Two Words

by Piccolo Sky

Rating: everyone
Tags: Sad, Tirek, Spike, Queen Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, Twilight Sparkle, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 7126

Many years in the future, Spike braces himself for his least favorite annual event.

Series finale spoilers.

Many years following the War of the Bell, Equestria is at rest, the land is filled with creatures living in peace, and friendship and the elements of harmony rein supreme. Princess Twilight Sparkle has grown in both maturity and wisdom as well as power, and, as royal advisor, Spike could not be happier with his life.

If only there wasn't the once-a-year event which seems to hurt his princess and friend so badly...

Why does she keep putting herself through this?

Cover art is property of Hasbro, Allspark Studios, and DHX Media.

Published 2019-10-20 05:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2019-10-20 05:10:01 UTC

Same Time Next Year

Author's Note

I've actually had this idea kicking around in my head ever since last weekend, but didn't have the time or focus to get it out until now. Enjoy. :twilightsmile:

Same Time Next Year

She’s like this every year…

Over the past few decades, Spike had lost track of how many times he walked through the royal hall of Canterlot. Nine-hundred and ninety-nine times out of a thousand the ruler of Equestria would be waiting for him there—patient, calm, composed, and, at worst, maybe signing a stray scroll or dismissing the last pony who had come to court.

Today was a one out of a thousand. There were five separate creatures gathered before the throne and, by the look on her face, Princess Twilight Sparkle had likely had an entire line of them until now and was only getting to them at this point.

“Princess, I still need your approval on the Canterlot firefighters' budget for next year.”

“Yes, yes…of course. Here.”

“Princess, we have too many students staying in for the holiday at the School for Gifted Unicorns. The regular dormitory hall doesn’t have enough rooms available and we need to resettle them today.”

“You have my permission to open Mistmane Hall in addition to Meadowbrook.”

“Princess, we really can’t push this off any longer. The growth of non-equine creatures settling in Manehattan is slamming the limited number of fisherponies. Prices have gone up 180 percent in the past two years alone and it looks like it’s getting worse.”

“Schedule that meeting with the Manehattan city council for 11 AM tomorrow.”

“Princess, the diplomatic talks with Abyssinia are at a standstill. Their latest unusual demand is that they want to reserve the rights to compete for holding the next Equestria Games before they consider lowering their tariffs.”

She sighed and rubbed her hoof against the bridge of her snout. “Fine…fine, we’ll consent to that, but let them know this is the last preemptive favor we grant them.”

“Princess, I just got a letter from Griffonstone saying that their government, under public pressure, is reneging on the deal to build the first Rich’s Barnyard Bargains franchise. They say it’s an attempt of Equestria to influence griffon society through corporate expansion.”

“Through corporate…” she began to echo back with a twitch in her eye--something Spike hadn't seen since the early years. However, she reined it in. “Alright, I’ll…I’ll get to it.”

“The corporation says they have a contract. That they have to uphold their end of it, and they're saying the government of Equestria should back them up.”

“Alright, we’ll get a meeting with both sides at 2 PM tomorrow.”

“Um, princess? 2 PM is when you’re meeting with the Cloudsdale Weather Authority.”

“Alright, alright! Just…put it in whenever I have an opening.”

The last pony grimaced on not getting a definite date, but nodded and turned. He soon passed Spike by as the other four did before him. He watched him leave, but as soon as the door closed and the echo finished resonating he turned back to Twilight.

She had gotten much better at hiding her stress over the years. Spike still remembered when Twilight finally realized that her predecessor wasn’t always as calm and composed as she assumed. She simply learned to hide it better when it got to her and Twilight had soon followed suit. A valuable skill to master, but he hadn’t known the mare for close to half a century and not known how to read her. Even when she drew herself up and calmed down enough to resume her stately, sagacious appearance, he knew something was off.

“Thank you for coming again, Spike. I’m sorry I couldn’t greet you as soon as you walked in.”

He halted a distance from the throne; looking a little uncomfortable. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you this bad, Twilight. I know this time every year gets to you, but I think it’s been getting worse.”

She seemed unaffected by the observation. “Really? You think so?”

“Normally you’re so organized you practically don’t even need any aides. This is the first time in ten years I’ve seen you forget a date.”

Twilight hesitated, bowing her head slightly to one side, but that was all. This late in life, the princess had abandoned the days of slumping in seats, burying her face against a table covered with notes in defeat, or building pillow forts to wallow in self-pity. In one sense, it was a sign of maturity. In another, it made it harder for Spike to see what truly was bothering her.

A moment later her large wings extended and flapped once. Her body, like it was nothing more than a balloon, effortlessly rose out of her throne, glided down the steps, and alit right in front of him. “Now that you mention it, I guess I have been thinking about it more this year than others.”

For a brief moment, her eyes remained to the ground and her body partially slumped. Yet following that, she raised her head, folded her wings, and stood straight and tall again. Once again regal, once again composed, and once again the ruler of Equestria.

She didn’t look back at Spike, however.

“It has to be done, though. And it will be over before I know it.”

Spike looked at her uncertainly. “Are…you sure it has to be done?”

“What makes you say that?”

“We could always not do it this year.” His voice was upturned, as if he was being a bit facetious, but in truth he was perfectly serious.

She was silent, perhaps considering that idea and perhaps not, but in the end simply stood there silently.

Spike sighed; slumping and looking at her more critically. “Come on, Twilight. You know this is a waste of time. It’s the same thing every year. Why would this year be any different?”

“You never know.”

He frowned. “Yeah…they might be even angrier this year…” he muttered half to himself. He stared at her silently for a few seconds before he crossed his arms and decided to play his trump card. “Do you want my opinion as your Royal Adviser?”

“Always.”

“You shouldn’t do it this time. In fact, you should cancel it all together.”

She shook her head. “Out of the question.”

He groaned. “I don’t know why you insist on doing this year after year, especially since I don’t think it does any good, but while it may not be having any effect on them I know it’s having a terrible effect on you. You always look like you're going through a crisis before and after it's done. You may act a lot more like Celestia did now, but I can tell going through this whole event really gets to you. Anything that gets you this worked up can't be any good. And…"

He hesitated, realizing he was getting far more personal with this next part.

"And, well…”

He winced a little, folding his claws and digging them into each other.

“Well, the truth is, if this upsets you, I don’t like doing it.”

This was enough to make her look at him, and when she did she couldn't contain her unease. She actually stood there uncomfortably for a moment before speaking up anxiously. “Spike, are...you saying you want to be excused this time?”

He found himself silent for about a second before he sighed and shook his head. “No. If this really is upsetting you, then the last thing I want to do is opt out of it and leave you on your own. I just don’t like having anything to do with anything that makes you this distraught.”

She smiled at him softly. “I really appreciate that, but I’m fine. I can do this. It’s only an hour at the most out of every year.”

Spike gave her a brief weak smile, but only to calm her worry at him abandoning her. Inside, he still felt much the same way.

“My advice makes sense, you know. Where would they go? Who would want them living with them?”

“They wouldn’t be put back into Equestrian society, Spike. They’d relocate to Tartarus first.”

“They could get out of Tartarus, though. Tirek did once already. Or someone like Discord could get them out.”

“We have new magical security measures. They’d be bound from performing any magic, even the weakest magic.”

“Yeah, about that… Back when that mess happened, we had new security in Canterlot and they still went in without any of us every knowing they had been there. I don’t think Chrysalis even needs magic to start feeding off of ponies. And what about Cozy Glow? Everyone just thinks she’s an innocent little pegasus. Most creatures don’t even know what she looks like.”

“We took an awful big risk with Discord, didn’t we?”

“Didn’t Discord end up siding with Tirek?”

“Alright…I took an awful big risk with Starlight, didn’t I?”

The dragon sighed and rolled his eyes. “Fair point, but you’ll never get concurrence on this. I already passed Pharynx walking in. He’s probably already written up ‘no’ and he’s just waiting to pass it to you.”

“True, but Chrysalis is a prisoner of Equestria and under Canterlot guard. If necessary, I can overrule the recommendation of the Changeling Kingdom.”

Spike went wide-eyed. “But you’re not seriously considering doing that, are you?”

“It depends on what I hear.”

Before the dragon could retort, the doors echoed from the sound of shifting. Both looked forward and saw it swing open; revealing a griffon in Canterlot Royal Guard armor.

“Princess,” His voice was even more solemn than he was normally. “We’re ready.”

She nodded back. “Thank you Gallus. We’ll get started right away.”

The first 20 years following the “War of the Bell”, the statue that had resulted had remained posted in the Canterlot Gardens adjacent to the labyrinth. The non-pony races believed it was a warning against any other invaders, but the actual tour guides stated that it represented what happened in a void of the Elements of Harmony: Greed, Selfishness, and Vanity. It was considered a way that those three could be used for something good and serve as a lesson to others.

Yet after 20 years, Princess Twilight had the statue relocated to a different part of the labyrinth almost impossible to reach. Soon after, she announced their first “parole hearing”.

Today looked much like that day did. The entire Canterlot Gardens were locked off. The necessary representatives, at least those who felt safe enough to be there, were gathered in a topiary square along with an entire quarter of the royal guard. Each one of them had weapons or horns aimed at the statue in the center of the area. The statue itself had been encased inside a globular cage that ran both under the ground and into the air. It was made of adamantium; the same substance that made up the gate to Tartarus. If that wasn’t enough a sphere of magical energy serving as both a shield and an inverted space-time trap that would redirect any action, both magical and physical, back into the same prison enveloped it, and it was reinforced by magical relics as opposed to spells that could be broken or negated.

Nevertheless, there were only two emotions on the faces of all of the ponies and creatures gathered: fear at the prospect of what was about to happen, and fury at the possibility of needing to put these creatures down. Neither had diminished in nearly fifty years.

They all had their eyes on the statue when Twilight entered, although as soon as their princess arrived the entire assembly turned to face her. Many of them looked less fearful just from her being there. No one spoke as she approached a group of representatives with Spike at her side.

She stopped just short of it as one of the pegasus guards approached her. A parchment was in her wing, and after giving a salute with her opposite one she presented it to her. “Princess Twilight.”

She nodded back. “Quiver.” The parchment levitated out of the guard’s wing, courtesy of the princess' magic. “Are all the required representatives here?”

“Yes, princess. The King of the Changelings has authorized his brother Pharynx to stand in for him, and has further authorized him to make decisions on behalf of the Changeling Kingdom.”

Twilight glanced to one side. Sure enough, a lone changeling stood among the others. He was a bit larger and even meaner-looking than most of his race, but his irritation and ire was solely directed at one of the three statues in the center of the assembly. After a moment, he did notice that Twilight was looking at him, but he only responded with a curt nod before resuming his vigil.

“Cloudy Day has been sent as the representative from Cloudsdale this year.”

An older-looking pegasus was near the changeling. Unlike him, she was definitely in the “fear” group. She trembled and drummed her hooves nervously and generally looked eager to get out of there as soon as she could.

On her other side was a much older stallion with gray hair and a sharp and critical look. He eyed the statues as if he was waiting for them to spring to life of their own accord at any moment.

“And…as we have, once again, been unable to locate any members of the centaur race, let alone ones that could evaluate Tirek on his behalf, we have again appointed a Canterlot official. It’s Rustic Tome this year.”

She nodded as her magic rolled up the parchment. “Thank you.”

With one final salute, the royal guard stood to one side; leaving Twilight free to fully advance. There was a perimeter marked out around the area with one final, if not flimsy, defense: a banister which served as a fence around the statue. Twilight reached the edge of this, where a gavel and block were already waiting, so that there was nothing between her and the monument. Spike took his place at her side, and after looking at the statue one final time she took a deep breath before her horn began to illuminate with a strong purple aura.

It was common knowledge that while the imprisonment of the three had been performed by the mutual efforts of two alicorns and a draconequis, and was, by most counts, an unbreakable curse, it nevertheless wasn’t nearly as strong as the powers of the original Elements of Harmony had been. Therefore, it was perfectly feasible, in theory, that it could be undone again by the same two alicorns and the draconequis or, barring that, something powerful enough to be as strong as them combined.

Princess Twilight Sparkle certainly fit that bill. Following the War of the Bell, it became clear that her power came from the sum magic of friendship of every creature residing in Equestria, pony and non-pony alike. It had only grown stronger in the decades since and continued to grow every year. As much as the former rulers had been revered as gods, so much more Princess Twilight. Foes she had encountered since that day had been forced to try and damage either her relationship with her friends or with Equestria at large to stand a chance against her, but the raw power she commanded now dissuaded most from trying. It was still talked about to that day when Lavan arose from the depths of the caverns under Equestria that Princess Twilight actually managed to lift the entire city of Canterlot out of the path of the magma.

She could definitely manage the curse.

As everyone tensed up, especially the guards on their weapons and magic, her horn projected a beam of golden light and struck the statue. The effect was instantaneous. As the resonance of the spell taking effect caused a chime to ring through the air, it was rapidly followed by a crackling noise. Fractures formed on all three statues simultaneously and quickly began to spread along them. Rustic Tome took a deep breath. Cloudy Day tried not to cringe. Pharynx almost bared his mouthparts. Finally, with a sound of crumbling, the stone collapsed off of the three figures and quickly disintegrated into dust.

Tirek let out a hollow exhale as he stretched out his withered limbs. As soon as he was done, he looked about himself at the gallery of cold-faced ponies glaring at him and sneered. Cozy Glow immediately fluttered in place, continuing the exact same flight movement she had begun last year, but dropped into a landing soon after.

Chrysalis, of course, did the same thing she did every time.

She bared her fangs and hissed angrily at Twilight, before she mustered what power she had and flung herself at the magical barrier. And just as every year before, it reacted by feeding energy back on her, making her vanish in a blip of light only to reappear on the opposite side of the prison moving back into the interior. She touched down exactly where she started. She didn't try to move again from there, but she did look up and sneered murderously at the princess.

Tirek gave the changeling a tired frown. “If that didn’t work the first twenty times, one would think you’d learn to throw in the towel…” It was a mutter, but the assembly had gone so quiet that everypony could hear it.

Twilight herself alone remained unchanged, passive and expressionless in the face of these gestures. Her horn lit up, levitated the gavel, and rapped it down three times on the block.

“This hearing is now in session,” she announced before putting it to one side. “Tirek…Chrysalis…Cozy Glow… The three of you have been serving your sentence for your crimes against Equestria for 48 years. You will now be evaluated as to whether or not you will continue to serve your sentence and punishment as enacted by former Princesses Celestia and Luna, or if you merit a pardon to a lesser sentence. Pending a review of your conduct and disposition, this could lead to a future further reduction in sentence up to and including absolution of your crimes and integration into Equestrian society. As in previous cases, myself, as monarch of Equestria, and three representatives will form a small committee which shall render all judgment.”

Her horn lit up again; producing a pre-prepared roll of parchment and a quill. Both were levitated in front of her. The other three representatives got out their own parchment, although Pharynx didn’t even bother with a quill. As Spike had noted, his had been fully filled out in advance.

“You may now speak on your own behalf and plead your case, either for yourselves or your co-conspirators as a whole.”

Chrysalis sneered. “I have nothing to say to you cowardly, nauseating ponies,” she spat with hateful venom. She glared around her so powerfully that even some of the hardened guards wavered a little. “Here I am, half-starved and powerless, and yet you all still cringe behind your magic, bars, and spears. The only thing that disgusts me more than seeing your sickeningly innocent little faces is this entire mockery you’ve put me on display for.”

Tirek crossed his arms as he glared at Twilight. “At the very least you can be honest for once, princess. You’ve already prepared your verdict for us. The real reason for all of this is that it’s not enough for you to keep us in your garden as a reminder of your own greatness, is it? You have to make sport of us with this ridiculous ‘parole hearing’ once a year.”

Cozy Glow looked between the two of them for a moment, Tirek looking a mixture of cross and bored and Chrysalis glaring daggers at her captors, before she cupped a hoof to her mouth and coughed. “Well, if Tirek and Chrysalis are going to just give us a repeat of last year, then I guess I’ll go first.” She walked forward, smiling innocently and opening her big, cute eyes. Her voice became the perfect tone it had been when she acted as the Headmare’s assistant all those decades ago.

“Princess Twilight, I know I made some very, very bad mistakes, and you’re right that I deserved to be punished for them.” Her smile faded into a frown as her eyes grew large and sad; before her voice grew meek and pitiable. “I realize now that what I did hurt a lot of creatures; not just ponies. I’ve learned my lesson though, and I’m ready to make a change. I will gladly accept whatever alternate sentence you have for me if it will give me a chance to prove to you that I’m ready to follow your ways of friendship from here on out.”

Spike frowned before giving an eye roll so strong he nearly leaned back. Twilight, however, remained impassive and unchanged.

Seeing that, Cozy’s look blanched a moment before she smiled innocently again. “Besides! I’m not a changeling queen or a centaur! I’m just a little pegasus filly! Without any magic of my own, how could I possibly be a danger to any other creature?”

Tirek let out a loud snort. “Funny you should say that. Didn’t you almost get the princess and her friends locked in Tartarus forever and destroy all magic within Equestria at the same time without any magic of your own, either?”

At once, Cozy’s more “honest” side began to paint over her face. Her eyes flashed back to the centaur.

“By all means, trust her,” he shrugged. “Oh, did I never tell you about what happened when she offered to let us test out Discord’s Chaos magic on her?” He looked to Cozy. “What was it you called us for doing that? ‘Fools’?”

Cozy's eye twitched as her lips curled into a snarl. Soon after, she was flying in his face and muttering through clenched teeth. “Would…you…be…quiet?!”

He grinned as he looked back at Twilight. “She’ll backstab you the first chance she gets, you know. She can’t keep her little hooves off of more power for herself. She always just tells you what you want to hear until she gets it. You know that better than anyone.”

“What is the matter with you?!” Cozy finally outburst at full volume. “Do you want to spend another year as a statue?!”

“Like I said, the princess has already decided that,” he answered smoothly, giving Twilight one more dark look before looking back at Cozy. “She knows she has power over us now, and she’d never give that up for anything. At the very least, I know she’ll never let me free.”

His jaw began to tighten in growing anger as what he had in the way of flimsy muscles firmed. “She knows how this is the most fitting and painful torture she can grant. Look at me…” He gestured about. “I’m surrounded by creatures brimming with pegasus flight, earth pony strength, and unicorn magic, I’m the only one of my kind who can harvest that energy, and here I stand…” His teeth gnashed. “Helpless forever to get even the smallest taste! Instead, here I’ll stand immobile and helpless, ruing the day I ever came to this confounded infuriating country, and the day I ever laid eyes upon one of these accursed ponies!”

He smiled cruelly at her.

“But over the past year, I realized something. I might not be able to take my anger and vengeance out on them, but there’s one pony I can do everything in my power to make as miserable as possible…”

Realizing what he was saying, the pegasus stared back in open-mouthed shock and horror. Tirek merely grinned back. After a few seconds, her face twisted into absolute rage. Just as she opened her mouth to retort, however, she closed it again. An idea came to mind that warped her fury into a devilish smirk.

She turned back to Twilight with an innocent look again. “Golly, princess…it sounds like Tirek over here doesn’t even want to go to these parole hearings anymore.”

His own grin faded. “Wait, what?”

“Or if he does, it’s only to ruin any chance that Chrysalis and I have. Now that I think about it, is it really my fault that I ended up causing all that trouble at the School of Friendship? Wasn’t he the one who told me what to do so that you and your friends would end up locked in Tartarus with him?”

“What’re you-”

“You know, he did wait a thousand years already for most ponies to forget about him before he broke out of Tartarus the first time. My guess is if he’s not even trying, he’s just waiting for you to turn things over to your successor and then he’ll trick her into letting him out. If I were you,” She smiled. “I wouldn’t even let him come to one of these hearings ever again. I’d just leave him a statue from now on.”

“What?!” he cried.

She smiled at him. “Well, you said the princess already decided, so what’s the point?”

“The point is I’d rather get out once a year than never again, you overgrown feathered mosquito!”

She scowled. “Well maybe you shouldn’t try to blow it for the rest of us then, you dried up old goat!”

A sharp chitinous appendage slamming down on the ground loudly silenced both of them, and they wheeled about to see Chrysalis sneering.

“You both make me sicker every year! You haven’t an ounce of dignity or pride between the two of you!” She turned back to Twilight. “Is that what you want to see me do, Twilight? Grovel? Plead? Beg? ‘Oh please, fair and kind Princess Twilight Sparkle! Please have mercy! We’ll be good little creatures from now on! We’ll do whatever you say!’” She snarled. “You can keep me sealed away in stone for ten thousand years and I’ll still hate you with every last part of my being! I’d rather be destroyed than kneel before you and whimper for forgiveness! So if you’re expecting to torture that out of me, then why don’t you get the backbone to simply shatter our statues already!”

Both Tirek and Cozy went wide-eyed. “She’s speaking for herself! She’s speaking for herself!” The centaur immediately cried.

“Really! Statue is fine!” Cozy chimed in.

Not once during any of this did Twilight show the slightest change. She instead straightened up and turned to one side. “If that is all, I will now ask the board to provide their recommendations.”

Cozy began to tense up fearfully, realizing they were already out of time. “W-Wait! You’ve made your point, princess! I’ll do whatever you want from now on! You’ll never see me misbehave again! I promise! I mean…look at me! I’ve spent four times as long as a statue as I have as a pony! I’m just a filly! Isn’t this…you know…a little cruel and unusual? Can’t I get another chance? I didn’t have the same childhood as you and your friends! I never had anypony in my life bringing me up the right way!”

Tirek glanced at her with a sour frown. “If spending an entire year at the School of Friendship being indoctrinated by the top party-loving ponies wasn’t enough to get you to ‘see the light’, why would now be any different?”

Cozy glared furiously at him, but he kept going before she could cut in in a bitter lament.

“You all think I look pretty funny, don’t you? The great Lord Tirek here to perform for all of you as a withered husk of what he once was! You’ll all have a good laugh once this is over, asking yourselves if this was really what Equestria was scared of, won't you? I’m sure your precious princess will be tickled pink all week!” She wheeled back on her. “Even Celestia and Luna only had me imprisoned! I’m your personal trophy! If you ever see Scorpan again, why don’t you tell him about me? I’m sure he’d love the joke! Maybe he’d want to carve his initials into my flank! After all, this is what that traitor wanted all along!”

“I have nothing more to say to you besides what I say every year, Twilight,” Chrysalis hissed. “You can’t keep me here forever. I don’t care how many years pass or how hungry and miserable I get. I will get out of here one day. And when I do…before I turn all of Equestria into a wasteland and eat every last bit of love and friendship you’ve cultivated here over the past fifty years…I am going to find your former student, even if she’s a nag by the time I get her, and I’m going to wrap you both up in an airtight cocoon so that the last thing you ever see is each other suffocating!” She violently twisted about. “And the same goes for every last one of you wretched little ponies!”

As before, Twilight did not change. She stared silently and impassively even as other members of the committee and the guards themselves began to grow unnerved at the raw hate and violence coming from Chrysalis. She looked nearly feral by the time she was done, and her words echoed on in their minds long after the area was silent again.

After a time, however, the committee composed themselves, finished their own recommendations, and passed them down. Twilight used her horn to levitate them along with her own and arranged them in front of her. She looked down over the parchments impassively for several moments, then looked up again.

“The committee has evaluated each one of you separately, and the votes are unanimous for all four members of this committee.”

She stood as her horn began to glow again.

“For all three of the accused, the verdict is the same: parole denied.”

A stream of light fired from Twilight and struck the three simultaneously. In spite of his earlier words and brave face, Tirek once again ended up frozen in a position of cringing. Cozy’s own posture was stuck groveling and fearful. And, as in almost every other year, Chrysalis managed one last wrathful hiss before she was immobilized.

Twilight let out a long sigh as soon as the spell was cast and the three were again statues. She rose from her position, levitating the four parchments, rolling them up, and passing them to an aide at one side. “This hearing is hereby adjourned. Next hearing is set for one year from now.”

At last, the gathering began to ease. The committee members immediately rose, and Pharynx himself wasted no time on pleasantries but immediately took to the sky. Rustic and Cloudy stayed behind and talked a bit as the rest of the soldiers shifted their weapons or doused their horns, then turned to begin making their way out. A few stayed behind and began to undo the containment spell. Spike let out a long sigh.

“Well…that went exactly as planned once again.” He began to turn. “Still think it wouldn’t have been easier just to can…”

Spike trailed off. Princess Twilight wasn’t there anymore. He looked around, puzzled momentarily, before looking skyward. He was just in time to watch her fluttering lavender mane vanish.

Spike, naturally, tried to speak with her as soon as he returned to the Royal Palace, but the guard let him know that she was reopening court following the impromptu suspension and that she wouldn’t be able to talk until after the day’s business was over. Yet although Spike waited, when the time came for the palace’s royal hall to be closed for the day, Twilight didn’t emerge. He found out she went straight back to her room.

The dragon grew more uncomfortable with these latest reactions. He was the only one who noticed the change in Twilight’s behavior before, but now the whole palace was beginning to walk around looking uneasy and concerned. He knew it was especially bad when he stopped in front of Gallus en route to the royal suite. Griffons rarely showed their care or concern for anything, even ones like him who were as much “honorary ponies” as Spike himself was.

That evening, he looked worried.

“How’s the princess?”

He sighed. “Not only did she dismiss most of the evening staff, she sent a message to the kitchen saying she wasn’t hungry. She even turned away her evening tea and said to put the students’ writing assignments aside for tonight.”

“What about Striga?”

He shook his head.

“You’re joking.”

“She put her out while the sun was still setting. Just between you and me, I haven’t seen her like this in ten years. Not since she noticed the others were…well…getting older faster than her.”

Spike grimaced himself at that, knowing full well what that day was like. Not just for Twilight but for him. “You think she’d mind me going in?”

“You? Never.”

“Thank you.”

Taking a deep breath, he walked past the guard into the entryway. Only a short distance later he reached the door and rapped on it.

“Princess Twilight? It’s me, Spike.”

There was no answer, but nothing saying not to come in either. Spike held a moment before he tried the handle. It wasn’t locked, so he turned it and pushed the door open.

The room was well kept and arranged as it was most evenings. Neat and tidy, the way Twilight preferred it, with everything in its proper place. The fireplace was set and burning and the rug in front of it was swept and awaiting her to recline. Her book (or, more accurately, three books) was chosen for the evening and setting where her tea would normally go.

Only she wasn’t there. She was standing at the sitting room window and staring out at the sun setting over Canterlot. The Helioluna was placed to one side and running on its own. Her back was to Spike, and she didn't even acknowledge he was there.

Spike swallowed; knowing the only time it was “good” for Twilight to not notice someone coming would be if she was engrossed in reading. He stepped in and closed the door behind him. “Hey, Twilight.” His tone lost all formality now that it was just the two of them.

No answer.

“I heard you didn’t have any dinner tonight. Um…” He risked a smile. “Were you waiting on me? Heh, ‘cause I already helped myself to a big plate of amethysts. They really stick to my ribs.”

No answer.

He rubbed the back of his crest. “So, uh…done for another year, huh? Don’t have to look at their faces for twelve moons. Went pretty much the way I expected again, though. Actually, I almost thought Tirek might try absorbing Cozy and Chrysalis’ power again…heh…”

No answer.

“Twilight…you’re not upset about that hearing, are you? It’s really not a big deal. I mean, every creature would say it’s nice of you to even want to give them another chance, but it’s better that they stay where they are.”

Still no answer.

“You heard them going on at each other. They do that every year. And it’s really too dangerous to risk it. So…” He hesitated. By now, his own face was looking anxious. “So why does it make you more upset every year when this happens?”

Twilight’s head finally bowed.

“It was right here, Spike.”

That wasn’t the voice of the Princess of Friendship. It wasn’t the voice of the Ruler of Equestria. It was the voice of Twilight Sparkle: the confused young unicorn who was troubled with something down to her very core. Spike hadn’t heard that voice in a long time, but he recognized it none the less. “What was?”

“20 years after the War of the Bell, it was just like any other morning. I was right in this room, trying on my gown for some upcoming summit, and I heard the birds singing and smelled the spring flowers. I went to the window and opened it wide to get a whiff, and right out there, on the edge of the labyrinth, was the statue garden and one of the tours. They were right at the statue of the three of them. There were two griffons in that entire tour group, and I remember what one of them said.”

She took a deep breath.

“‘I guess the lesson is friendship is nice, but keep some petrification curses just in case.’”

Her head fell lower.

“I thought about that the rest of the day. When I went to bed that night, I kept hearing it. When I tried to hold court, I kept seeing those two. Most of all, I kept thinking about it every time I looked at myself in the mirror, saw those wings I ‘earned’, and studied that crown on my head. I thought of the school, the castle, the Tree of Harmony…all of it. And I started to wonder…did we really win that day? Did I really win?”

“Oh, come on, Twilight,” Spike protested. “Of course you did. We all did. It’s just…well…um…” He thought for a moment. “It’s just that some creatures…I mean…some individual creatures…they can’t be reasoned with. You just have to sometimes put your claw down. Some individuals are just…just…" He fumbled a moment, but finally shrugged. "Well, bad.”

“Are they?”

Spike was caught by the poignancy with which Twilight said that.

“The more of these hearings I go to, the more I understand. The first few years of my reign I thought Tirek was a beast or demon to treat like it was taboo to even say his name. Now I know the truth: he’s a bully. He never felt good enough around his father and he never had faith in himself to be more than what he is, so he stole what power others worked for and used it to 'feel like a big shot'--throwing his weight around tormenting others and making them feel as weak and helpless as him.”

She levitated the Helioluna back in front of her.

“Chrysalis…as crazy as this sounds, I actually pity her. I used to think of her as a horrible, twisted monster. Then I started to realize she’s a slave to her own pride and vanity. She wants dominion and the power to reign over others so badly that she’d rather be driven mad with her own starvation than finally live free of pain with others who could learn to care about her. She’s so terrified of ever trusting anyone else with her safety or risking showing ‘weakness’ by caring for anything other than herself that she’s turned herself into this miserable, hate-filled savage that only wants everything to be in pain.”

She sighed as she stashed the Helioluna on her shelf.

“And Cozy Glow? Cozy Glow… She might be the worst of them all. She can’t see the world past herself. No matter who does what for her or how other creatures reach out to her, she never sees them as anything else than tools to use. But…” She sighed. “But…she’s a child. Not every child in Equestria is like how Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were and just becomes that empathetic at such a young age.” She grimaced. “Me least of all…”

“Twilight-” Spike tried to interject.

“But Tirek was right. She should have learned how to be a better pony. If we really did embody the Elements of Harmony and we really did mentor her the best we could, then why did we fail?” She sighed. “Celestia had a ‘failed student’ too, didn’t she? Four years later, she became one of my best friends. And where’s my failed student? Sitting in that garden…forever. We’ve met all sorts of creatures like the three of them over the years, Spike. Garble was a bully. Trixie couldn’t let go of her pride. Fizzlepop didn’t care about anyone but herself. All of them changed for the better, but these three won’t… What failed, Spike? Did we fail? Or did friendship fail?"

She exhaled as she lowered her head again.

"Honestly I don’t know which would make me feel worse…”

“You didn’t fail,” Spike immediately insisted, toward her as he tried to find the right words. “And neither did friendship. It’s just…just…just that some things mean both sides have to work at them is all. This isn’t just about you, the girls, and your past, Twilight. It’s about the good of Equestria. I get what you’re saying, but…it’s not just up to you and what you do. I’m sorry, but it isn’t.”

He stopped again on reaching Twilight. He could hear her breathing from this close, and it was unsteady and long. By now, the sun was nearly under the horizon. The moon was coming out.

Twilight finally looked up soon afterward, although she still wouldn't face him. Her eyes looked to the heavens, and to the emerging moon. She was silent again for several moments.

“It’s funny. I’m getting this worked up over the three of them, and Celestia had to do that to Luna. It hasn’t even been fifty years for me…”

“Twilight…”

“I was going to leave them unpetrified, Spike.”

The dragon went silent, not only at the confession but at the sound of Twilight’s voice breaking.

“Every year…I’m going to do that. I just need to hear it from them. From any of them. It never happens. No matter how many years pass, it never happens. They never say what I need to hear.”

She finally turned to face him. Spike gave a start on finally seeing her face. Both cheeks were stained with tears, and more were flowing out.

“Why, Spike? Why can’t they see it? They’re standing there with nothing but their thoughts and see and hear everything around them, but they never make the connection. Two words. All I want to hear are two words. Why won’t they understand?”

Her voice was breaking more now as tears kept flowing. Without any more prompting, Spike stepped forward and put his arms around his oldest friend. In spite of her larger size, she quickly put one of her hoofs around him and leaned her head against his shoulder.

As the sun kept lowering, she began to cry more loudly.

“Why can’t they just say ‘I’m sorry’?”

In the skies over Canterlot the sun lowered beneath the rows of the hedges of the labyrinth, and the last ray of sunlight to touch the hidden statue of Tirek, Cozy Glow, and Chrysalis was swallowed up. The night creatures came out and began to call to one another soon after; drowning out the mournful sobs of the princess.