She had to take the time to mull over the thick layers of minute text that lay before her. Within these numerous pages was such a wealth of information that the mere possession of this book was rather equivalent to a trove; so much data that could be extracted, pondered, and expounded upon. But mere intake was not her goal right now. This was a treasure hunt, her dry gaze seeking out a series of keywords that would alert her mind of where she would find her prize. Deep within these layered walls of black and white was everything she needed, if only she could find it.

High school had been more akin to relaxed reading than any sort of genuine pressure. Her Bachelor’s had been a breeze, easily accomplished within the span of two years- her Masters much of the same, though perhaps a bit more of a crunch that time around. But a PhD? For the first time in many years, Twilight Sparkle found herself struggling to know the answers. The vicious ream of work required of her was an actual challenge to her mental fortitude- how she loved it! This was the sort of thrill she hadn’t felt since she’d first opened a book, when the seemingly insurmountable knowledge had brought forth so many questions in need of an answer. This last great task within the world of education was all that remained for her to accomplish; she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had this much fun.

It had been something of a difficulty to force her numerous choices to be narrowed down to only one. There were so many scientific options available, thanks to her previous collegiate work, and she really only had the finances to support one further accreditation to her name. With a fair amount of thinking –and a little advice from a few trusted sources- she had simply settled on a research Doctorate of Science. Perhaps a bit clichéd altogether, but Twilight enjoyed the material. There was plenty of ground to cover, lots of questions to ask, and it had honed her academic sensibilities back to the fine point that had been lost in the simply years of early college. No longer was she bored, poring over simplistic material that the disinterested hardly bothered to cherish; this was the real deal, and she loved every minute of it.

So occupied was she with the scrutiny of her notes that Twilight’s attentions gave no heed to the soft sound of the office door opening behind her, nor the quiet footsteps that soon followed. Why should she focus on outside distractions? The question she was trying to answer had contained a suspiciously specific set of words, likely a buzzword that would be repeated again. If she could only find that single one within this ancient textbook then there the truth would lie. Surely it dwelt in this sentence- or the one right after, at least!

The hands that fell upon her shoulders held the weight of a flower petal, still enough to make her heart leap somewhere into the stratosphere as the power of icy chill sank its teeth into her chest. Oh heaven help her, someone else was here-!

Before she could turn around to meet her attacker, the fearful world was filled with a gentle warmth by the sound of a sweet giggle, and a voice that spoke in the same and said, “Got you.”

Twilight’s stark terror fled her just as quickly as it had arrived, replaced by an exasperation that could not quite escape the humor of what had just unfolded. “Oh for heaven’s sake,” she muttered, trying her best not to laugh and actually remain a little frustrated. “You scared me half to death!”

As the lovely researcher whirled about and faced her with an expression of restrained amusement, the sweet face of Fluttershy crinkled into a smile that brimmed with laughter. “I’m scary? Oh that’s wonderful, I’ve been trying to be for so long! Thank you for the encouragement.”

“That’s not- I- ugh.” Twilight wanted to remain mad, even as her heart melted at the sight of this mischievous delight upon her beloved’s face. “I’m trying to- you promised me that you’d let me have some time alone to study! You know this is important, come on now.”

“I know. And I did keep my promise,” Fluttershy replied. “You’ve been in here since you came back from class, and that was hours ago.”

A small pause as the words sank in, Twilight’s understanding of time suddenly becoming distorted when put face-to-face with reality. To her, she had hardly spent more than a few minutes tackling her sheets of homework. “I… Wait, hours? What time is it?” A quick glance outside the nearby window confirmed the truth that manmade light had concealed from her focused senses: the soft-blue sky that had been marked by puffy clouds upon her arrival was heavily darkened, tinged by only the faintest coloring of orange and pink on the far horizon. “Oh my gosh.”

“I made us dinner if you’re hungry,” the sweethearted angel offered. “Maybe you’ve made yourself think hard enough for today, I bet you’d feel better with a break.”

“I- I guess so,” Twilight said, closing down her laptop before pushing her books and scratchwork aside. “I didn’t even think it had been that long! I know you asked me to get the bathroom clean, do you mind if I get that done tomorrow? I think it’s a little late for today…”

“You don’t need to worry about it, I took care of it while you were busy.”

Busy she had been, but not enough to prevent the young researcher from feeling the thrill of shame; too enthused, too distracted, and now a failed agreement with the one she cherished most. “Angel, that was- oh, I didn’t mean to do that, I’m so sorry! I promise I was really going to get it done, why didn’t you let me know?”

“Because you were busy with something very important to you,” Fluttershy answered, too sweet to bother with feeling any sort of grudge. “It’s alright, I didn’t mind getting it done.”

“But I promised!” Twilight wanted her word to be gospel, no matter whether the circumstances were great or small in which she gave them. “Can I take care of the dishes after dinner, then? Make it up to you?”

“Hmm…” Fluttershy pretended to ponder the question as though it were a great riddle. Though enjoying this rare bit of teasing, too tender was the quiet beauty to fully give in to the charade so still her lips possessed a smile. “Only if you’re absolutely sure.”

“I am absolutely sure,” Twilight said, leaning forward and placing a kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek. “Thank you for coming to get me, Fluttershy- and for making dinner.” Summoned away by the only thing in the world that could possibly outmatch the allure of knowledge, the young couple left behind the voluminous workload that lay atop the pale-white desk and switched off the lights, darkness consuming it all within its shroud as the two continued off towards the light.

Their current circumstances hadn’t been intentional. Well, at least at first. A high school relationship had been an enjoyable thing, but the both of them had been too inexperienced to maintain such an intimate thing for very long. Teenage passions could stride towards ends both good and ill alike, especially when fear and anxiety had their way in their midst. When the paths of college had seen them heading in different directions, Twilight and Fluttershy had decided that it would be best that their relationship came to an end before things began to sour.

“It was nice,” Fluttershy had said at their graduation, taking the time to speak with her ex as the evening came to a close. “To- to be with you, I mean. I’ll miss it.”

“I hope you have a great time at college, Fluttershy,” Twilight had replied, and struggling to say much of anything else. Try as she might to keep her mind in a reasonable state, the despair at seeing her one and only girlfriend walk forward into another life without her wasn’t something she enjoyed. If the conversation went on any longer then she just might talk herself out of a decision she was trying hard to regret.

They’d parted ways amicably, enjoyed time amongst friends throughout the summer before at last heading off. But even as the numerous experiences of college flew past them in a wild blur with all its chaos and joy and novelty, the quiet spaces of time they would occasionally possess had a sort of emptiness to them. Try as she might to think otherwise, Twilight found herself thinking of her solitary room as something lonely; yes, she’d made some decent friends in this vast university, even gone on a date or two, but it still wasn’t quite the same. She wanted solitude as much as ever- but also to see it spent with someone else.

The first year of college had passed by in a whirlwind, the brilliant young woman doing her best to remain occupied throughout so as to not dwell in her discontent. But when she’d returned home for the summer back to the realm of the familiar that she’d known all her life, the ache was undeniable. A part of her world was missing, and despite her best efforts to keep it quelled she knew exactly what.

It had been one of the greatest surprise in her life to be sitting in her room, sifting through random nonsense on her phone when the familiar ringtone of Fluttershy’s number rang loud in her ears. She’d been unable –unwilling- to delete the number even if she hadn’t texted to it in ages. Twilight couldn’t imagine why she was calling at all- or at least that was what she told herself. One second passed, then half of another before she picked up and answered.

The reconnection took no time at all to return to a gentle familiarity; conversations were quick to regain their warmth, forms that remained tight and separate did not last long before hands reached out to find another’s- and the unified agreement that they had missed one another was fervent. Despite their unified willingness to move on with their lives, a hectic first year had seen them right back together again, in each other’s arms and happily together. Their renewed relationship grew swiftly thanks to the strength of a little more maturity, Fluttershy and Twilight just as happy at rest together as they would be in the throes of passion. A kiss held as much weight as a kind word, a hug as much as lovemaking; the years passed on and saw the distance between their worlds shrink until at last Fluttershy earned her degree and came to her girlfriend’s side. Expenses kept a wedding at bay for a little while longer, but the numerous discussions on the matter were sign enough to point to the inevitable conclusion, small bands held about fingers as a reminder. When Twilight earned her doctorate was the sign for which they would wait, even as they lived together and enjoyed their tranquil, peaceful existence.

Dinner saw the two nestled about a beat up wooden table hardly larger than a garbage can, an antique hand-me-down from Fluttershy’s family that had somehow survived numerous spring cleanings and yard sales for who knew how long. Though it likely wasn’t meant to be used for large dinners, the young women who currently owned the ancient thing did their best to make things work; every bit of furniture they owned was a donation from family or a cheap thing meant to last only for a small portion of time. Twilight had little time for work due to her academic efforts, and Fluttershy’s job at the city animal shelter only paid so much; for now, they merely did the best they could. No money could buy their happiness, and seeing it spent together was the best means they knew of.

Even if they could perhaps be a little too polite from time to time.

Twilight struggled to swallow the mouthful of fish and rice she currently chewed, finding her throat clotted by guilt. The meal was actually great, brimming with flavors of lemon and pepper; Fluttershy was definitely the better chef between the two. But a delicious plate of fish with fresh green beans on the side was meant to be enjoyed after a little housework, not when one was forcibly roused from an enjoyable pastime. With all the effort her warmhearted girlfriend had made today, she struggled.

“Is… is it bad?” Fluttershy asked, taking note of the spectacled woman’s unhappy countenance. Never quite one keen on a non-vegetarian meal of any kind, the tilapia had been a bold foray for someone so sensitive; it was easy to worry she’d screwed up the meal. “I know it’s a simple recipe, I just used the first one I found online.”

“No! No, it’s- it’s actually really good,” Twilight mumbled, forcing herself to swallow and regain full strength of speech. “I’m sorry, Fluttershy. I just got distracted and screwed up! I promise I didn’t mean to, really.”

To one so gentle, the thought of holding a grudge over such a trivial matter seemed ridiculous. “Oh, it’s alright, Sweets, I’m not mad,” Fluttershy replied. “You don’t need to feel bad at all.”

“But I promised!” Twilight pressed. It was as though she could force her fiancé to understand her shame. “And you made dinner and everything and I just got so focused and everything… I don’t really think doing the dishes is enough.”

Fluttershy sighed and gave a smile, lovingly exasperated by the insistence. “I was happy to let you keep working, Twilight,” she said warmly. “I’d hate for you to feel bad because of something so silly. We both know that you’re working very hard to finally be done.”

Twilight pooched her lip, unwilling to quite yet acquiesce. “I know, but…”

“But nothing. You’ve been working towards this for so long, and I’m happy I can be here with you for when you finally make it.” Quietly resolute, Fluttershy’s firm stance was set by a smile and not willing to even bend; for her girlfriend’s arduous dream she would put a little more on her shoulders. “And I don’t ever want you to feel like you owe me for any of it. I love you very much, and I know you would do the same for me.”

It didn’t seem quite fair in her eyes, but Twilight knew she would not change the gentle woman’s mind in the slightest; whatever Fluttershy had experienced in her years at her own college had given her a backbone- one without malice or fire within. Gentle to the end, she would not be willing to change her mind once it had been concluded. “Thank you, Fluttershy,” Twilight said. “Really, for everything. I’ll try to set an alarm next time so I won’t forget.”

“You’re very welcome,” Fluttershy said. Their world became a little quieter as the two descended into the heart of their meal, hunger requiring them to consume and let a groaning stomach be put at rest- especially when it was still hot! Though the fish was quite tasty, Fluttershy found herself struggling to really enjoy the meal; she could cook meats of any kind if her fiancé so desired it, but she doubted it would ever be something she would enjoy herself.

“Oh my gosh,” Twilight said, settling her fork upon an empty plate and pushing it back. “I feel so much better. I don’t think I’ve eaten since breakfast.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I went in and rescued you!” Fluttershy teased. “You certainly looked extremely busy, what was all that you had?”

“Seminar work,” Twilight answered. “There’s only a few of us together in my professor’s class, so that means I need to have as much material as possible ready for discussion.”

“How much have you done already?”

“Umm…” Twilight’s grin was sheepish, unwillingly summoned. “I’ve got one for every meeting for the rest of the semester, save for the very last one.”

Fluttershy had been a prodigious student during her time, though often stymied by group or oral projects. Studying had never been a bother to her, nor learning of any kind. But to say that she could even comprehend the workload her girlfriend had already completed would have-! Wide eyes gawked at Twilight from across the dingy table, uncertain of whether to be awed or impressed.

“Just in case,” Twilight added meekly.

Fluttershy gave a weary breath at the mere thought, shaking her head at the skill before her. “You’re amazing- and a little scary, too.”

“I just want to be prepared, that’s all! My professor keeps telling me that the dissertation defense is insanely difficult; I want to make sure I’m really ready.”

“I guess so,” Fluttershy said. When Twilight had first explained the whole process to her, she’d struggled to make sense of most of it. She couldn’t imagine what sort of work the defense would require or how what her beloved worked on now would benefit. “Please don’t work yourself too hard, though, OK? I don’t want you to keep going late into the night like you did for your Master’s.”

Twilight shook her head at the thought. She could recall her first year in the program and how she’d initially struggled due to her poor handling of the workload. Fluttershy and Sunset had helped talk some sense into her, but readjusting the schedule had taken time; she’d done her best to not repeat the same mistake here. “I won’t. And I promise I’m done for tonight! I’ll get the dishes cleaned up and then we can relax, how does that sound?”

“Just lovely,” Fluttershy answered, all smiles as she handed Twilight her plate. A beat up, broken old couch that was oh so comfortable called to her, and she would be glad to cuddle up beside the one she loved for the rest of the night.

Their world was dimly lit, only the pale light of the TV and a small lamp on a plastic coffee table softening their darkened world with warmth. Twilight found she preferred less light after the sun had set, but Fluttershy was more at ease when there was a comforting glow amidst the darkness- of course she’d been willing to concede. Besides, time on the couch was usually spent in each other’s close company; with she in Twilight’s arms and the two leaning back against the pillows, there was no qualm to be had.

“Mmm…” Fluttershy stretched herself out within her fiance’s grasp, lithe body put to its most limber even as Twilight kept hands clasped about her waist. “I didn’t think I’d be so tired tonight. I guess I worked harder than I thought.”

“Same, honestly,” Twilight said. Several hours of discussion with peers at school had been exhilarating and the schoolwork had been much of the same, but so much energy and emotion had been spent upon them both; there wasn’t much of her left that could be used up. “I guess we could finish this episode and just go to bed a little early tonight.”

“I feel like I could go to bed right now, really,” Fluttershy answered, soft humor twinkling in her eyes. “It just feels so nice to sit with you like this. You’re very warm and comfy.”

Twilight felt her face flush; her warmth was an easy thing to accomplish when they allowed the apartment to stay rather cold to save a little money on electricity. Cuddling, blankets, and a mix of the two had been their response, but she hadn’t thought that her chest would make for a good pillow. “I, umm, you’re welcome. I guess,” Twilight managed. “It’s nice to just sit with you like this, Angel.”

“I think so, too.” The quiet beauty looked up at her girlfriend and opened her mouth to speak- before swiftly keeping shut and looking away, the peaceful aura about her visage fading away as it gave way to a hidden anxiety. “Umm… Twilight?”

“Mhm?”

Fluttershy lifted herself up from her place against Twilight’s form and came face-to-face, the tension in her body growing as she tried to compose herself. “Can we try something a little… I don’t know, umm- scary- for Halloween?” She asked.

Twilight cocked an eyebrow. Anything fearful or frightening had never been a part of this sweet woman’s life in any sense of the word. Halloween was likely her least favorite holiday, she’d never liked surprise parties, and horror movies were completely forbidden in the house. To think that Fluttershy had actually asked for something scary was stunning. “Uh… is there any particular reason why?” She replied. “I mean, what- what do you even want to do?”

Fluttershy grimaced and glanced away, struggling to keep her nerve even as their conversation had only just begun. “I, umm- I was reading a few things. Online. The other day,” she continued tremulously, “And I- I started wondering if we could- we could try something… something a little different. In the bedroom.” Her sweet face turned a deep shade of red. “When we’re having sex.”

Their relationship had started as something physical and had continued as such over the years; they’d enjoyed relations numerous times, physical affection being their unified love language that had so easily bound them together- yet still Fluttershy struggled to mention its mere existence. “That’s all?” Twilight asked, a light laughter hidden beneath her surprise. “OK, then. What did you want to try? A new position, or something? Or was there a toy-”

“Please let me finish or else I’ll get too scared to say it,” Fluttershy said, a rare interruption arriving in a voice unusually fierce and leaving her girlfriend more surprised than ever. This kind of conviction was rare in her, typically reserved for an animal’s welfare rather than anything said to one another. “I- I got to reading a few things, and I thought it might be- you know- a little fun to try something different. I, uh… would you- have you ever heard, um, of… of BDSM?”

Twilight had, and the fact that this demure, soft-spoken angel had been the one to mention it was definitely on a list of thing she’d never thought would escape from Fluttershy’s lips. BDSM- Fluttershy, of all people? Whips and chains, slapping and spanking and all sorts of violent things? The mere thought that such a thing could potentially be introduced into their love life was unbelievable. Just what was this woman playing at? “BDSM,” Twilight echoed. “You- you want to try BDSM.”

“I thought it might be… interesting,” Fluttershy explained, words arriving slow after the flurried rush that had come to the initial confession. “I love being with you, I really do. And I wondered if maybe it would- it would be fun if we shook it up. A little bit. And that maybe it would help us have a little more fun together.”

The numerous concepts of the act that still endured in fiction ran through behind her eyes, the vivid images of both projection and imagination more than enough for Twilight to feel rather sickened by it all. Fluttershy, this sweet, gentle, loving being from the heavens wanted to be used and abused- treated like an animal, a plaything! To even consider the idea was too horrid for Twilight to accept. “I can’t do that to you!” She protested. “Fluttershy, why would you want me to hurt you? That’s awful!”

“I’m sorry! I know it’s different, and that it’s really scary,” Fluttershy said, quickly backing away from the suggestion as though it reeked of poison. “I just thought that it’d be-”

“Why would you ask me to do something so horrible to you? I would never want to hurt you, ever!” Twilight continued. She had to talk this idea down, erase it from her fiancé’s mind lest it find life once more. “Especially like that! I- I just don’t get it, Fluttershy, why would even ask me to do that? I don’t understand.”

“I’m sorry, I won’t bring it up again-”

“And don’t ever scare me like that, dammit-”

Fluttershy gave a small twitch. “Language, please!”

“Oh dammit- I mean- gimme a moment. Just a second, please?” Twilight rose and walked away from her place on the couch; perhaps a stretch and a little distance between the two would help her think things over a little better. Her initial reactions of distress weren’t helping matters by likely making Fluttershy feel terrible; with how much effort it had taken to even bring up the subject, this sort of reception was rather unkind. “OK, let’s- let’s try again,” she said, a few slow breaths to help regain some self-control. “Umm- what- what did you want to do? Or actually, better yet, tell me why you even suggested to me in the first place.”

“I… I thought it might be kind of- kind of fun,” Fluttershy said meekly. Her words were picking up steam now that the initially frosty reception was melting away, allowing her to speak her mind a bit more freely. “I liked how someone wrote about, umm… dominance. And roleplay being part of it. So that it’s like a little story between you and your significant other. And I thought that maybe it would be fun to do something like that with you.”

“OK. And, you… you wanted me to like… chain you up, or whip you, or something? Like a slave or an animal?” Twilight asked. She could feel herself becoming squeamish again as the concept turned itself into a mental image.

“No! No, definitely not,” Fluttershy replied, turning pale as the suggestion passed them by- the sight enough to leave Twilight relieved. “I just thought maybe that we explore a little bit. And maybe we make a fun little game out of it. Something light, and- and maybe a little story to make it a bit easier."

“How so?” Twilight, feeling a bit more comfortable at discussing the subject, returned to her place beside her girlfriend on the couch. So it would definitely be a branching out of their romantic life if she agreed, but it would not be quite so great a leap as she’d first thought. “Did you have anything specific in mind?”

“No, not yet,” Fluttershy answered. “But… maybe we could go shopping together, and we could figure it out a bit. Like I could get an outfit you would like me to wear, and then you get one for yourself that would make for a- a theme, I guess.”

“And as for the actual sex part..?” Twilight inquired. Please don’t ask for anything crazy.

“We could start really small. Just some… some roleplay. And maybe you forcing me to have sex with you- I mean pretending to force me to have sex with you,” the quiet woman said. “It wouldn’t have to be anything too intense, since I don’t think I’d like anything like that.”

“I wouldn’t like doing anything intense to you, either,” Twilight remarked. She was still hesitant, and definitely unwilling to actually acquiesce to such a demand. But Fluttershy had been willing to explore with her right from the beginning, from kissing to lovemaking and even a couple of toys here and there. It had always been Twilight’s volition that had seen their usual comforts branched out, this tender beauty never once asking for anything in return. Would it really be so awful if she gave in to this one demand and they explored something Fluttershy wanted to try out? “So, umm… I’d need to really- really think it out for a bit, but I guess we could try something. So long as you’re still comfortable with it all.”

Fluttershy gave a start, then smiled as surprise meshed with delight. “Thank you, Twilight,” she said, wrapping her arms about her beloved and planting a soft kiss upon her cheek. “How about we go out shopping this weekend? That way you’ll be able to think it over a little and know how you feel about it.”

“I can do that,” Twilight said, returning the kiss with one of her own as she enjoyed the treasured flavor of the sweet angel’s lips. “And I’ll read up on what to do, too. I don’t want us to do something -well, anything, really- without being absolutely sure of what we want to try.”

And, she thought to herself, I need time to think. The role she’d been requested to play was not her forte; how was she supposed to be forceful and dominant when she’d never been anything of the sort in her entire life? Oh heaven help me.

The night came to an end for the young couple not much longer after that, too wearied by the day to continue with anything more than preparing to rest. A quick shower and brushing of teeth before they were soon beneath the covers, the soft light of the lamp on the nightstand illuminating their shadowed world for a little while longer.

Fluttershy tried to read a few pages of a dog care guide, but found herself too distracted by a continuous series of yawns. Though reading was often her great aid in falling asleep, this night would require no help whatsoever and the quiet woman soon turned over and shut her eyes.

Twilight, despite her exhausted spirits, could not manage to cure her mind of the restlessness that refused to be quelled. Her book was a fantastic novel, and just the other night she’d found it gripping- now she struggled to finish the chapter, rereading the first sentence atop the page over and over again. She was clearly distracted, and was not altogether pleased as to the reason why. Setting down the book upon the nearby nightstand, the spectacled girl turned her head and took in the peaceful form of her sleeping girlfriend; how the quiet breaths came and went so easily, a peace in her stillness untroubled by the slightest concern. Why should she fret? Her career, her future, was so certain; filled with love and gentleness and the happy creatures she adored. Fluttershy was loved by all, especially by the one who now watched her.

And here I thought I knew everything there was to know about you, Twilight thought. The effects of the surprising request still rattled about in her brain, likely the source of her disquiet. Fluttershy had always, always been a being of unusual tenderness, shy to the point of fearful and deeply concerned with finding the kindest solution possible. And somehow, this very same woman now wanted to try out a sexual kink that was the utter opposite of her very self. Was this an acting out of sorts? A reaction to the tranquil world in which she lived? It just seemed so unlike Fluttershy, and maybe that was the reason she found the idea enticing. Even as she tried to think it all over, she struggled to really take it in.

Twilight wasn’t averse to being adventurous in the bedroom. Considering how their first relationship had come to be, exploration was what had bound them together. But that had been a romanticism of their own making, even still did they tend to one another with kindness and love; now Fluttershy wanted her to act so… differently from herself. She’d read over some material, of course, but the thought of bringing any sort of harm to this sweet being felt despicable. Even if they did try out some form of BDSM, Twilight wasn’t at all sure that she’d have the heart to go through with anything. She wasn’t even sure she could!

But I know someone who does.

Twilight felt her blood chill; she hadn’t meant to think that- had she even thought it at all? Had it even been her voice that had rang in her mind, or had it been something other? She had to make sure, make absolutely sure. If that voice was starting to speak of its own accord then there was reason to be concerned, even if she knew it would be the one to whom she would have to speak. And that conversation, if she dared to take part in it, would require a strong will; constant control of self, and of the chain about that woman’s neck. Could she manage this?

You are not that scared, unhappy young girl anymore, Twilight counseled herself. And she has been gone for a long, long time. If anyone can speak to Midnight, it’s you. A quick glance over at the sleeping form of Fluttershy, discreetly checking to see the weight of her breaths to find them heavy and slow. If she slipped out now, her absence would go unnoticed. Now or never. Decide.

In the emptiness of the living room, Twilight went to ground and crossed her legs, allowing herself to fall into a position of relaxed control. She would feel the blood moving within her limbs, the heart that beat within her chest; she would need to know both of them to unlock that one last place so far sealed from the rest of her world. There were corners of her mind that were so dark and far away that even she did not always remember them.

Upon the coffee table before her did Twilight placed a solitary candle, its weak light flickering and giving life to her shadow; as the darkness writhed and moved like a living thing, the first step was completed. The second would be calm, serenity even in the midst of this reckless course of action; a slowed heartbeat devoid of adrenaline, a mind free of fear that would act as a snare. Could she even manage? A series of steady breaths and a small belief in her own confidence deemed she could. There was only one last step.

“I sail into the deepest of night,” Twilight began, the steady words a rhythmless chant that would call out to faraway places. “Across water and world and time do I go. Above me is no starlight, below me no white reflection of moon. All about me is darkness, for I alone carry the light. In me is the gleam of sunrise, the warmth of sunset, the waking and resting of the star that brings life. And in the darkness I have no fear, though fear surrounds me. But I am warm amidst the cold, dry above the waves. And into the mirror do I gaze… and find the other half of me.”

Twilight closed her eyes and took in one breath, holding it tight as she felt the world about her change. Slipping away was the softness of the carpet beneath her body and instead a world that was the texture of mist and glass, the sounds of the living world drifting on the tide and replaced by the sound of a moving, breathing ocean. And when she felt the fiery gaze burning against her meditating form, Twilight knew she had arrived. Opening her eyes, the young woman looked out into a darkened world devoid of light, the dky above and below her twisting about with countless currents of vivid colors that roamed in the dark. She could see black and blue, deep violet and crimson moving all around this place as though a painting had been given life. And there in the center of it all, only a few feet away, sat a woman who looked so very much like herself yet not at all alike.

It had been a long time since she had seen this face, felt those eyes leer at her, and Twilight had not missed the sensation. It was so strange to see someone she recognized yet knew to be so other, a reflection she would see in the mirror yet somehow greater and more terrible than ever. Midnight possessed a beauty to her- but darkened. She was sensuous where Twilight was graceful, proud and willful rather than timid and easygoing. There were curves, a sleek form, a splendid bust; this darkened being intended to be greater than her mirror image, more beautiful and alluring. Yet the look in her eyes was unmistakable, the tempting leer of a viper before it lashed out and sealed the fate of death. Midnight was no mere creature of the dark, and to even look upon her could mean danger.

Yet Twilight caught sight of the chain about this shadowy beast’s neck, silvery iron woven into a collar and plated to the ground from both her right and left. Midnight sat on a throne, true, but she ruled nothing and held no power over anyone; she had been bound here, left to boast and brag to an empty world devoid of all power and subjects. That chain had been Twilight’s doing, hadn’t it? Had she not found strength from much greater things and sealed this woman away so long ago? If even a timid little girl could manage to bring such a beast into the unrelenting grasp of shackles, then the woman she was now would not falter. She could do this.

True to her usual fashion, Midnight said nothing as her free counterpart strode across the empty space towards the throne where she was enchained, eyes glowing slits and her lips in the form of a welcoming smirk, head resting against her hand as though she had all the power to offer in the world. She would not speak, not do anything unless she had something to respond to. Was she aware of why Twilight was here? She would soon know the answer.

“Midnight,” Twilight greeted, her tone kept at an even-keel. “It’s been a while.”

“A little too long, truly,” Midnight said, stretching herself out as much as her collar would allow. “And here I was thinking you’d forgotten little old me after all these years. But I guess nobody spends much time thinking about their shadow, do they?”

“I wasn’t planning on forgetting anytime soon,” the greater woman replied. Was that a dangerous thing to say? Midnight would surely see it as a sign of weakness.

The lustrous being smiled all the more widely, more akin to the toothy grin of a shark prepared to devour than something friendly. “Aww, you do miss me,” she remarked. “I know how hard it must be. All those little frustrations, all that stress and despair… I’m sure you just wish you could lash out! You lost all your fire when you locked me away, didn’t you?”

“I learned everything I could of who I didn’t want to be,” Twilight replied, enjoying the look of that grin turning sour. “You’re a lesson I don’t ever want to forget. I doubt I could ever do worse than to be like you.”

Midnight found no pleasure in the remark, those lightless blue eyes starting to blaze. “If you’ve come here to mock me then I don’t have time for your words,” she said, words arriving as bitter as the winter’s cold. “I’ve better things to do than to listen to some goody two-shoes go on about their pointless little life, with all its insipid happiness. There’s grander dreams that are worth my attention.”

“I came here to offer you something,” Twilight continued. “A chance at redemption.”

“Save it! I’ve no need for your pity!” The dark angel’s flames burned hot as she sat upon her throne- and just as promptly flickered away, the metallic chains absorbing the heat and scalding her neck. “I… do not wish for redemption, thank you very much, my dull sibling. I am wicked only because you deem me so, not because I truly am. I would have made you great, if you’d let me.”

“Do you know what’s happened to me since you’ve been gone?” The bookworm inquired; better that she distract this woman from her sulking and guide her towards something more tangible. “I know you can hear me sometimes. How much do you know?”

“As if there was anything worth paying attention to,” Midnight scoffed. “The comings and goings of dull humans are hardly worth my attentions. So what that you’ve enjoyed your little academia? I would have given you a kingdom.”

“So you know everything,” Twilight drily surmised as she earned another scowl. “Good, that means I don’t need to explain what Fluttershy asked of me.”

“Does it bother you that the most timid woman on earth is more adventurous than you?” The fallen being crowed. “You’re very vanilla, despite all your denial. Yet here she comes trying to make things interesting for once, and you want to be afraid of it. How pitiful.”

Twilight wanted to feel rankled, frustrated by this being’s taunts; Midnight wanted to goad her, see those chains start to have some slack and perhaps even loosen. No, she would not give way here; she was in control. “I don’t understand everything yet,” she admitted, “And I don’t know if I can satisfy her curiosity completely-”

“Of course you can’t, she needs a real woman-”

“So that’s why I’m offering you a chance to help me,” Twilight finished.

Midnight’s reaction was expected and instantaneous, pulling back in her seat and staring at her brighter self with a look of shocked suspicion. “You’re willing to let me go free,” She said. “You want me to take control during your little pet’s playtime.”

“I don’t have the heart to be forceful like that, not yet. But I know you do,” the bookish woman said. “And I want to put that to use. If it will make Fluttershy happy.”

“Oh, it is about time!” Midnight roared, the chains about her neck suddenly oh so very loose as she soared into the darkened world of sky, crackling with energy just barely kept in check. Such strength had not coursed through her bones in years, the power of shadowy joy bringing her spirit into a state of revival. “Oh, the fun we’ll have- just how she’ll positively squeal when I-”

“Enough!” Powered by a voice that struck with the force of lightning, Midnight was sent spiraling down from her place in the darkened heavens and straight into Twilight’s unrelenting grasp.

“How the hell-”

“You’re going to listen to me,” Twilight stated. Never in all her life had Midnight seen her other self in such a state, bristling and burning with a fire of her very own, positively forceful in her command; she’d never even known the woman could achieve this feat. “I am going to allow you the pleasure of helping. You are going to give me strength, an edge- but only a little. Only as much as she allows me to do, do you understand? If you go too far, step out of line for even a moment, then it’s over. I will throw you back into this place, and you will never leave again. But if you behave, do what’s asked of you… and if she asks for me to do it again, then I’ll let you keep coming back out.”

Midnight clearly had no love for this offer. Stewing in her fury, there was nothing she’d like better than to send her weaker counterpart flying and break free of this prison- but how could she achieve it? The chains that had once been so weak had regained their strength, the iron band threatening to choke the life out of her. There was no escape unless this one willed it into being.

“Do you enjoy that collar?” Twilight taunted. “I can make sure it never comes off. And you stay here in this miserable corner of my mind forever. It’s your choice.”

“You drive a hard bargain, oh sibling mine,” Midnight hissed. “So, let me get this straight: I will be unchained for your little pet’s playtime, and every other session so long as I do what you tell me. Am I understanding correctly?”

“You do.”

“Hmph… then perhaps you do have the gumption after all,” Midnight mused. “Very well, then, little light. Stretch out your wings, and let me teach you to fly.”

Author's Note

I don't think I've ever tried anything really like this. Let's see how I do.

Keep reading, I guess.