Agithos: I do plan to continue this story however not on a strict time regimen. Do hope you keep up with this though ^-^

Also please feel free to hit me up on PMs and chat! I love discussing lots of things :)

Chapter 1: Cry Me a River

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Shining Star received the letter he had hoped to find. He was going to be a personal student of Princess Luna! He was being quick about packing his few belongings he wanted to take with him.

Apparently accommodation was provided at the castle. He could sell the apartment if so need be, which is a great help.

The reason Star wanted to be the student of Princess Luna was because of his fascination of the stars and the night sky. He always believed that the night always had something over the day. He made sure to write that in the handwritten letter he wrote:

Dear Princess Luna of the Night,

I'd like to be a student of your own. I'm a stallion who has an acute skill for charting stars. I have experience with smaller telescopes, and have charted the stars and constellations multiple times.

I have always enjoyed night more than day, for the sole fact that charting stars is interesting compared to the solar investigators.

I don't really have much more to say. Thanks for considering my letter.

Shining Star

Star didn't really like the letter he wrote anyways, but it was good enough.

Finally came the time for him to leave. He shifted his wings through the bags he carried and left the small apartment, locking the door behind him.

Manehattan was always an interesting city. Bustling with life yet empty. Star didn't take too much notice to that fact, as he had lived here for years already, working small jobs using his trusty black telescope.

He spread his wings and took to the sky. It was noon time, and had time for food before leaving. He swung down to a café he went to often.

Walking in caught the attention of the barista in the shop. He waved at Star. "Hey Star! You want your usual thing or what?"

Star smiled. "You know it. How's business?"

"Fine, if a bit slow. Why'd you bring your telescope here?"

Star looked back at the bags he had on his back. "I'm headed to Canterlot now. I have become Princess Luna's personal student."

The barista's jaw dropped. "You're kidding." Star shook his head. "Man, well done! I guess sticking with your job worked out well."

Star chuckled. The barista (whose name was Barry, no joke) gave him his lunchtime food. Star paid for the food and sat at a table.

Someone must have overheard the conversation. A pony approached my table. She had a pink coat with a white mane that neatly braided down to her shoulders. "I couldn't help but hear that. You're going to be Princess Luna's student?"

Star nodded, as he was in the middle of eating his food, and it would be rude to talk with your mouth full.

"Cool! I've always imagined being a student of the princess. But there are two of them now! How interesting!"

Star looked to a clock on the wall. His train was going to arrive soon. Finishing his food with haste, he said goodbye to the pony and flew off to the station.

As he flew towards the station, a pegasus flew down on him suddenly and he spiraled out of control. There was a sickening crack and tinkle noise as Star hit the ground. He got up and quickly made sure the older pony was okay.

He then felt something odd. He looked back at his bag to find the one holding the telescope at an odd shape. Pulling it off revealed that the telescope was snapped in two and one of the lenses was broken.

Star stared at the telescope, not able to easily find words. He saved up the bits as a child to earn enough to get this telescope. He's had it for many years. Now it lay broken from a simple accident, something that wrenched a little part of his heart.

The pegasus who instigated the accident was gone. Star was left to pick up the pieces and put it back in his bag.

He ran the rest of the way to the train station. He managed to get in the Canterlot train just as it was leaving. Taking his seat he checked to make sure everything was okay. His books were fine, small money bag unburst, and only his telescope seemed to be damaged.

For the entire train journey his head was ticking like clockwork. This was an excellent opportunity, but the letter Celestia sent Star listed the potential dangers. Luna was unstable. She was like a ticking time bomb. After being freed from Nightmare Moon, she went into a recluse. She only seemed to accept a student out of her sister's request.

He was willing to take the risks to learn all he could about star charting. It was foretold by his cutie mark anyways.

Star got off the train, stretching stiff limbs from the long journey. Breathing in the fresh air to remove the motion sickness from the train, Shining Star started the long walk across Canterlot.

The snuffy rich ponies did turn up noses on the busy streets, not that it bothered Star much. He was busy checking out the sights the city had to offer. He had never been to Canterlot before, this was his very first time in the mountain-set city.

Walking through a park he saw some fillies and colts spending the weekend playing together. It reminded him of a very dark part of his soul.

He was alone. His family all passed, he was an only child who gained inheritance at a young adult age. He has never found a special somepony, devoting all his life and soul into his studies. He still had few friends, but there was a hole to fill in his heart.

He shook his head, regained a smile and kept walking.

He eventually made it to the castle. There were two guards on post outside the main gates of the castle.

"Halt, sir," the one on the left said, "What you come here for?" Star unfolded the letter embossed with the solar seal. The guard skimmed over the text and it clicked. "Oh! You're Luna's new student! Come on in then." The gates swung open and the guard motioned him inside.

Star followed the guard up to the main palace entrance. "Just follow the signage." Star thanked the guard and went inside.

There was one thing apparent: signing was minimal. He followed the arrows regardless and ended up in a line of nobles. He presumed this was the audience for Princess Celestia, so he waited.

The pony in front of Star turned around. He was a unicorn. The noble sniffed and asked, "What's a commoner like you doing here?" His voice echoed along the halls softly.

"I'm here because I can." Star hated the nobles and for good reason. They could buy those fancy houses and they don't support the people who need money and are starving because they can't get their heads out of their own asses.

The noble in front of Star had entered the throne room. Star was trying to breath calmly. You're only seeing the PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA. No pressure!

"Next please come forward." The guard said. Star sighed and pushed through the doors into the throne room.

The first impression was that is was HUGE. The roof was a good 50 feet up. The room was empty save for a red carpet running through the middle of the room towards the throne, which seated the one and only Equestrian princess. Star also noticed some wood scaffolding to the left of Celestia's throne.

"And who are you?"

Celestia spoke, she spoke to you, Star.

"Uh, greetings, your highness." Star awkwardly bent his knees to lower himself closer to the ground.

"Rise, little one. What is your name, and what do you require?"

Star took a shaky breath. "My name is Shining Star and-"

"Guard! Is this the last pony for this afternoon?"

"Yes, your highness."

The white princess nodded. She stood from her throne and walked down the stairs towards Star. He backed up a couple steps in automation.

Celestia stopped before him. "Welcome, Shining Star."

Star was shaking in his skin. He looked up at the head taller princess and replied, "Uhh… Thank you, princess."

Princess Celestia shook her head. "If you're the student of my sister, is there need for formalities?"

He hesitated then shook his head. Celestia then held out a hoof to him. Tentatively, Star shook hooves with the princess of Equestria.

"Now, follow me please, Shining."

"Star sounds better."

Celestia nodded then turned and walked towards a previously invisible side door. Walking through it found them in a maze of hallways. Celestia navigated them knowing them off the back of her hoof, while Star followed.

Eventually they both turned into a darker and slightly blue tinted hallway. The roof had some sort of glitter on it, giving the impression of a starry sky. There was one door on the end, and five on either side.

Celestia walked right up to the end of the hallway and knocked. "Luna, Shining Star is here."

A blue magic wrung the doorknob and the door opened rather eerily. Celestia stepped aside and Star peered into the room.

The room wasn't quite as tall as a throne room. The entire room felt a lot smaller than a lot of the halls in the palace. The room was very navy blue colored.

Sitting on a couch was Princess Luna herself. She had a neutral expression, a blank poker face looking at him.

"Cometh in here, Shining Star."

Star took small steps into the personal room of the night princess herself. Princess Luna cracked a small smile at his general amazement. "Doth my dwelling amuse thee?"

Star's head turned to face Luna. "Guess so." He then turned to her and bowed.

"Rise, student." Star stood.

"Listen. I did not want thou studentry in all fairness. At least thee like my teachings which we will begin tonight. Go to your private chambers and get settled, Shining Star."

Star nodded, feeling at least a little hurt. Surely Luna didn't just want to throw such an opportunity out the window? He shrugged and left the room.

Celestia was there, and Star followed her to one of the doors in the starry hall. He pushed the door open to find a less lavish but still fancy room.

"You get settled in. I'll come talk to you in an hour before tea."

(Side note: 'Tea' is English/Kiwi for dinner.)

Celestia shut the door, leaving Star alone in the room. He put the bags in a corner and flopped down on the bed.

He had actually become a student of a princess. It was a very odd situation.

---

Luna sat in the soft chair, looking out the window at the city below. She hadn't gotten any of her duties yet, so she had time to relax.

She was thinking about Shining Star. He was an odd character. The stallion had a telescope from the tubular bag that he had around his back.

Luna got out of the chair and wandered out of her quarters. She found the room assigned to Shining Star and knocked.

"Come in."

Luna opened the door and walked in. Star noticed her presence pretty fast. "Oh, good evening, princess."

Luna nodded her head. "Evening. I came in to talk to thee about thou plans." Star nodded. "So our lessons will be at night. Thou telescope would be sufficient, but a more powerful device would work. Before that, my sister insists that I get out of this… Old speak. I've had attempts at it already… I guess it's … rubbing off on me.

"I can help with that I guess." Shining Star confirmed that her plans were good.

"Alright. I will take my leave. See you at supper." Luna took her leave, trotting over to the throne room to help Celestia with royal duties.

---

Celestia sat on her throne listening to some noble prattling on about more upper class privileges and the like. She quickly denied the nobles offer and sent her off.

Luna came up and sat on the stair below Celestia. "I can help thee if you needeth it so." Celestia agreed help was a good idea.

While Luna dealt with some other pony, Celestia thought about the pony, Shining Star. When she gave the idea to Luna to get a student, in reality she was trying to get Luna something she needed most at this point in her life.

---

Luna told the civilian to dawdle off for he had been talking nonsense about something or other. She let Celestia take the reins again as she thought deeply.

What was Celestia thinking about getting her a student? It was a good question. Was it actually just to get someone educated in the workings of the night? Or was it a plot to make her life worse?

Luna decided to leave Celestia. She was better at doing her job anyways, so Luna went off to the Night Gardens.

There, the gardens were made shortly after Luna's imprisonment. It was made as a memorial and a verry sorrowful sorry.

Luna just laid down there. Cold and calculating, Luna was far from any positive feeling.

She sat down in the single dark oak bench, by a small pond and let go. The tears flowed openly, and the pent up anger got released in the outburst of sadness.

Luna couldn't stop crying. Every time she cried a river for the thing she has done, another arises like a fresh scar. She was truly broken. She thought she was unfixable, a wrench in the works that couldn't be unharmed from the cognitive gears of any feeling in her mind.

Nightmare Moon. The clean up jobs that Celestia made her do. Everything felt like ponies were just throwing stones at her. Blaming her for everything Celestia did.

She spent so much time crying her sorrows that she missed dinner entirely, and no one thought to look for her in the gardens.

---

When Luna didn't turn up for dinner, Celestia and Star were both worried. The guards have been searching and can't find her anywhere.

When Celestia thinks something smart. "Star, go to the Lunar Gardens. She might be there." Shining Star was quick to obey her, rushing off in the direction of the gardens.

The garden was beautiful. Star casually trotted along the path, looking for Luna. He stopped when he heard a sniffle and then someone sobbing loudly.

Following the noise, he found Luna. She was sitting on a dark oak bench, hooves on her face, makeup slurred by the power of tears.

Shining Star walked up to the princess. "Are you okay, princess?" He muttered.

Luna's head snapped to his. Her eyes were bloodshot. Star also noticed her hair wasn't waving around, it was hanging heavy on her head.

"Do you think I'm okay?" Luna snapped. Star slowly approached the bench and sat on it.

He became a shoulder for Luna to cry on, basically.

He tried to get some answer out of her. "Why out here?"

"No one-" Luna sniffled, "-thinks to look for me here…"

"So you come here to…"

Luna looked at Star. Suddenly her eyes hazed over, becoming essentially black eyes with white pupils. "HOW DARE THOUST ACCOST ME IN A TIME OF WEAKNESS?" Her voice was magically amplified.

Suddenly Luna turned from a small princess into a figure very similar to Nightmare Moon.

Shining Star was now thoroughly scared. His ears were still ringing as she picked him up in magic. "DOST THEE TRY TO WEAKEN ME!" She threw Star out to the enterance to the gardens. There was a sickening snap as his left wing broke. He made haste in running away.

Meanwhile Luna's eyes returned to normal and her coat regained her usual hue, and she sank to the ground, crying her own puddle of tears.

Shining Star ran as fast as he could towards the dining chamber, where Celestia was eating some cake.

Celestia damn near choked on that cake as he kicked those doors in with blood along his left side. She rushed to help him. "What in the name of the Sun happened?"

Star had already passed out from the pain. Celestia called paramedic ponies to take Star to the palace infirmary.

Luna felt an unpardonable guilt. She walked into her quarters. "It's easier to end the pain…"

She opened the bottom dresser drawer. Under the winter jacket too small for her was an ancient rusted dagger. She lifted it out of its place and looked at it. With a spell, it was sharp and no rust was present.

She lifted the large knife to the position on her chest where her heart was. She looked up and screamed, "LET IT END NOW!" She put as much magical force as she could into the plunge.

But nothing happened. Luna looked down to find a golden aura wreathed around the knife. She looked to see Celestia at the doorway, looking about to burst into tears.

"LET ME DIE!" Luna screamed at the top of her lungs. Celestia's eye leaked a tear. "No. you're not leaving me again."

"PLEASE!" Luna pleaded, crying off the rest of the makeup that survived the guilt tears.

"No. I'm not letting go."

"Sister…" Luna was showing signs of magical fatigue. Suddenly, the knife shot backwards into the wall. Luna collapsed, awake but magically exhausted.

"Please…" Luna whispered, "I can't let someone die because of me again." Celestia threw the knife out the window and into the jagged rock below.

She turned around and hugged Luna. Luna still had the occasional spark from her horn, but she had used too much exertion into the magic. Celestia and Luna both cried softly, cradling each other, knowing they loved each other, and would not let the other die, at any cost.