The Story of a Moonlit Soldier: Prologue

Prologue: I Met Her Upon That Moonlit Field

Date: Year 25 LRC
Location: East of the Foal mountain range

“Star? Where are you Star?”

“Down here!”

With a small chuckle, a white earth pony placed her forelegs atop the wall of the stone bridge on which she stood. Glancing down into the small ravine winding away below, she laughed as she spotted the little filly playing near the stream.

“Are we trying to catch a fish?”

Beneath her, the filly gave a playful laugh as she danced near the water’s edge. Watching on with a bright smile, Spring Blossom could not help but admire how much energy her daughter possessed. Even in her younger days, the old mare doubted she could have matched the excitement the young filly could garner over even the most mundane of things.

“No mother!” her daughter yelled, almost slipping into the stream as she continued to prance. “It’s not a fish. I found a flower! A flower! Come see!”

With a sigh, Spring placed the basket she had been carrying onto the wall, making sure it would be visible from the ravine. Then, with a mighty push, the blond-maned pony leapt from the bridge towards the slope leading down into the ravine. With a sound of scraping rocks, she allowed her momentum to carry her down the slope until she came to rest a few paces away from her daughter.

“All right Starchaser…” She laughed, while her daughter stomped her hooves impatiently. “Let’s see this flower you are so excited about.”

“Here it is!”

The young pony jumped back to reveal a pure white flower resting on the river’s edge. Despite herself, Spring Blossom could not help but stare on in admiration. Though not at the flower, but instead the smiling face of her daughter.

The young foal had a beautiful blue coat which, while currently covered in a great deal of mud and grass, always reminded her of a moonlit sky. Her mane, tied back into a single braid, was a gorgeous mixture of cyan and cerulean locks. But of all the little things she loved about her daughter, it was her smile that always made Spring thank whatever power had seen fit to bless her with such a foal. Her gorgeous smile, beaming from beneath eyes which shimmered like the sky above, was a sight eternally full of life and joy; two elements which had become increasingly scarce as of late.

“Mother?” Starchaser asked uncertainly. “Is something wrong?”

“No child.” Spring laughed, quickly whipping a tear from her eye before the foal could notice. “Nothing’s wrong. Now let’s see this discovery yours.”

Walking over to where her daughter stood, the mare bent down to closely examine the flower. The plant was very small. In fact, had it not been for the filly, Spring doubted she would have noticed it through the reeds which sought to hide the plant from view. The petals, spreading out like points of a star fallen to earth, shimmered in the sunlight from the water collecting on their surface.

“That’s a lily my dear.” Spring told her daughter, giving the foal’s head a congratulatory rub. “You did well to find it. I have not seen many of these flowers blooming this year.”

“It looks just like a star.”

“Yes.” The mare laughed as she nuzzled the filly’s neck lovingly. “It most certainly does.”

“Can we bring it home? I want to show father!”

“Very well. But you must carry it. Agreed?”

Starchaser beamed and gave her mother a quick nod. Turning, the foal faced the lily, her eyes narrowing with concentration as the small horn poking through the front of her mane began to shimmer with a pale blue light. Before her, a similar light encompassed the little flower, causing it to sway back and forth as though caught in a gentle breeze. A moment later the plant, along with a patch of dirt beneath it, lifted into the air to float next to the blue-eyed pony.

“I see you’ve been keeping up with the lessons your father gave you.” Spring marveled as the flower passed slowly over her daughter’s head. “I’m sure he’s very proud.”

“I hope so.” the filly sighed, her shoulders slumping at the mention of her father. “I don’t get to see him very much.”

“Your father is very busy.” Spring assured her, pulling Starchaser into a tight embrace. “More so now than ever before. I know he doesn’t get to see us very often, but I know he loves you very much. I also know he’s proud with how far you’ve come with your magic. Now come on, let’s go.”

In one fluid motion the mare placed her head beneath her daughter’s chest before proceeding to flip her gently into the air. The filly laughed in excitement as she landed on her mother’s back with a soft thud.

“Hang on little one.” The earth-pony laughed as she began to climb the ravine’s slope, the flower floating in the air behind them. “Your father should be home soon. We’ll head straight there, and you can tell him all about how you found that flower.”

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Starchaser smiled contentedly as she strolled beside her mother. The sun overhead was already beginning to set, and the sky had begun to take on the most beautiful hues of red and gold. On the road before her, she could already make out the first few houses of Clearstream village. Excitement growing at the thought of seeing her father after all these weeks, the filly began to quicken her steps. Just behind her, she heard her mother give a small chuckle as she too picked up her pace.

As the pair entered the village square, the blue-eyed filly glanced around nervously. There was a strange tension in the air; an alien feeling she had never experienced before as other ponies scampered nervously from one shop to another. The town’s bakery, normally a bustling with ponies of every age, was strangely silent.

“Can you believe this?” a grey-maned stallion grunted as he tapped a newspaper with his hoof. “They’re already saying that New Canterlot is going to fall.”

“If that’s the case…” his partner gasped, huddling close to look at where he’d indicated. “Doesn’t that mean the Empire could be here by tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?” the first pony chuckled, though there was no real humor in his voice. “This paper is a day old! They could be here any minute for all we know.”

“Mother?” Starchaser whispered nervously as a pegasus passed quickly over their heads. “What are they talking about?”

“Nothing you need to worry about darling.” Her mother answered, giving her neck a comforting nuzzle. “Just grownup problems.”

After several minutes of walking in silence, Starchaser finally spotted her family’s house. At the sight of smoke rising from the chimney of her father’s study, the strange conversation she had overheard in town was immediately forgotten. As her face broke out into a beaming smile, the young filly sprinted from her mother’s side towards the open front door.

“Father!” she shouted excitedly as she charged into the house. “Father, I have something to show you!”

Across the living room, Starchaser could see firelight through the cracked study door. Without even waiting for her mother, the foal made her way to the study and stuck her head through the doorway. The room was filled with piles of old and dusty books, some piled so high that it was amazing they had not collapsed under their own weight. At the far side of the room stood a massive wooden desk, decorated with various scrolls and mechanical contraptions in various states of functionality. In front of the desk sat a solitary figure, a solemn black-coated unicorn with an unkempt silver mane shoved beneath his wizard’s cap. The pony was poring over an enormous tome, so engrossed in its pages that he did not even flinch as the study door creaked open.

“Father!” Starchaser cried excitedly as she burst into the room. “I have something to show you!”

The elder unicorn did not seem to pay even the slightest bit of attention as the filly walked over to sit behind his seat.

“Father?”

“I’m very busy Star.”

The stallion’s voice was gruff, and while not necessarily angry, it was clear he had no intention of allowing a conversation to begin.

“But father…”

“I told you I’m busy Star!” he snapped, causing the filly behind him to flinch as he turned a page of the tome. “Why don’t you go play with your mother?”

“The two of us have been playing all day.” a stern voice from the door responded as Starchaser’s face fell into a sad frown. “It’s your turn now Storm. So why don’t you look at what your daughter has brought you.”

With a sigh the unicorn turned to face his wife and daughter, allowing the tome in front of him to close with a loud thump.

“Very well then…” He grunted, turning his cold blue eyes to the foal seated before him. “What is it you want me to see?”

Staring nervously at the floor, the young pony allowed the lily to float out from behind her back, sending it to hang suspended in the air before her father. For several moments the stallion stared at the hovering plant, his eyes unblinking as if he was memorizing every single detail of the scene before him.

“Lilium candidum…” he grunted, sniffing at the flower before his gaze shifted back towards his daughter. “A lily, is it? I suppose you’re the one who found it?”

“Yes father.” Starchaser muttered, her eyes remaining fixed on the floor in front of her.

“Was it by the old ravine?

“Yes father.”

“And you carried it back here just to show me?”

The young foal’s shoulder slumped dejectedly at the elder unicorn’s words.

“Yes father.”

For several moments, the black stallion simply sat on his chair, staring coolly at his daughter. Then, without warning, he rose suddenly from his seat before scooping the shocked filly into a tight embrace.”

“You’re amazing, little one.” he cheered, giving her head a playful rub. “Absolutely amazing! To think a foal your age could carry something that far. You’ve been practicing a lot since I’ve been gone. Haven’t you?”

“Yes father.” The filly sobbed, burying her head in the stallion’s chest. “I missed you so much. Every day! I practice every day, just like you told me!”

As the filly continued to cry, the blue light surrounding the floating flower winked out, quickly causing it to fall towards the floor. Without even looking, the elder unicorn’s horn flared brightly. With a flash of blue light the plant vanished from view; only to reappear a moment later, tucked into the brim of his hat.

“I’ve missed you too my little star.” her father sighed, a single tear rolling down his cheek as he held his daughter close. “Not a day goes by when I don’t think of you and your mother. I’m sorry I’ve been gone for so long. Believe me, I wish it did not have to be this way.”

“Come on you two.” came Spring’s voice from behind the pair. “That’s enough crying for now. If you don’t stop, I’ll start going too, and nopony wants that.”

Laughing, Stormcaller allowed his daughter to pull away before he used one of his hoofs to wipe a tear from her cheek.

“I think we’re about done with tears for the moment. Don’t you Star?”

Glancing up at her father, the young pony smiled as she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes.

“I’m done.”

“Good girl.” the silver-maned unicorn chuckled, rubbing her head once more as he rose to his hooves. “Now let’s make some dinner, I bet you’re both starving after a walk like that.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Lying in her bed Starchaser stared out her window at the night sky.  It was good having her father back, especially after he had been gone for so long. However, she couldn’t feel excited, especially after overhearing her parents’ conversation after dinner. They didn’t know she had heard of course. They probably had thought she had gone straight to bed. Not that she hadn’t considered it. But the conversation in the market, as well as her father’s prolonged absence, had made her curious. After leaving the dining room she had sat on the bottom of the stairs, listening to her parents as they cleaned up in the dining room.

“Is it as bad as everypony is saying?” her mother had asked, her voice frightened.

“It’s far worse than they probably know.” her father had responded, his voice as gruff as ever. “Around these parts, ponies only care about the Empire. They don’t pay attention to news about the Alliance because they feel it’s too far away for it to matter to them. But it does! Every skirmish that arises to the east is another soldier that must be pulled back from holding the southern border. Every battle there threatens resources needed to hold on to strongholds like New Canterlot. They know that that the front lines are ready to break, but they cannot begin to guess how far back we’re being pushed.”

From the stairs, Starchaser had heard her mother’s voice trembling as she continued to clean the table. While the filly hadn’t understood a word of what was being spoken, she could tell from her mother’s voice that she should be very frightened.

“So, it’s true then? New Canterlot is going to fall.”

“If it hasn’t already.” her father had sighed. A moment later she had head the strike of a match, followed by the smell of pipe smoke coming through the door.

“We don’t have the numbers to hold that city, and the princess knows it. Last I heard, she was going to order the lines to pull back as far as Neighagra falls. The pegasi have already started moving Cloudsdale north, so at least we know where their loyalties lie.”

“Should we leave?”

Silence had followed that question, and for several long minutes all Starchaser could hear were the sounds of her father’s pipe tapping on the table.

“Storm?”

“Yes.” her father had finally responded, his voice low and sad. “I know it will be hard on Star, but I think you should both go. I’ve already told the mayor, and he’s agreed to have a town meeting tomorrow night to let everypony know what the situation is.”

It was at that point that one of them, most likely her mother, had begun making their way to the door. Startled, Starchaser had galloped straight up the stairs and into her bed.

Now here she was; scared, confused, and shivering beneath her sheets.

Outside her window, a shooting star arced gracefully across the night’s sky. And for the moment, the young filly could forget about her parents’ conversation as she stared in awe at the twinkling lights overhead. Stretching out her foreleg, the filly traced a shape in the sky as her hoof moved from one shimmering light to the next.

“Leo…” she whispered quietly to herself. “… hydra, canis major. Please watch over my parents for me.”

Beyond the nearby houses, the filly watched as the moon slowly rose to take its place in the sky. Despite herself the young foal felt a sense of relief as the moonlight washed over her.

“Hello princess Luna.” Starchaser sighed contentedly, allowing her eyes to finally close. “I missed you today.”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________


The first rumble sounded like no more than the roll of distant thunder; as did the second. However, the third was loud enough to knock books off their shelves, and it was then that Starchaser knew that something was wrong. She had barely clamored from beneath her sheets when her mother burst into her bedroom, the mare’s green eyes wide with fear.

“Get up Star! We have to go right now!”

“Mother?”

Outside the window rain was falling hard, the clouds overhead hiding even the moon from sight. Yet something else was going on. In the distance Starchaser could hear the cries of screaming ponies.

What are they screaming about?

A moment later her question was answered as the house across the street erupted in a pillar of fire and shattered stone. The roar of the explosion was loud enough to send the filly tumbling from her bed. A second later she felt her mother dive in front of her as pieces of stone and smoking wood flew through the window into her room.

“Star! Star! Are you ok?” Her mother screamed as she franticly pulled the dazed foal towards the bedroom door.

“What’s happening?” the filly cried as she felt herself being dragged towards the stairs. “What’s going on?”

“It’s all right Star. Everything is going to be all right. But we need to leave, now!” the mare shouted the last word as she flipped the filly onto her back. With a mighty leap the earth pony jumped down the stairs, landing with a clattering of hooves on the floor below.”

“Storm! Where are you?”

Already Starchaser could smell the acrid stench of burning wood nearby. While rain still beat heavily down on the roof of their house, the loud rumbles of one explosion after another had become a constant rhythm. Across from them, her father burst from the door of his study, the white lily swaying wildly from its place on his hat.

“I’m here!” The unicorn shouted back, his countenance as dark as the clouds outside as he emerged from the study. “We must leave quickly. I’ve already set the fire. The house will be gone in a few minutes. If we don’t go now, we may not be able to at all.”

Glancing behind her father, the young filly stared in confusion at the flames which danced beyond the open study door. The piles of books had already become towers of burning light and smoke, and even now the foal thought that she could see the blaze licking at the edge of the door.

“Come on sweetie.” her mother pressed, carrying her towards the entrance. “We’re leaving.”

“Where are we going?”

“Anywhere but here!”

Ahead of them, her father threw open the front door. A moment later the three ponies found themselves in the middle a torrential downpour, watching in terror as the village of Clearstream burned. All around, Starchaser could hear the screams of terrified ponies as the ran franticly through the streets. But a new sound had joined the cries and constant rumbling. The sound of angry yells and the clashing of metal was slowly making its way up the street towards their house.

“They’re almost here.” Her father shouted, motioning his wife forward. “Move!”

In an instant the two ponies were charging down the street, Starchaser clinging tightly to her mother’s neck. On both sides of the street, houses burned like massive pyres despite the rain. In more than one, the filly was sure she could hear somepony screaming. Yet her father never even paused. Instead he continued at full charge, only slowing to glance over his shoulder at her and his wife.

Overhead Starchaser head a fierce whistling sound, and a moment later the bakery across the street erupted in a pillar of flame. With a bellowing roar of anger, her father threw himself between them and the terrifying explosion. The unicorn’s horn flared suddenly to life, and a wall of pure blue energy arose between the three ponies and the inferno Its massive breadth collided with the oncoming debris, keeping them safe from the flying chunks of stone and wood.

“They will have seen that!” the silver-maned pony shouted, turning back to face them as his magic vanished from sight. “We must move quick…”

“Halt!”

A voice arose from a nearby rooftop, and immediately the three ponies turned just in time so see a pegasus, dressed in shimmering gold armor, alight upon the blackened roof of a burned-out store.

“In the name of his majesty the emperor, you three are under arrest!”

“Go now!” Stormcaller shouted as he took a step towards the new arrival. “Spring, get Star away from here as fast as you can!”

Without a word, Starchaser felt her mother charge ahead. Glancing back, the filly could only watch trough tear-filled eyes as her father’s horn began to glow once again. A moment later a bolt of lightning erupted from the sky, sending the armored Pegasus reeling as it struck the roof at his hooves.

For several minutes the white earth pony continued on, her daughter sobbing on her back.

“Your father will be all right.” the mare called out over the screams which surrounded them. “I promise. Just don’t look back.”

The two of them moved ever onward, as her father’s lighting continued to rain down from the sky, striking the ground somewhere out of sight.

“Everything is going to be all right, little star.” her mother whispered, leaping over the ruins of a house which had fallen into the street. “Just stay with me. Sta…”

There was no whistle to warn of this one.

With a sound louder than the roar of her father’s magic, the road in front of the two ponies erupted in a towering pillar of flame. The force of the blast shattered every nearby window, and sent both ponies soaring high into the air. The last thing Starchaser saw before she collided with the wall of a nearby house was her mother’s face, smiling back at her.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________


“Sir, there’s no sign of them!”

“Keep searching. They cannot have made it far. Tell the reserve troops to commence with cleanup. Not a single pony is to leave this village. Do I make myself clear?

“Yes sir. Right way.”

Starchaser felt her eyes flutter open, and gave a small groan at the pain emanating from the side of her head. However, almost immediately a hoof was placed over her mouth. Franticly the young filly fought against whatever pony was holding her, but she might as well have tried to break a stone with her hoof.

“Quiet Star!”

The sound of her father’s voice quickly brought her struggling to an end, and a moment later she felt his hoof lift carefully from her muzzle.

“Father?” the young filly asked, glancing around at the ruins of the burned-out shop in which they now sat. Outside the window, she could hear the clanking of metal on stone. To the foal, it sounded as though many armored ponies were sprinting from one side of the street to the other.

“What’s happening father? Where’s mother?”

“Star…” the black unicorn hushed, turning her head so that she met his gaze. “…your mother is not coming for now. So, I need you to listen to me very carefully.”

“But…”

“Star!”

The filly felt the words die in her throat. In all her life, she had never heard her father’s voice hold so much pain. Even now, she watched as a single tear fell from his cheek onto the charred floorboards.

“Your mother…” he grunted, pulling his daughter into a tight embrace. “… your mother is not coming with us Star. Now please listen to me. We don’t have very much time.”

Letting his hooves fall from her shoulders, the old unicorn pointed to a hole which had been torn into the wall opposite the window.

“When I tell you to, I want you to go through there as quickly as you can. It should take you to out behind the flower shop. From there, I want you to run Star. Run as fast as you can. I want you to run until you can’t go any further, do you understand me?”

“But what about you?” The filly pleaded, hanging on to his outstretched foreleg.

“I’m going to keep those pony’s from following you.”

“But father…”

“Listen to me!” her father’s voice cracked with emotion, and Starchaser went silent as the elder unicorn’s horn began to glow softly. There was a small rustling from the pouch strapped to his side, and a moment later a small silver key with a matching chain emerged to float between the two of them.

“This was meant to be a present for when you are older, but I want you to have it now.”

The filly marveled as the key rose above her, the chain gently draping itself around her neck.

“Carpe noctem.” the stallion whispered, nuzzling his daughter’s neck gently. “One day little star... one day when you are older and you understand the meaning of those words, you can return here. When you do, that key will reveal your present. But for now, you must go. I want you to run, and no matter what you hear, I don’t want you looking back. Do you understand?”

Tears streaming down her face, Starchaser nodded as her father bent down to kiss the top of her head.

“Good girl. Remember, your mother and I will always love you. Now… when I tell you to run, run!”

Slowly the foal backed towards the hole in the wall, watching wide-eyed as her father made his way to the door. Glancing back once more, the black stallion gave his daughter a warm smile.

“Whenever I’ve been gone, no matter how far away, it has always been your smile that keeps me going. Promise me Star. Promise me that no matter what happens here today, you’ll never lose that smile of yours.”

“I… I promise.” the filly cried, closing her eyes as she gave her father the brightest smile she could manage.

But inside, all the pony could feel was her heart breaking.

“Good. Now go. Go!”

With that final word, her father rushed through the door into the street, lighting falling from the sky light rain. The last image the foal could remember before an explosion rocked the entrance to the store was her father’s hat falling past the window; the lily flower in its brim glowing red in the light of the fires which consuming her village.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________


She did not know how far she ran after leaving that store and her burning village behind. Even now the blue filly could hear the thunderous explosions growing ever more distant as she charged onward. The screams had faded too, though in the pony’s mind, they were still as clear as the rain which continued to fall about her.

With a jolt of pain Starchaser felt her hoof hit an exposed rock; and immediately the filly crashed to the ground with a pained yelp. Glancing up, she stared at the vast expanse of fields that stretched away out of sight. Turning around for the first time, the filly saw that her village was little more than a flickering orange dot in the distance.

Quickly the foal tried to climb to her hooves; but as soon as she had set her forelegs beneath, she felt her limbs collapse from the strain. Try as she might, the pony could barely move, let alone stand.

Overhead the storm clouds began to clear, and slowly Starchaser could see glimmers of moonlight as it pierced the dark shrouds overhead. One by one, the stars took their places in the night sky. With what little strength she had left, the blue-eyed foal turned to her side so that she could look into the sky above.

““Leo, hydra, Canis…” the pony gasped. With the tears in her eyes, the filly could barely see her hoof in front of her face. Instead she drew their shapes in her mind’s eye. “Princess Luna…”

I’m so scared.

“Sargent, we have another one!”

The sound of somepony nearby caused Starchaser’s heart to race, and almost immediately she felt her body turn numb as golden shapes descended from the sky above. One after another, the armored pegasi landed around her; though it was impossible to say how many there were.

“What do we have corporal.”

“It’s a foal sir. She must have escaped on her own. There doesn’t appear to be anypony else nearby.”

“Hmm…”

Starchaser watched, unmoving, as a stern-faced pegasus with a red mane came into view.

“The captain was clear with his orders corporal. We’re on cleanup here. Nopony is allowed to leave, foal or otherwise.”

“But sir, she’s just a filly…”

“You have your order corporal. We aren’t taking prisoners today. Now do your job, or you can try explaining yourself at your court-martial instead.”

“INCOMING!”

A blinding light erupted in front of Starchaser’s eyes and for several seconds all she could hear were chaotic sounds of pony’s screaming and the clash of metal on metal.

As the light faded, the young foal stared in wonder at the figure that now stood before her. The pony, if she could even be called such, seemed to tower over the golden-armored soldiers who now lay unmoving at her hooves. Her mane, as beautiful as the sky above, flowed like a field of stars from beneath the darkened metal of her helmet.

“Retreat!” somepony shouted franticly in the distance. “It’s the republic! We need reinforcements!”

“Princess, they appear to be falling back.”

Next to her rescuer, Starchaser watched as a bat-winged pony landed with a loud clanking of metal. The stallion’s armor of polished black reflected the moonlight which now washed over the fields around them. His eyes, barely visible beneath the shadow of his helmet, seemed to glow with a fierce green light.

“Follow them captain!”

As she continued to lie there, the filly felt a tingle run down her spine. The voice which spoke was like none she had ever heard before: calm, commanding, and yet it emanated with barely repressed rage.

“What the Empire has done here is unforgivable! You are to drive them from this village, and rescue anypony that you can.”

“Ma’am!” the bat-pony shouted, taking to the sky in a rush of leathery wings.

“Lieutenant!”

“Yes ma’am?”

“Take this filly to the Neighagra falls outpost. She has already suffered far too much this night.”

“By your command princess Luna!”

“Princess?” Starchaser whispered, causing the armored pony to turn and face her.

“I am sorry little one.” the alicorn whispered, shaking her head sadly. “This should not have been your battle to face. We were too slow in our retreat, and so the blame for this massacre lies with me. Forgive me, my little pony. I wish only that we could have arrived sooner.”

“Thank you.” the blue-eyed filly cried, her gratitude startling the princess. “Princess Luna… thank you for saving me.”

For almost a minute, the princess stared at her in silence. Then slowly, her stern gaze softened as she knelt beside the little foal. Glancing up, Starchaser was entranced by the vision of royalty before her; and slowly she felt the numbness leave her body as the alicorn gave her a warm smile.

“I am undeserving of your thanks little one.” the alicorn whispered as she gave the filly a warm smile. “With the strength you have shown this night, it is I who should be thanking you. Before we arrived, I feared we would be too late. Knowing that at least one is safe… my heart can find some peace within this nightmare. So, stay strong little one. I am sure we will meet again, one day.”

With that, the princess stood and turned to face the burning village in the distance. But before she left, she turned to face the foal one last time.

“What is your name, my brave little filly.”

“Starchaser.”

Smiling, the princess spread her dark wings wide.

“A beautiful name.” she sighed, staring up into the shining heavens above. “Keep looking to the stars my dear filly! For even in the darkest of times, they will never abandon you. Carpe noctem!”

With that the princess took to the sky, and Starchaser felt herself move as she was thrown onto the back of another bat-pony.”

“Come on kid.” the soldier sighed as she too took to the sky. “Let’s get you out of here. You’ve seen enough battles for your lifetime.”

As the pair sped away, the Starchaser watched in awe as Princess Luna sped into the distance. Vanishing across that moonlit field.