I looked out over the forest below as the sun set at the horizon. I kept my eyes away from the hot ball of light. Even with day goggles on it wouldn’t be good for me to look directly at the thing.
Cloak, heating spell and the sun goddess next to me took most of the bite away from that constant chilly wind from above.
I risked a glance up at Celestia. She was looking directly into the sun without blinking, a small smile on her lips. Her wings half raised as her horn glowed and she lowered her head in pace with the sun. The red of the setting sun seemed to make her white coat glow, even through my day goggles.
“You look happy,” I said, looking up at her.
“I am happy,” she said and smiled as the sun started to dip down behind the horizon enough for me to push my goggles onto my forehead and still remain comfortable, “I really enjoyed our time here.”
“Me too,” I agreed with a smile of my own, “But it’s also going to be nice to be back. I did really enjoy this though, I wish…”
Celestia's glow around her horn faded away as the sun settled behind the horizon, “We could stay?”
“No! I’d turn into a icecube!” I exclaimed, “Seriously, the idea of this place in the winter make me cold on it’s own!”
Laughing, Celestia settled a sun warm wing across my back, “Then what?”
I shrugged a bit, scraping a hoof against the stone of the tower roof beneath us as I thought about a way to express it as I moved to press my side against hers.
“...What we’ve done here,” I finally said, “I really liked studying,” before I smiled, “And that may have been one of the first times I ever said that,” and glanced up at her, “You’re an amazing teacher, Sunshine.”
“Thank you,” she said and smiled at me, “You were a good student. A student wanting to learn makes it all so much easier.”
I smiled back, “I wonder what else you could teach me.”
Celestia smirked, “If you only knew,” she teased.
I flicked one ear, grinning at her, “...So, decide to find a new student then?” I asked.
She nodded, “I will. Not sure who, but there are several ponies with potential,” before she touched my nose with hers, “And you should keep up your studies. Ask Twilight.”
“I will,” I agreed with a smile, “I’ll make the time if nothing else. Besides, I really think Sparks will like it.”
Celestia nodded and raised her head again, turning and guiding me towards the hatch and stairs inside, “I think so too. I think Twilight could be an excellent teacher,” before she looked at me as she let me down inside first, “But she has never taught before. Not for real, anyway.”
“Good thing I’m such a good student then,” I said, standing a bit taller as I trotted down the stairs, glancing back at her.
Celestia looked amused, “I’m sure that will help.”
“If nothing else, I have other ways to keep her on track,” I teased.
“I’m equally sure you do,” Celestia said with a grin and stopped by her door, “You should get some rest.”
I paused, hesitating for several seconds before I glanced up at her, “You know, we only have another couple of days. We really should make use of as much of it as we can.”
She smiled, wings raising a bit, “Are you asking to be let into my chambers late at night?”
“Would you like if I did?” I asked, turning to face her, looking up at her.
“I definitely would,” She agreed and guided me inside, “What would you like to work on?”
I slipped my cloak off and stretched, wings stretched high as I glanced back at her as I folded my cloak and put it to the side, “I think I can think of some things.”
Celestia's horn flared and the fireplace burst back into flames, “Such as?” she asked as she walked up next to me, looking into my eyes.
“...I swear I had some in mind, but I can’t think of a single one right now,” I admitted as I met her eyes.
“You,” Celestia said with a smile as she guided me over to the fireplace, “are getting better.”
“Well, we already established I’m a good student,” I said with a smirk before settling down by the fireplace and folding my wings again, “It is a bit late to start something new. So I’m thinking reviewing something?”
Celestia nodded as she settled down next to me, her side just about touching mine as one wing settled across my back like a blanket, “How about shields?”
I got comfortable, leaning against her warm side, “Shields sound good,” I agreed, “I still find them a bit tricky. Practical or theoretical?”
“Let’s stick mostly to theory,“ she said, “As you said, it’s late.”
Nodding, I glanced around, “...My notes are down in my room.”
“No notes, no books,” Celestia said as she looked at me with a small teasing smile, “How about we play a little game?”
Gulp.
“Such as?”
“I cast a shield, you tell me what it blocks without using any magic,” she said with a smile.
I looked up at her, “And if I get it right?” with a teasing smile of my own, “does my teacher have any thoughts for a reward?”
“Actually,” Celestia said, smiling down at me, “I do have an idea you will like very much.”
“Which is…”
Her horn lit and a bowl of grapes floated over from the table, “Get it right and you get a treat.”
I blinked at her before I grinned, “You… have a very good way of motivating your students. Did you use grapes on Sparks too?”
“Hmm, library cards,” Celestia admitted with a small laugh, “Or more specifically, points. Enough points earned her a borrowed book from the royal library.”
“Yeah, that’d work,” I admitted after a minute considering it.