Trains.

I've always been fascinated by locomotives. Something larger and more powerful than I could ever be going places I would never see and going faster than I ever would. To me, they were the example of what I would never be and that was what made them so incredible.

This would be my first trip by train. The first and; possibly only chance to witness that power and majesty first-hand. I was dancing excitedly while we waited on the platform.

“Midnight, do calm down.” Octavia urged.

“I-I can't. I'm going on a trip. By train. To Canterlot. To see Princess Luna. How can you not be excited?”

“It's not that amazing.” Octavia countered. “Trains are noisy and smelly. Canterlot is crowded and dangerous.”

“Let the filly have her fun, Tavi.” Vinyl came to my aid. “She's spent her entire life cooped up in that house, only allowed to come out after dark and, even then, only able to wander the same streets she's wandered for years. I can't blame her if she's excited at the chance to see what's beyond Ponyville. Remember how excited you were at the chance to leave Trottingham? Sweet Celestia, I thought you'd never shut up.”

Octavia blushed and looked away. “Humm, well..yes, but...” she trailed off.

“Thought so.”

Impatience pushing through, I trotted to the edge of the platform and stared down the line. “Where is it?”

“Midnight, we have half an hour until the train is scheduled to stop.”

I felt my ears fold back. “Half an hour?”

“Yes, and we wouldn't if you hadn't insisted on leaving immediately after the sun went down.”

“Tavi,” Vinyl warned

“I'm just saying.”

I ignored the two as they started arguing again and began to plan what I would say to Luna. I had to be very careful if I was even to get in to see her. The guards wouldn't know me and she wouldn't be expecting me to come after her.

And what of Vinyl and Octavia? I couldn't, in good conscience, leave them behind. They were my friends and I needed them if something went wrong and we were unable to make it back to Ponyville before sunrise.

“What the-?”

“Who?”

The surprised cries behind me broke my attention and I turned to see what had startled my friends. I followed their gazes to the sky and saw a pair of pegasi, clad in golden armor, pulling a golden chariot. The pegasi circled once before landing on the train platform.

One turned to me. “Midnight Snow?”

I swallowed and nodded.

“Princess Celestia commands you to attend her immediately. You are to come with us.”

“Princess...Celestia...wants to see....me?”

“Midnight?”

Vinyl and Tavi were watching me with concern.

I nodded to them. “Apparently, Celestia...er...Princess Celestia wants to see me so, I'm gonna go with these guys. Go back to the house and wait for me there.”

“But, what if you get stuck there after dawn?” Tavi objected.

I tried to give her a confident smile. “I'll be okay.”

With no small about of trepidation, I climbed aboard the waiting chariot and, without warning, we launched into the sky.

x----x

If you had been told me, years ago, that I was going to be traveling to Canterlot on one of the Princess' personal chariots at the summons of Princess Celestia herself, I would have asked who let you out in public unsupervised.

Yet, here I was, flying over the captiol city. The Pegasi banked, aiming for a landing strip near the doors. The descent was as fast as the launch and I instinctively gripped the edge of the chariot in an effort to keep from flying out.

As the Pegasi landed, a well-dressed unicorn came to meet us. “Miss Snow, if you would follow me please.”

I hopped out of the chariot, privately swearing to never climb into one again. I'd much rather spend a month on the sun.

Which, given the reputation the Princess had in dealing with ponies who displeased her, was a very real possibility.

“What's this about?” I asked my unicorn guide.

“The nature of your summons has not be divulged to me. I am merely here to bring you to the Princess. She is a busy pony so we mustn't dawdle.”

As we crossed the courtyard and entered the doors, I suddenly remembered something that would present a problem. “Er...Sir? I have a condition that limits my exposure to light.”

He sniffed. “The Princess is well aware of your condition, Miss Snow. You are permitted to wear your headgear for the duration of your audience with her.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and pulled my hood as far as it would go as he opened the doors to a well-lit corridor.

Through miles of hallway, I followed him, working to keep as much of the light off of me as possible. I wondered, briefly, if he would entertain the idea of turning off the lights for me, but I immediately banished the ridiculous thought. It was likely they wouldn't for fear of me wandering off and causing trouble.

We came to a pair of massive oak doors. He hesitated before opening it. “If you are unaware of how to conduct yourself before the Princess, know that you are not to speak unless spoken to. Bow before speaking and before leaving. Address her by title only and speak clearly.”

I nodded, my stomach knotting. “Yes, sir.”

He opened the door and proudly marched in. “Midnight Snow has arrived, Your Majesty,” he announced.

“Thank you, Propriety. Send her in and be dismissed.”

Cautiously, I entered the throne room, my hooves sinking into the plush red carpet. Surrounding me was snow-white marble and rich tapestries and vibrant stained-glass windows depicting heroes of the realm.

And the Princess, sitting atop her golden throne, watched me neutrally. I had seen pictures of her and been told of her grace and beauty, but neither of those had any affect on me.

The first thing, the only thing, I noticed was that she was feathering huge.

My weakened knees finally gave and I dropped into a sloppy bow.

“Rise, Midnight Snow.”

Who knew that I weighed so much. It took all of my strength to rise to my hooves and remain there. She rose from her throne and came to me. I had always thought I was an average-sized pony, but, compared to her, I was tiny.

She gave me a calm smile. “Come with me.”

She opened a nearby door and disappeared through it with me tottering along behind her.

The door led through to a small private dining room. Celestia sat down at the head of the intimate table and gestured for me to sit opposite to her.

“My sister and I use this room for more informal meals.” She explained as a servant set a silver tray with a silver coffee set before her. “How do you take your coffee?”

My brain was still trying to process what was occurring. I was in a private dining room with the ruler of feathering Equestria when I fully expected to be turned into little more than a pile of ash.

“Inna...cup?” I offered.

She grinned. “Bold choice. I can see why my sister has taken such a shine to you.”

My jaw fell. Luna had told Celestia about our relationship? That meant that my hostess had been told about last night.

“Let us speak with candor, shall we,” Celestia said. “I thank you for your attempts to bring Luna out of her shell. Adjusting to modern society after her exile has been...difficult. Everypony from her past, save me, is gone. All that she knew is no more. Everything is different and that terrifies her. Not to mention her own past. Nopony trusts her enough to even give her the time of day.” Celestia stared down at the table for a moment. “It pains me so to see her suffer like this.”

“Your Majesty, about last night...”

She held up a hoof to forestall my explanation. “I want to thank you for you efforts. These past few days have been the happiest since her return. Thank you for showing her trust and earning hers in return.”

“Ma'am, my friends are terribly sorry for how they treated her and, with your permission, we'd like the chance to make it up to her.”

Celestia smiled. “It's not my permission you need, Midnight Snow.”

“Sister, you wanted to see me?”

I turned as Luna entered the room. Spotting me, she froze.

“Luna, please join us and have some coffee. Midnight and I are having an excellent conversation.”

Slowly, Luna approached the table, not taking her eyes off of me. “What are you doing here?”

“I needed to speak with you,” I replied.

“Midnight has come at great personal risk.”

“Personal risk?”

I cleared my throat. “I have a condition called Xeroderma Pigmentosa. Light of any sort is very dangerous, especially sunlight. In about ten years, maybe twenty, I'm going to die. My home is the only refuge I have, which is why I can't wander far from it.”

Luna almost looked sick. “Why did you come then? If it's so dangerous, you could have sent a letter.”

“What I have to say can't be said in a letter.” I stood up and stepped up to her. “My friends and I are terribly sorry for what happened the other night. What we did was wrong. They were wrong for how they acted, but I was wrong for not warning them.

“We would like the chance to make up for that mistake. If you'll allow it.”

Luna sighed and paced a moment, wandering to a corner of the room to sit by herself. “What your friends said hurt, Midnight. It hurt more than anything. I am well aware of what I became a thousand years ago. Never once have I held my banishment against my sister. I deserved to be banished and I deserve a great deal more for my transgressions.

“Do you know what attracted me to you?”

I shook my head.

“Before, I had been treated as royalty. After, I was treated as a monster. That is all it has ever been, royalty or monster. All I have ever wanted was to be treated as I truly am, as a pony. I don't know how it happened. You were either ignorant or apathetic of my status and past. Either way, you fulfilled that wish. You spoke of me not as Princess, or as Nightmare, but as Luna. As your friend. As your friend, I am indebted to you for what you have given me, but I cannot forgive your friends for their words.”

“And why not,” Celestia asked.

We both turned to her.

“Just as her friends hurt you with their words, you hurt me, and so many others, with your actions. The lives lost, the property destroyed, as you rampaged unchecked. I had hoped that you would come to your senses, but my hoof was forced. Despite all of this, you were forgiven. You were contrite and wished to atone for your sins.

“Midnight and her friends, like you, wish to fix their mistake and, like you, they deserve a second chance.”

Author's Note

Sorry about the wait. This chapter was an unholy pain to write.