War On Falling Stars

Ferlua sighed deeply as she closed her door behind her, nearly slumping against it as she did.

‘It’s hard to believe things went so well while I was gone. I know it was necessary to leave for several reasons, but...’ She frowned. ‘...it still felt wrong. Visions and proof be damned.’

She sighed again, getting off the door and inspecting her quarters. It was just as she’d left it before leaving Canterlot so long ago; a fine bed with a cloud mattress, silken sheets, ornate golden leaf designs on the headboard and footboard with royal purple heartwood making up the base of the frame, a writing desk, a jewelry box, a walk-in closet and private bathroom, a lounging area, and a terrace just beyond the terrace doors - everything she’d need, and all kept impeccably clean, she noticed.

Walking over to her bed, she sat down on it, running a hand across the sheets. “...It’s at least good to know my friends and students have been happy.” She let a smile play on her features. “Star Swirl certainly had a lot to say about his travels and new studies. Meadowbrook too.” She chuckled. “Celestia and Luna are just as I remember them, too, if somewhat more mature.” Her smile grew. “And seeing that one of Tia’s students has grown so well is nice.” She giggled. “Her friends certainly seemed nice. I could read their thoughts without even needing to use the Force. Her proteges were just as easy.”

She let out another sigh, laying back on the bed and simply looking up at the ceiling. “...It really has been all too long…”

6 Hours Later…

“She’s taking a lot longer than usual,” Luster noted, chewing on a daffodil sandwich next to her sister.

“Knowing the princess, she probably just got caught up in catching up with the rest of the Council,” Dawn answered, her nose deep in a book she’d summoned from her room. “You know they only see each other every so often and they always have so much to talk about.”

Luster nodded slowly. “Yeah, I know.” She took a bite of her sandwich. “Still, though, I know the Pillars and the old princesses are there with them reminiscing about Lady Ferlua, but it’s been six whole hours.” Luster gave her sister a worried look. “You uh...don’t think she suddenly plans on exnaying us from the academy, do you?”

Dawn snorted at that, putting her book to the side as she looked at her sister. “Please,” she deadpanned. “I don’t think the princess would kick us out for no reason. Our grades are impeccable, you excel not only on written tests but on practicals, and neither of us has ever stepped a single hoof out of line. There’s no probable cause for her to kick us out.”

“Except if she suddenly doesn’t like us,” Luster continued, uncertain as she stared at her sandwich.

“You’re being overdramatic, sister mine,” the coral-maned mare giggled, nuzzling the pink unicorn with a smile. “If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t feel any inkling of that happening with my empathy.”

Luster sighed in relief, then nuzzled back. Then, “Speaking of your empathy, where were you earlier? I came back and you weren’t here.”

“Oh, um,” Dawn answered, drawing back a bit with a light blush. “W-well, um, I met Miss Ferlua in the hedge maze. I accidentally interrupted her meditation but she was nice enough to let me sit down with her and have a nice talk.”

Luster gained a grin. “Oh? If it was just a talk then why are you blushing, huh~?”

The mare groaned as she covered her eyes with her hooves, her blush growing. “She’s just so nice!” She exclaimed, looking up to the sky, a beaming smile on her face. “And I’m sorry, but I don’t exactly have a lot of creatures who are just nice to me. And she’s just so pretty! I can’t help it!”

Luster raised a brow. “The Princess is nice. And very pretty. I’m nice too,” Her horn glowed, making numbers as she counted off. “And so is mom, and she’s still pretty. Then there’s the Council Members, and the librarian, and that one Guard, and-”

“Okay, okay, I get it!” Dawn interrupted, waving her hooves. “Lots of creatures, lots of nice! But,” she stopped and looked to the ground, “this just felt different. You know you, mom, and the princess are all very beautiful and all very, very nice but… I don’t know. She just made me feel at ease, y’know?” Rose gold eyes looked up, one eyebrow quirked questioningly.

“Really? She seemed so detached to me during the reception. She ignored the Princess, too. And the Council Members,” Luster noted, frowning as she dismissed her magic. “I mean, doesn’t that seem kind of rude?”

“I don’t know, maybe?” The gray unicorn answered, giving a shrug. “Maybe she’s just not good with crowds?”

Luster gave her sister a deadpan stare. “I don’t get that kinda feeling. It felt more like…” She paused to find the words. “...like she had an agenda, and that’s all that mattered to her.”

Dawn was quiet, staring at the ground. “...I don’t know, Luster,” she finally answered. “I guess… I wasn’t paying close enough attention….”

Luster frowned, then sighed, running a hoof through her mane. “Well, what she did talk to you about?”

“Oh, um...” Dawn’s blush returned. “I may or may not have asked her… about… her… anatomy….”

Luster blinked, then grinned widely. “And? What’d she tell you? Spill!” She nudged her sister.

“U-um,” the gray mare stuttered, rubbing her leg. “W-well… I found out that her, um… tendrils feel vibrations in the air to add to her other senses….”

Luster ribbed her sister in the, well, ribs. “What else, what else?”

Again, the gray mare moaned in embarrassment. “Oh, sweet Twilight, I asked her about her mammaries,” she admitted, suddenly realizing her break of social norms.

Luster’s eyes widened. “You did not!”

“I did!” Dawn yelled into the air. “Seriously, what is wrong with me!?”

“What did she say about them?” Luster asked, leaning in.

“They work just like other mammals…” Dawn murmured, face back in her hooves.

“What? But how?! She has so many reptilian traits!” Luster cried, surprised.

“That’s what I said!” Her sister replied, throwing her hooves in the air.

“How would that even work? Her anatomy would have to be similar to an ape’s or a minotaurs, but she’s so obviously different from them and-” Luster started to ramble on and on about how impossible it was, mane starting to fray.

That, thankfully, was when the doors to the garden opened, and Twilight walked out. “I am so sorry for the wait, my studen-” she paused, looking to Luster, who was still ranting. She raised a brow. Dawn locked her gaze to the princess’, trying to draw her attention with her wide eyes and pinprick pupils as she tried to discreetly nudge her sister with an elbow.

“-her blood would have to be a very abnormal color, and even then it’d still be madness to understand how-” Luster turned, seeing Twilight standing there with a smirk and a raised brow. “Oh, Princess! I’m so sorry! I just, we were, uh…”

“Rambling and talking about my anatomy?” came the familiar smooth voice of Ferlua, stepping out of the doorway and next to Twilight. She had her usual cold smile on as she looked between the two sisters.

If there was a record for how wide a pony’s eyes could get and how small their pupils could get, Dawn broke that record in that moment, and, in the smallest voice anyone had ever heard, she said three small words. “....please kill me….”

“Ditto…” Luster squeaked out.

Ferlua and Twilight shared a look, before the Twi’lek crossed her arms. “I can do one better.” She raised a hand, palm up. “I’ll train you.”

“....Say what now?” Dawn’s expression went from unimaginable fear to absolute confusion so fast, she could feel the whiplash set in.

“Ditto,” Luster agreed once more, looking between her teacher and apparent new teacher.

Twilight giggled behind a hoof. “Lady Ferlua found me after the Council Meeting, and she asked if she could train you two. She said she thought you were both promising candidates.”

“Candidates for what?” Luster asked warily, stepping back.

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is this; if there were people in need, would you help them?” Ferlua queried, eyes hardening.

Dawn paused at this. A thoughtful look crossed her face as she rose a hoof to her chin. She'd never had to think about it before. She never thought she'd have to. And the more she thought about it the less sure of herself she became….

"...Yes." Her answer even slightly surprised her before she looked up. "If there was some creature in front of me that was suffering… I couldn't just walk."

Luster was deep in thought as well, forgoing her old plan of running - in case she was chased by promises of training with a master that had scared even the old Diarchs. She looked down at the grass, her face screwed in contemplation. Finally, she looked up. “Well, I’ve...never really thought about it, but...yes. I don’t think I could ever just stand by idly while others got hurt or worse.”

Twilight smiled, looking to the Twi’lek. “I told you so.”

“Mm. So you did,” Ferlua crossed her arms. “Very well. From this day forth, you two will be my new apprentices.” She turned around. “After tonight’s party at the Gala Hall, meet me out here at 5 AM sharp. I will be waiting.” With that, she walked off once again.

Dawn watched the Twi’lek disappear. “...What did we just agree to?” She asked, looking to her teacher, even more confused than ever.

“It’s not indentured servitude or torture, is it?” Luster asked fearfully.

Twilight laughed. “Sorry girls, but I couldn’t say. I’ve no idea how the Lady trained my predecessors, so I wouldn’t know.” She turned around, motioning them to follow. “Now, follow me. We have to get ready for tonight’s party.”

Dawn shuddered as she got off the bench. “Is it wrong that the party scares me more than what Lady Ferlua has planned for us afterward?”

“I hope not…” Luster muttered, following after them.