Third Night: The Longest Night

[raisethemoon]

[Luna peers critically into the camera as it comes on. For once, it isn't wrapped in the pale blue shimmer of her magic; she reaches out a hoof to straighten it slightly.]

Excellent. Hold steady, Noctis.

[She turns and paces slowly away, to the edge of what turns out to be the belltower.] Tonight is the night of the Winter Moon Festival. My festival. 'Twas to be our first in...in some time. We had meant to gift our subjects with a grand and glorious sky, to show them all that -

[She stops, sounding near tears, and tosses her mane in frustration. Then, visibly composing herself, she takes a deep breath and lowers her head, her horn glowing first blue and then a bright silver as she takes flight. The silver light coalesces around and in front of her as she rises, until she is silhouetted against what seems to be a huge, brilliantly shining full moon, hanging high in the sky above Traverse Town.

Luna lands again, her horn still glowing faintly as she maintains the illusion. She's a little out of breath, but smiling triumphantly and somewhat defiantly.]

Tonight, there shall be a moon!

Comments

[raisethemoon]

[Luna tilts her head in wry assent: she had meant Equestria. She appreciates the sentiment, though, and is about to say so when he suddenly zooms off. Arching an eyebrow, the alicorn lowers the communicator to the ground and looks up to the sky expectantly.

She isn't disappointed, and stands as he approaches, shaking out her wings with the intent of going up to meet him. Instead, she blinks in surprise as the first snowflakes start to fall about her. Now that, she had not expected. She smiles, then laughs joyfully, kicking and prancing about in the snow quickly coating the rooftop. Fun, this is fun! She'd just known snow would be! She doesn't even care about the ice starting to stick in her coat and feathers.]

[frostyfuntimes]

[Snowball has ice in her fur as well as she trails in Jack's snowy wake. Jack looks down at Luna and laughs as she prances across the roof in the snow he's managed to conjure up. If he wanted to he could probably cover the whole town but, for now, this was enough.

Of course, Jack isn't one to be satisfied with just hovering over the action. Oh no. He dips down from the sky and perches on the edge of the rooftop, grin as wide as ever. Snowball follows with a few more twirls around Jack's head.]

Now this is a Winter Moon Festival.

[He laughs and jumps into the snow that's quickly piling up. Kicking it up with his bare feet and laughing along with Luna.]

[raisethemoon]

Such as has not been seen for millennia!

[She leaps about a few seconds longer, before pausing to beat her wings, blowing away some of the snow gathering on the dozing Ursa.]

We thank thee, Jack.

[frostyfuntimes]

[Jack grins. Luna might not be his usual target for winter time fun but, hey, he'd take what he could get and he can tell he's made her happier. That's what's important. What really makes him happy though is FINALLY getting credit for something. It's a new feeling and he's brimming with pride over a job well done.]

You're welcome. So, what do you say to playing in the snow under the moon you just made. We could even build a snowbear to match your snoozing Spirit over there.

[raisethemoon]

Snowbear? Is that thy custom?

[It's an honest question: she can't image humans build snowponies or snowgriffons or, as in one memorable case, a snowmanticore.]

Oh! Shall we require carrots and branches?

[frostyfuntimes]

Snowmen are the custom but I feel like being creative.

[He gestures at the Kooma Panda coated in snow.] And I might have had some inspiration too.

Sure. Maybe some rocks too if you can't find carrots.

[raisethemoon]

We have carrots!

[She vanishes in a flash of light, and reappears with another several seconds later, holding a couple carrots in the crook of her wing.]

We bought them for consumption, but they shall serve equally well here! 'Tis pity there are no great pine trees...ah, but a snowbear need not have wings anyhow.

[frostyfuntimes]

Woah!

[Jack jumped back because he hadn't been expecting the sudden teleport in a flash of light. Luna was just full of all kinds of surprises.

Jack nods and waves his staff, the snow beginning to move and shift on its own, packing itself together to start forming the base of what would soon be a snowbear.]

I'll be honest. I haven't made one of these myself in a long time. I usually just watch other people do it.

[raisethemoon]

Nor have we. We have been...busy.

[Technically true. Royal duties do tend to take away much of one's leisure time. Luna levitates some of the snow up towards her and begins packing it into the second, smaller part of the body.]

[frostyfuntimes]

Well sure. You're a princess and a guardian of the moon. That's gotta be a pretty busy job.

[He props his staff up and puts his hands against the snowy base, now shaping it with his hands and making sure the snow is nice and packed.]

But don't worry. I know how to show even royalty a good time.

[raisethemoon]

We suppose so. At least Night Court tends to be much less busy than the Day Court.

[She imitates him, sitting back on her haunches to pat the snow with her forehooves.]

[frostyfuntimes]

Day Court, wow so you and your sister rule literally 24/7, huh?

[Pause as he considers something.]

Do days last 24 hours in Equestria or is that just an Earth thing. After all, I've noticed we don't really have EITHER here.

[He knew they had day and night at least, but he wasn't certain if it was 24 hours like back home. The snow is nice and packed now. Jack looks around.]

We can probably start on the head now, what do you think?

[raisethemoon]

I daresay!

[Luna levitates up another small heap, starting to form it into a head.]

Court does not truly last all day and night, but we are kept quite busy. Our nights are longer in the winter and shorter in the summer, so that both Celestia and I have some leisure time now and then.

[frostyfuntimes]

[Jack is shaping the body so that it has more detail, looking more like a snowbear than before.]

Once again I am so glad I don't have a job like that. I mean...I'm sure you're good at it and enjoy helping your kingdom but that's just not for me.

[raisethemoon]

[Luna's hooves still on the snow and her ears droop as she glances down at the ground for a second.]

Yes. 'Tis...we are pleased to serve our subjects. [She doesn't sound exactly enthusiastic, however.]

[frostyfuntimes]

You don't sound like you're too excited about it.

[When he'd made a similar comment to North and the others they hadn't denied it but he could tell they were happy with their jobs. Luna though...she looked kind of burdened by it.]

[raisethemoon]

Oh! No! Not at all!

[She rushes to defend herself, even though of course Jack would not suspect her of any fall back to darkness. But these days, she can barely express mild dissatisfaction without scaring the castle servants.]

We are quite pleased with our duties, we would not have our mark if we were not. We love creating the night! 'Tis simply...lonely, we suppose. All other ponies sleep in the night, even when they might be attending festivals.

[Wow, she didn't even mean to say that last part. Maybe she's still a little more bitter than she likes to admit.]

[frostyfuntimes]

[Wow. She got defensive quick. Jack wondered about that.

He blinked and then glanced back at the moon that Luna had created.]

Yeah, I think I know something of what that's like. No one really recognizes the work I do either.

[He offers a smile though it's small.]

At least it sounds like your subjects believe in you and can interact with you...although I guess if they're asleep it's not very often.

[But it was still more than he was used to.]

[raisethemoon]

This is so. We have been trying to get out more...modern ponies are somewhat less fearful of the dark.

[She supposes she probably does still have it better than him. She shouldn't sulk so.]

[frostyfuntimes]

It makes sense. Humans have become the same way. There are some cities back home that have something happening all hours of the night.

[He'd certainly had fun a few times in places like New York City or Tokyo. So much to see and even if no one else saw him there was stuff he could do.]

[raisethemoon]

Ah, dost thou have the same, ah... [She gestures vaguely with her forehooves.] ...little light machines? With the bulbs?

[frostyfuntimes]

[Snort. Wow and he thought the other Guardians were bad about staying with the times. Granted, he wasn't aware of Luna's "circumstances"] You mean lightbulbs? Yeah, they have those.

[raisethemoon]

Ah. They...are interesting, to be sure. We appreciate that they allow ponies to feel more comfortable in the dark, but 'tis very difficult to see the stars in some of the larger cities now. We have been making them shine somewhat brighter of late, but there is only so much one can do.

[frostyfuntimes]

Hmm. Suppose you're right there. But it's pretty easy to fly out of the cities and get out to the country and see the stars when you want.

[He glanced up.]

The stars shine pretty brightly here though. Usually in a city this big you wouldn't be able to see the stars like this.

[raisethemoon]

We have spent little time in modern cities other than Canterlot. Even there, we most frequently ascend to the mountain's peak at night, when we are not holding court. The skies are much clearer there. [She glances over at him.] But we suppose thou must be familiar with many such places. 'Twould be covered in snow year-round if nature had its way.