The Night's Stars

by SC_Orion

One Last Peaceful Night

“I must admit, I am surprised by how quickly you are learning these spells. You take to them far more naturally than any other unicorn I have known, and more naturally than myself as well.”

Twilight smiled sheepishly at her praise. “It’s um, the spells really aren’t that hard. I understand the concepts very well, and applying them is easy since I know what to do.”

She held in a sigh and looked away from Twilight to survey the castle’s courtyard. Batponies on break watched them with interest, though something about the way they looked at Twilight made her uneasy. Their respect for Twilight was plain to see, but there was something else there too. She just couldn’t put her hoof on it. “I suppose I am merely building upon what Celestia taught you.” She turned back to face Twilight, whose smile had dimmed in that all-too-familiar way. “Loathe as I am to admit it, if she had not taught you as she did, then I suspect you would not be making progress as you are,” she begrudgingly mumbled, then bowed her head towards Twilight.

“I am very proud of you, Twilight.” She inclined her head slightly more to punctuate her words.

Twilight looked off to the side, avoiding her gaze. She frowned, seeing Twilight’s smile gradually fade as the filly looked down at the ground.

“So...” Cadance ventured.

Nightmare blinked as the memory scattered and her mind returned to the present. Her bowl of oatmeal sat before her, mostly untouched and cooler than when it arrived. She looked to Cadance and found her Niece looking aside at her, a small smile on her lips and a slight glint in her eye.

Yes, Cadance had recovered from the attempt on her life. While her Niece had been shaken, Cadance was stronger than she realized. Perhaps she hadn’t given Cadance enough credit.

And yet Cadance still was bested by a single pegasus.

“Twilight’s birthday is next week,” her Niece continued once she was satisfied she had Nightmare’s attention.

Nightmare breathed in and sat up straighter. “So it is...” She looked to the wall, not that it gave her any advice on how to approach the event.

“Do you have any plans?” Cadance asked.

Ah, yet another one of the questions that she dreaded. Nightmare pondered the question and her own ideas for a while, but her thoughts only made her feel more nervous as she considered them: ‘It will be your birthday. You will be seventeen. A young mare proper... I should get you a gift, something meaningful, but what can I give you that is something you would appreciate? Something special? Perhaps... perhaps I should ask if... if you would... let me court you...’

Why did that last thought make her feel so cold, make her heart pound in her chest, make her throat feel tight and make her wings twitch at her sides anxiously? ‘I’m afraid to ask you that.’

‘I do not want to risk you saying no...’

Nightmare found herself looking down at her bowl of oatmeal, not that she paid much attention to it. Her mouth was too tight to pry open to take a bite even if she wanted to.

‘But... no... Coward.’ She breathed out and forced her jaw to relax. ‘Just ask. If she says no then I can put this behind me. And... I will be alone. No! She will not... she would not abandon me as Sister did even when she says no. Perhaps... Perhaps she would say yes. But... but what then? What would courting her accomplish?’

And how would she even go about doing that? What point would it serve?

‘You would be in danger if ponies found out... But... I... I can protect you, can I not? Or at least I can try, but... I may not always succeed. You can protect yourself but you are young and naive... but you also bear the Element of Magic... You bested me and then fought off several wolves.’

‘Perhaps... perhaps I am worrying too much. There is no reason to think anything more will come of it. Perhaps we will simply court for a time and that will be the end of it. We will still be able to be friends, will we not?’ Or would she grow to hate Twilight for rejecting her, or would Twilight grow to hate her for the same? How the thought twisted her heart, physically paining her! She sucked her lip in between her teeth and lightly bit down, pinning it place.

‘You... you are worth the risk.’

She released her lip and swallowed the knot in her throat, then breathed in and licked her dried lips. She tentatively lifted her head to look back at Cadance, who looked back at her with a mixture of concern, compassion, and curiosity. “I—” her resolve crumbled. Her gaze fell to the table. “I do not know what to do, Cadance,” she lamented.

She heard Cadance’s magic and chair, followed by the sound of her Niece hopping down and walking over to her side, then pulling out another chair and sitting down at her immediate left. She just barely lifted her head to look at Cadance. ‘I am Queen! I am better than some moping fool! I am Nightmare Moon! Not Luna!’ And she felt bitter for her insecurity and anxiety.

She forced herself to sit up straight, forced herself to bury the feelings deep inside and lock them away so they wouldn’t cripple her as they did. ‘Be decisive. Do not hesitate!’ she chastised herself. “I have been thinking of what I should get her. I do have an idea, but... I am unsure that it would be wise, or that she would... appreciate it.”

“Nightmare Moon, if it’s coming from you, I’m sure she will appreciate it. What is it?” Cadance asked genuinely.

Nightmare hesitated and her jaw tightened for a moment. ‘This is a terrible idea,’ she finally decided. She turned her head away from Cadance to mumble, “A quill.”

“A quill?” came Cadance’s curious question. No reproach, nor condemnation. Simple curiosity.

“Yes,” Nightmare answered, then set her gaze on the table. “It... it is something that needs to be special. I was... considering having one of my feathers made into a quill.”

“I think she’d like that,” Cadance said softly.

Nightmare looked to Cadance and found her niece smiling a gentle, fond, reassuring smile. It was just enough for her to straighten and face her to ask, “Truly?”

“Mhm,” Cadance cooed as she nodded. “It’s sweet.”

‘Sweet.’ The idea felt so odd. She looked off at the floor for a moment, then looked to her niece again.

“It’s something special. Something from you. A part of you,” Cadance pointed out with a certain warm, comforting innocence that helped calm her nerves. “A gift with a very personal touch.”

“I... I suppose so, but... I still... I am still unsure that she would truly appreciate it.”

“She will,” Cadance said surely, smiling warmly.

“I... hope you are correct,” Nightmare mumbled. She breathed in and turned back to face the far end of the table. “I... suppose I shall have one of my feathers made into a quill, then.”

Cadance hummed thoughtfully, her smile brightening with encouragement.

Nightmare grimaced and shook her head. “Though... I am still... partially hesitant to visit her.” She faced Cadance and saw her niece frowning. “Her friends,” she said, then paused for a moment to shake her head again. “They would not welcome me... I think... But...” she trailed off.

“You’re Twilight’s friend too. It’s Twilight’s birthday,” Cadance softly pointed out.

Nightmare hesitated a moment, then bowed her head once. “I... suppose this is true. I... perhaps I am worrying too much. Perhaps her friends would not... perhaps her friends would welcome me.”

“Aren’t Twilight’s friends your friends too?” Cadance asked.

Were they? It did not seem like it. Acquaintances, assuredly, but they were not so close as to be friends. “I do not think so,” Nightmare answered.

“Well, all of you have at least one thing in common,” Cadance coaxed.

“Twilight?”

Cadance nodded gently.

Nightmare sighed softly. “So we do...”

“There’s something else bothering you, isn’t there?” Cadance murmured.

“There is,” Nightmare stated.

“Do you want to talk about it?” her Niece offered.

Nightmare grimaced. “We... talked about it before.”

“You want to ask Twilight for permission to date her,” Cadance summarized.

Nightmare cringed and shifted her weight. “I... do. I would... like to ask to court her but...”

“But you’re afraid to,” Cadance knew.

It took Nightmare several seconds to admit, “I am.” She looked to Cadance again. “I... am afraid she will reject me, as always.”

“That’s one of your biggest fears, isn’t it?” Cadance asked softly.

“Perhaps it is,” Nightmare sighed, casting her eyes to the table and bowing her head in defeat. “I do not want her to reject me. I do not want to lose her. I do not want to be alone again.” She looked back up at Cadance. “Am I insane?” she asked.

Cadance frowned.

“That... I have such feelings for Twilight. My sister’s student. Somepony... unspeakably younger than me. She is not yet an adult. She is... my student. My subject. I... I do not think of her as my subject. I do not think of myself as her Queen... She is my friend... my only friend. My best friend. Am I insane, Cadance?”

“You’re a pony,” Cadance said softly.

Twilight had said something like that.

“I was alone on the moon for one thousand years. Am I insane? How can I not be? You do not know what I went through, how the sunlight burns and the night is colder than winter... The isolation. No one to talk to but myself. How am I still sane?”

“You’re strong,” Cadance murmured.

Nightmare clenched her jaw. “And yet here I am nothing more than a coward!” she spat, her lips pulling back in disgust. “A coward who does not know who she is, who feels like nothing more than a failure, forever damned to be nothing more than a failure and forever hated by everypony!”

“Twilight doesn’t hate you,” Cadance said softly. It might as well have been an icy knife plunged into her heart. “I don’t hate you. The batponies don’t hate you. Celestia doesn’t hate you.” And then twisted.

“No, she does. She has to,” Nightmare argued, vigorously shaking her head. “My sister hates me. She wants nothing more than to take advantage of me—”

“Did she always?” Cadance asked softly.

Nightmare glared at Cadance for her Niece using that against her; both of them knew the answer to it, and all she could do was glare.

“You cannot be right,” Nightmare stated. “While we may have loved each other when we were young, we grew out of it, Niece. She made that very clear.”

“Is that why you’re afraid to date Twilight?” Cadance asked. “You’re afraid you’ll end up being hurt again.”

Nightmare’s chest deflated and her jaw tightened again. After a long while, she turned away from Cadance to look at the other end of the table. She swallowed and licked her lips. “It is one of the reasons.”

“Is she worth the risk?” Cadance asked.

Nightmare closed her eyes. “Yes.”

“Then why don’t you ask her?” Cadance murmured.

“I do not want us to regret it.”

“And what if you never ask her?” Cadance asked. “Will both of you be happy with that?”

Nightmare frowned, considering the torment of never being as open with Twilight as she could be. A risk, but a worthwhile risk. “I do not know that she would even accept...” she whispered.

“And that’s part of the risk you have to take,” Cadance murmured. “But... I think she’ll say yes if you ask her.”

Nightmare clenched her jaw and opened her eyes to look at Cadance. No visible deception.

“We’ve talked about this before, Auntie,” Cadance murmured, bowing her head and smiling gently. Nightmare watched her niece reach a wing out to touch her side. The contact felt so odd, so alien. It wasn’t her sister’s wing nor was it what she imagined the touch of Twilight’s wing would be like. “You both love each other.”

Nightmare’s eyes snapped to Cadance again. “As friends,” she stated.

Cadance waited a few seconds, then bowed her head. “As friends. Shining Armor is my best friend.” Her niece withdrew her wing. “And you said it yourself: there’s no reason anything else has to come from asking to court her. At least not for a long time, if you want to wait before doing anything more.”

Nightmare cringed at the thought, half a dozen ideas besieged her mind and heart, making her tense at the onslaught. “I... suppose... you are correct...” she managed to say.

“Mhm,” Cadance softly hummed. “Of course I am. I’m the Princess of Love.” Nightmare grimaced and turned away from Cadance. “Now... what are you going to do now?”

“I... suppose I shall eat, rather than... ponder my memories, and... have one of my feathers made into a quill for her. I... shall visit her on her birthday, and... I shall ask to court her...” Her voice dropped to barely a mumble to say, “Once... once we are alone.”

Cadance hummed fondly.

---

Nightmare Moon stretched her wing out and regarded the reflection in the mirror, contemplating her feathers and trying to decide which one looked the best. Anything less than perfection was unacceptable! But it needed to be one that would go unnoticed until it regrew, one that Twilight wouldn’t immediately recognize as having come from her. Though a part of her wondered if such a hope was unreasonable.

She turned her head to the right to look over her feathers, and after a few seconds, settled on one of the feathers from about the middle of her wing, one that wouldn’t be missed and could be easily turned into a quill. She carefully wrapped her magic around the shaft, then pulled it free with one swift tug. She tried to shake the pain away before folding her wing back to her side, but even though it barely helped, the pain would pass.

She levitated the feather around in front of her face and scrutinized it to make sure it was undamaged, then used her magic to clean the blood from the base of the shaft. Satisfied that it would work, she teleported to Raven’s office. Even with her sudden teleportation, Raven didn’t visibly react. No pause nor twitch of surprise, no, the unicorn took her arrival in stride, still focusing on the documents before her.

“Your Majesty,” Raven acknowledged.

“Raven,” Nightmare likewise acknowledged, bowing her head.

“The Mayor of Manehattan wants to know why you’re stationing so many Royal Guards, Wonderbolts, and Batponies in and around the city. I reminded him of what you had said, but he was still displeased.”

“I see,” Nightmare dismissed. “I shall have to speak with him, then. Perhaps I shall visit Captain Spitfire to check in on them as well.”

“If her Majesty desires it,” Raven said.

Nightmare breathed in quickly. “Though I am here for another reason.”

Raven paused for a moment, then looked to her and noticed the feather levitating in her aura. She levitated the feather over and set it on Raven’s desk. “I require this made into a quill.”

Raven levitated the feather up and scrutinized it, then looked at her for a moment before looking to her wing, immediately knowing it was one of her feathers. Her secretary looked back up at her. “If that is what her Majesty wants,” Raven acknowledged.

Nightmare bowed her head once to nod. “I do.”

Raven set the feather back down on her desk. “Do you have any specifications for it?”

“Something ornate, but still functional,” she directed. “I need it finished before the week ends.”

“Of course, your Majesty,” Raven acknowledged. “Is there anything else you require?”

“I do not think so,” she answered. “Is there anything I need to be aware of?”

Raven pondered her question for a few seconds. “Nothing pressing, your Majesty.”

“I see. Then I shall take my leave.” Nightmare teleported back to her chambers. For a moment, she simply looked around her study, taking in the bookshelves, then her desk. She turned around and walked into her bedchambers to look at her bed.

She remembered when both Twilight and her had slept together, and she remembered watching Twilight fall asleep in her own bed. Her wings bristled at her sides; she shook the thought from her mind and walked out onto the balcony, then sat down and draped her forehooves over the railing to look out at Ponyville, and the plains between Canterlot and the small, quaint village.

Large swaths of the snow had melted, but the white snow was still there to serve as a reminder that winter wasn’t far gone. She remembered from before her banishment that by now, the pegasi would have melted all of the snow that covered those plains, and yet now it took longer and more effort.

She didn’t want to admit it, but she still knew it was, in part, her own fault.

Perhaps she was a fool. The night was not the day, the moon, not the sun. But what could she do that others could not?

Bring back the sun?

Free Sister?

She shook the thoughts from her mind, and though she longed for Twilight’s company, she set her gaze on the training grounds to watch the Royal Guards and Batponies train the recruits.

---

Oatmeal was such a bland breakfast. Nightmare Moon pondered the thought as she looked down at her bowl of oatmeal and chewed on some of it. ‘Perhaps I should try something else another time.’

“Make sure you tell Twilight happy birthday for me,” Cadance said.

Nightmare paused chewing for a moment to look at Cadance. She swallowed, then asked, “Are you not coming?”

Cadance smiled softly. “Shining’s working, so since he can’t come, I’m going to stay and keep him company.”

Nightmare considered it for a few seconds, then gradually nodded. “I see.” ‘Are you simply saying that so that I get the opportunity to go alone to visit Twilight?’ she wondered. “Since... you are going to be staying in Canterlot,” she ventured, gradually sitting up straighter, “would you be willing to... tend to my duties?”

Cadance raised and eyebrow and hummed softly. “Planning on leaving early, are we?”

The playfulness in her Niece’s voice, combined with that playful glint in her Niece’s eye, made Nightmare fidget where she sat. “I am considering it. I... do not know when I should go. She said it is after midnight and I do not want to arrive too early and... be a burden on her, as it were, but... I do not want to be late, either.”

Cadance hummed thoughtfully. “You have a few hours to make up your mind.”

“I suppose I do,” Nightmare agreed.

“Is your quill ready?” Cadance asked.

Nightmare nodded, thinking about the case that she kept the quill in and where she had hidden it. “It is.”

Cadance smiled fondly.

“Do you... think there is anything else I should bring? Or... do?” Nightmare asked.

Cadance looked off at the wall for a long while, then looked back at her with her usual warmth. “Well, you’re planning to ask to date Twilight, right?”

“Court her, yes,” Nightmare swiftly corrected.

Cadance hummed. “Just be sure that you’re going to be able to actually ask. Don’t get cold hooves.”

Nightmare shifted uncomfortably and swallowed. “I shall... try...” she muttered.

“And try to relax and enjoy it,” Cadance added with an encouraging smile.

Nightmare timidly bowed her head once.

A knock came from the door; she turned to face the door, and a moment later, it opened to let a batpony walk inside. He closed the door behind him and bowed. “Your Majesty?”

“What is it?”

He rose from his bow. “You wanted anything unusual from Manehattan reported to you immediately. One of the patrols is late to return.”

Nightmare grimaced. ‘Perhaps I should have been more specific with my wording.’ Still, a patrol was late to return? The thought made her frown. “Which patrol?”

“One of the Wonderbolt patrols, your Majesty,” he answered.

‘Of course, it’s the Wonderbolt patrol that’s late.’ Nightmare held in a groan and shook her head. “I see. Very well. Is there anything else I should be aware of?”

“Captain Spitfire already deployed a second patrol ahead of schedule to look for them, your Majesty.”

“I see. Is there any reason to suspect anything is amiss?”

He hesitated, then shook his head. “I don’t think so. Would you like the transcript of her report?”

Nightmare considered the idea but dismissed it. “No, but keep me informed of any further developments.”

“Of course, your Majesty,” he said as he bowed again. After he finished bowing, he turned to leave.

Nightmare pursed her lips. “Have a detachment of Royal Guard unicorns and a detachment of pegasi on alert in case... in case they are needed.”

He faced her and bowed again. “I will see to it, your Majesty.” He turned and left, closing the door behind him.

“Expecting trouble..?” Cadance ventured, her voice more cautious than warm.

“I—” Nightmare turned to face Cadance and take in her Niece’s frown, “—have my concerns. It is probably nothing, yet... it was a Wonderbolt patrol that is late. Late enough to warrant reporting. Even with the night and knowing they are not quite as skilled as I would prefer, the pair should have no trouble with this task.” She turned away from Cadance. “I shall... have to keep an eye on this.”

“You’re still going to visit Twilight, aren’t you?” Cadance asked.

Nightmare grimaced but nodded. “Yes. I do not particularly want for this to cause problems tonight, given that it is Twilight’s birthday... but if it is something I need to deal with...” she trailed off, picturing Twilight’s disappointment if she had to leave in the middle of her friend’s celebration.

“Do you want me to keep an eye on it for you?” Cadance offered. “If anything important comes up, I can let you know.”

Nightmare looked to Cadance and begrudgingly nodded. “Very well... Perhaps it is nothing. Perhaps I am simply anxious. I did expand their patrol area. Perhaps they simply got lost...”

“I guess we’ll know in a few hours,” Cadance said.

“Yes...” Nightmare tentatively agreed. “I am still... uneasy about this. I suspect something is wrong, but...” she trailed off and breathed in while shaking her head. “Perhaps I am simply anxious.”

“Because of Twilight,” Cadance put in.

“Yes,” Nightmare admitted. “I... perhaps worry that now is not the right time to... ask her,” she muttered. “It could be... rather poorly timed. I know that it is her birthday, but given the Changeling threat, the attempt on your life—” Cadance frowned, “—everything which has happened lately, and this development... I feel that asking to court her will only cause... problems.”

“Don’t back out now,” Cadance comforted. “It’s something you want. You might be the Queen, but you’re unhappy.”

Nightmare looked at Cadance. ‘You know me too well. Both of you do...’

“And she makes you happy. Happier than being Queen, and happier than your night.”

Nightmare grimaced and turned away from Cadance. “So she does...”

A few seconds passed in mutual silence.

“But—”

“Ask her,” Cadance coaxed.

Nightmare hesitated, then inclined her head. “I will,” she stated. “I just... I have my concerns—”

“And your worries, and your fears,” Cadance softly added.

Nightmare held in a groan but bowed her head in agreement. “So I do.”

Cadance climbed out of her chair, then walked around. She watched her Niece’s approach until Cadance hugged her. She didn’t have the immediate worry that it was an attack, she didn’t feel the instinct to fight back. She let Cadance hug her and begrudgingly leaned into her Niece’s hug.

A year ago, she knew she wouldn’t have. Cadance wouldn’t have hugged her a year ago. A year ago, she wouldn’t have given much thought to Twilight’s birthday. Twilight wouldn’t have invited her a year ago.

‘I have changed so much...’ Yes, and she owed that to Twilight. Perhaps Twilight was right, perhaps giving ponies a chance was worth the risk. For what was the alternative? Constant brooding, constant isolation, constant bitterness and anger? They were poison to her! They stifled her joy, stole away her happiness. How was it any different from her banishment? Only now she had the power to not be locked away and isolated.

Cadance pulled out of the hug. “If you need any more advice on how to talk to Twilight, I’d be happy to help.”

Nightmare breathed in and bowed her head. “Thank you. I shall keep this in mind, but... I suppose I shall find out for myself. I shall... visit her in a few hours.”

---

‘Should I arrive with my gift, or give it to her later this evening?’ Nightmare Moon wondered as she sat on her balcony, staring out towards Ponyville.

She hoped Twilight would appreciate it, and if Twilight would appreciate it, then she thought it wouldn’t matter when she gave it to Twilight. She felt more inclined to wait until later, that way Twilight’s friends had hopefully departed so that she could give Twilight her gift in private. Of course, there was still the matter of Thorax and Spike. They would likely be there no matter what, meaning they wouldn’t quite have the privacy she wanted.

‘I suppose I could... ask to speak with Twilight in private. Yes, I could do that... perhaps in her bedroom, or on her balcony?’ she mused. Yes, that could work. It wouldn’t be exactly what she wanted, but it was close enough. She could give Twilight her gift, then ask to court her.

‘Twilight Sparkle, if you are not so opposed to it, may I court you?’

She squirmed at the thought; her chest and throat felt tight. ‘No. No, too formal. She is my friend. We are close.’

‘Twilight, would you be opposed to my courting you?’

She grimaced. ‘That sounds too much as if I am not asking to court you.’

And what of her gift? Was a simple quill truly the best gift she could come up with? Even if it was one of her feathers, it was still just a quill, no matter how ornate. Would Twilight find some meaning in it, some deeper appreciation like she hoped, in that the quill was one of her feathers?

And what of Twilight’s friends? Would they see the quill and realize it was one of her feathers? Out of all of them, she suspected only Rarity would realize if she saw the quill. Would Twilight admit to her friends that they were courting—if she accepted? And what then? How would things change? How would that sour their friendship? Or would Twilight keep it a secret from her closest friends—

‘Are they your closest friends? Or am I your closest friend?’ The thought brought her pondering and worrying to a sudden stop. ‘Shining Armor is my best friend,’ she remembered Cadance saying.

She thought back on their relationship, how close and open they were with each other. Twilight had undoubtedly shared things with her that she wouldn’t have shared with her friends; Twilight had already told her that she had not told her friends about moving the moon together. ‘You... trust me more than them, don’t you?’

She tensed at the thought, feeling as if she had been stabbed. ‘I... why would you trust me that much?’ To everypony else, no matter how much she tried, they wouldn’t trust her the same way Twilight did. And not a single one of them would put their life on the line for her, barring the batponies and perhaps the Royal Guards and soldiers, while Twilight already had.

‘Perhaps I am your closest friend,’ she mused. ‘But I will not force you to choose between me and the rest of your friends.’ It would be too unfair on Twilight. Even if the world had forever been unfair to her, she would not in turn force that onto Twilight.

She hoped she wouldn’t, at least.

She steeled herself against the uncertainty, against the fear and worry and anxiety: Twilight was worth it.

She breathed in deep, then slowly rose to stand. She bowed her head, then summoned her magic and teleported to Twilight’s library.

Nightmare looked around to briefly take in the changes to the library. A few banners hung from the tops of bookshelves, crossing the room, adorned with little golden stars and the familiar starburst of Twilight’s cutie mark. A table was set out in the middle of the room, with punch, cupcakes, and snacks, while a large cake set in the center. Spike, Thorax, and Twilight were notably absent, but Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were present, both setting up before her arrival interrupted them.

“Hiya, Nightmare Moon!” Pinkie happily greeted her, bouncing over to stand in front of her and look up at her with a cheerful smile. “Twilight said you’d be coming but she didn’t know when you’d be here. I think you’re here earlier than she expected but I know she’ll be glad to see you here! Can I get you anything? Punch? Cupcake?”

Nightmare looked away from the Bearer of Laughter to search again for her friend, who remained just as missing as before. “No, thank you.” She shifted her weight and looked back down at Pinkie Pie. “Is Twilight not here?”

“Oh! She’s upstairs right now but since you’re here I expect her to bounce down those stairs any second now!” Pinkie declared.

She set her gaze on the loft door and nodded once. “I see. And the rest of you are not yet here?”

“They should be here shortly! Rainbow and I are here to help her set up! Thorax and Spike are out doing something, but they didn’t seem to want to say what that something was.”

“I see.” She looked back at Pinkie, then looked over at Rainbow Dash.

The pegasus hesitated for a moment, then finished tying up another banner before landing. “So... You actually showed up, huh?”

Nightmare tilted her head to the side. “I would not so easily miss Twilight’s birthday party.” A grimace wormed its way onto her lips, so she turned her gaze away from Rainbow Dash to look at the bookshelf opposite of her as Pinkie bounced back to work. “Though I must admit I am... perhaps uncomfortable being here...” she turned back to Rainbow and nodded once. “’Tis for Twilight.” She fluffed her wings apprehensively.

Rainbow nodded slowly, squinting at her skeptically. “Right.”

Nightmare shifted her weight again. “We are—” ‘Why am I asking this?’ “—good, yes?”

Rainbow’s muzzle scrunched up for a moment, then relaxed. “Yeah, I guess. Your permanent night sucks—”

Nightmare’s wings bristled at her side in agitation and her muscles tightened.

“—but Twilight’s willing to vouch for you, and, well, you were pretty cool when you were fighting the changelings.” Rainbow shifted her weight and looked to the side, lifting her right foreleg up to scratch the back of her mane. “And like, you were helping us.” The pegasus managed to set her forehoof back on the floor and look at her. “So... yeah...” Rainbow flapped her wings and hovered in the air so that they were eye to eye. “Twilight means a lot to you, huh?”

Nightmare grimaced and turned her head to the left. “She does,” she breathed out. ‘More than you realize.’ She managed to face Rainbow to say, “She is my only friend.” She hesitated for a moment, pondering whether what she wanted to add was a mistake or not. In the end, she decided to admit, “She is my best friend.”

Rainbow’s eyes flicked off to the side and her wingbeats slowed. A few seconds passed while the pegasus gradually landed, still thinking about what she had said. Eventually, Rainbow looked back up at her. “If it wasn’t for the way Twilight talks about you and defends you, and seeing how you actually seem to care about her, I wouldn’t believe that.”

Nightmare grimaced and looked to the loft again. ‘You have not come down yet? Perhaps I should come up to you.’

“Especially with how you acted when you came back from the moon,” Rainbow put in.

Nightmare looked back at Rainbow. “I... do not believe I am that same pony now.” ‘I am not.’ Was she even still Nightmare Moon? She had been born to take vengeance on her Sister for Luna’s death. And that vengeance was hollow. Now what?

She held in a sigh and shook her head. “I suppose I shall go visit Twilight now, unless she doesn’t want to be disturbed.”

“Eh, it should be fine,” Rainbow answered casually.

“I see.” Nightmare walked over to the stairs, then climbed up to the loft and stopped at the door to knock. “Twilight?”

Almost instantly, the door glowed with Twilight’s raspberry aura and opened. The now-young-mare was closing a book and hopping down from her bed, looking at her with a friendly smile.

Twilight looked the same she had as always, yet looking at Twilight now, she felt that Twilight was somehow different, though knew it was simply herself. ‘I will ask to court you later tonight,’ she thought as she watched Twilight walk towards her, setting the book on the nightstand. The thought must have contributed to how she looked at Twilight; the young mare was intimidating, despite her open, genuinely friendly appearance.

What chance did she truly have?

A hint of concern crossed Twilight’s expression as the young mare frowned at her. “Are you all right?”

“Ah, yes...” Nightmare shifted her weight and looked at the door to the balcony, contemplating what she had in mind for later tonight. “I am...” ‘What am I to say?’ “I am... I am just... I am not used to this.”

Nightmare mentally kicked herself and looked back at Twilight.

Her friend came to a stop in front of her and leaned over to nuzzle her. “It’ll be okay,” Twilight comforted.

Nightmare leaned down and returned the nuzzle.

“You’re probably worried that the rest of my friends will be uncomfortable with you being here, right?” Twilight guessed.

“That is... part of it,” Nightmare answered guardedly.

Twilight broke the nuzzle and took a step back. Nightmare reluctantly lifted her head back up and met Twilight’s gaze. Warmth, happiness, and excitement filled the young mare’s gaze, reminding her of the days of her youth with her Sister. “It’ll be okay,” came Twilight’s soft promise.

“I... hope so.” Nightmare shifted her weight uncomfortably and turned around. “I... do not want to ruin this night for you.”

Twilight walked out of the bedroom and stood at her side. “You won’t. Just... relax. None of us want to hurt you. Give them a chance.”

Nightmare grimaced. “I suppose... perhaps I have been negligent regarding your friends...” she muttered.

Twilight flashed her a warmer, encouraging smile. “Spike and Thorax will be back with the rest of the girls soon. You’re welcome to have some punch and snacks until they get here.”

Nightmare nodded once. “I shall keep that in mind.”

Twilight started down the stairs and she followed a few steps back.

“I did not interrupt you, did I?” Nightmare asked as they walked down the stairs.

Twilight glanced back at her for a moment to say, “It’s fine,” and then Twilight returned to looking ahead so she didn’t fall. “I should probably come down now anyway instead of spending all night up there reading...” Twilight’s voice came higher pitched as if she were embarrassed by it, and for some reason, a touch of a smile came to Nightmare’s lips from hearing it.

Twilight walked over to the table while she followed, and Pinkie bounced over. “It looks great, Pinkie,” Twilight said.

“Thanks!” Pinkie beamed.

Rainbow swooped down and landed at Pinkie’s side. “Anything else you need, Twilight?”

Twilight looked around the room before looking at Rainbow Dash again and shaking her head. “I don’t think so. Thank you for helping set up.”

Rainbow grinned. “No problem!”

Nightmare shifted her weight. “If I may ask—” all three of them looked at her, “—I have not been to a birthday party in...” She decided to skip to the important part. “I do not know what to expect.”

“Oh, well that’s easy!” Pinkie declared, bouncing over and leaning up against her chest in a manner that made her uncomfortable. “We’re here to hang out and celebrate with Twilight! We’re gonna party, and play games, and enjoy the punch and cupcakes and cake and company! Ooooh! And later we’ll give Twilight our gifts! Say, did you bring Twilight a gift?”

Nightmare hesitated under Pinkie’s smiling gaze. “I... have one for her, yes,” she admitted. “Though... I was planning to give it to her later, in private.”

Twilight’s ears perked up and she looked at Nightmare with intrigue; Nightmare saw her friend’s gaze drop to her shoulder for a moment while her smile flickered. Both the look and the flicker in her smile passed quickly, and Twilight looked up at her again.

More eager? More hopeful? Yet more nervous?

Something felt off about it, and whatever it was that she couldn’t place made her feel more anxious about tonight.

Nightmare turned her head to face Twilight and looked over the young mare’s face and back, doing her best to put her worry aside. Yes, Twilight shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. And perhaps more telling, Twilight fidgeted on her hooves and looked over at the table. “Yes, um, well, Midnight said she was going to be here sometime too.” Twilight looked back up at her, smiling sheepishly.

“I see. You two have kept in contact?”

“Yes,” Twilight answered, nodding. “I did say that we’re friends.”

“So you did...” Nightmare breathed out as she turned back to look at Rainbow Dash. ‘I suppose I should find somewhere out of the way to sit and wait.’ She looked at the table and levitated a cup up, then filled it with punch and took one of the dozens of cupcakes in her magic, then looked at Twilight’s friends and finally the young mare herself to give each of them short nods before walking over to one of the bookshelves and sitting down.

The punch was cool, fruity, and smooth, though perhaps too rich, much like the cupcake was too sweet for her liking, though not enough that she would set it aside.

Twilight walked over to her. “Mind if I join you?”

“Please do,” Nightmare answered.

Twilight sat down at her right side with a smile. She contemplated wrapping her wing around Twilight’s back but thought better of it since Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were present, and the rest of Twilight’s friends could arrive any time.

Still, that didn’t stop Twilight from leaning up against her side; the urge to wrap Twilight in her wing’s embrace grew that much stronger, but she refused to give in. “I wasn’t expecting you to come this early,” Twilight said.

Nightmare grimaced. “I did not come too soon, did I? I was unsure of when—”

Twilight leaned away from her to look up at her. “No, it’s fine. I’m just glad you came.”

‘Did you doubt that I would come?’ Nightmare wondered, and the thought did not sit well with her. “I would... endeavor not to miss this night. It is special for you. It is important.” ‘For both of us.’

Twilight regarded her contemplatively for several seconds, then turned her head to look at the bookshelf across from them. “You still would, though,” Twilight said. The young mare turned back to face her and meet her gaze. “If something important came up.”

Nightmare turned away from Twilight. “It would have to be very important, but yes. Though I would miss being here for you.”

She heard the door open and turned to look. Spike walked inside, calling, “Twilight, we’re back!” before noticing the two of them sitting together. “Oh, hey Twilight. Nightmare Moon.”

Thorax followed Spike inside, his wings twitching eagerly up until he heard Spike announce Nightmare’s name and noticed her squint at him, causing him to come to a complete stop a for a moment. His wings twitched once, then he continued on inside. Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Midnight followed him inside, each of them carrying wrapped presents, or in Midnight’s case, a pair of saddlebags situated on her back.

Midnight grinned at Twilight, then looked at Nightmare and gave a single nod which she returned in kind.

Twilight stood up and walked over to greet each of her friends with a hug. “Hey girls.”

“Happy birthday, Twilight,” Applejack said while squeezing her student.

“Thank you,” Twilight murmured.

Nightmare watched the process continue, and Twilight finally hugged Midnight. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You too!” Midnight replied, eagerly returning the hug. “And happy birthday!”

Twilight pulled back. She didn’t need to see Twilight’s face to know her friend was smiling.

Applejack and Fluttershy gradually walked over to her, so she turned to look at them. Fluttershy hesitated when she faced them, but managed to overcome it and walk the rest of the way. They came to a stop; she nodded in acknowledgment. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here, to be honest.”

“I am committed to Twilight,” Nightmare replied evenly. “She is my student and my best friend.”

Applejack nodded warily. “Yeah, I guess... She does speak highly of you. More highly than I think she should.”

Nightmare grimaced but said nothing.

Applejack walked away, leaving Fluttershy there. “Is-is there anything you can do about the, um, weather?” the timid pegasus meekly asked. “If-if, um, it’s okay to ask,” she trailed off shyly, lowering her head and hiding behind her mane.

Nightmare tentatively nodded. “I do not mind.”

Fluttershy peeked out from behind her mane to look up at Nightmare. “It’s um, not good for the animals.” She quickly looked over at Applejack, who stood beside Rainbow Dash. “Or-or the um, trees.” Fluttershy looked back at Nightmare. “The cold is... it’s not really Spring. And um, the snow still on the ground in some places... I know that the weather pegasi are working on it, but, um... there really shouldn’t still be snow on the ground by now.” Fluttershy averted her gaze.

Nightmare grimaced. “I do not know,” she admitted. “Perhaps I can see if the weather pegasi need anything...” she trailed off in thought, briefly pondered whether it was a waste of military assets to deploy pegasi to assist them. Ultimately, given the threats faced by Equestria, it seemed like a misallocation of resources. Still, she had noticed the issue as well. “I shall... investigate this, then.”

“Thank you. I know we would all appreciate it if you could do something about it,” Fluttershy hastily mumbled, then made her way over to the refreshments table.

Twilight sat back down at her side. “So, when are we going on a picnic with Fluttershy?”

Nightmare’s lips pulled into a line. “I do not know.”

The door opened again, except this time some large blue cylinder rolled inside. Her expression blanked as she recognized Pinkie’s ‘party cannon’ and everypony else took note of it. Pinkie wheeled it inside and shut the door.

Nightmare felt her chest tighten; firing it off inside didn’t seem like a good idea, and the brief glance around revealed that the rest of them, barring Midnight, shared her sentiment.

“Let’s get this party started!”

And then it was too late for her to do anything. She barely started to stand up before the cannon went off with a sound she couldn’t place, flooding the air with confetti and streamers that almost reminded her of the night sky, if it were tangible and within reach.

The air sparkled as Pinkie cackled for joy while it all rained down on them. Rainbow started to laugh first, followed by a slight giggle from Rarity and a coo from Fluttershy. Twilight rolled her eyes and shook her head as the rest of them joined in on the quiet laughter.

Confetti and streamers landed in everypony’s manes, on their backs, and on their muzzles. Twilight went cross-eyed as one of the streamers landed across her muzzle. Nightmare smiled a little and finally stood up, pre-empting Twilight lighting her horn to remove it by reaching out with her wing to carefully brush it off of her friend’s nose.

Twilight glanced at her. For the briefest moment, Nightmare thought she saw a glint from Cadance’s eyes in Twilight’s eyes.

And in an instant, it was replaced by confusion as Pinkie appeared between them, pulling them into a hug, and had a party hat placed atop both their heads. “Tehe! Your mane almost looks like hers now, Twilight! And yours is even more sparkly!”

Despite her scrutiny, Nightmare didn’t see what Pinkie saw in Twilight’s mane. Still, her mind briefly wandered to envision what she would look like if she had an ethereal mane.

Breaking the illusion a moment later, Twilight summoned her magic and picked the streamers and confetti out of her mane. “Well, I sure hope none of that confetti got in the cake or punch...”

Pinkie gaped at Twilight. “Of course it didn’t, silly! I’d never do something like that to cake! Here, come see!” Pinkie grabbed Twilight and rushed her over toward the table. Nightmare watched her best friend get dragged off. For a fleeting moment, Twilight looked back at her.

‘I don’t like you being taken away from me...’

Twilight looked away from her as Pinkie turned her attention to the treats and drink. From Nightmare’s own passing scrutiny, she didn’t notice any of the confetti or streamers having fallen on the treats, or even the table for that matter.

Rainbow Dash shook her head vigorously, sending a few streamers twirling to the floor as Applejack, who had been spared the onslaught, approached her.

“So, did you get it all set up?” Applejack asked.

Rainbow Dash grinned and hovered in place. “Yep!”

Applejack returned Rainbow’s grin. “Good. I hope you look forward to losing again, Dash.”

Rainbow scoffed at Applejack. “As if!”

“And how are you tonight?”

Nightmare blinked and turned her attention to Rarity. The mare’s approach had gone unnoticed. She frowned momentarily, realizing that she had been distracted, but put it aside to nod to the unicorn. “I suppose I am all right.”

“Well, that’s good,” Rarity commented amicably. “You’ve never been to a party like this before, have you?”

Nightmare tentatively shook her head. “No.”

Rarity frowned and nodded. “Yes, I suppose you would be more used to balls and galas, wouldn’t you?”

Nightmare breathed in and turned her attention back to watch Twilight talk with Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. “Truth be told, I would not say I am more used to balls either. They were never my favorite occasion. They always seemed so frivolous and pointless. That—” Nightmare paused briefly to bow her head, then looked at Rarity before continuing, “—and ponies tended to avoid and ignore me.”

Rarity winced but quickly hid it. She shuffled on her hooves uncomfortably and gave a timid nod. “Yes, well... I suppose I can see how you wouldn’t appreciate that...”

“Hey, Nightmare?” Twilight’s voice. Nightmare turned to see Twilight and her companions had made their way from the confection table over to her. “We’re going to go outside to play a game. Would you like to join us?”

Nightmare hesitated, noticing that all of them were looking at her. She shifted her weight slightly and shuffled her wings. “I do not know...” ‘Try to relax and enjoy it,’ she remembered Cadance saying. “A game?”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “Yes, ponyshoe toss. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with it or not. It’s not that complicated. You might enjoy it.”

“I... suppose I could give it a try,” Nightmare muttered.

“Great!” Twilight smiled a little more. “Come on.” She turned and not-quite pranced to the door, followed quickly by Rainbow Dash and Midnight, then Applejack and Fluttershy, with Thorax, Pinkie, and Spike trailing behind them.

“Well, I suppose since everyone is heading outside I should accompany you as well,” Rarity mused.

Nightmare briefly glanced at Rarity before following after the group. Rainbow quickly took the lead, flying around to the back of the library where, she presumed, the game was set up.

Three short metal poles had been driven into the ground some distance apart, while a box with ponyshoes was set nearer the library.

She decided that the best course of action for her was to observe at first. The game’s initial participants—Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Midnight, and Pinkie Pie—all lined up to take turns.

Twilight, being the birthday mare, went first, lifting one of the metal shoes with her magic, then setting it on her hoof and looking over at Nightmare for a moment before turning her attention back to the posts. She gauged the shoe’s weight in her hoof before tossing it towards the metal posts. The shoe sailed off course to the left slightly and passed over the first post to land in the grass about halfway to the second post.

“Not bad for a first try of the night,” Rainbow commented casually.

“Oh, you just wanted her to go first so you looked better in comparison,” Applejack commented.

Rainbow huffed. “Hey, It’s Twilight’s birthday, she should go first.”

Twilight merely rolled her eyes and smiled as she lifted a second ponyshoe up and placed it in her hoof. She squinted downrange and then tossed the shoe. It struck the first pole near the top and dropped to the ground.

“Not bad!” Midnight cheered.

“I think she could get some more distance if she tried...” Rainbow commented.

“We’ll see,” Twilight replied as she levitated the last shoe up to her hoof. With a quick flick of her hoof, the last shoe sailed over the first pole and landed at the base of the second pole. “Hah!”

“Nice!” Midnight complemented, giving Twilight a little hoofbump.

“Three points for Twilight. You’re up Rainbow,” Applejack announced.

Twilight smiled in victory as she levitated the three ponyshoes back to the box, then trotted over to stand beside Nightmare and Rarity.

“So... is that good?” Nightmare questioned.

“Well, it’s not great. The goal is to get the ponyshoes around the posts. The first post is worth one point, the second is worth two, and the third is worth three,” Twilight explained.

Nightmare nodded as she observed Rainbow Dash tossing the first shoe. It struck the second pole and dropped to the ground. “I see... I take it Rainbow Dash and Applejack are more practiced with this game?”

The second shoe just barely missed the top of the middle pole. “Yes,” Twilight stated.

The third shoe hit the middle pole off-center and spun around as it dropped to the ground.

“All right, four points for Rainbow Dash,” Applejack announced as she stepped up to the box while Dash swooped off to gather up the ponyshoes with a triumphant grin.

“Beat that!” Rainbow challenged as she dropped the shoes into the box.

“I will,” Applejack stated with a smirk. She confidently picked up the first shoe, tossed it up in the air once, then launched it sailing over the first and second pole to land perfectly at the base of the third.

Rainbow squinted unhappily, which grew even more pronounced as Applejack looked at her smugly.

The second shoe completely overshot the last pole, which made Applejack and Rainbow swap expressions. Perhaps out of an abundance of caution, Applejack threw the last shoe short, ringing it on the middle pole. “Five points,” she announced.

“Three shoes does not give much room for error...” Nightmare muttered as Applejack collected the shoes.

“Well, we’ll be taking turns for a few rounds and then tally up who wins,” Twilight explained.

“Ah. I see.”

Midnight lifted the first shoe and tossed it awkwardly. It tumbled through the air and landed between the last second and last poles. The second shoe landed between the first and second, and the last shoe landed around the first pole.

“One point for Midnight... I take it she has not played before?” Nightmare mused.

“I think she’s played it before, just not very often,” Twilight commented.

Pinkie grabbed one shoe and threw it, barely missing the third pole. Rainbow Dash winced when the second shoe landed perfectly at the third pole’s base. For the last shoe, Pinkie took her time, closing one eye and sticking her tongue out of her mouth in concentration before tossing the shoe to the third pole.

“Six points for Pinkie Pie, no surprise there,” Applejack muttered, finishing with a sigh.

“Oh come on, how did you do that!” Rainbow complained.

Pinkie grinned and bounced out to collect the shoes. “Pie family secret!” she happily declared.

Twilight looked around NIghtmare. “Spike? Thorax? You two want to give it a try?”

Spike shook his head. “No thanks.”

“I could try,” Thorax droned. His wings tittered for a moment and he slowly flew over to the box. He lifted the first shoe with his magic and placed it on his hoof. “It’s lighter than I expected,” he commented. His eyes jumped to the three poles.

He tossed the first shoe too cautiously and it fell before reaching the first pole.

The second shoe veered off course and landed far to the right of the second pole, and the third shoe managed to ring around the middle pole.

Nightmare squinted as the changeling smiled, his wings quickly twitching at his sides.

“Good job!” Pinkie cheered, grabbing Thorax and hugging him.

Thorax looked at Pinkie with such an innocent, happy expression. His wings seemed to catch the moonlight as they spread out and fluttered a few times, almost sparkling.

‘I don’t understand you...’ Nightmare mused. Pinkie bounded out to collect the shoes and drop them in the box.

“You want to give it a try, Nightmare Moon?” Pinkie asked.

And yet again, everypony looked at her. Nightmare swallowed and licked her lips, quickly looking to Twilight for guidance. The young mare smiled and nodded her head encouragingly.

“Go ahead.”

“Ah... I suppose...” Nightmare mumbled unsurely. She gradually walked over to the box and stood where the rest of them had, then lifted the first shoe and set it in her hoof. The shoe didn’t have that much weight in it, but she could still feel it. Nodding to herself, she turned her attention to the three poles and decided to use the first shoe as an experiment. She tossed it, sending it over the first pole and just barely over the top of the second pole.

“Not bad...” Rainbow commented.

“I see...” Nightmare muttered as she lifted the second shoe. With a quick toss, she sent it over to the second pole. The shoe spun around before dropping to the base.

Clapping broke her focus. Glancing aside, she discovered it was Twilight.

Everypony else noticed too. Twilight quickly stopped, blushing and coughing into her hoof.

Nightmare smiled a little and turned her attention to the poles. ‘Perhaps I should try hitting the last one, then.’ She nodded to herself and placed the last shoe in her hoof. With a swift toss, she sent the shoe downrange. It flew over the first and second poles only to land shy of the last pole. She grimaced.

“Eh, not bad for a first time, Rainbow commented.”

“You’ll get the hang of it,” Applejack stated.

Nightmare shrugged as she collected the shoes with her magic and placed them in the box. She walked back towards her observation spot beside Spike and Rarity as Twilight walked over to the box once again.

“All right, round two... let’s see what you can do, Twilight,” Rainbow commented with smile.

---

The closing of the door signaled the end of the party, as the last of Twilight’s friends had left after cleaning up, aside from Thorax, Spike, and Midnight, who were staying in the library, and herself. Twilight stood at the door, smiling warmly yet tiredly, while Spike, Thorax, and Midnight occupied the kitchen to talk amongst themselves.

For her part, Nightmare Moon stood near the stairs, contemplatively watching Twilight while listening in to the quiet laughter coming from Spike and Midnight, mixed with the occasional ‘laugh’ or buzzing from Thorax.

Twilight finally broke from her stupor, then walked over to her.

“You seem to have enjoyed tonight,” Nightmare noted.

Twilight paused about midway over to her and smiled warmer, nodding. “Yep! It was great.” Twilight walked the rest of the way over to her, then stopped. “Thank you for coming here tonight. That means a lot to me,” her student said softly.

Nightmare breathed in deep, then bowed her head. “I... am... I suppose it was not...” she trailed off, pondering her thoughts and memories of the night while she lifted her head back up. “It went better than I expected,” she finally said. “It was... perhaps more enjoyable than I anticipated. I am glad that you enjoyed it.” She inclined her head to Twilight again.

A few seconds passed in a mutual, pleasant silence, yet she found her thoughts gradually twisting against her to betray her, making her mouth dry and her wings tense. She licked her lips, then glanced off to her right and teleported Twilight’s gift and levitated it over to her. She looked at Twilight and smiled. “Happy birthday.”

Twilight smiled playfully and took the gift in her own magic; the moment when their magic touched made her tense with anticipation, though her friend didn’t notice it. She watched Twilight study the gift, take in the bright blue, star-speckled wrapping paper, then tear open one end of it and look inside. A moment later, Twilight went ahead and unwrapped the gift all the way and scrutinized the case: mahogany with two silver latches on one side to keep the top secure.

Her friend unlatched both sides, then levitated the lid off and ran her eyes over the ornate quill. Twilight tilted her head, and she saw the young mare’s brow flick down for just a moment as her eyes ran over the gilded shaft. Twilight’s magic gently enveloped the quill and levitated it out to hold it upright. Another moment passed before Twilight looked at her.

At her wing. Then at her.

“This is one of your feathers, isn’t it?”

Nightmare shifted her weight uncomfortably and looked at the wall behind Twilight. “I... did not anticipate that...” ‘No... of course you would have noticed it so soon...’ She mentally kicked herself and straightened to hold herself rigid, then forced herself to look at Twilight.

“It’s beautiful,” Twilight said as she levitated the quill back into its case, then carefully closed the lid. The case teleported away with a crack, then Twilight stepped over and hugged her. “Thank you.”

Nightmare leaned down and set her neck against Twilight’s neck. “I... am glad that you appreciate it. I... did not know what to get you. I thought that... you might appreciate this. I... hoped you would appreciate it.”

“I do,” Twilight said, nuzzling her.

She returned the nuzzle. All too soon, Twilight pulled back. “I, ah, did not expect you would figure out so soon...”

Twilight smiled knowingly.

Midnight laughed particularly loudly, enough that she turned her head back to regard the kitchen, even though the three of them were out of sight. She swallowed and found her mouth dry. ‘Now or never...’ Nightmare breathed in deep, hoping to settle her nerves, as she turned back to face Twilight.

Fear could be a useful tool, one to keep ponies in line and one to paralyze her enemies into inaction. And yet now that tool was turned against her: her heart’s beating came slow and forceful enough that she felt it in her chest and neck, relentlessly. Her hooves felt cold, reminding her of the chill of winter yet worse. And perhaps worst of all, an uncomfortably twist in her gut.

‘She could say no.’

‘Am I going to ruin everything between us?’

‘Will you even want to be friends with me if I ask you?’

‘My birthday’s coming up soon,’ she remembered Twilight saying. But was it a hint? An invitation? Or was she deceiving herself?

“May we—” Nightmare faltered for a moment as her courage broke, just enough to force her to start over, just enough that Twilight frowned with concern and care, “—May we speak in private?”

Twilight nodded seriously, then turned and started up the stairs.

Nightmare forced herself to follow Twilight up to the loft. Once she was inside, Twilight turned around to face her and shut the door.

‘Now or never...’

‘I am such a bumbling fool.’

‘I am acting as a filly with a crush, or a lovesick puppy.’

‘Enough of this! Do not hesitate! Be decisive! I am not Luna!’

Regardless, one way or another, she would say it, and one way or another, Twilight would reply.

Even if that was by teleporting away from her.

Again.

‘No... you... you would not do that, would you?’ she worried.

‘No! Focus.’

Nightmare swallowed and licked her lips. “I would...” she trailed off. “May I...” she trailed off again and closed her lips. She blinked and simply watched Twilight watching her. Patiently and with concern and compassion.

‘All of my preparations are for naught, are they not?’

Nightmare breathed in deep, then bowed her head and looked at the floor. It seemed to help, now that she didn’t have to look Twilight in the eye. “If you are not opposed,” she proposed, bowing her head deeper.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Nightmare forced herself to lift her head back up to meet Twilight’s gaze. “I would... like to court you.”

Thump.

Thump.

The worry on Twilight’s face lifted, and in its place, the young mare smiled. “Yes.”

Nightmare’s body tensed. Of course Twilight would reject her. Such was her fate, as always. “I understand, I sh—wait you said yes?”

Twilight nodded calmly.

“I...” Twilight actually accepted? What was there for her to say? “You are... You are certain?” Again, Twilight nodded calmly. ‘Were you expecting me to ask? Did you want me to ask?’

“I’ve uh—” Twilight looked off to her right, “—given it a lot of thought.” Twilight looked at the floor, but she could see her friend smiling sheepishly. “I... said I was willing to try. To give it...” Twilight turned back to face her and meet her gaze. “Um, you, a chance.”

Nightmare felt so relieved: a crushing weight had been lifted from her chest, one she didn’t realize had been there. As light as a feather, perhaps lighter, and yet for Twilight having said, ‘Yes’ there was still much for them to talk about. “I... have never courted anypony before,” she mumbled.

Twilight winced. “I uh, haven’t either... which—” Twilight started nodding as she looked to her right again, ”—which... is probably obvious.”

A moment passed in silence. “I... do not know what to do,” Nightmare admitted.

Twilight looked back at her, smiling awkwardly. “I don’t either.”

Nightmare shifted on her hooves. “I... suppose we shall have to figure this out for ourselves then,” she pondered aloud.

Twilight nodded, then stopped and bobbed her head to the right. “Or ask Cadance.”

“Or ask Cadance,” Nightmare echoed. She could readily picture that mad glint in her niece’s eyes if they asked for help.

A few seconds passed in silence. She looked left, then right, avoiding Twilight’s gaze. “And you are certain of your decision? I will not hold it against you if—”

Twilight closed the distance and hugged her, setting her head on Nightmare’s neck. “I’m sure.”

Nightmare gradually looked down at Twilight’s back, then reluctantly leaned down and laid her head on Twilight’s withers, setting her neck against Twilight’s neck. She breathed in deep, then closed her eyes and sat down on her haunches, and Twilight mirrored her. Of course, there was something Twilight couldn’t do, at least not yet: she spread her wings out and wrapped them around Twilight’s back to simply hold her friend close.

There were easily a half-dozen things she could think of that she wanted to do now, but holding and hugging Twilight was among them, so she was content to lazily sit there and enjoy feeling Twilight against her bare chest. The gentle, rhythmic pulse of Twilight’s heart. The comforting, steady rise and fall of Twilight’s chest as she breathed. The wonderful richness of Twilight’s soft, silken fur. Twilight’s warmth.

She held Twilight tighter with her wings and nosed into Twilight’s mane, letting the scent of lavender and books and paper and Twilight’s friends relax her as they shared the silence together.

‘Perhaps... perhaps I am being too clingy...’ The thought stabbed at her mind, ruining the peace they shared. She grimaced and begrudgingly lifted her head from Twilight’s withers, which seemed to startle Twilight into pulling back as well.

“Is something wrong?” Twilight asked, her concern having returned.

Nightmare grimaced and looked off to the left. ‘I am still holding her.’ She folded her wings back to her sides. “I... do not know,” she admitted. “There are...” she trailed off. ‘You said yes. You have proved so many times that I can trust you, and yet it is still so hard to be open with you about some things.’ She sighed and faced Twilight. “There are many things I would like to do with you now, but...” she trailed off, her lips pulling into a rigid line. She shook her head and avoided Twilight’s gaze. “I feel that I cannot, or that I should not, or that they are improper.”

“Why?”

Nightmare looked back at Twilight and found her frowning curiously. She opened her mouth to speak, only to find herself hesitating, so she closed her lips to ponder her answer. “There are many reasons,” she finally settled on. “But... but enough of this. There are other things we should discuss.”

Twilight recoiled and her frown sharpened. “What?”

‘Dammit...’ Nightmare winced. Yes, that hadn’t come out as she intended. “I meant no offense...” she mumbled. “But... if we are to court—” saying it out loud still felt so jarring, “—I suppose there are things we should discuss. So that... we do not... misunderstand each other.”

Twilight’s frown gradually settled down. “Oh. Yes, um... I think that would be a good idea. Would um, you like to... sit on the balcony and talk about it?”

Nightmare tentatively nodded. “I... would not be opposed to that.”

Twilight smiled, then stood up and walked to the balcony. The gentle glow of Twilight’s aura lit the balcony as her friend opened the door, momentarily illuminating the balcony before slipping back into the darkness cast by the barren tree’s shadow. She followed Twilight outside and closed the door behind them. Twilight laid down, so she walked around and laid down at Twilight’s left side to blanket her friend with her right wing. Twilight scooted close to her, perhaps for shelter from the cold.

‘Where do I even begin?’ Nightmare felt at a loss. “I do not want to make you uncomfortable.”

“And you’re worried that you will,” Twilight guessed.

Nightmare hesitated a moment before nodding. “Yes.”

“Well, I can tell you if you do,” Twilight offered softly.

Nightmare grimaced. “Yes... I suppose that... would work. And yet...” she trailed off and looked up at the sky.

Yet what? She lowered her head to look out across the roofs of the buildings around them. “I do not want to push you away.” ‘Not again...’

“I don’t think that you will.”

Nightmare turned to look at Twilight.

“Why do you think you will?” Twilight asked curiously.

Nightmare turned away from Twilight, begrudgingly leaning her head to the left. “My past. Our past. You did nothing to deserve how I mistreated you when—”

Twilight nuzzled her neck, so she stopped. “I already told you that I forgave you for that.”

Nightmare reluctantly looked back at Twilight. “Yet that does not change the fact that I did it.” She looked at the railing. “And there is still the chance that it could happen again. I do not want to hurt you and I am afraid that I will. I am afraid I will end up pushing you away or that... you will... or...” she trailed off.

How did she word what she needed to be said? The only way she could think of was too blunt. “I do not know how to say it.”

Twilight waited patiently. Nightmare eventually managed to meet Twilight’s gaze. “I do not—” and she couldn’t keep eye contact as she spoke, “—want to be alone again.” She shook her head and fidgeted. “One thousand years alone on the moon.”

“I won’t just leave you—”

How Twilight tossed it around so carelessly! Nightmare faced Twilight, chastizing, “You do not know that. I could still snap and you might have no choice. I could end up hurting you or—”

Twilight nuzzled her again. “I know that you’re afraid of hurting me. You’ve said that a lot, Nightmare. But don’t push me away because you’re afraid of hurting me. And don’t just cut yourself off from other ponies because you’re afraid of being hurt again.”

Nightmare turned away from Twilight to look at the sky again. For the relief she felt from Twilight saying ‘Yes’ she now felt lost.

“You’re worth it,” Twilight said firmly.

Why would Twilight say that? Nightmare turned back to look at Twilight, frowning.

“I think that you’re too hard on yourself at times,” Twilight added thoughtfully.

Nightmare shook her head. “That does little to address my fears.”

Twilight’s brow folded down. “I’ve thought about this a lot since you told me that you have a crush on me. I know that you’re a deeply flawed pony, but I also know that you’re trying. I know you’re willing to try to make this work, and I’m willing to try to make this work too. I know that you like me and I like you too.”

Nightmare exhaled at length, her muscles slacking. “Work for what? For what purpose? Are we simply doing this to say that we are or... are we perhaps... testing the waters, as it were for... something... else? In the future.”

Twilight’s eyes flicked to her shoulder for a moment before returning to meet her gaze. “I don’t know where this will go, and I’m guessing you don’t know what you want out of this either, do you?”

Nightmare grimaced and fluffed her wings, only to squirm at how Twilight smiled in response. “I may... have some idea, though... perhaps it will pass,” she muttered.

“I’m willing to find out, though, if you are,” Twilight said.

Nightmare gradually nodded and breathed in. “I... do want to try. I... do want this to work out for us.” Maybe she shouldn’t have said that. She turned back to look at the town’s roofs. “Perhaps... it is too soon for me to say that.”

“I’m glad you’re being open and honest with me,” Twilight countered.

Nightmare glanced at Twilight to check her expression. Rather than concern and bewilderment as she expected to find, Twilight was smiling a small, hopeful smile. ‘You truly are so innocent.’ She breathed in deep and pulled Twilight tight into her side. “Yes, I suppose we need to be open and honest with each other to make this work.”

Twilight nuzzled her shoulder. “And, well, we already are.”

Nightmare nodded tentatively. “Do you...” She paused and tilted her head, then turned to face Twilight. “Is there anything that I should know, since we are courting? Or perhaps any—” she squinted at the thought, but it was necessary to ask, “—rules?”

Twilight smiled sheepishly. “I don’t think so. Like you said, we’ll figure this out as we go.”

“You are taking this much better than last time,” Nightmare noted.

Twilight shifted under her wing. “Right. Um. Yes. L-like I said, I had several months to think about this.”

Her friend was still nervous? Or was Twilight trying to hide something? “Did you truly think about it often?”

Twilight tossed her head to the right and looked away from Nightmare. “W-well, maybe not often but, um, a lot. I thought about you a lot. And, um, who you are. And—” Twilight hesitantly turned back to face her, and it came in a manner more befitting Fluttershy with how timid it was, “—who you’re trying to be.”

Nightmare frowned. “Who I am trying to be?”

Twilight nodded. “You know how much you’ve changed. You’re trying to change. And...” Twilight grimaced and turned away from her, breathing in forcefully. “I think you’re changing because of me.”

“I am,” Nightmare stated, yet Twilight’s grimace only grew.

Her friend turned back to look at her, to study her expression. “I give you a reason to change.”

“You do,” Nightmare agreed.

Twilight glanced at her shoulder, then faced the roof across from them. “Is that a good thing, though? If you’re only changing for me, what does that say about you? Or... about us?”

“I do not know,” Nightmare admitted. “You are worried that...” she trailed off, not quite sure what to say. She felt like she knew what Twilight meant, but she didn't know how to put it into words. “You... You are worried that if you are the only reason I am changing, that... I would revert to my old ways if... you decided to stop courting me, or stop being my friend?”

Twilight bowed her head and looked at the wooden floor. “I don’t know. Maybe. I’ve thought about that before.” Twilight looked up at her. “But I don’t know if that has anything to do with my choice or not.” And Twilight’s uncertainly was written in her eyes and lips. “I don’t want that...”

Nightmare gradually inclined her head once. “I see...” She glanced off at the railing, then looked up at the stars. “I am afraid that... you are only agreeing because... I am the Queen, and because... I have banished Celestia. And—” she lowered her head to face the floor, “—perhaps out of pity.”

“You know that’s not true,” Twilight quickly countered, her voice quiet as if hurt.

Nightmare reluctantly nodded. “Yet I am still afraid that is the case.” She tilted her head to look at Twilight. She didn’t have to look down at the young mare, rather, Twilight looked straight ahead into her eyes. Even with the uncertainty sparkling in Twilight’s eyes, something about it was comforting. Both of them had their fears and worries—and they could tell them to each other.

Nightmare felt a subtle breeze blow by, and Twilight shivered before looking to the right and pressing herself closer to Nightmare’s body. “You are cold?”

Twilight looked back at her and nodded. “Yeah. I uh, I know I grew up in Canterlot, but... it’s cold.”

Nightmare grimaced and stood up. “Very well. Perhaps we should return inside?”

Twilight stood up. “Yeah, I guess...”

Nightmare turned and opened the door for Twilight with her magic, then followed Twilight inside and shut the door behind them. She watched Twilight walk over and then climb onto her bed before laying down and looking over at her, pondering something.

“Do you, um... want to join me?”

Nightmare hesitated. “Join you?”

Twilight’s eyes went to the bed, and her friend’s head bobbed to the side before looking at her again. “On the bed. Or, um, in it. Under the blankets. Since... it would be warmer.”

Nightmare fluffed her wings and pointedly looked at the wall. “I... am...” She pursed her lips. ‘You do not mean... no, surely you do not...’ Ah, she couldn’t find it in herself to look at Twilight when she asked, “To clarify, you simply... desire for me to lay beside you, and nothing more, yes?”

Nightmare managed to look down at Twilight and see her muzzle scrunched up. “What do you-oh. Um. No. I just...” Twilight squirmed where she lay. “We’ve, um, laid together a lot. And... And, um—” Twilight looked at the bed, blushing slightly, “—I just think that it would be nice to lay together under the blankets, since it would be warmer, and we have done that together before. We’ve slept together—”

Nightmare could tell Twilight’s mind ground to a halt for a moment as she considered something. ‘No. Dammit. I should not have said anything.’ She grimaced, knowing the unintentional torment that she had forced upon Twilight yet again. She breathed in and leaned to the right, then gradually walked over to the bed and stroked her feathers over Twilight’s back. “I... do not think it would be wise for us to sleep together tonight, but... I can stay for a while.”

Twilight opened her eyes to see her, only to blink several times and shake her head.

“If you want, then yes, I will lay with you to keep you company and warm you,” Nightmare offered.

Twilight smiled awkwardly and rolled her head to the side, then stood from the bed and pulled the covers back before climbing back into the bed and laying down on her back and scooting aside to give her room.

Nightmare looked over the bed, remembering just how small it was compared to her own beds. Barely enough room for the two of them—if there was room for the two of them at all. She set her right forehoof on the bed, then climbed up and laid down beside Twilight, who nestled up against her side and pulled the bedsheets back over them.

Twilight squirmed where she lay, perhaps because of the bed’s chill stealing away her warmth, or perhaps because of the lingering thought. “Do you, um, have enough room?”

“I am fine,” Nightmare answered. “Are you?”

“Um, yes,” Twilight answered, “but, um, I forgot how small my bed is when it comes to you...”

“’Tis fine,” Nightmare dismissed. She shifted her weight around until she was comfortable enough, then stared up at the ceiling.

“You know, Thorax, Spike, or Midnight could walk in and see us like this,” Twilight stated.

“I am aware,” Nightmare agreed.

“I really didn’t think this through, did I?”

“You did not.”

A few seconds passed in peaceful silence.

“If you don’t want to do this then we don’t have to.”

“If you are not comfortable with this, I can leave the bed to you,” Nightmare replied.

“No, I just...” Twilight trailed off, letting out a short huff. “It’s not your bed. And maybe I’m nervous that they might see this.”

Nightmare grimaced. “So you share my fear of other ponies finding out about... about us,” she mused.

Twilight’s silence was a ‘Yes.’

“I am afraid ponies will find out and hurt you to hurt me, or... simply hurt you because of... this. If... you have... feelings for me.”

“I... guess I am a little worried about that,” Twilight whispered.

Nightmare tilted her head to look at Twilight and found her friend’s eyes already looking at her. ”Do you have feelings for me?”

Twilight immediately looked down at the bedsheets covering her own body. “I don’t know,” was Twilight’s quiet answer. Twilight’s eyes flicked back to her. “I think so. But I don’t know for sure. I know that I like you... I’m willing to try and find out.”

“Thank you.”

Twilight’s brow folded down. “You don’t need to thank me for that.” The young mare’s voice was so soft and forgiving that it made Nightmare’s ears pull back.

“I am grateful for... you giving me the chance, Twilight,” Nightmare elaborated. “Most ponies would not.”

Twilight looked at the bedsheets again and hesitantly nodded.

Nightmare watched Twilight for a few seconds longer, then looked back up at the ceiling. “I... must admit that... I do not think of you as my subject, or myself as your Queen. I have not in... a very long time. I would much rather call you my friend. My best friend. If... if I am being honest, I think of you more as my equal than anything else. Though...” she trailed off, grimacing as she remembered many of Twilight’s shortcomings. “Not in everything, I suppose, but I do not think myself better than you.”

Twilight shook her head. “I can’t think of myself as your equal. But... we’re friends.”

Nightmare breathed in and nodded. “And we are courting.”

“And we’re courting,” Twilight echoed.

A long while passed in mutual silence. It was a comfortable silence that left her to her thoughts, and though some were troubled by her worries and fears, she found that she didn’t feel weighed down like normal. Indeed, Twilight’s warmth and the gradual warming of the bed seemed to likewise help put her at ease, along with putting Twilight at ease.

“This is... nice,” Twilight finally said. “It’s peaceful.”

“It is,” Nightmare agreed. ‘Though I can think of other things I think we would enjoy more than this. Were we in my bed, this would be better too.’

“Earlier—if you don’t mind me asking—you said that there are things you want to do with me but feel like you can’t.”

Nightmare grimaced.

“What was it?” Twilight asked.

Nightmare squirmed where she laid, her body betraying her by showing Twilight how uncomfortable the prospect of explaining made her. “I would like to hold you while we lay together. I would like to carry you on my back as I fly, so that we can enjoy the night together. Perhaps lay on a cloud to watch the stars, or simply lay in a meadow together to enjoy the peace while we watch the stars. I would like to sleep with you as we have before. Perhaps move the moon with you again.”

“And why don’t you?”

Nightmare tilted her head to look at Twilight. Her expression was so genuinely soft and curious, open, without any condemnation.

“Feel like you can do any of that,” Twilight clarified after a moment of silence.

Nightmare breathed in and nudged her head back to face the ceiling. “I do not... I am afraid that I will push you away, or that it will be too much too soon. We have only... just started courting.”

“We’ve done all of that before—”

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable—”

“All of that sounds nice.”

Nightmare frowned. “But it’s... perhaps not proper.”

“Why do you think that?” Twilight asked.

Nightmare tilted her head back to look at Twilight again.

“You don’t need to be afraid of pushing me away like that, or being open with me.”

Nightmare breathed in, then turned her head back to the ceiling and exhaled.

“We’ve already done all of that, and I’m not opposed to doing any of that more. Even just as friends. And we’re courting.”

Nightmare felt Twilight roll onto her side, facing her, and Twilight’s head came to rest on her chest while Twilight’s horn sat against her neck. She tentatively nudged her muzzle lower to look at Twilight. Still, even if Twilight was open to all of that, her worried remained. “I... do not want to take advantage of you,” she mumbled. “You are... you are a young mare now, but...”

Twilight looked up at her so innocently and patiently; she felt like she needed to turn away from Twilight’s gaze for how uncomfortable it made her.

“I do not want to manipulate you into doing anything you are not comfortable doing, and... I am afraid that I have, or that I will. I have... I have taken advantage of you before...”

Twilight frowned and nuzzled her. “Nightmare, I think you need to relax a little.”

“I am relaxed—”

“But you’re worrying too much,” Twilight countered.

Nightmare hesitated.

“You’re still afraid to be close to me, because you’re afraid of being hurt or hurting me.”

Nightmare looked away from Twilight, and Twilight nuzzled her.

“Please relax?”

“I do not know if I can,” Nightmare stated.

“You can, but you’re nervous,” Twilight pressed.

“Perhaps I am. I do not want to ruin... our friendship.” Nightmare looked down at Twilight, who met her gaze. “You are my only friend. I do not want to be alone again.”

“And you won’t be,” Twilight said firmly. “I want you to—” the confidence in Twilight’s voice faltered suddenly, “—um, hold me.”

Nightmare frowned at Twilight unsurely. “You do not sound sure of that.”

Twilight frowned. “I want you to, it’s just... um... not... something that I normally ask. Or... do. It’s... it’s kind of embarrassing.”

Nightmare breathed in and nodded in agreement. “Neither of us have... experience with that. Though... perhaps my youth with Celestia, but I suppose that would not count.”

“You don’t need to be afraid of being close to me,” Twilight murmured.

A few seconds passed where Nightmare looked out the window at the night sky, then she felt Twilight’s nose nudging her neck. She craned her head back to look at Twilight. “Hold me? Please?”

Nightmare slightly turned herself towards Twilight, then hesitated. “Are you certain?”

Twilight nodded.

Nightmare licked her lips and went to roll over, only to pause. “Very... well.” She shifted and rolled onto her side, facing Twilight, while Twilight shifted around until they ended up eye to eye, and she tensed from how close they were, from the way Twilight looked at her, from how her friend’s eyes, her marefriend’s eyes, caught the subtle glow of the magelight so, so perfectly.

Twilight blinked and shifted, then her marefriend laid her head upon her neck. The warmth against her neck finally broke her stupor, and she managed to unfold her right wing out to lay it over Twilight’s body while she slipped her left wing under Twilight’s body to embrace her.

“Um, is... is laying on your wing like this uncomfortable?” Twilight asked.

“Yes. It is fine,” Nightmare answered, curling her wings together around Twilight’s back to hold her close. She settled in and contemplated the way she held Twilight, and how Twilight held herself: her forelegs and hind legs were tucked in between their bodies, so they were not quite chest to chest. Though she would have preferred it if they were, she thought it likely that Twilight was uncomfortable with anything more, so she didn’t say anything.

She folded her hind legs up so that her hind hooves touched just above the base of Twilight’s tail, and the length of Twilight’s tail laid over both her hind legs. She slipped her left foreleg under Twilight’s neck and laid her right foreleg over Twilight’s shoulder. “Is this... acceptable?”

“I like it,” Twilight murmured. “Do you like it?”

Nightmare felt Twilight shift around in her embrace, possibly to find a new, more comfortable position, though she wasn’t sure. She wanted Twilight to return her embrace, but thought better of admitting that. “It is fine.”

Twilight pulled her head back to look at her. “Fine?” Her marefriend raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Don’t you like it?”

Nightmare opened her mouth and found herself hesitating. ‘Are either of us ready to be this close?’ She knew Twilight wouldn’t simply betray her, but still, she felt that they were too close, as much as she wanted more. “I do, I just...” she trailed off.

“Uncomfortable being this close?” Twilight guessed.

Nightmare grimaced. ‘You know me too well.’ She sighed and nodded. “I do not know that I am ready for this...”

Twilight’s brow folded down. “I’m... not sure I understand why you’re so uncomfortable with this. We slept together before. You do remember that, right? That was literally the night before you told me that you had a crush on me.”

Nightmare shifted uncomfortably; her body couldn’t decide whether to hold Twilight closer or release her and roll over onto her other side. “Of course I remember that.”

“You held me that night while we slept,” Twilight said softly.

“I did,” Nightmare agreed quietly.

“So what’s different now? Why are you afraid of it now?”

“You should know,” she muttered, releasing Twilight and rolling back onto her back.

“Nightmare...” Twilight quietly sighed. “I can’t believe I’m the pony who has to tell you this, but it will be okay. Come on. Relax. Don’t do this to me tonight.”

Guilt stabbed at her, and Nightmare winced from the pain as her ears flicked back. “I... I should not have—” she stopped herself, realizing what she was going to say.

Her gut twisted painfully and her body tensed.

Twilight pulled herself closer and laid at her side patiently. She felt Twilight’s forehoof brush over her shoulder and turned her head back to watch Twilight tentatively wrap her foreleg around her and slide up so that her back was against Twilight’s chest.

“I am sorry...” she murmured. “I just... I do not want you to think of this as some obligation or another.”

“It’s not. I want to court you, remember?”

Nightmare grimaced and rolled her head back to look out the window. “Perhaps your birthday was not the best night to ask...”

“Well I’m glad you did,” Twilight countered. “You don’t have to hold me if you don’t want to, but I’d still like it if you wanted to and did hold me. Let yourself relax and enjoy this. Please? I’m your friend. Your... um... marefriend... I guess...”

Nightmare’s lips pulled into a strained line. “We have not yet been courting for a single night and already I am ruining—”

“No. No, you’re not,” Twilight retorted. “You’ve said it yourself, that neither of us have any idea what we’re doing. I’m pretty sure Cadance would probably say something like, ‘follow your heart’ or ‘do what feels right.’ Believe it or not, Nightmare, I know that this is hard for you. It took you a long time to open up to me, and in all honesty? It should be shocking how quickly you did, considering that you were banished to the moon for one thousand years.”

Nightmare closed her eyes. “I am sorry. I just... I do not want to rush into anything and I feel like I am, and...”

She felt Twilight’s cheek lay on her neck, followed by the comforting weight of her friend’s head. “I know. And it’s okay.”

Nightmare opened her eyes and swallowed. She slowly drew in a deep breath, then let it out. “Do you...” She tilted her head back to look at Twilight. “Do you have plans for tomorrow?”

“Nothing too special,” Twilight answered, smiling sweetly.

“Would you—” she looked at the wall opposite of the bed, “—perhaps be interested in... dining out, together? Or... or perhaps something else?”

Twilight’s smile warmed even more as her marefriend smiled wider. “I’d like that,” Twilight said fondly.

“Then—”

Crack!

A scroll appeared over her in the flash of Cadance’s aura. Twilight pulled out of her embrace in surprise. Nightmare caught the scroll before it could land on her muzzle, then rolled over and broke Cadance’s seal and unrolled the scroll.

“What is it?” Twilight asked, her soft voice dipping into concern.

Nightmare Moon,

You were right to be worried. Manehattan is under attack by the Minotaur Empire.

Cadance.

Nightmare’s body tensed as her months-long fear was finally realized in that single letter. “I-I must go,” she hastily muttered. She tossed her head back and forth, glancing around the bed as she pulled the covers back to jump to her hooves. “The minotaurs are attacking Manehattan—”

“What!?” Twilight yelped, bolting upright. “Why would—”

Nightmare looked back at Twilight and extended a wing to stop Twilight from hopping down beside her. “I have suspected something like this would transpire for some time now.” And it stung to think that out of every night it could have been, it was tonight. “I did not... I did not think it would happen tonight.”

She summoned her armor and hastily donned it; the biting cold of the metal felt too tight compared to the freedom and warmth and comfort she shared while laying with Twilight. Twilight’s brow creased down; perhaps Twilight could tell her discomfort. Leaving Twilight felt wrong, but what choice did she have? “I... I am sorry.”

Twilight glanced down at the bed, then looked back up at her and hopped down beside her. “I can help—”

Nightmare remembered watching Twilight fall asleep, how Thorax had come to stand by her side and watch Twilight for a while too.

She remembered Twilight’s dazed state after having fought off wolves. Wild animals.

She remembered Twilight winning.

And she remembered Twilight bleeding.

“No,” Nightmare stated, turning to face Twilight and shaking her head slowly. “I will not put you in danger tonight. It is your birthday—”

“I’m the Bearer of the Element of Magic—” Twilight protested.

“The Elements will be of little help with this,” Nightmare hastily interrupted. “As they were with the Changelings.”

Twilight stood up straighter. “We helped.”

“You did, but it was an exceptional situation.” Nightmare turned back around. “The minotaurs have less reason to use nonlethal weapons. You... you are not a soldier.”

Twilight was silent.

Nightmare shook her head, the thought of Twilight facing a minotaur and losing flashing through her mind. And now, of all times? When she had just asked to court Twilight? When she might have something to look forward to in her future? How the thought burned through her mind, twisting with anger and bitterness. And fear. “I will not put you in harm’s way on purpose, not now. I gave you my word that I would protect you.” She looked back at Twilight and bowed her head intently. “And I will keep that promise.”

Twilight studied her, and as the seconds passed by, she saw Twilight resign to stay behind. “Stay safe,” was spoken so quietly. Did Twilight share her own fears?

“I will be fine,” Nightmare stated. Yet, it wasn’t a promise. The Minotaurs could be ruthless, and for what reason did the Minotaurs have to attack but her?

Nightmare turned around and hugged Twilight. Despite being an alicorn, it felt like Twilight’s hug was stronger than her own with how tight the young mare—her marefriend—clung to her.

They parted and she stepped back, then bowed her head to Twilight again. ‘I will see you again...’

Nightmare wrapped her magic into her horn, then teleported to Canterlot.

Author's Note:

8/10/20

I get to the first scene break and I’m feeling tired.

Thought I’d end up writing more than I did but I didn’t. 2,014.

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8/11/20

Wrote to 4,531. Got tired and didn’t want to work on describing the library for the however-many-th time.

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8/13/20

5,272. I wonder if I’m sick...

Make that 5,736.

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8/14/20

TWO YEARS OF PREPARATIONS HAVE FINALLY PAID OFF! HUZZAH! THEY’RE COURTING!

Wrote to 8,645.

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8/15/20

I’m tired so I’m going to have to reread this to make sure I don’t have anything too repetitive here.

Wrote to 10,951. Stopped in the middle of a sentence. At the absolute minimum, tomorrow I can finish writing that sentence!

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8/16/20

Well I did write more! Not as much as I expected. I started at night time, which is why. I’m also not sold on this since Twilight might be too pressing and it’s not what I had in mind originally.

Wrote to 11,436.

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8/17/20

Woot! Firstly, and perhaps most wonderfully, I am finished with this draft.

Secondly, it ended on 13,000 words exactly.

Thirdly, I went back and added a little bit to the opening memory since that was kind of needed.

Fourth, I need to reread and heavily edit their shared scene. I am certain of it. Too much repetition, probably. Not enough cuteness.

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10/19/22.

This chapter and the following chapters need heavy edits and or rewrites. To elaborate, this chapter needs to have more slice-of-life party stuff which is probably not my strong suit as I am not particularly social. The following chapters, well... My opinion on what I want has changed because they feel so out of place in this story.

Also today is the anniversary* of when I first watched the show, or at least the date burned into my mind. I forgot this until after this day.

13,606.

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10/21/22

I’ve actually figured out a few ideas for addressing the lack of games originally in this chapter which my prereader was disappointed by. To be honest, not my area of expertise which... if I’m being honest I would not expect to be a surprise to anyone.

Of course, the biggest challenge I now face is how to set up the following chapters, since I’m going to heavily rewrite them, and I need to figure out how to prevent plot holes from forming while also addressing a few minor plot holes which already exist.

15,416.

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10/24/22

All right I think this chapter is ready, aside from possible typos and so on. I did some minor edits which probably improve some things.

15,729.

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2/20/23

Some very minor edits and tweaks.

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? It’s taken over four years for this moment to come, four years for this chapter, for them to actually begin dating. Four very long years.

But now it’s here.

15,748.

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3/2/23

I did not get around to rereading this (again) before publishing because I kind of forgot and ran out of time. Anyway since I last posted a blog about the story I have accomplished absolutely nothing in terms of the following chapter aside from some ideas. So I have no idea when this chapter title will actually be properly relevant like I had originally planned all those years ago when I had this plan.

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Comments

[Golden Sax]

The joy of reading a new chapter > the pain of finishing the new chapter.

It's finally happening!

[Calmflame]

Yay! Finally they are courting. Nice chapter.

[juan_pablo1098]

Thanks for the chapter.

[katarjin]

Joy and pain in equal measure.

[new55]

That was a good chapter. I was wondering when Nightmare Moon would Finally get around to asking Twilight. You did a good job developing and showing how their relationship formed. Those pesky Minotaur's I wonder how Nightmare Moon is going to deal with them.

[Stahlseele]

Finally more!
Thank you for the update!

[WubsAndCellos]

The greatest story of all time is back!!!!

[Enderstorm]

Wow, this story's back.
Awesome.

[Mister Morden]

It was worth the wait. Very much enjoyed this chapter!

Also, Cadance is a bit smug with her job as the Princess of Love.

But those damn Minotaurs had to ruin the moment! I wanted more snuggle time for the two lovebirds...

[Twilight_the_spy]

The cute and happy has happened. I approve of this.

Now if only the minotaurs could have chosen literally any other night...

[JustPlayshik]

This chapter was absolutely worth waiting for. Nightmer Moon, stuttering like a schoolgirl, made my day. it remains to wait for new chapters. Thank you for your efforts. Good luck.

[MoonlightRift]

It happened, it finally, finally happened! It took a hell of a lot of time to get here, but it was so worth the wait.

This chapter also further seems to set up her, at the very least, returning the sun. There's also echoes of bringing Celestia back, but I feel that's the very endgame for the story.

Excited as always for what comes next, and I hope someday you can regain your writing mojo.

[BlueGenome]

After a mere 647k words, they're dating!

And then the Minotaur nation attacked.

I'm really enjoying this. Thanks for writing!

[PonyofEntropy]

Just got caught up. Great story.

[Biglulu]

Is this a record of the amount it words it had taken for a story tagged "romance" to get to the actual romance?

[SC_Orion]

11605051
I have no idea.

[Dat_Random_Fur]

Update when?

[SC_Orion]

11609701
Not sure.

I have the next chapter edited but I need to go over it again to make sure it makes sense and look for mistakes and so on, but I can’t find the motivation to mess with it (or do much of anything for that matter). I’m also indecisive about if I want to try to draw a picture to go with the chapter or not. I would like to but I don’t have the motivation to put the necessary effort into the background and I don’t want to make something more subpar.