//------------------------------//
// Energy [TwiLuna] 
// Story: Pearple Juice With Bits 
// by Pearple Prose 
//------------------------------//

"Any luck yet, my love?"

A brush of a wing against her flank dragged Twilight Sparkle's eyes up from her notebook. Princess Luna sat down next to her and peered over her shoulder at her scribblings.

"Oh, hi Luna. No, I haven't discovered anything new yet. I mean..." Twilight peered upwards for a few seconds. Far above them, an enormous vein of crystal, shaped like a snowflake, glimmered in the half-light.  "It just looks like regular old crystal so far, but that doesn't explain why it was built like this. How does it even work?"

Luna smiled indulgently. "I am sorry that I cannot help you any further in this matter. I was never very familiar with the workings of the Crystal Empire, even before my banishment." She hummed thoughtfully. "I did not know that this—" Luna gestured vaguely at the subterranean chamber surrounding them. "—even existed. Nor did young Cadence, for that matter. However, I have no doubt that you can figure this out in the mean time, my dearest." She kissed Twilight on the cheek affectionately.

Twilight blushed. "Aheh. I do hope so. The benefits of this discovery could be revolutionary. The Crystal Empire has only been around for a few years now – who knows what kind of secrets it holds?"

Twilight's smile drooped slightly. "And... well, that's kinda the problem, actually. The whole thing is just... so insane. It has the power to influence the mindset of an entire nation on its own. I have nothing to compare it to!" Subconsciously, Twilight began to rub her hooves together, her eyes widening as she continued to speak. "I just don't get it! It's casting some kind of spell, somehow, but there's nothing here to cast! Is there some kind of rune system? No, they couldn't have worked all this time without breaking, but – Oh! But the whole Empire was frozen in time wasn't it? No, that's impossible it had to be—"

Twilight was cut off by a deep blue hoof on her lips. Luna looked at her with a frown, but her eyes glinted with worry. "Twilight. Be calm. Take a deep breath, like Cadence taught you."

Wordlessly, Twilight nodded, before breathing in slowly, pulling a hoof towards her chest. She exhaled deeply and pushed her hoof out from her chest.

"Thanks for that, Luna. I was getting kinda... excited there, for a second." Twilight blushed bashfully.

Luna just chuckled, pulling her favourite librarian in for a cuddle. "Do not even mention it, my dear. I must admit, the prospects are exciting me as well." She grinned, then kissed Twilight on the nose. "Just not quite as much as that cute little blush of yours does."

Twilight squeaked once, her blush threatening to consume her features as she darted back in to steal a kiss on the lips. All at once, she felt her horn tingle. The crystal above her lit up like a star, and they heard a distant explosion of energy from far, far above. A blanket of contentment and good cheer settled over the kissing couple.

The couple glanced upwards in wonder as they finished their kiss.

Twilight whispered. "It just casted a spell. But how?"

Luna just smiled. "Love works in mysterious ways."