My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is owned by Hasbro, The Hub and of course Lauren Faust who seems to have gone out of her way to make a show about pastel colored ponies with names like "Twilight Sparkle" completely awesome. This story is just for fun and no profit shall be made so please above mentioned people don't sue me. You're not gonna get much. Any OCs that pop up in this fic belong to me and can be used with permission. Please don't steal from me. Now with that out of the way, on with the show.
The Elements of Discord
Chapter 7: A Friend In Darkness
Luna stood on the highest balcony of Canterlot Castle and stared at the sun hanging low in the sky, a sign that the day was almost over. Soon her sister would lower the sun fully and she would raise the moon and light the stars to bring another night. Another lonely night. She let out a small sigh but it was quickly covered up by the sounds of uproarious laughter. She glanced down from the balcony and saw her sister and her six guardians in castle's courtyard. Not surprisingly the source of the laughter came from Torchlight. She was the bearer of the Element of Laughter after all. Even in her melancholy state Luna couldn't help but grin as she watched the yellow earth pony cartwheeling around the others in her usual jovial spirits. Her bright red mane cascading around her which caused it to look even more unruly than normal.
She continued to watch a moment as the rest of the group all laughed at the jester's antics, especially her sister. Even though the six were really supposed to be the guardians to both princesses, they always seemed much more at ease around Celestia than they ever did around her. Just like everypony else. It wasn't that Luna didn't try to be friendly towards the guardians and her subjects, in fact she tried very hard, it's just that she could somehow never be as relaxed as her older sister always seemed to be. She always stood on the formal traditions their parents had taught them which apparently made her come off as distant or snobbish.
Then, of course, there was the fact that nopony ever stayed up to appreciate her nights. They were all too happy to play and frolic in Celestia's beautiful daylight but once she took over and created an equally beautiful night, everypony suddenly decided they were too tired to stay out. Even the supposed guardians usually went off to bed. Those few who did stay awake were again driven off by her use of the Royal Voice. It was enough to drive a pony mad!
But she still pressed on. Hoping that one night, any night, somepony might be awake to share in the night sky with her and see her for the kindhearted pony she really was. There were times when it felt like a foolish dream, but it was one she wasn't ready to give up on yet. Some night her luck would change, she was sure of it.
Feeling a bit more invigorated by her internal pep talk, Luna spread her wings wide then gently floated down to the courtyard below where she landed just a few steps behind the group to enjoy the remaining bit of daylight with them and hope that this might be the night her luck changes.
"GOOD EVENING MY DEAR SISTER AND OUR LOYAL GUARDIANS!" she loudly proclaimed, making them all jump a bit in surprise and causing Torchlight to lose her balance and fall on her face.
"Luna," Celestia said softly as she turned towards her sister. "I told you before that you don't need to use the Royal Voice around them because they are our friends and not just our protectors. Isn't that right girls?"
The six mares all nodded and gave various agreeing remarks.
"WE APOLOG-" Luna started again but then stopped and cleared her throat. "I mean...I am sorry. I am just used to using the Royal Voice more often than not."
"Because you were the one who usually paid attention while father was teaching it to us," Celestia remarked as she walked over to her sister and frowned a bit. "That's probably why he preferred spending time with you."
"Tia," the younger princess said, dropping all forms of royal pretense. "Don't say things like that. Father loved us both equally."
"I know. I just..." she started, but then closed her eyes and turned her ahead away.
A somber mood filled the air as the princesses suddenly became very quiet and reserved. The others stood silent as well, though it was much more out of respect and confusion than anything else. They wanted to offer some kind of words of encouragement but nopony could think of a way to cut the tension.
Well...one pony could.
"Come on everypony, cheer up!" Torchlight said as she rolled in between the two princesses on a giant ball while juggling six smaller ones with her front hooves. "We're supposed to be merry and jolly when around friends!"
Celestia's amused chuckle caused everypony to relax and laugh a bit themselves. Even the usually dour Luna grinned at the yellow pony's antics. Her bemused expression turned to one of confusion when she felt somepony place a hoof on her shoulder. She turned to see Firestar standing next to her.
"If you makes you feel better princess, I have always liked your use of the Royal Voice," the reddish-orange pony with the flame like mane remarked.
"Mostly because it masks your own loud, obnoxious voice," Rainmaker quipped with a smirk of her own.
"Well what can I say? I have to be loud just like fire," the unicorn paused to kick her right hoof against the ground to create a spark which quickly turned into a rather large funnel of flame thanks to her horn, "and burn bright!"
The turquoise Pegasus quickly jumped back from the torrent of fire, barely avoiding getting her long black mane singed. She glared at her friend before she flew off in a hurry. Firestar smirked smugly as she used her magic to douse the flames before turning back to Princess Luna. Just as she opened her mouth to say something else, a sudden downpour of rain splashed over her body. She spit out the bit that had gotten into her mouth then wiped her now wet hair from her eyes and looked up to see Rainmaker laying on a cloud with her front hooves crossed and her own satisfied smirk on her face.
"You may burn bright Firestar, but I will always be there to put you out," she remarked.
The unicorn looked like she was about to offer a comment back when she was distracted by a soft laughter to the right of her. She turned her soaking head to find Deep Dive barely suppressing a giggle behind her right hoof. When the sea foam green earth pony realized she has been spotted she quickly looked away and started to absently play with her wavy white mane.
"What are you laughing at Ms. I Saw A Sea Pony?" Firestar challenged.
The comment caused her to loose all pretense of innocence and glare back at the fiery unicorn with an equally fierce look.
"I am sick of everypony making fun of me for that! I did see sea ponies! They are real!" she shouted insistently.
"Deep Dive, how many times have we gone over this? There is no proof that sea ponies have ever existed anywhere in Equestria," a violet colored unicorn pointed out.
"Look Shooting Star, I spend more time next to the seas and rivers than any pony and I tell you I saw sea ponies!"
"Then why haven't you ever brought one back?" Firestar challenged.
"Because they are hard to catch! But I'm not lying! I can't lie! Element of Honesty, remember? So what I'm telling you is the honest truth!"
"I'm not calling you a liar," Shooting Star spoke up again. "I believe that you truly believe what you think you saw out there."
"I KNOW WHAT I SAW!" Deep Dive screamed hysterically.
"Alright everypony, calm down," Celestia advised as she stepped forward. "Perhaps this is a conversation we should have for another day. For now it is time for me to end this day and my sister to start the night. Are you ready Luna?"
"Of course sister," Luna spoke with a nod of her head.
Celestia nodded back before the two of them took to the sky. The others watched as the two Alicorns glided through the sky, performing what looked like an intricate dance as they aligned the sun and the moon. Eventually Celestia started to land gracefully, dragging the sun with her as Luna flew even higher, bringing the moon up to it's full glory in the darkened sky. Once it was secured she flashed her horn a handful of times and several hundreds tiny dots started to illuminate the sky as well, creating a beautiful tapestry of black and white.
"Now there is a sight I shall never grow tired of seeing," Moonracer said softly as she hovered in the sky.
As Luna put the finishing touches on the night sky, Torchlight went around and replaced the old torches around the castle grounds while Firestar came by and lit them with her magic. When they were done they made their way back to the others just as Luna landed next to her sister.
"Another glorious night sister, well done!" Celestia complimented her.
"Thank you dear sister. Perhaps this once you would all like to stay up and enjoy it with me?" Luna asked with a slightly hopeful tone in her voice.
Unfortunately, the group's silence and awkward stares told her all she needed to know. Again.
"I am sorry Luna but we have all had long days and require a good night's sleep," Celestia explained in an apologetic tone.
"Yeah it's nothing personal Princess," Firestar said. "If I hadn't burnt my wick at both ends earlier today I would gladly stay awake to keep you company."
"No, no I understand. It can be hard to stay awake all day and night and we do all need our rest," Luna assured them, trying to keep the hurt out of her voice. "Still...is there nopony who could stay awake for just an hour more? Moonracer, you perhaps? You said you have always enjoyed my moon have you not?"
"I course I do Princess," the teal Pegasus agreed. "Normally I would be more than happy to accompany you but I'm afraid," her sentence was interrupted by a loud yawn, "that I too have had a long day and must rest. Perhaps tomorrow night?"
"That...that would be lovely," the Alicorn said with a forced smile.
"Til tomorrow then. Have a pleasant night Princess," Moonracer said with a bow before she turned to join the others as they made their way into the castle.
"Yes. You as well. Have a...pleasant...night," Luna stammered out, the last word muttered under her breath and quickly caught in a sad sigh as she lowered her head.
She stood quietly for a moment in the still of her freshly created night. A night, it seemed, she would be spending alone once again.
( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - )
Later that night Luna found herself walking around the small village just outside of the castle. She could of flown of course but she always found walking to be more soothing. It allowed her more time to mull over her thoughts and feelings. Not to mention it made crashing into things much less disastrous if she got too lost in her own thoughts. Plus Celestia was always telling her to walk more than fly as a way of showing their subjects that while they may be their rulers they are not above them. It was a way to literally stay grounded and in touch with everypony.
Not that there are any ponies out here for me to stay in touch with, Luna thought in dismay.
She hung her head with another sad sigh as she looked around at the empty roads and darkened huts that surrounded her. Just as they did every night. Occasionally she would see another pony out and about but they always seemed nervous around her and usually would shy away. They were respectful of course, but they never seemed as relaxed around her as they did her sister. She knew she had a reputation for being much more...formal then Celestia and she did represent the night but that did not make her some sort of monster!
"Perhaps I am a bit too...loud when speaking with our subjects but how am I to improve in these social skills if nopony is around for me to interact with?" Luna asked her night sky. "Tis not my fault they do not want to stay awake to speak to me and enjoy my nights! Am I to be tired by staying up during the day just to please them? Where is the fairness in that?"
She emphasized her last question with a stamp of her right hoof as she stared up to her one truly consistent companion; the moon. Unfortunately, being an inanimate object thousands of miles away it offered no answer for her query. In fact after a moment or two of staring, it finally dawned on her exactly what she was doing.
"Now I am asking the moon for advice," she mumbled. "Tis not a good sign." She sighed again. "Perhaps I would not have to do that if there was somepony, anypony, out here besides myself!"
"No! Go away! Leave me alone!" a voice from afar cried out.
Luna's right ear twitched at the sound and her face scrunched up in annoyance.
"Of course!" she growled. "Somepony is out here and they want me to leave! Well I shall meet this insolent pony and see if they are brave enough to say that to my face!"
She galloped towards the voice with righteous fury, ready to unleash all her frustrations on the poor, unfortunate soul that happened to catch her at the wrong time. All that misplaced anger faded, however, when she reached the source of the offending voice and found a most peculiar sight. It was a dark blue unicorn with a silver mane standing by herself just beyond the last hut of the village glaring up at a lone, dark cloud floating in the sky. Though she wasn't just glaring at it, it seemed that this unicorn was the one that was screaming and she wasn't screaming at Luna to leave her alone but rather...the cloud.
The younger princess cocked an eyebrow in confusion as she continued to watch the unicorn berate the cloud.
"Why? Why won't you go away? Why can't you just leave me alone?" she screamed desperately.
The more she watched, the more it dawned on Luna that this sight was odd for another reason. There were no other clouds in the sky and as far as she knew there were none scheduled to be there. Neither she nor her sister had talked to any of the Pegasi to create any cloud cover that night, so where did that cloud come from and why it did upset this unicorn so much? She had to know! Besides, that pony seemed to be in trouble and as her sister always said it was their duty to help out all of their subjects. And it wouldn't hurt to have somepony see her in a favorable light.
Her mind made up, Luna carefully walked over to the distressed unicorn, careful not to surprise her too much. Unfortunately, all that good intention was gone the moment she opened her mouth.
"WHAT APPEARS TO BE TROUBLING YOU OUR LOYAL SUBJECT?" she proclaimed in the loud and echoing Royal Voice.
"GAH!" the startled unicorn screamed as she fell backwards in shock.
When she recovered from the surprising, and almost deafening, scream her face contorted in anger and she was prepared to let loose with a few loud and heated words of her own before she saw who it was that had startled her.
"P-Princess Luna!" she cried out in amazement.
"YES IT IS WE, YOUR PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT! WE ARE HERE TO ASSIST YOU IN WHATEVER TROUBLE YOU MAY BE HAVING!"
"I...I...I...I..." the unicorn stuttered.
"PLEASE SPEAK UP! WE CANNOT HEAR YOU!" Princess Luna encouraged her with a friendly smile that was canceled out by her booming voice.
"Would you shut up out there? Some of us are trying to sleep!" a surly Earth pony shouted bitterly from the window of his nearby cabin.
Much like the unicorn, however, he quickly drew back when he realized who he was yelling at.
"Princess Luna! I didn't mean to...that is...please don't mind me, carry on!" he said quickly before dropping back from the window and slamming the shutters closed.
Luna stared at where the rude pony has stood for a second longer in annoyance before she shook her head and turned her attention back to the pony she wanted to hear from. She was about to speak again when she thought about what had just happened and what Celestia had said about the use of the Royal Voice. So in a much gentler, and quieter, voice she asked:
"Why are you yelling at this cloud my little pony?"
The unicorn stammered a bit before she looked away shyly and started to knead the dirt with her right hoof.
"Because...I...I..." she started sheepishly, almost embarrassed, before her face contorted in anger and she glared up at the dark cloud once again. "Because I'm tired of it ruining my life!"
Luna cocked an eyebrow again, her confusion doubled.
"Perhaps you should go into further detail," she advised.
"Forgive me Princess," she unicorn apologized with a small bow.
"Actually, now that I think about it, it is I who should apologize to you," the Alicorn remarked. "For I have been careless and have forgotten to ask you your name."
"Oh. I am Dark Sky your majesty," the unicorn formally introduced herself.
"'Dark Sky'?" Luna repeated. "That is quite an...unusual name for a unicorn."
"Well my father was a Pegasus so he wanted something with a Pegasus ring to it so 'Sky' was always meant to be part of my name and apparently when I was born it was dark and so they added that as well," Dark Sky explained. "While odd at the time it seemed rather fitting once that showed up," she gestured her head bitterly towards the cloud. "Which has been with me as soon as my magic started to develop and then...well...I got this..."
She inclined her head towards her Cutie Mark which Luna had not noticed before. Upon seeing it she understood what the unicorn meant by her name being quite fitting. It was a storm cloud with two lighting bolts shooting out from it. Again, quite odd for a unicorn, but perhaps not for one with a Pegasus for a father and a storm cloud always following her. Which brought up another question.
"So are you to say that you control this cloud?" Luna asked as she pointed to the cloud.
"I cause it but I don't control it," Dark Sky said bitterly. "My mother thinks it has something to do with my father's abilities to move clouds mixing with my own natural unicorn abilities. I think it's some kind of punishment for something I did but I don't know what. Maybe I was just born unlucky."
Luna's expression softened as she felt a twang of sympathy for the unicorn. Especially since she had those same feelings from time-to-time.
Perhaps if I find a way to solve her problem that might make us both feel better, she mused before she tried to think of a solution.
Of course the most obvious one hit her right away.
"If your magic is the cause of this problem, perhaps it can also be the solution," she remarked.
"I've tried," Dark Sky said bitterly, her frustration overriding her manors. "And every time I do this happens!"
With that, the midnight blue unicorn's horn lit up with a matching dark blue light. The Princess watched as the dark cloud above them quickly dissipated but then just as quickly reformed the moment Dark Sky lost her concentration.
"Unless I focus on it all the time it's just always going to be there!" she cried out in an exasperated voice. "It's been like that since I was foal! Always hanging over me and making me an outcast!"
Again Luna could feel a kinship with the mare's plight but she knew she had to be strong for her subject and not let her own feelings get in the way. She swallowed a lump in her throat before she asked her next question.
"How...how has it made you an outcast?" she forced herself to ask.
"Because nopony wants to be around the Pony That Blocks The Sun!" Dark Sky screamed with a stamp of her hoof and her anger making her forget who she was talking to. "I tried to be nice! I tried to be friendly! I can't help it if I have this...this...curse! I tried to explain it to them but nopony would listen! They would all just walk away from me like I was carrying a plague! Do you know what it is like to want to be around somepony only for them to recoil in fear from you? To be alone all the time?"
She took a few deep breaths to calm herself at the end of her rant and as her senses returned to her she finally remembered who she was talking to. Surprisingly enough that didn't seem to change her attitude much.
"No. I guess you wouldn't," she mumbled a bit bitterly under her breath.
"Actually you would be surprised," Luna confessed softly.
The statement finally broke Dark Sky out of her bitter feelings and replaced them with ones of surprise. She couldn't believe what she was hearing!
"But...you're the Princess!" she remarked.
"One of the Princesses," Luna corrected. "More accurately the Princess of the Night. While my sister assures me that all our subjects love my nights just as much as her days, look around you," she suggested with a sweep of her left hoof. "Do you see any other ponies out here? No! Even that rude pony from earlier had no qualms about yelling to me, the second princess, because I disturbed his slumber. Which is what all ponies do now which leaves me quite alone in my Kingdom of Darkness. So yes, I do know how it feels to be alone."
Dark Sky shrunk down to the ground and turned her head away from the princess in shame and guilt.
"I...I am sorry. I had no idea," she apologized.
Luna sighed then stepped forward then sat down on the grass next to the unicorn and gently brought a hoof up under her chin to turn her head back towards her.
"Nopony does. Not even my own sister. It is...a burden I have had to bear for far too long. I was beginning to think I would be alone with my nights forever. But with your...condition, you seem like a pony who is mostly active at night, yes?"
Dark Sky nodded silently, unsure of what to make of this surprisingly soft side to the princess.
"Then perhaps we could spend our lonely nights together?" Luna suggested.
The unicorn's purple eyes shot wide in disbelief.
"You...you would want to spend time with a lowly peasant like me?" she blurted.
"No. I would want to spend time with a friend like you," the Alicorn corrected. "That is...if you wish to be my friend."
"Of-of course! That's all I ever wanted! And to be friends with one of the Princesses is...is..."
"How about instead of 'Princess' you just call me 'Luna'?" she remarked with a smile.
"Oh. Right. Sorry Prin-Luna," Dark Sky said with a quickly widening smile of her own.
"Then it is settled! I decree that from this moment fourth neither of us shall spend the nights alone ever again!"
( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - )
Luna held true to her promise in the nights and weeks that followed. After she raised the moon every night, she would make her way out of the castle to meet up with Dark Sky and from there they would walk around the village as they talked. They shared with each other the more depressing parts of their lives and talked about their hopes and dreams for the future. Luna showed Sky around the castle while Sky showed Luna some of her favorite spots to enjoy the night as she best she could with the constant cloud blocking her view. A quick favorite of both of theirs became a small pond just outside the village where they would continue their talks and share a midnight picnic and if Luna had made the right preparations for a warm night, enjoy a moonlit swim.
When she got to tour the castle, Sky always found herself drawn to the massive Royal Library with it's hundreds of volumes of books and literature on the history of Equestria and some of the folklore that had been fortunate enough to be written down. Usually Luna was not that thrilled to be in the library as she used it more as refuge from her loneliness but seeing it through her friend's eyes made it seem exciting and new. They would spend the late hours reading and laughing, especially when Luna would go all out and read an old story her parents used to read her and her sister when they were foals with scary voices included.
Despite all their merriment, Luna could tell there was still something bothering Sky deep down. She still seemed rather melancholy at times and occasionally Luna would catch her glancing up at the cloud perpetually hanging over her head and letting out a soft sigh. The first few times this had happened, Luna tried to cheer her friend up by telling her an amusing anecdote she had overheard or by telling her more about the ways of the castle. This seemed to be only a temporary relief, however, and soon enough the unicorn's expression would fall again. Finally, upon hearing another sigh that very night, Luna held out her hoof to stop her friend and get to the root of her sadness.
"Sky, please, what is it that troubles you so?" she asked before she glanced upwards. "Besides the obvious I mean."
The dark blue unicorn looked away from the princess almost ashamedly.
"It's...It's nothing," she mumbled.
"No it is something that has been troubling you for awhile. Please, let me know so that I may help."
"I...I just...I feel ashamed," Sky confessed.
Luna cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "Ashamed of what?"
"Because we've been friends for awhile now and I have not yet been able to fully appreciate your beautiful nights or moon because of...that," she revealed, jabbing her right hoof angrily towards the cloud above her. "I've seen the reflection of the moon in the pond, but just once I'd like to gaze upon it with my own eyes."
Luna was stunned into silence at first but when she recovered she suddenly reached out and pulled Dark Sky towards her in a tight embrace.
"Thank you so much Sky. That is, possibly, one of the sweetest things anypony has ever said to me," she said as she nuzzled the unicorn's neck.
"Hey, what are friends for, right?" Sky remarked a bit awkwardly even as she returned the hug.
"This is true," Luna nodded as she drew back. "And as your friend and your princess, it is my royal duty to help you with your problem."
"Okay, but how?" Sky asked.
Luna's face scrunched up and she rubbed her chin in thought. Her eyes moved back and fourth from the pony in front of her to the cloud above them. Soon enough she smiled brightly as an idea popped into her head. She spread her wings and gently took to the air where she hovered over Dark Sky before she reached out and held her under her front legs.
"H-hey what are you doing?" Sky yelled out in confusion.
"Helping you of course!" Luna smiled brightly. "Now when I give the word, use your magic to disperse the cloud."
"O...kay," the silver haired pony mumbled, still greatly confused.
She had little time to linger on it though as the second princess started to lift her into the air with a few powerful thrusts of her wings. Sky watched as the ground grew smaller and smaller and she felt a slight panic begin to overtake her. Despite the last half of her name it appeared she did not like being up this high. She liked it even less that they were getting closer and closer to the black cloud above them. Filled with a surprising amount of dread she slammed her eyes shut and braced herself as if she were about to run head first into a wall. Even through her fear though she was able to hear Luna's voice when she called out to her.
"Now!" the princess exclaimed.
Acting purely on instinct, Sky's horn began to glow a dark blue as she wished the cloud to go away. It dispersed right before they would have hit and what she thought would be a rough stop ended up being more fluid flight through the air. Not that she could verify that, of course, as she still had her eyes clamped shut. It wasn't until she heard Luna's calming voice directly in her right ear again that she finally did start to relax.
"It is alright now, we made it through. Now please, open your eyes," Luna gently requested.
Sky swallowed nervously and nodded before she ever so slowly opened her eyes. When they were fully opened she was greeted to the most amazing sight she had ever seen. The calm night sky lay before her as a sea of black awash in millions of white pinprick starlights that reminded her of Luna's flowing mane. They seemed to go on forever and she would have spent her time trying to see them all had it not been for the giant, white orb hanging promptly in the sky that quickly grabbed her attention. The pond reflections did not do this majestic sight justice. She stared at the moon in utter amazement as it bathed the duo in it's soft light.
"It's...beautiful," Sky gasped in amazement.
"It certainly is, isn't it?" Luna mused with a soft smile.
"Yes. And it is a true shame more ponies don't recognize that fact," the unicorn grumbled.
"Trust me, I know of that all too well," the princess grumbled as well but she let that grievance go for right now. This moment wasn't about her, it was about her friend. "Do you truly like it?"
"Of course!" Sky exclaimed, turning her head to look at Luna as best she could in her current position. "I would never lie to you about something like that. I just wish I could enjoy it a little...comfortably."
"There may be a way you can," Luna mused.
"What do you mean?"
"That was the other part of my idea. You are half Pegasus, correct?"
Dark Sky gave her a friend a questioning look before she answered. "Yes. Why do you ask?"
"Because if you inherited a Pegasus' ability to control clouds then you might also have inherited their ability to walk on them."
The unicorn's eyes opened wide in shook and fear.
"But what if I haven't? What if you set me on the cloud and I fall right through?" she screamed hysterically.
Luna calmed her fears by pulling her closer to her again.
"Then I shall be here to catch you my friend. I will always be here for you," she whispered soothingly into Sky's ear.
Again Sky felt her apprehension melt away under Luna's encouragement and she gave her approval with a soft nod. Luna nodded in return before she slowly started to descend towards the reformed black cloud below them. Sky did her best to remain calm as they came closer and before she knew it her hind hooves were touching it's fluffy surface. Surprisingly enough it actually seemed a bit solid if not somewhat bouncy. She gave a quick nod of conformation to Luna who then gently set her front two hooves down on the rest of it. Both of them waiting with bated breath to see if she would actually stay on the cloud. Much to Sky's great surprise, and Luna's great delight, she remained standing just as steadily as if she were on land.
"I-I don't believe it! It worked!" she shouted as she started to jump up and down on the cloud in joy.
"Huzzah! The experiment was a success!" Luna declared happily.
Sky laughed at both Luna's statement and the fact that the thing she had so long looked upon as a curse that ruined her life was actually doing something to improve it. She fell onto her back and rolled round on the cloud a bit, careful not to go too far and fall off. A feat she almost pulled off when she got too caught up in her merriment but she was saved when Luna created another cloud next to it. She pulled together a few more clouds to give herself enough room to sit down with her friend and admire the night sky she had put so much work into. Once she had finally calmed down, Sky moved to settle down next to Luna and the two simply sat in comfortable silence to bath in the moonlight. The stillness was broken after a few minutes, though, when Dark Sky reached out and placed one of her hooves on top of Luna's armored one.
"Thank you Luna," she said softly. "For this and for...well...everything."
"No. It is I who should be thanking you," Luna corrected. "For showing me that there is at least one pony out there that appreciates my night sky and my moon."
"I would say there was more than one pony who appreciates it Princess," a voice spoke up from behind them.
Both ponies turned with a start to find a familiar teal colored Pegasus flying behind them. At least she was familiar to Luna.
"Moonracer!" the princess exclaimed in surprise and joy. "How long have you been there?"
"Only a few seconds your majesty," the Pegasus replied as she pulled up her own cloud next to the duo. She paused, however, when it finally dawned on her exactly what kind of pony was sitting next to the princess. "How...how is that unicorn sitting on that cloud?"
"Her father was a Pegasus and that has given her the ability to form the cloud under her and walk on them," Luna explained.
"Though to be fair I didn't know I could walk on the cloud until just now when Luna talked me into it," Dark Sky added.
"Amazing," Moonracer mused as she inspected the cloud and unicorn. "I've never seen anything like this."
"Yes it's certainly...something alright," Sky muttered a bit uneasily.
"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" the Pegasus asked, confused by the remark.
"It is a...sensitive subject for her," Luna explained.
"Oh. Then I truly am sorry," Moonracer apologized with a nod of her head.
"Um...thanks," Sky said back, not used to have any other pony be so polite to her.
Moonracer nodded again then turned back to the princess with a large grin on her face.
"Well I suppose this would explain the rumors of your late night meetings with some mysterious ponies," she said with a chuckle.
"Rumors? What rumors?" Luna asked indignantly.
Moonracer took a step back, feeling she said too much.
"I am sorry Princess, I didn't mean to overstep my bounds. There was just some...talk is all. Some believed you were off to meet some stallion in the woods."
"Oh that is just typical!" the Alicorn grumbled as she stamped a hoof on the cloud, sending small bits flying upwards. "First they shun my nights and then they spread idle gossip about me! How dare they question who I see during the night? Although it is surprising that anypony is awake to see me and spread such vicious lies! And if I was seeing a stallion then what business is it of theirs?"
"Princess please!" Moonracer pleaded, holding her front hooves up. "I didn't mean to upset you. I was merely trying to be jovial." She then sighed and hung her head. "This is why I usually leave the jokes to Torchlight."
After Luna took a moment to catch her breath and relax she looked over at the Guardian and felt remorse for her little outburst.
"I apologize Moonracer. I did not mean to be rude or insult you. I suppose I myself am still a little sensitive about certain things as well," Luna explained.
"It is alright Princess. As I said I'm not much of a joke teller myself and have difficulty telling what is funny and what may be...insulting. Forgive me."
"Easily my friend. You are, after all, the only pony aside from dear Dark Sky here that has ever said anything positive about my nights," the Princess remarked.
"I find that hard to believe your majesty."
"Actually it seems to be true," Sky spoke up. "In all the time we have spent together not a lot of other ponies have shown up."
"Indeed," Luna said bitterly. "So I have to cherish those that do seem to appreciate all my hard work."
"Well know that I always have your majesty and it seems your friend here does as well," Moonracer pointed.
"Of course I do," Sky nodded in agreement.
"Thank you both," Luna smiled softly as she looked at them. "Moonracer, if you have no other pressing matters, would you care to join us?"
"It would be an honor Princess," the Pegasus replied as she floated over to the Alicorn's other side.
"There is just one condition?"
"Oh? Why might that me?"
"Please...simply call me Luna," she requested.
"Alright then, Luna," Moonracer said with a smile.
Luna smiled herself, one of many she had produced not just that night but over the last few weeks. Certainly more than she ever had before. In fact, despite a few slips here and there she couldn't remember when she had felt so happy and content before. She glanced over to either side of her to see the two ponies who truly appreciated her and her work. They were a far cry from all the hundreds of adoring ponies her sister had but for once in her life that didn't seem to matter. They liked her not for her station in life or her abilities but rather for the pony she was inside. They liked her not as Princess Luna, the second ruler of Equestria and Mistress of the Night but rather as simply Luna, a lonely pony who needed some friends. And she had found them. One new and lonely soul like herself and one she had known for awhile but they were each too formal to say anything before now.
But her friendship with Sky had changed her enough to where she could relax now and get to know Moonracer even better. In time she could be as close to her as Moonracer and the other Guardians were to her sister. And perhaps Moonracer could convince the others to stay up and talk with her a few nights and she could be close to them as well. Perhaps even other ponies after that. She didn't know. But for the first time in a long time Princess Luna was hopeful for her future and couldn't wait to see what the next night would bring.
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes: Well here's another chapter that took me far too long to finish. Much longer than I thought it would. What I can I say? Real life's just been really busy for me lately. But I was determined to get this one done before Christmas and despite quite a few distractions I got it finished! Yay! Course I did cut some corners again and left the flashback unfinished as I kinda wanted to leave everything on a hopeful note for the holidays. Plus again it was one of those things that just felt right story wise. Leaving off on a nice, happy scene before all the bad stuff happens. And we know it's gonna happen so it's not like I'm spoiling much here. Just gotta go over the details of how it all happened. But that will be for the next year.
For now I want to send a bit thank you to my pal Slyrr for letting me ape the title of one of his Kim Possible fics for the title of this chapter as I just couldn't think of anything else. Plus it really seemed to fit. For those curious it's part of his "All Things Probable" series that you can find on his FF.N page here: www. fanfiction. net/ u/ 1167529/ Slyrr just close in those gaps as we all know how much FF.N hates links. For some reason. The only other thing I gotta say is I know I kinda went through Sky and Luna's friendship pretty quickly but that's cause in the show that would have been handled in a montage. Preferably set to Queen's "You're My Best Friend". It just seems fitting. Especially given this show. Oddly enough when typing up the scene with them on the clouds I also thought of Rufus Wainwright's version of "Hallelujah" and how it could work for that scene and their friendship as well. Maybe it was just the 'bathed in moonlight' part. Or maybe I'm just weird. Either or.
Anyway that's all for me for now, I'll see ya again soon I hope where we learn more about Luna's fall from grace, transformation into Nightmare Moon and see the original Elements of Harmony in action! Which with Firestar involved promises to have MUCH fire in it!
Til then Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!