To Be A Princess

Twilight flew all the way to Trottingham. She twirled and flipped in the air as she was filled with adrenaline. Her memories as a unicorn flooded back into her mind. All she ever did was read. Mostly about Starswirl the Bearded, the greatest mentor ever known. Twilight stopped twirling. This is all I have ever wanted. Why?

Twilight frowned. Though she was still happy, she knew that when she was a unicorn, she dreamed of having enough knowledge to share. But now? What was she willing to teach Flurry Heart?

What is she willing to learn?

Twilight landed. She stumbled on her feet as she looked up. What she saw was a neighborhood, a rough ghetto. Broken windows and trash stood all around her. Tall buildings hung eerily overhead. A building stood before Twilight. It was made of brick and wasn’t as tall of broken as the others. A sign hung above the door: “Peace Blossoms Orphan Home.”

Twilight unrolled the scroll and looked at it with fear. She was unsure of what to expect, even though Luna had drawn a very descriptive drawing. The woman in the drawing was sitting at a piano, singing. Notes flew from her mouth, and Twilight could almost hear her sweet song. Twilight’s heart opened at the thought of mentoring Flurry Heart. There was no fear. Nothing could go wrong now.

Twilight pushed the door open, slowly. The room that stood before her wasn’t much to look at. It was dark, with no lights, only small bits of sunshine flowing through the windows. Black and white tile on the floor was dirty and chipped, as well as the walls with wallpaper peeling. Twilight shuffled forward to a desk where a woman was writing something in a notebook. The woman had long, crescent moon glasses and a picture of a kid on her desk with a big goofy grin and her two front teeth missing. Twilight smiled at the woman’s friendly face, her fear fading once again.

What am I so afraid of?

The woman coughed. “Can I help you...miss?” The woman had looked up to see the Princess of Friendship standing before her. She stumbled to her feet before bowing, but, as she always did, Twilight waved the bow away. “Yes, I am looking for…” Twilight checked her scroll. “Glowing Prism. I would like to adopt her.”

The woman smiled, her face wrinkling. “Your Highness, you are just in time for her concert. Right this way please.” The woman let out a hand towards a dark corridor.

Twilight rose up the stairs with as much elegance as she could muster. Her heart was beating fast, and she was excited. She would see Flurry Heart play, not as Glowing Prism. As Flurry Heart.

The true Crystal Princess.

Twilight found a surprisingly large concert hall, with children sitting in ragged seats, bouncing up and down eagerly. Twilight sat and put her hood around her face, hoping no one else would recognize her.

The lights dimmed, and a spotlight shone on Flurry Heart, who had entered the hall quietly, Twilight not even noticing.

Flurry Heart was beautiful. Her chiseled features were cut gracefully by the spotlight, and her hourglass figure was cut by a maroon cloak, surprisingly not all that different than the one Twilight was wearing.

And then she began to play. Twilight started crying immediately. The tune began slow, and sad, but rose. Rose into a melody so perfect that Twilight could have listened to it over and over and over until she hated it. Twilight recognized it as one of the older Crystal Empire songs, a song of hope and glory, but above all: redemption. As if Flurry already knew her past and her future, she played the song greater than any musician before her.

When the song was over, the crowd cheered and sobbed and threw roses and cheered some more. Twilight couldn’t move as she wept and wept, the song reaching down into her heart and soul and holding on tight. Her memories of her BBBFF flooded back into her mind, as well as her memories of Cadance.

There was no way that Flurry could disappoint her.

The concert was over then, and Twilight along with the orphan children to congratulate Flurry, or Prism as they called her, before she disappeared into the shadows again. Flurry thanked everyone and hugged and kissed them all on the cheeks. Twilight sighed with bliss as Flurry spoke. Her voice reminded Twilight so much of Cadance, who had been Twilight's number one source of comfort when she was a child.

Twilight tapped Flurry Heart on the shoulder, pulling her hood on tight to make sure that no one but Flurry would see her. Flurry waved goodbye to the last child as she turned around and looked as if she was about to scream. “Princess Twi---”

Twilight clapped her hand over Flurry’s mouth, which made Flurry shut up and reel back a bit, as it must have hurt. Twilight said sorry over and over as she led Flurry into a corner.

“I’m gonna let go, and you’re not gonna let anyone know that I’m here, ok?”

Flurry nodded and sighed as Twilight let go. Flurry leaned in and whispered, “Princess Twilight?”

Twilight looked around the room before removing her hood and shaking free her long mane. She smiled. “That’s me.”

“What are you doing here? Does anyone else know that you are here? Why shouldn’t I tell them?” Flurry asked, speaking so rapidly that her words blended into one long sentence.

Twilight waved her hand. “One at a time, kid. Listen, we have to talk. Is there somewhere private we can go?” Flurry nodded and reached for the Princess’s arm. Twilight did not object as Flurry pulled her along.

Flurry led to what Twilight assumed was her room. The walls were painted baby pink and the carpet probably used to be white. Toys were scattered across the floor (that Twilight assumed were other chidrens’) and posters hung on the wall. Flurry told Twilight to sit on her bed and Flurry pulled out some tea to brew.

Flurry handed Twilight a cup, and they took a few sips each. Twilight smiled. It was peppermint, Cadance’s favorite.

“You know, you really are a spitting image of your mother.”

Flurry Heart lowered the teacup from her lips. “Excuse me?”

Twilight reached for her niece’s hand. Flurry did not pull away. “I need to tell you some things.”

So all throughout the afternoon, Twilight wove the tragic tale of Flurry’s parents and how Twilight wished to mentor Flurry. Flurry, however, kept a straight face until the end, when she began to cry.

Twilight pulled her niece into a hug. “I’m so sorry. This isn’t going to be easy. I know. And it can’t be any better hearing this all at once.”

Flurry pulled a handkerchief out of her nightstand and wiped her eyes and nose. “So...I’m the lost Crystal Princess?” Twilight nodded and Flurry sighed. “I think that would be magical but...my parents…”

“When your father was alive, he loved you more than anything. Your mother loves you too.”

Flurry bit her lip. “I’ve been Glowing Prism as long as I can remember. I’m the reason that this orphanage is still in business, and the reason that some of these kids haven’t killed themselves yet. I can’t just leave this all behind. Besides….” Flurry pulled up her robes to her waist, revealing her cutie mark, a crystal heart with a snowflake carved into it. “This is why I have this.”

Twilight touched the mark gently. “You do realize how similar this is to your mother’s, don’t you? And that only princesses receive their cutie marks?” Although everyone comes up with their talent in their lifetime, Princesses magically receive tattoos of their talent turned into a design on both of their thighs.

Flurry released her robes from her tight grip. “I thought I was just special. You are the only person I have ever shown those marks to.” Tears filled her eyes again, and she reached for Twilight’s grip.

A compassion had filled Twilight’s heart, one that she had never felt before. It was quite motherly, in a way. Flurry pressed deep into Twilight’s embrace, and Twilight hummed and stroked Flurry’s mane soothingly. Very quickly, Flurry stopped crying.

Twilight whispered in Flurry’s ear. “It’s going to be ok, I promise. I’ll be your mother now.”

Flurry laughed and Twilight kissed her forehead.