Cuori Intrecciati

Luna watched Twilight’s brow draw down as she studied the diagram scrawled across the chalkboard. It was a fourth, brand new chalkboard, the other three still covered in their attempts to solve page four and five: the chart of Shirius.

During her last two visits, they’d galloped circles around Shirius’ chart to no avail. Every time it looked as though they were close, the solution would slip away like wind through their feathers. During her last visit, when a particularly promising avenue turned into another dead end, and Luna accidentally crushed a piece of chalk to dust with her field, they decided to take a break.

Tonight, rather than continue futilely grinding their horns, Luna proposed a temporary shift in focus. She’d wanted to bring the topic up sooner, but with all the progress they were making it seemed better not to derail everything. Now though, she awaited Twilight’s thoughts.

Twilight turned back to her, their eyes only meeting for a moment before she glanced aside, a flush to her cheeks. When she spoke, Twilight’s voice tried to be accusatory but faltered, ending in something more like a question. “It doesn’t do anything.”

Luna gave her a supportive smile as she tucked the chalk behind her ear. “That is half true.”

“Half?” she asked without any of the trepidation from a moment before, crowding closer to the chalkboard. Distracted for a moment, Twilight’s shoulder brushed Luna’s when she stepped forward, remaining there until she took notice and half-stepped to the side.

It was a marvel how Twilight’s posture had changed in the past month. The last pony who’d willingly stood so close to her, other than Celestia, had long since passed even before she gave into the Nightmare’s whispers. Having somepony else to talk to was a nice change compared to even three months prior.

Tapping her own chalk under the recursive rune-words and termination points, Twilight continued, “All the aether either loops back or dissipates directly into the ley-lines. I’m not even sure this would produce a corona.”

Luna gave a confirmatory nod, holding back her amusement at Twilight’s incomprehension. “That would be the idea, yes.”

Twilight stared at the spellform for a few seconds more. “I don’t… It’s a waste magic and effort.” Their eyes met, this time without Twilight glancing away. “Why would you even devise such a pointless spell?”

Luna kept from licking her lips, but not grinning predatorily. The opportunity was too perfect to let slip by. Leaning in, Luna whispered into Twilight’s ear, “I didn’t. Celestia did.”

“What?!”

Turning back to the chalkboard, Luna nodded. “She was quite proud of it, as I recall. Many of her later works tended to be much more complex, but I always enjoyed the simplicity of this one myself.”

Luna waited patiently as Twilight studied the spellform once again, no doubt seeking some hidden meaning or purpose. She was in no hurry, and any answers Twilight found on her own would hold that much more weight. So instead, she let herself enjoy the simple pleasure of company that neither feared nor mistrusted her.

Eventually, Twilight huffed in exasperation. “I still don’t get it.”

“That is unsurprising, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna gestured at the chalkboard with a wing. “You are as a poet who has never heard her sonnets given voice. The words and meanings hold no mystery for you, but the rhythms and intonations are clouded and incomprehensible. I wish to correct this.”

“By having me cast a spell which does nothing?” she asked, disbelief saturating every word.

“Precisely.” Luna nodded again. “Art is its own reward, is it not?”

“Art? But there’s nothing to see, or hear, or…” Twilight swung her wing at the chalkboard and the world at large, “or anything.”

Luna frowned. “Did we not cover this previously, Twilight Sparkle?”

“This is no better than ‘modern art’,” Twilight continued unabated, her voice rising slightly in frustration. “Art is supposed to have purpose and meaning. It’s supposed to convey something!”

Brushing off being ignored, Luna nodded in staunch agreement of Twilight’s vehement statement. “Quite so, Twilight Sparkle. Though I am certain many would disagree, I, for one, do not.” Taking Twilight’s chin in her field, Luna forced her to look at the chalkboard again. “Assumption: if something is art, then it must contain meaning or purpose. Hypothesis: this spell is art. For this hypothesis to be true…”

Twilight was quick to pick up Luna’s trailing words. “Then it must contain meaning or purpose.”

“And,” she cut in before Twilight could ask the question that was certainly on the tip of her tongue, “what is our next step?”

“Testing the hypothesis. Which could be done by reading—”

“Or casting the spell. You have already made an extensive study of the spell, perhaps now would be a good time to perform the latter?”

“I…” Sighing, Twilight nodded. “Alright.”

Taking a single step back, Luna watched Twilight turn to the diagram once more. After a moment, her horn began to glow.

Luna closed her eyes. There was nothing to see. She ignored her ears. There was nothing to hear. Instead, she focused on her horn.

The spell didn’t interact with the physical world, regardless, it twisted and pulled at the aether and ley-lines that surrounded them. To attempt to describe the sensation to a non unicorn would be like describing music to the deaf or a painting to the blind. But it flowed, and it resonated, and it brought back memories from long, long ago. Memories of the last time she’d felt the spell.

Tia, her mane still a vibrant puff of pink, sitting before a fire. Luna, her own mane a soft, pale blue, at her side. A fire crackling as it radiated light and warmth into the darkness. Their horns alight, blue and gold, as they marked the passing of another year since…

“Luna?” Twilight asked, concern heavy in her voice.

Luna started, blinking the mist from her eyes. Silently, she cursed herself for a foal. It should not have affected her so. How many ages and yet… Quickly turning away, Luna wiped away the tears with a wing.

“I apologize, Twilight Sparkle. I… You performed splendidly. Sister would be most proud.”

Before anymore could be said, she stared toward the far railing, her eyes trained on the bright star Ponaris. Reaching toward the tea service with her magic, she poured herself a cup of coffee without glancing back. By the time it reached her, her emotions were back under control, the old memories locked away in the past where they belonged. She held the cup below her muzzle, letting the pleasant aroma wash away any lingering thoughts.

This time, it was a zebrican bean. Hazelnut featured prominently in its bouquet with undertones of oak and those unique, incomparable flavors specific to the distant continent of its origin.

Twilight was not long behind her, drawing up to her side before she spoke, “Luna? Is something wrong? Did I—”

“No,” Luna said. Glancing aside, she saw the worry still weighing on Twilight’s withers and sighed. “Your concern is appreciated, but unnecessary. ‘Tis but a symptom of old age, I fear. Too many memories inseparably entwined.” Luna poured a second cup as she spoke. “‘Tis far from the first time I have been ambushed by an old memory, and it shall surely not be the last.” Floating it close, she offered the cup to Twilight. “Rare is the blessing that lacks a price, and ‘tis one I gladly pay.”

Luna could see the desire to ask for more on Twilight’s muzzle, but she withheld her curiosity. Whether out of respect or trepidation, Luna was grateful for it.

Accepting the small porcelain dish instead, Twilight stared at it in the soft glow of her own field, eventually closing her eyes in concentration. “I never noticed it before. I mean, I did… I just never thought about it like this. And there was an entire art form centered around it?”

Luna could feel the disturbance of Twilight’s levitation with her own horn, it was faint, but there, like the ripples left by a fish snatching a beetle from the surface of a pond. “Canti eterici,” she said with a small nod. “Though like all art, it did not begin as such. Like cave paintings and epic poems, it was the way spells were recorded and passed down through the generations. A spell that flowed, that sang, that resonated within the pony, was far easier to remember and teach.

“All mages were once artists, and masters were required to compose a canto eterico to earn the title. Starswirl had twenty. Tia… hundreds.”

Twilight seemed taken back by the last, setting her cup on the banister and letting her magic go. She mouthed the new word a few times, eventually testing its taste and feel as she tried to pronounce it. “Why—no. How is this the first I’ve heard of these canti eterychi?”

“Canti eterici,” Luna said with care, enunciating each syllable with Twilight silently mimicking her again, “As for How…” she fell silent for a few seconds, staring into her half empty cup of coffee. “I would think you capable of divining the answer without assistance.”

Sipping quietly, Luna waited in silence as Twilight’s formidable mind turned its full attention to the question. It was not long before she spoke up again, a single word falling from her lips like a lead weight.

“Oh.” Which was followed shortly by, “But why? I understand with Nigh—er…” Twilight flinched and looked away.

With a wing, Luna cupped the underside of Twilight’s muzzle, turning her flushed muzzle back. “Do not fear to speak her name, Twilight Sparkle. To hide from our mistakes is to allow ourselves to repeat them. ”

Blushing all the more, Twilight nodded and continued, still stumbling a bit over the name, “I understand burying your connection to Nightmare Moon, but this…” Twilight trailed off, leaving the question hanging in the air between them.

“Tia has her reasons. But they are hers to share, not mine.”

Twilight’s eyes fell to her cup, seeming entranced by the steam rising into the cool night air. She sighed, then smiled. “Of course. It’s always better to get information from a primary source. Right?”

To which, Luna gave a single nod, ushering in another extended silence.

The cream arrived in a flash of violet magic. After a short pause, Twilight’s eyes unfocused as she paid more attention to her oft used spell. He eyes bore into the small porcelain urn, seeming to marvel at the sensation she’d always felt but never noticed as it moved to hover over her cup.

At Luna’s snort, Twilight froze and glanced her way, the cream not yet poured. “Does it really bother you that much?”

“‘Tis a tragedy. Have you ever tasted coffee without defiling it?”

Twilight didn’t answer right away, eyes turning back to the cup and urn. Luna could almost see the silent debate waring between Twilight’s ears. It was heartening, and a little entertaining to watch. At least she was willing to consider it. Maybe with Twilight’s help, she’d be able to talk Tia into developing a taste for it.

Hope bloomed in Luna’s chest as Twilight lifted the untainted cup, resting its rim between her lips. It tipped back, the dark liquid slipping between her lips.

Luna’s hope withered with Twilight’s face, her lips twisting in disgust as she forced herself to swallow. Vocalizing her distaste, she scraped her tongue on her teeth, pouring cream into the cup with a spoon of sugar as well. She drank down the contents along with devouring two scones as quickly as she was able, apologizing all the while, saying, “I’m sorry, Luna, but… blech. That’s just… blech.”

Luna just shook her head and smiled. “Verily, Twilight Sparkle, you are my sister’s protege.”

—————————————

Celestia had been trotting purposefully toward her Solarium, and the lunch that awaited her there, when a chance glance out a window changed her course. Her sun shone beautifully in the sky, providing a pleasant warmth for the early autumn day, leaves only just beginning to change colors. It was a perfect day for a picnic.

Sending her guards to retrieve her lunch with instructions to find her in the statue garden, she stepped outside alone.

Celestia was only a few paces out when she heard the voices drifting from the opposite way. Pausing, she turned an ear toward the calls. Identifying the loudest of them was easy, bringing a smile to her face and curiosity to her mind.

The sound of her sister’s good natured ribbing—she could only hope that the others felt the same way—was more than enough to draw Celestia off course once again, pulling her to the training grounds.

Arriving quietly and without pomp, she chose to remain unnoticed under the shade of an ancient oak tree.

There were perhaps forty or fifty of the Royal Guard present. Broken up into small groups, they trained and practiced the many varied techniques used to ensure they were not found wanting against any foe, regardless of tribe. While most of them were off to the peripheries, there was a group of ten, mixed of the tribes, standing around the sparing circle with Luna at the center.

Two of the ten picked themselves up off the dirt as she arrived. Luna was smiling at them, her voice loud but playful as she chided their techniques and offered up tips or suggestions to help them improve. As they stepped out of the ring, two more stepped in. All three bowed their heads before readying their spears.

The bout lasted a solid minute before Luna put both ponies on their backs. For all but the last five seconds, she only defended, dodging, parrying, and blocking their attacks with almost contemptuous ease. It was not a pretty sight… or it shouldn’t have been. Having one’s guards beaten so completely did not inspire confidence.

Celestia barely noticed that, however, her eyes too occupied with the sight of her sister’s graceful movements as she accomplished the task. She was gorgeous, and the simple pleasure on her face calmed worries that Celestia hadn’t noticed, bringing her own warm smile to bear.

Lunch already forgotten, Celestia settled down on her haunches to watch, resting her head against the tree’s rough bark.

The next two rounds played out much the same as the first. Even after that, when Luna increased their numbers, none of them could land a single hit. Pegasus, earth pony, unicorn, it made no difference. Luna was simply too fast, too strong, and too experienced for any of them to have a chance… in a fair fight.

Waiting for the perfect moment, Celestia reached out and plucked a hair from Luna’s tail. The tiny, but sharp pinch was enough to distract her and allow one of the guards to slip a lucky thrust into her shoulder.

They all froze, staring at the spear pressed into Luna’s fur. Tension built as her gaze slowly rose to the pegasus responsible, still hovering beside her. Then she laughed, patted him on the back in congratulations, and gave them all instructions on specific areas to train, sending them off to do just that.

Once they’d dispersed, Luna snapped her head to glare straight at Celestia, face twisted in annoyance even as her ears perked.

She trotted over. The closer she got, the more obvious her recent exertions became. As far away as she’d been, Celestia hadn’t noticed her heavy breaths or the sweat glistening on her coat. Luna’s frown faded as she neared, morphing into a lip tugging smile.

Luna closed the last of the distance, and both leaned in to share a chaste nuzzle. Celestia inhaled Luna’s thick musk as they met, lavender and thyme overpowered by sweat and dust. She lingered for as long as she could, ignoring the moisture matting her cheek, but every second increased the tightness in her chest and the beat of her heart, finally forcing her to pull back.

With a surreptitious check to ensure nopony was within ear shot, Celestia allowed herself to speak freely. “You looked beautiful out there.”

Luna’s grin widened further, and she started to lower her head for another nuzzle, only to stop herself and look away with a blush. “Thank you, Tia.”

“I’m glad to see you are having fun,” she continued, a sly grin on her white lips, “but do you think you could do so without putting our guards in the infirmary?”

Luna snorted. “I should be insulted that you think so little of my skill. A few bruises here and there are good for them. Reminds them that their job consists of more than standing around and looking pretty.”

Celestia allowed herself a subdude laugh, rolling her eyes at her sister’s ego. “Chrysalis surely would have trembled at your presence.”

The mood changed in a flash, Luna’s face darkening as Celestia winced at the implied, if not intended, accusation. “Must I apologize once more?”

“No, Luna. I—”

“I am deeply and truly sorry for wishing to be well rested for mine own shift.”

“That—” Though she bit off her retort, Celestia could not remain wholly silent. “You still could have come.”

“I would rather not have this argument again, least where others could bear witness and make undue assumptions.”

Celestia sighed and nodded, wishing she’d never brought it up. Letting the silence linger for a few seconds, when she spoke she kept her tone absent of recrimination and full of curiosity, “I had not thought to find you awake so early.”

“I was…” Luna faltered, glancing down as her blush returned, “not able to sleep.”

Letting her concern color her voice, Celestia asked, “Nothing is wrong, is it?”

“Neigh.” Luna shook her head as she settled down to her haunches. “I…” She huffed, her eyes searching the grass and fallen leaves. “‘Tis this equation Twilight Sparkle and I have been attempting to solve. We have been grinding our horns against it for weeks with naught but chalk dust for our efforts.”

Celestia raised a questioning eyebrow at that. She wasn’t completely in the dark about Twilight and her sister’s activities during their get togethers. It was a rather adorable image, the two numberphiles going back and forth over their charts and graphs. Were it not for the blush still glowing on Luna’s cheeks, she might have even believed her.

“Oh?” Celestia asked with a sly grin. “Perhaps I could lend some assistance to your endeavour. Or at least guidance on where to look.”

“N—no.” Luna shook her head once again, her blush not cooling in the slightest. “I… wouldn’t want you to embarrass yourself in front of Twilight Sparkle.”

Restraining a giggle, Celestia decided not to pry. Seeing Luna so flustered brought back a number of memories, all of them pleasant ones. Of course, that didn’t mean she couldn’t needle her a bit more for the fun of it. “I will remind you that I taught Twilight everything she knows.”

Luna smiled, finally starting to lose her blush. “You still use those puppets.”

“I happen to like my puppets,” she pouted, “and so do my students.”

Celestia could see the kiss coming. It would have been such a small thing, a quick peck and gone, but, no matter how much it pained her to do so, she dropped her gaze and turned her head.

“Luna, please…”

“They would not see, Tia. Even were they all to turn and watch, they could not see.”

Celestia shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

She studied the old oak tree, unable to meet her sister’s gaze. It had always hurt, weighing her wants and desires against those of her little ponies. Having Luna, as much as she knew she could not bear to lose her, only seemed to make it worse.

“What are we going to do, Tia?”

“I don’t know, Lulu…” She dug deep, forcing confidence into her gaze as she looked up into Luna’s beautiful teal eyes, “but I’ll figure something out. I always do.”

Luna’s smile was bittersweet. “Yes, yes you do.” With a glance back at the guards, she continued, “Come, practice with me.”

She shook her head. “I’ll pass.”

“Please. They offer no sport.”

Celestia chuckled. “I doubt I would do better. It has been a great many years since I last held a spear. You go have your fun, but do try to get some rest as well.” Rising, she added, “I will see you tonight, my love.”

Luna nodded. “Tonight.”

Before Celestia could react, Luna shot forward, kissing her. It was quick, but no less passionate, Luna’s tongue licking at Celestia’s lips, leaving a moist warmth that tingled as the cool autumn air rushed in behind. She was already gone, trotting back to the practice yard.

Celestia stood there, frozen in place as her heart raced, and her tail thrashed. Her next breath shuddered, a shiver running down her spine. It took an effort of will to tear her eyes from Luna’s retreating flanks to the ground, not even daring to check if they’d been seen.

She was halfway to the statue garden before her legs stopped quivering.

—————————————

It took four weeks, but they did it. They finally did it! The condensed map of Shirius was solved, all two pages of individual calculations simplified into a mere half page equation. Of course, the solution had been right in front of their nose the entire time, but that hardly mattered now.

Twilight basked in the glow of the moon lit chalkboard, Luna at her side, both wearing the same satisfied smile.

“The beast lays slain at our hooves, Twilight Sparkle. I am of the belief that this warrants a par—”

A purple hoof blocked Luna’s lips, cutting her off as Twilight’s head snapped from side-to-side. With wide eyes and bated breath, she searched their dim surrounding, only relaxing when she was certain the coast was clear. Turning back to a miffed Luna, she moved the hoof to her own lips. “Shhhh. We don’t use the ‘P’ word lightly around here.”

Luna continued to give her an odd look, but didn’t argue. “As I was saying, perhaps a celebration is in order?” Without giving Twilight a chance to respond, her horn lit up, a soft pop producing a tall, slender bottle and a pair of stout glasses.

The bottle was clear glass and lacked any form of identifying label. Inside, the silvery liquid seemed to dance, bands of lighter and darker grays swirling over its surface. It was thick, far thicker than any drink she’d seen before, clinging to the bottle’s sides as it sloshed about.

Breaking the wax seal, Luna filled each glass halfway with the mercurial substance, proffering the second to Twilight. Accepting the strange drink, she mimicked Luna, holding it under her nose and inhaling. It smelled like a sharp, biting winter breeze.

“What is this?” she asked, her voice distant even to her own ears as she watched the ever shifting surface.

“Distilled moonshine.”

“Moonshine? But that’s just an old…” Twilight caught her face in a wing, hiding her flushed cheeks behind the feathers, “Of course it was real. But you’re the only one who knows how to make it, and after a thousand years of non-existence why wouldn’t it pass into myth?”

“Quite so, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said with only a hint of mirth, using her own wing to rub Twilight’s withers. “There is naught to be embarrassed about. As I am awash with the changes a thousand years has brought, ‘tis only fair that I ‘rotate the tables’ on you.”

Retracting her wing, Twilight smiled up at Luna in appreciation. She almost corrected the slight error in the idiom but couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Luna hovered her glass next to Twilight’s. “To that which was old made new once more.”

Twilight clinked their glasses, repeating Luna’s toast.

As one, they brought the glasses to their lips. Like warm honey, the moonshine slipped into her mouth, coating her tongue and teeth. The icy chill soothed her throat against the burn of alcohol that followed on its heels, leaving behind an ember’s glow of warmth that quickly spread to her limbs.

“Wow.” Twilight worked her tongue over her teeth, pulling down the last lingering drops. During her studies, she’d encountered a few poems that attempted to describe the drink. They failed, but she doubted she could hope to do better. She took another, longer, sip, for research purposes. “That’s… wow.”

Luna only smiled, emptying her own glass before pouring herself a second and offering to refill Twilight’s.

It was between her fourth or fifth glass that Twilight lost track of time. Somewhere around there, for a reason she could no longer remember, she made mention of Trixie’s first visit and the ursa minor. Luna’s interest was caught immediately, and she demanded a full retelling of events. Still a little bashful about the whole affair, Twilight gave a brief summary of what had occurred.

Apparently, Luna was less than impressed by her delivery.

Taking a seat at her side, Luna directed Twilight’s gaze up to the stars. Pointing out the constellation Cancer she began her tale.

Twilight had read many of the old epic poems that had survived throughout history, but to hear one recited from memory by a pony who’d been there? Now that was an experience.

She could not have asked for a better setting. The stars twinkled bright in the sky. An ephemeral hint of moonshine still danced on her tongue from her last sip, along with an occasional whiff of lavender and thyme finding her nose. Though Luna sat in one place beside her, she was far from idle, using wings and forelegs as much as her voice to tell the story. And what a voice…

Twilight had never listened, really listened, to Luna’s voice before. Perhaps some of it was the lyrical quality of the poem itself, but if that was the case, Luna’s voice was the perfect accompaniment. By the third stanza, Twilight was entranced, barely hearing the story itself and not caring at all.

It was during the fifth ‘book’ that Twilight could no longer resist the cool night air, shivering at a slight gust that rolled over the observation deck.

The change of season was upon them, each night growing a little cooler as pegasi all over Equestria prepped the land for the coming of winter still weeks away. It was enough to drive most ponies into their homes once the sun went down.

Despite her ascension, much of Twilight’s new magic had yet to fully set in, a pegasus’ resistance to cold among them. Cadance said it would take up to five years for her earth pony magicks to fully solidify, but she had nothing to offer on the pegasus side, having been born a pegasus herself. Twilight couldn’t complain too much. Basic flight more or less came with her wings, while Cadance’s unicorn magic took almost two years to produce anything more than a pretty blue light. Luna and Princess Celestia had even less to offer, both having been born alicorns in the first place.

Luna must have felt her shudder, for a blue wing draped over her withers, circling to cup her shoulder and shield her from the worst of the wind.

Twilight stiffened at the initial contact, only to realize how silly that was and lean into Luna’s side. It was far from the first time she had taken shelter under another pony’s wing. Granted, the other times were universally with Princess Celestia, when she was still young enough to seek such things after particularly bad nightmares. So there was nothing strange about Luna offering the same comfort, no matter that Twilight was no longer a frightened filly, nor Luna her surrogate mother.

The gesture did not give Luna pause as she continued her tale unabated, though it did cut into her theatrics a bit.

Twilight surfaced from her reverie enough to discover that Princess Platinum was confronting the giant star crab a second time, now armed with an ancient magical weapon of some description. Not that she cared as Luna was the star of the show far more than Princess Platinum.

Luna held her head just so, confidence and strength showing through in a way that matched Princess Celestia’s regality in its own unique way. There was a wolfishness to her visage, a hint of restrained violence that Twilight should have found off-putting, but only served to put her even more at ease.

A content sigh issued forth from Twilight’s mouth, flowing out at the exact wrong time and catching Luna’s attention enough to interrupt the story. She turned to Twilight, a bit of playfulness mixed with the light concern in her eyes. “Is my epic of Princess Platinum’s battle against the great crustacean Cancer not entertaining enough for you?”

“No!” Twilight blushed and turned away. “I mean, no. It’s not that at all. I’m just… tired?”

“Sleep is not to be set aside lightly. If it is required, do not burden yourself unduly on my account. There is, after all, always next time.”

Twilight worried her lip, looking anywhere but to Luna. Her eyes scanned the expanse of sky, as though she could find the answer to a question she didn’t know written in the stars, but only found sympathy for astromancers… or at least those gullible enough to believe them. “Astromancy isn’t real, is it?”

The look Luna gave her was an answer all its own. “Reading fate in the stars? No, Twilight Sparkle, it is not. The stars are ever mine and speak naught to the destiny of those who gaze upon them.” Luna turned to face her fully, pulling away so as to force Twilight to support her own weight once again. “Why do you ask?”

By her expression and tone, she was not curious about Twilight’s thoughts on astromancy but in some way worried about her. Twilight shrank a little, shrugging her shoulders. Somepony else might have been able to answer that question, but that pony probably wouldn’t be struggling for an excuse to keep Luna from leaving.

It wasn’t like she’d be saying goodbye. They were already set up to meet again next week, and they weren’t exactly getting anything done at the moment anyway. Of course, that was a whole seven days away. And she was having a really good time. Why should the party end now? There was still plenty that they could do before Luna had to return to Canterlot… if only she could think of something.

Well there was an idea, and a chance to test a hypothesis as well. ‘How quietly could she whisper the ‘P’ word without summoning Pinkie Pie?’ The obvious downside being her friend’s inevitable arrival, which, at the moment, she didn’t particularly want. Mark that as plan ‘P’, hopefully with fifteen other, better ideas exhausted first.

If only she had even one idea.

Twilight glanced up at Luna. She was looking back up at the stars again, her brow drawn down in thought. There was worry there, in the lines of her muzzle, but then, had she ever seen her without? What of the tension that never left her withers? Was that just her way, or was there more to it than that? She could help, she was sure, if only she knew what was wrong.

A teal eye rolled toward her, and Twilight quickly looked away.

“Yes, I believe it is time that I take my leave,” Luna stated, her muscles flexing as she made to stand.

“Wait! I…” Twilight’s mind raced, searching for anything to latch onto and coming up empty.

“Neigh, Twilight Sparkle, you need rest.”

Twilight watched silently as Luna stood. Once again on all fours, she stretched, arching her back and flaring her wings to loosen the stiff muscles. Had she not already been blushing, Twilight surely would have started then. Luna’s horn lit up, gathering the glasses and bottle before teleporting them back from whence they came.

“It has been a most pleasurable evening, Twilight Sparkle.”

Accepting her defeat, Twilight nodded as she stood, doing her best to stop her disappointment from showing on her ears. “Thank you… for the moonshine and the story.”

“You are most welcome.” Luna spread her wings as she stepped up to the banister, preparing to leap. With a final glance back and a nod, she said, “Until next we meet.”

Before Twilight could start to answer, the castle door slammed open, drawing both their eyes toward it. Standing in the doorway, his chest heaving beneath golden armour, was one of Twilight’s guards. He galloped the short distance to them and fell into a hasty bow.

“Your Highness! A hydra's attacking Sweet Apple Acres!”