Liberation

by TailsIsNotAlone

Rating: everyone
Tags: Sad, Main 6, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Twilight Sparkle, Discord, Princess Celestia, Alternate Universe, Thunderlane
Length: 9256

"The scholar's duty is not to confirm his own beliefs, but to question them--to question everything," Starswirl once wrote. After Tirek's defeat and the loss of her library, Twilight Sparkle begins to do just that.

Tirek is gone and so is the library, but Twilight Sparkle can't stop thinking about them. Is she playing the part she wants to play? Are her desires all the same as her mentor's? Has ascension truly helped her to spread the magic of friendship? To answer these questions she must turn to her friends, her mentor, and a more uncertain source: her heart.

A/N: This is an alternate version of events after the Season 4 finale, returning after a two-year hiatus. The beautiful new cover picture is courtesy of AquaGalaxy. Dedicated to palaikai and BrownEyedBagel for their support, plus RealityCheck, Jawjoe and StrangeReasoning for inspiration; and finally Black Hoof, without whom I may never have continued the story.)

Published 2015-02-25 00:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-10-03 21:02:31 UTC

Chapter 1: Aftermath

It was all over, Princess Twilight Sparkle said to herself.

The crisis was averted. Tirek was imprisoned in Tartarus once again. Ponyville and many other cities across Equestria had celebrated. To use an expression she once heard from Applejack, it was all over but the crying.

She laughed weakly through her tears. Almost over, then.

The night of their victory was euphoric, like a dream. Pinkie Pie launched an impromptu "Saving Equestria (Again) Party" and they were off to the races, celebrating until they couldn’t keep their eyes open and had to drag themselves home. Twilight had conked out right on the floor of the new castle. But it ended as all dreams must, and the sun rose again--much more smoothly now with Princess Celestia back on the job--and brought her this.

The charred ruins of Golden Oak Library. It had taken until now to sink in.

Volumes of Equestrian history and culture. Manuscripts and notes from generations' worth of pony scholars and sorcerers. Every Daring Do book from The Sapphire Stone to The Zirconium Zebra. Her precious shelving system that took years to perfect. Copies of her friendship letters, records of her countless experiments and all of the needed equipment. And when she wasn't too busy to notice them, four walls and a bed. Her home.

Gone.

Twilight poked one hoof limply into the rubble. Perhaps with time she would unearth something salvageable. All she could see now was a pile of torn pages here, shards of broken glass there. From the windows, she realized. She'd liked those windows.

Spike whistled softly beside her, and she jumped. She'd forgotten he was even standing there.

"Wow. That Tirek guy sure didn't mess around."

Twilight shook her head. She couldn't seem to look away.

The baby dragon picked up Twilight’s scorched globe of Equestria, grimaced, and tossed it away. “I was hoping I’d get a day off, but not this way.”

“Spike…how can you joke about it?” Twilight wiped her eyes and gestured all around them. “This was…it was…”

“Our house. I know, Twilight. But that was yesterday,” Spike said solemnly. “We have to plan for today, you know? These things happen.”

“Happen? It did not...just...happen.” Twilight looked up slowly. She felt something boiling inside of her. That familiar mixture of panic, rage, and the need to control. Her left eye showed the barest hint of a twitch. “He did it!”

Spike backed up a step. “You know what I mean. Hey, Twilight…take it easy.”

“Take it easy? Take it easy?!” the Princess shouted. But no. No no no. Not Spike's fault. Stay focused. Her expression immediately changed to a desperate, hollow smile. “...Yes! That’s a great idea! I’m going to take it easy. Nothing to worry about here, right? Sure it’s hundreds of books and four years’ work down the drain, but we’ve suffered setbacks before! If I send letters to the other 32 libraries in Equestria asking for spare copies, and put in a few hundred special orders to the Canterlot Archives, and work exactly 18 hours a day, then I can replace it all in…”

“But aren’t we going to live in the castle now?” Spike interrupted with one eyebrow firmly raised.

“What?!” She tilted her head, startled. “Oh…yes. My brand new castle. That’s…well, that’s just perfect, isn’t it? Just so darn convenient. All our stuff is destroyed--we won’t even have to pack! And it’ll be like the tree was never even there, huh? Isn’t that great, Spike?!”

“Um...yes?" The stony silence told him that was the wrong answer. He saw her pupils shrinking as she studied the ruined books, seeing things he couldn’t begin to imagine. It was going to be a bad day. "I’m gonna leave you alone for a while, okay?" No answer. "See ya.”

She watched him scamper away, off to Sugarcube Corner or Carousel Boutique or some such place. The sun was rising higher and other Ponyvillians were stepping cautiously out of their houses, just watching her. Twilight saw the look in their eyes and quickly turned away. She didn't want their pity.

She could still make this all okay. She just needed to leave and develop her plan. A perfect, lovingly crafted plan to rebuild what was lost and go right back to the way things were before. There was only one more thing she needed to do first.

Without a word she teleported into the restroom of the Quill & Sofa, cast a quick soundproofing spell, and cried like a foal.

Tap, tap, tap. Nudge. Tap, tap, tap. Nudge. Tap, tap, tap...

Fluttershy groaned softly and opened her eyes. Something was tapping on her bedcovers. And nudging her, if she wasn’t mistaken.

She stretched her slightly sore muscles and turned over to face the grumpy gaze of Angel Bunny. “Hmm?”

The petulant furball tapped his foot and held out his food dish expectantly.

“Is it that time already?” Fluttershy sighed. “Oh my, I’m sorry, Angel! I was just so tired from helping Twilight save Equestria yesterday…” She paused as Angel gave her another look that only she could interpret. “Hmm? How many times is that now? Well, I’m afraid I don’t remember. But you should be very happy that we did it again. I don't know what Tirek would have done if he took over Equestria, but he certainly didn't seem like an animal lover to me.”

The bunny shivered slightly at the thought. Fluttershy relented and got up, flapping a tad unsteadily to the bedroom doorway.

“Don’t worry everyone, I’m coming,” the yellow Pegasus called soothingly to the other hungry woodland creatures who must be gathered in her sitting room. “Would you like me to sing for you while I get your breakfast? La la, la la laaaa…”

Her performance was interrupted by a deafening yawn from the bed.

“Yaaaarrrrgh…where’s the radio?” groaned a cyan blue fellow Pegasus who lay atop the covers.

“R-Rainbow Dash!!” Fluttershy cried out, blushing fiercely.

Her friend sat bolt upright with wings akimbo. “Huh?!”

“What are you still doing here? I mean…um...I thought you said you were going home.”

“In a minute! I told you, I’m just resting my ey—“ Dash squinted against the morning sun. “…Oh. Oops.”

Fluttershy shook her head. “No no, it’s okay. Since you’re still here, you can help me feed the animals!”

The athletic pony hesitated a bit. “Not that I don’t want to, Shy, but that didn’t work out very well last time. Remember?”

“It wasn’t your fault. It was only Starswirl’s spell. At least none of the animals got hurt…”

Dash stared at her in disbelief. “At least they didn’t—Shy, they were about to cook me for dinner! Remember me? The most awesome flyer in Ponyville! Your best friend at flight camp?”

“And I’m very sorry about that, but…it’s all the more reason to get on their good side, right?” Fluttershy put on her best remorseful smile.

Dash rolled her eyes and trotted over to join her. “Okay, okay. I just hope I don’t regret this.”

The two friends flew into the sitting room only to witness something truly unprecedented: Rarity snoring softly on Fluttershy’s couch, surrounded by animals, no makeup, mane and tail a tangled mess.

“Oh dear. I guess you weren’t the only one…” Shy whispered.

Dash gawked in delight at their slumbering friend. “Oh, WOW. I will NEVER regret seeing this!”

Fluttershy demurely raised her hoof to hide a smile. “Shhh. We shouldn’t stare. Let’s just try to feed them all without waking her up.”

Right on cue, a loud pink blur with boundless energy jumped out from behind the couch. Fluttershy squeaked with fright; Rainbow just watched in silent anticipation.

“GOOOOOOD morning, everypony!” Pinkie Pie shouted. “Oh my gosh, wasn’t that like the best party EVER? I don’t know how I’m gonna top that. Wait—I know! Next time I’ll give Gummy his VERY OWN punch bowl. Oh my gosh, I can’t wait. Let’s all start planning it right now! Rarity? HEY RARITY, are you awake?!”

Rarity’s blue eyes snapped open, first registering confusion, then a growing sense of terror at her current situation.

“It’s okay, Rarity,” Dash tried in vain to calm her down. “You really don’t look that b—”

“EEEEEEEEK!” Fueled by sheer panic, the white unicorn’s horn flared to life. In a shower of light blue sparks, she disappeared.

“Wow! I didn’t know Rarity could teleport,” Pinkie chirped innocently. “Should I follow her?”

Dash put a hoof to her forehead. “I wouldn’t do that, Pinkie. Give her some time to get ready. Like a week, maybe.”

“Didn’t anypony make it home from here last night?” Fluttershy said. Her ears had lowered almost imperceptibly.

Rainbow knew that look. She was probably uncomfortable with all the early morning socializing, but too nice to make a big deal about it.

“Yep! Twilight went to her great big castle thingy and Applejack is back at the farm,” Pinkie replied, raising her head and squinting. "She's already bucking apples. Big juicy green ones...yikes! There's a worm in that one! Oh. Good. She got it."

“Pinkie, how do you…oh, forget it,” Dash yawned again. “Hey, let’s just help Fluttershy clean up and feed these critters and then we'll scram, huh? I’ve got a lot of Daring Do to catch up on.”

“Okie-dokie…”

Fluttershy cast a worried look around the cottage. “Thank you both very much. But…I wonder where Discord is? I haven’t seen him since yesterday.”

The other Pegasus’ expression soured. “You’re worried about him? As long as he’s not causing trouble or betraying anypony else, he can be wherever he wants.”

Applejack’s back hooves thundered into the trunk of one tree. In a practiced movement, she pivoted on one front hoof while wiping sweat from her eyes with the other, then bucked the second tree.

She smiled at the familiar sound of apples falling into the baskets. It was good to get back to the Acres after yesterday’s excitement. They’d sure taught that overgrown magic gobbler a thing or two. According to this morning’s Ponyville Gazette, which Apple Bloom helped Granny Smith read out loud at breakfast, ponies all over Equestria were making a strong recovery. Princess Celestia was also increasing security in Tartarus so everything that belonged down there, stayed there.

She turned to the next tree and saw a familiar face approaching. Spike was shuffling slowly up the path. Judging by his slumped shoulders and troubled eyes, a “good mornin’ ” probably wouldn’t do him much good.

“Well, howdy Spike,” she nodded to him. “I thought you’d still be asleep at this hour.”

The baby dragon sighed. “Hey, Applejack. So did I. But Twilight wanted to get a look at the library, and…”

He trailed off. Applejack thumped him gently on the head. “Oh, I saw that on my way home. I’m mighty sorry about that, sugarcube.”

“It’s not just that. It’s Twilight. I hope she’s going to be okay. She was still sitting there when I left.”

“You don’t say,” Applejack paused before attacking another tree. “…Tell you what, I’ll round up the other girls a bit later and we’ll go over there to check up on her.”

“Thanks. I’m sure that’ll help.” Spike said. He shuffled his feet and looked around.

“…Somethin’ else the matter?”

“Do you mind if I give you a hand here for a while? I’m kinda bored, and…the castle isn’t really home yet, you know?”

“Don’t you worry, honey. We’ll fix that soon enough,” she winked at him. “In the meantime, sure. Grab me some more apple crates from the barnyard, and later we’ll go help Twilight—”

“—Move in?” Twilight asked Celestia a few hours later. “You mean, now? Just like that?”

“It is for the best, I think,” her mentor said delicately. “It will take several weeks to build and restock a new library.”

Twilight held up a folder of extensive notes. “That's just it! I can take care of the restocking! I’m sure my friends won’t mind helping, either. We just have to nail down a schedule and—”

“Twilight,” Celestia held up a gold-shod hoof. “I appreciate your concern as always, but I believe this is something the City of Ponyville can manage. For now, there are other things that need our attention. And I could hardly expect you to run the town library for the rest of your life.”

“But I…” Twilight was so disappointed she could hardly speak. Didn't Celestia even want to see her plan? But...wait. Her mentor had always been right before. It made sense, after all. A library really wasn't the right place for an alicorn. She paused and met the Princess’ eyes. “I liked it,” she said weakly.

Celestia smiled. “I know you did, my dear. And I realize the change may not be easy for you. Princess Luna, Cadence and myself have all had to give up things that we enjoyed for the sake of Equestria. And I think you will find that as a Princess, especially the Princess of Friendship, the sacrifice is often its own reward. Just as you said yourself, you have chosen your new role—and now is the time to step into it.”

“My new role?”

“ ’As Princess, I believe I have the power to spread the magic of friendship across Equestria. That is the role I am meant to have in our world—the role I choose to have.’ That is what you told me the other day, isn’t it?” Celestia winked at her in an effort to lighten the mood.

She did say that. But now it sounded strange to her ears.

Spread the magic of friendship...the role I choose. Twilight repeated to herself. …Choose?

“Twilight?”

She knew how this visit was going to end. Dutifully, she nodded and tried her best to smile. "Y-yes! I...I understand, Your Majesty."

Something flickered, faintly and only for an instant before they said their farewells. It was the last thing Celestia expected to see in her beloved student’s eyes but it was there now, so familiar as to be unmistakable.

Doubt.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading. What do you think so far? :twilightsmile:

Chapter 2: Things Past

There was nothing like a good, low flight over Ponyville to work up an appetite for lunch.

Thunderlane stood poised on the edge of a cloud for a long, exhilirating moment. He loved this feeling of being just about to lose his balance and plummet, knowing his wings would adjust instinctively to catch him; it added to the adrenaline rush when he nosedived and leveled out, clearing the whole town in one swoop. He didn’t have the grace or the blinding speed of Rainbow Dash, but who did except for the Wonderbolts?

Besides, he was one of the best weather ponies in the area and a storm specialist in particular. Nopony could craft a controlled thunderstorm like him. In fact, it was part of his job to check things out on the ground before he gave other Pegasi the signal to let ‘er rip. And there was no rule that said it couldn’t be fun.

He tilted, dove, and flew like lightning. ”Woo-hooooooo!”

Not exactly in the spirit of Weather Bureau policy, but as long as he minimized the property damage, few complained. And after that crazy horned guy swiped his magic the other day, he needed a good flight.

Thunderlane grinned as the entire surface of Ponyville went by him in one colorful blur. Over the schoolhouse and the town hall, past Sugarcube Corner, twice around the clock tower just for fun as he curved toward the outskirts of town and WHAT THE HAY WAS THAT HUGE UGLY BLUE AND PURPLE THING DOING THERE HE COULDN’T STOP COULDN’T DODGE IT COULDN’T STOP

“Uh-oh,” he squeaked.

Twilight shivered and dropped her crown unceremoniously onto the Table of Harmony. She had stubbed a few hooves on the chairs before her eyes adjusted to the dark. There were no permanent lights in this castle yet. A few windows offered some natural illumination, but not when the sky had clouded over. It was so cold in here, too. Not merely the kind of chill that lingered in stone and crystal, but the kind that came from feeling alone.

“This will be good for you, Twilight. It will help you grow.” The Princess said before excusing her from the throne room.

Well, I have been growing lately, Twilight thought. Her reflection stared soberly back at her from the walls. Lately she’d begun to notice that her legs and horn were getting just a little longer, her wings slightly more prominent on her sides.

It was decided. She would not be living in Golden Oak any longer. She would not even be allowed to rebuild it. She must stay here in her new castle and move on. After all, what kind of princess would she be if she remained a librarian forever? Celestia didn’t seem to think that was acceptable, and Twilight couldn’t blame her. But she would at least have liked an opportunity, a pretense to choose.

Ever since the meeting, she couldn’t get that word out of her mind. Princess Celestia had given her the time and the freedom to choose what her new role would be as an Equestrian head of state, and Twilight was grateful for it. But if she could do that…

Then why couldn’t I choose between princess and librarian?

Alicorn and unicorn?

Why was I rewarded, and not my friends?

For all of the past year Twilight had ignored those questions, swallowed the doubts, waited to see where this new leg of her journey would lead. Ever the dedicated student, she believed everything her teacher told her even as she struggled to understand it, and at the very last minute she thought she did: her destiny was to spread friendship throughout Equestria. After all, the magic of friendship, unlocked by the keys and channeled into her and her friends through the Tree of Harmony, was the very thing that had finally beaten Tirek.

Yet as the events of yesterday played over and over in her mind, she realized it was the only thing that subdued him. All the alicorn magic in Equestria, and her authority as princess to use it, ultimately made no difference.

She was getting used to the wings, and the weight of the crown on her head. But in some ways, they still didn’t fit.

She was pacing again. Owloysius watched her curiously from the Table.

“What am I going to do?” she asked him.

“Hoo,” the owl replied. He tilted his head suddenly as if sensing something out of place, then quietly took flight and landed on Twilight’s back.

She smiled in spite of her inner turmoil. “Owloysius, what’s wrong? You never sit on my--”

A tremendous crash echoed through the central chamber as a gray pegasus pony dropped like a stone onto the Table of Harmony, accompanied by a shower of broken glass. He didn’t move.

Time stopped for a moment. Twilight stood there gaping at the unexpected visitor, frozen by shock, all other concerns forgotten. Finally she recovered and rushed over to him. “Hey! Um...are you okay?”

“Ugggh,” he responded.

At least he was conscious. Twilight examined his wings. They had a few nicks and loose feathers but did not appear damaged. The rest of him seemed okay too, minus some bruises that were already rising under his coat. Twilight looked up and put a wondering hoof to her chin. She thought it was only Rainbow Dash who had a knack for finding windows when she crashed into buildings, but maybe it was a common trait among Pegasi.

She was still staring up at the recently created hole when the pony beneath her coughed a few times. She glanced down to find his amber eyes open and staring curiously into her own. “Whoa. Did I just go to the big cloud in the sky? ‘Cause you sure look heavenly to me.”

“What? No, no! You’re alive. And I think you’re going to be...” Twilight being Twilight, she did not immediately realize he was flirting with her. She paused awkwardly and blushed. “...Um, fine.”

“You know what? So do I,” the pony winked and sat up as smoothly as possible on the hard surface of the table. “I’m Thunderlane, weather pony and a way better flyer than I looked like just now, I swear. What’s your name?”

“Twilight Sparkle. I mean, Princess Twilight...well I don’t really like that name,” she rambled nervously. How was she supposed to introduce herself, now that she had her own castle? “Um, let’s just say I’m Twilight Sparkle and I’m a princess, and this is my castle. But you don’t have to call me that! Princess, I mean. Some ponies act like it’s a rule or something, but it’s not actually written anywhere in the Laws of Equestria that a dignitary must be addressed by their title.”

Most ponies would have bowed or at least apologized for being so informal, but Thunderlane didn’t bat an eye. He just nodded patiently through the monologue and grinned. “Is that so? Well, the pleasure’s all mine…Twilight. Say, you look really familiar. Didn’t you help out Rainbow Dash at Tornado Day a while back?”

“Yes, I did! When I was still a unicorn.”

He shrugged. “Unicorn, alicorn, no big deal. I’d remember your face anywhere.”

Cue another blush. No big deal? When was the last time somepony thought that? “Thanks. Um…I measured your wing power. You came in at 9.3.”

“Wow, you remember that? I wanted to do better but I was coming down with the feather flu that day,” Thunderlane hopped down from the table and rubbed his forehead, wincing. “So did a bunch of other good flyers, thanks to me. Not my proudest moment. Catch up with me some other time and I’ll tell you what was. Right now, there’s a storm with my name on it that’s supposed to start any minute.”

He was leaving already? “Are you sure? You took a really hard fall there. Maybe you should see a doctor just in case.”

“It’s sweet of you to worry about me, but I’m fine now. I’ve had worse landings than this. Not that it happens every day, but then brand new castles don’t jump into my flight path every day either. Where did this monster come from, anyway?”

Twilight looked sheepish. “Well, that’s kind of a long story, but yesterday--”

“Surprise!!” Somepony cried as a loud BOOM and a maelstrom of confetti filled the chamber.

Both ponies jumped about ten feet before turning around to see who was there--though it was an easy guess. Pinkie Pie jumped up and down behind her still-smoking party cannon, flanked by Spike and the rest of Twilight’s friends.

“It’s your Surprise Super-Duper Cheering-Up Castle-Warming Party!” Pinkie said proudly. “At first it was gonna be just a Housewarming Party. But we already had a party yesterday so I knew this one had to be Super-Duper! And then Rarity said this was a castle and not a house, so I made it a Castle-Warming Party. Plus Spike told us that you were awfully sad and frowny so we wanted to cheer you up too! And I didn’t think we’d able to surprise you since you’re already home, but you didn’t hear us come in so—”

“In other words, we’re here for you, Twilight,” Applejack mercifully interrupted. “And we brought you a few things to make this big, high-falutin’ place feel more like home.”

“But we certainly didn’t know you had...company.” Rarity glanced between the two of them with great interest.

Rainbow Dash was smirking, too. “Didn’t think I’d see you here, Thunder. You on break again already?”

He ran a hoof through his distinctive striped mane. “Oh, you know...just checking in with the folks down here before we kick off the storm. Can’t be too careful, right, Dash?”

Dash spotted the broken glass on the table and put two and two together. “...Oh, yeah. Totally. And you just thought you’d come in through the window, huh?”

“Some ponies are just too cool for doors, Dash,” Thunderlane said nonchalantly. “You know how it is. I gotta go, but ladies, this storm’s for you.”

Twilight couldn’t help noticing her friends’ differing reactions; Rarity looked flattered, Fluttershy made an odd squeaking noise and looked down, Pinkie giggled innocently, Dash rolled her eyes, and Spike stuck a finger in his mouth and pretended to gag. Applejack paid little attention to Thunderlane at all; she was looking between Twilight herself and the upturned crown on the table.

The Pegasus gave them a careless wave goodbye, meeting Twilight’s eyes for just a moment, and managed to conceal any residual pain as he strolled out the door.

“Try to be more careful!” she called after his fading hoofsteps.

“Hmph. Who does he think he is?” Spike grumbled. He was lugging a small wagon full of slightly singed literature. “Well, here, Twilight. I know it’s not much, but we looked through what was left and some of these books from home are still okay.”

“Oh, Spike,” Twilight’s eyes watered as she leaned over the salvaged books. To her amazement, one of them was the friendship journal. She levitated it gently from the wagon, then picked Spike up as well and held both of them close to her. “It feels like everything right now. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, but...can you put me down? C’mon, Twilight, not in front of everyone...”

She just hugged him harder. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad day after all.

The first claps of thunder reverberated outside Canterlot Castle.

Discord materialized in the throne room moments later, dripping wet with a raincoat and galoshes on. “Rain just isn’t the same without the chocolate,” he said wistfully.

The Princesses were only mildly surprised at his appearance, but Luna still eyed him suspiciously. “Sister, thee knows We do not like him.” she said quietly.

“And you know it is not good form to use the royal We when addressing your own sister,” Celestia chided her.

Luna looked sheepish. “We—I mean, I apologize.”

“Apology accepted.”

“But must I endure his presence before my throne?”

The draconequus overheard them. “Why, you wound me, Princess Luna!” The raincoat changed into a layer of bandages that covered his entire mismatched body. “I come here only to seek yours and your sister’s forgiveness for the...unfortunate events of the other day.”

Luna glared. “Verily, that We trusted thee is the truly unfortunate thing.”

Discord looked away, for once without a witty comeback.

The Princess of the Moon studied him suspiciously, wondering if he was merely pretending to be hurt. “…If thou dost seek forgiveness, know that it shall not be easily won. We will now retire for Our day’s rest. Thou may begin to atone by staying thy hand of mischief during that time. Sister, good day.”

“The same to you, Luna. Sleep well.”

She nodded curtly and left her throne without further ceremony.

“I see the moon is still cheesed,” Discord sighed when she had gone.

Celestia gave him a stern look.

The bandages vanished. “Yes, yes. The whole ‘turning on Equestria’ thing. What can I say? I can hardly justify my actions except to say that I missed the old days, and thought I might be able to return to them. An unwise decision. But I also gave you flowers…” He folded his forelegs (his paw and his claw to be precise) and gave her puppy-dog eyes, a disturbing sight to say the least.

Celestia was unmoved. “Be that as it may...the most important thing is that you apologized and helped Twilight and her friends to defeat Tirek in the end. Do not mistake me; the damage can be repaired, but it cannot be undone. It may be a long time before you are trusted with authority again. I take the welfare of Equestria just as seriously as I did in ‘the old days’.”

Discord levitated as if relaxing in an invisible hammock. “I suppose telling you to relax and lighten up would ring rather hollow at this point…”

“You suppose correctly.”

“…But bear with me, Celestia. It took us over a thousand years just to get to know each other. I have thought about what I nearly lost, besides Equestria as we know it. And I think I am beginning to understand it…very well.”

The Princess examined him silently. For once, he appeared to be sincere.

“I am glad you feel that way. But perhaps your afternoon would be better spent with those who do not have a thousand years to understand you.”

The lord of chaos hesitated. “Well, that’s the kicker, I’m afraid.” Instant sneakers, which he used to kick his way out of the imaginary hammock and onto the floor. “I really haven’t the slightest idea what to say to them. How can I...well, never mind. For reasons of my own, I think I’ll just stick it out here.”

How can I make it up to Fluttershy for throwing away her trust in me, all for a short power trip with that insufferable centaur, he wanted to ask. But, that was more candid than he preferred to be with a former adversary, however cordial she might be now.

“As you wish. If you don’t mind, I think I will pass the time by reading some of my old correspondences,” The Princess had a mischievous gleam in her eye as her magic lifted a large folder from beneath her chair. “It is a hobby of mine.”

“Of course it is,” Discord rolled his eyes, looking as though he would rather be outside in the rain.

The monarch cleared her throat and recited one of her letters aloud. " ‘Dear Princess Celestia...friendship is a wondrous and powerful thing,’ " She looked up in time to see Discord fidgeting uncomfortably. " ‘Even the worst of enemies can become friends. You need understanding and compromise. You’ve got to share. You’ve got to care. Sincerely, your faithful student and all of her new friends from Appleloosa...’ "

Discord couldn’t take any more. “You are truly merciless, Princess. Very well, I’ll go find them already. Arrivederci!” He scoffed and disappeared.

Celestia sat back and enjoyed some rare peace and quiet. Speaking of Twilight Sparkle, perhaps she would schedule another meeting with her next week--just to see how her latest transition was coming along. Her student’s trepidation was cause for concern.

I do want you to be happy, Twilight, she thought to herself. Your potential is still so much greater than you realize. Equestria needs you.

She reopened another letter.

And so do I.

The Surprise Super-Duper Cheering-Up Castle-Warming Party was going strong. After Twilight used her magic to restore the broken window glass, her friends set about making her sitting room more comfortable. Applejack had brought a small bookshelf cobbled together by Apple Bloom, and of course, some apple treats. Rarity gave her some blankets, fancy rugs and drapes for all the windows, all in shades of purple. Rainbow Dash brought her some odd-looking weights (”You just tie ‘em to your wings every morning and stretch slowly up and down. Really strengthens the ol’ muscles!”). Fluttershy donated some birdhouses to attach to the outside of the building--a castle this big was bound to attract birds, she reasoned, so why not make them more comfortable here? And Pinkie Pie, of course, brought a cake.

Twilight was used to her friends being generous, but this time it made her so emotional she could hardly speak. She wanted to tell them everything she was feeling, all of her doubts and fears. But the words wouldn’t come, and she didn't want to spoil the mood.

When all the new things were in their proper places, the festivities began. Despite Rarity’s protests, Rainbow Dash proceeded to entertain the other ponies with a highly exaggerated story of the dressmaker’s morning mishap. Applejack was less interested in that sort of thing and took the opportunity to look down at her farm from the castle balcony. Twilight followed her outside. The rain was letting up, and the fresh air smelled wonderful.

“Well, I’ll be!” Applejack exclaimed, jabbing her hoof at the view of Ponyville. “Ain’t that somethin’, Twilight? You can see almost the whole darn orchard from up here!”

“Yes. It’s beautiful,” Twilight nodded slowly, though her stare went much farther than the Acres.

Applejack looked at her curiously. “You sure are quiet tonight. Still thinking about the library?”

Twilight didn’t want to trouble her with it. “Oh...just a little. But I guess I had to let it go sooner or later, right?”

“Don’t know,” the farmpony shrugged. “Is that how you feel?”

“Applejack...how old were you when you left Sweet Apple Acres?”

A.J. didn’t question the change of subject. “Why, I was just a little filly. Barely knew a stem from a core back then. I just decided I wanted something new, so I went straight off to Manehattan.”

“Wow. What was it like?”

She looked over the rail at the setting sun, barely visible behind the clouds. “Okay, I reckon. I wasn’t real sophisticated like the Oranges, but they were nice folks. I worked hard, I made a new life, and an awful lot of ponies took a liking to me over there.”

“Then why did you go back to the farm?”

“Cause I missed my family. I missed everything, even my chores. Sure the city was nice and all, but what did it matter if I wasn’t bein’ me?” Applejack lifted her hat and shook her mane out in the breeze. “Maybe it sounds silly, going through all that just to end up right where I started, but it wasn’t for nothing, ‘cause I appreciate what I have now. That’s what got me this here cutie mark. I’m doing just fine the way I am.”

Twilight nodded slowly, her expression unreadable.

“How about you?”

Pinkie poked her head out into the evening air. “Twilight! Applejackie! Time for cake!”

“We’re comin’!” Applejack waited until the party pony was gone before adding, “I hope she didn’t put gummi bears in it this time.”

Twilight chuckled at the memory. “That didn’t come out quite right, did it?”

“Sure didn’t. Say...”

Twilight looked up.

“If there’s anything else you want to talk about, sugarcube, you just come find me,” Applejack said. “Anytime, okay? I mean it.”

She replaced her hat and trotted back inside.

Twilight watched the darkening horizon for a minute longer. The storm was over now, but one more blaze of lightning went off in the distance. That must be Thunderlane’s trademark, she thought, like the signature she wrote on a letter.

He was one of the few, next to her friends and Pinkie’s sister Maud, who talked to her like she was just another pony.

She looked out to where the lightning had been and waved.

Chapter 3: Alicornsomnia

She was probably having dinner with her animal friends now. It was always the last thing she did before turning out the lights and going to bed. She would start with Angel Bunny and Harry the Bear, then move on to the others, making sure every one of the furry freeloaders had been served before sitting down herself and nibbling on a salad from the garden.

If he was going to talk to her, Discord thought, he’d better do it now.

But he found himself rooted here as firmly as any of the trees in Fluttershy's field, by a vastly unfamiliar emotion: shame. Giving all the ponies a quick hug after the battle was one thing. Facing Fluttershy alone, after what he did to her and her friends, was another.

Sometimes he hated these feelings, this weakness. When all Equestria was his playground, who needed friends? Sometimes he missed those halcyon days when it never occurred to him that manipulating “reality” and “order,” the terminally boring conditions in which these creatures lived, might be bad. But now he knew, and he cared. He could change his form and his surroundings at will, but he couldn’t change that. Yesterday showed him there was no going back—even when he tried.

You used to be like a kid in a candy store, his mischievous side whispered to him. Now you’re just another sucker.

That’s quite enough out of you, his friendly side whispered back. It’s your fault we’re in this mess.

Discord chuckled to himself. Imagine the god of chaos being upset over a mess.

The lights in Fluttershy’s cottage went out. “Too late now,” he sighed.

He was afraid to face her, yet he missed her terribly. No one ever told him that friendship could hurt.

“Twilight,” Spike said hesitantly from the doorway of the throne room. “Are you going to bed pretty soon?”

She barely looked up, still engrossed in the books he had salvaged. They were a hodgepodge of titles to be sure, everything from Dragon Eggshell: Nature’s Miracle to Fear and Loathing in Las Pegasus.

“In a minute, Spike.”

He knew that meant an hour. “But it must be after midnight! Even Pinkie went home hours ago. Come on, I’m exhausted.”

“Why don’t you go upstairs now, and I’ll catch up with you?”

“You’ve got a flying lesson with Rainbow Dash at nine. Remember?”

Twilight sighed and reluctantly tore her attention away from the books on the table. “Oh, Spike. I completely forgot! All right, I’m coming.”

They got lost on the way to the bedroom. It was a smaller chamber with windows facing east, but it looked almost identical to several others along the corridor. Twilight had to cast a quick illumination spell and look into each of them. When they finally found the right one, Spike turned to her with a wicked gleam in his eye.

"First one there gets all the covers!"

"Oh no, you don't!" Twilight laughed as he leaped for the mound of blankets by the far wall. In the blink of an eye she focused her magic, teleported across the room, and got there first. Spike crashed into her and both pony and dragon tumbled through the quilts.

"No fair," Spike said grouchily when they had settled down.

"Sorry, Spike. This horn just has a mind of its own sometimes," Twilight giggled. She tried to turn over and let out a yelp. "Ouch! You're on my wing."

"Sorry." Spike moved so she could draw it closer to her body, getting a snout full of feathers in the process. "Achoo!"

"It's not your fault. They're always getting in the way. And I want to apologize, too...about this morning. I guess I came a little bit unglued there."

"Don't worry about it. I miss it, too. Everything'll be better after we grab some Z's."

Spike relaxed and burrowed himself in a little deeper. Twilight yawned and closed her eyes. Her number one assistant was right. It had been a long and stressful day, but things would look brighter tomorrow. She just had to put her best hoof forward, settle into this new life, and everything would be just fine. She steadied her breathing and waited for sleep to come.

And waited...and waited some more.

While any number of natural sounds could be heard at Golden Oak, the crystal palace was eerily silent at night. She cocked an ear outside of the blankets and listened hard for anything beyond Spike's breathing. She had visited several deep, dark places in her life, where the loudest noise was the heaviness of the air; a mute roar that chilled the skin beneath her coat and put all her senses on high alert.

Minutes turned into hours as she stared up into the dark. Her eyes adjusted well enough to see the gleaming crystal surfaces all over the room. She tried counting the facets, and made it to 57 before giving up. How late was it now? She didn't know for sure. First thing tomorrow morning, she was buying a new clock.

"Twilight?"

She almost jumped. Taking a moment to steady her breathing, she turned in Spike's direction. "What is it?"

"...You can't sleep either, huh?"

"Coffee?" she croaked as they helped each other shuffle downstairs the next morning.

"We don't have any," Spike said with a massive yawn. "Besides, you never drink that stuff."

Twilight clumsily pulled up a chair and laid her head on the Table of Harmony. "Well, I sure could go for some now."

"Me, too. Just a sec. I've got you covered." Spike found a blank page in one of their books, tore it out, and scribbled a brief message. With a flick of his claws and a whoosh of magical dragon breath, it was gone.

"I thought you could only send letters to the princess."

"Nope," he said proudly.

It couldn't have been more than five minutes later that a resounding knock at the castle doors jilted Twilight out of her sleep-deprived stupor.

Spike winced and covered the scales on the sides of his head. "Come in!"

A sudden rumbling from the front doors opening; a cacophony of hooves racing into the lobby. Twilight looked up to see a gray schoolfilly with a braided silver mane, thick glasses, and a tray of steaming cups which she set immediately on the table. "Emergency royal coffee delivery for Princess Twilight!"

Twilight blinked once, then twice. "You look familiar. Didn't you visit my library with Apple Bloom and her friends?"

"Your Highness! You...you remember me?" The filly looked positively starry-eyed, but she composed herself quickly. "I mean...like, of course you do! After all, we're both totally special ponies, and special ponies never forget each other. Can you imagine what it's like to be - pfffft - not special? I don't even want to, like, think about it. I'm Silver Spoon: wealthiest heiress in Ponyville, best friend of Diamond Tiara, part-time barista, full-time awesome. Careful with that beverage tray; it's an antique! Then again, so is everything in my house."

Too tired to ask any more questions, Twilight levitated one of the cups from the tray and took a sip.

The drink hit her taste buds with a bang like Tasty Treat curry and a zip like Pinkie Pie's butter toffee crackle cake; an expertly crafted balance of bitter, spicy, and sweet, dispelling the fog of fatigue from the horizons of her mind. With the second gulp, her muscles felt as fresh and springy as the daisies in Fluttershy's garden; with the third, her nerve endings seemed to shoot sparks. As Rarity might say, it was utterly divine.

Yes. Yes! Today was going to be okay after all!

"Spike! Why are we just sitting here?!" Twilight jumped up from the table. "It must be after eight o'clock already, and we have so much to do! I'm going to buy a clock, stop by Mayor Mare's and clear up a few details about this castle, meet Rainbow Dash for my flying lesson, catch Rarity at the spa, eat some hay fries, visit my parents in Canterlot, straighten every picture frame in Manehattan, and conquer Equestria! I'll be back in time for dinner!"

Spike, who had been dutifully copying these to a checklist, paused and furrowed his brow. "Conquer Equestria?"

"Sorry, I don't know where that one came from. I meant to say, pick flowers! All flowers, everywhere. Today the flowers, tomorrow the gardens; the day after tomorrow, the world!"

"Twilight."

"Sorry. Just scratch that one entirely." A slightly manic Princess of Friendship turned and bowed to the giver of coffee. "Silver Spoon, you have done a great favor for the Crown. You have my thanks. See ya later!"

Without further ado, she teleported herself from the castle.

"I'll put it on your tab!" Silver Spoon shouted after her. "Hmm. I hope that brew wasn't too strong. Anyway...Spike! You, like, totally have to give me a tour of this castle."

Spike took a sip from his own cup and brightened. "Well, if I 'like, totally' have to. Welcome to the Castle of...um...Friendship, I guess. We haven't given it a name yet but I think that's as good as any. This is the, uh...really big room with a round table in it. As you can see, each chair is decorated with the cutie mark of an Element of Harmony. Great parties, dances, and cute-ceañeras might one day be held here, or we might just sit around and scarf hay fries. It's up to Twilight. Now, if you'll follow me up the grand staircase..."

They moved on to the upper floors with Spike doing his best tour guide impression. A moment of silence passed in the now empty lobby. Then two. Then...

"Hey, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie stuck her head in the front door, which had been recklessly left open. She craned her neck at several impossible angles and, seeing nopony in the entrance hall, trotted merrily into the lobby. "Twilight? I was just waking up when I suddenly got the urge to come over and make you my famous butter toffee crackle cake! I don't know why, it just kinda came out nowhere! Um...are you home?"

Her sky-blue eyes roamed eagerly around the room before settling on the table, where a third cup of coffee sat invitingly near the edge.

"Is that a present for me? I love presents for me!" Pinkie gasped. She ran up and sniffed it curiously. A heady and robust aroma filled her nose. Wow! It smelled just like that stuff she saw Mr. Cake drinking sometimes. She wondered why he had never let her have any. Well, she was always up for trying something new...what could it hurt if she took just one little slurp-erooni?

Time itself seemed to pause, then shudder, as she brought the cup to her lips.

Mayor Mare stifled a yawn as she settled into her padded office chair and groped around her desk for the quill and ink. Serving Ponyville was no picnic at the best of times. Its proximity to Canterlot meant that she absorbed all of the complaints or suggestions that citizens were unwilling to bring before the Crown. Now she faced a temporary state of administrative bedlam following Tirek's magic-stealing onslaught; some ponies had sent angry letters, others threatened to sue the town for damages or lost wages, and still others were claiming disability due to 'thaumaturgic trauma.'

"You're getting too old for this, Coral," she muttered to herself.

She'd been in her office until nine o'clock last night trying to deal with the political fallout, responding to the letters and exchanging status reports with Princess Celestia. The slightest delay, the smallest failure to react, could cost her somepony's vote in the mayoral elections several months later. But the pile of papers looked just as tall as it had the night before, and she was beginning to grow discouraged.

Loud hoofsteps raced into the front room, followed immediately by an insistent rapping on her office door.

"Just a moment!" she called. Before she could even get up to answer it, a blinding flash filled the room, and a grinning Twilight Sparkle appeared directly beside her.

"No need, Mayor! I let myself in."

Mayor Mare took a skittish step away from her. The Princess of Friendship was usually chipper and energetic, but never like this. She was literally vibrating. "Er...thank you, Your Highness. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"To coffee, of course! Lots of coffee. Oh, and my new house!" Twilight exclaimed. She rolled her eyes and gestured wildly with her hooves. "I dropped by to check if there are going to be any zoning issues because of this giant building appearing out of nowhere at the edge of town."

"Your Highness, you are as thoughtful as you are thorough," the mayor replied pleasantly, "But I assure you that has all been taken care of by Princess Celestia. The property lines around the castle have already been drawn, and you are free to move in anytime you please."

Twilight nodded like a drinking bird toy. "Well, that's just great! Great, great, great. I'll let you go then, Mayor. I bet you're really busy getting ready to build the new library!"

"New library?" Mayor Mare paused and leafed curiously through her papers. "Er...now that you mention it, Your Highness, I believe that particular project isn't underway just yet."

"It isn't?" Twilight said flatly.

"I'm afraid not. I've been putting out fires since yesterday. I haven't gotten around to ordering new books, budgeting a new building, or even clearing away the debris of the old one. And Princess Celestia didn't bring it up in any of her letters, so..." The mayor paused as her ears perked up slightly. "Or has she sent you to lend a hoof?"

"Me?"

"It would be such a weight off my back. And you managed Golden Oak so successfully, I couldn't imagine a better pony for the job!"

Twilight hesitated. She had not come here to help with that project. On the contrary, she had been advised to stay clear and let the city handle it on their own. But Mayor Mare was clearly exhausted from her other duties, and she had such a hopeful expression on her face...how could Twilight refuse? With the population rising steadily, and the appearance of the castle likely to draw sightseers from all over Equestria, Ponyville needed a library more than ever. She couldn't do the whole thing herself, or operate it once it was finished; that would be going against her mentor's wishes. But what could it hurt if she just sent a few letters and got things moving in the right direction?

She looked up with a reassuring smile. "Of course, Mayor. I'll see what I can do."

Café Crystal had been open for just four weeks, but its mission to introduce Crystal Empire cuisine to Ponyville was thus far a big success. Owner Twinkle Eye opened the cozy restaurant and bar on the north edge of town with the blessing of Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence, where curious ponies flocked to try the Empire's classic berry pie and roasted crystal corn on the cob while enjoying a spectacular view of Canterlot. Café Crystal's distance from the market and relatively expensive menu meant that its lunch hours were much quieter, however, and it was here that a glum draconequus found solace.

Discord stared into space with half-lidded eyes, his elongated body slumped dramatically over a corner table.

"Yo, Twinkle! What's up?" A scratchy, boisterous voice from the doorway broke into his thoughts. "Got time to chat with somepony totally awesome?"

Oh, dear...please, not her.

Fortunately, Twinkle Eye was quite easygoing and shared the pegasus' flippant sense of humor. "Why, I'd love to, Rainbow Dash. When are they coming?"

The ponies shared a laugh. Discord swallowed a groan and tried to stick his head under the table.

"Your usual, Rainbow?"

"You know it," Dash plunked herself down at the bar and accepted a glass of flavored milk from the green crystal earth pony.

"So what have you been doing with yourself, kid? Besides boasting 24/7, that is."

"Are you kidding? How about saving Equestria for the gazillionth time? My friends and I totally kicked Tirek's butt!"

Twinkle Eye raised an eyebrow. "Blessed shards! That was really you? Well, it served him right. That big blowhard came charging in here and sucked all the magic right out of me. I barely had the strength to lock the doors and switch the sign to 'closed'. I guess it's thanks to you that I'm back to normal. I would say 'don't let it go to your head', but I know it's too late for that."

"What can I say? It's hard to be humble when you're just naturally great. Plus I just got back from giving a flying lesson to Princess Twi herself, so that's pretty cool too. She sure was jittery, though." Dash gulped down the beverage and stretched her wings. Her expression darkened when she spotted Discord in the corner. She placed a few bits on the counter. "I'll catch you later, T.E. Thanks for the milk."

Realizing he'd been spotted, Discord sighed and braced himself for a hostile confrontation. Of all Twilight's friends, it was Rainbow Dash who had trusted him least. Now that he'd betrayed Equestria to Tirek, he thought, she was bound to resent him even more.

"Didn't expect to see you here," the pegasus said coldly. "What are you up to now, huh?"

"For your information, Rainbow Dash, I am...working." Discord spat the word out as though it tasted bad. "It was Celestia's idea. Just something to keep me out of 'trouble', I suppose. Twinkle Eye pays me a few bits to help her clean up in the morning."

"Oh yeah?" Dash grimaced at the several empty glasses on the table, all smelling heavily of fermented cider. "Looks to me like you're cleaning out the bar instead."

"I happen to be on my break at the moment. Besides, what do you care?"

"I care because Fluttershy cares." She took the seat across from him. "She's been asking about you, you know."

Discord winced. "Oh. Er...you don't say. Well, I'm afraid I'm rather busy today."

She took the seat across from him. "Right. Just like you were yesterday. You wanna know what I think?"

"No."

"I think you've been avoiding her."

"Ha!" Discord's laugh sounded almost convincing. "And why would I be avoiding a harmless little pony like her? Because I'm afraid? You poor, mistaken little creature. The Lord of Chaos, the Disseminator of Disorder, is afraid of no one! Your presence no longer amuses me. Now leave, before I turn you into a tortoise just like your little pet."

"Nice try, dude. But you know what you did to us a few days ago. You know it matters. That's why you've got that burn in your gut."

He squirmed slightly, unable to meet her eyes. "You're mistaken, of course. I care nothing for a single one of you. But...hypothetically, if I had such a feeling...just how would I make it go away?"

"'Hypothetically', you would go to her and say you're sorry for selling her out -- not to mention the rest of the world. Because 'hypothetically,' it would be the right thing to do."

For once, Discord found himself without a snappy comeback. He only shrugged and stared at the table.

"I know, you're the all-powerful Discord. I can't make you do anything you don't want to do. But if you want to keep her as a friend, you better talk to her soon. Unless you want to lose her..."

The ceiling directly above them suddenly gave way as a crazed, twitching, upside-down Pinkie Pie stared into the depths of his immortal soul.

"FOOOOOOR-EVERRRRRRR!"

The sonic vibrations upset all the tables, sent Rainbow Dash's chair skidding across the floor with her still in it, and shattered every window in Café Crystal. When Discord and the two mares looked up a moment later, every available surface was piled high with baked goods, some of which defied imagination: here a massive gingerbread apartment complex covering the entire bar, there a series of donuts baked not in a circular shape but in seemingly endless spirals, beside Rainbow Dash a candy sculpture of herself that was perfect in every detail, and before Discord a platter of massive Danish pastries with rotating circles of dark, yawning nothingness in the center.

"Okay," Dash said, staring into the eyes of her edible doppelgänger. "What just happened?"

The sculpture blinked.