Princess Luna was getting tired. She'd raised the moon hours ago and it was close to gone now. She'd gazed down at Equestria from her balcony once again. She thought back to her last appointment with Talisman and his response as to what he believed her problem was.

"Miss Luna, you are lonely. You crave some company of decent nature."

Luna sighed unhappily. There was a problem with being lonely. Nopony could keep her company forever. As an alicorn, Luna was immortal and ruled jointly with her sister Celestia who raised the sun. But because of this neither of the two alicorns could take a partner. Celestia seemed to have come to terms with that fact. Luna simply couldn't. She wanted to, but she just couldn't. She wanted somepony special in her life that wasn't her sister. She wanted somepony she could cuddle on the cold nights and play with or talk to during the long nights. She sighed unhappily.

"It'll never happen Luna... Just forget it. Besides, nopony really likes you anyway. You're second best to Tia and you know it."

"That isn't true Luna."

Luna spun around blushing slightly that her words had been heard. Her sister Celestia stood in the doorway looking at her adoringly.

"Not many ponies really know you yet Luna. You don't get out of the castle much. Besides, I know Talisman likes you."

Luna looked at her sisters' happy expression and couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah but... Tia... Everypony adores you... How could you understand?"

Celestia nuzzled her insecure younger sister affectionately.

"I may not know exactly what you're going through Luna, but I do want you to know that I'm here. I also know that everpony in Ponyville absolutely adores you."

She gave her sister a long hug.

"Now go to bed Luna. It's almost time for me to raise the sun."

Luna rolled her eyes and smiled, content in her sister's embrace. The two separated and Celestia teleported away. Luna sighed again and climbed into her bed. It was a massive thing, big enough to fit at least five ponies with room to spare. That, or two of Celestia's stature. She wriggled around trying to get comfortable and levitated her Celestia doll over to her and cuddled it lovingly, stroking it's silken outer skin. She was just falling asleep when a sudden crash woke her up. She jumped out of bed scared as a white and gold blur slammed into her floor and bounced across the room. It hit the wall and came to rest. Luna looked at it curiously. It took her a moment to identify the battered and broken thing as a Pegasus. His white coat was stained with spots of green and one of his wings was bending at an un-natural angle, but he was breathing. Two Guardsponies stormed into the room.

"Stop! It's ok." Luna cried.

The guards nodded and walked back outside. Luna walked closer to the Pegasus. He was barely conscious and only breathing shallowly, but he was definitely alive. Luna whispered to him.

"What's your name?"

The stallion looked at her with unfocused eyes, obviously not recognizing her.

"Stalwart... Defender..."

The Pegasus fainted.