Chapter 15 - Visiting The Lunar Princess...
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A few days had passed since the Nightmare Moon incident and Ponyville was getting back to some semblance of being normal. The citizens of the small down had been rather busy cleaning up and repairing all the structures that had been damaged during the incident. Many of the business owners would find themselves swamped with paper work and having to adjust their schedules while others who were in the work field of carpentry and such found themselves earning profit thanks to increase demand of tools and materials needed for repairs.
Naruto woke up with a stir and yawned, still exhausted from last night's events. For the past few days he found himself running ragged to assist the Elements with their new found celebrity status. With the exception of Twilight who was in Canterlot gathering her things for her move into the town the other elements had found themselves being swamped by the town's people. While ponies like Rarity and Pinkie Pie were thrilled, the former because of the attention it gave to her business and Pinkie Pie because she was well, Pinkie Pie and enjoyed hanging out and having fun with just everypony it was great.
Rainbow Dash out of all of them probably loved it the most. The reason was easy to note seeing that the two got along pretty great due to how well they related to each other in many matters. It had to deal with her self-esteem and near egotistical bravado. While a lot of ponies in town saw a lean and defined Pegasus athlete it took either a Pegasus or someone who understood Pegasus to understand that Rainbow's massive wings and shorter than normal Pegasus stature set her apart from the norm.
Applejack was in the middle, enjoying the interest because it meant better business for the farm while also hating because most of them only either gawked, took her attention away from her duties on the farm or pestered her about something or another she didn't care about.
The one pony who wasn't absolutely thrilled about it was of course was Fluttershy. Her crippling shyness and nice nature made it impossible for her to shoo ponies away resulting in one or more of the elements and even in some cases Naruto having to drive away the vultures. It didn't help that a lot of new comers were clueless to Fluttershy's sensitivity issues so that had been a whole issue in itself.
As he finished getting ready for the morning a knock on the door gained his attention. He opened the door where two armed royal guards were at his door. "Is there something I can help you with today gentlecoats?"
"You are the stallion known as Naruto correct?" The guard on the right asked him. He was slightly taller than Naruto with an ash gray coat and jet black mane and ocean blue eyes.
"Yes I'm Naruto."
This time the guard on the left spoke. His coat was that of a deep honey color with sky blue eyes and a grey mane with bangs hanging just above his eyes.
"You've been summoned for an audience with her majesty, Princess Celestia. We've been ordered to escort you to the castle immediately."
"Very well just let me lock up." Naruto answered them, repressing a sigh. Once his home was locked up the blond got in the chariot. Naruto took the opportunity to simply take in the control side as they traveled. Before he knew it they had arrived on the castle grounds. After exiting the chariot Naruto began making his way towards the castle. He was already quite familiar with the layout of the castle.
The guards led him to where the Princess was waiting.
"Yes?" Celestia's voice called out from the other side called out.
"Your highness. We have brought Naruto to you as ordered. "One of the guards responded.
"Thank you. Please send him in."
"Yes your highness." The two guards pushed the door open to allow Naruto in.
"Thank you both for your service. I will be speaking with Naruto privately so I ask you return to your post of standing at the door." She said to the guards.
"Yes your highness!" the two of them responded as the doors behind them locked.
"Good morning Princess Celestia," Naruto greeted her with a bow.
Celestia let out a soft sigh, knowing that it was pointless to ask the blond not to refer to her by her title. "A good morning to you as well Naruto." She greeted him as she led the blond to her desk. The blond took the seat opposite of her desk. Celestia offered him some tea to which Naruto kindly rebuffed. " I take it Ponyville has been able to recover these past few days?"
"Indeed, it's been quite exhausting as I've basically had to play body guard for some of the bearers because of their new found popularity. I thought today was going to be my day off, but alas it seems like her majesty requires my services."
Celestia could only smile at Naruto's playful banter. "I am indeed in need of your services so to speak. I will cut to the chase. It has to deal with my sister Luna who has plenty of good things to say about you. What I have to ask of you is important to me and you have the right not to go along with it. If you wish to leave after we talk, I will think nothing less of you."
"I'll keep that in mind. How is Princess Luna by the way?"
A solemn look formed on Celestia's face. "That is what I wish to talk with you about. Ever since we left Ponyville my attempts to get Luna reintegrate into modern society have been less than ideal. I was hoping that my subjects would be more understanding, but many of them fear her with some of them barely able to contain their own hostility. I knew after the incident it was going to be a long and rough period of adjustment and I fear for her mental stability if this goes on. Between dealing with the other species pulled into the incident a few days ago, going through the process of reinstating the Diarchy and dealing with the fallout of the criminals released and all the property damage I have not been able to spend as much time with my sister as I wished. This is why I called you here this day. She needs a friend. She needs someone who will be there for her and doesn't see her as Nightmare Moon, someone who will not see her as a tool and as I mentioned before she has spoken positively of you. So I ask of you, are you willing to be her friend?"
"I'm surprised you're even asking me that. I already consider Luna my friend." He said as Celestia flashed him a warm smile.
"I am glad to hear that. I will be sending the missive out to the staff to allow you access throughout the main floor. My sister is located in the southern wing to the castle that was once restricted." After Celestia finished giving the rest of the instructions to where Luna was the two bid each other farewell.
To Naruto's luck he stumbled upon Princess Luna walking down the same hallway on the way to her bedroom.
"Savior Naruto, is it thee?" the princess spoke up as she walked between the guards with a smile on her face. "By the luck of the stars it is! Tis a great pleasure for Us to see thee again! What brings you to Canterlot?"
"Hey there Princess Luna, I actually just got finished talking with Princess Celestia about some concerns she had. She mentioned you were living in the Southern part of the castle so I'd thought I stop by."
"And thou wished to visit Us!" she exclaimed she exclaimed with utter excitement. It was almost impossible to relay how old Princess Luna was supposed to be and to what she looked like now. The excitement that she showed was utterly adorable. "Excellent! We shall retire to my quarters and partake of some confections."
She turned to the guards and smiled. "Aquarius, Leo, head into the kitchens and bring forth something suitable for our guest. We shall take him to bed ourselves!"
'Wait what?' Naruto thought as the two of them were enveloped by a flash of light.
The candles allowed the room to be seen with a polished basalt floor and the large canopy bed. The rest of the room was colored with many shades of dark blue, more than Naruto knew existed and the ceiling itself was a canopy of darkness with white twinkles that reminded him of the Night Sky. Her furniture consisted of several fancily decorated chairs of an era long past with the rest of the furniture in a furnishing that had a gothic spin to it.
"Normally it would be improper for a stallion like yourself to be in our bedchambers, but we care little for the gazes of others and seek privacy with a dear friend. "
"Its no problem Princ…" he began to speak when he was sharply cut off.
"Luna," she corrected him. "At least when we are in private refer to us as Luna."
"Very well Luna, how are you doing?" he asked as she put on a false smile.
"We are fine." She answered a little too quickly
Her response was an indication that she was anything but fine. "Luna, I know things haven't been easy. Princess Celestia called me here because she was concerned about you."
Luna gave out a sigh and hung her head. "So you're here by sister's assistance?"
"No, at least not completely by her request did I arrive." Naruto answered her. "It's true, Celestia called me here but she also gave me the option to leave without any persecution. I'm not here out of a request; I'm here because I'm concerned about my friend. So please talk with me and let me know what's troubling you or maybe tell me something about you and I can tell you something about me in exchange."
"Well," Luna began to perk up. "Well we are the Guardian of Dreams. During the night I would watch over the dreams of our little ponies and consult them through their dreams as well."
"Wow that's pretty amazing. "
"Unfortunately until more of our magic returns we shan't be able to return to thy duty."
"Well I look forward to seeing it in action as myself. So tell me Princess, what do you know about pranking?"
Hours had passed and the two were enjoying the food the guards had brought as Naruto told her about the pranks he used to pull with Pinkie Pie on some of the inhabitants in town. "You and Laughter seem to be quite the trouble makers."
"If you think that's crazy I should tell you some stories from my colt days." He replied as Luna let out a quiet yet beautiful laugh. "I don't think I heard a laugh that quiet before." He stated as for a brief moment Luna looked concerned.
"You don't think it's silly?" she asked tentatively. If he did, Luna believed she did not want to know. It wouldn't be the first time someone pointed out Luna's laugh.
"It's not bad; it's really kind of cute."
"Thank you," she replied. Suddenly their attention was drawn to outside as the Sun began to set. The two of them got up and walked to the balcony to where the sun disappeared over the Horizon and the moon began to rise. A melancholic smile formed on Luna's face as her charge, her once prison began to take its rightful place in the sky. Luna couldn't help but feel rather sad that she was still greatly weakened and couldn't resume her duty of raising the moon and stars.
"Whenever the night came around when I was young I would probably spend hours looking at the moon and stars. I didn't have that many friends during my youth so the stars myself kept me company during those lonely nights. I would make up stories and constellations during that time and I look back on those memories with fondness. I look forward to see what you'll be able to do once you get more of your magic back. I saw images of the constellations from over a millennia ago when I was looking up information about magical artifacts some time ago. They were amazing and I look forward to seeing more of what you can do."
Not only did he compliment Luna, but he also complimented the very thing Luna worked her hardest on. The compliments filled her with a sense of satisfaction and an even deeper sense of gratitude. A great warmth filled her chest.
Luna reached over and pulled Naruto into a tight hug. "Thank you." She knew the action was unbecoming of her station, being so familiar with one that wasn't her consort or mate, but she did not care for tradition or matters at the time.
She felt the hug returned in Naruto's arms wrapping around her. "You're welcome."
The hug lasted just long enough for Luna to stop having the strong urge to cry tears of joy, and she now had a genuinely happy grin on her face. Suddenly an idea came to her mind, one that she decided to approach her sister about. Celestia had mentioned that while she knew plenty of worthy guards that she could find to form the soon to be newly reinstated Lunar Guard there was still the matter of finding a worthy captain.
Though, now it looked like that wasn't going to be a problem anymore...