The next morning they all met up for breakfast.
“Tia...I...I need to talk to you...” Luna said and took her sister aside.
“Princess Celestia Adopted me!” Nightshade exclaimed softly the second they were gone. Twilight was going to say something, but now she couldn't.
“What?” “She asked me to call her mother...and she told me she's going to adopt me!” Nightshade said. “That's amazing!” Twilight exclaimed. “So what did Princess Luna need to talk to Celestia about?” Nightshade asked.
“Oh...um...well. The Princess and I found something out...we think we want try and um...date.” Twilight replied. “...What?” Night asked. “how does that work?...you're seven, and she's over a thousand years old.” Night said.
“We talked about that...” Twilight started. Luna was explaining the same thing to Celestia in the other room. “She is technically just out of Fillyhood...and the Magic aged us...and I've always been quite a few years ahead of my age...it's awkward but...under the circumstances it's what we want to do...” Twilight explained.
“Well I think it's cool...I don't have anything against it...hey wouldn't that make us sisters?” Nightshade asked. “Hey I guess it would.” Twilight replied.
“It certainly would.” Celestia said, coming in. “Luna told me and I fully support it, I understand the circumstances. If I were to calculate your ages based on your maturity you'd both be just barely Mares and yet without your illusions you are Alicorns...just make sure you're absolutely sure about this before you do anything further.” she cautioned. They nodded and they worked on their Magic.
“So I was thinking I'd announce your adoption tomorrow.” Celestia said, tomorrow being Saturday. “I would have opted to adopt you as well Twilight Sparkle, but I believe that would have made this even more awkward than it is.” she Alicorn continued with a grin as she looked at Twilight and Luna, who were sitting across the room from them practicing.
“Indeed it would Dear Sister...Come Twilight, the Moon is Rising and I wish to teach you something.” Luna said.
“You're going to teach her some of that?” Celestia asked. Luna nodded with a smile and led the Lavender Alicorn out.
“So what do you want to teach me?” Twilight asked when they were in the courtyard.
“A very Old and Ancient magic. Not even Celestia can use it to it's fullest potential. I created this magic when I Created the moon. It is Lunar Magic. All night I store energy the night gives off for use at any time, or I can take the energy and use it directly during the Night. My sister created it's twin with the sun, Solar Magic.” Luna explained.
“B-but...Why would you teach me something like that?” Twilight asked.
“What good is good magic if it is not shared? We would have distributed knowledge of this magic, and we have in the past, but most Unicorns can't even begin to attempt it...and those who could only had the basest of control over it...the only Unicorn to ever truly succeed was Starswirl the Bearded...but that was Solar Magic. If you master this you will be the first Pony in History to master Lunar energy..” Luna continued and closed her eyes in concentration.
Slowly Luna's form appeared to change. Dark blue and black energies began to slowly seep out of her body, and seemingly out of the sky, and around her body. Her coat blackened, her eyes seeming to glow despite their new pitch black coloration. Her wings seemed to grow with the black energy and the black tendrils formed a sort of armor on her. Her mane and tail expanded and looked even more like the night sky.
Twilight knew she should have panicked, she looked like Nightmare Moon but worse, but she couldn't. She just stared in admiration at the sight. “
“I call this Shadow Form...a bit cliché but it fits.” Luna's voice came from the phantasm, but her lips didn't move and the voice came out like a stretched whisper. Before Luna spoke again, she let the black and dark blue face from her head.
“This is one of the easiest things to do with Lunar Energy...I will first teach you to concentrate the energy into this type of Lunar Magic, called Shadows, and then to create the Shadow Form.” Luna said.
“How can that be the easiest?” Twilight asked.
“You have mastered your control over your own magic. The reason I say it is one of the easiest is because instead of focusing the Lunar Energy into one spell or something of the sorts you are simply absorbing it and guiding the shadows. Now Focus. Prod the night sky with your senses and find the Energy. By this point it is limitless so take in all you can. If you begin to feel yourself bloated, cease taking in the energy and let your body adapt to it. Tonight will simply be expanding the amount of Lunar Energy you can hold. Tomorrow night you will do the same thing, but we will also work on the direct use from the Night sky.” Luna explained.
Twilight found she began to enjoy these Lessons where Luna was involved. She knew exactly how to explain things, not too complicated yet not totally simplified. Her explanations tended to be long but they were full of juicy information. Whenever Twilight couldn't quite grasp the concept of something, Luna would stop and wait for the Lavender Alicorn to grasp it herself before moving on.
Luna kept going over basic Magics with Twilight as she focused on the Lunar Energy, but she implemented Lunar magic theory and practices instead of the normal unicorn magics.
“It feels like I've taken everything! It's disappearing should I give some back?” Twilight asked, worried, after a few hours.
“Oh no, don't give it back. You could upset the harmony of the heavens. The Moon is merely running it's course around the land, I believe there is only an hour left of Night.” Luna said. “Oh, so that is why that happened.” she continued, observing Twilight.
“What?” Twilight asked. Her question was answered for her as her mane brushed across her face with a change of the wind, it was almost like a Fluid. She took a better look at it and found that it looked Exactly like Luna's, except it was the dark purple it normally was along with her Tail. There were a few streaks of lighter purple and pink through it and it appeared stars were implanted into them.
“Whoa!” Twilight exclaimed.
“It would appear as if the Lunar Solar Energy affects more than magic.” Luna said. She was about to formulate a logical explanation, but she yawned big and wide in synch with Twilight. “Perhaps we should get to bed.” she said instead with a sheepish grin.
As the two Alicorns of the Night went to bed with the moon, Celestia and Nightshade rose with the Sun.
“It appears Twilight has learned a new trick that puts her far above you my dear.” Celestia said with a yawn as she caught a flowing purple tail entering Luna's room.
“Huh?” Night said tiredly, having not seen it.
“After Breakfast I have a few duties to get out of the way, if you're alright with it I'd like you to come as well. In reward for your patience I'll teach you something extra special.” Celestia said. Nightshade nodded enthusiastically and was a good filly throughout the duties that took up half of the morning.
“Now...Luna has taught Twilight how to Harness, and later use, Lunar Energy. I will teach you it's sister, Solar Energy. The two of you can do anything if you work together.” Celestia said.
“But I thought Dark was the opposite of Light...how could they work together?” Night asked.
“Light and Dark are in perfect harmony. The sun and the Moon work together to give the glorious day and the beautiful night. Without light, there can be no shadows...yet without darkness there is not need for light. Luna and I created the magics to work together, not clash. Now...reach out to the Sun and let it's generous and plentiful energy enter your body and hold on to it, sort of like a Battery. Your Ultimate goal will be the Shining Armor.” Celestia said as a beam of light seemed to snake around her.
The light acted like smoke almost, it spread out and made the same changes to her as the Shadow Form did for Luna, except it was light instead of shadows and her mane and tail appeared to glow. Nightshade was in awe at the sight as Celestia's now angelic sounding voice came.
“This one is fun to do to intimidate foes before a fight starts or to show off to friends.” the Angelic Alicorn said and let it fall. “Now Concentrate.” she continued.
It was later in the night, around midnight, when Celestia and Nightshade decided to turn in. but before they could actually get to bed there was a knock on the door. It was the captain of her guard.
“Princess...I fear the Nightmare in your Sister may have returned...and she is corrupting Twilight Sparkle...we saw shadows under their control, and then they Kissed. What should we do?” she said. Celestia just laughed.
“Those aren't evil Shadows. Those are Lunar Shadows, they aren't nightmares. Just powerful Alicorns...trust me. And exactly why is them kissing a bad thing?” Celestia said, finishing in a slightly accusing tone.
“O-oh...um...well...” the Captain said.
“I hope you stop spying on them, that Nightmare is dead now...Luna had my permission and my blessing with both the teachings and her choice of romantic companion. If you have any reason to doubt any of this ask them yourself.” Celestia explained.
“Alright...but Romantic companion?...I apologize for going against you but your sister is an omnipotent goddess, while Twilight Sparkle is a little Foal just starting school...” the Captain said.
“Your concerns are justified but unnecessary. Princess Luna is in reality younger than you are, while Twilight Sparkle is more matured than any other student in the school, aside from my Nightshade.” Celestia said, nuzzling the black Alicorn next to her.
“Alright...but if you don't protest I would like to keep at least one guard watching them when they use this Lunar Shadow...if nothing else but for safety...last time Twilight Practiced strong magics it nearly ended badly.” the Captain said.
Celestia nodded. “I understand, just try not to spy on them when they experiment with their feelings. That is for their eyes alone.” Celestia said.
“Right.” the captain replied and left.
“Why don't they trust Aunt Luna?” Nightshade asked. Celestia grinned at the title, but it turned into a simple smile.
“A bad thing happened to her...and most ponies blame the things the bad thing did on her. I'm trying my best to give her the place she deserves back...but I don't think she wants it anymore.” Celestia said.''
“Well if you don't know why don't you ask her?” Nightshade asked.
“She won't give me a coherent answer...she thinks she has to take her place as Princess again but at the same time she dreads the day it happens. Perhaps Twilight will help her find what she wants to do. But it is our bedtime now. You have officially been announced as my Daughter and I plan to treat you like it.” Celestia said, snuggling up to the black Alicorn. Nightshade grinned and accepted the affection and found sleep easily.
“We're trying to expand your limits not blow them out of the water...” Luna said in happy annoyance as she carried the Lavender Alicorn on her back. “Attempting the entire Shadow Form on your second day was a little too much...next time warn me, you scared me to death when you passed out.” she continued.
“Sorry...I just thought I could do it...” Twilight mumbled in reply, half asleep. Luna chuckled at her and they reached the Night Wing. She deposited Twilight on the bed and stepped out of the room for a moment.
“I know you're there...” she said lightly. The Captain of her Sister's guard, the name escaped her, stepped forward. “I wish you would trust me enough to leave me Alone for the nights...” Luna started sadly. “But I understand.” she continued.
“It's not that I don't trust you, I don't trust the Nightmare that you became...I don't know for certain if it's gone or not and I don't want to risk it still being there...You'll keep your privacy, I just want to make sure Twilight is Safe from what you could become and her own powers.” the Captain said.
“Her own Powers?” Luna said, confused.
“Tonight those shadows looked like they hurt her...She is known for accidental bursts of very powerful magic...” the Captain replied.
“They did not hurt her, they merely exhausted her. If they ever hurt her, or anything for that matter, I would make sure it was never able to again.” Luna said defensively. “This magic is very Strenuous...You are a Pegasus so you don't understand...Magic can only do what your mental capacity allows. If you don't know how to tie a knot, you can't tie it with magic. Physical strength also plays into it, but it's not a one to one ratio...I can lift the moon with my magic, yet anything larger than a royal sized carriage would give me trouble physically. I could give you a magic lesson if you want.” Luna said.
“That won't be necessary...it'd go in one ear and out the other.” the Captain said with a Laugh.
“What is your name?” Luna asked.
“Gray Bolt, one of my Ancestors was in the ancient Night Guard and I have her old armor in good condition. If you were to ever start it up again a good amount of the guards would transfer, if for nothing else but we need a night guard.” the Mare said. Luna smiled at the Idea.
“That actually sounds like a Wonderful idea...though I think I would like to see this armor and modify it, if I remember correctly it is extremely...outdated.” Luna said.
“Certainly, just ask and I am at your service...within reason of course.” Gray said. Luna nodded and the Captain left, Luna returned to the room to snuggle up to a Lavender Alicorn snoozing in her bed.