//------------------------------//
// The Apple of Her Eye 
// Story: The Night Lasts Forever 
// by MasterFrasca 
//------------------------------//

	Once again I was soaring over Ponyville, this time headed to Sugarcube Corner. The sky, unlike last night was filled with clouds. I flew below them so I could see where I headed and hoped that the weather team stationed here wasn’t planning on having any rainstorms tonight. The town was quiet with a few ponies walking quickly down the street as if in a hurry. I ignored the fast-paced townsfolk and landed right outside the small bakery Twilight had invited me to. Stepping up to the door, I pushed it open with my front hoof, not in the mood to concentrate any more magic on opening it than I already have.

I stepped inside to see twilight sitting at one of the tables near the counter, sipping what must have been some tea. Her back was to me, so she didn’t notice my entrance. Mrs. Cake, who was standing behind the counter, did notice me walk in and greeted me with a smile, “Well, welcome to Sugarcube Corner, Princess Luna. Is there anything I can get for you?”

Twilight had turned around at the mention of my name and saw that it was indeed me before turning to Mrs. Cake, 

“She’s here with me Mrs. Cake. Why don’t you get her a Lemon Cupcake, on me.” She levitated two bits over to the counter, and Mrs. Cake swiped them into the pocket of her apron before crouching down behind the counter.

She came back up with a cupcake glazed in yellow icing, with a small candied lemon wedge sitting in top. Twilight even knew my favorite flavor of cupcake. “Thank you Mrs. Cake,” I told her picking it up with my horn and levitating it over to the seat next to Twilight. 

I walked over and sat down behind it as Mrs. Cake replied, “Anytime, Princess. I’m going to go in the back and clean up Pinkie’s mess in the kitchen. Just holler if you two need anything.”

“We will Mrs. Cake,” Twilight said as Mrs. Cake disappeared behind the door leading to the kitchen, before turning to me. “Princess, I invited you here because I wanted to tell you something; something I didn’t get time to tell you before you disappeared on me.”

I took a bite out of the lemon cupcake, letting the delicious lemon flavor warm my spirit before telling Twilight, “Go ahead. I’m sorry I ran off yesterday. I was feeling a bit down then.”

“I understand Princess,” she said taking a sip of tea, “I just wanted to tell you that I have no problem with us being friends. It’s just that…well…I’m not really into mares. Do you know what I mean?”

I winced a little bit when she said that she wasn’t into mares. I shouldn’t have been surprised though. Not too many ponies preferred to get together with members of the same gender. I took another bite out of the scrumptious cupcake to try and keep my feelings down. It helped a little bit as I momentarily escaped life for a bit.

“Princess, is that ok with you?” Twilight asked again as her expression changed to one of worry. She noticed that I was avoiding the answer.

Sighing, I replied, “Of course Twilight Sparkle. I hope that whoever you have your eye on will feel the same way about you.”

I took the gummy lemon out from the cupcake and popped it into my mouth, enjoying the chewy treat as twilight spoke again. “That’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. I invited him over and I wanted to introduce him to—”

Before she could finish her sentence an all too familiar pony walked in the door. I knew that Twilight had been into stallions, but I never thought it would be this Stallion. With a look of acute disapproval I spoke to the Stallion, “Doctor…”

“Luna!” He said with a huge grin plastered on his face. “I haven’t seen you in ages. How’s my favorite Princess?”

“You know Dr. Whooves?” Twilight asked me after the awkward exchange of greetings, looking back and forth between me and him.

“We’ve met before,” the Doctor said, walking casually over to our table and sitting next to me.

“You abandoned me, all those months ago,” I growled at him through gritted teeth. “You could have saved me, but you didn’t.”

“Well, it wasn’t really my fault, He started out with a half-sincere grin on his face. "Well, I may have had a little bit to do with it; well, I may have had all to do it. If I said sorry now is that ok?”

“You left me in the middle of nowhere!” I shouted, resisting every urge to use my magic to strangle him. He had left me somewhere in the Everfree Forest, and it took me nearly a day’s flight to find Canterlot again.

“I really think that that was more or less a mistake,” he responded as I jumped up from my chair, ready to attack him.

“Ok!” Twilight shouted trying to stop us from hurting each other. “I can see that you two aren’t exactly the best of friends. So, I think we should leave, ok Whooves?” 

“Right!” he stated, running over to the door and holding it open, “After you m’lady.”   

“Goodbye, Princess,” Twilight said before walking out with Dr. Whooves following right behind her.

I sat down and closed my eyes, trying to calm myself down. Opening them again, I levitated the final piece of my cupcake and put it into my mouth, savoring the lemony taste it gave me. My spirits were instantly lowered again after the lemon taste faded away and my mind came back into reality. 

Mrs. Cake then appeared from the kitchen door, “Is everything all right in here? I thought I heard shouting.” She saw that I was now sitting at the table alone and asked me, “Where did Twilight run off to?”

“She left with a friend,” I said quietly, not turning my head to her. A few tears were sliding out of my eyes, but I didn’t want Mrs. Cake to see them.

“Oh ok then. Well, I’m sorry to say this, Princess, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave. I need to close up the shop and make sure Pinkie isn’t bothering the twins.”

“That’s quite all right, Mrs. Cake,” I told her, getting up and walking over to the door. “I was just about to leave anyway…”

“Have a good night Princess!” Mrs. Cake cheerily mentioned as I walked out the door.

It was a little too late for that. I looked up and saw that the clouds were thicker than when I had come in, and looked ready to burst. Before I could take three steps, a drop hit me on the head, and slowly the clouds started to release their juices on top of me.


At least the rain will hide my tears…