Original Versions

     Forty-three hours and nineteen minutes. That was how long had passed since The Idea wormed its way into her head. That was how long had passed since the last time she’d slept.

     Twilight fought back a yawn while her quill scritched across the half-full page in front of her. Twenty-two more lay nearby, covered in her thin, quick scrawl. Twenty-two and a half pages, of words that nopony could ever be allowed to see.

     Forty-three hours and nineteen minutes. Twenty-two and a half pages. About two ponies. And one desperately humiliating Idea.

     Counting helped her stay awake.

     “C’mon, Twilight. Turn out the lights and come to bed already.” Spike’s restless voice echoed down from the library’s second floor. “Whatever’s got you so upset, it’s nothing a little sleep can’t fix.”

     Twilight gave a bitter laugh. Sleep? That was the worst thing she could do. The absolute worst. Under no circumstances could she let herself sleep.

     If she fell asleep, even for a few minutes... Twilight shuddered. She couldn’t take the chance. Not until she was done writing, anyway. Not until The Idea was out of her system, out of her mind. She couldn’t risk dreaming about it.

     She couldn’t take the chance that Luna might see it.

Luna bent forward, touching her horn to mine and kissing me with all the passion of a warm summer night. Her scent, like blooming lilacs, filled and surrounded me.

“Oh Princess,” I moaned, my eyes rolling back in ecstasy. “Ohhh, Luna...”

A rustling sound, as the sheets moved and she maneuvered atop me. The light of the moon cascaded through her starry mane as she began to knock on the door.

     Twilight stared down at the page. What?

     Again, somepony knocked on the library’s door. Spike grumbled something unintelligible.

Who in Equestria wants to talk to me at this time of night, Twilight wondered. She stood and made her way to the entrance, bumping against her work table as she went. It took a few seconds of bleary-eyed fumbling before she could open the door to the library.

     “Twilight! You look absolutely dreadful!” Rarity marched inside, a scarf around her neck and a pot of delicious-smelling coffee floating in the air behind her.

     “Rarity, why’re you... izzat coffee?”

     “Of course it is, darling. You could hardly expect your dear friend Rarity to leave you in such an obvious state of distress without offering her assistance, now could you?” The white unicorn levitated a pair of mugs out of one of the cabinets and trotted to the table where Twilight had been writing.

     The sound of footfalls on the library steps announced Spike’s arrival. “What’re you doing here, Rarity? It’s the middle of the night.” The baby dragon’s jaw creaked as his mouth opened in a monstrous yawn.

     “I can’t rightly say that I know,” Rarity said as she poured out two cups of steaming coffee. “But when I saw Twilight shopping for new quills this morning, it was obvious from the state of her hair that she didn’t sleep last night. And then she never appeared for our appointment at the spa this afternoon! How could anypony miss a chance at a hooficure, unless something truly dire was at stake?”

     Twilight rubbed a hoof against her temple. Had she really forgotten to meet Rarity? Well, maybe. “I... Um... I’m sorry, Rarity? But, uh, thank you for the coffee, and why don’t you head home and get some sleep.”

     “Oh, nonsense, darling. I’m here to help!” A mug of the aromatic brew floated toward Twilight. She snagged it from the air and took a grateful sip, feeling some much-needed warmth and energy flowing into her. Rarity patted a seat at the table and motioned for Twilight to join her. “Now, why don’t you tell me what’s troubling you, dear?”

     Instinctively, Twilight’s eyes went to the pages of text sitting on the table a few feet from Rarity. She regretted the reaction almost immediately.

     Rarity, always with a keen observer’s eye, noticed the look Twilight gave the sheets of parchment. “Mmm. Something to do with these, then?” She reached out with one hoof to pull the pages closer.

     “No! I mean...” Panic-stricken, Twilight’s horn flared to life and the pages levitated away from Rarity. To somewhere safe. Like the high shelf above the fireplace that Spike couldn’t reach. “I mean, those don’t have anything to do with it. Actually, there’s no problem at all!” Twilight laughed nervously.

     “That’s not true, Twilight. You haven’t slept in two days now.” Spike plopped himself down beside Rarity, stuffing one claw over his mouth to cover another yawn. “And I haven’t seen you write this much since that time you tried to convince Princess Celestia to make the life of Star Swirl the Bearded a required part of the third-grade curriculum for all colts and fillies.”

     Rarity sipped at her coffee. “Star Swirl the who, dear?”

     Twilight had to finish the story. She had to finish. She took a long swallow from her own mug, burning her mouth – but by Celestia, the pain would help keep her awake! “It’s nothing. I promise. Now why don’t you go back to bed, Spike, and I’ll see Rarity out.”

     “Nah, I wanna hear what’s got you in such a tizzy. Not like I’m gonna get much sleep with you scratching away down here all night, anyway.”

     “Spike...” Twilight growled. “How would you like it if I told Rarity about the picture you keep under your pillow?”

     Rarity blinked. “Twilight? You don’t sound well. Why ever would I care about—”

     But Spike was already on his feet, as solicitous a host as ever, thanking Rarity for her kindness and consideration and ushering her toward the library door.

     “Wait, but what about Twilight? She’s distressed! She needs me! Spikey, why are you—”

     “—was so nice that you came to visit us, Rarity. You’re such a wonderful friend. But you should really be getting home, don’t you think? It’s late, and you need your beauty sleep. I mean, what would other ponies say if they saw the bags under your eyes? We’re your friends, so we don’t care, but...”

     “Bags!? Under my eyes!?” Rarity gave a plaintive shriek and hurried out the door. “Why... Of course. Thank you, Spike. Twilight, we can talk about this tomorrow, can’t we?”

     Spike closed the door on Rarity without waiting for Twilight to respond. “That wasn't fair, Twilight. You know how I... I mean, nopony threatens a dragon like that.” He glared at her, looking distinctly hurt.

     Twilight sighed. “I’m sorry, Spike. I really am. But you don’t understand – I need to finish this.” She levitated the pages back down from the shelf where she’d hidden them and re-inked her quill.

     “Are you almost done, at least? You really do need to get some sleep, Twilight.”

     “I’m close, I think. But... Please, Spike. Can you please just go back to bed and let me try to get this stupid story out of my head?”

     “I guess... but if your writing keeps waking me up again, you’re gonna be on your own for Re-shelving Day tomorrow.” Grumbling, Spike climbed back up the stairs.

     Her writing had kept him up last night? That didn't make any sense. “I promise, Spike. I’ll try to finish as quick as I can.” A magenta glow enfolded Twilight’s horn, and her quill returned to the half-full page before her. She fought back a yawn and took up where she’d left off.

The light of the moon cascaded through her starry mane as she began to knock on the door. caress my hide, her hooves playing gracefully over my sensitive skin.

I reached up and tried to pull her mouth down to mine once more – I was greedy for the sweet taste of her lips, for the warmth of her tongue teasing against my own – but Luna only laughed, nipping playfully at the skin above my hoof. “Hast thou not yet had enough of kissing, Twilight? The night was made for finer things than this. I, of all ponies, should know.”

“But I’ve never... I mean, sometimes with myself maybe... but...” A shudder exploded through my body as Luna did something creative. “I mean... Ooohhhh... Wh-what if Princess Celestia found out, or—”

“My sister knows well of my feelings for thee, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna giggled, leaning forward to kiss me again. Something else moved as well, and I found myself mewling into her teasing lips.

     Oh Celestia, the coffee wasn’t helping. Not enough anyway. Twilight looked up from the page to find her mug empty. She felt warmth suffusing her, like a rising tide, and her face was red and flushed. Had the coffee really been hot enough to cause that sort of a physiological reaction?

     It must have been. What else could explain how Twilight’s body felt?

     She blinked heavy eyelids and sucked in a rattling breath, turning back to the page.

Something else moved as well, and I found myself mewling into her teasing lips.

“Truly, thy beauty shines best when thou art so... flustered.” Luna caressed my mane even as she tortured my body with her slow gyrations.

“Please, Luna,” I moaned. “Just get this over with. I need to sleep, and I can’t sleep until you’re out of my head. Or you’ll... umm... be in my head.”

“You’re losing the thread of the story, aren’t you?” Luna frowned down at me. “You know what that means.”

     Twilight moaned softly, her eyelids fluttering. Why was it so hard to stay awake? She just needed to make Luna... make Luna...

     “Oh, damn it, just take me already! I can’t deal with this!”

     “Twilight? Why am I in thy bed? And what art thou—”

     Desperate, Twilight pulled Luna close and forced their lips together once more. The princess seemed to resist for a moment, but her reticence wavered and soon she was returning the passion in Twilight’s kiss.

     “Luna, please! Whatever it is you’re going to do, just do it!” Tears of shame and lust watered Twilight’s eyes. “You have to help me get to sleep!”

     Luna grinned, and the bright glow of the moon put a mischievous light in her eyes. “Thou art already asleep, Twilight. But if that is thy desire...”

     “No,” she whispered. Mounting horror crept over her, and Twilight’s eyes grew more and more panicked. “No... I tried so hard... You weren’t supposed to find out...” A sob shook her body, and the tears began rolling down her face.

     “But I like finding out!”

     Despite being out like a light, Twilight gasped as if an unexpected wave of pleasure had just flooded through her. The table rattled, knocked about by her unconscious twitching.

     Groaning, Spike grabbed an extra pillow and shoved it down over his head.