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Becoming One With the Night

by Spacecowboy

Chapter 18: Chapter 12.1 - Counting Down The Days

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Twilight found herself back in the confines of her room in the library. She lay in her bed, restless in thought, trying to comprehend the earlier revelations. A slight shifting of weight in the bed drew her eyes to her side as a dark blue leg found its way across her side, causing her to slightly smile. At least there was one thing she fully understood this night. Slightly sighing, she carefully shifted to her side and faced Luna.

Twilight carefully leaned her head closer to Luna's, chastely kissing her cheek before settling her head down in the crook of Luna's neck. What a night... When Luna said she'd be more open with me, I didn't quite think I'd be learning all of this. Celestia, her parents, Discord's origin... It's no wonder I can't get to sleep. Her thoughts drifted to the prior night once again.



Twilight was in shock. After Luna's revelation of Discord's appearance, silence had reigned in the room for a couple of minutes, the only sounds being the occasional ruffling of a feather from Luna's wing draped across Twilight's back. Her left eye had twitched repeatedly, a far-off expression on her face.

Finally, her scattered thoughts came together with two simple words, lending them to her mouth. "D-Discord? How?"

Luna had simply sighed then, her expression still reflecting loss, even as she comforted Twilight with her embrace. "Honestly, we're unsure. Even the sight of my moon and Celestia's sun was unable to discern the events that transpired between our father and the other alicorns. The scar I showed you was much worse back then; it took a thousand years before we could look at it. At the rate it's been healing, all signs of his origin should be gone in another... seven thousand years or so."

"That long? And was Discord what... was your father? Celestia recently mentioned in the gardens that he was chaos contained within a vessel..."

Luna shook her head, a rather odd feeling to Twilight, seeing how her muzzle was still partially in Luna’s mane. "Nay, if it had been our father, the elements would've been able to heal him and bring him back to us... We can only assume that they all perished those five thousand years ago... Tia tried reaching the origin point of the event, but the chaotic atmosphere forced her to turn back after only minutes."

Luna straightened up, leaving her wing draped across Twilight's back, adjusting herself to look Twilight in the eyes. "I told you all of this because... that spell still exists, although both of us had made a promise to our parents when things began to get ugly. We would keep it locked away, along with any other future knowledge that held too high a risk for ponies to look into. For over five thousand years, we both have kept that promise, living a lonely life, with only each other as a constant."

Twilight’s brow furrowed and she hummed softly as she leaned further into Luna's side, enjoying the warmth of her wing. "Were there any other alicorns before Cadance after... that?"

"She was the first one born since that day. The odds are already extremely low when only one parent is an alicorn, so with both parents being unicorns, it's astronomically low. Celestia did some 'light research' after her birth. Traced the lineage back during the time of our parents, and it turns out they're both descendants of alicorns. Even then, you already know Cadance’s brother didn't end up an alicorn... Something I'm certain we can both be thankful of."

"Blueblood... uugh." Twilight muttered under her breath, causing Luna to chuckle.

"Indeed. I know that this may sound somewhat silly, given the youth of our relationship, but something tells me that it is worth it. I plan to ask Tia for her help in using that spell on you in the future, should you accept.” Luna wrapped her hooves around Twilight in a tight hug, whispering into her ear. “I don't want to risk losing you." She resolutely stated, pulling back and planting a chaste kiss on Twilight's lips.

Twilight had guessed this to be the case after Luna had mentioned how Celestia was saved, but to hear it from Luna's lips shocked her. Luna is willing to go back on an old promise, and one to her parents no less, all for my sake... However, she still had a few lingering doubts. "But, why tell me all this now? It's... a lot to take in, and we've only started seeing each other." Twilight shuffled anxiously in Luna's hold.

Luna’s eyes scrunched slightly as she selected her reply. "A few reasons, I suppose. Selfishness. To allay your fears of the 'I'm immortal, you're mortal' concerns that you have. I know that, discounting my banishment, I've lived for over four thousand years. However, this is truly the first time I've felt so deeply for somepony. Call it foolish sentiment if you want to, but I was really disconnected after my return, and probably at the lowest point I'd been at since my parent's death and my... episode. You looked past who I had been and have been helping me ever since then. To say I've grown attached to you is... somewhat of an understatement."

A yawn escaped Twilight, and she looked to Luna, flushing. "Sorry... It's a lot to take in, and it really can't be taken lightly... However, I won't let the immortal card play a factor in our relationship, I promise." She lightly smiled, the corner of her mouth tugging upwards ever so slightly. "And, one other thing... I would like to tell Celestia and everypony else about us when you two come down next weekend. I don't like keeping secrets, especially from my friends and family..."

"I understand. I wouldn't expect you to make a decision right away, it's truly a big one. Plus, I would need time to talk with Tia and figure out how we could explain it. It's not something that we could simply do on a whim, another event like last time must be avoided..." She paused for a moment then slowly stood up, bringing her wing back to her side and offering a hoof to Twilight. "Also... we can tell Tia and your friends the first night we're down. Is that okay?"

Twilight only nodded, another yawn stealing her voice. Luna chuckled as Twilight accepted her hoof, raising to her hooves. "Well, I think it's time we went back down, can't spend all night on my moon."

Luna charged a spell, focusing on Twilight's bedroom in the library as the destination. With a final burst of magic, the two reappeared in the room. "Well, My Star, I should get back to the castle...” Luna gently nuzzled Twilight and murmured to her. “Sleep well."

A hoof caught her as she turned around, causing her to look into Twilight's lavender eyes. "Luna, would you... stay tonight?" A faint blush crept across her cheeks.

Luna paused, stumbling slightly as Twilight made her way to the bed. "Twilight... do you mean that?"

Twilight's blush further intensified as her mind connected the dots. "Oh! No, not like that! It came out wrong... I just think I'd sleep better with you next to me, tonight..." She climbed onto her bed, patting the empty space beside her.

Luna laughed quietly and moved to the bed, joining Twilight. "Goodnight, My Star."

Twilight sighed again, her heavy lids finally closing, her last sight for that night that of Luna. She's so beautiful...

~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~

Twilight sighed once more as she read from a small, untitled book. She had woken up late in the morning, the only sign of Luna's visit being the lone feather in the middle of the depression she had left in the bed. The morning itself was fairly standard, starting with waking Spike up. “Spike! Time to wake up! Spike!” She paused a moment, waiting for a reply. “SPIK—”

The door opening cut her off as Spike entered, looking at her funny. “Jeez, Twi. I’m up already, okay? I’m sure half of Ponyville heard you, too.” She froze for a moment, uncertain of what to say, before raising her hoof up to her forehead.

“Go ahead and get some breakfast then, I’ll be down in a few minutes.” She began tidying her room as Spike left, muttering under his breath.

Twilight made her way downstairs for a late breakfast. A simple salad and coffee were sufficient to get her moving, however she was feeling the effects of slight sleep deprivation. Additionally, the events of the previous night were fresh in her mind, weighing heavily upon her. Mindlessly, she had made her way over to the shelves and began reorganizing the many reference guides. A few minutes into it, she stumbled on one dealing with the constellations, which brought her mind right back to the issues she had been trying to bury.

As her thoughts drifted back to Luna, she recalled the study materials that had been recently neglected in her room. She rushed upstairs to where they lay, grabbing the first book in the pile then pausing a moment before grabbing the feather that still rested on her bed. Now, she was seated with the book open in front of her and the feather tucked away safely in her mane. Forcing herself to focus on the task at hoof, she looked down at the next entry and began reading once more.

It seems that I've found yet another interesting part of the magic. I was under the impression that when roaming through the dreamscape looking for dreamers, the ponies asleep manifested as stars amid the night. However, this is not the case, at least not for every pony who utilizes this magic. Starswirl entered the dreamscape by himself for the first time last evening and reported that, when he arrived, he was presented with a library.

Contained within were shelves full of books, each one displaying unique properties. With my stars, I immediately had a fair idea of who I was looking in on. Starswirl's book's contained information on the spines, and he reported that as ponies entered and left dreams, the books simply faded in and out of existence on the shelves. A most interesting theory has arisen from this discovery, being that the Dream Realm is influenced by the most powerful individual utilizing it. Thus, when I joined him during his early training, my notion of what it should be overrode his.

What this goes to show is that, once more, my student has opened my eyes to another new facet of magic that has been forgotten to time. On another note, however, we must force him to get out more and interact with the common pony. This, dedication, dare I say, is quickly approaching levels I deem to be unhealthy.

Twilight looked away from the book, a faint blush spreading across her face. That sounds rather familiar... Without my friends, I'd probably still be buried in the library by books, hehe. She gently set the book down on a small table and stood up, stretching her legs. "I wonder what Rarity is up to right now..." She mused aloud, contemplating giving the fashionista a visit.

With a quick word to Spike, Twilight left the confines of the library and walked outside, the midday sun momentarily blinding her as her eyes adjusted to the brightness. The streets were busy as Twilight made her way to Rarity's boutique.

As she crossed through the market square, a sudden impact against her side knocked her to the ground. Blinking the stars from her eyes, Twilight's sight fell upon a young pegasus mare who was likewise sprawled out on the ground.

"Scootaloo!" Twilight began as she stood back up. "How many times do you have to be warned not to run into anypony? It kinda hurts, you know?"

Scootaloo groaned in reply, rolling to put her hooves underneath her as she found her bearings. "Heh, sorry Twilight. Was in a rush, Sweetie and Bloom are waiting on me for lunch. I got caught up in practicing... again." Scootaloo brushed the dirt off her coat as she stood up, her lips slightly upturned in a nervous grin.

"You should be higher up though, regardless of your habits from your scooter. Otherwise, I might just have to call you Rainbow Dash instead!" Twilight and Scootaloo both giggled at the joke. She's just like Dash in almost every aspect, hard to believe the two of them aren't related... She definitely loves her speed, and her mark certainly reflects that. Adorning both sides of Scootaloo's flank were two widespread wings, a scooter nestled between them.

"Oh, I don't think that'd be such a bad thing though!" Scootaloo shot back, prompting another small wave of laughter between them. "Well, I really need to be hurrying to the restaurant; I'm already late as is. Sorry again, Twilight, have a good day!" With a flap of her wings, she launched herself airborne once more, leaving Twilight alone again.

She continued her walk to Rarity's, her mind aimlessly wandering in thought. Hmm, Cutie Mark Crusaders no longer, now that all three of them have their marks. Funny how it took them so long to recognize their talents, they had them all along while they tried their escapades. Now, they're all in a relationship, who would've thought it... I pity the poor stallion, should they ever choose to include one.

Twilight knocked three times on Rarity’s door, a heavy, crisp sound booming out each time the hoof struck. "Come on in!" A muffled voice replied, prompting Twilight to proceed inside.

"How may I hel- oh hi there, Twilight! How are you doing today, darling?" Rarity came out and greeted Twilight, moving to embrace her in a hug. They pulled away from each other after a few seconds.

A light smile spread across Twilight's face as she replied. "Okay, I suppose. Got a lot on my mind, so decided to get out of the library for a little bit. Couldn't really focus on my books." She sheepishly grinned, looking around at the various dresses on display.

Rarity raised an eyebrow at the end of Twilight's answer, concern showing in her eyes. "Come on in!" They walked inside, and Rarity closed the door behind them. "As much as I enjoy having your company, it sounds like it must be something rather serious to distract you from your books, darling... Is it about,” — her voice dropped so low that Twilight had to strain to hear the end — "Luna?"

Twilight paused for a moment, her eyebrows creased in thought. "I... suppose part of it is, yes. I've just felt rather insecure about a few things these last few days." Should I tell her about last night? She could help me sort this out. Maybe if I... Twilight chose her next words very carefully. "Luna did stop by last night in disguise. I was about ready to drop a stack of my books on her, but she did address a lot of my insecurities, even if she left me with more questions."

Rarity walked into the kitchen, Twilight behind her. Pulling a teapot from a shelf, Rarity filled it with water and set it on a burner to boil. Setting a pastry-laden plate on the table, she said, "Please, darling, take a seat. I'll have some tea ready for us in a minute, and then you can tell me all about it."
arity giggled, and Twilight stopped to stare at her, head tilted slightly.

True to her word, a minute later, Rarity had two cups resting on saucers, awaiting the tea steeping in the teapot that rested on the table as well. "So, Twilight, what exactly is on your mind?"

"Well," Twilight hesitantly began, nibbling at a pastry to buy herself a couple more seconds, "Luna stopped by last night rather unexpectedly, and she played a rather poor joke. I should've been angry longer than I was, but I just forgave her almost immediately." Rarity giggled, and Twilight stopped to stare at her, head tilted slightly.

Rarity brought a hoof to her mouth as her giggles slowed down and picked up the teapot in her magic and poured it. "Sorry, darling, but sometimes it is rather cute and funny to see you puzzling out things that are readily apparent to everypony but yourself." Rarity took a sip of her tea, a relaxed smile on her face as her eyes closed for a moment. "Ah, tea is always nice to calm the nerves... Anyhoof, as I was saying, you shouldn't overthink it too much. I'm guessing the fact that you forgave her so quickly is part of what has you confused?"

Twilight nodded in reply, sipping at the cup in front of her and relaxing a little in her seat. "Just part of it. I mean, she showed up looking like a different pony and started hitting on me! We haven't been together that long or spent much time together. I just don't understand how I was able to forgive her so quickly, and there was nothing in the books I have about it..." She trailed off, staring into her tea.

"Twilight, please forgive me, but you can just be too much sometimes!" Rarity quietly laughed once more as Twilight arched an eyebrow at her. "Oh, I don't mean it in a negative manner; it's rather endearing and something all of us like about you. It's just, yes, you and Princess Luna have only been together for a short time, but you've been in love with her for a long, long time.

"Dash or myself were the first to notice. I'm not sure which of us were first to see it. She wanted to challenge me to compete for it, but I don't enjoy her uncouth, childish games." Rarity paused, her eyes looking far away for a moment. "You know, it's my job to read ponies to see what they might enjoy the most for their designs, their unstated needs that they expect you to know. After getting to the point of reading near strangers in a meeting, you, and my other friends, are like reading a book, darling. I try not to do so often, but you've been moonstruck since shortly after Discord returned. Dash was able to figure it out herself when she started dating you. She thought it was her that you were pining over. It's why your relationship didn't last. It became very obvious to her that it was another you yearned for."

Twilight slouched as far into her chair as she could manage, as if it were possible to hide in it. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, words sputtering out on the tip of her tongue. "I- Am- Was-" She took a deep breath, as well as another sip of tea. "Was I really that obvious? I didn't really notice it until you all pointed it out to me at our party..."

Rarity reached out with a forehoof and rested it gently on Twilight's shoulders. "Darling, yes, it was obvious to everyone, once they knew what to look for. I'll admit, Pinkie overhearing Dash and me talking about it the week before the party simply confirmed what the other girls thought, but we all had our suspicions."

"Yupperooni, it sure did!" Pinkie Pie popped out from underneath the table, a pastry in her mouth. "It's a shame Princess Woona came down earlier than planned. I had a good plan put together for her next visit! While you two were looking at her stars, I had The Little Merpony's "Kiss The Mare" and The Gryphon King's "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" ready to play! Buh bye!"

Twilight simply sighed while Rarity looked expressionlessly at Pinkie as she dived into the pantry. The two mares quietly took a sip of their tea, before Twilight spoke up. "That... just happened."

"Yes, darling. It seems it did... More tea?" Rarity finished her cup in a gulp before topping it off. "Anyhoof, we couldn't let such a travesty occur. It also seemed our dear Princess was just as oblivious to it as you were. I mean, after nearly three years of monthly visits to do what you two both dearly enjoyed, neither of you noticed it. Who knows how long it would've gone on for had we not interceded." A coy smile spread on Rarity's face.

Twilight glared at Rarity for a moment before allowing a small smile to grace her face, her lips faintly turned upwards. A knock at the door took their attention, a quiet voice following the sound. “Rarity, are you home?”

Rarity stood up, a light gasp escaping her. “Oh dear, I’d totally forgotten that I’d rescheduled the spa visit for this afternoon! One moment, Twilight.” She waltzed over to the door, opening it to let Fluttershy inside. “Hello, darling, come on in. I’ll only be a moment longer.”

Fluttershy followed Rarity to the table, where she demurely waved to Twilight. “Hi, Twilight. What brings you over here, if you don’t mind my asking?”

Twilight stood up, gathering up the dishes and moving them to the counter. “Not much, Fluttershy. Just wanted to get out of the library for a few, and it seemed like a good idea to visit. I was just on my way out though, don’t want to keep you two from your spa visit.”

“Oh, nonsense darling! You should come with us, relax for the afternoon!” Rarity exclaimed, taking a quick glance around to locate her bits. She walked to the door and looked over her shoulder. “Well, coming along?”

~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~

Author's Notes:

Well, it took quite some time, but here's the first part of Chapter 12, for your enjoyment. I apologize for the delay, and the fact that this chapter, and the next part, are mostly filler content to lead in to the visit of the sisters to Ponyville. I'm coming to the end of this story, at least this part of it, and all the misdirections and smoke and mirrors stuff will be revealed at last.

Until the next update, Ciao!

New version (edited) posted on 31 May.

Next Chapter: Chapter 12.2 - Counting Down The Days Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 14 Minutes
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