//------------------------------// // Chapter Three - A Night to Remember // Story: Gift of the Goddess // by Medievalman //------------------------------// A clock heralded the coming of the morning as sunlight flooded into the guest room, its chimes greeting the new bright, cheery day. The light seeped its way across the floor, enveloping the regal furniture and bathing it in its glow. The light slowly encroached on the dresser near the front door, cascading across the golden love potion that sat on top. The potion practically glistened in the sunlight, tantalizing sparkles accenting the projection of a deep golden glow. Twilight laid on her bed motionless, her eyes bloodshot, her expression unchanged from the night before. Her stare didn't leave the potion for a second, her eyes constantly following the swirls of magic that danced within the vial. The gears in her mind churned endlessly, constantly replaying each and every scenario she imagined could happen should the potion be used, each iteration more terrifying than the last. The sunlight crept its way across Twilight's body until it shone full force on her eyes. She broke her trance and quickly shut her eyes, shielding them from the sun with the help of her hoof. She snuck a peek at the clock on the wall, struggling to adjust her focus due to the assault of light. Nine o' clock. Twilight let out a sigh and slowly shuffled out of bed. She yawned for a moment, stretching her forelegs until a satisfying crack was heard. Her stiff body creaked as she continued on to relieve her back, the consequences of lying on one's side all night being made particularly clear. She shook away her remaining body pain and scanned the room around her. Her focus, though, returned to the potion on the dresser. Twilight stood there for a moment, staring at the potion as she had all night, as if under some kind of spell. She slowly approached the potion, running the simulations in her head once again. She pictured herself awaking in a bed, right next to Celestia, disdain and fury plastered across her face, banishment being the only word she mutters. She envisioned a swooning Celestia caressing her, enraptured with her student, until the magic fades and a cage traps Twilight for an entirety. She saw herself being kissed by the Princess, only to see her pull back from her student, tears in her eyes, betrayal in her heart. Twilight reached out with her magic and grabbed the vial, holding it aloft before her. She peered into its golden depths, searching for an answer. Luna's words returned to Twilight, echoing the promise she had given. A chance to love... "No!" Twilight exclaimed, shaking her head and purging the thoughts from her mind. "I may not fully understand what love is like, but I know magic when I see it!" Twilight turned toward the far side of the room and approached the small wicker waste basket that sat there. She held the potion over the bin, staring at it with determined eyes. The swirling liquid glistened, Luna's words becoming clear in Twilight's head once again. Twilight bit her lower lip, a bead of sweat cascading down her forehead. She pictured herself staring into Celestia's eyes, the Princess staring into her own, the two mares oblivious to the world around them, their only focus being looking at each others deep loving eyes. Twilight gritted her teeth and furrowed her brow. "The foundation of friendship is trust," she diligently told herself. "Without trust, the bond is broken. This is no different!" Twilight released her magical grip and turned her back on the basket. The potion dropped in the bin with a soft plop, its fall cushioned by the mounds of paper within. Twilight took in a deep breath. She snuck a glance back at the potion, still projecting its allure. You are doing the right thing! Forcing somepony to love you just isn't right! Don't look back now, Twilight, just... j-just don't! The purple unicorn shut her eyes and quickly looked away. She released her breath slowly, a slight shudder accompanying it. Twilight gathered up her saddlebag, quickly trotted towards the door and promptly shut it behind her. Outside, Twilight leaned her back against the door, slowly sliding down until her bottom hit the floor. She let out a sigh of relief and smiled at her victory. I don't need a love potion to find love. I don't! Celestia will teach me, I know she will! "Twilight?" Twilight opened her eyes and looked toward the regal voice that called to her. Celestia stood in the hallway, her ethereal mane flowing beautifully in the morning sunlight. "There you are my faithful student. I was just about to come wake you up," she said with a smile. You try your hardest to know, to learn... "Oh! No need, Princess Celestia," Twilight said, realizing the appointment she had almost missed. "I'm up. I'm up!" You seek the answer in the only way you know how... "I can see that," Celestia replied with a chuckle. "Are you prepared for today's studies?" But one cannot merely be told what love is... "Of course! Lets go!" Twilight exclaimed, hopping to her hooves. Twilight took her place at Celestia's side, smiling wide at her mentor. The two mares walked side by side down the hallway, Celestia reciting the topics of the day. Twilight snuck one last look at her bedroom door, but quickly averted her gaze ahead. Listen to your heart... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The once bright sunlight yielded its unrelenting glow into soft amber tones as the afternoon wore on. The gas giant sat half crested in the sky, begging to be released from its heavenly boundary. It sank lower and lower, the fading light gently caressing the large wooden doors of Twilight's guest room as it slowly creaked open. A dark sapphire muzzle tentatively peeked through the open crevasse. "Hello?" Luna asked into the room. "Twilight?" Luna's questions were met only with silence. She slowly pushed open the door and quickly scanned around the room for any sign of movement. Aside from the unmade bed, the bedroom was exactly the way she had left it the night before. Clearly the maid service hadn't been doing their rounds diligently enough, perhaps a rescheduling was in order. But Luna wasn't too concerned about the untidy room, least of all if it included management duties. She was much more interested in something else. Luna snapped her attention to the dresser beside her. She scanned its surface, taking note of the thin layer of dust that had settled on it. Her eyes stopped short of the edge, where an unmistakable dust free circle sat prominently among a sea of fine powder. Luna drew a wide smile. "Oh, what joy of joys!" she exclaimed, bursting into the room and twirling around in circles as she giggled and laughed. "The love struck mare, guiding her lover to her warm, inviting embrace! Truly a most wondrous sight!" The night princess hopped and skipped around the room, gracefully acting out a delicate waltz as her smile grew wider and wider. She closed her eyes and pictured the two mares engaged in her dance, each one's eyes locked into their partner's. She at last came to a stop, her breathing heavy yet smooth, slowly opening her eyes. "No greater tale of love could ever have been told! No—" The glint of sparkling amber halted her sentence. Luna's smile dropped, her eyes grew wide and a scowl formed on her face. Crowned upon a mound of paper refuse was the golden potion of love, ungratefully tossed into a wicker waste basket. "Why that miserable—" Luna huffed, stamping her forehoof against the floor. She shut her eyes and took in a breath, before placing a hoof onto her chest and letting it out. Still cross, she strolled up to the waste basket and retrieved the potion with her magic. "Very well then, Twilight. If you will not see the truth..." Luna's mouth formed a smirk. "...then I shall show it to you!" Luna lifted up a wing and gently placed the potion between her feathers. With the potion secured, she trotted up to the open doorway of the guestroom but stopped as she attempted to leave. She turned back towards the falling sun and sighed. I suppose it is time now... Luna flared up her horn and began to concentrate. The sun shook and sputtered as the night princess struggled to maintain the star's decent. Finally, though, the bright gas giant gave in to Luna's commands and gently slipped away beyond the horizon. Luna let out a sigh of relief at her victory over the sun. See sister? Nothing to fear, all you must focus on is your lovely little Twilight. Worry not, I shall provide the mood lighting! Luna smiled and stepped into the open doorway. She looked to her left and then to her right, carefully searching for spying eyes. She stepped into the hallway and slowly closed the door behind her, careful not to cause too much noise. She trotted towards the main auditorium, searching her mind for a plan. How can I do this? Without Twilight's cooperation, covertly administering the potion will prove to be... difficult. It is much too obvious on its own. I must hide the intention, but how? Luna stepped into the auditorium, but halted her course. Before her, a maid pony gently pushed a small serving cart along, carrying Celestia's favorite one-of-a-kind golden embossed tea set. Luna's eyes grew wide and an idea clicked in her mind. A wicked smile flashed itself across her face. Aha! The night princess raced down the staircases and quickly trotted up to the maid pony. "Celestia's afternoon tea, I presume?" The maid pony jumped backwards at the sudden intrusion, but quickly regained her composure. "O-oh! Why yes, Princess Luna. It is." Luna quickly looked over the cart. Each piece of the tea set was right where it should be. She smiled. "I shall take it from here, good stewardess. You are relieved." The maid pony stared at the princess quizzically, unsure of how to respond. She complied with the command, however, and bowed down low before dismissing herself. "O-oh, uh, thank you, your grace." At that, the maid pony turned and left. Luna watched her anxiously as she rounded the corner toward the kitchen. As soon as she was out of sight, Luna checked all around her, searching for anypony else who might be watching. Confident the coast was clear, Luna turned her attention to the tea set. Luna lifted the lid off the teapot and took in the aroma of the liquid inside. It had a kick of spice, with even a hint of nutmeg. Bengal Spice, perfect. Luna set the lid down and stretched out her wing, retrieving the potion from between her feathers with her magical grip. She set the vial onto the tray and turned her attention to the honey bottle. With great care, Luna unscrewed the cap and lifted out the contents of the bottle with her telekinesis. She frantically searched around for a place to hide the honey, before settling her sights on a nearby potted plant and dumping the sweet nectar inside. After hiding the honey, Luna uncorked the vial and gently poured the potion into the honey bottle. The amber liquid sparkled and popped as it flowed into its new home, causing the clear container to glow very slightly. Luna screwed the cap back onto the bottle and placed it back down onto the tray. She studied the set, comparing it to the untampered version. Aside from the faint sparkles that popped from the spout on the honey bottle, it was nearly the same. Luna grew a wide grin once again. At a glance, tis' not a difference! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The tea cart rattled slightly as Luna pushed it along the marble hallway as she approached the large red double doors that marked the entrance to Celestia's bedchamber. The night princess gave the tea trolley one last look over, ensuring everything was in place before her entrance. The set was just as it should be: the teapot, the twin cups, the sugar jar and the honey bottle. The glint of the potion, however, didn't escape her notice. It was fleeting and faint, barely noticeable, but still it was there. Luna eyed the potion bottle further, biting down on her lower lip. Will this plot... succeed? Luna snapped her attention to the bedroom doors, where she noticed that one such door was only partially closed. She swiftly moved closer to the opening, pressing her body against the fully closed door and peering inside the room. Celestia and Twilight were inside, sitting around the small table in their usual fashion in the middle of the chamber. Twilight scribbled furiously into her notepads as Celestia watched on, her eyes centered solely on her student. Twilight lowered her notebook back onto the table and began scanning through the text. "So, after a period of courtship, one member of either party will make their intentions know to the other as to whether or not they will take the next step in their relationship," she stated, her quill still hovering above the notebook. "What happens after that?" "Well, at that point, the mare or stallion must make a choice. Usually the choice is presented in the form of a question, a proposal," Celestia replied. "A proposition of marriage, or something similar." "And, um, what happens if they... refuse?" Twilight asked hesitantly. Celestia brought a hoof to her chin, a frown forming on her face. "Well, should events steer in that direction, a number of outcomes can occur. Sometimes, the couple will simply go their separate ways. If there were troubles in the relationship, they may not speak to each other for some time." Celestia smiled, however. "But most of the time, the two will just stay friends." "Oh, ok..." Twilight said as she penned down her mentor's words before flipping the notebook over and drafted a new section. "So! Um, when exactly does, uh—" Twilight's cheeks grew red. "—coitus... normally occur?" Celestia's eyes went wide for a brief second, frantically searching the ceiling for a reply. "O-oh well, usually, intercourse comes into play—er, effect, a-after marriage vows have been exchanged." Twilight cocked an inquisitive eyebrow. "Usually? So, it can happen any time?" Celestia's eyes darted back and forth, before returning their attention to Twilight. She put on a weak smile, desperate to form a proper explanation. "W-well, you see, when two ponies who really love each other are alone together, and have properly consented with each other about their feelings, may decide to—" Celestia rubbed a hoof against her foreleg, averting her gaze from Twilight's eyes. "—engage in..." Celestia bit her lower lip, heat crossing her own cheeks. "Oh, where is that tea?" At the doorway, Luna sighed at her sister, but still put on a smile. She swiftly grabbed the tea cart with her magic and brought it close. Taking the ensuing awkward silence as a cue, Luna threw open the door and sauntered into the bedroom, the tea trolley following suit. "Good afternoon, dear sister!" she announced. "And you as well, Twilight." Twilight jumped slightly from the sudden disturbance, but Celestia took advantage of the distraction. "Luna! What a pleasant surprise," Celestia said, futilely trying to vent the heat from her cheeks. Luna took notice, but decided now wasn't the time to tease. "Just thought you two might enjoy a spot of tea." With a flick of her horn, Luna gently hovered the tray containing the tea set over to the table and set it down between the two mares. The night princess swiftly levitated the two teacups in front of the mares before setting down the sugar jar and the honey bottle. Finally, she placed the teapot in the middle and took a step back, but not before nudging the honey bottle closer toward Celestia. Celestia smiled and gave her sister a slight nod. "Thank you, Luna." "Enjoy," Luna said, turning toward the open doorway. "Um, Princess Luna?" Twilight asked as the night princess ceased her retreat. "Can I... have a word with you?" Luna rolled her eyes, but turned to face Twilight with a smile. "I am afraid I must return to my duties rather soon. Perhaps you can tell me later. For now, Twilight, simply enjoy yourself." "A-alright..." Twilight replied hesitantly. Satisfied with Twilight's compliance, Luna trotted out the open door and into the hallway. She continued on down the hall, taking small glances behind her to ensure she wasn't followed. As she rounded the corner, her pace quickened into a full blown gallop as she raced down the palace corridors. Luna came to a screeching halt at a large window and thrust it open. She stepped up precariously onto the edge of the windowsill and looked up at her target destination, a large stone tower across the palace gardens, a simple guest room perched on top. Luna took in a deep breath and flapped her wings, shooting through the skies toward the apex of the tower. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Cadance tapped a hoof on the stone railing that circled the perimeter of the tower balcony. Her eyes glazed over with boredom as her gaze traveled from the telescope stand to the makeshift bench and finally settling on a sapphire inlaid tea set that sat on the tiny nightstand beside it. The hot steam that had once risen from the pot had long since vanished. Cadance sighed and looked out over the rest of Canterlot, catching sight of a far off clock tower. The large spike of the minute hand lurched forward and struck the end of the hour. Cadance sank her head lower and lower towards the railing as the clock tower rang out its bell, silencing itself after the eighth ring. Cadance rested her chin on her crossed forelegs and peered over the castle. Her eyes shifting from each lit room and chamber, before settling on a single bedroom, where a certain mentor and her student sat in clear view of Cadance's vantage point. Cadance smiled. They do look kinda cute together... The beating of wings grabbed Cadance's attention and she quickly turned to face the disturbance. As if materializing from the night sky itself, Luna's outline slowly sauntered toward her until the light of the room behind them revealed her fully. Plastered over Luna's face was a goofy smile. Cadance retaliated with a frown. "There you are. We were supposed to meet twenty minutes ago..." Luna gave her wings a flap and tucked them against her barrel, bowing her head slightly. "My apologies for the delay, Cadance. I had to ensure that our curious little student would cooperate." "She agreed to use the potion, then?" Cadance asked. Luna lifted the lip off the teapot and peered inside. "Oh, when she heard of its existence, she was simply—" She place the lid back on the pot and gave Cadance a wide grin. "—ecstatic." "You told her everything she needed to know?" Cadance hastily implored. "How much to use? How long it lasts?" Luna waved a hoof in front of her. "Yes, yes. All that relevant information has been given to her." Cadance took a hesitant step forward, leaning in close as if a spy would overhear. "And Celestia?" "Oh, she will find out soon enough," Luna answered, still bearing her wicked smile. Cadance tilted her head with a confused stare, before her eyes grew wide. "Wait, you mean... you didn't tell her? She doesn't know?!" "Oh right, how foolish of me," Luna said, striding up to the telescope and grabbing hold of it. "I should have strolled right up to Celestia and said, 'Excuse me, sister, I had noticed your enamored affection for your student and thought it would be wonderful if you both indulged yourselves for the night by way of a love potion. Does that sound like fun?'." Luna forced the telescope to nod in agreement, before giving Cadance an indignant look. Cadance's gaze plummeted to the floor. "It just doesn't seem right..." Luna trotted over to the crystal princess and wrapped a wing around her. "Cadance, Tia has lived for over a thousand years. One tends to develop a thick skin in that time. I am sure she will be fine. There is very little that surprises her." "Still..." Cadance said softly, her posture weakening. Luna nudged her forward toward the railing. "Just think of it as a simple experiment, just a test for one single night." Luna took station next to the telescope and centered it on her sister's room, giggling slightly as she brought her eye onto the lens. Cadance sighed before grabbing hold of a pair of nearby binoculars with her magic. She brought the binoculars to her eyes and peered down at the two mares below. Just a test... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "Now, w-where were we..." Celestia stammered out, grabbing the gold inlaid teapot with her magical grip. "Oh yes, you must remember, Twilight, that while 'coitus' is important and key to any romantic relationship, it should not be the sole focus. Intimacy can be expressed without resorting to such acts if the two truly love each other." Twilight looked at her mentor quizzically. "But, isn't it the ultimate expression of love to another? Isn't that a good thing?" Celestia poured the hot tea into her student's cup, her soft vocal tone returning. "It can be, but it can also cause great turmoil in the wrong circumstances. It is something to be considered only when you are ready." "Coitus can cause turmoil?" Twilight asked, furrowing her brow and bringing a hoof to her chin. "But, but that doesn't make any sense." Celestia finished pouring the tea into her own cup and sighed. "Unfortunately, some ponies only focus on their own physical desires and don't care for what is truly important. They miss out on all the wonderful things a healthy romance could bring and instead are left with merely a shallow and temporary experience." She set down the teapot, grabbed hold of the honey bottle and centered her sight on Twilight's eyes. "It is wise to be wary of these ones." "But, if they both love each other, then that's not wrong, right?" "It isn't a question of right or wrong, Twilight," Celestia stated, setting down the honey bottle and involuntarily stirring her tea with a spoon. "If somepony truly loves you, then they would always have your best interest in mind. They would never ask you to do something you aren't sure of merely for their own benefit. Should anypony goad you to do anything you feel uncomfortable with, make your boundaries clear." Celestia's face grew stern, her eyes focused. "Never allow yourself to just become a tool for their desires." Twilight stared down at her teacup, her ears following suit. "This is all so confusing..." Celestia's glare softened and she let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Twilight. I wish I could teach you more about the more positive aspects of romance, but I'm afraid that is something that you must experience yourself. I'm afraid I can only... guide you." Twilight continued to stare at her tea, Celestia's words giving her little comfort. I wish you could... Celestia frowned when Twilight gave no response. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words died in her throat. With nothing else to say, Celestia lifted her teacup to her lips. The aroma of exotic spices and nutmeg filled her nostrils. She shut her eyes and took a long sip. Despite the heat of the beverage, Celestia allowed the cup linger close to her muzzle as she slowly opened her eyes, her focus solely centered on Twilight. Her gaze failed to falter, her eyes growing half-lidded. Twilight let out a long sigh and stood up from the table, unable to take the awkward silence any longer. "It's getting late..." Celestia's eyes snapped to attention. "Twilight?" "Yes?" Twilight asked, turning to face her teacher. "There is one thing I wish to show you before you retire for the night," Celestia said, slowly lowering her cup back onto the table. Twilight gave her a confused stare, her gaze lost in Celestia's sultry eyes. "What's that, Princess?" Celestia stood up swiftly from the table and slowly trotted toward a small bookshelf near her bed. "Long ago, before the three tribes of Equestria ever set hoof in these lands, an ancient clan of unicorns dedicated their lives to the study of unicorn magic. They were known as the Namere." "Namere?" Twilight echoed in a curious tone. "Strange, I've never seen that tribe in my studies." "Oh, I'm sure you haven't," Celestia replied, browsing the bookshelf book by book. "The Namere were a very secretive group that jealously guarded their knowledge, even going so far as to physically isolate themselves from the other tribes and only passing on their secrets through oral traditions. Eventually, they merged with the common Tribe of the Unicorn before the Great Winter. I do believe it may have been their ideals that inspired Starswirl the Bearded to pursue his interests in spellwork." Celestia snuck a glance at her student, who sat back down at the table with rapt attention. Celestia giggled and returned to her search. "Anyway, the Namere cataloged entire libraries of spells, from the mundane and utilitarian to the powerful and majestic. They relentlessly studied every school of magic, in all their applications." "Wow..." Twilight said, her eyes growing wide. "Why have I never even heard of them before?" "Well, their assimilation into the common tribe wasn't exactly a peaceful one," Celestia replied, a tinge of sadness in her voice. "Most of their wondrous works have been lost to time, forgotten and neglected." Twilight frowned and folded her ears. "That's awful..." Celestia looked back at her student and smiled. "But, there are some works that have survived." Twilight's eyes glistened and she smiled wide. "Really?!" "Oh yes, there are a few texts that I keep in my own personal collection, carefully preserved for the right time and place," Celestia said, enveloping a large tome in golden magic, lifting it from the shelf and sauntering back to the table. Her bedroom eyes were fixated on Twilight as the purple mare scanned the cover of the old book. "In fact, there is one such text that is very... topical." " 'Amorous Arcanum', Art of Sensual Magic?" Twilight read aloud. She took the book into her own magic and flipped through the pages. Her pupils shrank and her cheeks flashed red. "O-oh! They really did think of... e-everything. It even has, um, diagrams." Celestia let out a small chuckle and trotted over to Twilight's side, peering into the book along with her. "Turn to page three sixty four..." Twilight complied and flipped the tome to the right page. Inside was an extensive description of a magical ritual, the diagrams depicting two ponies in various positions, each one weaving streams of energy from their horns through intricate symbols inscribed upon their bodies. A few terms stood out in the midst of the text that only succeeded in intensifying her blush, not the least of which was the close proximity of "mind" and "connection". Twilight scanned through the rest of the instructions, but her eyes kept being drawn to the diagrams of the ponies, her mind filled with both fascination and terror. Celestia grew a large grin. "Runic Chirapsia, a favorite of mine. Mental relaxation through magically assisted runic nerve therapy." Twilight's eye twitched. "It looks, um, complicated..." "It may seem so at first, but with practice, it becomes second nature," Celestia replied, once again giving Twilight her bedroom stare. "Do you remember your question to Cadance? About how you could know who is the right pony for you?" Twilight snapped her focus from the diagrams to her mentor, her blush as bright as ever. "O-of course..." Celestia looked back towards the open book. "Well, this technique is a surefire way to... discover that bond." "How?" Twilight asked. Celestia drew her muzzle in close to Twilight's ear. "Let me show you..." Twilight's inquisitive eyes followed Celestia as the sun princess took a step backwards. Celestia craned her neck downward, tapping her horn against Twilight's cutie mark and surrounding it in a golden aura. Twilight's flank quivered, her mind involuntarily pleading her to react, but the purple unicorn fought off the urge. She dared not move, even as a slight tingle settled into her flank. Celestia shut her eyes and mumbled a phrase under her breath, stretching out a hoof in front of her and carefully tracing the air as magic enveloped her hooves. With elegant gestures, the sun princess sketched out the markings of an ancient rune, the image of a circle, an eye, crossed with lines and contours from every direction. Celestia opened her eyes and studied the sparkling glyph suspended before her. She gave a smirk and made a small edit with a swift hoof before depressing the center of the rune. The rune reacted in kind, shining brightly before flowing gently into Twilight's cutie mark. The magical inscription swelled into her flank, producing a soft golden glow before trickling outward in hundreds of streams of sparkling light. Twilight's eyes frantically followed each lay line as they snaked their way across her barrel and down her legs. Each line eventually curled itself into a spiral, save for the few that traveled up her neck. Twilight's gaze became crossed as the streams wrapped themselves along her muzzle and eyes. The last remaining lines curved themselves around her horn, giving off a final spark as their journey ended and a resulting wave of heat shot through Twilight's spine, causing her to shudder. Celestia smiled at her work and began tracing the air once again. She motioned swiftly with a practiced hoof, drawing a rune of her own in record time. Ripping away her attention from her our intricate runes, Twilight snuck a glance just in time to see Celestia be given the same body treatment. Twilight stared at the sun princess with wide eyes, fully absorbed in the beauty of the intricate body art that now adorned her mentor. Twilight gave her head a quick shake and averted her eyes. Her heart began to race and her blush returned. Waves of excitement and terror flowed into her brain in equal amounts, a cold sweat dripping from her forehead. She quickly turned her attention back to the book that lay on the table, desperate to occupy her mind. Twilight swallowed down the lump in her throat. "Princess, t-the procedure calls for both parties to participate. I don't really know what I'm—" Celestia calmly walked over to her student and casually closed the tome with her hoof. She tenderly rubbed her muzzle against Twilight's neck before speaking softly into her ear. "It's alright, my lovely little Twilight. Just follow my lead..." Celestia pried herself off of her student and took a step back. She flared up her horn and slowly waved it high above Twilight, glowing hieroglyphs appearing from the golden fog and suspending themselves in the air. Twilight stared up at the ceiling, enraptured by the display. One by one, each glyph descended down near the floor, surrounding the two mares in a magic circle. Celestia flared up her horn again, but this time without the golden mist, a small ball of pure white energy taking its place at the tip. Celestia furrowed her brow and concentrated, the white energy reacting to her whims and gently snaking its way from her horn toward the purple mare below. The solid line of magic struck Twilight in her dock, sending a jolt straight through her spine and causing an involuntary gasp to escape her mouth. Wave after wave of euphoria flooded into Twilight's mind, coaxing her into a trance. The world around her seemed to melt away, her only thoughts being of the sun princess. She slowly lowered herself to the floor, laying on her belly as her mind was overtaken by the experience. Flashes and memories of her life whisked by her, from her fillyhood all the way to the present, each one curiously seen through another pony's eyes. Celestia struggled to keep herself upright, each breath she took becoming more and more labored. She perched herself over Twilight, towering over her student as she caressed the magical link up Twilight's spine. As the link moved, the white energy flooded its way down the hundreds of streams that snaked their way across both the mare's bodies. The two began to glow brightly; one gold, the other a deep violet. The magic crept its way up Twilight's neck until finally coming to a stop at the tip of her own horn. Celestia leaned her horn in close, Twilight involuntarily craning her head back to meet her. The magic link grew brighter and brighter as the two horns closed in on each other. At last the two horns touched at the tip, focusing the energy into a tight sphere before flooding the room with an explosion of white light. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Atop the tower, Cadance brought a hoof over her muzzle, a deep red flashing over her face. "O-oh, Celestia..." A different flash of light interrupted Cadance's shock and she turned toward the disturbance. Luna stood with camera in hoof, clicking furiously as flash after flash shined brightly from the bulb. Luna ceased her documenting and gave Cadance a sideways glance, a sultry smile forming on her muzzle. "You know, I could procure that tome for you, if that is what thou desires." Cadance's eyes darted from the scene below to her companion standing beside her. She searched the skies above for an answer before averting her gaze away. "U-um, I'll think about it..." Luna giggled with glee. "Of course." Cadance snuck a peek back at the two mares below, both crumpled near each other on the floor. Her eyes traveled to where Luna stood, still watching the scene with her telescope, bounding up and down like a school filly. "Maybe, we should give them their privacy." Luna moaned as she backed away from her spyglass, turning to Cadance and presenting her with a pleading pout. "Do we have to?" Cadance's indignant glare didn't waver. Luna sighed and pushed the telescope skyward. "I suppose you are right..." Cadance smiled at the night princess before trotting off the balcony and into the bright room behind them. Luna started to follow, but took one last look down at the bedroom below, chuckling to herself as she observed the scene. Treat her well, sister. Treat her well... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Celestia slowly picked herself up from the floor, carefully balancing herself on her tired legs. She stumbled her way onto the bed, collapsing into an exhausted heap. Her eyes fluttered and fought to stay open, her breathing deep and labored. "It... has been... quite some... time... since I've... done that," Celestia stated in between breaths. Twilight wobbled slightly as she stood, each contracting muscle still sending signals of euphoria to her brain. She staggered toward the table, leaning her side on its rim. That... that was incredible! It felt so... so... I can't even describe it... gratifying? Relaxing? S-sensual? Celestia... Twilight turned her gaze to Celestia, the sun princess still recovering from the experience. I... I didn't know... that was how you felt... Twilight turned back to the table and retrieved her teacup. She grabbed hold of the honey bottle with her magic and poured two drops into her cup. See, Luna, I don't need your silly love potion! Twilight took a long swig of her lukewarm beverage. Bengal spice tea was a rare treat for her ever since leaving the palace, seeing as the foreign flavors never really found their way into rural town markets. It was a unique taste: exotic spices, toasted nutmeg, the curious taste of blue... Twilight's eyes shot open as she licked the roof of her mouth. She swallowed hard and felt for the bizarre taste once more. She looked down closely at her cup, the contents of which she discovered sparkled faintly. Her gaze panned down to the honey bottle, where the same distinct trace of golden sparkles popped from the tip of the spout. N-no... Gravity overtook the teacup as Twilight's telekinetic grip dissipated around it. A sudden clang reverberated around the room, the teacup's sparkling contents spilling onto the wooden surface of the table below. Twilight stared at the mess, waves of sheer terror gnawing at her mind. The edges of her vision grew cloudy. "Is... is something... wrong? Twilight...?" Celestia asked, awakened from her tired trance by the sudden disturbance. A gasp escaped Twilight's mouth as she blinked furiously, desperate to dispel the golden fog that crept into her vision. "W-wrong?! N-n-no! I just—" What do I do?! What do I do?! Twilight's thoughts returned to last night, every last terrible scenario she thought of raced through her mind within moments. She recalled Luna's words, the promise, the instructions... the effects. "I-I, I need to go!" Twilight shouted, turning toward the exit and bolting her way through the closed double doors of Celestia's bedroom. With nopony in sight, Twilight dashed through the palace hallways at breakneck speed. She raced past a junction and then another, unsure of where to go. A single command repeated over and over in her mind, one single focus. Run! Run and don't look back! Twilight rounded a corner and came to a screeching halt. Two royal guards stood diligently at their posts. Twilight gasped and quickly shut her eyes. She turned tail and fled down another corridor. She could see nothing but darkness, but she couldn't risk opening them now. She knew what would happen. One look was all it took. Just one single— A sudden impact jarred Twilight from her frantic thoughts. She crashed onto the stone floors below and skidded to a stop. Twilight slowly creaked open her eyes, a blurred figure entering her clouded vision. "A-are you alright?" A gasp was all Twilight could muster before she swiftly shut her eyes again and jumped up onto her hooves. Twilight darted past the stranger and into another hallway. She ran as fast as she could. Her legs burned as she pushed them to carry her farther and farther. Her pace slowed as her adrenaline ran out. Exhausted, Twilight leaned up against the wall, taking heavy, deep breaths. She opened her eyes fully, only to see the golden fog encroaching even deeper into her gaze, blocking out the edges of her vision. She rubbed her eyes with her hooves, hoping they would be banished. She opened her eyes again, the clouds still haunting her sight. Twilight whimpered, tears streaming down her cheeks. What am I going to do? Twilight looked up at the wall opposite of her and her ears perked up. Before her was a door, an elegant one befitting of a palace, yet ordinary by palace standards. The placard next to the door, however, was far from ordinary. On the sign was embossed a single word. Laboratory... Twilight cautiously rose to her hooves and slowly approached the door, closing her eyes tight as she walked. She placed a hoof on the door handle and pushed the heavy door until a small crack was made in the doorway. "H-hello? Anypony there?" Twilight's greeting was met with silence. Tentatively, she opened one eye, then the other. The room was dark, save for the glow from the assortment of alchemical equipment that sat on a large oaken table. Without delay, Twilight trotted up to the table and frantically searched the area. "Antidote! Gotta find an antidote!" Several books from the shelves that surrounded the table were enveloped in a magenta glow and levitated down in front of the exhausted unicorn. Twilight opened each book in turn, hastily flipping through page after page for any information. "No. No. No! No! No-no-no-no, NO! Gah!! Where is it?!" Twilight slammed her head into the large open textbook in front of her, her clenched hoof following suit. Ok, Twilight, calm down. There has to be something, just something, anything! Relax! Just relax. You'll be fine. Everything is going to be just fine... Twilight lifted her head up and took a deep shuddering breath. She took another, and then another, looking back down at the textbook on the table. Her gaze was met with the ancient tale of Hearts and Hooves Day, buried underneath a mountain of footnotes and equations. Twilight scrunched up her nose at the sight of it. Oh! How could I be so stupid?! How could I not see this coming!? The eyes, the book, the thoughts! I should have known! I should have known it was that potion! Twilight furrowed her brow and focused her nearly fully obscured vision on the textbook. "It'll be alright, Twilight... you'll fix this... you..." She let out a large yawn, her eyes half-lidded. "You will... you will... fix... this..." Twilight's head slumped down muzzle first into the open book, the soft rhythmic breaths of slumber whisking her tired mind away. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ "Twilight?" Twilight's eyes shot open and she quickly scrambled to her hooves, knocking over loose bits of research paper and sending them flying in a flurry around her. The voice that called to her was soft and tender, yet the hairs on the back of Twilight's neck stood straight. The golden cloud of the potion still lingered on the edges of her vision. Her pupils shrank. She began to tremble. Oh no! "Twilight? Is that you?" Celestia took a hesitant step forward. "What are you doing here? Why did you leave me?" "P-princess! I... I..." Twilight stammered out, unsure of what to say. She dared not turn around, or even barely move a single muscle. Celestia hung her head dejectedly, her gaze falling to the floor. "Was... was it something I said?" "N-no!" Twilight quickly replied. Celestia traced a fore hoof along the stone floor, before rubbing it against her leg. "Were you uncomfortable? Was I too forward?" Twilight sighed and shook her head. "I-it's not that..." "Please, Twilight, tell me," Celestia softly implored. Twilight took in a deep breath and stared up at the ceiling, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "Something terrible has happened..." "So terrible that you won't even look at me?" Twilight forced her eyes shut and furiously shook her tears away. "I-I can't!" Celestia took another small step forward, a slight crack in her voice as she spoke. "Twilight, please, whatever it is I have done, I'm sorry. I'll, I'll make it up to you! I promise! Just please, Twilight, just... just look at me. At least give me that." "B-but, but if I do I'll... we..." Twilight opened her eyes and fresh streams of moisture flooded their way down her cheeks. The fog of magic crept closer and closer to the center of her gaze. She gritted her teeth. "I-I just can't!" For a moment, the lab was silent. Twilight froze in her seat and winced, alert for a reply. The candlelight dimmed as the flames died down, but still she didn't look. She cocked an ear toward her mentor, seeking any sign of a response. All Twilight heard was a soft whimper. "D-don't cry Princess... I—" Twilight's mind screamed at her to stop, but her heart took full control. She turned toward Celestia, her form being encased in the encroaching darkness of the room. "I..." The golden fog quickly replaced all traces of the darkness, blocking out everything in Twilight's sight, save for the beautiful sun princess who stood before her, still adorned with sparkling violet runes. Twilight took a step forward, closing the gap between her and Celestia, inches away from her muzzle. Celestia ceased her sobbing and opened her eyes. The two mares locked their gazes on each other, their mouths moving closer and closer. Twilight smiled at her mentor. Celestia smiled back. Twilight closed her eyes as her lips embraced Celestia's own. I love you... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Twilight winced after a sharp beam of light pierced straight through her eyelids and into her retinas. Morning sunlight flooded in all around her, bathing her eyes in unwelcome brightness. She closed her eyes, desperately trying to dispel the fuzzy black spots that danced across her vision. Twilight moaned slightly and stretched out her neck, cracking out the stiffness usually associated with sleeping on the hard cover of a history textbook. She looked down at her makeshift pillow, noticing the faint line of loose drool that hung between her lips and the cover below. She shut her eyes again and sighed, grasping the book within the crook of her foreleg and pulling it close. It... it was just a dream... With a contented smile of relief, Twilight rolled over onto her side, aimlessly grasping around her until she caught her hooves on a nearby sheet. She pulled it toward her body, seeking the warmth that it promised her. She tugged at the blanket, but it stubbornly refused to move. Twilight repeated her actions with more force, yet it yielded the same result. She creaked open her eyes, searching for the defiant disturbance. Twilight's gaze was met with a golden sun, emblazoned upon a pure white flank, a pastel aura flowing slowly behind it. Pearl colored wings lay flat against a magnificent snowy coat, extending down to bare ivory hooves. Violet lay lines inscribed upon her fur still sparkled with runic magic. The white alicorn stirred for a moment, curling her head in and resting them on her fore hooves before continuing on in blissful slumber. Celestia smiled. Twilight didn't smile back.