In Plain Sight

Chapters

In Plain Sight
To Exist
The Cycle
To Love
You Are Not a Mistake

In Plain Sight

Author's Note

Hello! This story is a part of the "Royal-Tea" series and a sequel to "The Loaded Question." I highly recommend you check out the rest of the series first, as this story relies on information contained therein.
This story takes place shortly before the two-part episode "The Ending of the End" from season 9 of Friendship is Magic. As always, I appreciate any and all feedback!

In Plain Sight

You can't tell if your eyes are open or closed. In either scenario, all that you can see is an endless void of black. You attempt to move, but there is a weightlessness to your limbs that you aren't accustomed to. You're capable of extremely limited flight, sure, but this is something different. You're just, well, floating. Floating in an abyss with nothing but your thoughts. You can't even see your hand when you hold it in front of your face. You should be terrified, and yet... there is a calmness within you. In a weird way, this existence of nothingness is kind of nice. There is comfort in a lack of anything plaguing your senses. Strangely, you feel like you could get used to this.

Of course, that was never going to last. A sudden burst of white light fills the void, illuminating you and revealing that you are, in fact, in a void of nothingness. The light is warm, and it doesn't seem to harm you in any way, but there is a different kind of problem that it causes: discomfort. You cannot explain the source of this sudden light, but your previous calm demeanor is overtaken by an inexplicable sense of dread. You've definitely felt this before, but where? Why here? Why now? What... what were you doing again?

You barely have time to ponder before the light becomes all-encompassing, forcing you to cover your eyes as best you can. You feel what could only be described as a decompression all throughout your body as you feel your breath being taken from you. The light only seems to grow brighter, and your attempts at drawing air do little but force you to confront the fact that you may be suffocating. What was an almost therapeutic sensation mere moments ago has suddenly turned into a life-or-death scenario, where the latter outcome is seeming all the more likely. At this point, your hands are doing nothing, as even your closed eyes fail to stop your vision from being filled with an intense, burning whiteness. You feel yourself losing consciousness as you make a final attempt to take one more breath...

...

You gasp as you instinctively open your eyes again, air filling your lungs once more. You have a coughing fit for a few moments before getting your bearings. Your eyes don't feel as though they burn, but they do feel crusty. What's more, you can feel a slight headache coming on, and you're groggy. It seems that all of that was a dream. A very, very strange dream.

But why are you so stiff? You rub your eyes and pick your head off of your...pillow? Looking around, you see nothing but wood flooring. Hold on, let's do a double take real quick. Okay, that's your window over there. This is definitely your room, but... where is your bed?

Sure enough, you appear to be laying on the floor where your bed typically is. Glancing around, the rest of the room seems different too. And by different, you mean empty. There is nothing in here at all. No furniture, none of your belongings, nothing. Taking a glance at your still-closed door, you notice that the door frame seems shorter than it was before. You had to have the door frames in this house redone and made a smidge taller when you moved in to account for your human form. So, why is the door back to its old size? You stretch out as best you can on the floor, your popping joints reminding you that you're still stiff from apparently falling asleep on the floor. Did something happen last night that you forgot about?

No, not that you can think of. It was like any other normal day for you, spent mostly working at your Royal-Tea Shop just down the road. You were enjoying the sense of normalcy while you still have it. Twilight is due to take the Equestrian throne from Princess Celestia and Princess Luna in just a few short weeks. There is plenty that needs to be done for that, but you're more concerned with what comes after. Specifically, you and Tia are planning to get married about a month after she retires. You're looking forward to it with every fiber of your being, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy these last few weeks of quiet solitude, right? Or maybe you're just coping with the fact that you've been lonely most of your life and you don't want to seem sad about it. Either way, you can't wait to wake up next to the love of your life every day.

That makes this weird situation all the worse. You JUST got a new, extremely expensive bed that is more catered to Tia's tastes than your old one, darn it! Letting out a sigh, you finally gather the energy to stand up. In a life that has by now long since passed, situations like this would worry you. But, Equestria has a habit of turning weird magical adventures into what seems like a weekly occurrence, so you are more or less used to it by now. If anything, that's just further evidence that you really do belong in this world. You slowly trudge over to the window. On the way, you realize that you aren't wearing anything. Odd, you aren't really one to sleep commando. Oh well, this is a quiet part of town. It's not like anycreature is going to see you if you just take a breath of fresh air.

At least, that's what you would be doing, if you could get this stinking window open. It's like the window is stuck, but... it also isn't? The window certainly isn't moving whatsoever. You can't even get the latch to move. But something about it feels off somehow. You ball your fist and give the window a knock. To your surprise, not only does the window not budge, but it also doesn't make a sound when you make contact with it. Actually, now that you think about it, your walk over here was awfully quiet as well. Testing your theory, you begin to pace around the empty, worryingly dusty room. Sure enough, your footsteps aren't making a peep. On top of that, there is enough dust in here to cover the entire floor, but your movements aren't disturbing the dust at all.

Alright, you've had enough of these shenanigans. You'd prefer not to bother her, but you'd better go grab Twilight. And probably find some clothes along the way. As you turn the handle on the shorter-than-usual door, you're met with the same problem you were just facing. The doorknob won't budge. You throw yourself against the stalwart door. It kind of hurts your shoulder, even though the door doesn't seem to react to you and there was no noise whatsoever. That's certainly aggravating, and the eerie silence is starting to drive you crazy. Can't you make any noise in here? You hold out your arm with your palm facing upwards and curl your fingertips. You release a spell that you haven't used in quite a while. A few stray sparks release from your palm, crackling in the air. Aha! You CAN make noise! It just has to be through magic. Now that you think of it, it may be more efficient to ask Tia about this. At least, if she's still in her room. You cast the all-too-familiar teleportation circle spell, and...

Nothing happens. Why does it never seem to work in weird situations like this? Out of curiosity, you attempt an illumination spell. Yup, that works. You attempt to bring out your horn and wings. Yup, that works too. At the very least, it seems like MOST of your magic is still usable. Knowing that, there is a simple way to get out of here. You walk up to the door once again, but instead of reaching for it, you cast a short-range teleportation spell aimed towards the hallway on the other side. Sure enough, a brief flash of green light later and you're out of your room. The hallway seems to be in a similar state, lacking any of your belongings and seemingly coated in a layer of dust, as though no one has lived in this house for ages. Before you moved in, that was the case... dang it, are there more time travel shenanigans going on? Normally you would pull out the cell phone that Pipp gave you to get confirmation or denial of this, but seeing as everything you own appears to have disappeared, you're fairly certain that idea isn't going to work. Nothing for it, you suppose. Time to make your way to Twilight's Castle and hopefully find some answers.

Hopefully.

Not long after leaving your house, you realize that the same problem you were having with the window and the door seems to be applying to everything. Nothing you touch moves. In fact, nothing you do seems to affect the world around you whatsoever. You also realize that your house isn't the only weird thing. Just down the road that you usually take to get to the Royal-Tea Shop, you instead find... nothing. Where the shop that you built yourself once stood, there is now nothing but an empty plot. Whatever it is that's going on, it had better be reversible.

On the way to Twilight's castle, you attempt to cover yourself as best as possible. However, you might not need to. As you get further into town, the first pony you see is the mint-colored unicorn, Lyra Heartstrings. She considers herself an "anthropologist" of sorts, and ever since you arrived in Equestria, she has been... worryingly interested in you. Most of the time, she would take any opportunity she could get to talk to you, but even though she's just sitting on a bench (upright for some reason) and you're in plain sight, she doesn't make any move to approach you. In fact, she doesn't seem to notice that you are there at all. That's definitely weird, right? Oh well. You'd rather not say something and call any attention to yourself. Continuing further into town, you at first try to take as many back alleys as you can to avoid the stares of the local populace. This, of course, is a fool's errand, as Ponyville has a fairly large population these days and these creatures all seem to love the morning. That said, the issue with Lyra seems to repeat itself. Even after working up the courage to venture into the middle of the street, nopony around you seems to acknowledge or even look at you.

Your thoughts about the strange situation unfolding around you are interrupted by one of the local mailponies. Despite being a pegasus, she has a reputation for crashing quite frequently, so it looks like she's playing it safe by walking along her route today. That said, despite the fact that she's looking straight forward, she doesn't seem to notice that you're right in front of her. And unfortunately for you, you're so lost in thought that you fail to notice her about to run into you as well until it's too late. You instinctively gasp as she collides with you.

...Uhh? As she... doesn't collide with you?

Are you seeing things, or did she just walk right through you? You turn to look behind you. Sure enough, there she goes, completely oblivious to what just happened. Okay, let's take stock of what we know so far.

One: You can't interact with the environment around you, except maybe through magic. Two: Nothing you do makes a sound, also except possibly through magic. Three: Other creatures cannot see you. Four: Other creatures pass through you. Five: Your house looked as though you've never been in it. Six: The Royal-Tea Shop is missing. Conclusion? You don't exist.

Wait that's a horrible conclusion to come to what the heck?

After a very, very confusing walk, you finally find yourself at the door to the Castle of Friendship. You knock on the door, hoping to get somecreature's attention.

...Oh, right. No sound.

You cast another short-range teleportation spell, excusing yourself for the intrusion. It doesn't take long to find someone though, as Spike is nearby mopping the main hall.

"Hey, Spike. Can you tell me where Twilight is?"

Spike hums to himself as he continues his work.

"Uhh, Spike?"

Once again, he fails to respond.

"Spiiiiike? Hello?" You wave your arms around in front of the dragon, doing whatever you can to get his attention. Just like everycreature in Ponyville, it seems he has no idea you're there.

Alright, if that won't work, why don't we try the one thing that HAS been working? You cast a telekinesis spell on the mop in his claws. Spike gasps as the mop is surrounded by a faint green magical glow. You twirl it around in the air for a bit before Spike speaks up, a hint of fear in his voice.

"Y-yeah, yeah, very funny guys! Come on out! ...Twilight? Starlight? ...Anypony?"

Okay, this isn't working. You drop the mop and begin casting another spell that you've become acquainted with. Your hand glows a verdant green color as you summon magical, grape-covered vines to grow out of the floor. You only summon a couple, and you have them give Spike a little wave. This spell is basically your bread and butter, seeing as your unicorn friends seem incapable of replicating it (much to Starlight's annoyance). Unfortunately, the result isn't quite what you wanted.

"AHHH! I KNEW IT! I KNEW THIS CASTLE WAS HAUNTED! CASTLES ARE A-L-W-A-Y-S HAUNTED! TWILIIIIIIIGHT!" Spike books it away from the vines and up the nearby flight of stairs. Darn it, this is NOT how you wanted this to go. You begin chasing after him. At least he's going to lead you to Twilight.

You eventually make your way into Twilight's library, where she seems to be sitting at an oversized desk writing and sorting through various papers on Equestrian law. She seems a bit stressed. You can't really blame her, considering her coronation is coming up soon. In spite of her extremely focused appearance, Spike manages to grab her attention fairly quickly.

"Twilight! Something super weird is going on and I think the castle might be haunted!" Twilight gives an annoyed scoff.

"Spike, we've been over this a dozen times already, the castle isn't haunted! You know I asked you not to interrupt me unless there was an emergency. What happened that has you so terrified?"

"Twilight, it was real this time, I swear! My mop got ripped out of my claws and starting flailing around in the air! Then a bunch of vines popped out of the ground and starting moving strangely!"

"Well, uh... credit where it's due, I wasn't expecting that to be your explanation. A bunch of vines? Really?"

You figure that this is as good a time as any to try and get her attention. You once again summon a few grape-covered vines that sprout out of the ground. You have them to a funny little jig. Look at 'em go.

"Wah! What are those!"

"See, I told you!"

Taking a defensive position, Twilight casts what you recognize as a counterspell, causing the vines to quickly wither away and disappear completely.

"You said this started when you were mopping?"

"Yeah, just a minute ago!"

"Okay, well, I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation. Let's see..."

Realizing you need some way to let her know you're responsible, you look around the room for anything that might help you. It's pretty much nothing but books. Well, that and her desk.

...Oh, duh. You can just write with telekinesis. Your "hand"writing is terrible when you try to do it, but it's better than nothing. You use telekinesis to gently lift a book off of the desk and then drop it again, successfully directing Twilight's attention to said desk. Now it's just a matter of explaining what's going on. You do your best to lift Twilight's quill, still wet with ink, and begin writing on a still-blank piece of parchment she had ready to go. You write that you are responsible, you're in the room with them, and you recount everything that has happened so far. Twilight looks on, eyes wide and mouth agape, until you finally finish and set the quill down. There is a moment of silence before Twilight speaks.

"Umm, Spike? Do you recognize this name?" Spike, equally wide-eyed and fearful, responds with a shaky voice.

"I don't think so, no."

"Look, I don't have any idea who you are!" Twilight shouts to the room as a whole, reasonably not knowing where you're actually standing. "You had better not have any weird motives! The last thing I need right now is another villain attack!"

She seems to be on edge. In an effort to calm her down, you begin writing once more, this time detailing who you are, what you've done, your relationship with Tia, and the many adventures you've gone on with Twilight and her friends. To put the metaphorical cherry on top, you mention a few personal details that she has shared with you that you would otherwise not reasonably know about her. Did you know she likes getting scratched behind the ears?

Twilight's fear fails to subside, but now she also looks quite confused by the situation you both find yourselves in. It seems that on top of everything else, no one even remembers you. Your semi-joking conclusion that you came to about not existing is starting to seem more and more likely, and you're starting to feel a bit anxious yourself.

"Look, I can tell when somepony is being earnest, and it certainly seems like you are. But I have no recollection of these events. For one thing, Shadowmere has never escaped Tartarus. On top of that, there was no 'vine ball' when the Everfree Forest invaded. I'm... not sure what has happened to you. Umm..." She looks around the library, seemingly deep in thought. "Look, whoever you are, I'll try to do some research on this, but this certainly isn't ringing any bells. If you're as close to Princess Celestia as you claim to be, maybe you should try speaking to her if she isn't too busy. She's way more likely than I am to know what... any of this is."

Well, yeah, you'd like to speak to Tia yourself. But your teleportation circle spell isn't working at the moment. Maybe it's like your house and the Royal-Tea Shop, and it doesn't exist right now? Either way, you have to get to Canterlot, and it seems like you'll have to go the old fashioned way. You certainly haven't been on that train in a hot minute. You write a quick "thank you" and head for the train station, preparing yourself for the long ride and, hopefully, whatever answers Tia can provide.

To Exist

You haven't seen this view in a while.

The train car rumbles beneath you, keeping a consistent pace along the winding tracks that will ultimately deliver you to Canterlot. You had grown quite accustomed to this ride some years ago, back before you could use magic and rely on teleportation circles to bring you back and forth between Canterlot and Ponyville. The seats are still just as uncomfortable (they, like most furniture, weren't designed with humans in mind), but you would be lying if you said you didn't miss the view. Being built into the side of a mountain, Canterlot provides many incredible vistas for looking out over the countryside, and the train ride is no different. The late spring foliage paints the rolling plains below in a beautiful pastel green, reminding you of the beauty that this world seems keen on showing off.

Looking around, there is a mare riding alone near the front of the car, dressed in a nice suit and reading what seems to be this morning's edition of the Foal Free Press. She is the only other creature present. You, meanwhile, are seated near the center of the car, doing your best to keep your distance from the other passengers. If the pattern so far keeps up, they won't be able to see, hear, or touch you anyway, but you would still rather play it safe seeing as you didn't actually pay for a ticket. Considering that your belongings disappeared and communicating with others in this state is extremely difficult, you figured that actually acquiring a ticket would have been a real hassle. So, you just kind of hopped on.

...You'll pay the nice stallion at the train station after this is resolved. Probably.

Eventually, the train begins to slow, signifying that you have arrived in the city. Stretching your back as best you can (the seat backs here are not nearly tall enough to accommodate you), you make your way to the newly opened car door, conveniently hopping out alongside the mare that was riding with you before the door closes again. Now that you're no longer violating any rules, you chuckle to yourself as you (quite literally) walk straight through the crowd of ponies waiting to board the train. Seeing as it's about midday, Tia is likely holding day court at the moment. This would normally make her hard to approach, but you're familiar enough with her schedule to know that after court, she'll be looking through whatever documents her aides have prepared for her for an hour. What everypony doesn't know is that it typically doesn't take her nearly that long to finish up, and she uses the rest of the hour to take a well-deserved break. Occasionally she spends it with you. You're a big fan of those afternoons.

Regardless, that will be your best chance to talk. At least until Luna takes over after sundown that is, but then you run the risk of her being tired and grouchy. If there is one thing you've learned about Tia, it's that she really, really enjoys her beauty sleep. With that "plan" in mind, you continue your trek to the castle, occasionally poking a high-brow noble pony here or there along the way. Disconcerting though the situation may be, at least you can find some fun in it here or there.

You reach the castle just moments after Tia's day court is supposed to end. Sure enough, you watch as the main gate is closed and a pair of older mares in fancy, expensive-looking clothing walk out. As per usual, a pair of guards are stationed at the gate, standing motionless and expressionless. You, being a regular at the castle, know these guards by name. Tia has given you clearance to enter and exit the castle whenever you want, but unfortunately, you're fairly certain neither of the guards will see you, let alone recognize you. That said, they can't really stop you from entering either.

You walk right up the gate and in a well-practiced motion you perform a short-range teleportation spell, delivering you safely on the other side of the gate. That said, you notice both guards let out a hushed gasp and snap their gaze to where you just stood. Both have a surprised, yet determined look on their face. Oh, right. If your magic works, then they would have been able to see that, and teleportation does produce a quick flash of light. The pair look at each other, seemingly recognizing that something just happened, and you quickly dart inside to hopefully avoid any potential conflict.

You make your way through the grand marble halls of the castle. The fact that a massive fantasy castle like this really exists never ceases to amaze you, let alone the fact that you're allowed inside. Unfortunately, the currently barren corridors are a bit creepier than usual. Typically your jaunts through the castle are accompanied by the echoes of your footsteps on the well-polished floors, but now... there is silence. There is the occasional servant or guard to break the silence, but for the most part, you have to do your best to stop yourself from getting creeped out.

Finally, you find yourself standing before a grand set of double doors, golden in color with an intricate design from top to bottom. You know these doors to be the entrance to the throne room, where Tia is most likely either signing important legal documents or taking a well-earned break. Just in case, you grab the handles and attempt to open the doors. To no one's surprise, nothing happens. You take a deep breath and gather yourself as a familiar sense of dread fills your being. Once more you perform a teleportation spell, landing you squarely on the other side of the door.

Looking around, the throne room is as grand and beautiful as ever. Of course you have the throne itself, upon which sits Tia in all her glory, silently reading over a long piece of parchment. A small stack of similar-looking parchment rests beside her, waiting to be examined. The walls are adorned with the castle's iconic stained glass windows depicting Equestria's many stories and victories over its enemies, the glass itself filling the room with natural light of all sorts of colors. Lavender, delicately placed by Luna the night prior, rests in fancy-looking planters in-between each window, giving the room a gentle, pleasant scent. You slowly begin walking towards the throne, your attention split between your lovely fiancé and the room itself. Something is... off. With both things.

Tia herself seems to be as composed as she usually is, but you can't help but feel concerned when you look at her. It is a feeling you haven't felt in several years, and a feeling you had hoped both of you left behind. If anyone else were to see her, they would think she is as fit and energetic as she always is, but you, with your plentiful knowledge on the way Princess Celestia functions, can see it clear as day: She is tired. The subtle ways her eyes move a bit slower than normal, the way her lips are curled back just a bit farther, the way her snow-white brow is just the tiniest bit furrowed. But she isn't the only thing strange. You stop your approach and give the room a good, long look before realizing what is out of place.

The windows, numerous though they may be, are in slightly different positions. While they begin the same, the more recent windows all seem to be shifted one spot over from what you are used to seeing, as though a window had been removed and all of the others had to be adjusted accordingly. And sure enough, after digging through your memory of this room, you realize that one window is indeed gone.

The window dedicated to the defeat of Shadowmere. The only window that depicted you.

...No. You don't need to get needlessly speculative again. Your house, your business, pretty much everything you ever did is gone. And if your hunch is correct, Tia's apparent fatigue is likely related as well. It doesn't matter what caused all of this. All you know is that you have to fix it. Filled with a renewed determination, you turn to face your wife-to-be once more.

"...Tia? Can you hear me?"

To your disappointment, she doesn't respond. It seems you'll have to do this the hard way. Looking around, you notice that Tia does have some blank pieces of parchment placed nearby. Deciding that you should first get her attention, you gently cast a spell to lift a piece from the top of the pile and slowly float it into the air between the two of you. At last, her attention is brought away from her work as she looks quizzically at the mysterious piece of floating parchment. You delicately have it flutter around in the air in a way that is intentionally unnatural looking. Tia's face hardens as she seemingly takes a more defensive stance, now aware of another presence in the room with her. Feeling that now is as good a time as any, you levitate the quill that she was just using, still wet with ink, towards the parchment and begin writing. You explain who you are and the situation going on, trying your best to describe what has changed and noting that it seems as though you've disappeared from reality. You finish the note by asking her if she remembers you, the human that she holds so dear, and you slowly float the note towards her until she takes hold of it with her own magic.

Her attention seems split between the note and the room around her. You surmise that she is (justifiably) cautious of whatever presence has made itself known to her. As she reads, her face seems awfully familiar to Twilight's when you tried this with her. You feel a weight in your chest as you prepare yourself for the worst. Eventually, she finally speaks up, her voice slow and methodical.

"...I am sorry to say that I can confirm your fears. I do not recognize your name, nor do I remember any of these events that you speak of. That said, you are surely aware that I cannot take this information at face value, yes? Whatever and wherever you are, you came into the throne room of one of the largest nations in the world and approached me, said nation's ruler. I imagine you can understand the position that I am in receiving a correspondence such as this."

You can't help but let out a sigh, your gaze finding its way to the floor. The worst-case scenario seems to have passed. Not only have you not obtained any answers, but the pony you care about most in this world, the love of your life, doesn't even remember you. You were right.

You really don't exist anymore, do you?

"But." Tia's voice reaches your ears once more, and there is little you can do now but listen to her. "Even in spite of knowing these things, you came regardless. As such, perhaps you are telling the truth. Or maybe you're just desperate. Or... possibly both. How can I know?"

Seeing an opportunity and not wanting to waste Tia's apparent trust in this invisible stranger, you grab another piece of parchment and begin writing once more. You talk about all of the time the two of you spent together, making sure to go in-depth on the details that a "stranger" couldn't possibly know. You talk about her fear of losing Luna, you bring up the issues she faces when dealing with specific nobles, you mention that spot right behind her left ear that she really likes to have scratched. You list her favorite foods, her favorite smells, her favorite places to visit around Canterlot while fraternizing with high society. You mention all of the things that made her fatigued way back when you first started having tea with her, from her responsibility of watching over Twilight to her reservations about the First's role in her life. Finally, possibly losing track of the point of your note, you being listing all of the reasons why you fell in love with her in the first place and recalling many anecdotes from your time together, like Nightmare Night and the Grand Galloping Gala. Whether it is out of a sense of nostalgia or the stress of this strange situation finally catching up to you, you feel tears begin to fall from your face, falling unceremoniously through the parchment and hitting the floor without making a sound. With no more room to write, you pass the note to Celestia for her to read once more.

The silence in the room is deafening as she carefully reads every word you wrote. As her eyes scan across the page, you can see her expression soften ever so slightly. It seems that your words caught her off guard.

"...I must say, this certainly does seem to help your case." She closes her eyes, which is appropriate seeing as she can't see the person she is conversing with. "In my many years, I have never had a romantic partner. But I cannot imagine anycreature being able to know all of this otherwise. Not even my dear sister is aware of some of this." She lets out a troubled sigh before continuing. "This is extremely unorthodox, but against my better judgement, I promise to do what I can. That said..." she places the parchment back down again at her side and looks around the room expectantly. "Let us perform a few tests. It seems that you can use telekinesis just fine, and the fact that you made it in here at all implies to me that you can teleport. As such, it seems that despite everything, you can still use magic. Let's see to what extent."

For the next few minutes you performed a variety of spells, including an illumination spell and a magical shield. After a while you explained in another note how you all discovered that your magic is strange, giving you access to spells that most unicorns cannot replicate such as your vines. You also mention your horn and wings, bringing them out as best you can. Judging by Tia's look when you did so, she can see them in spite of not being able to see you. She mumbled to herself a number of times throughout the process before settling back down again, apparently having reached a conclusion. Unfortunately, her expression seems uncharacteristically grim. You feel a weight in your chest as you listen carefully for her next words.

"Putting together what you have told me and what I have seen, it would seem that your initial fears of 'not existing' are fairly accurate. At least, to an extent." She seems to be growing increasingly uncomfortable as she continues. "We can make the reasonable assumption that this can only be the work of some malicious spell. That said, this assumption comes with two problems. First, why did whatever spell that caused this fail to prevent you from using magic? Second, what kind of creature is capable of casting a spell such as this?"

You hadn't thought about that. Is this outside the scope of an alicorn? Seemingly expecting you to be pondering exactly that, Tia responds despite hearing nothing.

"It would take all four of us alicorns to cast a spell of this scale, even on one entity. To banish a creature, or to... do worse would easily be within our power. But this takes a significantly larger amount of magic. And to what end? What good does this do?" Tia pauses for a long moment before finishing her thought. "...All known magic in the world operates the same way. While different creatures can manipulate it in vastly differing ways, it is ultimately the same magic. It is all part of the Cycle." Okay, that's a new one. The Cycle? You feel like you've heard that somewhere before, but you can't quite place it. "That is, except yours. Whoever or whatever you claim to be, there can be no doubt that your magic is unlike anything I've ever seen. And the fact that you can even begin to approach the capabilities of an alicorn is completely unheard of. It... may not be out of the question to say that you exist outside of the Cycle, that your magic differs from anything we've ever seen. That would at least explain why your magic still works."
Okay, so... what does that really mean for you? Your human magic is different from anything in Equestria. So what? To some extent, you already knew that.

"Putting these facts together, it would seem that there is a conclusion that we can naturally draw..." Tia seems almost ill as she continues her line of thought. "Who, or what, has magic so powerful that it could erase a creature from existence? It would have to be a creature that operates using Equestrian magic, and that would stand to gain from the spell itself. There are only two benefits that I can think of for using that spell as opposed to 'getting rid of you' the easy way. Either they want you to suffer, or they want to see what the world would be without you in it. I have a hunch it may be a bit of both." You catch your breath as she finally finishes her train of thought. "If we consider all of these to be the facts, it would seem that our perpetrator... has to be the First."

You feel your blood run cold. The First. The only deity in Equestria. The being responsible for Celestia and Luna becoming alicorns, and for allowing them to make Cadence and Twilight alicorns as well. The being that is apparently the reason why Equestria has magic in the first place, and the being that has caused much anxiety for Celestia in the past. Thinking back, you found a copy of "The Rise of the Two Sisters" in the old library in Zephyr Heights when you got sent into the future. It was essentially a bible that explained how the First was made up of all of the magic in existence, but gave up her physical form to bestow the world with magic. She gave Tia and Luna their alicorn magic to defeat Discord, and as such, the book discredits the sisters themselves in favor of describing them as little more than extensions of the First herself. Both out of some innate dread on the topic and at the behest of Celestia, you never looked too far into the First nor the religion surrounding her. Either way, you know this: You aren't a fan of anything that upsets Tia, deity or otherwise.

"...I apologize, but I must be getting back to my work." You notice Tia picking up the legal documents where she left off, but she is doing a terrible job of hiding her fear. Why does this have her so spooked? "I will speak no more of this. The rest is up to you. Good luck, my little human. I ask that you now leave my throne room."

This isn't the first time she has done this. Apart from voicing her general anxiety about whether doing what the First asks is the right thing or not, she has always been quick to change the subject whenever the First is brought up. You think you're beginning to understand why.

Not wanting to anger her, you teleport back out of the room, with many different thoughts flowing through your head. You trust Tia with your life, so you have little doubt that the conclusion she came to is the correct one. If only it wasn't so troubling.

You take a few moments to breathe, leaning against the marble wall in the silent castle corridor. If she is right, it would seem that the First has it out for you for some reason. What did you do to anger a goddess? What can you possibly do about it?!

No. You can't ask questions like that. There IS something you can do about it. You've sworn time and time again to protect Celestia in any way that you can. If your absence is causing her even the least bit of stress, you HAVE to return to her, no matter what. It doesn't matter if it's some rogue magic, an alicorn, or even a goddess. You've found a place to belong. You've found creatures that you love and that love you back. No matter what stands in your way, you will fight for them. You will fight for you.

You deserve to exist, and you're going to prove it.

The Cycle

You stand wordlessly before the quiet cathedral. It's around mid-afternoon, and though the streets of Canterlot are fairly busy, no one seems to be going in or out of this cathedral. Nestled between two much newer-looking buildings, this church seems like any other church you might have seen in your old world. Made of white brick with a pointed bell tower on top, it has all the makings of a church that is taken care of pretty well. It's quiet, and in any other circumstance, you would probably consider it peaceful. Now, however, it almost feels as though you are stepping into the metaphorical lion's den. You take a deep breath, a technique Twilight taught you years ago.

It's time to finally see what the First is all about.

Teleporting through the grand set of wooden double doors, you take in the sight before you. The inside also seems like a fairly standard church. The walls are as white on the inside as they are on the outside, with almost nothing of note adorning them. An old wooden floor would likely creak beneath your feet if you were capable of making noise, and about a dozen pews facing the back wall fill the majority of the space. Said back wall is mostly taken up by a massive circular stained glass window, the design depicting a featureless, pure white alicorn looking down upon the church, her eyes closed. Beneath this window is a slightly raised section of flooring with a small wooden podium in the center. On both corners along the back wall are single, unassuming wooden doors that you surmise probably lead to storage. The room is practically silent.

Aside from yourself, there are four others present. Sitting in the right pew closest to you is a young stallion with a blue coat and grey mane, silently reading a copy of The Rise of the Two Sisters. Two mares are sitting in the pews as well, one near the middle right-hand side and one at the very front left-hand side. Both mares are wearing white robes, their heads bowed and their eyes closed. One is a young unicorn with a red coat and black mane, the other is an older pegasus with a yellow coat and white mane. You recognize their posture as that of someone meditating, and upon closer inspection, you realize that the unicorn is performing the magical exertion exercise that Twilight taught you long ago to help deepen your magical pool. Her horn is glowing a faint orange, as well as the area around her. Even more surprising, however, is the other mare, who appears to be doing the same thing. Even without a horn, the space around her is surrounded by a faint blue light, inarguably magical in nature. Non-unicorns can do that exercise too? Why are they doing it here?

The last pony is an older unicorn stallion situated behind the podium along the back wall. His coat is a faded grey, with a snow-white mane complimenting it. Wrinkles noticeably line his cheeks, and you wonder if his coat might have been a more vivid snow-white color when he was in his prime. A thick pair of spectacles adorn his face, and he is wearing a set of white robes similar to the two mares, but with a bit more detail. His robes have a gold trim, and he appears to have a matching gold stole draped over his shoulders. If you had to guess, this stallion is a pastor, or perhaps a bishop of some kind. You really have no idea how this religion is set up or what his title actually is, but you can reasonably guess that he has some level of authority in here. You cautiously make your way towards him, and he doesn't seem to notice your presence. He appears to be reading his own copy of The Rise of the Two Sisters, a content smile on his time-worn face.

What exactly is your plan here? As far as you can tell, the only information on the First in here is that darn book which you've already read. What is this religion about? What do they do? And how does it connect to the situation you're in now?

Your thoughts are interrupted by the cathedral's double doors creaking open. You turn around to see a young colt nervously peeking his head inside. He has a brown coat and a velvet-red mane, with a dirty blue cap adorning his small head. He nervously takes a few steps inside the cathedral before his stuttering voice finally breaks the silence.

"U-um, hello?" The colt's high-pitched voice does little to mask his obvious trepidation.

The old stallion at the podium looks up from his book with a smile.

"Ah, welcome to the Church of the First! Please, come inside." His voice is gentle and pleasant. In your time observing Tia at work, you've gotten pretty good at identifying character traits by the ways ponies speak. So far, in spite of his position, he doesn't seem to be setting off any red flags.

"Um, I hope I'm not bothering you. I... I'm lost. I got separated from my mom, and she said that if that ever happens, I should wait for her here." The pastor gives a light chuckle.

"Fret not, little one. You are safe here. All are welcome in the church, and I promise that no harm shall come to you. Come, take a seat wherever you like. I'll wait with you until your mother arrives, alright?"

"Y-y-yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

The pair take a seat on one of the back left-hand pews, away from the other ponies present. The other reading stallion had briefly stopped to gauge what was going on, but returned to his reading shortly after. The mares didn't react at all. After sitting for a few moments, the "pastor" continued silently flipping through the pages of his book, with the colt looking at both him and the book with a noticeable interest.

You find yourself in a strange bind. Answers or otherwise, you don't want to do anything that'll make this poor kid any more scared than he already is. You suppose you'll just have to wait it out.

Thankfully, you aren't waiting long before the kid breaks the silence once more.

"Um, sir?"

"Yes?"

"Uh, um... who exactly is the First?"

Huh. How convenient that this kid is asking the questions you want answers to. This ought to be good. The pastor gives a slight chuckle before responding.

"The First is exactly what her name implies. All things come from the First, my boy. She is the progenitor of all magic."

"What's a progenitor?"

"Hmhm, it means that before the First, there was no magic. All of the magic in Equestria was contained within her mighty alicorn body. She knew that life in Equestria deserved to be happy, so rather than keep all of the magic for herself, she exerted the magic into the world around her."

"Exerted? Um, you mean like those mares over there?" The colt notions to the two mares in the church, still meditating.

"Yes, precisely! Though, she did go about it a bit differently. She exerted and exerted until there was almost no magic left. Being the mighty alicorn that she is, she lost her body and, in doing so, her ability to physically interact with the world she loved so dearly."

"That's so sad! What happened to her after that?"

"After that, she was quite happy. She looked down on the denizens of Equestria, who were delighted with their newfound magic. For a time, there was nothing but joy and peace. And she knew that she had to maintain this joy somehow."

"How did she do that without a body?"

"Well, just because she doesn't have a body doesn't mean she's powerless. She is still capable of using magic, just like you or I! With that magic, she bestowed her wisdom upon her subjects. She taught them about the Cycle."

"What's the Cycle?"

"I'm surprised nopony has taught you this already, child." The stallion adjusts his glasses before continuing. "Tell me, are you happy with your life?"

"Happy? I mean, of course I am! Equestria is wonderful, and everypony is so nice!"

"Haha! Right you are, my boy. And the First agrees! You see, the Cycle is referring to the cycle of life in Equestria. Our lives are precious and joyful, but wouldn't it be nice to make sure that others have lives that are just as terrific?"

"Yes, of course it would!"

"Indeed! The First imparted her wisdom upon us, her subjects, about how to do just that! You see those mares over there? The ones you said are 'exerting?' Many creatures do that to meditate, or to improve their magical prowess. It does do exactly that, but it is also how we give back to the First by giving back to the world around us! The magic that we exert has to go somewhere, after all. When one exerts their magic, it spreads throughout the world, ready to help another creature partake in the wonder that is life. We enjoy our lives thanks to magic, and we give back by exerting some of that magic. Then, when our time has passed, the magic still in our bodies returns to the world around us and to the First, who continues to watch down on us."

The stallion motions to the stained glass window. The sun conveniently begins to set directly behind it, painting the church in a brilliant light.

"Wow, sir, that's a really cool story! But, um, I have another question."

"Ask away."

"What about Princess Celestia and Princess Luna? I thought they were the first alicorns."

"Hmhm, a fine question indeed. You see, the First did what she did because she knew what the outcome would be. The First has seen all of time, and she loves what she sees. As such, she does what she needs to do to ensure that a wonderful future comes to pass. One such thing was creating avatars for herself to put an end to the reign of Discord, who was doing much to disrupt the beautiful manner in which Equestria was growing at the time. These avatars took the form of the Royal Sisters, two lowly subjects who become the First's foremost tools in establishing peace and prosperity. This is why they are alicorns, you see."

"Tools?"

"Well, yes. They live to serve the First's purposes. For lack of a better term, they are not 'princesses' so much as extensions of the First herself."

"So everything that they do is what the First wants them to do?"

"Of course. They would not be doing their jobs very well otherwise."

What?! That's ridiculous! Does this church really believe that? If that's the case, then that means there's an entire religion dedicated to, for lack of a better term, dehumanizing Celestia and Luna! They have free will, darn it! They didn't ASK for the First to make them alicorns! And what about how hard they work every day to keep Equestria running? The church basically discredits everything they've ever done!

"That's really cool, mister! Thank you!"

As the boy finishes saying that, the doors open once more. A mare with a red coat and a velvet-red mane matching that of the colt bursts inside, her stress evident on her face. She quickly scans the room before recognizing the colt and rushing over to embrace him.

"I'm so sorry! I looked away for just a moment and you were gone!"

"It's okay mom, the church took care of me, just like you said!"

The mare looks up at the pastor, tears gently forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Thank you so much for taking care of him. If there is anything I can do, please-"

"That will be unnecessary. Seeing the two of you reunited is reward enough."

"I-I thank you again. May you have a blessed day, good sir."

"To you as well. First be with you, and remember! With every story comes an end. With every birth, there is death. With every rise, there is fall. With every ruler, there is a replacement. Only the First is eternally the First."

The mare, relief evident on her face, ushers the boy back to the entrance. The colt gives a sheepish wave to the pastor before the pair leaves the church once more. You look over to the pastor, who smiles to himself and stands up, bringing his book with him. He walks back to the podium before he begins exerting magic like the two mares, a gentle golden light now emanating from him.

You smile as well. You might be in a bind right now, but at least that colt is going to be okay. On top of that, you finally received an explanation as to what exactly this church, and by extension the First, is all about. You already knew that book was cruel to Celestia and Luna, but you can now confirm that members of the church share those beliefs. On top of that, you learned what this "Cycle" is, as well as the church's doctrine. That said, even in spite of its shortcomings and views you definitely don't agree with, it doesn't seem as though the church is malicious.

You bring a hand to your chin as you enter a state of deep thought. Now that you know what the Cycle is, you can try to piece together what Tia meant when she said your magic operates outside of it. Since the Cycle perpetuates the First's magic throughout Equestria, that would mean that your magic comes from somewhere else. Your magic is the only magic that doesn't stem from the First, which might explain why it still works. That then leaves the two motivations behind the spell that's been cast on you. Wanting to make you suffer, or wanting to see the world as it would be without you in it. Hmm...

...

What was it the pastor said about the First's plan? "She does what she needs to do to ensure that this wonderful future comes to pass?"

...

Oh.

Oh no.

Did... did the First herself do this? That would at least explain what creature was powerful enough to do what even Celestia can't. Your magic isn't a part of the Cycle, so is it not reasonable to think that the magical surge that brought you to this world was also not the result of Equestrian magic? If that's the case, is it possible that the First didn't see your arrival coming? That your very existence threw a wrench into her plans? If you're right about this...

You've made a very, very powerful enemy.

You perform Twilight's breathing technique once more, but it does little to calm your nerves. You need to focus. What can you do to get out of this? Think, darn it!

You exist outside the Cycle. The Cycle involves releasing your magic into the world around you to give it to new life, either through death or magical exertion. Since you aren't a part of the Cycle, your magic is strange and doesn't fit in. You haven't died, but you HAVE exerted your magic before. But unlike everypony else, yours won't end up being passed on to anything else...

Or will it? Your eyes shoot open as you realize something. If your magic is unaffected by whatever removed you from existence, then even if everything else is gone, your home, your legacy, your relationships... one thing should still be the same. One place, very dear to you that you have neglected to visit in quite some time, may still be standing. Emboldened, you book it back to the train station. If you're quick, you may make it back to Ponyville before the day is through.

You need to pay a visit to the One Tree Orchard.

To Love

The Everfree Forest is just as dark and foreboding as always. Normally you would be treading carefully, and you would even bring a knife or something just to be safe, but considering that you are, for all intents and purposes, completely incorporeal, you reason that there is little danger letting your guard down. When you aren't fearing death with every step you take, the Everfree Forest sure does look beautiful. Thanks to the late spring air and the fact that this forest operates independently from the input of ponies, there are many beautiful flowers and ferns growing on either side of the path. Of course, Twilight and Zecora taught you years ago that much of the flora in this forest is just as dangerous as the fauna, so you would never dare touch any of them, even in the state you're in.

You've always felt a connection to the Everfree Forest. Here, nature exists all on its own. Nopony controls the weather, and no one can tell the plants and animals what to do, or when to do it. It's the closest thing you'll find to home.

At least, that's how you used to feel. There is still a twinge of nostalgia walking beneath these canopies, but you no longer yearn for a life you've long since left behind. You don't have to feel homesick. Equestria IS your home.

Not long into your walk you reach Zecora's hut. Looks like she's still doing well out here. You walk around her abode, noticing that the path you had once made is gone. Whether that be due to this spell afflicting you or just years of neglect retaking it, you aren't sure. Either way, you're fairly certain you still remember the way to go. You feel your anxiety beginning to swell as you continue forward. If your hunch is incorrect, you don't exactly have a plan B.

Looking ahead, you see light breaking through the canopy. A clearing. Your clearing. You take one more deep breath and step into the light, closing your eyes to ensure that, whatever may or may not be here, you'll take it in all at once.

...

Nothing could have prepared you for what you see. Last time you were here, there was one massive tree in the center of the clearing, with fruits of all kinds growing off of it. Twilight and Spike apparently came to find you after not knowing your whereabouts, which led to an insightful conversation about your place in the world. You wanted the tree gone. You wanted to preserve the natural beauty of the Everfree Forest. But, after your dear friends helped you see things from a different angle, you realized that this One Tree Orchard has every right to exist here, just like you have a right to exist in Equestria exactly the way you are.

What you see is not the same One Tree Orchard. Instead, before you stands a mighty grove filled to the brim with plants and animals of all shapes and sizes. Shrubs, bushes, flowers, greenery, small trees, every plant you could possibly imagine fill the space. Upon them grows apples, bananas, oranges, cherries, peaches, grapes, lemons, fruits of all kinds as far as the eye can see. Throughout the clearing are phoenixes, deer, squirrels, foxes, possums, and so many other types of animals that this would be a dream come true for Fluttershy. And there, in the center of the clearing, stands the mighty tree, now towering above the forest around it. It is easily over 100 feet tall, and it's just as beautiful as when you last saw it. The setting sun paints the whole "clearing" in many beautiful hues of orange and yellow, and a sweet scent fills the air. This orchard of yours has grown into nothing short of a paradise.

And beyond that, there remains the simple fact that the orchard is still here.

As you walk into the orchard, you notice the wildlife watching you curiously. This catches you off guard, as they are the first creatures to actually notice your presence. Now that you've noticed that, you realize that the plant life growing here actually touches you. For the first time since you woke up, you're actually feeling something against your skin. You reach out to the leaf of a nearby fern, and you manage to grab it and give it a slight tug.

Here, you really do exist.

Even with the animals watching you, a sense of peace and comfort washes over you. It is like a warm embrace from the environment itself. You feel almost validated by it, like the orchard itself is welcoming you back. As warmth and joy flows throughout your very being, you continue towards the tree in the center of the orchard.

Standing at the base of it, you are reminded once again of the last time you were here. You were in a very different headspace then. A negative one. A place you would rather never be again. Looking up at the tree, it is like looking at an old friend. You smile as you sit down on the ground. You aren't sure why, but you feel like you need to meditate here again. It just... feels right.

As your eyes close, that feeling of being embraced becomes stronger. The smile on your face doesn't fade as you attempt to concentrate. Unlike usual meditation, you don't feel alone. Without thinking, you begin to speak.

"I'm sorry. All of that time I spent here, I did nothing but dump my negative emotions on you. I projected my own feelings onto you, and in doing so, I started to resent you. I thought that you didn't want to exist, that you didn't want to be an alien in this world. But... that was all me. I never bothered to consider how you feel. The truth is... you're a part of me. And I am a part of you. I get that now. I'm so, so sorry."

Without moving your body, you feel as though your consciousness is being hugged, and you attempt to return it. Tears roll down your cheeks as you simply sit there, taking it all in. What started as an emotional feeling slowly turns into a physical one, however, as you feel several entities lean up against you. You dare not open your eyes, but from the way it feels, you think the animals that were populating the orchard are starting to gather around you, embracing you just as you wish you could be embracing them. This morning, when you were still asleep and possibly being put under a spell, you thought you were at peace. You were wrong. Peace doesn't come from the nothingness of nonexistence. It comes from accepting that you DO exist, and cherishing every moment. Peace is knowing love. Peace is knowing how to love.

Peace is learning to love yourself.

All at once, you feel a strange sensation fill your head, as though an alien thought had been directly transplanted into you. It's like you taught yourself a new spell all at once. A strange set of motions and vocalizations fill your thoughts. You don't know what this is, or what it does. And yet, when you consider doing it, you swear that the now all-encompassing presence around you seems to nod. You smile once more and begin casting the spell.

It feels not too dissimilar to magical exertion, but... reversed, almost. It is as though you're being filled with an intense pressure, as though tons of energy is being pushed directly into every fiber of your being. Outwardly, you feel almost nothing, but internally, it is as though an extreme wind is washing over you, both so loud you couldn't possibly hear anything and yet, somehow, completely silent.

Then... nothing.

You Are Not a Mistake

Your eyes shoot open. There is a weight on top of you, and you can't really see much. You flail your arms around to push away whatever is on top of you. In its place you see a wooden ceiling. Looking around, it seems as though you're in a bed. Your bed. You sit up, letting your eyes adjust to the room around you. This... this is your room. It's back. You feel the bed beneath you. You move around, and sure enough, the bed reacts. You leap out of bed, taking great satisfaction in the sound of your feet hitting the floor. You open the window and breathe in the crisp morning air. You smile to yourself. Did all of that actually happen, or was it just a dream? It... doesn't really matter much, does it? You quickly get dressed and head out the door (using the handle this time), eager to experience a new day.

You walk down the quiet, mostly empty road. It IS an early morning, after all, but you're used to getting up before sunrise after sleeping with Tia so many times. To your delight, a familiar building can be seen standing a ways down the path. The Royal-Tea Shop, right where it is supposed to be. You glance through the windows as you pass by. It looks exactly like you left it.

Continuing on, you spot the familiar face of Lyra, once again sitting in that strange way she does. She locks eyes with you almost immediately and happily waves at you. You give her a happy wave back and exchange pleasantries before making your way further into Ponyville.

You're really here.

At first you thought about visiting Twilight, but you don't think that's necessary. She has enough on her mind as-is, what with her coronation coming up. Instead, you take a familiar trek back into the Everfree Forest. There is something you want to confirm.

The trip is almost identical to the one you had taken earlier. You stand a bit taller, both because of your heightened mood and the fact that you don't want to let your guard down now that you are in genuine danger in here. Making your way to and around Zecora's hut, you note that the old path is legitimately gone, forcing you to trudge through tall grass and having to avoid the local flora as well as you possibly can.

Thankfully, no dangers present themselves. Feeling a sense of déjà-vu, you spot sunlight breaking through the canopy up ahead. You move with a bit more urgency, eager to confirm the suspicions welling up inside you. Finally breaking through the treeline, you see the orchard once more.

Only, there is no orchard. There are no fruits, there are no animals. There isn't even a tree in the center. Before you is an empty clearing. Drinking in the silence, you take a moment to just sit back and ponder.

Even if everything you thought you had experienced was a dream, that tree wouldn't just disappear. Something had to happen to it, as well as the rest of the orchard. You look down at yourself, at your chest, at your arms, at your open palms.

...That orchard really was a part of you, huh? You close your eyes and give the clearing the best smile you can muster.

"Thank you."

Are you losing your mind, or are you just feeling particularly bold today?

After leaving the Everfree Forest, you confirmed that today is the same day as yesterday. It seems that escaping from whatever spell the First cast on you caused the day to repeat itself. With that in mind, you happily teleported to Canterlot Castle via teleportation circle and made your way through the halls, a spring in your step as you relished in the sound of your footsteps echoing throughout the corridors. Now you stand in the hallway leading to the throne room, a line of nobles and other important figures standing impatiently for their turn to speak to Princess Celestia as she holds her day court. Yet, for whatever reason, today you just don't care.

You happily saunter right past them, getting a few scoffs and sneers along the way. They know they can't actually say much to you, lest they incur Tia's wrath. Even with that being the case, you typically try to avoid getting on anypony's bad side, but you just can't bring yourself to care today. With a grin from ear to ear, you waltz right past the guards at the doors, who step aside and let you into the throne room, worry on their faces. They probably think there is some kind of emergency that warrants an interruption such as this.

An older stallion stands before the throne, presenting Tia with some complaint or another. He cuts himself off as he notices that Tia's attention has turned to you, who has ever-so-rudely interrupted his time with the princess. The two look at you as you continue to approach the throne, your pace quickening. You hear Tia's voice moments before you reach her.

"Uh, good morning, dearest. What are you doing here? Is something the matt-"

She is interrupted as you throw yourself towards her, wrapping your arms around her stiff, dignified frame. She seems caught completely off guard and a bit hesitant to return the hug, but after a few seconds you feel one of her forearms wrap around you.

"W-what is the meaning of this?"

"There is no meaning. I'm just... happy to be alive. And to have you be a part of my life."

After a few more silent moments you let go of her, the grin never leaving your face. She looks at you with wide eyes, her mouth slightly agape and her cheeks an adorable shade of pink. It seems that she wasn't expecting this and is still processing what is happening. You give her a wink and walk back out of the throne room, noting that the stallion seems just as shocked. Outside the room, the nobles in line, who were not-so-subtly checking in on what you were doing, have similarly shocked expressions. You simply laugh to yourself as you make your way to the nearby tea room, ready to join Tia after her court concludes and she gets finished with those legal documents. Happy though you may be, there is plenty to discuss.

You sit back in your chair, which had been made specifically for your human stature. You take a sip of tea as you finish your explanation. Across from you is Tia, whose shocked expression made it clear that she was not expecting that story from you. She looks down at her tea, seemingly too nervous to take a sip. You know what's on her mind, but you aren't going to let it be brushed aside anymore.

"I know you want to ignore it, but we can't afford to anymore. The First is trying to get rid of me. You can't deny that this was her doing."

"But you cannot prove that her actions were malicious! Are you sure there wasn't some greater purpose?"

"The 'greater purpose' was a world without me in it, Tia! Do you want that?"

"Of course I don't, but why do you think she wants that so badly?!"

"I have no idea, but you know what? After yesterday, I don't really care. I don't care what she wants. I know what I want, and that's to live my life to the fullest here in Equestria alongside you. I want to live a joyous life in Ponyville, serving tea in a business I built for myself with the love of my life at my side, who gets to enjoy the rest of her days retired and happy. If whatever the First wants stops that from happening, well, she can take those desires and shove 'em."

"What if she is trying to avoid some kind of disaster? What if there really is a greater reason for you not being here?"

You are taken a bit off guard by her stance on this. Why is she so defensive of a goddess that treats her like she has no individuality in the first place?

"I... even if there was, are you okay with her getting rid of me to accomplish that?"

"..."

You sigh and look down into your nearly empty teacup. Her silence speaks volumes.

You feel your feet run cold. This really isn't how you were expecting this to go. Is she... really okay with that? Is she actually willing to sacrifice you for some "greater good" promised by some random deity?

"...I don't want her to get rid of you. You're the greatest thing to ever happen to me." You lift your gaze once more, only to find that she is looking into her teacup as well. "I am... not used to this. For the longest time, I have been 'Celestia, alicorn princess, ruler of Equestria.' I have always been the strong one, unwilling and unable to show weakness. Except around you, of course. But this? ...This scares me." She looks up, now looking you dead in the eyes. "The First scares me."

"I understand why. But look at me. The First is supposedly this all-powerful entity that's made of magic or whatever, and yet in spite of her casting a spell stronger than what you, or Luna, or anyone else is capable of, I am still here. She failed."

"And if she tries again?"

"If she tries again, I'll be ready. I will never stop fighting for this life. For our lives. Nothing, not even some insecure goddess, can stop that."

Tia lets out a chuckle, the anxiousness still noticeable in her voice. You give her a smile and walk around the small table, planting a kiss right below her horn. As you do, you feel her wings wrap around you, pulling you into an admittedly awkward embrace. You feel her beginning to match your smile as you share a quiet, comforting moment.

Regardless of what the future has in store for the two of you, you will never stop trying to live the life you want.

Because no matter what the First may say, you were never a mistake.

You deserve to exist.

Author's Note

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! As always, I appreciate any and all feedback, and please remember to be kind to one another!