Twiastasia

Celestia gently embraced Twilight, crying softly into her shoulder. The two stayed like that for a long time. The warmth that radiated from the sun goddesses body filled Twilight with a comfort she couldn’t remember ever feeling before. It was motherly.

“Oh Twilight… Where have you been, my little pony?”

“I was… in Echidna, if you know the place.”

The princess nearly recoiled, fear etching itself across her face.

“E-echidna!? There?? Oh, how did you ever return…”

“Um… with the help of my friends. They found me in Cabaluus, and kept me safe on the journey home.”

Twilight looked back at Anon and Gile and Fizzy, each standing proud, reassuring Twilight with their smiles. They certainly looked different, compared to the first time they had met in that Cabalaan alley.

Celestia followed her gaze, her eyes studying the three creatures.

“Echidnan natives… helped you?”

“T-they did. Without them, I’d probably still be in Cabaluus, no idea where or who I was. We’ve been traveling for a long time.”

Celestia could not take her eyes off Anon.

“... I see- wait,” the princess snapped back down to the pony in her hooves “what do you mean, ‘who you were’?”

Twilight looked up at the princess with barely-restrained hope.

“That’s one of the reasons why we came here… when whatever happened to me… happened, I woke up in an alleyway only remembering my name really. Once Anon and Gile- my friends- figured out who I was, they figured you’d know what to do… Y-you are the sun goddess, right?”

“S-sun goddess? Twilight, I’m Celestia… You don’t-”

Sadness mixed with confusion, making the princess stutter.

“ -You don’t remember me?”

“... Gile told me that it seemed like some sort of memory magic… I’m not sure if that helps you any, but-”

Almost immediately Celestia brought her horn down to Twilight’s, gently touching them together, triggering some sort of magic...

And that was that.

…

At least, everyone thought it was.

“... I don’t feel any different.”

Rainbowdash, unable to stand idly by any longer, dashed to her friend’s side.

“Aw yeah! You gotta remember us now Twilight! Here, remember that time I did the Sonic Rainboom while going to save Rarity and the Wonderbolts!? Oh oh, what about that time-”

“... I don’t know what a Sonic Rainboom is…”

A hush fell over Rainbow, and the mood of the room shifted somber yet again.

Celestia could only nuzzle her faithful student.

“... It seems the magic binding your memories is… unknown to me.”

“Unknown to you!? B-but you’re Princess Celestia!” Pinkie cried out.

“S-so… what now?” Anon asked.

Celestia deeply sighed, gracefully approaching the human.

“Well… it seems your long journey has come to an end, heroes.”

Celestia bowed lowly to the creatures, much to their confusion.

“I… I cannot thank you three enough for the service you’ve done for me, for Equestria. I shall personally see to it that the hardships and sacrifices you lived through to bring Twilight back home aren’t forgotten. Please, talk with my advisor Raven Inkwell- she’s just beyond that door- and she will see to it that you are paid your just reward. I wish we could discuss further now, but now there are more pressing matters.”

Anon took a step towards Twilight. “W-we can’t just leave Twilight!”

Celestia seemed rather confused at this. “You… don’t wish for the reward?”

“It’s not that. Twilight’s our friend, and m-my…” Anon was now distinctly aware that Celestia, the supposedly extremely powerful ruler of Equestria, was also a sort of second mother to Twilight. “... marefriend, and I’m not leaving her side until we’ve returned her memories, however it’s gonna happen.”

The princess’ head darted back and forth between Anon and Twilight. Apparently, that was quite the curveball to throw. “You- you are? Twilight?”

Twilight nodded meekly, blushing.

“I-I see. My faithful student, falling in love…”

“T-that’s not a problem, is it?”

Celestia’s eyes bored deeply into Anon. The poor human felt as if she were looking into his soul, scrutinizing his very being. It didn’t help that her eyes were nearly perfectly level with his.

After a few seconds of this rigorous staring, the princess pepped up considerably, apparently happy with her… study.

Anon was left sweating.

“It is no problem! I’m sure this journey has been very strange for all of you, and while I approve, I’m afraid things will only become stranger.”

“How so?” Twilight asked.

A new look of determination fell over the Princess of The Sun. She took her side next to Twilight and addressed the room more officially now. With her levitation, she brought forth an ornate box.

“My little ponies, Element-bearers and friends of Twilight, we have been faced with a steadily growing crisis for nearly half a year now. I had intended to have what intel reports told me was a weak threat dealt with a long time ago, but apparently this creature was more powerful than it once had let on. Seven months ago, I sent you six out with the Elements of Harmony to deal with this threat, and my underestimation nearly led to us… losing Twilight Sparkle. I shall not make this mistake again. I will be accompanying you into the Badlands.”

Celestia focused her gaze onto Anon and his companions now.

“It seems to me that the friends Twilight has made since her disappearance are more than simply bounty hunters and thieves,” Celestia let that jab marinate for a second before continuing, secretly savoring the shock on the faces of Anon and Gile “indeed, they are true friends. If you three wish to come with us to the Badlands, I will not stop you.”

Fizzy faked a cough. “W-we still get the reward right?”

“If you live.”

Celestia had found herself unable to joke at all since the disappearance of her faithful student. This felt wonderful to her.

Fizzy gulped.

“Are there any objections to this mission?”

A resounding ‘no!’ echoed through the throne room.

Celestia charged her horn.

“Good. We leave at once.”

And with a brilliant flash of magic, the throne room had emptied.

…

A few moments after the magic dissipated, little Inkwell scurried into the room once again, shuffling paperwork.

“R-right! Now that the crisis has been averted, I’d like to personally thank you brave heroes on- uh…”

Raven’s eyes darted about the empty throne room.

“B-brave heroes?”