Luna made her way into the dining room where her sister was waiting for her.

Celestia sat at the head of the table entertaining various nobles. Her pink mane and tail flowing over the edge of her seat. "Ah Luna, sister dear. I'll be with you in a minute."

Luna sat alone at the other end of the table and just waited. It was always like this. All she ever seemed to do was wait. Wait for the rising of the moon, wait until it was time to set the moon, and...wait for her sister to make time for her. They only had a few hours a day they could be together and it was always taken up by those fawning over her.

This was when my fall started. Why am I remembering this?

She heard the door open and close behind her. Probably just somepony else to take up her sister's time. She sighed with discontentment.

"Well if that's how you're going to be then maybe I'll just show myself out." Came an all too familiar voice.

Oh, that's why.

Luna sat up straight in her chair, her wings perking up a bit as she turned to face him. There he was with his kind face and piercing green eyes peeking out from under his cloak. Her heart skipped a bit as he approached, "you're back! We haven't seen thee in years."

He tilted his head at her, "we?"

Luna sat up straighter, "yes. We speak with the royal 'we' when addressing our subjects."

"Oh so I'm just one of your subjects then." A mischievous grin crept up his face. "Guess I shall come back later when I can schedule a proper audience." He turned to leave.

"Ok fine," she hissed while reaching for him. "We...I mean...I desire your company."

How did a thousand years rob me of all these pleasant memories?

"Now that wasn't so hard." He pulled up a seat next to her.

"EM HEM..." Somepony was clearing their throat from the other side of the table.

He turned to face the noise, "somepony want to get the princess some water?"

Celestia sat there giving him a haughty look, "aren't you going to greet your princess?"

That's right. Sister had quite the ego back then.

"I was greeting my princess until somepony interrupted me." He shot back.

A collective gasp came from rest of the court followed by murmurings of, "you can't say that. How barbaric. Somepony should teach him some manners."

Celestia held up a hoof, silencing the petitioners. "We see thou art as sharp tongued as ever. Then we shall ask of thee the usual question. Have you found him?"

He sighed, "No I haven't found Starswirl. Nothing I've tried turns up any leads either. It's like him and his friends just dropped off the map."

And to this day, we still don't know what happened to him.

"And our offer? Hast thou reconsidered?"

"No, Princess Celestia. I'm still not interested in the position of court mage." He gave her a small but somehow mocking bow. "The idea of being tied down to a single place does not appeal to me. And besides, I have my own student to instruct now."

Any murmuring around the table died off in an instant. He had been well known for being particularly adamant against taking on any pupils.

Luna rested a hoof on his foreleg and was the first to speak, "thou hast truly taken on a disciple? Wherefore art do they hail?"

"Well," he said, taking a pause. "Far to the north, past the endless blizzard, there lies a kingdom of made of crystal."

"HA! I knew it was too good to be true," said one of the laughing nobles. "Did you come here to regale us with ridiculous tales? Next you're going to tell us it was inhabited by ponies made of crystal."

"Why yes Viscount Blueblood," he said with a sneer. "I didn't know you were familiar with them." He turned back to Luna, "anyway Luna. They all have this amazing crystalline gleam to their coat and even though they're all earth ponies..."

"So you took on a farmer as a pupil, I didn't think you could demean the noble unicorn tribe any mfffff.." With a pop, the viscount suddenly found himself sucking on a pacifier.

"That's enough out of you," he said from his place next to Luna, the green spark from his horn dying down.

"Hehe," Luna chuckled at the sight of the noble being babied.

He did always find a way to make us laugh.

"Anyway," he continued his tale. "After living among them for a couple moons, I found out they have a legend about a pony being born with special abilities every hundred years. A unicorn."

"And you made this unicorn your student?" Asked Luna.

"I did indeed," he turned to the door. "Come on in, Onyx Shard."

The door slowly opened and in walked a small unicorn colt with a grey coat and a black mane. He looked nervously about at the nobles around the room that glared down at him. Onyx quickly found a spot behind his master to hide.

"So you have indeed found yourself a pupil," sighed Celestia. "I don't know why you felt the need to go to the ends of the earth to find one. There had to be at least one child of the noble houses you could've taught."

I think it's pretty clear by now he can't stand their attitudes.

"I think I've made it pretty clear by now that I can't stand their attitudes." He snapped back at Celestia.

While they continued to argue, Luna smiled down at the small nervous colt, taking note of black crystal that made up his cutie mark. "So little one," she said to him, catching his attention. "What's your special talent?"

Onyx snapped his attention to the lunar princess, "yes your majesty," he answered nervously. He closed his eyes, seeming to focus as a white aura lit up around his little grey horn. A little black gemstone slowly grew in front of him, flowing like glass until it took on a flowerlike shape. The stone wavered a little bit in the air before suddenly falling. Onyx tried to catch it but his hooves were too slow. Luna swiftly flicked a blue bolt around it, scooping it up into her hooves before it could hit the ground.

She looked at the object she held. It was a small rose made of the blackest crystal. "It's quite beautiful," she complemented him.

"Why haven't we banished thee from Equestria yet?!" Shouted Celestia.

"Thou hast! Twice! Thine border guard is of foul refuse!" He shouted back.

Onyx looked up at Luna, "should we stop them?"

Luna had a menacing smirk. Lighting her horn, she picked up the quarreling unicorn, a shocked face appearing on his face as he realized what was happening.

"Luna?! What are you doing?! Put me down right...mffff!" His words were cut off as he was floated over to Luna. Where she promptly wrapped her wings around him and started smothering him into her fur. Onyx's cheeks turned a rosy color as he watched his master get marehandled.

"Dear sister," said Luna to her sister who looked as if she was about to throw something. "We believe we will take dinner in our chambers this evening." She unwrapped the unicorn from her embrace and made her way out of the room with him floating behind her, crossing his hooves and scowling at the sun princess.

Luna didn't set him down until they got back to her chambers. The whole trip through the castle, she struck up a conversation with Onyx. They didn't talk about anything too big, mostly just how he liked Equestria and what life was like in the Crystal Empire.

He seems to be such an innocent child. Wonder what became of him?

Her old friend adjusted his green cloak as he was once again able to move under his own power. "I guess I should thank you for stopping me when you did."

Luna gave him a skeptical look, "thou seems to delight in arguing with my sister."

"Sorry about that," he said looking ashamed. "I just can't stand her high and mighty attitude. I keep holding out hope that she'll grow out of it one day."

"My sister is...very strong willed. Starswirl the Bearded was the only pony she'd ever listen to." Luna admitted reluctantly.

"He'd get a laugh if he knew that's what ponies were calling him now." He sighed, "I just wish they'd stop calling me his disciple. We've worked together on many projects but I've never once studied under him."

"If thou hadn't made an enemy of the court, they wouldn't have sought such a petty revenge to levy at thee." She retorted.

Luna suddenly remembered Onyx was in the room, "I'm sorry little one, I seem to have forgotten your presence for the moment. Art thou hungry?"

Onyx jumped a bit from finding himself suddenly addressed, "oh, no your majesty, I'm fine." His stomach rumbled, betraying him.

Luna looked down at him, "you dare lie to royalty." She clapped her hooves, summoning a maid. "Take young squire Onyx down to the kitchens and see that he is fed. And send up enough food for me and his master. I must scold him on teaching his student proper discipline."

The maid bowed, "at once, Princess Luna." The maid beckoned Onyx to follow her. He turned around as the door closed behind them to see his master facehoofing.

"Was that really necessary?" The unicorn asked Luna.

We demand snuggles!

Luna stepped up and began to nuzzle him as soon as the door was closed. "I missed you."

He smiled softly, reaching up and wrapping a foreleg around her. "I noticed. How have the nights been lately?"

"Lonely...sniff," she sniffled while releasing some of the pain in her chest. "All the ponies tend to sleep at night and the night guard doesn't talk at that much."

"Have you talked to your sister about this? I mean, I hope you get along with her better than I do."

Luna chuckled a bit, a small smile breaking onto her face, "heh, especially since the enmity between you two has become legendary in the court." Her smile fell a bit, "Celestia has become...distant. She acts like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders with the court and she keeps turning down my offers to help."

"And how's your dreamwalking been?"

"It's been getting better," Luna admitted. "However, some of the ponies have been getting mad when they realize someone's been looking in on them." She sat up straight, causing him to jump a bit. "Now though, I'd like you to do something for me."

He raised an eyebrow, "and that is?"

Luna ran her magic through the room, picking up all the pillows and anything soft and depositing them into a big pile in the middle of the room.

"Luna...aren't you too old for this?"

"Never!" She settled into the pile of pillow with her back turned to him and extended her wings. She looked over her shoulder at him with a warm smile as she shook her feathers.

He approached her, looking a bit defeated, "there's a lot more feathers here than there used to be. You do realize this could take all night?"

Luna gave him a sinister smile, "oh, I'm counting on it."

Luna awoke in her bedchambers, feeling very well rested. "I dreamt of him again," she spoke her thoughts aloud. She looked out the window to see the sun starting to settle on the horizon. She made her way over to her dressing mirror and slowly brushed out her mane while thinking over the latest dream, and more so, why she couldn't remember his name.

It felt like they had a budding romantic relationship. And you'd think that one would remember the name of some pony you got that close to. Unless her thousand years trapped on the moon in a state of anger caused her to forget details like that.

Still, even if she didn't understand everything that was happening, it was good to see him again. At least he had been taking care of himself all...these...years...wait?

Her brush fell from her magical grip as her brain put some of the pieces together, "a thousand years..." She spoke her thoughts aloud. "It can't be him. He would've died about a millennium ago."

Twilight burst into the library in a mad panic. She hopped from hoof to hoof as her neck whipped around the library, thinking of what to do next. "Oh this is bad, this is very very bad."

Startled, Spike tumbled off a ladder he had climbed to put a book away. "What is it Twilight? He said as he pulled himself out of a pile of books.

"Spike! I'm so glad you're here! I need you to take a letter." Twilight rushed over attempting to pull spike out of the pile, her magic fizzled out though, making her feel light-headed.

"Spike! I heard a crash, are you ok?" Random came down the stairs wearing a pink apron, bits of flour splotched his coat.

"It's Twilight!" Spike shouted back while holding up the alicorn. Random looked up at Twilight, taking note of the spaced out look on her face.

"Let's lay her down," he ran down the rest of the stairs. "She looks like she's about to pass out."

They carried her up the stairs to her living quarters and found a couple pillows to rest her head against. Random retrieved a glass of water and held it to her lips, making her drink.

After a few minutes, Twilight seemed to come back to herself. "What happened?" She asked.

"You overextended yourself, Twilight." Random set the glass down. "Tell me what happened after I saw you last."

Her eyes widened as she remember the reason for her rush, "that's right! Spike!" She tried to get up, but a headache was her only reward. Settling back into a reclining position, her eyes rolled back while her body continued to tell her how much she was still hurting. Another minute after that, her breathing slowed again as she looked down at the baby dragon, "Spike," she whispered with a rasped voice. "Take a letter."

"Ok Twilight," Spike pulled out a quill and some parchment. "Take it slow, you don't sound that great."

Twilight took in a few deep breaths before dictating. "Dear Princess Celestia. My research and continued studies in Ponyville have led me to believe that there we be another attack soon in the city of Canterlot. I will be on the next train to help you with the search."

Spike looked up worried, "Twilight, I don't think you should be traveling right now."

"He's right, Twilight," said Random. "You're not going anywhere except to bed."

"But..."

"No buts," Random cut her off. "Spike, amend that letter. She'll be on the first train in the morning." He turned back to her, "so...Twilight...you used a finding circle to see as far as Canterlot, didn't you?"

"Um..." She looked a bit ashamed, "...yes?"

Random sighed as he picked up Twilight in his magic, carrying her up the rest of the stairs as she squirmed in his magic. "Bed. Now. You're no good to anypony if you're going to fall over at the first errant breeze." He tucked the madly blushing alicorn into bed. "Now you hear me little princess. You're going to stay there until morning and rest. Have I made myself clear?"

Twilight shuttered a bit at how firm he was being as she slowly nodded.

Random relaxed his shoulders as he patted her on the head, "now you just relax. I'll be back with something to help you sleep."

He made his way down the stairs just in time to see Spike send the letter away, "can I count on you to make sure she stays in bed?"

"Um...sure thing, Random," Spike saluted. "You can count on me."

"Thanks," he said as he made his way downstairs. He was getting too old for this.

Random was down in his lab mixing up a small potion for the reckless alicorn when Blossomforth stepped in.

"Hey Random," said Blossomforth. "You got a minute?"

"I can spare a moment," he said facing her. "What's up?"

"I just want to let you know I'm leaving town for a couple days. Family's kinda worried about me."

"So you're heading to Manehatten then?" Random said.

Blossomforth's wings flared back in surprise, "how did you...?"

"Can I count on you delivering a letter to Queen Cocoon for me?"

Blossomforth continued to look more and more panicked, "how are you doing that?! The whole hive is in a panic after you found me out and now I find out you not only know where my hive is, but you also know the name of my queen."

Random corked the vial he was working with and carried it with him to his desk. He pulled out a piece of paper and starting writing a letter. "If it will ease your immediate fears, your white carapace labels you as part of Queen Cocoon's brood. And I've traded with the Manehatten hive in the past even if I haven't traded with the current queen."

He finished writing the letter and placed it in an envelope along with a small pink vial. Then he took a green candle and out of a drawer and used the wax to seal the letter, causing the rest of the envelope to shimmer before settling back to a muted white. "I received this candle from one of your queen's predecessors. Only the current queen will be able to open it now," he said as he floated the letter over to Blossomforth.

She looked at the letter, the wax had some kind of flower symbol pressed into it. "Random...Who exactly are you?"

"A friend," he said with a smile. "However if you want to know more, that'll be up to your queen to tell you."

Random parted ways with Blossomforth as he passed through the lobby, although she was still giving him a cross look as she left. He made his way upstairs to find Twilight still lying awake in her bed.

"I didn't keep you waiting too long did I?" He said to her.

Twilight looked at him with tears in her eyes, "no. I'm fine."

Random looked at the tears, "are you in pain?"

She shook her head, "I'm afraid. Afraid that I'm going to close my eyes and that monster is going to be waiting for me."

He pulled out a small vial and held it out to her. "What's that," she asked.

"Something to help you sleep and recover," he said as he removed the cork.

She took it in her hooves and gave it a tentative sniff before bringing it to her lips. It went down smooth and left and aftertaste of sweet honey and lavender.

He collected the vial from her and turned to leave, only to find a purple hoof holding onto him. "Stay with me until I fall asleep?"

Random settled back down next to her bed and slowly stroked her mane, "I'll stay here til you fall asleep, but only on one condition."

"What condition?" She asked as her eyes started to droop.

He leaned in and gave her a small kiss on the head, "no bad dreams tonight."

"Yawn...I'll try..." Her eyes drooped a bit more as the potion took effect, carrying her off to sleep.

Once he was sure she was asleep, Random carefully made his way out of the room and after stopping by the kitchen to pick up the remains of the Alicorn Amulet, he made his way back down to the Archive.

He entered one of the many side rooms that ringed the Archive. This one had a forge with all the various equipment needed to work all sorts of metal, or in this case, rework a piece of metal.

Random placed the remains of the amulet in a crucible and started to melt it down. "Lets make something useful out of this cursed thing. Something to help that poor mare out."

He thought back to the princess he put to bed, "I'm so sorry Twilight. But the next time we meet, you may not like me anymore."

Luna rushed through the dream realm, determined to get some answers tonight. She ran past all the doors leading to other dreams until she found the place she had spent many of her recent nights. She threw the doors open and jumped inside.

She took off running as soon as she felt the grass beneath her hooves. Where is he? Where is the one with the answers she needs?

As she crested the hill, she almost tumbled down the other side. The dreamer was just lying there, sleeping and enjoying the sun.

"We would have words with you," she said.

The dreamer shifted under his cloak, "five more minutes..."

Curiously, Luna walked over to the sleeping form and poked at it with a hoof, "are you actually sleeping within a dream?"

An eye shot open and looked at her, "I am. Maybe I dream of finally getting some rest. And now you have two questions left."

Luna stepped back grimacing, "doest thou find thyself clever?"

The dreamer sat up and smiled at her, "I doth find myself quite clever and now thou only retains a single question."

Luna was about to say something but she reached up with her hooves and held her mouth shut before she was tricked out of her last question. She only had one question left, what did she really want to know?

The dreamer had a look of mirth in his eyes as he watched the lunar princess's inner struggle.

What could she ask? How old are you? He'd probably just say something like "old enough" and that'd be the end of it. Do you know somepony named Onyx? He would just say yes and then wouldn't say any more. The one thing she really wanted to know was...

She walked slowly around him, trying her best to learn something just from his appearance. To an untrained eye, she may just look like she was checking for his prospects as a romantic partner.

"I fear that nothing I can ask will give me the answers I seek," she worded carefully. "So I shall not seek to inquire anything." She turned to leave, walking a few steps before seeming to consider something. "Actually there is something you could help me with."

"Oh?" He tilted his head. "And what might that be?"

She walked up to him with swagger to her step, making sure that she swayed her hips just enough to make it seem like she was about to ask for something shameful. She leaned in and whispered softly in his ear, "I've got an itch I can't quite scratch, maybe you could help me."

The dreamer's eyes were honed on her, she had him.

Luna slowly turned her back to him and unfurled her wings as she sat down, "would you help me preen these?"

"Luna...aren't you too old for this?" The dreamer said, shaking his head. However after a moment his eyes went wide as he realized what he just said. What he gave away. His eyes traveled up her back to her head and she had her neck turned to face him, a look of victory on her face.

"It is you!" She exclaimed. "How are you still alive?!"

The dreamer recoiled at her proclamation. "Sorry Luna but you're out of questions for today. Thanks for playing." He reached over and pulled a lever next to himself, causing the ground to fall out from under the princess.

She didn't flinch or scream as she fell. She just stared at him, a wide smile across her face as she was ejected from the dream.

"NEXT STOP! THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE!" Shouted the train attendant. "End of the line. Make sure you have all your personal effects and exit the train in an orderly fashion."

Random Fact slowly opened his eyes and just stared at the ceiling of the train car, his thoughts racing.

"Well played Luna. Well played."

Author's Note

Never underestimate a lady getting what they want.

And yes. I am portraying Celestia as someone who went through some character growth before she got where she is today.

Parts of this chapter felt a bit rushed, but that's probably more about where I am with my current writing level.