To Be A Princess

Princess Twilight Sparkle let out a sharp breath with every step. Her pace was quick, but she knew that it would do her no good to rush. If the Princesses wanted to see her immediately, she would have to go back to Ponyville to warn her friends of oncoming danger, if there were any.

It’s no use, Twilight mumbled to herself, The Elements of Harmony are powerless and I haven’t any time to worry about the new spells piling up on my desk from Celestia.

The doors of Celestia’s study brought close, even warm feelings to Twilight. She remembered the first time she had been brought in, as a filly. She was a new student to the Princess, and she was terrified. Twilight laughed. Could I ever have guessed this would be my future?

Twilight stopped before her hand pushed the sunset-painted doors open. It has been years since my coronation. My friends grow old without me, yet I stand here as regal as I have ever been. Everyday I wake and ask myself, is this really my truest destiny?

Oh great, now I’m even talking like them.

This must be my destiny if they rest this power so delicately on my shoulders…

Delicately?

Twilight shook off any extra thoughts before pushing into the room.

Celestia and Luna had been facing away from the entrance to the study, faces deep with concern. Twilight looked at the walls, unable to make eye contact. They were lined with bookshelves so thick and tall you couldn’t even see the walls. In the middle stood a grand desk lined with papers, quills, and ink.

“Twilight! What a pleasure it is to see you,” Luna said, possibly with too much enthusiasm, while Celestia put on her signature Princess-smile.

Twilight tried to copy it. “As for you, Luna.” Twilight put her hand to her chin, and coughed. “If I’m not mistaken, this was of utmost importance, was it not?”

Twilight, will you shut up already?

Celestia frowned. “Maybe not of utmost importance per se, but... just have a seat.” Twilight sat, noticing the worried expressions of the two Princesses faces.

Celestia cleared her throat. “Twilight, Luna and I both know that ever since your coronation 20 years ago, you have never felt fulfilled with your duties.”

Luna bit her lip. “It has been a very long time since we have seen you smile. You don't have any friends to talk to, and Spike was...killed many years ago, so you are all alone.” She turned her head to Celestia. “Remember when she sang the song about you, Cadence, and I had our own kingdoms and things to raise and set and rule?” Celestia nodded, and Luna turned her head back to Twilight.

“Twilight, when was the last time you sang?”

The question hit Twilight like a bus, and left a hearty sting. Twilight’s lip curled back into a snarl that was very un-ladylike. “I’ll have you both know that I am very happy with everything that I have, and...I am trying! Trying my best to find friends!” She was yelling. “I don’t need to sing! Why should I?”

Celestia only blinked. A silence filled the air until:

“Please don’t lie.”

“What?” Twilight growled. She was an animal, no princess.

Luna shook her head quickly. “There’s no need, Princess Sparkle. We came here today to give you an assignment.”

It felt as if someone knocked the wind out of Twilight. Yet she smiled. “Really?’

Celestia nodded, calmly. “Twilight, you remember what happened to Cadance, don’t you?”

Twilight froze.

When Cadance announced to her family and friends that she had a “bun in the oven” as she put it, for one of the few times in her life, Twilight was ecstatic.

She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Flurry Heart. Twilight didn’t think Cadance could become any softer, but she did.

But Cadance was overwhelmed. Ruling a mini-empire is no walk in the park, and with a child it is no easier. Cadance overdosed on caffeine and no matter how hard she tried, she barely ever spent time with her daughter.

Shining Armor knew this would happen and warned her multiple times but Cadance would not give it up. She said that the Crystal Empire needed an heir, and though Shining Armor tried to say that they could vote for a prince or princess to rule or something, he eventually went along with having a child.

Shining Armor wrote his sister a dreadful letter explaining Cadance’s meltdown. She screamed and cried for hours about how she was an awful mother and hated being a Princess and wanted to die. Twilight knew it was a call for help but Cadance refused and Shining was afraid of his own wife’s capabilities.

Some said she was insane. She never showed herself. Cadance pleaded to the elder Princesses to rip off her and her daughter’s wings and strip them of their magic so they could be normal. The Princesses always said that there was no spell allowing them to do it unless the victim committed an awful crime and that no pony offered that kind of surgery because it was too dangerous.

So she did it.

Cadance murdered her husband.

Twilight was so in shock that she couldn’t cry. All of her memories of her BBBFF and her foalsitter faded. She couldn’t be sad or angry. She felt powerless and frozen, as if there was nothing she could do.

All of Equestria felt the same way. No villain had ever murdered anyone, (not to say they didn’t do awful things but no murdering) none the less a Princess. Celestia was ashamed to call Cadance her niece. She ripped off her wings and magic and sent her to jail without trial.

When Twilight went to visit, she felt not in control of herself. There was no way anypony else was forcing her there, though. It was her mind, loose from the shock.

Cadance didn’t even look like herself. She was dirty, had cut off almost all of her mane, her eyes were completely bloodshot and she picked at her fingernails the whole time. When Twilight asked what made her do it, all she said was, “My Flurry Heart. My lovely Flurry.”

Flurry, however, was stripped of her wings, magic, and memory and was shipped to an orphanage in Trottingham with a new identity never to be broken.

Celestia didn’t even have to force the Crystal Ponies to leave. They were so disgusted they did it themselves. Some asked to be normal ponies with new identities, ashamed to ever follow such a monster. The Crystal Empire was destroyed, with all files left in the Canterlot Secret Archives.

Twilight sighed. “How could I forget?”

Celestia and Luna hung their heads. Celestia spoke after a moment. “You see, Twilight, it’s time to bring Flurry Heart home.”

Twilight felt shocked. “What? Bring her home?”

“She has been gone for seventeen years, Twilight,” Luna spoke for her sister. “She doesn’t know who she really is, and we have watched her grow into an amazing woman. She deserves to be a Princess once again.”

Twilight tried to grasp her thoughts. “But...Cadance…”

Celestia’s face hardened. “It is not Flurry Heart’s fault what her mother has done. And we never said that Flurry has to….meet her mother, or anything drastic of the sort.”

Twilight squinted. “Do we really need more Princesses in Equestria?”

Celestia pondered it for a moment. Just a mere 6 years ago, Sunset Shimmer was pronounced as the Princess of Redemption, even though Sunset didn’t really plan on staying in Equestria forever. Besides, most kingdoms outside of Equestria needed no more than one figurehead. Celestia then shrugged. “We don’t need more, Twilight, but wait until you meet Flurry again. For all Luna and I care, she could be the Princess of Appleloosa.” The elder Princesses laughed.

Twilight groaned. “Is that all? You just wanted to warn me about my competition?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Of course not. We want you to mentor her.”

Twilight’s mouth fell open. “What? Me? Why…”

Luna put a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “As we said before, everyone and their mother knows that being ‘Princess of Friendship’ was never what you desired, even after you became the Element of Magic.” Twilight bristled and Luna removed her hand. “Please, Twilight, Equestria is counting on you.”

Twilight had no time to even think of what to say before Celestia covered her mouth with her hands and began to cry. Luna stood up and began to rub her sister’s back and coo a sweet tune. Twilight bit her lip, and Luna shot her a hard look.

“I’ll do it,” Twilight said as she straightened her back, but her mentor did not stop crying. Luna squatted and ran a finger across Celestia’s cheek.

“She said she’ll do it, sister,” Luna cooed, and Celestia wiped her tears away with a handkerchief. So regal, Twilight thought, and shifted uncomfortably.

Celestia sighed. “It’s not that.” She looked at Twilight, her crimson eyes shining with guilt. “I have always known you weren’t satisfied, but I believed that you would find something to do to occupy yourself.” Twilight rubbed her arm. “But, now I see that you are truly unhappy. Why should I make anyone a Princess if there are no more tasks that need to be done?” Celestia lowered her head into her hands. “It ends up with disastrous results, anyway.”

Twilight had no choice but to lean to her Princess and hold her tightly. “Do not worry yourself, now.” Twilight tried to mimic the words and tone that Celestia spoke in when trying to calm Twilight. “I’ll help you, Celestia. The Crystal Princess shall return.”

Celestia’s head was still in her hands, but she smiled.

“So,” Twilight asked, “what do I do first?”

Luna turned to Twilight. “Go to the Peace Blossoms Orphan Home in Trottingham, where you shall ask to adopt a young mare named Glowing Prism. I’m positive that you shall recognize her, but if not…” Luna pulled out a small scroll from her pocket. “She is a tall young woman with baby pink and blue locks cut short, and she has brilliant, blue eyes. She’s often found playing piano or helping younger children.” Luna handed Twilight the scroll.

Twilight nodded her head with thanks. “I shall pack my things immediately,” Twilight said. The words rolled off her tongue like sweet syrup. Twilight was welcoming the thought of being a true Princess. She left the castle feeling proud.