Flor d'Luna Noire

Chapters

Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three

Chapter One

Flor d'Luna Noire

Chapter One:

The night had a crisp and somewhat spiteful air about it as Twilight walked slowly, yet deliberately, through the Ponyville town square. As always, the moon shown brightly next to the dazzling stars in Luna's sky. Tonight she had outdone herself, though she did not know it, as her beautiful painting of light illuminated the land in a most alluring fashion, reflecting off the newly fallen snow to cast a glimmering white aura that rose from the chilled earth and dissipated into the icy air. The scene was one that Twilight stopped to admire on more than one occasion. After the third stop, however, she shook her head violently so as to keep the task at hoof firmly in her mind.

Twilight giggled slightly due to the fact that her mane tossing had let a few stray hairs make their way into her mouth, however, she forced herself to begin walking through the freezing, yet gorgeous night. Her only respite from the cold was a light cloak covered in icing smudges (and being a garment borrowed from Pinkie Pie, Twilight expected nothing less to be adorning the simple raiment), and she was still attempting to blow the stray hairs away from her face when Twilight neared the edges of the small town. When she finally got her mane to cooperate, and it returned to a semi-ordered state, Twilight reverted her attention back to what lay in front of her. When she did, she stopped dead in her tracks and drew in a quick breath at the scene laid out before her eyes.

The slightly rolling hills between her and the Everfree Forest were covered in a gleaming blanket of shimmering, virgin snow. The few trees that rose up from the ground seemed to be the noble guardians of the evanescent spectacle, their arms raised in silent worship to the azure sky which was penetrated with the brilliance of uncountable stars. Twilight had galloped over those hills with her friends on innumerable occasions, but never had she seen them like this. The stoic grace of the land was instantaneously brought to light by this simple, yet incredible, transformation from the usual green landscape to this sparkling sea of white radiance, one that she was experiencing first, alone, and with no distractions.

Twilight couldn’t help but feel excited that it was she who was the one to lay eyes on the beautiful surroundings before anypony else had the chance. Every other time it had snowed in Ponyville, the beauty had been desecrated almost instantaneously by playful children, couples out on a winter walk, or just the hustle and bustle of everyday pony life, leaving a torn and hoof print covered shadow of the view that Twilight always seemed to miss by mere moments. Thankfully, the weather ponies had scheduled this winter snowing late enough that most other ponies were asleep and the biting chill of the winter air kept those that were awake in their warm houses. And though it was indeed a very cool night, Twilight would not exchange this moment for any warm interior.

Eventually being pulled away from the magical scene by her current errand, Twilight began to walk again, then stopped and thought for a moment. Deciding that she would leave the landscape the way it was instead of ruining the exquisite snow by trotting over it, she prepared herself to teleport to her destination at the edge of the forest. Twilight thus dipped into the well of magic inside her, focusing it with it her mind and causing it to flow through her. She then diverted it to the precise point at the tip of her horn where it could be concentrated and released to achieve the end result of her spell. The pleasant feeling of the magic coursing through the small mare was soon dispelled as a bright pink ball engulfed her and then vanished as quickly as it had formed, leaving only four hoof prints in the crisp white snow where she had been standing. Immediately, the sphere of light reappeared at the edge of the forest across the glittering expanse of white from where it had first been called into existence. It then vanished leaving Twilight standing with a small smile on her face as the magic recessed back into the depths of her being.

Twilight soon regained her focus and began to look around her at the borderline of the forest. She had teleported herself not far, or at least less that a quarter mile, from the path to Zecora’s house so she knew this region fairly well in a sense. And, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Twilight set about preparing to accomplish her task.

“Ok. Now where did I put that checklist?” Twilight asked herself as she levitated a book out from her saddlebag. “Ah here it is,” she replied to herself when she located a piece of parchment with her distinct writing style sealed away within the first few pages of the volume.

“Ok. Make it to the area in question outside Everfree Forest. Check!” she said excitedly while crossing off a box with her magically levitating quill. “Now then next is… Reread the entry on Winter’s Heart. Alright…” she mumbled as she continued on down the list. Twilight then brought the book she was holding in the air closer to her so as to better see the words on the pages.

As she flipped through it to find the pages on the subject, the small unicorn silently thanked Zecora for allowing her to borrow the green bound encyclopedia. The copy of The Intricacies of Natural Horticulture had been a goddess-send in helping her develop herbal remedies that let her use less magic for everyday health and more for her development of magical control and practice routines. This particular plant, however, was not going to be used for a simple remedy, but for something else entirely. Twilight smiled softly at the thought of how she would put the Winter’s Heart to use as she finally found the correct page in her book.

“Winter’s Heart,” Twilight began, her eyes squinting slightly so as to better focus on the words, “A flower of rare beauty that blooms only on the first night of winter snow each year. It can be recognized easily by the long lily-like petals it possesses that are royal blue in color on the interior but that fade out to a dark purple on the outer edge. This flower is usually found close to a large gathering of trees around the outside of the group, near to or along the tree line.” There was a small black and white sketch of the flower immediately under the words that she had just finished reading that Twilight studied carefully for a moment before moving on. “The various uses of the flower include…” she continued, before fading off into her mind. Twilight knew the flower’s uses in a practical sense after reading the entry a myriad of times, yet she was interested in none of them at the moment.

Twilight shut the book and carefully levitated it back into her saddlebag while unconsciously checking off the second box on her list. She knew what the third was without a glance at her parchment and immediately set off along the edge of the forest looking for a small blue and purple flower. She searched as far as the path to Zecora’s house, easily taking her about an hour. Twilight then doubled back and searched the other way. After thirty minutes or so, the cold began to take its toll as the mare shivered violently in the icy weather. She was just about to double back again when she saw the smallest hint of a midnight colored petal sticking out of the serenely glinting snow.

Twilight galloped over to the flower, a soft cheer escaping her lips as she went. She was nearly overcome with joy and cold at the same time and she kicked herself mentally for forgetting her magic in her determination to find the precious plant. The unicorn leaned over to the flower while simultaneously casting a heating spell that instantly warmed her body leaving a glowing and happy Twilight in its wake. The spell seemed a bit harder to cast than it should have though, and it took her a minute to figure out why.

“Duh, Twilight!” she thought to herself, as she nuzzled the snow away from the beautiful flower. “You forgot to put your quill and checklist up!” She smiled as she mentally scolded herself for her forgetfulness. She checked off “Find the Winter’s Heart flower” on her list and then replaced it and the quill in her bag.

Twilight then bent back down to take in the breathtaking beauty of the delicate flower before her. The leaves were silky smooth and glinted as if coated with a slightly reflective layer that shown with the soft light of the moon and stars. Twilight looked up for a moment to once again admire the night sky and all the fathoms and depths it had to offer in its infinite elegance. She once again caught herself musing over her reason for finding the enchanting flower.

The unicorn smiled again to herself as she reached for a pair of floral shears with her magic and brought them over to the stem of the Winter’s Heart. She snipped with absolute precision at the base and then proceeded to weave together a very complex Everlife spell on the flower so it would not lose any of its natural radiance, for a very long time at least. Sustaining life was a very difficult procedure and could not be done indefinitely, but Twilight had been practicing for months now and by doing some intensive calculations had determined the spell would leave the flower intact for at least three years.

When she finally let the threads of her magic recede back to the pool from which they had been drawn, she felt exhausted yet content. The amount of magic required to accomplish the Everlife spell was immense for Twilight and the complexity was not only taxing mentally, but physically as well. But she would not complain. She had completed her task and could only smile wider at her accomplishment.

Twilight levitated the flower into a vase that was protruding slightly from the corner of her saddlebag and prepared to leave. She turned and looked at the moon again and the light it refracted off the snow and couldn’t help but sit for another moment to relax just a bit longer as she gazed upwards in admiration. Twilight had spent many a night such as this mapping the stars in the sky, noting each constellation and reproducing it with precise measurements on especially large rolls of parchment. She smiled as she thought of the stars on her flank and how each star in the sky was infinitely more complex than the simple shapes of those on her cutie mark. They were radiant and beautiful, and ever since Luna’s return, they shone brighter and were more dazzling than Celestia could ever make them.

Twilight blushed slightly for thinking a borderline inferior thought of her mentor. But she thought that even Celestia could not deny this fact, and she probably felt nothing but joy for her sister at the thought of it. Twilight smiled again as she pictured her instructor viewing the same stars and reaching the same conclusion with a warm smile. In fact, Twilight hoped Celestia was looking. She beamed at the thought of her teacher whom she hadn’t seen in quite some time. She missed her terribly but the thought of Celestia looking up at the same sky was enough of a connection at the moment to placate her.

Twilight traced a constellation she recognized while musing over her relationship with Celestia and frowned slightly. She hadn’t done any star charts since Luna’s return. And on a night such as this, she had no right not to, she thought with a smile. She drew out a fresh piece of parchment and her quill from her saddlebag and began to draw the constellations in the sky before her. She didn’t have her instruments with her tonight though, so she would have to rely on eyeballing it. The mare chuckled slightly as she realized she was relying on a side of herself she rarely got to experience, and as her artistic side came out, soon she was no longer relying on the stars that were actually hanging overhead.

Twilight moved with grace, dotting the parchment here and there with her own stars and naming them as she went along. She giggled like a school filly when she let her playful self out and named one of her new constellations Twilightlicious. She couldn’t help but endorse the silly name for the cluster of twinkling stars in the shape of her cutie mark that she could picture vividly in the sky next to the brightest of all of the sparkling pinpricks, Aurora Lucens: The Shining Dawn, in honor of Celestia herself.

Twilight sat back and looked at her rendition of the night sky. She sighed with contentment at the drawing, which she believed was one of the best she had done, measurements and false stars aside. Now she was happy just to gaze deeply into the night.

“Beautiful, is it not?” a rich and flowing voice asked innocently from behind the purple mare, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin.

“WHOINTHENAMEOFCELESTIA?!?” she screamed as she jerked around to see who it was that had scared her half to death. She was met with the hurt look of a serene midnight blue alicorn with a mane that flowed with the vastness of the night sky.

“A thousand apologies my dear Twilight! It was not my intention to frighten you… And this was definitely not the good kind of scaring was it..?” the alicorn asked helplessly, slightly lowering her head in shame as she did.

“Oh, Luna…” Twilight sympathetically replied. “I just wasn’t expecting it was all. It’s all right, really!” Twilight’s heart was still racing far faster than it’s normal pace and her breathing was more rapid as well, but there was no harm done. She looked at the Princess and aimed a half fake, half sincere, smile in her direction.

Luna looked up from the icy ground and meekly responded, “Do you speak the truth, Twilight Sparkle?”

“Of course I do Luna!” Twilight stated emphatically to the overly worrying princess. “At least you didn’t use your royal Canterlot voice. Otherwise I probably would have died of fright!” she added with a giggle.

“TWILIGHT SPARKLE! DOEST THOU MOCK THE ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE?” Luna bellowed, forcing Twilight back a few steps and causing her heart to beat faster yet again. Luna ended this fearsome display with a soft laugh and a coy, sarcastic smile directed at the purple unicorn.

“Princess..! You’ll wake up… all the other ponies… in Ponyville!” Twilight managed to wheeze out between fits of gasping from the sudden, frightening roar and laughter at Luna’s playful joke.

“Let them wake Twilight. Then they will be able to marvel at the winter night just like us,” Luna stated sagely with a truly sincere smile as she looked out across the stunning frozen landscape. Twilight of course could not figure out whether the ‘us’ in the Princess’ statement was addressing both of the mares or just the regal alicorn, but she chuckled to herself as she assumed it was most likely the former. Twilight also could not help but marvel at all the strength that her Princess possessed in her petite frame, but she frowned as she also thought of all the uncertainty and doubt harbored there.

“Are you not at ease, Twilight?” Luna asked, a touch of concern lining her soft query as she noticed the slight frown on the unicorn.

“Oh, of course Princess,” Twilight replied, looking up into the mare’s shining blue eyes. “I was just thinking about some… ah… some stuff.” Twilight kicked herself mentally for her less than eloquent response but continued on anyway. “Also, no offence intended, but uh, why are you out here?” she asked quizzically, being very confused as to the sudden appearance of one of the great rulers of Equestria.

“Well first, I thought I told you to just call me Luna…” the Princess of the Night began, bending down as she said it, a slight smile that both chastised in a friendly manner and told of her feelings for the phrase. Clearly Luna was uncomfortable with the epithet and Twilight made a mental note to respond in kind.

“I’m sorry Luna,” she started, looking over to the mare who had since turned away to look out across the snowy expanse. “It’s just been so long. I simply forgot.”

“It’s quite alright Twilight,” Luna responded, turning to face her companion again. “It’s just that being my only friend, I wish that you would avoid the formalities of my station.” Luna said this last sentence in a tone that seemed almost too regal to be taken seriously by Twilight. She then turned around yet again to face the snowy terrain.

“What do you mean I’m your only friend Luna? Don’t you remember Nightmare Night?” Twilight asked, attempting to make Luna recall the friends she made on that dark and "stormy" night, no thanks to Rainbow Dash.

“Yes Twilight. I do remember,” Luna said, sounding resigned and borderline exhausted. “I remember your friends running from me and only agreeing to help because of your determination. I remember the children screaming in terror as I frightened them, first unintentionally, then of my own accord. I remember the townsfolk accepting that I was there, but still being afraid to approach their Princess. While you may believe hopefully that I made friends that night, my dear Twilight, I simply concede to the fact that I was a presence, either for good or discomfort.”

“Well when you put it that way… Jeez…” Twilight mumbled under her breath, a scowl forming on her face at the somber thoughts. She looked over once again at the Princess of the Night. Luna had her head bowed and was looking across the snowy expanse before her in the direction of Ponyville. Twilight noticed an irregular gleam in the alicorn’s eyes that she couldn’t quite place, but it lasted only seconds before Luna turned back to her.

“Twilight, I appreciate your attempts at earning me the friendship of others, but I have been alone for a thousand years. A few more will not harm my spirits. What I truly am seeking is respect as the Goddess of the Night and Stars. And I seem to have gained that for better or worse, friends or no,” Luna stated with a small sigh, earning a concerned glance from Twilight. Twilight opened her mouth to begin her rebuttal, but Luna continued on while also shooting Twilight a sharp but not unfriendly look that made her re-seal her lips into a frown.

“Regardless, it seems I have not answered your question. I have been sent on a missive from my sister. And seeing as you were not to be found at the library, I simply followed your hoofprints here,” Luna began, causing Twilight to elicit a very befuddled facial expression.

“Why was she trying to find me?” she asked, then subconsciously adding, almost accusingly, “And from Celestia? Why couldn’t she come herself? It’s not like I haven’t seen her since the wedding or anything…”

With her mood thus soured, Twilight looked up at Luna questioningly with a look that not only conveyed her everlasting curiosity but her need to know. And when it came to Celestia, Luna expected no less.

“Celestia would like for me to pass this letter on to you personally, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said while turning around to look deep into Twilight’s eyes as if she was searching desperately for something within their purple depths. She had taken to a more steely tone than the friendly one that she had previously been employing, one that was resolute but somber and reserved. Twilight suddenly felt very chilled again, though she knew it had nothing to do with the winter cold. She turned away from Luna’s gaze and found a sealed envelope floating directly in front of her muzzle when she did, one levitated in a dark purple, near blue, aura, complete with the Royal Equestrian Seal and addressed in the writing of her teacher that she knew so well.

“Do not open it until you are back in the safety of your own room,” Luna ordered as a grave expression overtook her usual regal and stunning features.

Twilight could stand being left in the dark no longer.

“But WHY?!?” she yelled, turning on the princess as she snatched the letter from Luna’s magic with her own, a sudden and evanescent connection forming between the two that was snapped just as quickly as it had begun.

Her heart raced. Questions were pounding in her head. What did she mean in the “safety” of my own room? Why wasn’t dragon fire good enough to send the message? Why was Luna looking for her specifically? It didn’t add up.

Twilight’s breathing was now ragged due to the frigid air entering and exiting her lungs so quickly, and Twilight was sure she looked like nothing more than a stressed out mess, and in front of one of the ruler’s of Equestria no less. But right now, she didn’t care. All she wanted was the truth. Answers. Luna was beating around the bush about something now, but Twilight couldn’t tell what was waiting in the wings.

“Be calm Twilight. All will be answered when you read-“ Luna was cut off by a snort from the smaller unicorn mare.

“No Luna! I hate being left in the dark! And whatever is going on here is obviously affecting you! You went from being happy and friendly to reserved and somber in ten seconds flat, pardon my expression, and I want to know what’s happening!” Twilight nearly screamed. She couldn’t help it. If something could make Luna feel this way, then it was no small matter. She was upset and concerned for Luna, and Twilight had never been good at controlling her emotions. She felt terrible yelling at her princess and friend, but she didn’t know what else to do. Her feelings just got the best of her.

Luna drew in a very long, very deep breath at Twilight’s outburst. A slight wave of pain crossed her face causing Twilight to wince in regret. The blue alicorn turned and walked a few paces away with her head bowed slightly and her eyes closed while Twilight looked on expectantly. Twilight was still watching her closely, slapping herself over and over mentally for harming her friend in such a way, when Luna suddenly collapsed and simply lay on the snow covered ground, looking up at the sky after opening her eyes. Twilight let out a sharp cry as she instantly started to rush over to Luna. It was in this moment that she recognized the gleam in Luna’s eyes that she had seen previously. Luna was crying.

When Twilight reached her, the princess was shaking uncontrollably and breathing heavier than Twilight had ever seen anypony do so before. Any shred of composure that Luna had possessed prior to this moment was shed and Twilight could not even begin to formulate a hypothesis as to why Luna was breaking down in such a fashion. All she could do was run to Luna and hug her friend tight as she whispered those words that would shake her world forever.

“Twilight… My Sister… Celestia… She’s dying…”

________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: Thanks so much for reading! This is the first chapter of my first fanfic and any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I've never really written anything in a creative style before but I thought I'd give it a shot.

Chapter Two

*Special thanks to AzureKaRyu and Mister Morden for helping with ideas and for proof reading. Seriously you guys are the best!*

Flor d'Luna Noire

Chapter Two:

Twilight struggled desperately to comprehend what she had just been told. Her mind had received what Luna had said, but wasn’t processing it. How could that be? It was impossible! Her teacher and mentor, the great Celestia, Goddess of the Sun, could not be dying! She searched Luna’s eyes imploringly, beseechingly willing her to let this cruel joke go… She found only the truth in Luna’s dark tears and the distance of her stare.

“What...? How...?” Twilight urgently asked the heaving ruler that she held so tightly in her hooves. The tumultuous sea of emotions raging inside Twilight at this moment left her dizzy and distraught, as if she was lost in the current inside of herself.

She felt cold. She was alone. The world around her sunk into an oblivion of tears and darkness as she began to grasp what Luna had said. The night lost all glamour. The snow no longer shimmered in the light of the moon and stars. The air lost all liveliness to its crisp flow. The trees now stood as giants casting their looming shadows of despair upon the void that now filled Twilight’s heart.

She released Luna and stepped back in a daze.

“I… I have to… sit down…” Twilight whispered as she fell into the snow a few feet from Luna.

She looked blankly around herself, finally focusing on her hooves, the hooves that Celestia held as she walked her around Canterlot as a young filly. The hooves that trotted in sync with hers every time Twilight visited. The hooves that now were meaningless and were wet from tears Twilight didn’t even realize she had shed.

Twilight threw her hooves away from her face, disgusted that such a worthless pair of objects was holding the precious tears she had shed for her beloved mentor. The dam that held her insecurities, her weakness, and her failures broke and flowed throughout her being. The dam that had been the love and praise of Celestia... She was suddenly filled with despair and a loss of purpose that turned her usually warm heart into a cold shadow of its former self. She was locked in a prison of ice and stone that she herself had created.

“Twilight…” a voice said from somewhere above her solitary abode within herself. It was sweet and laced with sadness, yet still it held a resolve. “Twilight. Please stop crying.”

The voice was indeed made of steel. Cracks broke in the walls of Twilight’s cell of pain and misery. Light began to pour back into her soul as Twilight was drawn out by the voice. She could feel the pain in it as well, but it also held kindness and concern. She flowed back into the world like water bubbling from a stream.

“Luna...!” she gasped, being thrust back into reality in a fraction of a second, suddenly fully aware of her surroundings again. She found herself curled up against the blue alicorn, who had placed a wing matronly around the small mare and looked at her with a concern that only one who had truly lost could form in their eyes. Twilight jumped up and stood next to her in the frigid air, immediately wishing she still had Luna’s warmth to comfort her.

“I’m sorry… I lost control…” Twilight said sadly, shutting her eyes in anger at herself. How could she just lose it in front of one of the Princesses!

“No Twilight. It is I who should apologize. I gave in to my inner emotions that I have held inside for far too long. I simply had to let it out…” Luna offered with a small smile that Twilight knew was sad but sincere.

“And I have not told you everything… Oh Discord’s hindquarter’s! Why couldn’t I have broken down after you read the letter!” she said suddenly louder and with a stamp of a hoof, eliciting a quick intake of breath from Twilight at the princess’ curse.

“What do you mean…?” Twilight asked, searching Luna for answers through tear soaked eyes.

“Twilight she is dying. Not dead. There is a chance to save her,” Luna said sternly, as though she was trying to convince herself as much as Twilight. “But alas I fear I have overstayed my welcome for now Twilight Sparkle. I should go. I have done as charged and staying will most likely only complicate things further.”

The princess looked confused and angry with herself, but made to move away all the same.

“Luna, wait!” Twilight yelled, now more confused than ever. “What are you talking about?”

She wanted to cry again. She could not make heads or tails of the situation, and she would bet her bottom bit that Luna was holding more in than what she had already let out.

“I’m sorry Twilight, but the letter will answer your questions better than I can, if not in an indirect fashion. You need time,” Luna said as she lifted her wings and began pumping them. “As do I.”

“So you’re just going to leave me here? After all that?” Twilight cracked out, her voice suddenly losing all reliability.

“Please Luna…” The alicorn’s wings suddenly froze mid-down stroke. There was a desperation in this soft plea that could not be ignored, even by a princess.

“Very well. I will wait,” Luna no more than whispered in reply. She pulled her wings back to her side and looked away from the purple mare while she lay down again in the snow and waited.

“Thank you Luna,” Twilight managed to squeak out. Her tears flowed at a steadier rate now as she thought about the letter and what it might contain. She did not want to be left alone at all in this situation. If she had been, she could not imagine the state she would have been left in. Luna however looked very nervous and disgruntled, but she stayed put.

Placated slightly by this fact, Twilight looked at the letter and brought it to face her. She broke the seal on the back with a quick surge of magic and slowly slid the letter out of the envelope. When the letter was finally removed from its thin casing, she discarded the envelope and levitated it into her bag, her preoccupation with littering unconsciously displaying itself.

“There better be some bucking answers in this letter…” Twilight muttered under her breath and through her tears. She folded the parchment open and couldn’t help but feel a pang of despair at the slightly ragged hoofwriting that was normally as close to perfect as a pony, or goddess, could get.

My most faithful student,

I am sending you this letter first and foremost to alert you to the fact that I am not well. In fact, in my current state, it is regretfully unlikely that I will live to see the Summer Sun Celebration through next year. I am dying. I say this not to alarm you, my dear Twilight, but to inform you of the gravity of the situation. For obvious reasons Luna herself had to bring this letter due to the severity of its contents. I know you will be seeking answers as you are a very curious mare and no doubt Luna will have you even more stupefied (I do wish she would learn to control herself better). I wish to inform you personally of the events transpiring. I would like for you to gather the Elements as swiftly as you can manage and come to Canterlot Castle. Once here, I will explain everything in full. I cannot wait to hear your newest ruminations on the topic of friendship when you arrive.

Yours truly,
Princess Celestia

P.S. Until you are ready to leave, Luna will be staying with you. Do try to accommodate her. I know she can be brash, but please be understanding and patient.

Good. So no answers at all…

Twilight sighed as she read through the letter a fifth time, her tears long since dried as she found something to focus on. She had spent at least half an hour analyzing the letter and looking for clues within its contents. She couldn’t believe that Celestia would mention something so casual as friendship reports in a letter so grim. It almost made her angry that the princess tried to water it down in such a way but she dismissed the rising emotion.

“Gather the Elements? Well I guess we are always the go to for when Equestria is in danger…” She mumbled to herself after moving on to another part of the letter. “I wonder if she wants the actual Elements too or just the bearers though.”

“There is no need to bring the physical Elements, Twilight,” the same rich voice as before stated astutely from a few feet behind the purple mare. Twilight looked up to see that Luna had barely moved, while she herself had been pacing all around the area without realizing it.

“But we won’t have much power to save her without them,” Twilight said, confusion once again seeping into her voice. She lowered the letter and cocked her head at Luna who seemed to take heart in the fact that she could offer some assistance, or what little she could anyway.

“Celestia has not told me much either Twilight. I am almost as uninformed of the situation as you are. But I can guess at the origin of her sickness and if I am correct, the Elements are useless against it,” Luna replied with a sigh. She looked exhausted, Twilight observed, and she had no reason to say she shouldn’t, considering the current state of things. Then suddenly she realized her fault in the matter.

“Oh! Luna… I can’t believe I let this get the better of me when you must be hurting so much worse… I mean she’s your sister, not mine…” Twilight said, the shame fully evident in her meek voice. She felt like a school filly again, one who was crying over a broken crayon. She looked down and away and scratched at the snow with a hoof, knowing full well the comparison was absurd, but still she felt it. After all who was she to break down when clearly the pony who was closest to Celestia needed help? She closed her eyes, now angry, confused, sad, and ashamed.

“Twilight, do not belittle your feelings in regards to my own. I have no doubt that Celestia means just as much to you as she does to me. Use that as a well from which to draw strength. While I may not be as wise and empathetic as my sister, you and I share the same pain and I do not think there is another pony alive that would be able to relate fully with our suffering over this development,” Luna responded gently while pinning Twilight with an understanding look that could have come from Celestia herself. Somehow that made it harder for Twilight to take control.

“But Miss Sparkle, I feel that we should retire our sad talk for another day,” Luna said, groaning as she got to her feet in a very un-princess like fashion. It was enough to make Twilight smile slightly, regardless of her overflowing emotions for Celestia. Luna seemed to catch it and, after looking around to make sure they were still alone, stuck her tongue out at Twilight who in turn sighed and walked slowly over to stand by the princess.

“Well I guess I can’t cry forever,” the purple unicorn whispered when she reached the alicorn.

“If there is anything I have learned since my return, Twilight Sparkle, it is that tears shed do not change the present or the past and they are to be let out sparingly at best. I apologize for not partaking of my own advice earlier however… I know it only made you feel more lost,” Luna said sadly, turning to meet Twilight’s eyes. Twilight matched the look for a moment, before reaching out to the alicorn and pulling her into a quick hug. Luna looked shocked at the sudden contact, but only for a moment. Her gaze returned to its usual softness and she simply nodded at Twilight’s display.

“You don’t have to apologize Luna,” Twilight said after they pulled away. “I’m just glad neither of us have to bear this alone.”

She turned again to the hills between the forest and her home and thought of Spike and how he must be worried to death. She had said she would be home hours ago. Actually, he was probably asleep by now regardless of how upset he was. A quick smile danced across Twilight’s face when she pictured her baby number one assistant asleep at the table where he normally waited up for her.

As if reading her mind Luna cleared her throat and spoke. “Well I assume I should be off again. You should get home. Celestia expects you tomorrow evening at the latest.”

“From what I read, I don’t think she expects you until then either,” Twilight replied, puzzled by Luna’s implied return to Canterlot. Then she noticed the briefest flash of anger in the princess’ eyes.

“I told her I’m not leaving her alone until then,” she nearly growled at no pony in particular. Twilight was taken aback slightly by her primal response, but quickly set about attempting to uncover the source of the slight outburst.

“What are you talking about Luna?” she asked quizzically, fixing her eyes on the now restless alicorn who stamped a hoof in annoyance.

“She wishes for me to stay here with you and your friends and escort you to the castle. But she needs someone to look out for her! She is weak in her current state!” She stared urgently at Twilight silently begging for her to agree. Unfortunately for her, Twilight didn’t.

“Luna, I’m not sure what’s wrong with Celestia, but she has never set us on a wrong path before…” She said cautiously while backing down from Luna’s intimidating gaze. She shuffled uncomfortably, awaiting the backlash for her comment, but was surprisingly met only with a sigh and a very dejected looking Luna turning away from her.

“You’re right, of course, as is she. But why? Why does she push me away so when she is hurting? You can see it in her eyes Twilight…” Luna said, craning her neck as if questioning her own sky for answers, or perhaps even beyond. “I just want to help her. I already left her side once. I do not wish to do so again.”

Twilight knew what Luna was referring to. She shuddered as she thought of the night of Nightmare Moon’s return. She could only imagine the pain and regret Luna felt for her actions. Worse still was the fact that she thought those emotions were resurfacing again.

“Luna, Celestia will be ok for one night. Besides isn’t Cadence watching her?” Twilight asked gingerly with a small smile and assuming the third princess would not be leaving Celestia hanging out to dry, thus drawing the eyes of the mare next to her. Ironic considering how she was feeling about it earlier.

“Well, she is indeed, but-“

“But nothing Luna,” Twilight said firmly, causing the ruler to furrow her brow at the sudden interjection. “You need rest. You’re clearly exhausted. And besides, it will take at least an hour for you to fly back and you look like you’re going to fall over just standing there. There are plenty of hours left in the night for you to get some sleep. We will set out first thing in the morning, I promise.”

At this last statement, Twilight gave Luna a reassuring smile that the princess snorted at. Nevertheless, she resigned herself to Twilight’s care.

“Twi- Fine… I accept,” Luna responded while finding a sudden fascination with the ground. She shifted her wings uncomfortably before continuing. “However, I demand we leave the moment the sun rises.”

“Of course, Luna,” Twilight replied. “I’m worried too. But I learned after a particularly messy situation with my doll that rushing things doesn’t necessarily turn out for the best…”

“A doll...?”

“Long story...”

“Fair answer.”

Twilight sighed. She suddenly felt the full force that the events of the night had placed on her body and mind. She was exhausted as well. It was all she could do to keep her eyes open and mind focused.

“Anyway… We should really get some sleep,” the purple mare said, looking down at the snow, struggling against the depths of her weariness. “And I guess you’re staying with me?”

Twilight suddenly found a new reserve of energy. She had nothing set up for a guest! She had no spare bed in the library at the current moment, or ever really, come to think of it. The only other bed she had ever kept was simply for the one night she had her sleepover party with Rarity and Applejack. And that she had to borrow from the Cakes. Her eyes widened as she began to panic.

“I presume that is the case,” Luna muttered turning towards Twilight and stretching her wings.

“Uh. Luna?” Twilight started, her breathing getting slightly faster as she fretted on about her predicament.

“Mmm?” Luna responded distractedly, looking out towards Ponyville and flapping her wings for warmth.

“I uh, I only have one bed, so…” Twilight began, deciding on a course of action for the moment. “So if you’d like to have it for the night, I’ll pull some cushions next to Spike. I think he’d like that anyway.”

“I am very grateful Twilight, but I do not think that will be necessary,” Luna responded while shifting her gaze towards the purple unicorn and giving her a kind smile. “I do not sleep during the night. It is my responsibility to keep watch after the setting of the sun. Though I hold no duty this far from Canterlot, a habit such as that is a difficult one to break indeed.”

“Luna you need sleep,” Twilight retorted, rounding out her statement with a slight hint of annoyance and a small frown.

“What you say is true,” Luna replied. “However, need is rendered a moot point if the object of the feeling is simply unavailable. I have not been able to sleep through the night for quite some time. At least since I was reassigned my night time duties.”

“Well will you at least try?” Twilight asked with a sigh. She was about to give up on arguing with this certain stubborn alicorn, and she assumed it would only get worse tomorrow when they were on their way to the castle.

“I… Will try.” Luna hesitated momentarily while turning away causing Twilight’s frown to deepen. She was too tired to keep this up. She needed to get back to the library soon. She had a lot to do. Primarily, she had to go tell the girls. That was going to be a chore. She silently begged Rarity to not make a fuss about beauty sleep and hoped Rainbow Dash would even wake up, that is if she could even get up to Cloudsdale. She shuddered at the thought of having to prepare the balloon again. At least she knew that those two would come, even if it would be coupled with some complaining. She was not worried about Pinkie or Fluttershy either, but Applejack would need some convincing. She never liked leaving the farm and her family, especially on such short notice.

Twilight sighed. These were all bridges she would cross when she came to them. Tomorrow morning preferably. For now she just needed to put one hoof in front of the other and make it back home. She supposed she could teleport again, but she got the feeling that if she did, that would drain what energy she had left completely. She was running on empty and now she was even starting to feel hungry.

“I knew I should have had that second daisy sandwich…” She muttered to herself as a loud grumble affirmed her thoughts. She mulled over more unpleasant threads ending with her realization that she was being a bit of a pessimist before turning to address the princess again.

“Well, shall we?”

“I suppose we shall,” the alicorn answered with a sad look about the area that was still gleaming even through all the darkness that had settled on the two ponies. “A shame to ruin the snow however.”

“I know. I wish Featherweight was here to get a picture. This would make for a great one,” Twilight said with a smile at the thought of the tiny pegasus who looked like he could barely hold up his camera.

Her smile faded as they began their walk across the field. The snow gave off satisfying crunches underhoof, but not nearly enough so as to ward off the ever-present chill of the night air. There was no longer an excitement present to keep the cold at bay, and now it lingered, nipping at snout, ear, and hoof, as well as drawing all warmth out of the rest of Twilight’s body. She wished she still had the energy to cast a heating spell, but for the moment it escaped her.

Twilight glanced over to Luna wondering how she could even stand after everything that had happened. The princess walked in silence except for the shuffle of the snow. Her head was still somehow held tall, and if she felt the icy surroundings, she showed no sign of it. Twilight wondered if alicorns had the same cold shearing attributes as the pegasi. It would only make sense, she assumed. She would have to ask her or Celestia about it someday.

Twlight’s heart sank yet again at the thought of the Sun Goddess. She wished she could run to her and fix everything with a spell that could heal any illness or wound. She wanted nothing more than to be by her side, and yet, she knew there was nothing she could do about it alone. Her gut wrenched at the undeniable truth. She wished she could at least be there with some kind words. But she was stuck here until morning. Some part of her knew it was for the best, even if it didn’t make sense to the rest of her, but patience was never one of her strong suits.

She tried to quell these thoughts that were racing through her mind, but couldn’t seem to stuff them back into the depths from which they crawled. Her saddlebags weighed heavily down on her flank. Her hooves began to drag. Her head began to droop. She was not lost in the emotional rampage that had swallowed her earlier, but she was caught in a web of depression nonetheless.

Twilight started suddenly when she felt something brush across her side and over her back. She looked up to see Ponyville directly in front of her.

I must have lost track of time while I was thinking.

The sour thought breached her mind as she broke out of her resigned stupor. It took her a moment longer to realize the warmth spreading across her back and neck was coming from the wing of the alicorn standing next to her. She stared up at her blankly in response, not unkindly.

“You were shivering,” Luna stated simply. The mare looked down at Twilight and offered a smile filled with compassion and concern.

“Thanks, Luna,” Twilight mustered. She didn’t shrug away from the warmth. Instead she leaned against the larger mare as they began walking back to the library. Luna offered no complaint and so they continued.

They finally arrived at Twilight’s home, cold and tired. Twilight opened the door with a flicker of her horn and a trace of magic. She smiled as she walked into the atrium and the sweet and reedy smell of her books reached her. She was very proud of her collection. She cherished each and every book on the shelves carved into the tree in which her residence was located. And yet they were not even the real prize.

Asleep at the table in the center of the room was a small purple dragon, as she had expected. She trotted softly over to her number one assistant after leaving the comfort of Luna’s wing behind her, directing a smile at her that thanked the princess for her kindness and being careful not to make too much noise.

“He looks so peaceful,” Luna observed, a hint of longing entering her normally stern voice. She lowered her wing after Twilight withdrew from underneath it and waited respectfully while the purple unicorn encompassed the baby dragon with an aura of similarly colored magic and levitated him to rest on her back.

“He does now. But I’m sure he wasn’t so calm before he drifted off,” Twilight whispered with a giggle while looking down at the table where Spike had been sitting. There were fresh scratch marks in the wood. Spike always scratched at the table when he was worrying. Fortunately, Applejack always knew how to get the scratches out. Twilight could just do it with her magic, but the stubborn earth pony had insisted that she could “fix ‘er up twice as pretty, and without all that magical hocus pocus too.”

“Do you want to follow me up to the bedroom?” Twilight asked of the alicorn who hadn’t moved from the welcome mat. “I’m just going to put Spike to bed before we hit the hay.”

Luna regarded her with a look of hesitation but sighed after a moments pause and moved to follow. Twilight ascended the stairs to her bedroom slowly, carefully trying to avoid waking the dragon perched on her back. She heard Luna’s hoofsteps behind her and was glad she had a friend to rely on tonight. When she reached the top of the steps she opened the door gently and without a sound then stepped over to Spike’s basket. She picked him up again with magic and settled him into his bed. She pulled up the blanket and gave the baby dragon a quick kiss on the cheek before turning away.

“Twilight…?” A faint and very tired sounding voice said behind her. She stopped and turned back to see Spike rubbing his half lidded eyes and sitting up ever so slightly. “That you?”

“Yes, Spike. It’s me,” She responded quietly, smiling down on her charge.

“Don’t ever worry me like that again…” Spike said through a yawn before rolling over and drifting back off to sleep.

Twilight stepped over to him and nuzzled the dragon under his chin before standing again and whispering “I won’t. Promise.”

She turned to Luna once she made sure Spike was really out this time. The mare had not yet crossed the threshold into her room yet and was still looking slightly uneasy.

“You know, you can come in. He’s just a baby, he doesn’t have much of a bite,” Twilight teased playfully, sticking her tongue out at the mare. “Just a mean burp.”

“I know that!” Luna huffed before entering slowly and taking in her surroundings. “It’s just, I’ve never stayed in a room that wasn’t mine before.”

“Well I promise I won’t bite either and neither will my books,” Twilight added with a giggle. “Come on, let’s get some rest.”

She removed her saddlebags and cloak, placing them in the correct spot next to the door: Her saddlebags on the floor and the cloak on a hook set into the frame. After taking care of these small tasks, she climbed to her loft with the blue alicorn following suit. She pulled back the blankets on her bed with her magic and hopped onto her bed with a groan as her muscles got a well-deserved rest.

She was hit immediately by a point of no return. She hadn’t realized just how sleepy she was until her head hit the pillow. She noticed Luna walk up next to her and saw her horn glow as she pulled the blanket back up over her.

“Hey Luna…?” She asked quietly.

“Hmm?”

“Don’t ever worry me like that again…” She mumbled back, drifting off into the depths of sleep. She was awake just enough to hear the response.

“I won’t. Promise.”

________________________________________________________________________________

Luna looked down upon the sleeping unicorn, thoughts churning through her mind. She was exhausted. However, she was not lying earlier when she said that sleep eluded her at these hours. She envied the purple mare below her. How easily she had drifted into the night awaiting her, enveloping her with loving arms. Her night. The night that held naught but memories of disaster and heartache. Thoughts of one in particular burned through her and wrenched her insides: the night she had abandoned her sister.

Her sister and herself.

She flinched. Why could she not make it through just one night without the pain of her actions piercing her time after time? Would she never know peace again? Her heart sank.

I vowed never to leave you again sister, and yet here I sit.

Twilight’s chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, hair slightly rustled against the pillow. Luna watched silently as she sat beside the bed wishing the same would come for her. She couldn’t mask the worry that she was feeling. While she did have a vague idea what was causing her sister’s sickness, what could she do? What did Celestia know that she didn’t?

What about the others? What about me?

Luna tried to block these thoughts from her mind, but was anything but successful in her endeavors. She stood, giving Twilight one final longing glance, wishing hopelessly again that she could be sleeping as the petite unicorn was. She walked heavy hoofed to the balcony housing Twilight’s astronomy instruments and charts. She explored the area briefly before sighing and lying down on the wooden planks beneath her. The air outside was nippy but not quite as stinging as earlier. Perhaps this was because she was so occupied with other things, as her mind now allowed her to think as opposed to shutting down like it did earlier. Luna didn’t care either way.

I thought they were everlasting. How did this happen?

The question was the most disturbing thought to cross her mind since she and Tia had first heard the accounts of Discord’s madness filled rampage that left nearly a third of Equestria, or at least what would become Equestria, as a casualty strewn wasteland. That period of terror, chaos, and destruction would take centuries to repair, both physically and in spirit. And yet, this new assumption was still far more unsettling...

Luna began exploring her sky in an attempt to settle her thoughts, letting memories soak in as she did. She needed a distraction and this was one way of going about it. She sighed as all of the remnants of her past called out to her from the stars that she had placed carefully and with excruciating precision in the night. Foremost among them were Pax Astral, Aurora Lucens, and Initium Novum, casting their brilliance down upon the land.

The memories that they brought back were overwhelming to Luna, yet not necessarily in a bad way. She could picture the day that Celestia had first honored her with a solar eclipse as a gift of growing into the role of Princess of Equestria. That night Luna tried with all her might to do something of equal importance for her beloved Tia. Her first and brightest star, Aurora Lucens, shone down brilliantly in response to her recollections. When Celestia first beheld Luna’s gift for her, it was the only moment that Luna could ever really remember seeing her awestruck.

A smile played across Luna’s face as recalled Celestia looking up at the sky speechless. At first she thought she had done something wrong. Luna wasn’t used to her sister acting so strangely. She was afraid she had offended her sibling, though she wasn’t sure how she would have done so. It wasn’t until Celestia pulled her into a tight embrace, tears of joy in her eyes, that Luna knew she had done something truly special for her sister. She could recall that moment like it happened only moments ago and it remained her most cherished memory to this day.

Initium Novum hung lower in the sky and burned a deep olive green, one of the few colored stars in her sky. She placed this particular star just after her and Celestia’s victory over Discord. It was to symbolize a fresh start as well as to honor the dead that fell defending their homes from the chaos of the draconequus. Rage filled her heart as she relived the smoking homes and the slain innocent that Discord left in his wake, bodies mutilated and twisted by his sick sense of humor. Images filled her mind of ponies with heads missing, disemboweled, cotton candy poking from the wounds where flesh should have been. Images of fillies with limbs twisted into elongated and backwards mutations that would have to undergo years of magical surgeries and psychological therapy to have any hope of living a normal life ever again. That is if he didn’t curse them to run indefinitely until they collapsed and died of overexertion. She also recalled his favorite: ponies stripped of their skin and given a new coat of hard chocolate. If they moved, their casing would crack and fall off and expose them to the world. If they didn’t, the sun would simply melt the chocolate.

All this while laughing and spewing condescending monologues.

The thoughts sickened Luna. She did not blame her sister for having records of the details from the period purged from the realm. Some things simply did not need to be remembered. It was a wonder he didn’t begin killing needlessly again on his return. It was because of this that Luna still harbored dark thoughts about the murderous God. If she had her way, he would have been burned off the face of the planet with the Elements. Celestia would not allow it.

Curse your sense of honor Tia. You spare first him and then me when we should both be burning in Tartarus for our crimes.

Luna sighed sitting back on her haunches and looking up at the third of the three brightest stars in her sky. This one she was unfamiliar with until her return. This was the only created star in existence that she did not place herself. Pax Astral: The Peace of Heavens. It burned a deep and sorrowful blue. She did not know about this star until her return because her sister was the one who called into being. How Celestia managed this she did not know and apparently Celestia didn’t either. According to Tia, it simply sprang from the well of sadness within her heart after the conflict with Nightmare Moon and Luna’s own banishment.

Regret coursed through her yet again. However she was too exhausted to feel particularly sad and overwhelmed by her feelings as she normally did when reflecting on the pain she caused Equestria and her sister. She still hated just how many unknowns surrounded the event. She was not in control during the attack and actually didn’t remember anything past sinking into the void. After that, Nightmare Moon took the reins. She did not even know how many had died in her assault. Celestia would not tell her, no matter how she begged. She knew she would only use the information to rend herself emotionally, but she still wanted -no, not wanted. Needed to know. Celestia even went so far as to decree that all memorials be made without the names or the number of the fallen in order to keep the truth from her. She had rationalized it to the public by declaring that all of pony-kind suffered from this attack so it was as a whole that they would remember their loss, as it would bind them closer together.

You always were good at knowing how to get your ulterior motives passed discreetly under the door.

Luna shook these thoughts from her mind and then decided it was time to get up. She did not mind spending time outside, but the wooden flooring on the balcony was not exactly the comfiest place to sit. She vowed to send Twilight a few cushions sometime to place out here. She groaned slightly because as she stood up the blood rushed to her hooves creating a tingling sensation that made it tickle to move her legs.

When the feeling left her, she walked serenely back into the library. She cast a glance at Twilight momentarily on her way back inside. The unicorn had not moved since she put her head on the pillow. She looked as peaceful as she had when she drifted off into the arms of sleep’s comforting embrace. She then turned her attention away from the purple mare and looked down from the loft and immediately had to put a hoof to her mouth to stifle a giggle.

Spike was in no way in the same position Twilight had left him. His arms were splayed out across the basket in which he lay, a pillow perched precariously across his face, leaving only his gaping mouth exposed. Luna had to work even harder to hold in her laughter as she noticed the drool dripping into his basket. The real breaker, however, was that Spike’s tail, which was wagging vigorously in his sleep, was slapping him in the face every few seconds. Luna summoned her magic and placed a second pillow over the dragon’s tail to prevent it from being able to cause a bruise overnight, while snorting quietly behind her hoof.

Luna calmed herself down and continued through the bedroom with a smile on her face. The welcome distraction from her morbid and disheartening thoughts put her at ease as she glided smoothly down from the loft. Luna crossed to the door, wishing to look through the library’s collection for a while before dawn.

On her way out, she suddenly felt a small collision with her fore hoof. She saw a roll of parchment in front of her sail down the stairs after she had accidentally launched it with her kick. Luna grasped it with her magic before it could go skittering about at the bottom of the steps and brought it to bear in front of her. She thought it must have rolled out of Twilight’s saddlebags from the looks of it. Then she began to wonder. These wonderings of hers always were her downfall, or so Tia had always joked. She shot a quick look at Twilight to make sure she was still in her restful state before she unrolled the parchment while silently reprimanding herself for letting her curiosity get the best of her over matters of privacy.

She immediately made out what was drawn with impeccable precision on the inside: a star chart. And yet, while all of the stars in her sky were in the correct position, there were subtle changes to the sky all in the form of additions. She chuckled at Twilight’s constellations that she placed in the midst of Luna’s.

Who knew you had such a creative side? She thought, looking behind herself and back up to the bed where the apparent artist slept soundly. Luna now felt exhilarated. Not only did Twilight enjoy the beauty of her night, but someone also felt the connection with precision and artistry that was projected in what Luna viewed as an architectural structure. Twilight showed the same care and practice into placing her constellations as well as the creative finesse that Luna herself did when placing stars, though she hadn’t done so in over two-thousand years.

Perhaps we can discuss it over breakfast, Luna thought with a smile. She reached out to Twilight’s saddlebag and encompassed it within the blue glow of her magical aura and pulled it closer so as to place the parchment back inside. She opened the flap and situated the roll inside the bag, carefully making sure it wouldn’t get the chance to come loose of the leather again.

She was moving to close everything back up when she noticed the flower tucked securely away in the bag. Small, blue and purple, gorgeous and petite – everything about the delicate plant struck a chord of elegance and beauty. She was very taken with the natural masterpiece and remembered it well.

So that’s why she was on the edge of the forest.

Luna sniffed and drew in the sweet fragrance of the flower, reminiscing on the past again and allowing her thoughts to drift to happier places. She had only ever seen one other of its likeness before: a prize for a flying competition long ago, enchanted by Celestia herself to never wilt or die. Today that flower resided in Celestia's private garden as it was given back to her in the winner’s will. However, Luna was confused as to how the flower before her now was still in its natural state. She remembered the reason they were so rare was due to the fact that they died a few hours after being uprooted. Interest spiking, Luna probed the flower with her magic.

Impressive.

Luna’s eyes widened at the complexity of the spell woven around the flower, not to mention the amount of power needed to sustain it until completion. By her estimation, this spell would allow the flower to retain this appearance for a few years at least. She once again turned to look at the mare asleep in the bed behind her.

How many more surprises do you have in store for me Twilight? This I absolutely must bring up over breakfast.

Luna was beginning to understand just why her sister had picked Twilight Sparkle as her student. It was no wonder Twilight was the bearer of the Element of Magic. She wondered if Twilight had any idea that her magical prowess had begun to rival even that of Starswirl the Bearded. Knowing her sister and how secretive she was, she would guess at a no for the answer to that particular query.

Luna closed the saddlebag and absent-mindedly returned it to its proper place by the door. She then walked slowly down the steps allowing herself to close her eyes as she went. She really was exhausted. She no longer wished to open them back up, but, fearing that she would collide with something of value, forced herself to reopen them. She then set about finding a book to read. She knew she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on the writing, but she needed her mind to be occupied with something. She gave up on reading all the titles almost immediately. There were just too many books to search through. She then spied a recently returned copy of a book about the history of Equestria.

Luna pulled it over to herself and sat down, yet again deeply regretting that sleep evaded her during the night. She opened to the first page and began reading, hoping to find some answers that perhaps this book so far from Canterlot would provide. After an insignificant number of pages had been covered however, exhaustion began to finally take its toll and the princess did not wake again until morning.

________________________________________________________________________________

Author's Note: I apologize for the horribly long wait for this chapter. I never intended for it to be this long. Things just caught up with me and I had less and less time for writing. Next one will hopefully not take near as long. Though based on my planning, it will be a long chapter. So we shall see.

Chapter Three

*Another thank you goes out to Mister Morden and AzureKaRyu for their help with inspiration and proof reading. And a big shout out to ScriptScrolls for giving me the inspiration to get off my lazy butt and finish the chapter. Thanks guys.*

Flor d'Luna Noire

Chapter Three:

“Unghh…”

Light streamed into the cracks in Twilight’s eyelids. She didn’t particularly like this sudden infiltration and the problem was soon remedied with a pillow to the face. But, that wasn’t the only stimulus to prompt her awakening. There was a repetitive jabbing at her side. It didn’t hurt necessarily, but it was uncomfortable nonetheless.

“… up Twilight!” an unknown voice sounded out in a very exasperated tone.

Twilight finally found the energy to roll over and look at her attacker. She pulled the pillow down below her eyes and was met with the face of a very irate purple and green dragon.

“… Mphike?” Twilight managed to voice through her pillow. She closed one eye as the light of the early morning found her. It was not quite dawn, but it was light enough to cause discomfort to a newly wakened pony.

“It’s about time!” Spike exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air and rolling his eyes. “You haven’t taken that long to wake up since after your run in with Discord. Jeez!”

“Sorry… What’s the problem Spike?” Twilight asked groggily, finally removing the pillow from her face. Without warning she was suddenly pulled from her bed, a sharp yelp escaping her throat as a purple claw dragged her out by her hoof. She landed hard on the cold wooden floor and simply lay there dazed. A sharp tapping drew her attention away from the sudden change in atmosphere and she looked up to see her number one assistant with arms folded and his foot thumping the floor.

“Are you going to get up now?” Spike questioned, annoyance saturating every syllable. Twilight simply nodded and pulled herself up to her hooves. She shook her head to clear it, not that it helped at all, and followed Spike as he turned towards the stairs and descended into the kitchen with Twilight trailing at a distance.

At the bottom of the steps she stopped and looked for where Spike had gone as he had set off at a much quicker pace than Twilight’s newly woken body could manage. It didn’t take long for her to find him. He stood next to the kitchen table glaring back at Twilight pointing to the obvious object of his displeasure.

Luna sat in a chair with her head face down on the table, snoring in very unprincess-like fashion with her arms dangling off the edge. Twilight shoved a hoof to her mouth to stifle her foalish giggle. Twilight also noticed that directly in front of Luna’s face was a book that Twilight recognized as The History of Equestria: Circa 2350 N.S.C. – Present.

Well I guess it would make sense if she’s still trying to catch up. She disappeared around 2150 of the New Solar Calendar.

Twilight heard a sharp rapping that pulled her from her thoughts about how silly Luna looked and her particular choice of late night reading. She turned to face Spike who again had his arms crossed and was tapping his foot against the floor, his claws creating the distinct clacking sound as they impacted with the oak boards beneath him.

“What???” Twilight whispered with as much force as she dared to drive into her question without waking Luna.

“Why is SHE here?” Spike demanded with no regard for the sleeping pony at the table.

“Spike she’s asleep! Will you please keep it down?” Twilight replied urgently keeping her voice low.

“Not until you tell me why she’s – Whoaoomf!” Spike never got the chance to complete his statement. Twilight simultaneously levitated her assistant away from the table and placed a muffling spell over him. She took him into a side room where she catalogued her books and set him back down. She did not however, lift the Hush Spell she had cast. Spike furrowed his brow in response and made emphatic motions towards his mouth, but she paid no attention.

“She is here, Spike, on direct orders from Princess Celestia!” Twilight stated firmly, attempting to keep the increasing rise in her temper from entering her voice. “And furthermore, she is a Princess! She doesn’t need a reason to be asleep in the PUBLIC library! It’s her country for Celestia’s sake!”

Spike’s eyes grew wide at her quiet outburst, then he lowered his gaze to the floor while placing his hands behind his back and began kicking at the wood beneath his feet. Satisfied with the reaction, Twilight lifted her spell.

“And stop kicking the floor, you know how many planks Applejack had to replace last year because of that.” Twilight scolded. Spike quickly stopped in response.

“Okay, okay… I’m sorry,” he mumbled, regaining his disgruntled disposition as Twilight’s voice lowered. “Why did she have to stay here though?”

“Because Celestia asked me to let her,” Twilight said sternly, staring down her friend.

“I... I just don’t trust her… You know what she did…” Spike grumbled and averted his eyes.

“Don’t even start this with me young wyrm!” Twilight growled with the fire of a mother addressing her little ones. “You saw for yourself that she is a changed pony on Nightmare Night! I trust her and I expect for you to do the same! She has shown incredible strength by coming back here with her head held high and she is my friend! Now start acting like a proper young dragon or so help me I will transmute you into a frog! Now go on before I start practicing now!”

At this last statement Spike’s eyes shown with a brief glint of worry, but he quickly regained his resolve. “Fine… But don’t expect me to do her any favors…” He then turned around and walked out of the room with his head bowed and arms crossed, tail swishing agitatedly through the air. Twilight waited until he was out of the room before softening her gaze and letting herself loosen up. She sighed and lowered her head.

She had never scolded Spike like that before, or at least not that harshly. She had only ever come close when he got so jealous of Owlowiscious. That was something her mother would have done but she certainly didn’t mean to treat Spike like he was her child, or a child at all for that matter. She had just gotten so angry. She knew the pain Luna experienced from ponies all across Equestria who had the same mindset, and she would certainly not have Spike treating her as such. Regardless, she made up her mind to apologize to him before exiting the room for herself.

“Umm… I do not mean to intrude, but is everything alright?” Twilight jumped at the voice that emanated from the library’s atrium. She looked for the source of the noise and found a blue pony with her mane slightly tousled, rubbing her head and looking bleary eyed in her direction.

“Luna is this going to become a habit?” Twilight answered unsteadily with a chuckle after she remembered to breathe.

“To what are you referring Twilight?” Luna asked, placing her hoof down and cocking her head slightly in confusion.

“Oh nevermind…” Twilight answered, laughing at being scared half to death twice now by the alicorn before her. “Did you sleep well Princess?”

“Luna,” the blue mare corrected with a wink and a smile as she straightened her mane with a toss. “And although I had thought it impossible, yes. In fact I did.”

“Well I can’t imagine that you were all that comfortable, what with your face on the table and the snoring,” Twilight teased winking and smiling right back. Luna, however, looked appalled.

“I do not snore!” She exclaimed, denying Twilight’s absurd allegation.

“Oh yes you do!” Twilight pressed while shooting her a mischievous grin. “Although it may have been because your nose was getting splinters!”

Luna gasped and raised a fetlock in horror. Rarity could not have done it better herself. Twilight couldn’t help herself and began laughing hysterically at the Princess.

“My first rest through the night in centuries and you poke fun at me!” Luna whined after lowering her hoof and looking down in shame as she realized that Twilight was not lying in jest as she had previously thought.

“Oh Luna,” Twilight replied with a giggle after recomposing herself. “Don’t worry your secret is safe with me.”

“Besides, it was actually kind of cute,” Twilight finished, flashing a smile at the alicorn before trotting off to the kitchen. “Anyway, how about some breakfast?”

Twilight didn’t notice Luna’s reddening face or how she opened and closed her mouth a few times before finding her voice, making her look very much like a trout Fluttershy had nursed back to health a few months previously. Luna finally took hold of herself and replied with a simple “Uh… Yes. That would be wonderful.”

________________________________________________________________________________

The smell of sizzling sweet potato pancakes and hay fries soon wafted throughout the library as Twilight went about her task of preparing the mares’ meal for the morning. Luna sat at a slender cherry table now, as opposed to the bulky oak she had fallen asleep on earlier, and she was doing everything she could to keep her saliva inside her mouth as the scent of the cooking made it water more with each passing moment.

“Twilight?” the Princess asked, attempting to keep her eyes from wandering repeatedly back to the food that was being prepared. She had not eaten since Celestia revealed her condition a few weeks ago. She did not need food, being that she was an immortal alicorn, but still, she would not deny a well cooked meal if one were to come along.

“Mmm?” Twilight responded, caught up in making sure the food did not burn.

“You did promise that we would take our leave at dawn,” Luna reminded her. “And it fast approaches.”

Twilight looked out her window at the horizon, which was now a picturesque blending of orange, pink, and yellow forming an oily painting in the sky above.

“I know,” Twilight replied with a sigh as she swiftly removed the now cooked pancakes from the skillet in which she was preparing them. “As soon as we eat we should go and grab my friends.”

Twilight placed the pancakes on the plates that were waiting patiently to receive them. Luna told her which syrup she preferred and one plate was levitated over to the table where she sat. Twilight then walked over and sat across from Luna anticipating her response both to her statement and to her cooking.

“Yes… I suppose that would be prudent. Tia would not be pleased if I arrived back without the Elements,” Luna said before taking a small bite of her pancake. She had to stop herself from rolling her eyes upwards in response to the delectable taste of Twilight’s cooking. Instead she looked at Twilight and gave a slight nod and a genuine smile. Twilight, now satisfied, started on her own meal in return.

“It’s nice that you’re actually thinking things through today,” Twilight said with a bit of a prodding tone after she swallowed her own food. Luna huffed and gave Twilight a look of annoyance that took centuries to perfect and made even her sister stop cold. It proved effective as Twilight immediately looked away and went back to eating. Luna internally chuckled at this reaction and even allowed a hint of a smile to make its way to her face.

The two mares soon finished their breakfast and began to clean up. Twilight scooped up the plates and settled them gently into the cabinets after Luna used her magic to clean them, leaving the two to figure out their next move.

“Well I guess we should make a list to figure out what we are going to do,” Twilight offered, breaking the silence that had settled between them after the task of cleaning was accomplished.

“Would it not be more effective if we simply began our day?” Luna asked with a raise of her brow.

“No! Lists are the epitome of efficiency!” Twilight responded passionately. She raised her hooves to emphasize her point, eyes widening with urgency. Clearly Luna was supposed to agree, to which she smiled and cocked her head to the window. Twilight followed the motion and saw the sun creeping over the horizon.

“Well… We are in a hurry…” She mumbled after placing her hooves back on the floor and looking down.

“Regardless…” Luna began before levitating a small mirror in front of the unicorn. Twilight immediately figured out the message and responded by bolting up the stairs to her room. Luna couldn’t control the laugh that sprang from within her at the sight of Twilight realizing her mane was all tangles and frizz the entire morning. Fortunately being a princess had its perks in that department.

“That’s too bad!” Luna called after her. “I was beginning to become quite fond of your new style!”

Something that sounded quite close to a ‘shut up’ made its way back down to the princess causing her to laugh again. Luna sat down again at the table and began to contemplate what was to come of the day before them. If they succeeded in gathering the Elements by midday, she could travel ahead of the train and be in Canterlot again immediately. She welcomed the distraction that Twilight had given her for the time being, but time was short and they needed to prepare.

Still in the back of her mind were the questions Luna had over the flower she had found the night before and Twilight’s charts. She wondered about the young mare that had taken an unexpectedly important role in her life. She truly was a marvel and a problematic pony to figure out. She knew she wanted to prod her over the information, but sadly there was just no time for that level of discussion.

Luna looked toward the sun that was now so close to breaking away from the horizon. The Earth offered it beautiful displays of soft colors, kissing it with mountains, begging it not to leave. But alas, Luna knew it must to do its duty, just as the she had to.

How is it that you still have the strength, Sister?

Luna had subconsciously lowered the moon close to an hour earlier. She wished she had been awake. She was always a little rough if she wasn’t. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like if she was in Celestia’s state, however. The years that separated the two once again displayed themselves in both wisdom and power as they always had, and Luna couldn’t help but admire her sister for her persistence through struggle and pain.

Stay strong, Sister. I’m coming.

A single tear rolled down Luna’s cheek before she turned away from the window and made her way back to the table that had been her bed for the night. She didn’t bother wiping it away as she again picked through some more of the obscure history of Equestria that she had occupied herself with previously. Some magical theory here or there, the occasional weather breakthroughs or political movement, small changes to Equestrian law that she had not previously come across; all were irrelevant. Luna was interested in much more minute details than these. And what she found was indeed troubling.

But before she could mull the information over, she heard a gentle trotting as Twilight descended at last from her room and muttering something or other about a particular 'damn princess' and her 'sassy attitude.' Luna smiled at her friend who glared back as she took a seat across from her. Luna noticed her mane had much improved, looking more like the Twilight bob than the bunch of cotton candy that it had been previously. She also thought she smelled a slight amount of lavender perfume, the same amount that Celestia would wear on a daily basis: just enough to give off a hint of the aroma, but so little that one would not even realize it was there unless they concentrated. She smiled at the habit that Twilight had obviously picked up from her sister. They were indeed very much alike, though Twilight would never recognize how.

“Well that is much better,” Luna said looking over Twilight approvingly. She simply huffed in response and continued to glare. Luna simply stared back, gentle smile not faltering in the least. The stare held for a very long time before Twilight could not hold it anymore. She began to giggle while trying to hold it in, but this only made her giggle more. Soon she was in a full fit of laughter with Luna giggling along with her.

“That… May be the worst… My mane has ever looked!” Twilight gasped out.

“Well at least it is now in a manageable shape,” Luna replied through her laughs that were much more controlled. She then saw a purple shape enter the room, and from what she could tell, try to avoid notice, but Luna’s gaze was hard to escape.

“Good morning Spike!” she called out to the young dragon as he was about to round the corner to the stairs. He stopped dead in his tracks, one claw lifted off the ground as he looked for the source of the sound. He looked not unlike a colt caught in the act of eating an extra cookie.

“Oh, uh, morning princess…” he responded after regaining his bearings.

“Did you sleep well? I hope I was not an unwelcome guest and that my snoring did not wake you,” Luna replied amiably while shooting Twilight a look, to which she seemed to grumble.

“Well, I guess it wasn’t bad,” Spike mumbled, intentionally avoiding the statement following Luna's question.

“Why don’t you join us?” Luna asked with a smile. Spike began walking over slowly, as if resisting the urge to bolt, and took a seat at the table.

“I think we have time for a quick catch up before we are off. Right Twilight?” Twilight made no move to agree and instead seemed to be slowly gravitating her face to her hooves. She had overheard some of Twilight's reprimanding previously and sincerely wished to clear the air between the dragon and herself.

“Yes, well. I have heard dragons quite like gems….” Luna continued mysteriously. At the mention of gems Spike seemed much more keen to be active in the conversation.

“Well, I won’t say no to a good ruby or two,” he replied, looking Luna in the eyes for the first time.

“Well I seem to have brought a large and very rare sapphire with me that I am not quite sure I can burden myself with on the journey back to Canterlot. Would you happen to be interested in taking it off my hooves?” Luna inquired.

“Boy would I!” Spike exclaimed, nearly jumping out of his seat in excitement. He then seemed to catch himself before slumping in his seat with his arms crossed, a look of skepticism overriding his features before continuing.

“Ok. What’s the catch?” he asked Luna, who was unsure why he would phrase his skepticism in such a way. She shot a questioning look at Twilight before she drew on her magic and pulled a sapphire from the castle storeroom into the space above the table. Spike began drooling as he gazed upon the gem’s brilliance, all misgivings forgotten. Even Twilight stared in disbelief at the sheer size of the stone that would have made even Rarity swoon.

“There is no ‘catch’, as you say. Simply a gift from one friend to another,” Luna responded, putting on her most sincere smile while levitating the sapphire into the dragon’s claws.

“Well gee, thanks Princess!” the dragon exclaimed, licking his lips at his prize.

“Ok Spike, Luna and I have to get going,” Twilight stated suddenly, standing up from the table and giving Luna a thankful look. “Ready to go Princess?”

“Luna,” the alicorn corrected for the second time that morning before rising from the table herself. “And yes. Quite ready.”

Twilight gave an apologetic smile in response to her forgetfulness, and turned towards the stairs, her horn giving off a soft lavender glow. In moments, two bulging saddlebags settled themselves over her haunches and she nodded at Luna who gave a raised eyebrow at the bags.

“Just thought I’d pack while I was fixing my mane,” Twilight said matter of factly before turning towards the door.

“Spike, please don’t let me come home to a disaster,” she added, reaching down to embrace her young friend. He grumbled something about trusting him more before she released him and he went on his way. Luna thought she even heard something along the lines of 'maybe she’s not that bad' before he retreated up the stairs to enjoy his new delicacy.

“Ok Luna, let’s hit the trail,” Twilight stated, turning to the alicorn and giving her a nervous smile before starting for the door.

“Indeed, let’s,” Luna responded, a frown settling over her features as she turned towards the door as well. As a last thought, Luna snatched the book that she had been reading from the table and teleported it to her quarters in the castle for further study upon her arrival hopefully later that day. She then followed Twilight out the door, one thought echoing in her mind.

I’m coming, Sister.

________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight walked slowly out into the streets of Ponyville, taking in the solemn beauty of the winter morning. The buildings all stood in rows, their facades forming welcoming boundaries for the dirt roads that wound between them. They enticed the eyes with their painted wooden exteriors of cream, overhangs of vibrant hues, and thatched straw roofs. Not a single one looked uninviting in the whole town. Between the shelters, ponies were already out and about, even at this hour hurrying to and fro from various engagements. The weather ponies were already out gathering the clouds that were ordered for the dusting that blanketed the town over the previous night. The mail ponies flew through the buildings delivering various envelopes and packages to their recipients. And though it was not the stunning beauty that the landscape offered the night before, the scene still had an air of grace about it.

Twilight breathed deeply in the crisp air of the morning, letting the cold fill her lungs to remove any trace of weariness from her early rise. She emptied them slowly, the condensation forming a wispy cloud in front of her. Luna stepped up next to her and they simply stood in place taking in the morning around them for a moment, the vapors from their breath mingling together with each exhalation.

Twilight stole a glance at the alicorn standing next to her. She marveled at the sheer power that the princess exuded from her form. She was a wall of slender muscle that was held in a purely majestic frame. She had no doubt that she could go hoof to hoof with the strongest earth pony in Equestria and could even match Rainbow Dash’s aerial proficiency, if not leave them both in the dust. She was astounded by the fact that she could switch from a soft and caring friend to the commanding figure that stood before her now. She was so used to the matronly demeanor of Celestia that the pony at her side seemed almost foreign and yet familiar at the same time.

The alicorn then stepped off toward the square, drawing Twilight from her musings. She followed silently, thankful that the sun had warmed the atmosphere in the town from the chill that had settled in previously. Somehow the journey from her doorstep had brought their mission back to the forefront of her mind. She recalled Luna’s behavior and revelation last night and now wished to gather her friends with all haste and so she matched the quick pace that Luna had set.

“Twilight,” Luna broke the silence while casting a look over her shoulder at the unicorn and causing Twilight’s ears to perk up. Luna continued after gaining a nod of acknowledgement. “If my memory holds fast, your friends Applejack and Fluttershy live somewhat close to each other on the outskirts of town?”

“Yes, just near the entrance to the Everfree,” Twilight responded, trotting up to once again be side by side with the alicorn. “You might have seen Fluttershy’s cottage when you were flying over to me and you can’t have missed all the apple trees.”

“I believe I did pass over it,” Luna replied, turning back to the road. “I would like to start with those two before doubling back. I have a feeling they will need the most time to come to an agreement, so while they decide we can make rounds to the others.”

“Well I’m sure Fluttershy will come in the end,” Twilight began while turning a corner through the streets of Ponyville toward their now set destination, her face set in a thoughtful expression. “I think you’re right about Applejack though. She will need some time to mull it over.”

“I just wished to give your friend Fluttershy time to prepare,” Luna stated, turning to look at Twilight. “She seems like one that needs to mentally steel herself before something such as this comes to bear. Not to mention it might take a few minutes for her to accept that I am the one to accompany you, considering our most recent encounter.”

“Well, I guess you’re right…” Twilight replied as she lowered her face to the ground. “You didn’t exactly part on the best of terms.”

“Indeed…” Luna added.

Twilight looked up as they passed from the now lively town into the hills where she and Luna’s emotional battleground had been the night before. Only now, it looked as if a great conflict had indeed been fought over the land for the rights to hold as much snow as possible by the young fillies and colts who now took refuge in various snow forts that dotted the landscape here and there. A smile rose in Twilight’s face as she gazed across the rolling waves of snow and the grass that had been relieved of its icy burden. The young ones were in such a state of bliss that she couldn’t help but join in the elation that permeated the morning. Across the field there were snowball fights and snowponies all shared by giggling foals bundled in warm attire that were out early before school. They revelled in the winter morning, taking in as much of it as possible before being shuffled to the schoolhouse by insistent parents. She turned to Luna who seemed to be sharing in the infectious joy, as she had a grin settled onto her features as well.

The two continued down the winding path that had since been cleared of snowfall by early morning patrols of the Weather Brigade until on the right the characteristic white picket fence that encircled Sweet Apple Acres rose to greet them. Behind the fence vast fields of naked apple trees grew towards the sky bare of their fruit as it had been harvested earlier in the year and the weather was still too cold to provide for the recycling of the red orbs. They walked on to the large arch that welcomed them into the property and began the journey to the front steps of the large red farmhouse that was Applejack’s home.

“Twilight! Over here!” a voice called from off to the right, near the tree line. Twilight and Luna both turned to see a very tired Applejack pulling a wagon filled with medium to large sized branches that had obviously fallen from the winter weary trees from which the pony had emerged. She pulled the cart near to her house and unloaded the burden into an even larger pile of the timber.

“Would you perhaps like assistance?” Luna spoke up from beside Twilight.

“Oh Princess! I didn’t even see you there,” Applejack responded after jumping slightly at the foreign voice.

"Get used to it AJ," Twilight stated with a chuckle, earning a glare from the mare next to her.

“Actually, you caught me at a good time. I was just finishing up. That there is the last of the firewood that we brought up for the winter. Me and Applebloom were gathering those sticks all day yesterday. I just got up a little early to finish the job,” Applejack answered with a proud smile, nodding at the large pile at the base of the house.

“Well I mean to say I gathered the wood and Applebloom jumped around like a flea on a gorged dog,” the orange pony added with a scowl at the sticks. “Anyway, why are you two up and about at this hour?”

“We wished to inquire a favor of you, if you don’t mind,” Luna replied calmly stepping forward with a slight bow of her head.

“Oh sure,” Applejack piped up, back to her cheery mood. “Although I must say, I don’t get inquiries from princesses on a daily basis. Usually I’m the one doing the corresponding and such, what with the letters and all.”

“Well it is a bit of a special request,” Luna stated, her formal manner not receding in the least. “I don’t suppose we could discuss it indoors? It may not be a conversation of haste.”

“I don’t see why not,” Applejack said, putting the wagon in its rightful place under an overhang on the side of the large home. “Y’all will just have to keep your voices down. Applebloom is off to school already, but Big Mac is sick and Granny Smith is still sleeping. I’d rather not disturb them. They get cranky if I do.”

“I think we can do that,” Twilight said, smirking as she realized the request for low volume was aimed at Luna. The last time Applejack had seen her at length, she had tended to speak with the power of one of Vinyl’s subs.

“Alrighty then,” Applejack said, casting a wary look at Luna before trotting off to the welcoming doors of her abode. Twilight and Luna followed close behind, not wishing to stay in the cold longer than was necessary.

They entered into the kitchen and were immediately overwhelmed by the pleasant smell of baked apple goods that always filled the comfortable room. The light green interior was shining in the light of the early morning, the cedar table cleared of the plates and silverware that had occupied it for the orange mare and her young sister’s breakfast. The oven was still warm from the preparation of their meals and a pot sat atop a burner above the appliance and was filled with simmering carrot soup, the smell of which mingled with the sweet air of the apple treats that had already been devoured.

“Pardon me,” Applejack stated as she stepped over to stir the concoction with a wooden spoon that was poking out of the delectably smelling liquid. She made to pour some of her creation into a small wooden bowl before stepping away from the stove and putting out the flames below the pot. “I’ll just need to take this up to Big Mac. Then I’ll be free for listening to whatever it is you girls need.”

With that, she set the bowl on a tray with a silver spoon from one of the drawers near the sink and set off further into the house. Twilight heard her hoofsteps fade as she ascended the stairs in the living room to the upper level of the farmhouse. She looked about at the cluttered cabinets that rose above a neat countertop near the stove and the hastily discarded winter wear that rested near the entryway that Applebloom had probably shed before departing for school. Winona was looking up at the two mares from a small bed that lay at the door into the living room, panting in delight at the visitors. Twilight smiled and moved over to her and gave a quick rub before returning to Luna’s side.

“I do hope her brother will overcome his illness with haste,” Luna stated, a look of concern marring her features. “She will not want to leave him in such a condition.”

“Well I’m not sure that’s the biggest of our worries,” Twilight replied, a thoughtful frown settling on her face, remembering Applejack’s stunt two years before of putting the work that needed to be done before even her own health. “She doesn’t like leaving the farm at all, what with the load of things to do around here. I don’t know how she does it.”

Luna simply affirmed her musings with a hum of acknowledgement before they heard Applejack descending the flight of stairs that led to the bedrooms of the house. “Alright y’all. Get in here. If we’re gonna talk we might as well do it in comfort.”

With that, Luna and Twilight walked through the doorway to the living room followed by a now perfectly awake Winona who immediately hopped into the rocking chair that was normally inhabited by Granny Smith. The other two simply stood there observing their surroundings for a brief moment as Applejack took a seat in one of the chairs near the mantle that held a pleasantly crackling fire in its midst. She motioned for the two to take a seat at a couch that sat opposite the fireplace before leaning back and taking a deep breath, allowing her muscles to relax in the warmth. The two mares left standing walked slowly around to the olive couch before settling down themselves in the welcoming atmosphere of the Apple’s home.

“So what did you girls need?” Applejack asked, getting straight to the point as usual. She had leaned forward and was looking from one to the other, her inquiry leaking from her words to her features as she questioned them.

“My sister requires assistance,” Luna began, looking the earth pony directly in the eyes. “She is not well and we are requesting that you join us in remedying the situation.”

“Assistance?” Applejack asked looking at Twilight for further explanation and allowing a hoof to wander and rub at her mane in confusion.

“Celestia is dying, Applejack,” Twilight replied solemnly, earning a wide eyed and shocked expression from the mare opposite her. “All I know is that she sent me a letter that asked me to bring the girls to Canterlot so she could explain what is going on.”

“Wha..? How is she dying?” Applejack inquired, shooting Luna a baffled look.

“I cannot say for sure,” Luna answered, her voice barely more than a whisper. “I have my suspicions, but only she knows the true reason. She would not tell me. She insisted that I leave her and come find you all.”

“Well course I’m willing to help!” Applejack cried, searching from one pony to another, disbelief clear on her face. “A trip to Canterlot ain’t anything I can’t handle.”

“I’m afraid it may very well be more than a simple trip to Canterlot,” Luna stated, her voice back to a regular volume. Twilight looked to Luna questioningly. She had not been told this particular detail, though she had expected something was amiss from the letter. “If my fears are correct, then this may be a very long and arduous venture. I must warn you if you are to accompany us that there will be much more involved in this journey than a mere check-up, even if my mind betrays the truth.”

“What do you mean Luna?” Twilight asked, looking almost as befuddled as Applejack now.

“Celestia has her ways about her Twilight. One of those is avoiding issues involving her well being until absolutely necessary and alicorns do not fall under the weather just because of mere sickness,” Luna responded gravely. “Whatever is causing my sister to fade from this world is much more than what a mere visit or rest can mend. She would not be sending me here if she did not think it could be handled on her own and especially not if she herself were not afraid that it would affect all of Equestria in a devastating fashion.”

“Well I don’t mean to be rude or nothing,” Applejack interrupted, looking down at the ground as she drew the brown stetson that was her trademark from atop her head. “But what are we supposed to do about it? Couldn’t you just handle it? I mean I know we are the bearers of the Elements and all that, but we’re just regular ponies. If you two can’t fix it, what makes you think we can?”

“And besides,” the orange mare continued after an uncomfortable silence, looking Luna in the eyes, a sad expression now consuming her usually hardened features. “I can’t just up and leave for a journey or what such thing. I got a farm to run! I just can’t see how if you and Celestia couldn’t stop it, we can…”

“I don’t know either Applejack,” Twilight piped up, looking at her friend fighting the tears that were forming in her eyes. “But if Celestia called for us, then she obviously thinks we can do some good.”

“Well I know that, but I mean, she also thought we could do something about the changelings too,” Applejack muttered, sinking low in her seat. “And just look at how dandy a job we did against them.”

“I am aware that you girls feel like you did not accomplish anything in the fight for the castle,” Luna said, looking each young mare over with the eye of a caring protector. “You did indeed make a difference. I was monitoring the dreams and thoughts of ponies throughout the city, in a very loose fashion mind you, making sure that no intentions of ill will were harbored against the royal couple. Unfortunately the changelings slipped by my watch as I was only concerned with the inhabitants of Equestria. I immediately broke off from my meditative state when the attack came. Thanks to you girls, enough of their numbers were taken out that they could not concentrate on the rest of the city. You saved countless ponies with your actions. If not for you, the horde would have spread throughout the city and laid waste to it. You allowed me time to evacuate what areas I could before Shining Armor was able to repel them.”

Luna paused for a deep breath before continuing. “Listen carefully. Never underestimate yourselves and likewise never overestimate my sister and I. Though we are powerful, we have our limits. If either of us had been at full strength, the changelings would have been little threat. As it stands, I am still at but a fraction of my full potential since coming back from the void that was Nightmare Moon and Celestia has obviously been ailing for quite some time.”

“So that’s why she lost to Chrysallis…” Twilight mumbled, averting her eyes away from Luna as she said it.

“That is my belief, yes,” Luna stated simply in return.

“Well that still don’t help me when it comes to the farm…” Applejack said softly.

“I will send attendants to your farm and pay them from the Royal Treasury,” Luna replied. “They will heed the every word of whomever you wish to be in charge while you are gone.”

“I don’t know, Princess…” Applejack responded, a hint of distrust in her voice.

“They are kind and competent ponies, I assure you,” Luna added, noting the worry in the others voice. “And you need not provide for them in your home. I will send for a temporary shelter to be erected up the road and send them with everything they will need while staying here.”

“Well that is quite generous, but…” Applejack was cut off as Twilight got to her feet, tears streaming down her face.

“Please Applejack,” Twilight begged her friend, staring her down with an urgent look in her eyes. “I can’t lose her! And if she thinks you can help, we need you!”

Luna placed a reassuring hoof on Twilight’s back as Applejack looked on speechless. Eventually the mare swallowed and nodded in agreement and Twilight collapsed back onto the couch, sobbing quietly as the reality struck her like a bell, ringing out sorrow through her heart.

“I’ll come Twilight,” Applejack promised, rising from her chair and gathering her friend in a hug. Luna stood and walked to the window and began surveying the land, careful not to let the other two see the tears in her own eyes. Twilight sniffed and drew back from the hug after she had ceased her trembling. She looked into Applejack’s eyes and the pony gave her a sincere look as she again nodded and let a sad smile form on her face before going in for another quick reassuring embrace.

“I hope you guys weren’t planning on leaving me out of this!” a high-pitched voice yelled from the main entrance to the house. Everyone staggered and turned to see a cyan mare with a rainbow mane step into the house, a fire in her eyes and a look of solidarity melded onto her features. She looked at the two mares sharing in their embrace and to the alicorn standing at the window and walked slowly into the house before giving them a grin that showed her daring and proud nature in one shift of her expression. “I mean how can you go an adventure to save our princess and leave the most awesome pony behind?”

“Rainbow!” Applejack yelled, after catching herself from the scare that Rainbow Dash had caused her. “Why can’t you ever be subtle about anything?”

“Well it was kinda hard to nap in your tree with all the commotion,” the pegasus shot back with a smirk.

“And besides, you guys seemed a little down. Nothing like a rainbow in the morning to brighten up your day,” she continued, with a swish of her tail and an arrogant fling of her mane.

“My hero,” Applejack mumbled sarcastically with a dramatic rolling of the eyes before she turned back to Twilight. “Are you gonna be ok sugarcube?”

“Yeah,” Twilight answered honestly. “I’ll be fine. It’s good to know I won’t be having to find a way up to Rainbow's house now anyway.”

Luna coughed, drawing the attention away from the newcomer before commenting for herself on the situation. “Well I assume then that you heard everything?” she asked of Rainbow Dash.

“I heard what I needed to,” Rainbow said with a shrug. “Celestia’s dying. Long journey. Believe in yourself. I think I got it.”

Now it was Twilight’s turn to intervene. "How can you be so nonchalant about this Rainbow?” she shouted angrily looking over at the pegasus. For the first time Rainbow's demeanor shifted to one of a much more serious nature.

"I understand how you must be feeling Twilight, and you too Luna," Dash responded, shifting her eyes to look at both ponies. "But, as I'm sure our Princess has already told you, being depressed isn't going to help. If Celestia kicks the bucket, then we will have ourselves some problems. But until then, we have to do as she says and go kick whoever's butt we need to to get her back in shape. Even if she only needs us to gather some stupid flowers of course we are all going. She has shown us just as much hospitality and kindness as she has you. Yes it's sad and if we fail we'll all be miserable, but that's the point! That's why we have to win! Failure is not an option. And it never hurts to have high spirits when you're planning for victory!"

With that Rainbow winked at the three shocked ponies before her and gave Twilight and Luna a reassuring nod.

"Well I wouldn't've expected that from you Dash," Applejack said, breaking the silence as Luna and Twilight still stared dumbfounded.

"Well it's still nothing compared to what you're going to get from Pinkie Pie if you keep those looks on your faces," Rainbow added with a laugh. She then walked over to Twilight and gave her a hug along with a quick noogie for good measure, causing the purple mare to recoil but add a soft 'thank you' in response to the pep talk.

She is right of course, Twilight thought to herself as she admired the wisdom of her normally reckless friend. A laugh and the strength of these girls are going to be the only ways to stay sane until I know Celestia is safe again...

“Well I guess we better head off to Fluttershy’s now,” Twilight said quietly, looking around at her friends. “Applejack will you be ready to leave later today?”

“I think so,” Applejack stated, looking up at the ceiling caught in her musings. “I just gotta tell my brother and he can let Applebloom know when she gets back from school. While y’all are talking to Fluttershy, I should have time to gather my things and make my plans for when I’m gone.”

Twilight looked over at Rainbow Dash now. “Of course I’ll be ready. I’m getting bored around here anyway,” the cyan mare stated with a yawn. “Could use another nap though. But it sounds like you guys need some help. How about while you go over to Fluttershy’s I go grab Pinky and we can meet at Rarity’s?”

“Actually, scratch that, Pinkie’s probably already prepared for something like this…” she continued, scratching her head thoughtfully. “I’ll head over and tell Rarity so she can pack. Celestia only knows that will take all day…”

At this everyone nodded and grumbled in agreement.

“So it’s settled,” Luna stated coolly, walking into the midst of the three friends’ circle. “We will gather the others and meet at Miss Pie’s place of residence.” The others nodded in affirmation and all made for the front door.

“Well I’ll see you ponies later,” Rainbow said when they made it out of the house with a mock salute. “I’ve got a diva to kick into gear.” And with that she took off, leaving a colorful streak trailing after her towards Ponyville.

“Is she always so brash?” Luna asked, head cocked to the side in wonderment. This earned a chuckle and a ‘yes’ from the other two before Twilight and Luna said their goodbyes and headed down the path to rejoin the road to Fluttershy’s cottage.

“Well two down,” Twilight said as they trotted towards the small house of her most quiet friend. Her hoofsteps felt lighter as the load of convincing Applejack rose from her shoulders and as a result of Rainbow's uplifting words. Luna hummed in agreement and kept quiet most of the way down to the cottage. Twilight thought she knew why. Fluttershy had not exactly reacted well to seeing her last time on Nightmare Night.

Please don’t freak out too much Fluttershy… Twilight thought to herself as the cottage came into view, the exact definition of picturesque nestled next to the forest. The small fence that surrounded the property was topped with snow and along its length the occasional vibrantly colored bird sang to the wind, spreading its wondrous music through the chilly morning. The chicken coups were closed up for the early part of the day, giving the chickens more insulation so as to keep them warm, and here and there the occasional woodland animal would scurry through the snow, eager to find solace from the cold. The cottage itself was serene as the sun’s light poured over the land and caused the ice crystals that had settled atop the green boughs that served as the dwelling’s cieling to sparkle and shine. Likewise, the narrow river that ran around the front of the cottage was iced over and glinted in the sunlight. The birds in the birdhouses that dangled from the small trees that dotted the homestead peeked out on occasion to add their songs to the others on the fence line, creating a wave of delightful aural stimulation. Before they crested the land bridge over the frozen stream, Luna stopped in her tracks and looked at Twilight for a moment.

“I think…” she began, looking thoughtfully down at the unicorn before her. “I think that it would be best if perhaps you handled the greetings while I wait here. I will await your signal that will tell me when it is safe to approach…”

Twilight shrugged in response before continuing on to the door of the cottage. It was probably a smart move, she thought, and it made sense to ease Fluttershy into the encounter. She moved to the oak portal and rapped on it a few times with her hoof before she made it known that it was indeed Twilight who was knocking. It only took a moment before the door creaked open but a crack, and a shy yellow pegasus with light pink hair peeked out of the entry to affirm the identity of the mare before her.

“Oh, hello Twilight,” Fluttershy said softly with a smile, opening the door wider for her friend. “It’s very nice to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too Fluttershy,” Twilight said genuinely, smiling back at the demure pony. “Do you mind if we talk for a minute?”

“Oh, um, sure,” Fluttershy replied quietly, motioning inwardly to her home. “Would you like to come in? I just put a pot of tea over the fire. It should be ready soon, I think.”

“Actually I have someone else with me too who would also like to talk to you,” Twilight said, a little unsure of how the yellow mare would take the news of Luna’s proximity.

“Oh, well who is that?” Fluttershy asked attempting to look around Twilight to which the unicorn put a stop by moving along with the pegasus.

“Well… You see…” Twilight muttered, unsure of how to tell her friend that Luna was just at the edge of her home. “Princess Luna has come to ask a favor of you…”

Fluttershy squeaked and lowered herself immediately to the floor. She began trembling as her eyes widened in terror. Twilight silently wished that someone else had been the only pony in Ponyville not to have reconciled their view of Luna on Nightmare Night.

“Fluttershy! She won’t hurt you!” Twilight tried to explain to the pegasus shaking at her feet. “She is not Nightmare Moon anymore and she needs our help!”

“Why d-does she n-need my help?” Fluttershy asked as she shut her eyes and her hooves crept over her head.

“She needs all of us!” Twilight stated, grabbing the mare and bringing her back up to eye level and staring her down. “Equestria is in danger and she needs all of the girls! Applejack and Rainbow Dash have already agreed to help and we need you too!”

Fluttershy slowly regained composure enough to say ok. Twilight knew she was using all of her will to pull herself together to face Luna again. Fluttershy had come a long way since they had first met. If her friends needed her then she would toughen up for the long haul, and this happened to be one such time. Twilight then whistled at Luna to come up to the house, earning a flinch from the pegasus that now sat in the doorway shaking, eyes closed, and taking deep breaths to calm herself.

“Good morning, Miss Fluttershy,” Luna said in as soft a voice as she could manage. Fluttershy opened her eyes slowly to look up at the princess who put on a very soft and genuine smile at their meeting.

“H-hello,” the pegasus squeaked out before shutting her eyes again. Luna reached out with a wing to brush the mare’s hair from her face and then pressed her face gently upward.

“Open your eyes my friend,” Luna commanded softly, her voice as sweet as the birds’ morning song. “I will not hurt you. I promise.”

Fluttershy reopened her eyes, straining against her fears to achieve the feat. She was met again not with the eyes of a murderous psychopath but with the serene and kind face of a princess wishing to make up for past wrongdoings.

“I am very sorry for scaring you the last time I saw you,” Luna said, looking down in shame and letting her wing return to her side. “I was not aware of your shy nature and I apologize for causing you any stress. I simply wished to learn from you and become your friend much as Twilight is my friend and you hers.”

This simple act of heart felt apology had Fluttershy turned on a dime, for if there was anything she could not stand for it was a hurting creature, on the inside or out, and Luna was no exception. Therefore it was no surprise to Twilight that she was immediately up and smiling at Luna in sympathy, if not a bit indirectly.

“Um, Luna?” she asked quietly glancing away as she did so. “Would you, uh, maybe like some tea? And perhaps, if it’s ok with you, to be my friend?”

Luna looked up at the pegasus in shock at the sudden change and looked to Twilight for confirmation. Twilight simply smiled and nodded at the princess who turned back to Fluttershy and repeated the gesture. With that, the two companions followed their friend into the cottage for a conversation over tea.

When she entered, Twilight was immediately struck by just how clean the humble abode was. Normally there was a clutter of beds and various supplies for helping all of Fluttershy’s woodland friends, but now the place was spotless aside from a set of saddlebags that were packed to the brim and placed next to the door. The bed was made, the couch and all of its cushions in order, and even Angel’s bed seemed less ruffled than usual.

“Hey Fluttershy?” Twilight inquired, still staring around the place and confused at the transformation. “Were you going somewhere?”

“Oh, um, yes.” Fluttershy said shyly, as she poured three cups of pumpkin spice tea for her visitors and herself. “Or, well, maybe. If you’ll have me, that is.”

“Huh?” Twilight blurted out as a steaming cup was set in front of her. “If we’ll have you?”

“Well, yes,” Fluttershy stated after giving Luna her own cup from which she now sipped appreciatively. “You see, my friend was flying by Applejack’s house when he stopped to pick at some seed on the ground and he, um, overheard that something was wrong. So then he decided to listen for a little bit and, well, he flew back here to tell me that you were coming to get me. He didn’t recognize one of the voices though and I guess that it was you Luna...”

“You aren’t mad at him are you?” she finished, looking at Twilight with an urgent expression. “I hope not, he wasn’t trying to be rude or anything. He just wanted to help…”

“No, no,” Twilight chuckled looking over at Luna who smiled back. “Actually he made our day easier. We just keep getting lucky breaks this morning.”

“Well, that’s good,” Fluttershy responded genuinely before sipping at her own tea and looking from one pony to the other to make sure they weren’t angry.

“So you’re all ready to go?” Twilight asked.

“Um, yes I think so,” Fluttershy replied with a soft smile. “I wasn’t sure at first, but since most of my friends are hibernating now, I think it will be ok and Angel helped me pick up while I packed. Oh but I do hope I won’t be an inconvenience...”

“I’m sure you will be just fine,” Luna stated with a giggle that earned a blush from the pegasus. “You have heart and that is what we require. Would you like to join us on our way back to Ponyville?”

“Oh yes. That sounds nice,” Fluttershy answered, setting her empty cup down and rising to gather her bags.

“We’re going back to Sugarcube Corner to meet up with the other girls,” Twilight explained. “Applejack will be there and hopefully Rainbow has Rarity on board. We’ll explain everything to Pinkie when we get there.”

Fluttershy nodded as she put on her saddlebags and the other two rose to their feet. They walked outside as Fluttershy said goodbye to Angel, who had been sleeping before the bird had come to warn the mare, and was now very grumpy at the disturbance. When she was done she shut the door and they began the trek back to Ponyville. The time passed quickly as the three chatted amiably on the road and before they knew it the town rose before them and not long after they stood in front of the bakery that Pinkie called home.

“Hey y’all!” a familiar voice called and they all turned to see Applejack galloping up the road to meet them. When she arrived in front of the shop, she and Fluttershy exchanged a hug and pleasantries and then they waited on the other two to show up. They passed the time by talking and laughing about this subject or that, never straying so far as to mention the reason for their meeting. It wasn’t long before a familiar ‘yoo hoo’ sounded as a white mare with a flowing purple mane and pink scarf rounded a corner and hailed the group of friends.

“It’s wonderful to see you all!” Rarity exclaimed as she pranced up to meet them. “It is a lovely day for traveling if I do say so myself. I finally get to wear this new scarf and in Canterlot of all places! But I am very sorry to hear about your sister and you can be sure I will do anything I can to help.”

Rarity then rushed over to Luna and gave her a quick hug, causing the princess to freeze in shock. After she pulled away, Rarity flashed a sincere smile at both the alicorn and Twilight, who both returned the gesture before rejoining the others.

“Um Rarity? Where’s Rainbow Dash?” Applejack asked the new arrival, a puzzled look plain on her face.

“Hmm? Oh, she was right behind me,” Rarity said motioning to her rear carelessly with a hoof. “She agreed to carry my luggage.”

“Well, rest in peace Rainbow,” Fluttershy giggled, which stirred the others to laughter and earned a huff from Rarity. It took little time for a cyan pegasus to round the corner from which Rarity had appeared. Only this particular pony was sweating and straining under the weight of at least a dozen well sized luggage bags that were obviously stuffed with the white unicorn’s apparel. At this the laughter from the group simply got louder until Luna mercifully levitated the load from Rainbow’s back.

“Twelve blocks,” Rainbow panted, as she finally made it to the rest of her friends. “Twelve blocks she made me carry those!”

“Well, a lady can never be caught unprepared!” Rarity pouted. “And of course a lady mustn’t sweat!”

“I for one am just glad you both could-“ Twilight was immediately cut off as a pink blur shot from the front doors of the shop in town and bowled her over. Everyone stared awestruck at the sudden attacker. Twilight couldn’t move or feel her legs, and if that wasn’t bad enough, the pony that now sat atop her chest was looking all around and spouting off words at a rate that rivaled Rainbow’s fastest flights.

“Oh my gosh, Twilight! I was coming down the stairs and then I saw you all and I thought ‘Hey! Those are my friends!’ and then I noticed that you all looked like you were going somewhere and so I thought ‘I should go somewhere too!’ but I didn’t know where to go but then I thought ‘I’ll just go with them!’ so I packed my bags and raced out here and now I’m telling you all this! Isn’t it just the most exciting thing ever? It is for me! I’m so excited I could throw a party just because of how excited I am! Do you want-Whoah!” Pinkie Pie cried as Twilight threw the earth pony off of herself. “Ooo! That was fun! Do it again! Oh and by the way, where are we going?”

Everyone burst into laughter, even Twilight who had been quite shaken by the impact. When everyone gained control of themselves however, it was Luna who spoke up to answer the question with a chuckle.

“Why don’t we explain on the way, shall we?”