Moonlit Sparkles

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 6
Chapter 5

Chapter 1

Author's Note: This story was written long before Season 2, Episode 4 where Luna received her canon personality. Drop what you know about her from that episode. Thank you and enjoy!

Moonlit Sparkles

By Mazzyrazzy

"You're going WHERE?!"

The earsplitting cry startled the birds that rested atop Twilight Sparkle's library home. Panicking, the birds rushed into the sky to find a safer place to perch.

Twilight was using her magic to pack several books and supplies into a few different bags. The books themselves covered a variety of topics, but she only packed the necessities, knowing she wouldn't need her entire library on her trip to Canterlot. The warm glow of the sun draped appealingly across the room, blanketing every surface. Certainly there was no better time to travel; the springtime aura penetrated everything, from the simplest plant to the most complex animal species. Life itself just seemed so vibrant, and Twilight was eager to return to her birth city. While continuing to pack, Twilight turned to face her little assistant.

"Spike, I told you last week that I had to go to Canterlot for a few days. Why weren't you listening then?"

Spike was mortified. "Nonono! I know for a fact that if you mentioned you were leaving, I would remember!"

"You need to calm down Spike; you'll see me again before you know it! And besides; I distinctly remember telling you a few days ago when we were gem hunting with Rarity."

"Ahhh… Rarity…" Spike sighed, his eyelids drooped as his eyes went blank; Twilight knew instantly why Spike had no recollection of her story. Twilight couldn't help but giggle, and used the opportunity to pack the final load of her books. While Spike was still in dreamland, she used magic to bring the few bags she had down towards the door. The carriage that would take her to Canterlot would be arriving any minute.

She smiled to herself, letting slip a small portion of her built-up excitement.

Finally, Spike snapped out of his love-induced trance, shaking his head. "Twilight? Twwiiilliight?"

"Down here, Spike!" She called up, giving herself an once-over in the mirror to make sure she didn't look too bad. Her purple mane sparkled in the sunlight pouring in from her window. She smiled and nodded in approval.

Spike rushed downstairs. "Okay, can you please explain why I can't go?" he whined.

"Because," Twilight began, "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. A chance to compete in the Aura Bloom! You know how long I've been waiting to show Princess Celestia all I've learned about magic." The Aura Bloom was a magic competition that hosted some of the most regal, well-known magicians in all of ponydom, occurring only once every three years. The location cycled between the major cities, and it just so happened that this year it was in Canterlot.

Spike crossed his arms and pouted in frustration, glancing down at his feet. "That still doesn't explain why I can't go." He sounded hurt, and a pang of guilt itched at Twilight's side.

She walked over to the baby dragon, lowering her head down to eye level. Her eyes were soft with understanding. "Because, someone needs to take care of Owlowiscious, and I think you're responsible enough to do that. Besides, I'm going to be busy training, and I'm almost certain you would be bored."

They both glanced over to Owlowiscious, perched near the windowsill. Owlowiscious was glaring at Spike with his cold, beady eyes; it made him shiver. "Fine, but if you're making me stay here for your training, you have to promise me you'll let me come see you perform in the Aura Bloom."

Twilight smiled gently, knowing the little dragon only meant well. "Of course you can Spike. In fact, I want all my friends there! It just wouldn't be the same without you guys." She leaned down and wrapped a hoof around him, and gave him a hug. Spike returned the hug after some hesitation.

Spike broke from the embrace. "Alright, alright, enough of this mushy 'feelings' stuff. I'm still not a hundred percent on this, but I guess I can't stop you from competing. No funny business though!" He quipped, pointing at her again.

Twilight giggled, and recited Pinkie's famous promise. "Cross my heart, and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. OW!" She always hurt herself doing the Pinkie Pie Promise. She scowled at herself and rubbed her eye. She lifted her hoof off, feeling a dull throb. With the pain already subsiding, she opened her front door with magic.

"SUUR-PRISE!!!" Pinkie yelled, hopping enthusiastically through the doorway. It was surprising; it nearly gave Twilight a heart attack! She should've learned by now to expect the unexpected when it came to Pinkie Pie.

Twilight was happy to see her friend before she left, but she was curious why she was standing outside the door. "Pinkie Pie, I'm not saying that it's not nice to see you, but what are you doing here?" She asked, her eyes following Pinkie as she bounced up and down.

Pinkie took in deep, overly-dramatic breath. "Well first I was buying confetti, streamers, and LOTS of balloons, 'cuz why not? You never know when you're going to need them, right? Then I remembered 'OH MY GOSH!! Twilight's leaving today!' And I was all sad, because you're like my bestestestestset friend EVER! And then I was all like 'how could I make Twilight really really happy before she left?' Well, I had a brilliant idea; grab the rest of the girls to come and see you!"

Twilight looked quizzically at Pinkie. "'rest of the girls?" She quoted questionably as she walked over to the doorway. She took a peek outside and instantly saw Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack standing on the porch.

"Oh! Hi everypony, this is a bit unexpected." Twilight greeted warmly.

Rarity approached her and gave her a hug. "Well of course, darling! It wouldn't be much of a surprise if you were expecting it! We just wanted to show our support for Team Twilight!" The group of ponies cheered, including Fluttershy who added a very subtle, yet noticeable, yay!

Rainbow flew overhead and landed near Twilight. "You know we got your back, Twi."

"I know you'll perform wonderfully." Fluttershy added, joining the group.

Applejack leaned in towards Twilight. "True enough, Fluttershy. But it's ah mighty shame that we won't get see ya perform…" Applejack uttered with a note of glum in her voice.

Twilight observed her friends' reaction. Between them they look dejected, even Pinkie had stopped bouncing. "I don't know what you mean Applejack. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't invite you to see me in the Aura Bloom?" She laid a hoof on her friend to add a measure of reassurance.

"Ya mean we get 'ta go to Canterlot!?" Applejack asked excitedly.

Twilight nodded with a smile. "Of course! I've already made arrangements for you to be picked up a few hours before the competition."

Rarity lit up. "Picked up, as in a royal carriage?! How absolutely divine!" She exclaimed, clapping her hoofs together.

Just as they all moved in for a group hug, an elegant, white carriage with gold trimming sped overhead, startling Fluttershy, who promptly bolted into a nearby shrub. Twilight walked over to her. "It's okay Fluttershy; it's just my ride to Canterlot."

Slowly, Fluttershy crept out of the bushes, her face burning red. "I'm sorry. I-It just took me by surprise." Fluttershy murmured quietly, kicking a patch of dirt, then squeaked as she feared she had accidently kicked an ant.

The chariot landed gracefully on the dirt road outside Twilight's home, glistening in the afternoon sunlight. Four white, colt pegasi dressed in gilded armor were strapped to the chariot. Their eyes frowned unbreakably forward, an obvious result of their rigorous training. All and all, it was an intimidating sight to be sure.

One of them detached from the carriage and approached Twilight. "Good afternoon, Miss Twilight Sparkle," The royal guard stated in a highly professional manner, "We are under orders to escort you to Princess Celestia. Are you ready to go?"

As he said this, two of the other guards went to work packing Twilight's bags into the back of the spacious carriage. She turned to her friends and gave them each one last hug. "Thanks for coming out girls, it meant a lot to me. I'll see you all soon!"

"We better!" Applejack joked, "Or we'll have'ta hunt ya down!"

Twilight hopped into the carriage, and within a few seconds the colts raced forward, gradually gaining speed as their momentum increased. Simultaneously, they kicked off from the ground and flapped their powerful wings until finally they were soaring in the sky.

The purple unicorn gave her friends one last wave before she disappeared into the clouds.

~*~*~

The flight to Canterlot was uneventful albeit beautiful. The warm sun shone upon the many lakes and foliage that dotted the land, adding a vivacious glow of color to everything around her. Her favorite part however, as always, was when Canterlot could first be seen in sight. The giant, white towers breached the cloud limit giving Canterlot an almost infinite appearance. The city itself was perched flawlessly on a mountainside; as if it had been built right out of the stone of the mountain.

The royal guards flew at a break-neck speed. In a mere 20 minute ride, Twilight had already reached the city of her birth. The carriage came to a halt on a runway right outside the city gates. The massive walls surrounding the city seemed impenetrable, excluding a single portcullis-style entrance. As soon as they landed they marched in formation towards the shining city, leading Twilight, who was in the middle of the two columns of guards.

The contingent walked down the street without stopping. Twilight looked around with nostalgia as she remembered many places she knew from her fillyhood. In the distance, the grand palace could be seen, puncturing the sky with two mighty spires. They entered the royal courtyard and were quickly welcomed inside.

"Princess Celestia!!" Twilight shouted in excitement. She dashed past her guards, who gave an annoyed glance, angered that she broke their ranks; she was too happy to care. She galloped so fast that she practically flew down the aisle towards the throne, where her majestic mentor sat.

Celestia stood up off her throne and prepared herself. "Twilight Sparkle." She responded lovingly. Twilight ran up and gave Celestia a big hug, clutching tightly.

"It's so nice to see you, my star pupil! I'm also glad you accepted my invitation to the Aura Bloom." The Princess's embrace mirrored her truthfulness of the statement. It was that warm, caring hug that truly showed how much Princess Celestia was happy to see Twilight. They stayed that way, silently, until the urge to prolong the conversation hit them, at which point they parted.

Twilight finally replied. "I wouldn't miss it for the world! Thank you for inviting me."

A short time passed where Twilight and her mentor talked about the basics of their lives. How they were, how they've been, and what they've been up to. Twilight was eager to explain in greater detail her studies in magic and friendship, and the Princess was likewise eager to hear them. For Twilight, it was always a breath of fresh air to be in Celestia's presence. Being the fervent student she was, Twilight never had to hold anything back from her teacher, knowing Celestia could not only comprehend it, but debate and encourage her findings.

A flash of movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned her head towards Celestia's throne, and to the right of it, nearly invisible in the shadows of a curtain-blocked window, was a dark, night-sky blue alicorn.

"Oh my," Celestia gasped, "Where are my manners? Twilight, you remember my sister, Princess Luna?"

The stillness in the room gave way to an awkward trepidation. Twilight was inclined to keep her stare on the other princess, but a fire in her chest eventually forced her to look away. It wasn't an emotion Twilight was akin to feeling... Anger.

After a few more moments of silence, Celestia interjected. "Luna, why don't you greet our guest?"

After a few moments pause, Luna spoke. "Hi..." The forced greeting came out quietly.

"Hello." Twilight responded curtly.

Twilight didn't like the feeling she was having. It was hard not to feel that way though; Princess Luna had done some horrible things in the past. As Nightmare Moon, she used devious, devilish tactics against Twilight and her friends, and in her opinion it was understandable why she didn't trust the Lunar Princess. The purple unicorn just couldn't believe someone could just let go of a thousand years of resentment so easily, so around Luna, she'd be cautious.

Celestia analyzed both their greetings. "Interesting…" Celestia whispered. Although Twilight didn't think she was supposed to hear that, she couldn't stop herself from asking.

"What's interesting, Princess?"

Celestia snapped back, as if she was in deep thought. "Nothing, my dear pupil. Now, would you want to see the facility where you'll be performing?"

Twilight wanted no less. Any excuse to leave the room was fine by her.

~*~*~

Twilight had never performed for a crowd before. She'd never even done a show for anypony before, unless it was to show what she had learned. Thoughts of stage fright circled in the back of her mind, and the unnatural dread kept making her gulp with anxiety. Twilight did the best she could to block out such thoughts as the Princess was showing her around. It was a quick walk from the Palace to Canterlot Stadium, where the Aura Bloom was to be hosted.

Magnificent columns darted evenly around the whole structure, leading to several marble-like rings that made up parts of the roof. The arches themselves were artistic creations for all seasons, and blended seamlessly with the Gothic features of the roof and ambiance. The wide path was obviously made to herd hundreds of ponies at once, much like any regal attraction. Elegant, green bushes ran down the perimeter of each side. Fountains, flowerbeds, and trimmed trees gave a very festive environment in an upper classed 'look but don't touch' way.

Walking through the arches, Celestia quickly ran over the rules of the competition. Each contestant would have five minutes to show off a remarkable display of magic. Most everything was allowed, so Twilight just had to think of something that would 'wow' everypony. She mentally patted herself on the back for bringing so many magic books; it should be a cinch to find something she could do!

There was also a panel of three judges, each mediating a different concept of the performers and their acts. Celestia was more than happy to run over the identities of the judges so Twilight would know what to expect.

There was Tira Gwuh'Vire, a deep lavender-shaded pony famous for making beautiful art with magic. Her artwork now hung in the most lavish museums in all of ponydom. Her most famous work, "Glimpse of the Moon", depicted Princess Celestia and Luna and their respective solar cycles. Twilight had read many books about her, and some even by her! From the books she read, she knew that Tira was sometimes overly critical with her work, and a true blue perfectionist. She will be looking for creativity and originality.

Also among the judges was Cosmo Soderberg. Twilight knew he was someone Rarity would just die to meet. Cosmo was a light-brown earth colt, well-known in the fashion world as one as the most stylish people in all of Equestria. Less known about him, however, was he enjoyed critiquing magic as a side-profession. Most ponies who are into fashion don't read Cosmo's books about magic, but Twilight has. They were all extremely fascinating, covering subjects from healing to allowing earth ponies to walk on clouds. It was his trick she used so she and her friends could cheer on Rainbow Dash in her flying competition.

What was more impressive was that Cosmo couldn't actually perform any of these types of magic himself, and it was all based off study and hard-work. It was something Twilight thought was truly incredible. In the Aura Bloom, Cosmo would be looking for professionalism of the performer, as well as the mastery of the certain type of magic the performer would be doing.

The final judge was someone who most ponies thought was just a myth, but he was real. Madican Twizzle was a jet-black, elderly colt whose accomplishments led him to achieve hero standings. His story has become a bedtime tale read by many parents to their fillies. A brash saga of an adventurer from a faraway land who came to ours simply to find work as a farmhand, and ended up saving everypony from a horrible drought that lasted many years. The spell he casted, which nearly killed him in the process, made it rain across the land from Canterlot to Sunnyside Bay, hundreds of miles away.

Well past his prime, the feeble pony couldn't do much more than walk from place to place. In his time though, he was the greatest magician in the world. It was an incredible honor to even be in the same room as him. Although she was eager to perform for someone as noble as Madican, she wondered how she would impress a pony that has most likely seen it all…

Celestia assured Twilight that although Madican's mind was as sharp as ever, he was a kind and gentle colt. She promised he would judge fairly, and it helped set Twilight's mind at ease. Twilight also learned that Madican will be judging based on the difficulty of the magic performed.

With Twilight's mind in unrest, Celestia bid her student a good evening and had her escorted to her royal guest room for the night. It was located in one of the three towers outside the palace, and it gave an unlimited view of the entire city, and Twilight was surprised to find the room decorated to suit her.

She took a cursory glance around her bed chamber. The bed - elegantly furnished with gold trim that resembled vines entangling the bed posts - was large and comfortable, if not too big for her. The deep lavender sheets complimented her very personality, as if the room was made for her. The more she looked around, the more she was sure of the fact. Even the rugs that lined the wooden floor were shades of purple. In the corner, there was a suitable desk and chest where she could store all her belongings. Taking care not to damage the bindings, she unloaded the books into their new temporary home.

Although the sun was nearly out of view on the horizon, the thoughts wrestling in her mind kept her from feeling even slightly tired. She was wide awake, and buzzing to keep busy for fear that she might explode with anxiety. She glanced at her books momentarily, wondering if some good old fashion studying would set her mind at ease, but she decided first to get some fresh air, because although the room was nice, it was a bit stuffy from lack of a draft.

She approached a glass door that led to the balcony. On either side, there were ornate curtains blowing in the gentle breeze, making it seem like the room housed royalty, and not a simple purple unicorn. The view itself was breathtaking; she could watch the bustle below for hours. The city worked like a well-oiled machine, with ponies walking every which way with great purpose and pride. It was so unlike Ponyville, where everything happened relatively slow and simple. The complexity to run a city so large was lost on Twilight's gaze.

A flowery aroma halted any thoughts. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the earthy smell. Determined to find the source, she peered downwards. She was surprised to see a garden below her on a hillside, protected behind several buildings and hidden masterfully. From her vantage point, the array of deep colors and geometric pathways looked stunning. Twilight concluded that it was the perfect activity to clear her head.

She was at the bottom floor of her tower in a matter of minutes. It took her a bit longer to find the secluded garden. After some weaving through labyrinthic hallways, Twilight finally stumbled upon an old wooden door with the faint carvings "Moonlit Garden".

She scrutinized the name. Whatever she had seen from far above, it was obvious that the garden's intent was to be viewed at night. She pushed on the door with magic, and it opened with a crrrrreeeaaaaakkkkk. Twilight couldn't help but think the door must be ancient; a hundred years old at least. Color flashed as her mind went blank. The sight from her room did not give the stunning beauty of the garden justice. She found herself staring at a masterpiece of gardening. Smalls trees were trimmed delicately into artisic shapes. The flowers on either side of the small pathway were completely symmetrical. The distant sound of water running echoed off the walls that enclosed the mystical garden.

Twilight walked down a cobblestone pathway, curving around several different types of plants and shrubs. Flowers in shades of blue, black, and white weaved in and out of each other making a symphony of color which seemed to sparkle in the cool night. In the near distance, as she rounded another turn, she saw a stunning marble fountain; its centerpiece was raised on a pedestal depicting four ponies flying around a central glass orb that was bigger than Twilight.

Several sweet breaths were indulged upon. Every time she inhaled, a new fragrance would make her legs weak. The combination of colors, sights, and perfumes was enough to relax her, and she knew that it was the perfect idea to come down here.

As she got a closer look at the fountain, the moon began to rise and fill the looking glass at its heart. She gasped in amazement as she realized the ponies were flying around the moon. It was a humbling sight; the stone ponies seemed to relish the cold glow of the moon.

Once again, movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Twilight caught her breath as she caught site of a black, silhouetted figure on the opposite side of the fountain sitting in the grass. A slight breeze rustled the stranger's mane, and through the moonlight, it sparkled cerulean blue. It was one of the most enthralling sights she'd seen so far, more than any of the flowers in the garden.

The figure turned, and a sudden stumble made Twilight know that the stranger caught sight. Twilight froze, not sure if she should be afraid. The pony got up off the ground and gradually ambled towards the fountain where the moon ignited the colors of the mystery mare.

Twilight stood on edge, her mind rushing into overdrive trying to gain all the information it could about the pony. She was taller than Twilight by about two inches, which didn't seem like much, but Twilight was already averagely tall. Not many ponies could boast such a height difference, except Big Macintosh and Princess Celestia. Her coat was a soft purple-bluish color, as if the pony was covered in the night sky itself. Her long, flowing mane reaching half way down her back, the color making her silver eyes sharpen and glimmer.

"Hi Twilight..." Came the quiet, hesitant voice of the stranger.

"Nightmare Moon." Twilight growled, narrowing her eyes. In an instant, her demeanor shifted from fear to anger. Her own response surprised her. She wasn't usually forthcoming when it came to anger, letting it usually simmer out before it could cause damage. Though, much like Pinkie Pie knew when she tried explaining her Pinkie Sense, Twilight knew she was prone to sudden outbursts if left to pent up after a while. It was happening in this very situation; the past had come back to haunt her as memories of that fearful night left her scarred. The passion she felt that night - Loyalty towards her missing mentor and fear for her friends' safety - boiled to the surface.

Silence rang out louder than a train. It was an internal sound that left both ponies apprehensive.

"M-My name's Luna." The mare corrected timidly, taking a slow step back. Her eyes were still on the ground, afraid to meet Twilight's gaze.

The uneasiness and hesitation in Luna's tone reminded Twilight of Fluttershy, which caught her completely off-guard. This wasn't how she imagined confronting Nightmare Moon would go, especially after defeating her so spectacularly. The last time they had spoken, Nightmare Moon was screaming about how Twilight would never be able to defeat her, right before Twilight united the elements of harmony and overpowered the wicked mare.

Twilight didn't know what to say. She scrambled through her brain to come up with anything that could present her emotions. "What you go by now doesn't change anything," Twilight began. "It's inexcusable."

The Princess fidgeted unevenly, keeping her gaze lowered... those silver eyes hidden by her mane.

"Um… I'm not the same. I-I was consumed by anger," Luna quickly responded, almost pleadingly, "I mean, you didn't know what it was like." She blinked once, drifting off into unnerving silence. Twilight saw a water droplet fall from her eye. The realization of why the Princess was looking down hit her…

Luna was trying to hide the tears falling from her eyes.

Immediately Twilight softened, knowing that she could never be mad at a crying pony. "Well… why were you angry?"

For the first time, Luna looked up to meet her stare. Twilight couldn't help notice that her silver eyes now looked cloudy, like rolling fog. Her heart unexpectedly fluttered.

"I was…It's just…" Luna began, but couldn't find the right words.

Twilight could physically see the mental conflict going on inside Luna. The Princess held her mouth opened as if trying to form words, but unable to. She lowered her head as more tears filled her eyes. "I…I just wanted to be loved." Princess Luna whispered in a passionate, defeated tone.

Luna couldn't handle anymore, and with a sudden outburst of speed, she ran past Twilight to find somewhere she could be alone.

Twilight tried to stop her. "Luna, Wait!" She called out; dashing after her, but the lunar pony was already almost out of sight.

Just as Luna was nearly gone, Twilight heard something so quiet it could have been the wind.

A soft breeze carried a single message. "I'm sorry…"

Chapter 2

Why did I act like that?

Twilight couldn't help but feel terrible about last night. She shouldn't have treated Luna like she was Nightmare Moon; it was rude and totally out of line. She made it a personal mission to find Luna and ask for forgiveness.

She had spent a few hours last night trying to find where the princess ran off to. After failing to locate her, Twilight remorsefully sulked back to her room. She spent a few minutes pacing across the room, going over their short conversation in her head.

Why am I so bothered by this? She asked herself. Sure, she was a little harsh, but it wasn't completely out of hand.

Twilight wasn't able to sleep very much. Whenever she closed her eyes, a pair of foggy silver eyes pierced her mind like a thorn. She tried thinking about other stuff, but they always came back before she even knew she was thinking about them. The more she analyzed the mare's perspective, the more she felt like a foal.

Luna may be a princess, but it was now obvious that Luna felt alone and ashamed, and Twilight only made it worse.

Her body shivered with regret. If she could take it all back, she would. She had misjudged a pony, and she promised herself to never to it again. This thought didn't help ease her mind overnight, and to keep her busy, she decided to read some magic books, hoping inspiration would come immediately. It soothed her thoughts to think about something ordinary, and not about Luna.

Twilight yawned, her eyes beginning to flutter as her head slumped on her forearm. Almost asleep, Twilight's head slipped off her hoof and landed straight on her book with a thud, snapping her back to reality. She groaned and rubbed her head, cursing at her own stupidity. Knowing she was too tired to continue her study, she closed the book and packed it back into a bag.

Twilight hopped into bed, the mattress springing back up lightly. She was able to get comfortable almost instantly.

When sleep finally came, her dreams took her back to the lovely moonlit garden.

~*~*~

Luna galloped into her private bed chamber, telling the two guards outside to keep everyone out. She had composed herself while rushing through the palace, but now that she was in her room all alone, a new wave of tears sprung from her eyes. She wasn't bawling; it was a gentle stream of tears. Every now and again, a convulsion racked her body.

Remaining quiet, Luna slowly got up on her bed and crumpled down on top of the covers. Her tears had finally stopped flowing, leaving her eyes moist and vision unclear. Although she had to sniff back tears every few seconds, it seemed that she was finally getting herself under control. She took a deep breath, and let it out gradually.

Now what could she do? She couldn't face Twilight again; not after that depressing experience. Luna dreaded the thought of Twilight hating her for what she did, but she knew she warranted it. Her thoughts unintentionally returned to her mascaraed as Nightmare Moon, the wicked mare of darkness that nearly left the world in never-ending night.

Luna had told Twilight that all she wanted was to be loved. For the longest time now her self-esteem had been so low that she did not consider herself worthy of love. Why would she? She didn't deserve to be absolved by anypony for what she did. Before she was banished, she was angry that her sister was the receiving end for all the love their subjects brought forth, even though every night she lit up the sky with a concerto of color and sparkles. She had long since pushed off that anger, and replaced with cold, lonely acceptance.

She closed her eyes and took another deep breath, gaining more and more control over her body. Resting her head on a soft pillow, Luna actually started to feel a little better. Sometimes crying helped improve her mood when she felt alone. In her bed, she rested her head on a pillow with a heavy sigh. Slowly, she let her eyelids droop.

She saw Twilight's eyes staring at her inside her mind. Her violet gaze piercing into her soul; it made her shutter.

"Forgive me, Twilight. Please." She said aloud, begging the mental picture of Twilight.

"I forgive you." She imagined Twilight saying.

The thought was enough to set her mind at ease, for now. She sighed peacefully as she drifted off to sleep.

~*~*~

Celestia's morning sun brought life to the city. The dew on the ground far below Twilight's window made everything shine and sparkle. She saw shops getting ready to open, fillies heading off to school, and hundreds of ponies walking every which way. The city buzzed like a beehive.

Twilight knew what she wanted to accomplish at present. Today wasn't about magic, Celestia, or even herself. No; today was about Luna.

The palace was the best bet in finding the Princess. Twilight remembered seeing the pony beside Princess Celestia the day before, so chances were she'd be there again. After all, as a Princess it was as much her duty to be seen as it was Celestia's.

Leaving her bags behind, Twilight began walking towards the palace. While on the street, she saw many ponies she recognized from when she lived in Canterlot. She waved to some, and even stopped and conversed with a few. It made her giggle how much more social she was compared to last time she was here, before she lived in Ponyville. She kept any dialogue short and sweet however, and was quickly back on her way.

As she neared the huge palace door, she spoke to one of the guards. "Can you let me in please? I need to speak with the Princess."

"The Princess currently has guests, madam. She is too busy to speak with anyone." The guard stated frankly.

"The other princess," Twilight explained, "Princess Luna."

The guard looked down to her, casting her an odd stare. After a few seconds pause, he finally approved. "Okay fine. But do not disturb Princess Celestia." The guard grunted.

The palace doors swung open. The main throne room was practically empty except for Princess Celestia, and three ponies she was talking to. She could hear a conversation going on, but they were too far to make out what they were saying.

Twilight exhaled a sigh of relief as she peered beside Celestia and saw Luna sitting. Even from a distance, she could tell Luna was staring back at her.

Twilight cautiously approached the throne. Celestia looked up and caught a glance of her.

"Ah, Twilight Sparkle. Welcome my faithful student." Celestia said smiling, sweet as honey.

The three ponies Celestia was conversing with turned around to see who had intruded on their conversation. Twilight mentally gasped as she came face-to-face with the three judges of the Aura Bloom.

"Good morning Princess." She returned to the Princess, and then turned shakily to her judges. All she could muster was a nervous smile, but she knew that it wasn't enough; she felt like a complete idiot.

Madican chuckled warmly. "Well, well, if it isn't Miss Twilight Sparkle. A pleasure to meet you, my dear." He bowed slightly, which Twilight got the feeling was all he could muster. The other two judges shared a glance, obviously oblivious to who the newcomer was.

Twilight was shocked Madican knew who she was. It was a silly thought really, of course someone so powerful could find a simple name. Besides, Princess Celestia probably mentioned her.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Twizzle." Twilight said shyly, feeling her cheeks start to burn. It's not every day you meet someone so famous!

Celestia took a few steps towards her. "How can I help you, Twilight?" She asked lightly.

"Actually Princess, I was wondering if I could speak to Luna." She stated, looking over to Luna, whose gaze had returned to the ground. Twilight hoped that Luna would be willing to speak with her after what happened last night…

Celestia gave a quick glance to her sister then back to Twilight. "Oh, then by all means." She gestured over.

"Thank you, Princess." She bowed thankfully, and then began to walk carefully over to Luna. The lunar princess stood up on her hoofs, and began to walk away. Casting her gaze aside, she noticed Luna was headed towards a room almost concealed by plush curtains. She figured that Luna was leading her to a place where they could talk in private, so she instantly began to follow. To took a slow, nervous breath, feeling the butterflies in her stomach. She felt as if she was right about to compete in the Aura Bloom.

Luna led her down a hallway and up a set of stairs, not making a sound the entire way. The tension for those few minutes was tangible; Twilight could feel it pressing down on her chest. She was scared to even cough for fear that it would make the situation more awkward.

Finally, the two came to a balcony that looked out over Princess Celestia's garden. It was breathtaking, but not as nearly as much as the garden from last night.

After a few suspenseful moments, Luna finally turned to face the purple unicorn, her eyes still not making contact with Twilight's. "You wanted to see me, Twilight?" The princess asked carefully.

It was time to set things right. "Hi, Luna," Twilight remarked, nodding respectfully, "Thank you so much for seeing me. I thought you would be mad at me after last night."

The ears on the silver-eyed pony perked up. "Me mad? At you? That doesn't make any sense, Twilight. If anything, I'm the one that is deserving of the anger." Luna's cheeks lit up a rosy red as she let her gaze travel nearer towards Twilight.

"You did nothing wrong, Princess. I was out of line yesterday, and I came to apologize. I was judging you for what Nightmare Moon did, not for what Princess Luna did." Expressed Twilight remorsefully, drawing out certain words to give them more meaning.

"But I am Nightmare Moon. My body may have changed but I am still the same mare." Luna responded sullenly.

"No." Twilight stated boldly. "You are not the same mare. I can see it when I look in your eyes."

At the mention, Luna looked up to meet her stare. They held eye contact for a few seconds, Twilight noticing that the mare's eyes sparkled angelically in the sun.

"I see a soft, shy pony inside there, Luna, who only wants a friend. I don't know where Nightmare Moon went, but she is no longer a part of you. I'm sure of it." Twilight assured.

For the first time since Twilight had ever seen her, a small yet noticeable smile crept onto Luna's lips; her eyes softened as her eyebrows inclined. "You really mean that, Twilight?"

"I do, and you know I do." Twilight returned the smile, taking a few slow steps closer to Luna. "There's only one more thing I need to ask."

Luna leered at her questionably. "What Twilight?"

Twilight put a hoof on Luna's left shoulder. "Can you ever forgive me?" She caught a whiff of Luna's scent, the same smell as the flowers in the lunar garden; a sweet, enticing aroma that left a sugary flavor on the back of her tongue.

Luna lit up even brighter, her eyes wavering. "Yes, I do. Of course I do. Do you forgive me?"
Twilight leaned forward. "Yes." She said truthfully, after the briefest of hesitations.

Both ponies blushed lightly as they shared a hug, rearing up on their hind legs.

"Friends?" Twilight whispered.

The word melted into the Princess's ears. Luna hugged Twilight tighter, a single tear forming in her eye. "Friends."

~*~*~

Luna had never been so giddy in her life! She had never had a friend before; usually only her sister, Celestia, kept her company.
"A friend…" Luna recounted in her head. "She called me her friend."

A few hours had passed since the unforgettable scene on the balcony, a moment that has left a permanent mark on Luna's life. Luna quickly discovered she had no idea how to treat a friend though; she had never had one before. Twilight eased her mind by informing her that she had studied vigorously in the art of friendship, and it should be no problem.

They took a walk outside the palace into the paved city streets. Many of the ponies that crowded the walkways stopped and gasped as they realized a princess was walking near them. Beside a courtesy nod every now and again, Luna kept her attention fully on Twilight.

Luna listened for hours with interested as Twilight indulged her of her life in Ponyville, only talking when she had a question, like what it felt like to live in a tree, or how was it living with a baby dragon.

With each passing minute, Luna lit up a little bit more, until they found themselves laughing together at the simplest jokes. It was the best Luna felt since she returned from being trapped in the moon.

She likewise informed Twilight about her life in Canterlot, some of the duties as princess she must perform, and the boring meet-and-greets she had to attend.

"You don't know what it's like, Twilight!" Luna giggled. "One day a week the palace doors open, and any commoner can just stroll right in. An endless line of ponies wanting us to answer their questions, help them solve their problems, or talk about the most random things!"

Twilight smiled apologetically. "That does sound pretty boring. I kinda know what that's like. The same thing happened when I tried to spend time with Princess Celestia at the Grand Galloping Gala. Ponies swarmed all around Celestia and I wasn't able to spend any quality time with her."

By this time, their walk had taken them to the very boundaries of Canterlot, where few ponies could be seen in sight.

Luna could only hope that her new friend was having as good of a time as she was. This ran through her mind several times during the evening, but each time it managed to be quelled by a quick glance at Twilight's sparkling purple eyes. Twilight's eyes and smile were genuine; there could be no faking happiness. Luna knew; she had tried in the past.

The both sat on a bench near a gurgling creek inside one of the many public parks within the town. The setting sun shrouded the region in delicate, orange twilight. The two ponies watched as the last sliver of Celestia's sun disappeared over the horizon. The sky lit up deep purple, complimenting Twilight's entire appearance.

Twilight must have seen her staring. "What is it, Luna?" She asked curiously.

"Nothing really," She laughed nerviously, "Just noticing how much you resemble the sky."

"I could say the same about you, too!" Twilight nudged back.

Luna nodded. "Maybe we're not so different after all." She blushed lightly recounting what she had accomplished today. She had actually managed to make a friend, one that use to be her enemy no less! Truly anything was possible in this new door they had decided to open together.

Luna closed her eyes and lowered her head. "…And a new moon decided to rise." She whispered under her breath, letting magic flow through her horn. So focused her positive energy as invisible tendrils soared to the sky. Gently, she pulled the moon into view. Though she had done it thousands of times before, this time felt different. She opened her eyes curiously to note her handiwork.

Twilight gasped beside her, mouth gaped open. "It's amazing, Luna."

Luna looked from her to the moon, shining bright in the sky. It sparkled with a purplish hue, and it was definitely bigger than any other night. The stars around it seemed to spread out, as if to not to hog the spotlight. Luna was amazed that she was even able to pull something like that off.

"D-Did I do that?" Luna gasped.

"You sure did. You're a very talented pony, Luna." Twilight complimented. "How did you do it?"

Luna felt her face burn up. She shrugged unconvincingly. "I don't know."

She did know. She had a little more inspiration that night. The two ponies sat quietly enjoyed each other's company.

~*~*~

Twilight was walking back to her room. It was getting late, and the previous night had left her sleep deprived. Still, her friend Luna had managed to keep her awake, and that was reason to celebrate. The day went better than Twilight could have dreamed! Luna and she had connected so well; the spark was almost instantaneous. She had this feeling that it was impossible to ever be bored around Luna.

She didn't want to think about what slacking off all today will do to her performance in the Aura Bloom. She promised to make up for it by researching heavily tomorrow. She didn't even know what she wanted to do yet for the competition and it was only six days away!

She shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts. Tonight, she would sleep peacefully knowing that she had made things right with her new friend.

Twilight unlocked her bed chamber door with magic, the locks quietly clicking out of place. The door swung open and she closed it quietly, letting her body weight lean against the surface. She stood there a moment, reflecting on the high points of her day…

It was fascinating to hear Luna's account of the daily activities as a princess: The meetings; the appointments; the long hours; the weekly meet-and-greets. She was expecting a Princess's job to be all glamour, but it was actually an immense about of hard work. She was glad she was able to steal Luna away from all that for a few hours. It did her some good.

It did me some good, too, Twilight thought warmly, nestling herself within her enormous bed. She had made a friend unlike any of the friends she had in Ponyville. Just imaging being beside Luna was enough to increase her heart rate.

"Wait, a minute…" She sat up in bed.

Twilight knew an abundant amount about friendship. Over the previous year, she reported weekly to Princess Celestia noting her findings in her research on the colorful subject. Through all her study, through all the experiences, she had no explanation for her heart thumping hard in her chest.

This never happened when I was in Ponyville..., She thought, holding her hoof over her chest, taking note of the rapid successions.

As an intellectual, she tried to answer the problem logically. "It could be the altitude." She noted, knowing that Canterlot was much higher from sea level than Ponyville. Perhaps the air outside was having an adverse effect on her bodily functions.

"It could be the food." She was no longer accustomed to the food here; maybe she was having some sort of allergic reaction. The upper-class food she ate today was far different from the simple meals she had in Ponyville.

"It… Could be Luna." She was hesitant to think that, mostly because she had no idea what that would mean. Her expertise in friendship shed no light into this territory.

Tomorrow, she would go to the library and try to find a possible explanation of her symptom. She nodded her head, her mind now at ease.

Slowly, Twilight drifted to sleep, wondering if Luna was thinking about her too.

Chapter 3

Celestia's sun shone brilliantly over the utopian city of Canterlot. A pair of blue jays chirped as one chased the other across the courtyard of royal palace, landing in a nearby tree. The springtime air brought with it the warmth and sunlight that all the vibrant flowers reveled in. A couple gardener ponies were seen planting new flowers along the walkway. A platoon of royal guards was marching down the walkway, their shift ending. The new shift of guards had already taken their place in their respective positions evenly amongst the courtyard.

Inside, Princess Celestia was busy running her queendom. Several ponies were lined up outside, eager to get inside to talk to the great Mare of the Sun. Most of them brought status reports of the several necessities required to keep a city so large running smoothly.

There was a noticeable difference inside the throne room; The Princess often glanced to her side only to see empty space. Her sister was not by her side like she normally was. Luna had come by earlier and asked if she could spend the day with Twilight. Although their sudden friendship had peaked her interest, she saw no reason why they shouldn't be able to spend time together. After all, she hadn't seen Luna so happy in a long time.

Celestia just hoped that the mare wouldn't be too down-trotted when her new friend had to eventually leave.

Through the back curtain, up eight flights of stairs, and down several hallways, there was a secluded library that Twilight considered home. She had spent many hours in here almost every day when she used to live here with Spike in Canterlot. She found herself in there once again, doing what she did best: study.

Luna sat on a large, comfy pillow set aside right next to a desk. She had all four of her legs folded underneath her, perfectly content to just sit there in the presence of Twilight. She looked on as she saw Twilight use her magic to take a few books off the shelves, and then floating them over to the desk.

It had been two days since they first hung out. Every day, Luna would find a way to spend some part of her day with Twilight, even it was just a few minutes at a time. Yesterday was Sunday, the day her and her sister opened the doors and allowed anyone to come in to the palace, so she had been incredibly busy. She was pleased to be by her friend's side once more.

Luna perked up as Twilight drew closer, eventually sitting down at the table she laid her books. "I think these might be the ones." Twilight said hopefully.

"I hope so. You've been studying so hard the past few days. I know you'll find something." Luna offered.

Twilight still had no clue as to what she was going to do in the Aura Bloom. Every book she studied shed new light on magic, but none was spectacular enough for the competition. Luna could tell her friend was getting more nervous as the Aura Bloom loomed. With only a few days remaining, the clock was ticking.

Luna watched Twilight face as she opened a dusty leather book. Her features showed no frustration, just determination. Her eyes would twinge slightly every time she found something interesting, and she'd narrow her eyes when she was confused, only to have them light up when she finally understood the meaning of the words. Soon Luna knew Twilight's facial movements so well that she could understand exactly what the purple pony was thinking.

Luna shifted positions slightly in her chair, stretching out her two front legs. She inhaled deeply, the stuffy library air not very pleasant. When she sat back down, she glanced over to Twilight and noticed the purple pony reading something with great interest. This wasn't out of the ordinary; what caught her attention was that she was blushing lightly.

Luna craned her neck to try and see what she was looking at. "Hey Twilight, what are you reading?"

Twilight blinked and shook her head, as if snapping out of a trance. She had obviously been in deep contemplation, and it only made her cheeks redden. The sight actually made Luna's face blush. She couldn't help but notice that the magical pony looked very cute when she was embarrassed. "Is it weird to think she's cute?" Luna thought to herself.

Twilight coughed to clear her throat and to steady her voice. "Oh, nothing Luna. Just another magic book." She stated unconvincingly, closing the book hurriedly and stuffing it in her bag. Twilight threw on a cheesy smile and laughed nervously.

It was obvious to Luna that her friend was hiding something, but she didn't press the issue. "Okay then!" She responded cheerily. Luna saw her friend visibly relieved that she hadn't dug further.

Twilight placed some of the books back on the shelves, then walked back over and sat right next to Luna. She enjoyed being so close to Twilight. She wondered if Twilight did as well, or if she was just weird.

Both ponies sat quietly, eyes closed for a few moments enjoying the presence of the other. "I like spending time with you, Twilight." Luna breathed out, breaking the silence.

Twilight glanced over to her, narrowing her eyes and smiling gently. "I like spending time with you too, Luna." She replied, nudging her softly. Luna felt a warm glow in her heart, making her spine tingle. She desired the feeling would stay forever.

She lowered her gaze as a realization hit her like a manticore. She knew right then and there that no other ponies could make her tingle, nor give the warmth in her heart that Twilight gives her. She wondered if this was still just friendship, or something else.

"Want to go for a walk?" Twilight asked, knowing Luna was tired of the stuffy old room.

Luna smiled. "I'd like that." Both ponies stood up on the hooves, and made their way to the door, staying close to one another.

~*~*~

Courting!?

Twilight glared at the page in disbelief. The word was right there; it made perfect sense but she just couldn't believe it. She continued to read the page, and the further she read on, the deeper her brow creased.

The purple pony paced her room to help stimulate her thinking process. She had obtained the book earlier from the library, and was the very one she attempted to hide from Luna. Friendships & Relationships was the title of the thick, leather-covered book. Twilight had been secretly researching books such as these alongside her magic training so she could identify her relationship with Luna. Twilight had always been an analytical type of pony, so studying was always the first step.

Twilight had been reading the book for a while. When she reached chapter 9 "The Art of Courting", it was like a floodgate was opened in her mind and her emotions were spilling out. It explained everything! The butterflies she felt when Luna got too close; the way Luna's scent would linger in her nose hours after they departed from one another; even the daily yearning to be in the presence of the lunar princess.

It was obvious from day one that Luna was different from most her friends. She could tell by the way they would hug, both caressing as if the other could break. She could tell it by the way Luna's eyes wavered when Luna smiled at her. Also, with her other friends it took her a few days before she even referred to them as her friends. The Princess and her became friends the day after they met, the spark being instantaneous.

Twilight closed her eyes and slumped to the ground as a light blush spread across her cheeks. "Am I courting Luna? Or are we just friends?" She asked herself aloud, obviously annoyed that she was forced to ask herself the question.

She knew the answer wouldn't be on any page, in any book, in any library in all of ponydom. No, this answer was her's to find out. Too frustrated to move, she laid on the floor in silent contemplation.

She started by listing all the ways she liked Luna.

"Well she's got a great personality…" Twilight began, gazing up at the ceiling. She meant it too, but she didn't just mean she had a great personality in general, she also meant that Luna's personality fit perfectly with her own.

"She's fun to be around..." Once again, a vast understatement. Twilight knew that anytime she was with Luna, the hours would go by like minutes, and their parting continuously left a bittersweet knot in her stomach. This was counterweighted by the light fluttering she felt in her heart every day when she saw Luna for the first time.

"She's kind and humble…" Definitely a big check. Although Luna was a princess, Twilight felt like she was talking to any normal common pony when she talked to her. Even Rarity behaved more regally and upper-classed than Luna, and Luna was the highest of the upper-class!

"I see a side of her nopony else sees." Everyone else saw a princess, but only Twilight saw a lost and lonely filly that needed companionship. Twilight knew Luna's ups and downs. For instance, she knew that when Luna got excited, she could get as giddy as Pinky Pie (though maybe not as bouncy). Luna kept up a front to everyone else; she gave the masses what everypony wanted – a princess. She gave Twilight so much more.

Twilight sat there for a few minutes imagining what it would be like to enact some of the content she read in the book. Stuff like going on dates, buying each other gifts…

Kissing…

The mere thought of this set her cheeks on fire. She wiped sweat off her forehead as her entire body shook nervously. She stood up and walked over to her washroom sink, and splashed herself with water. It chilled her entire face, leaving her dampened hair limp and dripping. The shock was enough to clear her mind.

She walked back into her room and closed the relationship book, knowing she would gather no more usable information from it. Her inner mind struggled against itself, as if there were two ponies inside her.

"You know you love her." The first half stately bluntly.

"Ya, but Luna's a mare. As in a GIRL. Did you see mention of a mare-mare relationship anywhere in that book we just read?" The second half threw back.

"Is it our fault she's a mare?" The first half snapped back. "Love can come in any form."

"Okay, I'll humor you," The second half replied haughtily, "Let's say everything goes perfectly and we start dating Luna. What next? You know we gotta leave right after the Aura Bloom."

The first half shrunk down a bit. "I... I know that. But-"

"But nothing!" The second side clearly gaining the upper hand. "We'll end up hurting, and so would Luna. Is that what you want for her? To be even sadder after you leave than before we arrived?"

"Of course I wouldn't want that. But we have to try! Isn't it worth the risk if it brings her happiness through love?" The first side argued passionately.

"How much are you willing to risk!?" The second half bellowed. "Forgetting the fact that this would almost certainly end it sadness, did you even ONCE consider the possibility that Luna might not love you back?"

The first half froze, speechless. After several long hopeless seconds, a tiny beaten-down whisper escaped. "No…"

"Exactly!" The second half yelled, tearing up. "You're not just risking our emotions here. You're risking our friendship with Luna! Do you think she'd be friends with us after we put her in this position? No!" The second half was trembling with what looked like anger, but in actuality it was an immense amount of fear, worry, and doubt.

"What do you want?" The first half asked through tears. "To hide our emotions? To look Luna in the face and pretend to be friends with her when you really want more?"

"I can tell you want I don't want: THIS!" The second half rebutted, gesturing to the situation. "I don't want the grief. I don't want the bottomless pit in my stomach that comes with knowing you're about to make one of the biggest mistakes of your life!"

"And what happens when you get that anyway?" The first side stated. "What happens when you pass this opportunity by and you regret it for the rest of your life?"

Silence. The second half didn't enjoy having its words used against it. "If we curse ourselves with this regret, we could at least take comfort in the fact that Luna was spared from all this. At least she has a chance to be happy. After all, how could she be happy with you?"

With that, the argument ended with a venomous sting.

Twilight opened her eyes slowly, blinking away the tears that were stinging her eyes. She noticed she was lying in her bed, and most of the covers around her were wet with tears.

Twilight was always a logical pony, and every single portion of her brain now agreed that anything more than friendship with Luna was a terrible idea.

Luna could never know.

"How could she love me…" She whispered to herself.

The question echoed in her mind until she finally cried herself to sleep.

~*~*~

Luna slowly awoke as her sister's sunrise filtered light into the room and through her eye lids. Her eyes fluttered groggily, her eyes still stinging from the bright light. She waited patiently while her eyes adjusted, then rubbed them gently.

She sat up stretching and gave a loud yawn. It was then she remembered something that woke her up straight away: Twilight and her had made plans to have breakfast together in the palace before Luna had to be with her sister on the throne.

Reinvigorated, Luna bolted out of bed and right over to her mirror. Her long, blue mane was ruffled and wavy from a night of tossing and turning. Using magic, she brushed her mane until it was perfect; she didn't want to look bad for Twilight.

After she was completely satisfied with her appearance, she rushed out of her chamber and towards to royal dining hall. She just hoped Twilight didn't mind her being a few minutes late!

Luna raced down the stairs to make up for lost time, startling a few guards on the way. Finally, the dining hall entrance came into view.

She rushed into the room. "I'm so sorry to keep you waiting Twilight, I woke up a bit late and I-"

She opened her eyes to see an empty room. She glanced from left to right, trying to disprove what she knew at first glance.

"Maybe Twilight's running a little late, like I was." She assured herself. She calmed down at the thought, knowing perfectly well that it was most likely the case. She took a seat at one of the chairs at the royal table. Instantly, a servant pony walked into the room and approached her.

"Good evening, Princess Luna. Could I get you something for breakfast?" The servant colt asked professionally.

Luna shook her head. "Thanks, but I'm waiting for a friend. We'll both be eating once she arrives though."

"Very good, Princess." The servant responded. The colt bowed graciously before exiting the room.

Luna sat at the table, slumped over onto it. She clacked her front hoof on the table in boredom. As she had to wait longer, Luna became more and more aware of the time. Seconds became long minutes. Soon, she had been waiting five minutes. Then ten, then twenty, and after thirty arduous minutes, Luna let out a miserable sigh. Her friend Twilight wasn't going to be showing up here this morning.

The servant colt once again entered the room. "Are you sure there's nothing I can get you, Princess?"

After a few moments of stillness, Luna finally spoke in a quiet undertone. "No thank you. I've lost my appetite."

~*~*~

Twilight felt terrible for standing Luna up like that, but after such a horrid night, she didn't want to face the lunar pony. Twilight believed that she wouldn't be able to hold it together, and she didn't want Luna to see her cry.

The purple mare lay in bed until well past noon, refusing to even sit up. She knew at this very moment, Luna was in the palace alongside her sister. Today would be one of the busiest days of the week. Most of the ponies that came to spectate the Aura Bloom were arriving today. Thousands of ponies would soon crowd the many city streets. Though Canterlot was big, it was about to become very congested.

Twilight was always uncomfortable around crowds. She much preferred the sanctity of her room, or the reclusiveness of a library. She had convinced herself that this was the reason she wanted to stay in her room.

"Luna will understand." She murmured, half-heartedly.

The day passed sluggishly. Twilight tried at one point to read her magic books, but she just wasn't into it. After nearly thirty minutes of study, Twilight closed the book in frustration, no closer to having an act for the Aura Bloom.

She eventually made the decision to leave her room to take a short walk to see if it would help her feel any different. Her destination was the lunar garden; she was positive that the sight of its loveliness was enough to adjust her mood.

As she walked out onto the patio, a sweet fragrance filled her nose. At first, she thought it was Luna, thought after second thought, she remembered the garden smelled very similar to her. She suddenly wish her friend could be there with her.

She trotted down the cobblestone path, taking a step aside every now and again to examine a certain flower. She was right to come here, before long she was feeling much better and mentally reinvigorated. Although the garden was more spectacular at night, there was still no comparison to the garden even in daylight.

She continued on to the fountain, shining brilliantly in the sunlight. She sat on its edge for a minute to rest, dipping one of her hooves in the clear water to gauge its temperature. The water's surface shimmered as she swirled her hoof around. She watched closely as the water rippled all the way to the other side of the fountain, around the sphere in the center. It was then she looked past the fountain.

She noticed a new flower display that hadn't been there a few days ago. It was the patch of grass Luna had been laying on when Twilight first came to the garden and confronted her.

She got off the fountain and wandered curiously over towards the new exhibit. She approached a large patch of pitch black flowers, blowing gently in the breeze. At first, she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary about the featured patch. She suddenly caught a glance of a flash of color. Her head quickly spun to the location of the anomaly.

In the wave of black tulips, a single purple rose grew from the very center of the patch, almost completely engulfed by the blackness.

Twilight lifted her hoof and noticed she had been standing on a piece of carved marble. Inscribed on the small tablet was a simple, but powerful message:

For teaching me my heart had more than one color. Thank you.

A soft tear formed in the corner of Twilight's eye as she glanced by up at the solitary rose, knowing instantly of Luna's tribute. It was the single most romantic gesture that Twilight had ever seen. No pony, mare or colt, had ever done anything to make her feel this serene.

She knew she had to talk to Luna.

It was getting later in the afternoon, and Twilight knew Luna would still be in the palace. She galloped out of the garden, feeling as fast as Rainbow Dash or Applejack in their race for the Iron Pony.

Winding through hallways, Twilight finally made it to a door that would lead to one of the many city streets of Canterlot. The street was packed full of tourists, condensing the street and forcing Twilight to slow her pace. It frustrated her, knowing it would take quite a bit longer to reach the palace. Still, she wasn't willing to push her way through the crowd so instead of fighting it, she went with the crowd, and soon found that she could still move at a reasonable speed.

After a short while, the palace entrance was seen on the horizon. As she dashed closer, there were fewer and fewer ponies around her that she had to worry about. She was glad the traffic near the castle was slowing down; it meant that Luna might not be too busy to talk to her.

As the twilight hours loomed, the purple pony raced through the courtyard towards the front door of the palace. She halted as the guards beckoned for her to stop.

"Sorry madam, but only ponies who have business with the Princess may see her today." One of the guards stated.

"It's okay, I'm Twilight Sparkle. The Princess would want to see me." Twilight responded, undeterred.

The guard glanced down at Twilight. "My apologies miss Sparkle, I didn't recognize you in the failing light. You may go in." The guards parted as the palace door opened with a subtle creak.

Twilight walked slowly into the throne room. "Twilight Sparkle." Princess Celestia called out warmly as Twilight approached.

Twilight bowed respectively to her mentor. "Good evening, Princess."

Celestia stood up off her throne and walked down to be next to her pupil, her magnificent mane billowing in the small draft created from the momentum of her steps. "Something troubles you Twilight. What is it?"

The Princess could see right through her as if Twilight was made of glass. She was unnerved about being discovered, but decided from hence forth to be completely honest. "I just need to make something right with Princess Luna. Do you know where I can find her?"

Celestia's eyes clouded for a nearly-unnoticeable instance, before returning to their sharp, yet non-judgmental gaze. "Princess Luna hasn't been herself today. She excused herself a little earlier; I believe she went to her room."

Twilight felt butterflies in her stomach at the thought of her finally confronting Luna. She bowed to her mentor in gratitude. "Thank you, Princess. Let's see if I can get the good 'ol Luna back."

Twilight raced off. "Good luck!" Princess Celestia called after her.

Twilight spent little time on the stairs, knowing Princess Luna's bed chamber was at one of the highest points in the spire. Her hooves clacked loudly as she climbed floor after floor, knowing every step was one closer to her friend…

No. Not friend… The pony she loved.

She finally made it to Luna's floor, where Twilight had to take a second to catch her breath. After panting loudly for a few moments, she wiped the sweat off her forehead and traveled down the short hallway. At the end, an elegant black doorway encrusted when dark blue gildings was being protected by two royal guards.

The two guards glared at her, tensing up. "Halt! Explain your business here." One guard stated directly.

Twilight approached cautiously, stopping before the guards. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. I am a friend of Princess Luna. Could you tell me if she's in her room?"

The two guards looked at each other, before one of them nodded curtly. "Yes, Miss Sparkle. The princess has gone to bed a bit early. I'm not sure if it'd be wise to intrude-"

"Not to be rude, but Luna wouldn't mind. So can I go in?" Twilight asked, not even sure if the guards would let her in.

The guards once again shared a glance. "Princess Luna instructed us to not let anypony disturb her."

Twilight's ears drooped low as she bowed her head in disappointment. Had she come all this way for nothing? It hurt her to think she'd have to wait until tomorrow. She desperately wanted to see Luna tonight. Just as Twilight was mid-thought, the guard started talking again.

"But… She did mention your name, Miss Sparkle, as an exception to the order." The guard stated slowly.

Twilight lit up as the two guards separated, giving her access to the bedchamber door. It was the moment Twilight had been waiting for. Through those doors, Luna awaited.

She used magic to slowly open the door only enough so she could squeeze through. She pinched herself in then shut the door quietly behind her. The room itself was dark, a curtain had been pulled over the window. Even so, the light outside was getting scarce, and the curtain would not be necessary for very much longer.

Trying to make her way around the room, Twilight looked from right to left trying to make out figures in the dark. She paused for a minute, letting her eyes adjust. Before long, she could see pretty well in the bedchamber.

The room itself was not too different than Twilight's, except it's size. It was at least twice as big as her own, but other than that the furniture was similar.

Her eyes fell on the bed. A gentle rise and fall of the covers let Twilight knew Luna was breathing soundly underneath. She tip-toed over to the bed, and it was at this moment she came to the realization she had no idea what to do. Did she wake the mare? How would she explain her feelings? Was this the right choice?

Luna stirred under the blankets, causing Twilight to freeze in anticipation. Whatever she was going to do, now was her chance. She glanced to Luna's bedside table and noticed a candle. Letting magic flow through her horn, she lit it, sending a dull glow across the room. It wasn't bright by any means, but it was enough to see.

Twilight sat down slowly on the edge of Luna's bed. Luna was facing the opposite direction and was still under the covers, but her head was lying gracefully on a pillow.

"Luna…" Twilight whispered. After no visible reaction, she repeated it slightly louder.

Luna stirred slowly. "Twilight…" She mumbled, obviously still asleep. It made Twilight smile knowing that Luna was thinking about her, even while she slept.

"Luna?" Twilight asked louder.

Luna's eyes flickered open lazily, still not completely aware of Twilight's presence. She saw Luna suddenly freeze and tilt her head questionable. "Wait a minute.." She whispered. She turned around in her bed and finally saw Twilight. She awoke with a start.

"Twilight!" She said, completely shocked to see the purple pony in her room. Luna nearly fell out of her bed, but caught herself before looking like a fool. She quickly regained her composure and rubbed her eyes to awaken quicker. "What are you doing here?" She asked uncertainly.

"Hello Luna," Twilight smiled apologetically, "I so sorry for waking you, but I just wanted to say how sorry I am for not showing up earlier. The truth is I was scared to face you today and… I guess I sorta been avoiding you."

Luna sat up, bringing her closer to Twilight. "Scared? Scared of me? Why?"

This was it. Twilight didn't know how to word it, so she said the first thing that popped into her mind.

"Luna… A-Are you my girlfriend?"

Luna's silver eyes wavered as her mouth gaped open slightly in surprise. Had the lunar pony heard her correctly? Twilight mentally kicked herself for wording it like that. 'Are you my girlfriend'!? That's the best she could come up with!? The tension in the air was tangible as Luna glanced forward into Twilight's eyes.

"Twilight…Why do you ask that?" Luna asked slowly. Twilight still could not manage to detect which way Luna's judgment would go.

Twilight took a deep breath and closed her eyes, the words came easier when she focused. "Luna, you're an amazing mare. Over the past few days I've felt a connection with you that I don't share with anypony from Ponyville, and I think you've felt it too. I came here tonight because I wanted to tell you that I think you're the most incredible pony I've ever met. You're kind, giving, and you're everything that's beautiful in the night. Luna… I love you."

A quiet few seconds filled Twilight with anticipation as she kept her eyes shut, afraid to open them to see Luna's reaction. Would she look angry? Confused?

She felt a hoof slide across her back and hot breath on her neck. Twilight opened her eyes to realize Luna was embracing her, nuzzling her mane. With a tear of joy filling her eye, Twilight returned the hug. They stayed that way for several seconds.

"Oh, Twilight. That was so beautiful! I love you too.. So much." Luna whispered into Twilight's ear.

Both mares were trembling, their bodies nervous as they entered new and strange territory. Luna lifted her head up to look directly into Twilight's sparkling eyes. "I've felt the connection too. I didn't know if you would be with a mare though, so… I was silent."

"What now?" Twilight asked shyly, feeling her cheeks light up more than ever before. Luna had the same reaction, and soon both mares were blushing intensely. After some thought, Luna leaned in and left a soft kiss on Twilight's cheek.

"Stay here tonight." Luna finally answered. Twilight gazed into Luna's stunning silver eyes. Luna was looking back into hers, gauging her reaction. What, did Luna think she was going to pass up an offer like that?

"You're the princess." Twilight responded slyly, chuckling amorously. She leaned forward and planted a passionate kiss on Luna's soft lips.

Both ponies closed their eyes, gripping each other tightly to fight the trembles that electrified their bodies. Their tongues fought and tumbled over one another, desperate to explore the others mouth. Hot gasps escaped in spurts as both ponies went deeper into the kiss. Twilight slowly pushed Luna into a laying position on her bed. They stopped for a moment to stare into each other's eyes.

"I love you, Twilight." Luna whispered breathlessly.

"I love you too, Luna."

Twilight rested her head on Luna's chest, hearing her heart thumping at a mile a second. She felt Luna stroke her mane gently, and Twilight knew that of all the memories she has and will have during her lifetime, this will be one of her favorites.

Chapter 4

Outside, clouds began to gather in concentric circles high above Canterlot. The dark masses blew and twisted angrily in the sky, and it was obvious that quite a storm was on its way. Usually, the Canterlot towers were tall enough to breach the top layer of clouds, leaving them unaffected by weather. However, on this warm and muggy day the cold air was pushed higher in the sky, leaving the cloud line at a much higher altitude.

Unfazed, Twilight Sparkle took a deep breath of the dampened air. While other ponies hid inside their homes during a storm, Twilight was fascinated by the natural phenomena. For something of such magnitude to happen in nature without magic, it was truly remarkable.

The purple pony stood on her hind legs with her front hooves on the railing of Luna's balcony. A warm breeze ruffled through her mane as she looked down over the city below. From the tower, she had a decent view of the courtyard and some of the streets that adjoined the main portion of town with the palace.

She stood there for several minutes, silently enjoying the humid air and contentedness of her life at the moment. Reflecting on last night, Twilight couldn't help but feel excited, yet nervous, about this new change in her existence. How drastically will this affect her day-to-day activities? Being the logical pony she is, she soon began to over-analyze her situation, and this soon led to the dissenting side of her mind to return with a vengeance.

"Great, look what you've gotten us into?" It scolded harshly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Twilight returned confidentially, "last night was magical! To be in Luna's arms like that was one of the highest points in my life. How can you still be skeptical that this could work?"

The dissenting figure shook its head slowly. "You poor, naïve pony. You have no idea what you've gotten us into, do you? Sure, last night was fantastic. You might even have another night like it. Ask yourself this question though: now what are you going to do?"

The question was vague but Twilight understood. It was wondering what were Luna and her going to express about their relationship? Twilight worried that if the public became aware of this love, ponies might become disgusted with the two of them.

Twilight froze in fear. PRINCESS CELESTIA! What would happen if she found out? The thought sent icy tendrils down her spine and made her shiver. The princess would probably be furious for doing all this behind her back! Twilight tried to hold back thoughts of the Sun Princess expelling her out of the city and disowning her as her faithful student, but the thoughts came anyway.

What would her friends back home think? Twilight wondered if they would ever look at her the same way, knowing that she liked mares. She tried running scenarios in her head on how she could tell them, but each way sounded as pathetic as the last. She knew her friends well, so she knew they wouldn't start outright avoiding her. They wouldn't do that…Would they?

This mental battle was starting to give Twilight a headache. "Okay, you've made your point," Twilight finally responded to her subconscious, "there are some unknowns we have to deal with. We'll just have to be careful how we handle the situation. I'll talk to Luna today."

"I've hardly made my point." Her subconscious scoffed arrogantly. "If you take anything away from this conversation, ask yourself what is to become of your 'relationship' after the Aura Bloom."

The figure in her mind dissipated as it made its final argument. Twilight opened her eyes, frowning with worry.

It was a good question, just not a very pleasant one to think about. She of course had to return to Ponyville. As much as she loved Luna, that was her home. Twilight loved all her friends and never wanted to give them up. She enjoyed her studies in friendship and how great it has made her feel. Life without Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity wouldn't be the same. It would be like losing a part of her.

On the other hand, Twilight knew that Luna, as a princess, would have to stay in Canterlot to perform her royal obligations. Luna had to do what was best for all of ponydom. Although Twilight knew Luna loved her, Twilight also recognized she wasn't worth all the other ponies that relied on Princess Luna and her sister to help govern everything. Eventually the two ponies would reach a crossroad, and they were both headed in different direction.

That time was coming very soon, and it made Twilight sick to her stomach.

Before she could have another thought, she heard small clacking noises as Luna walked from the bedchamber. She ambled behind Twilight and stood up on her hind legs, wrapping her forelegs around the front of the purple pony, hugging her from behind.

Luna nuzzled Twilight gently. "Good morning, beautiful." She whispered in Twilight's ear. Twilight's face reddened and her back arched as if an electric current jolted down her spine. She loved the way Luna said it.

Twilight giggled. "Good morning, sleepy-mare. You've been out for a while." It was true; it was around 10:30 A.M., which for a princess was pretty late. Twilight had been awake for about three hours now. Not wanting to disturb her sleeping love, Twilight watched her sleep for a few minutes before creeping out of bed. She decided to fill her time by catching up on her reading.

Twilight didn't have any of her books there, but Luna did have a small library collection in her room. No more than 20 books, but still one of the magic books intrigued Twilight enough to start reading. The book itself had no apparent title or author, yet was crafted with hardwood covers and gilded pages. The quality of the penmanship inside impressed Twilight. It was surely (no pun intended) a book fit for a princess.

From cover to cover, the purple mare spent two hours reading it, engulfed fully by the information within. After reflecting momentarily on its content, Twilight re-shelved the book and then wondered out onto the balcony to admire the growing storm.

"heh heh, sorry about that… I didn't fall asleep right away." Luna chimed, clearly embarrassed.

Twilight twisted her head so she could see Luna out of the corner of her eye. "You didn't fall asleep when I did? How much later were you up?"

"I don't know… An hour I think." Luna kissed up the back of Twilight's neck. "You were just too cute and I couldn't go to sleep with my heart beating so fast."

The compliment made Twilight's face light up cherry red. She turned to around face Luna, with her fronts hoofs still on the railing of the balcony. Luna still had her forelegs around Twilight, running her hooves up and down the curves of her side. They starred into each other's glimmering eyes for a few moments before moving in for a soft kiss that lasted for a blissful ten seconds.

When the parted they were both blushing lightly, sharing a smile.

"Now it's a GREAT morning!" Luna giggled. The lunar princess backed off Twilight and let her forelegs fall back onto the ground. Twilight did likewise, and together they re-entered Luna's bedchamber.

Twilight sat in Luna's bed while watching the princess get ready. She brushed her mane meticulously while looking in the mirror. Every few seconds, Luna would glance at Twilight through the mirror and smile slightly, right before she would reach a knot in her mane and have to tug at the brush to get it out.

After finishing, Luna hopped up onto the bed, thereafter laying next to Twilight. "What do you want to do today?" Luna asked in a whisper, snuggling up close to her girlfriend.

A fog formed over Twilight's eyes as she remembered the subjects that she needed to bring up today, but didn't want to. Her eyes flashed back to her standard sharpness before Luna noticed anything. "Well… Would you let me take you on a date?"

Twilight remembered reading Friendships & Relationships, which dedicated a whole chapter to going on dates, so she assumed that going on dates was important when one was in a relationship.

The night-blue mare turned to face Twilight. She blinked slowly, phrasing her next sentence as carefully as she could. "Um…Twilight…Do you think that's a good idea?" Luna asked innocently. Luna loved Twilight, but the thought of the entire population of Canterlot knowing so soon made her frightened and nervous.

Twilight stroked Luna's cheek gently. "I want to share a meal with my new girlfriend. Besides, it doesn't need to be anything out in the open. We can have it here in the palace if you want to. It'll also give us some time to talk."

Luna cocked her head slightly. "Talk about what?"

"Our future together." Twilight said as delicately as she could.

After some hesitation, Luna finally gave in. "Okay Twilight… If you think it's for the best. I've never been on a date before though."

Twilight wrapped an arm around Luna. "Then that makes two of us."

They both shared a chuckle before leaning in for a quick kiss.

Luna stretched her legs until they were perfectly stiff, and then relaxed with a content sigh. "Wanna stay in bed for a bit longer?"

Twilight couldn't think of anything she wanted to do more. She nodded and pulled the lunar princess close to her. They both laid there in each other's arms, perfectly satisfied with just feeling the rhythmic pounding of their hearts beating off one another's.

~*~*~

Twilight walked back to her room after departing from Luna's with a quick goodbye kiss. They shared a loving glance before she walked out, the two guards standing watch giving her a sideways stare before returning their glare forward. It was hard to interpret what they were thinking.

Luna had to be in the Palace to prepare for the Aura Bloom, which was tomorrow! The date had snuck up on Twilight so quickly that it made her head spin. She had been researching this one special move that if she could pull off, would be spectacular. Well…if.

It was from the special unnamed book she found in Luna's bedchamber library. She had practiced the trick several times and failed. She strained to force the magic out of her horn, but it was always just out of her grasp. She felt a wisp of the magic before it retreated suddenly back into the seclusions of her mind, leaving her panting and exhausted.

Once the purple mare was back in the privacy of her own room, she attempted the magic several more times.

Frustration began to build as the hours flew by with no success in sight. Several times, Twilight believed that she had done it, magic spewing out of her horn fantastically as light flooded the room. It didn't last long, however, and the magic always cracked and fell flat, dissipating into the air before having time to form anything.

Twilight started to worry that she may have gotten in over her head, entering the Aura Bloom. All the other contestants were already well-prepared and had already gotten to practice for probably months! What chance did Twilight have against them?

Winning wasn't important to Twilight. It never was; she remembered how she took her time running in the Falling of the Leaves race between Applejack and Rainbow Dash. She didn't worry about winning then, and she didn't worry about winning now. She was in this for the experience and the fun of it, but even Twilight knew there was no fun in making a fool out of herself.

Besides, what would ponies say of Princess Celestia if her number one student choked on stage? Both their reputations were on the line here, and it was all weighing down on Twilight's shoulders. She could picture the look of embarrassment on the Princess's face if Twilight failed. It was these stress points that pushed and motivated Twilight to train harder and not quit until she had it down.

She tried everything to coax the magic out of her mind, but it was an impenetrable fortress. There was a factor she was missing that made it impossible to activate the magic, and she knew it. While reaching for the magic, she felt a slight weakness in the otherwise unbreakable wall of magic. As she explored it, she found it to be like a keyhole, locking away tightly its content inside. That key wasn't a physical one, but a mental and emotional one, and she had to figure out what was the trigger for this spell before it was too late.

For now, Twilight had to stop. It was already getting later in the day, and Luna would be relieved of her duty soon. Soon after was their scheduled private date.

Twilight knew she didn't have to prepare much, but the thought of a date made her nervous, even a secret one. Twilight really wanted to wear a dress to look pretty for her girlfriend, but she knew that would make her stand out too much. To everyone who saw them in the palace, this just had to look like a dinner between two friends. It hurt her to know she couldn't be so open, but if this is what it took to keep Luna, then she would do it.

She looked over herself in the mirror and re-brushed her hair. It had gotten frizzled from the hours of strenuous practice. As soon as she was sure she looked as best as she possibly could, Twilight put on a cute deep lavender saddle.

Its not too dressy, Twilight thought, I can get away with it.

With a nod of approval to her mirror self, she trotted out the door.

Twilight took a glance up at the clouds. Although it hadn't begun raining, the storm had become more malevolent, sending down a harsh wind the nipped at Twilight's ears. Still, Twilight didn't mind it too much. It shouldn't start raining until she reached the Palace, and by then it wouldn't matter if it did.

She didn't want to test her luck however, and she hurried off into the direction of the palace, the streets mostly clear due to most ponies being inside.

She was going to meet Luna in her room, and together they'd walk to…

Twilight paused for a moment and realized that she had no idea where Luna had planned the dinner. She had set up the arrangements, so only she knew. She didn't think Luna would put them in the grand dining hall; it was too big for them, and Princess Celestia was sure to be there.

Curious, Twilight continued into until she finally reached the courtyard. She entered the palace without problem, sliding away from the main throne room. She entered one of the adjoining hallways, and walked the path she knew too well towards Luna's bedchamber.

Up several flights of stairs, the purple pony finally made it to her girlfriend's floor, once again stopping to catch her breath. She looked up and noticed something very odd about the hallway. It took her a few moments to realize what was missing: Luna's guards. She stood alone in the regal hallway, wondering where they might be.

Hesitantly, Twilight walked up to Luna's door, and knocked on it with three loud taps.

From the other side, footsteps approached the door. The double doors swung open with magic, and Twilight gasped in surprise.

A beautiful Luna stood gracefully in the doorway, meeting Twilight's gaze. She was adorned in several pieces of fine jewelry, most notably a silver locket that lay loosely around her neck. A sparkling jewel-incrusted saddle wove elegantly around Luna's delicate curves. Around her head, laying gently on her hair, a silver tiara with purple gems glistened like Luna's eyes. All of it together made Twilight begin to drool.

Oh my… She's so pretty, Twilight thought with a hint of lust.

The princess noticed how Twilight was staring at her and immediately blushed. "I-Is it too much? It's too much isn't it?" She asked bashfully, taking a tentative step back.

"No, Luna! You're…amazing." Twilight spoke honestly, her heart fluttering. "I just thought you wanted to be more… Incognito?"

Luna shrugged slowly. "I thought I wanted that too, but now I just want to look good for you. Besides, I have a private room for us." She answered, walking over to her mare. "You look wonderful, Twilight."

Twilight half-smiled, knowing she wasn't even close to as pretty as Luna. Luna saw this and immediately recovered. She stroked Twilight's cheek, caressing it with her hoof. "You are the prettiest mare in all of Equestria, and if I'm going to go on my FIRST first date, then I'm glad it's with you."

Twilight's half-smiled turned into a full radiant one as her eyes shimmered in the candlelit hallway. The two ponies leaned in and shared a slow, loving kiss. At the end, Luna leaned in and whispered, "Come on."

The lunar princess started walking away, leading Twilight to the location of their secret rendezvous.

While the weaved through hallways, Luna eventually made Twilight put on a blindfold. The purple pony looked at Luna questionably. "What's this for?" She asked.

"I don't want to ruin the surprise." Luna hinted, excitedly.

So, despite the fact she didn't want to, Twilight slipped on the blindfold, now totally unaware of her surroundings.

Luna guided her for a few more minutes until they passed a threshold. Twilight could feel the difference in the room by its… roominess. She felt the slight temperature change that indicated that she was no longer in a small space. She also noticed a slight draft and some small whooshing sound…Almost like…

"Running water?" Twilight murmured aloud. "Luna, where are we?"

Luna reached up and took the blindfold off Twilight. Once again, Twilight couldn't help but gasp.

First she noticed the most obvious: they were outside, but they were standing right outside an opulent white-and-gold-crested gazebo. In the structure there was a table for two, already set up with all the dining necessities. Royal plates, silverware, and glasses were lit by candlelight the emitted from the centerpiece of the table. A white silk tablecloth expanded across the tabletop, complimenting the white flowers that encircled the entire gazebo.

Twilight could help but hang her mouth wide open. "How did you do all this?" She asked incredulously.

"I didn't." Luna blushed, looking away for a moment.

"Then.. who-?"

"I did."

Twilight spun her gaze to the source of the familiar voice. Walking up behind her was none other than the Sun Princess, her mentor, Ruler of all Equestria, Princess Celestia. Twilight's cheeks lit up in embarrassment at the sight of her teacher's arrival.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight croaked, bowing automatically.

"Rise, my faithful student." Princess Celestia chuckled.

"Twilight, it's okay," Luna whispered reassuringly into her ear, "I told my sister about us. I knew it could benefit our situation." She kissed Twilight's cheek lightly to prove her point.

Twilight gulped, looking back up at her mentor. "Princess Celestia, I-I don't really know what to say…"

"It's okay, Twilight. Although mare-mare relationships are rare, they aren't unheard of. My sister hasn't been the same since the faithful night when you restored the elements of harmony, and she will agree with me. A fragment of her heart she once lost, she has found again in you. I haven't seen Princess Luna this happy, this fulfilled, in over a thousand years. I knew from the moment I saw you, Twilight, when you were a little filly that you were a very special pony. Little did I know my sister would see that too. I wish you both the utmost happiness in your partnership."

As the Princess finished, she walked over to Twilight and gave her a hug. Twilight embraced her back with tears in her eyes, feeling so grateful that Celestia could be so supportive. "Thank you so much, Princess. I should have known better than to think you would disapprove."

Princess Celestia chuckled warmly as her and Twilight separated. "You two have a good time now. It's not every day my garden is blessed with a couple such as yourself." She winked then flew off, high up to a balcony where she was soon out of sight.

Twilight only then noticed that they were, in fact, in Princess Celestia's private garden within the palace. Twilight glanced over at Luna who was still looking away.

"I-I hope you're not mad at me for telling my sister, Twilight. I just… I just t-thought-"

She couldn't say anything more because Twilight rushed up and placed a firm, loving kiss on her lips. Raindrops started to drizzle down from the stormy skies upon the moonlit couple. Neither pony minded, they just embraced each other tighter as they went deeper into this kiss.

Soon, it went dark when the clouds finally engulfed the patch of open sky that let the moon shine through.

"Now, how about that date?" Luna giggled, inches away from Twilight. The lunar pony stroked Twilight's mane.

"Sounds good to me!" Twilight grinned.

Together, they stepped into the candlelit gazebo where they would share their first date just as the skies opened up and it began to pour.

Chapter 6

Time moved painfully slow in Ponyville. The more Twilight thought about it, the more irritated she became. Eventually, she magically imploded the only clock in her library house for she no longer wished to be reminded of time. The incessant ticking, tick after tock, just reminded her how long she had been separated from Luna. She knew it was just an unnecessary stress, so she took care of it.

In roughly two days' time, Twilight had gone from quasi-competent Aura Bloom competitor to anti-social hermit, bent on sheltering in her house as if sunlight would make her transparent. Her friends knew she was emotionally distressed, but they were still clueless as to why. They all believed that she was still upset about her failure in the Aura Bloom; there was hardly any suspicion that she was aching on a much more profound level.

After running away from Luna, she spent little time in Canterlot. Her things had already been packed and taken out to the carriage runway where she would meet with her friends. Her mentor, Princess Celestia, was there as well.

Twilight was a bit reluctant to face her teacher. She parted with insufficient words, mumbling nothing more than mere courtesies, thanking the princess for inviting her to Canterlot in the first place. Although the whole experience left an abyss in her heart, she was still honored to have been a competitor.

It was no revelation to hear that Princess Celestia was especially perceptive. She knew her student was in pain and tried to comfort her. Twilight was experiencing some very odd emotions; it was as if she didn't want to be comforted. She didn't want to be happy or cheerful, and instead found an almost satisfactory sense in her sadness, knowing that it was the correct and only emotion that she should be experiencing.

Of course her friends had tried to comfort her all the way home, each taking their own shot at trying to cheer her up. Most of it went right through Twilight, but one message did stick, and it came from her most timid friend.

Twilight was sitting on an opposing side of the carriage than her friends. Rarity, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Applejack were arguing quietly, brainstorming on how to raise Twilight's spirit. While they were in a heated discussion, Fluttershy ambled over carefully, her eyes focused on Twilight's, wavering with uncertainty.

The down-trotted unicorn looked up curiously to return Fluttershy's stare. The carriage quieted as the pegasus held back tears. "I don't know what's wrong, Twilight," Fluttershy began solemnly, "but whatever it is, I promise things will get better."

Fluttershy inched closer to Twilight, until the space in between them was indistinguishable from where the rest of the ponies were sitting.

"You may not know this, Twilight, but I was a terribly shy filly when I was younger."

Twilight rolled her eyes, and glanced to the side.

"No, listen. I've faced a bunch of disappointment in my life. Things that most people would shrug off or just ignore left a permanent scar in my heart. It's given me a pessimistic outlook on life and well… left me socially-awkward and shy around most ponies."

Fluttershy was speaking quietly so only Twilight could hear her, pausing every now and then to make nearly-silent sniffling noises. Twilight looked at her friend sympathetically, curious as to why she was telling her this.

"I let my sadness and disappointments affect my life and my behavior. It's something I'm trying to improve but…well, you know… um… I'm not sure how well it's going. B-But what I'm trying to say is…" She paused once more as tears started forming in the corners of her eyes.

"It's ok to be sad sometimes… But don't let it become you." The gloomy pegasus lowered her head to the ground.

"…Don't make the same mistake I did."

Her last words came out in the smallest Fluttershy whisper Twilight had ever heard, but they made more sense to her than the pink-maned pegasus could imagine. Fluttershy's openness with her made the purple mare's demeanor soften.

"I'll be ok, Fluttershy, honest. Thank you." She hugged her friend and they stayed in an sympathetic embrace for a short duration.

Although her words had reached Twilight, it did nothing to repair her dampened spirit. When they finally arrived in Ponyville, night had already fallen. All her friends accompanied her home, but Twilight soon asked if she could be by herself. After pleading for a few minutes, they finally caved in, giving their word that they would stop by the next day.

Two days later, Twilight still felt the same as when she arrived. She hadn't eaten or slept for the entire period. How could she? Whenever she tried to take a bite, her mind forced her into the memory of her first date. Whenever she tried to sleep, her bed felt cold and uninviting. Sometimes when she would almost manage to fall asleep, half-delirious in a sleep-deprived state of emotional coagulation, she would absently reach out to hold Luna, before her eyes would shoot open and realize that she wasn't there.

Spike tried everything to make his companion feel better, evening going out of his way to make her favorite Oolong tea. The amber tea leaves were especially rare around this time of year, but he managed to find some. Regretfully, Twilight drank the tea without much change in her demeanor, and she had thanked him quietly before returning to her bed.

The only sentimental stir Twilight had was when night fell, when she would rush outside and watch the moon rise, knowing that in Canterlot, Luna was eyeing the moon as well. It was the only point in her day that she allowed a small smile to form on her otherwise-emotionless face.

It was mid-morning, so Twilight would have to wait hours until she'd get to witness Luna raise the moon. She knew she wouldn't actually be watching Luna, but it comforted her and gave her something to look forward to.

Four loud beats on her front door broke her train of thought and snapped her back to cold reality. Grumbling silently to herself, she moved to answer it. When she finally opened it, after making sure she didn't look like a complete mess, she saw her friends standing there.

"Hey Twilight. We're just here t'make sure you're doin' alright." Applejack said lightly, though a slight crack in her voice showed the earth pony's concern.

Twilight almost didn't dignify that with a response, but she decided it would've been rude not to answer. "I'll…be fine." She said eventually.

"Now sweetie… We know you very well, so we all know by now that this isn't about that little hiccup in the silly magic competition." Rarity stepped forward. She walked up and put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "You know you can tell us anything; we're you're friends."

Twilight looked into their eyes and saw genuine concern. She guessed if she was going to be truthful, it might as well be now.

"Look girls, you've been really kind to me the past few days and I appreciate it. It's just… I don't think I can be happy without…without…" Twilight's lip quivered as she tried to choke it out. All her friends leaned in in anticipation, Pinkie Pie falling over as she leaned too far forward.

Several moments passed where Twilight couldn't get the last word out. She tried and tried but her subconscious was fighting it… HARD.

"Is it about that colt you were seeing in Canterlot?" Rainbow Dash asked quickly.

"Oh, of course! It simply must be!" Rarity chimed. She swiveled her head back around to face Twilight. "Twilight did he leave you? Are you like this because he broke your heart? So help me Celestia, if I ever get my hooves on the colt that broke your heart, I'D GIVE HIM A REASON TO FEAR THE NAME RARITY!!"

The other ponies backed away in fear as Rarity had her little outburst. Twilight knew it was only Rarity's older-sisterly feelings towards her that made her say that, but she didn't want to know what would happen.

"N-No Rarity, it's nothing like that. I mean, yes it's about the pony I was seeing in Canterlot but, um… well…ugh, It's complicated!" Once again, not able to convey what she desperately wanted to say.

Just as Rarity was about to go off on another tangent, Fluttershy whimpered. All eyes shot to her.

Fluttershy's eyes were set in another direction, facing the road. "Somepony's coming." She whispered apprehensively.

~*~*~

Princess Luna stood there on the cobblestone road, watching her love fade into the distance. A mixture of pure disbelief and bottomless regret inflamed her entire being. After a few moments of blinking away tears, Luna finally collapsed on the ground. A few ponies started to populate the open street as the Aura Bloom's audience was let out. They were still too far to notice the crumpled princess lying halfway in the street.

Tears came in waves as she lost control. She lowered her head to the ground and covered it with her forelegs crying desperately, pleadingly for Twilight to come back. She couldn't accept that this was the last time she would ever see the perfect unicorn.

A puddle of her tears began to form on the pavement underneath her head, wetting her forelegs. She focused to re-stable herself from the convulsions that wracked her body. That's when she felt something soft brush against her foreleg.

"M-Miss Luna, are you ok?" The tiny voice seemed to come from above Luna.

Luna glanced up to see a young cream-colored unicorn filly, casting worried looks down upon her. The lunar princess recognized her as the pony from earlier. Luna was unable to form coherent sentences due to her hysterics, so she remained silent. She did however manage to glance over to notice that the filly's mother was rushing over.

"Harmony," the mother shouted over in concern, "how many times must I tell you not to talk to strangers!" The mother paused and gasped as she got full gloss of the princess.

"Princess Luna!? Oh my, are you alright?" She rushed over and knelt down and placed a gentle hoof on her side. A few other ponies saw the spectacle from a short distance away and began to form a small crowd. "Somepony call the guards!"

Within seconds, several earth ponies sprinted away, while a few pegasi took to the skies to find aid for the befallen princess. It yielded near-instantaneous results.

In the distance, throngs of pegasi guards silhouetted by the night raced to the location. In mere moments, they were already upon the scene, landing near Princess Luna with a loud thud as they hit the ground. Five encircled the princess while two helped her to her feet. "Princess Luna, are you hurt?" A guard asked, his voiced dabbed with unpretentious concern.

After recollecting herself, Princess Luna was finally able to speak. "Thank you for coming in such a manor, sir. But I'm quite unharmed, and I'm sorry to have caused such a false alarm."

The colt breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Equestria. Allow us to escort you back to the palace, Princess."

Luna was about to argue, but the guard cut in before she could have a word out. "We insist, Princess. Princess Celestia wouldn't want us to leave you in this state."

Luna didn't like it, but she understood. Besides, she didn't feel like being alone right then. "Very well." She murmured quietly. As the guards parted the crowd of ponies that had gathered around, Luna caught one last glimpse of the young filly known as Harmony as she was being ushered into a household by her mother.

After making sure Luna was fit to walk, the guards began to march forward, in step with Luna. She made her way down the street past shocked onlookers, who weren't used to seeing a princess in this part of the city, especially at this time of night. With each step, Luna was able to compose herself a bit more. So once again, she was able to think clearly.

An idea flashed into her mind as they passed an archway she knew all too well. Without letting the idea fully blossom, she suddenly shifted direction, and began sprinting through the archway. "Follow me!" Was all the warning she gave her guards, who looked on with horror as they saw their princess running away.

"Princess! Wait for us!" One of them yelled, and they all bolted in her directed.

Luna was now inside a hallway system of a large building. She bolted through hallway after hallway, twisting and turning with precision, knowing exactly where she was going. The guards who were running after her had a very hard time keeping her pace.

She finally found the door she was looking for, and she blasted it open with magic, still at a full sprint. The door itself nearly came off at the hinges.

Luna raced into her moonlit garden, running down the cobblestone path that she set herself. Flowers bent over in the breeze made by the princess hurrying past them. She finally rounded the central fountain and halted before the newest display of her garden.

Her guards caught up to her moments later, panting heavily. "Princess Luna, I don't know what you're doing, but I must insist-"

"Shh." She chided, silencing the guard at once. Luna closed her eyes, and focused on the powerful magic deep inside her. Her eyes glowed bright white as she received the result she was looking for.

The display of flowers combusted into flames, eating away at the small, fragile flowers like they were tinder. The fire licked hungrily at the air, its insatiable appetite looking for more to burn. In seconds, nothing remained but smoldering ash.

Except…

A lone, purple rose stood completely unharmed. Luna's silver eyes glossed over as she approached it slowly. She bent over and gently plucked the flowers from the ground, caressing it in her teeth, not even wanting to leave teeth marks. To her, the flower represented Twilight, and right now she really needed Twilight. As a solemn tear fell from her eye, she then conceded to her guards, nodding at them as if to say she was done here. Her guards got the message, and began to escort her out of the garden.

Back on the main street, it took little time to reach the palace. Once there, she immediately went to her room, clearly in no mood to speak.

Once inside, she forcefully shut the door, as if those outside would do harm to the flower. She laid the rose lightly on her bed before rushing to go get a small vase of water. She looked around her room and could find nothing but a glass pitcher, which she deemed worthy. Filling it with room-temperature water, she put the clear vessel on her bedside table, next to a silver locket. She looked back to the floret resting on her bed, hoping she hadn't ignored it too long. Using magic, she lifted the purple rose into the air and introduced it to its new home.

The rose lulled gently in the vase, its bulb bobbing slightly before resting without a trace of motion. Luna magically opened the locket to reveal a smiling picture of Twilight. For the longest time, Luna merely sat on her bed, her back legs folded up against her chest as she squeezed them with her forelegs. To her, the flower represented her lost love, and she was most certainly not ready to let go.

Eventually, fatigue set in and she slowly burrowed underneath her blankets.

She glanced out her window, peering into the night sky. The stars were dull tonight; their twinkles shown no more passion than Luna did at the moment. With a tear forming in her foggy eye, she turned around to face the opposite wall, shutting her eyes tightly.

For the first time in all of pony history, no moon would rise tonight.

~*~*~

Princess Luna woke up slowly, and with a content yawn, she stretched her limbs. Her eyes still closed, she chuckled tiredly in recollection of her dream.

"Twilight, you won't believe the crazy nightmare I just had." She reached over to grab her partner, but her hooves fell flat on her bed. Her eyes darted open, pawing the empty side of the covers. She quickly took several glances around the room to confirm that she was alone. Suddenly, the events of last night all came flooding back to her. Her previous night's demeanor soon returned.

Slowly making her way out of bed, she stood over her bedside table and leaned in towards the flower, inhaling its aroma. When Luna originally crafted the flower with magic to put in her garden, she imbedded in it Twilight's scent. A light blush formed over her face as ecstasy took over. She felt her legs weakened, but she managed to catch the edge of the bed before they gave out altogether.

She didn't want to leave her room, but she knew she still had obligations. It was the night after the Aura Bloom; most ponies would be leaving the city and there would be many status reports Celestia and she would have to attend to.

Adorning some of her common royal jewelry, she sluggishly exited her room. Her mane was still frizzled and overall her appearance was unkempt. She was beyond caring at this point though, and she made the trip down several flights of stairs towards the throne room.

Inside was a bustle of activity. Several ponies chattered, walking through the hallways in and out of the throne room. Her sister was sitting before her throne. Celestia rarely ever actually sat on it; it was merely for formal occasions. Instead, like any other pony, she sat on her haunches on the ground. Luna slowly made her way to Celestia's side.

Small gasps of astonishment and worry emanated from the few colts Celestia was engaged in conversation with as Luna strode up, eyes on the ground. It made her sister turn and see her, looking as composed as ever. She turned to the ponies she was talking to. "Excuse me, gentlecolts, but would you mind giving my sister and me a moment to talk in private?" The colts shared a nod and began to walk away.

Celestia turned to her sister and ushered her closer to the throne, so they could talk in semi-private. "The night was dreadful without your beautiful moon." Celestia commented.

"I wasn't in any mood to inspire beauty." Luna rebutted. She wondered momentarily if Celestia was mad at her for denying one of her duties as princess.

"I understand little sister." Came her solemn response. The Day and Night Princesses looked into each other's eyes for a moment, before Luna broke the contact.

"How can you? Right now I'm in Canterlot, and Twilight's in Ponyville, and I know in my heart that I want to be with her, but my mind is telling me I need to fulfill my duties as princess and that my pain will pass. How am I supposed to know which side of me is right?" Luna's eyes shut as her head drooped down.

Princess Celestia thought carefully before speaking. After a few moments of pause, Luna felt her sister's wing around her. The feathers brushed against her coat, giving her a warm, tickling sensation. "Luna, do you remember what I said the night you told me about Twilight and you?" She asked kindly.

Honestly, Luna couldn't remember her sister's exact words. She shut her eyes and once again found herself lost in a flashback she couldn't control, standing idle and watching it unravel before her eyes.

The crisp morning air wafted in from the many open windows that complimented the stone hallway. A royal red rug ran down the length of every room, while paintings and sculptures around her gave the space an upper-class charm. Luna hadn't often journeyed to her sister's bedchamber in the tower opposite to her's, but this time she knew that she wanted to speak to her sister in complete private. She had rushed from her own room after Twilight left; the night before had been extraordinary, and left her body tingling.

Through the regal hallways she walked at a brisk pace, hoping to catch Celestia before she left her room. As she neared the doorway, two royal guards stood even straighter at attention. "Princess Luna, how may we be of service?" one asked professionally.

"I was just wondering if my sister was in. If so, I'd like to have a word with her." Luna stated with the same professionalism.

The guard nodded in response. "She is indeed. One moment, Princess."

The colt pegasi knocked three times on the door before opening it. Inside, he called to Princess Celestia to let her know her sister was at the door. "Oh? Let her in." came a gentle, albeit surprised response.

The guards parted as the double doors swung open. Standing inside near her mirror, Celestia threw a curious glace over to her sister. Luna walked inside and shut the doors behind her with magic.

"To what do I owe this unexpected honor?" Celestia chuckled warmly.

Princess Luna took several deep breaths, psyching herself up for what she was about to reveal. On the edge of her mind, she prayed that Twilight wouldn't be mad about this. "I know I can come to you for anything, big sister, but I'm not quite sure how to say this, so I'm just going to give it to you straight."

Celestia raised an eyebrow curiously, stepping a few feet closer to Luna. She said nothing, nodding to encourage Luna to continue talking.

"I…I lah… vvvv…T-Twilight" she finally choked out. She cursed in her head knowing that she probably sounded like the dumbest mare in all of Equestria. She risked a glance at her sister to gauge her reaction.

Celestia leaned back thoughtfully. "You love Twilight… Does she love you back?"

Luna glared dumbfounded at her sister. Of all the responses she expected to face, that was the least likely; instant acceptance. "Yes." Luna purred, letting the word drift off her tongue dreamily. She didn't even have to think about the question before knowing the answer.

Celestia's already-soft features seemed to soften even more, if it was possible. Her eyebrows rose inwardly as she gave a tender smile. "Looks like I wasn't the only mare who found something special in Twilight."

Luna was blushing, now too embarrassed to keep her sister's gaze. Her right foreleg crossed over her left, brushing against it mildly. "It would seem so." She finally replied, managing to develop a tiny smile on her lips.

After a short period of silence, Celestia leaned forward once more. "There's something else, isn't there?" She asked knowingly.

"W-Well she asked me out on a date tonight but I don't…I don't know what to do." Her head slumped.

"Knowing Twilight, she must have already read several books on dating; otherwise she wouldn't have asked you. Allow me to help give her – and you – what you want." Celestia said enthusiastically, putting a hoof on Luna's left shoulder.

"You want to help plan our date? Umm…Ok!" Luna was surprised, but overjoyed that her sister was on board.

"Come, little sister, we can talk of this on our way to the throne room. Our subjects cannot be forced to wait forever." She chuckled with a wink.

Celestia began to walk to the door, but Luna stopped her. "Umm, wait. One more thing…"

Celestia looked down to her sister, nodding. "Anything, dear sister."

"Is…Is this right?" Luna asked, clearly worried. "I-I mean, is this a smart move?"

Celestia smiled. "Sometimes we must forgo logic and reason for matters of the heart, for it is the one thing in this world that is incapable of lying to you."

Luna's eyelids fluttered opened as she returned to reality. She looked up to meet her sister's gaze as Celestia looked down knowingly. "B-But… What about Canterlot? I can't just abandon it again. Not after being gone for so long."

"You and I have different destinies, my sister. I know you can sense it too. You've felt out of place since you've gotten back because your heart knew before any of us that you belong elsewhere. It waited patiently until your passion finally blossomed in the form of a purple unicorn mare named Twilight Sparkle. You will always have a home here in Canterlot, but we both know you'd be kidding yourself if you thought for a second that you don't belong by her side."

How did her sister always know just what to say? Luna melted at the thought of returning to Twilight; to be together once more. "I…I should be with Twilight." Luna finally agreed, hugging her sister close. "Thank you, big sister."

For the rest of the day, and most of the next day, Luna dedicated herself to helping Celestia deal with the post-Aura Bloom madness. Crowds had to be dealt with in an orderly fashion, supply orders had to be confirmed after the massive population nearly sucked the city's resources dry, and there was dealing with the damage done to the Canterlot Stadium. Luna knew Celestia was capable of handling it all on her own, but with her around, the workload placed on her sister would be substantially less, so she stayed in town.

Early on the third morning, two days after Twilight and she had separated, Luna decided that it was in the purple rose's best interest to be planted back into the ground. She weaved through several hallways, knowing the path like the back of her hoof. She opened the door that led to her garden and slowly glanced around, as if she was looking at it for the last time.

Down the path she trotted, suspending the flower in a chrysalis of magic. She finally turned around the bend where the lunar fountain was, and she gasped at what she saw, nearly losing concentration and dropping the flower.
Princess Celestia was eyeing her from across the fountain, standing near the empty patch of burnt ashes. Luna slowly made her way to her sister's side. Both of their eyes were on the patch. "I've arranged for a chariot to take you to Ponyville."

Luna shook her head. "No, a chariot would draw too much attention. I don't want the whole town knowing I'm there. Not yet at least."

Celestia glanced curiously over to her. "How do you plan on getting there?"

Luna fluttered her wings in response. Celestia eyed her warily; she was one of the few ponies that knew that Luna secretly wasn't the most adept at flying. She worried that Luna might not even be able to make it to Ponyville. "Luna, are you sure you want that?" She asked cautiously.

Luna marched over to the bed of ashes, and with a wisp of magic wind, blew them away revealing the soft dirt underneath. Slowly, she dug a hole in the ground precisely where the flower had been before, and planted it back into the soil. The rose itself was special; the magic imbued inside its petals would keep it alive as long as her love for Twilight never faded.

Backing up to admire her handiwork, she gave a short nod as magic erupted from her horn, penetrating the soil at her feet. Up from the ground sprang a whole new patch of the black flowers, though they were smaller than the previous generation. To her own surprise, a small bushel of purple roses stemmed out from where the purple rose originally was; an unintended effect of her magic, but welcomed none the less. The bush of Twilight's flowers gleamed brilliantly against the black canvas.

"I'm sure." She finally responded, in no uncertain terms.

The two sisters shared a long hug. The wind rushed through them as an eerie calm rose. They both felt it; the past thousand years of separation had finally melted away and they were truly sisters once again. "You better visit me." Luna joked.

"You know I will" was Celestia's warm, quiet response. The two parted and Luna's gaze drifted to the sky. It was still too early in the morning to see the sun, though its light began to peak over the buildings casting an orange glow over Canterlot.

"Go get her." Celestia smiled.

On Luna's face was the biggest smile that she's had since her date with Twilight. With a powerful kickoff, and a strong flap of her wings, Luna soared up towards the clouds that hovered not too high above Canterlot. "I'm coming, Twilight!" She yelled to the winds, not caring who heard her. With tears of joy streaming down her cheek, she began the long journey to Ponyville.

One hour into the flight, Luna was already struggling to keep her pace. She had landed for a short rest, knowing that her wings wouldn't support her if she kept up this pace. The morning sun had already risen and reinvigorated Luna enough to push off once again, laboriously flapping her wings as she gained altitude. As long as she stopped for a break every now and then, she should be fine.

Luna wasn't a fast flyer; it was the main reason the flight was taking her so long. A more competent flyer would be able to make it to Ponyville in 30 minutes easily, but not Luna. From the time she was little, her wings had never been very cooperative with her. As a filly, she struggled to do even the most basic tasks such as hovering. For this reason, she had become accustomed to life on the ground; after all, there wasn't much use of a princess in the sky.

Luna gritted her teeth as Ponyville came into view. Her wings complained with each flap, but she ignored them and shook her head at the pain. She noticed that she had slowly been losing altitude over the past minute as her wings began to shut down. "Come on, just a little further!"

The ground was rushing up to meet her. She closed her eyes and pumped her wings trying to gain elevation. Suddenly, her wings locked up in protest about 20 feet in the air, and Luna began to fall.

Her scream pierced the morning calm as she landed hard on a dirt road and skid a few brutal feet before coming to a halt. Her eyes fluttered open in a daze. She took a shallow breath, inhaling dirt the billowed up from her land. It agitated her throat and made her body convulse as she coughed. She gritted her teeth while she angled one of her hoofs under her, and tried to push herself to up to her hooves.

Pain shot through her lower limbs as she collapsed back onto the ground. She struggled to look down at her back legs; what she saw made her groan. They were both wet with drizzles of blood caused from several scrapes. The rocks on the hard ground weren't gentle on her. Making it worse, dirt covered her legs and got into the wounds, making them sting harshly.

She glared forward with concentration, smoke flaring from her nose like an angry bull. With all her strength, she pushed with her forelegs until she was finally in a standing position. Her back legs wobbled unstably, threatening to collapse again.

Before her legs failed her, she quickly summoned magic from her horn and closed the wounds on her legs. The flow of blood instantly stopped, which made her breathe a sigh of relief. She knew some parts of her body would soon form bruises, and she was layered in a thin strip of dirt on her legs and flank. Looking at her now, very few people would recognize her as the princess.

She sighed knowing that it was probably for the best, but she also didn't want Twilight to see her like this. She ambled over to a nearby creek and washed most of the dirt from her body, and as much of the blood out of her coat that she could. A vast improvement, though she still looked a bit travel-worn.

She glanced around noticing she was on the outskirts of Ponyville. Despite her rough landing, she congratulated herself on making it, and the thought of being so close to Twilight filled her limbs with strength.

"I'm almost there, Twilight!" She yelled one again, trotting off into town.

~*~*~

Fluttershy's eyes were set in another direction, facing the road. "Somepony's coming." She whispered apprehensively.

"It's rude to interrupt, Fluttershy. Twilight was just about to explain her complication. Besides, it's probably just a pony heading into town." Rarity argued, glancing over quickly before returning her stare to Twilight. "Now do go on, Darling!"

Twilight took a deep breath in. "O-Ok Rarity, but I'm just afraid that after you know, you'll all treat me different."

"What, do you mean stop being your friends? Ain't gunna happen!" Dash quipped in her normal cocky attitude.

Twilight hoped she meant that, because she was already building up the courage to tell them. "W-Well you see, in Canterlot I made a very good friend; a mare." Twilight began slowly.

"Oh really?" Rarity lit up. "Did this friend of yours introduce you to this stallion you've been so wrapped up in?"

A solid blush started to form over Twilight's face. "No, you don't understand. Um… You see, the mare...W-Was – is, my girlf-"

Fluttershy whimpered even louder, cutting Twilight off. Rarity groaned loudly in protest. "Fluttershy, since you're going to keep interrupting Twilight like that, you must have a GREAT reason." Her voice was rich with sarcastic impatience.

Fluttershy shakily pointed to the road and hid behind her mane. All ponies turned to see what she was pointing at. Twilight's heart stopped beating as time stood still; there, in her own walkway, was the source of her depression and joy. Standing perfectly still as if bolted to the ground, stood Princess Luna, her silver eyes wavering magnificently in the sunlight. Her mane billowed past the arch of her back. It wasn't as immaculate as it usually was; with added flair, the cerulean mane now blew free and untamed.

Tears began to form in Twilight's eyes as she began to get choked up. She was just about to call out to her when suddenly her friends formed a protective line around Twilight, blocking her from Luna. The exception was Fluttershy, who was hiding in a nearby bush.

"Hi, Twilight." Luna mustered up to say, though her confidence had already been shot down by the glaring ponies. The greeting was quiet, yet heartfelt.

"You sure do have some courage showin' back up in this town, Nightmare!" Applejack hissed.

"M-My name's Luna." The mare murmured timidly, taking a slow step back. Her eyes were on the ground, afraid to meet anypony's critical gaze.

"Hope to finish what you started, Nightmare?" Rarity jeered. "Well too bad! Our friendship will always overcome evil creatures such as yourself."

Twilight looked on horrified as her friends threw the insults at Luna. Twilight knew how much that last comment was going to sting her girlfriend. With each step back, the Princess began to resemble the same pony she met on the first day, when Twilight herself was the one dishing the insults. She was scared, frail, and completely unsure of herself.

"ENOUGH!" Hollered Twilight, startling her friends in front of her. She pushed her way through her friends and sprinted over to Luna, the mare's cheeks were already wet from crying. Without even slowing down, Twilight collided into her girlfriend in one of the biggest hugs she had ever given her. The wind created from Twilight's sprint rushed past them both, rustling their manes. They both started crying, whimpering as they held each other, thankful to be in each other's hooves once more. They had completely blocked out her friends.

After a short, awkward few moments, Applejack took a step forward.

"Ahem." Applejack cleared her throat, finally gaining Twilight attention. Both she and Luna were now smiling joyfully, tears still streaming down their faces. She released Luna from the hug and they stood side-by-side, facing Twilight's friends.

"So, ah, Twilight? Is this yur new friend?" Applejack asked curiously.

Twilight was nearly too choked up to talk, but she managed to get out a small phrase.

"Yes, but…"

Rarity looked on cautiously. "But…?"

Twilight knew she couldn't talk anymore. In a heartbeat, she felt something soft and feathery brush across her back. She looked to the side and realized Luna had put a wing around her, though her gaze was still sideward towards the ground. The alicorn was blushing intensely.

Twilight knew a good way to convey the message to her friends.

She shut her eyes, and slowly left a soft kiss on Luna's cheek.

Applejack's jaw hit the ground as Rarity's eyes widened in pure disbelief. Next to her, Pinkie did one of her famous floating gasps, jumping into the air. Rainbow Dash was completely flabbergasted, frozen still as a statue. A few tense seconds past where nobody moved, not even the wind.

Surprisingly, the most timid pony of the group, quite possibly in all of Ponyville, was the first one to make a move. Fluttershy ambled over to Twilight and Luna. Although she was acting bolder than normal, Fluttershy still was blushing and didn't hold eye contact. When she was in front of the couple, she spoke softly.

"I, um. I j-just have one question for Luna." She squeaked out the last part of her sentence. Luna glanced over, surprised at the mention of her name. Her mouth opened but she was unable to form words; instead, she dumbly nodded towards Fluttershy as if to say, "Alright, go ahead."

Fluttershy cleared her throat. Everypony leaned in to hear was she was going to say.

"Do you, um… like carrot soup?"

Once again, everypony was utterly dumbfounded.

Luna raised her eyebrows at the question. "Er…y…yes I do." She replied meekly.

Fluttershy smiled slightly and finally raised her eyes to meet Luna's. "Oh, good! I would love to have the two of you over for dinner one night."

The princess gasped silently. She was the first pony since Twilight to show Luna…Kindness. It filled her chest with delight as her heart emanated a warm glow.

"Oh, um," Luna quickly glanced over to Twilight, who nodded back to her, already smiling wide, "We would love to! Thank you for the kind invitation." Luna now knew why the cream-colored pegasus was the spirit of Kindness.

Streamers burst out of nowhere over the couple, shocking them both and making Fluttershy bleat and fall over frigid like a goat. "Omigosh! We totally need to have a party. P.S. you're all invited!!!" Yelled Pinkie excitedly, handing them all invitations. Twilight read the invite. It was to a welcome party for Luna.

"Pinkie, how did you – oh never mind." She learned by now to never question Pinkie Pie's methods.

Pinkie Pie continued to bounce around excitedly, babbling on about decorations, party favors, balloons, streamers, a big cake, and much, MUCH more. While Pinkie was caught up in her own little world, the couple was approached by a very crestfallen pair of ponies – Applejack and Rarity.

Applejack began to speak. "We're mighty sorry we yell'd at'cha, Luna. It's just, ah…" She looked over to Rarity for help.

Rarity quickly gathered her wits and continued where Applejack left of. "It's just, well, we're sometimes overprotective of our friends. Besides, that 'adventure' you sent us on left, umm…" She drifted off to silence, unable to find the right word.

"Scars," Luna nodded sadly, "I know the feeling." Her response was filled with such genuine regret and sorrow that it made tears come to Twilight's eyes. She moved a foreleg around Luna's neck and pulled her in and nuzzled her gently.

Twilight wanted to lighten up the mood. She knew Luna would inform her later how she came to be here, even though she had royal duties in Canterlot. Right now, only one questioned filled her mind.

"Luna, are you here to stay?" She asked excitedly.

Luna met Twilight's gaze, their faces barely an inch apart. "Until the end of time, and beyond; I'm yours."

Twilight had never been so happy in all her life. She knew with Luna by her side, she could overcome any obstacle, battle any foe, and learn more about this intriguing new idea called love. With the power of love and friendship behind her, Twilight finally felt at peace within her heart.

"Lemme show you your new home."

~*~*~

The couple was resting peacefully in a patch of slightly-overgrown grass on a hill near the outskirts of Ponyville. The patch made for an especially comfortable place to lie on their backs and watch the amber twilight hours wean. Besides, they needed a moment's rest after a full day of introductions.

Twilight had shown Luna every aspect of Ponyville that intrigued her, and with eyes wide, Luna followed. The quaint little town seemed to be fully self-sustaining, and unlike the crowded streets of Canterlot, it was rather quiet as ponies went about their business. They also took the opportunity to pass out the invites to Pinkie Pie's "Welcome Luna to Ponyville!" party. Although she got quite a few bizarre stares from the inhabitants, after a few minutes of talking, everypony seemed to approve of the alicorn.

"…And then she said that I should follow my heart, and I knew it would lead me straight to you." Luna finished her tale.

Twilight took her gaze off the sky for a moment to peek over at Luna. "That was a wonderful story, Luna."

Twilight reached over and gently placed her hoof on Luna's as their forelegs interlocked. A soft breeze blew the grass around them, tickling their coats. They both giggled from the unexpected contact.

"So, new roommate," Luna giggled as Twilight nudged her playfully, "We've got about another hour before the moon rises. What do you want to do 'til then?"

"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe we could-"

An idea crept into Twilight's brain. Her features went from playful to thoughtful in under a second. Luna noticed the sudden changed and leaned up on her elbows. "What are you thinking, Twilight?" She asked curiously.

Twilight's eyes darted downwards from left to right, trying to come to a mental decision. Finally, Twilight breathed out slowly. "I want to try something."

Luna blushed accidently, not sure quite what Twilight meant. The purple unicorn looked over and chuckled.

"Not that! Silly filly." She bopped Luna on the nose.

Luna breathed out a sigh of relief. "Then what do you mean, Twilight?"

Twilight pushed herself out of the grass and onto her hooves. She stood rigidly, breathing in through her nose and out her mouth. "I can do this, I can do this" she murmured, silently psyching herself up. Luna was completely perplexed, but she didn't want to disturb Twilight with whatever it was she was doing.

Suddenly, explosively, raw magic erupted from Twilight's horn. It initially startled Luna, who almost instinctively backed away, but then she got herself under control and stayed put, watching incredulously at the magic Twilight was creating. Black tendrils reached out towards the sky as a swirling vortex pushed its way into the atmosphere.

At a certain point the vortex halted its ascension, and began to spread spherically, branching out from the center point. A bead of sweat dripped down Twilight's forehead as she feared the magic would once again backfire like a raging rhino. To her pleasure, she found that the magic submitted obediently to her commands, and she was able to control it with ease.

As the darkness spread, it began to envelop the entire hill in a black sheet until it finally made contact with the ground and formed a perfect bubble around them, leaving them in complete darkness.

The darkness wasn't malevolent or evil and a rush of understanding flooded Luna as she realized what the darkness symbolized.

As the vortex retreated back into Twilight's horn, a dull twinkle could be seen in the exact center of the "sky". It gained mass and definition as it appeared to be speeding closer, getting brighter all the way until eventually, a wisp no more than the size of an apple sped right past them and disappeared into the darkness behind.

Suddenly, the sky above rippled with waves upon waves of stars, which rushed by with gaining velocity.

Luna looked up, completed overtaken by the beautiful spectacle. She had always been the Mare of the Night, but this… this felt like she was actually traveling through her night sky!

Stars zipped around and through her, showing little notice of anypony's presence. Luna got up and pranced around happily in her night sky, as the stars seemed to finally take notice of their Princess. The danced around Luna and blew past her mane, managing to blow it back. She laughed louder than she had in a long, long time.

Abruptly, the stars froze, as if Luna's travel had reached its destination. She slowly gazed up, and could do nothing more than stare in shock.

Above her, complimented by perfectly puffy white clouds, was an enormous silver moon, glittering seemingly without a source.

The stars began to flow towards the moon as if by some gravitational force. It was that moment that she felt a tap on her shoulder. She quickly looked to her side.

Twilight's features were soft and kind; a light blush fell across her cheeks. The purple unicorn smiled affectionately at her mare. The two held eye contact for what seemed like a blissful eternity. The stars themselves became nothing more than specks against the moon, until finally they burst forth and showered the couple.

They both closed their eyes, and leaned in for the kiss that would bond them for a lifetime.

As their lips made contact, a single tear slid down Twilight's cheek. She prayed that the moment would last forever, as the couple was completely blanketed by moonlit sparkles.

Chapter 5

A lightning crack jolted Twilight awake, her eyes bolted open as she sat up and gasped. A film of cold sweat covered her face and back, which sent shivers down her spine. She panted hard, snapping her gaze from one side of the room to the other. It took several deep breaths to calm her down, repeating to herself that it was only a dream.

It was the third nightmare she had that night, and it was getting to the point where she didn't feel like sleeping anymore. She wiped her forehead and focused on the raging storm outside. The unrelenting maelstrom hammered away at Canterlot, rain pattering off the window of Luna's bedchamber.

She glanced down to her left and saw her sole comfort in an otherwise stressful world: Luna, the mare of her dreams… The pony she could always count on to bring a smile to her face. The princess's presence instantly began to relax Twilight's heartbeat down to a more manageable level.

Princess Luna was fast asleep, unchanged by the storm knocking on her window. Twilight's features softened as she watched Luna breath in and out almost soundlessly, slow and rhythmically. The princess's calm breath helped Twilight focus her thoughts and compose herself. Luna stirred under the covers, making small almost inaudible squeaks every few seconds before she nuzzled up closer to Twilight. It was purely instinctive; she was still fast asleep.

Twilight let a small smile find its way onto her lips. She laid back down and wrapped a hoof gently around her girlfriend. She leaned in and gave Luna a soft kiss on her forehead before leaning in and letting her face rest right next to her's.

She stayed there wide-awake in bed for several minutes, going over yesterday night in her head.

The date had been amazing! The pair of ponies had sat and talked for hours about anything that came to their minds. Every time Twilight would make a joke, Luna would light up and giggle in the cutest way. Every now and then Luna would reach out and stroke Twilight's hoof with her own and they'd both blush. The rain did nothing to damper the spirits of the two lovers.

The food tasted great and was simply divine. They started off with a simple lettuce, carrot, and cucumber salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing. It left a lasting taste on Twilight's tongue that she knew she'd remember. When she was done, she wondered if Luna's kiss would taste like berries. The thought made her giggle with delight.

The main course was a beautiful bouquet of several different fruits in a masterful display on the centerpiece. While eating, Twilight lifted a piece of sliced apple with magic and floated it towards Luna's mouth. She glanced at it and smiled, then took a slow bite. The gesture made Luna flush, and they shared a laugh afterwards.

Twilight had never felt closer to anypony than she did with the royal alicorn. All thoughts of pre-date nervousness melted away as conversation and delight flowed as easily as the water falling from the sky. It was as if she had known Luna all her life.

The storm finally began to let up as they were finishing their date. It was late; nearly midnight, and the two were getting tired. Luna walked up and nuzzled her as Twilight opened her mouth for a big yawn. "Let's go back to my room." Luna whispered sensually. It was far to alluring for Twilight, and she obeyed without question.

It was when she finally fell asleep that the nightmares began to strike.

Twilight was laying silently in Luna's bed, her foreleg around her girlfriend. She sighed as she began to think of the more unpleasant thoughts that had been racking her brain the past few days. Sure the date was pure harmony, but Twilight was far to engrossed with having a good time that she didn't bring up any of the subjects she wanted to bring out in the open. The Aura Bloom, in all its fantastical glory, would be showing today. The question was still seared in her mind: What would happen after the competition?

Twilight didn't know how many times she'd need to ask herself before she would reach an answer. She hoped that the solution would appear magically to her, and it would work so perfectly that both she and Luna could be happy. She hoped, even begged her mind to come up with such an answer.

Nothing came. With each passing second, the hole in Twilight's heart grew deeper and deeper as she knew there was only one ending to this fairytale.

Silent tears sprung from her eyes as she tried her best to muffle her whimpers of pure sadness. She was already feeling the pain of having to separate from her lover, even though she was lying right next to her. She wondered if the princess knew what was coming, or if she had even thought about it. Did Luna expect her to live in Canterlot once this was all over?

Princess Luna stirred under the blankets, rubbing slightly against Twilight. She mumbled something soft and incoherent. With tears in her eyes, Twilight planted a soft kiss on Luna's lips. "I love you so much." She whispered, feeling her heart tugging in her chest.

The unicorn hoped she would never have to feel this feeling again… The pain of her heart breaking.

~*~*~

Luna knew something was wrong as soon as she woke up.

Her sister's sunshine was flowing through her curtains and brightening up the room, painfully at first, while her eyes were not adjusted. She opened her mouth wide as she let a yawn fill her chest. She felt an odd sensation on her skin, and it was then that she noticed that the sheets where slightly damp near her.

Luna leaned up, propping herself on her elbows and looked around curiously. Twilight was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, nose deep in one of her books. She hesitantly walked over to Twilight to see what was wrong. Twilight comforted her by stating that nothing was the matter, though her tone said otherwise. Twilight was soon packing up her books to leave, saying she had to prepare for the competition today. Worried, Luna tried to keep the purple mare in her room as long as possible, stalling by trying to talk about the previous night, but it failed her in the end. Defeated, the lunar princess leaned forward, eyes closed, for at least a goodbye kiss.

It never came. When she opened her eyes, Twilight was already out of the room. The crestfallen princess stood anchored to her spot on the floor, unwilling to budge. She eyed the door hopefully, willing Twilight to re-enter the room and reassure her that everything would be ok. Once more, it never came.

She didn't know what to make of the outburst, if it could be referred to as one. Does lack of emotion count as an outburst? Maybe an inburst would be more appropriate. Luna didn't care; all she could think about is what she did wrong. Last night had been wonderful, and now Twilight was acting as depressed as she did was before her love arrived. Did she cross a boundary? Did she try and move things too fast? Maybe it wasn't a good idea to throw such an elegant first date.

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID! How could she be so naive? She was making Twilight feel constricted. She couldn't help herself around Twilight though; she never was especially good with self-restraint. Whenever they were together, it took all her willpower to not hold and kiss her for the entire time. Luna sighed to herself, thinking how bizarre and disturbing it sounded when she said it in her head.

Luna finally shuffled back to bed, her ears had fallen as low as they could go. An unwelcomed guest had returned to her mind. Her old lack of self-confidence beat down on the poor pony, heavy with the thoughts that clouded her concentration. A tear dripped off her cheek and landed on the bed. She felt the damp cloth and knew instantly why the space next to her was wet.

That just sprung up even more questions though. Why had Twilight been crying? Surely if it was the date, it wouldn't cause her to cry. Although the thought of Twilight so sad hurt Luna, it actually perked her up a little bit. At least now she knew it wasn't the date that made Twilight act so strangely.

She shook her head vigorously to clear it. After taking several deep breaths, she walked over and started getting ready for the day. She may not be up for it, but she had a duty as princess to welcome all the contestants of the Aura Bloom. She would soon have to make her way to the stadium where her sister was sure to be waiting. Maybe she could offer some insight on her situation.

With this faint hope, she trotted out of her room accompanied by two royal pegasi who were standing guard outside. The Aura Bloom would start in about three hours, but Luna knew that ponies would already be seated.

Outside the palace, Luna was joined by four other royal guards, three on either side. The streets outside the palace were congested with more ponies than Luna had seen in a long time. She thought that it would take forever to get to the stadium.

She was a bit startled when the head royal guard yelled out, "Make way for the princess" in a booming, resonating voice. Almost instantly, the crowd parted at the mention of the princess. Most of the ponies stopped what they were doing and immediately bowed, while others cheered. Out of the crowd, after a cry of distress from the mother, a young cream-colored unicorn filly with a light blue mane ran from the crowd and right up to Luna.

Luna's guards instantly moved to stop the silly filly before Luna made a motion that stopped them. "Princess Luna! When I grow up I wanna be a princess just like you!" The little filly chimed excitedly.

The filly's mother rushed up and stood next to her. "O-Oh my! I'm so sorry, Princess! My daughter hasn't quite learned her manners yet. Please forgive her intrusion."

Luna's eyebrows inclined as she gave a genuine smile. It was just the thing she needed to improve her mood after this morning. "It's quite alright, miss." Luna smiled at the mother, and then looked down to the filly. The crowd around her was perfectly silent, watching on with interest.

Luna pretended to inspect the filly in several different ways. Finally, after contemplation, she reached down and rustled the filly's mane gently. "I see a bright future ahead of you, young one." Murmurs and smiles of approval from the crowd around her began to spread.

The cream-colored filly lit up like it was the highest compliment she had ever received. "Oh my goodness!! I knew it, I knew it! Thank you princess!"

Luna gave the mother a wink as she fell back in line and her contingent of guards and started walking again. The crowd cheered for Luna after her sign of love towards a commoner. It warmed her heart to know she could impact ponies so much. The warmth in her chest was enough to get her all the way to the stadium.

Walking through the magnificent stadium arches was a humbling experience, each pillar so large it could be a building in and of itself. Her guards led her with purpose, knowing which way the royal box was located. After ascending a few flights of stairs, Luna found herself on the second level of the expansive auditorium.

Finally making it to the royal box, she looked around with a pleased nod. Nothing too fancy; it was rather small but it contained more than enough space for Celestia and her. The royal guards stood by the door has she entered the room.

Luna walked over to the balcony she was on. She overlooking the grand arena; the stage itself was a thrust, with part of the stage stretching out into the audience, like for a fashion show. However, she expected the performers to be mostly proscenial, keeping to the main part of the stage. Below, she saw several thousands of seats that stretched up around the VIP (Very Important Ponies) box seats and continued to a great height.

Luna's box was a perfect distance from the stage; just far enough so she could view it all in one glance, but close enough where she could still make out the faces of the performers. She looked to her right and noticed a judge's table in the box neighboring her's. It seems that the judges were also getting the best view in the house.

While Luna continued staring, a familiar alicorn crept up behind her. "Enjoying yourself, my sister?" Chuckled a friendly voice. Luna whipped around and saw Celestia sitting back on her haunches.

"I should've shown you this sooner. We just haven't had a reason to use this stadium since you've been back."

Luna glanced around the massive stadium, then back to her sister. "It's absolutely stunning!" Though she was taken back, Luna's voice conveyed a different emotion to her sister.

"Something's wrong. What is the matter, little sister?" Celestia inquired. It slightly annoyed Luna that she could see right through her, but let it go because she knew it was out of concern.

"It's…" Luna began, pacing slowly. "Complicated…"

Celestia approached her cautiously. "Does it have anything to do with Twilight?" Luna shot her sister a glare, wondering how she could be right on every point.

"Kinda… I mean she had acted very strange this morning. Almost like she…" Luna stopped as she felt a lump form in her throat. She closed her eyes as her head lowered. She didn't want to say it for fear that it might be true.

"Almost like she didn't want to be with me anymore…" The words stung as she mumbled them out dryly.

Princess Celestia's eyes softened in condolence to her sister. She walked over and, lowering her head, hugged Luna. "My dear sister, you know better than to think everything is your fault. Think for a second; why might Twilight be upset?"

Did Celestia already know the problem? Why couldn't she just flat-out tell her instead of making her jump through all these hoops? Still, Luna needed to concentrate as her sister suggested. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. As the seconds passed by calmly, she began to delve deep in her memory for any sort of clue that might lead her to the correct path. Happiness sprung from her heart, almost bursting out of her chest, as she recollected the first few days with Twilight. She suddenly gasped as a certain memory began to—

"Well… Would you let me take you on a date?"

The question surprised Luna. She hadn't even considered going on a date, EVER. Besides, what if word got out that one of the princesses was a…a… fillyfooler...

The thought clawed at her brain leaving painful remnants. She loved Twilight, but she wasn't exactly ready for all of ponydom to know.

The night-blue mare turned to face Twilight. She blinked slowly, phrasing her next sentence as carefully as she could. "Um…Twilight…Do you think that's a good idea?" Luna asked innocently.

Luna cocked her head slightly. "Talk about what?"

"Our future together."

Our future together.
Our future together.
OUR FUTURE TOGETHER.

The words resounded in Luna's mind like screeching in a cave. "Our future together." Luna whispered aloud. Celestia glanced down at her sister, nodding with knowing sadness. Her face showed nothing but pure condolence, because Celestia knew the conclusion the night-blue alicorn was about to reach.

"What happens after today?" Luna whispered to no one in particular, eyes glazed over staring vacantly forward. Was this the reason Twilight had been so upset? Perhaps the question had come to her before it came to Luna.

"What are we going to do?" She asked herself.

~*~*~

Twilight brightened up as she saw a faint black dot shimmer in the distant sky. She knew it was the carriage that Celestia sent to pick up her friends. The thought of being reuniting with her friends gave her something to be cheerful about. She would put on a brave face for them; she didn't want them thinking anything was wrong. They took the trouble to come see her perform, and she wanted to make sure they enjoyed it.

She was standing just outside the borders of Canterlot, where there was a small runway for chariots and carriages. She was alone besides the few royal guard colts that stood at their posts inside a small structure. It was most likely the command center, holding the schedule for all the daily flights and flight paths.

As the carriage gleamed closer, Twilight got more and more excited. Finally, the carriage landed on the opposite side of the runway. The colts galloped quickly as their hooves made contact with the ground with a loud clack. In unison, the pegasi began to slow their run, from a gallop to a jog, from a jog to a walk, and finally a walk to a full holt.

Without even a single second hesitation, the door flew opened and out bolted Pinkie Pie. Her target: Twilight Sparkle. She crashed into her friend nearly at full speed, making Twilight fall over backwards. Pinkie Pie sat on her friend.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I missed you soooooo much! Like, you have no idea! The first day you left I was all sad 'cuz I was like 'oh no I won't be able to see Twilight for a week' but then the next day I got a little happier because I would be able to see you in six days! Then five! Then four! Then— Waoh!"

Applejack pulled Pinkie Pie off Twilight with a quick jerk. "Sorry 'bout that partner. Ya'know Pinkie Pie can get awfully excited." She helped Twilight up off the ground. Twilight rubbed the back of her head, which hit the ground.

"Twilight, Darling! How ever have you been?" Rarity stepped out of the carriage graciously, prancing over to Twilight and giving her a hug.

Twilight softened as she returned the hug, happy to be in the presence of her friends. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy hovered overhead. "I'm…just fine girls. I guess a little nervous about the competition." Twilight replied, half truthful.

"Don't worry, Twi, we're here to cheer you on!" Rainbow Dash said with her normal cocky attitude.

"Oh yes," Fluttershy smiled, "we can't wait to see you perform."

Rarity broke the embrace from Twilight. "So tell me all about your week sweetie, and don't skimp out on any details!"

Twilight froze and gulped. She told herself she wouldn't lie anymore, but does this situation count? Is this the moment where she's supposed to tell all her friends about Luna? Twilight had a quick mental battle with herself, arguing that she should tell her friends about Luna, but also arguing that Luna and she... might be separated soon. Finally, she spit something out.

"I.. uhh. Well, I've kinda been…" She paused and looked at her friends, a layer of blush forming on her cheeks. "…Dating someone."

Time froze as she received shocked expressions from her friends. "Oh my, how lovely! How romantic!" Rarity chirped.

"Nice, Twilight! I always knew you had it in ya!" Dash slapped her on the back. "What's his name?"

Once again, silence. Twilight made up an excuse. "Uhh, listen girls. I can't go into much detail right now. The competition has got me stressed out, and I need to relax beforehand."

"A'course ya need'ta relax! We won't bother ya with any more questions." Applejack, shooting a glare at Rarity as she started to protest. Rarity closed her mouth with a huff, frustrated at Applejack's intrusion.

"Fine darling, but you simply MUST tell me everything after the competition!" Rarity finally chimed.

"Sure thing, Rarity..." Twilight agreed unsteadily.

Twilight led her friends towards the Canterlot Stadium. It was viewable in the distance as a huge, imposing structure that occupied most of the horizon. Everyone was in awe of the structure, except for Fluttershy, who was frightened by such an immense building. "I-Is it s-safe in there, Twilight?" Fluttershy chattered, shaking.

"Of course it is, Fluttershy. You have nothing to be afraid of; promise." Twilight reassured her friend.

The crowds started to condense as they got nearer to the entrance. Twilight, as a contender, was able to bypass the massive line to get in and walk straight to a side door, guarded by two uniformed colts. The group of friends stood outside for a bit, knowing that only Twilight could get past the security. With the short time they had, the girls took turns filling Twilight in on what has been happening in Ponyville.

It turns out Rainbow Dash had beat her own record for cloud clearing. She was able to clear the sky in eight seconds flat, beating her previous record of ten. Fluttershy was said to have cheered the loudest, which made Twilight look at her questionably. "Oh um… I get a little excited when I see Dash perform." She blushed, knowing that being loud was out of her element. Rainbow dash put a foreleg around Fluttershy.

"She's just bein' modest. She's my number one supporter!" Rainbow giggled, making Fluttershy blush even harder.

On top of that, Rarity shared the news that Lyra and BonBon finally announced that they were officially together! "Can you believe it?" Smiled Rarity. "A couple of fillyfollers right in our own Ponyville."

"SO?" Twilight blurted out, more defensively than she meant. She didn't like the edge on Rarity's voice; she couldn't tell if it was a mocking tone or just a thoughtful tone. Rarity shot a questionable look at Twilight.

"Umm... So? I didn't mean anything bad by it. It's just interesting, is all." Rarity replied.

"The show will be starting soon, Miss Sparkle." One of the security personal reported. Twilight gave him a nod and then looked at her friends. "Well, this is it." She laughed nervously.

"Don'tcha be worryin' bout nothin' now, sugarcube. Yur gunna do great!" Applejack assured her worried friend. Twilight half-smiled back at her, still unsure. Each one of her friends took turns giving her a hug, and a small piece of motivation. That is, if you can call Dash saying "Don't screw up" motivation.

With a final wave, her friends walked through the audience entrance. Most of the ponies had already found their seats, so it wasn't very crowded to get in. Twilight took a deep breath and entered the backdoor which led to the backstage and dressing rooms. Twilight had her own room; all of the competitors did. There were 24 ponies in all competing in the Aura Bloom. Twilight didn't even know what she would get if she won, but it didn't matter much to her.

Twilight walked all the way down to her room, a big number "24" on the door. Great, that meant she was going very last. She didn't know how she felt about that. Slightly relieved that she wasn't going anytime soon, but then again slightly alarmed that she was expected to be the final act… the finale of sorts. The thought made her gulp in anxiety.

Once inside her dressing room, a few make-up powers were there to assist her. "Oh there you are!" One of them said. "Here's take this and put it on. It's the outfit Celestia herself picked out for you."

Looking at the outfit, Twilight was actually quite stunned. A deep purple, jewel-incrusted dress was on the dress rack before her. It looked so beautiful she could have sworn a pony like Rarity must have been the designer. The jewels sparkled like stars in the night sky, giving it overall a mystical appearance; perfect for a display of magic.

Once she managed to squeeze the dress one, she found herself being tugged hurriedly to a makeup chair. Two twin earth ponies began applying stage makeup to her. The both worked in perfect unison, obviously professionals. As they continued to apply her makeup, she heard a booming voice coming from the stadium.

Welcome, ladies and gentlecolts, to one of the most spectacular displays of magic you are likely to see in your lifetime. Each pony selected tonight share a certain mastery of the magical arts, and tonight, and tonight only, will you see them battle it out to see who can truly be called, THE GREATEST MAGICIAN IN ALL OF PONYDOM!

The crowd cheered loudly, shaking the floor underneath Twilight's chair.

The voice went on to introduce each judge individually, giving their professions and magic-related history. The crowd was perfect silently while the announcer retold the legend of Madican Twizzle, and the crowd went nuts when he was finally introduced.

Without further ado, my good ponies, I now declare the Aura Bloom… Underway!"

~*~*~

Twilight paced back and forth in her dressing room, shaking from minor anxiety attacks. She didn't know what the other performers were doing, but whatever they were up to, it must have been incredible. Plenty of "Ooooo"'s and "aahhhhh"'s from the beautiful acts, and sometime even gasps of surprise. There was even one act where the crowd gasped in terror, only to be replaced after by thunderous applause. Twilight heard from one of the stagehands that the performer had summoned a live manticore to the stage, to prove that he could tame it with magic; a bold and risky stunt that paid off for him in the end.

Contestant 23 was announced to the stage, and Twilight knew that meant she was next. Twilight was summoned to the wings of the stage, so she would be ready to go on when it was her time.

Twilight watched as a confident mare strutted onto the stage. She observed in awe as the pony focused her energy on two water tanks that had been brought on stage with her. She lifted up the water with magic, its tendrils reminding Twilight of an octopus. The arms of water moved in and around each other, encircling the mare inside until the water formed a perfect swirling sphere around her. Everypony gasped as the mare was lifted off the ground still inside the magic sphere of water.

After a minute of the water swirling faster and faster, almost like it was getting angrier, a blinding light shot out of the unicorn's eyes, causing everyone to avert their gaze. When everyone looked back, the mare was completely incased in a sphere of flawless, magnificent crystal.

Twilight was completely dumbstruck. So was the audience, who all starred in disbelief, before erupting in to thunderous cheers seconds later. The magic pony lower herself to the ground, and as soon as the crystal made contact, it morphed back into water, which she then shot back into the tanks.

The mare gave an elegant bow as ponies stomped their hooves on the ground in applause.

After several seconds, the contestant took her leave off the stage, walking into the opposing wings. When the crowd finally started to die down, the announcer's voice began to speak.

I know everypony has been having a spectacular time at this year's Aura Bloom! But the show isn't over yet folks; oh no. As our final contestant we have a special treat. She has been studying magic all her life, hand selected by Princess Celestia herself to receive her personal attention and commitment. She was the pony that saved us all from the horrible fate of everlasting night. SHE is the physical embodiment of all that is magic in the Elements of Harmony. Ladies and gentlecolts, it is with great pleasure I introduce to you, the one and only TWILIGHT SPARKLE!

Twilight gulped hard at the mention of her name. Why did the announcer have to make her sound so fantastical? She was just a common unicorn! The crowd began to cheer as Twilight stood frozen in her spot. She felt prodding on her back as one of the stagehands was urging her to go on the stage.

Twilight shook her head and stomped her hoof down, her glare snapping into focus. She stood up straight and brave, to show no sign of weakness. Even though every muscle in her body was telling her to run away, she walked out onto the stage.

The audience's cheers got louder at the sight of her. She looked around the audience, forgetting how massive the auditorium really was. Time seemed to stand still as the crowd's cheers died down and Twilight was left standing there. Then, the clock started to go down.

Quickly, Twilight started reaching for the magic, closing her eyes in concentration. It was helpful that the audience was perfectly silent; she could imagine she was doing it just in her room.

Deeper and deeper in her own mind she dove, searching for the spark that would ignite the magic. Ponies looked on in silent contemplation, leaning forward in their seats waiting for something mystical to happen. Twilight began to sweat as the spark kept evading her grasp; she would get close only to have it slip through her hooves.

Several slow, quiet, painful seconds passed without anything happening. In the balcony, Madican Twizzle put down his pencil and leaned forward, narrowing his eyes.

Suddenly, explosively, she caught the spark.

Raw magic erupted from her horn with the force of a volcano. A swirling vortex of black and blue raced towards the ceiling of the arena, sending panicked cries from the ponies that were nearer to it. As it made contact with the ceiling, it began to spread across the surface with a rapid pace.

That's when it happened, something Twilight will never, ever forget…

She lost control.

The swirling magic backfired with vicious velocity, retracting from the roof and speeding back towards Twilight at a frightening speed. Twilight tried to back up, but the magic held her in place firmly. She watched on helpless, fearfully, as the raw magic sped closer to her.

She knew it was too late to stop it. She closed her eyes and braced herself.

The magic hit her square on, sending her flying back into the grand drape, which managed to slightly cushion her fall. The curtain itself was ripped from the hinges above, and the whole thing came crashing down. Ponies near the stage began to move back in fear of their safety as the massive curtain unfurled onto the stage.

Twilight's head was spinning, dazed from the landing and confused from the darkness that now surrounded her. She was lying flat on her back, and she was afraid to move because she didn't know if she was hurt. Carefully, she flexed each one of her limps, which still agreed to do what she commanded.

She noticed that the stadium had once again become silent. After a few seconds, Twilight edged her way out from underneath the drapery. She slowly climbed out to realize that all eyes were on here, shocked and fearful.

Twilight's eyes fell to the floor. She had failed. Tears sprung from her eyes as she ran off the stage.

~*~*~

Twilight ran and ran, then ran some more. Her lungs were on fire, begging her to stop, but she didn't care. Nothing she can do will make what happened right. She totally blew her one chance to prove she was a good magician; a chance to make her mentor proud. All of it gone now… How could anyone take her seriously after having such a big mistake? Not only did she fail in a spectacular fashion, she also managed to ruin part of the stage.

Twilight finally fell to her knees, her legs no longer able to support her. Although she hadn't traveled terribly far, her body was still weak from the magic draining her energy. She lay on the pavement, whimpering softly into the hard ground, refusing to move. After about a minute, she wobbled up back to her feet, breathing heavily.

She looked at her surroundings and she found herself in the same public park Luna and her hung out in the first night they were friends. She ambled over to the bench they sat at, and took a seat. Twilight was still crying, though not as severely as before.

She had done exactly what she had set out not to do: make herself look like a foal. She didn't know what she would do now, or who she would talk to. For the first time in a long while, she felt completely alone. All that kept her company was the slow babble of the creek flowing into the pond.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Twilight gasped in surprise and nearly stumbled out of the bench, waving her forearms wildly to catch her balance. She finally got back under control and turned to the direction of the voice. Right behind the bench was a sleek,black, elderly unicorn.

"Mind if I take a seat, my dear? These old bones aren't supportin' me like they use'ta." Madican chuckled, as if the previous events of the day hadn't occurred at all.

Twilight didn't know what to say. She eventually gave a dull nod before turning back around to face the pond. She sat there solemnly for a few seconds.

Madican took his time walking around the bench and hoisted himself into a seated position. With a grunt, he settled himself in. "There, so much better." He smiled, casting his gaze over the pond.

Several long minutes passed without either saying a word. Madican seemed content, almost like he was enjoying Twilight's company.

"I messed up today, Mr. Twizzle. I messed up bad in front of everypony." Twilight finally whispered, feeling herself tear up.

"Please, young miss, call me Madican, or Madic as my brothers used to call me." Madican was glancing over towards Twilight, but she didn't return his stare. "And I don't know what you're talking about, my dear. What I saw in there was the rawest magic I've ever seen. Nopony on that stage tonight could compete with the amount of magical talent you can possess."

Twilight finally met his stare – his eyes were soft, yet unmoving; kind, yet bold. The compliment actually made Twilight feel somewhat better. "But Mr. Twiz-.. But Madican, I couldn't control it. Who knows how wrong that could have gone in there?" She shuttered at the thought.

Madican leaned back against the bench and returned his stare to the glimmering water. The twilight hours loomed as the sun hit the horizon. "And why do you think that is, my dear? Why do you think you couldn't control it?"

Twilight offered it little thought. "I wasn't strong enough." She said flatly.

Madican tsked at her. "No, young one. You were strong enough; I can sense it."

Twilight looked at him pleadingly. "Then why Madican, why?"

The old unicorn let out a long sigh. It wasn't unhappy in nature; it seemed to be a relaxed gesture. "Tell me, Twilight. Where did you find that spell of yours? Was it possibly in a book with no author, and with gilded pages?"

Twilight whipped her head towards Madican. How could he possibly know that? "Well… Yah, it did. Why?"

"I've lived for a long time, Twilight," Madican said, sounding tired for the first time in the conversation, "far longer than anypony should. I have my magic and your mentor to thank for that. That book was a present I gave Princess Luna over a thousand years ago, when I was about your age." He paused for a second, and took a deep breath. Twilight's curiosity was peaked with the mention of her mentor, but she didn't want to interrupt him.

"You see Twilight, that book contains some of the most powerful magic in all of ponydom, because it taps in to the very core of magic, which I discovered myself. Can you guess what that is?"

This time, Twilight took the time to think his question through. For several seconds she pondered what could be the secret to unlocking some of the most powerful raw magic known to ponydom. "Is it passion? O-Or persistence? Maybe... Oh I don't know…"

Madican chuckled warmly. "Very good guesses, my dear, but I'm looking for a certain word." He leaned in as if about to divulge a secret. Twilight instinctively leaned in as well.

"Clarity." He stated clearly.

Twilight sat back up. "Clarity? What do you mean?" She was still confused.

"You'd be amazed at what you can accomplish, Twilight, if only you were clear in here," he gestured to her mind," and in here," he slowly gestured to her heart. After a few moments of silence, Madican lifted one of his hooves up, reaching towards the sky.

"Peace can bring us many things: True happiness, true love," he swiped his hoof across the sky, and Twilight gasped as the sky behind his hoof blackened like he was painting a mural of the night sky, "and true magic."

Twilight's jaw dropped as she witnessed it. She couldn't believe what she just saw! The sky was lit up orange, but in the spot where Madican had moved his hoof, it showed a streak of the night sky!

"I've left you enough to think about, young one. It's time I'd better be gettin' on. Besides, I'm sure somepony else would like to speak with you…" Madican's voice hushed down to a whisper.

"Who is it? Madican…?" She looked down from the sky to find that Madican was no longer there. She looked all around her and the only thing that stirred was a few leaves blowing in the wind. She looked back up to the sky and noticed it had returned to normal. She heard clacking noises coming from behind her, which made her head spin.

A night-blue alicorn was approaching from the park main entrance. Twilight stood up off the bench, walking slowly over to Luna.

Luna began to pick up the pace, her eyes starting to tear up. She ran up and the two ponies shared a tight hug, both of them crying quietly. The wind gently blew through their manes as they embraced each other, as if the other could break at any moment.

"I-I was...so...scared...Twilight." Luna gasped unsteadily in between sniffles. Twilight comforted her by running her hoof through Luna's mane, finally resting it on the back of her head.

Twilight though she meant her display of magic. "I didn't mean to cause so much chaos in there…" Twilight whispered.

Luna pulled apart from Twilight for a moment. "Not…that. I thought you…were hurt."

Twilight gazed back into her sparkling eyes. "I'm fine, Luna. The only thing that got hurt was my pride." Luna softened and offered a small smile, before a realization hit her and made it drop from her face.

"I know why you were upset last night." Luna said, composing herself. Twilight looked down at the ground, afraid to meet Luna's gaze.

"Is this the end of us?" Twilight whispered sullenly. At that moment she wanted Luna to grab her and tell her it was going to be all alright, that she had come up with a plan how they could still be together, despite having to part ways. After a few agonizing seconds, Luna gave her short, truthful reply.

"I don't know."

The two stood silent for a few moments, arms-length apart. Neither of them knew what to say.

"Will you love me tomorrow?" Twilight asked quietly, eyes still on the ground. Luna's eyes flashed as she looked towards Twilight and nodded. Twilight saw it on the edge of her vision.

"Will you love me in a week?" She asked a little louder, looking up to meet Luna's gaze. Once again, the teary-eyed princess could only nod in response.

Twilight leaned right into Luna's face, inches from her lips. "Will you love me forever?"

Trembling, Luna slowly nodded.

"We'll see…" Twilight whispered, before suddenly galloping around Luna, catching her completely off guard. Before Luna even knew what was happening, Twilight had already run past the main entrance of the public park.

As night fell, Luna rushed after Twilight, desperate to catch up to her.

Twilight was too far ahead. Before Luna could even get to the gate, the purple unicorn was already sprinting into the distance.

Just as Twilight was almost out of sight, Luna heard something so quiet it could have been the wind.

A soft breeze carried a single message. "I'm sorry…"