Friendship and Secrets

Friendship  and Secrets

Chapter 3: Twilight Sparkle

...

Your faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

Princess Celestia sighed after finishing Twilight's letter. They were coming less frequent now, but she had expected that, especially after the stern talk she gave them, regarding a certain team of well-known concolts. Nevertheless she read every letter, which Twilight and her friend sent her.

She is growing up to be a very fine mare, a better mare than myself, she thought bitterly.

Hopefully she will realize her potential while she is still so pure. She would make a fine sovereign one day.

“Captain Shining Armor, I trust that this letter will have your interest.”

Meanwhile, in Ponyville:

“Whew, that was some crazy stuff today.”

“No kidding Twilight. But I would still like to know, why Pinkie is dying her mane and her coat. Next thing we will discover is that she’s a pegasus.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Spike. I ran a complete physical on her and she has no wings. A pegasus without wings.” She chuckled a little. “There has been no case of that for centuries. Not since the war against Wolvenguard...” She trailed off.

“...”

“...”

“Sooo, do you need me for today? I still have to get those books to Rarity.”

“Huh? Oh no Spike, take the rest of the day off. And get Peewee out a little!”

“Ok, see you tonight.”

“Bye Spike. Have fun.”

After Spike left, she closed the Library down for ‘reshelving'. She locked the door, closed all curtains and made off to the lab. Down there she opened an inconspicuous cupboard.

It wasn’t that big and only filled with two photo albums, one held some pictures from Fluttershys modeling streak, specifically those unsuited for minors, while the other held similar photos of Rarity. How did I even get these? It mattered not, they were there for Spike.

She took the distractions out of there and put them on top of the safe. Of course she had *ahem* ‘catalogued' them, when they came here, but since then they had only become bait for anyone snooping around, so that they would not inspect the cupboard further. Knowing herself to be alone, she opened the back panel.

Twilights scream was only heard just outside the library. Ditzy Doo cocked her head slightly.

Oh dear, she has found out about my accident with the tomato soup. I need to get Dinky and fly far away. I can’t let my little muffin grow up an orphan.

The gray and blonde mailmare dropped her bag and made for her daughter. Twilight was not to be taken lightly.

“...no no no no no no no no no no NO! Where are they?”

The lab was a mess. Everything had been thrown across the room during the frantic search. She looked into the cupboard, but it didn’t spontaneously conjure up the missing books.

Okay, Twilight. Calm down. ... More... More... Okay. Now let’s assess the damage. What is still here and what is missing.

She took out the books in the cupboard and inspected the titles.

As it turned out, there were five missing books, two of which could destroy everything she had achieved in her life, while the other three were mostly harmless. But they would still make life with her friends awkward for a while, so she needed them locked away.

Now, where could they be?

It took her a while to remember that they were on her desk, mixed into a few stacks of books her friends had asked her for. She smiled and went up into her room to get them.

Whew, that was a scare. Maybe I should go to Canterlot to make copies of a few of them. If they don’t know that I have written them, then maybe I can get some interesting criticism. Of cours, I will have to change the names and some places. And... WHERE ARE THE BOOKS?

She glanced at her desk and dimly remembered that she had given the stacks out. As she had already checked out all the books, she didn’t go over the titles again, which meant that her friends now had the most compromising pieces of literature Twilight owned.

She fell onto her haunches. She had to get them back.

That went surprisingly well.

She sighted.

Thankfully Applejack didn’t ask any questions, when I explained to her, that this book wasn’t finished yet and that I didn’t want anyone to read it, before I published it.

Thanks to the farmers understanding nature, ‘A Juicy Apple Pie was back in her possession, without Applejack knowing anything about its content.

The light from her teleport spell died out and she fell straight through the clouds that made up Rainbow Dashs house.

STUPID MOTHERBUCKING CLOUDWALKSPELL.

She teleported again and managed to cast the walk-on-clouds spell, before she hit the ‘ground. Swaying a little, she quietly listened for any noise coming out of the house.

And she listened.

“Hello?” she called out, expecting no answer.

She wasn’t disappointed. Dash wasn’t here, so she just blinked behind the front door and looked around. As far as she knew, Fluttershy was the only other friend of hers, who had been in here before.

The house was just one big room.

In one of the niches was a big bed, with a giant Daring Doo poster on the wall behind. Besides the bed was a basket, in which Tank was sleeping. On the opposite wall was a closet.

Next to the bed was a kitchen. It was stocked better than she expected. There were a stove with an integrated oven, cupboards with neatly stacked and ordered dishes, a cyclone fridge from Cloudsdale and a table with three chairs around it.

The opposite wall held a guest niche with two beds and a terrace opening up to a field of clouds, which seemed to form some sort of garden.

Upwards were mostly shelves circling around the room and the ceiling was a dome of transparent clouds.

The central area before her seemed to be the living room, judging by the couches and the armchair. And there were Dashs saddlebags. She hastily opened them and found all books still in it, untouched. She found 'Sunshine and Rainbows, A goddess and a weatherpony,' still wedged in between the meteorology books.

She stuffed the book into her own bags and started to turn around, when she noticed Dashs I.D. lying on the table. Curious she took a look and noticed two things, that weren’t as they should be. The name on the I.D was Tempesta instead of Rainbow Dash and the birthplace was listed as Canterlot. Yet it was undeniably Rainbow Dashs I.D., the photo was unmistakenly her.

Weird.

She turned around and was met with an unexpected sight.

The room had a fourth wall, which she hadn’t looked at before, that was hung with photos.

She recognized a few of them, mostly those with her and her other friends on them, or the giant one, where the princess had granted her the grand price of the Best Young Fliers Competition. But there were also pictures she couldn’t identify, but only two caught her eye.

One of them was a picture of Rainbow Dash with a young earthpony foal, orange coat and purple mane, on her head, while the other was with Scootaloo in the same position and her father, a pegasus with neon orange coat and deep purple mane, besides them. In fact both foals looked really similar, but it was impossible for them to be the same pony. After all Scootaloo was a pegasus.

The weirdest thing with these three pictures was that they were enlarged and prominently displayed above the door.

She made her escape, while quietly chuckling about the uncanny resemblance between the foals.

The next place on her list was Fluttershys cottage. On the way she had a brilliant idea on how to get the book back. All that was left to do was to convince Fluttershy. So, as soon as she entered the yellow pegasus property, she called out to her friend.

“Hey Fluttershy. Do you have a Minute?”

The mare in question looked up from behind her chicken coop and answered.

“Oh. Hi Twilight. What can I do for you?”

“Well Fluttershy, do you remember those books I gave you? I accidently lend you one that was already reserved and I would love to get it back, before someone notices.”

“Oh, that’s no problem at all. I’ll fetch it in a minute.”

“No need to, just tell me where the books are and I’ll be out of your mane in no time.”

“Well, they are still in my bag in the kitchen, but I really wouldn’t mind get...”

“Oh, no problem then.” She teleported into Fluttershys kitchen and opened the bag in question.

There it was: The Moonshine Aria. The second book, that nopony must ever see. She stuffed it into her bags and teleported back out.

Thank Calestia, that I got the two dangerous books back. The other two books can wait.

Applesack And Charity is actually a pretty decent romance novel, while I can pass of A Bakers Guide To Fillies as a parody.

“I’m done, Fluttershy. Do you need any help?”

“Just one thing, could you please stop cutting me off? I was just explaining that I would fetch you your Moonshine Sonata.”

“It’s actually Moonshine Aria, but- WAIT! How did you know what I was looking for?”

Fluttershy blushed, but spoke without fidgeting:

“I might have taken a small peak inside; it was a very steamy scene between Selini and her stallion Ilios. I didn’t know you had the experience to write this stuff.”

“... When I last visited the princess a week before Discord,” both faces darkened for a moment, “Princess Luna bemoaned the fact, that I was so inexperienced in the ways of love and lust. After Nightmare Night, Luna summoned me to Canterlot for ‘training as she called it, but I had no idea what I was getting into. Let me just tell you that I know Coltvids works by heart and can recite the Karmaresutra.

“She has instructed in all the ways I can pleasure either mare or colt of any pony race. Take this for an example.” She twisted her hoof at a place just behind Fluttershys wing joint. Her friend moaned out in pleasure and blushed even further.

“Just keep all of this between us, ok? It’s not something I want Ponyville to know.”

“Ok Twilight.”

“Pinkie Swear?”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

“Great, thanks Fluttershy.”

“You’re welcome.”

Back at the library, she weighted her options. She knew there was hardly any danger for Rarity or Pinkie Pie to read the books, both were busy tonight, so it would be better to wait until tomorrow. She still had to clean up the basement, preferably before Spike got back.

She had just locked the door to her lab, when she heard Spike unlocking the front door.

Okay, panic now!

She rushed down the stairs, jammed her books into the hidden storage room, locked it put the bait back in and closed the cupboard. After that, she flared her horn and nearly everything in the room started to float. Broken things mended themselves and everything went back to its original place.

Spike chose to knock right in the middle of this difficult spell. “You down there, Twilight?”

“Spike, what have I told you about interrupting my me time?”

“Geez, Twi. Keep it cool! I hope you got a towel in there, because I sure as hell won’t mop the floor.”

“Wait, what do you think I’m doing down here?”

What a quiet and peaceful mor-

„AAAAAAHHH, MY MAAAANNEEEEE!!! “

Scratch that, now it's business.

Rarity’s scream woke everypony between the windmill and Sweet Apple Acres. For a few moments everything went quiet again, before the first ponies ran out of their houses, assaulted by their manes. Before long, pandemonium was about.

Nearly everpony struggled with their seemingly sentient hair. Fluttershy and Angel tried to keep her pink mane from strangling her. Bonbon was pummeled by her curls. Applejacks tail kept jabbing at anyone getting too close.

Only a few ponies were unaffected: Pinkie Pie was standing just outside Sugarcube Corner and laughing her flank off at the sight of the best prank she had ever seen.

Ponyvilles mailmare Ditzy Doo, jokingly called Derpy Hoves by everypony, was delivering the mail, completely oblivious of the chaos around her, but that was most likely attributed to her little ‘muffin Dinky, who was riding on her back.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders stood around Rainbow Dash, with Scootaloo on her back, right next to Carousel Boutique and looked around confused, while the adult weatherpony was nearly suffocating from laughter.

Weird, Dash should be affected; the spell has targeted every adult pony on the ground.

She modified the spell slightly and shot it onto Dash. Both she and the orange filly on her back were unaffected, but Applebloom and Sweetie Bell were beginning to have trouble with their manes.

I should look into this. And with that thought, she canceled the spell on the small group.

Twilight was lurking in the bushes near them, waiting for a certain somepony to finally get out of her house. The small experiment with Dash had only been a small distraction.

“Come on Rarity.”

Her mane in disarray but inanimate, she peeked towards the boutique. There were still thrashing sounds from within the tailor shop, but the unicorn with her silky indigo mane refused to get out of the house.

“Okay, time for Plan B.”

Her horn flared briefly. ... Nothing happened for a few moments, but then everyponie’s second main piece of hair joined the fray as well. Yet despite all the commotion caused by the spell, nopony would be injured. That was the most important component of the spell.

There were more crashing sounds inside the boutique, but still no sing of Rarity.

Hmm, maybe if I do this.

Her horn flared and she modified the spell. Now Raritys mane and tail would specifically tip her creations over.

A few seconds later, Rarity fled her shop, while Twilight snuck in behind her.

Now, where is that book?

After a few seconds she spotted the pile of books, that she had lent out to Rarity yesterday and grabbed her notebook.

Safely back in the bushes, she undid the spell and returned to her library.

Why did Rarity have to get Applesack and Charity, if it had been the Bakers Guide, I could have simply gone to Pinkie Pie and speculated, when Applejack and Rarity would drop the act and get together. Anypony with eyes can see the looks on their faces, when they look at each other, and even Spike has realized that he has better chances with her sister.

Now, how do I get that last book back? I can’t trick Pinkie, so I have to get her to swear secrecy.

“You can do this!”

She entered the bakery and was immediately hugged by Pinkie Pie.

“Twilight, you won’t believe just how glad I am to see you, well I’m always glad, but that’s not the point. Did you notice anything of the chaos with everyones manes? I mean my own hair was only tickling me, so I didn’t have it as rough like the others, besides Derpy, but she was in the air when the trouble began, so I guess that’s why she wasn’t affected. But enough of me, what can I help you with?”

Twilight couldn’t pinpoint what had made her more dazed, the hug, the shaking or the speech barrage, but she shook her head and pushed through.

“Actually Pinkie, I’m here to get a book back and I need you to promise to me, that you won’t tell anyone about it.”

“Which book is it?”

“’A Bakers Guide To Fillies.’”

After the formalities of the oath were taken care off, Pinkie handed her the book.

“By the way Twilight, that’s awesome writing, you really captured my spirit in that story.”

“You’re not mad?” She didn’t even ask when Pinkie had read it.

“Why would I? I know that writing makes you happy, so your writing also makes me happy.”

“Thanks, Pinkie Pie.”

“No problem, but there is something else I need to talk to you about and it’s not as happy.

Twilight froze. She can’t know about my other writing. SHE CAN’T.

“I know that I really am in no position to advice you on your relationship to Princess Celestia, but this is some important stuff.

Dear Celestia, she knows!

“And you should remember that we, as your friends, will always love and support you, so keep that in mind.

SHE KNOWS!

“To cut it short: Derpy misdelivered a letter for you and I read it. Here take it, it’s better if you read it by yourself.”

Thank Celestia, she has no clue. Wait, this letter is from the princess and Pinkie made it sound like I was... going... away. ... Dear Luna, please let Celestia be ignorant about my books.

She took the letter out of Pinkies muzzle and asked slightly hearse: “Why do you sound so serious?”

“Read it!”

I,

Princess Celestia,

Ruler of Equestria, Grandmaster of the Order of the Secret Flame,

Headmaster of The Royal Academy for Gifted Unicorns, The Imperial Flight Academy and The University of Life, Daughter of Unity and Life, Student of General Hurricane and Clover the Clever,

hereby name you,

Twilight Sparkle,

Element of Magic, Hero of Equestria, Knight Commander of the Night Guard, Alumna of the The Royal Academy for Gifted Unicorns, Daughter of Midnight Sparkle and Day Moon, Student of Princess Celestia,

my daughter by choice.

This decree is law, by authority of the sun and the moon.

“I’M WHOSE WHAT NOW?”

“Calm down Twilight and read the other page before you panic!”

My beloved and faithful student Twilight Sparkle,

I’m writing to you in a most delicate matter, in which I require your absolute secrecy,

until you have reached a decision.

The required secrecy is also the reason I am sending you this letter by mail instead of dragon fire, as not even Spike must know of this arrangement.

Luna has done some digging into the laws of Equestria and pointed out to me, that by ancient law I can name a mortal heir.

And I would like you to be that mare.

Besides the legal implications, there is bigger reason for this.

I have recently been reminded of my own, very real, mortality and I think that, should something happen to me, you are the only pony capable enough to handle both my powers and my duties.

Should I pass on without a magically aligned heir, my powers are enchanted to drift to the nearest non-alicorn pony.

And it would give me the right to call you my dear daughter, a place in my heart you already own.

I have packed the formal announcement within this letter, so please be discreet with it, unless you want to accept my offer.

If you want to call yourself my daughter, send me a letter, but don’t rush your decision.

Your loving teacher,

Princess Celestia

She dropped the letter. Princess Twilight Sparkle, huh?

They both sat still for a few moments, well Twilight sat still, but Pinkie started shaking more and more until she literally exploded.

“Isn’t this GREAT, Twilight? I mean you’re going to be a princess and stuff, this is so great, it must be the bestest thing ever!!!  PRINCESS SPARKLE! Hmm, doesn’t sound very regal, but what about Spark? YES, THAT’S IT! Your royal highness, Twilight Spark. Now it’s awesome, what do you think?”

The future princess didn’t answer, while she slowly reread the letter a third time. Her eyes glanced over the words, without her brain processing their meaning. She required a lot of nudges from Pinkie, before she managed to look up.

“Huh? Yeah, whatever you said. Now listen, don’t talk to anyone about this. I need to think about it and talk to some ponies, first.”

“Alright. And now for something completely different, do you know anything about Scootaloos mother?”

“No and why do you ask?”

“Nopony knows anything. She lives with her dad; They moved here some time ago, but nopony knows from where. Dash has seemingly been friends with them even before they came here, because she helped them move in. When she’s not busy with anything, she takes care of Scootaloo, but ever since you two returned from Canterlot, she even neglects her training for it.”

“Now that you mentioned that, it reminds me of something. Did you know that Scootaloo has a twin sister, who is an earthpony? Dash has pictures from both of them on the wall of her living room. She could know something, because they seemed really close.”

“Strange, this brings me to my second point. Did you know that Dash is living under an alias?”

“WHAT?”

To say that Twilight was shocked, would have been a massive understatement.

“She said she was born in Cloudsdale, but the only pony born there, which was ever named Rainbow Dash, had no known parents. There wasn’t even the usual notice for orphans of ‘parent unknown, the birth certificate only held RD’s name and birth date.”

“Weird, normally such a document should be invalid. Hmm, was the numbering in the list off?”

“Now, that’s the strangest part. It fit perfectly into the numbering. So whoever set this up did so on Dashies birthday.”

Twilight stood still for a moment, her left hoof beneath her chin. Then she told pinkie: “If it fits into the catalogue, it must be real. So Rainbow Dash is her legal name. The only explanation I can think of, is that Rainbow Dashs parents don’t want anypony to know, who she really is. Her parents must be either highly influential, extremely rich or both, to be able to manipulate the public account.

“Hmm... Oh, that reminds me I found an I.D. with her picture on it. It states that her name is Tempesta and that she was born in Canterlot, but it must be fake, as you found a valid birth certificate.

“Still if she doesn’t want to tell us, then she must have a reason. So, please Pinkie Pie, leave it at that.”

“Okie-dokie.”

“Great, now what about a small party for all of your friends? I know it’s been a while since the last one.”

Pinkies smile threatened to behead her, when she drew out her party cannon and fired.

“Oops, maybe we should clean this up; I mean you’re still technically at work and the party won’t start until tonight.”

End of Chapter 3