Twilight wasn’t quite sure when she first observed it. But she knew Princess Luna had a curious sort of habit. Every time the weather was just right when the pegasi created the clouds just so that the evening rain would come down on Canterlot, Luna walked… no, she strode with a graceful elegance out into the cobblestone streets, rain pitter-pattering off of rooftops like a song. And like she was in a musical known only to her, Luna took to the streets with that same beauty and grace only she could ever provide.
The moon was only a tiny sliver of light just poking through the darkened clouds, illuminating the princess of the night’s elegant form. The rain seemed to sparkle as the Princess of Tides and Dreams strode out onto her balcony, which overlooked the rest of the city. Telescopes lay forgotten to the right of her, and Twilight wondered if Luna knew how expensive they actually were. At times, the Princess of Friendship had found she’d have to replace several telescopes time and time again. It was an inconvenience, one to be settled in the morning. Before she had access to the royal coffers Twilight might have balked at the sheer price tag each offered. Buying them one at a time was at best, the most practical solution. Even then, however, high-quality telescopes like the ones Twilight found herself favoring had to be created painstakingly.
Twilight meant to have a word with her marefriend. Not now, of course. Interrupting her graceful waltz was just folly. Not for the first time, Twilight’s eyes began to wander over her form. Like the moon itself -if it could be visible- Luna herself was waxing in a way. Her coat was lighter than normal, a sort of dusty blue and her silver mane falling in gentle waves. Her power, being so intimately connected to the moon was connected with her. At some nights, Luna could be nearly so dark you could barely see her if not for her mane glistening with the stars above. Her coat was at these times so dark you could almost call it pure black. At others, -and this Twilight found to be her favorite- she was a powder blue color.
Twilight shivered in her bed, a gusty wind chill reminding all that were present that autumn was close at hand. She pressed the covers to her form. “You warm enough?” Luna asked as she took in the city lights, drops of rain slowly falling off her form. “If… If you want, I can cast a heating charm…”
“I’d rather not inconvenience you,” Twilight whispered, picking herself up off the bed and capturing Luna’s lips in a kiss. “...I’d rather you spare your power for where it matters.”
She remembered Luna saying once: “My moon is of cycles and tides, and so with it my power waxes and wanes as the days pass.”
Luna snorted. “Do you really think me so weak that a simple heating charm will inconvenience me?” she asked before capturing Twilight’s lips in a series of soft kisses. Then, after leaving her still wanting for more Luna whispered: “Admit it, you just wanted to draw me closer, you minx.”
“Perhaps.” Twilight thought to herself, never going to let the victory go to her marefriend. She was stubborn like this.
“You are a barbarian,” Luna said succinctly, her voice like a fine wine to Twilight’s ears. It only continued to grow better with age. “Keeping me from my favorite hobby.”
“Yes yes, I’m horribly uncouth. However, I didn’t see you protesting last time,” Twilight said smoothly. “...In fact, I seem to recall you were interested in something else…”
“Yes, well, a Princess can have multiple interests, yes?” Luna said, her tail brushing under Twilight’s chin making the mare shudder in anticipation. Luna noticed this and smirked, as she would ever let it be so easy.
“I hope you don’t mean other mares…” Twilight teased gently joining her love on the balcony. And Luna was Twilight’s love, her everything. There was something about the ancient mare that just drew Twilight to her like a magnet. Luna was the embodiment of a mare of mystery, and there were still so many things about her Twilight still didn’t know. And to be truthful with herself, Twilight knew she’d never know everything about her.
“You’re getting paranoid, love. Far too paranoid. There is naught a mare in my life but you and you alone.” Luna said as she closed her eyes, and let the raindrops scatter and dart across her form. She whistled a low tune under her breath, and Twilight fought back a laugh at the cliche. Singing in the rain? It was so… so Luna, and yet it was still so wondrous.
Twilight had heard her love sing before, a few times when she thought nobody was listening. Like almost everything else about Luna, it was a mystery. Where had the alicorn learned to sing, and why had she done so? Was it to entice a lover near, like that of the sirens of the sea of old? Perhaps. Twilight would have been a fool to think she was the first lover Luna had taken over the many centuries. The night was a place of dreams but it was a place of other things as well. Things unspoken, things not said in public. Things done only in the privacy of one’s own home when nobody else was around. There were alicorns, and then there were alicorns. Twilight knew that although she would live far longer than an ordinary pony, Luna would still outlive her. It was hardly a prospect Twilight enjoyed thinking about. And yet she knew one day, far off in the distant future, it was something that would eventually become a reality.
Of course, Twilight mused as she followed Luna down through the darkened halls of the castle. There were times to think of such dread tidings and tonight was not one of them. Tonight was a rain dance, and Twilight for one intended to join her love in the waltz the weather offered.
Twilight watched her twirl, the mare mostly unseen in the darkened streets. There was a time when Twilight probably would have balked at such a thing, staying up this late. She knew she would sleep till long after the rooster crowed, and she knew Rainbow Dash would have things to say. But right now, it was worth it. The moon only just passed new tonight, so it was almost a pitch black in front of Twilight. Almost. Twin horns glowed in the dark, and Twilight knew Luna knew she was being watched.
Luna didn’t seem to mind.
Twilight had heard the rumors of course, from whispers amongst the guard. They spoke of the princess making mysterious journeys out into the streets when they very well knew nobody was there to see her. Twilight paid them no mind, everyone was allowed their hobbies. Twilight actually could see the logic behind such journeys. When nobody else was around, in the dark of the night one could be afforded the time to think.
That still didn’t stop her from following, and Twilight knew it was wrong and yet… she still did it anyways. The sense of danger, intrusion on private moments urged her on, actually.
And that was where Twilight had found her one night. In the gardens, away from everyone else dancing in the rain. A moment, a place in time where nobody could bother her. Tonight, in this place amongst the hedges she was just… Luna. No crown, no fancy regalia and no titles. Here, she was just Luna.
Twilight smiled, it was such a childish thing for the mare. She almost laughed, had she not been taken in the beauty and tranquility of the moment. Singing and dancing in the rain, like out of some bad play? It was… not something she expected of the mare, to be honest with herself. And yet… Twilight couldn’t fault Luna for this moment. She had seen Luna when she was the Princess of the Moon, Dreams, and Tides. She never looked relaxed, truly relaxed. Never a moment to herself, it was always handling courts, papers and things her sister hadn’t managed to get around to doing.
“It is a wonderous thing to share isn’t it?” Luna asked offering up a hoof to Twilight, her mane glistening as the moon shone down through the clouds. “A dance under the moon, and in the rain.”
Twilight pulled herself from her memories, realizing her love didn’t ask this in the past but in the present.
“...you seem… distracted, really,” Luna noted. “Is something the matter?”
“Sorry, just… lost in my memories,” Twilight murmured as she spun and twirled with Luna in sync. The two were their own, sharing a connection that nobody else could even begin to guess at. They worked in tandem, doing their little dances with grace and impunity. Freedom was theirs and theirs alone in that moment. “You… do you remember that first night?”
”The one where you found me? Alone… well, almost alone, in the gardens?” Luna ruminated. “Yes. Yes, I remember it well. You looked so shocked, little Twilight. Stunned and embarrassed that you’d been caught out. I’ll cherish the look on your face forevermore.”
“And you call me a minx,” Twilight grumbled her face an interesting shade of red. “You’re not just a minx, you’re a devil!”
“But a beautiful one, no?” Luna asked as she once again found herself brushing her tail under Twilight’s chin. “I’m your own personal devil. A cardinal sin.”
“Well, if I were to sin with anyone, I couldn’t have found a better pony to do it with,” Twilight mused. The low rumble of thunder was heard above them somewhere. Twilight was dipped low by her lover, even as lightning lit up the sky. Luna’s face was illuminated, showing off her grin. Twilight found herself gazing into the deep pools of her eyes. For a moment, just a brief moment Twilight was reminded how truly ancient the Princess was. She’d seen the rise and fall of civilizations, kingdoms founded and kingdoms destroyed. She’d seen the passing of many an age, wars long since forgotten or resigned to only the history texts. It was enough to make a mare feel… inadequate. Twilight knew that one day perhaps Luna would leave her, only remembering her as yet another lover that the passage time had taken from her. Twilight fought back the salty tears that threatened to break and hoped they would disguise themselves as more raindrops below their hooves.
“And little pony?” Luna asked. “Is something the matter? Do not lie to me little Twilight, I know you all too well. You would be kidding me if you ever thought you could fool me.”
“Well, it’s like this you see,” Twilight admitted. “I… for every time I know you love me, there is another mare or stallion you loved time and time ago. I know there will come a time I, like everything else, will be relegated to the history books. And what then? Will you forget about me, and be happy with someone else?”
“I… see. So that’s what’s been troubling you as of late,” Luna said, a phantom series of emotions crossing her face. Hurt, sadness that Twilight thought so little of her. But she supposed it was to be expected of course. “Do not be so foolish my love. Even when it comes to your time of dying, you will be remembered. Not every mare I loved, not every stallion was royalty who stole my heart so neatly. Remember this Twilight. Yes, there will come a time when we part, but remember this. You are loved, and you will be remembered. There is a waxing and waning when it comes to relationships, like everything else relating to me. But that doesn’t mean I enjoy it. But for now, dear Twilight, would you indulge me in a moon dance? It’s a marvelous night and it should never go unwasted.”
And Twilight readily agreed to this and so many things after.