This story was inspired by Centaurworld, specifically the two songs I've Been Searching For You and The Nowhere King Battle. I highly suggest watching the show if you haven't already! Although this can be read without context from My Star pt 1, this does have the setting in mind. I can't guarantee everything will align plot wise as I wrote My Star and this fic months apart, but it's about there.

angst!!

After searching for years since the banishment of Prince Artemis, she was finally able to access a realm where she could see him. However, it seems like there's a third wheel intruding on their date...

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The moonlight seeped through the windows of the hall, barely illuminating the long passageway. I walked close to the walls, my wing gently pressed up against it, a reassurance that I was going the right way despite the darkness. This wasn't the first time that I had made this trip from my room to his room. Artemis' room.

I heard the marching hoofsteps of a castle guard. I stifled a gasp, terrified of getting caught so late at night. My breath was caught in my throat as my gaze followed the passing guard, the golden armour glittering in the moonlight. When he passed by the hall I was in, I let myself breathe and continued on. Just a few doors away, I thought to myself.

I counted the doors I passed by until I made it to a grandiose entrance. In front of the door was the shape of a moon surrounded by stars, a product of the moonlight refracting through the translucent jewels that framed the door.

I flicked my ears around to listen for any guards, but I was only met with a welcoming silence. I took a deep breath then bolted, opening and closing the door within a flash. A wave of relief rushed through me now that I had escaped the stress of sneaking around, though it was quickly replaced with a different kind of anxiety.

I opened my satchel and pulled out a turquoise gem along with an ancient book. I set the items down on the floor in front of me, making haste to flip to the bookmark I had left. I crouched down and skimmed through the page, muttering the words in one last attempt to practice.

"You're ready..." I muttered to myself, getting up and shaking my mane to get any final nerves out. I encapsulated the gem with my magic, lifting it so that it met me at eye level. I closed my eyes and began the spell.

I feared my magic wasn't enough when not a single sign made itself known to me that it was working. I tried harder, put in extra effort to concentrate. Then, finally, a breeze blew around me, swirling at my mane and tail. It was working! The breeze grew stronger, though I made sure to brace myself against it.

One last gust of wind ruffled my feathers before it all came to a still. No, no, no! I began to panic that all my efforts had gone to a waste until I opened my eyes. It was like I was in an endless night sky. I looked down and noticed pools of turquoise light shining under my hooves.

Once I took in my environment, I made haste to search for the stallion I had done this all for. "Artemis!" I called out into the void.

No answer.

I tried again, "Artemis, where are you? You have to be here!"

Not a single sound.

My heart dropped. This was my only chance to see Artemis after his banishment to the moon. If this didn't work, what could I do? My eyes watered and my ears flattened against my head as I sat down in defeat. As a way to comfort myself, I tried to sing a song that Artemis and I had sung long ago. "You're okay... You're alright... I'll never, ever leave your side... I will stay..." My voice began to falter, "I will fight..."

I made a sharp inhale, trying to hold back a sob. I was ready to give up until a deeper voice sang back, "With you..."

My ears perked up and I looked behind me to where the voice came from. My eyes sparkled at the sight before me. There he was. The prince of the night.

I hopped up and skipped, bounced, fluttered even, over to the dark stallion. "It's you! It's really you!" I rambled on, "There's so much I want to say to you! Too much I- Oh, I can get here now, I think."

"That's something new." He chimed in, his eyes softening at my excitement.

"That's something we will get to later." I assured him of all the talking we'd get to do. "But, first, let me just enjoy this moment of meeting in the middle." I leaned over and nuzzled my cheek against his. I could feel a ghost of the warmth that I once felt before, but it was more than I could hope for.

Artemis took a deep inhale. "You're still you, and all I want to do is hold you close again..." He whispered just into my ear, settling his wing around me. "I've been searching for you..."

I pulled away to look into his eyes once again. "I knew you'd be searching, too..." I smiled up at him. My eyes dropped down, recalling all the pain I had suffered getting here. "I always wondered, what if I forget your face?"

He nudged my head up to look at him again, eye to eye. "I know." His voice was laced in understanding. "And, what if you move on without me?"

It seemed like his felt the same fears and concerns, each anxiety clawing at our hopes. Yet, here we both were, basking in each other's warmth and presence. I had longed to be here with him for so many years with plans on what I'd say, but I found myself at a loss for words.

"I never thought I'd find you, but you're really here." Artemis said under his breath, probably something to himself while he took in everything that was happening as well. He drew in closer and touched noses with me, closing his eyes, relishing in the simple gesture of affection.

When he pulled away, he rested his cheek against mine like before. "I never, ever want to see you disappear again now that you're near to me." I admitted in a hushed tone, gently petting Artemis with my wing.

Artemis pulled away, but stayed close, "You'll have to leave soon, won't you?" He sighed.

"I will," I couldn't deny that I felt the same sadness of having to leave again. "But, I can come back! Every night! And, we can be together again until the day you're back home."

Artemis' face lit up at this. "How did you even manage to do this?" Curiosity gleamed in his eyes and dripped off of every word he said. After all these years, I forgot how cute he was when he was interested in something he didn't quite understand.

"Lots of studying," I laughed, remembering that I had read at least three-quarters of Prince Solaris' library to find the one book I needed. "And, with the help of a gem. It took nearly a year to find it, but I have it now. I can come and go every night to-"

Artemis' gaze wasn't looking at me, instead behind me. He was filled with terror. He stood up and ushered me to follow.

"Artemis, is there something wrong?" I stopped in my tracks, making a quick pivot to see what had Artemis so scared.

Then, my eyes settled on a huge mass of darkness with no real form. It slowly crept forward, changing its form into the silhouette of a huge pony. The darkness oozed off of its unicorn horn into a puddle that formed beneath it.

"Get away from her!" Artemis snarled at the beast, stepping in front of me with his wings outstretched.

The beast did not listen. "How do I get out?" It spoke in a deep, gravelly voice directly at me.

"I-I don't know." I stammered, "I don't even think I could reverse the effects of the Elements of Harmony."

The beast roared, "Then, you're no use to me!" The puddle of darkness that gathered underneath his hooves spread closer and closer to the two of us.

"Stop! Leave her alone!" Artemis yelled out, zapping at the darkness with his magic, but to no avail. There was too much coming too fast.

Before I knew it, my hooves were being encased in the darkness, little tendrils slowly creeping up my legs. I tried to zap it away, but my magic had no effect. "Artemis!" I cried out as I sunk deeper into the darkness that pulled me in.

Artemis, unaffected by the beast's dark clutches, flew up and blasted a powerful beam of magic. The beast recoiled, retracting the dark ooze just as it was reaching up my neck.

"Get out!" Artemis yelled out, grunting at the effort he was exerting to keep the beast at bay.

I couldn't leave him. This was supposed to be our time together! "But, I-"

"Just go! I can't protect you for much longer!"

The sight of Artemis struggling against the beast was enough to convince me to leave. Tears welled up in my eyes as I cast the spell to return back to Equestria. I closed my eyes, feeling that familiar breeze that had swirled around me just like before until it vanished.

I opened my eyes with blurred vision. I wiped my tears away, finally able to take in my surroundings again. My eyes finally settled on the gem, or what was left of it. The gem was dripping with that same dark ooze.

I darted towards the gem. "No, this can't be happening!" I whispered. I lifted the gem and book with my magic, frantic to find an answer. I was supposed to go back! The book never said anything about this!

I skimmed through pages and pages of the book, desperate for an answer. My search was futile.

This wasn't supposed to happen. This has never happened in the history of Equestria. Nor, will it happen again. That was the only gem capable of channeling a powerful unicorn's magic into a way to get there. A mysterious void where we could meet at the middle.

I stared back at the crystal, the toxic black sludge still dripping off onto the dusty floor. Just the sight of it broke me. I dropped everything and let myself fall on the floor. "No, no, no..." I sobbed over the tainted gem.

Through my tears, I was able to see the puddle of sludge getting absorbed into the crystal, turning the once bright turquoise gem into a deep, midnight blue. This sealed it, I wasn't getting back there again. Not with this gem, at least.

I laid down completely, my head in between my front hooves as I stared up at the moon that was centered so well with the grand glass door that led to the balcony. I could see the shadow of Artemis -- of Nightterror Nebula -- embedded into the side of the moon.

I closed my eyes and let myself imagine his face again. I could only hope that he was okay. He had to be...

Epilogue

"What was that for?" I lashed at the dark figure before me, tears of pure hatred pooling in the corner of my eyes.

It looked at me and laughed, "Why should we keep her here? To make you weaker?" It strutted around me, trails of goop oozing out of its hooves with every step.

"I- No, I love her!" I stuttered out in defense.

It roared back in anger. "Why are you blaming me? I certainly didn't banish you to the moon to keep you away from your beloved princess!" It was leaning down to face me eye-to-eye with a snarl.

Its words struck a chord with me. It was right. Instead of being with her, snuggled up in a cozy bed with pillows stuffed with the plushest feathers, blankets made of the softest materials, I was stuck on the moon. Solaris did this to ensure he could have her over me! He caused all this pain and suffering for the both of us just because he was too self-centered!

I stared into the beast's make-shift eyes, anger coursing through my veins. "Then, what do you suggest?" I huffed.

The beast let out a deep chuckle before its pony form had melted away into a puddle. "Work with me to become the most powerful stallion in Equestria!" It morphed into a silhouette of me as Nightteror Nebula. "Fight Solaris and take back what's rightfully yours!" It then morphed into a battle between Solaris and I from which I rose victorious. There I was with her by my side on the highest balcony of the castle looking down upon my kingdom.

"What if I'm not strong enough?" I gulped. Solaris was able to defeat me once. Who's to say he wouldn't again?

The image of us together quickly diminished only to be replaced with her in a wedding gown. Slowly, she walked down the aisle towards me, making my heart skip a beat. I hoped for this oh-so much that I couldn't help getting excited.

I whispered out her name, but she just walked past me. My smile dropped in an instant as I turned around to see her walking towards Solaris. The beast began to hum the wedding march in a mocking tone. "Look at how miserable she is without you." It spoke up just as I got close enough to see her face. Her smile was sad and she could barely look at Solaris in the eye. "You wouldn't let live on like this married to the stallion who ruined both of your lives, would you?"

I watched in horror as the two leaned in for a kiss to seal their marriage. "No!" I yelled out and the entire scene dissipated before they could even touch. "You have to help me defeat Solaris!"

"Your wish is my command."

I have three more fic ideas for Male! Luna at the moment, so look out for those if I happen to be motivated enough to write those soon. I'm struggling to find some fun ideas for other characters, so if you have any detailed requests, let me know in the comments!

On another note, wondering if I should just make a full story centered around Male! Luna. It'd take a while to release it all, but either way, you'd be getting important story points either through a full story or through here! I just really like writing for Artemis because his story is just super interesting to me.