Princess Twilight stepped onto the balcony jutting out from the side of the castle. Every pony in the courtyard below stooped to one knee.
Bartleby, the princess' advisor, walked in front of her and looked down at the ponies assembled below. "Long live Princess Twilight!" he cried.
"Long live Princess Twilight," echoed the crowd. After saying this, they all stood.
"Princess Twilight would like to make an annou-"
"Out of the way, Bartleby," Princess Twilight said in a low voice. Although she had not spoken loudly, her voice echoed through the courtyard.
Looking slightly annoyed, Bartleby bowed low and stepped back, allowing Twilight to take his place.
Princess Twilight looked at all of the ponies gathered below her with her good eye. The other was scarred and milky white. "Ponies of Canterlot and beyond," she said, keeping her voice at the same, solemn volume as she had when addressing Bartleby. "I have called you here to make an announcement. Though the war was a long and hard one, I now return Equestria soldiers to you, no longer unsure volunteers, but proud victors."
As she said this, the doors below her opened, and a stream of stallions and mares poured out. There were a few joyous cries as old faces were found, and many hugs. Twilight watched this with a look of growing disapproval. "That is quite enough. If I may hold your attention, please. That is not all I have to say."
Hundreds of eyes stared at her, soldiers and citizens alike.
"Princess Celestia and Luna... Shall not be returning."
There were muffled gasps and cries from the crowd, but Princess Twilight silenced them with a hoof. "They have gone their separate ways, and it is highly unlikely they should ever return here."
Some ponies, at his point, turned to their friends who had been fighting in the war. What did Twilight mean? We're they to be ruler-less? The soldiers, who had been sworn to secrecy, kept silent.
"Who's going to raise the sun and moon, now?" a bold stallion called out.
Twilight looked at the outspoken pony and raised an eyebrow. "I will, of course. Celestia and Luna have been teaching me their duties."
"Well, okay, then, but what about a ruler? Somepony has to lead us."
"A constitutional Democracy!" a voice cried out, and there were a few snickers.
"I will, of course," Twilight replied, ignoring the laughter.
This statement fell upon silence.
Bartleby emerged from the castle- no pony had noticed him leave- bearing a purple pillow with a golden crown atop it. Twilight knelt to allow him to place it on her head, and something sinister flashed through his eyes. No one noticed, however. The look was gone as quickly as it had come. Bartleby nestled the crown atop her head gently, and Twilight rose.
"All hail Queen Twilight!" Bartleby shouted.
The crowd of ponies echoed him in a subdued tone.
"Queen?" the same stallion from earlier called. "Why 'Queen'? Why not 'Princess'?"
Twilight's ear flicked slightly in annoyance. "Celestia and Luna used the term 'Princess' because they were sharing the position. I call myself 'Queen' because I rule alone."
"Well, that's stupid. It's been that way forever! Celestia and Luna never..."
Twilight rose to her full height "Do I look like either Celestia or Luna to you?"
"... No?"
"That settles it, then," Twilight growled. She and the stallion stared one another down, until he finally broke the silence. "Where's Celestia?"
Twilight's ears flattened against her skull. "Would you prefer Celestia over me? Is that it?"
"No, but..."
"Guards," Bartleby said sternly.
There was a rattle of armor as the royal guard in the courtyard snapped to attention.
"Escort this stallion away. He's upsetting the Queen."
Two guards nodded and waded through the crowd toward to the pony in question.
"Hey!" the stallion cried. "This is an abuse of power! ABUSE OF POWER!!!!" The guards ignored him as they led him away
The crowd began to murmur again. Twilight, obviously much calmer, now, called for quiet. "I have but one more thing to say." The crowd, newly interested, went silent.
"As my first act as Queen..." Twilight paused, looking at everypony- "... I hereby outlaw friendship."
Twilight
The crowd before me erupted into a chorus of gasps and outraged cries. I kept my face impassive.
"You'll thank me for it one day," I said simply, and walked back into the castle that was now mine, leaving that slouch Bartleby to mop up whatever mess I had apparently created.
They just don't understand.
They have no idea what pain, what hardship friendship creates. The world would be better without it.
I had just saved all of Equestria.
And nopony, it appears, is grateful...
Stupid foals.
I bit my lip to keep from crying. My first day on the job, and already I was screwing things up.
Quickly, I tried to regain my composure, just in case any servants happened to be around. That Twilight, the old one who cried at the drop of a hat, was gone. I had a country that depended on me. I couldn't show weakness. But...
Looking around to be sure no one was nearby, I bolted to my excessively large bedroom and locked the door behind me, just as the sobs began to wrack my body. Oh, Celestia, Luna, I can't run Equestria without you... And especially not without...
I continued to sob silently, spiraling completely out of control.
Everypony is depending on me. I can't be like this, the rational part of my brain whispered. However, once the tears started coming, they were impossible to stop.
Oh, Celestia, why did you have to choose me...
Author's Note
Any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to speak your mind. I'm open to critiques and the like.
Bartleby
I watched in amusement as the crowd of ponies below spiraled into pandemonium.
"Outlaw friendship?!?!?!"
"That's impossible!!!!!"
"How will this be enforced? Will all friends be split up?"
"What about families?"
"The population will decrease dynamically!"
After about ten seconds of this disorder, I slammed my hoof onto the floor of the balcony, demanding silence.
"Right, then. The decree is as follows..." I pulled a scroll from my saddle bag. "No ponies whom are not related shall...
- Sustain eye contact for more than ten seconds..."
I had just barely begun reading, and already, ponies were bursting out into cries and shouts. It was a rather unpleasant ruckus.
"Order! I must have order!" I called. I allowed myself a secret smile. I always did enjoy speaking like that. "Now, then, if you will let me continue... Err, here we go. 'No ponies blahblahblah eye contact,
- Stay in the house of another pony for more than sunup to sundown, or vice versa,
- Meet with one another for pure poses other than business,
- Talk to other ponies for anything other than business,
- Show Public Displays of Affection,
- or In any other way display friendship in any of its forms other than that of a family.
To ensure these rules are followed, members of the guard shall patrol the streets of the town.' ... Then it goes into detail about what the guards should do. Well, at least you all don't have to worry too much, looks like more jobs as guards are opening up for all of you. Some good is coming from this! Other than a fair and just new law, of course." I snickered at my own dry humor.
An earth pony with an elaborately styled mane called above the crowd, "Well, what about the population? Surely her Majesty would like subjects to rule?" She tossed her head. "I mean, really."
I sneered. I knew what she was referring to. "If you are interested in that kind of thing, you may take your interests somewhere other than Equestria." This, not surprisingly, caused the crowd to erupt into a renewed cacophony of complaints and shouts of surprise once more. My calls for quiet were quite drowned out in the hubbub.
"THAT IS ENOUGH!!!!!!" I finally roared, my voice soaring over all of the outcries of the assembly below. My eyes were alit with manic fury, and my body was tensed in full attack mode. Teeth bared and ears flat, I glared at everypony below. "If you have any questions or complaints, do come see her Majesty during visiting hours," I said, my voice dangerously icy. Then, my cloak billowing behind me, I swept back into the castle, the doors booming shut satisfyingly after I had passed through them.
Once inside, all the anger I had showcased while out on the balcony evaporated. I rolled my shoulders to release some of the tension, then stretched and yawned elegantly. "Right. I should see 'her Majesty' about dinner," I said aloud to myself, before heading over to the more elegant side of the castle, deep within the castle, away from the probing gazes of both friends and enemies alike.
I trotted over to Queen Twilight's bedchambers, then paused as I heard a familiar noise. Was she... crying?
"Your Majesty?" I said innocently as I knocked on her door.
Almost immediately, the door flew open, and there Twilight stood. She managed to retain all of her august demeanor, no sign showing at all of her tears. "What do you want?" she growled, shooting daggers at me with her gaze.
I put on my best "eager-to-please faithful servant" face. "I was wondering if you would desire I tell the cooks to begin preparing dinner. Your schedule says that dinner is around this time, correct?"
She stood there for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. But tell them again not to make that onion soup. It's awful. I keep telling them to stop serving it to me. but they never do. Tell them again." Always the picture of perfect manners, she then slammed the door in my face.
I rolled my eyes and let the act drop. She might think she had my undying devotion, but really, what made her deserve my respect? What had given her the right to be queen? Hadn't I served the sisters for years? Had I not striven to earn their trust since I had been selected as their advisor? But, no, they choose little, obedient, prodigious Twilight. Pah.
I shrug off these negative thoughts as it approached the kitchen. "Hello, Betty. Doing well?" I said conversationally to the head chef, leaning on one of the tables.
"Good as ever," Betty replied, trying in vain to keep a stack of dishes from toppling.
"Her royal highness is nearly ready for dinner," I said helpfully, watching the tower totter dangerously.
"On time, as always," Betty sighed. The dishes tumbled to the floor, a few CRACKs revealing away the damage.
As I was leaving, I paused and turned back. "Oh, and Twilight begs that you make extra of that soup from last night. She says it was superb." I turn away from the kitchen with a grin as the hustle and bustle of the before-dinner cooking got underway.
A queen filled with turbulent emotions. A populace in distress over a new law. And, under it all, a kitchen trying frantically to keep up with its own personal agenda, nearly completely cut off from the rest of the world. I adjusted my cloak over my wings, making sure they were hidden. They aren't ready. At least, not yet.
Celestia and Luna may be gone, but the world is just as pleasant as ever, if not more so.
Ah, what a wonderful place Equestria is.
Author's Note
Thanks again for waiting for so long for this next chapter!
