On the Precipice

Chapters

Chapter 1: The Rising
Chapter 2: Early Morning
Chapter 3: Awakening
Chapter 4: The Eleventh Hour
Chapter 5: The Sun Sets

Chapter 1: The Rising

On the Precipice of the Night

- by Skydragon -

Chilly air ruled over Canterlot as sundown set in. Another long day of work, play or any other daytime activity you could imagine had passed. Everypony had already returned to their homes, some lit an open fire to warm themselves, others were already sleeping or having a pretty late dinner. But the troubled thoughts of a certain royal mare kept her from doing that of her subjects

This certain mare, Alicorn of the Night, had been lying on a large blue cushion at the center of her wide-open balcony for a long time, doing nothing more than gazing into the distance - not moving a muscle otherwise. She just let her eyes wander, from one end of the horizon to the other, sometimes watching just the dusky sky above. Either way, she was lost in deep thoughts.

From time to time, she abruptly snapped out of them; it always felt like waking up despite already being completely awake. She always attempted to figure out how she got into that state of trance, but to no avail. No matter how often she tried, she couldn't remember those few moments when the trance set in.

But it ceased to bother her as time moved on. Afterall, she was an alicorn and the Princess of the Moon - she had all the time in the world. But the woeful mare was alone, and there was nopony with whom she could share her time, and nothing was going to change that. A heavy sigh escaped her lungs. She just felt... glum.

What is this... feeling? I am not sure. But what I do know is that I want it to be gone.

Princess Luna was waiting for Celestia's sun to finally set. The duty of raising her moon every night, exactly when the sun vanished under the horizon so far away, was for her the only reason to be alive.

"Why am I even here again? 'Tia could handle things on her own for the last thousand years, so..." her lips and her voice began to quiver, "what is the reason for me to be here again? To... to raise my former prison which no one really appreciated? Is this all there is to it? For... for whom...?"

Tears began to flow over her cheeks. Eyes closed, Luna buried her muzzle under her hooves. She sniffed.

Do. Not. Cry!

But the more Luna tried to suppress it, the more grew the pressure inside of her. It pushed against her mind, her very soul, almost screaming to get out.

No! I... I must not cry...

But Luna couldn't deny it. The coat on the underside of her hooves, with which she was still covering her face, was slowly but surely moistened with tears.

Oh for pony's sake, she whimpered, with a quiet voice, into her hooves. The lunar princess, powerful enough to move an entire satellite, couldn't prevail over her own feelings. Finally, she yielded to her emotions. They overwhelmed her, the tearful sobbing increasing with every breath Luna took. She was crying, tears were slowly running down her cheeks. Sniffling, she levitated a blanket over from her room behind. She curled up on her cushion and covered herself with the silky blanket up to the neck, only her head and the tips of her hooves remained visible.

It did not often come to pass that an alicorn cried, but when it did, the entire land of Equestria seemed to notice. The sun didn't shine as brightly as normal that evening. It didn't emit its usual warmth either. It was like the sphere of pure light had lost its energy - and that was due to only one reason: the solar princess was able to feel the sadness and loneliness of her sister, even if she was not right by her side.

Being creatures of such an ancient era, the first ponies ever to exist in the land now known as Equestria, it was only natural that the goddesses were linked together deep inside their hearts - much to Luna's misfortune, as she didn't want to make her sister worry anymore.

But even being able to tell how the other princess felt didn't mean that Celestia could actually do something about it, and that drove the Sun Princess almost crazy. She didn't want to see her sister so hurt, so downcast! Her feelings were mirrored by the sun, thus it didn't shine so brightly that day.

Celestia knew that if she didn't do anything to help her sister something terrible was going to happen – once again. These feelings Luna was going through were the exact same feelings before the incident with Nightmare Moon. Luna feels forsaken by her subjects, and it was only a matter of time before the Nightmare regained control. Unfortunately it was the very memory of that would-be tyrant that caused ponies to avoid Luna, even after her eventual rescue. It was a vicious circle.

If the Sun Princess wasn't able to help soon, Nightmare Moon would certainly-

Stop. Celestia didn't want to think about that any more.

"How can I just pull her out of her solitude? I have to do something... but what?! Not long, and I'm afraid I'll lose her a second time."

Celestia, sitting upon her throne, gathered her thoughts - or at least she tried to. The day was not over yet, and her royal duties didn't stop just because she felt... well, she was almost as unsure about her feelings as Luna was with hers. But time went on, and when the last duties of the day were done late in the night, she accompanied the last few ponies out of the lobby and made her way to Luna's tower. Right then Celestia just wanted to comfort and be with her sister.

Sobbing, though muted by the thick walls of the passageway leading to the Nocturnal Spire, as Luna's tower was called, could already be heard. She came to a dark corridor which, as high and wide as it was, felt uncomfortably small. She still wasn't used to the dark ceiling, corners and floor that tended to make the whole path seem more confined. Afterall, she was the Princess of Light.

Her thoughts soon wandered, from the time thousand years ago, when she had last defeated Nightmare Moon, to now. What could I have done differently? Was there another way, one I was too blind to see? At the end of her inner time lapse, a certain picture was still burnt into her mind - Nightmare Moon, just taunting Celestia with an evil smile that she would reappear yet another time.

Oh Luna.

The white princess came to a halt. A huge wooden door now stood in front of her, a huge motif of Luna's cutie mark covering it from top down to bottom. The entrance to Luna's rooms. She opened the gate with her magic, the door swinging leasuirely open with a faint creaking noise.

Celestia trotted as silently as she could through her sister's chambers. Dark blue curtains hung all over it, leaving an almost sinister atmosphere in the chilly air of the room. There, behind a gap in the curtains, two glass doors swung wide open. There was Celestia's destination. Her steps lead her to the balcony, where she found her sister. She was curled up in her selfmade bed, lying on her side. The sniffling now and then confirmed that the lunar princess was still awake, and crying.

"Luna. My dear sister, please stop your weeping. I am here with you," Celestia said with a gentle voice, even more gentle than her usual tone.

The alabaster alicorn slowly sat on the cushion next to her sister. She spread her graceful white wing and placed it tenderly on Luna's back, like a mother keeping her daughter safe from all the fears in the world.

"It's okay. There is no need to cry." Celestia couldn't think of anything else to say. If only she could do more, something to make Luna feel better! But instead she just told her what not to do.

What a sister I am.

Meanwhile, Luna had raised herself into a seated position on her cushion. She looked up into Celestia's magenta eyes. Those eyes, that tried to understand, that tried to see the world from her perspective. Though she was too ashamed to hold the gaze and turned around again to lower her head back onto her hooves.

The sobbing and sniffing of Luna had decreased, much to Celestia's relief. But still, tears were shimmering in the bloodshot, turquoise eyes.

"I... I don't know," the lunar princess mumbled quietly. Luna was plainly unable to talk to her sister. Was it because she just doesn't want to worry her sister, or is it that she doesn't actually know what's troubling her?

For Luna, both were in fact true.

She was caught off-guard as she felt a weight on top of her head, soft and warm fur touching her own through her mane. She looked up - Celestia had laid her head on hers.

They stayed that way for several moments, until Celestia slowly lifted her head again, and broke the silence. "You still have something to do, don't you think?"

Luna's sniffling and sobbing had completely died down as they rested together, however her eyes were still filled with the salty liquid. With a blink, the tear fell to the ground, echoing in the stillness of the balcony.

"Wh... What do you mean?" The darker alicorn asked her older sister obliviously.

"Don't you want to raise your lovely moon for Equestria once more?" Celestia replied with her typical, but sincere smile. "Please. Do it for us..."

The lunar princess looked to the horizon once more. The sun had almost completely set, only a small arc at the tip remaining above the horizontal line, coloring the sky a dusky red-orange. Has really so much time passed? Luna had lost her catch of time.

"I... I will."

Slowly getting up again, Luna snodded slightly at her sister, took a deep breath and sighed it out afterwards. The lunar princess looked up into the sky, the red mixing with her turquoise eyes. She began to channel her magic through her horn, which slowly began to glow. An aura the same colour as her coat blossomed into life around it. With the smoothness of magic flowing through her body, Luna closed her eyes.

With her magic, she searched for the moon that was hidden beyond the horizon, and it didn't take her long to seek it out. She concentrated, and in her mind she enclosed the moon with her blue magic aura, building up enough pressure to lift it. Simultaneously, but she unaware of it, her wings began to flap, taking her a few feet above the ground. Still with eyes closed, the princess stretched her limbs, her front hooves pointing up to the sky. Another few flaps of her wings, and she raised - and so did the moon, exaclty following her motion - leaving a black silhouette of Princess Luna in front of the glowing white orb now visible in the night sky.

She floated back down, and now finished with her task, Luna opened her eyes. She was on the balcony again, standing next to her sister.

The moon had risen, and with it, billions of stars lit up the dark blue sky. It was a beautiful sight, anew every time, even if Luna thought nopony else would think so. She wasn't aware of the lavender unicorn living in Ponyville - sitting on her own little wooden balcony at the top of a tree, watching the rising of the moon in awe - that will change not only this fact, but also her life forever.

Luna slowly stepped in front of her bigger sister, with a pleading look in her eyes.

"Can you please just hold me now?"

With a soft smile, Celestia nodded and leaned forward to embrace her sister. She wrapped her forehooves around her neck, and her large white wings folded over Luna's back, pulling the lunar princess gently against her. Luna hadn't expected it to be so emotional, but eagerly returned it as she swung her own hooves around Celestia.

"Thank you, 'Tia. For always being there for me," said Luna in a quiet voice, pressing one side of her face against Celestia's neck.

They both enjoyed their embrace for quite a while.

Celestia noticed a small spot on her neck getting moist after some time. Luna had begun to cry again, now into her coat. At least I can be here for her, she thought.

"It's a wonderful night, Luna. You know I have always loved them, and I can assure you, I always will."

Luna couldn't suppress the small smile spreading over her muzzle. At least her sister was grateful for the nights only she could call forth. She opened her mouth to speak. Her voice was low, every word like a whisper.

"Th... Thank you, 'Tia. Though I would like to... to share it with a few more ponies," Luna sighed, "but there are none with whom I can do so, are there?"

"You never know," Celestia responded, not breaking their embrace. Luna was rather confused by that answer, but she was too tired to think about it now. The Princess of the Night felt quite exhausted after another day spent alone. The relaxed, steady breathing and the warmth spreading from her sister over to her, wasn't helping to stay awake either. But at least it comforted her.

"Rest. You've earned it, Luna," Celestia slowly pushed her sister away from her, but let her hooves rest on Luna's shoulders. She chuckled at the puzzled look on Luna's face.

Princess Luna opened her mouth to argue with the last statement, which was simply not true.

"I... I haven't earned-"

"Shhhh. It's okay."

Celestia leaned forward and pulled her sister a little closer to her, nuzzling the spot right under her ears. Luna knew there was no sense in arguing now.

She was too tired to argue with her sister anyway. Her gaze eased, as she gave in. Her eyelids were too heavy for her to hold them up. Stifling a last yawn, Luna drifted off to sleep, right in Celestia's hooves.

"What am I going to do with you, Luna?" Celestia whispered in the cold air. She gave her little sister a gentle kiss on her forehead, before she placed her down on the cushion, and covered her with the blanket again.

The Princess of the Sun had had enough. She couldn't bear the burden of seeing her own sister so sad, so lonely anymore. She had to do something... but what?

There was only one thing left.

Chapter 2: Early Morning

It was early in the morning, and no life could be seen on the grassy streets in Ponyville yet. Only some shop keepers were preparing their stores at the market for selling their goods among the crowd in a few hours.

The birds had also just begun to chirp their beautiful songs as Celestia's sun made its way up the horizon, like every morning - to fill Equestria with light and warmth yet another day.

A lavender unicorn, woken up from the dim light that shone through a window directly in her face, sat in her bed, still half asleep. It had been a long night, like the several ones before, and her time asleep was almost not existing. Yet she knew she had to get up, even if her body and mind were crying for some more sleep.

Twilight, still sitting in her warm bed, rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. With a loud yawn, the purple mare pushed away her blanket, and slowly got up to her feeble hooves. She slowly managed it to the bathroom without falling over her own feet.

Ugh. So. Tired - but I can’t sleep now. There's too much to do. Let’s see... for the start of a day, a short checklist is always appropriate...

- Brush my teeth and fix my mane.

- After that, make some coffee.

- Eventually wake up Spike if needed

Yeah, that's a good plan to begin with.

The lavender mare took a hold of the toothbrush with her magic, dropped some toothpaste on it and began to scrub her teeth. Finished with that, she lifted her hairbrush, and drove it carefully through her mane, until she was finally satisfied with the look of hers. A half-lidded smirk in the mirror, and Twilight walked her way out of the bathroom, down the wooden circular staircase. Again a heavy yawn escaped her - it just made her longing for coffee even bigger.

Slumberous, the mare trotted down into the main hall of the library.

"Spike?!" the purple mare called for her number one assistant, "Would you please come down here for a second?"

Silence.

"Spike!"

Twilight hoped for a yawn, or any sign that the little baby dragon has awakened. But nothing could be heard from above.

Still fast asleep, I guess. Well, I can't blame him, he has been awake a lot in the last few weeks.

Twilight let out another heavy yawn.

Oh I almost forgot... Coffee. I'll wake Spike after I made some.

The lavender unicorn left the main hall and stepped into the kitchen. Her horn began to glow, and a small bag full of coffee beans levitated out of a cupboard over the room to a desk. Quickly a mug was following the coffee packet, and Twilight began to pour a specific amount of beans into the cup, but not too many and not too few. She wanted her coffee to taste always exactly the same.

Now the water was all that was left. A transparent bottle floated over to the coffee mug, and Twilight spilled the liquid on top of the beans. After doing so, she closed the bottle again and placed it back to where it belonged, the cupboard.

She levitated the cup carefully in front of her. Casting her spell on the mug, the beans dissolved in the instantly boiling water, and leaving all their flavor in it. Twilight took a fast sip. She was satisfied with the taste of it - bitter enough to shake her awake, but still not too bitter for her that it didn't taste anymore.

Twilight took a seat at the table, and sipped on the hot coffee between her hooves for a while. When she was finished, she placed the mug into the sink and trotted out of the kitchen.

Come to think of it. I'm really glad to be a unicorn. I wouldn't know how to make coffee if I was an earth pony or a pegasus. How do they do it? I need to study this sometime.

She made a mental note, and went up the spiral staircase to the next floor.

She opened the door to her bedroom with her magic. Spike was still lying in his basket right beneath her bed, snoring a little. The purple mare chuckled at the sight of the baby dragon. She stepped quietly over to her assistant, trying to suppress the clopping sound of her hooves on the wooden floor as much as possible.

"Spike?"

Twilight whispered. She nuzzled her little baby dragon behind his ear-like scales.

"Wake up."

Spike turned around, and slowly opened his eyes halfway. Twilight stood before his basket, smiling down at him.

"Morning, Twilight," Spike muttered.

"Would you please come down with me for a moment?"

Spike gave no answer, instead, he slowly crawled out of his bed, and hopped on Twilight's back.

"Only if you carry me," said the little dragon.

The mare chuckled again, and made her way down to the main lobby.

"I guess I overdid it again, didn't I?"

Spike nodded.

"Yeah. I don't know how you always create such a mess with just books and that kind of stuff. But, now that you have your answer, can I go back to my bed?"

With a sigh, Twilight turned around, simultaneously gripping Spike with her magic, placing the baby dragon in front of her.

She knew it's going to be hard to convince him for the task, except she offers something a dragon could never say no to. Silky and gentle, Twilight's voice almost echoed in the hollow tree.

"Spike, I need you to clean this up, okay?"

"But-"

"If you do, I will get you whatever gem you want. Would that be a deal?" Twilight looked right into Spike's eyes - with a soft gaze, her sparkling purple eyes and with a small smile across her face. How could the dragon resist that expression of Twilight AND a gem as a reward?

"Aaah... fine," he grunted.

"Great!" Twilight gave her number one assistant a deep hug.

"How long do you think you will need, Spike? Maybe I can come back in time to help you?"

"I guess that won't be necessary, Twi. Leave things to me, okay? But don't forget the gem!" He smirked at Twilight and slowly began to pick up some near books.

"Of course."

With that, the purple mare nuzzled her baby dragon one last time as she then turned around to the entrance of the library. But before she could go any further, a loud belch came from behind her, flashing the room in pure green for an instant.

Twilight turned around, looking over to Spike. A neatly-rolled scroll with a red band and a golden seal had appeared in front of his eyes.

The scroll didn't even had the chance to be affected by gravity, for Twilight had already grabbed it with her magic, floating it over to her.

Spike murmured: "A letter from Princess Celestia. What would she want that early in the morning?" He scratched his neck.

“I don’t know," Twilight nearly sounded nervous, "but if she writes that early, it must be important!”

Hastily she removed the seal and opened the scroll. She began to read:

Dear Twilight Sparkle - my faithful student.

You asked me to inform you about the ongoing progression of my sister, and that you would be eager to help if it was necessary in any matter. Indeed, your help is needed. Princess Luna isn’t herself anymore. Though Nightmare Night gave her a bit of composure, she falls to her old behaviour again. My efforts to stop the process seem to be worthless.

Thus I ask you now, Twilight Sparkle, for your offered aid. Look after my sister. Maybe you can reach her, where I failed to. If you happen to have any questions, I will explain everything to you once you’ve arrived. The carriage that takes you to Canterlot Castle will be provided for noon today.

Signed

Princess Celestia, Co-Ruler of Equestria.

Spike could see the gears in Twilight running while she read the letter. Her eyes went from left to right, going a bit lower with every line. She had read the letter a few times by now, but she couldn't fully comprehend it. She had to read it again, and again, just to make sure she wasn't missing a line that would explain at least something.

What does she mean with 'old behaviour'? What can I do for Princess Luna, what Princess Celestia is not able to?

She grunted, locking her gaze with the wooden floor. Too many unanswered questions at once.

"What's wrong, Twilight?"

No answer. Twilight was lost deep in her twisted thoughts.

"Twilight, you okay?"

Again, no response. Spike trotted in front of the purple mare, waving his claw in front of her face. Either she didn't notice or she simply didn't bother. She just looked like nowhere in particular.

Not that again.

He couldn't make her snap out of it in a gentle way. Of course he could've shaked her, but that would be just too rude for now. A few moments passed in silence.

Twilight opened her mouth.

"The... the letter. It was about Princess Luna... She is falling to her 'old behaviour' again, whatever that's supposed to mean. But Princess Celestia sounded really concerned, so it must be something important. I have to get ready."

"Get ready for what?" Spike asked a bit concerned.

"Princess Celestia asked me to look after her sister, though I am not sure what I can really do! I need to study this! But on the other hand, a carriage at noon is taking me to Canterlot Castle! There's so little time!"

Twilight started pacing around in the library, trying to find any books that were even just barely related to alicorns. Maybe they would give Twilight a proper answer. With her magic she levitated book after book in front of her and shaked her head every time as she threw every single one back across the room.

"No... no... no... no... NO!"

Twilight grunted again, and before she could do anything more, Spike stopped her in her trails.

"Twilight stop it! I know for sure that there is no book in here like a guidance to how to look after alicorns or something, so calm down!"

Twilight instantly froze. She couldn't believe how Spike could've just said something like that!

"Calm down? How can I calm down? What if I fail miserably and make things just worse? What if I disappoint Princess Celestia? Then not only she will be mad at me, no! Princess Luna too, because I couldn't comfort her in any way! I don't even want to think about what they will do to me if I fail them both!"

"And if it would be just that! No! As for today Applejack needs my help in the apple orchards, otherwise they wouldn't get the work done until the soon scheduled four-days-rain."

"Then Rainbow Dash wanted to show me some new tricks, with which she will get into the Wonderbolts instantly as soon as they come to see them!

"Well, fortunately Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie don't need me for watching over their animals or the baby cakes, that leaves me a little more time."

"But even with that, everything is out of order! I must be there for my friends, but how can I deny a request from Princess Celestia?!"

What do?! I need to come up with a plan, quickly!

Twilight panted heavily now, sweat rising from her forehead, slowly making its way down her face. Her heart pounded against her chest as trying to escape her misery.

That was enough for Spike. With a stern expression, he stood right in front of Twilight and looked right in her moist purple eyes.

"Twilight! Stop thinking like that! That makes absolutely no sense! First, you know Princess Celestia won't do any harm to you, no matter what! And neither will Princess Luna. You have freed her from Nightmare Moon, you should know that. Calm down Twilight."

"You really need to relax. Take a bath or something. You'll think a lot more straight after that, trust me. And forget the library. As I said before, I'll take care of it. If you want, I can write your friends a letter that they know that you're gone for some time."

Spike gave Twilight a reassuring smile. He stepped forward and embraced the lavender unicorn gently around her neck. A bit surprised, Twilight returned the hug, pulling the baby dragon to her chest.

And with that, Twilight's gaze softened, a small smile crawling up her muzzle.

"That'd be great. You really are my number one assistant. I don't know what I would do without you."

They stayed that way for a moment, and Twilight spoke again.

"Yet I don't know how long I will be gone, but I'll let you know once I have found out."

Twilight gently nuzzled the little dragon in their embrace, before she carefully let go.

"And a bath sounds perfect to me," said the lilac unicorn.

Spike just grinned at Twilight as she made her way up the round staircase to the next floor.

Twilight pushed the door to her bathroom open and with her magic, she turned the hot water on, which flowed into the bathtub. She levitated a small bottle to it, filling a bit of the soapy liquid into the water and watched the bubbles slowly coming up. After she was satisfied with the amount of bubbles, the mare placed the bottle back to its place. She stepped to the tub and let herself slip into the comfortable embrace of the hot bath.

Oh wow. This is just what I need right now.

The warmth spread deep into her body, relaxing every muscle, vanishing nearly all the agitation in her mind. Twilight noticed that she was still unfavorably tired after these long nights with such short amount of sleep. She let out a wide yawn, and in the warm bath of bubbles and water, she closed her eyes.

I wonder what could be the matter with Princess Luna. I haven't seen her since Nightmare Night, and that was several months ago.

A picture of the princess was the last thought that touched her mind; Luna, her soft, nightblue coat - her star pierced mane flowing in the solar wind - and lastly, her sparkling turquoise eyes, in which she could easily lose herself... even fall into them, and never come back, was smiling at her. Not more, but not less. And with the alicorn in front of her inner eye, Twilight couldn't prevent her falling asleep.

Chapter 3: Awakening

Twilight opened her eyes. A black, thick mist surrounded the lilac unicorn everywhere she glanced. She couldn't see very far in the distance, and a feeling of fear was slowly creeping up in her mind.

For what Twilight could figure out though, black tiles covered the ground, emitting a very intense coldness, almost freezing the purple mare on the floor. She sat there, in the darkness - her body began to shiver.

W-what is this place? And how did I even get here?

She slowly got up to her hooves. The iciness on her belly faded, instead her hooves were soaking up the chill of the ground now. It was like every time she placed one on the floor, a cold claw came out of the tile beneath - invisible, yet tangible - sticking her to the surface. Twilight struggled to lift her hooves from the icy chains again and again, but slowly made her way forward, suppressing the emerging pain in her legs.

Yet it seemed she was not moving, no matter how often she put a hoof in front of the other - everything stayed the same. With no horizon, no sky, nothing but pure blackness, it was hard to tell if you were making progress - to nowhere.

I don't know where I am, but I need to get out of here! I don't know how long I can continue like this...she gulped. I... I should try the Inner Fire spell to warm me up first, then I'll think of a way out.

Her horn began to pulsate with a magenta light, but somehow she couldn't finish her spell. Every drop of magic she poured into her horn was sucked away by an unknown force immediately, absorbing every bit of it.

What? Magical absorption? I've read about it in some of my books, but they told that these ley lines of magical drain wouldn't exist in Equestria anymore. The last ones disappeared a millenium ago. This can't be true! There must be a logical explanation for all of this!

Abruptly a loud thud came from several feet behind her, whirling up a big cloud of dust. Hastily she turned around, almost losing her balance on the icy tiles. She couldn't make out what had caused the thud through the mist of dirt surrounding it.

Inhaling a deep breath, Twilight managed to whisper into the cold, directly to the blurry cloud:

"H-Hello? Is somepony there?"

After nothing happened, she stepped forward to have a better look, to make out what caused the thud. Darkness still ruled all over the place. She got close enough to see the silhouette of a pony ahead.

The lavender mare peered at the other pony for a while. She considered different things, like why the unknown being was here in the first place, until Twilight asked herself the same question.

Suddenly, the other mare made a move, breaking Twilight out of her thoughts. She froze in shock. Her heart was skipping more than just one beat. She felt the claws on her hooves slowly sliding up to her neck.

However, her fears were not confirmed. The mare was still lying there, with her back towards Twilight.

What is going on?

A slight breeze blew against Twilight's face as out of nowhere the other mare folded a pair of large, feathery wings gently against her side. Twilight hadn't noticed that she had her wings spread out before.

She moved slowly a little closer. She catched a glimpse of the crown resting on the other mare, staying right behind a long horn erupting from her forehead.

"P-Princess?"

There was no answer.

"Princess Luna? Is that you?"

A bit more confident, Twilight took the last few steps to the alicorn. The more steps she took, the more light was falling on the way in front of her, as if she was radiating a light glow.

She was standing beside the winged unicorn now, the light was just enough to make out who was lying ahead.

The purple mare was relieved to see the princess and not any other possible evil being that would lurk around here in the darkness.

"Princess Luna! It is you! I'm so..." Twilight's volume turned down with the last words, "glad?". She saw the alicorn's head hung low, almost touching the ground with her muzzle.

The mare's eyes were closed, revealing her nearly shining light blue eyelids. It was a beautiful contrast to the dark blue coat, but through it, she looked even sadder this moment.

"Are... are you alright?"

Twilight sat herself in front of the princess. In the closeness of her, the floor had lost it's aching coldness, they were almost... warm.

Twilight noticed a crystalline flow, dampening the fur beneath the alicorn's eyes and cheeks.

She - she is crying.

"Princess."

The princess squeezed her eyes shut, holding back another wave of tears.

The lavender unicorn laid her hooves gently on top of the princess's. With a soothing smile, and her voice smooth as silk, Twilight spoke. Her voice reached deep down into the other mare, even if it was just her name that escaped the purple mare's mouth.

"Luna..."

Luna instantly pulled back, turning her head away from the unicorn. But she failed to hold back the sob that escaped her that moment.

Twilight was uncertain. She hadn't seen one of the Princess ever crying. It was such an unnatural sight.

Just from pure instinct, she leaned forward, and as gently as she could, she embraced the sobbing princess lovingly, pulling her close, as if it was the most usual thing in the world.

Luna hadn't expected such an act of affection. Rather she had expected Twilight to leave her, like everyone else had left her. Yet, the now sudden feeling of Twilight's soft body pressed against her own, and her gentle hooves wrapped around her neck made her realize, how much she had needed just that. It had been too long.

She pressed her own cheek against Twilight's neck, dampening the unicorn's silken fur with a fresh stream of tears, and that didn't go unnoticed by Twilight. The purple mare pressed the alicorn a bit more against her. Like a signal, that in that very moment, everything was fine and she would be there for her.

Soon, Twilight felt a slight brush of feathers on her back. The princess had wrapped up her wide wings around both of them in their embrace, pulling the unicorn even more to her. Luna wanted this to never end.

She cares for me...

Hit by that realization, another wave of tears was welling up inside Luna.

She really cares for me!

She pressed the lavender mare tightly against herself. Her forehead and upper muzzle pressed against Twilight's neck, the princess let out a deep sob, right in Twilight's purple coat. How could she ever make that up to her? Just by being here with somepony, with her, it meant so much to Luna.

It seemed like hours had passed since they enfolded, though both of them didn't want to break it. The soothing emprise comforted the princess in a way she had not experienced before. She wanted that this moment with the lilac unicorn could last forever. Yet she knew it couldn't.

Twilight felt Luna's grip carefully loosen. But she didn't want to break the hug with the princess. Not yet. It was... special. She couldn't figure out why though, why it felt so different with Luna than with her friends. What was the difference between her friends and Princess Luna, aside from her being royalty?

She couldn't finish her thoughts though. The warmth of Princess Luna's body spreading over to her was fading. She hadn't noticed that the air was still rather chilly in the midst of their enfold. Even the lunar mane brushing her body had given her a cozy warmness, which she was already missing.

The princess leaned back, with her hooves still resting on Twilight's shoulders, smiling at the unicorn in front of her. Her tears had began to dry, not only due to her, burying her face in Twilight's fur. She hadn't felt so grateful in over a thousand years.

"Twilight," the mellow voice of the Princess echoed through her.

Twilight had her eyes shut the whole time. She didn't want to see anything (even if that was very unlikely in the dark void), or feel anything else then the alicorn in her forearms.

Hearing the soothing voice of the princess, she slowly opened her eyes. Her sight was the regal alicorn smiling down at her, half-lidded. Here eyes were indeed reflecting Luna's mind - finally at peace, at least for the moment.

Twilight now with a small smile on herself, locked her gaze with these vivid turquoise eyes of Luna.

Those beautiful green-blue eyes. I wonder what else lies beyond them.

Luna started again with her silken voice.

"Look around, Twilight."

Twilight trailed off of Luna's eyes, and let them wander. There were no clouds in the now visible sky, and the mist had vanished completely. The ongoing gloom, nothing but pure black, turned into a dark blue, enlightened by thousands and thousands of stars, dancing in a beautiful glow above them. Twilight had never seen the sky so intense in its dark blue. And it seemed, that the stars were shining even brighter. It was such a beautiful sight.

"It's wonderful, Luna." Twilight said calmly in Luna's direction, but with her eyes focused at the sky.

"It appeared both because of and for you." The princess was still smiling at the purple mare.

What? 'Because of' and 'for' me? Twilight sat there agape, staring at the lunar alicorn. What could she have meant by that?

The entire situation was beyond Twilight's understanding. Why would she have caused the enlightenment of so many wonderful stars in a world like this? And more important for her, what was the reason?

"Twilight," Luna began again, "Thank you so much. For what you have done for me here..."

Luna took one hoof from Twilight's shoulder, and placed in under the purple unicorn's chin. She pressed a bit up to close the still opened mouth of the lilac mare.

With a smirk, she slowly leaned forward.

Twilight sat there, feeling the gentle pressure of Luna's hoof under her chin. She saw Luna coming closer and closer...

What is she doing? She - she isn't going to kiss me, is she!?

Twilight's expression changed instantly into one of shock. She locked her eyes shut, and prepared herself for what was to come. She didn't know why she was afraid of feeling the Princess' lips pressed against hers, but it didn't matter, because it would happen every moment anyway.

But the kiss never came.

Instead, Luna pulled the unicorn slightly to her, nuzzling her one last time - cheek to cheek.

Twilight opened her eyes just a small gap. She didn't see the the Princess' head in front, but beside her, feeling Luna's cheek gently brushing against her own. She felt relieved, yet somehow disappointed. Her ears hang flat down, a small pout forming on her muzzle.

Somehow, I would've liked to kiss Luna... Twilight began to both inwardly consider and argue against the thought--the feeling of the princess's lips upon her own, melting together--but it was forced back into her mind as Luna's smile waned.

She let out a sigh, and continued. "...even if this is not truly real. But the stars here were gone before, and yet they are there again." The alicorn stopped her nuzzling, pulling her head back to face Twilight once more, "I have to leave you now. Though I hope I will find you here again from time to time. Farewell, Twilight Sparkle."

The princess stood up, leaving Twilight sitting alone on the ground. She leisurely trotted a few steps away, but glanced one last time back over her shoulder to her saviour. Lightly beaming at the sight of the purple mare, she then turned around again. She spread her dark wings wide open, flapping them several times. Getting off from the ground, she soared with a few more flaps into the night sky, the cool breeze slightly blowing against her warmth carrying body.

Twilight, still sitting on the ground, gazed afterwards Luna. She didn't understand the world anymore.

The alicorn was almost out of sight, when with a brief flash of light she dissolved. In her place the moon had appeared, but this one differed. This moon was grander than the one Twilight had adored on her balcony so many times, and it seemed brighter as well. Under the illuminating glow of the moon, the purple mare just sat there, glancing at the orb.

What... just happened?

~*~*~*~*~*~

So thanks for reading!

Please, don't be confused by the events that occur in this chapter. Everything will be explained later in the story.

Chapter 4: The Eleventh Hour

"Twilight! Wake up!" A familiar boyish voice was calling to the unicorn.

"Wh... Wha-" the latter stammered, slowly coming to her senses.

"The chariot is here. You need to go!"

Still sleepy, Twilight opened her eyes halfway, looking at the source of the yelling voice -- the baby dragon. Spike was standing in the bathroom, with his claws on the edge, right next to the bathtub.

Yes, the tub! Twilight had been lying in there all the time, in the water that went cold long ago. Even the bubbles had completely disappeared. But she didn't notice the chill coursing through her body as she realized...

"Hm?... What chariot? What are you talk-"

It hit her like a book smashed directly on her muzzle. She shot up, instantly awake - shock written all over her face.

The chariot to Canterlot! The Princesses! "SPIKE! The Letter! The Princesses! Please no... Oh why didn't you wake me earlier? You knew I wanted to study before I left! Well, at least I wanted to try, even if there was just a small probability of success, but now I don't know anything!"

"Twilight, I-", Spike stuttered, but stopped, aware that there was no sense in arguing right now.

Twilight hesitantly looked around in her bathroom, searching for a solution that couldn't be found. But she shook her head to focus, and slowly managed to stumble out of the bathtub, just glancing to her inattentive assistant while doing so -- he who was more than guilty to her right now.

The dragon himself however, was completely taken aback from the sudden outburst of the mare. Ashamed, he shyly played with his claws in front of his chest, looking down at nothing in particular. Even if he didn't see it, and aside from the heavy breathing of Twilight, he could hear little drops of fluid hitting on the wooden ground.

Twilight's blue tail and purple coat were soaked up with the icy water, and her whole body was dripping on the floor. And now outside of the bathtub, the surrounding air was cooling her even more. She was freezing. The lavender mare began to shiver.

Spike hesitantly dared to look at the unicorn. But he instantly acted as he saw the lavender mare shudder, throwing a purple fabric over her. Maybe he could do something to bring her down again. He slowly began to rub Twilight's coat dry, hoping she wouldn't mind and yell at him.

He muttered slightly desperate at Twilight's back, not able to look the unicorn in the eyes. Maybe now was a better time to start anew.

"I'm sorry! But it's not my fault, Twilight, I-"

"Spike!", the purple unicorn interrupted him, "I- I don't have enough time right now, how- however, we will sort this out when I come home again," she stuttered through her chill, looking back over her shoulders to the glum baby dragon.

But no matter how guilty the dragon was to cause her this rather advanced form of agitation, by rubbing her coat dry it was enough to ease the wild storm in her mind.

The lavender cloth, hanging over at the other side of the mare, stroked Twilight's back leisurely, the movements of the assistant causing it to soak up the whole cool exterior of the purple mare's soft, ruffled coat.

Yet the coldness Twilight just experienced, and its ensuing vanishing from her body reminded her of something, of something she couldn't quite put her hoof on right now. Under the gentle pressure of Spike's drying, Twilight leisurely closed her eyes. She didn't know why she was so calm right now, in this moment exactly after the coldness lessened. She didn't know, until she remembered.

Pictures of the nightblue princess appeared before her inner eye. The regal alicorn, lying there with her, absorbing the everlasting icyness around. She remembered -- until she was almost about to kiss her -- Princess Luna leaning forward, nearly offering her gentle lips just a few inches away, and her mouth opened a gap...

She frightened, causing her to instantaneously open her big purple eyes and snapping out of her bittersweet memories. It took a while until she caught herself again, fading out the lunar princess in her head.

She looked back over her right shoulder to the little dragon.

He caught her glancing, and Spike turned his gaze away. The little dragon, still with a glum look on his face, opened his mouth to further explain the situation to Twilight, but the unicorn interrupted him once again.

"Thanks, Spike," Twilight paused for a short moment, "I need to go, at least I have to be in time. Just let me write the letters to my friends, and then I will get going. Don't forget to take care of the library while I'm in Canterlot for an uncertain amount of time, okay?"

"Will do!" Spike hesitantly said saluting, the claw holding the towel snapping to his head.

The lilac unicorn didn't notice the salute though, as she swiftly trotted out of the bathroom, leaving the surprised baby dragon still holding the purple towel against his head behind. She stepped down the circular staircase, through the main hall of the library right to the lectern. She passed the large book shelves molded from the inner shell of the tree, and coming to the desk, she gripped five sheets of paper, a quill and a full ink pot. Twilight quickly began to write the letters with her magic.

In the meantime, Spike had followed Twilight down into the lobby. As the mare was finished with the letters, she turned around, she knew her dragon too well that he wouldn't stay behind for long.

"Please send these letters for me, Spike," she said to her assistant. The baby dragon just nodded. "I'll be going then. Take care!"

Twilight trotted to the entrance and affected the dark wooden door with her magic, opening it right in time that she didn't need to slow down. With a loud thud, it hammered against the outer wall of the library.

Twilight now stood there, couple of meters in front of her home.

Alright, Twilight, you need to find the chariot! The trip to Canterlot will take a while, so you'll have plenty of time to think of a way how to spend time with Luna, and if that probably goes wrong, a further good excuse why you couldn't accomplish anything, that they won't banish you! Okay, where's the carriage?

She had to hold her head high to see her surroundings, as her wet mane hang still flat down, thus covering half of her view. That was no problem when she was still in the library, whereas she knew every corner like her saddlebag, but now on the streets of Ponyville, where she had to find a chariot, it was a bit more difficult.

Fortunately she didn't have to search for it. The chariot stood right in front of the tree, only a couple of hoofsteps away. The carriage consisted of two pegasi, that were in front of the cart, both of them looked rather identical - white coat, blue eyes, large built. They wore their typical golden armor, with an elongated blue brush on top of their helmets, fitting quite nicely to their tail color. And neither of them had an expression upon their faces. Plainly, guards of Princess Celestia.

The cart itself was white, reinforced with an ornate gold that wound around it. The look of the oxcart reminded very strong to that one, in which Twilight was first taken to Ponyville.

The pegasus nearer to the library glanced around in search for the wanted unicorn. He quickly turned when he heard the loud thud caused by the entrance door. His training proved efficient. The entire royal guard was trained for this very sudden situations coming out of the nowhere. Their always alerted state formed the base of their fast reactions.

Yet the guards' training wouldn't be proved that day. He had sighted the lavender mare coming out of the hollowed tree. The describing of the wanted pony matched with the one trotting there just a few meters away, though he hadn't imagined the unicorn to be so... wet... when it was going to visit the Princesses.

But the mare came to a halt, glancing around beyond her mane hanging in her field of view. Still no changing in the expression upon the guards face, he sternly said to the searching lavender mare, "Miss Sparkle? We were ordererd by the Princess to take you to Canterlot Castle. If you don't mind, we will bring you there."

"Heh. Of course. Thank you," Twilight replied a little nervously.

Okay Twilight. Here we go...

She quickly jumped onto the cart, so that the pegasi in front could make their way to Canterlot. With a strong pull, almost throwing Twilight back out again, the pegasi lashed forward into a gallop, their armored hooves clapping on the ground.

They spread their strong white wings, flapping them violently up and down, until they had enough momentum to take themselves and the carriage off the ground, up to the sky on the road to Canterlot Castle.

The chariot speedily made its way to its destination. They would need a few hours to reach it, so Twilight had some time to think. She sat in the golden cart, with her hooves hanging over at the left side, her head resting on the railing. And as they flew, the wind blew gently against her face -- through her still-wet mane. Even under the bright shining of the sun, Twilight felt cold yet again as her moist mane in the cold summerwind made her shiver.

Heh, strange. It seems that I cannot escape it. Though the sun is shining, I feel so chilly at this rather warm day... but not just at day or night, even in my dreams...

She remembered the dream, when she fell asleep lying in the warm bathtub in the morning.

Staring into the distance from her view high above the ground, the lavender mare's mind wandered again. Brief flashes of the blackness, followed by the princess in the dust cloud, Luna's crying, their embrace and the deep blue alicorn dissolving into the moon, ran through her head. Even if she tried, she couldn't blend them out.

I wonder why I dreamt such a weird dream... Maybe there's a book about dream significance in the Canterlot library.

Twilight sighed.

But now I need to think of what to do once I am with the Princesses...

Meanwhile in Canterlot Castle -

Three loud knocks hammered against two heavy, with a crescent moon marked, wooden doors, ranging out through the chambers behind.

"You may enter," the lunar princess answered across the room in her typical regal tone.

One of the leaf doors opened, revealing a dark gray, male unicorn with a black-blue armor and toxic yellow eyes, a guard completely in contrast to the ones of Princess Celestia. The guard bowed, and stepped humbly into the room.

The nightblue alicorn lied on her huge bed that faced the entrance to her chambers, reading an ancient book that was opened before her crossed hooves. She almost wasn't to make out on her bedsheets, that carried the same color as the night. Just her turquoise eyes flashed out of the dark.

She leisurely looked up, gazing annoyed at the approaching guard. A few moments, and the guard stopped, keeping a safe distance between him and the Princess.

"What is it you seek?" she asked in a rather aggravated tone.

The guard immediately replied.

"Your majesty, we should inform you that your sister, Princess Celestia, is awaiting you in the royal gardens in two hours."

"To what purpose?" Princess Luna retorted.

"We were not told, your majesty," the guard hesitantly replied, but still standing his ground.

"Alright then. You may leave," Luna said dismissively, waving a hoof at the guard. She was already looking down in her book again.

"Your majesty." The guard bowed once more, and backwards left the night-like chambers, not daring to cancel his bowing or turning away from the Princess. As the guard had left the room, the deep gray unicorn closed the heavy wooden door, making his way back to return to his sentry.

Luna saw the door closing. She let out a heavy sigh after closing the book still lying between her legs.

I wonder what my sister is wanting from me. Then again, why couldn't she tell the guard? Oh my...

Princess Luna leisurely stood up from her bed. She didn't mind the book staying where it was, and trotted out of her chambers, through the dark corridor, heading down to the royal garden. Luna was aware that she had an hour time left, but also she didn't have anything else to do, even the book she was reading before wasn't offering her any new discoveries after all. She had already read every book she was interested in more than once a long time ago. And so the dark alicorn tardily trotted down, her hoofsteps echoing on the marble floor, to the blooming garden that lied behind the big white castle of the royal sisters. And with time, she arrived.

-&-

Thud. The princess had landed on black tiles.

"Hello? Is somepony here?", she called through the foggy black air. Luna was hoping for a purple mare to be there. But there was no answer. Several moments passed in silence.

"Of course not," she sighed.

Suddenly, her ears began to twitch. A slight humming, coming from every direction, grew more intense despite remaining very low, with every second she listened.

"What may that sound be?"

She listened closer. It was no humming that was echoing through the void in the first place, no. Something... something was calling her.

"Lhuuu.. hnaaaaah...", a very, what it sounded like, familiar voice was whispering her name. "Lu... na...", the voice echoed again.

"Twilight Sparkle, is that you?", the princess eagerly asked in the chilly air. But it wasn't the lavender unicorn.

Before anything could answer, she was abruptly lifted from the tiles. The princess hadn't even flapped her wings, and yet she was moving up, faster every moment, an invisible force pulling her up to the ceiling.

-&-

"Aaaaaaaaah!"

The lunar princess ripped her eyes wide open. Sweat was covering her entire coat, ruffling her night-blue fur, sparkling in the shadow of the leaves. Princess Luna found herself in the royal gardens of the castle again, lying flat beneath the beautiful rose petals of an ageless tree, that has always been Luna's and Celestia's secret meeting place.

"Luna," an alabaster alicorn sitting in front of the princess spoke to her with concern, a hoof resting gently on one of hers, "it's okay. You are safe. It seems you just had a nightm- a bad dream."

And again I said it... Celestia had tried to avoid the use of the word 'nightmare' since the incidence. Too many bad memories were connected to it. Yet sometimes she just blurts it out without thinking.

Slightly panting, Luna answered her sister. "Yes... apparently. What am I doing here anyway?" She looked at her sister.

"Have you been waiting for me here, Luna?" The sun princess asked , still concerned, not giving her the answer Luna wanted.

"Why, yes, of course."

"How long?"

"Let me think. Now that you are here means that the two hours have passed, as a guard informed me you wanted to meet me here..." The nightly princess paused.

She inhaled, a scent of rose and other beautiful smells of flowers ran through her nostrils, reaching deep into her lung, everything poured out with a long exhale. It was almost a shame that she didn't smell it while she was sleeping.

"Well, that answers my question what I would be doing here. But to answer yours, it takes some time to get here from my chambers, therefore... it would be approximately one hour and forty-seven minutes."

"You didn't have to wait for me, Luna."

"I don't mind waiting here for you, Tia," her expression changed, depressively she was looking at the ground, "I had nothing else to do anyway."

Princess Celestia sighed. Then I suppose she fell asleep after she had arrived here and waited for me.

"You know there were these dragon chancellors I had to come to terms with, and... no, that should not be of your concern. I'm sorry that I did let you wait."

"It is fine," Luna lowly replied.

Princess Luna waited for her sister to proceed, but strangely, she didn't say anything. She just gazed.

Some time went by, as the two alicorns just lied in front of one another, Princess Luna with her head resting on her crossed hooves, and Princess Celestia just gazing at the view of the garden. A feeble breeze carrying the scent of the tree above was blowing in the air around the rulers of Equestria, rustling the leaves in the trees, and sending small waves and dunes over the soft grass fields that were filled with white and pink flowers.

"So now that we are here, what was it you wanted to talk about, dear sister?" Princess Luna asked after the moments of silence.

Celestia sighed, closing her eyes.

"I do not like it," she stated, thus opening her shortly shut eyes, but now carrying a stern expression on her face.

"You do not like, what?" Both the princesses locked their gazes with each others eyes.

"I don't like seeing you like this all the time."

" 'Like this'? What do you mean by that?", the lunar princess asked.

"Exactly this right now! Your introversion... your sorrow... your loneliness."

"That is not true!", Luna answered, breaking their eye contact.

"You do know it is, sister!"

The lunar princess winced by the harsh tone of the sun goddess.

Celestia was deeply churning inside, in front of her little sister she had lost for such a long time. "There is nothing in Equestria I cannot endure, apart from one exception -- and that is your suffering, Luna!"

Sniff.

Tears were welling up in Celestia's eyes. Nopony else had ever seen her crying.

The solar princess quietly continued, turning her expression into a softly gaze at her sister, who still looked away.

"And that is why I asked a very special pony to me to visit you." Celestia gently nudged the nightblue princess with her muzzle against Luna's neck.

"Why?", Luna whispered into her hooves.

"You know the reason, why!", Celestia's voice grew more intense again. She sounded... upset. "I have sworn to myself that I will never let it happen again. No matter the consequences."

...

The goddesses still lay there, towards each other in silence, but not once meeting gazes. With time, the wind loosened few single rose petals of the tree above, sending them gently falling, swinging them left to right, before hitting the ground between the ancient sisters. Luna had raised her head, her gaze following the falling of the leaves. She met halfway with the desperate looking alabaster alicorn that had been doing the same. Luna sighed.

"Then if I may ask... who is it?"

Celestia paused for a moment, surprised by the question, thinking if she should already tell her. But finding no arguments against it, she quietly replied, "My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

Luna's ears perked up at the mentioning of the lavender mare's name.

Could it really be?

"She already must be on her way here, unless she refused my plea," Celestia continued.

"She had a choice?" Luna curiously asked, not remembering her sister ever being so kind to a subject when it was about royal matters.

"Hm... I didn't directly state that she had a choice in the letter I sent her this morning. However, I would never force her to do anything she doesn't want to do. Twilight could've always declined."

"Well, I don't know what to say, Tia." Luna, a soft gaze on her face, softly smiled.

"Everything for you, Luna," Celestia had regained her gentle gaze as well.

And thus Celestia spread her white graceful wings, causing a slight breeze in between the two mares, sending the petals on the ground flying again. Quickly they were surrounded in a swirl of rose flowers. Celestia leaned forward, resting her head against Luna's. Her wings spread forward, and she embraced her sister softly, almost encasing them completely in shadows under the silken feathers of the sun goddess.
_______________________________________

I know, I know... still no (or not much?) romance. I'm sorry. And I am aware that this chapter is probably not what you had expected. Please don't hate me?

What I want to know is... how do you think I am describing the situations? Should I add more, or maybe even less detail? What do you think about that in the whole? I'd appreciate it if you could help me on this matter in the comments.

Chapter 5: The Sun Sets

"Miss Sparkle, we have arrived."

Twilight's chin rested upon the railing of the chariot, her front hooves leisurely dangling over the edge of the cart. A light snoring was coming from the lavender mare, who had fallen asleep some time during her long trip to Canterlot.

"Miss Sparkle?" the deep but polite voice asked again, gently nudging her shoulder with his armored hoof.

"Mmmhmm... let me sleep... just a little longer," Twilight mumbled to the white stallion standing in front of her, her eyes still closed, unaware of the current situation.

"I'm afraid I cannot," the guard calmly replied. "The Princess awaits you, and we have to return to our sentries. I must ask you to please disembark from the chariot." The guard was waiting for Twilight's response, which came almost instantly. The stallion didn't know that the sleepy unicorn in front of him would comply soon enough just by his mention of the princesses.

"What!?" Twilight shot up, wrenching her eyes wide open.

The Princesses! "No!" she shouted, "Uh, I mean, thank you for bringing me here to Canterlot, I guess. I... I'll just be on my way then!" Twilight hastily said.

The guard, yet shortly surprised, nodded at the unicorn and trotted away, retreating to his assigned post. Twilight got up from her half-seated position, quickly turned and hopped out of the cart, landing on her still feeble hooves.

Looking across the wide square where numerous ponies trotted from left to the right, she saw the biggest building in the whole capitol -- Canterlot Castle. She was standing just a few dozen hoofsteps away.

"I'm here." she whispered, gazing upon the huge white construction, as she realized what she just said.

"I'm... here?! But, but, but, but I still haven't learned anything yet!" Twilight said aloud, startling a group of ponies around her. She didn't mind though, her concerns didn't belong to them now. I fell asleep, again! I can't believe it!

Twilight was lost in her thoughts. Since she received the letter of her mentor, she felt troubled. She was torn between being glad to see the princesses after such a long time and her fear of failure and disappointment. Though the latter was clearly overshadowing her anticipation to meet the royal sisters.

The lavender mare noticed another guard approach her from the castle.

Okay Twilight, keep it together now. She frowned. They're the princesses! They'll understand! Though I'm afraid that I have no clue how to explain...

The guard had made his way to the unicorn, ans was now standing to attention in front of the ambivalent mare.

"Miss Twilight Sparkle?"

She inhaled, then sighed out a deep breath. "Yes?"

"Would you please follow me? I was told to accompany you to Princess Celestia."

"C-Certainly," she answered nervously. "Please, go ahead."

The golden-armored guard turned, heading back towards the castle, and Twilight quietly followed the stallion across the square. Their hooves clacking on the cobbled ground, they came to the entrance, where two other stallions guarded the gate. The guard on Twilight's side just nodded at them, and gained permission to enter.

Twilight and her escort trotted briskly through the castle, taking turns and paths that would lead them to the throne room, where the princess was fulfilling her duties. Their steps echoed through the silent, with orange and blue banners hung hallways, as they progressed further into the fortress.

Twilight glanced out of a window she passed, seeing that the sun had already begun to set. It turned the sky a beautiful orange, which the white walls inside the castle almost reflected, illuminating the corridors in an indescribable warm colour only the dusk could call forth. As she was briefly looking at the sun, her mind went back to the sunset she watched yesterday back at her balcony in Ponyville, the subsequent rising of the moon, and the clear starlit night sky thereafter.

Before long, they came to a halt. The guard cleared his throat and thus brought her back to reality.

"Huh?"

"We're here," the guard said.

"Oh," was the only answer Twilight could muster.

They stood in front of the huge, dark-golden entrance doors to the throne room. Another two unicorns were guarding them, and once more the guard in front of Twilight nodded, gaining entrance upon doing so. The unicorn guards encased the doors in a light blue aura, and opened the large doors with their magic.

What am I going to do? Twilight asked herself, looking down at the ground.

The doors swung completely open.

She slowly glanced up into the room, and as she had imagined, she saw Princess Celestia sitting upon her throne. She had turned to the side, and was dealing with a crowd of various ponies. Guards were standing in front of several pillars distributed to the left and right of the hall. A red carpet was outspread on the floor, leading to the throne of the sun goddess.

"The princess said she was eager to see you, Miss Sparkle," the stallion in front said all of a sudden, his expression now carrying a small smile. Of course, he wouldn't understand why this could ever be a bad thing for anypony, but he didn't know Twilight Sparkle.

What? That's just... perfect! This only increases the disappointment after I can't be any help at all. This is getting worse every second!

Twilight was standing on the treshold only looking at the preoccupied princess, not realizing that the guard had already entered the throne room without her.

Princess Celestia. Soon I will be talking to her, but what do I say? Excuses won't work, the Princess would look through them right away. She wouldn't believe that I had no time to study, because it's simply not true! I had the whole fore morning! But I can't just say that I was too preoccupied with sleeping! Why did she have to send the letter so late, anyway? No, the Princess is not to blame... Urgh! She grunted inwardly. Wait... Where is the guard?

Twilight frightened as she noticed that the guard had already begun to walk. She quickly caught up to the stallion, who hadn't notice her absence at all.

Their hoofsteps were muffled by the soft, red carpet, as the stallion leaded the purple unicorn to the Princess of the Sun. The princess, however, didn't notice Twilight and her guard approaching, as she was still occupied in what appeared to be an extremely boring discussion.

"I am very sorry, but I can't change the whole wheather-plan on such short notice. The pegasi plan it years ahead to optimize the harvest in every way, and two weeks of rain could do severe damage to some of the fields. Not to mention that there are not enough pegasi free at the moment."

Inaudible mumbling was starting all over again.

The guard and Twilight had meanwhile arrived at the bottom of the few stairs leading to the throne, and he cleared his throat once more to gain attention.

"Princess?" The crowd in front of the throne went silent, their as well as the Princess's head turned to him.

"I apologize for interrupting you, your highness. Twilight Sparkle here has safely arrived, as you can see. If there is nothing else you wished, I would return to my post."

The princess's gaze shifted to the lilac mare standing behind the guard.

"Ah, Twilight, my most faithful student. It's good to see you! I'm so glad you could make it," Celestia said, a cheerful smile appearing on her clearly tired face. She had feared the possibility of Twilight not coming, but for no good reason, as it turned out. She was more than happy that her student hadn't denied her request. She could always rely on Twilight whenever she was needed.

"Princess!" Twilight managed to stutter, "yes, I... I am glad, too!" she tried to hide her nervousness before the princess, faking a grin over her frown.

"Would you excuse me for a short moment?" she said, facing the crowd in front of her and receiving a quick agreement in response.

Twilight, was slowly losing the rest of her already fragile composure. What am I going to say? How can I explain to her?

Celestia stepped down the stairs to her faithful student, coming to a halt several hoofsteps away from the crowd. She nodded at the guard who still awaited orders, "Thank you for bringing her here to me. I have to discuss important matters with my student, so please inform the ponies present here, and accompany them to the exit. Ask them if they wouldn't mind coming back tomorrow. Thank you, that would be all."

Important matters? Twilight's anxiety increased.

The guard nodded silently, making his way to take care of the crowd of ponies.

Celestia, now standing calmly in front of her pupil, gently smiled at Twilight.

"Well Twilight, it has been quite a while since we've last met and talked. Why don't we catch up on that? Please, come with me," Celestia turned, waiting for Twilight to follow. The lilac unicorn quickly trotted to the side of her mentor, the false smile still plastered onto her features, inwardly wondering why Celestia wanted to go to an other place to talk.

The solar princess looked at Twilight in the corner of her eyes. Why had I even doubts in the first place? Twilight has never disappointed me. I'm so glad she has come. After all those years being her mentor, since the time when Twilight was still just a little filly, her student had become like a daughter to her. They shared a bond nopony could ever explain. And that is why Celestia had turned to Twilight Sparkle. She knew, only she was able to help her and, more importantly, her sister.

"Wh- where are we going, princess?" Twilight nervously asked, as she began to step in the same pace beside her mentor.

"You have never been there before, Twilight. To be honest, just few ponies have ever been there, but I won't tell more for now. See it as a surprise!"

Twilight swallowed nervously. Great, more secrets? A place where only few ponies have ever been before... I - I don't know! What and where could it be?

They stepped through an archway located behind the throne. Celestia smiled, not knowing about the concerns troubling her pupil cantering beside her through arced doors and hallways.

She has come, and that is all that matters now. Still, I don't know why I was even silly enough to think she wouldn't.

The walk was nothing special for Celestia, for she had walked this way almost every day in her entire life time. For Twilight however, the walk in silence, trotting side-by-side with the princess through the huge castle, gave her some peace of mind. She didn't know why, or how, but the princess was formally emanating calm. Her thought's about failure and causing disappointment somehow seemed to lessen.

They had left the throne room behind long ago, turning many different directions through the maze-like arrangement of corridors.

Once again Twilight found herself in high, arched hallways that were illuminated by the light coming in from the windows above. She looked up. The formerly orange sky had turned darker, a beautiful violet was now mingling with it, even if it was less intense in colour. The sun near the horizon created the so-familiar shade that indicated the upcoming night.

I still wonder where she is taking me. I have never been in this section of the castle before... but - it's beautiful.

One last turn, and they stood at the beginning of a long corridor, leading to two huge doors. A sun, an exact replica of Celestia's cutie mark to be exact, covered both the doors in the center. The walls of the passageway were white, yet in the descending light they seemed to shine a light lavender. The orange banners from before were extending along the walls, too, small white suns embroidered in the cloth. Other than that, the corridor was indeed abstract, but that didn't make it less amazing to the purple mare.

They went on, Twilight turning her head to the left and the right, not knowing where to look. Soon, they arrived in front of the large doors.

"Here we are, Twilight," Celestia spoke softly to her protegé.

Twilight nodded once at her mentor, her curiousity and nervousness increasing simultaneously. Celestia accurately gripped the doors with her magic, a light yellow aura appearing around the edges of the frame. The shade was not wavy as it would've been if other unicorns used their magic, it was a straight line exactly surrounding them. It showed Celestia's great ability and experience with magic, but also served another purpose: it was primarily a security mechanism, that meant no pony other than Princess Luna or herself could enter the room without notice or permission.

Celestia gave a light push, and the large doors opened smoothly.

Twilight watched the spectacle, but already in thoughts again. The Princess's cutie mark on the doors... few ponies have ever been there... no. It can't be.

"Princess... are - are these... your chambers?" Twilight hesitantly asked, fearing she might had taken the wrong guess.

"As always, nothing escapes your notice. Yes they are, Twilight. Please, come on in," the sun goddess calmly replied.

Twilight sighed out a breath of relief, but instantly perked up again as she realized what Celestia had just confirmed. She was getting overwhelmed by her nervousness and curiousity.

The Princess's chambers! I am really going to see them?!

_________________________

In the interest of time...

"A very special pony to visit me - that's what my sister said. Twilight Sparkle, to be exact." Princess Luna was lying on her dark silken bed, blindly playing with the pages of an old, outworn book. "It was so nice being around her..."

Slowly, excitement was building up inside the princess. She could only think of seeing the lavender mare again. "She is such a kind pony."

The sound of the turning paper filled the otherwise silent room. Occasionally, Luna's eyes flew over a line on the yellowed pages as she lost herself in thoughts. Shallow words not worth remembering were entering her head, but thus would soon be forgotten. Even so, she smiled, lying on the warm, blue sheets. She was not able to think of anything different than the purple unicorn.

Her joy lessened, however, as she remembered. "Though, she is just coming at the behest of my sister," the lunar princess said to herself. "Can I even consider her my friend? I haven’t had one in such a long time. We didn’t state that clearly back then, I think."

A small pout formed upon her muzzle. "Just because of my sister, not because of me."

But her memories about back then were leading her thoughts anew to Twilight. The time spent together, how she had helped her to become accepted, their laughter and the fun they had last Nightmare Night. In that night, Luna felt happy being liked. She felt happy being with Twilight Sparkle.

"I haven't even thanked her yet... for everything. I need to catch up on that."

And time passed, seconds, minutes, hours, with Luna deep in her thoughts: about herself, about what was going to happen, about Twilight. She again had lost track of time, as she shifted through the yellowed pages. It was happening her a lot recently. Her mind was too foggy. Sometimes it seemed she would need a map to find out of her thoughts.

After a while, she turned her empty gaze from the book, up to the glassy doors leading to the balcony; it was more accidental then intentional. The lunar princess noticed the shady sky forming over Equestria.

"Has it already gotten that late again?" She glanced to the golden hands of a clock hanging on the wall. "This means... Twilight must be here by now!" The gloominess faded, instead, excitement, happiness, joy, every positive emotion was once more building up deep within her by the thought of seeing the one unicorn that changed her life.

No matter how much she wanted to see Twilight, though, she knew that she had also to play her part as one of the royal princesses.

"Luna, duty comes first!" she said to herself, determined yet already looking forward to seeing the lilac unicorn.

She closed the book with a faint thud, and jumped off the bed. With a smile on her face again, she trotted towards her balcony to fulfill her duty as the Princess of the Night.
_________________________

Back in front of Celestia's chambers...

Twilight hesitantly peeked into the room beyond. She didn't believe she would ever see, let alone gain entrance to the Princess's own suite. She slowly walked forward, watching her every step. Though, she still couldn't see much. The room was not lit, and despite that it still wasn't night, the princess's chambers seemed rather dark. Twilight looked up at her mentor, who began to trot inside.

And as the Princess before her had entered completely, the dim room suddenly brightened up, an unknown source illuminating light in every corner of the chambers.

"Princess," the lavender mare was simply speechless.

"It is quite useful not to have to rely on the sunlight," Celestia said, chuckling at Twilight.

Big, white cushions with a orange seams lay on the ground, on the sofa, and in front of a large stone fireplace. A huge, pale rose canopy bed, that held enough space to fit three ordinary ponies, stood at the left end of the room. Pictures of the princess and other ponies Twilight didn't know, hung between light orange curtains adorning the walls.

Both the Princess and Twilight stepped further in, with the doors closing behind them shortly afterwards. The purple mare stood agape in the middle of the room, again not knowing where to look first. She turned several times in the room, astonished by the ancient yet beautiful furnishings.

What should I have expected? These are the princess's chambers!

In the end, the most interesting sight for her was something entirely different - an old, huge bookshelf packed with books and scrolls, full of knowledge and magical spells, spread over a whole section of the wall.

Twilight galopped to the bookshelf, looking across every title. "Princess, this room is... just amazing!" The lavender mare had almost forgotten why she was here with the Princess in the first place.

"Thank you, dear Twilight, I decorated it myself," Celestia replied. She stepped in front of two other golden-framed doors, big enough that she could slip through, but not too high either.

Twilight skipped over the book titles, inwardly reading it to herself. The Art of Magic - The Everfree: An unsolved Mystery - The Elements of Harmony - The Mare in the Moon... Twilight's excitement dropped instantly. She remembered why she was here in the first place.

"I must ask you something, Princess," she slowly began.

"What is it?" Celestia answered in a cheerful tone.

"Why... why have you brought me here?" Twilight asked, concern leaking into her voice.

"A reasonable question, my student. I wanted to show you something. Over here." She tilted her head from Twilight towards the doors. Twilight understood the gesture immediately, and hopped over a cushion to catch up to the alabaster alicorn.

Celestia slowly raised her hoof and put it on the old doors, after Twilight was standing next to her in anticipation.

"Careful now, the view can be quite dazzling for the first time." Celestia pushed the doors open.

Before Twilight could answer, she was blinded by a sudden incoming glare that shone through the just created gap between the doors. Swiftly, her reflexes pulled up her hoof in front of her eyes to block the blinding light. Even if it was bright as day in the room, the flash still blinded her.

After a moment, when her eyes had gotten used to it, she lowered her hoof again. Princess Celestia had already stepped forward, seemingly unaffected by the light at all. Gazing at the setting sun, she stood on her balcony. Just at that very moment it was on the same level as the flaming orb in the sky, that seemed even nearer than ever before.

Twilight dared to step forward onto the balcony, her head low as she didn't want to look at the source of the light just yet. Just because of this, she spotted a stunning, big emblem of Celestia's cutie mark, her orange sun, that had been embedded into the white marble.

"Princess, this is..." She stepped further, coming to a halt beside the princess, the place where she had been the entire evening. Resting her front hooves on the thick, marble railing of the balcony, she raised her head, allowing her to gaze into the distance. She continued, "The... the view is amazing!"

"It truly is, my faithful student."

Twilight could see almost half of Equestria. Green hills with apple trees, grassy fields, snowy mountains, the Royal Garden with its arranged flowers, all this could be seen on this balcony.

What could this mean? Why did the Princess bring me here, why did she want to show me this?

Twilight turned her gaze to the princess, a frown had formed on her face. Celestia caught the movement in the corner of her eye, and looked down at her pupil, noticing the purple unicorn's depressed expression. "My faithful student. You seem troubled? What's the matter?"

"I... I... you see," Twilight began in a hushed tone, but turned anxious as she foresaw herself disappointing the princess. Her world was falling apart. She couldn't bear it anymore.

"I'm so sorry! I came here not to let you down and disappoint you, but... that's going to happen!"

Celestia was visibly perplexed. "What do you mean, Twilight?"

"Please, Princess! Don't... don't you see? I didn't learn anything about how to deal with... your request! Not to mention that I was even tardy coming here. And I am afraid that I'm not able to help Princess Luna at all. I don't know what to do! If you were not able to help her, how could I? I... I'm so sorry, Princess."

A short moment of silence passed, before the princess leaned closer to her student.

"What are you saying, Twilight? Do you think I made you my personal protegé for no good reason? You are a very gifted unicorn Twilight, and you have a very special ability to make friends, to see past other's prejudices and approaching ponies without fear. In all honesty, you are the only pony to help my sister now."

What? "B-but I don't know how!" she almost shouted at the solar princess, tears forming in her eyes.

"Twilight, listen. You don't need to know, you will find out yourself. Don't worry yourself too much, I'm sure you can do it."

"But I was tardy again!"

"Oh, my dear student. Forget these minor details. In fact, you arrived half an hour earlier than I had expected. That's why I was still preoccupied when you showed up."

Twilight shifted her gaze back to the horizon. She couldn't look at her mentor. "I was not... tardy? So... does that mean... you won't lock me away or banish me?"

Celestia chuckled. "How do you always come up with these ideas of me banishing you? I neither could, nor would I ever do that."

"Thank you, Princess," she whispered, gushed with relief. Still, her mind wasn't at peace yet. "Though I'm uncertain..."

A slight chuckle came from the Princess of the Sun, interrupting the unicorn. "Uncertain about what? Tell me, what's on your mind?"

"How can you be so sure that I won't... fail?"

"Twilight," Celestia said, the gentle smile on her face directed at the younger mare, "do you trust me?"

"Wh- what do you mean? Of course I trust you, Princess!" Twilight replied, rather confused.

"Then let me tell you this. Not everything about friendship is written down in books, you will come to learn that. You also cannot learn everything just by studying. Sometimes, you have to explore for yourself. Do you remember? Through you, the real Luna could return, and you were the first and only pony to approach her on Nightmare Night, when everypony turned their backs on her. She told me about that. You wanted to help her from deep in your heart, not because she was a princess, but because she was a pony like everypony else in your eyes. And you didn't study that matter, did you?"

Twilight was speechless. She had gazed into the Princess's bright magenta eyes during her whole explanation. No doubt was held in them, only truth - and faith.

Once again she sat there agape. "Princess... so you mean... I am the only pony? But why?"

The sparkling eyes of the princess rested upon the lavender mare, a small smile crossing her face. "Because you possess the heart, my faithful student. And no further 'but's', allright?"

The heart?

Twilight hadn't come any closer to her answer. "I don't understand! What are you trying to tell me, Princess?"

Celestia chuckled and calmly replied, "I think you'll have to find out yourself, Twilight."

The lilac unicorn, despite all her intelligence, couldn't comprehend what her mentor said. At least, not yet. Never before had the Princess been so mysterious with her.

"Twilight," the princess began again after several moments.

"Yes, prince.. ehh....eheheh.... achoo!" Twilight, fast enough to raise her leg, sneezed into her hoof.

"I'm sorry, Princess. Please, continue," Twilight said, sniffing and rubbing her forehoof against her nose.

"My, that was adorable! I don't think I've ever heard you sneeze before!" Celestia exclaimed, a grin on her face. Twilight began to blush, but a small smile was crawling up her face. Fortunately, the crimson reddening was hidden under her lavender coat.

"Uhm... thank you, I guess. But that was certainly not what you wanted to say, was it?"

"No, you're right," Celestia's smile lessened, as she paused for a moment. "Can you see the balcony over there? It lies a little lower than ours." The alabaster goddess pointed with her hoof over the railing to the balcony of an other tower.

It was similar in size to the one they were standing on. As on Celestia's, the cutie mark of the rightful owner was embedded into the marble floor. A white moon, yet not completely full, lying on a deep blue background. Luna's symbol seemed to shine in the light of dusk.

"Yes, I can see it," Twilight slowly answered. "So that is Princess Luna's balcony, then."

"Indeed."

"Why are you showing this to me, Princess?"

"Recently, my sister... she has been lying there all alone during these cold nights. She even sleeps on it. I am sure she will do so again tonight." Celestia paused again. "Twilight, would you mind keeping her company this night?"

She looked almost concerned at her pupil. "Just talk, and be with her. That is all I'm asking you."

"O-of course I wouldn't mind." Twilight gazed into Celestia's shimmering eyes. "I wouldn't mind at all!"

To be honest, I'd be glad to.

"I haven't seen Princess Luna since last Nightmare Night." The dark blue princess briefly flashed up in her mind. Well, not here at least.

Celestia's frown turned into a happy smile after hearing the answer she had hoped for.

"Thank you, Twilight. It's good to know that I can always rely on my faithful student. I owe you. Not only for this, but for everything you have done thus far. I don't know where we'd be today without you."

Twilight heavily blushed, this time clearly visible on her purple fur. "Please, stop that Princess. You owe me nothing, really. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have found the friends I have in the first place. My life would still only circle around books, without having anypony to really share my time with. If somepony would owe something to anypony, it would be me."

The mares began to giggle at each other. It has been a long time since Twilight had really talked with her mentor and they basked in each other's their company.

After a while, the giggling died down, and the princess looked at the flaming orb.

"I have to lower the sun, Twilight."

"Oh, of course! I'll just be... back in your chambers then, if that is okay with you, Princess."

"You can stay, if you want. Feel free to watch."

"Are you sure, Princess?"

"Yes, I am."

"I'd be glad to watch."

"Very well."

Celestia raised her head high, closing her eyes. She focused her magic, and with it, she touched the image of the sun in her mind. She set the path for the sun, allowing it to lower every second. After the path was set, and she knew the sun would follow it, Celestia opened her eyes again.

"You don't set the sun completely?" Twilight asked, seemingly unimpressed.

"No. It's enough to lead it the way."

"Ah, I see."

Soon the night would set in, summoning the lunar princess to her duty.

"When should I go, Princess?" Twilight asked later after a few minutes of companionable silence.

"Definitely not yet, my faithful student," Celestia replied, smirking at her pupil.

"Why not?"

"You... might want to take a bath, first. I'm sure some time for yourself will do you good, and maybe you can tidy your mane in the meantime, too."

A bath? Again? It would be nice to have a little time to settle down... but on the other hoof, do I want to risk being late again? No. Not this time. This is just too important!

Wait... did she say 'tidy my mane'?

Twilight raised her hoof to her forehead. Usually she would've felt her blue, purple-pink-striped mane pressing against her hoof and her coat, but there was nothing. The lilac unicorn hesitantly slid her hoof further up her head.

She began to panic, as she tapped across her head with her hoof. Twilight didn't feel her straight, smoothed mane on top of her head; instead, it had turned into a curly scrub, expanding in every possible direction.

"My mane! I'm so sorry, Princess, I just didn't have enough time to tidy-"

"It's alright, Twilight, don't worry. I was just joking. Though I would recommend a brush or two." Celestia began to giggle.

"Heh, thanks for the advice," Twilight shyly replied.

Thoughts came up in her mind as she looked at her smiling mentor, the solar princess. The giggling just now, the smirks, her almost informal attitude, the previous melancholy and desperation in her voice, and in her sparkling eyes. It was true, never, in all the time they had spent together, had she seen the princess so emotional before.

"Twilight, do you still remember your tower here in Canterlot Castle?" Celestia asked out of nowhere.

"Of course I do. How could I forget that?"

"It has remained as it was when you left for Ponyville. I had it cleaned a few times, but nothing was changed otherwise. You are free to reside there while staying here in the castle."

"Thank you, Princess. I've somehow missed my old home here in Canterlot."

"No need to thank me," her look turned to the dusky sky, the sun had almost vanished. "It's getting quite late. Do you want me to show you the way to Luna's tower before you get yourself at home in your old tower? I've unlocked the entrance door, but only you should be able to enter."

"That would be quite helpful," Twilight sheepishly answered.

"Very well. Follow me," the solar princess said, her calm and gentle gaze returning to her face.

One last glance at the red, setting sun, and they trotted alongside each other off the balcony, heading to corridors that led to the Nocturnal Spire.

The Princess must be really relieved. Probably more than I am.

As they stepped through the room, Celestia lowered her head to Twilight's.

"Thank you, Twilight," she whispered in the unicorn's ear, gently nuzzling her most faithful student.

A slight blush appeared on Twilight's cheeks, and a smile followed right away.

"No need to thank me."