Teatime - A Novel Of Twilight & Celestia

by bigbear

Rating: teen
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Main 6, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spike, Starlight Glimmer, Romance, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life
Length: 99130

Twilight wants to reestablish the close relationship she had when she was Princess Celestia’s personal student. But, shared trials will require them to become much more than faithful student and immortal mentor.

Twilight Sparkle wants to reestablish her old rapport with Princess Celestia - the close relationship they had when Twilight was the Princess’s personal student. But life moves ever onward and the connections they had in the past will not be enough for the alicorns to overcome the challenges that lie ahead. To make it through their shared trials and revelations, Twilight and Celestia will need to grow beyond their existing bonds and become much more than faithful student and immortal mentor.

Published 2017-04-08 19:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-06-04 18:38:36 UTC

Chapter 2 - Teatime

Twilight made her way through the castle to the west door that led into the garden. The butterflies in the pit of her stomach were unusually active.

Before she opened the door, she thought, "It's gonna be fine. It's gonna be more than fine. It's going to be good." She took a deep calming breath and blew it out. The butterflies quieted, for the moment.

Twilight opened the door to the garden. It was as lovely as she remembered it. Sculpted trees stood watch over perfectly pruned flowering bushes from around the world. The finest landscape architects and botanists in Equestria maintained the health, location, and form of the immaculate plants.

Down a short path, next to the willow tree, was a sun-dappled sitting area with a low marble table and a pair of broad sitting cushions. One of the fine royal tea sets was arranged on the table.

But Twilight’s brain registered all of that later. The first thing she noticed, the only thing she noticed, was Celestia. Her pearlescent coat, ever flowing mane, and golden adornments, all shimmered in the dappled sunshine under the willow tree. She rose from her cushion next to the table with boneless royal grace.

But the thing that vanished all the butterflies was her smile. Broad and genuine, it was the smile that Twilight secretly thought, or hoped, or dreamed, was one that Celestia saved just for her.

"Twilight, it's so good to see you," Celestia said.

Twilight advanced up the path to Celestia, a little faster than propriety would dictate, dimly aware of her own broad grin. When she reached Celestia, Twilight instinctively reached up and presented her neck. It was only at the last moment that the butterflies in her stomach fluttered, and she feared Celestia might not return the gesture.

Her fear was quickly silenced, as Celestia reached down and nuzzled Twilight, neck-to-neck, and cheek-to-cheek.

Twilight closed her eyes, leaned in, and bathed in blissful happiness. Celestia's coat was unbelievably supple, her cheek smooth and warm. Even the cool touch of her golden torc brought back waves of pleasant memories. Celestia seemed willing to hold the nuzzle as long as Twilight wished, and it was with reluctance that Twilight finally leaned away.

"It's good to see you too, Celestia," Twilight replied.

Celestia gestured toward a purple cushion, trimmed in gold and scaled for Twilight, on one side of the stone table. Twilight sat down and gazed at her mentor. Celestia settled on her own, much larger, maroon cushion with the same grace with which she’d risen.

"And how are things in Ponyville?" Celestia asked.

"Do I answer like a princess, or answer like a friend?" Twilight thought. But before her brain could come up with an answer, her traitorous mouth had started giving a princessly progress report without her consent.

"We wrapped up winter on time for the sixth year in a row." Once Twilight had started the report, she seemed to have nowhere to go but forward. "We've added 342 new books to the library. And with Starlight Glimmer's help, we've extended the library hours.

"And speaking of Starlight, she’s completed 126% of her magical studies! But, only 74% of her friendship lessons. We're still working on that part."

While Twilight talked, Celestia performed an ancient conjurer's trick. She could maintain full attention on her conversation partner, while at the same time, using only her hooves, making the finest pot of tea known to ponydom. Twilight thought it was more than just brewing a beverage; it was a delicate and exacting act of creation by a master.

Celestia started with cold water in a tall glass carafe. Twilight knew the water was drawn from a spring near the base of the Canterlot Falls, and that the water had begun as snowmelt at the top of the mountain. It had percolated through the mountain’s crystal caves, gaining unique mineral deposits and being infused with magic along the way.

She poured the water into her kettle and then used her hoof to open up the vents in the firebox, so the small flame beneath the kettle could rise. Celestia could have heated the kettle with her magic, but she never did.

When a steady stream of bubbles rose to the surface and the water was at a gentle boil, Celestia removed it from the heat. She poured the hot water into a ceramic teapot and the two teacups. The interior of the teapot was unglazed and stained from previous brews. She poured the water in the teapot and cups into a broad porcelain bowl. Twilight knew the initial pour was just to heat the pot and the cups, so they would maintain an even temperature during brewing and drinking.

By hoof, Celestia scooped seven teaspoons of green tea leaves into the bottom of the pot: six for the cups of tea and one for the pot. The water in the kettle had cooled just enough so it was no longer quite boiling. She poured the hot water from the kettle over the leaves and put the top on the pot.

While the tea was brewing, she poured the last of the hot water into a second teapot to warm it and then emptied it too into the porcelain bowl. She placed a fine mesh strainer atop the second teapot.

By some invisible timer, or more likely eons of experience, Celestia determined that the tea had brewed long enough. She poured it from the first teapot, though the strainer, into the warm second teapot. When the pour was done, she removed the strainer and the leaves it held and placed them on a china plate.

“Tea?” Celestia asked. Twilight nodded.

Celestia poured from the second teapot into Twilight’s cup, and then into her own. Twilight picked up the teacup in her magenta magic.

Only now did Celestia light her horn, to lift her teacup in a golden glow. Celestia closed her eyes and took a hearty whiff of the vapor rising from her cup. Her face lit into a wide smile; what Twilight called her ‘tea smile’. Then Celestia took a dainty sip and produced a contented sigh.

Twilight took her own sip of the tea and smiled as well. It was darned good tea.

"Why do you think Starlight is behind in her friendship lessons?" Celestia asked.

"I think reading ponies is hard for Starlight," Twilight replied. "She sometimes doesn't know when they're unhappy or annoyed. It took her the longest time to realize that she shouldn't cast magic on others without their consent. And I'm still not sure if it's a lesson she truly understands or is just a rule she follows."

“It’s an important lesson for a powerful unicorn like Starlight to internalize,” Celestia said. “It was an old donkey philosopher who said legitimate power must derive from consent. She was talking about governments, but...”

“It works with friends too!” Twilight replied. “To act without consent is to abuse a pony’s trust and potentially lose their friendship. It’s why earth ponies elect their leaders, like Mayor Mare. They want to trust the ponies in power.”

And with that, their discussion was off and galloping. Magic. History. Philosophy. Relationships. Their discussion ranged across the canon of pony thought. Time past without either being cognizant of the duration. The teapot was empty, and the shadows were getting long, as the sun fell toward the horizon. Celestia was the first to notice.

"Twilight, this has been delightful. But the time is fast approaching when I must set the sun." Celestia rose from her cushion.

"I didn't realize it was so late!" Twilight stood and pranced nervously. "I didn't mean to take so much of your afternoon."

"Nonsense, I’ve had a wonderful time." Celestia looked at Twilight with a contented smile. "Truth be told, I've missed our discussions."

Twilight's mind raced. It was now, or maybe never.

"This doesn't have to be the last one.” She couldn’t look Celestia in the eye. It would be too hard if she got turned down. “I could come back again, maybe next week?"

"That would be lovely, Twilight," Celestia said.

It took every ounce of control that Twilight possessed not to break into her happy "Yes! Yes! Yes!" dance. And not even all that control could stop her from sporting a huge and happy grin.

They moved together to repeat the nuzzle that began the afternoon. They both leaned in, and truth be told, held it even longer than they had the first time.

When they finally broke apart, Twilight looked with alarm at the lengthening shadows. "I've got to go! Spike is expecting me, and I'm not very good flying at night."

"Can I call you a chariot?" Celestia asked.

Twilight felt the direction of the wind and ran the math, her flight speed vs. the sunlight remaining and the distance to Ponyville. She shook her head. "No need, I can make it back to Ponyville before it gets dark."

"Then I wish you fair winds and good flying,” Celestia said. "And I’ll see you next week at this same time."

"Goodbye Celestia, have a great evening," Twilight replied. "I'll see you next week. And say hi to Luna for me!"

With her final farewell, Twilight bounded into the sky and pumped her wings hard to gain altitude. She gave a salute to the pegasi guards who escorted her from Canterlot Castle airspace, then set her sights on Ponyville. Her own crystal castle was glowing in the most beautiful sunset she could remember.

The butterflies in Twilight’s stomach had long been banished and replaced by a warm glow. And unlike the aftereffects of nuzzles in the past, this glow did not fade quite so fast.

Chapter 3 - Extraordinary Vistas (edited)

After their second teatime had gone well, Twilight boldly suggested they make it a regular item on both their schedules.

And it had been wonderful. Just like the old days. Well, not just like them. Celestia hadn’t called her ‘faithful student’ because that wasn’t her position anymore. And Twilight had to remember not refer to Celestia as ‘Princess’. It wouldn’t have been appropriate between ‘equals’, and besides Celestia teased her about it since they both held the same title. It was also disrespectful to Luna and Cadance to refer to Celestia as ‘Princess’ in capital letters as if she were the only one.

Twilight landed in the courtyard of Canterlot Castle, after this week’s flight from Ponyville. Her eyes were bright and her muzzle lit with a wide smile. “Seventeen minutes,” she mused. “A new record for me.”

She nodded at her escort of Royal Guard pegasi. They saluted, then took to the sky and resumed their patrol over the castle.

In the courtyard, Raven Inkwell, Celestia’s private secretary, met Twilight when she landed. Raven was a bespeckled white unicorn mare, with a white collar and red tie. She carried a schedule book in her magic.

“Good afternoon Princess Twilight,” Raven said, looking at her over the tops of her half-glasses. “Princess Celestia will receive you in her chambers this afternoon.”

Twilight started. “Her chambers... not the garden. Of course… Thank you.”

Raven smiled and nodded at her, as Twilight headed up the stairs in Celestia's tower. They led to her chambers high above.

Twilight worried about the change in routine. Was there something Celestia wanted to say in the privacy of her chambers? Had she tired of teatime already, and wanted to send Twilight away without embarrassing her in front of the entire castle?

The two guards in front of the doors to Celestia's chambers came to attention, as Twilight approached. “You’re expected, Princess Twilight,” the senior guard said, as they opened the doors.

Twilight was sure her heart skipped a beat as she stepped in and the guards closed the doors behind her.

Upon Twilight's entrance, Celestia lit up in a warm smile. Twilight's heart gratefully resumed its normal rhythm.

Twilight considered herself a connoisseur of Celestia's smiles. She knew the royal smile Celestia put on for her little ponies and the teacher smile that Celestia put on when working with a student. She knew her slightly predatory cake smile and the contented tea smile Celestia got from the first whiff of her favorite blend. She knew the family smile that seeing Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart elicited and the sister smile that Luna brought out of Celestia.

“I know it’s impossible optimism and overwhelming ego,” Twilight thought, “but sometimes I think the one she’s got now is the smile she saves just for me.”

“Welcome Twilight,” Celestia said. “I thought we might try something different today. Would you be up for taking in some extraordinary vistas?”

“That sounds amazing,” Twilight said.

“Join me on the balcony.” Celestia strode to the railing. Twilight joined her.

From atop the highest tower in Canterlot, she could see the entire city laid out before her. Buildings of pale lavender stone, topped with glistening golden minarets, hugged the side of the Canterhorn. The great waterfalls adjacent to the castle sparkled in the sun. Beyond the city, down in the valleys and beyond, the green and verdant land rolled off to the horizon. In the far distance, Twilight could see sunlight winking off of her own crystal castle in Ponyville. Shimmering rainbows wreathed the proud city of Cloudsdale. On the streets below and in the sky's above, ponies looked like small dots, going about their lives.

“The view here is magnificent,” Twilight said.

“That it is,” Celestia replied. “But I was thinking of a wider vista.”

Celestia reached a wingtip toward Twilight. Uncertainly, Twilight extended her wing in return. When they touched, the afternoon sun seemed to rush toward them out of the sky. In an instant, its blinding radius engulfed them.

The wash of yellow light and heat did not burn. Some part of Twilight that was earth pony felt the sensation of changing location. A part of her that was pegasus felt no acceleration or velocity. And a part of her that was unicorn knew this magic was different from any teleportation she’d ever experienced.

The blinding yellow light and heat faded like smoke, replaced by white glare off crystal snow and a bitterly cold gale. Twilight could see little as she squinted into the sharp light and piercing wind. Her teeth chattered and body shivered from the cold. Twilight's mane and tail whipped back and forth and pulled painfully on her scalp.

From the way the wind hit her from below and in front, Twilight's pegasus senses told her she stood on the edge of some great abyss. Her hooves found no purchase on the icy rock and she began to tumble forward.

“Careful Twilight,” Celestia said, concern in her voice. She extended a wing across Twilight's barrel to steady her. “We need to get you some boots that have better traction than your bare hooves.”

Twilight locked all four legs to gain a semblance of stability. Body still shivering, she gazed up at her fellow princess.

Celestia looked as calm and regal as if she were standing in the throne room. Her footing was sure, her eyes open and bright, and her ethereal mane and tail waved serenely, unaffected by the gale force winds.

“The warmth of the sun is particularly comforting in an environment such as this,” Celestia said.

“The sun may be warm, but I’m freezing,” Twilight forced out through chattering teeth. Her eyes darted about, looking for cover. Seeing none, Twilight lit her horn and cast a translucent magenta shield bubble around herself to keep off the wind.

Celestia noticed Twilight’s distress. “Your shield seems to have helped, but perhaps I could lend a hoof as well?”

Twilight looked up with pleading eyes and nodded. She opened a hole in her shield bubble. Celestia’s horn lit and a golden glow encircled Twilight. Instantly, the air about her was toasty warm; Twilight sighed in relief. Celestia doused her horn and Twilight closed her shield to keep the heat from leaking out.

She frantically searched through the catalog of magic in her head and identified some that could help. “Clover’s Cocoon will bind the warm air close to my body,” she decided, “and Starswirl’s Superb Sight can help with the glare.”

After she cast the additional spells, Twilight dropped her shield and opened her eyes fully. The white glare off the snow was no longer so overwhelming and the freezing cold no longer stung. Her mane and tail still whipped in the fierce winds though.

Straight down the mountain before her, Twilight could see the golden minarets of Canterlot and the giant waterfalls flanking the city. “We're atop the Canterhorn,” she exclaimed. “I've never been at this altitude before. This is the highest point in Equestria, south of the Crystal Mountains.”

Beyond the city, Twilight could see what was visible from Celestia's balcony, and much, much more. Through the clear mountain air, her eyes could roam all the way to the Smoky Mountains in the west, and the Macintosh Hills to the south. She could even see the tops of the highest structures in Las Pegasus, peeking over the intervening hills.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better.” Celestia took in a deep breath and lowered her head to Twilight’s eye level. “Perhaps we should save the rest of our tour for another time.”

“I’m feeling fine now. I’d like to keep going!” Twilight bobbed her head vigorously and her mane whipped around even more in the wind.

Celestia nodded. “Alright. The higher one goes, the more encompassing the view.” She extended her great wings into the wind. “Come, fly with me.”

Celestia launched herself into the sky, swiftly catching the thermal rising from the city below, and climbed away to the east.

Twilight started in surprise for only a moment, then grinned, locked eyes on Celestia, and leaped after her. “I almost never get to fly with Celestia,” Twilight thought. She grinned as her wings caught the same thermal.

Celestia soared into the thin mountain air. The sun sparked off of her pearlescent wings and coat, the touch of pink in them clear against the blue of the sky. Celestia’s ethereal mane and tail blended seamlessly from jade and lilac into a long golden trail of magic that streamed behind her.

Twilight marveled at Celestia's wings. They were works of art really. National treasures. Worthy of their many depictions in museums and statuary gardens across Equestria. They were larger and more beautiful than any wings Twilight had seen on another equine. Celestia's primaries where as long as her own wings. And her secondaries were big enough to cover an entire pony.

Twilight hurried after Celestia, a magenta trail of magic behind her a testament to her efforts.

The top of the Canterhorn was higher than Cloudsdale, and the puffy stratus and cumulus clouds that made up the city. But it was far below the wispy cirrus clouds at the top of the sky. Celestia seemed intent on reaching or exceeding them.

After they passed the tops of the cirrus clouds, Celestia spread her wings wide into a glide. Twilight beat her wings a few extra times to catch up and then began to glide beside her. Both of their magical trails faded away.

Before them lay the entire east coast of Equestria. Twilight gaped, eyes wide. The great pony cities of Manehattan, Fillydelphia, and Baltimare were just beginning to light up in the dusk.

“The industriousness of our ponies never ceases to amaze me,” Celestia said as they took in the view. “I remember when we’d be lucky to see a single bonfire from up here.”

The longer they looked, the more details Twilight saw. The whitecaps atop the waves in Horseshoe Bay were cut by a great ship and they sparkled in the dying light. Between Fillydelphia and Baltimare a long freight train taking goods between the cities illuminated its path with a powerful light. Vast fields dotted the forests of Equestria’s breadbasket west of Manehattan.

“You’ve dedicated lifetimes to all the ponies down there,” Twilight said.

“And every time you’ve help save Equestria, you’ve protected them and many, many, more,” Celestia replied. She lit her horn and the western horizon glowed red, as the sun began its slow descent.

“Come Twilight, there is more to see.” Celestia resumed her climbing flight to the east. Twilight followed.

The long ascent went on and on. The thermal petered out, and the air got thin. Twilight's breathing labored, struggling. It wasn’t enough. Celestia's magnificent wings grew smaller in her sight, as the larger princess continued her climb.

Twilight’s previous joy turned ashen in her mouth as she fell behind. Her wings were burning, her chest on fire. She was failing a test, failing Celestia. And that was anamatha, unacceptable.

If Twilight's wings were not enough, perhaps her magic could suffice. She took in the greatest gulp of cold thin air that she could manage, charged her horn, and shot a magenta beam of force behind her. In an equal but opposite reaction, Twilight rocketed up like a firework, until she matched Celestia's altitude.

But Twilight could climb no more. The air in her lungs was too thin. She was too light headed to focus on any more magic. And her wings could find little to beat against. The spells that kept her warm and helped her sight faded.

Celestia heard the boom from Twilight's magic. She watched Twilight rise and then dip as she began to falter. Celestia locked her wings into a glide and flew even with Twilight.

“I'm sorry Celestia,” Twilight panted. “This is as high as I can go.”

Celestia smiled at her. “We can return anytime.” But then she looked at Twilight with a twinkle in her eye. “But what if a friend could sustain you and give your wings purchase? You need not fly alone, Twilight.”

“A friend?” she said. The thin air made it hard to concentrate. Was Celestia offering assistance? Twilight waved her forelegs to pantomime some kind of clumsy hold. “I’m not sure what you’re suggesting.”

Celestia looked quizzical. “Why do you not take advantage of the sun's gifts?”

The half set sun painted the horizon red. “Which gifts do you mean?”

“Twilight,” Celestia said with force in her voice, “I know for a fact you first raised and set both sun and moon years ago. With your aptitude and curiosity, I’m sure you’ve perfected your connection by now.”

“I just touched the sun that one time.” Twilight’s eyes darted toward the sun and back to Celestia. “When I held your power to keep it from Tirek.”

Celestia shook her head. “You’ve not reached out to the sun since that day?”

“No! I wouldn’t… I mean, you’re the princess of the sun! I would never impinge on your prerogative.” Twilight tried to make herself clear. “Anyway, I’m just the Princess of Friendship, I don’t do cosmic things like contacting the sun.”

“My... prerogative?” Celestia looked at her sadly. “Twilight, the sun is my friend. I greet the sun each morning to help it rise and thank it each evening to help it set. And all alicorns can reach out to the sun. I would never begrudge the two of you becoming friends. As you yourself once wrote me, friendship shared is friendship doubled.”

Twilight staggered under the weight of the worst feeling in the world; she’d disappointed the Princess. Twilight knew this was the worst because it’s what the Black Mirror had shown her when it paralyzed her with her deepest fear.

She gazed at Celestia, her eyes moist; whether from the thin air or from disappointing Celestia, she didn’t know. “I didn't know I was supposed to. I didn’t know I could.”

The dark feeling in her barrel grew until it was a deep abyss. “It's been years since then. What if I’ve insulted the sun by staying away? What if it's too late?”

Celestia spoke very quietly, but her voice was clear, even through the thin air. “Celestial bodies do not quibble over spans of years. Their time horizons are infinitely longer than that. And you are very good at making friends. Just be open and true to what you believe in your heart.”

“How do I contact the sun?” Twilight whispered.

“How did you do it the last time you reached out?”

Twilight took in a gulp of thin freezing air and shuddered. She snorted and her breath condensed in great white plumes. Twilight tried to recreate the feeling of reaching out to contact the sun and the moon. She summoned her magic, squinted to focus as close to the late afternoon sun as she dared look, and in her mind projected, “Hello?”

There was no reply.

“I know it’s been a long time since I last contacted you,” Twilight whispered in her mind. “I meant no disrespect. I didn't know it would be OK to reach out.”

The silence in her mind went beyond the lack of a reply. It was like a yawning chasm, where her words echoed pitifully.

“Celestia says that you and she are friends. I'm so happy to hear that. For all that the ponies love her, I think sometimes Celestia is very lonely, and she needs true friends.”

The chasm slowly filled with a presence. Something was listening, even if it had yet not deigned to reply.

“Celestia was the first pony outside my family that I ever wanted to impress, that I ever wanted as a mentor and a friend. Anything that makes her happier, makes me smile.”

The presence felt closer now like it was leaning in.

“Celestia says she thanks you every evening. I’d like to thank you as well.

“Thank you for your light and warmth. Thank you for providing the energy for all the ponies and creatures and living things on this world.

“Thank you for sunrises and sunsets. For rainbows and sun-dappled ponds. For light to read by. For sun-warmed stone and cool shadows, for shade doesn’t exist without the light.

“And thank you for being Celestia's friend. As she reminded me, friendship shared is friendship doubled. And if you would have me, I would like to share your friendship. Because I think it would make Celestia happier and I hope it would make you happier as well.”

The presence flowed up and out of the chasm and filled the abyss in the pit of Twilight’s barrel until light and warmth replaced the empty feeling inside her. Twilight felt enveloped and protected. She took in a great breath of... something... with real substance, more than just the thin air. When she released a contented sigh there was no condensation. Swiftly, her mind cleared and the exhaustion in her body faded. It was as if she’d dunked her head in a water trough.

Celestia wore the smile that said she was proud of Twilight. “It looks like you’ve made a new friend.”

“It seems I have,” Twilight replied. Her own voice was clear now, even through the thin air. Her body no longer shivered, nor did her teeth chatter. Her wings found purchase on something more than air as well. And the medium was not neutral. Twilight found an updraft, and with wings pumping, rocketed upward. She left a long magenta trail of magic behind her. “Let’s keep going!” she cried.

Celestia smiled and followed, atop her own golden magical trail. Soon the two climbed into the sky as one, side by side.

Twilight's wings were steady now, matching Celestia's beat for beat. She looked at her mentor and identified her smile. It was beyond her 'happy to see Twilight' smile or even her ‘I’m proud of Twilight’ smile. It was pure joy and contentment. Knowing she’d helped elicit that smile warmed Twilight's barrel as much as the sun did.

As they continued their climb to the east, Twilight noted the sky was turning dark. The first stars were becoming visible. This high up, the stars did not twinkle but were sharp points. Twilight saw shooting stars momentarily flash into existence; she and Celestia were so high, the shooting stars appeared below them.

On the eastern horizon, Twilight could see the lights of griffon cities across the Celestial Sea. Far to the north, she could see the aurora above the Crystal Empire. To the west, the lights of Las Pegasus and the open waters of the North Luna Sea were visible. All of Equestria and more glittered in the dark below her and it was a more beautiful vista than she’d ever imagined.

Twilight looked around the sky and found Celestia climbing beside her. The light of the setting sun turned Celestia’s wings and coat from pearlescent to orange and finally to deep red. Twilight thought Celestia was at least as beautiful as the magnificent vista below her.

The sun finally set, leaving Celestia and Twilight in shadow. There was darkness all around. Only pinprick stars illuminated them.

Celestia was now a shadow at the tip of a golden trail. Her body was only discernible when she eclipsed a star.

The sun, that had warmed Twilight, lifted her and protected her, was nowhere to be seen.

Instantly, there was nothing in Twilight’s lungs and nothing beneath her wings. Her eyes bulged, and her limbs bloated, forced out from pressure within that was no longer opposed.

Panic rose in her empty barrel. Twilight gasped, like a fish out of water. She flailed her wings, but only caused herself to tumble, as there was nothing to push against.

Twilight had no focus to do magic and knew no spell that might save her. She tried to call out, but there was nothing in her lungs to carry the sound. Her mind began to fuzz.

“How could I have been so foolish, to fly out of the sun’s reach,” she thought.

Celestia continued to zoom away, her golden trail receding to a pinpoint.

Even as her consciousness dimmed, Twilight’s inner voice wouldn’t be quiet. “Celestia is in shadow, but she is still flying. Why do you think the sun has only abandoned you?”

A question. A test! Something she can answer. Twilight knew she was good at tests. She tried to speak, but no words come. Her inner voice was insistent, “Do your friends abandon you, just because you’re out of their sight?”

Twilight could feel bubbles forming as the fluids in her eyes, mouth, and throat began to boil away. Forming words got increasingly difficult, so she emphatically shook her head no.

“Then why have you abandoned your new friend?”

Her abandon the sun? No. She’d been abandoned! When the light faded and the sun disappeared, she’d assumed that she’d been left all alone.

And her assumption had made it so.

With her last shreds of consciousness, Twilight gathered what focus she had, and called inside her mind, trying to rekindle the connection to the sun. “I’m so, so, sorry. I didn't mean to shut you out. I don't know how this works. When I lost your light, I thought you were gone, and then you were gone, and I panicked…”

A light pressure in her mind silenced her ramble, like a hoof placed over her muzzle. The warmth in Twilight's barrel blazed anew. Her gasping lungs breathed in a full calming breath. Her eyes moistened and cleared. Her raw mouth and throat became supple. Her flailing wings found purchase and her tumbling ceased.

Twilight shook her head again to clear it. She took in another deep breath and blew out... something. Sun stuff. Energy. Life itself. Whatever it was the sun supplied, it was healing her and keeping her alive.

“Thank you,” she thought. She took in another breath. “Thank you so much.” She ran her foreleg over her muzzle and swept the mane from her eyes.

With returning focus, came regret. “I'm not being a very good friend, am I? All I keep doing is asking for things. How can I return the favor? What can I do to make you happier?”

Twilight felt the bubbling warmth rise in her barrel. But before she could discern an answer, there was a flash of light and Celestia appeared before her, looking very concerned. When they locked eyes, the warmth of the sun raced to each of Twilight's extremities: all four hooves and both of her wing tips. Acting on instinct, she raised them all in Celestia’s direction.

Seeing Twilight’s distress, Celestia accepted the invitation. Gliding forward, she embraced the smaller pony. Warmth blossomed in Twilight’s body fully, from hoof to pinion and from horn to tail.

Twilight’s inner voice cried out, “what are you doing?” But in her mind, she responded, “A hug brought a smile to Celestia’s face when I did it as a filly. And no other pony is around to object.”

”I’ve missed all this,” she told herself, “The discussions... the learning.... the physical contact. Missed what I have right here.” Whether the warmth she felt was from the sun or from embracing Celestia, Twilight didn’t care. She wanted it to go on forever.

“This has all been so bewildering... terrifying... amazing,” she whispered. Her eyes were closed and moist. “Had you asked beforehand, I’m not sure I would have wanted to go through with it, especially all at once. But after experiencing everything, I can’t imagine doing it any other way.”

Twilight gripped Celestia with all her strength. “Thank you so much for sharing all of this with me.”

“You are infinitely forgiving of the mistakes of this ancient mare.” Celestia squeezed Twilight a single time. “I never meant to cause you distress.” She released her hold.

“We both made assumptions, and they lead us astray,” Twilight whispered.

“We don’t know each other as well as we used to,” Celestia admitted.

“We can fix that,” Twilight replied.

“We will fix that,” Celestia agreed firmly. “No more assumptions. We will keep seeing each other. We will open up. And we will tell each other what we’re thinking.”

Twilight’s grin was so wide it threatened to take over her entire muzzle. “I’d like that.”

Sometime after the sun had set, Luna must have raised the moon. Its full disk now shone upon them and the moon’s gentle light illuminated the alicorns.

To Twilight, Celestia was breathtakingly beautiful, backlit by the lunar disk. With effort, she inhaled, and then let out a shuddering breath. Even with the sun’s support, Twilight was exhausted. “One part of me wants to keep flying until we put our hooves on the moon.” She smiled weakly. “Another part of me wants to sleep for a week.”

“Leave it to you to pack a year’s worth of mystic advancement into one harrowing afternoon.” Celestia smiled gently. “Let’s head back now. We will have days and days and days together to rebuild our relationship.”

The two each gave each other a final nod, then drifted apart. Together they spread their wings, did a half roll, and arced down in a stupendous dive. Gravity, magic, wings and sun-power rocketed them back towards their homes.

That night, stargazers across Equestria saw a pair of parallel light trails, one golden and one magenta, knifing down from the heavens. Higher than the tops of the tallest clouds, each trail blossomed in a burst of light, one a golden sunburst, the other a six-pointed magenta star. The trails continued through the dissipating bursts, the golden trail arcing to Canterlot and the magenta trail to Ponyville. And all who witnessed the event knew their princesses were watching over them in the night.

Spike got up groggily and wiped the sleep from his eyes. Dawn was just filtering through the castle windows. ”It’s too early,” Spike whined. He flicked his tongue. “Is that tea I smell?”

He waddled out of his room and down the corridor. Starlight’s door was still closed. She had a tendency to study magic late into the night, just like a purple princess he could name. Anyway, both she and Twilight were coffee drinkers in the morning.

He followed the smell to the big double doors that lead to the balcony. The good tea set was on the trolley near the doors and the firebox was lit under the teapot. This meant whoever made the tea hadn’t used magic. Spike was the only one in the castle who normally made tea without using their horn.

Sweeping the curtain aside with his claw, Spike peered out onto the balcony. The silhouette of the city of Canterlot perched on side of the Canterhorn bisected the crimson of the sunrise. Spike had to admit it was beautiful.

Twilight sat on the balcony, gazing at the dawn, with her wings tucked in tight. She held a steaming teacup in both hooves.

Spike opened the door, stepped out, and closed it. The crisp morning air made him shiver. Spike could bathe in lava but got cold easily. “Up all night?”

“Good morning, Spike.” Twilight waved him over with her wing. “No, I just decided to get up early.” When he got close, she surrounded him in a wing hug and pulled him close. Spike didn’t mind; her wing was warm. “I’m just greeting the dawn and thanking the sun for shining.”

“And drinking tea you made by hoof.” Spike wiggled a little to get fully covered by Twilight’s wing. “When did you become a morning pony?”

“After my visit with Celestia yesterday.” Twilight looked back at the dawn. “I think I may make a habit of it.”

Spike poked Twilight in the side, three times, lightly. “Are you actually Thorax playing a trick on me?”

“I’m not a changeling, Spike,” Twilight chuckled. “My visit with Celestia was just… an eye opener.”

“What happened?”

“It started when we teleported to the top of the Canterhorn…”

Chapter 4 - The Invitation

Some weeks later, Twilight landed at Canterlot Castle early for teatime. She had ponies to see before her meeting with Celestia. The first one she sought out was Celestia's private secretary, Raven.

“Good afternoon, Princess Twilight,” Raven said.

Twilight looked conspiratorially right and left, to be sure Celestia was not in earshot, and then summoned her checklist and quill. “Is everything prepared... in case she says yes, I mean.”

Raven flipped open the folio she was holding and consulted her notes. “I made sure Princess Celestia has no meetings set for this evening. The Solar Box at the Canterlot Symphony Hall has been reserved. The managers at the hall have arranged a landing space for the Royal Chariot, a red carpet, and a greeting committee. They have prepared the Solar Box and its reception room. I confirmed that appropriate food and drink will be available.”

“Check, check, and double check.” Twilight’s quill made precise marks on her list. “Thank you for everything, Raven.”

“My staff and I are happy to help, princess,” Raven replied. “We appreciate that you alerted us weeks ago, so we could create a comprehensive event plan.”

“I’m all for detailed preparation. But I can’t believe there have been so many details to take care of.” Twilight shook her head. “The symphony hall is just across Canterlot.”

“A royal appearance such as this is a public event of some importance,” Raven said. “Everypony involved wants to do the best they can for their sovereigns.”

“We all want the best for Princess Celestia,” Twilight agreed.

Next, Twilight found Lieutenant Steel Wing of the Royal Guard. If Princess Celestia were to leave the castle on this night, he would be in charge of security. The Lieutenant, a white pegasi in golden armor, saluted as Twilight approached.

“Ah, thank you, Lieutenant,” Twilight said. She looked for Celestia again. Not seeing her, Twilight summoned her list and quill again. “Is everything ready to go?”

Lieutenant Steel Wing stood at attention. “The Royal Chariot passed its pre-flight inspection. Guards have reviewed the route between the castle and the symphony hall, and within the hall between the front door, the Solar Box, and an emergency exit. There is a protection plan in place for all. My entire squadron has been assigned to protect both princesses during the event.”

“An entire squadron. That seems very… thorough,” Twilight said. She quickly marked off the last items on her list. “It seems you have things well-in-hoof. I hope to see you tonight.” The Lieutenant saluted again.

Twilight turned and headed for the castle garden. It was almost teatime. As she wandered the halls of the castle, busy ponies that worked for the government passed her left and right.

“I’ll bet at least 50 ponies have become engaged in my little outing,” Twilight thought, “Next time, Celestia and I should just go to The Hay Burger in Ponyville.”

In the dappled shade of the willow tree, Twilight and Celestia exchanged pleasantries and a most amazing nuzzle (still one of the high points of any teatime). But, before Celestia could continue their teatime pattern, Twilight jumped in with her own question first.

“Do you remember two musicians named Octavia Melody and Vinyl Scratch? They’re roommates in Ponyville and have played at castle events.”

Celestia began to brew the tea. “A cellist and a DJ? As I understand it, they were originally roommates at the Royal Academy of Music as well.”

“I didn’t know that.” Twilight recovered from being deflected and continued. “Anyway, a few months ago, Vinyl lost a bet with Octavia, and the forfeit was for them to create a piece of classical music together. They came to my archives in Ponyville to gather inspiration from some ancient volumes. I haven’t heard the music they composed, but they’re debuting it at the Royal Canterlot Symphony Hall tonight.”

Celestia continued the tea brewing ritual. She raised an eyebrow and put on her “...yes, and?” smile.

“I’m going to the symphony to show my support.” Twilight took a deep breath and swallowed hard. It was amazingly hard to continue. “I was wondering... if you... would like to go too... with me?”

Celestia glanced up and considered. “I would have to check my schedule...”

“Raven confirmed you have no meetings tonight and the ponies at the hall are ready for a Royal visit.” Twilight's words came out in a rush. “Lieutenant Steel Wing has the chariot ready and a plan for the route and the hall itself.”

Celestia looked down her muzzle at Twilight. “And have you spoken to the Royal Pastry Chef? What about cake, Twilight? Will we have sufficient cake on our outing?”

“I didn’t think to talk to the chef,” Twilight worried. “Raven said the ponies at the hall would provide appropriate food.” She looked up at Celestia’s stern countenance and then took in a deep breath. “You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”

Celestia lit up in the smile that Twilight had decided was just for her. Her heart melted. “Only a little. It sounds like a very pleasant evening. And the caterers at the Royal Symphony Hall serve the most wonderful tiramisu.” Celestia picked up the freshly brewed pot. “Tea?”

“Please.” Twilight smiled back. Everything was right with the world once again.

They drank delicious tea and nibbled on tea cookies. “Are you planning on wearing your regalia tonight?” Celestia asked.

Twilight realized this was something she hadn’t planned for. She seldom wore her crown outside of official events and hadn’t worn her golden boots more than a few times since her coronation.

On the other hand, Celestia seemed to live in her regalia. The few times Twilight had seen her without crown, torc, and boots, Celestia looked... naked. Many ponies went without clothes at all, but without her regalia, Celestia looked incomplete, vulnerable.

“I hadn’t really thought about it,” Twilight replied honestly. “I don’t normally wear my crown. I don’t want it to distance me from other ponies.”

“The symphony is a formal event,” Celestia said. “Many in the audience will dress up as a sign of respect.”

“Is wearing my regalia required?” Twilight asked.

“Expected, perhaps. You’ll find as a princess many things are expected, even if few are required.” Celestia set down her teacup. “For many, our symbols of office remind them of their connection to the nation, to their fellow ponies. When a leader presents themselves with confidence and respect, ponies feel stronger bonds with the herd. And Equestria is a herd for all of our ponies, writ large.”

Twilight looked thoughtful. “OK then, give me a moment.” She closed her eyes and set her muzzle in deep concentration. She channeled powerful magic, and there was a loud pop! Twilight opened her eyes, and her crown and boots were sitting on the stone table between them, wisps of leftover magenta magic dissipating from around them like smoke.

“You summoned these in from…”

“The storage cabinet,” Twilight said. She took in a deep breath and let it out. “At my castle in Ponyville.”

Celestia nodded and smiled. “Most impressive.”

Twilight grinned shyly. “Thank you.” Praise from Celestia still made her feel warm, just like the sun did.

She nudged the boots and they clinked together. The boots were gold and each had six purple diamonds set in a star to resemble her mark. “I almost never wear these things.”

“Good boots provide support and cushioning as well as improved traction. Remember how hard it was to keep your balance when you tried to stand on the icy rock?” Twilight nodded. Celestia lifted a foreleg to show off her own golden boots. “They can even subtly shift your posture and make it easier to be on your hooves all day. I wouldn’t think of facing the world without them.”

Twilight levitated her boots and slipped them on. She grimaced as she got her balance, then put on her best princess smile.

It didn’t fool Celestia for a moment. “Take those off, I don’t think they fit you quite right. Let me call the Royal Farrier and we’ll see what he can do to help.”

Twilight slipped all four boots off and levitated them back to the table. Relief was visible on her face. Celestia tinkled a small bell next to the tea set and a royal guard responded. “Please ask the Royal Farrier to join us at his earliest convenience.” The guard saluted and left to deliver the message.

Twilight used magic to pick up her crown. Formed of thin, crisscrossing gold beams that ended in five points adorned with small purple jewels, she’d selected it because the gems reminded her of her five best friends.

She placed the crown on her head and put on a smile for Celestia. When she looked up, the crown shifted off center and messed up her mane. She dropped her head and her smile dissolved into a frown. “Then there’s the fact that the crown keeps slipping around all the time.”

Celestia inclined her head at Twilight’s crown. “May I?” Twilight nodded and Celestia picked it up in her golden magic.

“Crowns fit better if they are oval. I know that reference works say crowns should be round, but the writers clearly never had to wear a crown all day.” Heat waves in the air shimmered around the crown as the shape subtly shifted in Celestia's magic.

“The crown should also lean slightly forward to help frame your face most effectively.” The shape of the crown shifted again, then Celestia blew gently on the crown and the heat waves disappeared.

“The greater the volume of your mane, the easier it is to keep your crown from shifting. Luna and I have a natural advantage in that regard.” That was certainly true, Twilight thought. The diarchs ever flowing manes were larger than their entire bodies! “But small changes in mane style make a huge difference.” Celestia summoned a brush in a golden magical flash. “May I show you?”

Twilight’s eyes were wide as she shook her head yes. This conversation was taking a decidedly personal turn.

Celestia moved with great care, as she ran the brush gently through Twilight’s mane in long luxurious strokes.

Twilight stood very still and leaned into the strokes. She could feel the soft bristles against her scalp and the tug on her mane that seemed to go on forever. She half lidded her eyes so she could concentrate on the sensations and lost count of how many strokes Celestia gave.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Celestia withdrew the brush and placed the crown gently back on Twilight's head.

Twilight was trepidatious. Hadn’t the crown been hot enough to soften gold just moments before? But now it was cool against her brow. And when Celestia put the crown on her head, it snuggled down like it was meant to be there. It had never felt so comfortable before.

Celestia summoned a mirror and held it up. At first glance, Twilight could not tell how her mane had changed, but under further examination, it seemed fuller than before. And the modified crown really did frame her face better. Maybe it was the crown. Maybe it was the mane style. Or maybe it was because she felt so darned good right now. But Twilight thought she looked… regal.

Celestia examined her handiwork and nodded in satisfaction. “How does it feel now?”

“Amazing.” Twilight beamed. “Like it belongs there.”

“It’s easier to keep your crown in place if you keep your head level, and move slightly slower than you’re used to.” Celestia turned her head with practiced slowness. “Remember, when anything happens, everypony is looking for your reaction. A deliberate gait or a gentle nod is often all you need to get your point across. Not only will this help you keep your crown in place, it can help you look more poised and thoughtful.”

Twilight turned her head slowly as she examined her reflection in the mirror. She practiced a gentle nod. It felt… weird. Slow. And a little bit like playing dress up. This was going to take some practice. But Twilight was never one to shun hard work or concentrated effort. If looking the part was important to being a princess, she would figure out how to look the part.

The door to the garden opened and a heavily built unicorn stallion with dark blue coat and iron gray mane and tail entered. He had a thick apron covering his barrel and his mark was a pair of crossed hammers, a small one atop a large one. “You sent for me, your majesty?”

“Thank you for coming,” Celestia replied. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, this is Meticulous Hammer, the Royal Farrier.” The unicorn made a short, but respectful, bow. Twilight practiced making a gentle nod so that her crown wouldn’t slip.

“Meti, Princess Twilight is having some trouble with her boots. Do you think you could take a look at them?”

“Of course.” He turned to Twilight. “Your Highness, may I examine your hooves and boots?”

Twilight was not used to being called “Your Highness”. After her ascension, she’d made sure no one in Ponyville even called her “Princess” unless it was some kind of formal affair. But Celestia hadn’t made a fuss when Meticulous called her “Your Majesty”. If Twilight was going to be dealing with ponies around Celestia, maybe she was going to have to get used to hearing her titles.

Twilight agreed and levitated the golden boots from the stone table and put them in front of Meti.

The farrier glanced at the boots but directed most of his attention on Twilight's hooves. He tapped the back of her left foreleg, and she instinctively raised her hoof. He examined it closely. “Everything I know about ponies I learn from their hooves. From your development, I can tell you used to be a unicorn. When Princess Cadance was growing up in the castle, I could tell she used to be a pegasus.”

Twilight wondered what he could tell from examining Celestia’s hooves, but didn’t ask.

Meti put down her forehoof and got her to raise the hind one. “You live in an earth pony town and walk on a lot on dirt roads. Not in the fields, but not on pavement either. You should spend more time in the fields. There’s still a lot of earth pony potential you’re not taking advantage of.”

Meti moved to Twilight's other side and tapped her right foreleg. Her hoof came up. “You’ve traveled more than a few leagues on the march, likely with earth pony companions. You don’t just use your wings or teleportation to get places.

“And yes, I can see signs that you teleport in your hooves. The keratin gets slightly discolored from repeated extra-dimensional exposure. Need to be careful with hoof care because of that. Your lower limbs are among the most sensitive places in your body. Isn’t that right, your majesty?”

“Certainly among the more sensitive areas of mine,” Celestia replied.

Meti put down Twilight's forehoof and got her to raise her rear one. “You’ve some speed in ya. I’ll bet you’ve run races for fun.” Twilight nodded. “Earth pony town... the Running of the Leaves perhaps?” Twilight smiled and nodded again.

“I’ve told her majesty that she needs to get out and run more so she can get back her speed.”

“Meti, I’m faster than any runner at the Equestria games,” Celestia retorted.

“But you’re not as fast as you could be.”

Celestia snorted.

“Not as fast as your sister is.”

Celestia frowned but didn’t dignify Meti’s claim with a response. He addressed Twilight again. “Somepony clearly helps you take care of these. An earth pony used to giving hooficures to working ponies, not just for beauty.”

“Lotus Blossom and Aloe, at the Ponyville Day Spa.”

“I’ll get in contact with them. They’ve done a good job, but there are things about alicorn hooves they need to know to give you the best possible care.”

He produced a small pouch of tools from beneath his apron and proceeded to measure all four of her hooves with gauge, ruler, and dividers.

“Alicorn hooves aren’t like the hooves of any other type of pony. They are closest to earth pony hooves but can be even stronger. I know more about alicorn hooves than any physician. I’ve made boots for all five known alicorns if you count the baby booties I made for little Princess Flurry Heart.

He looked at his measurements. “I’ll bet you’re still growing.”

“A hoof taller in the last year,” Twilight said

“While you’re growing, you should have your boots checked and adjusted every few months. I remember when Princess Cadance first started wearing boots after she graduated from school. I must have adjusted her’s a dozen times while she grew into marehood.”

He put the tools away, whipped a small notebook from a pocket of his apron, and began sketching with a pencil.

Twilight stretched her neck to try and see. Meti showed her his work. The drawings were as precise as any she’d seen in a medical text. They included exact dimensions and specific notes. “Very impressive,” Twilight said.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Only then did Meticulous Hammer examine her boots. “I recognize these. Fine materials, but I seem to remember having to make them in a hurry.”

“My coronation was on short notice,” Twilight said.

Meti nodded. “I can have these adjusted and back to you after dinner.”

“That will be fine, Meti. We’re going to the symphony tonight,” Celestia said.

“Nothing like royal boots to dazzle a crowd.” Meti stashed the notebook back in his apron and picked up the boots. “By your leave?”

“Thank you very much,” Twilight said.

The unicorn made a short respectful bow and exited the garden.

“Let’s inform Raven of our plans,” Celestia said. “What do you think of a light supper before we go?”

They talked for the next hour until it was time for sunset. Through her connection to the sun, Twilight could feel it getting lower in the sky.

Twilight followed Celestia to a reception room, curiously called the Twilight Room. It had a grand balcony that overlooked the royal square and was near the top of the central tower in Canterlot Castle. The Royal Sisters each had their own Solar and Lunar towers, with quarters and smaller balconies. Skyways connected them to the central tower. The sisters could rise and set their celestial bodies from anywhere. Celestia had done it while flying with Twilight some weeks before. But the grand balcony was the most common place for the sisters to meet when they worked together to manage the transition from day to night.

From the balcony, the sparkling city spread out before Celestia and Twilight. The buildings cast long shadows until, with the coming of dusk, the shadows merged into a cool darkness that blanketed the city. Lights, arcane and practical, flared to life along the roads and in the buildings.

The door to the Twilight Room opened and Luna made her entrance, a large steaming mug of coffee held in her azure magic. “World's Best Princess” adorned the mug.

“Hail and well met, Twilight Sparkle!” Luna called as she strode into the room. “And a good eve to you, dear sister.” Celestia smiled her ‘sister smile’ and nodded. It was a smile of genuine pleasure.

“It’s good to see you too, Luna,” Twilight replied. Luna was dramatic, mercurial, and intense. Twilight considered her a good friend.

“Will you be joining us for supper after the rising?” Celestia inquired.

“Nay, coffee only for me right now. I’m breaking my fast later with my Night Guard.” Luna slurped a gulp from her alicorn-sized mug.

“Twilight and I are going to the symphony tonight.”

“Two musicians from Ponyville are debuting a new work,” Twilight said.

The disappointment was clear on Luna’s face. “I’m sorry to miss the opening. Perhaps I’ll be able to catch a future performance.” She glanced out at the sun that was just above the horizon and brightened. “It’s time, sister.”

Celestia and Luna stepped onto the grand balcony. Celestia gestured an invitation with a wing feather and Twilight joined them. Celestia’s horn lit, and she gazed out at the sun.

Twilight matched her gaze. She could feel the warmth of the sun within her. She mouthed silently, “Thank you for your light and warmth. Thank you for providing the energy for all the ponies and creatures and living things in this world. Thank you for being Celestia’s friend and my friend too.”

Celestia’s thoughts were her own. She gently nodded her head, and the sun dutifully dipped below the horizon. The sky blazed with the sunset and twilight fell upon the land. “The day gives way to the night,” Celestia intoned.

Luna’s horn lit, and she took in a great breath. She raised her head dramatically and the full moon rose over the horizon, bathing the world in its silver light. “The night accepts dominion,” Luna replied.

Twilight let out a breath that she didn’t realize she was holding. She’d witnessed the different parts of the rising and setting many times. But to stand here on the grand balcony in her crown, to witness the oaths, and to feel like a part of the ceremony through her connection to the sun, the totality of the experience was overwhelming. She at once felt bigger and smaller than she had before. Bigger, because she was actually a part of something so large and critical to all life as the cycle of day and night. And smaller, because that cycle was so immensely huge that any one pony, no matter how important, was just like a grain of sand on a vast ocean beach.

It was Luna who broke the spell. She took another large gulp from her mug and made a happy sigh. “I’m off to break my fast with the Night Guard. Enjoy the symphony. Sister, I will see the on the marrow.”

The evening air was cool but comfortable on Twilight’s coat, and there was almost no wind. One advantage of pegasus weather control was ensuring that the sovereigns had a pleasant environment. It was so nice, that Celestia and Twilight decided to sup on the grand balcony and pony watch over the great city before them.

After their meal, Meticulous Hammer knocked on the door to the Twilight Room. He entered carrying Twilight’s boots. They’d been polished to a high sheen and the purple diamonds glimmered in the silver moonlight that filtered in from the night sky.

“May I confirm how these fit, your Highness?” Meti asked. Twilight presented her right forehoof, and Meti slipped on the boot. Twilight raised an eyebrow. The boot gripped Twilight's hoof and covered part way up her leg. It was cool to the touch, but the fit was perfect, more like a glove than hard metal. “Stand on it and tell me how it feels.”

Twilight stood up. The boot fit different than before and she shifted her weight to compensate. It felt good. “May I try the other ones on, please?”

Meti fitted the rest of the boots. Twilight shifted her weight and pranced a bit in place to get a feel for them. Except for the cool touch, and superior traction, the boots fit so well they seemed to disappear in her mind unless she was looking at them. Twilight walked over to a full-length mirror. The boots looked even better than she remembered them. Combined with her crown, she looked very much like a princess. “They’re perfect,” she said.

“Thank you, your highness.”

Celestia stood by Twilight in the mirror. “Those suit you very well.” She addressed Meti. “These are angled?” He nodded and Celestia went back to addressing Twilight. “You’ll find these shift your weight slightly forward. This has a few advantages. It’s more comfortable to stand for long periods of time, and because of this, you’re less likely to fidget. Also, it gives you a more barrel-first posture, a type of power pose, and ponies will subconsciously see it as a sign of authority.”

“Goodness, there is a lot to being a princess,” Twilight thought. “I’ve had my wings for a couple of years, but I’m just learning this stuff now.” She turned to the farrier. “Thank you, Meticulous, these are wonderful.”

“Happy to be of assistance. I look forward to seeing you again in a few months so we keep them fitting well.” Meti made a small bow and took his leave.

Chapter 5 - Music And Memories

A few minutes later, Lieutenant Steel Wing escorted Twilight and Celestia to the Royal Chariot. Four white Royal Guard pegasi pulled it this eve. Four more covered the route to the Symphony hall when it was underway.

Luna’s full moon was huge in the sky and the stars sparkled like diamonds above them. The city, ablaze with lights, was a carpet beneath them. Clever design and minor magic kept the wind to a minimum, though Celestia’s huge ever flowing mane and tail rippled behind the chariot like the tail of a phoenix.

Royal Guards secured the landing zone at the Royal Symphony Hall. Patrons lined the red carpet and cheered their princesses as they made their way to the hall. Celestia nodded to the crowd. Twilight tried to replicate her deliberate gait and regal manner but had to walk fast to keep up with Celestia’s longer legs. Luckily, Twilight’s crown stayed on straight.

Before he opened the door, Lieutenant Steel Wing said they would be greeted by Joyous Noise, the head of the Canterlot Symphony and Crimson Withers, the manager of the Symphony Hall. Twilight was glad to get the reminder, so she could thank the greeting party by name.

The greeting party led the princesses through the hall to the reception area behind the Solar Box. As Celestia had predicted, the spread of deserts in the reception room included a delicious looking tiramisu.

When a bell tinkled, Lieutenant Steel Wing opened the door to the Solar Box and stepped through. Once he was visible to the audience, the crowd stood and quieted down.

“Her Royal Majesty Princess Celestia and Her Highness Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

On their cue, the two princesses entered the Solar Box. Celestia acknowledged the crowd with a graceful nod. Twilight smiled and waved.

Lieutenant Steel Wing gestured to Vinyl Scratch, the conductor. She raised a baton in her magenta magic and the orchestra played “Equestria My Home”, the national anthem. When the piece finished, the princesses sat down, and the crowd followed.

The Solar and Lunar Boxes at the Canterlot Symphony Hall were the proverbial best seats in the house. Situated to the right and left of the stage on the lowest, or royal, tier of the balcony, the opulent boxes were two stories tall. They included a pair of oversized chaises, sized so the largest of the royal sisters would be comfortable in them. Two smaller chaises flanked these, though each was still large enough so they would comfortably fit the largest pony stallion or mare. Behind the chaises was a row of large chairs for other royal guests.

The chaises and chairs were gold with crimson cushions, though the oversized chaises were a lighter red to set them apart. Voluminous crimson drapes and gold filigree adorned the boxes. The decorators selected crimson because it was not connected with the colors of either sister.

Celestia sat in the oversized chaise on the left, while Twilight was in the oversized one on the right. It was as big as her favorite reading couch in Ponyville, and she could have easily shared the chaise with Spike with room to spare. Lieutenant Steel Wing and one of his royal guard pegasi stood at the back of the box.

From the Solar Box, Twilight could see all the ponies in their seats on the orchestra level, and in the three levels of balconies to each side. The drapes of the Lunar Box to the right of the stage were drawn, indicating it was empty this evening.

Twilight hadn’t gone to the symphony since moving to Ponyville, but Princess Celestia had taken her when she was still her personal student. That was back when there was a single Royal Box in the center of the back of the hall, instead of dual Solar and Lunar Boxes like there were now.

Twilight surveyed the orchestra. Vinyl Scratch was the conductor. Having lost her bet with Octavia, she’d co-composed the new symphony, and would lead it. Like the other musicians in the orchestra, Vinyl was wearing a colorful bow tie and starched collar. She’d put aside her trademark shades for the evening, and her magenta eyes scanned the sheet music on the stand in front of her. Vinyl’s horn was alight, and she held a baton in her magenta magic.

Vinyl’s co-composer, roommate, and the winner of their bet, Octavia Melody, was in her normal seat as First Cello in the Canterlot Symphony. Like many in the orchestra, she played standing up. An earth pony, she controlled her bow by hoof with incredible dexterity.

Twilight recognized another Ponyville resident on the same side of the orchestra. Lyra Heartstrings rarely exercised her classical training, but she’d helped Vinyl and Octavia play through the new symphony when it was still rough and now joined them in its debut. She was one of two harpists who set up behind the violins tonight.

The organization of the orchestra was unusual. Far stage right, nearest the Solar Box, was a pianist on a swivel stool, who could reach both the largest of the stringed instruments, the grand piano, and the most ethereal, a celesta. She could also reach a set of percussion blocks. Far stage left, nearest the Lunar Box, was a drummer behind a great set of kettledrums. He could also reach a set of percussion blocks. Twilight knew that blocks in classical pieces often mimicked hoof beats, but it was unusual for an orchestra to have two such musicians playing them.

The setup of the rest of the orchestra was as unfamiliar. There was a clear divide between the sections. All the strings lined up stage right and the woodwinds faced them stage left. The brass and the rest of the percussion section were to the center but behind the strings and woodwinds.

Twilight scanned the audience. There were several friends from Ponyville in attendance. None of the girls, Starlight, or Spike had made the trip, but Lyra’s roommate Bon Bon was in the front row with Mayor Mare, and the donkey couple, Cranky and Matilda.

Twilight glanced down at the program.

CANTERLOT ROYAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

VINYL SCRATCH, Guest Conductor

CANTERLOT SYMPHONY HALL

Canterlot, Equestria

PROGRAM

The Return of Unity

A lost symphony, reimagined

Composed and transcribed by Octavia Melody, GRAM and Vinyl Scratch, GRAM

A symphony in four movements

The Gathering Storm - Sonata (fast)

Disunity - Adagio (slow)

Clash - Minuet

The Return of Unity - Rondo (fast)

Vinyl tapped the music stand with her baton to get the orchestra’s attention and silence the audience. She gestured at the oboe player, who sounded a pure high A note. The rest of the orchestra matched it. Vinyl nodded, satisfied that everypony was in tune. She raised her baton and brought it down. Music flowed. The symphony had started.

The opening movement, The Gathering Storm, was a rousing piece, utilizing nearly all the instruments in the orchestra. It projected an energy that easily caught the audience in the hall. Twilight leaned forward, intent on catching every nuance.

After the third verse, Twilight noticed some patterns. Two sections of the orchestra were playing in opposition to each other, woodwinds taking the lead in one verse, and the strings replying in the next. It was subtle at first, but became prominent as the movement progressed, like two herds snorting at each other before a conflict. The energy and tension of this call and response grew, and it made Twilight increasingly uncomfortable.

Then the kettledrummer hammered a powerful strike to start the second movement, and the rest of the orchestra fell silent. He sounded a slow, deliberate clop on his largest percussion block, like a single supremely powerful pony advancing at a walk. When the walk completed, the kettledrummer resumed a furious solo, which riveted the audience.

But as the drum solo climaxed, the pianist hammered her own powerful cords. Now the kettledrummer fell silent, and the pianist sounded her own slow clop on an even larger percussion block. The pianist then played her own dramatic solo, which entranced the audience again.

The kettledrummer struck up a response, and the woodwind section rose to join. The combination was more powerful than the music of the piano alone. The pianist responded, and the strings rose to join, the two combinations now projected equal authority.

The herds had found their leaders.

Twilight was on the edge of her chaise. She could taste a coppery tang in her mouth; her adrenaline was up. The situation was on a hair trigger, and she felt like anything could happen next.

The kettledrummer hammered a powerful combination, and the orchestra fell silent again. The pianist responded with equal power. The drummer sounded a single beat, and the pianist matched it with a single powerful cord. Both musicians turned to their percussion blocks and sounded a furious run.

The herds had broken into a charge.

The third movement started. Runs of the highest notes, from harps and flutes, made Twilight’s horn tingle like uncast spell forms. Violins and clarinets played accelerato, at a swiftly increasing tempo, and her wings almost buzzed in response. The bass notes from the cellos and bassoons seemed to synchronize with the beat of Twilight’s heart and made her hooves itch. Looking around the hall, Twilight realized she wasn’t the only one affected, ponies all over the audience were squirming in their chairs.

In counterpoint to the other music, a snare drum counted out a slow martial march. After every third beat of the snare drum, a cymbal crashed. After one cymbal crash, Twilight saw Lyra sit back from her harp and cross her forelegs across her lap. This seemed a curious thing to do in the middle of an energetic performance.

Checking out the orchestra, Twilight noticed several other musicians in similar poses. And every time a cymbal crashed, another joined the ranks. The depth and power of the music began to degrade. Soon, half the orchestra was sitting down, while the others played harder to make up for the losses. The orchestra could not lose any more musicians without the complex music coming apart.

The herds were at war.

The kettledrummer hammered a powerful combination, and the pianist responded with equal power. The orchestra fell silent again. Both percussion blocks sounded identical slow, deliberate clops - two gladiators advancing onto the field. The kettledrummer began a complex melody, like thunder rolling across an open field. Undeterred, the pianist played with equal power and complexity.

The leaders had joined the battle.

This music hit Twilight deep in her chest, where she’d previously felt the warmth of the sun. It felt dark… wrong. For reasons unknown, Twilight remembered casting dark magic when dealing with Sombra and the Crystal Empire. She tasted acid on her tongue.

The leader’s dueled, and the slow count of the bass drum replaced the snare. Each beat hit Twilight like a hammer and she winced each time the drummer struck another blow.

Even the powerful leaders could not take this punishment forever.

Strangely, the rest of the audience did not seem so affected. They were on the edge of their seats, but no longer squirming, nor wincing from the blows. Twilight seemed like the only one to feel it.

Or maybe she wasn’t the only one. Twilight felt a strong force on the side of her closed wing. She looked, and Celestia had reached her huge wing over the arm of the chaise and curled her primaries around it. The edges of her primaries were brushing against Twilight’s side. Celestia was gripping the arm so hard even incidental contact was powerful.

After three individual beats from the bass drum, the pianist faltered. Twilight turned back to the orchestra, just in time to see the bass drum struck with three more mighty blows, one after another. Twilight felt like she’d been beaten in an alley. There was a moment of silence before the kettledrum struck up a rousing triumphant solo.

One leader had emerged a victor.

The pianist stayed silent throughout the solo. When it was over, she struck her percussion block with a pair of tentative clops, as if a wounded pony was standing. The pianist played a sad, but resolute phrase, then switched instruments, turning to the upright celesta, unused in the symphony until now. She struck a few glorious notes. The pure ethereal sound of the celesta reverberated throughout the hall.

The pianist became engrossed in playing the celesta, the music growing in complexity and beauty. The kettledrummer took notice and tried to respond, but the beauty of the celesta would not be denied. The drummer finally faltered and the celesta was left to play an eye opening solo.

Twilight could not take her eyes off the soloist. The heavenly music filled her in ways beyond any of the previous movements. The power of the music seemed to lift her into the air. She wished her five best friends could be in the box with her right now, so they could all experience the amazing harmony of this moment, together. If she let herself go, Twilight felt like she would float off her chair.

Twilight’s eyes went wide. She’d only experienced this feeling a very few times, always with her best friends, and only when confronting Tirek… and Discord… and…

“Oh, no” she mouthed.

The music from the celesta reached its climax. A drummer in the back of the symphony hit the great gong like a lightning bolt and kept hitting it. The hall filled with its thunder. Twilight gasped, and she wasn’t the only member of the audience to do so. The rolling roar of the gong held the audience in its spell.

And as the gong sounded, the kettledrummer got up from his instrument, bowed to the audience, and calmly walked off stage.

Twilight caught movement in the corner of her eye and saw Lieutenant Steel Wing advanced to Celestia. They whispered, and then Celestia’s horn lit. She used her magic to slam closed the curtains to isolate the Solar Box, then seal it with a silence spell.

With apparent effort, Celestia stood. “Twilight, I must return to the castle. It’s urgent, but not an emergency.” Her voice was monotone, kept even through a massive application of will. There was deep pain in her eyes. “Please stay for the conclusion of the symphony and tell the musicians that I applaud their… great skill. Their work was… quite affecting.”

Before Twilight could reply, Celestia nodded to the Lieutenant, then engulfed herself in a blinding yellow flash. When Twilight could see again, Celestia was gone.

Shaken, Twilight turned to Steel Wing. “What should I do?”

“I recommend you do as our sovereign requests, Princess Twilight.” Lieutenant Steel Wing nodded his head and then said, “By your leave?” Reflexively, Twilight nodded back. Before she could process what had happened, the Lieutenant slipped out of the door to the Solar Box. Another member of the Royal Guard took his place.

“How could I have been so stupid,” Twilight whispered to herself. “Making Celestia relive banishing her sister. And nothing hammers a memory home, like music.”

These ponies had hurt Celestia. Without meaning to, without even knowing they were doing it. But all of them had hurt Celestia.

And she’d hurt Celestia by bringing her here.

Twilight pranced in place, eyes searching from side to side. With the great curtains closed, the box was stifling, a gilded cage in shades of crimson. It would have been easy to panic.

“This isn’t getting me anywhere.” Twilight put a hoof to her chest, took in a deep breath, held it for a count, and then blew it out. She swept her hoof away, sending the tension away with it. “Thank you Cadance,” she thought. The ritual her sister-in-law had taught always helped Twilight get calm.

“Stay for the conclusion of the symphony…” she thought. “...do as our sovereign requests.” There was nothing that Twilight wanted to do more than rush to the castle to try and make up for what she’d done. Her heart ached to simply teleport after Celestia.

But that is not what Celestia had asked her to do. The Princess had reminded Twilight that she had a duty, to her friends who created the symphony, to the musicians who had performed it, and even to the audience. For both princesses to leave in the middle of a work without explanation would be a royal rebuke of the highest order. It could devastate friendships, careers, even lives.

“Time for the duty part of being a princess,” she decided. “It’s my penance for the pain I’ve caused. But as soon as this is over, I’m going after Celestia.”

Twilight sat straight on her chaise and smoothed her mane and feathers. She dispelled the silence spell and parted the curtains. The entire incident had only taken a few moments, and the last roar of the gong was just fading away. So riveted was the audience, that few noticed the activity in the Solar Box.

The fourth movement, The Return of Unity, was a rousing affair. It started slow, as strings and woodwinds played tentatively together. But one by one, the seated musicians took up their instruments again. The antagonists joined their music together. The brass and percussion blended into the music, rather than standing outside of it. The resulting music got faster, more inspiring, and even more powerful than before. Stripped of its disunity, the music no longer caused disquiet but filled the audience with pride and energy.

Twilight was sure the pegasi felt like they could fly to the moon, the unicorns like they could levitate mountains, and the earth ponies like they could gallop to the horizon. But she could partake in none of it. Every swelling refrain reminded her that she was here and not with Celestia, who was hurting.

After the final note played, the audience stomped so hard, it felt like the roof was going to fall in. The entire orchestra took bow after bow, as did the conductor, her co-composer, and each of the soloists. In each case, the audience stomped enthusiastically, while Twilight kept on her best princess smile, clapped her hooves gracefully, nodded sagely, and fervently wished she were somewhere else.

Once the musicians had taken their final bow, Twilight nodded to them one last time, turned and exited the Solar Box into the reception room behind it. As soon as the door closed, she turned to the nearest guard. “I’m teleporting back to the castle on my own. If anypony asks why you’re bringing the chariot back empty, tell them I had to deal with something that was urgent, but not an emergency.” The guard saluted in acknowledgment.

A moment later, Twilight summoned a magenta sphere about herself and disappeared.

Chapter 6 - Frantic Return

Twilight appeared in the main room of the Scholar's Tower, the one indoor location in the castle she was allowed to teleport to. She’d lived in the tower when she was Celestia’s personal student. For security reasons, the castle rules forbid indoor teleportation, and the rules were backed up by ancient and powerful warding spells. But Twilight had negotiated an exception to the rules and inserted a loophole in the spells that allowed her alone to teleport into her old quarters.

The tower was more library than apartment, one of the reasons Twilight had loved living there with Spike before the two had moved to Ponyville. There was a massive window with an amazing view of Canterlot at night and a skyway that connected the tower to the castle proper. Twilight had given a set of tower keys to her old school friend, and fellow researcher, Moon Dancer. She wasn’t around, but had tidied the place up; it was clean and orderly.

Before her magenta magic could fade, Twilight rushed out the door and galloped onto the skyway. She’d delayed long enough and needed to get to Celestia now.

The door to the rest of the castle at the end of the skyway had four white pegasi guards posted, rather than one or two as was normal at lesser castle entrances like this. Somepony had doubled the guard, probably when Celestia had come home in haste and possible distress. Twilight’s brother, Shining Armor, former leader of the Royal Guard, had always said when you’re not sure what’s going on, it never hurts to double the guard and put them on alert.

The guards squinted to recognize the pony charging them out of the darkness. They lowered their spears. “Halt, who goes there!”

Twilight put her hooves out to stop but wasn’t used to the extra traction the boots provided. She pitched forward, head down and tail up. To keep from mashing her muzzle into the skyway, Twilight flared her wings and turned the fall into an airborne forward roll and landed with a crash back on all four hooves. Thank goodness for Rainbow Dash’s aerobatics training!

The wild maneuvers and clanging of boots on stone had alerted the Night Guard flying patrols over the castle. Four of the bat-winged ponies in dark armor stooped and dived toward the commotion, cat-like eyes focused on their target, and grinning like mad-mares. Like Luna their leader, the Night Guard were nothing if not enthusiastic about their jobs.

Twilight shook her head to clear it. Things were getting out of hoof! She rose to her full height and stepped into the light. Surprisingly, her crown had remained in position; it and her boots shined.

“Princess Twilight!” A guard cried. “Spears up, men.” The pegasi raised their spears. The Night Guard broke off their flying tackles at the last moment, two each diving at full speed to either side of the skyway. The Night Guard looped back up and resumed station over the situation, alert for any further need to intervene.

The leader of the pegasi guards stepped forward. “A thousand pardons your Highness. We weren’t told to expect you from this direction tonight.”

“That’s all right officer,” Twilight replied. “I need to get into the castle and see Princess Celestia.”

“Of course, your Highness. What’s the word of the day?”

“The word of the day?” Twilight thought. “They must be worried about changeling infiltrators. Argh!” Lieutenant Steel Wing had said something about the day word when they were first getting on the chariot. Twilight had been so focused on Celestia, she hadn’t caught it.

Twilight pranced nervously. Her words came out in a rush. “Gentlecolts, I don’t remember the code word. Lieutenant Steel Wing told me, but I was focused on… something else. Then Princess Celestia left the symphony in a rush and I’m worried about her and have to get inside…”

One of the guards stepped up to the officer. “That’s Princess Twilight, sir. I recognize her prance from when she was a student here. She never could remember the day word then either.”

The officer looked skeptically at the guard, then nodded. “This way your Highness, we’ll escort you to the Princess.” They all stepped aside and opened the door to the castle.

Twilight sighed, and then stepped through the door. Two guards followed to escort her, and two stayed outside to guard the door.

Before Twilight could take another step, Luna strode out of a deep pool of shadow cast by one of the great tapestries on the wall. “Twilight Sparkle, come with me,” she commanded.

“Luna! Where is Princess Celestia?”

“Not here,” Luna ordered and set off down the corridor. Somehow her gait combined speed with majesty. Twilight hustled after her.

Luna entered the first free room they came across. As soon as Twilight was inside, Luna shut the door and sealed the room with her azure magic. “Now we speak. What has happened to my sister?” she demanded.

Twilight took in a deep breath and blew it out so she could give a calm recitation of events. “We went to the symphony. It was a piece resurrected out of an ancient text. The music affected ponies like none I ever heard. I could feel it in my wings, horn, and hooves.”

Luna regarded Twilight, unblinking. “Such music was common before my banishment. Celestia tells me she let the knowledge of such fall out of fashion and be forgotten because it had been used to fuel disharmony. But this doesn’t explain Celestia’s reaction.”

“The symphony seemed to combine two stories into one,” Twilight continued. “The first part portrayed a war, with one general on each side. After many casualties, the generals fought and one fell. While the winner rejoiced, the fallen general got back up, wounded but alive.”

Luna’s gaze was intense, but she did not interrupt.

“But here’s where the symphony mixed two stories up. The fallen general seemed to use the Elements of Harmony. I recognized the feeling of using the Elements when the music was being played. I could tell Celestia was feeling it too. When the music of the Elements ended, a gong sounded, and the other general was banished off the stage.” Twilight halted. The rest was hard to say to Luna’s face. “Just like Celestia had to banish you when you turned into Nightmare Moon.

“The performance was very dramatic. But the details were all mixed up, and that blunted some of the emotional impact for me. I saw the real battle between you and Celestia in a vision. There wasn’t a war or pony casualties. It was over in minutes.”

Luna dropped her head and stood rigid for a moment. When she raised it, her eyes were full of sadness and her voice was just above a whisper. “Twilight Sparkle, you’ve done more for me since my return than anypony, save my sister. I rejoiced when you ascended, and I hope in the fullness of the time, we may call each other sisters.

“Tonight I must place a great burden upon you. For my sister has been gravely wounded by yon performance. And because my falling to the Nightmare is a part of that wound, I cannot help assuage it. Celestia has been strong for the both of us many times. This night, can you be strong for her?

“Do not answer in haste. Long-festering wounds have been exposed. They will need to be cleansed with unpleasant truths and revelations. Neither you nor Celestia will escape from such a cleansing unchanged.”

Twilight felt the dread in Luna’s words. Responsibility settled upon her like the weight of the sun and the moon. But Twilight was no stranger to responsibility. She’d held the fate of the nation in her hooves before, and hadn’t faltered then. She wouldn’t falter now. And she would do anything for Celestia.

“I will go to her,” was all Twilight said.

Luna nodded as if she expected the answer. “She’s in her chambers. She’ll not want to see you, but you must be strong. I cannot go in with you, but I’ll do what I can from the outside to help.”

Luna stepped forward and embraced Twilight, like two soldiers before a battle. They held the embrace for a moment and then stepped apart. Luna banished the spell sealing the room, and the two walked out the door. At the base of the Solar Tower, they separated. Luna went to whatever mysterious things she could do from outside. Twilight stood before the stairs to Celestia’s chambers.

After Luna departed, Twilight’s doubts returned. As she ascended the stairs, Luna’s dark words made Twilight’s gut clinch. “Just get up the stairs,” she thought. “I can try to fix things once I get up the stairs.” She climbed first one step, and then another. “Some of my happiest memories occurred in Celestia’s chambers. Focus on them and keep putting one hoof in front of the other.”

From her time as Celestia’s personal student, Twilight was well familiar with her chambers. The front doors lead to a sitting room, a venue as eternal as Celestia herself. It looked pretty much the same now as it did when Twilight entered on her first day in the castle. The room was two stories tall, with cream walls and ceiling. Magically animated ceiling medallions traced the positions of the sun and moon as they moved across the sky. It had taken Twilight several visits before she discerned the spells that made that work. The floors were white marble, covered in crimson area rugs with gold accents. Paintings of pastoral landscapes by great masters dotted the walls. A large “hidden” door lead to a storage closet and an oaken door lead to the bedroom.

The furniture was white oak with gold accents and crimson cushions. On one side of the room was a great oaken desk with a view out the windowed double doors that lead to the Solar Balcony. Small photos of family dotted the desk, and Twilight was proud that a photo of her and Spike was among them. The photos were one of the few things that had changed in the room over time. When she started as a student, there were only two ponies represented; now there were three times as many. There were bookcases with ancient volumes, tastefully arranged, within easy reach behind the desk. Twilight knew Celestia almost never referred to them, having memorized the tomes long ago.

On the other side of the room was a large fireplace, normally unlit, with great crimson cushions on the floor and a pair of extra large chaises flanked by side tables. The fireplace logs were magical, produced no smoke, and never needed to be replaced. Twilight figured out how they worked the first time she saw them in action. Some of Twilight’s favorite memories included Celestia teaching her magic, while the two of them were curled before the fireplace.

The bedroom repeated the cream and golden theme of the sitting room, with only a few crimson accents. There was a truly massive bed that could easily fit multiple alicorns. It was covered with creamy quilts and pillows made from the finest Saddle Arabian silk and flanked by nightstands. There was a hutch with crimson pillows, one for each piece of Celestia’s regalia, a large dresser, and a small bookcase with whatever Celestia was reading for pleasure at the moment. Beside the dresser was the door to the walk-in closet. On the opposite wall was the door to the bathroom.

The walk-in closet included an alicorn sized full body mirror, several alicorn sized poniquins with formal dresses, a large chest with a variety of Celestia’s favorite royal jewelry, and racks and racks of other clothing and accessories.

A huge walk in bath, big enough to comfortably fit both royal sisters or all of Twilights’ friends (something Twilight had imagined more than once) dominated the bathroom. Water infused with magic and drawn from cold and hot springs deep within the Canterhorn fed a series of waterfalls that filled the bath. Beside the bath were cabinets with toiletries, a large number of giant towels, and a hamper. On one wall was a broad marble countertop that included large twin washbasins fed by their own small waterfalls. On the other wall was an enclosure with a large john, among the largest in Equestria.

Twilight finally got to the top of the stairs and refocused on the present. The entrance to Celestia’s chambers was a pair of two-story double doors of blond oak, with a massive representation of her blazing sun mark centered between them. Four Royal Guards, two pegasi and two unicorns, were stationed in the hall outside. The officer in charge stepped forward and saluted as Twilight approached.

“Good evening, Princess Twilight. Her majesty has requested that she not be disturbed this eve.”

Twilight stood as tall as she could. Her boots helped her assume a barrel out, power pose. “If Princess Luna wished to enter, would you stop her?”

“Princess Luna? No, of course not…” the officer replied.

“Am I not a Princess as well?” Twilight inquired.

The officer looked conflicted. He glanced at the other guards, who responded with a shrug. “This is beyond my pay grade,” he muttered. The officer motion to his men and they stepped away from the door.

“Thank you, gentlecolts,” Twilight said. “No need to announce me.” She opened the door with her magic and peered into the sitting room, but Celestia was not there. She stepped in and closed the door behind her, triggering the automatic privacy spells that kept any sounds from the chambers from drifting into the hall.

Chapter 7 - Breakdown And Recovery

The first sounds from within the chambers that Twilight heard were choking hearty sobs. But there was no one in the sitting room.

There was a loud gulp, a long shuddering breath, then Celestia’s hesitant voice, just above a whisper. “Gentlecolts... I do not wish... to be disturbed.”

“Celestia?” Twilight looked about, trying to zero in on the voice. She decided it came from the bedroom and inched toward the closed door.

“Twilight? Please go away.” Celestia was sobbing again. “I don’t want you to see me like this.”

Twilight stopped in mid-step, one hoof in the air. She couldn’t force herself on Celestia, but she also couldn't live with herself if she did as Celestia requested. “Can you be strong for her?” Luna had asked.

She advanced to the bedroom door but didn’t open it. “When have you known me to abandon a friend?”

Celestia gulped again. “Never,” she whispered.

“And do you think I’m going to leave you now?”

“No,” Celestia whispered.

“May I come in?”

“Yes,” Celestia cried, then resumed sobbing, as if that one word were the last thing she was ever going to be able to say.

Twilight cast open the door and started.

Celestia lay on the floor of the bedroom, her white form splayed across a large crimson throw rug, her legs and wings akimbo. Celestia’s eyes were bloodshot, her face wet with tears and snot. Her ever flowing pastel mane and tail, the most visible sign of her immense magical nature, was gone; in its place, were great lengths of matted pink hair. Her regalia were nowhere to be found. Celestia was naked, in every sense of the word.

Twilight edged forward, and lay down on the carpet beside her, but not touching. She wanted to be at eye level. She reached a hoof out but stopped when she saw her golden boot covered it. This was not a time for anything that would get between her and Celestia. Twilight pulled her boots and crown off with her magic, and floated them over to the top of the dresser, out of sight from the floor. Atop the dresser, she spotted a pile of silk handkerchiefs and floated them down in front of Celestia.

Celestia lay, head down in crossed hooves, still sniffling and sobbing. Occasionally a shudder would wrack her body.

Twilight tried to think of the things her old foalsitter Cadance had done when Twilight had, ‘an episode.’ Twilight’s episodes were more about panic than weeping, but the same techniques might apply.

“It’s OK, I’m here. You’re safe now,” Twilight whispered. It was like a mantra, the same phrases over and over again, in different orders, “It’s OK,” “You’re safe,” “I’m here.” She also reached out and touched Celestia. When she didn’t pull away, Twilight began making small circles on the back of her leg, just above her hoof. Miti had said Celestia was especially sensitive there.

Slowly, the shuddering faded. Twilight raised a handkerchief. “Blow,” she suggested. Celestia did with a loud, honk. “Now breathe.” Celestia took in a great breath, and then let it out. She swallowed hard once and then continued to breathe deeply. Her eyes still rained tears, but her body was now limp rather than rigid.

Sensing an opening, Twilight gently scooted over and put herself alongside Celestia. Though she was the much larger pony, Celestia seemed almost small beside her. Twilight put her wing over Celestia’s withers and pulled her close. Celestia exposed her neck, and Twilight laid her head upon it, so they were touching from neck to dock. The two lay silently intertwined for a long time.

When Celestia started to stir, Twilight took the initiative again. She lit her horn and reached out with her magic through the open door and into the grand bathroom. She couldn’t see what she was doing, and blind levitation was challenging, but Twilight knew where things were kept in the bathroom. With consummate skill, she levitated a glass, filled it from the small cold-water waterfall that fed the nearest washbasin, and then floated the full glass into the bedroom. She presented the glass and a fresh handkerchief to Celestia.

“Thank you,” she said, her first words since inviting Twilight in. Celestia blew her nose again, wiped her snout, and sipped the water. After a great breath, she seemed more… present, though still a bit dazed.

“May I make a suggestion?” Twilight asked.

Celestia only mumbled in reply. “She’s out of it,” Twilight thought. Out loud she said, “Getting cleaned up might help. A warm bath always makes me feel better.”

“I’m... not sure I can.”

“You don’t have to.” Twilight had already reached blindly into the bathroom with her magic. She opened the gates on the waterfalls that filled the great bathtub. Celestia looked to the door, eyes drawn by the sound of water splashing.

When Celestia didn’t object, Twilight rose. She slipped a wing under Celestia’s barrel, and then with a combination of wing muscle and magenta magic, lifted the bigger pony off the floor. Twilight was careful to support Celestia’s outstretched wings, and gather up her stringy pink mane and tail. Twilight’s magic could lift creatures bigger than a house; lifting Celestia was not difficult.

The gesture was hard on Celestia though. She ducked her head and shuddered. Not from pain. It seemed that doing anything was hard for her right now.

By the time Twilight carried Celestia into the bathroom, the fast running waterfalls had already half filled the great tub. Twilight didn’t hesitate but walked into the warm, rising water and gently set Celestia onto on a bench formed from the side of the tub. Social bathing was an old pony tradition, even if Twilight had never done it with Celestia.

Celestia shifted a bit and laid her head on the cool tile that surrounded the bath. Yards of stringy pink hair swirled around her as the bath filled. She didn’t try to adjust it; she didn’t seem to be able to do much of anything for herself right now.

Twilight ran the water as hot as she could stand, thinking the Princess of the Sun had a high tolerance for heat. It seemed like a good choice, as Celestia let out a deep shuddering sigh as the hot water ran over her. She let her bloodshot eyes half close.

Twilight gated the waterfall, so a trickle of warm water ran over Celestia’s exposed back to keep her and the bath warm. She magicked over several half moon sponges and large washcloths, along with an alicorn sized bottle of shampoo and another of conditioner. Twilight considered using her magic but decided she was in no hurry. Aloe and Lotus Blossom at the Ponyville Day Spa were earth ponies who provided Twilight and her friends a luxurious experience using only touch. Twilight decided to apply what she’d learned from the spa ponies. Bathing Celestia was something better done by hoof.

She began by wetting and soaping a washcloth and gently washing Celestia’s face and horn. Twilight knew few things made you feel worse than a mucky snout. Celestia closed her eyes and turned her head so Twilight could clean it all. When all the gunk on her face was gone, Twilight used an un-soaped washcloth to make sure everything was clean, then warm water from the waterfall to complete the rinsing. Celestia closed her eyes as the warm water rolled over them.

Twilight slipped her hoof into the strap on a half moon sponge and squirted a generous dollop of shampoo on it. She moved the sponge in a circle, both with and against the fall of Celestia’s coat, to get soap all the way down to the skin. Twilight directed the warm waterfall to rinse off all the soap, then repeated the process with conditioner, and rinsed again. She wanted to do the best possible job for Celestia, and Rarity had taught Twilight conditioner helped keep a coat silky and tangle free.

Twilight started with Celestia’s neck and then proceeded to wash her forelegs and chest. Next, she cleaned Celestia’s back and wings, and then her flanks, barrel, and hind legs. Finally, she switched to a specially marked sponge that by tradition was reserved for cleaning the rump. Each time she moved to wash a new area, Celestia stretched so Twilight could have unimpeded access to it.

The more Twilight bathed Celestia, the more the smell of herbs and flowers from the shampoo filled the bathroom and the more bubbles filled the giant bath.

Now Twilight focused on Celestia’s mane and tail. Normally they were an ever-flowing mass, a pastel rainbow of arcane power in physical form. But now Celestia’s mane and tail were just yards and yards of dirty pink hair. They were wet, tangled, and looked like they hadn’t been cared for in quite a while.

The process here was similar: shampoo, rinse, conditioner, and rinse again. Twilight started at the base of Celestia’s tail and worked it with her hooves to clean it all the way to the roots. She splashed the tail to keep it wet and sudsy. Twilight moved down the tail a few hoof-lengths at a time until she washed it all the way to the end. That left only Celestia’s mane.

“Finish what you started,” Twilight thought. “I’m not sure how this is going, but I need to finish what I started. For her. And for me.” She raised the bottle of shampoo and glanced at the scraggly pink mass of Celestia’s mane. Celestia rolled her neck to provide Twilight access but kept her council. Cleaning the mane went much like the tail. Twilight started from the roots, and worked her way to the end, with shampoo and then conditioner.

Finally, Celestia was clean from horn to tail. Twilight was wet and covered in soap herself. She levitated the stopper from the giant tub, and the water and suds swiftly drained. Twilight nudged Celestia to get her to stand, then ungated the warm overhead waterfall and directed the water to give both of them a whole body rinse. She levitated over a rubber mitt and put it over her hoof. She went over Celestia’s whole body again in the same order with the mitt, keeping it wet and scrubbing to make sure to get rid of any loose hair. She knew from experience that it stimulated circulation and felt good. When the scrubbing was done she rinsed Celestia one final time, taking special care to be sure her mane and tail were clear.

Twilight levitated a dozen giant fluffy towels out of the cabinet with her magenta magic. She draped a pair of them over her own back for later, then sent the other ten roiling around Celestia to dry her off. At first, Twilight thought Celestia fidgeted under the buffing but then realized that she was bending and turning so Twilight could get the towels to every part of her body.

Even after her body was dry, Celestia’s yards long mane and tail were still damp. This was a common occurrence among Twilight and her friends when they went to the Ponyville Day Spa. Fluttershy’s own extravagant pink tresses took especially long to dry. Twilight used the same solution here that the Spa Sisters used. She levitated Celestia’s giant fluffy white robe out of the cabinet and draped it over her. While Celestia put her forelegs through the sleeves, Twilight wound up her mane and tail until each was encased within their own fresh towel.

Within the cabinet, Twilight also found robes set aside for other ponies. There was an extra large midnight blue robe, clearly for Luna, and several other cream-colored ones in more normal pony sizes. Twilight dried herself off, wound fresh towels around her still damp mane and tail, and put on a robe.

Celestia watched with interest but remained silent.

“Would you like to go sit by the fire?” Twilight asked.

“I’d like that.“ Celestia smiled weakly.

Twilight lead Celestia into the sitting room. She lit the fire with a spark from her horn. Celestia settled on a great crimson cushion in front of the fireplace. She took in a great breath, and blew it out with a sigh.

Inside the front doors, Twilight spotted a wheeled trolley with Celestia’s favorite tea set on the top and several covered dishes on the lower shelf. “I see Luna is thinking of us,” Twilight gestured at the trolley. “Tea?”

“Please,” was all Celestia said.

Twilight had seen Celestia brew the best cup of tea in Equestria by hoof many times. She’d even brewed tea by hoof herself at home a few times, just for the practice. But she’d never done it in front of Celestia. And she couldn't do it as a conjurer's trick and divide her focus. She needed that focus to do the job right.

Twilight gathered her mental checklist and set to work. Pour water into the kettle. Open the firebox. Let the water boil. Warm the teapot and cups with the water, then pour them out. Seven teaspoons of tea in the pot, six for the cups and one for the pot. Pour the hot water over the leaves and let it brew. Begin the count. Pour the last of the hot water into a second teapot to warm it then pour it out too. Keep counting to yourself so you know how long the tea has been brewing. When the count is done, put the strainer on the second teapot and pour from the first teapot into the second. Put the strainer aside and pour from the second teapot into the cups. Hope for the best.

She levitated the cups and saucers, moved over to sit on the cushion next to Celestia, and placed the teacup and saucer before her. Celestia didn’t pick it up with hooves or magic, but dipped her head down and slurped directly out of the cup. The resulting ‘tea smile’ was weak but genuine.

Celestia turned back to look at the fire. It crackled and popped and danced in the hearth. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Twilight leaned her body against Celestia’s. “Of course.”

Celestia turned to look Twilight in the eye next to her. When their eyes met, she grimaced, as if in pain, and shut them tight. “You’ve become such an amazing mare. I was a lonely, blubbering, mess on the floor. Now I’m clean, calm, wrapped in a soft robe before a crackling fire, and sipping marvelous tea made by one I care deeply for. You are so much more than I deserve.”

Knowing Celestia’s distress was caused by the symphony she brought her to, and based on the book she provided the composers, the praise felt ashen in Twilight’s mouth. “You deserve somepony who won’t cause such problems in the first place.”

“None of that, young lady.” Celestia’s looked Twilight in the eyes and tried to speak up, but her voice was halting. “You did nothing wrong. I owe you an explanation so that your fears and guilt do not run away with you.” While Celestia talked, tears formed at the corners of her eyes. “It may take a while, as I appear to still be a bit fragile.”

Twilight didn’t want to argue with Celestia, but she didn’t want her pushing herself to explain things at this moment. Celestia clearly needed more time to recover. “Explanations can wait. I’m not in any hurry.”

Twilight looked around for something, anything, which might distract Celestia. “What helps ponies feel better?” she thought. “Books?” her inner voice suggested. “Reading takes too much focus,” she replied internally. “Music?” came the inner suggestion. “Music is what got us into this mess!” Twilight’s eyes lit on the covered dished on the lower shelf of the tea trolley. “Food!” her inner voice and she cried internally together.

“Maybe there’s something on that trolley to go with the tea?” Twilight suggested out loud. She levitated a quartet of covered trays over and set them between the tea and the fireplace. The half dome covers and trays were made with polished silver and engraved with intricate scenes of all three tribes of ponies. Twilight sneaked each dome up to glance inside and make sure nothing was going to upset Celestia, and when they were OK, revealed them with an attempt at a flourish.

The first tray had baby carrots, celery, apple slices, and a daisy garnish. They were arrayed on a bed of crushed ice like a sunset, with the daisy as the sun. Two small bowls of creamy dipping sauce flanked the sun. The next tray had a tureen filled with steaming broth, chunks of vegetables, and small curly noodles. Two bowls, a ladle, and two soup spoons were set to the side. The third tray had a selection of scones, tea cookies, and sliced sweet breads arranged like a sunflower. The final tray had several generous slices of multi-layer yellow cake, with shiny chocolate icing and topped with crimson cherry halves. Two forks with long tines, a cake server, and two plates were set to the side.

Twilight licked her lips. “After so much drama, maybe something fortifying, like the soup?”

Celestia finally looked at Twilight without blanching or tears. “Have your forgotten the first lesson I ever taught you? Whenever you have the opportunity…”

“Eat dessert first!” they finished together.

Their mutual smiles were warm and genuine. Twilight leaned into Celestia and nuzzled neck to neck. For a moment, they each closed their eyes, their hearts were light, and the issues of the evening were set aside.

When the moment was done, Twilight levitated a slice of cake onto a plate. Celestia looked at the plate, then at Twilight. She flicked her eyes at the serving tray, then back at Twilight. “Oh!” Twilight exclaimed, and levitated a second piece of cake on the plate, before setting it in front of Celestia.

Twilight levitated a pair of scones from the tray, one for her plate, and one to nibble on. Celestia dispensed with levitation, dipped her head, and nibbled directly from the plate. With a millennium of cake eating skill, she avoided getting one speck of chocolate frosting on her pristine white coat.

While Celestia was eating her cake, Twilight had a few moments to breathe. It looked like she would be here a while. She summoned parchment and quill, and tossed off a quick note to Spike and Starlight, telling them she was helping Celestia and would be staying the night in Canterlot. She rolled it up and applied her seal.

“I’ll just be a moment,” she told Celestia. Twilight opened the door, stepped into the corridor, and spoke to the guards. “Please be sure this message is delivered to the Dragon Spike at my castle in Ponyville tonight.” One bowed and trotted off. Twilight returned to the sitting room.

“What’s another distraction?” Twilight thought as she entered. She had an idea, reached her magic into the bathroom, and levitated several bottles and brushes out into the sitting room. She knelt back beside Celestia and slipped the strap of a soft body brush over one hoof, then asked, “May I finish the job?” Celestia rolled to present her side to Twilight while keeping her muzzle free to take nips from the cake.

Twilight levitated Celestia’s robe off, then used the brush in long soft strokes. She started from the neck, just under the mane, and worked down and back. Celestia was a big pony and Twilight could make continuous strokes as long as her foreleg, without running out of coat to brush. With each stroke, Celestia’s coat glistened.

Chapter 8 – History Lesson

With a final nibble, Celestia finished off the second piece of cake on her plate. “You’ve been trying to distract me.” She gave a small sigh as a stroke went over a particularly sensitive joint. “And doing a fine job. But I still owe you an explanation.”

Twilight noted that Celestia was not asking her to stop, so she continued her grooming. If Celestia was ready to talk, Twilight would let her.

“First, I want to apologize. Not for tonight, but for some of the things I did in the past.” A look of pain was on Celestia’s face. “I’ve not always been candid with you, and tonight it came back to haunt me.” Celestia’s face grew stern. “Please tell me what you remember of the story of Luna’s banishment.”

Twilight never let her brush stop. She wanted to tell the story with as little emotion as she could, to spare Celestia a relapse. “Zecora gave me a potion to see the past. I saw Luna, in a fit of jealousy, turn into Nightmare Moon and declare there could be only one princess in Equestria. I saw you demand she lower the moon. The two of you had a fight in the air. Nightmare Moon struck you from the sky. While she gloated, you got the Elements of Harmony, confronted her, and the Elements banished her to the moon.”

“All of that is true. All of that happened.” Celestia straightened up. “But all of that is also a lie. How long did it take?”

Twilight tried to parse Celestia’s words. “How long?”

“How long was your vision?”

“A few minutes,” Twilight counted the time in her head. “Perhaps five or six.”

“The Lunar Rebellion lasted five years.” Celestia’s words were very quiet. “What you saw was… metaphorical.”

“That makes no sense!” Twilight cried. “The two of you couldn’t have fought for five years. What about ruling the kingdom? What about cycling the sun and the moon?” She raised her brush and pulled away.

“We were not the only ones fighting,” Celestia whispered.

Twilight thought back to the first part of the symphony. “War. Ponies fighting ponies. A civil war.”

“Yes,” Celestia said one word and then was silent.

Twilight took a deep breath and tried not to hyperventilate. “Now might be a good time to panic.” her inner voice said. But Luna had warned her something like this would happen. No matter what she was feeling, her responsibility was to be strong for Celestia. “What would a friend do?” she wondered. “What would Fluttershy do?”

She moved back over to Celestia and resumed brushing her coat. “How is it I don’t already know about this?”

Celestia took a deep shuddering breath. “I’ve spent a millennium making sure you didn’t know. That nopony remembers.”

“What about Luna?”

“Especially Luna.” Celestia’s breathing was getting a little quick, a little shallow. Twilight pressed a bit harder on her next few strokes, and Celestia’s breathing returned to normal.

“Twilight, stories are very powerful. They’re how we make sense of the world. And especially in dreams, stories are more about emotion than logic.” Celestia reached down and took a sip from her tea. “When Luna was taken by the Nightmare and banished to the moon, she was nothing but rage and betrayal. She was obsessed with hating me, fighting me, and being banished. There was nothing I could do to change that. But the details were subject to… editorial revision.”

Twilight shifted to brushing down Celestia’s back in long strokes. She stayed silent and let Celestia continue.

“Every night I would project my thoughts to the moon and engage the Nightmare. She would taunt and rail against me. I would focus her rage on our battle and away from the rest.” Celestia shuddered, remembering the nightly confrontations. “After many mortal lifetimes, that was the only thing that was important to the Nightmare, and all she remembered. When you and your friends used the Elements to drive the Nightmare from Luna, that’s all she remembered as well.”

Twilight silently considered how Luna had predicted Celestia would make revelations this night. Twilight thought Celestia might be wrong about what Luna remembered. But that was an issue for another time. She nudged Celestia with the brush to get her to roll over, and then began grooming her other side with long strokes. “What about what ponies remember?”

“Ponies were easier.” Celestia took another sip of her tea. “So long as there were ponies alive that had been involved in the war, or even who’d spoken to somepony who was involved, I did nothing and honored their experiences. But as the generations passed, I altered the focus of the tools ponies use to remember history.” Celestia curled in on herself. “When memorials to the fallen in the war became worn, I recommended they be replaced with memorials to all those who fell in service to Equestria for whatever reason. I preserved those records that reinforced my story and let time have its way with the others. When scholars had questions about history, I provided answers that served my ends. I was the sole living repository of much of pony history, my words carried great weight.”

Celestia raised her head and peered at Twilight. “You’ve been a scholar your entire life. Honesty is one of the Elements of Harmony. All these lies, my lies, must disgust you.”

Twilight closed her eyes and swallowed hard, then opened them again and returned Celestia’s gaze. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was disturbed. As a scholar, it seems... wrong to lie about our history.” She was going to say ‘evil’ but changed her mind at the last moment. “But as a princess, and as your friend, I don’t know enough to form a judgment. You clearly thought you had good reasons for what you did.” Twilight kept the brush moving.

“I suppose I did.”

Celestia seemed deflated by her revelations. Curled into a fetal position, she was as small as Twilight had ever seen her. She decided it was time for a change in tactics. “Do you think that soup is still warm?”

“If not, we can warm it up,” Celestia replied.

“Would you like some?” Twilight asked.

“Please.”

Twilight put the brush down and busied herself with food and drink. With her magic, she refilled their teacups, moved the cake tray back on the trolley, and replaced it with the soup tray. Twilight confirmed that the small firebox had kept the soup hot, then laid out two bowls, and ladled a generous helping into each. Steam from the broth wafted up and the smell of spicy vegetables filled her nose. Her stomach rumbled in response. Twilight looked sheepish and Celestia smiled weakly. “Soups on,” Twilight said.

Celestia turned her head down and slurped some soup from her bowl. Twilight levitated her soup spoon and took her own slurp. The soup was warm and flavorful. It filled a void Twilight hadn’t realized was there.

She looked as Celestia took another slurp from the bowl. “I notice you haven’t been using your magic.”

Celestia swallowed. “No, I haven’t. When my… episode... started, I put a block on myself, so I wouldn’t do anything I would later regret.” She shook her head so the towel fell off and her long pink mane spilled about her. It was still damp. “I locked everything down, which is why you see this.”

Twilight levitated over the mane comb and slipped it on her hoof. “I never realized your actual mane and tail were pink. It looked like they hadn’t been cleaned in a while, though.”

“When they flow, it’s easy to forget to care for the hair underneath. It was past time.” Celestia turned so Twilight could get to the back of her head. “Thank you again for… everything.”

“Whatever you need.” Twilight began teasing the comb through Celestia’s mane. It was extraordinary long, but the conditioner had done its job, so there were few tangles. Soon she was pulling the comb through her hair with strokes that started at Celestia’s head and ended near her rump.

“Will my mane and tail ever flow like yours and Luna’s?” Twilight asked.

“It’s a common expression of mystical power,” Celestia replied. “Cadance and Shining Armor both had their hair flow when they expelled the Changelings with the power of their love. You and your friends had it happen when you wielded the power of the Elements to defeat Tirek.” She pulled her head against the stroke to increase the pressure and nickered softly at the sensation. “It wouldn’t surprise me if either you or Cadance got your own ‘mystic mane’.”

“I suppose I’d have to get used to having long hair. I’m not sure how Fluttershy does it.” Twilight was relieved that Celestia seemed to be feeling better. “Who knew soup was so powerful,” she thought.

Celestia slurped up the last of her broth, then gave the bowl an un-princessly lick and smacked her lips. “Would you like some more?” Twilight asked. Celestia shook her head no, then laid it down on the cushion and closed her eyes. She stretched her body out and continued to rock her head forward against every stroke Twilight made. Her breathing slowed.

Twilight continued combing Celestia’s mane in silence. Sometimes helping a friend was just about being there. Soon, Celestia’s mane was straight, tangle free, and glistening.

When Twilight hesitated in her combing, Celestia opened her eyes and looked back at her mane, a shiny fan of pink laid out across her back, wings, and flank. “It looks wonderful, thank you.” She shifted her head and watched as the sea of pink hair rippled. “It’s too bad I don’t have the energy to braid it. That’s what Luna and I used to do with our manes on the road before they started to flow.”

“I can do that,” Twilight said. Celestia looked at her quizzically. “Applejack taught me to braid her mane during a sleepover,” Twilight insisted. “She does it by hoof, which seems like prestidigitation to me, but I can do it with magic.”

“A loose braid then, to keep it from getting into everything.”

Twilight lit her horn, and magenta magic enveloped the great pink sea. She loosely divided the hair into three sections but didn’t separate them completely at the bottom. She began to cross the sections, one over each other but didn’t pull the strands through. When she got to the end, Twilight looped the bottom half through the middle of the braid and pulled it snug. The result was an upside down braid, a rope of pink as long as Celestia’s body, as thick as her leg, and as soft as the finest silk.

Celestia moved her head, and the pink rope slithered across her shiny coat. “That brings me back.” Celestia smiled. But then thoughts of the past turned dark, and Celestia frowned. “I still owe you an explanation, why I lied about the past.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” Twilight replied.

“I owe you more than I can ever repay,” Celestia countered. “And I need to tell you, now that it’s in the open between us.”

Twilight realized these revelations would be hard for Celestia. “How can I make this easier?” she thought. “Keep things low key.” her inner voice responded. Twilight nodded to herself. She refilled their teacups with the last of the tea, and then pulled the towel off of Celestia’s pink tail. “I’ll keep working here, you say what you need to say.” She began to tease the comb through the long pink hair.

“One of my many failings is a tendency towards arrogance. I truly believe I know best, and it has come back to bite me more than once.”

Twilight wanted to jump in and contradict Celestia, to tell her of all the times she’d been right and just. But she decided Celestia needed to speak her piece, so she kept quiet and continued combing.

“When Luna and I came to the leaders of Equestria, the system where teams of unicorns raised the sun and the moon was dying. The most powerful unicorns in the land were being broken, keeping the day and night cycle going. But raising the sun and the moon strengthened Luna and I. So we took over that duty and released the unicorns so they could pursue their lives.”

Celestia sipped her tea. “What the unicorns didn’t realize was that raising the sun and the moon was the bedrock of their political power. Their implicit threat to disrupt the day kept the pegasi and earth ponies from pushing too hard in negotiations. Without that threat, the tribes fell to squabbling. Every issue was disputed and decided by a floating two to one vote that always left one of the tribes unhappy.

“Luna and I stayed out of politics in the beginning. We watched two generations of pony leaders pass. During the third generation, the tribal leaders became gridlocked and there was a crisis. Equestria was still young and had many enemies. The griffons were unhappy about the establishment of Manehattan. It was on land they thought was theirs to colonize and they threatened war. Due to poor leadership, Equestria was ill prepared. When the griff invaded, Equestrian forces were routed.”

Celestia gestured to her desk. “There is a wooden box in the bottom drawer, could you get it for me?”

Twilight lit her horn and tugged at the drawer. It was locked. She’d figured out how to bypass Celestia’s mystic locks when she was a student. With implicit permission, Twilight picked the locks with her magic and opened the drawer. She pulled out a slim wood box and floated it to Celestia. The box had a black lacquered finish, along with fine golden hinges and clasps.

“Open it please, gently if you can.”

That sounded like a challenge. Twilight tried to open the clasps with her field but found the box was magically locked. She recast the spell that opened the drawer, but it was ineffective. The defensive magic squirmed under her attack. “She obviously doesn’t want ponies getting into this,” she thought. “Except for you,” her inner voice replied.

Starlight Glimmer had challenged Twilight with a polymorphic locking spell that defended itself by switching locking mechanisms whenever somepony tried to bypass it. The trick had been to send a flurry of lock picking spells in quick succession, bypassing the locking spell no matter what defense it switched to. Twilight closed her eyes to concentrate, then opened them to cast. A hundred tiny purple lightning bolts arced from her horn to the clasps. Magic crackled for a few seconds, then the clasps popped open.

“I see you haven’t lost your touch,” Celestia said.

“Clever students keep teachers on their toes.” Twilight opened the box and laid it in front of Celestia. Inside were 20 large crystals, arrayed in a grid, with a crystal mount front and center.

Celestia picked one up by hoof. “These are memory crystals. They record memories and allow others to experience them.” Celestia held it out to show Twilight. “I recorded these so I would remember the truth, even if nopony else does.”

“And now you want me to know as well?”

“If you wish,” Celestia whispered.

Twilight wasn’t sure if Celestia wanted her to experience the memories, or if she wanted Twilight to show trust by not needing to see them. She hated these kinds of tests. They were impossible to study for.

But tonight was a night for revelations. Celestia wanted her to know the truth, and experiencing the memory crystals would reveal the truth as Celestia had lived it. Now was not the time to shy away. It was a time to be strong.

“I would be honored,” Twilight whispered back.

Celestia put the crystal into the holder and turned it.

Twilight’s vision flared. Sounds jumbled to white noise. Sensations, like the heat from the fireplace, and the rugs under her hooves, blended into an unidentifiable morass.

Sight, sound, and sensation returned, blurry at first, then in sharp focus. Twilight found herself in a stone room, with thick brown tapestries on the walls, and carpets on the floors. A heavy cloak draped across her withers and rump. A natural fire crackled in a large fireplace, but cold drafts tickled her nose.

The door crashed open and Luna barged in. “Sister, it’s a calamity!” She wore barding, but no crown, and was barely larger than Twilight. Her mane and tail were only slightly longer than normal ponies, and while they flowed weakly, no stars sparkled within.

“Close the door, Luna, you'll let out all the heat.” Twilight realized she was doing the talking. She recognized the voice as Celestia’s, but it was higher in tone and without the resonance she was used to. She was a bit taller than Luna, but not as tall as Celestia was in the modern day. She wore only the cloak, no crown or regalia.

Luna slammed the door and rushed forward. “Manehattan has fallen to the Griffons. The Army has been routed and the politicians are in a panic. There are stories of abdications and resignations.”

Twilight felt Celestia’s head nod. “And?”

Luna started. “And? We must offer our help, as we have in the past. Fly to Manehattan to rally the Army. Announce our support for the government to avoid anarchy!”

Celestia shook her head. “Not this time.”

“How can you just sit there?” Luna cried. “We must…”

“We must do nothing except cycle the sun and the moon.” Celestia’s voice was hard. “Everything else is a choice. And I choose to wait for them to come to us this time.” Twilight felt Celestia’s steely determination, an undercurrent of anticipation, and a bit of exasperation with Luna.

“Every second we wait, ponies will fall.” Luna paced. “Anarchy in the winter will lead to starvation.”

“And if we take half measure, it will be worse.” Celestia advanced to Luna and held her. “Trust me, sister.”

There was a rapping at the door. Celestia released Luna. “Come!”

The door opened and a herd of ponies of all tribes entered. Celestia could see these were the ponies one step removed from power: Duchesses, Colonels, and Directors. Not a Princess, General, or Chancellor among them.

A unicorn, Duchess Morning Glory, stepped forward. “The former leaders of the government of unity have been persuaded to step aside because of their incompetence. Here is the proof.” She floated a trio of signed parchments in her field. Luna snatched them up and scanned them. “We have twin disasters, and need leaders everypony will trust to rally the army and regain control of the government. Leaders as reliable as the cycle of the sun and moon.”

“We acc…” Celestia cut Luna off before she could finish. “If we are to fix this mess, Luna and I will need absolute authority to make decisions and appointments. The council may advise, but not override.”

The Duchess looked back at her fellows. They were all uncomfortable with this idea.

“Every second we wait, ponies will fall,” Luna reminded them.

“For the duration of the emergency?” the Duchess offered.

“For the duration,” Celestia countered.

The Duchess looked to her fellows, but none stepped forward to object. “Agreed.”

Celestia produced a pre-written parchment and quill from under her cloak. “Have everypony sign this to make it official.” Duchess Morning Glory took it in her field.

But before she could even start to read it, a pegasus Colonel snatched away the parchment and quill. He scratched his signature upon it. “Quickly, every moment we talk, my troops suffer.” He passed the parchment and quill to the group. Everypony signed, even the Duchess. Twilight felt Celestia’s satisfaction at completing a game long played that ended with Check and Mate.

“Who will be Queen and who will be Field Marshal?” the Colonel asked.

Celestia took the parchment, rolled it, and stashed it back in her cloak. “We will both take the title Princess and rule as a diarchy,” Celestia proclaimed. “Luna, take control of the Army and restore our position in the field. You have the authority to draft and maneuver your troops, and any civilians necessary to support your forces, as you believe necessary.”

“I understand.” Luna scanned the crowd. “Let the enemies of ponykind quail, for we shall be their nightmare! All Army and support forces, follow me to the headquarters.”

“Yes, Princess Luna!” They all saluted and followed her out of the room at a trot.

“The rest of you, we will go to the Council Chambers and organize winter relief efforts,” Celestia commanded.

“Yes, Princess Celestia!” they all cried.

Twilight's world went white again, and when sensation returned she was back in Celestia’s sitting room. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “That’s not the way it’s taught in school.”

“No, the Princesses, Generals, and Chancellors of the three tribes did not hand over absolute power out of gratitude for our maintaining the cycle of day and night.” Celestia took a sip of her tea.

Twilight’s tea had grown tepid. She heated it with a minor spell and took a sip. “And the argument about the duration of the agreement?”

“The duration of our lives, of course.”

“Convenient for an immortal.”

“Quite so.”

During the memory flash, Twilight had dropped the mane comb. She picked it up and moved back to work on Celestia’s tail. “What happened next?” she prompted.

Celestia settled back on the pillow. The tugging on her tail was relaxing. “Luna was the hero of the hour. She rallied the army and expelled the Griffons. Luna always was a better fighter, more inspiring leader, and more skilled tactician than I was. I reorganized the government to make sure ponies got through the winter. The herd instinct is strong in ponykind. Most were starved for an administration that served all, not just their narrow tribe.

“When the emergency was over, Luna and I made permanent appointments for the ponies who’d shown the greatest competence and retired the ones who’d failed to perform. Because of our responsibilities, most of my appointments were to the civilian authorities, and most of hers were to the army.

“At the time, they were equal responsibilities. If our neighbors were not threatening Equestria, monsters from the forests or mountains were attacking our ponies. Luna’s troops became a fearsome weapon, responding to every threat. It was during one of these forays, Luna met and recruited her fanatical Night Guard. They became the tip of her spear.

“But over the mortal generations, circumstances changed…”

Celestia picked up another memory crystal. Twilight put down the mane comb and steeled herself. The world went white again.

Celestia sat in an empty council chamber, in one of two thrones at the head of a great oval table. She wore a crown and her own mane and tail were ever flowing. Twin banners, one white with a yellow sunburst and one blue with a silver half moon, hung behind the thrones. Celestia scratched on one of a dozen parchments that lay on the table before her.

Azure magic enveloped the double doors into the council chambers and opened them. Luna strode in and closed the doors behind her. She was larger than last time, in a crown and black full mail. Luna carried a fearsome black helmet in her magic, with spikes resembling fangs on the snout guard, and long vertical slits for the eyes. Her own ever flowing mane and tail were longer and sparkled with stars. “The latest affront against our ponies has been avenged. Scouts report the Yaks are moving back to their side of the border.”

Celestia looked up from her writing. “What was the affront?”

Luna sat down with a clang of mail in the second throne. “A Yak squad crossed the border and ransacked a pony village in the Frozen North.”

“And your response?”

“A standard raid.” Luna leaned forward, a sparkle in her eye. “I cloaked a regiment of my Night Guard in shadow and flew them deep into Yak territory. I pulled them in my wake so all would fly with my speed.” She gestured with her hooves to illustrate. “We attacked by surprise and reduced an enemy regiment in in their barracks. I captured the commander, and delivered the twin messages that Yak forces must stay out of Equestria, and nowhere is safe from our wrath if we were invaded again.” She sat back, satisfied. “We returned with three injured, no dead, among the Night Guard.”

Celestia pulled up a parchment from the table. “I have a note from the Yak ambassador that they sent a team of rangers into our mountains to search for a calf who ran away from home. The ambassador apologized for any damage caused to Equestria in their search and offered to pay reasonable recompense. He says their team found the calf and returned home. I received this a few hours ago, so it must have been sent before he knew of your reprisal. I expect to get a very different message from the Yaks come the morrow.” Twilight felt Celestia’s exasperation with Luna and her anticipation of having to again cover for her excesses.

“You can’t believe him.” Luna waved her wing as if waving the note away. “The Yaks deploy forces all along our border and have been probing it for months.”

“What don’t you believe about the ambassador’s story?”

“It’s too convenient.“ The sparkle returned to Luna’s eye. “And it’s exactly what I’d say if I were sending scouts across the border.”

Celestia took a deep breath. “Regardless, Luna, sending 500 Night Guard in an attack on Yak territory in response to 10 Yaks crossing the border is... disproportionate.”

“That’s why I sent 500! All our enemies must know we’ll be ruthless if attacked and that they’ll lose much more than they could possibly gain from any incursion.”

“Our neighbors have taken your words to heart,” Celestia said. “You are known far and wide to come like a nightmare in the night.”

Luna smirked in response.

Twilight felt Celestia decide to change tactics. The white alicorn got up from her throne and walked over to the long side of the great table. “Luna, you and your forces have done a magnificent job protecting Equestria.” Celestia gestured to the map of the nation, embedded into the table. “Our borders have been stable for a generation, and our neighbors see more gain in trade than they do in confrontation. You’ve cleared the most fearsome monsters from within our borders and ponies travel and trade freely between our towns and cities.”

Luna followed her sister. “And?”

“Let’s take advantage of your many successes and work together to reduce the level of tension with our neighbors.” Celestia turned to face Luna. “I want to send the signal that Equestria is a good partner. If there’s a monster attack or a full-scale invasion, of course you should respond with all force. But until that happens, take yourself and our forces off of high alert. Use more of your energy, and more of the pony power you lead, to make Equestria better for all.”

Luna flared her wings and stood tall. “You’re wrong, we’re still threatened by enemies abroad, and monsters within. Just because we were not attacked yesterday doesn’t mean we won’t be attacked tomorrow.

“You control Equestria’s Treasury, our Courts, our Ambassadors, and the Royal Guard that keeps order in our cities. You think that means you control the nation.

“But, I have the responsibility to defend Equestria. I control the Army and have the authority to draft and maneuver our troops, and any civilians necessary to support our forces, as I believe necessary. And I’ll continue to perform my duties the best way I know how.”

Luna strode out and slammed the door behind her.

Celestia dropped back onto her throne. She took a new piece of parchment and wrote, “Dear Mr. Ambassador, I regret to inform you…”

Twilight’s world went white again until the sensations of the modern sitting room returned. She shuddered; riding around in Celestia’s body and not being able to say anything was… maddening. “I hate to see you two fighting,” she said.

“It will get worse,” Celestia replied, deadpan.

Twilight examined Celestia’s face. Her countenance was neutral, but her eyes were like infinite pools of sadness. “This is hard for you.” It wasn’t a question.

“You’ve no idea.” Celestia looked away. “But I suppose this night is about giving you that idea.”

Celestia turned to her teacup, but it was empty. She looked back to Twilight with a small frown. “Would you indulge me?” Twilight nodded and set about making a fresh pot of tea and rewarming the soup. Both took the opportunity to eat and drink, but the process brought Twilight little solace.

Celestia wasted no time. Once the food was eaten, she pulled the next memory gem from the box. “The raids continued until a breaking point was reached.” The world went white.

Celestia sat alone on the Solar Throne in the Castle of the Two Sisters and brooded about the darkness outside. She’d removed her regalia and laid them on a cushion nearby. There was a knock at the door. “Enter,” she bade. The door opened, and a Royal Guardsmare entered. “Your Majesty, Galiena the Griff is requesting an immediate audience.”

“At this time of night? It must be important. Send her in.” Celestia considered putting on her regalia, but Galiena was a friend, and sometimes the crown was too heavy to bear.

Galiena, was a medium sized griffon, about the height of a large earth pony stallion, with white head and breast feathers, russet body fur, and golden beak and claws. She entered and bowed her head, “Your Majesty.”

“Enough of that, Galiena. You’re a friend and I’m not wearing my crown.” Celestia waved a wing. “What brings you here at such a late hour?”

Galiena ruffled her feathers as she approached. “I must speak to you in confidence. If word of my coming here were to get to the wrong ears, it could go… poorly for me.”

Celestia sat forward. “Of course. You may speak in confidence here.”

Galiena sighed. “The Nightmare and her Guard are raiding in the Badlands as we speak.”

“I see Luna’s security is not as good as she thinks it is,” Celestia replied.

“This attack is the last straw, Celestia. Luna and the Night Guard have terrorized us all long enough.” Galiena looked both ways as if to see if any others were listening. “My people and the rest of Equestria’s neighbors have decided we will not tolerate the raids anymore. If Equestria is going to punish us for the appearance of an affront, then we will all stop dealing with Equestria.”

“What’s being proposed?” Celestia was alarmed.

“A blockade,” Galiena said. “No travel. No trade. We will all have no dealings with Equestria, so there will be no chance of provocation.”

Twilight felt Celestia’s mind race down dark paths. “That would be crippling. Our economy would collapse. We depended on our neighbors for raw materials, medicines, and goods we cannot make ourselves.” She considered the implications. “A blockade would hurt your peoples as well.”

“Yes, but we’ve been preparing and you have not.” Galiena was very still. “We have agreements for alternate markets already in place. For us, it will be... inconvenient, expensive.”

“For Equestria, it will be devastating,” Celestia whispered. Directly, she said, “How do we avoid this?”

Galiena took in a deep breath. “Equestria must take drastic action to stop the raids. A high profile head must be cast down so we know you’re serious. We realize Luna is necessary to raise the moon, but she must step down from leading Equestria’s armed forces. She and the Night Guard must limit themselves to operating only within Equestria, except in times of declared war. If they show one hoof outside of the country, we’ll initiate the blockade.”

“But she’s my sister,” Celestia pleaded.

“I’m sorry it’s come to this. But you should have acted long ago.” She nervously tapped her claw on the floor. “The official announcement of the blockade will be made tomorrow, simultaneously, by all Equestria’s neighbors. I wasn’t supposed to tell you, but I couldn’t let you be ambushed like that.”

Galiena ducked her head. Celestia rose and hugged her. “Thank you for the warning. Is there anything you can do to stop this?”

“It’s beyond me,” Galiena said. “And I’m not sure I would stop it if I could. The raids must end, Celestia.” She looked sad. “What will you do?”

Celestia took her to the door and opened it. “What I have to.” Twilight felt Celestia push aside all her love and indulgence for her sister, like crushing them into a small ball and freezing it away. Something threatened ‘her’ ponies, and she would deal with it, even if it would hurt her only kin.

Galiena shook her head and left. Celestia waited for her to get out of earshot, then said to the guard outside, “Send for the Commander of the Royal Guard, immediately.”

When the Commander appeared, he found Celestia signing a piece of parchment then applying the Royal Seal. “Commander, we have an impending crises. I need these orders followed to the letter.” The Commander came to attention. “When Luna and the Night Guard return, inform my sister that I request her presence in the Throne Room immediately to discuss an imminent threat.” The Commander acknowledged the order.

“Commander, my sister and the Night Guard are that threat.” The Commander started, and then came back to rigid attention. “As soon as Luna is gone, the Night Guard are to be disarmed and confined to the barracks. You will be taking interim control of all Equestria's armed forces.”

“What of Princess Luna?” The Commander asked.

“Luna is taking a sabbatical from her position as head of the army,” Celestia replied. “I shall inform her personally.”

“And if the Night Guard resists?”

“Do what’s necessary to make sure they do not resist, Commander.” Celestia’s voice was steely.

“And if Princess Luna resists?” he asked quietly.

Celestia took a deep breath. “I will do what’s necessary. Go.”

After the commander left, Celestia drafted a flurry of emergency declarations. She met with ponies at the pinnacle of all branches of the government and the nobility. Pegasus messengers were dispatched to every city. The message was always the same. Luna was taking a sabbatical. The Night Guard was being disarmed. Celestia and the Royal Guard were in control.

The responses were predictable. Many were fearful, but even more were relieved. Many ponies feared the dark armored Night Guard as much as the other races did.

The last of the functionaries had left the Throne Room when the doors were nearly pulled off their hinges by azure magic. Luna flew in and skidded to a halt, wings flared, still in full black armor and nightmare helmet. “I came as soon as I heard, sister. What threatens our fair subjects?”

Celestia closed the doors and warded the Throne Room with her golden magic. “You, Luna. You are what threatens our ponies.”

Luna stared at Celestia. It was difficult to judge her expression through the fierce visage of her helmet. “What madness is this, Celestia?”

“I begged you to stop your nightmare raids. To stay in Equestria and work for the betterment of all ponies.” Celestia was pacing now. “But you refused. And now our hoof has been forced and it is time for a reckoning.”

“Celestia… Sister... You’ve obviously been working very, very, hard. You need to calm down and tell me what’s wrong.”

“What’s wrong is that every single ally I’ve tried to make, you’ve turned into an enemy.” Celestia thrust a hoof at Luna. “Because of your incessant raiding, all our neighbors are banding together to blockade Equestria. We’ll be in a depression within a moon, and have starvation by the winter.”

“Tis economic warfare!” Luna railed. “We shall retaliate, take what we need for our ponies.”

“No, they are within their rights. We can’t force them to trade with us.” Celestia shook her head. “They are right, and we are wrong.” Celestia looked at Luna. Twilight felt her righteous anger and indignation. “You are wrong. You’ve abused your authority, and now you have to pay the price to keep Equestria from falling into a dark pit.” She gestured to the parchment bearing the royal seal.

Luna picked up the parchment and scanned it. “What have you done?” she growled.

“The Commander of the Royal Guard will take control of the armed forces,” Celestia commanded.

“That gold plated constable? We’ll be overrun by our enemies within a fortnight. And my Night Guard will never follow his orders.”

“The Night Guard will be disarmed, until such time as they can be integrated into the new chain of command,” Celestia continued.

“And what of me, sister? Where do I fit into your grand plan?”

“You will take a sabbatical from the army.” Celestia softened her tone. “You and I will agree together on your new responsibilities. Perhaps you’ll take a tour of Equestria, showing our ponies how much the crown cares for them, using your royal prerogatives to solve local disputes, and rehabilitating your damaged reputation.”

“And will you also have me beg for scraps at your table like a dog?” Luna spat. “Nay, I think I will countermand all these orders and retain my place.”

“A part of these orders state they can only be countermanded with our mutual agreement.” Celestia’s voice was deliberate.

“We rule as equals! You’ve overstepped your authority.”

“You may take me to court,” Celestia said. “If you wish to establish the precedent that the court can rule on the legality of royal orders.”

“Your courts would never back my plea. They are your creatures and bask in your precious light.” Luna paced, then brightened. “I just need to be sure these illegal orders are never delivered.”

“Too late,” Celestia said. “They went out by messenger hours ago.”

“Equestria is large sister, and the night is young,” Luna sneered. “In the dark, my Night Guard can outfly any pegasus.” She turned and stomped toward the door.

“Luna, no, the room is warded...” Twilight felt Celestia’s alarm.

Luna grabbed the door with her azure magic and triggered the defenses of the golden ward. Lightning arced from the spell on the door and knocked her to the ground.

Luna glared up at Celestia. “I never believed you would strike me, sister.” She got up with a snarl.

“I tried to warn you…”

“Nay, you’ve made it clear that only one of us can rule.” Luna stood up to her full height. “You’re right that there will be a reckoning. I will rescue my Night Guard. I will be your nightmare from now on. And if there can only be one princess in Equestria, that princess... will be me!”

Luna stomped both fore hooves on a stone railing and shattered it. Outside, thunder and lightning boomed. Before Celestia could react, Luna shot a beam across the ceiling, sundering the ward. Falling rubble pinned Celestia and blocked her view. By the time Celestia had freed herself, Luna had flown out through the hole in the ceiling and was gone.

The scene faded to white, and then back to the sitting room. Twilight shook her head to clear it, and then scanned around to locate the source of the sound she heard. Celestia was writhing and wailing on the cushion in front of the fire.

Twilight rushed over and embraced Celestia. “It’s over. That was long ago. I’m right here. You’re safe now. I’m right here.” She hugged Celestia with all her strength and repeated the phrases over and over. Celestia’s wailing quieted to sobbing and silent shudders. Twilight levitated over a towel, and Celestia buried her snout in it.

“I was so wrong. I drove her away,” Celestia cried.

“You don’t have to show me how many times you tried to stop Luna’s raids, I could feel it in the memory,” Twilight whispered.

“But I didn’t have to be so harsh. I was just angry… convinced I was right. When it turned out I was disastrously wrong.” Celestia gulped. Tears still leaked from her eyes, but they no longer ran in torrents. “If only I’d dispelled the ward…”

“‘If onlys’ and ‘what ifs’ will make you crazy… I know,” Twilight said.

Celestia looked at her with red eyes. “You do, don’t you. For you it’s ‘what ifs’; for me, ‘if onlys’.”

Twilight laid her head against Celestia’s broad white neck. “You normally do a much better job of hiding it than I do…”

“Wait until you’ve had a millennium of practice.” Celestia sniffled and embraced Twilight back. The two lay before the crackling fire, absorbing warmth from the flames and from each other.

“You don’t have to do this anymore” Twilight whispered. “I get it now. I do.”

Celestia was quiet for a long while. “Thank you for the offer. And we can stop if you need to. But if you can bear it, there is one more pain I feel needs to be shared to make the tale complete.”

“Anything for you,” Twilight replied. If Celestia hadn’t been an alicorn, Twilight’s embrace would have cracked ribs. She would have been happy to let this moment last forever, but Twilight knew it was not to be. When they disengaged, Celestia propped herself up on the cushion. Twilight settled next to her. Each had a wing slightly extended, their feathers just touching.

Celestia took out another crystal, but this time, instead of immersing the two of them in a memory, she told a story and punctuated her words with visions from the crystal.

“Luna subdued the Commander and freed her Night Guard,” Celestia began. “She cloaked them in shadow and flew east. With Luna’s speed, the Night Guard got to the East Coast faster than my pegasi messengers. She issued her own orders and consolidated the leadership of the major cities, Manehattan, Fillydelphia, Baltimare, and the fleet in Horseshoe Bay. She declared this area her Royal Lunar Republic. Royal in that she would be in ultimate charge. Republic in that ponies would elect an assembly to “advise” her. Her reputation on the coast was strong; Luna was still revered as the hero that had freed Manehattan from the Griffons. By the time my messengers got to the coast at dawn, Luna’s position was secure and my orders were ignored.

“I controlled the majority of Equestria and expected to swiftly quell Luna’s rebellion. I was… horribly overconfident. Take this as a lesson, Twilight, everypony who starts a war expects it to be short, and it almost never is.

“I won’t go into the campaigns. Each side’s forces centered around an elite corps, the Royal Guard and the Night Guard, supported by draftees of all tribes. So long as the elites were not annihilated, more ponies could be drafted, the armies rebuilt, and the fighting continue. There always seemed to be more ponies to draft.”

Twilight saw the Royal Guards set up a Solar Army recruiting station in an earth pony town, and no ponies showed up to join. Incognito, Princess Celestia cast a spell that produced upbeat, patriotic music. It exalted the glory of Equestria and Celestia in equal measure. Twilight felt the music deep within, like at the symphony that evening. For a moment, Twilight felt like she would sign up herself if she could. When the music finished, earth ponies rushed forward and formed long lines to volunteer. Twilight felt both Celestia’s revulsion about what she’d done and her acceptance of the necessity of the deed.

“Suffice to say, over the years we both ended up drafting every able-bodied stallion and mare we could until there were hardly enough ponies left to grow food and hold off starvation.

“Each of us tried to negotiate a cessation of hostilities at times, but it never worked. We both believed in the righteousness of our positions and could never find sufficient compromise at the same time.”

Twilight saw the two armies encamped within sight of each other. Luna sent an offer for a mutual retreat, to avoid what was sure to be a bloody battle. Celestia sent back a reply scroll secretly trapped with a delayed action “Want It, Need It” spell. When the spell was triggered, the Lunar soldiers begin a general melee to get their hooves on the scroll. When their lines disintegrated into chaos, Celestia ordered the Solar forces to charge. Martial music swelled and Twilight felt drawn to charge with Solar troops.

After winning the battle, Celestia offered a ceasefire, as a first step towards negotiating a lasting peace. Luna accepted the ceasefire but drug out the preparation for face to face negotiations long enough to rebuild her army, and then stage a surprise counterattack.

“Slowly Luna overcame her initial disadvantages and took over more and more of Equestria. She truly was the superior war leader.”

Twilight saw Celestia in her command tent in the center of a large Solar Army encampment at night. Formations of Royal Guards encircled her tent and a ring of militia troops surrounded them. Out of the darkness, Luna bombarded the encampment with shooting stars. Celestia didn’t have time to protect the entire encampment, and could only shield her commanders and the Royal Guard in the center. She ordered the militia to scatter but had to watch as the shooting stars impacted the ground and explode among them, with devastating results. Twilight felt Celestia’s helplessness and rage.

Year by year, my forces retreated, until all I controlled was an army of a few remaining Royal Guards, and a militia of foals, elderly, and crippled veterans. I retreated to the area around the Castle of Two Sisters and put all my energy into protecting it with an impenetrable Solar Shield anchored to the magic of the land itself. Lunar forces besieged the area for a full year. That was when the Solar forces nicknamed the area ‘Everfree’, in that it wouldn’t fall to the Lunar forces and would remain forever free.”

Twilight saw Luna assaulting the shield again and again. Meteors. Spears of Moonlight. Alchemical Explosives. Massed Unicorn Magic. After each attack failed, Luna railed at Celestia to give up and admit she had no hope of winning. If she would declare Luna the sole princess the war would be over. But Celestia and the Solar forces held out behind their invulnerable golden dome.

“The war was indescribably horrible, but the two things neither Luna nor I ever did was fight each other or fail to cycle day and night. Some primordial instinct drove us to uphold those areas of our responsibilities, even as we abandoned the others. Neither of us wanted to lose our only sibling. We just each wanted the other to capitulate.

“Until one morning in the spring, Luna didn’t lower the moon, but kept it in the sky and blocked my raising of the sun. With my energy going into keeping up the Solar Shield, I could not contest the heavens. But the longer the moon held the sun from the sky, the more out of balance the world became.

Twilight saw a great cloud of dark magic rush down from the Frozen North toward the castle. In Twilight’s experience, Luna’s magic felt cool like the night. But this cloud felt both dark and evil, like Sombra’s magic in the Crystal Empire. The cloud slammed into the shield, and both magics exploded, twisting the land around the castle.

With the shield down, the Lunar armies attacked the castle. Dark music drove them fanatically forward. Solar forces were outnumbered and surprised, but recovered and fought back valiantly. Celestia sent all the forces in the castle out to bolster the defenses. Solar troops had spent a year building extensive works and took advantage of them to hold off the attackers. The fighting quickly became hoof to hoof, and no quarter was asked or given.

“But no mortal defenses could stop what remained of the dark magic cloud. It flooded into the Throne Room where I was and materialized into a large dark alicorn. After years of war involving millions of ponies, this conflict was to end as it had begun, between the two of us.”

“I got tired of waiting for you to come to your senses, so I decided to change the game,” the dark alicorn purred. “Does my new form please you, sister? I have learned so many wicked things in Sombra’s ruins, and have grown far beyond you.”

The dark alicorn was at least as big as Celestia and had coat and wings of shiny black instead of midnight blue. Other details jumped out to Celestia: real fangs, not spikes on a helmet, and actual cats-eye pupils, not just slits in a helm.

Surprised by the attack, Celestia was caught without her full mail. “Luna,” she cried. “I will not fight you! You must lower the moon! It is your duty!” Twilight felt Celestia’s arrogance. Celestia was positive that Luna, as the lesser of the two sisters, would ultimately obey her because she was in the right.

The dark alicorn cackled with menace. “Luna? I am... Nightmare Moon! I have but one royal duty now: to destroy you!” She unleashed devastating blasts of dark magic from her horn. Celestia dodged the blasts by shooting skyward, but the castle was not so fortunate, its walls and ceilings were torn asunder.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Nightmare Moon called as she flew after Celestia, blasting again and again. Through some trick of the sister’s alicorn magic, every soldier on both sides could follow their fight as if in a ringside seat. The fighting of the soldiers died down; they were absorbed by the spectacle. Twilight felt Celestia’s arrogance turn to fear.

“From here on, your original vision was mostly accurate. I could not dodge Nightmare Moon’s attacks forever and took a blast full in the chest. I screamed and fell back into the castle through one of the holes in the roof. Nightmare Moon cackled in glee at my fall and strutted through the air over the castle, backlit by her full moon.”

A great roar went up among the Lunar soldiers, and they redoubled their assault. A matching gasp sounded among the Solar forces, and they struggled to defend themselves.

Down in the castle, a wounded Celestia rose. “Oh, dear sister. I am sorry, but you have given me no choice but to use these.” Twilight felt Celestia’s deep sadness and resignation. She lit her horn with a golden glow. A matching glow surrounded a pair of secret doors in the floor. With a loud clanking and grinding of gears, a large stone orrery, with five gems at the end of its arms, rose from the floor. Celestia hovered over the orrery, and used her magic to levitate the five gems from their holders, and then rise a large magenta gem, shaped like a six-pointed star, from the stone sun at the center of the orrery. Twilight recognized them as the Elements of Harmony, last used by the sisters together to defeat Discord, the spirit of Chaos.

Celestia set the gems rotating around her, faster and faster until she and the gems glowed with rainbow power. Celestia flew back into the night sky. The fighting died down again, as the soldiers were captivated by renewed confrontation.

Nightmare Moon spotted Celestia and fired a massive beam of dark magic at her. But this time, Celestia did not dodge but focused her own magic beam through the Elements of Harmony. Her rainbow beam met Luna’s dark beam and the two warred for supremacy. The dark beam was overcome, and Nightmare Moon blasted high into the night sky. She disappeared in the distance, flying in the direction of the moon. A circular rainbow erupted from her landing, and the shadow of an alicorn covered half the lunar surface.

Twilight felt Celestia’s heart break. At that moment, Twilight was Celestia, and her own heart broke as well. All the war, all the sacrifices, had been nothing but a waste. An entire generation of ponies had paid the price for her arrogance. And she’d lost her sister anyway.

“To Tartarus with all of it,” Celestia/Twilight said. “Let the sun and the moon spin in their own chaos,” she thought. “Let the ponies starve in the muck. What did it matter? Her little sister was gone.” Celestia/Twilight wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball and let the world burn.

When they realized Luna had been defeated, a massive cheer rose from the Solar forces, and the Lunar forces groaned in despair. Celestia/Twilight did her best to ignore them. Her pain was what mattered now. Her loss.

Then she heard the Solar forces chanting over the groans of the fallen.

“Prin - cess”

“Cel - es - tia”

“Lead Us All

“To Vic - tor - y”

“Prin - cess”

“Cel - es - tia”

“E - ques - tri - a”

“Is - Ever - Free”

The chants shamed her. It wasn’t about her loss. It was about their future. Their Equestria. The ponies on both sides had paid a terrible price for her arrogance. She could not allow them to pay more because of her despair. Even if she had to silently pay forever.

Celestia/Twilight pushed her broken heart down into the same place she’d stored her love for Luna all those years ago. She summoned the Royal Voice and called out with her magic so everypony on the battlefield could hear her. “Lunar forces, your leader has been defeated. The rebellion is over. Cease fighting and you will be treated fairly.”

“Leaderless, the Lunar forces were swiftly disarmed. I landed on the battlefield and was horrified by what I saw. The dark magic of Nightmare Moon had warped the forest around the castle, turning the very animals and trees into monstrosities. And the casualties among the ponies on both sides were equally devastating.

“The Castle of the Two Sisters was wrecked, and the surrounding Everfree Forest had been rendered uninhabitable. So I abandoned the castle and told all the ponies on both sides to evacuate the wounded and regroup at the base of the high mountain a short march away. Once there, all soldiers who swore allegiance to Equestria were treated equally. Food and medicine were distributed fairly and in the shadow of the Canterhorn, the healing of a nation began. I pledged to the soldiers that we would build the new capital there together, and thus Canterlot was born.”

Chapter 9 - Confessions

Celestia’s face was impassive as she told the tale, but tears ran from her bloodshot eyes like twin rivers. Twilight shook off the emotions forced on her by Celestia’s memories and reclaimed her own. It didn’t matter to her what Celestia had done in the past. She was hurting now. And Twilight would do anything to make it stop.

Twilight embraced Celestia. She realized her own eyes streamed tears as well. It didn’t matter. “You’re safe. I’m still right here. I heard it all, and I’m not going anywhere. I know you have pain and guilt over what you and Luna did to all those ponies, and what you had to do to Luna. I know you held it all inside, so you could put Equestria back together again for everypony.”

“You still don’t know all I’ve done,” Celestia whispered. “The ones closest to me I’ve manipulated and abused. I’m a terrible pony.”

“You’re the most amazing pony ever!” Twilight cried. “You rose above your pain to rebuild Equestria and keep ponies happy and safe for a thousand years! And you don’t have to hold your pain in all alone anymore. For a millennium you were the only adult alicorn. But you have help now. Luna is back and rules beside you. Cadance and Shining Armor rule in their own right and have birthed the next generation of alicorns. Even I can help, if you’ll let me.”

“But you’re among those I abused the most!” Celestia wailed.

Twilight rocked back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Unless you used memory magic on me to make me forget something? I don’t remember you doing that, but I wouldn’t, would I? Did you…”

“I haven’t violated your mind, I’m more careful than that,” Celestia huffed. She took in a deep breath and began her rant.

“You’ve seen the lengths I went to try and keep from losing Luna. What lengths do you think I went to safeguard her return? I knew I needed a pony with powerful magic to wield the Elements Of Harmony and cleanse my sister. I created my School For Gifted Unicorns long ago, to identify and track powerful unicorns and their families, so I could identify potential candidates. I deeded land to the Apple family to start Ponyville near the Everfree Forest and the Castle of the Two Sisters, so there would be a place for Luna to return that was near where the Elements slept.

“The closer I came to the end of Luna’s thousand year banishment, the more desperate for an Element bearer I became.

“First, I thought Cadance might be one. She was a young, powerful alicorn, who understood love and harmony. As she was the only other alicorn in the land, no one thought it strange when I took an active part in molding her. But the Elements did not respond to Cadance. Once she got her mark, I saw that her destiny lie elsewhere, with the Crystal Heart.

“Next, I choose Sunset Shimmer as my student and potential Element bearer. She was powerful and driven. I tried to become Sunset’s friend as well as her teacher. I wanted her to like me, so I lavished praise upon Sunset for every little thing. This backfired. Sunset decided being my student made her better than everypony else. Her arrogance kept her from making friends and made her reckless. When she finally made demands I couldn’t meet, we quarreled, and I told her she would no longer be my student. I wanted to shock Sunset into reevaluating her behavior. My plan was to give her a chance to mature then make her my student again and mold her into a worthy Element bearer. But Sunset escaped through the magic mirror and was out of my reach.

“I had no potential Element bear and time was getting short. I considered taking your brother under my tutelage and molding him. Shining Armor was powerful and already showing leadership potential in the academy. I sent Cadance to get to know him and give me a report. She became your foalsitter, so she had a reason to be in your house without arousing his suspicion. But Cadance kept coming up with reasons why Shining Armor would be unsuitable. She’d already fallen for him and didn’t want him facing Nightmare Moon.

“Cadance’s reports were the first I’d heard of you. She said you were studious, obsessed with magic, likable, but introverted. Your power level was unknown. When you surged during your entrance exam at my School For Gifted Unicorns, and I saw your mark, I knew you had to be the one.

“I spoke the truth that day when I told you I’d never seen a unicorn with your raw abilities. And your new mark looked just like the Element Of Magic, back when I wielded it. I decided as you were my last, best chance, I had to dominate your life completely. I couldn’t let you fail.

“I controlled every aspect of your upbringing. I was always pushing you toward what I wanted you to do next. Anytime you expressed an interest outside of magic or studying, I subtly discouraged you. I isolated you from others, so you would only look to me for approval. I provided you with Spike, so you’d learn responsibility and wouldn’t be lonely. That way, you wouldn’t be driven to befriend somepony who would pull you away from what I thought was needed in an Element bearer.

“Every time you achieved something, I posed an even greater challenge. Nothing you did was ever quite good enough for me. I wanted you to have to work harder and harder to keep earning my approval, so you wouldn’t have time for distractions.

“And I was purposefully capricious, changing unwritten rules so you’d never be sure what actions would earn my praise. This made you hunger for my approval even more and forced you to hang on my every word to be sure you were doing what I wanted. Your obsession with notes and checklists must come from wanting tools to ‘hold my hooves to the fire’ when I tried to change the rules on you.

“And when the fateful Summer Sun Celebration came, you were what I made you: powerful, knowledgeable, driven, loyal. But also socially awkward, naive, hungry for praise, and with low self-esteem that you covered with snark aimed at everypony but me.

“You were dependent on me for your self-image. So when I told you to do something, I knew you would throw yourself into it 100%. That included undertaking an investigation I created to lead you to the legend of the Mare In The Moon. And providing needless supervision for the Summer Sun Celebration in Ponyville so I was sure you would be in in the right place for Luna’s return. I even sent you to stay in a library to lower your anxiety and primed you to make friends, because I knew you would need fellow Element bearers.

“And my manipulations were rewarded. You recovered the Elements and freed Luna! I needed to concentrate 100% of my time on Luna after her return, so I gave you a new mission in Ponyville to get you out of Canterlot Castle. Then to be sure I kept you dependent, I made you write me reports and gave you regular assignments. I sent you and your friends into danger, time and time again.

“And you thanked me. You kept asking for more! Discord. Sombra. Ascension. Tirek. No matter what horrors I forced upon you, you kept saying, “please Celestia, what more can I do to help?” And now, here you are again, still propping up this ancient mare.

“I don’t deserve your loyalty, I don’t deserve any of it.”

Twilight considered Celestia’s rant. She prepared a mental checklist and delivered a rant of her own.

“I think I can refute what you’ve said, point by point.

“I loved magic and was an “egghead”, as Rainbow calls me, long before I ever met you. You never forced me to study; you enabled me to do what I love and I thank you for it.

“Don't you dare apologize for letting me raise Spike. He is my LBBFNOA: Little Brother, Best Friend, Number One Assistant. Except for you, no one ever helped me more.

“As for pushing me to achieve, I’ve always competed against myself more than anypony else; you just fueled my natural fire.

“I know I still get caught up in trying to make the world to stick to my schedule. Your capriciousness was a good way of helping me learn to be more flexible and deal with the natural chaos of life.

“By the way, I never apologize for making notes and checklists, they’re part of the reason I get so much done.

“When I lived in Canterlot Castle, I may have been socially awkward and naive. In some ways, I still am. But any progress I’ve made is because you sent me to Ponyville, to live among five great friends and a town full of crazy ponies! I love them all.

“And I don’t regret the reports and assignments and trying to make you happy. I learned a lot. And I live to make my friends and family happy. You were never just my teacher or my ruler, you were my first adult friend. I’d do anything you asked of me. But, I’d also do that for Spike, or the girls, or even Starlight. Because of who you are, sometimes the things you ask of me are just… bigger... than what the others need.

“Never regret sending me and the girls on missions. We’ve got to help so many ponies, even to help save the whole world! The missions have lead to some of the most satisfying achievements in my life.

“Personally, I’ve been rewarded beyond measure. I have the best friends any mare could ask for. I have my own castle in the best town in Equestria. I’m surrounded by those I love dearly. And I get to spend my life helping ponies. There is no higher calling.

“And for all you doubt yourself, I trust your judgment. I never thought Discord could be redeemed, but you did. And you were right! So I followed your example, and befriended Starlight, even after all the evil she’d done. And she ended up saving all of us from the Changelings. I have learned a thousand ways to be a better pony from you, and I look forward to learning a thousand more.”

Celestia shook her head, unconvinced. “My manipulations of you were abusive, evil.”

Twilight smiled, “You call it manipulation, I call it guidance. You never used mind control, “Want It, Need It”, or that music on me, did you? I never sensed anything, and after Discord played mind games with us, I checked often.”

Celestia scoffed. “I never did anything so crude. But what I did was wrong all the same. You shouldn’t make such a snap judgment.”

“What makes you think I’m deciding this now?” Twilight’s smile became a smirk. “I figured out you were ‘guiding me’ years ago. I may have been naive, but I wasn’t an idiot. There were too many coincidences in my life for their not to be a ‘guiding hoof’ behind it all. And the clues all lead back to you.”

“You never complained. You never said anything.” Celestia was crestfallen.

“Upon long reflection, I decided it was pretty good guidance.” Twilight fluffed her wings. “The results speak for themselves.”

“You refuse to understand.” Celestia was firm. “The things I’ve done are unforgivable.”

Twilight couldn’t look at Celestia. “As you said before, you have a problem with arrogance.” She returned Celestia’s gaze. “You don’t get to choose what another pony forgives. That’s their choice.”

Twilight’s horn glowed, and she summoned her crown and golden boots. “As Princess, I’ve heard your testimony this night and am ready to pass judgment upon you.” Bedecked in her full regalia, Twilight summoned the power of the sun within her and stood tall and majestic. Celestia lay low on her cushion, gazing up at Twilight. Her eyes held hope and fear in equal measure.

“First, regarding your admissions of acts toward ponies-in-general, a thousand years ago.” Twilight’s voice was neutral. “I declare your tireless service to Equestria since then, pays off whatever penance that justice demanded for pony-kind.”

“Second, regarding your admissions of acts related to me this evening.” Twilight smiled warmly at Celestia. “I choose to forgive you. That’s my choice.”

“Finally, regarding your admissions of acts related to Luna, a thousand years ago.” Twilight was cool once again. “Only two living beings can forgive you for those: Luna and yourself.“

Twilight's voice fell to a whisper. “Celestia, you’ve been living with guilt so long, you can’t see any other way. My ruling is to let it go. Reconcile with Luna. Live again.”

The fear was gone from Celestia’s eyes, replaced by exhaustion and a glimmer of hope. She slumped back as if all the air had been let out of her.

“But that’s for the future,” Twilight whispered. “For tonight, you’ve been through enough. My final ruling is to rest.”

Twilight dipped her head until the tip of her horn touched Celestia’s. A single spark jumped between them to seal the judgment. All remaining concerns drained from Celestia’s face, as the strains of the night finally overwhelmed her. She mouthed, “thank you,” then laid her head upon the cushion and fell swiftly to sleep.

Twilight gently levitated Celestia, carried her into the bedroom, and placed her in the huge bed. She laid her head on a large pillow and tucked her in with silken sheets and warm quilts. Before she tip-hoofed away, Twilight stopped to gaze at the sleeping Celestia. She looked so... peaceful, serene. Even calmer than the vacant ‘princess mask’ she wore at functions.

Twilight swallowed so hard, she was afraid she would wake Celestia, but the sleeper never stirred. Her only movement was the slow, rhythmic, rising and falling of her chest. While Twilight knew it was impossible, she would do anything to defend Celestia from the pain she’d seen this night. Twilight wanted, more than anything, to help Celestia find peace in her waking hours that would match her sleeping serenity.

Overcome, Twilight leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on Celestia’s forehead, just below her horn. Celestia let out a small sigh, but her sleep was not otherwise disturbed. Blushing, Twilight silently left the sleeper to her peace.

Back in the sitting room, Twilight stretched her legs, neck, and wings. It was very early in the morning. She’d been up all night, and the stress of the revelations had been draining. From her connection to the sun, Twilight could tell the rising was due soon. She was not waking Celestia. There had to be another way.

“Hello?” she cast her thoughts tentatively into her mind. She felt a small bubble of warmth in response. “I don’t know how much you know about what happened this evening, but Celestia had a very hard night and is sleeping.” The warmth bubbled in seeming ascent. “Would it be OK with you if somepony else greeted you to help you rise this morning?” Another seeming ascent. “I can talk to Luna…” The warmth fled and left Twilight hollow inside. “Not Luna then.” A trickle of warmth returned. “Can I do it?” Twilight asked. The bubble inside her was sharp. Twilight interpreted it as “can you?”

Twilight took a deep breath and blew it out to calm herself. “I can’t go crazy over “what ifs?” this morning,” she thought. “No time for anxiety attacks. This is too important to Celestia.”

Wearing her full regalia, Twilight stepped out of Celestia’s chambers and closed the door behind her. The golden armored Royal Guards came to attention.

“Princess Celestia is sleeping in this morning,” Twilight said. “Please inform Princess Luna I will meet her on the Grand Balcony to raise the sun.” The warmth inside her flooded into every part of her body, from the tips of her hooves to the point of her horn. It was like being hugged from the inside. All fatigue washed away and Twilight felt aware of every ray of light cast in the corridor around her. She stood tall, with barrel forward.

The guards at Celestia’s door were the best of the best. If they were surprised by the change in Celestia’s millennium old routine, it was over so fast as to be imperceptible. “Yes, your Highness!” The guard ducked her head to acknowledge the order, then set off to inform Princess Luna with due haste.

Twilight strode down the corridor toward the Grand Balcony. Two guards followed her. She wasn’t normally assigned a guard detail, but today it seemed appropriate. Twilight wondered if this was a situation the Royal Guard had planned for or if the guards were acting on instinct.

Princess Luna was waiting at the doors to the Grand Balcony, along with Raven, who was carrying her ever-present schedule book.

“How fares my sister?” Luna asked.

“Princess Celestia is fatigued, but sleeping comfortably, after a challenging night,” Twilight replied. “I will raise the sun this morning.”

Luna looked grim but satisfied with this answer.

Raven was concerned. “And what of Princess Celestia’s other duties?”

She couldn’t believe she was saying this. “I‘ll do whatever is required,” Twilight responded.

Raven’s eyes went wide for a moment before she bowed her head and stepped back.

“We should sup in our private dining room after the raising, but before undertaking the other duties of the day.” Luna’s voice was even but did not invite discussion. Twilight nodded. Raven dutifully made a note in her book.

Luna and Twilight stepped out onto the Grand Balcony.

“I’m really going to do this,” Twilight thought. This was huge. The cycle of day and night was critical to all life. And she was just one tiny pony. But the warmth that still filled her from hoof to horn buoyed her hopes.

Luna’s horn lit, and she gazed out at the moon. Her thoughts were her own. She took in a great breath, then lowered her head with a dramatic swoosh of her wings. The moon descended and the horizon was edged with silver light. “The night gives way to the day,” Luna intoned.

“No time to dither,” Twilight thought. She lit her horn and readied her magic. “Welcome to our sky,” she projected within. “We look forward to receiving your light and warmth.” The sun began to peek over the horizon. It cast the world in long shadows and the dawn was lit with lavender fire. “Welcome, and thank you for being Celestia’s friend, and my friend too.” The warmth bubbled happily within her, and the sun inched higher into the sky.

“The day accepts dominion,” Twilight replied. She heard Raven let out a held breath.

Luna surveyed the sun and the horizon and then nodded her head. “T’was a deed well done.” She turned to Twilight. “Come, we have much to discuss.”

Chapter 10 - Princess of the Day

The private dining room of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna was in the Central Tower, below the level of the Grand Balcony. Its furnishings were surprisingly simple given it was the private preserve of the co-rulers of Equestria. The room included a cozy fireplace, broad low tables, many large sitting cushions, and simple cabinets full of sturdy cups and utensils. It was the private nature of the room that allowed it to be simple. It was not a room for entertaining foreign guests or impressing recalcitrant politicians. It was a space where the royal ponies could bring friends and family and act like sisters.

By the time Luna and Twilight arrived, the room had been stocked by the royal chefs with an alicorn sized breakfast buffet, along with carafes of coffee, tea, mountain spring water, and a variety of juices. Closing the deceptively simple doors triggered privacy wards equal to the ones on the chambers of the royal sisters.

“Eat well.” Luna levitated a large platter and filled it with a variety of foods from the various trays. “Communing with celestial objects has a deceptively high drain on our magic. Without a good meal, it’s not unusual to ‘crash’ part way through a busy day.”

Often as not, breakfast for Twilight was a cup of coffee and toast. But it seemed silly to ignore the voice of experience. She added a couple of extra items to her sparse plate. “You don’t seem worried by Celestia’s absence.”

“Given your loyalty to my sister, if she was in any distress you wouldn’t be calmly standing at the buffet. As you are, I accept your words that Celestia had a challenging night and is resting.” Luna sat on a cushion and put her plate on the table. “What transpired between you two was a private matter. I shan't pry.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said. “I don’t think it’s my story to tell.”

“I spoke to the composers and to the leaders of the Canterlot Symphony,” Luna continued. “They suspended further performances of the new piece until the impact of re-introducing such music is reviewed.” Luna cut off a large slice of nutty bread and buttered it. “I made it clear nopony had done anything wrong and the crown had no wish to engage in censorship.”

Twilight nodded in relief. She hadn’t considered what bringing back such magical music might do to Equestria and was glad Luna had taken appropriate steps. Twilight sat on a cushion across from Luna and speared a piece of sliced apple with a fork. She held it in her field but didn’t put it in her mouth. “Celestia had a late night, but given her normal habit of rising before the dawn, I’m not sure when she’ll wake up.”

“As the pressure of raising the sun has been removed, I wouldn’t be surprised if she slept for a considerable period.” Luna ate heartily. “We must determine how you will discharge the responsibilities of the day.”

“I thought that as the member of the diarchy who was still awake, you might…”

“No, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna put her food down and looked stern. “Night has given way to the day, and you’ve accepted dominion. Everypony in the castle knows what transpired on the Grand Balcony. The only thing faster than teleportation is gossip in Canterlot.” Luna picked her food back up and ate a mouthful. “Equestria is yours until sunset.”

The weight of Canterlot Castle seemed to crash down on Twilight’s shoulders. A million “what if’s” started marching through her mind, each more disastrous than the last. She slumped on her cushion.

Luna extended her wing, and the two alicorns touched feathers. “Twilight, it will be alright. You’ve held the fate of Equestria in your hooves before, and the land has come out better for it. I’m sure that Raven is right now clearing as much off your docket as she can. Anypony who was waiting to see my sister specifically will likely be willing to reschedule.”

“That will help,” Twilight said. “Who do you think will be left?”

“Anypony who needs a decision from a Princess, and it doesn’t matter to them which one provides it.” Luna poured berry syrup on a stack of pancakes and attacked them vigorously. “Some of those ponies may be rescheduled onto my calendar but I’m sure some will still be on yours. There are an infinite number of demands on the time of a princess in modern Equestria. Court. Meetings. And paperwork, always paperwork.”

“I actually kind of like paperwork,” Twilight said, smiling weakly.

“Then you may be especially well suited to be a modern princess,” Luna replied, deadpan.

There was a long pause. Then a small giggle escaped Twilight. And finally, the two alicorns shared a hearty guffaw. The heaviness of the moment was broken, and now it was just a meal between friends.

Twilight dumped the rest of her apple slices into a big steaming bowl of oatmeal and started in on it with a large spoon. Even though she’d been nibbling all night, she was surprisingly hungry. Luna was probably right about the energy demands of raising the sun. “Any tips for me?” she asked between bites.

“Dismiss, Delegate, Defer, and Decide.” Luna started in on a second platter of food. “Some items can be dismissed out of hoof. Others delegated to the appropriate agency of our sprawling government. Some can be deferred until a later date when more information is available.”

Luna wiped her muzzle with a white cloth napkin. “But, some you must decide. There may be time pressure. Or there may be no new information to gather that would change the decision. Then you must listen to the options, weigh what’s best for Equestria, and earn your crown for the day.”

Twilight wiped her muzzle with a napkin. “I can do this,” she whispered to herself.

Luna stood. “Of course you can, you’re a princess of Equestria.” Luna came around the table and put her wing on Twilight’s shoulder. “That doesn’t mean you need to do everything yourself. Use your staff. Let Raven show you the ropes.”

“I will.” Twilight stood and gave Luna a comrade’s hug. “Thank you, Luna.”

“I will see you again when it’s time for the day to give way to the night.” Luna opened the door, and the two princesses stepped out. Two guards and Raven were waiting outside. “I understand you’re the keeper of my schedule,” Twilight said to her.

“Yes, your Highness,” Raven said. She bowed her head for a moment to show respect and then went on. “As this is your first day with these responsibilities, I’ve shuffled a few things around to streamline the schedule. First, the daily security briefing. Then…” Twilight, Raven and a guard disappeared down the corridor, headed toward the “working” section of the castle.

When Twilight exited the briefing room, her head was spinning. “That was a lot to take in all at once. The Royal Guard Colonel went over the status of every one of our neighbors, even internal ones like the Diamond Dogs. The Night Guard commander covered the continuing search for Chrysalis and their watch on the Gates Of Tartarus. And I didn’t even know we had a Secret Monster Intelligence League of Equestria.”

“It is supposed to be a secret,” Raven replied with a smile.

“I can’t believe Celestia gets a briefing like that every day!” Twilight said. “I’ve had to worry about relations with other countries or monster attacks at one time or another, but never all of them at the same time.”

“Oh, Princess Celestia doesn’t get that briefing every day.“ Raven shook her head.

“That’s a relief,” said Twilight.

“Only on days when she’s short of time.” Raven talked while she scanned her schedule book for details of Twilight’s next appointment. “Normally she interrogates the presenters and goes into much more detail then we covered today. Many threats to Equestria have ancient roots or are driven by historical patterns. With Princess Celestia’s unique historical experiences, her questions often provide critical clues that guide the guard’s investigations.” Raven looked up from her book. “I had them give you the short presentation, to reassure you there were no issues likely to come up in the next day or so.”

Twilight shook her head. The meeting hadn’t seemed very short to her. On the other hoof, though the briefing had been extensive it had been reassuring. There didn’t seem to be any monsters or neighbors that were an immediate threat to Equestria; at least none that the guards knew about. Equestria seemed to be in good hooves and she could shift her focus to the next task without worry. Twilight addressed Raven. “Our next stop is?”

“Morning Court; first court prep and then court itself.” During their walk, Raven brought out a thick stack of papers.

“And those are?” Twilight asked.

“Background for the cases scheduled to be heard today.”

“Oh, homework!” Twilight said with a grin. “May I?”

“Of course, your Highness,” Raven said.

Twilight took the thick stack in her magenta field. She looked left and right and then spotted an open meeting room. Peering inside, she confirmed no one was in at the moment. “This looks available.” Twilight sat down on a chair at an oval table, and ruffled the papers twice, like a dealer getting ready to shuffle cards.

Raven pulled a pocket watch from her saddlebag. “I’m not sure we have time for…” She stopped, eyes wide.

Twilight held the thick stack of pages aloft in her magenta field. The pages streamed, one after another, off the top of the starting stack, across Twilight’s line of sight, and into a new stack on the other side. Faster and faster they flew. Twilight’s horn was aglow, her eyes were white, and her grin could be described as maniacal.

As fast as it started, the arcane display was done. Twilight shook her head; her eyes returned to normal and her grin became less scary. “Thank you,” Twilight said. She levitated the stack toward Raven, who bobbed her head and reached her field to pick it up.

Suddenly Twilight snatched the thick stack of papers back with her magic. “Sorry,” she said. “The page order got reversed.” Her field expanded until there was a gap between each of the hundreds of pages in the stack, then she flipped over all the pages simultaneously. Twilight collapsed the reordered stack back together and presented it to Raven. “It would have been rude to mess up your order.”

“Thank you, your Highness.” Raven’s eyes were still wide. She knew intellectually that Princess Twilight was an alicorn and a magical prodigy. But Twilight was unassuming enough, that it was easy to think of her as an ordinary unicorn that happened to have wings and wore a crown. Displays like this reminded Raven that Princess Twilight had formidable magic. There was a reason she was a Princess, heroine, and multi-time savior of Equestria.

“How are we doing for time?” Twilight asked as they exited the meeting room.

Raven checked her watch and schedule book again. “We’re doing... OK. Court preparation took less time than I had allotted.” Raven picked up her pace to keep up with the longer legged alicorn. “Do you have any questions about… any of this?” She bobbed the thick stack in her field.

“Not right now,” Twilight said. “It’ll take me a bit of time to make sense of it all. Once I do, I’ll ask any questions.” Twilight gave her wings a happy little fluff. “I didn’t think I would have the pleasure of getting to study today.”

A metallic crash sounded around a corner down the hall, and a deep voice called, “Out of my way, lowborn!” A moment later, Prince Blueblood strutted around the corner. He was a tall, powerfully built unicorn with a long pointed horn, pristine white coat, blond mane and tail, blue socks, and a gold compass rose for a mark. He wore a black starched collar with a red rose in his lapel, two button white cravat, and blue bow tie. He spotted Twilight and her entourage.

“Twilight Sparkle,” he called, “I demand…”

Raven stepped between the Prince and Princess. She bobbed her head to show deference but interrupted him nonetheless. “Prince Blueblood, one does not speak to the Princess Of The Day in such fashion.”

“Step aside, scribe. I care not what role-play this pretender is engaged in.” He turned. “Twilight Sparkle, I demand you…”

“Here it comes,” Twilight thought.

“...tell me what’s going on with my Auntie Celestia? She’s never once failed to raise the sun, except in cases of dire emergency.”

Twilight was taken aback. Despite his bluster, she could see in Blueblood’s eyes he was deeply concerned. “Perhaps the only way he knows how to communicate is threat and bluster,“ she thought. “Just like somepony who only knew how to communicate by lectures and snark,” her inner voice said. “Maybe he needs good friends to teach him a different way too,” Twilight thought. “Worked for you,” her inner voice replied.

“Prince Blueblood,” Twilight said. “For the last several months, Princess Celestia has been instructing me so I can better perform my duties to Equestria. Last night’s… lessons… went very late and left her... fatigued. Because of what I’ve learned at her side, I had the opportunity to let her sleep in and recover. Before dawn, I met Princess Luna on the Grand Balcony, raised the sun, and accepted dominion for the day.”

“For reasons I’ve never understood, my Auntie cares for you, and has favored you beyond reason.” Blueblood looked Twilight over like she was a prized object up for auction. His voice softened. “I think you care for her as well. Tell me truly, is she alright?”

“On my honor as a Princess of Equestria,” Twilight said, “when I left her, Celestia was sleeping peacefully.”

Prince Blueblood stood stock still for several moments. It looked like he started to speak several times, then stopped himself. Finally, he said, “I choose to believe you.” His voice hardened. “Do not give me reason to regret it.”

“Thank you for your trust,” Twilight replied. “Please spread the word that Princess Celestia is resting after a long night, that the sun rose on time, and that the day will proceed as expected.”

Prince Blueblood put his nose in the air. He didn’t like being told what to do. “I will take my leave and give council as I see fit,” he said and strutted off down the hall.

Once Prince Blueblood rounded the corner, Twilight sighed. “I don’t know how he and the other nobles keep from running into things, with their noses in the air like that.”

“Long practice,” Raven replied. She checked her pocket watch. “We’ve used up our buffer.”

Twilight, Raven and the guards strode toward the Throne Room. Raven noticed Twilight looked thoughtful. “Do you have any questions before we begin, your Highness?”

“I’ve attended court with Princess Celestia before. I know the routine,” Twilight replied. “Just thinking I’ll need a better answer when ponies at court ask the same question Blueblood did.”

Twilight and Raven got to the Throne Room, as the hand on Raven’s pocket watch reached the top of the hour. It was time for Morning Court to begin.

Chapter 11 - Court

When they entered, the seneschal called out, “Hear ye, hear ye, the Royal Court of Equestria is now in session. All having business before this court draw near, give attention, and you shall be heard. Her Highness Princess Twilight Sparkle presiding.”

The Throne Room was a vast hall with many levels, each with a ceremonial purpose. The bulk of the long hall had a polished marble floor with a narrow red carpet running from the great double doors at the front entrance to the dais and throne at the back wall. Most of the walls included massive stained glass windows including one depicting the splendor of a sunny day and another the glory of a moonlit night.

As it drew near the throne, the red carpet ascended a gentle slope to the first landing of the large golden dais where petitioners would stand to plead their cases. A pair of Royal Guards in golden armor flanked the rise leading to the first landing. The edges of the first landing were rimmed with flowers. Small decorative waterfalls fell to each side, fed from a spring deep within the Canterhorn.

From the first landing, the carpet sloped up again to a second landing where attendants and other royals would stand to support the presiding princess. This was the highest that Twilight had ever been in the Throne Room before today.

The red carpet sloped up one final time to end before the massive royal throne. It was gold with magenta cushions. Sized so Princess Celestia could lounge comfortably, the throne was big enough for two or even more normal sized ponies. The oval back cushion was twice as tall as Celestia, and so was over three time’s Twilight’s height.

Twilight looked out at the sea of ponies in the Throne Room and thought to herself, “remember Celestia's advice: move slowly, it makes you look regal and gives you an extra moment to think.” She stood tall, felt the warmth of the sun within her, and strode forward. “Time to try and do my best Celestia impression.”

“Do or do not, there is no try.” her inner voice chided her.

“I wish Sunset and the girls hadn't insisted on showing that movie at the sleepover,” Twilight thought. “It was pretty violent.”

“Says the pony that blasted Tirek so hard it made a mushroom cloud,” her inner voice countered.

Twilight realized she’d arrived at the throne atop the dais. She hadn’t even noticed all the ponies watching her court debut. “You've been trying to distract me,” she thought.

“You’re welcome,” her inner voice concluded.

From the second landing, Raven jot a few words on the top page of the stack she was holding in her field. She angled the stack towards the throne. Twilight scanned the notes and gave Raven the briefest of nods.

Twilight addressed the assembled court. “For over a millennium, Princess Celestia has served Equestria by ruling benevolently and maintaining the cycle of day and night. During all that time, there was something she dare not do. She could never take time off. For we all depend on the continuous cycling of the sun and moon.

“But now, Princess Celestia has those who can support her in her duties. Our beloved Princess Luna has returned and rules alongside her sister. Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor rule The Crystal Empire with Princess Celestia’s blessing. And, after my own ascension, I do what I can to help.”

There was a small disturbance at the entrance of the court as the double doors opened and six familiar ponies and a small purple dragon tried to file in silently and didn’t quite get away with it.

Twilight continued. “This morning, because of what I’ve learned at her side, I was able to give Princess Celestia a gift; she got to take a break from her responsibilities and sleep through the dawn for the first time in more than 1,000 years. At the expected hour, I met Princess Luna on the Grand Balcony, raised the sun, and accepted dominion for the day in Princess Celestia’s place. When I last saw Princess Celestia, she was sleeping peacefully.

“In a few minutes, I will begin hearing petitions in Morning Court. My rulings have the same force of law as those of any other Princess of Equestria. However, I know many of you expected to be presenting to Princess Celestia today. If you wish to change your court appointment, please see the seneschal for the details of rescheduling.

“There’ll now be a fifteen-minute recess for the seneschal to make any necessary adjustments to the schedule.”

“Hear ye, hear ye, the Royal Court of Equestria now stands in recess. Court shall resume in fifteen minutes time.”

Twilight stepped down from the throne. As she passed Raven, she said, “I see the Element Bearers, Spike, and Starlight Glimmer in the back of the court. Please ask if they could join me in the sitting room during the recess.” Raven nodded.

In the ornate sitting room, Twilight turned to Raven again. “Thank you for the speech ideas. Calling what happened a gift was a stroke of genius. How do you think it went?”

“You stunned them,” Raven replied. “It’ll keep the questions at bay for a while, but not all day.”

The door opened, and Twilight’s friends poured through. “You looked marvelous darling!” “Awesome speechifying!” “You done a good thing, sugarcube!” “I’m glad I already stashed “I raised the sun!” party banners in Canterlot, in case of a sun raising celebration!”

While most of her friends talked over each other, Spike rushed up and grabbed Twilight around a foreleg. “I’m so glad you’re OK. Don’t scare me like that.”

Twilight gave Spike a wing hug. “Sorry Spike, my message last night was supposed to be reassuring.”

“When it came by Royal Guard pegasus, rather than dragon fire, Spike and I figured something might be wrong with Princess Celestia,” Starlight said.

“You mean, you figured out something was wrong, Starlight.” Spike countered.

“Well Spike, you suggested rounding everypony up and coming to Canterlot on the first train, to see if we could help,” Starlight replied.

“While I do respect the mutual appreciation society, and am very glad we are here now,” Rarity said, “I’m slightly miffed that we didn’t get an invitation to your first sun raising and your first time holding court!”

“I’m so sorry,” Twilight said. “Things have been moving very fast. I didn’t know I was going to be taking over for Princess Celestia until just before dawn, and once I did, things have been galloping full speed.”

“Hugs make everypony feel better,” Pinkie Pie suggested.

Twilight kept one wing tight around Spike and opened the other to welcome her friends. A moment later, she was the center of a pony pile, with only Starlight Glimmer abstaining. She stood a hoof width away.

“Girls, I do need your help,” Twilight said when everypony released the hug. “Princess Celestia has been a permanent fixture in everypony’s lives. I don't want there to be panic when they hear the news. Could you spread the word that everypony should go about their business as usual? If they have any questions, repeat what I told the court.”

“Who do you want us to tell, sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“Start with ponies you know and trust. If they’re well known, so much the better. If they know me, better still.” Twilight was in full checklist mode. “If you can, have them go with you to talk to others they know. That’ll give the message credibility and help spread the word. Rarity, who would you speak to first among the nobility?”

Rarity considered her client list. “Fancy Pants is respected by everypony, and has met you several times.”

“Good choice. Applejack, you deal with business ponies when running Sweet Apple Acres. Who would you talk to first?”

“Filthy Rich is the biggest shot I deal with, but I’m not sure he’s in the city.”

Pinkie Pie bounced up and down with a hoof in the air. “Oh! Oh! He’s at his Canterlot office today.” They all looked quizzically at her. “What? I keep track of everypony’s schedule, so I know who’s available in case I’m throwing a party!”

“I’m not sure if that’s awesome or creepy, Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash said. She turned to Twilight. “I can start with Spitfire. Nopony’s more respected than the leader of the Wonderbolts.”

“Especially among the Guard and the military. Good thinking, Rainbow.”

Twilight turned to Pinkie. Before she could say anything, Pinkie blurted out, “I’ll start with all the chefs I know, like Gustave le Grand, Donut Joe, and Saffron Masala. They deal with their suppliers every day, and nothing goes together like food and stories. Then there's my party cannon supplier, my confetti supplier, the banner printers, and…”

Twilight held a hoof over Pinkie’s muzzle to get her to stop for a moment. “That sounds like a good start, Pinkie.” As she pulled her hoof back, Twilight asked, “Do you know everypony in Canterlot?”

Pinkie rolled her eyes up as if mentally checking her list. “Everypony in the city right now! But there’s a train arriving at the station in a few minutes and there could be some new ones I don’t know coming in then.”

Like a hundred times before, Twilight decided investigating how Pinkie knew things was just looking for trouble. “Starlight, I need you to go to Celestia’s School For Gifted Unicorns and talk to the Provost. We need to be sure the magical community doesn’t panic.”

“Why me? I never attended that school,” Starlight replied. “They’re going to know me as somepony who abused my magic. They’ll never listen to me.”

Twilight stepped up to Starlight and held herself upright. Her angled boots gave her a barrel out, power pose, and her crown gleamed in the light. “Starlight, you’re the most powerful unicorn I’ve ever met. Magicians respect power. They also know you’re my student, and you’ll be the personal representative of the Princess of the Day.” Twilight put her hoof on Starlight’s shoulder. “They’ll listen to you.”

Starlight swallowed hard and nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

Twilight turned to Fluttershy, who cringed back at the thought of speaking to other ponies. “I’m not sure who I could talk to here unless you want me to talk to some animals,” Fluttershy said.

“I have a different task for you,” Twilight replied. “Princess Celestia had a very difficult night. When she wakes up, she may not want the castle staff to see her until she’s fully recovered. Can you go to her sitting room and be ready to help her out? You can ask the guards outside her chambers for food, supplies, anything she needs.”

“I don’t know if I can take care of the Princess…” Fluttershy shrank back and shook.

“Can you take care of somepony who needs your help, regardless of who they are?” Twilight asked, quietly.

Fluttershy closed her eyes and screwed up her courage. She nodded her head. Twilight gave her a short wing hug. “When we’re finished talking, a guard will escort you to Princess Celestia’s chambers.”

“What about me, Twilight?” Spike asked.

“You have the most important job of all,” Twilight said. “I need you to be my number one assistant in Court. Raven and the castle staff are great, but they’re used to serving Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. If I’m going to get through this, I also need someone up on the dais that’s used to working with me. Can you help me, Spike?”

Spike grinned and waved a claw at her. “You’d be lost without me.”

Twilight hugged him again. “I really would.”

Raven glanced at her pocket watch, then looked at Twilight and tapped it with a hoof.

“I’ve got to get back to court,” Twilight said. “Thank you all for your help.”

“One moment!” Rarity cried. She pulled out a brush and combed Twilight’s mane until it was straight and shimmering. She precisely adjusted Twilight’s crown. “Now you’re ready for court.”

Bustling with energy, Twilight’s friends set off on their assigned tasks. Twilight, Spike, and Raven went through the door and back into the Throne Room.

“Hear ye, hear ye, the Royal Court of Equestria is now back in session. Her Highness Princess Twilight Sparkle presiding.”

Twilight looked down from the throne. Raven was on the second landing to her left and Spike to her right. She took a deep breath. “Seneschal, call the first case.”

“Steady Course and Rock Solid from the Royal Corp of Engineers in the matter of the Appleloosa Water Project.”

A pegasus and an earth pony stepped up to the first landing and bowed. Both wore the castle patch of the Royal Corp of Engineers. “Your Highness, I’m Steady Course, and this is Rock Solid,” the pegasus said in a thick Appleloosa accent. “First, I want to convey thanks and congratulations from the entire Corp for your gift to Princess Celestia and your achievements here today. It’s an honor to be the first case called in your first court.”

“Thank you. I had the opportunity to work with a member of the RCE when they inspected the Ponyville dam after I used magic to make some emergency repairs. I was impressed by her professionalism,” Twilight said. “Gotta watch this one, he’s a smooth talker,” she thought.

“The plan for the Appleloosa Water Project has been thoroughly reviewed by all stakeholders, and today’s approval should be pro forma.” Steady Course pulled out a thick book from his saddlebags. “The project includes a series of infrastructure improvements to manage water in the Appleloosa Desert, reducing the impact of flash floods and soil erosion while opening up new lands for agriculture. The plan has been reviewed and approved by the elected leaders of Appleloosa, along with representatives of the farmers, the weather team, the railroad, and the construction companies. It has been audited by the Treasury and is expected to come in under the original budget.”

“I reviewed the plan you submitted here today, it was very professional as well,” Twilight said.

“Thank you, your Highness,” Steady Course said. “And so the plan is approved?”

“The plan looks good,” Twilight thought. “Is there anything I’m missing? What do I remember about my trip to Appleloosa?” She thought back over her adventures. “What about the Buffalo?” she asked.

“The... Buffalo?” Steady Course replied. “We don’t expect the project to impact them.” He looked at his earth pony colleague. “Do we?” Rock Solid shrugged.

“They’ve lived in the desert for countless generations,” Twilight said. “They know it better than any pony would. I recommend you have Sheriff Silverstar introduce you to Chief Thunderhooves. I’m sure the chief can recommend appropriate Buffalo to provide feedback on your plan.”

Steady Course and Rock Solid were disappointed by the delay. But, Steady Course recovered quickly. “Thank you for your review, your Highness. We’ll do as you recommend and include feedback from the Buffalo in the project.” He put the plan back into his saddlebags, and the two RCE ponies left the Throne Room.

Spike leaned over to Raven, as the seneschal called the next case. “Twilight’s met both Sheriff Silverstar and Chief Thunderhooves when she traveled to Appleloosa with her friend Applejack.”

“Professor Lightbender and Doctor Diffusion of Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, in the matter of the crystal cable patent.”

“Spike?” Twilight whispered. Spike looked up. “Could you go to the Royal Archives and get me a copy of the Journal of Arcane Arcana, volume 1024? I think it’s relevant to this case.”

“On it!” Spike scrambled off the dais and hustled out the door. Having grown up in the castle, he knew the shortest way to the Archives, and as Twilight’s number one assistant, knew exactly where copies of the Journal of Arcane Arcana were stored.

Two unicorns stepped up to the first landing. Professor Lightbender was an older pony with a disheveled gray mane. He made a dramatic bow. Doctor Diffusion was younger and had a stunted horn. His bow was more perfunctory.

“Your Highness,” they said together. “I’m going first,” they echoed. “No, we agreed I’d go first!”

“Gentlecolts, please,” Twilight said. Both quieted down. Twilight flipped a coin in her head. It was the turn for tails. “Doctor Diffusion, please begin.”

The doctor looked smug as he stood tall and addressed Twilight. “Your Highness, recent discoveries in the Crystal Empire have led to the creation of flexible cables of crystal. My work…”

“You mean my work!” the professor said.

“Professor, please do not interrupt!” Twilight scolded. “That’s what we are here to discover. Continue, doctor.”

“As I was saying,” the doctor said, “My work shows that monochromatic light, harvested from rainbows, can be made to travel down these crystal cables for a considerable distance. I began work in this field twelve moons ago, when I had cable sent to me from the Crystal Empire. I have applied for a Royal Patent on the concept, which my learned colleague, is disputing.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Twilight said. “Professor, what’s your side of the story?”

The professor huffed. “Thank you, your Highness. My work shows that the transmission of light down the crystal cables doesn’t need rainbows as a source of the monochromatic light. I have been working with light transmission through crystals for over thirty moons, long before this pretender.”

“And when did you first begin working with the crystal cables?” Twilight asked.

“Well, I got my first cable eleven moons ago, when they became available at the school,” the professor blustered. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I have been working in this field far longer.”

“Twelve moons is longer than eleven moons!” the doctor crowed. “I have prior art!”

The door in the back of the Throne Room opened, and Spike hustled in, carrying the requested scientific journal. He bound past the guards and up to the second landing. Spike could move surprisingly fast on his short legs. “Here you go, Twilight!” He tossed her the journal, and she caught it in her field.

Twilight flipped through the journal to a specific page. “You’re correct that prior art is critical, doctor. And this predates both your claims.” She showed the journal article to the unicorns. “The Journal of Arcane Arcana, issue 1024, which I know the School For Gifted Unicorns subscribes to. An earth pony named Bright Spectrum, working in the Crystal Empire under a grant from the crown showed that the light not only had to be monochromatic but in phase, for maximum transmission distance through a crystal cable. And his work was published fifteen moons ago.”

Twilight closed the journal. “And as his work was financed by the crown, it’s available to all and cannot be patented. Case closed.” She floated the journal back to Spike.

The two dejected unicorns trod down the red carpet and off the dais. Raven leaned over and whispered to Spike, “That was amazing.”

“Naa,” Spike said, “I knew where they keep the Journal of Arcane Arcana in the Archives. It was no biggie to get it back here so fast.”

“I mean, it was amazing that Princess Twilight knew just which issue to ask for.”

“Sometimes she gets lucky,” Spike said and showed Raven the article in question. The dedication read, “Special thanks to T.S. for editing, ideas, and support in the creation of this paper.” Spike smirked. “Twilight corresponded with Bright Spectrum for moons on this stuff before the article was published. She never even told him she was a princess.”

“So she took time out from her duties to help some random researcher in the Crystal Empire?” Raven shook her head in amazement. “In my experience, hard work and consideration like that creates its own luck.”

“High Roller, of High Roller and Associates, in the matter of building permits in Canterlot.”

Twilight leaned down to Raven. “Didn’t Princess Luna already rule on this? Your brief on his submission has her angry notes all over it.”

“High Roller saw things were not going his way and withdrew his petition before Princess Luna could rule. He has enough clout to try again. I believe he is, ‘Princess Shopping’, your Highness,” Raven said.

“Let’s end this shopping spree right here.” Twilight turned and put on her best ‘princess’ smile.

High Roller was a trim, tan, earth pony, with a slicked back charcoal mane. Twilight thought he looked different than the earth ponies she knew in Ponyville. High Roller had symmetrical muscles that had never pulled a plow and perfectly trimmed hooves that had never seen a muddy field.

He bounded up to the first level of the dais and made the briefest of bows. “Princess Twilight, this is your chance to be a true hero. Together, we can alleviate the housing crises that keeps the citizens of Canterlot in small, old, drafty homes rather than big, new, modern apartments.”

High Roller produced an easel, and flung off a covering cloth, to show his proposal in all its glory. It was as if an architect had superimposed the city of Manehattan onto the side of the Canterhorn. The only bits of the current city that were visible were the tallest towers of Canterlot Castle, peeking out from between massed skyscrapers of glass and steel.

There was an audible gasp from the crowd in the Throne Room, most of whom lived in Canterlot.

Ignoring the crowd, and encouraged by Princess Twilight’s smile, High Roller went on. “There would have to be selected demolitions of existing drafty old buildings. But under eminent domain, the crown could seize those properties, and turn them over to High Roller and Associates for development. Any ponies that have a problem making the payments on a new apartment will be able to move to nearby villages and take the train into Canterlot for work. It would only take them an extra hour or so each way.”

Twilight’s smile never faltered. “Sir, I have reviewed your extensive submission, and I understand exactly what it is you’re trying to do. I’m ready to rule and make your life much easier.”

High Roller stepped back and put on his best ‘sales pony’ grin.

Twilight’s face went cold. “Your proposal is permanently rejected and the seneschal is directed that any similar proposals are to be rejected out of hoof before they can waste the time of another Princess.”

“Those drafty old homes you spoke of, including the one I grew up in, are historic landmarks. You will never be allowed to demolish them. The spells that hold Canterlot to the side of the mountain would never support a Manehattan style skyscraper of glass and steel.”

“And sir, I am a Princess of Equestria and have stained glass windows in this castle that commemorate the deeds of me and my friends. I don’t need you to tell me what a hero is.”

High Roller sputtered, “How does that make my life any easier?”

“You won’t have to waste it submitting rubbish like this to the crown,” Twilight said. “You can concentrate on making plans that solve real problems; that take into consideration history, culture, and engineering; that provide benefits for all ponies. Bring plans like that to court, and the crown will review them with genuine interest.” She waved a hoof to show she was done with him. “Next Case!”

The crowd in the Throne Room erupted into cheers. Canterlotians loved their impossible city just as it was.

Nothing else that happened during the rest of Morning Court was quite as exciting. Luna had been right. The job came down to choosing between dismiss, delegate, defer, and decide. Twilight listened carefully to the proposals and problems, consulted Raven when she had questions about policy or practice or asked Spike for a reference work when she needed to be sure of something. Soon, all the scheduled petitioners had their rulings and Twilight started to help the ‘walk-ups’. Luna was right about them as well; there were a seemingly infinite number of demands on the time of a princess in modern Equestria.

Finally, the clock hand swept toward the top of the final hour of Morning Court. As the testimony in the last case was being presented, Raven tapped her pocket watch and Twilight nodded. When her ruling was complete she motioned to the Seneschal.

“Hear ye, hear ye, the Royal Court of Equestria now stands adjourned.”

Chapter 12 - Sunset

When Twilight, Spike, and Raven were back in the sitting room behind the Throne Room, and the door was closed, Twilight let out a long breath. She felt like she’d been holding it for the entire length of Morning Court. She stretched her wings all the way out, wiggled her primaries, and then tucked the wings back at her side. She stretched her neck next and would have gone on with the rest of her morning calisthenics if her stomach hadn’t made a loud growl.

“Hungry?” Raven asked.

“Starving!” Twilight answered. “Luna told me the energy requirements of communing with celestial objects would sneak up on me.”

Raven, who had no personal experience communing with celestial bodies, decided that was just something princesses said and went on. “Your friends have all asked for time so you can meet with groups of ponies.” Raven showed Twilight the list.

* Rarity was bringing Fancy Pants and other nobles.

* Applejack was bringing Filthy Rich and other big business ponies.

* Rainbow Dash was bringing Spitfire and other members of the guard and military.

* Pinkie Pie was bringing Gustave le Grand, Donut Joe, Saffron Masala, and other small business ponies.

* Starlight Glimmer was bringing Professor Crystal Clear and other staff from Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.

“That’s a lot of meetings with a lot of ponies,” Twilight said.

“But they have no specific agenda, so we can be flexible about timing,” Raven replied. “If we give each group an hour, and have the first one be a lunch meeting, you can be done by teatime.”

“How about we give them each fifty minutes, and give me ten minutes between meetings to freshen up and get ready for the next one,” Twilight countered.

Raven smiled. “You have an instinct for this, your Highness.”

“At Winter Wrap Up, I’m the All-Team Organizer.” Twilight beamed.

“You say that with obvious pride.”

“Ponyville respects earth pony traditions,” Twilight explained. “We wrap up winter without magic; all hooves and wings, no horns.”

Raven raised an eyebrow. Canterlot, a city mostly populated by unicorns, used a lot of spells to clean up winter in a jiffy. “How does that work out?”

“We’ve wrapped up winter on time, six years running.”

“I never argue with Princesses or All-Team Organizers,” Raven said. She checked her pocket watch. “Take five more minutes here to get ready, then I’ll escort you to the dining room where you’ll have lunch with Rarity and the nobles.”

Twilight’s stomach growled again. “I’m so hungry! I hope I don't embarrass myself at the luncheon.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll employ a trick we use to help Princess Celestia,” Raven said. “I’ll arrange for a buffet table at each meeting. You can graze your way through the afternoon, without having to spend too much time eating at any one meeting.”

“Oh, good.” Twilight was relieved. “Then I won’t faint while trying to lower the sun.”

Raven visualized the sun getting stuck in the sky. “Keep the buffet table stocked, got it, your Highness.”

Spike slipped in the door as Raven left to finish the preparations. “I didn’t see you leave, Spike.”

“I heard your stomach growl, and figured you could use a pick me up.” He tossed Twilight a pair of oat muffins. She caught them in her field. “They’re different from Sugar Cube Corner, or Donut Joe’s,” Spike said. “But the royal pastry chefs are no slouches either.”

Twilight had her mouth full with the first muffin and was trying to act like a princess, so she just nodded in agreement.

“What do you think of Raven?” Spike asked.

Her mouth was full of the second muffin, so Twilight nodded again.

“I like her too,” Spike agreed.

“Can you do me a favor, Spike?” Twilight asked as she wiped the crumbs from her muzzle. “Go up to Princess Celestia’s chambers and check with Fluttershy to see how the princess is doing? I’m worried about her, but I don’t want that to show in front of all the ponies I have to meet.”

“On my way,” Spike said as he rushed out the door.

Moments later, Rarity entered. “There you are, darling. Fancy Pants assembled the nicest array of nobles. And we decided that meeting you was the best way to reassure everypony.”

“You girls all seemed to have had the same idea,” Twilight said. “I’ll be meeting with groups throughout the afternoon.”

“But you're meeting the nobles first, yes?” Rarity asked.

“Of course,” Twilight replied.

“Good. Good,” Rarity said. She produced her brush again and combed Twilight’s mane until it was straight and shiny. Then she swept a few crumbs from Twilight's coat and straightened her crown. “Magnifique,” Rarity exclaimed. “Let’s go meet with the cream of Canterlot nobility.”

Rarity ensured Twilight made an appropriate entrance and Fancy Pants led the nobles in honoring her as befits the Princess of the Day. As Twilight was being introduced to everypony, Spike slipped into the room. Twilight looked over at him. Spike held two claws next to his head and laid it over, miming sleep. Twilight relaxed and engaged with her guests.

However well intentioned Twilight’s schedule was, no battle plan survives contact with the enemy. The challenge was how do you keep the Princess of Friendship from making new friends? The girls had done an outstanding job by bringing in ponies that were accomplished, diverse, and interested in getting to know Princess Twilight in her new role. And she enjoyed getting to know each of them. In meeting after meeting, Twilight would tear herself away from one interesting conversation only to begin another with a new pony she was meeting for the first time.

It dawned on Twilight that she could make decisions in Court that changed pony’s lives. With that realization, discussions with the ponies she met didn’t just feed her omnivorous curiosity; they laid the groundwork for any future rulings. Once, the fate of Equestria had depended on her making the five best friends anypony ever had, so together they could wield the Elements of Harmony. Now, pony’s futures could depend on whom she got to know, and how well she understood their needs and interests.

The meetings did their job in relieving the fears of the attendees. Those who met Twilight as Princess of the Day saw her genuine interest in understanding them and their concerns. She went from being an image of a heroine in a stained glass window to being a real pony who was trying to do her best for Equestria. The influential ponies that met Princess Twilight this day would spread their impressions of her far and wide throughout Canterlot.

In her orgy of friend making, Twilight forgot her intention to graze on the buffets and stretched each meeting till the very last moment. If it weren’t for Spike surreptitiously grabbing snacks and offering them to Twilight as she rushed from room to room she ‘d have keeled over before teatime.

Her final meeting, which Starlight set up with the Provost and staff from Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, was more reunion than “meet and greet”. Professor Crystal Clear and the others had been Twilight's teachers, mentors, and confidants. After she graduated, some were even collaborators in arcane studies.

Starlight was reluctant to engage, but Twilight was a proud teacher showing off her first and thus prized student. Though Starlight was self-taught, she was a prodigy, and once the arcane discussions got technical, she wowed the assembled staff with her power and brilliance.

Because this was the last scheduled meeting of the afternoon, the SGU reunion went on far longer than planned. Offer academics free food and drink, and interesting ponies to talk to, and they won’t leave until you kick them out.

Finally, Raven caught Twilight’s eye and tapped her pocket watch. Twilight nodded. “Thank you, everypony, for your good wishes and for all the amazing work you’re doing at the School for Gifted Unicorns. The future of magic, and magicians, is in good hooves.” The assembled academics glowed at the praise. As she exited the reunion, the warmth of the sun was not the only feeling that lifted Twilight, but also the fires of friendship.

“I’m afraid you missed teatime, your Highness,” Raven said as she led Twilight up the stairs.

“Totally worth it,” Twilight replied. “What’s next?”

Raven led Twilight into the sitting room adjacent to the Grand Balcony. Luna and all her friends except Fluttershy waited inside.

Luna strode forward. “What’s next Twilight Sparkle is the setting of the sun.”

Her friends all talked over each other. “How wondrous.” Awesome.” “Congratulations, sugarcube.” “Yes, indeedily.” “Great job Twilight.”

Twilight was both elated that she’d made it through to sunset and disappointed that her time as Princess of the Day was coming to an end. She was especially sad that Fluttershy and Celestia couldn’t be here at the end.

Luna opened the double doors. She and Twilight stepped onto the Grand Balcony. Twilight’s horn lit, and she gazed out at the sun. She could feel its warmth within her. She mouthed silently, “Thank you for your light and warmth. Thank you for providing the energy for all the ponies and creatures and living things on this world. Thank you for supporting me throughout the day so Celestia could rest. And thank you for being Celestia’s friend and my friend too.” She nodded her head, and the sun dutifully dipped below the horizon. The sky blazed with a purple sunset. “The day gives way to the night,” Twilight said.

Luna’s horn lit, and she took in a great breath. She raised her head dramatically and the full moon rose over the horizon, bathing the world in its silver light. “The night accepts dominion,” Luna replied. She turned to Twilight and gave her a comradely hug. “Congratulations, Twilight Sparkle. Your day is successfully completed.”

Twilight blinked once, then again. A wave of fatigue washed over her. The warmth of the sun still embraced her, but it wasn’t holding her up anymore. Intellectually, Twilight knew this was for the best. She felt like she’d been up forever, and it wasn’t healthy to go without rest for so long. Twilight knew she wouldn’t be awake for much longer, and felt sad that she wouldn’t see Celestia before she went to sleep.

The sound of stomping hooves and adulation exploded out of the sitting room, as all Twilight's friends applauded and whooped. Luna released her embrace and Twilight turned to thank her friends.

All her friends. Rarity and Rainbow. Applejack and Pinkie. Spike, Starlight, and Fluttershy. And standing taller than the rest, white coat shimmering in the silver moonlight, rainbow mane flowing in an unfelt breeze, wearing gleaming golden crown, torc, and boots, and a sporting a magnificent smile that Twilight was absolutely, positively, one hundred percent sure was just for her, stood Celestia, stomping away with the others. Celestia’s eyes were moist and glistened. Twilight hoped they were tears of joy. She knew hers were.

“Thank you,” Twilight said. “Thank you all.” She blinked again, both from fatigue and to see through the tears. “I couldn’t have done this without all of you.”

Celestia stepped forward onto the balcony and laid her neck along Twilight’s in a gentle nuzzle, then enfolded her in wings so large that Twilight practically disappeared. “You were a magnificent Princess of the Day,” she whispered. Twilight melted into the embrace, but was so fatigued that she couldn't form a reply.

Celestia turned to the assembled. “Twilight has not slept for over a day and a half and has borne the weight of the sun and of Equestria itself. It’s time for her to rest. We’ll celebrate when she awakens.” Twilight’s friends quieted down. Even Pinkie put a hoof over her muzzle to keep from calling out. Applejack spoke for them all. “Sleep well, sugarcube. We look forward to getting together after you've had some rest.”

Celestia lit her horn, and a golden glow surrounded her and Twilight. When the glow faded, they were on Celestia’s balcony. She opened the double doors into her chambers, then levitated Twilight and carried her through the sitting room and into the bedroom. Celestia lay Twilight in her own great bed. “You’ll rest here, set aside as it is for the rulers of Equestria.”

Twilight felt her crown and boots be drawn away. As her eyelids drooped, she saw Celestia lay them on the cushions that normally held her own. Silky sheets and soft quilts enveloped her.

“Thank you, for everything,” Twilight whispered. And then sleep took her and all traces of worldly tension fled her face leaving only serenity. The last thing she knew was Celestia leaning over her and placing a chaste kiss on Twilight’s forehead at the base of her horn. Twilight let out a small sigh, but her sleep was not otherwise disturbed.

Chapter 13 - A New Day

The gentle bubbling of the sun’s warmth drew Twilight awake. The room she was in was pitch dark. But from the feel of the warmth within, it must be near sunrise.

Twilight yawned and shifted. The bed she was in was comfortable, incredibly comfortable, even more so than her bed in Ponyville. The temperature was perfect. The firmness of the mattress was ideal. And the sheets were so silky Twilight thought she might slip right out of the bed. She conjured a small light to figure out where she was.

In her light, the bed seemed to go on and on in every direction. It was like being in an ocean of giant quilts with a sea wall of massive pillows. She wiggled her hooves under the bedding, and the resulting bump wasn’t even halfway to the foot of the giant bed.

Twilight looked around the room to orient herself and recognized her surroundings. Now it made sense why the bed was so big, she was in Celestia’s bedroom - in Celestia’s bed.

When that final bit of data soaked through to her conscious mind, Twilight’s eyes widened. Her heart raced, and her throat caught. “No. No. No,” she thought. Instinctively, her horn glowed, and she teleported out of the bed with a magenta flash and an audible “shring”.

“Twilight?” Celestia’s voice came from the sitting room.

“Can’t let her catch me using her bed.” Twilight’s mind raced. “It would be completely inappropriate.” The quilts and pillows were all messed up. Twilight levitated them all and began swirling them around, looking for the right place to put them.

The door opened and Celestia walked in. “Good morning.”

“Ahhh!” Twilight cried. Startled, she flung the quilts and pillows all over the room. Twilight looked sheepishly at Celestia. “Just making the bed that... somepony... had been sleeping in.”

Celestia raised a hoof and suppressed a small laugh. “Twilight, it’s all right. I tucked you in myself after you set the sun last evening.” Celestia levitated the quilts and pillows in her golden magic and made short work of making the bed.

Twilight sighed. “I must have been out of it last night. I didn’t remember where I was when I woke up.”

Celestia stepped closer and put a wing on Twilight’s withers. “You were sleeping in the bed reserved for one of the rulers of Equestria. After yesterday it seemed appropriate.” She levitated Twilight's crown and boots over to her and Twilight put them on.

Celestia directed Twilight into the sitting room. “I wasn’t using it, anyway. I rested so much yesterday, that I shifted my sleep schedule. I stayed up the night and spent most of it talking to Luna. I even sat in on Night Court with her. It was good for ponies to see Luna on the throne and me on the second tier.”

“I’m sorry your schedule got messed up,” Twilight said.

“Don’t worry about it. If I need to, I’ll take a short nap instead of lunch, graze through the afternoon, then turn in early after setting the sun,” Celestia nodded. “That should get my sleep schedule back on track.”

Twilight’s stomach made a growl. Celestia smiled. “Come with me to the rising, and then we can have some breakfast.”

Celestia and Twilight met Luna on the Grand Balcony, and the senior princesses set the moon and raised the sun. Twilight welcomed the sun as well and the warmth that bubbled within her felt joyous.

The princesses’ dining room held another lavish spread. The room was filled with the competing smells of sliced fruit, fresh baked goods of all kinds, hot coffee, and tea. Twilight didn’t hesitate this morning; she filled a platter with her favorites. Communing with celestial bodies really did give one an appetite.

Between courses, Celestia turned to Twilight. “I talked with Luna, Raven, and several other ponies to evaluate your time as Princess of the Day.”

Twilight stopped eating in mid stroke, with her fork upright, the pieces of pancake speared on it still dripping syrup. “And what’s my grade?” She put down the fork and held her breath.

Celestia cocked her head, narrowed her eyes, and peered down at Twilight. She was tight-lipped and looked serious. She held the look for several beats.

Luna poked her sister with a wingtip. “Don’t keep the mare in suspense, Tia.”

Celestia’s smile bloomed. “You did very well, Twilight. Everypony was very impressed.”

Twilight let out her held breath. “Happy to be able to serve.” She picked the fork back up but stopped before taking a bite. ”And don’t scare me like that.”

“My sister became a trickster in my time away,” Luna said. “I think she learned it from that blasted bird of hers.”

“Philomena has a sense of humor,” Celestia retorted. “As do I. It’s not unusual for a pet and their owner to shape each other's behavior.”

“And that immortal Phoenix has had a lot of time to warp your sense of humor, sister,” Luna replied.

Celestia drew herself up to her full height, peered down at her sister, and stuck her tongue out.

“And this is what passes for humor, in the castle that Celestia built.” Luna shook her head.

Twilight wasn’t used to the Royal Sisters acting so much like… sisters. It was like she’d been initiated into a club, and now was seeing a new side of their relationship. Twilight wasn’t quite sure if this changed how she should talk to the sisters, or if it did, how far she could go. “Better to go slow,” she thought.

Celestia refilled her platter and sat back down. “So, Twilight, how did you find being Princess of the Day?”

“Breathtaking, terrifying, mind-boggling, stressful, and amazing.” Twilight sat back from the table. “I had no idea what I was doing most of the time.”

“You seemed most assured when you came to me on the balcony,” Luna said.

“Once Celestia was resting, I knew somepony had to raise the sun,” Twilight said. “I wasn’t sure I could do it but I had to take my best shot.”

“And having decided, you did not waver, and thus were successful.” Luna nodded. “Twas the same when you confronted me as the Nightmare. You were uncertain until you were not. And once you were certain, you were unstoppable.”

“My memory of that encounter is a bit more... involved,” Twilight said.

Luna waved her off with a hoof. “Mere details.”

“Stop sidetracking her, Luna.” Celestia made a circle with her wingtip. “Go on, Twilight.”

“When the sun actually peeked over the horizon, it was breathtaking,” Twilight said. “When Luna told me Equestria was mine till sunset, that was terrifying.”

“Twas the only choice,” Luna said. “Too many remember my conflict with Celestia as the Nightmare. Were I to suddenly appear in her stead, there would be instant distrust and suspicion.” Luna pointed a wingtip at Twilight. “You on the other hoof are known as Celestia’s favorite, as student, heroine, and now princess. When you appeared in her place, there was uncertainty, but no suspicion.”

“And you alleviated the uncertainty by dispatching your fellow Element Bearers to engage with important stakeholders in Canterlot,” Celestia said. “Bravo.”

Twilight blushed. “I’m getting credit for things others did. Starlight and Spike brought my friends to Canterlot. And the girls decided to bring all the ponies to the Castle for me to meet. I just asked them to go meet with influential ponies they knew and spread the word that everything was under control.”

“A good leader takes advantage of opportunities,” Celestia said. “You made your goals clear, and trusted your friends to help you achieve them.” She put down her fork and dabbed her muzzle with a napkin. “I’ve talked to some of the ponies who came to the meetings at the castle. You’ve made quite a few new fans.”

“I talked to a lot of interesting ponies I’d like to get to know better,” Twilight said.

“Knowing you, your list of terms was in order,” Luna said. “You’ve covered breathtaking and terrifying. What’s next?”

“Mind-boggling,” Twilight said. “The security briefing. I never realized the guards tracked so many potential threats each day. But the professionalism of the briefing helped put any worries about threats on the back burner.

“Court and the meetings my friends set up were stressful. I tried to be sure I was making the best decisions in Court and the right impression in those meetings. I wanted everything to be running smoothly when my day was done.”

Twilight leaned toward the sisters. “In the end, it was all amazing. There were so many chances to learn new things, meet new ponies, and help Equestria. Being Princess of the Day was immensely satisfying. I was happy to be able to serve.”

Celestia glanced at Luna, who nodded. “This doesn’t have to be the last time,” Celestia said with a smile. “If you’re willing to serve again, that is.”

Twilight jerked up in surprise.

“Luna and I talked. We think it would be good for Equestria to have another Princess who can and take over royal duties without causing confusion or suspicion.” Celestia’s grin was broad. “Yesterday presented us with an opportunity, and I think we should take advantage of it.”

Twilight’s heart jumped in her chest. She wanted to leap up and cry, “Yes, yes, yes!” But her head intervened. “Moving a little slower can give you an extra moment to think,” Celestia had taught her. So she let her continue.

“I was thinking we could start with once a week,” Celestia said. “You could stay overnight in the castle after our weekly tea, then serve as Princess of the Day starting the next morning. It would be best for the castle staff if you served on a regular basis and everypony could plan for it.”

“And I’m quite looking forward to being able to sleep in.” Celestia winked.

Twilight swallowed hard. “No pressure,” she thought. Out loud she said, “This is a really big decision, isn’t it?”

“Ha! Celestia, I knew she wouldn’t jump at the offer just to please us,” Luna crowed. “Twilight is considering what’s best for her and for Equestria.” Luna locked eyes with Twilight. “Whether you accept or not, you grow into a ruler before our eyes.”

Celestia’s face fell at the rebuke. “Yes, Twilight, it’s a very big decision. I was wrong to make light of it. If you join us, you’ll need to be integrated into the government in ways I’ve shielded you from till now. If you are to take up the responsibility of rulership, we must provide you with the information and power to rule effectively. That means there can be no more secrets among us.”

“No more secrets?” Twilight said, glancing from Celestia to Luna.

Celestia sighed and nodded. “No more secrets.”

Luna glared at her sister. “It seems there may be more revelations than I anticipated.” She turned back to Twilight. “Nonetheless, the power to rule does not come for free. There will be unpleasant truths and trying times. Few easy choices come before us. Those are made at lower levels of our government. And however you rule, those who disagree, in the halls of government or the organs of the press, may think you a royal fool.”

“It seems Raven kept those kinds of choices out of my first Court,” Twilight replied.

“Most experienced petitioners decided to reschedule,” Celestia said. “And even with the rulings you did make, you’ll never know for certain if they were right. We cannot know what happens on the roads not taken.”

“Your decision to join us could even impact our entire system of government,” Luna said. “We have only recently gone from a thousand years of monarchy back to a diarchy. If you decide to rule in Canterlot beside us, does that put us on the path toward a triarchy? And what about Cadance’s rule in the Crystal Empire, or the rise of her daughter? The era of alicorns as rulers may be strengthened by our growing numbers or your decision may be the beginning of the end.”

“OK, so it’s a very big decision.” Twilight leaned back to think. “I haven’t lived history like you two, but I’ve studied it. Equestria has changed more in my lifetime than it did in hundreds of years before that. And if only a fraction of what I’ve seen on the other side of the magic mirror with Sunset Shimmer comes to Equestria, it will change even more. I have to ask myself, do I believe I can help Equestria prosper as it goes through those changes?”

Twilight leaned forward and looked Celestia in the eye. “You told me that one of your sins is arrogance. That you believed you could do better than others. You showed me how you and Luna maneuvered to take power when you thought it was necessary to guide Equestria through a turbulent time.

“Celestia, I have some of that arrogance in me too. Because more than anything, I want ponies to be safe and happy. And I think I have the best chance to help that happen by accepting your offer.”

Twilight stood tall and regal. She drew upon the power of the sun to blaze within her. “Your Royal Majesties, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, I, Princess Twilight Sparkle, accept your offer to take up a regular rotation as Princess of the Day.”

Luna stomped her hooves so hard in applause that the tower shook. Celestia stepped forward and embraced Twilight with both forelegs and wings. Twilight returned the embrace and could feel the sun blazing within them both. “I’m so very proud of you, Twilight,” Celestia said. In a whisper, she added, “and I really am looking forward to sleeping in.”

“I’m looking forward to letting you,” Twilight whispered back.

There were more hugs and hoof-shakes all around. When they were done, Celestia turned to Twilight. “You have some other friends that would like to join in the celebration.”

“That’s right, the girls told me they’d be here when I got up,” Twilight said. “I don’t want to keep them waiting.”

“Don’t worry, we provided them transport to Ponyville last night, and back here this morning,” Luna said. “They only just got to the castle.”

Spike, Starlight, and the other Element Bearers were waiting in the sitting room leading to the Grand Balcony. All bowed in respect when the three princesses entered. Twilight always felt weird when her friends bowed in her direction, but it was appropriate they do so when Celestia and Luna entered the room.

“Thank you for coming,” Celestia said. They all rose. “Twilight, perhaps you could tell them why this is an even more momentous day than anticipated.”

Twilight stepped up to her friends. “With your help, my time as Princess of the Day went well. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna offered me the opportunity to take on those responsibilities one day every week. After careful consideration, I’ve accepted.”

“Does that mean you’ll be raising the sun, holding court, the works, every week?” Spike asked.

Twilight blushed and nodded.

Her friends mobbed her and talked over each other again, just like the night before. “Congratulations, darling!” “We always knew you had it in you.” “That is 20% cooler than doing it the first time.” “This calls for an even bigger party!”

Pinkie pulled invitations from her mane and gave them to Twilight, Celestia, and Luna. “Twilight’s ‘Princess of the Day’ party is this evening in Ponyville. The whole town is going to be there!”

“Thank you Pinkie, we will check our schedules to see if we can make it,” Celestia said.

“I told Raven about the party. She said both your schedules are free,” Pinkie replied.

Celestia and Luna looked at each other. “I could have sworn I had a full docket this evening,” Luna said.

“I wouldn’t suggest looking too closely at how Pinkie throws a party,” Twilight said. “It never goes well.”

“I’d like to get some pictures to commemorate this occasion,” Celestia said. She tapped the door, and a very plain tan pegasus with a camera around her neck stepped in. Her mark was a very faint image of a camera. “This is the castle photographer, Discrete Snap”. The pegasus gave a slight bow of her head to all assembled then brought up her camera.

Everypony gathered around Twilight, with Spike at her feet, her friends in the front row, and Celestia and Luna behind. Fluttershy and Starlight were initially reluctant to join. But Rarity made sure Fluttershy showed her good side. And Twilight put a wing over Starlight’s withers and pulled her into the group.

After the formal pictures were over, the group broke up into separate conversations. They mostly talked about Twilight’s new responsibilities and duties. After a few minutes, Starlight Glimmer approached Twilight. “There’s something odd about the photographer.”

“Is the photographer still here?” Twilight asked. Starlight pointed a hoof. Sure enough, there was the pegasus, snapping a picture of Luna, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack talking.

“That’s the thing when I look away, I almost forget she’s here,” Starlight said. “But every time she takes a picture, I feel a little burst of magic.”

Now that Starlight mentioned it, Twilight felt the burst as well.

Celestia took a break from another conversation to talk to Twilight and Starlight. “Discrete’s special talent is being unobtrusive. As photography became more common, I decided there should be a visual chronicle of events that happen at the castle. The burst of magic is the camera focusing on the subject.

“Discrete is a trusted member of the castle staff and has permission to go anywhere and photograph anything that isn’t private or classified. It’s likely you’ve been photographed several times without your realizing it. But only photos that have been cleared by the press office are ever distributed.

“Selected pictures from yesterday have already been released by the castle press office covering your first time serving as Princess of the Day. Today’s photographs, and likely some others from yesterday, will be released with the announcement of your new responsibilities.”

It dawned on Twilight that this new part of her life was going to be much more public than her old life. Although she was a princess, Twilight spent almost all her time in Ponyville where everypony knew everypony else. In town, Pinkie Pie intercepted newcomers before anything clandestine could go on. Outside reporters found themselves overwhelmed by the town’s general craziness or spun around by Pinkie Pie. Often as not they ended up leaving on the next train without bothering Twilight or the other Element Bearers.

Even though she and her friends had saved Equestria many times they had different thresholds for publicity. Those that wanted it agreed to earn any notoriety on their own. So, Rarity gained fame for the quality of her dresses and Rainbow for her flying with the Wonderbolts. But neither they nor the other girls sought out recognition as Element Bearers.

But what happened in Canterlot Castle was the business of the nation. Ponies had a right to know what was being done there that might impact their lives. Twilight was going to have to get used to ponies knowing more about her life.

After the photographs, the group moved to one of the castle dining rooms where they had a celebratory breakfast. After Twilight had talked with all her friends she cycled back to where Celestia was sitting.

“Twilight, I had a thought,” Celestia said. “Your first day was somewhat of an improvisation…”

“If you call improvisation hoping against hope that nopony noticed I didn’t know what I was doing.”

“You know more than you give yourself credit for,” Celestia continued. “But one can always learn more. I have a suggestion. Come to the castle a day early and shadow me. Sit in court and in every meeting. Take note of the processes. Ask any questions that come to mind.”

Twilight imagined spending the entire day with Celestia. The thought brought a warm glow in her barrel and a smile to her face. “That sounds amazing! I’m sure I’d learn a lot.”

“I’d like to get your opinions about the goings on as well,” Celestia said. “These initial experiences are precious. You’ll be seeing many parts of the process of ruling Equestria for the first time. You may spot issues or potential improvements that I miss because I’ve done things the same way for so long.”

“Like a royal advisor,” Twilight said.

“Not as an advisor,” Celestia said. “Everypony will know the next time they see you, you may be the one making the decisions. It’s important that we do nothing to undermine that.

“If you see anything time critical please bring it up immediately,” Celestia continued. “However, if you have a question or issue that you think might cause a problem, and it is not time critical, please hold it until you and I are alone.”

“I would never contradict you in public…”

“That’s not what I meant,” Celestia said. “It’s not my intention to censor you. For the good of Equestria it’s important you establish your own voice. I expect your opinions to differ from Luna’s or mine. Your experiences are different from ours. I am suggesting that if your differences are potentially… controversial… and if time allows, that we talk about them in private first so you have all points of view before going public.”

Controversial. She could have controversial opinions. And by voicing them she could cause controversy. Nation-wide controversy, even international controversy! The instinct to hyperventilate was strong. “Is this job too big for you?” her inner voice taunted her. Twilight took a deep breath and let it out. She looked at Celestia and saw support in her eyes. “With Celestia on my side? Never,” she thought. Aloud she said, “You have my word.”

Chapter 15 - No Secrets

By the end of teatime, Twilight’s notes were enough to fill a small book and her head was swimming. She’d learned a lot she could apply immediately to better discharge her responsibilities as Princess of the Day.

Luna had returned from her trip to the Crystal Empire. Celestia and Twilight met her on the Grand Balcony and they cycled day to night. With Celestia’s time as Princess of the Day at an end, Raven asked for and received permission to end her day as well.

Twilight stepped over to Spike. “Thank you for all your help today.”

Spike looked very small. “I messed up, I forgot to remind you…”

Twilight raised a hoof to interrupt him. “We both forgot. I spoke about it with Celestia and everything’s OK. Don’t worry about it for now. You and I can talk later.”

“I was going to go see Minuette and Moon Dancer for dinner but I can stay here if you need me,” Spike said.

“I think visiting them is a great idea. Say hi for me,” Twilight responded. “We’ll connect when you get back.”

Luna joined Celestia and Twilight for dinner. After a fine meal, Celestia shifted uncomfortably and cleared her throat. “Twilight, could you please allow Luna and I a chance to speak privately.”

Before Twilight could respond, Luna stepped up. “Sister, you said if we were to rule together we would have no secrets between us. I would like Twilight to stay.”

Twilight looked at both Royal sisters. “Decisions, decisions,” she thought. Aloud she said, “I’d like to do what I can to support you both.”

Celestia slumped, then looked at her fellow princesses. “All right. Let’s all go to my chambers so we can talk comfortably.”

When they arrived, Celestia addressed the guards stationed outside. “We will be engaged in confidential discussions and do not wish to be disturbed except in case of emergency.” The guards nodded their understanding. Once inside, Celestia reinforced the privacy wards and sparked the fireplace. All three princesses removed their regalia and settled on cushions before the fire.

“Luna, there are many reasons why things happen. Over the millennium while you were…” Celestia hesitated.

“Banished to the moon,” Luna interjected.

“Away,” Celestia continued, “I had to plan for your eventual return and... reintegration into Equestria. I took a number of steps, which in retrospect, may be seen as diverging from some facts as they existed on the ground a millennium ago. Also, I may not have been fully…” She hesitated again.

“Truthful?” Luna suggested.

“Forthright,” Celestia said, “in all of our discussions of the past since your return.”

Luna looked hard at her sister. “Celestia, let’s get directly to it. You did something long ago that you haven’t told me about and you want to tell me about it now. Proceed.”

Celestia huffed. “You’re not making this any easier.”

“I disagree,” Luna replied. “I find it’s best to rip a bandage off at once rather than suffer as it’s pulled off an inch at a time.”

“All at once?” Celestia said. “Then please, let me finish before interrupting.”

“Keep it short enough and I won’t have to,” Luna said.

Celestia drew in a great breath and blew it out. She looked to Twilight and saw support in her eyes. Then she locked eyes with Luna and told her story.

“Our confrontation a millennium ago didn’t take five minutes, it took five years. We were not the only ones who fought, the entire nation engaged in a civil war. Many normal ponies paid the price.

“The war was not over ponies abandoning your night, but over a political crisis between us. You didn’t spontaneously become Nightmare Moon out of jealousy. You sought Sombra’s dark power out of frustration at being unable to defeat me. Your use of that power destroyed our home and twisted the living things of the Everfree Forest into the monstrosities they are today.

“I crafted the story you know and beamed it to the moon for centuries to mold your understanding of events. That way, when you returned you’d focus your anger on me and not reignite the civil war.

“I manipulated history to remove you and the war from pony memory. I spread legends that matched my story so Equestria would more readily accept you ruling beside me when you came back.

“And even though you’ve been back and free from taint for many years, and rule beside me as an equal, I’ve told you none of this until now.”

Celestia finished her story, sat back on her haunches, and looked away to break eye contact with Luna. There was a long silence broken only by the crackling of the fire in the hearth.

Finally, Luna spoke. “From your tone, you hold much guilt over your actions and your manipulations.”

“I did for a very long time.” Celestia looked at Twilight. “But recently, a princess of Equestria heard my tale and delivered judgment on my actions against her and the ponies of Equestria. Many parts of my heart are lighter now.” She looked back at Luna. “But one part of her judgment was for me to tell you the truth and for us to reconcile.”

“And live again,” Twilight whispered.

Luna looked at her sister, and then over to Twilight and bobbed her head in respect, “And thus, she takes another step on the road to rulership. Thank you, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight bobbed her head in return. “You’re welcome, Luna.”

Luna rose and strode over to her sister. Where Celestia’s movements were the epitome of grace, Luna’s were determined, powerful. She attacked each step, crushed it utterly, and went on to the next.

When she got to Celestia, Luna settled and draped a wing over her sister’s back. Celestia had made herself low on the cushion and Luna looked like the larger of the two.

“You’re laboring under a misconception,” Luna said. “You did convince the Nightmare of your story. But you never convinced me. I spent 1,000 years on the moon remembering every horrible moment of the Equestrian Civil War.

“For the first century, I was furious with you and blamed you for the war. Then for a century I took a broader view and decided we had both made mistakes. Sometime in the third century I decided the war had been entirely my fault. I spent a century after that wallowing in guilt, first for all the ponies lost, and then for forgetting about them for the previous centuries when I was fixated on you.

“I recognized what you were doing and had to shield my thoughts about the war so I didn’t remind the Nightmare of what had actually occurred. To keep her from peering too closely at my memories I blocked my power and made myself small and non-threatening. That’s why I was so frail when freed by the Elements of Harmony.

“In my final centuries on the moon, I focused my thoughts on convincing the Nightmare that the obeisance of the masses was her due. That the loss of even one pony would mean there was one less to show her the deference she deserved. I wanted to give her reasons for keeping our ponies alive rather than unleashing her frustrations upon them.”

“Thank you, Luna,” Twilight said. “You probably saved me, my friends, and many citizens of Ponyville from the Nightmare’s wrath.”

“You’re very welcome,” Luna replied. “But reigning in a beast of my own creation is not an act that deserves any thanks.”

Luna turned back to Celestia. “When I returned, I never brought up those horrible days because they were painful for me as well. And when you invited me to rule beside you I thought that we’d put those times behind us.” Luna’s eyes were wet with tears. “But if we need to reconcile, then let me speak plainly. I forgive you for your actions against me then and take full responsibility for all that happened between us and to our ponies.”

Celestia gazed up with love at her sister. Through her own tears, she said, “I cannot accept that. We both made mistakes, horrible mistakes, and must share responsibility. I forgive you for all that happened between us and to Equestria.”

The sisters reached out and embraced each other with wings and all four legs. Flowing moonlight and rainbow manes intermixed and flowed in harmony. Celestia’s embrace was enveloping. Luna’s was savage, unstoppable. A steel beam set between them would have been crushed to foil in the ferocious clinch.

Twilight sat in silence and let her own tears flow freely. Her grin was so wide it threatened to dislocate her jaw.

Husky breathing and the crackling in the hearth were the only sounds until the fire made a particularly loud pop. Celestia and Luna squeezed each other one last time and then settled adjacent on a broad cushion. Luna’s wing remained over her sister’s back. They both looked at the fire and then over to Twilight.

“Would you like me to go now?” Twilight asked.

“No Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said. “My sister and I are reconciled as you ruled we do. You’ve judged my sister on her actions a thousand years ago and it has lightened her heart. Can you do the same for me?”

Twilight thought long and hard. “I can’t,” she said. “Memory is subjective and I saw Celestia’s memories, not yours. You spent a thousand years banished to the moon, which seems like enough penance for anypony. But I’m not sure if it’s sufficient for an immortal alicorn.” Twilight edged over and put her wingtip atop Luna’s. “I’ll tell you what I told Celestia. Any debt from Celestia’s actions against ponies-in-general was paid back with her years as a good ruler.”

Luna nodded. “A just decision.” She stood. “And based on it I determine for myself that my debt to pony-kind is still unpaid.”

Twilight had a wild notion. Tonight revelations had occurred. Forgiveness exchanged. Decisions made. Now was a time for healing. Perhaps it was time to lighten the mood and help the sisters act like sisters.

“Continue being a good ruler then,” Twilight said. Her eyes twinkled with mischief. “It worked for sun-butt.”

Luna’s eyes widened.

Celestia caught the twinkle in Twilight’s eye. “You’re one to talk, star-butt.”

Luna held up a hoof. “Nay, is not the moral of our story that princesses must never fight?”

“Speak for yourself, moon-butt,” Celestia said, grinning widely.

Luna caught the sparkle in Celestia’s eye, scooped a wingtip under a pillow, and flicked it expertly at her. With fluid grace, Celestia leaned away just enough that the pillow missed her by a fraction of a hoof width. It flew on to hit Twilight solidly in the muzzle.

“It’s like that, is it?” Twilight said, and levitated the pillow to retaliate.

“No horns!” Luna cried, and dove to get more ammunition.

While Luna focused on finding more things to throw, Celestia flicked a pillow with her own massive wing tip and hit Luna right in her mark.

Luna rose, a pillow in each wing. “Huzzah! The fun has been doubled,” she cried and flung one at each princess.

Soon the air was full of laughing princesses, flying pillows, and loose pillow feathers. Celestia used her grace to dodge most shots that flew her way. Luna used her uncanny speed and agility to avoid getting hit. Twilight flapped with all her might to avoid the airborne chaos. Even though the royal sisters aimed three-quarters of their shots at each other, Twilight was pretty sure she got hit more than the two of them combined.

When all the pillows had been reduced to empty cloth bags, and Twilight was spitting out feathers, Celestia and Luna jointly decided the game was at an end. All three alicorns landed. Their eyes sparkled and their faces were alight. Twilight was breathing hard.

“Can we put my sitting room back together?” Celestia asked. Everypony nodded and lit their horns. The room was suffused with golden, magenta, and midnight blue magic. Feathers retraced their steps in reverse and refilled pillows. Buttons jumped back into place and stitches resewed. Moments later, the sitting room was pristine.

Celestia opened the door to the hall and looked about. She smiled even wider. “Pardon me, gentlecolts, is that trolley for us?” The guards nodded. “Thank whoever ordered it,” Celestia said. “Don’t bother to bring it in, I’ve got it.” She brought in the trolley and closed the door.

“What has our thoughtful staff provided?” Luna examined the trolley. “Snacks!” she whooped.

The trolley was loaded with cool water from the Canterhorn springs, carafes of fragrant coffee, the essentials for making tea, and a platter of tasty treats. Luna happily snagged a moon pie, Celestia, a slice of cake, and Twilight was delighted to find her favorite style of donut. They all levitated a drink and a snack and dug in. It seemed that pillow fights with alicorns made one almost as hungry as communing with celestial bodies.

After two passes at the snack trolley and a cup of black coffee, Luna said, “Thanks to you both for an illuminating and invigorating evening. I’m off to take up the rest of my duties for the night. I will see you upon the morrow.” Luna flung open the door and strode out, trailed by her steaming mug bedecked with the words “World’s Best Princess”.

After the door closed, Celestia turned to Twilight. “We’ve both had something of a workout. May I offer you a bath to clean up? I seem to remember I owe you a grooming.”

Twilight’s eyes went wide as if she’d never imagined such a thing. In reality she’d imagined it many times, often just before falling asleep. She nodded her head and tried, unsuccessfully, to take the offer in stride.

Celestia lit her horn and opened the gates to direct the waterfalls into the bathroom’s huge walk-in-tub. The bath was soon filled and the air was thick with steam. Celestia and Twilight walked down the tub’s stairs into the warm water. With each step, the difference in height between them became more pronounced. When the water was up to Celestia's knees, it was up to Twilight’s barrel. When it was up to Celestia’s barrel, it was up to Twilight’s neck.

They each found benches of appropriate height built into the tub and got comfortable. Celestia dropped a variety of salts, oils, and soaps into the bath. It was soon fragrant and sudsy. She levitated a collection of brushes and washcloths and began cleaning Twilight all over.

The feeling was… electric. Every time she focused on the feeling of one brush’s caress, the feeling of another would interrupt her reverie. Twilight couldn’t figure out where to focus her attention until she felt a single long stroke that started just below the back of her horn, trailed down her neck, across her back, and finished at the base of her tail. She leaned into it and Celestia repeated the stroke again and again.

When Twilight looked, she saw this stroke was made by the only brush Celestia was wielding by hoof and not in her magic. Some rational part of Twilight's brain tried to convince her one wasn’t any better than the other. In fact, being brushed by hoof was limited to the arc of Celestia’s leg, not the reach of her magic. The facing of the brush changed as it swept through the arc; it couldn’t spin to match the curve of her body. But none of that mattered. This brush was physically connected to Celestia, and that made its strokes the ones Twilight treasured the most.

As each part of Twilight’s body was scrubbed and fluffed, Celestia withdrew the brushes until only the brush on her hoof remained in action. Any dirt had long ago been cleaned away, but Celestia seemed content to continue the strokes as long as Twilight was enjoying it. All tension fled from Twilight’s body. She felt as boneless as Celestia looked when she moved.

After a timeless interval, Celestia whispered, “Twilight, are you ready to rinse off?”

“Hermphed?” Twilight mumbled.

“Come Twilight, you should sleep in your bed tonight to be ready for your big day tomorrow.”

She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. “Of course, thank you,” Twilight exhaled. “That felt even better than I’d imagined.”

“I’m glad I could help you relax.” Celestia smiled. The tub was already drained. With her magic, Celestia directed the warm waterfalls over Twilight’s body and rinsed all the soap off her. She turned off the water and rubbed Twilight gently over every inch of her body with warm fluffy towels. Finally, Celestia levitated a robe from the closet and wrapped Twilight in it.

The two alicorns stepped out of the bath and walked into the sitting room. Twilight didn’t remember Celestia toweling off, but she was completely dry.

Celestia leaned down and rubbed Twilight’s neck in a warm nuzzle. “Have I told you how much nicer things are around here since you started coming back?” Celestia said.

“I’m glad,” was all Twilight could say. She felt loose, warm, and drowsy.

“Let’s take the shortcut to your tower,” Celestia said. She led Twilight out to her balcony and lit her horn. They disappeared in a golden flash and reappeared at the door to the Scholar's Tower. Celestia nuzzled her one more time. “Have a wonderful day tomorrow.” Then Celestia stepped back and disappeared in the same golden glow she’d appeared in.

Twilight let out a long sigh. She loved the Scholar’s Tower. But at this moment she really wished she were still back in somepony else’s chambers. She walked to the bedroom and found Spike was already asleep. She took off the robe, slipped between the smooth sheets, and laid her head down. That night her dreams were particularly vivid.

Chapter 16 - In The Big Chair

The next morning before dawn, Twilight and Spike were up and ready to go. Spike was still concerned about missing court preparation the previous day. “Raven says an assistant’s job is to make sure the princess never gets the chance to make a simple mistake.”

“That must mean a princess’s job is to make complicated ones,” Twilight snarked. Spike didn’t find it funny. “Spike, Princess Celestia said that yesterday served its purpose. You and I could make mistakes without there being large consequences. And having made them, we’ll both be doubly careful from now on. Between you and I do you ever see us going into court unprepared again?”

“I know I’ll remind you every time.” Spike shook his head. “I never imagined I’d have to prompt you to study for something.”

“I never thought so either,” Twilight replied. “The rhythms of this place are completely different than Ponyville. We’ll have to keep each other on our hooves - or claws, in your case.”

“We can do it,” Spike said. He checked his pocket watch and schedule book. Seeing there was some time before sunrise, he flipped to his copy of Raven’s monthly calendar.

“Did you know they grade the sunrises and sunsets around here?” He held up the calendar so Twilight could see it. “Raven notes days with particularly spectacular risings or settings.” In the boxes for certain days there was a doodle of Celestia’s solar mark in the upper right or lower right corner. “The day staff treat them like grades. If there’s a nice rising, they figure Princess Celestia is in a good mood. If there’s a nice setting, the staff figure they did a good job for the day.” Spike smirked. “Raven said some of the experienced political ponies even reschedule their court appointments when the sunrise is too ordinary. They don’t want to present to Princess Celestia if she might not be in a good mood.”

In the box of the day after the symphony, the twin doodles in the right corners were of Twilight’s star mark.

“I’m honored Raven thought my rising and setting were notable,” Twilight said. She saw her star mark in the upper left corner of the boxes for other days as well. She pointed to one with a wingtip. “What’re my other marks for?”

“Those are the days when you came for tea,” Spike said. He flipped back to the previous month, and the ones before that. “Notice a pattern?”

“I always come on the same day of the week, if that’s what you mean,” Twilight replied.

“Look for your mark and for Princess Celestia’s,” Spike prompted.

In the months before Twilight had started coming for tea, Celestia’s mark for a spectacular rising or setting was only noted occasionally. More recently, Celestia’s mark was visible for sunrise and sunset almost every time Twilight’s mark indicated a visit. In some cases, Celestia's mark was also displayed for several days after Twilight’s teatime.

“It looks like somepony is happy to see you,” Spike teased. “Raven told me politically savvy types are fighting for slots to present in court on the days you come for tea. They all want to catch Princess Celestia when they think she’ll be in a good mood.”

Twilight stared at the calendar page. “I’m not sure what to think about that…”

Spike was serious again. “No big deal. Princess Celestia is happy when you visit. That’s a good thing.” He checked his pocket watch then put it away. “Ready to go?” Twilight nodded and they moved out into the day.

Twilight and Spike met Luna and Raven on the Grand Balcony. Celestia was sleeping in. Luna set the moon. “The night gives way to the day,” Luna intoned. Twilight raised the sun. “The day accepts dominion,” Twilight replied. She was aware that Discrete was shadowing her and taking photographs.

At breakfast, Luna debriefed her on the events of the evening. There was still an increased incidence of bad dreams in the Crystal Empire. “And I permanently ejected three ponies from Evening Court for being ‘aggressively stupid’. Raven has their names in her book,” Luna said.

All Twilight’s duties seemed more specific and detailed this time. Perhaps she was more aware of the complexity of everything after taking notes on Celestia’s day.

In the security briefing, the Guard focused on their progress, or lack thereof, in the search for the Changeling ex-queen Chrysalis. Twilight suggested they talk with Starlight Glimmer. “Starlight was among the last ponies to see Chrysalis when she was escaping. She has a good relationship with King Thorax and has visited the badlands hive multiple times.” The Guard made notes on Twilight’s comments and said they would follow up and report back.

Before Morning Court, Spike specifically reminded Twilight about the preparation. He obtained the briefing papers from Raven and suggested Twilight prepare earlier than before so she would have time to assimilate the information and ask any questions before they entered the Throne Room. Twilight agreed and finished reading the materials a full half hour before court was scheduled to start.

In Morning Court, several important ponies came to publically wish her well, including Fancy Pants and Zuberi, the Zebrician Ambassador.

The biggest case on the docket was the question of whether the crown should support the Equestrian National Railroad in burying magical telegraph wires next to all the tracks. This would connect all the cities in Equestria with instantaneous communications and make the railroad much more efficient. The project would take several years and be expensive enough that it would preclude the ENR from other major expansion projects.

After reviewing the proposal, Twilight asked if the ENR could look into how much extra it would cost to bury a second empty conduit next to the one that would carry the telegraph wires. “Very soon crystal cable may be able to carry a lot more information than the telegraph can. When it’s perfected, the cable could be run through the second conduit.” She also asked if the railroad had thought of talking to the Diamond Dogs about helping run the buried cables. “They are the most amazing diggers and could speed up the project. Rarity in Ponyville could introduce you to Rover, a leader in a Diamond Dog pack.” The representatives of the railroad said they would investigate and return with an update on both questions.

Several other cases on the docket were similarly technical. Twilight asked Raven about it.

“Most ponies with foreign and domestic policy questions are steering away from your court until they see what kinds of decisions you make,” Raven said. “But ponies with technical or arcane questions have been requesting slots because of your background. And there are always ponies who will take whatever time with a princess they can get.”

That afternoon, Twilight had several ‘getting to know the new Princess of the Day’ meetings with different agencies within the government. She’d already met with the Guard about security in the morning. Now she met with ministers from the Foreign Office, Treasury, Judiciary, Civil Affairs (which included ponies dedicated to Education, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, and Health). The last ponies she met were with the Press Office. She and Spike prepared beforehand for every meeting. Twilight remembered to eat throughout the day to keep her strength up. Even so, by the end of the afternoon, she was feeling overwhelmed.

Once the meetings were concluded and they were alone, Raven asked, “Your Highness, may I speak freely?”

“Of course,” Twilight said.

“You’re in a challenging situation,” Raven said. “So are the ministers of the agencies. Princess Celestia knows more about security than the Guard, more about money than the Treasury, more about law than the Judiciary, and more about diplomacy than the Foreign Office. Before court, Princess Celestia almost never looks at the briefing materials beyond the one-page list of topics I show her. She’s been dealing with these issues so long, that she doesn’t need them.

“Let me tell you what I and the successful ministers learned long ago. Don't try to be her, be yourself. No one gets to this level of the government without being special in some way. But only Princess Celestia is exceptional in so many. Discover what makes you unique and how you can contribute. Then do your best.”

“Thank you for the advice.” Twilight pondered long and hard about what Raven said.

“Would you like to take teatime in the garden?” Raven asked. Eager for a chance to take a break, Twilight agreed. But, the garden was empty when she got there. It was odd walking over to the tea trolley under the willow tree without Celestia waiting for her. Even so, it was nice to take a breather and get a chance to think.

A moment after she sat down, Twilight heard the door to the garden open. She recognized the majestic clop of golden boots on cobblestone paths. Celestia stepped around a bush and walked toward the willow tree.

“Would you mind if I join you?” Celestia asked.

“That would be wonderful,” Twilight replied. As the hostess, she prepared the tea by hoof and poured for both of them. “How was your day?”

“Marvelous,” Celestia said. “I slept in and got up at my leisure. I shared brunch with an old friend, Professor Crystal Clear, Provost of the SGU. In the afternoon, I went to the rooftop gardens atop the Solar Tower and finished a novel I’ve been reading in dribs and drabs for almost a month. After that, I took Philomena for a flight around the Canterhorn. All in all, it has been a most agreeable day. Next week I’m going to plan a day trip. I’m not sure where yet.”

“I’m so glad,” Twilight said. “My day went well. No new crises. But the more I find out, the more it seems I have to learn.”

“You’ll keep learning so long as you take your turn in the big chair.”

“Is that what you call the throne?” Twilight smirked.

“Actually some of the castle staff call it that.”

“I like it,” Twilight said. She took a whiff of the steam from her tea before taking a sip. “Raven gave me some advice. It makes sense, but I’m not sure what to do with it. She said to not try to be you, but to be myself.”

Celestia looked with interest, but let Twilight continue.

“But I’ve been through so many changes, I’m not sure I know me.” Twilight ruffled her feathers then tapped her crown with a golden boot. “These things mark me as different, but what’s special about me underneath? I know, that sounds like fishing for compliments. I don’t want it to.” Twilight blushed. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“I disagree. It’s useful to acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses, and let them inform your choices,” Celestia said. “Start with your strengths. What tasks as Princess of the Day have taken advantage of things you’re good at?”

“I did raise the sun, but I’m sure I didn’t do it like you do…”

“Don’t minimize the importance of you raising the sun,” Celestia said. “It is world changing. Before Luna and I came, covens of the strongest unicorns committed their lives to the task. It bled them of their life force. They were used up one by one. Because we are alicorns, Luna and I have been able to carry that burden, but it both defines and limits us. We lost one alicorn when Luna was banished. Had the world lost both of us, the unicorns would have to go back to sacrificing the strongest among them to keep up the cycle of day and night. The fact we now have three alicorns who can maintain the cycle makes every living thing in the world safer.”

Celestia leaned forward and touched her wingtip to Twilight’s. Her eyes were moist. “I’m very proud of you for stepping forward to share this burden with me and Luna.”

Twilight swallowed hard. “Being Princess of the Day keeps getting bigger,” she thought. “Is it too big?” her inner voice asked. Twilight closed her eyes. “No,” she thought. “It’s not too big. I do it for myself. I do it for Celestia. I do it for everypony.” Twilight opened her eyes. There was steel in them. “However I can help,” she said aloud.

“You always ask for more,” Celestia said proudly and stroked her wingtip atop Twilight’s. “What other tasks took advantage of your strengths?”

“When the Royal Engineers wanted permission to build in Appleloosa, they hadn’t talked to the Buffalo. When the railroads wanted to bury cables, they hadn’t considered working with the Diamond Dogs,” Twilight said. “Sometimes Equestria is too insular. The pony herd can be wary of outsiders. I know I still have a lot to learn about other races. I remember how I messed up with the Yaks. But everyone, not just everypony, could do much better if we would all find ways to work together.”

“Sometimes, as a single alicorn, it seemed all I could do was keep the tribes of ponies together. Perhaps with the Princess of Friendship ruling beside Luna and I, Equestria can be more inclusive.” Celestia smiled. “What else?”

“I’ve only held court twice, but both times there were decision where magic might change pony’s lives,” Twilight said. “That’s too small a sample to be statistically significant, but I see those questions all around me.” She gestured with a hoof. “This castle is more than a millennium old and was constructed of stone reinforced with magic. I live in a village founded about a century ago, where most of the houses still have thatched roofs. And in Manehattan, ponies live in new glass and steel skyscrapers erected with the aid of magic.”

“High Roller’s plan for Canterlot was absurd,” Twilight said. “But he’s right that change is happening all around us. As I told you and Luna when I accepted this responsibility, I believe I can help Equestria prosper as it goes through those changes.”

“You are a pony whose special talent is magic and who bears the Element of Magic. You want to help make sure that the changes wrought by magic are for the good of all.” Celestia smiled. “That seems very appropriate.” She leaned forward and placed a hoof atop Twilight’s. “Let me tell you some things I see.

“For all that my sister works to orient herself to this time, Luna is a mare of the past. Her formative experiences mostly occurred a thousand years ago. This is not to diminish Luna. She reminds us there were many inspiring and glorious things in the past and we would be poorer if they were lost.

“I’m a mare of the eternal present. My choices helped mold this time. I have seen changes, for better and for worse. I prefer them be thoughtful and measured.” Celestia hesitated. “There may come a time, or may already have come a time when change must happen at a speed that will give me pause.

“Twilight, you’re a mare of the future. You’re young, accepting of change, and knowledgeable about the forces that will mold our world.

“You say everyone could do better if we all found ways to work together. I agree. And Equestria will be better ruled, when you, Luna, and I find the best ways to work together.”

Twilight sat and thought about Celestia’s speech. Her ideas were expansive. The demands they implied were great. But her touch was comforting. Twilight felt she could speak freely. “I appreciate your confidence. But that’s a lot to consider after just two days on the job.”

“I’ve known you since the day you entered my school and became my student,” Celestia said. “I’ve seen you in every kind of crises. I’ve watched you shoulder great burdens and triumph over adversity.” She smiled. “I’ve been looking forward to the day when you would join us for a very long time.”

Twilight felt the tug of the sun as it descended toward the horizon. She looked up at Celestia and said, “I’m due on the balcony with Luna in a few minutes.”

“That’s a meeting you shouldn’t be late too,” Celestia said. “May I join you two?”

“Of course.” They intertwined wingtips for a moment, then rose and proceeded to the Grand Balcony. They picked up Raven and Spike, a pair of guards, and the photographer along the way.

Luna and Twilight stepped onto the Grand Balcony. Twilight’s horn lit, and she set the sun. The sky was bathed in a purple sunset. “The day gives way to the night,” Twilight said. Luna’s horn lit, and she dramatically raised the full moon. “The night accepts dominion,” Luna replied. “And with that, your day is done.” Spike and Raven applauded. Luna gave her a comradely hug.

When they broke apart, Celestia stepped up. “Thank you, Twilight. I’m very proud of you.” She embraced Twilight with forelegs and wings and enveloped her in a cocoon of white. Twilight reciprocated, nuzzling Celestia’s neck. They held the hug for a long time.

Because she had slept well the night before and snacked throughout the afternoon, Twilight was not exhausted like after her first turn as Princess of the Day. Celestia had planned a celebratory dinner for herself, Twilight, Spike, Raven, and Luna. After the delicious dinner, Luna offered Twilight and Spike the use of her flying chariot to get back to Ponyville. Before Twilight could refuse Spike jumped in and said, “Thanks, Princess Luna. We’d appreciate that.” He whispered sotto voce, “Twilight is still working on her night flying.”

A pair of bat-winged Night Guards drew the Lunar Chariot. Even though they were enthusiastic fliers, Twilight fell asleep on the way home.

By the time the chariot got to Ponyville, Pinkie Pie had rescheduled her celebration for the next afternoon. And she’d taken down the Princess Awesome and Grand Dragon Vizar banners so the party would remain a surprise.

Chapter 17 - A Day In The Life Of An Egghead Princess

“Alright Spike, are you sure you have everything you need?” Twilight asked.

Spike adjusted his backpack. “”I’ve checked off everything on Cheerilee’s list, twice.”

“We could go over it again, to be sure?”

“Twilight, I’ll be fine,” Spike whined. “We’re just going camping in the Whitetail Woods.”

“You’re helping Cheerilee chaperone her school foals on a camping trip for three full days,” Twilight lectured. “That’s a lot more responsibility than just going camping.”

Spike looked crestfallen. “Don’t you think I can do it?”

Twilight stepped forward and wrapped a wing around him. “Spike, you stand next to the Throne of Equestria and support the rulers of the country. You can do anything you put your mind to.” She gave him a gentle squeeze. “And I know we’ve both learned the value of preparation.”

“I am prepared,” Spike said. “I’ve read every book in the library on camping and checked every list they had on what to bring. Applejack lectured me about how I’m supposed to watch out for her sister. She’s in Appleloosa this week and can’t go on the trip.”

Twilight squeezed him one more time then released her hug.

“What about you?” Spike asked. “Are you going to be OK in the castle all alone for a few days? Starlight and Trixie won’t be back from visiting King Thorax until next week. The Changeling Hive is all the way in the Badlands and it’s a long trip there and back.”

“I’ll be fine, Spike,” Twilight assured him. “I’ve got all the reports Raven collected for me on the different departments of the Equestrian government. I’ll keep plenty busy.”

“Enjoy your ‘Princess Lessons’,” Spike said. He cinched up the straps on his backpack. “I made you some full meals and left them in the chiller. Don’t go to the Hay Burger every time you’re hungry.”

“I haven’t been to the Hay Burger since… well, yesterday for lunch.” Twilight looked sheepish. “But that’s where Pinkie asked me to meet her. She told me all about the potluck party she’s throwing tonight for the chefs she met in Canterlot. She’s hoping to organize a lot more parties there. This is the first of a week full of meetings for her in the city.” Twilight recovered and put on her best court face. “So that trip was totally not my fault.”

“Of course not.” Spike smirked.

“Aren’t Cheerilee and the school foals waiting for you?” Twilight smirked back.

Spike glanced at the pocket watch that he now carried with him everywhere. “You’re right. I gotta run!” He leaned in and hugged Twilight one more time. “See you in three days.”

“Have a good time, Spike,” Twilight said. She opened the castle’s twin front doors. Spike fast waddled down the street towards the Ponyville School House. She watched him until he turned a corner and disappeared from view. “He’s growing up so fast,” she thought, then closed the doors and turned back into the empty castle.

Twilight worked her way along the echoing castle halls, through the grand multi-story library, and into her office. Which to be fair was actually an extension of the library. Twilight loved being surrounded by books. It was like sitting inside a great warm mental hug. Her brain dredged up wild notions and crazy fears on a regular basis. The walls of books were Twilight’s fortress of rationality. They were almost as good as Cadance’s breathing technique for making her calmer.

She cleared three Daring Do novels off her great oaken desk and levitated them into the To Be Shelved bin near the door. Rainbow Dash had returned the books to her yesterday, before leaving on a two week duty rotation as a Wonderbolt.

Settling behind the desk in her favorite big chair, Twilight reviewed her checklist for the day. It was time for some ‘Princess Lessons’ as Spike called them. She thought the term appropriate. Twilight hadn’t studied this hard since she was writing her graduate thesis in arcane studies. Government documents now made up the bulk of her reading. And ‘shop talk’ about being a ruling princess now dominated her discussions with Celestia during teatime and at dinner.

Raven had provided Twilight a pile of briefing books from various government departments. Each ‘book’ was actually a collection of real books, thick reports, rolled up scrolls, folded maps, and other documents.

Twilight decided to attack the pile in the same order she’d met the ponies from the departments during her day of ‘meet and greets’. She theorized Raven had scheduled the briefings in order of how critical their information was. That’s what Twilight herself would have done. Also, preserving the order was a technique that helped her keep the relationships clear between the issues she was reviewing and the ponies she’d met.

She started with the briefing books by the Guard. The Royal Guard briefs covered the security situation with neighboring countries. The Night Guard ones detailed possible threats from monsters, powerful individuals, and groups smaller than countries. Twilight wasn’t surprised that Starlight Glimmer and Discord each merited their own report. Saving Equestria from the Changelings hadn’t been enough to erase the Guard’s memories of their past deeds.

She laid out all the material in order across her desk. The speed-reading spell was made more complicated by the variety of media, but it was a problem Twilight had dealt with before. She untied the ribbons on the scrolls and unfolded and smoothed the maps, so she could access them all quickly once the spell was underway.

Twilight wiggled her rump and fluffed her wings to get comfortable in her chair. She took a deep breath and dropped into ‘study mode’. Her horn lit, her face settled into a contented smile, and her eyes went white. The room flickered with arcane magenta energies as Twilight streamed the pages of information past her eyes and into her consciousness.

When the last document had settled back on the desk, Twilight let out a large sigh. It was a lot to take in all at once. Long experience had shown Twilight that it was most effective to interleave speed-reading sessions with more mundane tasks. The material she’d ‘read’ was an unsorted mass swirling around in her brain; it would take her unconscious a while to catalog and make sense of it all. Scheduling other tasks during that time was the most efficient way to get things done.

Twilight consulted her daily checklist to confirm her next task then got up from her desk. She left the office and the library to reduce the temptation to jump into more studying.

Up in her bedroom, Twilight made sure her crown and boots were on their accustomed cushions in the storage cabinet. Storing her regalia in the same location each time made them easier to summon.

She used a polishing spell to make sure the crown and boots were clean and bright, ready to use the next time she had to wear them. She checked the date on the small note she’d left herself in the cabinet. It was time to take the boots to Meticulous Hammer, the Royal Farrier, for their regular adjustment. Twilight was continuing to grow at a rate of about a hoof in height each year. She made a note on her weekly checklist to make an appointment with the farrier the next time she was in Canterlot.

After closing the cabinet, Twilight spotted a sheaf of parchment that had been left atop it. These were designs Rarity had created for a new torc to match her crown and boots. They were sketched in Rarity’s signature fashion art style and annotated with her bold horn writing. “Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadance all wear a torc as part of their regalia,” she remembered Rarity saying. “And as you’re ruling now too, you should have one as well.”

She’d to admit the designs were attractive; everything Rarity created was attractive. But Twilight wasn’t sure if she wanted to add to her regalia yet. She was still getting used to wearing the boots. “Perhaps I should go over to the Carousel Boutique and talk to Rarity about her designs,” she thought. Then Twilight remembered Rarity was visiting her stores in Canterlot and Manehattan. She wouldn't be back in Ponyville until the end of the week. Twilight made another note on her weekly checklist to follow up with Rarity when they both were back in town.

Thinking of Rarity reminded Twilight of formal dresses and events. “The Grand Galloping Gala is coming up in a few months. I wonder if I’ll have to receive guests like Celestia and Luna because of my new status?” She added a note to her weekly checklist to ask Celestia about the Gala.

Twilight finished making sure everything in her bedroom was spotless and in its correct place. The routine tasks gave her unconscious a chance to make sense out of the material she’d read from the Guard. The information no longer buzzed in her thoughts. If she brought them to mind Twilight could remember the details of the briefs and follow the arguments they contained.

She went back to her office and laid out the briefing book sent to her by the Foreign Office. It summarized issues with Equestria’s neighbors, both internal and external. With the twin advantages of immortal princesses that controlled celestial bodies, and being the first nation to begin their Industrial Revolution, Equestria was first among equals internationally. But Pax Equestria created its own challenges. Other country’s crises could also become Equestrian problems.

After speed-reading the Foreign Office briefs, Twilight could tell they had a different intellectual ‘flavor’ from the Guard ones. The Guard briefs were written in a ruthlessly straightforward style that resonated with Twilight’s scientific training. It didn’t surprise her that the Royal Corp of Engineers was affiliated with the Guard. The Foreign Office briefs on the other hoof were written in an indirect, flowery style, that maximized words and minimized actual content. “Even after I’ve gotten all these briefs straight in my head,” she thought, “it will take some serious semantic analysis before I know what they mean.”

Continuing her plan to alternate study with other tasks, Twilight went looking for the next thing on her checklist: lunch. Her first instinct was to go to the Hay Burger, which made her think of her meeting with Pinkie Pie, which reminded her of a joke Pinkie had told. “A griffon, a mule, and a pony walk into a bakery…” Pinkie said the chefs thought it was funny. “I wonder if that’s because the chefs were a griffon, a mule, and a pony? And that they know Pinkie works in a bakery?” The impact of context on humor was often a mystery to Twilight. “Celestia might find the joke funny,” she thought but quashed the idea. She didn’t know what kind of jokes Celestia found funny. Twilight decided she shouldn’t be eating at the Hay Burger anyway. “Let’s see what Spike left me,” she thought.

In the common room on the way to the kitchen, Twilight found a map Starlight Glimmer had brought in before she left for the Badlands. Twilight glanced at the map and then looked away. Even the brief glimpse made her eyes cross.

A few days prior, Fluttershy had announced that Discord was taking her on a tour of the Realms of Chaos. While Fluttershy had absolute trust in Discord and didn’t seem worried, Twilight thought the whole thing sounded questionable. She tasked Starlight with a Friendship Lesson to confirm the trip would be safe. Starlight and Discord were on pretty good terms after working together to save Equestria from the Changelings. As the task involved both friendship and magic Twilight knew Starlight would be motivated to complete it.

Starlight returned to Twilight with a map of the Chaos Realms provided by Discord. He’d reassured Starlight that the tour would be more like an amusement park ride than anything frightening or dangerous. Twilight trusted Fluttershy, mostly trusted Starlight, and sort of trusted Discord, so she put any worries about the tour on her mental ‘back burner’. Looking at the map made her dizzy. Twilight rolled it up and put it away in the protected section of the library where other magical documents were stored.

Spike had left her favorite meal for lunch, daisy sandwiches on fresh whole wheat bread. After lunch, she continued studying and getting chores done all afternoon. By the time she felt the sun beginning its descent, Twilight had plowed through all the briefings sent by the rest of the departments.

The briefing book by the Treasury outlined money issues. And everything the government did was a money issue. The total inflow and expenditure of bits by the Equestrian government were eye opening. Luckily, Twilight’s training in magic and science had made her comfortable with extremely large numbers.

The briefing book by the Judiciary reviewed issues with Equestria’s laws. As Celestia had ruled by decree for over a thousand years, the laws were riddled with exceptions and special cases. As arcana-tech advances drove Equestria’s Industrial Revolution the judicial system was straining to keep up with new challenges.

Civil Affairs had provided five briefing books, one each on Education, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, and Health. Each was as complex as anything provided by the other departments.

After her extended bout of speed-reading, Twilight found it hard to focus. But she felt proud that she’d completed all the tasks on her daily checklist. As Celestia set the sun, Twilight thanked it for its service and felt the sun flare within her in reply. She thought of this as the sun’s way of saying, “You’re welcome”.

It had been a very productive day.

Chapter 18 - Loneliness

While bundling up the government papers so they could be returned to Raven, Twilight felt hollow inside. With the sun down, and her checklist for the day completed, it was time to find something to put in her stomach.

After magically speed reading and studying government documents all day, Twilight was tired. She found it hard to concentrate. Unfortunately, most of her favorite activities took more focus than she had right now. The thought of doing any more reading, even recreationally, was not appealing. And she knew from experience that attempting intricate magic without focus was… not an experience she wanted to repeat.

As the sun set Twilight cast her thanks within. Magical lamps throughout the castle lit automatically. They threw cool light across cobalt walls and sapphire pillars. Shadows pooled in corners where the magical illumination didn’t reach. Twilight plodded down the plum colored crystal floors. Her clops echoed in the empty halls. She hadn’t noticed while she was busy, but being in a giant castle by herself, with nothing to do and no one around made her feel especially… isolated.

“Some magic might fix this,” she thought. With a goal in mind, Twilight strode with purpose down the stairs. She entered the basement workroom where she and Starlight trained and experimented. “Starlight Glimmer’s attitudes must be rubbing off on me,” she thought. Twilight loved magic, but Starlight seemed to think it was the solution to every problem.

Inside the workroom was one of Twilight and Starlight’s most recent projects. Some years before, Twilight had created a spell that allowed her to record sights and sounds and play them back on a screen like a film. The spell didn’t require a bulky film camera. And as Twilight always had her horn with her, it was very convenient.

The spell had several limitations. It took the caster’s full concentration; they couldn’t participate in the activities they were recording. Because the recording was in the caster’s head, Twilight hadn’t yet found a way to duplicate it. And, projecting the recording took as much concentration as creating it did.

Because of the all these limitations Twilight didn’t use the spell very often. But she did teach it to her student. Starlight had the idea of embedding the spell into an arcana-tech device. That way the device could be switched on to record and later set to project, all without requiring the caster to maintain concentration. It wasn’t clear to Twilight why the resulting device was any better than a film camera and a projector. But it was a fun project so they worked on it together.

Starlight had debuted the device during Pinkie’s ‘Princess Awesome and Grand Dragon Visar’ party. Her friends all thought being recorded would be a ‘hoot’, so Starlight turned on the device when the party began. After a short time, everypony forgot it was there. The party had been a great success; almost all Pinkie’s parties were. Starlight had left for the Badlands before they got to review the recording.

“The sights and sounds of my friends are sure to make me feel better,” Twilight thought. The device was a box with dials that glowed and a horn-shaped crystal protruding from one end. The crystal horn was used to both record what was in front of it, and project the results on a screen. Twilight used her magic to pull the screen from the closet and then set it up against the wall. She aimed the device at the screen then triggered it with a spell.

“Is this thing on?” Pinkie’s voice thundered in the room. Her head filled the screen at an unnatural angle. She’d been examining the crystal horn when Starlight had triggered the recording.

“Yes, Pinkie, it’s on,” Starlight replied. “Step back. You’re blocking the recording.”

“Okie, dokie, lokie,” Pinkie replied. The rubber necked pony straightened her head and bounced away to make sure the punch bowl was full.

The screen was packed with all Twilight’s friends. The din of the party filled the workroom. Like many magical sounds, it had no clear source. It was equally clear everywhere.

The sight and sound of her friends brought a lump to Twilight's throat and a warm feeling inside. The fire of friendship was a tangible thing in Equestria. Twilight had felt it powerfully with these mares when they wielded the Elements of Harmony. Seeing and hearing a recording of them brought those feelings back. She smiled and tried to pick out what they were all saying.

“You looked so dapper up on the dais, Spikey Wikey.” “Glad you could bring some Ponyville common sense to those mixed up Canterlot ponies.” “Have they told you the secret location where they keep all the artifacts that Daring Do recovers?” “Are there any cupcakes with gem dust on them?” “Let’s have some music!”

Pinkie got out the wind-up phonograph and put on a record. Jazzy music played. “I love this song,” Twilight thought. She began tapping a hoof to the beat.

All her friends filled the dance floor. Starlight took Spike’s claw in her hoof and led him in a simple two-step. Fluttershy glanced left and right. When she was sure nopony was looking she closed her eyes and lost herself to the music. Fluttershy didn’t follow any formal steps but danced with natural languid grace. Rainbow showed off her modern dance moves. She exhibited the timing and dexterity of a seasoned athlete. Applejack broke into the complex choreography of a one-pony line dance. Rarity moved with effortless elegance born of long practice. She would’ve been at home on the dance floor of any Canterlot cotillion. And Pinkie bounced to the music, sporting her huge trademark grin. Pinkie Pie’s energy and hypnotic rhythm often enchanted the entire town into following her in impromptu dance numbers.

Twilight was completely caught up in watching her friends move to the beat. Her muzzle bounced in time with the tap of her hoof. Her own smile was almost as wide as Pinkie’s.

Then her friends parted and Twilight froze. She stared hard at the horror before her. She wanted to look away but couldn’t. It was like being in a nightmare where two trains smashed into each other, and she couldn't do anything to stop it. In this case, the crash had already happened many days ago.

Twilight watched herself dance.

Calling it dancing was… inaccurate. It was more like a prolonged seizure that happened to occur while music played. Not one of her spasmodic movements came close to synchronizing with the music. Twilight’s eyes were closed as she thrashed about. Her flailing limbs would have hurt somepony, except that her friends had retreated a safe distance away.

“How long have I looked so ridiculous when I dance?” Twilight said aloud.

“Since you first came to Ponyville,” her inner voice answered.

“I’ve been making a fool of myself for as long as I’ve known these mares,” she thought, “and none of them ever said a thing.”

“Haven’t they?” her inner voice challenged. And thinking back on it, her inner voice was right. Twilight remembered suspect looks and subtle questions. Even Fluttershy had tried to bring it up one time. But Twilight loved the sensation of dancing. She’d convinced herself she must have been doing it correctly.

And nopony had pushed her on it. All her friends had foibles. Everypony gave them a pass to preserve their friendships. Fluttershy was unreasonably fearful. Rainbow was unsure behind her bluster. Applejack would flee rather than disappoint somepony. Rarity was overly dramatic. Pinkie was vulnerable to depression. Twilight knew she could be obsessive or blow things out of proportion. “And now I can add being a horrible dancer to my list of quirks,” she thought.

Twilight turned off the device. The sound stopped and the screen went blank. She thought about erasing the recording but decided against it. Her friends might like to see what happened at the party. “And it’s not like they haven’t seen me dance dozens of times before,” she thought.

It was only after she’d put everything back in its place that Twilight realized her face was wet. Her eyes had been streaming tears for many minutes. She cleaned her face on a towel by the washbasin, put it in the hamper, left the workroom, and locked it behind her.

Trudging up the stairs from the basement workroom Twilight’s thoughts were conflicted. She wanted to connect with somepony. But with all her close friends out of town she felt… abandoned. The impression was more intense because she couldn’t distract herself with favorite activities. Twilight knew the feeling was unfair to her friends. But it was there is the pit of her stomach anyway. And Twilight was so mortified by what she’d seen, she had reservations about going out into Ponyville to socialize.

Twilight lived in a town full of ponies she called friends. But they were more like acquaintances. In her current mood, there wasn’t anypony she’d feel comfortable dropping in on. Twilight fluttered her wings. The princess thing made imposing on others especially awkward. She didn’t want to abuse her position.

The warmth of the sun burbled in her barrel and got her attention. It hadn’t retreated after Twilight had thanked the sun during the setting.

“You’re right,” she thought inward. “Not all my friends are away. You’re my friend too.” The warmth expanded within Twilight until she could feel it from her core to the tips of her horn and wings. “I didn’t mean to leave you out. I appreciate you being here, really I do. It’s just… we can’t have a conversation, or play a game, or share our hopes for the future.” She stood still for a moment, eyes closed, contemplating the warmth within. Twilight hoped it would drive the melancholy away. But tonight, that was not to be. She opened her eyes and continued her random walk through the castle.

In her wanderings, Twilight came across the tea trolley she used in the morning. “At least it’s something to do,” she thought. Twilight took the trolley out onto the balcony like she did every morning. She sparked the firebox and then dimmed her horn. The rest of the ritual was best done by hoof.

A few minutes later, Twilight sat on a chase on the balcony, nursing a cup of tea. She wondered how such a matchless night had engendered in her such a dark mood.

The night was undeniably beautiful. There were a few scattered clouds high in the sky. Luna’s breathtaking full moon and almost all her glittering starscape were on display. The air was cool but pleasant. The scents of growing things and tilled earth, mixed with hints of wood smoke, wafted in on a mild breeze.

Under normal circumstances, Twilight would welcome the solitude as a chance to catch up on her magical studies. But after speed-reading all day, her brain was mush.

Twilight focused at a point far in the distance, where the lights of the city of Canterlot glittered even brighter than the stars. The Canterhorn jutted up into the night sky cutting the starscape like a jagged knife.

She’d been in Canterlot a few days before. And the week before that, and the one before that. Serving as Princess of the Day once every week was never boring. But it was surprising how quickly it became part of Twilight’s routine.

She remembered Spike’s Princess of the Day checklist: Make sure her crown and boots were polished. Prepare a checklist for Starlight. Find Spike. Fly the two of them to Canterlot. Teatime, and later dinner, with Celestia and sometimes Luna. Sleep. Wake. Raise the sun. Breakfast, often with Luna. Security briefing with the Guard. Prepare for court. Attend Morning Court. Lunch, sometimes with more meeting prep. Afternoon meetings. Teatime, often with Celestia. Lower the sun. Take a chariot home with Spike. Put her crown and boots away. Collapse.

Being Princess of the Day once a week was a staggering amount of work. Twilight didn’t know how Celestia did it every day for over a millennium.

But it was also amazingly satisfying. She was learning an astonishing amount about how Equestria really worked. Things like what challenges the nation faced and who the ponies (and a surprising number of non-ponies) were who actually made important decisions. And now she had a voice in those deliberations. Her rulings helped shape Equestria. She didn’t know how much good she’d done yet. As Celestia had said, often she might never know. But it felt good to be using her status as a Princess to try and help as many ponies as she could.

She stared at the lights of Canterlot, perched on the dark silhouette of the Canterhorn. She reached up a hoof and covered the mountain. Now all she could see was the city. The tallest towers were easy to pick out. And in one of those towers, the brightest one, was Celestia. Probably. Her chambers were there at least.

Twilight wondered why thoughts of Celestia shifted her mood from loneliness to disappointment.

The most recent changes in her life started when she told Spike, “I miss my old relationship with Princess Celestia.” With his help, she’d rebuilt that relationship. Spike wasn’t wrong to call her studying and time with Celestia, ‘Princess Lessons’. When she was in Ponyville, Twilight read government reports so she could be a more effective ruler. While in Canterlot, she held court and meetings and made decisions. When she was with Celestia, they ‘talked shop’ and Twilight learned to be a better princess at the hooves of the most experienced ruler in the world. It was like her time as ‘most faithful student’ all over again.

And with that realization, Twilight’s disappointment deepened.

Twilight wasn’t oblivious to her feelings. Rainbow often called her an ‘egghead’. Twilight knew she lived inside her thoughts too much. But her feelings about Celestia were important. And how they manifested over time was data. “I should analyze them to understand where this disappointment is coming from,” Twilight thought.

Analysis worked best when it was comprehensive, so Twilight started from the beginning. Before coming to Ponyville, she was Celestia’s ‘most faithful student’. Twilight lived to learn all she could about magic and to exceed Celestia’s expectations. According to Celestia, she’d succeeded at both things. In retrospect, they were simple goals. But achieving them had given Twilight much satisfaction.

After moving to Ponyville those goals remained. But they were overlaid with the goals of helping her friends. And after they’d all defeated Nightmare Moon, Twilight also adopted the goals of protecting ponies and doing good. This was all much more complicated than just pleasing Celestia. Twilight didn’t always succeed. But when things worked out the camaraderie was immensely gratifying.

At first, becoming a princess didn’t change her goals very much. She acted more like a unicorn with wings rather than an alicorn princess. She still lived in the library, still dealt with her friends and their adventures. The princess part of her life was often limited to wearing her crown at the occasional official ceremony.

If she was honest, her relationship with Celestia was less intense during this time. She’d completed her graduate program so Celestia was no longer guiding her studies. All the girls were sending Friendship Reports so Twilight no longer had to write Celestia every week. She still wanted to please Celestia, it just wasn’t the only thing she wanted to do in her life.

Things started to change after she moved into the castle. Celestia gave her more responsibilities. She organized the Grand Equestria Pony Summit and hosted Prince Rutherford and the Yak delegation. Twilight noted that she’d stumbled more than once with these new tasks. But with the help of her friends, she’d completed them. Hopefully, she’d met, if not exceed, Celestia’s expectations. Celestia had mostly left her on her own during these tasks. Twilight felt more like she was pleasing a supervisor rather than learning from a mentor.

Finally, Twilight had reached out to start meeting Celestia for tea. And her relationship had gotten much better. Celestia was back to acting as her mentor, teaching Twilight how to be the best princess she could be. And she loved it. She loved aiding Celestia and helping Equestria.

But, in a flash of insight, Twilight realized it wasn’t enough. She’d been... incomplete... when she told Spike, “I miss my old relationship with Princess Celestia.” The statement was true. But her old relationship wasn’t enough now. Her standards for friendship had grown during her years in Ponyville. She knew her friend’s goals, their fears, and their quirks. What made them smile and made them snark. She knew the kind of jokes that made them laugh.

Twilight remembered telling herself this morning that she didn’t know what kind of jokes made Celestia laugh. After all they had been through following the symphony, the two had retreated from opening up to each other. They had gone back to being mentor and mentee instead of becoming closer.

She looked up at the lights of Canterlot Castle again and identified Celestia’s Solar Tower. Twilight realized she was lonely, but she was also discouraged. Both because Celestia hadn’t continued to open up and because she hadn’t taken advantage of the opportunity to get closer.

The warmth of the sun reacted to her melancholy. It grew within her from a gentle background to the blaze of a warm hearth. The hug from within was a comfort, but it could not overcome the deep longing in Twilight’s heart.

Her eyes were moist as she sat staring at the far away tower. Twilight wanted more than anything to reach out, to connect with Celestia, to build on what they’d been through, to make their relationship what it could and should be.

The blaze inside her peaked like a flare. For a moment, the balcony of the castle in Ponyville was as bright as the noonday sun. When it faded. Twilight was gone.

Chapter 19 - A Difficult Conversation

The world went white, then faded into view. The horizons were dark, while above was a sky full of stars and below a city of lights. The warmth of the sun still blazed hot inside her, and the tips of her horn, wings, and hooves all tingled.

Gravity asserted itself and Twilight felt like she was falling.

Because she was falling! Twilight gulped and flapped her wings to recover control. She hovered and glanced around to orient herself. She was in the air, high over Canterlot.

“But I can’t teleport this far!” Twilight thought. She felt the sun flare within her in reply. It felt like the sun saying, “You’re welcome”.

The warmth pulsed in her right front hoof. Twilight instinctively looked down in that direction. Canterlot Castle was below her and Celestia’s Solar Tower was directly in view.

Golden magic enveloped the doors to the Solar Balcony and flung them open. Celestia rushed through, her eyes looking up and riveted on Twilight. A moment later, Celestia was enclosed in a golden bubble and then disappeared. The bubble appeared in the air before Twilight, and Celestia emerged. “Twilight, are you alright?” she called.

Twilight spoke from the heart before her head could intervene. She blurted out, “I want more from our relationship!” Mortified, she put her hooves over her muzzle, but the words had already escaped.

Twilight’s ears swiveled and she heard the snap of wing beats, fast and getting louder by the moment. The hairs on the back of her neck rose. She looked up to see a quartet of fanged, bat-winged, Night Guard pegasi, diving toward her from above.

Before she could speak, Celestia called out, “There is no emergency!” The quartet split into pairs and diverted to either side of the princesses. The wind from their passing buffeted Twilight. They looped back up and established an aerial perimeter. “There has been great magic worked here. Maintain discretion at a safe distance,” Celestia ordered. The guards all nodded. They retreated and initiated protective patrols around the princesses at a distance. In their dark armor, they disappeared against the night sky.

Celestia's horn lit, and she cast a privacy ward around herself and Twilight. The ward would divide up any speech into tiny fragments and cast it to the far winds. No one would be able to eavesdrop on their conversation. The Night Guard would keep any flyers away. Twilight and Celestia were effectively alone, hovering in the night sky over Canterlot.

Twilight’s heart was still hammering in her chest from the near misses. When she focused back on Celestia, she saw the princess hovering before her. Celestia’s great wings beat majestically; slow strokes were all she needed to maintain her position. Her voluminous rainbow mane and tail billowed behind her, framing her silhouette in a glorious display. From above, the light of the full moon cast her white wings and coat in silver hues. From below, magical illumination from the city sparkled rainbow highlights on her lower surfaces. Hovering in the darkness, Celestia was the most magnificent vision Twilight had ever seen.

And she was naked. Twilight blinked once, then again. Celestia wore no crown, torc, or boots. “You’re naked,” she said.

Celestia started at the non-sequitur. “I had retired for the evening and was reading for pleasure.” She recovered her composure and smiled. “I could summon my regalia if it would make you more comfortable.”

“No, you look fine,” Twilight said. “Wonderful even.”

Rather than allow the conversation to slide off topic, Celestia bore in. “Twilight, you said you want more from our relationship. Can you tell me what’s bothering you?”

Twilight took a deep breath. It would be easy to not say, to divert the conversation, to delay until later. But every good thing in her renewed relationship with Celestia had come from not hesitating. “I don’t know what kind of jokes make you laugh,” Twilight replied sheepishly.

“What made understanding my preferences in humor so important that you appeared in a burst of sun-fire over Canterlot in the middle of the night?”

Having started, Twilight found it easier to continue. “I was having a… difficult night. All my friends were away, and I was alone in the castle. I learned something that made me… sad. And while I was on the balcony looking at Canterlot, I thought of you, and our relationship, and how disappointed I was.”

Celestia’s countenance grew very still. “I thought our relationship had improved since you started coming back to the castle on a regular basis.”

Twilight recognized Celestia’s ‘court face’ for dealing with a petitioner who’d disappointed her. “It is better. Learning to be Princess of the Day from you is amazing. It’s like being your student again.”

“In for a bit, in for a bushel,” Twilight thought. Aloud she said, “But my expectations for what I want in relationships with friends is higher since I moved to Ponyville.”

Celestia’s face softened. “And you don’t know what makes me laugh.”

“And I thought we’d share things like that after what we went through the night of the symphony,” Twilight continued. “But once I started serving as Princess of the Day we stopped talking about who we really are and just focused on... ‘Princess Lessons’. Those are important, but I don’t want them to be the only things between us.”

Celestia sighed and looked down, saddened. “I haven’t been a very good friend to you. I make you come to me, on my schedule. I force you to fly under your own power when I could visit you in the blink of an eye.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Twilight snapped. “And I seem to have teleported to Canterlot from Ponyville, so it might not be relevant anyway.” Twilight shook her head to clear it. “I think you’re stalling.”

“You’ve grown more perceptive,” Celestia looked up and smiled weakly. “I used to be able to divert you from subjects I didn’t want to talk about.”

“Is that what ‘Princess Lessons’ are?” Twilight asked. “A diversion?”

“Partially…” Celestia’s voice trailed off. After a moment, she continued. “Being the teacher again made it easier for us… for me… to continue our relationship.”

“But why?”

“Because I’m scared.” Celestia’s voice was raw. “In all my relationships save with my sister, there is a distance. It may be an illusion but I use that distance as a barrier, to avoid painful subjects.”

Celestia’s weak smile returned. “I’ve been fond of you since our first days together.” Then her countenance grew colder. “But I was a teacher, an alicorn, a ruler, and a controller of celestial bodies. And you, for all your brilliance and later your heroics, were none of those things. So it was easy for me to keep a safe distance between us.

“You’ve been removing those barriers, one by one. You graduated my school with every honor it could bestow. You earned wings to go with your horn. You stepped up to hold court and help rule Equestria. You raised the sun.”

“I couldn’t have done any of those things without you,” Twilight cried. She quieted herself, and then whispered, “Did they displease you?”

“Not a bit,” Celestia said with finality. “I’m immensely proud of you. Never doubt that. I have instructed you, prodded you, even dangled challenges in front of you, for most of your life. It is my great joy to see you achieve more of your infinite potential.”

“If you’ve been pushing me to reach these goals,” Twilight said. “Why is it hard for you when I achieve them?

Celestia’s guilt was clear on her face. “Because the distance between us is collapsing. I’m scared that without barriers, my deficiencies, my pains, will be laid bare. Reasserting my role as a teacher was a way to protect myself.” Celestia recovered for just a moment. “To say I’m of two minds on this subject would be an understatement.”

The admission made Twilight smile weakly. There was still a chance to salvage this situation - to get the two of them on the road to building a better relationship. “In one of her more philosophical moments, Pinkie told me that pain shared is lessened and joy shared is increased. As the embodiment of laughter, she knows about both.”

“Pinkie is surprisingly wise,” Celestia commented.

“She really is.” Twilight smiled. “This is going to work,” she thought. Aloud Twilight said, “So what are we going to do to make this better?”

“What do you mean?” Celestia asked.

“Spike taught me a good way to make progress is to select a concrete next step as soon as you decide you want to change something,” Twilight said. “It doesn’t have to be the perfect thing, it just has to move the process forward.”

“I see why he’s your number one assistant.” Celestia smiled. “For our next teatime and dinner, I will come to Ponyville instead of you coming to Canterlot.”

Twilight frowned. “I don’t see how that addresses the problem.”

Celestia’s smile grew wider. “We will break old habits. The change of venue will remind us, will remind me, not to fall into old ways of interacting.” Twilight nodded. Celestia continued, “But I don’t want any anxiety or unusual preparation for my visit. It should be as if any of your other friends were dropping by. The opportunity will be wasted if either of us falls into our old ways.”

Twilight repressed the urge to shudder. This would be a hard pledge to live up to on her own. “OK, send a message to that effect to Spike and say I agreed to it. That takes the decision out of my hooves.”

“I’ll send it as soon as I get back to the castle,” Celestia said. She crossed necks with Twilight and gave her a light airborne nuzzle. “I’m looking forward to the change of pace.”

Chapter 20 - A Gala for Two

Celestia looked at Twilight with a serious expression, as the two of them hovered over Canterlot at night. “Now, if we’re to be more open with each other, I have a question. When you arrived, you mentioned something had made you sad. May I ask what?”

Twilight fidgeted in the air. Her voice got very small. “I can’t dance.”

“And this made you sad tonight, because?”

“Because I thought I could dance and I love to do it. Tonight I learned I’m an embarrassingly bad dancer.”

Celestia looked pained. “That’s your guilty look,” Twilight said. “I recognize it from our discussions after the symphony.”

Celestia huffed. “Everypony else who grew up in the castle took deportment lessons that included learning to play a musical instrument and how to dance. I took responsibility for your deportment training and… did not include those lessons.”

Twilight was silent for a long time. “Did you think they would distract me from what you wanted me to learn?”

“You were such a perfectionist,” Celestia said. “I thought there was a risk of you putting all your effort into learning to play an instrument rather than learning magic.”

“That was a risk,” Twilight sighed. “Having watched what a pony with a mark for music can do, I might have driven myself crazy trying to keep up with them.” She smiled. “I learned to make music with magic, anyway. But what about dance? Do you not know how to teach that?”

“I’m quite a serviceable dance teacher.” Celestia assumed a proud bearing. “I’ve taught countless fillies and colts how to dance.” She looked wistful. “But, I’m not anywhere near as good as Luna. Nopony can dance like she can.”

“Then why not teach me to dance?” Twilight asked.

“Because I couldn’t take the chance that you’d meet somepony dancing who would distract you from what I needed you to do,” Celestia said flatly.

“A crush.” Twilight’s eyes widened. “You were worried about me getting a crush on somepony and getting distracted from learning enough to save Luna.”

“Dance is an extremely… personal… way of communicating with a partner,” Celestia said. “I didn’t want to risk you having an intense relationship with anypony other than me until your task was complete.”

Twilight paused and thought, “Tonight is a time for taking chances.” Aloud she said, “Would you teach me now?”

Celestia smiled. “You want me to take on the role of teacher?”

Twilight smiled back, “I love to learn from you.” She hovered closer. “And sometimes I want to learn… personal things.”

“There’s no music,” Celestia whispered.

Twilight lit her horn. A rich symphonic waltz rose around them. “Good old number sixteen,” she mumbled. Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Spike was never very good with alliterative or ancient spell names, so he numbered them. Mirabel’s Melodious Melody became number sixteen.”

Celestia nodded in satisfaction. “Very nice, I’ve not heard such depth from Mirabel’s before.”

“Oh, I cheat a bit,” Twilight said. “I cast it four times at once, one each for the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings.” She blushed. “I get a lot of practice. I like to sing in the shower.”

Celestia broke into her ‘only for Twilight’ smile and extended her forelegs. “Come to me then. Lesson one.” Twilight extended her own forelegs and advanced.

Their barrels were vertical, heads and horns high, forelegs extended, hind legs and tails dropped. Celestia put one leg behind Twilight's back and the other on her shoulder. She shifted Twilight until their lower barrels touched, offset to the right.

When Celestia touched her, the warmth of the sun blossomed in Twilight. She felt it pulse along her limbs, in time with the music.

Celestia bade Twilight to match her position. Twilight had to stretch; Celestia was a much larger pony in every way. But in the air, their positions were flexible enough they could each hold the other comfortably.

Twilight worried about their wings interfering when the two were in such close proximity. But the beat of the music and the pulse of the sun helped Twilight and Celestia beat their wings in synchronicity.

“Between our lower barrels, and our forelimbs, we’ve created a triangle. It’s the strongest shape in nature,” Celestia said. “All you have to do is react to my touch and maintain the beat of the music. Don’t resist or try to anticipate. Follow my lead. When you’re more experienced with the dance, we can swap the lead, but we’ll keep it simple for now.

“To begin we’ll sway back and forth every three beats. That will get us used to moving together with the music.

“Do you have any questions?”

Twilight had a million questions. Was Celestia really that warm, or was it just her? Why did it feel so good to be held in such a firm embrace? How come Celestia smelled so good? But Twilight didn’t want to break the spell, so she simply shook her head “no”.

“Count to yourself, 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3.” Celestia led Twilight to sway back and forth to the music, reversing direction every three beats. Initially, Twilight was off, either reacting after the pressure from Celestia’s foreleg, or anticipating and moving too early.

“Just relax and follow my lead,” Celestia said. “Keep your count.”

Twilight took in deep breaths and exhaled. It wasn’t quite her full relaxation routine, but it helped. Celestia’s pressure, along with the pulses of warmth inside her limbs, helped key how she was supposed to move. Soon, her neck and shoulders relaxed and her head began to bob to the beat. The two alicorns were swaying back in forth in time to the rich waltz music that filled the sky around them.

“Good,” Celestia said. “Now we’re going to move. Every three beats we’ll make a half turn. When we’ve done that twice, we’ll have turned all the way around. If you find yourself getting dizzy, pick a spot in the far distance. Turn your head back and forth to keep the point in view.”

“Do you have our count?” Celestia asked. Twilight nodded. “1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3,” she thought.

They swayed one time, a second time, and the third time, they were moving.

It startled Twilight that it was actually easier to spin and move than to sway back and forth. With Celestia’s firm grip, they spun around their common center of gravity. Because they kept spinning the same direction, momentum helped keep them going. The timing of Celestia’s lead was spot on to the beat of the music. The warmth that pulsed within her cued Twilight how to move. She snapped her head around every half turn to keep the Scholar’s Tower in sight so she didn’t get dizzy.

After spinning a dozen times Twilight’s confidence was sky high. Her grin was full and wide. She stopped snapping her head around and looked Celestia in the eye. What she saw startled her so much that she almost lost the beat. Celestia’s ‘only for Twilight’ smile was as big as her own.

Twilight stared at Celestia for a long moment. When their eyes locked, Twilight’s perception expanded, seeming to encompass them both. She felt the warmth of the sun flare within her and also felt a matching flare within Celestia. Twilight was aware her heartbeat was strong and constant, but it felt like the organ pumped many times its normal quantity. Every time Twilight flapped her wings, she felt muscles more powerful than her own, beating wings of a greater span. Her horn felt full to bursting with magic and seemed to extend to at least twice its normal length. And while her own short mane and tail twirled behind her, Twilight also felt the echoes of great flowing masses, rippling of their own accord overlaid atop them.

Ever the scientist, Twilight found experimentation a temptation that was impossible to resist. She needed to find a gesture that would be unmistakable, but that Celestia was unlikely to do on her own. As the alicorns pirouetted together through the night sky Twilight felt her lips were dry. She extended her tongue and licked them.

Almost simultaneously with Twilight’s lick, Celestia’s tongue emerged from between her lips. She quickly pulled it back inside. After centuries of practice, Celestia didn’t break decorum in such ways unless there was a very good reason. Celestia raised an eyebrow in the realization of what had happened. Twilight noted that her own eyebrow rose for a moment before she brought it back to its normal position.

Together, they nodded in understanding. The pair were not puppets. Though they shared sensations each could act as they wished. But the two alicorns were so closely linked through the sun that it felt natural to mirror the other. There was no longer a leader or follower in their dance through the sky, only the pair, spinning as one.

Twilight noted the new sensations she shared, without losing the joint rhythm of the dance. Celestia’s body felt longer than her own, with a steely strength and impeccable balance. She felt the cool night air as it whipped past Celestia’s face, and noted the mirrored feeling of air against her own. The solar mark on Celestia’s flank pulsed along with the sun fire within them both. The joining of mark and power was so complete, it almost brought tears to her eyes.

Instead, the happiness within Twilight overflowed and emerged as joyous laughter. Celestia’s delight mirrored Twilight’s and the night sky rang with her jubilant laughter as well. Paired as one, with the near limitless endurance of earth ponies, the matchless aerial dexterity of pegasi and the continuous accompaniment of music spun from unicorn magic, the two alicorns danced and laughed.

The combination of Twilight’s four music spells, distributed far and wide by Celestia’s privacy ward, meant all Canterlot was serenaded by waltz music punctuated by delighted laughter. Any denizens of the city who ventured outside to see where the music was coming from could look up and easily spot their two Princesses of the Day. They waltzed through the night sky and laughed as if nothing mattered but each other. Through some trick of the Princesses’ alicorn magic, every citizen could follow the dance as if they had the best seats in the house. As the dance went on the streets filled with ponies absorbed by the spectacle.

The first hint of hunger was so subtle that Twilight wasn’t sure if it was hers or Celestia’s. When her stomach growled, Twilight knew. Celestia glanced down in the direction of Twilight’s stomach and smiled. Twilight nodded and smiled back. The current waltz was almost over; by mutual agreement, it would be their last... for now.

As the final waltz reached its crescendo, Celestia released her left foreleg, allowing Twilight to spin out of her grasp. Twilight spun on her own axis, once, twice, three times, before coming to a stop facing Celestia. The music ended, and the princesses each bowed to acknowledge their partner.

The city below exploded in a tidal wave of clopping and stomping. Twilight realized for the first time that she and Celestia had an audience. The streets of Canterlot were filled with ponies looking skyward and applauding. Even from this height Twilight could tell the crowd was smiling and happy for the two of them.

“We should acknowledge their acclaim,” Celestia said.

Twilight watched Celestia and matched her head bobs directed at the crowd below.

In a courtyard behind Restaurant Row, a few blocks from the castle, Twilight spotted a familiar pink pony. She bounced high into the air and waved to them. Laid out in the courtyard was a large banner with a picture of a slice of cake and the word POTLUCK. Covering the front of the banner was a cloth with Celestia’s solar mark. Covering the end of the banner was a similar cloth with Twilight’s purple and white star marks. Twilight's stomach rumbled.

“Pinkie Pie is holding a potluck with the great chefs of Canterlot.” Twilight pointed. “She’s inviting us to join them.”

“They seem to have cake,” Celestia said, hopefully.

“Pinkie met some of the chefs when she entered the National Dessert Competition,” Twilight replied. “Want to go?”

Celestia smiled and summoned her regalia. Her crown, torc, and boots appeared on her in flashes of golden magic.

Twilight smiled as well and summoned her own regalia in flashes of magenta.

“Guards!” Celestia called out. “Princess Twilight and I are going to visit an event organized by Pinkie Pie, the Element of Laughter.” She pointed to the courtyard. “Please have security be distant and discreet.” There was a soft “clang” in the darkness, as the Night Guard saluted to acknowledge their orders.

Twilight and Celestia started a gentle dive toward the courtyard below.

“Where do you think Pinkie Pie got those banners so quickly?” Celestia said.

“You can ask her if you want,” Twilight said. “I gave up trying to figure out how Pinkie does things a long time ago. I even wrote you a Friendship Report about it.”

“The subjects of some of your reports were a bit cryptic.” Celestia lifted her eyes while remembering. “But I recall one about taking things on faith.”

“That’s the one.” Twilight adjusted her crown. “How do I look?”

“Like a princess,” Celestia said. Twilight smiled broadly.

Pinkie was bouncing as high as the second floor when Twilight and Celestia came in low over the courtyard. “Over here, over here!” she called out. When they landed, Pinkie and the other guests bowed low. “Rise, my little ponies,” Celestia said. She and Twilight bobbed their heads to acknowledge the crowd. “And thank you for your warm welcome.”

“Greetings, your princessesness, to the First Annual Canterlot Chef’s & Baker’s Potluck and Party!” Pinkie said.

“I’m afraid we don’t have anything to contribute,” Celestia said.

“That’s OK, I brought extra, in case someone was short,“ Pinkie said. “Not that you’re short. I mean you’re really tall! And that’s not counting your horn, which is so long, it makes you super tall!”

Twilight wasn’t quite sure how her friend talked so long without taking a breath, but she chalked it up to Pinkie being Pinkie. She broke in before the ramble could go on too long. “What did you bring, Pinkie?”

“Behold the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness Two! Where everything good has been doubled!” Pinkie gestured to a giant multi-layer cake covered in yellow and pink icing with red icing flowers.

Celestia exerted a super-equine effort to suppress licking her lips while gazing at the enormous confection. Twilight grinned at her.

“That amazing awesome dance must have made you two hungry!” Pinkie said. “Would you like something?”

“Oh yes, Princess Celestia, please try my chocolate mousse,” said Mulia Mild, a light brown mule with sky blue eyes.

“Or my Exquisite Éclairs, your Majesty,” said Gustave le Grand, a gray griffon, sporting a red neckerchief and an outrageously wide mustache.

“One at a time, please. I’ll be happy to sample each and every one of your offerings.” Celestia let herself get led away to the buffet table.

Pinkie and Twilight were left alone for the moment. Twilight watched Celestia enjoy a large spoonful of chocolate mousse. “She really will be happy trying them all,” Twilight thought.

“It was super cool watching you and Princess Celestia up in the sky,” Pinkie said. “I love to watch you dance.”

Twilight shook her head. Pinkie was the only one of her friends whose dancing was as seemingly random as her own. Yet Pinkie’s enthusiasm and athleticism were hypnotic. While, except for tonight, Twilight's own moves were more like… convulsions.

“Oh Pinkie, thank you for saying so. But normally my dancing is horrible,” Twilight said. “I don’t do it right at all. That’s why Princess Celestia was giving me lessons up there.”

“Nuh-uh,” Pinkie said. “You’ve been doing it right because you’ve been having so much fun when you dance!” Pinkie did a little jig. “You can’t be dancing wrong if you’re having a good time!”

Twilight reached over and gave Pinkie a hug with her wing. “Never change, Pinkie.”

“Okie, dokie, lokie,” Pinkie said with a lopsided grin.

Twilight’s tummy rumbled in response.

“I’ll bet you’re looking for something a bit more substantial than desert,” Pinkie said. Twilight nodded. “Come meet my friends Coriander Cumin and Saffron Masala. They make the best curried oat cake in Canterlot!” Pinkie stopped and thought for a moment. “It might be the only one in Canterlot.” She broke into a wide grin. “Which means it’s the best. Come on!”

They walked over to two light brown unicorns in exotic dress. “Hi Coriander and Saffron, this is my friend Princess Twilight. She’d like to try some of your curried oat cake.”

“It’s a great honor, Princess Twilight,” Coriander said.

“I hope our food is to your satisfaction,” Saffron said.

“Thank you for sharing,” Twilight said. “it smells delicious.” Her mouth watered as she took a bite of oat cake with its savory sauce.

“Hey Saffron, I’ve got a joke for you,” Pinkie said. “A griffon, a mule, and a pony walk into a bakery…”

Chapter 21 - The Storm

Twilight noted that rain falling on her crystal castle sounded different than rain hitting her old home in the library tree.

In the tree, the rain hit the leaves in the crown of the tree first and then dripped down on the rough wood. It created a deep and hollow sound because the wood absorbed the sharper notes. Pockets in the tree would fill with water and falling drops created plopping splashes. The water would build up on the leafy crown and continue dripping long after the rain had stopped.

At the castle, falling water hit the flat smooth crystal. It made a higher pitched crackling sound, the hard crystal amplifying the staccato impacts. Water would build up and splash on the balcony. But over the rest of the castle, the water would sheet off of the inclined surfaces and run to the ground. As soon as the rain ended, the sounds of dripping stopped.

The wind sounded different as well. In the tree, the wind caused rustling leaves, snapping branches, and a groaning trunk. In the castle, the howl of the wind came straight through the hard crystal walls. It was accompanied by the flapping of the great banner with Twilight’s star mark. When the wind was steady it whistled as it blew through the star spire at the top of the castle.

Today’s storm was unusual. It was not a standard thunderstorm, created and molded to order by the Weather Team. This was the edge of a rogue storm blowing in from the Everfree Forest. The Weather Team was working overtime to shield Ponyville and the surrounding farms from the storm’s devastating impact by keeping the core of the chaotic gale over the forest.

“This would be a good day to curl up in front of the hearth with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa,” Twilight thought. She sighed and examined the boxes of reports Raven had sent her. “Later,” she thought. She was alone for the afternoon. Starlight was on her way home from the Badlands, and Spike was helping Rarity. But Twilight’s mood was not melancholy; she found the noise of the rain soothing.

Twilight heard a loud rapping at her front door. “Who would be out in this storm beside the Weather Team?” She teleported to the entry hall and pulled the front door open with her magic.

Applejack stood outside on the steps, a hoof raised to knock again. She was soaked to the skin and breathing hard. “A flash flood in the Everfree toppled Zecora’s tree hut. She’s trapped underneath and the water is rising around her.”

The zebra alchemist was the only local that lived in the Everfree forest. The Weather Team must not have taken the storm’s impact on her home into account. “We need to get help there as fast as we can,” Twilight said.

“I raised the alarm while running through town. But the mud is slowing down everypony on the ground and the storm is playing havoc with the fliers,” Applejack replied.

Twilight grimaced. She didn’t like where this was heading. “We’re going to have to do this the hard way.” She looked up at the solid deck of clouds and the rain pelting the town.

Teleporting into the Everfree was difficult at the best of times. Chaos magic permeated the forest. The rampaging energies of the rogue storm only multiplied the difficulty. Plus, teleportation mistakes could be… messy.

“I’ve got a plan,” Twilight announced. “But I’m going to have to pick you up. Okay?”

“Do what you gotta do, sugarcube,” Applejack replied.

Twilight flapped her wings once to get up half a pony height. She wrapped all four legs around Applejack’s barrel and then flapped hard to gain altitude. If the driving rain and wind made flying alone hard, it made carrying somepony a nightmare. Under good conditions, Twilight could fly all the way to Canterlot carrying a pony and a baby dragon. But today, the gusting wind seemed to steal the lift from her wings. Applejack was all muscle. Soaked, she felt heavier than any pony her size had a right to.

Working her wings for all they were worth, Twilight climbed until she was above the tops of the trees in the Everfree Forest, but still below the bottom of the storm’s cloud deck. “I’ve got to eliminate every variable I can,” she thought. “Applejack says the area around Zecora’s hut is under water, so I can’t teleport to the ground. And with all the chaos from the forest and the storm, there’s too much chance I’ll miss my target to try a precision ‘port. But if I teleport us into the air above the forest, I can miss by a hundred hoofs and still not have to worry about ending up half in and half out of a tree.”

“Ready?” Twilight called to Applejack.

“Go, go, go!” Applejack called back.

Twilight could barely see the edge of the forest through the sheets of rain. She had to estimate were Zecora’s hut was. This was going to take all her experience; Twilight had been teleporting since she was a foal. It would take all her control; Twilight’s special talent was magic after all. She hated to admit it, especially where magic was concerned, but this spell was going to take a pot full of luck to get right.

She charged her horn. A magenta bubble formed around Twilight and Applejack in the rainy sky over Ponyville. With a “shring” sound, they disappeared.

The two traversed the extra-dimensional tunnel Twilight created between Ponyville and the Everfree. During the infinitesimal travel time the chaos magic pulled her and Applejack in all directions. She concentrated on keeping the two of them together. It was better to miss the exit than get separated and have Applejack fall from a great height. Riding the magical rapids, Twilight exerted all her control to keep her legs tightly around Applejack’s barrel.

As the two ponies appeared out of the teleportation, Twilight felt a tingling all over her body. Her teleportation had created a tunnel between the magically overcharged Everfree storm and the normal rainclouds over Ponyville. Nature abhors an energy imbalance and storms have one primary way of restoring equilibrium…

Lightning.

Twilight snapped a magenta bubble shield around her and Applejack, as every cloud in the vicinity unloaded sheets of lighting in their direction. Thank goodness for how hard Starlight had pushed her in improving her shield. A year ago it would have collapsed instantly under the onslaught. Now, it held through every bolt but the last.

Most of the last bolt went through the teleportation tunnel into the skies over Ponyville. Only a fraction of the energy of the bolt pierced the shield. That fraction hit Twilight and grazed Applejack. Pegasi and alicorns are naturally resistant to lightning, but they’re not immune. Both ponies spasmed. Applejack bit down so hard she chipped a tooth. Twilight’s legs squeezed Applejack’s barrel, forcing all the air from her lungs. And Twilight’s wings snapped all the way open and stopped flapping.

Twilight and Applejack plummeted toward the ground. Twilight shook her head to try to regain control of her body. “Wings,” she thought. “Wings first.” But her back muscles refused to respond and remained spasmed. The wind buffeted the pair and threatened to tumble them.

Unable to get her extended wings to flap, Twilight cried to Applejack, “lean against the wind!” Applejack stretched her neck as far as she could, and leaned into the wind to keep the pair from flipping over.

“If I can’t fly, maybe I can glide,” Twilight thought. Applejack kept the pair from rolling. Twilight concentrated on getting control of their rate of descent. Feeling started to return to the muscles controlling her primary feathers. She flexed them to generate a modicum of lift. Twilight’s wings caught the wind and their mad plummet turned into a semi-controlled dive.

The Everfree Forest was still rushing toward them at an alarming rate. The flooding had covered the ground and the pelting rain dimpled the rushing water.

“Better to hit the water than the trees,” Applejack called. She leaned right to steer the pair between two mighty trunks. Just before they hit the water Twilight threw her magenta shield bubble around the pair again. They bounced off the surface of the floodwaters and dissipated a lot of their forward momentum. The impact popped the shield and made Twilight lose her hold on Applejack. The two ponies tumbled and fell into the rushing water.

Moments later, Twilight and Applejack thrust their heads out of the water. They took great gulping breaths. “We made it!” Applejack sputtered. “You okay, Twilight?”

Twilight spat out a mouthful of muddy water. “Blech! I’m all right.” The rushing floodwaters shocked her body awake. She scanned around for Zecora or any other pony. “Over here!” she heard. Atop a small hill, Applejack’s sister Apple Bloom waved a hoof to get their attention. Twilight and Applejack pushed their way through the flood and onto the high ground. “That was an awesome light show!” Apple Bloom said.

“Take us to Zecora,” Twilight ordered. The three ponies charged over the hill and down the slope on the other side. Zecora’s tree hut was toppled on its side and half covered by water. Applejack’s brother, Big Macintosh, was barrel deep in the floodwaters. He snorted and pushed on the giant trunk, but made no progress. Apple Bloom joined several other foals half way down the hill behind a fallen tree. Zecora’s head just barely peeked above the surface.

Twilight eyed Zecora's water soaked tree and estimated its weight. It would be heavy, very heavy, but Twilight thought she might be able to move it. She grit her teeth, surrounded the tree in magenta magic and started to lift.

“Stop!” Zecora cried. “You can’t use a horn to carry this load. Your magic will cause the potions in my tree to explode!”

“I didn’t know.” Twilight banished her magic, and the great tree settled back into the floodwaters. Zecora sputtered and strained to keep her muzzle above the surface.

“Let’s lift together,” Applejack called. She waded into the water next to her brother, put her shoulder to the trunk and pushed. The stubborn tree refused to move.

“Maybe I can get more leverage higher up,” Twilight replied. Between being dunked and the cold rain she’d regained control of her wings. She flew up, grabbed the top of the trunk with her legs, and pulled up with her wings. Her heart was beating a mile a minute in her chest. Twilight tried to reach out to the sun for any help it could provide. But the chaos around her seemed to block the connection. Even though all three of them lifted with all their might the tree didn’t move.

In the distance, the roar of the floodwaters deepened. A wave of water, half a pony tall, rolled into the clearing. “Hold on,” Applejack called. She and Big Mac grabbed the tree trunk to keep from being swept away. Zecora held her breath as the water rolled over her. Twilight flapped her wings and lifted as hard as she could. But the tree didn’t budge, the water kept rising, and Zecora disappeared from view.

“No!” Twilight cried. Tears streamed down her face but were invisible under the pelting rain.

Between beats, Twilight’s perception of her heart changed. From a fluttering trip hammer, the beats suddenly felt slow and powerful, moving many times their former quantity of blood. The flying muscles along her back appeared to harden like steel, and her wings seemed to reach over twice their normal span. “Like Celestia?” she thought.

With the first flap of Twilight’s mighty wings, the top of the tree lifted out of the water. Applejack and Big Mac let go of the rising trunk and dove to rescue Zecora.

With the second flap of her wings, Twilight lifted the treetop until the trunk was vertical again. Applejack, Big Mac, and Zecora breached the raging water. Zecora was coughing and sputtering.

With the third flap, Twilight lifted the huge tree and all its roots clear of the floodwaters. A herd of ponies arrived from town atop the small hill. They rushed to protect the foals and see what they could do to help.

A dead tree, previously perched atop the hill, had fallen in the storm and rolled halfway down the slope. There was a hole where its roots had been. It was just what Twilight needed. Zecora's home would be safe above the level of the floodwaters.

“Clear the hilltop!” Twilight called. All could hear her command over the pelting rain. Ponies scrambled to clear the area. Several galloped to help Applejack, Big Mac, and Zecora.

With three more mighty flaps, Twilight carried the tree to the top of the hill and over the hole left by the fallen tree. When she was sure everypony was clear, she lowered the taproot of Zecora’s tree into the hole and settled it on the hilltop.

Lightning crashed and the sky flashed. Thunder rumbled. Ponies rushed to secure the tree in its new location. They raised the fallen tree as a brace. Pegasi tied ropes high in the tree and unicorns secured them to nearby rocks and roots to keep Zecora’s tree upright. Earth ponies exerted their magic to help the tree’s roots find purchase. When Zecora’s tree was secure in its new location, the crowd cheered.

Twilight released the tree and landed next to a drenched Zecora. She was wrapped in a rain slicker but breathing normally. “You have my gratitude, wherever you roam,” Zecora said. “Thank you for saving my life and my home.”

Hearing the news, Twilight smiled. But before she could speak, the steel inside her turned to mush. Her eyes rolled up into her head. Big Mac called out something Twilight couldn’t understand. Applejack rushed to Twilight's side and caught her as she lost consciousness.

Chapter 22 - Teatime in Ponyville

“Let me get that for you.” Before Twilight could finish lighting her horn, Starlight levitated a blanket over and wrapped it around her. Twilight sat at the great oak desk in her office. Starlight was at a reading table next to the wall. Both ponies had ancient tomes open in front of them. A fire crackled in the hearth and the smell of hot tea wafted up from the pot on the tea trolley.

“Thank you, Starlight,” Twilight said. She appreciated the gesture but was getting a little tired of being treated like an invalid. “You don’t need to do that, I’m fine.”

“The doctor said no magic use after your collapse,” Starlight countered.

“The doctor said no heavy magic for 24 hours after I fainted for one minute.” Twilight huffed. “That was two days ago.”

“You got struck by lightning,” Starlight said.

“I’m part pegasus.” Twilight fluffed her wings.

Starlight picked up the latest copy of the Foal Free Press from the desk and waved it at Twilight. The front page had a giant headline, “Zecora Saved From Rising Flood!” and a picture of Twilight holding Zecora’s tree over the hill. “And you picked up a ten-ton tree with only your hooves and wings!” Starlight cried. “When have you ever done that before?”

Twilight grumbled but had no reply.

“That’s what I thought,” Starlight said. She levitated a fresh cup of tea in front of Twilight. “Drink your tea.”

Twilight took a sip. “It’s better when it’s made by hoof,” she mumbled.

“What was that?” Starlight inquired.

“Nothing,” Twilight singsonged. She took another sip. Starlight actually made pretty good tea. But it was the principal of the thing.

There was a knock at the office door. “Come in, Spike,” Twilight called.

A golden glow surrounded the handle and the door opened. “Spike is still in the kitchen. Is it alright if I come in?”

Twilight’s eyes went wide from surprise. “Princess Celestia!”

Celestia smiled mischievously and gave a small bob of her head. “Princess Twilight.”

Twilight shook her head to clear it and then bobbed her head in return. She still called Celestia “Princess” when she was startled. “Welcome, make yourself at home.”

Starlight prostrated herself in a deep bow. Twilight thought that a little odd. Starlight normally made the minimum obeisance to royalty necessary to be polite.

Celestia bobbed her head at Starlight, who rose back to her hooves. Celestia ambled her way to the office’s oversized chaise and settled in.

Twilight dug around on the desk for her daily checklist. “Did I miss an appointment? Were we supposed to meet today?”

“Nothing of the sort. Spike told me you didn’t have any conflicting engagements, so I came instead of taking tea in the garden,” Celestia said. “I understand things got very exciting recently.”

“You would know, your majesty,” Starlight snarked. She stepped to the front of the desk and put herself between Twilight and Celestia.

“What are you talking about?” Twilight asked.

Starlight levitated the copy of the Foal Free Press so everypony could see the front page. “Look what a simple Detego spell reveals!” The photo of Twilight holding up Zecora’s huge tree with only her hooves and wings glowed. The silhouette of a very large alicorn faded into view behind her image.

“Huge wings. Long pointy horn. Billowy mane and tail.” Starlight pantomimed examining the photo then glared at Celestia. “Looks too big to be Princess Luna.”

“What are you intimating, my little pony?” Celestia’s voice was even. She wore her “court face” for dealing with difficult petitioners.

Starlight levitated the ancient tome she’d been reading to the desk. She slammed it down so it faced Celestia. Though it was upside down to her, Twilight read the spell named at the top of the page, “Dominus. To rule another’s will…”

“Starlight...” Twilight said.

“Detego identifies Dominus, and spells like it, by showing the silhouette of the caster behind the target,” Starlight said.

“My student…” Twilight interrupted, but Starlight went on.

“I’m not intimating anything,” Starlight said. “I’m saying it straight out. You used Dominus or something like it...”

“Starlight Glimmer stop,” Twilight commanded.

Starlight sputtered. Twilight almost never called her by her full name. And she hadn’t used that tone since Starlight had become her student. Not since Starlight had… reformed.

“There are some legal niceties you need to be aware of,” Twilight said. In her lecture voice, she continued. “Using mental manipulation without consent on a ruling princess is a crime against the crown. By law, once I’ve heard such an accusation, I’m required to open an official investigation. As Celestia and I are interested parties, Princess Luna would conduct it.”

“Because of the gravity of the charge,” Twilight continued, “a false allegation leaves the accuser vulnerable to sanction. Negligence is not considered an excuse. This is so no one would make such an indictment without being completely sure of their facts.”

Twilight got up from her chair and walked to Starlight. Muzzle to muzzle she said, “Is there anything you wish to say to Princess Celestia at this time?”

Starlight shrunk back. “No teacher,” she whispered.

Twilight softened her stance and pointed to the newspaper. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I appreciate that you’re looking out for my welfare.” She stepped back to give Starlight room to leave the office. “We’ll talk about what happened here later. I wish to speak to Princess Celestia in private now.”

“As you wish,” Starlight mumbled. She bobbed her head, which she never did to Twilight, and kept it low. Starlight backed out the door and closed it behind her.

As soon as the door closed, Twilight deflated. Pain showed in her eyes. She limped back to her chair and settled in with a tiny groan. Celestia looked on with concern. “I’m sorry, that was not a pleasant welcome,” Twilight said.

“The most promising students always seem to be the greatest challenges,” Celestia replied. “Both you and Sunset demonstrated that. There were times I worried that the characteristics which made you both extraordinary would also lead you to bad ends.” She reached over and laid her hoof on Twilight’s. “Luckily for teachers, remarkable students can sometimes save themselves. They can even repair their teacher’s mistakes. You and Sunset have fulfilled your promise many times over.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said. After a moment, she sighed. “Starlight’s clever, but sometimes she gets an idea and gallops off without thinking it through.” Twilight looked at Celestia with a weak smile. “We’re working on that.”

“When Starlight started into her indictment, I wondered how you and she would handle the situation,” Celestia said.

“Is that why you ‘my little ponied’ her?” Twilight prodded.

Celestia smiled at the jibe. “I wanted to remind her of my station and that her words could have consequences.”

“Or you wanted to goad her on,” Twilight said. “Before she reformed, Starlight set up a cult to make all ponies equal. Even now, ‘royal privilege’ doesn’t carry much weight with her.”

“What about ‘royal responsibilities’?” Celestia asked. “Does that carry any weight?”

“We’re starting her lessons with the responsibilities of being a friend,” Twilight said. “The ‘royal’ part will be in the advanced curriculum.”

“Starlight may still need to work on the nuances of friendship,” Celestia replied. She had a sly smile. “I was proud to see how you defended your student. There was a time when you would have reflexively defended me from an attack.”

“Unless it’s a Tirek sized problem, you don’t need me to defend you. She was the one trotting into danger without realizing it.” Twilight grimaced. “I hated having to shut her down like that.”

“You got Starlight’s attention and gave her critical information. You also gave her time to reconsider her actions. Then you let her make her own decision.” Celestia nodded. “Sometimes a strict lesson is necessary.”

“I bullied her.” Twilight closed her eyes and lowered her head.

“You protected her.” Celestia stood and walked over to Twilight. She lifted her muzzle with a wingtip and looked her in the eye. “Your instinct to protect the vulnerable, even from me, is admirable.”

“The girls taught me that after I misused the ‘Want It, Need It” spell and you came to clean up the chaos I’d caused.” Twilight made a weak grin. “Friends will help you when you make a mistake. Good friends will put themselves between you and an angry princess when you’ve truly messed up.”

“Your friends protected me from making a mistake as well. I was about to overreact to your transgression.” Celestia levitated the oversized chaise to the desk and sat down next to Twilight. “The previous week’s confrontation with Discord had been a strain on both of us.”

Celestia reached out and draped a wing over Twilight’s back. Twilight responded by leaning into the touch and the two shared a quick nuzzle.

“Would you like some tea?” Twilight asked. “I’ll warn you, Starlight used magic when she made it. But it’s pretty good tea.”

“I can ‘rough it’ this once,” Celestia teased. She levitated the teapot off the trolley and poured. She inhaled the steam off the cup and made a non-committal “hmm” sound. Finally, Celestia took a dainty sip and rolled her eyes for a moment. “You’re right, it is ‘pretty good tea’.” Then she smiled at Twilight. “However, I like your ‘tea by hoof’ better.”

“Starlight would be crushed.” Twilight smiled, then her face faded to a mild frown. “I don’t get her sometimes. One minute she’ll be super-competitive with me, like when we do magic together. The next minute she’ll be tentative and evasive, like when we meet with my friends.” Twilight huffed. “Starlight tells me she wants to connect with ponies, then I hear she’s used magic to shut them out. She’s never done it with me, but I’ve heard she even did it to her best friend, Trixie.”

“The relationship between teacher and student is complex at the best of times,” Celestia said. “Because of your shared history, the relationship between you and Starlight Glimmer is more complex than most.

“How so?” Twilight asked.

“You and Starlight had several battles for dominance, with inconclusive results. She finally stopped, not because you bested her, but because she was repelled by the repercussions of her actions.

“Before her reformation, Starlight was guilty of criminal offenses. To avoid punishment she had to ask for forgiveness from her victims and from you as the legal representative of the crown.

“To become your student, Starlight had to admit that her life’s work was a mistake. She had to swallow her considerable ego to accept your tutelage.

“And she is not only your student, but she lives in your home. Moment to moment, Starlight has to figure out how to treat you as a rival, judge, teacher, landlord, and friend. It would be unusual if she didn’t display a range of emotions.”

“When you put it like that, I’m surprised things haven’t blown up more often,” Twilight sighed. “Starlight didn’t have friends in her cult. She had followers. When she accepted the chance to be my student, I hoped I could be her first and best friend. When she bonded with Trixie instead, I was... jealous. The fact that Trixie pokes me about it doesn’t help.”

“I’m not sure that teachers and students can be best friends; or even if they should be,” Celestia said. “Look at us, until we were no longer teacher and student, our relationship couldn’t evolve.” She gave Twilight a gentle squeeze.

Twilight accepted the embrace and nuzzled her back. “Things have changed between us, haven’t they?” Celestia nodded. “When we first shared tea, I wanted our old relationship back. But this is... better.” Celestia nodded again. The two sat, in a light embrace, for a long moment, enjoying each other's touch.

“I wonder which Starlight we saw today?” Twilight mused.

“Perhaps the overprotective friend,” Celestia said. “Like your other friends, she put herself between you and the princess she thought might be abusing your trust.”

“Maybe,” Twilight said. “But it felt like more than that.”

“Your student let anger get the better of her.” Celestia’s voice was neutral. “Jealousy can be insidious.”

Twilight scrunched up her muzzle. Something in that comment didn’t feel right. “What would Starlight have to be jealous about?”

“When Starlight reformed she had to rebuild her sense of self,” Celestia said. “From your writings, she modeled herself on you and your philosophy of friendship. For the first year she was in the castle, you two worked together daily.”

“And she’s come a long way,” Twilight said. “Starlight’s apologized and been accepted by the ponies that used to be in her cult. She helped save us all from Queen Chrysalis.”

Celestia nodded. “And with those successes, Starlight may now expect the situation here to continue to revolve around her. But, your life has changed since you began serving as Princess of the Day.”

“I do spend a day and a half a week in Canterlot now,” Twilight agreed.

“And how much time do you spend preparing or recovering while in Ponyville?” Celestia prompted.

Twilight mentally reviewed her weekly schedule. “At least that much.”

“Is that time you used to spend with Starlight?” Celestia asked.

“Some of it,” Twilight admitted. She buried her head in her hooves. “I’ve abandoned my student.”

“I’ve never known you to abandon anypony. You’re not doing so now.” Celestia nuzzled Twilight’s neck to get her to look up. “There’s been a change in your schedule. You need to come to a new understanding with Starlight.” She looked Twilight in the eye. “This should not be a negotiation. You don’t need her approval.

“Part of being a teacher is helping your student adjust to change. It might be difficult for Starlight. It was for you. But change is a part of life. It doesn't have to be traumatic. There simply needs to be a new shared vision of how you two will work together as teacher and student.”

Twilight took a deep breath, blew it out, then nodded her head. “It sounds like less of an issue when you put it that way.”

“I’m sure it will go fine.” Celestia glanced at the front page on the desk. “Perhaps we should deal with the manticore in the room.”

Twilight put a hoof on the photo. “When I saw Zecora get swept under the water, I didn’t know what to do. I pulled on the tree with all my might, but nothing was happening.” She traced the silhouette of the large alicorn that surrounded her. “Then I felt a presence. It was like I was greater than myself.”

Twilight looked Celestia in the eye. “It felt like you. The same as when we were sharing the dance over Canterlot. Like I could do anything.”

Celestia broke into her ‘just for Twilight’ smile. Twilight’s heart skipped a beat and her mouth went dry.

“While I would love to have been there in spirit or in body to help you,” Celestia said. “That wasn’t me.”

“Was it Luna?”

“No, Twilight.” Celestia smiled even wider. “Many things are chaotic in the Everfree Forest, especially in the midst of a rogue storm and after having been hit by mystic lightning. Magic, destiny, the laws of nature, even time itself can be fluid there.” She pointed to the photo. “This isn’t me. This is you.”

“What?” Twilight exclaimed. She examined the photo. Everything about the silhouette was twice as large as her body. Starlight had been correct; the silhouette did look too large for Princess Luna. But something about it didn’t quite fit Princess Celestia, either.

The horn was long and pointed, like Celestia’s, not short and rounded like hers. The wings reached over twice her own span, again like Celestia’s. She peered at the outline of the mane and tail. They were exceptionally large and seemed to be billowing, just like Celestia’s. But the shapes were... wrong. Where Celestia’s mane and tail both flowed to a point, the ones in the silhouette ended in straight cuts. Twilight looked down at her own mane and tail. Though they were smaller, both ended in a straight cut the same as the silhouette.

“But how?” Twilight whispered. Her hoof hovered above the photo as if touching it would break some spell.

“Perhaps you reached back from the future so as not to abandon a friend at a time of great need,” Celestia said. “Or destiny let you access your true potential. We may never know exactly. And the unique circumstances may not be replicated in a thousand years.”

Celestia embraced Twilight in her great wings. “This is how I’ve always seen what you could someday be. From the first moment I saw you when you flared as a filly, eyes aglow with power, floating in the air without wings, I knew your potential was limitless. Since then, seeing you wield the power of the Elements, or of all the alicorns, has only confirmed my belief.

“When we danced, you said you felt what it was like to be me. Did that include my solar mark?”

“It was like our hearts, and the power of the sun, all beat as one. It was amazing.” Twilight sighed and smiled. “And you get to be that way all the time.”

“While you were feeling the sun through my mark, I was experiencing the unlimited reach of magic through yours. As if all time and space, matter and energy, were ours to mold as we wished.” Celestia shook her head to break the reverie. “I know power and control like that are beyond you now. But believe me when I say that someday you may be the greatest of us all.”

Twilight sat for a long moment, wrapped in Celestia’s wings, taking in everything she had said.

“I’m not sure how to react to all that. It’s eye opening, flattering, and a little bit scary.” Twilight leaned into Celestia’s embrace. “But I don’t think it will change anything for me. Unrealized potential is like a possible future state of an experiment. I won’t know if I’ve reached it until the trials are complete. And the only way I know to reach my potential, whatever it may be, is through learning, hard work, and the help of my friends.”

“I hope I can be one of the friends to help you along the way,” Celestia whispered.

“Always,” Twilight whispered back. They sat together in silence enjoying their mutual touch for a long time.

Chapter 23 - The Touch Of The Sun

After a few minutes in the embrace, Twilight shifted a bit to find a more comfortable position. Celestia gave her a gentle squeeze with a wing. Twilight flinched and made a tiny groan. “That’s the second time you’ve groaned,” Celestia said. “Are you in pain?”

Twilight pointed to the picture on the front page of the paper. “I overdid it.”

“I’m sure the warmth of the sun is a great comfort in that case,” Celestia said.

Twilight looked sheepish. “I haven’t called on the sun since then,” she admitted. Celestia cocked her head questioningly. “While under the storm in the Everfree Forest I tried to call on the sun, but was blocked. After I came out, the doctor told me no heavy magic for a while.”

“I’d noticed that you hadn’t used your levitation since I came in,” Celestia said.

“I’m trying to be careful,” Twilight replied. “Also, both Spike and Starlight kept rushing to help whenever I made a move that might involve magic.” She brushed bangs away from her horn, and grazed it on the way past. “It’s been two days, it should be safe to try now.”

“Contacting the sun need not be a major feat of magic,” Celestia said. “It is a matter of the invitation and your essence as an alicorn, not about magical power.”

“Really? I’m used to putting some oomph into it,” Twilight replied. “Opening and closing the connection can get a little tiring some days,” she admitted.

“How you handle your relationship is between you and the sun,” Celestia said. “In my case, I only break the connection if there are extenuating circumstances. I keep the invitation open because I find the sun’s presence… comforting.”

“I wouldn’t want to presume…”

Celestia gave Twilight a careful caress with her wing. “If you enjoy the connection, simply leave it open. The sun can make its own choices.” She smirked. “It’s quite a mature celestial body.”

Twilight giggled then settled into a smile. She opened the access to her magic the tiniest amount, not even enough to light her horn. “You’re welcome anytime,” she thought within. “I enjoy our connection but used it sparingly because I didn’t want to take up too much of your time. This as an open-ended invitation to come and go as you wish. I’ll be happy whenever you decide you wish to connect.”

The warmth of the sun flooded eagerly into Twilight. She winced and groaned again as abused muscles reacted to the heat and pressure.

“It’s distressing to see you in pain, please let me help,” Celestia asked.

Twilight tried to stretch and winced again as pain shot through the base of her wings. “Sure, whatever you can do.”

Celestia got up from her chaise. She extended her great white wings and scooped Twilight up off her chair. “Woo!” Twilight was wide eyed. “Sorry if that was a surprise.” Celestia set her on the chaise. “Lie down. Relax.”

Twilight got prone and wiggled her body to get comfortable. Each move brought pain from a protesting muscle. She finally settled on her belly, with her head resting on her forelegs, her hind legs tucked under her, and her wings drooped to each side.

Celestia’s horn lit and soothing music played. Twilight didn’t recognize the tune, but it sounded ancient. Celestia stood next to her; she was so tall, that even lying on the chaise, Twilight was barely taller than her knees.

Celestia put her forehooves on Twilight’s back and began to massage the aching muscles with long sure strokes. Twilight shifted under the contact. It was not painful, but the feeling was unexpected. The muscles themselves were tender, but Celestia’s manipulations were firm. Her hooves blazed with the regenerative power of the sun. The sun warmth within Twilight mirrored the strokes. Each muscle was massaged from within and without.

Twilight adapted to the rhythm of Celestia’s ministrations. Lying prone, calmed by the music, and warmed from within and without, she looked forward to each healing touch. Celestia was so tall that her long strokes started at Twilight’s neck, carried over her shoulders, down her back between her wings, and ended to either side of her flanks. From the back, Celestia moved to the sides, to each leg, and even to Twilight’s scalp. It felt like every muscle in Twilight’s body was being massaged.

As with the dance, Twilight felt a deep connection with Celestia when they touched and were both empowered by the sun. Twilight could feel some of what it was to be Celestia. She felt the powerful pulse of a heart greater than her own. She felt the sun’s power pushing through hooves kneading tender muscles.

And Celestia felt some of what it was to be Twilight. She could tell the condition of each muscle as she manipulated it, and knew exactly how to press for maximum effect. With an intimate knowledge of every muscle, Celestia was very thorough. Stroke after stroke, working in tandem with the sun-warmth within, her touch massaged not only the surface muscles but those deep inside Twilight. Power flooded into Twilight’s aching muscles from all sides, purging them of toxins, warming them, and saturating them with the power they would use to rebuild damaged tissue.

Twilight could follow Celestia’s progress and knew when she was about to be finished. She felt warm and loose all over. Her aches were gone. But these manipulations made her feel alert rather than languid like massages at the spa did. Perhaps being both masseuse and massaged had kept her more alert.

With Celestia’s final stroke, Twilight knew her body would begin using the power Celestia and the sun provided to rebuild. There was a template her body would use to direct the rebuilding. It wouldn’t build the soft unicorn muscle Twilight had been born with. The template was for firm earth pony muscle. It was what her body had been transitioning to since she became a princess.

But at the edge of her perceptions, Twilight became aware of a second template. This one would rebuild a powerful heart, steely alicorn muscles, a long pointed horn, and great wings. It was the template that described her potential self, the template for Future Twilight. It was a final echo of the power she’d had exhibited in the Everfree.

Even as Twilight became aware of the second template it threatened to slip away like a will-o-the-wisp. Celestia had said the circumstances that generated it might not occur again in a thousand years. And if Twilight took the time to speak it would be gone. She had but an instant to make a decision.

Her mind dredged up every reason for caution. This was unknown magic, a child of the chaos storm born in the Everfree. If it was from her future self, would accepting it cause some sort of temporal anomaly? If it was her potential, would accepting it now, perhaps before she was ready, twist her in ways she couldn’t imagine? “It would be safer,” her inner voice suggested, “to let this will-o-the-wisp fade away.”

Twilight’s life had been defined by impossible choices she had to make on instinct. Charging Nightmare Moon, when every fiber of her being told her to run away. Throwing the Crystal Heart to Spike so he could be the hero, even though Celestia had instructed her to act alone. Trading all the alicorn magic in Equestria for the freedom of her friends. Halting the fight against Starlight to try and talk her into surrendering. In each case, the day had been saved and never by doing the safe thing.

Twilight made her decision. The sun-warmth within her burbled in happy anticipation.

The power that suffused her body broke free. Her eyes went white and she levitated off the chaise without flapping a wing. A tornado of magic erupted in the office. Books pulled out from shelves and papers from desks to whirl about the room. Furniture lifted off the ground to join the orbiting books and papers.

Celestia lit her horn to block any magic that might be aimed at her. She raised a wing to shield herself from the wind and whirling detritus.

She hadn’t seen Twilight surge like this since she was a filly, trying out for Celestia’s school. No, since she’d met Twilight on the astral plane to witness her ascension into an alicorn princess. Or since Twilight and her friends became the living embodiments of the Elements of Harmony to defeat Tirek.

To be fair, this kind of thing happened to Twilight a lot more than to anypony else Celestia was aware of.

Then came a sight so unexpected, so startling, so overwhelming, that it cut straight to Celestia’s heart. It left her stunned and staring at Twilight, eyes wide, with her mouth hanging open.

Awareness returned in stages to Twilight. The first sensation was magic. Her horn was lit and feeding many spells around her. At some point, she’d canceled the pull of gravity and floated above the chaise. The air was also filled with books, papers, and several pieces of furniture, all which she had spinning about her.

Such chaos in her office would never do, so Twilight set about putting things right. She levitated the furniture back to their place, taking special care with the oak desk - she was especially fond of it. She cast a reversal spell so the books and papers would return to their locations on the shelves, desk, and tables. When Twilight was sure everything was back where it belonged she extended her wings and canceled the anti-gravity spell. With a single flap, she landed back on the chaise then let out a heartfelt, “Whew!”

When order was restored Twilight finally noticed Celestia’s open-mouthed stare and started. “My goodness Celestia, are you alright?”

“Oh,” was all Celestia said. At least she closed her mouth.

Concerned, Twilight hopped down from the chaise and moved close to Celestia. “Princess?”

Celestia’s eyes resumed their normal size. She focused on Twilight as if seeing her for the first time. “I’m fine,” she said and called on centuries of training to regain her composure. “I was… surprised by the display.” Celestia tilted her head and asked, “Is everything alright with you?”

Twilight inventoried her body. Her horn still tingled, likely an aftereffect of the magical surge. Her muscles no longer hurt. In fact, they felt fit and rested. She ruffled her wings and confirmed they were ready as well. She was about to answer when her stomach beat her to it with a loud growl. “I’m hungry, but otherwise in good shape.”

“Magical healing often requires more from the recipient than from the caster,” Celestia answered by rote. “That’s why it’s not a panacea.”

Twilight didn’t want to talk about what had happened until she had a chance to examine herself more closely and consider the implications. “Time to change the subject.” she thought. Aloud she said, “All I know is that was a heck of a massage.” She smiled. “Are you hungry? I’d like to see if Spike has anything ready in the kitchen?”

“I could use a bite,” Celestia said. She opened the door out of the office. She seemed equally happy with the change of topic and the offer of a new venue.

“Spike makes the best nachos,” Twilight said as she walked into the hall.

“Perhaps Pinkie Pie can teach him to make cake,” Celestia said as she followed.

Both mares, each for their own reason, purposefully left the events in the room behind them.

Once they were in the hall, Twilight came up short. “"Starlight! How could I have forgotten? I need to talk to her right away!” Her heart began pounding at the thought of a difficult confrontation.

Celestia put a white wing on Twilight’s back. “You do need to have a talk with your student, but not immediately. You’ve just had an emotional experience. And if that growl was any indication, you’re in desperate need of some food.” Celestia gave Twilight’s back a gentle stroke. “Eat, get your bearings, and then approach Starlight when you’re in a positive frame of mind.”

The wing-touch helped calm Twilight’s thoughts as much as any of Cadance’s breathing techniques. She felt her heart rate come down. “Good idea,” Twilight said. She took in a deep breath and blew it out. “That did it,” she thought. “Heart rate back to normal.”

Side by side, they went in search of Spike and cheesy sustenance.

Chapter 24 - Student Vs. Teacher

The two princesses shared a pile of spicy comfort food and pleasant banter. Twilight felt more grounded. She was still nervous about the coming confrontation. But no additional preparation would make it any easier. Celestia embraced her with a final wing-hug, then teleported back to Canterlot, so Twilight could focus on speaking to her student.

Twilight hesitated when she got outside of Starlight’s bedroom door. It was a brown wood door with a brass doorknob. The door had a circular green stained glass window with a stylized tree of harmony. The matching transom window depicted the leaves of the tree. Twilight hoped she could find harmony with her student. She raised a hoof and knocked. “Starlight? It’s me.”

The door glowed with Starlight’s cyan magic and opened. Inside, moonlight filtered through three tall lancet windows, each with a pointed arch at its top. The cool light cast Starlight and the room’s furnishing in sharp relief. The room contained a pair of bookcases, a desk with an inkpot and quill for reading and writing, and a three-legged stool for Starlight to sit on. Next to the desk was a random pile of things that were a part of Starlight’s active interests: a pair of kites, a pile of ancient books, and a giant pot filled with rolled up scrolls. Scattered around the room were other items from Starlight’s studies: a sextant, crystals in various shades of blue and purple, a crystal ball, a globe, a pair of goggles, and a potted plant that hadn’t yet flowered.

The room also contained a bed with wooden head and footboard, white pillow, and lavender quilt. On the bed was an open suitcase. It contained a picture of Starlight’s best friend Trixie and a trio of levitation practice blocks that Starlight used to relax.

Twilight stepped inside and glanced at the suitcase. “Going somewhere?”

Starlight kept working and did her best to not look at Twilight. “I figured I’d visit Sunburst. I hear the Crystal Empire is lovely this time of year.”

“When will you be coming back?” Twilight looked to the wall behind the desk. The place where Trixie’s picture used to hang was conspicuously empty.

“I haven’t decided yet.” Starlight picked up a book, looked at the title then put it down. “No, this is your book.” She picked up a sextant and then put it down. “Yours.” She glanced at a crystal ball but didn’t bother to pick it up. “Yours again.” She slammed the mostly empty suitcase. “Forget it, the rest of this stuff is yours anyway.”

“Starlight, you’re my student and my friend. Feel free to take anything you need.”

“Your student and your friend?” Starlight glared at Twilight and sneered. “It didn’t sound like it this afternoon.”

Twilight stepped forward. “I was trying to keep you from doing something that could’ve gotten you in a lot of trouble.”

“You were protecting her, instead of listening to my side of the story!” Starlight cried. “She’s changing you, Twilight! Celestia’s making you just like her. You used to be the Princess of Friendship and went out of your way to give ponies second chances. Now you spend all your time in Canterlot or judging ponies rather than supporting them. She’s made you abandon who you really are.”

Twilight reflected on being part Future Twilight now. “You don’t know the half of the changes I’ve gone through,” she thought. But she let Starlight say her piece.

Starlight leaned into her rant. “I know she was your teacher, but Celestia’s not all powerful or all knowing. She and Luna together couldn’t hold back the storms from the Frozen North. They didn’t know the spells to fix the Crystal Heart or save the Crystal Empire.” Starlight began pacing as she talked. “My friend Sunburst had to provide the right spells to do all that. Celestia and Luna couldn’t even cast his spells by themselves. They needed our help to make them work.”

Twilight knew the situation had been more complicated than that but let Starlight continue.

“And that’s not the first time somepony has had to save the day when Celestia failed,” Starlight said with scorn. “She’s been overpowered by Nightmare Moon, Discord, Tirek, and twice by Chrysalis! Most of the time she left you and the girls to fight them in her place.”

“She’s also taking you away from your friends, from Ponyville, from those who love you the most,” Starlight cried. “At first it took you a few hours to go to tea. Now you spend days getting ready for court, staying in Canterlot, and recovering once you get home.” Starlight sniffed. “Your friends miss you.”

Twilight didn’t say anything, but the accusation hurt. She loved all her friends dearly but had been forced to spend less time with them since she started serving as Princess of the Day.

“We also worry about you. With all the time Celestia is taking, you’re falling behind in your magic.” Starlight pointed to a large book on her desk. “Have you finished studying all of Star Swirl’s spells in the codex we found? I have.”

That comment stung Twilight as well. Her copy of the codex lay unopened on her nightstand. There had been too much government paperwork she had to study first.

“Without keeping up on your magic, you’re vulnerable,” Starlight continued. “I know you helped beat Nightmare Moon, Discord, and Tirek; but that was years ago. I fought you to a standstill and I’m only one unicorn!” Starlight swept her hoof wide. “And you, the girls, and all the other princesses were taken by the evil changelings. It was up to me and my friends to rescue all of you.” Starlight stopped and glared at Twilight. “What happens if you get taken again? Celestia won’t be able to save you. But I could.”

Starlight stood stock still, challenging Twilight to dispute her. Her barrel heaved from emotion and exertion.

“Attacking Princess Celestia isn’t going to help us solve our problems,” Twilight said.

“But she is the problem!” Starlight cried. “First her school steals Sunburst from me. And now you’re going to leave me for her!” She levitated a picture frame off the wall from over her writing desk. Behind glass, it held an image of an equal sign with a red circle and a slash over it. It was from one of Twilight’s first Friendship Lessons. The symbol was a reminder for Starlight to never go back to the way she used to treat other ponies. “I abandoned everything in my life to come here, but that doesn’t mean anything to you.” Starlight raised the frame in the air between them and dashed it to the floor with all her magical might.

The glass in the frame shattered like a grenade at Twilight’s hooves. Instinctively, she put up her magenta shield bubble to defend herself.

But Twilight and Starlight were standing close together. The expanding bubble knocked Starlight to the floor. “So that’s how it’s gonna be!” She lit her horn and fired a cyan beam of magic at Twilight. It washed across her shield making it ripple and distort. “Now we add a little shield breaker spell.” Starlight grinned savagely. Her beam grew sharp edges and Twilight’s shield buckled inward.

As Twilight’s shield collapsed she powered up her own magical beam. Magenta magic met cyan and blocked it. A ball of energy roiling with cyan and magenta grew suspended between the two. “Starlight this is crazy, you’ve got to stop!”

“I’ve got your number, Sparkle!” Starlight roared. “I’ve always been better than you at magic. You should be my student!”

The roiling ball of magic grew larger between them. Neither combatant could stop firing or they’d get hit with all the energy accumulated in the sphere.

“Maybe I can leak enough magic past Starlight’s beam to startle her and end this,” Twilight thought. She shifted her beam from magenta to a rotating series of colors. Her magic flowed around the outside of the sphere, searching for a mystic frequency that Starlight had left undefended.

“Firing rainbows? How typical,” Starlight crowed. “Too bad for you I added chromatic reflection to my beam!” Twilight’s multi-colored magic bounced off Starlight’s beam. The ever-widening sphere between them began to boil.

Both spellcasters were sweating; their legs were locked and their teeth gritted. “And too bad for you that I read Starswirl’s codex and you didn’t.” With effort, Starlight cast a spell while keeping up her beam. Tendrils of cyan magic rushed out from her horn in a web that penetrated the castle ceiling, floor, and walls. The lights in the castle went out.

The room was illuminated only by the glow of powerful magics. Pulses cascaded back along the tendrils, empowering Starlight’s beam. The roiling sphere of magic, now larger than either of them, began inching toward Twilight.

The advancing magical sphere shot out bolts of lighting as it absorbed magic from the castle. Each bolt caused a rip in the air. Through the tears, Twilight saw the sickly green, angry red, and dark black magic of dimensional rifts.

“You can’t use Starswirl’s Syphon in the castle!” Twilight called. “The Elements of Harmony made it out of magic from other realms. You’ll cause the place to implode and pull half of Ponyville into another dimension!”

“What? That’s not the way it’s supposed to work!” Starlight yelled. She was shaken. “I’m cutting my beam… now!” Twilight cut her beam as well. But the growing sphere was now attached to the nearly limitless magic that created the castle. It kept expanding on its own.

The unstable energy around the sphere created hurricane force winds and arcs of mystic lighting. Starlight tried to contain the sphere in a multi-faceted shield but it had absorbed her shield breaker spell. Lightning from the sphere popped Starlight’s attempt at containment within seconds.

“Can you add chromatic reflection to your shield?” Twilight yelled over the wind. “That might resist the shield breaker.”

“I can. But even with that, I can’t contain it for long,” Starlight yelled back. “The power of the sphere is growing too fast.”

“Just leave me a hole for my magic,” Twilight replied. “I’ve got a plan.”

Starlight nodded and gritted her teeth. She surrounded the sphere with another multi-faceted shield, like a giant cyan diamond. Lightning from the sphere arced out but was reflected back. The shield was not penetrated but the sphere grew faster than ever.

“Open the hole!” Twilight called and Starlight complied. Twilight gritted her teeth and cast her spell. A cone of magenta webbing shot through the hole and surrounded the sphere. The sphere tried to dodge the siphon spell but it was held fast by Starlight’s shield.

Pulses of magic raced down the webbing and directly into Twilight. She opened her muzzle in a silent scream as the power of the sphere assaulted her from the inside. Her eyes glowed white and she rose into the air without flapping her wings.

The size of the sphere diminished and the glow from Twilight’s eyes intensified. Bolts of dimensional lightning arced from her horn leaving rips in the air all around her. The sphere diminished to the size of a foal’s kick ball but would shrink no more. Twilight writhed in mid-air, but because of the pain, was unable to siphon the last of the magic.

“I’m sorry, Twilight, this is gonna hurt,” Starlight yelled. She shrank the size of her shield as fast as she could. The magic resisted, hammering Starlight through her connection to the shield. With a final cry of pain, Starlight squeezed the remaining magic from the sphere down the web and into Twilight.

Twilight screamed and turned her head so she could look out the bedroom door. At the end of the hall, she could see the central pillar that supported all the floors of the castle. Unfortunately, Starlight was between her and the pillar. Twilight barely kept the presence of mind to wave a hoof and get Starlight to move out of the way. As soon as she had a clear shot Twilight pointed her horn at the central pillar and poured all the power she’d absorbed back into the castle.

The castle lit up like a tree on Hearth’s Warming Eve. The two could hear magic light crystals shatter from the overload all over the castle. After the building was repowered the remaining energy raced up the central pillar and shot out the tip of the spire at the top of the castle. Outside the castle, the only sign of the struggle were harmless fireworks erupting in the sky over Ponyville.

When the power within her dissipated Twilight’s eyes returned to normal. Stunned, she dropped out of the air. Fortunately for Twilight, she landed on something soft. Unfortunately for Starlight Twilight landed on her. “Ufff!” they both gasped as the wind was knocked from their lungs.

After a few gasping breaths Twilight regained control of her limbs. She rolled off Starlight and thudded to the floor still touching her. “Are you Ok?”

Starlight groaned. “Yae. You? That was a lot of power to absorb.”

Twilight winced. “I’ve done that kind of thing before. I’ve held the power of all four alicorns and my part of the Elements of Harmony.” Twilight tried to stretch but shuddered. “This hurt a lot more than those times.”

“Probably dimensional interference disrupting your thaumic field,” Starlight said. “I take it you already knew Starswirl’s Siphon?”

“I learned it years ago from a scroll in the restricted wing of the Canterlot Archives,” Twilight said. She looked at Starlight. “Another inconclusive battle for dominance?”

“I’d call this one a draw,” Starlight muttered.

Twilight sighed. “You have to know I’m not going to leave you like Sunburst did.”

Starlight hung her head low but said nothing.

“You said you blame Celestia’s school for taking Sunburst away,” Twilight said. “And that she’s going to take me away as well.”

Starlight closed her eyes and grimaced. Twilight could see tears forming. “I’m so tired of losing the ponies I care about to her.” The pain in her voice cut like a knife.

Twilight reached out and put her wing on Starlight’s back. “I would never abandon a friend.”

Starlight flinched but didn’t move away. “I’m only a unicorn,” she said. “I can’t compete with everypony’s image of the ‘Oh-So-Perfect’ Princess Celestia. But if you saw how flawed she is, that she’s not better than me…”

Twilight gave Starlight a gentle squeeze with her wing. “It’s not a competition,” she whispered. “I don’t compare you to Celestia any more than I do to Spike or Applejack.” Twilight laid her cheek next to Starlight’s. “You’ve become an amazing mare, and I’m glad to call you my student and my friend.”

“But what about all the changes in your life?” Starlight whispered in reply.

“Our friends change us, it’s a part of life,” Twilight said. “You’re a very different pony since you came to live at the castle. And I’m changing all the time too. That doesn’t mean we have to grow apart. It means we can’t take things for granted and have to work hard to maintain strong relationships.”

“And if you were trying to warn me that I need to put more effort into staying connected with all my friends, then I thank you for advice.” Twilight looked around the chaos of the bedroom. The floor was covered with overturned furniture, scattered books and other items. Ink from the overturned inkpot spread in a puddle on the floor. “How did we get here?” she sighed.

Starlight kept her head down. “I never wanted it to go this far. I thought acting out of anger and endangering others was behind me.” She swallowed hard then looked Twilight in the eye. “I don’t deserve to be your student.”

Twilight’s heart skipped a beat. “There’s still a chance to save this,” she thought. “Starlight recognizes this was a relapse and is taking responsibility.” Twilight returned the look. “I still want you to be my student. But this was a step back. Together we can find ways to help you learn to control your anger. But ultimately you have to want to do it.”

“I do!” Starlight was quiet for a moment before shaking her head. “I’m just not sure I can.”

“If you want to, I know you can do it.” Twilight stroked a wingtip on Starlight’s back. “Today was hard, but I know if we take the time and work together we can get through it.”

Starling grimaced. “But you don’t have that kind of time anymore.”

“I’ll make the time,” Twilight said. “This is important.”

Starlight let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

Twilight glanced at the chaos again. “First things first. You need to clean this mess up. And I need to inform the Mayor and Canterlot that the fireworks display was nothing to be alarmed about.”

“That’s fair.” Starlight pointed a hoof at the broken frame on the floor containing the ripped picture of an equal sign with a slash over it. “How about I start with this?” Twilight smiled and nodded.

Starlight lit her horn and cast the reversal spell. The glass scattered around the floor imploded back into the frame. The wood straightened and cuts in the canvas mended themselves. Starlight hung the picture back on the wall over her desk.

Chapter 25 - The Magic Inside

Meditation always came hard for Twilight. Not only was she a nervous pony by nature, but her head was always buzzing with thoughts, ideas, and concerns. Checklists were Twilight’s friends. They helped her enforce organization on her galloping brain.

But checklists didn’t always help. At the School For Gifted Unicorns, Twilight studied meditation to improve her spell casting. She’d been more than a little jealous of her peers like Minuette for whom serenity came easily. Twilight tried to learn to meditate by studying harder than anypony else. For some reason, it didn’t seem to help.

Of course, it was Celestia who’d helped Twilight redefine the problem. Achieving serenity may have been beyond her. But achieving a state of flow, of energized focus and full involvement, worked just as well. And becoming completely absorbed in spellcasting came easily.

Twilight waited until Spike and Starlight were out of the castle on an errand. She went to her study, the place she was most comfortable casting. This was her first choice whenever it was time to use important magic. Although to Twilight all magic was important.

She locked the door and pulled her most recent thaumatic field map out of secure storage. The map hung in the air before her. Twilight knew more about the magic inside ponies than almost any other practitioner alive. In Celestia’s school, she’d first mapped her own fields for an assignment. Overachieving, Twilight had created the most detailed map of unicornis magicis made in modern times. It was the first piece of original scholarship she ever published.

Twilight had examined the maps made by her fellow students. She realized most unicorns only recognized the surface interactions in magic. She could observe interactions dozens of layers deep. It was an important part of how she could learn some spells after only seeing them cast once.

Twilight’s enhanced magical senses were a result of her special talent being for magic itself. Such sensitivity was common. For example, Octavia and Vinyl, who had musical marks, described interactions in their symphony that Twilight couldn’t pick out.

After becoming an alicorn princess, Twilight mapped the new magic in her body and compared it to the old. She’d first identified the nascent pegasus magic that would help her fly. Deeper still, she found the earth pony magic that would strengthen her body and help her sense the living world.

After reviewing the new map with Celestia they decided not to publish it. Twilight sent copies to all the princesses. She expected them to add it to their medical files in case it could be of diagnostic use in the future. But given the limited number of alicorns, there wasn’t much call for a map of alicornis magicis. Besides, Twilight didn’t want anypony with bad intent conjuring up mischief with it.

Becoming an alicorn had been like going through puberty a second time. Twilight had grown a hoof height overnight and was clumsy until her brain caught up to her new body. And don’t get her started on learning to fly! With an adult’s body, only a foal’s amount of pegasus magic, and no experience, her first year in the air alternated between ludicrous and disastrous.

Twilight had created this latest map a few months ago. She noted that the pegasus and earth pony magics were much stronger now. Her initial transformation had been sudden. But Twilight’s body and magic had continued to adjust to the changes for years afterward.

Twilight settled into her favorite chair, fluffed her wings to get comfortable, and closed her eyes. “Let’s see what I look like inside now,” she thought.

Thaumatic mapping was a solitary experience. For Twilight, it started with triggering the scanning spells. Then she entered a state of flow and scanned her field, level by level. She projected the results as glowing lines in the air. “Magical naval gazing,” Spike called it.

The results surprised Twilight from the first level she scanned. On the surface, her current field resembled the map she’d created a few months ago. But overlaying that field was the shadow of a much larger and more complex one. It reminded her of the the shadow of Future Twilight that overlaid the photo.

Under close observation elements of her current field had changed. They’d begun to resemble the greater shadowy one. She couldn't examine the shadowy field in any depth, the details faded away when she tried to scan them. But this proved that accepting Future Twilight had begun to transform her. It would likely keep on changing her - how much and how soon would depend on time and circumstances.

Being a good scientist, Twilight completed the full thaumatic scan. She didn’t leap to judgment based on the first few pieces of information. But nothing else she found changed her conclusions.

When she was done, Twilight opened her eyes and reviewed the new scan that hung in the air before her. She floated the previous map back into storage and unrolled a wide scroll onto her desk. Twilight magically transferred the glowing image into precise lines and shades on the paper. With a quill and ink, Twilight annotated the scroll with the date, time, and other circumstances. She noted the places where she observed changes. In a separate section, Twilight added her hypothesis on what those changes might mean. When the ink was dry she rolled up the new scroll, placed it into secure storage with the others, and sealed it away.

Twilight unlocked the office door in case Spike or Starlight came back early. She wouldn’t want to worry them.

Mechanical activities completed, Twilight had to determine what to do with this new information. “I have to tell Celestia everything,” she decided. “And inform Luna and Cadance as well. I don’t know what this change might mean for my ability to discharge my new responsibilities.” She’d figure out what to tell everypony else after talking to her fellow princesses.

Teatime was the day after tomorrow. Now Twilight had to figure out what she was going to say.

“When you said we’d spend more time together, this is not what I expected,” Starlight said.

“We’ve spent the last two days going over the issues you raised. We met with the girls, visited Zecora, studied magic, and worked on better ways to handle anger,“ Twilight replied. “You said my actions as Princess of the Day were incompatible with my role as Princess of Friendship. I take your critique seriously. So you’re going to shadow me tomorrow when I’m ruling and note times when the roles are in conflict.”

The two stood in an anteroom of Canterlot Castle. Twilight had teleported herself, Starlight, and Spike to the castle in the afternoon before her next turn as Princess of the Day.

“If you see anything time critical, catch my eye and we can talk about it then,” Twilight continued. “But, if the issue isn’t time critical, save it and we’ll review it later in private.”

“I can do that,” Starlight nodded. She made a deep sigh. “I’m not sure you want everypony to see me standing up there next to you in court. What if they know what I did?”

Twilight put a wing over Starlight’s back. “I’m proud you’re my student. It’s not a secret. This just means a few more ponies will be reminded of what’s already public knowledge.”

Starlight smiled but shuffled her hooves nervously.

Twilight felt for the location of the sun and noted the time. “I’m scheduled for a private meeting with Princess Celestia in a few minutes,” she said.

“You mean teatime in the garden,” Starlight retorted.

“Yes, that’s where we’ll be meeting. And we’ll be having tea,” Twilight replied with a smile. “You’ll find a lot of business in Canterlot is done over tea.”

“When the immortal rulers of the land drink tea, everypony drinks tea,” Starlight snarked.

Twilight glared at her. “Remember, this castle is Celestia’s home and many ponies here love her. I wouldn’t say anything in public that you wouldn’t want to be repeated in the press or to one of the other princesses.

“Spike’s meeting Raven right now to get a copy of tomorrow’s schedule and the background materials on the issues of the day. Please review the material with the two of them so you’ll be up to speed when the day starts. When my meeting with Celestia is over we can get back together and have dinner.”

Looking chastened, Starlight left in search of Spike and Raven. Twilight headed for the garden.

Teatime in the garden with Celestia was normally one of Twilight's favorite times of the week. Today, however, she was nervous and Celestia could tell.

Nuzzles and pleasantries were exchanged and the tea was poured. Twilight opened up first. “When you helped me heal the other day, I had a choice to make. I could feel the presence of Future Twilight. I had one moment to either reject her or accept her into my life. There was no time to talk about the choice or research the implications.

“I decided to accept becoming Future Twilight. I think that’s why there was the big light show. I’ve done a thaumatic map. My body and magic are changing to match Future Twilight’s. But I don’t know how long the transformation will take.”

“I know it was reckless of me to accept the influence of foreign magic. If that makes me unfit to rule until we know more, I understand. But it didn’t feel foreign; it felt like me, I mean future me. It felt like the right thing to do so I did it.”

Celestia set down her teacup. “Do you have any reason to believe you’re under outside influence?”

Twilight put her cup down as well. “No, none of my scans for mental influence have shown anything. Which they wouldn’t if the thing influencing me is my future self.”

“Do you feel unfit to rule?” Celestia asked.

“No, I feel fine,” Twilight answered. “Better than fine. Good. Great even.”

Celestia reached out and touched Twilight hoof to hoof. “I’m sorry if you’ve been worried about this since the change.”

Twilight grinned. “Actually, I’ve been so busy with Starlight that I haven’t had a chance to dwell on it much until now.“

“I’m glad you haven’t been focusing too much on it,” Celestia said. “I don’t think it’s a problem and I do think you’re fit to rule.”

Twilight blew out a huge sigh of relief. She didn’t want to stop doing her duty as Princess of the Day, and it was comforting to have Celestia’s seal of approval.

But her approval did seem kind of sudden. Celestia hadn’t asked for any proof. She didn’t even ask to see the thaumatic map. Celestia was always especially careful when it came to the safety of Equestria. Which must mean…

“You already knew,” Twilight accused.

Celestia picked up her cup and took a sip of tea. Twilight recognized it as a maneuver Celestia used when she didn’t want to answer right away. Then she saw the ‘only for Twilight’ smile on her lips and a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Twilight barely held back bouncing on her chair. She couldn’t wait for an answer. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“When you didn’t say what had happened immediately, I assumed you had a reason and would tell me later or not as the circumstances dictated.” Celestia took another sip and her smile widened into a grin. “While I’m a busy-body at heart, what happens inside your body is your affair.”

Twilight didn’t let Celestia’s smile distract her from dealing with what was bothering her. “Unless it impacts the safety of the realm, then it’s everypony's affair. You must have seen something that made you believe I won’t be a danger to Equestria.”

“I saw you,” Celestia said. “Or, more specifically, who you can become.”

“Future me,” Twilight whispered.

“You’ll be quite… impressive.” Celestia smiled to herself and rolled her eyes as if remembering. She sighed gently.

Twilight was silent for a long time. She wasn’t exactly sure what to say about that. “Just seeing my future self wouldn’t be enough to convince you. You must have seen something else.” Her eyes bore into Celestia. “But you haven’t said anything, so you must not want to tell me what.”

“I know we agreed to have no secrets from each other.” Celestia’s face was pained. “But, I would rather not say at this time.”

“Because it would be hard to tell me?” Twilight asked. “Or because it would be better for me to learn about it some other way?”

“Can it be… both?”

Twilight released a held breath. “It can. I know time travel can be tricky. If you think it’s better not to tell me now, I trust you.” She broke into a cocky grin. “But it’ll be hard for me to avoid thinking about it.”

Celestia nodded, relieved. “I understand.”

Twilight stepped over to Celestia and gave her a gentle nuzzle. “Thank you for letting me make my own decision. And thank you for reassuring me I’m not doing anything to endanger Equestria.”

“Thank you for being responsible with your powers as a ruler.” Celestia wrapped her great wings around Twilight and held her tight. “And thank you for your trust,” she whispered.

Starlight, Raven, and Spike joined Twilight in the sitting room after court. Spike and Raven worked with Twilight to sort the papers and decrees from the session. Starlight talked about what she’d witnessed.

“Is it always like that?” Starlight asked with a bit of awe in her voice.

Twilight looked over to Raven. “You’ve been to court more times than I have…”

“Today was pretty typical,” Raven replied.

“But some of those decisions can affect millions of ponies,” Starlight countered. “I’ve been through towns that boomed or were abandoned depending on where the railroad ended up. I’ll bet the telegraph plan you approved today will have as much impact.”

“Provisionally approved. They still have a lot of details to finalize. I’m glad the railroad found working with the Diamond Dogs would allow them to complete the work in half the time.”

Twilight shuffled through her briefs and held one up. “I also thought there was some promise in the Baron’s idea for crown funded schools so older ponies can retrain and try something new with their lives.”

“It’s a scam,” Starlight said before thinking about it. She glanced around sheepishly. Twilight, Raven, and Spike were looking at her.

“Go on,” Twilight said encouragingly.

“I’ve dealt with lots of ponies who were unhappy with their lives,” Starlight said. “It can be very hard to get a job in a new field when you’ve no experience and don’t have a mark or special talent for it. A piece of paper from a school nopony has ever heard of isn’t going to help that. But whoever runs the school will make a pile of bits from the crown anyway.”

“What could help?” Twilight asked. Her eyes sparkled with interest.

“Ponies get experience on the job,” Starlight replied.

“Like an apprenticeship?” Twilight said.

“It’s tough for an older pony to live on apprentice wages,” Starlight countered.

“But, if we’re talking about the crown kicking in some bits in any case…” Twilight said. “Thank you Starlight, it’s an interesting idea. Raven, could you ask the Minister for Education if they know of any programs like that?” Raven nodded and made a note.

Encouraged by the praise, Starlight continued. “And I can’t believe the nerve of those unicorns. To walk into court like they owned the place and make demands.”

“You do remember you’re a unicorn?” Spike observed. “And so’s Raven.”

“I meant the unicorn nobles,” Starlight countered. “All they wanted was bits for this and privileges for that. I’ll bet they don’t treat Princess Celestia that way.”

Twilight looked to Raven again. She sighed. “It’s true, most nobles are more deferential to Princess Celestia.”

“I’m still pretty new at this,” Twilight said.

“It’s the principal of the thing,” Starlight countered. She was on a roll now. “The Princess of the Day deserves deference no matter who’s sitting on the throne.” She turned to Raven. “What do nobles value, anyway?”

“Power…” Raven started.

“Raises the sun and is supreme ruler of the day. Check,” Starlight said.

“Ceremony…” Raven continued.

“Holds court, sits in the big chair, Check,” Starlight said.

“Symbols of office and authority?” Raven was reaching now.

Starlight looked Twilight up and down. “We may need to work on that. Princess Celestia has her big crown and torc. Your crown is hardly bigger than Diamond Tiara's.”

“Hey, I like my crown.” Twilight touched it with a hoof.

“It’s not about the crown,” Starlight said. “Ponies should respect my princess.” She shook her head to try and dissipate her anger but failed, so she turned the energy toward mockery. Starlight struck an arrogant pose with her nose in the air. “Subsidize my foundation and I’ll put more bits into helping the ‘common ponies’,” she singsonged. It was a passable imitation of Countess Damask Rose, who’d come before Twilight that morning.

Starlight dropped her pose and frowned. “I knew some ponies that left the Rose holdings. They said the Countess never dealt with an earth pony that wasn’t a gardener or a pegasus that wasn’t a courier. I’m glad you turned down her request.”

Twilight cocked her head and glared at Starlight. “And where did you meet these ponies?”

“They were unhappy with their lives so I recruited them for…” Starlight’s voice trailed off. “Our Town,” she whispered. Her anger dissipated like smoke. “I’m sorry teacher, I’m the last pony who should be judging others. I’ll work harder to control my anger.”

“Very good.” Twilight nodded and touched Starlight on the back with a wingtip. “You did well to keep your composure in court today. Sometimes it can be very frustrating.”

“I’ll take Ponyville over Canterlot any day.” Starlight took in a deep breath to steel herself for a confession. “What I said the other day was wrong. What you do here’s important and totally in keeping with being the Princess of Friendship. Please accept my apology.”

“Of course!” Twilight stepped up and gave Starlight a hug with her wing. The tension between them melted away.

Twilight’s tummy rumbled and everypony and dragon grinned. “Raising the sun makes me hungry. Come on, let’s go get some lunch.”

Chapter 26 - Candy And Flowers

Twilight and Spike teleported to Canterlot Castle for teatime the next week. Celestia and Raven met them in the courtyard. Spike and Raven excused themselves to exchange schedules and paperwork.

“We haven’t gone flying in some time. If you’re interested, I have a favorite spot on the Canterhorn I’d like to share with you,” Celestia said.

“That sounds great!” Twilight grinned from ear to ear. “Teleporting from Ponyville is faster, and easier on Spike, but I miss the fun I had flying.”

“The guards know about our destination. They will keep a discreet distance,” Celestia said.

“I’ll follow you,” Twilight replied.

The southwestern edge of the courtyard faced away from the mountain. It had an unobstructed view of the countryside. Cloudsdale was visible in the sky to the northwest. Ponyville Castle twinkled in the distance to the southwest.

The sky was clear of clouds and a blue so brilliant it almost hurt to look at. The temperature was as near perfect as the Canterlot weather team could make it. The winds were mild with a slight updraft.

Celestia reared up on her hind legs and bounded into the sky. Her great wings caught the updraft and made mighty beats. Twilight leapt after Celestia, beating her smaller wings hard to keep up.

Twilight reveled in the act of flight and in the warmth of the sun helping to drive her wings. But as Rainbow might say, being with Celestia made flying 20% cooler. When they flew together to take in vistas of Equestria Twilight had been entranced by her power... the titanic might in Celestia’s pearlescent wings.. the way her ethereal mane and tail blended into a long golden trail of magic that streamed behind her. And those were still glorious to behold. But since that flight Twilight had grown closer to Celestia. She’d embraced and been embraced by her. They’d even shared sensations when they danced through the sky.

Now Twilight was very aware of the sheer pleasure Celestia displayed in working her magnificent body. She expressed her joy with each steely muscle that bunched and flexed to drive her wings. The power of the sun and pegasus magic may aid her flight. But Celestia’s exultation in the effort of flying was evident in her rapturous smile as she rocketed into the sky.

And her joy was infectious. Twilight felt it herself as she raced into the sky after Celestia. The sun blazed within her. Her pegasus magic was strong and left a long magenta trail to mark her passing. And her own powerful muscles, which only weeks before had been abused and hurting, responded now with confidence and strength. And at some deep level, Twilight could feel their promise of even greater strength in the future.

Celestia paused her climb. She circled around the middle heights of the Canterhorn to the south. The city of Canterlot disappeared from view. Twilight caught Celestia and took up position in her slipstream. Celestia continued until she reached the uninhabited eastern slopes of the mountain, opposite the city. She resumed her climb until she and Twilight were at the snow line.

Celestia maneuvered into a gentle updraft, ceased beating her great wings and entered a comfortable glide. Twilight matched her, flying wingtip to wingtip. Their mutual magic trails faded.

“We are now slightly above our destination,” Celestia said. “There is a minor enchantment on the place so it is unlikely to be found by accident. To keep from drawing attention to its location, I recommend we suppress any magical trails during our descent.”

Twilight nodded and searched the side of the mountain for where they might be going. The Canterhorn was a mountain formed by the up thrust of magical crystals within it long ago. Many of its rocky faces were sheer. Twilight couldn’t see anyplace specific that might be their goal.

Celestia smiled, nodded her head down and to the left, and began a gentle descent. Twilight followed. They were heading towards a shiny spot on the side of the mountain where the rock had worn away and the crystals within peaked through. The glare from the sun glinting off crystal facets made it hard to see details.

As they neared the face of the Canterhorn, Celestia and Twilight dropped below the level of the exposed crystal. As the glare cleared a magnificent meadow hidden in a tiny vale appeared. A riotous array of colorful flowers carpeted a pocket valley nestled in the side of the mountain. A tall thin waterfall fell down the crystal face above and splashed into an azure pool in the middle of the meadow.

Celestia flared her wings and alighted on a small beach at the edge of the pool. Twilight landed nearby, digging her hooves into the sand.

The meadow was breathtaking. The water of the falls and in the pool was crystal blue with white foam splashes. Coppery layers split the blue-gray rock walls. The sea of flowers included every color of the rainbow. They rolled in waves out from the pool. The brilliant sunshine made all the colors glow.

Celestia retrieved a picnic basket from behind a rock. She levitated a blanket out of the basket and laid it across a field of short grass.

“You prepared,” Twilight teased. Inside the basket, she could see wrapped packages and jars from the Castle kitchens.

“Of course. I helped start the Filly Scouts, and coined their motto.” Celestia’s grin was wider that Twilight remembered seeing it before. “I hoped I could share this with you.”

“Did you bring cake?” Twilight asked.

“You’ll see.” Celestia looked coy. Twilight’s return smile was joyful. It felt good to be teasing with Celestia.

“As I remember, you’re a fan of daisy sandwiches,” Celestia said.

“Nearly every day,” Twilight replied.

Celestia pointed a wingtip at a group of large bushes dotted with daisy blooms. “Hungry?” she teased. Twilight grinned and nodded. They walked through the tall grass and wildflowers to the bushes.

“The water in the falls comes from a spring deep within the crystal core of the Canterhorn,” Celestia said. “It’s infused with powerful magic. The magic helps the spring and the falls run year-round and keeps the meadow from snowing over even in the depths of winter. It also supports the enchantment that makes this place difficult to find.”

Celestia stretched a broad white wing to shade the daisies. Shimmering lights, invisible in the full sun, danced around the flowers in the shadow. Twilight extended a hoof near a large blossom. Her frog, the soft inner part of her hoof, tingled.

“Sparkle daisies are one of a number of magically infused plants,” Celestia said. “In highly charged areas like this many plants absorb magic from the water or the ground. Over time the magic changes them so they no longer grow without it. The magic can cause the plants to have unusual properties.”

“Like Poison Joke?” Twilight asked. “I had a run in with that a few years ago.” She brushed her mane with a hoof and grazed her horn, to be sure it was still solid. When Poison Joke had affected her horn, Spike had nicknamed her “Twilight Floppal”.

“That’s one example,” Celestia replied. “Poison Joke only grows in areas of chaotic magic like the Everfree Forest. You’ll find the effects from the plants here are much less… whimsical.”

Celestia had brought a small silver knife from the picnic basket. “Sparkle daisies, like many magical plants, disrupt levitation or spells used near them. It’s necessary to harvest them by hoof.” The knife was sharp. Celestia cut and retrieved several blossoms.

They retreated back to the picnic blanket. Celestia laid out ingredients from the basket and assembled a sandwich for Twilight. There was fresh honey oatmeal bread made just hours ago by the royal baker. It smelled sweet and nutty. Fresh butter churned at the Ponyville Dairy (their motto “The happiest cows in Equestria”). And freshly cut sparkle daisies, their petals still shimmering with magic.

“Magically charged foods come with a few caveats,” Celestia said. “Eating too much of them can make most ponies feel buzzy. Some feel achy where they exhibit their magic: unicorn horns, pegasus wings, or earth pony hooves. But Luna, Cadance, and I find them quite invigorating. I hope you like them as well.”

Twilight was a connoisseur of daisy sandwiches. Spike made especially good ones. He used bread from Sugar Cube Corner and daisies from the Flower Sisters in Ponyville.

With her first taste Twilight knew that the sandwich Celestia created made all others seem like they’d been mass-produced at The Hayburger. It was heavenly. Every bite shimmered on her tongue. Twilight was tempted to wolf it down, but was strong. She ate slowly to savor every morsel. “Delicious is too mild a word,” she told Celestia.

“Thank you,” she replied. Celestia made a sandwich for herself, and nibbled on it.

It was not unusual for Twilight to have two or more of Spike’s sandwiches at lunch. But after one with the sparkle daisies, she felt satisfied. The shimmering on her tongue became an agreeable warmth in her barrel. It swiftly spread throughout her body and settled in the areas Celestia had described. Twilight felt a pleasant tingling sensation in her horn, wings, and hooves. The buzz was matched by a general sense of rejuvenation, like the sensations of Celestia’s healing massage.

Celestia finished her sandwich and noted Twilight's smile. “It looks like you enjoyed that.”

“Very much,” Twilight said. “You’ve ruined me for Spike’s regular daisy sandwiches.”

“Spike will just have to up his game,” Celestia said. “I have something else you might want to try.” By hoof, she pulled a small cloth wrapped package from the basket and unrolled it. Inside were several candies wrapped in waxed paper. “These are caramels that were made with sugar from sparkle beets I harvested from this meadow. The sugar was boiled in charged water from the Canterhorn. I know your sweet tooth tends more to Pony Joe’s donuts. But I find these very tasty and the magic in them is much more concentrated than in the flowers.”

“More concentrated? That’s... intriguing,” Twilight said.

“Is that trepidation I hear?” Celestia teased.

“After wielding the magic of all four alicorns? No. My special talent is all about magic,” Twilight said. “Anyway, what can one little candy do?” She reached for one. “By hoof?”

“That would be advisable,” Celestia replied.

With the paper off, the caramel seemed normal, dark brown and shiny, with an earthy smell. But when Twilight shaded it with her wing, the candy shimmered even brighter than the daisies had.

Twilight lifted the candy and then stopped. “Are you going to join me?”

Celestia picked one up and unwrapped it. “I wouldn't miss it.”

Twilight smiled, popped the shimmering caramel into her mouth, and chewed. The first bite was a burst of flavor that opened her eyes and made her mouth water. It was like every bite of molasses and brown sugar she’d ever had all at once. Twilight closed her eyes to savor the sensations. She let the soft candy melt completely away in her mouth.

Before she’d even swallowed Twilight could feel the concentrated magic suffusing into her being. When she did swallow what was left she felt warmth flow into her entire body. Her horn, wings, and hooves felt positively hot.

Every part of her also felt sensitive and very alive. Twilight could feel the slightest puff of breeze over each feather in her wings. Everything she looked at glowed with vibrant colors and infinite detail, no matter how small or far away. The shimmer of magic was visible on every plant even in the brightest sunlight.

Twilight could discern hundreds of scents from across the magical meadow. Each plant’s scent came with a taste on her tongue. She matched each taste to a sensation in her hooves of the plant’s location, number, and health.

The place was also awash in sounds, each one unique and discernable. Twilight was sure if she listened closely enough to the chirp of a bird, or squeak of an animal, she could tell the meaning behind them.

Without looking down Twilight was acutely aware that she was thousands of hooves above the level of her castle. She sensed the pressure of the air dropping and the humidity rising. She could feel a mass of cold air to the north headed this way. She was sure it would rain this evening.

With boneless grace, Twilight rose and stood. She spread her wings, but did not flap them, and kept rising until she was standing only on her hind legs. This was a stance Rarity was adept at but Twilight had found clumsy and uncomfortable before now. She bent her right hind leg at the knee and balanced only on the left one for a full minute just because she could do it. “I wonder if I could jump in the air and buck out at two directions at once like in a movie?” Twilight thought she might be able to but didn’t want to disturb the serenity of the meadow with an attempt.

She lowered herself to stand on four hooves again. Twilight stepped off the picnic blanket and into the surrounding grassy meadow. As she walked forward she felt her horn split the world's thaumic field like the prow of a ship. She sensed the wake as it washed over her wings and hooves. Twilight was aware of the field with a depth and specificity she never had before. She was sure that if she reached out, she could manipulate it like an artist. Twilight felt ripples in the thaumic flow caused by movement of the magically infused water. The looming mystic presence of the great crystals in the mountain made the ground feel more solid than mere stone.

With each step, Twilight’s sensitive frogs reveled in the touch of the cool earth. She felt the grasses of the meadow brush against her legs. They stroked her knees and cannons, sending ripples of sensation through her coat.

As she moved Twilight was acutely aware of her exact relation to the location and movement of the sun. She knew to the second, how long it would be before it needed to be set. With an additional thought, she knew how much longer until its rising the next morning.

And the warmth of the sun within her was no longer an undifferentiated mass, burbling within her barrel and limbs. She could differentiate it from the warmth of the magic that infused her. Twilight recognized it as a complex living expression of the sun’s attempts to communicate. She closed her eyes and listened within. In a great, slow, deep voice she heard, “Greetings my friend.”

Twilight’s eyes sprang open and she searched around for Celestia. “I heard the sun speak!” she cried. Any next words died before they could be uttered.

Celestia lay on the grass in perfect serenity. Her legs were tucked in while her great wings extended to their full width as if to catch every ray of the sun. In repose, Celestia’s eyes were half-lidded, as if she was listening to some far-off melody. The ever-flowing mass of her mane and tail moved in response to fluctuations in the thaumic field.

And when she moved! Celestia rose with her normal boneless grace. But this time, Twilight was acutely aware of her long horn piercing the thaumic field. It was like a surgeon's knife wielded with the power of an exploding star. Every iron muscle that flexed and the flow of magic that empowered them entranced her.

Twilight couldn’t take her eyes away from Celestia. Every hair in her coat and every feather in her wings glistened in the sun and shimmered with magic. For all the mystical miracles in this wondrous meadow, the most magical being of all was Celestia.

Then she smiled, that wide, delighted, joyful, only for Twilight smile. Twilight’s heart melted and she made a great happy sigh. She could envision the next few moments with perfect clarity. To feel that glistening coat against her own. To be embraced by those strong legs and enfolded by those marvelous wings. To nuzzle against Celestia’s powerful neck and soft cheek. And more.

It was the “and more” that brought Twilight up short. A part of her burned inside with magic, with the sun, and with startling need. She gulped and stiffened.

Celestia noted her distress and looked concerned. “Twilight, are you alright? Is this too much for you?”

Her voice was achingly beautiful. Twilight leaned forward, ready to rush into Celestia’s embrace. She shook her head and with great effort looked slightly to the side. When she wasn’t looking at Celestia, Twilight’s thoughts were not so overwhelmed. Celestia had given her an out. She was going to take it. “The magic in that candy has made me quite warm, I’m going to go cool off.”

Twilight raised herself onto her hind legs and bounded high into the sky without flapping a wing. She touched all four hooves together at the top of her arc. Twilight extended her forelegs and dove with a very small splash into the pool at the base of the waterfall. The pool was full of water from the snowmelt and was just above freezing. The temperature shock alone should have been enough to clear Twilight’s head.

But her body was buzzing with magic and she’d immersed herself in a magically infused pool. Twilight's awareness of the thaumic field expanded. She saw herself generating a great anomaly. She floated submerged in the middle of the pool halfway between the bottom and the surface. She felt no need to breathe. The only urgency was generated by the imbalances of magic within her. There was no easy way to dissipate her excess while surrounded by the magical water. So Twilight did the next best thing. She opened herself to the thaumic field and absorbed magic from the water until her body was evenly saturated.

As her body reached magical equilibrium, Twilight’s thoughts cleared. “I better get out before I worry Celestia,” she thought. “Let’s hope I can maintain my cool when I see her.” Twilight swam to the sloping shore and walked out of the pool. Her head emerged first and she took in a great welcome breath. As she stepped forward, her neck and barrel emerged, and finally her upper legs. Standing knee deep in the water, Twilight realized her wet mane had fallen forward and was covering her eyes. She flipped her head. The mass of wet mane sprayed droplets in an arc around her before it ending up lying along the side of her neck. At least it was out of her eyes.

Twilight looked around and found Celestia licking her lips and staring at her with a blissful grin. She must be happy to see that Twilight was all right. And Twilight found she could look at Celestia without an overwhelming urge to rush up and nuzzle her. At least no more than normal. And her senses were no longer on overdrive. Twilight felt very ‘aware’ of the world around her, but the feelings weren’t so overwhelming.

“That’s better,” Twilight said as she walked the rest of the way out of the pool. She asked the sun to blaze within her and it agreed. She extended her wings a bit from her body. The blazing sun warmth dried her coat and feathers, leaving Twilight surrounded by a tiny cloud of dissipating steam. She stepped out of the cloud and back to the picnic blanket, fluttering her wings along the way to be sure they were dry. Celestia was no longer staring but still had her ‘only for Twilight’ happy grin.

“I’m feeling much better now,” Twilight continued. “I agree that it was an… invigorating experience.”

“An experience like that can change a pony,” Celestia said.

“It will take me a little while to sort it all out,” Twilight replied. “Maybe we can do it again… someday in the future. The far future.”

“Of course,” Celestia said. “It’s time to go. I’ll need to lower the sun soon.” she gathered up the picnic blanket and basket in her magic, and transported it back to Canterlot Castle with a pop.

“Twenty-two minutes, thirty seconds from now,” Twilight said. Celestia nodded approvingly. “Do you mind if we fly rather than teleporting back? I want to feel the wind over my wings.”

Celestia nodded again and turned into the gentle breeze. Both alicorns made mighty leaps, pumped their wings, and climbed into the sky together.

Chapter 27 - Surprise Promotion

Twilight put down the last page of the morning’s briefing books. The magic around her horn dimmed and the pupils returned to her eyes. She blew out a held breath and smiled. The mass of information from the briefings was swimming in her brain now. But in a few minutes, it would be organized and available. Then Twilight would be ready for court.

She looked around the sitting room. Raven was retrieving the briefing papers and Spike was checking his pocket watch. Twilight knew the time because she could feel the position of the sun. They were right on schedule.

Today was turning out to be an excellent day to be a ruling princess. Twilight mentally reviewed today’s checklist. Luna had met her on the Grand Balcony to begin the cycle of the day. There’d even been a small crowd in the castle courtyard. They “oohed” and “aahed” as Luna lowered the moon and Twilight raised the sun. Twilight didn’t know if it made any difference, but she tried to put a little extra “oomph” into the sunrise to please the onlookers. The bubbling warmth inside her made it seem like the sun appreciated her efforts at the very least.

Celestia had even joined Luna and her for breakfast, which had been a great treat. Spending time with Celestia tended to put a grin on Twilight’s face and made her feel happy inside all day. Celestia had decided not to sleep in so she could meet a new friend and take care of some personal errands.

The early morning briefing with the Day and Night Guard had gone as expected. There were many potential threats to Equestria. It was reassuring to know there were also many stalwart defenders. The briefings she’d read promised some interesting cases in Morning Court. After lunch, Twilight had a meeting with the Education Minister to talk about apprenticeships for adult ponies. Then she could cap off her day with teatime in the garden, hopefully with Celestia again. She’d cycle the end of the day with Luna, then have dinner in either Canterlot or Ponyville. It was a well rounded agenda for what should be a satisfying day.

This pause before court was one of Twilight’s favorite times of the morning. She, Raven, and Spike set aside this time to be sure everything she absorbed with the speed-reading spell had a chance to settle in. Assuming everything else had been dealt with, it was a time for small talk before the big events of the day.

“I’m very proud of Starlight,” Twilight said to Raven and Spike. “She’s taking her Friendship Lessons seriously and reaching out a lot more. This week she’s been helping Rarity at the Boutique.”

“Starlight’s been busy, busy, busy,” Spike said. “I hardly see her around the castle. And when I do, she’s either in the study or in the lab.”

“She also volunteered to go to Canterlot and follow up with Professor Crystal Clear at the School for Gifted Unicorns.” Twilight smiled proudly. “I think she’s decided to take full advantage of the opportunities that come with being the student of a princess.”

“Having all Canterlot see her on the dais with you in court may have made a difference,” Raven said. “She’s seen the responsibilities of her position and of yours.”

“She’s certainly been a changed pony these last few weeks,” Spike said.

Twilight felt the information swirling in her head lock into a stable organization. She mentally flipped through the pages and nodded. She could get to the information when she needed it. Twilight touched a hoof to her crown to be sure she was ready for court.

Spike and Raven recognized the “I’m ready” look on Twilight’s face. As the clock struck the hour, the three of them entered the Throne Room and took their places on the dais. Twilight nodded to the Seneschal.

“Hear ye, hear ye, the Royal Court of Equestria is now in session. Her Royal Highness Princess Twilight Sparkle presiding.”

Twilight looked down from the throne at Raven. “When did I become a Royal Highness?” she whispered.

“Your student talked to the Seneschal. She pointed out that as a ruling princess you were deserving of the additional honorific,” Raven whispered back. “We checked the rules and she was right. The entire staff apologizes for the omission before now.”

“If that’s what the rules say,” Twilight whispered. She stood a little taller.

In the back of the Throne Room, Twilight spotted a familiar lavender unicorn sporting a big grin. “Starlight? What are you doing here,” she thought.

Starlight flicked her eyes up as if there was something over her head. Twilight scanned the ceiling at the back of the Throne Room but saw nothing amiss. Starlight face hoofed, then pointed over Twilight’s head. She looked up.

As always, a pair of purple banners hung from the ceiling to either side of the throne. But in place of their normal geometric designs, the banners had a great pink eight pointed star. They were the same as the banner on her castle!

Twilight’s eyes went wide. Then she remembered where she was and tried to bring her expression under control. “Are those new banners?” she whispered to Raven.

“In the same meeting, your student noted there were many sun and moon symbols in the Throne Room. But none of your star symbols,” Raven whispered back. “The Royal seamstress worked up these designs. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna approved them. I saw Princess Celestia send you a note by dragon fire.”

“Oh, that note must have gotten misplaced.” Spike whipped a scroll out of his messenger bag and passed it to Twilight. A note on the outside read, “Don’t blame Spike, I told him to keep this note hidden so you would be surprised. Celestia.” Inside were patterns so Twilight could get more banners if she wished.

Somepony in the Throne Room coughed and Twilight realized the assembled were all waiting for her. “Seneschal, call the first case.” While that was going on, Twilight scanned the back of the Throne Room for Starlight, but she was nowhere to be found.

Chapter 28 - Journey To The Past

Almost a week later, Twilight and Celestia flew side by side through a beautiful blue sky. They cruised in a jet stream, high above the puffy clouds dotted below them. The sun was warm on Twilight’s back and comforting within her. Celestia had suggested another outing in place of teatime and Twilight had jumped at the chance. Now, she was almost regretting it.

It wasn’t the sky or her friend the sun that was the problem. It was Celestia. The light would glint off her regalia. Or her mane would billow just so. She would stretch the primaries in her amazing wings to grab a little more of the air. Or the steely muscles working beneath her glistening coat would stretch and flex. And when she looked at Twilight with half lidded eyes or licked her lips! It was all so… distracting.

Twilight remembered puberty. She’d grown a couple of hoof heights over the summer. Between longer legs and bigger hips, moving got complicated. Twilight had to learn to walk, canter, and gallop all over again. When her horn grew almost as much as her legs, even levitation had been a chore. She’d dropped her utensils and her books more that summer than over the previous dozen. And she’d been ravenous all the time, eating as if she had four hollow legs. Twilight’s one comfort was that her growth spurt occurred over summer break. She hadn’t embarrassed herself in front of Princess Celestia.

Becoming an alicorn princess had been like going through puberty a second time. She’d gained wings, grown a hoof height, and gotten a longer horn overnight. Flying had been a disaster to start. But misestimating her new earth pony strength had been at least as much of a problem. Having friends with amazing physical abilities like Rainbow, Applejack, and Pinkie made her feel doubly clumsy.

Twilight tackled the problem, like she did so many, with study and practice. And her hard work paid off. After surviving many embarrassing incidents, Twilight was soon galloping and bucking better than ever. And once she figured out how to do it right, flying turned out to be lots of fun.

Puberty and princesshood had both been emotional roller-coasters as well. Over that first summer break, Twilight first realized how pretty her ex-foalsitter Cadance was. She was hoof-in-hoof with her brother Shiny at the time. But that didn’t keep Twilight from noticing Cadance’s extremely long horn. Pegasi obsessed about wings, earth ponies about flanks. With unicorns, it was all about horns. Luckily it had all passed before anypony could find out. At least Twilight hoped Cadance hadn’t found out. She did have all those ‘love’ related powers. At a minimum, Cadance never said anything, so Twilight didn’t either. And by the end of the summer, things were back to normal.

Becoming a princess had also been distracting. Thank goodness, Twilight hadn’t been around Celestia much after her initial transformation. After her coronation in Canterlot, Twilight had come straight back to her trusty library home in Ponyville. She tried to ignore princesshood as much as possible. And her friends had been supportive. She was trying to live her life as before. So everypony else did their best to act as if nothing had changed.

And if Twilight’s eye lingered on the gentle arch of Fluttershy’s neck or on Rarity's almond eyes, she didn’t raise either subject in conversation. If Rainbow’s athletic flanks, Pinkie’s round tushy, or Applejack’s rippling haunches drew her gaze, Twilight never said a word about them. And if the girls noticed her attention, none of them brought it up either. Fluttershy did ‘meep’ once. But she did that all the time, so Twilight convinced herself she hadn’t been the cause of her friend’s distress. And like the effects of puberty, the emotional rollercoaster of princesshood had passed.

But after embracing Future Twilight and being saturated with magic, she’d shot up another hoof height overnight. Twilight had almost tripped going down the stairs at her castle a couple of times. Both flying and levitation took extra concentration to avoid embarrassment.

And her emotions were on overdrive once again. This time she was obsessing over Celestia. Thinking about her made Twilight melt a little inside. And watching Celestia move! Distracting. That was the right word for it. She glanced at Celestia flying next to her to see if the effect still held. The view of her extraordinary wings pumping up and down made Twilight gulp. It was very hard to sigh and flap your wings at the same time. But Twilight wanted to find a way.

It wasn’t like this was the first time she’d become obsessed with Celestia. The last time had been a long time ago. And it had been more hero worship than… whatever this was. But it had happened and she’d gotten over it. She would get over this too. In a few days, or weeks, or months, this phase would pass. And Twilight would go back to treating Celestia as a platonic friend, like she treated everypony else.

Why did that idea make her so unutterably sad?

“There’s our destination,” Celestia called. She pointed a hoof at a ruined castle in the Everfree Forest.

“The Castle Of The Two Sisters?” Twilight started. Celestia never liked visiting or even talking about her and Luna’s old home. And after the revelations about the battle for the Everfree, Twilight understood why. But now Celestia had brought her to the castle to show her a ‘surprise’.

The two alicorns angled down and landed before the stairs to the front entrance. Two multi-story towers on opposite sides of the grounds were mostly intact. But areas of the roof had long since caved in. Many of the exposed walls had crumbled.

From previous visits, Twilight knew the castle still held many ancient secrets. Tricky trap doors were everywhere. She and her friends sometimes came to search for ancient tomes or relics. Once, Celestia had sent Twilight to find a book in the castle’s thousand-year-old library.

The front doors opened easily. During a visit, Applejack had put oil on the hinges. Celestia and Twilight went through the doors and into the great hall. There was a giant hole in the ceiling and the hall was open to the sky. Along the sidewalls, archways lead to stairways and corridors. Twin flights of stairs at the back of the hall lead to an elevated walkway. In the center of the back wall was a tall arched window whose glass had broken long ago.

Flanking the window were a pair of tattered tapestries. Like many of the objects in the castle, time was slowly defeating their preservation enchantments. The tapestry on the left represented Luna. It was in shades of blue, had a half moon surrounded by four stars, and a stylized blue alicorn. The one on the right represented Celestia. It was in shades of yellow, had a sun surrounded by rays, and a stylized yellow alicorn. The tapestries retained great majesty, even a millennium after their creation. Surrounded by crumbling walls and rubble they were a sad reminder of what had been lost.

Twilight looked at her companion. Celestia was staring at Luna’s tapestry. At first glance, she seemed as calm as always. But Twilight could see cords of tensed muscles in her neck. Coming to her old castle was very hard. After a moment, Celestia looked away. She headed toward an arch in the right wall. “The surprise is this way.” Twilight followed her through the arch and down a corridor.

Much of their route was in deep shadow, but occasional holes in the ceiling cast pools of light. Tattered purple tapestries with tarnished golden tassels flapped in an occasional breeze. Empty sconces indicated where lights once blazed. Wrinkled purple rugs with tattered golden edging muffled their hoof steps.

Celestia moved through the hall with familiarity, not stopping to peer up stairs or down connecting hallways. She wrapped her magic around two of the empty sconces at the same time and pulled down. An empty wall rotated a quarter turn, creating an opening to a hidden side hall. Further on, Celestia walked on three specific tiles on the left side of the hidden hall. The floor in front of them lowered and became a staircase.

After descending the stairs, Celestia stopped and put out a wingtip to stop Twilight as well. She put a hoof forward and tapped a tile. A trap door in the floor fell away before them with a bang. Twilight jumped, then steadied herself. The echo made it sound like the opening was deep. Celestia extended both wings. She half hopped, half flew over the opening in the floor. Twilight teleported next to her with a ‘shring’.

“All these machinations were to slow infiltrators,” Celestia said. “To give the defenders of the castle a chance to respond if somepony broke in.”

“They caused my friends and I some trouble in previous visits,” Twilight replied. “We’ve mapped the trap doors and hidden passages we’ve found. But I know there’s many of them we’ve missed.” Twilight looked around the hidden hall they were in. “For instance, we’ve never been in this section before.”

“Then it will still be a surprise.” Celestia stepped up to a pillar by the side of the hall. “Do not attempt to move this with magic. It is protected. This final barrier is designed so only a single pony with great physical strength, like Luna, I, or someday yourself, can open it.” Celestia reared up on her hind legs and flared her wings for balance. She placed her forehooves on flattened spots that were higher on the pillar than Twilight could comfortably reach. There was only room for one pony to push at a time.

Celestia took in a great breath, massively expanding her barrel. She grunted - a sound that Twilight had never heard her make before. Steely muscles bunched and flexed across her body, as she pitted alicorn flesh against a mass of stone.

Stone was the first to give way. There were no enchanted hinges or clever mechanic levers here, only a block of stone two pony heights in each dimension. Celestia pushed the block forward to the sound of stone scraping on stone. Sweat ran down her neck and barrel. After each breath, she would make another long grunt to accompany her effort.

After three great pushes, the massive block of stone moved enough so a crack opened up between the wall and the chamber behind. Two more titanic heaves and the opening was large enough for Celestia and Twilight to squeeze through.

Celestia blew out a powerful snort and took two deep breaths to regain her calm. She was lathered and her coat was matted with sweat. Celestia smiled at Twilight. “I haven't had to do that in a thousand years. I’m out of shape.”

Twilight eyeballed the block of stone and did some mental arithmetic. She looked at Celestia with wide eyes. “That block weighs more than a house!”

“Two or three houses, actually.” Celestia stopped and closed her eyes. Twilight felt the power of the sun rise within Celestia. The sweat boiled away in a cloud of steam and Celestia was left pristine. She opened her eyes and smiled at Twilight. “That’s better. Come, your surprise awaits.”

They circled the block of stone. Twilight surveyed the large room. It was circular, with red brick walls blending into a high domed ceiling. In the center of the dome was a circular portal. Twilight knew they were in the bowels of the castle. But she could see the sky through the opening. It radiated powerful magic.

Below the portal was a tall furnace made of the same red brick. Stairs lead to a platform next to a hole in the top. The remains of great bellows hung on the side of the furnace, but their air bags were tattered. The skeleton of a block and tackle hung over the platform. The pulleys were cracked and no rope remained. The furnace radiated magic as well.

Twilight looked to Celestia, but any questions she had died on her lips. Celestia’s eyes were closed, and she was wincing in pain. Tears trickled from her eyes. Twilight rushed over and put a wing on her back. “Are you alright?”

Celestia swallowed hard, then deployed a mask of calm. “I’m fine.” The tears that still leaked from her eyes ruined the effect.

“No, you’re not,” Twilight countered. “It hurts you to be in the castle. I don’t care about any surprise. It’s not worth your pain.” Twilight wiped a tear from her cheek with a wingtip. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Twilight. Wonderful, good hearted Twilight,” Celestia wept openly. “I’m not doing this just for you, but for me as well. I have a gift for you. Giving it will help give me closure.” Celestia shuddered. “May we stay, even if staying is hard?”

“I would do anything for you.” Tears welled up in Twilight’s eyes. “I always have and always will.” She swallowed hard and laid her neck along Celestia’s. “If this is what you want... if this will help you... we can stay.”

Celestia enfolded Twilight in great white wings and held her tight. “Thank you,” she whispered. The two remained embraced for many minutes, tears flowing freely from them both.

Author's Note

Twilight is now actively thinking of Celestia in romantic terms, so I added the Romance tag to the story. We will have to see how that part of their relationship evolves.

Thank you everyone for all the comments and feedback. I eagerly read everything that gets submitted.

Chapter 30 - Shopping

The solar chariot was massive, with a white frame and large purple cushions. It was embellished with gold trim and filigree. It must have weighed a ton. Even with centuries of spells applied, it took four strong Royal Guard pegasi to pull the thing. Another flight of four would fly protective top cover. And the third flight of four would fly ahead to prepare a landing space. The solar chariot was not a thing to be taken out for a random joy ride. It was used when royalty wanted to make an impression.

When Twilight had been Celestia’s student, her brother Shiny had been commander of the Royal Guard. He told her that pegasi would practically come to blows to win the honor of serving chariot duty. Pulling the beast was the position of greatest status. It seemed that prestige radiated from Celestia. Everypony fought to be closer to her. As one of the ponies that spent the most time in her presence, filly Twilight had approved of that system of measurement.

The system seemed even more appropriate now that Twilight’s place was on the solar chariot next to Celestia. They sat so closely that their marks brushed against each other. Spike was with them as well, sporting a far off grin.

The chariot was pulled through the evening sky on the short hop from Canterlot Castle to the city's fashion district. Twilight had finished her turn as Princess of the Day. They’d shared a wonderful dinner together, and now the three were going shopping.

Celestia’s relationships with Twilight's friends were different than with most other ponies. The Element Bearers were national heroes. Their friendships affected how they wielded the most powerful magic known to ponydom. When Twilight first came to live in Ponyville she sent Celestia regular letters. They detailed what she’d learned about maintaining the group’s relationships. After the first few years, Celestia asked her friends to do the same. Many of these ‘Friendship Reports’ detailed the group’s foibles and how they overcame mistakes. Through them, Celestia learned to know the Bearers as good-hearted, if flawed, individuals.

Also, Twilight and her friends had been involved in world saving situations more than once. Celestia didn’t need to maintain her ‘aura of perfection’ around ponies that had seen her captured by plunder-vines or trapped upside down in translucent changeling pods (twice!). Celestia was able to be much less formal with Twilight’s friends than she had to be with the castle staff or the Canterlot elite.

Celestia took special pains not to promote one merchant over another. Her favor was sought after. A word from Celestia in the wrong ear could lead somepony’s fortunes to rocket up or plummet down. Twilight didn’t have anything like that kind of influence yet.

But as purveyors went, everypony knew Twilight’s friend Rarity was a special case. If the citizens of Canterlot saw the solar chariot parked outside of Rarity’s Canterlot Carousel boutique they could explain it away. The meeting might concern the defense of the realm. Or, Celestia might be there because Rarity created the most beautiful gowns in Equestria. In either case, the sight of the solar chariot parked outside of the boutique would do wonders for Rarity’s business.

Twilight wondered if that was one of Celestia’s goals the whole time.

Rarity had closed the boutique to the public for the evening. After appropriate welcomes and introductions, she sent the rest of the staff home. Rarity honored Celestia’s wish for reduced formality. She limited the head bobs and royal titles to her welcome. Once the staff was gone, she focused the rest of the conversation on “mare talk”.

In the fashionista’s presence, Spike went from being Twilight’s assistant to Rarity’s. With practiced ease, he bustled around the boutique. Spike made tea, carried bolts of cloth, and acted as a living pincushion. He and Rarity had learned long ago that none of her sewing implements would pierce dragon scales.

“I’m happy to help the two of you with anything you might need,” Rarity said.

“Thank you, Rarity,” Celestia said. “This year, Princess Cadance is hosting The Grand Galloping Gala in the Crystal Empire. It is another way to cement the empire as a part of Equestrian society.”

“I’m sure it will be lovely; the Castle of the Crystal Empire is a magnificent venue,” Rarity said.

“Since Cadance is the Princess of Love she decided to move the date of the Gala. It will be held on Hearts and Hooves day this year,” Celestia continued.

“And since Celestia isn’t hosting, she and I will get to spend the entire evening together.” Twilight sported the widest grin at the thought.

“I remember that was your goal at our very first Gala,” Rarity replied.

“Really? I didn’t know that.” Celestia smiled at Twilight, who blushed and looked away.

Rarity’s eyes darted between the two. She barely suppressed a smile. “You must have new gowns for the event. Not matching, but complementary. Everypony must know that both Princesses of the Day are gracing the gala with their royal presence.”

“That’s why we’re here,” Celestia said. “This is a personal commission, not a royal one. Twilight’s gown will be my gift commemorating her first public event after assuming her new responsibilities.”

Rarity raised a hoof to protest the word “commission”. Celestia stopped her with a stern glare. “I know that look, Rarity. I was the bearer of Generosity before you. I won’t hear of you charging anything less than your full rate. If necessary, I’ll have a royal auditor determine that rate and have the funds deposited directly into your account.”

Rarity looked to continue her objection but withered before Celestia’s gaze. “Who am I to stand in the way of such a beneficent gift?”

Celestia nodded and looked pleased. She levitated a large chest into the room. It had a lock and many drawer pulls on the front. Golden wisps of magic swirled about the lock and it snapped open. Celestia levitated open the top of the chest. She pulled open the drawers in a stair-step, so the contents of each were visible. Every compartment was lined in padded purple velvet. The cloth was formed to protect and display pieces of the most amazing jewelry any of them bar Celestia had seen outside of a museum.

There were brooches, earrings, mane pins and mane clips, tail rings and tail clips, tiaras, brow-bands, bridles, halters, collars, barrel chains, necklaces, chokers, torcs, bracelets, bracers, bangles, along with barbells and rings for all types of piercings. Each one was beautiful, unique, and exemplified the pinnacle of their individual craft.

Fascinated, Twilight and Rarity lit their horns. Twilight to study the magic she felt radiating from the open chest. The potpourri of powerful spells infused in the jewelry overwhelmed her. Rarity to use her gem finding to understand the type and quality of the stones on display. She was awed by rare stones she’d never laid a spell on before. They both marveled at the absolute perfection of every object present.

“These are from my private collection,” Celestia said. “I thought you might find pieces in here that would make worthy accessories for Twilight and me.”

“They must be worth more than the crown jewels,” Rarity said with reverence.

”Of course. The crown jewels were selected as much for their political value and ostentatiousness as they were for their craft,” Celestia replied.

Twilight tried in vain to separate out the magical signatures radiating from the chest. There were too many powerful magical effects on the jewelry to understand them with a single detection spell. “Some of these are ancient and very potent. Somepony could spend a lifetime studying their magic.”

“Many lifetimes,” Celestia said.

“Are you sure you have to pay for the dresses?” Rarity whined. “To work with pieces such as these will be more than enough…”

Celestia put her hoof on Rarity’s muzzle to silence her. “Do not make me call the auditor.” She smiled. “And from whatever pieces are left over after you outfit the two of us, you and Twilight’s friends may borrow one each for the event.”

Twilight didn’t realize that Rarity could “squee” at such a high pitch or with such volume.

Rarity’s Carousel Boutique in Ponyville was smaller than her Canterlot Carousel shop. It wasn’t as fancy and it didn’t have as many customers. But it was the original and because of that, it was Twilight’s favorite. She’d made a lot of fond memories in this place. Today was a good day to make some more. She was getting to spend time with two of her best friends at once. It was a fine way to make progress on “keeping up her connections” like she’d talked about with Starlight.

Applejack was standing on the platform in the center of the boutique. Rarity was putting the finishing touches on Applejack’s outfit for the Gala.

“Thanks for not going too fru-fru,” Applejack said. She adjusted her ever-present cowpony hat with a hoof. “And for making the dress work with my hat. I’m not going to any Gala without my hat.”

“Of course dear,” Rarity said. She was an expert in making Applejack look good in ways the farmer would tolerate.

“I think you like the way you look in your Gala dress,” Twilight said. “I caught you admiring yourself in the mirror when you thought nopony was looking.”

“Harumph,” Applejack snorted. “Nothing wrong with trying to look your best,” she said under her breath.

Rarity stayed out of the exchange. “Now for the pièce de résistance,” she said. “A generous benefactor is allowing all of us to wear some unique accessories on the night of the Gala. I saw this piece, and it screamed ‘Applejack’ to me.”

She levitated a cloth away from a bump on the table and revealed an exquisite jeweled broach. The centerpiece was an abstract round shape in crimson rubies accented by a trail of forest green emeralds. Twilight could see why Rarity thought Applejack would like it. From one direction, the shape could be a heart or a comet with a trail. From another angle, it could be an apple with a stem. Any way you looked at it, the piece was breathtaking.

Applejack stared covetously at the broach. “Oh, Rares, that’s beautiful.” She sighed. “Do you think the dress will make me look as good as that?”

“Darling, this is an accessory; it only shines as brightly as the mare wearing it,” Rarity said. “I shall make sure both you and the broach will dazzle all onlookers.”

“Wearing a beautiful piece like that, knowing you look good, can give a mare confidence,” Applejack said. “Maybe I’ll ask somepony to dance I’ve never asked before. This Gala being on Hearts and Hooves Day, it seems like anything could happen. Know what I mean?” Twilight nodded, though she wasn’t sure it was as simple as Applejack was saying.

“Speaking of Hearts and Hooves Day,” Rarity said. “Applejack, what would you think was going on if somepony gave a mare flowers and candy? If they presented them precious jewelry and a beautiful gown? If they were going with them to a romantic event in the Crystal Empire on Hearts and Hooves Day?”

Twilight got very quiet. The pits under her wings seemed very warm all the sudden. Her eyes flicked from Rarity to Applejack and back again.

Applejack started. “Rarity, I’ve been dense,” she said. “I never realized you was court’n me.”

Rarity was flabbergasted. “I’m... what?”

“You made all the signs plain as can be. You shared half your daisy sandwich with me the other day,” Applejack said.

“I’m watching my figure,” Rarity sputtered.

“And you gave me one of Bon Bon’s bonbons.”

“She was having a two for one sale,” Rarity retorted.

“Now you offer me that beautiful broach and this here fancy dress,” Applejack continued. “And on Hearts and Hooves Day we’ll both be at the most prestigious social event in Equestria, presided over by the Princess of Love. What could be more romantic?”

“This conversation is not turning out at all how I expected,” Rarity exclaimed.

Applejack slithered out of her dress and draped it over a ponyquine. “Thanks for opening my eyes, Rarity,” Applejack said. “I’ll be honored to offer you the first dance at this year’s Gala. We’ll see where things go from there.” Applejack strutted out of the boutique, head held high.

Silence reigned for an embarrassingly long moment.

“What happened?” Rarity asked Twilight.

“I think you’re going on a date with Applejack,” Twilight replied softly.

“That’s what I thought happened,” Rarity said. She levitated her favorite fainting couch over behind her but did not drop onto it as Twilight expected. “I’m not sure if this is the ‘worst possible thing’ or just the opposite,” Rarity said. She put her hoof to her chin and assumed a thinking pose, with her eyes cast skyward. “Ultimately, it’s not the first dance of the night that matters, it’s the last dance.”

“Is there anything I can do?” Twilight asked. She wasn’t sure what she could do and hoped that Rarity would say no. But it seemed like the thing a good friend should offer.

“No dear,” Rarity replied. “I’ll finish your fitting here in Ponyville in a few days. Princess Celestia asked me to go to Canterlot Castle and complete her fitting there. Who am I to deny a client any part of the experience?”

“Okay then, I’ll leave you to your work here,” Twilight said. She backed out of the boutique and closed the door behind her. But she could have sworn Rarity was forming a wide grin as she left.

Chapter 31 - Reflection

Twilight paced in circles around the great oak desk in her office. Occasionally she would stop, pick up her quill, and consider writing on a parchment on the desk. But she would shake her head, return to quill to the holder, and resume pacing. Her mind was racing in tight little circles and she was trying very hard not to freak out.

An unexpected rap on the door surprised Twilight. She cried out and jumped halfway to the ceiling.

At the outcry, Spike flung open the door. “Is everything alright?” he called.

Twilight recovered her senses and flapped her wings to keep from crashing to the floor. She succeeded, but the downwash blew a blizzard of papers off her desk and into the air.

“Geez, Twilight, jumpy much?” Spike saw Twilight was distressed and thought better of his tone. “Sorry I startled you.”

Twilight settled to the floor and surveyed the papers falling about her like big snowflakes. She tucked her wings to her side and let out a deep sigh. “That’s okay, Spike. I’m just… distracted.”

The last of the papers floated to the floor. Spike reached down to start picking them up. “I’ve got this Spike, I know where they go back too,” Twilight said. She lit her horn, and magenta magic enveloped the pages. They floated up off the floor, retraced the arcs they took while falling, and ended up back in their original piles on the desk.

Twilight thumped down onto her favorite desk chair.

Spike closed the office door and hopped up on a stool beside Twilight. “Anything I can do to help?”

“You always help,” she said with a weak smile.

But Spike was not distracted by the praise. “What’s going on? Did something happen at Rarity’s?”

“It’s nothing anypony did,” Twilight said. She put a wing tip on Spike’s shoulder, just to be touching him. “It’s something Rarity said. It’s given me ideas. Crazy, stupid, impossible ideas. And I can’t get them out of my head.” Twilight gave Spike a little squeeze. “Hence the distraction.”

“Did she say something bad about somepony?” Spike asked. “Rarity’s pretty perceptive. But she can be a little more biting these days. It’s all that time she spends in Canterlot.”

Twilight shook her head. “Nothing bad. She was talking to Applejack. But she meant it for me if that makes any sense.”

“Not saying things straight out is also a thing Rarity does,” Spike agreed.

“The fact that Rarity is good at noticing things is why I can’t get what she said out of my brain,” Twilight continued.

“What did she say?”

Twilight blushed and looked away. “It’s too embarrassing. Too crazy.” She sighed. “Too Filly Twilight.”

“Hey, I’ve seen you do more embarrassing things than anypony else,” Spike said. “And I’m still here.”

Twilight leaned over and snuggled Spike close. “You have, haven’t you.”

“Yup!” He smiled.

Twilight released Spike and turned to face him. “Rarity asked Applejack what it means when somepony gives a mare candy and flowers, fancy jewelry and a pretty dress, then invites them to a romantic outing.”

“Sounds like a Rarity question,” Spike said. “Romance is kind of her ‘thing’. Why would that freak you out?”

Twilight was silent for a long time. “Because Princess Celestia has done all those things for me,” she finally whispered.

“And you think…” Spike started.

“I didn’t think anything before,” Twilight interrupted. “But now I can’t think of anything else!”

“Whoa,” Spike said. “If it’s true, that would be big. Bigger than big. Huge even.” He looked up at Twilight. Her eyes shimmered and she looked conflicted. “Do you want it to be true?” he asked.

“Oh, Spike, I don’t know,” Twilight replied. “Having a relationship like that with Celestia would be a filly-hood dream come true.” She took a deep breath and sat up straighter. “But I’m not a filly anymore. I shouldn’t let an old crush ruin one of the most important relationships in my life.”

“It doesn’t have to ruin anything,” Spike said. “It didn’t for Rarity and me.”

“You told her…” Twilight started.

“That I had feelings for her? Ya. Last year.” Spike said. He stood up very straight when he spoke.

Twilight was struck again how much he’d grown. “I knew you had a crush on Rarity. I tried to keep track of what was going on so you didn’t get hurt. How come I didn’t hear about this?”

“It was only between Rarity and me,” Spike said. “We talked. She said she loved me, but not that way. We agreed to remain friends and she kissed me on the cheek.” Spike’s eyes got moist and a grin spread across his face. “Then we spent three hours talking and laughing about old times.”

“I’m so oblivious,” Twilight said. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help.”

“But you were,” Spike replied, “When I got home, I scarfed down a triple recipe worth of nachos all by myself.” Spike patted his potbelly. “I woke up in the morning with a roaring tummy ache and feeling real down. You told me to stay in bed, brought me hot soup and my comic books, and even went to Zecora's to get medicine.” Spike smiled. “When I felt better, we did errands together. You didn’t leave me alone all day.” He got a serious look. “Don’t think I didn’t appreciate what you did for me. You helped a lot.”

Spike’s kind words made Twilight feel better. The next question was hard. But Twilight thought it was important there be no secrets between them. “Did Rarity say if it was the age thing, or the pony/dragon thing, or…”

“It was a Rarity/Spike thing,” he said. “The heart wants what the heart wants. I wanted her, but she wanted something else, simple as that. She’s still a very special friend.”

“Do you have your heart set on another?” Twilight asked. “Some dragon, perhaps?”

“Not right now.” Spike shook his head. “But there’s room in my life when the right one comes along.”

Twilight’s grin was wide enough to split her muzzle. She enveloped Spike in a great wing-hug. “You’ve become a fine, mature, dragon.” Spike leaned in and hugged Twilight back. They held each other for a long time.

After they released the hug, Spike asked, “So, what are you going to do about your situation with Princess Celestia?”

“I don’t know, Spike,” Twilight replied. “How can I be sure what I’m feeling is real?”

Spike looked thoughtful, then brightened. “We can do an experiment!”

Twilight looked at him and scrunched her muzzle.

“This’ll work,” Spike said. “Give it a chance.”

“Okay, what’s the experiment?”

“You mentioned a filly-hood crush on Princess Celestia,” Spike said. “Describe her to me the way Filly Twilight would have.”

In a high squeaky voice, Twilight said, ”Princess Celestia is wise, kind and knows a lot of magic. She’s smart, powerful, and very beautiful.” She hesitated, and then slipped back into her normal voice. “She wasn't just a pony. The sun literally rose and set on her. She seemed all knowing. All powerful. All loving. She was my everything. She was perfect.” Twilight sighed. “When Celestia smiled at me, I didn’t feel worried or unsure. I felt like I could do anything, especially if it was for her.”

Spike grinned at her Filly Twilight voice, then got serious again. He put his elbows on the desk and crossed his arms. “Describe Princess Celestia as you see her now.”

“I’d still say she’s wise and kind, powerful and beautiful.” She fluffed her wings before continuing. “But she’s not perfect. She carries a lot of guilt for things she did in the past…”

“Things with Luna?” Spike asked.

“Things like that,” Twilight agreed. That was enough detail for Spike. Twilight would never betray Celestia’s secrets. She continued, “Celestia’s a joker. She likes to surprise ponies and even be silly.”

“Like inviting Discord to the Gala to liven things up?” Spike asked.

“Or starting a pillow fight with Luna and me,” Twilight responded.

“You’ve got to tell me that story someday!” Spike cried.

“Maybe someday.” Twilight grinned and went on. “Sometimes Celestia lets ponies get away with things in court because she doesn’t want to have a confrontation.” She glanced up while remembering. “Celestia eats too much cake when she’s stressed... sometimes because she let ponies get away with stuff.”

“Does any of that make you care for her less?” Spike asked.

“Of course not,” Twilight snapped back. “Those are things I love about her and things I can help her with.”

“Sounds like you think of her as a pony now,” Spike said.

Twilight got a far away look. “You’re right, Spike. She’s an amazing, wonderful, flawed pony that I care about very much.” She draped her wing over Spike’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Now I just have to figure out what to say to her.”

Chapter 32 - Before The Gala

The clickity clack of the train wheels played in time with the swaying of the passenger car. Sometimes long train trips made Twilight sleepy, but not today. The car that she and the girls were riding to the Crystal Empire was full of nervous energy. More than a little of it was coming from Twilight herself.

The date for the Gala had come up before her next turn as Princess of the Day and she’d never gathered the courage to make a special trip to Canterlot to talk with Celestia. The event tonight would be the first time the two had seen each other since Twilight’s talk with Spike had made her quandary so clear.

To keep from obsessing over Celestia, Twilight had thrown herself into helping her friends prepare for the Gala. Rarity was her normal, bustling, overworked self during the run-up. It looked like she loved every moment of it. Rarity seemed happiest when she had just the right amount of overwork and anxiety. Too little work and she would fret and second-guess herself. Too much work and she could crumble. But the right amount and Rarity would enter a zone of frantic productivity. Creativity and improvisation lead to some of her best creations.

Twilight liked the gown Rarity had created for her very much. She’d finally gotten Rarity to stick with the basics. It was simple, almost plain. The dress was a solid blue that Twilight thought contrasted well with her colors. The interesting details of the gown were not in the color or fabric but in cut and shape. Rarity had taken her new height into account, and the cut of the gown was elegant. Combined with her simple crown, boots, and new torc, Twilight thought she looked very nice.

All her friends were preparing for the Gala. Rainbow was going to wear her Wonderbolts uniform rather than a gown. Military uniforms were appropriate at nearly any formal function. Rarity had helped Fluttershy with her gown months before (they went for a flower theme this year). Now, Fluttershy was helping Pinkie. She loved her existing dress, but the ever-pronking-pony was hard on clothes. Some of the seams needed to be strengthened. Fluttershy volunteered her sewing skills so Rarity could focus on her new creations.

That left Rarity to concentrate on her own gown, the commissions for Celestia and Twilight, the updates to Applejack’s outfit, and Starlight’s new gown. This was Starlight’s first Gala and she’d been going all out, spending days over at the Carousel Boutique. Starlight had practically emptied Twilight’s library of spellbooks, telling Twilight she wanted to help Rarity, “upgrade the magic she puts in her dresses.” Twilight was looking forward to seeing what the two of them had come up with.

As soon as the train came around the last curve in the mountains, the spire atop the Castle of the Crystal Empire came into view. The spire was three times taller than any other building in the capital and towered over the fog-shrouded city. The point at the top glittered in the sharp northern sunlight.

Everypony started gathering their things in a rush to be ready to detrain when they got to the station. Twilight swallowed hard. The time for distracting herself was coming to an end. The time for the Gala and her meeting with Celestia was here.

“Welcome to the Crystal Empire and to this year’s Grand Galloping Gala!” Prince Shining Armor said as the girls got off the train. “Cadance wanted to be here to meet you, but she has some last minute preparation to complete.” Twilight hugged her brother as Crystal Guards loaded their luggage onto carriages. Shiny and the girls were transported to the castle at the heart of the city and set up in their lodgings for the evening.

Once in their rooms, the girls all scampered around getting ready for the event. Rarity bustled from room to room, making sure everypony’s look was perfect. She roped Twilight into going room to room with her. Rarity directed Twilight on how to use her magic to help the other girls get ready for the big event.

When everypony else was dressed, Fluttershy came to help Rarity style Twilight’s mane. While Twilight normally wore her mane down with the ends cut straight across, for the Gala she let Rarity have her way. With preparations both cosmetic and alchemical, Rarity and Fluttershy lifted and curled Twilight's mane. They sculpted it into an intricate assemblage of curls and ringlets. Rarity’s artistic triumph was manipulating the magenta streak in Twilight's mane. She wove it in and out of the assembled curls, creating a virtual highlight that made her coiffure seem larger, regardless of the lighting conditions.

When Twilight’s mane was done, Fluttershy brought out a lacquered jewelry box. Inside were the pieces from Celestia’s private collection that Rarity had picked out for Twilight. A pair of bejeweled mane clips helped hold her curls in place. A pair of rainbow bracelets bedecked her forelegs. And a single starburst earring adorned Twilight’s left ear. Each piece was spectacular on its own. Together, they made Twilight glitter.

“Do you also want to wear your crown, and other things…” Fluttershy asked meekly.

“All part of the princess uniform,” Twilight said. She summoned her regalia from their containers in the luggage. Twilight’s golden crown, torc, and boots appeared in flashes of magenta magic. Fluttershy placed the crown on Twilight’s head, being careful not to disturb her new ‘do. Twilight levitated her torc onto her neck and stepped into her boots. Between her regalia and Celestia’s jewelry, she was wearing a lot of ornamentation. “Is it too much?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy smiled, but ducked her head and broke eye contact. “I think it looks beautiful,” she whispered.

Twilight checked out her image in the twin full-length mirrors and smiled. Fluttershy was right. Rarity had chosen the pieces well. She looked well accessorized, but not overdone.

Starlight came into the room in a teal and gold gown and carrying a large purple dress box in her field. “Is Twilight ready for her gown?” she asked.

“Yes dear,” Rarity replied. “Is the gown ready for Twilight?”

Starlight winced. “There may be a little issue with that…”

“Now is not the time for issues!” Rarity stamped a hoof. “Now is the time for triumphal revelations!”

“Girls, what’s going on?” Twilight asked.

“We added a little spell work to your gown,” Starlight said. “And there’s been a tiny, little, small issue with the final step.”

“And that is?” Rarity demanded.

“Every time I try to activate the spells I’m afraid I’m going to burn the gown to a cinder.” Starlight admitted.

“But you're a magical prodigy, the most powerful unicorn in Equestria!” Rarity exclaimed.

“That’s the problem,” Starlight retorted. “After you added the last layer of haute couture enchantments, the spell matrix became extremely unstable. I’ll destroy the spells and the gown if I try to activate them, no matter how much I dial back my power level.”

“Could anything else dangerous happen?” Twilight asked.

“Only to your presentation, dear,” Rarity reassured her. “Twilight, subtlety is clearly not Starlight’s forte. Can you control your magic to trigger spells of great delicacy?”

“The spells are all ready to go,” Starlight said. “They need the barest hint of magic to trigger them.”

“Think of it like brushing your lips across your beloved with your magic,” Rarity said. “What’s the most delicate magic you’ve cast?”

Twilight thought back. She’d cast many, many spells in her lifetime. Since magic was her special talent she, like Starlight, was more likely to over-power a spell than under-power it. The thought of “brushing her lips across her beloved” triggered a memory, putting Celestia to sleep after their long night of revelations. That was the most delicate spell work Twilight could remember. “I think I can do this,” she answered.

“Of course you can,” Starlight said. She was smiling. Rarity, Starlight, and Fluttershy swarmed around Twilight, putting on her gown and accessories.

“This isn’t my dress,” Twilight said. The cut was the same, but the fabric was very different. It was lighter and softer. The gown clung to Twilight’s every curve like it had been molded to her body. There were new accessories as well: a long cape that mounted high on the back of her neck, and a train that flowed over her dock and far behind her. All three were brilliant white and shimmered with reflected highlights and magic.

“I’m afraid there’s been some minor subterfuge,” Rarity admitted. “The dress I fitted you with before was never what I planned for you to wear. It was actually a pattern for the creation of this dress.”

“It feels very different,” Twilight said.

“”It’s crystal spider silk,” Starlight said. “Sunburst helped me find it. It’s the lightest, softest, and most magically active cloth known. Perfect to hold the spell matrix.”

“It also wonderfully accentuates the wearer’s shape.” Rarity leaned forward. “Now, Twilight. As delicately as you can, activate the spells on the gown, cape, and train.”

Twilight closed her eyes. She imagined Celestia before her. Her kind eyes. Her gentle smile. Her soft lips. Twilight sighed. A single, tiny magenta spark emerged from her horn. It floated gently over her back and descended. Twilight’s horn barely glowed and the spark divided into thirds. One each fell upon the gown, cape, and train. Though her eyes were still closed, Twilight felt complex magic bloom around her. She heard Fluttershy gasp and Starlight prance.

“You can open your eyes, dear.” Rarity sounded impossibly pleased with herself.

Twilight blinked her eyes open. There, in the twin mirrors, she saw herself reflected from both sides. Twilight’s heart caught in her throat.

The gown and accessories were no longer white but asymmetrically splashed with color. On her left side, the gown was deep purple blue, with sky blue trimmings. The purple faded to lavender and then to orange over her back. The right side was sunshine yellow. Every color seemed to sparkle and glow in the magical lights of the room. The entire effect was as the twilight becoming the dawn.

Even more arresting than the gown were the cape and train. They moved as if alive, the cape flowing in an unfelt breeze behind her head and the train behind her body. They mirrored the colorings of the gown underneath, transitioning left to right from purple to lavender, orange, and finally to yellow.

Twilight stared at the movement of the accessories. Their pattern was… familiar. Then she got it. Celestia’s mane and tail moved the same way. Her cape and train flowed with the fluctuations of the world’s magical field. Someday Future Twilight’s mane and tail would do so as well. Rarity, Sunburst, and Starlight had found a way to replicate the effect until that time.

“This is spectacular!” Twilight craned her neck to see how the cape moved and shifted the weight on her hind legs to see how the train reacted. Both adjusted as expected, and she didn’t find their movements distracting. Surprisingly both felt… natural... like they were a part of her.

She longed to study the spell work involved. But a knock on the door reminded Twilight that it was time for the big event. She stepped up to Rarity and enveloped her in a wing hug. “Rarity, I cannot thank you enough for this.”

“It’s my pleasure to see my friends looking amazing.” Rarity returned her hug. “But I didn’t do this alone.”

“Of course.” Twilight turned and embraced Starlight. “Thank you for all this.” Starlight hugged her back. “I’m going to want a complete rundown on how you did all these spells,” Twilight teased.

“Thus the student becomes the teacher,” Starlight teased back. “I’m glad I could help,” she said sincerely.

Twilight hugged Fluttershy, “Thank you for all your help.”

“Don’t worry if everypony is looking at you tonight,” Fluttershy whispered. “Just remember that you look very, very special.”

“I will,” Twilight said. She gave Fluttershy a final squeeze, then turned toward the door. Twilight ran a ripple of magenta magic over herself from horn to tail, making sure everything was it its proper place.

“Showtime,” Rarity said.

Twilight nodded. She summoned the power of the sun within her, stood tall, and assumed a regal countenance. Starlight opened the door. Princess Twilight Sparkle stepped through. She was headed to the Gala.

Chapter 33 - At The Gala

The last of the foreign ambassadors and hereditary princes had been announced. Only the two ruling princesses remained. Twilight stood in the hall just beyond the doorway leading to the Grand Ballroom. Celestia was not there. “She wants her entrance to surprise everypony, even me,” Twilight thought.

The Grand Ballroom of the Castle of the Crystal Empire was larger than the one in Canterlot Castle. Blues dominated the castle’s color scheme. Royal blue floors polished to a mirror finish supported faceted cobalt pillars. Indigo tapestries hung from gleaming white walls. Canterlot Castle had a red carpet leading from the entrance to the dais. This castle had an amethyst one.

Most guests were announced as they entered via the large double doors in the left wall. They walked the amethyst carpet to the center of the room. There they turned right, and then walked to the dais to pay their respects to Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor. A few of the most important guests would have a more impressive entrance.

The most striking element of the Grand Ballroom was the enormous crystal staircase. The VIPs were announced at the top. They made their way down to the amethyst carpet and promenaded directly to pay their respects. Then they took their place before the dais with the Princess and the Prince. The last two guests introduced were Twilight and Celestia.

“Her Royal Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of the Day!” the seneschal called.

Twilight could hear murmurings from the crowd that filled the Grand Ballroom. She stood tall and emerged at the top of the crystal staircase. The murmurings fell to silence. Twilight began her slow walk down the stairs. Her cape and train flowed majestically behind her. The Grand Ballroom was filled with ponies and other sentients in their colorful best. Spike and the girls had secured positions in the front of the crowd at the base of the crystal staircase. They all had big welcoming smiles.

For much of the assembled crowd, this was the first time they’d seen their new Princess of the Day in such a manner. She was taller than many remembered, more regal. They’d known her as royal student, heroine, and junior to the other princesses. Now her countenance and demeanor, as well as her attire and adornment, were of a ruling princess.

The impression hit the assembled like a lightning bolt. Many were stunned into silence and immobility. Others “oohed” and “aahed” at the display. Then the crowd seemed to recover their wits. First a few, then more, and finally the entire audience bowed low to honor her.

Twilight reached the bottom of the stairs. She nodded in appreciation to the prostrate crowd. They rose. She smiled at her friends standing nearby. They all grinned back at her. Maybe it was their connection through the Elements of Harmony or the intensity of their friendship but their happiness seemed to make the girls glow. Pinkie raised a hoof and waved her greeting wildly.

Rather than proceed up the amethyst carpet to the dais, Twilight turned back to look up the stairs. She was not the only Princess of the Day here tonight and she wanted everypony to know she and Celestia were a team. She nodded to the seneschal to proceed. “Her Royal Majesty, Princess Celestia, Princess of the Day!” he called.

Celestia stepped onto the balcony at the top of the crystal staircase. For her first few steps, she had on her “court smile” while she looked about. When she spotted Twilight at the base of the stairs, Celestia’s eyes lit and her ‘just for Twilight’ smile emerged.

Twilight’s eyes went wide at the site of Celestia. “Oh Rarity, you magnificent mare,” she thought.

Celestia seemed to float as she descended. Her gown was of the same crystal spider silk as Twilight’s own. It didn’t need a cape or train, Celestia’s mane and tail flowed about her as always.

The colors of Celestia’s gown were also asymmetrical like Twilight's. The yellow of the sun faded into a red of the sunrise, and finally to the sky blue of the day. But while Twilight’s half of the sun was on her right, Celestia’s was on her left. When Celestia got to the base of the stairs, she reached out a wingtip. Twilight reciprocated. They each made the slightest brush against the other's feathers. Twilight took up position next to Celestia and the images on their gowns meshed. It was as if the sun was being held between them.

Twilight and Celestia proceeded down the amethyst carpet, paid their respects to Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor, and took their places.

“Welcome all to the Crystal Empire and to the Hearts and Hooves Day edition of the Grand Galloping Gala!” Cadance said. “We are here, in the presence of the Crystal Heart, to celebrate all the ponies we love: partners, family, friends, and more. May the light and love you share here tonight lift you all year long!” The crowd gave a great stomping ovation and the maestro struck up the band.

Being royal guests at the Gala was very different from being the hosts. In previous years, Celestia, and later Celestia and Twilight, had to spend long stretches in receiving lines greeting dignitaries and other important ponies. Tonight they were free to roam the ballroom floor as they wished. Also, being royal seemed to come with a built-in shield against guests barging in on them. If either Twilight or Celestia initiated conversation, guests were more than happy to engage with them. A few were tongue-tied when dealing with the risers of the sun and rulers of all ponydom. But most of the sapiens that got into the most exclusive party in Equestria knew how to handle themselves with royalty.

During a break in the conversation, Twilight and Celestia grabbed a bite at the buffet table. Twilight was happy to get some punch to wet her throat. Celestia eyed large slices of a multi-layer cake.

She stroked a wingtip over Twilight's feathers to get her attention. “You look very beautiful tonight.”

“You look wonderful too,” Twilight replied. She’d barely suppressed a shiver from Celestia’s touch. “Rarity and Starlight did an amazing job on the gowns.”

Celestia nodded. “They certainly did.”

At the talk of the gowns, a nearby unicorn cocked an ear. “Hello Sunburst,” Twilight said to Starlight’s fillyhood friend. “Starlight tells me we have you to thank for obtaining the fine cloth our gowns are made of.”

“Oh yes, your highness,” Sunburst replied. He was a magical researcher and trainer who took care of Cadance and Shinny’s daughter Flurry Heart. “I found notes about crystal spider silk in the Empire Archives.” He gazed at Twilight’s flowing cape and train. “Even with the silk, I wasn’t sure Starlight could make those move with the thaumic flow.”

“I’ve found there’s little that friends can’t do together when they put their mind to it,” Celestia interjected.

“I especially like the story the gowns tell together,” Sunburst said. “From the dawn of a clear day to sunset on a stormy evening.”

“I don’t think…” Twilight stopped and noticed she was standing on Celestia’s right side this time. The sky blue on the right of Celestia's dress joined with the sky blue trim on her dress to create a different image than before. The scalloping on the edge of the “twilight purple” on her gown now resembled a storm cloud. “I didn’t think they would be so beautiful together from both sides, but they are,” she continued. “Rarity is extremely talented.”

Twilight looked across the floor and spotted Rarity and Applejack dancing. By her memory, the band had played six pieces so far. The two friends had been together on the dance floor for each one. Twilight smiled at the thought. Love was in the air for some ponies tonight.

Sunburst had excused himself and Celestia had stepped away from the buffet. Her muzzle was pristine, but she left several empty plates behind.

“Enjoying the cake?”

Twilight looked to the sound of the teasing voice. Nopony would talk to Celestia in that tone.

Nopony except another princess.

“Yes, Cadance, it was quite delicious,” Celestia replied.

The pink alicorn and co-host of the Gala stepped up to Twilight and Celestia. “I could have another couple sent up to your room later this evening?” Cadance teased again.

“I would never turn down the generosity of the Princess of Love on her day,” Celestia continued. She seemed determined to try and keep Cadance from one-upping her.

“Cadance are you okay?” Twilight asked.

“Twilight, you’ve grown so much!” Cadance squealed as she gave her a sisterly wing-hug. While they were embraced Cadance whispered, “I think there’s so much love happening here I’m getting a little loopy.” Louder she said, “The Crystal Heart is working overtime tonight.”

The Princess of Love was sensitive to the feelings ponies had for each other. She also had the power to subconsciously remind ponies why they felt in love in the first place. The magical prompt was often enough to help those in emotional trouble find the courage to connect with those they loved.

Twilight knew the Crystal Heart gathered the love and light from every pony in Equestria. It recycled it back across the land through the aurora. The heart was also Cadance’s mark and she was mystically connected to it.

Between her sensitivity to the emotions in the Grand Ballroom and the love flowing through the Crystal Heart, Cadance was not her normal self this evening. Twilight looked around for Sunburst and motioned him over. “Princess Cadance could use some help finding the Prince. Could you please take her to Shining Armor and be sure they stay together until she feels better?”

“Of course, your highness,” Sunburst replied. “Princess Cadance, please follow me.”

“All right Sunburst,” Cadance replied. “Where’s your friend Starlight? The two of you are so good together…”

After Cadance walked away, Celestia said, “I’m sure she’ll be alright.”

“Sunburst and my brother will take care of her,” Twilight replied. Nopony seemed to be demanding their attention at the moment so… “Celestia, would you like to take a walk with me?”

“That would be lovely,” Celestia said. The two alicorns slipped away from the festivities and headed toward one of the side doors.

Chapter 34 - The Question

From the highest balcony in the castle, Twilight and Celestia could see the Crystal Empire laid out before them. On this festive night, the city was awash in light. The windows in every building were bright. The roads were illuminated with magical streetlights. The main thoroughfares of the city radiated out from the enormous castle at the center. Diagonal roads connecting these boulevards created a giant six-pointed star pattern across the city. They divided it into the inner castle district and twelve outer boroughs.

Even from this high up, the alicorns could see crowds of ponies in the streets below. Anticipation was evident. They saw ponies pointing and casting their eyes toward the castle and the Crystal Heart that spun in a monument at its base.

The two stood watching the activity in the glittering city for long minutes. The cool northern breezes were refreshing after the crowds in the Grand Ballroom. Twilight noticed that her cape and train flowed in sync with Celestia’s mane and tail.

After a long lull, Twilight could be silent no longer. “Everypony seems to be waiting for something,” she said scanning the crowds.

“I suspect they’re hoping that on a night such as this there’ll be a mystic event. If it’s of sufficient magnitude, it will transform them into Crystal Ponies in more than just name,” Celestia replied.

“Becoming living crystal, even for a little while, should be strange or scary,” Twilight said. “But every time it‘s happened to me, it was amazing.”

“Crystallization is a unique consequence, one I’ve only seen after the Crystal Heart overflows with love.” Celestia’s ‘just for Twilight’ smile blossomed. “I must say that Crystal Twilight was quite fetching.”

“Well, Crystal Celestia was very beautiful… I mean impressive… too.” Twilight closed her eyes and sighed. “I can’t fence like this anymore,” she thought. “I need to know.” Twilight opened her eyes and gazed at Celestia with a touch of sadness. Everything was about to change and she didn’t know if it would be for good or for ill.

“Are you alright, Twilight?” Celestia raised a wingtip to touch her.

Twilight raised her wing to block. “Please Celestia, I need to ask you a question. And I'm not sure what will happen after I do.”

“You can ask me anything.” Celestia looked serious. “I said there would be no secrets between us.”

Twilight ducked her head to gather her courage. She took a deep breath and looked Celestia in the eye. “Are you courting me?”

Celestia took a half step back as if she’d been struck. “No… Yes… Not at first…” Celestia stammered. She recovered her poise. “Do you wish me to court you?"

“That’s a separate question.” Twilight’s stepped forward to follow. Her gaze never wavered. “You said no secrets. Are you courting me?”

Celestia closed her eyes and ducked her head. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Since when?” Twilight whispered.

“When did I first think I had feelings for you?” Celestia asked. Twilight nodded. “You’ve always had a special place in my heart.”

“I mean romantic feelings,” Twilight countered.

“We are not newly met. My feelings for you have a history.” Celestia sighed. “For many moons, I did not entertain such thoughts. I felt I had good reasons for keeping my distance.” She smiled. “One by one, you chipped them away.”

“Such as?” Twilight asked.

“While my sister was absent, I found it easier to keep myself from the entanglements of romance,” Celestia said. “I didn’t want to deal with perceived conflicts of interest. Or to expose my partner to the slings and arrows of court life. Courting royalty in public is challenging.”

Twilight looked sympathetic. “I’m so sorry you felt the need to isolate yourself like that. It must have been lonely.” Celestia made the barest of nods.

“The other issues don’t seem to apply,” Twilight continued. “Since I was your student, nopony expects me to be impartial.” She tapped her crown with a hoof. “And I’ve already flung myself into court life.”

“You certainly have.” Celestia smiled.

“As for courting royalty,” Twilight said with mock haughtiness, “if we go through with this, you’ll just have to get used to it.” She stuck her nose high in the air.

Celestia broke into a belly laugh and Twilight joined her. When the laughter faded they were both grinning.

After a long moment, Celestia got serious again and plowed on. “Your having been my student was also an issue.”

“A teacher/student relationship would have been... inappropriate,” Twilight said. “But you were the one who told me I was no longer your student. After the girls and I defeated Tirek.”

“And I said we were all your students now. I remember.” Celestia sighed. “Saying it and believing it in my heart were two different things. Seeing your friendship with the sun was the first chink in that armor. The night after the symphony was a turning point.” She looked grateful. “You were a rock in my time of weakness. I knew you’d saved Equestria before. But I had never experienced your strength in such a personal way. After I accepted your judgments on my past deeds, there was no way I could treat you as anything less than an equal.”

“I’m glad I could help,” Twilight said. “That was a very hard night.”

“But many good things came out of it,” Celestia replied. “Your rule. My further reconciliation with Luna. Hard as it was, I cherish the memories of that night and the aftermath. That night was also when I laid aside my guilt for any manipulations while you were growing up. Your forgiveness was… liberating. It gave me permission to envision new possibilities in my relationship with you.”

She pondered for another moment. “Even with all that, there were also times when I worried about the great difference in our ages and levels of experience.”

“I can never catch up on that,” Twilight said.

“Nopony can,” Celestia agreed.

“But if a millennium of experience is a requirement,” Twilight continued, “your only potential partners are ancient dragons and such.” She smiled at the thought.

Celestia’s eyes rolled up, considering the size of a fully-grown dragon. “While such a relationship might be… interesting… it’s not what I’m looking for.” She gazed back at Twilight and smiled. “I have my eye on somepony closer by.”

Twilight’s blush would have made Fluttershy proud.

Celestia’s smile faded. “But, I’ve known you since you were young. It took me a while to accept that you’ve had a lifetime of experiences I wasn’t a part of.”

“A lot does happen in Ponyville,” Twilight agreed.

“You make a lot happen there. You’ve earned your experience,” Celestia looked at Twilight proudly. Then she remembered a painful concern, and a tortured look crossed her face.

Twilight leaned forward. “What is it?”

“Another issue I had to get past was not knowing if you are going to die,” Celestia said. “We won’t know for a long time.” She closed her eyes and grimaced. “Watching ponies I care about age and pass on while standing by ageless can be… disheartening.” Celestia looked at Twilight with relief. “Seeing who you could become, that such a future was possible for you, even if it’s not assured, was comforting.”

“Neither of us live safe lives,” Twilight replied. “We’ve both fallen in battle and been captured.” Twilight stared up at the stars above. “While I’d like to know if I’ll live a normal span or a long time like you, I don’t plan my life around either possibility. I work to improve the future because I or ponies I care about will live there. I enjoy myself today because I want to live a good life, no matter how long it lasts.”

“Spending time with you may have influenced my thinking,” Celestia said. “I came to similar conclusions.” Celestia looked kindly at Twilight. “That night also allayed the last of my fears. Your feelings for me have a history. I knew you had a crush on me when you were younger. It wouldn’t have been healthy for either of us to build a relationship on that. But when I saw who you could become…” she choked up, then continued. “There was such love in her eyes. Not admiration or hero worship. Not even just friendship. But joyous, unconditional love.” Celestia’s smile became dreamy. “The last of my objections melted away.”

Twilight’s face fell. “So you fell in love with ‘her’…”

“No, Twilight! Let nothing I say make you believe that.” Celestia leaned in close. “I fell in love with you long before but was too stubborn to admit it. Seeing ‘her’ was the final straw that made me realize my reservations were baseless.”

“If I’m being honest, it was the image of you coming out of the pool at our picnic that cemented the idea that my feelings were true.” Celestia smiled widely as she remembered. “You stepped out wet, glistening in the sun, and surrounded by a rainbow halo of sparkling droplets.” Celestia sighed. “It took all my composure not to make an advance on you at that very moment.”

“But, you asked when I first felt there might be something special between us. The first time you came to share tea, you were very affectionate during our introduction. You held our nuzzle for a surprisingly long time.” Celestia smiled gently. “Your touch made me very, very happy. After you left I beamed for an entire day. Thinking about you coming back lifted my heart. That was when my feelings for you began to change.”

Overwhelmed, Twilight said nothing in reply. Her only movement was the rise and fall of her barrel with each breath.

“Now I believe it’s time for you to answer my question,” Celestia said. “Do you wish me to court you?”

Chapter 35 - The Answer

Twilight made as if to step forward. The urge to embrace Celestia while calling out “Yes” as loud as she could was nearly irresistible.

At the same time, her brain raced and blocked her. Questions, complications, and fears exploded across her mind. Twilight settled back on her hooves and did not advance. The conflict between body and mind was so strong, she screwed her eyes closed and silently wept.

Celestia’s face fell. “Twilight, if this is too much… I’m sorry, we don’t have to deal with this now.”

“No, no…” Twilight said. “I want to.” She opened her eyes and gazed at Celestia through her tears. “I want to so badly.” Twilight shook her head. “Stupid brain.”

“Pull yourself together,” she thought. Twilight put a hoof to her chest and inhaled. She extended her hoof and blew out her tension along with her breath, as Cadance had taught her years ago. A measure of calm returned. She looked up at Celestia. “You’ve been thinking about courting me for a while,” Twilight said. “I only caught on a few days ago.”

“And you have questions?” Celestia asked.

“And concerns,” Twilight replied. “What about ruling Equestria? Everypony’s going to know. There'll be questions.”

“Politics is an area where I have some expertise,” Celestia countered. She leaned in to make her point. “Cadance and Shining Armor show that a relationship is not a disadvantage in joint rulership. Equestria will not fall if we’re together. Neither of us would ever let that happen.”

Twilight nodded.

Celestia leaned back, satisfied. “What else is on your mind?”

“I don’t have any real romantic experience,” Twilight admitted.

“I’ve been ‘off the market’ for quite some time myself,” Celestia said. “Any experience I have is quite out of date. We can learn about modern relationships together.”

“I’m not sure I’ll even know where to start,” Twilight said.

“Have you never had romantic thoughts about another?” Celestia asked.

Saucy images of Cadance, her friends, and of Celestia herself popped into Twilight’s head in rapid succession. She shook them away.

“Thoughts? I’ve had lots of thoughts. Ooodles of thoughts. I’m the princess of thoughts.” Twilight blushed. “But I’ve never done anything about them. Isn’t this like trying to learn magic by starting with Advanced Thaumaturgy? Maybe I should have a simple relationship first and work my way up to the most beautiful pony in all creation.”

Celestia smiled and bobbed her head. “A compliment like that is a fine place to start.” Her gaze got more serious. “Don’t deceive yourself. No relationship is simple. All are uniquely complex.”

Twilight nodded but didn’t seem relieved.

“And as I remember, you jumped straight into Advanced Thaumaturgy when you joined the School for Gifted Unicorns.” Celestia winked. “You may be a prodigy in this realm as well.”

Twilight blushed again and ducked her head.

Celestia got serious once again. “Twilight, these are legitimate areas of concern. But you’re clever enough to have worked through them on your own. What’s really bothering you?”

Twilight closed her eyes. It was time to tell the truth. “I’m scared.”

“Do you know what you’re scared of?” Celestia asked softly.

Twilight nodded. “I’m scared of losing what we have.” She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. “Our time together has been amazing, the best time we’ve ever had. It’s even better than being your student. I’m so much more comfortable being with you… talking with you… even touching you. I learn from you and can help in ways I never could before.

“But if I say yes, if I let you court me, then you’ll see the real me. What if you find out who I really am and don’t care about me the same way anymore? What if you realize... I don’t deserve you?”

Twilight could feel her thoughts spinning out of control. Her head was creating ever more depressing and demeaning scenarios for how she could drive Celestia away. She was sure her clever mind could go on for hours, building a thicker and thicker wall between them.

But Celestia interrupted before her brain could continue. “Love is not a matter of deserving. I’ve always loved you - as a mentor, as a friend, and now possibly as a partner. Your choice is how you wish to accept that love.”

So this was it, the time of decision. And as it had done many times before, the crisis point stripped away all obfuscation and dissembling. It was time to decide if she believed in herself enough to admit her feelings. And none of her best choices had ever come from giving in to fear. “Please repeat your question,” Twilight asked softly.

Celestia leaned back, uncertain. “Do you wish me to court you?”

Twilight stepped forward and touched her lips upon Celestia’s with exquisite care. They were as soft as she could have possibly imagined.

If nothing else ever happened between them, if King Sombra returned from the aether and attacked in the next minute, Twilight would always have this moment. But she hoped the evil king stayed banished forever; she wanted this moment to last at least that long.

Twilight leaned back and sighed happily. She looked up at Celestia and wanted to be sure she hadn't been misunderstood. “Was that a clear enough answer?”

Celestia smiled and made a subtle nod.

“Would it be alright if I courted you as well?” Twilight asked.

Celestia leaned forward and touched her lips upon Twilight's with equal care. They were just as soft the second time.

“Was that answer clear?” Celestia whispered.

Twilight gulped and nodded her head. “I’ve loved you as long as I’ve know you, in many different ways. I’d like to see if we could love each other in this new way too.” She rubbed her cheek along the sleek fur of Celestia’s long white neck. Celestia stroked Twilight’s neck with her wing, running feathers from below her ear to the tip of her shoulder.

Twilight shuddered and made a quiet sigh. She buried her head in the fur on Celestia’s neck. “I love you, she whispered.

Celestia rubbed her cheek against Twilight’s soft mane. “I love you,” she whispered back.

Her smile was so wide, Twilight wasn’t sure she could speak. She raised her head to gaze into Celestia’s eyes. The emotion there nearly took her breath away.

Celestia gazed back. Her smile was different than any Twilight had ever seen before. It wasn’t her ‘just for Twilight’ smile. It was something much more. It was her ‘Celestia loves Twilight’ smile. Twilight decided then and there to do everything in her power to elicit that smile from Celestia as often as she could.

“I’ve never been in this situation before,” Twilight admitted. “What do we do now?”

“Now we court,” Celestia replied. “We’ll endeavor to make each other feel special, desired, and fulfilled.” Her smile widened and Twilight melted a little more.

“We’ll learn about each other and what we are when we’re a couple, Twilight replied. “We’ll discover what kind of relationship emerges from that together.”

Celestia brushed her lips against Twilight’s. “I’m looking forward to every moment of it.”

Twilight’s lips found Celestia’s and brushed back against them. “So am I.”

The first strains of The Lover’s Waltz, the traditional last song in a Hearts and Hooves day gathering, floated up from the ballroom. It was transmitted across the land through the magic of the Crystal Heart. Everypony in the Crystal Empire could hear the music with perfect clarity.

Celestia released her embrace and the two alicorns separated. She bowed to Twilight and extended a wingtip. “Will you join me in the sky for this dance?” Twilight’s heart raced. She bobbed her head in return and touched wingtip to wingtip.

The night over the Castle of the Crystal Empire was alight with colorful auroras, streaming from the tip of the castle’s spire and flowing to all corners of Equestria. The Crystal Heart, spinning in the monument at the base of the castle, gathered love from everypony in Equestria and shared it back across the land. Tonight, at the pinnacle of the celebration of this most romantic holiday, the rainbow of aurora’s were brighter than any had ever seen before.

Twilight and Celestia bound into the sky side-by-side, wings beating, mane and cape flowing, and magic streaming behind them. They spiraled up into the sky high above the castle, magenta and golden trails twisting among the streams of the brilliant auroras. The rainbows of light washed across Twilight and Celestia as they climbed, illuminating them for all to see.

For Twilight, the magic of the auroras washing across her was like being dunked in the mystical pool at the top of the Canterhorn over and over. Her body became saturated with magic. Every nerve ending was afire with sensation. Through her feathers, she perceived the intensity of the ravaging storms above the Frozen North, held away from the empire by the magic of the Crystal Heart. Through her hooves, she knew the exact count of the citizens celebrating in the streets of the city below her. And through her horn, she sensed the intricacies of the Crystal Heart itself.

Deep in her chest, Twilight perceived the bubbling warmth of the sun. Some part of the sun was with her always these days. But she’d been so focused on Celestia that it hadn’t impinged on her consciousness. “Thank you for all you’ve done for me and for Celestia,” she thought.

The warmth rushed through Twilight’s limbs urging her to reach out. She did and touched hooves with Celestia. Instantly, there was a feeling of joining. The sensations of sharing every move of the other’s body flooded both alicorns. Now united, Twilight and Celestia’s wing beats synchronized. They maintained their contact as they rose into the night sky.

The bubbling warmth seemed pleased. It retreated below the level of Twilight’s enhanced perception. It kept the two alicorns connected but left them the privacy of their innermost experiences.

High above the Castle Of The Crystal Empire, Twilight and Celestia halted their climb. Their rocketing ascent had taken them mere moments. Even at their great altitude, the magic of the Crystal Heart made the music from the ballroom perfectly clear. The first measure was just starting in earnest. They bowed to each other and assumed their positions for the waltz. Joined as one, they whirled about the sky, never a wing beat out of sync. Mane and tail, cape and train, flowed behind them. Golden and magenta magic traced their spiral track.

The music came to a crescendo. Twilight and Celestia whirled away from each other until they were touching only a single tip-hoof. As the music ended, they each bowed deeply to the other then rushed together into an airborne embrace and a deep, passionate kiss.

On the ground below, the citizens on the streets of the Crystal Empire finished their own dances. Their eyes were drawn to the sky. Through the magic of alicorns, all on the ground could see their two princesses as clearly as if they were standing in front of them. They cheered in appreciation and bowed to honor the love of their sovereigns.

On the balcony of the castle, ponies came out of the ballroom to see what was going on. All Twilight’s friends were there. Rarity and Applejack were hoof-in-hoof. Starlight and Sunburst came out with Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor. Ever faithful Spike waddled out, looked up, and grinned like a mad-dragon. The others followed his gaze. They spotted the two princesses in their embrace, and joined in the cheering. Princess Cadance turned to her husband. “That’s where all the extra love was coming from.” Through the magic of the Crystal Heart, Twilight and Celestia could hear her clearly.

The streets of the city glowed with azure magic in reaction to the love and devotion of the crystal ponies. The broad boulevards of the city formed a giant glowing six-pointed star. When the light from the citizens reached the castle in the middle of the city, the Crystal Heart at its base erupted. A wave of magic swept out from the heart, transforming all within the city into their crystalline forms. They cheered even louder from the sheer joy of the occasion.

High above, the two alicorns were the last to be transformed. Surrounded by the glowing auroras, they glittered like priceless gems in the night.

Twilight and Celestia didn’t even notice; for tonight, their only focus was each other.

< The End >

Author's Note

And that’s a wrap.

Now that it’s over, I vent a bit about the experience in my blog.

Thank you to everyone who read and commented and voted on Teatime. You’ve all made writing and posting the story an experience I will not soon forget.

Chapter 1 - The Letter

“Spike, I miss Princess Celestia.”

Twilight Sparkle slumped in her favorite big chair, before a broad oaken desk. Floor to ceiling bookcases flanked the desk. Plum colored floors, cobalt walls, and organic sapphire pillars cast her castle office in cool tones.

Spike threw Twilight a quizzical look. “But, you saw Princess Celestia just last week, and the week before that.”

“Those meetings were for work.” Twilight rustled her wings and fidgeted to try and get comfortable in the chair. “Last week was to deliver my plans for next year’s Young Leaders Summit. And the week before that was an emergency meeting with her and Princess Luna about the return of the Tantabus.

“What I mean is, I miss my old relationship with Princess Celestia.”

Twilight lit her horn and levitated a thick manuscript onto the desk. “This is the first draft of my graduate thesis for Celestia’s School For Gifted Unicorns. I found it while looking through my old academic work.”

Spike hopped up on a stool next to the desk. Though someday he’d be a massive dragon, for now, the top of his head only just came to the bottom of Twilight’s chin. He picked up the thick document in his claws and flipped through it. The thesis was written in Twilight’s precise horn writing. But the margins of page after page were crowded with red notes in Princess Celestia’s ornate script. “There’s a lot of red here.”

Twilight put her forehooves behind her head and leaned back in her chair. “That’s what got me thinking. If my proposal for the Young Leaders Summit came back with that much red from the Princess, I would’ve freaked out, positive I’d disappointed her.”

“I don’t remember any massive freak outs during your thesis writing,” Spike said. “Lots of all-nighters, but not that.”

Twilight cast her eyes up as she reminisced. “Before we came to Ponyville, I saw the Princess nearly every day. I’d been her personal student for years and was comfortable when she challenged me.” Twilight gestured to her thesis. “Her notes aren’t criticisms; they’re suggestions for making my thesis sharper, more inclusive. They were her way of pushing me to improve. I took her notes in that spirit, and they made they my final thesis better.”

Spike rested a claw lightly on Twilight’s side and looked up at her. She felt his touch and returned his gaze.

“What changed?” he asked.

“I think it was when Princess Celestia sent us to Ponyville.” Twilight put a hoof atop Spike’s claw and held it dearly. She liked the touch. “Befriending the girls and all the ponies here have been the best times in my life.

“But daily talks with Celestia became weekly letters. Sometimes not even that.” Twilight pulled Spike up onto her chair and hugged him close. “I gained a lot coming to Ponyville, but I lost something too.” Twilight looked resigned. “I’m just not as confident in my relationship with Princess Celestia anymore.”

Spike shot her a doubting look. “Just, ‘not as confident’?”

Twilight smiled weakly at him. “OK, it’s worse than that. Hence my concern about ‘freaking out’.” Twilight sighed. “But she’s, ‘The Princess’.”

“Well, you’re a princess…”

“Yes, I’m a princess too. Doesn’t that mean it’s even more important to not disappoint her?”

Spike leaned in and hugged Twilight back. “Maybe it means it’s important for you two to have a good relationship.”

Twilight snuggled Spike, just once. Her grin widened. “When did you get so smart about these things?”

Spike returned the grin. “I hang out with the ‘Princess of Friendship’ a lot. It rubs off.”

When they mutually released the hug, Spike looked up at Twilight. “So, whatcha gonna do about it?”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked. “We’re not moving back to Canterlot; we’ve got our friends and a whole castle to take care of here in Ponyville.”

Spike hopped down from the chair, waddled over to the window, and threw it open. In the distance, perched on the side of a mountain, the city of Canterlot and the towers of the Royal Castle there were visible. “It’s not like Canterlot is on the moon. You can fly there in what, twenty minutes?”

“Eighteen on my last trip,” Twilight said. “Flight training with Rainbow Dash has helped my speed and endurance a lot.”

“When we first got to Ponyville, it took you longer than that to walk to Sweet Apple Acres,” Spike said. “And that never stopped you from going to see Applejack.”

Twilight gazed out the window. The golden minarets of Canterlot sparkled in the distance. “For so long I had to arrange a chariot or take a train to get to Canterlot. I got used to thinking of it as far away.”

“And…” Spike prompted.

Twilight sat up straight, her wings folded neatly at her sides. “And Spike, take a letter.”

Spike grinned and whipped out a quill and parchment.

“Dear Princess Celestia…”

Twilight stood on the high balcony of her castle and looked at Canterlot in the distance. She was off to try and rekindle one of the most important relationships in her life. It was time to fly to Canterlot and have tea with Princess Celestia.

She’d composed a letter, actually, she’d composed and discarded it eleven different times before finally sending it, asking if she could come to Canterlot Castle and chat sometime over tea. Not because she was delivering an assignment. Not because there was a looming apocalypse. Just because she wanted to spend time talking with the Princess.

And Celestia had accepted!

“Sorry about all the false starts with the letter, Spike.”

Twilight sighed. She felt the wind in her face from the north and ruffled her feathers. “You’re stalling,” her inner voice scolded her. She dropped her head in momentary distress, then raised it resolutely.

Twilight scanned her surroundings, to be sure the path was clear. She extended her wings to catch any updraft from the castle. Then Twilight bunched her hind legs and leaped into the sky, wings pumping to gain altitude.

Flying from Ponyville to Canterlot was still relatively new to Twilight, so she took it step by step. After takeoff, she watched for other flyers around Ponyville, especially Derpy the Mailmare. She and Derpy both had reputations for occasionally crashing into things. “That part of my reputation doesn’t seem quite fair anymore,” Twilight thought. “I haven’t hit anything harder than a cloud for almost a year.”

Even with her improved safety record, flying was not completely natural for Twilight. She had to methodically search the skies to catalog the updrafts and downdrafts that were the terrain of flight. Pegasi who’d been flying since they were foals would do so unconsciously. Twilight thought when Scootaloo finally took to the skies, her late start could lead to trouble with this as well.

Twilight gained altitude and settled into flying at her cruising speed. Her destination was visible in the distance, so orienting her flight was no problem. Below her, the fields around Ponyville dwindled until the land below her was carpeted with forests. There were few flyers this far from town. To the west, Twilight could see the city of Cloudsdale above her, but it wasn’t in her flight path, so she’d be avoiding its busy skies.

Once Twilight had surveyed her surroundings, she settled into the business of flying. The afternoon sun was warm on her wings, but the spring air at this altitude still had a bite to it. Twilight found the mechanical task of flying soothing, and with nothing else to concentrate on for the moment, her thoughts focused on the upcoming meeting.

“I know why I’m doing this,” Twilight thought. “But what do I actually want to happen? What’s the best I can hope for?”

When she was a student, Twilight often shared teatime with Celestia. It was one of the only times she could be sure Celestia didn’t have royal duties on her schedule. Celestia always had teatime in the afternoon before dinner. She was a creature of ancient habits and routine was important to her.

When skies were clear, Celestia normally took her tea in the castle garden near the willow tree. If there were light showers, she would take it under the gazebo. If it rained hard, Celestia would have tea in the Sun Room, where the great picture windows looked out onto the garden. The eaves over the windows were cleverly designed to keep the rain away, even in a downpour, and Celestia would open the windows, and let the sound and smell of the rain fill the room.

Teatime with Celestia had its own seemingly eternal patterns. Twilight would come, on time as always. Celestia would be seated next to the tea set with the brew not yet started and greet her ‘faithful student’. Twilight would acknowledge the greeting with a nuzzle and sit across from her. Celestia would begin brewing the tea and ask a seemingly innocuous question, then poke at some part of Twilight’s hyper-detailed response. This would spin them off into a deep, meandering conversation that could span any and all subjects of their mutual interest.

In retrospect, Twilight realized she’d learned as much at teatime as she had at the School For Gifted Unicorns, or the Canterlot Archives. In the later places, she’d learned about history, magic, and science. At teatime, she’d learned to be a good and well-rounded pony.

“That’s what I want,” Twilight decided. “I want to get back to the way things were with Celestia.”

After moving to Ponyville, Twilight didn’t see Celestia as often. And when she did it was always about business. Without constant contact, Twilight’s confidence in the relationship had suffered.

“I know I can be a nervous pony,” Twilight continued to herself. “But sometimes, I have good reason to be.”

Her inner voice listed some of the reasons, “After the move to Ponyville you messed up with the Gala, Discord, the ‘Want It, Need It' spell, the Wedding, and so many other times.” Twilight got a lump in her throat just thinking about all of the times she’d failed Celestia. Whatever successes Twilight achieved, whether helping ponies or saving Equestria, it never seemed to make up for the mistakes.

Whenever Twilight saw Celestia in those days, she would rush forward and greet her with a friendly nuzzle. The touch made her feel like the bonds of their relationship were still intact. Celestia would call Twilight her ‘faithful student’ and say how proud she was. But the feeling never lasted.

“Then I got my wings,” Twilight thought. Celestia had sent her Star Swirl's unfinished spell, to give her a chance to become an alicorn. “I messed that up too and almost ruined all my friend’s lives.” But the girls had helped her put things right. She’d completed the spell. And because she’d created new magic based on friendship, the Elements of Harmony transformed her into a princess.

“Everything changed,” her inner voice said. “Your body; your home; your responsibilities. And especially your relationship with Celestia.” Twilight was no longer Celestia’s student, but supposedly, though not really, her equal. Rushing forward and nuzzling seemed awkward, against propriety, so these days, Twilight mostly held back.

“No more,” Twilight said out loud. “If I want to get back what I had with Celestia, no more holding back.” The lump in her throat was gone. Deciding what to do was always the hard part. Actually doing things was something Twilight was good at.

She scanned the skies and noted an increasing number of flyers nearby. Twilight realized she was almost at Canterlot. As she’d been taught, Twilight checked for guards protecting the airspace above the castle.

Two Royal Guard pegasi, with gleaming white coats and golden armor, were winging their way toward Twilight to check her out, just as they would with any potential intruder. When they got close, the guards recognized her and saluted. Twilight nodded in acknowledgement. The guards took up positions above and behind Twilight to escort her. The three of them banked right, past a great waterfall that fell beside the city, and headed for Canterlot Castle.

Author's Note

“Teatime - A Novel Of Twilight & Celestia” is set between Season 6 and Season 7.

Chapter 14 - Shadowing Celestia

The intervening week flew by. Twilight rearranged her schedule to free up the time she would be serving as Princess of the Day. Starlight would take up some extra duties at her castle in Ponyville to pick up the slack. As these duties would require Starlight to deal with more ponies around town, Twilight decided to file them under the label, Friendship Lessons.

When next week’s teatime rolled around, Twilight was ready to fly to Canterlot. But now she had a passenger. Spike took up his accustomed place on Twilight’s back between her wings. Starlight was on the castle balcony to see them off.

“You’re sure you have everything you need?” Twilight asked Starlight.

“We’ve been over your checklist three times,” Starlight huffed, She held up the long scroll Twilight had left her.

“We could go over it again…”

“Everything in Ponyville will be fine.” Starlight smiled. “You two go be Princess Amazing and Grand Dragon Vizier.”

Spike puffed his chest out. “I like the sound of Grand Dragon Vizier”.

“Let’s figure out how to be part time Princess of the Day and her Number One Assistant before we go fishing for promotions,” Twilight snarked.

“That’s why I’m going to be shadowing Raven while you shadow Princess Celestia.” Spike pulled a scheduling book out of a messenger bag that hung from a strap over his shoulder. “I even got one of these.” Twilight nodded in approval.

Starlight stepped up and gave Twilight a hug. “Go, you two don’t want to be the t-word. I’ll watch for your sunrise.”

“You will?” Twilight brightened.

Starlight grinned guiltily. “Actually, I’m not a morning pony. I’ll probably sleep through it. But, I’ll catch your sunset.”

“Deal,” Twilight said. “We’ll be back tomorrow night.” Spike wiggled to settle in, got a good grip, and gave a one-clawed thumb up. Twilight bounded into the air and set off on the familiar flight.

When they landed at Canterlot Castle, Spike stayed with Raven, while Twilight went to tea with Celestia. She found teatime a comforting ritual.

Luna was away in the Crystal Empire, investigating an outbreak of bad dreams among crystal pony foals, so Celestia didn’t bother to go to the Grand Balcony to end the day. She took a moment at the end of teatime, asked Twilight’s indulgence, lit her horn, and set the sun. It was a surprisingly prosaic act for an event of such cosmic importance. Twilight didn’t think she could ever set the sun so casually.

Celestia and Twilight had a pleasant dinner together. After dinner Twilight met up with Spike. The two of them retired to the Scholar's Tower early so they would be well rested when shadowing Celestia and Raven. The next morning Twilight and Spike joined Celestia and Raven before dawn.

This was the first time that Twilight was officially assigned to study Celestia as opposed to stealing sidelong glances while she was supposed to be doing other things. She decided to take full advantage of it. Celestia made everything she did seem effortless. Twilight found her mesmerizing.

Luna was still out of the castle, so the rising in the morning was as prosaic as the setting had been the night before. But even there Celestia wasted no time or motion but still treated the act with the dignity it deserved.

Celestia and Twilight had breakfast while Spike and Raven agreed on how they would arrange the day. Celestia focused the conversation on the afternoon’s meeting with the Zebrician ambassador.

Spike duplicated Raven’s schedule into his own book, so he could check off events as they were completed. Raven lent Spike one of her pocket watches so he could track the time.

Twilight focused on following, or truth be told copying, everything Celestia did. In her observations, Twilight noticed subtle ways Celestia made the morning activities proceed smoothly.

For example, after taking two steps out the door, Celestia slowed for a beat, so the others could form up. Twilight took up station to her right. Raven and Spike followed carrying schedule books, watches, and supporting documents. A pair of Royal Guards in golden armor, a pegasus and a unicorn, brought up the rear. The assembly made a formidable royal herd with Celestia and Twilight in their full regalia, conversing as they walked.

Once they were moving Twilight noted Celestia’s pace and thought she must have evolved it after much experience. With her long legs, Celestia moved with boneless grace and majesty. The others, with more normal proportions, had to stride to keep up but no one had to break into a trot. This was a pace that got Celestia where she needed to go, when she needed to get there. It also made her look good along the way and didn’t make any of those with her look out of place.

But, the brisk pace also didn’t allow others an opening to suggest alternatives to Celestia’s determined itinerary. It took so much energy to keep up with the pace and the banter while trying not to look stressed that questioning events never entered Twilight’s mind.

As the group walked through the castle halls, ponies stopped and bobbed their heads in respect, before continuing on their way. Celestia was careful to acknowledge these with her own subtle head bob. It took Twilight a few bobs to catch on, but soon she was acknowledging the ponies respect as well. It turned out there was a trick to timing your steps and head bobs so the action seemed natural. Between trying to keep up with the taller alicorn’s strides, and watching for when a head bob was required, Twilight kept falling out of sync. To be fair, she had a similar problem when dancing and trying to keep to the beat of the music.

All morning, Celestia’s timing was exquisite. Raven never once took out her pocket watch, but all events began and ended on time. The group barely broke stride when they got to the sitting room behind the Throne Room. Raven flashed the top page of her pile of papers at Celestia who nodded in return. A waiting guard opened the door to the Throne Room and the group went through, exactly at the top of the hour.

When they entered the Throne Room for Morning Court, the seneschal called out, “Hear ye, hear ye, the Royal Court of Equestria is now in session. All having business before this court draw near, give attention, and you shall be heard. Her Royal Majesty Princess Celestia presiding. Her Highness Princess Twilight Sparkle attending.”

The royal herd strode up the red carpet and took their places on the dais. Celestia climbed to the highest level and sat on the throne. Twilight and Spike stood on the right of the second level, while Raven stood on the left. The guards took up positions on either side of the ramp leading up to the dais.

The first petitioners were a pony from the Treasury and one from the Foreign Office. They proposed to adjust the taxes on goods imported from Yakyakistan. They spoke in acronyms that Twilight didn’t recognize. She could barely follow what was going on. Celestia ultimately agreed with their proposal, but Twilight wasn’t even sure what had been agreed to.

As the two ponies stepped down from the dais Celestia leaned down and spoke softly to Twilight. “Do you have any questions about the first presentation?”

“I’m afraid I didn’t follow most of it.” Twilight cringed. “I didn’t read Raven’s background briefs before court.”

Celestia’s face was impassive. “There are a number of complex issues scheduled for court today. Perhaps you should take some time and have Raven brief you on what to expect. I will continue court in your absence.”

Twilight closed her eyes for a moment and swallowed hard. Her heart rose until it felt like it would escape from her throat. “Yes, Princess Celestia.” She turned to Raven, “Please follow me and bring your briefs. Spike, stay here in case Princess Celestia needs anything.”

Twilight trudged down from the dais. Raven followed her. As they got to the back door of the Throne Room, the seneschal called the next petitioners.

Inside the sitting room, Raven said, “Princess…”

“No, no, no…” Twilight interrupted. “I need to read the background and get back in there. Speed-reading is something I know how to do. I’ve got a spell...”

“I’ve seen it, your Highness,” Raven said. She levitated the large pile of papers out of her saddlebag and presented them to Twilight.

Twilight made a grab for the papers with her magic. But in her haste, she didn’t get a firm grip. The pile fanned open and exploded. Pages flew everywhere until it was raining briefing papers. Raven tried to reach out with her pink field to catch a few pages near her. But her field was overwhelmed. Twilight’s lavender magic filled the room and stopped everything in it. The papers hung in mid-air. Raven’s pocket watch stopped ticking. Raven found she couldn’t move a muscle other than to breathe.

“I can fix this,” Twilight said. Her heart was pounding. “Gotta calm down,” she thought and used the calming technique taught to her as a filly by Princess Cadance. Twilight brought a hoof to her chest, took in a deep breath, then blew it out and extended her hoof straight ahead. She felt the tension flow out and her calm return.

Twilight cast a reversal spell, and her lavender field began to recede. The explosion of pages flew backward until the room was empty of magic and the pages were on the floor, stacked back in their proper order.

When Twilight’s magic was gone, Raven let out a held breath. Her pocket watch restarted. She shook her head to clear it.

Twilight noticed Raven’s distress. “I’m so sorry…”

Raven swallowed hard and then put on her most implacable court face. “I’m fine, your Highness. Do what you need to do.”

“Right.” Twilight lit her horn again. Her face was grim and determined. The pages streamed out of the pile, past her white eyes, and restacked in the proper order. A minute later, Twilight finished the spell and gave the papers back to Raven. She turned to walk back to the Throne Room.

“Hold on, your Highness.” Raven stepped to the door. She slid a small cover next to the door open. Behind the cover was an opening to the Throne Room that was covered by a grate. The dais was visible through the grate, but the viewer wouldn’t be visible from within the Throne Room. “Princess Celestia is still hearing a petitioner. I recommend we wait until she’s done before we enter to minimize any disturbance.”

Twilight pranced with impatience but finally nodded her head in agreement. “You can listen to the proceedings here, your Highness,” Raven said.

Twilight took up a position near the door. Through some combination of ambient magic and acoustics, she could clearly hear what Princess Celestia and the petitioners were discussing. But between coming in during the middle of a presentation, and the disorganized jumble of new information in her head, Twilight was as confused as listening to the first petitioners. She let her head fall as she stood listening but not understanding. She didn’t even have the energy to investigate any ambient magic to see if that was what was making the sound so clear.

When Celestia finished ruling on the second petition she nodded to the seneschal. He hesitated before calling the next petitioner. Twilight and Raven took the opportunity to resume their positions. “Are you ready to proceed, Princess Twilight?” Celestia asked softly.

“Yes, Princess Celestia,” Twilight replied.

By the time the third petitioners came up to the first step on the dais, the information in Twilight’s head had begun to make sense. She could follow the arguments, this time between a unicorn from Vanhoover and an earth pony from Manehattan. The two cities were the finalists after a long process to determine where the Summer Sun Celebration would be held two years hence. Both ponies made good points and Twilight found herself swayed first one way and then the other. Celestia’s questions gave her no hint of how she might decide. When Celestia finally did rule for Vanhoover Twilight was surprised. She thought the final points made by the pony from Manehattan were convincing and that the decision could have gone the other way.

The fourth petitioner was a pegasus from the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. He recommended that professional weather teams take full responsibility for clearing winter and other seasonal changes instead of leaving them to the local authorities. “Experienced weather teams could do a more consistent job and do it with less pony power than volunteers from the towns and cities,” he said. “There would be a slight cost to the Treasury to pay for the effort but it would be offset by the savings in local administration.” Celestia considered the argument and then looked to her right. “What do you think, Princess Twilight?”

Remembering what Celestia had said about the advantages of taking her time, Twilight gathered her thoughts before responding. “Clearing winter is a time-honored tradition in towns like Ponyville and it would be a loss for the community to take it away,” Twilight said. “Perhaps the crown could give towns the option to have weather teams do the job if the local authorities want to save the effort.”

The pegasus was not happy with that option. “Having some towns do the work themselves and others leave it to the professionals would lead to increased management overhead and reduced efficiency. That could eliminate any savings in cost or effort.”

“Respecting local traditions is one way we preserve our culture,” Princess Celestia said. “Please review and report back on the ramifications of adding Princess Twilight’s proposal to your own.” The pegasus bowed to Princess Celestia, then to Princess Twilight, before leaving the dais.

There were many other petitioners that morning. Twilight took lots of notes and picked up several practices that could make her own court run more smoothly. But just as many times, she was unsure about why Celestia asked a particular question or why her decision came down the way it did.

The clock hand swept towards the time when Morning Court was scheduled to end. When Celestia’s final ruling was done, she motioned to the seneschal.

“Hear ye, hear ye, the Royal Court of Equestria now stands adjourned.”

Sitting at lunch with Celestia, Twilight practically tripped over herself trying to apologize. “I was so caught up in watching what you were doing, I forgot to prepare…”

Celestia raised a hoof to interrupt, like a teacher silencing a class. “Twilight, what’s the goal of our joint activities today?”

“A quiz!” Twilight thought. Aloud she said, “For me to shadow you and see what happens during a normal session as Princess of the Day.”

Celestia shook her head. “That’s what we are doing. What’s the result we want?”

“OK, zero for one on the quiz,” Twilight thought. “Refine the answer.” Aloud she said, “For me to learn what happens during a normal session as Princess of the Day, so I can do a good job when it’s my turn?”

“You could do that the hard way by simply assuming the role.”

“Zero for two,” Twilight thought. “One more chance.” Aloud she said, “For me to learn, without the cost of making those mistakes when I’m acting as Princess of the Day.”

Celestia nodded, “Exactly.” She reached a wingtip over and laid it upon Twilight. “This morning’s result neatly fulfills our goals. The cost of you forgetting to prepare today was minimal,” she said. “And after this morning I predict that you will never again go into court unprepared.”

Twilight looked Celestia in the eye. “Never.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “How can I be best prepared for this afternoon,” she thought. Aloud she said, “Does Raven have background briefs on our meeting with the Zebrician Ambassador?”

Celestia smiled. “I’m sure she does.”

Twilight wiped her muzzle with a napkin and stood up. “If you will excuse me, Celestia, I would like to speak to Raven before our meeting with the ambassador. I’ll meet you in the waiting room five minutes before.”

Celestia stood and nodded her head. “I’ll see you then.”

Later, Twilight rendezvoused with Celestia. They met with Zuberi, the Zebra ambassador. Twilight greeted Zuberi with a formal greeting in his native tongue. Zuberi’s eyes widened a bit and he gave the appropriate formal response. The Zebrician formal greeting litanies were quite intricate. The two went back and forth, call and response, for several minutes. Finally, Twilight ran out of appropriate phrases. She finished with a translated version of the all-purpose phrase, “Please, could we continue in Equestrian? My Zebrician is limited.”

Ambassador Zuberi smiled and bowed his head. In Equestrian he said, “It is my great honor to be welcomed in my native tongue by the world renown heroine, Princess Twilight Sparkle.” He raised his head and asked, “May I ask how much Zebrician you speak?”

Twilight blushed. “Other than formal and informal greetings, I only know the casual way to say hello, goodbye, yes, no, count to twenty, and ask where the restroom is.” She blushed deeper. “And a few expletives.”

The Ambassador laughed. “I invite you to visit my country and take a ride on the Trans-Zebrician Express some day. Our land is vast and our trains are slow. By the time you got to the far shore, you would be quite fluent in conversational Zebrician.”

After the meeting, Twilight shared teatime with Celestia. Like the rest of the day, it was dominated by shoptalk.

“Luna and I have different styles of rule,” Celestia said. “You will develop your own style as well. For example, I wouldn’t have shut down High Roller as firmly as you did. I try to keep my door open to everypony, even when it makes my life harder in the short run.” Celestia stopped and took in a great whiff of steam rising from her teacup. “I have a longer time horizon than most petitioners and I’ll outlast the annoying ones.”

Twilight wasn’t sure if that applied to her so she stayed silent.

“Also, I wouldn’t have empowered the seneschal to review High Roller’s future plans.” Celestia took a sip of tea. “I try to never give away power unless I need to. In my experience, once a prerogative is lost, it is seldom regained.”

“On the other hand, Luna would have banished High Roller forever from Evening Court for being both stupid and insulting. She does not suffer fools gladly.” Celestia nibbled on a teacake. “You will have to find your own balance.”

Twilight asked Celestia about each of the times she was unsure about a question or decision in court. Celestia patiently answered each question. Some of her choices had to do with political ramifications that extended beyond the decision in question.

“An example,” Celestia said. “There were equal advantages in scheduling the Summer Sun Celebration in either Vanhoover or Manehattan. Both cities would be good hosts. And the host city gets increased income from tourists and infrastructure improvements that remain after the ceremony is complete.

“An outside consideration in my decision was my long-term goal of extending the rail line to connect Vanhoover to Tall Tale. The connection would be good for both cities. But it will disadvantage a few important business ponies in Vanhoover. Holding the celebration there should strengthen the mayor so he can support the rail extension in the face of a few opponents.

“I don’t recommend you take such outside considerations into account in your rulings. I only do so in very specific cases, where my choices are well supported by other facts.” Celestia looked Twilight in the eye. “I suggest that you rule only on the merits of the cases before you to avoid unnecessary complications.”

Twilight realized Celestia played the game of politics at a level that was beyond her. “I’ll just stick to the cases before me,” she said.

Chapter 29 - A Talk Long Overdue

When her tears finally stopped, Celestia drew her wings back. She stroked Twilight with her wingtips as she withdrew their embrace. “Are you ready?” Twilight wiped her tears away and sniffled once. She nodded.

“Luna and I shared the furnace in this smithy,” Celestia said. “The window in the ceiling is enhanced. During the day the light of the sun shines into the furnace no matter the hour or the season of the year. During the night the light of the moon does the same.

“Luna would help me use the furnace to forge meteoric iron into solar steel using the magic of the sun. I would help her forge lunar steel using the magic of the moon. From those metals, we created mighty weapons and invulnerable armor with which to defend ponykind.”

“I’ve read stories about such things,” Twilight said. “But never seen them.”

“Luna took hers when she left during our schism,” Celestia replied. “I don’t know what happened to them and neither does Luna. I haven't seen them since the civil war.” She wrinkled her face as if she would spit. “Nightmare Moon’s armor was a pale mockery of Luna’s own.”

“As you saw in my memories, I was not wearing my armor when Nightmare Moon attacked.” Celestia’s face was impassive now, but the cords in her neck still stood out. “After our battle, I left my armor here when we made the move to Canterlot.”

“Is that the gift?” Twilight said hesitantly. Twilight would never want to be rude to Celestia, but she wasn’t sure she wanted armor or weapons. While she’d sometimes battled fearsome enemies, she was the Princess of Friendship, not the Princess of War.

“Come, I’ll show you.” Celestia crossed the room to an iron-bound door opposite where she’d pushed open the stone. The iron strapping was embossed with the symbols of Luna’s half moon, as well as Celestia’s sun. She touched a pedal on the floor near the door and opened it. Inside was the armory, with racks for weapons on the walls, and alicorn sized ponyquins for armor in the center of the room.

There was a layer of dust on the floor and the racks were all empty. The ponyquins were naked, save for a dirty burlap cloth over the neck of one. “Just because I left my equipment behind, didn’t keep others from seeking it out. Thieves and treasure hunters stripped away everything they could carry centuries ago.”

Celestia removed the cloth. She revealed a gleaming golden torc embellished with elaborate scrollwork and Celestia’s sun symbol. “Over the centuries a torc has come to mean a decorative neck-piece. Originally mine was a piece of armor to protect the neck and chest. This is the torc from my solar armor. However, I did not craft it of solar steel. It was a gift from the sun itself and is made of solidified solar magic.

“This piece is bonded to me. Nopony else can lift it. A team of a thousand earth ponies could not carry it from this place. That’s why it remains even though everything else was taken. After the war, I was so disgusted by the horrors of what Luna and I had done, I no longer wished to wear this or any part of my armor.”

Celestia approached Twilight and put a wing across her back. “I want you to have it. You’ve made the sun your friend and support the cycling of day and night. You’ve battled fearsome enemies but have maintained harmony with your friends and even with reformed foes. You rule and deserve to have regalia commensurate with your station and your responsibilities.”

Twilight looked up at Celestia. Her eyes glistened. “But won’t seeing me wearing a part of your armor be a reminder of the bad times?” She lowered her head. “Wouldn’t you come to resent me?” Twilight whispered.

Celestia lifted Twilight’s chin with the tip of one wing until they looked eye to eye. “When you and the torc bond you will make it your own. It will not be a reminder of ill times, but of my joy in the dedication and accomplishments of one I hold dear.” Celestia stood very straight. “And it will do my heart good to know the gift of the sun does not languish but is borne by a worthy bearer.”

Over their recent time together, Twilight felt that she was beginning to be able to read Celestia better. Twilight was convinced she was sincere. But there was another party involved as well. “I wouldn't want to take something you gave to Celestia as a gift if you would think it inappropriate,” she thought to the sun. The happy way the warmth inside her bubbled gave her the sun’s answer.

“Princess Celestia,” Twilight said as she bobbed her head. “I humbly accept your most generous gift.” The way Celestia beamed told Twilight she’d made the correct decision.

“Princess Twilight, please follow me,” Celestia replied. She wrapped the torc in her golden magic and levitated it off the ponyquin, but did not touch it. Celestia led Twilight back into the smithy and up the brick stairs on the side of the furnace. They stood face to face on the platform below the enchanted window to the sun. The torc floated between them.

“I will release my bond,” Celestia said. “Take the torc in your field and accept the bond to yourself.”

“How should I do that?” Twilight asked. This had never been in any of her books.

“The bonding process was not the same for Luna and me, so I suspect yours will be different as well,” Celestia replied. “I believe you will understand when the moment arrives.”

Twilight took a deep breath to steel herself, then nodded assent.

Celestia stared at the floating torc. A look of great effort and concentration came across her face. Her horn blazed golden as bright as Twilight had ever seen it. The glow around the torc intensified. Wisps of magic circled faster and faster around the torc, adding to the brilliance.

The torc was not the only thing glowing. Celestia herself was incandescent. Her billowing mane and tail seemed to be literal flames. A sound like the roar of a furnace rose around them.

Twilight raised a hoof to shield her eyes. Through the glare, she could see that the orbiting wisps were acting like erasers. As they passed over the torc, strips of Celestia’s solar mark and rococo scrollwork were replaced with flat gleaming surfaces. When the last remaining identifiers were gone the torc was a blank golden band with a broad front.

“Now is your time, Twilight,” Celestia said. Her entire body seemed to be flame now. Twilight could no longer tell where pony ended and sun-fire began.

She exhaled a held breath and lit her horn. Magenta magic enveloped the floating torc. As soon as it was fully supported, Celestia withdrew her golden magic.

The torc was a conundrum to Twilight’s magical senses. At once it felt like the most massive object she’d ever wrapped her magic around. She was sure Celestia’s “team of a thousand earth ponies” would be ineffectual if they attempted to move its impossible mass. At the same time the torc felt light; as if it weighed nothing in her field and it took no energy to keep it floating.

“What should I do now?” Twilight wondered.

“We should get to know each other better,” a great slow deep voice within her mind replied. “Hello again, little one.”

“The sun!” Twilight thought. “Should I bow to you? How would I even do that?”

The deep voice laughed. “Such is not necessary between friends. You did say you wanted to be friends.”

“Of course! Being your friend has been amazing.” Though part of her wanted to keep talking about friendship, the analytical part of Twilight’s brain wouldn’t be silent. “How are we communicating now? And why can’t we do it other times?”

“Through this object, I am more present in your world,” the sun said. “And in your current state, you are closer to my form.”

“My current state?” Twilight adjusted her attention from within her mind to examine her body. It was on fire, as Celestia’s had been. Twilight probed deeper. Her body was not just on fire, it was fire! Not solid, not liquid, not even gas, but a fourth state. “I should be freaking out!” Twilight thought. “Why am I not freaking out?”

“Are you in distress?” the sun inquired.

“No…” Her state felt strangely natural. She seemed to be both immensely massive and impossibly light just like the torc. The flames that licked along her legs and barrel caused her no pain. They were, in fact, very pretty.

“Little one, there is much that I wish we had time to discuss,” the sun said. “And much I suspect we will cover in the fullness of our relationship. But for now, our time is limited.”

“To important matters then,” Twilight replied.

“So we may discuss any issues that come up, I have initiated this conversation in only a portion of your mind,” the sun said. “When we are done, you will have the choice to keep this memory, or have it locked away.”

“I don’t like having my mind tampered with,” Twilight snapped. “We are the sum of our experiences. Manipulating somepony's memories without consent is changing who they are.” She slowed down and thought for a moment. “But I suspect we’re going to talk about marks, and destinies, and future selves. If so, I can see how my memories could get us into trouble.”

“I enjoy talking with the quick-witted ones,” The sun said. Twilight felt it smile. “And I would never change anything without your consent.”

“Thank you,” Twilight replied. “What do we need to talk about? The bonding?”

“We must speak of her!” The sun flared, and in her mind, Twilight saw her future self for the first time in all her glory. And glory was the operative word. Tall, beautiful, powerful, contented, Future Twilight embodied every dream Twilight had ever imagined. This was an alicorn that could stand next to Celestia as an equal or even more.

But it was Future Twilight’s eyes that caught her attention. They looked at her with joy and kindness, but also with infinite depths of experience.

“I transformed you into flame so we could converse and bond,” the sun said. “You have this pattern within you. When I transform you back to flesh, I could remake you in this image.”

Twilight felt her heart of flame race. Being Future Twilight would open up many possibilities. There was a lot of good she could do with that power. A lot of things, like certain relationships, could be so much easier. And it’s not like it would be cheating. Future Twilight was her, just… better.

This was the result of her decision to accept the Future Twilight pattern in the first place. But it wasn’t a vague promise to accelerate her progress. This was going all in, like speed-reading a story to know the ending.

But that’s not why Twilight read novels. Her joy came from the insights she gleaned from following the plot unfold, not in knowing “who done it.” And that fast, Twilight made her decision.

“I’ve grown a lot lately, my body, my relationships, my responsibilities,” Twilight thought. “And growing fast is hard. You get clumsy. You make mistakes. Even if I looked like her when this was over, I wouldn't have the same experiences she’s had to learn from.

“The other princesses didn’t become who they are now all at once. A thousand years ago, Celestia was much colder and less observant than she is now. And Luna got so frustrated by being unable to defeat Celestia that she accelerated her rise to power. It drove her to become Nightmare Moon.

“I need to get more experiences in the here and now before I jump anymore into the future. So, thank you for the offer. But no, I don’t wish to come back as Future Twilight.”

She could have sworn Future Twilight’s smile got even wider before she faded away like smoke.

“Is there nothing I can do for you, little one?” the sun said.

“You’ve already given me so much,” Twilight said. “What can I do for you?”

“The boon I ask is that you be true to the love you feel in your heart,” the sun said.

It seemed even a heart of fire could skip a beat. “Even if what my heart wants seems impossible?” Twilight asked.

“The fact we are conversing shows nothing is impossible,” the sun replied. “Our time is nearly at an end. You’ve one last decision to make before we bond.”

“I’ve already made it,” Twilight said. “I want you to lock away my memory of this conversation. The image I have of Future Twilight is too strong. I don’t want to try and live up to that vision of myself. I need to be who I am now, not who I might be someday.”

“It shall be as you request,” the sun said. Twilight could tell the sun approved. “Concentrate on the torc and imagine it being yours and yours alone.”

Twilight visualized the blank front of the torc emblazoned with the simplest of Rarity’s designs: her mark, the large six-pointed magenta star with five smaller stars. This presentation was simpler than Celestia's; it had no rococo scrollwork. Twilight’s crown was simple. Her boots were simple. Her torc would be simple as well.

“You’ll have no memory of the words I speak here today,” the sun said. “And it may be a long while before we can speak like this again. If you recall nothing else, retain the certainty that I love all who I shine upon. I consider you a dear friend for what you’ve done for me, for my friend Celestia, and what you do for all on your world.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said. “I won’t say goodbye because we’ll still be together. Rather I’ll say until we speak again…”

The wisps of magic orbiting the torc flared. As they passed over the face, their trail uncovered piece after piece of Twilight’s mark on the surface.

Twilight looked up at Celestia and saw they were both still beings of fire. Celestia was staring back at her. Their eyes locked, and Twilight felt a heat warmer than the sun blossom in her barrel.

The last bit of Twilight’s mark were emblazoned on the torc. The wisps of magic faded away. Twilight, Celestia, and the torc all flared so brightly that Twilight could sense nothing through the glare. When the brightness receded, she and Celestia were flesh again. The torc bearing her star mark was around Twilight's neck.