"You look positively stunning, my dearest!"

My mistress was back to her normal self. She was admiring the dress she'd purchased for me as she flitted around the room like an overly proud parent.

She... really doesn't remember?

It didn't make any sense. Moments ago she'd been so... aggressive. So...

Enticing?

N-NO! OF COURSE NOT!

Whatever you say, unicorn.

I couldn't think like that. I could NEVER think something like that. Not about HER. She was my mistress. She was my savior. She was like my...

No.

Not like her.

What a surprise, the Nightmare snorted. Of course someone like you would have mommy issues.

And you're an unbearable HORSE! I growled. I guess we all have our shortcomings, don't we? Now leave me alone!

Mom and I had never been at odds with each other in the traditional sense. She'd always treated me well and she was always a very kind mare. Her and dad were just... busy. Unreasonably busy, most of the time. When I was young they were typically traveling here or there due to their jobs. Both of my parents had careers that required them to constantly be away from home. Mom was a stewardess for an airship that offered tours all across Equestria. Dad was a mechanic on the very same ship. That's where they'd first met one another.

Thankfully, I had Shiny to take care of me for all those years. Dad and I got along as well as any father and daughter. He was much closer to my brother, but I guess that was pretty normal. Mom and I though?

After everything that had happened between me and Princess Celestia, we were never able to see eye to eye. I couldn't remember the last time I saw my mother, much less the last time we actually spoke.

"Thank you, Your Highness." I did my best to hide the irritation the demon was rousing in me, -- as well as the feelings of familial remorse -- but a bit of both managed to bleed through the cracks, in spite of my best efforts.

"Is something wrong, my dearest?" My mistress had no problem detecting said frustrations, obviously. "You seem even more... prickly than usual."

"Everything's fine, Your-"

...

Wait... what?

"Prickly?"

She merely grinned.

"I'm prickly?"

Unattractive as well.

Horse.

"You know you've always been a tad... irascible, my dearest." she placed a hoof on my shoulder.

Well, she's not exactly lying.

Nor am I.

"But right now, it is plain to see that something is troubling you even more than usual," she smiled sweetly in an attempt to soften the blow.

"Yeah," I sighed. I couldn't really bring up the fact that she'd just practically pinned me to the wall and made out with me.

Much less that you actually liked it.

I DID NO-

...

...

...

D-did I?

I wasn't so sure I hated it as much as I probably should have.

It was wrong... right? Maybe? I don't know. I didn't-

You said yes to her, unicorn.

I...

I did. She'd asked, and I had said yes.

"I guess it's just the whole Starlight thing," I lied, turning and taking a step away from her.

Why would I lie? I asked myself. Maybe it was because I was trying to think of something other than her.

It doesn't matter. She will know, the Nightmare replied even though I hadn't asked it. It didn't matter if I had though. It wasn't wrong.

She would know I was lying. She always knew. But knowing her as well as I did, I knew she'd carry on like she was unaware I'd withheld the truth from her in the first place.

"It will all work out, my dearest," my mentor approached me. "Just like things did with your brother."

And that's exactly what she did. So I decided I would do the same.

"I'm just hoping it doesn't take several years again, Your Highness." This time, I chose to be honest. I really couldn't handle losing Starlight for that long.

If at all.

The idea alone was enough to make me nauseous. It was a feeling similar to that of my younger years, when I worried about Princess Celestia's opinion of me on a daily basis.

"Well then, it's a good thing that's easily avoided, isn't it?"

"Your Highness?" I looked at her, confused by her statement. I wasn't really sure what she'd meant, but she looked supremely confident in herself.

"I'm not sure how we keep coming back around to this," she chuckled. "You managed to resolve your issues with your brother by finally speaking with him, did you not?"

"Okay. Okay," I sighed, understanding dawning on me immediately. "But to be fair, that was after a few years."

And a catastrophic misunderstanding that almost destroyed the Crystal Empire.

Being deceived like the fool that you are is a lot more than just a "misunderstanding".

How would you even know?

"That was by your design though, wasn't it, my dearest?" she lifted a questioning brow.

She wasn't wrong. And, unfortunately, neither was the demon.

"I suppose it was," I admitted, rather reluctantly.

"Then, as I said, tis a good thing." She smiled. "Now then, how do you like it, my dearest?" she laid a hoof on my chest, touching the brooch pinned to the dress below my neck.

"It's wonderful, Your Highness," I placed a hoof over hers. "Thank you so much." I smiled, but it faltered a little. I felt the sting of shame again, knowing I hadn't gotten her anything. Knowing that I'd...

"Is there something you wish to tell me, my dearest?" she asked politely, but I could tell she already knew I did. She might even already know the truth.

Oh DEAR!? You forgot your beloved mistress and you haven't told her? How very shameful!

I don't- She doesn't need to know.

Finally we agree on something. You are correct. There's nothing wrong with keeping a couple... secrets from a loved one.

...

A couple?

You can't hide anything from me, unicorn.

If it already knew, then my mistress had every right to know as well, if she didn't already.

She has every right to know even if it didn't.

"I... do, Your Highness," I grabbed her hoof and lead her over to her bed. It was the opposite of her sister's, much like the rest of her room, and not in the ways that one might think. Pitch-black silk blankets and navy blue silk pillows covered the round mattress. While her bed back on the train had been themed with a moon motif, her actual bed was nothing of the sort, nor was the rest of her room.

My mistress was a modest mare. She didn't own anything extravagant or "fancy". Her surroundings reflected that same sense of modesty. While she did have a single painting hanging on the wall -- a depiction of her and Princess Celestia standing next to each other in front of Canterlot's Castle -- the rest of her quarters were utterly... unremarkable. No pony unfamiliar with the room would be able to guess it was hers, except possibly by associating the dark colors -- and darkness itself -- with my mistress. There were no windows or anything similar letting light into the room. There was a pair of doors leading out to a balcony, but they were heavily curtained.

As she took a seat on her bed I sat down next to her, not meeting her gaze.

"Princess..." I pushed my hoof into my closed eye, rubbing it vigorously.

You don't have the nerve.

Watch me.

...

"When I was in the Empire... when I was under that monster's spell I..." I steeled my resolve and looked directly into her eyes. "I forgot you."

She stared back, not saying a word. She looked... happy? I couldn't tell, but she definitely wasn't angry.

...

"I'm not exactly certain what you wish for me to say, my dearest," she finally responded after a minute of silence. She looked confounded now, almost as if I was posing a riddle and not confessing a crime.

"Aren't you angry with me?" I asked, not believing her unfettered attitude was genuine. "You've done so much for me and I just outright forgot about you, Your Highness."

"That... might be a tad distressing from certain perspectives," she scratched her cheek lightly with a hoof. "But you were under Chrysalis' spell at the time, were you not?"

"I was," I huffed, guessing where she was going with this. "But that's not an excuse! At least, not a good one!"

Starlight hadn't accepted it as one, why should my mistress?

"You may not want to hear this, but..." she averted her eyes.

"But what, Your Highness?" I leaned forward trying to get in her line of sight.

Oh here comes a good time.

"I'm afraid you either underestimate Chrysalis or... you vastly overestimate yourself, my dearest."

"I...?"

Talk about a reality check. It felt like she'd just slammed a hoof directly into my midsection and was pushing as hard as she could, forcing the wind clear out of me.

I'd say the latter, the Nightmare laughed.

"But..." It was harder to speak. Much harder. "But Sunset beat her... Is she... Am I...?"

I didn't want to ask. It felt... wrong. Selfish. So what if my friend was stronger than I was. I should be happy for her, not jealous.

"She is not, Twilight," my mistress declared firmly.

"Then why was I the one that got tricked, Your Highness?" I slumped forward. "Why was I the only one who fell for her deception?"

Because you're a fool. Obviously.

"Well..." she crossed her forelegs, contemplating my questions. "From the way Sunset described the events, Chrysalis was working on you from the moment you first encountered her. That being the case, I'd wager she singled you out because you were the biggest threat at the time."

I... I hadn't considered that.

What a load of manure, the Nightmare scoffed. She's quite obviously pulling your tail.

That... might be true. My mistress had a tendency of being very protective of me. I honestly preferred it... most of the time.

"You're not..." I didn't want to question her about it, but I had to. I needed the truth, now more than ever, particularly from her. "You're not lying to me... are you, Your Highness?"

"I can see why that might cross your mind." She stood to her hooves, her expression betraying no emotions. "But I assure you, Twilight, it is the truth." I winced. "I've seen Sunset's full strength with my own eyes."

"Back in your 'realm', you mean," I tried to be reasonable about it, but truthfully, I was pretty pissed off. My mistress' reality was special. I thought it was a place reserved for just her and I to share, -- maybe her sister too -- but obviously, she didn't feel the same way.

...

She cocked an eyebrow at me.

"You're angry with me?" she asked, clearly marveling at my reaction.

I turned away.

Awwww, how dreadful! Trouble in paradise? the Nightmare cackled gleefully.

"I am."

I'd never been angry with her before. It was an... odd feeling. I didn't want it, but it was how I felt and there was no point in trying to lie to her. "I thought your world was something you only shared with those precious to you."

Like me.

...

She sighed.

"Would it surprise you if I said Sunset is precious to me?"

"Of course it would!" I stood up, walking away from her. I didn't know which way to go. I didn't want to leave the room, but I was trying to make a statement and leaving in a tizzy seemed like the right play to make.

You're not even marefriends. So absolutely pathetic.

I wanted to buck its teeth down its throat.

I settled on standing in front of the doors that led to the balcony, staring at them angrily. "Why would Sunset be precious to you, Your Highness?"

Such defiance! I love it!

DON'T YOU EVER SHUT UP!?

..

My mistress trotted up behind me.

"What is Sunset Shimmer to you, Twilight?" she asked calmly.

What is Sunset to me?

That was an easy one.

"She's my best friend," I didn't have to think about it for more than a second.

"And, as such, is she not precious to you?"

"...Y-yes," my rage waned, knowing where she was going with this line of dialogue.

"Then she is precious to me as well, my dearest."

"But!" I whirled around, trying to think of a good reason to protest. "But..." I failed, my shoulders slumping.

"Would you prefer I treat Sunset the way I did before?" she asked, her voice still calm. "If you wish it so I will forsake any sort of-"

"No," I cut her off, lifting my hoof.

My eyes shot open, my body going rigid immediately as I looked her way and covered my mouth.

How INTERESTING!

She was just as shocked as I was. I'd never interrupted her before. Not intentionally, at least. When I'd gotten mad about Queen Cantata I'd slipped up, but not a single time since we'd met had I ever even dreamt of doing such a thing deliberately. This time though... This time that's exactly what I'd done. It was on purpose.

She was quiet, as was I.

...

Her eyes softened along with the rest of her demeanor.

"You've grown, Twilight," she smiled. "Our first fight and you fail to show me proper respect for the first time as well?"

"Your Highness, I..." I scratched my head, my frustration mounting once again. "Forgiv-"

"No, Twilight," she answered before I could finish apologizing.

"What?" I stared at her dumbly.

"I will not forgive you," she smiled wider.

"What are-" I was deathly afraid all of a sudden. "What do you mean, Mistress?"

"You've done nothing wrong."

"But-"

"We are equals, are we not?" she asked.

I nearly had a heart attack.

OF COURSE WE'RE NOT EQUALS!

I wanted to shout my thoughts at the top of my lungs, but I didn't need to. I was certain the look of disbelief I currently possessed was doing a well enough job of letting her know exactly what I thought.

"Very well. If that is what you truly think then..." she marched up to me, getting even closer. Her glee was still growing by the second. "Twilight Sparkle! My dearest and most beloved student! From this day forth you shall consider me to be both your equal and your friend."

If a jaw could fall off mine would have done so and broken to pieces on the floor.

"Y-Your Highness I can't-"

I had no idea what was going on, but as she got even closer and nuzzled into me I nearly had a heart attack.

"Please, Twilight..." she looked down at me, her cyan eyes shimmering beautifully in spite of the darkness. "Call me Luna?"

My heart stopped.

Author's Note

Closer and closer.