It was rare these days for Twilight to spend any length of time with her mentor. While in theory they were now equals, she had always treated the elder alicorn with defference, which made the few times they did meet rather stuffy now that she thought about it.
That aside, Twilight always looked forward to spending time with Princess Celestia. At one time, they had done so often that Twilight could have set her clocks to her time with the princess.
So she was more than happy when Princess Celestia had arrived early that morning in Ponyville. Unannounced, and without the usual Royal Guard escort, told Twilight that this was a meeting between just the two of them.
Just how Twilight liked it. Spike was going to gem hunting with Rarity all day, and Starlight had left with Trixie the week before for a much-needed break and wouldn't be back until tomorrow at the earliest.
For now, then, it was just the two of them in the Friendship Castle's Dining Room, enjoying the afternoon over cups of tea, as they had done for many years now.
Twilight smiled as she floated the teapot over to the elder princess. "More tea, Prin- er. Celestia?" Twilight finished, forcing herself to say the princess's name without the title.
Celestia chuckled as she floated her cup over to be refilled. "Thank you, Twilight. I must say you have improved in your tea making since you first started."
Twilight giggled nervously as she looked away, scratching the back of her head. Celestia chuckled once more as she took a sip. She had made it a point to her former student that, since they were now both equals, she should stop calling her princess all the time.
It was coming along slower than she would have hoped it would, but Twilight was getting better at using her first name only.
She sighed, hiding it behind taking another sip. Celestia could only wonder if that would continue after Twilight learned of why she was really here. At best, it would lead to hard words between them.
At worst, the bond between them could be severed forever, and Twilight would never want to see her again, only speaking to her only when formality demanded it, and at official functions.
Once more, Celestia cursed herself for being the one to have to deliver this news, as she set her cup down, her expression turning grim. "While I am always happy to spend time with you, Twilight. I wish this was just a friendly visit."
Twilight's ears wilted. She didn't like the sound of that. "Is it another villain?"
Celestia shook her head, smiling slightly. "No. This is not another ancient evil. Unfortunately, for that would be better than what I am really here for."
Now Twilight was really worried. What could be worse than that? "What is it then?"
Celestia steeled herself before she began. "The nobility has demanded that you get married. Either to one of their own or to a respective prince of one of our allies."
Twilight blinked and then burst into laughter. "Oh, that's a good one, Celestia. I thought you were serious there for a moment." The laughter continued for a moment, growing louder and louder with each passing second, but Celestia's expression remained the same.
Twilight finally saw that her mentor wasn't laughing with her, and her joy died in an instant, as her ears dropped. "You're, not joking, are you?"
Celestia shook her head. "I am afraid not. The birth of Flurry Heart has caused quite a stir in Canterlot. The nobles are being much more open about their thoughts on some things. This is one of them."
Twilight felt her ire rise at the very idea. Having grown up surrounded by this very thing, she knew what Princess Celestia was speaking of. "What about Princess Luna?"
Celestia shook her head. "Luna is wondering why this is even a thing, let alone telling you. Princess Cadance and your brother have said much the same thing."
Twilight's brow creased. "First off, I don't like stallions like that. You know that. Second, the nobles literally have no power to tell me what to do. They can't tell you what to do even less so."
To prove a point, Twilight summoned several books on the subject, turning to the right page. "In fact, you signed the laws that stripped the nobility of any and all powers it once had several centuries ago yourself. Even the titles are meaningless now. Just a holdover from old times."
Celestia didn't need to read the sections in question, for she remembered signing the laws quite well. She hadn't been in the best mood at the time, and the nobles had only made it worse by pestering her with useless demands, none of which she had bothered to remember.
In her frustration, she had stripped them of all their holdings and powers. When they had threatened to revolt, she had reminded them that, if she so wished, she could wipe them off the face of Equestria with the full power of the sun.
Several had tried anyway, and Celestia had made it a point to show that she meant everything she said by very publicly incinerating them, once their crimes had been fully revealed to all of Equestria. It had worked. The rest had fallen into line after that.
Twilight raised a brow at Celestia's silence. "Pardon me for saying this, but why are you even considering this?"
Celestia's mask began to slip, as her own frustration began to rise. "Twilight-"
Twilight wasn't listening though. "No, why are you even considering this? You're being a punching bag for a bunch of old stallions stuck in the past."
Celestia massaged her forehead. "Twilight. If you will let me finish-"
But Twilight was too far gone to listen, as her eyes welled up with tears. "I thought you cared? I thought I meant something to you. Was I nothing more than just a tool to get Luna back?"
"TWILIGHT!"
The full force of Princess Celestia using the Royal Canterlot Voice was enough to shut Twilight up and sent her mane into a wild new style. Luckily, Celestia had the foresight to reinforce everything in the room so her voice didn't shatter anything.
Celestia took a moment to calm down before she continued. "You did not let me finish, Twilight. I am not forcing you to agree to this. I am as much against it as you are. I am merely telling you this before you hear it from somepony else less inclined to be on your side."
Twilight looked at her mentor in earnest. She could see it in her eyes and her posture, that she meant every word of what she said. "So, I'm not?"
Celestia shook her head, smiling. "If you ever decide to marry, do it to the pony you love, and because you love them. Not because you are forced into it." Her smile softened. "And never, ever, think that I ever once saw you as a tool, and nothing more. Even if somehow you had not managed to free Luna, I would still love you. The same goes for Sunset as well. For all we fought, I still love her."
Twilight's ears wilted, as she smiled sheepishly. "Oh. Um... Never mind then."
Celestia chuckled. "Luna had much the same reaction as you did. But she stormed out before I could explain it to her. It seems she told Cadance as well, and I have gotten several annoying letters from your sister in law on the subject of love."
Twilight winced. She could well imagine what Cadance's thoughts on the matter were, let alone what her brother thought. Love was Cadance's specialty. This idea went against all she stood for. "Well. This is awkward," Twilight said after a moment, taking another sip of tea.
Celestia nodded, sipping as well. "I am truly sorry that this has come up Twilight. But I felt it was better you heard this from me first. And on the off chance I ever become stupid enough to try and force something like this on you, I want you to stand up to me. To yell at me as much as you need to."
Twilight gasped and rushed over, hugging her mentor as tight as she could. "I don't think I ever could Princess Celestia. No matter what you say to me."
Celestia returned the hug. "You must, Twilight. I am not perfect. I need to be reminded of that more often. Please, don't be another slavishly loyal pony who only sees what she wants to see in me, and not the real pony I am."
Twilight bit her lip. She could tell that Celestia meant every word of what she had just said. A part of her knew that it would be the right thing to do, but could she do that? She sighed. "I'll try, Celestia."
Celestia kissed the top of Twilight's head. "Thank you, Twilight. That is all that I can ask for."
They stood like that for a time, neither of them mind. "But, you know. If you ever do decide to get married," Celestia said with a hopeful smile.
Twilight giggled. "I'll save you an extra big slice of the wedding cake."
Celestia's grin lit up the room.
Author's Note
Welcome to the reformatted version of this story. This, right here, is the original way this story was meant to end. So I decided to finish what I had and post it.
The old Chapter 1 isn't gone for good though. It is being reused as an Alternate Universe to this chapter right here.
