Twilight strode under the sun. A somewhat frazzled Luna followed behind.

"I am still not used to this schedule," admitted Luna as she went. "Please bear with me."

Twilight slowed a moment, looking over her shoulder at the larger alicorn behind her. She considered it a moment before she nodded. "Would a less... bright location help?"

Luna perked her ears. "Something quieter and a little darker, yes. My apologies for speaking out of turn."

Twilight blinked at that. She hadn't told Luna to keep up... that. She thought that had gone especially poorly. That was a crossed signal. "You don't have to do that."

Luna canted her head to the left slightly. "Mistress, I am your student, and I should be faithful to your commands." She dipped her head. "Despite any... issues, I am ready to learn and accept you, fellow princess, as my superior. Until you release me and declare me ready, I am your student and subject."

Twilight considered that heavily a moment. There had to be lines drawn. Luna was drafting her a promise with no end. "Very well, however... Should you feel... too uncomfortable, like how Starlight felt when I had that spell on her, then you can and should speak out." She tapped her chin. "Yes, Starswirl."

"Starswirl?"

"That's a thing we don't say often." Twilight bobbed her head. "Say his name and I stop. No matter what, you have my promise, it stops."

Luna considered that a moment. She didn't predict she'd need it. She was made of tougher stuff than Starlight. She wouldn't be so easily scared. She was the mistress of the night, caretaker of dreams. She'd seen... things. "I will bear this in mind, should it be needed. Now, how do you wish to proceed?"

Twilight gestured to one of the buildings in town. "Come along. I know a nice, quiet, and peaceful place. Being a friend means caring for their comfort. You're my friend, so let's get you out of the sun for a moment." She led the way, the bounce returning to her trot. She felt safer knowing they had their relation a bit more ironed out, with a safety valve installed to avoid any more hurt feelings.

They entered the place to find it dimly lit indeed. Only the candles on the tables gave any light at all, and it wasn't much.

An energetic earth pony walked up to them. "Good morning!" He only seemed then to notice who his guests were. "P-princess...es..." Clearly he wasn't expecting either of them, and both of them? He was paling. "H-how can I... help you?"

Twilight reached out, putting a hoof on the shivering pony's shoulder. "Oh, come now. You know me. I've been here before. This isn't an inspection. Luna and I would like a seat, please."

"Of course!" he squeaked out before he spun around and tried to control himself. He walked stiffly to one of the tables. "Would you prefer a table or booth?"

Twilight glanced at Luna.

Luna gestured at the booths. "Some... privacy would be nice."

He diverted from his original path and led them to a booth. He quickly got two menus set out on either side of the table in the booth and bowed low. "Hang the slip on the edge of the table with anything you like, otherwise the waiters won't approach." He scurried away from the two without much delay.

Luna wriggled herself into the booth. It was a tiny bit cramped, but how many places were sized for herself or her even larger sister?

Twilight had less issue, being larger than most mares, but not grown past stallions. She smiled brightly. "This place is all about... peace. That's why the waiters don't even come over unless you put out a paper." Her horn glowed and she tugged a small rope. Cloth fell down across the front of the booth, completely isolating them from the rest of the eatery. "See?"

Luna warmed a little. It was... intimate. It was the first time she'd been alone with Twilight, truly alone, where not even Spike could appear without being summoned. "I like it, mistress." The darkness was also soothing the headache the morning sun had brought on. She was feeling so much better.

She gazed across the table at her mistress, lit as she was by the one lonely candle. Luna sighed faintly. Though she was sure Twilight knew nothing of it, she was a well-formed pony, for whom becoming royalty had only enhanced. She had good curves and a vibrant health. Inside that skull was a keen mind, perhaps at times too eager, but still, powerful. That horn, spired and long, held powerful magic that could compete with herself, and that was rare for an alicorn to find.

Twilight was lovely, and the gentle flicker of the flame only seemed to enhance it.

The studied alicorn seemed to notice none of it. She picked up a menu in her magic. "Would you like a snack? Maybe something to drink?"

That would invite a disturbance. Luna wanted what she already had. "I'm fine." Fine right there, without any waiters. She leaned in towards Twilight, head long neck going over the table. "Mistress?"

Twilight blinked at the name. "You... can call me Twilight, you know?"

"I can, but I prefer the reminder of our positions..." Why was Twilight shy about being her mistress. "Does it bother you, mistress?"

Twilight's ears danced a little as if she were trying to puzzle something out. "What does that mean, to you, mistress?"

"How do you mean?"

Twilight rolled a hoof a bit in place. "That word, mistress. When you think of it, what does it mean?"

Luna considered that question. "It means, in this case, a female that I am subservient to, but not due to employment or need, but out of deep respect." She licked her lips lightly. "And admiration."

Twilight quirked a bit of a smile at that, heat rushing to her cheeks. Did Luna really feel that highly of her? "How did I earn that?"

"Is it not obvious?" Luna sat up. "It was you that pierced our--my shield when first we came to Ponyville and showed us the wonder of... friendship. You threw aside our--my." She frowned. "I'm growing flustered. My apologies, mistress. You made us feel exposed and weak, but then you took us in your gentle hooves and you helped reshape us into something a touch stronger and better. We emerged, improved and better able to handle this strange world I find myself thrust into. Thank you."

That wasn't a lie. Twilight could remember Luna being crushed before she came around and became a better pony for the trip. Still, she had never put it in... quite the way Luna had put it. It sounded so...

So...

Like the brushing of a feather against her fur, Luna gently kissed Twilight's cheek. "Thank you."

Twilight lit up, blood rushing hotly to her cheeks. Her plans for the day suddenly fractured and exploded in her mind as new thoughts began to run wildly. Were the signs Luna was displaying what she thought they were? Did Luna have more feelings for her than just an eager student? Students don't smooch their teacher like that!

Luna could see Twilight was breathing heavily and starting to frazzle around the edges. Had she pushed too hard? "My apologies, mistress." She dipped her head. "I've been bad."

Twilight blinked, snapped out of the madly spinning wheels of her mind. "W-what? Oh. Yes, don't scare me like that!" She gently tapped the table.

"I should be punished," stated Luna with a nod. "Discipline me."

Twilight couldn't grasp it. She had just learned to not... do that. Though that was with Starlight. Luna was not Starlight. Luna was... her own mare. Twilight licked over her lips as she sat up straight. "Very well." Her magic grabbed Luna around the horn and a spell was laid over it, glowing dark purple. "No magic for you for an hour."

Luna looked up at her bound horn. Her, without magic? The nerve! The gall! She loved it. Luna dipped her head, ears splayed out to the sides. "As you wish it, mistress. I will learn from my mistake." In theory, she could overpower such an enchantment. Twilight wasn't that powerful, nor was the spell that well laid down, but... she wouldn't. "I can't eat this way, mistress."

Twilight tilted her head. "Hungry now?"

"A little."

"Then we'll order something, and you'll eat it, without magic."

Luna blinked at that. "How?"

Twilight smiled a little. "You'll see." She levitated over a paper and quickly scribbled an order on it before placing it on the cloth that isolated them from the rest of the room.

About half a minute later, a pony walked past, and the paper vanished.

A small while later, the two sitting in companionable silence, the cloth was lifted just high enough to slip in a tray of hay fries covered in chili and cheese. It looked gooey and messy.

Luna paled a bit. She didn't mean...

Twilight gestured at the plate. "How much do you trust me?"

Luna dipped her head low. "Completely."

"Then eat."

Luna considered the plate a moment. There really wasn't any other way. She moved her snout. Cheese and chili sauce got all over her snout as she took a messy bite out of the dish. It was delicious, but she wasn't paying much mind to that. Her cheeks were on fire with the shame of having to eat like an uncultured barbarian, with a witness no less! She could feel Twilight's gaze on her like a drilling spire of utter humiliation.

After a few muzzlefuls of food, a new thought came to Luna. There was a lesson there. Twilight was trying to teach her, as a teacher should.

Luna sat back, face dripping with food. "Mistress?"

"Yes, student?"

Luna looked down at the plate and across to Twilight. "May... Can... A little help, please?"

Twilight smiled brightly. "That's what friends are for." Her magic picked up a fork and soon had a reasonable portion lifted to Luna's messy snout.

Luna's vision focused on that fork. She was being fed, like a foal. It was... demeaning, but also...

She opened her snout wide and accepted it.

"Even when you feel helpless and embarrassed, you should never feel bad for reaching out to a friend. You would help them if they were in trouble, it goes both ways," explained Twilight as she got another fork filled with goopy food. Even as she did that, she grabbed a napkin and cleaned Luna's snout. The feel of her magic running over her muzzle made Luna a little tingly. This was all so embarrassing, and yet perfect.

Slowly, the plate was cleaned. Not entirely by Luna. Twilight got her share of the messy plate. Luna wasn't sure if she realized it was... almost a kiss, since they had used the same fork.

Luna had been punished, and she was entirely alright with the outcome.

Author's Note

I waited all of yesterday for comments... It was so quiet...

Did I do something wrong?

Hopefully you'll like today's chapter. It's extra adorable! I like it, but do you? Please let me know.