//------------------------------//
// In Which an Apology is Made 
// Story: Come and See 
// by Altero 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight stood there, horrified. The princess' sudden fury frightened her. Luna was always cool, in control. Twilight had never seen her like this. Twilight could almost see Luna's coat shift darker, blending in with the gloomy landscape around them. Luna grew hard, baring her teeth as she turned on Twilight. 
But more heart wrenching than Luna's fury was the realization that the princess was right. Twilight, for all the time she spent with the princess, had never asked her what had happened a millennia ago. She'd never thought to ask why Luna had transformed into the Nightmare. She'd always simply believed the words of her mentor; Princess Luna grew jealous of her older sister and rebelled. 
So Twilight did the only thing she could do.
She apologized.
"I'm sorry," Twilight whispered.
Luna started, unprepared for her friend's sudden declaration.
"What was that?"
"I'm sorry," Twilight repeated, louder this time. She glanced up at the princess. "I... I guess I just never really thought about it, you know? I figured that you'd talk about it when you were ready. I'm sorry."
Twilight looked down, kicking her forehoof back and forth. "I'll understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore," she muttered.
Luna stared, taken aback. She took a moment to recover while Twilight unhappily kicked her hoof back and forth. She felt the rage and hurt drain out of her as her gaze lingered on her sorrowful friend. Luna finally broke the eerie silence, saying, "I accept your apology, Twilight Sparkle." Luna glanced away. "I suppose I cannot blame you for not wondering when I have gone through such pains to hide my problems."
"So... Are we still friends?" Twilight asked hopefully, glancing up at the melancholy princess. 
"Yes, Twilight Sparkle. We are still friends."
Twilight gave a small squeal of delight and rushed forward, wrapping her hooves around the princess and hugging her tightly. Luna could only chuckle as she wrapped her wings around her diminutive friend once again. 
When Twilight eventually let go, Luna rose, turning to leave. She walked a few steps and glanced backwards, surprised to see Twilight still sitting where Luna had left her. Luna cocked her head to one side and asked, "What are you waiting for, Twilight Sparkle?"
"Well," Twilight said slowly. "I was thinking."
"And what troubles your mind so, my young friend?"
"I was thinking... Well, I thought that maybe you'd like to share with me what happened when... You know."
Luna was taken aback. She had never shared her story with anypony. Before she had transformed into Nightmare Moon, the royal historians had always questioned her sister. After the incident, ponies had generally tried to avoid her, and she them. The few occasions that she had tried to make friends all too often turned out like the Nightmare Night when she had first met Twilight. 
When Luna failed to respond, Twilight continued breathlessly. "Unless you don't want to, of course. I mean, I wouldn't want to reopen old wounds. Or maybe we have somewhere to be. I don't know, this is my first time being dead and all. I wouldn't want to be late for anything. I mean, I'd really like to hear it, but..."
Luna cut off Twilight's rambling, pressing a feather to her lips. 
"I would be delighted to share my story with you, my friend. I simply do not know where to begin."
Twilight looked into Luna's eyes. "Maybe you could start at the beginning? If there's time, of course."
Luna chuckled, and lowered herself demurely to the ground, motioning for Twilight to do the same. "Time has no meaning in this place, my friend. Which is well, for my tale may take a long time."