Outside, clouds began to gather in concentric circles high above Canterlot. The dark masses blew and twisted angrily in the sky, and it was obvious that quite a storm was on its way. Usually, the Canterlot towers were tall enough to breach the top layer of clouds, leaving them unaffected by weather. However, on this warm and muggy day the cold air was pushed higher in the sky, leaving the cloud line at a much higher altitude.
Unfazed, Twilight Sparkle took a deep breath of the dampened air. While other ponies hid inside their homes during a storm, Twilight was fascinated by the natural phenomena. For something of such magnitude to happen in nature without magic, it was truly remarkable.
The purple pony stood on her hind legs with her front hooves on the railing of Luna's balcony. A warm breeze ruffled through her mane as she looked down over the city below. From the tower, she had a decent view of the courtyard and some of the streets that adjoined the main portion of town with the palace.
She stood there for several minutes, silently enjoying the humid air and contentedness of her life at the moment. Reflecting on last night, Twilight couldn't help but feel excited, yet nervous, about this new change in her existence. How drastically will this affect her day-to-day activities? Being the logical pony she is, she soon began to over-analyze her situation, and this soon led to the dissenting side of her mind to return with a vengeance.
"Great, look what you've gotten us into?" It scolded harshly.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Twilight returned confidentially, "last night was magical! To be in Luna's arms like that was one of the highest points in my life. How can you still be skeptical that this could work?"
The dissenting figure shook its head slowly. "You poor, naïve pony. You have no idea what you've gotten us into, do you? Sure, last night was fantastic. You might even have another night like it. Ask yourself this question though: now what are you going to do?"
The question was vague but Twilight understood. It was wondering what were Luna and her going to express about their relationship? Twilight worried that if the public became aware of this love, ponies might become disgusted with the two of them.
Twilight froze in fear. PRINCESS CELESTIA! What would happen if she found out? The thought sent icy tendrils down her spine and made her shiver. The princess would probably be furious for doing all this behind her back! Twilight tried to hold back thoughts of the Sun Princess expelling her out of the city and disowning her as her faithful student, but the thoughts came anyway.
What would her friends back home think? Twilight wondered if they would ever look at her the same way, knowing that she liked mares. She tried running scenarios in her head on how she could tell them, but each way sounded as pathetic as the last. She knew her friends well, so she knew they wouldn't start outright avoiding her. They wouldn't do that…Would they?
This mental battle was starting to give Twilight a headache. "Okay, you've made your point," Twilight finally responded to her subconscious, "there are some unknowns we have to deal with. We'll just have to be careful how we handle the situation. I'll talk to Luna today."
"I've hardly made my point." Her subconscious scoffed arrogantly. "If you take anything away from this conversation, ask yourself what is to become of your 'relationship' after the Aura Bloom."
The figure in her mind dissipated as it made its final argument. Twilight opened her eyes, frowning with worry.
It was a good question, just not a very pleasant one to think about. She of course had to return to Ponyville. As much as she loved Luna, that was her home. Twilight loved all her friends and never wanted to give them up. She enjoyed her studies in friendship and how great it has made her feel. Life without Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity wouldn't be the same. It would be like losing a part of her.
On the other hand, Twilight knew that Luna, as a princess, would have to stay in Canterlot to perform her royal obligations. Luna had to do what was best for all of ponydom. Although Twilight knew Luna loved her, Twilight also recognized she wasn't worth all the other ponies that relied on Princess Luna and her sister to help govern everything. Eventually the two ponies would reach a crossroad, and they were both headed in different direction.
That time was coming very soon, and it made Twilight sick to her stomach.
Before she could have another thought, she heard small clacking noises as Luna walked from the bedchamber. She ambled behind Twilight and stood up on her hind legs, wrapping her forelegs around the front of the purple pony, hugging her from behind.
Luna nuzzled Twilight gently. "Good morning, beautiful." She whispered in Twilight's ear. Twilight's face reddened and her back arched as if an electric current jolted down her spine. She loved the way Luna said it.
Twilight giggled. "Good morning, sleepy-mare. You've been out for a while." It was true; it was around 10:30 A.M., which for a princess was pretty late. Twilight had been awake for about three hours now. Not wanting to disturb her sleeping love, Twilight watched her sleep for a few minutes before creeping out of bed. She decided to fill her time by catching up on her reading.
Twilight didn't have any of her books there, but Luna did have a small library collection in her room. No more than 20 books, but still one of the magic books intrigued Twilight enough to start reading. The book itself had no apparent title or author, yet was crafted with hardwood covers and gilded pages. The quality of the penmanship inside impressed Twilight. It was surely (no pun intended) a book fit for a princess.
From cover to cover, the purple mare spent two hours reading it, engulfed fully by the information within. After reflecting momentarily on its content, Twilight re-shelved the book and then wondered out onto the balcony to admire the growing storm.
"heh heh, sorry about that… I didn't fall asleep right away." Luna chimed, clearly embarrassed.
Twilight twisted her head so she could see Luna out of the corner of her eye. "You didn't fall asleep when I did? How much later were you up?"
"I don't know… An hour I think." Luna kissed up the back of Twilight's neck. "You were just too cute and I couldn't go to sleep with my heart beating so fast."
The compliment made Twilight's face light up cherry red. She turned to around face Luna, with her fronts hoofs still on the railing of the balcony. Luna still had her forelegs around Twilight, running her hooves up and down the curves of her side. They starred into each other's glimmering eyes for a few moments before moving in for a soft kiss that lasted for a blissful ten seconds.
When the parted they were both blushing lightly, sharing a smile.
"Now it's a GREAT morning!" Luna giggled. The lunar princess backed off Twilight and let her forelegs fall back onto the ground. Twilight did likewise, and together they re-entered Luna's bedchamber.
Twilight sat in Luna's bed while watching the princess get ready. She brushed her mane meticulously while looking in the mirror. Every few seconds, Luna would glance at Twilight through the mirror and smile slightly, right before she would reach a knot in her mane and have to tug at the brush to get it out.
After finishing, Luna hopped up onto the bed, thereafter laying next to Twilight. "What do you want to do today?" Luna asked in a whisper, snuggling up close to her girlfriend.
A fog formed over Twilight's eyes as she remembered the subjects that she needed to bring up today, but didn't want to. Her eyes flashed back to her standard sharpness before Luna noticed anything. "Well… Would you let me take you on a date?"
Twilight remembered reading Friendships & Relationships, which dedicated a whole chapter to going on dates, so she assumed that going on dates was important when one was in a relationship.
The night-blue mare turned to face Twilight. She blinked slowly, phrasing her next sentence as carefully as she could. "Um…Twilight…Do you think that's a good idea?" Luna asked innocently. Luna loved Twilight, but the thought of the entire population of Canterlot knowing so soon made her frightened and nervous.
Twilight stroked Luna's cheek gently. "I want to share a meal with my new girlfriend. Besides, it doesn't need to be anything out in the open. We can have it here in the palace if you want to. It'll also give us some time to talk."
Luna cocked her head slightly. "Talk about what?"
"Our future together." Twilight said as delicately as she could.
After some hesitation, Luna finally gave in. "Okay Twilight… If you think it's for the best. I've never been on a date before though."
Twilight wrapped an arm around Luna. "Then that makes two of us."
They both shared a chuckle before leaning in for a quick kiss.
Luna stretched her legs until they were perfectly stiff, and then relaxed with a content sigh. "Wanna stay in bed for a bit longer?"
Twilight couldn't think of anything she wanted to do more. She nodded and pulled the lunar princess close to her. They both laid there in each other's arms, perfectly satisfied with just feeling the rhythmic pounding of their hearts beating off one another's.
~*~*~
Twilight walked back to her room after departing from Luna's with a quick goodbye kiss. They shared a loving glance before she walked out, the two guards standing watch giving her a sideways stare before returning their glare forward. It was hard to interpret what they were thinking.
Luna had to be in the Palace to prepare for the Aura Bloom, which was tomorrow! The date had snuck up on Twilight so quickly that it made her head spin. She had been researching this one special move that if she could pull off, would be spectacular. Well…if.
It was from the special unnamed book she found in Luna's bedchamber library. She had practiced the trick several times and failed. She strained to force the magic out of her horn, but it was always just out of her grasp. She felt a wisp of the magic before it retreated suddenly back into the seclusions of her mind, leaving her panting and exhausted.
Once the purple mare was back in the privacy of her own room, she attempted the magic several more times.
Frustration began to build as the hours flew by with no success in sight. Several times, Twilight believed that she had done it, magic spewing out of her horn fantastically as light flooded the room. It didn't last long, however, and the magic always cracked and fell flat, dissipating into the air before having time to form anything.
Twilight started to worry that she may have gotten in over her head, entering the Aura Bloom. All the other contestants were already well-prepared and had already gotten to practice for probably months! What chance did Twilight have against them?
Winning wasn't important to Twilight. It never was; she remembered how she took her time running in the Falling of the Leaves race between Applejack and Rainbow Dash. She didn't worry about winning then, and she didn't worry about winning now. She was in this for the experience and the fun of it, but even Twilight knew there was no fun in making a fool out of herself.
Besides, what would ponies say of Princess Celestia if her number one student choked on stage? Both their reputations were on the line here, and it was all weighing down on Twilight's shoulders. She could picture the look of embarrassment on the Princess's face if Twilight failed. It was these stress points that pushed and motivated Twilight to train harder and not quit until she had it down.
She tried everything to coax the magic out of her mind, but it was an impenetrable fortress. There was a factor she was missing that made it impossible to activate the magic, and she knew it. While reaching for the magic, she felt a slight weakness in the otherwise unbreakable wall of magic. As she explored it, she found it to be like a keyhole, locking away tightly its content inside. That key wasn't a physical one, but a mental and emotional one, and she had to figure out what was the trigger for this spell before it was too late.
For now, Twilight had to stop. It was already getting later in the day, and Luna would be relieved of her duty soon. Soon after was their scheduled private date.
Twilight knew she didn't have to prepare much, but the thought of a date made her nervous, even a secret one. Twilight really wanted to wear a dress to look pretty for her girlfriend, but she knew that would make her stand out too much. To everyone who saw them in the palace, this just had to look like a dinner between two friends. It hurt her to know she couldn't be so open, but if this is what it took to keep Luna, then she would do it.
She looked over herself in the mirror and re-brushed her hair. It had gotten frizzled from the hours of strenuous practice. As soon as she was sure she looked as best as she possibly could, Twilight put on a cute deep lavender saddle.
Its not too dressy, Twilight thought, I can get away with it.
With a nod of approval to her mirror self, she trotted out the door.
Twilight took a glance up at the clouds. Although it hadn't begun raining, the storm had become more malevolent, sending down a harsh wind the nipped at Twilight's ears. Still, Twilight didn't mind it too much. It shouldn't start raining until she reached the Palace, and by then it wouldn't matter if it did.
She didn't want to test her luck however, and she hurried off into the direction of the palace, the streets mostly clear due to most ponies being inside.
She was going to meet Luna in her room, and together they'd walk to…
Twilight paused for a moment and realized that she had no idea where Luna had planned the dinner. She had set up the arrangements, so only she knew. She didn't think Luna would put them in the grand dining hall; it was too big for them, and Princess Celestia was sure to be there.
Curious, Twilight continued into until she finally reached the courtyard. She entered the palace without problem, sliding away from the main throne room. She entered one of the adjoining hallways, and walked the path she knew too well towards Luna's bedchamber.
Up several flights of stairs, the purple pony finally made it to her girlfriend's floor, once again stopping to catch her breath. She looked up and noticed something very odd about the hallway. It took her a few moments to realize what was missing: Luna's guards. She stood alone in the regal hallway, wondering where they might be.
Hesitantly, Twilight walked up to Luna's door, and knocked on it with three loud taps.
From the other side, footsteps approached the door. The double doors swung open with magic, and Twilight gasped in surprise.
A beautiful Luna stood gracefully in the doorway, meeting Twilight's gaze. She was adorned in several pieces of fine jewelry, most notably a silver locket that lay loosely around her neck. A sparkling jewel-incrusted saddle wove elegantly around Luna's delicate curves. Around her head, laying gently on her hair, a silver tiara with purple gems glistened like Luna's eyes. All of it together made Twilight begin to drool.
Oh my… She's so pretty, Twilight thought with a hint of lust.
The princess noticed how Twilight was staring at her and immediately blushed. "I-Is it too much? It's too much isn't it?" She asked bashfully, taking a tentative step back.
"No, Luna! You're…amazing." Twilight spoke honestly, her heart fluttering. "I just thought you wanted to be more… Incognito?"
Luna shrugged slowly. "I thought I wanted that too, but now I just want to look good for you. Besides, I have a private room for us." She answered, walking over to her mare. "You look wonderful, Twilight."
Twilight half-smiled, knowing she wasn't even close to as pretty as Luna. Luna saw this and immediately recovered. She stroked Twilight's cheek, caressing it with her hoof. "You are the prettiest mare in all of Equestria, and if I'm going to go on my FIRST first date, then I'm glad it's with you."
Twilight's half-smiled turned into a full radiant one as her eyes shimmered in the candlelit hallway. The two ponies leaned in and shared a slow, loving kiss. At the end, Luna leaned in and whispered, "Come on."
The lunar princess started walking away, leading Twilight to the location of their secret rendezvous.
While the weaved through hallways, Luna eventually made Twilight put on a blindfold. The purple pony looked at Luna questionably. "What's this for?" She asked.
"I don't want to ruin the surprise." Luna hinted, excitedly.
So, despite the fact she didn't want to, Twilight slipped on the blindfold, now totally unaware of her surroundings.
Luna guided her for a few more minutes until they passed a threshold. Twilight could feel the difference in the room by its… roominess. She felt the slight temperature change that indicated that she was no longer in a small space. She also noticed a slight draft and some small whooshing sound…Almost like…
"Running water?" Twilight murmured aloud. "Luna, where are we?"
Luna reached up and took the blindfold off Twilight. Once again, Twilight couldn't help but gasp.
First she noticed the most obvious: they were outside, but they were standing right outside an opulent white-and-gold-crested gazebo. In the structure there was a table for two, already set up with all the dining necessities. Royal plates, silverware, and glasses were lit by candlelight the emitted from the centerpiece of the table. A white silk tablecloth expanded across the tabletop, complimenting the white flowers that encircled the entire gazebo.
Twilight could help but hang her mouth wide open. "How did you do all this?" She asked incredulously.
"I didn't." Luna blushed, looking away for a moment.
"Then.. who-?"
"I did."
Twilight spun her gaze to the source of the familiar voice. Walking up behind her was none other than the Sun Princess, her mentor, Ruler of all Equestria, Princess Celestia. Twilight's cheeks lit up in embarrassment at the sight of her teacher's arrival.
"Princess Celestia!" Twilight croaked, bowing automatically.
"Rise, my faithful student." Princess Celestia chuckled.
"Twilight, it's okay," Luna whispered reassuringly into her ear, "I told my sister about us. I knew it could benefit our situation." She kissed Twilight's cheek lightly to prove her point.
Twilight gulped, looking back up at her mentor. "Princess Celestia, I-I don't really know what to say…"
"It's okay, Twilight. Although mare-mare relationships are rare, they aren't unheard of. My sister hasn't been the same since the faithful night when you restored the elements of harmony, and she will agree with me. A fragment of her heart she once lost, she has found again in you. I haven't seen Princess Luna this happy, this fulfilled, in over a thousand years. I knew from the moment I saw you, Twilight, when you were a little filly that you were a very special pony. Little did I know my sister would see that too. I wish you both the utmost happiness in your partnership."
As the Princess finished, she walked over to Twilight and gave her a hug. Twilight embraced her back with tears in her eyes, feeling so grateful that Celestia could be so supportive. "Thank you so much, Princess. I should have known better than to think you would disapprove."
Princess Celestia chuckled warmly as her and Twilight separated. "You two have a good time now. It's not every day my garden is blessed with a couple such as yourself." She winked then flew off, high up to a balcony where she was soon out of sight.
Twilight only then noticed that they were, in fact, in Princess Celestia's private garden within the palace. Twilight glanced over at Luna who was still looking away.
"I-I hope you're not mad at me for telling my sister, Twilight. I just… I just t-thought-"
She couldn't say anything more because Twilight rushed up and placed a firm, loving kiss on her lips. Raindrops started to drizzle down from the stormy skies upon the moonlit couple. Neither pony minded, they just embraced each other tighter as they went deeper into this kiss.
Soon, it went dark when the clouds finally engulfed the patch of open sky that let the moon shine through.
"Now, how about that date?" Luna giggled, inches away from Twilight. The lunar pony stroked Twilight's mane.
"Sounds good to me!" Twilight grinned.
Together, they stepped into the candlelit gazebo where they would share their first date just as the skies opened up and it began to pour.