Twilight Sparkle was not one for this kind of thing. But in this case, she could make an exception.
As Rainbow Dash and the rest of the Wonderbolt cadets flew off, she watched Lightning Dust be led away by several Pegasus stallions, her head held low and a crushed look in her eyes.
But Twilight also saw something else in those eyes, something that made her want to know the full story. Rainbow had explained the whole mess already of course, and Twilight was very happy to not be dead of course, but she felt there was more to it.
As Pinkie Pie wailed on about something or another, Twilight turned to follow the other group.
"Where are you going Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.
"I want to talk to her. I want to hear her side of the story," Twilight replied, not looking back at her friends as she did.
"Ya think Rainbow was fibbing?" Applejack asked.
Twilight shook her head as she sighed. "No, but there are always two sides to every story, and I want to hear Lightning's side." She frowned. "And I want to know what else has been going on around here."
"Why is that?" Rarity asked.
Twilight turned to look back at the girls. "Because, even though Spitfire is Captain of the team, Princess Celestia is still their commander. Even Spitfire reports to her."
"So what happens if there is something fishy going on?" Pinkie asked, as she watched Rainbow and her fellow cadets finish another lap of the course.
Twilight frowned. "Then she will want to know about it. What happens after that is up to her."
***
Lightning Dust tried to fight back her tears as she gathered up what possessions she had in her hoof locker at the foot of her bed. Ir was easier said than done.
She knew she'd bucked up. Spitfire and Rainbow's anger over what she had almost done was nothing compared to what she was feeling right now. She considered being kicked out of the Wonderbolts small consolation, seeing as she had almost killed five ponies.
It was even worse when she had gotten a good look at them once they were safe on the ground. For all they might not have flaunted it, those five were national heroes to all of Equestria twice over with their defeat of Nightmare Moon and Discord.
Okay, so maybe Lightning had let the fact that she was wingmates with Rainbow Dash go straight to her head. What Pegasus wouldn't? Though she had never told Rainbow, Lightning had been over the moon about it the whole time.
And then there was Twilight Sparkle. The personal student of Princess Celestia herself, and a known friend of Princess Luna. If anything had happened to her, Lightning didn't want to think about what the Solar and Lunar Diararchs might have done in their grief and anger. Or her brother and sister in law for that matter.
Being blacklisted out of the Wonderbolts was probably the best she could hope for out of all this. Her hopes of joining the team were done and over with for sure. It was more than she felt she deserved.
So caught was she in her thoughts and packing that she didn't even notice somepony else had entered the barracks until she heard someone clear their throat. Turning around, Lightning found herself face to face with Twilight Sparkle herself, who was giving her a concerned look.
Before Twilight could say anything though, Lightning beat her to it. "Look. If you're here to yell at me, save it. I already got all I deserve and more from Dash and Captain Spitfire."
Twilight shook her head. "I'm not here to yell at you," she replied, before sighing. "I already heard about what happened from Rainbow. But I want to hear your side of the story."
Lightning rolled her eyes as she put the last of her things in her saddlebags. "Then you already know the full story. I got cocky, and I nearly got you and your friends all killed for some stupid reason."
Twilight bit her lip. This was important. "Did you know we were there?"
Lightning shook her head as she gave the unicorn a hard look. "No. Do you think I would've done that if I had? I don't know what Rainbow's told you, but I don't want anypony dead on my hooves any more than anypony else."
Twilight smiled as she came closer. "That's all I was hoping you would say," she said, as she put a hoof around Lightning's shoulder. "I don't think you're a bad pony Lightning. Anypony can get caught up in the spirit of competition."
Lightning snorted, but she relaxed a little bit anyway. Twilight rolled her eyes. "Okay, maybe not as bad as today, but still."
Lightning shot her a confused glance. "Why do you care so much? We don't even know each other."
Twilight smiled. "True. But I care because I don't think anypony should be left alone, and I think you do deserve another chance." After a moment though, she sighed. "I've heard enough to write a strong report to Princess Celestia about what goes on around here."
Lightning slumped at the idea. "Even?"
Twilight grimaced. "Yes, even what happened today." Her smile soon returned though, and Lightning couldn't help but brighten up a bit at it. "But I will make sure to mention that you are genuinely sorry for it and never meant for it to happen."
Lightning looked away. "That won't help me with the Wonderbolts though."
Twilight sighed. "No. But it will help you with whatever you want to do now." She gave the mare a quizzical look. "What will you do now?"
Lightning sighed as she slung her saddlebags over her whithers. "I don't know. My parents passed away a few years ago, and I'm an only child. This was my dream since I was a filly. Now? I've got nothing."
Twilight pulled her close. "I know what it's like to have a dream since I was a filly. I may not know what it's like for you, but you don't have nothing."
Lightning looked at her. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
Twilight's smile softened. "You've got your whole life ahead of you now. Don't spend it wallowing in what-ifs and could have been. You can be anything now."
Lightning wanted to argue but stopped herself. In her heart, she knew that Twilight was right about this. Wallowing in despair wasn't doing her any good at the moment.
Twilight's smile grew before she pulled away and began to leave. Before she did though, she stopped and looked back, and smiled in a way that made Lightning's heart beat faster. "If you need somepony to talk to, or maybe just a friend, call me," she said as she produced a card in her magic and floated it over to Lightning, who caught it with a hoof.
It wasn't much in the way of a card. Just Twilight's name and address in Ponyville. But it was enough for Lightning, who could only look at Twilight in shock.
Twilight's smile softened. "Just, think about it. I'm usually home," and she was gone.
Lightning Dust stood there dumbstruck for what felt like hours but was only a moment before she came to her senses. That conversation had awakened feelings she'd never had before.
As she left the Wonderbolt Academy behind, she vowed to remember all that Twilight had told her. And maybe, just maybe, one day take her up on that offer.
Author's Note
So I first need to make a shoutout to Morion87. This whole story idea was originally his, but he never did anything with it himself. He said I could.
So here I am. This is also partly based on how much I hate The Washouts episode, so that has been erased from existence.
So aside from Twilight and Lightning's romance, and Twilight forming her own guard unit, and the removal of that episode, this will still follow Friendship is Magic as we know it. At least for now.
Cover art done by Strawberry-Spritz.
"I still think this is a bad idea," Rainbow grumbled as the girls stood on the platform of Ponyville Station. "I mean, why not somepony else? There has to be somepony else?"
Twilight rolled her eyes. "No Rainbow, there isn't. I asked Shiny about it. He said she's the only one who could qualify as it stands. No other mare is ranked high enough."
"And what about Spitfire?" Rainbow shot back.
"Is on 'Until the heat death of the multiverse' probation from Princess Celestia herself. All of the Wonderbolts are. After that mess with Wind Rider, her patience has worn even thinner with them," Twilight replied.
That shut Rainbow up, as she and Rarity shared a look. It was something that the fashionista was proud to have helped clear up, but it was still a sore spot in some regards.
Twilight hated to have to bring that up to her Pegasus friend. But she'd had a feeling that this would be Rainbow's reaction to the pony she had in mind for the role. She herself wasn't fully sure, but she wanted to hear it from the mare's mouth herself what her answer would be.
Twilight owed her that much after the last time they had met.
Rainbow growled at the reminder of how much thin ice she and the rest of the team were on. "Fine. But I don't have to like it, and you can't make me."
Twilight smiled as wrapped a wing around the Pegasus. "I'm not asking you to like it Rainbow, and I won't make you. But I know she deserves another chance. I saw it in her eyes. She's changed after what happened."
"Do ya even know where she is?" Applejack asked. She didn't like this much more than Rainbow. But she trusted Twilight to know what she was doing.
Twilight nodded, but it was forced. "I have an idea. But nothing concrete. The Night Guard has been keeping an eye on her ever since that day. They have a general idea of where she could be."
"And if they don't?" Fluttershy asked. They all knew how thorough Luna's guards were. Only Chrysalis had been able to get past them, and the shortcomings from that little misadventure were even now being fixed.
Twilight shrugged, her smile growing. "Well. I always wanted to see more of Equestria, and it did not involve the end of the world. I hope. That's why I can't say how long I'll be gone."
"Are you sure I can't go with you?" Spike asked, not bothering to hide his hurt at being left behind. What if Twilight needed him?
Twilight's ears fell as she hugged the drake. "Sorry, Spike. But this is something I have to do on my own. I'll write as much as I can, don't worry. I'll be back before you know it."
Spike hugged her back and was soon joined by the rest of their friends. "You better be," he grumbled.
***
With nowhere else in mind, Twilight's first stop was Cloudsdale. It was a long shot that it would be that easy. But she had to start somewhere. Plus she had wanted to visit the city more often after the Young Flyer's Competition some time ago now.
Luckily she didn't have to worry about casting the same spell she'd cast on Rarity on herself. She'd grown more comfortable with her own Pegasus magic ever since her ascension, so this was a breeze for her.
Unfortunately, the city was short of one Pegasus mare she was looking for. But it did help her get set in the right direction.
"Lightning Dust? Yeah, I know her. The poor kid needed something to keep herself busy, and we were short on staff at the time, so I gave her a spot. Best Lightning Beater I've met in a long time," the Cloudsdale Weather Manager said with a proud smirk.
Twilight chuckled, glad to hear that Lightning had found something for herself. "Is she still here? Or did she go home already?"
The stallion shook his head. "Sorry, princess. Lightning left not long after that whole mess with Wind Rider happened. Haven't seen her since." He leaned in closer. "Is it true the Wonderbolts are on super thin ice with Princess Celestia?"
Twilight nodded. It wasn't exactly a secret now. "She has the whole team on "Until the heat death of the Multiverse" probation. Even if it was just Soarin, there were too many rotten things going on. It took my friends and I nearly being killed to open her eyes to it."
He winced. "And then that mess at Rainbow Falls right? Hard to believe they would ever do something like that."
Twilight nodded. She could hardly believe it herself. But that was all beside the point. "You don't know where Lightning might be right now?"
The stallion shook his head. "Sorry, your highness. Wish I could help ya more. Hope you find her. She needs somepony like you in her life. Maybe now more than ever."
Twilight nodded. "I hope so too."
***
Twilight sighed as she descended through the clouds and away from Cloudsdale. Pulling out a list of possible places Lightning could be, she crossed the sky city out. "Well, that was a bust. Was it hoping for too much that it would be that easy?"
Apparently so, as the universe refused to answer her question. Then again, it never did, no matter how nice she was. Go figure.
Shaking her head, Twilight tried to put her mind back on track. While Lightning hadn't been as easy to find as she had hoped, this was still a good start. She already knew that the mare wasn't in Ponyville or Canterlot, having asked Princess Celestia and Princess Luna that before moving onto Cloudsdale. But that still left a lot of places the Pegasus could be.
If she was anything like Rainbow Dash though, she wouldn't be one to stick to the ground and would be somewhere in the sky, or as close to it as she could get. That narrowed it down to one place. But Twilight would try several other places before she went out west.
For completion's sake if nothing else.
***
Unfortunately, finding a lone Pegasus in Equestria turned out to be a lot harder than Twilight had thought it would be. Some of the places on her list had known her, and Lightning had even stayed a while. But she had long since moved on.
The only consolation Twilight took from these, was that nopony had anything bad to say about Lightning's time with them. Aside from her brash and pridefulness, the worst that she heard from ponies was that she hadn't stayed longer.
In other places, however, Lightning Dust was nothing but a name of a pony that made headlines sometime back after the whole debacle at the Wonderbolt's Academy. Those were the most frustrating for Twilight since it felt like she had lost more time.
And this whole idea was quickly feeling like a wild goose chase. She might have all the time in the universe to look for the mare. But there was no guaranty that Lightning Dust was even in Equestria anymore.
And Equus was a big planet, where it was easy to get lost or go into hiding if one wanted to. There was also the very real chance that something had happened to Lightning, and that Twilight was chasing a ghost.
But she refused to think about that. She would not even consider it until she had exhausted all other possibilities.
***
Twilight all but collapsed onto her hotel bed, groaning loudly as she did so. "How hard is it to find one darn Pegasus?! This is crazy."
She sighed in annoyance as she rolled onto her side. "I swear that if she somehow went to Canterlot High, Midnight Sparkle will look like a saint by the time I'm done!"
Luckily her cloud-soft mattress was wise enough to not offer its opinion on the matter. After a moment though, the princess sighed and removed her saddlebags, setting them down next to her nightstand, before rolling over and looking at the ceiling.
From outside, Twilight could hear the distant sounds of Vanhoover's docks. The window was open, allowing a cooling breeze off the North Lunar Ocean to keep the Penthouse Sweet nice and cool.
The Lumena Hotel, named in Twilight's own honor as the Manager had been proud to state to the alicorn in question when she had met the princess in the Lobby earlier, might not be as homey as the Friendship Castle. But Twilight was forced to admit that it was better than many she had slept in. And the Penthouse Sweet, while not having as many books as she would have liked, was just like her own room back home.
So there was that at least. But it did little to lighten Twilight's mood, as she pulled her checklist of all the possible places in Equestria and the Crystal Empire Lightning Dust might be. Most of the names had been crossed out, with no luck finding the mare in question in any of them.
One last place remained, and if she couldn't be found there, then Twilight would be forced to admit that this whole thing had been nothing but a wild goose chase. She hoped it wouldn't come to that.
Twilight giggled as she looked at the last place name on the list. "I swear that if she is in Las Pegasus, I'll go without reading a single book for a whole week. Pinkie Promise. I don't know where else to look. I hope she's alright. Wherever she is."
***
Several days later, Twilight stepped out of her hotel in Las Pegasus with a happy grin. While she was still not used to being treated like royalty, it had come with a few perks, she would have to admit. One of those being she usually got the best room in whatever hotel she stayed in.
But that was beside the point in this case. When Twilight had asked the receptionist the night before, if she had ever seen a pony like Lightning Dust, the mare had said she had in fact seen the mare in question only a few weeks earlier around town.
Whether Lightning was still in the city was another story of course. But this was the kind of news Twilight had been waiting for. And if for some reason she had missed her, then Twilight was ready to admit that this was going nowhere and she'd go home, and hope her open invitation for her newly formed Royal Guard regiment to any and all mares, might draw Lightning to Ponyville all by itself.
It wouldn't hurt anyway. She was getting homesick, and while she had enjoyed her time traveling around Equestria, Twilight just wanted to sleep in her own bed again, and spend time with her friends.
But what really had Twilight grinning in a way that Pinkie would approve of, was that apparently her quest had gotten out the night before, and she had just been told that Lightning was indeed still in town, working as a server at a local watering hole.
Twilight shook her head as she gathered her bearings. "This isn't what I expected to find. But at least Lightning's making a life for herself."
Turning, she began to trot in the direction she had been told the bar was located in. Las Pegasus was famous, among other things, for its bars. Twilight could've spent hours or days looking for the right one. As it was, she knew where to look.
A hop, skip, and a jump, as Pinkie would say, later, Twilight stood outside the Salt Lick. While it wasn't the fanciest or the most upscale place in the city, it was still a sight better than many other places in the city.
A bored-looking Bouncer stood outside the entrance. Being so early, there were few ponies she needed to look out for. He hoped to attend, though, when she caught sight of Twilight approaching. "Never thought I'd see a princess down here. To what do we owe the honor, Princess Twilight?" She asked. In a way that showed respect. But also made clear that she wouldn't get special privileges around here.
It put Twilight in a better mood at least. "I'm looking for somepony. A Pegasus. I was told that she was here."
The mare shrugged. "Depends. Only one Pegasus I know. Is she in trouble? Lightning's never said anything about being in trouble. Not like this anyway."
Twilight shook her head, her smile growing. "No. Lightning Dust is not in trouble. In fact, I've been looking for her for weeks now. I just want to talk to her."
The mare grinned. "That's all I needed to know." She stuck her head in the door. "Yo, Lightning! There's a mare here to see ya!"
A moment passed before a voice replied. "Yeah? Tell her to get lost. I'm busy."
The Bouncer smirked at Twilight. "Then you come out here and tell Princess Twilight that yourself. I'm not taking the fall for this."
Twilight could almost hear Lightning coming to a screeching halt at her name. She held back a giggle as she heard hoofsteps approaching. A moment later, Lightning Dust stuck her head out of the doorway, her eyes widening in shock at who was there.
Twilight's smile softened. "Hello, Lightning. Can we talk? Or is this a bad time?"
Lightning nodded numbly, before turning to her coworker. "Tell Salty that I'm on break. Princess's orders."
Her friend nodded. "Good luck," she whispered, but Twilight just heard it, before leading the two to a secluded corner of the bar so that they could talk.
***
A few minutes later, Twilight and Lightning sat alone, two mugs of Sweet Apple Acres best cider before them. Everypony else in the bar at the moment gave them a wide berth. But Twilight knew that tongues would be wagging about why she was here and why she was talking to who she was.
"So. What brings you all the way out here?" Lightning asked. "Never thought I'd see you again after the Academy."
Twilight smiled slightly. "I need to get out more. And the whole mess with Chrysalis just made that more clear to me. Among other things." Her smile softened. "And I know you're not the same mare I met that day. You've become a much better pony, Lightning. I don't need to be an alicorn to see that."
Lightning smiled a little at that. "Are your friends still mad at me?"
Twilight winced, but she couldn't avoid the question. "Most of the girls forgave you after I told them what you told me. Rainbow still hasn't, and I don't think she ever will. But she isn't the Element of Loyalty for nothing. But to be honest, I don't have much confidence in the Wonderbolts and their ability to think at all anymore. Any of them."
Lightning's ears fell. She knew all about that. "I used to look up to Wind Rider. I wanted to be like him when I was a filly." She snorted. "But with all that's happened with them, I'm glad I got kicked out. I want no part of that."
Twilight nodded. She couldn't blame the other mare for feeling like that. "That's part of why I'm here actually. You've shown you're a better pony. I want to offer you something that few have."
Lightning's brows rose. "Yeah? Like what? I'm not going back there, Twilight. And I don't care if you are a princess. You can't make me."
Twilight's smile grew. "Good thing that's not why I'm here then. I'm starting my own Royal Guard corps in Ponyville. And I can't think of anypony else I would love to join it."
Lightning's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected that. She knew about the news of course. It had gone out to all of Equestria the week before that Princess Twilight was forming her own, all mare, Royal Guard corps. It was a tempting offer to be sure. "But why me?" She asked. "I'm nothing special."
Twilight's smile grew as she lay her hoof across Lightning's, earning a blush from the Pegasus. "Why not? You're smart, kind, athletic, and you've got something the others won't. Military experience. Brief though it may have been, you still have that time at the Wonderbolt Academy." Her smile softened. "I can't think of anypony else I would rather have join it."
Lightning couldn't argue that. And she had thought about it plenty. It sounded more exciting than what she was doing now. Hay, she had thought about this since that day at the Academy. She owed Twilight so much.
Twilight, though, could see the hesitation in Lightning's eyes. "I'm not forcing you into this, Lightning. This is not a Royal Order, though I could make it one. But I refuse to that." Igniting her horn, she pulled something out of her saddlebags. "This is an express ticket back to Ponyville. It's good for however long you want it to be. I go home tonight."
She paused as she took a sip of her drink. "You don't have to say yes. Just. Think about it. Please."
Lightning didn't say anything. Only staring at her glass intently, deep in thought. Twilight didn't say anything more, and the two of them passed the rest of their time together in silence.
***
Later that evening, Twilight watched forlornly as the train pulled away from the station. As she had feared, Lightning hadn't come. What had she expected to happen? Maybe she had hoped for too much when she had started this whole thing.
Soon, the train was picking up speed, and the sights of the city began to pass in a blur. All Twilight could do now was to go home, and start putting all of this together. She was actually rather looking forward to the whole thing.
"Room for one more, princess?" A voice asked, causing Twilight to jump and turn to look at who had said that.
Lightning Dust grinned as she sat down next to Twilight, putting her bags under the seat as she did. Her smile softened. "You were right. And I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it."
Twilight couldn't help but squee and pull her friend into a hug. "Thank you! I'm glad you came, Lightning."
Lightning happily returned the hug. "That's Cadet Lightning Dust, Princess Twilight."
Twilight frowned as they pulled apart. "Please don't call me that, Lightning."
The Pegasus only shook her head. "No can do, your highness. Every Royal Guard has to show respect to a princess, no matter whose corps they belong to."
Twilight only groaned in response, while Lightning only made herself comfortable for the long ride to Ponyville.
Author's Note
So this is a total and complete rewrite of this chapter. Centurion Pike-Wall pointed out that I did too much info-dumping in the wrong way in the old version. Hopefully, I fixed that with this one. I admit that I also didn't show more of Twilight's journey because it would have been nothing but the same over and over again.
That's never been fun to read in my opinion. So I only glossed it over. And thanks to Emotion Nexus for pointing out my mistakes in past chapters. They've been fixed.
"You wanted to see me, Princess Celestia?" Twilight Sparkle asked as she looked around the Dining Room of the Friendship Castle, one that was currently playing host to all of the alicorns in Equestria. Something that made Twilight's heart beat harder and harder.
She was so not ready for a meeting like this.
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had shown up at the Friendship Castle unannounced and without fanfare that very morning, and after panicking for a good twenty minutes or so, Twilight had shown them to the Dining Room.
It helped though that Cadance and Flurry Heart had arrived the day before and, after Shining had left to visit an old Royal Guard friend of his, the two had decided to stay in Ponyville for several weeks for a vacation both she and Twilight agreed was long overdue.
Plus it gave Twilight time to bond with Flurry Heart. Living on opposite ends of Equestria as they did, made family visits hard to arrange.
And Twilight already knew for sure that Discord would not be able to screw with her and Cadance this time. Fluttershy had promised to keep him away from them.
If some reason he did mess with them, Twilight had already Pinkie Promised that she would not be held responsible for whatever she, Cadance, or Flurry Heart might do to him.
Princess Celestia nodded, a small smile on her face as she sipped her tea. "I do, and it is fortunate that you are here as well Cadance. This involves both of you in fact."
Cadance blinked in confusion. "How is that auntie?"
"Tia and I feel that it is high time that you both know of what it fully means to be an alicorn. You are both aware of the basics I assume?" Princess Luna asked.
Twilight nodded. "We share traits of all three tribes. Earth pony strength and vitality, Pegasus flight and weather control, and unicorn magic."
"Never growing old or dying old age. We've already made peace with that," Cadance added with a straight face, one that Twilight held as well at the mention.
Celestia and Luna both nodded, visibly relaxing. "That is very mature of you. I expected you Twilight to make a big deal out of it," Celestia replied.
Twilight shrugged. "I knew what it meant when I ascended. But it only hit home when I became Princess of Friendship." Her gaze grew more intense. "Friendship never dies, no matter what, and there's still so much about it I don't know. I won't let losing my friends stop me from discovering more about it, and making new friends."
Cadance nodded. "And the same goes for me. I can't say if I would ever marry again, but that won't stop me from spreading love in every way."
Flurry Heart just burbled happily.
Celestia and Luna shared a knowing look. "Then that is a burden off of our shoulders," Luna replied as she looked at Twilight. "Now there is a matter that only concerns you Twilight."
Twilight gulped, suddenly worried about where this was going. "What's that?"
Celestia sighed. This had been something a long time coming in fact. "Your lack of domestic staff Twilight," she replied as she gestured around the room. "This castle is far too big for you, Starlight, and Spike alone."
Luna nodded. "The fact that Miss. Glimmer is off traveling with Trixie at the moment makes it even so than it already is," she added.
Twilight was aghast at the notion. "But we do fine on our own," she pouted.
"And what happens if you all are called off on a Friendship Mission? I've had doubts about this arrangement since Starlight got in and ruined time multiple times," Luna replied.
Twilight's ears drooped. "But she's changed, and I made her my student. You know that."
Celestia wrapped a wing around her former student. "And this is not a condemnation of that Twilight. But Starlight will not be around forever. One day, she will move out. Even if it might still be Ponyville."
"And Spike will one day grow up as well. What then?" Luna asked.
Twilight wanted to argue, but they died in her throat as she thought about what she was being told. They were right of course, no matter how much she wanted to argue against it. Plus it was kind of lonely in the castle.
Heck, she had more rooms than she knew what to do with. Some had been converted for use of course. The Main Library, Kitchen, Throne Room, Dining Room, Spike, and Starlight's Bedrooms.
Twilight's own Private Chambers were, as far as they could tell, the most opulent in the whole castle. They took up an entire floor by themselves. What with her own Private Bath and Spa, Bedroom, and Personal Library.
One room on the floor though was still unused. Unlike the others, which had come fully equipped when Twilight and Spike had found them, it had been barren. Twilight was still trying to decide what to do with it. Several times, she had thought to use it as extra storage, but something had always stopped her. Like it was meant for something, but that time had not yet come.
Or somepony was meant to use it. It couldn't have been a coincidence that it connected directly to her bedroom. Right next to her bed in fact. Cadance had an idea of what it was for if Twilight knew what she meant. But Twilight didn't even want to think about that idea.
Twilight sighed. "Okay, fine. This place can be lonely, and Spike can't do everything himself." She giggled. "No matter what he might say."
That got a laugh out of everypony. But where would I even find anyone willing to work here? Ponyville isn't big enough to have that many unemployed, and Canterlot would have the first choice," Twilight went on.
Luna smiled. "We can help with that. Many of our own staff have talked of maybe moving here if the chance ever came up."
Celestia nodded. "And there is also the fact that we need to downsize our staff. We have more than we can find tasks for most days," she lamented.
Twilight nodded, but something else came to mind. "Does all this mean I have to have my own Royal Guard?"
Celestia, Luna, and Cadance all shared a look. "It might be wise. Ever since your coronation, there have been many more recruits joining the Training Academy. The vast majority of which are mares," Celestia replied.
"Really?" Twilight asked, surprised.
Cadance nodded happily. "Oh yes. A lot of them actually come and join the Imperial Guard in the Crystal Empire in the end because, well..."
Luna rolled her eyes. "Because the Royal Guard in Canterlot are hidebound idiots and fools who think that only stallions should be allowed in the guard." She scoffed. "I offer any that are willing a place in the Night Guard, and many have. My Captain, Emerald Dream, is more competent than most of the Day Guard put together, and she is still relatively new to the role."
Celestia sighed, while glaring at her sister. "I have tried for years to end the practice. Your brother did much the same. As long as they could pass all the tests every trainee must, he didn't care what their gender was."
Twilight nodded. A part of her wasn't shocked by what she was hearing. But she was still surprised to hear it all the same. "What would they even do around Ponyville though?"
"Outside of guarding yourself and the castle, nothing. Unless you make Ponyville and the surrounding lands your own personal domain, their remit would only extend that far," Cadance replied.
Twilight took a moment to digest all of this. It was a huge step up if she did go through with all of this, but in her heart, she knew that this was right. She sighed. "Where do I even start?"
Celestia's smile lit up the room. "I will put in the notice at the academy that you are looking to start your own Royal Guard Corp. Any that are willing will be allowed to try for it. Do you have any limits?"
Twilight thought about it for a moment and smiled. In fact, she did have one. "Just one. I'm breaking with tradition. I'm making it an all mare Royal Guard. If they're going to protect me, then I want to have a say in it."
Luna nodded, already hooked on the idea. "There is the small problem of who would be your captain. If they all come straight from the academy or sign up from Ponyville."
Cadance nodded as well, seeing the problem. "None of them would be qualified yet. And the guard without a captain isn't much of one at all."
Twilight's smile grew as her mind returned to somepony she had met a few years before. One who she had helped at her lowest point. Would she be willing though?
"I think I have somepony in mind."
Author's Note
Okay, so now we come to the first big change to Friendship is Magic's canon. I personally hated how Hasbro did A Flurry of Emotions. So I fixed it.
Everything else though from Season 3's change last chapter up to this episode has not changed though.
