//------------------------------// // Prologue - Calm During the Storm // Story: In the Twilight Sky: Eternal Stars // by Tropical Applejack //------------------------------// The rain seemed lighter on Twilight's coat as she walked back out of the forest, away from the pond: away from her sorrows. Then again... that may have been because of the wing now looming over her. Protectively. Lovingly. The wet ground was soft beneath her hooves. It almost made her want to stomp around in puddles like a filly again, but she was just able to compose herself from the act. It had nothing to do with how she thought Luna would react; in fact, she thought Luna might enjoy it. Instead, she resisted to drag out the time that she and Luna would walk back to the castle. Neither had told the other which castle they would be going back to, but that was the beauty of it; they both knew that the larger alicorn would be following in the smaller's hoofsteps. Twilight could have taken a free-fall off a cliff, and Luna would catch her before she even got close to the ground. Twilight thought amidst the wet weather and misty air that she would take her walk home and let Luna choose, once there, whether to stay with her a bit longer or head back on her own to Canterlot. Regardless, Twilight was glad to have Luna's presence beside her. She could hardly believe such a thing could have happened; her loss had so quickly turned to the hope she now put in this gentle moon princess. This hope entailed so much happiness, all wrapped in true love that could last forever. And she believed in her heart that it would. Luna was there in her crisis, and she knew that it wouldn't be for herself, but for both of them and for the good of all Equestria. As Princess Luna had told her, an eternal life of suffering can be made whole by another. And made whole she already felt.... She felt free of the imprisonment of immortality, and she took comfort in what felt like the start of something new. Something that would last forever through her long days and night as a princess of Equestria. And as she thought these magnificent things, the rain fell harder upon her head, now cleansed of what were at one time loss-driven tears. She wanted to cry again. She wanted to cry for the blessing Luna brought her that night. She wanted to nuzzle the tall mare and weep happily into her soft coat of darkness, overcome and overwhelmed by joy. This urge was much stronger than the last. And Twilight wouldn't resist this one when she got the chance. The purple alicorn slowly leaned in close to Luna, laying her head against the side of the mare's torso, to which was returned a soft smile. Twilight quickly noticed this and smiled back, the same gentleness very apparent. "So you've really loved me all this time, Luna?" The night princess nodded: "Ever since you and your friends freed me from the corruption of Nightmare Moon, you've been the only one besides my sister that shows any sort of concern for my feelings. You even let me believe that forgiveness for my atrocities was granted and saved both Equestria and myself from complete destruction. And I couldn't- I won't forget that. You showed me what it means to put my trust in others, and, over time, I came to feel more than just trust. I felt the compassion you had for me; I felt the sympathy you could spare for me, somepony that deserved grand punishment for my crimes. It makes me so happy that I... I want to spend my eternal life with you, Twilight." Twilight said nothing, but instead closed her eyes with a blissful smile. Luna brought her wing down, wrapping Twilight in its warmth. "I don't expect a hasty decision, nor do I wish to take advantage of you after Flash's death. I only wish that you give me a chance." The other opened her eyes, still smiling, and said reassuringly: "Then it's a chance you'll get." They now stood in front of Twilight's castle as Princess Luna stopped and embraced the one she loved, shielding her from the harsh weather and the cruel world outside of her gentle caress. "I really do love you, dearest Twilight." "I know, Luna. I know," Twilight answered back, wrapping her hooves around Luna's waist and pushing her muzzle deep into the mare's chest. In the embrace, she could sense all the affection Luna meant to bring her. She wanted to experience this feeling more often, and she dared to venture further - raising her head up and kissing the lowest point on Luna's neck, causing the princess to flinch slightly before immediately slipping back into Twilight's arms. And in return, Princess Luna laid on Twilight's head the gentle, warm touch of her lips. "Thank you, Twilight. For giving me a chance," she whispered. They warmed one another for another dozen seconds, rain splashing against Luna's coat and soaking her constantly-flowing mane while she embraced her lover. The two stood there, enjoying nothing but the touch of each other. Close. Warm. Something that could last forever. Of course, a hug can't last forever, so when the time had come that Luna was reminded by a roar of thunder of the setting they were in, she hesitantly tapped on Twilight's head to remind her as well. The half-sleeping alicorn, only partly roused from her near-slumber, looked up with a smile. She had nearly fallen asleep from all the warmth Luna had given. Twilight, tired and worn out, now rested gently in Luna's arms. "Come, Twilight. Let me lay you down to rest," Luna told her, carefully swinging open the door to Twilight's castle as she continued to cover Twilight with one wing. She then scooped up the sleepy pony with one arm, this time carrying her off the ground and quickly - but silently - into the castle and closing the door gently behind her. Twilight rested upon the strong mare's hoof, looking up at her with not-quite-closed eyes. Watching, but not saying anything, for there wasn't anything to be said. Without delay, Luna made her way through the dimly-lit castle - passing windows submerged in both darkness and rain droplets, both battling each other under the moonlight. And Luna watched them as she passed them on the way to Twilight's bedroom, which she knew well at this point. (She had been to the castle many times throughout the years.) All during the short trip, Twilight slowly nuzzled herself more and more into Luna's soft coat, making a nice home for herself by the time Luna swung the door to her bedroom open. And as Luna pulled the covers back with her mouth, as though not to risk dropping the pony who lay almost asleep in her grasp, Twilight was taken from her previous resting place and placed into her proper bed and tucked her under the covers. It didn't feel proper, though. The only thing that felt proper now was Luna's gentle touch and her nearby smile. Love was the only thing she knew: love... and sleep. She wanted both. Luna turned to leave the mare resting. They would meet again tomorrow, she thought. But Twilight wasn't content with that idea. Instead, Luna heard Twilight's voice sleepily trailing her: "Wait..! Luna... don't go...." Luna turned back to see Twilight still in bed where she had been left, but she could see the sparkles of her lover's eyes in the darkness. They were half-open and trained right on her. "Stay with me," Twilight repeated. Luna smiled; she was happy to oblige. She wasn't one to leave a pony that needed help getting to sleep. Luna quickly returned to the bedside. "It's okay, Twilight. I'm right here," she reassured. Twilight now looked happier than ever to have Luna by her side. The princess of the night started humming softly a lullaby her sister had once sung to her long ago. The lullaby was one of love and loss. Celestia had used it after Luna lost her first lover to mortality. Cruel, punishing mortality. It sung about the traces one could find of their previous love and how they could use it to find all new love and devotion. "No matter how many times one loses their love with another," her sister used to whisper, "they can always rise and learn to love again." But, truth be told, Luna was tired of losing. All she wanted was love. And what she saw in Twilight, she also saw in herself what she wished she could be: devoted, compassionate, yet still of her own dominance, only owing submission to those deserving of it. Luna wanted to be more like that, and if she couldn't, she wanted to have somepony who was. Thunder rumbled the ground outside, leaving behind echoes of booms scattering throughout Luna's soft humming. Despite this, the mare never tried to overtake them; she only continued to send Twilight deeper into sleep with her soft "hm"s and elegant "ah"s. Only when Twilight's eyes were closed and when her chest would rise and slowly fall with the sweet rhythm of a soft slumber did Luna leave the room, but it wasn't before she left a goodnight kiss on Twilight's forehead. A little something to remember her by. She left the castle much slower than she had entered, momentarily considering asking Twilight if she would be able to stay over during the night. But no, she had other duties to perform before the night was through: nightmares to stop, ponies to address. However, she admitted to herself as she left the castle and closed the door behind her, this was a night to remember, for it was the best one she had in over a millennium. She promised herself it wouldn't be long before her and Twilight would meet again under cover of dark. They'd see each other soon. And if Twilight had any nightmares, Luna would put her as a top priority. It was a new start for her. The rain cleared up.