Love and Power: A New Dawn

Twilight's coronation was complete and it was time for her and her friends to head home. Before they left for the train station Twilight ran back up to Celestia and asked, "Your Majesty, what do I do if I am unsure as to what I am supposed to do in my new role? If I become really flustered can I come up and ask you for guidance?"

Celestia smiled and laughed, "Twilight, we are equals now! You don't have to refer to me as your Majesty anymore and yes anytime you feel the need to come see me and ask me for advice, you can come up here. I have confidence in you Twilight. I know you will do just fine."

Applejack shouted, "Twilight, not all of us can fly. The train leaves in five minutes, we need to get going."

Twilight smiled at Celestia before they headed to the train station. While they were waiting for the train Twilight looked a bit down. Rarity noticed this and asked, "What is wrong Twilight? I would think that you would be ecstatic having just been crowned princess."

Twilight replied, "I know I should be Rarity. I am just nervous as to how things are going to be now that I'm not Celestia's student anymore. I have been her student ever since I was a filly. I guess I am so used to being her student that I don't know how to act now that I'm not."

Rainbow Dash said, "You'll be alright Twilight. You have a lot of information right there in the library so I am guessing if you aren't sure what to do in a situation you can always do some research. Besides, we need to schedule a time to go flying! You need to work those wing muscles."

Twilight smiled and said, "I know Rainbow. I know you will help me with my flying but still, I feel like so much is expected of me and I don't want to disappoint the princess."

Spike interrupted, "Come on Twilight, you're not going to disappoint Celestia! Besides, she said you could go up there and ask her for guidance if you are unsure about what to do. Besides, if you are feeling really stressed you not only have me but you also have five awesome friends to talk to as well!"

Twilight started acting a bit more like herself and said, "You're right Spike. I have a huge support system in Ponyville and I know that if I need advice on how to interact with other dignitaries I can ask Mayor Mare what to do since she deals with other mayors all the time."

Very soon the train pulled into the station in Ponyville and Pinkie asked, "Princess Twilight, would you like to come to Sugarcube Corner? Mr. and Mrs. Cake know about you coming back and have a huge party planned for all of us!"

Twilight really didn't want to but she didn't want to disappoint anypony. She replied, "Sure, we can do that."

Pinkie said, "Well it isn't just going to be us, but everypony in town will be there!"

Twilight's jaw dropped open. She asked, "Everypony? As in everypony in town?"

Pinke replied excitedly, "Yep! Everypony in town! After all, you are our new princess and you are going to be expected to give a speech with everypony watching your every move!" Pinkie had a huge smile on her face as she asked, "Isn't that going to be so exciting?"

Twilight was looking really nervous and had broke into a cold sweat. She asked, "Do I have to give a speech?"

Fluttershy replied, "Well since you are a princess now everypony will be disappointed if you don't."

Rainbow added, "Besides, you have given speeches in front of everypony before. Remember when we were going to give that trophy to Applejack? You were more than ready to give a speech before you kept getting interrupted."

Twilight replied, "I know but that was to honor Applejack and I wasn't a sudden celebrity either. Everypony was going to be focused on Applejack, not me. This is going to be much different. I don't like the idea of being the center of attention."

Applejack patted Twilight on the back and said, "You'll be fine Twilight. Just pretend that this is an ordinary speech."

Twilight glared at her and replied, "That's easy for you to say. You're not suddenly a princess that everypony looks up to and expects to be perfect."

Finally they arrived at Sugarcube Corner and quite a crowd had already arrived. Mrs. Cake saw Twilight and ran up to her. She hugged her and said, "Welcome home your Majesty. I have so many wonderful treats ready for you! I hope you will like them!"

Twilight smiled and replied, "Mrs. Cake, you don't have to call me your Majesty. Just call me Twilight like you always have. It will make me feel more comfortable."

Twilight and her friends went inside to have some cake before her speech. Mr. Cake saw Twilight, bowed and said, "Here's Equestria's newest princess. I hope you are doing well your Majesty."

Twilight smiled and replied, "Mr. Cake, you don't have to bow when you see me and I would rather you just call me Twilight. I just don't feel comfortable when ponies address me by my new title. It just doesn't feel right."

Mrs. Cake brought out the cake they made for Twilight and her friends. Twilight used her magic to cut the cake and they enjoyed their dessert before her speech. Twilight's mane and tail began to get a bit messy the closer it came for her to go out and address the crowd. Rarity said, "Twilight, your mane and tail are a mess! You can't go out looking like that. Here, let me get a brush so I can make you look fabulous!"

Twilight had a very nervous look on her face while Rarity was fixing her mane and tail. Finally Twilight's mane and tail were back to normal. Fluttershy said, "Come on everypony, we need to go out and make sure we are in front so we can see Twilight the best."

Twilight's friends headed outside while Spike and Twilight waited until everypony was ready. Twilight asked, "Spike, what am I going to do if I get flustered and can't think of anything to say and everypony starts laughing at me and they chase me out of Ponyville?"

Spike replied, "Twilight they're not going to laugh at you or chase you out of Ponyville! Just remain calm and focused."

Five minutes later Twilight walked out and was greeted by an adoring crowd. She had a nervous smile on her face and said, "Uh, hi everypony. I hope you are all doing ok."

The crowd cheered loudly and said in unison, "WE LOVE YOU PRINCESS TWILIGHT!"

Twilight smiled and said, "I love all of you too! You guys don't have to call me princess or your Majesty or anything else formal. Just call me Twilight like you always have. I really don't feel comfortable being addressed in a formal manner."

The crowd began to cheer wildly knowing that Twilight was the same humble pony that she was before the coronation. Mayor Mare asked, "Twilight, why aren't you wearing your crown? I thought for sure you would be wearing it so everypony can see how glorious you look in it."

Twilight had a nervous smile on her face and said, "Well uh let me go get it and put it on."

Twilight rushed inside and put her crown on. She nervously went back outside and the crowd began to cheer. Mayor Mare said, "Wow Twilight, you look amazing in that crown!"

Twilight smiled and replied, "Well I am glad you think so. I just feel so nervous wearing it out in public. I just don't want anypony to think that I think that I am better than them."

Amethyst Star shouted, "Twilight, we would never think that. We know how you are. You are one of the humblest ponies I know."

The crowd shouted, "HERE, HERE!"

Twilight continued, "Well things won't change much around here. Mayor Mare will continue to oversee all matters here in town. Yeah I do have some say in the areas around Ponyville but I will probably be asking the mayor for advice on just about everything. I do want you all to know that I think of you as like family."

Twilight started to fake a bad case of coughs. Amethyst asked, "Twilight, are you ok?"

Between coughs Twilight replied, "No, I'm sorry but I have to go."

Twilight ran off stage and then teleported herself into the library. She was feeling very ancy, so ancy that she locked Spike out of the library. She was in the library biting her hooves then she began to cry. She cried, "Oh I wish I never would have had to come back. I'm under so much stress and I just want to be with Celestia so much."

While Twilight continued to cry back at the library the crowd was very concerned. Applejack addressed the crowd, "Don't y'all worry about Twilight. She just got a case of the coughs. We will go over and check on her."

They headed over to the library and knocked on the door. Spike asked, "Twilight, are you in there? We're all worried about you!"

Twilight cried, "Go away! I don't want to talk to anypony right now. I just want to be left alone tonight!"

Spike asked, "If she wants to be alone, where am I going to sleep?"

Applejack replied, "Don't you worry Spike. You can sleep over at the farm."

Rarity shouted, "Twilight dahling, are you sure you don't want to talk even for just a little bit?"

Twilight shouted back, "No! I don't think I can do all these public speeches, all of this other stuff. I just want some time alone."

Fluttershy said, "Ok Twilight. We will leave you alone."

While Twilight's friends headed home Twilight was up in her room wrapped in her blankets crying. She was sobbing, "I don't know if I can do this, I don't think I can handle all these public appearances, I just want things to be simple like they used to be."

Twilight was quickly wishing that she could have stayed in Canterlot with Celestia. Despite having been in Ponyville away from her for three years, she felt empty. She almost felt a need to have Celestia hold her. She grabbed a picture of Celestia she had and started to stare dreamily at it, almost like she was captivated by it.

While Twilight was becoming a nervous wreck in Ponyville, Celestia wasn't faring much better up in Canterlot. She was up much later than normal and was pacing back and forth in the throne room. Luna walked in and asked, "Big sister, what are you doing up so late? You need to get some rest so you won't oversleep and not get the sun raised on time."

Celestia replied, "I'm just worried about Twilight."

Luna asked, "Why? She seemed to be ok when she left."

Celestia replied, "Luna, didn't you see how she was when she left. She was even nervous about wearing her crown out in public. I am so worried that she will shut herself in her library. What if she needs me? Maybe I should go check on her."

Luna spread her wings wide and said, "Big sister, I know how Twilight is. Yes she is nervous but she isn't going to shut herself in. She isn't the same pony that you sent off to Ponyville. I am sure she will mingle just as much as ever."

Celestia began to tear up a bit. She said, "You're probably right little sister. I guess one part of me wishes that she were up here with me."

Luna rolled her eyes and asked, "Why? She has been in Ponyville for almost three years. You have been fine clear up until now. What's with the change?"

Celestia broke down and cried, "Luna, I know things like this you don't really understand but I just feel a connection with her. Since she is a princess now I feel an even closer connection to her. I just wish she could be up here with me."

Luna headed off to do a patrol of the Everfree Forest with Gray Wings, the captain of the Lunar Royal Guard. While they did this Celestia went to her room and began to stare intently at a picture of Twilight. She felt a warmth within her and began to dream about a day when Twilight would be living up at the palace again.