Follow TV Tropes

Following

Fanfic / To Love the Moon

Go To

To Love the Moon is a My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fan fiction story by Indigo Eclipse.

As a young colt, Starstep wanted nothing more than to be at Princess Luna's side. Yet where most would grow out of such an infatuation, Star remains undaunted in his goal. Having successfully made it into the Royal Guards, he now finds himself determined to win Luna over, regardless of how insane his best friend and guard partner Lighthoof finds the whole thing... and just how many pranks the mercurial princess subjects him to...

Join Starstep on his quest for adventure and companionship, as he strives to love the Moon.


To Love the Moon contains examples of the following tropes:

  • Aesop Enforcer: Several of Luna's pranks on Starstep are done to teach him a lesson and ensure he betters himself.
    Luna: I doth not instruct out of cruelty, but out of compassion. Thou must understand how many lifetimes I hath lived. How many lessons I hath learned and seek to pass them on to those I feel would benefit the most.
  • Anti-Hero: Star develops into one over the course of the story. While still overall a very heroic character, he drops a serial rapist into lava rather than let him escape, and psychologically tortures a griffon captive for information with Nightmare's help to gain information about an upcoming attack (with an extremely good reason to think the captive had that information). While Luna approves of such tactics when circumstances require them, she is also quick to remind him that if he ever steps too far into the darkness, she will be the one to personally deal with him.
  • Anti-Magic: Dragonfire resists magic. When Starstep has his wings burnt, they absorb this particular property, though this also means that the wounds cannot be healed magically.
  • Attempted Rape:
    • It's strongly implied that Dinky was about to become a victim of this, prior to Star and Light's timely arrival.
    • Orange-feather Sasha announces her intent to do this to Star, but a guard interrupts before she's able to do anything.
  • Backup Bluff: Lighthoof decides to use this tactic while on patrol in Chapter XXII, when assigned to patrol a large area with him and Star by themselves. Since all guards look the same in their armour, by using different flight paths it's possible to give the impression of there being many more guards.
  • Berserk Button: When a visiting griffon insults Luna at a function she's hosting in Chapter XIII, Starstep flies into a rage and knocks the griffon out with a single punch.
  • Broken Angel: Starstep has his wings badly burnt by dragonfire and becomes grounded. While the feathers eventually start to regrow and grant him a very limited gliding ability, only time will tell if he will fully regain his powers of flight.
  • Broken Bird:
    • Luna. While she hides it well beneath her regal mask and pranking, Star observes that she's secretly in a lot of pain. Contrite over her past, lonely, and still worrying about being overshadowed by her sister, she improves significantly when Star wins her affections and demonstrates he loves her for who she is, as well as when he's able to show her just how beloved she and her night really are by her subjects.
    • Celestia is also not as happy and well rounded as she appears, and secretly desperate for affection and companionship. While she eventually chooses Lighthoof as her consort, her reasons for doing so are not healthy, a fact that Light himself is all too aware of, but he goes along with it out of what he perceives to be his duty.
  • Brutal Honesty: Luna values this trait immensely. One reason Starstep manages to win her over — after a few learning experiences — is when she is satisfied he will never withhold the truth from her, regardless of the consequences.
    Luna: Truth. Truth from thy lips. One should speak no other words.
  • Cerebus Syndrome: The story starts off fairly light hearted, but becomes increasingly darker as it progresses.
  • Character Development: Plenty of it:
    • Starstep matures significantly into someone worthy of standing by Luna's side, but also becomes darker and more anti-heroic.
    • Lighthoof develops into an effective leader and tactician.
    • Luna becomes far happier as many of her hidden fears and pain are dealt with, and she becomes far more confident in herself, and that she's not an inferior version of her sister. She also displays far more affection, both towards Starstep as well as her subjects. Nightmare is particularly surprised by the latter, and notes how much Star has changed her in this regard.
  • Childhood Friend Romance: Starstep and Scootaloo as foals, though his infatuation with Luna prevented it from going any further. For a while, anyway....
  • Cliffhanger: Plenty of them.
  • Compliment Backfire: Star's initial attempt to compliment Luna in Chapter VI nearly ends any chance of him having a relationship with her, after she takes great offense at Star telling her what he thinks she wants to hear, instead of his actual opinions (which are received far more warmly).
    Luna: Dost not confuse hollow flattery for honest compliments.
  • Cool and Unusual Punishment: Luna sometimes uses these, particularly when she feels someone is wasting the Night Court's time. In one case, she makes a pony complaining about an adult store purchase at least one item from said store.
  • Covert Group with Mundane Front: Steelhoof uses them, as you'd expect from someone who's The Don. At one point, Star meets with him in the back of a pawn shop, though Star notes that several of the items seem of far too high a value for such a small place.
  • Culture Clash: Star nearly causes an incident at an official function in Chapter XIII due to this, when he knocks out a griffon insulting Luna in an attempt to defend her honour. Not only is this a highly embarrassing breach of protocol from Luna's perspective, but by griffon standards it also ends up making her look weak and dishonourable. Thankfully both sides agree to pretend the matter never happened, but not before Starstep is suspended and banished for a week, and comes a hairsbreadth from losing all chance of ever being with Luna.
  • Dead Fic: Last updated in January of 2016, and Indigo Eclipse has only sporadically been on the site since.
  • Deadly Euphemism: Very heavily implied when Steelhoof informs Star that his old enforcer, Granite, has been "dealt with".
    Starstep: How?
    Steelhoof: Mister Starstep, do you really wish to know?
    Starstep: (after thinking for a moment) No, not really.
    Steelhoof: And that, Mister Starstep, is the difference between us.
  • Defrosting Ice Queen: While she can be very playful in private, Luna can also still be very cold and distant towards others. Over the course of her relationship with Starstep, she becomes far more free in displaying affection, both towards Star, and her subjects.
  • Desperately Craves Affection:
    • Celestia, particularly so after seeing Star and Luna's relationship develop.
    • Luna is initially lonely, but unwilling at first to take the risk of the pain that will inevitably come with taking a new lover. She gets better.
  • Devoted to You: Star initially shows this towards Luna, though he does mature and thus it develops from near-childlike devotion into something much healthier.
  • Did You Just Have Sex?: Pretty much everyone Star runs into in Chapter V comments on this and congratulates him. Including Celestia.
  • Disappeared Dad: Considered to be a serious crime, and the punishment for attempting to do so is castration.
  • Divine Date: As the princesses are considered to be immortal goddesses in this version of Equestria, Starstep and Lighthoof's involvement with Luna and Celestia respectively qualifies.
  • The Don: Steelhoof.
  • Doorstopper: Over 320K words as of January 2015, and the story is still far from over.
  • Double Standard Rape: Female on Male: Averted. Luna is furious when a pregnant petitioner accusing a unicorn stallion of Parental Abandonment is revealed to have restrained him using a magic dampener before overpowering him. Luna only deciding not to make an example and inflict a serious punishment at said stallion's request.
  • invokedDude, Not Funny!: Lighthoof calls Luna out when she appears as Nightmare Moon when he's on guard duty with Star as a prank. Luna herself quickly realises it was in poor taste and apologises to them.
  • Eating the Eye Candy: Lighthoof admonishes Star for doing this to Luna. After he repeatedly does this yet again while escorting her in Chapter VI, Luna even asks him to flat out ogle her, rather than snatching fleeting glances when he thinks she isn't looking.
  • Even Evil Has Standards: Steelhoof is very angry about the actions of his (ex) enforcer, Granite, after the enforcer assaults Dinky, and later tries to murder her, Sweetie Belle, and Pip by burning their house down. That said, Steelhoof is probably more concerned out of pragmatic, rather than moral reasons.
  • Fantastic Arousal: Pegasi wings and unicorn horns, as is common in My Little Pony fan fiction.
  • Fantasy Contraception: A spell exists for this purpose, but it's very difficult to cast (even Twilight gets it wrong), and it's extremely painful for the stallion recipient.
  • invokedFaux Symbolism: In-universe example. When Luna complains about her uncomfortable throne, Starstep suggests it's meant to symbolise the weight of the crown. Turns out Celestia simply likes hard chairs.
  • First Girl Wins: An extremely complicated example. Scootaloo and Starstep were childhood sweethearts, but even at a young age he only really had eyes for Luna. After they bump into each other in Canterlot and have a one night stand, Scootaloo is secretly heartbroken when she realises Star will never love her in the way she loves him. Meanwhile, Star eventually comes to realise what she means to him (even if Luna is first in his heart), and Luna is happy to accept Scootaloo into their relationship. This is then complicated when Scootaloo ends up breaking off from the relationship for fear of being in Luna's shadow, only to eventually rejoin when Star manages to convince her that he wants her in his life, and that he appreciates her for who she is.
  • Foil: Starstep for Lighthoof. While Star grew up with a loving family, Light was the victim of a broken home. Light is also far more outgoing and mature to begin with, and far more streetwise than Star, as well as far more promiscuous.
  • Freudian Slip: Star accidentally calls out Luna's name in the middle of his liason with Scootaloo. While this deeply upsets her, she tries to pass it off to Star as a minor thing.
  • Friends with Benefits: Scootaloo offers Star such a relationship at the start of the story, though she doesn't make any effort to hide the fact that she'd prefer far more.
  • Groin Attack: The contraception spell for use on stallions is extremely painful (as well as very difficult to cast correctly).
  • Heroic Bastard: Lighthoof was the Son of a Whore and has no idea for sure who his father really is. It doesn't stop him from being one of the most heroic characters in the story.
  • Heroic Sacrifice:
    • Luna's first love, Goldwing, ended up sacrificing himself by taking a spear meant for her. Given that, in Celestia's own words "it always goes back to him", it appears Luna never fully got over his death.
    • Star demonstrates this trait several times. The first is when after one of Luna's pranks goes awry, he immediately launches an attack on 'Nightmare Moon' in a rage, and then when he rescues Sweetie Belle and Dinky from a burning house. While his willingness to throw himself head first into danger initially upsets and infuriates Luna for fear of another Goldwing, she eventually realises that it's simply in Star's nature.
  • Hidden Depths: According to Light, Sherry's sultry and flirtatious bar act is just that, and she's extremely quick witted.
  • Hot-Blooded: One of Starstep's flaws is that he can let his emotions get the best of him. His learning how to better control them is a major aspect of his Character Development.
    Luna: If thou wish to be at mine side, thou must temper that fiery passion, forge thy emotions into something that will not break on the first strike. For that strike will be thy last.
  • If You Ever Do Anything to Hurt Him...:
    • Scootaloo does this non verbally to Luna, leading to the following gem:
      Starstep: What was that last look about?
      Luna: She was warning me not to hurt thou.
      Starstep: Hurt me? But what if I like it when you use the crop?
    • Sherry's father, Rowdy, warns Lighthoof over this, but otherwise gives his blessing to their relationship.
    • Big Mac warns Starstep over hurting Cheerilee.
  • The Immodest Orgasm: Luna, something which Celestia has been known to tease her younger sister over. This also ends up leading to a case of Interrupted Intimacy, when Luna's guards mistakenly believe she's under attack.
  • In-Series Nickname: Both Starstep and Lighthoof tend to be called Star and Light respectively. Starstep also usually refers to Scootaloo as just "Scoots".
  • Insistent Terminology: Lighthoof would like you to remember that it's Princess Celestia/Luna. Particularly when the person talking is Starstep.
  • Interrupted Intimacy:
    • Apple Bloom and Starstep walk in on Pinkie and Applejack in Chapter XVIII. Apparently it's become an increasingly regular thing, to the point where Apple Bloom thinks Pinkie likes to get caught.
    Apple Bloom: Yer gettin it all over the kitchen table! Where we EAT!
  • I Want My Beloved to Be Happy:
    • This is actually Star's motivation in attempting to court Luna in the first place; he wants to make her happy. Though he'd just as readily see her happy with someone else, just as long as she was actually happy.
    • Scootaloo feels this regarding Star.
    • Luna herself feels this way regarding her lovers, and is more than willing to let them go if they're unhappy. She also offers Star a choice between publicly being her consort (with the benefits and drawbacks of being such a figure), or having a far more casual secret relationship with much more freedom, on the grounds that she could not bear it if he felt trapped and stiffled at her side.
  • Knowledge Broker: One of Steelhoof's many businesses, but probably his most valuable one.
  • Ladykiller in Love: At the beginning of the story, it's clear that Lighthoof has been around the block. After starting a relationship with Sherry, he seems on his way towards settling down.
  • Loan Shark: One of Steelhoof's businesses involves being one. Technically it is within the letter of the law, and he'd argue that the money was loaned at an initially favourable rate. Regardless, missed payments cause the interest to rise to punitive levels.
  • Mayfly–December Romance: A big problem for the princessses. Luna even laments to Celestia that remaining isolated is worth it to avoid the continuous pain of outliving the ones they love, though she doesn't really seem to mean it.
    Luna: I'll stay cold and alone before I suffer such torment anew.
    Celestia: So we tell ourselves, every time.
  • Mood-Swinger: Luna is far more free with her emotions compared to her sister, and has a rather mercurial nature.
  • My Sister Is Off-Limits: Applejack is initially cold towards Star over this, but warms up again when Star convinces her that he's Just Friends with Apple Bloom.
  • Naughty by Night:
    • Both princesses show this, with both aspects of the trope being justified; as royalty they have to maintain a certain public image. Also, having lived for such a long time, they're interested in finding new ways to enjoy themselves, and have had a long time to figure out what quirks they do like.
    • From the brief insight into Lighthoof and Sherry's love lives, both seem to heartily subscribe to this.
    • Starstep seems well on his way towards this. Both by virtue of Luna demanding and expecting an adventurous bedroom spirit from her lovers, but also in his own right, if offhand comments are to be believed.
  • No Good Deed Goes Unpunished:
    • Dinky attempts to negotiate with Steelhoof over Sweetie Belle's extortionate loan. This results in her getting assaulted and nearly raped by an enforcer, until Star and Light show up. Though Dinky herself realises it was stupid to go alone.
      Starstep: No pony deserves to get punched because you wanted to help a friend.
    • Starstep frees the spirits of Nightmare and Dawn from their prison, only for Nightmare to torment him specifically since it's allowed under the terms of their agreement (and because she finds it amusing).
  • Not Listening to Me, Are You?: Spike realises Twilight is doing this in Chapter XVII, and so ups his game by anouncing his 'plans' to date Rarity that evening (among other things). However, Twilight is so engrossed in her research that even Spike's attention-seeking Blatant Lies are ignored.
  • Odd Friendship: Star and Light, given their dramatically different backgrounds and personalities. What really cements them together is a fondness for the same type of jokes, and Lighthoof's Undying Loyalty towards Star, due to Star standing up for him and helping him when he initially tried to make it into the Royal Guards.
  • The Oldest Profession: Prostitution is legal in Equestria, albeit licensed and regulated, and common in the more seedy parts of Canterlot. Steelhoof also runs his own brothels, and suggests to Star that Sweetie Belle can pay back her debt via working there if she can't afford the repayments on her loan.
  • The Omniscient: Steelhoof isn't quite there, but is exceptionally well informed about events. As he demonstrates when talking to Star for the first time, he's also adept at using this to throw others off guard.
  • Parental Neglect: Lighthoof was the victim of this, though he suggests his mother did love him at first.
  • The Peeping Tom: Celestia is guilty of this when she spies on Starstep and Scootaloo in Chapter XXVI. Star and Luna do the same later on in revenge, which Celestia does acknowledge as being fair.
  • Polyamory: Customary in this version of Equestria; it's not uncommon for several mares to form a herd with a stallion.
  • Post-Kiss Catatonia: When Luna's prank in Chapter XII ends up going too far and hurting Star, she gives him a kiss to make up for the pain she's inflicted. Cue Star staring into space for a while with a goofy expression.
  • Praetorian Guard: While all the Royal Guards protect the princesses — though Luna notes that it's usually the other way around — Luna eventually promotes Star to the role of her Shadow Guard, making him her personal escort, as well as being a stand in for her if she's unavailable.
  • The Prankster: Luna is quite fond of them, particularly when Star is concerned. Though she's quick to apologise when one goes too far, and ends up deeply wounding Star's pride. Celestia isn't above it all either.
  • Precocious Crush:
  • Puppy-Dog Eyes: Sherry is something of a master of this.
  • Raging Stiffie: Luna pranks Star by magically inducing this after he becomes a tad too bold (and lies instead of admitting it). The spell lasts for a few hours unless the victim is, uh, relieved, though Celestia fails to mention the first part.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech: After Star confesses he would willingly take a spear to save her life, Luna furiously rants at him at what she considered to be Star's selfish and self-indulgent behaviour. She does apologise for her reaction shortly afterwards though.
    Luna: What of the ponies who love thou? Wouldst thou wish their suffering, as thy life slips from their hooves. What of the young orange pegasus who's heart belongs to thou? What of thy family or friends? What of me? Thy Princess, whom thou claims to care for? What a terribly selfish thing to say. To believe that thy sacrifice wouldst go quietly into the night? How many ponies would weep for thy death? HOW MANY?
  • The Reveal: At the end of Chapter XXII, Star realises that Dinky's roommate (and thus the pony in serious debt to Steelhoof) is Sweetie Belle, who until that point her situation and status was a complete unknown to her friends and family.
  • Right Behind Me: When Star starts talking on duty in the opening chapter, naturally Luna picks that exact moment to enter the picture. Apparently Star forgot that doors can be opened from the inside as well.
    Starstep: Lighthoof, you need to relax. We're guarding a door, a giant golden door that has to weigh, what, fifteen earth ponies? I mean, who's really going to sneak by us and open this thing?
  • Royals Who Actually Do Something: Celestia and Luna, as they are in the show. Starstep also gets in on the act after he marries Luna, even if he hates to think of himself as royalty.
  • Ruling Couple: An interesting variant. While Celestia and Luna rule Equestria jointly, when Starstep marries Luna he also takes on several responsibilities of ruling. Combined with his status as Luna's Shadow Guard (making him her proxy when she is not available), this ultimately grants him a significant amount of authority, power, and influence. Luna also points out that irrespective of Star's disregard for his title of Prince, it means something to other ponies.
  • Running Gag:
    • Starstep's inability to keep quiet while guarding comes up several times.
      Lighthoof: What's with you and talking on duty.
    • Lighthoof constantly has to amend Star's comments about Celestia and Luna to include their title of princess.
    • Light often has his liaisons interrupted, despite using a sock to signal his preoccupation.
      Lighthoof: Oh for...does no bucking pony understand the sock rule?
  • Say My Name: Following Luna's prank in Chapter XII, after it goes a little further than she intended...
    Starstep: LUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNAAAAAA!!!!!
  • Secret Test of Character: Initiation into the Night Guard involves this, requiring one to pledge to put Luna's life ahead of her sister's, before accepting Luna's contradictory order over Celestia's. Only then does one find out about the nature of the test.
  • She Is All Grown Up: Star is amazed to see how Scootaloo has developed since they last met. While Lighthoof never knew her as a filly, he also rates her appearance very highly.
  • Slap-Slap-Kiss: After Lighthoof threatens to fight Sherry's father, Rowdy, for the right to date her, Sherry retaliates by hitting him, knocking him out. When he comes to, she apologises before explaining that no one threatens her dad, and they then make up their differences.
  • Socially Awkward Hero:
    • Star starts off as one, but matures significantly over the course of the story.
    • invokedLuna has improved from her initial reintroduction to society, but still isn't completely there. Among other things, she appears as Nightmare Moon to Starstep and Lighthoof as a 'prank', though she quickly apologises when called out for the very poor taste of it all.
  • Son of a Whore: Lighthoof is one. Unfortunately his mother was the complete opposite of a Hooker with a Heart of Gold and a terrible parent, leading to him having nothing but contempt for her. It also means that a "pleasure pony" is something of a sore spot for him. Or more specifically, one engaging in unlicensed/unsafe behaviour, and he has no tolerance for pimps.
  • So Proud of You: Star gets this off his dad in Chapter XIX, it being one of the first times he's had a chance to see his parents since successfully completing training and joining the Royal Guards.
  • Stalker with a Crush: Star ends up being attacked in one who mistakenly thinks he's interested in Apple Bloom. Or more precisely, a serial rapist looking to make Apple Bloom his next victim.
  • Star-Crossed Lovers: Luna and Goldwing, after he died taking a spear for her. Even after a thousand years, she still hasn't fully gotten over his death.
  • Stellar Name: Starstep. And naturally, Celestia and Luna.
  • Stellification: Luna immortalizes those she particularly cares for by creating constellations based on them. Goldwing's constellation in particular is mentioned several times.
  • Taking the Bullet: Luna's previous lover, Goldwing, died after taking a spear for her. When she discusses this trope with Star, she is initially enraged and deeply upset to find out he would willingly do the same for her.
  • Tap on the Head: Star knocks a griffon out with a single punch in Chapter XIII, after being driven to a rage when the griffon flings some very unpleasant insults towards Luna. Unfortunately for him, the breach of protocol and embarrasment he causes for her almost destroys his attempted courtship with her.
  • Teacher/Student Romance: A complicated example. While both Star and Cheerilee seem to fondly reflect on the other from time to time (and in Star's case with the occasional fantasies), there's no real hint of romantic interest from his time as her student. Having grown up, Star returns to Ponyville for a week in order to pick Cheerilee's brain on his current problems, and ends up developing a relationship of sorts with her after a liasion during her heat. While they don't end up in a formal relationship as such, both clearly care for the other a great deal, though both also have other ponies foremost in their hearts.
  • The Tease: Luna enjoys using this as one of many ways of messing with Star's head, after he confesses to finding her beautiful in the opening chapter.
  • That Mare is Dead: Sweetie Belle claims this when Star notices how jaded and cynical she's become, and asks what happened to the happy-go-lucky mare she used to be.
    Starstep: Where's the happy, life-loving filly I grew up with? The unicorn with the dance in her step and laughter in her eyes? What about your dream to be a singer?
    Sweetie Belle: She died, it died, it's all withered and died.
  • Think Unsexy Thoughts: Star desperately tries this in Chapter VIII. Alas for him and no doubt to Luna's amusement, it doesn't work well against magically induced arousal.
    He tried to call up the most un-sexy images he could think of. Dragons, roadkill, Lighthoof in a dress, Sargent Hardknocks licking ice-cream seductively.
  • A Threesome Is Hot: Lighthoof's marefriend Sherry has this as one of her fantasies, and Star is asked to partake in one to make said fantasy a reality. While he initially puts the offer on hold, he eventually agrees in order to dispel the curse Luna places upon him as part of a prank.
  • Three-Way Sex: Suggested to be a fairly common thing within herds.
  • True Companions: Lighthoof and Starstep, to the point where they later on call themselves brothers, and Star's parents welcome Light into the family.
  • Try to Fit That on a Business Card: At the opening of her Night Court, Luna is introduced as "the star-crafter, the moon-dancer, mistress of the evening sky and protector of dreams". Apparently this is just a fraction of what she used to hold.
    Luna: Tis but a trifle. I doth held fifty-seven titles an age ago.
  • Undying Loyalty:
    • Lighthoof is loyal to his princesses almost to a fault, since he engages in Celestia's unhealthy behaviour by agreeing to become her consort out of duty.
    • Lighthoof also shows this towards Star, after Star helped and stood up for him during his attempts to get into the Royal Guard. Regardless of where Star goes, Light's got his back.
    • Starstep would follow Luna to the ends of the earth if needed. Nightmare roundly mocks just how far he's willing to go for Luna's sake.
  • Unusual Euphemism: Following AJ and Pinkie's Interrupted Intimacy, Pinkie refers to the situation as being caught in Applejack's "recipe vault".
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: Star and Light often tease the other and toss light hearted insults between them.
  • You All Look Familiar: Justified. Royal Guards all look the same (tribe-specific anatomy aside) due to the enchantments placed on their armour's helm. The princesses are capable of seeing through the illusion however, allowing them to immediately identify a guard by sight.
  • You Are in Command Now: A minor example. Starstep is forced to take charge of a developing situation at a diplomatic function in Chapter XLIII, since the princesses are unavailable for consultation, and as Luna's Shadow Guard he is expected to act as her proxy.
  • You Have No Idea Who You're Dealing With: Steelhoof's enforcer, Granite, threatens Lighthoof with this. It doesn't have any effect.
  • You Just Told Me: After Lighthoof mocks Star for catching up on some reading, Star turns the tables and tricks Light into confessing about his Porn Stash.
    Lighthoof: How's the new PlayColt?
    Starstep: Not sure, left that one in your stash and borrowed Pegasi in Heat, instead.
    Lighthoof: Dude, that thing's in mint condition if you...Oh...
  • You Need to Get Laid: Lighthoof heartily believes this regarding Star at the start of the story. Given that it helps significantly with Star's social development, Light doesn't exactly appear to be wrong.


Top