Needless to say the media was in a frenzy, Luna was doing her best to handle all the questions. “As I said earlier, I’m not responsible for the actions of my sister. I cannot answer these questions for her and request that you wait at your homes or businesses until she returns.” The news ponies slowly backed and walked away.

Luna sighed and wiped her brow when she got back to her room. She looked over her balcony and spotted the town of Ponyville. “I hope you know what you’re doing sister.”

Down in Ponyville, Celestia was in Sugarcube corner. Trying to decide between the lemon pastry or the chocolate tart. She decided on the tart and bought it, walking around casually had the ponies relax around her and they soon dropped the formalities and stopped bowing before her and just casually said hello and went along their way. Ditzy Doo was accompanying her eating a muffin and humming. “So Ditzy, what did you used to do?”

Ditzy almost choked but swallowed the part of the muffin that was in her mouth. “Me?”

“Is there another Ditzy around here?” Celestia asked.

“Oh. I used to deliver the mail.” Ditzy said.

“Used to?” Celestia questioned.

“I got fired.” Ditzy looked down, or at least one of her eyes did. “I delivered a broken package. Plus my disability checks stopped coming in the mail.”

“Well now the only job you have to worry about is being a mother.” Celestia said while eating her tart.

“I know and I really appreciate that you’re doing this.” Ditzy smiled. “I just wish I could repay you somehow.”

“How about this. When you get all your furniture and appliances in you can invite my sister and I over for dinner.” Celestia suggested.

“Okay.” Ditzy agreed. Then she gasped. “Oh no, it’s almost time for school to let out. I’m sorry princess I need to go pick up my daughter!” Ditzy ran off, stumbled a bit and then continued with her run.

Celestia chuckled, being connected to the sun meant that she knew what time it was at all times. The same with her sister, they never knew why they got that ability when they took on the responsibility of raising the sun and moon but they didn’t mind all that much. Celestia had another problem that needed addressing. It stuck out like a sore hoof, or sore castle. “Since Twilight isn’t a princess she probably would want a less of a castle and more of a house.” Celestia walked over to the castle and easily opened the doors with her magic. “Twilight are you in here?”

“Yes princess?” Twilight answered from the library with her head poking out of the doorway.

“Up to your old habits I assume?” Celestia raised an eyebrow.

“Nope. I’m studying battle magic, you know for the aliens?”

“Yes it does strike me as quite odd that there hasn’t been any recent attack in attempt to retrieve the omnitrix.” Celestia mused then joined her friend in the library.

“Yeah that is pretty odd.” Twilight agreed and levitated a book into her vision. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Actually I think it’s more of the other way around. I would have thought that you would like to alter the castle so it’s more like a house than a palace.”

“I’m converting it into a library, at least the lower half. The upstairs area will be my home.” Twilight said. “Like the setup I had a Golden Oaks, but just a bit bigger.”

“So you don’t mind it?” Celestia asked.

“A few alterations here and there and it will be more homey for me.” Twilight said.

“What about adjusting to your former magic? Now that the alicorn magic is gone?” Celestia asked while sitting down.

“If I were to be honest. I felt more out of place as an alicorn, being an introvert I don’t really like the spotlight to be on me that much. I do just as much as my friends do. That’s sort of why I got so upset.” Twilight said while putting her book down. “You remember when I told you about Starlight’s Village?”

“The one about equality?” Celestia said. “I do.”

“While there, the people brought up some good points. Not as in everypony should try to be the same but everypony deserves a fair share. My accomplishments are my own yes, but I would have never achieved that without my friends, and for me to be the only one who gets rewarded? That’s unfair.” Twilight said. “I’d rather share the spotlight than to be the only one in it.”

“I think I understand where you are coming from.” Celestia nodded.

“Besides, I do better as a librarian than a princess anyways.” Twilight said. “I’m willing to help other ponies with friendship problems but if I don’t address my own problems how am I supposed to be an effective advisor?”

“You are wiser beyond your years Twilight.” Celestia compliments.

“Well I had a good teacher.” Twilight smiled. “Not the best one, but still pretty damn good.”

“We all have faults.” Celestia admitted.

“So, what are you going to do about this new era?” Twilight asked.

“First thing I’m going to do is stop letting the ponies with the biggest bank accounts try to push me around. Like you said, everypony deserves a fair share and a fair shot.” Celestia pointed out. “The court positions will become elected positions and not passed down from generation to generation. That way ponies can decide who would be the best to represent them in court.”

“What about Ditzy?” Twilight asked.

“I can move some funds around and get her a paycheck that covers living expenses.” Celestia said. “I don’t need all the cake in the world, and those nobles don’t need all the money in the world either.”

“Isn’t that stealing?” Twilight asked.

“It’s called taxes.” Celestia said. “Ponies that make 50,000 bits a day should be pay their taxes.”

“You’re really cracking down aren’t you?” Twilight asked.

“Tax evasion is a crime, one that I have been too lenient on. I’m going to straighten out those things.” Celestia said. “Sorry I just need to blow off some steam.”

“You want to spar with Spike?” Twilight suggested. “It could help the both of you and Spike recently discovered a new alien.”

“Really?” Celestia questioned. “Which one?”

Twilight summoned a data pad and showed Celestia. “He calls him Cannonbolt.”

“An Arburian Pelarota, that’s rare.” Celestia mused to herself. “Where is Spike now?”

“Plumber HQ.” Twilight answered. “He’s been hanging out there helping with configuring the communications as Gray Matter.”

“I’ll see you around Twilight.” Celestia lit up her horn then stopped. “You know what. I think I’ll fly there.” Celestia stretched her wings. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to stretch my wing muscles.” Celestia walked outside and started to flap.

“I’ll see you later princess.” Twilight said.

“Twilight, there’s no need to call me that. I’m your friend, call me Tia.” Celestia took off into the sky with a smile adorning her muzzle. Celestia did a few loops and twists in the sky. Then she was accompanied by a rainbow streak flying around with her. “Hello Rainbow Dash.”

“How did you know it was me?” The cyan pegasus asked.

“Seriously? You make a rainbow trail every time you fly and you’re one of the only ponies that has that type of mane.” Celestia answered.

“Well you got me there.” Rainbow said. “Heading to the HQ?”

“Yes, I need to let off some steam and I’m going to help Spike in the process.” Celestia said as she descended into the courtyard of her old home in the everfree forest. She landed gracefully and Rainbow was still in the air.

“Well I got some clouds to bust for weather team. I’ll see ya around.” Rainbow sped off in the direction of Ponyville and Celestia chuckled.

“If there’s one thing I know about Rainbow Dash is that she is hardly formal at all.” Celestia looked at the castle which had been rebuilt and stood proudly as it once was.

“Do you like it?” A similar chaotic voice asked.

“Yes Discord.” Celestia wiped a tear from her eye. “It’s almost the exact same before they left.”

“I figured you’d like it.” Discord said. “It brings back some fond memories.”

“Yes Uncle Dissy.” Celestia teased.

“I can still turn your mane into cotton candy.” Discord pointed out.

“You’re getting pretty stale, why not change it up?” Celestia said. “It could be mane-eating lollipops.”

“The same old thing does get pretty stale after a while doesn’t it?” Discord asked. “That was a rhetorical question.”

“I didn’t say anything.” Celestia grinned.

“You were thinking it.” Discord said. “I also know why you’re here. Spike is down in the lab.”

“Thank you Discord.” Celestia started to walk.

“A new era huh?” Discord asked.

“Yes.” Celestia answered without looking back.

“Such a disruption to the natural pecking order. It’s so delightfully chaotic, it’s almost like you’re doing my job for me.” Discord smiled.

“What’s next? Maybe tomorrow I’ll have a duck bill and beaver tails for wings?”

“Sarcasm is better left to your sister.” Discord noted and disappeared in a flash of bubbles. When the bubbles popped they all made different noises.

Celestia couldn’t help but chuckle. She went down into the lab and saw all types of devices and computers aligning the walls and columns. “I haven’t seen some of these since my childhood.” Celestia studied one of the computers when Steel Gear walked up.

“Anything I can help you with?” Steel asked.

“Just reminiscing.” Celestia said. “Do you know where Spike is?”

“Right here!” I said. “You’re kinda standing over me.”

Celestia looked down at my position and saw that I was myself. “Oh there you are. Sorry for standing over you, what are you doing?”

“Just connecting some wires.” I said. “Some of these ponies can handle being shot at by lasers but they can’t handle a simple hoof shock.”

“To be fair, dragons are more durable and have a higher resistance to the elements than ponies.” Steel pointed out.

“Whatever.” I said then looked to my adoptive mother. “What did you want?” I asked politely.

“I need to let off some steam and was wondering if you would like to spar with me.” Celestia said.

“Sure, let me just finish wiring this.” I said and went back under the computer.

“I’ll be waiting in the courtyard.” Celestia said as she spread her wings and flew up to the castle.

I finished wiring the computer and took the elevator to the castle and jogged into the courtyard where my mother was waiting with a giant mace with tally marks on it. “Umm……. what is that for?” I gulped.

“Oh, oops. I should have told you before you got up here. This is the weapon I prefer to use when in a fight. Now that I think about it, I should just stick to magic.” Celestia said.

“No you’re fine it’s just. Kinda scary when I look at it, I don’t think I want to know what the tally marks are for.”

“Let’s just say that every planet has a dark age.” Celestia said.

“Okay then.” I activated the omnitrix and chose an alien then transformed into XLR8. “Let’s see if you can keep up.”

Celestia readied her mace and her horn started to glow. “A Kineceleran, interesting choice.”

The helmet’s mask came down. “Not every fight is about brute strength.” I said as I readied myself.

“On Three?” Celestia asked and I nodded my head. “One… Two… THREE!” She shouted and rushed towards me while I sped around her attempt at offense and wrapped my tail around her leg and twisted to throw her back. She shouted and went through some rocks.

I sped up to where she landed. “Are you alright?” I asked her and then I was blasted back by a beam of magic.

Celestia rose from the rubble. “Spike, there is one thing you should know about me. I’m a lot tougher than I look.” She hefted her mace with her magic. “I can take the hits.”

I got back up and crouched. “Then I guess I need a heavier hitter.” I twisted the omnitrix symbol and changed into Heatblast.

“A Pyronite?” Celestia questioned. “You do know I’m immune to fire?”

“Yeah but you aren’t immune to this.” I caused the earth underneath me to rise and suddenly it became a floating platform and I launched the platform at her.

Celestia raised her shield and the rock crashed against the shield causing it to crack. There was another flash of light and I was Diamond Head. I turned my arm into a blade and slashed at the cracks in her shield causing it to shatter. Celestia swung her mace out of instinct and caused cracks and launched me into tree which caused more cracks. “A Petrosapien. That’s a good one.”

I slowly got up and the cracks disappeared quickly and I regained my previous form. I smirked, “I’ve had a lot more practice with the omnitrix.” I shot some shards around Celestia who back away slightly.

“Trying to intimidate me?” She asked.

“Nope. Just setting a trap.” I raised my arms and the shards grew into a crystalline prison surrounding her, it then sealed up.

Celestia smirked and swung her mace, shattering the prison easily. “You are way too smart for your own good. You know that?”

The omnitrix start to blink red and then it timed out. “I did have some pretty good teachers.” I said as I turned back into myself.

Celestia wiped some sweat off her brow. “Whew it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to spar like that before.”

I walked up to her and sat down next to her. “Why don’t you join in on the front lines more often?”

“You know, princess duties. That should be starting to change now. I got a few ideas for the new era that I will put into action.”

“Like what?”

“A royal documents board. I really don’t like going through all those proposed documents, so that should free up a lot more time for me and Luna.”

“That sounds really useful.” I said.

“Yes, but I have to employ trustful ponies. I know that one bad egg doesn’t spoil the bunch but my little ponies have very infectious personalities.”

“What about Blueblood?” I asked.

“Him? Oh, yes I’ll talk to him. I noticed that he has abused his position before but he does do some good work for me. I may have to revoke his status as an honorary prince until he can straighten up his act.” Celestia dispelled the mace and conjured a towel to wipe the sweat off herself.

“So his title is only honorary? Why does he call you Auntie then?”

“Because when he was just a little foal he was homeless and an orphan so I ‘adopted’ him as my nephew. Though I should have used the belt on his flank more.” Celestia sighed. “But enough about me and my problems. How have you been?” I started to talk and update her on the past few weeks, about what happened with the girls and how they apologized but I was still getting measures of payback. “Okay, you have to tell me how you messed with Applejack.” Celestia said.

“Oh that was easy, I just turned into XLR8 gathered all the apple harvesting baskets on the farm and then turned into Bloxx and conveyed all the baskets to the roof of the barn.”

Celestia laughed. “How did you get Fluttershy?”

“I didn’t go after her too hard, she didn’t really hurt me as much so I just turned into Ghostfreak and did a poltergeist thing.” I explained. “When she went out that afternoon and came back all her chairs were stacked on the table. She started to freak out but I turned back into myself and told her that I was messing with her then put everything back.”

“Not enough to scare her silly but enough for both to be satisfied.” Celestia nodded. “Now how did you get Twilight?”

“I rearranged all of her books as XLR8 throughout the day. She went to go put a book back and saw that there was another book in it’s place. If I went fast enough she would see a book change places before she could grab it.” I smirked. “It drove her bonkers.”

Celestia then started to laugh at that. “I wish I could have been there to see her face!”

“It was pretty funny until she figured out it was me.” I said. “I didn’t get any gems for the past week.”

Celestia looked at me. “Hmm.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“I could be mistaken but it seems like you’ve been doing some growing.” Celestia pointed out then poked my belly. “That shirt is barely covering your belly.”

I looked down and saw that my belly was slightly sticking out. “Huh.”

“Have you been hoarding again Heathspike?”

I gulped when she used my full first name. “No mommy.”

“Then I think that you’ve started to hit one of your many growth spurts.” She said.

“R-Really?” I asked.

“Well your belly isn’t as pudgy when you lived in the castle with me. In fact you’ve gotten a lot slimmer since you got the omnitrix.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“I don’t think it’s a side effect of your transformations, I think it’s because you’ve been more active since receiving the omnitrix.”

“Oh okay.” I stood up and Celestia did too.

“As much as I would like to stay and chat more, I feel that I’ve taken too many liberties today.” Celestia wrapped me in her wings and hugged me tight. “Though I will be visiting more often now. I promise.”

“I love you mommy.” I hugged her tight.

“I love you too my precious drake.” Celestia said back and broke the hug she kissed my forehead and then teleported back to Canterlot.

Author's Note

Spike's full name is Kenbroath Gilspotten Heathspike.