Lucky Starby Derpy DomChaptersStar gazingTwilight Plays CupidFirst NightStar gazingYou always liked these kinds of nights. Enjoying the summer well past sunset was one of your guilty pleasures. With not even a wisp of a breeze, it was so quiet and so serene. What made it even better was the fact that each night, Luna would hoofcraft the night sky, creating another beautiful starry scene. They were always beautiful, though: those silent, twinkling sentries of the night. You always felt safer in the knowledge that they were up there watching over you. It was the only time you could think clearly, really. You worked at an art shop in Ponyville and you were always busy. Foals were always running in and out buying paint and crayons and colored pencils for their creative little projects. Today, however, you actually considered banning your younger patrons all together following a mishap with 3 young fillies and a dozen or so bags of glitter. Apparently they thought that if they added enough glitter to their collage, they would become renowned artists of the highest caliber, therefore gaining their cutie marks. You thought they had it backwards, but they were so determined that you figured you’d let them try and see what happens. “Hay,” you thought “maybe they might actually pull it off.” Their determination, however, proved to be a detriment to you, your shop, and every pony within a four block radius. After the dust settled and your initial disbelief at how 3 fillies could cause that big of an explosion with just some construction paper, a few bags of glitter, and paste subsided, you told the fillies that you’ll be expecting them to help clean up the mess. After all was said and done, you couldn’t help but not be mad, after all, they did help you clean up your shop, which was in dire need of cleaning anyway. With most of the glitter cleaned up, your shop actually looked quite nice. Small shimmers of light seemed to come from everywhere and yet, they came from nowhere. When you tried to find the little twinkling speck, it disappeared from view. It added an elegant beauty to the inside of your otherwise unassuming shop. It made everything just a bit…shinier, and you were always sucker for shiny things. Perhaps a little glitter really was better? So, now here you sit, under the stars, unwinding after a long and stressful day. On nights like this, you could lie in an empty wide-open field, or sit on the balcony of your small one bedroom apartment above your shop, or you could stroll down the empty streets of Ponyville. Any choice would be fine as long as you had a view of the heavens. Honestly, even if you couldn’t see the sky, you still loved the night. Its quiet solitude and peaceful atmosphere always comforted you, and yet, it also made you feel alive and content. Your preference, however, was always the majesty and splendor of the night sky. It never ceased to hold your attention when you could give it, and tonight was no exception. The best spot to stargaze, however, was a small knoll near the rear of the towns library. The slight elevation above the town let you see far more of the sky than if you were sit in the town square or even from your own balcony. This certain location also had another benefit: The owner of the library was also something of an astronomer. Not an astronomer, per se. More like a hobbyist. Well, that wouldn't be the right word either. She's a scholar, in every sense of the word. And no scholar would be caught dead without some sort of telescope. Twilight Sparkle happened to own a telescope, and not just any run of the mill telescope. This little number came straight from the University of Canterlot and had to cost at least a thousand bits. It may have even rivaled the observatory in Luna's Tower in Canterlot. Anyway, with her new found regality, you figured she could afford the very best. That's how you became friends with her. You could always talk to her about the stars and astronomy in general, not to mention you asked to borrow her amazing telescope every now and again. She was also somewhat knowledgeable about art. Not in the art loving sort of way, but more in the art history sort of way. She could tell you exactly when Moneigh painted his Impression, Sunrise as well as the fact that it's in the impressionist style. She could even ramble on about the types of paints he used and the fact that if you made a grey-scale copy of it the sun would almost disappear. Something about neurobiology and the evolution of sight. Even with all those facts memorized and catalogued, she couldn't tell the emotions that the painting elicited from her. Paintings were just paintings, after all. You had many debates over whether or not some forms of art were indeed art. Modern minimalist art, for example. You made the argument that simple paintings of only a few colors of simple shapes were indeed art and that the artist put in much thought and care to the choice of color and how those colors would best be represented in shape form as well as the aesthetic value. She, on the other hoof, made a striking argument that it still just a simple shape and any foal with some crayons could have made it. Laying in the cool grass on this cozy summer night with a slight balmy breeze blowing over you, you thoughts start to wander to the upcoming festivities. You favorite time of year is fast approaching. Although you are loath to leave the perfect nights of summer, you console yourself that Nightmare Night would more than make up for it. All the treats, the games, the parties: it would all be worth it. It always is. Especially the treats. You never did lose that sweet tooth when you were a foal. This year, however, you have to remind Pinkie Pie to tell you which treats are baked goods and which ones are baked bads. Last year, half of the candied apples were actually candied turnips. You hate turnips. “Maybe I’ll keep calling her ‘Pinkamena’ until she tells me which ones are the good ones…” You say to yourself. “That usually gets on her nerves.” However, before you could come up with any more ways to make Pinkie spill the beans (not literally. That happened two years ago. Ponyville still has the slightly sweet ‘baked beans’ smell to it), you decide to call it a night and head home. You can’t take your eyes off the sky however. Something is tugging at the back of your brain. Something familiar… “THAT’s why I didn’t mind the glitter so much. Figures.” Your now slightly shiny store was slightly reminiscent of the night sky, although, it’s definitely not the same. “Luna does a far better job though.” “Thank you, subject.” You freeze in place; your mind reeling at who just spoke. You know the voice, but it’s impossible. Your thoughts start to list the reasons she couldn’t be here. She can’t be here in Ponyville. Maybe, but Ponyville has become kind of important lately. You know, with whole Elements of Harmony thing. Right. And then there's 'Princess' Sparkle. True And even before that, she was Celestia’s apprentice…student…lover…thing. Lover? We can imagine, right? Yes we can. As you contemplate an erotic scene involving a certain radiant white alicorn goddess and a certain genius lavender alicorn, you hear a distinct clearing of a throat somewhere behind you. “Are you ill, subject? Do you require medical assistance?” Recalling who was behind you and how this all started, you slowly turn around, remembering to take the stupid grin off your face and getting rid of the image of two gorgeous mares tangled in the sheets of a large four poster bed. “My apologies, Princess. You surprised me is all.” “Yes, well, I am glad to see that you are well. Again, thank you for your compliment.” Right, you just complimented Luna’s job on the stars. “Y-Y-You’re welcome Princess.” You couldn’t help but stammer a bit. She was a princess after all. And a goddess. And, judging by how stunning the night sky is almost every night, quite the artist. And amazingly, classically beautiful. How did you not realize that until now? And why is it getting hot all of the sudden? “…Indeed. Good night, subject.” As Luna turns away to head back towards her carriage and waiting guards, you can’t help but stare. She is perhaps the most attractive mare you have ever seen. The view isn’t bad either. Quiet, you. Just stating the obvious, man. As you watch the carriage take off in to the night sky, you regain your senses. Something about her, well, everything about her made you lose track of time and place. Time stood still and yet seemed to reel by you. You notice that you are still standing there with your mouth agape, staring off into the sky where the carriage disappeared into the night. You also hear a familiar lavender unicorn quietly giggling in the distance. Your star gazing had made you completely oblivious to your surroundings, so you were somewhat surprised to see Twilight. “You are perhaps the most love-struck pony I have ever seen.” Twilight Sparkle couldn't help but have a grin on her face. “That was Princess Luna, right?” “...Yes…?” “In Ponyville.” “Uh huh.” “Oh. Right then. What was she doing here, anyway? I would have thought she would be far too busy catching up on Equestrian history or dealing with some politics or some such.” You still can’t believe she was here, but, on the other hoof, she was here last year at Nightmare Night, so it’s nothing new. “She was here to talk to me about some of the things I should know about my new position as royalty. I'm still not really used to the whole thing and wanted some advice. Besides Princess Celestia and Cadence, err, Princess Mi Amore, there's no one else to help me out.” “I can imagine. So, do you two talk often?” As if twilight was able to read your mind, she said “Yes, and if you want, I can see if you could talk to her again. Try not stuttering this time.” You consider her offer, but as your thoughts drift back to the goddess of the night, you deice to decline. “No, that’s okay. She’s WAY out of my league. As in she’s a goddess and a princess and drop dead gorgeous and I’m just some art shop owner who likes to take walks at night.” You couldn’t help but feel humbled by her presence. Not to mention you were way too shy to just walk up to a beautiful mare and ask her out. “I think you’re selling yourself short. Besides, Luna could use some more friends. A lot of ponies are still afraid of her even after all this time of her being back and not Nightmare Moon. And honestly, I think she needs to know that there are ponies out there that have nocturnal activities." Did twilight just say 'nocturnal activities?' Okay, time to mess with her. "Why Princess, I don't think Luna wants to know what every pony does with their special somepony behind closed doors." Twilight, immediately flustered by your comment, tries to retort "WHAT! I didn't...I mean... I don't...get your mind out of the gutter! Anyway, the offer still stands, as long as you don't do anything...untoward." You got her. Sometimes it's far too easy to make her uncomfortable and embarrassed. After all, you did tend to help Pinkie and Rainbow Dash prank the newly crowned Princess on occasion. Rainbow says it's to make sure Twilight doesn't get a big head and all stuffy, but you just think they do it because it's funny. And they usually are. Except that pudding incident. Rainbow still won't talk about that one. Something about 'It was just a one time thing!' and 'You would do the same thing in my horseshoes!' Whatever they did, you assumed it involved some very embarrassing events for the both of them. You tried asking Pinkie, but the moment she tried telling you, her mouth turned into a zipper and shut itself. Apparently a Pinkie Promise is a magically binding contract. "I was just joking, Twilight. I knew what you meant. Anyway, I'm not sure I'll take you up on that offer. Like I said, I'm just a common artist and she's a princess. I doubt she'd even know I existed." Twilight, always one to try and cheer up a friend, said "But I'm a princess, and I know you exist." She got you there. You knew your logic was flawed, but you still couldn't bring yourself to admit it. "I know. Thanks Twilight, I mean it. Anyway, it's getting really late and I should get to bed. I have to start changing over my shop for the upcoming Nightmare Night." "Okay, well, have a good night." As she waved her hoof and walked back inside the library, you knew she wouldn't leave well enough alone. After all, you're pretty sure she knew, deep down, you wanted to talk to Luna again. Who knows, maybe you'd have some luck. After all, the stars always did somehow make everything better. Twilight Plays CupidTwilight Sparkle awoke this morning like she normally does. As the rays of the new dawn crept into her bedroom, her eyes slowly opened. She loved the dawn. Hay, most ponies did, but it always seemed special. Especially when she could wake up before Celestia herself and catch the sun before it rose. The pastel colors of the sky before the sun broke the horizon were always breathe taking. Every shade or blue, purple, red, orange, and yellow could be seen in a vibrant display. It always reminded her that her mentor and friend would help her through the day. Speaking of the day, Twilight started her morning off like she usually did. "SPIKE! WE HAVE WORK TO DO!" The little purple dragon was a heavy sleeper, but not even he could keep his eyes shut when Twilight was in 'Morning Panic' mode. Over time, Spike had come to know Twilight very well. She was like a big sister, as well as his best friend, and over the years, he had come up with labels for the levels of panic Twilight exhibited on a normal basis. There was Apocalypse Panic, 'I Forgot to send Celestia a Letter' Panic, 'We're Late' Panic, Morning Panic, Confused Panic and his personal favorite; Unknown Panic. Unknown Panic usually involved Pinkie Pie's twitches. Twilight still couldn't explain those which led to a small bout of Confused Panic, but once Pinkie translated her twitches into Equestrian, she usually went into full-blown Unknown Panic. This morning, though, was the normal case of Morning Panic. "Spike! Wake up! We need to make the list of things to do today so I don't miss anything!" Spike groggily rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he watched Twilight run around her room looking for quill and parchment. Spike rolled out of his bed and slowly made his way to Twilights writing desk where she kept academic wares, and opened the drawer. The drawer that Twilight always has stocked with none other than quills and parchment. Completely deadpanned, Spike announced "Oh no. What ever shall we do. Woe be the day that we run out of parchment and ink." "I know! I can't find it anywhere. We have to hurry up and find it before we run out of time!" Spike, knowing the signs of early on-set 'We're Late' Panic, stepped in front of Twilight "I got it. It was in your usual spot. In your desk. Like always." This seemed to calm her down and prevent a complex series of panic attacks that would have likely ruined his plans for the day; namely napping and eating a portion of his horde of gems he kept under his mattress. Some days he wondered what it would be like to be Rainbow Dash's assistant. "Oh. Thanks Spike. See? That's why you're my number one assistant. Where would I be without you?" Rolling his eyes and giving a slight blush, Spike tried to keep her on task. "I know Twilight. Thanks. Anyway, so what's on the schedule for today?" "Well, we have the Zebrican ambassador to meet with. We also have the classes Celestia is giving Cadence and myself for new alicorns. We have to get some more food from the market for the week, which reminds me. We also have to tell that chef from the castle to stop sneaking into the library and trying to impress me with breakfast and bed. I don't need a new chef. You're cooking is always great. Oh, and we need to talk to Luna." Always one for receiving praise and to not be out done, he underlined, circled, and bolded the part about telling the chef off. He was an awesome cook. "Wait, talk to Luna? Are you going to help her out on Nightmare Night again? Oh! Can we go to the castle? They're the only ones that give out gems." "Okay Spike. And yes, sort of. I promised a friend I'd talk to Luna for him. I don't think he would mind if I told Luna a new pony would like to meet her." The gears started turning in Spike's head. "Oh. You mean Star, don't you? That guy has the biggest crush on Luna. I don't know why. I mean, she's no Rarity..." Rolling her eyes, Twilight explained. "Okay Spike. We all know how fantastic Rarity is. I caught him last night kind of ogling Luna's flank. It was pretty funny to watch him drool like that, but I'm sure that he has genuine feelings. What did Cadence call it? Love at first sight? Anyway, I want to help him out." Scratching all of this down on the parchment and finishing the last bit about Star staring a hole into Luna's butt, Spike rolled up the parchment and went with Twilight to start off her morning. For some reason, he had a sneaking suspicion that today was going to be one of those days. As Twilight finished talking with Celestia and Cadence about the merits of an alicorn flying class, she realized that she still had things to do for the day. She loved the lectures that Celestia gave about her new alicorn powers and what she could expect from said powers, but she loved finishing a list even more. "Well, I'll see about having Rainbow Dash help me with flying lessons. I still can't get used to the fact that I have wings now. They always seem to be doing things I can't control." Remembering a particularly embarrassing moment involving Rarity, Fluttershy, the Spa, and something Rainbow Dash called a 'wingboner,' her cheeks gave a light blush. "Oh come on Twilight. It's not that bad. Shining will never tell you this, but the first time I met him my wings her as stiff as boards for hours." Cadence loved Twilight, but getting her to blush was just so adorable, she couldn't help herself. "Okay. Too much information. And now I'm glad Shiney never told me. I really don't want to picture the best foal-sitter ever and my B.B.B.F.F. doing...things. Anyway, It was great as always to see you, but I have a lot of things to do today." And with that, she waved her hoof to the two alicorns standing in the hallway outside of the lecture hall. Celestia gave Cadence a little look and said "My wings were stiff for hours after seeing Shining Armor for the first time, too." Cadence immediately regretted embarrassing Twilight. "Ok Princess. I REALLY don't want to hear how you popped a wingy after seeing my husband." Celestia gave a small giggle as they both headed to the throne room. As Twilight walked over to Luna's Tower, she couldn't help but smile at the fact that she's about to help out a friend talk to his crush. That, and the fact that Luna could still use some more friends. So far, the only ones to really talk to Luna besides Celestia was Cadence and Twilight. Sure, most of their conversations involved some sort of royal business, but Twilight got the feeling that Luna was glad she got to talk to her friends, even though it was business related. Reaching the massive silver doors to Luna's chambers, Twilight enveloped the heavy knocker in lavender magic and swung it up and down twice. Immediately, the doors creaked open as Luna's Nightguard bowed their heads slightly to Luna's new visitor. Twilight liked everypony, but those bat wings always made her feel a little uneasy. She had to remind herself that they were just like everypony else and put on a little smile. It wasn't a forced smile, for she was about to help a friend achieve romance. "Hi Princess. I just finished up my study with Celestia and I thought I would come by to talk to you." Luna, just finishing up her dinner and looking like she had recently woken up, patted her lips with her napkin and gave a little smile. "Welcome Twilight. Please, drop the formalities and call us Luna. You are royalty after all." Her royal position was very new, and that is one of the things she would never get used to. For her entire life, they were the princesses, but now they were something of equals. "Sorry, I still can't get used to the fact that I'm a princess now, too. Oh, I'm not catching you at a bad time, am I?" Luna, realizing that her plates were still on the table, lit up her horn and magicked the plates away. The staff in the kitchen were used to plates magically appearing in their wash sinks, but Luna always seemed to surprise them. For a mare in such a shape as Luna, she sure could pack away the dessert. "Of course not Twilight. Please, sit. Can we offer you some tea?" "I would like that." Sitting down, Twilight noticed Luna's horn shine for a second time as a full tea set appeared on the table in front of her. "So, how have you been Luna?" "We have been well, thank you. So Twilight, what brings you here on this fine evening?" Luna said, as she took a sip of her tea. She winced slightly as she felt her tongue sear in pain. The tea was always too hot for her. She had no idea how Celestia could manage to drink this when it was still scalding. "Well, I'm not sure if you remember, but a few nights ago, a stallion complimented you on the stars. It was the night when you came over to the library to explain the politics of Zebrican tribal history." Luna knew exactly the night she was talking about. The stallion had seemed odd, but for some reason, Luna couldn't get him out of her head. He was the first pony in a very long time to directly compliment her on the beauty of the night sky. Just thinking about it made her smile. Realizing she had a goofy smile on her face, she started a bit and carried on the conversation. "Of course we remember. What about that night would you like to talk about?" "Well," Twilight had an enormous grin on her face as she noticed how Luna spaced out when recalling that night. "that stallion happens to be a friend of mine and kind of wants to talk to you again. Oh, and he's not strange, it was just that I think he was so surprised at seeing you in Ponyville so late at night. Anyway, I was hoping you'd agree to meet him. I know he's really looking forward to seeing you again." Twilight knew that last part was a bit of a white lie, but this would be good for both Luna and Star. She knew Star liked Luna and knew that Luna could use another friend. Hay, maybe even a special somepony. "Well, we would like that very much. When shall we meet this stallion? Oh, what was his name?" Luna tried to downplay the fact that she couldn't get him out of her head. He was, after all, one of very few ponies who enjoyed the night. She also figured it would be good for her to get out of the castle every now and again. "Starry Night. I know you two will hit it off! He star gazes on the hill outside the library every weekend. Would you like to meet with him this Saturday?" Twilight was on the edge of her chair. She couldn't help it. She was about to play cupid and was perhaps a bit too excited. Maybe this is how Pinkie feels on Hearts and Hooves day? "That would be agreeable to us. We shall meet him this Saturday night for some star gazing." Luna didn't show it too much, but on the inside, she was jumping with joy. It's not every day that she gets to meet a new pony that appreciates her work. Being somewhat nocturnal will do that. "Great! I'll go tell him the good news. It was nice talking with you again Princess, err, I mean, Luna." And with that, she scampered out of the study, absolutely beaming. Luna giggled slightly as she finished her tea. She set the cup down, dismissed her guards for the evening, and put away the tea set. It wasn't until she was sure she was alone that she outwardly celebrated. "YES! Oh what shall we wear? What shall we say? He likes star gazing. Perhaps we should talk about that? Or maybe art? He owns an art boutique, correct? But we don't know anything about art! We shall stick to stars and astronomy then." As Luna giggled and pranced about her room, Celestia smiled to herself. She knew she shouldn't be spying on her sister, but she could never help herself. Setting the sun was far too easy after centuries of doing it, and she liked to distract herself. "Good for you, Luna." First Night"YOU WHAT?!" And today was going so well too. You had just finished putting all of your Nightmare Night supplies out the day before and already started to sell quite a bit of it. Not to mention you had a great idea come to you this morning; what to dress up as this year. Every year, ponies tried to dress up as Discord, but none of them had ever gotten it right (except the time that Discord dressed up as himself, but that wasn't fair!). This year, though, you had it all planned out. You even talked it over with Rarity, who said she would be thrilled to help, especially if it meant frightening the Cutie Mark Crusaders. For some reason, you had a feeling that she got far too much enjoyment out of that. But, all of the good things from throughout the day came crashing down when Twilight came to visit and share the 'good news.' "What? I thought you wanted to talk to Luna again. Hopefully without the awkwardness this time." Twilight was a bit confused. She knew you liked Luna and thought asking her to come stargaze with you was a good idea. "And besides, she seemed to enjoy the idea." "That's not the point! What will I say? What does one even say to a princess on a date?" Panic started to seep in. Usually, Twilight is the one that's panicking over everything, but right now seemed like a good time for you to start. "What if she doesn't like me? What if I get banished to the Sun because I say something dumb?" Twilight looked a bit too amused with herself. Banished to the sun? Usually Celestia is the one banishing ponies. "You won't get banished. Like I said, I think Luna likes the idea of talking to you again." "What happens when...wait, what?" You're pretty sure you missed that last part. Did she just say that Luna likes you? Dude, she said Luna would like talking to you. So? It's a start Well, I guess we can make this work. Damn right, we can. "So, Twilight, did she say anything else about me?" Once you heard the magic combination of words 'Luna,' 'you,' and 'likes' you seemed to have forgotten that merely seconds before, you were panicking about Luna banishing you to some celestial body. Celestial body. Dude, are you thinking what I'm thinking? QUIET! I would rather not get banished and then imprisoned for cheating on a princess. Who said anything about cheating? I say, the more, the merrier. Nope, not gonna think about it. Too many things to think about right now. Your loss. If you need me, I'll be imagining some sweet princess on princess action. Whatever. Pulling yourself back to reality, you realize Twilight hasn't said anything yet. In fact, she's just looking at you with a very worried expression on her face? Speaking of faces, you realize that you are far too close to hers. "Ah, sorry. I guess I'm just a bit excited. And anxious. And nervous." "It's ok. I'll help you out. After all, I do see Luna almost every day now. Not to mention I am a princess." Twilight beamed. Sure, she was a princess, but she wasn't THE princess. You always took Twilights counsel to heart; she was a huge bookworm and did happen to know a whole lot about almost everything. "Ok, thanks. I'm just really nervous. Did I mention that already? Anyway, you have to tell me everything you know about Luna. I want to make a great impression. Wait, don't tell me everything, I don't want to seem creepy." Dude, you have to calm down. Get your zen on. I thought you were busy with the whole princest thing. Been there, done that. Anyway, just calm down. Twilight will help you out. And if she can't, there's always Pinkie. Ugh, I don't want to think about that. I already owe her for setting me up with some sweet gear for Nightmare Night. She'll help. It's what she does. Think Hearts Warming Eve, except a million times better. Yeah, yeah. I got it. "Ok Twi. Sorry by the way. I didn't mean to snap at you. I was just surprised. It's not every day that some pony walks into my shop and tells me she got me a date with the mare of my dreams." You did feel bad about that. Maybe you'll give her some extra candy for Nightmare Night. "It's fine. I probably would've panicked way worse. It's a good thing I always have spike there to keep me calm. So, I know you kind of like Luna, but don't you think that it's a bit, well, sudden?" Twilight had a very sincere look on her face. "I just don't want you rushing in to things. The last thing I want to see is one of my friends heartbroken." You knew this was coming. After all, last night wasn't the first time you saw the Lunar Princess... "Mom! Stop messing with my mane! It's fine" Apparently the cap you had gotten from graduation gave you a case of hat-mane and your mother was trying to make it behave for the pictures. "Oh come on, honey. You look like you just rolled out of bed." Maybe because you had. Last night was one giant blur of partying. It's not every day you get to graduate from the University of Canterlot, so a little celebration was in order. You don't remember much after your friends convinced you to have a drinking contest with some giant muscle-head of a pony. One thing you do remember is calling him a sissy because you beat him, which he didn't take too kindly. In hindsight, winning was probably a bad idea. That and calling a pony who's very sensitive about his name a sissy. How were you to know that guy's name was Snowflake? Anyway, today was going alright until your parents called to tell you they would be there shortly so you could show them around the campus before the ceremony. That's when you remembered you were, in fact, graduating. In two hours. After making yourself somewhat presentable, you proceeded through the whole ordeal with minimal headaches. After the ceremony and the pictures and all of the congratulations you got from fellow alumni, you said goodbye to your parents. You had a couple hours to kill before the graduation party your family was throwing, so you decided to wander around campus one last time. That's when you saw her. Princess Luna wore her usual royal attire; Silver slippers and ebony crown. Oddly enough, it didn't quite look like her normal garb. Maybe because you've never seen her so up close. Whenever you saw her in public, she seemed so far away, in a carriage or on some balcony. This time, she was standing not twenty feet from you, and she seemed to have a slightly confused look on her face. "Dear Subject. It seems we are lost. Will thou help us find our way?" She called out. It took you a few seconds, but it appears she was talking to you. "Oh! Of course Princess. Where are you trying to go? If you want, I could accompany you until you find your way?" Not in a million years would you picture yourself being so bold, but today was going too well and you figured you'd live it up. Luna's face lit up a bit and she gave a small smile. Huh...that's odd. I don't think I ever noticed how cute she was. Dude, play it cool. She's a princess. Don't care. Just graduated. Whatever man. Just don't get banished. "That would please us greatly, subject! We are trying to find the concert hall. We have not been to the University in an age and it appears they have altered the layout." She still had a somewhat concerned look on her face. It's hard to believe that a princess could get lost, but here lies the proof. "Well, the concert hall is on the other side of the campus. I'll walk you over there. And my name's Starry Night by the way." Even though Luna has been back for a while now, it appears that old habits die hard. "Of course. We apologize. We do not have very much practice conversing with our citizens. We thank you, Mr. Night." You couldn't help but notice a slight rosy tint to Luna's cheeks. Was she embarrassed? "That's ok, princess. By the way, where are your guard? Shouldn't they be showing you around?" It did seem odd. Usually the Nightguard accompanied her everywhere. "We have been told my guard frighten other ponies. We do not understand why. Mayhap it is their wings." It was true. Their wings were kind of creepy. It also doesn't help that they assisted Nightmare Moon when she tried to take over Equestria. "Thou may cease naming us Princess. Thou may call us Luna, if it pleases." Huh. Hey, you know how I said to play it safe? Yeah?... Forget that noise. Go for it. I dunno man. She IS a princess. How many other chances will you get to talk to her one on one? Well...maybe. I'll see what I can do. "So, Luna? How are you doing? I know it must be hard to readjust to things today." You inwardly wince. 'How are you doing?' Really? I know! Shut up. You're not making things better. Just saying. "We are doing well. 'Tis true, we have had a difficult time since our return, but our sister and the Elements of Harmony have helped us immensely. We are wondering, are you a student here? You look very young to be an instructor?" "Oh, no. Well yes. Err, what I mean is that I was a student, but I just recently graduated. Today, in fact." Smooth. You're on a roll... "We offer our congratulations, Mr. Night. May we inquire as to what your area of expertise is?" It's odd, you seem to be getting even more nervous as the conversation carries on, yet she seems to be getting more at ease. Why is it so hard to just talk to her? "Thank you Princ...I mean, Luna. You don't need to call me Mr. Night though. You can call me Starry. Or Star, whichever you prefer. I graduated with a degree in Fine Arts by the way. And before you say anything, yes. I graduated from the most prestigious university in Equestria with a degree in Fine Arts." Damn, you probably shouldn't have said that so rudely. Now she'll probably banish you or something. "That is a most endearing course of study. I am very glad this place still has room for the finer things in life." Did she just say 'I'? Huh. I think she did. What does that mean? Got me, bro. The look on Luna's face seems to explain everything. Her cheeks are more red than before. Why is she getting embarrassed? "We apologize, Star. It seems that we have become accustomed to conversing with you. We do not usually forget to address our self in the royal 'we'. We thank you for walking us to the concert hall." It seems that you had already arrived. You didn't think it was so close, but then again, you were pleasantly distracted the whole way here. 'Time flies' and all that. You also notice that is starting to get late. The lamps in the street are starting to flicker on and the sun is beginning to set. The first stars are starting to twinkle into existence and you can see the faint outline of the moon on the horizon. "You are very welcome Princess Luna. Have a nice night." As you turn to leave, she puts a hoof on your shoulder and gives you a light peck on your cheek. And as suddenly as you saw her, she was gone, almost galloping into the concert hall through the large double doors. Did she just...? Hey, I'm stumped here too. Maybe I just imagined that. Dunno dude. Felt real enough to me. I'm just going chalk that up to her being thankful and call it that. Know what I think? I'm scared to ask... She wants the 'D.' ...just shut up. "...And that's when I first met her. I didn't think I liked her until I saw her again last night. I know the whole "Love at First Sight' thing is a bit cliché, but I don't know about 'Love at Second Sight.' Maybe it was the fact that I had time to think about it. I mean, it was only last year." You told her the whole story, without the inner monologue. You didn't want to scare her, after all. "Wow. Wait, if you've met her before, why didn't she remember you? I don't think I heard her use your name." Twilight makes a legitimate point. What if she doesn't remember you? "I don't know. Maybe she forgot my name. That's ok. You get me a date with her and we can start from there." You couldn't help but be giddy. Your dream mare said yes to a date this Saturday. Now all you had to do was get through the rest of the week without messing anything up. Meanwhile, in Canterlot. "Lulu? Luna? Where is that mare?" Celestia was looking all over for her sister so she could set the sun and Luna could raise the moon. It was starting to get late and Celestia didn't feel like doing both. Last time she did, Luna had a small tantrum and wouldn't calm down until she had gotten a chocolate cake and a new video game as recompense. "Huh, maybe she's talking to Cadence..."
Star gazingYou always liked these kinds of nights. Enjoying the summer well past sunset was one of your guilty pleasures. With not even a wisp of a breeze, it was so quiet and so serene. What made it even better was the fact that each night, Luna would hoofcraft the night sky, creating another beautiful starry scene. They were always beautiful, though: those silent, twinkling sentries of the night. You always felt safer in the knowledge that they were up there watching over you. It was the only time you could think clearly, really. You worked at an art shop in Ponyville and you were always busy. Foals were always running in and out buying paint and crayons and colored pencils for their creative little projects. Today, however, you actually considered banning your younger patrons all together following a mishap with 3 young fillies and a dozen or so bags of glitter. Apparently they thought that if they added enough glitter to their collage, they would become renowned artists of the highest caliber, therefore gaining their cutie marks. You thought they had it backwards, but they were so determined that you figured you’d let them try and see what happens. “Hay,” you thought “maybe they might actually pull it off.” Their determination, however, proved to be a detriment to you, your shop, and every pony within a four block radius. After the dust settled and your initial disbelief at how 3 fillies could cause that big of an explosion with just some construction paper, a few bags of glitter, and paste subsided, you told the fillies that you’ll be expecting them to help clean up the mess. After all was said and done, you couldn’t help but not be mad, after all, they did help you clean up your shop, which was in dire need of cleaning anyway. With most of the glitter cleaned up, your shop actually looked quite nice. Small shimmers of light seemed to come from everywhere and yet, they came from nowhere. When you tried to find the little twinkling speck, it disappeared from view. It added an elegant beauty to the inside of your otherwise unassuming shop. It made everything just a bit…shinier, and you were always sucker for shiny things. Perhaps a little glitter really was better? So, now here you sit, under the stars, unwinding after a long and stressful day. On nights like this, you could lie in an empty wide-open field, or sit on the balcony of your small one bedroom apartment above your shop, or you could stroll down the empty streets of Ponyville. Any choice would be fine as long as you had a view of the heavens. Honestly, even if you couldn’t see the sky, you still loved the night. Its quiet solitude and peaceful atmosphere always comforted you, and yet, it also made you feel alive and content. Your preference, however, was always the majesty and splendor of the night sky. It never ceased to hold your attention when you could give it, and tonight was no exception. The best spot to stargaze, however, was a small knoll near the rear of the towns library. The slight elevation above the town let you see far more of the sky than if you were sit in the town square or even from your own balcony. This certain location also had another benefit: The owner of the library was also something of an astronomer. Not an astronomer, per se. More like a hobbyist. Well, that wouldn't be the right word either. She's a scholar, in every sense of the word. And no scholar would be caught dead without some sort of telescope. Twilight Sparkle happened to own a telescope, and not just any run of the mill telescope. This little number came straight from the University of Canterlot and had to cost at least a thousand bits. It may have even rivaled the observatory in Luna's Tower in Canterlot. Anyway, with her new found regality, you figured she could afford the very best. That's how you became friends with her. You could always talk to her about the stars and astronomy in general, not to mention you asked to borrow her amazing telescope every now and again. She was also somewhat knowledgeable about art. Not in the art loving sort of way, but more in the art history sort of way. She could tell you exactly when Moneigh painted his Impression, Sunrise as well as the fact that it's in the impressionist style. She could even ramble on about the types of paints he used and the fact that if you made a grey-scale copy of it the sun would almost disappear. Something about neurobiology and the evolution of sight. Even with all those facts memorized and catalogued, she couldn't tell the emotions that the painting elicited from her. Paintings were just paintings, after all. You had many debates over whether or not some forms of art were indeed art. Modern minimalist art, for example. You made the argument that simple paintings of only a few colors of simple shapes were indeed art and that the artist put in much thought and care to the choice of color and how those colors would best be represented in shape form as well as the aesthetic value. She, on the other hoof, made a striking argument that it still just a simple shape and any foal with some crayons could have made it. Laying in the cool grass on this cozy summer night with a slight balmy breeze blowing over you, you thoughts start to wander to the upcoming festivities. You favorite time of year is fast approaching. Although you are loath to leave the perfect nights of summer, you console yourself that Nightmare Night would more than make up for it. All the treats, the games, the parties: it would all be worth it. It always is. Especially the treats. You never did lose that sweet tooth when you were a foal. This year, however, you have to remind Pinkie Pie to tell you which treats are baked goods and which ones are baked bads. Last year, half of the candied apples were actually candied turnips. You hate turnips. “Maybe I’ll keep calling her ‘Pinkamena’ until she tells me which ones are the good ones…” You say to yourself. “That usually gets on her nerves.” However, before you could come up with any more ways to make Pinkie spill the beans (not literally. That happened two years ago. Ponyville still has the slightly sweet ‘baked beans’ smell to it), you decide to call it a night and head home. You can’t take your eyes off the sky however. Something is tugging at the back of your brain. Something familiar… “THAT’s why I didn’t mind the glitter so much. Figures.” Your now slightly shiny store was slightly reminiscent of the night sky, although, it’s definitely not the same. “Luna does a far better job though.” “Thank you, subject.” You freeze in place; your mind reeling at who just spoke. You know the voice, but it’s impossible. Your thoughts start to list the reasons she couldn’t be here. She can’t be here in Ponyville. Maybe, but Ponyville has become kind of important lately. You know, with whole Elements of Harmony thing. Right. And then there's 'Princess' Sparkle. True And even before that, she was Celestia’s apprentice…student…lover…thing. Lover? We can imagine, right? Yes we can. As you contemplate an erotic scene involving a certain radiant white alicorn goddess and a certain genius lavender alicorn, you hear a distinct clearing of a throat somewhere behind you. “Are you ill, subject? Do you require medical assistance?” Recalling who was behind you and how this all started, you slowly turn around, remembering to take the stupid grin off your face and getting rid of the image of two gorgeous mares tangled in the sheets of a large four poster bed. “My apologies, Princess. You surprised me is all.” “Yes, well, I am glad to see that you are well. Again, thank you for your compliment.” Right, you just complimented Luna’s job on the stars. “Y-Y-You’re welcome Princess.” You couldn’t help but stammer a bit. She was a princess after all. And a goddess. And, judging by how stunning the night sky is almost every night, quite the artist. And amazingly, classically beautiful. How did you not realize that until now? And why is it getting hot all of the sudden? “…Indeed. Good night, subject.” As Luna turns away to head back towards her carriage and waiting guards, you can’t help but stare. She is perhaps the most attractive mare you have ever seen. The view isn’t bad either. Quiet, you. Just stating the obvious, man. As you watch the carriage take off in to the night sky, you regain your senses. Something about her, well, everything about her made you lose track of time and place. Time stood still and yet seemed to reel by you. You notice that you are still standing there with your mouth agape, staring off into the sky where the carriage disappeared into the night. You also hear a familiar lavender unicorn quietly giggling in the distance. Your star gazing had made you completely oblivious to your surroundings, so you were somewhat surprised to see Twilight. “You are perhaps the most love-struck pony I have ever seen.” Twilight Sparkle couldn't help but have a grin on her face. “That was Princess Luna, right?” “...Yes…?” “In Ponyville.” “Uh huh.” “Oh. Right then. What was she doing here, anyway? I would have thought she would be far too busy catching up on Equestrian history or dealing with some politics or some such.” You still can’t believe she was here, but, on the other hoof, she was here last year at Nightmare Night, so it’s nothing new. “She was here to talk to me about some of the things I should know about my new position as royalty. I'm still not really used to the whole thing and wanted some advice. Besides Princess Celestia and Cadence, err, Princess Mi Amore, there's no one else to help me out.” “I can imagine. So, do you two talk often?” As if twilight was able to read your mind, she said “Yes, and if you want, I can see if you could talk to her again. Try not stuttering this time.” You consider her offer, but as your thoughts drift back to the goddess of the night, you deice to decline. “No, that’s okay. She’s WAY out of my league. As in she’s a goddess and a princess and drop dead gorgeous and I’m just some art shop owner who likes to take walks at night.” You couldn’t help but feel humbled by her presence. Not to mention you were way too shy to just walk up to a beautiful mare and ask her out. “I think you’re selling yourself short. Besides, Luna could use some more friends. A lot of ponies are still afraid of her even after all this time of her being back and not Nightmare Moon. And honestly, I think she needs to know that there are ponies out there that have nocturnal activities." Did twilight just say 'nocturnal activities?' Okay, time to mess with her. "Why Princess, I don't think Luna wants to know what every pony does with their special somepony behind closed doors." Twilight, immediately flustered by your comment, tries to retort "WHAT! I didn't...I mean... I don't...get your mind out of the gutter! Anyway, the offer still stands, as long as you don't do anything...untoward." You got her. Sometimes it's far too easy to make her uncomfortable and embarrassed. After all, you did tend to help Pinkie and Rainbow Dash prank the newly crowned Princess on occasion. Rainbow says it's to make sure Twilight doesn't get a big head and all stuffy, but you just think they do it because it's funny. And they usually are. Except that pudding incident. Rainbow still won't talk about that one. Something about 'It was just a one time thing!' and 'You would do the same thing in my horseshoes!' Whatever they did, you assumed it involved some very embarrassing events for the both of them. You tried asking Pinkie, but the moment she tried telling you, her mouth turned into a zipper and shut itself. Apparently a Pinkie Promise is a magically binding contract. "I was just joking, Twilight. I knew what you meant. Anyway, I'm not sure I'll take you up on that offer. Like I said, I'm just a common artist and she's a princess. I doubt she'd even know I existed." Twilight, always one to try and cheer up a friend, said "But I'm a princess, and I know you exist." She got you there. You knew your logic was flawed, but you still couldn't bring yourself to admit it. "I know. Thanks Twilight, I mean it. Anyway, it's getting really late and I should get to bed. I have to start changing over my shop for the upcoming Nightmare Night." "Okay, well, have a good night." As she waved her hoof and walked back inside the library, you knew she wouldn't leave well enough alone. After all, you're pretty sure she knew, deep down, you wanted to talk to Luna again. Who knows, maybe you'd have some luck. After all, the stars always did somehow make everything better.
Twilight Plays CupidTwilight Sparkle awoke this morning like she normally does. As the rays of the new dawn crept into her bedroom, her eyes slowly opened. She loved the dawn. Hay, most ponies did, but it always seemed special. Especially when she could wake up before Celestia herself and catch the sun before it rose. The pastel colors of the sky before the sun broke the horizon were always breathe taking. Every shade or blue, purple, red, orange, and yellow could be seen in a vibrant display. It always reminded her that her mentor and friend would help her through the day. Speaking of the day, Twilight started her morning off like she usually did. "SPIKE! WE HAVE WORK TO DO!" The little purple dragon was a heavy sleeper, but not even he could keep his eyes shut when Twilight was in 'Morning Panic' mode. Over time, Spike had come to know Twilight very well. She was like a big sister, as well as his best friend, and over the years, he had come up with labels for the levels of panic Twilight exhibited on a normal basis. There was Apocalypse Panic, 'I Forgot to send Celestia a Letter' Panic, 'We're Late' Panic, Morning Panic, Confused Panic and his personal favorite; Unknown Panic. Unknown Panic usually involved Pinkie Pie's twitches. Twilight still couldn't explain those which led to a small bout of Confused Panic, but once Pinkie translated her twitches into Equestrian, she usually went into full-blown Unknown Panic. This morning, though, was the normal case of Morning Panic. "Spike! Wake up! We need to make the list of things to do today so I don't miss anything!" Spike groggily rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he watched Twilight run around her room looking for quill and parchment. Spike rolled out of his bed and slowly made his way to Twilights writing desk where she kept academic wares, and opened the drawer. The drawer that Twilight always has stocked with none other than quills and parchment. Completely deadpanned, Spike announced "Oh no. What ever shall we do. Woe be the day that we run out of parchment and ink." "I know! I can't find it anywhere. We have to hurry up and find it before we run out of time!" Spike, knowing the signs of early on-set 'We're Late' Panic, stepped in front of Twilight "I got it. It was in your usual spot. In your desk. Like always." This seemed to calm her down and prevent a complex series of panic attacks that would have likely ruined his plans for the day; namely napping and eating a portion of his horde of gems he kept under his mattress. Some days he wondered what it would be like to be Rainbow Dash's assistant. "Oh. Thanks Spike. See? That's why you're my number one assistant. Where would I be without you?" Rolling his eyes and giving a slight blush, Spike tried to keep her on task. "I know Twilight. Thanks. Anyway, so what's on the schedule for today?" "Well, we have the Zebrican ambassador to meet with. We also have the classes Celestia is giving Cadence and myself for new alicorns. We have to get some more food from the market for the week, which reminds me. We also have to tell that chef from the castle to stop sneaking into the library and trying to impress me with breakfast and bed. I don't need a new chef. You're cooking is always great. Oh, and we need to talk to Luna." Always one for receiving praise and to not be out done, he underlined, circled, and bolded the part about telling the chef off. He was an awesome cook. "Wait, talk to Luna? Are you going to help her out on Nightmare Night again? Oh! Can we go to the castle? They're the only ones that give out gems." "Okay Spike. And yes, sort of. I promised a friend I'd talk to Luna for him. I don't think he would mind if I told Luna a new pony would like to meet her." The gears started turning in Spike's head. "Oh. You mean Star, don't you? That guy has the biggest crush on Luna. I don't know why. I mean, she's no Rarity..." Rolling her eyes, Twilight explained. "Okay Spike. We all know how fantastic Rarity is. I caught him last night kind of ogling Luna's flank. It was pretty funny to watch him drool like that, but I'm sure that he has genuine feelings. What did Cadence call it? Love at first sight? Anyway, I want to help him out." Scratching all of this down on the parchment and finishing the last bit about Star staring a hole into Luna's butt, Spike rolled up the parchment and went with Twilight to start off her morning. For some reason, he had a sneaking suspicion that today was going to be one of those days. As Twilight finished talking with Celestia and Cadence about the merits of an alicorn flying class, she realized that she still had things to do for the day. She loved the lectures that Celestia gave about her new alicorn powers and what she could expect from said powers, but she loved finishing a list even more. "Well, I'll see about having Rainbow Dash help me with flying lessons. I still can't get used to the fact that I have wings now. They always seem to be doing things I can't control." Remembering a particularly embarrassing moment involving Rarity, Fluttershy, the Spa, and something Rainbow Dash called a 'wingboner,' her cheeks gave a light blush. "Oh come on Twilight. It's not that bad. Shining will never tell you this, but the first time I met him my wings her as stiff as boards for hours." Cadence loved Twilight, but getting her to blush was just so adorable, she couldn't help herself. "Okay. Too much information. And now I'm glad Shiney never told me. I really don't want to picture the best foal-sitter ever and my B.B.B.F.F. doing...things. Anyway, It was great as always to see you, but I have a lot of things to do today." And with that, she waved her hoof to the two alicorns standing in the hallway outside of the lecture hall. Celestia gave Cadence a little look and said "My wings were stiff for hours after seeing Shining Armor for the first time, too." Cadence immediately regretted embarrassing Twilight. "Ok Princess. I REALLY don't want to hear how you popped a wingy after seeing my husband." Celestia gave a small giggle as they both headed to the throne room. As Twilight walked over to Luna's Tower, she couldn't help but smile at the fact that she's about to help out a friend talk to his crush. That, and the fact that Luna could still use some more friends. So far, the only ones to really talk to Luna besides Celestia was Cadence and Twilight. Sure, most of their conversations involved some sort of royal business, but Twilight got the feeling that Luna was glad she got to talk to her friends, even though it was business related. Reaching the massive silver doors to Luna's chambers, Twilight enveloped the heavy knocker in lavender magic and swung it up and down twice. Immediately, the doors creaked open as Luna's Nightguard bowed their heads slightly to Luna's new visitor. Twilight liked everypony, but those bat wings always made her feel a little uneasy. She had to remind herself that they were just like everypony else and put on a little smile. It wasn't a forced smile, for she was about to help a friend achieve romance. "Hi Princess. I just finished up my study with Celestia and I thought I would come by to talk to you." Luna, just finishing up her dinner and looking like she had recently woken up, patted her lips with her napkin and gave a little smile. "Welcome Twilight. Please, drop the formalities and call us Luna. You are royalty after all." Her royal position was very new, and that is one of the things she would never get used to. For her entire life, they were the princesses, but now they were something of equals. "Sorry, I still can't get used to the fact that I'm a princess now, too. Oh, I'm not catching you at a bad time, am I?" Luna, realizing that her plates were still on the table, lit up her horn and magicked the plates away. The staff in the kitchen were used to plates magically appearing in their wash sinks, but Luna always seemed to surprise them. For a mare in such a shape as Luna, she sure could pack away the dessert. "Of course not Twilight. Please, sit. Can we offer you some tea?" "I would like that." Sitting down, Twilight noticed Luna's horn shine for a second time as a full tea set appeared on the table in front of her. "So, how have you been Luna?" "We have been well, thank you. So Twilight, what brings you here on this fine evening?" Luna said, as she took a sip of her tea. She winced slightly as she felt her tongue sear in pain. The tea was always too hot for her. She had no idea how Celestia could manage to drink this when it was still scalding. "Well, I'm not sure if you remember, but a few nights ago, a stallion complimented you on the stars. It was the night when you came over to the library to explain the politics of Zebrican tribal history." Luna knew exactly the night she was talking about. The stallion had seemed odd, but for some reason, Luna couldn't get him out of her head. He was the first pony in a very long time to directly compliment her on the beauty of the night sky. Just thinking about it made her smile. Realizing she had a goofy smile on her face, she started a bit and carried on the conversation. "Of course we remember. What about that night would you like to talk about?" "Well," Twilight had an enormous grin on her face as she noticed how Luna spaced out when recalling that night. "that stallion happens to be a friend of mine and kind of wants to talk to you again. Oh, and he's not strange, it was just that I think he was so surprised at seeing you in Ponyville so late at night. Anyway, I was hoping you'd agree to meet him. I know he's really looking forward to seeing you again." Twilight knew that last part was a bit of a white lie, but this would be good for both Luna and Star. She knew Star liked Luna and knew that Luna could use another friend. Hay, maybe even a special somepony. "Well, we would like that very much. When shall we meet this stallion? Oh, what was his name?" Luna tried to downplay the fact that she couldn't get him out of her head. He was, after all, one of very few ponies who enjoyed the night. She also figured it would be good for her to get out of the castle every now and again. "Starry Night. I know you two will hit it off! He star gazes on the hill outside the library every weekend. Would you like to meet with him this Saturday?" Twilight was on the edge of her chair. She couldn't help it. She was about to play cupid and was perhaps a bit too excited. Maybe this is how Pinkie feels on Hearts and Hooves day? "That would be agreeable to us. We shall meet him this Saturday night for some star gazing." Luna didn't show it too much, but on the inside, she was jumping with joy. It's not every day that she gets to meet a new pony that appreciates her work. Being somewhat nocturnal will do that. "Great! I'll go tell him the good news. It was nice talking with you again Princess, err, I mean, Luna." And with that, she scampered out of the study, absolutely beaming. Luna giggled slightly as she finished her tea. She set the cup down, dismissed her guards for the evening, and put away the tea set. It wasn't until she was sure she was alone that she outwardly celebrated. "YES! Oh what shall we wear? What shall we say? He likes star gazing. Perhaps we should talk about that? Or maybe art? He owns an art boutique, correct? But we don't know anything about art! We shall stick to stars and astronomy then." As Luna giggled and pranced about her room, Celestia smiled to herself. She knew she shouldn't be spying on her sister, but she could never help herself. Setting the sun was far too easy after centuries of doing it, and she liked to distract herself. "Good for you, Luna."
First Night"YOU WHAT?!" And today was going so well too. You had just finished putting all of your Nightmare Night supplies out the day before and already started to sell quite a bit of it. Not to mention you had a great idea come to you this morning; what to dress up as this year. Every year, ponies tried to dress up as Discord, but none of them had ever gotten it right (except the time that Discord dressed up as himself, but that wasn't fair!). This year, though, you had it all planned out. You even talked it over with Rarity, who said she would be thrilled to help, especially if it meant frightening the Cutie Mark Crusaders. For some reason, you had a feeling that she got far too much enjoyment out of that. But, all of the good things from throughout the day came crashing down when Twilight came to visit and share the 'good news.' "What? I thought you wanted to talk to Luna again. Hopefully without the awkwardness this time." Twilight was a bit confused. She knew you liked Luna and thought asking her to come stargaze with you was a good idea. "And besides, she seemed to enjoy the idea." "That's not the point! What will I say? What does one even say to a princess on a date?" Panic started to seep in. Usually, Twilight is the one that's panicking over everything, but right now seemed like a good time for you to start. "What if she doesn't like me? What if I get banished to the Sun because I say something dumb?" Twilight looked a bit too amused with herself. Banished to the sun? Usually Celestia is the one banishing ponies. "You won't get banished. Like I said, I think Luna likes the idea of talking to you again." "What happens when...wait, what?" You're pretty sure you missed that last part. Did she just say that Luna likes you? Dude, she said Luna would like talking to you. So? It's a start Well, I guess we can make this work. Damn right, we can. "So, Twilight, did she say anything else about me?" Once you heard the magic combination of words 'Luna,' 'you,' and 'likes' you seemed to have forgotten that merely seconds before, you were panicking about Luna banishing you to some celestial body. Celestial body. Dude, are you thinking what I'm thinking? QUIET! I would rather not get banished and then imprisoned for cheating on a princess. Who said anything about cheating? I say, the more, the merrier. Nope, not gonna think about it. Too many things to think about right now. Your loss. If you need me, I'll be imagining some sweet princess on princess action. Whatever. Pulling yourself back to reality, you realize Twilight hasn't said anything yet. In fact, she's just looking at you with a very worried expression on her face? Speaking of faces, you realize that you are far too close to hers. "Ah, sorry. I guess I'm just a bit excited. And anxious. And nervous." "It's ok. I'll help you out. After all, I do see Luna almost every day now. Not to mention I am a princess." Twilight beamed. Sure, she was a princess, but she wasn't THE princess. You always took Twilights counsel to heart; she was a huge bookworm and did happen to know a whole lot about almost everything. "Ok, thanks. I'm just really nervous. Did I mention that already? Anyway, you have to tell me everything you know about Luna. I want to make a great impression. Wait, don't tell me everything, I don't want to seem creepy." Dude, you have to calm down. Get your zen on. I thought you were busy with the whole princest thing. Been there, done that. Anyway, just calm down. Twilight will help you out. And if she can't, there's always Pinkie. Ugh, I don't want to think about that. I already owe her for setting me up with some sweet gear for Nightmare Night. She'll help. It's what she does. Think Hearts Warming Eve, except a million times better. Yeah, yeah. I got it. "Ok Twi. Sorry by the way. I didn't mean to snap at you. I was just surprised. It's not every day that some pony walks into my shop and tells me she got me a date with the mare of my dreams." You did feel bad about that. Maybe you'll give her some extra candy for Nightmare Night. "It's fine. I probably would've panicked way worse. It's a good thing I always have spike there to keep me calm. So, I know you kind of like Luna, but don't you think that it's a bit, well, sudden?" Twilight had a very sincere look on her face. "I just don't want you rushing in to things. The last thing I want to see is one of my friends heartbroken." You knew this was coming. After all, last night wasn't the first time you saw the Lunar Princess... "Mom! Stop messing with my mane! It's fine" Apparently the cap you had gotten from graduation gave you a case of hat-mane and your mother was trying to make it behave for the pictures. "Oh come on, honey. You look like you just rolled out of bed." Maybe because you had. Last night was one giant blur of partying. It's not every day you get to graduate from the University of Canterlot, so a little celebration was in order. You don't remember much after your friends convinced you to have a drinking contest with some giant muscle-head of a pony. One thing you do remember is calling him a sissy because you beat him, which he didn't take too kindly. In hindsight, winning was probably a bad idea. That and calling a pony who's very sensitive about his name a sissy. How were you to know that guy's name was Snowflake? Anyway, today was going alright until your parents called to tell you they would be there shortly so you could show them around the campus before the ceremony. That's when you remembered you were, in fact, graduating. In two hours. After making yourself somewhat presentable, you proceeded through the whole ordeal with minimal headaches. After the ceremony and the pictures and all of the congratulations you got from fellow alumni, you said goodbye to your parents. You had a couple hours to kill before the graduation party your family was throwing, so you decided to wander around campus one last time. That's when you saw her. Princess Luna wore her usual royal attire; Silver slippers and ebony crown. Oddly enough, it didn't quite look like her normal garb. Maybe because you've never seen her so up close. Whenever you saw her in public, she seemed so far away, in a carriage or on some balcony. This time, she was standing not twenty feet from you, and she seemed to have a slightly confused look on her face. "Dear Subject. It seems we are lost. Will thou help us find our way?" She called out. It took you a few seconds, but it appears she was talking to you. "Oh! Of course Princess. Where are you trying to go? If you want, I could accompany you until you find your way?" Not in a million years would you picture yourself being so bold, but today was going too well and you figured you'd live it up. Luna's face lit up a bit and she gave a small smile. Huh...that's odd. I don't think I ever noticed how cute she was. Dude, play it cool. She's a princess. Don't care. Just graduated. Whatever man. Just don't get banished. "That would please us greatly, subject! We are trying to find the concert hall. We have not been to the University in an age and it appears they have altered the layout." She still had a somewhat concerned look on her face. It's hard to believe that a princess could get lost, but here lies the proof. "Well, the concert hall is on the other side of the campus. I'll walk you over there. And my name's Starry Night by the way." Even though Luna has been back for a while now, it appears that old habits die hard. "Of course. We apologize. We do not have very much practice conversing with our citizens. We thank you, Mr. Night." You couldn't help but notice a slight rosy tint to Luna's cheeks. Was she embarrassed? "That's ok, princess. By the way, where are your guard? Shouldn't they be showing you around?" It did seem odd. Usually the Nightguard accompanied her everywhere. "We have been told my guard frighten other ponies. We do not understand why. Mayhap it is their wings." It was true. Their wings were kind of creepy. It also doesn't help that they assisted Nightmare Moon when she tried to take over Equestria. "Thou may cease naming us Princess. Thou may call us Luna, if it pleases." Huh. Hey, you know how I said to play it safe? Yeah?... Forget that noise. Go for it. I dunno man. She IS a princess. How many other chances will you get to talk to her one on one? Well...maybe. I'll see what I can do. "So, Luna? How are you doing? I know it must be hard to readjust to things today." You inwardly wince. 'How are you doing?' Really? I know! Shut up. You're not making things better. Just saying. "We are doing well. 'Tis true, we have had a difficult time since our return, but our sister and the Elements of Harmony have helped us immensely. We are wondering, are you a student here? You look very young to be an instructor?" "Oh, no. Well yes. Err, what I mean is that I was a student, but I just recently graduated. Today, in fact." Smooth. You're on a roll... "We offer our congratulations, Mr. Night. May we inquire as to what your area of expertise is?" It's odd, you seem to be getting even more nervous as the conversation carries on, yet she seems to be getting more at ease. Why is it so hard to just talk to her? "Thank you Princ...I mean, Luna. You don't need to call me Mr. Night though. You can call me Starry. Or Star, whichever you prefer. I graduated with a degree in Fine Arts by the way. And before you say anything, yes. I graduated from the most prestigious university in Equestria with a degree in Fine Arts." Damn, you probably shouldn't have said that so rudely. Now she'll probably banish you or something. "That is a most endearing course of study. I am very glad this place still has room for the finer things in life." Did she just say 'I'? Huh. I think she did. What does that mean? Got me, bro. The look on Luna's face seems to explain everything. Her cheeks are more red than before. Why is she getting embarrassed? "We apologize, Star. It seems that we have become accustomed to conversing with you. We do not usually forget to address our self in the royal 'we'. We thank you for walking us to the concert hall." It seems that you had already arrived. You didn't think it was so close, but then again, you were pleasantly distracted the whole way here. 'Time flies' and all that. You also notice that is starting to get late. The lamps in the street are starting to flicker on and the sun is beginning to set. The first stars are starting to twinkle into existence and you can see the faint outline of the moon on the horizon. "You are very welcome Princess Luna. Have a nice night." As you turn to leave, she puts a hoof on your shoulder and gives you a light peck on your cheek. And as suddenly as you saw her, she was gone, almost galloping into the concert hall through the large double doors. Did she just...? Hey, I'm stumped here too. Maybe I just imagined that. Dunno dude. Felt real enough to me. I'm just going chalk that up to her being thankful and call it that. Know what I think? I'm scared to ask... She wants the 'D.' ...just shut up. "...And that's when I first met her. I didn't think I liked her until I saw her again last night. I know the whole "Love at First Sight' thing is a bit cliché, but I don't know about 'Love at Second Sight.' Maybe it was the fact that I had time to think about it. I mean, it was only last year." You told her the whole story, without the inner monologue. You didn't want to scare her, after all. "Wow. Wait, if you've met her before, why didn't she remember you? I don't think I heard her use your name." Twilight makes a legitimate point. What if she doesn't remember you? "I don't know. Maybe she forgot my name. That's ok. You get me a date with her and we can start from there." You couldn't help but be giddy. Your dream mare said yes to a date this Saturday. Now all you had to do was get through the rest of the week without messing anything up. Meanwhile, in Canterlot. "Lulu? Luna? Where is that mare?" Celestia was looking all over for her sister so she could set the sun and Luna could raise the moon. It was starting to get late and Celestia didn't feel like doing both. Last time she did, Luna had a small tantrum and wouldn't calm down until she had gotten a chocolate cake and a new video game as recompense. "Huh, maybe she's talking to Cadence..."
