It had taken the better part of ten minutes for Midnight to finally catch up to Luna as she turned sharply around the corner of a building at the end of the street. Once he had rounded the corner he paused to see her sitting down with her back pressed against the wall of the building as she was looking down toward the ground. He slowly trotted up to her side and sat down next to her as he listened to her softly sobbing, tears streaming from her face and slowly dampening the ground below her.

"Luna............ I................" He trailed off as he too looked to the ground, trying to find the right words to say in order to try and bring the princess of the night out of her little slump.

The continued to sit there for a few more minutes before Luna gave a little sniffle and pulled her head up to look at the stallion next to her.

"I'm sorry.............. I didn't........" She paused giving a sigh and clenching her eyes shut once again before continuing. "When you began to sing those words along with the song in the club............ I thought............... I thought I felt something............. Even with all the hell I've put you through today............. It still felt like you cared for me............ Like you wanted something............... more............. with me." She stated giving a shuttering breath.

"Luna, I don't know if you realize this or not. But regardless of the things you put me through, I will always be at your side and still be your friend." He then gave a slight chuckle as he continued. "Even if you do make me want to pull my mane out sometimes."

The two smiled softly to one another as they let out a soft chuckle. After a couple minutes of silence, they managed to take in a steadying breath each before Luna began.

"Night, I need to know something......." She trailed off for a second as she looked up to the stallion at her side, her eyes giving a hopeful expression as she began. "Do you................ feel............. anything for me?"

Midnight gave a soft smile as he looked her in the eyes. "Luna, I do love you.........." He paused for a moment seeing her eyes go wide, breaking his own line of sight from her eyes as he looked away slightly before continuing. "But it isn't as strong as the love I have for your sister and the others. I have known you for a while now, yet our interactions have been minimal. I still remember the night I stayed with you in your room at the castle, trying my best to stay awake so that I could keep you company and not leave you alone. You told me to go to sleep and then proceeded to say something I never thought I would hear you say." He smiled seeing her blush heavily as the memory came back to her.

"You wont leave me alone. Even if you sleep you have proven one thing. I will never be alone in the night again." She quoted herself out loud.

"That's right." He smiled. "I may not have the same feelings for you that I have for Tia and the others, But that doesn't mean I wouldn't go out of my way just to make you happy, or at ease when you need it."

"But............" She trailed off as her voice cracked slightly. She bit her bottom lip as she looked away, closing her eyes as she spoke. "What if I............. What if I wanted to start a relationship with you?" She stated quickly as her face flushed a brighter red.

The stallion sat there for a moment in surprise, he knew that the princess of the night might have had feelings for him before this moment, but he had never acted on it due to her peculiar behavior around him. Sometimes playful, other times acting out or giving the guise of seeking revenge. Even going out of her way to annoy him with pranks or silly behavior. His eyes widened in realization as it all came together. The times she was mean or pranking him were attempts at trying to push him away, to try and make him hate or despise her so that it would be easier for her to remain a member of royalty without having those fleeting feelings toward another pony. Being several thousand years old as well, plus having spent a thousand years on the moon in solitude meant that she had been withdrawn from the interactions with other ponies and any other life form for that matter. Having met another being that was then transformed into an Alicorn and then having given their life to save others, then coming back to do it several more times in the process of saving the planet. It all made sense now. Luna actually felt something more than friendship toward him.

"Luna........... I honestly don't know what to say at this point." He stated quietly. "You know I am and will always be your friend, I will always be there for when you need me as well. I do love you, but.............. I don't know what I should say or do in this situation." He stated as he brushed a hoof over his own withers. He paused though as he felt her leaning onto him as they sat against the wall of the building. Looking down to her he gave a smile as she snuggled a little closer to him. His hoof that was rubbing the back of his neck now found its way around the mare and gave her a gentle sideways hug.

After a few minutes of sitting there, Luna finally moved a little causing Midnight's hold to pull away slightly as he looked down to her. "Something wrong?" He asked before she moved her head to up and under his chin giving a loving nuzzle.

"No." She purred softly giving a giggle. "Just thinking of what other torment I can put you through."

"Luna." He began as she pulled away giving a raised brow in askance. "You really know how to ruin the mood don't you." He sighed in annoyance with a furrowed brow. She giving a wink and sticking out her tongue playfully.

"I try. But you're just to easy and to fun to tease." She giggled as she stood, Midnight doing the same before he looked up into the night sky to see the horizon starting to come to light.

"Looks like my day or torment is almost over." He smirked to her only to get a pout in return.

"And I didn't get to see you pull your mane out from being so annoyed." She spoke in a mock hurt tone while pouting.

"Heh It'll take more than what you've put me through to pull out a fire mane." He laughed.

Luna stood there for a moment as she looked to the sky in thought, after almost a minute she gave a sinister smile looking at Midnight who was now giving a worried expression.

"Night..........." She began, giving a slight pause as she looked toward the slowly illuminating horizon. "You know that you are going to be punished upon the days closing correct?"

Midnight groaned giving a nod as she continued. "Well, I had something planned for what you will endure as punishment, but I now feel slightly hesitant in doing such a thing to you." She chuckled nervously.

"I'm sure that it isn't anything I couldn't handle." He smirked seeing her cock a brow at him.

"Well, I am hesitant about doing such a thing to you since we............. do not know each other that well." She tittered.

At this moment the wheels in Midnight's head began to turn as he began to think over what the princess of the night was referring to. She was considering doing something to him as punishment, but she was considering not doing it because they didn't know each other that well. She just came back from a thousand years on the moon and returned to normal by the elements of harmony.

Upon coming to realize what she may be referring to. Midnight gave an inward chuckle as only one thing managed to cross his mind. Looking to the princess he gave a questioning look as if still searching for the answer.

"Hey, regardless of if you know me that well or not, if it is a punishment, then I can handle it." He chuckled seeing her giving him a slight glare, looking him up and down.

"Fine then, I will continue on with my plans. Just remember that you agreed to this without even knowing how I am going to punish you." She stated clearly as her horn lit up.

"I take it we're teleporting back to the castle?" Midnight asked only to get a nod as they vanished in a burst of light.

The two ponies reappeared inside of Luna's quarters. Midnight giving a few blinks to clear his vision, but as his vision returned, he suddenly felt himself seize up.

Luna gave a chuckle as she walked around the stallion. They both having dropped their guises as well. She lifted him from the ground a brought his face closer to her own as she began to speak in a slightly sultry voice.

"So then Night, The hour is almost upon us." She grinned looking to the clock on the wall. The minute hand almost touching the twelve in which the hour hand was already on.

"Yea, so what type of punishment did you have planned for me?" He asked while cocking a brow, his head swiveling around to follow her movements around his floating frame.

"Well, if you haven't already figured it out, Your punishment will not be harsh, in fact I think you may enjoy it." She grinned evilly. "I am going to have my way with you for a while." She giggled as her face erupted into a fire red blush.

"Yea, I thought so." He chuckled. "So why not go ahead and start now?" He smirked.

"We cannot start until the spell takes effect on you." She grinned causing him to cock a brow in question.

"Spell?" He asked.

"Yes, this scroll you signed will be changing yourself, as well as me so that your punishment can begin, but only when the clock strikes the first hour of the new day." She stated as she nodded to the clock on the wall that was fives seconds from that point in time.

As the hand finally reached twelve, each of the two Alicorns began to glow softly before illuminating into a blinding light. After nearly a full minute, the light faded revealing two new ponies.

"What happened?" Came a feminine voice that used to be deep and masculine.

"This is your punishment." Came a deep voice that was once feminine.

Midnight looked to in front of him seeing a large Alicorn stallion with a flowing star mane and tail. Not only was Midnight looking forward, but upward as well. Luna grinned seeing his look of disbelief as he slowly turned his head to see his frame no longer thick and masculine, but smaller and quite curvy as well.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Midnight shouted as he dropped his head and looked between his rear legs to verify his suspicions. "YOU TURNED ME INTO A MARE!?"

"Yes, and now you are about to get your punishment." The new stallion laughed as his magic took a hold of the stallion turned mare.

As the morning light came across the sky, Celestia gave a smile seeing yet another beautiful sunrise that she had just made possible for the world once again. Giving a contented sigh, she stepped out of her quarters and into the hallway, heading down the beaten path that she had taken countless times before.

After just a few seconds though she stopped in front of her sisters quarters upon hearing an unfamiliar male voice coming from within the room. She gave a concerned expression upon hearing a few choice words just before the door flew open and a stallion that looked just like Luna erupted from the room and sprawled out onto the ground panting and he attempted to pull himself as quickly as possible out of the room by his forelegs.

"And where do you think you're going?! You still need to punish me more!" Came an unfamiliar female voice as the stallion was unceremoniously pulled crying back into the room. His hooves digging into the cobblestone floor.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" *SLAM*

Celestia stood there gawking slightly before shaking her head and continuing down the hall.

"Best not to ask, knowing Luna though, it was probably another strategic misstep." She sighed as she could heard loud whimpers coming from the room.