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Disclaimer: I don't own My Little Pony; Hasbro and Lauren Faust do. I don't even 'own' Princess Luna - Hasbro and Lauren do - though I wish she was here with me now. Please don't sue me for wishing to befriend a lonely pony princess...

Princess Luna and I

A rough something-or-other by Coranth Dehanae

The private bedroom of Princess Luna was decorated like the night sky, with dark blues and purples accented by moons and stars. Standing beneath an intricate fresco of the moon on the ceiling, a perfectly circular bed set in the dead center of the room, easily large enough to comfortably fit four alicorns her size. The walls were lined with the rest of the room's furniture: a fireplace, a vanity mirror, a set of dressers, a few tables, a bookcase, a door to a small exterior balcony, another door leading to a private bathroom and a writing desk. Everything somepony - or in this case, somepony and her human consort - would need to enjoy a quiet day's rest.

Currently, that's what she and I were doing - enjoying a quiet day's rest - before she had to attend to her nightly duties; in this case, the weekly Night Court. Lying there with her on her bed, as I gently placed a crème-covered raspberry into her open mouth, I couldn't help but ask her, "Why me, your Highness? Out of all the humans living on Earth, why did you choose to bring me here to Equestria?" At first, the Equestrian Princess to whom I was Consort did not answer. Instead, as she thoughtfully chewed and then swallowed down the delicious sweet I had provided her, she emitted a gentle sound of utmost pleasure. Then, at last she answered, "Because, David, you are not as... fanatical... as others would have been. You have no real desire to travel anywhere, or experience adventure.

It was your mind I touched that Nightmare Night, when the Veil between the stars was most thin. I recall that you... you were deeply saddened for me; you genuinely wanted only to bring me happiness. To be my friend, and perhaps... more..." Upon sifting through my thoughts for the first time when she'd transported me here, Princess Luna had indeed discovered those secret thoughts of mine and let me tell you, dear readers, her reaction had been... mixed... to say the least! A human and a pony? A human and a royal pony, together, as... lovers? Luna had been shocked and outraged at first but, as time had rolled on, those feelings had been replaced with flattery; it felt wonderful to be wanted, loved, and desired instead of despised, even if the one desiring her was of a different species.

Finally, deep within her mind Princess Luna allowed herself to feel a secret thrill of hidden arousal at the utterly taboo and scandalous nature of what I desired; of what she would one day offer to me. 'Here' she thought to herself as she accepted another sweet from me - a carrot stick dipped in the sweetest honey - 'is something nopony else has: a human of my very own who desires nothing more than my happiness...' Another thrill ran through her as she revelled in the fact that here was something her sister didn't have! 'And so long as I live, 'Tia won't ever have him,' she thought to herself. 'David is mine!' Soon, she was pulled from her thoughts as I gently ran a hand through her mane.

"Only when you are ready..." I murmured, carefully setting the plate of treats aside. A moment later, as she cuddled closer to me, Princess Luna laid her head upon my chest, blinking her teal eyes, her expression puzzled as she replied, "Pardon, my Consort? I was lost in thought for a moment..." With an affectionate smile, I moved my hand from her mane to scratch gently behind her ears; at this she slowly closed her eyes. "I'll bet you were" I replied. "Always have your head in the clouds, don't you, darling, eh? I said, we'll only take that next step when you're ready. For now, just to be here - and to have your friendship - is enough for me. It's more than I've ever dreamed of! Thanks for letting me stay here with you, too..."

Princess Luna smiled. "You are more than welcome, David," she said softly, "and thank you for being my friend when I had none." Inhaling softly, she made to continue talking; however, before she could say a word there came a heavy-hoofed knock upon her chamber doors. Upon hearing the sound, Luna heaved a weary sigh and then, a moment later, as I released her and she rolled to her front - casting upon me a Wreath of Invisibility - her entire expression changed; gone was my friend Luna and in her place there was the faux-bored expression of Princess Luna, Her Royal Highness of the Equestrian Diarchy. "Enter!" she barked, her tone suggesting that she'd said the word many, many times before.

No sooner had she spoken than the door was being gently pushed aside to allow a decidedly nervous-looking earth pony to enter the room. With his coat of pristine white hair, pale white-gold mane, gentle brown eyes, pair of glasses perched upon his snout and the image of an open book imprinted upon his left flank, Luna and I recognized him as Silent Quill, an aide to both Princesses. "Ma'am" he said to Luna nervously, "your sister asks that you attend Night Court in the Royal Courtroom in fifteen minutes. Her exact words were, 'Don't make me have the Guards drag you there.'" At his words, Luna heaved another weary sigh and at this, I reached out an invisible hand to her head to massage away a small stress headache.

A moment later, the Moon Princess pulled away from me to reply to Silent Quill, "Fine. Tell her I'll be there shortly..." Silent Quill nodded and then, with a gentle bow, he began to make his way out of the room. Just before he closed the great doors behind him, however, he softly asked, "Your highness, how is... ah...?" At his hesitant question, Princess Luna face-hoofed with an exasperated sigh, before she growled, " He is fine, as always. Now, for the love of Faust, get out of here!" Fearing her wrath, Silent Quill swiftly did just that, slamming the doors behind him in haste. Once he was gone, Luna dispelled the Wreath of Invisibility and then, with a frustrated groan, she made to rest her head gently upon my chest once more.

As she made herself comfortable and I began to soothingly stroke her head and neck, I couldn't help but let a chuckle escape me. Upon hearing the sound, my pony friend asked, "And what does my human find so amusing, hmm?" Her words only made me chuckle harder and at this, Princess Luna pouted and tapped my body playfully with a hoof. "Answer your Princess, Consort!" she said exasperatedly. Who was I to refuse her? "You really don't like Night Court, do you?" I responded as I kept up my soothing caresses of her head and neck. "No, dear David, I most certainly do not!" she replied, sighing wearily. _"I hate having to pander to the nobility as they bitch, moan, and complain about all the problems that supposedly need to be addressed now. _

Great Faust, have mercy! With the way they carry on you'd think that they couldn't even dress themselves without our help! Yes, I utterly hate Night Court and Celestia knows it; that's why she always sends Silent Quill to remind me. Well, we may as well get going, I suppose; time waits for no mare..." And with those words, she and I alighted from her bed and headed out onto the exterior balcony such that she and I could once again bear witness to perhaps the most incredible sight I'd ever seen, aside from herself of course. As I watched, Princess Luna slowly raised her head to peer into the twilight sky... And then, she flapped her wings open, her horn aglow with deeper magicks than most ponies could even dream of.

Slowly, stars began to wink into existence and the moon began its ascent into the evening sky. 'Damn... no matter how many times I see her do that, it's always awesome...' I thought to myself as I watched. Once she'd finished performing this most sacred duty, however, the moment was purposefully and utterly trashed when Luna turned to face me, a mischievous glint in her eye as she assumed the high-class stance and attitude of an air-headed noble! "Well, dahling," she said haughtily, "how does it look? Go on, tell me! Is the moon too low? Is there a star out of place?" Grinning with good humour, I assumed a 'thinker's pose' as I pretended to scrutinize the sky for faults.

"Hmmm..." I murmured with the voice of a stuffy upperclassman as I looked about, "no stars out of place. Constellations look fabulous. Moon is the right height, give or take a few degrees... No, I'd say that you've done a perfect job, as always. Smashing, dahling!" With that said Luna and I looked at each other for a moment... and then, we just couldn't take it anymore; leaning against each other we chuckled softly. Once we were able to get ourselves under control, Princess Luna and I headed back into her bedroom and then - after using a touch of magic to ensure her appearance was proper - the pony princess rendered me invisible once more. Then, together, she and I headed from her chambers to the Royal Court.

A slew of highly competent staff that answered first to the Princesses, and then to the rest of the Equestrian Ponies, handled much of the day-to-day bureaucracy of Equestria. Under the watchful eyes of Celestia and Luna, their staff handled the naturally vast amounts of paperwork - or in this case scrollwork - that came as part of ruling over the magical land of Equestria, meaning that the pony princesses directly handled only the most important affairs and matters of state. However, dear readers, the Equestrian Princesses weren't without duties of their own. In addition to overseeing the equestrian bureaucracy and administering to important matters of state, Celestia and Luna raised and set the sun and moon respectively each day and night.

Both Princesses also held regular courts wherein issues and problems with the running of the Principality could be addressed and dealt with directly. Of the Courts held there were three; the Day Court, presided over by Princess Celestia, the Court of Twilight presided over by both Princesses, and finally, the Court of Night over which Princess Luna presided. In short, dear readers... she hated it! Night Court could be summed up in a single honest word: boring. Were it not for me stroking and occasionally prodding her with an invisible hand, poor Princess Luna might have fallen asleep on the throne as she presided there that night. And were it not for her occasionally touching me with a gentle hoof, I might have fallen asleep, too as the equestrian nobility debated and politicked on, and on, and on...

It wasn't all bad, however; peace treaties were brokered, disputes were settled, and many nobles walked away with their problems solved or, failing that, a suitable compromise worked out between offending parties. When the time came near for her sister Celestia to raise the sun, however, Princess Luna had had enough, and as Night Court finally ended, she and I were out of the Royal Courtroom like a pair of impudent fillies racing away after making mischief! No sooner had we arrived back at her chambers then as we entered I took stock of her appearance and what I saw dear readers was not good. Poor Luna looked stressed and tired; her azure mane and pthalo-blue coat appeared frazzled and tatty, and there were 'raccoon rings' around her eyes.

There was, I knew, only one cure for this. "Arkham City?" I offered. At the question - as she lowered the moon such that her sister could raise the sun - the Moon Princess chuckled, a brief smile coming to her lips before she nodded and replied, "You know me too well, David. Yes, Arkham City. Run it for me, please." With those words, Luna finished her duty of lowering the moon and then cast a powerful Skein of Undoing at the large ornate desk resting along one wall of her chambers, making visible upon it one of the many things I had been allowed to bring to Equestria from Earth: my custom-built desktop computer system. Once the machine was completely visible, I booted the system up.

Then, when the Windows 7 desktop had appeared and all start-up programs had loaded - I immediately went to the Games folder on the machine wherein was the shortcut for one of mine, and now her, favourite games: 'Batman: Arkham City.' When I'd originally shown her the game, back when she'd brought the computer through the Veil for me, the Moon Princess had been horrified by the game's grim setting - the very idea of an entire city being used as a prison appalled her. Soon, however, as I'd taken her through the game she'd been unable to look away. The heroic Batman, aka. Bruce Wayne - with his martial combat abilities, sophisticated technology, tragic past and the ability to employ darkness itself as a weapon - had utterly enthralled her and, surprisingly her alter-ego Nightmare Moon.

Here, thought they, was a man - albeit a fictional one - who'd risen above his past to train himself to perfection in order to become a protector of the night. Once the game had loaded - after clicking my 'Games for Windows Live' Offline Profile such that the main menu appeared, I swiftly moved away from the machine so that she could take my place before it. Giving me a grateful smile, the Moon Princess moved to sit upon her haunches and then - via her magic - she smoothly manipulated keyboard and mouse to continue an already complete game such that she could free-roam about the city. As she played the game - tearing into huge gangs of thugs with Batman's varied abilities - I could literally see the stress of Night Court draining from her body.

"Thinking of the thugs as those Equestrian Nobles, hmm?" I murmured to her as she played. "Yes" she snarled, gritting her teeth as she made Batman perform a vicious 'ground pound' attack upon yet another hapless thug, "and as Batman I'm putting them in their place!" Yes, dear readers, by introducing her to my computer and its treasure trove of games, I'd had a 'corrupting' influence upon the Equestrian Night Princess; I'd quite simply turned her into a serious gamer! Several groups of thugs and three Riddler Challenge Maps later - during which she put the hurt on even more hapless thugs - Princess Luna finally quit the game and then opened her mouth in a jaw-cracking yawn.

"Well, my human" she said as she got to her feet, "it is time for me to share a meal with my sister; then, once I am done with that task I shall return here and together we will sleep." "She hasn't discovered that I'm here, has she?" I asked absently, moving to take her place at the Computer in order to check the Equinet. The Equinet, dear readers, was the equivalent of Earth's Internet, but - when compared to Earth's own globe-spanning World Wide Web - it paled in comparison. It was more an experimental thing - restricted to the 'modern' city of Canterlot for now - but with time it would definitely grow. Despite its small size, the Equinet already contained many websites equivalent to those I once visited on Earth.

Among them was FIMFiction.Net, the content of which was obvious; Equestria Daily, a site dedicated to the reporting of news from all over Equestria; the Celestial Sun, a site strictly dedicated to news from within Canterlot Castle; and even SoPony.com, the equivalent of SoFurry. After briefly glancing at the sites I was browsing through, Princess Luna gently shook her head as she replied, "No, David, she hasn't, but... heh, you know all-too-well what the Jokevine is like here in the Palace..." Then, a moment later her gentle laughter resounded throughout her chambers as I rested my head in my hands, a groan escaping me. "Gah... Don't remind me!" I responded.

"I'm the Royal Palace's best kept secret... meaning that everypony except Celestia knows about me. Truth is, I'm wondering why nopony has nickered in Celestia's ear, yet. You'd think a human being the Royal Consort of Princess Luna would be the world's biggest scandal, yet nopony seems to care..." When I finished speaking, something dark flickered within Princess Luna's teal eyes as for just a moment Nightmare Moon took control. "And they should not, beloved friend David" she said, her voice a deadly seductive purr, "because they know what will happen if they do..." Her voice - so beautiful yet chilling, so formal yet utterly seductive - sent a shiver coursing through my body.

But, dear readers, I can already hear you asking the questions: how is this possible? How is it that Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon could exist together without the Nightmare trying to take over in order to bring eternal night to Equestria? The answer is simple, friends, and it involves the episodes of a human Television Show called Stargate SG-1. Luna had become enthralled with that show - just as she had with 'Batman: Arkham City' - and she was thrilled by the adventures of Jack O'Neil and his team. She had been particularly enamoured with the race called Tok'ra; the sect of Goa'uld Symbiotes whom had chosen to live as equals with their hosts.

After witnessing how they had lived through the show the Moon Princess had thought to herself, 'Why can't I have that kind of partnership with Nightmare Moon?' and thus, dear readers it had happened. Via a spell that allowed me to enter her mindscape, together, Luna and I had managed to broker an agreement with her darker half wherein she agreed to try and be the 'symbiote' whilst Luna would be her 'host.' So far, the agreement had worked quite well. Nightmare Moon receded back into the depths of Luna's mind, then, allowing her to take back control. "Yes, they know. If they tell Celestia you're here, Moon and I will buck them all into the next millennia!"

At her words, Luna, Nightmare Moon and I all burst into hearty laughter! Once we were able to get ourselves under control, Luna gazed at me anxiously for a moment before she asked, "Are you sure you'll be alright here on your own, David?" It was a question she'd asked me many, many times before and - as always - I replied, "Yes, Luna, I'll be fine. Go on; go share breakfast with your sister. When you return we'll bathe before we sleep." A smile gracing her equine features, Princess Luna nodded her head and then - to my surprise - she nuzzled my cheeks gently with her short muzzle, being mindful not to hurt me with her horn, of course.

"Thank you, David" she said, her soft breath brushing across my ear, "for just being my friend." Then pulling away from me and, giving me a last fond look over her shoulder, the Equestrian Moon Princess departed, the chamber doors closing softly behind her as she left me alone. Whilst Luna busied herself with sharing breakfast with Celestia, I tidied up around her chambers, then settled myself down in front of my Computer to listen to some music and do some light reading. Had one entered the Chambers of Princess Luna at that time, things might have seemed alright, but... 'Truth is' I thought to myself, 'I'm worried. I fear what might happen if the many spells that Luna has woven to protect me ever fail.

If they do, even for an instant, then Celestia will catch wind of me; she'll know I'm here...' I had never met the other of the two sisters whom both ruled over Equestria together. Luna, of course, had been kind enough to offer me insight as to her sister's nature. "My sister, Princess Celestia," she had said to me one day during one of our many talks, "is as kind as she is depicted in the animated show your kind based on us. However, what is not shown is that she can be quite authoritarian; she always wants things done her way - as older sisters often do. Should she ever see you, I... I fear that things... might not go well for you. The last thing I want to have happen is her banishing you back from whence I summoned you. I... I don't know what I would do if my only friend was gone from my life..."

She'd ceased talking then and had begun to weep silently. "Oh, hey now..." I had murmured comfortingly as I'd gently stroked her mane, "I doubt that'll happen; surely she can't be that bad! Besides, if she tries anything, Moon will kick her flank around Equestria and back!" It was a brash and bold joke, of course - Nightmare Moon, now mellowed out, wouldn't really do such a thing - but still, said joke had brought a smile to her face and had made her laugh, albeit weakly, through her tears. Shortly thereafter, we'd dropped the subject and - until now - I had never thought about it again. Still, dear readers, the thought of rousing Princess Celestia's anger was a daunting one, for here was a nearly godlike, immortal Alicorn whom had banished her own sister to the moon for one thousand years!

'If she's able to do that to her own sister, then she'll probably do worse to me if she finds me, so I've got to stay hidden, for Luna's sake and mine...' I thought. A weary sigh escaping me, I resumed my activities - reading a story from FiMFiction.Net whilst listening to Elton John's 'Rocket Man' - until Luna returned. When she re-entered her chambers, a jaw-cracking yawn escaping her, she stood for a moment, blinking bleary eyes. It appeared that the previous Night Court had obviously been more taxing than she'd realized. Now, after sharing a meal with her sister Celestia, Luna was ready to 'hit the hay' as it were--perhaps a little too ready. "Worn out, eh?" I queried

As she mumbled a soft "Mmm-hmm" then wavered wearily upon her feet - her legs threatening to give out from under her - immediately I raced to support her. "Come on, darling; let's get you bathed and then into bed..." I murmured soothingly as I half-walked and half-carried her towards the private bathroom attached to her bedchamber. It was a simple, yet elegant thing; a large pool tiled in smooth ceramics, fed by a geo-thermally heated waterfall, near which was a vanity unit and large mirror. Upon stepping into the room, together Luna and I walked over to said mirror such that the Equestrian Moon Princess could check her appearance.

With the exception of her sister, Princess Luna was by far the largest pony I had ever seen, with an impressive wingspan, long lanky legs and a slender body. Her coat was pthalo-blue and her eyes were teal. The 'cutie mark' upon her right flank depicted a crescent moon surrounded by a very dark purple coloration that seemed to represent the night sky. Her spectacularly long mane and tail - constantly billowing, as if being caressed by a gentle breeze - were the colour of azure and a single thick lock of her mane hung over her face; a trait I found very charming. The innermost part of her mane and tail constantly glittered, giving the optical illusion that they were filled with twinkling stars.

The shape of her muzzle was broader than that of the average pony mare, but not quite as broad as a stallion's. The horn on her head was different from the average unicorn's as well. Where most unicorn horns were fairly short and had blunt rounded tips, hers was long and slender, though the tip still seemed to be slightly blunt. True to her royal stature, she was clad in glittering jewellery. She wore upon each hoof pale blue shoes that branched out at the top to resemble a fleur-de-lis and what seemed to be a cross between a necklace and gorget - a steel or leather collar originally designed to protect the throat - was worn around the base of her neck.

It was coloured the same shade of dark purple as the 'night sky' part of her cutie mark while also bearing a crescent moon. Atop her head rested a dark tiara with three points, the central point reaching the highest. At its centre was inset a brilliant sapphire gem. Despite her tatty appearance, she exuded a gentle and refined elegance and... well, in short folks, she was beautiful! "Oh, stop that; I am nowhere near as radiant and beautiful as my sister," she grumbled, reading my thoughts. "Yes, you are," I replied as she lifted her hooves, allowing me to carefully remove and set aside her shoes, "and if there were pony stallions here right now they'd be snorting with jealousy at the fact that I'm the only one who gets to truly see your beauty! The dawn may be radiant, but the night... is enchanting..."

With that, I carefully removed the rest of her jewellery before briefly heading back into her bedroom to store it all away in one of the dressers there. Then, as I returned to the bathroom to gently help her into the bath, Princess Luna giggled before turning her head to give me a very sultry look. "Flattery, dear human" she said, with a teasing flick of her tail, "will get you nowhere with me!" Doffing my clothes such that they wouldn't get wet, I hopped into the bath with her and then, as she and I proceeded further into the bathing pool and the warm water crept up our bodies, I lecherously groped her flanks. "Confound you, mare!" I cried as she danced away with a soft gasp. "How dare you tease me with your wicked ways! Come here!"

"Oh," the Equestrian Moon Princess cried fearfully, "whatever shalt we do? Thine lecherous human hath his perverted eyes upon our form and wishes to use us to fulfil his most foul desires! Help, somepony help!" Not all was as it appeared dear readers. I hadn't really groped her flanks in a perverted manner and Luna wasn't at all afraid of me; I had in fact tickled her, and she'd jumped away with a gasp because her cutie mark was quite sensitive. Even now, as she kept up the playful act of the terrified damsel in distress whilst I played the wicked ruffian, it was all the both of us could do to keep up the act without bursting into laughter! "I'll have you yet, mare!" I cried as I chased her around the bathing pool. "Take this!" With that I cupped some water in my hands and splashed her!

As she felt the water hit her back, Princess Luna turned around, giving me a growl of mock-anger. "Why you uncouth barbarian!" _ she cried. _"Have at thee!" And then, dear readers she dipped her muzzle into the water before flicking it towards me, splashing me in return! What followed shortly thereafter could only be described as the water fight of the century; but soon only one of us was victorious - with a triumphant shout, Luna launched a wave of water at me against which I couldn't retaliate. "I'll get you yet Princess... grublbllghr..." I groaned theatrically as I pretended to 'fall' beneath the wave. Then, a moment later, I surfaced and leaned against my beloved pony friend as she and I howled and neighed with laughter!

With playtime done, grabbing some lavender soap and a washcloth from a shelf inset into one of the bathroom walls, I started to bathe her. Some time ago, Luna would have had a pair of pony attendants to help her with this but that was before she'd discovered that human hands did a far better job than pony hooves. Now, as I gently lathered her back and wings, then her flanks and sides, the Equestrian Moon Princess groaned softly and leaned against me for support so that she wouldn't collapse from sheer bliss. As I continued to wash her body - carefully washing her hooves, legs, stomach, and chest - a darkly seductive, yet very formal voice said, "David, our beloved Consort, why art thou so kind to us?"

"Because you deserve it more than any pony I know..." I murmured. "May I...? May I...?" The alicorn before me nodded and then - as I watched - she raised her tail, baring herself to me. I know what you're all probably thinking, dear readers, but nothing untoward occurred; I merely washed her intimate places with gentle and above all professional decorum. I wouldn't ruin the friendship I had with Princess Luna for anything, not even that. Of course, I was only human; making love with the Equestrian Princess was something I did desire as stated previously, but I would only do so when she was ready and willing. Once I completed washing her private places, Princess Luna demurely lowered her tail and I moved onto other areas of her body.

Raising my head to look at her as I worked, I found that Princess Luna... wasn't Princess Luna anymore. I bathed now a regal alicorn whose coat was as black as the night itself, with catlike eyes and blue-violet mane and tail. "Oh, hey Moon!" I said, grinning up at her as I continued to work. "Where've you been? You haven't manifested fully for quite a while." A deep, contented sigh escaping her, the Night Mare answered "That is because I fear being discovered by Princess Celestia, David. If she were to find me, she would separate Luna and me; I would be banished once again to the moon. I... dear David, I could not bear that; not now that I know you and my other half so well!

To no longer feel the happiness and friendship you freely offer me despite knowing the evils I have done, to no longer feel your touch upon my coat; your fingers running through my mane... That, my beloved, would be a far worse punishment than anything that Celestia" - she spit the name like a curse - "could do to me." A soft, pleasure-filled groan escaped her then as I started to gently wash and massage her face. "I don't think she'd do anything like that now; she couldn't anymore, anyway" I responded as I ran my soapy hands over her jet black cheeks, muzzle, and ears. "You've been keeping yourself hidden within Luna so well that she hasn't been able to detect you for years.

And even if she did detect you, Moon" I continued, grabbing a bottle of shampoo and starting to shampoo her illustrious mane, "because you both agreed to undergo the bonding ritual - which blended you together like Tok'ra host and symbiote - she wouldn't be able to separate you from Luna anyway; not without killing the both of you. She wouldn't do that! Come on, give her a chance..." Once I'd finished lathering her mane with the shampoo, I had her submerge herself within the waterfall to rinse the body soap and shampoo off. When she'd finished rinsing herself, as she gathered sponge, soap and shampoo to wash me and return the favour, Nightmare Moon gently shook her head. "Never!" she hissed vehemently.

In the back of her mind, Nightmare Moon could feel Luna banging away, but she pushed the 'weaker' princess's thoughts aside as she hissed, 'Enough! You spent time with him earlier; please give _me a chance to be with him for a change.' _ At this, Luna quietened with her agreement. Thus, dear readers - as she continued to wash me - in control Nightmare Moon remained, her happiness brimming within their shared mind as she and Princess Luna rejoiced in it. Even as she cleaned my skin - a healthy pink despite lack of sunlight - all the while the Dark Moon Princess nuzzled me here and there, giving parts of my body the occasional gentle nibble.

As she did so, I gave her a gentle massage, roaming my hands over her back and wings. Finally, I was clean and it was at that point that the Dark Moon Princess just couldn't take it anymore; as I knelt at her level such that she had better access to my body for cleaning, with the softest of whimpers Nightmare Moon threw her head over my shoulder, wrapping a foreleg about my body as she wept silently. "Oh, hey... hey, hey, hey now; what's the matter?" I asked her as I soothingly stroked her violet mane. At the question, Nightmare Moon lifted her head, allowing me to witness something no pony had ever seen: the supposedly malevolent Night Mare crying.

Her silvery tears streamed from her eyes and down her cheeks to drip into the bathwater as she looked upon me, her dragon-like eyes filled not with malevolence, but with the deepest love... "Celestia will not find you!" _ she hissed through her tears. **"She will_** not make to return you through the Veil! Luna and I will not allow it!" _ As the Night Mare spoke, almost immediately her and Luna's agreement blazed through their shared mind; in this their thoughts were one absolute! **"The Sum Princess will not take you, our Friend and Consort. She will_** _NOT take away the one I... th-the one I..." _ As the Dark Moon Princess inhaled a breath and attempted to compose herself in order to continue, I raised a hand to gently cover her muzzle; at this she quietened and closed her eyes. "I know," I replied, gently.

"Luna's still working things out" I continued, removing my hand from her muzzle, "and is content to be my friend for now, but you... I know, Moon. I know. I feel the same, but now's not the time to say it to each other; not yet." At my words as Nightmare Moon regained her regal composure, she nodded her wet head before responding "As much as I hate it, with this will I agree; because _you have asked it of me I shall wait for Luna to make her choice. But, David...?" _ Rising to my feet such that we faced each other as equals I responded, "Yes?" Suddenly, before Luna could restrain her, the Dark Princess was rearing up and locking her forelegs about my body in an embrace as she leaned in to give me a deep, lingering, kiss.

For a moment that seemed eternal yet was in fact all too brief, her equine tongue danced in passion with mine before she at last pulled away, softly breathing, "That is a promise of things to come..." As the kiss ended, Luna thought to scold the Dark Princess for her brash and bold action... but she was overcome by the sheer want and desire felt by her alter-ego... and that small part of her that she kept so deeply hidden from her beloved sister Celestia revelled in it. 'Ooh,' she thought heatedly, 'buck it all to Everfree! If I weren't a Princess - if I weren't burdened by my royal duties, I'd... I'd...' Smirking at Luna internally, the Dark Princess, Nightmare Moon thought, ' You'd what?'

A shiver coursing through their shared body, Luna confessed in a mental whisper 'I... I'd let him rub us all over with his hands... And then, I... I'd raise our tail for him so... so he could use his... his hands and... his tongue on our... our... And then... then... I'd let him cover us until...' Suddenly, in the physical world Nightmare Moon squeaked and lowered her head as a shudder ran its course through her body. Upon seeing it, I immediately asked, "Are you alright, Princess?" Nightmare Moon didn't respond for a moment - she just stood there beneath the flowing waterfall, breathing heavily. Then, at last, she raised her head to look at me with a smile upon her muzzle. "Yes, my Consort, I am fine. Let's just say that Luna... has a very _vivid imagination! Now come, let us end this bath that we may retire to bed." _

And by her word it was done; she and I stepped from the bathing pool and then - after she'd employed a touch of magic to clean the bathroom of any water spillage from our play and bathing - I grabbed a thick, fluffy towel from a rack and proceeded to dry her off. As I towelled her dry, paying careful attention to her wings so as not to damage their wonderfully soft feathers, Nightmare Moon leaned against me, letting out a sound somewhere between a contented sigh and a soft, choked sob. "... All I've ever wanted is to have this, David" she murmured. "To be appreciated. To be acknowledged and _thanked for my nights. To be touched and held , and..." _ Overcome with emotion the dark Mare of the Night nuzzled close to me as I finished with the towel and 'dried' her face and muzzle with my hands.

"I know Moon, Luna, I know," I murmured. "Rather than banishing you as she did when it was too late, perhaps your sister should have tried harder; made more attempts to reason with you. I don't know of the circumstances surrounding the whole debacle, but I'm here for you now, and by Faust's grace you'll never be alone again! I swear it." It seems strange, dear readers, for Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon to be so utterly out of character, doesn't it? To a human, one thousand years is an amount of time unimaginable, but for an immortal alicorn such as Luna, who had to live through it after her banishment by Celestia? It was as Tartarus.

She'd had to cope with one thousand years of homesickness; one thousand years of loneliness without someone to be her friend or love her as lovers do. Her only companions during her long, long imprisonment within her celestial body were the anger and hurt she felt at the beautiful nights she made being slept through; the jealousy she felt at the fact that ponies loved her sister Celestia more than she; and above all else, the terrible, crushing guilt she felt for thinking to usurp her sister by refusing to lower the moon. She had a thousand years of heartfelt pain that needed excising from her, dear friends and though I'd helped her deal with much of it - by being an ear when she needed to vent, talking to her when she desired it, and otherwise just being her friend - so much more remained...

With a shake of my head at Celestia's foalishness, I gathered my clothing with one hand and arm and then - placing a supporting hand on her back - I gently guided Nightmare Moon out of the bathroom, back into the bedroom and over to her bed. Wordlessly she hopped onto the bed, pulled the covers back with her mouth and then slid beneath the covers, shifting instinctively over to one side. After fetching and swiftly changing into a set of pyjamas from the section of her dresser wherein I stored my clothes, I climbed in beside her and once I was snug beneath the bedcovers with her, Nightmare Moon rolled to meet me in the middle of the enormous bed, lazily throwing a foreleg and a wing over me.

Closer and closer she nestled against me until as much of her body contacted mine as was physically possible without taking that last, and most sacred step and her head nestled into the crook of my shoulder. Then, after pulling the covers back over us both, together, Nightmare Moon and I fell asleep. Unfortunately, dear readers, we did not sleep well... Sometime during the day, I was awakened by the sound of soft, choked sobbing; a sound I realized that could have only come from one source. "Moon? Nightmare Moon? Is that you?" I asked softly. It was indeed the jet-black alicorn to whom I was Consort, for I could feel her body heave gently with every heart wrenching cry she tried, and failed, to suppress, and could feel the wetness of her tears staining my skin.

'Oh, Moon...' I thought, turning to gather her dreaming form into an embrace. As I did this, however, Nightmare Moon struggled weakly within my gentle but firm grip. "Please!" She cried through her tears. "Please, Celly, please, dun' banish me again... I'll be good now; I swear! Please dun' send me away again...!""There, there..." I whispered, caressing her mane, "it's alright; you're safe here no one's going to banish you..." Nightmare Moon showed no sign of calming, however, and so - as another soft, choked sob escaped her - I tried another tactic; I began to sing, softly. "Like a comet; blazing 'cross the evening sky; gone too soon..." I crooned.

"Like a rainbow Fading in the twinkling of an eye Gone too soon

Shiny and sparkly And splendidly bright Here one day Gone one night

Like the loss of sunlight On a cloudy afternoon Gone too soon

Like a castle Built upon a sandy beach Gone too soon

Like a perfect flower That is just beyond your reach Gone too soon

Born to amuse, to inspire, to delight Here one day Gone one night

Like a sunset Dying with the rising of the moon Gone too soon

Gone too soon..."

The song - Michael Jackson's 'Gone Too Soon - though not really a lullaby seemed to do the trick; as I finished singing the final lyrics of the last verse Nightmare Moon's breathing gradually evened out as she finally settled into a deep and dreamless sleep. Nocturnal were she and Princess Luna, but I didn't mind; with a drop of her magic she had altered my body such that my skin wouldn't pale from lack of sunlight, and had also altered my sleep cycle such that I had become nocturnal, like her. Giving her a soft kiss upon the end of her nose - for which I received a sigh and a gentle smile in return - I closed my eyes and slipped into sleep beside her.

* * *

As she'd been passing by her sister's room on the way from her own chambers to begin her day, Princess Celestia had heard her sister's softened cries - and had naturally come to check on her - but she hadn't been prepared to see this! Not only was the creature that laid there in her sister's bed Nightmare Moon but also there was something else abed with the wicked Mare of Darkness! What in Faust's name was that strange, hairless creature laying with her? The Princess of the Radiant Sun prepared to charge into her beloved sister's room to deal with the both of them - for surely the creature with Nightmare Moon was her ally and thus an enemy of Equestria! But then... Then, she heard the anguished words cried out by the Dark Ma--no, her sister, she suddenly realized, just with a different voice and form!

This was Nightmare Moon, and yet, the words were Luna's, or perhaps those of Nightmare Moon and her sister combined. The first thing she wondered was 'How is this possible?' The next thought to strike her as her heart wrenched with agony was 'When I banished Nightmare Moon to her Element... Did I truly do the right thing?' A breath escaped her, then, as she heard the ally of Nightmare Moon reply; saw him fold her into an embrace and softly stroke her mane... and then, a choked sob escaped her as she heard him start to sing her to sleep... The song, oh, the song he sung was so beautiful, and yet so sad; by the time he finished the final verse, it was all she could do to maintain her self control and keep from weeping.

Carefully the radiant, white-winged alicorn stepped away from the doors she'd opened but a miniscule crack and then - after softly closing said doors behind her - she raced back to her own bedroom. Therein, the Solar Princess collapsed upon her bed, buried her muzzle into the pillows and wept, bitterly. 'It has obviously helped my sister so much, but... this creature cannot stay' she thought. 'It has caused my sister no harm - it has been kind - but... who knows what effect it could have upon the culture of my little ponies in the future?' Things could spiral out of control due to this ally of her sister - things could end up as they had when Discord ruled the land with a chaotic clawed fist - and so the creature had to be sent away.

'It is the only way' she reasoned bitterly. 'I'm so sorry Lulu, Moon... I'm so sorry...' she thought as her tears continued to flow unabated. 'I'll make it up to you... somehow...' When at last she managed to stop crying, Princess Celestia carefully dried her eyes with a hoof-kerchief from her dresser, ensured her appearance was proper with a drop of magic and then - with a heavy heart - she left her bedroom and descended into the palace proper to resume her royal duties.

* * *

When I awakened the next evening, my mind was still beautifully fuzzy, leaving me in a darkened forest, comforted by the smell of rain fallen upon the earth after a storm as I waited in the shade of my eyelids. Soft and effortless was my breathing as I lay there, slowly passing the moment where sleep gave way to the evening, and the touch of my dreams gave way to the feeling of the pillow under my head. With one deep breath, I flexed and stretched my muscles into wakefulness as I finally opened my eyes. Blinking away the last bit of bleariness, I smiled when I saw her: Luna, Monarch of Quiet Night and Bringer of the Blessed Moon. My beloved equestrian friend.

'Huh... I guess Nightmare Moon decided to relinquish control...' I thought absently. Luna was still asleep, lying on her back, her forelegs snugly curled against her chest and her eyes shut, even as the twilight of the setting sun shone through the curtain and painted a fading red-orange stripe along her face. Her breaths came quietly and slowly, slipping gently through her barely parted lips. With a tiny squeak and a long sigh, she rolled over, her hind legs lifting and sliding under the sheet as she turned to drop herself heavily against me, her lower body pressing against my own as her upper-body snuggled comfortably into the crook of my arm. I smiled at the sight of her frazzled mane, her azure hair carelessly tossed about her forehead and spread under her neck as she laid her head on my shoulder.

Carefully, I lifted my hand to push away an errant hair that was beginning to tickle my nose. As I did so, my finger brushed against her cheek, sweeping across her fine phthalo fuzz and over her skin, still hot and flushed with sleep. I paused, passing the edge of my hand lightly along the base of her jaw, and with my thumb, I gently moved the fringe from her face. At this, her eyes blinked open, and she raised her head for just a moment to look at me. I could see a smile on her face to match my own as she closed her eyes and settled herself against my side once more. "Good evening, David" she said, her lips moving softly as she spoke, the wisps of her breath playing lightly upon my neck.

"Good evening," I replied. Luna stretched with a little yawn, and quietly giggled as I lifted her up, rolling her body on top of mine; doing so caused me no discomfort as - despite her being somewhat larger than the average pony - she was quite light of weight. "Did I wake you?" I asked. She didn't respond; instead she rested her head once again on my shoulder and simply lay there with me. She smelt of pine and the soothing night. Her soft form covered my body and filled my arms, and her chest pressed against mine with her every rhythmic breath such that I could feel her ageless heart beating in time with mine. I closed my eyes once again, feeling the heat from both our bodies as it flowed up from the sheets and over my skin to mix with the cool evening air.

The two of us laid there together for a moment, just as we did every evening, but soon - as always - reality would come knocking; Luna would rise to attend to her many royal duties accompanied by her Guards and myself wreathed by a Shadowcloak. Unfortunately for us, however, this night was going to be anything but normal. As the Princess of the Night and I continued to lay there together in her bed, suddenly there came the sharp clearing of a throat - "Ahem!" - and as the sound came to be heard throughout the room, our eyes snapped open to reveal Princess Celestia standing at the right side of the bed, flanked by a pair of burly stallions whom could only be two of her 'Dawn Custodes'; her elite Royal Guard.

The stern frown upon Celestia's face - coupled with the baleful glares her guards were giving us - said it all; we were dead! Luna and I stared first at her sister, and then at each other wide eyed. "Oh, fuck / Oh, buck!" we said together at the same time... and that, dear readers, was when Princess Celestia... just lost it. As the Royal Guards lowered their heads, their glares becoming softened, gentle smiles, Luna's sister dropped to the ground and rolled about neighing with laughter! "Oh," she cried between bouts, "you... ha-ha-ha... should have seen the looks on your... he-he-he... your faces!" So infectious was her laughter that eventually, even her guards - whom I knew as Stern Visage and Proud Heart - started to chortle silently to themselves!

Sometime later, once we'd all gotten ourselves under control - as Celestia, her Guards, Luna and I all ate light supper at a table placed on Luna's balcony - the whole story came out; how the Moon Princess, desperate for a friend, had chosen a human from another world rather than the ponies whom still despised her. Upon learning of the powerful magic she'd used to pull me through the veil, Princess Celestia shook her head. "Sister... how could you?" she asked after taking a bite from her daisy sandwich. Swallowing her mouthful, she continued, "Such powerful magic could have exhausted, nay, killed you! What were you thinking?"

Leaning gently against me as we sat at the low table, Luna replied vehemently, "I was thinking, dear sister, that spending my last moments with some_body_ who cared about me would be infinitely better than living in a world where almost every_pony_ despises me!" The Moon Princess fell silent then and - as she leaned further into me - I wrapped an arm about her body and gently stroked her between her wings as I continued where she'd left off. "Fortunately" I said as I caressed her, "things didn't happen that way; your sister prepared for her weakness with enough food and medical supplies such that I was able to nurse her back to health. Since then I've become her friend, companion and Consort; where she went there was I... for almost four years now."

Shock graced Celestia's equine features for a moment as her eyes widened. Then, a moment later she replied, "C-Consort?! You... you haven't... with my sister..." At this, Luna perked her head up as we both cried, " NO!" A moment later, once Luna was able to regain her composure, I continued, "Well, not yet anyway... But maybe someday... When we're ready..." At that, Luna turned to me, peeking out shyly from beneath her mane, a blush turning the skin beneath the phthalo fur of her face crimson. A moment later - when I returned my attention to Celestia - I continued, "For now, to have your sister's friendship is enough for me. All I want is for her to be happy..."

As I finished speaking, Princess Celestia affixed me with a pained gaze. Then, a moment later she began to converse with her sister in the spoken equine dialect of Equestrian; something I thought rather rude as I wasn't able to understand the conversation. As the two Royal Sisters continued to speak, however, I soon realized that I didn't need to understand what was being said - at all - because whatever Celestia was saying to Luna was something that the Moon Princess did not want to hear. The conversation eventually turned into a furious argument, the two sisters neighing and whinnying back and forth until, at last, Luna slammed her forehooves down upon the table, nearly splitting it in two as she shouted in the Royal Canterlot Voice!

"ENOUGH! MINE FRIEND IS A HUMAN AND HE CANNOT TAINT THE ROYAL BLOODLINE! HOW, PRAY TELL, CAN THERE EVEN BE A ROYAL BLOODLINE WHEN THERE ART ONLY TWO OF US AND THEY WHOM SIRED US ARE DEAD!" The Solar Princess, after recovering from the gale-force wind stirred up by her sister's speech, nickered a soft yet firm reply; at this, Luna cried, "NAY! I WILL NOT HAVE IT. HE WILL NOT RUIN OUR CULTURE; YOU WILL NOT SEND HIM BACK THROUGH THE VEIL. YOU WILL NOT TAKE FROM ME MY CONSORT AND MINE ONLY FRIEND. I FORBID IT! STAY AWAY FROM US!"

With those words, Luna employed a touch of a seething Nightmare Moon's dark power to become as a thick gloomy mist; then, as Celestia watched on wide-eyed she swept me up and carried me away back to her chambers. Once there, after setting me upon her bed, she regained her equine form and then - gasping for breath, almost hyperventilating - she doffed her royal regalia, hastily sealed the doors of her bedchamber, and then collapsed onto the bed herself like a broken puppet. Wriggling herself beside me, she reached for me - clutching desperately at me with fore and hind legs - as she started to bawl like a traumatized filly. "Oh sweetie..." I murmured to her soothingly, gently combing a hand through her mane as she wept, "There, there, sweetheart; it's alright..."

When at last she ceased her crying, Luna hiccoughed softly and closed her eyes, a few last, stray tears escaping from beneath her closed eyelids to stain my pyjama top. "Hey..." I murmured to her shortly thereafter, "what was with all those tears, eh? Can you tell me what's wrong?" Releasing me from her desperate embrace and then shifting to lie face to face with me such that her snout touched my nose, Luna said, "Celestia believes that you will taint our royal bloodline and foul our culture. She attempted to dissuade me from being with you, and desires to send you away from Equestria and... and me..." As the words escaped the Moon Princess, suddenly a realization occurred to me and as it did so I couldn't help but slap a palm to my face as I groaned, "Oh, gods, cycles really do repeat..."

A moment later, I resumed stroking my beloved friend as she blinked, her muzzle wrinkling adorably in an expression of puzzlement before she responded, "'Cycles repeat?' What do you mean?" For a while, I didn't answer her; I merely roamed my hands over her soft coat and mane as I took the time to gather my thoughts. Then, at last, I answered, "When you first became Nightmare Moon - or rather, when she first manifested - it was because you were jealous and resentful of your sister, because ponies appreciated her day more than your night, right?" When Luna winced before nodding, I continued, "Well, I think the reverse has happened: Celestia is now jealous of you!"

At this exclamation, her pupils dilating with shock, Luna cried, "But... but why?!" Grinning broadly at the pthalo-blue pony beside me, I responded flippantly, "Oh, I don't know... Maybe because - unlike her - you've got a human who's completely devoted to you; who'll spend the rest of his days with you to make sure you're always cared for and never lonely. Someone who doesn't care a whit about your past as Nightmare Moon and will treat you just like any other pony despite your royal status. Somebody who..." As I made to continue, the Equestrian Moon Princess gently covered my mouth with a hoof, softly uttering, "I know..." Her eyes wet with fresh silvery tears, she nuzzled me gently with her muzzle before turning around such that her back was pressed against me.

Then, heaving a weary sigh, she tucked her head beneath my chin, closing her eyes and cooing softly as I stroked along her ribcage. "She's being a bit silly, really" I murmured a moment later, "but she is who she is, I guess. She'll come around..." Heaving a world weary sigh, Luna closed her eyes as I gently ruffled her mane. A moment later, she softly responded, "I hope so, David..." Suddenly, she turned to face me, a vicious grin splitting her muzzle as she continued, "If she doesn't... then I'll go all Batman on her flank!" The brief vision that filled my mind dear readers, of Luna laying the smackdown on Celestia's Royal Guard with batman-inspired martial arts and gadgets, caused me to chuckle softly for a moment before I replied, "If that happens, I get to be Robin; his battle-staff is awesome!"

"Deal!" Luna exclaimed; then we both burst out laughing! The joy my equine friend and I felt was soon cut short, however, when there came the gentle knocking of a hoof upon the door to her bedchamber. There was only one pony that it could be. "...While we nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping as of pony gently rapping, rapping at our chamber door. ''Tis Celestia,' I muttered, 'tapping at our chamber door -- Only she, nopony more." As I finished reciting the slightly modified lines of Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Raven', Luna clapped a polished hoof over her muzzle to muffle her giggling! Our joviality only increased when we heard Celestia knock upon the door again, louder this time.

Shortly thereafter we heard her voice, laced with irritation though muffled by the door, as she called "Lulu? Sister? Let me in!" Gently placing a hand over her muzzle before she could respond, in a faux high-pitched voice, I called "Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!" At this, Luna's eyes widened for a moment in realization... before she pressed my hand harder against her muzzle with her forehooves in a desperate attempt to muffle yet more laughter bubbling up from within. She 'got' the reference for she too had read 'The three little fillies and the Big Bad Timberwolf'; it had been one of her favourite stories when she'd been but a filly. Outside the door, the Solar Princess stomped a forehoof in anger, before she responded, "Oh, ha-ha, very funny. Now come on, Luna, let me in!"

Gently pushing my hand away from her muzzle - struggling not to laugh - Luna repeated "Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin!" As she continued to stand outside the door with Stern Visage and Proud Heart at her sides - both of whom were desperately struggling to contain their laughter behind masks of professional decorum - Celestia growled "Arrgh! Then I'll tear, and I'll rip, and I'll smash this door in!" Back inside her bedchamber, I gave Luna a sideways glance, doing my best to suppress an enormous grin. "Hmmm..." I mused, "your sister sounds pissed. Think we should let her in?" Screwing her muzzle into an adorable pout, Luna sighed through her nose before she grumbled, "Oh, alright. But first..."

She hopped off the bed and then - as she made her way over to her bedchamber doors - I moved to join her, placing a gentle hand upon her back in a show of support. As I watched, her tail twisted and reached into her shadow, the darkness coiling up into a pair of hovering, crescent-moon blades forged from moonlight and shadow, glinting in an iridescent array of colours. "Um..." I began nervously, a real and honest terror gripping my heart, "th-there's no need for those, Luna; Celestia probably just wants to talk..." My equine friend turned to face me then, only it was not Princess Luna I faced, but Nightmare Moon, manifest in all her glory.

"You heard what happened when my dear sister and I talked last, my Consort" _ she responded, **"but now, the time for talk has ended. I will_** not let her take you away from me!" _ At her words, I moved to caress her, gently roaming my hands over her face, and muzzle, before combing a hand through her wonderful, starlit astral mane. She tried to resist the allure of my hands, at first - snorting, she tossed her head back - but, as it always did, my touch eventually overcame her and she dispelled the blades before leaning into my touch. **"Oh... those hands..."_** she murmured softly. The stress and tension slowly draining out of her as I pleasured her with my touch, she tottered back to her bed and fell upon it once more, bringing me with her such that I could continue my work upon her body.

"Mmmh..." she muttered, rolling onto her back, "I'll let her in... I guess..." Thus, she broke the lock on her bedchamber door, allowing Celestia entry. Laying on my side such that I could continue my work I attended her forelegs, manipulating and massaging the joints and muscles within, before roaming my hands slowly over her neck and chest. "There's a good girl..." I murmured soothingly. "Just relax..." When Celestia opened the bedchamber door and finally deigned to enter, I was working my hands over her sister's stomach, stroking and massaging as the Night Princess groaned deeply in pleasure. As the Solar Princess espied us both in what she perceived to be a very compromising position, she almost turned about face and walked out again; and she would have, if not for Moon speaking softly.

"Mmmh..." she murmured. "Oh, Celly... you've got to try this; let my beloved human work his magic hands on you..." With that, she rolled onto her front, allowing me to roam my hands all over her lovely mane as she groaned theatrically. At this, I couldn't help but grin, dear readers - there was no way we would do anything truly inappropriate as Celestia looked on - but Nightmare Moon truly did love my hands, though she was exaggerating the pleasure-filled noises she made just to wind Celestia up! As I continued to comb my hands through her mane, mussing it up and scratching where hair sprouted from flesh in just the right places, the Night Princess groaned deeply again. As the sound escaped the dark mare, I could have sworn I heard Celestia grind her teeth together for a moment...

It was when I made my way down to the jet-black Alicorn's amazing wings - causing Nightmare Moon to whimper - that Celestia finally cried out, "Arrgh! Stop! Enough!" And thus, the jig was up; the Night Princess and I immediately halted our activities and sat up to look at the Princess of the Sun expectantly. Our appearances seemed completely innocent - so much so that one could practically see the angelic halos around our heads - but the Solar Princess wasn't fooled in the slightest; a weary sigh escaping her, she grumbled, "Oh, quit it you two..." It was then, dear readers, that we hit Celestia with the 'big guns' in our arsenal: the dreaded puppy-dog eyes.

It worked a treat, of course; a small scream escaping her, Princess Celestia cried out, "Oh, fine! Your human can stay Luna-Moon, but" and here her eyes narrowed as she affixed the Night Princess with her gaze, "no bringing Eternal Night to Equestria! And you..." She turned a faux-deathly glare upon me. "Please... please... for the Love of Faust, keep her out of trouble..." With that, as Princess Celestia left the room in a huff - muttering darkly to herself about crazy humans and idiot sisters - Nightmare Moon returned control and form to Luna. Then, Luna turned to me with a forehoof outstretched. At that, I bumped a closed fist against her hoof and she returned the gesture - the pony equivalent of a human high five - as together we cried "All right! / Huzzah!"

The rest - as they say - was history; I was quietly 'outed' by Princess Celestia as an ambassador from another realm whom had become the beloved consort of her sister, Luna, and had thus decided to stay rather than return to my homeland. Of course, since just about everypony from the Royal Palace to the Great City of Canterlot knew of me already my 'outing' went relatively smoothly, thank goodness. Even so, there were a few naysayers from the Equestrian Nobility - among them Prince Blueblood - whom weren't pleased that some non-pony foreigner was dating one of the Princesses.

Blueblood was of no consequence - nopony listened to that whiny, spoiled brat - and as for the others whom protested against me... Well, a not so subtle glare from Luna, backed by a whisper of Nightmare Moon's dreadful power over True Darkness, soon cowed them to silence. 'Besides' I thought as I sat openly beside Luna whilst she presided over yet another Night Court, 'when did the special someone the Night Princess is dating become their business?' Cool, soothing darkness filled my thoughts then, as Luna - whom was making negotiations with the Ambassador of Zebrica - softly whispered into my mind, 'It isn't, David, and I'll buck any Noble who thinks otherwise...'