Author's Notes: Okay, this one took a little longer to get out than I would have liked, but still, I hope the wait wasn't too long!

Now, considering the sheer number of reviews I've received in this time, I'll see what I can do about answering them in short bursts, because there are a few things I think I need to cover.

"SilentPony": While your idea for having a chapter from Princess Luna's perspective does have merit, I'm afraid the odds of it actually happening are highly remote at best. My writing, while done in third-person, tends to focus on one character, and their perspective, for the duration of the story. In this case, that's Starfall...the idea behind this is to layer on some suspense, to leave you as in the dark as Starfall about Princess Luna's feelings. Because that sense of suspense is a crucial element of the plot, I'm afraid there's not much I can do in the way of your request.

"Princess Luna of the Night": It is such a refreshing change to have a reviewer willing to stand up and point out where I'm going wrong! This constructive criticism is seriously helpful! The repeating adjectives seems to be a bad habit of mine...one I've been trying to change, but thank you pointing out that it's still persisting. As for the lack of colour usage in descriptions...I'm afraid colour has always been something of a difficult task for me to properly identify, as I'm quite severely colour-blind. I use information on wikias and such to find out the color of ponies to help describe them, but such descriptions of environments are usually not available. I'll endeavour to improve on this, but I can't promise much.

"VirusChris": That's impressive of you to pick up on Starfall's lack of flying so far in the story, although as to your theory/suggestion, I remember describing him as having flown to Canterlot for the Cosmic Exam way back in Chapter 1, which rules that out. As it is, though, his tendency not to fly is pretty similar to the way Fluttershy tends to keep her hooves on the ground...he's not exactly a weak flier, he just doesn't see why he needs to take flight for every little thing. As for his falling-out with Cosmo, I have already got reasons and backstory well-formed in my head. It might take a while to be revealed, but don't worry, it will be explained.

And of course, a huge thanks to all my other reviewers, and all those that have favourited and alerted this story...this is rapidly becoming one of my most-reviewed, most-watched stories, which is really kind of humbling.

And as always, a big thank-you to "DiamondGirl400" for beta-reading, and saving me from certain humiliation for doing so! Without any further ado...read on!

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Chapter 13

Staying Focused

Starfall's self-admission that he was rapidly developing a strong crush on Princess Luna did little to help him in the following weeks. While he did get on with his life, writing back to Twilight Sparkle and continuing with his studies, he found it was getting harder and harder to focus on whatever task he happened to have on hoof at the time.

Now that he was aware of his own crush on the Princess, his feelings were not only impossible to ignore, but also growing stronger all the time. Whenever he left the tower, the whispers he heard around now made him nervous, rather than amused, starting to worry that, despite the rumour being based on wild and baseless accusations, that ponies might start working out the truth. And whenever he wrote his occasional letters to Twilight, he took great care in checking over them afterwards, to make sure he gave no hint of his crush on the Princess. He very much doubted his friend would take that news too well, being a student of Princess Celestia herself.

But the most nerve-wracking and downright scary times were during the study sessions themselves. For hours at a time, he was in Princess Luna's presence, and Starfall was always glad to see her now that she was more friendly with him, he was terrified of her finding out about his crush. He tried to keep his composure as much as possible, but Starfall could tell it was affecting his studies...and he was sure Luna could tell, as well.

For now, though, Starfall was unable to think up a solution to his problem, meaning that until such a time that he did come up with one, he was stuck just trying to hide his nervousness and get on with his life...which was rapidly becoming more and more stressful.

In an attempt to make up for his slipping performance, Starfall had once more taken to studying in his tower whenever he had the chance, finding that, especially regarding theoretical work, which he could do during the day, he was able to continue at his normal studying pace, which also seemed to have the added bonus of keeping the Princess of the Night happy.

It was this attempt to both keep up with his studies and distract himself from his new-found crush that saw Starfall in the upstairs study area of his tower, sitting at a desk he had moved to allow him to take in the breathtaking view of outer Canterlot the panoramic windows up here provided, an astronomy book open to one side, and a piece of parchment in front of him he was writing on, taking notes both from the textbook, and his own personal observations of the night sky the previous night, his focus still dedicated to the planets.

In this case, he was researching a particularly distance planet...so distant much of it was still a vast mystery. One thing that was well-known about this particular planet, though, was that despite it's extreme distance from their own world, it was just barely visible without the aid of telescopes, meaning that the planet must be huge. Starfall had since learned that this gigantic planet's immense gravity was the reason meteor showers...and by extension, meteor strikes, were very rare in Equestria. This planet had a miraculous tendency to pull a large number of comets into it's path, dragging them away and keeping their own world safe.

For Starfall, though, this was a cold sense of comfort...that to him, actually was not all that comforting. But he cast the dark thought aside, and diligently continued with his studies, focusing harder than before in an effort to get his studies on this particular planet over and done with, and move on to the next one.

But even as he made some more progress, getting an impressive section of work done, he looked back towards the stairwell as he heard a knock on the door, making him pause. Very few ponies were aware that he lived here, so who would be calling?

Putting down his pen, Starfall got up from his desk and made his way downstairs as the visitor knocked again. When he finally pulled the door open, he was surprised, to say the least, to find Princess Celestia standing there. What was she doing here, of all ponies?

He quickly gathered himself though, offering the Princess a bow. "Uhh, good afternoon, Princess Celestia. What brings you here?" he asked, genuinely curious and baffled as he gestured for her to come inside.

The Princess of the Sun gave him a small smile, and a nod of greeting, before making her way inside. "Good afternoon, Starfall. I hope you are well?" she asked, her voice kind and gentle, yet somehow still having that air of authority.

Starfall nodded. "As well as can be expected, Princess," he replied, before looking up. "Would you like something?"

Princess Celestia shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't stay long, so I'll be relatively quick. First off, since I haven't seen you since you began your studies with my sister, how are they going?" she asked, sounding genuinely curious.

Starfall smiled, glad to see that even if Princess Celestia was just checking up on him, that there did not appear to be a specifically bad reason to have made her visit. "I've learned so much in these last few weeks, Princess, it's amazing," he replied enthusiastically. "Princess Luna has helped me learn so much that I struggled with when I studied the stars alone...so much that I never even thought was there to learn in the first place!"

Princess Celestia smiled, obviously pleased with Starfall's enthusiasm. "I am you are taking to you studies so well, and while I am glad things are going so well there, that's not the real reason why I'm here. I'm here because of Princess Luna's studies on the modern world..and her distinct lack of progress so far."

Starfall's mouth did a complete one-eighty at that, his smile turning into a sheepish, guilty frown so fast one might have thought he had not been smiling at all since Princess Celestia's arrival. "I...well..." he stuttered, trying to explain his reasoning why Princess Luna's studies on modern society had not yet commenced. In the end, though, he was just shut his mouth, knowing he did not have a viable excuse. He had let Luna's superior authority as royalty intimidate him into letting her off the hook for now, and every time he had brought the matter back up, Luna had always found some excuse, which Starfall had unquestioningly accepted.

Princess Celestia had obvious figured out that much as well, sighing. "I see my sister's reluctance is still causing her problems," she said softly, her tone suggesting that while she was disappointed, she had also predicted this to some extent. "Starfall, I understand that my sister is reluctant to do this, and she may be using her intimidation and her status to pressure you into leaving her alone...but this is something that needs to be done, the sooner the better. Sooner or later she is going to make a mistake that seems right based on her out-of-date knowledge, and I'd really prefer it if we could educate her before that can happen."

Starfall nodded to show that he understood, but kept his head low, his guilt obvious. He had known this when Princess Celestia had asked him to help when he had first met the Princesses, and still had not tried hard enough. "I'm sorry, Princess," he said softly. "I'll try and get the first lessons under way tonight," he added as a promise.

Princess Celestia nodded. "I will be speaking with my sister this evening before your next lesson. I had heard that at present, you are ahead in your studies. As such, I will recommend to my sister that she only have your studies take up half their regular time, so you can make a start on teaching her about our modern ways," she explained, Starfall nodding in agreement. It sounded like a solid, viable plan...as long as Princess Luna agreed to it.

Starfall stood there in silence with the Princess for a few moments, before clearing his throat. "Umm...is there anything else you wanted, Princess?" he asked as politely as he could.

Princess Celestia seemed to think for a couple of moments, before shaking her head. "That was the purpose of my visit, although before I go, may I add that I am glad you are keeping in contact with my own pupil. Twilight Sparkle does have friends back in Ponyville, but she has gotten into the habit of keeping herself confined to this small group. I am glad that you are helping her expand her friendship group. She is a wonderful student, but has always been a little awkward in social situations."

Starfall gave a soft smile, nodding. "Thank you, Princess," he said, clearly humbled by the praise as the Princess made her way back to the door, Starfall moving to open it for her as she walked out. He had noticed that Twilight was not exactly a social butterfly, her letters tending to speak of only five friends she considered herself close to, and even then, details were sparing, Twilight explaining that she wanted to surprise him with their meeting whenever he decided to visit Ponyville.

But Starfall was snapped out of his thoughts as Princess Celestia stopped just outside the door. "Oh, and Starfall? About you and my sister..."

For a brief moment, while the Princess paused to make sure Starfall was listening, the young pegasus had to fight to contain and hide his growing sense of panic. Did Princess Celestia know of his crush on Princess Luna? What was she going to say? The possible repercussions of the Princess of the Sun knowing about his growing infatuation with her younger sister saw him struggling to maintain a straight face.

No matter what she said, Starfall had some small relief when the Princess continued, glad the wait was not being drawn out. "I am glad you have managed to start of friendship of sorts with her. I'm afraid my sister is something of a social outcast, and I am relieved to see her finally making a friend. I want to thank you for being so open-minded with her, and showing her such kindness."

Starfall could have collapsed with the sheer amount of relief he felt in that moment, but through a gigantic effort, managing to keep his composure...although he couldn't quite suppress the sigh he felt. He just hoped any relief that was noticeable would be assumed to be based on his earlier fear of being reprimanded for not getting the Princess of the Night to start learning about the modern world.

After a moment, he finally got his voice under control again. "Thank you, Princess. Princess Luna is a wonderful pony, even with her social awkwardness," he added, thought kept his mouth firmly shut after that, afraid he might have hinted a bit too much there.

If Princess Celestia suspected anything, though, she did not mention it, giving Starfall a warm smile, as she turned to leave. "I'm glad you think so, Starfall. Good day."

As she disappeared down the outer spiral staircase to the foot of the tower, Starfall shut the door, slumping against it and heaving a sigh of relief. His feelings for Princess Luna were starting to get away from him. Unless he did something, and soon, Starfall knew it was only a matter of time before he said or did something that revealed his crush...and Starfall had huge doubts as to whether that revelation would get a positive response from anypony he knew.