//------------------------------// // Grand Galloping Gala Part 1 // Story: The Night's Stars // by SC_Orion //------------------------------// Deep inside her chest, Twilight felt a jittery, bubbling energy: anxiety, mixed with nervousness and anticipation. Her dress did little to contain the energy as she paced back and forth. 'Tonight's the night! The Grand Galloping Gala!' It wouldn't be the first one she had attended, of course. Given that she had been Princess Celestia's personal student, protege, really, she had attended several. None of them made her half as excited as this one, and the reason was simple. Before, she didn't have friends, and now she did. A simple reason that simply drove her mad with giddiness. She smiled and her pacing quickened. She had friends to accompany her! She wouldn't have to deal with 'nobles' trying to use her for their own gain! Cadance would be there! And her friends would be there! She bounced a little with her pacing, and with that, Spike coughed. She stopped and looked back at him. "Twilight, you're prancing," he said. She felt her cheeks heat up as she turned to face him. "N-no... I'm not..." she defended, her voice coming out higher-pitched than normal. 'Okay maybe I'm excited, but I'm not prancing!' Prancing would be silly. Although yes, she had plenty of reason to prance about it. She had friends to come with her! Why were all of her friends and everypony walking past them staring at her? "Uh, Twilight?" Rainbow's voice cracked unsurely. She looked at the pegasus and found Rainbow squinting at her unsurely. "You're definitely prancing," was flatly added. "I'm not prancing!" Twilight retorted. She sucked in a deep breath and stood up straight and rigid. Matter of factly, she stated, "I'm just excited." Yes, it was exciting. She was going to the Gala and she was going to be with her friends and she was going to do something that she was probably going to regret! 'This is going to be interesting,' slithered through her mind, making her wince and squirm. Suddenly her dress felt tight. She bit the edge of her lip and pinned it between her teeth, then looked back along her dress. Rarity had done well with it. It wasn't what she had first envisioned, of course, but, to summarize: Rarity was the designer. Rarity knew what to do, and in comparison, she certainly did not. It took a bit of work to sort out that problem. She wasn't sure Rainbow was over the embarrassment yet. Putting that out of mind, she smiled as she looked along her coat, then to the dress. It was reminiscent of a wizard robe, albeit neither archaic nor out of place for the gala. A sash of blue fabric draped around her back so that it came down to just above her hind hooves and covered her tail, accented with a teal patch in the middle of her back that hid the straps that kept the dress in place. The dress ran forward to her neck and then flared up and back slightly. It was held in place with a six-pointed silver star clasp in the front of her neck, just above her chest. It was rather simple, at her request, so that it wouldn't attract unwanted attention. She was certain she could describe it better if she knew anything about fashion. Completing the dress, she wore silver shoes on her hooves. A gift from Nightmare Moon, rather than from Rarity. She let her gaze drift down to the shoes and wander over the elegantly shaped silver. Her front hooves matched and her hind hooves matched, with the shoes on her forehooves thicker than the ones on her hind hooves. A silver moon adorned each boot, centered in the front, and they all shined with polished perfection. 'You really are grateful that we're friends.' She smiled fondly at the thought. Spike wore a tuxedo that Rarity had skillfully weaved for him. Creating the suit for a baby dragon had been, according to Rarity, a fun challenge. Spike had been quite happy to assist Rarity with the matter. Rainbow wore a dress just as colorful as her, and to Twilight's infinite surprise, the dress was far more elegant and frilly than she had expected. Where she expected Rainbow's dress to be streamlined and aerodynamic, Rainbow's dress instead made the mare look much more feminine than normal: a large, rainbow-colored sash from the middle of her back, down to cover her hind legs and tail. She wasn't sure how to describe the leading edge of the dress, other than it reminded her of clouds. A golden laurel was draped over the mare's head that reminded her of broad fern leaves, and Rainbow wore golden shoes with matching golden straps that wound up her leg in an elegant dance. A pearl necklace hung from her neck, assembled to cover her chest in a way that reminded her of a cluster of grapes. Applejack looked out of place with what she supposed was meant to be a dress. It had to have been a challenge, given Applejack's lack of appreciation for dresses, but Rarity had managed to come up with a compromise. Rather than a sash of cloth, Applejack's dress was more of a suit. Green pants on her hind legs that came up to meet a short sash of mahogany-colored cloth that served to hide the straps. Applejack's boots were more fitting for a rodeo, and, of course, the mare wore her stetson. She turned her gaze onto Pinkie Pie, who bounced in place. There was simply no way for her to begin to describe Pinkie's dress, other than it looked sugary. It was simple like Applejack's, but more colorful in a way that reminded her of a decorated cupcake-like Sugarcube Corner. She was very glad that dress wasn't the same one Pinkie had originally wanted. Fluttershy's dress was simple, elegant, and beautiful. It looked natural and graceful, light and free. A softer shade of green than Applejack's dress, and it really made Fluttershy look beautiful. She felt calmer just for looking at the timid pegasus. Fluttershy still shied back, blushing ever so slightly under her gaze. She smiled and walked over to nuzzle Fluttershy on her exposed neck. After a few seconds, Fluttershy gradually stood back up, though her head was still drooped lower than normal. "You look nice," Twilight complimented with genuine warmth. Fluttershy lowered her head more. "Um, thank you. You look nice too," Fluttershy whispered. Twilight felt her smile widen. "Thank you." Fluttershy smiled back at her softly. "I hope we all enjoy tonight." As to whether they would or not, she wasn't sure. Her friends' original expectations of the Gala had been more grandiose that her past experiences, so it fell to her to give them a reality check. Out of all of them, Rarity appreciated it the least. 'I need to talk to Nightmare Moon tonight. I need to stop procrastinating on telling her about the letter.' And at the thought, she felt her smile start to slip away. How would Nightmare Moon react to her telling her about the letter, and how would Nightmare Moon react when she found out how long it had taken her to talk to her about it? 'This is really last minute. I should have told you sooner.' There just hadn't been a good time. It was still her fault. Nightmare Moon would understand, because she remembered, 'I apologize for doubting you. I am grateful for your friendship.' "Y'all think Rarity's gonna be out anytime soon?" Applejack asked flatly. "I hope so!" Rainbow groaned in her raspy voice. "She's been in there for-ever!" Twilight could practically hear Rarity saying, 'You can't rush perfection!' She nibbled on her lip and looked up at the sky. The moon was halfway to its apex, still climbing. Given that it was always night, it had been decided the Gala should start earlier than normal. That way they wouldn't have to deal with the moonless night. Twilight just barely heard Fluttershy murmur, "You seem really tense." She turned to face Fluttershy and nodded slowly. "Do I? I feel-" and Looking at Fluttershy, she felt the urge to dismiss her worry ajd lie fade away, "-okay yes, I feel a little nervous." "You can always come with me when I'm in the Castle's gardens... if, um, you want to..." Fluttershy trailed off, bowing her head low as she shied back. Twilight smiled softly and tilted her head. "Thank you, Fluttershy," she said softly. "I... might take you up on that offer." There was a little twinkle in Fluttershy's eyes, and a small smile pulled at the mare's lips. Yes, Fluttershy's company was nice and would be nice tonight. Twilight smiled a little more as she turned back to watch the sky. 'Can I convince you to join my friends or myself tonight?' she wondered. Her teacher had softened since apologizing, yet Nightmare Moon was still resolute about not attending the Gala. 'I'll visit you regardless. You'll be glad to see me.' 'And we need to talk-' The thought was cut off when the door to Rarity's boutique opened. She turned to the doorway and saw Rarity standing there, almost as regal as Princess Celestia had been. Her dress put the rest of her friends' dresses to shame, although she was certain that was because none of them besides Rarity had such high demands. Rarity strode out, and with how the light from inside wrapped around her, it almost made her glow with a halo of light. She closed the door behind herself, then descended onto the dirt road with practiced steps, head held high and smiling. The sash of mauve colored fabric hung loosely around her back, descending down the length of her tail to hide it, but not far enough to drag on the ground. Bands of golden fabric and small gems accented the dress along the tail section, and a single band of golden fabric ran around her neck. Along with the dress, Rarity wore crystal shoes, amethyst earrings, and a golden headband set with an amethyst in front of her horn. The headband reminded her far too much of Princess Celestia's tiara. Rarity hummed in her usual, chipper manner as she opened her eyes to scrutinize all of them. "Are you done yet?" Rainbow grumbled. Rarity let out an indignant, "Hmpf!" and jerked her head to the side. "One cannot rush perfection, Rainbow Dash." Rainbow groaned. Rarity smiled again. "But yes, I suppose I'm presentable now." "Good, because I think I see the chariots," Rainbow muttered. Twilight glanced at Rainbow and then looked towards the spot in the sky the pegasus looked at. She saw the two batpony-drawn chariots gradually descending towards the road. She still wasn't sure how she felt about their means of getting to Canterlot on time. Specifically, last time that they had traveled by batpony chariot, they had been cramped. 'And we're wearing dresses now!' her mind cried out in concern. The difference was that now there were two chariots, so perhaps they would have enough room for all of them. Although Rainbow wouldn't be flying to Canterlot in that dress. Rarity would not allow that to happen. The trip was just too long. She watched the two chariots descend to the street, and as she glanced around, found that everypony else around, of course, stared as well. 'They don't often see this, do they?' Of course, they didn't. Ponyville was a small town. She shook the thought aside as her friends meandered towards the chariots and climbed in under the watch of the batponies. Fluttershy, Rarity, and Spike joined her, while Applejack, Rainbow, and Pinkie Pie took the other chariot. Once everypony was settled down, the batponies looked at her. 'They're waiting for me to tell them to go,' occurred to her. Had Princess Celestia given her that kind of authority before? She wasn't certain. She hadn't been in situations like this before. A little more anxiety tickled her mind. She nodded, and they were off. Pairs of ponies and individual ponies walked through the gate to the castle grounds, watched on by a multitude of visible Royal Guards and batponies hiding in the shadows. All of the ponies quietly walked in with trepidation, yet their heads were still held high with arrogant pride. Every single one of them wore a suit or a dress that spoke of wealth of some kind or another and status. Many broke away to linger in the castle's courtyards, while others left to walk through the gardens or to wander the castle's halls. Most went to the Ballroom. As per Cadance's request, the guard detail was relatively light. Though granted, it was not without reason. 'The fewer guards they see, the more likely they will be comfortable,' Nightmare Moon reasoned. And likewise, such was the reason that her batponies kept watch from the shadows: so that ponies did not see them and grow fearful. Yet the batponies were still there, ready to act. If it was necessary. Nightmare let her eyes dance across the suits and dresses of the ponies walking onto the castle's grounds. From where she stood on her balcony, she would only be visible if ponies were looking for her and knew where to look. They didn't know she was watching them. They didn't feel it, or if they did, it didn't show. And the night was quiet and still, even with all of the ponies gathering here. All of them paid her no mind nor respect, nor even curiosity. For they hated and despised her. They did not even know she watched on. Perhaps they thought she was not here, and perhaps that was the reason they gathered. She would not partake in the event. Cadance would tend to it, and that would be that. She lifted her right forehoof and draped it over the balcony's railing as she sat down on her haunches. She continued to observe ponies walk in through the gate. Dozens at first, and gradually, hundreds made their way into the castle grounds over the course of several minutes. 'How does this turnout compare to past Galas?' she wondered. Yet the answer had to be, 'It is far fewer than years past.' A crowd of ponies gradually assembled around the tables placed in the courtyard, and under the moonlight, she watched as the ponies gradually relaxed and mingled, taking drinks and appetizers, talking and laughing together. At one time, Luna would have been joyous to see such a sight. Yet she wanted more. They had ponies to talk with, and on her balcony, she had none. She was alone with her night and her thoughts, and she knew a simple truth, that Luna's joy would have been naive, for the ponies gathered below would hate Luna just as they hated her. She longed for company. Perhaps Cadance would stop by for a passing moment to talk with her, but then Cadance would leave. Perhaps Captain Shining Armor would stop by for a passing moment to report to her, but then the captain would leave. Neither of them would be welcome. Her subjects would not come. And she would be alone. She inhaled and then let her chest relax, letting the air turn away from her, just like her Sister, just like her subjects. A slight breeze tickled her feathers and fur, and the chill in the air left something to be desired. It did not embrace her like it once did. Had the air turned against her? Was it the night? Or was it something else? Perhaps it was her. 'How much have I changed since my return? How much have I changed since I was banished? How much have I changed since before my banishment?' drifted through her mind, bringing her to frown. The simple answer was, 'A great deal.' She put it out of mind and it was replaced by the thought, 'I will never have what I truly want, but I can have the next best thing.' Yet even that felt like it wasn't enough. There was no joy to be had in it. She would raise up Equestria into something more than Sister had, and yet even then, wouldn't it simply be vain? Ponies despised her. 'Don't push me away because you selfishly want to feel better about threatening me.' She hadn't escaped the thought since. A few seconds passed by as she watched the ponies in the courtyard, then she turned her gaze back to the line of ponies walking through the gate. So far, none of them had caused any trouble. No assassins. No threats. Nothing to disrupt the event. It was welcome. 'I am letting pointless sentimentalism sway me,' her mind snapped. That was a mistake. It made her hesitate and second guess her decisions. Hesitation was pointless! There was time for consideration, but hesitation would prevent action. Sister hesitated far too much, and Sister was weaker for it. Twilight was weaker for her hesitation! Twilight ought to have been decisive! And yet, Twilight had been decisive. Decisive and bold, 'Don't push me away because you selfishly want to feel better about threatening me.' She pulled her forehoof away from the railing, stood up, and walked back into her bedchambers. Once she passed the doorway, she closed the door and shut herself away from the gala. She approached the end of her bed and walked around to the other side, then made her way into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. With a few more steps, she brought herself to stand in front of the vanity and looked at her reflection in the mirror. The face that looked back at her was so familiar yet so unfamiliar at the same time. So different, so distinct from Luna's face when she had looked into mirrors before her banishment. Yet she had crafted this appearance, one to inspire fear into ponies and her sister. Perhaps now, it was pointless and wasted. Inspiring fear in them was foalish. But she was not Luna. And it wouldn't matter anyway. Had her features not been so crafted to inspire fear, the result would have been the same: that the ponies of Equestria would not love her. Nothing would change that. Her gaze fell on the reflection of her armor and she scrutinized it. It served no purpose now. At times it was protection, but now? In the heart of her own domain? There were no assassins. Even if there were, they would have to catch her off-guard. Even if they caught her off-guard, they would have to kill her before she could react. And the armor left so much of her body exposed as it was. The armor? It was not her friend. It may have been her companion, it may have protected her, and she was familiar with it, but the armor did not care. It served its purpose with no drive nor will. The armor suited her, but clinging to it always was unnecessary. The armor had no choice but to protect her when she wore it, and so its companionship was hollow. It paled to Twilight's companionship. She levitated the helmet off, then lifted each hoof, one at a time, to take her boots off. With care, she set her armor aside. Set the boots all together in a neat group. Put the helmet down on the sink. Looked at her dented chestplate's reflection. A chestplate she had taken off only once before in the time since she put it on. She took the chestplate in her magic and levitated it up off her body, then set it down beside her boots. She looked over the set-aside armor for a moment; without the pony it belonged to underneath, the armor was incomplete. And for it, she felt incomplete and vulnerable. The chilly night air pressed up against her coat, and she missed the chestplate's weight, yet found some form of relief in having taken it off. 'Do not hesitate,' she chastised herself. 'Do not hide behind your armor like a foal!' She breathed in deep and felt how light her chest was without the armor. Such a new feeling, one that drove her to turn back to the mirror and gaze upon the reflection of her unarmored chest. She could still see the lingering indent from having worn the armor. With trepidation, she lifted her right forehoof, looked down at it, then touched her bare hoof to her bare chest. Felt her fur, felt the give of her skin. Felt the warmth of her body, the pulse of her heart, and the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Just like anypony else. 'Am I hiding behind my armor?' she wondered. Her head and eyes lifted back up to look at her reflection. The thought was simply foolish! She was not hiding behind her armor! Her armor was there to protect her, to serve as another layer of defense in case she was caught off guard, attacked, or drawn into battle. Not wearing armor was foalish. It left one open to being attacked and unprepared! Anything would wear armor in battle if it could! But she was in the heart of her domain. Her palace, the one reclaimed from her Sister. There was nothing there to threaten her. Wearing armor at all times set her apart from everypony else, but not in the way it should have. 'This is foalish,' her mind scoffed. She tossed her head back and strode back out to her bedchambers. Yet it lingered in her mind, taunting her. She made her way to her study, then paused and turned her head toward the door to the hallway. 'Cadance is coming.' She would neither back down nor retreat to reclaim her armor. Cadance would see her without it on. She turned and walked to the door, then stopped. Waited and listened and felt Cadance's approach. She let the lesser alicorn, her niece, come to a stop and knock on the door, then waited another few seconds before opening the door with her magic. And Cadance was already looking up to meet her gaze, but eye contact broke immediately as her niece looked along the sides of her head and then down to her unarmored chest. "You're... not wearing your armor?" Cadance murmured softly. "You are correct," Nightmare dismissed. Cadance blinked and met her gaze again. "I'm surprised." Nightmare tilted her head slightly, then voiced, "I can tell." Cadance squirmed slightly and broke eye contact. "Right, sorry. I've just never seen you like... that... before." "Rarity is the only other pony who has," Nightmare said. And now Cadance had. And yet, she found herself rather looking forward to Twilight seeing her without her armor on. What would Twilight say, what would she think? Or was she being foalish and naive? "But enough of this. Why are you here?" Cadance looked back up at her with a small smile. "Everything's going well. Ponies are still arriving but it looks like we're going to meet expectations for how many ponies show up." 'Which expectations, dear Niece?' her mind mocked. 'Remnants from Sister's Galas, or revised since my return?' She kept it to herself. It wasn't something she wanted to know. It was pointless. "Have Twilight and her friends arrived yet?" Cadance shook her head. She felt disappointed. "I see," was all she had to say. "Very well." Cadance nodded, then hesitated. "Do you want me to tell you when they get here?" Nightmare bobbed her head. "Send Twilight to me when she arrives. I shall be..." she trailed off and turned to look into her bedchambers. After a moment's hesitation, she nodded and concluded, "I shall be waiting in my chambers." When she looked back at Cadance, her niece smiled. "Okay." She nodded once. Cadance started to turn away, and something tugged at her mind. 'It's pointless. It does not matter. It changes nothing,' she fought against the urge. Yet it still ate at her. She suppressed a growl as she relented. "And Cadance?" Cadance stopped, halfway turned away from her, and looked back at her. "Yes?" Nightmare slowly inclined her head, then kept her head lowered as she looked into her niece's eyes to emphasize, "Do enjoy the Gala." Cadance's smile grew warmer and her niece calmly turned to face her and nodded once. "Thank you," was her soft, warm response. Nightmare lifted her head back up. For a few seconds Cadance stayed there, then gradually turned and walked off. She continued to watch for a short while, then closed the door and bowed her head against it. "That was pointless," she muttered to herself. She sighed as she lifted her head and backed away. As she walked to her bedchambers, she thought, 'Perhaps it was not pointless. Cadance is an ally. Perhaps pleasantries are meaningless but-' She winced. 'No, pleasantries are not meaningless.' Twilight's friendship taught her that. 'Perhaps it would be nice to have Cadance's friendship as well.' She shook her head as she crossed into her bedchambers. 'This was much easier when I was imprisoned on the moon. This was much easier one thousand years ago.' Now? Now she wanted to groan. 'My fondness of Twilight makes this difficult.' If she had no connections or ties, how easy it would be to dismiss Cadance and everypony else! Damn that filly, Twilight could twist her too easily! But then, if she did not have Twilight, she would be alone. And how easy it would be to slip into being what she did not want to be. So no, it was good that she was friends with Twilight. And how she welcomed it! It was good that Twilight kept her in check. 'Don't push me away.' The thought left her feeling an uncomfortable twist in her chest, something coiling in her stomach, and a coldness in her hooves. She tried not to think about it. Turned her thoughts back to Twilight so that she could escape the knowledge that haunted her. 'I do hope you arrive soon.' Because when Twilight did, she wasn't wearing her armor! She could embrace the filly as she so desired, feel Twilight's fur against her own! She felt acutely aware, 'If this was one thousand years ago I would have killed myself over this.' If not that bad, then she would certainly be screaming at how stupid and naive and foalish she was being. More like Luna, than who she was. That, of course, did not stop her from wanting to squirm at the thought of holding Twilight to her bare chest and feeling the filly's fur against her own. An actual connection with somepony, her friend. Without any lies to poison the relationship and leave her seething. She came to a stop at the balcony's railing and blinked, not remembering having crossed the distance. She sat down on her haunches and breathed in, then draped her unarmored forehooves over the railing. The cold bit into her fur more than she expected, but she tolerated it. She leaned against the railing and shivered as the cold touched her exposed fur. Yes, the night's chill no longer embraced her as it once did. The night's chill couldn't compare to Twilight's warmth. She felt a grimace pull at her lips as she looked up at the stars. 'You will be here soon enough,' she thought. It did not feel that way. Canterlot glistened like a jewel in the night. Maybe it was the atmosphere surrounding the gala. To Twilight, the atmosphere felt a lot more energetic than she anticipated, most likely because her friends would be with her. She felt eager and excited, but there was still that tinge of anxiety and worry plaguing her. She did her best to ignore it by instead focusing on looking down at Canterlot. And again, it was probably the atmosphere surrounding the gala or how she felt, but Canterlot seemed so much bigger and more alive than it had before. From above, she could see so many mansions and houses and shops with their lights racing out onto the streets through their windows. Still too far up to see individual ponies, but the city felt more alive than it had in so long. She found herself smiling despite the anxiety as they descended towards one of the open plazas near the castle. The courtyard wasn't available for landing in safely with as many ponies as they expected to be there. Several batponies and Royal Guard pegasi flew in around them to escort them along their descent. They touched down with a little bump: harder than Royal Guards would have landed, but not enough to cause discomfort. A few seconds later, and they came to a stop. Twilight stood up and turned around to jump out of the chariot. A moment later, Spike climbed down, then Rarity and the rest of her friends. "Enjoy your stay in Canterlot," one of the batponies pulling the chariots said. Twilight turned to see who, but couldn't decide which one it was; all of the batponies looked back at her. She glanced over them and nodded. "Thank you." With that, they nodded back and gradually took back off, leaving her friends and herself there. She smiled as she watched them fly away. "Hmmmm...." Pinkie hummed suspiciously at length. "Well, I guess we make our way to the castle and then split up from there?" Applejack asked. Twilight looked over at her and nodded. "Yes. We'll try to meet back up sometime in a few hours, then go out to eat?" Her friends collectively nodded and murmured in agreement. Twilight beamed in delight. "Great!" Without wasting any more time, she turned and started trotting along towards the main road that led to the courtyard's gate. Her friends fell in step with her and they walked on almost shoulder to shoulder. 'I guess I should see Cadance first, and then maybe visit Nightmare Moon. Or maybe I'll run into my brother first?' They approached the gate, and the two Royal Guards gave brief bows to her. She eyed both of them, but neither of them said anything. Rarity and Fluttershy both glanced at her, but said nothing since Rainbow flew ahead of them with a jubilant cry of, "I think I see Soarin!" And without any hesitation or regard for proper etiquette, Rainbow Dash was gone. A faint rainbow trailed lingered in Rainbow's wake as a result of her magic, but that was the only evidence that the pegasus had been there. Twilight rolled her eyes. "So we're not going to even get into the castle before we split up, then, apparently," Applejack flatly observed. Twilight looked at the earth pony and offered an apologetic smile that drew a sigh from her friend. "Figures." The rest of her group came to a stop as soon as they passed through the gate. Looking around, she found that the courtyard wasn't quite packed, but it was filled probably half as much as the ceremony had been. There were probably a lot more ponies in the Ballroom, of course. There were tables laid out with refreshments and expensive breakable decorations. Unicorn servants carried trays in their magic, weaving between ponies, while pegasi servants flew just above the crowd, carrying trays with empty plates and empty glasses. "Eyup, well, I guess I'll be on my way. Y'all know where to find me if you need me!" Applejack said before departing. "Well, I think I shall get a drink and then socialize," Rarity declared before making her way towards the tables set up in the courtyard. "I'm here to paaaaaar-ty!" Pinkie declared, then bounced off towards the castle's entrance. Twilight cringed as Pinkie hopped right along into the castle. The two Royal Guards standing at the doorway startled at her energetic approach but relaxed as nothing came from it. "Pinkie!" she called, but the mare was gone. 'So much for making sure they knew it wasn't-' she groaned and shook her head. 'Whatever. It'll be fine.' "Th-that's a lot of p-ponies," Fluttershy whimpered. Twilight felt a stab of pain, and on instinct, her lips curled back and her ears folded down. She turned to the left and walked over to Fluttershy, then rubbed her cheek against the trembling pegasus' neck. While she soothed a little of the trembling, the timid pegasus was still scared. "It'll be okay, Fluttershy," she whispered. "It's just like before. The ceremony, remember? It'll be fine!" Twilight coaxed. Fluttershy looked at her. "I-I guess... m-maybe you're right." Twilight nodded encouragingly. "You came here for the garden, remember?" Fluttershy nodded timidly. "Yes... I remember. I do want to see the garden again, but, oh, there are so many ponies!" Twilight leaned in again, closed her eyes, and nuzzled Fluttershy's neck. After a few careful, slow strokes along the length of Fluttershy's exposed neck, the pegasus returned it. "How about I send Spike with you to keep you company?" she offered. "Oh, would you?" Fluttershy murmured hopefully. A moment passed and Fluttershy looked behind her, then ducked back to hide in her pink mane. "I mean, if it's no trouble..." Twilight nodded, then looked back at Spike. Spike shrugged casually and said, "I don't mind." Twilight smiled at them and turned back to Fluttershy. "Try to relax and enjoy the gardens. If you need anything, have Spike come find one of us, okay?" Fluttershy nodded. "Okay..." Twilight waited a few seconds for Spike to walk around her to Fluttershy's side, and after a bit of coaxing from Spike, they managed to meander along and make their way towards the gardens. She watched them for a few seconds, then turned away to scan the top of the crowd in search of the three ponies who might stand out at such an event: her brother, Cadance, or Nightmare Moon. Nopony tall enough stood out above the sea of heads. She frowned a bit, but it was what she expected. 'Cadance is probably in the Ballroom, so I guess I'll start there,' she decided. With that in mind, she headed toward the Ballroom a short walk away. As she approached the door, both guards gave her quick nods. If it wasn't for how much the batponies bowed to her, she doubted she would have noticed it, but it made her stop for a moment. She looked at the one on the left, then on the right, returned the nod, and then headed inside. The Ballroom was well lit like normal, and the warm lighting reminded her of the days she so missed. For a moment, it dampened her mood as she thought back on her missing mentor and the lost days. Her mood brightened again as she perked right up from seeing Cadance. Her former foalsitter was standing at the top of the first flight of stairs opposite the entrance, smiling a calm, serene smile in attempted mimicry of Princess Celestia. The smile wasn't quite the same: she could see that Cadance was trying, but Cadance just didn't have the same demeanor that Princess Celestia had. For a moment, she put Cadance out of mind to look around the Ballroom. More tables covered with white tablecloths held assorted refreshments, ponies were grouped together and chatting while others meandered between groups. Servants walked throughout, carrying platters with more refreshments in their magic. Not a single pony was underdressed; they all wore beautiful dresses and fine suits that made her feel out of place in her relatively simple gown. None of them paid her any immediate attention, so she turned her focus towards the platform before the windows off to the room's left. Several musicians were on the stage playing a classical tune that was familiar from past Galas: a wonderful, soft melodious blend of piano and strings that left the atmosphere feeling relaxed and peaceful. Nopony sang because singing would have ruined the musical ambiance. Twilight found herself smiling and her nerves eased as she watched a gray-coated, dark maned earth pony play the cello. Her cutie mark was a purple musical note of some kind. She recognized the mare from the last Gala, which had been her first performance. She didn't know the mare's name, but thought she looked about Cadance's age, which was surprisingly young for such a talented musician, even more so since she was playing at the Gala. She wasn't sure, but she thought she had seen the mare in Ponyville once before. She gave the room's marble pillars and transparent statues cursory glances as she surveyed the rest of the room, then she made her way over to the stairs. She watched Cadance greet a white-coated stallion with a light blue mane and tail wearing a tux. His cutie mark wasn't covered by his suit, and she made it out to be the constellation of Orion. Both he and Cadance seemed to enjoy the greeting, though she could tell it wasn't the same motherly familiarity Princess Celestia would have had. The stallion nodded with a smile and walked up the flight of the stairs at Cadance's left. Cadance smiled as he left, then looked back and saw her. And Twilight saw the wondrous joy filling Cadance's eyes, making them light up as she cried out, "Twilight!" in a way that only Cadance could. It brought her to smile even more and she raced up the stairs passed the very few ponies who lingered in something resembling a line. "Hey, Cadance!" she eagerly greeted. Cadance leaned down to nuzzle her and Twilight happily returned it. "It's good to see you again," Cadance murmured softly as she continued rubbing her cheek against Twilight's. After a few more seconds, Cadance pulled back and looked down at her with a smile. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to get here!" Twilight blushed and coughed into her hoof. "What? Nooo..." she defended. Cadance laughed softly, leaned down, and poked Twilight's nose with a forehoof. Twilight felt her muzzle scrunch up and she went crosseyed looking at the golden shoe Cadance wore. "Your parents and Shiny are around here somewhere." Cadance lowered her hoof back to the floor. "Really?" Twilight asked. "I didn't, uh, expect them to be here." Cadance nodded, and Twilight thought she saw a bit of the warmth in her former foalsitter's smile fade. Cadance inhaled and tilted her head to the side, her smile recovering as she offered, "Well, technically your brother's on guard duty. This is an important event." Twilight smiled sheepishly. "Well, yes. I know that much. I'm just surprised my parents are here." Cadance leveled her head and frowned. "They've not missed the Gala before, at least not since you were..." Cadance tailed off and bowed her head, then coughed into the back of her forehoof before lifting her head back up. Twilight knew what her former foalsitter meant, and her smile faded. "Yeah," she mumbled soberly. "I just... I guess I didn't expect them to come since..." she trailed off and started nodding. "Yes." "Well, they're around here somewhere," Cadance repeated. "And Nightmare Moon was wanting you to stop by and visit her." Twilight nodded. "I was planning to visit her." Cadance smiled or grimaced; Twilight wasn't sure which it was. "We'll all have to catch up later... you should find your brother and parents and see if you can convince them to join us after the Gala's over. You're going to be staying the night, right?" Twilight nodded. "Yes. Nightmare Moon has chambers prepared for my friends, and I have my tower, so yeah." Cadance's smile warmed as her lips lifted back up. "I'm glad to hear that." Twilight glanced back behind her. About half a dozen ponies were waiting in line. A line she had cut in front of. None of them looked visibly distressed, aside from forced, strained smiled. She forced a smile back at them. 'It will be good to see my parents again!' She hoped. She turned back to Cadance as she inhaled. "Well, I suppose I should leave you to it!" Without giving Cadance an opportunity to reply, she turned left and hurried back down the stairs. Once again she surveyed the room, this time looking for her parents and brother, but like before, she didn't see anypony who stood out. Aside from Rainbow Dash, who was hovering in the air near one of the refreshment tables. Accompany the pegasus were two more pegasi: Spitfire and Soarin, both wearing formal Wonderbolt dress uniforms. For a brief moment, Twilight grimaced. 'I wonder if you know that they answer to Nightmare Moon now? If you did, would you still want to join them?' Maybe she should tell Rainbow Dash that. Or maybe it didn't matter. It was still odd to think about. She shook her head and let out a breath as she headed back outside. She hadn't noticed it before, but when she went back outside the chill in the night air made itself known, making her frown as her body shivered once. It was, unsurprisingly, warmer inside. Likely, everypony would eventually gather in the Ballroom. Out of curiosity, she walked over to the crowd of ponies in the courtyard, then walked through them. She kept her ears perked up and listened into the conversations to overhear what they were talking about. Ponies talked about their wealth and recent achievements and acquisitions, boasted of their own exuberance, shared the latest gossip about other ponies they knew, including more well-known ponies who were just barely out of earshot. A few of them even talked about her and her friends, making her bite her lip and hurry along so that she didn't have to hear the good and bad things they had to say. Yet it still lingered in her mind, that they doubted her and Nightmare Moon. Not hate, but uncertainty. They wondered if she was sane given her being Nightmare Moon's student. They wondered if Nightmare Moon had cast some spell on her to make her side with the Queen. There were the rumors that Nightmare Moon had killed Princess Celestia instead of banishing her, and done terrible things to ponies who had done nothing. She couldn't escape the rumors quickly enough. A few ponies discussed magic and a few more discussed the permanent night: they did not take it as the end of the world, but as a major inconvenience. "I can't see a bloody thing half the time!" one of them complained. Another had to say, "I can't tell the difference between shades of purple anymore! The horror! I can't tell if that matches your coat or accents it!" 'At least they're not all scared senseless,' she had to admit. It was a good thing, and something of a return to normalcy that everypony craved. For some reason, her hooves slowed and her head lifted back. She found herself looking at the moon, her brow creasing as it pulled down. Some subdued feeling arose in her chest, making her heart beat slower. Was this all a mistake? Did everything that had happened since Nightmare Moon's return happen because of a mistake so long ago? They were meant to rule together. She knew it in her heart. Yet there was a divide between those two eternal sisters. Day and Night were split and separated so thoroughly! Could anything bridge that gap? Would there be a dawn for them to share together again when the world was half-lit by the light of day and half-lit by the glow of the moon? Was there any way for them to be reunited, to right that wrong from so long ago, still staining the world? There had to be. There had to be because it was wrong for the world to be this way. There had to be because Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon were sisters. There had to be because Nightmare Moon wasn't happy, and she was certain Princess Celestia wasn't happy either. "You need to forgive her," she whispered as her head fell back down. But how could something like that happen? Perhaps it was something that she could convince Nightmare Moon to do. That task felt insurmountable, but maybe not entirely out of reach. Because Nightmare Moon was smart. Nightmare Moon could recognize her mistakes. Nightmare Moon could see reason. And, perhaps, she could convince Nightmare Moon to forgive Princess Celestia. But it wouldn't be easy. She shifted her weight, rolling her shoulders as she breathed in and then exhaled. 'Okay. Focus,' she told herself. She turned left and right as she thought, 'My parents and brother are around here somewhere. I can find them later after I've talked with Nightmare Moon.' But was that really the best course of action? She could delay talking with Nightmare Moon until after she caught up with her parents and brother. But of course it would be a matter of time until whoever it was contacted her, and she needed to speak with Nightmare before that. 'One problem at a time,' she told herself. With a wince, she turned around and looked towards where she thought Nightmare Moon's balcony was, then channeled her magic into her horn. 'Nightmare Moon said that I can teleport into the room, and she said I can go there whenever. She breathed in deep, then slowly exhaled. She formed her magic into the two matrices, linked them, and teleported in a flash of light. A flash of light that undoubtedly drew a lot of attention to itself and probably disrupted the gathered crowd. Possibly even scaring them. She reappeared in another flash of light inside Nightmare's study. It almost halfway surprised her that she managed to teleport inside. She blinked once, then looked left and right, then turned around in a circle. Nightmare Moon wasn't in her study, or if the alicorn was, she couldn't see her. She walked the few short steps to the door that led to Nightmare's bedchambers, and as she turned to enter, she stopped. Nightmare Moon looked at her from beside the bed. Twilight didn't pay any attention to Nightmare's expression, rather, her gaze instantly dropped to Nightmare's bare chest. 'You're not wearing armor.' No chestplate. No armor of any kind on her body. Not even boots; her hooves were bare. No tiara. No regalia. Just a pony, like her or anypony else, except for her wings and her horn. And Nightmare's body was sleek yet powerful without the armor on. Graceful and strong. She looked a lot like Princess Celestia, except stronger. More slender. Her bare chest was unscared and unmarked; her black fur looked rich, soft, and inviting. Without the armor on, Nightmare Moon looked so much lighter than when she wore the armor. Her presence did not feel like it weighed down on the atmosphere. She didn't look like a predator or a warrior, even with her slit eyes. The alicorn looked free, like the armor had been chains that were holding her back. The alicorn looked free, like she had cast off something that only held her down. The alicorn looked free, like she could soar through the night sky without worry or care. And Nightmare Moon looked vulnerable. Not like the monster everypony thought she was. And looking and Nightmare Moon, now free from her armor, she found her thoughts drifting back to the art gallery, the paintings of Princess Luna wearing no armor. She found her mind drifting back to her dream, and seeing Nightmare Moon as Princess Luna. No armor. Nothing but her fur and flesh to protect her. Nightmare Moon left herself vulnerable. The only time she had ever seen Nightmare Moon without her armor. 'Is this the only time you've not worn your armor?' She managed to force herself to look back at Nightmare's face and found the alicorn still watching her. For whatever reason, the first thing she said was a quiet, "You're not wearing your armor." Nightmare merely bowed her head in acknowledgment. "I'm not." Twilight felt her ears fold back as Nightmare's voice broke a little bit of the illusion the lack of armor caused. But Nightmare Moon was still beautiful for her lack of armor. Maybe not as beautiful as Princess Luna, but beautiful nonetheless. An almost terrifying or intimidating, striking beauty. "Right, sorry, I just, uh..." Nightmare nodded. "You have not seen me without my chestplate on before... You are only the third pony to have seen me like this." Twilight blinked, then frowned. 'Why wasn't I the first?' How was it that Nightmare Moon had let others see her like this before her? "Who were the first two?" Nightmare tossed her head to the right, making her mane billow almost gracefully rather than violently. Then Nightmare took a step forward as she leveled her head once more, and the step looked so graceful and airy. Without the armor on, Twilight felt mesmerized to watch Nightmare's bare chest. "Rarity," Nightmare mumbled. Another step. Twilight looked up to meet Nightmare's gaze. "And then Cadance, not long ago." Twilight licked her lips. "Huh... I guess... Rarity had you take it off so she could get measurements for your dress?" Nightmare nodded and continued walking towards her. "Yes. I was... not happy to do so, but, ah..." her mentor trailed off and shook her head. "I have not felt the air against my bare chest in so long that I have forgotten what it feels like," the alicorn mumbled. In a thoughtful voice, Nightmare summarized, "It is... perhaps refreshing." Twilight smiled and giggled softly. "I can't imagine wearing armor without taking it off for so long." Nightmare nodded and grimaced. "Yes. It is..." but her mentor didn't finish the sentence. Instead, Nightmare tilted her head and scrutinized Twilight's body and dress. "You look pleasant," was her compliment. Twilight smiled a little more. "Thanks. The original dress was, um, more accurate-" she forced a laugh and looked away from Nightmare so she didn't have to see how her mentor reacted to that, "-but this looks better." Much better. "In truth," Nightmare mumbled, "I could not have pictured you wearing a dress before now." Twilight turned back to face Nightmare. "It almost reminds me of Starswirls' robes." Twilight lit up and jumped in place. "You can tell!? That's what I was aiming for!" Nightmare smiled, and for a few seconds, Twilight thought she saw something in the alicorn's eyes, but it faded along with the smile. "Though he was quite fond of them, his robes were certainly... not formal attire." Twilight snorted. "Well, yes, and that's part of why we ended up changing this." "Indeed," Nightmare calmly dismissed. A moment passed in silence. Nightmare shifted her weight, then turned and walked towards the balcony. With a passing glance back towards her, Nightmare lifted up her wing in an offer and coaxed, "Come." Twilight trotted along and then walked beside Nightmare. Twilight smiled more as she felt Nightmare's wing wrap around her back. There was a little bit of force in it; it wasn't that Nightmare was letting gravity keep her wing there, no, Nightmare was putting an effort into it. It meant something. They walked out to the balcony, and when the cold night air hit, she felt more assured by Nightmare's warm body and wing. "I..." Nightmare drawled, hesitating more than normal. "I am glad that you are here. I enjoy your company." They came to a stop near the railing and then sat down on their haunches. "Thank you." In silence, Twilight turned her gaze away from Nightmare to look out over the courtyard. To her surprise, there were still ponies out who hadn't run in terror from her teleporting. A wince pulled at her lips, but she managed to force it down. She leaned against Nightmare and saw the alicorn's muzzle turn down towards her. With a glance up, she found Nightmare looking down at her and studying her. Twilight offered a reassuring smile, then looked back out at the ponies below. She heard Nightmare absently muse, "I find myself missing your company when you are not here." Twilight leaned away from Nightmare's side and looked up at her to find her mentor still looking at her. "Really?" Nightmare inclined her head, then turned to look at the courtyard. "That... surprises me, I think. I thought that, um, you would be used to being alone-" "I am," Nightmare said with a nod, a hint of pain flashing through her eyes. A moment passed as Nightmare grimaced and bobbed her head. "And yet I find myself missing you when you are not here." Nightmare faced her again, but the alicorn's eyes drifted over the railing. "It is... not something I am used to." Twilight smiled sheepishly. "I... well, no, I can't relate but I think I can sort of understand that?" Nightmare's eyes jumped onto her. "Pray tell?" "My friends," Twilight answered. A second passed. Nightmare's eyes went back to the railing as she nodded. "I see." Nightmare lifted her head up, and whether purposefully or not, looked at the moon. And Nightmare Moon grimaced again, immediately turning her head to the right. 'You hate seeing that,' Twilight knew. She even felt her own ears folding back; neither of them liked it. And she had to wonder, 'Do you let that show with anypony other than me or the batponies?' Or did Nightmare Moon even show it to the batponies? Eventually, Nightmare turned her head back straight and silently stared ahead into the sky. Twilight waited a few seconds, then leaned against Nightmare again. For a moment, she felt Nightmare's wing tighten around her body, then relax, yet Nightmare still held it in place around her. "I find myself wondering if it is not silly that I am so fond of you as my friend," Nightmare mumbled. Twilight frowned. "Why?" Nightmare turned her head and met her gaze. "Do you not see how absurd it is?" was her subdued question. Nightmare broke eye contact and looked at the wall, shaking her head as she muttered, "Who I am. Who you are. The situation that brought us here. That I am an alicorn, that you are a unicorn. Your history, and my history. That you are not yet an adult and that I am millennia old." Nightmare paused and met her gaze. "How is it not absurd?" was her plea. Twilight had no answer. She broke eye contact. After a few seconds, she saw Nightmare turn away from her again. "I am not used to worrying as I do now," Nightmare said. "I am not used to hesitating and second-guessing myself. I do not like it." "Well, you did say that you're not perfect," Twilight offered. Nightmare looked back at her. "Yes... but... still..." Twilight could see Nightmare struggling, then Nightmare groaned. "I feel as if I am acting like a foal." Twilight frowned. "Why?" Nightmare shook her head dismissively. "Uncertainty. I have not doubted myself so much in such a long time." She remembered Nightmare's plea, 'Forgive me?' What was she supposed to say to that? "It's okay to want to have friends," she said. Nightmare turned to look at her, then opened her mouth, only to hesitate. For a few seconds, she held her teacher's gaze, then Nightmare closed her mouth and turned back to face the courtyard. "I... suppose you are correct, and I am grateful that we are friends." She smiled, then shifted her weight, remembering, 'I need to talk to you.' Nightmare Moon looked back at her. "You are... uncomfortable?" was her question. "Are you cold?" Twilight shifted her weight and leaned away from Nightmare. "Well, it's a little cold out here but you're warm so no, I'm fine," she replied. "I just..." She winced as she met Nightmare's gaze. "You trust me, right?" was her quiet question. Nightmare nodded calmly. "Of course I trust you." Nightmare inclined her head, met her gaze, and emphasized, "There is nopony I trust more." A moment passed and Nightmare frowned. "Why do you ask?" Twilight cringed and shifted her weight. "I... may have been in contact with... well..." How was she supposed to say this? How was she supposed to explain this? Specifically, how would she say this without making Nightmare Moon angry? 'No, you won't be angry.' She sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, she let the breath out and opened her eyes. "I got a letter a few weeks ago from somepony who claimed to be a member of a resistance group who wanted to meet with me here tonight." She couldn't read Nightmare Moon's expression, but there was no anger nor malice in her eyes. "There is more you have to say," was her teacher's quiet acknowledgment. Her lips pulled into a grimace and she looked away from Nightmare Moon. "Well, yes. I agreed to it." She turned back to face her teacher as quickly as she could and met her mentor's gaze. "Hear me out," she asked before Nightmare could say anything. "I am listening," Nightmare said. Twilight inhaled, then exhaled. "I agreed to meet with them. They want me to help them stop you and... bring back your sister. I want to convince them not to do anything..." she trailed off and scowled. "Stupid." "A simpler method would be to infiltrate this group, identify the members, and inform me so that I can have the guard take care of them," Nightmare muttered. Twilight fidgeted, and as a result, Nightmare's wing tightened around her again, pulling her against Nightmare's side. "Well, yes, but! You can't be sure that you've caught all of them, and they've not actually done anything illegal. Yet." Nightmare scowled and turned away from her, muttering, "Conspiracy to commit treason notwithstanding." "Listen," Twilight pleaded. "I am," Nightmare repeated, more of an edge in her voice than before. For a few seconds, she stayed silent. "Cracking down on them isn't going to make ponies feel safer or like you anymore," she argued. Nightmare's lips pulled up to show her teeth. "Leaving them to fester gives them an opportunity to undermine my rule. It sows dissent and weakness," was her counter. "Leaving them to grow stronger will only cause more problems at a later date. Stopping them while they are weak would put an end to any problems-" "And you might make them into martyrs," she countered, making Nightmare fall silent. "And then what if more ponies rise up?" Twilight asked. Nightmare's lips closed as she looked at her again. "Are you really just going to keep locking ponies up?" And more bluntly, "What if everypony rises up? What then?" Nightmare met her gaze for a few seconds, then slowly turned back to the sky. "There is a delicate balancing act I must perform, Twilight. You have surely caught onto this by now." "I know," Twilight replied. "Which is why I think you should let me meet with them and convince them to not do anything stupid." She bowed her head and looked into Nightmare's eyes. "Please. Trust me." Nightmare bowed her head for a few seconds and Twilight watched her mentor's eyes dance across the railing. Finally, Nightmare lifted her head up and turned to face her. Nightmare inhaled, then exhaled, and after a moment, asked, "How do you plan on doing such?" "I'm supposed to meet somepony here who is supposed to take me somewhere to talk to them," she stated. A moment passed and she specified, "If you let me." Nightmare inclined her head. "And if they do not listen?" Twilight flexed her eyebrows up and turned her head to the left. "I'll... figure something out." Studying Twilight's features, Nightmare asked, "Why did they contact you? You are my student. Surely they-" Twilight turned back to face Nightmare. "I was your sister's student. I am a talented unicorn." Nightmare stiffened for a moment. "I see. So they do not want you to try to stab me in the back." Twilight smiled sheepishly. "Well, I don't think they want me to do that but they might ask." "I see," was all Nightmare had to say. A few seconds passed in silence. "So," Twilight ventured, "will you let me?" Nightmare looked at the floor. "If I let you do this-" Nightmare met her gaze again, "-I would be concerned for your safety." Twilight shook her head. "They don't want-" "They could kill you to hurt me," Nightmare countered. Twilight went silent. 'You don't want to be hurt.' Nightmare tilted her head. "Or perhaps hold you hostage in an attempt to leverage you against me." A wave of exhaustion washed across her teacher's features. "Or they could hurt you. If they find out that you are loyal to me and..." Twilight looked away from Nightmare. "So that's a no, then..." she mumbled. "I am not saying no, rather, I am saying that I have several concerns." Twilight looked back at Nightmare. The alicorn slowly brushed her wing down Twilight's side, and Twilight closed her eyes. "I trust you and I am willing to give you this opportunity, but..." Nightmare lifted her wing from Twilight's back, making Twilight open her eyes. "As I have said, it could be used against me, and likewise, I would be worried for your safety." Nightmare wrapped her wing back around Twilight's back again. Her mentor looked away from her. "Perhaps it is foolish," Nightmare groaned, "but I am willing to give you the opportunity to try. I trust you." Nightmare nodded. "But be careful." Twilight waited there for a few seconds. "I will..." she mumbled. Nightmare inhaled, lifted her wing from Twilight's back, and then stood up. Twilight stood up, and they turned to face each other. Nightmare inclined her head. "See me when you return so that I will know you are safe and so that we may... discuss this." Twilight nodded. "I will." She licked her lips, and maybe asking was stupid, but the question burned in her mind: "You're not mad at me for not telling you about this sooner?" Nightmare shook her head. "As I have said, I trust you. I will not hold this against you." Nightmare nodded. "You did tell me. Though I would rather have been told sooner, I presume the reason you did not is that there was no good time for you to bring it up." Twilight winced and turned away. "Kind of..." Nightmare inhaled, then exhaled. "Be confident in yourself, Twilight. You are my student and friend." Twilight looked up at Nightmare apologetically. "Sorry." Nightmare tilted her head. "You do not need to apologize." Twilight shifted her weight but nodded. She saw a flicker of something in Nightmare's eyes, but maybe it was just the reflection of the moonlight. And then Nightmare's lips twisted and the mare squirmed on her hooves. "This... this is completely... pointless, and completely foalish," Nightmare drawled. "But... would you... possibly... give me a hug?" "Um, sure?" Twilight questioned. "Why is it... uh... why are you asking?" Because the way Nightmare sounded made it seem like her mentor thought the world was ending, and that left her confused. Or was it- Nightmare bowed her head and mumbled, "I am not wearing my armor," under her breath. Lifting her head up, Twilight saw discomfort in Nightmare's eyes that was unusual. "And so I would... feel your fur against my chest." "Oh!" Twilight giggled softly and smiled brightly. "Sure! I, uh, I've wondered what that was like too." Nightmare tilted her head and murmured, "Truly?" under her breath. Then Nightmare blinked and shook her head. A moment passed where Nightmare glanced left and right, then her mentor stepped forward. And she stepped forward as well, pressing her chest against Nightmare's bare chest. She felt Nightmare's heart beating unusually fast for a pony, or maybe she was imagining it. She felt Nightmare's warm body against her own. And she felt Nightmare's soft fur mingle with her own, the feeling almost made her giddy like nuzzling her friends could. She felt the urge to rub up against Nightmare's chest but fought it down. It wouldn't be proper. She still couldn't stop herself from letting out a soft coo that made her blush. Nightmare sat down and wrapped her right foreleg around Twilight's back, and Twilight sat down and leaned into the hug, resting her head on Nightmare's shoulder and leaning against her neck. Nightmare leaned down and rested her head on Twilight's shoulder and reluctantly brushed her cheek back and forth against Twilight's neck. Twilight smiled and closed her eyes as she leaned into the nuzzle, and after a little thought, she returned it. And she felt Nightmare squirm like her body was almost trembling with excitement. The alicorn's heart seemed to misfire a few times, but she probably imagined it. She felt Nightmare wrap both wings around her back, and the warmth banished the night's chill. After a few seconds, she felt contently warm. And safe. "This is nice," she murmured. "That... it is. I have not... hugged anypony like this since... I do not remember," Nightmare mumbled. "Well, you've not taken your chestplate off to hug anypony like this for a thousand years, so..." Twilight voiced. Nightmare almost laughed. As it was, that snicker sounded so free and so different from how Nightmare normally sounded. "You are correct," her mentor agreed. "Which makes you quite special," was added in a fond, thoughtful voice. "Um, thank you," Twilight mumbled sheepishly. She continued nuzzling Nightmare for a few more seconds, then stopped. She held her ear to Nightmare's neck, felt Nightmare's warmth, almost heard Nightmare's heartbeat. Nightmare's nuzzling gradually slowed, then stopped, and then Nightmare nudged her nose to the right, dipping it into her mane. Twilight giggled softly as it tickled her neck. She felt content with the hug, the scent of lavender, and the way Nightmare's breath tickled her mane. It was undeniably nice. Something they could share and remember. She didn't need to be afraid of Nightmare Moon. That chasm between them? It was gone, and she was glad. "I know that you're not used to having friends, or anypony, really, but it's okay to want to have friends, and it's okay to want a hug. It's not pointless. We're friends." "Perhaps... perhaps you are correct," Nightmare Moon relented, hugging her tighter.