It was time.

I was lying in bed, trying to clear every last thought from my mind. It took a few minutes as my brain was still processing all the information from today.
As the last fact checked out, I focused my mind on Luna.
I closed my eyes and let my body sink into the bed. Everything was still and quiet.

“Come along then.”

My eyes flew open and I was sitting in a field. Luna was ahead, looking over her shoulder at me.

“Well?”

I jumped up and ran to join her.

“Where are we?”

“This is where I start each night. Do you see the stars?”

I looked up at the night sky. I hadn’t noticed it before. There were more stars than I’d ever seen! Luna motioned up to them.

“Each star in this sky represents a pony.”

“Every one of them?”

“Yes. I watch the sky to see who needs me. When a star starts blinking, it means the pony is having a dream that’s not going well.”

“Wow!”

I looked around the sky for a minute.

“I...I don’t see any stars blinking.”

“It takes a few minutes to start. I usually find at least a dozen ponies that need some help. Sometimes more, sometimes less.”

We both fell silent and continued observing the night sky. Still no blinking.
After ten minutes, Luna began walking in circles, still looking up.

“Strange.”

Ten more minutes of walking in circles. Luna suddenly stopped as if she’d remembered something. She took in a short breath and looked up at the sky again.

“I can’t believe it.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing! Nothing is wrong!”

She finally looked at me, her eyes reflecting her excitement.

“These nights are so rare.”

“What nights?”

“The nights where all is well and the ponies of Equestria are all dreaming peacefully. I haven’t had a night like this in months!”

I arched my brow in surprise. No bad dreams in all of Equestria?
Luna began to laugh and she collapsed on her back, looking at the stars again.

“Join me Shade!”

I smiled and rolled onto my back. I rolled over next to her and looked at the sky.

“It’s beautiful Luna.”

“Thank you. I worked hard to create this place.”

“Did Starswirl teach you to walk in dreams? Like he taught you to control the moon?”

“No. I discovered my access to the dreamworld years after I became a princess. I was the only pony that had that kind of power.”

“That’s a big responsibility.”

“Yes it is. But I don’t mind looking after ponies. They should feel as safe asleep as they do awake.”

I looked over at her.

“Can I ask you something?”

She looked at me.

“You want to know why I’ve never visited your dreams before, yes?”

Wow. She’s good. I nodded. She turned her gaze back to the sky.

“I have visited. But you’ve never seen me. And I only came to you a few times. Always when you were having your nightmares. I stopped coming because I couldn’t bear some of the things I saw.”

“Me attacking Celestia?”

She didn’t confirm it, but I knew that’s what it was.

“In all your nightmares, it was only ever her. Were you not mad at me? Or Cadance?”

I shifted my body, the discomfort growing.

“I suppose I was, but I pushed it all back to Celestia for the most part.”

“That seems unfair.”

“I have no excuse. It’s just the way it was.”

“What made you finally forgive her?”

“Time. It took me four years to come to terms with everything.”

“That’s not so bad.”

“Maybe not for a pony who has all of eternity. Four years of not talking to anypony is a long time.”

“Try not talking to anypony for a thousand years.”

That shut me up. I think Luna knew she’d just made it awkward. She was shifting around too. I decided to push the subject though.

“What was it like? Your banishment?”

For a split second she glared at me. Then her eyes softened. She turned her head away again.

“Nopony has ever asked that before. Not even Celestia. Then again she might have already known what I would experience.”

“A thousand years on the moon. I can only imagine.”

“I wasn’t on the moon. I was in the moon. The story is quite literal.”

“You were stuck inside?”

“It’s...hard to explain.”

She glanced at me. I was staring. She knew she wasn’t going to get out of it and let out a sigh.

“Imagine if you were a shapeless energy. No physical form. Just...magic. And then you’re thrown a million miles an hour into the surface of a rock. Your very being soaks into the surface. You don’t feel. You can’t speak. But you can see. You can see everything below. The entire planet! It’s beautiful. But then you realize that you may never touch it again...”

I can hear her sniffle softly. I pretend not to notice. I don’t want to embarrass her.

“That must have been hard. How did you forgive your sister after your return?”

I was patient while she composed herself. She turned towards me.

“I did it in a heartbeat. I knew what I had put her through. She was just as lonely as I was. We had never been separated until that time. But the moment I was myself again, I forgave her. And she had already forgiven me.”

“That’s wonderful. I can only imagine having somepony that important to me.”

“You have your friends.”

“Yes, but..”

“You mean somepony closer?”

“I guess. I’ve never attempted to get close to a mare before. The thought still scares me, but I know I’d be less lonely if I had somepony special.”

“It’s true. Everypony has a counterpart out there.”

“Even you?”

“Celestia and I decided long ago that pursuing relationships would be a bad idea. Besides, to ponies we're more like mothers than potential lovers.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s a price we pay for our longevity.”

“You don’t ever..”

Her head tilted and she gave me a curious look.

“That’s a very personal question.”

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to-“

“Never.”

“What?”

Was she joking? No. Her face was serious. It couldn’t be! In over a thousand years?

“Celestia and I have never taken lovers, mates, or any other type of romantic partner. Like I said, it’s too complicated.”

“Wow. I did not expect you to say anything.”

“What about you? Do changelings?”

I shook my head.

“I don’t know about the current changelings, but when Chrysalis ruled, we never did anything like that. And not much has changed for me as a pony. I’m definitely interested, but I’m too nervous to attempt anything close to it.”

“That’s understandable. I too have thought of changing my mind, but there is something rather..concerning about it.”

“I know, right?”

We stared at each other for a second and then started laughing. It felt good to laugh.
As we started to calm down, I saw her get uneasy again. I put my hoof on her shoulder.

“You don’t have to worry. Your secret is safe with me. I’ll just add it to my list of ‘Secrets That Will Get Me Killed’.”

“You mean that’s not the first secret on the list?”

“Nope. And I don’t think you get to know the others just yet.”

“Celestia told you something?”

...O-kay. Maybe she did get to know.

“...Yes.”

“What did she say?”

“I...I had a theory about the two of you. She confirmed it. She didn’t go into any detail. She said it wasn’t the right time.”

“And what was your theory?”

I was silent for a few seconds.

“You were unicorns. Before Starswirl found you.”

She sat up and stared at me.

“How could you know?”

“It was a lucky guess.”

I sat up too and we faced each other.

“What was it like when you were young?”

“I...I don’t know if I’m ready to be that open with you.”

“I’ll just quickly point out that you confirmed your virginity a few minutes ago.”

She scowled at me. Hard.

“Point taken. But this is an entirely different matter. This is something private.”

“I didn’t mean to offend you.”

She began to calm down, breathing slowly.

“I feel that if there is anypony that I will be able to talk to about it, it will be you Shade. But I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.”

I bowed my head.

“Of course princess. In your own time.”

“Thank you.”

Luna stood and began to walk away. Was I supposed to follow? When she was several feet away, she turned back to me.

“If you know about our original lineage, then I assume you know about our names?”

I nodded.

“In your own time Luna. I don’t expect you to take that step lightly.”

She smiled.

“Dusk Lily.”

My jaw dropped. What was with these two sisters and trying to shock me to death? No time to wonder about the possibility. I knew I had to ask the question I’d never asked Celestia.

“Why? Why would you tell me something so..special?”

Luna’s eyes grew soft, her smile still in place.

“Because I know I can trust you Shade. You and I share a bond now.”

I was in awe.

“And Celestia told me earlier.”

“Wow. You ruined the moment.”

She laughed again.

“It’s still there. I meant what I said. You’re going to be an important pony Shade. One that Celestia and I will rely on to be our port in the storm.”

I bowed to her.

“I cannot thank you enough for your trust in me Luna. I will do everything I can to be deserving of it.”

“I know you will. I’m happy to count you as a close friend.”

Something caught her attention behind me. I turned and looked up at the sky. There was a single blinking star.

“An almost perfect night. I’d better see what’s happening.”

She walked past me and unfurled her wings.

“You’ll wake up in your bed in just a few seconds. I hope you had a good night Shade.”

“I did. And I hope you did as well.”

“Yes. I enjoyed myself very much. Until our next meeting, be it real or a dream.”

She took off into the night sky as I was beginning to see darkness in the corners of my eyes. Soon, everything faded to black.

_______________________

I opened my eyes to see the night sky beginning to turn dark blue. The sun would be coming up in another hour or so. And somewhere, Luna was finishing up her night by helping a pony in need.
I got out of bed and left my room. I decided to go for a walk in the gardens. I knew it was dark still, but the dawn would bring out the beautiful colors of the flowers. I wanted to see that. Especially the lilies..

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