Friendship in the night

(My first short story, please feel free to send in comments or PM's if there are any mistakes. I may make this into a series I'm just not sure at the moment.)

Golden rays extended across the lands of Equestria, as the old day ended and new night is born. The younger of the two ruling alicorn sisters stepped forth onto the castle balcony, bidding her elder sister a farewell as she retired to her room for the night. The young alicorn noble turned her head skyward with as she closed her turquoise eyes, spreading her wings as her horn glowed in magical light. The sun fully sets allowing the moon to rise to take its turn to rule over the land, basking it in in a serene light. It wasn’t long till the young alicorn painted the dark skies with tiny dots of light, filling it with stars that matched her luxurious mane and tail. Constellations of various shapes and sizes soon formed till the once dark skies shimmered once again and the dark blue mare open her eyes to gaze upon her work. She smiles proudly at the beauty of nocturnal scene, stars twinkling off at the distance as she giggled with glee. Her fore hooves climbed up on the banister as she peered off to see the ponies admire at her work, but alas no one was around. All of the ponies throughout the land had already taken shelter in their homes, curling into their bed and drifted off to sleep. The young princess let out a heavy sigh as she returned back to her spot on the balcony. “Again I create a glorious night sky, and again for no one to see…”

She sits back casting her sadden gaze to the sky above one of the nearby villages. She recognized it as Ponyville, the large apple farm giving its identity away as the dark blue mare smiled lightly, her thoughts recalling a recent celebration held there.  She remembered how all the ponies in Ponyville feared her at first but with the assistance of her sister’s student and her friends they learned that she was different from the mare she once was, the one that vowed to bring in eternal darkness. The mare shivered at those thoughts as she barely forgave herself for giving in to her jealously and her rage. She quickly shook those thoughts from her mind as she looks over at the village in the sky. Cloudsdale if she could recall in her studies of this modern world, the home of the Pegasus ponies. The dark princess leaned in on the balcony again, turning her hoof up and into her cheek as she looked over the village in her boredom, wishing for somepony to talk to or something to happen on another quiet and lonely night. Her wish soon came true as she looked on to a small rainbow ring appearing over Cloudsdale, her eyes widen at the beauty of colors as she grew curious of what caused the anomaly. Seeing that there was no need for her to stand at her post she extends her wings and took off to the source.

The dark mare soon made it to the origins of the mysterious rainbow ring. Her eyes widening at the sight of someone other than her active in this late of night, a Pegasus mare that goes by the name of Rainbowdash. She recalled her name from her sister’s student when she and her friends freed her from the dark curse she placed on herself one thousand years ago when she tried to bring out eternal night. The young Princess sat down on a nearby cloud as she admires Rainbowdash’s performance, her speed and agility she had, flying through cloud shape loops, diving to the ground below and so on. The sight of the rainbow that trailed behind her brought a smile to the princess’s face. Once Rainbowdash finished her performance, hovering tiredly in the night sky did the Princess decided to make herself known. “Bravo, Ms. Rainbowdash, simply marvelous!” The Princess shouted. “P-Princess Luna!?” Asked a stunned Rainbow Dash, as she turned to face her audience. Luna giggled lightly with a small nod, “tis we.” She replied shortly as the Pegasus hovered closer.

“This what?” The Pegasus laughed as she landed beside the princess, the shock of her appearance soon wearing off. Luna giggled lightly at the comment remembering what her sister said about the old style of speech and that it has change greatly since her imprisonment. “heheh, I beg your pardon Ms. Rainbowdash. It is I.” The princess smiled as she straightened herself in her spot with a small bow. “Might I ask what are you still doing up? To my knowledge most ponies tend to sleep during my reign of the skies, and I’m quite perplexed to see anypony around at this time.” Rainbowdash merely blushed at the question, laughing to herself as she looked away from the princess. “Well you see… I’m actually training.” Luna’s eyes lit up as she urges to the Pegasus to continue with a wave of her hoof. “Well I plan to join the Wonder bolts one day and I’m practicing some new moves to show off my flying abilities. I’ve been doing a lot of my training at night to keep it a secret from everypony, but I guess I should have flown away from Cloudsdale if you saw it.” Rainbowdash raised her hoof behind her head, scratching it through her mane. “It has been for the best that you didn’t or else I wouldn’t have seen such spectacular flying.” Luna smiled to the embarrassed mare as they shared a small laugh before looking up into the night sky. “So um… Princess, what about you? Don’t you need to sleep?” Luna sighed lightly as she looked over at the Pegasus mare. “That I do, but as ruler of the night it is my duty to stand watch over the other ponies and paint the night sky…” She sighs lowering her head, her expression beginning to sadden. “Not that it matters. Since everypony in Equestria have nestled in their beds and gone to sleep by the time I’m done with my work…”

Rainbowdash looked over at the sadden princess before looking back up at the night sky, gazing at the twinkling stars. “So… you do all of this? That’s amazing. I’ve noticed the night sky looking more impressive since your return but I had no clue it was you.” Luna’s eyes lit up as she looked over the mare under the moon light. “You have been looking at my work Ms. Rainbowdash?” the Pegasus chuckled as she nods. “Yep, since it’s better to do my training at night since nopony is around to see me practice my new moves. So I do get a chance to do a little stargazing before returning home. Heheh it’s sorta why I take so many naps in the day and just Raindow or Rainbowdash will do, no need for any of that Ms.’s junk.” She laughs as Luna quickly joins in, feeling hard not to smile at the Rainbow’s kind words. “It’s nice to know somepony appreciates my work, Rainbow. I tend to hear a lot of my sister’s sunrises and sunsets that I sort of wished I could hear ponies hearing about my night skies. I’m glad to know that my work isn’t for naught and at least one pony out there gets to see it before my sister erases the sky with her sun.” Luna looked over the Pegasus mare as cyan face redden with a small giggled. “It’s nothing Princess; it’s just, me resting my tired wings before heading home.”

With a small giggle at the Pegasus mare modesty, Luna turns her head skyward to watch her stars shine brightly against the dark sky till she spoke up. The two mares continued to watch the skies as it flew past till the faint glows of the sun reached their backs. Rainbow slowly turns her head around as the first few faint rays of the sun hit her eyes, she panics at the sight as her hooves pressing into her cheeks as she began to scramble around. “Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh! I was up all night! I have to clear the sky over Ponyville in a few hours!” Luna laughed at the frantic mare before letting out a small quiet yawn. “mhmm… if I may add, t’was a pleasure to share my work with somepony for a change.” She replies, moving in to nudge Rainbow back into reality. Rainbowdash jumped up her touch as she looks over the Princess. “oh! Um… you’re welcome, I hope you can understand why I have to go now Princ-” Rainbow quickly responded before she was cut off. “Luna, if you please Rainbow. We’ve spent the night together so you’re more than welcome not to use official titles also when addressing me.” Luna smiled at the mare before getting ready to take off for the castle till she heard Rainbow’s voice. “Luna! If um… you would like I’ll be training again tonight, so um… when I’m done, would it be alright if we watch the stars again?” Luna looked back with a bright smile on her muzzle as she nods. “I’d love to Rainbow, I’ll be looking forward to seeing you tonight once again.” Luna replied before flying off, hearing the faint sound of Rainbow’s voice behind her. “Same here Luna!”

The thought of seeing Rainbow again brought a bright smile to Luna’s muzzle as she neared the castle, landing on her balcony and making her way towards her quarters. She fell gracefully on her bed, she pressed her head into her pillow with her eyes shut. She smiles as she nestled into the soft bedding with a mental note to remind herself to make tonight’s sky special for her new Pegasus friend, before drifting off to a peaceful morning rest.