Luna spun around in her new dress, Cadence having outdone herself for their ‘outing’. With several letters, a few requests, estimates on sizes and payments sent, the Love Princess really put her heart into it.

The blue mare examined herself in the mirror, the purple dress hugging tightly to her chest. It came down in a long curve, an inch just above the floor to prevent dragging. The fabric was soft and airy, breathing in the cool castle air with stripes of soft white and lovely turquoise to garnish it. A simple moon hung over each flank, her chest sealed in a crescent brooch. Her wings spread out, tucking in to see just how carefree it was.

It felt like the dress spoke from her heart, simple and elegant, yet with a hint of wanderlust. She was a young mare again, happy in this moment.

“Cadence, thank you… truly, thy eye for design is one to behold.” Luna turned to her, the pink mare nodding at the compliment.

“Don’t mention it! You didn’t even bring an outfit to wear for an outing, so it’s the least I could do.” Cadence stood by her in the mirror. “And I want this outing between you and Arin to be wonderful. You seem so happy when you’re with him.”

“Indeed, he does know how to make Us… me smile.” Luna said, holding the brooch in her hoof. “But I must ask… are you trying to make us an item?”

“Haha, me? What? Nooo.” Cadence said with a nervous smile. For some reason, Luna believed it.

“I’m sorry for doubting you, it just seems so romantic and sweet…”

“It’s just who I am, of course. Sorry if it’s a bit much.” Cadence lied, waving a hoof daintily. “It’s not like you desperately need a special somepony or anything, right Luna?”

She sighed, nodding. “We have been alone for ages past… Tis a new experience to even consider it. Never once have We held another in our hooves, as no suitors within reason proclaimed themselves.”

Cadence found the moment growing a little sad, and quickly changed the subject. “Oh! I forgot to mention, but I have your little picnic all set up for you. The food will be arriving as you lower the moon, so you might want to make your way to the garden before he beats you there!”

“Arin would never lay a hoof on us, to strike or beat us would be absurd.” Luna scowled, misinterpreting the simple statement.

“I meant before Arin arrives ahead of you.”

“Oh. Right.”

~

Arin waited by the Crystal Heart, as Shining had asked him to. His stomach growled, kicking a small rock around him idly. At first he admired the slowly spinning sculpture, but that quickly grew boring, and left his mind to wander.

“I hope I don’t miss dinner. Berries will only bring you so far…” He said, as the moon began to crest the horizon. Just then, one of the four entrances into the castle cracked open, a beautiful mare slowly making her way down to the steps.

A beautiful mare? His beautiful mare. Princess Luna. She was wearing a stunning dress, which caught him off guard – she didn’t bring anything on this trip, did she? Her mane was caught in a simple ponytail, letting the starry sky follow her as she approached her knight.

“Arin, if you would, I request that you guard me in the nearby park.”

He blinked, but he gave a soft nod. Blushing. “O-Of course, Luna.”

She smiled, leading the way. Up above, on a high balcony, Cadence watched with a pair of binoculars as the pair made their way towards the nearby garden. A warm smile etched on her lips, Celestia approaching by her side.

“What are you looking at?” She asked. Cadence squeaked, nearly dropping the tool before stuffing it behind her back.

“N-Nothing, Auntie! Just making sure all is quiet and safe.”

“It’s Luna, isn’t it? You really can’t keep your hooves out of her relationship, huh?” Celestia said with a small smile. “While I do envy her for feeling love, I am a bit anxious to let her date Arin. I’m worried she may trod in the wrong place, or say the wrong thing. It’s also a bit worrying how quickly she seems to be falling for him.”

“I’m not. I believe in love. And they can move as quickly as they want, if they move at all. I wont lie when I say that within the first week of babysitting Twilight, I was all over Shiny.” Cadence giggled, picking up her nearby glass of tea.

“Oh yes, I do recall quite well! Twilight’s mother spoke to me about mysterious stains on the couch on the fifth night.” Celestia smiled, as Cadence spit out her drink.

“T-That was mayo!”

“But of course, what else could it be? Why do you think she tasted it to be sure?” Celestia keenly lied, humming at the result.

Cadence gagged, galloping away inside. Leaving the binoculars behind, as Celestia took them up to do a little ‘stargazing’ herself.

~

Luna guided her knight to the park with little worry, past a magical bubble and into the safety of Shining’s spell. While she could create her own barrier, it wasn’t her specialty – Shining’s magic was advanced in the subject, and like any talent, this is where he shined the most.

“Is the entire city made of crystal? How do they build new houses?… All of the buildings look like they came from giant, individual hunks of the stuff.” Arin said, peering past the barrier. He didn’t question the magic; if anything, he respected the decision to cast a barrier. Letting your guard down now was asking to be murdered in the street, he had learned this from Sir Armor during their sparring session.

“As We recall, the architects use their magic to grow crystal buildings from the ground, and carve the fine details. Some buildings are made of several pieces, due to their complexity or size, and have to be moved in to place.” Luna smiled. “Tis an ancient art, and a part of history.”

“Wow, so everything here really is made of Crystal.” Around them, the trees grew a little dense; the brush line cut between the housing, making a quiet alcove in which to enjoy the starry sky above. Before them, a large blanket was spread out on a small hill, with a clear view of space. It was accompanied with a basket, and several candles.

He had a very strong feeling that Cadence had a hoof in this. The candles were a clear sign. But at this point, he didn’t care if she nudged them closer. They had shared their feelings, and he embraced them. He rested his hand over Luna’s withers, the starry Princess pulling in closer. Her elegant steps matched his gait, and her wing darted softly around his side, reeling him in.

Arin blushed, but embraced it as they reached the picnic.

“I had never been in love before…” He admitted, as they curled up on the blankets together. “I never had the chance. Not many would entertain me with a lack of magical skill. My life has always been a rush to work, to excel in something. To find my ‘special talent’, as you would say.”

“I would dare say you’ve found it.” She smiled, her nose pressing to his chest. “It would be in thievery, as you’ve stolen my heart.”

He smiled at the corny proclamation, running his fingers along her cheek. She leaned in to the touch, closing her eyes for a brief moment to savor this sensation. When she found it lacking, her muzzle slid forward to timidly meet his lips. A sweet kiss following, warmth seeping in to his heart.

When she pulled away, she took his breath with her.

“You have more experience kissing than I do, it’s not fair.” He laughed, “You’ve stolen my first one, and at this rate, you’ll steal the last, too.”

Her cheeks turned up into a smile, her nose pressing in to his neck. “Would you believe me if I said that you have done much the same?~”

Arin’s eyes went wide, holding her head close. “No way… I’m your first?” He whispered. She nodded, pulling him in to her blue wings. Sliding back against the blanket, dragging him to the soft, grassy floor.

“We have been lonely, for a very long time… ‘Tis hard, being a mare in my position.” Her voice came in a whisper, to help her ease the emotions free. It was overwhelming to think that her whole life had been without this.

“Never again.” Arin said in reply, squeezing her close.

“Never again?…”

“As long as I draw breath, you wont be lonely.” He said, running his thumb along the inside of her ear. She gave a tiny moan at the sensitive touch, her body drawing in to his torso.

For several long moments, they held each other. Gazing up to her beautiful night sky, admiring the stars she set. Once again, the Arcanis Ring was missing, and it gave him comfort. He could feel inside that with that constellation hidden, he wasn’t bound to destiny.

Luna’s horn twinkled, dragging the heavy basket to their side. “Hungry?”

“Starving.” He replied, sitting up to dig at whatever Cadence had planned.

The first thing he found was a dozen plastic circles, curiously bound together by the square packaging, and a small bottle of a word he hadn’t heard yet. Curiously, he tilted the substance around in the vial.

Luna’s horn flashed, throwing the items in to the nearby bush.

“What was that?” Arin asked. Whatever it was, he didn’t have it on his old world.

“A prank from our Sister.” Luna replied without a second thought.

On the nearby balcony, high above the streets of the Empire, the white alicorn giggled. The courier got her letter, it seemed.

“I wonder what those tiny squares were… they had this weird circle thing inside.”

“Indeed, they were much too small.” Luna giggled, her cheeks burning red. Thankfully, Arin’s world was a little more barbaric than hers, it seemed. She inspected inside of the basket, withdrawing a paper box with folds in the top. Undoing the lid, she gasped in delight.

“Our niece knows how to please Us!” Luna said, holding up a hay burger in her magic. Curious, Arin withdrew his own box – happy to find a similar burger, with the hay substituted with three fried eggs.

“You must have really liked that, huh?” Arin smiled, taking a bite of his dinner. Luna simply couldn’t reply, her mouth stuffed with hay and bun. Instead, she nodded, drawing a laugh from Arin.

“You’re a princess until you’ve got a hayburger, then you’re a wild animal.”

“A happy wild animal!” She commented, eyes gleaming as she found a bottle of that red sauce already so generous on her hay, ‘ketchup’. She opened it up, pouring a hefty glob on her next bite. She offered the red-filled glass to Arin, who nodded and presented his own burger. A simple shake, and it was smothered.

“Pony food is so neat,” He said between bites, “excluding the bits where you get a flower in your sandwhich.”

He blinked. Luna’s cheeks imitated a chipmunk, the entire burger having vanished into her happy muzzle. Arin couldn’t help but snort with laughter, as Luna had to use her hooves to help smoosh the food between her teeth and chew.

“Keep that up and you’ll choke before we get to desert.”

Luna coughed, gulping. Her eyes went wide upon realizing that it didn’t all go down, her air supply cut short.

“…Don’t tell me.” He asked. She nodded, tipping the ketchup bottle to her lips to drink down the caught hay. Surprisingly, it worked, and she gave an exasperated sigh.

“Luckily, this substance is thick!” She smiled, panting. She looked between Arin and the bottle, slowly bringing it up to her lips.

Arin reached forward, stopping her from drinking the ketchup. Again. They both shared a laugh, as Arin capped the bottle and set it back in the basket. Inside, he found two more glass bottles, and pulled them out with a tilt of his head.

“What are these?…” He asked, looking over the label. He couldn’t read it too well, but he gave it a try. P-R-A-N-C-E-Y. Prancey? It bubbled in the glass bottle, the blue label shiny in the dim moonlight.

Twisting the lid off, he gave it a curious sniff. It fizzled softly. It seemed like a potion of sorts, and he gave it a sip. Bubbles tickled his throat, the syrupy sweet liquid cool against his tongue.

“Oh my feathers that’s good.” He smiled, offering Luna her own bottle. She curiously took it, discarded the lid, and gave it a taste.

She didn’t respond for several seconds, only tip the bottle back and continue to drink. And drink… and drink. Until her glass was empty.

“…Indeed, We find this Prancey divine! A gift from the heavens! It tastes like We are drinking raw sugar.” She said, giving a very unprincess-like burp. A hoof went to her muzzle, blushing. “Excuse me!”

Arin quickly finished his bottle, the sugar mixing much too well with all of the greasy food. Curious to find whatever else was left in the basket, he withdrew a small carton in the shape of a heart. With a curious raise of the eyebrow, he lifted the lid to find a dozen strawberries, coated in a layer of chocolate.

His eyes lit up. He had never considered mixing his favorite fruit with his favorite candy. He brought one of the treats up, holding it up to Luna’s muzzle.

“Mind checking these, you know – make sure they’re still fresh?” He asked with a smile. She giggled, opening her muzzle. He slid the berry inside, the mare giving a firm bite. A soft purr followed, lifting her own strawberry up in her magical grasp, and levitating it to Arin’s lips, In one bite, it was gone.

They ate their fill, emptying the heart shaped box before the hour was out. Sharing sweet stories of home, comforting thoughts and things they enjoyed. Simple things, things they were familiar with. All while staring up at that beautiful sky, Luna’s magic shimmering as she drew the moon high.

“So, I’m your first kiss, Luna?…” He asked, running a hand through her mane. She was so pretty in the moonlight, the soft touches of makeup making her azure eyes shine. “Have you never found the chance, or?…”

“Our ability to find love is hampered by Our duties. Our burdens leave Us with much to want…”

“And you’ll want no more.” He promised, pressing his lips to her. A soft hush of breath followed, holding that sweet kiss with his mare. His Luna. The stars twinkled brighter as he drew her in, tangling himself in her hooves. She more than obliged him, her tongue slipping forward to part his lips.

He gasped, letting his guard down as she claimed his mouth. He retaliated, twirling his appendage in a small circle in her muzzle – tasting the chocolate on her tongue, the sweet flavor mixing with her soft noises of bliss.

In the distance, Celestia had begun to fan herself with a hoof, blushing. Cadence had returned with a second pair of binoculars, and was biting her lip in satisfaction.

“Do you think they’ll go all the way?” Cadence asked her auntie, unable to stop herself from blushing.

“Well, considering how Luna tossed the condoms and lube I sent, I’m pretty doubtful.” Celestia gave an un-princess like chortle, adjusting her binoculars to get a better view.

“It’s okay, there’s a second set in the bottom of the basket.” Cadence beamed, honing her sight back in. “I tried to guess his size, I probably went a little too small though.”

Celestia was quiet for a moment, lowering her binoculars to stare at Cadence.

“I sent mine as a joke…” She said. Cadence didn’t respond, only continue to spy on her targets.

Luna pulled back from the kiss with a pleasant moan, a trail of saliva binding their lips together for a second longer. Arin shuddered, leaning in to nibble at her neck. His hands slid lower, gently trailing over her flank. The blue alicorn gasped, a hoof resting over his hand. He gave a warm squeeze, forcing a happy whimper from his Princess.

“Let’s make a deal, Cadence. If Luna stops him and they return to the Castle, I will give you one hundred bits. But if they do anything lewd – in public, mind you, you give me one hundred bits. Deal?”

Cadence shook her head. “I don’t plan on watching them go at it like rabbits, as adorable as it is to see love spark like this in the night.” She lowered her binoculars, turning back to the doorway.

Celestia huffed, frowning. She didn’t want to be out here alone, watching her Sister swoon for her knight. She followed behind, leaving the two below to their moment.