The Nightingale Effect

by N00813

13 - Epilogue

Epilogue

--

As we passed the threshold of Luna’s room, I marveled at the interior. It was massive – enough for a family of griffons to fly around in – but also, somehow, managing to feel cozy, not distant. The place was barren, free of all furniture save for the big, four-poster bed in the center, directly beneath a moonbeam. A small hint of dust spiraled through that waving, silvery current of light, but with a blast of her horn, Luna expelled all the detritus out of the window, in a cloud of black and grey.

We sat on the bed together, side by side, looking out over the landscape. The lowest reach of Canterlot turned, quite suddenly, into forest, which was cut by a lonely, meandering train track. A small town sprung up in the outskirts of the forest. Even from this distance, I could see the mechanical rigidity of the rows of trees present on the far side of the town, a stark contrast to the random placement of colorful residential housing. Beyond that, the world became much too indistinct to pick out specifics, but I thought I could see the great coastal city of Manehatten, a grey set of blocks amidst a cloud of fog and dust.

Luna sighed. I asked her what was wrong.

“It’s all so different,” she said, wrapping a wing around me. “Before my exile… our subjects were only a set of disparate tribes, linked together because of common fear and hardship. We sat upon thrones of stone, not gold or silver. In that forest, we guided our people. Now, it is… different.”

I simply nodded, and leaned into her side. “They say change is the only constant of life.”

“Aye.” She turned to look at me, eyes wide and searching, gaze somewhat distant. “Even you will wither and die, some day in the future.”

I didn’t want to think of my own mortality, but I couldn’t deny the truth in her words. My jaw set, I looked out over the landscape. What would it be like, a thousand years in the future? Would there be many more cities, and the forest reduced to a tenth of its former size? Would the forest grow to encompass the town, suffocating it, destroying the train track that was its sole vein and artery? Would there even be a Canterlot at all, or would the city be a wreck, a ruin of its former self, left to sit as a cautionary tale of hubris?

I shook my head. “Yes. I know.”

“I love you, Sigurd,” Luna sighed, sinking her snout into the crook of my neck. Her warm breaths tickled the skin beneath the feathers, and tugged lightly at their stems. “I will lose you someday, and I will mourn and dread that day.”

“Then we must treasure every second of our time together,” I murmured, stroking her foreleg, feeling the tension flow from the muscle beneath her velvet skin. “That is the best we can do.”

A pause, and then another promise. “I don’t know if your pony heaven is the same as griffon heaven, but if I’m up there and you’re not, I’ll be looking down. You’ll never be alone.”

“Perhaps it would be easier in the long term if I closed my heart,” she murmured, eyes glistening.

I froze, almost comically. My heart felt as if someone had dunked it in cold water, and somehow, the air seemed to condense. Perhaps she was right, though. It would hurt – but if we weren’t comfortable with this, I’d be spitting on my duty if I acted to pursue something she didn’t want. I was a healer, not a destroyer, of the mind and soul.

She grinned, turning back to me with a saucy smile. The last of her tears trickled down her cheek, leaving trails of sparkling crystal. “That depends on how happy you makest me.”

I gave her a flat stare, before the corners of my mouth lifted upwards. “I accept your challenge.”

“Perfect.” And with that, the wing she had draped around my shoulders swung forwards, knocking me into the soft bed. I barely had time to react before she turned me over, pressed her front hooves down on my shoulders, and straddled my lower torso. Her teal eyes gleamed hungrily, and her mane of liquid night flowed around her head and down her long, sinuous neck like a living river.

She smiled, the expression oozing anticipation, excitement and desire.

Oh, Maker.

Author's Note:

Originally, I'd planned for another ending - one where Sig leaves for his home country after his visa time expires. Luna is understandably upset, and the two of them go on an international romp to learn politics (and allow me to worldbuild).

Then I realised that I don't like writing romance. Not my style.

Thus, this.

Comments

[N00813]

Done!

If you liked this, consider checking out my other stories.

[High_Wind]

assets0.ordienetworks.com/images/GifGuide/clapping/golf-clap.gif

The end was very rushed but still, overall good story man. Cut it short just because romance isn't your thing eh?

[Blue Streak]

Dafaq end, y u no b longer?

[TwiceMarked]

Loved this story. I could now say that th ending should have been longer, but frankly, that's only because I did not want the story to end.

[N00813]

1938251>>1938427>>1939306

You could consider chapter 12 the end, and 13 is just a little addendum.

Still; done!

[Blue Streak]

1941027 kk

[Destructorspace]

1938173
Will do. But, why the sex tag? There was only the quick implied bit at the end of the epilogue. At least from my perspective, the sex tag is there to inform people of graphic sex scenes, or at least where the sex is described. You just left it to our imaginations, so... double check the FAQ for when to use it, because I don't think it's necessary here.

Although you never really addressed how NMM got on without having to readjust to her body. Meh, suspension of disbelief works well enough for now. I still really enjoyed this look at Luna's recuperation.

[N00813]

1942405

I don't know - Mature (Sex) is for graphic sex, but Teen (Sex) is... undefined.

I personally viewed it as some sort of magic she dabbled in, acting like a drug.

Still, it's all classified above-top-secret. Sig will have no idea where NMM went.

[Femto]

Amazing story! I absolutely LOVED the premise. Having a Luna with severe mental disorder that opens up to her caretaker is a very touching and *hhhhnnnngg* subject, which I adore! Simply magnificent story, you managed to pull at my heartstrings. Go Luna!

th06.deviantart.net/fs71/200H/i/2012/352/f/5/princess_luna__s_smile_by_junkiesnewb-d5obz7z.png

P.S. At first, when I read the title, I was like 'what does this have to do with Nocturnal and the Nightingales of Tamriel?'

[Darth Quadro]

Okay so throughout the beginning and through the middle as well you had me hooked being a fan of psychological fics and all but i was a little disappointed at the end as it seemed like you gave up on the fic and didn't really care about the ending as it seemed rushed and overall there was no major climax of the story I mean you had the rise that was leading up to what i thought would be a huge climax of the story and then nothing happened. They went to the Gala and had an alright time and that was it. Dont get me wrong im not saying the ending was terrible it just didn't hold up to the standards the rest of the story had set in place. So you didnt make my number 1 but with how you handled the first half you came close

[Phoenix999]

This story held me captivated sir. I realize that this story has been 'idle' for some time now, but I wanted to let you know that you deserve far more kudos for this than you are given. Not only was this well written and descriptive, the story actually drew the reader in for the most part on an emotional level. Towards the end I was almost dreading a 'bad-end' (luckily it never came).

So, in short, great job on this!

[Scootareader]

She smiled, the expression oozing anticipation, excitement and desire.

images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111024214855/mlp/images/4/47/Princess_Luna_%22How_many_points_do_I_receive%3F%22_S02E04.png

[LtRonaldSpeirsFoo]

“I don’t know if your pony heaven is the same as griffon heaven, but if I’m up there and you’re not, I’ll be looking down. You’ll never be alone.”

Did you get that from Mass Effect? =)

[trigrbrony777]

What a great story! I've been meaning to catch up on some of them and this really brought to life a different world. It was like I could feel what the characters were feeling. Especially with the earlier struggles that he had to go through with his patient. Things fell apart so quickly when they starting getting acquanted! Yet that adds to it a kind of realism to an otherwise foreign notion of a thousand years of solitude.
I would have to agree that the story might have lost its tension at the Gala. But I'll still respect it. I'm honored to have read it. Reminds of Freudian Slip, actually, another fanfic that had Rarity have OCD. It was maybe a year since I read that.

Thanks for Writing!
I'll make sure to look through your other stories
Cheers!

[thisistheusernameichose]

Damn, I found this old thing in my favourites bin. I completely forgot how amazing it is.

[Jeff Gordon]

Awwww, no sex scene?

[SWolf]

That was a really great story. Thank you very much for this masterpiece

[Jeff Gordon]

6201992 i was a very strange person 43 weeks ago

[WildFire 24]

I loved the fanfic and the thought of Luna with severe mental disorders well I think that could happen yeah for being alone for a 1000 years in a statue and even if she was on the moon it would still be possible and I like that you wrote about psychology because I never read a fanfic about it and its not easy and I liked luna fell in love with her psychologist sigurd and he with her