Chapters The next day, Thorax and Pharynx arrived in Canterlot Throne Room, where they met Twilight and Spike. Since they were all friends, greeting royally was excused and they started with a conversation about everything that happened.
"And that's how my friends and I formed the Council of Friendship, and rule together." Twilight finished her story.
"Well, it's really good that you and your friends get to maintain your friendship, and did not drift apart at any time, unlike my brother and I did." Thorax commented, before his tone transformed into a sad one.
"Yeah, Thorax and I were total opposites since young, then, when he left the Hive, I didn't care much about him," Pharynx explained, "We were apart for months until Thorax became the new leader, but...I wasn't being supportive at all for making his subjects miserable. When I heard Starlight and Trixie say that I'm a loss cause and risking my brother's reputation and position, I thought about leaving...so Thorax can be spared."
"But luckily, you came back to help us fight off that Dread Maulwruf, found your place in the Hive, and transformed." Thorax opined out.
"And then, we finally got a peaceful reunion," Pharynx ended.
"Aw..." Twilight responded, "A peaceful reunion after a long time...just like Celestia and Luna!"
"WHAT?!" the boys asked.
"Celestia and Luna were separated for a long time, too! And since you two experienced that, and are the rulers of your kingdom, you two are totally perfect for the job!" Twilight cheered.
"I bet what Twilight meant was, with so many things that you two Royal...Brothers have with Equestria's former Royal Sisters, acting out as them might not be so hard." Spike clarified.
"Well, my brother and I haven't done any acting in a long time...so...we totally could take this opportunity." Thorax commented.
"Thorax has a point. We really could do some acting, together as brothers, after a long time." Pharynx agreed.
"Really?! You would like to play Celestia and Luna?" Twilight asked.
"Sure. It'll be a great time for the two of us to do something outside ruling the Hive." Pharynx answered.
Soon, in the hallway, Twilight had scripts for Thorax and Pharynx to read and memorise for the actual performance.
"Alright, here are my scripts...or most likely, your scripts, as you're the ones reading and memorising them for the play. It's as easy as saying the words as Celestia and Luna."
"Uh, can I ask a question?" Thorax asked.
"Yes, of course," Twilight replied.
"Do you really need me and Pharynx to play Celestia and Luna? I mean, you can just hire some creature else to play them," Thorax pointed out.
"But this is the first coronation anniversary! Any creature casted to play the Royal Sisters will be too...not special?" Twilight explained in a slightly higher-pitched tone than usual at the end.
Thorax and Pharynx looked at each other for a second, before turning back to Twilight.
"Twilight, we may think that some changeling else can handle it, but since your actions of approving friendship and reforming Starlight are factors that led to a better life for our kingdom, I agree to star in your play as Celestia, to thank you for teaching the changelings friendship and a better way." Thorax replied.
"I may not be the nice and friendly type like my brother, but I will like to thank some creature who helped my subjects, whom I really care about." Pharynx added, "So, I accept the role of Luna in your play, Princess Twilight."
"Great! Now, get started. The words in brackets are instructions of what actions you should do, while the words that are not in brackets are your lines that you must say as your characters." Twilight explained, giving the scripts to Thorax and Pharynx.
"Wow...that's quite a lot..." Thorax commented, looking at his lines written on the script.
"What's the point?! My lines aren't even quarter of Thorax's!" Pharynx complained.
"Well...Princess Celestia did say the speech during the coronation, and Luna only got a few words to say to me during that period, but then, after the coronation, both sisters got something to say to me and my friends." Twilight nervously explained.
"Well...this sure isn't the kind of play we were hoping for, since the lines are not even, but...at least we are doing it together." Thorax explained.
"Plus, with the changelings' only activities being their normal everyday routine this week, I'm sure that they'll be fine in our absence." Pharynx added.
"Good. Now can we please start rehearsing for the play?" Twilight asked, starting to turn a bit impatient.
"Of course, Twilight." Thorax answered.
"So, are you ready to transform?" Twilight asked.
"Wait. We aren't going to use costumes?!" Pharynx asked in shock.
"You want us too...disguise ourselves as Celestia and Luna?" Thorax asked.
"What's wrong with that? You're changelings! You can do that!" Twilight asked.
"We can . But won't. I told all of my subjects that we only transform during emergencies or doing certain jobs, otherwise, it's against the rules if we don't stay in regular form," Thorax explained.
"And we only agreed to star in your play because we thought that you're giving us costumes ," Pharynx added.
"Oh, come on! It's just one little play!" Twilight pointed out.
"A play that all of Equestria and allies beyond it will be watching?" Thorax reminded.
"No way we're going against our rules in front of every creature." Pharynx declared.
"How about you tell your subjects that it's only once, for this play, to make the first coronation anniversary special?" Twilight asked, trying to convince them.
The Royal Brothers looked at each other before turning back to face Twilight.
"Well, if it's just this once, and for a special reason, we accept it." Thorax replied.
"Don't worry, I promise that this will be the first and only time that I'll ask you to do something like this." Twilight promised.
After the Royal Brothers transformed into Celestia and Luna, they begun acting out their lines and memorising them, after mastering their part, Twilight brought in the rest of the actors who would be playing as themselves. A lot of safety equipment was brought into the performance, to act out the disastrous events of the coronation. Fireworks were replaced with illusions of it, so it would not risk hurting the Wonderbolts who would be flying in the middle of the chaos.
Every creature was unsure if they really should act out so accurately , but Twilight assured them that with harmless illusions instead of actual fireworks, no creature would get hurt.
Soon, the actors were exhausted from their daily rehearsals, yawning after finishing their performances. Twilight’s dismissed the tired ponies before complimenting the Royal Brothers for their part in the play.
"Your performances were amazing! I really can't think of any creature better than you to play the major supporting characters!"
"Pharynx and I are really impressed that you made it so special, but...being the only ones who don't get to play as ourselves...is kind of...uncomfortable." Thorax admitted.
"Yeah. I've never use my powers to do something outside of protecting the Hive, it doesn't feel so right for me to pretend to be some creature I'm not." Pharynx added.
"Oh, come on, Thorax and Pharynx, if Celestia and Luna were here, do you think they would like it if I picked random changelings that I don't even know to play them?" Twilight pointed out.
"They...might not like it." Thorax believed, saying his thought out loud.
"And since you two are the only royal siblings I know that share a lot of things in common with them, I chose you to play as them," Twilight explained again.
"Fine. But maybe just once." Pharynx groaned.
The First Coronation Anniversary
The first coronation anniversary finally arrived, with creatures from all over Equestria and beyond flocking to Canterlot. Among the audience were the Young Six, who were attending alongside their schoolmates and teachers. Ocellus the changeling was really excited to see the rulers of her birthplace starring in a huge play as Equestria's famous former rulers.
"They have so many things in common with the former rulers, who wouldn't guess that Twilight would choose them?" Smolder asked.
"Any creature who hasn't heard of it?" Gallus sarcastically answered.
"Who would have not heard? Rehearsal practices went on and on the last few days." Sandbar pointed out.
"Most of the audience weren't around Canterlot the last few days," Ocellus stated.
"Yona wasn't here, but Yona already knew that changeling Royal Brothers are playing the former Royal Sisters for this play." Yona declared.
"Even though it was against their rules of never changing their forms unless it's an emergency or a job?" Sandbar added.
"They...said it's only just this once." Ocellus stated.
"You guys! Look, it's starting!" Silverstream excitedly called to her friends, pointing at the balcony high above the crowd.
"Citizens of Equestria and beyond," Thorax announced in his Princess Celestia disguise.
"My bro...sister and I have ruled...this land for quite some time now," Thorax uncomfortably struggled to say Celestia's lines, as he had a bad feeling for lying to millions of creatures watching him.
Every creature did show signs of confusion and shock as they never thought that the leader of the changelings would star so horribly in a play. Fortunately, Thorax managed to cover up his mistakes by saying the rest of Celestia's speech.
"The new ruler of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Thorax announced, as he and Pharynx, disguised as Celestia and Luna respectively, presented a slightly taller Twilight Sparkle.
Just like at the coronation the year before, the audience watched a series of chaos occur:
Twilight tripping on her gown, the Wonderbolts coming in too early and getting their performance ruined by the fireworks illusions, Fluttershy's swans dropping the crown, Twilight leaping off the balcony to save it, falling down before flying back to the balcony, while the audience were served apple sauce instead of apple cider.
"Close enough," Pharynx said Luna's line, while Twilight was all messed up from the chaos.
"After the coronation was over, and every creature's departure..." Starlight narrated, before trotting off into the play.
"At least the coronation's over." Pinkie Pie commented, before a messed up Twilight groaned, walking towards the table to join her friends.
After the Mane Six re-enacted their laugh over the disastrous event, Starlight giving Equestria's ruler a present, and Twilight establishing the 'Council of Friendship', the Celestia-and-Luna-disguised Thorax and Pharynx approach the ponies.
"And what a wonderful decree it is," Thorax, disguised as Celestia, repeated Celestia's comment about Twilight's first decree.
"We always knew that whatever adverse do you face, you and your friends will find you way through it together." Pharynx said in his Luna disguise.
"We know that Equestria is in the perfect hooves with you and your friends looking out for it." Thorax added, saying his lines as Celestia, "And while we'll always be here if you need us, it is time for us to be on our way,"
"You're leaving?" Twilight asked.
"We hope that you'll come visit us at Silver Shoals," Pharynx said as Luna.
"But now it's time for you to rule on your own, you're all more than capable." Thorax said as Celestia.
"Thank you, for everything." Twilight repeated her lines, before re-enacting the final part of the play.
The crowd cheered to the actors, before Thorax and Pharynx changed back to their regular forms.
"That was amazing!" Ocellus praised her leaders.
"Even though you did mess up at the speech, it's still pretty cool." Smolder added.
"Are you going to do more than just act for this play? I mean, you two really are the remaining of what is like Celestia and Luna." a pony asked the Royal Brothers.
"Well, as long as the directors don't aim for perfection," Thorax responded, casting a glare at Twilight.
"Yeah, I know that this first coronation anniversary means a lot to Equestria, but do we really need to be so accurate? I mean, the disaster that happened last year was a shocking sight!" Pharynx added.
"Sorry, Twilight, but we aren't so comfortable posting as some creature we weren't, as we are trying to encourage our subjects not to do so, especially when you're allowing them to live all over Equestria," Thorax explained.
"Especially when we are the changeling leaders, they'd do whatever we do. In other words, if we post as some creature else, they'll think it's alright to do so, and ignore our rules of staying in their regular form." Pharynx clarified.
"But it's...just a play!" Twilight tried to convince them, but the Royal Brothers flew off the ground, showing that they were about to leave.
"Twilight, there's a lot more duties of a leader than just make decisions. You can't just do whatever you want and go against the rules you expect your subjects to follow." Thorax told the alicorn, before leaving a guilty Twilight behind.
Twilight Learns her Lesson
"You okay, Twilight?" Applejack asked.
"Not at all, I've done something wrong!" Twilight blurted out.
"What?! You're the Ruler of Equestria now! What can you possibly do that's unacceptable?!" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Just because I'm ruler doesn't mean that there's nothing wrong for me," Twilight sadly pointed out, "Thorax was right; just because you're a ruler and have the power no creature else has, doesn't mean that you can do anything! You can't do something you that's against the rules for your subjects! And I just made both of the leaders of the changelings go against their rules of staying in their regular form!"
"Okay, now that's really bad," Rainbow Dash commented.
"Don't worry, I'll make it up to them," Twilight declared, ready to take off and find the creatures she owed an apology to.
"Wait for us!" Rarity called out to the alicorn.
"We'll help you, because that's what friends are for," Fluttershy declared.
"Thank you all, I really am lucky to have you all as my friends," Twilight shedded a tear.
Thorax and Pharynx were gathering all the changelings around to clarify why they(Thorax and Pharynx) went against the rules that they themselves made.
Suddenly, Twilight rushed to the scene, shouting, "Every creature, STOP! I have something to say to all of you; I'm sorry!"
Most of the changelings were confused, before Twilight explained, "I let my wishes for the first ever coronation anniversary to be so special, that I didn't stop to think about your rules, or what you wanted. I made your leaders go against their rules and your rules, something I should not do, especially as Ruler of Equestria. Doing something wrong brings a bad reputation and influence for your subjects and kingdom, it's a really big deal and mistake! And as the one who asked your leaders to do something illegal, the real creature you should blame...is me."
The crowd gasped to see that the Ruler of Equestria was willing to take a punishment despite her position. Thorax and Pharynx were the first to have their shocked expressions leaving their faces.
"Princess Twilight Sparkle," Thorax approached, "That was something real noble leaders would do, and therefore, we decided to forgive you. Being willing to take the fall even though it meant leaving no leader for your kingdom is something most leaders lack. You really showed that you would do anything to make it up to us. We really appreciate some creature with a heart like that."
"Come on, changelings! Let's put this mistake behind us and resume the activities, after all, we are here to celebrate!" Pharynx encouraged his subjects.
The activities went on as for normal, with every creature having a wonderful time. At the end of the festival, Twilight gave a speech to all of Equestria and beyond:
"Every creature in this crowd, I know that as of today, I've officially been ruling Equestria for one year, but I believe that there are still many things for me to learn about leadership, and friendship. I wanted to make this festival to celebrate the first anniversary of the coronation really special, that I made two of my royalty friends, as well as allies do something that's against their own rules! I really wasn't a good creature at all, making some creature else do something wrong, just because I wanted them to! Fortunately, I made it up to them by willing to take any punishment they would want, even though I had a great position as Ruler of Equestria, and that meant I was willing to sacrifice myself for the sake of my kingdom despite leaving it with no ruler."
Every creature gasped to hear that the Ruler of Equestria was willing to do anything to protect the said kingdom.
"Fortunately, for all of us, I was forgiven and no creature suffered, but now I believe that the changelings' number one rule should be known far and wide;" Twilight announced, before saying in unison with Thorax and Pharynx, "Stay in your regular form unless it's an emergency or a job,"
"Or maybe we can add one more exception: acting for a play," Thorax suggested.
"Yeah, with our abilities, we can make plays look realistic for generations!" Pharynx commented.
"Princess Twilight, so sorry we never thought of this earlier to spare you from all that trouble, but, would you like it if we also allow changelings to transform for acting in plays?" Thorax asked.
"Sure!" Twilight exclaimed, before turning to the crowd, "Did you hear that, every creature? From now on, changelings will also be able to use their transforming powers to act out in plays to make them look real!"
The crowd cheered for a few seconds before Thorax and Pharynx approached Twilight.
"Now that we can use our powers for plays, are there any more Celestia and Luna plays for me and my brother?" Pharynx asked.
"You want more?" Twilight asked, surprised.
"Well, things can get a bit boring sometimes at the Hive with every creature doing well that all we do is sit on the thrones, so my brother and I could really use some fun activities." Thorax pointed out.
"Plus, with us having so many things in common with Celestia and Luna, why don't we try playing as them?" Pharynx added.
"You two are...GREAT! Now, I believe that there will be another play in Las Pegasus not so long later, and it's about Celestia banishing Luna to the moon..." Twilight begun, before pausing as she realised what she was saying. "So sorry, if you don't want to play as characters experiencing a horrible time, I...I understand..."
"It's okay, Twilight, we know that it's just a play." Thorax assured.
"Yeah, and I really can use a tough, not-so-ordinary everyday experience to boost my fighting skills in case the Hive gets attacked." Pharynx added.
Twilight heaved a sigh of relief before telling the Royal Brothers, "Thanks. So, you two would like to star as Celestia and Luna in that play?"
"Of course we would," the two changelings replied.
One year after the disastrous coronation, a slightly taller Twilight Sparkle was sitting on her throne, listing everything needed for the upcoming coronation anniversary, just before a slightly grown Spike arrived, having returned from another Friendship Ambassador mission
"Spike, you're back! That was earlier than expected." Twilight told her assistant, upon his return.
"What can I say? Checking on the creatures of Ponyville is easy-peasy when all of our best friends are there." Spike replied.
"So, since you're back early, what do you say about helping me with listing everything needed for the one-year coronation anniversary that's around the corner?" Twilight asked.
"I may not like making lists as much as you do, but, I'm still willing to help," Spike answered.
"Good. Although, there isn't much left for you to do, since I already did most of it. But, you can help with deciding the food, and the re-enactment play." Twilight suggested.
"The what now?" Spike asked.
"The re-enactment play. We'll try to act out what happened during the coronation, only difference is, we need to find some creature who can play the former Royal Sisters, Celestia and Luna." Twilight explained.
"How about getting some changelings? They can transform into anything and any creature." Spike suggested.
"I'm afraid that it won't be as easy as that, Spike. We may need some creature who could really act like Celestia and Luna for the play." Twilight pointed out.
"But I thought that all they had to do is levitate their crowns and say Celestia's speech." Spike told his adoptive big sister.
"It's more than that, they need to be good actors and be capable of handling a lot of attention," Twilight added.
"Well, I've heard from Starlight that she had seen Thorax being able to act like her well enough to fool Chrysalis, and Pharynx being a skilled solo fighter like Luna," Spike commented, giving Twilight an idea.
"You know, Spike. That's actually a great idea! Thorax and Pharynx are like Celestia and Luna! They'd be perfect actors for the job!" Twilight exclaimed.
"But they're the leaders and Royalty of the Changelings! Are you sure that they'd want to be stars in a play, rather than audience?" Spike asked.
"Come on, Spike. Maybe just this once?" Twilight asked in a cute tone, pleading him.
"Fine. I'll ask them." Spike gave in to Twilight's wishes, making her prance with joy.