"Besides, we have a kinship." Luna was watching Orchard evenly. "We are both princesses of the night. I watch over their slumber, and you their waking time." She hummed with a new thought. "It is a modern thing, ponies being so active during the night. Still, a larger portion than it once was, by far. It is perhaps for the best that somepony rise to occupy that position. I cannot watch over both sides at once, as much as I may try."

Sugar whistled softly. "That'd be too much, even for you, um, ma'am."

"Verily." Luna reached a hoof to rest on Orchard's. "I am willing to share this time with a ready assistant. Together we can do more than either alone, hm?"

"Yeah... Yeah!" That Luna was becoming an ally instead of something to avoid was a strange thing, but not an unwelcome one as she began to smile. "Ah'll do mah part, promise."

"I feel this is without question." Luna drew her hoof back. "For now, remain close to Canterlot. Let's introduce you, to the nation. Only after that can we send you to other cities. This is... forgive my saying... exciting. I never created a princess before, a pupil at my hooves." She clapped slowly and firmly. "I am your teacher, and glad to lend a hoof. Now, have you any questions?"

Orchard sat up firmly. "If Ah'm a princess, does that come with certain... responsibilities? Expectations? Ya know? What will ponies think when they see me?"

Luna let out a weary laugh. "Funny thing about that... They keep track of the pony 'at the top' and the rest get forgotten easily. There are times they forget even me... I should imagine most will not recognize you right away. This is part of why my sister tries to make it as big a deal as possible, so ponies can see the new princess. Either way... I wouldn't expect too much. You may be a princess, but you are not mine sister, who wears the true crown."

Sugar nudged a hoof on her girlfriend's side. "Stop worrying. You're already out there, being an obvious princess, doing obvious princess stuff. The ponies didn't act strange so far, did they?"

"No..." Orchard thought back over it. "Reckon they didn't..."

She slumped to the side against a hoof propping her up. "Sorry. Ah should be happier..."

Sugar put her hooves on her hips. "Is this about you as Big Mac, who is still you? Because... You're amazing. If you went back to being a stallion all the time, you'd still be amazing, and I'd still be here."

Orchard smiled at that. "Thanks... But ah sure wouldn't be a princess, or help ponies like ah'm doin' now."

"No... You'd just be my special pony, and your family! They love you to pieces." Sugar leaned in closer. "Don't forget that!"

And it wasn't like she did, which just compounded the feelings. "Ah should be right grateful... Gettin' more than most ponies could dream of..." She worked her hooves together in slow motions, the movements unsure. "Given so much, but still wantin' more."

Luna raised a hoof to her chin. "If you can believe it, I understand. I have also felt at times as if I had more than I ever deserved, which only made me angry... As if I was sure I did deserve it, bad attitude and all, which only made it worse when I could see how petty I was being... A vicious cycle..."

Orchard perked up at Luna's confession. "An' how did you get past that?"

Luna chuckled softly. "I do not think that impostor syndrome ever entirely fades... Why... you were a part of how I dealt with it, but I do not recommend following me down that path... There are healthier ways. Know this. Deserved or not, you are helping ponies. That is you. None other can claim credit for it, even me, who played a part in enabling the situation. You could have done many things, selfish or vain, but instead you hurried out and tried to help as hard as you could."

"Yeah!" Sugar Belle bounced in place without leaving the cushion, rump raising and falling. "Because you're a great pony. It's... what drew me to you in the first place, silly... Remember? You actually paid attention, to me... And you lent a hoof where that other pony was too busy only hearing his own songs and wondering why I wasn't impressed."

Orchard let out an almost giggle of a laugh, much higher pitched than she was used to making. "I remember that.. Wonder what he's doin' these days?"

"Maybe he caught a clue?" Sugar shrugged. "Or he's enjoyin' the attention of mares shallow enough to dig that. Either way, don't care. Got myself you, and that's way better."

"Aw." They touched noses in a gentle nuzzle.

Luna nodded at the two. "Excellent. You seem to be in better spirits. I will inform Celestia what's happened tonight. Let's not plan further, right now. You've done a lot, coming to me... While I do wish you had come sooner, I understand now why you hesitated, and thank you for changing your mind. For now, let us adjust, hm? I will confer with her on how the announcement should be treated. I am in charge, but she has experience. I will not deny that."

Sugar clopped once and hopped to the ground. "That's good thinking. Sounds like you're off the hook, Orchard Blossom."

"Ah am?" Orchard looked to Luna. "I can just go?"

"You may." Luna inclined her head slowly. "I do have your address now, and you have mine, so we may communicate as we wish. Provided you obey the laws of the land, I have no reason to hold you." Luna stepped free, a motion involving less of a jump by far compared to Sugar Belle. "I suggest you take the remainder of the night off. You've been through much."

Orchard let out a strangled laugh as she joined the others on the ground. "Why are y'all bein' so nice to me?!"

Sugar wrinkled her nose. "Why wouldn't we be? Also takin one of these." She pointed to the door as her magic grabbed a soft muffin off the table and she took a quick chomp out of it. "Fuel for the road. I say we enjoy the city you've been working so hard to keep safe. You must have spotted some fun places around here, show me."

Luna gently shooed them away. "That sounds delightful. Go and enjoy this city. It is important for us princesses to remind ourselves what it is we're working so hard for. A lesson I have to remind myself of once in a while... Perhaps, one of these evenings, you can show me around. The modern city has much I do not understand."

Sugar moved between Luna and Orchard. "She's mine! But I guess I can let you borrow her, with a few ground rules." She turned away from the startled princess of the night. "Let's go!" The two headed out, chatting gently as they did so.

Luna shook her head slowly. "It is good to have ponies that care... Now, my work does not wait." She returned to her room to complete her dream patrols. Even a new princess was a poor excuse to miss that duty.

"Big Macintosh?" Celestia recoiled with obvious surprise. "And he is now..."

"Orchard Blossom," provided Luna slowly and purposefully. "And she has agreed to be a proper princess, which she is doing in action already. Speaking of that, since I helped create her, it is my responsibility to see she is greeted properly... But I would welcome advice, sister mine. I have not overseen a coronation before."

"I have." Celestia smiled gently. "I thought any future ones would be at my hoof. I am... pleased, actually, to see that this is not the case. You must be proud."

"I am." Luna crossed her arms. "And I want to get it right. Will you lend a hoof?"

"With pleasure... They are also a princess of the night?"

"Just like me!" she said with a little too much happiness. "We are both night ponies, awake and active after the sun has set. She gazes fondly on my moon and protects our ponies that move beneath it. A poor diplomat, if you were hoping for that, but most visit during the day."

"They visit during the day because I am awake during the day." Celestia raised and held a hoof up. "If they had been a talented negotiator, then perhaps a night court would have been in our future, but they are not. What is their specialty?"

"They are a vigilante. Fighting evil by moonlight, but also helping ponies that look in need of assistance." Luna strokes at her chin softly. "A do gooder of the night. I can think of worse things to have around."

"As could I," laughed out Celestia. "They sound like a nice pony. When do I get to meet them?"

"About that... They are a pony of the night, as I mentioned. They are most active when you are least active, sister mine. It is no slight meant against you, but..."

"But, we manage to talk." Celestia gestured between herself and Luna. "We are right now... Surely a little chat is possible, when our schedules gently brush one another at sundown or sun up? I would like to meet this mysterious new princess."

"I can promise nothing... I will inform her of your wishes. Now, about that coronation?"

"Of course." Celestia went on to discuss matters of crowns and the placing of them upon the heads of the worthy. "There will be less ponies present, most asleep, I should warn."

"But not all." Luna crossed her arms with a proud smile. "The ponies who are awake during my nights will be the ones attending."

"I see..." Her tone implied she didn't exactly see. "I will happily go over the basics of the matter. The specifics can change greatly, depending on who's being coronated and who's doing the coronating." She leveled a hoof at Luna. "And you never did one before, so time to show your personal touch."

Celestia let her hoof fall back to her seat. "I don't mean to be a wet blanket over this, but are you satisfied with your new princess? I know you feel somewhat tied, being the source, but even if Twilight turned out poorly, it would be just as much my responsibility to take care of that mess."

"I can't imagine you ever being cross at Twilight Sparkle." Luna raised a dubious brow. "She would have to do something truly beyond the pale."

"Let's not spend too much time thinking on that. Tonight we consider your princess, Orchard Blossom. Neither you nor I taught them what it is to be a princess before they were already in it."

"And already they are striving to be the best princess they can be." Luna puffed up with surging pride. "Did I mention their special power yet?"

Celestia blinked rapidly. "You did not. What is their unique ability?" She could raise and lower the sun and be charged by it. Luna could do the same for the moon. Their unique powers were quite well known. "Is it something encouraging?"

"I think it is... Have you ever had a dream where you simply 'went' somewhere. You don't remember the trip or how you did it, but you're just there, instantly. Being a dream, you likely pay it no mind, going right about what you were doing."

Celestia slowly nodded. "And...?"

"They can do that, while awake." Luna began to clap, pride swelling anew. "They can simply 'be' somewhere else, and reach it in a hurry. A useful talent, is it not?"

"I can't do that!"

"I can't raise the sun regularly like some princesses I know." Luna rolled her eyes dramatically. "That's what makes each princess' ability unique. Can you influence love and affection like Cadance? I should imagine not."

Author's Note

Luna plonks herself on Orchard Blossom's side. It's good to have friends, yes?

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