In the dimly lit confines of the Golden Oak Library, a heavy silence hung in the air as the two ponies stood still.

Twilight Sparkle sat on one side of the room, her gaze fixed on the floor, her eyes dulled by the weight of her mistakes in her life.

'I did it again. My carelessness and impulse.' The lavender unicorn thought bitterly, her heart heavy with remorse and regret. 'And as always, I've taken advantage of the kindness of my victims, acting like I was the one who was hurt.'

Suddenly, Just as Twilight was lost in her self-reproach, the comforting touch on her back brought her back to the present, and Twilight let out a soft, relieved moan as Rainbow Dash patted her gently on a particularly good spot.

'She already forgave me, hasn't she?' Twilight thought, her mind racing with conflicting emotions. Her self-doubt still lingered, but even if only a little, the words and actions of the rainbow mane pegasus had started to chip away at the walls of guilt she had built.

The pegasus's magenta irises locked onto Twilight's, and her expression was not of anger or contempt but understanding and empathy. "Miss Twilight," she began, her voice carrying warmth with a little hint of ~~smugness~~ playfulness. "I've already forgiven you, How uncool am I to keep that kind of grudge?"

To the lavender mare's dismay. Twilight whined involuntarily when Rainbow Dash's warmth barrel left her as the cyan pegasus untangled herself from the unicorn, leaving Twilight feeling empty and cold.

Twilight's face beet red as she noticed ponies around her. Her impulse action instigated awed and chuckles from those who witnessed. The rainbow mane mare now known as Rainbow Dash giggled and her two observing non-blood-related family members looked at her with warm knowing smiles.

But before Twilight could protest, Rainbow brought herself out of her mirth. "Ahem. How about a fresh start, hmm?" She said playfully, her tone upbeat and confident. "I am Rainbow Dash! Danger is my middle name, and the fastest mare alive was me! Be it Air or Ground... still working on underwater."

The pegasus's colorful mane lost its luster for a moment when she mentioned the last part, but the confident and upbeat pegasus soon came back as the mare shook her head and continued. "Glad to meet you, new friend." Rainbow Dash gave her the brightest smile she could.

For a moment, the lavender unicorn stood stunted, looking down at the extended cyan hoof with pure confusion. The rainbow's mane pegasus's smile slowly cramped up as time stretched on.

Eventually, Twilight Sparkle's brain started to compute.

'Oh, I see.. she already forgave me. The only one who's still holding a grudge against me... is myself.'

Now Twilight knew it was time to reciprocate, to bridge the gap between them. She hesitated for a moment, but it was clear that Rainbow Dash's intention was genuine. The lavender mare looked up at the pegaus with determination.

"Ummm, or just acquaintances if that floats your boat more." Rainbow Dash spoke awkwardly, her ears flopped down in sadness. Surely, the mare must be misinterpreting Twilight's initial silence and her 'glare' as displeasure and rejection.

Twilight smiled sadly. "And it's because of me again" The lavender mare voicelessly muttered under her breath. She realized that might not be able to fully forgive herself, Not soon or possibly never, but she knew that couldn't just mope and be all misery by herself.

The world goes on whether Twilight likes it or not, and in that world exist ponies she knows and loves. Those who she cared about. Ponies who would also be sad and hurt if she was.

And for that, Twilight Sparkle will give herself another chance. It will take that much effort more than just lying down and giving up, but the lavender mare will preserve on. She had to start somewhere and take that first step toward healing and her own redemption.

'And it's just too cruel to leave such a kind soul hanging like this.'

Twilight needed to be clear and express her intention clearly. She took a deep breath, her heart heavy but determined to make amends. The lavender unicorn suppressed her internal turbulence as she extended her hoof to meet with the outstretching cyan one, to its owner's relief.

'Now is not the time of regret.' Twilight cleared her mind of dark thought and gave the rainbow mane pegasus a heartfelt smile.

With a gentle and friendly tone, she started "My name is Twilight Sparkle. A unicorn sorceress hailing from Canterlot." Her smile slowly morphed into mischievousness as she thought of the best way to lighten the mood with her self-introduction. "Books are my domain, and libraries are my lair. Princess's personal bookworm, and proud of it."

'Good job me!' Twilight congratulates herself on her last-minute ditch. She hoped she could change the mood to something less bleak and gaze over at the pegasus expectingly. She expected it to be either a jovial laugher or fail spectacularly with embarrassment, both are better than awkwardness from sadness but one is more preferable to her than another.

Rainbow Dash was confused at the unicorn's unexpected joke for a moment before she grinned back and decided to play along. "Oh no, I'm stuck with an egghead!" she exclaimed dramatically, feigning dismay. "I am going to be infected with those math-thingy!"

"Resistant is futile!" Twilight laughed, happy at the result of her gambling. The lavender mare’s eyes twinkled and her muzzle curved upward like a cheschire cat. "Yessss. I will infect you with math-thingy." She said with a spooky tone.

Giving the mirthful Pegasus her best demonic impression. "Drag coefficient will fill your brain when you adjust your wings and every air particle felt by your feathers will be calculated, and I will make sure you dream of fluid dynamic in your sleep! Wa ha ha ha!"

"Oh no! Not the fluid dynamic." The pegaus put a hoof on her head exaggeratedly, her limbs trembling from holding back her laugh. Before she gave in sprawled out on the ground, laughing along with the standing lavender mare. "You're cool Twilight, egghead or not."

As she started to recover, Twilight eyes' met those warm magenta orbs again, and only chided herself internally as she now remembered what she forgot to say.

"Yes, Rainbow Dash. Let's us be friends." Twilight Sparkle said softly but with conviction.

Cadance and Spike breathed out in relief and exchanged smiles as they observed the two mares embracing each other with a new friendship. It would take some time for Twilight to let go of this incident and they know it.

'But it had to start somewhere, right?'

The atmosphere in the room lightened, and the tension that had hung in the air moments ago was replaced by a sense of serenity and relaxation.

Seeing their family member left in the hoof of a good mare, the one who could find common ground and forgive her transgression, filled pink alicorn and young drake with a deep sense of relief.

It was a reminder that there was always a light at the end of the dark tunnel. The power of friendship and harmony will be endured even in the face of challenging circumstances.

With their smiles of encouragement, The pink alicorn slowly opened her mouth to express her support

Only to be interrupted by a magic bolt fired in between the two mares.

Confirming the lavender shield had already sprung up from Twilight's horn, the ever vigilance, and protective ex-foalsister cast one of her own on top before tracing back where the magical projectile came from, looking at whoever dared to hurt her little Twilight.

When her eyes met the assailant, Cadance couldn't help but gasp out in horror and surprise.

Stood there with his horn glowing in the dim light was a certain white coat stallion that she knew well. He was Twilight's big brother and her boyfriend.

"Shiny!" Cadance shouted.

Shining Armor didn't have a good day.

Well, not like yesterday was a particularly good one either.

Shining considered himself a patient pony. He forgave those two guards that were supposed to guard his little sister, Twilight Sparkle.

The ones who thought he was too stupid to notice them sleeping on duty. Rubbing their eyes when they thought he didn't notice. And yet, he will relent, he will forgive. Those royal guards are the best he could get his hoof on, but they are still greens, and no amount of cutting-edge gear gonna change that.

Frustration gnawed at him, more so especially when it involved putting Twilight in danger, but he didn't have a choice. Equestria needed every pony it could get, and Shinning Armor was known. As the organization is filled with greenhorns.

Those competent and experienced guards, be it from his senior to his classmates, or even budding young talents that he personally trained rigorously. They're all either sent off to more critical posts at borders and countrysides, far from the safety of Canterlot's wall... or ran away from their crime when the purge happened. The crime of impersonation.

Because in the ranks of Equestria’s protectors, there were spies hidden among them.

zebra sharmares to kirin magicians, all with unique ways to wears the skin of ponies like gloves. Fellow ponykinds of foreign birth with fake forged equestrian identities. They are creatures who do have not the security of Equestria as their priority. Malicious players could infiltrate the royal guards so deep for who knows how long.

Only few captured but rest got spooked out and take their chance to withdrawn, but from what he heard, that's enough to made the Princess giggling like a schoolfilly. Treaties, trade deals, technological transfer or FEEL THE SUN.

The stallion can't help but feel conflicted. Calling what's left of the once prestigious organization 'skeleton crews' is too generous. Should he thank his Princess for instigating this whole thing, or should he be irate at her for making his job that much harder than it should be?

Those spies cannot fool new security systems that came with many breeding edge toys they only got their hooves on curtsy from the budget increase by the order directly from her highness.

It turned out not many Equestrians actually wanted to be a Canterlot Castle's decoration ornament nor did they want to be belittled by noblemares and stallions. The turnover rate is so high that most ponies would jump ship immediately when their dreams of being the protector crumbled.

He couldn't believe the reality of the situation of what's of the royal guard when he launched the 'house cleansing' operation. The same way that he didn't believe his eyes when he saw his little sister was cuddled with the mare that according to the report, was the one who was supposedly badly hurt and hospitalized.

She was the impossible mare who shouldn't be here. Hugging and flirting(?) with Twilight, his little sister.

At that moment. He snapped. There is only one thing that came into his tired and stress-induced mind, The unicorn aimed his horn toward his mark as he fell back to his training – the same one that saved him many times on his more dangerous missions.

Stunt first, ask later.

With determination, his horn glowing with energy as he fired off his magic. His energy bolt was stopped by a lavender shield. Shinning Armor snarled. Look like the creature already compromised his little sister.

The stallion didn't want to hurt his family, even a minor one, but if push came to shove and he had to choose between their safety and...

Shining Armor took a deep breath and steeled himself up and ready to defend his sister from the threat. He ready his horn again only to be interrupted.

"Shinny!" The stallion was surprised as his marefriend's voice called out to him. "Stop!" The pink alicorn commanded as her horn shone with power, another layer of shield was added to Twilight's own.

Shining Armor hesitated, his magic still swirling from his horn. "Cady, what's going on here? Is she a...?" The alicorn of love cut him off by shaking her head and quietly moving her lips, silently mouthing the answer to him.

Healing spell

Shining Armor let the information sink in and shuddered. There are few healing spells that could get the result this quickly, and none of them without a drawback. He looks questioningly at the alicorn for more context, only to receive. 'We will talk about this later' was his answer.

'Look like she figured something out already' And that's all he needed to know. So he dropped his spell, and sheepishly around the room. The young drake looked at him like he'd grown two heads, and his little sister glared at him un-bemusedly with the trembling and horrified cyan pegasus nestled beside her.

Without the safety of Twilight at the forefront of his mind, Shining Armor's face turned a deep shade of red in shame as he stammered, "I, uh, I'm so sorry. I just... I thought..."

As the stallion tried to salvage this awkward situation he was interrupted, to his relief and horror.

Suddenly, a great, inexplicable pressure enveloped his horn, causing Shining to gasp in surprise. It was a force unlike anything he had ever experienced, and it sent a shiver down his spine.

Around the room, Twilight and Cadance also felt the same overwhelming pressure on their horns, and they began to sway as if struggling to maintain their balance. Their magical sensitive organ was overwhelmed as the energy in the room seemed to surge and fluctuate.

It was as if a powerful tsunami of magic was surging through the very air they breathed, leaving them all in awe and disorientation. The room's atmosphere shifted to an unexpected mood as non-horn owners stared at spell casters with great confusion.

A moment later, one of the two non-horn owners, Spike the drake, called out, his voice filled with fear and a hint of excitement, "Hey, everypony! Look outside the windows. The moon, it's red and shooting out a laser beam!"

Shivers ran down their spines as they gazed out at the crimson moon, the sky turned dark as the sun was eclipsed by its nightly counterpart. The blood-red lunar body radiated with pure energy as it sent a beam of magic cascading down upon the great Everfree forest, creating an otherworldly display light show.

Twilight Sparkle's eyes wide with realization, she knew all too well the mare who possessed such incredible power. The alicorn who embodiment the moon itself.

"Your Highness... "

Author's Note

Credit: Yakovlev-vad