Twilight looked out across the town of Ponyville from her library's balcony. Her half closed, unfocused eyes caught sight of the occasional pony or two walking about even though the sun had long since set. Despite her best efforts to stifle it a yawn forced its way out. It was on nights like this that Twilight cursed the more obsessive side of her mind, as it had once again robbed her of precious sleep.

Her attention turned from the streets to the stars, and she tried to spot the constellations, though her current weariness made that difficult. The sound of heavy hooves on wood behind her shattered Twilight's concentration. She softly grunted, giving acknowledgment to Big Mac that she's heard him. He sat next to her and she felt his hoof rubbing her back. Another grunt, this one more drawn out, was her simple way of saying thanks.

“I hope I didn't wake you,” said Twilight.

“Nope.” She didn't believe him, but chose not to argue the point. She turned to him and saw the curiosity in his eyes. “Can't sleep?” he asked.

She started to respond but closed her mouth, and thought of what kind of answer she should give. Part of her didn't want to say it out loud, to do so would be admitting her own perceived weakness. A princess shouldn't be weak, she reminded herself. Then again, if she couldn't talk to her own boyfriend – albeit new boyfriend, but boyfriend nonetheless – about this then what was the point of having one? She sighed and forced the words to come out, “Sometimes at night when I try to sleep, I get these thoughts. Usually they're doubts. Either way, once my mind gets going at night I can't seem to stop it. Coming out here usually helps me to relax.”

“Whatcha thinking about tonight?” he asked.

Twilight fluffed up her wings. “My role in Equestria. Before, when I was just Celestia protege I could think to myself, even if I mess something up the princess will fix it. It was comforting to know that there was somepony above me. But now, I am one of the princesses. If something goes wrong, I'm one of the ponies others expects to fix it. I can't show fear or anger during a crises. I have to be strong and calm regardless of what I'm feeling, because the ponies of Equestria need me to be that way. If something does go wrong, and if I'm forced to be the leader of all of them, can I do it?” She hung her head and added in a whisper, “I'm scared that the answer will be no.”

“Having to be strong for other folks is real tough, but ah'm sure you'll do just fine.”

Twilight looked up at him with a raised eyebrow waiting for there to be more, but nothing else came. “How can you be so sure?”

“Ah can't, but it don't do no pony any going to think otherwise. 'Sides, you've already saved us a few times. Ain't like being a princess is going to make in a difference in that, 'cept that ya might be flying while doing the saving.”

“I know... but it feels like I can't convince myself of that.” Another yawn came out, followed by one from Big Macintosh. “I-I should be fine. I just need to time to sort out my mind. You can go back to bed if you want.”

“Nope,” he replied.

Twilight leaned against him as her lips curled up into a small smile. It made fighting these doubts a little easier.

Inside of Canterlot's palace Princess Celestia poured herself another glass of wine. “Kree!” shouted Philomena who was setting on her perch nearby.

“No, you can't have any,” replied Celestia.

“Kree kree!”

Celestia rolled her eyes. “You most certainly cannot handle it. The last time I let you have some, you set my garden on fire."

“Kree!”

“The gardener had off that day, so don't go trying to blame him.” A knock at her bedroom door cut off the conversation. It slowly opened to reveal Princess Luna. “Yes, little sister?”

“I heard from the staff that you were still up and wished to make sure you were alright.” Luna stepped into the room and eyed the empty wine bottle and the now half empty bottle. “If I may say, sister, you seemed off today and here you are drinking late at night. You only do this when you start missing those of the past.”

Celestia swirled the red wine in her glass. “Is a thousand year old princess not entitled to have the occasional morose day?” She sipped from the glass.

Luna scrunched up her muzzle. “Sister, you've been saying that you are one thousand since before I was banished.”

Celestia shrugged. “It's an easy number for our subjects to comprehend.” Celestia's mood lightened and she chuckled before continuing. “It's a shame you weren't around the last time I told them my actual age.”

Luna tilted her head. “Oh? Enlighten me.”

“Have you ever heard of the old Ponyville story of the longest day?”

“Yes, Twilight taught me that story. About seventy years ago there was a time when a great light came from Canterlot and shined down onto Ponyville just around the same time the moon had arisen. They believe it was your magic but no one is certain. They figured you must have had your reasons and decided to leave it be.”

“The only reason it's a mystery is because I wanted to forget that night. To make a long story short, the head maid at that time asked me when my true birthday was, since she noticed we never celebrated it. At first I didn't wish to tell her, but the poor thing seemed to have her heart set on giving me a proper birthday party. I admit, I was also curious what it was like to have one again, since it had been so long. I went ahead and told her my true birthdate and allowed her to set everything up.”

“Sister, I fail to see how this is connected to the longest day.”

“What do they normally serve at birthday parties?”

“Cake.”

“And what items are usually sticking out of a birthday cake?”

“Candles. One for every...” The realization slowly dawned on her as her pupils shrank to small specks. “They didn't.”

“They did. One for every year I've been alive. That light Ponyville experienced was in fact my fully lit up birthday cake. It took hours to put it out.” Celestia pointed to Philomena. “It didn't help that she was dancing in the flames.”

Luna's jaw hung slack for a moment before she could respond. “B-but... but they make candles in the shape of numbers. They only needed four of those.”

“To take such a shortcut with the princess would be unforgivable. They had to go all out. That was the answer she gave me.” They stared at each other in silence for a second or two before both started laughing.

“I'm sorry I couldn't have been here to see that,” said Luna as her laughter died down.

“They probably would have just tried to make a cake for you too.” Celestia finished off the glass of wine. “Sister, I'll be fine. You can return to your duties while I think of the past.”

“At least promise me you'll go to bed soon.”

“I promise.”

High up in the crystal palace, inside the living quarters of the royal couple a pink princess in crystal armor was stretched out across his couch, laying on his stomach. “Come on, say it,” he said.

From the bedroom came the reply, “No. I feel silly.”

“Aegis, I once dressed up as one of your comic characters for you, so no complaining about this.”

Aegis groaned but gave up arguing about it. “Fine.” After a bit of grumbling she said, “Oh help, help. Whoever will come to my rescue.”

On cue Eros rushed to the door and opened it. Aegis stood there in a long, flowing princess dress. “You needed fear my lovely princess, for your hero has arrived.”

“But the dragon? What happened to it?”

Eros laughed, doing his utmost to make it sound heroic. “No dragon could stop me, my love.” He nuzzled her. “Now, with the wizard defeated and the dragon gone, we are finally free to consummate our relationship.”

Author's Notes:

This is going to be the final part of Kinds of Love: The World. I hope you guys enjoyed these little side stories set between Kinds of Love and the eventual third part of the series (that one will have an actual overarching plot, I assure you). I had two other side stories planned for this but I think they'll fit in better with the third part.