Twilight Sparkle and Eclipse Touch Uncover Secrets That Should Have Never Been

Twilight watched as Eclipse Touch filled out a complex looking formula on the chalkboard before finally saying in a genuinely apologetic voice, “I'm sorry for intruding into your dreams, I shouldn't have use that spell without your permission.”

“I'm not mad at you for that, a little hurt,” said Eclipse Touch, “but I could never be mad at you, you've given me so much, as have your friends...” Eclipse touch dropped the chalk on floor where it broke in two and started crying and between sobs said, “yluu are sluch a good plony mly glust willsh yluu hladn't vliolated mly dweems, yluu r slow mulch bletter floor aplogizing floor iilt.”

“I noticed somepony else watching from out of reach.”

Eclipse Touch made a few sniffles before saying, “it was probably Dream, I kept her out of my dreams for so long.”

“sometimes in my eagerness to try a new spell I forget common decencies, and for the violation of your trust that caused I'm once again sorry.”

“You've been apologizing for that since I woke up 5 hours ago,” said Eclipse Touch, “I would have forgiven you even I had found out some other way, that's how much I respect you.”

“And the only thing I've done to earn even a small fraction of that respect is give you respect I thought you needed,” said Twilight.

Just as Eclipse Touch was about to go into another exposition about how she saw Twilight as more than an instructor when the door cracked open and Applejack trotted in with a small case of red apples and said, “howdy y'all,” took a look at chalkboard and said, “woo, boy howdy you two er made fer each other, I haven' the the faintest clue what dat's even supposed to be about. Ah brought ya some fresh bucked apples Twi.” Then set the crate down next to the the desk that Twilight was standing next to.

“Thanks AJ, that equation is supposed to help explain why Bridleton's social elite would persist in lying about Equestria, and why no commercially available world maps than newer than 3200 years ago are circulated. It's like they never want anypony to leave their oppressive kingdom.”

“Or think there's a working system better than what Bridleton has,” said Eclipse Touch.

“What we need is more information for everypony to work with,” said Applejack, “you 2 er overthinkin' this thing withou’ other ponies to bounce this sorta thing off of.”

“I suppose you're right AJ,” said Twilight, “so Eclipse, is there anything else about Bridleton we should know?”

“I suppose I should talk about griffons and hippogriffs,” said the filly.

“hippo-whats?” inquired both Twilight and Applejack in sync.

“Hippogriffs, they're a cross between a griffon and a pony. I've never met one myself, but Storm Walker said he was good friends with a hippogriff named Snow Feather.”

“She has a pretty name,” said Applejack “I'm sure Dash would like ta meet her.”

“Actually I don't know if Snow Feather is a mare or a stallion, we've never really met,” said Eclipse Touch.

“So, you have griffons in Bridleton,” said Twilight, “what's that like? We don't really see griffons all that often around these parts.”

“Most of the unicorn nobility have a general disdain for griffons, and if a hippogriff is confirmed to be part of staff for any reason the nobility don't want to have anything to do with that house.”

“They seem to take their superiority thing a bit too far,” said Twilight, “somepony needs to shake their pedestal and see how well they can keep on it.”

“I took one look at the pedestal they wanted me to climb on and decided to jump off of it when they weren't looking, they've been trying to get me back on it ever since,” said Eclipse Touch.

“Now that's what I call a smart girl,” said Applejack, “you would prefer to climb the ladder instead of stand on a platform.”

“Yes, I would,” said Eclipse Touch, “I've always wanted to get places on my own merits, not placed somewhere because of where I come from or who I know. I may have been born in Bridleton, but my heart and soul have always told me I was of here. I'm surprised Princess Celestia was so willing to do any of this for my siblings and me.”

“The Princess has always been a kind and gentle ruler, she's not willing to take serious action if there's no proof that such action is needed or required,” said Twilight.

“And you gave a sweet sentiment sugarcube,” said Applejack, “that's the kind ah sentiment we Apples are always proud to hear.”

“The same goes for me,” said Twilight, “It's only been a few days and you're already further along in your studies than I ever was. Thanks for dropping off the shipment AJ, see you again soon.”

“You know it sugarcube,” said Applejack as she took her leave.

After taking a few minutes to watch Applejack leave Twilight said, “alright, since you seem to have taken to the basics in such a short time we'll try some of the more advanced spells, but before that maybe we should have you give your ability a few tries.”

“Why?” inquired Eclipse Touch.

“Because part of your lessons to is get enough of a handle on your magic to have some measure of control over your canceling ability. It'll probably still act as a defense mechanism, but the fact that your ability didn't keep me or your sister out means that you're secure enough here that you don't feel threatened and want to let others in. That's an important first step for true friendship to grow and eventually bloom. You’re fortunate that it's summer right now and school is out for everypony, but in a few months classes will start up and you will be attending the classes there. Before you ask it's simple, you need to socialize with ponies your age and make friends without me there at your side, having friendships will help you in more ways than you could imagine. True friendship has a magic more powerful than any spell or ability, no matter what a true friendship will show you just as much about yourself as it will others. You need learn how to interact with other ponies, and ones meant to be your true friends will never turn their backs on you and will always accept your flaws in addition to try and help you get over some of them. There's only so much my friends and I can teach you, at least at school you'll be able to learn the basics of what everypony in Ponyville knows and it will give you a chance to get to know others.”

“I don't want to be separated from you,” said Eclipse Touch with a voice that sounded equal parts scared and sad, Twilight could see the beginning of tears welling up in the filly's eyes.

“School is only for few hours every weekday, and when its time ends I'll usually be there waiting for you, I'll even see you off on your first day. Before I do I'll be giving you lots of pointers, and I'll probably have my friends give you some school pointers as well. You'll still have your lessons with me, mostly if they don't interfere with your other lessons.”

“So, what's the next lesson?”

“An illumination spell, they're pretty basic so you should be able to get the gist of the spell pretty quickly.”

“Okay,” said Eclipse Touch with some enthusiasm.

“Now the first thing you need to know about light spells is that we you start out you need to dedicate a lot of focus to the spell,” said Twilight and observed black filly's ears flop, “with enough practice they can become almost as effortless as trotting or talking,” the filly's ears perked up at this. “First imagine a torch or flashlight in your mind, then guide it through your horn to its very tip.”

Eclipse touch showed a great deal of effort at the spell with her first attempt at the spell, when she had finally managed to get the tiny dimly glowing orb to appear almost a full ten minutes had passed and she could only hold it for about three seconds, “I'm not very good at this spell, I think my ability is getting in the way,” said Eclipse Touch with a hint of sorrow in her voice.

“The first time I tried a light spell like this it took almost a half hour to get a ball a little brighter than yours for about half has long,” said Twilight, “you’re doing just fine.” This cheered Eclipse Touch up a bit, “every new spell will have its challenges, and you'll probably make a few mistakes along the way. You just need to view each obstacle and mistake as a learning experience,” at this Owlowiscious landed on perch next Twilight before she continued, “it's the same in life, Spike had to learn to cooperate with Owlowiscious and I had come to term with Pinkie senses.”

“Pinkie senses?” asked Eclipse Touch with more confusion without a hint of skepticism.

“Pinkie has the ability to sense different things based on how her body reacts in certain ways, if her whole body shivers all over it means I'm about accept something that I was firmly rejecting as a possibility,” she gave a little smile, “you weren't skeptical of her abilities, that's nice to see.”

“I never officially met an earth pony before miss Pinkie,” said Eclipse Touch, “I don't have enough information to know what passes for a normal earth pony.”

“A fair enough point,” said Twilight, “the only earth ponies you've had extended contact with are Pinkie and AJ. Both of them a bit or two outside the norm. You might not know this, but my special talent is magic. Before you saying anything I'm going to tell you that when I was filly younger than you I had difficulty with my magic, I still did when Princess Celestia made me her student.”

“What made her decide to make you her student?”

“My uncontrolled magical reaction to Rainbow Dash's first sonic rainboom,” Eclipse Touch looked at her quizzically, “it's when a pegasus flies so fast they create a rainbow and a sonic boom at the same time, so far the only living pegasus capable of the feat is Rainbow herself.”

“She has a rare ability, like me and Dream!” said Eclipse Touch with awe.

“In a sense, it took her some tries a few years later replicate her original result. She actually had trouble trying to do her second rainboom, but she didn't want any of us to know that. Sometimes our own pride and fear of what our friends might think of our lack of an ability that we know we've used before can get in the way of actually being able to use the ability, Rainbow finally managed her second rainboom when she stopped thinking about it and just acted when she needed to. Rainbow Dash is as loyal as they come, and from what I've seen of your brother loyalty isn't just in abundance amongst Equestria's pegasi.”

“It's so much more lively in Equestria,” said Eclipse Touch, “when we made our way out of Bridleton it was as if all the advancements present stopped developing before they had a chance to reach a similar point than that of Equestria. Bridleton's sociological and technological advancements seem to have come to a halt.”

“What you've just described is stagnation,” said Twilight as she cleared the board and and wrote out the word and its definition, “it's something we don't really see in Equestria, mostly because of our diversity and willingness to allow ponies to try bringing new innovations to those around them. For a nation to remain in stagnation for centuries is practically unheard of, there must be some kind of force that's been keeping Bridleton in its stagnate state. How is it that windigos haven't ravaged the nation? I'm only asking because the nation is clearly not in cooperative state from how you've described it and has a history of fighting and conflict, windigos feed off that sort of thing.”

“The way I understand it there was a great winter brought on by the windigos a few centuries ago, but how it was ended has been wiped clean from every text that mentions them,” said Eclipse Touch with concern and confusion. “Equestria had a windigo problem?”

“In a sense, you'll learn all you need during the play on Hearth's Warming Eve.”

“That sounds like a nice holiday.”

“It's a winter holiday, so you'll have to wait until after the pegasi have covered ground in snow. We just had the Summer Sun celebration last month and the Grand Galloping Gala is in a couple of months, I'll be expected to attend and you'll be expected to join me and my friends. You'll probably see your sister and brother there.”

“When I first arrived the prospect of the event scared me, but I'm feeling a little more secure about it.”

“Probably because you're not expected to be a set piece at the event, and instead actually participate as much as you think you need to.”

“That actually sounds like it could fun.”

“Trust me the Grand Galloping Gala is not fun,” said Twilight with a hint of contempt, “it's a stuffy formal event that won't let you even try to get closer to who you want to.”

“I'm sensing that your attendance at the event is mandatory in some way,” said Eclipse with genuine concern.

Twilight took a deep sigh and said, “every year I've attended all I've wanted to do is spend some time with my mentor, but the event's social obligations keep getting in the way of that.”

“You mean that because of your social obligations you won't be able to help me through the event?” inquired Eclipse Touch with a sad tone.

“That'll probably be the case,” said Twilight in exasperation, “and chances are your sister will be in the same predicament, maybe your brother too.”

“Storm Walker will be there?” said Eclipse Touch with piqued interest.

“Maybe,” said Twilight with a smile, “now that you've experienced your first light spell what can you tell me about your first experience with the spell?”

Eclipse started tapping her chin in the exact way Twilight did, this surprised Twilight because she knew for a fact that she had never displayed that particular mannerism in front of her student, before the filly said “I tried to push too much magic into the spell too fast,” Eclipse Touch started rubbing her temples in the same way as Twilight, which she also didn't remember doing in front of her new student, before the filly said, “and that's why my head hurts, also I think my ability tried to halt the spell.”

“Sometimes our best teacher is experience,” said Twilight with pride, “if I had guided you through how to do the spell step by step you wouldn't have learned how to better perform the spell for yourself. The same spell can have different problems depending on the caster, I myself was so focused on forming the light my first few times that it ended up taking longer than it should have.”

Twilight gestured for the filly to come over to her, to which Eclipse Touch did. When she got close to Twilight she asked, “is there something you want ask? We're the only ones here, Spike left the palace hours ago.”

Twilight looked at the filly as if she were trying to piece together a puzzle for a few seconds before saying, “how long have you had your thinking and headache mannerisms?”

“I've always done them that way, why are you asking?”

“Because they're the same mannerisms I use, you did them in almost the exact way I do them.”

Eclipse Touch blinked a few times before saying, “You're the pony I want to be most like, mis Twilight.”

“I know that,” said Twilight, “but I've never performed my thinking or headache mannerisms in front of you. So the question is, where did you pick them up.”

“They just feel natural to me, nopony ever did the actions that way around me.”

“We always pick up mannerisms from those around us, especially family. My brother and I both have the same headache mannerisms.”

“Every once and a while I have about... you're in dreams, not all the time, but most of time. I just realized it, how is that I could dream about you before I've even met you?” Eclipse started massaging her head again before continuing, “something is off, and I'm sure if its me or something else. It feels like something is quite right about... me and my siblings.” She immediately erased the entire board with her magic and started writing on the board with purple, green and blue chalk. After 10 minutes a formula that was so complex Twilight would have believed it was one her own if she hadn't watched the filly write it all out in front of her was on the board and Eclipse Touch then said, “we're all displaced; Sunshine Bottle, Storm Walker, Dream Step and me. We're all a divergence from how we're supposed to be. Our personalities don't add up to how environment or the prior generations, it's like we were taken from somewhere else and made to call those ponies in that manor our family. I'm only now starting to see it all add up; the warm vibrant personality of Sunshine Bottle buried under her masquerade compounded with her incomplete joy spell, Storm Walker's guardian persona and caring actions that are only in the presence of ponies he calls true friends and family, Dream Step's love the night when she manages to stay up past the setting sun without being scolded by Great Spell or Grand Charm, my desire to learn from texts even though I kept being told I couldn't read unsupervised. It's like we were taken from somewhere else so that we could continue somepony else's farce, it also explains why we were all treated to coldly by the ponies that called themselves our parents and grandmother. Are there any spells that can aid in the generating of such an elaborate fabrication?”

“Not in Equestria, the moment the princesses hear about such kind of spells or use of spells that are used in the manner you described the ponies in question are punished accordingly, I even read few cases where the princesses used their magic to remove all knowledge of how to execute from the minds of the ponies that were found guilty before sending them off to carry out their sentence. Are you saying that there is a spell can do something like that in Bridleton? Or a whole contingent of spells with those kinds of properties?”

“I'm not sure, but it wouldn't be outside Bridleton's realm of possibility, the nation has been stagnant for years and... its like a spirit that's the opposite of Discord has been holding the nation in its current state, of course it would be her.”

“Someone call my name?” said Discord appearing in a flash.

“No,” said Twilight with a hint of irritation, “she said there's a spirit that's your total opposite.”

“Oh, I haven't seen or heard of the other detrimental aspects in over 3000 years, do go on little one.”

“Who did you mean when you said 'her'?” inquired Twilight.

“Still, the spirit of Stagnation. We had some of Myrraldin's journals at the manor, I actually managed to read through them a considerable distance before I was caught and kept in my room for a week without food and only water, but I managed to get far enough in them to read about his encounter with the spirit of stagnation, a being that introduced herself as Still, he said that she couldn't enter Artanus's kingdom as long as the land remained dynamic, and to an extent harmonious, however he feared what would happen if she managed to whisper into the ear of somepony and convince them to perform a set of acts that would lead to the nation's stagnation, like the 200 year war of the Bridletanian nation eventually did have. Still has been whispering in the ear of every influential individual in Bridleton's history since the fall of the original Artanus, how did I not see it until now?”

“Maybe you just didn't have all the pieces of the puzzle before that little speech of yours,” said Discord as fell apart into a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle that rearranged itself so it looked like he was standing on his head with talon and bat wing before he flashed back to his usual look.

“As much as I loath to agree with Discord on matters such as this,” said Twilight shooting Discord an angry look, “he might be right, to an extent. Maybe you had all the pieces to the puzzle, but didn't know the proper means to sort through the pieces for a proper way to start until now.”

“Hm, Still,” said Discord, “can you tell us about her?”

“Or at least what she's been described as,” said Twilight.

Eclipse Touch took a deep breath before saying, “According to the notes Myrraldin made on Still he said that she's something like a parasitic entity, she chooses a host entity to inhabit and in sense removes their soul while still having access to the hosts memories. This happens slowly over the course of the host's lifespan, and after several decades the host's soul is gone and the body lives well past the point it should with Still being in control. She's very particular in her hosts as the time passes, she only inhabits hosts that are very close physically in size, stature, coloration an tribe. She always seems to pick a host that is tied the power structure of the nation she's stagnating, and usually chooses unicorns so that if anypony catches her using magic she doesn't really need an excuse as to why she is using a spell beyond a pretentious remark. Once she moves out of the host body it literally becomes dust, or at least that's what Myrraldin suspected considering how she proudly proclaimed her host at the time of his discovering her charade was several centuries old. He actually managed to see her as she is without a host, it was only for a split second, but from what he could remember about the event was that she herself seems to be slow moving with no visible mouth. He did his best to diagram her, but the page he indicated in his journal that had his rendering of her was torn out.”

“What do these journals look like?” said Discord with a mischievous grin, “I think Twilight would love to have them as part of her collection.”

“No offense but they would better serve Equestria in the Canterlot Archives than here,” said Twilight.

“The Journals are thousands of years old, they have ancient magics to protect them from the ravages of time, ponies, and other forces Myrraldin said he was more than aware of and had to deal with more times that he would like to admit. They're bound in an ancient white willow bark with a hard cover made of white oak, they're emblazoned with the symbol of a unicorn raising the moon over a tree. That was his personal insignia.” said Eclipse Touch, “back cover is branded with a circle that has the symbols of the 3 pony tribes along with those of the other races that made up the Circle Knights just below a symbol of a unicorn, earth pony and pegasus united together. The pages are made of paper unlike any other, I have no idea what was used the creations of the pages, I don't even know how to describe the way the pages felt in my magic or hooves because it seemed to be related to my mood.”

In a flash two-hundred and thirty books matching the filly's description were in massive pile between her and Discord, and nearly burying Twilight's right legs and wing. “I believe these are what you were talking about,” said Discord with a knowing smile. “I never met any of the figures you've been talking about personally, but I did visit that nation before it was you described and saw a young unicorn writing in a journal with the properties you described minus the images. I thought about messing with him, but something suddenly forced me out of that land and I just decided to move on to the next place. I was young and adventurous in those days, I must only been about 300 years back then, I wasn't nearly as powerful as am now, I also seemed to lack the creativity I do these days. Oh, to be young and foolish again, no on second thought that nostalgia trip should never happen.” In flash Discord was gone.

Twilight had been eying the books for the entire time Discord had been talking and just as she was about to dive in she was handed one of the thinner looking journals by Eclipse Touch who said, “here, this is the first one he ever wrote, I think it would be a good idea to start here.”

“Thank you Eclipse Touch,” said Twilight as she took the book in her magic, “we probably won't have another lesson for a few days, thanks your story and Discord.”

“I don't mind too much,” said Eclipse Touch, “just being with you is enough to make my day feel like I'm learning something. If they weren't planning on rushing here before today they are now.”

“I'm assuming you are referring to Great Spell and Grand Charm,” said Twilight as she opened the book and began to read it.

“Yes,” said Eclipse Touch with curt nod before curling up next to Twilight and taking a nap.

Twilight smiled at the filly before returning to her reading, when she got to the last page she a message magically appear on the blank back of the back cover in the same color as her coat, “I'm glad these have finally found their way to you honored Alicorn, forgive me for the ruse to others. The next message will be in the same place in the next book you read through, and I know you are going to read through it. The messages might end up jumbled, that means you need to determine which journal was written in the sequence. Once you have 'ringed' the books in the proper order my final message for you will be given. As to how I know you are an alicorn my dear, it's quite simple to say I have spell that allows me to see the silloutes of entities in the distant future, I know there is a foal curled up next to you right now because that as far as I saw you reading this book. The spell is draining and this is my test of the spell, but because of the energy demands I will not share knowledge of how to perform this spell anywhere or with any entity in addition to only using it maybe once or twice more.” Twilight stared at the message a bit before reaching over and inspecting the cover of the book, that is when she noticed light indentation she knew as a 1 from her lessons about the numerical systems once used by unicorns. Sifting through the pile with her magic Twilight pulled out 3 journals that had indentations she recognized 2, 3 and 4 in the ancient unicorn numerical system. She set the journal she had just finished in front of her and began reading the journal with the 2 indentation, after reading through the other 2 when she finished the second, and getting a series of broken message much longer than the first one that lined up when she arranged them by number and Twilight slowly started piecing together the next me message after finishing the 9th of the books, sifting through for several hours for the next 3 to 5 books in the order she found the message talked about how the dreaded fall of Artanus's kingdom probably came to pass and his regrets at not being able to do anything for it, it also explained why he left the kingdom when he did.

As Twilight was going through gather the next 5 journals Eclipse Touch yawned and fluttered her eyes open and said, “I must have been more tired from the exercise than I thought,” she noticed the pile of books before Twilight then said, “you're fast reader when you want to be.”

“Indeed I am,” said Twilight petting the filly's mane which elicited a giggle of joy from her before continuing, “it seems Myrraldin left some messages magically hidden in his journals. Do you know what he meant 'ring the books'?”

“Ring was one of his favorite means of saying circle, why?”

“Just something the first message said, I think I'll send a letter to Princess Celestia about this, she'll want to read the rest of these messages with me.”

“Which means we're going to have find a way to transport all these journals to Canterlot without drawing to large of a crowd,” said Eclipse Touch with a knowing smile that reminded Twilight of her early days with Princess Celestia.

“I'll get to work on the letter to Celestia,” said Twilight, “Spike won't be back for another hour or so.”

“I'll get to work writing up notes for your friends explaining what we're up to,” said Eclipse Touch, “we can have your magic deliver them on when we're ready to go. Do you want them to come to Canterlot and join us or just know what we're up to?”

Taking a moment to think Twilight said, “both, I know some of them are pretty busy today, but I want them to be there once we've gotten the final message arrangements completed.”

“Okay,” said Eclipse Touch as they both headed to the writing desk.”

While writing their letters and notices Twilight made a note about how Eclipse's writing was quite good, Eclipse responded by just saying she had a lot of practice. While they were waiting for Spike after getting everything written Twilight asked, “so, Eclipse in these dreams you have, that also have me in them, what's going on in them.”

Eclipse Touch sighed on the couch next all the letters that she and Twilight had neatly stacked before saying, “Not a whole lot, I'm just a little foal and you're looking down at me call me 'Unity Sparkle' or your little Unity... Now that I think about it I hear your friends in the background with foals, except for Fluttershy. Fluttershy is still with foal in most of them and keeps saying how she's looking forward to motherhood. Rainbow Dash is a bit more subdued, but hear foal is rambunctious with her commenting about how she used to be that way, Applejack is giving everypony pointers because Rarity keeps bringing up it was Applejack who had her foal before almost everypony else, Pinkie's foal keeps popping up next my crib wanting to play then everypony keeps telling her I'm not quite old enough for the kinds of games she has in mind.”

“Rainbow and Pinkie as mothers, I'm having trouble envisioning it. What are the other foals like?”

“I don't know, I haven't had those kinds of dreams yet. “ said Eclipse Touch with little perk in her voice. “It's either been me in a crib with you looking at me with a sense of peace and accomplishment or you holding me in your forelegs or magic talking with others or telling me children's stories that you think I might like,” Eclipse Touch gave a smile before saying, “you told the story of the Mare in the Moon and immediately followed up how you and your friends first met and defeated Nightmare Moon, I always coo and giggle when you tell the story of your defeat of Nightmare Moon and it makes you smile and laugh with a joy like no other images of you I have. There's one time you get a message from Princess Celestia informing you of the birth of Princess Luna's foal only few hours before me on the same day, you give a little chuckle that makes me giggle in a way that has you smiling when you get to my crib and say I have another cousin. I'm not entirely sure they're dreams anymore.”

“What do you think they could be then? Visions doesn't sound right because you said your a foal, do you ever see what you look like?”

“Not entirely, I see fuchsia legs and hear your friends comment about how I almost look exactly like you did when you arrived in Ponyville.”

“You're coat is a lighter shade than mine, that's interesting. Wait a moment, you said you realized you and your siblings were displaced. What if these dreams you have been having are your ability trying to correct the displacement?”

“But not being able to because its running into a magical paradox that it can't correct, what if my ability has also been doing the same for my siblings?” Eclipse Touch immediately facehoofed, “it should have been obvious this entire time, the reason I felt comfortable around when we first met was because I recognized you as being my true mother, or rather my ability trying to correct the paradox. Maybe if we work with the other Princesses we can create a spell to correct for the paradox, but we'd also have to weave spell that would also prevent what happened to us from being repeated in the righted reality.”

“That would be several highly complex spells the likes of which I've never heard of before,” said Twilight as she massaged her head, “we're going to have a spell where there is a message is for us explaining why we need to perform the spell the righted timeline, because we won't remember any of this when we correct the timeline. We're probably going to need Discord's help with it.”

“We're also going to have find a way to seal away Still in both timelines, if we don't she'll just keep at this game of hers of bringing the development of nations to a grinding halt and reverting some of their developments. We need to find out who her host is and remove her from them and then seal her away, and tell everypony's alternates what to look for so they can do the same in their timeline. Why didn't I come any of these realizations until now?”

“Me, sweetheart,” said Twilight bringing the filly into a hug with her wing, “I'm not sure I entirely believe you yet, but if it really is a possibility then I am going to have some very loud words with Still.”

“So are the other Princesses,” said Eclipse Touch with a smile as she curled up next to Twilight as they waited for Spike.”

Almost an hour later Spike walked in with a load of groceries and set them on the counter in the kitchen before saying, “I found almost everything you asked me to get today Twilight,” then walked in to see a sealed letter floating in front of him, “wow, you haven't asked me send a letter to Princess Celestia in a long time. What's the occasion?”

Twilight gestured to the mass of ancient journals with her wing and said, “I found something that the other Princesses need to see in those, we're going to need moving them all to Canterlot with as little notice as possible.”

“I understand,” said Spike, “you're worried if somepony sees you moving a mass of books out of the castle they might get the wrong idea.” Twilight and Eclipse both gave curt nods simultaneously that were so similar Spike would have sworn that he had been talking to two Twilights for a moment.

“I know mentors and students will often have similar mannerisms, but that was almost too cute,” said Spike, which caused both Twilight and Eclipse to giggle as he sent the letter off on its way.

“I know you just got back,” said Eclipse floating her letters to the other Mane Six over to him, “but could you deliver these to the others, we want them to know what's up.”

“I guess,” said Spike, “if I'm just supposed to deliver these to Twilight's friends it shouldn't take long.” With that he was out the door, just before he could leave he belched out a response form Celestia, “Twilight I keep telling you that you need to find a new method of communication with Celestia and the other Princesses because I won't be able to stay at your side forever, with that he dropped the letter and was out the door.

Twilight opened the letter and read, “my dear Twilight I am glad to hear that you have come across a situation that might require the aid of your fellow princesses, I just didn't think it would happen so soon. I will be arriving shortly after sending a letter to Cadance and confirming that she is available for this endeavor. Your claim that the journals of a great unicorn from another nation have hidden messages at the back of the back covers does sound like something that an individual with your reputation would notice. I however would like to know more about these messages and would like you to tell me about what it is they have thus far.

With Care your mentor and friend, Princess Celestia.”

“Looks like we're waiting a bit longer than you thought,” said Eclipse Touch.

“That's okay,” said Twilight with a smile, “I've been wanting you to meet Cadance anyway, before she was my sister-in-law she was my foalsitter, and I've been meaning for her to give her thoughts on you. She's a really caring pony, did I tell you about the properties of the Princesses of Equestria before.”

“No,” said Eclipse shaking her head and slightly tousling her mane.

“Alright,” said Twilight putting some thought into what to say next before saying, “initially there were only two Alicorns in Equestria, but when she came to a realization about love Cadance ascending from being a pegasus to being and Alicorn and shortly after was adopted by Princes Celestia as her niece. It wasn't until around 7 years ago I ascended from being and unicorn to being an alicorn. Each of us is the princess of something that has great importance in Equestria. Celestia is the Princess of the Sun, Luna is Princess of the Moon, Cadance is the Princess of Love and I'm the Princess of Friendship. You know about Celestia's power to raise and lower the sun and Luna's power to raise and lower the moon, but do you know what Cadance or my special talents are?” Eclipse Touch shook her head violently and tousled her mane a bit more, almost blinding herself and eliciting a chuckle from Twilight, “Cadance's special brand of magic can enhance the love of those who are truly in love to the point that they have a truly full understanding of each other for almost the entire day and night and if they aren't truly in love it cause them to politely tell each other then feel the need to seek out somepony they can truly feel love for; and my special talent is magic itself, there is no spell I can't gain a full understanding of or perform. It was when I fully came to understand magical power within friendship that I became an alicorn.”

“So, this Princess Cadance is the Princess of Love,” said Eclipse Touch slowly in a way that told Twilight she was processing the information, “are you sure your the Princess of Magic or Princess of Friendship?”

“Friendship,” said Twilight with a sigh of joyous nostalgia, “but magic is still my special talent. I told you that earlier, but I guess it will take some time for all of this to sink in.”

*****************************************

A half hour passed before Celestia appeared in a nearly blinding flash of yellow and said to Twilight, “Cadance will be in Canterlot in a few hours,” then turning her attention to Eclipse Touch said, “how are you adjusting to everything young filly?”

“Okay, I guess,” said Eclipse Touch, “but some of my sudden realizations have me wondering if this is how things are supposed to be.”

Celestia turned to face Twilight with an expression that said she needed an explanation to which Twilight sighed and said, “she thinks that somepony intentionally pulled her and her siblings from the futures of the mares that were supposed to be their mothers. One of said mares is supposedly me, she's unsure if this the right timeline now.”

“That sounds like a powerful spell,” said Celestia, “one that all of us Princesses would consider among the greatest of taboo.”

“Yes,” said Twilight, “well, she thinks it's a spell created by a spirit that causes advancements to stop in a nation, said spirit picks up and moves on to the next nation when a revolution becomes unavoidable.”

“And whom would this spirit be?” inquired Celestia.

“Her name is Still,” said Eclipse Touch, “she's the Spirit of Stagnation, Myrraldin talks about her in his journals,” at the last word she gestured with a hoof towards the mass of journals.

“Have any suggestions on where to start? Or how to go about this?” inquired Celestia with genuine interest, she took a deep sigh and said, “there are days I wish Starswirl were still around, he would have loved doing this sort of thing. Making new discoveries in regards to magic was one of his greatest passions, and this little endeavor you two are bringing along would definitely qualify. Where did you get all of these in such a short amount of time?”

“Eclipse described them to Discord a few hours ago and he used his powers to bring them all here.”

“To be fair I only was aware of about 30 or so of the journals,” said Eclipse, “and now that I've gotten a better look them not all the journals match my description, maybe they have an enchantment that makes it so that if you magically conjure up one the rest of the collection comes along.”

“Or it could just be Discord being Discord,” said Twilight and Celestia in unison before continuing in unison to say, “either way we have an invaluable resource at our disposal thanks to you, again.”

“Okay that kind disconcerting,” said Eclipse, “how often have you both done something like that?”

“The last time was 3 years before I sent Twilight to Ponyville,” said Celestia, “I was showing her how my court operated at the time and the only time she talked in the prescience of another pony was when I was showing some displeasure with a noble for actually thinking of bringing a trivial matter to me because he was dissatisfied with the chef of a new restaurant he had just recently found the day before.”

Twilight gave a little chuckle before saying, “I'll share the story with you sometime.”

“I think you already did,” said Eclipse Touch with a smile.

“I would remember telling about something like that,” said Twilight with a look of confusion, “it's not the kind of story you can forget witnessing or telling.”

“In those dreams I told you about, where I'm your daughter, one of the bedtime stories you tell me is about what you just mentioned, I give loud toddler laughs and giggles during and after the story, that's how you know it's one of the stories I really like. Prince Big Deal needs to learn that he isn't entitled to his way like that.”

Celestia looked over at the black filly before saying to Twilight, “we need to investigate these claims of hers if she's making comments like that.”

“The problem is how to test whether or not the theory is true or not,” said Twilight who then beckoned Celestia and used the memory sharing spell from her first encounter with Discord to share the entire conversation she'd had with Eclipse Touch on Celestia to bring the ivory alicorn up to speed.

The ivory alicorn blinked a few times getting used to the new memories, “now I think we really should investigate her theory, because if she's right then the past 7 years since your ascension to Princess haven't unfolded the way they were supposed to for you, me, my sister, your family or your friends.”

“If that is indeed the proper theory then that would be magic on level so high that it could only be in the realm of possible for an entity like Discord,” said Twilight, “as powerful as we are manipulation of reality to that extent would be to strong even if all 4 of us alicorns combined our magic for a simple test of the applied application we would most likely be feeling so drained that it could cause a panic in Equestria for days or weeks.”

Celestia just nodded before approaching the pile of journals before saying, “about approaching these journals.”

“Oh,” said Twilight, “the journals have an ancient unicorn numbering system on their spines, I've been trying to read them in the order that the numbers on the spine indicate, it's much slower going than it normally would be for me than if I just grabbed the next nearest book at hoof's length.”

“I can see why,” said Celestia with a knowing smile as she eyed the the disorganized pile of unread journals and Twilight's neat little pile of read ones.” Carefully Celestia slid the journal Twilight had at the bottom of her neat pile, checked the spine and found an indentation in of an ancient unicorn symbol meaning 1 and started reading it, when Celestia got the back of the back cover she saw the first message that Twilight had and looked over to Eclipse Touch curled up next to Twilight talking about what she and Twilight would have for lunch and her eyes gave a quick note of surprise before she said, “the unicorn that wrote these had a kind of magical capability that I've never heard of before, in addition he showed a lot of wisdom in dispersing his knowledge in a manner that it could be shared.”

“But was hoarded by political and social elite of the country that forced its way from the ashes of the nation he helped build and left behind because of a belief that no matter what the future would be in good hooves,” Eclipse Touch said to Celestia in a disappointed tone, “sometimes I wish he could be around to help teach his lessons that he gave to the original Artanus.”

Celestia gave another warm smile before saying, “you almost sound like Twilight when she learned about Starswirl.” Twilight gave a little blush as Celestia continued, “Eclipse Touch you are so much like Twilight when she was your age, I'm not surprised you have started developing the kind of relationship Twilight and I had in her early days of study under me. Now back to the matter at hoof, we're taking all of these and you both to Canterlot. Twilight if you would be so kind as to provide assistance, Eclipse keep close we don't want you to get lost.”

“I hope my ability doesn't ruin this,” said Eclipse Touch, “not to mention teleportation spells get more and more difficult as you increase the mass of what is being put in transit.”

Twilight smiled and said, “you remembered that earlier conversation I had with my friends, I'm looking forward to the day you start learning to do a teleportation yourself.”

With that Eclipse Touch climbed on top of the pile and curled up on top of pile in a way that reminded Twilight of Spike on his small hoard and the two alicorns teleported her and the entire collection of journals Canterlot.

When they arrived at the Canterlot castle they were in large open space and Luna was waiting to the side, although her placement almost got her left forehoof buried under the pile of ancient enchanted journals. “Well, I can see why Twilight was excited,” said the star maned alicorn with a smile, “before you ask, Eclipse, your sister is sleeping soundly in her room, my classes with her usually occur at night and she does not yet have the fortitude or presence of will required for keeping herself up during my sister's bright days.”

“She seems to enjoy the night well enough,” said Eclipse Touch, “the night was always her favorite time when she was able to save enough energy to stay up and see the stars and moon. She always enjoyed that time, but Great Spell and Grand Charm forced us into the same day cycle they operated on.”

Luna cocked her head towards the filly and said, “and what of your natural rhythms?”

“My natural cycles have always felt like they should mirror miss Twilight's,” said Eclipse Touch, “when I started doing that it just felt right.”

Twilight smiled a bit and said, “off you go, young filly, you need to stay out of our way as we cycle through the journals in their numerical order.”

“And place them in a circle,” said Eclipse Touch, “that's the only reason you would ask me about ringing the books, and I know the unicorn that wrote these journals better than any of you.”

“Because you think of him in the same way I think of Starswirl,” said Twilight with a smile.

“In a way,” said Eclipse Touch, “I've done my best to research him and his accomplishments, but I had those activities mostly restricted by Great Spell, Great Seal, and Grand Charm.”

“I noticed you aren't calling them by familial titles now,” said Celestia with a concerned tone and face.

“They lost the right to being considered family when put their desires ahead of the needs of their children,” said Eclipse Touch promptly, “that first memory I showed is one of the kinder memories I have of those 3,” then in almost a whisper she said, “and one of the harsher ones that I have of my oldest sister. I really don't want to share anymore memories of that place, but I know that I need to in order for a full understanding to be made.” Sorrow seemed to poor through her words at the last part of what she said along with almost appearing to do everything in slow motion as she climbed the couch in the room to observe the the three princesses at work while staying out of their way.

A half hour later the three princesses had managed to unearth four more books in the set and Twilight was just finishing reading the twelfth of the journals when Princess Cadance trotted in and said in her all to caring voice, “somehow I had a feeling something like this would be what was called for when your note mentioned Twilight, auntie Celestia,” she then noticed the filly on the couch watching the three alicorns and said, “you're even more caring than I thought,” as she approached the filly looked at her for moment before smiling and embracing her in a hug.

Twilight watched the display and said, “it's almost like you know her, Eclipse.”

“Sometimes it feels like I can sense the true nature of others,” said Eclipse coming out of the pink alicorn's embrace, “and what I'm sensing from her is the kindness and caring devotion that should be the rule and not the exception.”

“Care to explain,” inquired Cadance.

Celestia merely walked over and used the memory spell before saying, “that should bring you up to speed, your magic has the aspect of being able gauge the emotions of others, what is it telling you about her?”

Cadance blinked for a few seconds as she got used to the memories before saying, “she's concerned for her siblings, but...”

“I never felt love or concern from Great Spell, Great Seal or Grand Charm,” said Eclipse Touch.

“The only way to properly assess that claim,” said Cadance is for me to experience one of her memories or meet her family. She cares greatly for all her siblings, she also seems feel a familial bond with Twilight and me.”

“Which is odd,” said Twilight, “this is the first time she's met you. She's already formulated the theory that she and her siblings are temporally displaced and that each of them was meant to be born to mares in Equestria. If the theory is in fact true that means there's spell out there that is a crime against everything we hold dear and sacred.”

“And to whom are the siblings to be born to?” inquired Cadance.

“I'm not sure about Dream Step or Sunshine Bottle yet,” said Eclipse Touch, “the dreams that feel more like legitimate memories haven't shown me who they were meant to be yet.”

“But you think I was meant to be your mother,” said Twilight as she flipped the last page of the journal she was reading and copied the message to a notepad she had next to her, “what about the other one?”

“I don't know why but, I have yet to see Princess Cadance or Storm Walker's equivelant in the dreams. Regardless, my memories of my brother have him making me feel similar to Princess Cadance, I think he was meant to be her foal, but I'm not fully sure yet.”

The four alicorns stared at each other before Celestia asked, “do you think that Dream Step was intended to be Luna's foal?”

“All of the data lines up properly,” said Eclipse Touch, “she's always loved the night, she's been able to visit dreams almost since the day she was born, and I suspect Princess Luna started having maternal feelings toward her shortly after she was placed in Princess Luna's care.”

Luna gave a surprised look before saying, “I have been feeling unnaturally parental toward my student, but I just thought that was part of the mentoring process.”

Celestia shook her head a bit at the thought of her sister omitting such important information before saying, “that's never been a case for mentors and students, Luna. There are cases where you might feel something similar to being a mother, like the way I am with Twilight, but you never truly feel like a legitimate parent to your student.”

“I think my ability is trying to correct the...” suddenly Eclipse Touch's horn flared cutting her off mid-sentence and her eyes began to glow along with her stare becoming completely neutral, a whitish purple filled the room and all four alicorns suddenly found they were having a different experience.

*******************************************************

Twilight tried to blink a few time and found she couldn't. She was at the Canterlot train station, but found it was different than she remembered before she heard and felt herself saying, “Unity we're here to meet your aunts and cousins,” she then turned her head to see a fuchsia unicorn filly sleeping on her lavender back just between her wings. The filly's eyes opened slowly after she gave what Twilight thought was the cutest yawn she ever seen, when she saw the filly's eyes they were a near match to her own violet eyes. The infant foal gave a few coos of joy and hugged her neck before Twilight said, “love you too baby girl,” before the filly let go of her neck and almost fell off with Twilight catching the filly in her magic, which in turn caused the foal to elicit giggles of joy, “you just like it when mommy uses magic, don't you,” said Twilight as a they both heard a train pulling into the station, and she returned the foal to her back.

Both turned their attention to the train as it came to a stop and a pink alicorn along with a white five-year-old pegasus colt with a pink and blue mane with a slight crystal sheen stepped off the train and the pink alicorn said, “so good to see you again Twilight, you remember Heart Guard?” She motioned to the colt with a wing.

“Of course I do, Cadance,” said Twilight, “it's nice to see my nephew again, why isn't Shining here?”

“Something about somepony wanting to have a security symposium at the Crystal Empire,” said Cadance, “it was kind of sprung on us, and he said it would be rude to not hear them out, so he won't be joining us for a few days,” turning her attention to the filly on Twilight's back Cadance said, “and this must be my new little niece, what's her name?”

“Unity Sparkle,” said Twilight with pride, “she's the most well behaved little filly I've ever seen.”

“Twilight,” said Cadance with a knowing voice, “every parent has similar thoughts about their newborns, even me.”

“Mom,” said the colt in tone that reminded Twilight a bit of Shining Armor, “who's this strange mare? And why you being so friendly?”

“Takes more after his father than you like I see,” said Twilight with a smile before turning to the colt and saying, “I'm your aunt Twilight Sparkle, the filly on my back is your new little cousin, Unity Sparkle.”

The colt looked to his mother who nodded with agreement, his face then lit up like Cadance when she was Twilight's foalsitter and he said with joy, “will I get to foalsit her when I'm older?”

“Maybe,” said Twilight and Cadance in unison.

Unity gave a few little giggles before saying, “mla mla,” and hugging Twilight's neck again.

Twilight had a bit of a surprised look before saying, “those were her first words, ooh I wanted to have her somewhere else when that happened.

The filly looked over at Cadance before saying, “almwii, almwii,” and raising her hooves up like she wanted to hug the pink alicorn. Cadance gently took the foal in her magic which caused her to in turn coo and giggle with delight. The colt just watched in amazement at how the foal floating between his mother and aunt kept cooing with approval in Cadance's magic. Twilight took the filly back with her own after gesturing to Cadance she would, the moment the filly was in her mother's magic she started giggling with joy and clapping her little forehooves together with jubilation.

“She seems to get enjoyment from magic being used on her,” said Cadance, “which reminds me, how are your friends doing?”

“Pinkie had a filly named Cherri Party a little over a month ago, Rainbow and Sorin officially married last year and had a filly about two weeks ago named her Rainboom, Rarity had a filly a last week named Caring Jewel, three weeks week Applejack had foal named Zap Apple and Fluttershy is still expecting her foal. We all had to put our schedule and plans on hold when it became evident the foals were coming, Rainbow just recently got a notice stating that she is again one of the primary fliers for the Wonderbolts.”

“But with all those foals it's a bit of chore keeping them in line,” said Cadance with a smile, “if Heart was a little older I'd recommend him as a foalsitter, he just loves being around small foals.”

“Kind of reminds me of a certain pink alicorn that used to watch over me when my family was busy,” said Twilight just as all three ponies heard a yawn from Twilight's back and turned their attention to see the little fuchsia bundle on Twilight's back curling up to sleep, “but my foal is remarkably well behaved. She only cries when she's hungry or needs a change, watches the other fillies when they come for visit and doesn't make a disruptive sound when she's in h crib, is polite when interacting with the other foals and never interrupts mommy when she's reading a story for anypony.”

“Twilight,” said Cadance with concern, “she sounds like an overly respectful foal, did you cast a spell on her to make sure she behaves?”

“Actually no,” said Twilight as they made their way to the Canterlot castle, “she seems to have a natural defense that counters any spell that targets her or something in close proximity to her. Discord popped in a few a few days ago and her magic reacted with his by first canceling out his magic then creating plush dolls of me and my friends instead of whatever he was going for. The time he showed up yesterday every one of the foals, including her, got their very own plush Discord doll, Discord also got one it seems.”

“All the foals are probably calling him uncle Discord,” Heart Guard said in lighthearted deadpan.

“Actually, yes,” said Twilight with a smile as they continued, “well the ones that can talk anyway.”

A semi-sleeping fuchsia unicorn foal on Twilight's back giggled as she said, “unga, Discode,” then repositioned herself and started making the noticeable sounds a true slumber.

Cadance and Heart Guard looked at Twilight with surprise, but all she said, “she has habit going half to sleep and saying something related to a conversation going around her before falling completely asleep, and before you ask she does not talk in her sleep after her little expression while in between waking and sleeping.”

A few minutes later they arrived at the palace and when the doors opened a six-year-old white unicorn with 3 toned mane of orange, indigo and yellow with pink dark pink eyes and a bright orange sun cutie mark greeted them by saying, “it's so good to see you all again,” she paused as she noticed the sleeping bundle on Twilight's back, “ooh, I have another cute little cousin, this so exciting aunt Twilight.”

“Hello Sola,” said Twilight with cheery friendly tone, “can you tell us where Princess Celestia is?”

“Mom's with aunt Luna in her room, aunt Luna had a foal a little while ago.”

“I know,” said Twilight, “I got the letter, the time she gave is six hours before I had my little Unity Sparkle,” at the name of the foal Twilight turned and smiled at the still sleeping bundle on her back.

“Has Luna decided on a name for her foal?” inquired Cadance.

“Yes,” said Sola, “my cute little cousin is a filly named Stella, aunt Luna's already calling Stella her 'little star',” Sola gave warm smile at the name of the foal before saying, “you chose cute name for your little filly, aunt Twilight.”

“Thanks, Sola,” said Twilight, “would you mind leading us to Celestia and Luna?”

“Not at all,” said Sola motioning them to follow her.

As the made their way down the hall Sola kept yammering about how it was wonderful to have two adorable foals in the castle at the same time, but when they were half way to the door a reverbarating yawn from Unity cut her off and then the filly's eyes fluttered open before she said, “mla ma, mweer larr kwee?” with a big inquisitive stare right into Twilight's face.

“Were in the Canterlot castle and going to meet your cousin Stella,” said Twilight as she gestured down the hall with her right foreleg then gesturing to Sola she said, “this is your cousin Sola.”

“Sholka, Sholka,” said Unity with a giggle before gesturing to the young unicorn and making a move to be hugged.

“I'm impressed that she's already forming such cohesive sentences on her first day talking,” said Cadance with a smile before turning to Sola and saying, “she wants you to pick her up with your magic.”

“Oh,” said Sola picking the foal up in a bright orange aura and causing the filly to giggle with joy, after holding Unity in her magic for a few seconds before she placed the filly back on Twilight's back. The filly began to slip off of her mother’s back.

Just as she was falling Unity's horn glowed and she surrounded herself in whitish purple aura and righted herself on her mother before giggling and clapping her forehooves in joy, Twilight smiled before saying, “she does that sometimes, once she even managed to float my cookie jar from the kitchen to where Cherri was, I was so impressed I didn't bother with a stern voice or disciplining either of them.”

“You're spoiling the foals,” said Cadance as they resumed their walk down the hall.”

“Perhaps,” said Twilight, “but a little spoiling them now and then helps remind them how much you care about them in the special way a mother can, I read that in one of my parenting books as I was awaiting Unity's birth.”

“Typical Twilight,” said Celestia in good hearted laugh as they came up on the doors they swung open with the aid of Celestia's magic. Both she and Luna were sitting with their hind legs tucked under them with Luna cradling a small black pony shaped bundle with bright blue star dotted ebony mane and closed eyes.

Luna looked up at the visitors and said in a very gentle voice, “we welcome you Princess Twilight, Princess Cadance, Heart Guard,” her eyes then went to the fuchsia filly with violet eyes on Twilight's back and she asked, “and who might this be Princess Twilight?”

“My daughter, Unity Sparkle,” said Twilight with a smile, “she's only 6 hours younger than your little Stella. She surprised us today by not only saying her first words when I met Cadance, but she said her first real sentence on the trot down here.”

“Well, her mother is one of the most intelligent and gifted ponies in all of Equestria,” said Celestia with a look that said she wanted to interact with the little filly.

“Go ahead,” said Twilight, “she loves when you levitate her, although her innate ability will pretty much counter any other spell you try on her.”

Celestia nodded and picked up the filly in the yellow aura of her magic, as soon as the Unity noticed the glow of Celestia's magic around her she began to giggle with delight which in turn brought a smile to the ivory alicorn's face. She floated the filly over to Luna and the still Sleeping Stella. When she was set on the floor next to the other filly Unity gently reached out a hoof to touch the other filly with a sort of careful curiosity, the moment the fuchsia filly lightly tapped the the umbra filly Stella's two-toned midnight green and night indigo eyes opened and stared at the new comer who just waved her right forehoof in greeting, the dark filly then turned her attention to Luna and started tapping the ebony alicron in the shoulder, which was her way of silently telling her mother she was hungry, Luna obliged and brought the filly to her nipples where the filly just silently started suckling. Unity upon seeing this actually made a slight rumble in her stomach and Twilight positioned herself for the fuchsia filly to better feed, which she did with a the fervor Twilight had become used to shortly after her daughter was born. As her daughter eagerly suckled Twilight gently petted the her daughter's mane, which was visually identical to her mother's.

“You've become more openly kind since I last saw you,” said Celestia with a warm smile as she watched Twilight and her child.

“It just felt natural when she was born,” said Twilight as she continued to stroke her daughter's mane, “a few times when I met my friends with this little bundle of joy a few times they asked if a spell had been goofed and caused me and Fluttershy to switch bodies,” she lightly giggled at the memories, her daughter lightly poking her mother while suckling to remind her mother to not do anything that could potentially disrupt the flow of her nutrient rich meal, “the only time she's demanding is when she's eating, I'm sure it's quirk she'll grow out of by the time she's old enough for classes at school.”

“You mean you intend to teach her before she's old enough for an official school's lesson plans?” inquired Sola, whom had been very silent this whole time as well as Heart Guard.

“Aunt Twilight,” said Heart Guard finally breaking his silence, “are you sure that's wise.”

“Wise, probably not, Smart on the other hoof very much yes. I don't have the wisdom Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have accumulated over their many years, or anything like Cadance's innate wisdom and knowing. However I do have the kind of knowledge which comes from the many books I've read and adventures I've had with my friends, and it is this knowledge coupled with the intelligence of how to properly apply lessons learned from my younger days that tells me that the smartest thing to do with my daughter is teach her everything I can. From the the basics like walking, conversation and interacting with others to the more complex things like magical theory, spell application, actual practice sessions to properly gage which kind of spells she may have the most difficulty with.”

“Twilight, she'll already effectively be mentally you,” Luna when she looked up from her still feeding foal, “you don't have to go to great lengths to increase the odds she'll end up being another you.”

“I'm not,” said Twilight with conviction, “I just don't want her hurting herself or somepony else if she has anywhere near the magical potential I had as a filly, and if her innate ability is any indication then her magical potential is potentially greater than mine was at her age.”

“Actually I would that you two have about the same level of potential at that age,” said Celestia, “here potential is just manifesting differently.”

“I am not going to put my foal and the foals of my friends in danger because my daughter isn't aware of what her magic could do if unfocused or unsure of how to keep some measure of control over her magic.”

**********************************************

When everything came back into focus Eclipse Touch said, “that lasted longer than usual, I was Unity again. It always feels right when I'm her again.”

Celestia blinked a bit before saying, “it would be nice to be real mother, and her name was fitting for who I am.”

“Could Dream Step really be an alternate version of the foal named Stella I was so caring towards?”

“Wait, you all experienced that as well?” cried Eclipse Touch in genuine fear and surprise.

“Yes,” said Cadance while passing another journal to Twilight, “I can see why you feel like you need that to be real, you're happy in a way only a foal can be. Shining and I have been trying to have a foal almost since our wedding night, but he's only recently gotten over the embarrassment that comes from a couple sharing a bed.”

“I suppose that explains why Sola is older than Heart Guard,” said Eclipse Touch.

“I wasn't sure your theory had any real substance,” said Twilight, “but after a few minutes of what it's like to being Unity Sparkle's mother I can see how much merit your theory has. I was concerned it was a very elaborate illusion spell, but your genuine surprise told me otherwise.”

“Well, that and I've never even attempted an illusion spell before,” said Eclipse Touch with a hint shame in her voice, “besides even the most advanced illusion spell couldn't make you all experience something separate from each other.”

“She has a point,” said Luna smiling at the filly, “if anypony attempted an illusion spell to that extent it would have little hiccups and hints that would be noticed out of the corner of your eye that would eventually make their way to the front of your field of vision.”

Celestia nodded before saying, “I suddenly found myself in the throne room with only the pony known as Sola calling me mom, I couldn't do anything at all and felt and heard myself doing things almost like living through a memory.”

“I was on the train to Canterlot with Heart Guard asking me about where we were going,” said Cadance.

“I was nuzzling Stella when it all came together,” said Luna with a smile.

“I was Unity Sparkle on miss Twilight's back, and the happiest little thing in my memory,” said Eclipse Touch with genuine grin to rival Luna’s

“I was waiting at the Canterlot train Station for Cadance with Unity Sparkle on my back,” said Twilight, “it looks like it couldn't have been an illusion.”

“But that leaves the question of why we were experiencing those things at all, based on the ages of all the children we interacted with...”

“Sola would have to have been born a year after miss Twilight had become an alicorn and Heart Guard would have to have been born around a year after her. Unity and Stella would have to be born a few days ago, but only after all the other things that were talked about happened,” said Eclipse Touch causing everypony to look at her, “I've spent a lot of time trying to calculate it all, that last vision gave a lot of data to work with, I could still hear everything going on and being said around Unity Sparkle.”

“But if Dream Step was meant to be my foal Stella,” said Luna, “why are we now coming to this realization? We're all much more sensitive to disruptions in the flows of time and magic than we usually let on.”

“Maybe you did feel it,” said Eclipse Touch as she made herself more comfortable on the couch, “but the sensation was so new or far removed from what you are used to that you didn't know how to make sense of it.”

Twilight's eyes suddenly flashed, “my tingling mane last year, I thought I might have gotten something similar to Pinkie's Pinkie Senses, but it only happened once and I didn't hear about anything that happened. I even asked Pinkie what an itchy mane meant, she said it meant to watch for stampedes, and she hadn't gotten that in while.”

“Well sorry about that,” said the pink pony seeming to pop out nowhere, “by the way I really liked my little filly, Cherri is so cute and looks almost like her mommy,” said Pinkie with a big grin.

“aside from the cherry red mane,” Eclipse eying Pinkie, “she even has similar mannerisms. Did your Pinkie Senses act up when we saw that alternate timeline?”

“Yup,” said Pinkie, “I got a new combo.”

“What was it?” inquired Twilight, “itchy mane, double twitchy tail, left ear flop, wobbly right foreleg,” said Pinkie with with a smile.

“And you waited for us to formulate everything before you popped up because...?” inquired Twilight.

“Simple,” said Celestia, “she wanted to hear what we thought about the experience.” Pinkie just nodded vigorously.

“So what exactly was that?” inquired Twilight, “Eclipse Touch thinks it could be the timeline as it was supposed to be, I think it's just a glimpse into an alternate universe, but I have yet to hear the theory the other princesses have.”

After a moment Luna said, “After what we just experienced, I'm inclined to be more of the same opinion as you Twilight. I know more than anypony that some things that aren't entirely real can feel more real than anything else, especially when strong emotions are involved.”

“The other me told me that Eclipse is right,” said Pinkie, earning looks from all the alicorns and the filly, “what she really did say that our current timeline was messed with by somepony.”

Twilight facehoofed and said, “Pinkie you can't just take the word of another you at face value! That's just weird, even for... no wait it's perfectly in character for you.”

“Ooh, I know let's have Discord bring the other yous to talk with you.”

“You would have to wait for Dream Step, Storm Walker and Sunshine Bottle to be with us for that,” said Eclipse Touch, “and the other you is still caring for a foal, would it be smart or wise to pull a foal with no known standing alternate along for the ride just for the sake of confirming something?”

“She's right, Pinkie,” said Twilight, “even if it is within Discord's abilities to do so, we shouldn't bring young foals like Unity Sparkle and Cherri Party into something like this just to end our debate.”

“Really now,” came Discord's voice, “you're having that kind of debate, never in a million years did I think I'd hear a debate like that. Also I kind of liked talking with my other self, he could handle all that easily.” Suddenly a second Discord appeared, wearing a pirate hat, eye patch and medical tape on his tail.

“Well,” said the second Discord with a slight pirate accent, “you weren't joking when you said they didn't have foals, and before anypony asks this timeline isn't really supposed to be the one you remember. I know because about a month ago you had a talk with your other selves in a space outside of time, which I helped make by the way, and figured out a way to correct the timeline. Although in your time you'll have to wait a few months,” he then turned his attention to Eclipse Touch and said, “you always knew this timeline wasn't right.”

“Only after the second time my ability showed me what it was like to be Unity, the first time I thought I was just projecting my hopes and dreams around me to escape my less than nurturing parents and grandmother.”

“Perfectly reasonable,” said Twilight.

“Yes, yes,” said Pirate Discord, “she takes after you even when she has no idea who you are,” with that he snapped his taloned hand and the image a young Eclipse Touch showing excitement over a book before it was tugged from her hooves and magic by Grand Charm as she was told she wasn't ready for the book, tears welled up in the foal's eyes and she gave silent cries for a full two minutes before the image blinked out.

Twilight turned to a now ashamed looking Eclipse Touch silently crying on the couch with her ears flat against her head before saying, “when is your birthday?”

Sniffling a bit Eclipse said, “Unity and Stella were born six days ago, Dream and I have been told our birthday is at the end of this week.”

“That's just three days away,” said Pinkie with excitement, “more than enough time for an amazing party to be planned.”

“Do you remember the title of the book?” asked Twilight.

With tear reddened eyes Eclipse Touch said, “The Complete Book of Magical Theory.”

Twilight smiled as Celestia said, “I think you'll get something much better than a mere book on magical theory this year, and this time you'll get to enjoy it.”

“I really should be going,” said Pirate Discord, “the foals need a rugged captain to rebel against,” with that he disappeared in a flash of light.

“Me looking forward to playing the villain for foals I...”

“Can totally see it as in character,” said Twilight promptly, “you like randomness, and young foals can be quite random at times.”

“I'll give you that,” said Discord, “what are you all doing here anyway?”

“Aside from miss Pinkie,” said Eclipse Touch as Pinkie trotted over to be next to the filly on the couch, “figuring out the messages hidden in the journals and trying to arrange the journals in a circle large enough for all of them.”

“Oh, is that all,” said Discord snapping his lion paw and a mass of note paper was floating in front of Twilight with Discord hold one of the journals in his talon hand while the rest were in a circle on the floor.

“What do the completed messages say?” inquired Celestia.
“Mostly they talk about how the unicorn who wrote these journals had hopes for something brighter than Eclipse Touch says Bridleton is. A few notes on how the original Artanus kept trying to find the right mare, but everything never felt right after a few hours with the mares. Mention of a spell for finding both of them, but no actual spell written for anypony that want to attempt, said Twilight. “A surprising number of apple recipes, looks like about eighty percent of these are old family apple recipes Myrraldin wanted to pass on. Wait he mentions having a child and using spell to send her to another nation with his magic, he says she was an earth pony and he cast a spell to keep her and her descendants from producing unicorns for around two-thousand years.” At this the sound of Applejack and Rainbow Dash coming caught her attention.

“Ah heard something about apple recipes and a unicorn with an earth pony filly,” said Applejack.

“Um, yes,” said Twilight, “her name was Avalonia.”

“Doesn' ring any bells,” said Applejack, “and Ah would know bit about that, after Pinkie claimed to be a distant cousin Ah spent almost a week going over the entire family tree.”

“She probably used her name's meaning,” sad Eclipse Touch, “Apple Island.”

“But, she's the original matriarch of the Apple clan,” said Applejack, “she's the one who knew more about apples than anypony in any time, that was over two-thousan' years ago, are you sayin' that we've got a powerful unicorn as an ancestor.”

“Ayeup,” said Eclipse Touch, “one that was every bit as tenacious and concerned about the safety of family as any of the Apple clan today. By the way you might start having unicorns as foals in the coming generations.”

“Any suggestions on names for somepony like that?” inquired Applejack.

“Mage Apple, Apple Spell, Apple Charm, Magi Crisp” said Eclipse Touch.

“Tha only ones uh those Ah liked was Mage Apple And Apple Charm,” said Applejack.

“Well there's an old book of magical crops that I read once,” said Eclipse Touch, “and apples that come from Avalonia's namesake were called that, the apples had magical properties that none had ever seen.”

“Like what?” Asked Rainbow Dash, “I can't see apples doing anything magical other than growing faster or tasting really good when turned into cider.”

“Avalonia has mystical force stronger than any other known island,” said Eclipse Touch, “and the only trees that grow there are apple trees. The massive grove has sections of apples with different magical properties. Some of the apples can heal any sickness or the the most grievous wounds, some can enhance the senses, some have the power to give anypony that eats them the power to fly without the aid of wings, some are even said to grant the wish of anypony that eats them. Nopony's been to Avalonia since before the fall of Artanus.”

“Ah sure would like some seeds of those healing apples, the rest just sound like askin' for trouble.”

While they were chatting Twilight read the final journal, after resting it from Discord's hold. When she came to back of the last journal the only message she got and read out loud was, This is the last of journals I will be writing in, place it in the ring for one final message. Wonder what this last message is.” Just as she was setting the journal in it's place Fluttershy and Rarity entered and gathered around next to Princess Celestia.

A magical image flickered with no distinct form or color in the middle of the circle for a few seconds before coalescing into the form of an apple amber unicorn stallion with what looked like a short beard and main that looked like it was loosely wrapping around his neck and keeping out of his apple in apple red and apple green eyes. He looked around a bit before settling on Applejack and saying, “it's nice to see my little apple found herself somepony to build a family with,” then he turned his attention to Discord and said, “Trickster, I certainly hope you aren't causing too much trouble.”

“Oh perish the the thought,” said Discord taking on the worst upper class Bridleton accent that Eclipse Touch had ever heard before returning to his normal speech pattern and saying, “I'm reformed.”

The image stared for a moment before saying, “this spell was designed to answer any questions and give a variety of responses, I only wish I could be there myself, but alas it can not be due to the difference in times. The spirits responsible for my birth made it so that I would naturally live thousands of years, but I sealed myself away for the safety of others, I had hopes of the spell being activated in Bridletonia, or whatever nation took its place, the magic of this place is not feeling like the base mystical energies I remember.”

“This is Equestria,” said Celestia, “I am one of the four rulers of the nation.

“A nation ruled by the elite, I can't say I'm surprised,” said the image.

“Princess Celestia ruled over Equestria for a thousand years when she when Princess Luna's jealousy drove her to become Nightmare Moon,” said Twilight, “Princess Cadance and I only have a few years worth of experience being alicorns, Princesses Luna and Celestia have been alicorns for their entire lives and those lives have been well over a thousand years.”

“The image gave a look of surprise, before saying in awe, “genuine alicorns, not a title. Life spans that are measured in centuries rather than decades, it is an honor. Whom may you be honored alicorn?”

“Princess Twilight Sparkle,” said Twilight, “I was just unicorn until seven years ago. The spell for locating the real you, can you share it with me.”

“Yes,” said the image, “but you might need a map to narrow down my general location. It is also highly complex and only those with the greatest understanding of magic could only have a hope of doing, I've never really tested the spell myself.”

“I'm sure it will be fine,” said Twilight, “my special talent is magic itself.”

The images eyes widened with astonishment before saying, “that too is my talent, never in a thousand lifetimes did I think another would be able to achieve that talent.”

Celestia and Luna smiled at each other before Celestia said, “I take it you are Myrraldin, or at least a representation of him.”

“That is correct,” said the Myrraldin image.

“Go ahead and share your spell with Twilight, we will wait for our chance to continue a conversation. The image nodded and a silver aura surrounded the horn before a beam the color of a zap apple shot from his horn and hit Twilight's causing her eyes to glow for a few seconds.

Twilight shook her head for a moment clearing the glow from her eyes and said, “I never thought I'd have access to such a spell, it just doesn't apply to Myrraldin and Artanus. The spell can be applied to find anypony, you just need to know their name and what they look like. When this is over I'm going to the map room.”

“That will have to wait,” said Celestia, “ Myrraldin, you said you were born of spirits. Could you elaborate? I am unfamiliar with such origins.”

“A powerful spiritual entity known as the Shadow Queen used her magic to birth me to my mother. She was chosen to be my mother because of her immense magical potential.”

“The mare known as Lady Shimmer Star,” added Eclipse Touch, “the legends say she was a unicorn from a long forgotten line.”

“Yes that was indeed my mother's name and she was indeed a successor to a forgotten line of those who drew on the magic of the nature around them known as the druids, but she was a pegasus, not a unicorn, stories passed on through the ages are always subject to change, I still can't understand how they managed to change my mother from one tribe to another.”

Luna gave a little giggle before saying, “please continue.”

“I defied the Shadow Queen at every twist and turn, I was a stubborn colt in those days, and my defiance of her became more evident when I learned she had the power to save my dying mother and chose of her own accord let my mother die. However her sister got along incredibly.”

“The Mare of the Lake, Nimuwane,” Eclipse Touch interjected with a smile.

“Yes her power over water was great, and her form was much like that of the princesses of Equestria. She had the look of an alicorn, and she told me what the name of her form was. That's how I was able to recognize an alicorn when I saw a shadow of the future in my younger days.”

“The Shadow Queen, Mabb, she faded away with Nimuwane before you left the nation to the hooves of Artanus and his successors,” said Eclipse Touch.

“Yes, but that would be many years later,” said Myrraldin.

“Was this Mabb really Nimuwane's sister?” inquired Twilight.

“As much as a manifestation of nature, the minds of many and power can be,” said Myrraldin.

“They were born of the same minds of ponies that were the ancestors of the ponies that would later build Artanus's kingdom,” said Eclipse Touch, “when belief in them wanes to a certain point they fade away into nonexistence, then all the spells they weaved become unbound.”

“Those directly tied to life a living entity with the ability to channel magical energies, like myself, are the only exception,” said Myrraldin.

“Embodiments of forces of nature and reality, like Discord and Still, are also exceptions to this rule. If enough ponies believe in Mabb or Nimuwane again then they will return to the world in a place that is of great importance to the ponies of those nations,” said Eclipse Touch, “or so I've read.”

“It's just a working theory,” said Myrraldin, “it's never been tested.”

“What if you described what Nimuwane was like and let her story spread across Equestria,” said Twilight, “even if there aren't enough ponies that believe in her to help her manifest somepony might like the stories enough that they name their filly that and tell the stories about the original Nimuwane to the point that the filly wants to be like her.”

“That might take a few generations, mom,” said Eclipse Touch.

“I'm supposed to be Unity's mother, you were supposed to be her,” said Twilight, “so while I'm not your physical mother, I am looking forward to making sure that I truly am her mother.”

“So, Still created a spell for stealing the hopes of the future,” said Myrraldin, “she would have to be nearby the pony that cast the spell to ensure the spell was executed properly.”

Eclipse Touch's eyes went wide and she uttered, “Grand Charm, she's been prancing around as Grand Charm since before me or my siblings were born.”

“Oh, is that all,” said Discord with a sense of contempt, “I have no intention of meeting her then, but as a gift,” snapped his taloned fingers and in bright Flash a yellow unicorn with an orange mane appeared in the room.

“Sunshine Bottle,” said Eclipse touch with surprise then smiled and said, “how's it going... Sola?”

The mare's eyes widened and she said “How do you know that name? Nopony should know that name?”

“Take a look over at the white mare,” said Eclipse Touch calmly while gesturing toward Celestia.

Sunshine Bottle looked over at Princess Celestia and started having a breakdown, all the more evident by her saying, “no, you're not real. You can't be real, she's not supposed to exist. True alicorns a myth, a fantasy. Mother said so, father said so, grandmother said.”

“Excuse me for trying to think for myself,” said Eclipse Touch with concern, pity and no trace of malice for her sister, “but I would reconsider anything the spirit of stagnation has to say.”

“She's as real Discord,” said Sunshine Bottle.

“You mean me,” said Discord appearing in front of her upside down in the air with stationary wings and big grin detached from his face floating next him, his mouth began moving and he continued, “this is probably breaking your little brain now.”

“No this is an illusion,” said Sunshine Bottle.

“Actually it isn't,” said Princess Celestia in her warm caring voice while walking up to sunshine bottle and carefully wrapping one of her ivory wings over the orange mare's side, “nopony's horn is glowing to indicate the use of magic, and before try to counter the point it is impossible to hide something like that with even the highest level illusion spell.

Sunshine started crying into the ivory alicorn's chest and in her crying said, “Mwy allphase hoped you were real, Vie vhould slee vuu whenever I put Eclipse Touch thuu vedd,” then taking her face out of Celestia's chest with tear streaks running down the ivory alicorns chest fur and her own face said, “even without out those experiences putting the foals to bed was one of my happiest moments. It made me stop thinking about pleasing Great Spell.”

“I've kept telling you that no matter what you do she'll never acknowledge you the way you wanted. I recently learned why, she's not our genuine mother. When you saw Princess Celestia in those visions and called her mom that was who was meant to be your mother, we were all stolen from the futures of Equestria's princesses so that Still could more easily gain a hoofhold in this nation.”

Sunshine Bottle turned her attention to Princess Celestia and in the voice of a little filly said, “momma, mommy.” Before collapsing like a tired foal at Celestia's hooves.

“Was that really necessary?” said Luna with a disapproving look at Eclipse Touch.

“She needed to have somepony confirm the truth for her, I'm very certain she already figured it out without meeting Princess Celestia. Sunshine Bottle was always brighter than she let on.”

“Just like her mother,” said Luna with an approving nod towards Celestia whom was showing the kind maternal concern for the mare in front her that Twilight remembered having for Unity Sparkle when she experienced the other timeline.

“You need to mend the timeline,” said Myrraldin, “Still's spell causes immense damage to the timeline, but she's unwilling to even take notice. She's unwilling to change the way she does things.”

“Even when she has overwhelming evidence that her approach isn't as effective as she believed at the start.”

“Maybe a little help with our Elemental Rainbow powers from the Tree of Harmony will help,” chimed Pinkie as she passed Eclipse Touch an apple muffin from in her mane, the filly took few sniffs and nibble before practically gobbling it up in two bites which in turn caused cries of joy to emanate from Pinkie.

“That would probably work in this timeline,” said Myrraldin, “but you'll have to perform a similar act to her in the restored timeline after putting a spell in place prevent the spell used to steal the foals before their birth,” everypony turned their attention to Eclipse Touch then Sunshine Bottle. However you would need a spell that acts unexpectedly while still keeping the spell from affecting the timeline like it has in this one for when it encounters Still's spell.”

“Because Still's spells would act like her, unwilling to change regardless of evidence that said it needs to,” said Twilight with understanding.

“Exactly,” said Myrraldin.

“I'll do it,” said Discord, “my magic is the exact opposite of her's so no matter what when they get close they'll act as a nullifying force.”

“You have changed a bit,” said Myrraldin, “I have an old memory of you just starting to realize your full potential, and just going off doing random things with no real reason beyond something catching your attention.”

“Yes, I was like that when I was young and stupid,” said Discord, “but after a couple centuries I was more about causing the chaos than being it, I found a way to be smarter about my application of magics. That said being encased in stone for a thousand years helped temper me a bit, as much as I am loath to admit it. Besides it will so much more dynamic around here with Twilight and her friends having foals, and the me in that timeline was more than enjoying himself.”

The Myrraldin image showed a great surprise before saying, “you can move outside of a timeline with no ill effects?”

“In my first encounter with Discord he actually pulled back to an earlier point in time that same day,” said Twilight, “granted neither of us could interact with the world around us there, it was just like we were neutral observers.”

“I see,” said Myrraldin, “well then I wish you luck, you can summon me again by performing the same act, but I recommend you separate at least one of my journals from the rest for security reasons.”

“Well I've read them all by this time,” said Twilight, “I'll take some of the later volumes with me back to Ponyville, the other Princesses can read through them at their leisure if they want.”

“I think it would be more prudent have at least a quarter of the volumes in each of our libraries,” said Luna, “that way when Great Spell and Grand Charm do make their way to Equestria they won't be able to claim all of the journals, I also recommend that Princess Cadance take the mind magic book and hide it away from most of the kingdom, many of its spells are far too tempting to those with a weak sense of ethics or morality.”

With that all the Princesses nodded and broke up the circle to take a noticeable number of books, they also made sure to not all have entirely consecutive numbers for the same reaason. When Twilight had her pile all ready to goo she motioned for Eclipse Touch and Pinkie Pie to join her and teleported them all back to her castle library in Ponyville.

With that Cadance did teleported herself and her smile pile to the Crystal Empire library after Celestia floated the mind magic tome over to the pink alicorn. With the other two alicorns gone Celestia and Luna set about placing their collection of the old unicorn journals in their private libraries. Afterwards Celestia returned to a sleeping Sunshine Bottle and curled up next her after she and Luna had confirmed it was time to lower the sun and raise the moon and performed that duty, as the ivory alicorn curled up with the yellow unicorn her thoughts and dreams drifted to what Eclipse's ability had let her experience and her last thought was about what it would be like to be a genuine mother instead of merely a motherly figure.

Author's Note

This is my longest chapter yet. Also a lot of this chapter was intended for the next chapter, but I was really in the zone when writing this chapter and decided to just put it here. To me it feels like I'm accelerating the story a bit to quickly here, but we'll see how well it works out. In addition I would love to have the quote from the journal appear in a different font style, but the default for Fim fiction doesn't have that option (hopefully with their next system update it will). Also I just want everyone to know they can use any of the OCs from this story, you just need to message me and ask. The same holds true with art containing the characters, just let me know about it and send me a copy when you're done. Sunshine Bottle was originally intended to show up with Great Spell and Grand Charm when they arrived after a few months had passed by in the story and I originally wanted to have her and Pinkie end up in a sort of confrontation that would lead her to understanding what false happiness and true are like, but I figured since I already had Discord at my disposal and he really hadn't done anything majorly random I thought I might drop her in and have her start having something akin to a crisis of identity.