Under Cover of Night

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Chapter 1

Author notes: This story was very kindly pre-read to me by user Film Reel on EquestriaForums. Also, usual boilerplate of owning nothing and I owe all inspiration to the Great Lauren Faust.

Chapter 1: Dancing in the Dark:

Twilight sighed a little; despite a rocky beginning and an almost disastrous middle section, the Nightmare Night was heading for a glorious end: Luna had managed to find some middle ground in dealing with the ponies of Ponyville. Now that the all ages festivities had finished and the children were being led home, the grown up party was starting up.

“Twilight Sparkle, W-I mean I do not understand, has the whole affair concluded?” Luna asked, clearly confused.

“Well yes, but we’re having a more adult orientated party now at the town hall: dancing and silly competitions: I also think there’s a best costume prize” Twilight had never been to a Nightmare Night after party even when she’s come of age.

“I see” Luna seemed to get a bit reserved.

They entered the town hall, streamers and jack ’o’ lanterns decorated the walls and roof. There was also a large ball of covered in small mirrors; coloured lights in the roof were pointing at it and making a rainbow appear all over the floor. Luna seemed fascinated by the electric lights.

“Hey Luna!” all of a sudden Luna found her personal space invaded by a pink ball of energy and mane.

“Pinkie Pie” Luna greeted cordially.

“Thirsty?” Pinkie’s eyes motioned up at a tray balanced on her head.

Luna took a brief glance at the tray: there were several glasses of liquid, some in colours the Princess did not think possible. Before the situation became too awkward Luna smelt something familiar: apples.

“Thank you Pinkie Pie, it has been a long time since I enjoyed a drink” Luna gently levitated the glass of mulled cider towards her; remembering to speak at a more temperate volume.

Pinkie nodded before gambolling off to serve drinks to other guests. Luna gently sipped on the alcoholic beverage comforting warmth spreading through her. As she looked around the room, Luna couldn’t help but smile a little: it they may not be outside, but they were enjoying the night in some way.

‘Gentle steps’ Luna thought as she continued to scan the room.

It did amaze her how things had changed over 1000 years; not just technology but socially also. One of the central couples on the dance floor was Lyra and Bon-Bon; a musician and candy maker respectively and both Mares. There was also Ingot and Haute Cuisine, a metal worker and a chef, both Stallions. There were many other couples dancing, stallions with stallions, mares with mares and mares with stallions (and one young dragon doing his damndest to dance with a young white unicorn mare) but all had one thing in common.

“They are very happy” Lune whispered to herself; feeling a terrible guilt wash over her as she finished her cider in a single gulp.

As stealthily as she could, Luna left the town hall: the loud party music covering her exit quite nicely. However, Applejack and Twilight had seen her leave and Twilight made a move to go and stop the Princess but found herself stopped by Applejack’s hoof on her haunch.

“A sad face like that, Ah don’t think it was one you can lecture her out of” Applejack shook her head wearily.

“But it was going so well” Twilight looked a little distressed as she saw the Princess of the Night leave the room.

“Ah know Sugarcube, but....” Applejack pawed at the ground, trying to find words.

“But what?” Twilight seemed curious as to what her farmer friend was getting at.

“Ah’m guessing she still feels guilty for the Nightmare Moon episode; and not ta sound cruel, but she should” Applejack really did look like she didn’t want to say that but honesty was her element, and honesty wasn’t always kind.

Twilight felt her ears droop: neither of them harboured Luna any true ill will, and the full story of her actual transformation was still unknown, even to them. However, to many Luna had been the one to attempt a coup and skies above knew what else her ‘eternal night’ plan would have done to Equestria itself and so was the sole object of blame.

‘I’m sorry Luna’ Twilight thought.

/////////////////////

Luna had made an easy trot to the outskirts of town, nearing the farm belt of Ponyville. The further away from the town she got, the lesser the din in her head. The full depths of her powers were unknown the most ponies: such as her ability to pick up on desires and feelings of those around her. Seemingly without warning Luna felt as if she was going to sink in some kind of emotional mire

“NO!!” with a mighty bellow, she reared up and brought down a bolt of lightning on a large boulder that sat in the middle of a field.

“Wow, that was impressive” an ever so slightly slurred baritone voice drew Luna’s attention from the half-melted rock.

Big Macintosh, if she remembered Applejack’s information correctly, was the actual owner of Sweet Apple Acres. A large draft Earth Pony who looked cut from the very stone heart of the Earth itself.

“Excuse me, WE wish to be alone” Luna was in no mood for company; especially drunk stallions.

“You want a drink?” to the Moon Princess’s surprise, Big Macintosh did not leave but offered her a bottle of hard cider.

“We said we wish to be ALONE!” Luna turned on the admittedly brave stallion, flaring her wings out and letting her eyes glow to get her point across.

“With respect Princess, wasn’t being alone what made you miserable all those years ago?” though outwardly calm, Macintosh was sweating bullets: there was living dangerously and there was this.

To his surprise, Luna backed down almost instantly as if struck by a great force. Her anger seemingly drained away, however a long held guilt lingered making her teal eyes look like heavy stones. Macintosh shifted his gaze to the boulder Luna had nearly turned molten.

“You always that powerful?” he asked

“Depends on my temper” Luna shook her head, mane shifting like a cloud.

There was a brief pause before Luna took a hold of the hard cider bottle with her magic and took a powerful slug from it. It tasted stronger, almost heavier than what was at the town hall.

“This is a bit stronger than what’s available at the party” Macintosh took another slug from the bottle himself.

“Oh please, we are not a dainty school filly” Luna shot Big Macintosh a somewhat sardonic look.

“Ah can see that” Big Macintosh again allowed his gaze to wander to the boulder, but soon found its way back to the dark coloured Princess.

Big Macintosh found himself again wondering what kind of foolish idea had taken root in his brain: it had all started with Luna’s entrance to Ponyville: an event that put even the Great and Powerful Trixie (who was a fantastic showmare if nothing else) to shame: thunder and lightning, the rather intimidating guards and a chariot that looked more like the throne of a comic book super villain. Power radiated off the younger Princess and Big Macintosh found himself rather intoxicated with her.

‘Don’t hurt that she is beautiful’ Big Macintosh smiled to himself as the night Princess seemed to calm further.

“You are Big Macintosh, are you not?” Luna asked.

“Yes Princess...” Macintosh found himself cut short when Luna chuckled sarcastically.

“Please, drop the appellation, we do not...deserve it” Luna took another slam from the hard cider bottle.

“What on Equestria does that mean?” Big Macintosh was honestly taken aback.

“I do not feel like I am a Princess” Luna lowered her head; gentle tears appearing at the corner of her eyes.

Big Macintosh was as confused as all get out; the start of the night she’d come down literally bellowing her status as Princess of the Night, but now she was ranting about not deserving her title. He thought women had been complicated when tried dating high school, but this was spectacular. However, his father had told him that the best parts of life are achieved with hard work.

“Why are you out in this field, the merriment is back in the town is it not?” Luna turned a penetrating gaze on the red Earth Pony.

“Ah...dislike the big crowds. Gettin’ hit on by unsubtle drunks is as unappealing to me as it is to you” Big Macintosh smiled gently to the Moon Princess.

“You do not find my nature ABBRASIVE?” Luna emphasised the last word in finest Royal Canterlot voice.

“Have you met Applejack, or Rainbow Dash for that matter?” Big Macintosh asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I remember fair Applejack, an honest young Pony. I do not remember her to be as abrasive as I am” Luna replied looking a bit confused, or slightly drunk: Mac wasn’t sure.

“Mah sister is as honest as the day is long, but she’s got a stubborn streak wida’ than Ghastly Gorge. When she gets in one of ‘er moods, abrasive is a kind way ta put it” Big Macintosh smiled as he recalled his sister.

In an unexpected response, Luna threw her head back and laughed; where Celestia’s laugh reminded Big Macintosh of a sort of soft bell, Luna’s laugh was melancholy, like a slow note off a violin. Luna turned a softer sort of smile on the big Earth Pony. Luna thought perhaps it was the drink or the thousand years of solitude in an incorporeal state on the moon, but Big Macintosh looked rather handsome at the moment.

‘Let us take a gamble’ Luna thought and approached Big Macintosh, putting a slight sway in her step.

‘Holy horse apples!’ Big Macintosh thought he’d been crazy to even try this but it seems his impulse was bearing fruit.

“Tell us, Big Macintosh, do ponies still dance?” Luna asked, tilting her head to one side.

Big Macintosh was now looking Princess Luna directly in the eyes, and found his breath stolen from his lungs. When he’d seen them the first time they were a beautiful teal colour, but now with the moonlight behind her it was like looking through Twilight’s telescope at the night sky: swirling lights against an inky backdrop of dark purple.

‘Say something!’ Macintosh found he was unable to speak but responded with what he hoped wasn’t a dumb nod.

“Then wouldst thou dance with us, Master Macintosh?” Luna held out her left hoof.

///////////////////////////////

Back at the town hall, the Nightmare Night party was still in full swing but had passed its peak. Twilight was still worried about Luna but managed to get a good few dances in regardless. The punch (which had been spiked about 30 seconds after the children had been ushered out) was delicious but overwhelmingly powerful. Pinkie Pie was bouncing all over the place, dancing with just about anyone who stood still on their own long enough.

“Always did bring a dance to anyone who looked like they needed it” Applejack smiled as she and Rainbow Dash tried to out dance each other.

“Keep your mind in the game Applesmack, or else the Rainbow Ruler is gonna beat ya” Rainbow Dash, even after the events of Running of the Leaves, still had a competitive streak a mile wide.

“Are you like this all the time?” Applejack loved Rainbow, she really did, but sometimes she was exhausting.

“All. The. Time” Rainbow Dash smirked.

“All the time?” Applejack repeated, emphasising the word all in what she thought was a sly manner.

“You wanna go there, Applejack, fine. Your barn, twenty minutes” Rainbow Dash never backed down from a challenge: of any sort; and with that she zipped out of an open window, hoof pumping as she flew.

Applejack on the other hand, wasn’t quite sure what the hay was going on. She’d just tried to make a joke at Dash’s expense in regards to running her love life like she ran her flying regimen: mercilessly fast and punishingly hard.

‘Oh Nellie, what did Ah just get ma’self into?’ Applejack thought as she went for a drink of the spiked punch.

“Applejack, darling, you look pensive” Rarity, a slight blush on her cheeks from the wine she’d been drinking.

“Ah think Ah just agreed to meet Rainbow in my barn...” Applejack said nothing further, awaiting Rarity’s mortified outburst.

“Oh, she finally dropped a hint big enough to get your attention” the outburst never appeared.

Applejack spun to face Rarity feeling somewhat surprised: Rarity always struck Applejack as rather conservative (insofar as being conservative meant in Ponyville) and didn’t think the high class unicorn would look fondly on such a relationship.

“Wha?” Applejack didn’t manage a sentence as Rarity offered a glass of rose wine to Applejack in addition to our own.

“Oh darling, don’t look so shocked” Rarity couldn’t help but chuckle at Applejack’s expression.

“Ah may be a workaholic, but Ah know there are plenty of pretty mares in Ponyville: why’d she zero in on me?” Applejack asked.

“Have you noticed how well the two of you seem together? You argue like a married couple, and while you are supportive of each other to a fault, you’re never afraid to get in each others’ face and say the other is wrong: I imagine she respects that” Rarity waxed on a bit when she’d had a few wines it seemed.

“You don’t see anything wrong with it?” Applejack wasn’t fussed herself, but didn’t wish to break their group dynamic.

Rarity turned back to Applejack, a very compassionate sheen in her eyes as she leaned in and gently nuzzled Applejack as one might a younger sister before a first date.

“My dear, love is a force of nature and no one, deity or door-colt is immune to it. If it has invited you to its embrace; hold tight and don’t let go” Rarity swatted Applejack’s flank.

“Now get going” she scolded lightly.

“I don’t know what to do” Applejack’s hesitation was waning and her twang was nearly gone.

“Follow your heart...and if that doesn’t work, I hear Pegasus wings are very sensitive” Rarity gave a smile that would ignite the saddle of a lesser pony.

“Got ya” Applejack bolted from the room, bits of hay from her costume floating to the ground.

“Well, that’s two down” Rarity smiled and trotted over to Twilight who was nursing a small cup of cider.

“You look like that cat that caught the canary, Rarity, what did you do?” Twilight asked, a sleeping Spike mumbling the white unicorn’s name before rolling over.

“He’s really sweet sometimes you know, that little dragon of yours. I imagine in ten or fifteen years time he’ll make someone very happy” Rarity sat down beside Twilight.

“I don’t know what you mean” Twilight replied in the most robotic way possible.

“Please Twilight, I may be vain but I’m not foolish. I’ve seen the way he looks at me, sweet as he is he’s about as subtle as a brick to the face” Rarity sniggered as Twilight looked as if a great weight has been taken off her shoulders.

“I did wonder if you knew” Twilight smiled and gently nuzzled the dragon.

“So, now two of our friends are romantically entangled, with any luck by the end of the night. So, that leaves you, me, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy” Rarity threw her fore hoof over Twilight’s neck and drew her close, cheek to cheek nearly.

“Rarity, two things: 1, please loosen your grip and 2, I’m not looking for a relationship” Twilight choked out.

“Forgive me, Twilight, I just....I just cherish the idea of being in love with somepony, and it is something I hope we all experience” Rarity looked sadly over at Lyra and Bob-Bon.

“Hey, I know Blueblood was a disaster, but he’s one stallion. There are lots of stallions around Ponyville, what about Big Macintosh?” Twilight lamely offered; naming the one actual stallion she knew in town.

“My dear, there is a line of mares for Big Macintosh as long as he is, and barring the gates is our friend Applejack” Rarity turned on ‘that’ smile again.

Twilight went an impressive shade of red, so red in fact she nearly matched the aforementioned Earth Pony in colour. Rarity let loose a peal of laughter at her friend’s embarrassment at the mature direction the conversation had taken.

“Oh come dear, the facts of life must have been explained to you by your parents at some point” Rarity chuckled.

“Well yes they did, but all it did was confuse me” Twilight fussed with her front two hooves as she spoke.

“You confused, over something scientific? Well I never” Rarity shook her head as she observed the party goes begin to pack up and leave.

Rarity gently ruffled Twilight’s mane as she got up to leave, planting a gentle kiss on the sleeping baby dragon before leaving the town hall. Twilight watched her friend leave the party along with the rest of the guests. As Rarity gently swung out of view, Twilight mumbled to herself.

“It wasn’t the science that confused me...it was the feelings” she sighed, gently levitating Spike onto her back.

///////////////////////////////////

Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Luna and Big Macintosh had finished their dance: Luna ended up teaching Big Macintosh an old court dance from when she’d been about Twilight’s age. Then Big Macintosh taught her how to do a Wild West Dance that Braeburn had taught him when he’d last been to Appeloosa. They’d both laughed as they realised how much fun they’d been having when they probably looked ridiculous.

“I was wondering, where did those two guards o’ yours bunk off to?” Macintosh looked around: the two Pegasus were not anywhere in line of sight.

“I dismissed them into the town, or to return home if they liked. Like me, they are not well received” Luna felt that melancholy feeling return slightly.

“They must be fond of ya” Macintosh smiled.

“I was surprised, truthfully. Celestia had kept them on, some of them were trusted with duties most sacred: but she told me they missed their Princess and that their moods improved greatly upon my return” Luna, in a rare moment of openness, shared something personal with another.

‘Then again....’ Luna mused.

//////////////////////

In the Ponyville Pub, The Pickled Badger, two Royal Selenic Guard sat drinking pints and playing checkers in a discrete booth at the back of the pub.

“Crown me” Shadow Step smirked as his partner’s face contorted with comic rage.

“Again? How do I keep missing these things?” Starburst groused and took a long swig from his pint glass.

“You reckon she’s okay?” Shadow Step asked as he placed a marker on his game piece to denote its promotion.

“Considering how the night went, I doubt it will get worse” Starburst shrugged, signalling for the serving mare to bring another round.

“Who was that fella we saw her with after she bolted from the town hall do you think?” Shadow Step mulled aloud.

“Dunno, big though, looked bigger than Morning Star” Starburst nodded before turning a friendly eye on the mare who was serving them drinks.

“Was he red?” she asked, levitating the cups down.

“Uh, yeah, red from memory” Shadow Step gave his partner a pointed glare for flirting.

“Oh, that would be Big Macintosh” she replied brightly.

“You know him?” Starburst asked, still trying his charming smile on.

“I know him very well, we were lovers once” the unicorn checked the bits to make sure they hadn’t overpaid.

“What’s he like?” Shadow Step grew curious: he knew few that spoke of ex-lovers this fondly.

“Well, he loves the mares” she smiled softly, a look of pleasant nostalgia in her eyes.

“The town stud then” Starburst rolled his eyes, hoping the Princess didn’t hurt him too much if he got fresh.

“Oh don’t misunderstand me, when I say he loves the mares, I mean he loves the mares. He had a few lovers when he was a bit younger: but he didn’t play us. No he...loved us, for as long as we needed” she explained.

“How do you mean?” Shadow Step was very engrossed now.

“Each of us was special to him; I remember he caused a stir when he got on with Cheerilee, the local primary school teacher” the two guards urged her on.

It happened a week or so after Cheerilee had arrived at Ponyville to start her new job; she’d come out of a terrible relationship with a colt in Fillydelphia and as such wasn’t as happy as she would have been normally. Then one night at this very pub, she’d run into Big Macintosh: he bought her a drink and listened to her troubles. What followed was a whirlwind affair between the recently of age Macintosh and the much older Cheerilee, caused a bit of a scandal among some parents. Then Cheerilee’s ex had made a rather appalling show of himself in front of the school.

There were few witnesses, but the most commonly accepted version of events was, she explained, that the colt had stood drunk outside the school house yelling obscenities at Cheerilee. Then Big Macintosh had show up and informed him that he was not treating the lady with due respect: and that unless he wanted a hard lesson in manners, to get lost. He had refused, and popular rumour had it they were still finding teeth a week later in the bushes next to the schoolhouse.

‘I like the sound of this stallion’ Shadow Step thought.

“Sounds a solid sort of stallion: why didn’t he stay with any of you, I mean I have never seen so many attractive mares in one place before” Starburst blurted out; Shadow Step gently placed his helmeted head between his hoofs.

“The attraction last only as long as it needed; at the end of it we just...float apart with fond memories and a renewed sense of being” she answered, seeing the bar-stallion was waving her back.

“Hey, what’s your name?” Starburst called out; Shadow Step was groaning now.

“Sugar Lump, night handsome” she threw a flirty wink back at Starburst.

Shadow Step looked up to see Starburst smiling smugly to himself and winced as his friend gently punched him the front haunch.

“I’m in there” he said confidently.

“Oh shut up and lose the game already, I wanna go back home” Shadow Step muttered.

Before Starburst could offer a witty retort about the game or any other aspect of their life a sudden impulse ran through his brain and made him look up at his friend.

“Hey, Shadow, you don’t suppose...” Starburst couldn’t bring himself to finish.

“NO...I think” they both paused.

The pair almost looked like they were having a moment as they stared right at each other and seemed to pass information between themselves through psychic waves. Suddenly they both sculled their pints and bolted for the door, taking to the sky as soon as they were clear of the eaves of the building and flying towards Sweet Apple Acres.

Chapter 2

Big Macintosh looked on fondly as Luna seemed to get a little lost in looking at the night sky, observing it as a mother would her foal. Then for the second time, Macintosh was privy to a demonstration of Luna’s great power: there seemed to be some stars out of alignment. All it took was a slight tilt of the Princess’s head and the offending stars streaked from one place to another.

“Something else on your mind, Luna?” Big Macintosh asked, remembering the princess’s current dislike of her title.

“I must sound like an ungrateful filly sometimes” Luna stated cryptically.

“In what way?” Goddesses it seemed had a talent for cryptic ramblings.

“All that cacophony before, and even recently, about ponies not enjoying my night. Seems like selfishness of the worst kind the more I dwell on it” Luna turned and looked at Macintosh, taking another swig of the hard cider.

Luna took in every detail of the red stallion before her: he was powerfully built and well sculpted. She recalled her earlier thought that he was carved from the stones of the Earth itself...yet unlike that stone, he did not seem unyielding or cold. He was certainly warm-hearted, having listened calmly and even supportively to some of her ramblings.

“Well, a certain degree of selfishness is good, generosity to tha point of personal neglect is just as bad” Macintosh had a feeling he knew what the Princess was getting towards.

Luna’s ultimate goal had been forgiveness; not from her sister or the Elements of Harmony who knew her situation better than most, but from the average pony. However, that forgiveness was harder to obtain due to her rather bombastic nature, and the out-dated protocol covered up a young mare that had made a terrible mistake and wished to make amends.

‘But when you’re a Goddess of time and space, those mistakes are likely to be bigger than that time I threw out ma back workin’ to hard’ Macintosh cleared his throat to get Luna’s attention.

“Luna...for what it’s worth” he paused to make sure he had her attention.

“Yes?” she tilted her head again, teal eyes glowing with starlight.

“Ah forgive you” Macintosh braced himself for a blasting.

Instead he got something very different. He felt a swift brush of air and then a pair of lips covering his own. Macintosh felt as if he’d been plugged into a power socket: his blood began racing and buzzing with a fire he had never felt in his life. It lasted a scant few seconds before Luna broke the kiss, blushing fiercely. However before the moment could progress further, Luna’s two personal guards landed and began eyeing Big Macintosh with a mix of respect and wariness.

“Princess, are you alright?” Starburst began shifting his head to check every inch of Luna.

‘Oh spare me’ Luna thought as Shadow Step created a rather unnecessary (to say nothing of ineffectual) barrier between the Princess and the Farmer.

“We are fine, Starburst. Shadow Step, please do not menace Mr. Macintosh” Luna turned her attention to the loyal and sometimes overbearing pair of guards.

“I heard a lot about you in town” Shadow Step looked Big Macintosh in the eyes.

“Ponies talk, don’t make what I did wrong” Macintosh bristled.

“You misunderstand me; Sugar Lump had nothing but praise for you. Said most mares you’ve known would say the same” the guard stepped closer.

“Mah affairs as a young colt are mah business” he was starting to get angry.

There was a quiet rumble of thunder and a slight tremor beneath the earth. All three stallions turned to regard Equestria’s younger regent. Luna was glowing slightly, not just her horn but her whole body: it didn’t last long, but it didn’t need to.

“I think I’ve made my point, thank you both. We shall join you at the Royal Carriage in a moment” Luna dismissed her two guards with a stern look.

The two Pegasus dutifully trotted away, feeling somewhat chastised by their protectorate. Luna smiled after them, laughing quietly as they kept shooting back wary eyes at Big Macintosh. The Farmer responded only by narrowing his eyes slightly; the motion making his face go from a half lidded and relaxed gaze to a hard, penetrating stare. Careers in the Royal Guards had been built on lesser efforts.

“They mean well, as I said. Although those two are perhaps a bit...eccentric” Luna admitted.

“Ah reckon they treat you more like a sister; I’ve given that look to a couple of ponies that come ‘round tryin’ to hit on Applejack” Big Macintosh didn’t like being suspected of such wrong doings, but he appreciated the position the guards were in: his reputation around town had caused his family some grief in the past.

“Perhaps you are right. Farewell Big Macintosh, and...Thank you” Luna stood to her full height, smiling as wide a smile as Big Macintosh had ever seen.

“It was mah pleasure M’Lady” Big Macintosh bowed his head and swept his right hoof beneath him.

Luna felt bittersweet as she left the large farmer to his own devices. She entertained the idea of coming back to visit, but quickly decided would be awkward and needlessly disrupt both their lives. Besides, any but the most innocent of activities seemed to elude Luna whilst Starburst and Shadow Step were her two guards.

Luna’s trip back to Canterlot Castle was uneventful and swift; just how she liked her trips to be. Though she did wish that she’d had longer to steel herself before seeing her sister again; not because she’d undoubtedly have to ask how her little sister enjoyed Nightmare Night. Oh no, it was because Celestia was an insatiable gossip with a talent for ferreting out all but the most hidden of information; even before their Master of Spies, Smiley, got to her.

“Ooooooh Luuuuuuuna” to the Moon Princess’s great surprise, she had made it thirty steps into the castle before Celestia pounced, poking her head from behind a doorframe.

Luna knew that look; her sister was feeling mischievous and playful. That was the smile that as fillies, ended with Luna with a mane full of treacle. With a comically sneaky canter, Celestia quickly made her way to Luna’s side and rubbed the side of her sister’s face affectionately.

“So, I heard you met a stallion...” Celestia started with her trump card; giddy with triumph and Luna noted happily, excitement.

‘It is going to be a long day’ Luna thought and surrendered herself to the sisterly bonding exercise of gossiping.

Applejack woke up to the crowing of a rooster, as she did most days, although this time there was a strange feeling in her bones. Last night she’d been fully prepared for Rainbow Dash and herself to do...something. Instead, she’d found her friend doing press-ups and deciding on rules for an eating contest.

‘Wah do ah feel like ah missed something?’ Applejack wondered as she got her hat and tied her mane into its customary ponytail.

Humming a reasonably jaunty tune, Applejack made her way down to the breakfast table to find Granny Smith and Applebloom leering at Big Macintosh in a way that made her nervous. Rainbow Dash, who ended up spending the night in the barn; passing out from the effects of too much chocolate and press-ups, was there too and she looked...slightly off.

“So, Big Mac, word on the grapevine is that you met a mare last night” Rainbow Dash took a small bite of her apples and oats, casting a strange at the large stallion who was looking put upon.

“Tends to happen at dances” Big Macintosh was trying to keep a straight face, irritation radiating off him.

“Morning big brother, did ya’ have a good night?” Applejack asked honestly.

“Eeeyup” Macintosh took one last bite of his breakfast and got up to leave and start his chores.

“She nice?” Granny Smith asked, looking serious.

“Once you get past the somewhat, boisterous personality, yeah” Big Macintosh smiled as he walked out the door.

Granny Smith and Applebloom cleared the table, Rainbow Dash keeping a keen eye on Applejack with a level of focus that made Applejack’s mane stand up on the back of her neck. After everyone else had left the room, Rainbow Dash spoke.

“Applejack, you okay?” Rainbow got down from the table and cantered over to her.

“Wha wouldn’t ah be?” the orange mare asked nervously.

‘Okay, the classic Rainbow Dash approach required’ Rainbow rolled her eyes and leaned in quickly, planting a kiss on Applejack’s jaw.

Applejack turned an impressive shade of red, almost as red as her brother. Rainbow just chuckled well naturedly as Applejack slowly began to regain her ability to speak.

“How? What?” the farmer was feeling a bit confused.

“I think I got my signals crossed at the dance so I took a gamble this morning…Did I come up snake eyes?” Rainbow Dash asked, pawing at the floor.

Applejack decided to throw caution to the wind: honesty was always the best policy and a powerful, ancient magical artefact had declared her the most honest pony in all Equestria last year. So with that in mind, Applejack leaned back in to return Rainbow Dash’s kiss. In true spirit to their long running game of one-upping one another, her kiss was on Rainbow’s lips.

“Ah’d say more like lucky seven” Applejack smiled, still blushing.

Outside in the field, Big Macintosh looked to the sky as he ploughed the new field for planting. He swore he could still see a few stubborn stars, just faintly behind the blue morning sky. He smiled despite himself; his chances of seeing Luna again we’re slim to none: last night’s dance had been a gift literally from the heavens.

“Still, a pony can dream can’t he” he said, adding a little spring to his step as he moved forward to plough another row.

Life in Ponyville went on as it was wont to do; there was no big announcement of the newly minted relationship between Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Those that cared to know figured it out and those that didn’t care to know said nothing. How a pony gave their love was their own business in Ponyville.

The town however did have an odd ability to attract danger and disaster: if it wasn’t napping dragons, angry Ursa’s or Parasprites it was the Cutie Mark Crusader’s latest effort of Cutie Mark Attainment or general mischief making as foals are found to do. This time however, the terror had been visited upon the town by their very own deputy librarian, Spike.

Dragons were primordial creatures, prone to the vices of the long lived and powerful. Strongest among those was avarice: the legendary desire for a horde of treasure to call one’s own. The desire had hit the young, ill prepared hatchling with all the fury of a typhoon and he’d responded in kind.

Right now, he sat huddled in a secret corner of the library: abject misery racking him as strongly as the sobs of remorse. He’d been in here for a while, a couple of unpleasant encounters in the village post his return to normal had frightened him into submission.

“Spike, please, come out. You haven’t eaten in nearly a day and a half” Twilight was pleading through the door.

“I’m not hungry Twilight, leave me alone!” Spike responded, his voice broken and a little hoarse from his crying.

Twilight was sick with worry; the little dragon had been holed up in the broom closed for close to 72 hours and the only sounds had been crying and fitful sleep. He’d not once come out to eat or do anything other than use the bathroom. Not even Rarity had been able to get him to come out, which was a huge warning flare in Twilight’s mind.

‘I think I should write to the Princesses about this’ Twilight trotted down stairs to retrieve a quill and parchment from her vast stores.

‘Dear Princess Celestia,

I write to you now not as a student, but a friend in need of help. Spike is sick with himself for the incident. He has locked himself away and I don’t know what to do. Please, help me: he’s my family and I can’t lose him.

Twilight Sparkle’

Without the little dragon to use his magic breath to send the letter, Twilight opted to send it via her own magic. Hopefully, the Princess wasn’t in the middle of something important and could read the letter.

Celestia sat in her private quarters, reviewing the reports from Ponyville regarding poor Spike’s first encounter with draconic urges. It was mainly trivial; complaints from over-anxious parents who thought that Spike would eat their children in the night or steal them. She understood their fears but still found them frustrating, especially since Spike’s species of dragon only ate gems or vegetation. There was a gentle knock on the door, but the massive aura of power she could feel meant that it was Luna.

‘Still so bound by protocol’ Celestia smiled and bid her sister to enter.

“Sister, this missive arrived for you” Luna levitated a scroll bearing Twilight’s seal towards her.

“When did this arrive?” normally Twilight’s letters arrived directly.

“A few moments ago” Luna answered as Celestia opened and read the letter.

“Oh no” Celestia looked crestfallen, raising Luna’s concern.

“What vexes you?” she asked the elder Alicorn.

“Spike; it seems he has locked himself in seclusion and Twilight is very upset” Luna could see the conflict brewing behind Celestia’s eyes.

The elder of the two Princesses wanted to go to her favourite student, but felt duty bound to remain in Canterlot as there was much to be done in Government, especially as the reigning monarch. Luna had begun to suspect that Celestia felt a greater connection to the powerful young mare than that of mentor and student and this was only solidifying that belief.

‘We need a dragon expert’ Luna thought, leaving the room quietly to allow her sister to stew

As the lunar princess strode through the ancient halls of Canterlot Palace, her eye was caught by one of the stained glass windows. It was of a dragon, as majestic as a mountain range and older than both her and Celestia. Underneath the image, the name was printed in Royal Canterlot font.

Kerastran: that was a name Luna had not thought of in three millennia. That was her given name, for the old Dragon had amassed titles enough to shame even the most audacious of heroes: The Life Bringer, Warden of the Flame and other relics of ancient pomposity. To Celestia and Luna however, there was a title she preferred, a token of respect rather than ego stroking: Matriarch.

“Guard!” Luna summoned one of the Unicorn guards, a mare by her reckoning.

“Princess, what do you require?” the guardsmare dropped into a bow.

“Tell the Night Steward to meet me in my office, I am going to take a journey and am not sure when I will return” Luna explained.

“Princess, do you need us to come?” the guardsmare looked up in surprise.

“Nay, I shall travel unfettered by the guard. My destination is not for ordinary mortals” Luna smiled at the guard.

“Aye, the Night Steward will be sent for, Your Hi-“ she stopped when Luna threw her a warning look.

“Yes Luna, right away” the guard managed to blurt out awkwardly.

Luna trotted to her office, passing by the Selenic Guard barracks as she did so and stuck her head into see what her off duty guards were up to. Starburst was preening himself and Shadow Step was trying to read a book, but his partner in crimes against grammar was talking loudly about the ‘hot date’ that he had in Ponyville.

‘Of course, I make a comment about my guards not being well received, and he manages to court a mare into a rendezvous’ Luna rolled her eyes; it was like Starburst lived to prove her wrong.

Luna then turned her gaze to the strangest pair of guards she had: Lock On and Drakestone. Lock On was a Pegasus mare, although only according to science someone had said. She was built powerfully for a Pegasus and right now was doing a sort of pull up: there were two large weights strapped one a side to her body and Lock On was hovering while keeping her hind legs on a table. Then she’d gently lower herself while her body was ramrod straight, until her snout touched the ground and then back up again.

‘An impressive physical feat’ Luna smiled.

Drakestone on the other hand was a Unicorn stallion and right now he had a look of extreme concentration on his face as he was levitating about two feet off the ground with three large silver globes circling him.

With a devious look on her face, Lock On retrieved a smaller ball and threw it with as much force as she could across the room at Drakestone. Quick as lightning, two the three globes around Drakestone collided with the smaller globe at high speed, shattering it into dust.

“They’re flirting again” Shadow Step observed dryly

Lock On snorted and unclipped the weights, letting them drop to the floor with a loud clang. She nimbly hopped down from her perch and began stretching her wings to cool down the muscles as Drakestone lowered himself down to earth, unfurling his legs and placing his large steel globes into a foot locker. He purposefully sauntered over to Lock On, a teasing grin all over his face.

“Close but no clover” he muttered.

Luna rolled her eyes and continued down to her office, hearing one final exchange between the off duty guards. Starburst asked Lock On if she had ever in fact, been mistaken for a stallion.

“No, have you?” was her response.

------Author’s Note------

We all know exactly where I cribbed that last scene from more or less wholesale. I’m not exactly ashamed since it’s damn awesome, that line especially. It’s just my little shout-out

Chapter 3

Luna’s office was not the sort of cavernous seat of power one might expect from a reigning royal. Instead it looked more like it was owned by an eccentric professor; blackboards and whiteboards with mathematical formula, astronomy charts and timelines made up an entire wall and each surface was brimming with scribbled notes, dog eared reference books and empty inkwells.

A very cantankerous looking Earth Pony was sitting opposite Luna’s desk, gently pawing at the floor. Bright Beacon and Luna’s relationship had been…tenuous since they first met about a week after Luna’s return to Canterlot. They had come to blows almost instantly, arguing over the proper protocol for receiving guests, the alignment of stars and just about anything else that could be argued about. As a result, they rarely spoke unless under sufferance or a directive required it.

‘What could she possibly want?’ he wondered, looking around the room.

“Bright Beacon, thank you for coming” Luna’s voice cut the air like a knife.

“I was summoned by my monarch, so here I am” he replied dryly.

“I am leaving on some business that cannot be left to anyone else, so I require you to take up your old duties for a short time once again” Luna ignored his impertinent tone as she backed a saddlebag.

“We have different definitions of short, Luna, which are you using?” Bright Beacon asked, arching his eyebrow.

“Your Stewardship will be required at least a month, longer depending on my luck” Luna affixed the saddlebag to her midsection and turned to face the rather adversarial public servant.

“Why me? You and I see nothing aligned. I vocally dislike you and I suspect it is by Celestia’s good grace that Lock On or Drakestone, to say nothing of those other two morons who follow you like besotted foals, haven’t assassinated me yet” Bright Beacon was most confused.

“Two reasons. For one, I can always trust that you will do a good job, if only to spite me” Luna explained, walking towards the door.

“And the second?” he probed.

“With you I always know where I stand…had it been your intention, you would at least stab me in the chest” Luna finished, leaving the room.

Luna made quickly her exit from the castle; a few turns found her a balcony from which she took flight. She headed north, passing over country towns and guard posts. After several hours of solid flying, she found herself requiring to land but fortunately she knew this route well. There was a garrison fort and a small merchant town on the border between Equestria and the Fire Plains.

“Princess Luna!” the night watchpony on duty barely heard the lunar monarch land on the roof of fort.

“At ease, I simply require a bed for the night, this visit is not official” Luna hoped she could calm the stallion down.

“Aye, Princess, follow me to the Fort Commander, his quarters should be appropriate for a guest of your stature” the guard turned on a bit and began marching towards the door that lead into the fort.

Luna rather liked old buildings like this one, unlike the newer ones constructed out of steel and plastics, these old ones were made from stone. If she concentrated hard enough, she could hear faint echoes of conversations held a hundred years ago, footsteps from a decade ago or the sounds of a lover's embrace last night.

They arrived at a large wooden door with the combined Equestrian coat of arms adorning it in old but well cared for bronze. The guard stallion pounded three times on the door, his shoes and the old iron beam making a clanging noise not unlike a large bell.

“So help me Celestia, unless you’re my spouse come to seduce me, I’m going to get really bucking annoyed” a stern female voice sounded, muffled by the thick hickory of the door.

“Um, Captain Rimfire, we have an important guest whom I need to present to you” the guard looked terribly embarrassed.

“Of course, some random noble has gone nature hiking and found him or herself lost and the idea of actually paying to use the inn offends them so they come crying to my fort” there was a pause and the sound of hooves clopping against stone approaching the door.

“Well I hope you wiped your arse with poison joke because…because….” The captain floundered after she flung the door open and caught sight of Luna.

“Greetings Captain Rimfire” Luna was struggling not to laugh; the captain and she would probably get on once the poor dear managed to un-swallow her tongue.

“Sling Blade” the captain deadpanned, looking to Luna’s escort.

“Yes sir?” he asked, snapping to attention.

“Go away before I put you on KP” she face hoofed as the stallion zipped away so fast there was an after image of him.

“I apologise for interrupting your duties Captain, I just require a night’s rest” Luna noticed how easily it had been since meeting Big Macintosh, to refer to herself as ‘I’ and not ‘We’.

“Of course, and I’m sorry for being so rude about the Nobles, I’m sure they’re hard working, loyal and friendly and you’re not buying my bluff are you?” Rimfire saw that Luna’s face had a look that spoke volumes.

“How did that charming farmer I met put it? As much use as a plough on a piglet. One of my guards calls them all useless wankers” Luna chuckled.

“Do you know what that means?” Rimfire asked, looking shocked that one of her Princess’s would use such a word.

“The better question is; do you wish to be the pony who finally explains it to me?” Luna smiled as the captain broke into a peal of laughter.

“I can think of a few things I’d rather do, like duelling a griffon with a blindfold on for a start” Rimfire used her magic to remove her helmet, letting a dark green mane fall out.

“My quarters are back past that door. My assistant Seeker will be here in a moment and I place him at your disposal” she hung the helmet on a hook on the wall.

“Where do you intend to sleep?” Luna was surprised.

“My spouse lives in the town, and I’m off duty now anyway. I was just finishing up some minor paperwork. In fact, you’ve delivered me a boon. I have a good excuse to go home and see Ginger Snap now, we haven’t seen each other properly all month” the captain picked up a saddle bag and put it on.

“Well, my thanks for the use of your quarters, captain. They are far more than what I require, but thank you regardless” Luna smiled as warmly as she could, hoping the captain understood she was genuinely grateful.

“Thank you, Luna, it will be nice to get away at a reasonable hour, just don’t be surprised if a very happy mare tries to give you breakfast in bed tomorrow” Rimfire gave quick bow of her head before taking off.

Back in Canterlot, Celestia was wavering between screaming in frustration and chortling in admiration: Luna had left a note with Bright Beacon explaining her absence from the castle tonight and what she intended to do. Celestia tried to remember when it was her running off doing impulsive things and Luna asking her not to, lest their mother and father find out.

‘Oh how things change’ Celestia thought as she left Bright Beacon to the Night Court, her personal bodyguard by her side.

“Majesty?” the guard was a powerfully imposing unicorn stallion named Morning Star and his voice reminded Celestia of rolling thunder.

“Yes?” she whipped her head around a bit too quickly and accidentally knocked her head on a light fitting.

“You are concerned about Princess Luna I assume” Morning Star smiled as Celestia set her crown right.

“Stunning observation” Celestia grumbled sarcastically.

“Only the best for you, your highness” Morning Star had been Celestia’s bodyguard for a long time, and as such more leeway was afforded in both directions.

“Yes, Kerastran is a friend and long-time ally of Equestria and most dragons that live that close to their ancestral home are well beyond their ‘grabby’ phase…but I’ve only had her back for a year and I guess I’m just being fussy” Celestia confided.

“I think sometimes you forget who taught ponies the arts of war. Luna’s personality is…powerful…to say nothing of her own formidable magic” Morning Star gave a gentle reminder to his Princess.

“True, I am more interested, the truth be told, in that stallion that caught her eye in Ponyville” Celestia’s eyes took on that mischievous glint that had dunked many an obstinate noble with a bucket of water.

“I heard about that, Starburst gossips like an old mare at a sewing circle. Big Macintosh I think he said his name was” Morning Star recalled Starburst’s insatiable tale telling.

“Yes, Applejack’s brother. The Element of Harmony for truth, finer stock you won’t find anywhere” a sudden voice caused both guard and princess to look to the side.

“Hello Smiley” Celestia said.

Smiley was Celestia’s Master of Spies. A unicorn stallion blessed with the ability to almost literally blend into any crowd and look as inconspicuous as possible with no effort. He was also very magically gifted in spells involving transmission of information and invisibility and levitation.

“Smiley you old knacker” Morning Star liked the spy’s sunny demeanour if one could pardon the pun.

“Morning Star, how’s your wife and my son?” Smiley and Morning Star liked to snipe at each other in ways that only twenty long years of working together closely allowed.

“Boys, am I going to have to put you both in a corner?” Celestia rolled her eyes as they approached her chambers.

“Just popping in to say goodnight, highness, I’ll have a report for you first thing. Ta ta” Smiley said and teleported elsewhere.

“You’re dismissed Morning Star, I’m sure your family are looking forward to seeing you tonight” Celestia smiled and waved her friend off.

Once inside the privacy of her chambers, Celestia flopped onto her bed and let her worry out. She was worried about Luna, but her concern for Twilight Sparkle weighed heaviest on her. After all if Luna got into trouble, she had magic enough to move tectonic plates by sneezing and when she said she had full command of the night, she meant it.

The worry Celestia held for Twilight was different, as was to be expected when dealing with the fleeting and fragile life and emotions of a mortal pony. Different still, Celestia feared, was that she might be harbouring feelings beyond the professional or the maternal for the young unicorn mare. Rules were different for immortals when it came to love…and she knew this was gearing towards love because it felt different to what it had been for other past students.

“I hope you’re okay, Twilight Sparkle…I’m not sure if I could handle something bad happening to you or Spike” Celestia then decided that Twilight should at least know that she wasn’t alone in this and began to compose a letter.

Twilight was in Rarity’s boutique, a glass of port in front of her and some very expensive cheeses and crackers. Most of her friends were there bar Fluttershy who had volunteered to stay at the Library in case Spike made a move to leave his seclusion. Twilight never drank alcohol, let alone something as strong as the port Rarity had given her.

“Twi, did the Princess write you back yet?” Rainbow Dash asked in an unusually tender tone of voice.

“No, not yet, although I was so distracted when I sent it, it may have ended up in the litter tray of the mascot cat and not Princess Celestia’s office” Twilight tried to joke but her choked delivery ruined the attempt.

“Twilight, listen, Ah….Ah mean we’re sorry. This is partly our fault” Applejack started but was violently cut off by Twilight.

“NO…..no it isn’t. It’s mine; I never explained anything I knew about Dragons to Spike, I just kept treating him like a pony with my typical hard-headedness” Twilight’s eyes became watery and she sank to her knees.

Rarity slowly padded over and put a foreleg around Twilight’s shoulders and drew her close and firm. The lavender mare began sobbing again for the third time in as many hours. Had this been anyone else, they all expected Twilight would have ripped down any barrier with impunity and launched into a massive lecture on how silly they were being…but this was Spike.

“I’m a bad mother” Twilight murmured, the revelation of how she felt about Spike nearly tearing Rarity’s heart in two.

Then there was a puff of magic, and a white scroll appeared on Rarity’s side table near her and Twilight. Rarity pulled the time over to her distraught friend once she recognised the Seal of the Sun adorning the paper. Wordlessly the rest gathered around her as she tore the missive open in desperation.

‘Dear Twilight Sparkle,

I am saddened to hear about Spike, and I am sorry that I have not yet responded. You should know that Luna has taken it upon herself to seek out an old friend, Kerastran, to help Spike.

I will be over to see you in the morning. If the rest of Twilight’s friends are reading with her, please take care of her until I arrive.

Love,
Celestia’

Twilight’s eyes widened as she read that name again…she was sure it was a myth, an old legend spun by old soothsayers and bards in themed pubs in Canterlot.

“Twilight, who is Kerastran?” Rarity asked.

“Is it another Alicorn?” Rainbow Dash was curious too.

“No. She’s a…she’s” Twilight was still wrapping her head around this.

“A what?” Pinkie Pie spoke for the first time in the last half hour.

Twilight turned and looked at her friends, a strange mixture of relief, fear and wonder in her eyes.

“Kerastran, the First One, The Eternal Queen…or as most of the other Dragons call her….mother”.

Chapter 4

Fluttershy was flitting around the Ponyville library hoping to get Spike’s attention. The baby dragon had come out of the closet and was very close to abusing the Pegasus’s good nature by being rude and ignoring her at every possible turn. He had spent the past half an hour rummaging through Twilight’s books, looking for something…anything that would help him control whatever dark impulses he now knew were deep in his soul.

‘Come on, hundreds of books, some older than this town and not a thing about Dragons…how did she raise me?’ Spike thought

“Spike, I really think you should talk to Twilight, she’s been worried sick about you” Fluttershy hovered over the small Dragon as she spoke.

“Nope” Spike did his best emulation of Big Macintosh and continued tearing through Twilight’s impressive collection of tomes.

Fluutershy was not an unobservant pony: she spent a lot of her time being the quite one who watched, and she could pick up nuances of her friends behaviour. Right now while on the surface Spike was being rude (dreadfully so in fact), Fluttershy could see in his eyes when he made eye contact that he was terrified of what had happened, the slight shakes of desperation in his hands as he looked through the books.

“Oh Spike, please just calm down” Fluttershy tried to put a hoof on his shoulder, only to have it smacked away.

“CALM DOWN? I nearly killed you and Rainbow, heavens knows what would have happened to Rarity if she hadn’t managed to talk me down” Spike had worked himself up and was wound tighter than a pocket watch.

“And…Twilight…Fluttershy, I turned on my own mother, family. Never again” Spike got that look in his eyes and began sobbing again.

Fluttershy liked Spike, most everyone in Ponyville did (up until his episode that is) but few took the time to realise things: he was a Dragon, and if Fluttershy was right, he was fast approaching adolescence which explained his infatuation with Rarity and his protectiveness of Twilight. She was no expert on Dragons, but had seen enough abandoned animals that engaged in behaviours outside their norm due to a lack of their parent’s teachings.

“Spike, I don’t know how you’re feeling at the moment, but Twilight raised you as best she could. No parent is perfect…just ask Rainbow, but I promise that Twilight would never let this happen again” Fluttershy tried to give the most inspirational speech she could, but Spike seemed to have fallen asleep, exhausted from his irregular feeding and bad moods.

“Oh dear” Fluttershy sighed and picked Spike up, and flew him to his basket beside Twilight’s bed.

The yellow Pegasus really felt badly for Spike; each of them had once been forced to act someway that was in some way anathema to their very core. She could only imagine that for Spike it had been worse; where they had been cursed by a great magic user, Spike’s fall had been a cruel trick of nature. As Fluttershy tucked him in she saw he began to struggle and thrash as if in the throes of a nightmare. To ease him to rest, Fluttershy began singing a song that her mother Feather Light had sung with her father Stealth Stream.

“Don’t lose you way, with each passing day…” she began the song, almost at a whisper but as she grew in confidence it grew just a little louder.

“If we hold on together….” She finished the verse early when she saw Spike’s breathing was regular.

Unbeknownst to Fluttershy, Twilight had returned to the library and heard her sing. At first Fluttershy felt terribly embarrassed but as soon as she saw Twilight’s face, her embarrassment left her. Without a word the lavender mare trotted up and nuzzled Fluttershy as a silent thank you. Using her magic, Twilight levitated Spike onto her bed before joining him, curling around him as a mother would her foal.

“Good night” Fluttershy spoke gently and quietly left the library, reflecting as she went.

This healing process was sorely needed but would take time, possibly longer than any of the other upsets that had occurred between the friends and longer still to mend the rift between Spike and Ponyville proper. In her heart though, Fluttershy believed her old lullaby and that it would be alright as long as they held on, together, like a family should.

Luna had quickly departed the fort, just after sun up in fact. She took the casual raising of the sun as an indicator that Celestia either supported what she was doing or wasn’t inclined at this stage to stop her. Allowing herself to tap into the magic currents that engulfed their world, Luna flew as fast as starlight, passing over the Gryphon Territories in mere minutes and soon felt herself growing hot: the Fire Plains was not an ironic or fanciful name.

The ground itself was sand so hot it was red, coarse and if it whipped up into a decent storm, could shave the feathers of even the deftest of Pegasus. There were great rocky spires dotting the land scape, atop each of them stood black Dragons with gold adornments: they were the armies of the Dragon lands, standing watch over their slumbering brethren. They allowed Luna to pass unchallenged: they remembered her magical signature and knew she was no threat.

‘Now if I remember rightly, there should be….’ Luna was interrupted by brown streak passing her.

A solid looking Elder Dragon in dark brown scales now hovered in front of her. It took her a few moments but catching sight of a scar on the creature’s left front leg made a name jump from the haze of her memories before Nightmare Moon.

“Dervish” Luna whispered as the Elder Dragon’s maw twisted upwards into a smile.

“I had heard you were back. Although I cannot fathom what you want here at the moment” his voice was deep and smooth.

“I am here to see Kerastran, anything beyond that is not your concern” Luna tried to fly past the imposing Elder Dragon but found herself blocked.

“I cannot allow that” Dervish’s eyes narrowed.

“You are Kerastran’s consort, not her minder. I will see my old friend if she will have me, and I’ll hear the rejection from her own maw” Luna began to glow with magic.

This was less of a threat with Dragons, like all old beings they had long grown resistant to magical attacks. However, as with many things that simply aren’t seen, many ponies forget that Luna was the one who taught the ponies the arts of war so that they may defend their borders and she had not forgotten.

“Even after a thousand years of stagnation, still some fight in you. Good” Dervish spread his wings, tempests of the searing hot dust gathering beneath them.

With a crack of lighting, the bout was on. Luna summoned a cavalcade of lightning bolts down on her opponent but the Elder Dragon used his spines as lightning rods and in a deft move, used his own magic arc it down his back and throw it out of his tail at Luna

Luna dodged the impending attack, using her magic to lift two boulders and fling them at high speed at Dervish’s wings, the source of most of his special powers. The mighty Dragon however was more agile than his size would imply and with a twist that would impress the Wonderbolts, dived from their path.

“Losing your touch, Blade Mare?” Dervish taunted as he barrelled forwards at Luna.

“HARDLY” she bellowed back in finest Royal Canterlot voice.

This time Luna was ready for him, using a basic telekinesis spell she waited until he was nearly on top of her and then flung him with her magic. The momentum of his forward charge, coupled with the precise nature of Luna’s throw sent Dervish barrelling into an unused spire with a sickening but also satisfying crunch.

Luna’s triumph was short lived as Dervish stuck his head again, a savage grin on his face. Luna narrowed her eyes; this one had always been a bit of a masochist and loved his bloodlust a little too much. Before Dervish could rev himself up further however, a long beam of ice flew between them. Luna turned, and in that instant she felt her breath taken from her.

Kerastran was a majestic being; her whole body was coiled around the largest spire in the Fire Plains with her head resting atop the spire to create the famed Nest Mountain. Her under body was black as the night sky, with flecks of red and orange every hundred feet or so. The top half of her long, serpentine body was a deep purple, alabaster spines ran from the tip of her tail all the way up her body, peaking two thirds of the way up and then getting smaller as they reached her head.

The most striking feature of the Matriarch was her head; a great crown like crest, five sweeping horns made of a different precious stone adorned her. Rubies in the centre, Sapphire and Diamond either side of that and Emeralds and Topaz at the outer ends. In the centre of her head was a great Amethyst stone. This was all the more impressive since they were many miles from the mountain and yet all the features of the High Mother Dragon were visible.

“Must I put you two in corners?” a surprisingly soft voice in their heads asked with just a hint of humour

“My Queen, she was intent on disturbing your rest” Dervish answered verbally, assured that the other Dragon would hear him.

“I assure you Dervish, I would not have minded had I known it was Luna. Go and relax in a steam pool. I wish to speak to my old friend” the great creature turned her head, both eyes gleaming argent.

Suitably chastised, Dervish shook his great head and flew off in search of game or another fight. Luna gently flew towards the towering leviathan that was Kerastran. As she got closer, far more details became noticeable: her body was almost an ecosystem on its own, with vegetation, rocky outcrops, even what looked like a lake running around her middle coils. Parts of her body were also encrusted with more gems than any pony could use in a lifetime. Once Luna was within a few meters she found herself becoming warm and attuned herself accordingly, chuckling that she had forgotten Kerastran’s blood was hot as magma.

“Matriarch Kerastran, how do you fare this day?” Luna asked, returning to her flowery language in the presence of an equal.

“No need to be so formal Luna, we are friends after all” Kerastran tilted her giant head, dust and small rocks falling from a surface somewhere.

Luna opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly felt the penetrating gaze of Kerastran on her. The old Dragon was psychic and always spoke in the minds of those she met with; actually opening her mouth and speaking would be loud enough to deafen most mortal beings. Also, like most mothers she was unnervingly perceptive.

“I…I am not here to discuss myself” Luna had landed on one of Kerastran’s outstretched clawed hands, which was almost as big as mansion floor.

“You were always a terrible liar, Luna” the old Dragon gently lifted Luna up to eye height, two large and glowing silver orbs locked with Luna’s green ones.

Suddenly the moon Princess faltered, tears coming unbidden to her eyes. It was hard, being around ponies that for years have been told stories of you. Even worse were the almost comical variations that occurred. Twilight Sparkle’s tomes made her out to be malevolent force of nature, bringing destruction and death wherever she turned her gaze and promising a night eternal. Popular culture and even tradition turned her into some bizarrely inept villain from a children’s story that threatened to gobble children without offerings of candy. The worst thing was, she could not remember if the truth was worse or not.

“I let a great darkness overcome me, Old Mother. I became evil, spiteful, selfish and murderous and while I have been told why, I cannot remember myself why” Luna gave Kerastran the best explanation she could.

“I cannot offer you absolution Luna, powers greater than our own will bring balance for what you have done…as they will against me for the trespasses of my children” there was a pause as Kerastran nudged Luna with her giant snout.

“But I believe you said you were here to discuss a matter not of your own, now, what was it?” her lips pulled up into a smile, rows of pointy teeth showing.

“Yes…there is a young Dragonling in Ponyville and he has been without the guidance of his kind since birth and he has had a terrible encounter with his own instincts” Luna paused to collect her thoughts on the matter.

“Why seek me? There are Elder Dragons and Arch Mages that would know enough to help” Kerastran asked.

“Twilight Sparkle endured much for me, she found the Elements of Harmony, faced my power alone for a time. Then she and her friends freed me from myself. I have also learned that Twilight has been a bright star in Celestia’s life while I was gone and still is” Luna looked up again at the glowing silver eyes of the Matriarch.

“And never, has she asked anything in return but to remain Celestia’s student: a position she won on her own merits. I wish to only show her that I am grateful for everything she has done” Luna finished.

Kerastran seemed to mull the idea over, ascending up higher in the sky above the plume of dust that covered a lot of the Fire Plains. Rearing back, she took a deep breath of air and gently sank back down and looked at Luna.

“I will agree on one condition” Kerastran stated.

“Name it” Luna replied quickly.

“There is a small, matter that I would ask you take off my hands” Kerastran’s voice took on a mischievous tone not unlike Celestia’s.

Suddenly, a blur of green and gold tackled Luna out of the enormous hand. Luna landed on one of Kerastran’s coils with less pain than might have normally occurred as she had activated a bouncing spell. As she shook her head, a very familiar cawing sound made her freeze.

‘Could it be?’ Luna dared not hope and whipped her head around.

Sitting there wagging its tail like a puppy, was a green and gold Wyvern: a non-Sapient subspecies of Dragon that could be tamed with patience, practice and a level of magic to keep them from getting too dominant in the relationship. The creature appeared to be smiling at her, its large blue eyes blinking from either side of its long, narrow snout while shifting its head around a lot. The haze remained until it bounded over and punted her with its own head and then it all became clear and her eyes widened and a foal like squeal of happiness thundered out.

“ARCHIE!” Luna leapt up and pulled the rambunctious creature into a bone crushing hug; Archie responded in kind by wrapping Luna in his wings and winding his long neck around her. Luna pulled her head back long enough to look her pet in the eye again

“I missed you”