Under New Management

It had been a few years since Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor spent that Brohoof Bash with the Apples. Since then, the four of them have tried to get together as often as Shining could get away from the Crystal Empire. They did as much as they could, within the letter of the law. But despite the new-found outlet that they had, the illicit desire they held had not lessened in the slightest. It was a constant test of will for them to resist eachother.

But Twilight had to be careful. Ever since her ascension, she was in the public eye more than ever. It became incredibly difficult to get away with the Apples for their little trysts. And Twilight knew that a pony has only ever been caught for two reasons: They did something too big; or they did something for too long. And after a long enough time, the probability of them being caught would eventually become one hundred percent.

And just like that, Twilight received a summons to Canterlot Castle.

Twilight Sparkle sat nervously at the royal dining table in Canterlot. But it was long after dinner. The sun had already been set and the moon had just risen. There was only two times in the day that a meeting like this could occur.

At the royal shift-change.

Opposite her were Princess Celestia, Luna and Cadance. Luna rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Celestia likewise looked tired, having been up since before the dawn. And Cadance looked burnt-out from the long train ride all the way down south from the Crystal Empire. None of them looked thrilled to be there.

The room was silent but for the occasional shuffling of papers as they were each reading over a thick packet in a set of folders. Luna leaned over to her elder sister, pointing at something in her folder, bringing it to her attention without a word. Celestia frowned disapprovingly.

Twilight could hear her own heart pounding in her ears. She had been summoned to Canterlot, but she was not told why. When she arrived, she was directed to the royal dining room and instructed to take a seat. So she sat. She sat and waited for something, anything, as an explanation for her summons. None came. The other three continued to deliberate silently. Cadance showed something to Luna. What it was, Twilight had no idea. She feared the worst.

Oh no. They know about me and Shining Armor. They know about Applejack and Big Macintosh. They know about what we've been doing! But we didn't do anything -illegal- in the strictest sense of the word. We were so careful, how did they find out?

Twilight tried to keep a cool demeanor on the exterior. She hoped that she wasn't sweating as obviously as it felt like she was. Celestia seemed to finish and returned the papers into the folder, sitting back in her chair. She looked to Luna. Luna shook her head 'no'. She looked the other way to Cadance. Cadance shrugged noncommittally, glancing at Twilight and then back to Celestia with a small smirk.

Cadance knows! Shining told her. He said he would have to. He said he never kept secrets from her. She must have told the other Princesses!

Twilight's heart pounded faster. She feared what would happen to her.

I'm going to be stripped of my title! My wings! Is it going to hurt? It probably will! And what about Shining!?

Her concern shifted to her brother, whom she loved more dearly than any other pony in the world. She knew she would die to protect him, just as she knew he would do the same for her.

What are they going to do to him? They geld ponies for that don't they? But he's a prince! They can't do that, can they?

Celestia and Cadance both looked back at Luna, trying, it seemed, to convince her of something. Luna crossed her hooves in defiance, but relaxed after a moment and rolled her eyes in peer-pressured surrender. The three of them sat back in their chairs and looked at Twilight. Celestia wrapped up the bundle of papers in twine.

"Yes," Celestia said. Twilight gulped and looked back and forth among the three of them in confusion. Could they read her mind? Yes to what? What had they agreed upon for me? Celestia answered only by picking up the bundle and tossing it across the table landing in front of Twilight.

Twilight's Kingdom

"Twilight's Kingdom?" Twilight said aloud.

"At least she can read," Luna remarked.

"Luna!" Celestia scolded, and turned back to Twilight. "Twilight, you have proven yourself to be a good leader and a moral pony. That was why you had been made a Princess." Celestia looked to Luna.

"Even we do not completely understand the magic will of the Tree of Harmony, but it seems that it has chosen Ponyville to be your kingdom. We have decided to trust in the tree's wisdom, and see if you are indeed ready to be a ruler," Luna said.

"At dawn, tomorrow, the town of Ponyville will be under your jurisdiction to rule as you see fit. Congratulations," Cadance said. Celestia recovered the folder from Twilight and rose from the table.

"These proceedings are closed," Celestia said, and walked out of the room, followed by Cadance. Luna stopped at the door for just a moment.

"Do not disappoint us, Twilight." Luna closed the door behind her.

Twilight remained at the table, sitting in the dim candle light.

"My own kingdom!?" She said to herself. She looked down at her hooves. They were shaking. She was relieved that she and her brother had not been discovered, but the idea of being in charge of and entire kingdom frightened her. "Ponyville." Twilight got a hold of herself. She knew Ponyville. She could walk from one end to the other in less than an hour. How hard could it be to manage a town that small? It was just a test, she reasoned. A 'practice' kingdom to prepare her for the real thing someday. And besides, Ponyville already had somepony managing it.

Even still, leading the Elements of Harmony was one thing. And a task force for Winter Wrap Up was another. But to manage an entire town? That was something she had no experience in whatsoever. The other three princesses had experience with ruling. But she couldn't go to them for advice now. Not after they just gave her the independence to rule for herself. It would shake their confidence in her. She needed to talk to somepony who knew how to run a town. And to Twilight, that meant just one pony. With a plan materializing in her mind, she rose from the table and made for the exit.

It was time for her to pay Mayor Mare a visit.