**Selene**
**094 Spring CC**

Ow~ What was Three thinking? Pushing me into that while the Guild was under attack.

D@mnit. That was reckless. It must have been damaged; every part of me hurts. He should have waited. We could have fixed the Gondola. He... he...

... I hope he's okay. I'm not. Ugh! Why do I taste gunpowder? That's not supposed to be a thing. At least, I don't think it is. Party cannons haven't been invented yet, so I'm not sure what the load out of those will be. Maybe it’s just sulfur… Where am I?

Silver-grays and ruddy gray-browns. Rocks and dust. Not a bit of green anywhere. This place is seriously barren. Where the buck am I?

Two big objects in the sky. One is mostly blues and greens. Behind that is the shimmer of something white-gold. Tiny points of light beyond count -mostly whites and silvers. But I can see so many other colors. Three would love to see this!

*ding*
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
\ Achievement Unlocked:
\ SPACE PONY
\ You're no longer under the influence
\ of the gravitational pull of your
\ indigenous homeworld.
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
*ding*
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
\ Title Unlocked:
\ MOON TROTTER
\ You're the first pony to voluntarily
\ set hoof on Equus' largest primary
\ natural satellite, Selene.
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
...

Three, I know you were trying to make the Heroine’s Guild experience more ‘authentic’ and enjoyable for members -you and me specifically- but why did you make this Status Screen spell? I understand how difficult it is to make any spell, but it doesn't show any actual statuses… or levels. Like, what’s my Constitution or Strength or my level?

To be fair, real life doesn’t really have ‘levels’ or skill tables reduced to numerical values like in video games.

It just announces achievements of things I was present to do. I know what I did; I was there!

And there's no way to shut it off once the spell is cast on a Guild member.

... Wait. What does that mean, ‘largest primary satellite?' Are there others? Why not call it a ‘natural satellite?’

Wait... Satellite? It worked? ... It worked!? Three, you bucking genius! It wor- oh. Oh~ oh no.

Three, even if you survived the attack on the Guild, there is no way you got out without a scratch… not from that sh!t. And even if the Gondola survived, it was definitely damaged; and there is no way you could ever fix it before I run out of water up here.

There’s no way back.

*sigh* D@mnit. Okay. Fine. That's okay. We all knew this was a possibility. The attack was a surprise, but we definitely knew this would likely be a one-way trip -if it even worked.

I'm alive, too. That means I'm breathing. The atmospheric enchantment on the amulet is working. Nice Assets really came through on this nice asset... guess I'll never get to see her nice assets ever again, either. Probably for the best, though; that one’s nothing but a tease.

Not sure how long I was out, but I'm awake and here now. That gives me a maximum of three days -likely less- before I succumb to dehydration. That's not a lot of time to do what I came here to do.

Those d@mned buckers! *sigh* I didn’t even have enough time to grab any canteens in the chaos of the battle let alone any of my Guild gear. That’s going to make it really difficult to drink my urine when the time comes… And it will come down to that.

Important to breathe through my nose only from now on, too.
In.
Out.
Okay. Quick assessment.

All I have is the Atmosphere Amulet and my compass... and it seems like there's too much iron in the mare material for that to work properly.

Okay. 'Daylight's burnin',' as they say. Time to get up and start the search.

Now, how to find landmarks on a lifeless barren wasteland… last time we saw her on Three’s telescope at Guild Headquarters was near the Mare-in-the-Moon’s nose which is slightly southwest of the Null...

...Where am I in relation to that?

…

Sh!t. I have no clue.

I think it's been half a day -maybe more. Traveling across the moonscape is not as difficult as I thought it would. The atmospheric amulet gives my pegasus magic some atmosphere to grip onto. The Moon's lower gravity, increased background cosmic thaumatics, and zero friction outside of the atmospheric bubble make it really easy to negotiate the lunar barrens.

If I had all my supplies -plenty of food and water- I bet I could accomplish my mission and break the Rainboom Barrier up here easily!

Compass doesn’t work, but I was able to test the gravity somewhat by throwing a rock. I lost track of it again the background of blackness, but it looked like it was on track to go a whole half-flight.

Jumping around is super fun! “Wee~!”

*ahem* I mean, if I take any longer, I will have to go straight to the nearest pole to see if there is any ice I can try to melt. Harmony help me if she moved beyond the Terminus -or is moving at all. Last thing I need is to blindly chase a moving target.

Princess Celestia has orbited the Moon and Sun once since I started this hunt. The magic she uses seems to act as a dampener for the G-forces. Three always wondered why the image of the Mare-in-the-Moon -or any of the features- wasn't smudged across the surface from all those years of centrifugal torque.

Three wondered if the Mare-in-the-Moon was a magical representation of its inhabitant like a Cutie Mark on what is essentially an inanimate object or a physical scar from her landing. I'm flying around up here, and I can't tell. Telescopes didn't help with that detail. Ascertaining the size and distance of the sun from Equus was another item on our wish-list. Those types of maths were more Two's speed, anyway.

Three and I were able to find some traces of Two, and getting access to those ancient documents was not easy. We have a pretty good idea about One but cannot confirm it. The Princess wouldn't let Three near those. 'Too dangerous,' for normal ponies like us to have access, she wrote to Three.

I wish more of us could have met together Here -on Equus. Now, they're all likely going to search for me in vain. Nopony would ever think to look for a corpse on the moon. Maybe Three survived and will leave a note?

If I had any regrets, I suppose that would be it. Not like I was looking to go back to school for that agricultural degree at Cloudsdale College. Never was a fan of classrooms anyhow. More of a 'study whatever I want whenever I want' type of guy.

... If I could send a letter from here, I wonder if somepony would award me an honorary degree just for the sheer audacity. Maybe the University of Pheonixes down in Rockville, New Mexicolt, but that wouldn't even be worth the effort... or the postage.

At least they’d believe it, though. Celestia’s School would call it a joke and toss it.

I’ll never meet her -but if I ever were to meet Twilight Sparkle- for my complete lack of scholastic discipline, I’m pretty sure she’d be tempted beat me with a hose just to listen to me cry and drink my salty tears… and maybe also to break me of my truant streak.

…

Okay, that’s probably hyperbole. Equestrian culture is really harsh against colt-beaters. But she would totally have a lengthy lecture with graphs and lots of notes. Frankly, a beating would be quicker and easier.

Woah.

I can feel when Princess Celestia moves the moon. The whole place jerks a little bit -even while I’m flying- but the movement in relation to the planet looks like we’ve moved significantly.

I wonder if either princess realizes how blessed they are for that: Celestia’s cradling her sister across the skies and not accidentally flinging her sister and all the loose surface matter into the depths of space twice every day. After fretting over the accidentally averted danger, she'd probably be comforted to hear that.

Too bad I'll never get the chance to console her about it.

Focus. You've got a job to do. Three might have given everything for this. Don't waste the Guild’s sacrifice.

Okay~ one more lunar mare, and then I'm heading to a pole to check for water crystals. Even if I find a chunk, I'm not sure how to melt it, though. Not enough atmosphere to make a cloud or generate lightning with pegasus magic... Eating ice uses up more of the body's water than it gains from-!

-there’s something there!

Get down! Okay... It's her!? It's her... Of course it is. Who else would it be?

She hasn't seen me. Doubt she'd be expecting any visitors anyway. No such thing was ever mentioned in the Show -not like that means much Here. I doubt they’d have her teach little children about her adventures during her long-term isolation.

Nopony could ever figure out how exactly she survived her periodic excursions on the surface without any air.

Three hypothesized it's her affiliation with the Moon; somehow the proximity and raw intensity of being in -and sometimes on- the satellite gives the princess a way to survive in the vacuum: absorbing the ambient magic to perpetuate her biological functions. Have to ask her to truly find out.

But I think it could also be a design by Harmony specific to her banishment -a protection during 'temporary paroles' from being wholly one with the orbital entity.

Seriously, what is the point of a thousand-year ‘time-out’ if you’re completely unconscious and unaware the whole time? It would be equally pointless to be awake through the entire duration as well.

Either way, it wouldn't be a very effective time-out if the physical conditions on this satellite mirrored the vacuum of the moon we all knew from Before; that would be quite a painful way to go -even if it would be relatively quick.

Although, her being an alicorn may be another factor in her ability to survive. There were some from Before who theorized that Harmony may not allow alicorns to die; they simply go to that special ‘astral realm’ where they go during ascension and return after a period of time.

She's not moving much, but I can tell she's alive from this distance.

...And it doesn't look like her other half is getting ready for her turn on this round of parole... Thank you, Harmony. I couldn't ask for better conditions.

Alright. I can do this. This is what I came here for.

I'm suddenly quite aware of how little sound there has been. There's a thin layer of dust atop the plateau of stone on this maria. Normally, my hooves would sound a little muffled back on the world; but the sound ends at the end of my shell of air. Within, there are no other competing noises, and even my breathing sounds loud.

As soon as I get close enough, and my personal atmospheric bubble permits her within where sound can travel...

Showtime, "Hail! Lunaris Dominus, may the Grace of Harmony be upon you every Night." Her movements, it's... yeah, she's been crying. "Hail! Warden of Dreams, may the Brilliance of the Stars shine through you." Her ears are moving. Good. Focus on the sounds, princess. "Hail! High Princess, diarch of the Equestria, may Friendship be ever yours." There! She sees me now.

Her eyes and muzzle are stained with sorrow.

"Wha-? Who art Thou, and what new realm of antic disposition hast We enter'd unto?"
"What!? Who are you? What new levels of insane have I become?"

"I can assure you, Your Majesty, I am not a part of your imagination."

She really does speak in an older Equish. It’s not archaic cave-pony by any stretch; but even now, I’ve only encountered this in theater and literature. That document about Two had some old translator’s notes that were of Luna’s era.

"Fie. So sayest Thou. If true Thou beest, then swiftly answer Us: how camest Thou by Our pris'n above the World am'ngst the heavens?"
"Sh!t! So you say. If you really are real, then tell me how you got here -and be quick about it."

"My friends and I found a way for me to come here."

"Friends?" Her eyes narrow. "We hath no love for that occult. Shew them to Us, phantom. We wish to smite something this Night."
"Friends, you say? They better not be any of those accursed cultists. Bring’em here, figment of my imagination, that I might greet them with doom as they deserve."

"Princess, to my knowledge those sycophants are no more: disbursed, disbanded, renounced, reformed. I am from the Heroines Guild of Equestria; we help ponies to survive in places the Royal Guard cannot extend -in their settlements on the edges of the wilderness beyond city walls- and to help respond to emergency situations.”

"So Thou sayest. We know it naught."
"That's quite a claim, but I’ve never heard of it.

"It was founded after… um... you came here." Her expression is set. I can't get a read on it, but I hope she's not offended by the reminder.

"And Thou art?"
"So, who are you."

"My name is Psithur, Your Majesty." Why does my name sound so muffled? Mouth is getting really dry.

She scoffs.

"We art not Roy'l hith'r. Thou may'st name Us liken unto the Rabble... or... mayhap as unto One... more familiar."
"In this place, I am not a princess. I'm just me -like anypony else- so you can just call me, 'Luna,' while we're here... if you want."

"It would be an honor above all honors to know you in any manner... Luna."

She hums to herself, "Psithur? A 'harkening breeze in the trees,' yes? A ‘sylvan’s hushed speech’?" There's that muffling again...
"Psithur? Your name means, 'the sound of a breeze in the trees,' right? Or an ‘arbor’s whispering?’”

"That's correct."

"Trees... We f’rgot them! O! And the sound of the waves upon the shores in the twilight and the touch of grass ‘neath Our hooves...” She weeps. Long and bitter.
”It's been so long that we forgot what a 'tree' is and the sound of the wind by the beach and the feeling of grass on the ground.”

After a time, she collects herself and resumes our discourse.

“We thanketh thee for that... remem’br’nce. Tell Us, Friend, canst Thou return’th thence?" She points up at Equus, "And canst Thou convey Us?"
”Thank you for reminding me about them... Since you got here, how do you plan to get back? And can you bring me with you?"

"We -my friends and I- have been observing your waking moments over the last few generations on the lunar surface with our telescopes. A normal pony would crack after just one or two years in such isolation. And you have been here for many; therefore, we determined that you needed a friend -a visitor- even if it's just for a short time. I… volunteered. I am sorry, but there is no return for me. Harmony will bring you back eventu-"

"-What?" She takes a few steps, taken aback. Without falling, her hooves only stumble a little.
"-What?"

"This," I hold up the charm around my neck, "is enchanted to create a small atmospheric construct -a bubble of breathable air.” I tap my hoof to a rock so we can both hear the sound traveling through the air. There is no sound in space without matter to transfer it to the ear. “It also protects me from the unfettered heat of the Sun and the mercilessly cold vacuum of space."

"W- We- We do not understand..." She looks around with her round blue-green irised eyes and then at the ground as she taps at it herself; she just realized she's not in the vacuum right now.
"I- I do not understand..."

“Thy voice is thine own? ‘Tis no d’lusion?” She seems to say this to herself.
”Your voice is yours? It’s not just in my head?”

"Even if you helped to recharge this, eventually you will return to slumber within the Moon for your... incarceration... And I have no food or water."

She didn't like the sound of that and turns to me hard. The speed of her rounding on me kicks up gray dust, "Foal! Whyfor wouldst Thou cast of thy life precious for a- a- token such as this?"
"You dumb@ss! Why would you throw your life away for something so petty?"

"For you. To courie some friendship to you when you need it the most. It is a small price."

"Thy mortal’ty is no mere trifle. Foal. We wouldst beat Thee for Thy folly but wouldst infect Our hooves to do it -stallion or no!" Wow, she is pissed.
"You are not immortal. Bakka! Your life is precious! I'd have you flogged for wasting your only self for such a silly reason. And I don’t even care if you are a stallion, I’d still spank your @ss; but I don't want to stain my hoof!"

Loudly grumbling what I assume are words she normally wouldn't use during her stately duties back in the world, she frustratedly leaves my bubble to stomp around and blasts away a nearby lunar mountain before returning a little calmer. The ground shook from the destroyed formations but no sound of it returns through the void to my bubble of air. Rubble and dust glimmer and sparkle from the light of the Sun as it silently drifts away from the surface for all time.

"Psithur," she started with control that she obviously did not want to exercise, "canst Thou conceive in the mind the multitudes We hath witness'd pass b'yond to the Everlasting Graze," with a tear, "yet We linger? Life is no pittance."
"Psithur, can you even fathom the masses of ponies I've seen die, and yet here I am unable to reunite with my friends or family evermore? Life is too short and precious to throw away like this.”

She is affected by the many ponies she's seen pass away. Alicorn immortality definitely is not the wondrous thing many might think it to be. She doesn’t want another addition to her list of loss.

The guy once said, ‘who wants to live forever?’ Luna and her sister will mourn lost friendships in perpetuity. I can see the appeal of the Graze to her: all the benefits of a perpetual alicorn life without losing anypony. What can I say to that? How can I make her feel better?

But Luna continues, "Seclusion hither," she waves to the surrounding moon, "differs not from the isolation thither," and she points to the planet Equus in the Moon's sky, "for all that cometh must depart, and We must tarry. They reunite and fell'wship ever anon upon the fields of the Graze," her tears from before begin again, "whist… We loiter in Shadow." Breath hitching, her tears start again.
"Because of this, being alone here on the moon is no different than being alone back on Equus. We alicorns struggle forever in this life while our loved ones fellowship in Harmony eternally."

What can I say to that? Nothing comes to mind. Is that the purpose for the alicorns: to help guide ponies towards Harmony?

I have helped a few ponies grieve before -fellow Guild members lost on adventures, a few family members from age. It usually involves just being there and listening. If I know the departed, then I can share some happy memories, but that's the extent of it. Maybe that's an aspect of Laughter: sharing your fond moments of lost loved ones?

I'll never get to find out from the source or the Element. Hm~ but if she was here… I'd like to imagine the ‘pink master’ might do something like... this!

Luna's cries cease in surprise when I wrap my forelegs around her neck and hold. Pretty sure most royals are averse to physical contact or -at least- unused to it. Sorry, Princess. Hugs are good when you're sad.

"Verily," she says under her breath, "Thou beest not a figment? Before Us, Thou art flesh."
"Wha~? You're real? You're really real."

"My purpose here," he says, "is to remind you of this, Princess Luna, and do not forget it," reaching his muzzle up to her ear he whispers, "You. Are. Loved." Pulling back a little from her ear, he continues, "And I must use what few breaths I have left to drill this lesson into you-"

"-Nay," she insists, "We shan't squand'r Thy noble -foalish- sacrifice, Friend, if lief be, prithee- wait..." She pauses for a moment with a slight blush, "Did- didst Thou spake, 'drill into Us?'"
"No. I promise that I will make the most of this brave and stupid thing you did, my friend, and I will gladly -wait- did you just say, 'drill,' into me?"

Wow, for somepony who hasn't bathed in more years than I've been alive, she smells pretty good -really good- focus! You're here to comfort her. This is not an interplanetary booty call.

I recall some from Before theorizing that ponies would smell or taste like fruit, flowers, or deserts. How absurd. They don't smell like livestock either. Most of the time they just smell clean or like whatever cleaning product they used that day mixed with subtle but regular body smell. Going without only starts to smell if sweat and grime are introduced to the mix -unless you happen to be an alicorn on the moon, apparently. Maybe moon dust has some hygienic properties?

No~ there’s way too much sulfur… Oh, she’s looking at me! D@mnit. I was out of line.

"Thou... marked Us upon thine nostr'ls?" Uh-oh.
"D- did you just scent me?"

Yup. Time to release this hug before- Luna's forelegs wrap around my neck.

Oh... She's hugging me back now? Wait. I bucked up. Quick, Brain, help me!
You never give me anything to work with. How exactly would you like me to help? Seriously.
Uh~
That’s what I thought.

“How few of the Graze possess such a boast as this: to have hugged the Luna? Can you blame me, my lady?"

"Lady? Lady!?” She snorts, “We art no mere gentry. We art Royal -a princess! The arrog'nce of this one. Verily, the Gen'rations doth deteriorate. Unhoove me-"
"Lady!? I'm a princess. 'Lady' is a lower station than mine. The balls on this guy. It's true what they say: each new generation is more degenerate than the last."

"-No-" Okay, so, I might be getting a little bit delirious. And didn't she say she's not royal during her banishment?

And I tried to unhoof you earlier. You're the one who hugged me back!

She's getting riled up. What do I do? I need to do something… Luna, I need you to focus on alleviating your loneliness so that you can make it to be cleansed by the Elements, and you're talking about all kinds of -oh!

I know one surefire way to get a mare to focus... Sorry, Princess, but my time in this life is now very, very limited.

"-No!? What next? Shalt Thou demote Us thrice in as many minutes? Mayhap Thou shalt declare Us a filly of the streets -Mm!?"
"You demoted me from 'princess' to 'lady.' Now what? Will you insult me by making me lower? Perhaps you'll call me whorse next -Mm!?"

Maybe this will calm her down some? "Mm~” Hasn't brushed in centuries and still managed to taste fresh. How does that even work?

...

...

*smack!* O~w~! Those shoes are metal. Da~ng it. That's going to leave a mark. I think I swallowed a tooth...

"Cad! We wert chaste!"
”You scoundrel! That was my first kiss!”

Wait. Seriously? You've never kissed a stallion before? How old were you before you rebelled against your sister? Surely you were older than five.

*ding*
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
\ Title Unlocked:
\ SCOUNDREL
\ How could you!? She's a princess
\ for Harmony's sake! Do you realize
\ what you've done?
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Aw, geez~

At least she isn’t spiraling anymore.

She takes a moment to catch her breath. I can feel her heart beating like crazy through her chest.

"And... 'tis far too insignificant a badge for the great Gift of Thy comp'ny unto Us in this place above the w'rld." She does not let go of the hug.
"And... I wish I had a grander way to reward you for such a chivalrous self-sacrifice."

"I volunteered... Lulu."

"We-!" Her lips purse, and her eyes narrow at me. "We know... Breezy. Or doest Sylvy sweet’n thy countenance…”
"Oh. Lulu am I? It is on, buddy. Well, I can do nicknames, too, Breezy. Or do you think Sylvy is better?"

Breezy!? What, like the breeze in the trees or- or those tiny little pony fairies... And isn't 'Sylvy' a girls' name? Ugh. Well, I've had worse nicknames, I guess… and I am here to try to help her get through this tribulation of loneliness she’s been enduring so that she can finish it. It's certainly not for my benefit. I can endure a silly nickname if it makes her happy for these few moments.

Despite my growing headache, I could never complain about her soft lips, though. I didn’t really noticed before how cyan and catlike her eyes were... wait...

Author's Note

A ‘flight’ is a unit of measurement for distance developed by pegasi. It’s approximately the length of two radials reaching from an origin, out to the horizon, and back on which the points of the circle are located at sea-level.

I decided against a very ~~autistic~~ authentic Early Modern English dialect for Luna. <> Instead, I included some translations of Luna's older dialect and wrote with more recognizable spellings, because it can start to slog after a bit for the reader; and I doubt there’s a big enough audience for that. But I think she’s usually able to say more with fewer words of the older dialect.

The Gondola is the teleportation-hybrid device Three made to ferry a volunteer to the Moon.

A Terminus is the line between the sunny side and the dark side.

There is some expansion of the canon in the comics to describe Equus' moon-environment such as with the implied inclusion of a lunar atmosphere. If there is a group of nightmare-shadows up there, I don’t think they’d need much air, because I suspect shadows don’t breathe. I didn’t notice any plants to assist with any atmosphere in the comics. I used some information on our moon to describe the Equustrial satellite.

There is an imaginary island where the Equator and Prime Meridian intersect called Null Island. The research team from the HGoE who began to monitor Luna’s occasional excursions on moon named this coordinate, Null, after that: N0oE0o.

A lunar mare or maria is a dark spot or basaltic plain on our moon. 'Mare material' is another way to describe the composition of the dark spots. Basalt has a lot of iron in it which can interfere with magnetic fields which would affect a compass. 'Mare' comes from the Latin for sea; the connection to equine terminology seems unintentional but fortuitous for MLP Fanfic writers.

The Everlasting Graze is a reference to an Equestrian belief system in an afterlife in Harmony. I got the idea from Preunification Anon, by Spooples -very good story.