Waking from her nap, Luna found herself calm. It was a strange feeling, one that had been absent from her life for some time now. Of course, the act of remembering that was all it took for the anxiety to return. She had made a promise to talk to Twilight, and she feared it might be her most difficult conversation yet.
While her confession to Celestia and her apology to Flash Powder had given her some confidence, her impending talk with Twilight was a different beast entirely. Celestia was her sister and had been for centuries, there was a base level of trust between them after all they had been through. Flash Powder was a stranger who barely knew her, and as much as she tried to convince herself otherwise, Luna had known there was a high chance she would be able to make amends with him. Twilight was neither of these things.
Twilight was no stranger, even if they hadn't spent much time together. The time they had spent consisted of some of the most important moments in Luna's long life. And yet they didn't have a bond like kin, or even close friends. There was something that separated the two of them, something that wore upon Luna's mind everytime she thought about it. Twilight was better than her.
Where Twilight was a shining example of success, Luna was the epitome of failure. For every great accomplishment Twilight had made, Luna had only mistakes to show. Yet, every time they met, the unicorn had a look in her eyes. A kind of reverence, usually directed at ponies like Celestia, that made Luna squirm. It made her think Twilight should be the one wearing a crown, and it should be Luna who bowed in her presence. She wasn't worthy of being a Princess when ponies as great as Twilight existed.
You are worthy, whether you believe it or not, Nightmare interrupted her thoughts. You have been given great gifts, and the power to use them as you see fit. And yet, all you can think to do is spoil them with your self pity. Do you really want to throw away all that potential? Do you want to waste the efforts of the ponies who helped you get this far?
She didn't. Even if she didn't feel worthy of the love of others, it wasn't her choice to make. If Twilight and Celestia wanted to care about and help her, she couldn't imagine trying to stop them. If Equestria was willing to have her, why shouldn't she retake her role as Princess?
She found herself in front of the door to Twilight's room. She hardly remembered getting out of bed, but here she was anyway. It brought back memories of the last time she had knocked on Twilight's door, before the sleepover. But things were different now. She was stronger, if only just. This time it would end differently. Hopefully it would be better.
She knocked on the door trying to hold onto what little confidence she had.
Twilight quickly answered, a quizzical look on her face. When she recognized her guest, it changed to a frown.
"Can I help you?" she asked. The scorn in her voice hurt Luna's soul.
“You have already helped me more than I deserve, Twilight Sparkle," Luna said, her voice low. "Today, I was hoping to help you.”
"What does that mean?"
"I wanted to apologize to you."
Twilight's eyes grew wide. "Apologize?"
"I haven't been treating you fairly these last few days. I haven't been treating anypony the way I should. This week feels like it has just been an endless list of mistakes, and I'm sorry I got you all wrapped up in it. It wasn't my intention to burden you this way."
Twilight was stunned. It took a moment before she spoke again. "You seem different today."
Luna sighed. "It's true. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. There are many things I've been hiding, both from myself and those around me, and I think I owe you an explanation. Might I come inside?"
"Oh! Sure." Twilight stepped aside, allowing Luna entry to her guest room. "Um, I don't have any chairs in here, so you can sit on the bed if you want."
"Nay, Twilight. The bed is yours. I shall take the floor."
"Are you sure?"
"Very."
Hesitantly, Twilight sat on the bed and watched Luna sit in the middle of the room. With her back straight, Luna was only slightly shorter than Twilight, who was playing with her hooves nervously.
Silence hung in the air. Luna tried to speak, but she couldn't get the words to come out. It felt like she was teetering on the edge of a cliff, unsure if she would find her balance or tumble into the depths below. She was scared to open her mouth and find out.
If we fall, then we will climb back up, as we have before. We are a princess, the ruler of the night, mover of the stars and moon. We have no reason to be afraid. This is but one more step in our endless journey. We will succeed, no matter how many mistakes we make along the way.
She took a deep breath.
"When you visited my dream, Nightmare Moon was telling the truth. We are two halves of the same pony. She and I are the same."
Twilight's mouth fell open. Luna could see a hint of terror in her eyes, and she felt a cold stone form in her chest. It was all she could do to keep talking.
"I have been... struggling since we first met at the Summer Sun Celebration," Luna admitted. For the second time today she found herself exhausted after saying a single sentence. "From your perspective it might have looked like Nightmare Moon was no more, but that wasn't the case. Her dark thoughts were merely pushed to the back of my mind, too quiet to control me like they used to, but still present. They lied in wait, silently watching and learning, scheming a way to regain power."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Twilight asked.
Luna sighed. "You must understand, I was... afraid. I assumed I was treading on thin ice when I returned to Equestria, considering the last thing I did was try to plunge it into eternal darkness. The reactions I got during Nightmare Night only confirmed those suspicions." Luna closed her eyes. "If I confessed that the feelings that inspired that villain still lurked within my mind, I thought there would be no hope of acceptance. I would certainly be banished again, or perhaps destroyed."
Twilight looked skeptical. "So, you were planning on just letting her stay inside your head forever?"
"Not at all. I wanted to rid myself of her, but I had no idea how. I had never heard of anything like this before. The only thing I could think to do was ignore her until she disappeared, but I should have known that wouldn't work. She lasted a thousand years on the moon, after all. The longer I spent enduring her harassment, the less patience I had for it."
Twilight's face was hard to read. Her eyes were narrow and her brow furrowed, but her frown had a trace of confusion. Luna couldn't fathom what was going through her mind, but she suspected she didn't want to know. She took another deep breath.
"It wasn't until we shared that dream that I was able to think of a plan. Watching you fight against Nightmare Moon was... inspiring. It gave me hope that she could be overcome, that the evil she represented could never flourish in Equestria. I thought that if I couldn't convince her she was wrong, maybe you and the rest of ponykind could. So I gave her control, knowing you and Celestia would be there to stop her if things went wrong. I assumed it wouldn't take long for her to learn the error of her ways and give up, but that didn't quite happen.
"Nightmare caused plenty of trouble, as you are aware. There are many things she struggles with, but there are also things she excels at. Things I could never do on my own. I'm sure you have heard of the Winter Moon Festival by now?"
Twilight nodded.
"That was her idea. At first it seemed like a display of arrogance, but she taught me there was more to it than that. The Summer Sun Celebration isn't just about praising Celestia, it's a time for ponies to connect with each other and gain a better appreciation of the world they live in. The Winter Moon Festival too, isn't just about me, it's a time for ponies to be merry and to celebrate harmony. Being a Princess isn't just about treating ponies fairly, it's about inspiring them, being someone they can look up to and have faith in."
Twilight's hardened eyes turned curious. "You learned that from Nightmare Moon?"
"I did. I understand it sounds like madness, but she is an important part of me. She may be selfish, arrogant and combative, but she is also determined, motivated, and confident. Alone, we are both deeply flawed ponies. But together, we can make up for each other's differences and become something better. Something worthy of the title Princess."
Silence hung in the air again, but this time it was not Luna's place to break it. Twilight stared at her from the bed, her face filled with shock and uncertainty.
"So," she finally said. "You are Nightmare Moon?"
"I am."
"But, you're also Luna?"
"Yes. They are two names for the same pony. Two conflicting perspectives, neither complete without the other. Accomplices in one of Equestria's greatest disasters. Myself and I, nothing more."
Twilight leaned back. "My gosh. I never would have thought..."
"And that is why I have come to apologize. I will not ask for your forgiveness, Twilight, for I know I could never be worthy of it. But I wish to tell you that I regret each and every mistake I've made, and every wrongdoing I've committed. I wish to become a better pony, but the journey promises to be long and difficult. I cannot guarantee I will ever be a princess worthy of your respect, only that I will try my hardest."
Twilight tilted her head. "What are you talking about?"
Luna paused. "Surely you're upset to hear all your efforts have led to this? That all the struggles you and your friends endured to defeat Nightmare Moon resulted in a princess who can't perform her duties properly?"
Twilight's confusion grew. "Luna, my friends and I didn't save you because we knew you were a princess, we did it because it was the right thing to do. When we used the Elements against Nightmare Moon, it was to save Equestria from eternal night! We had no idea what was going to happen—we didn't even know if we could actually defeat her!" She paused. "Defeat you? I'm not sure how I should say that..."
She shook her head. "The point is: getting to meet my new friends was far more than I had been expecting from that Summer Sun Celebration, and rediscovering the Elements of Harmony with them was the adventure of a lifetime! When I learned you were Celestia's long lost sister, I was just happy that the two of you could forgive each other and reunite. I wasn't expecting you to be a perfect pony, I didn't even think about the fact that Equestria had two princesses now."
Before Luna could react, Twilight sprung from the bed and pulled her into a hug. "You're my friend, Luna. All I want from you is for you to be yourself and find the things that make you happy in life. That's the reason I reached out to you on Nightmare Night, and the reason I'm here right now. Nothing more, nothing less."
Luna sat in shock, caught completely off guard. There were many outcomes she had imagined this talk could lead to, but this was not one of them. To be forgiven so quickly and effortlessly, it defied all reason.
Do you understand now? Nightmare asked. You have already paid the debt you owed. Your fears are unfounded, and your energy is wasted worrying about things that don't exist. You are brimming with untapped potential just waiting to be realized, and everyone else knows it. All you need to do is trust them and be the pony they know you can be.
Her head was spinning. Something about that sounded so wrong, but Luna couldn't figure out what. Twilight's words kept echoing inside her mind, and she was starting to wonder if she had misheard some of them.
"So," she said hesitantly. "You do not mind that I used to be a villain? That I was an enemy of Equestria?"
Twilight smiled. "I don't mind. Just because you used to be a villain, doesn't mean you are one now. You're a good pony, Luna, and I've never had less doubt about than that now."
"But why?"
"Because you clearly regret the mistakes you've made, and you're doing everything you can to make sure you never make them again. Seriously, can you see yourself trying to overthrow Celestia in the future?"
"Stars, no!"
Twilight giggled. "Then I can't either. If you can overcome a mistake like Nightmare Moon, then you can overcome anything. I believe in you."
It sounded too good to be true, but the proof was right in front of her. Twilight still considered her to be a friend, and held no ill will against her. By all metrics Twilight should be furious, but all she had shown her was sympathy. Twilight truly cared for her.
Luna felt something cold trickle down her cheek, and she blinked to try and clear her blurry vision. She carefully wrapped her hooves around Twilight, who hugged her tighter. "Thank you, Twilight. I am honored to call you my friend. You are the first I've made in over a millennium, and perhaps the best I've ever had."
"The honor is all mine, Princess. If you ever need help, you can count on me." Twilight drew a hoof over her chest, before placing it against her eye. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
Luna pulled back. "What?"
Twilight paused. A moment later she wore a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I got a little carried away. It's a Pinkie Promise. It means I'll be here for you, whenever you need me, no matter what."
Luna grinned. "I see. I take it that Pinkie Pie invented this oath?"
Twilight nodded. "Pinkie Pie takes promises very seriously. If I fail to keep this one, there's not a place in Equestria I'll be safe from her."
Luna chuckled. "So be it. In that case, I offer you a vow of my own." She rose to her hooves and closed her eyes. "Should I ever need help in the future, I will not think twice to ask for your assistance." She lifted her hoof and attempted to mimic the gestures Twilight had made. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
"Oh, jeez," Twilight giggled. "Well, we better make sure we both stick to our word. Otherwise, we'll have to start searching for places Pinkie Pie can't get to."
Laughter filled the air, and Luna savored the sound of her voice mixing with Twilight's. Her tears flowed faster, but they were not of sorrow or fear; they were liquid happiness. Her heart beat with a hopefulness she had never felt before, and her cheeks were flush with warmth and joy. This was a moment more powerful than the defeat of Discord, more momentous than the founding of Equestria. The love she felt was greater than the number of stars in the sky, more powerful than the evening tide.
Luna would never forget this day as long as she lived. No matter how difficult life became, however dreary the future looked, she would always remember the kindness Twilight Sparkle had shown her. There was no doubt in her mind now, not a single dissenting thought to stand against the lesson she had learned this day.
Friendship truly was Magic.