Let Us Go Then, You and I (Finished)

"Let us go then, you and I, when evening is spread out against the sky."

>You couldn't sleep on the train. You just couldn’t get comfortable.
>Not that it would have mattered
>You hadn’t slept in quite some time, really
>At least peacefully anyway

>Be Anon, only human in Equestr- oh god pls no
>You’d been living in Ponyville for roughly a year
>It was pretty simple compared to life back home
>You found a job at the hardware store in exchange for room and board
>You got a lot of time off and plenty of spending bits so you could go out with friends
>Life was pretty great from what you could tell
>That was, up until a few months ago.
>The last two months had been hell.
>Or at least you thought it was two months. Possibly more.
>All of a sudden you started having bad dreams.
>Not the typical “in your underwear” dreams either
>This stuff was heavy
>Dark shit, stuff that made you afraid to go to sleep in the first place
>Stuff that made you wake up in the middle of the night dripping in sweat
>At first you thought it might have been your diet or something
>Maybe you were allergic to something in the food, or the air
>You tried adjusting your bed, sleeping in different positions, working out a bit more
>Nothing seemed to soothe your mind
>After a few weeks, you started seeing doctors, but to no avail
>The pills they gave you didn’t work
>Maybe because they were designed for ponies and not humans.
>The town psychologist couldn’t find anything really wrong with you
>You were mostly fit, eating well and didn’t drink excessively, abuse meds, etc.
>Nor did you have a particularly harsh or painful childhood
>You tried other doctors, but they only confirmed what the first one had
>More pills that didn't work, self-help books that were useless
>But the dreams persisted
>Night after night you would lie awake in fear, afraid to close your eyes and experience the horror again.
>When you had to close your eyes from sheer exhaustion, you saw things, heard things no healthy mind should endure

>You look up from your journal to look around the train.
>There’s no one else on board, or at least in this car.
>It’s a very early train bound for Canterlot. You’re just happy for the peace and quiet and time to think.
>Twilight was sitting in the seat next to you, sound asleep on your shoulder
>You smiled as she jolted in her sleep a bit, snoring softly
>You’re a little jealous she can rest so easily, but she’s been nice to you
>She has a kingdom to run now, but she still took the time to help you out
>She could have just flown here, but she decided to take the train with you
>She’s been helpful

>The doctors didn't help, so you tried one better
>You went to Twilight Sparkle, one of your small handful of friends here in Ponyville.
>Equestria's golden girl. She tackled every problem, every test with ease. Surely, she knew what was wrong with you.
>When you explained your problem to her, she almost smiled, happy for the chance to help
>Maybe she liked the challenge, maybe she just liked you, you weren't sure.
>But she poured herself into her books, searching for...well, anything
>What sort of condition was this? What was it called? What was the cure? WAS there a cure?
>But no book in Twilight's library helped you get any rest
>After two weeks of searching, she came up empty handed.
>Erm, empty-hooved.
>Finally, she suggested bolder measures.
>She had written to the royal sisters in Canterlot in your stead
>They had asked you come see them at once, at the castle, for examination
>And according to Twilight, when you get a summons from not one, but TWO princesses of Equestria, you fucking go.
>Seeing as how you had exhausted all your alternatives, you decided to go
>That brought you here, sitting on a red-eye train bound for the kingdom's capital
>You were going to see Princess Luna
>Rumor had it she knows a lot about dreams
>Like, all of it. If she couldn’t figure out your bad dreams, you were a lost cause
>You weren't sure what to expect, but it’s better than doing nothing

>Your old duffle bag is sitting in your lap
>It smells like sweat and the strap is fraying, but it’s the only thing that made the trip with you
>The trip from Earth that is.
>A change of clothes, a tooth brush and a notebook--your dream journal
>It’s not much and you’re not sure how long you’ll be staying, but it’s all you’ve got to your name

>Twilight stirs beside you, her eyes fluttering open
>She yawns and stretches a bit.
>“Oh, sorry, Anon. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
”It’s okay. You only drooled a little bit.”
>“I DON’T DROOL!”
>She playfully punches you in the shoulder with her hoof.
>It doesn't hurt, but you can tell you're both a bit too tired to be having jokes
>The train lurches as it begins to grind itself to a hault, the inertia bleeding off
>You can see Canterlot in the distance as the train reaches the station
>There must have been a nervous look on your face, because Twilight speaks up
“Don’t worry, Anonymous. I’m sure Luna can find a solution.”
>You nod and give a weak smile
>You believe her, for the most part, but something eats at you.
>When you asked Twilight for help, you’d assume she’d have an answer right away
>If you’re going to see Luna, things must be pretty damn severe.
>You and Twilight gather your belongings and exit the train
>Stepping out onto the station platform, you sling the bag over your shoulder

>The two of you begin making your way to the castle.
>It isn’t far, and the castle’s minarets are easily spotted over the rest of the town’s architecture
>The first hints of sunlight begin to burn off the foggy dew
>Celestia must be raising the sun
>That concept still stupefies you, that the sun and moon are raised by hand.
>Ugh, you mean by hoof. You'll never get used to that.
>As you walk, some ponies give you strange looks, but that was to be expected
>Only human in Equestria, after all
>You pass a bunch of neat little stores on your way through town
>You try to contain your anxiety and excitement
>You've never met a princess before
>Well, technically you have.
>But you've never met the royal sisters before.
>You wonder what she'll be like, this Luna.
>From what you've heard she's very stoic. Sometimes a bit dramatic.
>But that could be fun. If anything, everypony you've met is a little too happy.
>As you approach Canterlot Castle's gates, the guards recognize Twilight immediately and usher the pair of you through.
>It's only a few hundred yards to the front steps of the castle proper, so Twilight begins to lecture you.
>"Just make sure to bow when we're introduced. You want to make a good impression right?"
>You nod. You most certainly do.

>You see a dark figure file out of the main entrance, flanked on both sides by spear-wielding guardsmen.
>They spill out of the castle's door like ants emerging from their hill and take up position around their queen.
>They form a tight square around the figure, who is still obscured in a smokey blue haze
>It's her, that much is clear.
>The troop comes to an abrupt halt at the top of the stairs that lead into the castle.
>As you and Twilight arrive at the foot of the stairs, you go to one knee, bowing your head in reverence
>Twilight stands, but she's earned the privilege, you haven't.
>You hear Twilight speak first
>"Princess Luna, I hereby present Ser Anonymous, of Ponyville"
>You steal a glance upward, eagerly curious to catch your first glimpse of the Moon Princess' face.
>Her mane is dotted with stars, all connected, like a living, breathing painting.
>You feel as if you're lying on your back in a grass field, looking up at the night sky.
>A dark crown tiara sits gracefully upon her head, a black velvet band
>But what gets you most are her eyes. Pools of cyan narrowed, pensive and unmoving.
>Her lips are turned downward in somewhat of a frown.
>Her expression is almost that of...disappointment?
>You turn your attention back toward the gravel path, hoping you didn't violate any sort of custom
>You read back on Earth that sometimes Pharaohs of Egypt would kill people for even looking at their feet
>You can only hope such a practice doesn't exist in Equestria.
>"Come," she orders. Her voice is cool but firm
>She turns on a swivel and slowly trotting back inside the castle walls. "We have much to discuss."
>Whoever told you she was the serious type was being polite.
>You rise from your submissive posture and look at Twilight.
>The two of you share a shrug before following her, the detachment of guards folding in behind you

>They called it a "light breakfast."
>The "light breakfast" was still bigger than anything you'd ever made for breakfast at home
>You'd been gathered in the private dining room to meet with Princess Celestia
>You were having tea with not one, not two, but three princesses of Equestria
>In fact, you were only in the room not a princess at this point
>At least not yet. "Princess Anonymous" doesn't really strike your fancy, though.
>Everyone is sitting silently, as a few servants pour tea and bring out tray after tray of food
>You thank the servant who fills your vacant cup and a healthy gulp of tea
>The caffeine helps you stay awake
>You haven't slept more than a couple of hours a night
>You'd like to be able to at least try to look like you're paying attention.
>While the servants busy themselves, you steal a glance over at Princess Luna
>You watch as she uses her magical aura to float a butter knife over a scone
>She then pops it in her mouth and chews on it delicately.
>It's almost kind of...cute.
>Her eyes flick over to you just as the thought crosses your mind
>She shoots you that same, stern look she gave you outside
>Oh shit.
>Did she hear you think that? Was that a thing? Could she do that?
>Celestia, who has been silently drawing on her teacup, puts it down and begins to speak
>"Thank you for coming on such short notice, my faithful student," she coos.
>Her voice is soft as air.
>You have to admit, Celestia's easy on the eyes too, but she's not quite Luna.
>The Moon Princess' eyes dart over to you again out of the corner of their sockets, as if you just broke wind
>No, Anon! Bad! Bad Anon!
>"We were happy to come, your highness," Twilight says, stirring a sugar cube into her tea.
>"Do you think you might know what is wrong with Anonymous.
>You're trying desperately to force any improper thoughts about the princess to yourself.
>You're not sure if she can actually read your mind, but better safe than sorry.
>Princess Celestia, the taller of the two princesses, looks downward at her sister
>"I am afraid we have no simple answer for you at the moment."
>Your heart sinks a bit.
>Even the princesses didn't know what was wrong with you.
>You feel yourself slip a few inches into your chair
>Was there really no hope for you at all?
>Not even the most powerful beings in all of Equestria could fix you.
>You feel a tear coming on, but you fight it back.
>You don't want to humilate yourself in front of the princesses.
>Especially Luna.
>"Which is why he'll need to be kept here for examination."
>You perk up a bit.
>They wanted you to stay?
>"We've all ready contacted your employer and made arrangements for you to take some time off," the Sun Princess continues
>"You'll not want for anything while you're under our protection."
>"My sister and I are committed to investigating this matter until it is closed."
>They got you out of work?
>You can't believe it, really. You have the most powerful people in Equestria bending over backwards for you. YOU!
>Someone they've never even met.
"T-thank you. That's so generous, your highness."
>You can barely speak. You're absolutely floored by their generosity.
>Celestia beams at you, smiling good-naturedly.
>"Oh, not at all Anon. May I call you Anon?"
>You nod sheepishly, which makes her smile.
>"Well, it's settled. I do have some things to attend to today, but we shall see to this dream nonsense soon enough."
>All of you rise from the table.
>You thank the princesses again and Celestia giggles a bit.
>Luna remains silent.
>"Now, if you'll excuse us, we need to be going."
>"I need to head back to Ponyville too," admits Twilight.
>"Understood," says Celestia, nodding. "I shall have an attendant show Anon to his room."
>And with that, both of the sisters file out in unison.
>As they reach the door, Luna shoot a sideways glance at you. Daggers.


>Later that night, you're settling into a guest room.
>It's the swankiest place you've ever stayed.
>The bed is huge and the view of Canterlot is breaktaking.
>The tub in the bathroom is enormous and has a dozen taps for different types of soaps and scented oils.
>You're overwhelmed by all this hospitality
>You finish your bath and tie the bathrobe they've provided around yourself.
>You aren't sure how they got your dimensions, or even designed clothes for a human
>You pull up to the desk and pull out your journal.
>You don't see yourself getting much sleep tonight, so you decide to document your trip thus far.
>Meeting Luna didn't go how you hoped. You get the feeling she may not entirely like the idea of babysitting you.
>You don't blame her, necessarily. A princess has better things to do, you suppose.
>You hear yourself sigh. You were really looking forward to meeting her.
>You didn't expect to become her best friend in five minutes, but, you had thought she would be...warmer.
>Maybe she was just putting up a tough front. Or maybe she just hated you.
>Regardless, you would have to walk on eggshells with her from now own.
>She still seemed willing to help and that was the important thing.
>You often sketch little doodles into your notes, so you've taken to jotting Luna down.
>You try to nail the details you remember, like her billowing mane and her regal countenance
>You're halfway through shading her neck when a loud knock at the door breaks your concentration.
>Your pencil goes skittering across the page, leaving a huge mark across her face.
>Fuck.
>But you better answer the door, so you rise and walk over to the lacquered wooden entrance.
>When you open it, you see a guard standing on the other side of the threshold.
>He isn't like the guard from earlier though.
>His coat is grey and he wears indigo armor.
>His wings are webbed and veiny, like a bat. Definitely not a typical pegasus.
"Y-yes? Can I help you?"
>He speaks to you politely.
>"Oh, hullo Sir Anonymous. Her Grace Princess Luna has requested you at her quarters. If you'll follow me, I shall bring you to her."
>Wait, what?
>Luna wants to see you?
>That was...encouraging.
>Not that you had a choice in the matter. This "request" wasn't really much of a request.
"Should I change clothes?"
>"Come as you are, Sir Anon. She asked for you to come as soon as possible."
>You nod and file out of the room alongside this...thing.
>The walk to her room was somewhat of a hike, which gave you some more time to think.
>You were sort of excited. She wouldn't have personally summoned you to just ignore you and try to eye-rape you again.
>Or would she? You really didn't know if that was in her character.
>But still, your heart picked up a few beats, hopeful.

>The walk takes you up several flights of velvet-carpeted staircases
>Apparently Luna insisted on taking up residence in the highest bastion of the entire castle
>By the time you reach the floor her room is on, you're huffing
>Maybe you're not in such great shape after all
>Then again, the guard next to you seems to be wheezing too.
>If a member of the royal guard gets tired climbing to Luna's room, you don't take much shame in it.
>When you near a door with a moon crescent carved into the very dark wood, he motions for you to wait
>He knocks on the door and mutters something, "Your Royal Highness, Sir Anonymous is here to see you."
>A few seconds of pregnant silence follow.
>You just notice you can hear your heartbeat in your ears
>A muffled reply, "Very good, Horizon. Send him in."
>The guard takes hold of one of the iron doorhandles and wrenches it open with a hoof, using the other to usher you inside.
>Do you dare stay out? Do you dare go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?
>You nod to him in thanks and he does the same as you step into the room
>The door closes behind you
>The bedroom is even more illustrious than your guest room
>The tapestry and bedding is all hues of blues and violets. There are bookshelves lining the entire circumference of the room
>An enormous cutout of a moon is carved into the floor.
>This girl certainly digged her own trademark.
>But before long you notice Luna's not here.
>"On the balcony, Anyonmous."
>The voice is like the soft roar of the ocean, or the sound of wind in the trees
>Following the voice, you see a large glass door leading onto the terrace
>You heart presses onward, but your feet seem to drag.

>You press through the open glass doors and step out into the night air
>The princess in all her nightly splendor is at the railing, her forehooves dangling over it
>Her horn is awash in a aurora, a black cloud of magic enveloping it.
>As you look up, you can see the moon moving across the sky with astonishing speed before it grows still
>You wait for her to finish this task before making your presence known
"Princess Luna? Y-you wanted to see me?"
>She turns, taking her hooves off the balcony and striding toward you a few steps before sitting.
>You don't know how it's possible, but she looks even more regal at night, in her element.
>She seems to practically glow in the light of the moon.
>"I would like to extent an apology to you, Anonymous. I have not been a gracious host."
>An apology?
>After the way she stared you down today, you thought she hated your guts.
>You try to play it smoothly. She's a princess, she doesn't have to apologize to anyone if she doesn't feel like it.
"There's nothing to forgive, Princess."
>The very faintest hint of a smile tugs at the corners of her mouth.
>"Just because I am a princess does not mean I am above reproach, Anonymous."
>Damnit, was she reading your mind again?
>You need to keep the conversation moving before your brain goes places it shouldn't.
"If you don't mind me asking, though, why were you giving me that look earlier? Did I do something wrong?"
>"No, no, Anonymous. You did nothing wrong."

>"I have been tired as of late, Anonymous. I was not myself."
>You nod, because you can relate. It's not easy function on just a couple hours of rest each night.
>And you don't even have to raise the moon, so there's that.
>"You still have not accepted my apology. Am I forgiven?"
>You snap to and nod emphatically, of course you forgive her.
>That makes her smile, the first time you've ever seen such contentment about her
>Your heart melts a little bit at that. It's not a big grin, but you're happy she's happy.
>Maybe you and Luna will get a long after all. You'd really like that.
>She turns and walks back over to the balcony, where a telescope is standing
>It's pointed almost vertically into the night sky.
>She beckons you over with a wave of her hoof.
>"Look into it, please."
>You're not sure what she's getting at, but far be it from you to disobey
>You nod again and put an eye up to the viewfinder, searching for what she means to show you.
>Then you see it.
>A star
>But it's not like an ordinary star. It's easy to distinguish from its fellows
>It's red. Blood red.
>At first you thought maybe your eyes were going, but after a few blinks you confirm it.

>There's no mistaking it. THIS is the star from your dream.
>Holy shit.
>You stumble backward a few steps from the telescope and look up into the sky, where the star should have been
>But it's gone.
>You step back up to the telescope and there it is again, flickering ominously. If a red, pulsating star isn't bad news, you don't know what is.
>"What you see, Anonymous, is the Miasma of Kur. Such a sighting has not take place in Equestria for the past millenium."
>Is this what's been causing your bad dreams?
>As if she plucked the very thought from your brain, she answers, "This is what I believe has caused you such grief at night these many weeks."
>You peer at it through the telescope again, studying it. It seems to burn with an almost evil aurora.
>Just looking at it for a prolonged period of time fills you with dread.
>You're grateful, though. You haven't even been in Canterlot for a day and Luna has made more progress than any doctor did.
>But, that said, a question sticks itself into your brain like a hot knife..
"Luna, how did you know that this was the star in my dream?"
>You look up from the telescope to notice she's next to you now
>She's staring you down, her face once again dead serious. That pleasant smile has run from her features.
>"Because I've been having the very same dream, Anon."

>The dream starts out calmly enough. It always does.
>You're in a field of knee-high green grass.
>The night is cool, and calm and peaceful.
>You look around and see not but a sea of grass.
>There are some jagged, snowy mountains in the distance
>They stand like enormous castles in the distance, silhouetted against the night sky.
>Maybe it won't happen tonight. But it will.
>The mountains in the distance begin to glow a magnificent orange.
>You try to fool yourself into thinking the sun is rising over the ridge.
>But you know better, no matter how much you delude yourself.
>Soon, the orange turns to red and red to black. The mountains are on fire.
>The land is aflame with a great and terrible fury.
>Soon, the mountain summits are alight, with great black plumes of thick, obnoxious smoke spilling out of them
>The stars, one by one, fall from their perches in the sky.
>You can see one race down, plummeting over the mountain ridge like a missile.
>It disappears behind the ridge and a few seconds of calm pass.
>But it is short lived.
>You see a mushroom cloud of fire rise over the mountains where the star landed.
>The ground shakes beneath your feet.
>But the worst is still to come.
>A drone begins to fill the air.
>It sounds like some sort of siren, but you know that's not true.
>The sound grows louder and louder still, churning itself into a feverous din.
>It's screaming.
>The screaming of what must be ten-thousand ponies, all desperately crying out in agony.
>Another star falls in the west and small handful crash to the south.
>Soon, all the stars are dropping from their rightful place in the sky as they scream down toward the planet
>Explosions are happening all around you, as the world is slowly being torn asunder.
>You cover your ears, but you can't block it out. The entire planet is baying out in despair.
>You look up in all the chaos, straight up into the sky.
>Only one star is left. It freezes you and you can look nowhere else, even if you wanted to.
>Soon your eyes are filling up with red as it too falls from the firmament, diving down
>It gets larger and larger as it veers toward you.
>The air grows hot, your skin begins to blister and pop
>The ground fissures and cracks, the grassy field is now a bed of molten rock and fire
>You hear yourself screech, but the air dies in your throat as you soundlessly shriek.
>The star bears down on you, it's going to obliterate you. It takes up all of your vision now it is so close.
>You begin to feel yourself break apart, as your flesh melts and falls off the bone.
>Your jaw comes unlatched and breaks away.
>You want to scream out in agony, but you can't.
>But above the roar of the sky falling on top of you, you hear three words
>They are like a whisper, but you can still hear them call out to you
>"Wake up, Anon."

>You bolt upright in a cold sweat, breaking from the dream.
>It was the same as it was every night.
>Except for those three little words. Those had never been there.
>But as you take in your surroundings, you find yourself back in the world of the waking
>Back in Luna's private quarters. On the bed.
>She's standing next to it, a hoof is stretched out into your hand
>Without thinking, you move closer to her.
>She furls her wings around you and draws your head to her chest, cradling you
>"It's all right, Anon. I'm here. You need not be afraid."
>You noticed that you're breathing is labored and you're crying
>You suck hard for breath, suddenly very thirsty.
>But all you can do is cling to Luna's neck, like you're trying to hide inside of her
>You look up at her through your tears and see her peering down at you, a smile on her face
>For a moment, you worry this might have gotten a bit too personal.
>But you need her and she seems to understand.
>You shiver in her grip as she uses a wing feather to wipe a tear from your cheek.
>For the first night in a long time, you are at peace, at least in this moment
>When you settle down and your breathing returns to normal, she lets you go
>Her wings spill off you, almost like they were reluctant to release you
>You're a bit reluctant too, until you are reminded of your thirst.
"W-water."
>"The miasma has a stronger grip on you than I originally surmised," she says, as she pours a glass from the pitcher on her nightstand.

>She floats the glass over to you with her magical prowess, sliding the cool drink into your hand
>You choke it down in large gulps, emptying it on your first go.
>Your throat is dry and your eyes sting from the sweat rolling down your face.
>She pours you another glass and you repeat the process until you've calmed down.
>Soon, you're feeling better. At least enough to speak.
"Thank you, Princess. You are most kind."
>Her face lights up like it's the first compliment she's ever been paid.
>"I simply am doing my job as Princess of the Night."
>She's modest, but you can tell she appreciates the warm words.
>Princess of Equestria or no, she probably doesn't get them all too often.
"Even so, thank you Princess...for being there."
>"You are quite welcome, Anon."
>She strolls out onto the balcony and you follow dutifully, rising from the bed.
>You're not sure how long you were out, but judging by the position of the moon, roughly an two hours.
>You both glance up into the sky, where the star should be.
"Do you know what it is? The Miasma?"
>She nods. "Somewhat. The Miasma of Kur is a very rare astronomical phenomenon. I wasn't even here when it happened last."
>Not here? Oh, right.
>"Yes, the Lunar Rebellion."
>Oh shit. You didn't recall asking that aloud.
"So you can read minds."
>She turns to you and cracks a bit of a grin. "Somewhat. I've grown very good at guessing what others are thinking."
"So, at tea today, you heard...?"
>She giggles a bit and nods. "I'm glad you think my hair is, how did you put it, 'cute?'"
>You feel your entire face turning a deep shade of crimson.

"Well, in my defense, it is."
>She laughs and that makes you laugh.
>"Thank you, Anon. It is not often I hear such encouraging words from my subjects."
>Even with this demon hanging in her sky, you both take a chance to look up and admire her work.
>You drink in coolness of the night, the air is crisp and pure.
>It's serenely quiet, save for a distant train whistle sounding out of the darkness.
>You can't imagine who would want to miss a sight like this.
>Maybe your nightmares haven't been such a bad thing.
>Sure, they're frightening and worrisome, but you've grown much more accustomed to being awake at night. There's a silver lining to everything.
>You look over to the princess who seems to be lost in thought.
"You said you've had the same dream?"
>She nods solemnly, "I walked in your dream that first night it appeared and since, it's recurred in my own dreams many times since."
>You look down at your feet. It's almost as if you...infected her. You bite your lip hard and can feel your fingers ball up into tight fists. You almost hate yourself for pushing this... thing on the most beautiful creature you've ever laid eyes on.
>She goes to you quickly and noses your neck, sensing your distress. "Anonymous, you could not have known what would happen. My mental defenses are strong. I am here to help you carry the load."
>You want to be angry with yourself, but she's very convincing.
>You stand there for a few minutes, just enjoying one another's proximity.
>When you finally part, you're the first to speak.
"So it looks like we're in this together, huh?"
>"We are Anon. You and I have are connected by fate. I only wish it were under more pleasant circumstances."
>You don't know if she's hitting on you or not. You're cautiously optimistic that she is.
"Me too, Princess. Me too."

>"Anonymous, I have some duties to attend to. Why don't you head back to your room and get some rest? I've casted a ward that should keep the Miasma at bay for a few hours. Horizon can show you the way back if you've forgotten."
>That sound agreeable. You enjoyed spending time with her, but it dawns on you that you're not exactly her only obligation.
>You see the moon hovering in the sky as a reminder of just how much work she has to do.
>You wish you could stay longer, but you respect her need to attend to other things. You graciously agree.
>"If you have need of anything, simply ask Horizon."
>She accompanies you to the door like a proper host. "I'll send for you when there is progress to report."
>You bow, going to a knee and draping your head.
"Thank you, your majesty."
>She uses a hoof to press your forehead back into place.
>Did a princess of Equestria just boop you?
>"I suspect we will be working closely for an extended period of time, Anon. That's going to get old fast."
"Very well, Princess Luna."
>"No, Anon. Just Luna."
"Okay then, Just Luna."
>She opens the door for you and grins. "Goodnight, Anonymous."

>Horizon wordlessly brings you through the snaking hallways back to the guest room and bids you goodnight before resuming his post.
>It's funny. This is the first opportunity you've had to sleep in the past two months and yet, you don't really want to.
>Luna scared you at first, but, tonight was special. She was caring and funny and sweet to you.
>You're a little embarrassed she's wise to some of the more private thoughts you were having, but she seems to have taken them in stride.
>You sit back down at the desk in the guest room. You should sleep, but you want to write down what happened before you forget.
>You grab your pencil and reach for...your...journal...
>Wait.
>Where was it?
>You set it down right here.
>You remember because Horizon had knocked on the door while you were sketching.
>Hmm, maybe you misplaced it.
>You search through the desk drawers. Nope.
>You search underneath the covers of the bed. Nope.
>You empty your duffle bag. Nope.
>What the hell?
>Was someone in your room? Did a servant walk off with it or something?
>well, shit. That's depressing.
>You yawn. You're kind of pissed, but also too tired to care. About two months' worth of lost sleep has caught up with you.
>You drag yourself over the the bed and slip into the cool covers. Maybe it'll turn up tomorrow.
>As your eyes grow narrow with sleep, you peer out the window of your room. The moon hangs like a wafer in the sky.
>You burrow your nose into the pillow as you sink into pillowed silk and scented down.
>Maybe things will be all right after all.

>You wake up from what must be the most peaceful sleep you've ever had.
>Maybe it was Luna's ward spell, maybe it was the bed.
>Whatever the reason, your body is invigorated, completely rejuvenated.
>You leap out of bed and race to the window.
>You can't remember your dreams, but it definitely wasn't the nightmare, so that's a start.
>Your first instinct is to look out the window.
>It's still nighttime.
>You're just in time to watch it peer over the mountains and climb quickly into the air.
>Soon, it is at it's apex.
>But wait. Why would Luna raise the moon again? She all ready did that before you went to bed.
>It either it went backwards (unlikely), or you slept an entire day.
>Crap. You feel like a lazy sack of shit, but you probably needed it. Did you miss anything?
>You hear something scratching at the door before a piece of parchment slides into the room underneath the gap.
>You rush over to it and pick it up. It's a letter, written on very fancy stationary. It even has the royal seal.
>"Anon,"
>"When you wake up, please put on what's in your closet and meet me at the main gates."
>"With Grand Flourish,"
>"Luna."
>In the closet? What was she talking about?
>You trot over to the wardrobe and open the doors. You hadn't thought of opening it before because, well, you had nothing to put in it.
>But hanging there on a hook is a long, dark peacoat and a scarf with all the stages of the moon stitch in. Huh.
>Although you're hesitant to become Luna's life-sized Ken doll, you figure you had better put them on.

>Once you're dressed, Horizon leads you out into the gardens. You're not sure what Luna has in store.
>You're even less sure why you'd need to wear this getup, but you're confident she means well.
>The night air is crisp and cool, cool enough to justify the peacoat.
>A stiff breeze blows through your hair and across the garden.
>A few leaves scatter here and there, dancing on the wind.
>You look for the Miasma in the sky, but the cloud-cover has it well concealed.
>Horizon escorts you to the gate, where a figure is standing underneath a tree.
>It doesn't take long to reveal whom it is.
>You see the princess in the moonlight, wearing a dark cloak with the hood pulled back.
>"There you are, Anon. I was beginning to worry you weren't coming."
>You beam. Seeing her again so soon has you a bit...excited.
>She jumps up, extending her forehooves to adjust your collar and tighten your scarf.
>"Open the gate, for us, will you Horizon?"
>Horizon dutifully obeys and signals to the bannermen at the gate, who force it open a body-width so you and the Princess can slip through.
>She nods to the guardsmen before tugging on your sleeve with her magic, dragging you closely behind her.
"Luna, where are we going?"
>"Oh, you shall see, Anonymous. Please place your trust in me."

>Soon, Luna lets go of your sleeve enough that you can follow at a comfortable pace.
>Good thing too, as she was dragging you a little bit to close to her backside.
>If your foot had caught a rock you might have very well ended up with a face full of Luna's moon.
>Not that it isn't a nice plot, though.
>You meant, "Not that it isn't a nice THOUGHT, though."
>Eh, fuck it, you meant both.
>You quickly shove the thought aside, remembering her knack for reading your mind.
>She seems to know where she's going, as she quickly jaunts into the alleys and lonely streets of Canterlot
>The flames of streetlamps light your way, weaving this way and that, around corners and under bridges.
>You have no idea where she's taking you, but you don't have much choice but to follow.
>You aren't even sure you could find your way back to the castle from here.
>"Not much farther, now, Anon."
"It would help if you told me where we were going."
>You're holding your side, nursing a stitch. You need to find the Royal Gym and do some cardio when you get back to the castle.
>"I can't tell you that."
"Why not?!"
>Luna stops dead in her tracks and you almost walk full tilt into her ass before side-stepping quickly and saving yourself the embarrassment.
>"I can't tell you where we're going, because we're here."
>She flicks her nose upward, trying to show you something.
>You see a weathered, wooden sign hanging from the side of an old stone hut.
>"The Lower Depths."
>The likeness of a mug of cider sits underneath the old lettering.
>It's...a bar?

>"Care to join me for a drink, Anonymous?"
>She trots inside ahead of you, breaking through the saloon doors before disappearing into the inky shadows.
>She brought you to a bar?
>That doesn't strike you as a place a princess would hang out.
>You envisioned country clubs and high-class theaters, not a seedy dive bar in the underbelly of Canterlot.
>But you are intrigued and you don't exactly like standing out in the cold, dark street by yourself.
>You carefully press through the doors and they flap shut with a creek.
>You squint in the pitifully lit bar.
>It's almost deserted. There's only one other couple here, trying to eat each other's faces off in the corner.
>Wait, you said "other" couple. Ahem. There's only one couple here.
>There, fixed.
>The air is damp and the whole room smells like stale alcohol.
>The bartender is wiping down the counter with a rag and he gives you a very slight nod of acknowledgment.
>Luna's sitting at the counter on a barstool and she waves you over.
>The leather is ripped and has been taped over about a thousand times. More than a few obscenities have been carved into the crackling countertop.
>She nods over to the bartender and he busies himself at the taps.
>Soon, two tall, murky glasses of alcoholic cider are sliding down towards you, with frothy head spilling over the sides.

"So why are we here again?"
>"I thought we could both use a drink."
>Admittedly, you really could.
>You take a sip of the cider. It's unfiltered and slightly bitter, but good.
>You can taste tiny bits of apple skin and yeast, but you like the nice bite on it.
>You can't remember the last time you had alcohol.
"Did you want to discuss anything? Like the Miasma?"
>She shrugs. "Not really. I wanted to get to know you better, I thought we could do that here."
>She wants to know about you? Hmm, this might not be a good idea, but you'll try to sate her curiosity.
"...Luna, is this a date?"
>"Only if you want it to be."
>You want it to be, but you're sort of out of it
>She probably has a waiting list a mile long of potential dates.
>Why would she pick you?
"Isn't it a little early for that?"
>"Oh, and I suppose it's not too early to admire my hindquarters?"
>Fuck. This mind-reading thing is really getting you in a lot of trouble.
>"I didn't read your mind," she says, as she is, in fact, reading your mind. "Your eyes were practically glued to me the whole way here."
>Okay, now this is just getting weird.
>"You're quite a joy to be around, Anonymous. Slightly boyish, a joy."
"So why did you have a sourpuss on your face when we first met?
>"Hmm, Anon. Did you ever like someone while you were a child, in school?"
"Yeah. Why?"
>"Did you ever act a bit standoffish toward that girl, because you didn't want her to know you liked her?"
>Oh.
>"Yeah." She looks down and slightly away from you, a little embarrassed

>She takes a long gulp of her cider, presumably to keep the silence from getting awkward
>She finishes her long sip with a gasp for air
>"Anyway, I was just trying not to seem desperate. Every since we started sharing the miasma, I see us as kindred spirits. I'm sorry if I was...bitchy."
"Hahaha, no, not bitchy."
>"Glad to hear it."
>You smile, watching her hair billow out like fragrant smoke and the cute, unsure pout on her face.
>Could you really be falling in love with this pony?
>You aren't sure if she's reading your mind or not, but, you don't really care.
>It should be obvious by now, so it's not really a big deal if she knows what you're thinking.
"You know, I'm sort of glad I started having the nightmares."
>She almost spits up her drink, choking it down.
>"You do?! But all those sleepless nights and agony. Why would you want such a terrible thing?"
"Well, if that Miasma hadn't started affecting me, I never would have met you. And if it led me to you, then it's not so terrible."
>She blushes deeply, even beneath her blueish coat and dusky hair.
>Luna opens her mouth to say something, but the words are caught in her throat.
>Instead, she just puts her hoof into her hand and you pet it a tad.
>You can tell you just won some serious bonus points with her.
>You both sit in relative silence, staring each other down while you stroke her hoof affectionately.
>She's the first to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Anonymous? I like you...a lot."
>Wow.
>You never thought she'd be the first one to say it.
>You decide to tease her a bit.
"Interesting. I like Oreos."
>She uses her other hoof to light smack you upside the head.
"Anon! Seriously, I really, REALLY like you."

>You chuckle, nursing your head in mock pain.
>It probably wasn't right to make a joke while she's pouring out her feelings.
"Well, what a coincidence. I really, REALLY like you too, Princess."
>She swells with pride and takes a heavy sigh of relief, like the moon just rolled off her shoulders."
>"That is most relieving to hear, Anonymous."
>You can tell she's trying to contain how happy she is.
>You're not sure how it'll work. You would think that a princess would need to court with royalty.
>But you can figure out all that later.
>For the next two hours, you both sit there, chatting and drinking.
>Your mug is never empty for long.
>You tell her stories about you and your friends in Ponyville and she tells stories about her childhood with Celestia.
>You talk about music and literature and food.
>Soon, the both of you are more than a little tipsy, drunk on the cider and one another's company.
>"So then I (hic) said, 'Kibitz, back away from the cake slowly and maybe, maybe, my (hic) sister won't banish you to the sun."
>You chuckle, maybe more than you would have sober.
>Your mug is empty again, but you put your hand over it when the bartender attempts to refill again.
>"Anonymous..." Luna squeaks softly, her voice all of a sudden timid again.
>You nod.
>"Would you like to head back to the castle and join me in my quarters for...a nightcap?"

>You can tell by the way she says it and the blush on her face that's not what she means
>You're pretty sure the both of you set a land-speed record in your attempts to get back to the castle.
>Soon, you're back in Luna's quarters, with liquor sloshing around in your bellies and brains.
>She's desperately trying to relieve herself of her armor while you pull off your socks.
>As soon as you're insider her sanctum, she practically lunges at you, leaping into your arms and wrapping herself around you.
>The force knocks you onto her almost comically sized bed.
>You can feel her magic at your hip as she attempts to undo your belt.
>You try to prop yourself up a bit to help, but a stubborn hoof forces you back down onto the bed.
>She cranes her neck downward and locks with you in a passionate kiss.
>Clearly, she's taking the lead here.
>You have no idea if she's gotten any since her return to Equestria, but she clearly wants this, it's no pity-fuck.
>Your hands begin to wander, drifting to her sides and stroking her hips.
>She hums contentedly, leaning a bit further into your kiss.
>Soon, you're able to kick your pants off and out of the way, with your all ready stiffened erection scraping against her stomach
>She breaks from the kiss as your flesh is dragged across her smooth and silky coat.
>She shoots you a ravishing look through half-lidded eyes, her hoof going beneath her to stroke along your length.
>"You've been nursing this all the way home, haven't you, Anon?"

>All you can do is nod as your mind goes numb at her touch.
>She positions you with a slight nudge and makes your tip flirt with her silky petals.
>The princess coos with delight
>You clench your teeth and throw your head back.
>Soon, she's bobbing up and down on you like a cork on a brackish ocean.
>Everytime she thrusts down, you try to meet her halfway, arching your back to drive yourself as deep as you can.
>On every thrust you can hear your own grunts and her cries mix together into some wild symphony of sex
>"Pull my mane" she manages to get out between frantic breathing.
"Really?"
>"Yes! Please!"
>You do as you are told, grabbing a fistful of her beautiful hair and yanking her down to you, where she plants a flurry of kisses on your neck.
>Oh god, oh god.
>You shut your eyes tight as the pressure seems to build alarmingly.
>You can only hope that when you open them, this won't just be some fever dream, some wishful thinking.
>But when you do, Luna is still pounding away atop you, soft yelps and low moans flooding out of her and into the room.
>Soon you feel a warm trickle deposit itself on your lap.
>"Ah, Anon...close!"
>Things are moving fast, but you don't care. All you want is to make her feel good, make her feel loved.
>Your other hand has found its way down to her ass and it grabs a handful of the soft yet firm plot, evicting a gasp of both shock and pleasure from her.
>Your not too far off from climax yourself, but you try to make sure Luna gets hers first.

>Luna's leaning her head back as she rides you.
>She guides your hands back to her hips, which help her through each rise and fall.
>More drips as she widens her stance a little more.
>"M-more! Keep going!"
>You dutifully try to keep up, thrusting harder, fighting for every little bit more you can press upwards into her.
>Your feet squirm and toes curl.
>You're almost wheezing with the strain.
>You make another note to get that cardio in sooner rather than later.
>Before long, you hear Luna cry out in what sounds like a mix of pain and happiness
>Her body begins to spasm, legs shaking and mouth quivering as the orgasm hits her like a wall
>You're not far behind and despite your best efforts to hold on, you feel yourself go over the edge seconds later.
>She doesn't let you go through it alone, kissing you fiercely as the two of you ride out climax together.
>You pump her thighs as your orgasm exhausts itself and soon the both of you are in a pile, sighing and happy.

>Luna lets out a deep breath as the warmth seeps through the both of you.
>She noses your neck and chin, eyes closed in bliss.
>"Oh, Anon. That was lovely."
>She uses her aura to roll a blanket over the two of you.
>You nibble on her ear a bit and press your nose through her hair.
>When the both of you begin to regain your breath, she slides off of you and onto your side.
>Soon, she has her hooves around your arm and is resting her head on your shoulder.
>"Thank you, Anon. I haven't known that sort of ecstasy in over a millennium."
"I just hope you enjoyed it."
>She nuzzles your cheek, giving it a quick peck.
>My, she's affectionate tonight. But you sort of like that. The both of you have really needed each other these past few months and tonight you both finally got it.
>You notice her tail slip out of the covers and watch it flick happily.
>You're very glad, but cruel reality sinks back into your mind.
>You need to go to sleep eventually and with that, the Miasma will return.
>Luna must sense your worry, because she clutches your chest and moves closer.
>"You are fearful of another bad dream, aren't you, Anonymous?"
"Yeah."

>You sit up, propping yourself on a pillow with your elbow.
>You can feel the conversation is getting serious, so you adjust yourself.
"Couldn't you just keep casting wards on me?"
>She shakes her head, unsmiling.
>"The ward's effect is diminished with every usage. I can use it occasionally to give you some respite, but it is not a cure, Anonymous."
>You were afraid of that. You curse silently under your breath.
"So what do we do then? Just wait it out? What if it never passes?"
>She rubs her chin with a bangled hoof.
>"I suspect destroying the Miasma does not constitute removing the physical star itself."
"Huh?"
>Luna sees the obvious look of confusion on your face and ruffles your hair a bit, a soft snicker thrumming in her chest.
>"It requires direct intervention within a dream. If you were to say, destroy it in your dream, it's hold over you would dissipate."
"Sounds hard."
>"You underestimate the scope of my power, Anonymous."
>She's confident. That gives you some hope. Your heart feels a few pounds lighter.
"How come no one figured this out before?"
>"It affects roughly one individual once a millennium, Anonymous. It is hard to document cases so exceedingly rare."
>That makes sense, admittedly.
>Shit, this girl knows her stuff. She's a lot like Twilight.

>So the solution is to try and destroy the miasma while you're alseep, dreaming.
>It's better than your own plan, which is jack shit.
>The only problem is, how the fuck are you going to destroy a falling star?
>The last time you dreamt about it, it turned you into a puddle and Anon Soup doesn't sound very appetizing
>You look over at your new lover, who is raising her eyebrow at you.
>"Did you really think I would let you take the Miasma on alone?"
"No! ...Yes."
>Luna flashes you that knowing look before snuggling back up to you.
>Her horn glows again in a pale blue haze and soon your entire body feels at peace.
>"I can use the ward for a few hours, we should rest and prepare before we take on the Miasma."
>Your own arms go to her, pulling her in close. You agree, it's better to plan things out.
>For now, you just want to be wrapped up in your princess and sleep.
>But just as your eyes are closing, your soul jolts.
>You've forgotten something.
"Luna?"
>"Mmmhmm?" she says, eyes closed and resting on your shoulder.
"Have you seen my notebook anywhere?"
>Her eyes flip open and she looks at you curiously. "No, I haven't. Did you lose it?"
"I left it in my room yesterday when you summoned me. When I got back it was gone."
>She thinks for a moment, tapping her head.
>"I'll have the guards conduct a sweep for it in the morning. They're normally pretty good at finding things I drop."
>You thank her before the both of you settle back into bed.
>Your eyelids grow heavy, but you breathe deeply, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair.
>You know that challenges lie ahead, but you're content and warm and happy. That's all that matters for now.
>"Goodnight, Anonymous."
"Goodnight, Moon."


"Good morn, o' dreadful day."
>You wake up a few hours later, confirming Luna's theory about her ward spell
>It drastically drops off in effectiveness the more it's used.
>You slept okay, but nowhere near as well as the last time she used it.
>You slowly sit up in her comically sized bed, stretching your limbs.
>Your head twinges a little bit, perhaps from a hangover.
>You sightlessly start fumbling around the bed for Luna's form.
>She isn't there, but the bed is still warm, so she can't have gone far.
>You're almost starting to feel normal again.
>You didn't have a nightmare last night, but you did worry.
>Something nasty is growing in the pit of your stomach.
>You know that sooner or later, you will have to take on the Miasma.
>You and Luna are going to fight it together and that comforts you, but...
>But you're not sure you're ready.
>What if you fail?
>Worse, what if you succeed and you have to...leave?
>If the Miasma is destroyed and you're cured, it means you'll have to go back to work.
>You'll have to move back to Ponyville and pick up where you left off.
>Get your job back at the hardware store, go back to the one-bedroom apartment.
>Sure, you can think of worse things, but you're happy here. With the Princess.
>You're not so much scared of facing down this cosmic menace as you as scared of losing Luna.
>You climb out of bed, a bit crestfallen and make your way over to the washroom to splash some water on your face.

>You notice there's a stack of clothes sitting on the countertop, waiting for you.
>On top of it is a note, inscribed with the royal seal and neat, feminine penmanship.
>"Dearest Anon,
>"Please join Celestia and I at breakfast this morning. Horizon will show you the way."
>"With Grand Florish"
>"Luna."
>You smile and look over the clothes.
>It's a suit, dark blue.
>It also has a stick pin of a crescent moon that you slide into your lapel.
>You still have no idea how they managed to sew together clothing for you, but you quickly slip it on and leave Luna's sanctum.
>Horizon is at the door waiting for you.
>You exchange some tired nods in place of "Good Morning" and he leads you to the breakfast hall.
>The sun is shining gloriously through the tall windows and the murals and paintings on the walls seem to glow with life.
>The castle really is beautiful. You wouldn't mind living here once the Miasma is taken ca-
>Oh. You just made yourself sad.
>You try to tuck that thought away and put on a smile. Luna will want you to be strong.
>You both arrive at the dining room and Horizon opens the door for you, but doesn't follow you inside.
>You step in and see a small table overloaded with food, the princesses waiting on either side.
>Celestia is in a bathrobe and slippers, while Luna wears a nightgown.
>You suddenly feel overdressed.
>As you saunter over to the breakfast table, Luna spots you and practically drops her teacup in excitement.
>"Anon! There you are, you sleepy boy!"
>She rises from the table and holds you a moment.
>She almost knocks you over as she skids to a stop right in front of you.
>Luna buries her nose into your chest a bit and breathes deeply.
>You peck her on the head with a kiss.
>You look up to see Celestia is looking at the both of you, stupefied.
>She'd been pouring a glass of juice into a glass, and in her distracted state it overflows from the glass and onto the table.
>Apparently Luna hasn't told her yet.

>Luna breaks the hug and urges you to sit down.
>The plates of food are stacked so high you can barely see the sisters, you have to lean a bit to actually have a conversation.
>Celestia's eyes are closed as she dunks her teabag into a steamy cup of hot water.
>Before you have a chance to grab anything, Luna floats a waffle onto your plate for you with her aura.
>"We are most glad you could join us, Anon. I hope the ward was sufficient."
"It was. Not as powerful as the last one, but good enough to last the rest of the night."
>Your head tingles from yesterday's festivities. Perhaps you overdid it on the cider.
>You try not to let Luna baby you, getting your own butter and syrup for the waffle.
>The elder sister interjects, taking a moment to get a word in edgewise.
>"I see you two have been making progress."
"I would say so, your highness. I've learned a lot from your sister in the past two days."
>She nods very slightly, almost so slightly it barely registers.
>Hmm, something's wrong. Celestia is normally very regal, but also very enthusiastic and cheerful.
>You really hope you haven't exchanged the ire of one sister for another.
>Luna's stares the other day were intimidating, but to invoke the scorn of the sun goddess?
>You just hope you don't end up becoming the bacon at the next brunch.
>Do ponies even eat bacon? Probably not.
>Okay, botched joke, Anon, move on.
>Luna decided to back you up.
>"Anonymous and I will attempt to destroy the Miasma as soon as we devise a plan."

>"Good. It will be nice to return to some normalcy, won't it?"
>You cringe. It doesn't sound like there's a plan to keep you here if the Miasma is destroyed.
>When the Miasma is destroyed.
>It sounds like you've overstayed your welcome.
>Or maybe it's the fact you got drunk and boned her little sister last night.
>Yeah, that's probably it.
>You look over the table at Luna, who looks just as worried as you.
>She looks back at Celestia a moment before returning to you and shrugging.
>"I have need of some materials in the library. After breakfast, let's retrieve them, shall we?"
>That sounds good. Maybe you and Luna can talk privately about Celestia's mood then.
>You stuff your face with a croissant and take a gulp of orange juice.
>The food is so nice here, you'll miss it when you have to leave.
>The three of you continue your breakfast in relative silence.
>You eat quickly, eager to get out from under Celestia's intimidating presence.
>When you're finished, Luna and you rise from the table, but Celestia stays seated.
>"Anonymous, would you mind staying behind a few moments? I would like to be kept abreast of this whole situation."
>She loudly sips her coffee without looking you in the eye. She's glaring at Luna.
>You look to Luna, you nods at you. She trusts you, or more importantly, trusts her sister.
"Of course, your majesty."
>"I'll go on ahead, Anon. Meet me in the Starswirl the Bearded Wing, will you?"

>Luna leaves the room and now it's just you and Celestia.
>She rises and goes to the window, where the sun shines down on her angelic face.
>She stands perfectly still, a thousand-yard stare freezing her glassy eyes in place.
>You have to admit, you're somewhat scared as she smolders.
>The Princess is known for her kindness and compassion, but you can tell you might have pushed her too far.
>You decide to be amicable, hoping that will take the edge off.
"Your majesty?"
>"What is it, Anon?" she says, almost in annoyance.
"Thank you very much for all your hospitality these past few days. I truly appreciate all your help."
>"It seems you've made yourself more than comfortable."
"Huh?"
>Shit. She sounds pissed.
>"You and my sister have gotten very, very comfortable one another, have you not?"
"Your majesty, I-I..."
>"YOU WHAT, ANON?" She's yelling now.
>You tremble. The most powerful being in all of Equestria is angry at you and you are genuinely rife with fear.
"I love your sister."
>"DO YOU?!"
"YES! OF COURSE!"
>"THEN EXPLAIN THIS!"
>Celestia retrieves a small object as if from nowhere, lifting it into the air and hurling it at your feet
>It's a small, leather-bound book.
>Hey, wait a minute, that's your journal!

>Why in the hell did Celestia have it? You've been looking for it everywhere!
>She's the last pony you expected to be stealing your things.
>You're angry, but you're too wound up to question why she would have it.
>You pick it up off the floor, eyeing her suspiciously.
>You don't understand what she even means by that.
>The journal flops open to the last entry.
>What's the big deal? There are only a few notes and your sketch
>Your sketch of Luna.
>...the one you accidentally crossed out.
>The big, greasy smear cuts the image of Luna's likeness in two, tearing at the weak parchment.
>Suddenly, you see.
"Princess, no...you misunderstand."
>She spins around to you and you can see the fire in her eyes.
>"Exactly what do I misunderstand, Anonymous? Are you using her for a cure, or maybe just for the sex? Please, I implore you, tell me where I've erred!"
"Your Majesty, I swear it. It was a mistake. I was sketching and I my hand jumped the page."
>She doesn't say anything, but her eyes are still highly accusing. She's not backing down.
"Princess, I love your sister. I would never use her. Not for sex. Not for a cure. Not for anything. I'd rather suffer with these nightmares for the rest of my life than hurt her."
>She softens at that and you can see her take a step back in confusion.
>You aren't sure how, but you can feel her scanning you for a crack in your armor, some clue that you're just lying to get out of trouble.
>She won't find one.
>Her knees go weak and she buckles to the floor in anguish.
>You rush over and go to your knees,
"Princess?! Are you all right?"

>She's crying.
>Surprisingly, she lets you help her back upright and blinks away tears.
>You back up a few steps once she's standing again.
>You're not sure how to feel. You just made the most important pony in all of Equestria cry.
>That's gotta be against the law.
>"Anonymous, please forgive me. My little sister is precious to me."
>You shrug.
"I can see why you're upset. But I also want you to believe me when I say I'd never use Luna."
>"I can see that now. Again, Anonymous, I am sorry to have raised my voice at you."
>You extend your hand to shake.
>She smiles warmly, her face still stained with tears, but extends her hoof.
>You shake it firmly, yet delicately.
>After the two of you drop it, you hang your head in reconciliation.
"I'm sorry too."
>"Anonymous, please, you have nothing to apologize for."
"Yes, I do. You invited me to the safety of your home, offered to help me find a cure and I respond by worming my way into your family inside of two days."
>"Well, I think I know of a way you can make it up to me."
>Uh oh. You're afraid you may not be able to deliver on that.
>You look up curiously, only to see her face is beaming brightly again, smiling good-naturedly.
>"Treat my sister well. Heaven knows she deserves to be loved."
>You nod, you can absolutely do that.
>You sigh in relief and hug the big sun horse suddenly.
>She huffs a little bit, perhaps in surprise, but not in anger.
>She curls a wing around you in a hug of her own.
"All that and more, your royal highness."
>She chuckles and then releases you, but begins prodding you toward the door with her wing.
>"Now, go. Don't keep her waiting."
>You bow again before practically running toward the door.

>It isn't a long walk to the library. Horizon, like always, shows you the way.
>You enter the library, skulking around the shelves looking for Luna.
>There are enough ancient books here to give Twilight girl wood.
>The shelves tower over you, hundreds if not thousands of years worth of knowledge bearing down on either side.
>Eventually, though, you happen to wander into the right aisle.
>The Princess is scanning the shelves, craning her head up at the many tomes.
>Luna looks up at hearing the sound of your footsteps and beckons you over.
>"There you are. What did my sister want?"
>Shit. Do you tell her? You want to be honest, but you're not sure you should sell Celestia out like that.
>You take your notebook out of your back pocket and hold it up.
"Oh, um, Celestia found my journal."
>It isn't the whole story, but it's not exactly a lie, either.
>Luna beams. "Oh, splendid! I knew it would turn up."
"Yeah..."
>Luna tilts her head at you curiously. "Was there something else?"
>Shit. You can't say no, because she'll know you're lying, but.
"She just wanted to make sure I'm treating you well."
>Again, you aren't lying, just not telling the whole story.
>The Moon Princess smiles a bit and perks up.
>"Celestia has always been very protective of me. I am sorry if she pressured you."
"Not really."
>Okay, that one was a lie, but you quickly divert to another subject.
"What did you find about the Miasma?"

>Luna takes the book she's been hiding in the crook of her wing and opens it before you.
>It's dusty as hell and the pages look like they'd snap off it you touched them, so Luna turns them by magic.
>The writing isn't in English, hell, it's not in any language you've ever seen before.
>But there are diagrams and symbols.
>Oh, good, picture books. Your favorite.
>She finally lands on a specific page and stops.
>"Look familiar?"
>You peer closer and on the yellowing page you see a large circle that has spines along it's circumference. A dragon appears to be wrapped around it.
>It's a crude drawing, but you have a feeling you know what it is. The Miasma of Kur.
>"Yes, now look at this."
>She points down the page, your eyes skipping over all the gibberish before coming upon another symbol.
>There are two symbols, connected by an arrow. A moon with a very thin crescent and then a blank circle.
"Can you read any of this?"
>She nods modestly. "I can."
"What does it say?"
>"It says 'The great dragon of Kur can only be slain when the moon is renewed in the sky.'"
>You frown. You're completely out of your depth. You sort of wish Twilight was here.
>"Anonymous, I believe it means we can only fight the Miasma when the old moon is turning into the new moon."
>Okay, yeah, that makes sense.
"When is the next old moon?"
>Luna cringes at you. "Tonight, Anonymous."
>Crap.
>There isn't any time to prepare.
>You had hoped for at least a few days to get ready.
>"We have to do this tonight. Otherwise we'll be waiting another twenty-nine-point-five-three-zero-five-nine days to have another shot at it."
"You could have just said thirty."
>Luna shrugs. "I like to be precise."

>So that's it then. Tonight is the night. You could be headed back to Ponyville as early as tomorrow.
>Back to the hardware store.
>Back to the one-bedroom apartment.
>Back to boredom.
>Sure you'll be nightmare free, but, is that any good without Luna?
>You shift uncomfortably as she continues to study the book.
>She notices your distress and looks up, closing the book and setting it down.
>She takes a few step toward you and nuzzles your neck affectionately, giving it little kisses.
>"Is something wrong, Anonymous?"
>You try to play it off, but she looks worried, so you decided to come clean.
"I don't want to leave."
>"What?"
>You rub your shoulder and look away, unsure of how to explain this.
"If we cure ourselves tonight, is there any reason for me to stay in Canterlot anymore? Is that the end of...us?"
>She scans you up and down a moment, as if trying to make sure you're serious.
>"Anonymous, are you saying you wish to stay here...with me?"
>You nod profusely, which makes her smile.
>Oh god, you love that smile.
>"I would never send you away, Anon. You shall be by my side, before, during and AFTER we deal with this wretched star."
>Relief floods your body like a warm wave.
"Really?!"
>"Yes, really. The castle could use another window-washer."
>Your face falls as your excitement turns to dread.
>The Moon Princess giggles a bit and begins to nibble your neck again. "Kidding, Anonymous. Kidding."

>You and Luna pour yourself over the book for several hours.
>Lunchtime comes and goes, with Horizon bringing you both some sandwiches from the kitchen.
>But eventually the studying begins to take it's toll
>You managed to figure out this much so far:
>The Miasma must be destroyed during the dream of the dreamer.
>The Miasma can only be destroyed as the old moon becomes a new moon.
>No conventional weapon can destroy it; it must be done by spell.
>A spell that is conveniently located in the book.
>After a long silence, you decide to stand and stretch.
"It seems pretty straightforward, doesn't it? All we have to do is fall asleep tonight and cast it, right?"
>Luna closes the book and sighs. "Such a spell has not been performed for several hundred years, Anonymous. It will be risky."
"Risky how?"
>"I will enter your dream as you fall asleep. We'll both be dreaming together. But that spell requires me to draw power from my real, sleeping form, not my dream-self. If I misfire, there's a chance I may not wake up."
>Oh.
>You practically leap to her and grab her into a hug.
"There's no way I'm going through with this then. It's too dangerous!"

>She presses you away a bit, like trying to settle down a slobbering dog.
>"Anonymous, it's okay. I want to do this."
"No! I can't let you end up hurting yourself! We can find another way."
>The Moon Princess looks at you expectantly, almost disappointed.
>"Anonymous, we both know there isn't another way."
>You clench your fists in rage.
>You want to argue, but she's right.
>You open your mouth again, to protest, but you can't think of anything to say.
>It's either the both of you beat this thing or one of you dies.
>A moment later you feel the warm embrace of her feathery wings, as she pulls you close.
>"Anonymous, you know that I love you, yes?"
>You bury your head in her wings and nod, trembling.
>"To love is to sacrifice for the ones we cherish."
>You look up, wanting to dissuade her, but she only smiles back at you again.
>You can see there is no convincing her otherwise. This is what she wants.
>Her wings glide off your shoulders and adjust themselves back at her sides.
>She spins around, the book under her wing and begins a trot toward the door.
>"Come, Anonymous. I believe we've had our fair share of dusty books and bad thoughts. Let's go do something fun."

>You can't even remember the last time you had ice cream.
>It was probably before you left earth.
>Luna, yet again, proved to be right. You both needed a break.
>She's right an awful lot. Not that you mind.
>The both of you are sitting on the patio, overlooking the main courtyard.
>The sun is out, the gardens look beautiful and the ice cream is delicious.
>So why do you feel like crap?
>Ever watchful over your thoughts, Luna speaks up.
>"Anonymous, you're letting it melt all over your hands!"
>You look down to see the treat in your hand beginning to wilt under the sunlight.
>You shake your hand off and commence eating again.
"Sorry, was just thinking."
>Luna takes a lick of her own ice cream cone before answering.
>"I know. But rest assured, Anonymous. I am confident we will succeed."
"Yeah, I know you are. I'm just worried."
>She scoots a little closer to you on the bench, resting her head on your shoulder.
>"We have a few hours before I raise the moon. Let's try to have fun, okay?"
>You wrap your free hand around her waist and hug her as you both look out over the gardens.
>You smile as you take a deep breath of fresh air and inhale another dollop of ice cream.
"Okay, you're right."
>"I could get used to hearing that."
>She taps her ice cream cone against yours, as the two trade a bit of flavor.
>When you finish, she rises from the bench and goes over to the bannister.
>"Shall we play a game?"
>You look up from your ice cream and cock your head.
"A game? What kind?"
>She flicks her nose over toward a large thicket of bushes in the distance.
>"Maybe you'd care to chase your beloved princess through the royal hedgemaze?"

>The both of you near the entrance of the maze and you have to crane your neck to see the top of the bushes
>"I'll take a ten second head start, then you can follow me in."
"You're so going down."
>You can feel a bit of competitiveness well up inside you as you loosen up.
>You're starting to have fun again.
>"We shall see about that" says your lover, half defiantly, half playfully.
>Luna readys herself, leaning back on her haunches before lunging forward, galloping at top speed.
>It isn't long before she disappears beyond the bend of the maze, completely out of site.
>You close your eyes and begin to count.
>But while you do you can feel all the weight in your chest fall away.
>The Miasma might have to be defeated soon, very soon.
>But at least you have her. At least you can both savor the time with one another.
>When you hit 10, you run full tilt, as fast as your legs will carry you, into the maze.
>You round the first corner and see that the maze splits into two forks. Left and right.
>"Oh, whatever shall Poor Anonymous do?"
>Her voice is nearby, taunting you.
>It sounds like it came from the right, so you bolt in that direction
>You wander down the narrow paths, every so often hearing the flitter of leaves in the bushes behind you
>But everytime you turn around, there's no sight of Luna.
>Damn, she's good at this.

>"Oh, poor Anonymous. What's wrong? Not crafty enough to find your princess?"
>You growl a bit. You know she's teasing, but it still kind of stings your pride.
>You're so gonna let her have it when you catch up.
>You begin to stalk now, quietly moving along the rows of shrubbery
>Peering around corners with care, you scan for Luna.
>Suddenly, you catch something
>A flash of blue dashes across the corridor you're in.
>You immediately take off after it, heels fighting for traction in the soft soil.
>You see Luna's flank wagging at you about a hundred feet away, bouncing as she charges away
>You're not sure if she didn't on purpose, but hey, you don't care.
>You stick with her, even as she makes attempts to shake you by suddenly sidestepping into a new hallway
>The fact she knows the layout so well is testament to how out of your depth you are, but you press on.
>Soon, she tilts corner and you're very close to catching her, maybe only about 30 feet.
>You smirk as you know that she'll have to mess up sometime and when she does, you'll be ready.
>She takes the corner first, but you're only seconds behind
>As you come out of the bend you find a dead end.
>Luna is nowhere to be found.
>Perplexed you march down the short corridor, studying the walls for side paths
>But a quick search reveals nothing.
>She vanished. Evaporated through the walls.
>You throw your hands up in frustration.

>You hear a giggle behind you.
>Whirling, you spin about only to see her by the corner you both just turned, grinning and shaking her head.
>You take one step forward before she peels off again.
>"Oh, come now, Anonymous. Surely those two legs of yours can carry you faster than that!"
>She calls back to you, a tremor of joy in her voice.
>You ease up a bit when you realize she's enjoying herself. She's having fun.
>Catching up to her is a challenge, but you sort of want this to last forever.
>Just you and her, enjoying this game of cat and mouse, mad for one another.
>You begin to huff and puff as your stamina tapers off.
>Well, at least you're finally getting that cardio in.
>You eventually get to the point where if you dove, you might be able to snag her tail.
>She looks behind her and sees you gaining rapidly, only to burst into a fit of giggles and laughter.
>She anxiously flaps her wings though and begins to take off, hovering above you, well out of grasp.
"Hey! That's cheating!"
>"Cheating?! I haven't cheated, I'm just...circumventing the rules slightly."
>You cross your arms and look up at her expectantly.
>It doesn't take long for your disapproving gaze to take affect as she rolls her eyes and floats down to the ground.
>"Oh, all right."

>When she touches the ground, it's right in front of you. She's flushed and breathing a little heavy.
>You both just stand there, sweating and panting, grinning like retards at one another.
>But before she can react, you stick out a single finger and press it against the bridge of her nose
"Gotcha."
>She crosses her eyes, looking at your finger before giving you a playful shove with her hooves.
>"Anonymous! You tricked me!"
"Yeah, well, then we're square."
>She places her hooves over your shoulders and hugs you burying her face in your neck.
>"Thank you, Anonymous. I haven't had such fun in...well..."
"A thousand years?"
>She nods solemnly before going back to nipping at your neck.
>You hold her close, draping a hand over her head while stroking her mane.
>"I could stay another thousand years here, Anonymous. With you."
"I think I could get used to that, too."
>She pulls back from you and nods happily.
>"It looks like you've burned off that ice cream. Let's go have some refreshments, shall we?"

>You're starting to recognize a pattern.
>The chefs of Canterlot Castle clearly do not fuck around.
>You're sure if you ordered a midnight snack, they'd send you back with a four course meal for eight.
>The "refreshments" Luna mentioned are no exception.
>The both of you are seated near the pool, reclining on chairs while the servants bring out a never-ending parade of iced tea and lemonade, cookies and little sandwiches.
>"So..." asks Luna, in between bites of an enormously large cookie. "What shall we do next?"
>You haven't really thought about it. The maze was fun but the miasma still creeps into your mind, infecting your smile.
>You want to be cheerful, though, so you play along.
"I'm not sure. Any ideas?"
>The answer is right in front of you. Luna gets up from her beach chair and glides over to the pool, scratching at the surface with her hoof.
>"Would you care to take a swim?"
"Aren't you supposed to wait thirty minutes or something?"
>She rolls her eyes at you. "Do you really believe such an old pony's tale?"
>You shrug
"I don't have a bathing suit."
>"A what?"
>Oh, that's right.  Equestria seems not to have gotten the memo on human swimming attire.
"Nevermind. Yeah, that sounds good."
>Luna smiles, happy that you've taken her suggestion.
>You rise from the chair and take off your clothes, but you decide to leave your underwear on.
>It's somewhat embarrassing, but Luna seems none the wiser, so you make your way over to the deep end of the pool, toward the diving board.
>A wicked idea crosses your mind and Luna's face falls--she probably anticipates what you intend.
>Without warning, you charge, being sure to let the diving board spring you up into the air.
>Once you're airborne, you tuck your legs in and hold them to your chest with your arms.
>A second later you hit the water with a loud smack.
>You surface a few moments later, only to see Luna standing by the edge of the pool, dripping wet from the splash
>She grits her teeth and barks at you
>"Anonymous! You did that on purpose!"

"Yeah, I know. It's called a cannonball."
>Her scowl turns into a half-hearted smirk. She can't stay mad at you for long.
>With a flick of her magical prowess, she unlatches her breastplate and kicks off the sabatons on her hooves.
>You tread the water, watching her.
>There's nothing particularly sexual about it, but you do enjoy seeing her raw beauty.
>It's her turn to surprise you as she gets a running start from the edge of the pool and leaps.
>A wave catches you in the face and you take a moment to rub your eyes
>When you open them, she's right next to you, bobbing like a cork to stay afloat.
>You spit out the mouthful of water you inhaled when she jumped in at her.
>"Goodness, Anonymous. Have I started courting a brute?"
"Is that a problem?"
>She blushes a moment, even in the coolness of the pool. "Not exactly."
"Just an hour ago you said you were having fun with me."
>"I am!"
>You shake your head and begin to swim to the far edge of the pool.
>You prop yourself up on the side of the pool and sit down, your legs still in the water.
>Luna follows you at a distance, looking a little concerned.
>"You're still worried, aren't you?"
>There's no hiding it from her. She probably doesn't need to read your mind to know you're nervous.
"Can you blame me? I'm afraid."
>She swims over and lays her head on your legs as you churn the water.
>"I am too, Anonymous. But trust me when I say I will protect you."
>You aren't worried about yourself. You're worried about losing her.
>Luna herself begins to climb out of the pool bristling in refreshment.
>A servant brings the two of you towels and you both begin to dry off.
"Luna?"
>"Yes, Anonymous?"
"There is something I'd like to do today."
>"Of course, Anonymous. Anything."

>The sunset bathes Luna's chambers in a magnificent orange glow.
>The both of you are laying on her bed, on top of the covers, cuddling.
>It may not have been the definition of "fun," but you wanted to be close to her
>Especially when you both might only have a few hours left.
>Your hand pets her thigh while she nuzzles your neck.
>She plants little kisses up and down your chin as you breathe in the sweet scent of her hair.
>Neither of you speak, just enjoying the pleasure of one another's proximity.
>She hums from time to time to sooth your conscience.
>You wish the sun would stay where it is, forever.
>It's a selfish thought and you know Celestia has a duty, but, you wince as you watch the shadows in the room grow longer.
>It's going to be night soon.
>Luna has yet to raise the moon, but you hold her closer, almost like if she left your side something really, really bad might happen.
>She takes your hand off her side with her hoof, placing down on the bed.
>"Anonymous, my duties. I must attend to the moon."
>You whine a bit as you let her go.
>She rises from the bed and walks comfortably out onto the balcony, casually and cooly.
>You follow in her wake, not content to be left alone.
>The last bits of sunlight are disappearing behind the mountains and the sky glows pink.
>Luna doesn't even look intimidated, you can tell she's done this done this literally a hundred-thousand times before.
>You can actually see Celestia standing on one of the castle's bastions, her horn aglow in magic.
>When her task is completely, she looks up to where the both of you are standing.
>She's very far away, but you think you can see her smiling back at the both of you.

>She bows, as if turning over the sky to Luna.
>The glow of the mountains fades away, leaving behind a hazy, starless sky.
>Luna's horn begins to emanate with bright magic and soon, you can seen the heavenly orb that is the moon ascend into the firmament
>You don't think you could ever tire of watching such a thing.
>For a moment, all your troubles leave you as you watch her work, like an artist in front of her easel.
>The stars slowly fade into existence, growing in strength.
>Luna shows no signs of strain as she effortlessly paints the starscape.
>The moon rapidly gains height, floating into the air like a wafer.
>Before long, she is done with her work and you can only stare up and gawk in wonderment.
"That's...amazing."
>She chuckles. "Oh, this old trick? It's nothing special."
"Bullshit. This is incredible!"
>She cows her head, as if she suddenly remember something unpleasant. "If only more ponies thought like you, Anonymous. I'd be a much happier princess."
>Her eyes grow misty, but she swallows and soon, she is recomposed again, the regal Princess of the Night once more.
>You reach across her back and hold her close as you both admire her work.
>An old poem starts to come to mind and without thinking, you begin to recite it.
"Let us go then, you and I,
When evening is spread out across the sky,
Like a patient etherized upon a table.
Let us go, through half deserted streets
The muttering retreats,
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster shells."

>"Did you write that, Anonymous?"
>You laugh and shake your head.
"No, some dead guy did. I don't remember his name."
>"He wrote the poem after he died?!"
"No! Fuck, you know what I meant."
>Luna leans on your shoulder and sighs in contentment. "It's still nice. I like it."
>You know the both of you have work to do, but you both just sit there, drinking in the night for a few minutes.
>Crickets chirp, you hear the train whistle in the distance again, but otherwise, all is calm and serene.
>It really is beautiful. How could anyone sleep through this?
>She's probably asked herself that question a lot
"I had fun today, Luna."
>She grins. "I am glad, Anonymous. I did as well. We shall have many more days like it, I predict."
"If we get this thing right."
>She doesn't respond.
>You both look up into the sky again and see the moon is a sliver, a thin crescent of light.
>The Old Moon.
>The book said it needed to be in this final phase to attempt the spell.
>It's now or wait thirty agonizing, sleepless days.
>You can feel your heart in your throat, but you realize it has to be this way.
>Luna buries her head in your shoulder and gives you a push, prodding you back inside.
>"It's time, Anonymous. We should begin."
>You know she's right and nod dutifully.
>"Let us go over our plan once more, just to be exact."
"Sounds like a good idea."

>"Firstly, You shall fall asleep and begin the nightmare. Once it has started, I shall enter your mind and join you there."
>Sounded like as good a start as any.
>"We shall then cast a ward for our own personal safety. As the Miasma falls from the sky, we will destroy it with the spell outlined in the book. After all is said and done, we wake up and return to our lives as normal."
>That's all there really was to it.
>It was a simple plan, not really anything complicated.
>And yet, it seemed like so much could go wrong.
>"Are you ready to sleep, Anonymous?" Luna asks you with a touch of concern in her voice.
>You can tell that she's slightly scared too, but she's going through with it anyway.
>That makes your soul grow a bit stronger.
>"I think so."
>As if to confirm that, you yawn unintentionally, exhausted by the days events and from your lack of sleep.
>It feels weird, having to fall asleep to do something important.
>Luna floats over a glass of what looks like watery milk and puts it into your hand.
"What's this?"
>"A sleeping tonic. It'll help ensure you sleep deeply enough to keep the dream stable."
>You swear that you've seen a movie like this back on Earth, but can't remember the name
>Eh, fuck it.
>You drink the concoction, noting that it tastes sort of chalky.
>But you finish it off put it on the table, climbing into Luna's bed and laying on your back.
>She follows you in and assumes the same position next to you, sliding her hoof into your hand.
>"It shall all be fine, Anonymous. Believe in me."
"I'll try."

>Suddenly you feel as if you've been hit by a freight train.
>Your body aches with the need for sleep.
>The tonic she gave you seems to have taken hold quickly.
>Your eyelids are heavy and you feel as though you can't lift your head off the pillow.
>"I'll see you there, Anonymous."
>You can barely nod as your body seems to sink deeper and deeper into the plush down of the bed.
>There's no going back now.
>Your eyelids come to a rest on your upper cheeks and soon, you can feel the inky blackness of sleep closing in around you.

>You're on your back, looking up into breathtakingly clear night sky.
>The fields of grass whisper and giggle softly all around you.
>In the back of your mind, this would all be so peaceful, if you didn't know what was going to happen next.
>You turn to your side to notice you're alone once more.
>Luna is gone.
>You stand up, like you always do, and brush the dirt off your pants.
>Everything is playing out like it normally does, from the sounds of the grass to the alignment of the stars in the sky.
>Even the temperature in the air, all the same.
>You hear a rustling in the tall grass behind you and turn to look
>Luna walks toward you at a leisurely trot.
>She's even more regal here, in her element.

>You shake your head. "Not long."
>"Good. Let us get started. Time is of the essence."
>You look to the mountains in the East, all capped with snow.
>They begin to glow a pale orange and once again, you foolishly attempt to convince yourself that the sun is rising.
>You hear Luna's horn begin to hum with magic and look over to see it's sparking like crazy.
>In the next instant, a large dome forms over the two of you.
>The two of you are encapsulated in the glossy film, which hardens and shimmers like a gem.
>It's like standing inside a really big bubble.
>Her horn is still glowing, even as the protective sphere stops growing
>The lights from the East grow brighter and plumes of smoke begin to rise from the mountaintops.
>Sure enough, flames are rising into the night sky, polluting the air with acrid dust
>You take an instinctive step closer to Luna and she furls a wing around you.
>The both of you crane your necks to look up at the night sky and see a star come racing down from it's rightful place, dropping toward the planet like a rock.
>Neither of you can do anything as you watch it helplessly tumble, leaving a bright streak across the otherwise peaceful sky
>It disappears beyond the mountain range and for the next few seconds, all return to quiet again.
>You know what comes next.

>You silently hold out hope that the glass dome will keep out the sounds.
>And for a few seconds, you feel as though you might get your wish.
>But that would be too easy, too merciful.
>You can hear a crash so loud it seems to shake the bubble, ripples forming around your protective shell
>What sounds like the roar of an ocean wave or a billion insects flapping their wings rises out of the once-tranquil night
>Ponies screaming, ponies dying.
>You try to cover your ears again, just like last time.
>And just like last time, it is to no avail.
>You feel the coolness of Luna's hoof at your hand
>She points upwards with her muzzle, motioning for you to look up.
>You take aim at the sky, knowing full well what you'll see.
>And there it is, an enormous blood red star, hovering in the sky like a festering wound.
>You stand there, transfixed, unable to look away.
>A dark energy flows around it in a snake-like river of hateful magic.
>It almost looks like...a dragon.
>The ground begins to shift beneath your feet and Luna calls out to you.
>"Anonymous! Are you ready!?"
>But you can't turn your head to look at her. You're stupefied.
>You want to answer her, but your lips are cracked and dry.
>You feel fear and desperation and terror.
>The blood in your veins is turning into ice.
>"Anonymous! Can you hear me?!"

>All you can do is stare up at the star as it pulses.
>That is until you feel Luna tackle you, knocking you to the ground.
>"Anonymous, snap out of it!"
>The wind is knocked out of you as you brush yourself off and stand back up.
>Wow, she really trucked you.
"I'm ready. Let's do this."
>She turns her attention to the moon, which looks like it's on it's last legs.
>You can see one tiny last sliver of light on the moon's edge, as if hanging on desperately for dear life.
>The New Moon is on it's way.
>"Anonymous, the time is now! We must act!"
>Another falling star lands beyond the mountains, shaking the ground as the field of green begins to fissure and pop.
>You take a few steps towards her, only to stop in your tracks at the sight.
>Luna horn begins to glow with light, her hooves planted firmly in the cracking soil.
>It begins to glow a shade of blue you've never seen before.
>Her mane flies outward like a gust of wind just blew past her and her eyes begin to glow with power.
>"Begone, hateful dragon! This is MY night, NOT YOURS!"
>She grits her teeth and a beam of light shoots from the tip of her horn with the speed of a bullet.
>You watch as the magical laser climbs quickly into the sky, arcing upwards in flight, a ribbon of blue sailing into the air.
>You stand there, watching, wishing you could do more. You feel like an idiot, but you don't want to interfere.
>As the both of you watch the streak of blue, it seems to make contact with the star, punching into it like some ethereal fist.
>The star lurches as the beam of blue touches down.
>Holy shit, she's going to try to move a star?
>Luna's entire body is rigid and unmoving.
>Her eyes are trained on the sky above, every muscle in her body pulled taut, her horn aflame with magic.
>The physical exertion needed to cast magic like this must be indescribable.
>You can see her start to sweat as she pours every bit of her magic into this one spell.

>You can see sparks where her magic and the star's aura are doing battle.
>But to your horror, the miasma seems to do what it's done every night before then.
>It begins to fall toward the planet, pressing down, despite Luna's spell.
>Luna's hooves grind at the dirt as she's pushed back almost a full foot.
>Damn, it isn't working!
>"Gah, hateful omen! You SHALL OBEY YOUR PRINCESS!"
>Luna's voice booms with volume, suddenly deep and boisterous
>She grits her teeth and the blue beam grows in intensity, getting wider, spilling out of her horn faster
>You look up to the star again, but and see it move back ever so slightly.
>But only a handful of seconds later, the star continues its downward path, fighting against her spellcraft.
>Luna screams out in pain as the star continues to fall and in your worry, you begin to reach out a hand.
>"Anonymous! No! Don't touch me!" she barks angrily, without looking at you.
>You recoil, hurt, but understanding. She needs all the concentration she can get
>You just wish you could do something instead of standing there, useless.
>Luna continues to struggle, now pumping everything she has into the aura, wrestling with the star.
>Her breathing has gone heavy and she looks exhausted, her beautiful mane sticks to her face in sweaty clumps.
>Every so often, she screams out in pain or frustration.
>"BEGONE! LOATHESOME ABOMINATION! I AM YOUR MASTER. YOU WILL HEED ME!"

>Luna, against all your expectations, tries to triple up on her efforts.
>The beam grows even stronger, swiftly carrying itself up to the star where it crashes so hard you can see it move.
>"I WON'T LET YOU HAVE HIM! HE'S MINE!"
>The blue-hued horse begins to slide along the ground, the soil being torn up around her feet
>The stars continue to fall all around you, but here you are inside your little bubble.
>Still, it begins to grow hot and the glass of your safe haven is showing signs of wear.
>She can't possibly hold up at this rate, can she?
>The miasma, in it's perch in the sky, begins to roar down a third time, besting Luna again.
>One of Luna's legs finally gives way.
>She falls to the ground under the great weight of the star
>Somehow, she manages to keep the spell going as she roars out in the most agonizing sound you've ever heard.
>God damnit, she's dying!
>You instinctively go to her and wrap your arms about her neck, checking her for injuries.
"Luna! Are you okay?"
>Soon, you can feel the sheer weight of the miasma bear down on you, as if you were Luna herself.
>The alicorn turns her head in your direction and gives you an angry look.
>"Anonymous, no! I told you to stay back!"
"I'm not going to stand there and watch you die!"
>"Get away! Do you want to perish too?!

"I can't lose you!"
>Meanwhile, the star has taken advantage of your little moment.
>It seems to be outright ignoring Luna's beacon at this point as it falls out of the sky.
>Even inside your bubble, things begin to get hot and red.
>If it weren't for the shield, you would probably be wasting away
>"Anon, go!
>You tighten your grip, holding fast to her withers in defiance.
"No! I don't want to wake up without you!"
>Luna's stern decorum falls and softens.
>Even as the world around you is torn asunder, she blushes.
>You bring a hand to her cheek and she smiles.
"Don't do this for me. Do this for us!"
>She puts on a brave look and stands as you help her to her hooves.
>She takes a deep breath and then casts again, this time, yelling at the top of her voice.
>But it isn't in pain, it's in rage. Her eyes are full of ardor.
>This thing has threatened to take her away from you.
>And that is something you can clearly see she will not abide.
>The arc is more powerful than the last three combined as it swings up to the quickly approaching star.
>It seems to take up your entire view now, it's gotten so close.
>You're there, at her side and start yelling alongside her.
>To your surprise, the arc only gets larger with the addition of your own voice.
>The ground around you splits upon and hisses angrily with hot steam.
>As it climbs toward the hot and heavy, the aura slams into the star with such force, it cracks.
>Holy crap.
>The star's speed grows to a standstill and you watch as it begins to splinter.
"It's working!"
>The both of you yell as loud as you both can do and the small sun actually begins to reverse!
>Holy crap, you're moving a fucking star!
>"AS THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT, I BANISH YOU!"

>The star begins to dim and flicker and it cracks, like the shell of a hard-boiled egg.
>And in the next instant, it's being hurled upward at an astonishing speed.
>Luna grunts and yells as it gains more and more height as she attempts to throw it from the atmosphere.
>What was once a mammoth, intimidating behemoth is getting smaller and smaller before your eyes
>It dwindles more and more, until suddenly you realize that it's hard to see.
>A last flash of red twinkles in it's wake before it disappears into the black of space.
>Forever.
>The sphere around you finally gives way, shattering like a window and falling into a heap of glass.
>The fires in the distance cool.
>The screams die on the wind.
>The ground ceases to crumble and soon, the seas of grass start to giggle in the light breeze.
>Holy shit.
>She did it!
>Your very first thought is to hold Luna, and you do.
>Oh god, do you.
>The two of you just stay there for a moment, laughing out in joy.
>You both fall onto your backs, panting in exhaustion, stretched out on the now-soft soil.
"That was incredible, Luna! It's gone!"
>She chuckles.
>"Anonymous?"
"Yeah?"
>"Let's wake up now, okay?"

>You and Luna promptly spend the next few days in bed.
>Both catching up on month's worth of sleep and god knows what else.
>The argument you and Celestia had gone through seemed to have cooled.
>Luna's older sister seemed glad that you both were well again.
>You think she may still have been a little uncomfortable with the idea of you and Luna together, but if she did, she never acted on it.
>Sometimes you thought about going back to Ponyville, to the hardware store and your one-bedroom apartment.
>But it wasn't really the place for you anymore.
>Luna quickly found accommodations for you at the castle, not that you needed the upgrade from the guestroom.
>You were charged with helping Luna study sleep and dreams from thereon, helping to further the practice of oneirology.
>Or at least, that's what you told the many faces who asked what a human was doing in Canterlot.
>Twilight would still come to visit, saying she missed you, but glad you were doing better.
>You missed her too, of course.

>On one particularly calm evening, a few weeks later, you crept out onto Luna's balcony.
>There she was, in all her splendor, gleaming like the moon.
>Sensing you, she brought herself about and grinned at you.
>"Anonymous, you're up late."
"I couldn't sleep."
>Her face turned to dread, heavy like a stone.
>"You don't mea-"
>You wave her off, chuckling.
"No, no. Nothing like that. Just couldn't sleep."
>The relief on her face is palpable.

>"So what did keep you up?"
"You."
>"Is that so?"
"It is."
>"Pray tell, Anonymous."
>You move over the railing and lean on it, peering out at yet another miraculously beautiful night.
"I dunno. Was just thinking about how I could get used to this. To us."
>She joins you at the railing and places a hoof over your hand.
>"That's good. Because I can too."
>You both turn your attention to the immaculate night sky, no terrors to be found.
>You feel her lean her head onto your shoulder and you grin.
>Yeah, you could get used to this.