Mistake

“You were a mistake.”

Twilight laughed.

“Um, Princess? The whole dramatic act is convincing and all, but I’ve read way too many books to know that it only works if what you’re saying actually...um...makes sense.”

She whipped her head around. “Are we on some kind of documentary? To study alicorns?”

“Twilight. Look at me.” Celestia put her hoof under Twilight’s chin and turned it towards herself.

“This isn’t a joke. You’re a mistake. And...and it’s all my fault.”

The day before…

“Spike? Could you reach that top book up there for me?”

The dragon nodded and proceeded up the ladder.

“Sure, Twi-burp- ‘scuz me. Oh, look, a teeny tiny note!”

Twilight narrowed her eyes and brought the letter to herself with magic. “Hmm. Well, it’s from the princess, all right.”

Dear Twilight,

Please come to Canterlot palace as soon as your are free. State your full name to the pegasus guard at the gate. He will give you further instructions.

Celestia

Twilight cocked her head. “Hmm. Sounds important. Spike, would you get my saddlebags, please? I’ll leave right now.”

“Sure Twilight!”

The alicorn gathered the small amount of items she took with her, some favorite books, notepad and quill, and her list binder. She lifted the bags from Spike with a thanks, and slipped everything inside. On her way out she grabbed her wallet and slid it neatly into a pocket.

“Take care, Spike! Keep the library clean and-oh!”

She jerked back. “Don’t let the CMC do any Crusading in the library! You remember what happened last time. I’ll send a letter if I’m not home by night!”

Spike waved as Twilight disappeared off the balcony.

“Scootaloo?!”

She grabbed the small dragon’s shoulder’s.

“Spike! I am so glad to see you. Where's Twilight? How fast can you fix books?!”

Spike groaned.

Twilight landed in front of the castle gates. She spotted a lone pegasus standing to the side.

“Excuse me. I'm Twilight Lilicia Sparkle.”

He stared. “Um...okay? Thank you for...telling me that. Now, I’m on break, so if I could just…”

Twilight happened to see another lone pegasus.

“Woops! Wrong guy! Eh he he he...Sorry!”

The guard shook his head and pulled out a sandwich. “Alicorns these days...wait. She was an alicorn?!”

Twilight grimaced. “Hi. Excuse me. I’m Princess Twilight Lilicia Sparkle, Princess Celestia told me you would show me somewhere?”

The guard, bored looked up and beckoned for her to follow.

Twilight looked at the walls around her. She didn't recognize it, and had never been in this part of the castle before.

“Excuse me. Where are we going, exactly?”

“Princess Celestia’s private chambers,” replied the bored guard.

Twilight came to an abrupt stop. “What?! But...that’s like...her room! We can’t go barging into her room!”

The guard looked back. “We won’t be barging. Princess Celestia sighed a note giving us permission.”

He held it out for her to see. It was indeed authentic.

“Fine. Let’s go. But I’m not going to be happy about it.” Twilight scowled.

“Not my job.”

“Knock.”

“What?!”  Twilight gaped. “You knock! You’re my escort!”

He shook his head. “I wasn’t given clearance.”

Twilight gulped. “O-okay. Thanks…”

She knocked softly on the large doors.

“Come in.”

The voice was solemn.

Celestia shifted from hoof to hoof. Luna put her wing around her sister.

“We were going to have to tell her eventually, you know.”

Celestia nodded. “I just wish...I wish it hadn't come so soon.

“You were a mistake.”

Twilight laughed.

“Um, Princess? The whole dramatic act is convincing and all, but I’ve read way too many books to know that it only works if what you’re saying actually...um...makes sense.”

She whipped her head around. “Are we on some kind of documentary? To study alicorns?”

“Twilight. Look at me.” Celestia put her hoof under Twilight’s chin and turned it towards herself.

“This isn’t a joke. You’re a mistake. And...and it’s all my fault.”

Twilight’s heart stopped. She was serious. “Wha-what do you mean?”

Celestia sighed and indicated the armchair identical to Luna and her’s. “Come, sit down. I promise I will explain everything.”

“Do you recall the story of how our world was created?”

Twilight nodded. “Faust was bored one day and created this world from within her own. Then she looked out her window and saw...uh...horses, and she created ponies!Then she saw other animals, and created more characters.”

Celestia nodded. “But what happened once they were created? Who ruled?”

Twilight racked her brain. She recognized her mentor’s most familiar method of teaching her something, and knew that she should know the answer to this question.

“Uh… Nopony, right? And they just went wild, and that’s how Discord started. He...sprung from the remnants of the creatures who had died in the chaos.”

“That’s correct. So there was a leadership, of sorts. But Faust continually battled with him, changing colors of coats and removing wings and horns-that’s how Earth ponies were created, you know, but that’s a discussion for another time- and so forth.”

“Yeah!” It was all coming back to her now. “And then Faust realized she would have to do something about him so she was feeling discouraged, and she went and talked to her friends and the realized that was the only way to defeat him! So she created the Elements with her friends help, you know, like Danny Elfman, Megan Mccarthy, and the like. And then she created you and your sister and-”

“And trained us, and gave us the Elements of Harmony to defeat him with. Sister, there is no point in delaying it.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Delaying...what, exactly?”

Celestia took a deep breath. “You see, there are some gaps. When Faust created the princesses, well, you see-”

“You were intended to be Queen.”

Celestia heaved, and put her head in her hooves and sobbed. Luna sat rigid, allowing herself no emotion.

Twilight wasn't faring much better. She leaned off the edge of the chair and emptied her daisy salad sandwich onto the floor. Nopony noticed.

Celestia peeked through her hooves, looking at Twilight. “I’m so sorry…”

She threw herself at Twilight. “I’m so sorry, big sister. You can’t believe how much I’ve missed you! I’m sorry, I’m just so, so, so sorry…”

Twilight stared at the seemingly untouchable alicorn slumped in her lap. Suddenly, all the words, all the information, it just melted away.

“It’s okay, Celestia.” She stroked her head and hugged her back. “Everything’s going to be okay.”