“I knew the Haycart technique wouldn’t be hard for you to pick up,” Twilight said to Moondancer as the two made their way into the latter’s living room. “I’m sure a pony as intelligent as you will be able to master in no time at all.”
“Heh,” Moondancer breathed out embarrassedly, “yeah, that wasn’t too bad at all. It certainly seems to help with studying… that is the point of it after all.”
“Well, Moondancer, I’m glad I could finally come show it to you. I’m really sorry for not being able to come back sooner.”
“Twilight, it’s fine. I understand that as a princess, you’re going to be busy,” Moondancer said with an assuring nod and gave her friend a smile. “What matters is that I’m glad you kept your word… but I’m actually happier just to see you again.”
“Oh, well, thanks. It’s nice to be spending time with you as well. I’ve been looking forward to it, actually,” Twilight said as she turned her gaze to the window, the glass slightly distorted with age and a thin layer of dust covering its exterior. Beyond it, the sky was a pale purple, the orange hue of the setting sun lighting it slightly from below. The towers outside were slowly transforming into black silhouettes of themselves. “Wow, time sure does fly when you’re spending it with a friend, doesn’t it?”
Moondancer sighed and then spoke. “Yes, it sure does.”
“Well, just because it’s the evening doesn’t mean our day is over yet. I was actually thinking that maybe we could go see what the other girls are doing and possibly go out tonight. I haven’t had the chance to see them this trip, and since I’m already leaving tomorrow, I figured it would be a good time to.”
“I… guess we could if you really wanted to,” Moondancer said half-heartedly, giving a shrug.
“What, now that you’ve learned the Haycart technique, do you have some studying to do or something?” Twilight teased, letting out a soft laugh.
“No, actually, it’s not that,” Moondancer said, and then paused a moment before speaking again. “I was hoping I could spend some more time with you.”
“Well, it’s not like you won’t be if we go out with the girls.”
“I mean just the two of us. With all that happened the last time you were here, we never really got the chance to catch up, and now that we’re close again, I figured it’d be nice.”
Twilight smiled at her friend. “Hm, you’re right. I’d be willing to do that for you, Moondancer. Besides, it sounds fun.”
“Did you want some tea or coffee or something? Oh, and is just sitting around and talking fine?” Moondancer asked in a somewhat flustered tone.
“Tea sounds nice, and of course, today was pretty tiring if you ask me. It’ll feel good to relax.”
“Good, I’ll be right back then,” Moondancer said as she hurriedly made her way into the kitchen. Twilight sighed contently before taking a seat on the outdated and rather worn couch in the center of the room. In fact, it seemed as though everything in Moondancer’s house was that way, the other furniture, the decorations, and even the wallpaper was bubbled and peeling in a few places. She was glad to see that even though it was worn, it was thoroughly cleaned unlike the last time. There were no longer any cobwebs hanging from the corners of the ceiling, or books scattered and stacked on the floors and tables. Everything seemed to be in its place and well kept.
“I like what you’ve done with the place,” Twilight complimented as she heard Moondancer’s hooves returning from the kitchen. Two cups of tea where held by the glow of magic in front of her face, the pale aura glinting off of her glasses.
“Thanks… I kind of let the place go for a while there. I was much too caught up in my studies.”
“I can’t say I haven’t done that in the past as well. I’m guilty as charged,” Twilight said with a chuckle.
“It’s a relief to know that it can happen to even the greatest,” Moondancer said with a smile as she gave a steaming cup of tea to Twilight and sat down beside her.
“Oh, please,” Twilight said, her cheeks growing pink. “I am not the greatest.” Moondancer shrugged and smiled softly before sipping at her tea. Twilight did the same, the liquid warming her insides as she swallowed. “Good tea, by the way. What kind is it?”
“Oh, it’s nothing special, just your average black tea. I did add a little honey though,” Moondancer said somewhat distantly. Twilight frowned, realizing that something was not quite right with her friend. She then blinked as Moondancer turned on the lights and lit the candles which surrounded them, setting the living room aglow in a warm orange.
“Princess Luna is bringing on the night early this evening. I guess it is getting close to that time of year now.” Twilight commented, her gaze once again returning to the window. A few pinpoints of light now sparkled in the sky, and a sliver of a moon was appearing from behind the shadowed towers.
“It is,” Moondancer said softly, her muzzle returning to the lip of her cup. Twilight knew she had to do something to break the ice, or at least get her friend talking a bit more. Along with that, a question had been digging at her mind since their last meeting, and now that they were together again, her curiosity was getting the best of her.
“Hey, Moondancer,” Twilight said forwardly, “something’s been bugging me, and even though I don’t want to bring up this part of our past again, I just have to.”
“Oh? It’s fine. I don’t have any hard feelings about that party anymore, Twilight. You more than made up for it, and I’m just glad we can be close again. So, what’s your question?”
“Thanks… I know I was a friend to you back then, but it never really occurred to me that the two of us were any closer than you were to the other girls. Although I regret the decision I made more than anything, and know how horrible what I did to you was, I just feel as if it was somepony other than me who hadn’t shown up, it wouldn’t have affected you nearly as much. It’s like the success of that party was hinged entirely upon whether or not I showed up.”
“Think about it,” Moondancer said softly, adjusting her glasses as if out of a nervous habit. Twilight sat silently a moment before shaking her head softly, her straightened mane flowing back and forth with her movements.
“I don’t get it.” Moondancer opened her mouth to speak but then let it fall back shut. She sat silently a moment before opening it again.
“I know we never really spent much time together out of school, but in school we were always together. Although you were infinitely smarter than me-”
Twilight quickly intervened. “You know that’s not true.”
“Heh, thank you, Twilight…” she muttered, her cheeks growing red before continuing. “We worked really well as a team. We always had so much in common, our interests, our personalities, our love for knowledge, and that really hasn’t changed all that much. Along with that, I guess… I guess you were a pony I always looked up to. You’re so intelligent, intuitive, and you always had knowledge to share with me. You always knew what to do in our science lab too. I learned a lot more than I would have if you hadn’t been there to help. You were incredible, I wanted to be just like you, and even if things have changed quite a bit now, I still do. There’s even more to look up to now that you’re the Princess of Friendship and all.” Twilight shook her head in amazement, her eyes shimmering and her cheeks growing pink once more.
“Wow… I never knew that I meant so much to you, or that I was such a figure in shaping your life. Although, I don’t really understand why you need to look up to me. I always thought of you as an equal, and still do. You’re just as intelligent as me, Moondancer, if not even more so. You’re as great of a pony too.”
Moondancer’s face grew red. “Thank you… but you still don’t get it, do you? Considering that you’re the Princess of Friendship, it’s not really your area of study. So that’s understandable. I wish you did though. I’d explain, but… I’m afraid to. I’m worried about what you’ll think and say.”
“I’m sorry for not understanding, but I’m sure I would get it if you went a little more in depth. You don’t need to afraid, we’re friends after all.”
“Yes, that’s kind of the point.”
“Huh?” Twilight muttered in confusion.
“Okay, okay, I guess I’ll just put it out there,” Moondancer muttered, shuddering as she let out a nervous sigh. “I already said we make a great team, a really great team, and I said how infatuated I was with you back then. Add them together, do you still not get it?”
“Uh,” Twilight said nervously, brushing a hoof through her mane as she struggled to come up with an answer. “I don’t. I’m sorry.” She smiled sheepishly. “I understand that I’m a major role model for you, and that we make good friends, but that’s not what you’re trying to get at, is it?”
“Yes, we do make good friends, great friends, the best of friends… and I think we could be even more than that.” Moondancer sucked in a breath of air and squinted her eyes fearfully as she continued to push the words from her mouth. “The reason why your absence had hurt me so much wasn’t only because I had lost such a good friend, Twilight… but because I had fallen in love with you. I thought we could be something more, but when you didn’t show up at my party and then left without saying goodbye, well, it crushed any dreams I had.” She sniffled and then looked down into the cup of dark brown tea which still floated before her as she felt tears welling up painfully in her eyes.
Twilight opened her mouth to speak again and again, but could not manage to get out even a single word. Her eyes grew wider and wider as all that her friend had said began to sink in. “I… I…um, well…”
“I know… I get it. It was stupid to get my hopes up like that, and it’s even more stupid to start having these feeling for you again now that you’re a busy princess, and we don’t even live close to one another,” Moondancer struggled to let out more due to the duel task of holding back her emotions. She set her tea down without much gentleness on the table beside the couch before burying her face into her hooves and groaning.
“Moondancer,” Twilight said softly.
“I’m so stupid.”
“Moondancer,” she repeated.
“I’m sorry.”
“Moondancer?”
“I know I made things awkward between us.”
“Moondancer.” Finally, the pony pulled away from her hooves and quickly adjusted her glasses as she looked up, noticing how close Twilight’s voice had gotten. She was stunned to see Twilight’s face right next to her own, her cheeks bright red and a warm smile upon her face. For a moment, the two ponies gazed into one another’s sparkling violet eyes, and then Twilight turned her head just slightly and leaned in. Moondancer’s entire face grew warm as the mare’s soft lips suddenly pressed against her own. She blinked repeatedly as the world around her seemed to blur, and her body grew weak. In moments, joy seemed to aid in her recovery, and her lips were pressing back.
Twilight’s wings extended from her sides out of pure excitement as she wrapped her hooves around Moondancer and pushed their bodies together. Her lavender fur brushed up against the pony’s scratchy black sweater as their chests met, their hearts pounding against one another. Twilight then let out a soft giggle and squinted her eyes shut as she kissed the pony again and again, her hooves stroking up and down her back. For the longest time, Moondancer simply accepted the bliss that Twilight was providing for her. Though even as she kissed the mare back and pressed her body even more deeply against hers, she couldn’t help but question the sudden forwardness. Placing her hoof upon Twilight’s shoulder, she pulled away from the kiss and blinked as their eyes once again met. “Twilight… why are you doing this?” she asked weakly.
Twilight grinned sheepishly, her cheeks growing even redder than they already were. “Yes, I know how sudden this was… but you got me to realize how right you really are. It might be a pretty quick decision, but I like you too. I know I sound crazy, but we really do make the perfect team.”
“I’m glad you think so, overjoyed actually,” Moondancer cooed as she pressed her body against Twilight’s once more, resting her chin upon her shoulder. “…But what are we going to do about this?” she asked, her tone turning to that of worry.
“I don’t know yet, but we’ll figure this out. I promise,” Twilight assured her, fondling a hoof against her ear.
“I know you can’t leave your duties as a princess, and that means you can rarely leave Ponyville and your castle either unless called upon.”
Twilight sighed in agreement. “I know, you’re right.”
“I don’t know, maybe I could move to Ponyville so that we can be together? I’d have to leave our friends behind here, but it’s not like they don’t visit Ponyville often enough as is. That and ever since you helped me, I’ve been looking to start anew, and moving could certainly provide that.”
“Trust me, I like the idea, Moondancer. It sounds amazing, but don’t get too excited about this yet. You need to take some time to let this sink in and think about it. We both do. Again, I’m sorry for being so forward, it probably wasn’t the best decision, heheh. I feel like I just made things even more awkward and confusing than they already were. I actually think this is my queue to head back to the room Princess Celestia provided for me and retire for the night. We both really need some time to think about all of this. And don’t worry, I’ll be back in the morning to spend some time with you before I head home. It’s just that right now, we need to think.” As Twilight motioned to push herself up off of the couch Moondancer spoke quickly.
“Twilight, no, please don’t go.”
“Oh?” Twilight muttered, sitting back down in shock.
“I want to spend more time with you. You didn’t make a bad decision at all. I’m so glad you did that. Being together won’t be awkward if you stay, and it’s not like you won’t have time to think. You’ll just be with me thinking instead. We can spend the night together.”
“….You want me to spend the night?” Twilight muttered embarrassedly, her shock growing.
Moondancer’s cream colored face grew red once more. “I didn’t mean it the way that perhaps you’re thinking. I just want to spend more time with you is all… and hold you.”
“Ohh, haha… silly me,” Twilight muttered rolling her eyes and cringing in embarrassment. “Anyways, uh, yes, I like that idea.”
“So, you’ll stay?”
“Of course I will, Moondancer,” Twilight said contentedly, scooting closer to the pony again. Before long the two were once again enjoying one another’s warmth and scent as they embraced, on occasion kissing one another’s cheek, or giggling as their lips met. “We’ll figure everything out, I promise.”
“I trust you, Twilight, but for now let’s just enjoy the moment… and each other.”
