//------------------------------// // Chapter Ten: Love Sickness // Story: Love Sickness // by XenoPony //------------------------------// "Twilight Sparkle," stated Princess Luna as she trotted up to sit beside the lavender dragoness on the cliff top. "I did not expect to see you in this realm again so soon." Twilight looked back over her shoulder, frowning at the midnight blue mare. "Believe me, you're not the only one. I think I kinda got into a fight with a monster plant from the Everfree, so yeah." She shrugged, and Luna looked taken aback. "And how, pray tell, did that come about?" Luna asked, before waving the idea away with a hoof before Twilight could answer. "Never mind, Twilight, where are you? I will come and find you." Twilight shrugged again. "Right now I think I'm wherever my friends are, so at home, I hope," she admitted then slumped slightly. "Where I always should have been." Once again Luna appeared to suffer a small amount of doubt, her usually reserved stoic expression slipping like it had done when talking to her about the dream involving Spike. Only now it was not the look of whimsical teasing, but guilt once again.      "You know what's wrong with me, don't you?" Twilight asked as a flock of odd blue and red bat-winged birds flew over her and off into the oblivion beyond the vast cliff. Luna sighed. "I know of it, but..." Her ears perked as an ethereal wind began to blow. Twilight looked around, yet it was as if Luna could hear things she could not. "I will find you Twilight. There are things we must discuss." She reached out with a dark blue wing, feathers tantalizingly close to Twilight's before that pained look once again crossed her face and she drew back, folding the feathered limb over her chest.    Twilight's vision tilted along with her head, yet just like that the image distorted, then it was gone, Luna taken away along with it. ******** "Twilight? Hey, Twilight? You in there? Come on, wake up," a raspy voice called from beyond the gloom.   "Darn it, Dash, give her some room. Ah bet the last thang she wants ta see in her face right when she wakes up is yer dumb mug," added another voice that Twilight recognized, and her ears perked.   "Hey, when I asked her to do this to me, she said no. I kinda wanna know why," retorted the first voice, and Twilight's eyelids twitched. "Hush now, the both of you. I think she's waking up," added another elegant voice that was familiar. Her eyes opened, vision blurred at first, yet took only a few seconds to come into focus. A plethora of rough shapes and colors were arrayed around her. Then came recognizable eyes and manes, before finally, she made out the faces of her friends all peering at her. Their expressions ranged from joyful to concerned, yet not a single one of them looked like the ones she'd seen in her nightmare. "Urg, girls?" Twilight groaned, moving a forelimb to rub her weary eyes only to find that it was still a draconic claw.   Oh, of course it is. Her mind moaned along with her as she rubbed her scaly face.  All this time it wasn't just a crazy dream, just my luck. "Well, of course, silly-filly, or silly dragon. Who else were you expecting?" declared Pinkie Pie as she forced her bright pink face right up to the tip of Twilight's muzzle. "Oooo, your scales are so smooth and shiny!" she added, all four hooves standing on the dragonesses' chest. "Pinkie! Urg, why do ah even bother, ah rest mah case," Applejack groaned, receiving a smirk and a nudge from Rainbow. Pinkie sat back, butt planted on Twilight's midsection as she looked back at the married couple. "What? Come feel it, she's so smooth now." She rubbed a hoof on Twilight's armored underside, giggling.   Twilight bit her bottom lip, blushing. "I... err, thanks Pinkie, I guess," she muttered, scratching the back of her neck with a claw as Pinkie Pie beamed.   "I must admit, as far as scales go, you are looking rather dashing, darling," offered Rarity, the alabaster mare appearing at the side of the mound of cushions Twilight now found herself on. "Quite the alicorn problem, I see," she added with a knowing grin. Twilight's blush doubled. Oh yeah, forgot about that little excuse did you?  Her mind recoiled, yet the little alicorn still sitting amidst her thoughts simply shrugged. What does it matter now, I'm busted. "A problem? You're kidding right?" Rainbow exclaimed, jabbing a hoof towards Twilight. "She looks awesome, scales, claws, wings that look like they could blow down a house. Where do I sign up for my dragon-ness?" she added eagerly.    "Don't even think about it, Dash. Yer not gettin' yerself turned into a dragon. One is enough," Applejack ordered, yanking her wife back by the tail to stand at her side. "Seriously, AJ," the pegasus huffed, before giving the farm pony another nudge. "So you're saying you wouldn't like me any more rough and tough?" Applejack stiffened, a little pink creeping into her orange cheeks. Beside her, Fluttershy's reaction was similar, yet the shy mare hid her subtle embarrassment behind her mane, looking away from the couple. Taking note of the odd reaction, Twilight failed to notice she was staring, and at Fluttershy's recognition, she instinctively offered an awkward smile.       Oh, mouth full of sharp teeth and she's terrified of dragons. Her mind backtracked and she lowered her muzzle, placing a claw over the predatory display in her mouth. How could I forget?   Fluttershy, however, didn't even seem to flinch at the sight of Twilights teeth. Instead, she appeared to be trying to keep her eyes off the couple next to her as she finally spoke up.   "I think what everypony is trying to say is that we're glad to see you're okay, Twilight." She scuffed a hoof on the crystalline floor, offering a small smile before adding, "Sorry if I made you feel awkward at the party, I didn't know." "She's right, sugarcube. The most important thang is that yer back here safe n' sound," Applejack agreed, shaking free of the stupor Rainbow had put her in   Twilight looked between them all, from relieved faces to the still overjoyed smile of Pinkie Pie only inches from her muzzle. Then she finally sighed. "Look, girls. I... I'm sorry I didn't tell any of you about this... I just had no idea what was happening to me and it was all so sudden," she began to explain but was interrupted as Rarity shook a forehoof.    "Now, now, we'll have none of that, dear. I'm sure if any of us had been in your situation letting every pony know would have not been at the top of our lists either," the fashionista admitted, looking at the others.    Fluttershy and Applejack both nodded, and even Pinkie Pie a second later. "Well, you say that. But just think how awesome the anniversary would have been if I were a dragon. You should have totally let me do some fire tricks, Twilight." At the five frowns the Rainbow received a moment later, she paused, face scrunched as she asked, "What's wrong with that?"    "Ah think y'know exactly what's wrong with that, sugarcube," Applejack responded, flicking her wife's muzzle with her tail. "Yeah, Rainbow, believe we when I say you don't want this to happen to you, trust me," Twilight assured, flexing one claw awkwardly. Even so, Rainbow looked only half convinced that she did not want the powerful body of a dragon at her disposal. Yet before she could voice her desires she was once again cut off by Applejack.   "An' what's that, sugarcube? Ya' have any idea what's happening ta ya' now?" the farm pony asked. "Oh, oh, oh, is it a kind of dragon sickness? Like super, super rare and turns ponies into dragons?" Pinkie Pie asked, leaning close to Twilight's face again. "No, I don't think so, Pinkie... But that's just it, aside from some odd hints from Zecora, I have no idea what's wrong with me," she confessed, looking at her foreclaw as she flexed her talons          Don't forget about Luna. Her mind offered, yet she thought it best to leave that part out for now. I'll open that can of worms myself the second I can get to Canterlot and see her in person.   "Well, that's exactly what I aim to find out." The doors to the large, crystal chamber swung open, heralding the voice of Starlight Glimmer, and with her, both the only and the last creature Twilight wanted to see. Spike looked at her once and smiled, summoning back Twilight's blush in full. Oh, he's still so handsome and... No, just move past it, Twilight!     She shied away slightly, bowing her head, ears folding back as she bit her scaly lip. "Hey... about before, I'm sorry," she mumbled, but Spike's smile did not falter. Before he could respond, however, Twilight looked to each of her friends.   "Girls, could we... have a moment, please?" she added, nodding at Spike. All eyes were on the purple dragon, before a moment later, Applejack declared,  "Sure ya can, sugarcube." She looked at her prismatic wife in particular. "Come on y'all, y'heard her, let's give em a moment." "Quite so, dear, come on, chop, chop," Rarity added, ushering the others away along with Applejack. Pinkie Pie gave Twilight a hug before bouncing off after them, a rather unsatisfied looking Rainbow Dash being shoved in the butt by Applejack. "Ah, okay, okay, I'm going!" the pegasus protested, blushing as her wings shot from her sides with a light floomph sound. Starlight looked between her old mentor and the mature dragon, before giving them a nod and moving out the door along with a trailing Fluttershy that seemed just as awkward regarding Applejack and Rainbow's interaction. The moment Starlight's magic closed the door, Twilight found herself almost unable to look at Spike. Yet she forced her awkwardness and instinctive drives to the back of her mind as she returned his smile. "You look good, 'Kindle'," he chuckled, laying down at her side. "If I hadn't known you all my life you know I may have actually fell for that. Though the cutie mark was kind of a giveaway." Twilight's blush returned. "A moment of panic, not going to happen again," she assured with an awkward chuckle of her own.     "Something you were always good at." He smirked and she cocked her head, huffing. "And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked bluntly. Spike rolled his eyes. "That brain of yours can be too good for its own good sometimes, Twi. You didn't have to hide from me, you know?" A long breath escaped Twilight's nostrils as she sighed and looked down at her foreclaws.    "I know... And I really am sorry, but I have no idea what's happening to me and... well, the fire, I didn't want to become a monster," she admitted, then felt her thoughts catch and reverse. "Not that you're a monster, Spike. Just all the new thoughts, urges, I could not handle them all at once." He pressed a wingtip to her babbling mouth, stopping the torrent of words. "Twilight, the last thing you are is a monster," he assured her, sitting up and pressing a claw to his chest. "If anypony knows what it's like to be a growing dragon around this age, and the associated issues, it's me." Once again, Twilight cocked her head, face scrunched in confusion. "This age? I'm nine years older than you." Spike flexed his own claw. "Ember said with as long as we live, the generation gap is pretty comparatively small. She's actually only two years older than me. Though after the molt, puberty kinda hits like a train." Oh, isn't there a lot about that topic you'd like to learn about. No, no! Twilight considered his words for a second. Her final conclusion, dragons were weird and Equestria should really do more research. And that's purely in the name of science, brain! "So I suppose I can skip over the parts that concern how I thought about you in the past few days, huh?" Twilight finally confessed, both she and her adopted son sharing a blush.    "Haha, don't worry about it. I'm sure it's nothing compared to how mad I suddenly became for Ember." He waved the issue away with a claw, grinning despite his pink cheeks. Twilight chuckled. "How is she? I should probably apologize to her too." "She's fine, just didn't want to scare you so she stayed in our chambers," he responded, and once again that hole in Twilight's chest felt a little deeper.   "She thinks she'd scare me?" she questioned, and Spike rubbed the back of his neck before explaining. "Well, the last time she saw you she was ready to battle to the death, so yeah." The recollection of the sapphire scaled dragoness snarling through fire came back to Twilight, and she nodded slowly.   "So that's what she was doing... Okay, I see your point," she murmured. "The way I hear it, though, you don't make that bad a dragon when you have to," Spike went on with a smirk. Twilight ruffled her wings. "Well, if you mean in a fight, then if it happens to be a fight against an evil, magical plant version of myself then yeah... You'd do the same thing for them too, though." "Twilight, I'd do anything for any of you girls in a wingbeat. But for you, I'd move the world," Spike said, placing a claw on her shoulder.    She felt another flutter in her chest, the fire burning brighter as if stoked by a forge. The sensation of his strong claws against her scales made her shudder, yet all of those basic instincts were forced back as she staggered up and wrapped him in a broad-winged hug. "Thanks, Spike. I don't know what I'd do without you," she offered, pressing her head to the underside of his neck.   "Wow, feels weird being the same size again, what's it been, five years?" he chuckled, patting her back with a claw. Twilight drew back, still embraced in his wings as she blushed. Yet a smile crept onto her muzzle all the same. "Try seven... Life's moving pretty fast." There was a look of surprise on Spike's face as she considered that, then he shrugged. "Yeah, being around dragons that live for millennia recently, kinda screwed up my view a little." "Try being an immortal alicorn. There's only three mares in Equestria I could live out my life with and one's already taken," she joked, waving a wing as she staggered back down to her feet.    Her claws still unsteady, and legs having the consistency of jelly, she stumbled. Yet Spike was there to steady her with a wing in a flash. The motion ensured that her blush was not going to fade anytime soon. "Who knows, maybe you should ask about it sometime," he suggested with a wink, and Twilight rolled her eyes. "Haha, yeah right, Celestia and Luna have had plenty of time to settle down, they'd have done it by now if they really wanted to." She waved the idea off with a claw and Spike shrugged.   "You could always come back to the dragon lands with us? Ember's going to need to go back soon and she said there's room on the council she's trying to set up. Equestria's representative could be a dragoness, right?" He nudged her side with a wing, and she paused. A life with dragons, a safe life where I could not hurt anypony and I could still speak for my home country? She lifted a claw to her chin, truly considering the offer. Then what about the Princess of Friendship, they still need you, you know? "It sounds great, Spike, but... well..." She glanced up and out of the tall window, spying the silhouette of Canterlot on the distant mountainside in the late afternoon sun. "There's somepony I really need to talk to first." Spike cocked his head. "Sure thing, Twi. The offer's still open though, if you want it." She smiled. "I'm glad, tell Ember she has my gratitude, but I really do think I need to get this sorted out." She took his foreclaws in her own. "You were the only dragon my life ever really needed, and let's face it, I make a pretty lousy one." She chuckled, and he once again rolled his eyes. "I can think of worse ponies for this to happen to. I did more damage then you when I grew up that one time," he admitted. "That time doesn't count... Greed, huh, just another thing I guess I'll have to watch out for now," she mumbled, though more to herself at the latter fact.   "The book hoarder of the crystal tree palace, I can see it now," Spike joked and she shot him a disapproving look. He laughed again, pulling her close. "You're still just Twilight, Twilight, and whatever you decide to do, I'll always be here for you." She wrapped her wings around him, yet for once that spark of lust stayed as far away from her thoughts as possible, right where it belonged. She nuzzled up against his scales, feeling his strong breath and drumming heartbeat, both like a thunderstorm under his smooth scales as she pressed one side of her head against his chest.     "Thanks, Spike. I promise that whatever happens, I'll always be here for you too." ******** Night could not fall quickly enough for the lavender dragoness sitting by the window. Magnificent moonlight projecting a glowing pillar around her long shadow as the majestic celestial sphere rose into the starry sea above and started its long voyage across the inky black ocean. Twilight placed one claw on the window, catching sight of her reflection in the glass. Two amethyst eyes with slitted pupils looked back at her from a draconic face. A dark purple mane with lavender highlights hung down from a trio of dark horns, one of which was now fairly crooked. It's not a bad look really, you've seen dragons that look outright ugly, at least you're not like that. Her mind reassured, all the while the more primal side of her still grumbled about how wrong it was to think the transformation was a bad thing. Seriously, you're a good-looking dragoness now, get over it. "Maybe I should go with Spike and Ember," the princess muttered to herself, still not wholly believing she could abandon her life in Ponyville. There was a shift in the room behind her, hooves stepping lightly on a polished floor. Twilight's ears perked and her body straightened as she sat up and lifted her head.    "Is this another dream?" she asked, not even turning to look into the shadows behind her as they shifted. "No, Twilight Sparkle, I don't believe it is." Princess Luna emerged from the gloom like a phantom, shimmering mane catching the moonlight as she spoke. "Though, I suspect you wish it was."   Luna uttered a small chuckle as Twilight finally turned to see the brilliant midnight mare illuminated in the pale moonlight. Shimmering, Luna was utterly in her element, no artist or sculptor could have portrayed the mare better then she was right now. Ponies probably would have done a great deal of things to witness the sheer beauty of what Twilight was seeing yet, despite all of that, the dragoness frowned. "You have no idea, Luna," she grumbled, looking right into the alicorn's eyes. Luna seemed to see something that Twilight did not as she looked back, a somewhat humble look flashing across her features. Then she took a deep breath, head bowing as she exhaled, long and slow.    "Actually I do, and I am truly sorry for what has come to pass," she admitted, glancing up at Twilight. "It's you, isn't it?" she asked simply, and Luna's eyes widened as she shot up straight, feathers ruffled as she started to stammer.               "Me... I–I... I... What do you mean?" She took a step back, wing folded across her front as she blushed hard. "What Zecora said about something else having power over the half of me, or... whatever I messed around with. That's you, isn't it?" Twilight pressed, her tone even as Luna looked more like a nervous filly than a royal princess.   "I... It's..." She continued to stutter before sealing her muzzle, closing her eyes, and stomping a hoof. Her face downcast from Twilight's gaze, Luna finally found her voice. "It's not that simple, Twilight. I promise I never did anything to you initially... But, it's the truth." Twilight felt a lump catch in her own throat. She'd theorized about the truth ever since Spike and the others had left. Starlight too had offered her own opinions on Zecora's cryptic diagnosis. There were many magical hypotheses of a world that existed around reality, many unicorn philosophers believed that was where magic came from. Yet both she, and her former student, suspected for that to have such an effect on her as it had should be impossible. Twilight said as much, all of the fear, awkward tension, and pain the last two days had caused her flooding out as she told Luna everything she'd been put through. "So then I learn that is all because of some stupid love thing and..." The dragoness cut herself off as she saw Luna staring up at her, the usually calm and collected composure she often adopted failing as a tear ran down her cheek. "I find out that you're the one who loves me." Twilight sank to the floor with a huff. No matter how much she prepared for her suspicions to become a reality, actually saying them was a whole new feeling altogether. Meanwhile, Luna sniffed, wiping her eye with a wing tip.   "Love is a strong word, an emotion not bound by time, space, reality... It's limitless." The alicorn sighed and finally sat down beside the larger dragoness. "Your zebra friend is right on a few levels. Though the reality she referred to is what I know as the dreamscape." Twilight shifted her neck to peer at the smaller alicorn, the sensation of being the one to look down to a mare she usually had to look up to, both literally and figuratively, very odd. "So this is all about dreams? But I've never used dream magic, you're the only pony who's ever been known to do that?" she countered, and Luna chuckled.    "There is truth to those words too, yet nopony, not even myself, can truly understand the dreamscape. It is not simply a realm of dreams and nightmares, but the mind itself. Souls, memories, your very thoughts have a form of physical existence there. Some do more than others and they can be manipulated too." Twilight's eyes narrowed, and she once again found herself holding back her short-tempered draconic mind. "So what, you went over there and messed with my soul then?" The moment that accusation left her mouth she really regretted it. Damn it, brain, think before you speak! Luna looked heartbroken that she would even suggest such a thing, and before the princess of the night could start to stammer again, Twilight swiftly corrected herself.   "No wait, that came out wrong." She waved a claw as if to dispel the notion. "I don't think that you would go out of your way to mess up my life, I promise." "Yet that's exactly what I've done. For every year since my banishment, you have been the mare I looked up to, Twilight. You saved me from my nightmare, saved me from my own guilt, every right I did was outnumbered tenfold by your deeds." Luna looked at her raised forehooves as if to count. "I've known for a long time that those feelings were blooming into something more, yet every time I saw you, how happy you were, I never wanted to pollute your life with my mistakes," she finally confessed, head drooping. So much for giving her a piece of my mind. I've never seen her like this. Twilight thought, unable to even see the mare that stood beside Celestia on the royal throne, and about as far from the nightmare she'd been when they'd first met as ever. "I should have just told you two nights ago, yet I did not think the effect would go so far," Luna added, and Twilight silenced her with a huff. "Luna, I can think of far, far, more ponies that could make a mess of my life. Most of them would probably do it on purpose. But I've never thought that of you before..." Twilight twiddled a claw. "Well, at least until you apparently turned me into a dragon with some crazy lovesickness." A laugh escaped the lavender dragonesses' mouth, once again goading Luna to meet her eyes as she spoke up. "Your forgiveness of my transgressions is misplaced. I should have learned to control myself the first time."   "What do you mean?" Twilight questioned and Luna sighed. "The magic you began to perform, transformation magic. No matter what form, that kind of spell manipulates the dreamscape. True, you left your soul intact, but continuous use of the magic left it vulnerable to subconscious manipulation," Luna began, lighting up her horn and summoning a small arrangement of tiny stars     Like Zecora's interpretation, there was a line, a pony on either side, one lavender and one a golden yellow. Like the spells Twilight had used with Starlight, the lavender mare shifted forms, horns, and wings flashing in and out of existence and as they did so, her golden counterpart began to shine dimmer and dimmer. "When I dreamwalk I do not physically enter the dreamscape, yet my power gives me a vast influence over it regardless. Once, before I was banished, I had better control. Then the nightmare attempted to use that power to destroy my sister." Luna gave another sniff, a wingtip wiping her eyes once again. "When you freed me from her, everything I'd gained before was lost to me, like amnesia that's still healing. I lost control over the influence I have over the dreamscape, yet in today's age, when ponies are less concerned with magical modification, their souls were protected from my subconsciousness." On the images of stars, a version of Luna appeared, outlined in dark blue light as a series of ripples emanated out of her.   The more the ripples impacted the vulnerable glowing version of Twilight, the more she began to change. Claws, leathery wings and a long tail sprouted as she began to turn a similar shade of blue. "Just like I was, until that magic I was using weakened the resistance... I..." Twilight's own words died as the realization hit her. How could she have been so reckless, transformation magic was a frontier, there were risks, but she'd had no idea. Damn, I should make sure she doesn't have a thing for Starlight or Trixie too. "You are particularly vulnerable, regardless. Usually, it would take far more transformations to weaken your soul enough. Yet, my feelings for you combined with your raw magical power resulted in, well..." She gestured to Twilight's scaly body and tried to force a reassuring smile.   "So what, you have a thing for dragons?" the dragoness asked, and Luna went stiff, wings ruffling at her sides as she blushed. "No, no... I'm into mares and stallions... millennia of curiosity will do that," she swiftly assured before tapping a hoof on the floor. "Dreams are hardly ever direct... The transformation is more a personification of the power and strength I desire in a partner. I do find dragons to be rather fascinating creatures too, those are the kind of things that influence the effect," she elaborated, battling to keep her wings at her side. Despite everything, Twilight giggled, pressing a claw to her muzzle as she could not help but think how adorable Luna looked when she was all awkward and flustered. So you've gone from wanting to kill her to loving her just like that? her mind stated, making it her turn to blush. No... I, well... love her? "Sorry, I'm usually far more composed," Luna apologized as she pressed down both of her wings with a forehoof and shook herself. "It's been a long time since I've had to go through this with somepony." At those words, Twilight's attention perked. "Wait, so this has happened before?" Luna nodded once. "A long time ago, before I was banished. I loved somepony once and I hoped they'd love me back. Only my sister knows about it, and she promised to keep it a secret," she admitted. "And this pony, what happened to them?" Twilight pressed, but at Luna's look she swiftly added, "Sorry, if you don't want to talk about it then..." "As far as I know, she died. She was not immortal like us, yet even that is not my biggest obstacle," Luna interrupted, before bowing her head. "When one is as in touch with the realm of dreams as much as I, they forfeit some perks of the real world." "I'm sorry... I didn't know..." Twilight said simply, before finally asking the question that had been on her mind since first growing claws. "So there's no cure for this?" The pained look on Luna's face said it all. "The sickness does not lie in you, but in me. I should have controlled my admiration for you. Yet even if I could, I'm not sure it would reverse unless we could somehow transform you from the other side," the night princess explained.   Twilight felt her heart sink, memories of her prancing around on four hooves, from filly to princess, all evaporating as she came to a conclusion that she'd be stuck as a dragoness forever. What would her family think? How would she live without magic? Could the princess of friendship really be a dragoness? You really, really should just go with Spike and Ember, try to have a happy life. Both sides of her mind agreed, albeit some parts reluctantly. Yet as she looked at the mare beside her, her facade completely broken, Twilight couldn't help but feel sorry for Luna. To come back home after a thousand years, to have been turned into a monster and left with hardly any friends and no love. "This dreamscape, can we go there?" Twilight asked, and Luna glanced up at her curiously.   "I have never thought to teach another the ways, I didn't want to spread the burden. Yet I don't see why it cannot be done," Luna admitted, still looking very unsure. "But you said you are never there physically, can't we do that somehow?" Twilight continued, and Luna's eyes went wide. "There are legends, but such magic is even beyond me. Not even in my long years have I even considered..." Twilight silenced Luna's rambling with a wave of her claw.     "So there's a small chance there's a gateway to this dreamscape out there somewhere?" she pressed, and thinking for a second, Luna nodded. "Great, then we just find it, go through, and transform me from the other side." The dragoness stood up, marching over to one of her bookshelves in an effort to find anything she could on the subject. "To think it will be that easy would be folly, Twilight. The realm of dreams is a danger to the mind, never mind the body if we're exposed. I would never want any harm to come to you." The conviction in Luna's voice gave Twilight pause and she dropped the first book she'd picked up as that feeling she'd had for Spike was momentarily overshadowed.          That... That can't be dragon instinct... I... Feelings for her? Twilight shook her head. "One step at a time, let's cross that bridge when we come to it. We're two of the most powerful mares in Equestria, and if I ask Starlight maybe we can do something." She turned back to Luna. "We can all fix this together." Luna glanced back out of the window and Twilight was swift to note that her eyes were fixed on Canterlot.       "You can ask Celestia too, surely then we can..." Luna cut the dragoness off as she stood and shook her head. "No, we can't risk them too. Trust me, Twilight, I know the ways of dreams and if we do this,  we must not risk more lives," Luna declared. Wow, talk about a first date. Just a stroll into the physical mind together. Twilight slammed a door in the face of her thoughts. Those feelings, they're... Damn it, I thought dragons were complicated! "Are you sure, if we got help then..." Luna trotted up and placed a wing on Twilight's shoulder, their eyes meeting. In the moonlight like this Luna truly did look magnificent, more so than any mare, even her sister illuminated by the sun. The aura of mystery and wonder she had about her was far more intriguing to a pony who wanted to know all the facts of the universe. That was just the mare Twilight had always wanted to be, and learning the things about Luna that were yet to be uncovered didn't seem like too bad of a fate. Not that there wasn't a part of her that really wanted to find out what the realm of dreams really was too. What was that she'd said about her sister's after dark parties? A staggered breath left Twilight's nostrils as she came almost muzzle to muzzle with Luna. Then the dark blue alicorn smiled. "After all you've done for me, I'd do anything for you Twilight," she assured, then bowed her head as she pressed a hoof to Twilight's scaly chest. "My feelings or not, if it is to the realm of dreams I must return then so be it. I know exactly where to find somepony who can help us."    So not Starlight or Celestia then? Twilight wondered, yet once again Luna's face said it all, there was adventure ahead. A dive into dreams with the princess who's had a secret crush on you for years? Yay, what in Equestria could go wrong?