Ascensionby BlazzingInfernoChaptersGood Morning, PrincessHalf UnicornFamily MealsFeather MasteryLessons For A PrincessGood Morning, Princess“Help me! Please, somepony help me!” Cloud Walker could barely hear her own voice anymore. She’d shouted those words for what felt like hours. Now her dry throat could barely manage a whisper. She was floating in an endless blue void with only stars for light. There was no ground, no familiar constellations, and nopony else. Moving was impossible. Her wings were on fire from her attempts to fly. Her legs were numb from trying to gain purchase on the ground that just wasn’t there. “I just want to go home… just want to go home…” Something moved on the periphery of her vision, a glistening black thing. Was it another pony? A monster? She didn’t care. Being eaten or sent home held equal appeal. “Over here… come… come and get me… do something.” “My little pony, how did you get here?” Her bloodshot eyes slowly traveled up the figure in front of her. She saw silver shoes, a deep blue coat, and a black chest plate adorned with a white moon. The pony’s name was already forming on her lips by the time she saw her face. “Princess Luna?” A great wing wrapped around her trembling body and the princess’s horn began to glow. Luna was carrying her through the endless expanse. “Come, we must find my sister. There is much to discuss.” “I just want to go home, please just send me back.” Luna stared into her eyes. “Once you’ve ascended, there is no going back.” Cloud Walker rolled over in bed. It felt too early for the sun to be up. How many petitions had she signed to get daybreak push back an hour on weekends? She’d lost count. Oh well, no time to rest. Not in this town, at least. She didn’t want to open her eyes. If she did she wouldn’t see her comfortable one-room apartment. She wouldn’t even see the snug little cot she’d slept in her entire adult life. All of that was gone, perhaps forever. Reluctantly, she opened one eye. This room was a mansion. Crossing from one side to the other took thirty seconds, a good twenty five more than it needed to. Why waste all this space on a single bedroom? Nopony needed this, especially not her. Then there was the furniture. That dresser was simply too big. All her old clothes fit in the lower left drawer with room to spare. The rest were reserved for her new wardrobe, most of it picked by somepony else, and all of it completely unnecessary. A few outfits were enough for all her old day-to-day activities: one to wear, one to wash, and one for emergencies. The gargantuan bed was even worse; it felt bigger than the whole of her old apartment and far too soft. Four pillars stood at its corners and held up a colorful tapestry of a forest scene. It was by no means an unpleasant picture, but it did nothing to help her sleep. When she couldn’t reach either edge of the mattress in the middle of the night the last thing she wanted to do was look up and wonder why she was sleeping in the woods. “Curtains, that’s what I need. Where’s my notebook? Ugh.” The notebook was just where she’d left it, atop that giant dresser on the other side of the world. She rolled one, two, three times and finally reached the edge of the bed. After kicking her hooves free of the sheets and she started her sojourn across the room. She held her wings open as she walked. That did more to wake her up than an alarm clock or steaming cup of tea ever could. The wind in her feathers, however soft, was all she needed to get her blood moving. “There has to be a nice little broom closet that I could sleep in… enough room for few blankets, a bathroom down the hall…” She stopped, as she always did, at the full length mirror. Her white mane spilled over her yellow coat in a mess of tangles. Slowly, with a trembling hoof, she reached up above her forehead and touched the thing sprouting out of her head. Her horn felt cold and hard, a foreign and unwelcome addition to her lanky frame. “What if I sawed you off? Would I still be an alicorn? Would I die? Would I just get to go back home?” Better not write that in the notebook. If somepony else read it she’d never be left to her own devices again, or be allowed to handle a knife at the dinner table for that matter. Her gaze moved from her new appendage to the reflection of the window on the opposite wall. At last she’d found something familiar. She turned and started the half-minute walk from mirror to window. When she finally reached it she set her hooves on the sill and gazed into the sky. From here should could just barely see it; a large blob of clouds surrounded by free-flowing rainbows. She leaned forward until her horn touched the glass. “Good morning Cloudsdale, I miss you.” Knocking echoed across her cavernous bedroom, followed by her assistant’s voice. “Princess Cloud Walker, are you decent?” “Decent enough, Feather Quill, come on in.” One of the room’s double doors opened just wide enough for her assistant, a young and overeager unicorn, to slip through. Feather Quill had a big stack of paperwork floating next to her, just as she always did. Her jog from door to window ended in the deepest bow the floor would permit. “Good morning, Princess.” “Feather Quill, please. Call me Cloud Walker.” “Sorry Prin… I mean Cloud… actually I can’t do that, I’m sorry. Princess Celestia was very explicit that I always use your title when addressing you.” Cloud Walker rolled her eyes. “Of course she was. What am I late for, anyway?” “Late? Oh nothing at all. Your first appointment doesn’t start for another ten minutes.” “Ten minutes, great. Time enough to run a comb through my mane, maybe grab a snack… Oh, get my notebook off the dresser over there, will you?” “At once, Princess!” As expected, Feather Quill enveloped the requested notebook in an aura of blue magic and levitated it across the room. Cloud Walker held out a hoof to receive it. “I’ve got to get better with magic.” “I believe that’s your third appointment today, Princess.” “Magic lessons?” “Yes, with Princess Twilight Sparkle.” “Excellent. What comes before that?” “Let’s see…” While Feather Quill dove into her paperwork stack, Cloud Walker quickly perused her notebook. She slid the miniature quill out of the ring binding and jotted a fresh idea or two. “Curtains around bed… request smaller room or, barring that, bedside table with ink and quills.” Feather Quill resorted her papers and looked at her with a bright smile. “Would you like me to take notes for you?” “That won’t be necessary, I’ve been doing this for years. It’s turned into a comfort more than anything else. Did you you find my schedule?” A paper slid out of the stack and floated in front of her eyes. Even if she was serious about sawing off her horn she’d never find the time. The day was booked solid from daybreak to sunset. “Let’s start with this morning’s list: transition meeting with the new mayor of Cloudsdale, brunch with fellow princesses, magic lessons with Twilight… ‘How to be a Princess’?” Feather Quill’s smile faltered. “That’s uh… a tentative title. P-Princess Celestia said it would be appropriate enough.” “The lessons or their title?” “B-both, I think.” She returned to her notebook. “Commend Celestia on her sense of humor (sarcastic).” Her quill darted back at forth across the paper. Simply writing out a few notes, regardless of how absurd, felt wonderful. If she could just keep this up, keep up a few of her old routines like jotting things down as they came to her, she’d master her new place in the world in no time. “Princess?” “Just a minute, Feather Quill.” “That’s just it, you only have four minutes until your first appointment.” The notebook snapped closed. Cloud Walker looked at herself in the distant mirror. “Get me a comb, a brush, and something to eat!” Half UnicornCloud Walker marched down the hallway with Feather Quill in pursuit. Her golden shoes and royal dress left her feeling uncomfortable and ridiculous, just the opposite of the cool calm she’d need while she faced her successor. She pushed the door open before one of the nearby guards could open it for her. The conference room beyond was, thankfully, much smaller than her bedroom. Cloudsdale’s new mayor, Iron Wing, was seated at one end of the long table. All of the other chairs had been cleared away, save one. Cloud Walker’s seat, a grand jewel-studded affair, was situated at the opposite end of the table from her single guest. Iron Wing frowned at her and crossed his hooves. His grey coat and silver mane made him look like a storm cloud. “How kind of you to join me, Princess.” She ran her tongue over her teeth to check for remnants of her hurried breakfast, and then put on the best smile she could. “Mayor Iron Wing, I’m so glad that you’re here.” “You’re five minutes late. That isn’t the ever-punctual Cloud Walker that Cloudsdale voted into the mayor’s office. If this is how you treat those beneath your station then perhaps its better that I’m taking over the reigns.” Feather Quill, still standing in the doorway, let out a gasp. Cloud Walker could almost hear the bevy of reprimands and insults swirling inside her head. “Feather Quill?” “Yes, Princess?” She put a heavy emphasis on the second word. “Move my chair.” “What?” “Move it to the far end of the table, next to the mayor’s. Then leave us, please.” “Of course, Princess.” A few awkward moments later, she and the mayor were seated on either end of the table corner in an otherwise empty room. The look he was giving her was a familiar one, his own special blend displeasure and smugness. She knew this stallion, and she knew him well. “That, mayor Iron Wing, is how I treat all ponies; with individual attention and respect. Please extend me that same courtesy. I apologize for my lateness, the sheer number of new duties I have is taking some getting used to. I’m sure you’ve felt that same burden over the last week, what with being appointed mayor of Cloudsdale in my place, and on such short notice. Now let’s get this over with.” A hint of a smile crept onto his face. “That’s more like it. There’s a little pegasus left in you after all.” “I’m all pegasus, thank you. The horn is just for decoration. This is our last transition meeting before you’re on your own as the new mayor, what can I do for you?” “I’ll be fine, Cloud Walker. I’m twice your age, and I’ve seen more in my time than you could possibly imagine. I can handle Cloudsdale.” “Cloudsdale didn’t seem to think so in the last election. As I recall you lost to me by… what was it? Thirty percent?” “Twenty five. If you’re still trying to stand behind that old slogan of yours–” “A Pony Among Ponies was not just a slogan, and I don’t care if I was the youngest major in city history. I grew up in weather factory, and I still pride myself on knowing what the ponies of Cloudsdale really want and need.” “Is that so? Well what can you possibly tell me now that you’re not even living there anymore? Face it, Cloud Walker, these transition meetings are joke. The only reason I agreed to show up was to keep the pegasi happy when their favorite mayor suddenly traded the clouds for a castle.” She stomped a hoof on the ground. The sound echoed through the room and a cramp shot up her leg. “Enough. If you want to trade barbs, send me a postcard. Let’s just make the most of this. What are the most pressing concerns in the mayor’s office? It’s only been a week, I’m sure I can fill in some of the background information for you.” “Fine. Cloud production is stalling because the workers are lazy, everypony’s whining about the spring Wonderbolt flyoffs getting pushed back a week, and the cumulous apartment development is being protested. What do you have to say about all that, Princess?” She smiled. “Is that it?” “Are you going to fill me in or not?” “I shouldn’t need to, not if you’ve been paying attention.” The smug grin on his face faltered. “How do you mean?” “Like I said, I grew up on the weather factory floor. Cloud production isn’t stalled because the workers are lazy, they take immense pride in their work. The only thing they care more about is the thing that every pegasus cares about: the Wonderbolts. The biggest sporting event of the season just got pushed back a week, which means it occurs right in the middle of the spring storm cloud production rush; a quarter of the ponies in Cloudsdale are going to be working evening or night shifts, meaning they’ll miss the flyoffs completely. Production is slow because morale is shot. Either move the flyoffs back or declare a weather production holiday and things will be fine.” She smiled as he stared at her, slack jawed. “Would you like me to write any of that down?” “Hang on, I named three problems. You only hit the first two.” “Oh, the cumulous apartments? Scrap them. Tear down whatever’s been built already and restore the clouds to their natural state.” “What? Do you know how many bits have already been spent on–” “They were wasted, mayor. You don’t have to work in the weather factory to know how special that tract of clouds is. Why do you think it’s remained undeveloped for fifty years?” “…Well the expense of development–” “It's completely irrelevant. Those clouds have been sitting there, untouched, because nopony’s been arrogant and stupid enough to do anything with them. That’s the spot where Cloudsdale was actually founded; the fancy plaque in the city square is just kept there so tourists can see it while they check out the shopping district. This isn’t in the school books, but just go and talk to some teachers and grandparents about what they believe. That’s where they take their classes on field trips, and that’s where they drag their grandchildren on family outings. We pegasi are a proud bunch, and we’ll fight tooth and tail to keep our heritage alive. Besides…” She leaned closer and whispered. “It’d be a brilliant political move to lay all that out in a public speech and get the place declared a national park. Have one of your assistants send over the paperwork and I’ll push it through.” His face went blank as he considered her words. “Well then, it seems I owe you an apology.” “No, you don’t. I know I seem different, sitting in Canterlot castle looking like I’m half unicorn. Just relax and listen to your Cloudsdale ponies. They’ll tell you everything you ever need to know about how to govern them.” A smile spread across his face. “Tell that little assistant of yours that I kissed your shoe or something.” “Hah. She’ll love that, but please don’t. These things hurt like crazy.” Family MealsBrunch came just in time. Between her almost nonexistent breakfast, long walk in killer shoes, and the bravado she’d mustered for Iron Wing, she was ready to eat anything. Luckily for her, anything was precisely what she could request. By the time she strolled into the miniature banquet hall, all the other princesses were seated at the square table. The atmosphere was surprisingly laid back, considering that she was mingling with royalty. In this special room, deep within the castle, she was just another pony. There would be no bowing, no overt formalities, and no silly titles. Luna proved this by letting out a belch. Twilight giggled, Celestia tried not to. Cadence was the first to look away from the spectacle and see Cloud Walker approaching. “Good morning! How was your first meeting?” Cloud Walker kicked off her shoes and grinned. “Nothing I couldn’t handle.” “I knew you’d get the hang of this.” “Oh this one didn’t have anything to do with being a princess; I just needed a little old fashioned Cloudsdale diplomacy.” “Cloudsdale diplomacy?” “Insults, mostly.” The others chuckled. They thought she was joking. She found a seat at the table and looked over the array of delicacies that’d already been set out. More than anything she wanted something simple, like hay and eggs with a little spicy rainbow sauce. Her stomach insisted such a special request would take too long. Instead she slid over the nearest two plates, one filled with miniature sandwiches and the other with fruit tarts. Powdered sugar coated her nose as she snatched a tart from the top of the pile. One of her hooves reached up to steady the tiara on her head. If she wasn’t careful it’d land in her tea cup again. Celestia smiled at her. Somehow that pony managed to look regal even while working her way through a plate of celery stalks and tea cakes. “How did you sleep, Cloud Walker?” Awful. That’s what she wanted to say. She couldn’t though; not to Celestia, not even in this room where crowns were just funny hats. Being that flippant with the grand sovereign of Equestria went against everything she’d ever been taught. Her grade school teacher once gave her a week of detention for refusing to capitalize her title on a report. “It was… all right. I’m still not used to sleeping in such a big room, or being in one at all for that matter. I think the Cloudsdale weather factory is smaller.” “I’m sorry to hear that, I know the past week has been quite an adjustment. Twilight here should remember what it feels like more than either of us.” Twilight, now the second newest alicorn in the room, tensed up. Her cheeks were smeared with jam and her quick look around the room made it clear that she was more than a little self conscious about it in present company. “Oh, um, yes. I suppose I am.” “Care to compare notes during our magic lesson?” Twilight nodded while she wiped her face. “I’d love to.” Cadence jumped in next. “I know how you feel about home, this visit for your coronation has been wonderful but personally I can’t wait to see Shining Armor again.” Twilight smiled. “And I can’t wait to see my Ponyville friends. How’s Shining been doing, running the Crystal Empire by himself?” “Oh, he’s a natural! Why in his last letter he said…” Cloud Walker’s attention shifted. While Cadence went on about her husband’s forays into leadership she studied the room’s other occupants. She used to do this all the time, whether on the campaign trail or in the mayor’s office. Everypony said more with their body language than their voice, and a room full of princesses was no exception. She’d find her niche in this group, one way or another. The most obvious thing was magic. They all had a fork or cup floating next to them, if not several. She was the only one stooping to using her hooves or, worse still, dipping her face down to the plate to take a bite. Familiarity was a another easy one. A healthy rapport between the royal sisters was expected. What she hadn’t counted on was the worshipful gaze that Twilight seemed to have for everypony else here. In hindsight it made perfect sense: Cadence was her sister in law and former foal sitter, and she’d been Celestia’s personal student for years. Puzzling why she idolized Luna would have to wait, Cadence’s story was about to end on a joke. “…and he told the advisor ‘if my wife was here she’d throw you a parade, can you come back in a couple days?’” Everypony laughed, Cloud Walker included. Cadence earned it, especially for managing to mimic her husband’s voice. Cadence wiped a tear away. “Wow, did I get off track. Cloud Walker, what I meant to say is that we really understand how important a home is. I know we’ll all do whatever we can to make your new life as comfortable as possible.” Luna’s now empty mug of hot chocolate knocked against the table. Her morning shot of sugar left her a tad more boisterous than normal. “Well, I for one couldn’t be happier that a new princess is abiding with us in the castle. Before you know it we’ll have your chambers just how you like them. Perhaps a new set of furniture? Better wall hangings? I’ll gladly assist you after dinner, if you desire.” At least Luna’s choice of words was relatively modern. After her evening coffee she’d revert to language that hadn’t been spoken for a thousand years. Celestia tapped Luna on the shoulder with her wing. “Commendable dear sister, but I do believe that’s one of my tea cakes that you’re eating.” Luna stuck out her tongue. “I don’t suppose you’d like it back, would you?” Once again laughter filled the room. This time Cloud Walker’s contribution was forced. No amount of decorations or rearranging would solve the real problem. These other ponies were the real princesses. They were family. She was just a pegasus who’d taken a wrong turn and stumbled into their midst. Feather Mastery“Just concentrate on the feather, you’ll feel your horn start to tingle.” Sweat rolled down Cloud Walker’s face while Twilight looked on. She was hunched over a table, staring a white feather that absolutely refused to be levitated. “I’m focusing, I’m…” She felt it. She felt the tingle Twilight was talking about. It was like ants were crawling over her horn. “You can do it, Princess, you can do it!” She shut her eyes and focused on that feeling with all her might. Her legs tensed, her wings pressed against her sides, and her jaw clenched itself shut. She needed this. She just had to do it. Then she did. A bang shook the room as all her strength left her. She collapsed to the ground and panted. “How… how do you do this all the time? All that work just to move one little feather?” Twilight held out a hoof to help her up. “That was a good try, Princess, way better than my first attempts with magic.” Her eyebrows shot up. “Try? You mean I didn’t… I didn’t move the feather?” “Well… sort of.” She pushed herself up until her nose rose above the table’s edge. The feather had indeed moved. It’d moved in several directions at once. After one look at the fluffy carnage she sank back to the floor. “We need more than an hour each day to practice. Are you sure you have to go back to Ponyville tomorrow?” “I know you can do this, you just need to study the technique a bit more before we try application again.” “What technique? This is just a new muscle. I need to flex it until it’s stronger.” Once again Twilight helped her up. “Let’s sit down over here. I think you’ve got the wrong idea.” Cloud Walker dragged herself to a nearby couch and promptly collapsed again. “I hurt all over.” Twilight slid a chair over and fanned her with a wing. “I think that’s the root of the problem.” “The root of the problem is that I wasn’t born a unicorn. Flight is my talent, those are the muscles I’ve developed.” “Magic isn’t like wings, it doesn’t get stronger by pure repetition.” “Then what do you suggest?” Books began stacking themselves next to her. She skimmed the titles as they appeared and noticed that most were written in large block letters. “My First Magic Book, Beginning Horn Care, A Little Unicorn’s Guide to… are these foal’s books?” Twilight nodded. “Sorry, I couldn’t find any princess editions. All of the books on beginning magic are targeted at unicorn foals. It’s all good information though, plus they’re short so you can finish off a big stack of them in an afternoon.” “Can’t you just summarize it all for me?” “Hmm… Think of it this way: magic is like doing a word puzzle or a math problem, it’s something you train your brain to do. There’s some physical exertion involved, but nothing like what you’ve been doing. Now do you see why I brought you all these books?” She frowned and nodded. “Thank you, Princess Twilight. It’s an honor to be tutored by the Element of Magic, I’m sorry I’m such a terrible student.” “You’re not a terrible student, this is just a profoundly different subject! You don’t want to know how many times I crash landed when I first got my wings.” “Maybe I do, let’s change the subject for a bit.” “Sure. Want to compare notes, like we were talking about during brunch?” “Gladly. Why don’t you ask the first question? It’ll give me a moment to think.” Twilight tapped her hoof against her cheek for a moment. “Oh, I know. What was your ascension to an alicorn like? I bet the experience is so different when you start out as a pegasus. I didn’t even know that it was possible.” Cloud Walker shivered and shut her eyes. “Did I say something wrong? If it’s too personal just say so.” More like too painful. Still, if Twilight could be this chipper about it after a few years then comparing experiences might be useful. Maybe she’d missed something. “Could you tell me yours first?” “Of course. Many years ago Princess Celestia sent me to Ponyville to study the magic of friendship. I sent her letters and reports on my findings, and eventually she sent me the journal of a great unicorn magician named Star Swirl The Bearded. There was an unfinished spell in it, something that the Princess claimed I would be able to finish. I actually did a lot of damage in the process, but eventually I had an epiphany. I understood friendship’s role in magic so completely that I finished Star Swirl’s unfinished masterpiece. I created new magic. Then there was a brilliant white light and I found myself in a beautiful, starry sky… I’m sure the rest is familiar.” Cloud Walker blinked a tear away and shook her head. “Go on.” “I was afraid at first, but then I saw my teacher, Princess Celestia. We talked for a while, and she told me it was time for me to fulfill my destiny. I didn’t know what she meant, but deep in my heart I just knew everything was going to be just fine. I knew this was going to be a wonderful new experience.” Cloud Walker jumped off the couch and ran for the door. Tears gushed from her eyes and splattered on the floor. “I’m sorry Princess Twilight… I have to go.” “Princess? What’s wrong? What’d I say? I’m sorry!” Lessons For A PrincessThe bed was still too big, and she didn’t care. Even if she drenched one side with her tears she’d still have plenty of dry mattress left. Stupid oversized bed. Stupid giant room. Stupid princess horn. “Ssh.” Cloud Walker jumped up at the sound. Princess Celestia was standing next to her. She rubbed the the tears away and tried to look remotely presentable. “P–princess… I’m sorry I–” “You have nothing to apologize for, Cloud Walker, unlike myself.” “Please change me back.” “Hmm?” “Make me a pegasus again. I don’t belong here in all this splendor. I’m not worthy of being grafted into your family, I can’t even grasp basic magic. All I want is to serve the ponies in Cloudsdale, that’s where I belong.” Celestia hung her head and, to Cloud Walker’s great surprise, shed tears of her own. “I believe it’s almost time for our meeting. Shall we begin early?” “How to be a princess? I don’t think anything can help me. I don’t really want it to.” A white wing wrapped around her. “We shall see.” The room vanished. Cloud Walker’s heart started racing. They were back in her personal nightmare; the starry expanse that heralded her exile from the pegasi. “No, not here! Not here again! Please don’t leave me!” Celestia draped her neck over her shoulder. “I will never leave you. You have nothing to fear from this place, or from me. I’d hoped you’d be more acclimated to your new role before I brought you here, I see that that was yet another mistake on my part.” Cloud Walker’s legs and wings flailed around. “I can’t move, I can’t move…” “You can. You’re an alicorn and whether or not you have full control of it, there is great magic within you. Take a deep breath and then take one step.” She held her breath. How many years had she been on the campaign trail before getting elected? She could steady her nerves and take one tiny step. Deep breath. Calm. Move a hoof. Her hoof touched something. Something solid. She looked down and saw a pathway made of shimmering glass. She was standing at long last. “Where did that come from?” “From you. From your will and your magic.” “I don’t want magic. I don’t want to be an alicorn at all.” “Tell me about your ascension.” “Please don’t make me.” “Not the bad part. Tell me everything that led up to it.” “I… I was working late in my office. I was working on a revitalization project for downtown Cloudsdale, it was going to make so many ponies’ lives better. That’s what I loved about my job, taking care of them. For a moment I felt such a deep connection to all of them it’s like they were a part of me. I could feel their needs, their desires.” “And then?” “Then my office was filled with wind and light. All the paperwork went flying and… and…” “Ssh, you don’t need to go on.” “I do. Twilight told me about her ascension. You were there, she felt at peace, excited even… that’s why I know I don’t belong here. There’s no part of being a princess or an alicorn that I want, I just want to go back to my normal life. Can’t you take this gift away? Give it to somepony else.” “Cloud Walker, you misunderstand how this works. Again, that’s no fault of yours, it’s mine.” “Huh?” “I don’t hoof-pick ponies for ascension. Most of the time I see the potential in the young ones and attempt to guide them along the path, like I was able to do with Twilight. Ultimately, she unlocked the gift within herself.” “I did this?” “Yes, and I consider myself personally responsible for all the pain you’ve experienced as a result. In my near-constant focus on the unicorns I failed to see your meteoric rise among the pegasi. I haven’t seen a pegasus or earth pony ascend in over five hundred years.” Cloud Walker looked up at her and wiped away one of her tears. “Don’t cry for me. Wherever the fault lies I don’t need to see my beloved princess cry. Nopony does.” Celestia smiled. “I see our lessons have begun already.” “Excuse me?” “I think you misunderstood my purpose in these ‘princess lessons’, they aren’t for you. They’re for me and, in time, for the other princesses as well.” “What can all of you possibly learn from me?” “What does your cutie mark mean to you?” Cloud Walker frowned as she looked to her flank. Her pair of clouds being pierced by a ray of sunshine seemed like a cosmic joke now. “Well I thought it meant that my talent was pegasus leadership, that I’d see the rays of truth in Cloudsdale. Now that I’m an alicorn I don’t really know.” “I think you had it right all along, all except for your focus solely on pegasus leadership.” “I don’t see how I’m going to help anypony, sitting in a castle, eating brunch, sleeping in a giant room…” “I couldn’t agree more. Whether we care to admit it or not, the role of princesses in Equestria isn’t what it should be. No number of royal courts, speeches, or meet-and-greets is going to change the simple fact that we’re far removed from the ponies we serve; myself most of all. We’re disconnected from the day to day lives of our subjects, and I sincerely hope that you’re able to change that.” “Me?” “I can’t apologize enough for not seeing your potential sooner, but as I’ve grown to know you over the past week it’s become blindingly obvious. You’re more than a leader among ponies, you have an empathy and understanding that rivals anything I’ve ever seen. What Cloudsdale lost in a mayor I want Equestria to gain in a princess.” Cloud Walker stared down at the glass path they were standing on. She could see her reflection, horn and all. “You want me to be some sort of royal advisor.” “No. An advisor can only make suggestions. As you see things in Equestria that aren’t right, you will have the authority to change them for the better. There is no red tape and no politics. I only ask that we continue to meet, you and I, to discuss your approach and your new ideas. I want all of the other princesses to learn from you.” She was smiling now. She couldn’t help it. “I really could be a pony among ponies.” “If you choose to be. I won’t force this on you.” “Can I at least sleep in a smaller room?” Celestia laughed. “As you wish, Princess Cloud Walker.”
Good Morning, Princess“Help me! Please, somepony help me!” Cloud Walker could barely hear her own voice anymore. She’d shouted those words for what felt like hours. Now her dry throat could barely manage a whisper. She was floating in an endless blue void with only stars for light. There was no ground, no familiar constellations, and nopony else. Moving was impossible. Her wings were on fire from her attempts to fly. Her legs were numb from trying to gain purchase on the ground that just wasn’t there. “I just want to go home… just want to go home…” Something moved on the periphery of her vision, a glistening black thing. Was it another pony? A monster? She didn’t care. Being eaten or sent home held equal appeal. “Over here… come… come and get me… do something.” “My little pony, how did you get here?” Her bloodshot eyes slowly traveled up the figure in front of her. She saw silver shoes, a deep blue coat, and a black chest plate adorned with a white moon. The pony’s name was already forming on her lips by the time she saw her face. “Princess Luna?” A great wing wrapped around her trembling body and the princess’s horn began to glow. Luna was carrying her through the endless expanse. “Come, we must find my sister. There is much to discuss.” “I just want to go home, please just send me back.” Luna stared into her eyes. “Once you’ve ascended, there is no going back.” Cloud Walker rolled over in bed. It felt too early for the sun to be up. How many petitions had she signed to get daybreak push back an hour on weekends? She’d lost count. Oh well, no time to rest. Not in this town, at least. She didn’t want to open her eyes. If she did she wouldn’t see her comfortable one-room apartment. She wouldn’t even see the snug little cot she’d slept in her entire adult life. All of that was gone, perhaps forever. Reluctantly, she opened one eye. This room was a mansion. Crossing from one side to the other took thirty seconds, a good twenty five more than it needed to. Why waste all this space on a single bedroom? Nopony needed this, especially not her. Then there was the furniture. That dresser was simply too big. All her old clothes fit in the lower left drawer with room to spare. The rest were reserved for her new wardrobe, most of it picked by somepony else, and all of it completely unnecessary. A few outfits were enough for all her old day-to-day activities: one to wear, one to wash, and one for emergencies. The gargantuan bed was even worse; it felt bigger than the whole of her old apartment and far too soft. Four pillars stood at its corners and held up a colorful tapestry of a forest scene. It was by no means an unpleasant picture, but it did nothing to help her sleep. When she couldn’t reach either edge of the mattress in the middle of the night the last thing she wanted to do was look up and wonder why she was sleeping in the woods. “Curtains, that’s what I need. Where’s my notebook? Ugh.” The notebook was just where she’d left it, atop that giant dresser on the other side of the world. She rolled one, two, three times and finally reached the edge of the bed. After kicking her hooves free of the sheets and she started her sojourn across the room. She held her wings open as she walked. That did more to wake her up than an alarm clock or steaming cup of tea ever could. The wind in her feathers, however soft, was all she needed to get her blood moving. “There has to be a nice little broom closet that I could sleep in… enough room for few blankets, a bathroom down the hall…” She stopped, as she always did, at the full length mirror. Her white mane spilled over her yellow coat in a mess of tangles. Slowly, with a trembling hoof, she reached up above her forehead and touched the thing sprouting out of her head. Her horn felt cold and hard, a foreign and unwelcome addition to her lanky frame. “What if I sawed you off? Would I still be an alicorn? Would I die? Would I just get to go back home?” Better not write that in the notebook. If somepony else read it she’d never be left to her own devices again, or be allowed to handle a knife at the dinner table for that matter. Her gaze moved from her new appendage to the reflection of the window on the opposite wall. At last she’d found something familiar. She turned and started the half-minute walk from mirror to window. When she finally reached it she set her hooves on the sill and gazed into the sky. From here should could just barely see it; a large blob of clouds surrounded by free-flowing rainbows. She leaned forward until her horn touched the glass. “Good morning Cloudsdale, I miss you.” Knocking echoed across her cavernous bedroom, followed by her assistant’s voice. “Princess Cloud Walker, are you decent?” “Decent enough, Feather Quill, come on in.” One of the room’s double doors opened just wide enough for her assistant, a young and overeager unicorn, to slip through. Feather Quill had a big stack of paperwork floating next to her, just as she always did. Her jog from door to window ended in the deepest bow the floor would permit. “Good morning, Princess.” “Feather Quill, please. Call me Cloud Walker.” “Sorry Prin… I mean Cloud… actually I can’t do that, I’m sorry. Princess Celestia was very explicit that I always use your title when addressing you.” Cloud Walker rolled her eyes. “Of course she was. What am I late for, anyway?” “Late? Oh nothing at all. Your first appointment doesn’t start for another ten minutes.” “Ten minutes, great. Time enough to run a comb through my mane, maybe grab a snack… Oh, get my notebook off the dresser over there, will you?” “At once, Princess!” As expected, Feather Quill enveloped the requested notebook in an aura of blue magic and levitated it across the room. Cloud Walker held out a hoof to receive it. “I’ve got to get better with magic.” “I believe that’s your third appointment today, Princess.” “Magic lessons?” “Yes, with Princess Twilight Sparkle.” “Excellent. What comes before that?” “Let’s see…” While Feather Quill dove into her paperwork stack, Cloud Walker quickly perused her notebook. She slid the miniature quill out of the ring binding and jotted a fresh idea or two. “Curtains around bed… request smaller room or, barring that, bedside table with ink and quills.” Feather Quill resorted her papers and looked at her with a bright smile. “Would you like me to take notes for you?” “That won’t be necessary, I’ve been doing this for years. It’s turned into a comfort more than anything else. Did you you find my schedule?” A paper slid out of the stack and floated in front of her eyes. Even if she was serious about sawing off her horn she’d never find the time. The day was booked solid from daybreak to sunset. “Let’s start with this morning’s list: transition meeting with the new mayor of Cloudsdale, brunch with fellow princesses, magic lessons with Twilight… ‘How to be a Princess’?” Feather Quill’s smile faltered. “That’s uh… a tentative title. P-Princess Celestia said it would be appropriate enough.” “The lessons or their title?” “B-both, I think.” She returned to her notebook. “Commend Celestia on her sense of humor (sarcastic).” Her quill darted back at forth across the paper. Simply writing out a few notes, regardless of how absurd, felt wonderful. If she could just keep this up, keep up a few of her old routines like jotting things down as they came to her, she’d master her new place in the world in no time. “Princess?” “Just a minute, Feather Quill.” “That’s just it, you only have four minutes until your first appointment.” The notebook snapped closed. Cloud Walker looked at herself in the distant mirror. “Get me a comb, a brush, and something to eat!”
Half UnicornCloud Walker marched down the hallway with Feather Quill in pursuit. Her golden shoes and royal dress left her feeling uncomfortable and ridiculous, just the opposite of the cool calm she’d need while she faced her successor. She pushed the door open before one of the nearby guards could open it for her. The conference room beyond was, thankfully, much smaller than her bedroom. Cloudsdale’s new mayor, Iron Wing, was seated at one end of the long table. All of the other chairs had been cleared away, save one. Cloud Walker’s seat, a grand jewel-studded affair, was situated at the opposite end of the table from her single guest. Iron Wing frowned at her and crossed his hooves. His grey coat and silver mane made him look like a storm cloud. “How kind of you to join me, Princess.” She ran her tongue over her teeth to check for remnants of her hurried breakfast, and then put on the best smile she could. “Mayor Iron Wing, I’m so glad that you’re here.” “You’re five minutes late. That isn’t the ever-punctual Cloud Walker that Cloudsdale voted into the mayor’s office. If this is how you treat those beneath your station then perhaps its better that I’m taking over the reigns.” Feather Quill, still standing in the doorway, let out a gasp. Cloud Walker could almost hear the bevy of reprimands and insults swirling inside her head. “Feather Quill?” “Yes, Princess?” She put a heavy emphasis on the second word. “Move my chair.” “What?” “Move it to the far end of the table, next to the mayor’s. Then leave us, please.” “Of course, Princess.” A few awkward moments later, she and the mayor were seated on either end of the table corner in an otherwise empty room. The look he was giving her was a familiar one, his own special blend displeasure and smugness. She knew this stallion, and she knew him well. “That, mayor Iron Wing, is how I treat all ponies; with individual attention and respect. Please extend me that same courtesy. I apologize for my lateness, the sheer number of new duties I have is taking some getting used to. I’m sure you’ve felt that same burden over the last week, what with being appointed mayor of Cloudsdale in my place, and on such short notice. Now let’s get this over with.” A hint of a smile crept onto his face. “That’s more like it. There’s a little pegasus left in you after all.” “I’m all pegasus, thank you. The horn is just for decoration. This is our last transition meeting before you’re on your own as the new mayor, what can I do for you?” “I’ll be fine, Cloud Walker. I’m twice your age, and I’ve seen more in my time than you could possibly imagine. I can handle Cloudsdale.” “Cloudsdale didn’t seem to think so in the last election. As I recall you lost to me by… what was it? Thirty percent?” “Twenty five. If you’re still trying to stand behind that old slogan of yours–” “A Pony Among Ponies was not just a slogan, and I don’t care if I was the youngest major in city history. I grew up in weather factory, and I still pride myself on knowing what the ponies of Cloudsdale really want and need.” “Is that so? Well what can you possibly tell me now that you’re not even living there anymore? Face it, Cloud Walker, these transition meetings are joke. The only reason I agreed to show up was to keep the pegasi happy when their favorite mayor suddenly traded the clouds for a castle.” She stomped a hoof on the ground. The sound echoed through the room and a cramp shot up her leg. “Enough. If you want to trade barbs, send me a postcard. Let’s just make the most of this. What are the most pressing concerns in the mayor’s office? It’s only been a week, I’m sure I can fill in some of the background information for you.” “Fine. Cloud production is stalling because the workers are lazy, everypony’s whining about the spring Wonderbolt flyoffs getting pushed back a week, and the cumulous apartment development is being protested. What do you have to say about all that, Princess?” She smiled. “Is that it?” “Are you going to fill me in or not?” “I shouldn’t need to, not if you’ve been paying attention.” The smug grin on his face faltered. “How do you mean?” “Like I said, I grew up on the weather factory floor. Cloud production isn’t stalled because the workers are lazy, they take immense pride in their work. The only thing they care more about is the thing that every pegasus cares about: the Wonderbolts. The biggest sporting event of the season just got pushed back a week, which means it occurs right in the middle of the spring storm cloud production rush; a quarter of the ponies in Cloudsdale are going to be working evening or night shifts, meaning they’ll miss the flyoffs completely. Production is slow because morale is shot. Either move the flyoffs back or declare a weather production holiday and things will be fine.” She smiled as he stared at her, slack jawed. “Would you like me to write any of that down?” “Hang on, I named three problems. You only hit the first two.” “Oh, the cumulous apartments? Scrap them. Tear down whatever’s been built already and restore the clouds to their natural state.” “What? Do you know how many bits have already been spent on–” “They were wasted, mayor. You don’t have to work in the weather factory to know how special that tract of clouds is. Why do you think it’s remained undeveloped for fifty years?” “…Well the expense of development–” “It's completely irrelevant. Those clouds have been sitting there, untouched, because nopony’s been arrogant and stupid enough to do anything with them. That’s the spot where Cloudsdale was actually founded; the fancy plaque in the city square is just kept there so tourists can see it while they check out the shopping district. This isn’t in the school books, but just go and talk to some teachers and grandparents about what they believe. That’s where they take their classes on field trips, and that’s where they drag their grandchildren on family outings. We pegasi are a proud bunch, and we’ll fight tooth and tail to keep our heritage alive. Besides…” She leaned closer and whispered. “It’d be a brilliant political move to lay all that out in a public speech and get the place declared a national park. Have one of your assistants send over the paperwork and I’ll push it through.” His face went blank as he considered her words. “Well then, it seems I owe you an apology.” “No, you don’t. I know I seem different, sitting in Canterlot castle looking like I’m half unicorn. Just relax and listen to your Cloudsdale ponies. They’ll tell you everything you ever need to know about how to govern them.” A smile spread across his face. “Tell that little assistant of yours that I kissed your shoe or something.” “Hah. She’ll love that, but please don’t. These things hurt like crazy.”
Family MealsBrunch came just in time. Between her almost nonexistent breakfast, long walk in killer shoes, and the bravado she’d mustered for Iron Wing, she was ready to eat anything. Luckily for her, anything was precisely what she could request. By the time she strolled into the miniature banquet hall, all the other princesses were seated at the square table. The atmosphere was surprisingly laid back, considering that she was mingling with royalty. In this special room, deep within the castle, she was just another pony. There would be no bowing, no overt formalities, and no silly titles. Luna proved this by letting out a belch. Twilight giggled, Celestia tried not to. Cadence was the first to look away from the spectacle and see Cloud Walker approaching. “Good morning! How was your first meeting?” Cloud Walker kicked off her shoes and grinned. “Nothing I couldn’t handle.” “I knew you’d get the hang of this.” “Oh this one didn’t have anything to do with being a princess; I just needed a little old fashioned Cloudsdale diplomacy.” “Cloudsdale diplomacy?” “Insults, mostly.” The others chuckled. They thought she was joking. She found a seat at the table and looked over the array of delicacies that’d already been set out. More than anything she wanted something simple, like hay and eggs with a little spicy rainbow sauce. Her stomach insisted such a special request would take too long. Instead she slid over the nearest two plates, one filled with miniature sandwiches and the other with fruit tarts. Powdered sugar coated her nose as she snatched a tart from the top of the pile. One of her hooves reached up to steady the tiara on her head. If she wasn’t careful it’d land in her tea cup again. Celestia smiled at her. Somehow that pony managed to look regal even while working her way through a plate of celery stalks and tea cakes. “How did you sleep, Cloud Walker?” Awful. That’s what she wanted to say. She couldn’t though; not to Celestia, not even in this room where crowns were just funny hats. Being that flippant with the grand sovereign of Equestria went against everything she’d ever been taught. Her grade school teacher once gave her a week of detention for refusing to capitalize her title on a report. “It was… all right. I’m still not used to sleeping in such a big room, or being in one at all for that matter. I think the Cloudsdale weather factory is smaller.” “I’m sorry to hear that, I know the past week has been quite an adjustment. Twilight here should remember what it feels like more than either of us.” Twilight, now the second newest alicorn in the room, tensed up. Her cheeks were smeared with jam and her quick look around the room made it clear that she was more than a little self conscious about it in present company. “Oh, um, yes. I suppose I am.” “Care to compare notes during our magic lesson?” Twilight nodded while she wiped her face. “I’d love to.” Cadence jumped in next. “I know how you feel about home, this visit for your coronation has been wonderful but personally I can’t wait to see Shining Armor again.” Twilight smiled. “And I can’t wait to see my Ponyville friends. How’s Shining been doing, running the Crystal Empire by himself?” “Oh, he’s a natural! Why in his last letter he said…” Cloud Walker’s attention shifted. While Cadence went on about her husband’s forays into leadership she studied the room’s other occupants. She used to do this all the time, whether on the campaign trail or in the mayor’s office. Everypony said more with their body language than their voice, and a room full of princesses was no exception. She’d find her niche in this group, one way or another. The most obvious thing was magic. They all had a fork or cup floating next to them, if not several. She was the only one stooping to using her hooves or, worse still, dipping her face down to the plate to take a bite. Familiarity was a another easy one. A healthy rapport between the royal sisters was expected. What she hadn’t counted on was the worshipful gaze that Twilight seemed to have for everypony else here. In hindsight it made perfect sense: Cadence was her sister in law and former foal sitter, and she’d been Celestia’s personal student for years. Puzzling why she idolized Luna would have to wait, Cadence’s story was about to end on a joke. “…and he told the advisor ‘if my wife was here she’d throw you a parade, can you come back in a couple days?’” Everypony laughed, Cloud Walker included. Cadence earned it, especially for managing to mimic her husband’s voice. Cadence wiped a tear away. “Wow, did I get off track. Cloud Walker, what I meant to say is that we really understand how important a home is. I know we’ll all do whatever we can to make your new life as comfortable as possible.” Luna’s now empty mug of hot chocolate knocked against the table. Her morning shot of sugar left her a tad more boisterous than normal. “Well, I for one couldn’t be happier that a new princess is abiding with us in the castle. Before you know it we’ll have your chambers just how you like them. Perhaps a new set of furniture? Better wall hangings? I’ll gladly assist you after dinner, if you desire.” At least Luna’s choice of words was relatively modern. After her evening coffee she’d revert to language that hadn’t been spoken for a thousand years. Celestia tapped Luna on the shoulder with her wing. “Commendable dear sister, but I do believe that’s one of my tea cakes that you’re eating.” Luna stuck out her tongue. “I don’t suppose you’d like it back, would you?” Once again laughter filled the room. This time Cloud Walker’s contribution was forced. No amount of decorations or rearranging would solve the real problem. These other ponies were the real princesses. They were family. She was just a pegasus who’d taken a wrong turn and stumbled into their midst.
Feather Mastery“Just concentrate on the feather, you’ll feel your horn start to tingle.” Sweat rolled down Cloud Walker’s face while Twilight looked on. She was hunched over a table, staring a white feather that absolutely refused to be levitated. “I’m focusing, I’m…” She felt it. She felt the tingle Twilight was talking about. It was like ants were crawling over her horn. “You can do it, Princess, you can do it!” She shut her eyes and focused on that feeling with all her might. Her legs tensed, her wings pressed against her sides, and her jaw clenched itself shut. She needed this. She just had to do it. Then she did. A bang shook the room as all her strength left her. She collapsed to the ground and panted. “How… how do you do this all the time? All that work just to move one little feather?” Twilight held out a hoof to help her up. “That was a good try, Princess, way better than my first attempts with magic.” Her eyebrows shot up. “Try? You mean I didn’t… I didn’t move the feather?” “Well… sort of.” She pushed herself up until her nose rose above the table’s edge. The feather had indeed moved. It’d moved in several directions at once. After one look at the fluffy carnage she sank back to the floor. “We need more than an hour each day to practice. Are you sure you have to go back to Ponyville tomorrow?” “I know you can do this, you just need to study the technique a bit more before we try application again.” “What technique? This is just a new muscle. I need to flex it until it’s stronger.” Once again Twilight helped her up. “Let’s sit down over here. I think you’ve got the wrong idea.” Cloud Walker dragged herself to a nearby couch and promptly collapsed again. “I hurt all over.” Twilight slid a chair over and fanned her with a wing. “I think that’s the root of the problem.” “The root of the problem is that I wasn’t born a unicorn. Flight is my talent, those are the muscles I’ve developed.” “Magic isn’t like wings, it doesn’t get stronger by pure repetition.” “Then what do you suggest?” Books began stacking themselves next to her. She skimmed the titles as they appeared and noticed that most were written in large block letters. “My First Magic Book, Beginning Horn Care, A Little Unicorn’s Guide to… are these foal’s books?” Twilight nodded. “Sorry, I couldn’t find any princess editions. All of the books on beginning magic are targeted at unicorn foals. It’s all good information though, plus they’re short so you can finish off a big stack of them in an afternoon.” “Can’t you just summarize it all for me?” “Hmm… Think of it this way: magic is like doing a word puzzle or a math problem, it’s something you train your brain to do. There’s some physical exertion involved, but nothing like what you’ve been doing. Now do you see why I brought you all these books?” She frowned and nodded. “Thank you, Princess Twilight. It’s an honor to be tutored by the Element of Magic, I’m sorry I’m such a terrible student.” “You’re not a terrible student, this is just a profoundly different subject! You don’t want to know how many times I crash landed when I first got my wings.” “Maybe I do, let’s change the subject for a bit.” “Sure. Want to compare notes, like we were talking about during brunch?” “Gladly. Why don’t you ask the first question? It’ll give me a moment to think.” Twilight tapped her hoof against her cheek for a moment. “Oh, I know. What was your ascension to an alicorn like? I bet the experience is so different when you start out as a pegasus. I didn’t even know that it was possible.” Cloud Walker shivered and shut her eyes. “Did I say something wrong? If it’s too personal just say so.” More like too painful. Still, if Twilight could be this chipper about it after a few years then comparing experiences might be useful. Maybe she’d missed something. “Could you tell me yours first?” “Of course. Many years ago Princess Celestia sent me to Ponyville to study the magic of friendship. I sent her letters and reports on my findings, and eventually she sent me the journal of a great unicorn magician named Star Swirl The Bearded. There was an unfinished spell in it, something that the Princess claimed I would be able to finish. I actually did a lot of damage in the process, but eventually I had an epiphany. I understood friendship’s role in magic so completely that I finished Star Swirl’s unfinished masterpiece. I created new magic. Then there was a brilliant white light and I found myself in a beautiful, starry sky… I’m sure the rest is familiar.” Cloud Walker blinked a tear away and shook her head. “Go on.” “I was afraid at first, but then I saw my teacher, Princess Celestia. We talked for a while, and she told me it was time for me to fulfill my destiny. I didn’t know what she meant, but deep in my heart I just knew everything was going to be just fine. I knew this was going to be a wonderful new experience.” Cloud Walker jumped off the couch and ran for the door. Tears gushed from her eyes and splattered on the floor. “I’m sorry Princess Twilight… I have to go.” “Princess? What’s wrong? What’d I say? I’m sorry!”
Lessons For A PrincessThe bed was still too big, and she didn’t care. Even if she drenched one side with her tears she’d still have plenty of dry mattress left. Stupid oversized bed. Stupid giant room. Stupid princess horn. “Ssh.” Cloud Walker jumped up at the sound. Princess Celestia was standing next to her. She rubbed the the tears away and tried to look remotely presentable. “P–princess… I’m sorry I–” “You have nothing to apologize for, Cloud Walker, unlike myself.” “Please change me back.” “Hmm?” “Make me a pegasus again. I don’t belong here in all this splendor. I’m not worthy of being grafted into your family, I can’t even grasp basic magic. All I want is to serve the ponies in Cloudsdale, that’s where I belong.” Celestia hung her head and, to Cloud Walker’s great surprise, shed tears of her own. “I believe it’s almost time for our meeting. Shall we begin early?” “How to be a princess? I don’t think anything can help me. I don’t really want it to.” A white wing wrapped around her. “We shall see.” The room vanished. Cloud Walker’s heart started racing. They were back in her personal nightmare; the starry expanse that heralded her exile from the pegasi. “No, not here! Not here again! Please don’t leave me!” Celestia draped her neck over her shoulder. “I will never leave you. You have nothing to fear from this place, or from me. I’d hoped you’d be more acclimated to your new role before I brought you here, I see that that was yet another mistake on my part.” Cloud Walker’s legs and wings flailed around. “I can’t move, I can’t move…” “You can. You’re an alicorn and whether or not you have full control of it, there is great magic within you. Take a deep breath and then take one step.” She held her breath. How many years had she been on the campaign trail before getting elected? She could steady her nerves and take one tiny step. Deep breath. Calm. Move a hoof. Her hoof touched something. Something solid. She looked down and saw a pathway made of shimmering glass. She was standing at long last. “Where did that come from?” “From you. From your will and your magic.” “I don’t want magic. I don’t want to be an alicorn at all.” “Tell me about your ascension.” “Please don’t make me.” “Not the bad part. Tell me everything that led up to it.” “I… I was working late in my office. I was working on a revitalization project for downtown Cloudsdale, it was going to make so many ponies’ lives better. That’s what I loved about my job, taking care of them. For a moment I felt such a deep connection to all of them it’s like they were a part of me. I could feel their needs, their desires.” “And then?” “Then my office was filled with wind and light. All the paperwork went flying and… and…” “Ssh, you don’t need to go on.” “I do. Twilight told me about her ascension. You were there, she felt at peace, excited even… that’s why I know I don’t belong here. There’s no part of being a princess or an alicorn that I want, I just want to go back to my normal life. Can’t you take this gift away? Give it to somepony else.” “Cloud Walker, you misunderstand how this works. Again, that’s no fault of yours, it’s mine.” “Huh?” “I don’t hoof-pick ponies for ascension. Most of the time I see the potential in the young ones and attempt to guide them along the path, like I was able to do with Twilight. Ultimately, she unlocked the gift within herself.” “I did this?” “Yes, and I consider myself personally responsible for all the pain you’ve experienced as a result. In my near-constant focus on the unicorns I failed to see your meteoric rise among the pegasi. I haven’t seen a pegasus or earth pony ascend in over five hundred years.” Cloud Walker looked up at her and wiped away one of her tears. “Don’t cry for me. Wherever the fault lies I don’t need to see my beloved princess cry. Nopony does.” Celestia smiled. “I see our lessons have begun already.” “Excuse me?” “I think you misunderstood my purpose in these ‘princess lessons’, they aren’t for you. They’re for me and, in time, for the other princesses as well.” “What can all of you possibly learn from me?” “What does your cutie mark mean to you?” Cloud Walker frowned as she looked to her flank. Her pair of clouds being pierced by a ray of sunshine seemed like a cosmic joke now. “Well I thought it meant that my talent was pegasus leadership, that I’d see the rays of truth in Cloudsdale. Now that I’m an alicorn I don’t really know.” “I think you had it right all along, all except for your focus solely on pegasus leadership.” “I don’t see how I’m going to help anypony, sitting in a castle, eating brunch, sleeping in a giant room…” “I couldn’t agree more. Whether we care to admit it or not, the role of princesses in Equestria isn’t what it should be. No number of royal courts, speeches, or meet-and-greets is going to change the simple fact that we’re far removed from the ponies we serve; myself most of all. We’re disconnected from the day to day lives of our subjects, and I sincerely hope that you’re able to change that.” “Me?” “I can’t apologize enough for not seeing your potential sooner, but as I’ve grown to know you over the past week it’s become blindingly obvious. You’re more than a leader among ponies, you have an empathy and understanding that rivals anything I’ve ever seen. What Cloudsdale lost in a mayor I want Equestria to gain in a princess.” Cloud Walker stared down at the glass path they were standing on. She could see her reflection, horn and all. “You want me to be some sort of royal advisor.” “No. An advisor can only make suggestions. As you see things in Equestria that aren’t right, you will have the authority to change them for the better. There is no red tape and no politics. I only ask that we continue to meet, you and I, to discuss your approach and your new ideas. I want all of the other princesses to learn from you.” She was smiling now. She couldn’t help it. “I really could be a pony among ponies.” “If you choose to be. I won’t force this on you.” “Can I at least sleep in a smaller room?” Celestia laughed. “As you wish, Princess Cloud Walker.”
