Into The Night

***Part One: The Stars***

The night is still, and blankets of clouds roll across the countryside. Twilight Sparkle sits contently on her haunches as she watches over the over night sky. The highest balcony of her castle gave Twilight such an advantage. She could see all of Ponyville from her new, favourite spot. Yes, it gave her a very special advantage, along with one hell of a view.

She sips happily on her warm coffee to fight back against the chilling winds. The warm liquid runs down her throat and into her chest, soothing her body along the way. Putting her mug down, Twilight stands and approaches the railing. The crisp winds pull and push her in every direction all at once. Twilight chuckles to herself.

*Rarity would have a stroke if she saw my mane right now...* She thinks to herself.

At the thought of her friend, Twilight's chest sinks. Here she was, standing at the pinnacle of a beautiful, chilly fall evening, and she doesn't  have a single pony to share it with. All of her friends were busy with something. Even Spike was running around with the Crusaders. Twilight takes a break from looking at the town below, and she shifts her gaze upward. There wasn't much to look at. Thick layers of clouds covered the entire sky. Only one light could be seen, just barely. Twilight knew what it was. It was the brightest thing in the night sky. Nothing could restrain its light or beauty.

*Come on...* Twilight begs silently. *Please, show yourself.*

The sky does not change. Twilight sighs as she returns to looking at Ponyville below. Even though the sky is dark, the town was bustling with activity. Twilight thinks about going down there. Maybe, she would visit Sugarcube Corner or the market. What was stopping her? She had the wings. Twilight only had to leap off of the balcony and glide her way to the ground below. Then, a strong gust of wind hits her directly in the face, causing her to stumble slightly.

*Yeah, maybe flying in these conditions isn't the best idea...*

Without her coffee, the cold was beginning to have a negative effect on her. Twilight returns to the spot where she was sitting. Using the magic from her horn, she picks the mug up and takes a swig of the dark liquid, but no warm and soothing feelings come. The coffee has grown as cold as the night itself. Twilight curses silently as she prepares to enter her castle. Just as her hoof was reaching for the door, a soft voice sighs from the balcony.

"It is a shame, is it not?"

Twilight quickly spins around, her eyes darting around in search of the speaker. Twilight gasps and nearly drops her mug. Standing at the edge of the balcony, with her wings stretched outward, was Princess Luna. Twilight approaches her slowly.

"Princess?" She asks.

Luna turns her head to face Twilight. A small smile cracks along her lips. Twilight watches as her starry mane flows gracefully in the billowing winds.

"Come, Twilight Sparkle," The princess says. "Will you join me?"

Twilight nods as she steps by the Luna's side. The princess takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. As Luna releases her breath, Twilight feels the winds increase. It was as though the entire night was breathing.

"What did you say?" Twilight asks as she looks up at her. "What is a shame'?"

Luna's smile disappears as a frown takes its place.

"This..." Luna says softly, gesturing to the cloudy sky. "My beautiful night is shrouded by the clouds. No pony can enjoy what they cannot see..."

Twilight could feel the princess' anger and sadness through the increasingly violent winds.

"That's not true!" Twilight blurts out.

Luna looks down at her and cocks her head. For an instant, the winds had ceased their raging. To Twilight's amazement, Luna actually believed her.

"How so, Twilight Sparkle?" She asks curiously.

Twilight raises her hoof and points to the town below. Luna's gaze follows her hoof until her eyes each the bustling market.

"Look, princess," Twilight says. "Every pony is enjoying your night. Even when it is cold and dark, every pony is enjoying the night."

Luna's smile returns as she looks over the ponies below. A good feeling pounds in Twilight's chest. It was the feeling she often got when she successfully reported a letter about friendship to Princess Celestia. It was the feeling she only got by helping another pony who needed it. The raging winds recede until there is only a gentle breeze blowing through Twilight's mane.

"Thank you, Twilight Sparkle." Luna says happily. "I needed your kind words."

Twilight freezes as the princess wraps a hoof around her neck and pulls Twilight into a warm embrace. Twilight almost drops the mug she was still holding. After a few moments, Twilight slowly raises her hoof and returns the princess' hug. Though the winds had died down, the chilly air causes Twilight to shiver. Luna notices and pulls away.

"Are you alright, Twilight Sparkle?" The princess asks.

Twilight nods her head as she takes a sip from her mug. After realizing the coffee is still cold, she gags and spits it out over the edge of the railing. Luna frowns and extends her wing. Twilight doesn't object as Luna guides her inside.

"Come, Twilight Sparkle, let us get you out of the cold. The last thing I want is thou becoming ill before your birthday."

Twilight sighs unhappily as she closes the door to the balcony.

"How did you know?" She asks.

"My sister has told me." Luna explains. "'Tis why I originally came to visit . I only wanted to give thou my best wishes on the day of thine birth."

Twilight shakes her head as she sets the mug down on a table.

"If Princess Celestia told you my birthday is tomorrow, then she also should have told you I don't celebrate my birthday."

Luna's eyes widen with surprise. Twilight rolls her eyes. She had seen that same reaction many a time from other ponies.

"Does thou... not celebrate thine birthday?" Luna asks, completely shocked.

Twilight nods as she sits in a chair opposite to Luna,

"It's just how I was brought up..." Twilight says. "My parents raised me to only celebrate achievements. Being forced out of a screaming mare's vagina is not an achievement worth celebrating..."

Luna couldn't believe her ears. In all of her many years of life, she had never heard such a strange way to look at the day of your birth.

"I'm not upset about it." Twilight continues. "I've always been able to occupy myself with my studies."

Luna shakes her head quickly.

"No, Twilight, this is  not acceptable." Luna says. "I cannot allow this mind set to continue."

Twilight is surprised when the princess grabs her cheeks and looks into her eyes. The look on Princess Luna's face was dead serious.

"Twilight Sparkle, thou hast done more for me than any pony in Equestria. It is time I return the favour. I vow to make tomorrow the best day of your life."

Luna releases Twilight's face, and she begins pacing the room, her mind hard at work.

"Thy friends shall be there, of course... The pink one, she is good with celebrations, yes? Oh, there is so much to do!"

"Princess..." Twilight mutters.

Luna begins making her way to the door leading out to the balcony, giggling to herself uncontrollably. Twilight follows her to the door.

"Good night, Twilight Sparkle!" Luna calls as she prepares to depart. "I shall return in the morning assist with the preparations."

"Princess!" Twilight yells.

Luna stops mid step. She turns back around to face Twilight.

"I don't want a birthday party." Twilight says flatly. "I appreciate you wanting to give me one, but there is nothing about my birthday that is worth celebrating."

Luna chuckles softly.

"Surely you jest, Twilight." The princess says. "How can thou say those words seriously? Twilight, everything about the day of thy birth is worth celebrating. If you do not wish to celebrate the act of your mother giving you your life, why then not celebrate all thou have done because she gave you life?"

Twilight cocks her head. She opens her mouth to protest, but the princess was on a roll.

"Who else would have stopped Nightmare Moon had you not been born, Twilight? What other pony would have had the strength to defeat Discord and Lord Tirek? Thou hast much to celebrate for, Twilight."

Princess Luna turns back around and faces the edge of the balcony.

"I shall return tomorrow." She promises again.

With that being said, the princess melts into a cloud of dark, blue mist and is blown away into the night sky. Twilight stands at the door, unable to move.

*Is... she right?* Twilight asks herself. *Is my birthday really worth celebrating?*

Twilight's face light up as a break in the clouds above reveals the moon. The silver light shines down on her and the ponies below. Twilight smiles at the glistening moon.

"Good night, princess..." She mutters.

Then, giving a deep yawn, Twilight turns around and heads inside.

***Part 2: The Clip Board***

Twilight groans as she is jolted awake. Normally, Twilight found grace in waking up. The morning sun would creep into her room until she would be forced to accept the rise of the dawn. This time was different, however. The sound of rustling paper makes Twilight's ears twitch. The purple mare shifts her wings as she sits up. Twilight's heart skips a beat as she realizes she is not alone.

"P-Princess?" Twilight asks.

Luna was pacing the room. In the cloud of her magic, she had a clip board and a pen. The look on her face was a look of concentration and determination. At the sound of Twilight's voice, her face breaks into a silly grin.

"Ah, good morning, Twilight Sparkle. I did not mean to wake you..."

Twilight rubs her hooves against her eyes.

*Wait... Princess Luna is in my room... Princess Luna is in my room!*

Twilight looks out of the window to her right. There was no sunlight creeping through the window. The dawn had yet to arrive.

"What... time is it?"

Luna pauses her pacing to ponder the question. Twilight didn't exactly need her to respond. The bags under Luna's eyes gave her an answer.

"It is four o'clock in the morning..." The princess says with a sigh is exhaustion.

A tired smile forms on her lips as she sits down in a chair on the opposite side of the room.

"I told you... I would plan you the best day of your life..." Luna says with a huge yawn, holding up the clip board for Twilight to see.

The print was extremely small, and the list was long. Twilight squints her eyes, but her vision is limited in her drowsy state. However, she could make out words like 'balloons' and...

"Does that say... Diamond Dancers? Isn't that a..."

Luna turns the clip around and peers at the list. Her eyes widen and her cheeks flush bright red. The princess chuckles nervously as she corrects the error.

"Uh... heh... That... shouldn't be there... Don't worry, Twilight. I will be sure to cancel the strippers."

"The 'what'?!"

Twilight wasn't sure if she had heard Luna correctly. She looks at the princess with disbelief in her eyes as she slowly walks closer. Luna's smiling face is the last thing she sees before a dark blue cloud covering her eyes.

"Thou shall awaken again when the sun rises..."

Then, Twilight is out like a light.

***To Be Continued***