Dancing in the Twilight

by Mindpalace

First published

Moon Dancer was content. Old friends back, getting new ones, having parties, all while still having her studies. But there's still something missing, in the form of the mare who made her realize that there's more to life than dusty old books.

Moon Dancer is pretty much content. Old friends back, getting new ones, having parties, all while still having her studies. But there's still something missing, in the form of the mare who made her realize that there's more to life than dusty old books.

Missing Pages

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Moon Dancer was grateful.

She was grateful for Twilight's gift, the key to her library in Canterlot. The books would be enough to keep her occupied for a few years without her having to go looking for more. Even now she was reading a book she never thought she would find, Predictions and Prophecies, one of the few books that that contained information on Nightmare Moon that wasn't filled with old mare's tales.

She was grateful for Twilight giving her back her friends. When Twilight hadn't come to her party, she had given up friendship. But Twilight made her try again, and she had been living more happily then she ever thought she could again.

Most of all, she was grateful for Twilight coming back. When Twilight left Canterlot in a hurry, missing Moon Dancer's party and not even saying goodbye, Moon Dancer had been hurt, badly. But Twilight came back, apologized, and made it up to her.

So why did she feel like she was a book with the end page ripped off?

Moon Dancer put her hoof to her temple, concentrating. She had everything to be grateful for. She should be feeling positive, happy. What was she missing? Friends? Check. Apology? Check. Twilight? Check.

Then it hit her. It hit her like the stack of books that had fallen on her when she was a filly. Twilight. She was missing Twilight.

But why? She came back. She hurt me, yes, but she apologized for it. She made up for it.

Then she was hit with another revelation. It fit all the facts. She had read about this before. Why had she not seen it earlier?

Moon Dancer had a crush on Twilight.

That explained a lot. It explained why Moon Dancer always looked up to Twilight. It explained why Moon Dancer went to such great lengths to imitate Twilight, going so far as to style her mane after her. It explained why, as of late, Moon Dancer's stomach felt like it had butterflies in it whenever she saw Twilight. It explained why Moon Dancer, when Twilight missed her party, had been so hopelessly crushed, far more than if any old friend missed her party. Moon Dancer had read many a romance novel, and this situation seemed straight out of one of those stories.

Moon Dancer put her hoof to her cheek, trying to stop the slight burning sensation there. This was new. She had never felt any sort of romantic attraction to anypony before, much less a mare. What was she going to do? Tell Twilight? Keep it a secret? Tell a friend? Normally these types of decisions were easy for her, as she always chose the logical choice. But she had never experienced this before, and she had nothing to base her logic on besides a few romance novels she had hardly paid attention to, reading them to relax.

That's it! That was the solution. Moon Dancer straightened her glasses and smiled, trotting to a nearby book shelf. She picked out a few books with her magic and began to look for her quill and some parchment.

It was time to do some studying.


Moon Dancer closed the book she was reading with her magic and put down her quill. It was late, only a few hours until Celestia raised the sun to begin the day anew. She had spent the entire night studying on love and crushes, and found out a few noteworthy points.

First, she should not let this feelings go unattended. In the romance novels Moon Dancer had read, whenever a character tried to ignore his or her feelings in only caused distress and distraction. No, the best thing to do would be to respond to these feelings.

Second, the way she went about addressing said feelings could affect any chance she has of Twilight reciprocating. If she was too forward, Twilight might turn away. If she was too subtle, Twilight might never notice. She found this decidedly unfair. How would she ever find the right balance?

Third, she learned that it was best to address these feelings, however she may choose to do so, in private. It would make any rejection more bearable, as there would be nopony else to witness it.

Fourth would be the aforementioned rejection. Moon Dancer had read that it was a definite possibility, and that she should not feel to negative if she were to experience it. This worried Moon Dancer, as she had no interest in anypony but Twilight.

She had learned a few other things, but decided to leave those thoughts alone for the moment.

Moon Dancer straightened her glasses with her magic and thought. What would be the best way to go about this? Would she be subtle? Forward? How would she even get Twilight and her alone?

Moon Dancer thought hard, hoof rubbing temple. Twilight and her were similar in many ways, so all she had to do was to figure out what would bring HER in.

She was struck by a thought, and scrambled for her quill and parchment, and began to write.

"Dear Twilight,

"How are you doing! We haven't talked in a while. You must be really busy with you being a princess now and all. I would like to thank you again for giving me back my friends, they've been really fun to hang out with. We usually go out for donuts and ball games, and sometimes go to the theater too.

"That being said, I still enjoy getting some time to study. I may have friends again, but that doesn't mean I have to stop reading.

"I would like to invite you to my house here in Canterlot, for a sort of study date. I have a few books I want to read with you, and would really love it if you could come over. Don't worry, I cleaned my house up since the last time you've seen it.

Love, Moon Dancer."

Moon Dancer looked at the letter she had written. She had chosen her words carefully, making sure to make the study date sound as appealing to Twilight as possible. She even used some of the psychology tricks she had read about, using words like 'Dear', 'Love', 'Date', and ' Enjoy'. Satisfied, she rolled the parchment up, tied it with a red ribbon, and cast the spell that would transport the letter to Spike.

As she watched the letter burn in green flames, Moon Dancer closed her eyes, and, for the first time in a very long while, felt as if her pages were complete.

Received Letters

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Twilight flipped the page of the book she was reading with her magic, smiling softly. She was in the library of her castle and was doing some research on emotion when Spike came through the doors, claws to his stomach and looking as if he was trying very hard not to vomit.

"Spike, are you okay? You don't look so good," asked Twilight.

"Uh, I feel sick," replied Spike.

A few seconds later, Spike burped, spitting out green flames. Out of the flames a letter materialized, which Twilight picked up with her magic.

"Hm, this doesn't look like it's from Princess Celestia," said Twilight, seeing that the ribbon wasn't the type used by Celestia.

"I'm just glad its out of my stomach," groaned spike, patting his belly.

Twilight opened the letter and read for a few seconds. She then looked up and smiled.

"It's a message from Moon Dancer! She wants to meet up. Spike, could you grab me my quill and some parchment?"

When Twilight had the necessary materials, she began to write.

Moon Dancer,
Hey! I'm glad you feel happy. I would love to meet up. I'll come over tomorrow, if that's all right. See you soon!

Your friend, Twilight Sparkle

Twilight looked over the letter, satisfied. It was quick and to the point. She decided to leave out the title "Princess" in her signature, as she so often did when she was writing to a friend.

"Spike, could you come over here?"


A day later, Twilight arrived at the train station in Canterlot. It was tiring to fly from Ponyville to Canterlot, and she had only managed last time because it was important. Usually, she just took the train.

She began to trot slowly in the direction of Moon Dancer's house, by the stadium. When she arrived, she was surprised by the way it looked. Moon Dancer had mentioned that she had cleaned up, but this wasn't just cleaned up, it looked like it had undergone a renovation. The lawn was well kept, the grass a vibrant green. The low stone wall and the cobblestone path were clean of mold. The house was clear of overgrowth, and had a brand new layer of paint on it.

Twilight walked to the door, noting that the hole she had made the first time she was there was gone, and knocked twice.

Moon Dancer opened the door. "Hey, Twilight!"

"Hi Moon Dancer, how are you?" asked Twilight.

"Great! Come in!" replied Moon Dancer

Twilight entered the house, hearing the door shut behind her. Like the outside, the interior was very clean. The wooden floor was varnished. The walls were clean. Even the ceiling was well kept, devoid of cobwebs or dust.

Despite its cleanliness, the house wasn't orderly.

Wherever she looked, books were there. Lying on the ground, balanced in piles, strewn across tables, and sometimes even in there place in the bookshelves. There were also scroll unrolled on the tables. Quills and pieces of parchment could be seen poking from corners. It seemed that Moon Dancer was as dedicated to her studies as always.

"Sorry for the mess, but I never have time to tidy up the entire house."

"It's fine. You're forgetting that I live like this, too. Don't know what I'd do without Spike cleaning up after me," replied Twilight, smiling at the memory of her loyal assistant. He had chosen to let Twilight go on her own, while he cleaned up the castle. "Wish he had decided to come."

Moon Dancer smiled. When she had sent the letter to Twilight, she had sent a message to Spike a little while later, which told him about her plans. From what she had heard about him, Spike sounded trustworthy. After all, he was the assistant of a princess. He wouldn't still be with Twilight if he wasn't dependable. The message had been in the language of dragons, one of the few language Moon Dancer knew Twilight didn't know. Judging by the fact Twilight didn't ask her about it, the precaution had been unnecessary.

Moon Dancer led Twilight to the kitchen, pouring them both cups of tea with her magic. "So, how's it been going with our friends?" asked Twilight?

"Oh, its been great! We go out for donuts a lot, and sometimes we play hoofball. It's not been interfering with my studies as much as I thought it would," replied Moon Dancer.

Twilight took a sip from her tea cup, finishing it. "Speaking of studies, this is a study date! Lets get studying!" she said as she began to walk towards the bookshelves lining the walls.

Moon Dancer set down her own cup. "Oh, I wasn't planning our study date to be here."

Twilight looked at her, confused. "Oh? Where are we going then?"

"Canterlot Library," said Moon Dancer smiling. "Your old home."


Moon Dancer was squeeing with excitement.

Not literally, of course. Outwardly, she seemed normal, face buried in a book as she and Twilight walked to the Canterlot Library. But she wasn't reading the book. In her head she was making plans. She made a mental checklist. She double checked said checklist. Everything had to go according to her plan, else she might fail. She loved Twilight, and wanted Twilight to love her back.

She smiled, then realized what she had said to herself.

No, I can't be sure if this is love, not yet. It wouldn't do well to think this was love but find out that it isn't which was a definite possibility, given that she had never experienced this before.

That's what she kept telling herself, that she was being cautious and logical. That it was the smart thing to do.

But, in the deepest part of her mind, the part that always told the truth, she knew why she was doing this, denying that it was love.

Because, until Twilight returned her feelings, Moon Dancer knew she was at risk of being rejected. And if she admitted to herself that she loved Twilight, and Twilight didn't love her back, she would be crushed, just like when Twilight hadn't attended her party.

Its not love, not yet. I can't risk it.

But oh how she wanted to.

Attempted Confessions

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Twilight and Moon Dancer arrived at the Canterlot Library. Moon Dancer took the key from her sweater with her magic and opened the door with it.

Now, both Twilight and Moon Dancer had been to libraries before. They were, quite literally, in their element when surrounded by books and scrolls. They had both been in this specific library as well, many times. It was Twilight's previous home, after all, and she had given the key to Moon Dancer, who frequently visited it, sometimes even sleeping in it when she was to absorbed in her studies to notice night fall.

And yet both were still filled with awe when they entered.

The library was a grand place after all. Its circular wall were lined with bookshelves. The upstairs was as beautiful as the bottom, with bookshelves twice the size of the ones downstairs. Books were stacked in strewn across the floor, evidence of Moon Dancer's previous visits. There was a table with a test tube rack, test tubes filled with liquid. On the far side of the room there was a massive window, presenting a beautiful view of all Canterlot to anypony who decided to look out it.

"It's still beautiful," said Twilight

"Always is," replied Moon Dancer with a smile.


Twilight sighed in content. Completely focused on the novel she was currently reading, she was at peace.

The same couldn't be said for Moon Dancer.

She reviewed her plan in her head. Step one, invite Twilight to study date, making sure they were alone. Check. Step two, get past the study date without freaking out. Step three, confess.

She was having a hard time with step two.

She didn't understand why. It should have been simple. Easy, even. All she had to do was not tell Twilight her intentions. All she had to do was keep her mouth shut.

And yet she nearly failed, multiple times.

Whenever she looked at Twilight, she felt like announcing her true feelings. It was as if her words waiting in her throat, trying to burst out every time she opened her mouth.

Just keep quiet. Hold out. If you tell her now, she might be irritated, being distracted from her books. Plus, you haven't even finished planning what you're gonna say She told herself. The risk something would go wrong if she told prematurely was a small one, but it was a risk nonetheless. No, it would be smart to wait. She would wait. She couldn't risk anything going wrong.

She went back to pretending to read and began to plan what she would say later.

Maybe she should be brave and bold about it. She had read that confidence was often found to be attractive, especially with mares. She then shook her head slightly. No, if she did that Twilight might link her with the overconfident Trixie Moon Dancer had heard so much about. Twilight evidently didn't like her, despite claiming to have forgiven her. Bad idea.

Perhaps she should surprise her. Just go and kiss her. Maybe she would like that. Moon Dancer knew she would.

The idea brought up an image in Moon Dancer's head, causing her to blush. Perhaps she should be more mature in her approach. She began to imagine the situation, her kissing Twilight, first softly, the harder, with more passion, and finally wrestling her tongue into her mouth.

She shook the image from her head, putting her hoof up to her face, trying to get rid of her blushing cheeks. There would be time for those thoughts later, in the privacy of her room.

She decided she would be meek and shy about it. She was pretty sure Twilight was into that. Yes, that would be the best course of action.

She just hoped it would work.


It was midday when Twilight arrived in Canterlot. Now, It was approaching night, and Luna was about to raise the moon. Twilight finished the book she was reading, and was struck with an idea.

"Hey, Moon Dancer?" she called

"Yes?" replied Moon Dancer, looking up from her book.

"I have an idea for a game."

Moon Dancer hesitated. "This is a study date, Twilight."

Twilight smiled. "Don't worry, its still studying, just in the form of a competitive battle."

Moon Dancer thought for a moment, then nodded. She trusted Twilight, and decided that, if she thought something was a good idea, it probably was. "What is it?"

"I call it Trivia Battle. We take turns asking each other questions. First one to get five mistakes loses."

Moon Dancer smiled. It sounded like fun. "Your on."

"Okay then, first question : Salt's chemical name."

"Easy. Sodium Chloride. My turn. Three original names for Equestria?"

"Pegasopolis, Unicornia, and Earth." Twilight decided to make it harder for Moon Dancer, and thought of a question out of the subject Moon Dancer was studying. "Name of the monster that attacked Griffonstone, causing them to lose the Idol of Boreas?"

"The Arimaspi." Moon Dancer, realizing that Twilight was trying to challenge her, decided to up her game. "Suggested retail price of a medium-grade cherry?"

"Two bits. Alias of Daring Do?"

"A.K. Yearling. Full chemical name of PVC?"

"Polyvinyl Chloride. Square root of 8?"

"Two square root of two."

And so the rest of the night was spent with each mare trying to outsmart the other, each trying to find a question the other couldn't answer. Moon Dancer was reminded why she had a crush on Twilight in the first place.


Moon Dancer and Twilight were in Moon Dancer's house. They had finished the game at around midnight, with Twilight finally losing, Moon Dancer's winning question being "What does DNA stand for?". They laughed all the way to Moon Dancer's house.

Moon Dancer began to prepare herself for what she was going to say. She had managed to keep her mouth shut, and all that was left was step three. Confess.

"Well, I should get to the train station. The one-o-clock train for Ponyville is leaving soon." Twilight hugged Moon Dancer. "Thanks for inviting me over Moon Dancer. I had a great time."

Moon Dancer hugged back. "Any time, Twilight. Your my friend, after all."

Twilight turned around and opened the door behind her. "Well, bye! See you soon!"

Now

Moon Dancer called out to Twilight just as she was about to close the door. "Hey, Twilight?"

Twilight turned around. "Yes?"

Moon Dancer assumed the stereotypical 'shy' pose, her right hoof rubbing her left knee. "Well..."

Then, she stopped.

What? Whats happening? Say it!

But the words had stuck in her throat. The words she had wanted to say all night refused to come out. Moon Dancer tried to speak, nothing came out of her mouth.

After an uncomfortable five seconds of silence, Moon Dancer eventually mumbled, "Nothing, just thanks."

Twilight smiled. "Of course! Any time Moon Dancer. Bye!"

Moon Dancer watched as Twilight closed the door gently. What was that? What went wrong? She had wanted to say it the entire night, so why hadn't she been able to?

But even if she had answers to these questions, they would have come to late. Tears began to stream down Moon Dancer's face as she realized something.

The plan didn't work. She had failed.

Discovered Plans

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Moon Dancer walked over to her desk. She picked up a parchment and quill with her magic. She tried to think logically. What part of the plan went wrong?

She screamed.

She threw the quill at the wall. Then the parchment. She picked up a book and threw it at the door. She picked up a stack of books and threw them at her shelf. She picked up a neat stack of parchment and threw it at the ground, stomping on it.

The next thing she picked up was a picture of Twilight.

Technically it was a picture of Twilight, Moon Dancer, and the rest of their friends. It was the one Spike and Twilight had originally planned to give to Moon Dancer on her party. But the only pony the mattered on it, as of the moment, was Twilight.

Moon Dancer sank down onto her desk and began to cry. She had failed. Why couldn't she say it? She had wanted to say it the entire night, and yet the words had stuck on her throat. She didn't understand.

"Moon Dancer?"

Moon Dancer looked behind her to see Twilight with a concerned look on her face.

"Moon Dancer, are you okay?" she asked.

Moon Dancer lifted her glasses with her magic, wiping away her tears. "What are you doing here?"

"I left my quill." She moved to sit next to Moon Dancer and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Whats wrong?"

"I tried to tell you Twilight, I tried. But I guess I was to afraid. I couldn't say it. The words wouldn't come out of my mouth. I tried. I really did. But I couldn't."

Twilight looked at Moon Dancer, confused. "You tried to tell me what?"

Moon Dancer looked up at Twilight. There was no denying it now, no matter how much she wanted to.

She was in love with Twilight.

She wouldn't be as distraught as she was if she wasn't. She had to accept the fact. This wasn't just a crush. This was actual, legitimate, full blown love.

Maybe, now that she had accepted it, she could say it.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could do this. She had to do this. She wanted to do this.

"Nothing."

Twilight looked at Moon Dancer concerned. She had come back to get her quill, and had found Moon Dancer crying on her desk. There had to be something wrong. "It can't be nothing. Come on, Moon Dancer, you can tell me anything. I'm your friend."

Moon Dancer stood up. She lifted her glasses with her magic and wiped away a tear with a hoof, then set the glasses back on her face. She looked at Twilight, at the pony she loved. "Twilight, I..."

"Yes?"

"I lo-love y-you."

Moon Dancer internally cringed. That had sounded horrible. To cliche. 'I love you'? Really? She looked at Twilight, watching for her reaction. Would she be shocked? That seemed to be what happened in her books.

She didn't expect what happened next.

"Of course you love me! I already knew that."

"Y-you did?"

Twilight smiled. "Of course! We're friends after all."

"Um, Twilight?"

"Yes?"

"I didn't mean as a friend."

Twilight looked at Moon Dancer, first with a confused look.

Then a blank look.

Then a look of realization.

Then she blushed furiously.

"Oh, um, well, w-well then, okay..." Twilight had a hard time putting her words together, understandably so. It wasn't every day somepony confesses their love for you.

"W-well?" Moon Dancer asked sheepishly.

Twilight, who was never really good when put under too much pressure, did the first thing that popped into her head.

She leaned forward and kissed Moon Dancer.

It had been a fleeting kiss. Nothing to deep or sensual. But it was a kiss none the less.

Twilight pulled back. "Oh, oh Celestia, Moon Dancer, I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me."

Moon Dancer responded with a kiss of her own.

Her kiss lasted much longer than Twilight's, with the signature intensity of a pony who was in love and had never experienced the emotion before. When Moon Dancer pulled back, she was panting.

"So are we dating now? Isn't that how this works?" she asked.

Twilight took a while before answering.

"Yea, I think so."


Twilight was back in her castle in Ponyville, lying on her bed. Spike was sleeping nearby, his slight snores loud in the otherwise quite room. Celestia would be raising the sun soon, and Twilight had been up all night, but she didn't feel sleepy. She had to many thoughts running through her head. Just a few hours ago Moon Dancer had confessed her feelings to her, and had even kissed her.

Of course, Twilight had kissed first, but that was a beside the point.

Twilight rolled over in her bed. She had never been in a relationship before, at least not romantically. Sure, she had crushes, but she had never acted on them before, not like Moon Dancer had. Knowing Moon Dancer, she had probably planned out the entire thing.

But that didn't explain why she had found her crying on her desk.

Twilight resolved to ask Moon Dancer about it. She cared for her, and now, with Moon Dancer's feelings revealed to her, cared for her more than ever.

Twilight closed her eyes. What happens next? Do they begin dating? Would this work out? How should Twilight act?

Twilight imagined that this was probably what Moon Dancer had felt like. Worried. Anxious. Planning, trying to make sure everything goes right.

As she finally began to drift of to sleep, Twilight was struck with a thought. A question.

Did she love Moon Dancer back?

Well Kept Secrets

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Moon Dancer lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling above her. The events of the previous night were still fresh in her mind, and since then had been thinking them over.

Twilight had kissed her.

That thought played itself over and over in her head. It refused to subside. She had expected shock, bewilderment, or maybe even anger from the princess.

She hadn't expected a response quite as enthusiastic as the one she had received.

Moon Dancer closed her eyes and saw the scene play through her head. Her anger at herself. Twilight finding her. Her denying that something was wrong. Twilight insisting she tell her. Moon Dancer giving in and confessing.

And finally Twilight leaning in and kissing her.

That feeling, Moon Dancer couldn't quite comprehend it. The books she had read in preparation had described it, of course, but they failed to capture the exact feeling.

If she was forced to, however, Moon Dancer might have described it as jumping of a cliff into the icy waters below.

That was as close as she could get. It was exhilarating. A rush.

Then she had kissed Twilight back.

Unlike most of her decisions, this one was driven by emotion, rather than logic and reasoning. It had felt different from Twilight's kiss, perhaps because it was she who was delivering it. This one felt more like she was galloping, galloping as fast as she could, sweaty and flustered, heart pounding in her chest.

If this was love, then Moon Dancer was liking it.

Suddenly she was stricken with a horrible doubt. What if their friends didn't approve? She hadn't even been fully introduced to Twilight's friends yet, having only met Pinkie Pie. Who was to say the would accept this?

It might be best to keep their relationship (if they had one, Moon Dancer still wasn't sure) a secret, at least for now. Bearing this in mind, she walked towards her desk and began searching for a quill and parchment.

When she had found them, she began to write;

Twilight,
So, I guess were dating now, right? Come over my house tomorrow and we can work out the details.

Listen, I was thinking, we should probably keep this a secret, at least for now. I know you usually like being honest with your friends, but I just don't feel comfortable telling anyone yet. I'm afraid they won't accept it, you know?

When she signed the letter with Love, Moon Dancer, she was reminded of Twilight's kiss, and how exhilarating it had been.


Twilight was looking out the window, trying to come to grips with the events of last night.

Twilight wasn't used to situations quite like the one she had encountered last night, and was under quite a lot of pressure. She had been unable to think clearly, and her next action was driven by instinct.

Her next action being her kissing Moon Dancer.

Twilight imagined the kiss again. It wasn't anything like she had ever felt before. The only thing that came close was whenever she bumped into Flash Sentry, but this feeling was hundreds of times more intense then that.

That was the best way to describe it, Twilight decided. Intense.

When Twilight kissed Moon Dancer, Twilight thought she might have regretted it. And she did, when the kiss had finished. But while the kiss lasted, Twilight's normally rational and quick mind was left completely blank. The only thought on her mind at that moment was the sensation of Moon Dancer's lips on hers.

It had been a wonderful feeling. It had made Twilight feel like when she became an alicorn. It had made her feel all-powerful, like she could do anything.

Then there had been Moon Dancer kissing her back. Twilight shivered as she remembered. She couldn't describe the pleasure she had felt. Her heart had been beating impossibly fast, feeling as if it would burst out any second. At the time, the only thoughts in her head that weren't moans had been her consciously telling herself to not make those moans vocal.

She wanted more. She was embarrassed to admit, but Celestia did she want more.

As she was thinking, Spike walked in, once again looking sick.

"Uh, Twilight, I think you have another letter incoming..." he groaned, discomfort obvious on his face.

He barfed, and out the green fire materialized a letter. Twilight's heart sped up slightly when she recognized the ribbon Moon Dancer used. She unfurled the letter and read it quickly, heart skipping a beat as she read the signature.

Twilight put the letter down and thought. She decided that she wanted to do this, and, after finding a quill and parchment, began to write.


Moon Dancer had barley been waiting an hour when, in a cloud of green fire, a letter appeared in front of her. She took it with her magic and unfurled it. She analyzed the ribbon, it was the royal red silk reserved for princesses, so the letter was probably from Twilight. Unfurling it, she began to read;

Moon Dancer,
Sure, ill come over to your house. Ill be there at about lunchtime, I'll bring something to eat.

I can understand you wanting to keep this a secret, though I can't say I agree with you. I'm sure that our friends would understand if we told them, but if you really don't feel comfortable, then I'm willing to keep a secret. I just hope you know that we should tell them one time.

Moon Dancer read the letter quickly and quietly. When she had finished, she sighed with relief. She was glad Twilight understood her wish to keep this a secret.

Then she glanced at the signature.

Her heart leaped. Were her eyes deceiving her? No, It was really there. She was actually seeing it.

For there, at the bottom of the letter, were the words;

Your Marefriend, Twilight Sparkle

Embarrassing Reveals

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Moon Dancer and Twilight were in the study of Moon Dancer's house. Twilight had arrived from Ponyville a while ago, and Moon Dancer had met her at the train station. They had walked to Moon Dancer's house in silence, neither being brave enough to talk first. They arrived at Moon Dancer's house and Moon Dancer made them some tea, which they were now both sipping while staring at each other.

Both were having a hard time figuring out what to say. The events of two nights ago were still fresh in their minds, leaving both of them very embarrassed and reluctant to speak, in fear of saying something to further their embarrassment.

Twilight in particular was very embarrassed. In a moment of giddy emotion, she had signed the previous letter she had sent to Moon Dancer with Your Marefriend. She had instantly regretted it as soon as she sent it, realizing what she had written right as the letter disintegrated in Spike's green flame. She had spent the rest of the day pacing, thinking about what Moon Dancer's reaction would be.

Moon Dancer, on the other hand, had elation mixed in with her embarrassment. When she received Twilight's letter and saw the signature, she had spent a good two minutes jumping up and down, squealing in excitement. She would later be embarrassed at her actions, and that embarrassment remained as she sat in front of Twilight, but so did the elation, the giddy feeling she had in her chest.

After a long moment of silence, Moon Dancer was the first to speak.

"So, Twilight, is what you put in the letter true? Are you really my marefriend?" she asked, seeking confirmation. She knew that Twilight wouldn't put the words there if she hadn't at least entertained the idea, but she wanted to know for sure. She couldn't afford to jump in without knowing if Twilight was sure.

Twilight thought carefully for a moment, closing her eyes. She had thought about this the previous night.


Twilight was pacing back and forth in her library. She was pondering a question she had asked herself the previous night.

Did she love Moon Dancer back?

Twilight knew what love was. She loved her friends. She loved her parents. She loved books. She loved Celestia.

Twilight shook her head. She knew that wasn't the kind of love being discussed here. It was a deeper love. The question was; did Twilight feel it for Moon Dancer.

Twilight closed her eyes and thought about Moon Dancer. She was smart, well read, studious, and basically every synonym of the word intelligent. Physically, she was cute, with a messy mane and cute hairstyle, glasses and sweater adding to the effect.

Plus, she was a really good kisser.

Twilight came to a decision, and smiled.


"Yes, Moon Dancer, it's true. I want to be your marefriend." she said, smiling.

At this, Moon Dancer failed to contain her squeal. She quickly covered her mouth with her hoof, but the smile on her face refused to leave. Twilight was now officially her marefriend. Her happiness was like and overflowing dam, water barely contained. Twilight smiled at Moon Dancer's obvious elation.

"Glad to see you're so excited. But we still have to discuss something."

Moon Dancer's excitement, thought still present, died down a bit. "What's that?"

"Our friends. Moon Dancer, I know you're not comfortable with telling them, but I really think we should. We're going to have to tell them sooner or later, and it would be better if we just told them, instead of them finding out."

Moon Dancer thought for a moment. She didn't want to reveal her and Twilight's relationship to anyone. She knew what it felt like to be humiliated, and she didn't want to feel it again. But it seemed like Twilight trusted her friend, and if Twilight thought something was right, it usually was.

Moon Dancer took a deep breath. "Okay."


Moon Dancer and Twilight were sitting in a rather large table next to a window at the Sugarcube corner. It was late at night, and the only reason they were still allowed inside was because of Pinkie Pie. Seated around them were the aforementioned Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Lemon Hearts, Lyra Heartstrings, Minuette, and Twinkleshine.

"Girls, we have an announcement to make," said Twilight.

Twilight and Moon Dancer looked at each other said, in unison, "We're dating."

This statement drew a variety of reactions.

Lemon Hearts, Twinkleshine, and Lyra all stood there silently, mouths agape. They couldn't comprehend that their two friends, mares that they had always viewed as introverted and asocial, were now dating.

Minuette and Pinkie Pie both started jumping around in excitement, both clasping each others hooves.

Rarity gasped, a smile on her face and her hoofs clasped together. Her friend, Twilight Sparkle, had a marefriend!

Applejack tipped her hat to Twilight and said, "Congrats, sugarcube."

Rainbow Dash flew a lap around the room and noogied Twilight's head, laughing.

Fluttershy simply smiled.

Twilight looked around at her friends. She knew they would be positive about this. She looked at Moon Dancer beside her, and was suprised at what she saw.

Moon Dancer was crying.

"Moon Dancer are you okay?" Twilight asked. Tears were streaming down Moon Dancer's face. Their friends noticed this, and calmed down looking at Moon Dancer with concern.

Moon Dancer had looked around and was shocked to see not a single negative reaction. Her friends accepted them being together. She had expected negativity, maybe even disgust. She had expected that she was going to be humiliated.

She hadn't expected ponies to be happy for them.

She wiped the tears with her hooves. "Thank you, thank you all. Thank you for not getting angry at us."

There was a chorus of 'now what would we do that for' s as the group shared a brief hug.

As Twilight looked at her friends, and then at Moon Dancer, she was struck with a sudden urge. Without thinking, she quickly kissed Moon Dancer. It was quick and on the lips, just like when Twilight had first kissed Moon Dancer, but this one was deeper, more passionate.

Moon Dancer, ignoring their friends gaping mouths and red faces, kissed back.

Surprise Castles

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Twilight was in her library, writing on a piece of parchment. She paused, groaned, crumpled the parchment with her magic, found a new one, and began to write. She then decided to crumple it as well. She rubbed her face with her hoof. She had planned to take Moon Dancer on a date, but things were not going so smoothly.

She had been planning to take Moon Dancer on a date for two days now, But only now did she have the free time to try and go through with it. She had gotten home after an extensive amount of royal duties, and had decided that she would go and plan her and Moon Dancer's date. She had expected to sit down, pick up a quill and parchment, and let her experience with planning take over. She had expected for ideas to come rushing to her.

Unfortunately, it didn't turn out this way.

She grumbled and got up. She began pacing back and forth across the room. She had to think of a good place to take Moon Dancer. She had instantly crossed out the more social places, like bars and nightclubs, from her list, but otherwise hadn't made any progress. She had to think of a place where she and Moon Dancer would enjoy themselves. A nice dinner came to mind, but that hadn't turned out well the first time Twilight had tried it.

She rubbed her hoof between her eyes. She had to approach this logically and methodically. What was something she and Moon Dancer both enjoyed? What was something they could bond over? Where could they find this thing in abundance.

Twilight smiled as it hit her.


Moon Dancer was laying on her bed in her room. Usually, when she was doing this, she would be frowning, eyebrows furrowed, contemplating some book or thinking of a solution to an equation. But this time, she had a relaxed look on her face, and she was smiling softly. She was thinking about the events of the past few days. This week had been quite a hectic one. A crush, love, heartbreak, reconciliation, and a marefriend, all within the span of four days. At least it hadn't been boring.

The events had had quite the effect on her. She had started careful and logical, planning her every move, going so far as to ask Spike to withhold information from royalty. Then, when she thought she had failed, she had been reduced to a cliche heartbroken schoolfilly, crying her eyes out. Now, she was the marefriend of the Princess of Friendship. Not exactly a relaxing week.

Still, the entire thing had turned out well. She had confessed to Twilight, Twilight felt the same way, they had gotten together, and their friends took it in stride. Moon Dancer thought nothing could make things any better.

She was promptly proven wrong as a scroll appeared in front of her in a puff of green flame.

Moon Dancer took the scroll with her magic, getting excited as she recognized the ribbon Twilight used. She unfurled it and read;

Dear Moon Dancer,
How are you doing? Sorry I haven't been in contact more often. If anything can be said about the life of a princess, it's that i's not the most relaxing.

I want to take you on a date. We're marefriends now after all. Can you come over to Ponyville tomorrow? I have a little surprise for you. Pack for an overnight stay.

Love, Twilight

After Moon Dancer had calmed down from seeing that Twilight had signed the letter with Love, she sat down and began to think excitedly. Where would Twilight take her? The spa? The museum? No, that didn't make sense, she had been asked to pack for an overnight stay. Camping? The beach? A sleepover, maybe?

Moon Dancer quickly wrote Twilight a reply, saying that yes, she could come over tomorrow. She began to pack her saddlebag with a sleeping bag, a lantern, her quill and pieces of parchment, and a few books. The entire time, there was a smile on her face.


Moon Dancer got off the train and looked around for Twilight. It was a beautiful day, with the birds singing as ponies milled about, accomplishing their daily tasks with a smile. When Moon Dancer finally picked the purple alicorn from the rest of the crowd, she trotted over to her.

"Hi, Moon Dancer!" greeted Twilight enthusiastically, happy to see her marefriend.

Moon Dancer smiled back. "Hi, Twilight!"

"Well, are you ready? I think you'll like my little surprise," said Twilight with a wink. Moon Dancer noticed and got excited. She once again wondered where Twilight could be taking her. The most logical place would be to the library, but that wasn't a surprise, and it didn't explain why Twilight had asked her to pack for the night. As she was thinking, Twilight began to talk.

"So, once again, I'm sorry I haven't been able to see you more these past two days. I've had a lot on my plate. I want to make it up to you with this. I'm sure you'll love it."

Moon Dancer looked around. They appeared to be heading to the outskirts of the town. They approached the dark, gloomy trees of the Everfree forest, a place Moon Dancer had read housed creatures of considerable danger.

"Now, here come's the scary part. Do you trust me?" asked Twilight.

Moon Dancer didn't even hesitate. "Yes."

"Good, then put this on."

Twilight took out a long strip of fabric from her own saddlebag with her magic. As Moon Dancer looked at it, she realized it was a blindfold. Moon Dancer looked up at Twilight. The smile she on her marefriend's face reassured her, and she took a deep breath as she put the blindfold on. Twilight put her hoof on Moon Dancer's shoulder as she guided her into the Everfree forest.


They had been walking for a while, with Twilight's hoof and soothing voice guiding her, when Twilight tapped her shoulder.

"Okay, I'm going to take your blindfold off, but don't open your eyes just yet."

Moon Dancer nodded. She felt the blindfold slip off her face.

"Now, open your eyes when I tap your shoulder, okay?"

Moon Dancer nodded again. She could just barely contain her excitement.

"Welcome..."

Moon Dancer felt the tap on her shoulder, signaling that she could open her eyes. When she did, they only widened as she marveled at the sight before her.

"To the Castle of the Two Sisters."

Large Libraries

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In many ways, Moon Dancer was similar to Twilight. Physically, they shared a striking resemblance, from mane to tail, the only major difference being Moon Dancer's sweater, glasses, and the way she styled her mane, along with her colors. This resemblance was even more evident when one looked at their personalities. Both loved to learn, both were relatively introverted, and both had difficulty in handling strong or unfamiliar emotions. So when the Castle of the Two Sisters entered Moon Dancer's sight, her reaction was predictable.

Moon Dancer gasped. She had read about the Castle before, but she never thought she would have the opportunity to see it with her own eyes. Many history books spoke of the wonders the castle contained, from a massive organ to secret passages. It was a marvel of magic and a wonder of engineering. Even the architecture held stories from pony culture hundreds of years ago.

Twilight giggled slightly at Moon Dancer's awed expression. "Well, want to go inside?"

Moon Dancer nodded vigorously. She followed Twilight as the purple alicorn trotted up the stone steps and up to the massive oak double-doors. With a glow of purple light, the doors began to open. Twilight ushered Moon Dancer in and began to lead her through the castle. Though it was in ruins, the castle was still a sight to behold. The hallways were lined with tapestries that told of great battles and brave heroes. The architecture was one of the best Moon Dancer had ever seen. The entire castle had a sense of mystery about it, caused by the passage of time.

They stopped in front of another, albeit smaller, pair of doors. Twilight looked at Moon Dancer.

"I'm guessing you've read about the Castle?"

Moon Dancer nodded. "I have, a bit."

Twilight smiled. "Well, so have I, but there are a few things the books left out."

Slowly, Twilight opened the doors. The sight that lay beyond them left Moon Dancer breathless.

"For example, the library."

Moon Dancer's reaction was so similar to Twilight's reaction when she had first seen the library that it was almost comical. She looked around with a massive smile on her face. If she had wings like Twilight did, she would probably have been flying to see the higher up shelves.

"Wow! Look at all of these ancient books! It's a veritable gold mine of information!" she said, unknowingly quoting her marefriend. She looked around, seeing books she didn't even know still existed. There was even a section of Star Swirl the Bearded's works that weren't even available in the Royal Canterlot Library.

"I wanted to take you out on a date, and I remembered that we became marefriends because you invited me over to a study date, so I decided to bring you on a study date. Do you like it?" asked Twilight.

"Like it? I love it!" said Moon Dancer, running to Twilight and giving her a hug. Twilight smiled and hugged back.


Many ponies found reading boring or uninteresting. Not Moon Dancer and Twilight. Sitting next to each other, they had both been reading for a few hours now, and showed no signs of stopping. Both had different looks on their faces. Twilight had a soft smile on her lips, whereas Moon Dancer's brow was furrowed in concentration. It was peaceful. Then a thought struck Twilight.

Twilight looked up from her book and asked, "Moon Dancer, do you remember the night of our first study date?"

After a moment, Moon Dancer looked up from her own book. "Yes, why?"

"Why were you crying?"

Moon Dancer bit her lip. "You know how I confessed to you that day, right?"

"Yea."

"Well, I had originally planned to confess earlier than that. But I couldn't the words wouldn't come out of my mouth. I thought I had missed my chance. I thought I had failed." Moon Dancer looked down, afraid that Twilight would now see her as weak.

Twilight thought no such thing. She took her hoof and lifted Moon Dancer's chin up. "Moon Dancer, it's all right. Anypony would be afraid."

Then, much to Moon Dancer's surprise, Twilight quickly pecked her on the lips. "Besides, it all worked out in the end, right?"

Moon Dancer could only nod, busy trying to fight off the reddening of her cheeks.


After a few more hours of reading, Moon Dancer noticed that the room was dimming. She pointed this out to Twilight. "Hey, Twilight, It's getting dark. Where are we sleeping for the night?"

Twilight looked up. "Oh, yea. Grab a few books and follow me."

As they began to gather their things, Moon Dancer wondered where they would stay for the night. Thought the castle was clean and orderly, thanks to Twilight and her friends cleaning it up, it was still a ruin. They began to venture deep into the castle, and eventually they arrived in front of a regal looking set of doors. The door on the left was white and had a sun made of gold on it. The door on the right was a dark purple, with a crescent moon made of silver. Twilight opened the doors and they entered.

The room inside was magnificent. There were two massive beds, one on each side of the room, complete with pillows and blankets. The room itself was colored similarly to the doors, one side white and gold, the other side dark purple and silver.

"When we were fixing up the castle, Rarity saw this part and decided to give it a renovation. We should be fine here for the night."

After a few more hours of reading and a bit of conversation, both ponies decided to go to sleep. Twilight walked over to the bed on the left, and Moon Dancer to the bed on the right. They put out the candles with their magic and lied down, happy to rest for the night.


Moon Dancer's eyes darted left and right around the dim room. Thought Twilight had fallen asleep relatively quickly, Moon Dancer had a hard time not starting at every small noise. She had read many ghost stories, and many of those ghost stories were set in this very castle. She groaned, knowing that if she stayed awake any longer, she would be to tired in the morning to be able to focus on anything she was reading.

Sitting up, she looked at the steadily rising and falling shape that was her marefriend, as an idea came to her. She blushed at the thought, and she was pretty sure that it was socially unacceptable, but another small noise made her decision for her. She got up and walked over to Twilight's bed, laying down next to the purple alicorn. She thought for a moment and, throwing caution to the wind, put her hoof around Twilight, spooning her. She knew that this would be astronomically awkward when they woke up, but right now, the only thing that mattered was that she was sharing a bed with the pony she loved.

She fell asleep and dreamed pleasant dreams, Twilight's warmth comforting her throughout the night.

Interesting Awakenings

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Slowly, Twilight regained consciousness. Though she kept her eyes shut, she could hear the birds chirping, and could feel the sunlight seeping through the stained glass windows. She gathered that it was probably around early morning.

Twilight rolled over in her bed, and found herself face to face with a sleeping Moon Dancer.

Twilight, never being very good at emotionally stressful situations, simply looked at her sleeping marefriend. When her brain began to function once more, her cheeks began to redden. Their muzzles were nearly touching, and Twilight could feel Moon Dancer's warm breath on her face.

As if things couldn't get any worse, Moon Dancer chose that time to wake up.

As Moon Dancer opened her eyes, she reacted in much the same way Twilight did. She simply stared, and soon began to blush. After a few more moments, which felt like eternity to the two mares, both realized they had been staring into each others eyes for far to long, and, the warmth on their faces intensifying, quickly got up.

Both mare's tried to speak, and both mares failed miserably.

"Oh, hey, Tw-Twilight! Um, g-good morning! Uh, um..."

"M-moon Dancer! Uh, h-hi! Um, d-did y-you sleep well? I-I mean, uh..."

Twilight tried to think the situation through, but was to busy thinking about how she literally shared a bed with her marefriend.

Moon Dancer tried to think the situation through as well, but was to busy mentally hitting herself. She knew that something awkward like this would happen, so why did she do it? In what world was that a rational idea?

"S-sorry Twilight, I, uh, got a bit scared last night, and, um, thought I would, you know..."

"O-oh, um, well, uh, n-no need to a-apologize, M-Moon Dancer! I, um, it was nice! I mean, um, not implying anything or, um, anything, uh..."

Both mares quickly realized that clear communication would be impossible, and simply stopped talking as they began to tidy up the room.


When both mares had calmed down enough to speak clearly, Twilight decided to ask.

"Moon Dancer, why were you in my bed?"

Moon Dancer sighed. There was no avoiding this. "Well, like I said, I got scared. I haven't really slept anywhere besides my own home, and I guess the unfamiliar bed got me jumping at shadows. All the stories surrounding this place doesn't help either."

Twilight nodded. The castle could get creepy, especially at night. It had scared her friends out of their wits, reducing them to screaming and running from their own shadows. They had all been terrified.

Well, all of them except Pinkie.

"It's fine. Nothing to be ashamed of," said Twilight.

Moon Dancer let out a breath. She hadn't been sure how Twilight would react. In retrospect, it had probably been the stupidest, riskiest, most illogical thing she had ever done, and she had expected it to come back and bite her in her flank.

Luckily, she was marefriends with the literal princess of love and tolerance.


As they walked through the Everfree forest on their way back to Ponyville, Moon Dancer looked back on her relationship with Twilight. It had started with a certain awe, as when they were fillies Moon Dancer idolized Twilight, going as far as to copy her mane style. Then, when Twilight didn't go to her party, she began to feel resentment and anger towards her. Then, when she and Twilight reconciled, she began to feel happiness and, more recently, love. It was so odd seeing how much her feelings toward the purple alicorn had changed.

Beside her, Twilight was thinking similar thoughts. She had felt so bad for abandoning her old friends, and felt especially guilty when she had seen the effect her actions had on Moon Dancer. Moon Dancer had shut herself of from the world, all because Twilight hadn't given them any thought. She had felt so happy when she and her friends were able to make amends.

Then, Moon Dancer had confessed her love to Twilight.

It was a surreal feeling, to say the least, having your friend confess their love to you. First, there was the confusion. Then, the looking back, wondering when it started. It wasn't exactly an everyday experience.

She wouldn't have it any other way.


Some time later, they arrived at Twilight's castle in Ponyville.

"Thanks for the date Twilight, it was amazing," said Moon Dancer as she began to prepare her things. "I best be of to Canterlot."

"Anytime Moon Dancer. I'll walk you to the train station." replied Twilight.

As they walked, Moon Dancer decided to ask Twilight a question. "Hey, Twilight? Do you enjoy my company?"

Twilight looked at Moon Dancer. "Of course. You're smart, interesting, and talented. Why wouldn't I?"

Moon Dancer looked down. "It's just, I'm nothing special. You forgot my party, after all.

Twilight stopped walking, and so did Moon Dancer. It seemed that Moon Dancer still had insecurities about Twilight not attending her party. "Moon Dancer, me not attending your party was not your fault. It's my fault." Twilight put a hoof on Moon Dancer's shoulder. "You are special, Moon Dancer. Don't ever believe otherwise."

Moon Dancer smiled. "Thanks, Twilight."

Twilight smiled back. "Come on, we can't miss your train."

They arrived at the train station with a few minutes to spare. Everypony was beginning to board the train as Twilight and Moon Dancer said their goodbyes.

"Thanks again for everything, Twilight. It's been a great time," said Moon Dancer.

"You don't have to thank me so many times, Moon Dancer," came Twilight's reply.

They shared a quick hug as the conductor gave a final call. Moon Dancer pulled back and began to quickly trot toward the train before turning back around.

She went to Twilight and gave her a kiss. It was just a quick a peck on the lips, but just as exhilarating.

"I love you, Twilight."

After a moment of shock, Twilight responded.

"I love you too, Moon Dancer."

Dancing in the Twilight

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Several days after her visit to Ponyville, Moon Dancer was sleeping on a desk in Twilight's library. She had been studying for several hours, and had finally given in to her fatigue when she decided to take a small nap.

She jerked awake when a scroll appeared in front of her in a poof of green fire. Instantly recognizing that it was wrapped in the expensive ribbon only royalty owned, she knew it was from Twilight. This wasn't unusual, as Twilight had taken to the routine of sending her a letter every day. The only thing odd about this one was that it came so late.

Quickly taking the scroll with her magic, she untied the ribbon and rolled out the scroll.

Dear Moon Dancer,

Sorry this letter came so late. It was a pretty busy day for me over here. I heard you we're studying a new spell! Must be pretty exciting, huh?

Anyway, I would like to invite you over to Ponyville again. Maybe you could come over tomorrow night, at 5:00 PM? I have a great surprise for you!

Your marefriend,

Twilight Sparkle

Moon Dancer thought as she wrote a reply to Twilight, informing the princess that she would be able to go. What surprise could Twilight have in store for her? She knew it wouldn't be something obvious, otherwise it wouldn't be a surprise, so it wouldn't be another visit to the library of the Castle off the Royal Pony Sisters. But it wouldn't be something completely random either, Twilight would never be so unorganized.

Whatever it was, Moon Dancer knew her partner would do her best not to disappoint her.


Arriving in Ponyville on 4:30 PM the next day, Moon Dancer was greeted by a beaming Twilight Sparkle.

"Hi, Twilight," said Moon Dancer, smiling as Twilight hugged her.

"Hi, Moon Dancer!" replied Twilight. "Let me walk you to my castle."

As they walked, Moon Dancer and Twilight discussed the things to time consuming to write down on their letters to each others. Both being very curious mares, each were invested into their own research projects. Moon Dancer was writing a paper on Unicorn magic, and Twilight was writing a new spell. They discussed these topics until they got to Twilight's castle.

Twilight showed Moon Dancer into a cozy room, with a bookshelf and fireplace.

"I have a few more things to take care of for my surprise, so feel free to do anything you want. The castle rooms, staff, food, and books are at you're disposal. Good bye!" said Twilight, trotting outside.

Folding her legs underneath her, Moon Dancer lay down on the bed. Picking a book from the shelf, she began to read, calmed by the sound of the fire. Most of her thoughts, however, were not on the book, but on Twilight's upcoming surprise for her. Moon Dance knew, given Twilight's meticulous nature, that the surprise would be well planned. She knew her marefriend would make whatever she had in mind the best it could be.

Now, if she knew what it was, that would be great.


After an hour of reading and fighting the temptation to go outside and find out what the surprise was, Moon Dancer heard knocking on the door. Opening it, she was surprised to find, not Twilight, but an owl. The owl, hooting once as the door was opened, had a scroll in it's beak. Moon Dancer took the scroll and thanked the owl, only getting a hoot in response. She closed the door, unrolled the scroll, and read.

Dear Moon Dancer

I'm finally done preparing your surprise. I really hope you enjoy it. Owlowiscious should lead you to where I am.



Your marefriend,

Twilight Sparkle

Moon Dancer opened the door, finding that the owl was still there, now looking at her with his head cocked to one side. As she closed the door behind her, the owl beat it's wings and began to fly toward the castle's main entrance. Moon Dancer followed it into the night, excited for what was to come.


Owlowiscious led Moon Dancer to a river outside of Ponyville. As Moon Dancer trotted toward the river, she was greeted by a beautiful sight.

Built on the riverside was a beautiful gazebo. It was made of dark wood, and was lightly decorated with flowers at the top. Inside it, Twilight Sparkle was waiting.

Moon Dancer walked into the gazebo, and was hugged by Twilight.

"So, I know we've only been together for a while, but I wanted to treat you to something special," said Twilight as she slipped away from the hug.

Twilight nodded to somewhere behind Moon Dancer, and a beautiful bird song began.

The song the birds were singing was a beautiful one. Soft and slow, it was the exact tune one would pick for a romantic dance.

"Moon Dancer, may I have this dance?" said Twilight, hoof outstretched.

Moon Dancer, blushing slightly, put her hooves around Twilight. As Twilight did the same, they began to dance. It started slow, with a simple back and forth motion, but it evolved, slowly beginning to have twirls and spins. Moon Dancer wasn't as good a dancer as Twilight, who had obviously practiced, but she had taken some classes, and was reasonably good.

As they danced, the sun began to set. It made everything magical. Moon Dancer was with the pony she loved, and she would not have traded this very moment for anything in the world.

That's when she realized what Twilight had done.

She smiled. Her purple Alicorn was as smart as always. Picking this time of day, and this activity, was something only somepony as clever as Twilight would do.

The sun was setting, so the time could be classified as 'Twilight'

They were dancing.

Twilight gave her, not only a beautiful, romantic surprise, but was being clever while doing it.

They were Dancing in the Twilight.