Talking is Fun

"Come in."

"Prin—Celestia, I received your message."

"Wonderful. Go on, have a seat. The plush pillows are quite... well, plush."

"Wow, they are soft... ahem, Celestia, is there something wrong? A disaster? An evil has threatened Equestria? Luckily I have prepared a list of solutions for every possible—"

"Twilight, there's no problem at all. For once. I just wanted to invite you over to tea and talk, that's all."

"Oh... well, okay then. Um... what do you want to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know: the weather, recent news, how things are in Ponyville and Canterlot... yes, that would do. How is Ponyville, Twilight?"

"We're doing well. The last disaster was a time paradox, but as you can see, that's fixed. Nothing else to report; I fixed the timeline, and now nothing has changed."

"Actually, Twilight... something has changed."

"'Changed'? What do you mean, Celestia?"

"You're not my pupil anymore."

"..."

"Take a look at yourself. You're a princess and an alicorn, you now have a crystal castle in place of your old literal tree house, and your strength in magic has grown quite a lot."

"..."

"I remember the lectures I once gave you when you were a foal, and I remembered how you were very unsocial and worried about nothing but your homework. You were so passionate about the studies that I gave you I had to make an 'assignment' to make you make some friends."

"Wait, wha—"

"And let's not forget the day when you were almost tardy in the first time in your life! You even went as far as to use the want it, need it spell to make a friendship problem for you to solve and learn from!"

"Y-... yeah... I-I'm sorry for that, Celestia, I really shouldn't have done that... wait, are you saying that it's time to punish me for that?"

"Ha ha ha…! Ha... no, Twilight Sparkle, not at all... not at all... like I said, you changed. You became more adaptable, more social, more helpful, anything that's farther from the studying machine I almost made you become—"

"—Celestia, this isn't your fault. All you did was make me better. Like you said, you... 'assigned' me... into friendship... I really can't believe how much that worked."

"Ah, yes, Twilight. I do tend to take advantage of ponies, treating them as my own pawns."

"No, Celes—"

"I do, Twilight. But that’s okay. No mentor is perfect. But their imperfection is what makes a better mentor after them."

"..."

"I still remember it like it was yesterday; when Luna and I were the star pupils of Star Swirl the Bearded. I was a spoiled filly, believe it or not. I would throw temper tantrums; I would yell and quit whenever something didn't go my way. I was sceptical of most things other ponies believed in, and always demanded proof and the sources whenever somepony told me an unbelievable fact... but Star Swirl changed that. He taught me patience and made me as faithful as I am now. If it weren't for him, I would have hovered over your neck during every mission... or would have never been a mentor."

"Celestia, why are you telling me this?"

"... no matter how unprepared I felt, Star Swirl made me a mentor, and I had taught magic to students since. But only to pass the time and for the experience, I'll need for a faithful student. Twilight, how would you like to become the next mentor?"

"Mentor...? I'm going to be a mentor...?"

"I was just as surprised as you are when Star Swirl asked me that. You may still have a lot to learn, but in due time as you teach more and more students for over a thousand years, you'll be as wise as me... actually, you'll become wiser than me. Despite his patience, Star Swirl never understood emotion. He may not show it, but I could tell how frustrated he was whenever I got tired of reading all night, or when a feud with Luna got me in a sour mood. Because that bothered me, I decided to be more sensitive to my students when I became a mentor. I sent you to Ponyville to teach you Star Swirl's patience, and to avoid his lack of social skills. I was as wise as Star Swirl, but more. Perhaps maybe when you teach, you'll not only teach your students Star Swirl's patience and faith, and my sensitivity and social skills, but also teach your equal respect for others."

"What do you mean?"

"You outlawed all royal treatment towards you in Ponyville a year ago, had you not? Unlike me, you don't look down on your subjects as only your subjects. You don't let your new title and power corrupt your mind and start to think yourself higher than others. I did, and I hope you'll make sure that mistake doesn't get repeated, as I had with Star Swirl’s."

"I... thank you, Celestia. I feel humbled by your request, and I will keep to your word as I take this new responsibility."

"Not my word Twilight, yours."

"... you know, I think I might know who my first student will be."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, I never thought of this before, but... well, remember the time paradox I told you about?"

"Mmm hmm."

"Well, the pony who caused it now lives in the castle. I... I spared her, even though she organised a cult and travelled back in time to keep the sonic rainboom that helped me pass the test from happening! But... she was very talented and filled with potential. And more importantly, she regrets what she did. All her actions were justified because she lost her only friend as a filly, so I pitied her and decided to be her friend. And for that, I think Starlight Glimmer, the pony who tried to ruin my life, should be my first student."

"..."

"So... it's settled then?"

"Mmm hmm."

"I'm now a mentor?"

"Yep."

"So... what now, then?"

"Just relax and enjoy the tea."