The three ponies sat in the throne room of Twilight’s castle. As Luna recounted what happened to Star Strider with Starlight in their presence, she was shocked to see the lack of emotion on his face. He was normally the stoic type, but this was a new form of detached. At the mention of his former student’s sudden entrapment, he failed to even raise an eyebrow. As she finished her explanation of her sudden arrival, she waited for his response on the edge of her seat. Not moments after she had finished speaking then he filled the air.

“Alright. We may have a problem on my front. My magic is weak. It may be fading altogether. I’m sorry but I do not think I can be of use.”

“WHAT!” Luna shouted so loud it seemed the castle walls reverberated for minutes her loud voice. “Your magic is GONE? How? What happened?”

“Well, as of apparently six days ago, I suffered from what I thought was a heart attack. Starlight here helped channel whatever forces deterred me into some encapsulating crystals. That may be a start. But upon waking up a few days ago, the simplest of spells elude me. The strangest thing is I feel incapable of feeling.” His tone was bland and indifferent. It only did more to confuse Luna. She was furiously rubbing her head and the bridge of her muzzle. She suddenly connected the dots. Six days ago was when Starswirl got trapped.

“Is it possible that your separation from the Lichen caused this?” Star Strider was already shaking his head.

“When I was separated previously, I was still able to use magic. That’s how I defeated it so many years ago.” Luna thought even harder but was interrupted by the watching Starlight.

“I don’t think that’s the whole story.”

They both swiveled their heads to her. She stepped forward and rested a hoof on the table between them.

“Star Strider, what is magic?” He huffed and crossed his legs.

“Well, that’s about the most complicated question in all of history.”

“Except it isn’t. Through all my studies under Twilight, I learned that magic is about the simplest thing in the world. Do you know of the Windigos?”

“Of course. They plagued the land just before my time on this earth. The memories were still fresh in many elders’ minds.”

“Right, so you must know that they only exist in the absence of friendship. Well, friendship banished them and allowed all the unicorns, earth ponies, and pegasi of old to use magic for the first time. The simplest thing Twilight ever taught was that friendship is magic. Friendship comes from feelings. Without feeling happiness or anger, I wouldn’t be able to cast spells around me. I have to focus my feeling into it to make it happen. Emotion is just as important as friendship when it comes to magic. You cut yours off.” The room was silent as Luna understood what she was saying. Star Strider did not seem as convinced.

“The Windigos fed of disunity and embattlement. Friendship was not the magic that banished them, it was the uniting of tribes and compilation of knowledge that allowed magic to be used by the ancient wizards.”

“That’s not true.” This time, Luna was the one to cut in. “Since my return from Nightmare Moon, my magical abilities have grown immensely. That of an alicorns should not be able to extend, yet as I made more friends I grew more in power. Starlight’s theory has much merit.” Starlight was nodding both in thanks and agreement to the princess.

“Star Strider, have you noticed since your return any increase in power until you lost it?”

“I— well, I suppose I was able to cast powerful protection spells and conjure up objects quickly and efficiently. But I have always been able to. It just took me a while to come to grips with returning to reality.”

“Or you made friends and grew more in power. Back in olden times, your friends surrounded you as students of all nations. You were so powerful because of the friendship you had. You can’t keep denying this if you want your magic back.” Starlight had always had the reputation of being bolder than most. She seemed to have struck a chord with the ancient wizard as he sighed in defeat.

“Perhaps. Friendship can be a powerful magic, despite its lack of physical manifestations. But I cannot feel anything. Positive, negative, embarrassment, happiness, sorrow. Luna, our night together sparks nothing in me despite having tormented me for the last two weeks.” Luna’s cheeks flushed bright red as Starlight looked over between them. Her heart was both elated and hallowed by his confession. But she hardly had time to focus on that with such important matters at hand.

“Is there a way we can return your emotion?” He shook his head.

“If your theory is correct, the Lichen took all my emotion with it when it separated from me.”

“Surely there is a way to return some emotion to you?” Luna sounded like she was pleading.

Star Strider stroked his stubble, deep in thought. “Perhaps. If I am speculating correctly, then perhaps a traumatic event could react some emotion from me. Positive or negative.” He turned his gaze to Luna. “Visit me in my dreams and conjure my village. Make me watch my friends die and it may bring some result.” Starlight gasped as he said it, Luna found herself also appalled at his nonchalant demeanor. She had trouble driving the gory images from her mind. But it made sense. But I could also try something else. She cut her thoughts off before she could continue.

“Okay, but if it doesn’t work, I have another idea.”

“What would that be?”

“Only if it doesn’t work. But let’s just hope it does.” She touched her horn to his head and his body immediately slumped in his seat, his eyes closed and breath heavy. Luna turned to Starlight. “Send word to Canterlot that we may not be able to rely on Star Strider. I will do what I can, but let’s not bank on this working.”

Luna stood next to Star Strider on the same hilltop as before, looking at the same village. Ponies running, dragons being stabbed, houses burning down. She tapped into his deepest recesses to illuminate the scene even more. The stench of burning flesh and callused blood was putrid enough to turn the strongest of stomachs. They stood in silence as they watched. She looked to his face, hoping to see something. Still nothing. They watched his younger self mourn his family; his friends impaled on the end of dragon talons. Nothing? Clearly, she needed a new approach. She turned to his dream self. “You are unmoved?” a scream of pain went out from a pony below. Star Strider’s eyes remained fixed.

“Completely plain.”

“Perhaps, we can try a different memory? A different emotion?”

“By all means.” His tone was still eerily indifferent. She changed the panel they watched to the waterfall outside of Canterlot. She heard his breath escape his nose as he realized what they were watching. Luna and Star Strider sat in the water, holding each other. Moments before their kiss. Luna let the memory begin to play as they watched them tenderly embrace each other in passion. She found her heart on fire as she watched herself kiss the pony of her own dreams. Just as she was getting into the scene, the guard’s voice acted up. The Star Strider that stood next to her shifted back from watching. Apparently he was just as interested. This sparked another idea. She changed the direction of the dream; the guard wandered a different direction, and his voice never reached the pair. They continued to kiss and run their hooves across each other’s backs. Am I doing this for him? Or for me? At this point, she didn’t care. She was too invested. She took it one more step further and cast themselves into the bodies they watched so they could feel what could have happened.

The dream Star Strider pulled Luna closer into his body as their mouths opened to further test each other. Luna was letting out soft hums as he bit her lips and danced with her tongue. She wrapped her legs around his back as she could feel his protrusion poking her. They broke the kiss as he smiled in embarrassment.
“My apologies. I expected the cold water to be more powerful than… well you, my princess.” He kissed her neck as she let her mane fall behind her face.

“Oh, Star. I’m— huff— Honored that I’m winning against the water.” She smiled down at him as he hoisted her a little higher, so he was looking up into her face. He buried himself in her fur, wet from the water but soft and warm. She smelt subtly of lavender and vanilla despite the dirt and scratches that covered her from their fight. He nibbled her chest as his hoof began to grab her thighs. She let out louder moans as she closed her eyes and rested her head on his. She could feel the tingling sensation boiling deep inside her. His body was so warm compared to the river that she couldn’t get close enough. His hoof finally touched the lips of her marehood. She let out a slight whimper as she felt herself let some juices slip. The water was quick to wash it away. She clung to his back as he teased her more and more. Her moans began outweighing the sound of the flowing water. Her high-pitched cries of delight filled the forest around them. “Yes! Star, please give me more! I’m so close” Her body was shivering, not from the cold. Her wings were slowly stretching out as she battled waves of her climax. She wasn’t ready to finish. He began putting his hoof into her vagina, removing it slightly and pushing deeper every time. No matter how hard Luna fought, her body fought harder. She moaned with raspy breaths breaking her exhales. “Ahh, Hu I— I’m going to cum please just make me cum!” Hearing her words, Star Strider pumped his hoof inside and used her other to rub her clit. She screamed as hot juice flowed over his hooves in stark contrast to the cold water. She came down from her cry with more hoarse breaths. She lowered her posture to find his hooves holding her gently. He stroked her back and kissed her neck as she cooled off from her orgasm. Luna was still panting as she reached a hoof below the water to return the favor to him. Surprised, she was stopped by his hoof intercepting hers.

“Please princess, not here. Not now.” His whisper rattled Luna out of her high.

“What do you mean?” She asked disappointed at the lack of escalation.

“This here is fine. I want to be with you in reality. That being said, I can stand to hold you here for a while longer.” He smiled up at her and she returned the gesture. She lowered her head down and closed her eyes as she kissed him passionately. They held each other tight as their faces pressed into each other. Their heavy breaths slowly became quieter in comparison to the river. Luna began to chuckle lightly as Star Strider was kissing her nose and cheeks.

“Just can’t get enough now, can you?”

Luna awoke in the throne room again, sitting across from Star Strider. He was rousing from slumber as she noticed the pool of water underneath her. Oh, fuck fuck fuck. Did I just-- in Twilight’s throne? She quickly tried wiping the fluid away, to no avail.

“Ummmmmmmmm, I don’t know what the hell just happened, but it had better be a good explanation.”

Luna let out a yelp of surprise as she looked up to see Starlight on the other seat beside her. Luna’s entire face was bright red as she covered her mouth and wrapped her tail around her legs. “Starlight! How much… I mean how long have you been there?”

“Basically, since you started moaning loud enough to alert all Equestria. Did you two just fuck in the dream-realm? Cause I swear if that happened for real—”

“We had a shared intimacy. One that apparently was enough to awaken my faint heart again to the pangs of emotion.” Star Strider now stood off his seat and next to Luna, placing a hoof on the table in front of her. She felt safer already. He turned to Luna. “I know that was not what really happened… but it is what I wanted to. We wanted to. I may be quick to shut my feelings from the world, but I was foolish to shut them from you. To expect you never to err was irrational on my behalf. I am sorry, princess Luna.” He bowed before her as she blushed even harder.

“Star Strider, you need not call me princess around others.” Her face was completely red.

“LOOK! As much as this is tender and heartfelt whatever shit is going on, WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO WORRY ABOUT!” Starlight shouted at them, still enraged at the violation of the throne room. She spun and walked to the door. “Go warn Canterlot my ass. As if that’s what she actually wanted…” Her voice trailed off as she rounded the corner. Luna turned back to Star Strider and smiled sheepishly.

“So, did it work? Can you… You know?”

“Feel again? Yes, you made it very evident.” Luna hit him in the shoulder and giggled nervously.

“No, no, can you do magic again? Did it work?”

His smile faded to seriousness. He turned to the saddlebag on the table and raised his hoof. He closed his eyes and breathed as an aura surrounded the bag and his hoof. It shakily rose and flew to his hoof. He opened his eyes and grinned.

“Yes, my magic is back. But it is noticeably weaker than before. I sense my cutoff is not fully repaired. But this will have to do for now.” They stared at each other, both wanting to speak but unwilling to muster the courage. Luna finally went for it.

“I’m so sorry. I meant what I said when I said you were the only pony I wanted to be with. I’m not ashamed of that anymore. I never was. I’m just a dumb foal sometimes.” He smiled and met her eyes.

“We all are sometimes. Jumping to my conclusions so early was selfish and pointless. It is the way of a pony I do not wish to be.” She smiled back at him. Before she could lean to kiss him, he started towards the door. “Unfortunately, our ‘intruder’ is right. While I wish to reconcile further, my student, nay, my friend is in trouble by my doing. Once again.”

Author's Note

I am so sorry for the delays. Here's another chapter for ya'll! Enjoy!