“… I want you to turn into her.”

The ‘her’ in question was not a question in itself as to who it was. Even if she did not have the Nightmare on hoof, taking on at least just the physical form was a simple spell based on magic not of pony origin she had learned a long time ago. The only question in the back of her mind was whether this second look she sported of the night was really the second disguise or not.

Letting herself back up some, the still sightless Luna wrapped herself in her own spell work just like she had on Nightmare Nights before. She grew in size, the dark patch across her back growing over her whole body to swallow up the blue, with her starry mane brightening with intensity. The only difference was that whether by magical burnout exhausting her to a degree or something changing in her mind, the visage of Nightmare Moon presented was missing her armor.

Luna waited for his response, his reason for requesting this.

“… Nightmare Moon, is not a look. It was an identity… I wasn’t there, 1,000 years ago. But I know that if I, as I am now, can change so much in my time here, then I know you’ve changed magnitudes more. And now you have your sister, Twilight and her friends, Starlight, Frost, Cadance, Chibi-”

“And you?” Luna whimpered slightly, not realizing it came out in a mild gasp that sounded like a plea and trying to shush herself. She looked away, almost ashamed on the edge of something worse.

He didn’t approach further, he did not inspect, nor did he run away.

She only felt the touch several moments after it was made. There was one other big difference between how she was now and how the Nightmare Moon of history, legend, and dark magic presented herself. One that barely a soul might notice because barely a soul had ever seen it on Luna herself.

Junior’s hoof gently caressed and traced the edge of an old scar on her side, just below the wing.

Memories of the first time he’d ever done so, the first night they ever saw each other as anything but a threat and got the earliest hint of a kindred spirit; all came flooding back. Her eyes snapped open and saw the tears running from his eyes. Rolling over cheeks to his calmly smiling face.

“Was that ever in doubt?” Junior whispered just loud enough for her to hear clearly, “I still see you, Lulu.”

Luna felt the surge go through her body again, and now that she had her eyes open she could clearly see he was trembling as well. This was new for both of them, an urge to react in a way neither were very familiar with.

Unable to focus on her magic, Luna dropped the visage and let the question of if it was her future or past be left to the ages. As the recognizable Princess of the Night, she pushed forward towards the Monster King and almost tackled him. Passions put their lips together and they embraced, rolling across the hill under the starry night together. It was messy, they got covered in leaf litter, dirt, wood fibers, and burnt grass. And they were in pure bliss.