The night was still. The extravagant city of Canterlot, known for it being the city that never slept was uncharacteristically quiet, so quiet you could hear a pin drop from many streets away. Everypony was asleep bar one, the Princess of the Night, She herself had only awoken a few hours previously. She strolled throughout the long, dark corridors of the castle, each lit with a few candles every few metres. She was wandering happily when she heard a distant scream. She immediately teleported in the direction of the shriek, ending up outside a younger alicorns room.
She ran in frantically. She looked towards the bed, there she seen a small violet alicorn, and the sight was far from pretty. Twilight was shaking, breathing heavily, and sweating badly all whilst staying asleep. Luna looked at her pitifully, she walked into the bathroom and ran the tap, whilst conjuring a glass, she filled the glass and set it on Twilights bedside table. Again looking down at her, deciding whether to wake her up or to leave her. She then decided enough was enough and attempted to waken her.
She nudged her slightly, “Twilight, wake up.” She said soothingly, at the same time she stroked her cheek delicately, in return Twilight rolled over as she continually sobbed and whined. She tried again, this time nudging her harder, “Twilight, you need to wake up!” She almost shouted, still no reply, Luna immediately began to worry. Should she get Celestia? No she was unable to help with anything to do with dreams, she decided that she would try one last time. This time she almost slapped the sleeping mare, she immediately woke with a start, as if she had just came out of water. Luna instantly hugged her as Twilight quickly wiped her tear-filled eyes.
“Luna, what are you doing here?” Twilight asked comprehensively, trying her best to hide the fear in her voice, failing miserably. Luna looked at her with a face of slight confusion, bewildered on why would she be shielding her feelings, especially someone she deemed close with.
“I heard you scream Twilight, is everything alright?” Luna asked with deep concern.
Twilight looked into her eyes, smiling. “Yeah everythings great, it was just a little nightmare, I've overcame way worse in my time.”she laughed while with a plastic smile, which Luna noticed immediately. She sighed deeply.
“Twilight, if anyone knows how she shield feelings it is myself. Please tell me what is troubling you so dearly.” Luna asked as she fixed Twilights slightly matted hair. The younger alicorn looked away in shame, Luna decided that she couldn't let her suffer silently much longer and climbed into her and held her in her large, midnight wings. Twilight accepted the embrace. She exhaled, accepting defeat, she began to speak.
“It's just, ever since my friends and I defeated Tirek I've felt different. I've tried to ignore it but I just can't.” She cried as her eyes began to swell with tears, “No matter what I do, it just sits in the back of my mind, I mean Tirek almost won at my hooves, what princess would I be if I let a villain win?” She paused, and rubbed her eyes, “I'm sorry I shouldn't be blabbering like a baby.” She sighed, looking away in embarrassment. Luna looked down at the distressed alicorn, she herself not good at reining her emotions, held her tighter.
“There is nothing to apologize for, I myself have had many ‘blabbers’ as you have worded it. Can you try explain how you feel, it may make you feel better to talk about it.” She looked at her intrigued all whilst stroking her wet face.
“Well, when Tirek took all the alicorn magic from me.” she looked up at the midnight alicorn, “I felt like I had failed, that I had failed my friends and that I had failed Celestia.” She began to sob again. “Ever since I was a small filly I had looked up to her, she had given me an important task and I had failed.” she looked away in shame. “What kind of princess wouldn't be if I couldn't defeat a threat as big as Tirek.”
Luna looked at Twilight with horror, she was upset that she had failed even when she hadn't. She put her hoof under Twilights chin, but she tried looking away. “Twilight look at me.” she spoke sharply, Twilight looked up with shock. “You are one of the most accepting, considerate and powerful mares I know. When I returned you were one of the only ones to see me for myself, and by what I can see you are not a failure but a savior. In the face of doubt you saved your friends, not yourself. Only a determined leader could do something as noble as that. Plus, I don't think any other creature would've held as much magic as you did.”
Twilight said no words, but cuddled into Luna deeper, sobbing into her coat. This time it was not tears of pain, but tears of appreciation. Luna swore she could hear her mutter, “Thank you.”
“You're a strong pony Twilight, and I'm sure Celestia thinks that as well. You need to stop putting I much pressure on yourself.” Luna suggested as she peered down at the upset mare, deciding on how to lighten the mood. “Heres a glass of water, it'll help.” Luna indicated, pointing to the glass with her free hoof. Twilight smiled appreciatively and carried the glass towards herself in her crimson magic and drank until the glass was empty.
“Thank you Luna, I really needed that. You would make a good therapist.” Twilight commented, Luna blushed,
“Maybe in another life Twilight.” Luna murmured. Sometimes she thought of what her life could've been, if her parents hadn't of died so soon, if she hadn't became Nightmare Moon, and if she wasn't banished to the moon.
She looked over at the small alicorn, “would you like to here a story?”