//------------------------------// // Great Minds Think Alike // Story: Luna's Librarian, Twilight's Moon // by TheLastBrunnenG //------------------------------// Luna raised an eyebrow and glanced at the pink alicorn walking beside her through the halls of Canterlot Castle. “Princess Cadance, art thou certain my sister meant to schedule a meeting of this import for such a late hour?” “That’s what she wanted,” nodded the smaller Princess, “and she was very specific. Celestia asked that we meet outside of our usual chambers - something about a fresh setting inspiring us to think outside the box, ‘try something outside our comfort zone’, I think she said. She even volunteered to oversee Night Court for the evening.” The dark mare’s muzzle wrinkled a bit. “And we are to discuss what, again?” Cadance lit her horn briefly and a set of great wooden doors swung open as they walked down a torchlit hallway. “Crisis management. Auntie Celestia wants us to compare our experiences from the changeling invasion and the fight against King Sombra.” Walking on but closing her eyes, Luna moaned, “And could we not merely have compared written accounts?” Cadance giggled softly, an odd sound which echoed down the passageway above the clip-clop of their hoofsteps. “Well, we could have, but it’s so rare to have the three of us together in one place that we couldn’t pass up the opportunity.” “Three of us?” Luna said, “Will Tia be joining us? Or your husband?” “No,” Cadance answered with the tiniest of grins, “it’ll be the two of us plus Twilight. Celestia thought that since Twilight was present for both battles, she’d have valuable insights on - ” Luna’s ears shot up and her wings fluttered as she ceased walking and began to canter down the corridor. “Twilight Sparkle? She is here?” “You bet! She’s waiting for us on the Observatory balcony. Celestia thought it would be worth bringing her here for the night,” said Cadance, her smile widening, “and of course I agreed.” Torchlight twinkled in her eyes as she sped to keep up with the nearly-bouncing mare by her side. “You seem rather enthusiastic about our little strategy session now, Luna. I knew you two were friends, but…” The Moon Princess coughed and set her gaze on the cobblestone floors below, her midnight-blue cheeks now blush-purple in the passing firelight. “We… I, ah… Yes, it will be good to see Twilight Sparkle again! There is - there is much I would discuss with her.” Cadance hummed a sprightly tune and beamed a face-wide smile as she motioned with a wing toward a pair of golden doors ahead. “Good, because here we are!” There on the sweeping balcony which ringed the great dome of the Royal Observatory stood several tables laden with steaming dishes and racks of bottled wines. Beside them stood a diminutive unicorn, the pink streaks in her purple mane barely visible in the nighttime darkness. Turning at the sound of the creaking doors, her eyes shot wide and she bolted forward and lay a tight hug on the Crystal Princess. “Cadance! I haven’t seen you since your coronation!” Stepping back from the embrace, she inhaled a sharp breath as her cheeks flushed. “Luna! Cadance, you didn’t tell me Luna was coming!” “Didn’t I? Must’ve slipped my mind.” Gesturing to the table, Cadance said, “I hope you don’t mind that I had our meeting catered. We’ll be here a while and I didn’t want anypony going hungry, after all. Before we begin, I - ” A flash of magic erupted before her as a scroll appeared and hovered a hoof’s length from her muzzle. Her brow furrowed as she read, and as she rolled up the scroll her ears drooped. “Oh, no, not now!” Luna cocked her head a bit and asked, “What troubles thee, Cadance?” Cadance signed and shook her head. “Apparently some ponies came before the Night Court demanding the right to strip-mine half the Crystal Empire. It sounds ridiculous, but Celestia thinks it’s urgent enough that she wants me there to deal with it personally.” Her shoulders dropped as she turned toward the doors. “I’m so sorry, everypony. I brought you both out here for nothing, I guess. I’ll be dealing with this,” she said, rolling her eyes as she waved the scroll about, “all night, most likely. We’ll have to call off our meeting. There’s no sense wasting the meal, though.” Looking over her shoulder with a smirk as she left the balcony, she added, “Why don’t you two stay and enjoy a little… private dinner together?” Hours later the vaulted chambers of the Night Court were empty save for white and pink alicorns seated on the dais near the Ebon Throne and giggling madly. Celestia bent down and whispered, “My little 'summons' worked, I take it. So they were that obvious? And you didn’t even have to use your magic?” “Not at all!” beamed the smaller mare, “They’re just so perfect together! I’m so glad we decided to - wait, they’re coming!” The two Princesses sat back on their haunches and fought to drop their grins as the Night Court doors opened. Luna and Twilight cantered forward, smiling broadly, tails entwined, with Luna’s great indigo wing draped across Twilight’s back. They stopped and looked at each other before turning to the two smirking ponies. “Celestia! Cadance!” Luna said, “Twilight and I wish to thank you! You have done us a great service! We have something we wish to declare. Twilight and I could think of no better way to have - “ “Oh, it was nothing!” Cadance laughed, “I just knew you two would hit it off! “ ” - spent our seven-month anniversary together. I thought my court duties would occupy me through the blessed event, and Twilight’s research threatened to keep her in Ponyville as well. We have you to thank for bringing us together this glorious night!” Cadance waved a dismissing hoof. “I told you, it was no problem, really. I - ” She froze and a pink ear twitched a bit. “Wait, did you say ‘seven month anniversary’?” “Indeed! ‘Twas at the last Nightmare Night celebration that Twilight and I confessed our mutual attraction.” Luna leaned down and lay a kiss behind the ear of a suddenly-blushing Twilight. Cadance’s eye began to tic as she stammered, “You mean I bribed the Royal Astronomers to give up the whole Observatory for the night, got the weather ponies to clear every cloud for miles, catered a thousand-bit dinner, and you two were already together?” Twilight nuzzled Luna’s neck and purred, “Well, you could have just asked.”