Rainbow Dash glided over the silent capitol.
In every house and mansion, every room in the castle, ponies were sound asleep. The busy streets of the day were now calm with a gentle breeze flowing through the vacant vendors and stalls. The peace was not being disturbed by the constant chatter of the population or the clattering of their hooves.
It was perfect.
Rainbow Dash had always loved the nighttime. With its calming nature and dark beauty. The way the moonlight cast a faint light over the roofs of cottages, or how the cool night air whisked around you in a comforting manner.
Of course she would never tell anypony these thoughts. They were so... sappy. She had a reputation to uphold, and she couldn't let it get out that she was sappy. She had been walking on a tightrope ever since she had started reading, but if she gained a reputation for being poetic too?
No. She never told anypony of these thoughts, not even her closest friends. Her love of the night and its wonders was something that she wanted to keep to herself, to enjoy all by herself.
But if she enjoyed this so much, then why was she still feeling depressed?
Probably because tonight had gone to tartarus. She caused immense property damage and embarrassed herself in front of the wonderbolts. Her, not to mention her friends, 'Best night ever' had been a disaster. Sure, she ended the day on a high note with her friends, but as much as it hurt her to think it - Rainbow still wasn't satisfied.
Rainbow Dash sighed as she did a steep drop over a building. She kept her wings tucked into her sides as she sped down a couple stories.
The wind whipped past her face and whistled in her ears. Then, with a swift movement, her wings unfurled and slowed her free-fall. With a few powerful flaps she regained enough speed to glide through the city with ease. She passed dangerously close to balconies and protrusions peeking out of each building, yet, risking life and limb in close encounters with obstacles offered her no thrill. In her regular state she would have loved this, maybe even made it into a game, but she did not feel a sliver of her normal playfulness take hold.
She let another sigh slip out as she landed on the roof of a castle tower.
'Wait, how did I get here?' She thought to herself.
But any thinking she would have done on the subject was interrupted when she saw the spectacular view laid out in front of her.
From the highest tower of Canterlot castle Rainbow Dash stared in awe as the whole of Equestria lay before her. The moonlight made the sky a calm shade of blue with the stars and clouds only adding to its beauty. The rolling expanse of the plains to her left, and the steep mountains to her right. She could make out the dot that was probably Ponyville resting quietly next to the everfree. She could actually see the world curve as it met the horizon.
"Amazing, isn't it?"
Rainbow Dash squealed as she was broken from her trance. She tumbled off the tower roof and flailed for a second before extending her wings on instinct. Since she was so close to the outer wall of the tower this action only seemed to worsen her situation. When her wings extended, one pushed her off the stone sending her into a tailspin she held no control over. Flapping her wings frantically in a attempt to right herself, she only seemed to accelerate her fall.
With a short glimpse as she tumbled head-over-hooves she knew the ground was quickly approaching. Acknowledging this, time seemed to slow down. She could start to see her life flash before her eyes. Her foalhood, the time at flight camp, getting her cutie mark, moving to Ponyville...
The recollection of her history was interrupted when something grabbed her out of the air. The impact winded her, ending the screaming she didn't know she was doing.
After the sheer force of the impact faded she opened her eyes. The ground was moving away from her, but she was not flying. As Rainbow Dash looked down at her body she saw a pair of dark blue hooves wrapped around her midsection. The ringing in her ears soon faded as well, leaving her to the sound of strong wings cutting through the air.
Without even needing to look up Rainbow Dash muttered, "Luna..."
The princess of the night only responded with, "It's alright, you're safe now."
Rainbow got the message and succumbed to being carried. She saw the tower approaching again, but this time they were heading for a balcony near the top.
As Luna landed on the balcony she gently set down the pegasus. Rainbow Dash took a few frightful steps away from the balcony before she turned to face the princess.
Rainbow Dash then looked at the ground as she spoke "Sorry about that, I don't know what happened."
Luna walked over and lifted her head with a hoof, "It was my fault, I scared you on the roof and made you fall." She admitted ashamedly, "I put you in danger."
Rainbow Dash looked up at this slightly angry, but not for the reasons Luna was expecting "You didn't scare me!" she defended her pride "I was just... umm... Not ready! Yeah, that's it!"
Luna looked at the prismatic pegasus and chuckled "OK, I am sorry for not giving you warning," she said. Then her voice became sad again "It's still my fault though."
"No its not! If I hadn't been distracted you couldn't have snuck up on me!" she said as she turned to look back at Luna.
Who wasn't there.
Rainbow Dash panicked as she looked around the room "Princess!? Princess!?"
Then Luna's voice whispered in her ear "So the princess of the dark can't sneak up on you, hmmm?"
Rainbow screamed on the inside, but tried to keep her cool, "Yup, totally saw that coming." she lied with a complete poker face.
Luna reappeared, smirked, and walked over to the balcony to shut the doors "Of course."
Rainbow sat up as Luna slid the lock into place "I'm gonna need to leave through there you know."
Luna turned back to the pegasus "No. You were almost hurt on my behalf and I will not allow you to leave until day." she stated "What were you doing on the tower anyway?"
Rainbow Dash grew quiet "Just... thinking, it was nothing really."
Luna trotted over and plopped down on the plush carpet in front of the cyan pegasus "What about?"
Rainbow Dash diverted her eyes from the princess "It's nothing..."
Luna reached over and pulled Rainbow Dashs head up to meet her eyes "It's my duty to help my subjects in any way possible." she said with a smile "That's also what friends do."
Rainbow Dash wanted to brush it off, say it didn't matter, but two things kept her from doing so. One: The princess would pick up on the lie and just ask again. Two: There was something in Lunas deep blue eyes that made you want to tell her... everything.
Rainbow Dash sighed, "There's a lot to it."
Luna smiled, "I've got time."
The next hour or so was spent talking about almost anything you could think of. Dreams, animals, magic, flying, friends, family, politics... Luna sat quietly listening when Dash talked, and vice-versa. Rainbow Dash and Luna both pored every ounce of thought they had on each subject. They talked freely without, worrying about keeping up a daredevil exterior or a royal facade.
It was pure bliss...
Both mares were still on the floor. Rainbow Dash was on her stomach with her head buried in one pillow, Luna was on her side with her arms wrapped around another. The side of Lunas face rested on its soft surface while she looked drowsily at the mare across from her.
"Rainbow Dash?"
The cyan pegasus perked her ears up expectantly.
"You tired?"
"Mmmmmhmmm." came a muffled response.
Luna giggled as she got up and ignited her horn. She lifted the sleepy pegasus up into the air and over to the bed. Then out of nowhere, Rainbow Dash started flailing like a mad-mare.
"No! I don't want to sleep!" she cried.
Luna set her down gingerly, "You can barely keep your eyes open, why not?"
Rainbow Dash stood up slowly, "Because... If I go to sleep tonight will be over." she said softly "I don't want tonight to end..."
Luna smiled sweetly her "There can't be eternal night. Trust me, I've tried." This earned a giggle from Rainbow Dash "But, if you get in bed I suppose we could talk for a few more minutes..."
Within a split second there was a cyan-rainbow ball at the bottom of the princesses comforter.
Luna chuckled softly to herself. She walked over to the bedside and climbed in. Rainbow Dash buried herself under the covers at the hoof of the bed and wriggled up until her mane, ears, and head appeared across from Luna at the top.
"Boop." Rainbow Dash said as she brought a hoof to Lunas nose.
"Boop." Luna mimicked her.
Both mares fell into a fit of laughter. They flailed around a bit under the sheets until Rainbow Dash absent-mindedly let loose a hoof that grazed the princesses side, eliciting a sharp inhale.
Rainbow Dash quirked an eyebrow at the Princess "Ticklish?" she asked with a grin.
Luna's eyes widened and she hastily replied "No- not at all!"
Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at Luna while her hooves made it slowly and silently close to Lunas ribs.
"Nice try." Rainbow chimed.
All at once Rainbow Dash unleashed a fury of tickles and jabs to the princesses ribs. Luna burst into a gigantic fit of giggles and snorts that made her sound like a little filly. Rainbow increased her speed as she pushed herself onto her hind-legs for leverage to keep the allicorn down.
While the flurry of tickles was still in full-swing Luna tried to talk, "R-Rainbow! I-can't-B-B-BREATH!"
While it was not the royal canterlot voice, Rainbow got the message. She stopped tickling and just looked down at the panting mare sprawled out under her.
Luna was panting lightly making her chest rise and fall under Rainbows hooves. She was broken out in a cold sweat from the tickle-attack, and her tongue was lolling out of her mouth slightly. Her eyes were half closed, but you could still see her brilliant blue irises. Her mane was spread out under her and sparkled with thousands of little stars that seemed to hypnotize you.
All she could think was "Beautiful.".
Luna stopped panting immediately and her eyes snapped open.
"Did I say that out loud?"
Luna nodded.
After a few awkward seconds where Rainbow just stared down at the mare under her she did a perfect impersonation of Fluttershy.
"Eep!" Rainbow Dash squeaked. Her cheeks were glowing red as she jumped off of Luna and landed on the floor. She then made a mad dash away before being impacted by a force not unlike before.
Luna grabbed Rainbow Dash right before she threw herself out the window. She then subdued the embarrassed pegasus by pinning her to the floor. Rainbow Dash struggled to get up, but realized her efforts were fruitless, so she tried to look anywhere but at the pony holding her down.
In desperation Rainbow Dash cried out "Please don't be mad!"
Luna giggled despite the situation "It's OK Rainbow Dash, it was a nice compliment."
Rainbow Dash looked up slowly "You're... not mad?"
"No." Luna reaffirmed "And I would never hold anything like that against you."
Rainbow Dash looked straight into her amazing eyes once again. The without even a warning, she leaned up and kissed the princess of the night.
After three amazing seconds Rainbow Dash pulled away. She opened her eyes to see Luna in a much different state than before. Her mane had stopped flowing in an invisible breeze and now hung limply around the two mares like a light blue curtain. Her cheeks were a brilliant hue of red that went all too well against midnight blue. Her eyes were wide open displaying the irises that Rainbow Dash had recently come to love, but the eyes themselves were open in shock. Not anger.
After a few awkward seconds of both mare breathing softly on each-other Luna spoke up. "That was unexpected." she said.
'Oh great, my life's over.' Rainbow Dash thought.
"But..." Luna said quietly.
'But?'
With just as much warning Rainbow Dash had used, Luna leaned down and kissed Rainbow Dash. Both their heads were tilted, letting their slightly parted lips meet perfectly. Luna let go of Rainbows forelegs to wrap them around Rainbow's back. With her forelegs freed, Rainbow Dash let them glide slowly up to Luna's sides to pull her closer as they continued kissing. They both could easily have entered the others mouth, but they didn't. They were completely at peace with the peaceful kiss.
As the need for oxygen took over, Luna pulled away slowly. After panting softly for a moment she spoke. "Unexpected, but not unwelcome."
Rainbow split a huge goofy grin then pulled the princess into a deep embrace. She sighed softly into Lunas mane and drifted slowly into sleep.
'Best. Night. Ever...'
