. Not for long, though. Trixie entered as well, if only a bit more slowly. Within, only the light from Luna’s horn lit the path. Everything else was utter darkness. “Do you know the old tale of my banishment?”

Trixie nodded. “Twilight told me the whole story… Isn’t this where they stopped you using the elements of harmony?”

Luna illuminated the room’s ancient candles and stood at a crumbled pillar. “This is where it happened, when I transformed into Nightmare Moon. I stood at this very spot, and lost control.” She looked down at the crater she made so long ago. “I don’t remember if it was jealousy, hatred, paranoia… I just lost control.”

The unicorn below her walked up to the throne Luna used to sit in. “This is your history… I’m sorry for what happened to you.”

Luna walked off behind the thrones to open a hidden door Trixie hadn’t noticed before. Through the hallway, Luna returned to her private wing. Below the castle, far beneath the ground’s surface, Luna traveled through the decaying path, soon arriving at the room she’d almost forgotten about completely. “A thousand years ago, I used the moon’s wrath to my own advantages, and transformed using magic… and an old world artifact.”

Trixie crossed through the door and into a circular room wide enough to fit thirty or forty ponies in. Everything seemed to be made of strong metal, possibly iron. “Artifact?” Trixie asked while looking around cautiously.

Luna nodded. “It was created when I’d realized I wasn’t happy, and when I forgot that my own sister was my friend, too. Now…” She shined her horn in the very center of the room, and before Trixie rose an amulet most like the one she used in the past, but crescent moon shaped. It floated through the floor and into the air before Trixie, coiling its rope around her outfit. Her original diamond that held the cape together was removed, and the amulet took its place. For a moment, she glowed a bright, beautiful white color, and then… nothing.

Trixie looked down at the circular trinket only to asked, “Is this thing defective?”

It twinkled a little, and then smoke bursted out from Trixie’s chest. The thick, white fog magnetized to her hooves, head, tail and back. In a flash, Trixie was armored with the remnants of the early moon. “The deeper into the night you are,” Luna instructed, “the more powerful the magic becomes. With the power of the alicorns at your hooves, you will have the means to perform unique spells. Can I trust you to keep this safe?”

Trixie looked up, her figure almost transparent, and said, “So long as this isn't permanent!”

Luna giggled. “You just have to take the amulet off. Though, I warn you…” Luna came close, taking the amulet away. “The power of the moon, when brought to far exceeding levels of nighttime can render you unconscious, and the wrath of the moon can take over your entire being.”

With the white aura seeping away from Trixie’s whole body, she backed away, watching the amulet float within Luna’s grasp. It returned to her neck, and she thought it best to ask, “How do I summon these new powers?”

Luna simply said, “When you think you need it the most, it will pour freely, shielding you from danger’s wake.” The princess loftily brought Trixie’s diamond up, and asked, “A fair trade, wouldn’t you agree?”

Trixie nodded. “Trixie will be having that back soon enough, though, she’ll have you know.”

Luna looked over with a raised eyebrow. “How so?”

Trixie blushed, and modestly said, “Trixie has parted with that many times. It always winds up back in her safe possession.”

Once the two left in the chariot, Luna checked behind them one more time. With her old home vanishing in the distance, she returned to Trixie who wondered aloud, “What’s the matter?”

Luna shook her head. “I’ve been contemplating the castle… Remembering, mostly.” With the sun rising over the mountains, Luna confessed, “The past, and what could’ve been.”

Just like the trip there, on the way back, Luna would move the moon accordingly. It was such a simple job, and she had friends now. These days seemed so different from the ones before, when her highness felt neglected, and alone. Trixie could only wonder about her teacher, what could possibly be on her mind, and partially when the next field trip would be.

Part Ten: First Dream

The Student of Luna, Princess of the Night

First Dream

“Keep an eye on it,” Luna warned while guiding Trixie back up to their rooms. “The amulet should always be someplace where you can reach it easily.”

“Yes, your highness.”

Luna slowed down while Trixie kept walking towards her room. It’d been a while since she heard Trixie call her that. Usually, it’s from either respect, or the fact that she doesn’t feel right with calling Luna by her name. Something about that bothered Luna. She watched Trixie round a corner, and then sat. “I can… feel her hoof steps.”

Trixie walked along, tired, and the amulet bobbing up and down with her every trot. Trixie didn’t know it, and neither did Luna, but with it being a part of her, she could feel its every motion. She thought about it for a minute, and then got a wicked idea. The princess was not without a sense of pleasure, after all. If she wished, Luna could take control of the moon amulet for a short while. She shook the idea away, and headed for her room.

The princess was still resilient towards trying to build a relationship with Trixie that went beyond just friendship. The mare was, after all, her student. Still, something about her made Princess Luna feel differently about that. She had everything Luna liked in a mare, as far as likability went for her. A well kept mane, a nice attitude when not on edge, and so, very many occurrences where she and the princess caught each other doing rather personal things.

The night Luna watched Trixie pleasure herself wasn’t the last. At least three other times, she took a peak, but the most recent was a little over a week ago. Luna wondered if her student wasn’t feeling good. Sure, she acted pleasant on the trip, but once in the castle walls, she blanked out. Trixie hardly even realized she’d walked off without saying goodnight to Luna. It might’ve been a trivial thing to anypony else, but not to Luna.

She was starting to feel as though if she didn’t pursue a more emotional relationship with Trixie, she might never truly be Trixie’s friend at all. She’d just be the teacher that pushed her student away, and piled books on her. Then she’d leave that student in the library to read, and read whether she liked to or not. In the end, once inside her bedroom, Luna sat down upon her dresser, and showed Trixie through the reflection using magic.

She sat on her bed, the amulet sitting next to her on the nightstand. An odd mist was hovering around Trixie, and Luna smiled. “Though she’s asleep, she’s also dreaming… She’s in her room.”

Luna peered in, and Trixie indeed sat on her bed, the amulet in her hooves. Everything now was what Luna chose to do. She knew the amulet had strong powers beyond even her comprehension, and toying with it before Trixie was able to get used to it would be irresponsible. However, within a dream that's under Luna's watchful eye, physical laws can be broken. Training within the dream would be permanent in the real world, meaning everything Trixie learned in her dreams with the princess would stay with her when she woke up. After all, there were some less difficult secrets Luna could teach her pupil now.

She finally decided to step forward, and out of the shadows. Trixie, who looked rather grey came into color and looked at her with a gasp. “Luna!”

“Calm thyself, Trixie. We come here to-”

“What’s with the voice?” Trixie asked, cutting Luna off completely.

“Let me speak,” Luna said. “I sometimes forget I’m in a dream, and start speaking in the old way.”

Trixie snickered. “Well, what’re you doing here? Trixie’s heard the legends of you being able to enter others’ dreams, but never thought they were true!”

Luna nodded with a grin. “Yes, they’re all true, but I’m here to learn you.”

“... You mean teach me.”

Luna’s muzzle scrunched up. “Err, yes, that’s what I meant.”

“They said learn instead of teach back then?” Trixie asked, holding in a few chuckles.

Luna turned towards the amulet, rose it up into the air along with Trixie and started carrying her to the window while getting her coat. Luna decided to leave the hat, though. Despite it all still being nothing more but a dream, some sense of reality remained. “Wait, where are we going? Luna? Your highness?”

Soon Trixie was staring out at the land coated in darkness. Below her was, for some reason, a moat filled with rather angry looking alligators. “Your lesson will be flying!”

Trixie screamed, piercing Luna’s ears. Then, she said in a panic, “I can’t fly, and are the gators really necessary?!”

Luna sighed. Ignoring that, she quickly equipped Trixie’s coat along with the amulet to holt it in place. She tapped it three times, no more, no less, and sprang a pair of wings onto Trixie’s back. They weren’t like Luna’s or Celestia’s at all. They were made of dense, white fog, and were shaped pointy. Luna set Trixie down, the smoke passing by her arms and connecting to the amulet itself, and asked, “Think you can do it now, Trixie?”

“It’s only a dream, right?”

Luna looked down at the moat, and said, “Well, I’ve never tried this before with somepony. The training stays with you, but if you die… I honestly don’t know. I suppose you’ll have to make sure you don’t die, huh?”

Trixie jumped back, onto the wall on the opposite side that stretched rather deep down. “I’m not going through that window, and you can’t make me!”

Out the window she went, screaming frantically and swishing her hooves wildly. Luna soon jumped through, too, and dived down toward the mare at high speeds, catching her just in time. A second more, and Trixie would’ve been chomped. She still had her eyes closed, but now covered as well, but she was doing it. Even though it was in a dream, she was flying higher and higher, into the air like a balloon with Luna's help. “You can open your eyes now,” Luna voiced.

As she did, Trixie looked up to see the clouds getting closer, silver lining each one. The sun came up on the distance with the moon passing right by it. Trixie smiled, taking in fresh air. She was eventually let go, and Luna came up close beside her. Instinctively, Trixie started flapping her wings. Then, Luna took a dive for the ground below. For whatever reason, Trixie did the same, and fell right behind her, She followed every move, dodging cloud after cloud easily. There was much more to Trixie than even Luna could've ever expected.

Finally, right at the last second, Trixie straightened out, the grass below her just barely brushing the tufts of her chest. She could see Luna just up there, dodging some storm clouds like nothing. Trixie quickly got level with her, and came level with the teacher. Once in her peripheral vision where Luna could see Trixie clearly, she huffed, “Is that all?” Luna came down slowly, and Trixie did the same.

As Luna landed perfectly, her pupil made an embarrassing crash right into what felt like a rough bush. The dream they were just in had ended, and a new one took its place. Luna helped Trixie up, and then looked out at the forming illusion. Trixie rubbed her head while stepping forward, and asked, “Where are we?”

Luna answered, “In your dream, wherever that is.”

Before the two ponies was a small waterfall, steaming hot water gushing down from the rocks above. The small lake that rested peacefully next to Trixie and Luna’s hooves had a dense fog about it that made things hard to see. Soon, as Trixie got to looking around more, she realized just where her thoughts had led her and Luna to. “My uncle used to take me here…”

Luna’s ears perked up. “Cheap Trick... Wasn’t that his name?”

Trixie nodded. “A few years prior to him dying, he took me here when I was still young. I’m surprised I remember it at all now. I’d spend time in these warm waters while he napped.” She smiled. "He was always napping..."

Luna was tempted to lead Trixie into the inviting waters, but resisted. It was time they both woke up anyway, and it wasn’t the time for that just yet. “Trixie,” Luna said, catching her attention. “It’s time I left. Sorry, but I need to raised the moon in a bit.”

Trixie lowered her head in a bowing manner, then looked back up. “I’ll see you later tonight, then?”

Luna continued to smile while saying, “Right when you get up. I warn you, though, I’ll be ready to try out your amulet's flying powers by then, in the real world.”

Trixie gulped. With a sneer, Luna disappeared, and the dream Trixie was in soon broke all around her. She’d awaken with a start, look around the room, and sigh, holding her head. When her eyes finally fell upon that amulet, she remembered Luna’s words, and then locked herself in the bathroom out of fear for flying.

Part Eleven: Amulet Wings

The Student of Luna, Princess of the Night

Amulet Wings

Princess Luna knocked on her student’s door, but no answer would come. For a minute, she stood alone in the hallway, waiting and expecting Trixie to wake up and answer the door at any moment, but nopony came. She looked down the halls at the bat guards, smiled at them, and ventured to question them. As she walked up, she kindly asked, “You two have been keeping up with Trixie, right?”

The bulkier one nodded his head, and said, “Yes, your highness. Actually, though, the most we've heard's been a small shriek, and then a door slamming shut inside, and that was about…”

“Fifteen minutes ago,” the partner said.

“Yeah, sounds about right.”

Luna looked at the two blankly, and then turned around to knock again while the two looked her way, both raising an eyebrow. Eventually, she began to ask, “Trixie? Are you awake?”

She heard a small stomping sound, but that was all. With little patience left, Luna opened the door only to find the lavish room to be empty. She stared at the ruffled sheets laying on the bed, glanced at the amulet sitting on the close by nightstand, and then noticed the closed bathroom door. Knocking, she asked, “Getting ready for practice?”

Trixie responded with, “Nope! I’m not flying!”

For a moment, Luna stood there, listening in. Then, she giggled ever so sweetly. “We’re not flying, Trixie! Come on out of there...”

Trixie still remained reluctant. “No! Not unless you promise Trixie won’t get hurt!”

Luna nodded to herself, sat down to wait, and said, “I promise, nothing bad will happen to you so long as I’m guiding you.”

After a moment of silence, Trixie finally unlocked the door, cracked it open and stared at Luna with one eye visible. “We’re not flying?”

Luna shook her head with a smile. “Gliding is more like it. Close to the ground, only a few inched up.”

Trixie opened the door, perplexed by the change of events. “But, in the dream-”

Luna interrupted. “It was a dream. The training stays with you, but you won’t be able to do anything that fun right away. Just... come with me, and I’ll show you what I mean.”

Luna lead the way out of the room while Trixie said, “But, you made it sound like we were going to actually fly today!”

Luna made Trixie’s amulet magically attached itself to her chest while she complained, and as they walked, the unicorn could feel the power of the night growing. The amulet itself was becoming cooler by the second, something that became hard to ignore for the owner. Luna brought Trixie to a rather high up building, looked at her, and pointed to the closest neighboring establishment. “See that?”

“Yeah? It looks close enough…”

“Ever heard of urban exploration?” Luna smirked at her pupil. For the time being, she just stared, but then, her hoof tapped Trixie’s amulet twice. Just like that, Trixie’s wings made of smoke bloomed out from her back, wrapping itself around her torso and neck like thick armor. The feeling was all too familiar for Trixie. As Luna took the leap over, she demonstrated how to move while Trixie watched nervously. She landed with grace on the other side, something Trixie simply knew wouldn’t be near as simple for her; knowing the kind of luck she’s had in the past always brought her down at times of danger.

“Okay,” Trixie said while backing up. She stared down at the building, her hooves shaking, and wondered if she’d even be able to make it even with the wings. Just like Luna, Trixie inched back to an appropriate leaping position, aimed for the very edge, and galloped forth. She jumped hard, spread her wings right on time and felt them catch the wind like rails. Gliding, for her, seemed easy enough. Upon landing, however, she stumbled a bit, looked at Luna with a smile, and said, “Trixie’s got this.”

She took a step forward and awkwardly stumbled over her own hooves. It’d seem she was still a little unused to the new weight of the misty wings. They felt denser than they looked to Trixie. She tapped her amulet, and in they went. A pause. And then, the smoke formed the outline of her wings again, and then returned to the amulet upon Trixie tapping it yet again.

“Stop toying with it!” Luna barked. Trixie lowered her hoof, and the two were on their way to the next building.

While looking out, Trixie noticed the horizon, and said, “I can see all of Canterlot!”

Luna walked in front of her, gesturing towards the edge. “Yes, but you must be careful! There are steep steps in all corners. You mustn’t go near the edges unless you plan to jump.”

As she took off for the next one with ease, Trixie asked loudly, “You do this all the time?”

Once touched down, Luna replied with, “Only if I feel restless, which is quite often.” For a minute, Trixie simply stood over there, staring. “C’mon! I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

Trixie gulped her fears away and ran fast, just like before. Once again, she cleared a rather impressive jump she might not have been able to do without her wings. Once landing, which was worse than the last one, Trixie slouched on the ground, panting, “I… looked down.”

Luna grunted, “Never look down! That’s rule number one, Trixie.”

“There are rules?!”

The practice went on like that for a good while, mostly consisting of brief conversations and quick leaps from building to building. Trixie still had lots of trouble, but was doing much better than Luna thought she would’ve. By the time they finished, Trixie was worn out, and furtively almost didn’t make the last jump. Luna looked down, mumbling to herself. “Eighteen, nineteen, twenty… We did twenty jumps!”

Trixie huffed, “Felt like hundreds…”

With the two returning to the library, particularly through one of the nearby windows, Trixie noticed her four unread books sitting on her desk, and simply stared. “Oh…”

“It’s okay.” Trixie looked up at her teacher. “I kinda knew about this. Just take a break, get something to eat, and catch up later tonight. The evening is younger than it appears.”

Trixie nodded. “I’m just tired.”

Luna left shortly after that, the door echoing behind her after closing. Trixie would carry out the instructions like she was told to do, and get back to her daily studies soon after recovering her nerves from bouncing from rooftop to rooftop like some crazed super hero. That experience was a bit different for her.

If only it hadn’t been so cloudy and misty that night, maybe she would’ve been able to see the moon with Princess Luna. Maybe, she and her mentor will get their chance at doing that next time around. To Trixie, it’d been too long since they last watched a meteor shower, if only because Luna made up the excuse of it harming something called the Ozone Layer.