Celestia roused from her sleep just a minute before her alarm clock was set to go off. She reached over and turned it off before it rang. She noted with some dismay that she was not in Luna's bed, but rather her own. It did not matter to her in either case, only that she was in bed alone.

Celestia sat up and got out of her bed. She walked into her bathroom to freshen up. She stepped into her golden horseshoes, donning her neck piece and crown. Each felt particularly heavy this morning. She walked out onto her balcony and looked to her sister's tower again. The drapes were still mostly drawn closed and the room inside was pitch dark. Celestia was about to lower the moon. And then, in the darkness of Luna's room there was a faint blue glow. Celestia focused on the glimmer until the movement of the moon caught her attention. She watched it slowly slip down below the horizon. Once it was completely set, the blue glow in Luna's dark room vanished.

Celestia smiled weakly. It was a step, at least. Her own horn glowed and she took to the air, raising the sun along with herself, and setting it on its course across the sky. She drifted back down to her balcony and waited a moment more, looking to her sister's tower. The drapes snapped completely shut in the morning daylight. Celestia's smile wilted and she turned to go back inside.

"One step forward, two steps back," Celestia whispered to herself. She made her way to leave her chambers and head down to the throne room for another day.

Princess Luna stood in the darkness of her bedroom. "This will not do," she decided. There was nothing to be gained in simply shutting herself away. It was time for her do a little investigating. She closed her eyes and focused on her spell as her horn glowed. A moment later the spell completed and washed over her. She looked at the mirror. She was ready. She slipped through her drapes out onto her balcony and blinked into the harsh light of day. Once her eyes adjusted to the brightness she spread her wings and took to the air.

She flew across the courtyard airspace to Celestia's tower, landing on her balcony. She braced herself and walked inside her chambers, feeling the ward across the entryway parting around her like a curtain of beads. It was a selective ward that allowed only certain ponies to pass unscathed. Luna was apparently on the guest list. Trust, freely given. She moved quickly to the far side of the room and listened through the door for the signature sound of Celestia's golden horse shoes against the stone floor as she walked away, accompanied by a pair of guards wearing their brass armor. Luna carefully opened the door and snuck out into the hallway and followed after them.

Many of the minor aspects of the castle had changed over the years but the basic layout was the same as it ever was. They were heading to the dining hall. Luna waited behind and kept out of sight until she was certain that the way was clear and then watched from the hallway.

Celestia took a seat at the head of the table, as she always did. Her usual mug of coffee was already waiting for her. Ram C walked out to her just as she seated herself, ready to take her breakfast order.

"May I have a second place setting?" Celestia asked, motioning to the seat next to her.

"Are we expecting a guest?" he asked.

"No," Celestia said, somewhat disappointed. "Just... hopeful."

"Yes Ma'am." He turned and went back into the kitchen and sent out another place setting with a plate, bowl, and silverware.

"And for you?" he asked. Celestia waited for a moment and just stared at the empty seat.

"The usual is fine," she said at last. He nodded and quickly turned to get her breakfast from the kitchen.

Celestia ate as a princess would. She took small bites and chewed her food. She occasionally sipped her coffee. As if on cue, as soon as she finished eating, another pony walked in with a scroll and quill. He was an older unicorn with a big, bushy, grey mustache. He approached Celestia and stood waiting. Celestia paid him nary a glance, instead still staring at the empty chair. After a long minute, she wiped her mouth and turned to face him.

"Good morning, Kibitz," Celestia greeted him.

"Good morning, Your Highness. Shall we begin?" he asked. Celestia looked at the empty seat one final time, willing herself to keep her lip from trembling. She stood up from her chair.

"Yes," she answered. Kibitz undid the clasp on the scroll as they began to walk together towards the throne room. Luna followed as closely as she could to listen to them.

"We have quite a busy agenda today," he began to say as he presented the beginning of the scroll. The tick boxes along the side indicated that it was clearly a checklist of some sort. "Firstly, there are many ponies from the press that are still seeking answers regarding this... Daylight Savings Time, that you have invented."

"I've already explained this yesterday when I sent out the official statement," Celestia huffed in frustration. "It's simply a day of the year when the sunrise comes an hour later. There will be another day like it in the autumn when it comes an hour earlier."

"What of the multiple reports from Ponyville, claiming that a 'Nightmare Moon' had foalnapped you and threatened to shroud Equestria in eternal darkness?"

"Nightmare Moon is an old mare's tale. Any reports regarding her should be treated as such. Fiction," Celestia said.

"But there are multiple witnesses claiming to have seen-" Celestia cut him off.

"I was just pulling an elaborate prank to capitalize on the delayed dawn of Daylight Savings Time. That is what happened," Celestia said with resolute finality.

"Your Highness, there are simply too many ponies that know that Princess Luna is Nightmare-"

"NO!" Celestia yelled as she slammed her hoof against the stone floor. Her Canterlot Voice boomed in the empty hallway. "Luna is NOT Nightmare Moon! If anypony EVER-"

Celestia stopped and saw that Kibitz was trembling in his hooves. Kibitz had been her most-trusted adviser for decades. He knew her as well as anypony could ever hope to. But even he had only ever heard legends of what Celestia was like when she was angry. Celestia looked down at the stone slab beneath her hoof and then looked back at Kibitz. She took a deep breath, and cleared her throat, regaining her stoic composure. He took the quill in his shaking hoof and made a note on the list.

"Elaborate... prank," he said as he wrote the words. They continued walking down the hallway.

"What is the... next item?" Celestia asked in her perfectly calm tone.

"There are a stack of Gala invitations that require your attention," Kibitz said. Luna followed after them, noticing the large cracks in the stone slab floor.

The assembled crowd outside of the throne room parted and made way for the approaching princess. The doors opened and Celestia walked inside and took her seat on the throne. Once she was in place, the rest of the crowd shuffled inside. Luna carefully made her way through the crowd, keeping to the margins of the room as she made her way closer. Her perception-blocking spell had been working well all morning. But even so, if an invisible pony physically bumped into one of the other guests, the jig would be up.

"Your Highness," one of the ponies greeted Celestia. He held the familiar pencil and steno pad of a pony of the press. Many of them did. "What of the reports of Nightmare Moon attacking Ponyville?" Luna felt herself bristle. "The ponies have a right to know. The ponies have a right to feel safe!" Luna looked up at her sister on the throne. She expected to see the same rage as before. But she didn't let herself slip this time.

"My little ponies," Celestia began, in the same warm, maternal tone she always used, with a matching, soft smile. Every pony with a writing utensil quickly scribbled down every word she said for posterity. "As I have already clearly explained, in my official statement that I released yesterday," which was Celestia's polite way of saying, 'bitch, can't you read?' "these reports of ponies witnessing the return of 'Nightmare Moon', were simply confused citizens from an elaborate prank of mine, capitalizing on the delayed dawn of Daylight Savings Time. Nopony was harmed. And Equestria may rest easy, knowing that they are safe. Nightmare Moon is, and always has been an old mare's tale."

"What about the Mare in the Moon? She's gone!" another pony said. Luna inched closer to Celestia's throne. Her perception-blocking spell had let her get closer than anypony else in the room.

"True," Celestia confirmed of the moon's new appearance. "But as several astronomer ponies will confirm, four falling stars were seen colliding with the moon just before the change. These impacts raised the white moon dust, and changed the appearance of the surface."

"Are we to just believe that these reports are merely a coincidence with the return of this 'Princess Luna' that you claim is your sister? That this Princess Luna isn't Nightmare Moon?" a particularly bold reporter asked. They were all too far away but Luna was close enough to see it. The flare of Celestia's nostrils. A twinge in the corner of her eye. The bulge of the vein in her neck just beneath her fur. She was absolutely furious. Celestia's horn glowed and she levitated the cup of tea from the nearby tray. She brought it slowly to her lips to take a small, purposeful sip and just held it with her magic there in front of her. She controlled her breathing. The smile returned to her lips when she spoke. But not to her eyes.

"My little ponies, I want to be positively... abundantly... CRYSTAL clear about this," she said, with an almost disturbingly calm tone. From where she stood, Luna could see steam coming out of the tea cup.

"My sister, Princess Luna, is not- I repeat, not Nightmare Moon." The room began to become uncomfortably warm. Luna felt herself beginning to sweat. She looked at Celestia's horn. The yellow aura around it would have been mistaken from her holding the tea cup. But Luna could see otherwise.

"If anypony accuses my sister of being Nightmare Moon..." Luna could see the inside of Celestia's crown was beginning to glow red from the heat being so close to her horn. "If anypony besmirches her name..." The bodies of the candles in the nearby stands began to wilt and slump over. "If anypony, anywhere, speaks against her, then they speak against me." The tea in her cup began to boil.

"Now then, I'm sure you don't want to all be cooped up in this stuffy room on this hot, summer day," Celestia said, looking cool as a cucumber as several reporters tried desperately to wipe the sweat from their brows, smearing their paper pads. "So unless anypony has any legislature they need signed, you are free to leave." Celestia looked to the guards at the doors. They threw the doors open and everypony was quick to get out into the cool air of the foyer. Even Kibitz, and the guards themselves, stepped out other room and closed the doors behind them. Only Luna remained in the face of such thermal oppression, even as she was dripping sweat.

Celestia placed the cup down and extinguished her horn, letting the room cool along with her temper. Suddenly, Celestia stiffened in her seat and flared her nostrils. Her head whipped and looked around the room before looking directly at where Luna was standing.

"Luna!?" Celestia asked of the empty air. Celestia's horn flashed and hit Luna with a disenchantment, dispelling the perception-blocking spell with a shimmer, revealing the blue pony.

"How did you know?" the now-visible Luna asked. Celestia smirked and walked over to her.

"You did a fine job with being unseen and unheard," Celestia complimented of Luna's spell. "But there are..." she leaned over and sniffed Luna. "...five senses. And I would know your scent anywhere. How long have you been there?"

"We've been with you since breakfast," Luna admitted. Celestia kept her reaction from her face. She just stood and blinked before the faintest hint of a grin tugged at her cheek.

"Hmf. I never took you for a voyeur," Celestia teased.

"We are surprised that you're surprised," Luna said, still a bit shaken. "But in truth, we just wished to see what a day in the life of 'Celestia the Benevolent' was like." Luna pushed one of the still-soft candles to lean the other way. "Is this... standard fare?"

"Sorry," Celestia apologized. "Things got a little..."

"Were you about to say 'heated', Tia?" Luna smirked. Celestia chuckled.

"I was trying to think of a different word," Celestia admitted. "Personal, perhaps?"

"Perhaps. Ever the over-protective big sister?" Luna asked.

"Always," Celestia said with a smile. Luna smiled back.

"We-" Luna struggled to find the words. "I'm sorry. About yesterday. I shouldn't have yelled and said those hurtful things. We promised each other that we would put our differences behind us. And you have. I needed to as well. I was just... surprised... about what had happened while I was away."

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry," Celestia said. "I should have told you up front and been honest about it. I should have told you about Cadance right away, in private."

"Yes, that would have been preferable," Luna agreed. "But I still shouldn't have called the pony I love, a whorse. Friends?" Celestia smiled and leaned over to kiss her. Luna turned a bit at the last moment. Celestia felt a bit stung, but settled for her cheek. One step at a time. "So, what now then?" Luna asked, trying to break the tension. "Is it back to business as usual for you? Tending to the needs of your little ponies all day?" Celestia sighed and chuckled. The daily goings-on of princess life for her had become so trivial to her in the wake of her sister's return.

"Yes. Would you like to join me?" Celestia offered.

"Tomorrow, perhaps," Luna said. "Though I have to wonder why it would not be Twilight doing so. Would she not want to be at your side at all times?"

"She would," Celestia agreed with a smile. "But she is moving to Ponyville today. I imagine she would be packing as we speak."

Across town, Twilight was nearly finished packing the last of her things that she was moving to Ponyville. Or rather, her dragon, Spike was nearly finished packing for Twilight while she visited her parents. Spike found that Twilight often confused the subtle difference between 'assistant' and 'slave'.

"Just a few more things," Spike said, taking a break to visit with Twilight's parents.

"He's certainly grown," Velvet said as she watered her bonsai tree. Night Light nodded in agreement.

"You know, we were quite shocked when you first told us in your letter home that you had a baby," Night said. "We didn't realize that you we referring to Spike here."

"I suppose in hindsight I did word it a bit ambiguously," Twilight said with a blush.

"So what's going to happen with school now?" Velvet asked. "How are you going to finish if you move? That would be one heck of a commute."

"Princess Celestia said she will let me take my final exams early. I've already finished studying everything in the curriculum for the rest of the year. We're both confident that I'll pass easily. She's more concerned that I study the 'magic of friendship' now as my advanced studies thesis."

"Well, we're glad we were able to catch you before you moved," Night said. "Ever since you and Shining moved out, we've been doing a lot more traveling."

"Speaking of," Twilight said with a hopeful tone. "Were you able to get a message to him?"

"We reached out to his commanding officer yesterday to let him know that you were leaving today. He said that he would try to be here today. Apparently he's on a 'special assignment'," he said. "I was hoping to see him today too but-"

The clock chimed the hour.

"We actually need to catch the train to Fillydelphia soon," Velvet said, nodding to their own bags by the door. Twilight's parents stood up and they each hugged her. "Sorry to cut it short. But we will come visit. And this will always be your home too," Velvet said. Night grabbed their bags.

"Be sure to lock up when you leave," he said, carrying the bags out to the cab that pulled up to the curb.

"Will do. Have a fun trip. Love you guys," Twilight said.

"We love you too," Velvet said as they boarded the cab headed for the train station. Twilight and Spike waved goodbye to them until they were out of sight. They turned and headed back inside. Spike looked at the clock.

"We still have an hour before our Pegassistance chariot gets here to bring us to Ponyville," Spike said before flopping on the couch. "So if you don't mind, I'm gonna catch a quick nap."

"Yeah, that's fine," Twilight said, grabbing her last bag to set by the door. All of her non-personal effects had already been boxed and shipped early that morning. They would be waiting for her at the Golden Oaks Library in Ponyville. Her new home. Now there was nothing left to do but wait until it was time to leave. She sat at the kitchen table and sipped her coffee. Years ago she would never have imagined herself drinking the acrid beverage. But school life had opened her eyes. And now, so did the coffee every morning.

The front door lock clicked and Twilight turned to see the door being opened. Had they forgotten something? she wondered. A tall white stallion with a two-tone blue mane walked in.

"Hello?" he called into the house before his eyes landed on Twilight. "Oh, hey Twilie!" he said. Twilight practically leaped from her chair and pounced on him with her embrace. "Oh, hey, wow. Yeah, I missed you too kiddo." He staggered but caught himself.

"You're late!" she said as she hugged him, pressing her face into his mane. He smelled like sweat from trotting here from Canterlot Castle. He smelled like... him.

"I know. I'm sorry. Where's Mom and Dad?" he asked.

"They just left a little before you got here. Their trip to Fillydelphia," she said.

"Oh," he said with a bit of disappointment.

"But I'm glad you were able to see me at least," Twilight said.

"Yeah, me too," Shining said, taking a seat at the table. "So Ponyville, eh? What are you going to do there? Buck apples?" he asked pulling himself away from her. She composed herself and moved back to her seat at the table.

"They have more than just apple orchards," Twilight said with a huff.

"So what are you going to farm then? Rocks?" he asked.

"Ponyville isn't just a farm. It's a thriving, diverse town! They have a bakery, and a quills & sofa store, and a fashion district!"

"District!?"

"A fashion... boutique."

"Uh huh," Shining said. "And what are you going to be doing there?"

"I'm going to be a librarian," she said with pride.

"Why am I not surprised," he said with a disappointed grin. "Twilight, you are one of the most powerful unicorns of our generation. And that's not just me saying it. You could have been anything! A battle mage. Arcane research and development. Runes, potions, hexes, enchantments. Any of it. That library could have spell books on its shelves written by you. You're wasting your talent as a librarian." Twilight frowned. She knew he was right. But it didn't matter to her.

"It's what I want Shining. I'm happy. Be happy for me?" she said. Shining rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, fine," he acquiesced. "If you're happy, I'm happy. I'm happy for you. Be a librarian if that's how you want to pay the bills."

"Actually, Celestia is giving me a research salary," she said. He scoffed.

"What are you researching? 'The accumulation of dust on books'?" he asked.

"Actually I'm studying the 'Magic of Friendship'," she said.

The Magic of Friendship he silently mouthed as he nodded mockingly. "Sounds serious."

"It is!" she defended. He put his hooves up.

"Hey, whatever. Like I said, if you're happy and it pays the bills, I don't care what you do." He paused for a moment. "You know, aside from being a whorse." Twilight gasped in angry shock that he would even suggest that. "Hey! I'm kidding!" he said, reflexively shielding his face. "Hey, look, I'm sorry." He apologized. "I'm talking out of my ass here." He looked at her mug of coffee. "I'm only half-awake. Can I get a mug of that? It was a long night for me."

"Doing what?" Twilight asked.

Shining's mind was flooded with his memory of being tied to the bed and Cadance brandishing a saddle and a set of jumper cables.

"On... duty..." he said quietly. Twilight poured him a cup of coffee, just the way he liked it. He sipped it and sighed. "Ah, blacker than a zebra's funeral".

"You know, I don't appreciate the casual racism of that euphemism," Twilight said. Shining grinned and shrugged.

"It's a joke, not a dick. Don't take it so hard," he said. Twilight blushed, feeling her nethers twitch at the lewd comment. "Oh shi- is Spike around?" Shining asked. Twilight nodded behind her.

"He's passed out on the couch. A tornado couldn't wake him right now," she said.

"Oh, okay." Shining had gotten a bit of a mouth from being in the service. But he was always careful to keep a filter on it when colts or fillies were about. Or baby dragons.

"Speaking of..." Twilight said.

"Of... Spike?" Shining asked. Twilight scooted her chair closer to his.

"Of... dicks," she barely whispered. Shining froze. He has seen and heard some crazy shit in the service. But he was entirely unprepared for what to do or say in response to a conversation-starter like that one. From her.

"...kay." It was about all he could manage.

"I've..." she trailed off, uncertain herself if she was actually going to say it. "I've been thinking about... that summer. That... last summer that we were here. And Cadance foalsat for us. About..." she shuffled her hooves under her chair. "...us." She looked over at him and stared at his eyes. "Do you remember?" she asked.

He did. And she knew it.
How could he forget?
How could either of them?

"I..." he tried to speak but felt his throat tighten. He cleared his throat and tried to buy himself some time to think about how exactly to handle this. "*Ahem*... I seem to remember a certain agreement to never speak about said event ever again," he said. She looked at the floor.

"I know but... I've just been thinking about it lately," she said. "For a while... actually."

Shining felt his stomach drop.

"Twilie, I- I'm sorry!" he blurted. "I don't know what happened that night. I- I never meant to hurt you!"

"What? No, I'm not mad at you I-" she blushed a deeper shade of red. "I liked it. I mean, I was confused at the time but... yeah, I liked it." She looked at him. "I loved it. I love... you."

Shining's mouth just hung open. When he was trotting to his old family home, he had been prepared to lift heavy boxes and spend time with his family. As a Royal Guard, he had liked to believe he was prepared for any scenario. For him to have to rescue his entire family from a burning house. To perform CPR. To fend off burglars. Even a damn meteor impact. But nothing in his wide imagination could have prepared him for this. A chorus of everypony in his squadron jeering at him echoed in his mind. All of society judging him. His entire mind rebelled, simply unable to cope, unable to accept that this was reality. No. It simply could not be.

"N- no?" he accidentally thought out loud.

"What?"

"No?" he tried again.

" 'No' what?" she asked, in confusion of her own.

"I... don't know," he said, shaking his head. "I'm- I'm sorry, could you say that again? I had something crazy in my ear."

"I love you, Shining," she said.

"Okay. Um. I love you too. But as a-"

"I'm in love with you," she clarified. He put a hoof up and sucked in a breath through his teeth.

"Okay. Yeah. That is... different. That is... not... the same," he said, albeit redundentantly.

"And!?" she asked.

"And?"

"And... do you? Do you love me?"

"As a broth-"

"I meant more than that!" she said. Shining felt like he was on fire. He actually wished that he was. It would have been a preferable state than what he was feeling in that moment. He felt like his head was splitting in half. His own mind at odds with itself. He had been so content to just bury those memories. Those feelings. It was a mistake. It was just one night and it was a mistake, he had told himself. They would both just forget about it and never talk about it again. And that would have been that. They could have just taken it to the grave.

But now he was face to face with it. With her. With all of those nagging thoughts at the edge of his mind in the quiet hours of the night. Those feeling that he liked to tell himself weren't there, weren't real. He had spent years building walls around them. Big, tall walls of guilt and shame. He walled them off from his mind. And then, with a single sentence, she came in like a wrecking ball. And those big, heavy walls came crumbling down and it all came flooding back to his consciousness. But the walls, too, built and filled with guilt and shame, came with it. The mantra of societal pressure leaped from his tongue.

"I can't. We can't!" he said. Twilight scoffed.

"And after that whole speech of yours about me... 'being able to do anything'. You're so quick to say what you or I can't do," she said.

"As a career, Twilight!" he said. "Not..." he motioned at the two of them, "Not this! Not like that!" Twilight looked at him and narrowed her eyes. She still knew him better than anypony else did. She could tell when it was somepony else's words coming out of his mouth.

"And why not?" she asked.

"It's illegal for one!" he said. "And don't act like you don't damn-well know it!" he said.

"I don't care."

"You? You don't care? You, little Miss Goody-Two-Horse-Shoes who made me pay for two grapes that I ate while we were grocery shopping? You don't care about the law?" He reached into his bag and produced his Royal Guard badge. "I am the law."

"We could keep it a secret." He shook his head.

"Twilight, I know you. And I know 'hate' is a strong word. But I know that there is nothing in this world you hate more than-"

"Library late fees?" she said. "Quesadillas? Ponies that say the word 'both' like there's an L in it?"

"The fuck!?" Shining recoiled. "No. I mean hypocrisy!"

"Ohh, I do hate that!" Twilight agreed.

"And I'm a Royal Guard pony. It is my duty to Equestria to uphold the law. And if I were to... if we were to... then I would be a hypocrite! It's illegal. What more do you want?" he said. "What? I mean what if... what if Celestia found out? Hmm? What would she think of you? Or shit, what about Mom and Dad? What would they think of us? After they told us that... that it would be wrong?"

"That society would think that it's wrong," she corrected. "I was paying attention. You were thinking about Mom as I recall." Now it was Shining's turn to blush.

"Which, again, illegal!" he said. "That whole thing, what they did, the way they... taught us? Illegal!"

"Are you going to arrest them, then?" Twilight asked, turning to look at him. "Are you going to arrest me as well? Testify against us?"

"I was perfectly happy to forget about it, and never speak of it again," he said. Twilight sat there and looked at him. She stared at him. She looked into his eyes for a long minute.

Anyone who has ever tried to stare at the eyes of a complete stranger for a full minute can attest that it's uncomfortable. It's uncomfortable for a reason. The eyes are a gateway. To what, exactly, is hard to say. Call it what you want. The soul? Twilight preferred to think of it as the truth. The mouth of a pony could lie. This, she knew. But the eyes could not. Not to somepony who knew them. She saw the truth in his eyes and narrowed her own.

"No," she said with resolute confidence. "No, you weren't. Not really. Be happy. Make me happy. Be happy with me."

"You know... you still haven't answered my question," Twilight said. "Do you love me?"

"As-"

"As more than as a brother!?" she asked. He looked away.

"Twilie, I-"

"Look me in the eyes and answer me, Shining!" she said. "And don't you lie to me, don't you fucking lie to me about this!" Shining didn't look at her. He couldn't. He felt paralyzed. He felt like each of his limbs were being pulled off in a separate direction. He didn't want to lie to her. But he didn't want to tell her the truth either. She leaned over and kissed him. On the lips. She kissed him. And he kissed her back. Briefly, until he pulled away. She looked at him. A tear fell across down his cheek.

"You're playing with fire, Twilight," he said, keeping his jaw firm. "How do you think this is going to end? Hmm?" he asked. "If we... if you get everything you ever wanted? What then? What, we... we run away!? Some place where nopony will know our names? I'm in the Royal Guard. That's desertion Twilie. They hang ponies for that. And you? You're Celestia's protege. Do you honestly think that she would not go to the ends of Equus to find you?" He leaned back in his chair away from her. "Twilie, ponies like you and me... ponies like us can not just simply disappear."

"We don't have to run away," Twilight said. "We could... I... I don't know."

"What? Get a place? You and I? The old-maid mare and her doting brother looking after her? Until we both expire?" he asked.

"I don't know. Something like that," she said.

"Exactly. You don't know," he said. "What about me? What about what I want? What about my situation?"

"Your situation?" she asked. He looked at her.

"I'm sorry if you've spent all this time waiting for me. Because... I haven't," he said. Twilight was a smart mare. She understood.

"Oh." She looked away. "It's another mare then," she said.

"Mhm," he confirmed. "Twilight, someday you are going to meet somepony. Somepony else that will make you forget all about this and... that time. You'll get married, and so will I. And maybe, one day, years from now, we'll look back at all of this and have a laugh at how silly we were. But you can't keep going on like this, fixating over it, no matter how we feel."

"We feel?" she asked. He put his face into his hooves. She took his hoof in hers and looked at him. "Shiny, could we just... it doesn't have to become anything serious. I just want to... I just want one more time with you."

"Twilie-"

"One last time," Twilight begged. "I've been thinking about you so much since you went away. I've dreamed about you." She blushed and shifted in her seat. "I'm excited just remembering it," she said. His nostrils flared. He could tell. "I just want one more time with you, knowing that it's our last time, just so I can enjoy it, really enjoy it. I know you want it too."

"Twilie-"

"I can see that you do," she said, nodding to his crotch. He was already at half-mast. He hastily shifted in his seat and covered himself.

"That's- That's immaterial! We can't! Spike is right in the next room," he said, feeling his willpower beginning to erode.

"Spike is out cold and Mom and Dad are gone," she said, putting her hoof between his legs. He shuddered as he felt her hoof grip his swelling shaft. With her free hoof she took his and pulled it to her own crotch. "Feel how hot I am for you," she whispered. His hoof moved on its own as it pressed against her slick folds. Anti-estrus potion or not, the height of summer Heat was in full swing for the poor mare.

"Ask me to stay," Twilight said.

"What?"

"Ask me to not move, and I'll stay. I'll stay for you, if you..." Twilight trailed off. "Please?" She leaned against him, pressing her face into his mane as she continued to stroke him and whisper in his ear. "PleasePleasePlease." He didn't say yes, but he didn't push her away either.

Fuck, he mentally cursed to himself. Just this one time. Just this one last time, and that's it! he promised himself.

"Twilie, I-"

DING DONG

"Shit!" Shining nearly leaped out of his seat. His erection pulled free of her grip and smacked him in the belly. "Get the door. I need to... erg!" he quickly ran upstairs to the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. Twilight did her best to appear decent and opened the door.

"Pegassistance," one of the Royal Guard pegasi on the porch said. "Twilight Sparkle?"

"That's me," Twilight said. "Um, my stuff is all ready." She pointed at her things. The other guard stepped in and began to collect her things and load them onto the chariot.

Upstairs, Shining pulled his face out from under the cold water faucet. The surprise shock had managed to cause 'little shiny' to make a quick retreat. Once he was certain that he was decent and his head was clear, he walked back downstairs to find Twilight rousing Spike from his nap on the couch.

"Oh, hey Shining," Spike greeted with a groggy wave.

"Hey Spike," Shining replied. "Sorry I was late. I guess we'll have to finish that Ogres and Oubliettes campaign some other time."

"I guess," Spike said.

"Are you excited?" Shining asked. "About moving to Ponyville?"

"Yeah, actually," Spike said. "There's this pony there, Rarity. She's... she's just..." Spike trailed off with hearts in his eyes.

"Oh boy. Say no more. I get it," Shining said.

"Yeah," Twilight said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm sure Ponyville will have a special somepony for you too, Twi," Shining said. She cut him a look. There was so much on her mind, and on her face. Anger, hurt, and regret. Shining bit his tongue. Spike grabbed his bag and headed for the door.

"Miss?" the guard pony called into the house to Twilight.

"I'll be out in just a minute," Twilight said back. Spike went outside, closing the door.

"Well, I know how much you hate being tardy," Shining said.

"Ask me to stay," Twilight said again. "I love you." She said it very simply. Very truly. Say it back, she thought, she hoped.

Say it back, he also thought to himself, he willed it. "I know," he said. She blinked and waited.

"And!? Shining, I love you!" Her voice wavered. He frowned and sighed. "Shining?"

"Go on. You're going to be late," he said. Her lip trembled for a brief moment. She blinked back her tear and sniffled, but remained firm.

"So that's it then?" she asked. He nodded. She turned to leave and walked out to the chariot. Once on board she turned and looked back. Shining followed her outside and waited on the patio while the chariot took off and Twilight waved goodbye. Each of them watched the other become smaller and smaller with the distance. Soon Twilight's old home was indistinguishable from the rest of the city. She turned and faced forward to watch Ponyville get closer.

Spike saw her eyes water in the wind.

That's what it was.

The wind.

Shining watched the chariot vanish as a speck in the sunny sky and turned to go back inside. He opened the small wooden door on his father's cabinet and took out a half-empty bottle. He opened it as he sat at the table and took a swig, feeling the burn of the contents scorch it's way down to the inferno in the pit of his stomach. Like putting out a fire with petrol. He took another big swig. He could smell the char of the oak barrels in the liquor, but also something else. He set the bottle down on the table and smelled his hoof.

It smelled like her.

He closed his eyes and just held his hoof to his nose, savoring her scent. He could feel himself getting excited under the table.

"Just a quick one and then back to the palisades," he said to himself. He got up and trotted to the bathroom. He stepped inside and turned on the light. He caught his reflection in the mirror. He looked at the stallion that was about to beat off while sniffing the scent of his sister's pussy on his hoof. He felt his stomach turn. He quickly turned on the sink and grabbed the soap, scrubbing his hooves vigorously. By the time he finished drying them, the rest of his anatomy managed to calm itself. But his mind was still racing.

He trotted downstairs to the basement. Night Light has a small, personal gym with a bench, some free weights and what Shining was looking for. The old heavy-bag, hanging on a chain from the rafter joist. He stood in front of it and brought his hoof to his nose again. There was nothing but the faint aroma of the soap.

I love you.

"AAARGH!" He reared up and punched the bag. Then he punched it again. And again. "FUCK!" He punched the bag until it started to list and swing on the chain. "Why did you have to say that!" he yelled at the bag. He turned and kicked it with everything he had. The bag swung up nearly to the ceiling and swung back at him, catching him in the arc. It slammed into him and sent him reeling into the weight rack, spilling the bars and plates across the floor with a loud crash.

He got back to his hooves and swung wildly at the bag. There was no form or finesse to his strikes. It was the wild beating of a foal throwing a tantrum as he hit the bag through his wails.

I love you.

"FUCK! Why did you have to say it!" he screamed through his haze of rage and sweat. He hated that she brought up those memories. He hated that she made him feel this way again. He hated that their positions and society kept them from acting on it. But in that moment, mostly, he hated himself. He collapsed to the floor in exhaustion, awash in guilt and shame, not for how he felt about her, but for his cowardice. "Why couldn't I say it back?"

Ask me to stay.

But he didn't.

And now she was gone.

He leaned against the cold field stone of the basement wall and quietly cried.

That evening, Princess Celestia read the scroll she had received, informing her that Twilight Sparkle's move to Ponyville went smoothly, and she was no longer living in Canterlot.

She walked to the enchanted door at the end of her castle wing's corridor. She unlocked it with her magic and stepped through into her personal garden. She admired her massive bonsai tree. Shaped perfectly according to her desire. In the time since her last visit, an errant branch had made an appearance. It was crowding out a space that she had intended for another pair of branches. Celestia brandished her garden sheers and pruned the offending branch before it caused any problems for her grand design.