> Becoming One With the Night
>  by Spacecowboy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Title Page
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Becoming One With The Night




Written By : Spacecowboy

Edited By : Peppy Greyskull , Dr Jekyll , q97randomguy , thefirewarde

Art By : Archonix




> Prologue - Graduation Day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Dear Princess Celestia,

First off, I wanted to apologize, I know that it has been quite some time since my last friendship report.  Two months, one week, three days and some hours to be precise.  And even then, the last report really didn't have that much to say.  However, today myself and the girls all learned what has probably been the most important lesson to date that I can think of.

As you're probably aware, Applejack's grandmother, Granny Smith, has been getting on in years for some time now.  Well, she passed away today.  We were all at the hospital with Applejack, and were in the room with her when Granny passed.  It was the first time I had ever seen death up close, and I don't think any amount of research could have ever prepared me for this moment.  Yet in this moment of loss, our friendship was made that much stronger as we all came together to mourn the loss and comfort Applejack.  All of Ponyville came by to visit and give their best wishes to Applejack, and it seems that even in the face of death, everypony still came together.  Death is not something that a pony should fear.  At first glance, death is something everypony fears, but with your friends by your side anypony can weather the emotions it brings.

Your Faithful Student,
Twilight Sparkle

"Spike!"  The lavender unicorn belted out, exhaustion underlying her voice.  She had been up since the early morning when news of Granny had reached her ears.  She had quickly rushed around town and gathered all of her friends together and met with Applejack at the hospital.  Sadly, even with all of the power available to Twilight, she had been just as helpless as everyone else and was forced to simply wait out the end.  It took a toll on her and everyone else present, yet had brought about a bittersweet surprise, which had led to her latest friendship report to her mentor Princess Celestia.  "I've got a scroll for you to send to the Princess!"

Spike peeked out from behind a bookshelf where he had been mindlessly cataloguing some stray books.  "Really Twi?  Hand it over I suppose."  He had also been hit hard with the loss of Granny, having to learn what death entailed while still considered a baby of his kind, and Twilight hadn't helped in that regard either, as she still viewed him as such.  Spike took the scroll from the grasp of Twilight's magic and let out a billowing green flame that burned the scroll to ashes, which then drifted along an invisible breeze out the window, zooming towards the direction of Canterlot. 

With the scroll sent, Twilight thoughtlessly used her magic to aid Spike in filing away the last of the misplaced books before making her way to the kitchen where her half eaten dinner still lay.  Getting a glass of water and cleaning up, she made her way up the stairs to her balcony to drown herself in the stars.  Astronomy was one of the few things that she could spend hours on, forgetting about everything else around her.  She had found herself catching the sun rise in the morning due to it.

An indeterminable amount of time later, Spike interrupted her, tapping her side with a scroll.  "Princess Celestia spent a reply back Twi, here you go.  I'm going to sleep now."  With that, he walked back inside and out of the warm summer air, closing the door behind him.  Encasing the scroll in her magic, giving it and her horn a magenta outline, she unfurled it and began to read.

Twilight Sparkle

It was with a heavy heart that I read your report.  Death is, sadly, something that most must deal with and come to terms with on multiple occasions throughout their life.  As I can assure you from experience, and I am sure that Luna can back me up here as well, that is something that only time can help with.  However, I am truly glad to see that you have already come to understand the positive side to such a negative aspect.  

When I first sent you off to Ponyville all those years ago to study the Magic of Friendship, you had such a long way to go.  However, with each and every friendship report you sent, you proved that you were learning more and more about what makes life so important.  I was unsure as to when this time would come, but you have exceeded my wildest expectations yet again Twilight.

Your studies under me into the Magic of Friendship can go no further Twilight, as you have shown me that you have finally completed them.  I am, as always, most proud of your accomplishments and the friends that you have made in such a short time.  I invite you to come to Canterlot this next Friday, not as my student, but as my friend so that we may celebrate this occasion.

Your Mentor Friend
Princess Celestia

Twilight read the letter for a second time, and then a third.  By the time she let the piece of paper fall out of her sight, she had read it at least a dozen times.  She numbly made her way to her bed, for once something could indeed wait until the next day.  Laying down, she closed her eyes and let the darkness take her consciousness away.

        Twilight opened her eyes and found herself in a dark abyss.  Guiding magic through her horn a magenta aura came into existence, lighting up her immediate surroundings, yet no shadows were formed from the radiance.  A single whisper was carried through the darkness, its words unable to be understood, with the faintest echo of a voice behind it.

        In the far distance a lone, very dim light came into being.  It was soon joined by another, and another, and soon the vast expanse was lit up like Ponyville during New Hearth’s Eve.  Another whisper was carried upon an invisible breeze, this one gently reaching Twilight. The meaning was unable to be made out, yet it carried with it a feeling that warmed the young mare to her core.  The field of lights moved closer, and Twilight noticed that they appeared to be contained within a field or veil of some sort.

        “Twilight...”  Another whisper sounded out, tickling Twilight’s ears.  It sounded just like a mare that she knew, one of her closest friends, dear to her heart.  Her voice rang out again, somewhat stronger, and Twilight felt it permeate to her very soul, calling out to her.

        “Luna.”  The single word escaped Twilight’s lips, and the mare in question phased into being, the lights proving to be stars contained within her mane.  Oh, how Twilight had dreamed about this moment, wanted it with all her might.  She walked up to the object of her affection, the younger sister who had stolen her heart over a year ago, although she had yet to act upon her feelings.

        “Twilight.”  Luna spoke with more power behind her voice, and Twilight shivered from the intensity of it.  The lunar mare walked up to her and nuzzled her cheek in a more personal manner than she had ever done before during their time spent together, then drew her head back to look into Twilight’s eyes.  She swore she saw the cosmos themselves reflected off Luna’s beautiful turquoise eyes.  She moved her mouth closer and closer to Luna’s, inching ever forward, daring to land that first kiss.

        As their lips connected, Twilight felt power running through her, her thoughts surging high and out of control.  She felt emotions that she had never knew existed, wasn’t aware of until that moment.  After a few seconds, she stared directly into those eyes that oh so captivated her.  She felt herself simply drowning in them, as Luna began to call her name...  “Twilight...  Twilight...  Twi...”

"-light, Twi, letter from Princess Luna for -”

“What, Luna?”  Twilight blurted out, broken from her reverie by Spike’s gentle prodding of her side and his voice.  

“Yes, Princess Luna sent you a scroll Twi.  Once you’re ready, breakfast is downstairs.”  Spike replied, rolling his eyes as he walked out of the room.  

Blinking the drowsiness from her eyes as the rays of Celestia's sun shone down upon her flank, her eyes settled upon a scroll sealed with a midnight blue ribbon, the same color as Luna's coat.  Inwardly smiling at the memories of her dream and slightly blushing at the same time, she wondered what Luna had sent to her.  Focusing on her magic she gently unfurled the scroll and began to read.

Twilight,

Celestia has told me the news of your graduation from under her tutelage!  I want to congratulate you on this accomplishment, and I plan on moving up my visit to tonight so that we can celebrate it.  I’ll be down at the normal time, and we can focus on the Milky Neigh Galaxy in the sky.  I also have something that I want to ask you tonight as well.

With Warm Regards,
                Luna

Twilight put down Luna’s letter and inwardly jumped for joy, as it was entirely way too early to actually jump.  She always enjoyed the monthly visits with Luna, set up after her second Nightmare Night in Ponyville, and revelled in the time they spent stargazing and discussing magical theorems, topics that they both held great interest in.

Smells wafted their way up to her room, coffee and a hint of toast reaching her nose.  Spike always knew exactly what she wanted in the mornings; she was most thankful for his assistance over all these years.  Making her way downstairs to the kitchen, she smiled as she took in the sight of him piling some toast on a plate alongside some daisies and apples.  Using her magic, she filled up a mug with some coffee and sat down at the table to begin breakfast.

“So Twi, what did the Princesses send you?”  Spike sat down next to Twilight with a few gems for his breakfast.  “Thanks for not waking me up to send a reply.  Yesterday was...  a lot to take in.”

“Well, the letter from Celestia said that I was -”  Twilight was interrupted by the front door to the library swinging wide open, a certain bouncy mare rushing inside in its wake.

“Congratulations Twi!  I had a twitch and a sniffle and just knew something good had happened!  So I came over here as fast and speedy as possible to say hi and that I’m throwing you a Twi is no longer a student but a friend of the Princess party!”  The bouncy pink mare was literally all over the library, while Twilight had set her coffee down onto the table to hopefully preserve it from the unexplained phenomenon that was Pinkie Pie.  “Oh, I gotta go get invites sent out and baking done!  See you here in two hours Twi, don’t be late!”  And just as quickly as Pinkie had come, she had gone.

“Pinkie.”  Was the only word that managed to come to Twilight’s lips.  With a sigh, she picked back up her coffee and noticed that during Pinkie’s brief yet energetic visit that she had managed to sneak a cupcake onto the table.

“Um, Twi, I know Pinkie is Pinkie and all, but what was that about?”

“Well, as I was saying, the Princess’ letter stated that I had learned all that I could under her tutelage, and that I have basically graduated.  She invited me to Canterlot this next weekend to celebrate with her as a friend.  You’ll have to look after the library while I’m gone.  And oh, Luna said she’s coming down tonight for the stargazing, plus she wants to talk about something.”  Twilight finished off her coffee and the cupcake, then made her way out of the kitchen with a giant grin on her face.

She decided to go ahead and reply to both of the Princesses, quickly penning two letters.  To Celestia, she admitted just how astonished she was to no longer be learning under her guidance, as it was all that she had known for countless years, and she also informed her that she would be taking the train from Ponyville to Canterlot next Friday.  Her letter to Luna informed the Princess of the Night that she would be looking forward to tonight, and that she was most curious as to what Luna had to ask of her.  Satisfied with her scrolls, she set them down on the table.

“Spike!  I’ve got two scrolls for you to send, one to each princess!  I’m going to open up the library now.”  With her message to Spike delivered, she set about the daily ritual required to open the library for business.

Much as she had expected, no patrons came by this morning.  While on a typical day at the library Twilight would see the occasional visitor in search of a novel, guide, or educational material, with the passing of Granny, the town would surely still be in mourning.  The only ponies she expected to see today were the girls in an hour or so, as no one could say no to a Pinkie Pie party.  Thinking about Applejack, Twilight really hoped that this party would help take her friend’s mind off of her grief for the day.

The next hour passed quickly for Twilight, as she had taken one of her many texts on magical theories, this specific one dealing with the combining of astronomy and magic, and laid down in the back of the library to read.  A knock caused her to set the book down and make her way to the door, which upon opening revealed all of her friends gathered upon the doorstep.

A quick hustle, a bustle, and one cannon that continued to defy all physical laws later, they were ready to spend some time together.  The six mares all got comfortable in Twilight’s room, pillows and blankets strewn about as well as a table overflowing with confectionary delights courtesy of Pinkie.

“Now Twilight, darling, do tell us what was the cause of this party?  Pinkie swore up and down that she couldn’t tell, but it was something big.”  Rarity inquired, genuinely intrigued as to why they were all gathered at the library.  Applejack lifted her head up from whatever thoughts she had and the other girls all put the spotlight on Twilight.

"Well, last night after everything that had happened Rarity, I realized something important.  It had been awhile since my last friendship report, and yesterday taught me something really important.  So, I wrote up my first friendship report to the Princess for the first time in over two months, and received a reply rather quickly, which is quite rare.  She informed me about how proud she has been of my studies, and it was finally time.  She asked me not to call her a mentor anymore, but a friend.  Girls, I've basically graduated!  I still can't believe it though, I've spent well over ten years being her student; I honestly didn't think this day would ever come."

Pinkie let out a large gasp at the word graduated, and she punctuated the end of Twilight's words with another blast of her party cannon, somehow making a chocolate cake with the words 'Congratulations on Graduating!' written on it in vanilla icing appear.  "Pinkie, how did you even...  Nevermind."  Twilight let up. Pinkie was the one anomaly that an explanation would forever be out of reach for.  Applejack pulled out the barrel of cider that she had somehow snuck in, and passed out drinks for all as they cut up the cake.

Once everyone had their cake and cider, except Pinkie, who had somehow figured out how to have her cake and eat it too, the girls all sat down in a circle to begin their recount of the past week or so, as they still kept to their weekly picnics out on the hill just outside the town.  The conversations started out rather mundane, but as the cider started flowing, the lips became much looser.

"So, Twilight, I gotta ask.  You got yer special somepony yet?"  Applejack queried as she was snuggled up into Rarity's side, who was quietly giggling from time to time at something only she knew.

"Err, ummm- No Applejack!"  Twilight stammered out, and not because of the cider.  She had read plenty of novels and had some fantasies, but she hadn't really found anyone yet.  She and Dash had tried for a little bit, but the brash pegasus was just too much for her, and they parted on friendly terms.  Dash was just too much of a one mare show for her.

"Aw silly willy nilly, you should definitely find somepony Twi!  It's no fun if you just sit in the library all day buried in your books!  Besides, if you find your special somepony, it means I get to throw a lot more parties, and everyone loves parties!"  Pinkie Pie exclaimed, quite literally, as an exclamation mark somehow found its way over her head briefly.

"Y-Yeah Twilight...  It is really nice having somepony to be close to, you should try to find one, if you don't mind that is..."  Fluttershy spoke up, actually audible, as she had long since gotten over her shyness around her friends.  For some reason she still had the habit of over apologizing though and not wanting to impede upon others.  She quickly gave Pinkie a peck on the cheek and moved that much closer to the pink mare. 

"Psh Twilight, you know you don't need to go finding anypony.  'Sides, you're always too busy in those books of yours to even have a crush, let alone carry a relationship."  Dash accentuated her words with a friendly hoofpunch to Twilight's upper shoulder and chuckled.

"I-I am not Dash!  I have a..."  Twilight stuttered out, blushing slightly at both Dash's implications and her attempt at refuting them.  Rarity took notice of Twilight's trailing off and jumped in before anyone else had a chance to.

"What was that dear?  Does our Twilight have a crush on somepony?  Oh please, do tell! We promise that no one will dare say a word about it outside of the library. Pinkie Promise, even!"  

"What Rarity?  I do not have a crush on anypony!  I was saying that Luna is going to be coming sometime this evening!  Yeah, that is what I was going to say!"  Twilight tried deflecting the fashionista's inquiry, but Rarity's typical persistence combined with her intake of cider caused a strange relentlessness in her pursuit.

"Oh dear, you don't say?  Your crush is Luna?  My, wouldn't that be something!  Former student of one sister, and special somepony with the other!  Oh, the potential doors that could open for a mare in that position!"  As Rarity talked, Twilight began to blush so hard her face turned from lavender to crimson and thoughts began to creep into her mind.

"T-That's ridiculous Rarity!  I do NOT have a crush on Luna, she's just a really good friend!"  At this point the other four mares were listening intently, not wanting to disrupt what was proving to be a very entertaining discussion.  It wasn't the first time Rarity had gone down this path with Twilight, but it seemed to them that she was right this time.

"Oh nonsense, besides, it's such a romantic notion, dear!  Stargazing with your lover under the full moon that she controls, that orb reflected in her eyes as you gaze oh-so-closely into them.  You find yourself captured by the eyes of the mare you so adore, moving in ever closer, eyes locked, lips moving.  And then they lock together and your world just explodes from your partner's taste as you simply linger there for what feels like an eternity!  Oh, it is the most exquisite thing ever!  After that, you pull back and utter three simple words, 'I Love Y-"

"RARITY!  That's enough!"  Twilight was nearly crimson through and through, and the other four girls were rather occupied on their backs laughing at Twilight's expense.  "I AM NOT- Am Not...  HORSEAPPLES!"  Now that it had been shoved in her face, she realized that she did indeed have some feelings for Luna, somewhat reminiscent of what she had once felt for Dash, but stronger.  Twilight let out a long sigh as the crimson slowly drained from her body until it was only present in her face.

"Hun, that is quite enough teasin' of Twi.  Now stop it before I have to tie you up and gag ya sugarcube, and I don't mean in the bedroom either."  Rarity let out a massive blush while the others' jaws dropped near to the floor in revelation of this fact.

"So, maybe I do have feelings for her, so what?"  Twilight finally muttered in the tiniest voice she could manage.  However, all the girls had gone deathly silent when Twilight had her outburst as well as the admission that Rarity was tied up during her special time with Applejack, and so all five of them caught her confession.  Twilight nursed her cider as the girls looked at her one by one.

"That's great Twilight!  It's nice to know that even a hopeless egghead like you can still find the time to crush on somepony.  You should totally tell her, but, in a cool kind of way, you know.  When is your next 'date' with the lovely Luna, Twi?"  Dash broke the silence, teasing Twilight while still being somewhat serious.

"OH NO!"  Twilight hopped to her hooves, nearly knocking over her cider.  "She's coming in just a few hours, what do I do?  So much to prepare for, I need to-"  A hoof found it's way to Twilight's mouth silencing her.  Twilight noticed Pinkie next to her, the pink pony’s face suddenly turning outrageously serious as she wrapped a hoof over Twilight's shoulder to whisper into her ear.

"So, here’s what you do Twi..."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~




> Chapter 1 - That Awkward Moment When...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        As twilight quickly approached, loud knocks on the door of the library interrupted the six inebriated mares..  Twilight eagerly stumbled to her hooves and ran downstairs.  That must be Luna!  She opened the door, revealing the lunar mare on the threshold, devoid of all her regalia.

        "Good evening Twilight, I hope that you are well.  May I come in?"  Twilight simply stood there, gazing into the multitude of stars within the alicorn’s flowing mane.  She only caught the last bit of what Luna said, her mind unable to process the words.

        "Yes, come on in. The girls are all upstairs!  Pinkie threw a party when she found out!  You should come and join us!"  Twilight spoke with the faintest hint of a slur, feeling the effects of the cider.  She swore that she saw Luna blush some before she stepped out of the way so that the taller mare could enter the library proper.

        Luna widely smiled at Twilight.  "I would be delighted to join everypony, Twilight!  I always enjoy the chance to see the others!”  She walked inside the library, following the bumbling mare up to the party.  Twilight inebriated is such a sight to see!  She giggled slightly as they came to the source of the party.

        Opening the door to Twilight's room revealed the party.  Inside the normally bare bones bedroom numerous streamers were hanging from the bottom of pink and purple balloons.  Two tables had been set up on one edge of the room, refreshments of all sorts adorning the surfaces.  A stout wooden keg was tapped, partially filled with the famous Apple Family Cider.  Fives mares were gathered around in a circle in the middle of the room, their attention focused on the new occupant.

“Good evening, everypony!”  Luna cheerfully greeted her friends as she entered the room, headed towards the cider.  On the way to the refreshments table, she noticed Rarity give her a wink, but brushed it off, as the fashionista was well hammered.  Grabbing a large mug of cider and a piece of cake with her magic, Luna walked over to the circle of mares and sat down between Twilight and Rainbow.

        "So Princess, how has life been?  Any juicy gossip that you can share with us?”  Rarity, never one to pass the chance at learning the latest news, was the first to take Luna's attention.

        "Well, I'm sure you remember Blueblood. I heard all about that incident at the Gala four years ago."  Rarity let out an unexpected string of expletives, causing Luna to halt her narrative in shock.  Applejack shoved a hoof into the fashionista’s mouth, causing Luna to chuckle before continuing on.  "Indeed, that is how most ponies view him!  Well, Celestia finally became tired of his foalish antics!"

        "Oh, did the Princess banish him?”  Twilight quickly chimed in, filling the small void created by Luna’s pause.

        Luna humorously smiled towards Twilight.  "Not quite.  He had been chewing out another castle worker when Tia approached him from behind and cleared her throat.  The foal snapped back at her without even looking to see who it was! When she found out that he had been chastising the employee for refusing his advances, she finally had a legal reason to bring him in front of the court!"  Luna drained her cider, letting out a satisfied sigh as the soothing liquid ran down her throat as she set the mug down.  

Twilight noticed Luna’s empty mug, and used her magic to refill it.  “I recall when I was living at the castle, I ran into him a few times.  I asked the Princess what a pompous windbag like him was doing in the castle.  She merely laughed, and then told me not to concern myself over him.”

        "You need not worry about running into that pompous windbag anymore.  I insisted that Celestia should just banish him from the city and wipe our hooves clean of him for good, but she came up with a more subtle approach!  Tia has him serving in the military as a low ranking enlisted guard!  She announced that perhaps a good four years of service would do his attitude and outlook on life some good.  Shining Armor was then called in to collect his newest recruit. To top it off, Blueblood is being personally seen to by Shining."

        "Shiny is overseeing his training?  I almost feel bad for him now!"  Twilight loudly interrupted, slamming her empty cup of cider on the ground before marching it over for another refill.

        "Indeed, and Blueblood was fuming!  Luckily I got to see this next part as I was on the way to the kitchens and stumbled upon the scene.  Shining appeared rather quickly, told Blue to stop his yammering, and then looked him up and down.  Told annoying Bluey to his face that he might do, after a few months of training and exercise.  He turned the color of his namesake when he realized Shining was referring to actually doing physical labor.  I swear, my sister had the biggest shit eating grin you've ever seen on a pony!"

        "My dear, I’m glad to see that karma has finally caught up with that limp-horned scoundrel.  I simply can’t imagine what I ever saw in him."  Rarity lifted Applejack with her magic and brought her over for a kiss, catching the farm pony completely by surprise.  The girls, Luna included, all started laughing loudly at the two kissing mares, as the fashionista had yet to realize that she had her marefriend upside down.

        Rarity broke away from Applejack after quite some time, then blushed a deeper crimson as she noticed why all of her friends were laughing.  She set the tan mare down, right side up, and gave her a weak smile as she stood there, wobbling slightly from the blood that had rushed to her head.  The laughing slowly came to a stop, but the merriment continued.

        The time slowly passed, and the cider flowed freely.  Luna soon joined her friends in their inebriation, thoroughly enjoying herself with these mares she had come to know as friends.  Eventually a lull came up, which Fluttershy of all ponies broke.

        "You.  Dance.  Now!"  Fluttershy demanded of Pinkie Pie as she grabbed her marefriend and dragged her into the middle of the room by a hoof.  "Twilight, I need some music, and quickly please."  The dominant side of the usually timid mare was finally making itself known to the party, and Twilight quickly looked around the room for a potential source of music, while Pinkie was hopping up and down in excitement.

        Having found the phonograph hidden away in a corner of the room, Twilight started a record.  As the needle dropped with the help of her magic, quiet vocals began to rise with stringed instruments in the background as the ballad began.  Although the music didn’t really fit the occasion, Fluttershy didn’t seem to mind as she began to hold Pinkie and dance.  

        The dancing started out simple and slow, but quickly progressed into something more as the song progressed.  The duo's dancing became boisterous, and the rest of the mares soon moved to the edge of the room to give them more space for dancing.  It didn't take long for the first song to run its course, and as it ended Fluttershy brought in her lover for a tender kiss.  Luna smiled at the open display of affection while Twilight smiled with her eyes closed, having replaced Fluttershy and Pinkie in her mind with herself and the mare sitting next to her.  Rarity seemed to have finally succumbed to the cider she had drank, starting to lightly doze off, while Dash and Applejack had started hoof wrestling.

        As the next track came on, Twilight still had her eyes closed and began to softly sing alongside the ballad.  She was still imagining herself and Luna gently holding each other, sharing an intimate moment.  She was forced to open her eyes as a stray pink hoof found its way to her nose, smartly clipping her and then retreating back to the middle of the room.  Having been knocked from her daydream, she let out a sigh then began to sing again.  After a minute another voice joined in, breaking her concentration, as it turned out to be her crush easing in on the song.

        "So, Rainbow, darling, you crushing on anypony?  You're the only one right now it seems that isn't. I mean, even dear Twilight is—"  Rarity began talking, but Applejack jumped up from her hoofwrestling and shoved a hoof into her marefriend's mouth.  Luckily for her, it looked as if Luna had neither heard nor seen what had just transpired, as she was still singing alongside Twilight.

        "Well, it was nice girls, but I think it's time I got going and put this here mare to bed."  Applejack spoke loudly to ensure she was heard over the music, pointing a hoof in Rarity's direction.  "It was a lot of fun fer sure, we gotta do this again sometime soon, Pinkie."  She removed her hoof and wiggled beneath Rarity to carry her home—she was in no state to be walking anywhere.  Everything came to a halt as they began to realize just how late in the day it was.

        "Yeah, it's about time I called it a night, too.  We're supposed to have some clouds to move in from Cloudsdale tomorrow.  It probably wouldn't be cool to sleep in...  again."  Dash got up and said her goodbyes for the night before walking out the door behind the duo.  Fluttershy and Pinkie finished out the song, then also left the library, leaving just Luna and Twilight remaining.

        Luna turned to Twilight. "That was most enjoyable; I am glad that I decided to show up early.  Well, shall we quickly clean up and then move to the balcony for the stargazing?  But first, I must raise the moon. I shall be right back."

        Twilight watched as Luna moved to the balcony and then sprung up into the air, hovering in place a few feet off the surface of the balcony.  Her horn lit up in a blue so dark it was nearly black as she gently flapped her wings to hold herself in place as the last vestige of the sun dipped below the horizon, soon followed with the white moon, a stark contrast against the dark sky.  A few seconds later the stars slowly twinkled into existence in the night sky completing her work.  She gently floated back down, hooves making contact with a solid surface yet again, and then walked back into the room.

        "I don't think I can ever get tired of seeing that!  It's just so... majestic."  Twilight exclaimed as she refocused on cleaning up.  Luna let out a chuckle at the cheer that her voice had held.  It always brought her pleasure when her night sky was complemented and, even though Twilight made similar comments every time she came down for her visit and was witness to her raising of the moon, it was always gladdening to hear.

        "Thank you, Twilight.  As always it is nice raising the moon and stars when I visit.  I can see the night sky so much better from here than in Canterlot; there are just too many lights in that confounded place."

        "Yeah, I remember when I was just a filly and Celestia gave me my first telescope after I showed an interest in the stars.  I would sit in the tower at night and just gaze till dawn sometimes.  I never knew what I was missing out on until I moved here and looked at the night sky for the first time.  There’s just so much more to see here, since Ponyville gets so dark at night."

        "I recall back before my banishment...  My tower had a balcony that led to the roof and gave me a full, unimpeded view of the night sky.  Not even lanterns were lit once the sun fell most evenings, there was only my moon and the stars providing their light to the night.  It was a most wondrous view to behold."  Luna began a trip down memory lane, a habit she had fallen into when thinking about her pre-banishment time.

        Twilight allowed Luna her moment as she finished the last of the cleaning, moving furniture back to their proper places.  With one last use of her magic, a telescope marched its way from her bedside to the balcony where it settled down, quickly joined by a small stack of books, some parchment, and an inkwell and quill.  Satisfied that everything was now in place, she softly nudged the alicorn to break her from her thoughts.

        "Oh, I apologize. It seems, yet again, I got lost in my thoughts...  Well, are you ready to step outside then?  I made sure to focus on increasing the brightness of the Milky Neigh Galaxy for tonight so that we could get a clearer image of it, as well as a few other stars.  Plus, I think there is something else that you will enjoy in the sky tonight."  Twilight perked up, any drowsiness from the cider instantly forgotten as soon as Luna mentioned the stargazing.  It was one of the few things that she would put above sleep on her scale of priorities, and it was doubtful that that would ever change before she passed.

        "Yes!  And oh, remember how the last time you visited we had looked at the potential application of illusory magic and projections?  Well, I managed to find a way to apply it to stargazing!  You see, by taking the projection aspect of the spell and then changing out the illusory aspect with something more along the lines of divination, the two properties combine to project what you are looking at!  And then, with some trial and error, I managed to get it to project what an object was looking at, more specifically my telescope!  So now when we look, it actually projects what the scope is looking at in front of us in a somewhat three dimensional image!  Still haven't figured out how to fix the color though, for some reason the red and blue are swapped...  Maybe if I—"  Twilight was cut off by laughter flooding off of Luna, and she fixed the alicorn with a confused stare.

        "Oh, I am so sorry Twilight, it is just that you went from tired to wide awake in a mere matter of seconds!  And then you began talking so fast, hehehe.  That is an interesting application of that spell though.  I had considered using it to somehow aid in my next the next meteor shower, but your method and changes might actually make it much better!  Shall we go to the balcony?  I'd love to see this spell firsthoof."

        The two mares walked out onto the balcony into the summer night, closing the doors behind them.  Twilight took her time letting her magic flow through her and build up in her horn so that Luna could see what she was doing and then replicate it herself.  With a final thought, she let the power coalesce in the air, a circular projection forming in front of them.

        "Well, did you catch everything?  Like I said, for some reason the reds and blues are swapped, but besides that it is a completely accurate depiction.  It's been really useful these last few nights."

        "Indeed, I saw the form it took.  Thank you, Twilight.  Now, let's see here..."  Luna trailed off as she fiddled with the telescope, moving it on the tripod it rested on to fall upon a large cluster of stars in the sky that did indeed shine much brighter than normal.  "Here we are, the Milky Neigh Galaxy.  So, tell me what you know of it so far, and we can make observations from there."

        "Well, it is a spiral galaxy that contains a very, very large amount of stars in it, I don't think any astronomers have put an approximate number to it.  You can faintly see the spiral from the university telescope; it shows itself as just one star from any other though due to the distance it is from us.  Beyond that, not much is really known. Only idle speculations.  I always like to think that there is another planet with somepony thinking the same things and looking in our direction."

        "Hah, sometimes I think you know more than I do about my stars, Twilight!  It is indeed very far away from us."  Luna closed her eyes and her horn faintly shone in the dark night air.  "It contains three hundred and twenty two billion stars, give or take a few million."  She opened her eyes again as the aura persisted in the night air, and an image slowly began to overlap on the projection created by Twilight's magic.  "There we go, how about a close up?  This is probably my most complex creation, I don't even recall exactly how long it took to complete anymore.  Would you believe me if I said I got the inspiration from a foal's playground piece?"

        "Really?  Something from a playground?  Hmm, let me see."  Twilight began to examine the close up image of the Milky Neigh Galaxy, studying it from numerous angles.  Silence held for almost five minutes before she suddenly burst out laughing, one hoof moving to her forehead.  "Luna, seriously?  You based this off of a merry-go-round?"

        Luna put up an air of mock hurt as she rounded on Twilight, who was near to rolling on the ground in laughter.  "You mock me?  It was a most inspiring thing to witness!  A unicorn had put their foal onboard, and then used her magic to make it spin.  The real inspiration did not strike until the poor foal let loose his lunch, the way it spiraled outward was most unique!"  Unable to hold a straight face anymore, Luna joined Twilight in laughter.

        Their mirth slowly petered down as the two mares found themselves upon their backs, gazes raised towards the night sky.  "I remember when I would do this, just lay down on my back, looking up at the stars and the moon.  Before I knew what it meant, I would always look at the silhouette of the pony on the moon.  I would look up and be amazed at how the stars themselves seemed to conform to the moon’s contours."  Twilight let out a very long sigh, causing Luna to move her gaze from above to the mare next to her.

        "I had always thought that Celestia had put it there, but I never could have guessed how.  Luna, I'm really thankful that my friends and I were able to save you and then get to know you.  Only Discord made for a scarier day, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in Equestria."  Luna looked on in silence, as Twilight's tone becoming oddly serious.  She began to formulate her response.  Silence lingered for a few moments after Twilight had stopped talking before it was broken.

        "I want to say that I am most thankful as well.  I know that I have never really discussed my time whilst up there, and I am most thankful that you stopped pressuring me for that knowledge.  Something tells me that if it had been any other pony, that even were I still saved that night, I would be different from how I am today.  You and your friends showed me how to live again, one of the few things that Tia was unable to do herself.  You specifically made a large difference, and I owe a large debt of gratitude to you that I do not think I will be able to pay in a single lifetime, and not even a dozen could possibly suffice."

        Twilight had met her gaze during this time, and as the last word lingered in the air, her mind worked as hard as it could given its drunken state.  She had talked with Luna on multiple occasions, but this was the first time that she had admitted such a thing.  Usually she was extremely defensive and evasive when it came to the issue of anything related to her banishment.  Hesitantly, she broke her gaze and let it settle back upon the stars, letting her sight focus on nothing specific.  They laid there for an indeterminable amount of time.  Seconds, minutes, hours, neither had a clue as to how much time truly passed, content to simply lay down on the balcony.

        "So..."  Twilight began, voice extremely low, barely able to be heard.  "You made mention of wanting to ask something specific tonight?"

        "Yes, I did."  Luna flipped herself over and tucked her hooves underneath her body as Twilight followed, facing each other.  "Now that you are no longer considered my sister's student, would you like to— "

        Twilight jumped forward, unfolding her hooves and putting both of her front ones on either side of the alicorn's face as she moved her lips forward, meeting the opposite pair.  She held Luna there for a few seconds, then backed away just as quickly as she had moved forward.

        "Yes!  Yes!"  Twilight stammered out, noticing a look of shock as well as a slight blush forming on the lunar mare's face as a blush of her own began to form.  Whether it was the cider from earlier that night, or the admission Luna had given her, it had emboldened her to do something that she would not normally have done.  "I've always admired you Luna, and as we spent more and more time together, it only got stronger.  It took me awhile, but it seems, that is...  I love you Luna."

        Twilight sat there, awaiting a response.  The alicorn remained rooted to the single spot, mouth partially open and her eyes currently going in random directions.  The only movement that came from her was her mane and tail which continued to move as if a slight breeze was blowing across the balcony.  After a minute, she finally let out her response.

        "—become my student."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~




> Chapter 2 - Back to the Flashes!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        "—become my student."

Those three simple words lingered in the air, echoing within Twilight's mind.  Realizing the grave error that had come to pass, she began to outwardly panic.  Luna herself had yet to move, only further adding to her quickly rising levels of craziness.

"I-I will be back.  N-need to think."  Luna managed to stutter out as she turned and took wing to the sky, quickly leaving behind the unicorn that had admitted feelings for her not more than mere minutes ago.  She was unsure as to what to do, her thoughts tumbling around in a manner that would have made Discord proud.  She had been prepared for numerous situations: How to handle delicate gryphon relations, settle disputes in a nonviolent and fair manner, even how to handle the affairs of state should for some reason Celestia be unable to do so.  However, nothing had prepared her for this.

Ever since her return five years ago, Luna had found herself slowly acclimating back into the pony society.  Although a thousand years wasn't a large portion of her life, the radical changes that had occurred during her time away had left her rather imbalanced, and it had been quite the challenge to settle back in.  However, she hadn't even begun to entertain the thought of a lover yet, not to mention that her last encounter had been around five hundred years prior to her banishment.  

She found herself upon a random hill some distance between Canterlot and Ponyville as her hooves finally found contact with solid ground again.  The moon was at its zenith, and she closed her eyes and focused herself upon her celestial body, thinking of how she felt of and for Twilight, who had played such a pivotal role in her life since her return.  With only some stray fireflies, the stars and her moon as company, she thought back as the clock rewound.


Nightmare Night 3 Years Ago


Luna was most overjoyed at the prospect of this coming evening's activities.  Just a year ago had been her first foray into society during her arrival at Ponyville's Nightmare Night, and although the night had started off rather sour, it quickly turned into one of the more memorable occasions of her post-return life so far.  She had been coordinating with Twilight Sparkle for the last month to ensure everything went according to plan, on what would be her second visit to Ponyville.  Twilight had even volunteered to help her scare the foals by posing as her minion for some of the night, which she looked forward to.

The chariot touched down outside of the Town Hall, and Luna proceeded inside.  It was a courtesy to inform the official in charge of the area when visiting, if only to avoid a potential commotion when they found out one of their princesses was in town through word of mouth or rumor.  After a brief visit with Mayor Mare, she took flight and made her way to the giant tree that housed the library.

Settling her hooves down on solid ground once more, she knocked soundly upon the door, finding it to be unlocked. She waited for a reply, and after receiving none for a minute, let herself into the building.  She passed through the foyer and into the library proper, where a world's wealth of knowledge sat neatly organized and catalogued on shelves all around the room.  Luna heard a voice muttering from somewhere upstairs and followed it to a staircase leading to the next floor.

"Twilight Sparkle, are you there?"  Luna called out up the staircase, not wanting to surprise the unicorn too much.  She had heard mention of some rather famous neurotic moments, and hoped to avoid any, lest they interfere with the evening activities planned ahead.

"Yes!  Come on up!"  Was the muffled reply, and the lunar mare made her way upstairs, where she found Twilight in what looked to be the mare's bedroom standing in front of a full length mirror, her horn aglow with a faint purple aura.  She jumped up as Luna entered her view, letting go of her magic and focusing on the new arrival.  "Hi Princess Luna, how are you today?  I was just trying to get the last part of this illusion spell right, I kind of had some last minute inspiration.  Here, let me show you!"

Twilight turned towards the mirror and focused on her magic, her horn shimmering yet again.  Luna stood by as the mare that took her attention began to shift, her form changing as the illusion came together.  Her coat became a deep royal purple in color, her cutie mark shifting into that of a solar eclipse.  She next focused on her face as her pupils became serpentine, although they retained their lavender coloration.  A pair of fangs appeared in her mouth slightly visible, adding to the look of Nightmare Moon's minion that she was striving for.  The last thing she did with the illusion was to increase her height, bringing her almost up to Luna's level.

"So, what do you think of Nightmare Moon's accomplice for the night?  Terrifying enough?  I even read some books on horror to try to figure out the best way to approach scaring colts and fillies."  

"You need not go through such hassle for my sake Twilight Sparkle.  And please, I insist that you call me Luna.  Although, for tonight, Nightmare Moon should suffice."  Luna let out a small grin at her last words as she worked an illusion of her own, taking the form of her demented self that she was coming to accept as part of her past.  "Minion, thy mistress commands thee to attend Us!"

Twilight stood there for a moment before comprehension dawned on her face as she formulated a reply.  "Yes Mistress, thy minion stands ready to deprive the children of their candy.  What is thy command?"  She ended it with a mockery of a salute and a slight bow towards Luna.

"We prithee that thou taketh the ground and we shall command the skies! Our enemies shall not know what fate we doth bring upon them!"  Luna replied, her face a mask of iron for a few more moments, before she broke down laughing, Twilight joining her not a moment later.  They shared the humor for a good minute or so before finally letting the laughter dwindle down to die in the air.

"So P— Luna, I take it you approve of my disguise for tonight then?  I was reading a book on the use of illusions in entertainment and thought of the idea last night.  I kind of based it off of Nightmare Moon's appearance, and it is much better than what I originally had planned."

"Yes, I do indeed Twilight Sparkle; it shall work, of that I am most certain.  Are there any other preparations for tonight's festivities required?  Or shall we head out for the square now?"

"No, Luna, this was the last thing on my list to do.  And oh, please, just call me Twilight."  With that said, both mares left the library and made their way to the town square where the statue of Nightmare Moon was the centerpiece, a throng of ponies already gathered awaiting the start of the night.  The two of them came to stop just outside the view of the crowd and began to make plans.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


Luna and Twilight had recently finished interacting with Pinkie Pie and her entourage of foals. They had spent ten minutes chasing them around town, yells, screams and laughter echoing in the still evening air.  After letting the group give them the slip, they decided to retire for a few minutes, and meandered their way to the outskirts of Ponyville to an open field where there were no other ponies in sight. There they sat down to relax.

“Ah, what fun that was!  I must thank you, Twilight, for this night of enjoyment thus far. I still find it most odd that ponies would take pleasure in being chased around and frightened so, yet there were as many laughs as screams in the air tonight!”  Luna was most overjoyed, a large smile adorning her face as she commented to her partner in crime.

“I remember last year we didn’t realize that they were doing it for fun, that was almost a disaster.  It is a good thing we managed to get that cleared up before you left, and you even got some friends by the end of the night too.  Seems like you’ll have even more admirers at the end of this night as well.”  

“Indeed, it was nice to come away with friends that night.  Speaking of that, how is Fluttershy?  I did not see her tonight, does she still hide away in her cottage?”

“Yes, she is still too timid to come out on this night, we almost had her convinced, but...  Pinkie scared her off last minute.  Funny how she can stare down a dragon, yet still be afraid of large groups of ponies.”  Twilight giggled slightly before continuing.  “Still, she is slowly getting better, she was so timid and quiet when I first moved here.”

The two ponies simply laid there, bathed in the moonlit field, the quiet punctuated by an occasional shrill laugh.  Twilight found her gaze settling upon the large orb that dominated the night sky as a thought rose unbidden from her mind.

“Luna...”  She began, somewhat unsure of whether she should broach the subject or not.  “If you don’t mind...  What was it like, up there?”

The midnight alicorn stole a glance at Twilight before noticing the object of her sight, and let out a long winded sigh.  “I...  It is something that I do not wish to talk about.  Maybe someday.  Not tonight.”  She lowered her gaze to the grass in front of her and focused on a sole blade, pensively thinking about the harsh memories that she could recall.  “Please do not ask this of me again in the future.”

An uncomfortable silence permeated the space between them, Luna’s gaze still focused on the ground while Twilight’s vision rested on the Moon and stars filling the expansive void of the sky.  The unicorn laid there, noticing her companion’s mood shifting to that of brooding, and came up with an idea of how to uplift it.

“The stars are amazing, aren’t they?”  Luna jerked her head up towards Twilight.  “On clear nights like this, I always enjoy setting up my telescope on the balcony, and just let myself become lost while stargazing.  I’ve got countless books filled with star charts as a result of it too, I’d say that it’s my favorite thing to do at night.  It is really easy to just get wrapped up in it, until the rising of Celestia’s sun heralds in a new day.”  Twilight reached out a single hoof towards the night sky, as if trying to capture a star.

“When I first saw Celestia raise the sun as a filly, I thought to myself ‘I want to do that!’  It’s what got me so interested in magic in the first place.  After I had been her student for about a year, she got me a telescope, and I started to spend most of my nights just looking at the stars, wondering to myself what it took to create them.  The mystery behind it all captivated me, heart and soul.  When I learned that it was you who had done so one night, I decided that I wanted to meet you and ask you so many questions.”  Twilight let out a sigh and let her hoof rest on the ground once more.

“Of course, later on I learned that only you and your sister held the ability to manipulative the stars, although it didn’t keep me from trying to anyways!”  

“That is...  a most amusing thought, a filly trying to move my stars.”  Luna let out a low rumbling chuckle.  “It is nice to know that there are those who find such enjoyment in my night sky now.  Back then...  almost all ponies used the setting of the sun to end their day, and none bothered to look up before wrapping themselves in their sheets until they rose with the sun the next day.”

“If you would like, perhaps I could teach you more about the stars?  I am sure that Celestia would be fine with me taking some time out occasionally, and seeing my few friends in Ponyville.  She brings this quaint town up almost daily when we talk; she is very fond of it.  However, do not let her know that I said that, I think she might become slightly embarrassed should such a thing get out.”

Luna’s simple question left Twilight speechless momentarily, not having expected to hear such an offer.  As her brain caught up to the conversation, she quickly got up to her hooves in joy, glad to be able to have the chance to learn under the one pony who knew more than anyone else.  “Yes!  Yes!  Yes!  That would be amazing Luna!  We could throw a small party with the girls in the library when you visited, spend some time together with everyone, and then do some stargazing afterwards.”

“Your enthusiasm is most welcome, Twilight, I’ll ask Celestia about it when I return to the castle then.  Now come, it is time for us to continue our charade with the foals!”  Luna rose to her hooves and walked back towards the center of town, Twilight close on her heels.


18 months ago


Luna had just arrived in Ponyville for her visit with Twilight.  The sun was still a few hours from setting, as she had been somewhat bored and decided to leave Canterlot early.  She raised a hoof and firmly knocked on the stout wooden door.

"Come in!"  A muffled voice called out from somewhere inside.  Luna found the door to be unlocked and simply walked into the tree, greeted by the voluminous amount of books lining the shelves of the bookcases all over the room.  She meandered her way through the interior until she found Twilight hard at work at the kitchen table, numerous books, jewelry and gems strewn about the surface.  She looked up at the sound of the hoofsteps and immediately shot up.

"Oh, hi, Luna!  You're here rather early, just give me a minute to wrap this up."  Twilight began to tidy the area, bookmarking her place in the volumes before closing and setting them in a neat stack on one edge of the table before moving on to putting the rest of the table’s contents in a box.  Luna took note of some of the titles adorning the books, Enchanting and You Vol 2 : Binding Spells to Gems and The Magical Properties of Precious Metals sticking out the most.

“No problem at all, Twilight.  I found myself rather bored after attending court today with Tia, and she suggested I take an early reprise and make my way over.  What were you doing that I interrupted?”

“Oh, I’ve been reading up on how to imbue metal and gems with enchantments.  Ever since Dash and I decided to give the two of us a shot, I’ve been spending a fair amount of time at her place.  I’m getting rather tired of constantly casting the cloudwalking spell, so I decided to research alternative methods, and it seems enchanting is the best method to go with.  I’m just having problems with where to draw a power source from.  Anytime I use my magic, it simply cuts off as soon as I end the flow.”

        “Ah, so you’re trying to replicate enchanting?  It is a most difficult magic, and I can see why you are having problems with where to draw a power source from.  Tell me Twilight, do you know how the Night Guards come to appear as they do while they wear their armor?”

        “Enchantments, right?  I haven’t looked in depth at the armor worn by either guard, but I know they do have illusions weaved into them, as well as some physical enhancements.  Cloud walking should be child’s play compared to those, yet I cannot get it to hold!”

        “Ah, yes, that particular enchantment is much easier than the strength augmentation that me and Tia use.  However, the main reason why the enchantments remain upon the armor once we cut the flow of the spell is because of the source of the spell.  Rather than drawing upon our internal magical pools, which would almost surely end in failure should we attempt the enchantment, we draw upon another source, that of the sun and moon.  Each pony’s magic is unique and personal to that pony, and, as such, trying to leave it within another object is guaranteed to simply end in failure.  However, the celestial bodies are for everypony, Tia and I simply act as the custodians, if you would.”

        “So, if you need a power source that is external, since an internal one does not work...  Hmm...”  Twilight began rambling off concepts, theories, and thoughts at a pace that even the most talented unicorn scribe would have an issue keeping up with.  Luna allowed herself to laugh at the antics of the librarian in front of her as a cascade of words continued to pour forth from her friend.  There was something about these situations that she always took enjoyment from, the sheer enthusiasm exuding from the mare was nigh contagious.

        Twilight continued on her monologue for another minute or so, until she raised her volume, her tone that of a foal that had just received a gift on their birthday that they had been pining for.  "Ah ha!  I've got it!  Luna, you've read my friendship reports, right?"  She asked the lunar alicorn, her undertones carrying a challenging hint among her words.

        "Yes, I have read them all.  Most fascinating things, they really helped me out early on, and some of the things you and your friends got into I almost couldn't believe.  What of them?"

        "Well, recall one report that had an incident concerning all of Ponyville, a doll, and a slightly forbidden spell that I accidentally cast?  Well, looking at what I remember of that spell, it started out using me as the source and the doll as the target.  However, once I cut off my magic, the spell continued on.  I'm sure that the answer to sustaining an enchantment can be found in the skeins of that specific spell, which I should then be able to extrapolate and reproduce with cloud walking, as well as any other magic I might think of."  Twilight exclaimed with the biggest grin on her face imaginable, still riding out the high of her brainstorm session combined with finding the answers needed to solve her questions.

        "Indeed, you're on to something there Twilight.  The spell was designed to do such a thing, and, you must not mention this to Tia, it was actually created by her.  Back during the more...  tumultuous times, before things settled down and peace reigned, this spell was heavily used against many races.  In order to keep casualties at a minimum, she and I spent many a long nights trying to design spells meant to disrupt and cause disorder so that we could simply march in, and force a surrender while they were still attempting to recover."  Twilight's eyes got larger than ever, intently focused on Luna as she told the origin of the spell that she had managed to turn a whole town upside down with.

        "Well, that is when we first found out that the environment had ambient magic simply laying around, unused.  By changing the spell slightly, we could use our personal supply as a jump start of sorts, that would then cause the spell to start pulling from the ambient source surrounding it.  This allowed us to sustain spells, albeit smaller ones, without having to constantly focus or tax ourselves.  I will admit, it was a most humorous sight when we first dropped an erotica novel enchanted with the Want-It Need-It spell among a force of our enemies.  Even now Tia gets a laugh when I mention that to her!"  Luna broke down laughing to herself while Twilight simply stared at her, dumbfounded.  

        "So...  the first application of a brand new spell was on an erotica novel?"  Twilight's left eye had a slight twitch to it as her brain finally caught back up and finished processing the information Luna had given it.  "And...  I'm looking to use part of that same spell for an item that will let me spend more time with Dash...  Remind me not to let her know about that if I get this bracelet to work."  She shuddered somewhat as the twitch in her eye began to fade away as she brought a single hoof up to her face in a sigh.

        Luna had offered to point out the specific section of the spell that Twilight needed, however the unicorn was adamant that she wanted to find it for herself.  The alicorn simply sat back and watched Twilight work for the next hour, answering the occasional question or confirming an inquiry that was directed her way.  Eventually, a single bracelet of silver rested upon the table, a ruby magically inlaid in the center framed by an amethyst on either side.

        "Congratulations Twilight, you have just achieved something that few unicorns have managed to accomplish in our history.  I am sure my sister will be most proud to know of your accomplishments.  Now come, it is time for me to raise the moon, and the stars await."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        The radiance slowly faded from Luna's horn, the spell coming to an end with the conclusion of the memories it deemed relevant.  How ironic that she should be shown that second scene, as it was another variation on the Want-It Need-It spell.  She had wanted to replicate her niece's Love spell, and this was the closest she could come to replicating it.  Its purpose was to draw out the memories related to the emotions of the target and let them relive those pivotal moments that the individual in question had with another potential pony.

        Thinking back to what had been brought to the surface, Luna began to sort through it.  Twilight had always impressed her from the start, after having saved her from the brink of madness, and even though her obligations had ended there, one time after another she kept going out of her way.  That evening she had noticed the effect mentioning the exile had brought about, and almost immediately reversed the mood, something that Tia herself struggled to do during that time.

        She was always so intuitive with magic; an expert at picking it apart and making something new from the parts.  Only herself and Celestia could stand above the unicorn in those regards, and in all honesty Luna saw Twilight as more of an equal than that of her sister's pupil.  The only distinguishing factor was that they were alicorns, and her a unicorn.

        The warmth that she felt being around her friend was something that she treasured dearly, and held close to her, a comfort in such a changed world.  Ever since they started corresponding with each other, the alicorn looked forward to each letter more than anything else.

        Amazed at how something so complicated could be boiled down to such simple matters, it all became clear to her.  At some point, Twilight had become more than a friend.  It scared her, no doubt of that, yet at the same time it was exhilarating to know.  She was also amazed at how she hadn't seen the signs that had been left for her.  It seemed that the unicorn had been crushing on her for quite some time; it had simply taken copious amounts of cider to finally have her bring it out into the open.

        Her mind made up, Luna took flight into the night, noticing that roughly an hour had passed during her reflections.  She hoped that Twilight had not worked herself into a worry, as she had been so taken aback that she had definitely not left on the best of terms for the sometimes fragile minded unicorn.  The moon framed her silhouette as she flew at a quick pace back to the library, the return trip only taking half the time it had previously.

        Lightly landing upon the balcony she had fled from earlier, she found the doors closed yet unlocked.  Quietly opening them, the sight that greeted her tore at her heart slightly.  Some of the star chart books appeared as if they had been thrown across the room as they sat upon the floor haphazardly.  The telescope had been brought in, and rested in a corner of the room, and the unicorn that Luna now held much dearer to her was collapsed upon the floor, a lone damp pillow supporting her face.  It seemed that at some point Twilight had let unconsciousness take her, and again Luna felt some guilt at the state she was in.

        Luna called upon her magic to straighten up the room, levitating Twilight as gently as possible onto the mattress, and under the covers.  She replaced the tear soaked pillow with a fresh one, and cleaned the room quickly, managing to not wake the mare up during the five minutes it took to ensure everything was in place.

        Even though she wanted to let Twilight know her fears were unfounded, it was far too late to wake the unicorn now, and she was also beginning to feel the fatigue of an emotionally draining day and evening finally taking its toll upon her.  Gently getting onto the bed next to Twilight, on top of the covers, she draped one wing across the blanketed body of the target of her newfound affection before whispering a few choice words.

        "Goodnight, love..."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~




> Chapter 3 - We Don't Do Smooth Here
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Dawn greeted the two mares in the bed with a gentle wash of light that bathed them as they slumbered.  Due to their exhaustion, the realm of dreams refused to surrender its charges to the daylight just yet, and they both remained in place as the sun’s rays moved past the window and left them in peace.  Twilight awoke to the sensation of warmth, wrapped up in something.  She simply laid there, her mind’s gears slowly starting to turn as it went through the daily morning rituals to ease her into the realm of consciousness.

        The warmth comforted Twilight for an unknown reason, for a brief period.  At last the previous night’s activities came to bear at the center of her mind, following from the start of the party, to her ill received confession.  With a gasp, her heart lurched, as she recalled Luna fleeing from her, and then her subsequent meltdown leaving her in the middle of the room on the floor.  Yet, she was wrapped up in something warm, and it was the softness of her mattress that greeted her underside and not the cold wooden floor.

        She moved to extricate herself from whatever had her wrapped up as her sight began to come into focus.  A stray feather tickled her nose, causing her to halt all movement.  Her gaze became clear as the rest of the morning gunk was removed from her eyes, and what greeted her vision set her on edge.  Small rays of sunlight were filtered through midnight blue feathers, which were part of a wing connected to a mare laying next to her.  There was only one individual with those colored feathers that had any remote business being in her home, and Twilight had been certain that, at the very least, their friendship had been shattered.

        Twilight’s brain paused its morning routine, this deviation throwing a figurative wrench in the gears.  The seconds ticked by without any outward reaction from the unicorn, until at last her brain and body caught up and got on the same wavelength.

        “Ahhhhhh!”  Twilight screamed as she attempted to jump out of bed, completely forgetting the covers above her as well as Luna’s wing.  She ended up wrapped up even more within the blankets in the bed while the wing flexed to its full span, then retreated from her vision, quickly replaced with a bleary eyed alicorn.

        “Twilight, are you alright?”  Luna slowly replied, voice filled with concern.  It was painfully obvious that she had just been awoken from her slumber due to the unicorn’s scream.  She used her magic to help untangle the hapless mare from the covers and gently set her down on top of the now stripped bed.

        “But - You -”  Twilight was incapable of coherent speech, her panic from last night immediately surging to the forefront of her mind and leaving her a mess on the bed, eyes frantically searching around the room for a potential exit point.  However, Luna’s position was just perfect within the room that she felt entrapped by the alicorn.

        “Calm down, Twilight, yes it is me.  I came back last night after your, er...  Confession caught me completely off guard.  I simply needed some time to gather my thoughts, I was not expecting such an event to occur.”  Luna mumbled somewhat sheepishly at Twilight, looking in her general direction.

        Twilight saw her lips moving, however she was unable to comprehend what Luna was saying, her brain locked into the fight or flight mode as her adrenal gland pumped copious amounts of adrenaline throughout her system.  Having decided that flight was the better option, as the alicorn standing before her was extremely formidable, her eyes settled to the left of Luna on the staircase, and she tensed the calves in her hind legs, preparing to bolt.

        Luna recognized that Twilight had entered full panic mode and was beyond words at the moment.  At a loss of what to do, she went with the craziest plan in her mind.  As Twilight began to dash off, she intercepted her love, and covered her with both of her wings, as she brought her front hooves around the other mare’s neck, hugging her tightly.  She struggled in Luna’s grasp for a moment, but was unable to break out of the tight confines the larger alicorn had surrounded her in.

        As the temporary rush of adrenaline finally crested and began to peter down, Twilight slowly began to regain control of herself.  Shortly afterwards, she realized that she was being held and hugged by Luna in the middle of her room.  It didn’t take much longer for her to realize what had ended her panic attack, and her cheeks, face, and much of her neck began to turn a bright cherry red as she blushed.  She attempted to break free of the alicorn’s grasp, yet was still unable to do so.

        “Luna, umm, you can let go of me now...”  Twilight stammered out, her heart rate rising once again, but not from the effects of adrenaline this time as it threatened to tear itself loose from her ribcage.  “I’m not dreaming, right?”

        “No, Twilight, you most certainly are not.  I will admit that your actions last night took me completely by surprise, I panicked myself and needed to go collect my thoughts and think a little.  Honestly, I was quite scared.”  Luna admitted to the mare as she relinquished her hold, and took a few steps back, allowing some room to come between them.

        "I wanted to—"

        "I'm so sor—"

        Both mares began to talk at the same time, and cut off mid sentence as they realized that fact.  Silence reigned for a few seconds as they looked towards each other, each one waiting for the other to speak first.

        Luna was the first to say something, motioning with a hoof as she spoke.  "Twilight, go on ahead first."1

        "O-Okay...  I'm sorry Luna, I shouldn't have dropped that on you like I did.  I can understand if you don't want to see me for a bit, it was really nothing more than a passing dream really, I suppose...  I mean, come on!  Like I would ever have a chance anyways!  I-I mean, I'm just a unicorn..."  Twilight trailed off at the end, her voice dipping into a melancholic tone as she lowered her head towards the floor, away from the alicorn's deep rich blue eyes.

        Luna let out a deep laugh after Twilight finished speaking, stepping forward and using her hoof to raise the other mare's head to look her directly in the eyes.  "Twilight, whatever you do, never change please.  You are completely mistaken, I must say; I was simply bested by your confession.  I can handle all of the royal duties Tia has fostered upon me, yet one lovely mare bares her heart to me, and I flee with my tail between my legs."  She let out a smile that warmed the unicorn through her entire being, rekindling her hope that she had believed shattered.

        "I simply needed some time away, Twilight, and I sincerely apologize for leaving you in that state.  Being your friend, I should have known what would happen when I left like I did."  Luna sighed as she found a comfortable spot on the floor to sit down.  "Please, sit with me for a bit while we talk."

        Twilight levitated a few pillows from a corner of the room, and laid them out around the space already occupied by Luna before she rested on the floor herself.  "Yeah, I kind of thought you were angry at me, I didn't realize that I had caught you off guard."

        "Yes, well, you should know it does happen.  I'm sure you've caught my sister off guard at least a few times during your tutelage.  At least you didn't spout nonsense like 'don't banish me to the moon', or something equally nonsensical.  I heard that enough in just my first few months back."  Luna carried a humorous tone near the end as Twilight sheepishly brought up a hoof to scratch at the back of her head.  She had been one of those ponies who had 'spouted such nonsense' at one point.

        "Anyways."  Luna adopted a serious note as she continued,  "Before anything else is said, I have some things to tell you Twilight.  First off, it has been a long time since I last had...  Another.  Somewhere along the lines of one thousand five hundred and fifty years, to be somewhat precise.  I am always hard pressed for time, keeping these monthly visits alone is somewhat taxing.  Not to mention the fact it is a bad idea for a relationship to get out, especially with how the press has evolved since my return.  It is actually quite a pain in the flank all around to be blunt."

        "I...  understand Luna.  Like I said, it was probably nothing more than a passing dream, and was rather silly of me.  It probably wouldn't have even come to mind had I not drank all that cid—"  Twilight began to reply to the alicorn, her mood somewhat downtrodden with forced acceptance of the situation, until she was cut off with a chaste kiss from Luna on her cheek.

        "Oh, Twilight, I swear if something is not written down within a book, you will fail to understand it until it is explained to you.  So, let me clarify this even further for you.  Are.  You.  Prepared to deal with all of these hassles?  I need to know if you are, because if not, we may very well be doomed to fail regardless of how much we love each other.  Does that clarify it for you?"  Luna spoke with heavy overtones and emphasis when she was driving home the fact that she was simply letting Twilight know the issues, not outright rejecting her.

        Twilight paused as she processed what Luna had to say, before stammering out a reply.  "Does that - you mean -"  Luna shook her head as she brought a hoof up to it.

        "Must I spell out everything for you Twilight?"  Luna exclaimed in disbelief.  "Yes, I love you, you insufferably dense mare!"

        Twilight sat motionless, her mouth the only part of her body moving as it slowly slid into a smile that grew into a full blown grin.  About the time it began to surpass the boundaries of cute and pass into the creepy zone, she leapt up to her hooves and began to bounce around the room in joy.  Luna couldn't help but let out a chuckle at Twilight's performance of her 'Yes Dance' now that her words had finally sunk in.  The unicorn finally ceased her antics at the same time the alicorn climbed to her hooves, the two of them ending up face to face.

        "So, what now then Luna?  Do we tell Celestia?  The girls?  Hmm, I might have to break out those books on relationships..."  She queried, not exactly sure where to go from at this point.  While she had been in one prior relationship before, with Rainbow Dash of all ponies, she hadn't really had much chance to study on the topic.  The pegasus' rashness translated into her actions, and most of what ended up occurring was all last minute, not a second of it planned.

        "Well, for now we should take it slow and ease into it.  It would probably be best that we keep it to ourselves too; I want to minimize the chance of putting you under any more pressure, should our new relationship get out."  Luna sounded somewhat thoughtful as she paused to ponder about what else might be done to help keep things simple for both her and Twilight.  "Any dates and such would most definitely have to be private, so either here or at the castle, are our only two options for now, I'm afraid.  That should help keep things quiet for now."

        "I guess that makes sense..."  Twilight grudgingly agreed.  As much as she wanted all of her friends to know that she had finally found someone special, every point Luna had made was true.  And the last thing she wanted was to have that dreadful press barging into her sanctuary.

        "Well, sadly, I must take my leave shortly, so I can make it back to Canterlot and resume my duties.  Tia is expecting me back soon, although I wish we had some more time."  Luna said wistfully, gazing out the window towards the mountain that housed her home.

        "I’m coming to Canterlot next Friday and staying the weekend.  Perhaps we could make some time then?"  Twilight suggested, as she also wanted to spend as much time with her lunar love as possible.

        "That could work, I shall have to ask sister if I can borrow you for an evening then."  Luna paused for a moment, as if she were searching for a thought that was just outside her grasp.  "Oh!  that reminds me of my original intention of coming here last night.  I had asked Celestia some time ago that once she had decided that you were no longer her student if I could have the opportunity to offer up my knowledge to you.  Please, think on it until you arrive next weekend where we can discuss it in further detail."

        Luna closed the gap between them, and wrapped Twilight in her hooves, kissing her lightly as their lips came together again for the second time that morning.  She broke off the hug and lazily made her way to the balcony, the smaller mare accompanying her all the way.

        "Till this weekend, Twilight!  Take care!"  Luna gracefully took to the air and began her journey back home, leaving the unicorn to stand guard at her retreating form, one hoof waving in the air.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Spike strode into the library, searching the area looking for one pony in particular.  He discovered her in the foal's reading section organizing and reshelving, a dozen books moving at any given moment as a whirlwind of activity surrounded her.

        "Hey, Twi."  Spike spoke loudly to ensure he was heard, which all the books coming to a halt midair confirmed.  "Just wanted to let you know that all the preparations are going smoothly over at the school.  Cheerilee really appreciates your help with the planning on adding a library onto the schoolhouse and wanted me to pass along her thanks."

        "Hey, Spike, thanks.  Nothing out of the ordinary popped up while receiving the shipment of the books, right?"  Twilight inquired as she went back to her previous task, although only half as many books were flying around in the air so that she could keep enough focus to hear Spike's reply.

        "Nah, it was amazingly smooth, although one filly did—  Oh, letter incoming Twi."  Spike paused his methodical explanation as the feelings of an incoming package ticked the back of his senses.  He tensed up and faced away from Twilight and let out a massive burp accompanied with a small rush of green flames.

        Twilight plucked the scroll that had arrived from midair with her magic as she simultaneously set down all the books she had been sorting.  Noting that it was Celestia’s seal, she opened it only to find one letter contained within another.  The second one was also sealed, which she left alone as she finished unfurling the first message and read it aloud.

        Twilight,

        Sorry to ask this of you, but could you possibly ensure this second scroll makes it to your friend Rarity's boutique?  I find myself in need of a fashion designer, and she is the only one that came to mind that would not create a plethora of headaches for me.

        P.S.  Hope all is well, Luna just got back.  We are both looking forward to your arrival this Friday.  You'll find arrangements already made on the train per usual.

        Your Friend,
                Celestia

        "Hey, Spike, mind finishing up reshelving this section for me?  I need to run over to Rarity's real quick."  Twilight politely requested of her assistant as she turned towards the door, where her saddlebags rested upon the wooden floor.  With naught but a thought, the scroll found its way safely tucked inside a pouch as they came to rest upon her back, and out the library she went into the bright afternoon day.

        The weather outside was perfect for a walk to Rarity's, and many ponies were out taking advantage of the warm summer evening.  Twilight noticed many families and couples walking around town simply because they could, and despite how much she wished to do so herself, she made a direct aim for Carousel Boutique.

        After a pleasant stroll, Twilight found herself outside Rarity's home, a sign on the front door signifying that she was closed to business.  Raising a single hoof she knocked soundly upon the door and waited for a reply.

        "Just one minute!  If it is business related I'm closed for the day, and -"  Rarity opened the door and stopped mid-sentence, noticing her friend standing at the threshold of her home.  "Do come in darling, what brings you by?"  The fashionista moved out of the way so that her friend could enter her house.

        Twilight entered with a noticeable pep in her step as she began to reply to Rarity's query in a very cheerful manner.  "I've actually got a letter from the Princess for you.  Celestia that is."  She removed the object of her speech from her bags, and passed it to the other unicorn.  "Don't know what it says, she simply asked me to bring it over to you when I had the chance.  Luckily Spike had just returned, so I set him to finish something I had started so I could get over here right away."  Twilight wound down as she found a cushion in the sitting room and did just that, Rarity joining her seconds later.

        "Oh my!  This is...  Amazing, Twilight!  Thank you so much for bringing this over darling, you just made my day, no, my week!  I'm going to have to make so many preparations before I leave, but they can wait for now."  Rarity settled down and levitated the scroll into the center of Twilight's vision.

        Ms Rarity,

        The time is approaching for another Gala, and I find myself in need of a dress yet again.  I constantly recall the work that you did in the previous years, as well as notice more and more mares walking around Canterlot in your line of clothes and decided that it was time I join in.  The fact that you will not attempt to gain political favor or play games out of my patronage is also another plus, I must admit.

        If you accept my offer, then please take the train this coming Friday with Twilight to Canterlot.  I will have a room in the guest suites of the castle prepared for you as well as a helping hoof or two on hand to fetch whatever fabrics and materials you may need for the dress.

        P.S.  I am attempting to talk my sister into such an arrangement as well, I shall let you know if she agrees.

        Sincerely, 
                Princess Celestia

        "Woah."  Twilight was stunned for a few moments after reading Rarity's letter.  Her fashionista friend had been making ripples in the fashion world for the last few years, but this was the apex of her career, her life's goal last she had heard.  And it was finally coming to pass.  "This is big Rarity, congratulations!  The train leaves Friday at one thirty, I assume I'll be seeing you there."  Twilight giggled slightly at the end, knowing that her friend would first wander into the Everfree Forest on a new moon in the middle of the night by herself before saying no to such an opportunity.

        "Be most assured, I shall be at the train station well in time to accompany you to Canterlot!  Oh, I must start thinking on what to do and finish filling those sketchbooks-"  Rarity cut off before turning to face Twilight, a gleam entering her eyes.  "You know, darling.  I think I may have to make something for you as thanks for being the bearer of such wondrous news.  Not to mention I think a certain pony would just love to see you all dressed up upon your arrival!  Come!  To the inspiration room, Twilight!"

        "Okay, Rarity.  I think there’s some time to spare..."  As Twilight grudgingly followed her friend into the room, she could have sworn that Rarity's tone held some hidden meaning, blushing at the implications of the words spoken.  As time had gone by, the fashionista had gotten really good at discerning little details about the ponies around her.  It became even more obvious to her the longer she spent around the pony in question, which is why Twilight was dreading this session.

        "Now darling, if you would be so kind as to step up onto the platform.  You know the drill.  Now where is that tape..."  Rarity began manipulating objects of all sorts around the room, in a seemingly chaotic fashion, yet to a trained eye it became clear just how much control she possessed.  "Ah ha, here it is!  Now, let's see, what to make..."  She looked up at Twilight with a wide smirk stretched across her face as the measuring tape took the dimensions of each leg up to the barrel of the bookish unicorn, before it moved on to other spots on her body.

        "Oh, I know!  How about some socks, say, in a deep shade of blue?  Now let's see what would be the best one to use, shall we?"  Twilight began to blush as Rarity initiated her tormenting of the unicorn now that she had her captive within her room.  "Ah, how about a deep shade of cobalt?  That looks lovely, doesn't it dear?"

        "Rarity."

        "Or we could use a lighter shade of navy blue.  Somewhat overused, but it does have its own redeeming qualities."  Rarity pointedly ignored Twilight as she snatched fabric samples from the various shelves and cubbies situated around the room, rotating them around every half minute or so.  "Could also do a sheer black, I'm sure that someone would appreciate that!"

        "Rarity!"  The word came out somewhat forced, Twilight almost growling as she punctuated each syllable within her friend's name.

        "Hmm, actually I think this one—" Rarity had another fabric sample next to one of Twilight's hooves as she was cut off mid sentence, drowned out by the yell the other unicorn let out directed at her.

        "RARITY!"  Silence held the air captive for a few seconds before Twilight continued.  "That is uncalled for, you know that?"  She turned towards Rarity, the cherry color evident all throughout her facial features.  "For you to assume such a thing, I-I..."  She trailed off, unsure of what to say.

        "Oh, do relax darling.  It is something that you need to learn how to do."  Rarity said in a slight huff, the objects contained with her magic moving once more as the multitude of fabric squares found themselves returned to their places as she started back up.  "I was simply teasing you.  It isn't everyday that you find out one of your closest friends has a crush on such an iconic and important individual, after all.  Why, I wouldn't be a proper friend at all if I did not give you some hassle over such a thing."

        Silence lingered in the air as Twilight's blush continued to further manifest itself in her face, the unicorn unable to think of a proper response off the top of her head.  The only noise interrupting her thoughts were that of various objects flying around as Rarity's work moved on.  She slowly became lost in thought.

        She looked around and noticed that she was in her room, the time nearing dusk.  The bed was off to the side, and a table had been set up in her room with a few cushions making a comfortable seating arrangement for two.  The only light beyond the fading sun was provided from a dozen candles that strategically littered the room to provide the maximum amount of illumination possible.

        She felt something soft against her hooves and legs, and was shocked to see what it was.  On each leg rode a sock made of a sheer, deep aquamarine fabric, the most risque thing Twilight had ever witnessed.  She was broken from her focus as a voice rang out like the finest crystal, calling to her.

        "Good evening love, we hope that it finds you well."  Luna strode in from the balcony framed by the setting sun, closing the doors behind her as well as all the curtains at the same time, leaving just the candles as witness to the two mares.  She walked to Twilight, and looked her over appraisingly, before nuzzling her intimately on the left side of her face.  "It is most good to see you again."

        Twilight found the words spilling from her mouth almost immediately.  "It is most good to see you again my moon, I hope you like what you see.  Dinner tonight is ready when you are, and dessert is to follow shortly after."  Her voice came out somewhat seductively as she pranced over to one of the seatings at the table.

        Their dinner passed quickly, either pony savoring the various foodstuffs and fine wine that had been procured just for this evening.  Laughter rang out from time to time, as well as an occasional muzzling after a particularly good topic.  The sun gave way to the moon, what little light there was being mostly filtered out by the dark shaded, thick curtains.  Flames danced, adding to the atmosphere, until finally the table was adeptly moved to the side of the room, the wine glasses the only objects now between the two mares.

        "Dearest Moon, your dessert is ready..."  She exclaimed seductively, coily turning around in such a manner to show her profile off in a manner that would make any male drop dead due to loss of blood to the brain.  She winked at Luna and raised one hoof, making a 'come hither' motion with it.  Luna strode to her mare, and nuzzled her neck, nipping lightly as—

        "Twilight Sparkle!"  Rarity's shrill scream broke Twilight from her reverie, bringing her mind back to the boutique.  "Uh, Twilight darling...  You're winking at me."

        "Huh?"  Twilight was slow on the uptake, her brain still somewhat between the conscious realm and the daydream she had just experienced.  "I'm not winking at you Rarity, I wasn't even looking at you."

        The fashionista blushed somewhat, her words hesitant and lacking confidence.  "Darling, uh, I didn't mean that end.  You are winking at me..."

        It took a few seconds for Twilight to process what Rarity meant before she turned crimson all over, quickly casting a spell on herself.  "Hehe...  Sorry, Rarity, guess I got caught up in my daydream..."  Embarrassment was dripping from her voice that came out in a most sheepish tone.

        "Twilight...  Did anything happen last night?  I don't recall a lot near the end because I drank entirely way too much last night, but something had to of happened, right?  I'm fairly certain this is the first time you've ever gotten caught up in your...  Thoughts.  Yes, thoughts like that."  Rarity was rather flustered, her calm mask of composure punctured by a slight blush at her friend's state.

        "Umm, well, Pinkie Promise to keep a secret Rarity?"  Rarity quickly went through the appropriate motions, sans sticking a hoof in her eye, before Twilight continued.  "Well, after you all departed last evening, Luna and I continued drinking for a bit before we moved outside to stargaze.  We talked for a bit, and then she wanted to ask me a question...  I might have..."  Twilight trailed off at the end and ended up mumbling the rest unintelligibly.

        "Come again darling?  I didn't understand the last bit of that, you kind of trailed off."  Rarity calmly asked Twilight, trying to not lay down too much pressure yet eager to hear the news at the same time.

        "I jumped up, kissed her, and confessed my love for her when she simply wanted to ask me to be her student!"  Twilight blurted out at a fast rate, Rarity struggling to keep up with her words.

        "Oh, dear...  That sounds bad.  How did it turn out?"

        "Well, at first she kind of froze up, then turned and flew away.  I lost it, and went to sleep on the floor that night, then woke up in my bed tucked in the next morning with her next to me.  We're kinda seeing each other now?  However, you cannot tell anypony.  Period.  We're keeping it under wraps so it doesn't complicate either of our lives anymore than they already are!"  Twilight looked at Rarity pleadingly, a slight amount of desperation bleeding through as she gave the plea to her friend.

        "Darling, you should know better, I Pinkie Promised, and a lady never goes back on their word!  Your secret is safe with me."  Rarity paused, a glint coming into her eyes.

        "So...  Want those socks?"


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~




> Intermission 1 - Rarity's Big Break
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Twilight had just taken her leave from Carousel Boutique, and Rarity had oh-so-many ideas running through her mind.  She had just a handful of days to come up with concepts for Princess Celestia of all ponies!  Pulling out a binder with a sun and moon adjoined side by side from a seemingly random location, she began to flip through the pages.  

        Images years old first greeted her eyes, the beginning ones crudely sketched with an unsteady quill.  As the pages progressed however the concepts became more refined, some color added, the lines drawn with confidence.  Each concept was marked with either an L or C as well as the date of the drawing.  They all represented her one goal that she had decided upon when first entering the fashion world, and now it was all finally coming to be.

        "Tsk, none of these shall do!  This one is already outdated, that was seen at last year's Gala.  Hmmm...  Let's see here...  Oh, IDEA!"  Rarity was flipping through the most recent pages, unhappy with what she saw before her eyes.  Settling on a blank page about the time she was struck with inspiration, she picked up a quill and began going at the empty space furiously.  Thin quill strokes in bold fashion slowly began to form the basic outline of an alicorn.

        She went after the drawing in a mad manner, multiple inkwells of varying colors creating a parade about her as she pulled a drop from here and a drop from there. In time, an image that was once an idea in thought only began to translate itself onto the page.  She failed to notice the knock at the door, as well as when the country earth pony made herself known by sticking her head around the corner of the door and peering in upon her working.

        Applejack looked on in amazement at Rarity's display of magic.  Although she typically didn't care too much for the stuff, as her philosophy was a pure 'hooves on' approach, she had to admit that when the unicorn got into her work, it was a sight to behold.  She quietly watched her marefriend furiously scribble in a book of some kind as the multitude of objects in the air began to slowly dwindle in numbers.  The last object to leave was a single quill, which with a flourish added something to the page before making itself scarce.

        "Voila!  It is done, and oh my!"  Rarity exclaimed, punctuating her statement with an over the top bow to no one in particular.  She was broken from the moment as laughter punctuated by clapping resounded throughout the room.  Looking up, the startled unicorn saw Applejack standing in the doorway.

        "Oh, darling, you scared me!  How long have you been standing there?"  Rarity inquired as she fixed her gaze upon the earth pony, curiosity and a hint of embarrassment making itself known in her cheeks.

        "Long enough I suppose.  You were goin' at it like a mad mare Rare.  Must've been somethin' special you were makin’."  Applejack answered without a hint of shame, relishing in the unicorn's blush.

        "Well, it truly is the most wondrous thing darling!  Twilight stopped by earlier, and brought a letter with her, from Princess Celestia of all ponies!"

        "Oh, really now?  Well, spill the beans girl, don't make me try 'n guess!"

        "I'll be leaving for Canterlot Friday and accompanying Twilight to the city, where I'll be staying in the palace!  I'm to make our princess a dress, and maybe even Princess Luna one as well!  And it is for the Gala no less!"  Rarity was as close to bouncing as the prissy mare would ever come, joy running rampant in her tone.

        Levitating the book towards the country mare, Rarity pointed out her completed design.  "Can you imagine it?  Princess Celestia wearing my work of art, and every eye at the Gala pausing to fix their gaze upon my creation.  Everypony is going to want the same!"

        "Uh, Rare, you know I don't have the first clue 'bout your fashion stuff.  But, I'm sure whatever you come up with she'll like.  I doubt she'd of asked you otherwise."  As the words left her mouth she began to haltingly step backwards as the unicorn fixed her with the most leveled gaze imaginable. There was not a single hint of emotion to be found within the irises of her aquamarine eyes as she set them upon Applejack..

        "Darling!  You are indeed correct, however, one must make as many preparations for such an event as possible!  I would hate to embarrass myself in front of our esteemed princess by not having my top quality concepts ready for her!"  She surprised the earth pony by embracing her in a hug with both of her front hooves and planting a small kiss on Applejack's cheek.

        "Although I am most curious as to what it would take to get you to learn about fashion dear.  You would look absolutely ravishing were you to dedicate just one day to learning about my world.  I dare say you could give Fluttershy a run for her bits were you to let down your hair and allow yourself some proper pampering for once."  Rarity took the smallest step back as she appraisingly looked over Applejack as she circled her love.  "No doubt about it at all."

        "Now Rare, we've had this talk before you stubborn mare!  I'll give you one of my days when you come and give me one of yours at the farm first!  Then, and only then, will I let you 'pamper me up'."  Applejack chuckled in preparation for the standard response that followed her request, only to pause as she didn't hear any words coming from the unicorn.

        "Hmmm...  You know dear, the more you bring that up, the more I think it might be worth just one day of soiling my hooves at your farm.  It would be most dreadful and I would require such a long shower after, yet I think it might just be worth it."  'I'd do almost anything at this point to get her under my hooves for a whole day' Rarity thought to herself, deeply contemplating what sacrifices she would make to her dignity to capture her love in her own game.

        "I know you don't wan—  Wait, what?"  Applejack began, having expected the stereotypical reaction from the fashionista, yet stopped mid sentence as her brain processed exactly what had been said.  A look of utter shock came over her face as she was left momentarily speechless before she found her words again, amazement plastered over her face as she continued.  "You would do that, for me Rare?  I'm speechless, love."

        "Ya know..."  She started back up after gathering her thoughts.  "I'm done at the farm for today, got the rest of the evening free.  What say we...  Celebrate some?  We can figure out the details of your day at the farm later sugar, right now I just want to give you my congratulations..."  She trailed off seductively, blocking the doorway back into the main foyer of the boutique, leaving the bedroom door as the only possible avenue of 'escape' as she eyed Rarity up and down.

        "Darling!  That actually sounds to be a to be a most...  Wonderful plan.  Give me a moment to— eep!"  The fashionista replied, interrupted mid thought as the stronger mare pushed against her, forcing her backwards into the bedroom ever so slowly.  Lust began to ever so slowly cloud both the mares eyes, as, with a single kick, Applejack shut the bedroom door, the sound echoing throughout the building.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~



Optional NSFW Scene



> Chapter 4 - Dream On
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Dearest Twilight,

        I have talked with sister about when I could possibly borrow you during your visit, and I shall see you at eight thirty, Saturday evening, at my tower.  I promise to briefly discuss more on what being my student shall entail, and afterwards we may spend the night doing whatever you wish.  Please bring your star charts with you, I am most interested in getting copies of them while you are here.

        P.S.  You may tell Rarity that I would also love a dress made by her for the Gala, especially if it means getting Tia off my back!

        Love,
                Luna

        Twilight took another look at the letter before setting it in at the top of her second pack that would be accompanying her during her trip to Canterlot.  She was due to meet up with Rarity at the boutique soon, then they would both head off to the train station.

        “Spike!”  Twilight called out, and the head of a dragon made itself known in the doorway shortly.

        “Twi, what’s up?  About to leave for your trip?”  Spike asked, having paused whatever task he was in the middle of to answer her call.

        “Yeah, I’ve got everything packed and ready to go.  I’m going to head over to Rarity’s a bit early. Sweetie should be coming by soon to help out with the library’s duties while I’m gone."  Twilight mentioned as she plucked her bags from the hardwood floor and levitated one on either side of her.

        The warming midday summer rays of the sun beamed down upon her form as Twilight left the confines of the library and began her walk to the Carousel Boutique.  Although she was running a bit early, she had a feeling that Rarity would be more than ready to go.  The last few days she’s talked my ear off about how this was going to “make her career shine” and how this was “her life’s dream”.  She felt happy for her, but it did get a little annoying, hearing it every few minutes.

        "Twilight!"  A voice called from above, as a burst of cyan soon filled the majority of her vision.  "You headed off to Canterlot already?"  Rainbow inquired of her friend, hovering just above the ground to her left side.

        "Yes Dash, I'm heading over to Rarity's first, then we're going to the station.  What's up?"  She glanced at the prismatic pegasus and inwardly groaned.  She must want something...

        "Well, I was wondering, if you had the time, there is going to be a Daring Do signing at the bookstore on Main Street Sunday morning.  If you could somehow spare the time and get me a signed edition of the newest novel, I'd so owe you!"  She mixed her request with a sheepish grin as she brought a lone hoof up to scratch at her mane.

        "I'd say you still owe me for all those times that you've flown through my windows, Dash.  However..."  She purposefully let the pause linger in the air unresolved.  "I suppose if I manage to find myself in the area I could see about stopping by for you."  The Carousel Boutique dominated her vision now as she shot one last look at the pegasus.  "Well, I'll be back Monday, Dash.  Try not to destroy the library while I'm gone, please?"

        "Psh, you know me Twi!  'Sides, not like I have a reason to be crashing into it anymore, right?  Take care in Canterlot, tell Luna I said hi."  She shot off in a prismatic streak, leaving behind a gust of wind that nearly rocked the unicorn off her hooves.  She straightened herself out with a quick thought and a flare of magic before walking up to the threshold of the Boutique.  Raising a single forehoof she knocked loudly on the door.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        The two unicorns walked up to the entrance of the Ponyville Train Station, where a four hour ride would take them into the heart of Canterlot.  Walking up to the ticket counter, they were greeted by an elderly slate grey earth pony.

        "Ah, hello Miss Sparkle, it’s nice to see you again.  And you as well Miss Rarity.  You've been set up with your usual cabin ladies, I hope you have a pleasant ride today."  He cordially greeted them as he handed them each their ticket for the train ride.

        "Thank you as always, I hope your wife is doing better."  Twilight grasped the tickets with a flare from her horn and settled them within her saddlebags.

        "She's feeling much better Miss Sparkle, this summer weather works wonders after a chilly winter for her health.  You take care now!"

        They two unicorns walked on and soon found themselves on the platform, the train already in position awaiting its occupants.  Handing their tickets to an attendant, they moved inside.  The car that had been allocated to them was permanently reserved for the Elements of Harmony, and Twilight quickly tucked away her luggage before dropping down into her bunk.  Rarity, meanwhile, simply set her saddlebags down at a table and pulled out her book and some quills and began scribbling before the train even left the station.

        Twilight took a furtive glance at the other occupant of the room.  She's probably busy working on yet more designs for the Princesses.  Best to let her be, for my ears’ sake.  Letting out a yawn, the previous late night caught up with her now that she was lying down.  Letting heavy eyelids close under their own weight, she let her thoughts drift to dreams.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Luna walked down a corridor alongside her sister, have adjourned court early today in preparation for Twilight's arrival later in the evening.  Luna sighed, letting the stress sweat out of her as she vented to Celestia.

        "Can you believe that one noble Tia?  Having the gall to ask you for bits so that he could fund the construction of an invitation only strip club?  Even though I've been back for some time, I still cannot believe what some of these fools ask of you!"  

        Celestia heartily laughed, reveling in the time she managed to spend with just Luna.  Her sister had been in such a jovial mood that it was bleeding over.  "Oh, while being out there, it wasn't the worst.  I think the one that takes the cake during your absence was about three hundred years ago or so.  A stallion came to court and requested that I fulfill his life's wish.  After much inquiry, I finally got exactly what it was out of him..."

        Luna awaited her sister's continuation as they made their entrance into the dining hall.  "Sister, pray tell, what did this stallion want of your time?"  

        "He requested to worship my..."  She trailed off once more, a blush becoming evident on her cheeks.  "Thunderous Thighs.  As he so 'delicately' put it.  I hadn't used the Royal Canterlot Voice in around two hundred years, but I used it then.  Blasted the poor stallion back near fifty feet, it didn't harm him, at least.  However, that was the last time I ever saw him come by Court!"  She snorted hard, taking her seat at the table.  "That was the last time anyone really made mention of my love for sweets though, at least during that generation."

        Luna joined her sister in laughter as they piled food onto plates with their magic.  Relative silence descended over the table as they were occupied with their meal.  As Luna finished eating, she felt a sensation in the back of her mind, a silent alarm that she had set being tripped.

        "Sister, I must take my leave for now."  Luna began as she climbed to her hooves.  "I must meet our friend in her dreams and let her know exactly what my offer entails, better to get the first bit out of the way."  She quickly hugged Celestia, who returned the gesture in kind.

        "Very well, I will see you when we receive her and Rarity.  'Till then, Luna, take care."  Celestia strode out of the hall to take care of her own plans.

        Luna soon found herself within her room, heavy curtains drawn across the balcony to block out all incoming sunlight as she closed the doors and instructed the guards not to interrupt her.  Closing her eyes, she reached out with both mind and magic, seeking out along the rail lines for one mind in particular that was dreaming at this exact moment.

        Luna hummed gleefully to herself as she found her target and extended her magic to encompass the slumbering unicorn as the railcar she rested in sped towards Canterlot.  She felt a slight pressure as she pushed her way into the dream.

        She found herself in an open field, flowers abloom swaying in a warm midday summer breeze.  Twilight was nestled underneath an old oak tree, a spread cloth underneath her.  Sitting next to her was an image of herself, and surrounding them were numerous foods and dishes spread out in the style of a picnic.

        "I do hope that I am not interrupting anything, dear Twilight."  Luna said warmly, as the unicorn was pulling back from a kiss with her image, which began to fade as the lunar mare began to intrude upon her dream.  "It would seem that even in dreams, I need not worry about any other mare stealing your affection besides me."  She giggled lightly at her own joke, looking at Twilight's stunned look.

        The unicorn soon recovered from her daze however, and stood up, the landscape slightly altering as the tree faded away, leaving them standing upon a hilltop together.  "Luna?  What are you doing here?  I'd read that you could influence dreams at one point, but to actually enter them?"  The unicorn sounded confused yet full of admiration at the same time as she gazed upon her with those soulful purple eyes.

        She looks so cute when she gets confused...  "Yes Twilight, I am in your dream right now, it would be best to address something now, while we have the time so it does not intrude upon our date tomorrow evening.  How have you been?"  She willed herself to be in front of her love as she spoke, and punctuated the end of her question with a chaste kiss upon the mare's cheek.

        "I have been well, really just looking forward to this weekend.  It has seemed like such a long time, even though I spent most of it occupied with my various experiments.  That or listening to Rarity go on about finally making dresses for royalty.  She keeps thinking that she'll wake up and it will just all be a dream."  Twilight rolled her eyes at this last part, and leaned up to briefly return a kiss to her love’s cheek in turn.

        "That is most good to hear, I too have been waiting for this weekend.  Letters can only do so much, and sadly I cannot be entering dreams at any time just because I want to, otherwise I would've spent more time in your head."  She giggled again, a large grin finding its way to her face.  "So, even though we find ourselves together, I would still like to extend my invitation to teach you now that you are no longer Tia's student."

        "Twilight.  Have you read about Dream Magic?"  Luna asked with a serious tone, trying to find her long lost 'teacher mode'.

        Twilight thought for a moment, bringing one hoof up to rest underneath her chin.  "Not much I'm afraid; I don't really recall ever reading anything on the subject."  She paused, still in recollection.  "Wait...  Is that what you are doing right now?  Dream Magic?  I thought that it was something unique to you specifically!  The implications alone..."  Twilight started going on a tangent, but Luna broke her from it.

        "Yes, indeed love, it is not unique to me.  However, it is mostly a lost art, as the last pony  that I know of who studied it was a stallion by the name of Summer Breeze, some one hundred and twelve years after my banishment.  The last texts containing the specifics of the magic were lost in a fire, and Tia never took the time to learn it."  Luna remorsefully lowered her head and pain was etched in her features, but she quickly smiled again as she refocused upon Twilight.

        "However, and Celestia agrees with me, it is time that another should come to learn it.  It was most obvious as to the who, it is simply a matter of if you accept or not.  I must warn you though, it does rely on sources beyond just your internal magic. Additionally, the onus is carries is not to be taken lightly, as it is a most powerful realm of magic.  

        Luna stood up to her full height, and took a step back, putting some space between herself and Twilight as the dream environment shifted.  They now stood in an exact replica of the throne room.  Luna started speaking in a formal tone, all hint of emotions removed from her voice.  

        "With all that said, I, Princess Luna, Ruler of the Night Sky, hereby extend the offer to formally take you, Lady Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic, under my hoof and wing as an apprentice of Dream Magic.  Do you choose to accept this offer?"

        Twilight hadn't felt so small in such a long time as she stood there face to face with Luna, no, Princess Luna, as the offer was put forth before her.  Although somewhat intimidated, she could never let a chance at learning something new pass her by.  Taking a moment to collect her nerves, she gave the alicorn her reply.

        "I, Twilight Sparkle, Wielder of the Element of Magic, hereby accept your offer to train under you in the study of Dream Magic, Princess Luna."  Twilight held her breath as the last words echoed in the dreamscape.  Luna broke out into a large grin as she rushed forward and embraced the smaller mare within her forehooves in a gut crushing hug.

        "I am most happy that you chose to learn this, love.  There really was no other when it came to considering potential pupils.  And I do apologize for the formality, I should've warned you in advance.  I might need to make some changes to that in the future..."  Luna rambled on, still holding the hug that Twilight had long since reciprocated.

        Luna broke from her hug and glanced away at something unknown.  "Well, you should be arriving in Canterlot any minute now Twilight.  I shall see you soon!"  She kissed the unicorn once more before fading out of the dream.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Twilight awoke from her reverie, the phantom feeling of Luna's kiss lingering upon her cheek as she giggled to herself.  Rarity took notice of her new-found consciousness, and set down her implements.  "Perfect timing, Twilight!  We should be in the station in about ten minutes.  I was just finishing up this design, then was going to wake you, but..."

        Twilight removed herself from the confines of her bunk and walked over to the table.  "Thanks Rarity, it’s the thought that counts.  Were you drawing designs the whole ride?"  She took a seat next to the fashionista and looked at her work.

        "Well, of course!  It is most important that I have something ready to go; this will make my career!  I'll have the chance to truly influence the fashion world and leave my hoofmark behind!"

        The two friends spent the remainder of the ride discussing the designs that had been drawn up.  Before long, the vibrations of breaks being engaged were felt through the seats they were on, signaling their trip coming to an end.  As the train came to rest in the station, Rarity double checked to ensure she had not left so much as a quill behind as they departed for the castle.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~



> Chapter 5 - Might and Grace
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Canterlot Castle dominated their view as they walked up the steps leading into the castle proper.  In front of the doorway, two guards, one on either side, spared a sideways glance at the new arrivals, the waning sunlight reflecting off their highly polished gilded armor.  Passing through the open archway, the two mares found themselves in the structure’s massive foyer.  It was accentuated with high, arching ceilings that perfectly caught and reflected sunlight to illuminate the entire hall.  Silken banners lined the sides of the room, each one a perfect harmonious blend of white and dark blue.  In the center of each banner lay a crescent moon resting inside a radiant sun.

        Twilight and Rarity entered the throne room, another expansive space within the sprawling castle.  Greeting their sight were two ponies, the waning light being filtered through the stained glass mosaics, casting colorful rays over them.  Celestia broadly smiled when she saw the two unicorns enter the room.  She and Luna began to walk over to meet them halfway.

        “Twilight, it is most good to see you again, my friend.  And you as well, Rarity.  Welcome back to Canterlot.”  She met the smaller unicorn halfway, gently nuzzling her left cheek in greeting.  How she has grown in such little time...

        Twilight leaned into the caress of her longtime mentor, pulling back only to give her reply.  “Thank you, Princess. It is always nice to come and visit.”  Her attention shifted to the darker mare as she managed to wrap both hooves around her lover’s neck.  She felt the alicorn return her embrace, although only briefly, so as to keep up their charade.  “It’s nice to see you again, Luna.  Have you been well since your last visit?”

        “Indeed I have been, Twilight.”  A warm smile graced Luna’s features, her white teeth a stark contrast against her dark coat.  “Rarity, it is also good to see you once again.  It was most entertaining, watching you during my visit so inebriated.”  The fashionista’s pale coat flushed with crimson in embarrassment.  “I must thank you for making part of the evening so memorable, so I have also decided to have a dress made for the Gala too.”

        Rarity’s embarrassment quickly faded as the news flooded her ears, flipping a hidden switch somewhere within the mare as she jumped into her ‘high society mode’.  Turning her attention towards both alicorns, she bowed slightly as she greeted them.  “I very much appreciate the chance to craft a masterpiece for you, Princess Luna.  I thank you for the invitation as well, Princess Celestia.  This truly is a most generous opportunity you have given me.”

        “It is no problem at all Rarity, out of all the ponies I am familiar with in the fashion world, it seems you are currently the one to go to.  Not to mention that you will do it simply because you enjoy it.”  The solar alicorn pointed towards a side door leading out of the throne room.  “Now, after the ride the two of you had, I am most certain that some appetite can be found.  Would you both care to join my sister and I for dinner?”

        All four ponies left the expansive throne room and walked through the halls, guards saluting at their posts as they passed by.  Deeper they went into the massive structure, until a solid oaken door opened to reveal a simple dining room.  Inside, a table was set for dinner, although two occupants were already awaiting them.

        "Shiny!"  Twilight exclaimed as she bounced over to her brother and tackled him to the ground.  Although his time as the steward of the former Crystal Empire hadn't taken his edge, his sister had gotten stronger.  A giggling sound was heard as she struggled to get all four hooves around Shining in a massive crushing hug.

        As he lay there on the floor gasping for breath, his wife spoke, breaking the laughter floating on the air.  "Hi, Twilight!  It’s nice to see you again, it really has been too long."  The unicorn climbed off her brother who laid there twitching slightly as he began taking in air once again.

        "Hi, Cadance!"  She embraced her sister-in-law before remembering the three ponies she had entered the room with.  Rarity was simply standing there, scandalized.  The sisters, however, were laughing quite heartily at her reaction to seeing family.  Crimson flooded her cheeks as she shuffled backwards. 

        "Well, now that you've nearly strangled your brother, shall we take our seats?"  Celestia spoke, her words broken by occasional laughter as it subsided.  Passing by Shining, she offered him a hoof as they all moved to find a spot.  Bowls of salad and pitchers of water already adorned the table, having awaited their arrival.

        "So, how are things going in the Crystal Territories?  Not being too overworked I hope."  Twilight enquired as she levitated some salad onto her plate, the other ponies also beginning to take their share of food as rolls, greens, and dressing all marched in the air towards their doom.  Her eyes lingered upon Luna while no one was watching, a ghost of a smile etched upon her face.  I can't wait until tomorrow night...  I just hope we don't have to keep this secret for too long.

        "It’s actually been very easy, ever since the populace decided that they wanted to be part of Equestria. Although we’ve been tied up for the last two years, now we're really just left with holding court in lieu of the princesses.  Things have actually slowed down enough that we should be able to regularly visit Canterlot more often.  It will sure beat staying there for months on end without a break!”  Shining beat Cadance to the punch, the words pouring out of his mouth, food momentarily forgotten on a plate.

Cadance chimed in after her husband finished speaking.  “You didn’t tell them the best part though!  We're thinking of having a foal in the future."  

“What?!”  Twilight nearly jumped out of her seat, scrambling to process the information.  Foal.  Shining and Cadance.  Me an...  aunt?  She calmed slightly as the others applauded the couple’s decision.  “That could be really great Shiny...”  She trailed off as thoughts of the preparation required for being an aunt filled her head.

Temporary silence swallowed the occupants of the room as their appetites routed the numerous salads and rolls laid out before them.  Glasses were refilled as new food and pitchers of water were brought in to replace the ravished dishes.

        Rarity broke from her meal and set her sights upon Cadance, a glimmer of curiosity lighting her pupils.  "Princess Cadance, what sort of fashion is prevalent in the Crystal Territories, if you don't mind my enquiry?"

        "Well, if you recall your last visit there, the weather is rather chilly for most of the year, that has influenced fashion recently.  The focus has been on the thicker materials that have been dyed with bright colors.  Full body dresses with some heavier accoutrements near the mane have been the result."

        Rarity closed her eyes and visualized what was being described to her.  Oh!  I could use that with this year's Winter Line.  This could be used for the hem of that dress...  Focus Rarity!  She forced herself out of her thoughts and back to the dinner, glad to have the ideas flowing in her mind.  "Thank you, it has given me a few ideas of my own that I shall have to try."

        "Can I have everyponies’ attention please?"  Celestia spoke up as she passed out six goblets of wine that had appeared at some point during the dinner, setting each one down in front of a pony.  "I want to take a moment and give a toast.  She came to me a young filly, full of potential, and so I took her under my wing.  Twilight, ever since you moved to Ponyville, you have continued to do as I ask with your friendship reports.  As time has passed, you learned a great deal about the magic of friendship.  Just recently, you and your friends had to face the hardship of death, yet you managed to find a silver lining despite the tragedy.  While nopony can claim to know everything about the magic of friendship, you have reached a point where I no longer call you student.  This is to you, Twilight, my friend.  May the bounds of friendship bring us even closer together!"

        "Hear hear!"  They responded as one, accompanied by the gentle clinking of glasses as they were brought together in toast.  Wine was sipped by all present in honor of the target of Celestia's impromptu speech.  Twilight lowered her goblet to the tabletop as blood rushed to her cheeks and tears gently began to pour from the corner of her eyes.  I thought I knew what she meant with her letter, but this...  this is so much more!

        "T-Thank you very much, Celestia..."  Twilight brought a napkin to her face in a futile attempt to stem the joyful flood of water.  "I always believed that, well, I would always be your student.  I never gave thought to the potential of becoming something...  more.  It's funny really, growing up I almost saw you as a second mother.  But now, I hope to have a long time to get to know you, as a friend."  Damn eyes, cooperate with me!

        Twilight felt a lone hoof rest upon her shoulder in reassurance, tracing the dark furred leg to its owner, Luna.  "I would agree with my sister, you have shown many ponies, myself included, just how powerful friendship is.  I have always felt most blessed to call you my first friend after my return."  The alicorn had a large grin resting on her face, sending the poor mare further into the throes of crying.

        Small conversation consumed the rest of the dinner, the wellsprings in Twilight's eyes eventually drying themselves out.  Empty plates adorned the table top, glasses once containing water drained of their contents and long forgotten.  With a sigh of content, the solar alicorn came to her hooves, the other occupants following suit.

        "Shining, Cadance, thank you for joining us this evening.  I was glad that the two of you could return on such short notice.  We shall see you in the morning for breakfast I presume?"  She paused just long enough to receive an affirmative nod from them before continuing on.  "Miss Rarity, there is a guard outside waiting for you, he shall show you to your room.  In the morning after breakfast you'll meet the two ponies tasked to aid you during your stay."

        "Thank you very much, Princess Celestia.  Have a pleasant evening, I bid you adieu."  Rarity courtsied towards both royal sisters before turning her attention towards Twilight, leaning in so her words could only be heard by one.  "And do have a good evening, darling.  I shall see you in the morning, try not to have too much fun this night."  She left the room in a leisurely manner, trailing right behind Shining and Cadance.

        "Twilight, Celestia and I would like to extend an invitation to you tonight to see the changing of the celestial bodies."

        The unicorn nearly leaped up in excitement, before her stomach reminded her of the heavy meal she’d just consumed.  "I would love that!  I've never seen it with both of you at the same time!"

        The trio left the private room behind them as they began navigating the corridors of the castle interior.  After many turns, they began ascending the tower that housed the sisters, eventually coming to a balcony that gave a magnificent view.

        Twilight's attention was forced to the alicorns as their horns flared, the very air becoming pregnant with raw, unbridled energy.  She felt electrified with the amount of power surrounding her, and closed her eyes, 'seeing' the event unfold through her magic.  Complex patterns took shape from Celestia first, as she began to send the sun below the horizon.  A breeze picked up, causing Twilight to shiver slightly as the warming rays of the waning celestial body ceased their caress.  It's so beautiful! The patterns, the intricacies, the feeling of life!

        Luna was next, as the magic in the air shifted to come under her command.  Where Celestia's setting of the sun had required her to forcibly move and push large amounts of energy, the younger sister's approach to the moon was completely opposite.  With a grace befitting a ballerina, she deftly weaved and plucked the magic together into a lattice like form, which then seemed to gently coax the moon up into the sky.

        The power lingered in the air, slowly dissipating as the alicorns horn's dimmed and then died.  Twilight slowly opened her eyes, their gaze unfocused as she was still reeling from what she has just focused.  That much raw power...  The possibilities are endless, so many possible permutations.  She finally blinked numerous times, looking like she had just emerged from a dream.forcing her sight to focus.

        "What do you think, Twilight?"  Celestia asked quietly, doing her best to not interrupt the moment her friend was experiencing.

        "It was indescribable.  It’s been so long since I last watched you raise or set the sun.  When Luna would take care of the moon at the library, it was impressive, but...  I don't think I'll be forgetting this anytime in my life.  Celestia, Luna...  Thank you."  She surged forward and attempted to encompass both sisters in a hug, managing to get a single forehoof around a leg of each sister.

        Luna bent down to gently nuzzle Twilight as her sister copied her movements on the unicorn's other side.  The three of them stood there in an embrace for some time before finally breaking apart.  The now chilled night breeze ruffled their fur and feathers alike, forcing them to retreat to the warm interior of the castle. 

        They found themselves in a shared sitting room, gathered around a fireplace as the night moved on.  Twilight glanced around at the sisters, taking in every detail of what was around her.  Wow, that’s odd, they seem...  almost naked without their regalia.  I've seen this side of Luna before, but never Celestia...  It feels...  right.

        "Twilight...  I just want to let you know that the castle will always receive you with open arms.  Tomorrow there really isn't anything planned; I figured that we could simply 'wing it' after breakfast.  It’s time to call it a night however, so I will take my leave.  Goodnight, Luna, Twilight."  Celestia picked herself up from in front of the fireplace, and left for her room.

        Luna paused for a few moments after her sister left the room before snaking her head over to her lover's, catching her off guard with a quick kiss to her lips.  "It is nice to see you again in the waking world, Twilight, the dream one just never quite compares."

        She blushed at being caught off guard by Luna, warmth flooding her.  This night is one that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.  "Same here Luna, I’m looking forward to tomorrow evening so much!  I have a surprise for you.  I think you'll love it, no, I know you will."  She smiled happily at her love before she boldly moved and attempted to equally catch the alicorn off guard with a kiss to the lips.

        Both mares held it, closing their eyes and savoring the taste of each other's lips.  The salad dressing lingered behind, mingling with their natural 'flavors' as their horn tips barely touched.  The moment lasted for an eternity before they broke their kiss, each one looking the other directly into their eyes, firelight flickering over the surfaces.

        Luna was the first to move.  She rose to her hooves, then offered one to help Twilight up.  "Your room is right there, I know you enjoy your old tower, but this way you are really close to us both.  Sleep tight love, and may your dreams be good."

        Twilight wordlessly embraced Luna once more before ambling off to her room.  She flopped on top of the bed, magic moving the covers aside without her even thinking about it.  The exhaustion of the day caught up to her in one fell swoop as she quickly succumbed to the inevitable call of sleep.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Celestia flew under the cover of her sister's new moon, no light illuminated the sky on this night.  She revelled at the feeling of the air flowing through her feathers, ruffling her mane, whistling past her ears.  She saw the lights of Canterlot with a glance behind her, rapidly receding as she left it behind.  Ahead, the small town where Twilight had spent the last five years at lay in the distance, and she corrected her course.  Veering off to the side of town, she began her flight over the Everfree Forest.

        The forest was eerily quiet, as usual, even with all of the predators that claimed it as their home.  Hmm, I really need to do something about that.  It’s been too long, I can’t keep letting the past hold me back.  Countless trees passed below as she slowly descended, her hooves barely clearing the canopy.

        Her destination coming into focus broke her from the past as she was forced to the present by its state.  The once majestic structure lay in ruins, the spells keeping it together and safe having long since been destroyed.  A spire adorned the earth, claimed by numerous vines.  The forest itself was dangerously close to reclaiming the whole castle, trees coming up to the edge of what walls were left standing.

        Coming to a gentle landing in a courtyard that was mostly intact, she stood silently as yet more memories flooded her, visions of a childhood long since forgotten by history coming back.

        Two fillies pranced about in an open courtyard, the warm sun shining down on them.  "Tia..."  One of them whined to the other, waiting on the slower pony to catch up to them.  "If you don't hurry, we'll be late!"

        A stream of tears travelled down the side of her face as she walked inside the structure, taking in what little bit was left undamaged.  Time has been harsh...  She listlessly wandered through random rooms until she found herself standing in a room adorned with a large mosaic in the floor.  Time had done little to dull its beauty in her eyes.  Topaz gems created a wide circle, their inner cores still holding a faint glimmer of the sun's energy and color even now.  They were only broken up by the lustrous diamonds that nested inside the sphere, forming a crescent moon shape.

        Walking back outside, she glanced back at the entrance once more before taking to the air to return before she was missed.  Her thoughts turned towards the rest of the weekend and her mood brightened.  Hovering over the castle ruins, she looked at the structure.

        Soon...


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~



> Chapter 6 - Dreams Coming True
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        She was floating on Cloud Nine, overlooking the small town of Ponyville.  The surface of the cloud was a foreign yet comfortable feel beneath her, soft and squishy, yet firm and only yielding slightly to her hooves.  Walking to the edge, the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres spanned countless acres, the lush green leaves accentuated by bright red specks.

        One hoof forward, and the bottom of the world fell out from underneath her.  The sensation of wind rushing by caressed her every feature, no spot on her body left untouched.  Details came into further clarity as the ground approached, eyes critically scanning left and right.

        Mere moments from impact, something flared out and caught the air around her, bringing her parallel to the ground as her hooves scraped the earth.  With a euphoric shout, she weaved and bobbed through the trees, creating an obstacle course with the vegetation.  Adrenaline pumped through her body, causing each second to last an eternity as the unicorn cleared the orchard.

        Raising further into the sky, the library and other prominent landmarks of Ponyville grew larger in the distance.  The walk that would have taken a quarter hour turned into almost nothing as she cast a shadow onto the outlying houses of the small town.  Coming to rest in the town square, her eyes closed as she simply hovered, taking in the warming rays of the afternoon sun.

        With a deafening boom, she rocketed upwards.  Climbing higher into the sky, nose pointed towards the bright orb above, her speed grew even faster.  Reaching forward, a cone of air buffeted her, but could not deter her progress towards the sun.  ith a final push, the cone  fully formed, the air smoothed out, and she—

        Twilight came awake with a gasp as she slingshotted into the conscious world.  Her heart rapidly pounded in her chest, attempting to break free of its confines.  Wow! It's been a long time since I had a dream about flying. She tried in vain to recapture the feeling.  Maybe it's time to pick up my research into making real wings again.  Moving the covers aside, she found purchase on the floor as she made her way to the bathroom.

        The private bathroom was fancy, more so than the one she used when she last lived here.  The shower, which was the focus of her attention, used a complex cloud system to deliver water instead of the traditional showerhead that relied on piping.  Finding the controls for it, she turned it on, and soon after an even sheet of water began to fall from above.  Finding the temperature to her liking, she hopped in and began washing in preparation for the day to come.


Optional NSFW Scene


        Twilight let out a sigh as she finished cleaning herself.  She ended up taking a lot more time than had been planned for the shower, however she didn't regret taking the chance to enjoy herself.  With the aid of magic, all of the moisture in her fur was wicked away and formed into a sphere of water, which promptly found its way to the drain.  Taking a few minutes to ensure the rest of her morning activities were properly accomplished, she quietly left the room and nearly bumped into Luna.

        "Ah, good morning Twilight. Now that you are up, would you care to join me on the way to breakfast?  Sister has already made her way down, and is waiting with Rarity, I believe."  The alicorn reached down and warmly nuzzled the neck of her love, taking in a deep breath of her freshly washed mane.

        Twilight giggled, squirming slightly beneath Luna.  "S-Stop that!  It tickles!"  As the offending nose left her mane, she managed to get the laughter that had been bubbling up back under control.

        "Oh, I shall have to recall that for a later time then.  I suppose I can acquiesce to your request...  For now, since breakfast awaits."  A smirk drew across her face, causing the unicorn to gulp out of fear.

        "So, uh, breakfast you said?  Let's get going, shall we?"  Twilight stammered out, attempting to redirect the alicorn's attention from her.  I really need to figure out how to make her forget that, sooner rather than later!  She started towards the door, Luna beside her.  The two walked in relative silence to the same room where dinner had been served, joining the other two occupants.

        "—and you'll be meeting them after breakfast, they're there to help you get whatever materials you may need for the fitting this afternoon."  Celestia took note of the new arrivals and shifted her attention towards them.  "Good morning, Twilight, sister.  Care to join us?"

        "Good morning, Twilight, darling.  And to you as well, Princess Luna."  Rarity chimed in, looking alert despite the early hour.  A tea cup rested on the table in front of her, its contents steaming.

        They returned the greetings and found seats of their own to start breakfast.  Twilight poured a cup of tea for both herself and Luna as they awaited the food to make its arrival.  Before any conversation could take root, a waiter arrived carrying a tray filled with assorted fruits entered the room.  He quietly left after carefully placing his charge at the mercy of the four occupants of the table.

        "So, Princess Luna.  Does today around lunchtime work for your fitting?  I came up with some ideas last night and I am just dying to see how they will look on you!"  Rarity exclaimed as she momentarily forgot about the arrival of the food.  I finally get a chance to make something for her, and no Twilight to keep her away this time!  Oh, the pile of ideas!

        "Yes, Rarity, that sounds acceptable to me.  I believe that my sister and Twilight shall be occupied with one another, leaving me free for some time.  Consider myself under your care this afternoon. I look forward to seeing what your artistic talent has in mind."  

Did she just...  squee?  Shaking off the oddity, Luna focused her attention towards a cored apple, pointedly ignoring the fashionista in favor of staving off her hunger.

        Twilight afforded a small laugh at her lover's expense before biting into a piece of mango.  She has no idea what she is in store for. If it weren't for this morning, I'd feel bad for her.  Giggling some more, she looked towards her former mentor.  "What did you want to do this morning, Celestia?"

        "Well, I was thinking we could simply take a walk through the gardens to start with.  From there, whatever you would like to do, Twilight."  

        "Okay, I'll think about it then.  I've got an idea for what we can do, but you never know when something better might come to mind."

        It wasn't much longer until the remainder of the meal made itself known in the form of pancakes with apple syrup.  The mares dug in with gusto, foregoing everything else for that taste of paradise.  Even Rarity's thoughts of fashion were temporarily put on hold as she savored each golden circle that adorned her plate.

        When crumbs were all that remained, each mare finished their meal with another cup of tea.  The morning sun had risen some distance into the sky, and Celestia thought it prudent to go ahead and get the day moving.

        "Rarity, I believe that Luna will be showing you to the room to meet your helpers.  I'm going to go ahead and steal Twilight for a walk.  Luna, Rarity, I’ll see you two later, until then have a good morning."

        Celestia and Twilight made their way out of the room and began their walk towards the gardens, Rarity and Luna close on their tails.  They split up halfway to their destination, the only sounds that of guards saluting as they passed by.  Turning a corner, they came to their destination.

        The warm summer sun shone down upon the two mares as they entered the gardens of the castle.  It was a quiet and tranquil place, the loudest sounds coming from the various animals that claimed it as their home.  Even the guard presence was low in this location; it was one of the few retreats allowed to the sisters.

        Twilight and Celestia walked the paths, letting their hooves rather than their minds choose the destination.  The scent of blooming flowers constantly tickled their senses, the many colors of the garden pleasing to the eye.

        The unicorn found that they had wandered into the statue section.  One statue in particular caused her to stop.  This creature had nearly shattered her world, and even now, years later, it was her most harrowing life experience.  However, there was something that had been nagging at her, and she had been unable to voice it.

        "Celestia..."  Twilight trailed off, unsure of how to approach the subject that had been on the fringes of her mind for so long.

        "Yes, Twilight?"  The alicorn looked at her friend, Her drooping ears gave her away.  She raised a hoof and set it upon her shoulder.  “What’s bothering you?”

        "Well, I've had this question in my head for some time now. I’ve just never known how to say it..."  She still hesitated, unsure if it was the right time to bring such a thing up.

        "You know you can ask me anything.  I may not be able to provide an answer, even with my experiences I still don't know everything.  However, I promise to answer to the fullest extent my knowledge will allow, Twilight.  You need not fear any repercussions, that I swear as well."

        "Well, when we used the Elements on Discord, it sealed him in stone.  And when we used them on Nightmare Moon, it resulted in Luna being brought back.  Why did it not restore whoever it was that Discord was born from?"

        Celestia inwardly winced after the question was aired.  Of all the questions to ask, it had to involve...  that.  "Well, it is a somewhat...  complicated matter.  You recall how it is believed that the Elements work by restoring an individual back to a state where they are in harmony with themselves?"  Twilight nodded, having done her own extensive research over a weeklong period just last year in an attempt to further decipher any secrets that the Elements contained.

        "Well,"  Celestia began,  "Discord never had a point where he was in harmony with himself.  He was literally born of the chaos of an...  event that occurred sometime in the past.  When the Elements were used on him, it actually didn't turn him to stone..."  Celestia trailed off.

        "What happened to him then?  I am fairly certain that they don’t kill anypony, it was really the only rule I managed to find out.  Plus, where did the statue come from if he wasn't turned to stone?"

        Well, time to take the plunge.  I can only blame myself; I opened this door.  "Well, when the Elements struck him, it returned him back to where he came from since there was no harmonic state for them to fall back on.  In essence, the chaotic energy that comprised his being simply...  Dispersed.  Discord as we knew him doesn't exist anymore, except as a memory.  The statue is simply an empty shell, the energy animating it gone.  He was too important to simply forget, which is why we brought it here, no matter how much I might want to..."

        The mood in the air stagnated and became heavy, neither mare uttering a word as they both let silence reign.  Twilight considered the truth that had been laid bare before her.  Well, I suppose that it does make some sense when put that way.  Does that mean we 'killed' Discord?  And although she answered it, now it raises so many questions...

        "Celestia, I think I've decided what we can do next."  Twilight shattered the silence as she forced her hooves to carry her away from that awful statue.  "I figured we could go to the castle archives."

        "Oh, what might you want from that sea of books?  Haven't you already read them all?"  Twilight, you always try to pick me up when I falter, thank you...

        "Well, you see, I had this dream last night..."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Luna found herself in a sitting room that had been turned into an impromptu fashion studio.  Fabrics of all sorts were piled up neatly across three massive tables, and various implements and machines lined an additional two.  A small circular stage had been placed in one corner of the room, with a chain of large rectangular mirrors placed against the wall lining up with the curvature of the platform.  It is rather impressive that she put all this together in such a short time.

        "Ah, good afternoon!  Everything is prepared. If you could just please step up onto the platform when you are ready."  Rarity was in full fashionista mode, determined to make the best use of every second she had available to her.

        "Very well, where will we begin?"  Luna queried.  Well Twilight, time to see exactly what you always warned me about.  She stepped onto the platform as Rarity began manipulating objects around the room in preparation for her work.

        "First, I would like to try some color matches.  You wouldn't happen to know if you'll have a date for the Gala, do you?"  Rarity innocently asked Luna, bringing up a maroon fabric square to compare it against the alicorn's coat.  

        "Nay, I do not plan on having a date for the Gala, neither my sister nor myself have done so in years.  I do not see why this one should be any different."  She stated as a matter of fact, unwilling to divulge her secret that easily.

        A number of colors danced across her flank as the fashionista continued her comparisons to find the specific material to use for the dress.  "Are you certain, Princess Luna?"  A new patch floated independently of the rest, coming to focus in front of the alicorn's face.  "I would think this color would match your coat quite splendidly, don't you?"  She asked deviously.

        A lavender cloth sample rested in the center of her vision, its meaning obvious.  She turned and focused her gaze upon the unicorn, indignant even as a blush began to betray her.  "I do not know what you are playing at, but don't you think our friend Twilight would be mortified at your implications?"

        "Oh, I don't know...  I think she would possibly enjoy what was being referred to honestly.  Ever since she got a taste of romance with Dash, she's just been waiting for the right stallion...  or mare, to come sweep her off her hooves.  It is a most romantic notion, is it not?"  The cloth rejoined its companions as she continued with her task.  

        Luna's battle to fight back a blush was slowly being lost, the crimson advancing further with every heartbeat.  "As romantic as that may sound to you, it is improper to tease your friends in such a manner. Surely you must know this.  I ask that you cease these questions before I am forced to enquire as to your...  bedroom activities.  After all, a princess should know all of the details about her subjects, should she not?"

        Rarity was caught off guard by the snarky comeback, memories of just last week coming into her mind as a blush crept across her features.  "I must apologize, Princess.  You see, I cornered Twilight the morning after your departure when she stopped by.  I was able to infer from her good mood what had happened.  I truly do wish you two the best, and your secret is safe with me.  I Pinkie Promised Twilight."

        Luna's jaw opened and closed, yet no words came out.  Rarity took the chance to further add to the crimson adorning her victim's cheeks.  "Oh, and as the first part of an apology from me, Princess, I have made something that I am most certain you will get a chance to enjoy...  Tonight that is."  She punctuated her sentence with a lusty tone that assaulted the alicorn's head with unbidden images of Twilight in compromising materials.

        "I will ensure you that it is not the last time such a gift comes from me as well.  You have my word as a lady on it that you will find yourself amazed time and time again by my...  creations."

        Luna's wings began to rise unbidden as she fought to control her emotions.  This sly fashionista...  She is good!  "That is most...  thoughtful of you Rarity.  However, for now, I implore that you focus on the task at hoof.  I do have a da- meeting with Twilight tonight that I cannot be late for."

        "Very well, let's get down to it then, shall we?"


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Celestia was greeted by a most enthusiastic fashionista as she entered the temporary setup that had been constructed that morning.  "Good evening to you, Rarity. I put myself in your most capable hooves.  I believe that I shall trust your judgement on every aspect of the design."

        A glimmer appeared in the unicorn's eyes.  "I must thank you yet again for this opportunity, Princess Celestia.  If you could step up onto the platform over here please. I'll begin with finding colors to match you."

        "Very well."  She moved to step onto the platform, complying with every request made of her.  For a while, silence reigned as the fashionista plied her trade, however she quickly became bored.

        "Tell me Rarity, how have Ponyville and your friends been?  It has been some time since I last visited, and I'm afraid I do not keep up with current events as well as I should."

        "Well, let's see..."  Rarity continued her work, having picked a piece of light red silk and was in the process of pinning it to Celestia's form.  "Pinkie and Fluttershy began dating, oh, a few months ago I believe it was.  It was actually rather sweet how they got together, apparently Pinkie had gotten it in her mind to find some new recipe ideas for cupcakes along the edge of the Everfree.  She was near Fluttershy's house when she found an injured bird and brought it over to her right away.  Neither of them will say a word, but after that it seems that they became an item."

        "Oh?  Kindness and Laughter together.  Very fitting I must say, and I am glad for those two.  What else?"

        Rarity continued to place pins in various locations, picking up lengths of sky blue silk.  "Well, really, Dash is the only single one of us at the moment, even Twilight has this- "  Rarity cut herself off, slightly embarrassed at her slip up.

        "Oh, Twilight has a special somepony?  I would like to hear more on this subject."  Celestia eagerly inquired of the fashionista, genuine interest underlying her words.

        "Well, she is sort of wanting to keep it a secret, and I did Pinkie Promise, so I can’t tell you who the pony is!  I just can’t do that to Twilight.  Plus, I dread the day that Pinkie comes after me for accidentally breaking one of her promises..."  Rarity shuddered as she recalled the last pony who had broken one of Pinkie's sacred promises.  They had found the poor stallion curled up in the corner of his bathroom three days later muttering about a 'pink devil'.

        "I understand, Rarity. I will not enquire anymore into the subject.  I do like your choice of colors so far, I must say.  Everypony seems to want to match my mane, yet you seem to be focusing more on my coat and other features so far." 

        "I've found that it is much more enjoyable to try and match to the pony as a whole, rather than specific details actually.  It is much too narrow to try to choose just one feature, when all of them are equally important.  The biggest challenge with you and your sister however, it incorporating something that blends the grace of the pegasi with the form of the unicorn horn."  More silk floated into the air to be ran through with needles, the general shape of a dress finally coming together in the fashionista's eyes.

        “That is a most interesting concept, but you make it sound so intuitive.  I have no doubt that you will most likely find yourself at the head of the fashion industry in the near future. With your skills and outlook I doubt anypony will be able to touch you for years to come.  I will enjoy bearing witness to that.”

        Rarity fought back tears of joy at Celestia’s praise as she continued to work. Her magic created a whirlwind of activity as she furiously continued to bring the form of the dress into existence.  It was only a matter of time until her masterpiece came together.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~



> Chapter 7 - Date Night!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The reverberating sound of the tolling bell echoed throughout the room.  Eight crisp, clear tones signified the quickly approaching night as Twilight busied herself preparing for an unforgettable evening.  She stood in front of a full length mirror checking her dress, ensuring that nothing was out of place.  Everything must be perfect for tonight!  I still can't believe Rarity snuck those in though...  Twilight blushed, casting her gaze towards her bags, where four midnight blue socks adorned with glittering constellations lay partially hidden.  She had found them concealed in the folds of her dress, along with a letter from Rarity stating that an accompanying saddle was 'in the works'.

        Forcing her attention back towards the mirror, she brought a fine brush up to her mane, for the third time in that half hour alone.  Not a single strand appeared out of place, the pink stripe ran perfectly down the crook of her neck, the rest of the mane laid out on either side of her head.  Twilight's attention shifted towards her magenta horn, which perfectly parted the pink stripe in her bangs.  She had paid extra attention to it, and it showed with the almost unnatural glean it had acquired.

        Satisfied with her outward appearance, Twilight stepped away from the mirror and back towards her bags, where Rarity’s last gift lay.  Stealing another glance at the socks in the process, she carefully extricated a long, flowing silken cloak from the pile of her possessions, unfolding it.  The lavender fabric had been carefully chosen and then expertly sewn.  The finished product was something that would conceal whatever Twilight chose to wear underneath it.

        Carefully returning all of her loose possessions back to their proper places and thoroughly stuffing the stocks in the deepest recesses of her bag, she carefully levitated a saddle bag onto her back.  Contained within were all of her star charts that represented years of her late night work, and she was looking forward to sharing them with her love at some point.  Walking towards the door, she cast one last look around to ensure it was neat and orderly, nothing forgotten, then exited the room.

        With her new living arrangements during her visit, she did not have long to travel before she found herself outside the entrance to Luna's room. Two Lunar Guards stood in front of large, imposing oaken doors, emblazoned with the Lunar Crest in silver and mother of pearl.  They noticed her approach and snapped to attention.  The guard on the left addressed her.

        "Miss Sparkle, Princess Luna is expecting you."  He punctuated his remark with a curt bow before snapping back to attention.

        "Thank you, I hope you two have a good evening."  Twilight replied with a nod towards both guards as she moved to the front of the door.  With a thought, it yielded before her and she found herself walking into a dimly lit room.  She had only been in Luna's chambers on a few occasions, but tonight it was something special.

        Before she could take in the details of the room, her love appeared, exiting her bathroom just as the grandfather clock chimed out the half hour.

        "Ah, Twilight!  Punctual as always I see!"  Luna giggled as she closed the distance between them, the unicorn left speechless, her jaw forgotten on the floor of the bedroom.  Gone was the regalia that typically adorned her lover's figure.  In its place was a dress that left her breathless.  Its color was so dark that it appeared to absorb the light around it.  Speckled across the fabric were stars, twinkling like the night sky.  Combined with the astral effects of her main and tail, Luna looked like the night sky personified.

        Luna tried breaking Twilight from her shock by leaning down and gently nuzzling her neck, inhaling the lavender scent that naturally rolled off the unicorn.  "You know, Twilight, if you close your mouth, I am certain that it can be put to better use than a floor decoration."  Luna seductively winked, taking pleasure at the blush that began to form.

        "Luna, I..."  She trailed off, struggling to find the appropriate words after having been caught off balance.  Flustering even further, she finally pieced something together and blurted it out.  "You look gorgeous!"

        "Thank you, love."  The words came out slightly muffled as she moved from Twilight's neck to look her in the eyes, captivated by the lavender orbs.  She leaned in and kissed her on the lips, the unicorn giving in to her within moments.  Seizing the opportunity, Luna removed the saddlebags from her partner's back, then moved on to the cloak shrouding her.  She lifted it gently so as to not interrupt their kiss.

        Luna leaned even further into the kiss, fighting to gain entry with her tongue as the cloak came away from the unicorn's form.  So, this is what Rarity meant by one of her 'creations', wow!  By the Moon!  She.  Is.  Good!  She gently pulled away, a small trail of saliva lingering between them before the distance broke it.

        Twilight was absolutely stunning.  The dress that she was wearing this evening was weaved of fine silk, dyed in a dark sky blue color.  The hems were done with a highly reflective silver thread, only adding to the beauty of the main color.  Outlines of moons were faintly embroidered in a dull silver, only visible at just the right angle.  It hugged Twilight's figure well, leaving under her neck exposed while covering up the top, allowing for her mane to come through.  The dress covered her barrel completely, running halfway down her legs before ending.  At the back, her cutie marks were left exposed, the lavender contrasting beautifully with the blues of the dress.  The very end of the dress was triangular, and it was anchored at the base of her tail.  

Must not drool.  Must.  Not.  Drool!  "Twilight, you look absolutely ravishing!  I must say, Rarity does indeed know her work!"  Luna dove in for another kiss, brief, yet full of fiery passion.

        Coming out of the kiss gasping for air, Twilight blushed as she saw her cloak laying atop her bags, inferring what Luna was referring to.  "Y-Yeah, she made it just this past week after I visited her.  She really does know what she is doing."  Mustn't think of those socks!  Her blush further intensified, and she looked down at the ground bashfully.

        An awkward silence filled the air between them until Luna coughed, clearing her throat.  "If you would follow me to the balcony?  Dinner is prepared. I thought we could start with the raising of the moon and let the night lead us from there."

        "That sounds...  most wonderful, Luna.  Please, lead on."

        The entrance to the balcony was faintly illuminated by the sun lingering over the horizon, a myriad mixture of reds and golds filtering through the clouds.  A table had been set up on the balcony, complete with two cushions across from each other.  Candles adorned the area, each one lit with a blue flame that flickered in the slight summer breeze.

        Taking their seats, Luna gazed into the distance, ushering in the night in a matter of minutes.  Twilight raptly watched her, sighing ever so slightly as she basked in the rays of the rising moon.  Always such a beautiful sight...  

Seeing Luna framed against the night sky caused Twilight to gasp.  Where Luna’s dress covered her, it appeared as though she was looking straight through her at the night sky beyond.  "Luna, what is your dress made of?  It is like you took a portion of the night sky and brought it down to wear.  It looks downright stunning!  Not to mention it matches your mane and tail perfectly!"

        The alicorn paused at the question and brought a hoof to her chin.  "Well, I suppose, that is one way to describe this material.  I call it Star Cloth.  It has properties much like the night sky, and perfectly mirrors it.  I actually created the spell behind it, though this is the first time I've used it for clothing.”

Luna noticed a gleam in Twilight’s eyes at the mention of the spell.  “Twilight, I promise we can go over it later.  For now though, let us eat."  Luna levitated two trays on to the table, briefly reheating the contents before removing the covers, revealing the main dish for the evening.

        Greeting Twilight's eyes was a large piece of lasagna nestled on top of large lettuce leaves.  Between the layers of pasta appeared various flowers and cheese.  The aroma wafting up made her mouth water, all thoughts obliterated by the slice of nirvana presented before her.

        "I cooked it myself, although I now owe the kitchen staff a new kitchen.  I hope that it is to your liking."  Luna grinned at the expression on the unicorn's face.

        "It smells amazing!"  She neatly sliced off a section with her magic and brought it to her mouth, where she made quick work of it.  Her eyes popped wide open, taste buds assailed with a plethora of all her favorite foods at once.  Luna simply smiled on as she gracefully began eating as well.

        I am glad that I am able to share something so simple with her over analyzing it for once!  Luna continued the meal in relative silence, as the unicorn was lost within the food, savoring each and every bite as if it were her last.  Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore and burst out into laughter.

        "What?"  Twilight asked, unaware of the alicorn's source of mirth.

        "If you were to indulge me even half as much as that lasagna, I could die a happy mare, content beyond all measure!"  Luna continued laughing, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks as Twilight violently blushed, crimson rapidly spreading across her face.

        "W-Why you...  moonie!"  Twilight spluttered out.

        "M-M-Moonie?  I'm a moonie?!"  Luna broke down, all semblance of decorum forgotten as she fell to the floor, her tears intensifying as she began to fight to breath.  

        Twilight simply sat there mortified as Luna continued to roll about.  After a few moments, a thoughtful expression began to come across her face, the cogs in her brain kicking into overdrive.  "Huh."

        Luna finally climbed back to her hooves and found her seat once more.  "What is it, Twilight?"

        "Oh, just started thinking about something.  It's been a long time since I've sputtered out a made up word, My Moon."  Let's see what she thinks of that!  

        The alicorn paused as she listened to Twilight, her thoughts not catching the phrase at first.  Then her mind played it on loop, two words sticking out.  My Moon.  Luna looked at her, wide eyed, then closed the short gap across the table, her tongue seeking out the unicorn's own.

        After breaking the kiss, Twilight was the first to shatter the silence.  "So...  I take it you like it then?  I figured, technically you have your moon, and Luna does mean moon, so you are my moon.  You know...  technically, right?"  Twilight smiled as she stood up and moved her cushions to lay alongside Luna before taking her seat upon them once more.

        Luna draped a wing over the unicorn and simply smiled, the glitter of tears evident in her eyes.  "I love it, Twilight, and I hope that someday soon I will have my own moniker to refer to you with."  She cleared the table, replacing the dirty dishes with a pair of goblets.  "Dessert?  Applejack is trying her hoof at a new type of apple based alcohol.  It is more of a hard liquor than cider, yet she keeps the pieces of apple in the bottom of the container.  This is from her first batch."

        They sat side by side, sipping on the fruity concoction, simply enjoying the warmth of each other for some time.  Luna found herself munching on the last of the apple slices, the liquor long gone, before shifting slightly and turning her full attention towards her lover.

        "So, what would you like to do first tonight?  This night is yours."

        "Dream Magic, followed by astronomy...  and then you can teach me about Star Cloth?"  Twilight laid out the list quickly, looking forward to the next part of their evening.  Following Luna, the duo left the balcony as Luna began the lesson.

        "Let’s see now.  Dream Magic, as you have no doubt gathered, is process of entering and influencing the dreams of others.  At first glance it seems like a trivial matter, but it has a lot of complexity to it."  Luna began, her wing wrapping around Twilight as they laid down on the bedside by side.  "For example, the biggest concern when Dreamwalking, is finding yourself stuck or lost within another's mind.  While this may seem relatively harmless, as most ponies simply do not dream up any dangers, there can be dangers to it.  Imagine being caught up inside our friend Pinkie's dream.  I shudder at that thought to be honest, and after my first attempt to enter, I have never tried it again."

        "Pinkie?  I would think that would be mostly harmless.  Odd, but harmless."  Twilight interjected, not quite understanding what Luna was getting at.  I would think Pinkie's mind would be pretty safe, unless headaches are harmful.

        "Odd can be just as harmful as evil, trust me."  Luna shuddered at the memory of attempting to gain access to the party pony's dreams.  "Upon my entrance, I found myself in a harmless enough location, at the bakery.  However, things very quickly turned upside down, especially once the pastries began to fly around.  I think Discord would have been embarrassed by that mare honestly.  I managed to make my escape around the time the sun turned into a giant lollipop.  Never.  Again."

        Twilight had plucked a quill and notebook out from her nearly forgotten bags when Luna had begun talking, and was busy scribbling down notes on parchment while nestled next to her love.  "So, even harmless things can become harmful if you lose control within a dream then?"

        "You’re correct there.  I think you deserve a reward for catching on so quickly!"  Luna wrapped her wing tighter around the mare as she quickly kissed her full upon the lips, drawing the breath out of her victim before pulling back and continuing the lesson.

        "So, the biggest factor when it comes to safely entering a dream is 'hovering', which is exactly as it sounds.  Care to try explaining it with just that hint?"  Luna smirked at Twilight, a stray thought entering her mind.  "And if you do indeed infer correctly, you get another reward!"  This really is so much fun, even if it is at her expense...  I know she enjoys it though, even if she won't admit it.

        Twilight fiercely blushed, having just recovered from the last 'reward' Luna had handed out.  I’m liking these rewards!  They’re much better than the ones Celestia gave.  But they’re a bit...  distracting.  "T-There's no need for a reward, Luna.  But, using hovering in that context makes me think that you are staying right above the dreamer, peering in before you enter."

        "Correct yet again, love!"  Luna simply squeezed her wing slightly for a moment before continuing onwards.  "By holding back and peering in, you can get a feel for what might be encountered, as well as whether or not you can handle it.  The dreamer really isn't aware of your actions, and you get the chance to gauge if the risk is worth it.  It took me a long time to get to where I can comfortably enter almost any dream unbidden, but given your magical prowess I can almost imagine you reaching that point in a much shorter timespan than I."

        "So, you said almost any dream, and unbidden.  Who’s aren't you able to enter, besides Pinkie Pie.  And how does somepony consciously let you into their dream if they are not aware of you without you first entering their dream?  It doesn't make any sense!"  Twilight continued jotting down notes, the parchment roll quickly expanding and filling with ink as her 'research mode' went into overdrive.

        "I’ll answer the easier question first.  You and Celestia are the only two ponies I really avoid.  I made the mistake of eavesdropping on her once, and although she has never learned how to Dreamwalk, she can easily control her dreams like no other pony.  She nearly gave me nightmares...  about clowns.  They seemed so innocent at first, but then, when I least expected it..."  Luna trailed off, this shudder putting the ones related to Pinkie to utter shame.  "Needless to say, I never enter without her express permission anymore."

        "Now, as to a dreamer giving you permission.  It's not so much them going 'I invite you into my mind while dreaming' as it is them feeling your...  presence I would say.  If it is familiar, it makes it much easier to enter.  It was how I was able to enter your dream upon your arrival to Canterlot."

        "So, basically, it's much easier to enter your friend's dreams rather than just any random pony.  Interesting, and it makes sense too.  Are we going to get into application tonight?"

        "Nay, as enjoyable as it would be to start teaching you how to dream walk, we have the rest of this evening to enjoy.  One thing you should remember about it before we move on though.  Time is no longer a constant when using that magic.  What seems like a minute could in reality be an hour, and what seems an eternity could merely be a minute.  There is never any guarantee which way it will swing either.  And with that, let us move on to other things.  Did you bring your star charts with you by chance?"  Luna gently lifted her wing off Twilight and removed herself from the bed, walking towards the balcony once more, the moon now high in the sky.

        "Yes, they're in my saddlebags.  Let me grab them."  Twilight hopped down from the plush bed and rummaged through her bags.  She came up with two books levitating next to her as she walked over to join Luna on the balcony once more.

        She found that the only remnants of the evening's dinner left was the table, which had a hefty stack of blank parchment on it.  Next to it was a telescope, its aperture already set to the star filled sky.  Twilight sat her books down next to the parchment and walked to Luna's side, who was impassively gazing up to the night sky.

        "Stars.  They are all my friends, yet..."  Luna trailed off, unaware of Twilight coming to her side until a gentle nuzzle against her neck broke her focus.  She leaned into the touch, contentedly sighing.  "No matter how many times I look up at them, their wonder never lessens."

        Twilight giggled at Luna's slip into melodrama as she leaned into the alicorn as well.  "Yeah, they are always impressive, no matter what night it is."  She leaned up and bumped her nose against her lover's.  "The charts are on the table when you're ready."

        The two mares stepped back from the edge of the balcony and moved to the tabletop.  Luna carefully opened the older of the two tomes and focused on the first page, her horn slowly illuminating as she began to charge a spell.  The luminescence grew, until a few moments later it peaked as the stack of parchment began to move of its own accord.  Page by page, each chart was perfectly copied, magic guiding the whole process.  Satisfied with her work, Luna turned back to Twilight, who had a small grin on her face as she raised a hoof to jab at the larger mare.

        "You know, if you had wanted me to use my spell to copy them, I could've brought copies over rather than drag around the originals.  Show off!"  Twilight punctuated her words with small jabs, meant more to tickle than cause any pain.  Success!  Luna began laughing, unable to hold it back as her soft spots were found by the hoof.

        "A-Ah, you villain!  Y-you shall not—"  Luna struggled with Twilight, the tickling increasing in its intensity.  Luna lost her footing and clumsily fell on her back, somehow managing to drag the smaller mare with her, who also found her back upon cold stone.

        The giggles of both slowly dwindled down, leaving only the stillness of the summer night air.  Wiggling slightly, Twilight brought herself to rest aside one of Luna's wings.  "Luna, you mentioned 'they' were your friends."  She waved a hoof towards the night sky.  "How, exactly?  I know that you created them all, but this is the first time you've mentioned them as such."

        Unknown to Twilight, Luna paled slightly at the question, her mind kicking into overdrive.  What to tell her?  I love her, but...  not yet.  Not all of it anyways.  "Well..."  She carefully unfurled her wings and levitated Twilight slightly as she slipped on underneath her.  "They were my only company while exiled."

        Uncomfortable silence lingered, Twilight careful climbed to her hooves amidst Luna's wings.  This is the one subject she doesn't like. Way to go, Twilight!  What to do...  Yes!  That's it!  She carefully climbed atop her lover’s chest, bringing a hoof to wipe away some tears that had pooled up amidst those aquamarine eyes that always captivated her.  

        "Luna...  I'm sorry for bringing up something so uncomfortable for you.  I'd say take this moment to look at the positives though."  She held Luna's head between her hooves gently, locking their eyes together.  "If all of...  that, hadn't happened.  I would merely be a student to your sister, and we wouldn't have each other.  Luna, I love you."  She closed the gap between their lips and brought them together, attempting to convey everything she felt in that one moment.

        Twilight's eyes widened in shock as she was wrapped up in Luna's hooves as she pushed right back against her kiss, holding the smaller mare tightly to her.  Tears still glistened in the alicorn's eyes, but these were born of joy.  Luna extended the moment into an eternity, the two mares wrapped in each other's embrace underneath the night sky.

        Luna pulled away first, a smile adorning her face.  "Thank you, love..."  She was unable to tear her gaze away from Twilight.  "It is...  a step in the right direction.  Maybe, one day, I can talk about things related to that without making such a mess of myself."  She tightened her hug.  "I do have a small confession to make though.  I'm not entirely responsible for the creation of all the stars...  Some of them were made even before my time.  They mostly listen to me, but aren't mine."

        Twilight carefully moved her forehooves to rest against Luna's chest, a thoughtful expression passing across her face.  "So...  it's like there are pieces of whoever came before you, lingering behind still?  Even in passing, watching like a silent sentinel over Equestria."  She paused a moment, before rapidly shaking her head, scattering her thoughts.

        "What say we leave the deep thinking for another time?  Also, as much as I want to know about that fabric, we should probably head inside and get some sleep.  Tomorrow is my last day visiting after all."  Twilight gently extricated herself from Luna's hooves, holding one out afterwards to help the alicorn up.

        Luna gracefully took the hoof and found her footing, carrying the items on the balcony inside as they reentered the room.  "We should probably remove our dresses.  I believe Rarity will have a fit if she saw you right now!"  She laughed as Twilight looked down and sheepishly grinned.

        "Well, luckily I have a spell for that too!"  The unicorn focused on removing her garment, then left it to float in the air, encased in her lavender aura.  A brief pulse rippled through the fabric, leaving in its wake a clean and carefully pressed garment.  "Good as new!"  She carefully placed it in her bag alongside the two books that had been resting on the table.

        "Well, I suppose I shall head back to my room, thank you, Luna.  It truly was a wondrous night, I hope that we get the chance to spend another like this soon."  Twilight made for the door, but was enveloped in a field of dark blue magic, halting her in her hoofsteps.

        Luna undressed as she focused on Twilight.  "Oh, you didn't think I would let you go back tonight?  Teaching Dream Magic does require dreaming, at least as far as Celestia knows anyways.  And she believes that the night was spent doing so."  Luna let the implications of that statement linger in the air as she slowly maneuvered Twilight to her bed.  Flinging the covers back, she landed atop the plush surface and deposited the smaller mare next to her.

        Turning to face Luna, Twilight wrapped her hooves around the alicorn, smiling as she carefully placed a kiss upon her nose.  Getting comfortable, she whispered four last words before she let drowsiness begin to claim her, the position she found herself in highly calming.  

        "Good night, My Moon."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~









        
Princess Celestia lowered her quill after signing each document, a blob of wax taking its place as she rolled up the scrolls in preparation for delivery.  It's time I finally got around to this, I know she’ll be so thrilled once construction is complete!  Then, I can finally tell her...  The wax sealed the scroll with her personal emblem, the golden sun emblazoned in the now dry red substance.

        "Now...  to see to the creatures of Everfree."  The scrolls disappeared, her magic guiding them to their destination as she took to the air from her balcony, headed directly towards the forest.  Tonight, the beasts shall remember why they don't mess with my little ponies!


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~




> Chapter 8 - An Eventful Morning
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Consciousness slowly came back to Twilight, muted sensations greeting her still dimmed senses.  The distinct warmth of fur greeted her backside as the first light of the morning sun began to trickle into her still blurred vision.  She blushed slightly as the memories of the previous night returned to her mind.  The warm embrace enfolding her was divine, causing her to further snuggle against the soft feathers as she let out a content sigh.

        Gently shifting in Luna's embrace, Twilight slowly found herself belly to belly with her.  Sleep still claimed Luna, the only movement coming from her astral mane, which subconsciously wrapped itself around Twilight, adjusting for her movement.  She looks so peaceful and beautiful framed by the morning light...  It's a shame I've got to wake her.  She carefully maneuvered her lips to line up with her lover's before closing the distance, delicately placing a few pecks on Luna's.

        "Mmhhhm"  Luna groaned, catching one of Twilight's kisses and leaning into it, firmly holding the unicorn within her grasp as she entered the realm of consciousness.  Moving back from the kiss, a large yawn escaped her lips.  "Now...  that is the way to wake up.  Can I expect it again in the future?"  Although still heavy with sleep, an underlying tone of warmth permeated her words as her glistening eyes stopped on Twilight.  Luna's wing slowly folded up, returning to her side.

        Twilight briefly giggled, enjoying the early morning Luna, before nuzzling her cheek.  "I think that can be arranged, My Moon.  However..."  She looked out the window, gauging the time of the morning by the color of the light greeting her eyes, "we need to get up so we can have breakfast."  Punctuating her words with a kiss to Luna's neck, she began wiggling her way out of the hooves embracing her.

        Luna moved her hooves, unceremoniously dumping Twilight onto the bed next to her.  Rolling over onto the opposite side of the bed, she stretched out her wings and let out another yawn.  "I suppose we should head down soon, sister and Rarity are most likely going to be waiting on us."  She gracefully, for the time of the morning, fluttered over to her wardrobe and plucked out her regalia.  

        As Luna saw to her morning activities, Twilight rolled over, her hooves hitting the floor.  Walking up to a full length mirror that lay against one wall, she retrieved a brush from her forgotten saddlebags and began to tackle the mess that was her mane.  Twilight allowed her mind to wander as she made herself presentable for the day.  She was broken from her reverie, the brush mid stroke, by Luna poking her side.

        "I think your mane is past the point of brushing and is now being assaulted!  Come, let us head downstairs together."  Luna teasingly jabbed at Twilight, lightly nibbling an ear, causing her to turn crimson.  She is so easy to rile up; I cannot wait to show her what being Princess of the Night can entail!

        Twilight put the brush back in her saddlebags, then quickly ran to catch up with Luna, who was already near the door.  Entering the hallway, two new guards snapped to attention and saluted the alicorn.  Meandering through the halls of the castle, they entered a side room.  Celestia greeted them from a sofa.  

        "Good morning, Luna, Twilight.  So, I take it all went well?"  Celestia levied the question towards Luna, who simply nodded with a smile.  She turned her focus to Twilight.  "Well, congratulations are in order then!  It has been a long time since Luna has had a student, and I can think of nopony better than you, Twilight."

        "Thank you, Celestia..."  Twilight sheepishly replied.  I wonder how long it'll be before I stop wanting to say 'Princess' when addressing her.  "It really is an interesting subject, I just hope that there are some books on it, I would hate to not be able to read up on it in my spare time."

        Celestia let out a hearty laugh.  Thankfully, some things will never change.  "By the way, Rarity wished to let it be known that she is working on the dresses this morning, and won’t be joining us.  I have an idea for breakfast..."  She trailed off, letting the pause linger in the air.

        A dull rumbling roar made itself known, originating from Luna, causing Twilight and Celestia both to laugh at her hunger before the older alicorn spoke back up.  "I thought perhaps we could take a trip into the city this morning and visit a certain confectionary shop."

        Twilight's eyes scrunched together as her mind quickly began thinking as to which store that could entail.  As the cogs turned, she jumped in joy as the answer clicked.  "You mean Pony Joe's place?  I haven't had donuts from there in...  three months or so.  That would be amazing!"  Twilight gushed, then jumped up and hugged Celestia around the neck.

        Celestia returned the hug with a single forehoof of her own, a smile gracing her features while Luna chuckled at the scene before her.  "Indeed, Twilight.  I'll admit to craving some donuts as of late myself, and what better time to indulge than with a friend and family?"  She dropped her hoof back to the floor as Luna turned towards the guards in attendance.

        "Guards, let it be known that my sister and I shall be dining outside the castle.  We do not need any guarding, however..."  Luna momentarily trailed off, a knowing tone underlying her voice.  "If some of you find yourselves on break, and craving donuts, I suppose that we could overlook such an action.  Until we return, have a good morning."  Her words were met with snapped salutes. Glances were passed between the soldiers.

        "Well then, shall we go?"  Luna queried towards Twilight and Celestia, her lover long since having returned to all four hooves, now standing near Celestia.  The three ponies departed the castle via the main gate, entering the lush garden district of Canterlot.  The early morning sun reflected its rays over the highly decorated buildings lining the street in both directions, the number of ponies out and about still few due to the early hour.  They turned down the street in the general direction of the donut shop as Celestia struck a conversation.

        "Twilight, how has your recent time in Ponyville been?  Anything interesting?  I heard from Rarity that Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy had recently come together, but that was about it."  She let out a small sigh thinking of the quiet country town.  "And it really is a shame about Applejack's grandmother...  Ponyville will be a lesser place without her."

        Twilight pursed her lips in thought as they continued walking.  Gah, I wish Luna didn't want to keep us so secret!  I suppose I could start with Rarity and Applejack, and then see where it goes from there.  "Did Rarity tell you that she and Applejack were together as well?"

        Luna laughed, recalling the previous weekend as Celestia paused for a moment, letting the words sink into her mind.  "Well that’s funny, those two are polar opposites of each other.  The start of that relationship would've been fun to witness, I'm sure."

        Luna spoke up for once, hoping to catch her sister unaware.  "Oh Celestia, it really is humorous, especially when Applejack's cider gets involved.  When I visited, Rarity had that poor mare upside down within her magic, and all for a kiss!  If only you had been there, I am certain that you would have had a good evening with us all."

        The three mares shared a hearty laugh, startling some of the nearby occupants of the streets with the abrupt loudness.  Celestia took a moment to acknowledge the few startled ponies with a smile and nod before shifting her focus back towards Luna and Twilight.  "That does sounds enjoyable.  I think we should schedule some shared breaks more often, Luna.  I'm certain that we could restructure some things to allow for the extra down time.  Now, Twilight...  The events regarding your friends is good to know, however..."  She focused on the unicorn, eyes glimmering with hints of mischief.  "I am most curious if you have found a special somepony yet."

        "I-uh..."  Twilight stammered, cheeks flooding with a tide of crimson at Celestia's simple question.  Luna help me, Luna help me, oh my!  She took a deep calming breath as the rising sound of laughter met her ears.

        "Tia!"  Luna quietly shot at her sister, an accusatorial stare levied on Celestia.  "That is not the type of question to be asking out in the open!"  She refused to drop her eyes, causing the older mare to pause in her laughter.

        "Oh-ho, there is somepony, isn't there?"  She shot her sister a quick raspberry, momentarily throwing all maturity to the wayside as their goal finally came in sight.  "Before you do, Twilight, know that there is no need to deny it, it is written all over your face."  She held the door open as they walked in the donut shop, only a handful of ponies inside.

        Twilight's face continued to hold a deep blush as she walked in first.  The owner noticed her arrival, as well as her visitors, and nearly jumped out of his skin.  "Welcome, Your Majesties!  And you too, Twilight, welcome to Pony Joe's Donut Shop!"  He shifted his focus specifically to the unicorn.  "Twilight, it really has been too long.  Where’s your companion Spike at, I've specifically keep some emerald dust creme-filled donuts in stock for when he visits!"

        Her blush forgotten as the blood retreated from her face, she rushed to the counter to greet her longtime friend.  "Hi, Joe!  Spike is keeping an eye on the library for me this time around, although I'm sure I could take some back for him."  She turned her head towards the two alicorns, who were both smiling.  "What would you two like?"

        Both Celestia and Luna walked up to the display, the only conversation containing words concerning delightfully delicious pastries.  The two mares placed their order of donuts and tea, then joined Twilight at a small table near the back of the store.  Pony Joe brought out a platter with their food before heading back behind the counter, leaving them to their own devices.

        "Mmhmm, come to Mommy Tia little donut..."  She slowly floated a chocolate glazed donut near her mouth, carefully cradling it within her magic before she gently nibbled on it.  Her eyes threatened to roll into the back of their sockets as she adopted an expression of utter bliss.  Gentle laughter broke her from the moment, causing her to blush as one of her deepest secrets was revealed.

        "Not.  A.  WORD.  To anypony, swear it!"  Celestia levied at Luna.  Twilight covered her mouth with a single hoof, struggling to contain the laughter threatening to bubble forth.  "Oh, is something funny, Twilight?  Pray tell.  Who exactly is the lucky stallion or mare that managed to captivate you?"  A mischievous grin was plastered on her face as she finished eating the donut and reached for the tea cup.

        Twilight sputtered violently, nearly dropping her cup of coffee contained within her grasp.  Luna came to her save however, speaking up before she had the chance to.  "Sister, if she wishes to keep her private life such, you should respect that!"  Taking a bit of a donut, she stared at Celestia.

        "Oh, it sounds like you know who it is, Luna.  Mind indulging this poor, elderly mare in a bit of gossip?"  She adopted an air of age, momentarily letting the full weight of her time come to bear.

        "Nay, it is not my place to do such a thing.  Student-Teacher and friend confidentiality, you know."  Luna quickly spat, refusing to cave in to her older sister.

        I am unsure whether to be happy or angry that she continues to deny Celestia that knowledge.  "I am sure that, eventually, you will find out Celestia. I promise.  For now though, we're keeping it a secret, so that we don't cause needless complications to my new relationship..."  She murmured out, focused on her food rather than the two mares before her.

        Celestia fixed a comforting gaze on Twilight, smiling widely.  "I understand.  I do apologize if it was a bit forceful.  I'll be a bit more considerate in the future with my inquiries into certain matters."  Ponyfeathers, I need to think up a new way to approach this now...  Rarity!  I'll have to pursue it later though.  "For now, let us continue to enjoy these delightful pastries.  The castle cooks just can't get the same level of perfection."

        The conversation continued as they simply relaxed and enjoyed the greatest treats known to ponykind, at least in their opinion.  Cups were emptied and refilled, the time slowly moving forward as they talked.  Taking a glance outside, Twilight noticed the lateness of the morning.

        "Oh no, the train!  What time is it?"  She desperately looked around the room, not seeing a clock in sight.

        "It's nine thirty, Twilight.  Here you go."  Pony Joe set down a small box containing the donuts for Spike.

        Twilight nearly jumped from her seat as she began to panic.  "Oh no, the train leaves in thirty minutes!"  A hoof found its way to her shoulder, gently forcing her back to her seat.

        "Twilight, please calm down.  Tia already foresaw that you might be staying around a bit longer today.  There will be a chariot waiting to take you back to Ponyville later.  Rarity will still be taking the train, but she is aware that you will not be joining her.  One of us probably should have mentioned this earlier, though..."  Luna trailed off, glancing at her sister for a moment before focusing solely on Twilight.

        "Yes, I’m sorry that we didn't mention that, Twilight.  I wanted a chance to talk with you once we got back to the castle, and time caught us all unaware with its passing, for once.  Speaking of that, shall we return now?"  She gently set her tea cup back down, emptying it yet again.

        Their words and Luna's hoof on her shoulder quickly calmed Twilight down, allowing her to think levelly once more.  "Whew, that’s good to know.  I didn't realize that we’d managed to spend so much time just talking."  She gently rose to her hooves, quickly arranging their remaining dishes in a neat pile on the table, then paused for a moment to find some bits to leave behind as well.

        “Come back next time you’re in town, Twilight!  I’ll have some more donuts made up for Spike too, hopefully he’ll be able to join you next time.”  Pony Joe paused before addressing Luna and Celestia.  “Princesses, I must thank you both for stopping by this morning as well, I hope the three of you enjoy the day!”  He waved one last time as they departed the store.

        The three mares made slow progress on their return trip to the castle, mostly due to the significant increase in hoof traffic.  Twilight became aware of the high amount of ponies stopping and bowing or giving thanks to Celestia and Luna, a stark reminder of the company she kept.  She was surprised how it felt.  Almost...  normal.  Not that long ago I probably would’ve felt amazingly out of place if this had happened, but now...  I know that I’m simply out with friends who just so happen to be the Princesses.  She contentedly sighed as Luna quickly, yet gently, gave her blessing to a small foal.

        Twilight looked on, giggling slightly at Luna’s handling of the foal.  Her graceful demeanor was a cover for her inward awkwardness with children.  That would be a funny sight, Luna having to raise foals!  It’s early to think about, but I wonder...  I’ll just file that thought away for later exploration.  Moving on, they found themselves at the castle gate where crisp salutes greeted their arrival.

        “I must go and prepare the materials for your study, Twilight.  So I leave you in Tia’s hooves, I will ensure that your belongings find their way down to the chariot prior to your departure.”  Luna broadly smiled, quickly nuzzling both mares before heading off on her own into the castle proper.

        “Well, it’s just the two of us for now.  Care to take a walk with me, Twilight?”  Celestia partially bowed as she pointed a forehoof down a corridor, keeping a straight face through the entire process.

        Twilight began giggling slightly at the awkward pose Celestia was in.  “Sure, do you have any particular place in mind?”

        “I just thought perhaps we could simply roam the corridors, it’s been some time since I let my hooves lead.”  She took a few steps in a random direction, then looked back at Twilight, who walked to take a place beside her.

        They ambled on in relative silence for a few minutes, taking random turns on occasion with no final destination in mind.  They entered one of the courtyards, empty save for the two of them, before Twilight shattered the silence.

        “Celestia, what did you want to talk to me about?  You specifically pointed it out earlier, and I’m rather curious.”  Twilight quietly asked, a faint shiver of nervousness bleeding through her tone.

        Celestia paused in her walking, finding a warm sunny spot to sit down on the grass, motioning for Twilight to lay down next to her.  “Twilight,”  She began, hesitant.  How to broach this...  “I haven’t really said this yet, but I want you to know that I’m truly proud of you.”

        “T-Thank you, Celestia.  I’ve always tried my hardest and studied a lot, admittedly a bit too much looking back at it n—”  Twilight was cut short as Celestia raised a hoof, chuckling slightly.

        “Oh, I know.  Spike would occasionally send letters of his own with concerns over some of your ‘studies.’  I think the best example was the one he sent saying that you were currently on your eighth pot of coffee and going on the ninety third hour without sleep.”

        “I think I recall the occasion, but after the first two days, everything turned into a blur."  Twilight relaxed as she joined Celestia in small laughter.  "I try to avoid those situations now though.  I was chided by Mayor Mare about driving away customers when I got like that."

        The air calmed once more as the laughter slowly died down.  "You never did know how to let go once you grabbed something, that’s for sure.  That’s one of the qualities that let you and your friends accomplish so much.  From Nightmare Moon, to Sombra, to the gryphon disputes, you've been invaluable.  I think it's fair to say that I don't know where Equestria would stand without you."

        Twilight brought a hoof to the back of her neck, rubbing it nervously.  "Celestia, I don't think what we did was that special; anypony else would've stepped up and done the same thing.  We were just the ones who happened to be at the right place at the right time."

        "No!  Nopony besides you would've done what you did.  Not to mention your humility...  No matter what you manage to accomplish, you've never tried holding yourself above anypony else.  There's just so many qualities that make you more than another pony."

        Twilight blushed in embarrassment as the lavish praise was laid upon her.  "Maybe, Princess.  I don't think I could've accomplished even half of what I've done without my friends though.  They're very important to me."  Twilight trailed off, her brow scrunched in thought.  "I don't know what I would do without them now.  I remember back during Shining's wedding when they all blew me off, it hurt so much.  Yet, after all was said and done, they came back, and our friendship was made stronger from it."  A small smile crossed her face.

        "Yes, friends are very important, it took me some time to recall that after Luna...  I think that I've been forgetting it again until just these last few years though.  For as much as you and your friends have done for me, I haven't really spent the proper amount of time getting to know the rest of them.  I think a change is in order."  Celestia grinned conspiratorially as she continued.  

        "With some changes, and perhaps the help of a great scheduler, I could start visiting Ponyville, as well as increase the visits Luna could make.  I believe a certain unicorn could be up to helping me make that reality."  She playfully nudged Twilight with a wing as she showed a hopeful smile.

        Twilight briefly giggled as the wing caught a sensitive spot.  "Are you sure?  I mean, I could probably do it...  but don't you think there would be somepony better to help?"

        "Unless you think it'd interfere with whatever research and studies you do at home, I think you're the perfect pony for the job.  If you want to, of course.  Please don't feel pressured to say yes."  Celestia gently poked her in the side again, eliciting another giggle and ensuring Twilight didn't get nervous.

        "Well, if you think so..."  Twilight trailed off, quickly contemplating.  I don't think an additional few hours each week would be too hard to fit in.  "Sure, I can help with that.  It'll be nice to see you and Luna more often without having to clear a whole weekend for a trip to Canterlot."  Twilight stated, a faint smile forming.

        "Thank you, Twilight.  I'll send all of the required information to Spike sometime this evening, no need to worry about it now."  Celestia closed her eyes and directed her face towards the warm sun, its rays playing across her features.  

        Twilight stared at Celestia, entranced by the light gleaming off her coat.  Something about it reminded of the time when she was just a filly and fell in love with magic.  A subtle shift in Celestia's face caused Twilight concern, she looked sad.  "Celestia?"

        Opening her eyes, she was jolted from her thoughts.  "Yes, Twilight?"  She settled her gaze on Twilight, a subconscious echo of pain etched on her face.

        "Are you okay, Celestia?  Is it a memory, or?"  Twilight's voice was filled with concern as she worked up the courage to offer something in return to her friend.  "I just want you to know, if there ever is anything bothering you...  I wouldn't mind lending my ear."

        Well, here goes nothing.  Celestia collected herself before carefully opening her mouth.  "Well, you see, I—"

        "—cess Celestia!  Princess!"  A royal guard called out, drowning out Celestia's quiet words.  

        Celestia showed annoyance and relief as a guard entered the courtyard.  "Hopefully this will only take a moment, Twilight."  She stood up, letting her presence be known.

        "Ah, there you are, Princess!  A diplomat just arrived from Gryphonia with a most urgent message for Your Majesties."  The guard delivered the message with a quick salute, then awaited his Princess' reply.

        Celestia’s mane went limp.  "I'm sorry, but I must see to this.  Your belongings should be ready for you, I know Luna only needed a short time to gather reading material for you."  She looked towards the guard.  "Which room is the emissary located in?"

        "The green room near the foyer, Princess."

        "Very well, I'll leave immediately.  Dismissed."  The pony left with another salute as Celestia turned back towards Twilight.  "I'm sorry Twilight, but you know how gryphons can be.  I really hope this isn't something irrelevant again, the last messenger interrupted the Day Court to inform us one of the lesser princesses was getting married...  for the fourth time."  She groaned, then gently nuzzled Twilight.  "The chariot should be waiting for you in the upper courtyard. It was nice seeing you.  Hopefully the next time we meet will be in Ponyville.  Take care, Twilight."

        "You too, Celestia.  Thank you for this weekend!"  Twilight called out.

        Celestia paused and shot her a smile, then turned and began to walk inside.  Luckily the green room was only a short walk from the courtyard she had been found in, and before long, her destination loomed just ahead.

        "Has my sister arrived yet?"  She asked of the ponies standing guard at the door.

        "Yes, Princess Luna is already inside with the gryphon."  He opened the door and poked his head inside.  "Announcing Princess Celestia!"

        Walking through the open door, Luna and a tawny gryphon with a white coat greeted her eyes.  This is a new one.  "Hello, Luna, and...?"  She trailed off, inviting the gryphon to introduce herself.

        "Sheila Brightfeather, Your Majesty.  It is an honor to meet you both, and I give greetings on behalf of Gryphonia and thank you for meeting with me so quickly on such short notice."  The gryphon gave a half bow towards both sisters, talons facing downwards in respect.

        "We welcome you to Equestria, Sheila Brightfeather."  Celestia began.  "I was informed that the message you carried was considered urgent.  Shall we sit down and talk?"  The three occupants of the room sat down at a table adorning the center of the room.

        Luna and Celestia looked upon the gryphon, who raised a talon to her head and scratched slightly.  "Your Majesties, I'm afraid that it isn't anything quite so urgent...  I did tell the pony who received me as such, that I only carried legal documents.  I have the newest revisions of our tariffs and trade laws that need to be reviewed by Equestria."  Sheila looked at the sisters in embarrassment as she pulled out a heavy stack of parchment, which was placed upon the table.

        Celestia inwardly groaned as Luna grimaced slightly.  How I wish Shining Armor had never resigned his post as Captain...  Note to self, have another talk with Captain Bright about what does and doesn't constitute 'urgent.'

        Luna wiped the grimace off her face, unfurling the parchment as she prepared to read it.  "It is no fault of your own Sheila; do not be concerned.  It simply appears that our guards are overzealous in their duties."  Sheila relaxed, dropping her talon to the tabletop as Luna began to read aloud.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Twilight walked out into an open, mostly deserted courtyard.  Two pegasi guards walked underneath the high noon sun to greet her midway.

        "Oh my, Twilight?  It is nice to see you again!"  The left pegasus exclaimed as the three ponies met each other in the middle of the courtyard.  Removing her helmet caused Twilight to gasp in recognition.

        "Breezy?!  It's good to see you again!"  Twilight broadly smiled at the familiar pegasus who had been one of the newer guards assigned to the castle shortly before she had moved to Ponyville.  Breeze shared Twilight's love of books, and the two had spent hours together reading during the pegasus' downtime.  "You're taking me back to Ponyville?"  Her attention shifted to the still silent pony.  "You too?  I Thought the chariots only needed one pony."

        Breeze prodded the stoic pegasus and laughed.  "This here is Mr. Stick-up-his-butt—"

        She was cut off as a growl emanated from the pony.  "Captain."

        "Oh, relax, would you?"  She continued on, looking back at Twilight.  "This is Sergeant Sentinel.  He's very uptight as you can see.  Anyways, all of the normal chariots are out for regular maintenance, but we did get one that just finished.  It’s an older model though, thus the two pony harness, because it weighs more than the newer ones."

        The three ponies began walking to the chariot, Twilight looking at it with a critical eye.  It was open to the sky, the back of it supporting a small awning designed more for shade than security.  It had gilded, bronze sunrises along the sides, and cushions lined the inside.

        Twilight levitated her bags off the ground, securing them in a small luggage compartment that was underneath the chariot.  She hopped in it as Breeze and Sentinel began to rig their harnesses.  She sat down near the back and made herself comfortable.

        "Now, the weather from here to Ponyville is scheduled to be cloud free, and the air currents smooth.  Just in case though, if something happens, hold on tight and we'll get to the ground as soon as we can.  Plus, you'll notice some straps have been installed for you to use in case things get really bad.  Not the most convenient system, but it'll work in a pinch."  The two pegasi checked each others' harness, ensuring everything was secured.

        "Ehh..."  Twilight trailed off.  Her mind was hard at work both trying to ignore the fact that it was an open chariot, while also calculating odds as to what would happen should they encounter anything.  Trying to do both was impossible, however, as each time she nearly convinced herself of one, the opposing voice would offer up new evidence.

        "Relax.  You're in good hooves.  Even with how air-headed the Captain is."  Sentinel spoke up, surprising Twilight.

        "Okay.  I'm good to go then."  Twilight stated, slowly moving the straps near her hooves with magic as she nestled herself against the back of the chariot.  With a few rhythmic hoofbeats, both pegasi made a running start, getting airborne within seconds.  They quickly climbed from the castle, gaining altitude before setting their course towards Ponyville.  Settling into a rhythm, they leveled out high in the sky, the awning shading her from the full force of the sun.

        Twilight began to think about the spell she and Celestia had spent time working on.  Although her notes were snug and secure in her bags underneath the chariot, she also held a copy in her mind.  She thought back to the time spent in the library...

        "So, I had a dream the other night about flying.  It's been awhile since I last dreamed that, and it got me thinking about the Young Flyer's Competition."  Twilight told Celestia as they walked into the Canterlot Library Archives.  "I managed to cast the one spell, but the result was less than satisfactory, and in the rush of everything, I completely forgot about it."

        Celestia motioned with a hoof towards a back section of the library.  "I see where you're going with this.  You'd like to revisit this spell and see if you can't change it to suit your purposes?"  Twilight followed her as they walked deeper into the building.

        "Yup!  I've studied pegasus anatomy enough to understand exactly how the wings work, all the way down to the blood vessels and nervous system.  I just need to devise a method to attach the wings and associated muscles to a non-pegasus, but the last time I visited the spell I was left stumped as well as being on the verge of magical exhaustion."  Twilight recounted, recalling her previous attempts at the complicated spell.

        "I can see where the issues would arise.  Self-polymorphing is already difficult enough, and that is concerning the whole body. You found that out when researching the Changeling's ability to shift themselves into ponies.  To do a partial one though, and not on another..."  Celestia trailed off, raising a hoof to her chin as she stopped in front of a shelf, perusing the organized books.

        "Ah-ha, this should be it."  Celestia removed a book titled Modern Surgical Studies - Pegasus Anatomy and passed it to Twilight.  "This should help."

        Twilight looked the book over, a puzzled expression on her face.  "How will a surgical textbook help get over that hurdle?  I already know how the wings operate, I just can't..."  Her face shifted as a thought entered her head, her mind furiously working to connect the dots.  She opened the book up with her magic, checking the table of contents.  "Wings, wings...  Ah-ha!  Page Three oh Two."

        Celestia watched as Twilight began to furiously read, specifically the sections involving the attempts to reattach severed wings and the amputation of them.  To think, it used to take a trail of breadcrumbs where now it simply takes one.  She truly is brilliant.  Twilight continued to read, taking it all in.  It didn’t take her long before she closed the book.  She nearly jumped up and down in joy before recalling that she was in a library.

        "Well?"  Celestia asked, waiting on her reply.

        "I didn't take into account the full musculature required to operate the wings!  The muscles for flight continue throughout the whole body, not just the upper back and wings.  Plus, you have to force a simulation of pegasus magic, but that should be relatively simply to do.  It should only require a few changes to the cloudwalking spell, as that already simulates the required magic.”  Twilight beamed widely at Celestia, glad that she had the theory of the spell now.

        “Well, with the theories out of the way, it’s simply a matter of—

        Twilight’s memory was shattered by the sounds of muted curses reaching her ears.  Looking ahead, she noticed clouds looming on the horizon, rapidly advancing towards them.  Not only that, but they appeared to be in the middle of their flight path.  The landscape below them was like a game board; she had no clue how high up the chariot was.

        “Twilight!”  Came Breeze’s voice through the wind.  “Somepony screwed up somewhere!  Hold on!”

        Twilight found the straps that had been pointed out prior to their departure, and using their magic tied her hooves down in preparation.  They began to descend, yet were hampered by the larger and bulkier chariot.  The clouds continued to rapidly advance, moving to intercept them.  Oh no, oh no, oh no!  The probability that at this rate of descent, factor in the wind speed, current estimated velocity...  We’re not going to clear the clouds in time!  She began to do the one thing that she excelled at.  Panic.

        The two pegasus came to the same conclusion as Twilight moments later, as they abandoned the futile attempt to descend, opting to instead climb as high as possible to attempt to fly over the approaching weather system.  Wind began to buffet them as they flew, light turbulence beginning to rock the chariot.

        Twilight continued to panic, her mind blank.  Magic gripped the straps, causing them to start chafing around each hoof.  The chariot began to rock and tilt, the pegasi straining to keep it climbing and upright as the wind assaulted them.

        “HOLD ON, TWILIGHT!”

        Wind sheer took the pegasi by surprise, the suddenly shifting winds moving from head on to their left flanks, sending them momentarily spinning out of control.  With a groan, the chariot inverted and spun, leaving Twilight upside down.  The sudden shift in perspective caused her magic to fail, her concentration shattered as a large mass of clouds swarmed her vision.  Her grip on the straps loosened as she found herself suspended by them, the protective spells luckily holding.

        The guards struggled to regain control, the harness and bulk of the chariot making it a losing proposition.  Each time they were on the edge of control, a new buffet of wind would once again negate their attempts.  They never gave up though, continuing to fight against the storm.  The next gust of wind shook the chariot violently and Twilight felt something give.

The overtaxed enchantments couldn’t take it anymore; Twilight was sent plummeting through the clouds.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~



> Chapter 8.5 - The Save
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        A soft surface greeted Twilight's senses as the world slowly began to come into focus.  Her thoughts were scattered, her mind in the process of waking up.  White swarmed her vision as her eyes slowly opened, sounds of the world around her muffled to her addled senses.  I remember...  falling.  Where am I?

        Further blinking brought clarity to her vision, as she slowly took in her surroundings.  She was in a whitewashed room, laying in a bed.  Raising her head she began to look around the room.  Hospital equipment lay to one side against a wall, an intravenous drip was attached to her foreleg, and a steady beeping made itself known from a heart monitor as her hearing returned.

        Before she had a chance to really think as to what all of this meant, a unicorn wearing medical scrubs walked into the room.  He noticed her alertness and enthusiastically began talking.  "Ah, Miss Sparkle!  You're awake, wonderful!"

        "W-Where am I?  What happened?  I remember falling..."  Her addled mind managed to pull the words together.  Her eyes slightly unfocused as she attempted to piece together the puzzle pieces her thoughts were yielding.

        "You're in Ponyville General Hospital, Miss Sparkle.  You received wounds after falling from a chariot during a storm some ways out of town.  You're extremely lucky to be alive right now, honestly."  He paused, flipping through some papers.  "You suffered seven bruised ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a moderate concussion.  Luckily, a weather mare that was off duty managed to reach you, otherwise we probably wouldn't be having this conversation right now."  He set the documents down on a table.

        "Oh, excuse me.  I just realized that I haven't even given you my name yet.  I'm Dr. Gauge, and I've been attending you for the last two days you've been here.  Now, I need to check your vitals as well as a few other things. Once we do that, you’ll be evaluated to see if you’re good enough to be released.”  

Doctor Gauge ran her through a quick series of tests, jotting words down on the paper after each one.  Twilight kept quiet throughout the entire process, her clarity quickly coming to her.  Wish I had managed to test the application of those wings!  It would’ve been useful...  Note to self, make that the first—  no, second thing I do once I’m out of here.  Friends first!  Twilight refocused on Dr. Gauge when he stepped back. It looked like the tests were done.

        “Well, Miss Sparkle, everything seems to be fine.  You’ll need to take it easy for the next few days, but I see no reason for us to keep you here any longer than necessary.  I need to step out and prepare your release papers.  You have some friends waiting for you in the lobby; I’ll go give them the good news.”

        A few moments after the doctor left the room, a new arrival made her entrance known with a knock on the door.  “Is this Miss Twilight’s room?”  A vibrant yellow head framed by a turquoise mane peeked into the room, looking around.  Spotting Twilight, she widely smiled and walked inside.  “Ah ha!  It is!  Good afternoon, Miss Twilight.”

        As the pegasus entered the room, Twilight noticed her cutie mark was three raindrops.  I’ve seen her a few times before, where at though...  Oh, that’s where!  “Raindrops, right?  You work the weather team here?”  Raindrops nodded in confirmation, moving to take a seat next to the bed.  “What brings you around?”

        “Well, I heard you were awake, so thought I’d sneak on over and come say hi!  Plus, I figured you might want to know what happened.”  The pegasus shuffled around, exposing her left wing, which was tightly bandaged to her side.

        “Sure, I’d like to kn—  What happened to your wing?”  Twilight began, shifting her focus as she took in the bandaged appendage.

        “That’s actually part of the story.  It seems that some of the factory workers thought it’d be a great idea to see how quickly they could process the cloud deliveries and it somehow turned into a competition.  All would’ve been just fine but...  they never turned the machines off when they went on their lunch break.  They had put all of the machines into overdrive, and, well...  Lots of clouds.”  The pegasus raised her hoof to her forehead as she brought it down to meet her hoof.  “Stallions.”

        Twilight looked up at Raindrops’ joke, and met her gaze.  They both broke into easy laughter.  Things calmed down quickly as Twilight spoke.  “So, I’m guessing the storm we encountered was all the excess clouds?”

        “Pretty much.  I think they picked up some of the ones that had been put in place across the Ponyville fringes, but the majority came from the factory.”  Raindrops paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts.  “I was on the outskirts of town enjoying my day off when I noticed the storm.  Figured I’d follow it until the emergency teams showed up to deal with it, but then I noticed a bright lavender flash in the middle of it.”

        Twilight’s eyes lit up in recognition.  “So, you’re the pony who saved me?  Thank you very much, Raindrops.”  She widely beamed at the pegasus.

        Raindrops ran a hoof through her mane.  “Eh...  It was nothing much really, I just happened to be there...  So, I flew in there, and managed to catch up to you and slow you down enough to keep anything from really breaking.  I might’ve been able to avoid injuring us completely, but I strained the tendons in my wing as I was trying to pull us up at the end, so we went for a tumble instead.”

        “Do you know what happened with the chariot guards?  Breeze and Sentinel?”

        “Oh, they’re just fine.  Apparently they had a harness release lever, and once they realized you’d fallen, they dumped the carriage and tried to get to you.  They brought us here, as well as your stuff.  I think they left those with your friends.”

        Any further conversation ground to a halt as Gauge arrived back in the room.  “Well, Miss Sparkl—”  He noticed the extra occupant in the room as he looked up from a clipboard.  “Miss Raindrops...  You could’ve just waited ten more minutes, just like everypony else in the lobby.”  He sighed as Raindrops guiltily grinned as she left the room. Gauge shifted his focus back to Twilight.  “Anyways, as I was saying, I just need your signature at the bottom of this form here, and you’ll be good to go.  Make sure to stop by the pharmacy sometime today; I put in an order of mild painkillers for you in case your ribs hurt too much.  The bruising should be gone within the next five days though.”

        Twilight gently hopped down from the bed, only a slight twinge greeted her as hooves met the hard floor.  She followed the doctor though the maze of corridors, winding and weaving through the halls.  Opening the last door for her, Gauge flashed a brief smile in Twilight’s direction.

        “I hope it’s a long time before we meet again, in a professional manner.”

        Twilight couldn’t help but smile at his joke as she walked into the lobby, where her friends awaited her.  She ran up to them, embracing the first one she could reach in a massive hug.

        “Girls!”
> Chapter 9 - Aftermath (Part 1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        “...and that’s what happened.”  Twilight finished recounting the events leading into her fall, filling in the holes with the information that Raindrops had given her.  The group of ponies slowly ambled their way towards the library, being ever mindful of Twilight's injury.

        "That's just...  awful, darling.  I am thrilled that you are fine, but to have to suffer through such an event?  Tragedy, pure tragedy I say!"  Rarity exclaimed, raising a hoof to her forehead in an exaggerated manner.  "I do think that you've made up my mind; I'll not be setting hoof in a carriage for the near future."

        "Ah'm mighty glad you're fine Twilight.  I believe the girls all agree with me here, we'd be lost without ya...”  Applejack's voice wavered, her volume so low that it nearly rivaled Fluttershy's.  She walked closer to Rarity, intertwining a front hoof with her.  “Not to mention Ponyville would just be too darn boring!”  Her volume quickly spiked, ending in a near yell as she clung to Rarity as a lifeline.

        "Twilight, please try not to scare us like that again...  Even with all that we've done together, this was the closest we've come to losing you..."  Fluttershy lost it as tears began streaming down her cheeks.  Pinkie moved and offered herself as support for the crying pegasus.  As they slowly moved forward, a stray wing found itself laid over Pinkie's back.

        Dash hesitated, opening her mouth to speak then rapidly closing it as words failed to come.  Her face screwed up in thought, one eye comically shutting as the other remained wide open.  Letting out a sigh, she simply began speaking.  “That’s got to be the most uncool thing, ever.  I actually have to thank Raindrops now, so not cool...  But it’s totally worth it, this time.”

        “We need to have a ‘Twilight nearly died, but she’s still with us party!”  Pinkie began, getting close to Twilight’s face as she began walking backwards, matching their paces.  Her hair fell down flat as she began speaking once more.  “You’re very important to us all, Twilight.”  She spread her gaze across the group before focusing in again.  “Without you, a part of each of us would be gone, forever...”  The words trailed off as they reached the library.

        “Girls...”  Twilight began, tears moistening her cheeks as she raised a hoof to wipe some away.  “We've all been through a lot together.  I..."  Her words faltered, tears freely flowing as she looked at her friends, her back to the library door.  Before she had a chance to gather her thoughts, five ponies surrounded her offering their comfort.

        The commotion on the porch of the library caught the lone occupant's attention, who opened the door in time to see the six friends surrounding each other.  "Twilight!  You're back!" a deep voice called out from inside, startling the group hug.

        After the entanglement of limbs were cleared, Twilight turned around and began speaking.  "Now, I don't know wh—  Spike?!"  Greeting her eyes, he stood in the doorway.  "Y-You're... big!"  Spike stood before her on all fours, their eyes level with one another.  His scales held a brighter sheen in the afternoon sun, and his spines had elongated to match his new stature.

        Twilight was speechless as she found herself wrapped up in a massive hug.  "Sp-pike, air!"  He loosened his grip as Twilight gasped for air.  Wow, he’s so much stronger too!

        "Twilight, it's great to see that you're alright!”  She felt moisture hitting her neck.  “We were all so worried when we heard that you'd been brought to the hospital!  I was worried!"  He tightened his grip on her, the deep rumbling bass of his voice washed over her, erasing away any doubt that Spike was a child.  "I, uh, had a bit of a growth spurt, although I'm not exactly sure why.  It's nice being larger, I might not even need a ladder for the higher shelves!  Even if I don't have wings yet..."  He wistfully twisted his head around to look at his back.

        All six mares let out various laughs as the dreary mood lifted.  “Ha!  You should see the look on your face Twi!”  Dash said, laughing at Twilight as she began frantically looking up and down at Spike.  Dash turned towards Spike, a large grin plastered on her face.  “When you do get wings, I totally call dibs on teaching you to fly.”  She raised a hoof and Spike met it with a fist.

        Dash was broken from her laughter as a hoof tapped her on the shoulder.  “Oh, Dash...”  Twilight was glaring at the pegasus, all humor removed from her face.  “You didn’t happen to neglect the fact that Spike had grown, did you?  You and Spike wouldn’t dream of not telling me something so important, right?”

        All noise ceased as Twilight finished speaking.  A few moments later, Spike let out an audible gulp.  Oh man, even being the same size now doesn’t help when she gets angry...  “Twilight, calm down, please?”  He tried to defuse the situation before it could get any further out of hoof.  “With you being in the hospital and all, it probably just slipped her mind, that’s all.”  Spike shot a quick glare at Dash while Twilight wasn’t looking.

        Dash caught on to what Spike was attempting to do.  The rest of the girls watched the tense situation, not wanting to catch Twilight’s attention, or more importantly, her ire.  Okay, where to go with this.  Thanks a bunch, Spike!  Now c’mon brain, give me something to work with!  “Twilight...”  She hesitantly began, carefully gauging her reaction.  “While it’s true that I didn’t tell you even though I knew, there were kind of other things just a bit more important to worry about.”  I can’t get a read on her...  “Besides, it just means that you get to experiment later on, right?”

        Twilight’s anger immediately subsided, a glimmer forming in her eyes as she directed her sight towards Spike.  “So.  You don’t know what caused your growth, Spike?”  Chuckles filled the air from the mares as he attempted to crawl back into the library.  She slowly advanced towards him, her horn illuminating with magic, as a manic smile spread across her features.

        With a very un-dragon like yell, Spike bolted inside the library and disappeared from sight.  Twilight waited for a moment, then broke out in laughter.  She enjoyed herself for a bits, before abruptly cutting herself off and rounding on Dash.  “Don’t worry Dash, I’ve got to think about how to get back at you.  I promise you, it’ll come when you least expect it.”  She smiled broadly at her friends.

        Dash grinned sheepishly and rubbed her mane with a hoof.  “I just remembered Twi, I forgot to leave out some food for Tank.  I need to go and, uh, take care of that.  See ya later!”  She took to the air, disappearing in a rainbow blur.

        Pinkie laughed and started bouncing up and down.  “Sooooooo, Twilight.  Party tomorrow night, Sugarcube Corner, seven o’clock!  You can’t be late!”  She stopped and let out a giant gasp.  "Oh!  I need to get it set up!  Bye!"  She waved and ran off, then dove into a trashcan.

        Rarity gently shook her head as Fluttershy giggled at her marefriend's antics.  "That mare..."  The fashionista muttered as Pinkie appeared out of the mailbox outside Sugarcube Corner.  Turning towards the other three mares, she smiled brightly.  "Well, Twilight, I shall take my leave for now.  I'm afraid that I fell behind while you were hospitalized, and I truly need to catch up to my orders."  She turned to leave, but paused.  "I truly am glad you're alright, darling.  Do take care."

        They all waved at Rarity as she departed.  "Would you two like to go inside?"  Twilight motioned with a hoof as she opened the door with magic, awaiting their replies.

        "Actually...  I need to get back home; the poor animals haven't been fed for two days now..."  Fluttershy mumbled, her thoughts straying to Angel.  Oh, I do hope he hasn't gotten into any trouble while I was gone.  "Sorry, Twilight.  I'd love to stay and talk, another time, maybe?  If you don't mind, that is."

        Twilight’s ears drooped.  "That's okay Fluttershy, I know how much your animals mean to you.  Perhaps we could meet for some tea later?"  She brightened.  "It means a lot to me that you'd rather spend time waiting on my recovery than being back home with your animals.  Thank you."  She gently hugged her, a slight twinge at her side reminding her of the few remaining bruises from the accident.

        "Bye, Twilight, Applejack.  I'll see you two at Pinkie's party."  Fluttershy took to the air, slowly winging her way home.

        "You know, Ah'm mighty proud that she's found some confidence after all this time, Twilight."  Applejack mentioned as she watched the form of Fluttershy slowly dwindle over the horizon.  She let out a small sigh and turned back towards Twilight.  "As much as Ah might like to join you for a while, I'm behind on work.  Mac has been doin' all he can to keep up, but I really can't afford any more delays, especially with it bein' the middle of harvest season.  Take care, sugarcube.  See ya at Pinkie's party."  Applejack waved bye to Twilight, leaving her alone in front of the library.

        With a slight shrug, Twilight walked inside.  "Well, I suppose I can get caught up on some things then.  Spike!"  She hollered, her voice echoing throughout the treehouse.

        "No, Twi!  You'll never take me alive!"  Was the muted reply that reached her ears, muffled by at least two doors and a floor.  She heard numerous thumping sounds coming from upstairs and sighed as she walked to the kitchen.

        Pulling out some food, she made a quick daisy sandwich to sate her hunger.  Turning around, she noticed two large parcels, each with a corresponding letter.  Taking a bite, she looked at the parcels first, then the letters attached to them.

        Twilight,

        I know that I only mentioned sending you six weeks of the scheduled events, however I figured that you would most likely have this accomplished quickly.  Therefore, I also sent an additional ten weeks of documents for planning purposes.  The meetings requiring my attention are marked with the sun, while ones requiring Luna's are labeled with her moon.  If one required both of our attention, you'll find a waning moon within my sun on the paper(s).

        Another thing to note is that Court (Monday - Friday) can be cut back to three days a week, although we would prefer if you tried keeping it to four.  We can't be seen as getting too lazy, after all!  Let us know when you are done and we'll begin making preparations to visit Ponyville as per your schedule.

        And, again, Twilight.  It was wonderful seeing you again.  You have accomplished much in such a short time.  Luna and myself are most proud to call you a friend.

        Your Friend
                Celestia

        P.S. - When you know what day(s) will be free for our visit, could you please inform Rarity that I'll need an hour or two of her time during one of those days?  Thank you!

        Twilight smiled as she set down the letter and looked at the bundles before her.  Moving to unbundle the first one, she paused and moved for the two letters that had been set off to the side.  Opening the one with Celestia's seal on it first, she unfolded it and began reading.

        Twilight,

        I heard about your accident on the trip, and I'm very thrilled that you are fine!  I've personally began looking into the events that led to the storm, and you've my word that those responsible shall be held accountable for their negligence.  

        Additionally, I thought that you might like to know that both guards Breeze and Sentinel are well.  I couldn't in good conscious hold them responsible for circumstances beyond their control.  Both of them send word that they're glad to know that you're awake and fine, Breeze in particular wanted to stay around, however their duty called them back to the castle.

        Celestia

        She set down the letter and removed the lunar seal on the other then began to read.

        Twi,

        I heard of what happened.  I wanted to find the foal(s) responsible and smite them myself, however Tia recommended a less severe approach on how to handle the situation.  While I still do not agree, she has always been a better judge of how to handle such situations.  I suppose settling for the removal of the bureaucrats from the weather factories might bring some satisfaction.  Expect me in your dreams tonight so that we may talk further on the matter, mostly on how you are doing.

        Luna

        Twilight chuckled as she read what Luna had written.  I wonder if she could drop a star on them.  If it weren't so morbid, it'd be humorous!  Setting the letter down, and now with something to look forward to while she slept, Twilight left the kitchen and headed upstairs for the study.  Carrying the bundles of appointment letters with her, she dropped them down on the desk and began pulling out the various items she needed.

        With parchment, quills, ink and a ruler, Twilight made separate calendars for Luna and Celestia.  Pulling the first letter from the stack, she began reading through it, looking for the symbol and specifics of the meeting.  Huh.  Bi-annual tax law revisions, requiring Luna's attention.  August the sixth at one o'clock.  Twilight wrote down the details and moved on to the next piece of parchment.

        Afternoon gave way to early evening, the sun's ray beginning to become obscured by the trees in the distance, casting long shadows across the town.  Spike poked his head in the doorway and saw Twilight furiously scribbling away at numerous rolls of parchment.  A stack of papers lay on the floor behind her, while two more stacks sat on the desk's surface.

        "Hey, Twi.  You hun—"

        "And done!"  Twilight shouted, jumping from her chair as she set down her quill, only to have her rear hooves buckle underneath her due to the hours spent sitting upon them.  "Ooops...  Oh, hey, what's up?"

        Spike cautiously walked into the room and helped Twilight to her hooves.  "I was stopping by to see if you were hungry.  I figured if you hadn't hunted me down after the first hour, I'd be safe."  He weakly chuckled as he scratched at his neck.

        "Oh, don't worry, Spike.  We'll experiment soon enough, I promise that.  To think, I could be the first pony to document a growth induced by something other than greed!"  Twilight began rambling on about potential correlations of environmental sources to his growth while Spike facepalmed.

        She rambled on for a few minutes before Spike loudly cleared his throat, stopping her tirade.  "Sorry again, Spike.  Yes, dinner does sound good.  Do you mind making it while I write a letter to the princesses?"

        "Sure thing.  Don't take too long, it'll only be about ten minutes or so.  Meet you down in the kitchen."  He left the room and waved over his shoulder as he headed for the kitchen.

        Celestia and Luna,

        Along with this letter you'll find two schedules for each of you.  The first option, A, allows for four days of Court, held in conjunction with each other.  The second option, B, cuts Court down to three days, but each of you will field separate petitioners, actually allowing the number of ponies to be seen to increase by approximately fifty percent, with an error margin of three percent.  It also allows for more down time, although not necessarily at the same time, affording you both some relaxation.

        Regardless of which choice you decide to go with, the schedules are good for three months out.  The first time off is shared, the fourth and fifth of August.  I'll make sure to inform Rarity of your visit.  I'm certain she'll be looking forward to working on your Gala gowns some more.

        Your Friend,
                Twilight

        She carefully rolled the schedules up with the letters, then bound them in ribbon before heading downstairs.  The rustling sounds in the kitchen alerted her to the fact that Spike was still preparing the food, so she sat down at the table and waited for him to finish.

        He walked in a minute or two later carrying a tray in his paws, glasses of apple juice and plates with sandwiches on it.  Twilight set the rolled up letters to the side as Spike served her, then sat down himself to eat dinner together.

        Twilight set down her empty glass, joining the plate on the table as she finished dinner.  "Thank you, Spike.  Please send that off to Celestia.  I'm exhausted, so I think it's time to call it a night.  She gazed out the window.  The moon had begun its journey through the sky while the sun had departed, waiting to herald the next day.

        Twilight removed herself from the table and made her way upstairs.  She took note of Spike's old basket laying at the foot of her bed before she pulled back the covers and laid down, using her magic to pull them back over herself.  Closing her eyes, Twilight let the soft embrace of sleep wash over her.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Twilight's dream was a bright, cheerful place, at first.  She was flying high in the sky on lavender wings, exhilarating feelings accompanying the motions.  As she went into a dive, however, the sense of wings disappeared, leaving her plummeting to the ground.  Screaming, she tried calling on her magic, willing it to do something, anything, but it failed her.

        "Come on now, I thought you would know enough of dreams from our first lesson to influence your own!" a thunderous voice echoed, ringing in her ears.

        Twilight forced herself to calm down, and then closed her eyes as she envisioned the area around her.  Rather than falling through the sky, she thought of herself as seated in a chair on the balcony in her room, the sky filled with stars.  Slowly opening her eyes, she noticed that the scene had shifted to reflect exactly that.

        "Well done, Twilight!"  Luna appeared next to her, sitting down in a chair that Twilight thought up for her.  "I heard about what happened.  I snuck out for as long as possible, but unfortunately I was unable stay until you awoke.  How are you doing?"  Luna asked, her voice filled with concern.

        "I'm doing well.  After spending some time with the girls once I woke up, I spent the rest of the evening going through all of the appointments you all have these next three months.  It’s truly amazing how much work you and Celestia do, yet you also hold court on the weekdays."  Twilight looked at Luna, a thin smile spread across her face.

        Luna fixated her stare, her gaze penetrating into Twilight.  “I know denial when I hear it, Twilight Sparkle!  It has taken me five years to open back up, and even now I am sometimes loathe to admit how I truly feel.  Especially in regard to the events I caused a thousand years ago.” she admonished.  Her tone shifted to a calm, quiet one as her eyes pooled with concern.  “Twilight, I know that you are not ‘doing well,’ just as I was not when Tia would inquire shortly after my return.  You have been through a harrowing experience and had a brush with death.  You are anything but well right now.”  She placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder and locked eyes with her love.  “Please, let me help.”  Luna plead, begging Twilight to let her help in any way she could.

        Twilight’s eyes watered as Luna gently nuzzled her.  A single, ragged, breath escaped her.  Unable to hold back anymore, she started sobbing uncontrollably, collapsing into Luna’s outstretched hooves.  The scenery around them began to blur, fading into darkness leaving only the balcony behind.

        Luna laid there and let Twilight cry her heart out.  Seconds, minutes, hours, time lost all meaning until Twilight's tears finally came to an end.  Luna cradle her while she came to terms with all that had transpired.

        "You're right.  I'm not okay.  I'm scared and have no idea what to do about it right now."  Twilight's voice was soft, quivering as she confessed to Luna.  "I haven't even lived a quarter of my life, yet it almost ended.  Just.  Like.  That."  She punctuated her last word with a stomp.  "I was already panicking even before I fell from the chariot, but...  during the time in the air,”  Twilight paused, her shoulders slumping, “I've never felt so helpless."

        Luna gently held Twilight, looking at her.  “Twilight...”  She rubbed her cheek against her love's neck.  The soft tingle of Twilight's voice on her face would've been pleasant, if not for the terror she could feel in it.

        "Even though I've been up against impossible odds and had my life in jeopardy before...  I always had the girls to rely on.  Every situation we went up against, I knew that they had my back, all of us supporting each other.  As I was falling, though...  it was just me.  Alone.  My mind was running so fast, nothing came to mind, no one was there to catch me.  I'm only here because of a lucky fluke..."  Twilight shuddered as Luna calmly listened and wrapped a wing around her for support.

        "That feeling...  I never want to feel it again."  Twilight paused, staring deep into Luna's eyes.  I wonder...  "Luna...  is this how you felt before...  Nightmare Moon?"

        Luna jerked slightly, the motion rocking to Twilight.  Before she could open her mouth, however, Luna began softly speaking.  "Yes.  Before...  Nightmare Moon, I thought that it was the world against me.  Near the end, I didn't even consider that Tia was there for me, regardless of what was happening."  Her hold on Twilight loosened slightly.

        "But!"  Luna tightened her grip on Twilight.  "I was foolish.  Although I had convinced myself that I had no one whom I could count on, I always will.  Celestia is one such pony, and I recently found another..."  She lovingly buried her muzzle in Twilight's mane, breathing in deeply before pulling back.

        They sat in relative silence for some time, the dream shifting from the black abyss to a more comfortable environment.  Stars lit the night sky, framing a full moon whose light shone down on an open hilltop.

        "Luna."  Twilight pierced the silence, a question that had formed earlier screaming to be known.  "What would you do once I'm...  gone?"

        The question rattled Luna to her core.  Why must she ask such a question, now?  What should I tell her...  "There is still quite some time before I would even have to worry about such a thing.  However..."  She raised a hoof and began stroking Twilight's mane.  "I would think that, no matter how hard I took it, Tia would be there to help.  We would both be devastated, if such a thing were to happen."

        Think, Luna, think!  There has to be a way!  Maybe Celestia knows something.  If I ask though, she'll know something is going on.  An old memory of a solemn promise came to the forefront of her mind.  There is that, but...  I'll have to go looking for it later.  I'll not lose her.  She was broken from her thoughts by Twilight nudging her.

        "Do you think it's...  worth it?  Knowing that no matter how long it lasts, you will ultimately lose it?  Lose me?"  Twilight's voice wavered.

        "Yes."  Luna replied, her tone solid, unyielding.  "No matter how brief something might be, you take the time to enjoy it while you can.  Especially love..."  She barely whispered.  The surroundings began to fuzz slightly, stealing Luna's focus.  "Seems the night has passed, love.  I promise to come down as soon as I..."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Sharp Plane sat down in his chair, dumbfounded at the latest report that one of the construction members had brought.  The poor stallion still stood before him, his trembling having finally calmed down.  Poor Earth Pony, they only have their strength to rely on.  Against one of those, I can imagine why he'd be so shaken up.  "So," he began, a slight hesitation in his voice, "let me get this straight.  You encountered a manticore roughly one hour ago in sector Charlie Delta Three, where you were checking on the density of vegetation for tomorrow's work.  Correct?"

        "Y-yes, I was gauging the workforce we'd need for t-tomorrow morning when I ran into it, Mr. Plane."  The stallion replied, fear and bewilderment running throughout his voice.

        "Okay.  Now, for the sake of clarity, please reiterate what happened one more time."  He picked up a quill and began to take notes as the stallion spoke.

        "Yes sir.  I encountered the manticore right on the edge of the land marked for leveling tomorrow morning.  We both froze, and before I could turn tail and run, the oddest thing occurred.  The manticore's eyes widened in... fear it seemed, and it turned tail and tried to fly away.  It managed to entangle itself in some vines in the denser section of trees along that area, and, well..."  The stallion paused, unsure about whether or not to continue.

        "And?"  Sharp Plane asked curtly, wanting to get the story one hundred percent straight before sending his progress report to Princess Celestia.

        "And it defecated on itself, Sir.  It was more afraid of me than I was of it.  It managed to untangle itself, I think.  I was already running back by that point.”

        "I see.  Thank you very much.  For your run-in, please take the next day off.  Go relax or something, you deserve it.  We'll see you back at work in two days."  He dismissed the stallion with the wave of a hoof and focused his attention towards the letter he was composing in front of him.  Dear Princess Celestia...  What did you do?!?  He lowered the quill to the parchment and began writing.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~




> Chapter 9 - Aftermath (Part 2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Twilight slowly opened her eyes, the warm rays of the sun suffusing her room.  As her vision came into focus, she smelled a plethora of wonderful aromas.  Rolling out of bed, she landed on her hooves and quickly glanced in the mirror.  A quick application of magic removed any remnants of bed-mane.

        Walking downstairs, the smells became clearer, pancakes and fresh apple juice mingling in the cool air.  "Spike?"  Twilight called out as she descended down the stairs.

        "Morning, Twi!"  The deep voice greeted her, startling her until the prior day's events came to the forefront of her mind.  "I made pancakes, and AJ dropped off some fresh apple juice yesterday as a get well gift!"

        Twilight entered the kitchen, taking a deep breath and sighing contentedly.  Sitting down at the table, Spike joined her moments later with two plates stacked high with pancakes.  He set them down alongside large glasses of apple juice and they began eating.

        Spike polished off his pancakes, pulling out a small diamond and eyeing it.  He noticed Twilight had barely touched her food as she looked down at it, gaze unfocused.  "Twilight?"  Spike began, hesitantly.

        Twilight jerked, Spike's words caught her off guard and momentarily she lost her balance.  Grinning sheepishly, she adjusted her chair for a moment before meeting his sight.  "Yes, Spike?"  She asked before continuing her meal.

        "Are you...  okay?"  He managed to look fearful, despite his impressive stature.  Spike sat up and crossed the table, laying a single claw on Twilight's shoulder.

        She brushed his claw off, ignoring it in favor of the food laid out before her.  "I'm perfectly fine, there is no—"  Twilight cut herself off, pausing just a moment before letting out a sigh.  "No, I'm not, Spike.  As much as I'd just love to ignore it, Luna showed me the truth of the matter in my dreams.  I ju—"  She was surrounded by warmth as Spike hugged her tightly.  His embrace caused a stray memory to come to the forefront of her mind.

        A small filly lay on the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks.  An ambulance cart had just taken her big brother to the hospital. They had been out walking together when construction materials had tumbled from a roof and, rather than landing on her, he had pushed her away and taken the full brunt of the impact.

        "Shh, Twilight.  I promise, everything will be alright.  Shining only had some broken bones, he'll be fine with rest."  Velvet Dawn’s gentle voice soothed her daughter as she smiled.

        "B-but, there was blood, and the bone!  Shiny looked like he was in so much—"  Twilight found herself encompassed with a warmth as Velvet picked her up and held her in a tight, comforting hug.

        "Everything will be just fine, Twilight."

        Twilight slowly pulled back from Spike, a tiny smile on her face.  "Thanks, I needed that.  I'm not fine, but give it time.  I promise."  He left the room as she turned her attention towards finishing off breakfast, the memory replaying itself in her head.  "Oh, horseapples."

        She finished eating, leaving the dishes in the sink for later.  Walking upstairs to her study, Twilight pulled out some parchment, quills and ink from a desk.  She set the materials down, then took a seat.  Critically looking at the parchment, Twilight pulled her thoughts together as the quill lowered to meet the paper.

Mom and Dad,

        It's been a little bit since my last letter, and, well, quite a few things have happened since then.  I'll start with the bad news first, then get to the good.  I do have some great news to end it with though!

        The first of the bad news...  Granny Smith passed away just last week.  I know you two always enjoyed her Zap Apple Jam.  Applejack has been putting up a strong front, but I know that she's still hurting.  She and Mac have taken over the farm now, and I think some of her family is coming down to help, at least for a bit.

        I nearly died.  Three days ago...  I was taking a chariot back from Canterlot, and we encountered a mismanaged storm.  Luckily for me, a weather mare from Ponyville was nearby to save me.  Raindrops.  I think you'd like her.  I didn’t really know her, but I think there's a good chance of friendship in our future.  It also made me think about a lot of things.

        Well, now that you're probably freaking out at the moment, mom, I imagine Dad is working on calming you down, so feel free to take a minute or two (or ten, I know how Mom can be, Dad) before reading the next part.  It's all good news from here on, promise!

        After sending a friendship report to Princess Celestia, (the first one in awhile!) she asked for me to come to Canterlot over the weekend.  Not only that, but...  I'm no longer her student!  Now we’re simply friends, as she believed that her oversight wasn't necessary anymore.  While in Canterlot, I had a wonderful time with her and Luna both.

        Luna is teaching me something called Dream Magic.  It's a mostly dead area of study, and I get to be the first one to help bring it back!  We've only covered some basics of the art, but it sounds amazing!  I can't wait to learn more about it, and hopefully my next letter will involve more about it.

        The last thing, which I'm sure mom will be glad of, is that I now have a special somepony!  But you cannot tell anyone!  Please?  We just recently decided to start seeing each other, although we've been friends for years now.  We're keeping mostly quiet so we can avoid any possible complications should the word get out, but after the events a few days ago...  I'm not going to let it be a secret for too long.  It's just too important.

        Well, that's all the big stuff for now.  Next time I'm in Canterlot I'll make time to visit, I promise!

        Love, your daughter,
                Twilight

        P.S. - Shiny and Cadance are in Canterlot!

        P.P.S. - Spike had his first growth spurt while I was in the hospital it seems!  He's now the same size as a pony, and his voice...  wow.  It's really deep now, almost rumbly sounding at times.

        Looking over the letter, Twilight nodded as she reached the end, satisfied with the words.  "Hey, Twi."  Spike spoke, peeking his head around the side of the doorway.  She jumped at his words, caught off guard yet again.

        "Need something?" she asked, looking up from the letter as she carefully folded it in thirds.  Getting up from her seat, she opened a drawer, looking for an envelope.

        "Writing a letter?"  He took note of the floating parchment as he walked in the room.  "I just wanted to let you know that I’m planning on going out for the rest of the day, looking for some gems."

        "Actually, I just finished."  Twilight replied, sliding the letter into the envelope.  Her attention shifted to him.  “I was hoping to do research on you today...”  She paused, her eyes skewed in thought.  “Wait.  That came out wrong.”

        Spike chuckled, the low bass reverberating around the room.  “Nah, I get it Twilight.  I guess you can...”  He glanced out the window and took in the beautiful summer day.

        Twilight sealed the envelope and looked up, taking note of Spike’s gaze.  “You know, I think it can wait.  Go on.  Have fun, Spike.”  She grasped the letter with her magic and floated it over to rest in front of him.  "Before you go, can you take this down to the Post Office?"

        He plucked it out from the air, looking at who it was addressed to.  "Letter to the parents?  Sure, I can drop it off on my way out.  I should be back by tonight.  Oh, don’t forget, there’re fresh flowers and bread in the kitchen."  He walked over to Twilight and gave her a quick hug, which she awkwardly returned.

        Breaking away from her, Spike left the room, his waving arm the last Twilight saw of him.  Straightening up the study, she put away the quill and ink before leaving the room.  Walking up to her room, she noticed Spike's now useless bed, an unbidden smile coming to her face.

        No way he can use that small bed anymore.  Let's see, I need to convert the guest bedroom to his bedroom.  I should be able to move all of the extra supplies from the side room...  No, that won't work.  Oh, I know!  I can use the basement for his room instead, I'll just have to clean it up and move some of the stuff to the study, there's room for it there.

        Twilight began moving things about, as per her plan.  She went down to the basement, gently grasping the various scientific equipment within her magic and making several trips transferring it all.  Entering her bedroom once more, she picked up the old basket that had been Spike's bed ever since they had moved from Canterlot, and paused.

        Twilight looked at it closely, unsure of what to do.  Its usefulness had been outlived, but she was hesitant to simply throw it out.  I suppose I could store it, for now.  She walked to the closet, opened it up, and gently deposited the basket on the floor in a corner.  Twilight continued to stare at it, the full meaning of her actions sinking in.

        "He...  might not need me anymore."  She mumbled.  She sat down on her haunches, the cold wood floor a sharp contrast to her warm body.  What...  I'm not sure what I'd do if he left me.  And that's another thing...  I'll be long gone and he'll still be here.  Is it the right thing to do?

        Twilight was lost in her thoughts, a veritable storm raging within them.  In a daze, she walked into the library proper and began reshelving the nearest section, the sheer autonomy of the action helping to remove her mind from the echoing words plaguing her.

        A knock at the door interrupted Twilight as she was in the middle of the ‘R’ section of the romance stories.  Shaking her head slightly to clear her thoughts, she walked to the door as another dainty knock sounded out.  That must be Rarity...  I wonder what she wants.  Twilight opened the door, revealing the fashionista.

        "Good afternoon, darling!  How are you doing?"  Rarity asked, walking just inside the threshold as she broadly smiled, her perfect teeth reflecting the sunlight.

        "I've..  been better.  What brings you by?"

        "Well, Fluttershy and I had our weekly spa appointments today, however the poor dear had to cancel last minute.  I thought of who else could accompany me, and you came to mind, darling.  I'm fairly certain such a thing would help with the...  recent events as well."  Rarity took in Twilight's state and forced back a gasp.

        Twilight looked a mess.  Her mane was unkempt, stray strands of hair shot off in random directions.  Her slightly bloodshot eyes had bags under them, and her coat also looked unwashed.

        "Well, I don't know Rarity..."  Twilight trailed off, the disinterest evident in her hesitant words.  "I was in the middle of doing some reshelving that I'd fallen behind on."

        "Oh, nonsense!  You simply must accompany me to the spa, I wouldn't dare dream of going there just by myself."  Rarity said, laying a hoof on Twilight's shoulder as she leaned in, speaking much softer.  "I think you could use an open ear.  I imagine you have a lot on your mind right now."

        Dragging Twilight out the library, the two mares walked through town headed for the spa.  "Rarity, I really don't ne—"  She began for the fifth time, only to have Rarity's hoof raise and be cut off.

        "Nonsense, darling!  A spa visit is exactly what you need right now!  Besides, there is also a certain situation that I need to know about as well.  After all, I did make the dress for it!"  She refused to let Twilight complete a single objection, making sure she cut off the librarian every time a complaint began to form.  "Ah, here we are.  After you, Twilight."

        Twilight grudgingly walked inside, capitulating to Rarity's badgering.  Rarity joined her inside moments later, and they walked up to the counter where Aloe greeted them.  "Ah, hello, Miss Rarity!  And to you as well, Miss Sparkle.  I take it Fluttershy will not be joining you this afternoon?"

        "Hello as well, Aloe, it is nice to see you again.  And yes, dear Fluttershy had something come up at the last minute, so Twilight will be joining me today.  I think...  ‘The Works’ are in order today."  Rarity's emphasis didn't get past Twilight's observation, causing her to cringe slightly.

        Aloe's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Twilight, taking in her unkempt look.  "I believe such a thing can be arranged, Miss Rarity.  If you two will follow me?  We shall start with the hot soak first today."  Opening a door near the back, they followed Aloe down a straight hallway, coming to a stop before a stout oaken door near the end.

        Opening the door with a hoof, Aloe motioned for them to enter.  "My sister and I shall come for you in a bit, Miss Rarity.  Enjoy!"  The door closed, leaving the two mares in a room filled with steam, a recess in the floor filled with hot water.

        "Do come in, darling, the soak will do you good."  Rarity waved a hoof in Twilight's direction, noticing her hesitation.  The fashionista lowered herself into the water, contentedly sighing as the warmth enveloped her up to her neck.  Twilight joined her, entering the steaming pool.

        "So, Twilight dear.  Firstly, how did your evening with Princess Luna go?  I truly would love to hear all about it, especially if she liked the dress!"  Rarity began, finding a comfortable sitting position on the submerged bench.

        "Well, it went well."  Twilight stated, a slight blush creeping across her face.  "We talked quite a bit about Dream Magic after a very nice dinner.  After that, we stargazed for awhile, then went inside later on and slept."  The memory exacerbated by the heat of the water turned Twilight's cheeks a very dark crimson.

        "Oh, that sounds like a rather nice night, at least for you.  To think, you would spend part of a romantic night learning magic, of all the possibilities."  Rarity giggled as she raised a lone hoof to her mouth.  "It sounds like everything went well; I am most glad to hear that!”  A mischievous glint formed in her eye.  “I take it she liked the dress?"

        Twilight let out a small laugh, making Rarity to smile.  "Yes, Rarity, she enjoyed the dress.  Just as much as I did honestly.  Although...  I would appreciate it if in the future you didn't slip socks into them."  She fixed the fashionista with a level gaze, lacking the slightest hint of amusement.  Twilight held the stare for a few moments, then sighed and looked away.

        "Darling, what is it?  I know that there’s something on your mind.”  Rarity moved closer to Twilight, the water rippling from the disturbance.  “I Pinkie Promise anything you say won't leave this room.  I only have your best interests in mind."  Rarity placed a hoof on her shoulder.

        Twilight opened her mouth, then closed it without saying a word.  What do I tell her?  She’s helped me so far, I suppose I can confide in her further...  “Well, you see...  I have some fears?  Yes, fears that came up lately.  Luna talked to me last night in my dream, but when I brought up the fact that she’s immortal, and I’m not, well...  she hesitated.”  Twilight paused, unsure of what to say next.

        Rarity caught Lotus’ eye in the doorway and shook her head frantically.  Lotus disappeared as the fashionista turned towards Twilight, who was oblivious to their near interruption.  “Darling.  Are you having second thoughts already?”  She gently wrapped a hoof around her, pulling her close.  “Go ahead, tell me everything, darling.  I’m here for you.”

        Twilight, emboldened by her friend’s comfort, continued.  “Well, when she hesitated, I thought I saw something in her eyes.  Sadness or fear, I’m not really sure.  It could’ve been a combination of them.”  She paused as she pursed her lips in thought.  “I’m certain that there was something she didn’t tell me, though.”

        Rarity carefully listened to each and every word, also reading between the lines.  “Twilight.  You just experienced a traumatic event that forced the subject to come to the forefront.  If you hadn’t fallen from the chariot, something tells me that you wouldn’t even be thinking such nonsense right now!”  She removed her hoof, locking eyes with Twilight.

        ‘But,” Twilight anxiously began, “what if it was something?  Even if the accident hadn’t happened, the issue would’ve still come up at some point.”

        “And you two would’ve been just fine until then, and most likely afterwards as well!  For being the rational one of our group, you are having issues seeing the simple truth of the matter, darling.”  Rarity groaned.  “I’m fairly certain Princess Luna was well aware of the difficulties facing the two of you when she accepted your confession.  Honestly, you are overthinking it here.”  Rarity tapped a hoof on Twilight’s chest.  “Let your heart lead you for once, darling.  It won’t steer you wrong, I promise.”

        They were interrupted by Aloe opening up the door.  “Sorry to intrude Miss Rarity, Miss Sparkle,” she nodded to each of them in turn, “but your massages are ready.  Follow me, please.”  She held the door open, smiling apologetically.

        “We’ll continue this later, Twilight.”  Rarity whispered, getting out of the hot tub and holding out a hoof for her friend.  They followed Aloe out of the room and down the hall to another.

        “Please, lay down.  My sister and I shall attend to you.”  Two cushioned tables were set up in the middle of the room, where Twilight and Rarity laid down upon them.  The spa twins went to work plying their trade, hooves seeking out every kinked and sore muscle the two mares had.

        Twilight lay there, feeling loose after the hot soak.  The hooves roaming across her body confounded her attempts at coherent thought, putting off the matter on her mind.  Occasionally a hoof would find a particularly tense spot and stay on it for some time, dragging out satisfied moans from her.

        A gentle prodding on her shoulders drew her back from over the edge. "Miss Sparkle, are you awake?"  She hesitated before groaning in confirmation.  "Ah, good.  We've got the sauna prepared for you and Miss Rarity, if you could follow us?"

        Twilight was unsure which sister it was that had woken her, but she didn't care too much.  Between the soak and massage, she felt like a thousand bits.  Snatching her senses back, she got up and followed Aloe to yet another room in the spa.  Entering the room, she took a seat next to Rarity.

        "Ah, darling, nice of you to join me.  I saw that Aloe managed to put you to sleep during the massage.  You really should come here more often, it does a mare good!"  Rarity sighed contentedly, shuffling a little to face Twilight.  "So, back to the matter that we were discussing last, darling."

        Twilight's ears visibly drooped as her mood came crashing back down.  Rarity, I'd managed to forget about it, why couldn't you just leave it be?  She sighed, thinking of what to say.  "I truly do love her, but I don't want to see her hurt.  And..." she trailed off, uncertainly, "if ending it now will spare her a lifetime of anguish later down the road, I think that's the b—"

        Rarity jammed a hoof into Twilight's mouth, holding it there as the librarian struggled to finish her sentence.  Once she had stopped trying to talk around the hoof, Rarity removed it, shaking it slightly and let out a small groan.  "Twilight, enough of that talk.  Let me tell you something.  Love is uncertain."  She paused, carefully selecting her next words.

        "But, Rar—"

        "Twilight, stop and listen to everything I have to say, okay?  Love, like I said, is uncertain.  However, it is very powerful.  You'll recall a certain crush I entertained years ago towards an ill reputed prince?  That wasn't love, merely infatuation.  What I have with Applejack however, that is love.  Just the same as you have with Princess Luna, even if the relationship itself is relatively new."  Rarity paused to let the words sink in.

        "Now, love is not the same as the relationship.  We'd seen that you'd been in love for quite some time, and I do apologize for this, but we all knew.  All of us waited for some time, hoping that you would act upon it on your own, but...  we finally decided to take matters into our own hooves."  Rarity apologetically smiled at Twilight.

        The gears in Twilight's mind turned and processed all that Rarity had said so far.  They knew I loved someone...  and they took matters into their own hoov—  "You all did NOT do what I think you're implying, right?"

        Rarity giggled as Twilight realized what she meant.  "Yes, darling, we did.  All of us but Dash anyways.  We figured that if left to your own devices, you'd never come out from your books and confess to the pony you loved."  She placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder.  "Besides, even with our current issue, you've got to admit that it's been working out well for you, has it not?"

        "Anyways, back to the point.  With Applejack and I, we both know that at any point, something could happen and rob one of us from the other.  The key is not to dwell on it.  Instead, focus on the here, the now, and enjoy it as much as you can.  Do you understand what I'm saying, darling?"  Rarity's gently patted Twilight’s shoulder.

        Twilight's brows furrowed in thought as she contemplated what Rarity said.  Logic dictates that it can only end in pain for one of us, no matter if we do have a long time ahead of us.  But, I do love her, and I don't want to end it.  But even if I don't, she'll have lifetimes of pain to deal with, and only Celestia to fall on.  She loves me...  and I can’t deny her that.  Twilight's thoughts raged, a battle of emotion versus logic, while Rarity calmly waited.

        "I... see, I think."  Twilight began, speaking slowly, trying to find the proper words.  "I need to have a long talk with Luna, it's the only way I'll figure this out."

        Rarity sighed, then warmly smiled at Twilight.  "Good, darling.  I'd say that's a much better decision that the one you were contemplating.  What's important about love and relationships is that there are weak moments in them, where you doubt everything.  Trust me, Applejack and I have plenty of those moments."

        "Is that how you get past them?  Sit down and talk with her?"

        "Sometimes.  Applejack can be infuriating at times, and words don't cut it though."  Rarity paused, leaving it open on purpose.

        "What then?"  Twilight asked, taking the bait.

        Rarity leaned in close to Twilight, close enough to tickle the inside of her ear with her breath.  "Angry, angry sex of course!"


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        They left the spa, Twilight still with a hoof covering her face.  Lotus had walked in as Rarity had so thoroughly embarrassed her, which only added to the awkwardness of the situation.  However, Twilight felt the best that she had in months, and even the bruises on her side were forgotten.

        "Thank you, Rarity.  I suppose I should get back to the library, Pinkie's party is in a few hours and I wouldn't want to be late."  Twilight shuddered slightly.

        "I understand, Darling.  I've got a dress or two to finish up before then myself.  Take care, Twilight, and remember:  Don't dwell in it, simply wait until the next chance you get to talk to her, okay?"  Rarity gently hugged her, then headed home.

        Twilight walked down the road back to the library, head down in thought.  Let's see...  Luna and Celestia will be down in a weekend a half or so, I could talk to her then.  If she visits my dream again, we could talk then, but the amount of time we'd have might not be enough.  She was broken from her thoughts as a voice called out her name.

        "Hey, Twilight!"  Raindrops flew down and landed beside her, carefully folding her left wing.

        "Oh, hi Raindrops!  I take it your wing is healed up then.  How're you doing?"  Twilight asked, a large smile spread across her face.

        "Yeah, I just need to keep it easy while flying.  I'm doing good, I was just stretching it out when I saw you down here and figured I'd come say hi."  Her left wing twitched slightly as she walked alongside Twilight.

        Twilight was positively beaming, gladdened at the opportunity to develop another friendship.  "That's good to hear!  I had planned on finding you soon, but this works just as well.  Pinkie is holding one of her parties tonight at Sugarcube Corner, seven o'clock.  Think you can make it?”  She let the question linger for a moment, before continuing.  “I'd love to introduce you to my friends, at least those you don't know already.  I think they'd all like to meet you."

        Raindrops thought for a moment, her face scrunching on concentration.  A smile shortly replaced it.  "Sure, I can make it, my husband is busy tonight, so no obligations on my end!"  A goofy grin appeared.  "It's been awhile since my last Pinkie party.  This'll be so much fun!"

        Twilight stopped in front of the door to the library.  "Well, see you tonight then, Raindrops?"  She opened the door with magic, her back still towards it.

        "Yeah, I'll go get ready.  Can't wait!"  Raindrops waved at Twilight, then carefully took to the sky, flying home.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Luna quietly worked her magic, the subtle glow illuminating a door deep within the bowels of the castle.  Dust blanketed everything. Only two ponies alive knew of this place’s existence.  With a groan, the door slowly opened inward into a black abyss.

        Walking inside, Luna shifted her focus towards the braziers that stood on the edge of the darkness, a flicker of magic setting them ablaze, illuminating the doorway.  In rapid succession, more lights around the edge of the room pushed back the dark.  When the last lamp was lit, the room revealed its contents.

        In the center of the room stood two pedestals, murals centered on each.  The left one depicted a scene of the night sky, devoid of the moon.  Twinkling stars stood amidst the black of space, seemingly random yet placed with precision, mirroring a portion of the sky from thousands of years ago.  Its partner was full of earthy hues, painting a picture of a forest teeming with wildlife.

        Adorning each pedestal were two pairs of hoofcaps, a chest plate, and a crown.  The set focused on nature contained bronze hoofcaps and a crown of light jade carved into the shape of intertwined vines.  The chestpiece was made of bronze as well, a three pointed leaf on the center.

        Luna loving traced the curves of the regalia, tears moistening her cheeks.  Looking upon the second set, she couldn't help but shudder as a rush of emotions filled her.  "Mother..."  These pieces had been removed from this room for a little over one thousand years, returned only after her sanity had been restored by the Elements of Harmony.  Her tears spattered the floor, which was devoid of all dust, as she stood in front of the pedestals.

        "Mother, Father, I've...  met somepony finally.  I wish that you could both be here to meet her.  I know you'd be beyond amused, if nothing else.  She reminds me of myself, all those years ago.  Back then it took another to get me to open up.  It's almost as if history has a way of...  repeating itself."  Luna raised a hoof to wipe at her eyes as she sat down.

        "She was Tia's student until just recently, and freed me from the insanity...  Nightmare Moon.  What a poor name, wasn't it?  What was I thinking?"  She chuckled weakly.  "Twilight made me feel needed, something that I had forgotten.  This whole time, she has gone out of her way for my sake, and it has been nothing short of amazing."  Luna paused, gazing into the distance.

        "You should've seen her the first time she told me about the love she held for your stars, mother.  Her eyes lit up just like mine when I first moved the moon, it was...  beautiful.  It only took a few years and some alcohol to make me realize my feelings for Twilight."  She grimaced, closing her eyes as her brows creased.

        "I know you made Tia and I promise to never use that, but...  I almost lost her not long ago, just as we finally began to truly come together.  I know that it's because of that that you're gone, but it's worth it.  I do not know where the future will take us, but I will not lose her before we have the chance to find out.  So...  I hope that you can forgive me.  I do promise to not let history repeat itself here."  Luna spoke fiercely, conviction intertwining with her words.  "I love you both, and miss you dearly..."  Luna stood back up, her tears dried out.  She turned towards a side of the room and walked to its edge.

        The two sides of the room adjacent to the doorway were lined with bookcases filled to the brim with scrolls and books.  Luna strode up to one and began to scan its contents, her eyes searching for one book in particular.  Not finding her quarry, she moved to the next shelf.  An occasional grunt of frustration originated from her as her target proved elusive, the number of shelves left rapidly dwindling.

        Finding one side of the room useless, she marched across to the other and continued her search.  Her frustration rapidly gave way to despair.  It's got to be here, we agreed to never remove it from this room!  Come on, where are you?!  Her eyes scanned the last title, and she fell onto her haunches, her eyes slightly glazing over.

        "Sister..."  Her voice wavered, threatening to break.  "Where did you put it?!"


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Celestia sat at her desk, an open book with a blank page revealed before her.  Picking up a quill with her magic, she began writing.

25 July 1005

        It's starting to leak, I can feel the first tendrils of magic threatening to escape from its container!  Time is growing limited, and I'm still at a crossroads of what to do.  Do I tell everypony and let them deal with it?  Or do I continue on, holding this secret to myself, and attempt to solve the problem once it ultimately comes to be?  I fear, either way, I will lose, but I must soon make a decision and stand by it.

        Twilight nearly perished, causing us all great concern.  Yet again, the Cloudsdale Factory proves to be controlled by bumbling and inept foals, making me wish Luna and I had never agreed to the bureaucratic demands to let them choose who would control the operations of the factory.  This incident, however, finally gives us the leverage to remove that ass from in front of the factory and put it back in good hooves, they can't deny us that right anymore.  Especially since it was Twilight who's life was endangered.

        Luckily, it sounds like she is making a full recovery, thanks mostly to a stray weather mare.  The weekend visit went rather well beyond that, it is always wonderful to see her.  Now that she is no longer my 'student,' I can be much more selfish I think.

        As for the first thing, I believe I've made my decision.  Soon.

        Celestia looked over her words once more before closing the tome and sealing it with her magic.  The spell she used required touching the sun itself, ensuring no one but her could read the secrets contained within.  She slowly got up from her desk and made her way across the room, stopping in front of a blazing sun on the wall.

        Reaching for the sun, a portion of the wall wavered and then simply ceased to be, revealing a small incess.  She placed the tome among others, each one containing a thousand years of words, as she glanced at the other items contained within.  A small, unassuming scroll was rolled up, next to a sealed black box.  Now that the enchantment was removed, Celestia could feel the tendrils of magic trying to force its way through the container, causing her to sadly sigh.

        "Soon..."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~



> Intermission 2 - Pinkie...Shy?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Pinkie was on her way back from Zecora's hut in the Everfree.  Twilight and the rest of her friends had tried talking her into moving into Ponyville itself, but the zebra sage insisted on staying in the forest, as it was more convenient to gather herbs that way.

        Pinkie bounced along the path, singing happily.  In her pack were spices from Zecora.  Oh, I can't wait to try these on vanilla cupcakes, the flavors should blend perfectly!  Either that, or some rainbow sauce.  Those could go well together!  Pinkie paused and stopped her song, listening intently.  A pained chirp from off the path reached her ears.

        Cautiously straying off the path, the noise grew louder as she closed on the source.   A robin laid in the roots of an old oak tree.  One wing was flapping uselessly at its side at an awkward angle.  The bird noticed her and fell silent, fearfully staring up at her.

        "Oh, you poor thing!  I know just the pony to take you to!"  Pinkie exclaimed, slowly moving closer to the bird, who hopped away from her.  "Hey now, stop that, silly!  I'm going to take you to Fluttershy, she'll know how to fix you up!"  At the pegasus' name, the bird looked at Pinkie, then turned its head in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage.  “Would you look at that?  Even the birdies love Fluttershy.”  She pointed at it accusingly.  “But not as much as I do.  You got that?”  The bird chirped softly.  “All right then.  Let’s go.”

        Pinkie carefully laid down next to the bird and helped it onto her back.  After it was resting on her back, she went back to the path.  A few minutes later, the trees thinned out as she exited the forest.  Rather than starting towards Ponyville, Pinkie angled off towards Fluttershy’s.

        After a few minutes, her destination was in sight.  Outside there was a flurry of activity, with animals on the ground, in the surrounding trees, and on the roof.  Fluttershy was flitting between them all, pausing briefly here and there to ‘talk’ with an animal for a few moments before moving on to another.

        Pinkie paused to watch her work.  She really has some sort of glow around her when she works with animals.  I’m so happy that she passed her veterinary certifications last year.  A sharp chirp broke her from her thoughts.  “Oh, sorry there!  Got caught up in my thoughts.  Let’s get you to Flutters!”

        Fluttershy noticed her arrival and smiled widely.  Ever since Rarity had begun seeing Applejack, Fluttershy had ended up with a lot of free time that Pinkie had stepped in to fill.  

        She waved a hoof at the approaching mare.  “Hi, what brings you by?”  Pinkie carefully dipped her shoulder and revealed the injured bird on her back, making Fluttershy gasp.  “Oh my, the poor thing!  Pinkie, put him in on the table please.  I need to go get the supplies.”  She disappeared into the cottage.

        Pinkie walked inside moments after the pegasus, the sounds of Fluttershy rooting through cabinets reached her ears.  Walking next to the table, she carefully bent her knees to allow the robin to climb down to it.  With her charge safely transferred, she stepped back as Fluttershy entered the room, medical supplies balanced on the top of each wing.

        “What do you need me to do, Flutters?”  Pinkie asked, staying out of her way.

        Fluttershy placed the supplies on the table surface as she thought about what her friend could do.  “Well, if you don’t mind, could you go fill up a small bowl with water and bring it here?  After that, there’s a small feeder in the shed.  Could you get that next?”  She began inspecting the robin’s wing.

        Pinkie walked to the kitchen, while Fluttershy soothed the bird.  Opening a cabinet, she carefully grabbed a bowl with her mouth, holding it under the tap at the sink.  She filled the bowl and brought it to the pegasus, then left outside for the feeder.

        Weaving her way through the animals outside, Pinkie opened the shed doors and looked around for the feeder that Fluttershy had mentioned.  Various foods for different animals were stored on the numerous shelves.  A small freezer in the back held the little bit of meat that was occasionally required.  She finally saw the feeders which were hanging from pegs in the back. Trying to not step on anything, she carefully picked her way across and grabbed one.

        Pinkie walked back in as Fluttershy was splinting the wing, carefully holding a small piece of formed wood along the major bone running the length of it.  Securing the splint to the wing with some bandages, she carefully wrapped it with gauze, then tied the wing to the robin’s side.

        She watched in fascination as Fluttershy worked, enjoying seeing the pegasus in her comfort zone.  She’s so amazing when she works!  The way the sunlight highlights her mane, it’s beautiful, just like her...  Beautiful?  Fluttershy was quietly talking to the robin, her work mostly done as she set up the food and water for her newest charge.  Yeah, I’d say that fits.  Oh, I know!  I should have a party, just her and me!  It’d be so much fun!

        “Pinkie, why are you smiling?  Good thoughts?”  Fluttershy giggled at Pinkie’s far off gaze as the mare was startled from her reverie.

        Pinkie joined her in laughter, “Yes, it’s a very good thought.  Party!”  She grinned and wrapped a foreleg around Fluttershy’s shoulder.  Leaning in, she quietly whispered in her friend’s ear, “I was thinking this.  My party cannon, your cottage, the two of us, right now!”

        Fluttershy let out a quiet ‘meep.’  “T-that’d be a good idea...”  A faint blush crept across her cheeks.

        Pinkie removed her leg and looked at her, with a gentle smile.  “You know Flutters,” her blush intensified, “you look really cute when you blush!”  Pinkie nuzzled her cheek in a more than friendly manner.

        As she pulled back, Fluttershy’s mane fell in front of her eyes, hiding her from Pinkie.  Oh, oh my...  Did she just?

        “Flutters?”  Pinkie quietly asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

        A hoof moved her mane from her eyes, Pinkie’s face filling her vision.  Another ‘eeep’ escaped her.  They stood there silently,the moment stretching on forever.

        In a rare act of initiative, Fluttershy surprised Pinkie.  She moved forward, bumping their noses together as their lips gently met.  Pinkie’s eyes widened in surprise, then slowly closed as she leaned into the kiss.

        Fluttershy suddenly pulled away and hopped back, crimson staining her yellow coat.  “O-oh my...  I’m sorry Pi—”

        She cut her off with a hoof, gently resting it on the mare’s lips.  “That’s okay, Flutters.  I liked it!  Now we really need to have a party!”

        Finding some resolve, Fluttershy looked up into her eyes.  “I’d like that.”


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~



> Chapter 10 - Prelude To A Past
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        A low, long groan emanated from underneath a sea of blankets as the midday sun blazed a trail through the sky.  They slowly parted, giving way to a blurry-eyed mare who hissed as the sunlight shone down on her.

        "Spike."  She croaked out.  The action sent a shockwave that pierced to her very core, painfully reminding her of the previous night’s activities.  Her vision slowly came into as she tried to take in her surroundings.  Closing her eyes as her sight fell upon the window, the dull throbbing in the back of her skull intensified.  She gently laid her head back down on her pillows and tried to recall the prior night.

        Twilight walked up to Sugarcube Corner as the town bell chimed, seven clear dulcet tones reverberating through Ponyville.  The sound of wings in motion drew her attention as Raindrops lightly landed next to her, a smile beaming across her features.  Twilight reciprocated the smile and greeted her new friend.  “Raindrops, so glad you could make it!”

        Raindrops returned the greeting, a light clack sounding as hooves met.  “Of course, it’s also been such a long time since I’ve had a chance to attend one of Pinkie’s parties; I wouldn’t dare miss this.”  She raised a hoof to her chin in thought.  “I wonder if Pinkie got Berry to spike the punch again...  Well, should be fun regardless!”

        The door slammed open in front of them, startling both mares.  Pinkie stood in the entrance, light spilling out from behind her, illuminating the darker street as heavy bass thumps greeted their ears.  “Hey there, Twilight, Rainy!  Don’t just stand there, come on in!”  She grabbed one of their hooves in each forehoof and whisked them inside, and closed the door behind them.

        Pinkie stopped as they came to the center of the cleared room.  All of the tables and chairs were pushed up against the walls to make room for dancing.  In the corner, a white unicorn bobbed her head in time to a heavy, thumping beat.  "Welcome to the party!"  She pulled out two party hats and strapped one on the head of each mare.  "We're all so happy that Twilight is safe and sound, and thanks a ton to Raindrops for saving her!  It's PARTY TIME!"

        Twilight stifled a chuckle as she recalled Pinkie's enthusiasm for parties.  None could match her, that was certain.  She calmly recalled a specific spell that she spent a week researching after the first Pinkie Party with spiked punch, and brought it to the forefront of her mind.  Using all of her concentration, she fought back the throbbing pain and let the wave of magic wash over her.

        Now with a clear mind and painless head, Twilight got up and made her way to the bathroom, the blank spots in her memory continuing to fill themselves in as the morning progressed.  After a hot shower, she recalled some more while combing her mane and tail.

        The party had been going on for some time now.  Vinyl was still on stage as the DJ, and Pinkie had joined her some time ago.  Twilight was on her fourth cup of punch, and she was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol.  She still couldn't tell if it was Applejack's good reserves or some of Berry Punch's stash that had been mixed in, but at this point she didn't really care anymore.

        She walked up to one of the many games that Pinkie had set up: pin the tail on the pony.  With a pin in her mouth and a blindfold over her eyes, Twilight was twirled around until she was disoriented.  Her stomach slightly protested at being spun around so many times, but she put up with it and began walking forward after the fifth rotation.  Somehow, her snout bumped the wall before the pin found it, so she readjusted and placed the pin.

        Removing the blindfold, her slight  alcohol-induced blush dramatically intensified.  She had managed to land the pin directly on the pony's nose, one of her worst performances ever.  "Let's see...  yup, that costs ya a drink!"  Applejack spoke, looking up from a sheet of paper that had 'Drinking Rules' at the top of it.

        Twilight protested at first, but grudgingly accepted the offered drink, downing it at the insistence of her friends and present company.  She slammed the cup on the table surface, letting out a satisfied sigh.  Nothing hit the spot like Applejack's reserve cider, even with experimentation, Twilight had yet to find a better alternative.

        Finishing her morning grooming, Twilight left her room and walked downstairs, where an immaculate library greeted her.  She saw Spike sitting down at the table, idly munching on a few sapphires while reading the Ponyville Enquirer.  "Morning, Spike.  Thanks for tidying up the library, it looks nice, as always!"  She levitated some cereal from the pantry, adding a bowl, spoon, and milk to the mix.

        Spike looked up from the paper with a small smile plastered on his face.  "No problem at all, Twi.  It really is nice being larger:  I don't have to cart around that ladder now!  Really cuts down on the reshelving time."  He folded the paper up and laid it down on the table.  "So, what are the plans for today?  I noticed you didn't have a schedule made up."

        Twilight munched on a mouthful of cereal while thinking what she could do today.  Hmm, Pinkie's party did keep me from making a schedule, but...  I really don't mind it that much anymore.  I do have a lot of time, so maybe...  An insidious grin crept its way across her muzzle between mouthfuls of cereal.

        He took notice of her look and loudly gulped.  "Twi, whatever it is you're thinking...  something tells me I'm not gonna like it..."  complained Spike.  As he slowly getting out of his chair, Twilight thought he looked like a frightened (insert animal of choice here) getting ready to bolt.

        Her predatory grin transitioned to one of amusement and she laughed.  "Oh, Spike!  I'm just joking, it shouldn't be anything too bad."  He weakly smiled, remaining partially seated.  "I'd really like to examine what caused your growth today, at least once I finish breakfast.  I have a hunch, but it's going to take some field testing to prove."

        Spike sat back down, wiping his brow with a claw.  "I suppose that's not too bad, and I knew you were going to want to, so sure.  Where are we going to go for this testing?"

        Twilight spoke with enthusiasm, having anxiously awaited this chance for the last few days.  "Once I finish up here, I figured we could go out to the fields just south of Ponyville, near the lake."

        They finished eating their breakfast, and placed the dishes in the sink to be taken care of later.  Twilight ran up to her room and grabbed her saddle bags, filling them with some parchment, ink, and quills in preparation of the tests she hoped to run on Spike today.  As she walked back downstairs, Spike met her near the front door.

        They walked out of the library, headed towards the field.  "So, Twi.  What's the theory you have?"

        "Well, do you recall three years back when you had your episode and took off with Rarity and a lot of items from the town?"  Twilight began, entering into her lecturer mode.

        Spike sheepishly grinned as he walked alongside her, the memory very fresh in his mind.  "Yeah...  Definitely wasn't my best time, that's for sure.  Learned a good bit because of it though."

        Twilight nodded in agreement, recalling the friendship report she'd set to Celestia following his growth spurt.  "Well, greed was the source of your growth then.  When we cancelled it out, you shrunk back down to your previous size.  Now, you grew shortly after learning about me being in the hospital, right?  Do you recall what it was you were thinking and feeling?"

        Spike thought for a moment, his mind drifting back.  "Well, I basically see you as my sister most times, and other times...  as my mom.  I was thinking about how I wasn't big enough to do anything to help you, and this latest incident wasn’t the first time.  Almost every time that something happened, I was only able to sit back and watch.  I was just tired of being small, really."

        "That's what you were thinking, Spike.  Now, what about your feelings?  Anything stand out over the others?"  They had reached the edge of town now, and the expansive, wildflower-dotted fields came into sight.

        "I was..."  Spike trailed off, trying to put a label on his emotions.  A faint amount of smoke escaped his ears in frustration, until his face lit up as he smiled.  "Ah ha!  I know, I was concerned, and worried, and I wanted to be able to protect you more than anything!"  His smile widened, then moments later his eyebrows shot up in surprise.  "Wait, are you saying...?"

        Twilight returned his smile, gladdened that he'd figured out her hypothesis so quickly.  "Yup!  I'm thinking that your growth directly correlates with your emotional state!  When you got greedy, you grew in physical stature and became dead set on accumulating more wealth.  Plus, if you look at the dragons you met during the migration that one year, they were all aggressive in nature.  From what I've read, dragons are very competitive when put together growing up, and it seemed to reflect upon their actions!  What I want to do today is try to confirm this, and if it's true..."  A maniacal glimmer developed in her eyes.  "I want to see if you can control it!"

        They came to a stop in the middle of a field, the wind gently blowing as the sun continued to creep its way towards its apex.  "So, here's what I want you to do Spike.  Go ahead and take a seat, or lie down, and I'm going to cast a spell on you.  It'll let me communicate with you in your mind.  I want to try and guide you into a meditative state, where you'll focus on a specific emotion.  From there, we'll see if you grow or change any!"  She paced back and forth, a quill already raised to parchment in preparation for taking notes.

        Spike took a quick look around, and found a spot where the grass was the thickest and laid down, closing his eyes.  "Okay, Twi, ready when you are."  He calmly spoke, already fighting off the urge to fall back asleep as the warm grass gently caressed his belly.

        Twilight's horn lit up as she lowered it towards Spike's forehead.  "Okay, I need you to try and clear all your thoughts for me, just for the next few seconds."  Her spire met his head, and a brief flash was all that signaled that her spell was completed.  'Spike?'  She thought, testing the spell's success.

        'Yeah, Twi?'  Spike lazily replied, half asleep already, basking in the warm sun.

        'Okay, spell works, check.  So, I need you to stay awake.  Here's what we're going to do now.  I want you to put all your effort towards focusing on...  let's say the feelings you had of wanting to protect me as much as possible.  It's a good enough starting point.  During this, I also want you to take deep, calm breaths, and focus it all in one spot.  Where doesn't matter, so long as you're focusing.'  Twilight stopped projecting her thoughts and sat down a few paces from her assistant, patiently awaiting the results.

        'Okay, Twi... here goes.'  Spike began taking long breaths and started to follow the rest of Twilight's advice.  Okay, here goes...  I need to focus on wanting to protect my sister...  no, my mom, as much as possible...  Where to focus those thoughts, though...  Oh, how about my back?  It would really help to have wings!  As his breathing slowed, so too did his heart rate.

        Twilight watched, taking notes on what she felt coming through the spell and taking his vitals every minute.  She noticed the drop in his heart rate, and the ever increasing time between breaths.  Come on Spike, you can do this, I know you can!  As the fifteenth minute passed, Twilight was about to call this attempt done, when she noticed a change.

        Quickly picking up her quill, she felt the emotions that Spike had been gathering begin to have an effect on the young dragon.  Slowly, wings began to form from his shoulders and he grew a small amount, with look of serenity on his face.  Twilight gasped loudly, startling him.

        As quickly as they had appeared, both the wings and extra growth disappeared.  "Amazing, Spike!  You actually managed to cause some changes!"

        Spike's eyes lit up from the praise, a large grin plastered on his face.  "So, what happened?"

        "Well," Twilight began, "where were you focusing?  Your back, correct?"

        Spike nodded in confirmation.  "Yeah, I was thinking that if I focused there, I could maybe grow wings finally!  I'd love to be able to fly, plus I'd be able to better protect you, at least that is what I was thinking.  Did it work?"

        A large smile graced Twilight's face as she took down notes.  "Well, you see...  It did!  You were starting to grow wings, and it looked like you also grew a small amount.  It immediately reversed when I startled you though, but it's a great start!"  She finished her writing and set the parchment down.

        "Now, here's what I want you to focus on next..."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        A sharp knock sounded on the door as Twilight was in the middle of compiling her third day of notes on Spike's growth.  Setting the quill down in the inkwell, she got up from the desk and made her way to the door.  "One moment, I'm coming!"  I wonder who it could be at this late hour.  The library closed two hours ago, and...  Twilight mentally recalled her schedule.  No, not expecting any visitors.  Luna and Celestia won't be down until next weekend.  Opening the door, Twilight was met with the sight of a stranger.

        "Hi, I'm Twilight Sparkle, and I run the library.  I'm sorry to say, but the library is closed now."  Twilight began, addressing the pegasus that stood in front of her.  "Unless you have another reason to stop by, Miss..."  She trailed off, closely examining her.

        Her light grey mane and tail perfectly contrasted her sapphire blue coat while her wingtips gradually faded to grey.  Her cutie mark was partially obscured, but it looked to be multiple white stars in a pattern.  Hmm, Ursa Minor, or maybe the Major.

        "Sky Sight is my name, Miss Sparkle."  Sight said, holding out a hoof in greeting while smiling.  "I'm not actually here to use the library.  I'm an astronomer, as you might be able to tell by my cutie mark."  She twisted slightly, allowing her cutie mark to be fully illuminated by the light flooding the doorway.  "I'd heard that one of the best astronomers in Equestria lived here, so I thought that I would stop by."

        Twilight sheepishly grinned and accepted the offered hoof.  "Well, I wouldn't say I'm one of the best astronomers.  I’ve only spent some of my spare time studying the stars..."  A hint of red came to her cheeks unbidden at the compliment as their hooves parted.  "Well, what can I help you with, then?"  She scratched the back of her neck nervously.

        Sky let out a small laugh, noticing the blush she'd caused.  "I was hoping to see if you were free to compare some notes and maybe study the sky some?"  

        Twilight pursed her lips in thought for a moment.  "I didn't have anything planned tonight, so I suppose I've got the time to do some stargazing tonight."  She smiled at her guest.  "So, where're you from, Sky Sight?"

        Walking inside and closing the door, Sky answered the question.  "Just Sky, if you don't mind.  I'm from Manehatten originally.  The light was impeding my work too much, so I packed up and have been looking for a new place."  She followed Twilight through the library, coming to a staircase.  "I'd thought Appleossa was a good place for me to move to, but having been in Ponyville for a short time...  it seems like the ideal place for stargazing."  Sky's words sounded almost dreamy at the end.

        Twilight giggled at her faraway expression.  "Yes, this really is the best place for it that I've found.  Ponyville doesn't really have much light during the night; there are only a few streetlights and that's it.  We're also far enough away from any major cities to avoid the light pollution they tend to throw off.  The only place I think that could be better is my old tower in the castle."  It was Twilight's turn to get lost within her words, nostalgia flooding her thoughts.

        Twilight's thoughts were shattered by laughter, Sky enjoying the role reversal.  Twilight looked at her with a single brow raised, then broke out into laughter herself at the irony of the situation.  Opening the balcony doors, they stepped out into the warm summer air, the moonlight bathing them.  Held within her magic, a small table floated outside, followed by a telescope and some books.

        "Well, here is where I do my stargazing most nights."  Twilight motioned with a hoof towards the vast sky.  "Although I don't have access to the full sky because of the branches, I still get eighty two percent of it.  More than enough for any given night."  She opened one of the books laying on the table.  "So, where would you like to start?"

        Sky looked at the various texts laid out, slowly reading the title of each one aloud.  "You have a very impressive collection, Twilight.”  She grabbed two books from the collection, both of them nondescript, and opened one up, carefully flipping through some pages.  “I’ve been to the library in Canterlot, as well as the Astronomer’s Guildhouse there.  They might be the only two places that have more material than you.”  She closed the book.

        Twilight sheepishly grinned as she set up the telescope, removing its lens cap and focusing it in.  "It's not that big...  I've just been collecting astronomy books since I was a filly, really."  Twilight looked up to the stars, sighing longingly.  "They, and the moon, have always captured my interest."

        "Indeed, they are a wonderful thing.  One must give thanks to Princess Luna for such a wonder, no?"  Sky raised a hoof towards the constellation Ursa Major.  "To think, part of her night sky is forever on my side.  I wonder if the Princess knows just how much ponies love her night sky now?"

        Twilight joined Sky in looking up at the stars.  She's an interesting one.  I wonder what got her into stargazing?  To think, Luna, so many ponies love you now.  I wish I could've been there for you, all those years ago...  "The telescope is focused on Ursa Major.  Now, let's see if I recall this correctly..."  Twilight focused, her horn lighting up as she called on her magic.  Casting the spell she had shown Luna just two weeks ago, it went off with a flash.  Blinking the spots from her eyes, a circular display of the telescope's target hung in the air.

        Sky stood next to her, her lower jaw loose and her eyes fixated on the image in front of them.  "Wow..."  She let out a deep breath, "what I would give to be able to do that!”  She gleefully smiled.  “I've never seen that before, not even the guild master knows such a spell!"  She paused a moment before hastily adding to the end, "I think, anyways."

        Twilight laughed as Sky simply stood there collecting herself.  "So, we can start with discussing Ursa Major, if you'd like.  I've found it makes for a good starting point."

        Sky simply shook her head slightly, mane flying in all directions.  "No thanks, that is one constellation that I am intimately familiar with."  She let the light from the library wash over her flank, illuminating her cutie mark once more.  "How about we start with your favorite star?"

        Twilight fiddled around with the telescope, bringing its focus towards the edge of the moon.  The milky grey color filled up one side of the spell as she adjusted the focus on the telescope, her horn faintly illuminated.  A red star slowly came into focus as Twilight finished making adjustments.  "This," she pointed to the red star, "is by far my favorite star."

        Sky took in the details of the lone star that dominated the view.  "It's really close, both to us and the moon.  It looks to be a red dwarf class star at first glance too."  She continued examining it for a few more moments, then turned to face Twilight.  "Might I ask why it's your favorite?"

        Twilight blushed slightly, a memory coming to the forefront of her mind, reminding her why she loved this star so much.

        "Twilight Sparkle, I have something to show you this evening."  Luna spoke with a mysterious glimmer in her eyes.  "Please, direct your attention to my moon, then look to the sky in its upper right quadrant."

        Twilight looked at the milky pale moon that hung in the night sky, casting its illumination over the astronomy equipment and two mares that were on the balcony.  A pale glow caught the corner of her vision, slowly growing in intensity.  In the night sky, a pale blue star suddenly winked into existence.  The spell ended and the glow disappeared.  "Twilight."  Luna spoke, slight fatigue slipping into her voice.  "I give you this star.  I still have one more step, however."  She swung her head around, bringing her graceful horn close to Twilight's.  "I must connect our horns for this part.  If I may?"

        Twilight stood, awestruck, as the scope of Luna's action struck home.  She mutely nodded her consent at the request, slightly tilting her horn towards Luna.

        Their horns came together, and sparks formed between them.  Twilight's magic surged up at the behest of Luna, mingling with hers at the focal point of their horns.  A thin line shot from them towards the newly created star, grabbing it within their combined magic.

        The feeling was nothing like Twilight had experienced before.  She felt herself in two places at once, her consciousness flung out farther than she had ever believed possible.  She felt Luna's magic slowly retreat, and her mind settled back into its vessel once more.

        The last of the magic between them died, leaving Luna panting from the exertion, a small sheen of sweat visible on her coat.  "It is your star, Twilight.  You merely need to think about it, and it shall reveal itself.  I have tethered it to the moon as a symbol of our friendship.  Wherever my moon goes, so shall your star."

        The recollection took but a moment, and passed with a gentle shake of her head.  "This particular star is actually a blue dwarf.  My spell still needs some work..."  Twilight trailed off, blushing in embarrassment as a lone hoof scratched at the crook of her neck.  "It still switches the reds and blues, and I haven't put the time towards tweaking it properly.  Anyways," Twilight cleared her mind, Sky's question in the forefront of her mind, "this star is my favorite.  It was a... gift, from a very good friend."

        Sky looked at Twilight incredulously, an eyebrow raised at her.  "A gift?  How can a star be such a thing?  It's... impossible!"

        Twilight lowered her hoof, another sheepish smile crossing her face.  "Not quite impossible... not for Luna, anyways..."  Twilight was looking down at her hooves.

        Sky's eyes lit up at Twilight's words.  "Oh, you're friends with Princess Luna?  I'd heard that you were Princess Celestia's student, but to also know her sister?"  She paused, extending a single wing in Twilight's direction.  "I must say, I'm jealous."

        Twilight jumped as something soft brushed down her spine, startling her.  She looked up and saw Sky's extended wing, as well as the smirk on her face.  Putting the two together, she felt a small amount of anger mix with the embarrassment.  "Hey!  What was that about?"

        Sky smirked, confidence exuding off of her.  "Well, you seem interesting enough, you love astronomy, and you know the Princesses as well.  I'd love to get to know you better."  A thoughtful expression passed across her face.  "Are you not into mares?  That it?"

        Twilight was dumbfounded, her anger momentarily pushed aside as the brazenness of Sky left her reeling.  Trying to gather her thoughts, she began speaking.  "I-I, no, that's not it!"  Her anger returned as she turned on Sky.  "I happen to like mares, thank you very much!  It's that I just met you, and I already have a special somepony!"

        Sky refused to back down at Twilight's words.  "Oh, you don't believe in 'love at first sight?'"  She circled around her, taking in her looks.  "You sure I can't offer something that she couldn't?  I'm a whole lot of mare, I can guarantee you that!"

        Twilight sputtered, her cheeks flooding with heat as she circled in place to stay eye to eye with Sky.  "I think it's time you left.  You know where the door is, show yourself out."  Her voice was dangerously level, all emotion drained from it.

        Sky suddenly broke out into laughter, one hoof holding her stomach as her back knees wobbled.  "Oh, Twilight!  I must apologize."  She contained her laughter and dropped her hoof back to the floor.  "It was in poor taste, I must admit."  Clearing her throat, she continued on.  "We hath decided upon a name for thee:  My Star."  Smiling widely, 'Sky' planted herself in front of Twilight.

        Twilight's jaw opened and closed rapidly.  She settled for walking a circle around Sky, closely probing at the illusion with her magic.  As Twilight came in front of her again, Luna dropped her illusion.

        Twilight pointed a hoof at Luna, frustration dripping from her voice.  "Y-You!"  She was stuttering slightly as the words began pouring forth.  "You show up in my dreams four night ago, and cut off our conversation about the fact that YOU'RE IMMORTAL!  I've been second guessing myself and waiting for you to show back up, but did you?  No!"

        Luna withered underneath the verbal assault, backing off the balcony and moving back into the room as Twilight continued to advance on her.  "Twili—"

        "No, you will wait until I'm done, Luna."  Twilight interrupted, closing the distance between them to a single hoof.  "So, here I've been, insecure as can be, wondering about everything that could go wrong and why you hesitated when I asked you about that.  If it wasn't for Rarity, I'd’ve probably done something really stupid by now."  Tears began forming at the corner of her eyes as she continued venting.  "And then, you show up, in disguise, and begin flirting with me."

        Luna began thinking of a way out of the hole she managed to put herself into.  She mentally kicked herself.  What was I thinking?  This was a terrible plan.  What to do about it, though?  Words probably won't be enough.  I haven’t found it yet, but...  I suppose I should go ahead and tell her.  That should alleviate that fear she has anyways...  Oh!  I can also show her that.  "Twilight, I—"  Luna was cut off as two hooves encircled her neck, the weight of Twilight jumping into her unbalanced her slightly.

        Twilight's muffled sobs found their way out of Luna's mane.  "I'm sorry, Twilight..."  Luna whispered as they held each other, laying on the floor in the middle of the room.  The only sound that passed between them was the occasional whimper from Twilight.

        Twilight's hooves slowly retreated from Luna's neck, her anger slightly dissipated.  Luna’s ethereal mane slid beneath Twilight as she looked into Luna's eyes.  "Don’t you ever do something like that to me again...  please?”  She took a calming breath.  “Why must your eyes be so beautiful?"  Twilight muttered, mostly to herself.  "I can't even stay angry at you..."

        Luna grasped Twilight's hooves with her own, carefully picking her next words.  Her thoughts were scattered, however, as Twilight leaned in and their lips found one another, passion flowing through the connection they shared.  Luna leaned into the kiss as her mane engulfed Twilight, the two coming together.

        Slowly breaking apart seconds later, Twilight was the first to break the silence as they held each other.  "Luna, I'm afraid."  She looked down towards the floor, resting her forehead against her.  "Sure, we may be fine, but for how long?  Ten years?  Twenty?  How long will it take for aging to start slowly taking me as it ignores you?"  She raised her head as a hoof came underneath it, and looked Luna in the eyes.  "I don't know if I'm strong en—"

        Luna placed a hoof on Twilight's lips, killing the words that came from her mouth.  How to say this...  "Twilight, do you trust me?"

        Twilight looked at Luna, confusion etched across her face, eyebrows scrunched together.  "Yes?  Why?"  She said hesitantly, wondering what Luna was thinking.

        "Thank you.  Please, close your eyes.  I have something to show you."  Luna held her hooves over Twilight's eyes and closed her own, envisioning her target within her mind.  Her horn glowed, the power building up as the seconds ticked away.  The air around them began to chill, and with a final surge of magic, they disappeared.

        Making sure her hooves continued to block Twilight's sight, Luna took a moment to regain her bearings as they reappeared at her destination.  Removing her hooves, she spoke.  "Twilight, you may open your eyes now."

        Twilight's eyes opened, and moments later she let out a gasp.  She stood on an uneven grey surface, the darkness of space surrounding them.  Dominating her vision was a large sphere of various blues, greens, and greys, the top and bottom capped with white.  "W-W-We're on the moon!?"  She blurted out, eyes wide in shock.

        Luna let out a low chuckle for but a moment, then laid a hoof on Twilight's shoulder.  "Welcome to my moon, Twilight.  I do have an answer to your fears, however I felt that up here would be the best place to give you them."  She waved a hoof towards the planet in front of them.  "With Equus and my moon as witnesses, I need you to swear that what I tell you does not leave this place."  Luna's voice was solemn, knocking Twilight out of her shock.

        "I-How are we even able to breathe up here?  Is there an atmosphere?  Is it your magic?"  Twilight was amazed, the studious part of her rearing up and taking control.  The questions poured forth from her, causing Luna to raise a hoof to her head.  The torrent continued, unabated, as the questions shifted to observations.

        Luna, in an attempt to wrestle Twilight's attention back to her, went immediately to what she deemed drastic measures.  "TWILIGHT SPARKLE!"  The Royal Canterlot Voice shook the very ground, reverberating across the moonscape.

        Twilight jumped in shock, her stream of words stopped abruptly.  She took a moment to collect herself before looking at Luna, a sheepish smile etched across her face as she nervously rubbed her mane.  "Eh, sorry, Luna..."  She looked towards Equus, wonder in her eyes.  "This...  really is something..."

        A hoof resting on Twilight's shoulder made her jump slightly.  "Fret not, My Star."  Luna sat down on her haunches next to her, looking at Equus.  "It is indeed, is it not?  This was the only sight I had for those thousand years, able to watch but not touch, as the ponies flourished underneath my sister's care.  It was joyful, yet bitter, to see them prosper so without my presence..."  Luna trailed off and lightly sighed, closing her eyes.  A soft caress of her neck forced them back open.

        Twilight finished nuzzling Luna's neck, pulling back with a smile on her face, a faint hint of sorrow and sympathy reflected in her irises.  "When you're ready to talk about it, I'll be here."  She leaned against Luna, their warmth mingling together.

        Luna, her resolve strengthened, brought to bear the reason for their trip.  "This is the first time I've been back.  As well, it's also the first time I've brought another to my moon...  I hope that this imparts just how important it is that you not speak a word of what I tell you here to another."  She paused, trying to pick her next words carefully.  Twilight hung off her words, only adding to her own growing nervousness.  "Twilight, My Star.  Brace yourself, for what I will be showing you here...  is part of what lead to my insanity.  Not even Tia has been up here since then.  Please, follow me."

        Twilight stood up, following Luna across the moonscape.  It held an eerie sense of beauty, its surface illuminated by the light of stars and the planet that loomed nearby.  I wonder what it is that Luna has to tell me...  It must be something big, as she's facing her past to—   Oh, my.  That's huge.  I wonder what it is?

        Before she could ask, Luna spoke, a near whisper.  "And I finally return..."  A large structure loomed in the distance, spires reaching towards the sky.  It was as black as the night sky, appearing to be one giant piece.  Two large doors laid at the front of a drawbridge, the moon raised out on the doors.

        "Luna, what is that?"  Twilight questioned, pausing to point a hoof at the castle in the distance.

        "That, dearest Twilight,"  Luna began, pausing mid-stride to allow her to catch up, "is the product of a thousand years of work.  It is my Lunar Palace, carefully constructed during my periods of lucidity while exiled.  I took the dying stars, and melded what remained into this structure..."  She wistfully sighed.  

        Twilight drank in her words, amazement evident across her features.  "I may not know much about architecture, but...  it looks amazingly beautiful.  It's a real shame that it's on the moon, and not somewhere where ponies can see it."

        Luna lightly chuckled.  "Tia always did say I had a way with art.  Sometimes I wished I had personified it rather than the moon."  They continued walking and slowly approached the castle.

        The air was silent and heavy between them, a question coming to the edge of Twilight's lips, yet going no further, despite her best attempts to voice them.  She steeled herself, working up her courage until she spit it out in a rush.  Luna jumped, startled by Twilight’s sudden question.  "What do you mean by personified, exactly?"

        Luna looked at her thoughtfully, remaining silent for a few seconds before yielding an answer.  "While we can become proficient and excel in many areas, as an alicorn, we draw our power from one source, and one source only.  It also reflects how we are seen, to a degree.  Cadance, for example, is connected to love, and draws power from it.  So long as she is around, there is a guarantee that love shall be as well.  It also works the other way, too."  Luna looked up, taking in the looming castle that now dominated their vision.  "And while Tia may be seen as the 'Princess of the Day', the truth is the sun is her source, just as the moon is mine.  Even though I can craft such things as this, I will forever be associated with the moon and the night, thanks to that fact."

        Twilight walked in thought, her mind picking apart each word that Luna had spoken to her.  Unbidden, a thought made its way to the forefront of her mind, begging to be asked.  "Luna, you said that your source was the moon.  How exactly do the stars fall into that?  I know that your sister only handles the sun, yet you do both the moon and stars."

        A sad look crawled across Luna's face, a pained smile showing itself.  "Truthfully, My Star...  they were my mother's..."  They paused in front of the bridge spanning a chasm, leading up to two massive doors, a crescent moon embossed across them.  They crossed onto the walkway, the clopping of their hooves echoing from the depths they passed over.

        Luna's horn illuminated as she shifted her focus to the doors standing before them.  As her magic met them, the edge of the embossed image slowly lit up, turning a pale grey color as the crescent glowed brighter.  "Hmm, I think a new addition is in order..."  Luna muttered as Twilight stood in awe once more, her jaw dropping.  As the insides of the image filled in, nestled within the crescent a familiar blue glow began to take form.

        A star took shape, a mirror image of the one that hung in the sky next to the moon.  Twilight found her jaw muscles and closed her mouth as she gently nuzzled Luna's neck in appreciation.  "Now, open,"  Luna stated, the two doors cracking in the center, the illumination from the images remaining as they revealed a large antechamber.  With a final groan, the doors stood wide open in welcome, the light of magic surrounding Luna's horn fading away.  "Shall we go inside?"

        Twilight followed Luna inside, entering into a large foyer.  I keep thinking that I can't be more amazed, yet this just blows me away...  How did she manage to make all of this?  Greeting their arrival into the antechamber, a large chandelier hung from a massive ceiling.  It must be at least twenty meters high!  Small orbs of translucent light hung at the ends of the arms, illuminating the entire place.  "What is the light made of, Luna?"

        "Condensed moonlight, distilled into its purest form, then molded into a flame."  Luna curtly replied, her focus on a hallway that lay off to the side, heading deeper into the interior.  

        Twilight followed her, mentally taking note of the numerous carvings of ponies lining the walls, every species represented in some manner.  The statues were in various poses, from the calm and sedate manners to some that she found more violent and somewhat distasteful.  However, regardless of which statue she analyzed, each one was crafted with painstakingly high levels of detail, to the point where they looked alive.

        Twilight was broken from her reverie as Luna came to a halt, and she bumped into Luna's legs.  Looking up, Twilight noticed they stood in front a smaller pair of doors that had the full moon embossed on it, splitting it in half.

        "Welcome, Twilight, to my sanctum."  The doors creaked open, light slowly flooding the dark room.  Fully opened, Twilight got a glance of what was contained within.  She stood in the doorway, staring into the illuminated room.  "In here, all shall be revealed."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


     

> Chapter 11 - The Present's Past Pained Portrayal
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The castle was truly a piece of art, there was no debating that fact.  However, if everything Twilight had seen thus far was part of an art gallery, she'd just found the piece de la resistance.  Rather than the standard walls defining this room, they appeared to be replaced by space itself.  She hesitantly took a small step inside, the light from the miniature stars illuminating the room.  Fully inside, the door closed, thrusting her further into darkness.

        Twilight took note that the various constellations and celestial bodies were accurately portrayed, all centered in the middle of the room where an unblemished grey orb hung, Luna aside it.  Twilight recalled all of her star charts from memory and began to walk around, picking an area and closely observing it.  "This is...  amazing doesn't even begin to touch it, Luna..."  She breathlessly spoke, eyes tracing another section of space from memory.  Her nose bumped against a hard surface, abruptly halting her.

        Luna let out a small giggle as Twilight collided with the wall, the sound creating an odd echo that seemed to amplify on each rebound.  "Yes, this is my masterpiece.  It took me a hundred years to create the spells for just this chamber.  It is an accurate snapshot of space, always current.  For example, there will be a shooting star,"  She pointed a hoof towards a distant point in the room, "there, in three, two, one.  Now."  A small white streak began moving, rapidly picking up speed as Twilight struggled to follow it.

        Walking over to Luna, Twilight closely examined the sun, moon, and planet.  "Why is the moon so large?  I was always under the impression that Equus is larger than it."  Twilight asked, noticing that the large orb dominated the room, while the planet and sun were mere fractions of its size.

        "When seen from the Moon, of course, everything else would be much smaller."  Luna replied, a smug grin on her face as walked to where Equus was portrayed.  "Now, I would love to spend the night simply exploring the night sky, however..."  Equus shifted to the center of the room, everything shrinking as the planet expanded to dominate the room.  "This is what I want to show you to start my story."

        Twilight walked around the planet as it finished expanding, taking in the details.  "Oh, look!  Is this Canterlot?"  she cheerily asked, pointing a hoof towards a lone mountain peak that had a glimmer of light reflecting on its side.

        "Yes, it is.  We see it as such a large place when on the ground, however, from here, it is simply a speck.  Even Equestria is a rather small place."  She traced an outline of the country, taking only a small portion of the globe's surface.  Moving her hoof around, she began to point out some of the other kingdoms.  "The Gryphonius Empire.  The Zerbrican Plains.  The Dragon Valley.  All large countries, with numerous subjects, yet they still pale in comparison to the rest of the world."

        The image slowly rotated, coming to a half turn before stopping.  "What is that?!"  Twilight breathlessly asked, the image in front of her defying all logic.  The center of the area which held her attention captive was a lake, iridescent in color.  Radiating outwards from the body of water was a hodgepodge of numerous terrains.  Twilight could discern no logical pattern to it.  Valleys filled with snow gave way to mountains made of sand which bordered with lush jungles on floating islands.  Everything that she saw defied everything she had grown up knowing.  Not only does it defy everything, the sheer size of it...  It makes Equestria look like a speck!"

        "This,"  Luna began, her tone dark, adding to the ominous vibes that Twilight felt "is the result of events that led to a promise.  One that I intend to break sometime in the future... for you."

        Twilight gasped loudly but wasn't given a chance to speak her mind before Luna continued.  "I am telling you this now so that such an event can be avoided in the future, My Star...  This was an unintended consequence, stemming from a single event that occurred nearly three hundred years prior to this destruction."  She paused briefly, letting the planet shrink in size, the moon zooming back to take its rightful place in the center of the room.  "It all began a long time ago, with a young filly..."

        The flawless orb became hazy, colors flooding across the surface, revealing a courtyard of a castle.  Within it, two fillies pranced about, playing games that only young fillies could.  "Luna, is that... you?"  Twilight asked, looking at the first filly.  She was dark blue, her mane nearly the same shade as her coat.  Her flank was blank, and her aquamarine eyes were locked on those belonging to the second pony, a young earth pony.  She was similarly without a cutie mark, with a coat so white Twilight had to squint to look at her.  Her pale pink hair added a sharp contrast to her color.  The two foals took off running about once more.

        "Indeed, that is me, as a child, all those years ago.  I had a best friend growing up, the daughter of an earth pony and unicorn union.  She would come and visit me every weekend without fail.  It was my motivation to listen to my tutors during the week."  Luna paused and chuckled softly.  "We enjoyed each other's company immensely, and my parents were overjoyed that I did not suffer the disconnect of 'noble and commoner' that occurred with other family members."

        Twilight sat patiently, listening and watching the orb as it continued to show the two fillies playing with each other.  "Sadly though, it came to an abrupt stop at the end of one of her visits..."  The image shattered, the various pieces falling to the bottom of the moon, to be replaced with a dark pathway, the young earth pony accompanied by her parents.  Four stallions, all unicorns, stepped out and surrounded the three ponies.  "During this time, the tribes were still divided, and tensions constantly ran high.  While they were technically all under the purview of my parents...  situations still occurred..."

        "No..."  Twilight muttered under her breath, coming to the only logical explanation.  The four unicorns caught the trio off-guard, magically immobilizing their victims.

        "Sadly, it is true..."  The scene paused, and Luna stroked the image of the young filly’s cheek.  "I will spare you watching the next part, but you must know."  She let her hoof drop back to the ground.  "Hate crimes.  These four were supremacists, of the belief that all other races should bow down to the beck and call of unicorns, and unicorns alone.  Sadly, they viewed unicorns that married outside their species as the worst ponies in their sick, twisted views."

        Luna paused, collecting herself, as Twilight moved to her side and nuzzled her neck.  "I...  have an idea of what happens next, Luna...  Sometimes, when I ran out of reading materials, I would get ahold of some history texts.  I managed to find one that detailed some of the issues that arose from the separation of the tribes, at least until Celestia found me reading it and took the book from me.  I'm guessing...  all three were killed?"  Twilight eked out, her voice a near whisper at the end.

        Luna leaned into Twilight's caress and let out a small sigh.  "Not quite, although at the time what they did was possibly worse as far as everypony was concerned.  Tell me, Twilight...  what do you know of magical anchors?"

        Twilight looked at Luna and gulped, taking a moment to collect herself before she said anything.  "Everypony has a 'anchor point,' where their magic pools and is most concentrated.  Unicorns typically have theirs centered at the base of their horns, Pegasi in their wings, and Earth Ponies in their hooves.  While it can vary between individuals, it is fairly consistent.  The anchors help regulate the magic within the body, aiding in keeping the pony healthy and able to reach their magic."

        "Hmm, yes.  I suppose Tia would've left out that bit of information in my absence...  She always was of the mindset that some things didn't need to be made public for the 'better good'."  Luna muttered to herself, then gently shook her head.  "It is possible to attack a pony through their anchors.  Thankfully, that black art has been lost in the sands of time, though even then it was rarely practiced.  By doing so, however, the inner magic of a pony bleeds, and most of the time whatever magic is bled is unable to be recovered through any means.  This almost always guaranteed that the victim would either be crippled for life or die."

        Luna felt Twilight shivering into her side, and she draped a wing over Twilight.  "By the time a guard patrol stumbled upon them, it was too late for her parents.  The perpetrators had bled their magic out and had started on the filly.  The patrol slew all four on the spot, and a unicorn guard attempted to stabilize her before a pegasus winged her back to the castle.  They had only been gone for ten minutes before being attacked...

        "The ruckus caused by her arrival got my attention, and I was devastated when my parents told me what had happened.”  A few tears fell from Luna’s eyes, splattering on Twilight’s head.  “My friend lay, mere inches from death, physically beaten, nearly bled of all her magic, and in a coma.  I did the only thing I could...  I begged my parents to 'make it right'."

        Luna paused in her oration, still crying, to take comfort in the warmth at her side.  "My parents did what any good ones would do...  They did whatever it took to keep me happy.  While I sat at her side in the infirmary as she clung to the last vestiges of life, they tirelessly researched, spending nearly every waking moment desperate to find a solution.  I actually have a love of all medical knowledge, and I did the best I could to assist them when I wasn't by her side.  Within a week, they had managed to find a possible solution, although the risk was high.

        "The next morning, we all visited her once more, my parents with the spell in hoof.  They had devised a method to draw from the latent magic in the air and force it to help regrow the lost magic within her.  They both charged the spell in tandem, and we all prayed that it would work."  

        The image showed a bright light surrounding the filly in a bed, and it grew brighter.  It became painful to look at before pulsing once and spluttering out.  The three ponies surrounding the filly all looked on in awe at the now-healthy pony.  Her coat was unblemished once more, her eyes full of color and life.  Her pink mane was long and lustrous once more.  The spell hadn’t stopped there, however.  Now, a long pearl horn parted her bangs, and a pair of small, underdeveloped wings lay at her side.

        "The spell worked.  It also had an unintended side effect.  It drew magic from the air, however the casters had all three anchors.  The spell latched onto this, and made a similar copy.  My friend, who had laid near death just moments before, was now an alicorn, like myself."  Luna paused, taking in a deep breath.  "Her name was Celes."

        Twilight simply laid there, nestled into Luna's side as the gears within her head turned furiously.  How has nopony heard of this...  A spell that infuses the different pony magics to... ascend...?  transform...?  a pony into an alicorn.  And her friend, Celes, why hasn't anypony ever heard of her?  Twilight's jaw dropped as her eyes shot open.  No, that's...  impossible, right?  Celes is-  "Celestia?!"

        Luna chuckled.  "Yes, my dear 'sister' is actually adopted, as she was left orphaned and without anypony else to take her in...  I'm fairly certain my parents enjoyed the chance to raise another foal, as alicorn fertility rates were rather low then.  It brought them double the joy, all at once."  Her tears dried up, and she smiled warmly at Twilight.

        "I wonder why she never mentions that at all...  Growing up under her, I thought that I got to know her pretty well."  Twilight mused to herself, catching Luna's gaze with one of her own.  "So, how did this lead to that blight on the planet?  It sounds like everything worked out for the better."

        Luna tittered, the melodic sound bouncing around the room.  "To answer your first question, she most likely suppressed the memories so deep that nothing could bring them back to the surface.  She is pretty good with memory magic too...  Anyways, for a while, things were indeed good.  Celestia and I grew up together as sisters, growing even closer than before.  One twilight, we got our cutie marks at the same time as we connected with our celestial bodies, moving them for the first time.

        "We grew up under our parent's ever-watchful eyes, learning the ins and outs of how to properly rule a country, while also remaining connected with the subjects.  Our parents emphasized that last part constantly.  About a hundred years after Tia's ascent, rumors started to come out of the darker corners of the kingdom, however.  There were whispers in the dark of a way to 'ascend' beyond the normal limitations of ponykind and join the 'elite' ranks of the alicorns."

        Twilight looked on wide-eyed as Luna narrated the next segment of history, taking mental notes and doing her best to remember every word.  "Were other ways actually discovered?  I haven’t heard of any."

        Luna shuddered, once more looking Twilight in the eyes.  "Some approaches were taken, however none proved successful.  Once the rumors became action, my parents became concerned.  Outright denial of such a thing did nothing to stop the madness that gripped some of the more... eccentric individuals, who quickly threw all morals to the wind.  It eventually came to a head. In a six month period, there were two major incidents, both related to pursuit of 'ascension’.

        "The first was an earth pony, unhappy with his 'limitations' compared to the other two races.  He killed seven ponies, unicorn and pegasus, and drained their magic, attempting to forcibly inject it into himself.  He went mad and killed himself before he was apprehended.  The second incident was even worse.  Our uncle loved to travel to the different tribes in an attempt to keep goodwill between them all.  He was lured out by a family of unicorns on the edge of the country and given a strong poison.  Although alicorns are extremely hard to kill, it can still happen.  While he was paralyzed, they removed his horn and wings in an attempt to graft the parts onto one of their own."

        Twilight pushed away from Luna, turning her head away and threw up her dinner.  Luna rubbed Twilight’s back.  After she finished retching, she turned towards Luna and asked weakly,  "What would make a pony do something so...  terrible?"

        "Sadly, when rumors fly around for long enough and you have ponies who aren't happy with their lot in life, they try desperate things in a vain hope that the rumors are true.  what happened to our uncle made our parents take what was going on seriously.  They focused all of their attention on the tribes, forcing them to come together or be banished from the country.  Plus, in an effort to prevent ponies from continuing their experiments, they let the truth come out.  They announced that there was indeed a spell, but it was only castable by an alicorn.  It was supposed to stop all the violence...

        "The tribes slowly came together.  The promise our parents made helped...  persuade even the most hesitant ponies.  However, when it was called for my parents to share the spell and transform others, they declined, stating that no matter what, there existed no viable method that would satisfy everyone and not disrupt the balance of power in the world.  The notes for the spell were locked up deep within the castle, alongside other dangerous artifacts."

        Luna fell silent, conjuring up some glasses of water, the two of them drinking while Twilight took another chance to look around the room.  "This room the spell is locked in, does it still exist?  And if so” — she looked around furtively, like she was afraid of what she was about to say — “are there any books in there that I might be able to get my hooves on?"

        Luna set her glass down.  "While I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of such a room, if one did exist, you wouldn't be allowed to see anything contained within without permission from Tia as well."  Moving the glasses to the side, she continued.  "Things were mostly fine, for a time.  When all three tribes finally began to cooperate, we entered a golden age, and the spell was forgotten for some time.

        "About a hundred years later, somepony managed to sneak into the castle and copy the notes behind the spell.  They only managed to copy a fragment, but the damage was done.  Even with my parents, Celestia and myself keeping an eye out, the spell was finished, although nowhere near as potent as the one they had cast on Celestia all those years ago.  My parents were undecided as to what course of action to take at first, but my father's hoof was forced a few months later..."

        Luna began crying once more, and the moon darkened with her concentration shattered.  Twilight moved closer into her side.  At a loss for words, she simply hugged Luna and waited for her to resume the story.

        "I'm sorry, Twilight...  It has been a long time since I last talked about this, and sadly being nigh immortal means our memories remain as fresh as ever..."  Luna muttered, her face buried in Twilight's mane.

        "Our mother was kidnapped one eve, while we were all away.  When father showed up, she had already been killed.  Father's attunement was with nature, so what he did next was unique.  He sent Tia and me to the castle, his last words were ‘I love you both dearly.  Go now.  You will be fine, my daughters.’  Through his connection with nature, he summoned every 'false alicorn,' as they were called, as well as the others, for a confrontation.

        "It is unclear as to what happened next.  Celestia and I were huddled in the castle with some of the staff, wondering what was going on.  We knew our father's words sounded like a goodbye, but we held out hope that he would return."  Luna sighed, a frown etched on her face.  "However, we felt a massive blast wave of magic, so much of it that the air itself was discolored.  When my sister and I came to, we were greeted with a most unsightly creature...  Discord."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~



> Chapter 12.1 - Counting Down The Days
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Twilight found herself back in the confines of her room in the library.  She lay in her bed, restless in thought, trying to comprehend the earlier revelations.  A slight shifting of weight in the bed drew her eyes to her side as a dark blue leg found its way across her side, causing her to slightly smile.  At least there was one thing she fully understood this night.  Slightly sighing, she carefully shifted to her side and faced Luna.

        Twilight carefully leaned her head closer to Luna's, chastely kissing her cheek before settling her head down in the crook of Luna's neck.  What a night...  When Luna said she'd be more open with me, I didn't quite think I'd be learning all of this.  Celestia, her parents, Discord's origin...  It's no wonder I can't get to sleep.  Her thoughts drifted to the prior night once again.





        Twilight was in shock.  After Luna's revelation of Discord's appearance, silence had reigned in the room for a couple of minutes, the only sounds being the occasional ruffling of a feather from Luna's wing draped across Twilight's back.  Her left eye had twitched repeatedly, a far-off expression on her face.

        Finally, her scattered thoughts came together with two simple words, lending them to her mouth.  "D-Discord?  How?"

        Luna had simply sighed then, her expression still reflecting loss, even as she comforted Twilight with her embrace.  "Honestly, we're unsure.  Even the sight of my moon and Celestia's sun was unable to discern the events that transpired between our father and the other alicorns.  The scar I showed you was much worse back then; it took a thousand years before we could look at it.  At the rate it's been healing, all signs of his origin should be gone in another...  seven thousand years or so."

        "That long?  And was Discord what...  was your father?  Celestia recently mentioned in the gardens that he was chaos contained within a vessel..."

        Luna shook her head, a rather odd feeling to Twilight, seeing how her muzzle was still partially in Luna’s mane.  "Nay, if it had been our father, the elements would've been able to heal him and bring him back to us...  We can only assume that they all perished those five thousand years ago...  Tia tried reaching the origin point of the event, but the chaotic atmosphere forced her to turn back after only minutes."

        Luna straightened up, leaving her wing draped across Twilight's back, adjusting herself to look Twilight in the eyes.  "I told you all of this because...  that spell still exists, although both of us had made a promise to our parents when things began to get ugly.  We would keep it locked away, along with any other future knowledge that held too high a risk for ponies to look into.  For over five thousand years, we both have kept that promise, living a lonely life, with only each other as a constant."

        Twilight’s brow furrowed and she hummed softly as she leaned further into Luna's side, enjoying the warmth of her wing.  "Were there any other alicorns before Cadance after...  that?"

        "She was the first one born since that day.  The odds are already extremely low when only one parent is an alicorn, so with both parents being unicorns, it's astronomically low.  Celestia did some 'light research' after her birth.  Traced the lineage back during the time of our parents, and it turns out they're both descendants of alicorns.  Even then, you already know Cadance’s brother didn't end up an alicorn...  Something I'm certain we can both be thankful of."

        "Blueblood...  uugh."  Twilight muttered under her breath, causing Luna to chuckle.

        "Indeed.  I know that this may sound somewhat silly, given the youth of our relationship, but something tells me that it is worth it.  I plan to ask Tia for her help in using that spell on you in the future, should you accept.”  Luna wrapped her hooves around Twilight in a tight hug, whispering into her ear.  “I don't want to risk losing you."  She resolutely stated, pulling back and planting a chaste kiss on Twilight's lips.

        Twilight had guessed this to be the case after Luna had mentioned how Celestia was saved, but to hear it from Luna's lips shocked her.  Luna is willing to go back on an old promise, and one to her parents no less, all for my sake...  However, she still had a few lingering doubts.  "But, why tell me all this now?  It's...  a lot to take in, and we've only started seeing each other."  Twilight shuffled anxiously in Luna's hold.

        Luna’s eyes scrunched slightly as she selected her reply.  "A few reasons, I suppose.  Selfishness.  To allay your fears of the 'I'm immortal, you're mortal' concerns that you have.  I know that, discounting my banishment, I've lived for over four thousand years.  However, this is truly the first time I've felt so deeply for somepony.  Call it foolish sentiment if you want to, but I was really disconnected after my return, and probably at the lowest point I'd been at since my parent's death and my...  episode.  You looked past who I had been and have been helping me ever since then.  To say I've grown attached to you is...  somewhat of an understatement."

        A yawn escaped Twilight, and she looked to Luna, flushing.  "Sorry...  It's a lot to take in, and it really can't be taken lightly...  However, I won't let the immortal card play a factor in our relationship, I promise."  She lightly smiled, the corner of her mouth tugging upwards ever so slightly.  "And, one other thing...  I would like to tell Celestia and everypony else about us when you two come down next weekend.  I don't like keeping secrets, especially from my friends and family..."

        "I understand.  I wouldn't expect you to make a decision right away, it's truly a big one.  Plus, I would need time to talk with Tia and figure out how we could explain it.  It's not something that we could simply do on a whim, another event like last time must be avoided..."  She paused for a moment then slowly stood up, bringing her wing back to her side and offering a hoof to Twilight.  "Also... we can tell Tia and your friends the first night we're down.  Is that okay?"  

        Twilight only nodded, another yawn stealing her voice.  Luna chuckled as Twilight accepted her hoof, raising to her hooves.  "Well, I think it's time we went back down, can't spend all night on my moon."

        Luna charged a spell, focusing on Twilight's bedroom in the library as the destination.  With a final burst of magic, the two reappeared in the room.  "Well, My Star, I should get back to the castle...”  Luna gently nuzzled Twilight and murmured to her.  “Sleep well."

        A hoof caught her as she turned around, causing her to look into Twilight's lavender eyes.  "Luna, would you... stay tonight?"  A faint blush crept across her cheeks.

        Luna paused, stumbling slightly as Twilight made her way to the bed.  "Twilight...  do you mean that?"

        Twilight's blush further intensified as her mind connected the dots.  "Oh!  No, not like that!  It came out wrong...  I just think I'd sleep better with you next to me, tonight..."  She climbed onto her bed, patting the empty space beside her.

        Luna laughed quietly and moved to the bed, joining Twilight.  "Goodnight, My Star."

        Twilight sighed again, her heavy lids finally closing, her last sight for that night that of Luna.  She's so beautiful...


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Twilight sighed once more as she read from a small, untitled book.  She had woken up late in the morning, the only sign of Luna's visit being the lone feather in the middle of the depression she had left in the bed.  The morning itself was fairly standard, starting with waking Spike up.  “Spike!  Time to wake up!  Spike!”  She paused a moment, waiting for a reply.  “SPIK—”

        The door opening cut her off as Spike entered, looking at her funny.  “Jeez, Twi.  I’m up already, okay?  I’m sure half of Ponyville heard you, too.”  She froze for a moment, uncertain of what to say, before raising her hoof up to her forehead.

        “Go ahead and get some breakfast then, I’ll be down in a few minutes.”  She began tidying her room as Spike left, muttering under his breath.

         Twilight made her way downstairs for a late breakfast.  A simple salad and coffee were sufficient to get her moving, however she was feeling the effects of slight sleep deprivation.  Additionally, the events of the previous night were fresh in her mind, weighing heavily upon her.  Mindlessly, she had made her way over to the shelves and began reorganizing the many reference guides.  A few minutes into it, she stumbled on one dealing with the constellations, which brought her mind right back to the issues she had been trying to bury.

        As her thoughts drifted back to Luna, she recalled the study materials that had been recently neglected in her room.  She rushed upstairs to where they lay, grabbing the first book in the pile then pausing a moment before grabbing the feather that still rested on her bed.  Now, she was seated with the book open in front of her and the feather tucked away safely in her mane.  Forcing herself to focus on the task at hoof, she looked down at the next entry and began reading once more.

        It seems that I've found yet another interesting part of the magic.  I was under the impression that when roaming through the dreamscape looking for dreamers, the ponies asleep manifested as stars amid the night.  However, this is not the case, at least not for every pony who utilizes this magic.  Starswirl entered the dreamscape by himself for the first time last evening and reported that, when he arrived, he was presented with a library.

        Contained within were shelves full of books, each one displaying unique properties.  With my stars, I immediately had a fair idea of who I was looking in on.  Starswirl's book's contained information on the spines, and he reported that as ponies entered and left dreams, the books simply faded in and out of existence on the shelves.  A most interesting theory has arisen from this discovery, being that the Dream Realm is influenced by the most powerful individual utilizing it.  Thus, when I joined him during his early training, my notion of what it should be overrode his.

        What this goes to show is that, once more, my student has opened my eyes to another new facet of magic that has been forgotten to time.  On another note, however, we must force him to get out more and interact with the common pony.  This, dedication, dare I say, is quickly approaching levels I deem to be unhealthy.

        Twilight looked away from the book, a faint blush spreading across her face.  That sounds rather familiar...  Without my friends, I'd probably still be buried in the library by books, hehe.  She gently set the book down on a small table and stood up, stretching her legs.  "I wonder what Rarity is up to right now..."  She mused aloud, contemplating giving the fashionista a visit.

        With a quick word to Spike, Twilight left the confines of the library and walked outside, the midday sun momentarily blinding her as her eyes adjusted to the brightness.  The streets were busy as Twilight made her way to Rarity's boutique.

        As she crossed through the market square, a sudden impact against her side knocked her to the ground.  Blinking the stars from her eyes, Twilight's sight fell upon a young pegasus mare who was likewise sprawled out on the ground.

        "Scootaloo!"  Twilight began as she stood back up.  "How many times do you have to be warned not to run into anypony?  It kinda hurts, you know?"  

        Scootaloo groaned in reply, rolling to put her hooves underneath her as she found her bearings.  "Heh, sorry Twilight.  Was in a rush, Sweetie and Bloom are waiting on me for lunch.  I got caught up in practicing... again."  Scootaloo brushed the dirt off her coat as she stood up, her lips slightly upturned in a nervous grin.

        "You should be higher up though, regardless of your habits from your scooter.  Otherwise, I might just have to call you Rainbow Dash instead!"  Twilight and Scootaloo both giggled at the joke.  She's just like Dash in almost every aspect, hard to believe the two of them aren't related...  She definitely loves her speed, and her mark certainly reflects that.  Adorning both sides of Scootaloo's flank were two widespread wings, a scooter nestled between them.

        "Oh, I don't think that'd be such a bad thing though!"  Scootaloo shot back, prompting another small wave of laughter between them.  "Well, I really need to be hurrying to the restaurant; I'm already late as is.  Sorry again, Twilight, have a good day!"  With a flap of her wings, she launched herself airborne once more, leaving Twilight alone again.

        She continued her walk to Rarity's, her mind aimlessly wandering in thought.  Hmm, Cutie Mark Crusaders no longer, now that all three of them have their marks.  Funny how it took them so long to recognize their talents, they had them all along while they tried their escapades.  Now, they're all in a relationship, who would've thought it...  I pity the poor stallion, should they ever choose to include one.

        Twilight knocked three times on Rarity’s door, a heavy, crisp sound booming out each time the hoof struck.  "Come on in!"  A muffled voice replied, prompting Twilight to proceed inside.

        "How may I hel-  oh hi there, Twilight!  How are you doing today, darling?"  Rarity came out and greeted Twilight, moving to embrace her in a hug.  They pulled away from each other after a few seconds.

        A light smile spread across Twilight's face as she replied.  "Okay, I suppose.  Got a lot on my mind, so decided to get out of the library for a little bit.  Couldn't really focus on my books."  She sheepishly grinned, looking around at the various dresses on display.

        Rarity raised an eyebrow at the end of Twilight's answer, concern showing in her eyes.  "Come on in!"  They walked inside, and Rarity closed the door behind them.  "As much as I enjoy having your company, it sounds like it must be something rather serious to distract you from your books, darling...  Is it about,” — her voice dropped so low that Twilight had to strain to hear the end — "Luna?"

        Twilight paused for a moment, her eyebrows creased in thought.  "I...  suppose part of it is, yes.  I've just felt rather insecure about a few things these last few days."  Should I tell her about last night?  She could help me sort this out.  Maybe if I...  Twilight chose her next words very carefully.  "Luna did stop by last night in disguise.  I was about ready to drop a stack of my books on her, but she did address a lot of my insecurities, even if she left me with more questions."

        Rarity walked into the kitchen, Twilight behind her.  Pulling a teapot from a shelf, Rarity filled it with water and set it on a burner to boil. Setting a pastry-laden plate on the table, she said,  "Please, darling, take a seat.  I'll have some tea ready for us in a minute, and then you can tell me all about it."
arity giggled, and Twilight stopped to stare at her, head tilted slightly.
        True to her word, a minute later, Rarity had two cups resting on saucers, awaiting the tea steeping in the teapot that rested on the table as well.  "So, Twilight, what exactly is on your mind?"

        "Well,"  Twilight hesitantly began, nibbling at a pastry to buy herself a couple more seconds, "Luna stopped by last night rather unexpectedly, and she played a rather poor joke.  I should've been angry longer than I was, but I just forgave her almost immediately."  Rarity giggled, and Twilight stopped to stare at her, head tilted slightly.

        Rarity brought a hoof to her mouth as her giggles slowed down and picked up the teapot in her magic and poured it.  "Sorry, darling, but sometimes it is rather cute and funny to see you puzzling out things that are readily apparent to everypony but yourself."  Rarity took a sip of her tea, a relaxed smile on her face as her eyes closed for a moment.  "Ah, tea is always nice to calm the nerves...  Anyhoof, as I was saying, you shouldn't overthink it too much.  I'm guessing the fact that you forgave her so quickly is part of what has you confused?"

        Twilight nodded in reply, sipping at the cup in front of her and relaxing a little in her seat.  "Just part of it.  I mean, she showed up looking like a different pony and started hitting on me!  We haven't been together that long or spent much time together.  I just don't understand how I was able to forgive her so quickly, and there was nothing in the books I have about it..."  She trailed off, staring into her tea.

        "Twilight, please forgive me, but you can just be too much sometimes!"  Rarity quietly laughed once more as Twilight arched an eyebrow at her.  "Oh, I don't mean it in a negative manner; it's rather endearing and something all of us like about you.  It's just, yes, you and Princess Luna have only been together for a short time, but you've been in love with her for a long, long time.

        "Dash or myself were the first to notice.  I'm not sure which of us were first to see it.  She wanted to challenge me to compete for it, but I don't enjoy her uncouth, childish games."  Rarity paused, her eyes looking far away for a moment.  "You know, it's my job to read ponies to see what they might enjoy the most for their designs, their unstated needs that they expect you to know.  After getting to the point of reading near strangers in a meeting, you, and my other friends, are like reading a book, darling.  I try not to do so often, but you've been moonstruck since shortly after Discord returned.  Dash was able to figure it out herself when she started dating you.  She thought it was her that you were pining over.  It's why your relationship didn't last.  It became very obvious to her that it was another you yearned for."

        Twilight slouched as far into her chair as she could manage, as if it were possible to hide in it.  Her mouth opened and closed a few times, words sputtering out on the tip of her tongue.  "I- Am- Was-"  She took a deep breath, as well as another sip of tea.  "Was I really that obvious?  I didn't really notice it until you all pointed it out to me at our party..."

        Rarity reached out with a forehoof and rested it gently on Twilight's shoulders.  "Darling, yes, it was obvious to everyone, once they knew what to look for.  I'll admit, Pinkie overhearing Dash and me talking about it the week before the party simply confirmed what the other girls thought, but we all had our suspicions."

        "Yupperooni, it sure did!"  Pinkie Pie popped out from underneath the table, a pastry in her mouth.  "It's a shame Princess Woona came down earlier than planned.  I had a good plan put together for her next visit!  While you two were looking at her stars, I had The Little Merpony's "Kiss The Mare" and The Gryphon King's "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" ready to play!  Buh bye!"

        Twilight simply sighed while Rarity looked expressionlessly at Pinkie as she dived into the pantry.  The two mares quietly took a sip of their tea, before Twilight spoke up.  "That... just happened."

        "Yes, darling.  It seems it did...  More tea?"  Rarity finished her cup in a gulp before topping it off.  "Anyhoof, we couldn't let such a travesty occur.  It also seemed our dear Princess was just as oblivious to it as you were.  I mean, after nearly three years of monthly visits to do what you two both dearly enjoyed, neither of you noticed it.  Who knows how long it would've gone on for had we not interceded."  A coy smile spread on Rarity's face.

        Twilight glared at Rarity for a moment before allowing a small smile to grace her face, her lips faintly turned upwards.  A knock at the door took their attention, a quiet voice following the sound.  “Rarity, are you home?”

        Rarity stood up, a light gasp escaping her.  “Oh dear, I’d totally forgotten that I’d rescheduled the spa visit for this afternoon!  One moment, Twilight.”  She waltzed over to the door, opening it to let Fluttershy inside.  “Hello, darling, come on in.  I’ll only be a moment longer.”

        Fluttershy followed Rarity to the table, where she demurely waved to Twilight.  “Hi, Twilight.  What brings you over here, if you don’t mind my asking?”

        Twilight stood up, gathering up the dishes and moving them to the counter.  “Not much, Fluttershy.  Just wanted to get out of the library for a few, and it seemed like a good idea to visit.  I was just on my way out though, don’t want to keep you two from your spa visit.”

        “Oh, nonsense darling!  You should come with us, relax for the afternoon!”  Rarity exclaimed, taking a quick glance around to locate her bits.  She walked to the door and looked over her shoulder.  “Well, coming along?”


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~



> Chapter 12.2 - Counting Down The Days
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Celestia sat in her study, reading the mail by the light of her early afternoon sun.  So far, nothing too interesting had surfaced, mostly petitions for funding frivolous endeavors.  Researching for a reason as to why manticores are deadly.  Celestia snorted in amusement, eyeing the letter in front of her.  Fairly easy to research, just go into the Everfree and wait for one to show up.  It'll become readily apparent as to why they're deadly.  She laughed aloud, then abruptly halted.  Oh, yes.  I suppose not the Everfree manticores...

        Tossing it into the bin, she looked towards the next letter on the rapidly dwindling stack situated on her desk.  Oh, a letter from Sharp Plane. I am most curious as to how their progress has been.  Removing the seal, Celestia unfurled the scroll and began to read.

        Princess Celestia,

        I am writing you this letter to inform you of our progress towards the Everfree project.  We have managed to make substantial headway so far.  The initial clearing to the old castle from Canterlot has nearly been completed.  We are awaiting delivery of the paving stones.  The order was put in, and I have been informed that it will take two weeks for the first batch to arrive.

        We have had no major issues with the local fauna and beasts that inhabit the forest.  Oddly enough, an earth pony worker that was scouting a path encountered a manticore, and it fled in abrupt terror after defecating itself.  I have no clue what exactly what hoof you had in its reaction, however I must thank you for keeping us safe.  We have had one or two fools encounter the dreadful Poison Joke, however thanks to a zebra sage, we had the remedy on hoof.

        I do have some news regarding the timeline, and sadly it isn't positive.  I saw firsthoof the state of the castle, as well as the immediate area surrounding it.  It's state of disrepair is quite bad, and although it is indeed salvageable, it will take much work.  Plus, we much build a bridge or two to span the large chasm between it and the planned road to Ponyville.  The good news to this, though, is that I have requested the aid of a large force of Manehatten's construction union, and they are set to arrive within the week.

        Respectfully,
                Sharp Plane, Pres. of Canterlot Construction Union

        "I suppose I did base the timeline off of what it would take myself to do the renovations firsthoof..."  She hummed a little, giving the letter a quick second read.  "Well, it seems like things are moving decently.  I suppose the announcement can be pushed back by a little bit."

        Setting the letter to the side, she quickly finished the remainder of the pile, tossing the last one into the waste bin with a sigh.  With but a thought, the contents were incinerated, leaving not even ash in the container.  "Now, to write that letter..."  Freeing a loose piece of parchment from a stack, Celestia brought a quill, its tip wet with ink, to bear on the page.

        To Velvet Twilight and Crescent Dusk,

        I wish to thank you...


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        The trio of mares exited the spa, each one relaxed after the session, with one exception.  Twilight's normally purple coat more than hinted at a flush of crimson staining it.  "Flutters...  don't EVER tell me about the games you and Pinkie play, ever, ever again!"  Rarity laughed, a lone hoof over her mouth.

        "I thought you might want to play with Luna, though, sorry..."  Fluttershy demurely muttered in reply, causing Rarity to further devolve into laughter in a most unlady-like manner.  "Eeep!"  She joined Twilight in blushing, partially hiding her face with her mane.

        “Rarity!”  Twilight exclaimed, surprised at the fashionista.

        Rarity’s laughs died as she quickly coughed and checked her mane with a hoof.  “I’m sorry, darlings, but that was just too good to pass up!”  She leaned in close to Fluttershy, raising one hoof to try and muffle her voice.  “However, Fluttershy, I would absolutely love to hear about such games later on.”

        “Uh, Rarity...  you really weren’t whispering there.”  Twilight smacked her forehead with a hoof, sighing.  Poor Shy...  Clearing her throat, both Rarity and Fluttershy looked in her direction as she lowered her hoof.  “Anyhoof, you two cannot tell anypony that Luna and I are dating, okay?  We’ll be telling everypony this weekend once Luna and Celestia come visit.”

        Fluttershy's mane bobbed up and down as she nodded her head.  "Don't worry, I won't tell anypony."  She looked up at the sun briefly, then let out a quick eep.  "I need to get back to the cottage; Pinkie will be by soon.  Goodbye, girls."  She quickly waved in their direction before taking off.

        Rarity and Twilight returned the wave before the fashionista spoke once more.  "Darling, don't worry about me saying anything; I'm not one to spoil such a wondrous announcement!"  A stray thought entered Rarity's mind, causing her eyes to quickly appear haunted.  "You do realize, Twilight, that you'll most likely have to tell Pinkie not to spoil it with a party before then...  I don't envy you one bit, not at all."

        Twilight raised a brow  "What are you talking about, Rarity, Pinkie just knows I have a crush on Luna, not that we're, you know..."  She trailed off, hesitant to mention the word dating in public.

        Rarity gave a short, chopped laugh.  "Twilight, we're talking about Pinkie...  She knows, trust me."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~        

        
        Twilight opened her eyes, momentarily blinded by the light.  She found herself standing on Luna’s moon, the brilliance of Equus the source of the light.  The void of space was devoid of stars, however the planet below thoroughly captivated her attention.  All across the globe, she could see the multitude of dreamers below, each one a bright beacon of light to her eyes.  Weird, this isn’t how I thought dreams would present themselves to me.

        “Twilight...”  A voice found its way to her ear, its origin distant.  She jerked her head up, looking around for the speaker.

        “Luna?  Is that you?”  She continued to search, although her love was nowhere to be found.  Her gaze settled on a lone star that shimmered close to the moon, its pale blue color very distinct to her eyes.

        "We...  not...  her."  A broken voice reached her ears, its gender indistinguishable.  "...time is... short... soon."

        Twilight sat on the lunar surface, focused on her star, confusion running rampant across     her face.  "I can't really understand you.  Who are you, where are you, where are we?"  Questions echoed through the void, Twilight's voice assuming an eerie quality.  This can't be a dream, but I have no clue what it is...

        She continued to look around, a multitude of stars slowly blinking into existence, joining her pale blue one in the emptiness of space.  A gentle, quiet hum began, a melody emerging from it.  Twilight simply laid down, her back to the lunar surface, as the song continued to grow in strength.  The tone it carried to her ears spoke volumes without words, uplifting yet sorrowful at the same time.  Twilight simply listened as she slept, the stars providing a symphony to her ears.



~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Luna's eyes were closed, her realm of dreams laid bare before her as she intently looked for one in particular.  Ah, there it is.  A gentle purple glow filled her vision as she quickly checked on Twilight.  Satisfied, she withdrew from her realm, her bedroom coming back into focus.  "Good, she should be well rested for our visit tomorrow morning."

        She let out a relaxing sigh as her vision came to rest on the calendar containing the schedule her love had made for her.  It is nearly embarrassing how some of the most obvious things were blind to us.  To think, Tia and I had gotten so used to trying to get closer again that we were attending most of the meetings together.  She looked at the mix of meetings that had filled the days leading into the massive blank spot that was the weekend.

        Luna tore her gaze from the calendar, meticulously scanning the titles of books on one shelf.  She plucked a few of them from their places and gently set them within a small luggage bag, attempting to get everything ready for the trip she and Celestia would be taking to Ponyville tomorrow morning.

        A gentle knock rapped at the door.  Focusing for a moment, Luna discerned who it was.  "Come on in, sister.  The door is unlocked."  A slight creaking of hinges was the only sign of her sister's entry, Luna’s focus still on packing for the trip.

        "Night, sister.  I thought that I would come by before retiring for the day.  It seems that I've become a bit too reliant on others packing for me.  It took me the better part of two hours to track down everything I needed.  Can you believe I couldn't find the toothpaste?"  Celestia let out a hearty laugh, Luna joining her for a few moments.

        "Tia, sometimes I think you've gotten a bit too lazy and used to others doing things for you.  Besides, it is a travesty to not know where one's traveling toiletries are located!"  Luna snickered as Celestia attempted to stare at her with a level gaze but failed miserably as soon as Luna struck a dramatic pose.

        Celestia and Luna joined together in laughter, each one enjoying the mirth that they shared.  Eventually Celestia found her breath.  "Oh, Lulu, I'm so glad that we've managed to grow close once more...  I was truly concerned for some time, but I'm truly glad that my fears were put to rest."  She gently embraced her sister.  "I love you, Luna.  Goodnight, I'll see you in the morning."

        Luna leaned into the embrace.  "And I am gladdened as well, Tia.  You seem to have finally stopped blaming yourself for events that were truly beyond your control.  Goodnight, dear sister of mine."

        Celestia quietly left the room, walking to her own quarters, ignoring the presence of the posted guards.  She walked to the sun emblazoned on the wall and once more performed a spell that she had long ago memorized.  She gently removed an old scroll and a black box, layering the latter with wards designed to contain magic, then placed them in her bags for the trip in the morning.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


> Chapter 13 - Party Time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Celestia and Luna sat down inside the living room on the second floor of the library, coffee cups being placed on a table in front of them as Twilight joined the sisters.  "So, welcome to Ponyville again?"  Twilight jokingly asked, unsure of where to start the conversation.

        They both giggled slightly at the joke, Celestia bringing the cup of coffee under her nose and inhaling deeply.  "Ah, medium roasted blend of imported Gryphonia brew, if you were only able to recall one thing during my visit, this would be it...  Wait, and the cake recipe you learned from Pinkie Pie.  Mustn't forget that!"

        This time is was Twilight's turn to laugh at her former mentor.  Even now, she still knows how to calm me down when I'm nervous.  "So, Luna, Celestia, as you know, tonight we're just going to have a small get together here at the library.  The girls and Spike will be joining us in a few to go ahead and set up for it."

        "That sounds wonderful, Twilight.  It is always a pleasure to spend time with our friends when we visit Ponyville.  I am most gladdened that we can now do so more often."  Luna warmly said, a sad look beginning to come into her eye.  "Now, if only we could escape living where we work.  The nobles are most annoying, and Tia still won't let me deal with them in my own way.  It would be most nice to not have to put up with them at all hours."

        Celestia gave her sister a knowing smile while the three of them simply sat together, enjoying the freshly brewed coffee.  "So, Luna,"  Twilight began after a slight lull in the conversation, "I was reading one of the entries in your journal on dream magic you lent me.  It had a large note protruding from a certain page, so I couldn't help but be drawn to it."  Twilight playfully claimed.

        Luna's face was one of confusion at first, however it was quickly replaced by a look of dawning horror.  "What is it, Luna?"  Celestia asked her curiously.

        "Sister,"  Luna began, a pregnant pause hung in the air before she continued, "do you recall when I first tried looking in on your dreams?"  Celestia pursed her lips in thought for a few moments, recalling the specific memory.  A look of dawning comprehension bloomed across her face, with a mix of pity thrown in.  "Indeed, it was that specific dream.  To think, your actions nearly made me want to outlaw carnival clown ponies."

        Twilight kept bouncing between looking at Luna and Celestia before deciding what to say.  "I thought that you were joking when you mentioned that, Luna!"  She paused for a moment, her eyes lighting up.  "So, did you write down Pinkie's dream too?  I couldn't find it anywhere in that book and thought maybe you had another for after your return."

        Both sisters snorted, coffee threatening to vacate through their noses.  Celestia beat her sister to talking.  "Nay, Twilight.  When she informed me of what occurred, we both decided it was best that such things never made their way to paper.  We didn't think anypony could read it and keep their sanity intact.  Any mortal pony would've lost their mind."

        Twilight simply laughed at her reply, a certain memory coming to the forefront of her mind.  "That reminds me of when I attempted to figure out her 'Pinkie Sense.'  That poor machine was never the same."  She finished off her coffee, letting out a satisfied sigh.  "I was pretty neurotic that day, too, as a result of it all.  Then again, I had a tendency to overreact and freak out over, well, anything then.  I don't even recall how many times I had an...  episode over thinking you'd send me back to magic kindergarten!"

        They all shared a healthy laugh, then the conversation began once more, heading towards more mundane matters.  Midway through discussing how well their new schedule was working out, Celestia snuck a glance towards her belongings, a certain box coming to mind.  "Sister, do you mind if I borrow Twilight for a few?  I have something that I would like to talk to her about."

        Luna arched a brow for a moment, before nodding her reply.  "Sure, Tia.  I suppose that I could find my way to the cake while you converse with Twilight."  She chuckled as Celestia's eyes bulged at the mention of Luna eating the cake.  "I jest, do not worry about the cake.  I'm certain I can find a book downstairs to entertain myself with for a short time."  She stood up, quickly stretching her back.

        A knock at the door echoed to the second floor as Luna was about to speak once more.  "Oh, I completely forgot the time!"  Twilight exclaimed, noticing that it was well after noon.  "That's most likely Rarity and Applejack, they were going to come by early and bring the cider and help set up.  Give me a minute, Celestia?"  Twilight began to make for the door, her eyes set on her friend.

        "The Apple's famous cider?  I do believe I can wait on that, what I have to say can wait until later."  She gave Luna a glance.  "Care to have some fun, Lulu?"  Celestia asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

        Luna rushed past Twilight, quickly getting in front of her.  "Excuse me, Twilight, but I think Tia and I shall answer the door."  She quickly shot a question to Celestia.  "Annoying Nobles, or Hangover Payback?"

        Celestia gave a chuckle as they got to the door and readied to open it.  "Hangover Payback.  Yes, definitely that one."  They open the library door and saw Rarity and Applejack as they both took in a deep breath.

        "GOOD AFTERNOON APPLEJACK AND RARITY!  IT IS NICE TO SEE YOU TWO ONCE MORE!"  Blasted the sisters, Twilight holding onto the nearest sturdy object as her feet swayed underneath her and the library shook.

        "My...  ears..."  Were the first words Twilight heard from the two mares, Rarity being the one to talk.  Applejack stood next to her, sitting on her haunches after being blasted by the two sisters use of the Royal Canterlot Voice.  Applejack shook her head side to side, then rested her vision on Rarity.

        "Rares,"  She began, laughing to herself, "I think you should be more concerned about your mane, sugarcube."  She pointed her hoof at the mane in question as the two laughing sisters stopped for a moment to look at Rarity, before breaking out into laughter once again.

        A nervous twitch developed in Rarity's right eye as she reached a hoof to touch the edge of her mane.  Feeling that something was out of place, she bolted into the library without a word, making a beeline for the closest bathroom and mirror.  Applejack and Twilight both joined the sisters in laughter as a door slammed shut inside.

        "Ah, it truly is good to see you once more, Applejack.  I hear you were bringing along some cider before setting up for a party?"  Luna questioned, moving to the side so that Applejack could step inside.

        "Ah sure am, it's right outside as a matter of fact."  She turned to face Celestia, tilting her hat in respect.  "And good afternoon to ya, Princess.  It's real nice to see ya when we're not having to go running off willy nilly on some quest to save Equestria."

        Celestia let out a laugh, "I can imagine, it's nice to be able to come to Ponyville to simply visit for once and take a break.  It's something that I've neglected for far too long."  Luna squealed as she noticed the cart that awaited unloading outside.  Not only were there two casks of cider, but numerous covered trays of what could only be homecooked food lay in the cart.

        "Sister, I do believe we must do some, quality checking?  Yes, some quality checking of our dear friend Applejack's cooking!  It would do no good to serve our guests food that we have yet to thoroughly vet ourselves, after all!"  Luna exclaimed as she made for a covered tray.  More laughter rang out from inside as Twilight moved between Luna and the food.

        Luna's face fell as Twilight entered her vision, blocking the apple treats.  "Not these, they're for the party, Luna."  Twilight scoldingly said, taking Luna aback.  "However," she began, a smile now on her face, "once you help me bring these inside, I have an apple pie that I picked up this morning for us to have for lunch."

        Celestia and Applejack watched in amusement as Twilight expertly manipulated Luna into helping bring the food and ale inside.  "To think, I never taught her the so-called 'game' of politics, yet she's an expert."  She voiced her thoughts, curiousness evident in her tone.  "I wonder, if we taught her, maybe she could put those annoying nobles in their places..."

        Applejack took a moment to process what Celestia had said.  "Well, even if ya did, Princess, ah doubt Twilight would want to leave Ponyville, and somethin tells me that them annoyin nobles wouldn't leave Canterlot for nothin."  Celestia came out of her thought at Applejack's words, a chuckle making its way to her lips.

        "So very, very true, Applejack.  And I would never force her from such a place, either."

        A door opening and closing heralded the return of Rarity, her recently disheveled mane proper once more.  "I dare say, Princess, I would expect such a prank from Rainbow or Pinkie, but never from you or Princess Luna."

        Celestia put on an expression of pain as she looked Rarity in the eye.  "Why, your accusation that my sister and I are boring sting, whatever shall we do?"  She gently laughed as Rarity began sputtering.

        Luna and Twilight walked in, the last of the refreshments set aside for the upcoming evening. Between them a pie, already cut into sections, plates and silverware rested in their magic.  "The cake is a lie, all you need is pie!"  Luna exclaimed to her sister.

        "The cake is not a lie, however, the calorie count is..."  Celestia angrily muttered to herself before turning her attention to Luna.  "Pie it is!  It will be nice to have such fare fresh, our cooks still can't replicate the taste of fresh Apple Pie from your farm, Applejack."

        The five mares all received a piece of pie and sat down in the living room, chatting about small things before moving on to start preparing for the evening's festivities.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        A knock sounded out at the library door, taking Twilight by surprise.  Rainbow Dash had been the last planned arrival, arriving not even ten minutes ago.  The sun was low on the horizon, but the festivities hadn't kicked off just yet.

        "Oh, Twilight.  I believe I forgot to mention that I might have invited one or two ponies as a, hrmm, surprise, of sorts."  Celestia spoke, leaving Twilight baffled as she walked to the door.  After opening it, before she even had a chance to speak she was smothered by two ponies.

        "Ah, our Twilight!  Look how you've grown, an adult and all on your own now.  We're so proud of you!"

        "What your mother said, Twilight.  It's nice to see you again young lady, we've been so busy lately I can't believe we couldn't make time before this to come by."

        Celestia smiled as Twilight found herself speechless as she held the embrace with her parents.  It's a shame they're always so busy, an astronomer and an archeologist.  Still, not too busy when their bosses receive a letter from me, personally.  She quietly snickered as she enjoyed the reunion.

        Twilight eventually found her voice as she separated from her parents.  "Mom, dad!  Ohmygosh!  It's so nice to see you two again!"  Twilight felt her mind split in different directions as thoughts filled her head.  Acting on the first one that made its way to the top of her head, she got the attention of her friends who were all watching already.

        "Girls, meet my parents!  My mom, Velvet Twilight, is an astronomer, and my dad, Crescent Dusk, is an archeologist!"  Spike waved at her parents as all five mares stared, momentarily stunned at the meeting.

        "Darling, I must say, this is not what I was expecting when we finally met your parents.  I had expected, well..."  Rarity trailed off, not able to voice her thought, although Twilight quickly picked up on it.

        "What, you were expecting two bookish ponies, noses buried in literature all times of the day?"  Twilight asked Rarity, laughing.

        "I'm afraid you can blame her being a bibliophile on me.  We used to take her to the library in the afternoons when she was still just a little foal.  After she set her sights on being the best at magic, well, the first place she went to was the library, and that was all she wrote."  Velvet spoke, smiling nostalgically.  "Still, I think we did a good job of raising our filly, and once we started getting busy once she was older, Princess Celestia became somewhat of a second mother for her."

        "Ah think you sure did a good job, Twilight is one of the best friends a pony could ask for!"  Applejack chimed in, moving forward to greet Velvet.

        Pinkie stood there, mouth wide open as greetings were about to be exchanged.  Before anypony could speak, however, she let out a loud gasp.  "OH MY GOSH!"  Her traditional glint appeared in her eyes as she began to bounce in place.  "Do you know what this calls for?  A PARTY!"

        Everypony was quiet for a moment, then laughter rang out through the library.  "Pinkie, darling.  I'm certain you've already noticed this, but, let me remind you that we're here for a party already."  Rarity spoke, amusement evident in her voice as further laughter was exchanged.

        "Oh, then I need to change the banner!"  Pinkie disappeared for a brief moment, before reappearing in the exact same position and in the same pose.  "There, alls done!"

        "What, huh, what did–"  

        Twilight cut her father off.  "Dad, we just chalk it up to being Pinkie Pie.  Don't bother trying to figure it out, I spent weeks and weeks on it, and I still don't have an answer for it."

        As Velvet moved forward to meet and greet the rest of Twilight's friends, Crescent remembered something and rested a hoof on Twilight's shoulder, quietly speaking to her.  "Twilight, I just want to let you know just how proud your mom and I are of you.  You've accomplished so much, and it seems that you've finally found those friends we always wanted you to have."  They hugged tightly, her father continuing to speak.  "I know we haven't been able to really visit or spend any time together like we should, and I'm truly sorry about that."

        Twilight shushed her dad, a large smile on her face.  "I know dad, I've been following all your reports.  I asked Celestia to send me what you were sending in so I could read it as soon as possible.  Plus, learning about Pre-Discordian artifacts is very interesting."

        "I know, but still...  it's my prerogative to feel guilty about it as a parent.  I mean, it's taken us five years to meet these wonderful friends of yours."  His smile turned serious as he took a quick look around.  "Your mother and I will be visiting for today and tomorrow.  We need to sit down and talk about your new relationship with this mystery pony, Twily."

        "Dad!  You know only Shiny can call me that!"  She smiled, noticing her mom was thoroughly engaged in talking with her friends now.  "And can we talk about that tomorrow?  Please?"

        "That's fine, we just need to have a sit down with you about it–"  Crecent began to reply, cutting himself off as Rarity came up to them.

        "Indeed, I do think I can make something better than this, Mrs. Velvet!  I'm glad you talked him out of plaid today, I would've probably fainted at such an affront to fashion!"  Rarity exclaimed, sizing Crecent up with her eyes.  "Yes, even though more standard clothing isn't my normal fare, I can make an exception for any family of Twilight!"

        Twilight backed away from Crescent, laughing with her mother as her father was subjected to Rarity's fashion episode.  "He still wears those awful plaid shirts, mom?"  Velvet nodded in reply, tears running down her cheeks as her husband was unable to get a single word to the fashionista.

        Once she was assured she had the measurements right, Rarity backed off.  "I'll have something made up tomorrow, Mrs. Velvet.  I'm absolutely certain you'll love it!"  She looked around at the gathered ponies who were still snickering to themselves.  "Ah..."  Rarity looked around nervously.

        Pinkie saved her as she bounced further into the library.  "It's party time!  I gotta go change the banner though, my senses didn't pick up meeting parents!"  She disappeared up the stairs, leaving everypony else behind.  "Well, what are you all waiting for, come on upstairs!"  Pinkie exclaimed from the doorway of the library entrance, causing all but Twilight and her friends to jump in surprise.  Pinkie bounced back up the stairs.

        "Before you go an ask, it's just Pinkie bein Pinkie, not much more ah can say about that."  Applejack bluntly said, shrugging her shoulders and making her way to the stairs.  Luna distinctly shuddered as the rest of the ponies began to move upstairs.

        A knock at the door caused Twilight, who was the last one in line, to pause.  "I'll get it, be up in a minute or two."  She turned around and headed back for the door, checking for any signs of pink.  Opening it, pink greeted her eyes.  "Cadance!"

        Once more, Twilight found herself grasped in an all-encompassing hug as her sister surrounded her with two hooves.  Cadance whispered into her ears while they hugged.  "I approve, Twilight.  Good thing I never thought of her as auntie, huh?"  She giggled into Twilight's ear as they pulled apart.

        "It's good to see you, and–  Shiny!"  Twilight exclaimed, happy to see both her brother and sister once more.

        "Ha, good to see that I still exist!  For a moment there, I thought you were ignoring me, Twily."  Shining held a hoof to his chest dramatically, widely smiling at Twilight.

        Twilight shook her head, returning her brother's smile.  "How could I ever forget about my BBBFF?  But what are you two doing here, I thought you had business to take care of?  Not that I'm complaining, mind!"  She quickly added to the end.

        They moved inside and closed the door.  "Oh, we were supposed to cover a court session for Celestia, but, you know...  A weekend visit to our sister is more important than some nobles having a chance to complain on a weekend.  They can wait, it might do them some good."  Shining said, chuckling.

        Twilight gave Shining a quick hug, happiness plastered on her face.  "Everypony just went upstairs just as you showed up, even mom and dad came to visit!  Tonight is going to be so much fun!"

        "Ha, lead the way, little sis."  Cadance and Shining followed Twilight through the library to the stairs, where everypony else was already gathered.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Everypony was gathered upstairs in the living room, the majority of the furniture having found its way to various other rooms.  A music player was in one corner, and against another wall was a table filled with refreshments.  A keg of Applejack's cider sat tapped and ready to go next to the food, and everypony was currently sitting in a circle in the center of the room.  A banner hung in one corner, exclaiming a welcome to the sisters, and added underneath it was a comment regarding Twilight's parents and Cadance and Shining Armor as well.

        Twilight spoke first, everypony's attention on her.  "Well, thank you everypony for coming tonight!  This is the first of hopefully many chances that Celestia and Luna shall have to come and visit us!"  She paused briefly, moving her gaze to rest on her former mentor.  "Also, I would like to thank you, Celestia.  Because of you, all of my family is here, together, for the first time in years now."  She bowed her head in thanks as Celestia moved to gently nuzzle her in reply.

        "I knew that you and your family would enjoy the chance.  Plus, what's family like without some drunken stories to witness and tell to your foals one day?"  She gently laughed as a weird look entered Twilight's eyes.

        "Eww.  Just, no.  No foals.  Not anytime soon."  Twilight shook her head, dispelling the odd look.  "Anyhoof, I just wanted to give my thanks to everypony here.  I know we're here for a good time, and what I'm saying is something a little more serious, but...  everypony here has played a large role in making me the pony I am today.  Thank you."

        Filled mugs of cider made their way in front of all the gathered ponies, Twilight having done so while all the attention had been on her.  Speaking once more, she raised her mug in her hoof, bringing it towards the center of the gathered ponies.  "I propose a toast.  To friends, to family, to those who make us who we are."

        Everypony else grasped their mugs in their hooves, some with misty eyes, and repeated the phrase with Twilight.  Everypony took a sip of their cider following the toast, each individual taking a moment to contemplate on the words of the toast itself.

        After a few seconds of silence, Pinkie shattered it with a hammer.  "It's time to par-tay!"  Music suddenly blared to life as confetti rained down upon the gathered ponies, and yet more streamers joined the ones already hung.  The banner was suspended near the ceiling in the middle of the room, no longer in its spot in the corner.  "Let's get to it!"


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        An hour into the party, everypony was thoroughly enjoying themselves, both with the party and to the cider.  Twilight saw Luna making her way to the keg and nopony else nearby, so she moved to her marefriend.  "Luna, I think it's a good time to tell them."  She spoke, surprisingly clear for the amount of cider she had thus far consumed.

        "Twilight, can we please wait?"  Luna nearly begged, afraid of what Celestia would think when she was told of her newfound relationship with Twilight.  "I know you want to tell everypony, or at least our friends, but..."  She trailed off, unable to summon the words to voice her fears.

        Twilight shook her head.  "No, Luna, I don't want to keep them in the dark like this.  Besides,"  Twilight quickly looked around them, "Spike's known since the beginning–"  She cut off as Luna lowered an eyebrow at her.  "Oh, come on.  He's quiet when he wants to be.  The morning we slept in, he walked in on us asleep.  It was pretty obvious, even to him."

        Twilight glanced around the room before continuing.  "Rarity and Fluttershy also already know, I'm almost positive Pinkie is aware too, because, well, she's Pinkie.  Not to mention Cadance...  she has probably already figured it out, which could very well mean my brother knows too.  There's just no reason to keep our friends and family in the dark.  Plus,"  she quickly swept her hoof to cover the room, "everypony is here at once.  This way, we only have to announce it once.  I have no issue keeping it from the public, but not our friends and family."

        Luna sighed, her nervousness beginning to show.  "But, Twi–"

        Twilight interrupted Luna as she straightened out and stood tall, then cast a quick spell.  Fireworks shot from her horn, erupting with a wide spectrum of colors rather noisily.  All attention quickly drew to her as she used her magic to turn down the music.

        "Good evening, friends and family.  I hope that everypony is enjoying themselves thoroughly!  Just know, if that keg runs dry, we have another hidden away!"  

        Laughter rang out among her friends and family, and Pinkie was heard speaking.  "Here here!"

        Twilight continued talking, her tongue somewhat loosened by cider.  Luna pleadingly looked at her, who pretended not to notice.  "It's definitely something we need to do more often, I gotta say!  I love you all, you know that?"  She waved a hoof lazily across the room, a large smile smeared across her face.  "Well, I got something to say that should hopefully make this night even better!  I'm dating the night herself, Luna!"

        Luna completely froze as Twilight put her on the spot.  Oh, the moon is looking really appealing right now.  She anxiously thought to herself, uncertain of the reactions of the gathered ponies, and, more importantly, her sister's.

        It was so quiet that a pony could hear a needle drop, if one had a needle to be dropped.  Celestia was the first to react, a large, booming laugh reaching Twilight's ears.  "Oh, Luna!  This is the best prank you've pulled!"

        Twilight frowned as an idea came to her slightly inebriated mind.  "This isn't a joke, I promise you."  With her words spoken, she grabbed her frozen marefriend's face with her front hooves and brought her lips closer.  Moving in, she kissed Luna with such force and vigor that it shook her from her stupor.  She tried to pull back for but a moment, embarrassed at having their secret revealed and confirmed in such a manner, but then gave in to it.

        Twilight held Luna there, their lips interlocking with one another as silence filled the air.  Luna felt a tongue trying to gain entry to her mouth, and opened her lips to allow it access.  The two of them stood there until they ran out of breath, at which point Twilight pulled back, breathing heavily.  Only one thing came to Luna's mind, which she accidentally voiced.

        "Wow..."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~



> Chapter 14 - The One Secret To End Them All!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Twilight and Luna found themselves immediately surrounded by their friends, her parents and Celestia hanging back for the moment.  A cacophony of voices fought to be heard over each other.

        Pinkie made herself heard above the rest first as she dropped from the ceiling by a banner.  "CONGRATS TWILIGHT AND LUNA!"  She dropped from the banner, which had the same words written across it.  A cake appeared from behind Pinkie's back, Twilight's cutie mark nestled inside a crescent moon standing out from the chocolate frosting.

        The rest of her friends were the next to come forward and speak their mind.  Rainbow Dash looked between Twilight and Luna, her cheeks tinged red.  "Well, took you two long enough, egghead!"  Dash muttered what she had to say next rather loudly.  "To think, I somehow mistook Twi's crush on Luna as being on me, yuck."  She shot her head up at the snorting she heard around her.

        "Well, if you weren’t always so derned focused on yerself, Dash, you probably would've noticed."  Applejack mentioned before she gave the couple her focus.  "Well, congrats Twi, but you got some splainin to do later, ah do think.  Rares and I didn't even hide that we were together, so ah expect a good reason!"  She stopped looking at them seriously and gave a warming smile.  "You take care of Twi, Luna, ya hear?"  Some snickering was heard as Applejack finished speaking, and Twilight faintly blushed.

        Fluttershy, bolstered by liquid courage, encompassed the two in a hug as well as she could.  "Yay!"  She yelled, audible to everypony in sight.  "You two are perfect for each other I think!  No, I know you two are!"

        Rarity simply smiled knowingly at Twilight and Luna, not feeling the need to lend her voice.  As her friends gave them a little room, Twilight happily spoke up.  "Thanks, everypony!  It probably wouldn't have happened without you five, either.  You're the best friends anypony could ask for!"  She moved to hug her friends as she finished speaking.

        Once his sister pulled away from the masses of her friends, Shining took the moment to speak.  "Aww, look at Twily, seducing a princess of her own.  Damn proud of you, Twily!"  He grunted briefly at the end due to Cadance firmly nudging him in the ribs for his choice of words.

        "Twilight, I'm happy for you and Luna.  Although, this might be a little odd, once you think about it."  Cadance said, thinking intently for a moment before shrugging her shoulders.  "Good thing I'm not really related to Luna or Celestia, that'd be awkward."  She ended her words with a giggle.

        Shining and Cadance both brought Twilight and Luna together in a four pony hug, Cadance seeing the love flowing off each pony in the room as she looked over her sister's shoulder.  She spotted Dash with a wistful smile on her face.  I think I know who I can apply my skills to next!

        "Thank you, Cadance.  I'm sure this might be a little odd for us all, considering how for some reason Celestia has deigned to call you her niece, therefore technically making me your aunt as well, but...  I think we can throw that out the window, I believe is how they say it."  Luna mentioned, bringing up the proverbial elephant in the room.

        Twilight stepped out of the hug, a weird look coming into her eyes.  Shining noticed this and began to speak.  "Twily, don't even think about trying to figure that out, trust me.  Don't need you to have one of your episodes here!"  He laughed a bit as she came out of her moment.

        "Well, Twilight, you've snagged yourself a princess, much like Shining snagged me.  shame you don't have another sibling, Celestia is probably going to get lonely!"  As Twilight looked around, she noticed everypony laughing, although she saw something else from her parents.  Is that... pain?  Why?

        Eventually the mass of ponies calmed down, leaving Celestia and Twilight's parents on the fringes still, yet to have voiced their opinions.  "So, this is who your letter was referring to..."  Crescent began, unsure of himself.  "It's rather shocking, honey."

        Twilight hesitated, seeing a look in her father she hadn't seen for years.  Is that... disappointment?  "But, you support me, right, dad?"  She looked over to her mother, everypony else but her parents forgotten for the moment.  "Mom?"

        Velvet stepped in, raising Twilight's hopes.  "Dear, we will always support you, you're our little filly, even if you aren't so little any more.  However, I think I'm with your father on this one, we're aren't certain if this is the... best thing for you."  Velvet looked around the room, noticing the growing look of concern on everypony's face around her.

        "But..."  Twilight stuttered as Luna raised a brow at Velvet and Crescent.  The air in the room became heavier by the moment, all of it seemingly bearing down on Twilight.

        "Twilight."  Celestia stepped into the conversation, breaking the tension in the room.  She walked up to her and rested a hoof on her shoulder.  Addressing the rest of the ponies in the room, she spoke once more.  "I need to borrow Twilight for a few, everypony.  I'm not certain how long it will take, however do not let this wonderful party go to waste."  She turned to Luna and spoke softly.  "I'd like for you to come along too, sister, if you don't mind."

        Luna looked into Celestia's eyes, discerning nothing but the sincerity of her words and a burning desire of, something, hidden within.  "Very well."  She gently nuzzled Twilight, further calming down the near panicking unicorn.

        Celestia spoke into the minds of Velvet and Crescent before departing.  Velvet Dawn, Crescent Dusk, tell them.  You'll know when, I promise.  With a quick summoning of her magic, Celestia, Luna and Twilight all disappeared from the library in a flash.

        The sound of claws clicking against wood rang out on the stairs.  "Hey, I got those records you wanted from Vinyl!"  Spike called out as he walked into the still quiet room.  He awkwardly looked around, noting the tension filling the air.  "Uh, did I miss something?"


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        The trio of ponies reappeared deep in the confines of the Everfree forest in a quiet flash, briefly illuminating the dark surroundings.  "W-Why..."  Twilight stammered out as she regained her bearings from the long distance teleport.  "Why did they say that?"

        Luna softly nuzzled Twilight, ignoring her sister in favor of comforting her lover for the moment.  "Don't worry, Twilight.  Everything will turn out okay, I'm certain of it.  They're probably just a little old fashioned and have some concerns about it, that's all."

        Celestia stood by while Luna tried to calm Twilight down, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.  As she noticed the two of them pulling apart, she decided that it was a good time to talk.  "I am glad for you two, I truly am."  She broadly smiled at her sister.  "For you to find such happiness...  I had expected something was the source of it, but I hadn't imagined this was it."

        "And Twilight,"  Celestia addressed her next, "I am glad that you've brought such joy to Luna.  Ever since you met her, I believe you've been adding onto her happiness."  She paused, shifting her focus from Twilight to something in the environment.  "I believe you will recall this structure, Twilight."  She swept a hoof in the direction of a castle framed by the moon's light, its state of disrepair obvious.

        "This is... the castle where we found the elements.  Why are we here?"  Twilight asked, still confused and off balance from her parent's reaction to her and Luna's relationship.

        "I must ask the same, sister.  Why have you brought us to our old home?"

        Celestia looked around, spotting something she pointed a hoof once more.  "I recently approved a personal project.  Notice the tents over there?"  She gave them a few moments to find them.  "There's a road being built from both Canterlot and Ponyville that leads here.  The castle is being renovated as well."  She began walking to the castle, oddly melancholic, her head hanging down a little.

        Twilight and Luna had no choice but to follow her to the castle, the walk to the entrance a short one.  Twilight broke the silence on the trip there.  "Celestia, why did you bring me here, though?  Not that I don't appreciate being pulled from an awkward situation, but...  you're not really acting...  normal."  She gently spoke, just loud enough to be heard over the noises of the forest.  Concern tinged her voice, and the underlying question remained throughout her words.

        Luna simply observed her sister, unsure what to say.  I haven't seen her like this since I first returned to her...  She's torn by guilt over something, but what is it?  It must have something to do with Twilight, but I have no clue...  Oh, Celestia.  Why do you do this to yourself?

        "Is the oh-so amazing Princess Celestia not allowed her moments of weakness, Twilight?"  Her words were filled with a mixture of regret and sorrow, only adding to the concern Luna and Twilight held for her.  "You know, I still recall that day I took you on as my student.  You, just a scared filly being controlled by your wild magic.  I knew, that day, that you would end up doing a lot of amazing things, stuff that even I could not accomplish."

        The melancholy filling Celestia's words had Twilight and Luna on edge as they witnessed a side of her Twilight had never seen, and Luna had only witnessed once or twice herself.  "Sister...  is everything okay?"  She moved to place a hoof on Celestia's shoulder, but the larger mare began to walk around the castle's courtyard.

        "Twilight, you brought so much light into my life, do you know that?  Trying to get Luna back, I spent days, weeks, months, years...  decades even.  And nothing I found, nothing at all, worked."

        "Celestia..."  Twilight walked up next to her, slightly fearful, yet wanting to comfort her in any way she could.  Celestia made the first move, embracing her in a hug.  "I only did what anypony would've done in my position.  Nothing more."

        Celestia continued to hold Twilight close as Luna came up alongside her, gently nuzzling her.  "Twilight, you underestimate your importance.  Another quality of you everypony should strive for...  humbleness.  As such, this project of mine..."  She broke the hug while leaning into Luna's comforting nuzzling.  "I want to bequeath this to you.  It has sat idle, falling into ruin, for too long."

        Twilight was left reeling from Celestia's words, and Luna's mouth was gaping like that of a fish.  Both were extremely surprised, although for different reasons.  "Sister, this forest is dangerous though, and this castle...  there's a lot of bad memories.  Why do you want to do such a thing?"

        Celestia quickly addressed her sister, love and warmth filling her words, as Twilight's thoughts tried to sort themselves out of the jumbled mess they found themselves in currently.  "Sister, there are just as many good memories here, are there not?  And I believe it's high time we brought the Everfree to heel.  I let it run rampant for far too long out of depression of your loss.  It's time for it to be brought back to harmony."  A faint glimmer of a smile graced her face.  "Plus, I think it's time we put the last of that past behind us for good, and this is just the way to do so."

        Twilight finally found some manner of cohesion to her thoughts and began to speak.  "But, castle, Ponyville, library, friends?"  She sputtered out, roughly forming a question to Celestia.  It was met with a quick laugh, a brief glimpse of the Celestia that she had grown up under.

        "Yes, Twilight, I want you to have this castle, and perhaps to even live in it.  It's truly not that far from Ponyville, and at the rate the town is growing, I have no doubt that it could very well become part of the town one day in the future.  Plus, you could always move the book from the library here and run things from here."  She smiled at Twilight, a hopeful look in her eyes.  "You're the only one I trust enough to do this, as we can't move here.  If we did, it'd bring the nobles here within a few years, and well...  I don't want them any closer to you than is necessary.  Or Ponyville."

        Twilight was flabbergasted, still not truly certain what exactly to say.  "But...  Ponyville is my home now..."

        "I know, Twilight, I know...  and I will never force you to decide between it and another place, I promise you that.  Either way, you have plenty of time to think on it, as it will still be months at the very least before it is inhabitable and the roads are built."  She paused a moment, as if trying to recall something.  "Also...  I would ask that, if you do accept, you allow myself and Luna to come here in our free time.  It can act as our refuge from the nobles, an escape of sorts."

        "And of course, you would be allowed to have whoever come and stay, on top of whatever staff we get for the castle.  That means anypony could come and visit you for however long they'd like to."  Celestia added on, trying to sell the idea to Twilight.

        "I-I'll think about it..."  Was all Twilight could say as she moved close to Luna, seeking comfort.  Luna leaned down and gently kissed Twilight, calming her nerves slightly.

        "Sister, is this why you wanted to bring Twilight and myself here?  You could have simply pulled us aside at the library if so."  Luna queried, still off balance from Celestia's revelation.

        Celestia was slow to answer, turning to face the entrance to the interior.  "...Note quite.  Follow me."  Without another word, or explanation, she began to walk inside, forcing Twilight and Luna to rush to catch up to her.

        After wordlessly following Celestia through the interior of the castle, they came into a room that was still intact, a mural adorning the floor.  The topaz and diamonds inlaid in the floor faintly glowed, their image reflecting a crescent moon nestled within a sun.  Luna gasped, tears coming to her eyes unbidden, as Twilight began to examine the various gems and the magic contained within them.  "Sister, this is our old room..."

        "Indeed, it is.  This is the best place I could think to do this."  Celestia walked over to stand in the center of the mural, Twilight turning her attention from the mural to Celestia, even as questions began to assail her mind.  Before she could ask any, however, she felt the familiar flare of magic.

        Celestia's horn shone with such brilliance that, even with a raised hoof guarding her eyes, the light burned.  Rolling waves of heat came off of her as well, as her voice began to boom, echoing throughout the room.  "I, Celes Lightbringer, Alicorn of the Sun, hereby release the geas surrounding the birth of Twilight Lune Sparkle."

        The raw magic sent an invisible shockwave that rippled outwards from Celestia as her horn flared before the light disappeared, leaving spots in Twilight's vision.  As the ripple passed through her, a warmth filled her to her bones, a comforting feeling.

        "Twilight Sparkle,"  Celestia spoke gently, now face to face with Twilight as Luna stood to the side attempting to comprehend her sister's actions.  "Do you recall when I last made mention that you were the most powerful unicorn I could recall?"  Twilight mutely nodded, still stunned by the amount of magic that had been released in that spell.  Geas...  I've only read about them, in one source...  Why was there one surrounding me?  "Well, I was incorrect.  Shining Armor is the strongest unicorn alive to date."

        Twilight took in this information, disbelief drawing across her face.  Luna looked on, fear mingling with a dawning comprehension as she looked to Celestia.  "Sister, you don't–"

        Twilight cut her off, unaware of Luna talking.  "But, that's impossible!  Shiny and I compared our magic levels just last year, and he only met sixty three point eight percent of my magical pool, so that's... impossible!

        Celestia gently shook her head before responding.  "Twilight, listen carefully.  Yes, you are more powerful than him, but Shining Armor is the strongest unicorn alive to date."  She paused a moment as Twilight grew even more confused.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Elsewhere, a pertinent pink party pony peered ponderingly at a patient pair of parents.  She was interrupted by a massive shudder wracking her body, tail twitching, nose itching, hooves jittering.  Everypony stared at her in shock.

        "I-IT'S A-A D-DOOOOOOOOOOOOZY!"


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~



































"I'm your mother."


> Chapter 15 - Curtain Raised, Truth Unveiled
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        "I'm your mother."  

        Those three simple words shocked Twilight in such a manner she didn't think was possible, all rational thought fleeing before the simple verbal onslaught.  She faintly heard muted murmurs in the distance as only one word continued to come to mind.  Impossible.  Even with her thoughts scattered like ashes in a cyclone, her mind repeated the lone word, as if it were a mantra that would force everything to make sense once more.

        More muted whispers reached her ears, and a faint sensation of a cold surface greeting her rear.  Still chanting, she searched the recesses of her mind for rational thought, fruitlessly wandering through it.  Unknown to Twilight, Luna was glaring at Celestia, anger contained within her steely gaze.

        "Sister, I cannot believe you!"  Luna exclaimed, looking at Twilight.  She was sitting on her haunches, her rear knees having given out from the sheer shock factor alone.  Still unresponsive, the only movement she gave was the occasional twitch of an eye.

        Celestia sunk to her belly on the mural, shame evident in her posture as she refused to meet Luna's eyes.  "I know, Luna...  Once Twilight is out of her shock, I promise to explain all."  She let out a short, remorseful laugh.  "While my actions were most likely wrong, hopefully my justifications will make some sense."

        Luna simply snorted at Celestia in reply, wrapping her wings comfortingly around Twilight.  She brought her mouth close to Twilight's ear, gently whispering to her as she hugged her.  Her horn lit with magic, a tendril of blue extending to connect with Twilight's.

        Still within her mind, Twilight continued to deny the possibility that Celestia was her mother.  Her emotions ran high, logic lost to her erstwhile rational mind.  A faint warmth of the body came to her, followed by warmth to her mind.  Slowly, hot emotions yielded to her cold logic, her mind once more beginning to regain normal its normal functions.  "I'm here, Twilight.  Be calm, I'm here."  She knew that voice.

        "Luna?"  She whispered, her surroundings coming into focus as she looked around. A wing removed itself from her vision, showing Celestia laying in front of her, nearly prone, her typically vibrant mane muted and still as she lay there, eyes downcast.  "Impossible..."  She muttered to herself as she carefully pushed off the floor to stand once more.

        "Yes, Twilight, tis I.  I'm afraid I had to use Starswirl's Calm Mind on you, otherwise we would be here all day."  She raised her head, slowly removing her other wing from Twilight as she shifted her focus to Celestia.  "Now, we must hear what my sister has to say for herself, keeping such a thing so important a secret..."

        Twilight sought comfort in Luna's side, leaning into the larger mare.  "It's... impossible, isn't it... Celestia?  Please, say you're just joking..."  She slowly spoke to Celestia, the length between each word increasing as desperation slid into her voice.

        Celestia refused to meet Twilight's eyes, instead opting to stare at a random diamond inlaid on the ground.  "Please, forgive me, Twilight..."  She barely whispered, regret and sorrow tinging her voice.  "I had tried to tell you previously, but... I was scared."  She admitted, shame now reflected in her words.

        Twilight felt a wing drape across her back, the warmth from it comforting her shaky nerves.  "You.  But.  I..."  She tried to formulate a question, but even under the effects of Luna's calming spell, she was unable to do so.

        Celestia simply sighed, her head raising to focus on some point beyond Twilight.  "I know.  I should have never done what I did.  It seems so obvious and simple now, but I did not think so then."  She finally caught Twilight's sight, staring at her with mournful magenta eyes.  "Let me at least explain my... reasoning, although it might sounds more like excuses, I suppose."

        "Okay?"  Twilight questioned.  As if I would settle for anything less...  I still refuse to believe this as truth, although...  Her mind began to drift off, looking for proof in her memories.  

        "Sister...  I have many words for you.  However, I will hold off until after you tell us why.  But... don't think I'll forget this anytime soon.  Nay, not even for years to come."  She fixed her stare on Celestia, waiting for the words to start coming forth.

        There was the time I levitated the Ursa Minor out of town, and when I had my magical burst, it should've been impossible to reach such levels as a young filly...  It can't be true though, can it?  Twilight was ripped from her thoughts as Celestia began to speak.

        "I suppose the start is the best place to begin.  When our mother was killed, the stars were left without a keeper.  Even with our father's death, Luna and I managed to persevere, so long as we had each other, everything was fine.  However...  Apparently, even an alicorn has limits.  While Luna dealt with raising the moon and bringing out mother's stars, the strain slowly began to get to her.  It was so subtle, so slow, that I didn't notice the changes until it was too late."

        Twilight looked up to Luna, an unsaid question lingering in her gaze.  Celestia took notice, pausing a moment to give Luna a chance to speak.  "It is true, Twilight.  I know that I have yet to reveal much about what caused it, but truthfully this is the base of it all.  I would've been able to deal with the issues of my neglected night had I still been in the right state of mind."  Twilight responded with no words, simply snuggling tighter in Luna's side.  "Do continue, sister."

        "Very well."  Celestia shuffled around for a few moments, attempting to find a more comfortable position on the floor as Twilight and Luna laid down themselves.  "As you already know, Twilight, Luna had claim to the night while I held the day.  We went about performing our duties, doing our best to lead our ponies after the fallout of Discord.  During his brief, yet highly damaging reign, ponies had come to fear the night, and most of what it represented.  Luna tried her best to curb their fears, but at every turn she was denied.  I was too oblivious to take note, so wrapped up in running things during the day at the time."

        A grim look crossed her face as she confronted memories she had buried many years ago.  "By the time I had realized something was wrong, Luna had gone too far for me to truly do anything  except bring the power of the elements against her.  She is already stronger than I, but she somehow wrestled the power from the stars, adding it to her already high reserves at the cost of fully shattering her mind."

        "However, the elements were still infantile, and not fully explored or understood, even though Luna and I had wielded them on occasion.  They were designed by our parents as a method to attempt to deal with a spell that spread, one that ascended normal ponies to an alicorn.  Even now, I'm not entirely certain how they work, as when we found them they appeared only half complete.  However, apparently when they are used by one not born an alicorn, they seem to misfire.  I believe it has to do something with how it leaves one born an alicorn weak and vulnerable.  Again, all this is speculation."

        "So, instead of cleansing Luna's mind, she was banished for a thousand years, and I failed.  Beyond failed, truly.  I attempted to find a way to ease the pain, and those first years following her banishment were... hard, to say the least.  I started to seek comfort in the hooves of my guards, discretely.  This went on for some time, as I was overcome by guilt and sadness, and this was how I dealt with it, at least for a time."

        Celestia paused, letting her throat rest for a minute.  Twilight and Luna's faces were unreadable, although Twilight's posture brought a small smile to her face.  As Celestia had been speaking, Twilight had slowly slipped back into the manner she had back during their lessons.

        Luna still had a wing draped protectively over Twilight, as if she could ward off anything that came to be.  Celestia sighed once more, something she seemed to be doing a lot of recently.  Somewhat ironic, really.  I spent millennia searching for someone truly special, and Luna finds hers within years of coming back.  And, it just so happens to be my daughter.

        "I stopped that practice, however, after a particular guard got a bit too attached and caused a rather massive, and public, incident.  I instead turned to throwing everything I had into Equestria, and trying my best to bury my emotions underneath all of my work.  And, it worked, until about twenty years ago."  She looked at Twilight before speaking, "Twilight, what do you know of how we raise the sun and moon?"

        Twilight raised a hoof to her chin as she thought on every conversation she'd held with Celestia and Luna on the subject.  "Truthfully," she began, hesitant, "not that much.  I just know that you are tied to the sun and Luna to the moon.  Beyond that, nothing was truly covered."

        Luna spoke up before Celestia had a chance to.  "I can explain this one easily enough, Celestia.  Take a moment to rest your throat, it sounds like there is still plenty more to come."  She turned to Twilight, smiling at her.  "When it comes time to move the celestial bodies, we actually talk to them through our magic.  The sun is a warm, loving entity, much like a mother.  The moon, somewhat cool, but full of passion, much like a lover.  And, my mother's stars...  they are like a symphony, every star lent a voice at once as they serenade to you.

        "That should cover the very basics of it, Celestia."  Luna coldly said, demeanor rapidly shifting as her eyes shifted to focus on Celestia once more.

        Celestia took notice of Luna's tone, shivering in response.  "Thank you, Luna.  Now, where was I...  Ah, yes.  Around twenty years ago, the stars came to me.  I hadn't talked to them since mother's death, so I was thoroughly surprised to hear them come to me in a dream."  Luna's eyes widened in shock as Celestia continued.  "Yes, I was stunned, Luna.  They spoke of your immenent return, and mentioned my inability to wield the elements.  They said that the pieces needed would fall in place, and you would be returned to my side.  However, they had to take one action, but did not specify precisely what.

        "When I awoke that morning, all the emotions I had long since buried came bearing back to the surface of my mind, once more reminding me of my failure, and the familiar feeling of guilt reared its ugly head.  I made an impulsive decision and invited one of my personal guard for some... stress relief."  Twilight's eyes screwed up as she thought of Celestia doing that.  Celestia took notice and couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

        "Now, a quick side track here to help explain what happened next. Typically, to get an alicorn pregnant, a large amount of magic is needed, on top of the physical contributions.  And, by large, I mean level Canterlot large.  Of all the ponies alive today, only Shining Armor could possibly do so.  Even then, his odds with Cadance when she next comes into her time are still low, maybe a ten percent margin, at best, without her providing any magic.

        "So, you can imagine my surprise when I sensed life growing within me.  It seems due to my... length between dalliances, I had provided the magic needed to let the pregnancy take from trying to contain it within me.  Ironically enough, the stars 'action' was simply pushing those feelings back to the front.  I'm not one hundred percent certain, but I believe the Element of Magic requires a natural born alicorn wielding it.  It was definitely quite the shock to me."

        Twilight spoke up, her voice fluctuating between apprehension and nervousness.  "Who was my... real father?  Did, do, I know him?"

        A mournful look came over Celestia's face as she slowly shook her head.  "Nay.  When we were first starting diplomatic missions to Gryphonia in an attempt to help them unite as a country, we were attacked by a large force of those who disliked both the idea of a singular nation as well as outside interference.  He was one of the casualties of that attack..."

        A pregnant pause hung in the air, nopony sure what to say.  They were saved from further awkwardness by Celestia who cleared her throat before continuing.  "Anyways, he passed before I was able to tell him.  It was somewhat of a shock, as, well...  I might've begun to take a small fancy to him.  Mmm, the things he could do with his–"

        Twilight cut her off with a loud exclamation.  "Eww, not what I want to hear!"  

        Luna facehoofed at her sister's ramblings.  "Celestia, continue on, please.  I do not know how much longer my spell will last, and when it ends, it will simply all come crashing back down on Twilight."  She comfortingly nuzzled Twilight, who leaned into Luna.

        "Luna, you said you used Starswirl's variant of Calm Mind?"  Twilight quickly asked, running some numbers through her head.  A quick nod from Luna confirmed she had heard it correctly at the start, and she turned to Celestia.  "You have maybe another...  thirty minutes?  Before it wears off.  And please, no more mentioning... that."  Twilight visibly shuddered.

        Celestia blushed vividly, her cheeks tinged with rose.  "Err, right.  Continuing on..."  She briefly closed her eyes and thought on where she had left off.  "Ah, yes.  So, after all this time, here I was.  The most alive that I'd felt in centuries, but at the same time I was extremely scared.  I now knew for a fact that Luna was returning soon, and I only had a short time with which to prepare for it.  Plus, after all that time living in the castle, I knew that it would make for a horrible environment to grow up in..."  She trailed off, a thought crossing her mind.  "Not that it did much good in the end it seems, ironically enough.

        "So, I began looking around for unicorn couples.  In order to ensure that questions would remain to a minimum, I carefully picked out Velvet and Crescent, who were expecting their second child at the time.  They were of lower nobility, yet didn't seem to care one whit about playing the games that I've witnessed from every other family.  They truly are an example of how one should aspire to be..."

        A polite cough from Luna reminded Celestia that she was getting off track once again.  "Right.    I approached them and swore them to secrecy before revealing my pregnancy.  That's why I used a geas, Twilight.  I wanted to make sure that no one would divulge the info to the press, or anypony else for that matter, until I was ready for it.  I thought that it was best to be raised away from the games that the nobility played.  I didn't want you to be used as some bargaining chip in their twisted schemes...

        "As the months passed, I started using strong illusions to hide my stomach, cut court hours short, it's truthfully very easy to get out of public appearances."  Celestia gave a quiet chuckle.  "Finally, the time was close by, and so I invited Velvet and Crescent to the castle.  We were very quiet about it all."  Celestia took a moment to rest her throat again, and Twilight seized onto the first question at the top of her head.

        "You mentioned it was their second child?  But, Shiny was born first, and they didn't give birth to me..."  Twilight asked, confused.  Luna remained quietly at Twilight's side, providing her support by simply being by her side.

        "Indeed..."  Celestia began, a small, sad smile forming.  "Your brother's horn was fully developed while in utero.  Because of this, Velvet had a very hard time giving birth, and even with all the expertise of the doctors on hand, she suffered a lot of internal damage.  Truthfully, the fact that she had become pregnant a second time was a near miracle..."  Twilight gasped as she put the pieces together.

        "When Velvet gave birth, because of the complications from Shining's birth, her foal didn't survive.  The poor thing never got to even breathe in fresh air...  Just another reminder of just how fragile life truly is..."

        "Why did Shining and me never hear of this?  It's serious when a foal is lost, the mortality rate is really, really low..."  Twilight frantically began, a wing tightening around her barrel combined with the spell helping her to calm down nearly instantly.

         A look of guilt came over Celestia.  "Yes, that is typically true...  However, because of me, they had you still, and because of the secrecy surrounding it all..."  She trailed off, uncertain what exactly to say.  Her magic flared to life, bringing a small black box to rest in front of her.  "Well, that day, they took home a perfectly healthy filly, after I finished the geas and performed some magic to help you blend in."

        Twilight looked Celestia dead in the eyes, a fury hidden within her gaze.  "Did anypony else know that I was your daughter?"

        Celestia shook her head.  "No, Twilight.  I never even told Shining or Cadance, not even Luna."  At that remark, another cold, furious glare was directed at her by Luna.  "The only ones who were aware were Velvet and Crescent, as well as the attending doctors.  And I had them all under the geas."  Twilight slumped back into Luna at this information.

        Celestia unwove the wards on the box in front of her, and a wash of powerful magic swept over all three ponies.  Luna gasped at the sheer power radiating from within the container, while Twilight felt a warmth enter her.  What is in there?  It feels... right.  I don't know if I could describe it in any other way...  "What's in there, Celestia?"  Twilight asked, genuinely interested in the contents.

        The box opened to reveal a small, circular amulet about the size of Twilight's hoof.  An intricately carved crescent moon lay within a sun, made of what appeared to be silver and gold, respectively.  The top two thirds of the amulet consisted of the sun and moon.  The bottom third appeared to be made of bronze.  The carvings were done with painstakingly amounts of detail, the bronze in particular had a lot of attention paid to it, depictions of a valley carved into it.

        "This amulet contains most of your magic.  In order to disguise you, I had to remove and store all of your pegasus magic and your earth pony magic within a container, which is this amulet.  Even some of your unicorn magic was syphoned off and stored within this amulet.  This allowed you to pass for a normal unicorn filly, if not a bit more powerful than most others."  Celestia said, bringing the box closer to Twilight.

        "That makes absolutely no sense at all..."  Twilight muttered, her mind furiously at work trying to figure it out.  "How?"

        "Every pony has anchors for their magic.  Usually, moving these results in injury to the pony in question, but, if properly done with precision... one can remove them and store them elsewhere.  When newborn, the anchors are extremely small, which is why wings and horns don't typically grow in until after they've been born.  Of course, as time went on, they naturally matured and developed at the rate they would have within the pony in question – you – and recently they've actually begun to 'spill over' from the container."

        Celestia raised the amulet into the air in front of Twilight, an intricate silver chain strung to it.  "By wearing this, you'll slowly re-absorb the magic, and your anchors will reassert themselves within you over the next few weeks."  She slid the necklace over Twilight's head and brought it to rest on her neck.

        Twilight held the amulet portion with a hoof, examining it closely.  As it had passed over her head and came to rest on her neck, a warmth had suffused her, a feeling of rightness.  Now, it had been dulled to a simple warm spot on her coat, although the metal was cold to her hoof.  She sighed to herself, then let the amulet fall as she looked at Celestia.

        "I think there's maybe a few more minutes left, so...  why?  Why did you give me up, hide who and what I was from me, and then still end up a second mother to me?"  Her voice started to raise in pitch, becoming tinted with anger as tears began to fall from her cheeks.  "I saw you as a mother, and even wished it were true at times, but this!  This is just too much!"

        The next words Twilight spoke were a near whisper, barely heard by Celestia.  "Who knew your dreams coming true could be so... bitter."

        "I am truly sorry, Twilight.  I'll understand if you don't want to see me for some time to–"  Celestia began, only to stop as she heard Luna speak.

        "Uh oh."  Luna muttered, carefully getting up and taking a step back from Twilight.

        "What is it, Luna?"  Celestia asked, noticing how stiff Twilight was becoming as well as Luna stepping back from her.

        "I think your time is up.  We might want to –"  With a massive bang, Twilight disappeared.


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


> Chapter 16 - Looking to the Future (FIN)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        "Mom.  Let me get this straight.  Twilight is, technically, adopted.  On top of that, Princess Celestia, who essentially raised my wife, is her mother.  Not only that, but currently, right now at this very moment, Princess Celestia is telling all of this to her, and presumably Luna as well, whom she is now dating...  Did I miss anything?"  Shining asked, pacing around in a circle in the library.

        Velvet mutely nodded her head in reply, while Spike groaned and raised a clawed hand to his face.  "Oh man, it's gonna be bad."  He began to talk to himself, the attention of the ponies in the room split between Spike and Shining.

        "Ah still can't believe it..."  Applejack muttered, before turning her focus on to Velvet and Crescent.  "Ya see, in the Apple family... we're raised to believe that family is everythin, and that you don't keep no secrets from each other either.  Ah feel right bad for Twi, I truly do."

        Spike lowered his hand, standing in the way of the pacing Shining to get his attention.  "Yeah, I know."  He said in reply to the stallion's concerned looks.  "I thought when she was completely brushed off at your wedding was a bad time...  That's probably going to have nothing on this, though."

        Cadance noticed them talking quietly to each other and moved to get closer as everypony else quieted down and gave Spike and Shining their complete attention.  I feel somewhat bad to be so happy, knowing that I'll never lose her like I will Shiny, but still... to find out in such a manner.  I cannot believe any of them!  Plus, poor Twi is going to lose it, I just know it...

        "Do you have something in mind, Spike?  I have a sinking feeling that Twily is going to completely and utterly lose it, and it's probably going to take everything we have to pull her through this.  Not quite the worst case scenario, but this is pretty bad."  Shining asked, speaking louder as he noticed the focus of the room had shifted to them.

        "This is something a party can't fix, isn't it?"  Pinkie asked sadly, her normally poofy mane straightened slightly, a slightly dejected look on her face.

        "Darling, I do believe that this is indeed something a party will not be able to help with."  Rarity said, shuddering slightly at the next thoughts she voiced.  "I dread to imagine what sort of issues this is going to cause her...  You have a plan though, Spike?"

        "Yeah, I do.  Everypony should go home, go somewhere else.  Anywhere but here, really."  He raised a hand as five mares began to speak up.  "I know, you five girls are her best friends, and she's never going to forget that, but–"

        A thunderous crack resonated throughout the library, shaking the very foundation of the large tree.  Downstairs, books could be heard clattering to the ground in droves, and everypony and a dragon found themselves knocked to the ground as an intense wave of pressure rushed through the room.  Of more concern, however, was the immediate wailing that sounded from above.  Starting out at a low pitch, it quickly climbed octaves and distantly sounded like a mare in distress.

        "Everypony out, now!"  Spike yelled, moving to intercept Twilight's parents.  "No, you two are part of the problem; this is something only I can take care of.  I'm not sure if she's more my mom or a sister to me, or how she sees me, but right now she does not need to see you two!"  He berated them, disappointment and sadness crossing their faces as Shining and Cadance grabbed ahold of them and began to lead them away.

        "Good luck, Spike."  Shining said to Spike's back, the dragon already racing for the stairs.

        Spike took the stairs two and three at a time, quickly finding himself just outside the room where the distressful wails originated from.  The door stood blown open, half of its hinges destroyed.  Quickly walking inside, Spike took stock of the room, noticing how everything had been thrown to the walls.  He found Twilight on her bed a complete mess, and quickly hopped up to hug her.

        Twilight felt a warmth encompass her from nowhere as she continued crying her eyes out.  Her whole world upended, she had no idea what else to do.  "L-Luna?"  She muttered, her cries momentarily silenced as her eyes remained closed.

        "No, Twilight.  It's me, Spike."  He quietly replied, speaking into her ear.  Oh buddy, this is awkward... C'mon, Spike, you can do it!  "No matter who you are, you're still Twilight to me.  Sometimes my mom, sometimes my sister... and always a bibliophile," at this he earned a choked chuckle from Twilight, "and no matter what, I'm here for you, Twi."

        The only answer Spike received was more of the distressing wails coming from Twilight as he continued his awkward hug.  "We were all told by your parents about Celestia and you, Twi.  It doesn't change a single thing, you hear me?  The girls and me all were on your side, you know?  It was terrible that such a secret was hidden from you."  He ran his claws through Twilight's mane, a motion that he recalled as being comforting to her.

        The sobs finally came down from being a keening wail to more of a broken sound, both the volume and intensity decreasing.  Two hooves wrapped around Spike, silently returning the embrace.  "I'll always be here for you...  sister."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Luna recovered from the shockwave of Twilight's uncontrolled teleportation first, shaking her head as her hearing returned to her.  "Ye gods, may I never piss her off..." Luna muttered to herself, quickly taking stock as Celestia approached her.  

        "Celestia."  The curt address stopped her in her tracks, causing her to look at Luna in apprehension.

        "What is it, Luna?"  Celestia cautiously asked Luna, caught off guard by how she was addressed.

        "If I had the time, I would tear stripes from your hide for this day.  However, you are still my sister, and out of respect for Twilight I will do nothing today."  Celestia relaxed slightly, her shoulders slumping.  "But, do not think this is the end of this matter.  I do not know how long I will have words for you about this, but I imagine at least a few years.  I would love to begin now, but Twilight needs me.  Goodbye, sister.  You should attend to business in Canterlot."

        Without another word, Luna teleported away, not even waiting for a reply from Celestia.  She finally let her nerves get to her as she collapsed to the floor, shaking her head from side to side.

        "One day, I may hope for their forgiveness.  Until then, measures need to be taken to see to her happiness.  It's the least I can do."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Luna appeared in the library's bottom floor, cringing at the sight of the books thrown about the floor.  She carefully listened, and after a few seconds only a small sob reached her ears, accompanied with a voice she knew well.  Thank you, Spike.  Luna carefully made her way through the piles of books, climbing the stairs and bringing herself to Twilight's room.

        Her target was on the bed in a heap of hooves and fur, with Spike standing guard over her, hugging her tightly and speaking softly into her ears as Twilight began to drift off.  "Spike."  Luna spoke softly, not wanting to startle Twilight.

        He looked up and gave a smile filled with relief at seeing Luna standing in the wrecked doorframe.  "Come on in, Luna.  She's mostly cried herself to sleep now; I did all that I could."

        Luna quietly walked across the room, nodding her head at Spike.  "I see, thank you very much for that, Spike.  You mean the world to her, I am glad that she has found some peace in your presence.  I fear that there will be many more days like this ahead of her, I have a small idea of just how hard her world has been shaken."  Luna leaned down and kissed Twilight on the forehead, then pulled back and charged a spell as she brought her horn to Twilight's.  "Sleep well, My Star..."

        Luna got in the bed, bringing herself alongside Twilight.  "Spike, I have aided her sleep.  She should have a nice, dreamless few hours ahead of her now.  I will stay and look over her, as much as I am loathe to ask it, her arrival seems to have utterly destroyed any semblance of organization downstairs.  Plus, we could use someone downstairs to ensure Twilight isn't disrupted.  She needs this sleep."

        Spike longingly looked at Twilight, a serene smile now across her muzzle, her breaths deeps and long.  "You know, Luna.  You're not half bad.  I'm glad she has you there too, you know?"  He deftly leaped down from the bed, and then turned to look at Luna.  "I'd want to stick around, but when she wakes up you'll probably get all mushy and whatnot, so I'll leave Twi to you.  Take care of my sis, would you?"

        Luna widely smiled.  "I shall, Spike.  Does that make you my future brother-in-law, then?  I've always wanted a dragon in the family."

        All that could be heard from Luna as she laid her head down and draped a wing across Twilight's back was a single word.  "Mares..."


~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~


        Twilight once more found herself within the comforting grasp of unconsciousness, sleep bringing her back to the limitless confines of space.  Unlike prior dreams, though, this one was bright and radiant.  Stars filled the canvas of the sky, each with its own unique luminosity and size.  They bathed her in a light that she felt, a lingering warmth washing over her coat.

        "Twilight."  A distinctly feminine voice rang out, crystal clear to her ears.  "It is good to be able to talk with you at last.  Your bond seems to finally be complete."

        Twilight's ears swiveled around in an attempt to locate the position of the speaker.  Her voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, much like her prior dreams.  A tittering laugh reached her ears as she vainly attempted to find the speaker.

        "I'm over here, little one.  Look towards the moon."  Twilight turned her attention towards the moon, the blue of her own star just barely peeking over the edge of it.  The mare that entered her sights scared Twilight at first glance.

        Her coat was as dark as the night's void itself, with pupils that were teal in color.  A lighter splotch of black dotted her flank, centered on a cutie mark comprising countless stars.  This last observation calmed Twilight down slightly, but she was on edge.  "Who are you?  You look very similar to Nightmare Moon, but you can't be her."

        The mare in question looked over herself quickly, and then turned to look back towards Twilight.  "Yes, I suppose the resemblance is uncanny.  She did rip her power straight from me essentially."  She warmly smiled at Twilight, bright white teeth sharply contrasting against her coat.  "It truly is nice to meet you at last, little one.  We have much to discuss."

        Although seemingly floating in space, Twilight managed to sit down, her mind quickly at work.  "Rip her power from you?"  Twilight spoke to herself, puzzle pieces slowly falling into place.  "Are you...  Luna and Celestia's mom?"

        A gentle nod of confirmation came from the mare in question.  "Indeed, you may call me Astralia, young Twilight Sparkle.  I had hoped to one day meet those who would capture the hearts of my daughters, but not in this fashion I fear."  A sad smile graced Astralia's face as she looked at Twilight with love.  "Our time will most likely be short, so I shall get to the point.  You, Twilight Sparkle, are the new Alicorn of the Stars.  Little Luna has been guiding them from afar, but it was never her duty to truly interact with them to the degree you'll be able to."

        Twilight was flabbergasted, words failing her.  "I, you, stars, what?!"  She stammered out, unable to form a coherent sentence.

        "Indeed, the very stars themselves.  Much as I was their steward before you, it's now up to you to bring life back to the stars.  There is so much you will be able to do, given time.  I have tried quite a few times to talk to you before, but your connection was muted, barely there.  If not for your growing proximity to Luna, I'm uncertain if I would've even been able to enter your dreams."  Astralia giggled, a mischievous look crossing her face.  "It was quite humorous to see that you thought I was Luna, I'm most gladdened that you are there to warm her heart."

        "I don't think I can do this, though.  Just yesterday, the biggest concern I had was how everypony was going to take me dating Luna, and now this?  I can't control the stars, there's just no way.  I'd be terrible at it!"  Twilight stammered, backpedaling in the empty space.

        "Don't worry, dear.  I know you'll do just fine.  You just need some time and practice.  Now, our time is nearly ended for now, and it will be a bit longer before I have the magic to reach out to you again.  Please, I know it will go against everything your mind is telling you right now, but you need to forgive your mother, even if her actions were completely misguided, never forgot that she is family.  And family is the most important thing in life.

        "Never forget that fact..."

        Twilight awoke to a warmth at her side as she lay within her bed, a dark blue wing draped over her in place of a blanket.  "You're finally awake, My Star.  How are you doing?"  Luna quietly asked, tenderly nuzzling Twilight's cheek and kissing her on her forehead.

        Twilight couldn't help it; she began to laugh out loud, causing Luna to look at her in concern.  She continued her laughter until tears ran from her eyes, her hooves wrapping around Luna.  "Your nickname!  Didn't even know it at the time, but oh, Luna, it's apparently perfect!  Hah!"  Her laughter continued, and Luna did the only thing she could think of, sinking into Twilight's embrace and returning it in kind.

        The laughter finally came to a halting stop as sobs intermingled with her voice.  "Luna, I'm... not so hot, I think.  Oh, I'm also 'Alicorn of the Stars,' at least according to somepony claiming to be your mother."

        Luna's eyes widened as she began wiping away the tear trails left behind on Twilight's face.  "Alicorn of the Stars you say?  What did she call herself?"  Luna hesitantly asked, disbelief etched across her face.

        "Astralia.  That's what she said her name was.  She didn't say too much, although she did mention how happy she was to know that you had someone, Luna.  She also..."  Twilight trailed off,  her internal thoughts waging a war within her mind.  "She told me to forgive Celestia, but... how can I when she kept something like that from me.  My whole life, it's–"  Her thoughts were derailed when Luna encased her in a bone crushing hug.

        "That truly was my mother, Twilight.  I am so glad you got to meet her, even if it is just what's left of her among her– no, your stars now."  Luna brought her mouth to Twilight's lips, her tongue seeking entrance as the two came together in a quick but passionate kiss.  "What else did she say?"  Luna breathlessly asked, excited.

        "She said never to forget that family is everything, and that I should forgive Celestia...  I just don't know if I can so easily get over that everything I've known has been a lie, Luna.  I just don't know where to go from here."  Twilight's voice was soft at first, then frantically grew in volume as her fears and frustration reared its ugly head.

        "Shh, Twilight.  Do not worry about that for now, please.  Simply enjoy the here and now with me, just the two of us.  And I suppose Spike as well, but he left shortly before you woke up, muttering about how it would most likely be too sappy for his liking."

        Twilight laughed again, the sound music to Luna's ears.  "He would say something like that, wouldn't he.  I'm very lucky to have someone like Spike, no matter what I know I can always depend on him.  And you too."  She paused, horror coming over her face.  "Oh, no!  What will the girls think?"

        Luna cut her off before Twilight could bring her thoughts down that path.  "They're still your friends, Twilight.  You all came together facing me down when I was Nightmare Moon.  You all overcame Discord, Chrysalis and Sombra.  Do not think so lightly of your close friends, you should know that they will not simply abandon you.  Some things may change, but do not forget.  They are still themselves, and you are still you."  Luna spoke with some force, attempting to keep Twilight from spiraling downwards.

        "I'm still scared though... I'm just Twilight, nopony else."  Focusing her magic, she levitated the medallion from the floor and brought it up to rest right in front of her, the warmth of the magic flowing into her intensifying to a point that she believed she could reach out with a hoof and touch it.  "This, though.  It will change how everypony sees me, and I don't want that.  Not at all."  Twilight sunk into Luna, seeking comfort in her warmth.

        Luna sighed, the melancholy outlook of Twilight momentarily affecting her.  "Don't forget though, I'll be there to help you through whatever difficulties lay ahead of us.  I have a saying that I think fits this situation perfectly."  Luna paused, giving Twilight time to lift her head, locking eyes with each other.  She smiled wide, stars dancing in their vision.        


"So long as the moon and stars are together, they can handle anything.”



~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~
FIN
~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~

> Sequel Segue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Silence was the dominating force amongst the group of ponies currently sitting at a large table inside Surgarcube Corner, each one thinking heavily about the recent revelation regarding Twilight. A plate of assorted sweets rested on the table before them, yet was barely touched.

“So…” Shining Armor shattered the silence, picking through the sweets with his magic. “This sucks.” Not finding anything that caught his interest, he sighed and slumped in his chair, quickly glancing at his parents. “It does explain a few things, though.”

Cadance leaned into his side, nibbling on a blueberry muffin. “What exactly does it explain, Shining? I knew Twilight was special, but I didn’t expect anything quite this… out there,” she quietly replied, everypony’s full attention now on them.

“Well, I mean, just look at what she’s done… who else has a surge as a filly and animates an entire aisle of dairy products?” Velvet and Crescent shared a chuckle at the memory; after all they were the ones who had replaced everything once the surge had passed. “I mean, I’m pretty powerful, but I think the most I ever managed to do was knock a few things down. There’s a bunch of other things that add up, but I’ve never really thought on them before.”

Velvet nodded after taking a sip of hot cocoa, setting the mug back down on the table as she quietly cleared her throat. “Yes, Shining, you’re right. It tore us up inside to not be able to tell her about it, and it was really bad that it came out under such circumstances, but,” Velvet turned to face Shining, “you all understand, right? We had no other choice in the matter, the geas ensured that.”

Slowly, everypony at the table nodded their understanding, although some were slower than others. “I remember Twilight talking about geas one day while I was fitting her for a dress,” Rarity interjected, noticing how slow some of the ponies had been to understand. “From what she had talked about, Velvet and Crescent had their hooves thoroughly tied, the magic wouldn’t even permit them to think about telling the truth to anypony, not even to another who knew it,” she turned to face them, “am I correct?”

Crescent spoke before Velvet could reply. “That you are, Rarity. There was one time, right after the Princess decided to teach Twilight herself. We thought Twilight deserved to know the truth, and that we loved her no matter what, but we couldn’t even pick up a quill nor open our mouths. I think Velvet tried some very creative things as well, but nothing worked. For some reason, Celestia didn’t want her to know, and there was just nothing we could do.” He sighed, resting the tip of his chin on the table.

“That almost sounds like a Pinkie Promise!” Pinkie exclaimed quietly, bouncing slightly in her seat as she inhaled a cupcake. “I mean, with Pinkie Promises you could tell somepony about it, and then face the consequences, but it sounds like that geas thing means you can never tell anypony ever!” She scrunched her eyes in thought, before a light bulb appeared over her head for a brief moment. “Oh, I should try and work a geas into my Pinkie Promises!”

“No!” Multiple voices exclaimed. Everypony froze for a few moments before erupting into laughter. Pinkie looked around at everypony with a confused expression on her face.

Applejack patted Pinkie on the shoulder, a light grin on her face. “Oh, thanks for being Pinkie, Pinkie. Ah think we all needed a good solid laugh. But don’t go and try to make a geas part of your promise, okay? Ah think it’s just fine as is.

“Ah do think we’re missing one important thing though,” Applejack continued, her smile slipping into a more serious expression. “No matter what, we’re all gonna be here for Twi. Not a single darn thing has changed Ah’d say, and we’re gonna make sure to remind her about that.” She punctuated the end of her words with a soft clop of her hoof on the table’s surface, hammering home her point.

“Pft, as if anything Twilight does would change who she is… an egghead!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, snickering slightly with a wide, smug grin plastered on her face. Her expression was quickly wiped away as Applejack roughly wrapped a hoof around her neck and began to muss her mane with a hoof. Dash struggled to free herself amidst the growing chuckles and laughter, finally wrenching free after a couple of seconds. She noticed Applejack’s steely gaze boring a hole straight through her. “Uh, what I mean is that no matter what happens to Twilight, she’s still my friend?”

Shining laughed, the earlier dark mood forgotten at this point as they all enjoyed the company of one another. “Twilight’s real lucky to have friends like you all. I’m really glad you are around to offer your support for, well, awhile.”

“T-thank you, that means a lot.” Fluttershy softly muttered with a demure smile on her face. “Twilight has been a really good friend to us all, it’s the least that we could do…” she trailed off, her eyes gazing into the distance for a moment, “I have no clue how long it’ll take but… I’ll be there for her like she was for all of us.”

“I couldn’t have put it more eloquently myself, Shy,” Rarity smiled, daintily nibbling on a roll as she asked Cup Cake for a glass of tea. “Even though Twilight has put us into some interesting situations, I believe the girls will agree with me when I say we could not ask for a better pony to be our friend.”

Dash snorted in agreement, noisily slurping at the remains of her drink. “That’s crazy though. Who would’ve thought the Princess was her mom, huh? Kind of wrong to not say a word over almost twenty years too, I mean, come on! She was like, right there the whole time. 	That’s kind of creepy really, if you think about it.”

Velvet loudly cleared her throat, gaining everypony’s attention. “While the timing was amazingly poor, I’d ask you all to keep from saying anything negative about Princess Celestia, okay?” she paused a moment, before uttering in a drawn out tone, “Please?”

Everypony except Crescent incredulously stared at her request. He simply rested his hoof underneath Velvet’s chin and moved it for a quick and chaste kiss. “What my wife meant to say is that although the Princess might have been in the wrong, without her, well… we wouldn’t have another child.” He paused a moment, a somber thought coming to mind causing him to mutter under his breath. “I just hope she remembers that she’s our child, no matter what, as well.”

“I’m just sure that everypony will be just a-okay!” Pinkie interjected, pulling out decks of cards and assorted board games. “Let’s turn those frowns upside down!” Everypony chuckled as Pinkie began to divvy up the entertainment. Everypony put their concerns in the back of their minds for the moment and dove into the games.

After the third game of Clue, countless games of Go Fish, and other various games, Cup Cake came and interrupted them all. “Sorry, everypony, but we’ve got to close up.”

Applejack looked up through the windows, surprised at how late it was. “Ah didn’t notice how late it got!” A stray thought entered her mind as she turned towards Cup Cake. “Why didn’t Ah see any other ponies stop by this whole time?” The rest of them muttered their assent, curious as to the lack of customers to the typically busy shop.

“Well, my dear and I saw just how down you all looked when Pinkie entered the shop; we figured something pretty bad had happened. It was the least we could do for Pinkie and her friends.” Carrot Cake replied, coming up behind his wife as they began to clean up. “It looks like everypony is doing much better now, we’re both glad to see that.”

“Thank you very much, both of you.” Cadance quietly replied, a beaming smile on her face. She turned towards the rest of the group, the day’s weariness finally beginning to show as she let out a large yawn. “I believe it’s time we all called it a night… we can meet back up tomorrow to figure out how to best support Twi, yes?”

“Yuperooni! I’ll get a party together tomorrow for Twilight for sure! There’s no way it won’t work!” A collective round of chuckles sounded out as Pinkie literally bounced out of her chair. “Thanks a lot, Mr. and Mrs. Cake! You two really are the best!” Pinkie bounced over and threw her hooves around both ponies.

“Well, that looks like our cue to leave, Shiny.” Cadance yawned again, turning to briefly face Applejack. “Can we meet at your farm tomorrow morning? I’ve been dying to try some of the famed Apple family goods… please?”

Applejack let out a peal of laughter at the alicorn’s pleading face, chuckling as she nodded. “Sure thing, Ah’ll just get Applebloom to help me cook in the morning. Matter of fact, all of y’all are more than welcome to come over for breakfast in the morning, what do y’all say?”

Everypony nodded in assent as even more began yawning. With quiet goodnights, everypony gathered dispersed into the chilly night air, until tomorrow.


Story Continued in the Sequel Here!