> A Rising Moon
>  by Metal Squirrel Chaos
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Back In The Royal Saddle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Back In The Royal Saddle


By Metal Squirrel Chaos


        "How dare ye!" Princess Luna called out. Her voice was charged with her power, shaking Canterlot Castle's very foundation.

        Princess Celestia, Sylph of the Sun, stood in powerful emotional turmoil.

        "Thou think that ye are worthy to stand before us?"

        Princess Celestia's entire body began to tremble, looking upward at Luna's position on the golden throne.

        "Do ye think yourself worthy to kiss our hoof in respect?!"

        The Solar Alicorn was nearly in tears by now as she watched her sister speak.

        "Thou each shall know the true majesty of the PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT!"

        The eldest sister could simply not take it anymore. She could not stand idly by an watch this happen. It was just too much to bear.

        "Luna," the Sun Mover spoke up, managing to keep her voice together with eons of practice. "Sorry to interrupt, but may I be excused for a moment?"

        Luna blinked and turned her head away from the six flabbergasted pegasus guards that stood in font of her to look straight at her sibling. "Of course, dear sister, take any amount of time thy need," the younger alicorn said with a wave of her hoof.

        Princess Celestia gave a nod before turning to the door behind her. She walked rather quickly, something which the guards noted but Luna seem to be oblivious about. The Moon Monarch instead turned her attention back to her audience an began to speak again. "As we were saying, we are not certain that any of ye six have even the slightest-"

        Celestia shut the door behind her with a soft gesture of her magic. She stood in the empty hallway linking the throne room to the sister's own personal tower, where their separate quarters were. Making sure the door was secured, she finally let out her emotions in the form of a loud, uncontrollable laugh.

        It was not her sister she found funny; in all honestly she was still a bit sorry for her sister's mannerisms being so...outdated. No, that was not the real point of hilarity. Her merriment came instead from the expressions of the royal guards she, personally, had picked out specifically for Luna's judgement. Their expressions were the most priceless thing Celestia had seen since the invention of the refrigerator.

        It had been nearly two weeks since Nightmare Moon was defeated and banished, leaving only a weakened Princess Luna in her wake. The first week in Canterlot, Celestia had turned control of the entire kingdom over to some of her most trusted and worthy advisers, all so that she could spend time with her sister. The two had talked for hours, even days on end, both about events that had happened to the current state of Equestria, and toward their own feelings. Many tears were shed, apologies were spout, and forgiveness abound between the two sibling goddesses.

        By the beginning of the second week, Celestia decided to return to her duties. Luna still had not recovered being cleansed, her magic was barely that of an average unicorn, let alone her normal levels, and still did not know enough about the current affairs to simply return to her old responsibilities. No, to put Luna back into Equestria's hierarchy she needed to be reintroduced slowly.

        Still, the two had kept in touch, meeting each other whenever free time would allow it. Celestia had even completely blown off a meeting with the Blood clan, one relative to her on her mother's side, in order to tell Luna of her rather amusing story about why jelly should never be sold in jars big enough to swim in. The two had laughed long into the night from that one. The ire and political backlash that hit her the next day was well worth it.

        But for those two weeks, Luna had hid herself from the eyes of her subjects. She stayed in her room, only answering the door if Celestia herself knocked. When a maid or other pony who worked in the castle came to knock on her door, she would speak quietly through the barley open door. Words throughout the castle had spread that Princess Luna was a quiet, meek little creature at heart. Celestia had heard whispers throughout the nobility that Luna would be easily swayed, manipulated, and was little more than a tool for them to use, even against her own sister.

        So it was understandable that said illusion had broken down once Luna had enough power to employ the Royal Canterlot Voice. Celestia had to admit, she had almost forgot that Volume Spell existed.

        Which Luna was now using, for the first time, on those poor six Royal Guards.

        It was Celestia's idea to have Luna's first duty upon returning to her throne to pick out her own private Guard. The two who were picked (if any still wanted the position, Celestia noted) would serve both as Luna's personal assistance and traveling companions, but also would be promoted to the rank of Captain immediately.

        There had been many volunteers when Celestia announced it. She and Shining Armor had to do great amounts of fat-cutting to narrow it down to those six.

        Finally, with her thoughts gathered, Princess Celestia took a deep breath and stepped back inside.

        "-incompetent foals we have ever met! A thousand years, and the standards of the Guard has fallen more than we could ever imagine. How did thou even- Oh, welcome back dear sister Celestia." Luna smiled brightly as her sister entered the room.

        Before the Matriarch of the Night was Battle Axe, one of the strongest hot shot youngsters Celestia had known in years. His skills in hoof to hoof were extraordinary. He always carried himself tall and imposing, as if he belonged everywhere he went and no one could say no to him.

        He was currently quivering and shaking at the foot of the throne not unlike a young foal who had been caught with his hoof in the cookie jar.

        Celestia tried very, very hard not to laugh again. Her eyes had other ideas, as a single tear escaped her efforts and dripped silently to the floor. 

        This was her sister. Her dear Luna. She was no easily manipulated or meek creature. She was all that was terrible and beautiful about the night. She was uncontrollable, and full of wind and bluster. Despite still not being as big or as imposing as she should be, she was able, through pure will and vigor, to bring some of the strongest stallions in the kingdom to their knees.

        Oh how the Princess of the Day wanted to see the looks on the nobles’ faces when they found out. She wanted it so bad.

        "Please Luna," the Alicorn of Light nodded, "continue as you were."

        Battle Axe, who had been pleading with his eyes since Celestia had re-entered the room, gave a noticeable whimper.

        "Now, as we were saying, thou has shown nothing but blind ambition and arrogance. Thou are unfit for our services and will be gone, at once! GO!" Luna punctuated her words with a powerful gust of wind that swung open the door behind Celestia.

        Battle Axe did not verbally respond. Instead, he simply ran past the remaining Guard, sobbing deeply as he burst through the front entrance.

        Celestia knew she should not laugh at the misfortunes of her subjects, but it was just so funny.

        "Now then," the Midnight Mare turned to the remaining four guards. Celestia blinked. She had already eliminated two of her options. Hopefully she would at least find one amongst them worthy of her, "who amongst you would stand before our judgement next?"

        Celestia looked across their faces. Most were cowering. Two were not. One of them, an angry glare on his face, stepped forward.

        "I will," the Royal Guardsman proclaimed. His eyes were fierce as he gazed upward at the newly seated princess. "And let me just say this, Princess, with all due respect."

        Luna looked more bored than anything, but waved her hoof. "Go on."

        "You have done nothing but belittle and disgrace us since we have arrived. Your words drip with poison at us, even though many of us have come here just to serve your whims."

        All ears and eyes in the room were suddenly on him. To speak to a Princess like this was almost unheard of, and everyone seemed taken aback, even the two godlike alicorns currently residing.

        "We have done nothing to deserve this treatment," he continued. "I know Battle Axe. Yes, he's ambitious, and yes, he is an airhead braggart. But the way you treated him was unwarranted. He's still a loyal and faithful guardsman, and a fine soldier. My point, your majesty, is that you may be our ruler, and you may be older and more powerful than us, but that does not give you the right to treat us like dirt under your hooves!"

        His words were filled with emotion and power. Celestia was taken aback by one of her guards being so blunt and serious. Luna seemed shocked and appalled. The other pegasi in the room seemed afraid of being near him, less they get hit in the incoming retribution.

        All save one. The guard right behind him had held a calm and serene, almost indifferent face since Celestia had left the first time. He was either deeply concentrating on something, or was just fearless. Either way, he stepped forward next.

        "I agree, ma'am."

        Princess Luna turned her gaze to the new guard as well, her eyes glaring holes through both of them. "Do ye now? Do ye believe that we have been...unjust?" she asked with a quiet pause. That pause was more threatening than the Royal Canterlot Voice could ever be. 

        He simply nodded. "Yes ma’am."

        Luna seem to finally recover, and sat back on her throne. "What are your names? What names do the ponies who dare to speak to their monarch in such a fashion hold?"        

        The two ponies nodded to one another, as if knowing what the other was thinking. The louder one spoke first. "I am Morningstar."

        "Equinox, ma'am," the other murmured.

        Luna's face scrunched up, and her eyes were like daggers ready to pierce the two guards’ chests. "WE HAVE NOT BEEN SO INSULTED IN CENTURIES!" Her words were punctuated with a bolt of lightning far away. The resulting thunder rumbled the entire castle. "Ye two dare? Dare to say such scandalous, treacherous, even BLASPHEMOUS things about us, your own Princess?"

        The remaining pegasi suddenly made a run for the door, pushing past Celestia and into the hallway full tilt. The two offenders held their ground, Morningstar braced for the coming impact, while Equinox still seemed calm, but closing his eyes shut.

        The Maiden of Shadows rose up from her throne, wings beating hard as she gained height, the air in the moonlight suddenly turning to a fierce wind. Her eyes were a glowing white, as if the moon itself was staring down at the two guardsman, which was not entirely inaccurate.

        Both pegasi guards prepared for their retribution.

        "HUZZAH!"

        As suddenly as it began, the wind died down. Luna floated to her seat again, a smile now across her face.

        "What?"

        "Huh?"

        Celestia just chuckled to herself. "It took far less time than it use to, dear sister."

        "Indeed, Celestia," Luna chuckled, before turning back to the pegasi. "We are most pleased with our new guardsman."

        "What?" Morningstar spat again, his face now regaining it's ability to show confusion.

        "Is it not obvious?" asked the younger princess. "We were simply testing you. We were searching for ponies with your attitude, your vigor, and your strength of character. To serve the Princess of the Night is far different than to serve She of the Day. You will face dangers that can not simply be talked down to, nor debated with. They must be subjugated with will and force. So we insulted and berated you all to better find the ones amongst you with the traits we so desire."

        "I will say, sister," Celestia interrupted, "that you did come on quite a bit strongly. Their complaint was not unfounded. You may have taken the insults too far."

        The young Princess turned to her older sibling with shock etched on her dark blue face. "What for ever do thou mean, Celestia? The insults we spat at these ponies were far less terrible than what we have said to others in the past. They were amongst our more light hearted jests."

        Both the pegasi looked dumbfounded to hear that. Even Equinox's eyes widened considerably.

        "Remember, Luna, that these are different times." Celestia beamed with all the praise of a proud mother. "In these days of harmony, the need for such words is less and less."

        "Hmph, if thou says so, dear sister. However," she turned back to the two guardians, who had finally snapped out of their stupor and had resumed the stock expression most guards wore, "ye have still proven yourself worthy of serving us as our personal guards. Will thou two accept thy rightful place at our side?"

        Both guards turned to one another, and then turned around, facing away from the alicorn. They spoke in whisper for several minutes, before nodding and turning back. Morningstar spoke for both of them. "We will, your majesty. We are honored to serve you," they both bowed respectfully.

        "Please though," Equinox chimed, "less insults?"

        The alicorn on the throne smiled and gave a dismissive wave. "We shall take your complaints into consideration. For now, however," she turned to her older sibling. "We wish to feel my night air as I did long ago. Sister, if thou could please summon my chariot."

        Celestia gave her younger sister the motherly smile she had become well known for. She knew that the lightning storm and constant use of the Royal Canterlot Voice had drained all of Luna's magical reserves. She'd be magically weak as a kitten till she got some rest. She should stay in the castle, with her new guards watching over her untill tomorrow night, where she would be even stronger than when the sun set this evening.

        She also knew that would never happen.

        "As you wish, Luna. I shall summon it for you post haste." Since I know you can't do it yourself, she mentally added.

        Turning from her sister, Celestia's light began to shine from the tip of her horn. In an instant, the Night Chariot appeared before the four remaining ponies. Celestia chuckled as she looked it over again. Luna truly had the strangest taste in decor.

        Spikes. She really liked spikes.

        "We fly!" she shouted, before leaping from her seat on the throne, and fluttered her way to the more mobile chair. "Come, Guards. Tonight we shall soar over Equestria, and in the moonlight we shall paint the sky with our image to let all our subjects know that their Princess of the Night has returned!"

        "She's really into this," Morningstar whispered to his partner, who simply jabbed him in the shoulder.

        "Oh, which reminds me," Luna suddenly perked up, "I will have to redo the magic on your armor to reflect my personal tastes. I trust you two will find it quite flattering." The Moon Maiden had a rather wicked look on her face.

        Both guards were suddenly struck with a combination of nervousness and anticipation.

        "But for now, come, the night shall not last forever you know."

        Both nodded. "As you wish, Your Majesty," they spoke proudly, before hooking their respected harnesses around their neck and shoulders.

        As the three soared out the window, and into the night, Celestia, Sun Goddess, shed a single tear.

        "Welcome back, Luna."

> A Week With a Lune: Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Week With a Lune: Prologue


By Metal Squirrel Chaos (A.K.A. Sword of Squirrels)





Power.

Pure, unhindered power. It was one of the most fantastic feelings. Raw emotion drove her forward. Ancient magics, long forgotten by normal ponies, were manipulated by her every thought. It was palpable in the air around her, almost a physical thing that you could reach out and touch. She would have advised against that.

Princess Luna, Guardian of the Night and Diarch to the throne of Equestria, stood just as still as the statues in the garden below her. The Midnight Maiden was perched at the edge of the balcony atop the tallest tower of Canterlot castle, the same tower where both her and her sister slept. The cool night air whipped her mane back and forth, stars sparkling inside of it. Her eyes were shut tight with concentration, completely focused on the task at hand.

Behind her stood her two constant guardians and companions, Morningstar and Equinox. The two royal guard were now dressed to the pleasure of their ruler, encased in armor of her own design. Princess Celestia had warned the two of her younger sister's unusual aesthetic taste, and now they knew why. Morningstar did like the bat wings, however.

At the moment, the two were more interested in what they were witnessing. Princess Luna made a note to chat with them about being constantly vigilant later. It was like they had never seen a goddess rearrange the sky before.

Above the world, and all the ponies who lived in it, the normally still stars held in the night sky were arranging themselves into all new and beautiful patterns. It was going to be a slow process, Luna knew, but it would be well worth it. Time and effort were things best reserved for what you loved, and Luna loved her night. She hated seeing it in disarray.

Especially after Celestia had loused it up for a thousand years.

As if summoned by these thoughts, the Solar Sylph appeared on the balcony behind them. As always, she wore a warm, inviting smile. "Good evening, you three. How goes things?" she asked in her soft tone.

Luna looked back for a moment, the power swirling around her fading only slightly. “Evening, Dear Sister. Why have ye not retired to your chambers for the night? Thou shall wear yourself out if you continue this spree of staying up late.”

“Oh I’ve long gotten use to that,” The Sun Monarch retorted, before looking up into the night sky. She looked at the newly forming constellations and let out a small giggle. “The astronomers will be unhappy about all this.” she grinned.

“Pah,” Luna spat. “Let them fret themselves if they wish. The night sky is not theirs to rule or control.”

“I know, dear sister. I meant no offense,” Celestia said, the constant warm smile still painted on her face. “Though I would suggest keeping the North Star in the same place. Many ponies use it to navigate when they are far from home, you know.”

The Midnight Maiden looked up at the sky again, checking everything over. She gave a small smile, before spreading her wings, giving off one last burst of strength. With that single wave, all the stars in the sky twinkled brightly, lighting up the entire surface below them just a bit more. With that, Luna’s mane stopped shining as the powerful aura around her seem to finally fade. Even the stars inside her mane disappeared. She turned back to her sister.. “We shall take your suggestion to heart, Celestia.”

“Why thank you, Lulu. I appreciate your thought.” the older sibling smiled, grinning at the sudden distress on her younger sister’s face.

“We would appreciate it if you would not use our old nickname, dear sister.” Luna scowled. “Neither of us have used those ridiculous nicknames in a very long time.”

“I know, Lulu,” Celestia said with a wide grin, “but I think we should be more friendly and less formal when together.” She reached her foreleg upward and placed it over her sister’s shoulder. “You should relax more, take a load off. These are times of peace and plenty. You should try and enjoy it all.”

Luna gave a huff and turned toward her fellow ruler.”We shall try, if thou think it would be best. However, we are more interested in what you said before. About being use to staying up late into the night?”

“Oh, yes,” Celestia said. “You see, I had to take over your duties while you were...gone.” She let a bit of sadness spread across her face, but only for a moment. “Doing so required me to stay up later than I normally did, so I had to completely change my schedule.”

Luna’s eyes shot open in realization. “Wait, does that mean that thou has not received a full night’s sleep in over a thousand years?!”

“Well,” Celestia flushed, “when you put it like that, yes.”

“Travesty!” Luna shouted, stomping her hoof against the marble, leaving a very small crack. “We will not allow this. Get thee hence to bed and do not bother to wake thyself in the morning.”

“What?” Celestia blinked. “You can’t be serious. I can’t take a day off.”

“A day?” Luna narrowed her eyes. “You shall receive more than a day, dear sister. For we shall be subject to your own torture, and present you with one thousand years of rest and relaxation, while we rule in your stead.”

Celestia tried very hard not to face-hoof. “Luna, no, I can not take that long off...as tempting as it may be.” she added. “Perhaps a day would be nice though.”

“We insist on longer,” the younger Matriarch held.

“Not a thousand years.”

“Merely eight hundred?”

“No, Luna.”

“One hundred.”

“Not happening.”

“Fifty years?”

“No!”

Morningstar and Equinox looked back and forth between the two arguing sisters and rulers. The former leaned toward the later and gently whispered. “This could take a while.”

***

The Royal Breakfast was always a big deal, as far as the nobles of Equestria were concerned. Attendance here was a status symbol, showing who was and was not in Canterlot’s elite. All of the highest of highbrows had a seat reserved in the Royal Dining Room, a huge and expansive room that could hold well into the hundreds of ponies if need be. Today there were only  two dozen or so in attendance, which was slightly more than the normal. Word had gotten out that there would be a large announcement to be made this morning.

Everyone of interest was there. The Blood Clan’s head, Prince Blueblood, sat tall at his normal seat at the table. Across from him was Fancy Pants, and the two chatted extensively of the goings on in Canterlot. Princess Cadence was notably absent from her usual seat, which spread many a rumor about her and a young, up and coming royal guardsman.

But the topic that was on most lips was the absent seat at the head of the table. The largest chair at the table was empty. It was unlike Princess Celestia to be late to the Royal Breakfast.

“Where could she be?”

“It’s quite bizarre to see the seat empty.”

“Perhaps she’s sick?”

“I’ve never even heard of the Princess being sick.”

All the chatter in the room suddenly died down as the sound of trumpets filled the room. The doors at the back of the room burst open, and in walked Morningstar and Equinox, both gazing around the room for inspection, their slit eyes not missing a detail.

The nobility quickly started gossiping again.

“Night guards? What are they doing? Their shift ended hours ago.”

“Those uniforms, those are the Royal Night Personnel.”

All the chatter suddenly stopped again as another figure entered the room, much taller than the two guards who flanked her.

Princess Luna held her gaze forward the chair at the head of the table. She walked toward it with the regal air that can only be gained from centuries of experience. She held a wide smile on her face as she sat delicately but firmly in the seat her sister usually took.

“Citizens, Nobility,” she let the Royal Canterlot Voice fill the room, everypony but her two guardsman cringing, “It is with great pleasure that we make an announcement. It has come to our attention that, in our absence, our dear sister, Princess Celestia, has not had a true night’s sleep, or single day off, in over one thousand years. We believe this to be a travesty of the highest order.”

Luna gazed around the room, to make sure everyone was paying attention. Most were rubbing their sensitive ears, not yet use to her Royal Voice. They will soon learn to love it, she thought.

“As such,” she continued, “while our sister recuperates from her exhaustion, we shall take the helm.”

The shock in the room was palpable, The nobility as a whole seem completely taken aback by their Princess’ announcement.

Luna smiled brightly as she sat up as straight as she could. “For the next week’s time, we, Princess Luna, shall rule all of Equestria!”
> A Week With a Lune: Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Week With a Lune: Chapter 1


By: Metal Squirrel Chaos





The Nobles at the Royal Breakfast had not reacted quite as she had hoped.

“You monster!” screamed Polished Silver, the head of the Silver clan. “You can’t fool us with your lies. You have finally decided to do away with our beloved princess and take over once and for all.”

The entire table erupted into chaos. The other attendance all rose up, spouting what sounded, collectively, like gibberish. But to the princess, she could hear the hateful words loud and clear.

Princess Luna, who had watched the tragedies of earthquakes, floods, and disasters both natural and unnatural, was more stunned than she had been in over fifteen hundred years. “What?” she finally managed to ask. When her mind had finished processing this, her voice, and anger, rapidly increased. “What did thou DARE accuse us of?!” she asked, the full force of her Royal Voice brought to bear.

The entire Nobility present suddenly backed away from the Midnight Maiden, eyes wide in terror and stricken silent.

Behind their princess, Morningstar and Equinox both exchanged glances, both wondering if they would need to intervene before their charge hurt someone in anger.

“You rotten, unforgiving, ungrateful maggots!” she growled, placing her hooves on the table and glaring daggers at the lot of them, standing up to appear much taller. “You dare accuse a princess of such treachery?! We shall-”

“My my my,” came a motherly voice from behind the rampaging Starlight Alicorn. The entire table turned their heads in its direction to see Celestia standing in the doorway with a wide, knowing smile. “Luna, what ever are you shouting about?”

Luna furrowed her brow and glared at her sister. Could she not make this one announcement without the older sibling having to interfere? “We thought we did instruct thou, dear sister, to stay in bed this morning, and for one week hence, since that was the agreed time. Why are thou here?”

“Oh,” Celestia somehow widened her smile, sounding very chipper. “Well I guess I’m just used to getting up early. Raising the sun and all. Don’t worry though, I still plan on taking the week off to relax.”

The Nobility, who had all remained silent till this point, began to chat amongst themselves in whispers. Polished Silver’s face had turned a deep red color, and she had shrunk deep under the table, as if trying to hide.

Luna decided, for the sake of her sister and of her throbbing temple, to ignore them for now. “So then, Celestia, where does thou find thyself going?”

The Solar Alicorn grinned again. “Oh I just plan on taking a nice relaxing flight around Equestria. I definitely want to stop by Ponyville today, however. I heard from Twilight last night that the Running of the Leaves is scheduled today, and that she’s competing. Oh I would love to see how she places. She has been studying the mechanics of racing all night.”

Luna thought about Twilight Sparkle attempting to actually run a race. The image of the unicorn running about thirty feet before collapsing on her skinny little bookworm legs was oddly amusing to the Moon Maiden. “Well I do wish her luck then, and you as well sister. Have a pleasant week off.”

“Oh don’t worry Luna,” Celestia grinned suddenly as her magic flared up. Next to her appeared a rather sizable suitcase. “I have every intention of doing just that.”

The older sibling walked her way toward one of the windows overlooking the city, and with a gentle nudge of her magic, let it fly open. She spread her wings and gave them a few test flaps. It had been a while since she had flown under her own power. With that same motherly smile she turned back to her sister and subjects. “Goodbye, my little ponies. I shall see you all in one week’s time. Till then, I have left my sister in charge, as she mentioned.”

With that, she then looked her younger sister in the eye. “Good luck, Luna. Try not to let things get out of control. I would hate for things to get...” with that, Celestia’s magic once more flared up, and in a flash, she was wearing a pair of sunglasses “...Loony.”

“YYYYEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!” screamed Morningstar. This of course made the entire room turn to face him. The Royal Guard blinked and blushed deep with embarrassment. “Hehe, sorry. Not sure what that was.”

Princess Luna sighed and placed her hooves on her head to stop the headache from getting worse. She then turned toward her sister to berate her for the pun (which she had always found the lowest form of comedy) only to see that her sister had already left through the window. She muttered a few things not meant for the ears of modern ponies, then turned back to the breakfast table.

Most all of the nobility were looking toward her now, each sweating in a combination of embarrassment and shame. Polished Silver had by this time snuck away, the last sign of her presence being the slowly swinging doorway she had left through.

Luna just sighed and gritted her teeth. “If anyone else is uncomfortable eating with your princess this morning, then thou may leave at thyne will,” she hissed, to frustrated to call her Royal Voice to her.

Very quickly, the room emptied. The Nobility began to filter out, some taking a few bits of food with them, others nearly running for the door. It took ten seconds flat for all of them to filter out.

Luna sighed deeply and lay her head on the breakfast table, her appetite suddenly abandoning her. Just like her subjects had. Again. However, her ears perked up as she heard a gentle sipping sound to her left, and sat back up.

There, still seated, and sipping at a bowl of soup, was Fancy Pants.

“Thou does not fear us? Or hate us?” she asked, skeptical of his intentions.

“Not at all, my dear,” the regal colt said, his voice like pristine water, both smooth and inoffensive as possible. “Unlike my compatriots, I find your demeanor quite charming. Do not think too harshly of them. They will come around to you, eventually.”

Luna blinked at his kinds words, but remained unconvinced. “And how does thou know that?”

“Because I know them, Princess,” he said with a friendly, if coy, smile. He took another deep sip of his soup before speaking again. “You scare the elite of Canterlot quite a bit, you know. And not just because you are a princess, or because of that whole fiasco so long ago.”

“Then for what reason do they find us terrifying, if not that?” the Starlight Alicorn asked, genuinely confused.

Fancy Pants chuckled again as he finally finished his soup. “Simple, my dear. Do you remember your first dinner party here in Canterlot? The one with Blazing Heat?”

Luna growled as the memory surfaced. “We remember him, and what he did.”

“Yes,” Fancy Pants nodded, “but do you know why he did it?”

“Anger? Frustration? He was allergic to sunflowers?”

Fancy Pants just shook his head from side to side. “It was all a test, Princess. A test for you.”

***

In that same room, only a few weeks ago, the entirety of Canterlot’s nobility was present at the table as the sun set in the west, the moon’s steady rise mirroring it. Both princesses were in attendance to the Royal Dinner for the first time in over a thousand years.

Luna sat next to her sister at the head of the table. Celestia had said little besides her polite greetings, and Luna had said nothing at all. Behind them, both of their sets of personal guards stood at attention.

The Elite of Canterlot kept mostly to themselves this night. While the dinner would normally be the perfect time for idle chit chat and pleasantries, a secret plot had been formed between all that attended, and a few who had not. That plan would soon come to fruition.

“Excuse me,” Celestia said suddenly, standing up, “I must use the little pony’s room for a moment.” With that, the Solar Alicorn walked gently out of the room.

The attending Nobility nodded to each other, all eyes suddenly turning to Blazing Heat, a tall and strong built unicorn with a bright orange coat and dazzling red mane. A pony who, moments ago, had taken unusually long in ordering his favorite dish, a Flower Salad Extravagant. It was a collection of nearly every commonly grown flower in Equestria, plus some spices and other extras.

He had taken so long, that just as Celestia left, a waitress entered the room through the same doorway.

“Your dish, sir,” said the waitress, a bright smile on her face as she brought the salad to his seat at the table.

Blazing Heat’s eyes narrowed and he turned to her. “What is this?”

The waitress blinked in confusion. “Sir? What ever do you mean?”

“Incompetence!” he shouted, standing up. “You foolish mare, I ordered this salad with no sunflowers. Are you trying to kill me?”

With that, Blazing Heat raised his hoof, and stuck the waitress across the face.

The entire nobility let out a gasp, one they had practiced just for moments like this. The waitress’ eyes were filling with tears as she placed a hoof to her cheek.

And suddenly, all eyes were on Princess Luna.

In Princess Celestia’s presence, such an act would have had the perpetrator scolded harshly, had him forced to apologize, and sent him on his way for the night. A slap on the wrist. Most attending were expecting something similar. Others were expecting, or maybe hoping, that the younger sibling would do nothing at all, and allow it to happen.

No-one expected Blazing Heat to be lifted with magic from his seat and slammed harshly onto the table. Least of all Blazing Heat, judging by the look on his face.

“HOW DARE YE!” the princess echoed, the full power of her Voice echoing through the room. A wind had picked up from seemingly nowhere, causing the curtains to riffle as if in a tornado, the plates and silverware the only thing holding the tablecloth where it was. Her eyes were white, and her face was contorted in anger as she approached the object of her ire. “Ye would strike another for such a simple mistake? For a small trespass of thine person?”

“I’m sorry Princess, please forgive me!” Blazing Heat pleaded, gasping for breath as the grip around him seem to tighten.

“Stay your words and speak no more,” the Night Guardian growled. “Your shameful display will not be forgiven this night. You are banished from this Royal Dinner, and the Royal Breakfast, from hence forth. Do not return.”

And with that, Luna tossed him out a window.

The entire Nobility gasped, this time for real, and ran to the various windows to watch.

Princess Luna watched him fall as well, her face even and cool. Blazing Heat struggled with the air, screaming as he neared the ground. Just before he hit it, Luna’s magic sparked, and he found himself encased in a magical bubble.

As the bubble hit the ground, Blazing Heat exhaled the breath he was holding. "Whew."

Then he screamed, as the bubble bounced him high into the air again.

This happened several more times, much of Canterlot exiting their homes to watch Blazing Heat, the Incredible Bouncing Ball. Eventually, the bubble stopped bouncing, and with a pop, Blazing Heat found himself laying on the cold stone of Canterlot’s streets. He was alive, but not exactly well.

The Nobility still in attendance at the Royal Dinner began to whisper to one another as Princess Luna walked toward the waitress who had been struck, who was now cowering on the floor.

“He shan't hurt you again, dear citizen,” she said with a smile.

“Please don’t hurt me,” the young waitress screamed, before she ran through the doorway she had entered from.

As if to mirror everything, as the waitress left, Princess Celestia stepped in, watching her go.

“Hello everypony, did I miss anything?”

***

“That act of violence was a test?” the younger princess asked.

“I'm afraid so,” Fancy Pants confirmed. “You see, the nobility was not sure of your attitude. Your first few days of being so quiet led them to believe you were something of, pardon my droll term usage, a wuss.”

“And we showed them otherwise?” Luna guessed.

“Yes, you did, but that’s not the only reason they fear you.”

“What other reasons would they have?”

Fancy Pants finished the last of his soup with the same ever polite sipping he always did, before dabbing his face with a napkin. “Simple, you’re the Queen.”

“But we are a Princess,” Luna blinked.

“I’m aware. I mean in a figurative sense.” Fancy Pants stood up, and walked his way toward one of the windows to look out at the city of Canterlot. Luna, feeling a strange pull, decided to join him.

“Think of it like chess,” he continued. “Celestia is the King. The ultimate prize, the most important piece on the board. To the rest of the Nobility, common ponies are pawns, and they themselves are the Elite, the Rooks and Knights and Bishops and such.” He smiled as he turned to her. “But you? You are the Queen. The most powerful piece. What every member of the Nobility wishes they were. You, are the co ruler of Equestria, but more importantly, as Celestia’s sister, you have more persuasion against her than almost anyone else in the city. Nopony else can sway her as you can. What’s worse, as you demonstrated that night, you are not willing to play their game. And that terrifies them more than anything.”

Princess Luna thought about it for a moment. Suddenly, a lot of things started to make sense. “So they fear our influence as well as our attitude? But they have nothing to truly fear. We hold no grudge against those who do not deserve it.”

“They will come to realize that, one day, I think.” Fancy Pants smiled. “Which is why I think you will eventually win them over. Just give it time. Your arrival is a major event, and several ponies have not yet gotten over the shock of two princesses to rule them.”

Luna cocked an eyebrow at him. “And thou? How does thou feel about all of these events?”

Fancy Pants gave the biggest grin he could muster. “I feel lucky to have lived to witness your return.” With that, he levitated a watch from his coat pocket. “However, I am now running much later than intended, and must bid you adieu, Princess.”

“We,” Luna thought for a moment, “We thank you for telling us all of this. And for your kind words.”

“Think nothing of it. Good Day Princess, good luck with our kingdom.” He gave his always polite and dignified bow, before exiting the room.

Princess Luna sighed, and gave a smile. The morning had not gone as planned, but she still felt confident about the rest of the week.

Noting that it was nearly time for court to be opened, Luna quickly scarfed down a few pieces of toast and made her way to the throne room, her spirit renewed.

Still though, one part of her mind would not relax. An unanswered question still hung in the air.

“Why does she even need sunglasses?”

> Balanced: Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Balanced: Chapter 1


By: Metal Squirrel Chaos


“And she did what?!” Luna laughed.

“You heard right, Lulu,” Celestia giggled next to her sister, “she actually tried to stop time, then tried to reverse her mistakes by going back in time, causing the whole thing.”

The two royal sisters laughed again at the antics of one Twilight Sparkle, sitting on Celestia’s bed next to a large stack of friendship reports they had received from the six Elements of Harmony, collectively.

Luna chuckled deeply to herself, before regaining control of her voice. “Ahhh, truly amazing how your student can reach such bizarre conclusions. Though,” the Night Alicorn thought, “she is certainly something. You are certain she had never seen that spell before? To travel in time, as useless as it may be, is both complicated and taxing on most unicorns.”

Celestia gave a sage-like nod. “She barely had to look at it before she was able to perform it.”

“Truly gifted,” Luna tapped her hoof against her chin. “To learn such a complex spell in hardly any time at all. How did you teach her such skills?”

The Solar Sylph smiled to her younger sister. “I didn’t. She learns so fast on her own. Twilight can simply cast any spell she sees, almost like she already knew the spell and was just recalling it.”

The younger sibling raised an eyebrow. “You are implying something?”

Celestia giggled. “I’m just saying. Her Nightmare Night costume may have not been a total coincidence.”

Luna turned her head to the window, looking out at the steadily setting sun, her thoughts turning to friends long past. “She is a lot like he was. Besides the obvious, of course,” she allowed a half smile. “You must be very proud of her, Celly.”

“More than you can imagine, Lulu.”

“Yes...I miss that kind of pride that a student and teacher can feel,” the younger sibling thought aloud.

“What was that, Luna?”

“I said,” the Midnight Maiden smiled, “that I wish to experience such things as well. Celestia, I believe it is time I took on a student once more!”

Celestia beamed like only a goddess of the sun can. “Oh Luna, that is wonderful to hear. Do you have anypony in mind?”

“Twilight Sparkle,” the Night Princess said without hesitation.

“Excellent, sister. I shall arrange for-what?!” the Mare of Day blurted, once she had processed what her little sister had said.

Luna attempted to hold her sister’s backlash with a raised hoof. “I know what you are thinking, Sister. It would not be a permanent transfer to my studentship. Say, three days of the basics? I promise. She would still be your student. I just...need to get back on my hooves, so to speak.”

Celestia had not prepared for this scenario. She let the idea muddle in her head for several seconds before answering. “Luna, the form of magic that you teach is the same thing I have tried to steer Twilight away from since her early years. Her magical power is too great for-”

“Sister,” the young sibling raised her hoof again. “Please. Just listen.” She turned to the window, looking out at the still rising moon, a brilliant crescent. “Twilight Sparkle is both incredibly smart and powerfully talented. She has also defeated two beings that are far older and more experienced than her, even if it was with her friends’ and the Elements’ help. She deserves this chance, more than most anypony I’ve ever known, to try for the title of Archmage.”

Archmage. It was a title that Celestia had not thought of in over a thousand years. “Luna, she’s too young to attempt that.”

“I am aware,” Luna countered. “Again, this would only be for three days. No more. I would only teach her the fundamentals. Please, Celestia, I can’t think of anypony better than her to learn these skills.”

Celestia sighed and rubbed a hoof over her temple. “Luna, please, you must understand. Twilight is incredibly powerful, and if she-” The Solar Matriarch held her tongue as she looked back at her sister.

Luna was pouting. Her eyes were downturn and her lips fell off to the side. Celestia cringed as she looked at that face. It was a face she had seen before, on the evening before the longest night of her life. To see it again felt like a bee sting right in the chest.

The older sibling sighed. “Ok, Luna, you are right. I should have more faith in my student.” She walked closer to her sister, and put a hoof around her shoulder, hugging her close. “And you, too.”

“Thank, you, Celly,” Luna hugged back. “I promise, nothing bad will happen to her.”

“If she accepts,” Celestia reminded her.

Luna just grinned. “Come on, sister. You know her better than that.”

The Solar Alicorn let out another sigh. “Yes, I do.”

***

“And then, WHAM, Great Stallion kicks Lex Equor right in the FACE!” an over excited pegasus spouted, making a quick demonstration in the air.

“Rainbow Dash,” a more annoyed unicorn spouted from below, “Can you try and not knock over all of the books on that shelf? Again?”

Dash blinked as she looked down, seeing her hoof mere inches from that same bookshelf from earlier this morning. She should look more closely when she kicked at things, but she was also sure that this bookcase was cursed.

Twilight Sparkle chuckled to herself. The cyan pegasus could be quite silly sometimes.

Since the Darring Doo series had roped Rainbow Dash into reading, the unicorn and pegasus had been spending more time with one another, often hanging out to discuss the latest book they had read, or often just reading together in peace. Dash was still quite picky about her reading material, however, so it was often up to Twilight to supply what she could.

Recently, Twilight had found a huge stack of old superhero graphic novels, or “comics” as Dash called them, and the two had been reading them for the past week.

“So who’s your favorite so far, huh?” Dash asked, fluttering back down to her position across from her bookworm friend.

“Honestly,” Twilight pondered, “I like Iron Hoof. His character is surprisingly deep for such a simple concept of a hero.”

“Really?” Dash snarked with narrowed eyes. “Iron Hoof? His power is so lame though. ‘Oh look, I’m an Earth Pony with this weird magic I can do without a horn, but all it’s really good for is making me kick people harder.’ That’s so boring.”

“Boring?” Twilight retorted. “And who’s your favorite?”

“SuperColt, of course.”

“Of course,” Twilight echoed. “The most overpowered hero ever. Talk about a boring character.”

“Pffft, you’d know all about over powered, wouldn’t you?” Rainbow Dash quibbed.

Meanwhile, in the same room of the Library as the two arguing mares, was a rather annoyed purple dragon. “Would you two just hurry up and kiss,” he whispered to himself, laughing at his own joke.

Spike lifted yet another book into place, and slid it gently next to its brothers and sisters. Reorganizing after Twilight had found that box in the basement full of  books and comics had taken a while, but finally Spike was nearly complete. He only had five books to find places for, and he would be done.

Suddenly, as he was reaching for the next book, Spike felt a sudden heat and pressure in his stomach. With a loud “BLURP” the pressure released in the form of his own magical green fire, and a scroll fell to the ground in front of him.

Twilight Sparkle turned her head away from the argument with her sky blue friend. “Spike, is that a letter from the Princess?”

Spike rolled his eyes at her. “No, Twilight. It’s a letter from-” Spike looked down and grabbed the scroll, his quib cut off half way as he looked it over. The scroll was not the normal parchment he was use to seeing, but instead a dark grey. It was tied together with a pin which had an insignia on it, one of a bat flying in front of a full moon. “Ok, I don’t know who this is from.”

“I have a guess,” Twilight said as she trotted over and gave the scroll a look. Grabbing it with her magic, Twilight undid the pin and read the white ink text out loud.

“Dear Twilight Sparkle”

“As Princess and ruler of Equestria, I would like to cordially invite you to visit me in Canterlot for the weekend to discuss matters related to both your apprenticeship to my sister, as well as the possible future apprenticeship to myself, if you so wish it.”

“This is not an order, and you may refuse if the timing is inconvenient. If so, please respond as such with possible times to reschedule, or with a simple refusal if you aren’t interested.”

“I would also like to warn you, Twilight Sparkle, that if you accept, you may find my methods of teaching quite a bit different than my sister’s.”

“Your Ruler: Princess Luna”

Both Twilight and Spike both gawked at the letter for a few seconds once the unicorn mare had finished reading it.

“Wow,” Spike finally broke the silence, “the Princess of the Night wants to teach you magic too? You’re popular with everyone, aren’t you Twi?” he chuckled.

The lavender spellshaper kept reading certain key parts of the note, over and over again. Her eyes kept coming back to one line in particular. “Different teaching methods than Celestia? What could that mean?” She sat down on the wooden floor and began to think.

The two shared the silence for a time as Twilight kept reading the note and pondering, before Spike shattered it again. “So when are you going to say yes,” he asked with a confident tone.

Twilight blinked and turned to her young assistant. “What do you mean?”

“Twilight,” Spike sighed, “Let’s not beat around the treehouse here,” he stretched his arms out for emphasis. “You’re going to accept this invitation.”

“What makes you so sure?” she accused back at him.

The young dragon only crossed his arms and grinned. “Because this is the Princess of the Night. Because you just happen to have a free weekend, and mostly because, if she’s going to teach you things about magic that aren’t normally taught, even by Celestia, that means that you would be the only unicorn alive that would know them.”

As Spike talked, and as realization finally sank in, Twilight’s eyes lit up, and her mouth curled and slowly widened. “Oh. My. Gosh. You’re right. I’d be the pioneer to what might be a whole new school of magic! I could even write my own book. I’ve always wanted to do that, but never got around to it.”

Spike snickered. “Besides those trashy romance stories you hide under your mattress.”

The happy mare suddenly stopped beaming as the mirth drained from her face. “What? You...found those?” she asked with a cringe.

“You’re not as clever as you think, sister.” he chuckled.

***

A few days later, Twilight stepped off of the train station platform as the evening sun shone brightly behind her. She hefted the weight of two lightly packed saddlebags.

She went over her mental checklist for the tenth time since the train had stopped moving. Fluttershy had agreed to babysit Spike for the weekend, the library was locked up tight, and she had cleared her schedule till Monday afternoon. Also, she made a mental note to check her physical checklist once she got a free moment.

Waiting at the edge of the platform was Princess Celestia, who wore a bright, shining smile on her face, as always. “Hello, my faithful student. Or, should I not call you that for the weekend?” she chuckled.

“Hello Princess,” the young unicorn smiled back as she walked up to Celestia and her two royal guards, who she gave polite nods to. “And don’t be silly,” she chuckled, “you’re still my teacher. I think I can handle two of you.”

The Alicorn of the Day chuckled, and reached out a hoof to pat Twilight on the head playfully. “I believe you will, Twilight. You’re a very bright pony. Now, follow me. My sister will be waiting by the time we get there.”

***

Twilight gulped as she looked up at the doors leading to the throne room. She went over her mental checklist of supplies one more time.Her saddlebags had all of the supplies she should need, including paper, ink, ink remover, rulers, an abacus, and several other items. She was ready.

“Twilight,” the soft voice of Celestia called her. As the young mare turned to meet the gaze of the much older one, Celestia placed a hoof on her head. “I want you to know that, no matter what, I’m proud of you, and that you may quit the tutoring at any time.”

Twilight blinked. “What do you mean, Celestia? Why are you so concerned?”

The larger pony gave a sigh. “It is not that you are in any danger, per say, Twilight. I’m just concerned that her methods may seem a bit...extreme.”

“Extreme how?” Twilight asked, but before she could be answered, the last rays of the sun dimmed away outside, and the throne room doors swung open.

“Enter,” they both heard from inside.

“Good luck, Twilight.” Celestia gave her one last look before she trotted away.

Twilight gulped again, and walked into the darkened throne room. The doors suddenly closed behind her, and the room filled with light as torches on both sides began to light.

There, seated at her throne, was Princess Luna, an even poker face held tight. “We were very glad to hear that you had accepted our offer, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Of course, Princess,” the young mare grinned wide as she sat in front of the throne. “How could I possibly miss such an opportunity.”

“Yes,” Luna looked beyond her for a moment. “Our sister said that you would likely not be able to pass up such an offer. And though we will make good on our word to her to allow you to quit at any time, I would prefer if you would stick with me throughout this weekend’s lessons.”

“No problem, Princess,” Twilight smiled as she gave a salute to the current reigning Diarch. With a slight tug of her magic, her saddlebags opened up and out came most of her tools and equipment. She sat down with parchment and ink in front of her, ready to learn. “I’m ready when you are, Luna.”

Luna looked at the tools her new young apprentice had brought, and shook her head. “No, Twilight, you are not.” She raised her horn up before the now confused lavender mare, and with a slight wave of magical power, all of Twilight’s tools disappeared. Even her saddlebags were gone.


“Wha?” the spellweaver blinked. “Where?!”

“Do not fret, we have simply moved them to somewhere else to store them. You won’t be needing any of them, and they would only distract you,” the ancient alicorn instructed. “I have my own tools for you to use. Lean toward me for a moment, horn first.”

Twilight Sparkle, now a bit concerned, did as instructed.

Princess Luna smiled. So far, everything was going according to how she had pictured it. She held her own horn aloft again, and summoned ancient powers she hadn’t touched in a milenia. A strange black band of shadows formed around her horn, and gently drifted its way toward Twilight’s own horn, wrapping around it.

Twilight cringed as the band touched her horn, feeling a strange pull from it. This did not stop the shadow, however, which continued to wrap around her horn until it had solidified into a black, shadowy ring sitting gently around her horn base.

“Um, Princess,” the lavender mare looked up to her new teacher, “what is this thing for?” She gently prodded it with her hoof. It didn’t hurt,  but she could still feel a pulling coming from it. She pushed at it with her hoof and found it slid up her horn with relative ease.

“Patience, Twilight.” said the Midnight Maiden. “Its purpose will become clear in a moment. However, you are instructed to never take it off while we are teaching, unless we give permission. Understood?”

The centuries younger mare gulped, but gave a polite nod anyway. “As you say, Luna.”

Luna smiled again, oddly warm for one so cold looking. “Good, now for your first test.”

“Test?” Twilight’s eyes went wide. “I...I haven’t even studied anything yet?”

“Not that kind of test, Twilight.” the Mare in the Moon laughed. “This kind.” She concentrated for a second while holding her hoof out in front of her, before a strange white rock appeared sitting on her foreleg. “This is your test, Twilight. Pull this rock to you.”

Twilight Sparkle, long time student of the Princess of the Sun, and bearer of the Element of Magic, just stared at the rock in the princess’ hooves for a few seconds. “Um, OK, if that’s what you want.”

Twilight held her head down and concentrated, focusing on the rock- “OW!” she cringed. “What?”

“Something wrong, Twilight?” asked the dark mentor on the throne.

“I just...” Twilight rubbed the side of her head, and looked up to see that the rock had remained unmoved. “Nothing, it’s nothing.”

“Then please, continue.”

Twilight tried again. She focused, and that same...pulling came again, stronger than ever. She cringed, it wasn’t really painful, but very disorienting. The world felt like it was slipping from her hooves and dissolving around her. She held though, trying to focus, to picture the rock, but every time the sensation of something pulling at her would intensify. She finally collapsed, breathing heavy at the foot of the throne.

“Having trouble, are we?” Luna chuckled from atop her seat, smiling down at her new student. She had forgotten how fun this could be.

“What is this thing?” Twilight rubbed at the ring around her horn.

“One more try, Twilight,” the younger Matriarch chuckled. “I felt it sort of bob there for a split second.”

The Element of Magic gritted her teeth and stood up, summoning all the power she could, but again finding her focus completely destroyed by the pulling sensation around her horn. She groaned in frustration, summoning more effort than she had put into lifting an Ursa Minor and a water tower full of milk at the same time, pushing everything she had into that rock.

A light thud sound echoed through the mostly empty and silent room. Both ponies who occupied it looked down to see the rock had fallen from the Night Princess’ hoof.

Princess Luna looked down in shock. “Truly remarkable, Twilight. Only one other pony has ever done that on the first night of his teachings.” Luna looked the young mare over. She was covered in sweat, breathing heavy, and rubbing at her temples. Just like he had.

“Princess...this band...why?” Twilight spat out, barely having the energy to talk at the moment.

“To understand its purpose, one has to understand what you are here to learn, Twilight Sparkle.” Princess Luna stood from her throne and descended the steps, carrying the rock in her own magical grip.

“Long before I lost myself to the Nightmare, me and my sister both taught our own brand of magic. Her magic, as you know it, was crafted from thought, study, careful control, and strong focus. A refinement of the will of the individual to use magic as a tool. My magic, however, is different. The magic that I taught does not come from focus or study. Instead, it comes from pure emotion, the power of one’s feelings tempered and strengthened toward a goal. My school used magic not as a tool, but as a force of nature, capable of doing things my sister’s school could not even think of doing.”

Twilight lay on the ground, still recovering from her own efforts to move a single rock. Her hoof still traced the ring around her horn, like a barrier that prevented her magic from working. “I’ve never heard of any of this. Magic that comes purely from emotion? That doesn’t make sense.”

“Not as you know, it doesn’t.” The ancient mare raised her head, looking not at the ceiling, but into the past. “When we were younger, both me and my sister had our own schools of magic, that anyone could learn from. My school’s attendance was, admittedly, smaller. Those that thought themselves brave enough to learn from me often ran away after a few sessions. There were a select few who were able to master my magic, but it was always my sister’s school that was full, not mine.”

Twilight felt great sadness coming from her new tutor, reflected in the quiet eyes of the alicorn.

“But most importantly,” Luna continued, “we were both to fulfill the royal duty of an apprentice. Both of us would pick a unicorn form amongst our students we found particularly talented, and tutor him personally. This you know, of course. What you may not know is that, very rarely, there would be an apprentice who showed so much promise that the other of us would ask him to become our student as well.”

“Much like you’re doing now,” Twilight added up.

“Indeed, though we usually waited till the unicorn in question was finished with his studies under the first of us. If a student proved himself masterful enough to complete tutelage from both me and my sister, he was granted the title of Archmage, the absolute master of magic.”

“Archmage,” Twilight echoed. It was a word that felt powerful to say. “Why haven’t I heard of any of this before, Princess?”

Once more, the young mare could feel the older alcorn's sadness like a wave. “It was after I fell that my school of magic collapsed. It was seen as a blaspheme, and few were ever willing to learn it afterwards. Worse yet, those who already knew it were seen as traitors to the crown. There were a few...cults who continued the tradition for a time, but a thousand years is a long time indeed. With the persecution they suffered, and without me to teach them, the School of Night’s Majesty simply faded away, lost in memory. Just as I was.”

Twilight finally stood again, and placed a hoof on the princess’ chest. “I’m sorry, Luna.”

“It’s fine, Twilight,” the ancient mare said. “The past is in the past, and the future looks good so far. This is one of the reasons why I chose you, Twilight. Not only are you more than a candidate for the title of Archmage,  but you are also a publicly known hero. If you learn my magical ways, I am sure I can reopen my school again.”

Twilight beamed with pride. “I’ll do my best, Princess Luna. You can count on me!”

“Excellent,” Luna smiled. “By now, you have guessed that the ring around your horn disrupts not your magic itself, but your thoughts. It is a sort of disruptor of focus, making it hard to concentrate. Instead, you simply must will something to happen with your feelings. To lift a rock with magic from my school is to feel the rock as it is, not to know its weight and size, but to simply want it to move.”

Twilight rubbed the band again. She wanted desperately to rip it from her horn, but she knew how much this ment to the Princess, so she kept it in it’s place, for now.

Luna looked outward through the window. The moon was reaching its high point in the sky. “It is late, and I think you are tired, both from your trip and the recent activity. Which is just as well, Night Court will start soon. For now, you are dismissed, Twilight Sparkle. You will find your old room much as you left it. Celestia’s insistence. You may keep the band, practice as you will with it, but you are not required to do either. I will see you tomorrow, Twilight Sparkle, at sunset.”

The most faithful student of now both Princesses stood up and gave a nod, trying not to feel dizzy. “I will, Luna. Thank you for having such faith in me.”

“I do, Twilight. Though this weekend shall only teach you the fundamentals, I think we will make much progress by the end of it.”

Both ponies shared a smile and a fond goodnight, before parting ways for one day’s time.
> Balanced: Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Balanced: Chapter 2



By: Metal Squirrel Chaos


A wise pony once said that there was nothing more comforting than familiarity. It was little wonder then why Twilight Sparkle slept so soundly in her old room within the palace’s Royal Quarters. Though it had been more than a year since she had slept in the large room not too far from the castle gardens, the young lavender unicorn felt as if she had never truly left.

The ever diligent student yawned as she woke at the crack of dawn, as she always did, even without her alarm clock to help her along.

Not that she had actually gotten a full night sleep, per say. Twilight had been up all night in a fitful study binge, trying to find any and all written records she could on the subject of Night Magic. Right now, her tired and addled mind cursed her own powerful internal clock for being so darn punctual.

“Uhhhhh,” she moaned as she sat upwards. “Spike, get me some warm tea, please.” She sat there for a few moments, sitting in her bed just trying to work up the strength to open her eyes. When, after several moments, she remember that Spike wasn’t here, she groaned and went to make the tea herself.

Twilight’s quarters within the halls of Canterlot Castle contained, like most of the guest rooms, a small built in kitchen room off to the side. As the lavender unicorn stepped into said kitchen room, her nose was filled with the sweet, soothing scent of hot tea. “Mmmm. Spike?” She asked, finally opening her eyes all the way.

In her tired, troubled mind, Twilight expected to see a young and always eager dragon assistant. Instead, she saw a much older and more pony (alicorn, specifically) shaped figure. One with white fur and a mane that glowed with every color of the rainbow available.

“Not quite, I’m afraid,” the Celestia chuckled.

“Princess,” Twilight smiled.

“I thought you would be tired after staying up for so long studying,” the alabaster alicorn informed her. “So I made you a nice wake-me-up.”

Twilight gave another loud yawn, despite her attempts to stifle it. “Thank you, Princess. How did you know I was up studying all night?”

“Simple,” the raining Diarch grinned, “I know you. After learning what Luna had to offer, I was sure you would waste no time in jumping into studying it. And maybe practicing too,” she pointed both with her words and her hoof at her faithful student’s horn..

The young spellweaver blinked, then looked up at her horn to see that she still wore the black band from Princess Luna’s training session the night before. “Oh, I slept with it on. That can’t be good for me.”

Celestia just chuckled. “It’s fine, Twilight. My sister would not endanger you with that trinket. I’d imagine it does make things...difficult though.”

“No kidding,” the librarian complained, and aimed her focus at the warm hot cup of mind clearing goodness sitting on the kitchen table that her brain so desperately craved. But try as she might, she could barely even picture its color long enough to get a good magical grip on it. “I still don’t understand anything about the magic your sister is trying to teach me.”

The older Matriarch nodded. “I understand your worry, my student. But be patient. Luna’s methods have...varying results. The nature of her magic sort of demands that.”

“But how am I supposed to even move a cup if I can’t concentrate on it. It’s just so...frustrating,” Twilight sighed, her efforts still in vain. Deciding that practice was not worth the tea getting cold, she knocked the ring from her horn in one hoof swipe and brought the cup to her mouth the old fashioned way: with properly applied telekinetic energies focused around it.

The ancient alicorn of the sun watched her young student’s mind clear up visibly as she sipped the hot leaf liquid. “The best way to view it is that you are attempting to do magic...without casting a spell.”

Twilight let out a hot steamy breath as she let the tea soothe her aching head. “That doesn’t make a lot of sense, Princess.”

Celestia grinned at her young student. “I’m sure she’ll explain it to you better than I can. She invented it, after all.”

“Really?” Twilight said in amazement before sipping another mouthful. “Is that why you haven’t taught this form of magic yourself?”

The warm face of the Princess suddenly turned sour, a weathered expression draped across her beautiful eyes. “No, well, perhaps, but it was not the only reason. There is far more to it.”

“More to it?” the young unicorn’s ever curious mind demanded to know.

“I’m sorry, Twilight Sparkle,” her teacher said before turning toward the door. “I don’t know if I can explain it to you just yet. Besides, the royal duties call to me, and I’d hate to keep my dignitaries waiting,” she lied. “We will continue this conversation at a later time. My sister asked me to tell you that, tonight, you will meet her at her personal quarters just before sunset. Her room is across from mine, if you did not know.”

“I didn’t,” Twilight Sparkle confessed. “Thank you, Princess.”

“You’re welcome, my always faithful student. And remember, my sister likes you a great deal. She would never do anything to harm you.” With that, the Solar Sylph was gone, closing the door behind her.

The young enchantress could not help but notice the rather cryptic words, but her still dragging mind decided she would figure it out later.

Twilight stood, still sipping at the remains of her morning tea. She looked at the clock on the wall, judging that it was nearly nine. “Time flies,” she chuckled to herself, before placing the cup down and looking, indignantly, at the floor. There, as if mocking her, was the black ring of shadows. “I will master you,” she dared the thing, before levitating it above her, and dropping it over her horn.

***

The day passed fairly quickly for Celestia’s personal student. She did not see either princess the entire day, though she was aware of Luna’s nocturnal nature and that Celestia would be busy for most of the morning and afternoon. Twilight was used to that. She had witnessed first hand how hard a Princess’ life could really be.

Still, the young sorceress was far from without things to do for the whole day. She spent some time catching up with the royal guards around the palace, most of which she knew by name. Few knew about the enchantment that was placed on the armor of every royal guard, except for the high rank officials, to keep their identity anonymous. Twilight, however, could recognize most of them by their mannerisms, and those she could not, she recognized instead by their voice. She was surprised to find a lot of new faces in the guard, and that some of them had retired.

When she inquired about the whereabouts of her brother, Shining Armor, she found out that he was away with his current charge on a diplomatic mission. Nor would they tell her who that charge was.Twilight, for obvious reasons, was suspicious, but decided not to pursue it.

After her exploration of the palace, Twilight made her way to the Royal Library, specifically heading for the Starswirl the Bearded section. Few ponies were so honored for their work with a whole wing in the library dedicated to them, and none were as big as his. Surely the unicorn who invented time travel would have some information on emotion driven magic.

Remembering this time that, as Celestia’s personal student, she was allowed into any part of the library at any time for any reason, Twilight asked the guard politely and walked right in.

See? She thought to herself, Wasn’t that so much easier than sneaking in with a catsuit like a dumb little filly?

Twilight sighed. It had been a month and her subconscious mind still would not let that one go.

The actual search of Starswirl’s reports and journals did not bear the fruit she had hoped for. Night Magic was nowhere to be found anywhere amongst the mountains of documentations, both experimental and not, of Starswirl’s many achievements. Twilight groaned in frustration many hours later as she lay on the last few stacks of books and scrolls. The Princess’ dodging of her question earlier did not help matters.

“What is with all this secrecy?” she asked nopony. “Was an entire form of magic just...struck from the books? And why is Celestia of all ponies so unwilling to have it come back?” Frustrated beyond her normal bounds, both from unanswered questions and from her current, self-induced inability to use her magic, Twilight did what any sane pony in her situation would do. She threw the book she currently had in her hooves at the wall, and picked up the next one, daring with her eyes to not contain the info she needed.

“Starswirl the Bearded’s Study of Young Foal’s Magic. Huh?” she read aloud. It was not what she had been searching for, but it was certainly interesting.

Baby unicorns often received various fluxes of powerful magic when they were younger than a year. She had always attributed this to an instinctive know how of magical properties, but some stories she had heard were of foals using forms of magic that were either immensely advanced, such as levitation and phasing, to some that were outright impossible even for the most skilled magician, such as complete invisibility and even transmutation.

“Maybe,” she thought for a moment, putting this already known two and the more recently revealed two together. “Maybe there’s more to this.”

With that, Twilight delved right in.

***

It was hours later, the sun gently drifting toward’ its resting place beyond the horizon, that Twilight Sparkle made her way up the long staircase toward the royal quarters of the Sister Sovereigns. At the top of the stairs were the two doorways that separated the private rooms of the two immortal empresses. There, standing between the two doors, was the tall white Alicorn Twilight had studied under for so many years.

“Hello, Twilight,” she smiled as brightly as ever.

“Princess,” she cheered. “Were you waiting for me?”

“I was. I wanted to speak to you a moment before Luna arrives and begins your lessons.” The tall demigod stretched her neck as Twilight finally stood before her at the top of the stairs. “Have you been wearing that Shadow Band on your head all day, Twilight?”

The young unicorn blushed. “Yes. I decided to keep at it, even though living without full control of my magic has been rather eye-opening. I don’t understand how Earth Ponies do it, sometimes.”

The ancient matriarch chuckled. “It is good to change one’s normal perspective every now and then. It gives a healthy outlook on things that are important to us.” She walked forward and embraced Twilight in a friendly nuzzle. “I’m very proud of you, though. Luna made the right decision in choosing you. Your diligence to her way of teaching will serve you well the coming night. Did you make any progress, by the way?”

“I did!” the small spell weaver beamed. “Though it wasn’t easy.”

***

Earlier that day, a few hours before the sun began its descent, Twilight was still in the Royal Archives of Starswirl the Bearded. She had read Starswirl the Bearded’s Study of Young Foal’s Magic around three times now, and was prepared to test her hypothesis.

In the middle of the room lay the book in question. Twilight Sparkle, standing about ten feet away with her horn band still in place, focused her attention on the tome.

“I want it,” she demanded to no one in particular. The tome did not seem to hear her demand, and sat there as lazily as an inanimate object could.

“I want it,” she said more forcefully, glaring hard at the object of her bane. The tomb remained indifferent to her wants.

“I want it, I want it, I want it,” she called out, her voice growing louder and louder, even beginning to stamp her hoof. Still, the book did not move.

Twilight Sparkle, the unicorn who had mastered teleportation, repaired a dam even as it was crumbling to pieces, and lifted an Ursa Minor and a water tower full of milk at the same time, could do nothing against a single book that sat only ten feet from her. This would not do.

“GET OVER HERE YOU STUPID BOOK!”

The next thing Twilight knew was a small, slightly familiar spark from her horn, and then a sudden, blunt pain in her face.

The door that sat behind the lavender librarian suddenly opened, and out came two members of the Royal Day Guard, each with worried expressions.

“Miss Sparkle,” the first one called.

The second spoke next. “We heard shouting, is everything alright here?” Both guards looked around the room. Besides being rather messy from the unicorn’s searching, the room appeared otherwise safe.

Twilight groaned and shook her head as she recovered from the blow. She looked down to see the book that she had worked so hard to move sitting gently at her hooves. She let out a low chuckle and wobbled a bit. “Fine, just fine, thank you, but you six can leave.”

The two guards shared a worried look before the young unicorn fell over.

***

“Oh my,” Celestia gasped as her young student told her the story.

“It’s ok, I was just stunned, I already checked with a nurse.” She tapped her hoof against her head. “I’ve been told I’m pretty sturdy, for a unicorn.”

The Sylph of the Sun gave a rather sly grin. “I would hope so, from some of the things you have done in the past. That aside, good work, Twilight. You have shown once again how talented you are.”

“Thank you, Princess,” Twilight’s grin was ear to ear.

“Come,” Celestia turned. “Let’s talk more about it inside.”

Twilight had expected her mentor to turn left, into the room marked with a sun. Instead, Celestia waved her hoof, and the door to the right, the one marked with a full moon, waved open for them.

“Um, Princess,” the younger unicorn said, as she followed her mentor inside. “I know you and your sister are close, but are you sure she won’t...mind?” Twilight’s thoughts stalled on her as she looked around the room of the Midnight Maiden.

To say that Princess Luna’s artistic talents extended to more than just the night sky would be an understatement. The wallpaper was a dazzling combination of large dark blue with tiny white specks that seem to stretch forever. The bed that sat against the back wall, next to the window, was a huge bed easily fit for ten ponies, though considering the size of most alicorns, maybe only five, and was covered in symbols of spiders and bats. Even the floor was a soft, light blue, the soft rug under her hooves depicting an image of the Earth itself below her.

For a brief moment, Twilight was sure she had stepped into space.

“Breathtaking, isn’t it?” the Princess finally asked as she walked into the middle of the room. “She made this all on her own.”

Twilight slowly recovered her ability to speak. “It’s amazing. You told me that Luna was an artist, but I never knew how talented she was.”

“An artist?” the sun monarch echoed, a look of shock stretched across her face. “She really said...Um, yes, she is quite the artist isn’t she?”

Twilight furrowed her brow as she turned to the alicorn. “Princess, is something wrong?”

Celestia’s face scrunched, and she let a blush flow over her cheeks. “Oh, darn. I was hoping to keep up my guise a little longer.”

“Huh?” Twilight blinked.

Princess Celestia walked to the center of the room, and then began to glow. At first, the glow was the warm light of the sun that Twilight knew so well, but suddenly that glow was replaced by a cool and soothing light, and the form of Celestia melted away, swirling around and shrinking slightly, transforming into the more angular form of Princess Luna.

“Gotcha,” the Starlight Guardian grinned.

“But...how...you...” Twilight stammered, trying to find words for what she had witnessed.

“Oh come now, my dear student,” Luna giggled. “You saw me pull off this trick on Nightmare Night, remember?”

“Yes, but...you were turning into Nightmare Moon, who was sort of you anyway...” Twilight cringed at the realization of what she said. ”No offense.”

“None taken,” Luna dismissed with a hoof.

“But I didn’t know you could transform yourself into someone else so...completely. You even matched her voice.”

“Such is the way of my magic. This was a demonstration, Twilight.” The Moon Princess grinned wide. “One day, even you could learn to transform yourself so perfectly.”

“But how can your magic do that, when normal magic cannot?” the studious librarian inquired.

“Because,” Luna said, looking out the window at her work tonight. She briefly wondered if she had done a good enough job with Orion. He was always a stubborn constellation. “There are certain aspects of life that one simply cannot fathom in the conscious mind. Things like actions and ideas are limited to what we know of them. It is difficult to explain in words, which is partially why my sister’s magic will never be able to replicate it.”

“I’m still confused,” Twilight scratched her head with her  hoof.

“Let me put it this way,” the younger matriarch turned back to her new student. “I could copy Celestia so well because I know Celestia. I know how she acts, how she moves, and how she feels, all instinctively, so I don’t have to constantly think about every little detail of my disguise. With her magic, just thinking of the words you want to say could prevent her hair from waving, or revert you to your original size. A sudden startle could shatter the disguise entirely.”

“Oh,” the lavender sorceress finally felt the pieces click.

Luna gave a node. “You see now? My magic allows me to simply feel like I am Celestia, and then I am. Though, as you know, it is not that simple.” The Lady of the Stars sat down on her own bed, gently moving herself into a comfortable sitting position. “Tell me, Twilight. Have you ever, even once, done something...unusual with your magic? Maybe in a fit of anger or frustration?”

Twilight’s eyes lit up as a memory did come back to her. “Well yes. There was this one time, I was trying to study Pinkie Pie.”

“The party pony?” Luna asked with a concerned eye.

“Yes, she has a strange ability to sense the future with body movements.”

“...An odd ability.” Luna scratched her chin. “I have never heard of such a power. Especially from an earth pony.”

“Yes, but, that’s besides the point,” Twilight steered the conversation. “When I got...rather fed up with her lack of explanation, I sort of...became fire for a few seconds.”

“Became...fire?” the far older mare slowly repeated.

“Well, it was mostly my mane,” the young spell weaver expounded. “Pinkie and Fluttershy said that my coat turned white, my eyes turned red, and my mane and tail were, literally, fire. Not just on fire-”

“But as fire itself,” Luna finished. “Yes. That is remarkable, Twilight Sparkle. That kind of raw transformation, so extensive, is a very powerful incantation. I would have been happy to hear of your fur changing color, but to become an element, even for a few short seconds, is astounding.”

Twilight Sparkle felt her cheeks burn warmly. “Why thank you, Princess.”

“It also gives me all I need to know about your Catalyst.”

“My what?”

Luna looked deep into her new student’s eyes. “The Catalyst is the emotion that every unicorn is tied to the most. It will guide you more than any other in your quest for power with the Magic of the Moon. Yours is anger, or frustration maybe, which are fairly common.”

Twilight’s face twisted a bit. “I...have to be angry to use your magic?”

“No,” Luna dismissed. “But using it that way will be far easier to you than anything else.”

The lavender librarian let her frown speak for itself. “Why did it have to be anger?”

Princess Luna frowned with her, and gave a sigh. This was often hard. “Twilight, your Catalyst doesn’t mean you’re an angry person, or anything like that. You are still you. In fact, anger usually shows itself in ponies just like you, quiet and reserved. A Catalyst is often the opposite of a unicorn’s most expressed emotion.”

Twilight did not appear convinced. She stared down at the Earthly pattern in the rug under her hooves, trying to find Equestria. She briefly wondered if Luna had made this rug from visual memory.

Luna sighed and smiled. She then patted at the side of the bed she lay on, both to draw her young student’s attention, and also to invite her. “Come on, sit on the bed with me.”

“Huh,” Twilight gasped slightly. “But, that’s your bed, Luna.”

“So?” the ancient alicorn snorted. “As my bed, I reserve the right to say who can and cannot sleep on it. Now hop up, little filly,” she teased.

Twilight felt her cheeks flush again, but she complied, moving toward the huge monster of a bed that Luna was laying on. Immediately as her hooves touched the mattress, Twilight knew that it was the most wonderful of beds. Soft and yet supportive, not pressured springs or sloshing water. No, this was a cloud mattress.

Upon just sitting on it, Twilight was convinced that she loved cloud mattresses. She felt like she was floating in the air, except it was warm and supportive. The knowing smile on the alicorn across from her only made the young student’s cheeks betray her more.

“Good...and tonight, after we’re done with that, maybe the two of us could just, you know, hang out? Talk? As friends?” Luna put the invitation out with all the grace of Applejack trying to lie. “That is to say, if you're willing to stay up that late...I took the night off with Night Court so...”

Twilight finally spoke up, smiling. “So like a sleep over?”

Luna’s eyes lit up. “Yes! Yes, exactly like a sleep over.”

Feeling like a filly again, the young librarian smiled ear to ear. “I’d love to, Princess.”

“Good,” the Midnight Mare smiled back. “Then let’s get started.”
> Balanced: Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Balanced: Chapter 3




By Metal Squirrel Chaos


Warm. Gentle. Soft. She felt good. Safe. At peace.

Twilight Sparkle shifted slightly as the warmth enveloped her. The first rays of the sun were shining through the window, piercing even her closed eyelids. However, despite the disturbance, and her internal alarm clock, the young mare found herself too comfortable to move. For the first time in a while, the lavender unicorn decided, body and mind, that she would just sleep in today.

And who wouldn’t when they had such a wonderfully soft bed and nice, cozy blanket wrapped tightly around her.

That plan was foiled by the sound of something in the distance creaking, followed shortly by an even louder creaking. Twilight’s ears flipped and she gave a low moan. Why was fate so  unkind? she asked the Aether. She shifted again, trying to worm away from the light and the noise. The blanket shifted with her, feeling so tight and warm, almost gripping.

The creaking sounded again, making the librarian’s ears flop in annoyance. Am I not allowed to sleep? She drearily asked herself. Finally unable to ignore consciousness anymore, Twilight opened her eyes to the world, instantly regretting it as light pierced her corneas. “Uhhh,” she moaned and shook her head, trying to clear it. She needed tea.

Looking up, Twilight saw a familiar white face staring at her from the doorway, identifying the source of the creaking and its cause.

“Celestia?” she asked wearily as the eldest sovereign walked into the room, standing tall with all her royal authority.

“Good morning again, Twilight Sparkle,” the pristine alicorn greeted. She wore a smirk on her face, one she was trying hard to suppress. “You two had fun last night I see?”

Memories of the last few days finally began to resurface in the Element of Magic’s mind. She was under Princess Luna’s teachings. She had stayed up all night with the Midnight Maiden, at first simply learning the new and exciting magical arts. After that, the Princess had concluded that her studies were over for the night, and the two had just...talked. Twilight surmised that she must have fallen asleep.

Taking a look around, the small mare realized she was still in Luna’s room, the dark blues and blacks of the wall now shining in the sunlight. Twilight then looked over the bed she was on. Luna’s cloud bed. She needed to get one. She had probably only slept two, maybe three hours, but it was the most restful sleep she had felt in years. Only one thing was off to the little spell-weaver.

Where was Princess Luna?

Suddenly, the blanket Twilight had slept under began to shift all on its own, it’s comforting grip tightening a little.

The faithful student's eyes shot open, the haziness of sleep shattered like glass as realization hit it like a brick. She turned her eyes backwards, craning her neck just a bit, and confirmed her theory.

Her blanket was Princess Luna, though not as she had been last night. Her fur was a lighter blue now, and she was noticeably smaller. Her mane was no longer a sea of stars, but a normal looking mane of a lighter blue color. She looked exactly like she had when the Elements had freed her from Nightmare Moon. The Bringer of Night was cuddling with her on the bed, legs wrapped around the smaller mare in a tight embrace, her wing stretched to cover Twilight almost completely. The young unicorn could now feel the fuzzy chest of the Diarch rising and falling against her back.

Faced with an incredibly scary situation, Twilight Sparkle was never one to panic. Sure there had been times where she would freak out over something others may see as small, but that usually took time to wear her down. In the heat of the moment, the most prized student of now both alicorn sovereigns was known for her quick, calm thinking.

“Ahhh!” Twilight Sparkle shrieked, flailed, and finally jumped straight out of Luna’s grip before crashing face first into the floor.

Celestia winced as she saw the unusual amount of athleticism from her student. “Twilight, are you OK?”

“Mmmph,” the lavender librarian murmured into the lush carpet. She suddenly shot upward, landing on all four hooves in a manner which would have gotten her a 4 out of 10 from Rainbow Dash, and turned to face the wrath of the younger sister. “Luna I’m so sorry I didn’t...wait. She’s still asleep? How is she still asleep?”

True to Twilight’s eyes, the cute blue alicorn snoozed on, her slumber not disturbed in the least.

Celestia laughed at the antics before her before turning to her slumbering sibling. “Poor Luna is a notoriously deep sleeper, especially during the day.” The Solar Sylph’s grin widened with wicked ideas. “Watch this.” She took a few steps toward the bed, leaned her head down toward her sister’s ear, and took a breath.

Twilight, recognizing what was about to happen, took cover behind Luna’s dresser.

“HEY WOOOOOOONA!” Celestia shouted with all the power of the Royal Canterlot Voice, a magic she had not personally touched in a few centuries. Though it was not as loud as her younger sibling’s voice, she could still make the entire tower vibrate. “WAKE UP BABY WOOOONA!”

Several seconds passed. Twilight glanced around the dresser toward Luna’s bed. Just as before, Luna had not moved an inch, her eyes still shut tight.

Celestia stood over her, a big grin on her face. “Told you,” she chuckled, and yanked the actual blanket, which had fallen to the floor during the night, over her dear sister, gently tucking her in. “Come, Twilight, let’s have some breakfast together. You seem to have worn my poor Luna out, so we shall let her sleep till sunset.”

“Oh...Ok Princess,” the stunned unicorn muttered.

As Celestia walked out of the room, Twilight began to follow her, only to stop and look back at the sleeping Princess. The spellweaver had to admit, she did look adorable when she was sleeping. Shaking that thought from her mind, Twilight Sparkle followed her first teacher out of the room and shut the door behind her.

With the small click of the door’s lock, the sleeping alicorn whimper in her sleep and pulled her legs and tail toward her chest. Luna scrunched herself into a ball in search for something that was now missing.

***

The adrenaline of waking up next to a sleeping, cuddling matriarch had finally worn itself through Twilight’s system. Unfortunately for her, that meant that the weight of only three hours of sleep was beginning to wear on the young unicorn again.

She sat at the Royal Table in the Royal Dining Hall. Nopony else had arrived yet, seeing it was barely a half hour past sunrise. Because of that, it was only her, Celestia, and the guards standing at the door (Steel Hoof and Broken Sword, she mused half consciously) to enjoy breakfast this early.

The Princess of the Sun strolled back into the dinning hall, carrying a tray with some strong herbal tea in her magical grip. “This will make you feel better, Twilight. I blended it myself.”

The wizard in training groaned as the smell reached her nostrils. “Is...is that your Sunflower Springs Tea? I haven’t had that in a while.”

Celestia chuckled at her young apprentice. “That’s right, I remembered how much you...” The Solar Sylph trailed off as she watched the cup of tea levitate off of the plate, held in Twilight’s maroon colored magical grip and carried toward the source’s lips. Her stunned silence was less from her student’s impatience, and more from another fact.

Twilight was still wearing the Shadow Band around her horn. Now that Celestia had a moment to think, she realized her young student had been wearing it when she woke up this morning.

“My goodness. You two really were busy last night, weren’t you?”

Twilight shuddered as the warm, invigorating liquid began to fully wake her from a long night and a short sleep. She still wanted to get some real shut eye, but that would only throw her sleep schedule off even more, so she decided against it. As the warmth filled her, Twilight let her mentor’s words finally register in her mind. “Huh? Oh yes, we were,” she laughed, holding the cup still. “I...I really wanted this tea.” She took another sip, shaking a little. “It’s so good.”

Celestia gave a soft giggle at the young mare’s dreamy look. However, that giggle turned into a frown as realization crossed her mind.

Twilight, despite her addled mind, noticed the sudden shift in mood. “Princess? What’s wrong?”

The ancient alicorn of the sun looked upon her prized student. Not in a millennium had she seen such raw talent and power. She knew that Twilight was special, that had been proven many times already. She also knew how dangerous she could be. “I think it is time I told you something, Twilight. Something I haven’t told any one else, save a few trusted comrades. But you need to hear this more than any other pony, so please, listen.”

Rarely was the Solar Sylph so serious and insistent as she was right now. Twilight Sparkle sat straight, weariness gone from her body and mind as she put all of her attention on her loving tutor.

When she was sure that Twilight was paying attention, Celestia spoke. “Nightmare Moon, the creature that nearly destroyed all of Equestria with her eternal night, was not some evil entity possessing my sister, as many rumors would have you believe. Nor was it the result of her using forbidden magic, or making a deal with dark beings. And though I would like to blame Discord for it, even he had no straight hand in my sister’s fall. The truth, Twilight Sparkle, is that Nightmare Moon WAS my sister, through and through.”

Twilight looked up in awe as her mentor dropped such a heavy burden from her shoulders. “But...wouldn’t that mean that she was...still dangerous?”

Despite the mood, the Queen of the Blue Sky managed a chuckle. “She’s always been dangerous, Twilight. That is one of the many reasons I love and respect her.” Her eyes turned upward, looking through stone and time all at once. “It is also why I should have seen that night coming.”

Celestia then stood from the table, and walked toward the windows, looking out at her kingdom. Twilight followed, standing at her side, tea still in her magic grip as she sipped it and listened.

“My sister’s magic has many effects on the ponies who learn to tap into it. Night Magic is a two way street, Twilight. When you learn to tap into it, it also taps into you. You become connected to your own emotions in a way that is incomprehensible for most ponies to understand. It is a frightening thing, which is one of the many reasons my sister’s school always had less attendants then mine.” Celestia turned back to her student. “You told me once about your transformation when you were frustrated with your friend, Pinkie Pie.”

“Yes,” Twilight confirmed. “Me and Luna talked about that last night.”

“Then she knows your Catalyst,” the Princess noted. “Good. You are lucky, Twilight, though you may not see it that way.”

“Why do you say that, Princess?” the young librarian was now thoroughly confused. Anger was lucky?

“Simple,” her tutor answered. “Frustration and anger are quick and fleeting. You transformed only for a moment, only for long enough to burn through your overloaded emotions. It came and left quickly, a moment’s loss of control, nothing more. Though that loss of control can be devastating at the right time, that is a matter of one’s luck.”

Celestia turned back to the city of Canterlot stretched out before her. “But what if that wasn’t your Catalyst? What if your Catalyst was something more subtle. Seductive. Corrupting.”

Twilight’s powerful mind digested this information, and only one conclusion came to her. “Like Luna’s is?”

Celestia nodded. “Luna’s Catalyst is Love. It is a terrible burden she carries, and far different than a feeling like anger. Anger is there for a moment or two and then gone, but love is an emotion that lasts. Love lingers. And when that love is not returned, it can become its opposite: Hatred.”

Twilight suddenly found herself much luckier than she had a few hours earlier.

“My sister was never good with other ponies. She was nocturnal, where most ponies of that time were not, but that was hardly her only problem. She has...bizarre tastes that to this day still confuse me. She loves things like bats and rats and wolves, loved to play in dark forests and dance amongst the fireflies.” Celestia’s eyes once again stared at things that Twilight could only imagine. Realizing she was off topic, the Sun Princess turned back to her student. “She was a born artist, with all the eccentricities that accompany that. In fact, one could say she created those very stereotypes.” Celestia giggled a bit.

Twilight felt relieved at the small joke, the tension in the room lifting if only for a moment. “But she had you, didn’t she?”
The tension came back quickly, Celestia staring at the floor. “That, Twilight, was the single greatest mistake I have ever made. For a long time, we protected each other, guided one another...” Celestia looked up, her eyes focusing and brow deepened. “Then he came.”

“Discord?”

The solar goddess gave a nod. “He came from seemingly nowhere, just as he likes to. He turned our world into a...well I won’t say such atrocities he did, but me and my sister could no longer ignore how much the ponies needed us. We stood against him, and we began to search for an old ponies tail that we heard as foals. The Elements of Harmony. We found them, we harnessed them, and we banished Discord for a very long time.”

“What happened next?” Twilight asked, leaning in to absorb the knowledge her mentor was feeding her.

Celestia’s face returned to its solemn stare. “We took over. The ponies asked us to. They were lost and scattered from Discord’s dark influence, and we were strong now, tuned to the Elements of Harmony. We took our position at the head of Equestria, and as the raisers of the Sun and Moon.”

Twilight watched as a single tear dripped down the sovereign's cheek before she began to speak again. “I didn’t realize it until it was too late. Me and my sister met less and less. We talked for shorter periods of time. Her nocturnal nature, and both of our busy schedules made it hard for us to see one another personally. When we did, she would only speak of official matters. As simply as that, we began to drift apart.”

Twilight realized what that meant. “She had no one.”

Celestia looked towards the heavens again, remembering. “Not entirely. She had one. But he was old and bedridden by then. When he finally passed on, Luna could barely take the strain on her heart. Years later, she came to me in the earliest of morning with a request. A memorial to him, and a way for the ponies of Equestria to appreciate her night. She asked me to let her hold the moon in place, just until noon, and let everyone see her stars as they awoke.”

Twilight leaned in even farther, almost losing her balance.

“...I said no.”

Twilight gasped.

“That night was the worst night of my life. I had not realized what that loneliness, that lack of love, that loss, had been doing to her. So connected was she to her magic, that the loneliness itself began to influence her magic, beyond her own control. When her Catalyst could find no love, it took the closest thing it could: her hate. And on that morning, over a thousand years ago, her mind and magic finally snapped.”

“Nightmare Moon.” Twilight guessed.

“Yes,” the elder ruler sighed. “A creature that was my sister, but a vile part of her, given form by her darker emotions. The closest parallel I can draw is that of schizophrenia, one magically formed from decades of bitterness. I...I couldn’t...”

Twilight watched in awe as her mentor, the ancient and powerful Solar Alicorn, began to cry. She was stunned to watch the tears flow from those beautiful eyes. “I’m...I’m sorry Twilight. I can’t...you know the rest anyway.” Celestia reeled herself in, giving a sigh as she regained control. “You cleaned her of her bitterness, and of the corrupted magic. You brought my sister back to me. But that is why I was afraid of you learning her magic. I was afraid you may become a danger to yourself and others, much like you were the day I found you. However, you’ve again proven yourself more wonderful than I could ever hope for, Twilight. You already have a grip on telekinesis, where most students of hers would still be struggling to move that silly rock of hers. I’m so proud of you.”

The much larger equine spread her fore-hooves out, and wrapped them around her young student. Alicorn and unicorn embraced one another, the younger mare trying desperately to keep her cheeks from blushing. “It’s ok, Princess. Your sister is back, and I promise I’ll be careful with her magic. I won’t become like Nightmare Moon.”

“I know, Twilight,” Celestia sniffled. “But hearing that is still soothing to these old ears.”

The deep, emotional moment was suddenly crushed when both ponies heard the clopping of hooves through the halls around them.

“The breakfast guests,” they both said, and both scrambled in a rather clumsy fashion back to the table, Celestia taking her place at the head while Twilight sat on her right. Just after both ponies were sitting, the doors to the Royal Dining Hall opened, revealing Prince Blueblood. Twilight simply sat, trying not to look suspicious. Celestia smiled warmly at her young nephew several generations removed. “Hello, Blueblood. Good to see you this early. Again.” He was always the first one in.

“Good morning, Auntie,” he smiled, before spying the unicorn seated at the table. “Oh, Twilight Sparkle.” The venom in his voice dripped over his fancy shirt. “I did not expect to see you. Are you accompanied by any of your...friends?” His eyes darted around the room, searching for any sign of the white furred demon.

“No,” Twilight said, using her most distinguished manners that she had honed so skillfully in her years as a student to a matriarch. “I am here alone, to study under Princess Luna in the ways of magic.”

Blueblood’s eyes went wide. The color disappeared from his already white face. “A-auntie Luna? What? Where? Is she here?” he looked around as if preparing to be attacked.

Celestia did all she could to repress a laugh. “No, dear nephew, she is sleeping as she does most days.”

“Oh,” Blueblood sighed in relief. “Good. I mean, it is good that she rest if she is taking on tutoring again.” his eye visibly twitched, left ear flapping erratically. He said no more, and sat down at the end of the table to await the rest of the guests.

The lavender unicorn leaned toward her mentor to whisper. “What’s with him? Why is he so scared of Luna?”

The Solar Sylph chuckled quietly. “That, dear Twilight, is a story for another time.”

***

The day passed rather quickly for young Twilight Sparkle.

After breakfast, the young unicorn had decided that her last day in Canterlot should be doing what she loved best. Reading. She had immediately gone to the Canterlot Archives and picked out a slew of first edition unedited books to read. For some reason, she felt like history was the topic of the day.

The night sky was only just now coming into view as the sun dipped under the western mountains, ready to make way for its sister, which was already rising in the east. Twilight walked across the stony path that lead between the Royal Archives and the Palace, deeply enveloped in the words she was reading as she walked. Luckily, there were no other ponies around for her to accidentally bump into.

Last night, Luna had taught Twilight how to use telekinesis with Night Magic. At first, Twilight had been apprehensive, not understanding why one would learn something every unicorn her age had mastered long ago. Now, however, as she walked, Twilight began to realize how useful this new form of telekinesis was.

After all, she had never been able to hold fifteen different books in her magical grip while both walking and reading a sixteenth book all at once. At least, never this easily, and while still absorbing the words in front of her. It took almost no effort, just a sense of “I want to, and I will”, and she was capable of multitasking like she never had before. She wondered if Rarity secretly somehow knew about this kind of magic. That unicorn was a master of precision, even with multiple small objects in her grip.

She had checked out several stacks of books, and now was on the last stack, which she had decided to bring with her as she headed toward the Palace for her last night of training. She tried to stifle a yawn as she put the book she was reading to the left of her. Four more books yet to be read were floating on her right. If her calculations were good, and they usually were, she’d be done right before she met Luna.

Of course, that assumed Luna was in her room.

Twilight stopped her trot as something like a soft tingle spread through her front legs, and began to drift over her chest and belly. The librarian began to giggle, her will shaking. “Hahahah, what?” she spun around, trying to find the source of the sensation. She saw nothing, and as soon as she turned to find it, the sensation seemed to stop. Shaking her head and scratching her stomach, the lavender librarian started walking and reading again...

...only to shriek and laugh loudly as her hoof came down on the stone road. It felt like she had just stepped right into a bed of feathers.

Looking down, Twilight Sparkle saw that there was a strange dark blue mist on the ground. Just standing in it made her fur and skin feel tingly. As soon as she saw it, the mist raised itself up, sliding over the unicorn filly’s legs, making her shake in a fit of laughter. “Oh god stop, stop, hahahaha,” she giggled, trying hard not to tip over. She had a feeling that would only make things infinitely worse. The mist rose up even more, now completely covering Twilight’s legs, and beginning to tickle her belly as well. “Please haha, stop, oh please,” the poor unicorn cried out.

It was then that the young spell-weaver noticed that the cloud itself was giggling as well. Dark blue mist. Giggling. Even assaulted as she was, Twilight put two and two together. “L-Luna? Is th-that you?” she managed to spurt out between fits of laughter.

The mist suddenly shifted, the soft laugh of the disembodied voice now filling the air as it drew away from the small unicorn and formed itself into a large, slender alicorn. When the mist solidified into its original shape, Princess Luna gave her student a mischievous grin. “I call it Tickle Mist. It’s something I invented after Nightmare Night. I stayed up all night inventing tricks like that one.”

Twilight giggled despite herself, shaking off the last of the tickling feeling. “Yes, it’s quite clever. I’m sure Rainbow Dash would appreciate it. But what made you decide to tickle me?”

“Oh,” Luna looked sideways. “Just seeing if you could keep a hold of your books while faced with such a distraction. Good job, Twilight. Your mind and heart are as incredible as ever.” The princess gave a slightly nervous grin as said student looked up at her.

The Element of Magic looked back toward her books, seeing that, indeed they had not moved an inch despite not really thinking about them. Definitely useful.

“Of course,” Luna grinned. “There are some problems with using my magic for telekinesis.”

“Problems?” Twilight began to ask as she turned back around.

At that moment, the last rays of the sun disappeared over the horizon, and the moon rose in its mirror, taking her rightful place amongst the stars. The Midnight Maiden knew now that she was at her peak of power, and as such, it was time to use it.

“Look Twilight!” the Lunar Alicorn pointed with a hoof. “A rare set of romance novels!”

“What?” the librarian spun around, natural book seeking instincts active. “Where?”

“KABOOOOM!”

Princess Luna watched in fascination as her young, nonathletic student managed to do a perfect front flip right onto her back. “GAAAH!” At about the same time, every book Twilight had been holding went flying in every direction.

The ancient Princes of Night tried very hard not to laugh. She tried very hard. “Snk...Huph. Hahahaha! Oh I’m so sorry Twilight.”

The ever faithful student lay on her back as realization hit her, her eye twitching only slightly. She saw that as a sign of improvement. “Why, Princess?”

Luna, after reeling in her laughter for the most part, waved her hoof around. Several of the books had crashed straight through various bushes surrounding the stone path. One had even managed to dig itself into the soil. Twilight would lament it later.

“One’s emotions are fickle things. What is important to you at one moment can be worthless the next, all depending on the situation. One must balance their emotional needs with their priorities. Priorities are one of the most important things you will need to control, Twilight. You’ll need them for this next...this next... shn hahahaha I’m sorry but you look so funny on your back like that.”

As the small wizard's embarrassment grew, she managed to get to her hooves. Trying hard not to glare a hole through Luna’s body, she instead opted to retrieve her books, letting her magic spark.

“Hold, Twilight.” the blue alicorn asked. “I have another test. Extra credit, if you will. You may recognize this one.” Luna grinned as she held out a familiar looking moon rock.

“Ugh,” Twilight sighed. “Princess, I appreciate you wanting me to get the basics down, but I’m well versed in using Night Magic for telekinesis now.”

Luna shook her head. “Not that simple, student. I want you to pull your books and this rock to you. At the same time.”

“Huh?” Twilight asked, but shrugged. “If you say so, Princess.” She let her magic flare, let her desires fill her, and pulled.

The books all around her flew from their new hiding places, some a good twenty feet away from where they had started. The rock did not move till all of the books were in place, but soon it too joined them in its still orbit.

“See, Princess. No sweat.” Twilight grinned.

“Wrong, my faithful student,” The Princess of Starlight grinned, and with a flick of her own magic, she put every book, and the rock, the same distance from her student, now laying on the ground around the young mare in a perfect circle. “I said to pull them to you at the same time. All at once. Try again.”

Twilight twisted her brow as she examined the books and single rock. “Ok, let’s just...” She tugged at all the objects with her magic. All the books flew around her, orbiting her in perfect synch.

The rock followed a few seconds later.

“What?” The lavender mare groaned and put everything back again, and tried once more. This time, the rock flew to her, orbiting her like a small moon (which it sort of was). The books floated by leisurely half a second later. “UGH!”

Princess Luna chuckled as she watched her studious pupil try again and again to get the sync between book and rock down. “Having trouble?”

“I don’t know what I’m doing wrong!” Twilight hissed, gritting her teeth as she now pulled half the books toward her, then the rock, then the other books. Frustrated, she slammed all  of the objects down before preparing to try again.

“Enough, Twilight.” Luna held out a hoof, silently letting the unicorn calm herself down. “That was a near impossible test. You weren’t meant to truly pass it, only to take away what you learned from it.”

Twilight studied the objects around her, thinking on her teacher’s words. “Wait...I wanted the books more than the rock. Then I got mad and wanted the rock because it kept coming last...and then I guess I just got really mad and started grabbing whatever...”

“Yes,” Luna nodded. “your priorities were set. You wanted the books more because you like books. But the rock is just a rock.” She grinned as she pulled the small stone back to her. “In this, you must understand: both Night and Day magic have their advantages and disadvantages. If you become the Archmage I expect you will one day, you must learn to use both magics in the right situation.”

Twilight Sparkle stood in silence as she digested, mentally, the new teachings. “But what are the best times to use either magic?”

The Lunar Guardian giggled. “That, Twilight Sparkle, is something that you must learn for yourself. Practical use for either form of magic must be learned from experience, not words.” Luna turned her head to the west, seeing the last few rays of the sun disappear completely. “Come, my faithful student. There is one final lesson to learn before our final night is out and you go home in the morning.” Luna’s face suddenly frowned.

“Something wrong, Princess?” The young wizard asked.

“No, no Twilight,” Luna stared forward. “Nothing is wrong.” Lookin for a change of subject, the Diarch of the Night scanned over Twilight’s books. “What are you reading, anyway?”

“Oh,” Twilight perked up, more than willing to talk about her reading material, “they’re mostly history books on everything from before the time of Ni-” Twilight’s eyes shot open as she realized what she was saying. “Um, before you disappeared.”

“Twilight,” Luna sighed. “You don’t need to sugar coat this for me. I’m a big princess, I assure you.” She grinned wide and patted her student on the back of the head. “Now, continue.”

The studious unicorn gave a nod, and presented some of the books to her new tutor. “I wanted to learn more about pre Nightmare Moon Equestria. What was it like? Were there more farms? Was art less important?”

Luna gave a scoff. “Twilight I am insulted.”

“Huh?”

“If you want to know the answers to those questions, you should just ask?” The Matriarch of the Moon’s grin was nearly ear to ear. “I will gladly tell you what I know.”

The lavender mare gasped loudly enough to make Pinkie Pie proud, her face lighting up like a tree on Hearts Warming Day. “Oh thank you so much, Princess. Celestia rarely talks about her past, but I’m just so curious, there’s just so much to know! Oh thank you thank you thank you!”

Princess Luna could barely contain her laughter. “Yes, Twilight, no problem. Calm down before you hurt yourself.” The alcorn's eyes suddenly focused on a book that looked much older than the rest. “What about that one?”

Twilight turned her head. There, still in her grasp, was the copy of Starswirl the Bearded’s Study of Young Foal’s Magic she had found in the Royal Archives the day before. “This book was what gave me the jump on learning your magic. I doubt we would be as far along in my training without it.”

“Gave you a jump? In my magic?” Luna was confused. “But, how? All records of my magic were...Twilight, let me see that book.”

A little nervous at the sudden mood shift, Twilight nonetheless handed her princess the scripture of interest. Immediately, the Midnight Maiden began to read the title on the cover, her eyes widening. In no time, she was flipping through the book, catching what she found to be important sections of its text.

When she had reached the end of the tomb, Luna dropped it to the ground. Her mouth was agape and her eyes were still wide, as if seeing something that was blind to her moments ago. “He...did it. He kept it alive. Buried, and disguised, but alive.”

“Who did, Princess?” Twilight asked, looking down at the book. “Starswirl the Bearded?”

Then, for the second time that day, Twilight watched one of the Princesses of Equestria cry. It was only a single tear, and it landed against the stone under her hooves with the gentlest of drips, but the young unicorn knew that it was significant.

“Princess?” Twilight cautiously approached. “Are you OK? Why are you upset.”

When Luna looked up, her face was not as Twilight expected. Instead, the younger Matriarch was smiling. “I’m sorry, Twilight. This is rather unbecoming of a Princess, I know. But...I’m just so happy.”

The Bearer of Magic cocked an eyebrow. “Happy? Why would you-” and then, in Twilight’s mind, everything clicked. “Starswirl the Bearded knew your magic?”

Luna gave a low chuckled, finally steadying her emotions. “In a sense, yes.”

Twilight’s mind worked quickly, doing math in her head. “That would mean that Starswirl was alive when you were banished. That would mean he was well over a century old at that time!” At that moment, it occurred to the librarian that no book she had ever read ever told of the death of the powerful unicorn.

Before she could ask more, her teacher raised a hoof. “Stay your questions, Twilight. I will tell you one day. But for now, that is a well kept secret.” She gave a knowing wink. “Just trust me that I am very happy right now.” The younger princess turned her head toward her moon and the stars, her own eyes sparkling just as brightly as they did. “Even after all I did, he still cared.”

Twilight starred as Princess Luna was enveloped in the moonlight. She couldn’t help but admire how beautiful she was, with her own sky framing her.

“Now, come” Luna let her smile drop only a little. “We head toward the gardens for your training this time. I have a special course set up for you to learn one of the most valuable techniques my magic has to offer.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up, as she began to gather up the other books. “What technique is that, Princess?”

“It’s a surprise,” Luna grinned wide, eyes still twinkling. “You will find out when we get there.”

The pair of mares, plus reading material, walked onward toward the gardens as Luna’s moon shone down on them from above.

Neither of them noticed a brown earth pony stick his head out from a nearby bush, after struggling to get his tie unstuck from one of the branches. “Hmmm,” he mused to himself for a moment, studying both student and teacher intently. “Marmalade? Maybe?”

With that, he ducked back into the bushes and disappeared from sight.

***

It was barely a half hour later that the two powerful mares found themselves in the Royal Canterlot Gardens. The younger mare gazed up into the sky with awe, watching the stars shine ever so brightly as the moon framed the horizon. The spectacular view filled the studious wizard in training with a sense of awe and scale that she was completely incapable of understanding.

Luna was more concerned with the fact she had let Cygnus drift too far to the right again. “Some stars are just so stubborn.”

“What was that, Luna?” Twilight asked, awoken from her trance.

“Oh, nothing,” the Lunar Princess quickly answered. “We are here.” She pointed out.

Before the two mares was a square walled off area of the guardians. Twilight recognized it instantly as a training area for the guard, though at the moment it was deserted, save for the training dummies littered around. The dummies were similar to the ones that Rarity kept in her boutique, though they were more stallion in shape and size. Their faces were void of any features that would make one think twice of attacking them, save for two grooves to indicate nostrils.

From the center of the square radiated a smaller stone circle. This is where the actual training would take place.
“A training ground?” Twilight mused. “What are we doing here?”

“Training,” Luna smiled, grabbing a few dummies in her magical hold. She looked around the field, thinking quickly. “Twilight. Please stand in the center.”

As the unicorn took her position in the middle of the stone circle, Luna placed one single dummy inside of it as well, on the southern edge. “My faithful student, this is the most important skill one can learn when attempting to study the ways of Night Magic. Everything you have learned so far will be put on trial to see if you are ready to handle your own heart’s true desires. Are you ready?”

The lavender unicorn steeled herself, grinning wide and confident as she anchored her feet, feeling the magic in the air around her. “Ready when you are, Princess.”

“Excellent,” the ruling Diarch replied as she took position her student. “Twilight, when I give the word, I want you to focus your emotions on the dummy, and then use your magic to attack it.”

“What,” Twilight's concentration faltered. She turned back toward her mentor. “Attack it?”

Luna nodded. “Trust me. This is the most important lesson you will need to learn in your studies of Night Magic.”

“But Princess,” Twilight raised a hoof and pointed at her supposed target. “I don’t think I feel a great deal of emotional attachment to an inanimate object, one way or the other. How am I supposed to attack it if I don’t feel anything toward it.”

“A good question,” Princess Luna tipped her horn down, and it began to glow with powerful magic. The smile was gone from her face. “I will help you with that.”

Twilight watched in fascination. She could see the strands of magic, watch them weave and form into intricate, complex patterns. Here, she had a first hand witness to ancient, powerful magic, and every intricate working component of it. And she still had no idea what the princess was doing.

The magic suddenly focused around the training dummy, and in a flash it now had a new face, one not blank and lifeless, but now familiar. It was a lopsided face, like that of a pony’s, but with one eye noticeably larger than the other, and a single long fang on the right side of its face. It wore a terrible grin.

Twilight's eyes widened. “Discord?!”

“Ah, the young Twilight Sparkle, holder of the Element of Magic. Good to see you again,” the sinister beast chuckled in his smooth voice.

Twilight cocked her head to the side as she stared at the oddity in front of her. It was not completely Discord, just his head and voice on a dummy.“Luna, what-” but as she turned to her tutor, she found herself alone in the field with the not-quite-dragonequis.

“What’s the matter? Lost your precious princess? Again? That wouldn’t be the first time you disappointed them.” That same smooth voice sneered at its own insulting joke.

Caught off guard by the stinging words, Twilight Sparkle glared at the fake Discord, who only laughed at her expression. “We beat you! I saw the Elements turn you back to stone, where you belong!”

“Oh please,” the mismatch creature laughed again, his grin as wide as ever, showing off his one elongated tooth. “I would never let something like defeat stop me from enjoying all the suffering and misery of ponies. Ponies like you and your dear friends.”

Twilight grit her teeth.

“Remember when I turned Ponyville into my private playground? Oh that was ever so much fun, wasn’t it? Soap roads, candy clouds, buffalo ballet. Oh but as I said, those were the first changes. The second ones were going to be a bit more...sinister. I think once I had made sure the Elements were no longer a problem, I would have started changing them back. Not all at once of course, but torturing their new selves wouldn’t have been nearly as funny.” The spirit of chaos thought for a moment. “I think I’d start with Fluttershy.”

“Shut up.” The unicorn glared at him.

“Maybe I would have turned her sweet Angel into a huge hulking monster. Maybe let him vent some of that frustration on his old master.”

“I said shut up!”

“And of course I’d go toward Pinkie Pie next. I’d throw her a party. A “Nobody Loves Me” party. And only she would be invited. I may attend but only for the cake. It would be made out of her tears. And vanilla icing. I love vanilla icing.”

Twilight closed her eyes, shaking with rage. Everything around her was forgotten. Everything but that infernal laugh and the monster making it.

“But the most fun would be the pony I saved for last. I’d have to do something especially cruel to her. Maybe take away the only thing she had left. Take away her reason to live. Take away the very source of her talent, her very dream.”

Twilight felt her power calling to her. She felt the magic of her very soul pour into her horn. No spells. No mercy.

“ I think I’d finish with...Rainbow Dash.”

Twilight’s eyes snapped open, and she let out a feral roar that pony-kind was not meant to make. Beyond words to express herself, the incredibly powerful unicorn unleashed a purple cone shaped beam of energy at her hated target.
The false Discord laughed up until the bolt hit him, shattering the training dummy into dozens of pieces. The beam kept going through him, finally stopping as it scorched part of the hedge that had been behind it.

“There!” Twilight shouted, her voice ragged. She felt the anger slip away from her, taking a breath to steady her head. It was throbbing. “How do you like that, Discord!”

“HAHAHAHAHA!” The laugh of the dragonequis filled the small arena. Before Twilight could identify its origin, another mannequins, sporting Discord’s head, appeared where the first had stood. And then another one behind her. “Miss me?” the two fake spirits laughed together.

“But...but I just,” Twilight looked between the two now floating spirits as they began to circle her.

“Oh dear Twilight,” they pouted in perfect unison. “So alone again. No friends to help you. No Celestia to protect you. Not that she could stop me anyway. Am I right? What a horrible ruler. Probably a lousy teacher too.”

The anger in the Element of Magic swelled again, and her eyes glowed white. “Go away,” she shouted, releasing another cone of pure energy, blasting one of the creatures into dust.

“Well now,” the remaining Discord mused, before he too was blasted to pieces.

Twilight sank to the ground, panting for breath. Her head throbbed, pounded, and overall felt...wrong.

“...and where did this kind little filly get such a temper?”

Twilight’s eyes shot open again, then narrowed into a glare. “No.”

In an instant, several popping sounds were heard all around the young mare. She saw them materialize, one by one. Dozens of them. “I’d bet it was bad parenting. I guess I’ll have to find those parents of yours. You might get your temper from them. Anger like that could just crush a relationship. I’d just love to help them resolve it.”

Twilight watched the laughing, cackling, and smirking faces of Discord around her. The unicorn’s chest heaved as she called forth all the power she could. She lashed out in a wave, a huge surge of magic, let out all at once. It was punctuated with her scream.

The laughter stopped as each one of the Discord clones was caught in the blast and incinerated.

Twilight heaved forward and collapsed again. Her head was trying to jump off of her body and escape, she could feel it. The young spell-weaver lay there on the arena floor, trying desperately to catch her breath, before she heard the sound of something popping into existence behind her.

“Hey, Twilight. What’s sha-”

There was no hesitation in her actions. She barely even turned around before Twilight Sparkle unleashed another bolt of her magic, screaming at the top of her lungs...

...and watched in horror as it hit the familiar face of her friend, Rainbow Dash.

The world seemed to slow down, just so that the young mare could watch. The mannequin, with her friend’s shocked and betrayed face sketched across it, instantly shattered as the ones before it had.

The tingle in the air that Twilight had forgotten began to fade. The night was still again. There was no more laughter. She barely felt the presence of the Mare of the Moon beside her again. None of that mattered.

“What...did I do?” Twilight looked down at the pieces of the mannequin that had held her friend’s face. “I...it wasn’t her but...I still...” The young wizard shook, still in shock, tears streaming from her clenched eyes.

“Shh,” the alicorn next to her leaned down and took a wing over her. “It’s OK. Just let it out.” Each sob of the young unicorn was a stab in the heart, but Luna bit her lip and bared it.

The two ponies stood there, in the dead of night, as one cried deeply for her own actions, and the other could do nothing but let her.

***

Neither moved nor spoke for what felt like an hour. The moon was just reaching its apex before Luna had insisted they move to another area of the gardens. The area she chose was one of her favorite stargazing positions in the gardens, a large open field on top of a hill, where the full majesty of the Midnight Maiden’s starry sky was on display.

The princess finally broke the silence. “Twilight. I’m sorry I had to put you through that.”

The younger mare’s tears had long ago dried up, but the pain in her heart still burned. “Why? Why did you make me do that?” she tried to hide the anger in her voice, but it still ended up sounding venomous.

“I didn’t, Twilight.” The younger Diarch scooted closer to her young pupil, trying to emulate her sister’s trademark smile. “I never made you do anything. You did that all on your own.”

Twilight’s eyes began to tear up again.

“No, wait,” Luna fumbled with her own words as she sat up. “I’m sorry, no. I didn’t mean it that way.” She sighed and turned to look Twilight in the eye. “Twilight, what I did was necessary so that you could learn the most valuable lesson I could teach you about Night Magic.”

“And what lesson is that?” the student spat at her teacher as she turned away from her, unable to keep her frustration down any longer. “How to kill my own friends?!”

Luna recoiled, the words digging deep into her chest. “No, Twilight. Learning how to fight was just a byproduct of this lesson. The real lesson is the hardest one someone who uses their own emotions to fuel their magic can learn.” The Princess turned away, staring up at her own stars again. “It is a lesson I learned not too long ago. Just over a year, in fact.”

Twilight, realizing what her teacher was saying, turned back over. “When we beat Nightmare Moon?”

“When you beat me, yes.” The ancient ruler corrected. “I was aware of everything that happened as Nightmare Moon. I saw everything. Worse yet, I agreed with all of it, right to the bitter end. I watched myself do horrible things, and I reveled in it. Because no one ever taught me the lesson I just taught you.”

“That your magic is incredibly dangerous and can cause emotional instability?” Twilight’s tone shifted to her usual snark.

That snark seemed to relieve Luna’s mood a little. “Well, unfortunately yes. But that is why the lesson is important. The real thing to take from all this, Twilight, is that you are often your own worst enemy. You must always be diligent, both of your surroundings, your enemies, your friends...but more than all of them, you must always watch yourself.” The Night Queen’s eyes filled with memory once more. “When I returned to being myself, when my mind was clear, I wondered what I could have done to stop myself from becoming that monster. What could I have done different, if I had the chance to change everything...I did come up with one answer.”

Twilight rolled to her belly. “What was that?”

Luna sighed gently to herself. “Talk, Twilight Sparkle. I needed to talk about how I felt. To my sister. To my subjects. To a well paid psychiatrist. Anyone.” She too rolled to her belly, letting her wings spread out to cool in the night breeze. “Instead, I kept it all in, and let the bitterness infest my heart. I let my own magic go wild. I let myself become a monster because I had no outlet for my frustrations.” She turned to her young student. “I thought that I could push them all down, and hide them. In a way, I thought myself an island. Invincible to my own emotions. I was wrong Twilight. And that is the lesson I hope you have taken from all this. You attacked your friend because you let your magic go wild, control you. It must never happen again.”

Twilight thought about it for a moment, her ears dropping to the sides of her head. “I don’t understand. Why did that happen?”

Luna nodded. “You are still upset, I’d guess, from Discord’s manipulation. How he twisted the six of you against one another. How fragile your friendship may seem now.”

Twilight dipped her head, feeling the tears coming back.

“But don’t, Twilight. You reforged those bonds, stronger than ever, I’d imagine.” The Night Guardian was smiling again. “Your friends overcame his influences with your help. That is no small feat. Discord is a master of manipulation and trickery. It is something he had many eons to perfect. His overall magic power doesn’t hurt him, neither.” Luna’s voice turned bitter for a moment. “Never forget, Twilight. No friendship is made of concrete. It will often be tested, and it may often break. That it can be reforged is the most important thing about it.”

Twilight’s mood brightened as she listened to her mentor’s words. They sounded familiar. “That sounds like something Celestia would say.”

Princess Luna blushed a bit. “It...may be something we discussed as we read over your letters together.”
“You both read those?” Twilight asked.

“Of course,” Luna smiled. “We enjoy going over your lessons. In a way, you have taught us a great deal about friendship and harmony, Twilight Sparkle. Perhaps we should call you teacher instead.”

The two mares shared a laugh, the mood finally breaking as they joked with one another. Twilight’s heart felt lighter, the strain of her mistake no longer weighing her down.

Still, the image of Rainbow Dash’s shattered head made her shiver. “Why...was it like that?”

“Hm?” Luna asked.

“Rainbow Dash. Why did you show me her?”

“Oh,” the Midnight Maiden recalled. “We are not sure. When we searched your heart for the people closest to you, we found several candidates. I refrained from using me or my sister, and that young mare was the most prominent of your six friends in your heart, so I used her.”

Twilight felt her cheeks blush hot as the sun. “Oh, well, I guess. She’s one of my best friends, and we spend the most time together since I got her into reading.”

“Indeed she must be to hold such high standings in a heart like yours, Twilight.” Luna chuckled, her smile turning playful and teasing for a moment. The blush that burned its way into the lavender unicorn’s cheeks made her laugh even louder.

Finally, however, Luna reeled in her merriment, and a small frown replaced her smile. “All that said, however, your training is done.”

“Done,” Twilight asked, looking saddened. “But, I thought...”

“Your lesson for this night is done, Twilight Sparkle. You have learned enough, I’d hope. You have more than exceeded my expectations, my young student.”

“But,” Twilight stammered as she rose to her hooves, “I want to learn so much more about you, and your magic.”

“I know,” Luna dismissed with a hoof. “But our three nights of study are over. You are still too young to learn more, at least not yet. And you still have much to learn from my sister, first. Still...” the Night Princess smiled, “I’m happy to hear you’re still interested in our lessons. We were sure you would abandon our school of magic after tonight.”

Twilight bit her lip. “I won’t lie...what you did hurt a lot.” She let herself relax, and sat back on the soft grass. “But...maybe you are right. Maybe it was something I needed to experience.”

Luna nodded, trying to emulate her sister’s sage like mannerisms again. “I’m glad you understand, Twilight Sparkle. But enough!” she suddenly shouted, though not magically. The dark blue Alicorn stood on all fours and stretched her wings out. “The time of lessons are over. Let us engage in something to pass the time till the sun comes up.” She turned to her now ex student. She then blinked as realization hit her. “Oh, you won’t be needing the Shadow Band anymore. I shall relieve-”

“No!” Twilight reached up, grabbing the ring around her horn that Luna had begun to lift with her magic. “I...um...would like to keep it.”

“For what purpose?” Luna tilted her head to the side to ask. “It is far obsolete to you now.”

“I know,” Twilight looked aside. “I just want to keep it as a memento, you know?” She giggled at her own mostly accidental rhyme. “And to help practice if I ever need to.”

Luna just looked over her young student and gave a shrug. “If you insist, Twilight Sparkle.”

The unicorn and alicorn both stood up from the grass and walked back toward the castle, making chitchat and telling stories as they went. Neither knew what they would do for the rest of the night, but at that moment, neither did they care. It was just nice to be with friends.

*** Epilogue***

“And then, she showed me how she puts up the stars every night!” Twilight exclaimed, tapping her hooves together.
“Oh my, Twilight.” Rarity gushed. “How does she do it?”

“Well, I’ll tell you this much. Don’t stand too close.”

The six friends all burst into laughing as they gathered on the floor of Twilight’s library tree house.

It was one night later, and Twilight had finally returned to her home in Ponyville. Despite the fun she had experienced in Canterlot. the young librarian felt most at home here, surrounded by her best friends.

Pinkie had, of course, prepared and thrown a return party for her unicorn friend. Said party had wound down ages ago, and now it was only the six friends to exchange stories of the weekend. Everyone had an eventful one, apparently. Fluttershy had found Angel flirting with a girl bunny, Pinkie had received a surprise visit from her cousin (a pony no one had seen, but Pinkie insisted was a pegasus), Dash had finally perfected the Spinning Rainbow Helix, Applejack had caught Big Mac reading a book for little fillies, and Rarity had received another commission from Sapphire Shores. All and all, everyone had an interesting story to tell. Though Twilight had decided to omit certain details. Especially with Rarity in the room.

“OK girls,” Twilight spoke up, rising from the pillow she sat on. “As much fun as it has been catching up with everything in Ponyville, I’m exhausted.”

“Oh, yes,” Fluttershy spoke up, “you have been through a rough time, not sleeping properly for so long.”

“We’ll leave you to rest yourself, dearie,” Rarity said as they all stood up.

Rainbow Dash gave a yawn as she looked at the clock. “Yeah, OK. I should get some shut eye too. Got the morning weather shift again. Which reminds me. Twilight, when you get a chance can you look for a book on dreams and stuff?”
“What, like dream analysis?” asked the lavender librarian.

“What in tarnation would you need that for?” Applejack cocked an eyebrow at the multicolored pegasus.

The flying athlete just gave a shrug. “Just researching. No big deal.”

No one in the room was fooled.

“I’ll look tomorrow, Dash, so long as you can find me somewhere to get me a cloud mattress.” Twilight promised with a smile. The two shared a laugh between one another, which was a good enough agreement for them.

Twilight’s eyes suddenly grew, as she looked at the multicolored pony in front of her. The Element of Magic reached out to her Loyal friend, gently touching her face with a hoof.

The pegasus blinked and recoiled a bit, restraining a blush. “T-Twilight, what are you doing?”

“Just...making sure,” she responded, looking a bit shaken all of a sudden.

The other friends exchanged glances. It was Applejack who spoke first. “Come on, yall. Let’s get outa here and let Twilight get some shut eye.”

Final good nights were said as the five friends funneled out of the tree house and went their separate ways. Spike was already in bed, meaning that all Twilight had to do was fall into her own and sleep till morning.

She slid upstairs as smoothly as her dreary body would allow her, eying her own bed like it was the last safe place in a terrible storm. She slid across the soft material as she pulled the covers over her. There was some lament that the mattress was made of springs and fabrics instead of the now known superior material,  but at the moment, the unicorn was too tired to care.

Still, something was missing. Twilight tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable. She lay there for several minutes, before realizing what was different. She turned her head toward her bedside table. Laying on top if it was the Shadow Band.

Making sure that Spike was asleep one more time, Twilight lifted the band with her magic, and gently placed it over her horn. She shivered just a bit as the gentle pull of the lunar magic settled in. She let it sit there for a few moments, before looking out her bedroom window.

It was a beautiful clear night, the stars sparkling brightly in the sky. The moon was out, blinding white against a sea of black. Breathtaking.

“Goodnight, Luna.” Twilight said, as she snuggled into her bed, letting sweet dreams take her.

***

A few months later, Princess Luna skipped merrily into her sister’s chambers, a smile plastered on her face.

“Someone’s in a good mood,” Celestia returned her sisters cheer. “Things at the new Academy went well.”

“Yes!” Luna yelled, before falling onto her sister’s bed. It was a few sizes smaller than her own, but still quite comfy, and large enough for both of them. “Over fifty students, Celestia. Not bad for only having one class.”

“There will be more, once there’s more than one teacher,” the Solar Sylph smiled, as always. “Any particularly promising unicorns?”

“Why yes,” Luna responded. “I am highly considering one particular mare who seems to have a knack for my magic.”

“Oh?” Celestia smiled. “What’s her name?”

The Mare of the Moon lay back as she recalled. “She said it enough times, along with plenty of adjectives. She was a light blue mare with a white mane. I believe she called herself Trixie.”

The End

> A Week With A Loon: Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Week With A Loon: Chapter 2


By: Metal Squirrel Chaos


A loud bang accompanied the arrival of the Princess of the Night’s return to her room. Behind her trailed her two loyal as ever guards, both with saddened looks on their faces.

Morningstar decided to take a risk. “Princess Luna, is there any-”

But before he could finish, both guards jumped back in time to avoid the rapidly closing door from smashing their faces.

Princess Luna, Midnight Maiden and the Goddess of the Moon, trotted towards and then slumped onto her bed with a heavy sigh, letting the soft cloud bed take away her woes. After such a horrible day, it had its work cut out for it..

It had all started off so promising, too.

***

Luna, followed closely by Equinox and Morningstar, was almost prancing as she entered the Throne Room late in the morning. Here was where both Courts met every Day and Night. Her smile was wide across her face as she ascended the stairs to the throne itself, before sitting against the gentle and rather plush seat of power. Her two faithful guards took up their positions in front of the stairs, ready to defend Her Majesty if the need arrives.

That was unlikely in all honesty, but it was still something that they took very seriously.

“Very well then,” the Lunar Defender had to restrain herself from giggling maddeningly as she spoke. Talking to Fancy Pants had put her in quite the mood. She turned her attention to the other stallion in the room, a Day Guard unicorn who was in charge of both guarding the door and monitoring each individual who came to speak to the ruling Diarch. “WE FEEL READY TO BEGIN THE COURT OF THE SUN!”

“Yes, your Majesty.” the gruff stallion responded, eying the dark counterparts he stood across from. “Our guests have been lined up in an orderly fashion based on your sister’s ‘First Come, First Serve’ policy.”

“EXCELLENT!” The Princess of Stars could barely contain her excitement. In fact, she could not. “THEN LET THE COURT OF DAY COME TO ORDER!” she let loose, letting her voice radiate through the castle with both authority and strength, despite her still unfitting size. “WHO WOULD STAND BEFORE US FIRST?!”

The unicorn at the door, while trying to recover his ability to hear and feel feelings in his legs, also managed to bring out a notepad with a list on it. “Our first guest of this glorious day is from Ponyville. He appears to be the assistant to the Mayor of said town. His name is...” the guard squinted as he read the name. “Doctor Time Turner?”

At that moment the door the guard was standing in front of came ajar, and the head of a brown furred and darker brown manned earth pony appeared from behind it. “Just The Doctor, if you will. Not much on the name, but John Smith doesn’t sound very pony-like does it?”

The Day Guards blinked. “What? How did you...that door was locked! Get back and do not appear until you are called,” he practically shouted.

“Oh come on,” the deceptively ordinary looking pony said with a face wide grin, before stepping his way inside the Throne Room. “Why keep a Princess waiting for her gift?” It was now that everyone present noticed the blue cardboard box he was carrying on his back.

“A gift?” Princess Luna’s eyes lit up and ears spiking toward the ceiling.She quickly stifled her emotions with a cough. No reason to make herself look less than royal. “BRING THIS GIFT TO US, AND WE WILL ACCEPT IT WITH GRATITUDE IN OUR HEART!”

The Doctor smiled brightly and trotted toward her, as the Day Guards continued to try to get use to his Night Ruler’s rather lacking indoor voice.

Morningstar and Equinox both wondered silently why this strange earth pony was unaffected. It had taken them a few days at least to get use to Princess Luna’s Voice.

Time Turner, or The Doctor, approached the throne before setting the box gently at the bottom step, with both personal Night Guard glaring at him, ready to make a move, in case he did first. They were slightly curious when, in fact, he did not, and simply stepped back from the throne.

The Midnight Maiden wasted little time, barely containing her excitement. This would be her first gift from a modern day subject. Lifting the box with her magic, Luna brought the container to her, smiling brightly as she opened it...only to look more confused as she pulled out a small jar of orange syrup-like fluid from inside. “What is this?” she asked.

Morningstar, who had watched everything carefully, tilted his head in confusion. “It looks like a jar of-”

“Marmalade!” said Time Turner, grinning unnaturally wide. “Isn’t that fantastic?”

Luna stared at the jar, considering it. A food item. Not exactly traditional, but a gift was a gift. She was sure there was a modern expression that went with this situation, but she could hardly remember it at the moment. “WE ACCEPT THIS GIFT WHOLEHEARTEDLY! FETCH THE ROYAL CHEF SO THAT HE MAY PREPARE A MEAL WITH THIS CULINARY ITEM!”

Equinox, wordlessly, as always, saluted before trotting out of the room through the side entrance. Moments later, he returned, carrying on his back a plate with two slices of toast, bathed in the jelly.

The Princess, eager to taste her first gift, levitated the plate to her mouth, before taking a deep bite of the toast. It was then she remembered she had skipped breakfast. It did not take long for her to finish both slices. “THIS GIFT TASTES EXQUISITE! WE THANK THE, DOCTOR TIME TURNER, FOR THY THOUGHTFULNESS!”  she licked her lips, catching a bit that had stuck to her mouth.

“Just The Doctor, if you will, your Highness,” he reminded her. “You enjoyed it then?”

“VERILY.”

The Doctor’s eyes narrowed a bit. “You don’t feel...different? Lighter?” This got dark looks from every guard in the room.

The Princess seemed less worried about the possibility of poisons, and more irritated at the possibility of an insult. “DID THOU JUST CALL US OVERWEIGHT?!”

At that, the only earth pony in the room dipped his head down and rubbed his chin with a hoof. “Hmm, it must be something else. Maybe not sweet enough. Or maybe it’s not a jelly after all. Jello? No no they don’t even-”

All eyes were on the strange stallion as he turned and walked out of the Throne Room, muttering to himself. As he left, the Day Guard closed the doors with their magic. “My apologies, Princess,” said the Day Guard. “I shall screen your guests more thoroughly before-”

He was interrupted as the door behind him opened once more, The Doctor’s head sticking out again. “Terribly sorry to bother you again-”

“I keep locking that door how do you keep opening it?!”

“-but I’ll need that box back. It’s blue you see and I do love blue boxes.”

All eyes turned to the ordinary cardboard box still laying at the base of the throne. Luna nodded to the unicorn Day Guard, who sighed and gripped it in a magical field, before returning it to the strange earth pony’s hooves.

“Thanks very much then. Oh,” his eyes got wide, his face suddenly very serious. “And do remember: blue boxes are VERY important. Don’t forget!”

At that, the bizarre earth pony left the room.

***

It was a WEIRD start to say the least, but she had received what she thought was a very nice gift. It was good to see that not everyone feared or hated her. She could get use to that.

But that was only the beginning, a false promise. Other guests began to flood the Throne Room afterward. At first it was what most would consider “normal” for a court. Land disputes. Law disputes. Talk of tax reform. She could do such trivial things in her sleep.

And thanks to a certain bearded unicorn Archmage, she had done just that once.There was a reason she didn’t use that spell anymore.

Princess Luna rolled onto her back and stretched her wings out, letting some of the tension loosen form her form as she remembered days long past. Good days. However, those days were not today. And after that “boring” string of meetings, things had gotten out of control

It had started with her dear, sweet, contemptible little nephew.

***

“Prince Blueblood,” the Princess said through gritted teeth. She wanted to use the Voice on him, oh how she did, but he was a blood relative (several generations removed, but still) and it would be most uncouth to use something so formal on a family member, even in such official business. “As much as we understand your...predicament, we simply cannot accept your request.”

The Prince raised an eyebrow. “What?!” he shouted. “Aunt Luna-”

“Princess Luna, if thou will.” she interrupted him, finally able to work her jaw normally. “We are still in Court, Blueblood, so please act appropriately.”

“Humph,” the Prince groaned. “Auntie Celestia does not speak to me as such. She rather prefers me to call her such names.”

No Luna, stop that. The Queen of Dark Skies said to herself. Your teeth don’t deserve this treatment. It’s unfair. He is the one who deserves your ire! Are you sure he is related to you?

“Dear Nephew,” Luna choked, “We understand that the School for Gifted Unicorns obstructs your view of your friend’s estate, but we, once again, can not-”

“Friend?!” Prince Blueblood spat the word. “I would never call Stark Pose a friend of mine.”

The Starlight Sorceress let her eye twitch erratically. “You, you have complained since you came in that it obstructs your view of his estate. You two speak to each other every night at dinner, constantly talking of events and laughing with one another!”

“A facade, Auntie Luna. So that I may earn his trust before I strike my plan into motion. But for this plan to work I must monitor his estate each night. So, how long do you think it will take to have it done?”

“...”

Morningstar and Equinox, sensing danger, stepped a half foot away from what they considered the “Death Zone”.

“GET OUT!” the Mare of the Moon shouted, her eyes focused on the now trembling unicorn.. “NEVER BEFORE HAVE I FELT SO ASHAMED OF OUR OWN BLOOD! GET THE HENCE FROM THIS COURTROOM IMMEDIATELY BEFORE I HAVE YOU TOSSED FROM THE TALLEST TOWER!”

Prince Blueblood shrank before the wrath of his aunt, before the force of her Voice lifted him from his position in front of the throne. The Day Guard behind him, quickly opened the doors, so as they would not be damaged, as the young Prince was sent flying out of the room, landing in the hallways quite comically on his rump.

As the doors closed behind him, and all the remaining attendants looked at him in confusion, The Prince's eyes narrowed as dark thoughts filled his mind.

“Alright, dear Aunt Luna,” he hissed. “If that is the game you want to play...”

***

Luna did not want to say it was her dear nephew who was responsible for what transpired after that.

At least ,not without photographic evidence to support her case.

But it was quite the coincidence that, after Bluebood had left, things had only gotten worse. For that was when the questions started.

***

“Where’s Celestia?!”

“What have you done with her, you monster!?”

“We know you’re hiding her away, we heard it from one of your own guards!”

“We’ll never bow to a lunatic like you.”

An entire riot of ponies now stood in the throne room, clamoring and demanding answers.

OK, Luna, her internal voice spoke to her. You knew this was coming. Just do what your sister would do...What would Celestia do? She thought about it for a moment, trying to ignore the insults and accusations being slung at her, as the guards tried to prevent more physical violence from breaking out. She would probably say something calming and soothing, something mother would have said, and then explain the entire situation. Yes, that’s what she would do.”

“BE STILL!” the Night Princess howled, reminding herself once more that she was not her sister.

The call of such powerful authority and strength (and the force of the wind probably had a hoof in it too) silenced the entire room, allowing her to speak.

“CELESTIA IS TIRED!” she called out. “SHE HAS BECOME WEARY THESE LAST THOUSAND YEARS DUE TO THE TROUBLES THAT PONIES SUCH AS THOU KEEP THROWING AT HER HOOVES! AND YET SHE INSISTED THAT THIS VACATION WAS OF NO NECESSITY, BECAUSE SHE LOVES THE LOT OF YOU!”

Everyone in the room looked to one another, wondering the same thing: could it be true? Was Celestia, their perfect princess...tired?

“BUT SHE NEEDS THIS WEEK! SHE WILL NEVER ADMIT IT, BUT THIS TIME OFF IS NECESSARY FOR HER MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH! AND SELFLESSLY,” she lied, if only a little, “WE HAVE TAKEN THIS BURDEN FROM HER SHOULDERS AND PLACED IT ON OUR OWN! SO NO, WE HAVE NOT KIDNAPPED HER, YES SHE WILL RETURN SAFELY, AND THE DAY AND NIGHT CYCLE SHALL REMAIN AS IS AND HOW IT HAS BEEN FOR ONE THOUSAND YEARS!” The Starlight Sorceress breathed heavily, gathering her words. “So...” she spoke normally now, letting everyone in the room recover, herself included, “...If thou all has no other pressing matters for me to address...”

Morningstar and Equinox ducked for cover under the throne.

“GET! OUT!”

With that below, the room was suddenly very empty.

***

Outside, in the castle gardens, chuckling to himself as he sat under the shade of a tree, was Prince Blueblood. “That should let Auntie and her skinny thighs know who is truly important around here.” he said, before taking another sip of his grape juice.

***

Of course, after that, no one else had come to court for the rest of the day. “Great job, Luna,” she berated herself, “Once again you have the entire kingdom against you.” she wallowed for a few moments, briefly wondering what a pony was suppose to wallow in. She decided to skip that line of thinking.

“No problem,” she groaned to herself. “Only six days remain of this...charge. With all of Canterlot hating you now, perhaps nopony shall even show up for Court!” she banged her head against the extra soft pillow it rested on, hoping that, maybe, she could give herself enough of a concussion to let her forget about this day.

“Celestia,” she called to her sister, rubbing her head with her hooves to relieve some of the tension. “Please return early. I...I don’t know if I can do this.”

> Of Nightlights and Soundwaves - Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Of Night Lights and Sound Waves



By: Metal Squirrel Chaos



Part 1



It was rare for a mortal to directly witness a struggle between two divine beings.

“We will not! Thou cannot make us!”

“Yes I can! And yes you will!”

It was rarer still that such mortals would survive witnessing such a clash.

“We won’t...give in to your...tyrannical demands!”

“You will...do this...if it kills me!”

So for the Royal Night Guards Morningstar and Equinox, tonight had started out pretty well. What with them not being incinerated and all. They both agreed, silently, that they were probably just lucky the Princesses of Day and Night had decided on a shoving match instead of any actual show of godlike power.

“I’m not your slave, dear sister. I can...do what...I want!”

“Be that...as it may...you need this!”

Celestia and Luna pushed against one another as hard as their large, magically supercharged muscles would allow, horns glowing as they clashed against one another, sending off sparks and arching energy bolts. The two sisters, co-rulers, and arch rivals glared deep into her sister's eyes, seeing the soul of their sibling in their own reflection. To be anywhere near this clash of titans was to put yourself in the hooves of fate.

But in the end, age and size (and weight, but no pony without a death wish would say such out loud) won the night for Celestia.

With a hard shove of finality, the eldest sister pushed her younger sibling out of the giant doorway to Canterlot Castle, onto the large staircase that separated the city from its most distinctive feature.. The servants and nobles who were brave enough to watch the clash from a distance leaned in to listen in to this monumental, and dangerous, occasion.

Morningstar and Equinox both rushed to their princess’ aid, lifting her from the ground and allowing her to stand. Her eyes were flashing madly as she gazed at the Solar Sylph. “Celestia,” she hissed, “you have gone too far this time.”

“Perhaps, dear sister, I have finally gone far enough,” the Alabaster Alicorn refuted with no regret in her voice. “This can’t go on, Luna, and you know it.”

“Can’t go on?” The Midnight Maiden raised an eyebrow. “What can not go on? We have done nothing wrong.”

“That’s the problem, Luna,” Celestia sighed. “All you do every day is have dinner with me, attend Night Court, and then sit on that watchtower and gaze down at the ponies below. Do not think I miss the longing in your eyes.” She shook her head. “I thought after Nightmare Night you would be ready to actually go and walk amongst your subjects. Make friends!”

“Walk amongst them?” The younger frowned. “You speak as if you do so constantly.”

“I do, Luna.” the eldest retorted. “I walk amongst the people every day. It is an important part of my relationship to them, as well as a part of my mental well being.”

The Dark Princess stood for a moment, thinking her words over carefully. “You just...go out into Canterlot and talk to people?”

Celestia nodded. “I would recommend Doughnut Joe’s shack for when you get hungry.”

Luna scoffed. “Be all that as it may, we simply do not have the time, sister.” The alicorn of the Night walked back towards the castle entrance. “We have many important-” only to be met with a wall of invisible force. Reeling from the impact, Luna nursed her now sore muzzle. “Ow!”

“No you don’t, sister.” Celestia said from the other side of the unseen obstruction. “Your duties will be held until tomorrow.”

As Luna shook off the stun, she prepared to give her older sibling a death glare that would have turned a normal pony to stone, only to step back as Celestia began to rise into the air with powerful wing beats, her eyes shining brightly.

“Princess Luna!” the Queen of Blue Skies declared, “we hereby banish you for this one night from the Royal Castle, so that you may walk amongst your own people, during your own time, and MAKE SOME FRIENDS ALREADY!” Celestia bellowed the last words in the Royal Canterlot Voice, expressing the seriousness of her words.

There was a flash of light, and the ward around the castle became visible. A powerful anti-personnel shield, often used in restraining orders, that only targeted one individual pony.

“You can’t do this, sister!” the Starlight Sorceress hissed as she banged her hooves against the impenetrable field. It did not budge. Curses, she thought, she always was better with Ward spells!

“I just did,” Celestia let a playful grin spread on her face, before relaxing it to her more understanding, motherly facade. “Please Luna, just for one night. I’m sure your guards will be happy to show you Canterlot nightlife.”

Equinox looked to Morningstar, both ponies sharing the same look of nervousness about them. Neither guard wanted to be roped into this argument.

“Ugh!” Luna moaned as she withdrew. “Fine, we shall partake in the...Canterlot nightlife for this one night. But when it is over, Celestia, we are going to have a long talk that you will not enjoy.”

The Morning Mistress gave a nod. “I understand, sister.” Immediately, her muzzle spread into a wide grin. “Have a good time!”

***

“I cannot believe the indignity of all of this!” the Star Defender spat as the three of them walked, her two most trusted Guards following along, shooting one another knowing glances as the trio walked into the true city of Canterlot, just beyond the palace walls.

Both Night Guard ponies were now without their armor, feeling that two armed guards would make the populace a bit uneasy. However, Luna had insisted on them retaining their bat-like form, so both ponies now walked openly marked by the Night herself. Morningstar continued to enjoy the look.

“I mean to simply throw me from my own home,” Luna spat again. “For no reason other than I don’t get out enough. Who ever heard of such things?” I mean-”

The Night Princess stopped walking at the same time she stopped talking, something that caught both of her companions off guard.

“Something wrong, Luna?” Morningstar asked as he turned back, leathery wings flapping in a bit of agitation.

“No...I...” The Midnight Maiden stared outward ahead of her at the city as if seeing it for the first time.

All over were ponies, busily moving about even though the sun had long ago sank behind the mountain. Few seemed to notice the Princess just yet, most too wrapped up in some business or other.

“I didn’t know...” the stunned Ebony Alicorn watched a happy couple walk across the street, before disappearing into a convenience store. “I never knew...I sat on that tower watching and I didn’t think to look straight down...”

“Maybe you should have,” Equinox let slip, breaking his silence.

Morningstar silently cursed. Darn it Equinox, you couldn’t have kept your mouth shut for another half hour? Now I owe Shadowflame fifty bits.

“You are right, Equinox,” The Dark Lady spoke again, starring as two younger ponies, one colt and one filly, sneaked through a window while laying kisses against one another. “Much has changed in a thousand years.”

“It was probably the Night Lights,” Morningstar pointed out, hoof indicating the large white orbs that were suspended above the ground on long stone pols. They were set every twenty feet over the street, shining brightly to illuminate the road. “After they were invented, ponies could see even in the darkest nights, so nightlife became more of a thing. Far more reliable than your standard candles.”

Luna wondered, briefly, if her dear sister had anything to do with their invention. Though both sisters had great knowledge of magic, they had both agreed to let their dear little ponies figure out and invent most of the complex magics themselves. Still, Celestia was not above cheating if she thought it necessary, especially for the sake of others.

“Guards,” she suddenly called her companions. “Please direct us to the most...how did that expression go...happening place in town, if you would?”

“Well,” Morningstar thought for a moment, “there’s this club I like to go to after an especially long night.”

“No,” Equinox said.

“Oh come on,” the slightly younger guard frowned, “it’s not that bad of a place.”

“It’s no place for her,” the normally quiet guard spoke again, setting a new high record.

“Silence!” the Seamstress of Stars called. “We are intrigued, Morningstar. Take us to this place of relaxation.”

The guard in question grinned his fanged teeth wide at his partner, before taking a polite but unnecessary bow. “Just this way, my lady.”

With that (and a heavy sigh from Equinox) the three night walkers blended in, as much as they could, with the rest of the night crowd.

***

The doors of the Nightlight were slammed open, causing the entire building to quake a little more than it already was. To most ponies, this would have jarred them from their business of choice and had them staring toward its source, but for the crowd that had gathered, this was just another sound to the endless bass that shook the whole street.

Luna stepped into the club with all the royal dignity she could muster, followed by her two constant companions. All around her, she saw the ponies dancing to music that she had never experience before. Sharp pangs of impossible and electronic sound were mixed with hard, fast drum beats, a pounding rhythm that spoke with an emotion. What emotion it conveyed was up to the listener alone, but it’s intensity would not be ignored. It was made to be heard.

Princess Luna liked it.

At the west wing of the building was a bar, housing half a dozen current patrons in various states of inebriation. Some ponies were tipsy enough to tilt, while others had only begun to enjoy their night. The DJ booth was situated far in the back of the main room, protected by what Luna could identify as shatterproof glass. He or she would be quite protected, which struck the night princess as odd. Why would the conveyor of such music need protection? A squint at the booth told her nothing, for the glass was also tinted, and she could not see whoever was playing these sick beats.

The main attraction of the club was the dance floor. Sitting in the middle of the huge room, it contained dozens of patrons who had long ago reached the limit of their interest in self image preservation. They danced with abandon, slaves and yet masters to both the music and their own emotions. Well over twenty ponies were shaking their groove things to every blare of the bass.

Though the club itself was not what most ponies would call “high society”, it still radiated a sense of class about it. The deep blue shag carpet that surrounded the dance floor,and the multicolored lights flashing from one end of the spectrum to the next in a constant pattern defied their stereotypes and instead conveyed the feeling that this was a place for ponies who knew, with no question in their minds, what a good time was.

“Are you alright, princess?” said a voice that almost seemed far away. When she looked, Luna saw that it was the voice of Morningstar, a concerned expression masking him. “You seemed to zone out for a moment.”

“We-I am fine,” she corrected herself. “I am just...overwhelmed a bit.”

“What?” Morningstar nearly shouted, trying to convey over the drums as the beat and tempo began to speed up. “What did you say?”

“I said,” she spoke louder, “that I am fine and you needn’t worry.”

“What in a hurry?” he asked, again not hearing his normally quite loud Princess. The altered ears of both guards were twitching erratically. Bat hearing did not belong in loud nightclubs, that was for sure.

The Matriarch of Night growled, not use to being misheard. She took a breath and raised her voice.

“WE SAID WE ARE QUITE ENJOYING OURSELVES!”

The Royal Canterlot Voice echoed through the club like a thunderbolt. It was only as it radiated through the building that Princess Luna noticed she had, for only a moment, completely drowned out the music.

Suddenly, the active machine that was the Nightlight came to a screeching halt. Ponies ceased dancing, and the music came to a stop with a loud scratch, as everyone turned their head toward the entrance. Many jaws hit the floor as ponies beheld their Starlight Sorceress.

Luna herself winched as the entire crowd turned to face her, most of their expressions marked in confusion, while others were marked with fear. Even the most inebriated of ponies was glancing at her, aware completely of the gravity of the situation.

“We should go,” spoke Equinox by Luna’s side, both him and Morningstar now hunched down in a defensive stance.

“Who dares?” came a voice. It came from everywhere, as the music had before, shaking the room with it’s own intensity, though the speaker had obviously not yelled the words. “Who dares drown out my sound with her own?”

The Queen of the Moon blinked in confusion. Had she just been...challenged? “Who dares speak to your princess in such a manner?” she shot back at the faceless entity of sound.

At that moment, there was the sound of magic, and then the sound of grating as some hidden machinery came to life. All eyes turned to the back of the club, to the DJ booth, as the tinted glass began to rise, revealing the booth itself. For a moment, Luna saw a pair of red dots staring at her. But as the glass rose, the red dots were revealed to instead be a pair of dark violet shaded glasses, hiding the eyes of their current owner and wearer.

Said wearer, and obviously the DJ of the club, was a white unicorn whose mane was striped with two colors of electrical blue, and kept in a fizzled style that showed off her wild side. Her mark was hidden from view for the moment, but it was obvious to any who saw her what this mare’s talent was.

“So,” the unicorn spoke after a few moments, letting the glass ascend fully, “you want to drown me out then? Think you can make louder sound than me? Prove you can bring the noise and we’ll see.”

Luna glared at this young upstart. She did not like being challenged. “As the youth of this generation say, bring it on.”

The DJ grinned ear to ear. Though Luna could not see her eyes, she could feel their expression. Confidence. “I think I may like you, Princess. Let’s see if you can bring the thunder as well as DJ-Pon3 can.” With that, the strange mare magically began to work at the huge magical machine she was sitting in front of. “I’ll start you off with something more your speed,” she snickered. With a single flip of a switch, the speakers burst to life.

What came from them was not the usual powerful beats that had come before, but a steady string of soft music. The patrons of the club began to moan and mutter amongst themselves as the music spread, slowly gaining momentum. This was not the music they had come to dance to. However, before any of them could think to leave the club in a huff, a new sound joined the music from the speakers, harmonized perfectly. All heads turned toward the source, and were collectively stunned still and silent at what they were witnessing.

Princess Luna was singing.

> Of Nightlights and Soundwaves - Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Of Night Lights and Sound Waves - Part 2



By: Metal Squirrel Chaos





The club was silent. The rough yet haunting music had ceased. All of the club patrons had stopped moving (a few had even stopped breathing) after the song had come to it’s conclusion. None of them had ever witnessed anything like what had just occurred.

Even when DJ-Pon3 had turned up the heat by changing the entire style of the song, the Midnight Maiden had adapted to fit her powerful voice right into it. The two had mixed, reaching a form of harmony the patrons of the Nightlight had never imagined possible.

For the Princess in question, her own silence was because she was too busy catching her breath. The Starlight Seamstress’ chest rose and fell rapidly as she sought to regain her necessary oxygen intake. Even a goddess of night could run out of breath.

“So?” she huffed, grinning wide at the awestruck patrons surrounding her, “How many points do I receive?”

Luna’s voice shattered the silence, and in a giant uproar the crowd cheered wildly. Their chorus of voiced howled in applause. Every hoof in the club was joined in unison in congratulating their Nightbringer in her performance. Even her own royal guard, Equinox and Morningstar, could not help but cheer in triumph.

Princess Luna blinked. “You...liked it then?” she asked, a wide smile crossing over her face.

“Of course they did,” sneered another voice, the room coming quiet again as the Queen of Sound spoke up again through her loudspeaker. “That was more than impressive, Princess, if a bit old school for my normal taste.” Her constant, impossibly wide grin shone even in the dimmed lights of the club. “Come on back stage, and we’ll discuss who won.”

With that, the DJ raised her hoof to the crowd. “Colts and FIllies, it’s been a heck of a night, but this DJ is o-u-t out!”

There was a nearly unanimous moaning from all attendants, but their dismay was dismissed with another wave.

“Hey, hey, don’t be like that.” The Mistress of Music grinned even wider, somehow. “I’ll put this machine on shuffle for you guys. Now before I go, I say we give a shout out to the Princess who made this night possible, in more ways than one. Let’s hear it for Princess Luna!”

There was an uproar of approval, all of the ponies turning to the younger of two rulers, and giving her the applause they felt she deserved.

The Moonlight Defender was stunned to silence, a rare feat in itself. When her voice was found, Luna smiled wide, trying to hide the single tear that went down the side of her face. “Thank you, thank you all. May you have a fantastic night!”

With that, the DJ booth shield began to lower again, as once more a blaring sound emulated from the speakers surrounding the room. The DJ was gone, but the music played on.

***

“Wow,” the white and blue mare spoke as she slid her own forearm across her horned forehead, “I haven’t felt energy like that in a while.”

“Are. You. INSANE?!” screamed the other, darker coated mare in the stairwell as both descended the stairs from the DJ booth to the backstage area. “That was the Princess of the Night! That was Luna! You can’t just challenge a Princess like that.” The grey earth pony  shoved the DJ in her side. “That was incredibly reckless, even for you.”

“Oh come on, Octy,” the Queen of Beats kept her grin going full force, “you know as well as I did that she enjoyed it. She looked like she needed a bit of fun...I’m just surprised it was that easy to get her to play along. Also, that she can sing like that.”

Octavia Philharmonica, also known as Octy or Tavi depending on Vinyl’s mood, facehoofed a bit harder than intended. She once again tried to figure out how she, one of Canterlot’s most prestigious and celebrated cellists, had somehow found herself in a rif-raf nightclub such as this. She had long given up trying to figure out how she became best friends with an insane DJ with a habit for power tripping. “You will be the death of me, I swear to Celestia.”

“It’ll be fine. We’ll meet Princesses. It’ll work out great,” Vinyl’s ever present confidence did not even waver at her best friend’s less than optimistic view of the situation. “Look, it’s simple. I’m going to ask Luna to hang out with us.”

Octavia’s eyes widened as she looked back up. “First of, Vinyl dear, it’s Princess Luna. Second off, what are you thinking!?” she only barely avoided shouting, which did not mix with her normal soft and smooth voice. “She’s the Princess of Night. Have you ever heard the stories of her?”

“Yeah,” Scratch chuckled. “That’s why I’m doing it. I want to see if she’s as wild as they say.”

“They don’t use the word ‘wild’, Vinyl,” Octavia pointed out. “They use the words ‘dangerous, unpredictable, and incredibly scary’, but not ‘wild’.”

“You can be a real stick in the mud, Octy,” The DJ Dinamo chuckled with a poke to her fellow musician’s side. “Trust me, this’ll be awesome.”

“That’s what you said about the Hoofington fiasco,” the cello player shot back. “Did you ever finish paying that chiropractor off?”

The answer never came, for at that moment the backstage doors shot open, and the Dream Walker entered. “We have come, DJ Pon3, to claim our victory!”

“Haha,” Vinyl laughed. “I can't say I wasn't put-”

“Can say you were,” Octavia interjected. She grinned as her contrast glared at her from behind the shades. “That was a double negative. Do try to use proper grammar in front of our most esteemed guest.”

Luna, followed by her two guards, walked deeper into the club’s less party centric side, leaving the noise of the ever pounding nightclub behind them as the door shut. “Who is this young mare?”

Vinyl Scratch tore herself from the intense scow she shot her companion to smile at the Princess. “This? This here is Octavia Philharmonic, the famous cellist, as she is so eager to remind me.” The DJ flashed her friend a grin at her quib. “She’s my ma-”

“Friend!” the Gray Lady shouted loudly as she stuck a hoof in her contrast’s mouth. “Best friend. Who is a mare. We are the very best of friends, your highness.”

Behind their ruling diarch, Equinox and Morningstar shared a communicative glance between each other.

“Please,” The Starlight Sorceress smiled and dismissed with a hoof wave,” call us Luna. Though has earned it after dropping such sick beats upon us, as your generation seems to say.”

Spitting Octavia’s hoof out of her mouth, Scratch spoke up again. “Luna, I was wondering if you’d like to hang with us tonight? You know, cruise around the city, hit up some nice places, just have fun?”

The Princess gasped, before a huge, beaming smile spread over her face. “Really? Does thou...I mean, do you truly desire ou-my company?”

“Heck yeah” The White Wubmancer yelled. “ I've never gotten to hang with a real princess before. This will be awesome.”

“Then lead on, DJ Pon3,” The Night Whisperer announced. “You seem to be the most, um, happening pony here, so you shall lead us.”

“No problem,” Scratch said, “But two things. First off, the name is Vinyl Scratch. DJ Pon3 is just my stage name, and when I’m off of it, call me Vinyl. Or Scratch. Second, we’re going to work on your lingo as we walk, kay?”

“Exuberantly,” Luna bounced in place a moment. “Where shall we go first?”

“I would suggest an eatery,” Octavia chimed in. “Somewhere sophisticated, as befitting-”

It was Vinyl’s chance to interrupt Octavia for once. “Nah Tavi, nothing like that. Let’s just go to Donut Joe’s place. He has the best cream filled in Canterlot.”

“Donut Joes?” Octavia sighed. “Really?”

“I have heard that his establishment is quite excellent,” Luna chimed in. “Lead on then, for we are famished.”

“Princess,” came a voice from behind the three newly acquainted ponies. They looked back to see Morningstar raising his hoof for attention. “Sorry to interupt but, may we speak to these two before we go? In private?”

“Of what?” the Dream Defender raised an eyebrow.

“Just some personal things,” Equinox chimed.

“Hm,” Luna though for a moment, before shrugging. “If you wish. We have to use the little Princess’ room anyway.” She turned toward Scratch again. “Directions?”

Vinyl pointed down the hall and nudged her hoof leftward twice.

“We shall return then.” Luna quickly trotted down the hall to her destination. As she did, the two Night Guard approached their guides for the evening.

“Forgive us for questioning such a private matter,” Morningstar started, “but, are you two...you know...”

“Dating for the last few years yes,” Octavia said, straightening her hair. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Yeah, what’ gives?” Vinyl glared through her glasses. “That sort of thing’s been acceptable in society for centuries, hasn’t it?”

“Yes, but...” Morningstar thought for a moment. “Princess Luna is...older than centuries, if you catch my meaning. She was from a time before such a thing was as socially acceptable.”

“No offence,” Equinox noted. “We don’t want to freak her out.”

Both mares of music looked at one another. Octavia nodded, “I thought as such.”

“Sorry,” Morningstar said. “Just...try and keep it subtle?”

“That may be a bit difficult,” Octavia noted, glaring at her partner, who was currently trying to mine for precious minerals in her own ear. “But we shall persist for our royal guest.”

“Yeah,” Scratch agreed. “No problem bro. We’ll be real quiet about it.”

“Good,” Equinox smiled.

“Yeah, now let’s go pick up Her Majesty before anything-”

“CONFOUNDED CONTRAPTION! YOU SHALL NOT HALT OUR PROGRESS THIS NIGHT!”

“...happens.”

        ***

One rescue mission and toilet related near disaster later, the five ponies were on their way, walking through the streets of Canterlot.

“So mom tells me ‘Fraulein, your hair, what have you done to it?’” Vinyl told her story with an outstretched hoof and a perfect Germane accent, “and of course I’m all panicked because I’m a little foal and my mom looks like she’s ready to stomp my flank and-.”

Princess Luna half listened, stretching her consciousness around her to observe the expansive city. She could not help but marvel at the ponies who now all walked the streets far after their precious sun had set. Several had even waved to her, greeting her with sincere courtesy and grace. A bright smile spread over her dark lips.

“I still have yet to meet your parents. Your mother sounds so foreign, if you’ll forgive me for saying so,” Octavia said, finally breaking Scratch’s long streak of words, as well as Luna’s trance.

“Well it’s not something I talk about a bunch,” Scratch turned red behind her bright smile.

“You two have known each other a long time, then?” The Dream Weaver interrupted, curious about her current escorts.
“Why yes,” the only earth pony amongst the group spoke. “We met in college.

“Long story short,” She Who Brings the Beat interrupted, “we didn’t care for each other when we first met. Too different musical and personal tastes, ya see, but we were sort of forced to hang around one another due to seating arrangements. Also our teacher was a know it all jerk. Anyway, we talked to each other more and more, and eventually we became the best of friends..”

“Yes, Scratch, thank you for the abridged version,” Octavia glared. “But she is correct. It seems opposites do truly attract, as our professor predicted.”

“Indeed,” Luna beamed. “It does my heart well to see such a pair.” She looked between the two, still smiling, when suddenly she started to stare at Octavia. “Hmm...”

The cellist shied away slightly. “Is there something wrong, Princess.”

The alicorn of the group tapped her chin with a hoof. “I feel as if I have seen you somewhere before, within the last year or so.”

“Oh, yes, well...” the grey mare blushed pink as she scratched her dark mane with a hoof. “We have met, though only briefly. It was just before last year’s Grand Galloping Gala.”

“Ah yes,” the Night Bringer exclaimed. “You were among the troupe of  musicians that my sister hoof picked to play during the ceremony.”

“I was,” Octavia sighed. “I wish to once again extend my apologies for-”

“Say no more,” Luna raised a hoof. “We neither attended the event, so no apology is needed for us personally, nor do we really mind the incident, from Celestia’s telling.”

“Why weren’t you there, anyway?” Scratch interjected.

“Oh,” Luna looked stunned by the question. “Well, the Grand Galloping Gala, despite it’s reputation, is not nearly as fun as one would think. It consists mostly of a gathering of nobles and upper class ponies who play out grand wars with snide comments and hurtful acersions. I simply did not feel like dealing with such things that night. Apparently not everything changes in a thousand years time, politics least of all.”

Scratch tilted her head, staring right into Luna’s eyes. The Bringer of Starlight found it odd that a normal unicorn’s gaze would carry so much weight.

“Oh?” Octavia broke the silence. “You truly despise the Gala so much?”

“Well,” Luna began,” not truly, but we-OH we have arrived!” she suddenly shouted and pointed with her hoof.

Before the five pony's eyes was Donut Joe’s shop, easily identified by it’s huge donut shaped sign hanging above it.

“Awesome,” Scratch bounced in place. “Let’s eat. What are you thinking, Tavi? Filling, glazed, topped, give me a clue?”

“Calm down,” Octavia pushed her blue manned companion back to the ground. “We will decide when we look at the menu.”

With growling bellies, the five hungry ponies entered the delicious smelling buililding ready to sate their cravings for sweets. Not a one of them saw as a brown earth pony poked his head out from behind the side of the building, watching them enter.

“Maybe teriyaki sauce? No no, what am I thinking?" He gave a gentle sigh. "I really am getting old.”

With that, the strange stallion disappeared into the alley once more.