Chapters The Filly and the Necronomicon
It was nearly evening in Equestria. The sun, guided by the Princess of the magical land, was long past its zenith. In the spired city of Canterlot, a purple unicorn filly had just finished up her lessons with the Sun Princess, Celestia. The Sun Princess was seated at her mahogany table looking over several documents related to Equestria's overly-complicated tax code. She had just finished teaching the unicorn prodigy she had taken under her wing and assumed that she had headed home for the weekend. Celestia sighed. Teaching Twilight was often the highlight of her day.
Twilight was so enthusiastic, so thirsty for knowledge and eager to please. She knew that lately Twilight had not been doing as well as she wanted to. She was still making excellent grades, but they had started to slip in a few subjects thought Twilight truly tried. Celestia had decided that the problem was Twilight had simply bitten off more than she could chew. She wanted to know every possible thing about magic, from levitation to divination to spirit-summoning.
Celestia, in turn, wanted to teach Twilight everything she could. She had pushed Twilight too far too fast and had gotten caught up in her student's enthusiasm. That meant she would have to cut Twilight's homework and coursework, although Twilight would cry and gnash her teeth about it. (What child complained about not being given enough homework?)
That decided, Celestia returned to the very boring paperwork in front of her. She almost hoped that Twilight would bounce in with one more question about how to create a sigil or summon the soul of Starswirl the Bearded. Celestia kept telling her that they would get to spirit-summoning once she passed the requisite divination exams, but that didn't stop her from asking.
Celestia smiled to herself as she thought of her rambunctious student. It was a welcome distraction from her duties to streamline the tax code. Trying to focus, she held up the incomprehensible paper with the jumbled numbers.
Equestria is getting rid of taxes on small businesses. I'll make the decree tomorrow. If I can't understand the tax code, how can an ordinary citizen?
She placed aside the paperwork and stretched out her wings. Then, she picked up another scroll in her golden aura. She picked up a pen and began to write out a strategy for a new, simplified tax code. Things had simply gone too far.
That's when the doors opened. Celestia looked up, startled. Two white-coated guards in glittering golden armor stood in the doorway. Twilight
Celestia stood. "Twilight? Lieutenant Star, Private Blade, what is all this about?"
The two guards saluted her. "We found her in the forbidden wing of the library."
Celestia looked down at Twilight, who refused to meet her gaze. "Twilight, is this true?"
Twilight looked down at the ground. Her lip trembled.
"Twilight. This is a very serious offense. Is it true?"
"Yes." She whimpered.
Celestia took a deep breath and tried to keep her calm. This could all be a big misunderstanding. "What was she looking at?"
Lieutenant Star spoke. "The Necronomicon, your highness."
The mask of calm shattered. "You were looking at WHAT?!"
Twilight whimpered. Celestia didn't care. "Twilight Sparkle! That book has been known to drive ponies to madness! Only higher level unicorns can look at it and only with protective runes! I...your family...we could have lost you!" Twilight flinched at every word. Celestia paused. "Wait. The Necronomicon is locked at all times. How did she get in?"
"She knows a lock-picking spell."
Celestia once again turned her attention to Twilight.
"I sometimes sneak into the pantry. Sorry."
Celestia took more deep, calming breaths. "Take her to her room. She is to be confined there until further notice."
She didn't even look as Twilight was led away. She collapsed into her chair. Her first thought was to tell Twilight's parents and let them deal with it.
Even as she thought it, she realized she couldn't. Twilight's parents had entrusted her with teaching and caring for their daughter. This severe lapse in judgement had occurred under Celestia's watch. She was the one that had to deal with it.
She drummed her hoof on the table. She hated punishing ponies and left that up to the courts. Still, as a teacher she had been forced to discipline her students. Usually, that just mean giving them unpleasant tasks or revoking privileges. She had only rarely dealt out corporal punishment and had only spanked Twilight a few times when her tantrums got out of hoof. Her former student, Sunset Shimmer, had also gotten more than one trip across her knee.
It seemed that she would once more have to use a firm hoof with her. As soon as she calmed down. Celestia felt herself trembling. One other student had gotten a hold of the Necronomicon. That student had died in a foreign land, murdered by a rival and corrupted beyond all recognition. It had not been her personal student, but he had still gone to her school. After three centuries, she still felt that it was somehow her fault.
The fate that had befallen him would not happen to Twilight. Celestia would not allow it. Her parents had entrusted Twilight to her care and she would protect her, even if that meant protecting her from her own foolishness.
She still felt that she needed to calm down. A walk in the garden might cool her head. She stood, spread her wings and soared off of her balcony. From high up in the sky, the great city looked so small. She landed in the middle of the rose garden and began to trot along the stone path. The roses were blooming in shades of reds, yellow and orange. A cool wind blew and shook the flowers, spreading their perfume-like scent. The cool wind calmed her.
...
Twilight knew she had done something really bad. She knew it was bad when she was doing it. Of course, she hadn't known that the book could drive ponies insane. It just looked like an ordinary book. It had been chained, which should have worried her. Still, her curiosity had over ridden her common sense.
The thought of punishment plunged her mind into a whirlpool of panic. Considering how serious the offense was, there had to be a serious punishment to go along with it. She shivered at the thought, fear clouding her mind and her eyes filled again with tears. Celestia must hate her now or that's what it seemed like.
She must have been trying to decide where to banish her to, Twilight decided. Or maybe she would make her parade through the streets while everypony threw tomatoes at her. Or maybe she would throw her in a dungeon.
Or maybe she would parade her through the streets and then banish her and then throw her into a dungeon in the place she banished her to!
She would never see Celestia or Shining Armor or her parents or her favorite study buddy Moondancer ever again! She threw her head down onto the pillow and started crying.
After a few moments of this, she stopped. If she were going to be banished, as she certainly was going to be, she needed to pack. She got off the bed and began taking books off her shelves, packing them away in a travel bag she kept in her closet. It was the same travel bag she'd taken when she'd first moved into the castle. She began to methodically stack the books according to subject.
She picked up another bag and continued the task. Each book was connected to a memory, a lesson from the princess, all the things she had learned in her year as Celestia's student. There was her first levitation book which she and Celestia had read over. It was worn and dog-eared.
Twilight remembered falling asleep with her face between the book's covers and Celestia's wing on her back.
There was the divination book which she had read long into the night. Her mother had had to drag her away from it so she would go eat her supper. Between its pages was her first divination test. Celestia had given her an A and written that she had done an excellent job. Twilight held the book to her chest before putting it in the back.
Twilight smiled as she picked up a Daring Do book Celestia had gotten her as a reward for passing her first exam. She wiped at her eyes. She was going to miss this place.
...
She paused at the door to Twilight's room, catching the sound of sobbing. Celestia winced and opened the door. Twilight was on her bed, her face buried in the pillow. Travel bags were all around the bed and the shelves were bare.
When Twilight noticed Celestia coming into the room she looked up and then threw herself at the Princess, wrapping her forearms around her. Celestia wrapped her up in her wing, obeying an instinct to stroke her mane in an attempt to soothe her.
"I'm so sorry, Princess! I'm sorry I made you hate me! Please don't throw me in a dungeon in the place you banish me to!"
Celestia held Twilight close. "Twilight, Honey, I don't hate you. I could never hate you. And I'm certainly not going to banish you."
Twilight wiped at her eyes. Celestia pulled out a chair from a desk and sat down, holding Twilight in her lap. "But I do have to punish you. You understand that don't you? What you did was very wrong and I have to make you understand that."
Twilight nodded, seeming to have calmed down. "I-I already got a time-out."
"Yes, but I'm going to spank you."
Twilight looked up at her in confusion. "But I always get a spanking before a time-out, not after."
"There's no official checklist for disciplining foals."
Twilight blinked. "There's not?"
Celestia bit her lip to keep from giggling at Twilight's adorableness. "Alright, let's get this over with."
She gently bent Twilight across her knees. Then, she rested a hoof over her back and raised her hoof. Twilight let her hooves hang loose as Celestia's hoof came down upon her behind. Twilight jumped slightly as three more smacks fell in rapid succession. As Celestia landed the fifth spank, Twilight instinctively kicked her legs.
Celestia paused and tightened her grip around Twilight's middle. She continued landing hard spanks to Twilight's rump, peppering both the left and right side of her flanks. Twilight squeezed her eyes shut as Celestia continued smacking her bottom. Celestia continued the spanking, peppering the little pony's posterior with stinging swats.
Celestia counted the swats as she landed them on Twilight's bottom. Twilight occasionally squirmed as a particularly hard series of smacks fell on her rump. "You mustn't do this again, Twilight, understand?" She punctuated each word with a spank. Her bottom was taking on a pinkish tone. "Understand?"
"Yes, Princess!"
Celestia finished the spanking with five firm swats to Twilight's behind. Twilight whimpered and Celestia began rubbing the small of her back before gathering her up in an embrace with her wings. Twilight nestled into her chest and Celestia nuzzled her.
"I-I just wanted you to be proud of me." Twilight whimpered, throwing her hooves around Celestia's chest.
Celestia rubbed soothing circles into the small of her back. "Proud of me? What do you mean?"
Twilight looked up at her."I-I know you were disappointed in me when I failed that test."
"Failed a test? You mean that B-?"
Twilight nodded. "Yeah. I thought if I mastered a really advanced spell you'd be proud of me."
The logic train jumped right off the tracks and Celestia couldn't follow it. "I'm always proud of you, my most faithful student. I wasn't disappointed in you, I was disappointed in myself. I pushed you too far, gave you too much work because I thought you could handle it. I promise I won't do that again."
Twilight sniffled and nuzzled the Princess. "I promise I'll never sneak into the restricted section again."
"Good." Celestia held her close, wiping away what remained of her tears with a feather.
Twilight nuzzled closer to her warmth and Celestia realized she was starting to fall asleep. "Twilight? Twilight?"
Twilight was struggling to keep her eyes open. It was no wonder she was tired after the day she'd had, Celestia thought to herself. "Do you want to stay here tonight? I'll send a letter to your parents explaining things."
Her eyes widened. "Don't tell them what I did. I don't wanna get another spanking-or they might even take away my library card!"
"I'm sure you're parents wouldn't punish you again, but I won't tell them." Celestia said.
"Will you stay with me for a little while?" Twilight asked.
"Of course."
Twilight closed her eyes and leaned into her. Celestia levitated a pen and scroll, writing to Twilight's parents that Twilight had been tired after her lessons and would be going home tomorrow. After ordering a guard to take the message she laid Twilight on the bed and laid down next to her faithful student.
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The Filly and the Afternoon of the Living Books
Twilight was facing a conundrum. She stood in the doorway of her study and looked out at what could have politely been called a disaster. The sheets of her bed were twisted and tangled. Books, both popular fiction and leather bound tomes of knowledge, were scattered all around the floor. Dust covered much of the room.
She stepped inside and drew back. The milkshake she had left out on the dresser had somehow fermented. The offensive odor wafted in stinky waves all throughout the small space. Celestia stood behind her, that gentle frown on her face. Twilight looked back. "I didn't realize it was this bad." Her ears slid back. "Didn't the cleaning staff-"
A very unhappy harrumph from her mentor cut that line of thought off immediately. "I ordered them to leave it exactly as it was."
Twilight scratched the ground with her hoof, pouting slightly. "Well, Spike would have, but, y'know, he's had scale flu. I'm really worried about the little guy."
"Spike loves to help you, but that is not something you should take advantage of, young filly. "
Twilight stared at the ground and blinked. Was that mold? She poked the slimy, green something. Alfalfa smoothie, among her favorite study snacks. "I got really busy studying and,um, Spike was sick and...and..." It sounded awful, even to her ears. "I'm sorry."
Celestia brought a hoof up to her forehead and began to slowly massage the area. "How did it even manage to get this bad? Twilight, eye contact."
Twilight turned and tried to look Celestia in the eye, but she looked back down at the floor. Specifically, the crumpled up paper balls on the floor which had overflowed from the wastebasket.
Celestia lifted her chin. "You're a filly and I understand that you can be messy. But if I went to your room at home and looked at it, would it be this bad?"
Twilight chewed on her lip. "Mommy wouldn't let me not clean up."
"Yes, and unfortunately, I don't have enough time to constantly keep an eye on you. But, though you are no longer living here full time, this is still your study room. It's your responsibility to keep it clean. Understand?"
Twilight nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."
"I expect this room to be spotless by the time I get back. Then, we will do our lessons for the day."
Twilight glanced at the clock. Her other lessons in class were done. That gave her only four hours with the Princess, assuming cleaning this room took her an hour! "But Princess, that won't be enough time for a lesson!"
Celestia patted her head. "Oh, but this is a lesson, my faithful student. A lesson in cleaning up one's own messes. Understand?"
Twilight jutted her lips out. "Can't I do it later?"
"No. No, you may not. It's become a public safety hazard." She cast a wary look at the floor. "Is that mold?"
Twilight blushed. "Alfalfa smoothie."
Celestia sighed deeply. "The same alfalfa smoothie on your bookshelf?"
Twilight mumbled something.
"I'm serious Twilight. I'll be back in an hour and this room had better be clean."
Twilight nodded. "Alright."
Celestia turned and strode from the room, gently closing the door behind her. Twilight grumbled as she stared at the room. It hadn't been this messy when she'd left yesterday. Or maybe it had been. It had all accumulated over a week of sloth. She wondered if Spike was feeling any better.
That thought stirred immediate remorse. Briefly, she pondered if she was a bad filly. Bad fillies were lazy, right? She laid on her belly, her legs sprawled out. Yep. She was a bad filly. She rested her head in her forelegs. She was a bad filly because her teacher had told her to clean up her room and what was she doing?
Laying here on her belly, thinking about what a bad filly she was. She sniffled and then hopped up. There was still time to mend her naughty ways! She'd have this room cleaned up in no time. The mess on the other side of her lowered horn towered over her like one giant monster made of scattered books, spilled alfalfa and too many crumpled up paper balls.
First, she would start with the books. That should be easy. First, she levitated up the smoothie on her bookshelf and tossed it into the wastebasket. The contents of the wastebasket exploded spilling papers and milkshake onto the floor. Twilight grumbled a few choice words that her mentor would have washed her mouth out for saying and hurriedly started cramming the contents of the trash back into the basket. They wouldn't all fit in so she gave up.
She levitated up the paper balls and half-thought about setting fire to them. That would get rid of them right? She dismissed the thought and put them back down. The books. Definitely the books first. With a spark of magic, the books floated into the air, held aloft in a violet glow. They trembled in her magic and clattered down to the ground.
After a string of interesting words her dad said when he tripped over something, she flopped back down to her belly to study on the problem. It was Celestia's fault for not giving her trash bags! Although, she could just go get trash bags. Her eyes narrowed at the books and she lifted one of the softer books, one of her Daring Do books, the first in the series. She triumphantly slid the book onto the top shelf.
Alright. That was one book off the floor. Good. She surveyed her study. There were only...twenty to go. Which she'd need to stack one-by-one as her magic was too weak to pick them all up. Her tongue stuck out of her mouth as she managed to lift three books and quickly slide them onto the shelf before starting to pant as her magic gave out.
She cast a wary glance up at her horn. "Too powerful when you shouldn't be and not enough power when I need it. What do you have to say for yourself?"
The appendage didn't respond. Twilight gently stroked it. "I'm sorry, you know I didn't mean it."
Three more books floated from the floor, then two from the bed. She hopped and slid the books onto the shelf. Feeling confident, tendrils of her magic lifted one more book. A pressure bore down on her horn. She dropped them. "This is going to take forever!" She drummed her hooves on the carpet. "And I'll never be ready for today's lesson with the Princess! It's not fair!"
She shot out the room, knocking the door open and stopped a maid. The white-coated, grey-maned service pony gave her a wary look. "I'm sorry, Miss Sparkle, I know what you're going to ask and the answer is no."
Twilight cocked her head. "No trash bags?"
The maid's eyes widened. "Oh! I thought you were going to ask if I could clean your room! Of course you can have trash bags, Sweetie." She pulled a box of trash bags off the grey cart behind her and hoofed it to Twilight who took it in her magic. Twilight ran back to her room, galloped inside, then cantered over to the trash can where she started flinging papers inside of the bag which she held with her magic. When the can was empty, she tossed all the paper balls inside and then the accursed remains of the alfalfa smoothie.
She set aside the trash bag and smiled. Her floor was now clean, with the exception of the scattered books and the green stain. What was she supposed to do about that?
That was a question for later. Now, it was time to deal with those pesky books. A grimace crossed her face. It would probably be a good idea if she started putting books back on the shelf when she was done reading them.
There had to be an easier way to do this. She stuck her tongue out as she thought it over. There was one thing she could do. It was a spell. She closed her eyes and focused on the runes she would need, seeing them in her mind. Celestia had given her a stern warning to never do these sorts of spells without supervision, but she'd never know.
Magic flowed up from her core, a wave of energy which built in intensity and brought her nerves to life with fire. The waves of magic shot from her horn, energy blanketing the room as her eyes turned white. When the spell passed the books were all glowing with ethereal light.
They sprang up as one. Twilight giggled. "Go on! Onto the shelves where you belong!"
The books hovered in the air.
"G-go on!"
The books hurtled towards her as one. Twilight screamed like she was two years younger and teleported away. When she re- materialized, she was woozy and barely dodged when the books came at her again. She zoomed towards the door, the books on her tail-literally. One chomped down on her tail which she quickly drew away, darting straight for the stairs.
The astonished maid drew back and screamed when the three books crashed towards her. She reared back and just barely avoided them. The books sailed over her head and struck her cart. The cart was enveloped in the same ethereal aura that covered the books. Twilight watched in horrified fascination as the cart rolled back of its own accord and then-Twilight would have sworn to it in court-jumped and hurtled into the air.
Twilight ran down the stairs. The books turned in midair and pursued her. She galloped at the fastest speed she could muster, leaping over a guard's head. The guard gasped. "I told them! I told them their were magical bug ponies that could turn into anything! And they said I was mad! HALT CRIMINAL SCUM!"
He thrust towards the tomes. One spun and smacked him hard making him drop like a sack of potatoes. Several more guards rushed out, trying to strike at the books.
"No, don't hurt them!" Twilight shouted. They all turned to her. Suddenly, the books turned and charged her. Twilight turned tail and ran.
"Twily? What is going on?" Lieutenant Shining Armor ran up to her side, did an assessment of the situation. He bucked behind him and sent a book flying. The book's companion rushed him and bounced against the shield Shining conjured.
The books beat against the shield.
Twilight looked over her shoulder. "Why are they attacking me?"
The long forgotten cart whirled around a corner and smashed against the shield.
"Technically, you're at school right now so you figure it out!"
Twilight stuck out her tongue. Shining stuck out his own. "Where are we running?"
"You're the guard!"
Shining paused. The cart spun in circles around them, picking up speed with every rotation. Suddenly, two mops lifted up, floated in the air and rocketed towards them. Shining grabbed her and teleported. The cleaning implements splintered against the stone wall. Shining kept his shield up and teleported once more to avoid the cart. The cart almost smashed into the wall, but turned at the last minute to hurtle towards them.
The book soared from another angle. One book struck a blue vase. Rather than shattering, the vase lifted into the air.
Shining stared. "Twilight, did you remember to adjust the harmonic frequency?"
"Did I do what to what?"
"Did you finish reading the book before you cast?"
Twilight blushed. "I read most of it."
"...Kiddo, I'd advise running away to Mexicolt for a while."
With a clatter, the books, the vase and the cart smashed against the mystic barrier. The vase shattered, but the books and the cart continued pounding onto the shield.
"Why do these books hate me?"
Shining touched the shield with his horn to pour more power into it. "They don't hate you."
"Are you sure? Really, really sure?"
"Like I said, figure it out."
"Why are you being so mean?!" Her face scrunched up. "You hate me!"
Shining shook his head. "I do not and you know it."
The eleven year old hunched up close to him. "I'm scared."
"I know, Sweetie, I know. Your big brother will keep you safe." He squeezed her. She summoned some energy of her own and pressed her horn to the shield. It wasn't much, but still. It was the least she could do.
The formerly cyan shield took on a magenta hue. The books slamming picked up force. Shining grunted. "How much power did you put in this spell?"
"Um...a lot?"
Shining rolled his eyes. "You're in really big trouble, you know that?"
Twilight sniffled.
Shining toussled her mane. "Ah, c'mon. Don't cry. Everypony messes up sometimes."
"Even you?"
Shining snorted. "You have no idea."
A crack appeared where the cart banged into Shining's force field. He repaired it.
"What is going on here?"
Celestia marched down the halls. She sent out a flash of light from her horn. The books fell. The cart stilled. Celestia re-knit the shattered pieces of the vase. Shining saluted and mouthed, "sorry, Kiddo."
Twilight refused to meet her mentor's disappointed-if still somehow compassionate-gaze.
Celestia set the vase back on the table. "Lieutenant Armor, thank you for protecting my student. Your service is noted."
Shining bowed. "Thank you, Your Highness, but she's my baby sister. I wasn't going to let her get hurt."
A wistful smile crossed her face. "I understand." She blinked. "Me and Twilight need to talk."
Shining pat Twilight's head. "See you at dinner time."
"Bye, Shiny."
Celestia tugged Twilight's ear in her magic. "Come along, Twilight."
Twilight didn't look up as she was led along, only letting out the occasional pitiable whimper. They arrived at Celestia's private office far quicker than Twilight would have preferred. Celestia cut off the flow of magic restraining Twilight's ear. "I want you to know I'm not mad."
"You always say that when you're mad."
"I'm really not. So, tell me, did I or did I not tell you that you mustn't try any new spell without proper, adult supervsion?"
Twilight mumbled yes.
"Where did you even learn this spell?"
"That big book of spells you gave me. The one you said we'd study today."
Celestia's gentle frown never wavered. "Oh, yes. The one I told you explicitly to not cast any spells from."
"Then why'd you give it to me?" She gulped. "Y-Your Highness."
Celestia's eyes narrowed. "Twilight, I gave it to you because I trusted you to study it only. So you could be prepared when I taught you. Perhaps my trust was misplaced."
Twilight bit her lip. "I'm sorry."
"I know you are."
Twilight trudged over to the desk and bent over it."Just get it over with."
Celestia opened a drawer and levitated out a wooden paddle. "If you insist. I was planning on lecturing you for a bit, but alright. I see you know the punishment for unauthorized spell casting."
"Disciplinary Code, Section Five, Subsection Eight."
"...Impressive. Yet, you still did it."
"Because I'm not as smart as Ponies think, alright?!"
Celestia stroked her mane. "Twilight don't say that about yourself."
"It's true." She rested her head on the cool wood of the table.
"You did something foolish, but you're not foolish. I know that sounds hard to understand, but you'll understand one day." She tapped the paddle on Twilight's bottom. "Alright. This is going to hurt Twilight. It has to. Ready?"
"Ready."
Celestia drew back the paddle and landed a firm slap across Twilight's backside. Twilight cried out and Celestia landed a second and then a third slap on Twilight's bottom which now had a bright pink mark. The paddle bounced across her behind in quick, rapid succession.
A quick barrage of stinging spanks fell upon her rump. Twilight drummed her hooves on the table, wincing and yelping with each slap of the paddle that fell onto her upturned bottom. Celestia gave her student a one-second breather between each spank, a quick, sharp cadence to the spanks.
Twilight buried her head on the cool desk, which was no comfort to her. Tears rolled down her face as the relentless paddle popped again and again across her behind. Celestia was strangely silent as the paddle painted Twilight's behind pink. Twilight now drummed her backlegs with each whack of the paddle onto her bottom.
Celestia continued the spanking, keeping count in her mind while Twilight cried and blubbered apologies and self-recrimnations. Celestia kept up the cadence of the rump warming with a practiced patience. She stopped with five swats and laid the paddle aside.
Twilight danced around the room onto her back legs, rubbing at her bottom. Celestia set aside the paddle and pulled her student into a gentle cuddle, enveloping her with one great white wing. She snuggled into Celestia fur, drying her tears onto Celestia's chest. Celestia held her and stroked her mane. "Twilight, listen very closely. The rules exist to protect you."
Twilight sniffled and burrowed deeper into Celestia's embrace. "I know."
"You were frustrated about needing to clean your room. The frustration seeped into your magic and the objects reacted, charged by negative energy."
Twilight sniffled. "I'm sorry that I broke your trust."
Celestia drew her wing across Twilight's cheeks, wiping away the last of her tears and ran her hoof through Twilight's mane. "That you accepted your punishment without complaint has helped me to regain my trust in you...somewhat."
Twilight's ears drooped even as she took comfort in Celestia's warm embrace. "I'll work hard to regain your trust."
Celestia squeezed her. "I know you will, my faithful student."
She beamed at the table. "I still have to clean my room, don't I?"
"Absolutely. I do still have to give you your lesson. I'll give you the lesson while you clean your room. Sound fair?"
"Yes!"
Twilight bounced away. Celestia followed her.
Twilight paced. She walked back and forth, circling the table upon which all the foods and drinks were. After pacing from one side of the room to the other she glared up disdainfully at all the signs that covered the room, the streamers and balloons that seemed to mock her. After stopping her pacing she glared at a particularly offensive yellow balloon. She then began busying herself with the arduous task of arranging the balloons in the exact colors of the Saddle Arabian flag-black, silver and yellow. Pinkie, of course, would have a breakdown upon seeing black balloons even though Pinkie had been the one to advise her on the party. Twilight didn’t care. She had been tasked with organizing a party for the Princess of the Saddle Arabians and that’s exactly what she would do.
Even if they were, that most terrible of all things, late. Late, mocking her checklists of planned activities. Late, mocking all her efforts. Her eye twitched. She levitated her checklist of checklists she needed to ensure that she had everything for the party. She looked around. Balloons. Cake. Streamers. Traditional Saddle Arabian Gyros. Banner welcoming the delegation written in Arabian. Yes, everything needed for the party was here except for the guests. She stared at the unmarked check. She could almost swear she heard it laughing at her. She gritted her teeth and it took everything she had not to shout racial slurs about the Arabians which Celestia would no doubt wash her mouth out for. Or, worse, tell her she was disappointed in her. She gulped and resumed pacing. No. She couldn’t let Celestia down. She needed Celestia’s approval and that meant the party had to be perfect. She had promised that when she’d gotten the call to Canterlot a month ago.
…
“You want me to plan a party? Why me?” Twilight asked. She was standing in the throne room of Canterlot Castle. She was standing before Celestia who was on her throne.
“Mayor Mare was praising your organizational skills. I want to see them in action. This celebration is important for cementing the alliance between our nations. Will you help me with this?”
Twilight bowed. “It will be perfect. I swear it.”
…
Twilight continued to examine everything about the room, her tail unconsciously twitching in annoyance. Quite in contrast to the fuming unicorn, Princess Celestia stood calmly in the back of the room. Her white wings were folded at her sides and she regarded her faithful student with some concern.
“I’m certain they’ll be here soon, Twilight.”
“They’re five minutes late.”
“Let’s give them more time.”
“I could be back in Ponyville. Those ponies know how to throw a party. I wish Pinkie were here.”
Celestia failed to hide a smile at that, amazed by how much Twilight’s friends now meant to her. She had requested Twilight’s presence here and also asked her to organize the event. After Mayor Mare had praised her organizational skills she’d wanted to see it for herself.
“Saddle Arabians are traditionally thirty minutes late to any social gathering as I’ve told you. Repeatedly.” She had also told her that ten minutes ago.
“What kind of moronic custom is that? Don’t they have watches?” She stomped a hoof. “Are they just stupid or something?”
“They are a crucial ally and occasional enemy. Insulting them is not a good idea.” Celestia said, a warning tone to her voice.
“And where the hell is Luna? Why wasn’t she invited?”
“They mistrust my sister, being sun worshippers.”
“I like the sun too, but there’s no need to disrespect one’s fellow sovereign!”
“I agree, Twilight. I really do.” Celestia sighed. “I have tried to get them to meet with her, but they won’t budge. I’m certain they’ll come to their senses eventually.”
Twilight looked like she was about to respond, then she noticed the time,
“They’re now six minutes late!” She screeched, her eye twitching as she stared at the clock. “That’s nearly a declaration of war! I made a list of things to do! At the six minute mark we should be wrapping up introductions and moving into small talk!” The panicking purple pony began hyperventilating. “We’re six minutes off schedule! We will never regain these six minutes! The party will be ruined, the alliance will crumble, we’ll go to war, our civilizations will fall, Canterlot will go up in flames, the Smooze will return to judge the living and the dead-IT’S ALL OVER!”
Celestia strode over and placed a hoof on Twilight’s back.
“Twilight. Calm down.” She ordered as she stroked her mane.
Twilight began to breathe. “Okay. I’m good. I’m calm.”
“Sure?”
Twilight nodded. She then leaned into Celestia.
“I want things to go perfect. I want to make a good impression on them…on you!”
Celestia nuzzled her. “My faithful student, I am very proud of you and the things you’ve done. You already have made a good impression on me. You restored my sister, defeated Discord and many other things besides. I’m certain you can handle one party.”
Twilight rested on her teacher’s chest, burying her head into the soft fur. Celestia wrapped a wing around her. That’s when a guard came into the room. Celestia and Twilight separated.
The guard bowed. “Your Highness, the Saddle Arabians say they will be an hour late. They stopped to do one of their daily prayers and missed their train.”
Celestia gave a cautious glance at Twilight who had turned a most intriguing shade of red. She laid a hoof on Twilight’s head.
“Breathe Twilight.”
The guard left the room and Twilight let out a very naughty word so loud that the entire room shook.
“Twilight!” Celestia reprimanded. “There is no need for such language! Why don’t we have a nice cup of tea and you can calm down? Doesn’t that sound nice?”
Twilight’s shuddering breaths filled the room.
“Twilight?” Celestia asked. “Are you okay? Really there’s no need to-”
“THEY WANT THE PARTY TO BE RUINED! THEY WANT ME TO LOSE MY MIND! IT’S A CONSPIRACY! A CONSPIRACY I TELL YA!”
Her horn glowed, her eyes glowed white with ethereal power and everything in the room began to lift into the air. Books and vases swirled around and Twilight rose in the air, cosmic power flowing all through her.
Celestia’s horn glowed and she took everything in her aura setting then down safely. She then took hold of Twilight. Twilight gasped as the magic surge ended. Celestia sat on a chair and Twilight found herself across her lap, her rump up in a most familiar position.
“Hey, what are you-”
Celestia lifted her hoof and landed a light spank to Twilight’s bottom. Twilight yelped, even though the spank was more of a tap. Celestia lifted her hoof again and landed another swat to the other side of Twilight’s rear.
“This will help you, Twilight.” Celestia assured her, punctuating each word with a swat.
Twilight squirmed over her lap as Celestia continued aiming firm smacks all across Twilight’s rear end. Each tap was light though they stung. Taken together they made an uncomfortable heat buildup in Twilight’s hind quarters. Celestia alternated the spanks, first landing on the left then the right. After three or four spanks to Twilight’s left, she’d focus the spanks to Twilight’s right. Twilight stopped struggling and laid limp across her teacher’s lap. Celestia continued spanking her upturned backside. She moved to the exact center of her bottom, landing the light yet firm swats to Twilight’s sit spot.
“P-please, Princess I’m sorry!”
Celestia didn’t respond, continuing to pepper her faithful students behind with the quick spanks. Twilight lay still across Celestia’s lap. She didn’t resist as the spanks from her teacher’s hoof fell across her hind end. Celestia loved and care about her. If Celestia felt she deserved a spanking she deserved a spanking. She even lifted her rear so that Celestia would have an easier time landing the spanks. Celestia let fall a barrage of swift spanks each one carrying little force, but stinging all the same. The alicorn finished with three firm smacks to Twilight’s now pink behind. She rubbed her student’s sore tush.
“How do you feel?” She asked.
“Like I’m never throwing another tantrum again.” Twilight answered.
“Do you feel calmer?”
Twilight was surprised that she did. The emotions formerly clawing at her heart had been subdued. She knew scientifically her body was flooded with endorphins-the happy chemical-from the pain. There was something else though.
“I feel calm.” Twilight said. “Really, I feel better.”
Celestia picked her up and held her close, wrapping both wings around her. Twilight nestled against her.
“Thanks for taking control just then. I really lost it.” Twilight whispered. “That sounds weird. Thanks for taking control of me. But I like you being in control.”
“I know Twilight.” Celestia said, stroking her mane. “I had a feeling that it would calm you down. I will always be here to guide you-and to smack your flank when you really need it.”
“I like this feeling. You taking care of me, protecting me from myself. I just want to lie here forever.”
“We have some time.”
Celestia focused her magic and teleported them to her bedroom. Twilight clutched on to her neck as Celestia carried her over to the bed and laid down. She pulled the blanket over them. Twilight wrapped her forearms around Celestia and Celestia wrapped her forearms and wings around her, drawing her close and surrounding her in a feathery cocoon of love and warmth. Twilight knew she should still be worried about the party, but she really wasn’t. She nuzzled into Celestia’s furry softness as the sun goddess ran a hoof through her mane.
“Princess? If this party goes wrong, will I still be your most faithful student?”
Celestia kissed her forehead. “You’d have to do more than mess up a party to lose that title."
Twilight smiled and fell into a light sleep against her teacher. A long while passed as they held each other.
“I always do this.” Twilight muttered. “I always worry and get myself in a panic trying to make everything go perfectly. Most of the time it just ends with me making things worse or getting in trouble.”
“Why do you think that is?” Celestia asked in her teacher voice, calm and gentle.
“I guess I really want to please you. All I’ve ever wanted is for you to be proud of me.”
“I am proud of you. What can I do to make you believe me?”
“I know you’re proud of me. I worked so hard to get your respect, your love. I don’t want to lose it.”
“You had my love from the first moment I met you. You were such a happy, enthusiastic little filly, full of life, always bouncing around, trying to learn everything about the world.”
“I’m just afraid I’m going to mess up and you’re going to stop loving me.”
Celestia took Twilight’s face in her hooves. “That will never happen. You will never lose my love. I promise you that.”
Twilight smiled. “Promise?”
“Pinkie promise.” Celestia said. "Don't you remember I told you that after the incident with the Necronomicon? No matter what you do, I will always love you, my most faithful student."
Twilight went back to resting against her chest. “But it almost did happen. At the wedding.”
Celestia winced. “Twilight, I was disappointed in you. That’s true. I thought you were being jealous and over-protective.”
“Not that I can blame you considering I do freak out a lot.”
“But I should have taken what you said into account. Even then I never stopped loving you. Being disappointed in somepony doesn't mean you stop loving them. Haven’t you been disappointed in somepony you care about before?”
Twilight thought for a moment. “Rainbow Dash. I love her like the sister I never had, but she’s so reckless. I’m afraid she’s going to get hurt one of these days, but she never listens to me!”
“And when she does get hurt from not listening to you do you love her any less?”
“No, of course not.”
“What makes you think I will love you any less when you mess up?”
It was a good point. “I understand, Princess. I guess you still have lessons to teach me. I just wish I didn’t go into those awful states.”
“Twilight, remember when you were a filly and you got in these states and I spanked you like I did just now?”
Twilight nodded. “Strangely, that helped. It calmed me, helped me think straight again.”
“I could help you like that again. If you feel yourself starting to get like that come to me. I’ll do what you need to get you out of it. Not always a spanking, of course. Maybe just a hug or to talk. I can teach you some calming exercises.”
“I remember you teaching me those before. I guess I stopped doing them when I became an adult. I thought I didn’t need to anymore. Guess I was wrong.”
“We all tend to forget what we learned as children. Play nice, share your toys. If we followed those rules the world would be a better place and my job would be easier.”
Twilight giggled. “Yes. I’d like it if you could help me through this.”
A companionable silence fell upon the pair as they nestled together beneath the covers and fell into a light nap. That nap was interrupted when a guard knocked at the door. The Arabian delegation had finally arrived. Twilight leapt from Celestia’s bed, ran past the guard and towards the guest room. Celestia trotted after her and into the guest room.
“Hi, I’m Twilight Sparkle, it is a pleasure to meet you.” Twilight said as she bowed before a large stallion dressed in his ceremonial bridle. A curved, golden blade was at his side and a crown was upon his head, the Grand Emir of Saddle Arabia bowed his head.
“Salim. It is a pleasure to meet you as well. I am sorry that we were late. I hope it did not cause you distress.”
“Oh no, it was no trouble!” Twilight said smiling widely.
The emir’s two wives, three sons, four daughters and several of the elite ghazi, golden swords glittering at their sides, lounged around the room. One of the ghazi picked up a gyro and made a grunt of pleasure.
“I like the balloons, nice touch.” The emir complimented.
“Oh you like it? I’m so happy you like it!” Twilight said.
Celestia walked into the room and the emir walked up to her.
“Greetings, Queen of Canterlot, Princess of Equestria, Ruler of the Dawn.” He said, bowing his head.
“Greetings, Ruler of the Arabians by the grace of Allah, honored descendant of Moohamed-peace be upon him.” Celestia said, bowing her own head. Formalities out of the way, the sovereigns began to chat.
“I must say, I do love the decorations.” He said as he watched his ghazis and family enjoy the food. He got a gyro for himself. “Oh, these
“Pinkamena Diana Pie, one of my subjects.” Celestia said, taking one for herself. “As for the decorations and planning you’d have to thank my most faithful student Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight, standing a few feet away beamed at the praise. The party continued with feasting and a band playing traditional Equestrian folk music. Twilight had even hired a Trottish sword dancer that the Arabian princess found to be exotic and delightfully entertaining. The moon had risen high in the sky by the time the guests left. Twilight, exhausted, leaned against her mentor.
“They liked it. They really liked it.” She said.
“The best party with Saddle Arabians I’ve ever seen. I think I saw the emir smile. That’s a rarity.” Celestia said.
“I can’t believe I actually did it.” Twilight said. “I’m so exhausted…”
“You’ve been busy.”
“Guess what? I think I might not have to sleep on my tummy tonight.”
“Sleepy? How about some bedtime tea?”
“That sounds nice.”
Twilight followed Celestia as they walked to the kitchen.
Author's Note
Ghazi-Arab warrior
