A Total Eclipse Of The Heart

by scrungusbungus

Rating: mature
Tags: Sex, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Human, My Little Pony Comic, Romance, Anon, Original Character, Porn
Length: 7868

An HIE / Anon story x Twilight, shortly following her coronation to Princess; and when stress pushes her to her limit, a new form, akin to Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon, emerges.

A short HIE / Anon x Twilight story, themed around Twilight's coronation to Princess.

A week is hardly enough time to prepare someone to take the mantle of two Princesses, as one; no matter how talented or skilled the Pony. Twilight Sparkle was Celestia's prized Pupil; Element of Harmony, and Defender of Equestria time and time again. And perhaps she could have been ready for such a monumental tasking; if she'd had the time.

Twilight spirals as the stress builds; ever since she was doubted at the Canterlot Wedding, she's silently carried a chip on her shoulder that she's tried to work past. Something inside her builds as this panic sets in, each day towards her coronation sending her into a spiraling worry. Celestia and Luna seem so sure in her, they don't notice. The other Mane girls are busy with their own tasks; they don't understand just how heavily this hits Twilight. She'd always been obsessed with Princesses and such, right? Of course she could be ready.

Only Anon, her 'Colt'friend, picks up that something is terribly wrong. And only he realizes just how far Twilight has spiraled, when it's not Twilight that receives the Crown; but something akin to Daybreaker, to Nightmare Moon. But this Mare is calm. Collected. Cold, even. Every other Alter-Ego the Alicorns presented launched into Evil tirades.

This one just wished him a good day, and trotted off to go do paperwork.

2nd Chapter owns the Sex tag

Published 2024-02-15 10:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2024-02-15 10:00:00 UTC

Someone New, but Familiar

Author's Note

Someone New, but Familiar

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna may have been... hasty.

A week, to prepare Twilight Sparkle to arise to their station. To shoulder the burden of a nation. While her friends were supportive, while her Teacher held her in high regard, none of them even noticed just how panic-ridden Twilight was about it.

No more than her usual obsessive, intricately planned and strictly followed timetables self, right? Sure, it was a short period; a Week! To become Celestia! But her Mentor assured her, again and again, that she was ready.

And poor Twilight, being thrown the dual mantle of Princesses, formed into singular Princess again, tasked with ruling Equestria, protecting Harmony, Friendship, Magic -- would she need to handle the sun, and the moon too? She had no idea; they'd barely covered anything and it's already been a day.

There's no way things would transition smoothly. There were far too many hurdles, too many alterations. She had to learn the matters of Court, the demeanor and behavior of Royalty, to adapt an entire lifestyle that she looked up to but never prepared for.

Twilight spiraled into despair, locked in her room. Buried under blankets, breathing heavy and ill-paced, terror running through her mind. The fear of failure. Of not meeting the sudden, insane expectations. She's always had so much faith placed in her -- tartarus, she even held the magic of the other three Alicorns, and had to find a way to defeat Tirek; and that was just a Villain, not an entire life-shift! And what if Tirek, or Chrysalis, or Cozy Glow got out? What if Discord faltered again? Would she need to find Celestia and Luna? Would they even be available? Would she even have time for... anything? She knew how busy the Princesses were, and having the duty of both Princesses?

Her worried thoughts spiral further and further, curled under blankets, shaking.

There's a quiet knock on the door that finally pulls her from her worries. It's a familiar rhythm. One. Two three. Four.

The only one who could see just how terrible she was spiraling was her Coltfriend, Anon, who slowly stepped into the room; finding the little purple Alicorn looking a terrible mess, eyes raw red with tears, breathing stuttered and hard. He flew across the room, holding her tight as she shook in his grasp, face buried in his chest. The two stay together for hours, hidden away in the dark, quiet room, whispering comforts.

Early into her tenure to Ponyville to 'Make Friends', Twilight thought she could cheat the task and simply summon a friend; a prompt way to prove she didn't need to waste her time with such a silly tasking. Instead, she trapped Equestrias now only Human in their lands.

It was a long road for the pair, but Anon forgave her. They became friends. They became close. Anon was always willing to speak with her for hours about anything, to bounce ideas, to listen to her. Twilight was glad to have a shoulder that she could lean on, and talk about anything without reprise. The two were connected, having somewhat... awkward, social understandings, but that only drove them closer. Through thick and thin, whenever something happened; he had her back. He believed her at the Canterlot Wedding. He always believed her, supported her. And she did the same for him.

Part of the reason Twilight liked Anon so much, is he provided her a judgement-free, blanket ground to talk about anything she had on her mind. And him for her, in turn. Which, it turns out; there's very few pragmatic souls in the pony population. And Anon had a few opinions about Celestia's very odd style of mentoring.

When she became an Alicorn, he was there to help stem her anxieties, and to congratulate her. He'd always been there for her.

But learning of not just Sunset Shimmer, but Radiant Hope, threw him for a loop. And about Spike? Twilight was basically shackled with being a single mother, as a Filly, while being expected to fully pursue and achieve her scholastic goals, while handling a baby dragon on her own. As. A. Filly. To learn 'Friendship'. That wasn't friendship, she was basically Spikes mom. And she acted like it more than she realized, no matter how much Twilights own mother had stepped up to help raise him.

Anon had some very choice opinions start to form about the Princess of the Sun.

Anon could see how poorly Twilight was taking the sudden news, to rise to her Mentors station; such a heavy burden to bear, with such little warning. Could she do a good job? Was she ready? Of course Anon would say yes. But in time. A week?!

How nobody understood how heavily this weighed on her, how they thought she'd just roll with it and figure it out; it weirded Anon out. He spent a full day stalking around, under the assumption it was another elaborate, Villainous plot, like so many before. But no.

The Princesses were more excited about the prospect of retiring, trotting around the world to do whatever they wanted. Twilights friends just didn't quite get it. They understood it was stressful -- but this was what Twilight always wanted, right? She'd be fine. They had their own tasks to live up to now, too.

So he would be there for her.

Imagine their surprise, just like how when Luna, or Celestia were pushed to their limits -- that another Alicorn might have their own falling. It was surprising, how they hadn't even considered it an option. How none of them saw the signs, when she would hide herself away in her room.

Luna, driven mad with jealousy, twisted into Nightmare Moon, a midnight warlord who sought to plunge Equestria into permanent night, to claw her due attention and restore her Bat-Ponies rightful place.

Celestia, when pushed to her brink, exploded into Daybreaker, a brash and prideful form of herself that would establish an iron rule under her own perfection, throwing aside care and caution.

The Mare that Twilight had become had no such dramatic explosion that threatened Equestria, no shocking emergence that announced her to the world. She was taller, larger; even more than Celestia, or Luna, a massive growth spurt. She actually had a full head of height over Anon. The result of needing to rise to be more than both of them?

A cold, stern, emotionless stare settled permanently on her face. She displayed nothing; her once-vibrant, now dimmed violet eyes hinted at the machinations, the calculations, the observations that ran rampant underneath. The saturation of her fur, her mane, faded slightly, now more muted. The two colored streaks in her mane had merged, and now a single streak of ashy grey took its place; which now also ran along her entire side, and her tail. Unlike the Princesses, her Mane didn't flow with an ethereal wave, but remained in the same flat-bangs cut it always was; simply longer, now down a little past her shoulders, to match her increased height and stature. Her horn was much larger, and surprisingly sharp; her wings now bore a massive wingspan, with far more feathers than before.

She looked... older. Mature. Efficient?

Efficiency, was an odd word that came to Anons head when he'd first laid eyes on his Marefriend, now altered. Like anything that wasn't needed was discarded or put far out of mind.

He'd been waiting beside her door, knocking, a tray of something to eat for her in his hands; like he had several times, when he'd found her hiding in her room. But rather than a little purple pony to comfort, this large, new face emerged from the bedroom. Head tilted back and high, it bore no expression on its face. A mixture of... bored, and cold. Unfeeling.

She looked down her snout at him, reading him. Eyes flicker from the tray, to his face. His posture. The hall. Him again.

But Anon didn't panic. Normally, he would -- he clocked what had happened instantly, and inaction always made these situations with freaking-out Alicorns far worse. But if so, why didn't he react?

A flicker of recognition took the once-Twilights face. It leant down, and softly nuzzled his cheek with its own, before wordlessly walking down the hall. He was silent, processing. His assumption that this would be a Nightmare Moon situation was thrown out the window. This would be far, far more complex.

The following week, leading up to the Coronation, Anon played the observant bystander.

If she had a new name, like Nightmare Moon or Daybreaker - she never said it, still responding to Twilight. As if some part of a ruse? Her cutie mark was the same... but he didn't believe it. Twilight was deeply gifted in Magic; it was only fair to assume this new Mare was doubly so, and had placed some illusion over it.

Anon was absolutely certain; the slight shifts in her mannerisms. They were similar, but just not quite perfect. Imitations, to keep the peace before Princesshood. The way she'd hold her books, the way she would react to seeing a friend or the princess, the way she'd participate in discussion on a topic she adored. Twilight had hit her limit; and it wasn't the same Twilight now.

She changed.

And no matter what, he still loved her.

So Anon waited.

...But no promises of life-altering doctrine change followed. No threats to peace. No sudden Evil. Several of the girls, and Anon thinks that even the Princesses, only saw this as her 'Growing up' or changing her style to fit her new Princesshood. Even being taller than Celestia? Really? And that worried Anon. It meant, like always -- Twilight was smart. She was playing it smart. He wondered if manipulation was at play.

But it also had him thinking about the whole situation again. This new Mare... she was handling the transition far easier than Twilight had. The prospect of Princesshood didn't send her into a worried panic. She could keep a cordial conversation with the Princess about whatever compacted lesson, and she took it in stride.

Twilight had always been calculating. She was an incredibly intelligent Mare, if stifled by her somewhat awkward social approach and turbulent emotions. The new Twilight subverted that stigma with a cold, calculating silence, and complete control over said feelings.

She had entered her coronation looking entirely calm. She was, entirely calm. The stern, cold expression never left her face. Not when greeted by her teacher, nor her friends. The entire celebration, she was cordial, hit all the cues.

Received the crown.

Which meant, now, Princess-hood of Equestria was handed to a cold, efficient Princess who was ready to enact her machinations, entirely unsuspected, and willing to handle it all perfectly. No bias, no emotional push; no jealousy, no pride. A shattered limit born of expectations, that she would soar to meet no matter what.

And yet, still no sudden, looming threat. No evil speeches, no revealed plans.

Anon finally clued in, watching her tackle mass amounts of paperwork. Twilight was smart. This Mare was smart. She was going to play the long game. She knew if she tried to reveal anything, it would meet resistance. She was just handed Nobility, after all; why waste it now, when she was in the highest seat of power?

Whatever this was... whatever its plans. Anon refused to let Twilight face this alone.

The Princesses had left, off to enjoy their retirement.

The rest of the Mane 6 returned to their usual roles, adapting to the change of having their friend now being the Princess of Equestria.

Spike was in the Badlands, called away for diplomacy.

That left only him.

Stalking the Castles halls, it was late evening. She always retired to the same place.

A familiar knock, his knuckles to the door. One. Two three. Four.

"Come in." The unfamiliar voice calls. It's close to Twilight's, but a pitch down; she speaks like she knows far more than you, and is ready to explain at a moments notice.

Anon pushes open the door, slipping inside. It clicks shut behind him.

'Twilight' sat in her study, quietly pouring over a monumental amount of books, clearing them in moments. A small pair of rectangular glasses sit on the bridge of her snout. Every few pages, a quill softly gripped in magic scribbled on a pile of pages.

Even her magic was now a deep, dark purple.

The fireplace crackles softly, offering warmth to the evening, the sun barely peeking from the horizon as it departs.

Anon had dutifully taken the role of her head Advisor. Originally, that position was to be handled by Spike... only, a rather elaborate diplomatic mission between Equestria and the Dragonlands had emerged, requiring Spike to visit the Dragonlands for an extended period.

And he had a feeling it wasn't coincidence.

Anon, dressed in his regency uniform that matched her new colors, slowly stepped into the study, shutting the door behind himself with a click.

"Hello, my love." 'Twilight' greets him idly. Her tone is flat, and her eyes do not leave the page.

Tonight. He'd been unable to find the place or time to do it before then; he couldn't talk or alert anyone about it, before her coronation. Far too much going on, and he didn't have any proof. They'd written off everything visual already, loaded with excuses for everything.

It's been a week since. He wasn't going to put it off any longer. But he wouldn't tell Luna, or Celestia, or the other girls.

He'd confront Twilight -- Whoever she was, now, directly.

Carefully?

Boots softly tapping on the carpet, he directly approaches her table.

Cautiously?

His heart beat calmly. He wasn't worried, concerned, scared -- not for himself.

...No.

He just wanted to make sure Twilight was alright. No matter what form she took.

As Anon reaches her side, he notices that she quietly moves one of the books to cover the pages she'd been writing on. Sly. She still scrawls an open tome with her gaze, yet to look at him. Anon stands beside her, arms crossed, quietly watching her work. He's only a foot away.

"She used to greet me by reaching out for me with a wing, you know." Anon says calmly, his tone soft. He was, still, speaking to a loved one. In some capacity.

This gets a pause from 'Twilight', quill stopping mid-scribble on the fresh page she'd started since he walked in.

She looks like she's about to reach the wing out -- but then she meets his gaze. Reading his face. His suspicion; he didn't tease her for being distracted and avoiding the usual. He was confronting her about her lacking performance, emulating Twilight. He can see it click behind her eyes, the words on her lips changing appropriately.
"...I'm not sure how to interpret that, Anon. Are you asking me--?"

"Twilight. Ever since she got her wings, she was always so eager to use them, as much as possible. Go without flying your whole life -- magic hovering not included -- and then be granted them?" Anon scoffs, starting to pace back and forth. "To gesticulate, to hug, to point, to hold things... she couldn't stop using them." Anon continues, ignoring the question as he reminisces. She'd read so many books on wing-care, how often to preen... it was adorable. She took better care of those wings than she did herself, most days.

"And you've barely so much as opened them in the last week. Teleporting is a lot more convenient, after all." Anon finishes.

The Quill that 'Twilight' is holding is slowly floated back into its inkwell, the book she'd been reading placed back down.

The glasses slowly float from her snout, folding shut as they're placed down. 'Twilight' now staring at the table. Anon stops beside her again, leaning a hand against that same table. Sitting, she was closer eye-to-eye with Anon, than when she was standing at full height.

"...How long have you been aware?" The Mare asks him. Unlike before, there's a tinge of emotion. Upset. Her clean, unnoticed arrival to the seat of Princess had been detected after all. An unknown, now unpredictable variable.

"Moment you arrived. Almost had me with that whole 'Maturity' speech you gave the Girls; but you forgot about our Charcuterie night, with that melted Yak cheese Twilight likes." Anon explains. They'd try to dedicate one day a week to each other, no matter how busy; but that was besides the point, now. "She'd never miss that stuff."

"...Hm." The Mare hums. She's tensed, as if gauging his reaction. Emotionless, efficient, waiting best for how to handle her one loose end. But it's not perfect. There's those cracks, little sprinkles of a flash of feeling, like when Twilight tries to keep a calm face for others. She looks... conflicted.

Color her surprised when Anon plants a small kiss on her forehead, beside the base of her horn, before walking past her to sink into one of the study's plush lounge chairs, kicking his feet up and groaning. Like nothing was the matter. Just another day.

The Mare slowly rises from the study table, sauntering over towards him, taking the seat directly beside Anon as she settles in herself. Another surprise, as one of his hands reaches to scratch her side, lovingly. Still radiating his affection, despite the confrontation.

"So. What's your name?" Anon asks casually.

The Mare blinks, quietly thinking. If he was right... like how Daybreaker was Pride, and Nightmare Moon was jealousy, this form of Twilight was born to meet the boundless expectations placed on her to meet the many demands. So as long as he remained an unpredictable unknown, he could navigate this carefully.

"...I am... undecided." She finally speaks.

"...I'll spare you the joke of calling you Undecided. You mean you aren't sure which name you feel is your own?" Anon fields, curious.

She nods once.

"I didn't think you'd pick your name. I assumed that it, like the Cutie Marks, just came to you Ponies." Anon comments, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"You are correct. We don't. I know my name, but... my indecision is born of... confliction." The Mare explains. What, like she couldn't decide if she was this new Mare, or Twilight? That's new.

A small silence settles, only broken with the light crackling of the fireplace.

"Why do you still display affection towards me? If you're aware of what I am, you know I am not Twilight." The Mare asks, still staring away.

"Respectfully? Bullshit. As much as Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon like to pretend, they're still part of themselves; Celestia, and Luna. Celestia's Pride, Luna's Jealousy. While I understand and recognize that I'm speaking to a new entity; you're an entity born of the creature I hold dearest in my heart. The same memories -- the same feelings. And that doesn't change my feelings." Anon explains, hand roaming between their seats to scratch that one spot between her wings. She instinctively leans into it, before blinking down at herself in surprise, watching Anons hand.

"I know you've been emulating her behavior -- and you're good, you're nearly spot on. But the only thing you've gotten perfect so far, is how she likes to nuzzle my face. That's how I know." Anon adds, starting to glance around. He was kind of thirsty; he'd need something to keep this dialogue up.

This took the Mare by surprise -- that, and Anons continued casual demeanor, had put her significantly on the back-hoof.

"I should have better accounted my plan around you. I had assumed you would share the same general level of dismissiveness that her friends and mentors expressed." She responds dryly, now watching him look around. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, uh -- thirsty. Twilight usually brings something with her when she goes to her study, but -- the obvious." He relents, nodding to her. She wasn't Twilight. Anon sits back down properly. "Celestia is... well, flawed. I don't need to tell you that. Luna trails after her sister, desperate to keep her affection. And I know her friends tried -- but none of them really deal with Alicorns, or Princesses like she does. It just doesn't click the same way."

Color Anon surprised this time, as in a small burst of deep-purple magic, a platter with tea and crackers appears on the table beside him.
"Oh! For me?" Anon asks; before he can reach, however, a glow takes the teapot, starting to pour the steaming liquid between two cups. There's even some biscuits.

"So. It's assumable that you'll be wanting to try and return Twilight --" The Mare starts, taking a slow draw of breath.

"Nope." Anon says bluntly, cutting her off.

The tea stops pouring, the Mare once again thrown off. She blinks, now staring at him. He's confronted her, recognized her, ousted her; and he wants to do nothing about it?
"...Explain?" She requests.

Anon toys with one of the biscuits, looking it over before tossing it back on the tray.
"This whole alter-ego thing that Alicorns have... I've figured what it is. It's a stress response; a coping mechanism to traumatic experiences. And Twilight was deeply stressed, more than I'd ever seen in her life. She had several panic attacks, and spent multiple nights crying to sleep."
Anon shifts in his seat, their gaze meeting.
"It might sound strange... but right now, she needs you. You manage the expectations she wasn't ready for, that were driving her to panic. Could she have been ready? Sure, if she had the time to approach it her own way. But Celestia doesn't exactly have the best track record with keeping her students happy."

"... You continue to surprise." The Mare notes, the tea starting to pour again. "And why do you think that? Based off of experience, the forms that Alicorns take after meeting their 'Stress Limits' have always proved problematic. Would you not feel inclined to stop me, as Nightmare Moon or Daybreaker has been stopped?"

"Because I know Twilight. Which means I know you." Anon nods.

"A bold statement -- but it might not be entirely false. Continue."

"You don't have plans to plunge the world into night, or enact an iron hoof. You know what I think you want?" Anon goads, interlacing his fingers. He had an idea. He's known Twilight for a long time... and they've talked, for hours on hours, about... everything.

The Mare waits expectantly for his guess, floating the appropriate cups of tea between them each. Anon takes his, smiling. Here comes the gamble.

"You want to entirely re-structure Equestria, laws to lordship, to fix all the problems that plague this place. You want to improve Equestria; out of spite. Ponies have been spoiled by a benevolent, Motherly leader who took couldn't decide between taking charge, and skirting her responsibilities, time and time again. And failed, primarily. Again and again." Anon explains, before taking a small sip of the tea. Mulberry?

"Harshly judgemental." The Mare hums. "I remember the conversations you two had, deep into the night. How Celestia and Luna were repeating a cycle, shackling leadership to another, like how it was thrown onto them. How despite how she so desperately looked up to them, every passing moment only further showed their flaws, and failings."

"The Canterlot Wedding was a serious point of hurt for her, and where I think her doubts started. To be so bluntly disregarded by everyone, when she knew Cadence, her Brother... and they tried to turn it into a lesson about trusting her instincts once they learned she was right." Anon sips, frowning. He wasn't particularly polite to Celestia on that day.

She is silent for a moment, staring into her own tea.
"You are correct. Spite urges me to fix the problems that have surfaced; with proper change, many problems can be prevented. I can fix the flaws that continue to perpetuate. I can make it better than it ever was. The Bat Ponies mistreatment, the rampant Pony racism; for a land of Harmony, statistically, it falls short."

"Yeah, but that's gonna shake some pretty foundational roots; plus, that's not your end goal." Anon tsks.

The Mare raises an eyebrow -- as the same paper she'd been writing on, the one she hid under a book on her desk, is in Anons hands, pulled from a pocket, and now being inspected by him.

"...When did you--" She starts, a tense surprise notable in her tone. Anon raises a finger, shushing her. She frowns.

"Sticky fingers." He notes simply, tapping the paper, folding it back up. "Fix the beauracratic mess of a nation and set it on its own path, freeing up your time to focus on what's important to her; researching the arcane. Twilights butt-mark wasn't paperwork. Its Magic. She wants to spend all day diving into spellcraft, not listening to Nobles whine."

He holds the paper back out towards the Mare. The scowl slowly fades, as magic carefully takes the paper back, floating it towards the desk.
"...You understand what you saw?"

"Yep. Removal of the entire Nobility structure, elimination of the positions of Princesses, introducing democratic systems, and finding a way to automate the Sun and Moons rise and fall." Anon recounts, summarizing the sizable paper. "Traitorous stuff in there."

"...And you find no issue?" The Mare asks, tone quieter.

Anon shifts in the chair, leaning on his knees. He stares at the Mare.
"The deconstruction of the Noble class? We've theory-crafted it before."

Her face softens, surprisingly.
"Yes, you and...Twilight, have. And you know that they would not take it well."

"I love Twilight. Twilight loves Magic as much as she loves me--honestly, probably more. Actually, definitely more." Anon corrects, laughing.
"Of course I want her to be able to pursue what she truly wants, and not be stuck playing the nations babysitter. This place can barely run itself without the key individuals keeping everything running."

"...This makes a few things make more sense." The Mare mumbles.

"Mm?" Anon hums, curious.

"I was unsure why, even after taking this form, the feelings for you were still so severe. I had thought myself more separate from Twilight than I actually am, it seems." She explains, sighing softly. "I feel almost nothing. Emphasis on almost. To coldly handle whatever is needed or whatever issue that may arise, through measured calculation, through cold precision. Emotions are a weakness, so I do not feel them. But, when I look at you... Comfort. Relief. Reassurance."

Her gaze is getting... softer. She takes a sip of her own tea, before continuing.
"Twilight has placed immeasurable faith in you, and it seems to have superceded into myself, as well; even when I looked upon the Dragon, Spike -- I felt a pang of something Motherly, but nothing more. Nothing like this. So... I shall trust in her judgement, and place my trust in you, too. As you seem to place it in me. I will protect Twilight, and craft an Equestria she can excel in, where she can soar. No matter what stands in my way, no matter how long it takes."

She stands, stepping over to Anon in his chair. A hoof on each side of him draws the Mare close, face to face. Her breath on his face is hot, measured.

"...Will you help me?" She asks, quiet.

There's the proclamation of her grand plan. This is where the Elements would swoop in to save the day, and lock her in stone, or rip the evil from her.

The only thing Anon saw was the Mare he loved; even behind this older colder gaze. The only thing he heard, is that she wanted to make sure she was safe, and happy, even if it would shake Equestria to its core.

"Of course." Anon whispers.

A slow kiss is planted against his lips; with her increased size, Twilights usually plush lips are incredibly soft; and this form of hers is no different. She still smells faintly of lavender, like Twilight does. Her natural scent, or part of her imitation?

The kiss, it's tender -- but cautious, ready to back away at the slightest hint of discomfort, like it was feeling out the situation. Instead, Anons hands slide up her side and wrap around her as he pulls her in closer, pressing her against himself, chest to barrel. A throaty sigh escapes her -- which seems to surprise her enough to break the contact, pulling away.

She wipes her mouth with a hoof, looking over Anon with a newfound reasoning.

"...Other than the colors, you look remarkably similar to that character she made, Eclipse, that she likes to dress up for on Nightmare Night. When she isn't going as Starswirl. Just missing those glowing spectral ram horns and the armor." Anon teases.

She glances away, humming softly. "Then it seems you already know my name."

"...I think that really ties together that you two are just two sides of the same bit." Anon chuckles, a hand tracing up Eclipse's neck. "Once a nerd, always a nerd."

"Hush. Don't ruin this carefully crafted rapport you've built. I might still end you." She warns. Is she being playful?

"Depending on the method, I might not object." Anon continues, scratching behind her ear. She tilts her head, but doesn't melt like Twilight usually does.

Instead, she pushes close to him again, hooves pressed into the chair on each of his hips. She leans closer, their noses touching softly.

Their lips press together again. There's no hesitation, now; Eclipse's tongue slips forward, meeting Anons as the two begin to explore a new facet of their relationship. Hot, heavy breaths, alone in a closed off study in the castle; the fire softly crackles, and Eclipse can taste the tea still on Anons lips. Their tongues roll over the other, eager to meet.

There's a knock on the study door.
"Princess Twilight, there's--" One of the castle servants begins, opening the door.

A sudden wave of deep-purple magic slams the door shut, startling the intruding Pony and locking them out.

Her and Anons tongues part, Eclipse's head lifting; the deep, rich purple of her magic harshly contrasts the desaturated color of her fur and mane. The cold expression returns to her face.
"Bother me later. I am... busy." She states dryly.

A hasty, muffled apology can be heard on the other side, and hoofsteps carry them away. Silence returns to the study, the fire ambience crackling.

"...Think I might swoon." Anon mumbles. Twilight with an authoratative side? He could work with that. "Gonna miss the rank of Princess, once its been relegated to Presidents?"

"...I might have to review my plans. That was oddly satisfying." She admits, the cold exterior melting again as she presses her nose to his oncemore.

"Tack it to the end of the plans. Enjoy it while you've got it." Anon shrugs.

Her gaze is locked to Anons, staring into his eyes. The cold demeanor that she permanently exudes slowly melts away whenever she looks at him -- her eyes. They're brighter than they were. They look more like Twilights eyes, than Eclipses.
"I think there's one thing I'd much rather enjoy." She whispers, leaning in to softly kiss his neck, trailing kisses up his cheek, until their lips finally meet again. Twilight was usually more... excitable, but passive. Eclipse exuded her passion. She knew what Twilight wanted, and would ensure Twilight would get it. Anon found that pretty damn hot.

And right now, it seemed she wanted Anon. Her richly purple glow slowly surrounds the pair, wrapping them like a blanket -- before it blinks, and they're gone, teleported away. The study is quiet, and empty, the last of the crackling logs shifting in the fireplace as the embers dull.

Their bedroom, not so much.

Someone Familiar, but New

Author's Note

Someone Familiar, but New

With a swirling burst of rich purple that swaths light across the room, Anon and Eclipse land on their bed with a heavy cushioned thud.

The quiet room is quickly brought back to darkness as the light from Eclipse's magic dissipates.

"Hmm..." Eclipse mutters, her horn glowing softly. Just enough to light up her, and Anon's face. He can't help but reach up, stroking her cheek with a hand while kissing the other side of her face, distracting her. She makes a bemused huff, before finally finding what she's feeling for.

Several candles throughout the room flicker to life, hosting small, eerily slow-burning violet flames. Long shadows are cast, creating a comfortable, low light. It's a large bed, built for a fully-grown alicorn, sized like Celestia. Which meant it was one of the few beds in Equestria Anon felt comfortable sleeping in. The room itself was, obviously, lined with reading material, an entire corner dedicated to Twilight's light experimenting. Heavy experimentation was locked to the basement only. Soft, lavender curtains gently sway in an unfelt breeze, the entire room seemingly tingling with magic.

Flat on his back, Anon feels magic start to grasp at his shirt. Button after button quickly pops free. Twilight had gotten very good at dressing, and undressing him, for very... well, the Mare had a niche interest in being taken in very particular places.

His shirt is pulled off, thrown aside as Eclipse's barrel is pressed against his chest, her legs curling up beside her. She's incredibly soft, her chest fluff tickling him. She practically purrs.
"You're... a lot warmer than I expected."

"Telling me you've been thinking about that kind of thing? Thought you were busy planning how to overthrow Equestria from the inside." Anon teases, softly raking his fingers through her fur as he scratches her back. Fingers trace over her withers, and dig into the base of her wings, where they meet with the shoulder.

"I have Twilight's memories. A fair amount of them are of you. This includes your... interactions." She mumbles, words pacing out under the duress of the massage.

"More than happy to help you relive some of them; or make some new ones." Anon returns, looking Eclipse over.

"Mmm..." She hums, not terribly against the idea. "I could get used to this."

"And what about this?" Anon asks, before driving his thumbs firmly between the base of her wings. They unfurl, twitching open on their own from the stimuli. Hardest place to reach on a Pony; doubly so for any Pony with wings. When he wanted Twilight to melt, that was the place he aimed for. And it seemed all the same on Eclipse.

Another throaty purr escapes Eclipse, her neck now leaning forward to rest her head atop Anon. Buried in faded-lavender fluff; if he closed his eyes, it felt, in every sense, like Twilight. Just... super-sized.

"You keep this up, and I might have the matter of marriage pushed into priority." She mumbles.

"What do you mean?" Anon asks, confused. The words give him pause, but a flick of Eclipse's tail against his leg spurs him back to massaging.

"You are... hm." She pauses, finding words; she nods to herself. "I'll go with that. You are our Coltfriend. Twilights, and Mine. Two sides of the same bit, as you said. And now, you are dating royalty. So either, you ascend to the rank of Prince; or you remain some form of... Consort. And we won't be having that." She explains, her voice low. Haughty, even.

Was Anon into this?

He was kind of into this.

Twilight had tried the commanding role, even dirty talk before. It usually ended with both of them busting a gut laughing. Eclipse, however... Twilight's feelings, straight to the point.

"And I thought Luna was the only Pony I'd hear the royal 'We' out of." Anon deflects, teasing. His hands are working down her sides now, massaging close to the haunches.

"I find you may be correct in your assessment; that unlike the 'natural'-born Alicorns, and their forms... Twilight and I's existence may differ. It brings into question if Cadence could perform something similar... though, she has a remarkably high stress capacity. I doubt her Alter-Ego would ever show." Eclipse theorizes, planting a quiet kiss on his head. "So, the use of 'We' actually has more credence to it than Luna's usage of it ever did."

"Ha. Oh, question." Anon asks, twisting his head to look up at her.

"Mm?"

"What was with the glasses? When I first came in."

"Ah, those... glasses infused with a spell to enhance comprehension." She explains, after a pause.

"They looked good. Put your hair up in a bun, put those on; you sell the mature librarian look." Anon teases.

"Oh? Mature, hmm? Should I refer to myself as your Mother or something? I remember that conversation between you and Twilight about kinks." She teases back, nudging him with her snout.

It seems the two both remember the time Twilight and Anon tried to incorporate... certain types of play into their personal time. It always ended with one of them breaking, and both falling into a bout of laughter.

Eclipse hums, her wingtip slowly tracing over Anons bare chest.
"...So many of the memories between you two are enjoyable. Even the worst, you figured things out together. I commend your relationship."

Anons hands gently cup Eclipse's face, pulling her close. He tenderly kisses her lips -- she goes to search for him with her tongue, but finds her mouth shut tight, forced into a kinder, gentler make-out.

They part lips, Anon giving her a surprisingly serious look, still holding her face.
"Our relationship. To love Twilight, is to love you. You're as much a part of this as 'We' are." Anon affirms, surprisingly sternly.

Eclipse looks at him for a long moment. A snort escapes her. Then a giggle. It worms its way up to a chuckle, before she's laughing loudly.

It's a wonderful sound.

Her hoof plants itself on Anon's chest, as she leans against him, nuzzling closely.

"You..." She trails off, sighing. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Anon whispers.

The two's lips meet again; this time, their tongues find the other. What starts as a gentle, tender greeting devolves into a messy, bodies-pushing-against-each-other competition, as Eclipse begins positioning herself directly overtop of Anon, leaning her weight on him. Chest to chest, lips to lips.

Her horn begins to glow softly, and the belt of his pants begins to click open, being slid from its loops. Anon lifts his waist, as magic envelops his lower body, sliding his pants off and tossing them somewhere. It didn't matter where.

Both shift in place, until his twitching member is firmly pressed between them; Eclipse sighing at the heat, unable to stifle a giggle when it twitches. For Anon; good, lord, this Mare is fucking soft. With his manhood pressed against her stomach, the two share half-lidded stares, mixed with kisses; as Anon's hands begin to roam outside of their usual massage range.

She's larger than Twilight by a fair amount, so the usual fare won't work very well here. Instead, Eclipse puts her hooves over his shoulders, lifting from their most recent kiss. Her head is above his, looking down; biting her lip, as her waist shifts to press against his, the pair sinking deeper into the mattress.

A low groan escapes them as Anon's member presses against the slick folds of Eclipse, her hips slowly beginning to grind. She stares down at him with a need, the bed softly squeaking with the motion. One hand caresses her chest fluff -- the other roams to her hips, gripping her side.

She increases the pace. Anon can barely resist bucking his hips, surprised by how deeply he was being affected.

There's a lull in her grinding -- Anon looks up, their eyes meeting.

Wordlessly, she leans down, tapping her horn against his forehead. It glows for a short moment, a pulse of warmth seeping into his body.

"What was...?" He starts to ask. He's promptly quieted as Eclipse leans down, pressing their lips together.

Her hips raise, twisting; his twitching tip presses against her entrance, dripping wet.

Then she slowly starts to lower herself.

His tip throbs as its pressed against her, before it slips in.

Whatever she did, it's like she enhanced his sensitivity twofold. And he had a feeling she did something similar to herself.

Their hips meet, his meat fully swallowed inside of her; she bites her lip as it twitches inside.

"Buck... I have no idea how Twilight took this thing." She mutters, breathing heavily.

"Loudly, usually." Anon chuckles weakly, before a groan cuts him off.

Eclipse gives him a 'Shut up' look. She starts to grind again, their hips rubbing without anything between them now. He can feel himself squeezed against her inner walls, the soft fur of her body rubbing against his, as sweat begins to mingle.

The pace increases, Eclipse stifling a moan behind another lip-bite; right as Anon begins to buck his hips, gripping her tighter. She fails to stifle the next, their chests meeting as she falls back down onto him.

A short breather. Then, she begins to lift her hips; his member slowly slides out, before she throws her flank back down, swallowing it whole again with a wet slap.

Neither can stop themselves from groaning loudly. Without hands to grip the sheets with, Eclipse settles on pressing herself against Anon hard, her hips starting to rise again.

The plapping sound of their hips thumping against each other begins to echo throughout the open room, sprinkled with low groans, moans and gasps.

Anons hands roam wherever he can reach, and he finds Eclipse's magic doing the same. It's an odd feeling; since she's busy using her hooves for what little support she offers herself, that's not just burying Anon underneath her fur, it's like an ethereal wisp of warmth is tracing overtop of him.

She picks up speed, their hips practically slamming together. Most of the pillows have been forsaken, thrown off the bed. Eclipse's mouth hangs open, gasping heavily with every moment. Drenched in sweat, the pair grit teeth and hold on as their coitus turns rough, carnal desire overtaking.

Anons hands reach up, roughly grasping Eclipse's chest and wrapping around her. She startles, pausing in her movements.
"W-what are you--?" She tries to mumble, right as Anon shifts, somehow sweeping the Mare off her own support, and rolling her over on the bed, getting her onto her back, hooves kicking uselessly in the air. Her wings help stabilize herself as she realizes her position, the blush on her face turning much deeper as she lays exposed.

Then Anon, pressing himself into her, begins to plunge inside with a quickened, feverish pace. Hitting deeper and into new places, Eclipse's head rolls back as a low groan drones out of her, legs twitching as she's ravished.

Whatever spell she cast, seemed to do more than just multiply their sensitivity. The dull, pulsing warmth won't leave their torso's; not even after the first time Anon pushes himself entirely inside, member throbbing as he paints her insides. Her backhooves wrap around him as best they can, a panting gasp escaping her.

Anon is panting, sweat dripping down himself. Eclipse's fur is matted in several places, both breathing hard.

Anon twitches. He's still hard.
"Your spell?" He manages to wheeze out.

"...I think so. Buck." Eclipse pants, biting her lip.

"Alright." Anon nods; Eclipse watches as he begins to piston inside of her again, kicking it right back to the same speed they'd just left it at. Still in her sensitive afterglow, Eclipse nearly shouts, latching onto him.

The spell lasts for a long, long while.

sappy epilogue

She's smiling. A familiar, happy smile. His hand strokes her face, kissing that smiling face, the two laying naked on their bed. Another long night had passed under Eclipse's leadership.

A few months into Eclipses rule has passed, as well as the enacting of her grand plan.

The Nobles, obviously, did not take it very well. The common Pony, however, seemed to quite like the idea of having much more say in local politics. Civil war seemed to loom, and questions arose from those that knew Twilight. Before anything could explode into chaos, however, a string of events involving some severely incriminating evidence buckled the Noble lines.

The schism was expected, manipulated, and a convenient lapse in judgement, that was definitely not pre-planned to such a devious level that Chrysalis would be proud, was used to smite any embers of civil war that could erupt. Power was slowly filtered from the Royalty, and fed to local, reformed beauracratic sects. The Nobility either turned on each-other, or stood down to preserve their own images.

It wasn't all the way, but, by years end, the Princess of Equestria would be a ceremonial title at best. Eclipse was already closing in on establishing a secured magic loop that, once cast, would place the Sun and Moon on an automatic cycle.

The Princesses didn't quite know how to take the news, when they heard of what was happening in Canterlot. They'd expected Twilights rule to be unique, but not quite to this degree. Any meeting with them is cordial, but firmly reminds them that they have since retired; Equestria is no longer their concern. Without their powers to move the Sun or the Moon, there is little they can do about this factor, but trust in Twilight; publicly, that is the name she still goes by.

Her friends were happy for her, that she'd found a route to enjoy doing what she wanted. With some nudging from Anon, she didn't let those friendships falter; they might not be perfect, but Twilight and the other girls had been through a lot together. Eclipse's firm grasp on emotions lead to some surprisingly real conversations; some ending in comforting tears and apologies, others in clarity.

Anon sighs, resting his head in his hand, looking over his furred lover. The room was dark, lit only by flickering candles. A common theme. Eclipse seemed to have an immense preference for the middling hours between Day and Night; namely, Dawn and Dusk.
"Letting a little more of Twilight in every day, hm?" He hums, catching her attention.

She was nearly half the size, now, only coming up to his chest. Where she used to cuddle him, now she was again the little spoon. She was a little more vibrant, but the ash-grey streak remained. Still had some hefty flank, though.

"...Mm. I suppose I am." Eclipse muses quietly.

"You know... you might be the first Alicorn to find a middle-ground with their alter-ego. Wouldn't exactly be out of character for Twilight to carve the path of yet another first." Anon theorizes.

"...And how would you feel about that? A lover that is not quite Twilight, and not quite Eclipse?" She asks, searching his face.

Her only answer is the kiss against her lips, the two holding each-other close.

Author's Note