Celestia's eyes dart down, to the book in question. Her eyes go wide. Twilight feels herself edging into full-on panic mode and throws her other hoof over the book, pulling it closer to herself.

"Oh," Celestia says.

"Um," Twilight stammers,

I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!

Celestia eyes the book, as one would stare down an old rival. "I was unaware there were still copies of that around."

Twilight jerks her eyes from the offending article to the Princess and back again. "I found it in one of the old archives of the library, but I didn't really know what it was –"

"Relax, Twilight," Celestia says. "What happened that day is no secret."

Twilight wants to let her breath out, but it gets caught halfway. Her mouth moves wordlessly at first, and she has to repeat the order to actually make sound. "I never knew the... uh... the details."

"Few ponies do." Celestia folds her forelegs beneath herself, casting a glance at the open door. "I'm sure you've always heard the short, popular version."

"Version?" Twilight balks. "Is it... is it made up?"

"No, of course not. But... as you say. Details," Celestia says. "Given enough time, the truth will change. Things will be lost."

Twilight slides the book a few inches out from under her hooves, giving the cover a long, hard look. "Is this true?" she asks. "Have you read it?"

The alicorn takes her time responding. With her arms folded in, and the regular rise and fall of her breath, she almost looks like a giant swan, floating on the pond of Twilight's bed. Solem and graceful, even in repose.

"He asked my permission to write it. And he brought it to me before it was published," she says. "I did read it. It was... difficult. To read." She closes her eyes. "It is very true."

Twilight's eyes grow huge. Somehow, incredibly, her first instinct to sympathize with Celestia is overridden. "Luna – she... she killed them!" Twilight says in a hushed whisper.

"That was not her!" Celestia snaps, just the other side of restrained. The candles in the corner of the room flare up, glimmering in the Princess' eyes. "She was not herself!"

Twilight cringes, scooting away on the bed.

"No... excuse me," Celestia takes a deep breath. "That is not true. It was her."

Air returns to the room, cool night breeze blowing in. Twilight feels the bed underneath her again. "I just can't believe she..."

"Luna has killed many things. In the past," Celestia says, her brow furrowed, adding the slightest hint of wrinkles to her flawless face. "But that is irrelevant. She has returned. She has healed. And she has been forgiven."

"I know," Twilight says, in the tone of an apology. "I was there."

Celestia smiles, bringing warmth to the room again. "So you were, Twilight. So you were."

Twilight's eyes jerk down as a regal, gold-shod hoof rests over her own. The bed sinks and sighs as the weight of an almighty alicorn scoots closer to her, and she looks up only to be enveloped in a shining, ever-shifting river of color.

Celestia nuzzles against her, and Twilight is filled with her light. The empty hole in her chest overflows with it, washing out any other feelings with the wholesome, awesome feeling of just being touched by her. The little unicorn quivers in place, her mouth hanging open as Celestia's tresses caress her coat, leaving tingling trails of peace everywhere they touch.

Celestia pulls back, smiling down at her. Her hoof stays resting on Twilight's. "I can never thank you enough for bringing her back to me," she says.

Twilight gasps and stutters silently, still recovering from certain overwhelming attentions.

I only wanted to save you.

She catches her breath as she remembers the feeling of that night. Her panic when the Princess disappeared. Her determination, to win her back, to stop at nothing, to fight anything and pay any price. How she wanted to cry with joy when the sun rose again.

I did save her. More than I ever knew.

I didn't. We did. We saved her.

And I only met them because of her.

"I couldn't have done it without you," Twilight says.

"Likewise," the Princess says with a warm smile.

Twilight shrinks down, feeling her ears heat up enough to glow. She forces her mouth shut – surely, a torrent of embarrassing mush would spill out otherwise.

"I've had many champions in my reign, Twilight," Celestia goes on. "But none quite like you. I owe you my crown. Several times over, by now."

Against her will, embarrassment comes pouring out her mouth anyway. "Well, I... I mean, I'm not really that special, it just... I just... I mean, it was you who... you know." Her whole face is burning, she feels tinier than a star in an endless night sky.

"My apologies," Celestia says, deeply amused. "I know how kind words embarrass you. Perhaps I should merely reward you, and keep my compliments to a minimum."

Reward? Me? You?

Twilight gets a strange naughty thrill in her chest, for reasons she can't quite bring herself to put a hoof on. "You don't have to do anything like that." She laughs nervously.

"Oh? There is nothing you want for?"

"No! No, I mean, you've given me everything, my whole life... I don't need any –"

Twilight's words fall dead. She can feel a muzzle up against her ear, the sigh of her breath, the lovely pink curls of mane teasing her coat. She stares at nothing, not realizing she's doing so.

"I am sorry, Twilight," Celestia says. "She is not mine to give."

Twilight snaps her eyes over to the Princess, coming back to the moment.

"Sadly so," Celestia continues. She looks somber again, gently patting Twilight's hoof with her own.

"How did you...?"

"It was written all over your face."

Twilight just stares at her, her mind a blank spot. There might be feelings hiding under it, but she can't check right now.

"Yet again, I am sorry. I did not mean to lead your thoughts that way," Celestia says with a longing, one-sided smirk. "But I do wish to see you happy. Anything I can give is yours, should you ask."

Again, Twilight chooses to ignore the shiver Celestia's words send shaking through her body. "Thank you. But... I don't think I need anything. I don't know what to say."

"Of course." Celestia smiles playfully. "Think on it, then. I will ask again."

Twilight averts her eyes, blinded by Celestia's heavenly smile. She looks down, trying to take refuge in her own hooves as they rest on...

Questions. I'll always have questions for you, Princess.

"Actually," Twilight says, levitating the book up from beneath their hooves. "Can I ask you about this? I mean... would that be alright?"

Celestia opens and closes her mouth, then makes a "Sure, why not?" kind of smile. "To be honest, I do not enjoy talking about it," she says. "But I would rather your questions be answered."

Twilight hovers the book in front of her, feeling the worn binding with her magic. It's old, old enough that there is no title or writing at all on the outside. The script inside is faded and archaic, quite difficult to read.

The question on her mind really has little do with the book. Or does it? Perhaps just not with the part Celestia thinks it does.

Will you remember me?

"Do you remember him?" Twilight asks.

"I will never forget him." Celestia sighs, quiet and proud. "He was a very good pony. Loyal to the end."

"Was he one of your champions?" Twilight says, cocking an eyebrow far more than she means to. She feels an unwanted smile tease at her lips.

"He was not a former love of mine, if that's where this is going."

"Wha – I didn't say that!" Twilight grins with guilt.

"Your eyes said it." Celestia smirks knowingly. "He had a wife, and he was faithful to her. I admired that very much about him. Had things been different..."

Twilight's jaw drops. She feels like Rarity devouring a particularly juicy bit of gossip, schoolfilly giggles and all.

"Of course, that is all too easy to say in retrospect." Celestia sighs and shakes her head, lost in memory. "Who knows what would have been?"

Twilight can hardly believe her eyes, bringing her visions of Princess Celestia reminiscing and having flights of fancy. Seeing her dreaming and wondering. She feels like she's floating whole inches above the sheets.

She comes back down as Celestia's eyes rest on the book, still floating between them. Her slight smile fades, and her eyes dull an almost unnoticeable fraction.

"Twilight... would you stop reading that book? If I asked you?" she says.

"Huh?!" The book falls, bouncing on the mattress. "Are you... are you asking me to stop?"

"No, Twilight. Merely wondering."

Twilight spends a long moment staring into her teacher's eyes, trying desperately to read whatever could be going on behind them. Celestia holds Equestria's finest poker face, a wordless mask.

"...Why would you ask me that?" Twilight says.

Celestia's lips are a grim line. Her eyes hold the book at arm's length, staring it down. "That book... it holds some very painful memories of mine. Sometimes, in my weaker moments, I think that I should not have allowed it to be written."

"But – you don't want to forget what happened?"

"I could never forget." Celestia frowns at the dark, faded cover. "I have no need of a book to remind me."

Twilight fumbles her hooves together, taking her own time to stare at the book. For a brief moment, she clearly pictures some of her own finer moments put down on paper – her harsh words to Applejack, throwing Braeburn out of her bed, being cold and distant to Ch –

Stop. Scratch that last one.

She shakes her head, refusing to let her thoughts go there. The other ones are bad enough, thank you.

"Well? What would you say?" Celestia asks.

For lack of any other response, Twilight's first, uncut thought pours out. "I don't understand why you would forbid anyone to read any book. Ever."

Celestia raises an eyebrow. Her mouth doesn't move.

"I mean... I guess if it was dangerous, that would make sense, maybe. But this..." Twilight rambles, horrified at her own sudden chattiness. "This is important. I know it's personal, for you, and I'm sorry. But it's too important. In a historical sense. I think this is the only primary source on the subject I've ever heard of." She takes the book in her hooves again, as if to protect it. "Written by someone who was there, I mean. Or, I guess... I guess historians could just ask you. But still..."

Twilight stares up, wilting without the immediate approval of her teacher. Thankfully, Celestia's smile returns.

"A good answer," she says.

"What, are you testing me now, too?" Twilight says.

"Nothing like that. I was curious. Thinking hypothetically."

Twilight's ears twitch at a familiar set of words replaying in her head, accent and all.

Y'know, one o' them hypotheticals.

She stares out the window, at a river of stars high above, the current too slow to even be noticed.

"Although," Celestia begs her attention, "I had a feeling that would be your answer. I know that if I asked you to do something you thought was wrong – not that I would, but if I did – I know that you would refuse me."

"How do you know that?" Twilight says. "I don't even know that."

"Of course you do. You proved it yourself. With my sister."

Twilight puzzles over that for a moment, parsing her feelings. There's a giddy thrill at being praised by the Princess, as always, but...

Not like it helped me at all. I still lost her.

Then what is it worth? What is it good for?

The Princess seems to approve.

Twilight looks down at her own hooves, smiling the resigned smile of someone who doesn't know what else to do.

"There I go again," Celestia says. "Leading your mind to places you would rather not be."

"It's okay," Twilight says. "I have to sort all this out sometime."

"Perhaps. But you need a break, too. A breath of fresh air." Celestia rises, her hooves sinking deep into the mattress as she stands. She hops lightly down onto the floor. "You had a whole day to yourself in Canterlot, and...?"

"And?" Twilight blinks a few times. "It was great. I hadn't been to the library in so long."

Celestia giggles and rolls her eyes. "Twilight, you live in a library."

"The palace library," Twilight says with just a bit of snark.

"I know how you love to read. But I thought you had come to appreciate the world outside your mind."

"Right..." Twilight sighs, caught red-hooved. "I have, I really have."

"Not that I want you to refrain from what pleases you. But sometimes it is easy to fall back on what is familiar. To hide with old comforts."

Twilight looks down again, at the book lying on the bed. She ditched her friends in Ponyville, so she could... what, read? Sit inside and mope all day?

The Princess ruffles her wings, nodding towards the window. "I think you've had some time to recover. Come. I would see you be happy again."

Come?

"What? Where are we going?" Twilight asks.

"To enjoy the night," Celestia says.

"You enjoy the night?"

"I was its steward, for a time." Celestia poses regally, formal, flaring her wings out in fanfare. "I am familiar with its charms."

Twilight can hardly believe it – Celestia, the Princess, her teacher, asking her to... to what?

Enjoy the night?

What, like... hang out?

"Um..." Twilight slowly gets to her hooves, anxious to run to Celestia's side. But the urge is an old one, long ago leashed.

"If you would like, that is," Celestia adds.

"No, no, I'd love to!" Twilight gushes, unsure why she's feeling such hesitation. She looks around the room, feeling the mattress bend and bounce under her hooves.

Why wouldn't I go?

Celestia is the one bright spot in the room. A cold, empty room, long ago abandoned.

What else am I going to do, go to bed? Lie awake all night again trying not to think about

She stops herself. She steels herself up. She hops down from the bed, towards the door. "Where... uh..."

Where are we going?

Her mind helps itself to an image of Twilight and the Princess sitting at Joe's Donuts, sharing a booth, snuggled together over coffee.

"I had something special in mind, if that's alright," Celestia says. She wanders over to the window.

Twilight cocks her head, her heart picking up a bit at the words special. She follows the Princess, joining her again at an empty stone ledge. Canterlot is laid out before them, hemmed in on all sides by sheer cliffs. Thousands of stars twinkle overhead, crisp and sharp, twinkling brighter than they ever could in Ponyville. Twilight sighs loudly at the sight of it.

Celestia nods at hearing Twilight's sigh. "The night can be beautiful."

"High altitude," Twilight says.

"Hmm?"

"High altitude. It makes the stars look different. Probably something to do with air density," Twilight puts a hoof to her chin.

"Does it now?" Celestia says with mock wonder. "I'm not sure that sounds right. Perhaps you should test your hypothesis."

"Test?" Twilight balks. "I mean, I would love to but I would need to fly to do it right, and I can't really..."

Unless I rode you.

NO don't say that!

Rude inappropriate quick think something else think!

"Maybe I could take the balloon up, but I've never really used it at night – kind of hazardous enough as it is," Twilight rambles, not quite noticing Celestia's sneaky smile, or the golden glow of her horn. "Or I could get a pegasus chariot, although I suppose that would be a bit much, making them do all that in the middle of the night. And those are limited in altitude, aren't they?"

"Indeed, they are. But I don't think that will be an issue."

"Then what..." Twilight looks up and freezes – Celestia is looking down at her, deeply satisfied. She feels funny, a weird thrill of magic coursing over the hairs of her coat. Celestia's eyes move, glancing at Twilight's back, so she follows them, turning her head –

Twilight's breath leaves her, as if it was never there. She gasps, as long and hard as Pinkie Pie, her jaw aching from the pure force of her gawking.

There are wings on her back.

Not real wings, of course – these wings glow, their feathers made of purest white light. She can feel them now, as if they had always been there, as familiar as her own legs. Two whole new ethereal appendages.

"Aaaaaaaaoooooooooooohhhhh my GOSH!" Twilight trots in place, watching as her wings flitter in time with her over-excited legs.

"I didn't expect you to be quite so surprised. You've cast this spell before, haven't you?" Celestia says.

"Yeah, but..." Twilight blurts out, all manners forgotten. "It was so difficult. And these are..."

She unfurls them, amazed at the smooth movement happening at her will. She doesn't even really think to – she just does it. They're nothing like the dainty butterfly wings she gave Rarity. They look – they feel – strong and sure and fast. Angel wings.

"I've had a bit more practice at it than you," Celestia says. "Rarity's wings were beautiful, and quite fitting for your friend. But I was going for more of an... alicorn look."

Twilight slams her hooves over her mouth, somehow gasping even more.

I'm an ALICORN!

No, no, come on. Calm down.

Breathe!

"I look like an alicorn!" Twilight breathlessly whispers through her hooves.

"Yes you do." Celestia giggles. "Twilight Sparkle, alicorn for a night."

Twilight squeals loudly, wiggling around on her rump. She turns and jumps, beginning the traditional Twilight Sparkle dance of joy, but her hooves never come back down.

"Oh my gosh!" Her wings are flapping lazily, hovering her a few feet in the air. "Oh my GOSH!"

"Careful, my little alicorn."

"Princess, I'm flying!" Twilight shoots straight up, letting her legs hang limp. Her jaw hurts from the sheer size of her smile. "I'm actually fly – ow!" Her head collides with the ceiling, doing very little to dampen her mood.

"Careful, Twilight!" Celestia's horn glows again and Twilight feels her legs being pulled by golden light, drawing her gently back to the floor.

Her hooves touch stone, and Twilight tries to get a hold of herself. She flares her wings out, craning her neck this way and that to inspect them. She can barely see through the glowing feathers, catching wispy ghosts of the candles behind them.

Are they physical? Rarity's were, but these look so...

Her mind races in five directions at once, wondering what they feel and taste and smell like, guessing as to their exact composition, yearning to measure them in full and by each individual feather...

"Twilight?"

"Huh?" She looks up, and Celestia has her forehooves perched up on the windowsill.

"Follow me," Celestia says. "I will show you how to use them."

Celestia gives her one more playful smile, throwing it over her shoulder, then bounds out the window. Twilight watches as the Princess falls. She opens her wings into a graceful swoop and pulls up, rising high and fast, up above Twilight's head. Then she evens out into a tight, gentle turn, coming around to face Twilight. She hovers there, lazily flapping in place.

Twilight looks up at her and down at the ground, far below, feeling her belly clench at the dizzying height. She gulps and steps up to the ledge, resting her forelegs on it.

She glances over each shoulder in turn, confirming that yes, she does in fact actually have wings oh Celestia this is ridiculous. She flaps them once, then each once on its own, feeling gusts of breeze around her hooves.

She looks down again. There's a pony, probably a guard, on the ground far below. Miles and miles and miles away. He looks tiny from up here, and the ivory walls of the palace stretch down before her.

"Come, Twilight," Celestia calls to her. "Fly with me."

She stares at the goddess in flight, floating in the night. Far away, on the other side of a river of sky.

Shouldn't I... I don't know, fly along the ground first? Somewhere safe?

Celestia stares back, waiting patiently. She has that look...

That look she always has. That warm smile that tells me she knows I can do it. She knows I'm smart enough, or strong enough, or just the right kind of pony. That she believes in me.

That look that always makes Twilight feel like she can do anything.

And I can't disappoint her. Ever.

Twilight takes a deep breath. She sets her face in a grim, determined scowl, standing up straight. She climbs up onto the windowsill, perching on her back legs...

And then she jumps.

Her eyes squint almost shut as wind beats at her face, she's falling, her stomach and hips feel ticklish at the sight of the ground far, far below and then her wings unfurl and her guts jump around all over again as she suddenly pulls up, soaring skyward towards the stars.

"AAAAHHHH!" she yells, smiling like a little filly on a rollercoaster. She swoops up, not quite climbing as high as Celestia, and then slows down as she evens out. She clumsily flaps her way up, to hover at the alicorn's side.

"I did it!" Twilight yells. "I'm flying! I did it!"

"I saw," Celestia says proudly. "Not bad at all for your first time."

Twilight just makes some high-pitched happy noises, pitching and yawing in place. She tries mightily to ignore the nausea every time she glances down, seeing her hooves standing on nothing, or the murmurs of terror in the back of her...

Oh, who am I kidding? This is AMAZING!

"Hold your legs up," Celestia says. "Tuck them in. Less drag that way."

"Oh." Twilight does so, posing for flight. "Like this?"

"Perfect." Celestia grins, like she has a truly wonderful prank planned. "Now follow." She turns into a shallow dive, coasting away from the palace into the night.

Twilight watches Celestia's mane and tail fanning out in the darkness, leaving trails of light. She turns and gasps to see that her own wings are doing the same.

She holds her legs in tight against her body, and follows.

It's incredible. The wind screams in her ears as she dives, forcing the dumbest, happiest grin onto her face. The Princess glides just ahead and to the side of her, looking back, keeping a close eye on her student.

Twilight forces herself to watch carefully, to flap her wings in time with Celestia. They fly together, two birds in formation, gliding closer and then farther away from each other, swaying in the night. Celestia banks gently, and Twilight mimics her, amazed at how perfect, how natural it feels – like walking, like breathing, like reading a book.

Celestia turns again, and Twilight keeps pace, just delayed enough that the Princess drifts close to her – she can feel the great wafting blasts of alicorn wings, true angel wings, beating the air, ruling it. She settles into Celestia's wake, pulled along by it, flying faster than she could possibly fly on her own.

Celestia leads, and Twilight follows, dancing in the sky.

She blinks, hard, only now noticing the sting in her eyes as they water over, beaten back by the wind. Her vision blurs, seeing nothing but dazzling streaks of light. She blinks again and wipes at her eyes with her hooves, her wings slowing down.

She opens her eyes, almost slowed to a hover. Her breath gives up and leaves, powerless against this – it's achingly, unbelievably beautiful. All above her, the stars shine just for them. All below her, the city lights of Canterlot sparkle. She may as well be floating in the heavens, lost among darkness pierced with thousands of beautiful, distant lights.

Celestia comes around and drifts next to her, treading air.

"Are you alright?" she asks.

"Aaaahhhh..." Twilight croaks, still feeling tears in her eyes. She clears her throat and grins sheepishly. "Fine!" she says.

Celestia giggles. "Higher?" she asks.

"Yes!" Twilight says instantly, grinning like a fool.

Celestia gives her a pleased smirk, and then shoots almost straight up, pounding the air with her wings.

Twilight does so as well, straining at her wings, really throwing herself into it. She holds her forelegs out straight, like she's seen Rainbow Dash do. Her tongue sticks out to the side a little, grunting as she flies upwards.

They spiral around each other, soaring up into the stars, away from the world below. Twilight sees pictures in the sky, constellations and nebula and galaxies she knows by heart, here and now floating almost within her reach. She feels like she could fly right up to them, and she realizes, with a touch of surprise, that she's laughing.

She soars up, up and up into the endless black abyss above. They fly together, Twilight catching glimpses of Celestia to this side or that as they circle upwards.

And then, suddenly, she stops.

Her wings beat hard, once, catching nothing. She feels giddy, in her chest and hips and her whole body, all of her tingling as she starts to fall.

Somehow, through the moment of sheer animal panic, she hears the word stall in her ears, clear and confident.

She takes in a deep breath to scream, and lands on something large and firm instead.

"Oof!" She hits hard, flopping on top of something smooth and soft and white and –

Oh my goodness oh my GOODNESS

"Careful, Twilight." The Princes cranes her neck back, glancing over her shoulder as she glides. "Even with wings of light, you can only fly so high."

Twilight, again, can only grin sheepishly. She's resting on Celestia's withers, just above her wings but close enough to feel the powerful muscles of her back flex with each stroke.

"How about we go back a little lower?" Celestia says.

Twilight nods, clinging to the Princess. She flexes her own back, preparing to jump off and fly on her own again.

Well... let's just... hold on for a second.

She grins, a sneaky, guilty little smile. She tightens her hooves, resting her head against the pure white field of Celestia's coat.

She rides the Princess, sinking back down with her towards the world below.

* * *

Twilight glides, looking out over all of Canterlot and Equestria beyond. The moon has shifted a far bit against the stars, watching as lights go out below them, one by one. She is at Celestia's side, has been for hours, just like she's always wanted.

They've barely talked. They barely need to. Celestia has given her the occasional gentle bit of advice, but aside from that the only sounds in Twilight's ears have been the whoosh of air and her own gleeful gasps.

She's calmed down a bit, the sensations not quite so overwhelmingly fresh. She never thought she would enjoy it this much – she's been up in the air before, sure, and heard Rainbow Dash gush endlessly about how cool flying is. How exciting and fun and just plain awesome it is. But... it's just flying, right? Just a physical diversion from scholarly pursuits, fine for other ponies sure, but...

I was wrong. Wrong again. So, so wrong.

She looks down, soaring over a sleeping city through cool night air. She looks up, close enough to touch all the millions of stars above.

SO wrong.

Celestia banks slightly, descending at a gentle slope. Twilight follows suit, just a little delayed, a little slower and shakier. They dive together in a shallow corkscrew, drifting down, closer and closer to the palace again. They're just over the tallest of Canterlot's towers.

The Princess glides down towards the tower's balcony, landing smoothly into a light trot. She stops and sits, looking up back at Twilight.

Twilight squints at this landing arrangement, plotting a course out in her head. The balcony isn't very large, and she's pretty sure she can't lose speed that quickly. She lets herself drift past, arcing around again, bleeding momentum. By the time she comes around she's slowed down plenty, needing to flap again to stay aloft. She hovers awkwardly towards Celestia, slowly lowering herself until her hooves touch solid ground again. Her legs ache as they wake up, shocked to have to hold weight again.

"Well done, Twilight," Celestia says, resting on her rump.

"Really?" She sways on creaky knees, wondering how her wings of light aren't tired at all. Celestia just smiles and nods down at her, and it's the most wonderful gift Twilight's ever received.

She glances towards the tower, at a resplendent pair of double doors leading into a dimly-lit room. She's never been up here before.

What IS up here? It can't be... oh sweet goddess it must be!

Her eyes go wide as she realizes that she's looking into, peeking at, the private quarters of the god-monarch herself. She tears her eyes away, pretending that she'd never looked at all.

Is it really?

What else could it be? This is the tallest tower, this is where she lives, sleeps, rests her head at night, you know this!

But... I'm here! I'm HERE! With HER!

"Something wrong, Twilight?" Celestia asks.

"What?" Twilight gasps. "No, no, nothing! Of course not." She glances at the doors again, unable to help herself. "Is that...?"

She stops mid-sentence. Something swoops past them, ruffling Twilight's hair in its wake. Something large and dark and beautiful as she is terrible, swimming through the night before them. Twilight starts to glare at the Princess of the Moon, but then wonders why she should, really.

Luna perches on the balcony's railing, grinning down at them. Celestia stands to greet her sister.

"Good evening, to both of you!" Luna says, waving a hoof and bowing theatrically. "So good to see you out in my night. Oh!" She puts a hoof to her cheek, miming shock. "What is this?! A winged Twilight Sparkle, it seems! Truly now you are worthy of my sister's attentions!"

Twilight looks away, suddenly full of reasons to glare at the Night Princess. She folds her wings close and tight, as if to hide them.

"Luna," Celestia says, as if warning. Twilight can hear her glare.

"This is so strange, isn't it Celly?" Luna grins wickedly. "I seem to remember it was always me stealing lovers from between your sheets. My, how things have changed."

"Luna..." Celestia scolds her, obviously holding in plenty more words.

Luna ignores her, leaning in closer to Twilight. "My sister always talks about you, you know. I'm only surprised this didn't happen sooner." She leans in more, on the edge of whispering. "A word of advice: She really likes it when someone runs their tongue up the inside of her –"

"How did you know...?" Celestia snaps at her, then catches herself with a stomp of her hoof. "LUNA!"

"My apologies!" Luna holds both hooves to her chin, her eyes openly mocking them. "How rude of me to interrupt your little date. Congratulations, to both of you!"

She jumps back, hovering just past the edge of the balcony. Celestia watches sternly, not moving at all. Twilight just sits there on her rump, wondering how and why she always ends up between these two.

"Enjoy the night," Luna says, in a way that sounds like a threat. Then she flies off into the stars, dark laughter echoing back at them.

Twilight and Celestia sit there, silently, watching their mutual friend shrink and finally disappear in the distance. Twilight loudly clears her throat – she's not sure if it's to clear the heavy air around them or just to make sure that she's capable of making sound.

Up the inside of her what?

"Uh..." is all she manages to say.

"Please pay my sister no mind." Celestia solemnly shakes her head. "She thinks she is funny."

"It's okay."

I'm used to it.

Twilight thinks back, having her pick of memories. She's no stranger to jokes about herself and the Princess. Not that she's ever been happy about them.

SO disrespectful. Completely inappropriate. Celestia would never! Not like her sister... she would never...

"Did Luna really... steal lovers from you?" Twilight asks weakly.

"Not really." Celestia sighs loudly, throwing a wistful smile at Twilight. "If they were so easily tempted away by her, then they weren't truly worthy of my love, now were they?"

Twilight is shocked enough by this to let her next thought slip out into words. "Well she's not all that tempting. I mean, I resisted her, right?" Her face falls the moment she says it. Twilight stirs in her own embarrassed panic for a full second before a look from the Princess stops her. It's alright. Everything's alright. Everything's going to be okay, as long as that look can make nothing seem to matter.

"Yes. Yes you did," the Princess says gratefully.

Twilight dimly wonders where she is, how she got here, what any of this means. It's all ripped from the pages of some kind of silly fillyhood fantasy of hers, so many of her forgotten dreams coming true at once that the whole thing is suspicious. She half-expects Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie to pop out at any second and declare the prank over with.

"Relax, Twilight." The Princess seems not perturbed in the slightest. She nods towards the doors. "WIll you join me for a while?"

JOIN you? Like... how?

Twilight immediately curses herself for even beginning to think anything like that – a wrong, vile, rude set of thoughts. Guilt comes riding along, sharp as the sting of a fresh burn.

Cheerilee left you... what, days ago? Days! And now you're rushing off to... to...

To something? But this isn't even –

Finding refuge in old comforts?

"Twilight?" Celestia puts a hoof on her shoulder, sounding very concerned. "Did Luna upset you?"

"No," Twilight says instantly. "...Yes. I guess. Maybe."

"I only meant that we could sit inside and talk a while," Celestia says. "Nothing more."

Twilight is surprised at how badly disappointment bites at her, and then upset all over again that it happened at all.

"If you would like," Celestia goes on. "I know it's late."

"No, it's okay!" Twilight says, eager to please as always. "I'd love to just talk."

"Wonderful!" Celestia steps towards the doors, beckoning Twilight to follow. "I do so seldom get to entertain friends in my home."

"Seldom? But you're the Princess. Don't you have guests all the time?" Twilight rushes to catch up.

"Mmm. Perhaps guests. Not friends," Celestia says. "And not here."

Friend.

The word is sweet as it is poisonous. Twilight's heart sinks as she follows the Princess inside – she can't really fathom why. Being friend to the Princess – to Princess Celestia! To be promoted from student to friend, to even be worthy of being considered as such, to have it implied that their relationship is or could be anything but a one-way cascade of good grace and wisdom from a goddess to her lucky pupil! It's too good to be true!

And yet, as Celestia holds the doors open with her magic, Twilight feels a weird, bitter bite in her heart.

And then her thoughts sweep themselves away. She's here, in Celestia's private quarters, the actual domicile of her number one most admired pony. Ponyrazzi would kill for even a momentary glimpse into such a place.

Twilight looks around, anxious to take it all in, and sees mostly shadows. It's dark – she can make out shapes in the starlight, a bed here, what could be a desk or maybe an armoire over there. Mostly she feels plush, soft carpet under her hooves.

And then light! She turns to see a fireplace, filled with cozy flames. Celestia's horn dies down only to light up again as she arranges cushions in front of the fire.

Twilight settles down on the seat offered to her. She cranes her neck to stare some more – warm light from the fire mixes with Celestia's own ethereal brightness, casting flickering shadows everywhere. There is a bed, a huge one, a case of books and scrolls, a desk and a mirror and a few other odds and ends spread about. Twilight is shocked at how simple it is – she had expected opulence beyond anypony's imaginings, gold and jewels of every description. What she sees is quite restrained – warm, lacquered wood, and soft, down-filled comfort. Very tasteful.

Something moves. Philomena is perched on a stand on the other side of the room, and she gives both of them a groggy, sleepy glare before settling back into sleep.

Twilight feels something soft and thick being thrown over her and realizes it's a blanket, being snuggled around her by a golden glow. She relaxes into it, relishing the waves of heat the fire is throwing against her face and forelegs – far colder and more numb than she had realized.

It is nighttime, you idiot. And we were at high altitude, after all.

"Comfortable?" Celestia asks.

"Very," Twilight says with a smile. Celestia is settled near her, stretched out over several cushions, wrapped up in a blanket of her own. Twilight tries to be happy about this, and finds that she is.

See? Isn't this enough? Isn't this nice? Just... relaxing with the Princess!

"I like your room," Twilight says.

"Thank you," Celestia says. "I know it isn't quite a library, but I find it quite comfortable."

Twilight shifts her weight and flutters her wings a bit, without really meaning to. They strain at the blanket, rumpling up her whole situation. "Aheh... still getting used to these things, I guess. Thank you, by the way."

"You did wonderful with them. You would make a fine alicorn."

Stop complementing me I can't handle it, darn it!

"Heh..." Twilight chuckles loudly, yet again fighting a blush. "Me, an alicorn. That would... that would be something, I guess."

"Indeed." Celestia's smile turns playful. "What would you do?"

"Huh?"

"Twilight Sparkle, an almighty alicorn. What would you do with such power?"

Celestia looks at her as if this were some regular old parlor talk. A simple inquiry about one's day, maybe. Twilight panics just enough, grimacing and tensing up under her blanket. Celestia, when she was tutoring, was never one to put her students on the spot like this. Twilight scrambles for an answer, the correct answer.

I probably wouldn't go crazy and kill a bunch of ponies.

Is there a correct answer?

Just talk. Don't overthink it. Relax. Friends! Friendship mode, engage!

"I don't know," Twilight says. "I mean, I hope I would do great things. But how can you really know what you'll do in an extraordinary situation?"

"Of course you can't," Celestia says. "But what would you like to do?"

"I guess I could do almost anything, couldn't I?" Twilight asks.

Celestia smiles quietly and nods, darkly amused.

"I'd have to hang around Canterlot though, right? Raise the sun or the moon or the stars or something. That kind of comes with it," Twilight says, reciting what only seems obvious.

"You don't have to. Nopony can make you," Celestia says.

Twilight purses her lips and squints at her teacher, completely lost. Where is this going? What's the point? They might as well imagine Twilight had all the bits in the world to spend.

When did I become such a wet towel? Rainbow Dash and I talked about that exact thing just a few weeks ago.

She remembers now, joking around about diamond-studded bookcases and platinum flight goggles. It was silly, but it was fun.

Come on, get in the spirit of things!

"I'd probably try to read every book ever," she says with a wry smile.

"Ha!" Celestia puts on a slightly goofy grin, just a bit restrained and royal. "I'll have to remember that one. I've barely gotten through half of them, myself."

"Only half?"

"Well, you troublesome ponies keep writing new ones," Celestia jokes. "But a fine idea, actually. The noble pursuit of knowledge."

Twilight looks away, unable to contain her smile.

See? Just like last time. It was silly, and then –

Rarity had shown up, and put Twilight and Rainbow Dash to shame. The sheer number of charities the white unicorn had thought of, instantly and off the top of her head...

And I had just listed a bunch of scientific equipment. For myself.

She hangs her head a little, resigned to giving a wholesome answer.

Maybe that IS the point of questions like these.

"I don't really know what I would do," Twilight says. "But I hope I would do what's right. Keep everyone safe, so they can live their lives in peace. Be a just ruler..."

...Like you?

Twilight halts herself, not wanting to sound like she's sucking up. She believes it, wholly and completely, but she can't bring herself to say it out loud.

"Mmm," Celestia nods. She looks like she's forcing herself to dutifully approve, perfectly in time with Twilight's safe and modest answer.

Maybe it was the safe answer. But I still hope I would.

She sits and waits, expecting Celestia to pull a thread with a question. The fire crackles and gives a few subdued pops, punctuating the silence.

That's it? What would she... well, she's already a –

"What would you do?" Twilight asks.

"Excuse me?" Celestia blinks at her.

"What would you do? If you were... you know. Normal."

Celestia's lips part, and she blinks a few more times, highlighting the blank look on her face. It isn't often that she looks like she's taken by surprise.

"I mean, if that's okay to ask." Twilight mumbles apologetically, as usual.

"It's fine," Celestia says, also as usual. "It is a very good question."

She means it – every bit of her smile says so. The Princess stares at the fire, taking her time. Twilight waits patiently. For once, her mind isn't buzzing – just calmly waiting, eager, knowing the answer is coming soon.

"I really love reading your letters, you know," Celestia says. "More than I think you realize."

Twilight braces up for the customary wave of giddy anxiousness. It doesn't quite come – perhaps she's finally getting used to it.

"I know you put tireless thought and effort into them. And I appreciate your research. The lessons you've learned. Not to mention the times you've humbly reported heroic exploits," Celestia continues. "But the true reason I love them? The real reason?"

Celestia pauses for effect. Twilight feels it full force, nothing but a pair of ears and a wide pair of eyes.

"The little things," the alicorn says. "Having idle chatter over tea. Sitting and reading. Walking through cool rows of trees, just for the pleasure of it. Seeing how many marshmallows a pony possibly can fit in their mouth. And all of it, with good friends."

Twilight gawks at her.

What, that stuff? The boring stuff? My humdrum day-to-day life?

Celestia shakes her head, as if Twilight spoke out loud. "The rhythm of your life, Twilight. The friends you have, and the love you all share. The fleeting moments that truly make up a day, and a week, and a lifetime, and how much you cherish them. Maybe more than you even realize."

"Oh," Twilight says quietly, thinking of all the minutiae she's cut out of the hundreds of letters she's written.

"I envy you, Twilight." Celestia stares into her, longingly, and Twilight feels confident she would fall right over if it wasn't the Princess making her feel that way.

Nevermind, not getting used to it.

"Were I a normal pony, I would lead a perfectly normal life," Celestia says. "And I can only hope that I would find friends as good as yours. Or as good as you."

Definitely not used to it.

Twilight forces herself to keep thinking, to be that good friend rather than a squealing fangirl. "But I am your friend," she says. "I mean, I want to be your friend. I would..."

Do anything for you?

True or not, a bit much. Twilight bites her tongue.

"And perhaps if I were a normal pony, you wouldn't think you have to do that all the time," Celestia says.

"What?! Do what?" Twilight says.

"That. Guard yourself. Hide your feelings, for my sake," Celestia says. "What I would give to see you as you are with your friends. Not embarrassed, or anxious, or worried about pleasing me."

Twilight wordlessly stutters, her wings no safeguard against the awful way she's plummeting through the floor.

"It's not your fault, Twilight." Celestia slides a hoof on the floor, reaching out to her. "I can't imagine how you must feel around me. But I wish that you..." Celestia casts a wry glance into the fire. "Sometimes I wish..."

The Princess trails off with a sigh, leaving Twilight hanging off the cliff of her words. Twilight actually leans closer to Celestia, sliding over the edge of her cushion.

"Sorry," Celestia says, looking embarrassed somehow. "You know I'll always cherish being your teacher. But I've come to hope that you might think of me as more than that. You're so much more to me than just a student, after all."

Twilight can feel the filly inside her blushing and hemming and hawing and doing her usual worship. But it stays inside.

Don't disappoint her. Be an adult about this!

"I do!" Twilight says. "You're so much more to me than just a teacher."

Celestia looks endlessly pleased, sinking into a humble smile. It's a perfect moment, the consummation of a long and fruitful relationship. But Twilight's nerves refuse to stay quiet.

"But not...you know," she adds awkwardly. "I admire you, and respect you. Definitely nothing inappropriate." She smiles uneasily, hopefully.

Definitely no kind of weird infatuation. Nope, never, not ever.

"Inappropriate?" Celestia asks, suddenly looking worried.

Oh no.

Twilight cringes. Her anxious qualification was supposed to sweep that idea under the rug, not bring it to the forefront.

"Just... you know, inappropriate." Twilight taps her front hooves together, cautiously glancing up at the Princess. "Between you and me. Like Luna was saying. Uh... romantic."

"Oh." Celestia looks curious, wondering, considering things she's never thought to before. "You would think such a relationship between us to be inappropriate?"

Yes? Maybe?

"I don't know," Twilight says. "I've never thought of you like that," she lies.

Celestia stares at her, a curious little smirk playing at her lips. "You know, in the past I often had a constant stream of suitors," she says. "Powerful lords. Wealthy merchants. Wise magicians and scholars. Great knights and warriors. Any who thought they were worthy." She shakes her head gently. "As if that even meant anything."

Twilight stares back, awestruck, privy to some of the world's great secrets. She's not sure where this is going, but then again, she's not sure where she is at all.

"Perhaps it was foolish of me to turn them all away," Celestia continues. "It seems these days that I am rather less popular."

"You...?" Twilight starts to protest.

"It's come to be considered some kind of sacrilege. To assume that one could ever be worthy of me. How could they be, after all? I am the sun, high above them, untouchable." Celestia bows her head, frowning at the floor. "And alone in the sky."

Twilight slides farther towards the Princess, completely absorbed. "But... aren't you?"

"Do you think I am?"

Twilight answers without even thinking. "I do. I did."

"Mmm." Celestia nods thoughtfully. "It's my fault, really. For many, many years, I have been."

Celestia looks up at her, and Twilight loses herself completely. The Princess looks... lonely. Even if it's only a little bit, even if it's only around the edges, it's there, and Twilight's heart trembles at the idea that such a thing could even be, that the universe could allow such injustice. That such a perfect being could ever want for love.

"Twilight?" The Princess says, softly pleading.

"Yes?" Twilight squeaks, her eyes going impossibly wide.

This is it this is it this is it!

She trembles inside, smashed to pieces by the sight of Princess Celestia – the Princess – looking at her, fawning over her, nothing else in the world but just the two of them on this wonderful night.

Are you CRAZY?! She's not going to ask you to do anything like that.

"I hope you don't find it inappropriate if I ask..." Celestia says. She averts her eyes bashfully, somehow... impossibly... blushing a little.

Or possibly I was wrong oh my gosh please let me be wrong.

Twilight shakes her head frantically, caught on the edge between all that's good in this world and all that ever could be good in this world.

"Would you come here please?" The blanket next to Celestia floats up, leaving a spot on the cushion perfect for a unicorn.

Twilight puts herself there in a nanosecond, not even bothering to try to think about it. An order from the Princess is an order from the Princess, after all. She settles into the cushion, tucking her legs under her body and snuggling in against her mentor, wing to wing.

"There. Much better," Celestia says. She smiles down on Twilight, looking deeply pleased. Twilight basks in her glow, grinning and waiting patiently for...

For Celestia to turn her head away and stare at the fire.

She's still smiling, still deeply pleased. But she just sits, contentedly sharing a blanket with her student.

Former student? Friend? Or...?

Twilight leaves that thought hanging and pretends to look at the fire as well, to just sit and enjoy this moment up against her mentor's side.

So...

She doesn't say it.

Did you really think she meant...?

Twilight shakes her head inside, trying not to be disappointed. Isn't this enough? Isn't it enough, sitting here, sharing a beautiful moment with her, lying against her heavenly body?

It is, darn it. Stop thinking about weird forbidden sex and just enjoy this.

Is it forbidden? She was just saying –

I said enjoy this, darn it!

She does. Celestia casts her a warm glance, then settles in against her, relaxing and sinking down onto the cushions. She lies down, rolling onto her side a little, leaving a perfect place for a unicorn to lay her head.

Twilight does so, wordlessly and without having to be asked. She scoots over and leans against the Princess, shivering at the warm tingles that flare up wherever their coats touch.

See? This is enough.

Celestia nuzzles against her, then sighs and lays her head down to rest. Twilight feels her wing flex, the great goddess feathers ruffling a little as she sleepily stretches.

It's enough.

For me.

For now?

Twilight ignores her thoughts, trying to cut through them and remember if she's sleepy herself. She's not, but it hardly matters. She nuzzles Celestia back, rubbing her little head against the great white curve of Celestia's shoulder.

She yawns, an unexpected attack of exhaustion. Relief courses through her, happy to feel the blissful tiredness that follows any rush of adrenaline.

She lays her head against Celestia's side. She closes her eyes. She smiles.