Author's Note

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Alone Together in the Slumbering City

The bar was empty when they left. Twilight was wearing one of Sunset’s extra cloaks, which functioned more to cut the wind than to keep her warm in the cold night air. The path ahead was dimly lit by Sunset’s horn, the dim light: a courtesy for Twilight’s sensitive eyes.

Twilight spoke slowly and deliberately. “Thanks for walking me home, Sunset, but you didn’t have to.”

“I know, but it’s a long walk from the edge of the Everfree to the Golden Oak Library. I figured you might appreciate the company.” Twilight smiled.

They walked in silence for some time, interrupted only by the chirping of crickets, the crunching of leaves, and the occasional scuffle of their feet on the hard-packed dirt road. Twilight leaned gently into Sunset as they walked, and after a few minutes, Twilight found herself pleasantly warm. It occurred to her that if this was how it felt to be a penguin, perhaps penguins didn't have it so bad after all.

Finally, Twilight broke the silence. “Where are you sleeping tonight, Sunset?”

“I was planning to sleep at the bar.”

“Have you slept there before?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

“Yea, all the time.” Twilight stared at her, horrified. “I mean, you sleep in a library. That’s no different.”

“Of course it’s different! How can you say libraries and bars aren’t different sleeping environments? Libraries are quiet, bars are loud, libraries smell faintly of vanilla, bars smell faintly of vomit. How can you sleep like that?”

“Come on, Twilight. You were in the back room with me. Was it loud? Did it smell like vomit?”

”Well, no, but still… it’s a bar. Besides, there wasn’t even a bed.”

Sunset shrugged. “It’s not so bad. The couch is more comfortable than it looks.”

Twilight’s right eye twitched. “That’s it. You’re sleeping at the library tonight.” Sunset looked as though she wanted to disagree, but Twilight’s tone brooked no argument. “Besides, what would be the point of walking me home if afterward you walked all the way back to the bar by yourself?” Sunset shrugged.

Far from the Everfree, the incessant chirping of crickets and croaking of frogs turned to deathly silence. Twilight was frequently up late, either studying or stargazing, but almost always within the confines of her library. Walking through Ponyville in the dead of night made Twilight wish even more desperately that she could sleep alongside it. If Sunset picked up on Twilight’s somber mood, she made no comment.

Before long, they had reached the Golden Oak Library. It was a novelty, even to Sunset’s well-traveled eyes. It was an enormous, hollowed-out oak tree, though whether it was hollowed out by ponies or by nature was hard to say. It was, either way, skillfully repurposed into a place for ponies to thrive, complete with doors, windows, balconies, lanterns, and an unlit candlestick on the door.

Sunset stood awkwardly on the porch as Twilight battled desperately with a key that she rarely used. Finally, after nearly a minute of fiddling and finagling, the door opened. “Remember to be quiet when you come in, Spike is sleeping in the guest room.”

Sunset took a step into the library and looked up the stairs as Twilight closed the door behind her. “Where will I be sleeping?” she whispered to Twilight.

“You can sleep on my bed,” Twilight whispered back.

"And where will you sleep, then?"

"The floor," Twilight said, completely straight-faced. Sunset barely stopped herself from bursting into laughter.

"You're not serious, are you?"

Somehow, Twilight had the audacity to look offended. "Of course. You're my guest."

"Twilight, I'm NOT making you sleep on the floor of your own home.”

“But–”

“Twilight, look at yourself. You can barely stand up straight.” Twilight at least had the decency to look embarrassed. "Look, it’s been fun, but I’m headed back to the bar. You can come by tomorrow if you’d like.” Sunset turned to leave, but found the door handles were already encased in lavender. She launched a small jet of flame stopping just short of Twilight's horn, shattering Twilight's concentration and her hold on the handles. By the time Twilight regained her wits, Sunset had already flung the doors open.

"Wait… please."

"Please don't go. It's just… I've hardly slept for days. I’m sure I won't be able to sleep much tonight. But I thought that maybe if you stayed here with me… it might help."

A chill wind blew into the library, only partially blocked by Sunset as she stood motionless in the doorway. Twilight gently shivered but made no move to close the door. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the door creaked shut.

Twilight stared at the ground. “You can just go if you’re that set on leaving.”

“It’s not that I wanted to leave, I was just caught off guard. I thought you were just being polite in offering me a place to sleep. If you wanted me to stay, all you had to do was ask.”

Twilight was silent for a long time. “Then, would you please stay?"

Twilight had heard Sunset laugh before, but they were safe laughs, the laughs that ponies make after they’ve been taught the correct way to laugh. This laugh was a roaring, howling laugh poorly concealed by a series of loud snorts. As Sunset laughed, the tension that had been keeping Twilight awake slowly drifted away, and her body was only too happy to remind her that her ability to stand was a privilege, not a right.

Sunset threw a clumsy salute. “I live to serve, Princess Twilight.”

Twilight chuckled weakly. “Give it a rest.” She let out a huge yawn, not even bothering to cover her mouth. “Speaking of, I think I’d better get to bed.”

She turned and staggered up the staircase, keeping one hoof against the wall as she climbed. Sunset’s horn glowed a faint teal as she ascended the staircase behind Twilight, a glow which didn’t dissipate until they had ascended the second flight of stairs and reached Twilight’s room.

"You still aren't sleeping on the floor, though," Sunset whispered.

With those words, an ember reignited in Twilight’s soul. "Well, I don't want you sleeping on the floor either."

With an air of mock seriousness, Sunset created a tiny sword of fire in the air. "If there can be no arrangement, then we are at an impasse."

Twilight giggled. "I would challenge you to a battle of wits to settle this, but I’m afraid I would get burned.” Sunset nodded sagely. “Perhaps we can reach a compromise that we will both find amenable.”

“I’m listening.”

“We could just–” Twilight yawned quietly “–share the bed. It’s big enough for both of us.”

"Would you be able to sleep like that?"

“I sleep with Spike all the time, and he snores like a… well, a dragon. I’ll be fine,” Twilight said as she crawled under the covers.

Sunset shrugged, then hopped onto the bed. “If you say so.” She turned off the lights, and darkness took them.