Luna smiled a bit to herself. Laying before her, snuggled up in the blankets in her bed, a small lavender alicorn slept, laying on her side facing her. Luna took in the very unregal form of Twilight and only smirked more. Twilight's mane was a mess, tangled and disarrayed. Her pink and purple highlights were indistinguishable as individual strands of her mane were woven in with the dark blue of the rest of her mane.
Despite Twilight's messy, unbrushed mane, it only served to make her look more adorable with how she was snuggled into the blankets, holding them close with her forehooves, and slightly burying her muzzle into the pillow. As if to complete the picture, Twilight had a soft, gentle smile on her lips. She looked so peaceful in her sleep that disturbing her would have been a crime had anypony else done it, or at least that's what Luna thought of it.
She was actually surprised Twilight was still asleep. Although disabling the alarm may have had a role in that. While Twilight did need to get up, she didn't need to get up nearly as early as she thought she did. Even more so since it would only give her more time to worry. Besides, she needed her beauty sleep for today, since she was going to be officially crowned Equestria's fourth, and youngest, princess.
Judging by how yesterday went, Luna had some idea of how today would go, which was to say she had to use her magic to calm Twilight down enough for her to get any sleep that night. Which was to say Twilight was going to panic as soon as she woke up and realized that she slept in, which was exactly why Luna was there. Not just because of her magic, but because it would help Twilight relax.
And, of course, because Twilight looked adorable in the mornings. It was something she couldn't get over when she realized it wasn't just the result of them cuddling together.
She looked over Twilight's outline in the blankets, and she could just about pinpoint exactly where Twilight's wings were, even if they were well hidden and the blankets didn't offer much of an outline for them. The longer she waited, the more time she 'wasted,' but it was time well worth wasting. She was a bit disappointed that she couldn't slide back into bed beside Twilight, but Celestia and Rarity, mostly Rarity, would be quite displeased were she to do that. Not that it had any effect on her not doing it. No, she held back because she enjoyed watching the young alicorn sleep. She was so calm and peaceful, without any troubles, unlike how she was while awake.
Luna let out a long, soft sigh. 'Tonight,' she told herself. She steeled herself, then leaned over to Twilight and slowly rubbed her cheek against Twilight's cheek. "Wake up, my love..." she whispered.
Twilight groggily returned the nuzzle and giggled a sweet, musical giggle which caressed Luna's ears and made her smile grow. "Luna..." she sighed, leaning into the nuzzle.
After several seconds and a few long, slow strokes against Twilight's cheek, Luna reluctantly broke contact and pulled her head away from Twilight. Twilight tried to lift her head up with Luna to keep them in contact for as long as possible, but it didn't last. Luna smiled down at Twilight and watched her. "I see you're finally awake," she noted.
For a few seconds, Twilight didn't react. Luna caught it, though- the way her lips slowly fell into a neutral line, and how her cheeks loosened up as her smile faded. "What time is-"
"Eight," Luna answered preemptively.
Twilight's eyes widened, and she let out something akin to a squawk. Within seconds, the dark blue blankets were a crumbled mess as Twilight's legs flailed about as she kicked into high gear to get out. "Ooooh, Luna! What happened!? I set the alarm for six!? Why didn't the alarm go off!? Why didn't I hear it!? Why didn't you wake me!? Why are you just now waking me!?" Twilight questioned in rapid succession. "Oh, this is terrible! Luna! I'm late!"
Luna stood there calmly as Twilight finally jumped out of bed, biting her lower lip and jogging in place nervously. She looked frantically from the bathroom to the door which lead to the castle's hallways, then back to the bathroom. She nervously fluffed her wings, then held them tight against her body.
Luna chuckled calmly. "Relax, Twilight. You still have plenty of time." Twilight looked at her flabbergasted. She turned around, then draped her right wing over Twilight's back. Twilight almost instinctively relaxed at the warm, comforting touch of Luna's soft, silken feathers against her back. Luna smiled softly and brushed her feathers over Twilight's folded left wing. Twilight closed her eyes and her lips lifted up into a smile, which faded almost as soon as Luna's wing left her.
"But-"
"Twilight," Luna said softly. "I have a few things to attend to. You know what you need to do. It will be fine. You still have plenty of time," she assured. Twilight stood there rigidly. Luna took a deep breath. "Now. I will see you before the ceremony, and then afterward. Enjoy today, Twilight. It only comes around once," she advised. She leaned over to Twilight and brushed her muzzle along Twilight's neck and head.
Twilight leaned into Luna's nuzzle, but all too soon Luna withdrew, then teleported away, leaving the much younger, much more distraught alicorn soon-to-be-princess alone in her bedchambers.
Twilight bit her lip and looked over at Luna's bathroom. Within seconds, her hooves flailed about as she dashed into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
Twilight chewed on her lower lip as she stared at the clock as it ticked away, marking every passing second. She ruffled her wings, rubbing them over her newly-sensitive sides. She ignored it and fidgeted, shifting her weight on her hooves. Every second that passed brought her one second closer to her coronation, and more importantly, being late for it.
"Twilight, if you move one more time, I will have Applejack tie you up until I finish," Rarity threatened, sending her friend an intense glare.
Twilight hesitantly looked away from the clock. "C-can you please hurry? I-I'm going to be late at this rate!"
Rarity paused her work and stared blankly at Twilight. "Twilight." She blinked once, then shook her head. "For one," she said, lifting her head up into the air, "one cannot. Rush perfection," she stated firmly. "And two... you won't be late, dear. You have plenty of time."
Twilight fluffed her wings again. "B-but what if something happens? What if they move it earlier? What if they need to go over some things with me last minute? What if it's important but because I'm late I don't get there in time and I mess up while all of Equestria is watching!?" she asked. Her chest heaved as she hyperventillated.
Rarity placed a forehoof lightly on Twilight's shoulder. Twilight slowly looked down at Rarity. Rarity offered her a gentle, comforting smile. "Twilight... you really don't need to worry about this. Everything will go okay," she assured.
"Okay?" Twilight asked. She flared her wings out in distress. "Okay!? Everything needs to be perfect! Everypony is counting on me and-" she was silenced by Rarity's glare.
"Come on, Twilight!" Pinkie cheered. She happily walked over and hugged Twilight.
"Pinkie! Don't ruin her dress!" Rarity shrieked.
Pinkie ignored Rarity and gave Twilight a quick nuzzle. Twilight gradually folded her wings, then returned the hug. After a few seconds, they broke and Pinkie stepped back, oblivious to Rarity's stern look. "Thanks, Pinkie," Twilight said, her voice calmer than before. Despite the calmness in her voice, she shifted her weight on her hooves again.
Rarity huffed, then gently took the dress in her magic and started fixing it up from the impromptu hug. She glanced over towards the dresser and levitated over a brush. "Here," she said.
Twilight scrutinized the brush, then took it and levitated over a mirror. Her mane looked like normal, or at least mostly normal. There were a few strands which were disarrayed. She had bathed and brushed her mane and tail, but she had been in a hurry. She took a deep breath, then brought the brush over to her mane and started slowly running it through her mane while Rarity continued making sure her dress was perfect.
"Twilight, I know there's a luncheon after the ceremony, and believe me, if you spill anything on your coronation gown..." Rarity trailed off through clenched teeth. "I worked very hard on this dress and I expect you to keep it clean."
Twilight smiled nervously, adding yet another item of concern to her list. "R-right. Don't worry, I'll... be careful."
Rarity smiled. She walked around the small platform Twilight was 'displayed' on and scrutinized her dress, making sure that everything was perfect. She nodded to herself as she returned around to the front. She stepped back and relaxed a bit. "Twilight, dear... you look beautiful," she cooed.
Twilight blushed a little and smiled. "Thanks, Rarity..." she said softly. She looked towards the full body mirror and let her eyes trail over the dress. It was simple and simply beautiful. The gown flowed over her tail, hiding it and hid most of her hind legs from sight, but her golden shoes were still visible. Her wings were tucked against her coat, the dress having holes for her wings. The body of the dress fit perfectly, neither too tight, nor too loose. The dress was a shade of magenta just ever so slightly different from her magic aura, with the end which nearly dragged on the floor being a pure white color. A pale yellow sash loosely ran around her body, and the cuffs for where the dress ended on her forelegs were also a pale yellow.
"Now... do tell, what does your tiara look like?" Rarity asked sweetly.
"Well, they decided that it'll be the Element of Magic," Twilight replied.
Rarity gawked at her for a couple of seconds before recovering. "Really? I'm surprised, I didn't think they'd risk something like that. N-not that you wouldn't keep it safe, of course. Princess Celestia did trust you with keeping the Elements safe, after all," Rarity replied.
Twilight smiled sheepishly. "Really, though... I think it's unnecessary..." she trailed off, looking back at the full body mirror.
"Unnecessary!?" Rarity shrieked. "Twilight! You are a princess, and you deserve nothing less than a crown of your own!"
Twilight shifted her weight and rubbed her wings against her sides. "I-I'm not a princess... at least not yet," she replied quietly.
"Twilight, you're already a princess in everything except title. Or are you calling Princess Celestia a liar?" Rarity asked.
Twilight's eyes widened and she stared at Rarity. "What!? No! I would never! She's my mentor and a Princess of Equestria and..." Rarity placed her forehoof on Twilight's chest, making Twilight grow quiet.
"Princess Luna was right about you being nervous..." Rarity mused, her lips twisted into the barest hint of a grimace.
Twilight looked away from Rarity bashfully.
There was a knock on the door which prevented either of them from saying more. "Stay right there," Rarity ordered. She turned around and walked towards the door, then cracked it open slightly only when she was close enough to bar entry for anypony.
"Hello, Rarity," Princess Celestia's soft voice greeted.
Twilight felt her heart skip a beat. 'It-it's actually happening...' She could feel her heart start to pound in her chest. Somehow, the gown felt tight and constricting, despite the fact that nothing had changed from the moment before she heard Princess Celestia's voice to the dress feeling tight.
"Princess Celestia!" Rarity greeted, falling into a bow.
Princess Celestia chuckled softly. "There's no need for that formality here, Rarity," she replied. Rarity slowly stood back up. "May I come in?" she asked.
Rarity's cheeks flushed slightly. "Oh- why, yes of course," she replied. She stepped back and opened the door all the way.
Celestia's smile grew as she laid eyes on Twilight. She calmly walked into the room, carrying herself with all the regality of millennia of experience. "Hello, Twilight," she greeted with a disarming giggle.
"Princess!? What are you doing here?" Twilight asked. She blushed slightly and shuffled her hooves in place. "N-not that I'm not happy to see you, or that you shouldn't be here or anything! Of course, you can come visit me but-"
Celestia chuckled softly and slowly approached Twilight. "There's no need to call me princess, Princess Twilight," she said with a cheerful gleam in her eye. "I came to make sure you were doing okay," she said. She looked over Twilight's gown. "You look lovely, Twilight. Rarity, you really outdid yourself."
Rarity hesitantly walked over beside Princess Celestia. "W-well, nothing but the best for Twilight," she replied.
"Luna told me that she let you sleep in and that you might be nervous because of that, so I thought I would come see you," Celestia added.
Twilight's tongue twisted as she stumbled over what to reply with. "I um... well, yes. She shouldn't have done that! What if I'm not ready in time and I'm late and-"
"Twilight," Celestia said calmly. "If you're not ready in time, that's okay. We can wait. These events rarely go exactly as planned, and a few delays won't change or ruin anything," she said calmly. "Besides, from what she told me, you needed the sleep more than to be up so early. Did you really want to risk falling asleep when I crowned you?" she asked with a smile.
"N-no..." Twilight said quietly. "B-but still! So much can go wrong!"
Celestia stepped closer, then leaned down and gave Twilight a short nuzzle. Twilight instinctively returned the nuzzle. "And surely Princess Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful and deserving student will be more than capable of handling all of it," she said knowingly.
Twilight bit her lip as Celestia pulled back.
"Now, I have a few more things to check on," Celestia said calmly. "Luna should be by in a couple of minutes to see how you're doing. Twilight nodded. Celestia turned to leave, then paused at the door and looked back at her. "And Twilight? Relax. Breathe," she suggested.
Twilight nodded slowly, then watched as Celestia left the room and closed the door behind her. She shifted her weight again.
"She has a point, dear. You really do need to relax. If something goes wrong, it's not the end of the world," Rarity said comfortingly.
Twilight nibbled on her lip and looked at Rarity. A hundred thoughts raced through her mind. "But what if it is!?" she blurted out. "I bear the Element of Magic and all six of us have fought threats that were a danger to all of Equestria! What if something goes wrong and because I'm a princess we're not together so we can't use the Elements of Harmony to stop the threat and because of that Equestria is doomed!?"
Rarity cringed slightly. "Twilight, dear... I know this may be a bit... hypocritical coming from me, but... you're being overly dramatic."
"Yeah, Twilight!" Pinkie agreed. "You act like something terrible is going to happen! It's your coronation day! It's a big party, and you're supposed to enjoy parties! You can't enjoy parties if you're constantly worrying!"
"It's a formal party!" Twilight retorted.
"Twilight, dear... you've gone through the rehearsals. You know what to expect. You'll be fine," Rarity replied.
Twilight bobbed her head unsurely, then looked over at the clock. Anxiety welled up inside her, and her chest tightened further. Her legs trembled.
"Twilight, you have plenty of time. There's not a whole lot you need to go through since you did prepare well in advance," Rarity said flatly.
"But-" Twilight was cut off by a knock on the door.
Rarity walked back over to the door to open it.
"Rarity, may I enter so that I can see my Twilight?" Princess Luna greeted.
A little of the fear plaguing Twilight melted at the sound of Luna's voice, and her legs ceased trembling. Her heart still pounded, but she felt like she could relax. She felt safe.
"Of course, Princess! Twilight really could use some talking to," Rarity replied, throwing open the door.
Luna's eyes darted up from Rarity to look at Twilight, and Luna froze.
Several seconds passed while Luna stared at Twilight. "Luna?" Twilight asked curiously.
Luna blinked a few times, then swallowed. She hesitantly stepped into the room, her eyes studying Twilight and the gown. "You... look beautiful, Twilight," she said almost timidly.
Twilight's lips twitched up into a smile. Luna gradually approached her. "You've seen the dress before," Twilight said, attempting to sound dismissive.
Luna nodded silently. "'Tis true, but this is the first time I have truly seen you wearing it, beloved," she replied softly.
Twilight fidgeted and averted her gaze from Luna, blushing softly.
"We'll give you two a moment alone," Rarity said. She shot Pinkie a look and jerked her head towards the door. Pinkie bounced over, and then both of them walked outside and closed the door behind them.
Luna came to a stop and met Twilight's gaze.
"You're not ready?" Twilight asked, breaking her gaze from Luna's eyes and scrutinizing her body, noticing the distinct lack of a dress. "Princess Celestia wasn't wearing a dress either... you... you're going to right? In every rehearsal-"
Luna nodded. "Yes, Twilight. That is where I am going next," she answered. She licked her lips, then stepped closer and placed a forehoof on the platform Twilight stood on. She closed the distance, then unfolded her wings and wrapped them around Twilight, holding her firmly to comfort her. At first, she could feel all the agitation and tension in her muscles, but after barely a second, it started to fade as Twilight relaxed in her embrace. She leaned down and laid her head against Twilight's, then she nuzzled her and nestled against her neck.
Twilight leaned into her and stared at Luna's back. "What if something goes wrong?" she asked quietly.
"Then we will deal with it," Luna answered firmly. "Today may not be perfect. More than likely, today will not be perfect. It is only natural that something happens that was not planned for. If something goes wrong, then we will continue as best we can. There is something to be said for improvisation, is there not?"
Twilight hesitantly nodded. "If it's something small, then... I... guess we just ignore it and pretend like nothing happened...?"
Luna nodded and then pulled her head away from Twilight, though kept her wings firmly around Twilight.
Twilight glanced down at Luna's black regalia, then watched the crescent moon for a few seconds. She blinked once, then looked back up to meet Luna's gaze. "What if it's something big though!?" she asked almost frantically, biting her lip again.
"If it is something big that goes wrong, then we will deal with it as it happens," Luna affirmed.
"B-but we didn't plan for anything like that! How are we supposed to plan for the unexpected and react if-"
"Twilight. You cannot plan for everything, and if you were to spend your whole life planning, then where would you go?" Luna asked. Twilight remained silent. "If you spend everyday planning for the next, then you never get to enjoy that day. Planning can be good, but you can also miss out on the unexpected opportunities which can enrich life. I missed out on one thousand years and all the opportunities they had. In truth, I missed out on so much more than just one thousand years. The jealousy I felt before my... descent... it stole my joy, Twilight. So I lost more than just those thousand years. You rescued me from that. And then here I was, a thousand years displaced, not knowing what to do. Do you know how many mistakes I made when I first started trying to understand the modern world?"
"No..." Twilight answered.
"Too many to count..." Luna muttered. "But I moved through those mistakes, and they helped me to learn. It was painful to get here, but I am now here, and those mistakes have contributed to who I now am. Twilight, nopony is perfect. Not you, nor myself, nor Celestia." Twilight opened her mouth, only for Luna to casually lift a hoof. "Celestia is not perfect. She may try to be, but she isn't. She didn't see what was happening to me until it was too late. I have forgiven her, of course, but I do not know if she has truly forgiven herself. I was not the only one who lost a thousand years from what I did, Twilight."
Luna paused and thought for a few seconds. "Sometimes, the greatest experiences we have are what was unplanned. What we didn't expect to happen..." she trailed off and smiled. "Take you, for example."
"Me?" Twilight asked, tilting her head.
"Did you truly expect to be sent to Ponyville? Did you truly expect to form such a strong bond with your five friends?" Luna asked casually.
Twilight blinked. "Well... no," she admitted.
"Could you have planned for that?" Luna asked.
Twilight was silent.
"And, had your life gone as planned, would you not still be studying under my sister in Canterlot? Deprived of friends?" Luna asked.
Twilight fidgeted. "Well... yes," she answered timidly.
"And do you not treasure your friends far more than the idea of being cooped up in Canterlot spending all of your days studying? Do you not enjoy how your life has turned out because of unplanned for events far more than you believe you would have enjoyed life if it went as you had planned?" Luna asked.
Twilight vigorously nodded without any hesitation.
"And then consider me. One thousand years ago, I never would have planned for, nor expected, to encounter six young mares attempting to stop me when I returned. I would never have planned to find forgiveness and mercy. I never planned to find you, Twilight," Luna said softly. "And I can say with all of my heart, that I am eternally grateful towards you and your friends for saving me." She leaned down to Twilight and nuzzled her gently. "And I am eternally grateful to have you," she said quietly.
Twilight smiled. "Luna..." she said softly. She leaned into the older alicorn and nuzzled her.
For a few seconds, they stood there, but eventually, Luna stepped back and unwrapped her wings from Twilight. She sighed and glanced at the clock. "I am afraid that I have to leave now, Twilight. I have my own duties to attend to today before the ceremony. Getting dressed up is one of them," she admitted, smiling warily.
Twilight giggled. It was enough to make Luna's smile far more genuine.
"Remember what I said this morning. Relax and enjoy today. It only happens once," Luna advised. She gradually, reluctantly turned around and walked towards the door.
"Luna?" Twilight called softly.
Luna paused and looked back at her. "Yes, my love?"
Twilight smiled. "Thanks..." she said softly.
Luna smiled and nodded. "I will see you at the ceremony," she replied. She opened the door with her magic, then walked out. Rarity and Pinkie walked back in.
Rarity walked towards Twilight, squinting at her and scrutinizing her gown. Rarity made a few minor corrections with her magic, then nodded to herself.
Twilight fluffed her wings and paced in place. Her heart pounded in her chest uncontrollably, and her legs shook beneath her. Her procession paid her no mind as they all waited for the signal. Twilight felt on the verge of a panic attack.
While she had attended events like this before, including a ceremony honoring her friends and herself for saving Equestria, she was more or less the sole focus of everypony's attention. It wasn't her group of friends being honored, she was being crowned Equestria's next princess.
It was a terrifying thought. All eyes would likely be on her. Well, her and the other princesses, but mostly her. Everypony would be watching, just waiting to see her mess up, to see her stumble, to see just how unregal she was compared to their expectations.
And Celestia and Luna were going to crown her, officially making her the fourth Equestrian alicorn princess. Everypony would look up to her, despite her not deserving it. Everypony would expect her to be perfect, despite all of her flaws and problems. Everypony would expect her to set an example and be somepony they could look up to. Foals would look up to her.
She bit her lip and nibbled on it. Her lip was a little sore from all the unwanted attention she had given it so far. She glanced around and lit her horn, then cast a quick spell to heal her lips. She fluffed her wings, then took a deep breath.
The door started to open. She felt like her stomach dropped out from under her! 'I-I'm not ready! Where was the five-minute warning where was the five-minute warning WHERE WAS THE FIVE-MINUTE WARNING!?' she panicked, but rigidly turned to face straight ahead and look down the red carpet to the platform. Her heart beat in slow, pounding beats, and she felt so unbearably cold. Her legs wobbled.
The procession started forward. She hesitated for a split second and panicked, then took the lead. As they entered the room, the singers started singing praises of her. They sounded perfect. It didn't alleviate her fear and stress. She would have sworn she felt sweat rolling down her forehead, but nopony noticed or said anything. It didn't help, either.
Her legs shook every time she took a step, and each step brought on the fear that her leg would give out from under her when she put her weight on it. Every second that passed felt like an eternity. Ponies smiled as they watched her, staring at her, and occasionally looking at the ponies in her procession.
Cadance, Celestia, and Luna all smiled warmly at her from the platform. Spike stood to Luna's left, wearing a tuxedo and a bowtie, while the princesses wore dresses which accented them well. Her five friends were all on the right side, smiling at her. Twilight took note that Luna's gown had a lot of purple in it, but it didn't distract her from her fear.
Slowly, step by step, word by word, they approached the stairs. As soon as they reached the stairs, her procession stopped. She continued forward and tried to calmly ascend the stairs. Every single eye was on her. She tried her best to look straight ahead and ignore them, but she could still seem them out of the corners of her eyes.
But there were a few familiar faces which helped put her at ease. Her friends, her family. And of course, the princesses she was approaching.
It was still the single most nervewracking flight of stairs she had ever climbed. She barely held herself together as she reached the top. She smiled nervously.
Spike calmly walked over, carrying a red, velvet pillow with golden tassels on the four corners. Setting on the pillow was a well-polished golden tiara. Set in the center and raised above the rest of the tiara was the Element of Magic.
Princess Celestia levitated the crown up in her golden aura, then placed it on Twilight's head. It was a simple motion, but it meant so much more. The tiara felt warm and comforting as it had every time she had worn it before, but this time, it felt heavier. The weight of the responsibilities.
And just like that, she was officially Equestria's newest alicorn princess. She was royalty. A full member of the royal family. She turned around to face the crowd and fluffed her wings. She put on her best smile as all of the adoring faces looked her over. They seemed to approve if their joyous cheering was any indicator. She swallowed and relaxed ever so slightly.
And, just as planned, after a few seconds, they all turned around and calmly walked out to the balcony behind the platform. Twilight shuddered slightly as she looked out across Canterlot. At first, there didn't' seem to be many ponies there, but as she drew closer to the edge of the railing, the vastness of the sea of ponies below her was revealed in full. She took a deep breath and took a step back away from the intimidating sight.
Celestia calmly walked closer to her. "Say something," she coaxed.
It was unplanned. Or, perhaps she should have planned for it. Twilight knew, in retrospect, to expect this. What would her coronation be without a speech given by Equestria's newest alicorn princess? A part of her was horrified that she didn't realize it sooner. A part of her was horrified that she wasn't prepared. A part of her was horrified that Celestia and Luna probably planned for her to not know she'd be giving an impromptu speech.
Despite her horror, she understood their reasoning. They wanted it to come from her heart, and for that, she could forgive them.
It didn't make it any easier.
"You got this, Twilight!" Rainbow cheered.
Twilight blinked a few times, then looked over at the eager, smiling faces of her friends. A moment later, she looked at Luna. The alicorn nodded in approval and agreement.
She took a deep breath and fluffed her wings, then slowly approached the edge of the balcony. Everypony noticed her, and the cheering made her feel a little bit of pride and joy. Her mind raced as she searched for the right thing to say. A few seconds passed, and she turned to search her heart. She smiled.
Twilight's shoes dragged on the floor as she shuffled along. Her eyelids felt like they were as heavy as bricks. She barely kept her wings at her sides. As it was, she wanted nothing more than to lay down and sleep.
The day had been long, and stressful. So much went astray from how she planned it, and Twilight was certain she was suffering from adrenaline withdraw in the aftermath of everything, now that she had calmed down. Sure, only minor things happened which didn't go according to plan, and nothing world-threatening happened like she feared, but it didn't change the fact that today had been without a doubt. the single most nerve-wracking day of her life.
She wanted to lay down and sleep, and she also wanted to cry hysterically. It was a trying day. Yet, despite all of it, Luna had been right. Instead of perfectly planning everything out, there were moments where they had to improvise on the fly, and those moments scared her more than she wanted to admit. But, more importantly, Luna had been right about it being okay. There were even a few memories made that, if everything went exactly as planned, she wouldn't have made, and those memories were worth it. She survived with her mind intact, even if it was just barely.
Besides, now the day was over, and she was looking forward to reaching her destination. She smiled a tired smile and lifted her head up a little more.
"Good evening, Princess."
Twilight paused and looked over at the pony. He was wearing a smile and Royal Guard armor. She watched him for a few seconds, and for a moment, it didn't click that he was addressing her. She smiled sheepishly. "Good evening," she greeted.
"Do you require an escort tonight?" he inquired.
Twilight shook her head. "No. Thank you, I'm just heading to Princess Luna's chambers."
The guard nodded, then bowed. "Very well, Princess. Have a good night," he replied. After a moment, he resumed his patrol.
Twilight watched him for a minute, then looked back ahead. It still felt foreign to be called 'princess.' "Am I ever going to get used to that...?" she wondered aloud. After a few seconds, she inhaled, then resumed her slow pace down the mostly deserted hallway.
She glanced out one of the windows as she walked by it and briefly glimpsed the setting sun. It was nearly completely hidden by the horizon now, but it still offered some golden rays of light to accompany her on her journey. She smiled and proceeded to her destination, carrying the tired smile the rest of her journey.
As she drew closer to Luna's chambers, however, she fidgeted, and the calmness brought on by her tiredness started to fade. She fluttered her wings, then hesitantly knocked on the door. "Enter," Luna's voice called.
Twilight swallowed, then took a deep breath. She lit her horn and slowly opened the door with her magic. "H-hey, Luna?" she greeted. She looked around the room, taking in the darker shades which composed Luna's chambers, making it reminiscent of nighttime, but it was a peaceful, inviting nighttime, unlike the one she stopped so long ago. It was still a sharp contrast to Princess Celestia's chambers, decorated with whites and gold. Each chamber befitted the princess residing in them.
Luna stepped out from the doorway to her bedchambers and smiled. "Hello, my love," she greeted.
Twilight smiled sheepishly, then walked inside and closed the door behind her. Luna calmly strode over to her, and she met Luna halfway. They embraced each other with their forelegs. Luna's enveloping wings wrapped around her back. Twilight sighed and closed her eyes. She idly laid her head on Luna's chest and listened to her steady, comforting heartbeat. After a few seconds of melting into Luna's embrace, she opened her eyes and stared over at the wall.
Luna slowly brushed her right wing over Twilight's left side. Twilight nestled into Luna, and both of them smiled more. "I was not expecting you until later... I thought that you would wish to spend more time with your friends today," she said hesitantly.
Twilight didn't respond for several seconds, then she shook her head. "Today was exhausting... I guess I would have liked to have spent more time with them, but..." she trailed off and her lips pulled into a grimace.
Luna nodded idly. "It seemed to go okay, did it not?" she asked.
Twilight fidgeted in Luna's embrace. "Well... yes. You were right. It was mostly okay," she relented.
Luna chuckled softly. "And yet you still worried throughout the whole thing. Although you seemed to calm down after a while. Well, either that or you finally reached your limit and just shut down."
Twilight snorted. "That only happened one time, Luna," she said defensively.
Luna smiled, then took a deep breath. She squeezed Twilight with her wings, then slowly folded them back to her sides. She reluctantly released Twilight from her forelegs, and Twilight hesitantly leaned away from her. "I truly wish you had not been so stressed and nervous today, Twilight. It was a beautiful coronation, and I wish you could have enjoyed it more without all of the stress."
Twilight sighed a little. "It's fine..." she trailed off. She swallowed. "You were right about that. I was worried mostly about nothing. True, we had to improvise on several occasions, but it wasn't like it was completely ruined, just... modified."
Luna smiled in approval. "Worrying truly serves no purpose," she commented. "'Tis but a way of passing the time today and making one afraid of the morrow."
"How many times have you said that to me now?" Twilight asked.
Luna tilted her head. "I have lost count," she admitted.
Twilight giggled a little and shook her head. "Yeah, I guess I do have a problem with that..." she trailed off and studied the floor.
After a few seconds, Luna stood back up, then casually strode into her bedchambers. Twilight glanced up and watched her, then she stood up and followed her. Luna walked over to the door to the balcony, then opened it and stepped outside. Twilight hesitantly followed her out onto the balcony. She kept her distance and watched Luna light her horn and close her eyes.
As the last rays of sunlight faded to darkness, Twilight watched as Luna used her magic to coax her moon into place, causing the soft white orb to gradually rise into the sky. The stars, now visible in the darkened night sky, twinkled and sparkled, glistening cheerfully, without a care in the world.
Luna's magic stopped, and she opened her eyes. For a few seconds, she stood there. "Perhaps one day, you will move the moon," she commented absently. Twilight remained quiet. Luna walked over to the railing and propped herself up against it and let her forelegs dangle over the edge. "'Tis a lovely night, is it not?" she asked.
Twilight nodded, then slowly approached Luna. "Yes it is," she agreed. She came to a stop at the railing and studied Luna for a minute, then mimicked her in resting against the railing and letting her forehooves dangle over the edge. She looked out over Equestria. Though it was night and the lack of light made it hard to discern many features, the soft moonlight made the country seem even more beautiful, perhaps even stunning. Twilight breathed calmly and relaxed. It was peaceful. Twilight stifled a yawn, then shivered as a gentle breeze rolled by.
Luna glanced at Twilight, then unfolded her right wing and draped it over Twilight's back.
"Thanks," Twilight said softly. She leaned against Luna.
"Think nothing of it," Luna replied. A few seconds of silence passed. "How does it feel to be a princess?" Luna inquired.
Twilight frowned in thought, her brow creasing. "It's... not really all that different. I don't feel any different. But... the guards and other ponies referring to me as 'princess' is a bit... well, it'll take some getting used to..." she trailed off.
Luna nodded slowly. "I... am sorry that we did not tell you of the speech you were to make, and I am sorry that I did not wake you up earlier. I put more stress on you because of that than I should have."
Twilight shook her head. "It's fine... you wanted the speech to come from my heart." She smiled sheepishly. "What better way to make sure of that than not tell me I was going to give a speech?"
Luna shifted her weight slightly. "It was still wrong. I knew that it would make you nervous. You handled it well... I was afraid that you would not, or that if we told you in advance you would worry even more over that."
"Luna, really... it's fine," Twilight said softly.
Luna looked over at Twilight and studied her expression. After a few seconds, she looked back over Equestria.
"And... thanks for letting me sleep in, I guess..." Twilight added. "I... well, you're probably right that I needed it, and you're probably right that I didn't need to wake up that early. I would have just been worrying longer..." she trailed off. A few seconds passed and she yawned, then shook her head. "Sorry," she apologized.
Luna nodded absently. "Perhaps we should retire. It has been a long day, after all. Even more so for you." She folded her wing back to her side, then backed away from the railing and turned. She walked back to her bedchambers.
Twilight lingered for a second before following after her. As soon as she was inside, Luna closed the door behind her and opened the curtains, letting the soft moonlight in through the window.
Luna meandered over to her dresser, then took off her regalia and set it down, leaving her chest bare. She levitated her crown off, then she walked over to the bed and pulled the covers back.
Twilight hesitantly walked over to the bed, then lifted each of her hooves, one at a time, and levitated off the golden shoes she wore, then she levitated off her regalia and tiara. She set her shoes on the floor beside the dresser and set her regalia and tiara beside Luna's.
Luna climbed into bed and laid on her side, facing Twilight. She held a wing open. Twilight smiled a little, then climbed into bed and rolled over to face the window.
Luna wrapped her wing around Twilight and pulled her close, then wrapped her forelegs around her body and laid her head against Twilight's head before tucking her into the crook of her neck. "Goodnight, my love..." she whispered.
Twilight shifted a bit and pressed herself back into Luna's warm, soft body. She sighed contently and closed her eyes. "Goodnight, Luna."
Luna gave her a little squeeze, then pulled the covers back over them.
Author's Note
I enjoyed writing this. I hope you enjoyed reading this. I kind of enjoy writing TwiLuna. Perhaps I should write more TwiLuna. It is kind of cute...
How did I do?