Twilight was furious. She was dreaming and couldn't wake up. She had started out in what appeared to have all the hallmarks of a bad dream, but had swiftly left, abandoning the dreamlet to be reabsorbed by the dreaming.

She had no place she wanted to go except the land of the waking, and that seemed to be barred to her. Lacking any other option, she headed towards Toyland, in the hope that she might find Li'l Twi. She had no intention of venting on a filly, but she hoped that a tea party would calm her nerves.

Li'l Twi wasn't in her house, but a friendly toy soldier pointed Twilight to a nearby playground where Twilight found Li'l Twi playing with a small gaggle of foals of various ages. The little filly was doing a decent job of keeping the foals under control, with the able aid of Bally. Twilight settled down to wait for her friend, her anger slowly subsiding.

As Twilight watched, from a discrete distance, the foals faded away back to the waking world one by one, until Li'l Twi was left with her loyal pet. Twilight trotted out to meet her.

"Twilight! Did you forget where you put your spare quills already?"

"Nope," replied Twilight gaily, "I just forgot how much mockery I should expect from you."

"Oh goodie! It'll be fun reminding you,” Li'l Twi paused and then nuzzled up to Twilight. "I do love you, you know."

"I love you too, Li'l Twi," said Twilight, hugging her back. They sat in companionable silence for a moment, watching Bally play on the carousel.

Twilight sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"Just had an argument with Luna. Rather than talk about things she cast a sleep spell on me, so I can't wake up."

Li'l Twi's face fell fast, "Oh no! Do you want to borrow the spider?"

"What? Wait. You can control the spider from the dreaming. I didn't think of that. I can go and shout at Luna using the spider."

"Um, I don’t think Luna would take arguments from a plush spider very seriously. Maybe you could prank her instead? She likes pranks. Glue her tail to the floor or something."

Twilight's eyes lit up. "Revenge!"

-------------

The spider had made a little nest for itself in the corner of the laboratory behind a bank of esoteric aetheric machinery. Twilight took control of the spider and slowly crept up the sides of the equipment, placing each hoof with care.

Walking up the sides of a wall with eight legs was a new experience for Twilight, but she felt that as long as she focused on putting one hoof in front of the other then everything was under control.

When she reached the top of the scanner, she peered over the edge and surveyed the scene. True to her word, Luna had undone the damage from the night's adventures. Twilight was impressed by her thoroughness - she had thought the sawhorse and the chains in particular would be scrap, but everything was repaired and as good as new.

Luna herself was lying on the ground, facing towards the horse and away from Twilight, head resting in her hooves and tail still. It didn't look like a comfortable posture, but Twilight didn't question her luck and kept on sneaking across the laboratory floor.

With no spell-casting ability, the golem was not the ideal tool for pranking, but Twilight had a plan. Towards the back of the laboratory there was her store of summoning supplies, including the clay wardstones. She knew that they wouldn't hurt Luna, but the bright flash of light and loud noise would make for a very rude awakening. She would be banished back to the dreaming by the wards, but the spider should automatically hide from strong magic, so Luna should not notice the culprit escape.

Twilight crept across the laboratory floor, darting behind the various pieces of machinery for cover. There was a short stretch of exposed ground between her and the cupboard, but with Luna apparently asleep Twilight was sure that with care she would make it. Twilight tiphooved to the cupboard, as quiet as only a plush golem could be.

Once at the cupboard, she carefully hooked a couple of her forelegs through a draw handle and pulled. It took several tries to get the various involved limbs coordinated, but she eventually managed to lever the draw open a little. If she had had eyelids, she would have winced at every squeak and shriek the draw made as it opened. It seemed to take forever to get the draw open.

Freeing her limbs from the handle took a lot longer.

Crawling into the draw, she found the neat little stack of three wardstones; now she just needed to get one out. Taking the top one, she manoeuvred it until it was sitting precariously on the edge of the draw front panel.

If were to fall from the draw it would break, but the distance from Luna wasn't ideal. Twilight wanted full effectiveness, which would require dragging the clay talisman up the walls, across the ceiling and dropping it next to Luna's head. This would be a gargantuan effort for a plush spider golem, but Twilight was feeling very motivated.

Twilight climbed carefully up alongside the wardstone, perching precariously on the drawer front panel. The draw shifted a little due to the weight. Twilight notice that the stone slid a little, and froze. With exquisite care, she lowered herself to the ground.

As soon as her spider hooves left the draw, it righted itself up a touch. This was enough to cause the wardstone to teeter and fall. Alarmed, Twilight desperately threw her body under the stone, and chittered with relief when the stone landed harmlessly on the plush and then fell a very short distance to the floor.

Twilight carefully pulled the wardstone onto its edge and rolled it to the nearest wall. Before she started to climb the wall, she turned her body and looked back at Luna.

Twilight could see her face now.

Twilight stopped.

Twilight rolled the wardstone back to the cupboard. She couldn't get it back in the draw without risking breaking it, so she left it in the shadows and headed back towards the corner where the spider golem lived.

All the while she did this, she tried to ignore the small puddle that had formed around Luna's tear-streaked muzzle. Her reserves of anger and indignation were draining fast.

It was no good. Twilight's resolve went, and the spider turned back to Luna. She got her legs tangled in her hurry, but soon enough Twilight reached Luna.

The golem really wasn't very good at pranking. It was very good at hugging. Luna hugged it back with a crushing embrace as the plush soaked up her tears.

---------------

"How did it go?"

Twilight shook her head with remorse, "I'll talk to her in the morning. I don't think pranking her would be a good idea right now."

"Awwww," said Li'l Twi, disappointedly.

Twilight kissed Li'l Twi on the forehead and sent her off to bed. She herself went to the beach, staring into the distance and occasionally flicking pebbles out into the sea of playpen balls.

--------------

Twilight was normally quick to wake, but her new injury, her recent change in sleep cycle, and the sleep spell all conspired to making her feel groggy. She didn't open her eyes until a cheerful voice said, "Wake up, sleepyhead. It is time for breakfast!"

Luna looked happy, composed and sexy beyond words in Twilight's naughty nurse outfit, which appeared to have been enlarged for the occasion. Twilight mentally prayed that Spike hadn't seen her like that. Despite her concern, she couldn't bring herself to be upset with Luna's choice of attire; she just blushed at all the thoughts and ideas that danced through her mind.

Twilight started to speak, but the words died in her mouth at Luna's happy smile. She looked into Luna's light blue eyes, as fathomless as the sky, and became afraid that she might break the happy mask Luna wore.

"You had better eat your breakfast, Twilight. You have a lot of healing to do," said Luna, floating a tray laden with a bowl of honeyed apple porridge dusted with cinnamon and a large glass of milk in front of Twilight. Twilight’s stomach rumbled tellingly and she started to eat. Twilight barely noticed Luna discretely slipping out of her bedroom.

Almost the instant Twilight put down the spoon, Luna reappeared and busily put aside the tray.

"That was delicious, Luna. Thank you."

"I'm glad you liked it, Twilight," said Luna with a happy smile, nuzzling Twilight's neck. Twilight, for her part, was holding back a storm of emotion, but could not bring herself to remove the smile from Luna's face. She turned her head to nuzzle Luna back.

Nuzzles turned to kisses and Twilight was quickly reminded just how attractive Luna was, particularly whilst wearing such a scandalous outfit. With a little sigh, Twilight started returning the kisses with increasing passion.

Luna's cute little cap got knocked off her head. Neither pony noticed. Luna pulled back the duvet from Twilight's bed and ran a trail of kisses down her neck, chest, belly and further.

"Ah! Luna, what are you– Oh!"

"Stop squirming, please, Twilight. I just need to take your temperature."

"I'm not sure that that technique is fully approved by the Royal Canterlot College of Nursing!"

Luna looked up and smirked, "I have it on good authority that the nurses of that august institution use it all the time."

"Whose good authority?"

"Well, the graffiti in the college toilets, but it can probably be relied upon in this instance."

Luna licked her wet muzzle and then continued the job at hoof. Twilight stopped arguing, as she needed her breath for other activities.

Once Twilight had, rather noisily, but without any words, informed Luna that her procedure had been successfully completed, Luna pulled back.

"I am very happy to report that your temperature is just right," said Luna.

Twilight sighed.

-----------------

Twilight steeled her resolve as Luna cheerfully trotted away with the tray.

"Luna!" called Twilight, "Could you come back after you've put that away? We need to talk."

Luna hesitated for a moment, then nodded and continued on her way.

When Luna came back, she was wearing a serious expression and not the naughty nurse costume. She was carrying a full tea service in her aura, which she settled on bedside table between them.

"You wanted to talk?" Luna asked as she busied herself in making tea for both of them.

"Er, yes," said Twilight, who was feeling at a bit at a loss for words.

Luna poured a measure of tea into both cups, saying nothing.

"About last night..."

"Ah yes. Your list. I have– I consider that to be in the past, much like some of my own history. I have made mistakes of my own and cannot hold the list against you."

Luna calmly poured some milk into her cup. Twilight shook her head at Luna's asking glance, so Luna handed Twilight her cup without.

"What? No. Not the list. Luna, you cast a sleep spell on me–"

"You needed to heal–"

"No! You cast a sleep spell on me rather than talk–"

"I did not feel that a conversation at that time would go well. As I said, I needed to think and you needed to heal–"

"I needed to talk more! Luna, we clearly don't understand one another–"

"I am aware that I am 'behind the times', but I am trying–"

"NO you are not!"

Silence. Luna stiffly brought the tea cup to her lips and took the smallest of sips. Her eyes remained fixed on Twilight.

"You aren't," said Twilight in a weaker voice, "You interrupt everything I say. You are being defensive. You aren't listening..."

"Very well, speak," snapped Luna.

Twilight closed her eyes and breathed deeply. The rich aroma of the tea calmed her nerves a little; a thousand little memories of peace in a single breath.

"I'm scared, Luna. You're everything to me, you know that. I did the 'mad scientist' thing for you. I wanted to bring us closer together. Sometimes I feel that the only thing we have in common is the sex. I wanted to show you more of me.

"The magic circle didn't go well, and I had plenty of time while I was sleeping to work out why," Luna looked down into her cup, but said nothing, "That was the first time we've been together when you've been helpless, isn't it?"

Luna said nothing.

"All the other times you could have stopped me in a moment, but not then. I've been helpless in your hooves many times. I was okay with that: I trust you," Twilight looked up from her untasted cup, trying to meet Luna's hidden eyes, "Do you trust me?"

Luna looked up, meeting Twilight's searching gaze.

"It is not that. I trust you," Luna looked back down at her tea, "Twilight, that was the first time in millennia that I have been helpless, without my power. It came as a shock."

Twilight sipped her tea as Luna spoke. There was a silence between them for a moment, Twilight judging her options, Luna lost in thought.

"I don't think that that's right either," said Twilight, "Or at least I don't think that's why you reacted so strongly. Do you remember our first night? I asked you what we were. I asked you what you wanted. I– You said we would be equals. We would share. You said you didn't want a pet–"

"I know what I said."

Twilight flinched, but pressed on.

"Luna, you haven't been treating this relationship– me– as an equal. You've humorously indulged my fantasies and played along with me, but you've always held me a hoof-length away. The first time you saw me as an equal, you panicked."

Luna looked up, briefly.

"Twilight, I–" Luna sighed, "Twilight, I... like you. I have sacrificed a great deal to try and make this relationship work. I want it to work. But I– You are a wonderful and talented pony. A powerful and knowledgeable mage. But you are not my equal. I can not pretend–"

Twilight's anger brought fire to her eyes, but Luna wouldn't meet them.

"YOU-" Twilight caught herself mid-shout, started her breathing exercises.

"Twilight, are you alright?"

Twilight spoke more calmly, but with eyes closed at the effort, "I'm fine. I get angry sometimes. There's a reason I have anger management pamphlets downstairs. Give me a moment."

Luna quietly sipped her tea, Twilight breathed slowly, until she felt calm enough to speak.

"Luna, when you agreed that we could be equals, I didn't think you were ly–" Twilight stopped herself again, fighting against the words coming from her mouth as Luna's hackles rose, "No, no. I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

Luna snorted in irritation. Twilight massaged her forehead with her non-bandaged hoof.

"Luna, I offered to be your pet, back then. I meant it. Then. Now, I'm not sure it's what I want. I know you're an alicorn. I know you're a princess. I know you're immortal. I know that. But in my heart I see you as an equal, and my heart won't let me lie any more than yours will."

"Twilight. I am a goddess. I fought Discord at my sister's side. I watched Equestria grow and nurtured it for millenia." Luna stood. "The moon that is shining through your bedroom window? I place that moon in the sky every night. The element of harmony that you bear? I bore it once, and two others besides. I have survived for a thousand years on the moon. You would die in an INSTANT." Luna was nearly shouting now, but while Twilight was making herself small, her eyes still met Luna's defiantly, "Twilight Sparkle. You. Are. Not. My. Equal."

Luna stormed out.

Twilight threw her best tea service against the wall and turned away from the door, to cry.

-------------

Luna reappeared a couple of hours later. Twilight was still staring at the wall. Luna coughed uncomfortably, and noted Twilight's ear twitch in response.

"I shall return to Canterlot. Our ponies need guidance. We– I will contact you anon."

Twilight was silent.

Luna left.

------------------

Twilight was prone to panic. When Luna walked out, terror gripped at Twilight. She could see ahead of her with perfect clarity: a long and empty life without Luna. Princess Celestia would permanently banish her from Canterlot, from Equestria, to prevent the sight of her from causing her sister any distress. Her friends would leave her in disgust. Spike would abandon her and go back to Princess Celestia. Twilight would die alone, a hermit tending a shrine to the lunar goddess who would never again deign to turn her gaze onto Twilight's unworthy form.

Twilight was terrified. Black visions swam through mind. She couldn't see a way out. Twilight cast the 'reload' spell.

Twilight was even more terrified when the spell didn't work. She tried casting it again and still nothing happened. Twilight calmed herself. She thought back, and realised that she had last saved back in Canterlot. It had been far too long.

It was over. It was all over.

------------------

After an hour or so of moping, Twilight hauled herself out of bed, deciding to make herself busy rather than go crazy replaying recriminations in her mind. She could at least make the library presentable for the next librarian. Her shoulder was sore, but her fur hid the bruise well enough. She would be limping for a day or two, no more than she deserved.

Repairing the tea service was simple enough, even for the state she was in, and the damage it had done to the walls was even easier to sort out.

Exploring the library for chores that needed doing was proving to be a chore in itself. She found her naughty nurse costume shrunk back to its original size, washed, dried and pressed. It smelt slightly of lavender. The kitchen looked pristine. There wasn't a book out of place in the library.

Luna had clearly beaten Twilight to the makework about the place. Twilight did take a mote of comfort in finding that Luna appeared to have taken the plush golem back to Canterlot with her.

Twilight retreated to her study to find a job that Luna wouldn't have touched. Spike had been doing a good job, but Twilight needed to do some of the basic background tasks for the library so that he could continue to do the easy bits, such as issuing books.

She started drawing up a list of new books to order but her heart wasn't in it and she had trouble concentrating. She struggled through the list and finally saw it complete, but it took twice as long as it should have done.

Twilight tossed her quill aside in frustration as soon as the list was dry. She wanted to eat her weight in ice cream. Taunting thoughts reminded her that she even had a complete list of a dozen ice cream parlours itemising every flavour they served, listing their opening hours and rating the friendliness of the servers. Unfortunately, every parlour on the list was in Canterlot, not Ponyville.

With the succour of ice cream denied her, Twilight needed somepony to talk to, and everypony was asleep. She needed... Twilight paused to think of her friends. She hated to impose, but sometimes being a good friend was about asking for help and not struggling alone.

Rarity lived close by, of course, and she was always generous with her time, but Twilight didn't want to risk waking Sweetie Belle. The Cake twins weren't sound sleepers, so Pinkie Pie was out. Applejack hardly lived alone. That left Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, possibly.

Twilight pictured going to Rainbow Dash for sympathy and advice related to matters of the heart. After her subconscious had stopped laughing at her, Twilight got up. It was a long way to Fluttershy's cottage, and it wouldn't be getting any closer if she just sat at her desk. Maybe the walk would do her good.

-----------

Twilight hadn't spent much time wandering through Ponyville alone at night. In the darkest hours the town was silent and still. The street lighting, which Twilight cursed regularly when stargazing, lit her way, the blanket of snow glowing with reflected light. Ponyville at night was a different world.

Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. A fox was trotting down a side street as though it owned it. A cat, sitting proud on a fence, watched it as it passed.

It had been snowing overnight so that the foals would have enough snow for snowball fights. Sledging was probably going to be an option soon too, if Discord wouldn't keep using almost all of the snow to make fortresses for the foals (and him) to play in.

It had taken a while for Discord to really become accepted in Ponyville, but the assurances of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony carried great weight. Discord was not malicious now. He loved getting a reaction from ponies, and simple pranks and jokes were more easily tolerated coming from a friend. The foals loved him. He was very surprised to find the feeling was sometimes mutual.

Twilight's steady pace had taken her out of Ponyville proper and onto the winding lane leading to Fluttershy's cottage. A silent shadow of one of Owlowiscious' friends crossed the moon and caused Twilight to look up. Away from town, the sky was huge.

There were no distractions, no scaly assistants complaining about the cold, no friends laughing and joking, no great quest weighing on her mind. Looking up at the cloudy-heavy sky, Twilight felt alone, cold and small. She shivered, a cold breeze coming from the Everfree forest.

The clouds above were moving, a spooky effect caused by the wild nature of the weather around the Everfree forest. Watching the clouds move without a pegasus to guide them, Twilight stood transfixed. Then the clouds opened.

Free from the glare of the streetlights, Twilight saw the stars. The waning moon was not bright enough to drown out the sparkling dots of Luna's stars scattered across the sky.

Twilight had seen it all, many, many times before, but whenever she went stargazing, she had a goal in mind. Observe a nebula, calculate the trajectory of a comet, count the stars in a cluster, find something new. Now, without distraction, without a telescope to hide most of them from view, Twilight saw the stars again as she had as a foal. It took her breath away.

With a scholar's eye, she could see the stars and nebulas. The foal’s eye that Li'l Twi had recently reopened saw the constellations and the stories they held. Distant memories came back to her.

The quiet and lonely path to Fluttershy's cottage became a joy for Twilight, lost in awe at the glory of the night. The glory of the night also caused her to stumble more than a few times on hidden stones and the splendour of the snow tricked her into walking into a ditch, but it was still wonderful.

Without a full moon to guide her steps, Twilight lit her way with her horn, the path through a copse of trees looking particularly scary in the purple light. It brought back memories of the first night she had met Luna, the night she had bonded with her friends. Twilight enjoyed a little shiver, but soon broke into giggles at the monsters her mind conjured from the shadows. She was almost sorry when the trees gave way and Twilight could finally see Fluttershy's cottage up ahead.

As she approached, Twilight realised that there were lights on in Fluttershy's cottage and Angel Bunny was in the rabbit hutch and looking even more aggrieved than usual.

Concerned, Twilight trotted to the front door. Appearing equally concerned, the rabbit ran to block Twilight's path.

"Angel Bunny! What are you doing outside?"

A few gestures eloquently explained Angel Bunny's situation.

"Fluttershy threw you out?! What did you do this time?"

Angel was quick to stop Twilight's train of thought.

"What? You want to be outside?"

With some impressive miming, Angle Bunny elaborated.

"She has a friend over? Who?"

This required some running and arm flapping.

"Oh, she must be worried about Tank. Winter is difficult for tortoises... Wait. It's really late. What were they doing at this hour?"

Angel Bunny smiled with relief. The gesture required to answer that question was very simple.

"Angle Bunny!"

Angel Bunny shrugged.

"Oh, you're right. I certainly shouldn't disturb them. Come on, get on my back. We'll go back to the library, where at least it's warm."

The walk back was quicker than the one going out, and colder after Angel stole her scarf. When they got back the rabbit quickly fell asleep next to Spike in his warm basket.

"Well, that was a bust," said Twilight to herself, heading towards her study to think. She really didn't want to wake her friend's wards and companions. She was halfway to the study before she stopped dead in her tracks and facehoofed.

---------------

"Cannonball!" shouted Pinkie Pie, plunging into the pool of the freshly depopulated seraglio of Iron Rod the Despicable. The wave she created threatened to swamp Rarity, who was taking the opportunity to recline languidly on a divan and feed herself grapes from a nearby cornucopia. The fashionista used her gift for telekineticism to deflect the wave, but that didn't prevent her from glaring at her friend.

Applejack was examining the sporting equipment at the far end of the main chamber with disdain, distractedly curling the heaviest barbell without apparent effort, but soon got bored and joined Twilight, Rarity and Pinkie Pie around the pool. There were no apples in the cornucopias, but Twilight caught on before Applejack could ask and conjured up a few for her to munch on.

"Thanks, Twi'", said Applejack, "This place looks kinda fancy, but it seems nice enough, I suppose."

"This dream is indeed quite fabulously decorated. Kudos. It just needs some serving ponies, you know. I'm having to feed myself these grapes and it's a lot of work," pouted Rarity.

"I got rid of the servants, but if you want me to bring some back, I suppose I could..." Twilight did a decent job of hiding her grin.

"Yes please, darling. Why get rid of them in the first place?"

Twilight concentrated briefly and brought back a few members of the harem.

"Oh," said Rarity.

"Golly," said Applejack.

"Cute!" said Pinkie Pie.

With breathtaking poise, a sensual golden yellow earth pony mare trotted to a nearby cornucopia, selected a grape with enough languidity to shame Rarity and gracefully peeled off the skin with her teeth. She tried to feed the naked grape to Rarity with a smouldering gaze that screamed of barely repressed passion.

"Er, thank you," said Rarity, trying to take the grape from the mare without actually touching it, or her, and not entirely sure what to do with thing once she had it. When the earth pony looked away to get another grape, Rarity swiftly flung the one that she had been given into a corner and tried to look innocent.

Rarity was looking very uncomfortable and blushing fiercely, so she clearly needed cooling down. Two unicorn mares, if anything more beautiful than Rarity's other attendant, positioned themselves behind her and began to generate a cool breeze with fans made from peacock feathers. Rarity's blush deepened. The unicorns fanned harder.

When a sultry pegasus athlete stalked towards Applejack with hungry eyes, Applejack glared at her threateningly. The athlete quickly decided to instead lounge around the pool on the opposite side to Applejack, and tried very hard to appear to be a very small and contrite decoration.

"I think that's enough of this nonsense," said Applejack, blushing, "Is somepony going to get Rainbow and Fluttershy so we can start this here meeting?"

"Um, I don't think they're asleep at the moment. So, um, it'll be just us girls."

"Not asleep yet? It must be past midnight. What are those two up to?"

"Oh, I have no idea, no idea at all," said Twilight, suddenly conscious that Pinkie was suddenly grinning like a cat, "Probably nothing. I don't think we should worry about it," Pinkie's legs were starting to vibrate in the water, generating little waves, "Or ask them. Or mention it when we see them next," Pinkie rose about a hoof above the water, her whole body vibrating like mad, her grin practically luminescent, "Aheh heh heh. Um–"

"Whooo!" Pinkie slumped back in the pool, looking a little dazed, but her grin didn't fade in the slightest.

"Ahem," said Twilight awkwardly.

"Alllright then. Let's, uh, let's talk about whatever it is you called us here to talk about. Yes siree, let's talk."

Twilight found herself a recliner near the pool and settled down. Rarity immediately focused on the group, looking up from discreetly hiding a small pile of peeled grapes under the divan. Pinkie Pie surfaced from the pool and swam closer. Applejack eschewed the luxuries and leaned against a pillar, munching on an apple the exact same shade as her blush.

"Right," said Twilight, taking a deep breath, "Um, thank you for coming. I called you all here to tell you that, um, Luna and I might have broken up. M-maybe. I'm not sure. I don't know. Anything. And– And–"

Twilight stopped choking out words and gratefully accepted the group hug.

---------------

"...she was so angry. I felt so small. I had had the– the temerity to think that we could be equals..."

Twilight's friends had been letting Twilight talk. They had listened with sympathy as she told them what had happened and gave a (slightly bowdlerised) update on their relationship. Now, though, even Pinkie was showing signs of anger over Luna's harsh words to their friend.

Twilight didn't see the anger through her tears, and kept talking.

"...that first night, I offered to be anything she wanted. To be her pet. I meant it. Now– It's my stupid pride, but I want more. She's hurting so much. I think I could really help her..."

---------------

"...What do I do? What can I do?"

Twilight was staring morosely at the pool, talking to herself, having almost forgotten that the others were there.

"What can you do?", said Applejack, interrupting Twilight's thoughts, "You can do anything, Ah reckon. Ah've seen you face down Nightmare Moon, the Queen of the Changelings and Discord himself. You can do anything you want, if you set your mind to it."

"Whuh?"

"Darling," said Rarity, "All is not lost. This is a break, not an end. Do you want her back?"

"Yes."

"Then win her back. Come up with a plan or draw up a list or whatever it is that you do and win her back. On your own terms, of course. Don't sit around and mope, DO something."

"I– I'm not sure I can. I don't know how–"

"You've got to be yourself, Twilight," said Pinkie Pie, "That's all. Princess Luna loves you, I just know it. She's just proud and scared and needs a big hug. She'll come back and you can be all 'Twilight Sparkle' and she can be all 'Luna' and everything will be fine and there'll be a big wedding and there won't be any changelings unless they promise to behave and you can help her relax all the time!"

Pinkie blinked encouragingly at Twilight.

"Thanks girls," said Twilight with rising confidence, "You're right. We can make this work. I just need to show Luna that I AM worthy and we CAN be together. I am going to make things right."

"I know you will, Sugarcube. You're Twilight Sparkle, that's what you do."

---------------

Twilight stretched.

"Well, thank you so much girls for your help. I'm sorry to disturb your dreams."

"Think nothing of it, darling."

"You're welcome, Sugarcube."

"Anytime, Twilight."

"I need to talk to Li'l Twi, so I'd better get going."

"Ooh! Can I come too?" asked Pinkie Pie.

"Sure. Um, Rarity, Applejack, the dreams that you were in will have faded by now, so, um, I'll try and make this one more interesting. Just a moment."

Twilight closed her eyes and focussed. The beautiful harem mares flickered and were replaced with stallion counterparts. The sultry mare that had been relentlessly feeding Rarity with peeled grapes transformed into a handsome stallion with refined bearing and a chiselled jaw. The passion and the grapes remained the same, and Rarity was suddenly a lot more interested in both.

One large unicorn stallion, standing directly behind a very distracted Rarity, had a coil of rope held in his aura. With a commanding stare and authoritative hoof, he silently ordered Applejack into one of the side rooms, some way away from the pool. Applejack swallowed and nodded, heading to the room unnoticed by Rarity.

"Have fun, girls!" called out Twilight as she faded away.

-------------

Twilight and Pinkie went in search of Li’l Twi in Toytown, interrupted by occasional bouts of Pinkie’s favourite Pinky Sense. They found her in the main square, looking after a colt. This didn't seem to be a particularly demanding task, as the colt seemed to be delighted by just being there. He was currently playing hide and seek with some stuffed toys. The teddy bears were fairly good at hiding, but the plush snake didn't seem to realise how long its tail was, much to the colt's delight.

"Pinkie! Twilight!" shouted Li'l Twi as she bounded over from her hiding spot behind a tree. She and Pinkie fell to the ground in a tickle fight by way of greeting one another. Twilight smiled fondly at the both of them.

"Oh, uh, was there something you wanted, Twilight?"

"I did want to speak with you about the whole 'Luna' thing, if you had the time..."

"Oh, sure. I want to help. Pinkie, um, do you want-"

"Sweet Factory?" asked Pinkie Pie.

"Sorry, Pinkie, my boss says you're barred for a few days."

"Awwww."

"You could explore Toytown, if you like. I'm sure Fast Lines over there," Li’l Twi pointed to the colt, "would love the company. There's a huge sea of playpen balls, a gingerbread house you could eat if you're really hungry and lots of toys to meet."

"Neat-o!" Pinkie bounded off to play with the colt.

-------------

"Thanks, Li'l Twi, I know you want to play with Pinkie."

"It's okay, Twilight. We can play properly in the Sweet Factory when Luna lets us back in."

"Still, I hate imposing on my friends like this. Particularly when it's entirely my fault that there is a problem at all."

Li'l Twi giggled, "Oh, Twilight, it's so much fun watching you beat yourself up. Almost as much fun as doing it myself."

"You're always so hard on me."

"Of course I am: I'm you."

"So why am I so hard on myself?"

"Because you're Twilight Sparkle. It's what you do."

Innocent eyes looked up into Twilight's level glare.

Twilight sighed and got down to the business of plotting Luna's seduction, again. She hoped it wouldn't take another two years.