The world was still tonight. Bugs and critters slept soundly in their homes, menial dreams their meager reward for another day of existence survived. As palest petals fluttered softly in the breeze, what should have been another still night was instead disturbed by the lightest sound of tread grass, crunch, crunching until the invader in this world of night crept to her destination.

Fluorescent lights, endless buzzing, words she didn't, couldn't understand. Phrases she would not want to comprehend. Machines beep and hum, all else shattered and lost amid the droning as her world broke apart with the few words she did recognize.

Soft, carnation eyes, punctured by streaks of red and puffy skin gaze down at a patch of Nightblooms, flowers of silk and starlight, so fragile, so beautiful. Wings spread for naught but the moonlit night to see, wilting away with the sun's embrace, only to repeat the cycle the very next night.

Even as the flower's petals shriveled, plucked away by the shortest cycle of death and rebirth, it never fell, nor faltered. No, the Nightbloom's purpose was unyielding and eternal, and so too did the flora itself resolve to be the same. In softest shades of moonlight, the flower bloomed effortlessly, revealing the most beautiful prize that only those beholden to the night should find themselves worthy to witness. A testament to resilience, to beauty throughout suffering. Not in spite of, nor instead of - rather, a symbiosis so deeply entwined that without one, the other should wilt away. After all, a flower so special should lose its meaning, would it share its prize eternally to any that might wander by.

Petals droop as drop after drop falls upon them, though the night sky was clear, moonlight's glimmer softly glowing upon the soul that found her only solace in its solitary embrace; and in that embrace, she cried. Far from the judging, watchful stares of peers and strangers alike, the pony finally saw fit to let down her guard, emotions long chained, finally chasing the path to freedom through her eyes. Sniffles and soft tears swiftly ascended to sobs and wails, hooves stomping and trampling innocent grass as the dam long since cracked saw fit to burst. So beset in her cries, so lost to her emotions, the pegasus failed to notice the soft beat of wings, the faint breeze across her back, the shuffle of land accommodating yet another intruder upon this sacred starlit ground. Not until a regal, elegant voice pierced her veil of sorrow did she finally realize that here, in this meadow, she was not alone.

“What ails you, young one?”

Five short words, though in the mind of the pegasus, they may well have been daggers in her side, another soul having borne witness to her walls crumbling to dust. With a swift move of her hooves to wipe her eyes, she turned to address the new voice yet found herself unable to speak. Quickly, she looked her newest companion up and down, scarcely able to believe her own eyes as they beheld a coat the color of the night sky, mane shimmering as the very stars, and the softest, deepest turquoise eyes she’d ever seen - she stood face to face with none other than the princess of the night.

“P-Princess Luna!” Scrambling down to a hastily formed bow with a curse beneath her breath, heat flushing to her cheeks at her own indecency in the presence of royalty. Yet still, a sob nearly caught on her breath, barely held back with a hoof covering her muzzle before the alicorn dismissed her actions with a wave.

“Please, there is no need for such formalities here and now,” those eyes honed into her very soul, piercing every defense a lifetime spent in the making. Dry, cracked eyes stared in return, the pony still barely able to process the idea that a princess was standing here in front of her, let alone speaking to her. Her specifically, her alone.

Though deep down, a part of her expected judgement, the princess’ expression portrayed no such thoughts. Instead, furrowed brow and softened expression showed concern more than anything. At this, the pegasus knew she must be dreaming. The only passable explanation, that she cried herself to sleep in the field, and soon, she would awaken to the sun’s rays on her coat and the breeze in her mane. And yet, she continued to dream. The longer she stared, the more concerned - and slightly uncomfortable - Luna looked.

“Oh,” finally finding her voice, standing herself up from her hastily performed bow, “I-I’m sorry, princess. I just - I wasn’t expecting to see anypony here so late at night, let alone royalty…” As her voice trailed off, feeling a tear, she instinctively moved to wipe her eyes once more, and the princess’ expression softened further. With a gentle step, the distance began to close between them, and once again, she was reminded of the sheer, imposing presence made manifest in the regal alicorn before her, who, strangely, began to smile.

“Our - my presence tends to have that effect on the public. I am princess of the Night, of course, and all it holds. Sometimes, it is nice to simply enjoy Equestria under the moonlight, to see the softest shades this land holds, revealed by starlight. Yet I suspect your own presence here lends itself to a different cause; unless the night’s beauty truly moved you to such tears?”

Pens scrawling on clipboards, papers flipping and tossed aside. Silence, uncomfortable, drawn out, as her heart pounded in her ears, breath hitching high in her throat, unable to pass the lump that threatened to suffocate. The doctor shuffled through paperwork, but she was anywhere else - home, the theatre, her stage, the apartment complex, anywhere but here. Any time but now. The feeling of wood and paper shoved against her hooves, the distinct clicking of a pen, words ringing hollow as they drifted past on a breeze far away.

Where Luna’s words were a dagger to her side before, now they found themselves caught in her throat, the sharpest pains as she tried and failed to hold down her emotions. In the theatre of her mind’s eye, an entire day’s worth of events, recounted and relived in mere moments. Though now she managed to keep her emotions in check, the pegasus knew it would only take a few misspoken words to destroy the floodgate once again, reducing her to naught but a crying filly. A nervous shake of her head, breath long held in anticipation and recollection, released into vapor in the cool night air, “No, it… I don’t think… I don’t think I can talk about it right now. I-I’m sorry, princess.”

Once again, she found her expectations overturned, met with an understanding nod from Luna as she closed her eyes, taking a seat across from the pony. “Of course. Some wounds take time before they can begin to properly heal - to open them again so soon would be foolish.” Silence for a few painful moments, no movement but the shimmer and wave of the princess’ enchanted mane. After what felt like ages passed - though in reality only a few seconds - Luna opened her eyes, wings fluttering open as she did so. “Perhaps, then, you might enjoy some company to distract yourself? The mind is a fickle thing, after all; the more one wishes not to think of something, the more attention it naturally takes for itself.”

Flushing cheeks clearly apparent now, if the heat she felt was anything to go by - the princess of the night just asked to spend time with her. Her! A nopony, no fame nor fortune to back her name, no headlights or stage to bear her song. Sensing her hesitation, Luna gave another flash of that soft smile, “and if nothing else, a helping hoof to keep one’s thoughts grounded can never hurt.”

It wasn’t a bad offer, truth be told - in fact, though reluctant to admit as she was, it was probably best that she not be alone tonight. Not after all she’d been through. All she’d seen. All she’d heard. Yet still, something held her back - as though admitting that she craved companionship, that she detested this self imposed solitude would somehow make everything else real. That if she were alone, if the princess’ presence were shunned, everything would still be okay; her world would mend from the tattered, rent shards of what it used to be.

But one can’t always get what they want.

“I… think I would appreciate that. As long as… as long as I don’t have to talk about it.” A solitary nod in response met with a relieved sigh, and the broken remains of a smile found their way onto her face. “Thank you, princess.”

“Please,” came the alicorn’s reply, wings flaring open once more as a single, solitary hoof moved closer, inviting the pegasus to approach and find a suitable seat close by, “call me Luna.”

Hesitantly did the pegasus approach, and in that moment did Luna finally take the opportunity to truly look at her companion for the night. A bright pink mane, bouncing and flowing into a darker red at its ends, sat upon a coat of mint colored fur. Her eyes, doubtless cracked and red from the tears previously assaulting the poor girl’s cheeks, shone a vibrant, carnation colored pink - at least, her right eye did. In the moonlight, certain details were subtle, as was the faded scar over the smaller pony’s left eye, which was accordingly discolored to a fainter, faded lavender. One detail, however, eluded even the alicorn’s more watchful gaze, cutie mark sufficiently covered by the pegasi’s longer, emerald shaded wing feathers.

Out of time to steal another analyzing gaze, Luna instead turned her attention to the field the two ponies had found themselves in. Quiet and detached, an almost fairy tail-esque meadow, fit for picnics and naps in the summer shade. In fact, it was almost strange - Though Luna had not long returned to Equestria now, she’d had enough of an appraisal of the current state of affairs to know each relative area on her journey to reacclimate herself. This was peaceful, simple, a far cry from the hustle and bustle of the nearby city from which the pegasus certainly hailed.

“You live in Manehattan, correct?” Luna waited, receiving an affirming nod before continuing, “So, what brings you here, then, so far outside the city itself? I shall not pry to the reasoning for your troubles, as promised; yet at this hour, most ponies would find themselves amidst the world of dreams.” Although for Luna, this glowing view was her dream. The sight of the landscape, foliage swaying in the gentlest of breezes and blanketed in the glow of the night sky, a painting that usurped even the most celebrated masterpieces of Equestrian history.

“Well…” Muzzle turned away, the pegasus sighed softly as she gazed back out at the Nightblooms, luminous even amidst the fireflies that had begun to populate the field and created a glowing reflection in the pony’s eyes. “When I was a filly, my moms used to take me to this field, as a family picnic. We’d eat as the sun set, then watch as the flowers all bloomed. The way their glow shines in the night is just… it’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.” Pursed lips spread into a sad smile as her gaze turned to meet the princess next to her, who couldn’t help the sly grin that crept its way onto her face. That her subjects might share in her revelation, that understanding of the quiet beauty of a moonlit Equestria, gave rise to pride bubbling in her chest.

That very same grin faltered, however, mirroring the pegasus as her eyes drooped once more, gaze caught now by naught but the grass at her hooves, and Luna couldn’t help but feel a small pang in her chest. Yes, the beauty of the night was Luna’s greatest treasure, but such beauty was best shared with those who could properly appreciate it; and this mare, as she was now, was in no such state for that. And though she loved the night so dearly, her heart held each and every subject of Equestria in equal regard. The night would keep its beauty without her interference; but tonight, there was a pony in need - A pony she could help.

“A familiar sight, then. You hoped that a treasured memory might be able to shine through the sorrow in your heart.” Another nod in agreement, wordless, and yet, there was clearly something more. Behind those eyes, even the most beautiful of petals dancing in the night seemed to bring her, at best, a melancholy, sorrowful smile. Perhaps the troubles and this field were related, then, for such a fond locale to coax more tears rather than assuage their source.

An attempt to relive memories of better times? Or perhaps an attempt to cling to something that has been lost. Her family once spent time here, yet no longer do they share the pleasure - drifting apart, or lost, then?

Or perhaps the memory simply failed to elicit the joyful feelings she hoped, so great was her sorrow? Knowing as little as she did, the realization clicked that with nothing else to go on, the only solace she might provide was company and an open ear. The knowledge unsettled her - to finally find, after a millenia away, a kindred soul that could not only understand, but who actively sought the beauty of her night sky. To be so utterly unable to help that same soul as she fell to her grief, just as the princess had so long ago.

The irony is almost poetic.

“I can see why this place means so much to you.”

Luna hesitated as the young mare’s expression turned slightly curious, head tilting just so, before she continued, “A beautiful sight can make a treasured memory shine brighter - and, in the same way, those dear memories can make even the most dreary of sceneries as beautiful as the night sky itself.”

“Cherish them, my dear,” and Luna couldn’t help her smirk as a light blush crept onto the pegasus’ cheek, even as curiosity grew amid that awestruck stare, “cherish them as you cherish your loved ones. No matter what may come to pass, no matter what ails your heart and drives you to the brink of despair, cherish those memories. Let them be your guide, a happiness from a simpler time, that reminds you that not all need be tainted by your hurts. And when all feels lost, when you feel your hope vanish into the darkness, and your tears are your only companions, look back, and remember what it is like. Remember your brightest smiles, and perhaps your darkest days may not be so dark after all.”

Stars reflected from the night sky in the pegasus’ eyes, accompanied by the veritable stars of a foal meeting her hero, and Luna couldn’t help but puff her chest in pride. Wordless praise notwithstanding, she’d even managed to impress herself with the advice given, considering just how little she knew of this pony or what ailed her. She even imagined her sister, that knowing yet prideful smirk she could feel staring at her even without her presence.

Faint sniffles returned the princess’ train of thought to the present, worried as she was that she may have yet upset the girl more. However, even as tears began to well up once more, ever so slightly did the corners of her lips turn up as well. “Princess, I… thank you.”

Celestia would have had a field day teasing her about the grin she no doubt wore, from the tug at her cheeks - and with pride, she would bear it. Those words lit a spark inside that Luna hadn’t felt in ages past, only rekindled once, when the elements of harmony served to break her from her self-imposed prison inside Nightmare Moon. “I care deeply for each and every one of my subjects - if there is aught I may assist you with, know that I would be more than glad to help.”

To her surprise, however, she was greeted not with a request for further aid or companionship. No, instead, the pegasus stood, wings fluttering as she returned to an upright position, and gifted the princess with a soft smile of her own. “Actually, I think I should probably head home. I’m sure you’re plenty busy as it is - I wouldn’t dare take up any more of your time.” Slowly, she turned to leave, but hesitated after a few meager steps. With light trepidation, she turned her head just enough to look the princess in the eye one last time. “Thank you again… Luna.”

Once more, silence swept over the field, save the soft treading of grass underhoof as the pegasus departed from view, and the princess found herself once more alone beneath the stars. In the light breeze, the Nightbloom petals fluttered, one by one beginning to drop and ride the soft currents before landing inches from Luna’s hooves. An aura matching the night sky enveloped several luminescent petals, lifting them up before her eyes as she contemplated in silence, thoughts running wild amid her mind.

It had not yet been a full moon since Twilight Sparkle assisted the princess in learning how to approach her subjects in a manner that would not elicit fear - truthfully, she had worried from the start that such an encounter would only cause more suffering in that pegasus, and yet, she’d managed to turn a flood of tears into the softest smile, befitting a place amid the night sky, twinkling as the very stars. Yet underneath, there was still something more, a sense of duty unfulfilled, that rooted the princess to her spot, to relive the encounter, searching for that which still troubled her mind. After some time, and with an exhaled sigh, Luna set the petals free to soar along the breeze once more, wings flaring open in preparation for flight once more.

Perhaps Equestria has not changed quite so much, after all.

Author's Note

This takes place shortly after Season 2, episode 4: Luna Eclipsed. The story itself will span the course of ~ 1-2 months, and revolves around the interactions between Princess Luna and the protagonist - this is my first time publishing, or writing, pony fic, so I hope that this will be a good chance to show what I've got and maybe improve!

Constructive criticism is always welcome.