Chapter One - Sleepless Nights and Shining Stars

It was once again cider season for Ponyville.  There was a lot of excitement for the first day of cider the next day.  Applejack headed into the library to see how her friend Twilight was doing.  "Howdy Twilight!"

Twilight looked over with a causal smile looking up from a book that she was reading.  "Hey Applejack, looking forward to cider season starting tomorrow?"  She knew it was a huge thing that gave the Apples their income as well as the Zap Apple Jam.

"Of course, but we're puttin' a stop to Pinkie's hoggin', there's a five glasses per day per costumer limit now."

"That is good I am sure Rainbow Dash will be very happy about that."

Applejack nodded.  "Darn tootin' she will."

Twilight chuckled and smiled at her friend.  "Well I hope that it goes well all the same AJ."

"Thank ya sugarcube."  Applejack after that headed out.

"Now, to finish the new Daring Do book before Rainbow Dash tries to get it."

Twilight continued on her reading until she was finished closing the book and then looks out the window.  The sun was starting to set in the sky.  Twilight had once again been so busy all day that she had not been as social as her other friends that day.  She let out a sigh and put the book on to the shelf along with the other books of the Daring Do series.  She actually felt rather lonely and like she still wasn't being social enough even though she did hang out with her friends from time to time.  It just seemed that so much was happening without her now.

Slowly, Twilight headed towards her bed and laid there looking up at the ceiling.  Her mind was racing, thinking of all the things that her friends were doing without her.  She struggled to get to sleep as Spike peacefully rested in the basket placed next to her bed.  Twilight looked at him and frowned as she started to realize that Spike was even growing up.   Soon he would want to be around people his age and he wouldn't be a baby anymore no matter how much Twilight teased him.   It seemed that she was falling behind everyone else, even Spike.

                Eventually she drifted off to sleep but the alarm went off only a few hours after she drifted off to sleep.  Twilight quickly jumped up.  She headed to the line for the Cider and headed in line.  After only about a minute she heard a familiar voice from behind her.

"Good morning Twilight."

         Twilight turned around very surprised.  "Princess?"

         Celestia smiled at her.  "Yes, I came here to try out the famous cider.  My sister came a lot earlier than I did."

          "Wait, your sister came to have cider too?"  Twilight was very surprised.  She hadn't seen both of them out and about at the same time before.

Celestia nodded and pointed up way ahead of the line and to the side.  Luna was already to the side sipping on some cider.  "She came way before I did since she is a night owl.  She waited all night for it."  After that Celestia chuckled a little.

"Oh."

Twilight after that waited until it was her turn to get cider.  She was not really sure what to say.  It seemed that the Princess wanted this to be as informal as possible.  Twilight got her cider and quietly headed over to where Luna was.  Luna smiled at her kindly seeming to notice Twilight despite her silence.

"Good morning Twilight Sparkle."  Luna sounded very formal, but that seemed to be normal for her.  "It is good to see you once again."  The alicorn actually gave Twilight a gentle smile.  She seemed to consider Twilight a friend.

Twilight smiled at her and nodded.  "Good morning Princess Luna."  She then went silence starting to drink her cider.  She stayed there for a bit not really sure what to do or say.

"Can I actually talk to you in private for a moment Twilight Sparkle?"  Luna asked.

"Sure."

They headed off away from the others and Twilight looked confused. No one else besides Celestia had ever told her to do something like that in such a serious manner.  Luna looked over at her for a moment.  She seemed to be considering something.

"Princess, if you don't mind me asking, why did you ask me to talk to you in private?"  Twilight looked at her rather confused.

"Because I need to talk to you about something of the ut most importance that has to do with the Elements of Harmony."

"What is it Princess?"

"Eventually the elements will make all six of you alicorns and you will help us rule Equestria."

Twilight looked at her in shock.  She was excepting a lot of things but not that.  Her brain tried to process what she had just heard.  That meant that someday her and her friends would be at Canterlot castle trying to teach the very things that they were learning right now.  "Do you know when that is?"

"Sadly, I do not.  It is the elements that decide that, not me or my sister."

"So you're just saying we have to wait?"

Luna nodded solemnly at that.  Twilight looked at Luna trying to understand what was going on.  So this was what Celestia was trying to prepare her for?  She didn't seem to understand why Celestia did not tell her that.  It seemed that Luna herself was more willing to tell her such things so she would be ready.

"I wish for you to be as ready as you can be."  Luna said to her.

Twilight just slowly nodded and looked at her wondering if there was anything else that Luna wanted to say.  It seemed like Luna wanted to talk to her, but what all about she did not know.  There was a long bit of silence of the two just looking at each other.

"That is all."

"Thank you Princess Luna."  She bowed her head a bit and headed off.

Twilight's head was now racing with the knowledge that she had just learned.  She headed home and worked on things despite of the fact that it was now very difficult to focus.  The unicorn knew at one point she would have to tell her friends of this at one point but not now.  There was no way that she could tell her friends if she wasn't even mentally prepared for it herself yet.

She eventually headed off for bed but her struggle to sleep again once again returned.  It seemed that her thinking and worry about the future was not going to go away now.  Even though she had been determined to not worry anymore, she could not help it now.  Twilight and her friends would one day have to help rule Equestria.  Twilight had no idea how they were even going to get to that point and feel ready for it.  All of her friends right now lived normal lives and seemed to be doing just fine remaining unknowing about it so maybe she just shouldn't say anything at all.  Twilight turned to the side of her bed where the window was and looked out the window.  She fell asleep looking at the stars.

~*~

Twilight continued on her struggle to fall asleep, the days that she was struggling had now officially turned into a week.  She stumbled out of bed her hair looking like a mess.  She brushed it to its normal look and sleepily walked past Spike.  "Good morning Spike..."  There were huge bags under her eyes and Spike blinked as she passed by him.

"Are you sure you are okay Twilight?"

"I am perfectly fine Spike."

Spike continued to be concerned throughout the day.  He tried to help her out the best he could.  He was acting very mature and trying his best to make sure that Twilight did not feel too pressured.  Twilight appreciated the help but still continued on working as hard as she could to make sure she got everything she needed to get done for the day.  She smiled rolling up the final scroll as the sun was going down.  "There everything is done."

Spike yawned.  "Thank goodness, I am so tired I could almost fall asleep right here!"

Twilight chuckled.  "Go ahead and get your rest Spike."

He seemed to quickly take her up on that, heading upstairs to get some rest.  Twilight smiled to herself a bit as he headed upstairs.  Spike did so well and he was just getting more mature all the time.  Even if it worried Twilight, she had to admit she was proud of him.  Owloysius opened his eyes as the sun set into the horizon.  The owl himself did a few things to help out Twilight and then Twilight tried to rest, but tonight no sleep seemed to feel come.

Owloysius headed back over to the stand that he usually goes to for Twilight to tell him what needs to be done.  He started to write on a scroll and then a weird thing that looked like a hole appeared by his wing, him having the scroll go into it.  Twilight was not paying much attention to this though because she kept trying to get to sleep.

There was what sounded like someone appearing there for a second and Twilight turned around and looked around.  Luna was there and she smiled gently at Twilight.  "I heard that you can't sleep."

Twilight merely nodded and Luna laid down next to her.

"I understand that you have been feeling alone lately.  It is okay because I do too."

Twilight looked at her a bit surprised but nodded.  She would be willing to listen if Princess Luna wanted to talk about something.

"My sister does not think that I am not all that mature and all my friends that I had a thousand years ago are pretty much gone.  I thought no one would accept my return besides my sister until you helped me on Nightmare Night and for that I thank you.  I feel that you are a great friend of mine."

"Yeah, it seemed like you were struggling, so I tried to help you out the best I could."

"You have a very considerate heart for that Twilight Sparkle."  Luna hugged her gently.

Twilight blinked a bit not excepting that but hugged her back and seemed to actually relax a bit.  Luna was very kind to her.  She actually seemed to want to get to know Twilight for who she was and did not want to change her.  They had talked a lot using Owloysius using letters and they both had a lot of the same interests.  Both of them loved learning and reading and constantly taking things in.  It made her actually start to like Luna.  She knew that it was very unlikely that Luna felt that same way about her.  She was a princess after all.  Luna could court whoever she pleased due to her beauty and her position.

"I will stay for the night if you would like Twilight."

"Please."

She hoped that did not sound too desperate the way that she said it.  The way that she did didn't seem to matter though because Luna kept her in a gentle hug.  Twilight felt her muscles relax more and her eyes started to droop with Luna right next to her.  As her eyes closed all the way Luna spoke softly. "Good night Twilight Sparkle."