//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Mother Moon, Cousin Love // by ShadowStar_IMHP //------------------------------// Buttercream’s POV It took time for Buttercream to find the room where Nightshade was at but eventually her and Peppermint Heart enter the suite. “Luna?” She asks walking in and not seeing the Princess of the night. Princess Celestia as reading a book “Then the little pig said “Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin... Oh hello, Buttercream, Peppermint Heart, and little Cream Puff. I was just reading a story to Nightshade.” “Nightshade” squeaked Cream puff from Buttercream’s back. Buttercream catches her daughter before the young unicorn could leap over to the still sleeping Nightshade. “How is she doing, and where’s Luna. Shouldn’t she be here?” “Nightshade will recover she needs rest after spending nearly all her magic, Luna... she’s in the operating room.” “How bad was Luna wounded, Princess?” Peppermint Heart asks as he moves to the bed and brushes Nightshade’s mane. “Her wing was broken, cut at the joint. Doctor Feel Good said they had to reset it so her tendons would heal properly. If not she wouldn’t be able to fly again so he got her to agree to an operation.” She looked to the door worry on her face her politician mask forgotten. Buttercream was about to ask something else but the door opened by a nurse and Luna was pushed in laying on a bed. “I can walk you know.” Luna states as one of the nurses' motions for her to lay on the bed. “Princess you are going to rest. You might be awake but we still used pain killers and local anesthetics, even you can be affected. You will rest.” The moved the bed so the two beds were near each other. Buttercream lost her grip of Cream Puff and the filly leaped onto Nightshade’s bed and moves to snuggle next to the sleeping filly. “Nightshade.” “Cream Puff you can’t snuggle up to Nightshade she needs to rest.” Dr. Feel Good looks over “it alright, Nightshade just physically tired. Having someone snuggle with her wouldn’t harm her.” He looked over to Luna. “More importantly I think Mother and daughter can rest in the same bed.” “I got this.” Peppermint Heart moved forward and with the skill of a professional child care worker, he maneuvered both foals and moved them over to Luna where Nightshade subconsciously snuggled up against luna’s side. Then Cream Puff took up Nightshade's other side. “They are so cute.” Buttercream looks at Luna “I’m glad your okay Luna. Your my best friend, I... I don’t know how I would have reacted if you were hurt more.” “I have some duties to tend to. I will be back later Luna.” Celestia says smiling and nuzzle her sister. “I’m sure the press and nobles be wanting answers.” “Maybe it not to late to have my horn broken?...” Celestia looked to the door then sighs and walks out. “So Peppermint here finally asked me out. Our first date is Friday two weeks from now.” Luna looks over to Peppermint who was blushing. “About time.” -------------- Luna’s POV Three months after the invasion Luna was flying again on her own. The gentle glide in the night air was refreshing. Her flight wasn’t just enjoyment as she lands in front of the Golden Oaks Library her ear twitch hearing voices. “Spike! Are the snacks ready?” “Yes Twilight, and I checked twice.” “I just want it to be perfect.” “Princess Luna will not judge if we didn’t dust the top of the bookshelf for the third time,” Spike says as he brings out a tray with a variety of snacks. “What we didn’t get the shelves dusted a third time? Spike I’m going to learn a whole new type of magic, everything has to be perfect. Hurry she be here any moment...” The door opened and Luna walks in. “Everything is fine Twilight Sparkle, Spike you do a wonderful job on keeping the place cleaned.” Twilight’s head turns a wide smile on her face “Princess Luna” A flash of her horn and a scroll and quill appears. “This going to be so much fun. What do I need?” “First no quill or scroll. Mind magic is mental, not physical. Most of these lessons going to take place in the astral plane and the dream realm. You just have to wait till after to take notes.” “No...notes?” Twilight’s eye twitches. “Spike we need a place to lay down. During this time our bodies will be here but our minds will be elsewhere.” “Sure Princess Luna I got the pillows set as you requested.” “Thanks, noble spike. Now Twilight settles down and relaxes. Thought we wouldn’t be moving this isn’t resting. The expense of magic will tire you out. This first trip to the dream realm I will be guiding you along.” Luna says as she settles down and takes a nibble of a cucumber sandwich. “Okay, Princess.” Twilight settles down trying to relax but was so excited about learning dream magic. Luna’s horn lights up and a line of magic draws out and connects to Twilight’s. The world faded away and Twilight found herself standing on a blue carpet floating among stars. Doors were on each side of the carpet spreading out into infinity. “Beautiful isn’t it?” Luna stepped up from behind Twilight. “I chose as simple representation as I could. Each door is another pony’s dream.” “Each door? It looks like the doors go on forever.” “Not quite, I count around 7.6 million or so. That just in the Equestria nation, there are even more outside the nation. I can even pick up on the Zebra on the other side of the world. The less Pony like the harder it is for me to pick up a sleeping beings' mind.” “That’s... seven million? There that many ponies in Equestria?” “Indeed Twilight Sparkle. It was far less a thousand years ago.” Another form appeared before Twilight. Royal Purple with dark purple mane and tail. Nightshade in her full adult form. Twilight backs up “Night... Nigh...” Luna looks down at the now terrified Twilight. “Calm yourself Twilight. My Daughter has no desire to harm you.” “But she... I saw...” “I must apologize Twilight. I lost control of the Nightmare. In the end, you saw what your mind created as the worst possible situation.” Nightshade sighs as she bows. “It was so real... I know it was a dream, but...” Luna nods “That why I chose to start teaching you Dream magic first. So you can learn to control your nightmares and even tell if they are being controlled, normal or wild uncontrolled nightmares.” “I’m bored let have some fun. Twilight pick a door.” Nightshade form shifted to her five-year-old variation. “Oh, this is a good dream!” Nightshade points to a door that has a pinkish glow to it. “That door? Nightshade that not something she should see her first time in the dream realm.” Luna shakes her head. “Is it a Nightmare?” Twilight curiosity got to her and she looked at the door. She even walked around it completely missing the fact she was walking on nothing. Luna smirks “No it’s as far away from a Nightmare as one could get. Just... a bit private.” Twilight opens the door and her eyes widen. From inside the dream, Miss Cake’s voice came out loud and clear. “Oh Pound that cake!” Followed by grunts. Twilight slams the door close blushing. “I did warn you Twilight.” Luna couldn’t help laughing. “First lesson the glow changes depending on what type of dream. As you can tell the pinkish-red is very... um... passionate.” The hall of dreams was filled with the laughter of a filly.