In Celestia we trust

The city of Canterlot was swarming with activity. Ponies everywhere were attending their daily business, some in a rush, other surrounded by the dignity of their charge and almost all of them in knowing they were in the most important place in all of Equestria and therefore feeling like, just by being there, they were too becoming just a bit more important than they would otherwise.

Twilight escaped the train with many other ponies, bumped into a few strangers in the crowded streets, found herself almost lost in the market that was taking place that day and after a long and adventureful journey, passed through the doors of the royal castle that she closed, leaving the loud world of ponies behind her to be engulfed into the world of the two sisters.

The silence ran into her ears, transporting a deep and very impressive feeling of full and mysterious emptiness. It was always mind-numbing to come into the castle. The ceiling was so high it seemed to be almost unreachable. The walls were so far apart you could feel like being outside even while knowing you were inside. On every pillar and every stone, the solemnity and seriousness of the place was contrasting with the usual silliness and carelessness of the rest of Equestria.

This was without a doubt the home of the wisest and most powerful pony in Equestria.

To be in her home was most comforting.

Twilight let her feelings sink in and slowly, as not to disturb the place, walked silently to the throne room, hoping to find Celestia.

She only found Luna.

“Twilight Sparkle!” greeted her the princess of the night. “I’m very pleased to see you in our company. To what do we owe your presence?”

Twilight bowed, more by habit than by obligation, and said she had come to see Celestia to discuss a certain matter with her. She immediately understood that her answer had upset Luna. And for good reasons.

It was very well known that Luna was considered as nothing more than Celestia’s little sister. Most ponies were avoiding her, too many didn’t give her much respect because she didn’t inspire much in their opinion and wouldn’t it be for her familial bound with the ultimate ruler of the land, she probably would be considered as just a normal pony, or even less than a normal pony.
Luna had overcome her jealousy, had accepted to do her duty without expecting to receive what one would think was deserved in return and overall, Luna had forgiven ponies for their behavior around her.

But still, no matter how mature and wise Luna might have become, it was still hurtful to hear that her big sister’s advices were considered as important when her own were almost never asked for.

“I understand.” the princess of the night replied. “We are afraid our sister cannot honor us with her presence today. She has left two days ago and didn’t find it useful to tell us where or why.”

“Oh…” Twilight let out in disappointment.

She saw that Luna was considering the meeting as finished, but decided she couldn’t let Celestia’s little sister believe her words didn’t mean anything to her.

“Perhaps…” Twilight began, “Perhaps you would accept to discuss the matter that brought me here with me?”

She blinked at the end of that question and when her eyes opened again she saw Luna’s face at about four centimeters from her own displaying a huge smile.

“We do not see any objection.” Luna said very enthusiastically.

Twilight smiled too. She had spent a lot of time with the two sisters and the more she was getting to know Luna, the more she was admiring her passion and her incredible good nature.

So Twilight explained her encounter with the stallion from the academy of science, a name that made Luna frown for some reason, and the apple experiment, a lot of what they discussed afterwards about the concept of “natural laws” and finally, Twilight came to the most important point:

“When I talked to him about Celestia, he told me he doesn’t believe she even exists.”

“He denied my big sister’s existence?” Luna asked with a very serious tone.

“He did. And when I tried to explain to him that it didn’t make any sense, he just said that the fact he believes she doesn’t exist is why he thinks she doesn’t exist, which is a circular argument and is therefore absurd in all logical sense and…”

Luna stopped her. The princess of the night was thinking and needed a bit of silence. Some time passed, but just before Twilight was about to ask a new question, Luna told her:

“I thank you for that information Twilight Sparkle. We are afraid that this is a very serious case. But do not worry, we know what has to be done and we will handle it from now. You can go with a quiet mind with the knowledge that your friend Luna is taking care of the matter.”

“Are you sure?” Twilight asked.

But Luna seemed very confident. It could be that she just wanted to look very important in that moment, or to shine in Twilight’s eyes. And if it was the case, she was doing a very good job of acting the part, because she indeed look like everything had already been solved or even more, as if there hadn’t been any problem in the first place.

Twilight decided she should just trust Luna and let her do as she thought was best. Both princesses discussed some futilities, mostly how royally painful royal paperwork could be, and then split off as Twilight slowly went back on her way home.

But as she was going through one of the stained glasses halls, almost intoxicated by the powerful mix of colors of the light passing through the glass, she decided to stop and just contemplate the pictures for a while.

It was very peaceful. Those big pictures in front of her felt like more than simple assemblages of pieces of stained glass. It was something bigger, something deeper and more insightful. Watching those pictures was like having somepony watching over her shoulder, with patience and benevolence.

Somepony like Celestia.

“I remember that moment.” the princess of the sun gently said, talking about one of the picture. “I had probably made the worst decision is my whole life, and that pony had tried to show it to me three times. I wish I had listened to her. But of course, if I had, Starswirl wouldn’t have begun writing his friendship spell and you wouldn’t be a princess today.”

Twilight quickly turned back only to face the white alicorn and to watch her smile at her.

“How are you doing Twilight?”

“Great, thanks.” the young alicorn replied joyfuly. “I’m just surprised to see you. Princess Luna told me you were gone on a journey.”

“I was.” Celestia explained. “I just ended it a bit sooner than planned. I felt I would be needed here. Please excuse me wondering, but would your presence inside those walls mean my feeling was actually correct?”

Twilight blushed. For some reason, she felt guilty for having forced Celestia to have shortened her journey, even if she was perfectly conscious that, rationally speaking, she couldn’t be held responsible for it in any way.

Still, Celestia was here and that simple fact felt most comforting. Without any hesitation, Twilight began to explain what had brought her to Canterlot. The academy of science. Matt the weird stallion and, ultimately, how she, princess Celestia of Equestria, didn’t exist according to that stallion.

At those words, Celestia simply giggled:

“Well, it is not everyday that your existence is being put into question by somepony. Quite funny, don’t you think?”

“You mean you don’t mind it?” Twilight asked, not sure what to think anymore after Luna very serious response just a few moments before.

“Has that Matt done any wrong action against another pony?” Celestia asked in response.

“No, but…”

“Have his beliefs caused any harm to anypony?” Celestia asked again.

“Not really, I don’t think so…”

“Then my dear Twilight, no, I don’t mind.” Celestia gently said. “Ponies have the right to believe everything they want. Most ponies don’t even know that this Matt you met even exists, but that doesn’t hurt him, does it? So why should I feel hurt that a pony doesn’t think or know I exist?”

“I guess it makes sense…” Twilight whispered.

“Oh Twilight, you have the right to think it doesn’t make sense.” Celestia added with a joyful tone. “You are very smart. Please trust your own judgment and do not just blindly trust mine. Don’t think something because I think it, but only if you find out it is right. I would gladly appreciate it, because I believe in you, and I trust you and I like you.”

For all response, Twilight blushed very violently. It was not only flattery, but flattery coming from the most respectable and most revered being she knew. She was feeling like a child being praised by her mother. And even if Celestia’s words were still a bit confusing and complicated, she couldn’t care less as they were coming from a pony she knew only wanted the best for her.

And the best came very soon.

“By the way Twilight.” Celestia added, “I brought some jade ice-cream from my journey. Do you want to taste it?”

Of course Twilight wanted to taste the ice-cream.

Therefore, the rest of the day was spent tasting different jewel-flavored ice-creams, having fun and recalling some old memories, until Celestia’s duties found her back and forced her to part from Twilight who then decided to go back to Ponyville, just happy to have had such a beautiful day.