Moonlight

Moonlight
by milesprower06

Moondancer the Healer

In the hours after Moondancer told her school of choice to Celestia, things became insanely busy for the unicorn, starting with the acceptance letter.

Dear Moondancer,

You have hereby been accepted into an apprenticeship as a Healer in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.

Curriculum will follow shortly. Please consider if you wish to study locally at a school dormitory, or abroad. Abroad locations will have to be approved by the apprenticeship committee.

Congratulations, and we look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,
CSFGU Apprenticeship Committee

She wasn't sure what she was expecting, how intimidated she thought she'd feel. She had always had some butterflies in her stomach whenever a term report came knocking, no matter how many of them she aced. But this? It was almost as if it was nothing. The power that a significant other brought was incredible, not to mention finally having a focus, a direction in her life. As long as she had Twilight, nothing this apprenticeship could throw at her would rattle her, and before she knew it, she'd be a journeymare, and then finally, a white mage.

After most of the week's insanity had passed, Moondancer was finally making a trip back to her house to get some things organized. As she turned onto her street, she heard the sounds of woodwork, and was astounded to find that it was coming from a construction team working around, and on top of, her house.

"Wh-what is this?" Moondancer asked, taking in the work being done. The forecolt heard the voice and turned towards her, correctly deducing that she was the owner.

"Oh, apologies if we're in the way ma'am. After nopony came and went for a few days we thought the place was unoccupied. We're on a contract from Princess Twilight Sparkle. We're to repair the front door, and restore and seal the exterior woodwork."

"That's alright, I've been on the other side of town for most of the week, I guess she wanted to surprise me."

"It's almost quittin' time, so we'll be out of your hair shortly."

Moondancer glanced at her watch, and noted the time of 4:40 as she went inside. The noise didn't really get a lot better, as the sawing and hammering reverberated through the structure. She closed the front door, and only then noticed that it had been repaired, good as new. Dropping her saddlebags, she saw a package next to the door frame. The construction ponies must have set it in here when it came so it was out of the way outside. Looking at the return address, she noted that it was from the school.

She took the box into her room and set it on the bed before carefully cutting the tape. Her smile widened as she opened the lid and took out a dark blue mage's robe. It was a fine silk. The single silver stripe on the hood, neck, and legs noted her school of choice, Restoration, as well as her position of apprentice.

She couldn't wait any longer. She quickly took off her turtleneck, and unfurled the robe, slipping into it, and tying it traditionally at the chest. She teared up as she looked at herself in the full length mirror. This was all thanks to Twilight. She saw through her fumbled attempt to ask her out, and she helped her learn the spell that finally gave her a direction in her studies.

She carefully, but quickly took the robe off and folded it neatly and put it back in the box. Twilight had to see this. By the time she got the box fastened to her saddlebags and headed out the door, the construction team was already gone. The work wasn't done, but it was still an amazing difference. The house looked almost as good as new.

The new apprentice rushed down the evening streets to the train platform downtown. The next train down to Ponyville came fifteen minutes later, and it was a rather anxious hour's ride down to the valley. She could barely contain her excitement as she cradled the box in her hooves. She zoomed out of the train and galloped down towards Twilight's castle. She nearly skidded to a halt in front of the giant doors, and knocked.

Twilight came and opened the door, and saw that Moondancer had quite the ecstatic smile on her face.

"Hey you. This is an unexpected surprise." Twilight greeted, coming in for a hug and kiss.

"I've been wanting to get down here all week, but I've just been buried in paperwork. I really wasn't expecting to see my house being renovated today."

Twilight did a double-take as they started walking down the main corridor to the living area.

"You... Just now saw them? They've been working for three days!"

"Yeah, I've been on the other side of town all week, all around the school and in Frosthay Spire. I just had to come down and show you this!" Moondancer exclaimed once they got to the living room. She dropped her saddlebags and set the box on the coffee table, opening it and pulling out her robe.

"So it's official now, eh?" Twilight asked, as Moondancer put the robe on, and fastened it in the same way that she did at home. Only once it was on did Twilight see just how... Perfect she looked.

"It fits you to a T."

Moondancer smiled, a red tint appearing in her cheeks.

"Thanks. I really love it."

"In fact, now that you have that on, I want to see how it looks with a... Surprise that I've been preparing."

Twilight had Moondancer's interest as the two of them went over to the west wing of the castle. They went to the 3rd door down, and Twilight opened the set of double doors and stepped aside, ushering her marefriend inside.

Moondancer stared in awe as she stepped into the library. The room was a tad larger than the study atop Frosthay Spire. Two half-circle bookshelves stood six shelves tall on both sides of the inner circle, separating the center of the room from the outer walls, which held more bookshelves. In the rear center was a polished oak desk. Enchanted torches lit as they sensed Moondancer's motion as she made her way to the center of the room.

"You did this all in a week? This room was nearly empty when you showed it to me on your tour."

"Yeah. I got to work right after I sent the construction team out. It was kind of a double edged sword."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I wanted to fix the damage to the door, and then I figured that you deserve better than that. Going into an apprenticeship... You'd never have time to fix the place up, but really... I figured if it was renovated, it'd be easier to sell or rent out. I... I was wondering if you'd like to move in with me. When I heard you had been accepted into the apprenticeship, I brought in everything I could think of that a apprentice healer would need for her studies."

Moondancer felt a lump begin to form in her throat.

"You did this... For me?" She asked, looking around the room again.

Twilight came up next to her as she continued to take the impressive room in.

"Moondancer, I can't make up for forgetting about you in Canterlot for years with one party, a few dates, or even a night together closer than I've ever been with anypony else. But if I can give you a home, and a place to develop your magic and hone your chosen discipline, well, I think I may finally be able to call us even."

Moondancer turned to Twilight, and the waterworks had already started. Sniffling, she threw her front hooves around the Princess.

"Yes, yes absolutely. I'd love to move in here with you. This is so much more than I could have ever asked for."

Twilight returned the hug, and they parted, Moondancer wiping the tears from her eyes, before hearing her stomach groan in protest.

"I guess that snack on the train wore off already."

"Spike already had dinner started, but I'll tell him to up the portions since we're eating for three now. I'll come get you when it's ready. Make yourself at home!"

After a kiss on the cheek, Twilight departed to return to the kitchen, leaving Moondancer in her new study. She strolled across the stone and marble floor to the desk. It was brand new, or at least looked like it. She could see herself in the polished wood. The phoenix symbolizing the School of Restoration had been engraved in the oak, and then finished and polished over. Browsing the shelves, she found nearly every possible reference a healer could want, and looked forward to augmenting them with her own in the years to come.

It was't just her apprenticeship either. Strengthening her bond with Twilight would be an exciting adventure all it's own. What would come next? Proposing? Marriage?

One thing was for sure; she wouldn't let it pass her by. She would make each day count.

Together, with the Princess of Friendship, anything was possible.