Chapter 2
New Responsibilities
Crimson Barrel

“I think we need, to open up the Library more, that way more ponies can go in when they feel like learning something. I mean otherwise anypony searching for information on advanced subjects, like say time-spells, wouldn’t have to sneak into the Canterlot Library in the middle of the night. I mean, not that anypony would do that... Umm… What do you think, Crimson? Crimson?“

I started suddenly at hearing my name. Turning to the newly coronated Princess Twilight. I gave her small smile, “It’s whatever you see fit, your majesty.” I said giving her the same reply I had nearly all twenty times she had asked me what I thought of her ‘royal’ decisions.

“Do you think I should make trains more winged-passenger friendly?” – “whatever you see fit, your majesty”

“Do you think there should so many large rooms in the palace, what about more smaller rooms for more guests?”- “Whatever you see fit, your majesty”

“Do you think we could get some coffee from Joe’s Doughnuts later” – “whatever you see fit, your majesty”

I sighed as I looked into her questioning eyes. This was the pony that had become an alicorn by the power of her own magic, and whom had been trained by Princess Celestia by hoof? Twilight knew Canterlot like the back of her hoof, yet one would have never suspected the way she had been galloping down the streets and palace corridors excitedly making suggestions for improvement. It was as if she didn’t know what to do with her-self. Wasn’t a princess supposed to know things like what she wanted for lunch?

I looked into her eyes and continued, “I would suggest, speaking with Princess Celestia before doing anything to the Library, My Lady. She is quite fond of it, and many sections seem to common places for her to visit.”

She seemed relieved that she had gotten some genuine feedback from me and immediately began rambling again, “Of course, you’re absolutely right Crimson. If I made it so everypony could get in at anytime the Library would become incredibly overcrowded. And if it too overcrowded, it would disrupt the work the important work some ponies are doing there. What if we could set a priority system with cards or…”

Though the Princess seemed to be talking to me, I knew she had already gone back into her own world, and there was no pulling her out until she came across an area she wanted my opinion in. And in all honesty I was being a terrible Royal Advisor.

I furrowed my eyes at the title. I had originally thought that now that Twilight had ascended to a level on par with the other Princesses’ own, Celestia would have seen fit to make me her newest personal student. This line of thought had been nearly confirmed for me when I had received a personal message from the Sun Princess while saying farewell to Sky Dive. As soon as my pegasus friend had started flying east, back to Fillydelphia, I had rushed to the East Tower to be granted my new role as her personal student. It was when I heard the title ‘Royal Advisor’ my heart nearly leapt out of my throat. I hadn’t thought myself capable of being somepony who could give advise to Princess Celestia, but if she had thought I was ready then I would have been ready to try my best! But at the words Princess Twilight Sparkle, my expression had become one of blank emotion, while inside I fought bitterness and hurt.

Of course she got the special treatment, she was a princess after all, but I was the next in line in Magical Studies! Heaven’s I had beaten Twilight’s scores on certain exams. And as for the ‘Magic of Friendship’ I had been a friend with Sky Dive since before he gone to Flight School and I had gone Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. So why was I now the new princesses’ lackey?

Princess Celestia had assured me though it was an important role to fulfill. “Princess Twilight needs to have ponies that can be her friends and support her during this large change in her life,“ the princess had explained, ”She has more power than a lot of ponies have ever had throughout history. And now that it will be harder for her friends to see her as frequently as they had before, she will need everypony that can to treat her like one of their own friends. And who knows maybe you two could become close friends? I seem to recall you two getting along rather well in Magic Kindergarten.”

I didn’t know if you would call me turning her Smarty-Pants doll into a frog-doll and her in return turning my mane into a candy corn all over a dispute for who got play on the swing during recess, ‘getting along’. My hair had been sticky for weeks afterwards.

Still, I had seen her expression, as she waved her friends off at the train station. Although, Ponyville wasn’t that far away from Canterlot and Twilight not only had royal transport but her own wings and magic to get her there, she had known she would be busy with her new royal duties and have a hard time finding time to wander of far just lunch or a friendly visit with her friends. She had been sad, behind her cheery smile and her promises to visit as her friends congratulated her Princess-hood again and again, I had seen the glimmer of tears. It wasn’t like they couldn’t still be friends, but with the Rainbow Dash leading the weather team, Fluttershy’s veterinary practice, Rarity’s custom boutique, Applejack working Sweet Apple Acres, and Pinkie Pie… making cupcakes... it would be difficult for them to visit Canterlot, and harder still to do it at a convenient time for Twilight.

However, all that aside, why did I have to be her friend? And with her dragon assistant in Ponyville for the day, overseeing the move of her highness’s clothes and personal items to Canterlot, I had the pleasure of keeping her majesty accompanied by myself for the day. ‘Yay…’

The new princess was currently studying a suit of armor and muttering under her breath as she poked at the plates that had been elegantly overlapped with each other to protect the pony wearing it.

As I caught up to her I heard, “…no need for so much of this stuff. I mean sure we have Changelings, sometimes dragons, and griffon raiding parties; but I don’t understand why we have so much military equipment.”

“ITS IS FROM THE WAR 1000 YEARS AGO, My Lady” A booming voice sounded from the suit of armor to the left of the one the Princess was studying.

To me the voice had been deafening, and I had been a good distance behind the princess. I was genuinely worried she may have been rendered permanently deaf, or even at that proximity had her brain damaged.

She had immediately leapt back and was now rubbing her ears with her hooves as she rest her head on the purple carpet rolled through the corridor. “Ow, ow, ow” she whined. I couldn’t blame her.

“Lady Twilight, are you alright?” I asked lending her hoof.

“What?” she shouted seeing lips move but not catching what I was saying.

‘Oh fantastic,’ I thought as I looked down at the all-powerful alicorn painfully caressing her ears.

‘Great job as a Royal Advisor Crimson Barrel, first day on the job and the new princess goes deaf. Honestly put forth your best hoof forward there didn’t you?’

Ok getting frustrated with myself wasn’t going to work. I looked over at the bat-winged guard next to the old suit of armor. He at least had the decency to look bashful about seeing the Princess in obvious pain. Pointing a hoof at him I shouted, “Don’t just stand there! Go get your Princess, whom you just deafened, some help and don’t blow away anyone you ask for it either!”

The guard spread his leathery wings and in that half-glide, half-gallop fashion that flyers had began to move down the corridor. As his tail disappeared behind the corner, I turned to the purple mare on the floor.

“We are getting you help,” I said making sure to speak slowly and enunciate all my syllables in front of her vision.

“Help?” she shouted back at me sitting up all of the sudden her wings going wide. “Oh, don’t worry that won’t be necessary.”

‘Oh, great now she was going to be difficult.’

“Listen,” ‘great word choice there Crimson’, “You need to take it easy, I think you need help otherwise you may go deaf.” Again I had spoken slowly and moved my lips around each word before the purple princess’s eyes.

“Oh, I see, don’t worry I got it!”

‘You what?’ I thought as suddenly a purple shimmer surrounded the alicorn’s horn, and then spread to her ears. After a moment the purple glow faded and the mare visibly relaxed. “Ah, much better,” she sighed in relief, “That certainly caught me off guard, but after an encounter I had with Princess Luna one Nightmare Night, I thought it might be useful to find a spell that could help heal eardrums.” She gave me an actual grind and then said, “I think I might, ask Princess Luna to not have her guards use the Royal Canterlot Voice indoors, or maybe to at least tone it down to a more bearable level. What do you think Crimson? Crimson?” her eyes looked into my face questioningly for what must have been the hundredth time that morning.

Stunned all I could reply was, “I think that would be a wise decision your majesty.”

Smiling the Princess turned and began to once again trot down the corridor, glancing over everything she passed like it was something new. Still in shock, I simply fell into step, behind her as my nerves began to unwind, and I realized just how tense I had gotten when I had thought I had failed my task as both advisor and friend to a princess. I calmed my breathing and tried to ease my heart to a more comfortable pace. As we walked towards the corner at the end of the corridor, I saw the bat-winged guard turn it towing behind him a unicorn wearing a nurse’s cap carrying a white kit with a red cross on it. Now it was my turn to smile bashfully as he looked between the princess trotting casually through the courtyard and the unicorn that had just blamed him for deafening her. The look on his face turned to confusion and then to one of frustration when he looked at me. “The problem, has been resolved,” I amended,” Thank you for your quick reaction, to royal needs.”

The guard turned and shrugged apologetically to the nurse, and they both were still standing there as Princess Twilight and I rounded the corner, and they disappeared from view.

After we had turned the corner the purple alicorn turned her head and with a smirk asked, “Hey Crimson? Did you really ask a deaf person to listen?”

I snapped my head away and began observing the tapestries on the wall, as if I was going to be examined on their every detail in the near future.

“Ahem,” I cleared my throat, “I don’t recall My Lady. Heat of the moment and I was simply too worried to remember such a thing as my word choice.”

“Aw, well thank you for being so worried about me. You really are a good friend. And I was worried when I told Celestia you still might be upset over the whole candy-corn-mane thing in Magic Kindergarten.” I assumed that she must have been smiling when she said this, because I was too busy blushing and looking everywhere but at the purple mare to notice.

We walked for a little ways longer trotting in silence as I did my best to keep my gaze from ever crossing the princesses’ path. She was still studying the castle surroundings, but as I occasionally glanced at her, I saw she was moving slowing and swinging her head with less fervor than before.

“It has been a long time, Crimson. How have you been?”

The sudden question from the princess made me stop in my tracks. After a bit she caught I wasn’t following in her anymore and stopped looking back at me. “Is something wrong?” her voice was even but there was a genuine trace of concern.

‘Who was this mare?’ I thought puzzled. She still has the same egghead, as before, but where was her tendency to overreact? Where was the lone-scholar attitude? Did she actually care for others now? Had she really expressed a sense of humor when she pointed out the irony of my phrasing?

‘This definitely wasn’t the Twilight Sparkle I had know during Magic School. Was it becoming a Princess, or perhaps maybe in her time in Ponyville, she really had learned a something about friendship.

“No, nothing. Just… it’s nothing.” I finished lamely as I began to trot up to her ready to continue with our tour of the royal palace.

She slowed down her pace and feel into a slow walk beside me no longer looking over the old suits of armor or tapestries that aligned the walls. “You really were still upset about the whole candy many incident weren’t you,” she said in a sad tone.

“Huh?” No, I wasn’t. Well, maybe a little, it had been really sticky. But that had been ages ago and I could let bygones be bygones couldn’t I? “No, not really. I just never really thought you cared about anypony not hundreds of years long gone or written in your books.”

The princess gave the floor the same the sheepish smile I had given the guard I had reprimanded for a crime he hadn’t meant to commit. “I was like that. A few years ago, you would have been just another pony in my class. Another pony I barely knew save your name and that you were a potential rival. But I like to believe that I’m not quite the same pony I used to be. Ponyville was good for me, and I believe Princess Celestia had known it would be when she sent me there. Because, more than anything, I know that’s what changed me most is my friends.” As she finished she looked up and forward, and I knew she was imagining their faces before her.

I felt a pang of guilt for the ill thoughts that had plagued me earlier. I had seen her near tears at the sight of her friends departing, even with the knowledge she would see them again. Those friendships had given her a gentler and less inward-focused demeanor.

“I see,” I said looking forward as we continued our slow pace, “In that case, I would like to apologize for turning your doll into a frog toy.”

She turned towards me and smiled saying, “Apology accepted. I’m sorry for turning your mane into candy.”

“Apology Accepted. And I’m sorry for calling you a ‘baby in all but diapers’,” I said turning to the purple alicorn.

“Consider it forgotten,” she said drawing a line with her hoof in the air, “I’m sorry for asking my brother to chase you guys away and float you into a tree, when I wanted to be alone.”

“Not to worry,” I said mimicking her gesture, “I’m sorry I put that glue-spell to your chair in class.”

“That was you!” The alicorn said suddenly her eyes going wide as her wings shot apart, and I saw the hint of a purple shimmer on her horn. I froze my hoof still in the air, a look of shock and fright suddenly covering my face.

Suddenly, she smiled and folding her wings, the shimmer on her horn disappeared. Then she gave a laugh “Hahaha, you should see your face, you look like,” she made a ridiculously over-horrified face and held it until her smile broke it. “Haha, I knew you had done that, which is why I kept magically making your mane sticky long after that candy corn incident.”

And I was apologizing to this mare? What the hay!

“Well,” I said returning my face towards its normal blank expression, “I guess we can let all bygones be just that.” I said evenly and begun to trot once again down the hallway.

“Oh, I was just pulling your horn,” the princess said now trotting up beside me. Turning her face towards me she said, “You, need to not be so serious that’s another lesson my friends taught me. Life has its ups and downs, but if you take everything with stress and never laugh at the little things, you go a little… crazy. At least, that’s what happened with me.”

At that I did smile, because I could recall a unicorn mare that would begin flinging spells wildly and grossly overestimate the magic needed for a spell because she had gotten frustrated after not being able to complete it on her first time. One such incident I remembered involved the unicorn instructor sprouting leaves instead of the ficus we had been working on growing taller. But still…

“I’m not always serious, just…” I petered off unsure of my wording.

“Just when you’re dealing with somepony you don’t really like,” she said again falling into a sad tone. Despite what I witnessed in her drastically different personality and the moment of apologizing for past wrongs, I didn’t tell her she was wrong.

“Do you have any friend’s Crimson?” Twilight had suddenly turned and was now looking out a window with a view over the shimmering city of Canterlot as the sunlight reflected off the polished marble and gleaming stone.

“I do, a pegasus named Sky Dive has been my friend for most of my life. I’ve known him since before I went to Magic School. Our mothers had been best friends and we spent a great deal of time together.” I answered stopping as well, but not joining her beside the window.

“How nice,” she sounded like she meant it but I couldn’t see her face from where I stood, “Wait did you say Sky Dive? Wasn’t that the stallion that was flirting with Fluttershy at the party last night?”

I nearly choked. The thought of Sky Dive flirting, or even putting forth the effort to flirt was nothing short of hysterical! Let alone with a mare like Fluttershy. He wasn’t the most talkative pony to begin with, preferring to ‘pony watch’ from afar normally or take a nap in the corner. Sure he had acted a little strange and had dodged my remarks about his conversation with the pegasus mare, but flirt… I just didn’t think the pegasus had it in him.

“I extremely doubt that was the case,” I said stifling my laughter in my throat, “I think he may have mumbled something equivalent to ‘hello’ before she left to go back to you and your other friends. I think she had come over simply to get Pinkie’s alligator off my friend’s head.”

Twilight Sparkle’s head tilted up and to the side a bit as I finished. “Well that does explain, why she came back with Gummy, still having black and grey hair in his mouth. Also why she left to go talk to somepony at a party. She’s not a big socially outgoing pony, and usually doesn’t get involved with anything that doesn’t involve her animals. Of course, she also came back drunk, and had mentioned a ‘quest for an illusive bathroom’ involving the aid of a pegasus friend. And a zebra I spoke with told me of an alligator clad pony at the party, who according to her was ‘A pony to be garbed so was the strangest sight. Especially for one not seeking the limelight.’”

Had Sky Dive mentioned a bathroom adventure? It was just too ridiculous to believe. I was sure that the exchange between the two had begun and ended with removal of the alligator from my friend’s head.

Turning back to face me the purple mare smiled as she said, “Well Rainbow Dash was certainly flustered anyways, especially when she heard the name. Sound’s like your friend and some of mine have history.” She smiled gazing into what only she could see. “ I wonder what they’re doing right now?”

“Probably just still on the train. It only left earlier this morning.” I said reminding her that she had literally seen them not three hours ago.

“Oh yeah,” She replied giving an embarrassed grin, “Guess I can’t help but miss them already. Do you get to see Sky Dive often?” She asked the same way she had asked for my opinion so many times earlier that day from tapestries to lunch.

I simply answered, “No, not really. He works and lives in Fillydelphia, so it’s rare to see him more than twice a month.”

“Oh,” the princess said turning her head to look down the corridor, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“You get used to it.” I answered evenly as she gazed onwards.

“I suppose you do,” the alicorn replied as she began to once again move through the corridor sweeping her gaze from wall to wall in a slow study of her surroundings.

Despite how she had changed; despite the wings bore now or the friends she had that she now missed, despite our minor moments of laughs and light-hearted talk, I doubted I would truly be this mare’s friend. Even if I was able to completely subdue my own jealousy at her being chosen for the best of everything and my anger at her inadvertently taking away my moment at being able to finally be tutored by the pony I admired most. Even if I could ignore, the slight pangs of a competitive drive I felt inside when I looked at the now royal Princess Twilight Sparkle. Even if I could do all that, I actually doubted that she had any desire to really be my friend at all either.

Bowing my head, I fell into step behind the Princess I was now supposed to advise and aid and wondered if this was truly, what Princess Celestia had actually intended me to accomplish with this task.

...

I had to admit the thought of coffee and doughnuts for lunch had been strange to me at first, but after the morning with new Princess the caffeine and sugary boost that rushed through me gave me a renewed sense of energy. I knew it wouldn’t last long, but like a calm moment in a storm it was welcome. And speaking of storms it looked like the pegasus were building a nasty one over Equestria’s capital, if the dark grey, water-swollen clouds were to judge by. We would have to make our way back to the palace soon otherwise be at risk of getting caught in the downpour.

I looked over to tell this to the princess, and stopped with my mouth half open. The purple mare had managed to cover not just her snout, but also the fur on her neck and cheeks in a thick jelly paste. This is what went for royalty these days?

“Your majesty, you got-“

“Crimson, please,” the mare interrupted me raising a hoof, “if I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand time: you don’t have to address me like I’m Celestia or Luna or Cadence; just call me Twilight or Twilight Sparkle or something less formal.”

‘How about your royal pain in my backside?’ I thought. Out loud I said, “Yes Princess Twilight.”

She sighed knowing it was the best she would get from me, “Yes, Crimson?”

‘Heh, she’d find out eventually.’

“It would seem a storm is brewing outside, I think we should get back to the palace soon or risk being drenched.”

“I know,” she said in a bored tone. “I don’t how but ever since I got these,” she raised one of her purple wings in reference, “ I can practically tell you the weather pattern for the day. We actually have another thirty minutes before it begins to rain and thirty-two minutes before it actually becomes a genuine storm. We have plenty of time to enjoy some time away from our work. I mean wasn’t like we were getting much done anyway with me fussing about little things like library schedules and ancient armor.” She finished and took a sip from the coffee mug hovering before her in a purple glow.

“Point taken.” I had to agree with the princess on this. The more time we spent away from a castle where we both felt useless, the better mood we would probably be in.

I looked around Doughnut Joe’s shop, and took in the familiar scene of tables crowded with ponies enjoying their food. The place still had the same look of an establishment that had brought it’s own theme instead of adopting one from it’s surroundings. The rounded coffee bar area, isolated booths with cushioned seats, and low hanging lights giving a soft glow over the bar and tables gave an atmosphere that seemed to reflect the owner’s accent. It was unique to Canterlot by giving its customers the impression they had walked off the street of the royal capital and into an eatery in the middle of downtown Manehattan. A little like teleporting, but entirely different kind of magic.

“I recall that we came here quite often, during our time in school. It was always a way to unwind after spending an entire day with your face crammed in a book or nearly blowing your horn off your head from concentration,” the princess said interrupting my thoughts.

Turning to look at her still jelly and frosting covered face I said, “By we do you mean that most of the students came here and gathered in a booth or at the bar, while you sat in the corner hidden behind another book?”

She sighed, “I suppose I do. I was pretty isolated, back then and cared way more for pushing my own knowledge and abilities than making friends. But like I said earlier, I’m different now. So can we move past the old, stuck up me?”

“Alright,” I replied. I felt like I may have pushed a little too hard. She seemed to be making a genuine effort for my sake to be polite and open. I could at least not poke at the newly anointed princess, isolated not by her own choice this time. Actually I was curious about some things.

“Princess Twilight, can I ask you some personal questions?”

The corners of her mouth lifted and leaning forward said, “Oh, of course. Sitting in silence is no way to pass a meal. It’s nothing about me before Ponyville is it?” her smile faltered a little at the end.

“No, nothing like that,” I reassured her. Her smile went back to being full strength. Somepony really wanted another pony to talk to. ‘Once you have friends I suppose it’s hard to go back to being a loner.’

“Well you mentioned, your new ability to predict the weather. Has there been anything else that’s changed, new magical powers, desire to spend more time up than down, can you walk on and manipulate clouds? I mean you are an alicorn now, the height of power anypony can achieve. So what’s different?”

“Oh, well that’s pretty easy to answer actually,” she cleared her throat. “I’ve noticed that I can walk on and move clouds. My wings do seem to have a mind of their own sometimes. Rainbow Dash actually warned me about that. It also means I do get claustrophobic pretty easy now to. I can understand now why the rooms in the palace have ceilings so high. I mean Celestia and Luna would probably never want to be in there if they felt trapped in the confines of their own palace.”

“That makes a certain kind of sense I suppose,” I said sipping hovering my teacup to my lips and sipping. Setting it back on the saucer I asked, “What about your magical abilities?”

“Well,” she blushed, “Celestia has been trying to tell me, that I was probably one of the most powerful unicorns to ever exist already. She said she was extremely happy I became an alicorn, because she said it would have been sad to see with that level of magic to not continue to higher levels.”

I tried to keep my face blank, instead of letting a frown cross my face. So, she had been one of the most powerful unicorns of all time? Well she had better have been, considering she never did anything but study magic. And that Celestia herself personally trained her.

“But now,” she continued, “I think the main change I’ve noticed is that I don’t have to put nearly as much effort or concentration into any of my spells, even my transformational magic. I turned a snake into a ribbon the other day, and I didn’t have to break focus from breathing. Well I did have to focus on it after a piece of fabric began trying to suffocate me. But the point was, I still have the abilities I’ve studied, but they are just easier for me. I get really excited at the thought of learning new magic that would have been impossible before, though and I can’t wait to see what Celestia has in store for me.” The purple alicorn’s seemed to be looking off in the distance as if on future events that had yet to transpire. I could her giving an unconscious smile.

Again, a wave of jealousy swept through me. I was a wonder my cheeks didn’t blush green. Her future just looked so bright compared to my own. I was to be a simple unicorn subject, but worse than that I was to be her simple unicorn subject.

“I do have moments where I perform some levels of magic I thought were impossible before.” She turned her eyes towards me and said in a low whisper. “Please don’t tell Princess Luna, but the other night I saw a star that wasn’t quite in line and moved it a bit.” She raised her coffee cup to her lips again and took a slow sip. I just stared dumbfounded.

‘She saw a star misaligned,’ forgetting for a second how ridiculous that concept alone was, she had moved it just to make it look more aesthetically pleasing, practically subconsciously, in all likelihood. With that kind of power how did she keep from sending that cup of coffee to the moon when she took a sip!’

“What is it?” she asked when she caught the way I was looking at her. “Do I have something on my face? I always end up doing that.” She raised a napkin to wipe her still jelly and frosting coated mouth, but I had ceased judging her by such simple standards. ‘A star,’ I was stuck thinking, ‘she had moved a star.’

“Did I get it all?” the princess asked me as she moved the napkin across her lips. “Yeah,” I said not really paying attention. “Come on you said we didn’t have long till it become a real bad storm.”

“Crimson, like I said we have plenty of time to make it back to the palace. Nearly twenty minutes before the first drops.”

“Of course Princess Twilight,” I said as I put down some golden bits on the table. ‘After all,’ I thought, ‘You are now the great and powerful Twilight Sparkle.’

…

‘Maybe not all that great and powerful! Twenty minutes my left hind quarter!’ I thought as I ran through the Canterlot streets trying to keep myself as dry as possible. Although to be honest the effort was already in vain. I was soaked to the bone and my fur was clinging to my skin, and my red mane hung heavily water laden over my face.

“I thought you said you could predict the weather!” I shouted towards the purple alicorn sprinting in front of me towards a covered patio area. As she galloped she would give a sweep of her wings and be launched forward that much faster for it. She reached the patio before me, and turned her own wet mane covered head towards me shouted. “I don’t know what happened! One second it felt like it was so far from happening and then the next I was hearing the thunderclaps! Sorry!”

I slid under the patio beside the soaking wet princess.

“Well, I guess we can wait it out until it finishes here.” I said trying to shake my wet mane from my eyes.

“That sounds like a well advised idea, royal advisor,” She said exasperated as she sat beside the wall the patio was built out of.

“I suppose so. Glad I could be of some service.”

I had begun wringing out my mane with my magic trying to get the water that had filled it out. It had begun to feel like I had soaked up an entire lake.

“Here let me help.”

Suddenly a purple glow danced in front of my eyes and I felt the loose grip of magic not just on my mane, but my entire body.

“Hey, what are you-“ and then a wave of warmth swept across my entire body. I had began at the base of my hooves and then crawled up to the tips of my ears.

As the glow disappeared, I gave a small shake despite how warm and dry I felt.

“Thanks,” I said turning to look out at the rain. I couldn’t let her see my face. I wasn’t composed at all, having my all body instantly overtaken by another’s magic had sent my mind reeling in a direction it had never had before. The alicorn princess had had me at her mercy and even if her intentions and helpful and harmless, she had engaged in my entire being in her magic without warning and with an ease that was nauseating to think about.

“Ah, much better,” I heard the sigh of relief from behind me. She had repeated the same spell on herself I supposed. I heard her hoof steps behind me then draw closer, and then there she was sitting beside me.

“Sorry, about getting us soaked. Feeling better now?”

‘No.’

“Yes, thank you,” I answered. Then a thought crossed my mind and I decided to voice it. “If you could do that spell the whole time, why didn’t you just waterproof us all the way to the palace?”

“Well, honestly I thought about trying to stop the rain first, but that seemed like a rude thing to do to the pegasus. Then I thought about the water resistance spell, but I didn’t think you would like that one, considering I haven’t figured out how to make it not airtight.”

I shuddered. This mare was going to haunt my nightmares. “I appreciate the thought.” I looked over the empty, wet streets. “Well I suppose we didn’t really have anything too pressing to get back to.”

“Yes, I think you’re right.” I felt a hoof nudge my shoulder and perkier voice say “Now tell me about this Sky Dive, will Fluttershy be having a special somepony this Hearts and Hooves day?”

I choked on air, as if my body had indeed been engulfed in that airtight spell.

“Well, you know how these things-“

“Why Twilight Sparkle, what are you doing out in this dreary weather?” A charmingly smooth voice rang out.

I was rescued. I turned to see whom my savior was and had to look up and up into yellow eye with pupils the color of my own mane. A serpent-like body towered of me and an unbalanced, horned head looked down upon me, as giant paw gestured towards the princess and myself. I had never seen a Draconequus up close before. I had seen this one from a far once in the royal palace being led by Princess Celestia and a company of royal guards. I had also seen the twisted statue that he had been on days I wondered the royal gardens. I had, like most ponies, thought the statue was an artistic ponies depiction of chaos, and had been done based on the ancient stories of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna fighting a powerful creature that forced chaotic events into existence and sowed his very namesake into pony’s heart’s during the earliest days of Equestria.

“Discord,” I heard the purple alicorn say coolly beside me. Something in her tone told me she wasn’t too pleased to be seeing one of most powerful being in all of Equestria simply wandering through the rainy streets of Canterlot. And on this, I agreed with her, what was Discord doing out and about?

Twilight voiced my thoughts as she looked up into the creatures face she asked “Why are you out in this weather? You’re supposed to be accompanying Princess Luna to the Eastern areas tomorrow, should you not be with her getting ready?”

Discord gave a make look of taking offense and gesturing to himself with a talon appendage said, “Why dearest Twilight, it sounds like you don’t trust me. Don’t you remember I’m reformed now? I thought we were friends.” He gave a smile that reached everything but his ears. His tone wasn’t quite mocking, but it sounded more like the one I used to address Twilight than an actual friend.

‘Gee, that was a depressing thought, I need to really work on the way act to the Princess I was supposed to be advising.’

“I remember. I also know how hard it is for you to break your old habits. I’m still finding quills that want to write Dearest Celestia; today I learned the magic of picking my nose. That’s not even funny to a filly.”

I had to quickly hide my smile. “Not even remotely,” I agreed.

Suddenly the grey pony-like head was right in front of me and those red pupils were boring right into my eyes.

“And who are you?” The way he asked could send shivers down a pony’s spine. The very way each word seemed to be toned hinted that not only did he not care about your answer, but that it was entirely insignificant in all things that mattered. I wasn’t something important or even trivial to him. He wasn’t asking to get an answer, he was telling me I was inconsequential, no matter how I answered.

He already knew the answer, of course, which is why he had asked the way he had. He knew my single greatest weak point and my fear and had tried to play it to his advantage, and it worked.

I took a subconscious step backwards and was only aware that I was retreating when a feathery wing was pressed against my back.

“Crimson Barrel is my royal advisor, and you would do well to leave him be. He is the strongest unicorn in the entirety of Equestria and I’m sure capable of a proper reforming spell if he has to.”

I was?

“Is that so?” the Draconequus’s gaze had never left me. “Well I guess we’ll see how long he last then.” He pulled his head back from mine and letting out a slow laugh that seemed to express anything but the normal joy associated with a laugh. “After all the royal life can get quite stressful.”

“I’m sure he can handle it.” An even tone came from behind me and the feathered wing pushed harder against my back, as if to give me the reassurance that its owner truly believed what she was saying.

How pathetic was I to need to be rescued from my own insecurities?

“Yeah,” I chimed in weakly. Pathetic.

“We’ll see,” Discord laughed again. “Now if you’ll excuse me your highness, I have appointment with the Princess of the Night and her patience as of late has seemed to thin.” Turning towards the streets the he conjured an umbrella, opened it until it pointed the wrong way and was ruined, and strolled off at a leisurely pace around a the corner heading away from the palace where he had said he was going.

“That… happened,” I managed.

“Come on, I think we can make it to the palace. He gave me an idea.” Two umbrellas appeared before us wrapped in a purple aura.

“Did you just conjure those from nothing?” I asked unable to hide the hint of awe in my voice. This day had really thrown me off, and I had still not fully recovered from an encounter with a creature whose words could carry the force of a spell that could bring down a house.

“No, I don’t know if I can go against the laws of nature quite like Discord can. They were the potted plants by the wall over there.

I wrapped one of the umbrellas in the red glow of my own magic and opening stepped into the rain. The alicorn princess opening her umbrella stepped up beside me. “Well, it’s been an eventful day. Let’s get back to the palace shall we? I think there is something I need to research in the library.”

“Of course, Princess Twilight.” I said letting her take the lead. “And, thank you.”

I said trying to put my sincerest thanks, as well as an apology for my behavior to that point behind the simple words. I think she caught some of it as she replied, “It’s just an umbrella Crimson.”
‘If only.’ I thought falling in line behind her at a steady pace, ‘if only that was all you had done for me.’
…
“She’s already left?” The purple alicorn asked one of the unicorn guards in gleaming armor as she magically wrapped a towel around her still wet mane. “Yes, Princess Twilight. Princess Luna left for Fillydelphia before the storm started.” The guard finished handing the Princess a tissue he had stashed under the front of his armor. Being an alicorn princess apparently didn’t keep one from getting the sniffles when your hooves got cold and wet
The alicorn princess then pressed the tissue to her nose and gave it a blow that sounded closer to the that of ship sounding its horn as it arrives into port rather than something that could come from a pony’s nose. Even the guard’s stoic expression faltered when his eyes widened at the sound.
“Thank you,” the princess said offering the tissue back.
“That’s all right, my lady, you can keep it,” the guard said putting up a hoof to decline her offer.
“Oh, well then, thank you,” Twilight awkwardly held the tissue in her magic for a second now unsure of what to do with blown out rag. Giving a slight smile, I decided it was time for my ‘royal advisor’ duties to start. “Thank you, Sergeant,” I wrapped the tissue in my magic and began to step through the door. “Princess Twilight, did you still want to go the Royal Library?”
“Yes, of course!” she replied. “Thanks again,” she said to the guard now forgetting the previous moment of awkwardness at the thought of the giant rooms lined with books.
The guard returned to his post with a silent salute and I threw the tissue into a bin behind the door. ‘Well, if I’ve done one thing right today I guess it had to be something trivial.’ I thought with a small smirk as I fell into step behind the princess as she walked with upbeat stride towards her favorite destination in the entire palace.
“Sky Dive lives in Fillydelphia, right?” I heard as we walked down the same curtains and tapestries that had been there this morning and centuries before that. “Yes, Princess Twilight. He and I grew up together there.”
“That’s even better”, she said suddenly. I turned around and looked at the smiling alicorn and managed to only let a hint of my confusion into my voice as I asked, “Better for what?”
The young princess trotted up to me and still smiling began explaining her plan. “Well, I’ve never been as far east as Fillydelphia and as a Princess of Equestria, I thought it would be shameful for me to not have been somewhere as major as Fillydelphia in Equestria. But that alone seems like a very selfish reason to go, so I was also thinking that since Princess Luna will be there on official business, starting tomorrow we can go and see if she might need any royal assistance. Not to say that she can’t handle anything or anypony herself,” she quickly amended with a small smile, “but as a new princess, I think it would behoove me to take note of how she handles situations outside the view of the royal palace. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind me listening to her council, or even giving me a few notes. But, “ She turned her eyes toward me, and I could see we were coming to the ‘even better’ part involving Sky Dive and myself.
“But,” she continued, “It would be a shame to travel all that way and not take the time to visit some of the residents of the city itself. And what better way to do that than start with somepony I know who lives there. Or at least the pony that will be guiding me through his former hometown knows.”
‘It made enough since,’ I thought. Even if her logic was more or less based on how little she actually knew.
I was silent for a bit; we were nearing the library and I had to figure out the best way to explain things. She still had a slight smile, but I could see the longer we walked in silence the more her smile seemed to slip. ‘Why did it have to be Fillydelphia?’
“Princess Twilight, can I be honest with you,” I began as we rounded the last corner on her trip and were left in a high ceilinged hallway with multiple arching windows made of marble looking out over the green gardens of the Canterlot Castle. The library was two-doors down, near the center of hall, and a white-coated unicorn standing at attention was currently guarding its door. I stopped as we rounded the corner staying out of earshot. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust the guard, but I had no intention of letting my life story become a rumor in the castle, and all it took was one misheard fact by a guard that becomes just another pony after his shift, spreading misinformation.
I looked into the purple eyes of the alicorn princess and saw a touch of worry. “Fillydelphia, well, I don’t really consider it home,” I started with the truth, “I left for the Unicorn School of Magic as soon as I could, and that was the same time Sky Dive left for Flight School. Despite growing up there, nothing has ever made me happier than leaving behind that place. I know it should have significance to me that that’s where my blood is from, but I don’t have any family left there, except Sky Dive. And to be honest, I have never visited him. That being said, I don’t know if even he really wants to be there, or if he is only there for his work as a weather pony. So I ask of you princess, would you please reconsider going?” I finished, a little lamely as I turned my head towards the library door to see the guard pony still standing his post.
“Crimson?” Turning back I saw the look of concern that the Princess wore and began to feel a little ashamed of myself. ‘Why is the royal advisor, asking the princess to not do something simply, because he has issues letting go of the past?’ The thought stung.
“Okay,” she gave a small nod, the look of concern never leaving her eyes. She began turning towards the library and slowly trotting towards it. “If you think Fillydelphia, too far for a side visit, I’m sure we can meet some nice locals that live on the eastern side of Canterlot. I would like to know how the trade ponies are doing with the influx of apples this season. Besides, I’m sure Princess Luna has it all under control, and we might just get in the way of her visit.”
I began to follow slowly, a shameful relief spreading through me, for the second time today.
She approached the library door and the guard, broke his pose to open the great wooden door for the alicorn princess. I turned my face away for just a second, to let all the pain melt off it. Just a second so that, nopony would see the horror in my eyes as memories of crimson flames danced before them. Then I turned back, the pain and remorse gone, my face blank as a newborn’s flank. The guard continued to hold the door and I gave him a small nod of thanks as I passed into the library antechamber.
Twilight was over by a small wooden table, holding a quill within her magic. As she brought the quill, down on a page within a large book covered in the countless names of other ponies, that had passed through this hall to the library beyond she remarked, “Sunset Shimmer has been in here three times in the past two days. She’s starting to make us look like we weren’t even trying to study when we were in school.”
“Hmm,” I only gave a small noise of acknowledgement, my mind was everywhere, but on the mare that reminded too much of myself when I had met her. Like me, I knew the reason for her hard was because she also felt like she was being left behind, and hidden in the shadow of another pony. More and more, though, I felt the dark feelings of jealousy leave me as I followed the pony that would probably never be topped as Celestia’s crown pupil.
I wasn’t paying attention to that pupil though and nearly ran straight into her, as she stopped near the entrance to the library. “Umm, Princess Twilight?”
“Isn’t it amazing,” she answered not really asking my opinion, but stating her own. I looked around at the shelves upon shelves of scrolls and books. Some were in pristine condition and neatly organized, while others seemed to be a mess of papers, a victim of the students of the magic schools late night study sessions. Most of the grand windows were open and the giant, royal-purple curtains pulled back to let the light from the sun drift over the giant tomes that were so big they stood on their own pedestals.
The multiple hues of the books covers, created a sort of dull rainbow in the large space, and this often had the effect of making newcomers to the palace library spin around in place taking in the room till they were too dizzy to stand. I knew of a purple unicorn mare that had once spun around so fast she had turned green and very nearly got sick. Of course, I hadn’t fared much better, I had spun around and run straight into a giant globe of the world, causing it to spin wildly, and myself to end up on the ground, as it gave way under my hooves.
“It is at that,” I replied honestly, “but haven’t you been here hundreds of times? I’m actually sure that Twilight Sparkle counts for more than half the sign-ins in the library ledger.”
“I’m sure it’s not nearly that much,” she said waving a dismissive hoof. ‘I’d actually still make that bet if it ever came to a count,’ I thought to myself with a smirk.
“But,” she continued, “This place has just never really lost its wonder to me. Just to think of the infinite knowledge that is stored in this section alone. I could days in here just going through the books, and I have. It used to be all I did, and I barely have made a dent in this room alone. It’s just so much…”
“Well, you have time now, if you want to…” I began but stopped as the young princess turned her eyes toward me.
“I would love nothing more than to fall right back into that habit, to fall back into the embrace of knowledge and learning.” She looked away, towards the shelves for a second; almost regretfully she pulled her gaze away and back to me. “But, I know what that can do to a pony now. How it can keep somepony, from blossoming into their full potential, or for them to not realize the importance of other ponies around them. I never would have had my friends, had Princess Celestia not had the foresight to push me out of the library to Ponyville. I wouldn’t have discovered the magic of Friendship. And when I think of it like that, I wouldn’t have become the princess I am now thanks to that magic.” She finished somberly. Her voice had become quiet and her eyes seemed to glisten with a small bit of moisture, but she gave a small smile.
“And speaking of being a princess, I have royal duties to attend to now, as well. I can’t afford to spend all day and night in here alone.” She finally looked away towards the tomes and scrolls around the room.
‘The studious and knowledge hungry unicorn, I knew was still in there somewhere, but that was not the pony I was looking at now. I was looking at a Princess, and a pony that understood the nature of the world far better, than any of the ponies that spent day after day crowding these aisles. And I just couldn’t help myself.
“You don’t have to stay up here all alone, Princess.” I spoke in my most consulting tone possible. “As your royal advisor, I believe it is within my duty to accompany you as you seek knowledge to better yourself. Also, it I believe it is within my duties, to aid you in knowing when it is time to move on to the next appointment on your schedule.” I finished giving a smile to the purple alicorn that had turned towards me with a surprised look.
I stepped forward towards one of the chairs that had books piled atop and began levitating them out of the way. Suddenly the books fell to the floor with a loud bang that sounded like a canon compared to the previous quite in the room. My magic had slipped for the first time, in a very long time, and it was due to the two purple hooves suddenly wrapped around my shoulders.
“Thank you, Crimson,” I heard too close to my ear for comfort. As I gave a little squirm, the hooves released their grip.
“Too much?” a soft voice came from off to my side. I still hadn’t moved. I was utterly frozen in place.
“Just a bit,” I said trying to calm myself enough to keep the hairs of my mane from standing on end.
“Sorry… Umm, I’ll be over here in the history section if you need me.” I turned my head just in time to watch the purple tail of the mare disappear behind a shelf.
I gave a sigh, and began restacking the dropped books on a table nearby. Finally calming my nerves, I began my search for a book I knew I had once seen some time ago, but ignored because of its irrelevance to my studies.
As I searched, my mind drifted towards the encounter I had with the new princess. Magic of Friendship or not I still wasn’t sold. But still, I couldn’t give myself any reason to actually dislike her anymore. After all, the pony I had been, so jealous of was practically gone, replaced by one much kinder, happier, open, sharing, and true to others. I guess the future didn’t look as bitter as I had thought earlier this morning.
After, another minute of searching, I found the patchwork colored book I had been searching for. I levitated the book out and began walking it to the chair I had cleared. I noticed the book, looked not only older than some of the earliest books documenting the earlier periods of Equestrian history, but the patchwork that made the book appear to be a random collection of other books now seemed to be intentional and not the result of repairs to the cover as I had originally thought. ‘Makes a certain kind of sense, I suppose.’ I thought setting the book on a stand.
As I sat, in the chair opposite, I found myself thinking of Sky Dive in Fillydelphia. I was a little, depressed at how much of a coward I had been, and that I had not mustered the courage to visit my friend. But I knew if anypony understood, he would. Besides he was probably, busy with preparations for Princess Luna’s arrival with the rest of the weather team.
The thought of Sky Dive busy was enough to make me smile as I opened the book and turned to the first page. It read in slanted, sideways text, ‘The Chaos Theory.”

Author's Note

Well, this is it. As of this chapter Solar Empire vs New Lunar Republic will become a regularly posted story. I'd like to thank all of you that have taken the time to try out a story by a new author, and I hope to keep everybody interested in a story that has become one of my favorite parts of my week. Finally a big thank you to clydepony, for being both my editor and the one that encouraged me to start and continue this project.
With that, I'll see ya'll again on next week for Chapter 3.
P.S. If Google Docs messes up some of the formatting, I'll take it down and repost it with it fixed. Cheers!