The Everfree forest was cool and quiet, with only the rustling of leaves and the gentle whistling of a wonderful summer breeze to disturb the tranquility. Deep in the forest, the birdsong was little more than a muted, far-off twitter, occasionally carried on the wind alongside the wondrous scents of a thousand small flowers and summerblooms. High above, in the cloudless skies, the odd bird or pegasus swam lazily by on the warm currents, but few flew far over the patchy sea of vibrant green, preferring to stay near the fringes where civilisation and food abounded.
The Castle of the Two Sisters stood tall amongst the trees, its lower regions swamped in shade, and its turrets and towers reaching to the sun like so many decrepit stone claws. Gaping holes in the walls, fringed with scrabbling ivy, let dusty light into the damp, moss-ridden interior.
The towering main doors, huge slabs of partially rotten oak, slowly creaked open, sighing in ancient protest as the hinges whined and shed slivers of rust. Two slender, graceful beasts emerged, their dim, dirty coats shifting in the gloom. Cobwebs and masonry dusty clung to their fur and manes, casting them both in mottled shades of light grey and sickly white.
As one, they shook vigorously, throwing up small clouds of stinking mould and powder, retching and coughing as it drifted into their mouths. As the dust cleared, the bedraggled, tired faces of Luna and Twilight Sparkle were left spitting into the dark grass.
“Thank you for your help, Twilight.” Luna said, her voice coarse and gravelly, “I am still not quite comfortable with allowing other ponies into the old castle.” Her breath suddenly hitched and her eyes bulged as her throat burned. She flailed a hoof, then reared and smacked herself on the chest hard enough to hit sparks off of her royal yoke.
Twilight looked on in concerned horror as the other princess coughed and wheezed harshly, before a large, squirming mass of legs and slimy fur shot out of her mouth and splattered on the ground with a wet ‘splat’. She recoiled sharply as a disgruntled spider pulled itself from the glob of saliva and dirt and scrambled off.
For her part, Luna seemed unfazed, wiping her mouth and chewing on a piece of grass to clear her throat, “Pah, how bitter. They used to be sweeter, I’m sure.” She chuckled inwardly as she saw Twilight trying to hide her disgusted look. It was hardly the first time she had suffered for a joke- the old court ponies would flee, screaming, when she had pulled the same thing during her previous rule alongside her sister.
“Ah, yes, Luna.” Twilight began, holding back her breakfast with a grim-faced swallow, “Shall we get cleaned off then? My castle has an extensive bathroom.” She clicked her forehooves together, “It’s really too big for a single pony.”
Luna snorted, “Ha, nonsense! ‘Tis my castle we were befouled in, and so, we shall bathe in my pool.” She motioned towards a trail of scrappy ruins leading into the forest before them. “Come along.”
As she led off, Twilight followed, curiosity evident on her mucky face. Luna hid her smirk and marched on, letting her hooves guide themselves.
It was amazing. After over a thousand years, her body still knew the way to the old Royal Pool, though the forest had hardly changed since then either. Some of the old, great trees had fallen and blocked the original path, and the lack of tending had let the plants and shrubs largely consume the way, but with a liberal application of magic and steel-shod hooves, she was able to beat a passage through.
Twilight was following wordlessly, save the occasional murmur of amusement or, as she preferred to think of it, amazement, as Luna got her horn and wings stuck in vines and branches that she had never had to worry about when the forest had been younger. Her icy cold magic shone darkly as she shattered the offending plant life into frozen shards with a series of less-than-graceful headbutts and kicks.
She was also probably looking at her flanks, she thought smugly. Twilight had been acting a little more helpful and friendly to her than normal over the past few weeks, and whilst it was lovely to imagine it was purely out of friendliness, it was hard not to notice the occasional blush or stutter whenever they were working or relaxing together. As if the amount of times a simple day visit to Ponyville would end in a stay at the Friendship Castle and impromptu stargazing sessions hadn’t made it obvious enough. Celestia had never been invited over as much, as far as she could tell- it was a small, petty victory, but it gave her a warm feeling of smugness all the same.
A lagging vine of thorns whipped against her side as she pushed on, drawing a slight gasp of pain as it scratched at her skin. It had barely broken the surface, and only a tiny bead of blood had formed. It had almost escaped her attention, until Twilight darted to her side with the anxious look of a concerned mother.
“Oh my! Luna, are you alright?” She said, her horn already lighting to cast some sort of healing spell, no doubt.
“‘Tis but a scrape, do not worry.” She brushed Twilight aside and continued on, but found her back legs stuck in place, surrounded by the familiar coolness of healing magic. She sighed, “Twilight. Release me, please. I am not a foal.”
The younger princess squeaked and jolted back at the look of displeasure she received. Her concentration shattered in an instant, and her spell faded. “I-I’m sorry, Luna, I just thought-
A firm hoof held her lips and she fell quiet.
“Thank you.” Luna said, smiling softly. “Now, keep up. We are almost there, and I would rather avoid telling my sister how I lost one of her favourite ponies in the Everfree.” She walked on, leaving Twilight to fall in behind her, noting the abashed, faintly reddened-cheeked look she now sported.
If there was one thing Celestia had been right about, it was that young Twilight was quite the cute little pony. A little naive and overly caring, perhaps, but good looking and friendly enough. She really should have stopped exploiting her little infatuation, but who else would help her clean a crumbling ruin without complaining, and could provide an interesting, in-depth explanation of every dusty tome, ragged scroll, or stone tablet they discovered? The very fact she was eager to do such a daunting and dull task for free was evidence enough that she was feeling something more than flat friendship. The giggles and smiles were just going over the top. It was as if she was trying to be obvious- or she was awful at hiding it, which, given what Celestia had said of her sheltered childhood, would be just as likely.
She should probably confront Twilight about it. But did she want a quick roll in the hay with the proclaimed ‘Princess of Nightly Passions’, or a proper relationship, with flowers and candlelit dinners, and such things that every gentlestallion in Equestria and beyond had tried to woo her with in the past?
Before she could have another thought, the treeline disappeared and she had to backpedal a step to avoid tumbling down a sheer hillside. Twilight trotted up alongside her and gazed out, her jaw hanging open slightly. They had arrived.
A large clearing, at least twice the size of the castle, spread out below them, with a carpet of dim grass and spongy moss, speckled with the occasional burst of flowers or ruined stony remains. A deep, wide, smooth pool of dark blue water shone like a mirror in the sunlight, the light breeze tossing leaves that made tiny crests and ripples. Babbling streams fed to and from the lake, giving the serene scene a wonderful background ambience.
The sight took her back. Since she had returned, she had purposefully avoided her old haunts for all the painful memories they held, but this was quite the exception. The last memory she had of her quiet corner of the Everfree was of herself and Celestia relaxing away from the responsibilities of the blooming nation so many years ago. The castle had been finished, and the ponies were flocking to form a vague castle-town, and sometimes the constant rush and blur of names and faces, and orders and complaints, had worn them down. This had been one of the few places they could escape, too deep into the threatening forest for many to dare tread.
She shook her head. Her reminiscing could wait until the foul flecks of rotten splinters, crumbling parchment, and dusty cobwebs were out of her mane and coat. A princess could get away with a lot, but she knew even the most awed and loyal of ponies would probably comment on her unique and quite disgusting odour as was.
She nudged Twilight, who was completely taken in by the view, leaning out over the basin to peer at every detail. “Come on down, Twilight, you can take a closer look whilst we clean up.” She locked her hooves and hopped onto the slope, sliding smoothly down the damp earth, before slipping easily into the shallows at the base with a small splash. She stepped deeper, letting the cold water soak into her grimy fur, and letting out a pleased nicker.
Twilight was slowly and cautiously making her way down the bank. Typical Twilight, assessing every possible risk. It was a simple natural pool, what could go wrong that they hadn’t witnessed and solved between them?
Moving further in, so the water reached up to her chest, she shivered as the chill ran through her. Even in the summer sun, the pool remained barely comfortable. She ducked her head and lapped up a few mouthfuls, savouring the strangely-earthy taste. “Hurry, Twilight! The water is quite lovely.” She called, before diving back and disappearing into the pool.
Cool, still, quietness surrounded her as the water closed in behind her. Streams of air-bubbles traced her movements like shifting ribbons. With a vigorous tumble and roll, she shook out all the traces of filth from her fur that she could without special attention, before she circled and let herself drift gently to the surface as her chest began to ask for air. It was almost laughable- once, she had been able to remain beneath for minutes on end.
She was greeted by a nervously floundering Twilight, legs spread wide and wings fluttering rapidly as she tried to keep steady on the surface. She had hardly left the shallows and was already a gasping mess, arching her neck to keep her head clear.
Luna sighed. It was cold, yes, but not that cold. Had Celestia hardened her student to anything in the many years she had been studying? Physical labour, poor weather, and now chilly water were amongst the growing list of frankly pathetic weaknesses she had learnt of in the past few months. Ponies really were getting softer these days.
“Luna, your tiara- it’s missing.” She pointed out, recovering her posture as she found an underwater rock and perched on it, wings spread for balance.
“Hm, oh yes. It must have come off when I dived.” Luna answered calmly, treading water steadily. “Worry not, it is made of a very light material. It should, according to the jeweller, float perfectly.” Sure enough, the small black band of glossy, engraved metal bobbed to the surface, shining brightly in the daylight. “And there we go.” She reached out to pluck it from the water, only to be shoved aside by a sudden silvery surge!
A huge fish erupted from the pool, half the size of a grown pony, with shimmering scales akin to plate armour and a yawning maw edged with vicious spikes capable of swallowing a filly whole. It crashed down with a small explosion of spray, then disappeared below.
Twilight was, understandably, disturbed and shaking, looking desperately into the depths should anything else choose to surface. It was quite endearing to see her so out of her element. “What in Equestria was that?” She gasped.
“I think ‘twas a tunafish. There always were a few various fish swept in by the stream.” Luna mused, bobbing gently in the wake. “Do not worry, they would not dare touch a pony.” Probably. She knew normal fish wouldn’t try, but a beast that large? The Everfree was a dangerous place, she remembered, where nature did scary things to survive, including growing giant and ferocious. Still, no harm seemed to be done. She made to take her tiara up again, noticing it floating alongside her, when a silver mouth opened up and swallowed it whole, before sinking down once more.
She knew it was wrong, but she didn’t feel like delving down again just yet, so she looked over at her trembling partner. The shared a quick look, then she motioned to the water and her lack of crown. The fluttering eyelashes and blow-kiss really helped, immediately prompting the infatuated Twilight to leap up and dive for her. The exploitation had to stop. That was the last time she would use it, she resolved, however adorable and amusing it was.
A moment later, she resurfaced, and Luna clopped her hooves together in a mock cheer. “What wondrous technique, Young Twilight, a perfect score, wouldn’t you say?” She tittered, lazily swimming by.
But Twilight did not respond. She hardly seemed to notice at all. She was thrashing and flailing, gasping for breath. The cold dive had probably been a bit taxing on her less-than-athletic body. It was no matter, she could try again in a moment once she calmed down a little.
If there was one thing Celestia was good at, it was teaching ponies to act helpless. She was something of a master at it, having a whole horde of servants and staff doting on her every need, and if something of that manipulative nature hadn’t rubbed off on her young student, Luna would have been quite surprised. Letting her work through the cold shock and initial oxygen-debt was something she would have let a little filly do without help, let alone a grown mare.
A few moments passed, and the frenzied movements settled down. The lake was quiet once more, save for a few ripples and bubbles in the middle. Twilight had managed to compose herself and dive again, it seemed. She was sure she had acted a similar way herself during her first swimming lessons those many years ago, making a big fuss about the cold and the water going up her nose. Celestia had done nothing to help her, and she’d forced herself to brave it all on her own. It was the best way to learn.
“Lu- Luna!” Came Twilight’s shout, her head tilted to the sky as she broke the surface, struggling between water-filled breaths. “H-help! Lun-” She was cut off by another mouthful of water, then she slipped beneath.
An elaborate trick. Very clever. Luna had to admit, she had been fooled for a moment, but that’s all it was, a ruse. A ruse to make her feel a little bad about tricking her into diving for her. Classic Celestia behaviour.
Right?
Half a minute passed, and she grew somewhat worried. Perhaps she should check to make sure she wasn’t stuck on something. Just to make sure she was safe.
She dipped down, and slickly swam towards where Twilight had disappeared, fully expecting a sudden trick of some sort. But there was no sign of her. Luna lit her horn and cleared her water-blurred sight with a quick spell, allowing her to see the dim blue depths.
Deep below, a dozen or more metres down, a glimpse of twisting purple and lavender caught her attention. She dove deeper, slow wing-beats powering her forward, until the pressure change began to make her ears ache.
Twilight lay on the lakebed, quite still. Her chest was flat, and a scant few tiny bubbles escaped her open mouth.
That was not the body of a pony playing tricks.
Fear suddenly hooked its awful claws deep into Luna chest. She had been thrashing and screaming for a reason- she had been drowning!
With heart thundering in her chest and dread filling her heart with ice, she bolted down to the bottom of the lake. The sandy, weed-strewn bed gave off plumes of muddy brown as her hooves struck down and she hurriedly tried to gather the young princess up in her hooves. The water resistance infuriated her as it slowed her frantic grab to a slow-motion flounder.
A thousand terrible thoughts filled her head. She was too slow, far too slow! Her panic began to rise, disrupting her magic. Her hooves clung around Twilight neck just as her vision spell collapsed under the mental strain.
Without a second’s delay, she pressed their lips together firmly, ignoring the disgusting taste of the deeper water and focusing solely on her charge. She breathed out as deeply as she could, forcing the breath into her still mouth.
She was rewarded with a faint spasm from foreleg, unconsciously cuffing Luna about the head. A tense second passed, and her lips moved slightly. It was all the air she had left, it would have to do.
Holding Twilight tight to her her chest, she kicked off the lakebed, jetting them towards the surface. Her vision began to darken as the sunlight grew nearer, and her limbs suddenly felt like dead weights, cold and unresponsive.
And then they burst free if the water. Luna hacked and coughed, her lungs finally sating their air-lust, still holding the worryingly still pony to her sodden fur tightly. Two powerful, last-ditch flaps took them to the shore, and she wasted no time in gently laying Twilight down upon the muddy bank.
She flung aside her shoes and put a hoof to her slightly swollen chest.
What had Celestia always begged her to learn? Something about pushing on the chest and lending them breath until they started breathing on their own. Of course, she hardly paid attention, what, with a score of trained guards surrounding her permanently, and magical skills unmatched, why did she need to know such things?
It was no good thinking such thoughts. Twilight’s life depended on her!
She took a deep breath to still her nerves, then lit her horn. “Forgive me, Twilight.” She whispered, straddling her chest to hold her still. Her magic flared, and a moment later Twilight bucked and spasmed beneath her, as a small torrent of yellow-green water flooded from her still mouth.
Purging spells were easy, but restarting breathing? Was there even a spell for that? Maybe some obscure medical magic, but nothing she had any grasp of. The formal medical training she had received was, she realised, shamefully lacking. A bandage and stitching spell would hardly work here.
She put an ear to her chest and her face lit up at the faint beating. She wasn’t gone yet, that was for sure.
Somewhere, sometime, she had read a story about a situation much the same. A stallion rescuing his beloved fiancee from the ocean, dragging her up the beach to save her following a storm that had wrecked their ship. The mare had been knocked unconscious and had fallen beneath, but he brought her back with...
‘The Kiss of Life’. That was it! Just as the officer Celestia had appointed to her had mentioned when he had been droning on and on about modern ‘safety regulations’ and ‘first-aid’. Utter rubbish then, she had thought, but at least his attempt to demonstrate it on his unaware assistant had scored it into her memory. Never before had a sturdy young guardstallion looked so confused and pathetic as he tried to push his leader off.
Twilight’s lips were stained with bile and the remnants of the foul water she forced up, but she pushed the qualms aside. And yet, despite her lifeless body, her mouth was pleasantly warm as they locked together.
A deep breath passed between them, and her chest swelled slightly.
What was she to do if it didn’t work? Could she reach a medical pony in time if she wasn’t good enough?
Another breath.
There was no way she could make it to Ponyville with another pony in tow, not if she wanted any chance of survival. And Canterlot was far too long a fly away. Could she summon Celestia? The tirade would be horrendous, but worth it if she could help.
Another breath.
She paused and broke the embrace. There was still no sign, and she was growing tired. She steeled herself for last attempt, already charging her horn to teleport to the hospital if she had no effect. It would burn her magic out horribly painfully, and she might well miss the blind teleport, but it was better than nothing.
She leaned forward, sealed their lips, then-
With a ragged cough and gag, Twilight burst to life, her whole body fitting as she struggled to gulp down previous air and rub at her bloodshot eyes. It was a few minutes until she seemed to notice Luna atop her, hovering a few centimetres from her face, wearing a terrified smile.
Her cheeks turned a deep crimson immediately, and she let out a whimper.
“You had me worried there, Twilight.” A drip of water fell from her face. It was probably from the lake. “It isn’t nice to panic ponies like that.” She closed the distance, dropping her voice to a relieved whisper, “But thank you.” It was only a light kiss, more of a simple brushing of the lips, but it carried weight and warmth. She was not a particularly affectionate mare, not physically, at least, but the relief was so great she hardly knew how else to show it.
“F-for what?” Twilight stammered, melting under her touch.
“For doing my stupid whim, and pulling through afterwards.” She nuzzled her, then rolled to the side and let her stand.
A few hours had passed and the sun had begun to set upon the clearing. The dusk chorus had started already, as the nocturnal birds of the forest began their rituals of calls and hoots that echoed through the tranquil night air. A chilly breeze had begun to blow, sweeping away the last traces of the summer’s day.
The lay quietly on a small stony outcrop a few metres from the pool, pointedly looking away. They said little, but the small comforting nudges and touches, and the wings spread across each other spoke volumes.
Twilight was beginning to look more like herself again, rather than the gasping, sodden mess she had been after Luna had pulled her from the lake. Her mane and fur were still mussed with slightly ‘off’ water, but Luna didn’t mind. She had been through quite enough as it was, without adding the pressures of keeping up royal appearances to worry about.
Luna was unsure. She was at ease, truly- with the night beckoning and the fatigue of a crisis averted catching up on her, she felt perfectly ready to slip into a dreamless sleep and rest awhile. Staying up through the day usually left her tired, after all.
“Twilight.” She murmured gently, watching the velvet ear twitch towards her, “I think we should make our way back soon. It hardly does to trust this forest after dark.” She was avoiding the question at hoof, but it was a legitimate concern. She wasn’t a complete coward.
“Mmhmm.” Came the slurred answer. Judging by the slump of her shoulders and the way she was leaning heavily, Twilight was just as exhausted, if not more so. Yet she still had the energy to wriggle around and break the winged embrace to face her more straight on.
Her uncertain look and burning blush said it all before she had opened her mouth, and Luna fell back on her tried-and-true method. She placed a hoof over her lips to silence her before she began and let herself start first.
“Now,” She sighed, taking a long, deep breath and slowly letting it out. “Twilight Sparkle, you are quite the amazing mare, as I am sure you are aware. Anyone in Equestria will tell you that.” She paused, “It has not escaped my attention that you are, as dear Celestia said ‘pining for me like a puppy.’” She laughed inwardly as she saw the look of embarrassment on the younger mare’s face. Celestia wouldn’t get to live that one down, she was sure. “I am deeply gracious and overwhelmed by your fancy. It is an honour to be the object of such a special pony’s favour!” She looked away. Twilight’s beautiful, shining lilac eyes were too much of a distraction. “But I must know before I can accept such notions: Is this a lust or a love? A thousand ponies have cried for my love, and a hundred-thousand in lust. What of you?”
She looked back, but Twilight was gone. A fleeting scrap of purple tail caught her eye, and she turned just in time to see her snap her wings to her sides and leap, seemingly fearlessly, into the pool.
“Twilight! No!” She cried, charging to follow her, only to be stopped by a great burst of water that shone a dazzling golden-white in the setting sunlight.
Riding the spray, Twilight Sparkle shot from the lake, flying several metres up before her damp wings opened and let her glide unsteadily down.
Luna was ready to chide. To fume. To ask her what in Equestria she had been thinking, before scolding her until the morning came. That was all thrown away as the wet pony dropped a dark object into the grass at her hooves.
A mangled tiara, her broken crown. The fish had chewed and warped it, but it was still quite recognisable.
Her breath hitched as she took it in. The smiling, panting, dripping Twilight before her, and the salvaged tiara. That this pony had, albeit foolishly, returned to what had nearly ended her to recover some symbol of state. It was mind-boggling.
“Is that answer enough, Luna?” She asked innocently, glowing with hope.
It was. It was so much more than enough. Of all the gifts she had been presented with over the years, this foul, muddy, broken crown was by far the only one to bring such a wonderful warmth to her chest.
She nodded. Then brought her in close and nuzzled her sodden fur. “If you promise to never, ever do something like that again, be it on my instruction, or any other’s…” She was hardly the best pony when it came to emotional speeches and tender words, but her meaning had been quite clear enough, she thought, as Twilight hummed and danced in place, bursting with anticipation.
She stifled a chuckle, placing the wretched tiara on her brow. It was more than a little gross, stained as it was with mud and fish saliva. She looked to the sky. She had a few minutes before she needed to raise the moon.
Then she looked back to the waiting pony before her.
“...Then yes.” She said slowly, a sly grin on her face, before she broke the reserved facade and let her smile shine through. “Yes, I shall accept your love.”
It was an unspoken contract. The kiss sealed the deal.