The portrait of Princess Luna that caught her attention was far from the Princess's only depiction. That whole side of the art gallery was dedicated to the Princess of the Night. There were five more portraits depicting Princess Luna, each by a different artist, each with a slightly different take or a slightly different pose for the Princess. And yet, they all shared the night theme, her regal appearance, and her undeniable beauty.
And then there were the statues and full-body paintings of her. To her surprise, not all of the statues were solely of Princess Luna. Princess Celestia was there with her, and seeing those statues had left her in a state of shock. There was no way Nightmare Moon knew. If Nightmare Moon knew, the statues wouldn't be there at best, and at worst, Nightmare Moon would have them destroyed. Even Midnight and Vis seemed to recognize such, as they stared forlornly at the three statues.
Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, standing side by side, wings flared wide in graceful arcs, and though the stone was off-white, there was no mistaking who was who: the tiaras were different, and the regalias were giveaways. And Princess Luna was shorter than Princess Celestia. Her body, though carved from stone, was far more graceful than Princess Celestia's. Slender and sleek, yet undeniably strong. Depicted without armor, Princess Luna did not look like a warrior.
And then depicted with armor, Princess Luna's expression was fierce. A warrior. A leader. A guardian. Her expression made a simple fact known: that she would not give up.
A statue depicting Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, not quite hugging, but sharing a moment of intimate connection: their heads were bowed against one another, their horns crossing. Both were at peace; Princess Luna was neither burdened by anger nor bitterness nor hatred nor jealousy. Princess Celestia's serene expression, though carved in stone, was one she missed.
Maybe the most surprising statue she found was one where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna where they were both the same size. Their manes and tails were heavier than the manes and tails in the other statues: they did not look airy and light, rather heavy, covering their necks and dropping towards the ground. Both were smaller than her. Younger than her. Even in the stone, she couldn't miss the joy in both of their eyes. Princess Luna seemed to be captured in flight, with her wings spread and her forelegs and hind legs extended, while Princess Celestia looked up at her with a loving, encouraging smile. The kind of smile the older sibling had towards their younger sibling, whom they loved.
And it was bittersweet. Whoever decided on the statue placement knew what they were doing. The statue immediately after Princess Celestia and Princess Luna as foals was of Nightmare Moon reared up, wings outstretched, and teeth bared. Her expression was unadulterated hatred and anger, permanently etched into the stone. Even knowing it was a statue, she felt uncomfortable. Behind the statue was a painting on the wall. The moon was rising up to blot out the sun.
The full-body paintings of Princess Luna always made her slow down, almost stopping as she took them in. Some of the paintings were no larger than her chest, while others took up the length of her body, and just as tall. Her form was always graceful, yet always with power. Her form was always proud, always undefeated, even in the paintings where she sheltered soldiers beneath her wings: some injured, some uninjured, and some perhaps dead. Princess Luna's armor was black, and it covered more of her body than Nightmare Moon's armor: going back along the length of her sides, with slits that let out her wings.
And perhaps some painters intended a sense of irony, because in more than one painting, Princess Luna was depicted fighting off griffins to protect ponies who glared at her, entirely oblivious to the bloodied claws of the griffins cutting at Princess Luna's unarmored body.
And she had to wonder, 'Did something like that happen?' even though it was surely it was an exaggeration.
Princess Luna was painted in even larger paintings, where she clashed with griffins, some in the middle of battle, and some victorious after a battle. The griffins features were always muted so they didn't distract from Princess Luna. And then there were paintings of the night, with Princess Luna amidst a field of flowers under the soft light of the moon: her features appeared even softer than most of the paintings, painting her with an innocent, unscathed beauty, as if entirely separate from the Guardian Princess of the Night.
Never once was there a painting of Princess Luna defeated.
Until the paintings were of Nightmare Moon.
One of the paintings haunted her. She felt as if she had no right to look at it. Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon, horns crossed and locked. It wasn't an intimate embrace, nor did they share any connection. Princess Celestia had tears streaming down her face, her teeth showing in a horrified, shocked grimace. Nightmare Moon's glare bore down, meeting Princess Celestia's gaze, almost like her eyes were a weapon of their own, meant to break Princess Celestia. And it worked. Nightmare Moon's teeth were bared, and she looked as if she was caught in the middle of a primal scream of hatred all directed at her sister.
And then there were more twisted paintings, depicting almost the same scene, except Princess Celestia had a mad glint in her eyes, sometimes even smiling. And she knew they were wrong because it wasn't Princess Celestia.
And then there were the paintings of Princess Celestia's victory. Nightmare Moon's defeat. Her friend's banishment. Some had Princess Celestia standing victoriously over the fallen Queen of the Night, who stared up at her battered but defiantly, still seething with rage. Some had Princess Celestia soaring above the fallen Queen. A few had both of them flying, and a column of familiar rainbow-light burning away Nightmare Moon's magic. In some of them, Princess Celestia cried, and in others, she did not.
And the painting that felt most out of place was the one that depicted Princess Celestia alone on a balcony, staring up at the Mare on the Moon. Crying. Entirely broken. Horrified. Crushed. The castle crumbled around her, probably the Castle of the Two Sisters, but her eyes were locked solely on the moon. The raw emotion of somepony being slapped in the face, having everything tore out in front of them when faced with the soul-crushing realization, 'I did this.'
And then everything after that was blurry because she was crying. Fluttershy and Spike both hugged her. Midnight and Vis stared on at the last painting. They walked back outside together and stood in the street. Everything was still a blur, no matter how much she wiped her eyes clean.
She had so many questions. She had so much she wanted to say. Why had those paintings depicted everything in all of those different ways? The batponies were unquestionably loyal to Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon, yet she knew Nightmare Moon would hate most of those depictions! It didn't make sense, and she couldn't wrap her head around it.
And she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, 'Princess Celestia still loves you.' And Nightmare Moon didn't see it.
She looked up at the scarred moon and cried.
"Twilight? You doing okay?"
Hearing Rainbow's voice, Twilight blinked. She found herself staring down at the blue carpet, not knowing how long she had been. Gradually, she lifted her head back up and ran her eyes over each of her friends. Every one of them was staring at her from where they sat on plush red pillows. She shifted her weight on her own pillow, then licked her lips. "Yeah. I'm okay."
"You're still thinking about the art gallery, aren't you?" Rainbow mumbled.
Twilight looked at Rainbow with a sheepish smile. "It was-"
Rainbow threw her forelegs to the air and leaned back. "I knew it!" was her declaration, and without anything else, let herself topple back and fall onto the carpet. Rainbow really didn't care. As soon as she hit the floor, she let out a groan and let her legs all go limp and splay out.
Rarity lifted a forehoof to her mouth and coughed pointedly. "Yes, well... it certainly was something."
Rainbow just groaned. "It's an art gallery."
"I uh, think you would have liked it-" Twilight hesitated a moment as Rainbow looked at her flatly, "-there were paintings of Princess Luna fighting griffins."
Rainbow perked up and sat back up on her pillow. "Oh yeah?" was her intrigued question.
Twilight smiled and nodded. "Yeah." Of course, said paintings also tended to include Princess Luna killing griffins, and violence. She wasn't the biggest fan of it, but from the standpoint of it representing history, and the artistic value, she could appreciate it. She wasn't sure how Rainbow would take to the 'killing griffins' part, though.
Rainbow squinted at her and folded her forelegs over her chest. "Ehhh... maybe it might be okay. Granted, it still doesn't sound very cool, but... maybe worth a peek."
Twilight giggled.
"Some of the paintings were scary..." Fluttershy murmured softly. Rainbow looked at Fluttershy, and when Twilight looked at Fluttershy, she found the pegasus with her head held low. "Princess Luna was... was killing griffins!" A soft whimper followed.
Twilight felt her ears pull back. A little of the wonder at seeing Princess Luna died at that. "Yeah..." she mumbled in agreement. "It was... another time," she reasoned. Her friends looked at her. "She was protecting Equestria." She shook her head dismissively. "Besides, that was well over a thousand years ago."
"Yes, well..." Rarity drawled.
Silence came and lasted for a few seconds. Twilight shifted her weight, then looked at Pinkie Pie. "So... how was, um, Hollow Shades?"
Pinkie bounced on her cushion. "It was great! There are all sorts of fun ponies here to meet and I got to hang out with a bunch of them! Although there weren't as many batponies as I was expecting to meet, but there were still so many new ponies to make friends with! Some of them are kind of weird but it's a fun kind of weird! The food's pretty good too!" Pinkie tilted her head and looked up at the ceiling. "They kind of lack the sugary sweets I'm used to, but they have lots of fruits and nuts and berries! Oh, and you should have seen how many apples and mangos they had!"
"Ehh... I gotta admit, the batponies are pretty cool," Rainbow commented with a casual, almost dismissive nod. "I mean, not as cool as me," she emphasized, "but still pretty cool."
Twilight rolled her eyes, though she still smiled.
"I wonder whether Rainbow or Midnight would win in a race," Applejack mused.
"Pfft! Of course, I would!" Rainbow declared, puffing out her chest. "No way I'm going to lose to her!"
Happily, Midnight chirped, "Okay, just keep telling yourself that."
Rainbow looked at Midnight. Midnight smiled innocently, eyes closed. Rainbow jumped off her pillow and demanded, "Is that a challenge?"
Midnight opened her eyes and giggled sweetly. "Nah. Just saying that you can't beat me."
"Oh, really?" Rainbow demanded, an eager glint coming to her eyes.
"Mhm," Midnight agreed.
"You wanna prove it!?"
"Nah," Midnight dismissed.
Rainbow deflated and her wings drooped from her sides. "What!? Why not!?" she nearly shrieked.
"Don't need to!" Midnight declared all too happily. Casually, "Besides, it's not my job."
Rainbow let out a huff, dropped her head even with her back, and let her wings fall to the floor. "You owe me a race."
Midnight smiled innocently.
Applejack inhaled, then commented, "Well, it's getting kind of late. I don't know about y'all, but I thought today was pretty good. A nice break from Ponyville and the farm."
Everypony murmured in agreement.
A moment passed in silence. "And everything else that's been going on lately," Applejack added.
"Quite," Rarity agreed succinctly. "I'm just glad things have settled down and ponies are more..." the mare trailed off, tilted her head, and tapped her chin with her forehoof. "What's the word I'm looking for?" she asked herself. Her forehoof paused and she righted her head. "Ponies aren't as, well, terrified. It's still not the best for business but at least it's going slightly. Better."
"Yep!" Pinkie all-too-happily agreed. "It's so much better now that ponies are willing to walk around and come to the bakery so I can cheer them up!"
"Still permanent night!" Rainbow bellowed, throwing her forelegs to the air and pushing herself back so that she fell to the floor. Flailing her forelegs in the air, she added, "Still hard to take care of the weather!"
"Oh, I think you're doing fine," Fluttershy murmured. "Although... with it always being night, it's um... scary, and my animal friends are scared and... and... oh my..." The timid pegasus ducked under her mane and whimpered softly.
Applejack sighed and put a forehoof on Fluttershy's shoulder. "It's alright, Fluttershy. I'm sure they're all doing fine."
She barely heard Fluttershy whisper, "Oh, I hope so..."
Applejack looked over at Rainbow. "Say, aren't you up to the challenge of handling the weather at night?"
Rainbow shot back up, then hovered over the pillow, beating her wings casually and facing Applejack with a brash smile. "Of course I am!" was her declaration, followed by her smile wavering as she landed. "But..." she drawled, rolling her head to the left. "The ponies that are supposed to help me kinda aren't helping a whole lot," her voice cracked a few times.
Flatly, Rarity grumbled, "We know, darling."
A few seconds passed in silence.
"Well, see you all for breakfast?" Twilight asked. Her friends murmured in agreement. She looked over each of them and smiled. "Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning." She started to stand up, and likewise, everypony else rose from the pillows. "Thanks for coming with me again." She eyed Rainbow, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack. "Even if you didn't come to the art gallery, I'm glad you came to Hollow Shades with me!"
They each had their own reasons for coming, but they also had a reason in common: they were friends. "Goodnight, girls!"
"Goodnight, Twilight!" as they turned to leave. She walked with them and opened the door for them, then watched them walk to their own rooms.
Spike lingered behind. "Uh, I know I have my own room, but can I-"
Twilight smiled as she scooped Spike up and pulled him to her chest. She nuzzled his face as she said, "Of course you can stay with me!"
Spike smiled and returned her embrace. "Thanks, Twilight!"
After a few seconds, they parted.
Midnight nodded. "Well, I guess I'll leave you under these fine colts' care," the batpony said as she walked out. Both stallions stood up straighter. Pausing, Midnight looked back at her with a smile. "Night, Twilight! Night Spike!" Then the batpony giggled happily.
"Goodnight, Midnight," Twilight said with a nod.
"Goodnight, Midnight!" Spike called.
As she closed the door, she caught Midnight almost skipping along the hallway. A smirk broke out on her face. 'I'm not the only pony who prances!' her mind happily declared. She stopped herself from jumping in place.
Once the door shut, she turned around, sat down on her haunches, and leaned back against it. She let out a sigh, then felt Spike hug her. She smiled sheepishly and wrapped a foreleg around his back to return the hug. "What do you think of Hollow Shades?"
Spike shrugged. "Eh, it's okay. Kinda cool, actually. The castle's different from Canterlot Castle, but I kind of think it's cooler, you know?"
Twilight nodded. 'I think I have some idea, at least.'
She walked towards the bedroom door, but stopped as Spike asked, "Do you think that's really what Princess Luna looked like?"
Twilight turned back. Spike walked towards her slowly. "Yeah," she answered. "Well-" she tossed her head to the side, "-other than that I'm sure there are some artistic liberties taken, yeah."
Spike half-smiled and came to a stop at her side. "Heh..."
She lifted her forehoof and stroked the crests on his head, bringing his half-smile to a full smile.
After she put her forehoof back on the floor, Spike frowned. "You're actually going to sleep right? Not going to sneak out of bed to go back there in the middle of the night? Not going to stay up trying to find out more about Princess Luna?"
Twilight smiled sheepishly but shook her head. "Nooo..." she drawled.
Spike raised an eyebrow.
Twilight bit her lip and looked away. "Okay! The thought crossed my mind." She turned back to face Spike. "But I won't!"
"Right..." Spike muttered, unconvinced.
She winced. "Besides... I was... wondering if maybe Nightmare Moon would show up."
For a moment, Spike blanked, then his frown returned, deeper than before. "Wait, you mean like actually show up here or, like, in your dreams?"
"In my dreams," Twilight specified. "The batponies said Princess Luna could, so I don't know why Nightmare Moon wouldn't be able to."
"That sounds scary," Spike mumbled.
Twilight huffed. "I'm not even sure if she will!" A moment passed and she frowned. "Although I've not had any nightmares since after Discord showed up."
"You think Nightmare Moon is responsible for that?" Spike asked.
Twilight pursed her lips. 'All things considered? Yes.' She answered, "Probably. Maybe." She walked on into the bedroom and Spike followed. As she approached the bed, she said, "I remember... I was having a nightmare about Discord after we beat him."
"Back when you were out of it because of using the Elements?"
"Yeah," Twilight answered. "I remember having that nightmare, but it stopped suddenly and everything changed. One moment it was a nightmare and the next it was-" she smiled as she thought back on it, "-a really good dream. My friends were there and we were outside at night, stargazing together... Nightmare Moon was there, but when I looked back at her, she looked... surprised. Afraid, even. And then she wasn't there."
"So you think that was her?"
Twilight ran her forehoof over the silky bedsheets. It almost made her shiver. "I..." she paused and faced Spike. "It felt different at the time. Like something was just off. I thought that I might have been imagining it, but if Nightmare Moon can enter ponies' dreams, then... I think she was there."
Spike frowned uncomfortably. "And that doesn't bother you?" he muttered. "That Nightmare Moon could be visiting your dreams and know everything you dream about?"
'When you put it like that, it doesn't sound as nice.' Twilight fought back a wince, but still squirmed where she stood. How many dreams had she had since then? And how many of those dreams involved her friends?
How many involved Princess Celestia and the day? How many of those dreams were insults to Nightmare Moon?
But if Nightmare Moon knew, never once had she brought it up. If Nightmare Moon knew, she kept it a secret and did not act on it. If Nightmare Moon knew, they were still friends.
Did Nightmare Moon know?
Maybe she would find out in her dreams. "I'm not sure if she would do that or not..." she mumbled. "But... uh, even if she does..." she winced and faced Spike, "We're still friends?"
"I don't know how you can be friends with her," he mumbled as he shook his head. "You haven't forgotten about Princess Celestia, have you?"
Twilight's ears folded back. "Of course not, Spike..." she whispered. Turning away, she admitted, "I just... I don't know what to do..."
Spike sighed softly, and a moment later, Twilight felt his body press up against her foreleg. She looked back at him and smiled. "You are being careful, right? I don't want to lose you, Twilight..."
Twilight swallowed and nodded. "She won't hurt me."
But he wasn't convinced of that. None of them were. She took in a deep breath, then looked at the bed again. 'Nightmare Moon's bed,' she knew. And yet, was it Nightmare Moon's bed? To her knowledge, Nightmare Moon had never slept here. And it wasn't the one in Canterlot. Regardless, Nightmare Moon gave it to her to sleep in. It was thoughtful.
'It's huge.' It really was. She wouldn't fill it. All of her friends and herself could probably fit on it with room to spare, and at that thought she had to smile and shake her head, nearly giggling at the picture: her and her friends all cuddled up together. Thinking about that made her feel a bit giddy, if nervous and embarrassed.
Hopefully, they didn't snore or kick.
'Who knows, maybe something like that could happen!' she thought with a smile. It might be nice.
And then there was the idea of Nightmare Moon joining in, and her smile faded to a bewildered cringe at that picture. Nightmare Moon was entirely out of place in such a setting! And her friends would probably lie awake, staring at the ceiling, careful not to move at all. And she couldn't help but picture Nightmare Moon staring at her friends the whole time, rather than sleeping. And of course, her friends would know Nightmare Moon was awake, staring at them.
The thought left her uncomfortable. That would never happen, and she was glad it wouldn't.
She shook the thought from her head, pulled the blankets back with her magic, and climbed onto the bed. 'I've slept in her bed before...' drifted through her mind, followed by, 'I think I fell asleep beside her once.' She certainly didn't remember falling asleep in her bed when that happened, let alone going back to Canterlot.
Who knew, maybe something like that might happen again. The thought wasn't even that uncomfortable, rather, she felt curious about it. She flopped down on her back, and the cold of the bed sapped the heat from her back. She closed her eyes and let out a content moan: the bed was so soft and comforting, supporting her body just right. It cooled her fur, and the pleasant chill made her shiver. She sighed and rolled her head to the left, then opened her eyes as Spike climbed onto the bed.
He wasted no time in laying down against her chest, with his head on the pillow. She smiled happily and wrapped a foreleg around him to keep him held in place, then she tucked his head under hers, and used her muzzle to pull his head against her neck. "Goodnight Spike," she murmured as she pulled the blankets over them.
Spike squirmed to get comfortable against her before eventually relaxing. "Goodnight Twilight... and thanks."
She smiled as she closed her eyes and nuzzled Spike. "Of course, Spike... I love you."
"I love you too, Twilight..."
A gentle summer breeze rolled by, sending her mane and tail billowing with the little currents of air. She blinked and looked right, then left. Stretched out before her was a grassy meadow dotted with wildflowers. The blades of grass and flowers reached up to her knees. The air smelled fresh and crisp, yet with a hint of a spring shower and lavender undertones. She tilted her head back and stared up at the vibrant, light blue sky.
Directly overhead, the sun shined down, warming her back and face. She closed her eyes and smiled, and another gently current of air blew by, making her mane and tail tickle her neck and legs. Inhaling, she took in those relaxing scents and let them soothe her.
Opening her eyes, she watched a few clouds drift overhead on the wind. She frowned a bit and searched for the pegasi who had been responsible for them, but no matter what direction she looked, she didn't see any.
From behind her, she heard the laughter of two fillies. Curious, she turned around and saw two young fillies prancing through the grass. Neither of them saw her; they both looked at each other, almost neck and neck as they bounded through the grass that was up to their bellies. They both smiled and squealed and laughed as they danced together. They were lively and joyful and happy, and their manes and tails rippled behind them in the air. Their wings fluttered at their sides, beating against the air playfully with each bound, perhaps just to get a feel for the wind underneath or against their sides.
She smiled, yet felt confused. For some reason, the two foals seemed familiar, and yet, recognition escaped her.
She watched them prance and dance on through the grass and flowers. A monarch butterfly flittered into the air as the smaller one disturbed its perch on a flower. The younger foal stopped and turned to look at it. For a moment, her face almost blanked in surprise, then lit up in excitement as she turned around to face the other foal. "A butterfly!" the younger filly declared, squealing and jumping in place.
The second filly pranced over and stopped beside her, and together, the two of them watched the butterfly dance through the air, catching the sun's rays just right to appear to sparkle in the midday sun.
A few moments passed while they watched the butterfly, then it flew higher up. The younger one stuck her tongue out and licked her lips, then beat her wings and flew up into the sky to follow it. A moment later, the older one followed.
The feeling of familiarity lingered, eating at her mind. She couldn't help but think, 'I know them.' But why? She didn't recognize either of the foals. She squinted at them to take in their features, yet found their bodies blurry. The smaller filly had a soft, midnight blue coat and a rich blue mane. The older, a white coat that reminded her of her brother and a frilly, beautiful pink mane that reminded her of Fluttershy's mane, but darker.
And she watched on as they played through the sky. Hours passed by as they played together, so carefree and happy, sharing in a special bond of friendship and sisterhood. The sun's descent slowed to a stop, and likewise, the two of them gathered together, cuddled up in a patch of grass. The younger filly laid with her body propped up on top of the older filly's back.
"It's time, to lower the sun," the white filly softly sung.
And the blue filly giggled softly, then sang, "It's time, to raise the moon."
They bowed their heads together and crossed their horns, which glowed in a golden and blue light. And the sun lowered in the west and the world transition to darkness as the moon rose up in the east.
As night fell, the meadow became blurry, and then faded away.
She frowned and turned around, trying to make out anything. And then she was standing on the edge of a cliff, looking down into a valley just a short drop away. A dozen batponies hovered in the air over a line of earth ponies, and a line of unicorns stood behind them. All of them wore armor with a polished gleam, reflecting the soft moonlight. Set against them were dozens of griffins, features all blurred incomprehensibly.
'What is this?' she wondered. She turned to the left, then circled around to the right. A pony stood beside her, standing proud and determined, her head held high and her horn blazing with a dark blue aura. Her wings were pressed firmly against her black armor, and her sharp cyan eyes bore down on the griffin army.
It took her a few seconds to realize, 'Princess Luna.'
And as soon as the realization hit her, chaos. Steel met steel. Ponies screamed and griffins screeched. Startled, she jumped and spun around. The valley below washed crimson, and corpses of ponies and griffins lay mingled together: some cut apart by blade and claw, others by magic. Bloodied ponies ran away from the griffins who chased after them, hunting them.
Princess Luna jumped into the air and dived down. Her horn burned bright and put the light of the moon to shame: her magic enveloped the griffins and they fell to the earth unmoving. She glided down and landed, and batponies raced to her side, covering the retreat of earth ponies and unicorns and pegasi.
The Guardian Princess reared up and jumped forward, charging ahead, and her batponies followed behind her.
She blinked, and once more found herself in a meadow, this time cast in the soft light of the moon. Turning around, she watched the Princess of the Night stroll through the flowers: lavender and violets. Her wings were extended from her sides, leaving her body exposed and vulnerable as her wingtips traced over the flowers' petals, as if to comfort them.
Or perhaps, to comfort herself. The princess walked alone, and the night was silent. The shadows seemed to follow her, yet kept their distance, as if out of respect, or not knowing what to do.
She galloped forward, then slowed to match the princess' stride as she reached her side. The princess's eyes seemed almost empty. Hollow.
There was no joy in them, only remorse and regret and loss and pain. The princess walked on, unaware of her presence. She stayed close by. "Princess Luna?" she called, but it went unheard. Princess Luna didn't react in any way, like she hadn't heard her.
"Luna?" she repeated, and again, nothing.
The princess came to a stop, cast her destitute gaze left and then right before inhaling and lifting her head to the sky.
She watched the alicorn for a moment, she saw how her lips set in a firm line, how her eyes glistened, then her cheeks glistened, catching the faint moonlight. Her mane barely flickered.
She turned her gaze to the sky. The moon hung low, gradually descending, as if it was marching towards some inevitable fate that had been set in stone a thousand years ago.
And Luna cried. Her head fell, her eyes closed, and Luna cried.
She stepped closer to the princess and touched her forehoof to the mare's shoulder. The princess wasn't as tall as Princess Celestia or Nightmare Moon, yet still taller than Cadance.
Her touch went unnoticed. Luna collapsed onto her haunches.
And then the Princess of the Night cried out and wept.
Her ears pinned back against her mane, and she felt something tear inside her chest. She blinked, and the world changed.
Before her were uncaring, gray stone walls. Large stone pillars stretched up to the vaulted ceiling from which banners depicting the sun and moon, Celestia and Luna, dancing together hung. The warm light of the sun-filled the room. She turned left and right, then looked out a stained glass window. She tried to tell what it depicted, but it was a blur: white and blue and pink and purple, yet clear enough to see the sun outside.
And there was a raised platform, and two thrones set before the window. The throne on the right was smaller than the throne on the left. The thrones were adorned with a cyan crescent moon and a golden sun, respectively. To her left, there was an arched doorway.
She watched the door open, and the Princess of the Night walked out. Her head was held low, and her teeth showed. She could see Princess Luna's muscled pulled tight in her face, and her features were twisted into a vengeful glare.
She took a step back on instinct. The alicorn's body was bare, save for her regalia and tiara and shoes, and so she could watch and see how quickly the mare breathed in and out: almost hyperventilating. She could see her legs trembling with each step. And she could see the princess' fur, matted from tears.
Princess Luna strode towards the platform, climbed up, then turned to face her. The gaze of boiling rage was unlike anything she had seen: there was nothing except for anger, vengeance, betrayal, and hate. There was nothing she could begin to compare the hatred to, so far gone was it. Not even Nightmare Moon had ever held such a gaze.
And the gaze froze her in place, locked her legs, kept her from moving and even breathing. Her body was stiff with fear, and she felt something coiling inside her body faster and faster, tightening until her lungs were empty and burned. The edges of her vision darkened and flickered, and panic exploded over her mind.
'Run. Run. Run, run run! RUN!' was all she could think.
A dozen predators sized her up from all sides as if Discord was watching her and smiling, and yet, it was without the primal wrongness.
Quick as lightning, the Princess of the Night reared up. Luna screamed, and the screech tore through her mind and soul and body. Ice, unlike anything she had ever felt before, gripped her.
And Luna slammed her forehooves down, cracking the platform, shattering the window.
And it happened. The moon rose up to blot out the sun, and the Princess of the Night's form darkened, consumed with rage and magic.
"Luna!" Celestia cried.
And the mass of magic enveloping Luna bore down into her body, and Nightmare Moon stood, staring just over her head with a gaze sharp enough to boil metal.
And insanity unlike anything she had seen: the Queen of the Night had one purpose, and one purpose alone. She saw the psychotic, consumed glint of insanity in how wide the queen's eyes were, and there was nothing she could compare it to.
Nightmare Moon's body trembled with uncontrolled breathing. "LUNA. IS. DEAD!"
Nightmare Moon spread her wings, let out a scream, and dived.
She dropped to the floor and found herself watching the queen fly over her, horn boiling with magic, teeth bared, towards Celestia.
Princess Celestia's horn glowed with a golden aura. Her cheeks shined from tears.
The room fell to darkness as the moon overtook the sun, and the only light came from their magic. Their horns crossed, and Nightmare Moon's magic exploded outward. The queen let out a hate-fueled, rage-consumed scream. Princess Celestia was thrown to the floor and-
"ENOUGH!" Nightmare Moon's voice demanded.
The dream had no choice but to obey, and so the world exploded away.
A grassy meadow came into focus before her. Where it had been an eclipse, now the sun shined down on the short grasses and wildflowers that swayed back and forth in a gentle breeze. She half expected to see the two foals again, but instead, she saw her friends racing down a hill towards her. A river separated them, but the stream was shallow, and they all splashed through the water carelessly. Droplets of water flew into the sky, caught the sunlight, and sparkled like diamonds or stars.
She smiled but knowing something wasn't right pulled at the back of her mind. Nightmare Moon was there. Behind her. She turned around to face her teacher.
And caught Nightmare Moon unprepared. Her teacher's gaze was unfocused, staring behind her at the hill, contemplative, mulling over what she had seen. And then Nightmare's eyes snapped onto her, and the same look of fear and surprise crossed her expression as last time.
And she was sure Nightmare Moon had stopped her nightmare, and that Nightmare Moon had been there.
Nightmare stepped back and her blue aura wrapped around her horn.
Before Nightmare could leave, she shouted, "Wait!"
And Nightmare Moon froze, her aura winking out.
A moment passed in silence. She took a step towards Nightmare Moon, and her teacher blinked. The surprise gradually faded into a frown. She barely heard Nightmare mumble, "You know," in disbelief.
"That you're actually here? That you can enter ponies dreams?" Twilight asked. Nightmare cringed and turned her head to the left, avoiding eye contact. "Yes."
Nightmare's wings tightened against her side, and after a moment, the mare scowled. Her head drooped a few inches lower, then bobbed left and right before finally reluctantly turning back to face her, her scowl replaced by uncertainty. "And you are not... afraid?" her teacher mumbled.
She frowned and shook her head. "Why would I be?"
Nightmare straightened and turned away from her again. "Before."
And Twilight remembered Midnight saying, 'Ponies thought she caused their nightmares.' She didn't know what to say, so said nothing as she watched Nightmare until the Guardian of Dreams turned back to face her. "You stopped the nightmare. Before. When Discord was-"
"Yes," Nightmare said succinctly. Her lips lingered open, and Nightmare cast her gaze off to the right, then back to the left, as if checking to make sure they were alone for some reason. Then Nightmare met her gaze and summarized, "I did."
Twilight smiled at her. "Thank you."
Nightmare's brow folded down, but she gave a slow, cautious nod. "I... should have stopped your previous nightmares."
Twilight's smile faded. "It's fine."
Nightmare shook her head and turned to the left. "It was a dereliction of my duty and my promise to you." Turning back to meet her gaze, Nightmare's eyes were wide open as she asked, "How much better off would you be if I had intervened before? How much anguish would I have spared you?"
Twilight did the only sensible thing. She stepped forward and pressed her chest against Nightmare's chestplate, then laid her head upon Nightmare's shoulder. "It's okay," she said softly.
And for a moment, Nightmare just stood there rigidly. She could almost feel the alicorn's inner turmoil: little twitches and spasms in her body, tiny jerks of her head and neck. Finally, Nightmare leaned down and laid her head on her withers and wrapped her right foreleg around her neck. "I am sorry," Nightmare mumbled.
They stayed like that for seconds or perhaps minutes. Time passing in the dream was impossible to distinguish; the hug lasted long enough and yet was over far too soon. Nightmare pulled back, and so she let her teacher go. And Nightmare stood there, looking down at her with that concern she had only for her. "You have not had such a nightmare before," Nightmare said.
Twilight felt her lips curl into a wince. She turned away from Nightmare Moon. What was she to say, because she knew what would be said next.
"Why did you have such a nightmare?" Nightmare asked, exactly as she knew her teacher would.
But it wasn't hard or demanding. Instead, it was cautious and curious. Worried over her.
Anxiety tickled her mind, and Nightmare frowned. Almost immediately, the anxiety faded away, as did Nightmare's frown. She had the suspicion, 'You did that,' but kept it to herself. "The reason I wanted to go to Hollow Shades, other than it being a batpony city, was because of an art gallery."
Nightmare Moon stiffened. "Art gallery?" she echoed, forcing the words out. In slow motion, Twilight watched Nightmare's lips and brow twist into a mixture of a grimace and a scowl. "An art gallery," came out more coldly.
And she watched it flicker through Nightmare's eyes, the realization set in that she knew something her teacher didn't want to be known. "What did you see?"
Twilight frowned. "Portraits, paintings, and statues."
Nightmare's lips twitched down. "Luna."
"And you, and your sister," Twilight put in.
Nightmare clenched her jaw and looked to the left. A moment passed in tortured silence, then Nightmare looked back at her. Not quite angry, but upset. Almost defeated, and with unmistakable disappointment. "Why?"
Twilight stepped closer to Nightmare, her ears folding back. "Because I want to know!" she pleaded. "What was it like, before you were Nightmare Moon? What was Luna like? The paintings can't do it justice, and you were so beautiful!"
She searched Nightmare's eyes and found shock. Her teacher was caught off guard, and for a moment, the alicorn stiffened again.
But she didn't let it stop her. "Midnight told me about Luna, but... it wasn't a lot. And I can't find any books and I was going to look through the libraries in Hollow Shades, but... you're Luna."
Nightmare Moon lifted her eyes up and looked right over her head. "Luna is dead."
"But you still remember what she was like!" Twilight pleaded. Softly, she asked, "Tell me."
Nightmare looked back down at her. Her teacher shook her head, slowly at first, with building vigor, and then Nightmare turned around. "You are a scholar..." was mumbled. "Of course you'd want to know..."
"Of course I do!" Twilight agreed. "It's history that was lost-"
Nightmare's head snapped to the right. "Erased," was her teacher's correction.
Twilight closed her mouth, looked at the grass, and nodded. "Erased."
Nightmare turned back away from her and inhaled deeply. "When I first discovered that you were so studious... a scholar... I was displeased." Twilight looked back up and watched Nightmare turn around to face her. "A scholar. You want knowledge. And that puts us at an impasse. There are things I do not want known, as it is information which I want kept secret. And you want information to be free."
"Tell me," Twilight repeated. "Please."
Nightmare met her gaze. Looked into her eyes, and she could see Nightmare's determination waver. Her teacher broke eye contact and inhaled. "Perhaps. But not here. Not now."
Frowning, Twilight asked, "Why not?"
Nightmare snorted. "I need to ensure this art gallery's destruction."
"Don't," Twilight demanded.
Nightmare met her gaze again. "I-"
Twilight shook her head preemptively. "You want ponies to love you, right? You want their respect. You want them to know what you've done for them." Nightmare said nothing. "How does destroying an art gallery... How does erasing your past like Princess Celestia did... How does that help you?"
Nightmare blinked and turned to the left. She heard her teacher let out a soft breath, and her teacher's eyes dropped to the grass. Trace over the blades of grass. Meet her gaze again. "Fine," her teacher relented.
Twilight smiled. "Thank you."
Nightmare groaned and turned back around. And then Nightmare straightened again. "You know what..." Nightmare slowly turned back to face her again. "What I looked like, don't you?"
"The paintings," Twilight said.
Nightmare grunted in disgust.
"Show me," Twilight whispered.
Nightmare squinted at her. "There is no point in it."
All she asked was, "Please?"
And Nightmare broke eye contact again.
The dream shifted around them. Night fell. The moon rose. Flowers blossomed from the meadow. Nightmare broke eye contact and lifted her head to point behind her.
She turned around. A mare stood before her, looking at her. Almost like the portraits and paintings, yet even with all their artistic talent, the paintings were just paint on canvas. They did nothing to capture her beauty. Her mane, so graceful, calm and free, such a rich blue highlighted with lilac. Soft, deep cyan eyes. Onyx tiara and regalia, catching the moon's light just perfectly to glow as if enchanted with magic.
Princess Luna was full of life. She watched the Guardian of Dreams, saw how her body moved with each breath she breathed in, saw how her soft eyes danced back and forth, studying her. She did not hold herself rigidly or stiff, or in a posture that a predator would. She was relaxed; her wings were loosely held to her sides.
The Princess of the Night stood as tall as she thought: not quite as tall as Celestia and Nightmare Moon, but still taller than Cadance and every other pony. Her fur was midnight blue, deeper and darker than the paintings, yet richer and softer than painted canvas could ever portray. She did not look like a warrior nor a guardian, but innocent and pure and vulnerable, with no chestplate or armor of any kind. She looked like a pony just like her, so entirely different from Nightmare Moon.
And she spoke in a voice far softer and more musical than Nightmare Moon's voice could ever be, "This is how I looked when I was Luna."
She turned back to face Nightmare, only to find her teacher missing. She turned back to face Luna. She met her teacher's eyes, then let her gaze trace along her slender neck and sleek body. Her grace and beauty put Princess Celestia to shame, and to think that ponies hated her? She cried.
And Luna frowned, almost ruining her serene, innocent beauty. "What is wrong?"
She looked up and met her gaze. "How could ponies hate you? You're so beautiful..."
And Luna's mouth parted, but nothing came out. Inevitably, Luna closed her mouth and turned to the right, looking away from her. And then bitterness swept across her expression, and Nightmare Moon stood where Luna had been, shaking her head. "Sister," was all she had to say.
So Twilight threw herself at her teacher and hugged her again, and as before, she caught Nightmare off-guard. She wrapped her forelegs around Nightmare's neck, laid her head on her right foreleg, and squeezed her teacher. After several seconds, she rubbed her cheek up and down against Nightmare and held onto her tighter.
Nightmare sat down and returned the hug, enveloping Twilight with her warm wings and strong forelegs, holding her close. Sheltering her. She felt Nightmare dip her muzzle into her mane, and she thought she heard her teacher say something, but she couldn't make it out. She felt calmed and peaceful, even though she cried.
Eventually, she felt Nightmare's bare forehoof trace down the back of her mane, down her neck, then coming to a stop where it had been.
"Thank you for showing me..." she whispered.
After a moment, Nightmare murmured, "Thank you for being my friend."
The dream ended.
When Twilight awoke, her vision was blurred and her face was cold and wet. She blinked away the remnants of tears and looked left, down at Spike who she clutched against her chest. She closed her eyes and nuzzled him, then unwrapped her forelegs from his body and rolled to the right.
As quietly as she could, she climbed off the bed. She let her eyes trace over the panoramic painting on the wall, then they settled on the door. She looked back at Spike, then walked over to the door, opened it, and then closed it behind her. Without thinking, she turned right and walked to the door to the hallway, opened it, and stepped outside. Both guards looked at her.
"I'm... going for a walk," she murmured and closed the door behind her. She started forward.
"Do you require an escort?" one of them asked.
She shook her head without looking back and continued down the hallway. They said nothing more as she walked on. Unlike earlier, only half of the torches were lit, casting the hallways in an even softer orange glow. The dim light weighed on her, making her eyelids droop even as she forced herself on. She walked passed the Throne Room and headed to the entrance, ignoring the respectful bows of batponies as she walked by.
She pushed the doors open with her magic, then walked outside. Cold washed over her and banished the exhaustion. Numbly, she descended the steps. She looked left and right, but the world was dark. Almost pitch black, almost impossible to see. She could make out the shapes of buildings and trees and batponies walking along. She looked up and took in the stars. She stared at the little specks of light as she listened to the chirping of crickets and cicadas and the hooting of owls.
She inhaled, then sat down on her haunches.
The ground was cold. The air was cold. She missed her teacher. And she felt lonely and disappointed and fractured as she stared at the sky. Her mind wandered back to the art gallery, and then her mind wandered back to the dream.
Luna was beautiful! How was it possible that ponies hated her!? How did Princess Celestia not see what was happening!? How!?
And she had no answers. She closed her eyes as the tears came back again, and she let her head hang limply, with her muzzle touching her chest.
There were only two ways she would find the answers she needed: having Nightmare Moon or Princess Celestia tell her, or find a book that she needed to read.
She lifted her head back up and inhaled. Looking around at the dark outlines of structures and trees, she couldn't help but think, 'Maybe it's not that dark.'
She could even see the occasional glow of lamps illuminating the night.
Standing back up, she looked back at the castle. Spike was sound asleep, and if he did wake up, the guards would tell him she went on a walk. He would be fine. She would be fine. She turned back around and set off, making her way through the dark streets. Batponies moved out of the way at her approach, giving her ample room to avoid running into anything.
She wasn't sure how long it took her, but she eventually managed to find the art gallery again. The lamp was still lit, so she climbed up the stairs and pulled on the door with her magic. It wasn't locked, so it opened freely. She walked inside and closed the door behind her.
"Twilight," Nightmare said.
She turned to the right and faced her teacher. Nightmare Moon's body was turned at an angle, but her head was facing her, surprised. "You said you wouldn't," she whispered.
"And I keep my promises," Nightmare dismissed. With that, Nightmare turned back to face the portrait, then silently walked the length of the hallway to stop in front of it.
A moment later, Twilight came to a stop at her side, her eyes flicking between the portrait and Nightmare Moon. She couldn't read her teacher's expression. "Why are you here then?"
Nightmare inhaled and stood straighter. "Pointless reminiscence," was her answer.
"They love you," she pointed out. Nightmare turned her head to face her. "The batponies. They're the artists who made all of this, right? They love you."
Nightmare turned back to face the portrait. "They do," was her dismissal.
She frowned. "Ponies love you."
"No," Nightmare stated firmly. "The batponies do, but all other ponies hate me."
"I don't hate you," she murmured.
Nightmare looked at her, and for a moment, she thought the alicorn looked pained. "You... don't," her teacher mumbled. After a moment, Nightmare faced her again. "And for that, you have my thanks."
She smiled, but it was cut short by a yawn. She shook her head to try to banish the exhaustion, but it didn't work.
"You are tired," Nightmare acknowledged with a nod. "You should be sleeping."
Twilight half-smiled. "So should you."
"I will be fine," Nightmare countered. "But you should rest. And I suppose-" Nightmare turned away from her and leaned to the right, "-I should take my leave as well. I should not disturb you and your friends' trip."
"You're my friend too. You can stay," Twilight offered.
Nightmare shook her head. "Your friends are not so welcoming."
"They don't have to know?" she asked.
Nightmare glanced at her, then looked back at the portrait, scrutinizing it. "Why do you want me to stay?"
Twilight tilted her head and asked, "Because you're my friend?"
"It is late and you should be sleeping," Nightmare immediately countered. "There is no reason for me to stay when I can simply return after I have raised the moon." Looking at her, Nightmare continued, "Though if you desire me to use my magic to help you sleep, I am not opposed to helping you."
Twilight frowned.
Nightmare's lips twitched slightly as she faced the portrait.
Twilight shifted her weight. "Uh, how did the... negotiations with the griffins go?"
Nightmare reluctantly nodded, then said, "Well enough. In truth... I am surprised." Nightmare's eyes flicked to meet her own. "By many things about the griffins. They are... different." Her teacher shook her head. "They are not unified, but I think they will accept my offer. We will both prosper from it."
"Well, that's good!" Twilight voiced.
Nightmare nodded once. "Yes. Although we have yet to work out all of the details." A moment passed in silence, then her teacher sighed. "I am concerned they will be too stubborn to accept my offer."
Twilight yawned again. "I'm sure you can figure something out."
"Perhaps," Nightmare replied. "But we can discuss this another time," her teacher said as she turned to face her, "because you are tired and should rest."
Twilight rolled her eyes. "I'm not that tired..." she trailed off and a smile pulled at her lips. "I have stayed up all night studying before!"
Nightmare raised an eyebrow. "That is not good for you."
The smile faded and she turned away from Nightmare. "Right..." She sucked in a deep breath and met Nightmare's gaze, smiling again, "But I do learn a lot when I do that!"
She thought she saw a slight smile pull at Nightmare's lips, but Nightmare turned to face the portrait before she could be certain. "Then if you are so inclined-" Nightmare looked back at her, "-join me?"
"Sure!" Twilight agreed. Nightmare smiled. And then Twilight asked, "For what?"
Nightmare nodded and turned around, then started walking towards the exit. "Come," her teacher beckoned, and she followed.
They walked out of the art gallery together, and Nightmare hurried down the stairs, then stopped. Twilight stepped down the first step, then paused as Nightmare sat down on her haunches and looked back at her. "I want to show you something," Nightmare said.
Twilight didn't move for a few seconds, instead, just staring at her teacher. Seeing Nightmare Moon's back surprised her, and it reminded her of Manehattan, when she had ridden on Nightmare's back, flying over the city with her. "Uh, what?"
"We will fly," Nightmare answered.
After another second to process it, Twilight slowly descended the steps, then climbed onto Nightmare's back and wrapped her forelegs around her teacher's neck, and tucked her hind legs under Nightmare's body. A tinge of anxiety tickled her mind, and she looked left and right. Nightmare was calm, so perhaps it was fine, and yet the fear, 'Is anypony going to see this!?' still haunted her.
But maybe it was fine. Maybe she was worrying too much. If they were seen, then it would be by batponies.
Nightmare stood up, extended her wings, and then jumped into the air. She held on tight as they climbed above the trees, then ascended higher and higher into the pitch black, moonless sky. She made the mistake of looking down and felt as if her stomach dropped out of her body. Her gut clenched, and her legs clenched that much tighter.
"I will not drop you," Nightmare said.
"I'm the one holding on!" Twilight pointed out.
Nightmare turned her head back. "If you fall," Nightmare paused and her blue aura wrapped around her horn, "I will catch you."
Twilight tried to smile. It came out as a grimace. Nightmare looked back ahead, mumbling, "Trust me."
She looked down again. The wold was almost entirely black. She couldn't make out anything except the outline of the castle, mountains, forests, what might have been a river, and grasslands in the distance. She inhaled deeply, then let the breath out. "Okay."
Nightmare leveled out, and her wingbeats ceased as she held her wings straight out and glided. Since there was less risk of falling off, Twilight let up on her grip and looked around the sky. The stars were about the same as from the ground, but the atmosphere was different. There was an unobstructed view of the sky, and it felt as if she was almost a part of the sky itself, surrounded on all sides by empty air as she was.
The contrast of the cold night air against her coat and the warmth of Nightmare's body made her shiver. "What do you think?" her teacher asked.
And then the world felt almost silent as they glided on. No insects chirping. No beating of wings. Nothing except the wind flowing through her mane and tail. It was calm. And it was so much better than flying in Manehattan, because there was nothing to weigh her down. No fear nor anxiety nor chaos happening below, just peace.
Just a moment they shared together, not brought on by necessity, but friendship.
She smiled and said, "It's nice."
And Nightmare smiled back, nodding. "I... have not been able to enjoy this as much as I wanted. Flying at night. It is... pleasant, yet... I find it lacking anymore."
Twilight frowned a bit but said nothing. Nightmare beat her wings once, then went back to gliding. She laid her head down on the right side of Nightmare's neck, and Nightmare glanced back at her for a moment.
"You did not experience this with my sister," Nightmare mumbled.
Twilight's ears pinned back. "No... I didn't."
Nightmare didn't say anything. For a few more minutes, they glided along. She thought she spotted some fluffy mass, and almost as soon as she spotted it, Nightmare turned and glided down towards it. "What's that?"
"A cloud," Nightmare answered.
Flatly, "I can't walk on clouds. I'm a unicorn."
"Did you not brush up on the cloud walking spell?" Nightmare asked curiously.
"I had other things on my mind," Twilight muttered.
"I see," Nightmare said. There was a flash of light from Nightmare's horn. "There."
"Thank you," Twilight said.
Nightmare nodded. A few more seconds passed before Nightmare's hooves touched down on the cloud. Rather than sitting down like she expected, Nightmare laid down on her stomach. Twilight unwrapped herself from Nightmare's body and testingly poked the cloud, and the cloud dipped down under her weight but held.
She slid off and laid down at Nightmare's right side. She folded her forehooves and then laid her head upon them. The cloud felt slightly warmer than the air, softer and fluffy like it wasn't really there, and a bit humid. Nightmare shifted her weight, and she felt the cloud shift under her almost like a bed when somepony climbed into it. All in all, a cloud was something she could get used to. Provided, of course, she ignored just how far off the ground they were and that she was a unicorn and not a pegasus. "So, this is why Rainbow Dash likes clouds so much for napping on," she murmured as she closed her eyes.
"Perhaps," Nightmare said.
After a few more seconds, Twilight opened her eyes and looked at Nightmare, who stared straight ahead into the sky. She looked where Nightmare looked, but only saw stars. She didn't even know which direction it was. "What was it you wanted to show me?"
"Watch," Nightmare said.
She went back to watching the sky. Seconds drew onto minutes, and her eyes grew heavier. The cold against her right side made her shift her weight and press herself closer to her teacher. Nightmare tilted her head towards her and looked at her, and then returned to the sky.
She felt her teacher lean away, then Nightmare's wing lifted out from between their sides and laid over her back like a blanket. She closed her eyes and smiled from the warmth it brought. "Thank you." Nightmare was quiet. She opened her eyes.
A small speck of light flashed through the sky in a short arc, burning bright, then fading to nothingness. She thought she could see smoke left in its wake. "A meteor?"
"Yes," Nightmare said.
"Can you-"
Nightmare shook her head. "It is not my doing, but it is beautiful..."
Twilight found herself nodding. "Yeah..." she agreed.
Nightmare inhaled and tilted her head. Her mouth parted, then stopped and stayed open. After a second, Nightmare finally said, "I know the Gala is yet a month away, but I intend to invite you and your friends."
Twilight frowned at her. "But you won't be there."
Nightmare gave one pronounced nod. "I will not, but Cadance will."
"You should try it," Twilight whispered.
Nightmare shook her head. "It would make a mockery of me."
Twilight pushed her head up off her forehooves to face Nightmare. "If you gave it a chance-"
Nightmare faced her and met her gaze. Her eyes were almost soft as they danced back and forth, then broke contact to look at Twilight's body sheltered beneath her wing. "You sound like Cadance," her teacher observed.
Twilight smiled sheepishly. "She was my foalsitter."
Nightmare looked her in the eye for a passing moment, then turned back to the sky. "So my niece was your foalsitter," was her mumble. "And my sister your teacher."
She turned back to the sky and rested her head on her forehooves. With Nightmare's warmth at her side and wing blanketing her, she relaxed, and as minutes passed, her eyelids drifted lower. The wind made her mane and tail tickle her body, and the chill on her face and legs felt pleasant in contrast with her teacher's warmth. A few more meteors sparked across the sky in silence. After a few more minutes, she fell asleep.