//------------------------------// // Rapport // Story: Blooming Days // by Hoofprintz //------------------------------// "R-remarkable!" Apparently, Luna was just as stunned as I was at what the two of us were looking at. "Absolutely remarkable, Sunset!" The desolate wasteland stretched as far as the eye could see in all directions. Not a single tree nor object from the forest that stood moments ago remained. To be honest, It wouldn't be fair to refer to it as a forest any more. The earth was scorched, a dense black smoke rising from the burnt ground all around us. Even the lake was dried up, a large barren canyon now where it once laid. "H-how did I..." The most vivid stars I'd ever seen filled my vision as the ground itself began to move like the waves of an ocean. The strain of trying to register exactly what I'd managed to do paired with the exhaustion of performing such a feat, was way too much for my body, and my mind, to handle. "... do that?" In a dizzying second, the ground rushed at me. "WHOA, whoa, whoa," Luna held me with her forelegs, making sure I didn't collapse. "An appropriate question for your mentor, Sunset," she laughed. "I believe it's safe to say you weren't holding anything back that time." She continued to look around us in awe, her face shimmering with glee. "You may be just as strong as my dearest, Sunset!" she remarked, her smile growing in size. "T-that's... g-great," I grinned like a dork, the compliment not fully registering in my mind. The sudden feeling of my dinner coming back up was a lot more concerning than any praise I was being lavished with. Thankfully, Luna's melodious giggling was enough to distract me from the feeling of nausea. "I think that is more than enough for tonight," her horn shined its dark blue sheen as the world around us began to shift and change to something else. "I do believe you've earned that bit of relaxation I promised." As reality slowly reconstructed around us, I noticed we were standing amongst one of the most breathtaking vistas I'd ever witnessed. The ivory sand beneath my hooves was cool to the touch, much like standing on a gritty cloud. The sand was white as snow, a far cry from the typical yellow beaches I'd been to. The ebb and flow of the ocean's tide pushed and pulled clear midnight-blue water onto, and away from, the shore directly in front of us. It was the cleanest looking water I'd ever laid my eyes upon. A gentle breeze gave this new environment the perfect temperature. The tickle of the misty water against my coat was strangely soothing, -- almost as if it had magical properties -- the droplets of liquid bringing a luster to my body and a comfort to my heart. The beach seemed to be endless, stretching as far as the devastated land that we had just left behind. Here, in this new location, I felt fully rejuvenated by some unseen force. It was confusing. Unless Luna had used a spell to help me recuperate, I should've still been exhausted. "I'm... feeling okay, Your Highness," I assured her. She was still holding me close and I was getting a little flustered. "As it should be," she let me go, allowing me to stand under my own strength. "This is a place of healing." I didn't hear what she'd said. As she stepped back, I had my first chance to fully view her in this new world. Taking in Luna in all of her glory under the light of the full moon, I finally understood why Twilight held such awe for the Goddess of the Night. It was unreal. She's unreal. Much like admiring Celestia when she was in the full splendor of her sun, bearing witness to Luna beneath her moon, -- the rays of moonlight empowering her, making her body gleam -- it was nearly impossible to keep myself from dropping down onto my face and worshipping her. "Y-Your Highness..." It was hard to speak. It was difficult to do anything other than bask in her glorious aura. "What... what is this place?" "This is where I come to unwind after especially trying nights," she smirked as she trotted toward the sparkling ocean. "Be grateful, Sunset Shimmer. You are one of the select few other than myself to set hoof in this place." I was pretty sure I could guess who the others were. Still, it was humbling that she'd deem me worthy enough to bring me to such a hallowed place. "Thank you, Your Majesty," I bowed low in appreciation, mostly because I didn't know what else to do to express my gratitude for such a kind gift. "Think nothing of it, Sunset," she laughed. I could hear her splashing into the water. "Come, come! Into the water with me!" It was easy to see how much fun she was having, splashing about. Her enthusiasm was so inviting, so enticing, it drew me like a moth to a flame. I walked over to her, the temperature of the water exactly what my sore hooves needed. It'd been a long day, much longer than I'd thought, and a peaceful soak with the Princess of the Night sounded like heaven. She was already neck deep in the water, a playful grin on her face. "Tis impressive, is it not?" I was beyond ecstatic, the idea of swimming in the deep, dark ocean on a cool, moonlit night, one of my most dreamt about fantasies. I wonder if that's why she brought me here... If that was why she'd done it, that'd be a little... concerning. But it was her job, so it's not like I'd hold it against her. Meh, either way... "This is more like it, Your Hi-" Approaching her with unwarranted confidence, I'd assumed the ocean's floor would slowly decline granting me an easy way to get acclimated. I'd thought Luna was crouching or perhaps lying down on said floor. I was wrong. "AHHHH!" My hooves lost their foundation in an instant, as if I'd just stepped into a bottomless pit. I flailed around like a foal that didn't know how to swim who'd just been tossed into a pool, the sudden rising depth causing me to panic. Luna's horn shined with mana as she held me in place, making sure that my head remained above the water. She giggled at my blunder, a hoof pressed against her lips. "I didn't know you were such a clumsy mare, Sunset." "V-very funny, Your M-Majesty," I sputtered, coughing up some water as she removed her telekinesis from me. Now knowing there was nothing beneath me, I swam in the water, easily floating in place. "Forgive me, Sunset. I could not resist," she looked away sheepishly. "I should have notified you of how my ocean works as soon as we arrived." How it... works? I stared down at the body of water, scrutinizing it. As far as I could tell, it was just like every other body of water I'd come across, save being much more beautiful, of course. It looked, felt, even smelled, like every other ocean Celestia had ever taken me to, so I had no clue what Luna was implying. "It's... a bit different," she lifted a hoof to point behind me. Turning around I came to find the shore was no longer anywhere to be seen. The two of us were stranded in the middle of her vast ocean, the waves moving us up and down like a pair of fishing bobbers. "Uhmmmm, soooo... that's pretty weird." I didn't panic, knowing full well that Luna was in control of her own realm. "Different how? ... other than the shore suddenly disappearing, obviously." "How best to put this," she appeared to sit on something in the water, not having to balance or move to maintain her position on the surface. "My ocean is... highly adaptive to one's desires." Adaptive? "Here, I'll make it easier for you," she smiled. A current of water swept up behind me, rubbing against my withers. "You can have a seat on that." I cautiously moved onto the current that continued to flow despite my contact with it. As soon as my flank touched the rushing water it seemed to harden, allowing me to sit comfortably against it. Even my back was accommodated to, a second current solidifying to support that part of my body as well. "Th-thank you." It felt so strange, to sit on "nothing" in an ocean, but it was oddly comfy and strangely... soothing. "My water also has regenerative properties," the princess explained. "Staying in, or even close to it, will restore stamina, heal ailments, and replace one's exhausted mana," she smiled down at the water like a mother looking at her newborn foal for the first time. "It won't even make you pruney if you stay in for too long," she giggled. "That's... that's amazing, Your Highness," I too admired her creation. "The mana regen and stuff... not so much the wrinkly bit," I chuckled, gently splashing the water with my hoof. "Don't knock it, Sunset. You'd be surprised how often I tend to fall asleep here," she submerged herself completely before coming right back up. "It's quite beneficial not to have to worry about your skin in such a case." My jaw fell, mouth agape as I stared shamelessly at the Princess of the Night. I couldn't help myself. Her mane and face were drenched with water, the moonlight reflecting off of her sopping wet coat. Her... eyes. Her cyan eyes were like two glowing gems, beckoning me to her. I could hardly resist her godly charm. My heart pounded in my chest like a drum. My face burned along with the rest of my body. I bit my lip, trying my hardest to shift my focus to something else... but I couldn't. So... beautiful... She noticed my adoration, a fierce blush coming to her face as she quickly looked away. "Sunset your... admiration is quite appreciated, but it is a tad... embarrassing." "I-I'm... I'm sorry, Your Majesty." I still felt like I might be caught in a trance, or perhaps mesmerized was the correct word. "I just... you're magnificent, Luna." Being with Celestia for the time I had been I'd long grown accustomed to her otherworldly allure. Couple that adaptation with her pretty much being my mother and there was no longer a physical attraction there. Luna, though? I was forced to wipe the saliva crawling down my chin. "P-perhaps we should speak on the matter you visited me for, Sunset." She still wouldn't look at me, her entire body gaining a crimson tinge. The matter I- TWILIGHT! "O-of course, Your Highness! Please, forgive me!" I shook my head, forcing myself to focus on much more important things. "No sane creature would demand an apology for being adored in such a way, Sunset." The Princess of the Moon took a deep breath to calm herself before turning back to face me. "Now then, what is it I can help you with, dear?" I moved my hoof left and right through the water, the ripples created continuing outward until I could no longer see them. How should I even start? I had to be cautious. Like my mentor had told me, Luna was much sharper than any properly cared for blade. If I wasn't careful, she'd read me like a book and that might cause problems. "I wanted to talk to you about-" "My dearest," she reclined back in the water, getting comfortable. "Y-yes," I reluctantly conceded. I was aware Celestia could discern what others were thinking most of the time, but my mentor tended to keep that ability discreet. Luna on the other hoof? She made it more than apparent that she knew what one was thinking, or at the very least, had a concise idea. I was really hoping the Night Princess wouldn't utilize that skill too much right now. "It appears my... beloved is becoming quite a popular mare," she stared up at her moon, her lips curling downward almost imperceptibly. "It is... most troublesome." "Your... Your Highness?" I leaned forward, her words piquing my interest. "I am merely recalling the reason I decided to come here tonight," she explained with a lazy wave of her hoof. "Foolish ponies say foolish things, do not concern yourself further. What was it you wished to discuss about my beloved, Sunset?" Her question sounded like it had an irritated edge to it. Like she didn't want to talk about Twilight at all, but was willing to humor me. Did... did something happen? "As I just said, Sunset," her voice was stern, commanding. "Do not concern yourself." C-crap. Another slip up like that could cost me dearly. I had to be more careful. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. It won't happen ag-" "No... No," she shook her head as she sat up, a look of regret coming to her features. "Forgive me, Sunset. I shouldn't take my frustrations out on an innocent party." She smiled meekly at me. "When you're ready, go ahead." ... "Well..." Her smile, as well as her permission, meant a lot to me, but I was still worried about what I should say. "Twilight and I..." The breath I let out released some of the tension filling me, but there was such a great amount of it, just breathing would never relieve it all. "The two of us have never... we've never really seen eye to eye." "An understatement if I've ever heard one," she knowingly smirked. "Might I make a small suggestion, Sunset?" "Anything, Your Highness," I nodded. "Be frank, dear." Another sympathetic smile given. "Try to consider this a... friendly conversation." I bristled. Does she- I can't really believe that... can I? Luna was always the very personification of grace, elegance, and civility. The one thing she gave off more than those qualities was an air of authority. Being around Luna was nothing like being around her older sister. Celestia could generally rein in her godlike aura when she desired to do so. The Princess of the Night either struggled to do the same, or simply never cared to. "I assure you, Sunset," she chuckled, taking on a relaxed position again. "You can put your faith in me. I don't bite," she grinned at me deviously. "Not hard, at least." I wasn't sure if she was trying to make me feel comfortable or if she was just joking, but my face was starting to resemble the darker parts of my mane nonetheless. "I-If you say so, Your Highness," I dipped my head in the water to cool down a bit. "Okay..." I said once I was back to normal. "Since Twilight and I first met, she's always been... well, a jerk." I really hadn't wanted to say it, especially not to her mentor, but... it was how I felt. And it's not exactly a lie. ... She was quiet for a lot longer than I'd have wanted, but when she did finally speak there was, thankfully, no anger in her voice. "My dearest can be a tad... aggressive. Particularly when it comes to you, Sunset," she conceded. "Though I suppose I have no grounds to speak of such things. I haven't been the model princess when it comes to treating you with respect either." "I... I want to know why," I declared with all the determination I possessed. If she wasn't going to string me up for calling her pupil names, then it should be okay for me to be honest. "I want that to change. I..." I took a deep breath. "I want to be her-" my face flushed, her cyan eyes filling with fire as she stared into mine. "F-friend." Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap! CRAP! My body moved forward, a current in the water forcing me closer to Luna as she continued to stare daggers at me. I couldn't move a muscle, either due to my fear or the water itself preventing me from doing anything. I'd messed up. It wasn't a lie, --not completely, at least, -- but that didn't matter when it came to the mind of an immortal. Celestia had told me once before, how she could perceive things that mortals could never hope to. How she could hear the change in tempo of a creature's heartbeat if they lied. How she could see small deviations in an expression when a creature was uncertain. How she could detect the scents of various emotions like fear or excitement as if they were different freshly baked goods. How she could taste a creature's intentions in the air, as if they were a thick smog. And her younger sister had the exact same ability as her. "How... irksome." She was studying my eyes and for some unknown reason, I couldn't bring myself to look away. "Yet... I suppose even friends keep the truth from one another sometimes." "I..." I couldn't lie to her. She'd know. And I couldn't tell her the truth either. I was trapped. I forced myself to lower my head. "Your Highness, I-" she lifted a hoof in protest. "Please, Sunset. I implore you," she raised my head so I would look at her. "Choose your next words carefully." There was only compassion in her voice. "I..." I shifted my eyes away from her, but couldn't turn my head away. "Luna, I... I want... to be..." I stared into her pleading eyes, resolve flooding my heart. "I want to be more than just friends with Twilight." ... ... ... She smiled... but... it was... there was no joy in it. As her eyes began to tear up and her jaw trembled slightly, I wanted nothing more than to embrace her. She actually does. And so, I did. I held her tightly, despite how rigid she'd become, clearly not expecting me to make such a bold move. After a moment of apparent shock, she slowly returned my hug, gently rubbing my withers with a hoof. "An immortal goddess comforted by a young mare," her laugh was dripping with irony. "How pitiful can an alicorn be?" "There's nothing pitiful about loving somepony, Your Highness," I gently squeezed her. "Why would you even think something like that?" She took a deep breath, her exhalation quivering with trepidation. With the utmost care she moved me away, a look of despair on her face. "I could never love somepony so crass as to love one as foolish as I, Sunset Shimmer." She held herself in her forelegs as her head slowly lowered. Every aura of royalty, godhood, and authority she'd exuded moments ago was gone in an instant. Right now, she was just a terrified mare... a terrified mare that needed somepony's help. "Your Highness..." I wasn't sure what I should say to comfort a goddess, especially one as mysterious as Luna. But... I have to try. "That's stupid," I couldn't have been any more blunt, my pounding heart betraying my attempt to keep my anxiety a secret. "W-what!?" she looked at me completely befuddled, her posture relaxing slightly. "You're one of the smartest, strongest, and most beautiful mares I know. Any pony would be blessed to... to be with you," I blushed. "Why are you being so hard on yourself?" This is almost as hard as talking with my mentor about love. She looked receptive to my words, flattered even, but the question clearly troubled her, an expression of shame forcing her to look away. "I see myself in her, Sunset," she sighed. "I always have. Sometimes, it feels as if I'm looking into a mirror when I see her," she covered her face with her hooves. "Never has there been a more pompous creature than I. To have... to have feelings for one who I perceive so much of myself in? Such vanity!" she slammed her hooves into the water, sending it flying in multiple directions. "Why am I so foolish!? Why can't I be more like my sister!?" she was growing hysterical and along with her distress, the world around us began to rumble and warp. "My one and only STUDENT!? I'm an immortal, Sunset! I'm supposed to be smarter than this!" she looked at me desperately, her sad eyes begging me for absolution. "My dearest has only ever been- How could I-" She let out a wail of grief, a look of intense sorrow on her face as she clasped her eyes closed. "Why am I like this?" she whispered. "Why must I ruin everything good in my life?" she clenched her teeth, the pain too much for her to bear. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!?" Her ocean retreated away from her trembling form, an orb of crackling mana forming around her, pushing away the water. The rest of her world was faring no better, lances of blinding lightning filling the sky above us. Her ocean was tempestuous, as if a twister had settled in it and would never stop. The Moon Princess was curled into a ball, trying to hide away from the world. From her own world. Such a powerful, beautiful mare, trying to hide like a filly from the boogeymare. It broke my heart. "Nothing, Your Highness," I whispered and she heard, all of the chaos around us abruptly coming to an end as her magical orb fizzled out. "You... you would mock me?" she looked devastated, her glistening eyes pleading with me to be merciful. "No, Your Highness," I shook my head, swimming over to her. I cupped her face with my hooves, wiping away her tears. "There is nothing wrong with you. Nothing at all," I offered her a smile filled with all the love I could muster. She cried all the more. "Then... then why?" "You're afraid, Your Highness." I was familiar with how she was feeling, because I felt the exact same way about Twilight. I wiped away the tears one last time before lowering my forelegs. "I... I..." "Twilight is so... amazing, isn't she?" My smile grew as her eyes widened to saucers. "When we confronted Starlight, I honestly thought we might... I was so scared, I thought we were going to die... or maybe something even worse." My head drooped as my own weaknesses came to the forefront of my mind. "I tried to be brave. I tried... but... but we got caught and Twilight saved us." I lost myself, thinking of the mare that made my heart flutter. "She's... she's so strong. Anypony would be foolish to think otherwise." I returned my focus back to the Princess of the Night. "Even a goddess." We shared a cordial chuckle. ... "I want to protect her, Your Majesty. I want to be with her. I... I want to make her happy. And... I know you do too." She sniffled, wiping her own eyes. "You would build up your own rival, Sunset? The two of us would be striving for opposite outcomes." It was a fair question. One I had no problem answering. "You're an astonishing mare, Princess. Twilight would be blessed to have your love..." I sighed, more than a little sad at the possibility of somepony else being with Twilight, but the idea not hurting as much as it had earlier. Not if it's somepony like Luna. "If that makes her happy... happier than she would be with me, then I'll be happy for the two of you as well." ... "What a pair of fools we are," she smiled. It was her turn to wipe away my tears. She did so with the sweetest smile on her face. "Thank you so very much, Sunset." I nuzzled into her hoof. "Any time, Your Highness." ... "The same goes for you too, you know," she said quietly, lowering her hoof as she moved to lie back down. "Your Majesty?" "My dearest would be blessed to have your love," she sighed contentedly. "And if she does make such a decision... I would be happy for the two of you as well." I had to sniffle and do my best to prevent myself from bawling. "Thank you, your Highness." "Now, let's relax for a while and enjoy each other's company. My night is still young," she smiled at me. I laid back as well, taking full advantage of the properties of her ocean. ... "Your Majesty?" "Yes, dear?" "I'm glad you invited me tonight." "As am I, Sunset... As am I."