Twilight dragged her hooves along the floor of the Canterlot castle, almost falling asleep on the spot with how tired she was. It had been a long day in Canterlot as she met with ponies from all over the city, giving them friendship advice and then she'd had a meeting with griffon delegates ... Needless to say, Twilight was exhausted.
She finally reached her room and laid her head against the cool stone of the door with a sigh. Twilight thought about collapsing into her bed with a good book or two (or four) and smiled slightly, fantasizing about finally being able to get off her hooves for the first time in what seemed like forever.
"Twilight!" An excited voice shook her out of her pleasant reverie and she snapped to attention, turning around to see Luna trotting towards her, a beam stretching wide across her face. Twilight couldn't help but smile at the sight of her, and she rubbed her eyes with one hoof, hoping somehow to get the tiredness out of them.
"Hello, Luna." Twilight smiled at her and gave her a quick nuzzle, "You seem excited."
"Today is astronomy day!" Luna exclaimed, clasping one of Twilight's hooves to her chest. "I insist you spend the night with me."
Twilight's mouth formed a perfect 'o' shape as a heavy red blush rose onto her cheeks. She tried to string together a sentence, and ended up stammering.
"L-Luna, I-"
Luna was quick to blush as well after realizing what she'd said. She was still getting used to some of the social customs of Equestrian society in this day and age, and it had only gotten worse after finding out that there were certain things you could say that sounded ... well, suggestive. It just wasn't proper for her to say such things to ponies. Especially with Twilight, considering what stage they were at with their relationship.
"Not like that, of course," Luna said calmly, dropping Twilight's hoof as she spoke. "I merely meant that you could, if you'd like to, accompany me on a tour of the night sky. I worked especially hard on it tonight. More and more ponies have come to appreciate my work ever since I came back."
Luna's eyes shone with happiness and Twilight couldn't help but feel rejuvenated by the sight. All her fatigue seemed to fall away in that moment, only lingering slightly, as she thought about going for a refreshing flight. Maybe it was just what her body needed, to feel the air rushing through her mane, to soar and dive and just to be free.
And with Luna by her side, it was sure to be twice as good a time.
"I know how much you value education, so I figure it could be a bit of a hooves-on experience," Luna said, staring at Twilight with her big, cyan eyes.
Twilight's heart nearly melted. "You don't have to try and convince me, Luna," she said, nuzzling her marefriend. "Of course I'll come with you."
Luna smiled as a small blush rose up on her face again, and Twilight smiled back. There was no need for anything to be said, because they knew already what the outcome would be, and accepted it.
"Let us go, then," Luna said, turning to walk down the hallway.
Twilight followed, stretching her wings out, her head already full of constellations and galaxies and shining nebulae.
They took off from one of the balconies, lazily flying slowly through the air. Luna would often fly ahead of Twilight, but then double back to see the expression of joy on Twilight's face as she flew.
Flying was a new experience for Twilight Sparkle still, and she was constantly in awe of the way Equestria looked from above. Everything was put into perspective, and suddenly everything was more detailed. You could see treetops and mountains and the tops of building, all from one point of view. It was truly wonderful, and even for a scholar like Twilight there were simply no words in existence to describe to feeling of soaring through the air as lakes shone and all you could make out of civilization were tiny pinpricks of light.
"I love this," she sighed, turning on her back to watch the sky above her, the stars in their thousands winking at her. She smiled as she felt Luna come up and nuzzle her, listening to the steady beat of their wings, keeping them afloat, moving in tandem with each other.
Everything was so tranquil - Twilight felt like she could stay up here forever.
Luna mumbled something and Twilight turned her head, awkwardly bumping noses with Luna. "What did you say?"
"Machina Electrica," Luna exclaimed, flying further away from Twilight and gliding for a while, pointing to the sky above her.
Twilight looked to see where Luna was pointing, slowing down to glide with Luna.
"South of Cetus. Between Fornax and Sculptor." Suddenly, Luna's mouth was against Twilight's ear, her breath cool and sending sparks of something explainable down Twilight's spine.
Twilight's breathing grew heavy and Luna paused to take a breath in, and licked her lips. Her tongue darted close to Twilight's fur, and she could feel herself turning pink again.
"It's the forgotten constellation. Modern astronomers don't acknowledge it's existence because it was never wildly accepted back when it was named by a pony from Germane-y. The stars are dim, but it is a comfort to know they are there," Luna said, and them she flew away from Twilight quickly, bursting through clouds as her wings beat them away like flies.
They had been flying low, skimming Canterlot rooftops, but now they had risen higher, and to Twilight it almost felt that they were closer to the stars now. She knew it was ridiculous, but it felt like if she stretched her hoof up just a little bit further, she could touch the stars, hold them close and feel them burning, see them shining ...
Without warning, she found herself yearning for this power, wondering what it would be like to have total control over nature. She felt like she'd never wanted anything else more in her lifetime. She shook her head to get herself out of this daze.
"What's it like to control the night?" she asked Luna. When she looked over her shoulder she saw Luna staring at her with a slightly puzzled expression.
"What's brought this on?" Luna asked.
"I've just been thinking about the power you have. All the things you can do ... It's wonderful," Twilight said. Luna's face turned dark for a moment.
"Not all power is as beautiful as you describe it, Twilight Sparkle," Luna said, her voice laced with pain.
Twilight knew that now was not the time to say anything. Luna still ached, she knew, pained by what she'd done in the past. No matter what she did or how much everypony loved her, she would always be trying to redeem herself for what happened over a thousand years ago.
And it broke Twilight's heart.
"I can make beautiful things, true," Luna continued, "I can make stars shine brighter than light itself - but I can also destroy whole galaxies, turning them into nothing but memories and dust. I can summon constellations and create stories that enchant. I sooth foal's dreams - but I can also make their worst fear become their ongoing nightmare.
"I can do terrible things, Twilight. Power takes a lot of self control."
Twilight nodded, all her attention focused on Luna.
Luna's face remained dark for a moment, but then she smiled at her marefriend. Twilight knew that Luna was still scarred by her past, but maybe there was a way of moving forward from all that. She had turned a new page and started a new chapter, and Twilight was the happiest mare in Equestria knowing that she was a part of it.
"Watch this," Luna said, closing her eyes and casting a spell with a look of concentration on her face. Her cobalt blue magic aura surrounded her horn and she smiled as it faded away. Twilight looked confused for a moment, until she felt Luna's hoof on her chin, guiding her head upwards.
"Just wait," Luna murmured, and suddenly it seemed as if the sky was raining light, shooting stars streaming down the sky. They were everywhere, surrounding them, and it felt as if there were hundreds. Once again she felt as if she could reach out and hold on to one of the falling stars, and never let go. They lit up the sky like diamonds, and Twilight felt as if she was inside a giant storm, but instead of fear there was just beauty. She let out a euphoric laugh and she turned to look at Luna, glee shining in her eyes.
Luna was staring at her, and there was something in her eyes, an emotion that Twilight just couldn't place. Whatever it was, it made her heart soar and her stomach was filled with butterflies.
Twilight nuzzled Luna and pecked a kiss on her mouth. "This is wonderful," she whispered in her partner's ear.
"I thought you'd like it." Luna sighed, Twilight's touch completely relaxing her. There was something about Twilight that felt different form her other lovers. Something about the feel of her mane gently brushing hers, their wings beating in tandem ... It painted a picture of perfection, but Luna just couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen. With Twilight, there was always an unusual sense of excitement and - strangely enough - power.
"You're so good," Luna muttered.
Twilight pulled away from their embrace. "Excuse me?" she said with a bemused look on her face.
Luna blushed and flew away from the embrace, gliding towards a nearby cloud. The stars were still falling, still lighting up the sky. It was a pity nopony else could see this because they were all sleeping, yet in a way Luna was glad. This way, it was just for Twilight and her - something special they could share together.
Twilight sat next to her on the cloud and extended one of her wings, draping it over Luna's back. The feathers rustled but were soft on Luna's own, pulling her into a warm embrace.
"You seem to always be doing the right thing. You're always there to save the day, and everyone in Equestria looks up to you. You're the hero. And what am I? The forgotten princess of the night?" Luna sighed and stared up at the stars. Her beautiful creations were shining, and they almost seemed to wink at her. Seeing the night through her eyes was a different experience. It was her canvas, and her magic was the paintbrush, the spells the colours she used to paint her masterpiece.
Every day she worked so hard on her designs, but what was the point if when you went outside little foals ran away?
"You're too good for me. I feel so lucky to have you in my life, because I wake up every day knowing that you appreciate me, and I am worth something to you, and that is the best feeling in the world. I just feel that sometimes ... sometimes I just know that you are going to be the hero in grand tales, and that in a thousand years time they will still be singing your praises, and I just wonder where I'll be. What they'll remember me for. And I know it's not going to be for the good I do but for the things I've done in the past. And that's why I'm so glad that I have you - because I know you're going to remember me," Luna said.
It felt almost as if she'd been carrying rocks on her wings, and now she was almost free to spread them and fly. There was still something she was missing, the lift that would get her off the ground and the weight that would keep her in the air. She had come to her conclusion, and now she was waiting for her revelation.
She looked and Twilight and her heart caught in her throat. Twilight was staring up at her, her eyes as big as saucers, with an expression she could not place - was it joy or sadness? Fear or awe? Luna had thousands of years of experience at reading ponies, but she could not fathom what those amethyst eyes were trying to say, even now.
"Twilight Sparkle." She licked her lips, unsure where she wanted this sentence to go. "I-I don't -"
Twilight cut her off with a kiss, pressing their lips together. It was a short kiss and it never went anywhere, but it filled Luna with more love and commitment than ever before. It made her feel like a meteoroid, and Twilight was the comet she was a fragment of.
They parted, panting, and Twilight stared into Luna's eyes lovingly, stroking her face with one hoof. Luna's eyes shined with joy, but it almost seemed to be dimming now, and her face turned serious. The shine was partially gone, and what remained was just a shimmer.
Here was Luna's revelation, and it was crystal clear, as if it was the only truth that mattered. It was all the truth that was in Luna, and she believed in it with all her heart.
"Twilight Sparkle, I think I might have the pleasure of being in love with you."