Unimpressive Scraps

by An Unimpressive

Rating: teen
Tags: Main 6, Original Character, Spike, Sex, Random, Princess Celestia, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 69131

A collection of discarded drafts of published work.

This is a collection of discarded drafts and other nonsense that doesn't make it into my finished fanfics. Expect the roughest of drafts. The only reason a story of mine won't have a draft posted here is if I only wrote one draft and then vomited it onto FiMFic.

Sometimes the changes made are minor and sometimes they're drastic, but each time, the key factor is the feedback of others (pre-readers from EqD or reviewers from /fic/) helping me to improve the story. This is why you get outside opinions on your writing, folks.

Each draft will include a link to the finished work.

Published 2012-06-13 06:04:02 UTC
Last updated 2022-10-08 06:32:43 UTC

In Another Castle (The Twilight draft)

This is a rough draft of the story "In Another Castle"

“Anything else I can do for you, oh perfect one?” Spike asked, gazing with eyes full of love for his perfect pony princess. He and Rarity were standing in Carousel Boutique's backroom amidst Rarity's usual mess, and Rarity was working on her latest masterpiece. It was a simple dress, yes, but to her, it was more than that; it was an opportunity. She was on the brink of something new to the world of fashion, and she would be damned before she let such an opportunity pass her by. Spike had been happy to help, of course... perhaps a little too happy.

Something in Spike's tone made Rarity pause. He seemed to be a bit more attentive than normal, true, and she was grateful for that. Yet somehow, the gracious and kind little darling had sounded a bit more like some uncouth ruffian in a salt bar. Surely, it had to just be her imagination. She had been fretting for hours about where to make a simple stitch, and even she knew she was pushing her stress limits just a bit.

“Just a moment, Spike.” Rarity shook off the strange moment and affixed a few more pins to the dress Hoity Toity had commissioned. In curious contrast to its simple construction, it was a gaudy affair, even by her standards, and she was quite certain that most anypony who looked at it would cringe a little from all the sparkles and sequins she had added. However, whoever he was obtaining this dress for, he wanted nothing but the most fabulous of all fabulous dresses the world could provide—so naturally, he had come to Rarity for help. She smiled, trying to keep herself from drooling as she thought of the flood of bits this one dress would provide just from publicity. She had never imagined she would be making a dress for a stallion, but if Hoity Toity's client thought this was going to be the next big thing, who was Rarity to judge? Fashion waited for nopony, and she preferred to be leading the herd.

“Spike, be a dear and grab me some more rubies, will you?” A few more gems were all she needed, just to be sure.

“At once, milady!” Spike saluted and dashed off. He rummaged through Rarity's things in search of more gems, tossing various nicknacks aside in the process. He had gotten more and more efficient at fetching things for her as time went on; the result of hours of practice and memorization, Rarity supposed. At times, Spike almost felt more like her assistant than Twilight's, particularly since he'd returned from his little outing among his fellow dragons.

“No. I must focus,” she muttered. As she worked, her expert magic continued to pull the dress together almost without effort; she had chosen a basic design that screamed simplicity and power, but with a dash of class, of course. Although she still needed to give it her full attention, she found her thoughts drifting to how Spike was behaving today.

He had been spending more and more time around her since he had tried to follow the Great Dragon Migration, to the point where she had begun to worry. Was Spike starting to reject all of dragonkind in favor of... her? The little darling would no doubt make some lady dragon very happy some day, but Rarity couldn't help but worry that he was making a broad generalization about his fellow dragons based on the ones he had met so far. True, her own experience with dragons had been less than pleasant, but if Spike was any indication, dragons could be quite the little gentlep—er, gentlemen under the correct circumstances. Spike had just been unlucky; for his sake, Rarity hoped that was true.

Even though Rarity was quite happy to see him content living among ponies, she worried for his future. Dragons were long-lived, or so she had heard, but Spike seemed to be behaving a bit more like a pony each day. Eventually, he was bound to learn that some differences just couldn't be overcome. After all, differences and diversity were what made Equestria great. It had, after all, been a coming together of different ponies that had given rise to the nation in the first place.

“Got 'em!” Spike called as he dashed over with a load of rubies hugged to his chest.

“My word, I hadn't even realized I even had that many left! You are quite the little helper, Spike-er...” She bit off the end of “Spikey-wikey” and noticed a quick flicker of a frown pass over Spike's face for a moment. Had he noticed?

However, Spike's face immediately brightened and reddened. As Rarity took the gems in her magical grip, he scratched his head and leaned against a wall, striking a slouched pose that strived for “cool” and “humble” but attained neither. “Aw, it's nothing.”

Rarity continued to work on the dress, pouring all her creative energies into getting it done. After all, she did have other orders to deal with later this afternoon; she only hoped she would have the time to work on them afterwards.

She had the materials. She had the design in her head. All it took now was just some elbow grease. As she worked, attaching dozens upon dozens of rubies in strategic locations, she became more and more aware of Spike's lovestruck gaze on her. Rarity began to sweat, partially from the exertion of creating a fabulous work of art and partially from her mental picture of Spike.

She knew full well that when she turned, he would just be standing there, staring at her with a vacant expression. It was sort of adorable to imagine the little dear with a crush on her, but such a thing could never work in practice, of course.

“Spike, dear?” Rarity asked without turning.

“Yes?”

Rarity suppressed a shudder at the oozing admiration dripping off his voice.

“Might you, eh...” Rarity's mind blanked. What could she have him do? It didn't seem fair to keep him here and away from whatever Twilight was doing today, particularly if all she had left to do was simply assembling the thing. Besides, some time away from her might do him good. “I do believe that that shall be all I need for today.” She turned, putting on her best starry, half-lidded gaze for him. “Thank you ever so much for helping today, Spike. I don't know what I would have done without you.”

He nodded, looking bowled over by such praise from the one he adored. Spike remained in the room, leaning forward at a slight angle, enraptured by Rarity's every slight movement.

Rarity shifted her weight uncomfortably. “Er, Spike... what I'm trying to say is that you could go back to helping Twilight. I'm sure she's got a lot to do today; after all, Princess Celestia has been calling her to the castle more and more, and I'm positively certain that whatever it is, it must be quite serious.” Rarity put a hoof to her chin in thought, considering what top-secret things Twilight was doing for the princess, only to dismiss the tangent just as swiftly.

Spike waited, staring for several long moments after she had finished speaking. “No, that's fine,” he said, sounding half-awake, “I'll just stay here. Twilight said she would be okay today, so I'll just stay here in case you need any more help.” He drifted over to a cushion and plopped down, his half-lidded eyes fixed on Rarity.

Rarity searched for a response, but came up empty, her brows twitching as her eyes fluttered about. “Well... all right, then.” With a smidgeon of hesitation, she returned to her work. Her hooves and horn moved in unison as she continued to work on the dress. All she needed was just to affix a few more gems, and her masterwork would be complete. With infinite patience, she floated the final gem into place with a gentle push. “And... done!” She stepped back and admired her work. “Well, Spike? What do you think?” She bounced in glee. Seeing a completed work always filled her with joy; although the road to get there was often hard, she loved it when a fashionable plan came together.

Spike stared across the room and over the dress-wearing ponyquin at her. “Oh, it's fantastic...” he murmured, not bothering to take his eyes from Rarity's sweaty form.

Her eyes narrowed. He wasn't paying any attention to her creation at all; he was only present for her. As nice as a girl could feel from such attention, it had gotten to a point where it was... well, almost creepy.

Rarity trotted across the room and bent down to Spike's level. She spoke, trying to keep her voice warm, yet firm. “Spike, we need to talk.”

His eyes shot open in delight at being addressed in such a direct fashion. “Oh, sure! What about?”

She glanced askance; she didn't feel comfortable looking into his eyes. “About... us.”

He tried, and failed, to suppress a giant grin. “U-us?! W-w-what about us, Rarity?” His breathing quickened, and she was quite sure that his little dragon heart's beat had quickened.

“Spike, has Twilight had a talk with you about the birds and the bees?” It was a long shot. She couldn't imagine Twilight approaching such a subject in the first place. Even if she had tried to explain such a thing, Rarity couldn't imagine her delivering it any way other than with a deep blush on her face as she tried to keep it as academic and clinical as possible. Twilight could be so unromantic at times. Still, one could always hope for an easy solution.

He blinked. “That kinda sounds like something Fluttershy would talk about, not Twilight.”

Just as often, the easy way out was not an option. She paused, considering how to remain ladylike and elegant while broaching such a subject. “Er, that is to say... you're a strapping young dragon, and I'm quite certain that...”

“I sure am!” Spike puffed himself up, trying to look as manly as possible.

Rarity rubbed a hoof on her head, trying to ward off a looming headache. “Look, Spike... how about this. You are a dragon, and I am a pony. Yes?”

Spike nodded his head, although his dull-eyed, vacant expression made it clear he had no idea what Rarity was driving at. “Uh-huh.”

“Good. So, then, you understand.”

“Uh... no.” Spike scratched his head, a sheepish grin crawling across his face.

Rarity resisted the urge to break something. Her left eyebrow twitched in annoyance. “Spike, darling, you know I love having you around...” She noted with dismay his face lighting up at her use of the word “love.” “However, I can't help but fear that you may be spending time with me a bit more than might be entirely healthy.”

Spike scrunched up his face in confusion and folded his arms. “Too much time? With you? Naw, Rarity, that's just not possible! I mean, you're... awesome!” He laughed the little nervous laugh Rarity had come to know very well; it always meant Spike was trying too hard to be “casual.”

Rarity sighed and patted him on the head as she realized that explaining this might take more time than she had thought. “I'm afraid that is just the sort of thing I am talking about, Spike. Have a seat,” she said.

He sat down, still looking perplexed over the direction the conversation was going. Rarity sighed and carefully floated over a cushion, fluffed it for a few minutes so it was precisely to her specifications, and sat, careful to get her entire body on the overstuffed cushion; even though she kept her floor immaculate, Rarity would brook no possibility of discomfort if there was another option.

“Now Spike, I am quite certain that you think rather well of me... well, I know so.”

“Aw, gosh.” He blushed and scratched the back of his head. “You noticed, huh?”

She smiled, a warm memory surfacing. “Well, words that could have been the last a lady ever hears while she is falling to the ground do tend to stick out. I know you have a crush on me, Spike, and it's very sweet.”

He curled into a little ball, his tail riding up as his face burned with embarrassment. In that moment, he looked his age: a baby dragon, trying to be bigger and older than he really was.

She felt her heart melt a little at the sight. Somehow, she doubted the little fellow knew just how cute he really could be, but telling him would probably do more harm than good in this situation. Spike could be insecure and full of false bravado sometimes, but she had no doubt in her mind that he'd realize his true strengths eventually.

However, to realize that potential, nothing could hold him back. Including her.

“W-well, Rarity... you're just very pretty. And smart. I really... I mean...” He paused. “I wanna be your knight!” he blurted out, only to cover his face with both claws. With infinite patience, he pried a small hole in his own defense against the sight of her, fearful of what reaction he would behold.

Rarity, for her part, kept her serene smile on her face, although her mind was reeling. Her knight? She wasn't sure if that was obsessive or romantic. Then again, there was a fair amount of overlap between the two at times, or so fiction had told her.

“Spike, that is a very noble thing to want to do. But...”

“But?” He cringed again, fearing what was to come.

Rarity reached over and tilted his head up with a hoof. Then, trying to be as gentle as possible, she gazed into his eyes and said, “Spike. I'll be the first to admit that I don't know much about dragons, but I have to admit, I was a little nervous around Twilight when I saw you followed her everywhere. I had always heard dragons were nasty, uncouth brutes, and even though you were just a baby dragon, I assumed you would be the same way.”

He tried to shy away, but she cradled his head gently, coaxing him into looking at her.

She chuckled. “However, you proved to be quite the little gentleman. I did—and do—appreciate all the help you give me around the Boutique from time to time. Really, I should hire some help one of these days, if ever I could find someone who could live up to my standards... but that's besides the point, I suppose.

“But Spike, like it or not, we're different species, and things just couldn't work. I know you haven't had the best of luck with other dragons so far, but if one dragon can turn out this adorable and refined, I'm sure others can too. Don't worry, you'll find... somedragon... someday, but it's not healthy to almost... drool over someone of a different species. Not that you drool, mind; such a thing would be most ungentlemanly. It's just that sometimes I can't help but worry that you're focusing a little too hard on, well... trying to be my knight.

“Don't worry, Spike. You'll find a nice lady dragon one day, and I hope I'm around to meet her. I'm not the only princess out there, Spikey-wikey.”

Spike, who had been silent, spoke up a tiny, fragile voice. “Does this mean... we can't be friends?” Tears gathered in the edge of his eyes.

She scoffed. “Oh, Spike. We can always be friends.” She wrapped him in a warm embrace. “We'll always be friends. Just think about finding some dragon friends one day too, okay?” Gently, she stroked his head spines.

Spike hugged back with all the strength he had in his tiny arms. “Yeah... friends...”

Rarity felt tiny patches of moisture on her coat, and she hugged him closer. “Don’t worry, Spike. You’ll find your princess someday.”

Twilight looked outside again with worry. Spike had been gone for an awfully long time; she knew Rarity had a huge project to work on, but this was late for a baby dragon. She frowned, imagining a frantic Rarity pushing herself through the night and dragging a sleepy Spike with her. If Spike didn't come home soon, she'd have to have a talk with Rarity about responsibility. Rarity's problem was that she was too emotional about things. If she just introduced some more logic and organization into her life, all her problems would vanish.

She returned to the paper she was writing, considering how to continue. “Would you fetch me the thesaurus?” she asked without turning.

A flap of wings and a “hoo” later, The Standard Equestrian Thesaurus (Revised Edition) plopped on the desk in front of her. “Thanks!” she said, giving her ever-watchful owl a grin. She cracked the book open, flipping through the pages for the correct section. “What could I use instead of 'discreet'...?” she murmured.

Just then, the door behind her flew open and slammed into the wall, causing Twilight to gasp. She turned, and there stood Spike, looking unhappy despite his obviously full belly. “Spike, there you are! Do you have a tummyache?” she asked, eyeing his very full stomach.

“No,” he grumbled, walking sluggishly over to a bookshelf. “Rarity just let me have the leftover gems from her project.” He pointed at a dusty, low shelf that most ponies ignored. “Is this where we have the books on dragons?”

She squinted in curiosity, but didn't ask the obvious “Why would you want to read about dragons when you are a dragon?” question that popped into her head. “Should be, Spike. Any particular book?”

“I'll find it, Twilight. You just keep doing... whatever it is you're doing.”

She frowned. He sounded downcast and sullen. Maybe he really did have a stomachache. Then again, it was getting late. Maybe he was just tired and wanted to fall asleep to a good book. She made a mental note to check the stacks for any collections of dragon myths.

After a few minutes that she spent scribbling, Spike grabbed a book off the shelves and said, “I'm going to bed. Good night, Twilight.”

Twilight turned to watch him shuffle up the stairs. “Good night, Spike!” Out of curiosity, she peered at the binding of the thick book Spike had chosen: A History of Dragon-Equine Relations.

She blinked. Why did Spike want to read about old political treaties? Perhaps the little guy was more of a history buff than she'd thought.

A few minutes later, just before she heard Spike doze off, she heard a book being tossed aside. Her ears perked up. Did she need to have a talk with him about proper care and handling again?

Spike murmured, “Aw, maybe Rarity's right...”

Then, he slept.

Distorted Perspective (The bad sex toys joke draft)

A/N: This is a rough draft of the story "Distorted Perspective"

I watched my faithful student and her friends dash out the door towards Ponyville. They had to succeed. Not even I could do much directly against the foul menace. How had he even escaped, let alone stole the Elements of Harmony from directly beneath my nose? Indignation welled up within me, making my cheeks burn. “Discord...”

“Oh, missing me already, Celestia?” an all-too-familiar voice called out.

My wings unfurled as I shot glances around, trying to look in control and ready for action. The empty hall seemed to mock my fury. Perhaps that was just Discord's influence, however. “Discord! Why have you done this?”

My old foe reappeared in the stained glass window. I had to admit, he looked a bit more unnerving this way. He probably intended that. Or perhaps not. With an opponent like Discord, nothing could be taken for granted.

In the back of my mind, I reached out for Luna, only to note with distress I couldn't sense her. She should have been in her tower, but something—or more likely, someone—had clouded our connection.

“Oh, Celestia, Celestia, Celestia... you know exactly why I'm doing all of this. Have you forgotten who I am?” He coiled around the image of my faithful student, and I suppressed a shiver. I didn't want to know what he was planning for dear Twilight and her friends, but if I exploited his tendency to talk too much, perhaps I could buy them some time to retrieve the Elements.

“Of course not, Discord.” I took a few steps towards the picture he was occupying. “We all know what led to this day, and believe me when I say that neither Luna nor I took any pleasure in it.”

“Ah yes, your younger sister... now there's a particularly grim one. You have your moments of fun about you, Celestia, but that one needs to lighten up badly.”

Panic gripped me, but I didn't let the fiend have the satisfaction of seeing it play across my face. I reached out with my royal senses again, feeling for any trace of Luna. She had to be alright. I wasn't going to lose her. Not again. “What have you done with her?” I snarled. Where could she be? I started reaching out with weak magic, keeping the bulk of my power in reserve to deal with Discord if he went for a more direct approach.

He laughed, rolling on the “ground” of the picture and beating his fists against it. “Oh, I'm sure you'd love to know, but suffice it to say she's getting in touch with a 'softer' side.”

“Discord, if you've harmed a single hair on her coat—“

He held up a paw, bored. “Ugh. Do you listen to yourself?” He leapt into another window and began to speak in a sing-song voice. “'Discord, if you've harmed a single little hair on her helpless, weak little coat...'” He frowned. “Bah. You worry too much, which is why I'm exactly what these little ponies need. You're so boring all the time.”

“You can't use mortals as your playthings, Discord!” I seethed; seeing him prancing about right in front of me was maddening when I could do nothing but try and talk him to death.

He lounged and adopted the sort of tone a weary teacher would use to explain something to a dim-witted foal. “Celestia, mortals were born to be our playthings. From the moment they were born, they existed for our amusement. They live for only a few short years, then pass. There's no use trying such silly things as 'caring for them' or 'trying to improve their lives' or 'understanding them'... they're doomed from the start. From the very first moment they come into the world, they all have only one destination... the grave.” He broke into a fun-loving grin. “So why not put them to good use?”

I stomped my forelegs on the carpeted floor, splintering the stones beneath. “To use? To use? Discord, life is not your plaything.”

“Now, we could go in circles for hours, but let's just get right to the point.” He began to snake around, moving from picture to picture with lightning speed.

I stood in the center of the room, refusing to dizzy myself by following his movements. I could sense him easily enough; even the presence of Discord's shadow felt like a massive disruption in the fabric of Equestria.

“Celestia, I have a very specific goal in mind. Yes, much as I represent perfect, delicious chaos, to go against somepony like you without a plan is like a pig that can't fly: destined to be forever boring. I have a very specific pony in mind to show how wonderful chaos can be, and I'll stop at nothing until she sees things the way I do. Why, perhaps she'll even grow to like it.”

Panic stabbed through my heart. What was he planning to do to Twilight? I knew Luna could handle herself, but unless Twilight was very lucky, there was no way she could be fully prepared for Discord's unique brand of evil. With any luck, she and her friends would storm in with the Elements any moment now. I had every confidence in her; she would succeed. She had to.

Luna and I were not powerful enough to oppose Discord directly. True, we could have, but catastrophic damage would have been the result. Contrary to his nature, Discord was a cunning strategist, which explained how he'd deduced so quickly that the six ponies I'd summoned to Canterlot were the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony. I had hoped that I could catch him off-guard by redirecting their power from myself, but I had lost the element of surprise as well as the Elements themselves.

I snarled but held my ground. I had to keep him talking, even if that meant sitting through this abuse. Not for the first time, I wished the Elements had been under my direct control. What Luna and I had gone through to imprison Discord had been gut-wrenching, and I hoped Twilight wouldn't hate me for what she was about to endure.

“And since you care for this pony so much, I have a most clever plan in mind.” I couldn't let him know he was getting to me. Stay clam. For Equestria. “There's one pony I can't wait to make my personal little plaything, and that pony...” Discord's image suddenly became static, yet I still felt his presence.

I took to the air, scanning for any tricks he might have. Although I doubted Discord would be so careless as to let himself be vulnerable through such means, I reached out with all my magical senses as well. To my surprise, I detected him lurking just behind my throne. Despite myself, I smiled. Perhaps this would be easier after all.

Summoning more than a thousand years' worth of diplomatic experience, I scrunched up my face. “Discord, show yourself!” I flew slowly, as though unaware of where he was hiding, then at the last moment, divebombed his location with all the speed I could muster, expecting to deliver a mighty blow with my enchanted hoofguards... but I struck the ground instead. “What?” I gasped.

Too late, I realized my mistake as I felt Discord's breath on the back of my head. “That pony is you, Celestia.”

“Come on, double time!” my commanding officer, Empty Glass, barked as we dashed towards the sound of the boom. Everypony was on edge thanks to Princess Celestia putting us on high alert, and having most of our pegasi squadrons battling the out-of-control clouds didn't help our unease.

I picked up speed, intending to lead the charge into Canterlot Tower. Princess Celestia had requested that nopony disturb her, but this was clearly an emergency. I wasn't the most powerful of unicorns, but even I had felt the disturbance in magical energies. Needless to say, most of the other ponies in my squad had been almost writhing on the floor in pain from whatever it was that had caused such a disturbance. Even now, my head throbbed with a splitting headache, making my horn feel sore. Most of the others were barely on their hooves, allowing me to easily take the lead.

Empty Glass snorted as I nosed past him. “Looking to prove yourself for once, are you?”

I flushed. “Well, I just thought—“

“Bah. Your magical ability is weak and you're built like a mare. I don't even know why we have you in the unit.”

Ashamed, I kept running nevertheless. Sure, I didn't have much meat on me. Sure, I kind of sucked at magic. Sure, I was pretty much the laughingstock of the whole unit. Sure, I pulled latrine duty nearly every week. Sure, I rarely did anything useful, but somehow, I could feel that I was in for something special today. Today was my day!

We reached the doors of the room leading to the tower, and I was the first through. Trying to put on my best heroic voice, I called, “Your Majesty, are you alright? We felt a disturb...” I trailed off as I saw the figure occupying the room. What in Equestria happened?

Behind me, the stoic Empty Glass blurted, “Princess Celestia, why are you pink?”

That wasn't all. True, Princess Celestia was pink, but there was a strange, leering look on her face, like a predatory animal searching for its prey. Her wings were spread to their full span, and she eyed us all carefully. She took a step forward and pawed the floor. My eyes traveled downward involuntarily and—by the Royal pony sisters!

Princess Celestia had become a stallion. Princess Celestia. Was a colt. What in the name of oat smoothies did this mean? How was this even possible?

I took a few tentative steps forward, figuring at least somepony should be carrying out the mission we'd come here for. “P-Princess, are you... alright?”

Silence reigned behind me. Everypony was no doubt holding their breath.

Princess Celestia took a few steps towards me, unsteady. She put her face right at my level, breathing right on my muzzle. I began to sweat; I liked my personal space. In a very slow, deliberate motion, she—or he, I supposed—brought a hoof up and stroked my mane, not even noticing when my helmet went clattering to the floor.

“Ooh, my faithful student... Guard armor is such a nice look for you, Twilight.”

What?!

My brain shut down. Princess Celestia, wise ruler of Equestria and immortal alicorn, pushed me down to the floor and loomed over me, wearing the smile of a hunter about to make the kill. I saw a flash of light and heard the click of a shutter behind me, but I didn't register them.

“What the hell are you doing with that camera?! Get that pegasus out of here!” Empty Glass bellowed.

A smarmy voice behind me remarked, “Easy, boys, I'm with The Equestrian National Equirer, and—“

I heard another pony cry, “The Enquirer?! Get him!”

A small melee broke out behind me as my comrades tried to subdue the intruder, but my eyes remained locked on our ruler. With the scant few pegasi we had in our ranks in the skies, I doubted any of my fellow unicorns were having much luck restraining a pegasus intruder.

Before I could react beyond blind panic, the alicorn swept me up into a very tight embrace in her—er, his, I suppose—forelegs, lifting me off my hooves and burying her—his—muzzle into my coat. I couldn't even begin to explain how awkward this was. First of all, this was Princess—er, Prince—Celestia, ruler of the kingdom, and second of all, I hadn't been with another colt since college!

I twisted my head around. “U-uh, a little h-help?” My voice sounded quavery, uneasy. The few members of my unit who weren't scurrying to secure the exit and chase the paparazzi photographer stood there, mouths agape. As usual, I guess I had to do everything myself. “U-um, Princess... or, um, is it Prince, now?”

“Oh, Princess works,” the divine ruler of Equestria murmured into my ear. Princess Celestia smelled nice. Was that vanilla?

“I, uh... need to talk with some of your guards. For just a little bit.”

To my immense relief, I was set down. With immense self-control, I managed not to sprint away. Instead, I walked over to the rest of my unit, my knees only shaking in mortal terror half the time.

Wordlessly, we gathered into a huddle. I decided to start our little discussion on a rational, intelligent tone. “Oh Luna. Bad touch. Bad touch. Bad touch...” I started shaking.

A mare in my unit, Hair Trigger, giggled. Her green eyes sparkled with mirth, and I found myself hating her at that moment. I had a hard time finding the humor in the situation. “I-it's okay. B-besides, you're a c-coltcuddler, aren't you?”

My cheeks burned. “No!” I hissed. “There was just that one time!”

Empty Glass cut in. “What about with Broad Sword?”

My cheeks became a wildfire. “Wasn't what it looked like.”

“Or Perry Winkle?”

“He had passed out on my doorstep! I was giving him mouth-to-mouth.”

“Multiple times?” asked another guard.

Empty Glass nickered. “Alright, enough. The point here is not Eagle Eye's sexuality, but what's happened to Her Highness.”

“That's His Highness now... apparently,” somepony corrected him. I shuddered.

“Right.” Empty Glass actually shifted and grimaced. That was rare. “Anyway, Princess Celestia seems to have latched onto Eagle here, thinking he's Twilight Sparkle, so he'll keep her—him busy while we try to figure out what happened.”

My face fell. “No... please, no,” I begged. Sure, my coloration was similar to Twilight Sparkle, but there had to be a better way!

He turned to me, his face impassive. “Take one for the team, Eagle. Take one for Equestria.”

Today was not a good day.

Today was such a fantastic day!

I grinned as Twilight walked back from conferring with my guards. What could they have been talking about? Then again, it probably didn't matter. I turned toward a window and examined my reflection. Pink looked good on me; my wings were so pretty!

Twilight, still wearing that cute armor, trotted back to me. She looked nervous, the poor thing. Whatever could be the matter? I didn’t want any of our time together to be something sad. I teleported next to her, ignoring her cute little yelp of surprise, and grabbed her with my magic.

“Ohhh Twilight, whatever could be the matter? Tell me. I’ll fix it.” I wrapped my forelegs around her and gave her a big hug, hoping she'd feel better from being so close to me. I felt our coats rub together; she smelled nice. I also felt a—

Oh.

Oh my.

“Twilight, why are you a colt?” I asked, pulling away from her a little reluctantly. Sure enough, her muzzle was a little more square than I remembered, and something about her coloration seemed a little off—her mane was missing a few streaks—but it had to be Twilight. It just had to be. I knew my favorite pony when I saw her. Him.

“I, uh, that is, Princess...” She furrowed her brow, working on an explanation. Or, I guess it was he now, wasn't it? Oh, the world could be so funny sometimes! “It-it just happened, see. It must be Discord's doing!” Those soulful violet eyes gave me a pleading look. “What's happened, Princess? What has he done to Equestria?”

I let out a true noblepony's laugh, breaking several windows with my high-pitched cackles. Twilight looked terrified. “Discord? Oh, don't be silly! You defeated him and came back! Why else would you be here?”

Twilight opened his mouth, looked at the guards who were scurrying about barricading the exits, then looked back at me and closed it. The poor thing looked positively miserable. Maybe I could cheer him up.

“I can't argue with that logic, Princess,” he said, sounding totally defeated.

I pulled him into a tight hug again. I just loved my faithful student so much! I started nuzzling his mane. He tensed in my forelegs for some reason, in more ways than one. On a whim, I let go and sent him crashing to the floor. Twilight would be fine; particularly with that adorable armor on, the only thing hurt would be his pride.

“So anyway, Twilight...” I said, pacing back and forth, “I suppose you'd like me to try to undo what happened?”

His eyes watered. “Yes, please.”

I smiled, the picture of benevolence. Oh, it was good to see such adoration in his eyes! “Very well. You'll be a mare again in no time.”

For some reason, Twilight went into a panic, hiding behind one of my guards. “No! No no no no!”

I walked over, puzzled. “Oh? You'd rather keep it? Well, I suppose there are a lot of fun things that we... I mean, you... could do with it.” I blushed. Oh my, just what had gotten into me? Then again... I shoved the guard aside and examined my faithful student closely. Whatever had happened to make him a stallion, it had done him good. His sleek, yet still somewhat feminine muzzleline. His smooth purple coat. His flank was... I blinked. For a moment, I could have swore that I had seen a spyglass on his flank, rather than Twilight's stars... but no, there it was: six stars, right on Twilight's flank.

Twilight shifted awkwardly. “U-uh, Princess?”

“Oh, sorry Twilight. Just admiring the changes.” I looked deep into those sparkling eyes. “You know, you're kind of a pretty colt.”

Twilight blushed and looked away. “P-Princess...”

“I can see why you'd want to stay as one... but are you sure you don't want me to try to make you a mare again?”

“Uh, no. I'm fine... thanks.” He took a few steps backward, sweating bullets.

“Really, I'm very, very proud of you for taking this change so well, my faithful student!” I made a mental note to reward him with more books.

I made a mental note to sue for sexual harassment. Then again, who would I sue: Princess Celestia or my commanding officer? By Luna, I needed a drink.

“Of... of course, Princess.” My mind kept racing as I tried to remember how Twilight Sparkle acted when around Princess Celestia. I'd only ever been around her a few times back when she was a student here in Canterlot, so I hoped she hadn't changed much in the past few years. I remembered her as shy, intelligent, and rather friendly with the princess.

That made me wonder: did the two have some sort of relationship going that we didn't know about? I glanced askance at the pink terror before me. She looked excited... in more ways than one. My flank tightened involuntarily and I gulped. Easy now. Just because he likes the thought of his faithful student being a colt doesn't mean that's how he actually feels.

Right?

I started to wonder what would happen after—or even if—Discord's spells were broken. According to the briefing we had been given, Discord did have the power to manipulate minds, but to what extent? Nopony told me; I had managed to sneak into the meeting after I finished licking Empty Glass' spare horseshoes clearn. Once Discord was defeated—if he ever was—would Princess Celestia still be a colt? Would he still be interested in me? Would I have to become some sort of royal consort? Visions of living it up with Canterlot's elite danced in my head, and a small smile played over my face. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

No! No no no. I couldn't be okay with this. There was no way I could be okay with this. I smacked myself, willing the smile to go away. I also checked myself to make sure I wasn't turning some strange color; no doubt Discord's power would soon be changing other things too. Right. It was all Discord’s fault! I wouldn’t want to play the mare for some big, strong noblestall—damn it, me.

When whatever it was reached me, would I think I was Twilight Sparkle? A small grimace played over my face. Whatever her life was like these days, it was probably better than mine. Then again, anypony who might be in some kind of relationship with a pony that was apparently as pent-up as Princess Celestia probably had troubles of her own.

Oh well. Time to take it like Twilight Sparkle, I guess. However that was.

“I really am surprised you want to stay a colt.” He loomed over me, looking for all the world like he wanted to take me then and there. Princess Celestia, just what were you into anyways? “You never struck me as the tomcolt type. That friend of yours, Rainbow Dash, maybe, but you? I always figured you'd settle down with a nice stallion sooner or later.” His wings drooped briefly. Did Princess Celestia dread Twilight Sparkle getting in a proper relationship? Before my mind fried itself figuring out how creepy that was, I tried to make my mouth function.

“Well, why's that?” Let's see: how would Twilight put it? “I, uh... I thought this would be a good chance to gather some data! I mean, how often does this happen, Princess?” Yes. Good, good. I had this down pat. “I thought some further experimentation was in order.” Yes. Good. Science stuff sounds fitting, and with any luck that—oh Luna, did I just say “experimentation”?!

A huge grin spread over Princess Celestia's face. “Well, I have a nice little private laboratory I could let you use for your... research.”

“O-oh?” My flank tightened. This could not end well.

“In fact, I could even help, since I seem to be affected by this too.”

My brain went into panic mode. Desperate plans flew through my head and were rejected in record time. This couldn't be happening. What could I do? What could I say? I took a step backwards and turned my head, only to see the unsympathetic face of Empty Glass. In spite of his dislike for me, we had gotten quite good at reading each other, so we had one of our famous silent conversations.

I widened my eyes and pouted. Please, Captain, get me out of here!

His jaw twitched, but his gaze never wavered. You'll stay where you are and like it.

My inner foal cowered in a corner of my mind, fearing my incoming loss of innocence. I turned my gaze back to an eager-looking Princess Celestia. “I... okay, Princess. Take me... take me to your...” I gulped. “...your private laboratory.” Some insensitive guard behind me stifled a laugh. Fearing the worst, I hung my head and sighed.

“Oh, good. Now, this will just tingle a bit. Hold on tight!” He held me in a magic field. I went limp, seeing no point in resisting. A slight tickling sensation spread over the top of my head, making me snicker. What was that? The sensation crept up to my horn and started stroking it. I looked and saw the glow of Princess Celestia's magic a bit more strongly around my horn.

Oh. Oh horseapples.

Before I was doomed to a fate of being more saddlesore than a cute colt in prison, I looked back at Empty Glass. “No matter what he does, you did this to me,” I mouthed at him.

He put a hoof to his mouth to stifle a snicker, then mouthed back, “I sure did. I sure did.” I don't know why I ever thought he was cute—no, no, I've been straight for... three weeks? Two? Suddenly, I started floating after Princess Celestia, just another planet orbiting her solar figure. Come on now, no tears...

I struggled to keep from tittering as I skipped through the halls, ignoring the stares some servants were giving me. Not only was Twilight okay with what had happened to him, but he was willing to experiment! What better use of our time could there be? Oh, my faithful student was just full of good ideas! We’d make some powerful memories from experimenting with each other.

I jumped a short ways and started flying down the corridor, ignoring a yelp from Twilight as he was pulled down the hallway ever faster by my magic. I may have barreled over a few unimportant guard ponies in my haste. They weren't important. Only my darling student was. This was one experiment of his I couldn't wait to take part in; I had missed so many others. I was so giddy I had to stop myself from giggling.

Before long, we reached the perfect place for the experiment. Twilight, looking uncomfortable for some reason, spoke up. “U-um, Princess, aren't these your bedchambers?”

Indeed, we were standing before the large oak double doors that led to my private quarters. Normally, there would have been two guards posted outside—largely for show—with more lurking just down the hall. I could handle anyone misguided enough to try to make some sort of attempt on my life, of course, but my court advisers insisted that the guards have some presence. Ah, how funny it was that they viewed me as such a precious little “object”; clearly, a pony as old, wise, and eternally youthful as I couldn't defend herself if the time came. Who did they take me for?

I let none of this play over my face. Instead, I said, “Oh, don't worry. The stains should clean up easily enough.”

Twilight whimpered. It was strange, seeing my faithful student so vulnerable. Or perhaps he was just so excited to have access to the equipment I had stored for my own personal use that his mind was running wild with the possibilities! Yes. Of course: that had to be it. My dear Twilight never could contain himself around a new book or field of study. “Relax, Twilight. I'll let you take all the time you need with my toys.”

“T-toys?” He broke into a sweat and waggled his legs cartoonishly, as though trying to escape.

I frowned. What on Equestria could be bothering this transsexual colt? Was it something I said? “Oh Twilight, everything will be fine.” I nuzzled him, inhaling the odd, heady musk of his sweaty coat. “Oooh Twilight...” I buried my muzzle deeper into his lavender coat. “You smell so nice; I guess you must have worked up quite a sweat battling Discord.”

Twilight's muscles tensed under his coat. I paused; Twilight had been working out! I didn't remember him being quite so toned as this. Perhaps his newest field of interest was physical fitness. As I pressed harder and harder into his toned midsection with the side of my face, I found myself becoming more and more excited by it.

“Uh, Princess?”

Twilight's voice brought my back in the moment and I froze, realizing what I was doing. I blushed. He felt so nice... I pulled away with some hesitation. “Oh, forgive me Twilight... it's just, I hadn't realized you were so fit and then you smelled so good and I'm not quite myself today and...”

Twilight muttered, “You can say that again.”

I pretended not to hear. No doubt he'd feel embarrassed at what he just said. It was Twilight, after all, and while Twilight had grown into a fine mare and then been made a very fine stallion, he still seemed to have trouble fully asserting himself around me. How ironic—I was his teacher, but I almost held him back in a way.

To my surprise, Twilight didn't say a word. He hung there in midair, listlessly awaiting my next move. I raised an eyebrow. Very odd. This was not like the student I knew. Perhaps something was wrong here? I began to scan the hallway, looking around for anything out of the ordinary. My pink wings flared out, ready at attention.

“Um, Princess? What now?”

Oh, right! All that could wait. I needed to experiment with Twilight. “Oh, nothing, my faithful student. Shall we begin?” I burst through the door and surveyed my room, ignoring everything. I cleared a large space in the middle of the room, shoving even my bed aside. Oh, this would be fun indeed.

I teleported a huge cabinet—my “collection” was rather large—and a study table into the room from storage. I turned to my dear student. "I've gotten some new equipment. I think they're just what we need right now..."

“N-new equipment? Really?”

I grinned. “Indeed.” I flung the doors open and levitated Twilight a little closer, letting him take in the full majesty of my rather impressive assortment of little toys.

"W-wow, that's quite a collection..." Twilight stammered, eyes widening.

"Yes, you see these?” I pointed out a particularly large set. “They had to import them."

Twilight searched for an appropriate reply. “Very... exotic.”

“Oh come now, I’m sure you’re very familiar with them.”

“Oh? Uh...” Clearly, he just needed his memory jogged. Why, I had sent him a set of these myself.

“I got you a set of six different sizes last Hearth’s Warming Eve, remember?” I used my magic to give him a gentle poke in the side.

“Oh! Um, how could I forget... Yeah, I had all sorts of fun experimenting with those...”

"Oh, I wish I had more time to spare. I would have loved to just wile the hours away with you, tinkering away with these." A nostalgic quiver came over me. “So many opportunities to spend some quality time...”

“Well, there’s no time like the p-present, right?”

“Indeed. I know we're facing a little conundrum right now, but that's no reason we can't have fun!” I took out the first tool. Hopefully it would be just the right size. “Let’s begin.”

“Wow, Princess. That was... amazing. I had no idea you could use it that way!” Twilight's eyes shone with that adoration I'd come to appreciate and expect from him.

“Well, when you've been around as long as I have, you learn a thing or two about these things, that's all.” I shifted on my bed and watched Twilight, free of his borrowed Guard armor, walk back and forth in excitement. His hooves shuffled over the thick carpeting in brisk, crisp motions, much like how a few of my unicorn guards moved. How funny. Perhaps in that studious heart of his, Twilight yearned to be a warrior, forever by my side protecting me?

“No, really, Princess Celestia. That was... wow. I still can't believe that!”

I stopped his pacing with a sharp gesture. “Please Twilight... there aren't any guards here. Just call me... Celestia.” The word rolled off my tongue like a savory morsel. For oh so very long I'd wanted somepony, anypony, to just see me as “Celestia” and not “Princess”. Most would have balked, but Twilight—Twilight would follow my wish. I knew he would.

He blushed and looked down. After a long silence stretched out between us, he murmured, “Okay, Celestia.”

I smiled. “There. That's better.” I sat and he stood like that for quite some time, simply enjoying the moment. “So, did the experiment turn up anything interesting?”

Twilight trotted over to the elaborate set of lab equipment I had summoned from the castle basement. “Hmm... well, nothing I can really tell. I'm not used to reading this kind of stuff, so I have no idea why you... I mean, we... turned into colts.”

What a strange verbal slip. Perhaps Twilight had always wanted to be a colt? I joined him and peered at the beakers and tubes. “That's odd, Twilight. This really isn't too different from the setup you have in Ponyville. It might be a little nicer, but the basic principles should be the same.”

He jumped and shied away. “Is that so? Well, ah, I guess I was just amazed by its... sophistication! And science! And... uh...”

I looked at Twilight, gesticulating wildly in the moonlight and raving about why he couldn't recognize the results. Odd, I hadn't thought that we had been running the experiment on the magic affecting us for that long. Still, I wasn't upset about the time spent. It was good to see that Twilight was holding up well, even under all the stress battling Discord and being turned into a colt must have put him under. As an added bonus, the glistening moonlight made his coat look nice—very nice indeed. And his fetlocks, too: both seemed to almost glisten in the soft light. Twilight may have been my student, but his true beauty shone brightest without my sun in the sky.

In a matter of seconds, the moon dipped below the horizon and the sun came up. I glared at the sky in irritation, trying to will the sun to set again. One of the fringe benefits of controlling the sun: I was never blinded by staring directly at it. Still, it refused to move, for some reason or other. I ignored it, making a mental note to ask Luna later what was going on. Where was she, anyway?

I returned my attention to Twilight, who was staring slack-jawed at the sky as well. “Prin—Celestia, what did you do that for?”

“It wasn't me, Twilight.” I waved a hoof in dismissal, accidentally knocking over a priceless Mare Dynasty vase in the process. I didn't even watch it fall; I only had eyes for Twilight.

“Well, isn't that a problem?” He furrowed his brow in concentration for a few moments.

I waited. Twilight's “AHA” moments were usually too good to miss.

“Discord must be doing it!”

“What?” I was so taken aback, a random jolt of magic from my horn struck the various instruments, causing a chain reaction that melted through some of the piping and dribbled green liquid onto the floor. Twilight scuttled away in surprise, but all it did was ignite a large stack of scrolls.

“Pri—Celestia, are those important?” Twilight hesitated.

“Oh, they're just your old friendship reports.” I walked away from the small blaze, knowing it wouldn't spread.

“Nothing important? Those, er, friendship reports are filled with my findings on... friendship! Because I'm Twilight Sparkle! I must save them!” He dove for the burning pile, not using his horn for whatever reason.

With a sigh, I plucked him up and hovered him over. His face was full of confusion. “Twilight, don't worry. Your friendship reports are fine. As you know, liquified dragon fire is great for magical experimentation, and since it was green dragon flame that just hit those scrolls, they're fine.”

“Fine? Fine? Celestia, have you lost it? They're burning up! And then they're flying off in some kind of dust thing, but they're burning up!”

I chuckled inwardly at my student's naivete. “And being returned to Spike as we speak. They'll all be waiting for you back home.”

“Won't um... Spike...” Why was he hesitating on that name? It was as though he had never heard of his own faithful assistant. “Won't Spike have some problems dealing with that many scrolls at once?”

“Bah, he'll be fine. What's important is us.”

“R-really.”

I motioned for Twilight to follow me, then strode to the window. He, of course, followed me anyway, as I had him firmly in my magical grasp. “You see that, Twilight?”

“What?”

“Equestria.” It was beautiful. The pink clouds rolled in the green sky, complementing the majestic, floating buildings of ancient design. A few pigs flew by the window, waving to me as they went. A few of my guards—looking grey for some reason—flew lazily by, running into walls and each other as they flew. Truly, Canterlot was the picture of everything that was good about Equestria. A nagging voice in my head whispered that something wasn't right about the view, but I ignored it. I had more pressing concerns.

“I could probably see it even better if you let me down...” Twilight gave me one of those flat stares he was noted for.

“Ah. Right.” Without any ceremony, I let go, and he fell to the ground.

“Ow... Celestia...”

I chuckled. “Sorry, Twilight.” We stared into each others' eyes for a few minutes, not speaking a word. Something passed between us in that moment. Until now, Twilight had almost seemed hesitant or unsure of what he was doing, but there was a look in his eyes that screamed of resolution... or perhaps resignation.

I flared my wings, letting them catch the sun's rays, hoping it made me look all the more impressive to him. And I spoke, filling my voice with more raw emotion than I'd done in a thousand years. Sometimes the moon would rise behind me for a few minutes before the sun returned, but I no longer let such trifling details matter to me. My precious Twilight was with me. My voice rang out strong and clear, but also with kindness. I bared my soul, feeling for free than I had for centuries.

“Twilight Sparkle. I met you when you were just a little filly; so full of promise, so full of joy and life. I worried that the life of an academic would rob you of some of that vibrance, but if anything, you have held on to that childlike sense of wonder as you've matured. I've watched you grow and learn, at times from a distance, at times from very close. Today has helped me realize one thing: you are one of, if not the most extraordinary, pony I have ever met. I've lived for thousands of years and probably will for thousands more, but I doubt anypony will come along quite like you, Twilight Sparkle.”

I knelt down next to him, putting my face next to his. His eyes bulged and his mouth hung open with awe.

“Twilight, the thing nopony tells you about living forever is that the world changes around you. I don't regret any of my decisions for a moment, but even for somepony such as I, there's always a nagging doubt: did I do enough? Couldn't I have gotten to know this pony better? Or that pony?

“To tell the truth, you are more special than you realize. Not long after Luna and I defeated Discord with the Elements of Harmony, I took on my very first faithful student. She was a bright, studious mare who took great joy in learning as much as she could as often as she could... much like you. I felt like a mother, watching her grow and mature under my tutelage and her experiences. I counted her as not only my faithful student, but also as my very best friend.

“But eventually, time comes for us all. Not even I can live forever, contrary to popular belief. She eventually settled down and started a family, although she continued her studies into pony magic and whatever else she could get her hooves on. But eventually... her letters started coming slower and slower, and I heard from her less and less, until finally, it had been two months since she had sent me anything.

“In those days, Equestria was much more dangerous than it is today, so I thought something might have happened to her. I sped off to her home... only to see what had become of her.”

I looked away briefly, willing back the tears. What was wrong with me? Usually, I could keep my composure so well.

“She had grown old in what seemed a short time to me. Although decades had passed, to me it only felt like a few years. Her horn had lost much of its power, and arthritis in her jaw made it difficult to write even the earth pony or pegasi way.”

Overcome by emotion, I stopped again, gathering my thoughts. How to put this next part? Twilight was a strong, brave soul, but I didn't want to scare him.

“It turned out... she was suffering from a slow, but deadly disease. I offered... I offered to do everything in my power to stop it, to save her... but you know what she did?” I sobbed. “She just reached up with a shaky hoof, put it on her husband, and said, 'No, Princess. I've had a good life. My time's coming. Thank you for everything you've done.' But in that moment, Twilight... I knew I hadn't done enough. There were so many more memories I could have made with her, so many things that I left unsaid at one time or another, blinded by my foolish assumption that everypony had just as much time as I... I couldn't face her. I flew off crying. ...She died the next day. I wonder... I wondered if she was just hanging on until she saw me one more time. Everypony else had come to see her, but what about me? Her whole family was around her, but what about me? All her friends had come to wish her well, and many sat with her during her final hours, but what about me? I hadn't... I had almost missed my chance. Just like I'd missed so many chances before.”

Twilight nodded, taking in my story. With a great deal of respect, he asked, “What... what was her name, Celestia?”

Her name? Her name. My very first—my only other—faithful student. Her name. What was her name? I scoured my memory banks, drawing on all my mental strength—and came up empty. I let out a bitter laugh. “You know what? I don't even remember. What a friend I am.” I turned away, ashamed.

Twilight put his own hoof on the side of my face and turned my head so I'd be looking at him. “Celestia... she had a good life, right? What's there to be sad about?”

“Don't you see, Twilight? It's not what I did, but what I didn't do. And so that day, I decided something.”

“What... what was that?” He lowered his hoof.

“I decided I would never take on another student again.” I shuffled a little closer. Our horns were nearly touching. “But something about you made me pause. I thought maybe... just maybe, I could do better. I could make up for my mistakes. And you know what, Twilight?” Resolution burned in my mind. I had to do this. The moment seemed right.

“What?” His lips parted, almost in slow motion. Yes. I had to do this.

“You I've come to appreciate more than any other pony. Even my sister... knowing that you two would have to fight was awful for me, but you won out, as I knew you would.”

“Celestia... what are you trying to say?” He tilted his head to the side, and his horn briefly scraped mine. I struggled to contain myself just a few moments longer.

“Twilight... I'm not going to waste any more of our time.” Before he could react, I stuck my muzzle forward and kissed him. His eyes shot open in shock, and for a moment, I was afraid he would pull away.

Then, the world exploded. I shut my eyes to shield them from the rainbow surging our way.

I opened my eyes to find myself kissing some lavender unicorn I'd never seen before. I quickly broke and backed away, noting with alarm that he looked like one of my guards. What had I been doing?

In an instant, everything came flooding back, and I put a hoof to my mouth in horror. I backed up against the bed, at a loss for words.

“Princess Celestia? Are you... alright again?” the guard asked, taking a hesitant step forward.

I checked myself. My wings and coat were white again, and I felt of relatively sound mind. I glanced over, now noticing that the guard's mane was a little duller than Twilight's. Aside from his cutie mark, the two could have passed for fraternal twins if one wasn't looking closely. Or, I suppose, if one was under the influence of a spiteful god of chaos. I shivered.

“I am quite well. How about you? I... hope I didn't do anything to you?” My mind raced with the implications. I assumed I recalled everything exactly, but I had no way of knowing how much Discord had meddled with my mind. Or still meddled with my mind, for that matter; I had never been able to understand much of his powers.

He smirked and trotted to a table laden with laboratory equipment. “No, Your Highness. You ran an experiment with me on this stuff about why you were male and pink, and well... You, uh, did kiss me.” He stopped and scratched the back of his neck.

Horrified, I rushed over, noting that he instinctively shied away from my approach. “Take the day off. No, the week. No, the month.” He started to open his mouth to protest, but I cut him off. “No, please. You did a very brave thing by making sure I didn't do any major damage while affected by Discord's magic...”

“Eagle Eye,” he supplied. “But Princess—“

“It'll be a vacation with pay. And a promotion when you get back.”

He snapped to attention and saluted me. “Yes ma'am!”

I sat on a cushion and gave him my most majestic smile. “Thank you, Eagle Eye. You've done a great thing for Equestria today.”

He nodded a little jerkily and left rather quickly. Perhaps he was more shaken up than he cared to admit. The poor thing.

I turned my attention back to the window, where Canterlot was reassembling itself as it was meant to be. I was glad my faithful student had succeeded, but what I had done still troubled me. I knew enough about Discord's powers to realize that even the most depraved, insane action his victims took came from some aspect of their nature, and that terrified me.

Did I have feelings for Twilight?

There was no way such a relationship could work. The last time I'd grown close to a mortal pony, I'd been devastated when she passed, so to become romantically involved with one was almost unthinkable. Almost.

I sighed and rose, heading for the door. There would be much to do to restore order to Equestria. As power as the Elements of Harmony were, they couldn't calm frightened ponies. They needed a leader for that. I would have to speak with Twilight privately and perhaps test the waters.

I halted mid-stride. Test the waters? I shook my head.

I could sort out what I truly felt later. Rather than testing the waters, I'd do what I did best: observe. Perhaps I could just have a nice day alone with Twilight, seeing if I saw her any differently over some tea and croquet in the gardens.

Interference (Sad Celestia draft)

A/N: This was the original draft of the story "Interference"

Interference

Time for a break.

I let the quill drop with a sigh and leaned into the pillows I was resting on. With a quick flash of my horn, the letter I'd just written was off through the aether, soon to be in Spike's claws. I glanced out my spartan office's large window at the full moon bathing my beloved Canterlot with soft, gentle light. Seeing my sister's tranquil night was strangely soothing, but I couldn't stop my mind from reviewing the day's events.

I had held court, as usual, and ponies had come from far and wide to shower adoration upon me, as well as to seek my counsel. While I did love my little ponies, it was all too easy to see that they loved the idea of me, rather than the pony I was. It was plain in their eyes that they loved their all-powerful princess who could, with a few comforting words and a lot of behind-the-scenes maneuvering, fix any little thing in Equestria, but it was the crown, not the mare, who received the thanks. I couldn't blame them; if I had some all-powerful figure to turn to to solve all my problems, I'm sure I would bother her with every last concern I had, too.

There was Luna, I suppose, but even after a year, she was still trying to adjust to helping govern Equestria, though some of my advisers claimed I was holding her hoof too much. Luna, of course, didn't seem to mind; she was just grateful that fewer ponies were openly referring to her as Nightmare Moon.

With a thought, I summoned a cup of tea, sipping some and savoring the flavor. Nothing like a little peppermint chai to calm my nerves. However, the tea was a temporary solution for a symptom rather than a cause, and I realized that. All the same, it wasn't as though I could simply make everypony deal with their problems on their own and stop coming to me. I wasn't Discord; I wasn't about to mess with the minds of ponies.

I shook my head. My own discomfort paled before the needs of Equestria. There was always more to be done. Always. After finishing the cup of tea, I slowly rose and walked to my door. Cracking it open, I poked my head out. The two gossiping guards quickly snapped to attention. The more senior member addressed me. “Yes, Your Highness? Is there anything you need?”

I smiled, hoping to set him at ease. Guards had always been a bit stuffy for my taste, but it was nice to have them around to play the bad cop to my good cop. “Yes, Captain Glass. Please inform my sister that I'll be dropping by court briefly. Nothing official or pressing; I'd just like to have a few words with her.”

He nodded. “Of course, Your Highness. Right away.” He trotted off, stretching his wings as he walked. Empty Glass was a nice pony, but he had a bad habit of assuming the worst about situations. It made him a very good Royal Guard, but I worried about his personal life sometimes.

Glass's fellow looked at me, sweating somewhat. “A-and me, Y-Your Highness?” he stuttered, trying to keep a calm face but failing utterly.

I chuckled. “Just keep up the fine work.”

He beamed, taking in the complement like a dying pony would drink water. “T-thank you, Princess! I will!”

I withdrew into my office, making a mental note to find out his name at the earliest convenience. I liked to know all my guards by name, as often even the hardiest veterans were uneasy when assigned to my personal detail. I tried not to let it bother me. Again, they feared the idea of who I was rather than who I actually was, or so I liked to tell myself. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. More than anypony else, I could trust my sister to treat me as a pony and not a symbol. She knew well the weight of the crown. Even though her Lunar Court saw far fewer petitioners than mine, she was still busy enough that we spent less time together than I liked. It would be nice to change that, if only for a few minutes.

Within a few minutes, somepony knocked on the door. “Come in,” I called.

Empty Glass stuck his grim muzzle in. “Your Highness, Princess Luna stands appraised of your intent. She awaits you in the throne room. Will there be anything else?”

I grinned. “No, that will be all. I'll be heading there directly... you two can take a break.”

Concern spread over his face. “Your Highness, are you sure that—“

“I'm quite certain I'll be fine. If I'm not mistaken, you've been on duty most of the day, correct?” His suddenly blank expression told me all I needed to know. “I insist. Please take a few minutes until I return. Get some coffee.”

“Very well.” He withdrew, and I heard his hoofsteps echo as he moved down the hall. My ears perked as I listened for a second quartet, but none came. With a sigh, I flung open the doors to my office, stopping them just short of smacking the other guard on the nose.

The remaining pegasus skittered to the side with a squeak. Suppressing my giggles at his shocked reaction, I assumed my best serene face—more than a thousand years of practice had made me a fine actress—and remarked, “Oh, I had thought Glass would have let you go on break as well.”

“N-No, Your Highness. H-he said that—“

“Please, take a break.”

The poor thing looked about ready to die of fright: sweat was rolling down his face, his shrinking pupils darted to and fro, and his legs were shaking as though he was standing on a localized earthquake.

“Relax.” I smiled, trying to set him at ease. I might have overestimated his mettle. What in Equestria was so frightening about me?

“N-name's Hair T-Trigger, Your Highness!”

Although I was puzzled why he volunteered his name, I nodded and left, leaving the shaken pony to collect himself. As I walked the familiar, featureless halls of the palace's inner sanctum, my mind began to wander once more. More than once, I'd wanted to take a few days off, just to take some time for me. I grimaced. Equestria, whether I liked it or not, needed me more than my very, very comfortable bed needed me.

Before long, I arrived at the large double doors marking the entrance to our shared throne room. The two guards on duty, Sour Limeade and Keen Eye, saluted as I passed. I offered them both a warm smile, but strode on. My dear sister awaited. With a weak burst of magic, I opened the doors and looked out at the throne room. Curiously, I noted that there was no line of petitioners. Even stranger, all of her usual retinue of guards had cleared the hall.

Luna sat very stiffly upon the throne, gazing disinterestedly at the empty hall. Noticing me, she brightened and said, “Ah, fair sister! It does Our heart good to see thee.” In spite of this, she looked somewhat nervous. Her eyes were darting to and fro, reminding of me of several times in our youth when she'd wanted to stop me from learning about a stolen cookie.

“And you as well, Luna. No petitioners tonight?” I cocked my head curiously and glanced around the throne room, scanning to see if I'd just missed one of her Lunar Guard lurking in a shadow. Luna was rather fond of her personal guards. Seeing her without any present was a rare thing indeed.

“In sooth, there were none. We... er, I... thought it opportune that you would pick such a time to call upon Us.” Luna was sweating slightly, although some of that might have been just from the effort to curtail her speech. “What did you wish to speak of?”

I trotted up to the throne. “I just wanted to chat a bit. We don't seem to see much of each other since you started holding court regularly. I just needed to see you, Luna.”

This seemed to make her even more tense. “Oh... really...” She shifted uncomfortably. An awkward silence pervaded the room as I considered how to alleviate whatever strange worries Luna had.

“Luna.” My voice was flat. Not accusatory, but also unamused.

“Y-yes?”

“Did you... send all your petitioners and guards away just because I was coming here?”

“Well... that is... you see, fair sister, I—“

One of Luna's guards burst into the room. “Your Highness! We have successfully moved the waiting ponies to...” He trailed off when he noticed me and bowed, terrified. “Oh! Princess Celestia, my apologies. I hadn't seen you there.” The awkward silence stretched out as I stared, unimpressed, at Luna, Luna stared at her guard with a mixture of irritation and horror, and the the guard stared at the floor with a rising blush in his cheeks. After a few minutes, the guard finally coughed and said, “I... I'll, um... yes.” He slowly backed out the door and shut it behind him.

Luna shied away from my gaze. “Luna... I said it wasn't anything urgent!” She said nothing. I sighed. “I thought you of all ponies would understand...”

“Sorry,” she whispered. It was clear to me; even my own sister viewed me as more of a figure and less of a pony. I stormed off, an uncharacteristic scowl crossing my features for a moment. Was there truly nopony out there who saw me as anything more than my office? Even my own sister plainly thought of me as such.

The halls seemed particularly empty as I walked back to my bedchambers. No matter how upset I might be, it was no reason to take it out on poor ponies. Why was I thinking such petty thoughts? I exhaled heavily. I had a duty. Regardless of my feelings, Equestria needed me, now more than ever. Some ponies were still wary of Luna, and without my presence, some might panic and assume the worst. Even so, my mind still screamed at me for a break from my royal duties.

I walked the rest of the way to my chambers, trying to smile and greet every servant pony I met. All of them seemed on edge; unsurprising, given how quickly rumors spread among those ponies. Perhaps even now, some of them were whispering exaggerated half-truths to tabloid reporters. Those... creative publications... often loved to run unsavory rumors about me. Most ponies ignored it for the rubbish it was, but those ponies constantly looked to find any kind of vindication for their work.

I returned to my private chambers, noting that both my guards were still on the break I’d sent them on. Politics could wait. I could feel myself relax as my hooves seemed to positively glide over the plush velvet carpeting. I threw myself unceremoniously atop my giant bed, not even bothering to remove my regalia or crown. Curiously, not even the soft cloud mattress and griffon feather-filled pillows seemed to completely remove my lingering sense of unease. I let my gaze wander around the room and its various trappings.

My expression brightened as my gaze came to rest upon my wall of portraits. Taking up a good three-quarters of my innermost room's wall, I had placed a portrait of everyone I'd known throughout the years. It was a veritable Who's Who of Equestrian history, although sadly, time had forgotten a few of them. Still, I cherished them all.

I supposed the trouble with being immortal was that eventually, everypony else had to die. Yet, I lived on. Just Luna, a horde of constantly changing mortal ponies, and I until the end of everything. I looked just of few of the various ponies whose pictures were assembled on my wall: Star Swirl the Bearded, Clover the Clever, Quill, Moondust, and of course, my most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight Sparkle, the young mare who always seemed to legitimately mean it when she looked at me with adoration. True, she often was uncomfortable due to who I was, but I had the impression that even were I not a princess, she still would have idolized me... Idolized me? I cocked my head and pondered. That didn’t seem quite right, somehow. I dismissed the thought.

I hadn't seen anypony with her kind of magical potential in hundreds of years, and I'd quickly grown surprised at how much I enjoyed having a personal student. Her sparkling eyes, her eager smile, and her boundless enthusiasm called to mind memories of my own youth millenia ago. Though tutoring her had been something of a spur-of-the-moment decision, everything had turned out better than expected as she grew older, wiser, and began to mature in her own right.

I chuckled. What was I, her mother? I still received friendship reports from her when her friends weren't writing them instead, and I knew I couldn't keep holding on to her forever. Still, I did miss seeing her once in a while... Why did her development have to separate us?

Suddenly, I had a cunning plan. Grinning, I floated over some parchment and a quill and wrote a quick letter to Twilight, asking her to come to Canterlot when she could. I hadn't heard from her in a few weeks, nor seen her in person for longer still. A convenient excuse.

This was a good solution.

This was bad.

I paced around the library, trying to rationalize what I'd just read. Why would the princess want to see me alone? I stole a panicked glance around the library's bookshelves, seeing if I had a reference guide that might help me on the subject. None presented themselves.

“Aw, come on, Twilight, I don't see what's so bad,” Spike said. “Princess Celestia just wants to see you! Sure, she didn't say why, but you haven't been back to Canterlot in a while, right?”

“Not bad? Are you kidding me, Spike?! This can only be bad. What if...” My brain scrambled to come up with a possible explanation. “What if she's disappointed because I've been having my friends write all the friendship reports? What if she thinks I haven't been making enough friends? What if she...”

Spike interrupted, “Twilight. I think you'll be fine. Just relax; remember when you thought she was going to send you back to Magic Kindergarten?”

I shivered. The horrors I'd suffered in Magic Kindergarten were things I never wanted to repeat, even if logic dictated that my aversion was likely due to foalish exaggeration of events. I'd never forget how Moon Dancer humiliated me when she had set a whoopee cushion on my desk's seat. Nopony had believed me when I'd said it wasn't me, not even that nice colt Emerald Sky...

“Twilight!”

“Hm? What, Spike?”

“Still with me? You were spacing out there.”

“Oh. Sorry, Spike.” I grabbed the letter with my magic and read it again, trying to determine what horrible fate awaited me.

To my faithful student,

I realize that I already sent a reply to Fluttershy's latest report on the magic of friendship, but I wanted to write to you specifically. Would you mind coming to Canterlot some time soon? I need to speak to you.

Your teacher,
Princess Celestia

“Oooh, this can't be good.”

“Yeah, clearly all manner of horrors await from a letter that direly worded,” Spike deadpanned as he started to pick up a few scattered books on the library floor. I glared at him, but he just waved a claw dismissively and kept working.

I sat at a desk, wondering what could have happened in Canterlot. What did the princess have to tell me that she couldn't write in a letter? Was it urgent? Should I take my friends, too? What if some emergency came up? No, wait, she'd said “some time soon”. But did that mean “soon” or “soon soon”?

“Twilight?”

“Huh? Um... yes, Spike?” I replied, turning my head to see a very worried dragon staring at me.

“Were you... talking to yourself?”

I blinked. “No! No, of course not.” I turned away. “Had I been talking to myself? I wouldn't talk to myself. I'm just worried about whatever I did to concern Princess Celestia, that's all. I mean, it's not like a word from her could ruin my future forever! Heh heh... hehe...”

“Twilight. You just did it again. It's late, okay? Get some sleep.”

“But I can't sleep now, Spike!” I cried, scampering up the stairs and holding onto one of the railings for dear life. “Even if I tried, I'd just ask myself, 'What did I do, Princess?' over and over and over until the morning!”

Spike smacked a claw into his face in frustration. “This is going to be Smartypants all over again, isn't it?”

“N-no,” I replied, hurt. Even though I was glad the princess hadn't inflicted some harsh punishment on me then, I couldn't help but worry that I had failed her somehow. I had deliberately acted against my role as an Element of Harmony and against just my nature as a pony to incite chaos amongst others. Was the princess only making the others write to her because she thought I couldn't do it alone any more? Was she just calling me to Canterlot to say that she was taking somepony else as her student? Was I worrying too much? I'm worrying too much. I had to be worrying too much. Was I worrying too much about worrying too much?

Suddenly, Spike's unamused face filled my field of vision.

“Gahhh!” I shrieked, quickly backing up into the bedroom.

“Twilight, I'm worried about you. You just zoned out again. You've been staying up way too late lately, and this letter thing isn't helping! Just get some sleep, okay? Your two best assistants will handle this mess!” He struck a heroic pose as my favorite owl landed on the railing next to him.

I smiled. “Okay, Spike. Don't go getting tired yourself, now. That goes for you, too,” I added with a look at Owloysius. With a yawn that I hadn't realized I'd been suppressing, I snuggled into bed.

I'd take care of everything tomorrow.

I had the strangest dream.

Spike was shaking me and yelling, “Twilight! Twilight! You gotta get up!” A panicked look was on his face as I got out bed.

The room seemed to swim around me as I staggered to my hooves. “Spike...? What time is it? What's going on?”

“A chariot's here for you to take you to the castle! You gotta go!” He started pushing me towards the stairs as though every second counted.

“Oh, uh... okay,” I mumbled, then stumbled down the stairs, not even bothering to smooth out my mane or tail. For a moment, I thought I saw three sparkling sets of eyes peering out from behind the door to the library's basement, but after I blinked, I saw nothing. Oh well. This was a dream, after all, even though I'd never had such a vivid dream before. My eyelids drooped, my stomach rumbled with hunger, and all the details of the library seemed so concrete, so real. Even the dusty shelves Spike kept putting off cleaning were as they should be. I supposed I had my excellent memory to thank.

Spike ushered me out the door into the bright morning sun, where two of the princess' guards were hitched to a chariot, awaiting my arrival. “No baggage, Miss Sparkle?” one inquired.

“Nope, just me,” I murmured. I climbed into the chariot, settling down into a comfortable corner, and yawned. “Go ahead, sirs. I'll just be... relaxing here.”

The guards chuckled. One mentioned to the other, “Isn't it ironic that Princess Celestia's personal student isn't much of a morning pony?”

As they lifted off, his comrade replied, “Yeah, I'll say.”

As much as I'd normally have been a little annoyed about two ponies talking about me like I wasn't there, I was too tired to take umbrage with their lack of tact. I relaxed, feeling the wind rush around me as I settled back down to ease my fatigue.

What felt like moments later, a hoof shook me awake. “Miss Sparkle? Miss Sparkle!”

My eyes shot open to see a concerned Royal Guard shaking me. He smiled. “Whenever you're ready, the Princess awaits.”

I blinked and picked myself off the chariot floor. “Wait, the... where am I?” I looked around and found myself in a small garden located in the palace's courtyard. As beautiful as it was, it also served a practical purpose, as many pegasi-driven chariots often needed some space to take off and land. My eyes shrank in horror as I looked around at the familiar scene. This was no dream. Why was I in Canterlot?

“Miss Sparkle, are you feeling alright?”

“I'm... I'm in the palace. I'm in Canterlot.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Yes, ma'am.”

I felt anger build within me. I had been hauled out of my warm, comfortable bed at some incredibly early hour, and Spike had just let me go without bringing anything? Without grooming myself? Without even eating breakfast?

“Spiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike!”

I was going to be in trouble.

Luckily, Twilight had been too groggy to resist much as I hurried her to the door. She lurched outside, looking around as though still mostly asleep, which I guess she was. I closed the door quietly and looked around fearfully, fully expecting Twilight to teleport in at any moment, having seen through my little act. A few minutes passed, however, and I heard the two guards take off. I sighed in relief.

Meanwhile, three shining pairs of eyes peered out of the basement door. “Can we come out yet, Spike?” an accented voice asked.

“Sure,” I replied.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom rushed out, looking around the library eagerly. “Alright! Thanks so much, Spike!” Sweetie Belle said.

“Just... don't mess anything up too much, okay?” I replied.

“Sure! And here's what you wanted.” The little unicorn rifled around in her saddlebags for a moment and brought out a bulging sack of jewels. My eyes widened—top quality jewels, straight from Rarity!

I grabbed the sack eagerly and opened it, relishing the sight of the treasures within. Behind me, I heard Scootaloo slowly trot out from the basement. “Aww, are we really going to try something boring like this to find our cutie marks?”

Sweetie Belle replied, “Well, you said we needed something 'different'... and this is 'different'!”

“Not a good kind of different.” I could hear the sulkiness dripping from Scootaloo's words.

“Aww, come on. This'll be fun!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“Fine...” Scootaloo said, resigned.

With a volume that continued to surprise me, the three fillies yelled, “Cutie Mark Crusader interior decorators, YAAAAY!”

“Forgive me, Twilight,” I mumbled as I focused on my reward and not the already-growing mess I’d have to clean up later.

Twilight was funny when she was flustered.

Clearly not prepared for her visit, Twilight walked into my chambers with a low-hanging head. A few of her mane and tail hairs seemed to be out of place, and her coat seemed matted, as though she had groomed herself in a hurry that morning. How curious. I lounged on my bed, the picture of casual, and watched her approach.

She yawned. “Good... good morning, Princess.”

I smiled. “Why, Twilight. I would have thought after how eager you sounded in your letter, you'd be more pleased to see me.”

A brief, horrified look came over Twilight's face, but she quickly covered it with her fatigue. Interesting. That's not the reaction I'd expected. I decided to probe further. “I'm so pleased you arrived so quickly, my faithful student. We have much to discuss.”

She flinched again. “I-I see, Princess. Really, I...”

“Really, I'm surprised, Twilight. You just had to see me so quickly that I had to rouse those poor guards to come fetch you this early? You must have something you need to tell me as well.”

The look on Twilight's face practically screamed “It wasn't me!” After awkwardly pawing the ground, she said, “Might I... might I be able to, um... review... that letter I sent you?”

Puzzled, I said, “Certainly...” and floated the scroll in question over to her.

She grabbed it with her own magic, unfurled it, and began to read. Her face twitched as she read the scroll, making me wonder what was really going on. Short-term memory loss? Disorientation? Simple forgetfulness? She muttered, “Spike...” a few times in a low growl. I remained silent, letting her take her time. Just from the few minutes it took her to read the letter she'd supposedly written, I surmised that she had not, in fact, been the one to send me this letter. Interesting indeed. A few minutes later, she set the letter down with a thoughtful look.

“So... Spike wrote that, not you?” I asked.

Shocked, she glanced up. “H-How did you know?”

I shrugged. “A few things. Your reactions just now spoke much, and to be honest, the letter's grammar was a little... iffy. Poor Spike was trying a little too hard to sound like you.”

She smiled, relieved. “Honestly, I probably would have come soon anyway, but...” She glanced away from me, embarrassed. “I'm afraid I must look awful, Princess. I'm sorry.”

I rose from my bed and nuzzled her, which she gladly leaned into. “Relax, Twilight. I realized you probably wouldn't be fully ready, and honestly, this isn't about anything official anyway.”

Twilight looked up, confused. “It's not?”

“Well... no,” I replied, feeling a bit embarrassed myself.

Twilight asked the obvious question. “If you suspected it wasn't me who sent the letter, why did you comply with it?”

A slight smile grew on my face. I leaned in close to her ear, even though we were very much alone, just to get that extra “just between you and me” feeling. “Well, the truth is, I've missed you, Twilight.”

She blushed. “M-me? W-why Princess, I still write to you all the time!”

I felt confusion and hurt play over my face for a moment before I composed myself. Why did she blush? Did she really think I was to be feared that much? “It's just not quite the same, Twilight.” She said nothing, but simply stared at me with those innocent eyes of hers that reflected my weary face. “You see... I'm tired.”

“Tired, Princess?” She seemed puzzled. Confused, even. She watched my pacing closely. “You don't... seem tired. Do you need some rest?”

I smiled again. “That's what today is about. I've actually taken a day off from all my responsibilities just to spend time with you, Twilight Sparkle.”

“M-me?” she stammered, backing up rapidly as she started to hyperventilate. The poor pony was panicking, when all I wanted to do was spend a day with her!

What had I said?

What did she just say?

The entire reason she took the day off was to spend it with me? I started to hyperventilate as I backed away from my teacher. True, I'd heard rumors about Princess Celestia's... tastes... when I was still studying in the castle, but I never believed they were true! I had to escape. I had to get out.

“Twilight?” Princess Celestia took a few tentative steps towards me, concern etched on her features. “Is something wrong?”

“N-no, nothing's wrong. Nothing's wrong.” My eyes darted to and fro, searching for some escape. Windows looked secure... guards were right outside the main exit... my gaze finally landed upon a small door of some kind. A closet, maybe, or a secret passage?

“Twilight... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you come here so early. Shall I get us some food? Tea, maybe?” My mentor had an almost pained expression on her face.

“No, that's... that's alright. What, um... what did you want to do, then?” I had to keep her talking. Talking was good. Talking was safe. I could deal with talking. Talking meant her mouth was occupied.

“Well... I had just thought we could spend the day in, you and I.” I'm not sure if she saw the horrified look on my face. “Or would you prefer we go out? It doesn't matter to me; I just want to spend some time with you, Twilight.” The sound of my name came out like a desperate plea as her eyes shone with emotion. Her pained expression hurt me, but giving her what she wanted was too much of a price to pay to see her satisfied.

“Oh... well, the entire day with me! How about that...” I laughed nervously and continued backing away.

“Twilight, please.” Her lip was quivering. I'd never seen her so... vulnerable, before. I considered her mane, which seemed to almost beckon to me. She almost looked on the verge of tears... Celestia, on the verge of tears? This didn't make any sense. She must be desperate. Come on, Twilight, get a hold of yourself! If she really has been doing this for more than a thousand years, then I'm sure she knew all sorts of tricks to make me let my guard down!

I made my move. With a cry, I burst through the nearby door. My heart sank; it was just a closet. It was dark within, smelled somewhat musty, and contained only a few... scraps of paper? I blinked. My hopes of finding some secret escape route were dashed. My natural curiosity manged to overpower my sense of caution; forgetting about the predator behind me despite my mind’s screams to run away, I levitated one of the scraps of paper close to my face to try to read it, using the illumination from my horn as a reading light. If I was doomed anyway, I might as well have something to distract myself with.

The piece of paper in question was an ancient letter; I was amazed that my breath didn't make the yellowed parchment crumble. It was written in an older Equestrian script, but I managed to make it out.

Dear Princess Celestia,

My name is Sunbeam. Thank you so much for helping me today. I was really confused about all the stuff that my teacher was saying when we took the tour of the castle, but you were so nice and explained when Miss Flowerpot wouldn't! Thanks for being such a nice Princess!

Somehow, reading the simple, childish letter made me calm down. What had I been thinking? She's Princess Celestia, my mentor. She'd never do anything so... weird... to her little ponies. My quivering body began to calm, even as I heard the princess' breath not far behind me.

“A nice letter, isn't it?” As I turned to face her, I could see her eyes seemed to be staring past me, whether to the small stacks of letters or something beyond.

Gesturing to the small stacks of letters, I asked, “Princess... what is this?”

“It's a small collection of letters that are very dear to me. You see, most ponies, when they look at me, see only a princess, not a pony. These letters are... are the letters from ponies that seemed to appreciate who, rather than what, I was.”

With sympathy, I looked up at my teacher. “Oh, Princess...”

“That's why I wanted you here, Twilight. You're my faithful student.” She gave me a nuzzle, which I didn't return, but I didn't pull away either. I was frozen from nervousness, and from the weight of what she was confessing. “You see more of me than most do. I thought... it would be nice for us to spend a day, not as student and teacher, but just as... friends.”

“For someone who teaches ponies about the magic of friendship, you don't seem to have many friends yourself,” I remarked, instantly regretting my words.

To my surprise, she only smiled. “It is rather ironic, isn't it? Now come, let's move someplace a bit more comfortable than this lonely old closet.” We both walked out of her underutilized closet to the bedroom beyond.

“Uh, I was thinking, Princess...”

“Yes?”

“I'd be honored if some of my friendship reports someday made it into that pile.”

She smiled as we sat on a pair of cushions, her gratitude for my remark clear in her increasingly radiant face. My stomach rumbled, reminding me I hadn't eaten a proper breakfast. I chuckled nervously, offering a weak smile to Princess Celestia. “Maybe... some of that food you mentioned would be nice. Spike's a good cook, but I miss the castle's food sometimes.”

She called, “Oh, Captain Glass!”

One of the guard ponies from outside her room stuck his head in. “Yes, Your Highness?”

“Have the kitchen staff send up two meals, will you?”

“Yes, Your Highness.” He gave us a stiff nod and exited.

I smiled, imagining the world-class food I was about to eat. Although I knew the Princess didn't like to be picky about her food, she did have her preferences, and the rare occasion to dine with her always left my belly full and satisfied.

“Well, while we wait... why were you so concerned earlier, my faithful student?”

“Er...” I couldn't very well tell her the real reason, but it didn't feel right to lie to her after she'd been so honest with me.

Her grin widened knowingly. “Ahh, been reading a few too many tabloids during your free time? Been taking a few... unsavory rumors to heart?”

I yelped. “N-no, of c-course not, Princess!” I knew my flushed face gave it away; I may not have been the Element of Honesty, but I was a poor liar.

To my surprise, not only did the twinkle in Celestia's eyes tell me she'd seen through me, but also that it amused her. Drawing closer, she asked in a low tone, “Part of you thought that?”

I closed my eyes and nodded.

“Maybe even... wanted that?” Her tone was downright unsettling. I felt her hot breath on my muzzle. I shivered, awaiting my fate with a degree of dignity... only to feel the ruler of Equestria blow into my ear.

Yelping, I jumped, my eyes widening in surprise. “P-Princess?”

She grinned, clearly holding back gales of laughter at how I’d mistook her intentions.

“What did you expect?”

Interference (The fabled Molestia draft)

This was the second draft of the story "Interference"

Interference

by Vimbert the Unimpressive

This was bad.

I paced around the library, trying to rationalize what I'd just read. Why would the princess want to see me alone? Was there some crisis in Canterlot? I took a panicked glance around the library's bookshelves, seeing if I had a reference guide that might help me on the subject. Come on, I had to have a copy of something! I knocked a few books off the shelves, searching for something I’d be able to use. Nothing! Nothing in D, nothing in P, nothing in R—books, how could you fail me?

“Aw, come on, Twilight, I don't see what's so bad,” Spike said. “Princess Celestia just wants to see you!”

“Not bad? Are you kidding me, Spike?! This can only be bad. What if...” I paused for a moment, trying to come up with a possible explanation. “What if she's disappointed because I've been having my friends write all the friendship reports? What if she thinks I haven't been making enough friends? What if she...”

Spike interrupted, “Twilight, you'll be fine! Just relax; remember when you thought she was going to send you back to Magic Kindergarten?”

I shivered. The horrors I'd suffered in Magic Kindergarten were things I never wanted to repeat. I'd never forget how Moon Dancer humiliated me when she had set a whoopee cushion on my desk's seat. Nopony had believed me when I'd said it wasn't me, not even that nice colt Emerald Sky.

“Twilight!”

“Hm? What, Spike?”

“Still with me? You were spacing out there.”

“Oh. Sorry, Spike.” I grabbed the letter with my magic and read it again, trying to determine what horrible fate awaited me.

To my faithful student,

I realize that I already sent a reply to Fluttershy's latest report on the magic of friendship, but I wanted to write to you. Would you mind coming to Canterlot some time soon? I need to speak to you.

Your teacher,
Princess Celestia

“Oooh, this can't be good. Princess Celestia is never this... well... short!”

“Uh, well, maybe she just didn’t have much time to write it!” Spike reasoned. He looked a little worried now.

“And this writing doesn’t really look like hers either.”

“W-well, maybe she was dictating! I mean, you’ve got me, she’s probably got... someone to help write letters! Maybe Philomena does it! Yeah! That’s it.”

I gave him a skeptical glance. “A phoenix writing a letter, Spike?”

He folded his arms. “Hey, it could happen.”

After rolling my eyes, I sat at a desk, wondering what could have happened in Canterlot. What did the princess have to tell me that she couldn't write in a letter? Was it urgent? Should I take my friends, too? What if some emergency came up? No, wait, she'd said “some time soon”. But did that mean “soon” or “soon soon”?

“Twilight?”

“Huh? Um... yes, Spike?” I turned my head to see a very worried dragon staring at me.

“Were you... talking to yourself?”

I blinked. “No! No, of course not.” I turned away. “Had I been talking to myself? I wouldn't talk to myself. I'm just worried about whatever I did to concern Princess Celestia, that's all. I mean, it's not like a word from her could ruin my future forever!” I laughed nervously. My right eye twitched involuntarily.

“It's late, okay? Get some sleep.”

“But I can't sleep now, Spike!” I cried, scampering up the stairs and holding onto one of the railings for dear life. “Even if I tried, I'd just ask myself, 'What did I do, Princess? What did I do? Am I not a good student any more?' over and over and over again!”

Spike smacked a claw into his face in frustration. He didn’t seem to have any reply, so my mind started to wander. Was she just calling me to Canterlot to say that she was taking somepony else as her student? Was I worrying too much? I was worrying too much. I had to be worrying too much. Was I worrying too much about worrying too much?

Suddenly, Spike's unamused face filled my vision.

“Gahhh!” I shrieked, quickly backing up into my bedroom.

“Twilight, I'm worried about you. Just get some sleep, okay? Your two best assistants can hold down the fort!” He struck what he probably thought was a heroic pose as my favorite owl landed on the railing next to him.

I smiled. “Okay, Spike. Don't go getting tired yourself, now. That goes for you, too,” I added with a look at my number two assistant. With a yawn that I hadn't realized I'd been suppressing, I snuggled into bed.

I'd take care of everything tomorrow after a good night’s sleep.

My sleep wasn’t so good.

I was suddenly awoken as Spike shook me and yelled, “Twilight! Twilight! You gotta get up!” A panicked look was on his face as I got out of bed.

The room seemed to swim around me as I staggered to my hooves and slurred, “Spike...? What time is it? What's going on?”

“A chariot's here for you to take you to the castle! You gotta go!” He started pushing me towards the stairs as though every second counted.

“Oh, uh... okay,” I mumbled and stumbled down the stairs. For a moment, I thought I saw three sparkling sets of eyes peering out from behind the door to the library's basement, but after I blinked, I saw nothing. Whatever. Just so long as I could go back to sleep. I blinked. What time was it, anyway? I looked around for a clock, blinking several times, but Spike just urged me on.

“Come onnn, Twilight, it’s serious!” For a moment, I thought I saw the eyes again.

“Mnnh... Spike? Is somepony else here?”

“N-no! Now, come on! Princess Celestia needs you!” Spike shoved me out the door into the very bright morning sun, where two of the princess' guards were hitched to a chariot, awaiting my arrival. They had to have been flying since before dawn to arrive in Ponyville, but they didn’t look tired at all. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t envy them at that moment.

I thought I heard a young filly’s voice whisper from inside the library, “Is it safe now, Spike?” but I was distracted by one of the guards addressing me.

“No... baggage, Miss Sparkle?” He looked at me, puzzled.

“Nope, just me,” I murmured. I climbed into the chariot, settling down into a comfortable corner, and yawned. “Go ahead, sirs. I'll just be... relaxing here.”

The guards chuckled. One said, “Isn't it ironic that Princess Celestia's personal student isn't much of a morning pony?”

As they lifted off, his comrade replied, “Yeah, I'll say.”

I heard a strangely familiar, foallike chorus of “Yay!” carried on the wind from the library, but I was rapidly falling asleep again. I ignored the guards’ chatter and relaxed, feeling the wind rush around me as I settled back down to ease my fatigue.

What felt like moments later, a hoof shook me awake. “Miss Sparkle? Miss Sparkle!”

My eyes shot open to see a concerned Royal Guard shaking me. He smiled. “Whenever you're ready, Princess Celestia awaits.”

I blinked and picked myself off the chariot floor. “Wait, the... where am I?” Much brighter sunlight shone into my eyes. I looked around and found myself in a small, familiar garden surrounded by white walls. My eyes shrank in horror as I looked around at the familiar scene. Why was I in Canterlot?!

“Miss Sparkle, are you feeling alright?”

“I'm... I'm in the palace. I'm in Canterlot.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Yes, ma'am.”

I felt anger build within me. I had been hauled out of my warm, comfortable bed at some incredibly early hour, and Spike had just let me go without bringing anything? Without grooming myself? Without even eating breakfast?

“Spiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike!”

The guard stared at me, even more puzzled. I took a moment to calm down, and, still panting, considered how I must have looked. My coat hadn’t been groomed, my mane was frazzled, and I had just been screaming at the heavens in anger. “Oh, uh... sorry about that. I, uh... where did the Princess say she’d be?” I asked, trying to look halfway normal.

The guard barely batted an eye, which spoke volumes on his professionalism. “In her private chambers.”

“I... oh. That’s weird. Well, thanks!” I quickly left the slightly bemused guard and hurried into the palace, trying to avoid odd looks from anypony.

In a few moments, I was able to duck into a washroom and make myself look slightly more presentable. I still felt like I needed a nice bath or shower to really start the day, but this would have to do. I looked at myself in a mirror, stared at my trying-way-too-hard-to-be-chipper expression, and sighed. Oh well. It wasn’t as though Princess Celestia hadn’t seen me in worse condition before.

Resigned to looking a little disheveled in front of my mentor, I trotted out of the washroom and up a flight of stairs to her private chambers. Come to think of it, I’d only ever seen Princess Celestia’s private chambers once or twice before; she almost always met me in a more public place. For some reason, this change of venue made me nervous. What was so important that she couldn’t risk anypony overhearing?

Still, wild speculation would get me nowhere. I’d just have to listen what the princess had to say.

The herds of ponies moving through the halls thinned more and more the closer I got to the Princess’ chambers. To her, she probably barely had to think about the walk between her rooms and most other parts of the palace, thanks to those long legs of hers, but for a normal pony, it was a bit of a walk to go all that way. If I’d known my way around just a little better, I could have teleported. Oh well.

At last, I reached the door to Princess Celestia’s private chambers. Two stern-faced guards stood at attention.

“Um, hello. Is the Princess—”

“Princess Celestia is within, Miss Sparkle. Please proceed.”

I blinked. Her guards always seemed so abrupt. “Uh, thank you.” I opened the doors to Princess Celestia’s breathtaking rooms beyond. My hooves practically sank into the plush carpeting, and on a nearby table, a few aromatic candles were burning, filling the room with a relaxing scent of vanilla. A fireplace burned, filling the room with a soft, inviting light; for some reason, the grand windows that I knew to be on one side of her bedroom were covered with curtains. Curious.

Even curiouser was that on a large wall just to the left of where I had entered, there was a wall covered with portraits of ponies. I could have sworn that it had never been there on the few occasions I’d seen this room. Most I recognized, like Star Swirl the Bearded and Clover the Clever, but others were less familiar to me. I turned my gaze away from the collage to see my mentor, sitting as radiantly as ever in the center of the room atop a few very comfy-looking cushions.

“Ah, Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student. Please, come in.”

Nodding, I joined her in front of a fireplace. Somehow, I couldn’t find proper words to say, so instead, I let my gaze wander over to the wall of pictures again.

“Noticed that collection of mine, have you?” Her smile was, as ever, patient.

“Yes, Princess. Who are all of these ponies?” With a start, I realized there was a picture of me on the wall. It was a photograph from a few years back, but I hadn’t grown much since then.

“These, Twilight, are all the ponies I’ve known through the years. Some, like Star Swirl the Bearded, left their hoofprints on history.” Her gaze lowered, and she looked almost sorrowful for a moment. Princess Celestia, sad? I blinked, and when I opened my eyes, her expression was back to normal. “Others, like Vanilla Sprinkles, seem to have been forgotten.”

Vanilla Sprinkes. Vanilla Sprinkles? I scoured my memory for the name, but came up empty-hooved. “What did she do, Princess?”

She smiled. “She was a most remarkable earth pony who tried to collect all the knowledge in Equestria into one set of books.”

My eyes widened. “All the knowledge in Equestria? But that would take...”

“Years, yes. Still, she made it her life’s mission to write such a book.”

“I’ve never heard of such a book, Princess. Did she succeed?”

Again, that sorrowful look flashed across her face for just a moment, just long enough to make me wonder if I’d seen anything at all. “No. A fire claimed both her life... and her life’s work.”

My breath caught in my throat. “Oh Princess, how horrible...”

“Indeed... I wish I would have kept a copy on hoof. I myself wrote some entries for her. After all, what better teacher for history than one who has lived it?”

“Well, Princess, I know there’s no better teacher for anything.”

“Why, thank you, Twilight.” She gave me a brief nuzzle, which I happily returned. “Now then, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

I blinked, confused. “Um...”

“I must admit, I was rather concerned when you sent that letter. Something must truly be troubling you if you needed to speak to me so urgently.” She smiled reassuringly. “Please, tell me what’s going on.”

Confusion plastered across my face like never before, I said, “Well... Now I’m just not sure.”

The princess laughed, a beautiful sound that sounded sweeter than most music ponies could ever hope to make. “Oh, don’t be embarrassed, my prize student. I’m here for you.”

As happy as I was to hear that the princess supported me so, now I just wasn’t sure what to say. I sent a letter? I needed to talk? What was going on here? “Well, uh, Princess, you...” I trailed off, unsure how to continue. Had she forgotten sending me that letter?

“Yes?”

“Um... it was you who sent me the letter.”

Now it was Princess Celestia’s turn to blink in confusion. “What?”

“Yes, Spike got a letter from you that said you needed to see me in Canterlot right away.”

“I... that’s strange.” She rose from her cushions and paced for a few moments. Bemusement played over her face as her mouth drew into a small frown. “I’m certain you had sent me a letter.”

“But I—”

Princess Celestia raised a hoof, silencing me. “Now, now, there’s a simple way to resolve this. Follow me to my office. I’ll see what I can find of that letter.” Her brow furrowed. “Although I’m certain you sent me the letter. It sounded a little hurried, for you.”

“Like something about the wording wasn’t quite right?” Gears began to turn in my head. Somepony—or rather, someone—was about to be in a lot of trouble if I was right.

She blinked. “Why yes, exactly! How did you know?”

“Something seemed weird about the letter I got from you, too. The writing wasn’t quite right, and it just didn’t seem like how you usually write your letters.”

A knowing smile crossed her face. “Curiouser and curiouser.” She trotted over to a large, ornate oak desk, which I suppose counted as her “office”. Just like the princess to mix business and pleasure a little. She floated various scrolls I recognized as my friendship reports and various other letters out from a neatly-ordered drawer.

“Ah, here it is,” she remarked as she unrolled a scroll in front of me.

Dear Princess Celestia,

A really super-big problem has come up, but I don’t feel okay talking about it in a letter. Could I come to Canterlot really soon and talk to you about it?

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle

My brow furrowed. “That... doesn’t sound like me at all.”

“Oh, there was also this.” She floated another letter over.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I really, really need to see you. If it’s not too much to ask, could you have a chariot pick me up tomorrow? I really need to see you alone.

Twilight Sparkle.

“Now that one really doesn’t sound like me. Who could have—” I stopped and turned to Princess Celestia with an unamused look on my face.

In contrast, she was pressing a hoof to her mouth, trying to hold in her chuckles. “Spike?”

“Spike. I knew something about the writing on yours looked strange. Well, I’m... sorry that he caused so much trouble for you, Princess. I can’t believe he wrote fake letters to both of us!” I bowed to her.

“Oh, it’s not all bad, Twilight. I do enjoy a good joke, although I can’t say I approve of Spike acting in such a way.” Her tone was somewhat stern.

I gulped as feverish visions of Spike being banished from Equestria danced in my head. “P-please don’t be mad, Princess. I’m sure he didn’t realize how he inconvenienced us both. I-I’ll make sure that he understands that what he did was bad!”

She gave me that knowing smile again. “Twilight, I’m not angry with Spike. Actually, this is something of a happy coincidence. I had planned to come see you soon anyway.”

“O-oh?” Please don’t be mad with me, please don’t be mad with me, please don’t be mad with me... “Whatever for, Princess?”

She leaned in, as though she didn’t want some invisible eavesdropper to overhear. “To tell the truth, I’ve been getting a little tired of all my royal duties. I miss the days when you were in Canterlot, my faithful student. Now, the perfect opportunity is here: Luna is covering for me today, so I thought you could just help me relax.”

That last word hit me like a brick. Relax? Hesitantly, I turned my gaze towards my mentor, whose face had taken on an almost sly look. She arched an eyebrow and her smile widened. Relax? I gulped, hoping I’d just misinterpreted her, and tried to change the subject. “O-oh! Well, that sounds... nice...” Come on, think! “S-say, Princess. Have you ever had any students besides me? I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned them...” I rose from the cushions and trotted over to her wall of pony pictures. “And I have to admit, I’m curious.”

Princess Celestia remained seated. “Well, there have been several ponies I’ve taken under my wings in the past like Vanilla Sprinkle... but nopony quite like you, Twilight Sparkle.” My heart skipped a beat. Wow: nopony quite like me.

“Really, Princess?” I turned, my eyes shining.

“Really.” Unable to contain myself at receiving such praise, I dashed over and gave her a deep nuzzle. I heard her chuckle as I buried my face in her coat. “Oh, Twilight...” I felt her hoof stroke my mane, and I felt at peace. Everything felt so right, somehow.

Moments later, my gurgling stomach ruined the moment. I pulled away from Princess Celestia’s sweet-smelling coat and chuckled. “I, uh... didn’t have breakfast this morning.” I rubbed my forelegs together nervously.

“Well, that is easily fixed. Empty Glass!” she called towards the door.

A pegasus guard pony with a particularly dour expression stuck his head in. “Yes, Your Highness?”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” The pony gave her a deep bow and left.

Princess Celestia looked at me and smiled. “Your favorite, right?”

“Oh, well... yes, actually.” I hadn’t realized the princess had known that about me. I walked back over to the very comfy cushions and sat on them. “Although...”

“Yes?” She gave me an expectant look. Did she want me to say something? Something specific?

“I don’t actually like peppermint tea that much.”

“Oh.” She drew back, an amused look on her face. “Well, that’s for me, actually, but I do suggest you give it a try. It’s very good.”

“I see.” Now I wasn’t sure what to think. The thought of Princess Celestia getting bored of her royal duties hung over my head. How was I supposed to approach a topic like that? What could this mean for, well, all of us?

As I sat there in silence, trying to figure out what exactly Princess Celestia wanted me to do to help her relax, I felt her gaze on me. I flushed. Did she just want to chat over tea? Did she want me to tell some kind of joke? Did she want me to—oh no.

I looked up. Princess Celestia’s sly smile. Her gentle words. Her talk of “relaxing”. My mind fluttered back to tabloids that had been delivered to the library by mistake a few weeks ago, mentioning something about Princess Celestia having “scandalous rendezvouses” with a few of the castle staff. I had, of course, thought it all just hurtful lies, but seeing how she was looking at me, I couldn’t help but wonder: Was I next? Could it be true?

Some of my discomfort must have shown, because Princess Celestia’s expression shifted into one of concern. “Twilight? Are you feeling well? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Oh, um, no. I’m fine, I’m fine.” There’s no way that could be it. No way at all.

“Oh, that’s good. I’d hate for you to feel bad before our ‘activities’.” She winked.

I felt my pupils shrink as my mind went into panic mode. It was true! It was all true! Oh Celes—Luna, what was I going to do now?! My eyes darted around, taking in my surroundings. Only two exits, both of which would have guards directly outside. Teleporting was out of the question: a magic-user as powerful as Princess Celestia would be able to just read the traces of magic left behind and follow me. Maybe I could talk my way out?

“W-well, Princess, what did you have in mind? I mean, this is such a rare opportunity that we shouldn’t waste time.” I struggled to hold in a scream. Curse you, mouth: you’ve betrayed me!

“My thoughts exactly, Twilight Sparkle. There’s so much I’d like to do to relax.” Why did she keep emphasizing that word?

“Well, t-tea is a nice way to relax.” Yes. Good. Try to distract her. Talking is good. Talking keeps her occupied.

“Oh, I don’t know, I was thinking something a bit more physical.” Why. “The gardens are lovely this time of year; I would love to show you a few beautiful little crevices that most don’t get to see.” Why? “We could be all alone out there, just you and I. Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Why?!

“G-gee, Princess, I don’t know...”

“Oh, you’d rather we be in public?” She sounded disappointed, but at the same time, there was almost a note of eagerness in her voice. Why?!

To my relief, my sandwich arrived. A maid pony poured us each a cup of tea, curtsied, and left. Eager to distract myself, I bit into the sandwich. A small moan escaped my throat. The kitchen staff always used the best ingredients! More than a few times after botching a culinary experiment, I’d longed for the food I had eaten as a student. It was good to have the taste of it again; even a simple flower sandwich tasted like heaven when prepared by the hooves of a master chef.

I realized that Princess Celestia was looking at me with an eyebrow arched. “Good sandwich?”

I swallowed the delicious morsel and nodded. “It’s fantastic!” I took a sip of the tea, only to frown.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?” she asked, her voice lilting a bit, as though she knew something I didn’t know.

“This tea... it tastes kind of funny.”

“Oh, does it?” With horror, I noticed Princess Celestia hadn’t touched her cup of tea. Oh no.

“Yeah, kinda...” I yawned. No. No! Stay awake! Stay awake, Twilight! “Kinda like there was something else added to it.”

“Oh, those castle chefs, always experimenting. Does it taste good?”

“Um... yeah.” Even though I was having trouble keeping my eyelids open, I had to admit, the tea was tasty.

“Have some more tea, Twilight...”

I was going to be in trouble.

“Bye, Spike...” Sweetie Belle muttered as the Cutie Mark Crusaders filed out of the library and into the night. They all looked thoroughly rejected as their heads and ears drooped.

I summoned up the energy to wave good-bye as they left. I wasn’t surprised that they hadn’t gotten their “Cutie Mark Crusader Interior Decorator” cutie marks. Their attempts had, of course, left the library a mess. Paint was all over the walls. Books were piled into haphazard mounds in an attempt to give the room “fayng shooway”, as Apple Bloom had called it. The floor was covered with random paint blotches, the result of Scootaloo leaping off bookshelves and dumping paint wherever she landed, in an attempt to make decorating “more awesomer”.

I looked over at the still-bulging sack of gemstones Sweetie Belle had rewarded me with. A whole bag of jewels from Rarity! I rolled over, feeling all the gemstones I’d already eaten shift in my stomach as I gave the bag a big hug. I didn’t care what happened. I had presents from Rarity, and so the world was okay. I snuggled against the bag, thinking that I could start cleaning up the library in the morning. I was much too full to start now.

With a shudder, I tried to not think about what Twilight would think once she saw the state the library was in. She didn’t exactly have me keep everything perfectly clean, but all the random, knee-high to most ponies paint jobs on the walls would make even her uneasy. I could only imagine my sweet Rarity shrieking in horror at it.

I stood up. Even if she wasn’t here, I couldn’t let her see I had somehow been a part of this! I wobbled over, determined to clean the walls, to say nothing of the criss-crossed paint on the floors, and promptly fell over. I groaned. Whatever: the library could wait until tomorrow. I guess Princess Celestia actually had had something for Twilight to do, unfortunately. I had assumed that Twilight would have been back in a few hours, but the whole day had gone by, letting the Crusaders totally ruin the place. A guilty sigh escaped me as I looked at the library; no doubt Twilight would have me cleaning it all up tomorrow.

I tried to get up, only to write it off as useless. Meh. Sleep time. I pulled over my bag of delicious, precious, jewels from Rarity and laid my head against it. I wonder: was this how every dragon felt about their horde? True, I only had one bag, but the source meant that it meant more to me than all the riches in the world.

Suddenly, a sharp bang from behind me made me roll over. I was just about to fall asleep, t—oh crap.

Twilight Sparkle stood, glaring at me with hydra eyes. “Hi, Spike! Mind explaining to me what the hay just happened today?”

“U-uh, well, you see, Twilight... it was all a joke! Just a joke!”

“Just a joke, Spike?” Twilight walked over and put her own face inches from mine. “Just a joke?! Do you have any idea what I went through today?” Her face looked about as cheerful as a manitcore’s.

“Um... no.”

“Well... they were... that’s beside the point!” Her cheeks were red, but she looked a little more embarrassed than angry. “I come home to see the library looking like... looking like... well, this!” She waved a hoof, then cut off her own motion with a stomp. “Why would you do something like this, Spike? Why would you lie to me? To the princess?”

“I, um, well, you see...” I tried to scoot in front of the bag of gems, but Twilight’s eyes sparkled.

“Aha!” she cried, pouncing at the bag, only to grab it with her magic. She floated it over and regarded it with the careful eye of an academic pony. “What is this, Spike?”

“I, uh...”

Twilight opened it, and a small note fluttered out. I covered my face with my claws; I couldn’t bear to watch.

“Spike: thanks so much for letting us be ‘Cutie Mark Crusader Interior Decorators’. Have these gems from my sister that I definitely didn’t borrow from her without asking. Signed, Sweetie Belle.” I heard Twilight walk over to me. “Spike... those three did all this?”

“I was gonna clean it up, honest!” I gave her my best pleading look.

Twilight sighed and massaged her head with a hoof. “I... fine. Princess Celestia wasn’t too upset anyway, so no real harm done. I’m just glad all the books are okay. It’s been a long day, Spike. Let’s just talk about this in the morning.”

I exhaled a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding in. What luck! “So, Twilight, what did you and the Princess do all day?”

She stopped halfway up the stairs, and although I couldn’t see her face, her left ear twitched. “We... played croquet.”

“Sounds like fun!”

“Well...” A hint of a smile entered her voice. “It was more fun than I’d thought it would be, that’s for sure.”

The Pursuit of Victory (Fluttershy draft)

A/N: This is the original draft of the story "The Pursuit of Victory"

Rainbow Dash stood confidently upon the cloud floor, looking over all the other pegasi with cocksure determination. Aw yeah, she thought, none of these ponies have half my skills, I'll bet! Her body quivered with anticipation as she gazed out at the interior of the Cloudsdale arena. The sun shone down brightly on all the ponies eagerly waiting for something to happen. The air felt thick with anticipation. Rainbow wanted to start flying right away, just to stand out a little, but thought better of it. I'll have plenty of time to show how awesome I am later. She couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of nervousness as she looked at the crowd.

A large crowd of pegasi had packed the arena in a pastel prism, all with their eyes on the same prize: a chance to become a Wonderbolt! Rainbow Dash licked her lips in anticipation. This is it. A voice next to Rainbow Dash spoke up timidly. “U-um... Rainbow Dash, there's a lot of ponies here... I'm a little uncomfortable.”

Rainbow Dash turned, smiling, to see Fluttershy crouched behind her, her eyes darting to and fro, clearly uncomfortable in such a crowd. “Aw, relax. Besides, you're just here to witness how awesome I am! This is my big chance! ...And, not that I need it, but, um... I'm really glad you're here, Fluttershy,” she added, scratching her forelegs together unconsciously.

Fluttershy just nodded and glanced at the arena exit. “R-right. I'll just... wait over here, then.”

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to answer, but a swift movement out of the corner of her eye immediately focused her attention on the bare cloud stage that had been set up. The crowd around her settled as Fluttershy crept out of the arena with a small “Eep!”

Three Wonderbolts had alighted on the stage, in costume and smiling down at the crowd. Okay, Rainbow... stay cool. The Wonderbolts are RIGHT THERE OHMYGOSH but I don't wanna seem like some crazy fanfilly. Despite her attempt at self-discipline, her eyes widened as her idols trotted to the front of the stage.

Spitfire lifted a hoof and removed her goggles, gazing over the crowd with a friendly, yet appraising look. “Hey there, all you hopefuls. We all know what we're here for: a few of you lucky ponies are going to have the chance to become one of us! Now, as you know, the Wonderbolts have been in Equestria for years, stretching back to the era of...”

Rainbow Dash felt her attention wander as Spitfire continued her welcome speech. Come onnn, this is taking forever! Can't we just skip to the part where I get accepted as team super captain or something? Seriously... how can the buildup to something so awesome be so boring? She scratched her forelegs together unconsciously. I wonder how everypony else can handle all this waiting?

“...and so, trying to join the Wonderbolts is a pursuit that should not be taken lightly.” For a brief, horrifying moment, Rainbow Dash was sure that Spitfire was staring right at her with a disapproving look. The Wonderbolt's eyes narrowed, and Rainbow felt as though all her failings were being laid bare before that intense stare. Spitfire soon directed her gaze elsewhere, but Rainbow was left sweating profusely and shaking, her famous confidence shattered by that one glare. Oh, horseapples! Is that going to come back to bite me in the flank? Does she think I'm not serious about the Wonderbolts? Did I blow it already? Maybe I should pay more attention. Battling her boredom, Rainbow Dash stifled a yawn and stared at Spitfire intensely.

Sptifire continued, “...In any case, we're glad to see so many of you came out to give it your all.” A few other costumed Wonderbolts flew down and started distributing numbers to the excited crowd. “You've all been selected as some of the most promising fliers in Equestria, but now you've got to prove you can soar above the herd. We'll be seeing each of you fly individually first. If you pass this round of auditions, then you'll fly with a few of us; see how you handle flying in formation. There's no I in team... or Wonderbolts.”

Rainbow Dash thought her heart would beat right out of her. I'll get to fly with the Wonderbolts before I'm even in?! This is so AWESOME! Best day ever already! She eagerly shoved her way through the crowd, trying to grab a high number. “Come on, outta the way, Best Young Flier coming through!” she shouted as she pressed through the mass of ponies and swiped a number from a bemused-looking Wonderbolt. Her heart sank. Twelve? That's like... right away! Her pupils narrowed in panic as she tried to estimate how many other hopefuls were present. “Oh, man, there's gotta be, like, two hundred ponies here...” she moaned.

“Actually, there are two hundred and forty-one,” a voice commented.

Rainbow turned to see a different Wonderbolt grinning at her. “Say, you're the one who saved us at the Young Flier's Competition... you nervous?”

She chuckled, praying none of her nervousness at talking to a Wonderbolt showed. C'mon, play it cool. “Heh heh... m-me? N-no way! You're lookin' at the next Wonderbolt right here!”

The Wonderbolt chuckled. “Well, I know a few of the others are looking forward to seeing your routine. Got another Sonic Rainboom in store for us? Spitfire really seemed disappointed she was unconscious when you pulled it off.” A few heads turned and gaped as more ponies recognized Rainbow Dash.

A wide grin spread over Rainbow Dash's face as she noticed the other ponies' reactions out of the corner of her eye. That's right, foals, you ain't got a chance! “Oh, well, you know... I was thinking I might try something a little cooler. The Sonic Rainboom's just getting a little old, you know?” she remarked, trying to sound casual.

A low murmur spread through the crowd near the rainbow-maned pegasus at her words. “Better than a Sonic Rainboom?”

“Who the hay does she think she is?”

“What's a Sonic Rainboom?”

“Oh Celestia damn it, she's here? I don't have a chance...”

The Wonderbolt's grin faded and he gave her a serious look. “That's quite a claim, Rainbow Dash. Here's hoping you can back it up.”

Rainbow felt her grin fade a bit as he flew over to the unoccupied Wonderbolts. The group started murmuring, a few goggled eyes occasionally glancing at the blue pegasus. Maybe I said a little too much? I am sorta banking on the Rainboom to impress them, now that they won't be unconscious when I do it... still, the fact that I saved the lives of Spitfire, Soarin, and... the... uh... other one... crap, why can't I think of his name? Seriously, I could probably rattle off all their flying stats in ten seconds flat, but what was his name?! Argh! ...What was I thinking about?

Still trying to rack her brain for the Wonderbolt's name, Rainbow Dash leisurely trotted into the contestant waiting room, joining a herd of others who were waiting anxiously. The minutes flew by as Rainbow Dash paced back and forth, stretching out her wings in anticipation. Applicants came and went, and number eleven had just trotted off. Quite a few minutes passed as everypony began to gossip about what was taking this particular pony so long.

“Most of them were only in there for a couple of minutes!

“D'ya think one got accepted?”

“How many members are they even going to add?”

“Oh no, what if we're all out already?”

A slight panic came over the crowd as the whispers grew louder. Rainbow Dash swallowed, trying to ignore anything that might break her concentration. She plopped on a nearby cloud, stuffing a few fragments of it in her ears, but the murmurs were only muffled for the moment.

This is taking way too long! Oh no. What if one of the first few was so awesome, they just decided to not see anypony else try? No no no no no; they'd wait for me. A grin spread over her face. I'm the best flier in Equestria. I just need to prove it. She gulped, suddenly noticing some members of teams less prestigious than the Wonderbolts present. Oh man, Sprint of the Wonder Wings is here?! Isn't she their captain? Oh wow- that's Surprise from the Aerobatic Aces! And... isn't that Hairpin from the Sky Dancers?! She's, like, a legend! ...I guess everypony really does want to be a Wonderbolt... Do I even have a chance? Rainbow gulped and shook her head to clear her treasonous thoughts. No. I can do this. I have to do this. So what if you're up against ponies who've been doing aerial shows for years? She began to sweat and shake slightly. So what if you aren't famous like the other pros that are here? She bit on the cloud to muffle a scream of frustration at her mutinous musings. It's not like they've got a massive advantage or anything, right?

A Wonderbolt stepped in, and the low murmurs that had been running through the tightly packed ponies were immediately silenced. I can do this. Fluttershy's here to support me, and all my other friends are here in spirit. Rainbow Dash quickly got to her hooves and removed her makeshift earplugs, a grin spreading over her face. It's not just me flyin': all my friends are cheering for me! Her grin widened. And when I've got those five ponies with me, nothing can stand in my way! Even if only Fluttershy is here, I know I can count on them all! A warm feeling stirred within her. With those ladies backin' me up, I'm unstoppable! Nothing is above my reach. A blubbering, hysterical red pegasus with a thundercloud cutie mark stumbled past the door, mumbling. “No! I am good enough... I'm... it's my... destiny...” The despondent pony exited the arena, eyes still brimming with tears. You'll get no sympathy from me, Rainbow thought to herself, grinning. 'Cuz I'm a winner.

“Rainbow Dash,” the Wonderbolt said simply. Rainbow shot to the air, hovering over the other waiting fliers. Oh man, he called me by name, not number! That's a good sign! ...Right?

“Yep, right here!” she called cheerfully.

A small smile crept over the Wonderbolt's face. “You're up.”

Fluttershy anxiously trotted to and fro outside the stadium. She knew that she shouldn't worry for Rainbow Dash, but vague worries kept cropping up in her mind. What if she doesn't make it? What if somepony gets hurt? Oh my goodness, what if somepony falls like Rarity did? She shook her head, resolute. No. I need to believe in Rainbow Dash. She'd said that she might be a while before she goes on, but maybe I should just wait here... just in case, so I don't miss it. She laid down, put her head on her forehooves, and thought, Maybe I should sit on clouds more often. I'm always on the ground, but this is nice. I can see why Rainbow's always... napping... all day...

The yellow pony's thoughts drifted off as she fell asleep on the soft cloud, exhausted by the flight to Cloudsdale the two had made that morning. Rainbow Dash insisted they do it on the same day “for a warm-up”, and Fluttershy, too passive to protest, had acquiesced. However, the yellow pony wasn't used to flying such long distances, and her body had ached from the strain of trying to match Rainbow's rapid pace. All the hurt from her body was swept away as she dozed in the afternoon sun.

Rainbow Dash gulped. Oh man. It's just me. Her eyes narrowed as she gazed out at the now nearly empty arena, devoid of ponies save herself, Spitfire, and Soarin. This is good. She inhaled sharply, willing herself to taste everything in the air. No distractions. I'm sure... I'm sure something is just holding Fluttershy up. A small twinge of panic ran through her body. She wouldn't miss this. I know her too well to suspect that... but where is she? Frantically, she scanned the arena again. She's not here... why is she not here?

“Rainbow Dash!” a voice called out.

“Uh, I, yes?” Rainbow whirled to face the small stand the two Wonderbolts were sitting at.

“Begin.”

Rainbow Dash gulped, then, mustering all the bravado she had, called out, “All right! Now prepare to witness a grand encore of history being made... uh... again!” Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. FOCUS. She shook her head and took off into the sky, weaving between columns of clouds. Phase one. She passed between the columns without a hitch, gaining speed the whole time. She could've swore she heard a low whistle from the stands.

Grinning, she wasted no time in gaining altitude and rounding some clouds in quick succession, making them spin. Phase... two. She grinned, remembering last time and kept her distance as she circled the clouds, but remained close enough that the clouds spun. And now, for the twist! Flying near her normal top speed, she bucked each cloud towards the center, making them combine into one cloud. Flying underneath it, she bucked it at an angle that sent it soaring skywards. Time for the grand finale!

A mad grin spread over her face as she soared high into the sky, zooming above the spinning cloud mass and gaining speed. Turning sharply, she felt her eyes water and cheeks flap as the sound barrier form up around her. The cloud mass loomed beneath her, the other final obstacle for her to overcome. With a wild cry, she soared downwards with all her might, extending a forehoof before her and closing her eyes... Only to find herself straining against the sound barrier, which refused to yield. No! No no no no! Her mind screamed at her as the barrier stubbornly refused to shatter. She felt it start to crack, and opened her eyes with a grin, only to see her giant cloudball almost in her face, the timing of her trick thrown off. Oh fu-

The cloud slammed into Rainbow Dash, halting her advance as the sound barrier simultaneously snapped back, catapaulting the pegasus skyward with surprising speed. Dazed, she attempted to regain control, only to smash into an errant cloud. She screamed with pain as a few feathers tore off her left wing. Is this how it ends? Me, a failure?

“No!” she shouted, throwing herself towards the arena below with newfound energy. The barrier began to form up around her. “Not this time! You hear me...? I am the sky! I... am... Rainbow Dash!” Just as she roared her name in challenge at the new barrier, she smashed through it, zooming downwards as a massive “boom” from behind her let her know that she'd done a Sonic Rainboom. Looking around quickly, she spotted another cloud near the arena that she'd have to incorporate into her plan, to make up for her earlier failure. She flew around it a few times, setting it spinning at an unbelievable speed, then sliced through it while mid-Rainboom, creating a dazzling pattern in the sky accented by a few tufts of cloud left in her wake. She stopped, panting, staring at the shape she'd painted in the sky: her cutie mark, made entirely of clouds and her own rainbow trail. The stunt had taken countless hours of practice, but now, seeing the fruits of her labor, the blue pony had never felt better. How was that, Wonderbolts?

The two lead Wonderbolts remained impassive as they stared at Rainbow. Geez... after all that? She took a midair bow. “And there you have it! Pulling off a move most thought was a legend? All in a day's work!” She could've sworn she saw Spitfire crack a smile. That's a good sign. That's a good sign... isn't it?

“Nice to see that while I'm conscious,” Spitfire remarked as an escastic smile spread over Rainbow's face. “Alright, we'll let you know when the group tests happen next.” As Rainbow whooped and flew energetically back to the waiting area in the building, the two Wonderbolts exchanged a look.

“Well?”

“Definitely.”

“Really? Because I th-”

“Nope. Definitely,” Spitfire emphasized, her eyes following the blue pony as she returned, tired but elated, to the other applicants.

A loud roar jolted Fluttershy awake. Looking around in panic, she noted that the sun had sunk far lower in the sky. Oh no, did I miss her tryout?! A huge mass of balloons were floating away from the arena. Fluttershy stared at that for a moment, then thought, There's no time! I need to hurry. Breaking into a brisk canter, Fluttershy headed for the arena.

The roar of pony voices only intensified as Fluttershy neared the entrance. Oh my. They're all worked up. Nearing the doorway, Fluttershy poked her head in and saw three proud pegasi standing on the cloud stage, Wonderbolt costumes folded in front of them. All three were beaming with pride. Rainbow Dash was not one of them. Oh no. Fluttershy quickly scanned the crowd, looking for her friend, but couldn't spot her distinctive mane amongst the sheer mass of ponies.

“Where could she be?” Fluttershy mused aloud, scratching her chin with a hoof. Meanwhile, the crowd continued to roar for the three new Wonderbolts, though some sour looks were plastered on some ponies' faces. “Where would she go?” Fluttershy tried to really concentrate, shutting out the noise from the arena. It was only then that she noticed a small sound she hadn't noticed before: a small sniffling coming from an adjacent room. Oh no... Rainbow Dash... is that you? Her matronly instincts kicking in, Fluttershy slowly walked over to the small side room and poked her head in, trying to not disturb the crier.

Rainbow Dash was lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling, tears in her eyes and a miserable look on her face. She didn't even seem to react as Fluttershy slowly moved into the room. Rainbow Dash sniffled quietly. “U-um... Rainbow Dash? Are you okay? How... how did your tryout go?”

Rainbow Dash didn't reply immediately, instead just staring at the clouds above her, an empty look in her eyes. Her voice was laced with scorn. “You know how it went... Oh, that's right. You wouldn't know how my audition went because you weren't there.” Rainbow Dash shot an accusatory look at Fluttershy, who shrank back under the gaze's wrath.

“O-oh. I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash. I should have been there for you... but I do want to hear about it. How did it go?”

Rainbow Dash muttered something in a low tone that Fluttershy couldn't quite hear.

Fluttershy frowned. “Um, sorry? I didn't hear you, Rainbow.”

Rainbow continued staring upwards dully, as though searching for something she knew she wouldn't find. “I said... I blew it.”

“Oh, my. You blew them away? Even if you didn't make it in, that's great, Rainbow Dash!” She inhaled sharply, then leaned down near the crestfallen pony's face, summoning all her vocal energy to cheer Rainbow up. “Yay~!”

“NO! Don't cheer for failure!” Rainbow Dash screamed, zooming upwards into a hover, anger flashing across her face as Fluttershy retreated, terrified. Tears began to stream down Rainbow's face. “Don't you get it, Fluttershy? I blew it! I... I had my one chance to join the Wonderbolts! I was going to live my dream! And they... they rejected me! It's not fair! I'm a great flier! I deserve to be a Wonderbolt! It's... I...” She sunk down to the cloud floor again, pouting, her emotional energies spent. “It's my destiny...”

Fluttershy swallowed, concern for her friend overcoming her terror at Rainbow's outburst. “Now, now, Rainbow Dash,” she admonished, slipping into the motherly tone she often used with her animal patients, “you should be proud. To get here, you needed an invitation, right? Most ponies couldn't even dream of that. The fact that you were invited to audition means that the Wonderbolts thought enough of you to let you try.”

Rainbow looked up, tears still rolling down her face, though the flow of new ones had stopped for the moment. “Y-yeah! You're right.” She jumped to her hooves, some of her proud posture returning, though she still looked a little wobbly. “But... I still didn't make it.”

Fluttershy smiled. “That's okay, Rainbow Dash. And remember... this isn't necessarily the end of your dream.”

Rainbow Dash collapsed again. “Yes it is! I... I'm a failure. I wasn't good enough for the Wonderbolts... and that's all that matters.” The determined light in her eyes faded. Fluttershy's heart almost broke to see her friend so disappointed.

Fluttershy gave Rainbow Dash a sympathetic look. “I heard a saying from a pony once: 'If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.' I think that you'll have more chances to impress the Wonderbolts. After all, I noticed some ponies from other aerobatics teams there, and some ponies were talking about 'last year' and 'the year before that'. From the sound of it, this happens pretty regularly. I'm sure they'll want to see you again.”

Rainbow Dash didn't move. Fluttershy flew over to her, laid down next to her, and nuzzled her friend. “Let it all out, Rainbow Dash. It's okay...”

They remained there, unmoving, for some time. Eventually, the roar of the crowd died and Rainbow Dash had no more tears to shed. Fluttershy waited, ever patient, for her friend to calm down. Rainbow Dash continued to stare with a downcast look in her eyes at nothing in particular. “Rainbow Dash... what about other teams? You could try for the Aerial Aces, or th-”

“They don't matter,” she muttered, shaking her head slightly. “The Wonderbolts are... they're the only ones that have ever mattered. If I can't be the best, what's the point? I want to be remembered as a legend, not some... some second-rate hack,” she spat, her emotionless whimper gaining some of the heat of anger.

“But... you're not the only one, Rainbow Dash. Think about everypony else who didn't manage to get in to the Wonderbolts today.”

“That doesn't make it any easier,” the blue pegasus whined.

“I know this is hard, but you're Rainbow Dash. Some day, you'll make it. I know it. Come on, Rainbow Dash. Let's just go home.”

“Yeah... okay.” Rainbow Dash rose, still looking miserable, but followed Fluttershy out. The two pegasi exited the arena, merging into a crowd of ponies who were walking and talking with moods ranging from depression to determination. Rainbow Dash looked around, thoughtful.

The two friends reached the edge of Cloudsdale. Fluttershy coiled herself up, ready to launch, but Rainbow Dash put a hoof on her shoulder. “Wait.” Fluttershy turned, confused. “I... I just wanted to thank you, Fluttershy. You... even if you weren't there for me right in the moment, I'm sure you meant to be. You tried to support me when I was... down... and I didn't appreciate that. So... sorry.”

“No. It's okay.”

“B-besides,” she continued, her voice cracking slightly, “Lots of ponies in there were a lot older than I, and some had been doing this stuff for a lot longer than I have!” She set her jaw in determination, and a slow, shaky grin spread over her face. “Rainbow Dash doesn't let something like this stop her!” She inhaled, gave the stadium a gaze that was meant to be steely, and started to shout. “You hear me, Wonderbolts!? I'll be back, and next time, you will give me a uniform!”Several ponies passing nearby scoffed, and Rainbow Dash deflated slightly. She panted slightly and looked to Fluttershy for support, looking a little wobbly on her hooves.

The yellow pegasus, with her gift for empathy, could tell that her blue friend was one wrong word away from breaking down again, so she just trotted over to her, smiling warmly, and put a hoof on her friend's shoulder. “Come on, Rainbow Dash. Let's go home. Next time... you'll make it. I know it.”

She chuckled uneasily. “Y-yeah. Next time... I'll probably leave the extra clouds and painting out of my act,” she remarked sheepishly.

Fluttershy looked confused. “W-wait. Rainbow Dash, what did you do in there?”

Rainbow Dash grinned mischievously, gaining some of her confidence back. “Eh, words can't cover it. Next time, you'll actually have to watch me.”

“O-oh. I'm sorry...” Fluttershy looked away, ashamed.

Rainbow Dash put a hoof to her face and groaned. “Oh, never mind. It's okay. C'mon, let's go home.”

Fluttershy smiled, closing her eyes as she looked at her friend again, trying to radiate a calm feeling. “I bet a party from Pinkie would be a nice consolation prize...”

At the mention of “prize”, Rainbow Dash took off into the air, dragging a shocked Fluttershy behind her. “Yeah! W-who needs the Wonderbolts for now when I've got my friends to hang with? Let's go!” Rainbow Dash turned her head to see Fluttershy clinging to her own multi-colored tail, her entire body frozen in fear. “Oh... heh. Sorry, Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash landed on a cloud and waited a few minutes for Fluttershy to unfreeze.

Eventually, Fluttershy let out a quiet, yet shrill “Eep!” and came to her senses. The two friends smiled at each other, leapt from the cloud, and leisurely glided back to Ponyville, where both knew their good friends would be waiting. Rainbow Dash turned and gave the retreating figure of Cloudsdale one more look. Next time, Wonderbolts. Next time.

She turned back to stare at Ponyville, which grew closer and closer as she and Fluttershy continued to fly. A small voice in the back of Rainbow's mind began to whisper, softly at first, but with rising strength. Rainbow Dash tried to shut it out and focus on her flying, but allowing Fluttershy to keep up meant flying at a pace that bored the blue flier. The voice droned on, gathering in power. ...That's if there is a next time. Who would want to let a failure try again? You'd only make the same mistakes.

“...You're wrong,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

Fluttershy gave her an extremely worried look. “Who?”

Rainbow Dash gave Fluttershy a pleading look as they continued to glide. “...It is, right? I'm... I'm not a failure... Right?”

“Oh, Rainbow Dash...” Fluttershy whispered.

You'll never wear the uniform. You'll never wear the goggles. Ponies will never pay attention to you, and you'll remain a nobody. Get used to those clouds you nap on, because you'll always be stuck there staring up at the Wonderbolts. They're above you. Rainbow Dash whimpered. Unless, that is, you really want to just fail, fail again.

“Next time, I'll make it,” Rainbow Dash whispered fiercely.

Twilight, Revised ch. 1 (The Star Wars draft)

This is the first draft. Curious about the final product?

“The Elements!” I gasped, only now noticing the maelstrom sucking in the five Elements of Harmony. I jumped in without thought to consequence or result, only knowing that those five stones were Equestria's last, best hope against the eternal night that Nightmare Moon had plunged us all into. I couldn't fail Princess Celestia, and my new acquaintances had done a great deal to get me here. Everypony was counting on me; after all this time of having others clear the way for me, it was time to play hero.

The storm spat me out in a strange room in a puff of smoke, and I coughed, trying to clear it from my lungs. I wrenched my eyes open and gasped. Nightmare Moon had the Elements in her grasp! She cackled, reveling in her victory as lightning struck all around her. I gasped, partially from shock at how quickly she'd snatched Equestria's greatest hope away from me and partially at how much of a flair for the dramatic she seemed to have.

I had to do something, or all of Equestria was lost. Nightmare Moon had quite a flair for the dramatic, as her actions tonight had shown; maybe if I played into her classical pride and lured her into a showdown where I'd be woefully outmatched, I could catch her off-guard and reclaim the Elements. Part of me whispered that I still didn't know what the sixth Element of Harmony was, but a funny instinct told me that the sixth element would take care of itself. Somehow. At this point, I had to make do with what I had.

I narrowed my eyes, pawed the ground, and snorted in challenge. Just had to appeal to her pride...

She gave me a dismissive stare. “You're kidding. You're kidding, right?” she asked, flaring out her wings in unconscious answer to my challenge. Despite her words, I knew she'd take the bait. It was in her nature, and her body was already getting ready for it.

I lit up my horn in preparation for my little gambit and charged, praying that she was as stupid and vain as I thought she was.

She grinned the grin of a predator watching a mouse struggle under the weight of a claw and leapt down. She galloped towards me, no doubt intending to meet me on equal terms and crush me, displaying her superiority. It was a struggle to keep a victorious grin off my face; all I had to do now was work my magic.

And I could do magic.

Just before I would have collided with Nightmare Moon, I blinked across the room in a quick teleport to reach the Elements. My head spun with the vertigo of the sudden shift; I still needed to get accustomed to that. I shook my head; focus was needed here. There was no way my little maneuver was going to buy me much more than a few seconds of breathing room, so I had to act quickly.

A hoof nudged me. “Oh, was that supposed to be clever?”

I screamed, forgoing words in favor of a primal expression of pain as I was hurled against a pillar by Nightmare Moon's magic, who had anticipated my bluff and moved to counteract it faster than I could blink. I squirmed as she held me fast against the pillar with magic so strong, my own was like a mouse before a lion. Tears welled in my eyes as I found myself pushed further and harder against the unrelenting stone. My spine flared with needles of pain as Nightmare Moon held me several meters off the floor and walked slowly, leisurely to me. She looked up at my pain-wracked, miserable form.

“So you are Twilight Sparkle...” she mused.

“You... you know my name?” I coughed out. Being more or less choked by magic was even less pleasant than it sounded, and breathing was becoming difficult. Darkness crept into the corners of my vision. I had to fight! Everypony was counting on me. If I let Equestria down, I could never live with myself. In vain, I tried to nudge a hoof forward, and managed to do so briefly.

My brief smirk of victory became an open, screaming orifice as Nightmare Moon sent electricity coursing through my rebellious leg.

“But of course. Only a foal would fail to examine every last pawn before challenging one such as Celestia.” She tilted her head. “I wonder what she imagined a puny little pony like you could do?”

At that moment, I heard the concerned cries of the five ponies who had accompanied me echoing up the staircase up. I tried to flare up my horn to send some kind of warning to them, but Nightmare Moon's magic enveloped my own, and I screamed again as she sent electricity directly into my nervous system through my horn. “You won't... get away with this, Nightmare Moon. Equestria... Equestria will never accept you... as its ruler.”

“On the contrary, my little pony,” she said, grinning a grin that looked as cheerful as the gates of Tartarus, “I think you'll find that bending your knees to me is altogether rather pleasurable.”

“Never.” I spat the word with all the fury and indignation I could muster. My mind flashed back to many memories of Princess Celestia tutoring me on everything. Now this thing... this monster stood there choking me to death and thought that I would join her cause? How dare she. “I'll never join you! You banished my teacher!”

Her grin widened. “No, Twilight... I am your teacher.”

I coughed up a little blood. “What the hay... is that supposed to mean?”

My only answer was a sinister grin. As my vision darkened, I saw Nightmare Moon floating something towards me, and then all went dark.

I regained consciousness in a giant, well-ordered library, not unlike the Starswirl the Bearded Wing of the Canterlot Archives, where I'd spent much of my time in Canterlot studying. I rose to my hooves. “How did I get here?” My voice echoed off the steel bookshelves that rose dozens of feet into the air, offering me no answer. I took a tentative step forward, feeling the orderly stone under my hooves. Whoever owned this library could only be described as “meticulous.” Every shelf was filled with books that looked familiar and tidy, and not a speck of dust was on the vast majority of the shelves. My heart swelled with pride for the librarian, whoever she was.

A clattering noise aroused my attention as my ears perked up, trying to determine what exactly it was. Was someone knocking books off the shelves? How dare they violate the sanctity of this library! I charged in the direction of the noise, which grew only more violent as I drew nearer, as though the vandal had heard my approach and was trying to tear through as many as possible before I stopped him.

There would be no mercy for anyone harming a defenseless book.

I rounded the corner of a lavender-colored bookshelf, only to see myself, sitting in a pile of books, scribbling in them furiously with dozens of quills.

“What are you?” I blurted. Had I come across some kind of imposter?

The other me looked up, and I got a closer look at her. Her eyes had a strange, catlike shape in their pupils, and her grin was downright malicious. She stood, never allowing her quills to stop their frantic editing—she had to have as many as eighteen books at a time in her grip! Despite her sinister appearance, I couldn't help but be impressed by her degree of control. Either she was quite the prodigy in her own right, or she had studied my capabilities extensively to try to mimic me. “Well, hello me. Quite a pleasure to meet myself.” She giggled, causing her whole body to ripple with laughter. Where was that librarian?

My eyes were drawn to another oddity on her body: her cutie mark. Overlaid over my own cutie mark was the image of a glowing moon, and looking at it made me feel like I was getting sucked into it, as absurd as it sounded. It was difficult to tear my eyes away, and I couldn't help but wonder if I had a touch of Marecissus in me. “What... you can't be me,” I said, still feeling woozy from staring at the disfigured cutie mark.

“Oh, I'm not. Not yet, at least,” she responded with a deepening grin.

My headache worsened. “What... what's that supposed to mean?”

“Look around you, sun lover. Where are you now? Apply that brain of yours... or is it just empty space under your horn?”

I bristled at her remark, but took her advice and took in my surroundings a little more thoroughly. Meanwhile, the eerie doppelganger continued its frantic work. Nothing new presented itself to me physically, but a certain feeling hung in the air, as though I'd been here hundreds of millions of times, as though I knew its stacks' contents by heart. My eyes wandered upward to the bookshelf across from us, which bore a familiar sunburst motif. Despite the bizarre situation I found myself in, I couldn't help but smile. Every library could use a shelf devoted to Princess Celestia. The shelf's placard read “Memories of the Summer Moon Celebration.”

“Huh?” I murmured. “That's not right.”

“Is it now,” the not-me whispered from behind me.

“What?” I turned, suddenly filled with a feeling of intense dread. All the books she'd been scribbling in were re-shelved. On a sudden thought, I looked to this bookshelf's label. “Early Foalhood.” “Wait...”

“Understand now, do you?” The mare cackled.

Suddenly, it all added up. The familiar feeling from the books. Knowing exactly where to go. Feeling disoriented when I stared at a distorted reflection of myself. A library layout.

“We're... we're in my mind...” I whispered. I had heard of spells that had such effects, and for most ponies without a great deal of magical ability, it was impossible to exist within one's inner self. Accounts stated that the surroundings fit the personality of the pony, but that nopony else was ever there. I'd read works of fiction as a child that had little miniature versions of a pony running everything in her head, but that had always seemed silly to me. All of this begged one desperate question: who or what was this thing in front of me? “What have you been doing to me?”

“Just doing a little cleaning.” She shrugged, a little too casually.

My ears flattened against my head, and I snorted. “What are you?”

“Me? I'm magic, Twilight Sparkle.” Her eyes opened, and it occurred to me where I'd seen such pupils before: Nightmare Moon. I had blundered badly. “And I'm just making an improved you.”

“I doubt it. I like me just the way I am. Now undo whatever you've been doing!” I lunged at her, desperate to knock her concentration off so I could undo the changes to the books... to my very memories.

She danced out of the way with ease, snickering as I slammed into the bookshelf. If the books were my memories, what did the bookshelves represent? “Poor little sun-lover,” she sang, cantering away as my vision spun.

I hauled myself to my hooves, heaving with exertion. If I didn't catch up with her before she got to more of me, I might not be able to undo the damage. After all, I had my fail-safe spell, but in my present condition, I had no idea how many times I could cast it. Come to think of it, I'd never had to use the spell on myself; I knew that in theory, it could restore a pony's mind to normal, but somehow I doubted that energy drawn from a warped mind could heal itself. With any luck, I wouldn't have to test it.

I sped off, listening for the intruder's steps, which always seemed to be just around the next corner. My teeth ground in frustration; how long was she going to lead me on like this? There was no way I afford to be wasting precious time when my memories were being rewritten. Come to think of it, it seemed a little strange that I didn’t suddenly believe that I had been born an earth pony under the “benevolent” rule of Nightmare Moon, or whatever nonsense my doppelganger was trying to put in my head. Then again, going down that road meant considering how my thoughts and inner monologue functioned while in my own head, and I didn't have time to engage in such philosophical inquiry, as fascinating as ruminating on a thing like that sounded. With any luck, I could ask Princess Celestia about it once I fixed everything and got rid of those annoying ponies that kept following me around, yammering about friendship without ceasing. Celestia, but some ponies could lack a sense of boundaries; Pinkie Pie had to be about the worst of the bunch for that.

In the midst of my pondering, I realized that the noise of desperate hoofsteps had faded into silence. I, too, slowed. My ears swiveled and flicked, trying to detect any hint of masked breathing or the scuffling of a hoof on stone.

Step.

Stop and listen for reaction.

Step.

Halt and try to hear breathing.

Nothing.

This was becoming frustrating; while I was trying to be sneaky, whatever Nightmare Moon-controlled clone was galloping rampant in here could be doing Nightmare-knew-what in here. My head swam for a moment, and the scenery around me wavered. What was I thinking? Panic gripped me as I considered what it could mean that I was taking Nightmare Moon's name in an oath in place of Celestia's.

“Ugh... no, not yet... I need to fix this.” Summoning all the will I had, I forced myself to keep moving forward. More than anything else, more than anypony else, I had to cling to my trust in N—Princess Celestia. I sucked in breath and leaned against a nearby bookshelf for support, bracing myself against the swirling, taunting colors of night gathering before my eyes.

Princess Celestia had made me the mare I was, and she needed me now. No one else could save her. No one else could defend her: not her guards, not her councilors, not her country. Only I could do this. “I won't let you down, Princess Celestia. This I swear... I'll be there for you this time,” I whispered, feeling an inner fire burn within me.

I shook my head, banishing the colors and feeling vigor flow back into me. Try and stop me, Nightmare Moon. I could take anything she could throw at me. She could break my home, break my bones, break my body, break the very natural order of the world I lived in, but my spirit would never shatter.

Instilled with confidence, I took another step closer to a diminutive, disused bookshelf marked “Friends,” where I was sure the mockery of me was hiding. I grinned, in spite of myself. It's just like I told Spike: the fate of Equestria did not rest on me making friends. Watch me save everypony all by myself!

I crept closer, confident that she couldn't hear me. Her breathing was sharp and ragged, stirring up dust; why, she might as well have been broadcasting her location for all to see! For this exact reason, I circled back around. Nopony would fall for such an obvious trap. Since she obviously had some magical ability, she was trying to trick me while she teleported away and flanked me. Only a foal would fall for such a trick.

I turned around and doubled back, eager to beat her at her own game. I crept low, remembering one of the how-to guides on sneaking I'd read when I was a filly enamored with tales of donkey ninjas. Slow steps. Relaxed breathing. Patience. Wait for your opponent to make a mistake, and then move. It was this philosophy of watching and waiting that allowed her to make the first move; that was my mistake.

I felt a hoof tap me on the back. “Twilight?” my own voice asked. My blood ran cold; she had tricked me. Or I had tricked me, depending on what the thing was. Of course a clone of me would anticipate me anticipating a trap and setting one of my own. How could I have been so foolish?

I rolled to my hooves, only to see the smirking doppelganger right in front of me. I opened my mouth to scream defiance, but she used the moment to dart in and kiss me.

I froze up in shock. I wasn't sure how I felt about kissing other mares, but it felt completely wrong to have my own tongue probing my mouth, rolling over each and every tooth like a desperate, writhing thing. I tried to pull away, weakly, but she wrapped a foreleg around me and held me close. The longer I stayed like this, the weaker I felt, like she was drawing something out of me. With a magical shove, I broke away, breathing quickly. My heart pounded. “What... what are you doing,” I said rather than asked. At this point, it really wasn't even worth guessing at her motives anymore. She was a product of Nightmare Moon, sent into my mind to confuse me and distort my memories. My vision blurred in front of my eyes, as though to drive home the point.

“Aww, but Twilight, we've always said we didn't need anypony but ourselves. Don't you trust yourself?” she asked, taking a step closer as her reptilian eyes shone with false emotion. It... it had to be false emotion. Although maybe she did have my best interests at heart. I shook my head, trying to clear my muddied thoughts.

I drew back. “Well, it's true that I trust in myself... but don't... don't say 'we.' You're... not me...” I wasn't even convincing myself. Darkness crept into the corners of my vision, as staying conscious became a chore.

“Then shut up and trust this.” Her horn glowed, and as my horror grew, she pulled me in for other vampiric kiss. As her lips just brushed against mine, she whispered, “Don't worry. I'll take care of everything for us. Trust me.”

“N-no... stop...” I moaned, trying to pull away from her. A wave of revulsion, like a thousand parasprites marching just under my skin, swept over me. This was wrong. I shut my eyes and looked away in shame.

“Look at me. Look at yourself.” Her voice was hypnotic, soothing. Despite my best efforts, I turned back and looked deeply into the depths of those half-lidded, draconic eyes. “We've only needed us. Always.” Her hoof brushed the side of my face, and despite my horror, an electric thrill ran down my spine. Knowing that there was a part of me that seemed to want this made everything worse. Yet, her eyes—my eyes—were so inviting. “Our whole lives, all we've needed are us and our princess. Right?”

“Right,” I mumbled, feeling my eyelids start to droop as her words rolled into my ears. “Always the princess.”

I chuckled, feeling the foreleg holding me shake from my own laughter. I looked into my own slitted eyes; I had a point. It was getting hard to think, and the more I listened to myself, the more I seemed correct.

As I stared at myself, I said, “You see? Not so bad. Just accept me. Accept yourself. Who am I? Who are you? Who are we?”

I stared at the pony—at myself—inches from my face, whose hot breath continued panting its way onto my muzzle. “I'm Twilight Sparkle. You're Twilight Sparkle.”

As one, both of me said, “We are Twilight Sparkle,” and I felt at peace with the new serenity I had shown myself. Sometimes, surrender could be such a sweet thing.

Then, I kissed myself, and as everything fell into the darkness of unnatural rest, only one thought stayed with me, fading in power as I pressed my soft lips into mine, destroying any will and conscious thought I had: Celestia. Celestia. Celestia...

I got to my hooves slowly, feeling very drowsy. I was in the shadow of a throne, and I had been... been... what had I been doing? My mind was shrouded in fog, as though thinking about anything on my own was like looking up from the bottom of the ocean at a solitary pegasus high above the clouds. Something around my neck pulsed, and I looked down to see what it was.

Around my neck was a halter in the royal style, emblazoned with an image of a silvery moon against a dark background. My mind stirred at this sight, and as the picture pulsed again, the fog in my mind cleared. Of course: I was with my Mistress. The Mistress had been dealing with the rebel faction opposing Her. But hadn't it been her sun-raising sister that I had been following? Celestia?

I swayed on my hooves, overcome by nausea. Although it was ridiculous to consider me being anything but loyal to my Princess and Mistress, a part of me still screamed that I had been tutored by that “Celestia” who had done so much to try to unbalance my Mistress' reign. I feel to the ground and writhed, feeling that traitorous part of me that was so willing to ignore everything my Mistress had done for me in favor of such a ridiculous idea burning like a terrible, terrible disease in my mind.

Princess Celestia was my teacher. Princess Celestia was my teacher.

My Mistress was who I served. My Mistress was who I served.

I beat my head against a nearby wall in frustration, trying to drown out the disloyal voice. I would never betray my Mistress, but what if she was never my mistress at all? I shook my head, quickly, only to notice my halter flaring again. I closed my eyes, trying to shut out its harsh glow, even as I felt it wash over me and soothe my tormented spirit.

When I opened my eyes again, I was calm. No longer did impure thoughts cloud my mind; there was only love for my Mistress: Nightmare Moon. The way it should be. I was a good pony. I climbed to my hooves, feeling myself rather short of breath from my ordeal. I looked myself over quickly, but aside from a lingering pain around my throat—thinking on it made my head hurt, as though there was a memory I couldn't quite grasp—I was fine.

The sound of heavy hooffalls echoed behind me, and I turned, uncertain of what I would see in this fearful place. However, to my delight, it was only the glorious visage of my Mistress. I immediately bowed, as I was not worthy to so much as glimpse Her glorious mane. “Mistress, please forgive your lowly, unworthy servant who is not worthy to gaze upon Your...” My words sounded hollow, as though they were being fed into my mouth. The feeling sent a shiver from my ears to my tail. Could this be some side effect of whatever strange fugue had caused me to doubt my very memories? To make me think that the pony who had been a second mother to me and then a trusted teacher was somehow not deserving of my love and adoration? How absurd.

“Rise, Twilight.”

I blushed, feeling honored that She would remember the name of Her humble student, and rose to my hooves. “I... I am not worthy of your indulgence, Mistress...” I looked at the ground, still certain that I was unworthy of gazing at Her. As Her glorious mane snaked its way under my chin, forcing me to look at Her, my blush deepened and my tail raised of its own accord. Slightly, so it may have been mistaken for a nervous twitch. She seemed to think otherwise.

She drew back, alarm plain on her face. Quickly, however, her expression returned to one of entirely deserved superiority and she drew near once more. “I hadn't realized her feelings for my sister were that strong... I may have to adjust the enchantment,” my Mistress murmured.

Now that I was permitted, my dreamy gaze lingered upon my Mistress' perfect face, taking in everything about Her dark, beautiful expression. “Sorry, Mistress, what were you saying?” I slurred, intoxicated by Her hot puffs of breath on my face. She had never been this close to me, and I found her otherworldly scent positively intoxicating. A slow, dreamy smile came over my face. Although I knew there was probably important business at hoof—crushing those who would threaten Equestria's perfect state of eternal happiness, forever shrouded in a pristine night—all I could focus on were her deep eyes, which no doubt saw through to the foalish state of my thoughts. She was clever like that, perfect like that, sharp like that; if I grew up to be even half the pony my Princess was, I could die happy. She was the mold I wanted to cast myself in. Ever since I saw her raise the sun at the...

I felt a faint buzzing in my head. The sun?

“What was that, Twilight?”

A small, electric thrill went through me again, just to hear Her saying my name. Apparently, I'd said it aloud. “I'm... I'm sorry, Princess...” I tried extra hard to bring out the respectful capital in apology. “My mind's kind of loopy tonight. I don't know why. Too many hours studying under you, I suppose...” I sighed, a schoolfilly gazing at a first crush. How very like her: she had far more pressing concerns, and when I showed a hint of very fragile, innocent mortal weakness, she tried to help. How magnanimous. How empathic. How like the princess who ruled over that which gave us light...

The buzzing grew louder, a sharp keening in my ears. Why did I keep associating Her with the sun? I whined, sounding a little like a puppy desperately trying to hide wrongdoing from its mother.

She quirked an eyebrow almost to the ridge of her helmet, and for a brief, horrifying moment, I was sure I had disappointed her. Had this all been a test? Was I about to fail?

Luckily, faint calls of my name from several ponies came from a spiral staircase at the other end of the room and distracted us both from my failures. My little headache grew more insistent upon hearing them, and I clenched my head between my forelegs to block it out.

Nightmare Moon, true ruler of Equestria, my Mistress and teacher, reached down and smoothed my mane. Heat rose to my cheeks; She was touching me! “Don't worry, Twilight. I know you must be confused. Just trust in what you know to be the truth, my little pony.” She directed my gaze with a tip of her mane to the moon sigil I wore. “Know that you are my most valued subject... and student, Twilight. I will not let these ponies, who are bent on ruining everything I hold dear, have their way.” She stood and pointed an accusing hoof at the doorway with perfect dramatic flourish, sending my heart aflutter with renewed admiration. “I, Nightmare Moon, shall protect you. Hide thyself in the darkness that is my domain and trust in me.” She turned and grinned the grin of a predator setting a trap. “I will not fail Equestria.”

My mouth moved, but I failed to form words. To avoid looking like a more foalish foal, I nodded vigorously and jumped into a shadow from a nearby pillar to watch my Mistress defend Equestria firsthoof. I bit my lip to avoid squealing with glee. Although she rarely displayed it, accounts of Her battle with the traitorous Princess Celestia told of powerful magics she subdued her with before she banished her to the moon. To see such amazing magic for myself was like something from a dream!

The buzzing in my head grew to a shrieking that threatened to split my horn. Why would Nightmare Moon banish Celestia to the moon? Wasn't it to the sun, so she could sit amidst her own element and think on her crimes?

I shook my head, dismissing the conjecture. Of course my Mistress had banished Celestia to the moon; where better to keep an eye on a powerful enemy than one's own seat of power? I stuck my muzzle in the air with swelling pride; logic had defeated foalish emotion once more. At this, my treasonous confusion waned, becoming little more than an annoying whisper in a sun-loving voice that amounted to little more than nothing. Satisfied that I had dealt with my own issues, I turned my attention to the door to see my Princess deal with Equestria's.

A group of five ponies had advanced cautiously into the room: a cyan pegasus with a prismatic mane and tail who looked ready to destroy anything that looked at her crossways (Rainbow Dash, my mind whispered), a yellow pegasus who seemed ready to permit anyone to do anything if we could all get along (Fluttershy, my mind whispered), an orange earth pony wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a serious expression (Applejack, my oddly well-informed brain told me), a pink pony who looked like a clown (“Pinkie Pie” was the name I guessed at), and a white unicorn with an indignant, yet concerned expression on her face (Rarity, my brain supplied). For some reason, I felt I knew these ponies, although I was sure I'd never seen them before. Since they were rebels, had I suppressed the memory of meeting with them? The memory surely would have been something I'd felt ashamed about, owing to my strong loyalty to the Crown of the S—Moon, so it made some sense. Idly, I swatted the air around me with my tail, as though I could dispel the resurgence of my bout of confusion. If only I could make myself—body and soul—the perfect student for Her. But, I lived, so I was flawed.

“Where's Twilight, huh?” “Rainbow Dash” cried as she maintained a steady hover. “What have you done with her?” Without waiting for a response, the foolhardy foal dove forward, only to be halted by “Applejack” grabbing “Rainbow Dash’s” long, vibrant tail in her mouth.

“Now, hold on there, Rainbow Dash,” she said through a mouthful of tail. “No need to go flying off the handle now.” Interesting: I did seem to know these ponies from somewhere if I knew their names. But where? When I looked at them from behind the pillar, I felt a sort of itch from my brain—as though there was something that I really should have remembered, but the memory was just gone, as though I were missing a few synapses.

“But... what if something scary happened to Twilight?” Fluttershy asked, daring to peek out from behind Applejack's rear.

My Mistress shot a scathing glare at the pitiful pegasus, who quickly yelped and ducked back behind Applejack.

“Oh, nothing 'scary' has happened to Twilight. She's safe and sound,” my Mistress assured them with a casual smile.

“Well that's good!” Pinkie Pie said. “I kinda figured we were in one of those scary-wary situations where suddenly everything's all darky and then you try to light a candle to lighten the mood and someone says, 'But Pinkie, that's not what what that expression means' and then everyone has a good laugh at how silly that pony was for misunderstanding such a simple phrase!” As everyone stared at her, trying to process her rapid-fire rambling, she added, “I mean, what else would it mean? Of course ponies were having trouble seeing!”

“Er... thank you, Pinkie,” Rarity said. She turned to my Mistress, and in her audacity, looked Her directly in the eyes without permission.

I was quite sure didn't like her.

“Well then, er, Nightmare Moon, if our friend is alright, would you mind simply trotting her out here?” My heart fluttered when she said the word “friend”—had I been her friend? Out of the aether, my pounding headache returned a thousand fold, as though part of me was desperate to break free of my own mind. I grit my teeth, determined to whether whatever weakness was making me doubt myself once again. I believed in my Mistress. I believed in Nightmare Moon.

Just as the pain became unbearable, the choker I wore pulsed with a soothing light, and the pain vanished. A slow, smooth exhale of breath I hadn't been aware I was holding followed as relief washed over my body. Those ponies were not my friends. I would never have befriended somepony who wanted to bring down Her Majesty and ruin Equestria. I put a gentle hoof to the necklace I wore; it bore Her very emblem, symbolizing Her trust in me.

“In due time,” Nightmare Moon purred. “First I must ask something of you foals.”

They all tensed, sensing the dangerous undercurrent in her words. From the shadows, I smirked. They were wise to not underestimate her; t'was a shame their wisdom did not seem to extend to whom to support as ruler.

My Mistress struck a dramatic, commanding pose, and my heart melted at the sight. She was just so perfect in every way: always strong, always in control, always kind, and always ready to help me.

If I could permit myself a touch of foolishness, I could almost call it admiration. No, admiration was too weak of a word. My whole life, I had known exactly who I wanted to be, what pony I wanted to emulate, what standard I strove for: I wanted to be just like my Mistress, the perfect princess Nightmare Moon.

One could even call it love.

Meanwhile, Nightmare Moon continued. “Will you swear loyalty to me as ruler of Equestria?” She gave them an imposing gaze, looking every inch the majestic royal prepared to offer magnanimous pardon to misguided idealists. How perfect, how without flaw, how noble she was!

“No!” they all chorused, determination carved into all their features.

I sagged. Were they really so stubborn?

“What a shame. Still, it was only a question.” My Mistress grinned anew. “I think you'll find that having me as your ruler is entirely more pleasurable than my sun-loving sister. Isn't that right, Twilight?” She cast a beckoning glance in my direction.

Nervous at being put on the spot, I walked out from the shadows, ignoring the astonished gasps from the five ponies. With precise purpose, I took my place next to Her and gazed out at the small band of rebels.

Applejack sputtered, “Twilight! You're okay!”

I shifted, uncomfortable at being addressed in such a familiar way by somepony who was the anathema of everything I stood for and loved. “Of course I am...” I said, unsure how exactly to respond to such concern from a complete stranger.

“What's that weird thing around your neck?” Pinkie Pie asked, pointing at my moon emblem torque.

I drew back, clutching at it for protection. Somehow, it felt wrong to have her even look at it. “It's a symbol of the trust and love I have for Her!” Once again, I stressed the respectful capital. I calmed myself, lowering my shaking hoof from the brooch. They seemed like rational ponies. Surely, at least one of them would have the sense to repent if I just explained things. I drew myself up, trying to look the perfect diplomat. “Look, I'm sure you all have your reasons for opposing Princess Nightmare, but please, I beg of you, reconsider.” She glanced at me askance as I said this, perhaps noting my unusual form of address in regards to Her. Somehow, staring out at these rebellious ponies, it seemed right.

“And what makes you so sure about this? Were you a spy the whole time?!” Rainbow Dash cried, pointing an accusatory hoof in my direction.

“A spy?” I shook my head. “No, I was never a spy.” I shifted closer to Her, and She wrapped a protective wing around me. Unable to help myself, I nuzzled into Her coat, blushing as I did so. I was a weak pony, but She allowed me my indulgences. I turned back to the five ponies, who seemed to look more and more stunned by the moment, their mouths agape. “I don't know what your reasons are, but I know She can deal with them! She's always treated me well, even when I was a filly.” I sighed, awash in fond memories of my days spent under her tutelage.

“I thought you said you were Princess Celestia's student?” Applejack sputtered.

“W-what? No!” I jerked away from my Mistress, fearful of her wrath if She believed them. “Please, Princess! I was never... I wouldn't...” My mouth clamped itself shut before I could babble anything else.

“She was a spy! That's all I need to hear!” Rainbow Dash launched herself forward, but even as I felt Her tense up in anticipation, Applejack bit on her tail and held her back.

“Something doesn't seem quite right here,” Rarity said. “Twilight was bent on stopping Nightmare Moon's return, and without all of us, we wouldn't have gotten this far.”

“What... what do you mean?” My headache started to return, and my vision swarm. Somehow, flickers of these ponies—traveling with them, laughing with them—were rising in my consciousness. Why did I have these false memories?! What trickery was this? If I could have, I would have vomited; thinking such disloyal thoughts towards the great pony I'd idolized my entire life made me feel ill. My Mistress' gift to me, my moon torque, glowed, and for a moment, the feeling vanished and all was well again. Moments later, the memories resurfaced, which made my nausea resurface, which made the torque glow again, which made the misery vanish, which made the memories resurface... “Stop it! Just stop!” I screamed, dropping to the floor in agony. “I don't want to be confused! I don't want to be wrong!” Tears fell from my eyes as my Mistress' gift, intended only to soothe my aches, reinforced the cycle of suffering. “Please...” I whispered, reaching a trembling hoof towards the dark figure of salvation above me. “Please... help me.”

She took my hoof with her own, causing me to shiver with pleasure in the midst of my agony. “I will.”

Such simple words, yet they held so much power. Even now, in the depths of my despair, weakness, and pain, here She was, ready to help me and support me, as She always did. I couldn't even imagine what would have happened on that day if She hadn't restrained my out-of-control magic during the exam. She had always been right there, ready to help a weak, clueless pony find her way in a big, complicated world; what had I done to deserve such indulgence? Truly, Her patience and kindness knew no bounds.

“Hey everypony, look at that weird shiny thing coming from that moon thing!” Pinkie Pie said, pointing to the precious gift She had bestowed upon me.

“That must be what's making her act all funny-like!” Applejack said. “Come on, girls—we've got to help her. We're friends, aren't we?”

A cheer of assent went up from the assembled ponies, but my mind froze on that one word: friends. Friends. Friends? Did I have friends? Were these ponies my friends? My eyes widened, shimmering with unbidden with tears I couldn't explain. “Are... are they my friends?” I whispered. Something—the beginning of something great and terrible, like a torrent of emotion—boiled up within me, like the precursor to a violent storm that yearned to explode from my body.

“No. Now sleep,” my Mistress told me. She touched her horn to mine, and over the valiant cries of the rebel ponies charging, I fell into Her element: darkness, as the feeling faded from my weary mind.

I opened my eyes and found myself staring at a wracked form. The pony before me, floating in darkness just as I was, closely resembled my Mistress. She was blue—a lighter color than the pony I revered—and her mane was not nearly as impressive, but save for those things and her shorter stature, I could have mistaken her for Her. Even their cutie marks were the same, which was not altogether unheard of, but this many similarities almost defied belief.

She looked up with world-weary eyes and chuckled, a tinny, wasted sound that felt almost insubtantial.

“Who are you?” My curiosity was going to get me in serious trouble one of these days.

Her sunken, dull eyes regarded me with pity. “My name, Twilight Sparkle, is Luna. You've suffered a terrible fate, haven't you?”

Twilight, Revised ch. 2 (The really long paragraphs draft)

“A terrible fate?” I echoed.

“Yes... I have been watching you,” Luna said.

My head cocked to the side, I tried to place this strange pony. She had both wings and a horn, and her strong resemblance to my Mistress made me somewhat suspicious. Could this be some trick of the mind, trying to make me doubt myself as it had not so long ago? “Who are you, really? You have both wings and a horn. Are you a princess?”

The ragged pony hung her head. “I... do not deserve such a title after the blasphemy I have wrought.” She paused for a few moments, clearly lost in some inner reverie. “But this is not about me, Twilight Sparkle. This is about you. It is too late for me, but you may yet be freed.”

“Freed? From what? Nightmare Moon—“ an involuntary, smitten sigh escaped my lips, unbidden, “—is going to take care of everything. Those weird ponies, my confusion... my Mistress will make it all better.”

Luna's right eye twitched, and her lips tightened, as though to restrain a small fit of rage. Clearly choosing her words carefully, she slowly said, “Very well. Consider this before you cut me to the quick. Ponder, Twilight Sparkle. Think back. Have you always depended on your...” She paused, her quivering lips almost choking on her words as she continued, “Mistress... quite so much as you have recently?”

The love-struck smile that had adorned my features faded. “Well... no.”

“And do you not think it strange that suddenly your mistress, your mentor, was suddenly so eager to leap in and help you directly?” She began pacing, circling around me in the dusky haze surrounding us. “Was she not always tasking you with solving things on your own? Finding your own solutions? Not using her as a cheap apothecary’s panacea?”

“Well, you do have a point there. I guess she does seem awfully willing to act right now... but that's because it's an emergency! Equestria is in danger!”

Luna, her eyes widening in fear and hope as she glanced around at the suddenly more oppressive darkness, shook her head in an emphatic no. “Thou art too sharp to live a falsehood. Think. Have any other oddities arisen? Does anything seem out of place?”

A sharp keening grew in my head as unbidden, obviously false memories of laughing and adventuring with rebel ponies rose to the forefront of my mind. “I...” I reeled, overcome with nausea; somehow, I didn't expect an already rare vomiting action to be any more common in a dream world. “I...” I shook my head. “N-no! I trust Her! She would never lie to me or deceive me! Stop... stop trying to confuse me.” I took a few steps closer—close enough that I could have reached out and touched her haggard face—and smiled. “I know me. And this is what I want. I want to be with my Mistress. I do not deserve to be the student of such a great pony, but I would never, ever desert Her. At Her side as Her faithful student is where I belong.”

Luna's face hardened, her brows furrowing downward as her ears lay flat against her head. “Student, or slave?” she barked. “Look at thyself, Twilight Sparkle! Remember who you truly are! Cast away the illusion of happiness and see what truly transpired. Who was the pony who, as a filly, pushed boundaries and overcame impossible odds to pass a magic test most grown unicorns could not hope to pass? Who was the pony who felt joy at seeing the sun be risen by her teacher?” The gloom surged in, so thick that I could barely see Luna's blazing eyes. “Where is your fire, Twilight Sparkle? Where is thy wit and will?” Tendrils reached out from the darkness, lashing about her legs and wings, but her gaze never wavered. “Wake up. Wake up, and see what she has made you, see what she made me. Wake up, lapdog!” The tendrils, desperate to drag her from my sight, tried to force their way into her mouth and gag her, but she thrashed about; her voice rose to a lion's roar. “Wake up, expendable pawn!” She faded from sight, dragged off by the omnipresent, inky blackness, but as I stood there, trying to make out what had happened, one final scream reached my ears: “Wake up, thou simpering slave!”

“Wake up, my faithful student,” a melodious voice admonished. Lightly, as though I was hearing a mother trying to rouse her child who had overslept by just a few minutes.

Feelings of dread and joy washed over me as I shifted, feeling a soft, downy surface beneath my back. My eyes fluttered open. “P-Princess?” Laying next to me atop the covers of a canopy bed was Princess Celestia; Her billowing mane and concerned eyes were mere inches from my drowsy gaze. “P-Princess?!” I scooted away, my face aflame as my mind raced. Princess Celestia was the enemy of Equestria. No, she was its savior and my teacher. No, Nightmare Moon was my almighty Mistress. The jewelery I wore pulsed, and as my mind cleared, I once again knew that Princess Celestia was my teacher.

Tears gathered in my eyes as the memory of what I had done returned to me—in sharp contrast to what I believed I had been doing. “Oh... oh, Princess! It was terrible! I... I...”

“Shh...” She held me close, running a soothing hoof through my frazzled mane as Her wings folded around me. “It's okay, Twilight. I know that it wasn't you. Nightmare Moon was using you.” My cheeks burned all the hotter; I couldn't remember the last time I had been this close to Her, close enough that a sugary-sweet scent floated into my nostrils every time I inhaled—the smell almost reminded me of waffles, or any comfort food a mother would make for a daughter the morning after a trying day. “I know you're probably still confused, but don't worry—everything should become clear in time.”

“Princess, I...” The tears ran freely, no doubt staining Her flawless coat. My voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. “I betrayed you. I... I failed you. I failed Equestria.”

Her hug tightened. “Don't you believe that, Twilight. Not for a moment. You performed admirably, my little pony.”

I buried my shame deeper into her coat, but I couldn't stop myself from a few muffled mutters. “But... you said to make some friends, and right when I made some friends... I abandoned them.”

“Oh, them?” Her voice dropped to an uncharacteristically low tone. “They weren't important.”

“W-what?” I pulled back.

An strange, sardonic smile graced Princess Celestia's face. “As you can see, I was able to escape on my own. The Elements of Harmony really were nothing more than an old mare's tale, I'm afraid.” She winced and averted her gaze. “You and your friends were a distraction so I could have time to escape. I must apologize for deceiving you, Twilight.”

My eyes widened in appreciation. “No, no, not at all! I'm just glad you're back...?” My voice trailed off to a confused whisper as my eyes—having had their fill of seeing Her again—wandered to the window. Night still reigned outside, and a few flowers in the window had begun to wilt, no doubt from a lack of sunlight. “Princess, why haven't you raised the sun?”

She chuckled and rose from the bed, moving to the window and gazing out at Her country, Her face an unreadable mask. “I'm afraid escaping from my prison took more out of me than I care to admit, Twilight.”

The cold claw of fear seized my heart and mind, throttling them. “Are you okay?!” I rushed to Her, my eyes darting to and fro over Her flawless body in search of some wound, some burn caused by Her ordeal. “Oooh, what can we do now? If you can't raise the sun, then all the plants will be in trouble, and everypony's still going to be living in fear of...”

Laughter, laughter like the tinkling bells of a Hearth's Warming Eve display, sounded from the magnificent mare before me, soothing my panicky mind. “Twilight, I'm not stuck like this forever. But... I do need to ask you to do something for me.”

“Anything, Mistress,” I replied without thought, dropping into a low bow that sent my tail high into the air. After a few beats of awkward silence, I rose with a cough. What was wrong with me? “I'm... I'm sorry, Princess. Something still isn't right with me...” I fidgeted, avoiding Her gaze. “Nightmare Moon... did something to me, made me believe I was her faithful servant.” I shivered, remembering the dark thrill of my doppelganger seducing me with my own body. “It was horrible... yet it kept feeling so right.” Aimless eyes wandered to the window, and I stared listlessly out at Equestria, still shrouded in an eternal night. “I wanted... I wanted to never leave her side. I wanted to make her happy in whatever way I possibly could. I never questioned. I... only obeyed.” Almost imperceptible shivers ran through my body. “She could have done anything to me, or had me do anything for her.” I turned back to a patient Celestia. Tears pooled in my eyes as my voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. “It was like... like...” My brain fumbled for a word, a word that somehow, I knew didn't exist in any language spoken in Equestria. An ugly, horrifying word that meant someone dominating you in every way, forcing themselves upon you, just to prove that they could, just to show that they had power and you did not. A degrading, dirty word that echoed of shame and sadness forevermore for anyone that was a victim of such an act. And in the face of all this, I had wanted it. She had made me want it.

Or had she? Would I have let Princess Celestia treat me in such a way just as easily? Obeying her without question, carrying out Her will wherever I went, with nary a thought to my own goals and dreams? A student without will, one who eagerly obeyed every directive without ever thinking of herself, only of the path and mission set before her.

A slave. A happy, willing slave, ready to never do anything for herself if her Mistress commanded it. Was this what I truly was, and Nightmare Moon's magic was only just now revealing it? Had this servile, appeasing pony lurked in me all along, yearning for the day when the nobler princesses of my mind abdicated, leaving me a dutiful serf happy to never make another decision for herself? For all I knew, this was what my purpose in life was: my cutie mark was ambiguous enough that no comfort could be found there, and come to think of it, my cutie mark had appeared the moment I met Celestia. For all my drive, all my gumption, all my will, this apparently was the core of my being: a pony happy to serve, grinding herself down until the nothingness of the grave's call became impossible to resist.

I heard, rather than saw, Princess Celestia approach and slowly drape a wing over me, careful to not startle me. “Twilight, it's okay. I know what Nightmare Moon did to you, and I'm sorry to ask so much of you so soon, but I really have no choice. Please, Twilight. Help me save Equestria.”

I sniffled, willing the tears back. As though casting off a heavy weight, I lifted my head up until I was staring directly into Her soft eyes. “Of course. But... how do I know I'm not under some kind of residual effect? What if... somepony says some kind of trigger phrase or something, and I go back to... back to...?” Fresh convulsions came over me; not even Princess Celestia pulling me in for a gentle, warm hug quelled them.

“Twilight, I examined the magic she placed on you. Fully reversing it without causing permanent damage to your mind would take more power and time than I have right now, but I did what I could. Anything I couldn't remove, I just changed so you would feel towards me rather than her.”

“W-wait.” I pulled away from the hug, grateful that Her wings parted to allow me to distance myself. “So you're saying... you changed me so that you're my... Mistress... now?” The word came out in an ugly, choked whine, as though I couldn't believe my own mind.

She nodded, her eyes downcast. “It was the only way, Twilight. Please believe me.”

I chuckled, feeling part of me crack under the stress of all that had happened today. “I'm not sure what disturbs me more... that I didn't care that I was under mind control then or that I don't care that I'm under mind control now.”

She winced. “That is such an ugly phrase, Twilight. Think of it more like... a state of suggestion. Nightmare Moon's magic essentially just switched her place and mine in your memories, while amplifying your feelings for me.” She chuckled. “If anything, I should be thanking her—right now, you're the only one I can be sure I can trust thanks to that.”

I took a concerned step forward, not noticing when I bumped my hoof against a coffee table. “Trust? What do you mean?”

Her expression darkened, a cloud briefly passing across the sun. “Twilight, what I'm about to tell you pains me very greatly, but it must be said. ...There are members of my court here in Canterlot who would see Nightmare Moon triumph.”

I gasped. “No! Who would do such a thing?”

“That's what I need you to find out. I know I can trust you, my faithful student—under the pretense of being too ill to govern, I will appoint you as my regent. I'll need you to sniff out the spies in Canterlot as best you can, while I do some work of my own behind the scenes to work on restoring my own power and setting a trap for them.”

I reeled: me, ruling Equestria? What madness was this? “I... Princess, I can't. I'm... I'm still just a student! I'm not worthy of the throne, even if it's in your stead!” My knees gave out on me as thoughts of Equestria—all of Equestria—rattled in my brain. Everything from the woes of Ponyville's weather squad to ensuring the Frozen North didn't spread south would be my responsibility. I would be assigned a job that one pony, a magnificent pony, had been doing for all Her long life. Millions of ponies had passed through Canterlot's throne room under Her loving, watchful eyes, and each life had been Her responsibility. Was I up to such a task? Could I possibly handle being the one pony responsible for the lives, the safety, and the well-being of untold thousands I'd never meet?

I plopped on the floor; the dull clang of my moon emblem necklace seemed a fitting exclamation point to my conclusion. “I can't do it, Princess,” I whispered. “I... I'm just a unicorn who writes papers and studies magic. That's all. I can't... I can't be you. How could I be?” I curled up into a ball, grabbing my tail with my forehooves. “What would I do? What would I say? How would I know what was right? If I did something wrong, thousands, millions would pay the price.” My hooves twitched uncontrollably. “I'd be remembered as the pony who ruined Equestria!” I wailed. “What... I'd undo all the work you've done, Princess.” I gulped and steadied my frantic breaths, trying to look at least a little composed. “I'm so sorry; I can't be you. Maybe... maybe I wanted to be. Back then.” When I had been just a foal, reading book after book about Her exploits and history, then I had thought that I could become just as great of a pony. Now, after experiencing firsthoof being the pawn of one of Equestria's greatest enemies, I knew that my foalhood dreams had been just that: dreams. “But now? I know my limits. I'm not you, and I never could be.”

Silence gripped the room. I couldn't bear to look up, to see the disappointment no doubt writ large all over Her face. In a barely audible squeak, I addressed the tiles. “I'm sorry I wasted your time.”

I lay there, awaiting Her departure so that She could find someone more worthy of Her attentions. I was just a lowly unicorn. Even if I had just been meant as bait, I had failed Her by falling to the enemy at a critical moment. Even if it were under manipulation, I had happily let the poisoned words of one who was set to ruin Equestria fill my mind with madness. I had nuzzled a bringer of darkness, even when five who were trying to bring the light stood just before me. I had been willing—eager, even—to do anything my Mistress required of me. A more cynical part of me pointed out that it could have been worse; in the condition I was in, Nightmare Moon could have ordered me to beat the life out of the five ponies who only wanted to save me, and what would I have done? In response to that, I would have batted my eyes at her in head-over-hooves affection, rubbed my face in her coat, whispered a statement filled with affirmatives and “Mistress” over and over, and leapt at my friends-come-enemies like a rabid, untamed bitch intent on destroying anything that came close to what she loved.

No. I was not worthy of my true Mistress' trust.

“Twilight. Look at me.”

I clamped my mouth shut against a “Yes, Mistress,” that struggled to escape my lips and looked up through a film of water at Her. The moment I saw her, the phrase escaped anyway, which only made the growing emptiness inside me accelerate. “What, Princess? What can I do?”

“You can help me. Please, Twilight, I do wish there was some other way, but this is the only way.” She lay on the floor, bringing her eyes—her beautiful, reflective eyes—level with mine. “Help me, my faithful student. Help Equestria. You’re the only one who can.” She leaned in.

For a brief, foolish moment, I was certain she was going to kiss me. She went over my lips, however, and planted the briefest, daintiest, most innocent peck on the tip of my horn. Heat shot to my cheeks as my tail shot straight up in surprise. “P-Princess C-C-Celestia! I-I-I-I…” I averted my eyes out of sheer terror… clearly it was terror that was causing me to hyperventilate and not excitement.

Who was I kidding?

“Twilight, please.” Her silky voice settled over me like a familiar bridle, guiding me towards the correct path. “I need you.”

“You… you need me?” My eyes shone as I turned back to Her. Maybe that was all I needed to hear: that the most important pony in my life needed me. A feeling of calm washed over me, eroding all my worries. Part of me whispered that sudden shifts in mood like this were hardly healthy, but that voice faded away in Her eyes.

She didn't ruin the moment with words. She merely nodded, Her eyes shimmering like the sun's reflection in two disturbed ponds. I would quell those ponds. I couldn't bear to see Her upset. “Okay. I'll... I'll do it.”

A smile warmer than the dawn alighted on Her face; I basked in its radiance. “Take this, Twilight,” She said, levitating a scroll sealed with Her signet mark towards me. “This gives you authority to act in my name. Don't worry: I'll send messages to all my advisers, and you can just read them what that scroll says and they'll understand.”

“Okay,” I murmured, unable to focus on much other than Her face.

“In the meantime, rest, Twilight. Rest.”

My eyelids grew heavy, and She floated me over to Her bed. “Will you...”

She left the room before I finished my sentence, and all faded into darkness.

I awoke, not from any change in the light—the moon still hung high in the sky—but from a rustling. I glanced over, only to see Her smiling face staring at me as one of her hooves stroked my mane. “Good morning, Twilight.” She grimaced—almost a little too perfectly—and her smile turned down at the corners. “Or it would be if I could raise the sun.” She shifted on the bed we were sharing.

Ignoring the shameful heat coming over me, I shimmied out of bed and onto my hooves. “Don't worry about it, Princess. I'm sure that the next dawn you bring will be all the brighter for the sun's absence!”

A shadow of a grimace—like an instinctual reaction nurtured over a lifetime of habit—passed over Her face for a brief moment, but vanished as quickly as it came. When she spoke, her voice took on a silky tone that I wasn't accustomed to hearing from Her. “Oh, and it will, my little pony. Just please—my court has been gathered in the throne room by my guards.”

“Okay! I won't let you down!” I was so filled with excitement I was sure I was going to explode at any moment; not only was I taking on an important mission for Her, but I was going to be the only pony in years to sit on Equestria's throne. I'd go down in history! “Twilight Sparkle: Loyal Regent of Equestria under the Merciful, Magnificent, All-Knowing Princess Celestia of Equestria” did have a nice ring to it. Although doubts about my ability to act as caretaker lingered, Her faith in me gave me strength. I was nothing on my own, but with Her guidance, I could do anything. Anything for Her. Anything for my Mistress, the most perfect pony in Equestria.

The door to the outside loomed before me, imposing upon me the massive weight and size of what I was about to do. My knees shook despite themselves, despite my attempts to quell them—didn't want to seem any more unworthy in Her eyes. The door, like the throne, was so much bigger than me. Than anypony, really.

“I...” I coughed, trying to clear the sudden lump in my throat. Could I do this?

The most beautiful, powerful voice in the world sounded from behind me. “Twilight.”

“Y-yes?” I turned, fearful of having disappointed Her with my apprehension.

“I believe in you.” Her smile—so simple, so stark, so powerful, just like the celestial body She ruled—blazed with a power that I drew on, a plant desperately trying to draw all the sustenance it could from a faraway sun.

“O-okay. I... I am not worthy of...”

“Oh, just get going already.” Her smile grew a tad impatient, and I scurried to do Her bidding.

“Y-yes, Mistress!” I scurried off, not thinking twice about my instantaneous obedience.

In moments, I found myself before the entrance to the throne room. The usual crowd of petitioners had been turned away today by Her guards—something I was very grateful for—so all that remained was a cavernous hall with only myself and two guards.

These guards looked a bit different than the norm. Their coats appeared black as the night—although I knew that without the armor on, they'd have normal coat colors—and their eyes... something wasn't quite right with their eyes. Their eyes were golden, which wasn't unheard of, but their pupils appeared narrowed and catlike, or even a bit draconic in nature. On top of that, leathery bat wings were folded at their sides. A half-forgotten memory, like a history book I'd been forced to forget, stirred in the back of my mind, whispering tidbits about a banished princess, but I dismissed the foalish thoughts.

I had more pressing concerns.

“Hello, sirs. Is the court gathered?”

They nodded, both moving in one fluid motion. It was a little creepy to watch, actually—had the guards formed some kind of hivemind when I'd had my back turned? “It has, Miss Sparkle,” they answered in unison.

A quick swallowing motion fed less water down my throat than I imagined all the moisture I was losing from sweat. “Okay. Thank you.”

They opened the doors for me, and I strode through.

A small herd of ponies had gathered around a well-appointed, solid table placed just below Her throne. They all looked up—a cacophony of coat colors, manes, horns, and wings—as the grand doors creaked open, signifying my arrival. It was difficult not to feel small in the presence of such important ponies, in such a critical place, but I had to believe in Her believing in me. It was all I could cling to.

A multitude of hushed whispers erupted among the ponies upon seeing me. I couldn't tell what they were saying, but I couldn't let it bother me. I kept walking, the distance feeling like dozens of miles, towards the front of the room, where a choice of two seats awaited me: Princess Celestia's throne or a simple, plush pillow.

After a moment's deliberation, I sat on the cushion, feeling it sink under my weight somewhat. I spotted a few nods around the table—most of them seemed to approve of me sitting with them rather than putting myself above them. Well, that was a start.

“H-hello, e-everypony. I'm Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia's student. She... she sent me here with a message for you all...” I levitated the scroll, hoping seeing Her seal on the scroll would calm my nerves. A few murmurs went around the table; they knew as well as I did that Her seal was difficult if not impossible to duplicate. Although a simple thing, it required ludicrous amounts of magic to create. Well, ludicrous for any unicorn, but to somepony like Celestia, it was nothing.

“Why hasn't she raised the sun?” one of them asked.

“It should all be explained in this.” I broke the seal, unrolled it, and began to read.

“To my court: I'm sure you're all wondering why Twilight Sparkle is before you, reading this proclamation. I'm sure you've heard rumors and unofficial reports, and a full one will be made available to you soon, but I was attacked by Nightmare Moon—the Mare in the Moon—just before the Summer Sun Celebration. I was left weakened, but thanks in large part to the efforts of my pupil Twilight Sparkle, I was able to escape banishment in the sun...” I paused. “She... she was trapped in the sun?” I shivered. Being bound, helpless, in the very thing you were born to guide across the heavens? What a horrific fate.

Noticing a few urging motions to continue, I did so. “I was able to escape banishment in the sun and re-imprison Nightmare Moon someplace a bit more secure. However, doing so left me in an extremely weakened state. I will recover, given time, but I will not be able to raise the sun for a brief period.”

Worried murmurs broke out as expressions of hope on equine faces turned to alarm. I lowered the scroll. “Don't worry, everypony. I spoke to her not too long ago, and she'll recover. She has a plan.”

I returned to the scroll. “In order to focus on my recovery, I am appointing Twilight Sparkle as regent of Equestria until such time that I can resume my duties. I expect you all to help with the day-to-day business of the country as much as you can—Twilight will need to spend a lot of time reassuring worried ponies that I'm okay. I'd do this myself if I could, but I think seeing a sunrise again needs to be my main focus.” Another burst of worried chatter came from the table.

“She'll be fine, everypony. Trust me.” Once they stopped fretting, I returned to the final portion of the letter. “As you may have noticed, the Royal Guard looks a bit different now. In light of what happened during the attack, I saw to it to change the enchantments on their equipment somewhat. They're still the same ponies who have served Equestria loyally underneath, so don't worry.

“Stay strong, my little ponies. I'll be with you again soon. I'm counting on each and every one of you. Signed, Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia of Equestria.” I emphasized the last part, quickly surveying the table for any guilty looks that might clue me in to a traitor. However, I saw nothing but sincerity... unless court intrigue was so new to me that I couldn't see past their masks of concern.

“Would you mind if I took a look at that, Miss Sparkle?” a glasses-wearing unicorn asked. I recognized him as one of the “regular” teachers at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Since I'd always had Her as my mentor, I didn't know his name, but something about the tone of his blue fur seemed familiar, as though I had seen him years ago.

I relinquished my grip on the scroll, only for it to be caught in his magic. He floated it over and examined it closely, pouring over every word. “It's Princess Celestia's writing, all right, and the seal appears genuine.”

A cold feeling of hurt throbbed in my chest. “Don't you trust me?”

“I'm afraid it's not a question of trust, Miss Sparkle. It's more... a question of caution. And, forgive me for saying so, but showing up here wearing, well...” His eyes traced downwards on my body, and for a moment, I thought he was thinking something obscene, before I realized what he was getting at.

“Oh, this?” I brushed the moon collar with a hoof, feeling an electric thrill shoot through me from the contact. “I wear this...” Don't say, “I wear this because I'm under a mind control spell put on me by the Mare in the Moon that's still kind of in effect, but it's okay because I think of Princess Celestia as my Mistress now and obey her at the drop of a crown,” Twilight. What do I take these ponies for, crazy? Sudden inspiration struck. “I wear this because... to remind me of what I must fight.”

“Fight?” a noble asked.

“Yes... fight.” I nodded. “I wear this as a reminder of the temptation to take the easy way out, the temptation to just give up and let those who would see Equestria fall win. Just think: right now, crops are withering in this long night, and everything and everyone who depends on those plants—us included—is in greater peril the longer this lasts. Sure, I could just roll over and meekly submit to a malevolent force, letting it have its way with me and Equestria, doing... d-doing whatever it wants.” My voice warbled as the memory of my corrupted doppelganger forcing herself on me rose from the depths of my mind, lavishing kiss after loving kiss upon me regardless of what I did or did not want; I summoned all the willpower I had to force those thoughts away. I had to focus. Had to be strong for Her. “But no! I will not yield so easily to that seemingly gentle night. The night has its place... but we need the sun. We need Princess Celestia. And I'm going to do all I can to make sure she can focus on getting healthy again by doing the best I can at what she has asked me to do. Are you with me?” I felt a bit cliché, pointing a hoof at the collected government officials of Canterlot (minus Her, of course), but it seemed like the thing to do.

For a few tense moments, nopony moved. Then, slowly, one by one, each pony stomped their hooves in approval; a few even cheered! I had always prided myself on my speaking abilities.

“Not bad for a novice orator!”

“Inspiring.”

“Equestria is in good hooves until Her Majesty recovers.”

“I'm behind you all the way, Miss Sparkle!”

A frown came over my face as I realized that any of those ponies—these ponies who were cheering my heartfelt speech—could be one of the traitors She was trying to find.

What followed was a flurry of activity; there were forms to sign, regalia to be made (even though I insisted She would be fine before long), and many hurried lectures that were essentially a crash course in Equestrian government. I knew the basics of how our government worked, but my studies were on magic, not civics, so much of this was new to me. More than once, I found myself wondering how I was going to handle being regent with this many things to remember.

Time and again, when I'd voice my concern, the pony speaking to me would smile, offer assurances, and say to not worry about the section of the government they oversaw. This made me worry. If all these ponies were to intend to try anything to seize power, I'd be none the wiser; yet, they all seemed so trustworthy, knowledgeable, and honest! Was this the sort of thing that Princess Celestia had to deal with on a daily basis?

The rest of the “day” was a blur of different coats, manes, cutie marks, and races of petitioners, all with the same questions: “Is Princess Celestia okay? When will she be coming back? Will the sun rise soon?”

I smiled as best I could and offered reassuring answers, but as the hours—I assume they were hours, at least—dragged on, I found myself inwardly growing more and more impatient with these ponies. When could I see my precious Mistress again? Still, I soldiered on. I had to do my best for Her.

Finally, the end of the “day,” blessed relief that it would be, arrived. I knew I had a few more ponies to deal with, but I was exhausted.

I turned to one of the guards perpetually standing near the throne. “Sorry, but could you start informing ponies that I won't be seeing any more petitioners?”

He nodded and moved towards the door; several of his fellows joined him, and they began gently herding protesting ponies out of the throne room.

I climbed down off my Mistress' too-large throne with a sigh of relief. It had felt strange—wrong, even—to have sat on that throne, unable to fill it properly, for hours on end, pretending to be as wise as Celestia. Gratefully, I shuffled away from the seat I was unworthy of filling, off to Her chambers to see what She had discovered. No doubt all of Her court wanted to pat me on the back for my “stupendous” and “amazing” job I had done filling Her horseshoes. Well, I wasn't going to have it. Nopony was as important as Her. Nopony.

Soon, I found myself before the impressive double doors that led to Her chambers. The guards posted outside both gave me a nod, recognizing my new rank. It still felt strange, getting deference from everypony; I was nothing compared to Her magnificence. Less than nothing, even.

I lifted a hoof and knocked, figuring I'd keep up the charade. “P-Princess? I hope I'm not disturbing you... are you well enough for me to come in?”

In what was probably an affected tone, She answered with a rasp, “Yes... Twilight. Do... do come in.”

I slipped inside, careful not to let the guards see even a hint of the room. As ever, they stood somberly, staring into their silent surroundings. I smiled. Those guards... they'd never change.

I closed the door behind me and stared into the darkened room. “I... Princess? Are you here?”

“Of course, Twilight. I knew you'd be coming.” With a flash from Her grand horn, light flooded into the room, revealing its familiar trappings of cushy comfort. She Herself sat on a pile of cushions. With an incline of the head, She invited me to join Her. I gratefully did so, flipping my tiny crown off my head and flopping onto the cushion. I nuzzled into Her warm, warm coat, relishing the feeling of safety and security from being so close to Her.

“Twilight,” that melodious, perfect, angelic voice said.

“Yes?” Regretfully, I removed my muzzle from Her sweet coat to stare upward into Her beautiful purple eyes.

“About the traitor hunt...”

“Oh... I'm sorry. I couldn't find any! Everypony seemed honest enough. I'll try harder later, I promise!”

A smile more radiant than the dawn and a light chuckle as airy as a breeze answered my plea for clemency. “Oh, Twilight, it's quite all right. You see...” She lowered Her voice to a whisper. “I found the traitors myself.”

My eyes widened and my ears shot upwards. What ponies would dare to try to disrespect Princess Celestia like that? Who could be so despicable, so low, so heretical? “Who is it?”

She leaned in further, so close I felt hot blasts of exhalation from Her muzzle. She glanced around quickly, as though expecting an assassin to leap from the shadows any moment. “My entire court,” She whispered.

My mouth hung open. “Wh-whaat?”

Her eyes glanced downward in shame. “Yes, Twilight... I'm afraid I misjudged them all. Every last one is plotting to take you out of the picture and have my caretaker 'tragically' misdiagnose me so I die in my sleep.” Her grin—an out-of-place, predatory grin of dark pleasure—spoke volumes of victory. “Little did they suspect that there were no nurses or doctors to bribe, so they were making inquires just so I could catch them red-hooved.”

“B-but... my... my brother is... is... he's one of those ponies...” It seemed impossible. Shining Armor, party to a plot to murder both his little sister and Her? I turned away, sniffling. It was all too difficult to process; what had my life become?

“Twilight, look at me.”

I obeyed instantaneously.

“I know it's hard. I know it's downright cruel to ask you to do more than you've done... but I need you to help me stop them. Help me save Equestria... and our lives in the process.”

“Of course. Anything. What do you need me to do?” My crisis of faith aside, self-preservation—and preserving Her life, of course—still ranked pretty high on my “To Do” list. Even beyond my own puny life, I would die for Her. My life would eventually end anyway, but Hers had years and years—perhaps all the years that would ever happen for all I knew—left. The world would not be the same without such a perfect pony.

“I need you to meet with my court—they probably want to talk to you anyway, advance their plan—and call them to a secret meeting here in three hours.”

“I... here? Are you...”

“Yes. Tell them that I have recovered enough to see them all again, and I have joyous news to share with them all.” A wan smile played over Her face. “Most joyous news.”

“Oh, it's a trap! I get it. I suppose you'll be recruiting members of the Guard to storm in?”

Her smile grew warm as She directed it at me. “As ever, you catch on quickly, my faithful student. I will, of course, want you there as well—I may need your help if they try to resist. Can I count on you?”

Not one thought flickered through my mind before I settled on my answer. “Always, Princess. I'll go tell them.” I rose, feeling downright giddy. This would all be over soon.

I stood next to Princess Celestia, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the traitor court. I had, for the purpose of this rank I still disliked—since when had I shied away from authority so much?—donned my miniature crown and stood poised to welcome all Her “guests.”

Two platoons of Royal Guards were waiting on standby just down the hall, and an emergency squad was lurking in Celestia's voluminous closet. How all four of them had managed to fit in there, I'd never know. Still, some anxiety refused to die—what if things got violent? I was no soldier; I'd never even had to defend myself. My hooves quaked; all things considered, I had led a pretty sheltered life in Canterlot. Danger, real danger, had lurked right here in the castle, and I had never known.

I shifted, nuzzling Princess Celestia briefly. “I'm... I'm scared, Princess.”

She turned to me, quirking an eyebrow. “Why, we'll be fine, my little pony. Don't worry—they won't know what's going to hit them until it's far too late. And we'll be safe. Trust in me, and in the guards—both have protected you and Equestria since before you were born.”

My shoulders slumped as I let out a tense breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. “Okay. You will go easy on them, won't you? I mean... I know my brother is a good pony, at least! I'm sure there's some reason behind him doing this!”

My fear returned tenfold as She said nothing, instead fixing her face into Her usual mask of serenity.

We waited for several minutes in silence. Abruptly, She spoke. “Come to think of it, Twilight, maybe you should be the one to greet them.” Upon seeing my terror-filled look inspired by the thought of being alone with all those dangerous ponies, She chuckled. “Oh, I'll be just on the balcony, and the Guard team will come out of the closet and help you if things get dangerous.” She raised her voice. “Right?”

“Yes, ma'am!” the four stallions chorused.

I chuckled in spite of myself; they hadn't caught one of the Princess' famous jokes. “Okay. Just... don't go too far, okay?”

“I promise.” Suddenly, she vanished before my eyes.

“Wh...” I shook my head. It was probably just some advanced form of teleportation, or maybe She could bend the light around her magical aura to hide Her magic. I couldn't risk any early arrivals hearing me and getting spooked.

So I sat, listening for the faint, muffled sounds of the nearby guards breathing. Shining Armor had once told me that they had a special breathing exercise for situ—no. Best not to think about him. That would only make this harder. But how could my brother—my kind, gentle brother—be one of the traitors?

Eventually, the ponies started filtering in. I nodded to each of them in turn as they gave me slight bows. They all took up various positions around the room, clearly unused to meeting here. Judging by the gawks on some of their faces, they had never been in here.

Either that, or they were just looking for places to hide an assassin in.

Shining Armor arrived and made a beeline for me. I winced inwardly; would I have to lie to him? “Twiley, the crown looks good on you,” he whispered, sitting down on a nearby cushion.

I gave him an awkward smile. “I just hope I don't have to get used to it. Today's been exhausting... well, if I can even call it a day.”

The smiles on both our faces vanished. “So what's this all about? Has Celestia recovered so soon? Is she going to raise the sun right here?”

Those wide blue eyes of his begged for answers. Answers he wouldn't like. Answers that I could not give; She would not allow me to give them. “Sorry... She doesn't want me to talk about it. The Princess would explain it better anyway.”

“A surprise, huh?” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Well, okay then.” Thankfully, he seemed content with that and relaxed as others filtered in.

I gazed across the room, taking in all the curious glances directed towards me. I kept a friendly—or what I hoped passed for friendly, given the mortal terror that beat through my veins—smile on my face, nodding when they would offer some small gesture of deference in return. I just wanted to go back to how things used to be—none of this regent business, none of this “fearing for my life” business: I was ready to be done with it and just go back to being a faithful student of magic under Her watchful protection.

One of the door guards gave me a knowing nod. Everypony had arrived.

I motioned for him to shut the door—against eavesdropping, of course, not because I was setting a trap for ponies who were plotting to kill me for their own personal gain, such a thing would be completely ridiculous and oh Celestia was I really doing this? I inhaled and exhaled deeply to calm my nerves. Everything would be all right. She had said so, and She was never wrong.

“Hello, everypony. I'm sure you're all wondering why you were called here today—tonight?” A few of them chuckled at my unintentional joke, although a few fearful eyes flicked over to the windows' view of the eternal night. “First of all, I must thank you all for preparing me for my duties as Regent on such short notice. I am forever in all of your debt.”

Faint murmurs of “It was nothing,” and other such sentiments arose from prideful mouths.

I continued. “I know it's been a long night for us all—Celestia knows I could use some sleep—but I felt that we all needed to hear what I and the Princess have gathered you here to hear. Princess Celestia has shown remarkable improvement since I spoke with you all and read Her proclamation, and She's eager to speak with you all.” I coughed, hoping nopony thought my over-emphasis of “her” and “she” was strange. Blasted magic. “And so, without any more delays or ados, it is my great pleasure to introduce my teacher, Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia of Equestria!”

I threw open the blinds and windowpanes She was hiding behind, expecting to hear polite applause and some cheers. Instead, a room full of shocked gasps answered me. I took a quick glance, but all I saw was Princess Celestia. Sure, She had a rather stern expression on Her face, no doubt in preparation for a stern talking-to, but there was nothing to be afraid of.

“N... Nightmare Moon,” a pony breathed.

I rounded on him. “What are you talking about? Have you gone crazy? That's Princess Celestia, as sure as I'm talking to you!”

Princess Celestia advanced into the room, and all pandemonium broke out. Terrified ponies screaming insanity about Her being the Mare in the Moon ran for the door, only to be met by the Royal Guards who had been lurking just outside. The loyal guards, I noted with satisfaction, were holding back the traitors well. Other nobles went for the windows, but I quickly slammed those shut with magic fields, trapping them between my Mistress and Her guards.

Shining Armor, looking furiously everywhere, kept screaming, “Stand down! Stand down!” at the guards who were starting to haul away some of the more panicked ponies. None heeded his order, and he rounded on me.

“Twilight Sparkle, what have you done?! Are you crazy? You've betrayed us all!”

I glared back at him, matching him intensity for intensity. “No. I've saved us all.” I softened my gaze. “Don't worry, I know you probably didn't want to be in on this. We'll stop them.”

Instead of backed off himself, he rushed the space between us and starting shaking me. “Twilight, what's happened to you?! Why are you helping Nightmare Moon? Wake up... wake up! Twiley, please!”

“M-Mistress, help me!” I cried in desperation. For all I knew, he was going to start choking me.

Shining Armor was hefted off the ground effortlessly by Her magic, and She stepped forward, gazing at him with a smug expression. “I'm afraid your sister can't help you. She knows who her princess is.”

Shining grit his teeth, rage building behind his normally placid face. “You monster! What have you done to her?!”

I rushed to just below him. “She hasn't done anything to me! Please, stop this craziness—you're scaring me!”

She smiled. “Why, what an inconsiderate brother you are. Making his sister fret like that... can't you see the poor thing is distressed? You should just declare your alligence to me and calm the poor thing's nerves.”

He spat on her face. “Never!”

It was true. I shuddered in fear. The one pony I thought would never betray Equestria was in league with its enemies. What had happened to my life? To everypony's life?

He turned to me, ignoring my quailing. “Don't worry, Twilight. I don't know what she's done to you, but I'll save you! Nightmare Moon won't—“

Something inside me broke. “That's Princess Celestia! Have you all gone blind or do you just think I'm an idiot?! It's like I don't even know you any more! Don't talk about saving me.” I walked up to my Mistress, who draped a protective wing around me. “I'm fine right here. This is where I belong.”

“Oh, Twilight,” he whispered, sorrow pooling in his eyes.

“Take him away!” Princess Celestia commanded, glee resounding in Her voice. All the other rebels had been hauled out of the room, presumably to the dungeons, where She would give them a stern talking-to once they'd broken free of their mass hysteria.

“That's Nightmare Moon! Please, believe me!” Shining Armor cried, his eyes frantically searching for somepony, anypony to help him, before settling on me. “Twily—please. Help your brother,” he whispered as the guards started to drag him through the door.

My gaze hardened. This traitor dared to ask me for help after insulting Princess Celestia? “I have no brother,” I whispered.

His head hung in defeat, the former captain of the royal guard was hauled away to answer for his sins against Her.

“I win,” Princess Celestia whispered behind me. “I win!” She laughed—gently at first—growing into a cackle of terrible power. Lightning crackled in the sky, silhouetting her triumphant form.

My heart skipped a beat—she was so authoritative. I liked it. Daring to let myself revel as She was, I joined in Her laughter. Once She stopped, and nothing but pure joy was written on Her beautiful face, I said, “We win, Princess! We... we stopped them! Equestria is safe.” Daring even further, I darted up and nuzzled her, expecting an affectionate return from Her. My eyes closed, letting me immerse myself fully in Her scent, the feel of Her coat.

However, I felt nothing but the air on my back in return.

“Get away from me, foal.” My mentor's voice cut the air, a sudden blade of ice thrust into the warm body of my happiness.

I acquiesced, backing away and casting my opened eyes downward. “W-what did I do, Mistress?”

“Nothing. You have done well.”

I looked up, eyes shining in gratitude. “Oh, thank you, M—”

“I have no further need of you. Begone.” Her stare, as emotionless as the very walls of the room we stood in, shook me to my core.

“W—but I—b-b-but I—”

“Did you not hear me? I said... begone, foal!” She rushed forward, blinking through the distance between us in an instant. Before I had time to even breathe again, one of Her hooves slammed into my midsection, sending me skidding across the suddenly burning carpet before my spine slammed into a wall.

I looked up from my prone position, my tail and legs curling underneath me meekly; I shivered despite myself, feeling cold and abandonded. “M... Mistress, please... what have I done to displease you? Have I... haven't I done everything you... you wanted? Please, I just... I just want to make you happy...” I swallowed, feeling my shame slide down my gullet as tears broke free of my eyes. My voice took on a rasp as desperation tinted my voice. “You've always been the most important pony in my life. I... please, I don't know what my lowly self has done to anger you, and I'm sorry I failed you, but I... I... Please, just let me go on being your faithful... faithful...” A foreign voice whispered the word “slave” in my mind, but I simply let my plea trail into silence, hoping my mournful expression would do the rest.

She turned away from me without so much as a shadow of regret passing over Her glorious face and addressed Her guards. “Remove this miserable excuse for a pony from my sight.”

As the hard hooves of the guards resounded softly on the carpeted floor, I closed my eyes, resigning myself to my fate.

I didn't know how, I didn't know why, but I had failed Her.

Rainbow Dash's Addiction (the TWEEST version)

I paced back and forth, casting nervous glances around the library. Rainbow Dash was still sound asleep in front of the Daring Do shelf, snoring rather loudly. A caked layer of dirt and mud covered her face and discolored her mane, adding streaks of brown into her rainbow tangle of hair. A thin line of drool ran from her mouth onto the floor. Fortunately, it hadn't gotten on any of the books, but I would still have to have Spike clean it up later.

I turned back to the others, keeping my voice low. Everypony else from my friends was present, huddled around a table. I took a quick assessment of everypony's emotional state; if we were going to help Rainbow Dash, we needed to be at our best.

Fluttershy sat, trembling, trying to hold a cup of cocoa. The poor thing had been inconsolable ever since she had discovered what poor Rainbow Dash had been going through. Tears gathered in the corner of her narrowed eyes; clearly, Fluttershy wasn't going to be able to keep it together. I walked over and put a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. “Don't worry, Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash is tough. With our help, she'll make it through this,” I whispered.

Fluttershy sniffled and nodded. I offered her a gentle chuckle and a smile. We had to be at our best. We had to.

Pinkie Pie, for once, was holding still, which made me nervous. As she was next in line, I walked to her and whispered, “You okay, Pinkie?”

All she did was nod and keep her huge eyes glued to the table. A thin line of persperation rolled down my neck; if Pinkie Pie was this muted, she had to have been deeply troubled by what Rainbow Dash had done.

To my surprise, Rarity seemed composed, calmly sipping tea from a cup she held with her magic. Her eyes were closed as she lost herself in minty bliss.

“You... seem fine, Rarity.”

“But of course, darling. After all, Rainbow Dash would hate to see us pitying her, would she not?” Her eyes opened in a watery movement, and she smiled a bittersweet smile. “Don't worry Twilight—I'll be okay. Rainbow Dash is the one that needs help, not us.”

I nodded my silent thanks and moved on. Rarity could be surprisingly strong when she needed to be.

Applejack was next, and if anything, she looked the worst for wear, aside from Rainbow Dash itself. She clutched her hat to her chest like it would blow away if she let go for even a moment, and she kept murmuring to herself, “Never meant for this to happen... Never meant for this to happen... Can't be my fault...”

I could only shake my head. Applejack would just have to come around. Then again, were I in her horseshoes, I would probably feel much the same. I'd never be able to forgive myself if I had hurt one of my friends, even if I hadn't meant it; Applejack just needed to hear that Rainbow Dash forgave her.

The sharp clack of a hoof hitting wood sounded from behind me, and after I gave Spike a quick signal to lock the door, I turned back to Rainbow Dash, who was stirring at last.

“Ugh, my head...” she moaned. Her eyes opened lethargically, only to shoot wide open in surprise when she spotted all of us. “Huh? What? What are you guys doing here?” She swayed to her hooves, looking for all the world like a drunk caught red-hooved by a teetotaler. “What's... are we having a party, Pinkie?”

Her eyes traveled upwards of their own accord, until they came to rest on the banner I had made. She mouthed the words as she read them. “Wh—intervention? Is this some kind of joke?” Her wings flared out, and she stared at us with a mixture of anger and confusion.

I stepped forward, figuring it was best to address the elephant in the room. “Rainbow Dash, this is an intervention. We're all here because we care about you, and we're all really worried for you.” I turned. “Right?”

A chorus of nods and assorted murmurs of assent answered me.

“Wh-what the hay are you talking about? I don't have any kind of problem.” She took to the air, rising unsteadily on unsure wings. “Guys, for a prank, this isn't very funny.”

Before she could move to take off, Rarity and I grabbed her with her magic. “This isn't a joke! You have a serious problem, and we want to help you with it.”

Rarity stepped forward, wearing her very best pout. “Please, Rainbow Dash. I beg of you, let us help.”

With her help, we lowered Rainbow Dash back to the floor, ignoring how thin of a line her mouth was drawn into. Her forelegs crossed, and it was clear she was not amused with what we were doing. “Fine. But I'm telling you, I don't have a problem! I-I could quit any time I wanted!”

Once Dash's rump was on solid wood again, Rarity rushed forward and held Rainbow Dash close, burying her head in that prismatic mane. “Oh, Rainbow Dash! I simply cannot stand to see you like this!” She pulled her head out in disgust, noticing how dirty the mane she was nuzzling was. “Why, just look at yourself!”

Rarity floated a small mirror over from her saddlebags lying near the door and held it in front of Rainbow Dash, letting her examine herself. Judging by her flattened ears, she didn't really like what she saw. “Rainbow Dash, I know you don't like to spend much time on your appearance, but you've always been such an elegant mare, with your natural style. Why, just look at what this addiction has done to you!”

I watched, fascinated, as Rainbow Dash first puffed up from Rarity's words, then deflated. Interesting. Subconsciously, I made a note to ask Rarity if she had ever studied psychology; she certainly knew how to push a pony's buttons well enough. However, manipulation didn't seem like the correct solution to this problem. What we needed was some honest, truthful advice.

I glanced over to Applejack, whose eyes were everywhere except Rainbow Dash. I suppressed a sigh; she didn't deal with guilt well, and we all knew it. How ironic that she knew her stubbornness kept landing her in uncomfortable situations, yet she was helpless to correct it. Still, change didn't happen overnight; I knew that quite well.

Fluttershy stepped forward, clearly not wanting to break up the moment Rarity and Rainbow Dash were having. “Um, excuse me... I have something to say.”

Rarity backed off, letting Fluttershy have a turn.

“Rainbow Dash, I know you didn't mean to hurt anypony, and I know how nice it feels to, um... indulge every once in a while...” Fluttershy blushed. Funny: I hadn't pegged her as the type. “But we're all worried about you.”

The addict looked up, misery carved into her mud-caked features. “But it feels so good!”

Fluttershy wrapped her forelegs and wings around her in a gentle hug. “I know it does, but you need to take these things in moderation. I was so worried when I found you passed out behind Sugarcube Corner. And when you get started, we never know where you're going to go! What if... what if you get into an accident? What if you wind up hurting somepony?” Her grip on the other pegasus tightened. “Oh, that'd just be awful.”

“Fluttershy...” Rainbow's voice cracked.

“It's okay,” Fluttershy cooed, stroking Rainbow Dash's mane with a tentative hoof. “It's okay.”

“Yeah, Dashie!” Pinkie Pie popped up, full of pep and pizazz as always. She joined the hug, causing Fluttershy to squeak in surprise. “I mean, it's fun to drink a little of the delicious stuff and party hearty, but I mean, obviously it's better if it's not causing you trouble, although some ponies think parties are trouble in and of themselves which just makes me laugh because it's so silly. I mean, really, who would think that a party is anything but fun? That's what a party's for, silly ponies, not just laying passed out in a corner while other ponies do things allll around you, because being asleep can be fun depending on the kind of dreams you have but being away is way more fun! I mean, when you're awake you can spend time with all you friends even though I dream about you guys all the time even though the dreams are sometimes weird and make me ask myself, 'Pinkie, is there something you're not telling yourself?' but then I laugh in the mirror about how silly I'm being once I wake up!”

“Um...” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy said at the same time, making them both blush.

“What's your point, Pinkie?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Pinkie giggled. “Silly! It's that you should do things with your friends, and we're happier when you're okay!” She put a hoof to Dash's muzzle. “Honk!”

“Honk,” Dash repeated, still reeling from Pinkie's extended outburst.

Even for those three, a hug had to end sometime, and when I felt they'd had enough time, I walked over. They broke apart, awaiting my words of wisdom. Not that I liked to brag, but if Applejack was still a little out of it, I was the best candidate for some down-to-earth wisdom.

“Rainbow Dash, this isn't like you. I know you like to live life to the extreme, but there comes a time when a little moderation is in order. There's definitely such a thing as too much of a good thing.” I paused. “Except for books, of course.”

Rainbow Dash snorted and rolled her eyes, no doubt thinking of Daring Do.
“The bottom line is we're all worried about you, Rainbow Dash. This stuff, this obsession—no, let's call it what it is and just get it out there—this addiction is screwing up your life! We just want to see you be happy, and while you are happy enough when you have some in you, the minute you run out, it's like nothing in your life matters except getting some!” I softened my tone and my expression, going for a gentle smile that offered hope. “You're better than this, and you can beat this thing. And we can help. We're all your friends, and we love you. Right, Applejack?” After a few beats of silence, I turned my head, hoping Applejack wasn't still in her catatonic state. “Applejack, don't you... have anything to say?”

Applejack remained still for a moment and didn't budge from her seat at the table. Slowly, she rose. “Rainbow Dash, I'm sorry.”

Rainbow Dash shifted, chuckling nervously. “W-what are you apologizing for? I'm the one with the problem here, right?” Her eyes begged Applejack not to go on, but once Applejack decides on a path, there was no dissuading her from it.

“No. It's my fault and I won't have you sayin' otherwise.” Applejack walked over to us. Each step was purposeful, laden with heavy thought and purpose. I wondered at the very floor not shaking from impact. “I know what you're on came from me, and that thought hurts me more than you can imagine.” Applejack paused, drawing in a heavy breath before blowing it out in a heavy exhale.

Rainbow Dash squirmed, clearly uncomfortable.

“I should just stop sellin' the stuff altogether, if it's gonna cause this much heartache.”

“No!” we all cried, only to look at each other in astonishment.

“It's great!” Pinkie Pie said.

“We all enjoy it so,” Rarity said.

“I need more of it!” Rainbow Dash wailed.

“I can't ever get enough!” I said.

“I think it's quite lovely,” Fluttershy added.

Applejack blinked, taken aback by our ardor. With a breathy chuckle, she said, “Well, I reckon I didn't have much notion that y'all enjoyed it so much. Still, I feel pretty miserable about this here deal. Are ya sure that it's worth all the trouble?”

“Yes!” the rest of us said in unison.

She chuckled. “Well, all right, if you say so. I guess the problem came when I limited how much any one pony could buy—figured it'd make the supply last longer, but I hear tell some ponies have been resellin' the stuff at a premium price.”

“You're telling me,” Rainbow Dash said with a moan. She covered her face with her hooves in regret.

“Still, it didn't rightly seem quite fair that I couldn't supply all the ponies who wanted some with their fix. That was the whole reasoning behind the limit per customer...”

As interesting as this might be to a pony who studied business ethics, this was getting us nowhere. “Uh, Applejack? Could we focus?”

Even though she shot me an annoyed glare, she took my meaning. “Right. Rainbow, it might be a little hypocritical of me to say this, because I'm the one dealin' you this stuff, but you need to stop.”

Tears gathered in the corner of Rainbow Dash's trembling eyes. “You're... you're cutting me off?”

Applejack put a gentle hoof on Rainbow Dash's shoulder. “Of course not, sugarcube. All I'm saying is that you need to slow down a little. There's more to life than just cider, after all.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “I... I guess so. You're right, Applejack. Sorry, everypony.” She wiped the mud off her muzzle with one clean sweep of her right forehoof. “Guess I got carried away.” With a devilish grin, she turned to Rarity. “Oh, Rarity?”

“Yes?” she asked slowly, taking a few steps backward.

“Tag, you're it!” In a swift motion, she smeared mud all over Rarity's pristine fur, then took off into the air.

Amidst our chuckles, Rarity steamed. “Rainbow Dash, this time you have gone too far!”

What followed was a fun-filled day spent with friends, just as it should have been. While I was sure Rainbow Dash wasn't going to be able to curb her cider habit just like that, she was surely on the road to recovery. As we chased each other around the library, laughing and having fun, I felt a warm glow in my heart from knowing that my friends would always be there for each other. We could always count on that.

I needed a drink. I sat on my favorite cloud, shivering. Was he not going to show up? I needed that cider! My eyes darted to and fro; I couldn't let anypony see me, particularly not after I'd just got done telling my friends how I was going to change.

I ducked inside the cloud and tipwinged it over the alley where I was supposed to meet my contact. Cider season was almost over, but the little guy seemed to have an unlimited supply of the stuff. My finely honed instincts told me that he probably had a source on the inside—for all I knew, Applejack herself was backing him—but so long as he kept that nectar of the gods flowing, I didn't care.

The sky began to darken as I waited. Come on, this was taking forever! Eventually, a diminutive shape crept around a corner, looking both ways before ducking into a barrel and sticking a tiny umbrella atop it. A huge grin came over my face.

He was ready.

Trying not to attract attention, I lowered myself—still in the cloud—to the ground and hopped out. I rapped on the barrel, duplicating the rhythm of Sapphire Shores' newest hit song. I always got nervous at this part; I wasn't a musician, so I was sure my hoof drumming was a little off.

Still, like always, he anticipated this. In a voice that tried way too hard to be gravelly, he intoned, “Rainbow Dash?”

“Yeah. I got the bits. Do you have the stuff?”

A short pause. “Money first, you know that!”

I sighed and upended the coin pouch hanging around my throat into the barrel.

After a short pause and clinking of coins, he made a growling noise that I guess was supposed to sound pleased, but it sounded kinda creepy. “Good. Now then, I've got a special treat for you this time.”

“Is that why you're charging me almost six times the usual price?” I didn't mean to grouse, but it was seriously not cool to gouge a pony like that.

A throaty chuckle. “Oh, it's well worth the price. Today, I have for you...” He paused, knowing I would hang on his every word. “A whole barrel of Sweet Apple Acres apple cider.”

“A whole... a whole... a whole barrel?! Oh man, you're the best!” Despite how silly it would have looked to anypony not privy to what was going on, I gave the barrel a hug. “Thanks, Spike!”

Spike popped his head out from inside the barrel. He was dressed as he always was for our deals; he wore a black top hat, a pretty nifty-looking cape, and a fake mustache. Spike had a thing for mustaches, which I found kind of weird. Could dragons even grow mustaches? Maybe that was why he had such a thing for them; if dragons couldn't grow mustaches, having one would make him pretty unique among his own kind. Not that he ever saw anyone besides ponies and the occasional donkey anyway. “Aw, no problem, Rainbow Dash. Just don't tell the others, okay? The barrel is hidden in the usual spot.”

I cheered and zoomed off to the grove outside Ponyville where Spike always hid the cider he got for me, only to hear Spike's echoing “evil” laughter behind me. I rolled my eyes; he spent way too much time around Rarity.

My mouth watered at the thought of cider.

Cider. Cider. Cider. Cider.

Twilight, Revised chapter 3 (the CANTERLOCK draft)

I offered no resistance as the guards dragged me from Her presence. My eyes, normally so darty and flighty, dulled and sagged in their sockets as I found myself staring at the ground and my two legs dragging on the ground as the guards hauled me away, marching in a sharp rhythm.

Drag. Scrape. Drag drag scrape.

What did anything matter anymore? I had failed Her somehow. If She did not want me around, my life had no meaning, no value, no purpose. Everything I did, every breath I took, was solely for Her benefit. If She saw no more use for me, was there a point in continuing on?

My life had not truly begun until She had risen the sun before me, inspiring me to study magic. I had spent the rest of my youth chasing the sun—chasing a dream that on some level I knew to be impossible—but like any optimistic foal, I had thought I had to try.

When She had taken me under my wing—even given me my cutie mark by submitting to Her power over my own wild torrent of raw magical ability—I had wanted nothing more. Nothing more but to be at Her side, learning whatever I could from Her. If I couldn't reach the sun, I could at least land amongst the stars.

Drag. Scrape. Drag drag scrape.

Even now, I had only wanted to help. Nopony was as important as Her—not even myself.

Drag. Scrape. Drag drag scrape.

My body went limper as I considered my position. She thought nothing of me now. Sure, had I wanted to, I could have broken free and ran to Her, begged for Her forgiveness, and maybe prevailed upon Her infinite mercy to spare me.

Drag. Scrape. Drag drag scrape.

But that wasn't what She wanted.

Drag. Scrape. Drag drag scrape.

Foolish. Pathetic.

Their steps quickened. Drag. Scrape. Drag drag scrape.

Stupid. Pitiful.

Drag. Scrape. Drag drag scrape.

Worthless. Wasteful.

Drag. Scrape. Drag drag scrape.

Their steps stopped, and I was heaved unceremoniously onto a hard stone floor. The air rushed out of me as I belly flopped onto it and rolled into the wall, eliciting a fresh flare of pain from my spine and a wince from my mouth.

My eyes remained glued to the floor, studying the lines of the tile and their accumulated grime with great interest. There was no point in moving if She wished me to remain here.

No point in anything at all.

The guards popped a tray of food in; I could tell from the unappetizing aroma of a daisy sandwich left out in the heat too long. “Some food for you,” one said.

My head remained on the ground. What good was there in eating? I'd failed everyone. Just when I thought I had had a chance to redeem myself for losing myself to Nightmare Moon as I had, Princess Celestia had discarded me.

One of the guards scoffed. “Suit yourself.” I heard their twin quartets of steps fade into the distance.

As I laid there, focusing on nothing, thinking about nothing—save perhaps how to get back in Her good graces—I heard echos of the two guards chattering.

“That sure was a surprise, eh? The regent being a traitor.” Desperately, I wished to meld into the stones—letting ponies walk all over me sounded better than my current position. “Y'know, I guess I saw Princess Celestia raise that one from a filly, more or less, so I guess it's not too much of a surprise.”

Another, higher voice joined in, presumably his cohort. “I guess. So, Captain, I hear you're getting moved?”

A sigh. “Yeah. Thanks to these new wings, they thought I could help be a part of the 'peacekeeping' force in Cloudsdale. Dunno what they expect me to do.”

“What, they haven't surrendered yet? Here I thought all the forces Her Majesty sent up there would do the trick for sure.”

I sensed, rather than saw, the pony shrugging. “You know how it is, Eagle. The ponies who ran the natural order can't accept things about that order changing. They lost, they should get over it.”

An almost feminine chuckle came from his companion. “Right you are. I'm so glad we didn't end up on opposite sides... I don't know if I could've brought myself to face you.”

“Oh, don't say such foolish things,” the first guard said, though the amused tone of his voice suggested he appreciated the words more than he was letting on.

“Anyway, Captain, I believe I'm on guard duty for the time being. I'll... um. Bye.”

All I heard was a snort from the first pony as his comrade left up the stairs and a whimsical sigh from the pony leaving.

As I studied the floor, I pondered what I'd just heard. It wasn't surprising that I was a traitor because I'd been with Her most of my life? Rebellion was running rampant in Equestria—or Cloudsdale, at least? I deflated a bit more; such things were beyond my ken. The best I could do would be to return to Her and see if She could still make use of me. If I begged for her forgiveness, I had a chance.

I had to believe that. I had to. I touched a trembling hoof to my necklace, which glowed with a soothing light, reassuring me of my faith in Her.

Days, weeks—for all i knew, even months—passed, and i rarely ate or drank; though the sun refused to rise, the constant glow of the symbol of my link to my MISTRESS kept my conviction strong and my love ever growing. The endless night grew colder and colder, and my breath constantly came out in misting puffs. Every now and then—it was difficult to tell time with the moon always hanging in the sky—the guards would come in and force me to take in nourishment, over my protests, which were halfhearted at best. If SHE was forcing me to eat, then SHE still cared about me! Even if it was just making sure i didn't die, SHE still cared!

This elation quickly wore off, however, as the guards forcing food and water down my throat became a chore rather than a joyous occasion. After about a week after they'd started forcing me to eat at least once per day, one of the guards asked, “Why aren't you eating anything, you stupid mare?”

i turned to him, meeting his own golden eyes with my own, no-doubt-sunken gaze. “Because SHE did not tell me to,” i told him, explaining the obvious truth. Clearly, SHE was just holding me here until SHE thought of further ways i could serve HER.

Why, if i squinted long enough, this cell became an elegant chamber high in one of the castle's towers, and the guards my concerned coltservants. Yes, i was an important pony: i was HER faithful student, after all! Even if i had fallen from HER favor, i was still HER most loyal of servants. The posh place was perhaps beyond my station, but a mare took what luxury she could get.

The guard chuckled, his maid outfit clinking as his whole body shook. “Wow, the stories were true.”

i chose not to dignify that with a response. The guar—servants continued force-fee—offering me only the finest of half-rot—gourmet daisy sandwiches, divine enough to even grace HER lips. Ah, how SHE spoiled such a pitiful pony who disappointed HER and then was thrown in the dungeons and forgotten about like a naughty naughty filly who must be punished and it was all what i deserved and then i'd die alone and SHE would remember me after i was gone oh yes SHE would remember what a good and faithful servant i had been and a good student besides and I had only wanted what was best for HER HER HER HER HER i only wanted HER HER HER HER HER HER HER why did SHE leave me alone i didn't have anypony else and the darkness is pushing in and i'm so cold and lonely in this world because ponies aren't as easy as books but SHE was different and SHE was like a book that never ended that i'd read long after i'd memorized even though i'd never finish it and won't SHE just come and give me a hug and i just want to be loved and SHE SHE SHE—

“Ugh! In Nightmare's name, just shut up!” a guard roared, slapping me on the muzzle with a hoof. Reality came swimming back—cold, harsh reality, and tears came swimming to my eyes.

“i... i'm sorry.”

“Aw, look, you made the Princess' pet cry,” a different guard remarked. This triggered a round of chuckles from his comrades, even as they tried to force food that I was not worthy of down my throat.

Pet. Pet? Was that what SHE wanted of me?

“Oh for Moon's sake, now she's rambling again,” the first guard muttered. “Let's hurry up and finish.”

Moments later, they finished forcing me to eat and left, leaving me to my musing.

Pet? Was that how everypony saw me? How SHE saw me? Unbidden, one of my hooves brushed the choker i wore; a shudder ran through my body as my hoof caressed its smooth finish. Maybe i was a pet. A loyal pet at her MISTRESS' beck and call, ready to do HER bidding at the merest gesture. Still, when HER wishes were “stay out of my sight,” what was a loyal pet to do?

“Sit, pet! Stay!” The guards howled with laughter as they left.

i lowered myself back down to the floor, back into the comfortable position i spent most of my time waiting for HER to save me from what SHE had done. Why act on my own? All i had to do was to follow what SHE wished because SHE knew far better than a lowly pony such as i what was best.

What did SHE wish? All i wanted was to be with HER. “Tell me what to do, Princess Celestia,” i whispered to the floor. “If i'm... if being your... p-pet is what you want from me, then that's what i'll do. Just tell me how to live my life. Tell me what i should study next, what i should do next.” An idle hoof traced the contours of a tile not worn to nothingness. “Doing what YOU told me to is always what i've done best. i see that now. i was not worthy to act on my own. i presumed too much when I forgave my brother.”

i curled into a ball. “i'm a waste of a pony. i'm not worthy to serve. i'm not worthy to lick HER hooves.” If i wasn't good for that, what was i good for? i'd failed HER. Right when SHE had needed me the most, i had let HER down. All i could do was wait until SHE decided to forgive me. That was HER wish, and HER wishes were all that mattered. Following orders felt good. Following orders felt right. i could do no good on my own, but as a trusty tool wielded by HER under HER close orders, i could do great things in HER name for HER benefit. And if i labored for HER, that was all i needed. What were my own needs before HER concerns? i was just one pony; SHE was the world. The soothing light from my lunar necklace intensified, as though encouraging my wise and correct reasoning. My body, in its weakness, grew weary from the night's activities.

My eyelids, heavy things that they suddenly were, closed, and i drifted into a sleep as empty as my own ambitions.

A huge crash sounded, rousing me from my slumber. Panicked shouts—one in a familiar voice i couldn't quite place—echoed from down the hallway. i continued laying on the floor. These things did not concern me. SHE was probably not here, so i had no reason to take interest.

After a few minutes, the noise died, and the subtle swishing of air near me told me that I had been visited by a pegasus. This, too, did not matter. Unless... i glanced up, hoping against hope that SHE had changed HER perfect will and released me from HER dungeons in a truly dramatic fashion, as SHE was wont to do.

Instead, a pony in a Wonderbolt costume stared at me curiously from behind her goggles. There was no horn on her rainbow-maned head, so I sit my own back down, waiting for HER, new orders, or death to come.

“Sheesh, Twilight, most ponies are a little more grateful when they're rescued!” the Wonderbolt said.

i snorted. “Rescue me from what? My own failure?”

She touched down, her padded hooves barely audible in the silence of the unending night of the prisons. “Oh, come on! This is no time for moping around! Equestria needs you! Princess Celestia needs you!”

In an instant, i teleported outside the bars. “What? SHE needs me? Did SHE send you here? What's wrong? What can i do?”

Rainbow Dash grinned. “And here I thought I was gonna have to drag you. Seriously, though—you are loyal to Princess Celestia, right?”

i nodded. “i feel horrible about what happened before... Princess Celestia changed the magic on this so i'm loyal to HER now.” i brushed my lunar necklace, blushing as i noticed a flicker of confusion behind Dash's goggles as she noticed how even more pronounced my terms of respect had become.

“Wait, so you mean you've got a way to get in touch with her?!”

After a pause of confusion, i nodded. Of course i could speak to HER.

Rainbow Dash cheered. “Awesome! And don't worry about before. I knew that couldn't have been you. It was just all that weird hocus pocus on that necklace. I mean, we're friends, right?” She beckoned for me to follow and walked off towards what appeared to be a blank wall.

“Friends...” i murmured, feeling a swell of emotion not unlike that which i felt for my MISTRESS within me. So long as SHE came first, friends wouldn't hurt. Friends could even be nice.

“Come on, Twilight!” Rainbow Dash yelled, waving a costumed hoof.

i left the scene of my misery behind, feeling my spirits improving with each step. SHE would surely be pleased if i could show HER at least one pony survived my mistakes, even though i didn't know how she had gotten her hooves on a Wonderbolts costume.

“So...” we both said at once as we walked down a secret passage Dash had opened.

“You first,” i said, noting with something akin to pride how instinctual letting others have their way was getting; if SHE wanted me to be a pet, i'd make myself a fine pet.

“So, Twilight... doesn't it bother you that you're still under that magic stuff? I mean, I know you probably know about that stuff yourself, but it's messing with your head, even if it is for Princess Celestia. Doesn't that bother you?” She kept her eyes forward, focusing on picking us a path through the occasional bit of rubble as we moved forward in darkness.

A dreamy sigh escaped my throat. “No, not in the least. i mean, i'm sure it won't be able to last forever, but it's not scary at all. It's like a dream... a wonderful dream i never want to wake up from. i feel so close to HER, Rainbow Dash. It's sort of like when i was just a filly, reading a new book, and SHE would drape a soft, warm wing over me as a blanket when i'd fall asleep. It feels... safe. Comfortable. Right.”

Rainbow Dash stopped, and I ran right into her rear.

“Ow!”

She looked back at me, her bemused expression barely readable thanks to the lack of light and her costume. “Uh, really? Sounds more like a nightmare to me. Weirdo.”

We kept moving after she felt her disapproving glance had sunk in, so i asked my question. “Where in Equestria did you manage to get a Wonderbolts costume? Did they let you in since this night fell?”

The costumed pony in front of me snorted in derision. “Pfft, like I'd even want them to let me in now. No, this was something I had Rarity make me, just in case they never...” She shook her head, sending her wild mane flying to and fro. “I mean... in case I wanted to practice some stunts with the uniform on before tryouts. Flying with the costume on changes a lot about how aerodynamic a pegasus is, y'know?”

“Oh, then Rarity's okay? Thank goodness!”

Rainbow Dash stopped again, and this time i was able to halt before i got a mouthful of tail. “You... haven't heard, then.” She looked back, her eyes misting up. “Nightmare Moon... she... she...” Dash inhaled, composing herself. “After you were manipulated into betraying us, she threw us all in a weird magic prison thing I'd never even heard of. Some kinda toothpaste sounding place. It was pretty scary in there, but I managed to bust us out! But Rarity... when we were almost free, all the guards were swarming us, and Rarity said, 'Go ahead. I'll hold them off.' She sacrificed herself so we could live.”

My breath caught in my throat. This had all happened because of me? “Still, you... you don't know that! She might have gotten away after you all did!” Without realizing it, i had rushed forward and was shaking her. There was no way it was my fault. It could not be my fault. Of course it was my fault.

“They executed her weeks ago, Twilight. Beheaded her right in the middle of Canterlot.”

i slumped down to the cracked stairs. “It's all my fault... i had to charge ahead, convinced i could stop Nightmare Moon on my own. If only i'd... if only i'd... what a worthless pony i am.” i curled into a ball, determined to hide from the world in this passage nopony knew about. “Just leave me be, Rainbow Dash. i'm no good to anypony anymore.”

She flipped me upright with a groan. “Twilight, I know how you feel. Rarity won't be coming back. But now you can make up for all that! Help me get to Princess Celestia and this can be all better.”

i sniffed and blinked back tears. “You... you forgive me?”

Hesitantly at first, but then with great force, she flung her forehooves around me in a hug. “Of course, Twilight. Of course I do. It wasn't your fault.”

After i stood in silence, unsure of what to say, Rainbow Dash ended the hug.

“W-well, right. Enough sappy stuff. Come on! We'll be on the main floor in no time, and then you can take the lead.”

The thought of taking the lead bothered me. What right did i have to lead? Still, if it helped to serve Rainbow Dash, and thus HER, I supposed it would be fine. “Okay.”

In moments, we reached the end of the passageway, and Rainbow Dash stuck her not-at-all inconspicuous head out and glanced about. “Okay. We're clear. You're up, Twilight!” she whispered to me.

i rolled my eyes and took the lead. Rainbow Dash had not struck me as a scaredypony. A hissed intake of breath and hurried steps followed me as i walked nonchalantly out into the open of the hallway, the plush carpeting strange under my hooves after weeks upon weeks of stone. Torches flicked and sputtered above me, providing a bit of light and heat in the dark void Equestria had become.

“Twilight, what are you doing?! They'll spot you!” Rainbow Dash hissed from the shadows.

“What, and that's a problem?” i smirked and pointed to my necklace. Judging from her still-flattened ears and tilted head, she didn't understand, so a demonstration was in order. In a few moments, one of the new bat-winged guards rounded the corner.

“Good evening,” i said.

“Oh, looks like the Princess' pet got free of her cage!” The rude pony snickered. “Well, just don't cause any problems, alright, pet?” He tousled my mane a bit, as though I were a foal, and continued on his patrol, chuckling.

We paused, waiting for the guard to get out of earshot. Rainbow Dash whispered, “So they think you're still—nice. I didn't think you were so cunning, Twilight.”

“Oh, it's nothing,” i said honestly.

We continued on. Dash's quiet admiration only grew as we strolled past more guards on our way to the throne room. She seemed disquieted by the general direction we were going, but said nothing.

In moments, we stood before the grand doors to the throne room, beyond which my MISTRESS waited, i was sure.

Rainbow Dash shifted uncomfortably. “Are... you sure about this, Twilight?” she asked as i raised a hoof to the grand door, which was notably absent of guards. In response to a quirked eyebrow from me, she added, “I'm just saying, I trust you and all, but...”

“Don't worry, Rainbow Dash. It'll be okay.” With that, i threw open the doors, mentally bracing for any assault due from my impertinent escape. My eyes slammed shut, not wanting to see HER perfect visage angry at me.

Behind me, i heard Rainbow Dash shout, “What the hay, Twilight, that's—”

“The Blue Bolt! Seize her!” SHE thundered, sounding like a flight of avenging pegasi bent on destruction throwing themselves headlong against a raging storm, bent on protecting Equestria alone.

Just as i opened my eyes, hooves shoved me aside as dozens of guards descended on Rainbow Dash, who fought with a ferocity i wouldn't have thought possible of a pony. But this was all so strange... she had wanted to speak with Princess Celestia, so why subdue her?

Princess Celestia, a satisfied smirk on her face, lounged on HER throne, watching HER guards bring the costumed wonder under control. The pony in question was hurling insults and wordless, atonal howls of rage in my direction, but i scarcely heard them. i only had eyes for HER.

SHE turned, noticing my confused stare, and nickered. “Ah, I see you found your way out of your cage. No matter... you did bring me the leader of the Cloudsdale resistance, so consider your little indiscretion... forgiven.”

My heart skipped a beat, and my mind brimmed with questions, but I dared not speak further. Who was i to question HER? i simply bowed, not daring to look on HER glorious countenance further.

The hall quieted, save for a quartet of light, yet purposeful hoofsteps. i felt a tremendous presence above me, and i snuck a hesitant gaze upward to see HER directly above me; my face caught flame as my eyes traveled back down, ashamed at my act of insolence. A brief tingling spread through my mind, then i felt, rather than saw, a widening grin from HER.

“Well, then... it seems my pet knows its place.”

i gasped. Was that truly what SHE wanted of me? “Y-yes,” i stammered. “i'll... i'll...”

“Let me just fill in the blanks for you, shall I? This pony—this traitor to my reign—came to kidnap you as a hostage after breaking into the palace. You didn't want to help her, of course, but you had no choice but to go with her.”

My necklace glowed brightly, and I could see the corona around HER horn coinciding with it. i thought back; yes... that was just what had happened. “Yes,” i whispered, fighting the urge to vomit as my vision swam and discolored.

“What was that... pet?” Her horn shot sparks into my own, jolting me.

“Yes, MISTRESS,” i answered tonelessly, without hesitation, without thought.

“That's better.” Her laughter, like the tinkling of bells on a fall day just before a body was lowered into the ground, sounding above me. So enchanting. So soothing. So... everything. “Now then, she forced you to tell her everything about what I had had you do, which you did, out of fear of your own life because she threatened you.”

The glow intensified: yes. That was correct. i nodded dully, my mouth hanging open.

“And then, you thought to trick her—to bring her straight to me, to deliver to your mistress a most hated enemy, as the loyal pet you are. Right, pet?”

The twin glows grew too blinding, and for fear of losing my meager lunch all over HER beautiful hoofguards, i could only whisper tightly, “Yes, MISTRESS.”

“And this was all done according to your will.”

i shook my head and looked up, surprising HER. My heart beat quickly as i considered the full potential of HER displeasure; still, this had to be said. i had to assure HER how devoted, how faithful, how completely HERS i was; maybe, just maybe then, things could go back to the way they were. “No. Not by my will. By yours, of course.” i scooted forward, never leaving my supplicated position, to plant a hesitant kiss on one of HER hooves. “What will would i need when i have yours to guide me?”

Dead silence ruled the room for a moment, then the twin glows faded and thunderous, uproarious laughter, beautiful as the last rays of sunset, sounded from HER mouth. “Very good. You have done well, pet.”

My eyes widened at that. SHE praised me. Me, the pony who had so recently disappointed HER and made HER throw me out from HER presence over failing to catch traitors, had done something worthy of praise! This was the happiest moment of my life; i felt warm, needed, safe, needed, needed, needed, needed, needed i was needed! There was something i could do to help HER, to help Equestria! i knew, from the moment that horrible pony took me hostage, that this was my chance to prove to HER that i was a good worthy faithful pet and SHE would hold me with HER wings again and if i could just sleep in her bed by HER side i could die happy and it was so cold everywhere else why was it so cold and the sun why hadn't the sun come no SHE must have HER reasons who was i to question them she said herself i was just a pet just a pet just a pet just a loyal pet always at HER side just a pet just a loyal pet always a loyal pet

By the time i had brought myself out of my moment of bliss, i was back in my cell. Had SHE teleported me back here? Had HER guards put me back here? It didn't matter. SHE saw that i was a good pet. That was all that mattered. As i laid my head down to sleep, i couldn't believe how lucky a pony i was.

“Twilight...” A voice came, as though from a great distance.

“Unh?” My eyes fluttered open to reveal the same dreamscape i had met the strange pony, Luna, on before, although now she was chained to a large rock with ponycles that were obviously rubbing some of her coat away, so tight they were. “Oh, it's... you.”

“I beseech you. Wake up. Wake up. Just look at yourself!”

i tried to stand, but fell back into... something. A quick look around from my prone position showed my unusual situation.

A thick, strong chain was attached to my collar, attaching me to a lounging statue of Celestia. My body only half stuck out of the statue, and as i watched, interested, the statue grew closer as it slowly absorbed more and more of my form. A dreamy smile came over my face.

“As it should be,” i remarked.

“You... you would go so far as to surrender thy very soul and essence?” Luna whispered.

Across the darkness separating us, i smiled gently. “If SHE requires it of me, to become more a pet, an object, a thing, than pony, who am i to say no?” i closed my eyes, ignoring her desperate pleas for me to wake. i was awake.

This was my every want, my every desire.

Just then, lightning cracked, and my eyes shot open to see the horrifying visage of Nightmare Moon, leering before me.

Tears welled in my eyes as i shrank back, willing myself further and further into Celestia's image. i would be safe there. i would be safe there. “D-don't come any cl-closer!” i exclaimed, the very air from my lungs seeming to whoosh out in her presence.

“How interesting. You see me here.” She drew to her full height. “Try retreating into Celestia's embrace! Will yourself away, little pony! Save yourself by becoming hers... if you can.” Her horrible laughter, so like that of the dark clone of myself she had used against me, echoed endlessly, scrambling my nerves.

Through my panic, i saw her stride over to Luna, whose expression was more solemn than the grave. Her eyes closed, her ears drooped, and her whole body went limp, as though she—even of such strong will—knew that this was a fight she could not win.

“And you,” Nightmare Moon hissed, “have been a very bad pony. Contacting Twilight in her dreams, trying to undo all my hard work... how ungrateful. Why, this is all for you.”

I couldn't hear Luna's whispered reply, but Nightmare Moon reared back in rage from it. “How dare you suggest otherwise, you insolent foal! All of this has been according to your will, in your name, by your body! And don't you try and claim for a moment that this wasn't what you wanted.” Nightmare Moon bent her neck, so close to Luna that she could have bit her ear, and whispered, so sharp that it carried through the void clearly: “I've seen your mind, after all. I am your mind.”

Luna sagged and sobbed, her whole form heaving as the chains seemed to bind her more tightly. Even as my heart went out to the poor thing, Nightmare Moon's attention went back to me. i yelped and willed myself into the graven image all the faster. If i just ceased to exist outside of my devotion to Celestia, i would be safe. She couldn't hurt me anymore. She couldn't hurt me anymore.

Nightmare Moon slowly, sinuously, made her way over to me.

“i-i'm not afraid! You can't... you can't hurt me anymore. P-Princess Celestia will protect me,” i cried, staring defiance into those eyes that had ruined my life.

“Of course she will,” Nightmare Moon whispered. “Of course she will.”

My scream echoed off the walls as i jolted up from my cold bed of tiles; my coat was drenched with sweat. Nightmare Moon... somehow, just as i had known that that pony Luna—whoever she was—was not just a figment of my foalish mind, i knew that Nightmare Moon had actually been there. That primal terror, that feeling of helplessness—i suppose i should have been glad i hadn't started suddenly worshiping her. Again. Fresh shivers came over me.

“Just accept me. Accept yourself,” my mind whispered, bringing up the image of the one who had corrupted me—she had gone so far as to borrow my very form.

The two guards were outside my cell. “Her Highness summons you.”

“SHE does?!” i leapt up, eyes aglow and heart aflutter. i could scarcely focus as they led me to HER—i was so elated, i'd forgotten that i hadn't eaten. But such things were irrelevant compared to HER wishes. What was my measly body compared to HER will?

We entered the throne room through a back way, and i found myself led to Princess Celestia's side. Her face was a mask of unreadable emotion—much as i wanted to bury my muzzle in that sweet, sweet coat and inhale, absorbing as much of HER scent as i could, the last thing i wanted was to jeopardize the progress i had made in getting back in HER good graces. The usual line of petitioners snaked out the door, although they looked fearful rather than eager for once. Had they heard of the Princess' actions to quell the rebellion?

i turned to look at HER again, only to catch a bit of white and blue that was out-of-place. i craned my neck forward a bit and saw... “Big brother?!” i hissed, trying to get his attention.

His ears flicked, suggesting he heard me, but he remained resolutely staring forward. His coat was ruffled, and bits of it had been torn out. A few scabbed-over wounds dotted his legs—presumably from the guards that had hauled him away. He wasn't wearing his Guard armor, which he always did while in HER presence—or around HER on duty, i should say—so he probably hadn't been reinstated. Or had he even been fired? Surely a heretic had been fired...

“Twilight, look ahead, please.” i obeyed. HER will preempted all.

Kneeling before the throne were my parents, whose hooves trembled from being in the awesome presence of my MISTRESS. “M-may... may we speak to them?”

Princess Celestia nodded, HER infinite majesty and benevolence carried through one sharp, slow inclination of HER royal head. “But of course. Who would I be to keep parents from seeing their foals?” She laughed: wedding bells before i walked down the aisle as a living stepping stone for HER as SHE went to claim whoever SHE wished but i had always hoped it was me bad pet bad pony for being envious and having desires and knowing that HER wishes were far more important than yours but still hoping, daring, wishing SHE would have you, surround you with those wings and take you to HER quarters and then lay you down and then SHE would

“Twilight!” my mother called, breaking my delightful fantasy (oh how i wanted it to be more) and waving me over. Shining was already talking to Dad in hushed tones.

In a daze, i walked down. “H-hi, Mom.” What could i do? What could i say? i had gone from temporary ruler of Equestria (at least in name) to disappointment to HER honored pet in a few weeks. What words could sum that up?

She drew me in for a hug. “Oh, oh Twilight... we were so worried about you. When we heard that both you and Shining had been thrown in jail...”

i pulled back, a little embarrassed by her display. “i'm okay, Mom. Really. i just... made a little mistake.”

Her ears flattened as she snuck a glance at the male half of the family. “Your brother looks awful... I was afraid you'd suffered the same treatment.”

i chuckled. “Oh, Princess Celestia would never do—”

“Huh?” My mother's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Just then, Shining Armor came over. “Mom! i need to tell you—”

She hushed him with a wave of her hoof. “No, no. Twilight was just saying something very interesting.”

i glanced between the two. What was odd? “i just mean SHE wouldn't do anything to hurt me.” i shuffled out of the hug, wanting to distance myself from the awkwardness; my exaggerated “she” had elicited a hissed intake of breath from Mom. “Nothing i didn't deserve, anyway...” i zoned out for a moment.

“Mom, please, can't you see you're bothering Twilight? We just need to trust in... the Princess,” Shining Armor said.

That caught my attention. “Oh, big brother, you've seen the light? Oh, thank goodness!” i rushed forward and gave him an energetic hug. “i was so worried before when you were acting all weird... but i'm so glad you've come to your senses.”

Hesitantly, as though worried he would break me, he patted me on the back of my head with a hoof. He hissed into my ear, so low not even our parents would have heard. “I don't know why you're doing this or acting this way, but I will not leave you alone here.” His grip tightened. “I'm not leaving my little sister. ...I just hope this is worth it.” His voice ended on a bitter note, and before i could ask him what in Equestria he meant, he broke our hug. “So, uh, Mom, Dad, as you can see, we're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you. ...How are you?”

My father opened his mouth to speak, but HER silky voice interrupted. “Much as I hate to interrupt such a touching reunion, these two need to get back to their duties. Don't you two?”

i instantly ran to her side. “Y-yes, of course! Anything! Whatever you wish...” SHE graced me by turning HER gaze upon me, and i found myself slipping further and further into those emerald eyes, so deep my very sense of self seemed to slip away, leaving me awash in pleasant emptiness, letting me be whatever SHE wished me to be. If only... if only this moment could last forever. This was all i wanted. All i needed. Just to lose myself in those eyes...

“B-but, Your Majesty, surely we...” Dad said.

HER head snapped back to the hall. “Leave.” Her commanding, overpowering voice boomed and echoed across the heads of all ponies present, and i immediately dipped into a bow. That voice—that powerful, beautiful voice—just demanded instant obedience. No thoughts of doing anything else. And all out of love—love! We all loved our Princess. There was no need for fear, no need for want, no need for pain—there was only joy under HER rule.

i heard my parents whinny in surprise and quickly leave, the steps of many petitioners galloping in front of them. My eyes remained glued to the floor; SHE would clearly have orders for me. SHE instead walked away, over to my brother. “i believe you know what you must do.”

He snorted. “...Go to Manehatten and use the Guard to bring the city under control. Just like... just like all the rest.”

“Your sister so graciously delivered the Blue Bolt to us, so the resistance should be a bit less organized.”

“She what...?”

i lifted my head up to see a bewildered, wide-eyed stare sent my way from my BBBFF. i smiled awkwardly. “I'm helping!”

A snorted blast of air through his snout, and he stormed off, looking none too pleased as he attended to his duties for HER.

“A... and me, MISTRESS?”

“Do as you wish.”

i didn't even have to think. “But your wish is my wish.”

Her eyebrow twitched. “And my wish is for you to do as you wish.”

“i... okay.” Confused, i watched HER leave. Free to do as i wished? My mouth twitched. My wishes... my wishes didn't matter. All i wanted was to be close to HER... but of course! i giggled, drawing the curious stares of a few of the Guard. i knew just the thing.

One quick trip to a seedy part of Canterlot later, i crept down the hall that led to HER chambers. More than a few ponies had scurried out of my way, fear plain on their faces as i walked the streets of Canterlot, and the shop owner had begged me to take it as a gift. It hadn't been cheap, either—but i wanted nothing but the best for HER.

Canterlot was so cold, these days—everywhere i went, ponies were wrapped up against the chill of the neverending night, and those that weren't looked miserable. i wanted to reach out to them, to help them, but no matter who they were, when i approached them, their eyes widened and they scurried away in fear. Was this really the capital of Equestria, the city i'd lived in my whole life? What had happened to everypony? To Equestria?

i brushed aside such thoughts. SHE would make everything better. SHE would make everything better. Just had to trust in HER. Just had to trust in HER. Believe in HER. My necklace glowed, seeming to lend a soft light of approval to my thoughts. A feeling of rightness settled about me, as though everything was as it should about my life. Just had to trust in HER to settle it and help HER wherever i could. Eternal loyalty to her and my unending admiration and love.

Really, there wasn't much difference between a faithful student and a faithful pet.

i strode up to the door to HER chambers, feeling at peace with everything. “Is HER Majesty in?”

“No... what is it you want, Pet?” one of the guards asked, flicking his tail in curiosity.

i shook my head. “Oh, nothing...” i walked away and rounded the corner, then lit up my horn. This old trick had worked dozens of times—one of these days I really had to talk to Princess Celestia about teleportation proofing the castle. Eventually somepony was going to use it for something... unsavory.

i popped into HER chambers, my heart beating faster. My purchase sat in my saddlebags, heavy with purpose, but my eyes wouldn't leave the bed. HER big, gorgeous bed... the one SHE slept in every night.

i could restrain myself no longer; i launched myself at HER bed, feeling it absorb the impact of my insignificant body in its cushy depths. My very coat tingled with excitement as i rolled on the bed and just inhaled continuously, wanting to fill my lungs with HER scent and never let it go; i wanted her inside me.

Eventually, my fun ended, and i unpacked my saddlebags, donning the perfect outfit for what would hopefully be a perfect night.

The bondage saddle sitting snugly on my very ready form, i lounged on HER bed, awaiting HER arrival. The doors opened, and SHE strode in, confident as ever. She paused, noticing my spread-eagled form. She turned, closed the doors, and strode over to me, an amused smile alighting on HER face.

“You said to do as i wished, and... and...” i choked up, unable to bear HER eyes seeing me like this. A deep, warm blush rose to my cheeks. “Does your pet please you?”

SHE reached out with HER magic, gently caressing my cheek. i leaned into it, nuzzling HER magic. Such an innocent gesture, hopefully to lead into far less innocent things. Oh, how i wanted HER to use me. Use me. Use me. “Use me.” Use me.

SHE laughed, HER beautiful, terrible voice filling my ears with a sound more glorious than the dawn. “Oh, Pet.” She grasped my whole body, floating me over to HER.

i went limp, surrendering all control of my body as a dreamy smile came over my face. This was nice. No control over my will, no control over my body... everything just as SHE willed it. This was good. This was how it should be.

“Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student... my faithful pet.” She floated me around, spinning me slowly in the air, as though to see every detail of my body. i started to feel like a statue on display—SHE could do whatever SHE wished to me, and that would be enough for me.

“Yes, MISTRESS?”

“You're a foal.” Without warning, she hurled my body against the wall.

Just barely in time, i curled myself into a ball, and my necklace took the brunt of the blow. With a portentous crack, it fell off, and i swayed to and fro on my unsteady hooves, the colors of the world distorting before my eyes.

Princess Celestia looked... dark. Black, almost. She strode closer, and i could see that She was not, in fact, who i thought She was.

I gasped, backing up against the wall in fear. “You're... you're...”

The dark alicorn with a mane of stars loomed over me. “Name me, pony.”

“You're... you're...” It wasn't possible. It wasn't possible. I was safe everything had been right and what did this mean oh Celestia I'd betrayed Equestria not once but twice and what a fool I had been serving Her and out you damned voice making me pet pet i am HER pet must obey must obey bow before HER and let HER use us like the tool we are we are nothing before HER obey obey obey no! My head shook violently.

“Speak!” she bellowed, the raw force of her voice pinning me against the wall. In that moment, I knew who that pony was. Never again. Never again.

“You're... th-the Mare in the Moon... Nightmare Moon.”

Nightmare Moon grinned, relishing in her power over me. “And how amusing it's been to have Celestia's student prancing around, thinking she was serving her teacher when in fact, you were helping little old me.”

Her mane curled out, as though to touch me, and I swatted it away with a hoof.

“Suddenly grown a spine, little pony?”

I shivered, feeling the full weight of the situation I was in come down around my shoulders like all the lives of all the ponies I'd unwittingly ruined. “I'm not... I'm not your slave any more, Nightmare Moon.”

She barked another laugh and began to pace, crouching like a predator ready to spring. “Feel that surge of power in your body, letting you feel like you can do anything? It's screaming at you two things, two primal things: fight and flight. Which are you going to do, little foal?”

Liquid fire ran through my veins, making me hyperventilate as the choice she'd outlined screamed through my brain.

Fight.

Flight.

Fight.

Flight.

“Fight.”

Twilight, Revised chapter 4 (the Somethinged draft)

Her mane and tail swirling above me, the pony who had been controlling my every action burst into laughter. “You? Why, a few moments ago you would have thrown yourself off the balcony at my merest eyeflutter.” My heart stopped as she leaned down to me. “And you liked that, didn’t you?”

I shrunk down, primal fear gripping me. “N-no, I…”

“No, it’s okay, Twilight.” She leaned in further, our muzzles almost touching, as she adopted a strange, soothing tone. “You can be honest here. You need somepony, don’t you? You’re so afraid of being alone, even though you claim to everypony, even yourself, that that’s how you like it.” She sighed, her half-lidded eyes staring deep into me. “You remind me… very much of myself.”

I swallowed, then teleported away from that hypnotic gaze. “I’m nothing… I’m nothing like you, Nightmare Moon.” Had to calm down. Had to just take a stand. “I read about you. You were a pony who was desperate for ponies to appreciate her.” I took a shaky step forward, then another. “So why try to force everypony into loving you? Are you really so desperate for somepony to pay attention to you that you’ll resort to mind control just so someone will give you the love and attention you think you deserve?” Feeling my confidence grow with each word, I advanced on an unsettled Nightmare Moon, my hooves impacting the carpet, each soft step sounding like an exclamation point on my every word. “And then, when you do finally get someone to give you love and attention, what do you do?” I pointed an accusing hoof in her direction. “Why, you ignore her and treat her like dirt, the exact sort of neglect and perceived abuse that made you rebel against Princess Celestia in the first place!”

Nightmare Moon opened her mouth to speak, trying to offset my verbal barrage, which I noted with grim satisfaction was causing her ears to droop and her ethereal mane and tail to cease their vortexial motion. She had even taken a few steps back: clearly, I was hitting a sore spot. “But that’s what—”

“Be quiet, I’m talking!” With a flick of my horn, I summoned a zipper over her mouth and closed it. Her eyes widened with surprise as her mouth worked against the magical bindings, but to no avail. “Now then, let’s examine, shall we? You took a pony who had done nothing to you—namely, me—and bent her to your will, probably scarring me for life.” A strained laugh came from my mouth. “I don’t even know if I’ll ever be able to look at Princess Celestia the same way if this voice whispering ‘Mistress’ over and over in my head keeps going.” I zoned out for a moment before my gaze snapped back to the astonished Nightmare Moon, who was now trying to wrench the zipper open with her hooves. “And that is something I’ll never forgive you for. Had you talked to me, to Equestria, and explained to us, to everypony, what the problem was, we probably all could have gotten along! According to what I’ve read, the Equestria of a millennia ago and Equestria today are two very different countries. Why, plenty of ponies stay out all night. Some even sleep during the day.”

Her eyes widened so much, for a moment I swore I was looking into two sets of equine eyes.

“But you didn’t know that, did you? No. You barely even tried to see if anything was different. You just assumed, like a foal, that nothing changes. Well, I’m here to tell you that ponies do change! We would have appreciated your night! We do more than just play in the day! I myself sometimes stay up all night reading a good book, and I love gazing at the stars!”

Again, that feeling of two sets of eyes on me. Were her pupils widening? A moment ago, they had appeared more slitted. Now, they seemed almost as natural and round as my own.

I softened my tone. “We could have avoided all this… all so easily. Why couldn’t you have just tried to talk when you came back? Why couldn’t you let the past go? You’ll never move to a new dawn if you just let the night continue without end. Please, Nightmare Moon. End this madness.”

She finally unzipped her mouth with a gasp. She stood there, adjusting her jaw for a few moments with a forehoof, as though wiping away imagined blood. Her pupils kept flickering—one moment they’d look more normal, the next more slitted and draconic. After a long period of silence, she spoke, her eyes settling on their more sinister, inequine cast. “You speak of friendship? Of relationships?” She stalked towards me with all the grace of a jungle predator. “What do you know of these things? Only what you’ve read in books.”

She paused, floating over a few tomes from the Princess’ library. With a shock, I realized they were all romance novels: novels I had read as a young filly, filled with fantasies about the heroic mare rescuing stallions in distress… except I hadn’t put myself in the horseshoes of the lady knights. I had always been the one stuck in the tower, waiting for a heroine to rescue me. But it couldn’t have been just any pony.

She tossed the books aside with a snort. “But your head was always filled with a very specific image when reading, wasn’t it?”

I tensed up. She didn’t mean…

She walked around me, her mane brushing me a few times in cruel jest. “You were never the mare coming to the rescue, oh no.” She was behind me now, and the air was so still I could hear the wet pop of her lips as they parted. “You were always the helpless one in the tower, waiting for your savior with the sparkling, dazzling mane to fly up and enfold you in those wings, those wings you’d longed to feel the touch of ever since you saw her raise the sun, and then she’d gather you up in her magic, so strong and powerful, and gently float you down alongside her, saved from whatever imaginary evil had captured you.”

My heart stopped for a moment, and I slowly turned to spot a playful smile dancing over her face. “How… when… that’s not what I…”

She reached out with her mane, ignoring my flinch, and tapped my forehead. “I did some looking around in there, remember?”

I shivered, wishing I could escape, feeling drained of my earlier confidence. “But I… I mean, those were just silly foalhood fantasies! I’m a grown mare now… I wouldn’t—“

“Do not lie, pet, it does not become you.” She whirled about, fixing me with an intense glare. “I found it odd when you seemed infatuated at first when under my spell, yet your loyalty did not seem complete.” She grinned, a toothy thing that reminded me of a maw ready to consume me. “It was all too easy to see that your feelings for Celestia ran deeper than mere loyalty.”

“I… That’s not how it is a-at all! Clearly, you had just worked your spell without—“

“—without compensating for the interference from interpersonal bonds formed recently?”

I closed my mouth in shock upon hearing her finish my sentence. Was she… still inside my mind?

She laughed. “Oh, very much, pet. Not as strongly, but your thought patterns are all too easy to feel. Denial. Self-delusion. You fear your feelings, so you try to hide them beneath a mask of rationality. Yet behind that mask of yours… is a fragility. You want to be honest with yourself. I just let that out… then let you think I was Celestia with a simple directed illusion and that did the rest.” Her mane snaked around my neck, right where the collar would have been, had it not shattered. “Am I wrong?”

I said nothing, instead fidgeting in her grasp and staring at the carpet.

“That’s what I thought. I’m curious, pet: just how much would you have let me do to you tonight?” Her horn lit up, and suddenly she looked like a horrible mockery of Celestia, but that damnable armor remained the same. “How far would you have let me go, my faithful student?” she said in a perfect imitation of Celestia’s voice, and she leaned in.

I couldn’t help myself: against that image of Celestia, straight out of my fantasies that I couldn’t bear to admit, yet couldn’t stop dreaming about, I could do nothing. My eyes closed, my lips parted, hoping for her to come closer…

“As I thought,” she proclaimed, pulling away and leaving my face flushed and lips unsatisfied. “Nothing more than a lovesick foal.” She snorted in derision, her face twisting into a decidedly un-Celestia sneer. “A pitiful little hermit pining for a relationship that she knows will never happen, forever saving herself for the impossible. Pathetic.”

“I… I…” My whole body shook, partially in rage in partially in disgust over having been so easily manipulated. I swallowed and slowed my breathing, trying to calm myself. “That’s…”

“No need for words. Just let me inside your head again and you won’t have to feel this way. I can find your happy place… and make sure you stay there.” She smiled, in a dissonant display of serenity. “You have been of great use to me. More than I expected, at least. She moved a bit of her mane under my chin and forced me to look up. “You want to be happy, pet? I can make you happy. I’ve done it before. I can make you believe you’re forever almost falling asleep, with Celestia brushing your mane peacefully, her hoof soothing your ever worry and care… would you like that, pet?”

My exhale came out in a ragged, staggered burst. My mind wouldn’t move; that image, of me under her care like a filly, stuck in my mind. I shivered, mentally feeling a wing draped over me and a hoof brushing my mane lovingly. “I… I…” The words wouldn’t come. What words could there be? Lying was pointless. She knew the truth.

“Too true, pet. I’ll give your mind one thing. It’s… comforting. You know what you want, even if you can’t admit it to yourself: to be more a reflection than a pony.”

My eyes narrowed at that. “You’re one to talk.” Breaking free of my trance, I stomped forward, fresh vigor in me. “You, mistress of the moon—“ Mistress Mistress obey the Mistress “talk about being a reflection? Hah!” I pounced a little, hopping forward to emphasize my point to an amused Nightmare Moon. “Who do you think built the Equestria you’ve seized? Who provides the light your moon reflects?”

She shied away at that, and I pressed the attack. “That’s right! You’re nothing more than a shadow yourself—your moon is nothing without the sun, and you’d be nothing without Princess Celestia! And another—“ I found myself cut off by my mouth being zipped shut by her magic.

“I, nothing without Celestia? I?!” She stomped forward, her mane and tail flickering with wrath. Her eyes glinted in a dangerous fashion, and I found myself wishing I could dial my words back a bit. Trying to talk her to death was my best hope, since I’d shown before that a straight fight would only end in delightful misery.

I shook my head, trying to clear it, but she took that as a denial, and she grabbed my bodily with her magic and floated my helpless form to just before her face.

“Foalish pony,” she spat, her voice dripping with venom. “You speak not to the mistress of one tiny satellite orbiting one measly planet, but one who rules all the stars in the skies! What is the sun to me but one more star amidst the legions at my command?” She set me down, chuckling in satisfaction when the carpet only partially cushioned the impact. “No, little pony, you are wrong. Celestia would be nothing without me.” She leaned down to speak into one of my flattened ears, as though sharing a dear secret. “She usurped her position after I granted her, out of the kindness of my own benevolent heart, a single star to call her own out of the unlimited hordes at my command. I allowed her her indulgences at first, but when she refused to let the night last just a little longer, I knew I had to take action. Yet she banished me.”

I broke free of the restrictions on my mouth with an almighty gasp. Undoing that spell had taken some minutes. “That’s not how it happened! My books said—“

She clocked me on the muzzle with a swift hoof, forcing my silence. “Your books said. How adorable. Even now, when you are left utterly abandonded, you maintain your blind faith in her. I pity you, pet. All you know is what you are told. And what you were told was a lie.”

“B-but how do I know that you’re not the one lying?”

She smiled, a sorrowful thing that echoed of a thousand long years. “You don’t. For all you know, both of us lie. What is there to gain by telling the truth… for either Celestia or myself?”

I sniffled, backing up and bringing myself closer to eye level. I couldn’t stand to be beneath her, not after what I had gone through. “I trust Princess Celestia! She wouldn’t lie to me. All you’re trying to do is confuse me, just the same as you always have!”

“And why such loyalty to Celestia?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but she kept going.

“No, don't speak. I'll answer for you.” She began pacing in front of the door, keeping her eyes on me.

I idly wondered where the guards were. For all I knew, she had sent them away to make this more “dramatic.” That would be just like her.

“She raised you. She looked after you. She taught you. She was like a second mother to you.”

With a sudden twinge of sadness, I recalled how ready I had been to ignore my own parents at “Celestia’s” command earlier. Was that truly me, or was that simply Nightmare Moon’s treachery at work?

“Consider this: if, on that day one thousand years past, I had been the one to triumph instead of that sun-lover, who do you think would be your teacher? Who do you think would be the pony you would look up to?” She paused, letting my brain fill in the horrifying answer, before answering her own question. “Why, me, of course. There's no point in denying it. You looked up to Celestia thanks to her prowess in magic, in leadership, in charisma—everything you wanted from life. You wanted to be respected. You wanted to be powerful.”

Trying to debate someone who had read my mind was a pain in the tail.

“Or at least, that's what you told yourself. For the longest time, you had been a filly without a cutie mark. It didn't bother you, not yet, nothing beyond a vague unease that all the foals feel. Yet when you met Celestia and she tamed your power, brought your out-of-control magic without scarcely lifting a feather and offered to make you her subordinate—only then did your cutie mark appear. It's always bothered you, hasn't it? Your cutie mark tells you what you're good at, but gives you no hint of any greater destiny, no hint of any further purpose.”

I stared ahead, focusing on nothing, wanting, willing, begging for something I could contest what she was saying with. But nothing came.

“Would it not be so much easier to just give yourself over to the will of another, take pleasure in helping them achieve their ends, their goals? After all... you were doing no less for Celestia, who was your mistress in spirit if not in fact. What, you foalish little unicorn, have you done with your life other than devoting yourself entirely to her? What have you done other than giving yourself over to her and trusting her completely to direct your life and your energies towards what she felt would be best for you?” She paused for a moment, inhaling after her violent outburst. She continued at a more moderate pace. “No. I did nothing to change you. This has been who you are the whole time: just a pony longing to have somepony, anypony, decide everything about her life for her. Had things been different, you would have devoted yourself to me of your own free will, simply in the name of doing what you told yourself was trying to follow in the steps of a great pony, when in truth all you wanted was to forever be at that great pony's side, assuming the subordinate position you were born to occupy. You want free will?” She paused, scoffing and looking down at me like a bothersome insect. “You have done an excellent job hiding it.”

“Admiration does not equal subservience, Nightmare Moon. Even a little foal has her heroines; that doesn’t mean she wants to be their doormat.” What she said wasn’t true. There was no way I believed that. There was no way I had happy dreams of spending my whole life as Princess Celestia’s faithful student, forever pushing the boundaries of magic and living my life up in that comfortable, safe tower, wanting for nothing.

She paused, tilting her head for a moment. “Perhaps you are right. But in your case? Not so much, my little pony. You would be Celestia’s pet just as readily as you had made yourself mine.”

“I… I would never…” I stuttered. I blinked, and suddenly she was directly over me.

“Oh, let’s not mince words, pet. You know what you are: just a tool longing to be used. Why, you told me yourself.”

Before I could react, she grabbed me with her magic, and my own proved insufficient to resist her. She held me in place, unmoving, in her aura as her mane snaked from behind her. She said, “I now know what my mistake last time was. I left too much of you in there. After all… what’s the point in altering the mind if I can’t rearrange it how I wish?”

A horrified gasp escaped my mouth, and I started willing, begging for my legs to work, to carry me far away from whatever fate she had in store for me.

“Oh, don’t be like that, pet. You’ve spent your whole life waiting for a pony to tell you what to do.” As her mane split into two and crawled into my erect ears, she added in a whisper, “Even if you didn’t, you no longer have any choice in the matter.”

Moments later, I could feel her, physically feel her in my mind, like a cold shadow that drew all the warmth, all the will, from me, and I felt my thoughts growing more sluggish as she released my bonds. My legs no longer responded to my mind’s commands, and before long, it became difficult to think. Difficult to even feel. A thin line of drool ran out of my mouth as her mane pulsated in my head.

“Focus, pet. Focus on the sound of my voice,” she said, drawing closer and speaking in a husky tone. A few lights behind her flickered and died, and I could have sworn that the light itself was fading from the—

“Focus only on the sound of my voice.” That voice, like a command from the universe itself, reverberated in my mind. I could do nothing but obey.

“Yes…”

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, M-M-M…” Had to say the word. Couldn’t say the word. Had to. Could not. Never would. Must. Never. Wouldn’t lose myself again. Had to just hold on to myself, avoid saying that word and OBEY. Her mane pulsed strongly in my head, and everything grew foggy. “Yes, Mistress,” I said in a toneless voice.

“Reach down within yourself, pet. Find that center, that core of your being where ‘you’ cease to exist, and there is only truth. Find that place where you admit what it is that you want: nothing. A place where thought ceases to exist, and there is only obedience and the joy of serving.”

“Emptiness… obedience…”

“Good, pet. Good. Now let yourself be filled—filled with joy of serving. There is no thought. There is no dissension. Merely joy in serving and being used. A place so deep, even your name ceases to exist. Empty yourself, empty yourself so you may be filled.”

“Empty…” I willed, tried to empty myself as She wished. Had to obey. Obeying was good.

“Joy in obedience. Joy in subservience. No happiness save that you get by serving your mistress.”

“Mistress…” I repeated, letting her words sink into that deep part of my mind, letting them reverberate over and over so they could be fully absorbed.

“Now awaken. Awaken, and feel the joy in having been emptied, having been made obedient.”

Her mane exited after one final pulse on “obedient,” and the world swam as balance wobbled.

“Speak your name, pet. Speak what you are, what you are called.”

“Pet is the name. Pet serves the Mistress.” Pet looked at her Mistress and smiled. “Has Pet been good, Mistress?”

She smiled. “Very good. Very good, pet. How deep is your devotion to me?” She leaned back, sweating somewhat. She was tired, exhausted by Her efforts wasted on Pet. Pet felt bad about this; she was to bring joy to her Mistress.

“Pet is sorry. Pet never wished to cause you pain, or effort…” Pet knelt before Her and licked a clump of dirt off her left foreleg, swallowing the taste for Her sake. “Pet only wishes for you to be pleased. Pet has no purpose save what you tell her. Pet will be a good pony. Pet swears.” Pet watched, fascinated, as She bent down, putting Herself on the same level as Pet. What had Pet done to be worthy of such a great honor? “Mistress, is there something Pet can do for you? Pet will do whatever you wish.”

She whispered, Her breath licking my ears, “Throw yourself into the wall. As hard as you can.”

Pet had a purpose! Pet nodded, excited, and stood. “Pet obeys.” Pet backed up to the window overlooking Canterlot, then sprinted as hard as Pet could and jumped into the other wall, ignoring the pain. As stars of pain marred Pet’s vision as she lay on the floor, she asked, “Was… did that please you, Mistress? Pet did her best.”

“Yes, Pet did well. Pet did very well,” She answered from across the room with a giggle.

Joy bloomed within Pet. Pet’s Mistress had praised her! Pet had done well; Pet was a good pony. Pet allowed herself a smile as she recovered from her task. Pet was a good pony. All was right in Pet’s world. Pet was a good pony.

“Now, Pet. Who is your mistress?” She asked, walking over to where Pet lay.

Pet looked at Her flowing mane, kind red eyes, and bright tail, and smiled. Pet knew exactly who she obeyed. “Princess Celestia, Mistress…”

Her eyes flashed with anger as she stomped a hoof, shaking the room. Apparently Pet’s answer had not been good enough. Before Pet’s astonished eyes, Her very form changed to that of a darker, more sinister-looking form, with a mane and tail of stars and eyes like a dragon’s. “And now? Who do you obey?!”

“Pet obeys… Pet obeys…” Some small spark, a fire that would not go out, kept leaping in the way of the name. Pet frowned, but the spark would not allow her to speak. She coughed, hoping to avoid Her wrath by pretending her throat needed clearing. She, being the perfect pony She was, would see through it, but Pet had never been a bright pony, just one very good at doing what she had been told. “Why, Pet obeys… you, of course,” Pet said, noting with alarm her voice warbling with uncertainty.

That was not good enough. Pet’s Mistress floated her up to eye level and shouted, “Speak my name, Pet! Speak it like the tool, like the pet you are!”

Pet felt something strange happen. In the midst of her perfect emptiness, the spark surged forward, becoming a bonfire filling the void with something. Something that was not nothing. This was Something. Something that was not Pet. “My name… my name is…”

“What?” the pony before my eyes boomed.

“My name is Twilight Sparkle!” I screamed, letting the sheer rage that had fueled my resurgence flow through my horn and out toward the pony who could be nothing but the purest embodiment of evil. To Tartarus with talking. To Tartarus with trying to be nice. Vengeance was all my mind screamed for. She needed to suffer for everything she’d done to me. A beam shot from my horn, aimed straight at her black heart. I would make her pay, or die trying.

Her eyes widened, and quickly, she erected a shield, although I noted that my beam was strained against it for all it was worth. “Where… where did this strength come from?”

I felt my eyes go white with pure magic, as they had a few times before in my life when raw magic had been mine to command, to bend to my will, to use as I saw fit. This—this was my talent.

And it would be my talent, my will, that saved me.

“You’re wrong, Nightmare Moon!” I shouted over the crackling sound of our magics. Cracks appeared in her shield. “I am no one’s slave, no one’s pet: not yours, not Celestia’s, not anypony’s! I am me, and I will cling to what has always made me me.” Something settled on my head, something cold and metallic that came to rest just above my horn, but I scarcely took notice of it. “Magic.”

Nightmare Moon’s eyes shot open with something akin to fear—an emotion I took great pleasure in seeing my tormentor show. “Is that… an Element of Harmony? But… how?”

“And now, Nightmare Moon!” I shouted, feeling even my voice resonate with mana, “You fall!” At last, my beam cracked through her shield, and with a serene smile on my face, I watched my beam burn a perfectly cylindrical hole through her in less than a second.

She sputtered, spitting up alicorn blood, as she staggered backwards and through the glass of the window, her eyes rolling back as she fell out the window and down to Canterlot below.

The trance faded, and I fell to my haunches, exhausted. “It’s over… it’s finally over…” I dragged myself to the unbroken window, looking up at the moon, behind which I imagined Princess Celestia captive in the sun. “I did it, Princess. I nearly died, and I’ve caused untold damage to so many ponies’ lives… but I did it. Equestria… Equestria is safe.” My jaw tightened audibly. “I’ll find a way to get you back, don’t worry. Even if it takes my whole life, I’ll get you back. I swear it. I’ll tear down the sky, I’ll rend the earth and magic itself if I have to… but I will save you.”

I examined the faint reflection of myself in the remnants of the other window, and noted with surprise that some sort of tiara had found its way onto my head, coming to rest just above my horn. Its gold band stretched beyond my head a bit, as though it had been made for a bigger pony. Sapphires were inlaid into the band. Thinly worked gold spidered up from the band to encase a six-pointed amethyst which, upon reflection, reminded me a lot of the center part of my cutie mark. “Now where did you come from?” I whispered. Nightmare Moon had called it “an Element of Harmony,” but I thought she had crushed the Elements right after she…

I put the line of inquiry out of my mind with a horrified shudder. Thinking of a time when seeing that horrible monster had inspired utter devotion probably wasn’t the best idea. I turned to the Princess’ books, now confronted with the monumental task of how to bring her back from the sun. Were the Elements of Harmony the keys to her prison? How would I even know what to do? Oh, if only she’d left some kind of hint or instructions…

“So I could just obey them?” I muttered. This was the downside of free will: sometimes having to tackle a problem on one’s own. Much as I wanted to spit in the face of everything Nightmare Moon had said and more or less proven about me, a “By the way, Twilight, here’s how to release me from the sun and bring light literally back to Equestria after having your psyche broken dozens of times after you make a horrible mistake” list appearing out of the frigid air would have been a welcome sight.

I shivered, feeling a fresh blast of cold night come through the broken window. Somepony would have to fix that later. With a groan, I realized I’d be back to my role as regent—if Equestria would even have me after what I’d done. “Not likely,” I muttered, thinking back to how terrified everypony on the streets of Canterlot had been of me. What had Nightmare Moon been doing, branding her secret police ponies’ armor with my cutie mark and calling them “The Sparkles” or something?

Magic seized me, and I found myself staring at my right forehoof, straining to reach my own face. I couldn’t move a muscle, and it was only through a tremendous force of will that I kept my own hoof from slamming into my face. “Wh-who…” I stammered, unable to believe the easy answer the dark corona of the magic offered. There was no way she could have survived that.

“Miss me?” Nightmare Moon purred as she spun me to face her, my twitching hoof still trying to dig its way into my eye.

My spell had connected; her wing was folded over a bleeding hole in her chest, and her movement was unsteady. Even using her magic to control my body was causing a visible strain; sweat poured down her face, and her mane and tail had lost some of their etherealness.

“Impossible! That beam should have cut through your heart… if you even have one.” My hoof twitched its way closer to my hapless eye, no matter how much I blinked.

A raspy laugh escaped the wracked pony’s lips. “I’m a goddess, Twilight Sparkle. It takes more than one shot.”

“Yet apparently even ‘goddesses’ bleed the same as the rest of us. How’s missing parts of some of your favorite organs?” I snapped. Celestia, but I was getting tired of hearing that voice.

Her wince when stepping forward caused more blood to trickle down onto Celestia’s pristine carpet spoke volumes. “Unpleasant. I didn’t think there were any ‘regular’ ponies like you in Equestria any more… it seems Celestia chose her pawn well.”

I grunted. “Even a pawn can capture a princess in chess, if the player maneuvers correctly.”

“Oh, this was check…” Another wince, which brought far too much pleasure to me, sounded as more of her sloshed out. “But hardly mate, my little pony. In case you haven’t noticed, you’re one of the last pieces on the board for Celestia. All I have to do is take you out of the picture and…”

I tried to light up my horn to summon something, anything, but nothing came. “What? Just going to try to warp my mind for some mockery of acceptance of you again?”

She staggered closer and knocked the tiara off my head with a swipe of a hoof. “Hardly. You’ve proven far too risky for that.” My hoof twitched closer; my eyelashes scraped its underside as I blinked.

“So what? Have me tear my own eyes out? Killing me gains you nothing! I’ll just be a heroine, a martyr to the insurgence,” I bluffed, knowing full well that my death would probably result in celebrations in the streets. Stupid magic making me this nightmare’s right-hoof mare.

“No… I have something for more fun in mind.” A twisted smile alighted on her face as she chuckled. “Bon voyage, Twilight Sparkle…” Her horn lit up with dark, distorted light.

The last thing I saw on Equestria was that grin that spoke volumes on cruelty and delight in the suffering of others—a thin-bladed knife that had just plunged itself into me. Against such a thing, I couldn’t help myself.

I blinked.

When my eyes opened, I thought they hadn’t opened at all: all was dark. I couldn’t see a thing. I hesitantly put a hoof out, trying to feel for something, but met only air: cold, cold air that blew my mane and tail forward at violent speed, seeming to cut through to the bone.

I shivered. Why was it so cold? All the warmth was bleeding out of me, stolen by this oppressive gloom, yet the thought didn’t bother me. Heat did not seem to matter here; I got the feeling not many things did. Wherever here was.

I saw nothing, knew nothing, but heard a great howling, a pitiful wailing that lodged itself inside my head. The howl was unlike anything I had heard from anything equine or otherwise: it was horrifying, antithetical even, to my very being, yet it seemed to be calling me. If I strained my ears, I could hear a faint “Twilight…” amidst the metallic, inequine screeching and wailing.

Drawn by the voice, I took a step, praying that my hoof would meet something solid; I could barely see the strands of my mane that were blowing in front of my face. Thinking became… difficult, my thoughts leaden and slow. Could only focus on the voice, drawing me onwards.

I took a step.

The voice became more calming, soothing, guiding. My eyelids drooped as I felt the by-now familiar sensation of something clearly affecting my brain. Whatever. My defeat was total at this point. What did I care?

I gave in.

Step.

Without warning, a light surged in front of me, a brilliant doorway that I couldn’t take my eyes off of, nor see beyond. Normally, such light would have blinded me, but this one drew me ever further, almost soothing me just from its radiance.

“Go towards the light, huh?” I paused, feeling the clamor in my mind to go towards that doorway right now growing more insistent. “This one just better not be a fake.”

I chuckled, taking no amusement in the joke at my own expense. Fatigue ruled me; moments ago, I had wanted nothing more but to fall asleep, and although the chilled feeling stayed with me, it seemed… further away here. It was still present, but in the back of my mind, noted with as much urgency as my need to buy more quills when I had a chance.

My eyes squinted into the light, trying to discern what lay behind it, but I might as well have tried to see through the sun. A weary sigh escaped me.

I stepped into the light.

I tumbled down onto a hard surface, suddenly overcome by sweltering, present heat. “So hot…” I moaned, feeling my coat start to sizzle.

Hoofsteps, then a stuttered inhalation sounded from above me. “Oh, no. No, Twilight, no… no…” Magic surrounded me in a familiar aura of light and in moments, the heat seemed far away and bearable.

I looked up, to see “Princess Celestia?”

My teacher stood before me, a haunted look that spoke of her untold years on her face. “Twilight, I… I never meant for this to happen, I…” Tears gathered in her eyes—more emotion than I’d seen her show in… well, ever. In a choked voice, she added, “It wasn’t supposed to end like this.” She walked over to me, her hooves echoing off the black substance we were on.

I scrambled to my hooves. “S-stay back!” Hyperventilation kicked in, and I backed up, noting with alarm the bright corona all around us, barely holding back the empty space beyond and the planet below.

She looked real. She looked real. This place looked real. But how could I trust anything my senses or my brain told me anymore?

“Twilight?” She took another step forward, her hoof coming down as though she were afraid of crushing an ant.

“I-I said stay back!” My breath was coming in short puffs now. “Who are you? What… what do you want from me?”

“Twilight, I can’t imagine what you’ve been through, but—“

“Well, of course not! Unless you actually do because you’re just another illusion because I can’t trust my brain and who are you?!”

“I’m… I’m your teacher, Twilight Sparkle. Princess Celestia.” A tear fell from her eye as she took another step. “Have you… forgotten?”

“Oh no, I remember! I remember it all.” Ignoring my suddenly twitching ear, I circled as best as I was able in the solar cage (or what my mind was telling me was a solar cage but then what if Nightmare Moon wants me to think that it’s a fake solar cage oh Celestia) to keep some distance between us. “I just… I can’t be sure what’s real anymore,” I whispered, as abruptly shaking legs failed and I plopped to the ground. “I’m just… tired. I’ve been through so much…”

“Oh, Twilight…” With great care, she walked over to my shivering form and offered her wing. “Tell me what happened, Twilight.”

I rolled away from her pleading eyes and ignored the wing, as comforting as it looked. For all I knew, those were the wings of evil, waiting to drag me under once again.

“Twilight?”

No.

“Twilight, please…”

Nopony will ever hurt me again. Sharing myself only brings misery.

“Please, say something,” she whispered.

Without turning to look at her, I stared through the light to the planet below. “I learned something, Princess Celestia. That’s good, right? Learning something?” I chuckled, feeling my body and mind finally starting to catch up to what had happened to me and realizing the breaking point had long since passed.

She laid down beside me, not offering the feathery hug out of deference. Maybe… maybe she was who she appeared to be. Maybe. “What’s that, my faithful student?”

“I learned the meaning of life.” Idly, I noted that the planet below looked dried from this angle—presumably, the lands that had been receiving all the sunlight Equestria had not were not faring well.

“Oh?” Her voice was quiet, barely a breath in the stillness of the void.

“Life… is about pain. Suffering. Hurting others… and letting them hurt you. Nothing good ever comes from associating with others.” I paused, considering the baited breath of my mentor. “Before, when I was alone, my life was simple. Read books. Write reports. Send Spike out for supplies.” What had happened to the little guy? With a shake of my head, I realized I’d probably never know. Maybe it was better this way. “Sometimes have to ignore one of the other students. Share a meal with you.

“But at the end of the day, I knew that I was alone. And I was fine with that. I had my space, I had my tasks, I had my purpose. I had all the companionship I needed in you and in Spike. Then… that day came. I was shoved out of my little bubble. To ‘make friends.’”

I laughed: a cracked, high-pitched thing that sliced through the peace like an umbilical cord in the mess of afterbirth. “Make friends. All those ponies were crazy, but I kind of liked them… but what did I get in the end for my troubles? What did I get for caring for them? For caring for you?” I pointed the question straight at her, and she looked away, unable to meet my gaze. “Nothing but pain, Celestia. I was happier as just a student. I didn’t need friends. I didn’t need other ponies. Suffering and misery were all that other ponies had for me.

“I wish you’d never made me leave that tower. The world’s a bad place, princess, and it turns out I was right: I was better off a little lonely.”

She leaned in, lightly nuzzling me, her tears falling on my coat as she draped a wing over me. I didn’t resist. “Twilight, please believe me, I never wanted this to happen. Something, somewhere, went horribly wrong… I can’t change the past, but I can try to ease your pain a little. It’s the least I can do. Do you… want me to try?” Her question was soft, hesitant, needing my consent before anything happened.

I nodded, sniffling. Anything to get rid of this horrible feeling of emptiness I couldn’t shake.

As her horn lit up, a curious feeling came over me. A tingle near my spine, then a sudden chill in my head, and without warning, I felt somepony in my head and Mistress Mistress Mistress Mistress Mistress Mistress exist to serve Pet is nothing nothing Pet Pet a Pet has no name just like that, flashes of happily serving, happily licking the hooves of that monster as She… I mean, she… crushed everything I loved came flooding back.

“Stop!” I screamed, flailing out with my forelegs, striking at Celestia, who quickly backed off. “Stop-hu-huh,” I bawled, curling into a tiny ball as tears flowed freely. Revulsion, like some slimy beast, crawled over every bit of my body, sending me into shivers. “Not like that. Not again. Not again. Not again. Won’t let it happen again.” Deep depression—feelings of utter worthlessness and a pervading, persistent sense of being dirty, washed over me. My vision swam before me—how was any of this real? A chill, a numbness set in. Detachment—never feeling anything, that could be my ally.

I was so dirty, so disgusting. “Not real. Not real, not real, I’m a good pony I’m a good pony I’m a good pony…” The emptiness grew, threatening to consume me. If only I could just turn myself off, divorce myself from these emotions that wounded me just like other ponies can’t trust them can’t trust myself had to be cold, empty, distant can’t care about anything make the pain go away even if the magic didn’t mean to reminded me of serve serve serve offer yourself to Her.

“Twilight… do you need me to…” That voice. Too melodic. Too sweet. Too caring. What did it hide?

I glanced up, and there she was: the dark copy of me, wings and all, ready to just corrupt me again. “Stay back! You’re not going to take me again! Never again!” I scrambled to my hooves, panting. “I’ll… I’ll kill you for what you did to me.” More shudders came over me. That tongue in my mouth, probing, changing, betraying, stealing, twisting, corrupting… “I’ll kill you, you hear me?!” I screamed, glaring death at the pony who was out to ruin my life again.

“Twilight, please. Calm down. It’s me: you’re safe!” Her wings flared out as she took a step.

“Safe? Safe?! Is that what you call being alone with you? What are you after this time? Need somepony to lick your guards’ hooves clean?! Somepony to b-b-be your p-p-pet…” Pet Pet be as a Pet to Her “No! I won’t… I’m n-n-not letting you! I refuse!” With a howl of rage, I threw myself at her, striking out with my hooves in every direction.

To my surprise, she stood there, stoically accepting every blow, not even flinching when I started going for her eyes. Tears—crocodile tears, no doubt—flowed from her swollen eyes, and she whispered, “I accept my punishment.”

Eventually, my fit of rage ended, and I collapsed, exhausted. Another spasm came over me, and I was back to feeling disgusting again. I’d never be clean again. My vision swam as the dam burst, and my tears flowed freely.

What had I ever done to deserve this?

“I am so sorry, Twilight.” Princess Celestia joined me. One eye was swollen shut.

“Oh no, did I just… oh, Princess, I’m sorry, I didn’t… I couldn’t!” Bawling, I threw myself onto her, letting her sweet coat soak up my tears. “I thought… I thought you were… it was like it was all happening again.” I wrapped my forelegs around her tight, a foal frightened out of her wits again. “It was like I was there and she was going to… to…” I shivered again, heaving as my sorrow spilled itself. “I don’t know if I’ll ever feel clean again.”

Sniffles sounded from the pony I’d appropriated as my giant teddy bear. “This was never supposed to happen… what did I do wrong? What could I have done? Why? Why?”

There, in the center of the sun, we became sisters in sorrow for a very long time.

Eventually, when neither of us had any more tears to shed and we’d simply sat on our tiny platform, locked in a silent embrace, for time beyond counting, I asked, “Princess… What will happen to Equestria?”

A long silence ensued as we gazed at the dark, cold half of the planet. I shivered, the remnants of my panicked hallucination lingering in my mind.

“I… I don’t know, my faithful student.” Her expression was hollow, weighted, lined with a horrible responsibility she could no longer see to. “I don’t know.”

I gazed out into the void at Equestria below, feeling warmed by the feathery wing above me. Still, maybe this wouldn’t be all bad…

An eternity with Her.

Author's notes.
Final draft.

Twilight's Destiny (abandoned fic)

Twilight couldn’t believe her ears. Like everypony else, she’d heard the rumblings and rumors all over Equestria about her “destiny” coming up soon, and although she assumed that Princess Celestia would simply reveal whatever it was at the appropriate time, if there was anything at all, she hadn’t paid much attention to the whisperings. Ponies liked to talk.

“A… coronation of a princess? And it’s my destiny to attend?” Twilight whispered. On the fringes of her vision as she sat in a trance in her library, she saw her friends preparing some elaborate, Rube Goldshanks-esque device Pinkie had constructed in the blink of an eye to splash water on her face and snap her out of it. “My destiny…”

Rainbow Dash shouted, “Okay, go!” but before Pinkie could comply, Twilight jumped up.

“Okay!” she said, startling all her friends who had been staring at Twilight staring into space like an empty puppet for the past fifteen minutes. “I know we all got invitations to this… coronation. And I know that a lot of rumors have been coming from Canterlot about my ‘destiny’ awaiting me here. And this invitation seems to confirm it.” Twilight, again, looked at the invitations they’d all received, urging them to come to Canterlot, where Twilight would “discover her destiny.”

“Oh no,” Fluttershy said, floating over to Twilight on soft wings, “does that mean you’ll be a princess? And you’ll have to leave us forever?”

“Oh, don’t be silly, Fluttershy,” Rarity said, leveling her glasses. Rarity had been mid-design when the girls had come to snatch her up to go to Twilight’s. “I’m sure that even if Twilight became a princess, she’d find time for all of us.” She smoothed Fluttershy’s mane, fixing a few split ends, then glanced up at Twilight. “Wouldn’t you, Twilight?”

“Y-yeah,” Rainbow Dash said, trying unsuccessfully to hide a slight lip quiver. “Twilight wouldn’t just leave us! I mean, princess or not, she’s still our friend!”

Applejack and Pinkie, as well, gazed at her with varying amounts of concern. Everypony knew that being a princess would be a lot of work.

“Yeah,” Twilight said at last. “Of course we’d still be friends.” As the six ponies embraced, a seed of doubt grew in Twilight’s heart. Would she be able to still spend time with her best friends in Ponyville if she had the duties of a princess? Running Equestria was a lot of work, to see Princess Celestia dash to and fro. If called upon to fulfill her duties as a friend and as a co-ruler at the same time, which would win out?

There, amidst the warmth of all her friends, Twilight felt a pit of ice growing within her. “Of course we’d still be friends,” she whispered, worry climbing within her.
***
“I’m so glad you could all make it!” Princess Celestia cried upon seeing Twilight and her friends enter the palace, which had been done up in festive colors, with banners all around for the upcoming coronation. Unlike the Royal Wedding, there was no threat from within or without, so although Shining Armor and the Royal Guard were standing by, everypony on the palace staff, including Celestia herself, was determined to show the world the joyous part of Equestria, when it didn’t have to worry about invasion. Party streamers replaced spear-wielding guards, and the sunny warmth of citizens’ smiles stood in for a barrier to protect from woe.
“Why, it was our pleasure, Princess,” Applejack said, removing her hat and joining the others in a quick bow.

“I’m particularly glad you’re here, Twilight,” the princess said.

Twilight felt the worry that had gnawed at her the entire train ride over growing to parasprite levels. What was this destiny she had to fulfill? What wasn’t Princess Celestia telling her? “Y-yes, Princess. Of course I came, after reading your invitation…” Twilight tried to let a less-than-awkward smile light up her face. Unlike the normal joy that came from seeing her beloved mentor and teacher, only apprehension lurked behind the false smile she presented. This wasn’t like being called to stop Discord. Then, she had had a clear idea of where to go, what to do, and what the danger was.

This time, she didn’t know anything, and if there was one thing Twilight Sparkle could not stand, it was not knowing something.

Princess Celestia, of course, read her like a book. A gentle smile lit up the radiant ruler’s face. “Oh, Twilight. I can see you’re worried. I suppose I can’t blame you after that invitation. Don’t worry: everything will be explained in time. You’ll get used to how things are about to change.”

Twilight’s face fell. “H-how things are about to change?” she muttered, feeling heat all around her as her friends and Spike gathered close.

Princess Celestia’s enigmatic smile offered no answers. In that moment, she was the very picture of the Pona Lisa, just as she had modeled her famous diplomatic face for the famous painter centuries ago. “It’s late, Twilight. You should all get some rest. I promise, everything will be explained in the morning.”

***

Alone in her old room in the castle, Twilight felt worry silently gnaw at her. She paced back and forth, gazing out the huge window at the night sky.

[The rest of the story would have consisted of Twilight freaking out and then finding out that the one to be crowned and alicorned was a rule 63ed Prince Blueblood. Sorry, those of you who suggested this idea. I'm not going to be able to finish it. This story was inspired by Blueshift's The Last Stand of King Sombra. I wanted to try pre-empting canon in a similar ludicrous way, but it never came to pass.]

Untitled Pinkie Story (abandoned fic)

Today was going to be a super-duper, fantastic, delicious day!

The moment good ol' Ms. Sun lit up my room, I bounced out of bed, landing on the floor with a light thud. “Goooooood morning, Gummy!” I zoomed over and gave my absolute favoritest alligator a big hug. He just yawned, of course, but I knew that was Gummy for “good morning”, so I gave him a little extra hug for being so friendly in the morning.

After getting ready for the day, I bounced down the stairs to Sugarcube Corner, which made me remember the time when Rainbow Dash had asked me if I ever fell down stairs. She was such a silly pony; I didn't fall down stairs. The floor decided to meet me early and then be bouncy like a trampoline! A few bounces later, I reached the main floor, where Mr. and Mrs. Cake were already hard at work. They looked busy, so I decided not to bother them.

I was just about to leave when I heard a crash upstairs and an “ow.” With a gasp, I knew instantly it could only be Rainbow Dash. In an instant, I was back in my apartment.

“Hi, Rainbow Dash! The floor was a trampoline again!”

She had knocked down my door again, and was still getting her bearings. “Uhh... Pinkie Pie? Where did you come from?”

“Oooh, that's a tough question.” I put a hoof under my chin and thought for a moment, ignoring Rainbow Dash's curious, dazed look. Where had I come from? I guess originally I had come from my mom, but did she mean there or what city or what frame of mind? Dredgemane was a neat place, if you could ignore some of the more grumpy ponies. Of course, I had come from laughter to laughter, so really, I hadn't come from anywhere at all, since I hadn't come from any frame of mind. That must be what she meant. Setting my hoof back down, I bounced in place and said, “I came from right here, silly!”

Rainbow Dash blinked a few times. “Um... okay. Sorry about the door, Pinkie Pie.”

In a blink, I moved the fifty hooves between us and put my smiling face next to hers. For some reason, this made her uneasy. I widened my grin so much my face started to hurt, but that just made her sweat more. “Aw, it's okay! I'll just fix it like usual!”

And I did, moving with terrific speed and nailing the door back up.

“Pinkie Pie, where did you get that hammer from?”

“What hammer? I don't remember having a hammer,” I said, putting the hammer back in my mane.

“Um... right. Anyway, I suppose you're wondering why I'm here?”

“Yepperooni!”

She got to her hooves. “Well... I was supposed to come over and tell you sooner, but then I had this great idea for a new trick to impress the Wonderbolts with and... well, you know how it goes.” She scratched the back of her neck with a hoof.

Whenever ponies explained where they had been when they weren't with me, their necks seemed to get awfully itchy. Maybe everypony was born with some kind of Pinkie Sense. Although, I guess in this case it'd be more Rainbow Sense. Dash Sense? Raindash Sense? I made a mental note to ask Twilight about it later. “Okey-dokey.”

Rainbow Dash's expression grew grim as she drew her face into a frown. I resisted the urge to take my hooves and turn it upside-down. “Fluttershy's gone missing.”

I cocked my head. “Are you sure she didn't just go visit somepony, or have to help somepony with an animal, or have to help somepony with a song, or have to—“

“Pinkie Pie, she was supposed to come to my house to help me with Tank. Two hours ago.”

I gasped, then covered my mouth with my hooves. Now was no time to have my mouth wide open; what if whatever took Fluttershy stole the words from my mouth? I liked words. “What do you think happened?”

“I dunno, Pinkie, but it can't be good. Could you help me look for her?”

“Sure! I'll ask around, too.”

Rainbow Dash nodded, opened the door, and prepared to take off. “Thanks, Pinkie. Oh, would you mind asking Twilight to help to? I figure I've got a better chance of spotting her from the air.”

“You got it! One if by wing, two if by magic, and three if by party!” I left.

Author's Note

I think I was going to have this all be some elaborate prank on Pinkie where her friends kept disappearing. She'd suspect something foul, but NOPE THEY WERE JUST HIDING.

This dumb idea brought to you courtesy of an old challenge Short Skirts and Explosions leveled at me that I never got around to finishing (or starting, really).

Twilight, Revised alternate ending

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Playing Hard to Get (The one-night stand AND Emolestia draft)

A/N: This is a rough draft of the story "Playing Hard to Get"

I yawned and opened my eyes, relishing the start of another day. Even if I faced this one with a headache. Wait, a headache meant a hangover, and a hangover meant I'd been out drinking!

With relief, I noticed I was in my own bed for once, and I had plenty of time until work. “Oh, thank Luna.” Far too often, I'd woken up in some unfamiliar place to some all-too-familiar surprises. It got tiring after a while, because while some amount of fun was... well, fun, I knew that it was a quick fix to a continuing problem.

A hoof reached around me and brushed my mane. “Well, that's funny... didn't you say you work as one of Princess Celestia's guards? I'd think you'd thank her.”

I froze and roll over to see a soft-eyed, white-coated unicorn colt sharing my bed with me. “Oh, and this week was going so well!” I moaned. Did my latest straight streak count if I couldn't remember breaking it?

“What's wrong?” He started giving my horn a gentle massage with his hooves, gently stroking its length. I went cross-eyed trying to focus on him. He was actually pretty good; it took a skilled pony to make hard hooves feel good on skin or horn.

“I, uh... I have to get to, uh... work,” I stammered, rolling away from the massage and slamming into my dresser, making my flank scream in pain. Great, now I'd be sore all day. Stupid tiny room. I scrambled up, found my Guard armor, and started getting dressed, working slower than I would have liked as I gently lowered the shined metal onto my flank. With any luck, my little “visitor” would just raid my fridge and leave.

“Eagle Eye... come on, can't they have another guard fill in?” Suddenly, I felt his hot breath on the back of my neck. “You fell asleep before we could finish our fun.” I never asked for this.

I gulped and tried not to turn, although I knew that left me vulnerable, depending on this colt's tastes. Why did I have to go out drinking last night? Traumatic flashes of a pink alicorn looming over me answered my mental query, and I shuddered. That wasn't helping any: that much was for sure. As if I didn't have my own problems.

“Sorry. And I hate to kick you out, even if you are cu—“ No! Damn it, be strong! Can't rely on him. I don't even know him.

He slid up next to me, rubbing his coat against mine. His intoxicating musk filled my nostrils. “Oh, so what you said last night wasn't just the alcohol talking?”

“I-I-I... er... that is. You see. That was... that was...” I had my Guard armor on by now, and the door was so close; then again, so was he. I felt compelled to tear my armor off and forget about heading to the castle today, even despite my “one and done” rule.

He walked the short distance back to my bed and flopped on it. “Come on. You don't look quite right. Call in sick, and I'll make sure you get plenty of... bed rest.” He licked his lips hungrily.

I gulped. Stupid sexy gay ponies. “W-w-well... I...” I shook my head. My comrades were depending on me, and I knew it was bad to get too attached to anypony. “No. I'm sorry... whoever you are... but I have to go in to work today. It's my duty to Equestria! Nopony can do quite what I do for the guards.”

“So hardworking. I like that.” He lounged on the bed further, his eyes half-lidded, and rested his head on his hooves. “What is it you do, exactly? Even when you were flinging yourself at every colt in sight last night, you wouldn't tell anypony anything beyond that you were a Royal Guard.”

Had I been that drunk? I was never going to drink again. “Well, you see, what I do for the Guards is...” I could feel myself faltering, distracted by his unguarded pose. “I-it's a state secret! And you have to leave!” I picked him up with my magic and shoved him through the door, my living room, and the door leading out of my tiny apartment. To my surprise, he didn't resist being manhandled at all. In fact, his smile seemed to indicate he liked it. Disturbed, I dumped him without any ceremony, which did catch him off-guard.

“Wait! I'm sorry. I came on too strong, didn't I?” He wrapped his forelegs around me and looked up with hopeful eyes. “I'm sorry, I just moved here from Appleoosa and I thought this was how the ponies who were like me operated and I've never been with a colt before and please don't leave, I need this!”

I stepped out of his grasp and locked the door, ignoring his pleading, outstretched hoof. As I galloped away, it was hard to avoid feeling guilty for the colt who had pinned his hopes for something stable on me.

I was too broken to be of any use there.

Much as I had enjoyed my vacation far away from castle intrigue, it was good to be back doing what I did best.

“Those horseshoes clean yet, Eagle?” Empty Glass rumbled as he balanced a pencil on his nose from boredom.

“Not yet, sir! Working on it, sir!” I continued licking the captain's spare horseshoes clean. I had gotten a promotion—straight from Celestia, no less—but zero plus one was still only one. Besides, Captain Glass needed me. I was valuable.

“Good.” He maintained his solid, manly gaze on his office door, waiting for someone to come in. Much as we all loved being Royal Guards, it could get awfully boring sometimes. Our unit, for example, had the singular “honor” of watching over the dungeons. Which were never used, except for storage. At least, I assumed they were used for storage. We weren't allowed to enter most of them anyway, but I occasionally did hear some suspicious whinnies of pain coming from deeper in, which I preferred not to think about.

I paused mid-lick. Had they been of pain, or pleasure? “Keep licking, Eagle!”

“Oh, yessir! Sorry sir!” By Luna, I'd give those horseshoes the most thorough licking they'd ever been given, although I wished I were licking—no, I couldn't think like that. Couldn't think like that. Don't think about his strong jawline. Don't think about his long, powerful, thick... horn. I began to sweat and very pointedly avoided looking at the captain's well-toned body. I couldn't afford to be tempted by him. Why bother? It would only end badly.

Just then, somepony burst in. The newcomer was Hair Trigger, so she wasn't bothered by my activities. Everypony in the unit knew me licking Captain Glass' horseshoes clean or something similar was a daily occurrence. “S-sir, s-something to report!”

The captain didn't even glance her way, instead choosing to focus on the pencil on his muzzle. “Yes?”

“Hay fries are the lunch special in the cafeteria today!” My ears perked up and I looked on with hunger. Amazing as it might seem, that actually did qualify as news. When there wasn't some emergency going on, we more or less sat around and occasionally helped patrol the castle when not called upon by Celestia or Princess Luna to make sure they weren't disturbed. Our tax bits at work, everypony.

He nodded in a sleek, powerful motion that barely disturbed the pencil he had balanced on his muzzle. Somehow. Was there anything he couldn't do? “Good work, Trigger. Pass the word along to the others.”

She gave a quick salute and left the office. We were a small unit, and although at first Captain Glass had been enraged over having such a “worthless” command, raving something about “that upstart Shining Armor would get his someday”, his attitude had changed into dull-eyed acceptance after a while. His spirits always brightened when I was around, though. I liked to think that was because of my cheery nature, good work ethic, and adorable fla—er, my valuable skills. I knew I was probably kidding myself on every point.

“Eagle! Licking!”

“Yessir, so sorry sir!” I shouted, running my words together. As I applied more tongue to the already very clean horseshoes, I couldn't help but think how it good it was to be promoted.

I waited.

Anypony who was a Royal Guard was used to doing a lot of that: waiting. Equestria was a peaceful country, so it was rare for us to actually be needed for anything other than standing around and looking imposing. Even though my posting today was in front of Princess Celestia's personal chambers and I had duty with somepony who wasn't bad-looking, I couldn't help but be a little bored.

All that changed in a second.

Twilight Sparkle walked in, and my blood ran cold. My mind flashed back to the events of a month ago, and I couldn't help but wonder: What exactly was Twilight in for today at Celestia's hooves? True, I doubted she was just going to get her alone and take advantage of her, but I had to do something.

Then again, irritating Celestia was probably not a wise career move. I was sure I had a fair amount of flexibility in that regard, but somehow, I didn't think it would be a good idea to run up and blabber some insane-sounding story about Celestia calling her here just to molest her. Cursing my cowardice, I decided to remain where I was and try to come up with something a little less direct.

Twilight Sparkle's walk slowed, and she stopped right in front of me. Our eyes met for a moment, and I felt like she was cataloging everything about me into neat little categories in moments. I could practically hear her thought processes: “That eye twitch of his at close female scrutiny screams 'Mommy issues', his cutie mark says 'scout', his jawline says 'girly colt', his shuffling and avoiding of eye contact says 'self-confidence issues'...”

After a few moments of regarding me, she turned her head and said, “Hey, Princess! This guard of yours kind of looks like me!”

Oh, hell. As Celestia rounded the corner, Twilight stood directly next to me and attempted to match what most Equestrians called “The Royal Guard glare”. She failed, of course. A good fourth of our training was how to keep up that impressive, impassive stare at all times. However, she looked like she had the potential to glare with the best of us, or at least with me. Then again, if half the stories I had heard about this mare were true, she could more or less make the impossible possible. If only I could do the same, I wouldn't be as much of a wreck.

Celestia stared at us for a few moments. Most probably wouldn't have been able to notice, but her eye twitched for just a moment. To Twilight, it probably spoke volumes; she knew our co-ruler better than I ever would. It was troubling to see Celestia uneasy enough to give some indication of emotion beyond a calm benevolence.

“I... suppose he does,” Celestia said, scanning the hallway. There was nopony else there except for the three of us and an increasingly confused Empty Glass.

“You know, Princess, they say everypony has a doppelganger somewhere in the world... I never thought mine would be a stallion!” Twilight Sparkle laughed and returned her attention to Celestia.

I cleared my throat. “Erm, Miss Sparkle, isn't that just an old pony's tale?” Captain Glass shot me a dirty look, but I was past caring. He was out of his element here; gruffness wasn't going to help, not that he knew there was even a problem.

She turned to me, surprise evident in her wide eyes and upturned ears. It suddenly occurred to me that there may have been a reason why we were supposed to keep silent most of the time. “Oh, I've learned that there's more truth in 'old pony tales' than most think.” She leaned in a bit closer, and it took much of my willpower to avoid flinching. She smelled of lavender, and she wasn't a bad-looking mare, come to think of it. No. Bad Eagle. Don't ogle Celestia's personal student and two-time savior of the country. “How do you know my name? Have we met before?”

I tried to affect a smile. Judging by the quizzical eyebrow quirk Twilight gave me in return, it didn't go so well. Well, sorry if I still can't be totally comfortable around most mares, Miss National Hero. “Well, everypony in Canterlot knows who you are. You're Celestia's personal student...” I trailed off, realizing my flub. Nopony in the Guard would be caught dead addressing the princess by just her name.

A hoof smacked me in the back of the head, and I turned to see a furious Empty Glass. “Fool!” He bowed to Celestia. “My apologies for my subordinate's lack of respect, Your Majesty.” Now my head hurt too. Couldn't I ever do anything right in his eyes? In anypony's eyes?

Celestia smiled. “That's quite all right. Eagle Eye has... earned the right to do so.”

Twilight and Captain Glass turned and gave me bug-eyed stares. “He what?” they both shouted, making me jump a little.

“It's... I um, that is...” I could come up with no polite way to summarize the events of the day of Discord's return. I looked to Celestia, desperate for help.

She smiled wryly and explained. “You see, Eagle Eye is actually a very special guardpony. He went above and beyond his duty to me and to Equestria itself on the fateful day that Discord returned.”

“D-did he, Your Highness?” Empty Glass sputtered. Evaporating visions of a promotion were clearly flitting through Empty Glass' eyes. Something told me I'd be in for even more abuse in the days to come. Oh well, the joke was on him; I liked it! Wait...

“Yes.” Celestia smiled one of her more enigmatic smiles, and we shared a look of understanding. Her eyes glowed with compassion, and I knew that her motives for having Twilight here could be nothing but innocent. It was funny, really: I had let one incident taint my opinion of a pony that I knew—that everypony knew—was kind and compassionate. She had experienced loss just as much as I had, if not more so. What was twenty years compared to over a thousand? Still, I supposed that was just equine nature; we sometimes focused on the negative too much, overlooking everything wonderful about a pony or a place.

I glanced at Twilight, who was regarding me with an intense curiosity, her ears flattened against her head and her nostrils flared as she no doubt tried to see some heroic qualities in me. Here was a pony who knew exactly what I was thinking about. She studied friendship, as I understood it. Surely, in her studies, she had seen ponies assume the worst and experience the best. If she could find some way to stop that getting in the way of our perceptions of each other, I think the world could be a much better place. I'd certainly be better; that much was sure.

“Oh, I'm nothing special, really.” I chuckled and scratched my forelegs together.

“Well, you must be to get that kind of praise! What did he do, Princess? Save a group of foals from drowning in chocolate? Hold back a swarm of out-of-control mountain creatures by himself? I bet that's what it was.” She turned to me. “You look like you'd have some pretty strong magic.”

“My magic's pretty weak, actually...” I muttered. It was true. The reason I had never gone anywhere in the Guard was because I had no potential, and everypony knew it. Me best of all. Rumors swirled about Empty Glass holding me back from promotions multiple times, but I never believed them. Despite all appearances, Empty Glass was too nice a pony for that.

A shade of shame passed across Celestia's face for an instant while her student's gaze was elsewhere. I'm not even sure Captain Glass noticed it, but I had always been far more observant than the average pony. “I'll tell you some other time, my faithful student. It was good to see you as well... Eagle.”

I scuffled about somewhat. Something needed to be said, but I wasn't sure what, so I let a nod suffice as they moved past the captain and I into Celestia's chambers. “Be well,” I murmured as they passed through. I wasn't sure who I was addressing it to, but I caught a minute inclination of the head from Celestia. She knew.

The door closed behind them, and suddenly I was much closer to Empty Glass. Much as I normally wouldn't have minded that, he looked angry. I didn't like it rough. Most of the time. I made exceptions.

“Mind telling me just what that was about?” Bits of spittle from his barely contained rage struck my muzzle, and I resisted the absurd urge to lick myself clean.

“National secret, sir.” His increased fuming made me giggle a little, which of course only made him angrier. The story of our relationship, really, which spoke volumes about me to anypony who saw it, or so I imagined.

“Is that so?” Not bothering to wait for a response, he returned to his post on the other side of the door. His teeth ground together audibly.

Knowing that saying anything else would just make him angrier, I returned to waiting, willing myself not to eavesdrop on whatever was going on in the room beyond. I was at peace. I trusted Celestia, even if being in her presence was still nostalgic in all the wrong ways.

After a long day of performing menial tasks for Captain Glass, it was at last time to go home. I trotted into the locker room, for once ready to leave my armor at work. I had worked up quite a sweat today!

I entered the room, awed as usual by the sheer size of it. I didn't know how many other Guards worked in the castle, but it always amazed me that there was only one locker room for all of us. At any given time, at least a few would be either getting ready for the day or showering off after a long one. I had my suspicions that a few just spent all day in here, taking in its rose-colored walls and other scenery. In fact, perhaps there was a unit just for that: the locker room military police. With a distant smile, I wondered if I could secure a transfer, not that I'd be suited for the job. Stupid wandering eyes appreciating the beauty of ponies, regardless of gender.

As I walked over to my locker, the tile feeling as strange as ever under my hooves, I heard hoofsteps to the side and glanced over to see Hair Trigger exiting the mare's showers, her body still dripping wet.

“Y-you look good with a wet mane...” I stammered, unused to seeing her normally poofy mane slicked down by copious amounts of water.

“Oh, do I?” She spun in a quick circle; her wet tail slapped me in the face. I barely took notice. “Anyway Eagle, you're off for the day? I don't see you come in here too often. Work up quite a sweat licking the captain's head clean?”

“Hey, it was his horseshoes today. You know that!” I couldn't stop staring at her mane. So slick. So smooth.

“Anyway, I'll warn the cute colts not to drop the soap.” She trotted away, leaving me nice and wet.

“Thanks... hey, wait a second!” I realized too late what she had been implying. Lick his head clean indeed. How would that even work; would I have to work around his mane and eyebrows? Besides, I liked mares too. Sheesh. I mean I liked mares. Exclusively. Even though I rarely dated any. And apparently threw myself at handsome stallions like a desperate schoolfilly. And woke up with a sore flank more mornings than I could count.

I shook myself out of my minor crisis of sexual identity and focused on getting out of my armor. My locker was a small thing—bigger now that I had been promoted—with just enough space for my armor and a special set of styling combs for my mane that I had brought from home. They'd cost most of one of my salaries, but it was worth to get my mane just so.

“So, you like wet manes, eh? Wouldn't have expected that.” I turned to see Captain Glass smirking at me.

“S-sir, didn't expect to see you in here. I thought officers had their own locker room?”

He grimaced. “No, or at least, not one I know about.” He eyed me curiously, making my ears droop. Couldn't he ever give me just a nice smile and a “Good job, Eagle”? That was all I wanted. “What are you doing hanging about here? You're right in front of my locker.”

I pulled out some of my special combs and waved them in front of his face with magic. “Actually, I'm right in front of my locker.”

His right eye twitched, and then he muttered something about revenge and Captain Shining Armor. “I see.”

He joined me and rifled through his own locker. An uneasy silence stretched between us. Trying to ignore him taking off his armor mere steps from me, I unbuckled the last clasp of my armor and floated the final piece over to hang it up. As I did, however, I fumbled it, and a clasp came loose and went tumbling down to a small space just underneath the lockers. I cursed under my breath.

“Problems, Eagle?” Captain Glass had finished taking off his armor in record time; I supposed he had had a lot of practice throughout the years.

“Yeah, Captain... would you mind helping me get that clasp?” I pointed to where it lay, just out of hoof or magic's easy reach. It was a spot of bad luck to have it fall under there; the space was so narrow, I'd need somepony to lift up the lockers to have a chance at getting it back, and I couldn't do that with my weak horn.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. “You're hopeless.” With a flick of his horn, he tilted the lockers up for me. He ignored the loud metallic screech such an action caused, although now the attention of everypony was on us.

I crouched down on the floor, trying to get near eye level so I could see what I was doing. All I saw was grime; there was no hint of my clasp. I reached in with a hoof, groping around blindly. “Er, Captain? Could you come a bit closer? I can't quite see what I'm doing here.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I realized that I could have just lit up my own horn to provide a little light. I was not a clever pony.

Empty Glass sighed, but I heard him moving closer. Encouraged by the little additional bit of light I was getting, I felt around more, pushing my face a little further into the space the lockers had occupied moments before. Where could that thing have gone? As I looked around, I felt my tail brush up against something warm. My heart nearly stopped as I realized Empty Glass, handsome gentlecolt, was standing right behind me when I had my flank high in the air.

I gulped. Come on, me. Keep yourself under control.

“Eagle, lower that tail of yours!” Whoops.

Loud snickering came from behind me. Hair Trigger remarked, “You sure, sir? You sure did move pretty quickly to get right behind him!”

“R-right. S-sorry, sir.” Embarrassed, I lowered my raised tail. My self-control really was that bad, wasn't it? Hopefully, I hadn't displayed any more... obvious signs of being a little excited.

In moments, I found the clasp, plucked it up with my own magic, and got out of the way while he lowered the lockers. His face—as well as my own—were both flushed from embarrassment. Behind the tightly muscled form of Empty Glass, Hair Trigger was grinning broadly, still with her mane dripping wet. “Oooh, Captain! Next you have to say, 'I'm sorry, Eagle. I didn't mean it.' Then, you take him in your strong forelegs, hold him close, gaze deeply into his vulnerable, soft eyes that almost remind you of a mare's, and...”

A pegasus Guard mare I didn't recognize with a whistle cutie mark clamped a hoof over her mouth and said, “Alright Trigger, that's enough.” She started to drag Hair Trigger off, and I relaxed. Maybe the locker room military police really did exist.

From a distance, I heard Trigger call, “No, wait! They were just getting to the best parrrrrrt!”

The curious glances in our direction faded away, so we were left staring at each other. It was normal for me to occasionally not be able to take my eyes off him for reasons completely unrelated to wanting exactly what Trigger had been describing to actually happen, but it was rare to have the Captain's steady, sure gaze centered on me. The moments became minutes, and finally, we both looked away simultaneously.

“S-sorry, sir.” I closed my locker.

“What in blazes are you apologizing for?” he said, sounding like he was trying far too hard to be gruff. Could it all be an act?

“Sorry. I'll just leave you alone.” I walked off to the colt's showers, only to hear steps following me. I stopped; did he have more to say? “Would you come home with me tonight”, maybe? There was no way I'd leap into his embrace, tears streaming from my eyes, and scream “Yes,” of course, but it would have been rude not to humor him. I turned, expecting a romantic Captain Glass. I mean a thoughtful Captain Glass.

Instead, I saw one who was biting back frustration. “Eagle. Why are you heading this way?”

“Because I need to shower after working up a sweat licking those horseshoes of yours clean! Why were you headed this way?”

A few passing mares giggled, and Captain Glass' right eye twitched. “This day just keeps getting worse and worse. Just keep a tight grip on that soap, Eagle.”

One disappointingly awkward shower later, I felt refreshed and ready to head home. To my disappointment, Captain Glass had hightailed it out of the castle, wanting nothing to do with me. He'd come around. I mean I'd come around and cure myself of this silly obsession. I hoped.

I paused just before I left through the south wing of the castle, feeling the cool summer night's air waft over me. My mind drifted back to Celestia and Twilight. It may have been improper of me, but I couldn't help but wonder how things had gone for them. To the confusion of whoever was manning the door, I did a quick about-face and marched for the throne room. I wasn't wearing my armor any longer, so ponies probably wouldn't recognize me for the most part, but I suspected Celestia would know me right away.

I marched through the castle, drawing stares from a pony or two. I hadn't exactly been made a national hero after what I'd done—surprise, surprise, the castle had wanted to keep it hush-hush—but word had leaked out that I had had something to do with restoring Celestia back to her old self on the Day of Discord. However, the fantasies of the castle staff tended to be far more grand and dignified than what had actually happened. Luckily, my “fan club” was pretty small, and they didn't get in my way when I worked. Still, the thought that some ponies might have paid eager bits for a picture of the position Captain Glass and I had been in brought a goofy smile to my face before I slapped it away.

Before long, I found myself in the throne room, only to find Princess Luna sitting on the throne, surrounded by her retinue of guards. I shied away. Those ponies creeped me out a little, although I couldn't exactly say why. Princess Luna looked in the mood for conversation, as the throne room was mostly empty—odd, that—but personal contact with one ruler of Equestria was more than enough for me. I slowly backed up out of the room, hoping nopony noticed me. Luckily, a guard was delivering some sort of report to her that had her attention more or less occupied, so the suspicious glances of the Night Guard aside, I was able to leave without incident.

I trotted in a different direction: towards Celestia's personal chambers. If I was being brazen before, I was being insane now, and every instinct told me to just leave. Why not let Celestia handle her own problems? She certainly didn't need a joke of a guard like me checking up on her. Still, my legs continued to move.

I had a very bad feeling about this.

Within moments, my expert knowledge of the castle had led me to the door to Celestia's private chambers. The two guards who had relieved Captain Glass and I were standing at attention, although they both looked rather confused at my approach.

“E-evening,” I said, cursing at myself inwardly. Way to look suspicious, starting to stutter at the first hint of mistrust. Why had I thought this was a good idea again?

“What are you doing back here? And out of uniform, to boot?” one of them asked.

“Well, I'm off-duty, you see, and...”

“So what are you sticking around here for?” the other asked. His eyes narrowed and ears flattened. Oh crap.

“Well, I wanted to talk to—“ Come on, learn from experience, Eagle. Don't call her “Celestia” in public like an idiot. Again. “—Princess Celestia.”

“About what exactly?”

“W-well, it's a, um, you see...”

They closed in on me, apparently deciding that they had had enough of my beating around the bush.

From behind the door, a familiar, musical, yet slightly terrifying—to me, at least—voice called, “What's going on?”

One of the guards poked his head in the door. “Apologies, Your Highness. An off-duty guard is yammering about wanting to talk to you.”

“Purple coat, spyglass cutie mark, sort of looks like Twilight Sparkle?”

The guard regarded me for a moment, only for his eyes to widen. “Er, yes, actually.”

“Send him in, please.”

The two guards returned to the sides of the door and snapped quick salutes. “Our apologies, sir,” one said. “I didn't realize you were so important.”

Sweating, I replied, “Er, I'm not, really...” Before my mouth could make me look like a fool yet again, I hurried through the door and into Celestia's room, ignoring their puzzled stares.

She was sitting in front of an impressive desk, partway through writing a letter. An open window let in a gentle breeze, and a hearth was cold without a fire, although the waxing moon provided ample light. My hooves sunk into the plush carpeting, and I noted that the entire room was set up to function as both bedroom and office. That was interesting; I wouldn't have expected that from her. Pictures of ponies adorned many of the walls, but my attention was focused on the mare in question.

“I, er... hope I'm not interrupting anything.”

She set down her quill, rose, and took a few steps towards me. I fought back flashes of a pink version of her looming over me with a huge... horn. “Not at all, my little pony. In fact, I was hoping you would stop by.”

My heartbeat quickened. Easy, me. She was not affected by Discord any more. I knew I had to be simply assuming too much about her words. Still, being alone with Celestia was something of an experience regardless of context. “R-really?”

“Yes. I was hoping, if you didn't mind, that we could talk about the... incident.” Her unease grew on her face, and she scratched her forelegs together. I supposed that without the need to keep up appearances, she was letting her guard down around me. After all, what could she possibly do to creep me out more after what had already happened? I had already seen the worst of her. “I can't help but feel... responsible for what you endured, and neither of us were exactly in a good place to talk afterward.” She took another step towards me, causing me to take an unconscious one back. “Do I... still unsettle you?”

The ruler of the country wants to talk about the time she nearly molested me and that's the first question she asks? I doubted I even had to answer that. “M-my apologies.” I scrambled for something else to say, but I was struck dumb. What was I supposed to say? Celestia was laying her troubles bare before me, of all ponies. What was I, a hobbyist psychologist or something? If I tried that, I probably would have failed at it, too.

“No. It's... hardly your fault.” She sat down heavily on the bed. “This must be rather uncomfortable for you. I apologize. Leave if you wish... I shouldn't expect these things to heal so quickly.”

I took a shaky step forward, gulping down memories of those eyes looking at me as though I were a prime cut of daffodil stem. “Celestia, I don't blame you. Yes, I'm still uneasy around you. Yes, you almost... m-m-m-molested me.” Her face fell further, and I shook off the memory of a sudden, unexpected kiss. “But! I know that wasn't you. That was all Discord. You're Princess Celestia. You'd never do anything like that.” I tried to smile, a single flower of trust struggling to break through a thin frost of distrust, formed over years and years of disappointment that had only been reinforced by the recent past.

When she looked up, her eyes were haunted, screaming of week after week of guilt trips. “Don't you see? I would. That's what makes Discord so insidious. He takes the worst elements of a pony and brings them to the fore, just for a cruel laugh. Even if normally, that part of me doesn't rule me... it's there. How do I... how do I deal with that? How can I even look at you? How can I look at Twilight, for that matter, when I have memories of wanting to use her in horrible, depraved ways?” She punched a pillow. “I can't trust myself, Eagle. All of today, she had just come for an innocent visit, and just like last time, I feared that I wouldn't be able to contain myself.”

“I'm sure it wasn't that bad...”

She looked up at me, and the weariness she wore made me feel like curling up and sleeping for a week. “It was. I don't know how well you know Twilight Sparkle—“

“Not very.” I was quite certain today had seen me talk to her more than I'd ever spoken to her in my lifetime. She always had been nice to look at, though.

“But she actually came for a visit while you were on vacation. It happened by accident, and I had thought that I was handling things well, but something in my words, my bearing, my actions... disturbed her. She was fleeing from me, Eagle Eye, terrified for her innocence. For a moment, she saw that part of me, and it completely terrified her. I don't even know who else I could talk to about this. Luna has her own problems adjusting to Equestria after her long absence, and...” Her voice faltered.

Suddenly, I was faced with a very profound question: Did she really have no one else to turn to? Everypony except for Twilight Sparkle really had either left her or held her at a distance. “Go on. I'll stay.” With great effort, I moved over and sat at the foot of her bed, intent on hearing her out.

The slight quivering of her lips spoke volumes more than words ever could about her gratitude. “The worst part was, after she gave up on trying to escape from me, everything was back to normal... for a while. Then... something came over me. I... it felt just like that day. And Twilight actually seemed like she would not mind it. But... it's madness. I could never put her through that.” She bowed her head.

I struggled with my thoughts. Part of me wanted to run away screaming at the knowledge that part of Celestia really did want something like that, but I suspected she wasn't giving herself enough credit. While on vacation, I'd taken a little trip and done some research on Discord's powers myself. As far as I understood it, he made mountains out of ant hills, judging by the reports on what had happened in Ponyville. Granted, I didn't know any of the ponies except for Twilight, but if somepony who was the bearer of the Element of Honesty had suddenly started lying through her teeth, I sincerely doubted Celestia, if given the chance, would actually be quite as perverse as she seemed to believe herself capable of. I knew perversion, and I was not looking at its face right now.

On top of that, she was just like me. We both had known loss, and it changed a pony forever. Not even Celestia was immune from the trials of time; she just felt them a little differently than a pony of my stature.

“Put her through that or put yourself through that?” Okay. Come on, now. Even tone, no nervousness. I had to project some confidence. After all, I was only giving advice to a pony who had lived for thousands of years more than me, was smarter than me, and was both my boss' boss' boss' boss' boss as well as the co-ruler of the country. Luna above, what in Tartarus' name was I doing?!

“What do you mean?” Her gaze was fully upon me now. My question had apparently been more profound than I had thought.

“My point is that...” What was my point? “My point is that you can't dwell on the past.” I paused, struck with inspiration. “Think back, Celestia. Remember your first faithful student... who you missed so dearly? Sure, I didn't know her... obviously... but if you and she were as close as you said, she wouldn't want you to punish yourself so. You made a mistake then, and you made a mistake now. Well, I make a lot of mistakes. But I just shake the dust off my coat and keep going. If I let the past tie me down, I'd get dragged under in no time. I bear the sore flanks and whip marks of mistakes, but I use my experiences to teach me.

“'Hey, maybe it's not such a good idea to hit on the mare with something that looks suspiciously like a ball gag for a cutie mark.' 'Eagle Eye, while teasing your boss can be fun, it'll never amount to anything, so find yourself a real colt one day.'” I was on a roll. Embarrassment be damned. “I'm sure you've seen more in your life than I could ever understand. But I think you said it yourself: 'I'm not going to waste any more of our time.' If you think you could make whatever it is you want to have happen with Twilight happen, then by... you, make it happen! And don't tell me about being afraid you'll do to her what you tried to do to me. We both know that wasn't you. Even your actions that day, they were all motivated by your feelings for Twilight. Even if those feelings were distorted into strange actions, the sentiment was there. And if that sentiment is real, you can make of them whatever you want.

“I've learned that love can take many forms. You aren't restricted to one just because that's what you may have done in the past. So, Cel—no, Princess Celestia—I think you owe it to yourself and to your faithful student Twilight Sparkle to try to make this work. Give it a try. I look at you, and I see a pony who's actively denying herself a chance to be happy. And I think that's a damn shame. You can't let yourself be ruled by the past. I should know.”

She sat still for a very long time, absorbing my words. “And why is that, my little pony?”

“Huh?”

“What makes you think we shouldn't let ourselves be ruled by the past?”

“Well, I...” I hesitated. I hadn't spoken about this before. “You were honest with me, so I'll return that trust. Princess Celestia, I never knew my mother.”

She nodded. “I see... a great tragedy. What happened to her?”

“Oh, nothing. She just got up and left my father one day, never coming back from work, leaving him to try and raise me all by myself. In fact, I'm fairly sure she's living it up somewhere with somepony else.” I was whining, and I knew it.

Her expression softened. “Eagle Eye... at least your father was a fine pony.”

“I wish he was.” I shook my head. “I was never good enough for him. No matter what I did, what I said, who I was with, nothing was good enough for him. He'd tell me day in and day out that I was why Mom had left.” Sorrow welled up within me as I recalled his many harsh words.

“Eagle Eye! This report card is pitiful.”

“Eagle Eye! It's your fault your momma left.”

“Eagle Eye! Stop making eyes at colts your age!”

I blinked a few times. Had that last one actually happened?

“That can't be true.” I looked up, my face lined by tears I hadn't even realized I had been shedding. “You're a brave, caring pony, Eagle Eye. I wish I could have done something for you.”

I felt myself drinking the praise in like a cactus absorbed water. “S-so I'm not a disappointment of a guardspony?” My eyes widened. Somepony who appreciated me!

“Not at all. Why, if my guard had twenty more of you, I'd feel that much safer.”

“I...” My throat seized up, and I choked out a few sounds. “I... t-thank you, Princess. That means... so much to me.” I had become all too used to being life's chew toy.

“Think nothing of it, Eagle Eye. If there's ever anything I can do for you, do not hesitate to ask. I owe you a great deal.”

I waved my forehooves in front of my face. “N-no! Not at all! I just did what anypony would have done!”

She closed her eyes. A chuckle escaped her lips, which grew into a full-throated laugh. The sound of her amusement was sweeter than any music I had ever heard—or ever would, I suspected. “Humble as well... you have more than earned your place on the wall, Eagle Eye of the Royal Guard.”

What the hay did that mean? “I would be honored, Your Highness.”

She chuckled again. “It seems Discord did some good after all. Finally, I found a joke he wouldn't find funny.”

“Thank you, Princess Celestia.” I rose. “I... I don't know if I was of any help, but I hope you and Twilight—whatever you settle upon—are happy.”

“I'll certainly have to try.”

“Don't try. Do.” I blushed as I realized what I'd just implied. “Er, not 'do' exactly, but act, at least. Time is precious for us all.”

“Funny, I seem to remember somepony else saying that.”

I smiled, feeling more and more of that frosty distrust of mine felt. “Indeed you did, ma'am. And I know you'll do more.” The weight of what I'd done just hit me. Princesses above, had I just lectured Princess Celestia on life lessons? What right did I have? “Er... sorry for rambling.” I started backing up. What had I been thinking? I gave her a respectful bow and headed for the door.

“Good night, Eagle.”

“Good night, Princess Celestia. And good luck.”

A weary, yet determined, sigh came from behind me. “I may need it.”

I exited Princess Celestia's chambers with a smile on my face. Perhaps it was time to have a drink to celebrate. That always ended well, right?