Twilight Sparkle for a Day
The book slid in between the others with a satisfying ‘thunk’ as I put it back in its place along with the rest. As I did so, I looked at the massive collection of books Twilight Sparkle has in her castle’s library with both awe and intimidation. At this rate, it’ll be a few moons before I had read them all at least once. To this day, I have no idea how Twilight could boast about having already read this entire library’s worth of books several times over.
Then again, it’s not that I don’t like reading them and gathering all the knowledge that these tomes of wisdom had to offer. I’m grateful to Twilight for accepting me as her protégé and giving myself the opportunity to learn all that I can as long as I went with her on our various friendship lessons. Because of her, I can study and practice my magic to my heart’s content and not have to worry about the pressures of ruling an entire village with an iron hoof or the emotional stress that comes from plotting revenge on my now former enemy.
Looking back, I wondered how Twilight and I are basically one and the same and have turned out so differently. Both of us are gifted magic users who had shunned friendship early in our lives, her by choice, myself from past trauma. Would I be the mare she is today if I had a guardian like Princess Celestia to guide me through every step of the way like Twilight did? Then again, I had heard that Sunset Shimmer, another of the princess’ star pupils, ran off to be on her own as well and had only seen the light of friendship when Twilight and the friends she had made intervened. In both of our redemptions, Twilight Sparkle is always the common denominator, mostly with the other five by her side. So, what is it about her that made her into the Princess of Friendship she is right now?
As I pondered these things, I idly took out another book from the shelf and went over to one of the couches neatly placed in the library and began to flip through its contents. It was another book of spells, mostly the ones concerning influencing other ponies, from making them see illusions (That might be a good one to save for Trixie) to straight-up mind control. Despite what had happened in my past, I became more fascinated as I read on and wondered if friendship could be easier if I can use my magic to make myself and a friend see eye-to-eye. As I continued reading, my eyes caught onto a certain page which was accompanied by a picture of two ponies looking at each other and sharing a common thought. It read:
SHARED MIND
The bond between two ponies can be made closer if one knows what the other is thinking. Through this spell, two ponies can share a mind, connecting their thoughts and feelings across fields of magic as a stronger form of telepathy. However, its prolonged use is discouraged among casters with weaker minds as the identity and sense of self of each participant may be drastically altered or lost entirely to this fusion of thoughts, creating an entirely new amalgamation that is totally different than its previous two counterparts. If one wishes to use it, he or she may do so with this caution in mind.
Below the text was the usual incantation in Old Ponish and an extra tip to focusing on the mind to be shared. I had tried mind-reading spells before, but this … this is stronger stuff. My reservations aside, I was genuinely curious on what this mind-sharing would feel like and I was pretty confident that I had a strong sense of self, despite my earlier doubts. And so, I decided that I would try to cast this spell and I already had a target … uh … participant … in mind. Closing my eyes and firing up my magic, I tried focusing on my teacher and mentor, having a clear picture of her in my head. As I did so, my vision slowly began to brighten and my mind began to ache with the intensity of the spell until suddenly …
Everything went dark.
***
“Twilight? … Twilight? … Are you okay?”
A muffled voice rang through my ears as I felt some-pony’s hoof on my shoulder trying to shake me awake. I groaned and tried to open my eyes, the sudden brightness making me wince. I blinked and rubbed my eyes with my hooves multiple times before the brightness and blurriness faded and I could see what was in front of me. I’m … in the Friendship Council room? … No, I’m still in the library … Wait … I’m in … both?
“Equestria to Twilight? … Come in, Twilight?”
Two concerned faces stared at me, an orange pony with pale yellow braids wearing a brown country hat and a pink mare with just as pink, poofy, curly hair and a goofy grin.
“Oh, thank Celestia! I thought you were sick or somethin’! Is everything alright, sugarcube?”
“Huh …?” It was strange, my voice was my own but it was as if some-pony was talking with me at the same time.
“I guess she’s just loopy.” another voice called from the door of the council room, a purple baby dragon “I caught her reading Daring Do books late into the night!” he added with a sly grin.
“Coulda’ sworn she was just peachy a few seconds ago.” the country-accented Applejack continued “Anyway, it’s fine, sugarcube. No need to stress yourself. Pinkie and I are just on our way out. We’ll let you know how the friendship mission in Appleoosa turned out later, ‘kay?”
“Yeah!” Pinkie chimed in “Just rest your pretty little head and count pretty little sheep ‘till we get back and tell you about how we solved that pretty little friendship problem!”
The two mares walked (Well, Applejack walked while Pinkie Pie bounced) out of the room, glowing cutie marks on their flanks trailing behind them, while the young dragon walked up to me with a comforting smile.
“Alright, Twilight. It’s obvious you can’t go about your day like this. Let’s get you to bed.”
For some reason, every-pony keeps referring to me by that name, but my mind is still too foggy to realize why. I tried getting out of my seat but fell flat on my face as I tripped on one of the nearby lamps (Does the council room have those? I thought they were all in the library).
“Oookay … You’re definitely loopier than I thought … Up and at ‘em!”
Spike propped me up on his tiny body and walked myself around the friendship map before making our way out the door … which was when I bumped into a nearby bookshelf that had suddenly somehow gotten in the way and promptly passed out.
***
I woke up to darkness once again. Well, it’s not as dark as the previous darkness as there was some sunlight filtering through drawn curtains over a window. Still, it’s hard to shake the feeling that something was … off … about me after I had casted that spell. Nevertheless, I pulled off the covers and made my way over to the window in my small room. As I moved my hoof to grasp the curtain’s drawstrings, the odd feeling happened again. It was as if I was holding the thick rope and nothing at the same time. Shaking the feeling off, I decided some light might help clear up what’s going on and pulled the strings to let the sunlight in.
Ponyville was nice and calm at this time of day, with birds chirping as they followed the cool soft breeze to soar high into the cloud-filled sky, where the sun was at the moment. And yet, it wasn’t as bright as I had thought it would be as there is some darkness in the peripheral of my vision. Confused, I decided that I had better go to Twilight for answers and began trotting towards the door of my bedroom …
… only to have my face get smacked into a wall that I did not see. Thankfully, it wasn’t enough to knock me out again but I lay on the floor wondering what was going on. I tried feeling my way in front, but it was as if my hooves felt open air and the hard crystal wall at the same time. And so, as I sat there, dazed, my mind rushed to make sense of what was happening to me.
The spell that I had cast was a mind sharing spell, which the book stated was a stronger form of telepathy, allowing two ponies to share thoughts and feelings. But, what if it’s more than that? My mind then went to the picture that came with the spell.
Two ponies, one thought.
Two ponies, one thought …
Two ponies, one thought!!!
Could it be … ?
I had to know.
Despite the obstruction, I was still able to move my own body bit by bit, just with the constant feeling of hitting something hard every time I took a step. Slowly, I made my way across the long hallway of the castle towards Twilight’s room. My mind was so full with thoughts, I barely noticed Spike out of the corner of my eye as he exited one of the many bathrooms contained within the premise.
“Hiya, Starlight! Are you okay? I was worried when I found you had passed out in the library. Did something happen?”
“I … uhh … stayed up late … reading?” I heard the echo in my voice as I tried to come up with an excuse, but I had an inkling of what’s going on now.
“You too? I thought Twilight was the only one! You ponies need to learn a thing or two about moderation!”
“Says the dragon who frequently stays up late reading Power Ponies comics.”
“Shut up …” Spike blushed. “Anyway, I’m going out for lunch? You coming along?”
“Uhh … no. Just get me the usual from Sugarcube Corner.”
“Okie dokie. Just … don’t push yourself too hard, okay?”
I nodded and breathed a sigh of relief as Spike skipped towards the main foyer. With him out of the way, I can confirm what had happened in peace and solitude.
***
Standing in front of Twilight’s room, I braced myself for what I was about to see when I opened the door. Slowly, I turned the doorknob and let the light of the hallway flood the room, the darkness around my vision faded into the bright colours of crystals. There she was, standing in front of a nearby wall, staring at nothing in particular.
I took a deep breath. She did the same.
I raised a hoof. She repeated my action.
I tried standing up on my hind legs. She followed.
“Twilight?” the source of the echo was clear.
We were both speaking together at the same time.
Slowly, I made my way to the purple mare, her repeating movements causing me to feel the hardness of the wall that she was constantly bumping into with every step I took. When I finally got to her, I tried orienting her so that she faced me. With that done, we stared at each other.
I can see Twilight.
But I can also see myself?
Both of us had similar expressions on our faces.
I smiled. She grinned.
I frowned. She pouted.
I opened my mouth. She showed me hers.
It was like looking into a weird mirror.
I was her.
But I was also me?
Two ponies. One thought.
The spell did its trick.
I was both of us.
***
My mind reeled with the possibilities. This was more than any illusion or shapeshifting spell could pull off! I didn’t just look like her, I was her! Twilight Sparkle! The Element Bearer of Magic! The Princess of Friendship! I grinned mischievously. If I am Twilight Sparkle now …
It took a bit of effort but I managed to relax my own body laying down on the ground and covered my mouth with my hooves so that I wouldn’t create another echo. Then, I let the fun begin.
“Hello! My name is Twilight Sparkle! I am the Princess of Friendship and I think Starlight Glimmer is the friendliest pony I know, more than my current friends even! I mean, she befriended Trixie of all ponies and redeemed her! Who else but the bestest of friends could pull off such a feat?”
As she spoke, she moved with gusto and style and eventually, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the whole performance. Soon, the both of us were rolling on the floor, our eyes brimming to tears as our laughter echoed through the halls of the empty crystal castle. When we stopped, I took to staring at the ceiling with both pairs of eyes as a thought entered my mind.
This doesn’t seem right. Where was she if I am her? Trapped within her own mind? Can she see the things that I’m doing to her? I turned to look at her as she did the same to me. She looked normal but her eyes … they seemed … lifeless … as if there was no trace of the pony inside of her. I closed my eyes, trying to search for her within our shared mind, calling out to her mentally.
No response. The weight and guilt of what I had just done had finally set in.
“Oh, Twilight! I’m so sorry! I-I need to reverse this! I-“
As I stood up to head for the library, I heard her voice speak to me.
“Starlight? Wait! Don’t do it yet!”
I turned around and stared at her. I didn’t mean to make her say anything. As far as I knew, that was an unconscious thought.
“But you’re not you! You’re me! I need to fix this!”
It felt weird talking to myself in this manner but common sense gave way to emotions at the moment.
“Wait! Just think for a minute! Aren’t you curious about how I became the Princess of Friendship?”
“Well … yeah! But the spell …”
“Look, I’m pretty sure I know who I am by this point. My experiences in Ponyville and with my friends have pretty much been seared into my brain right now, so I’m not forgetting those anytime soon. And you, of course are the most talented magic user I have ever seen, and that’s not just your ego talking! If anyone can reverse this spell in time, it’s you! So why not take this opportunity?”
“Opportunity?”
“Be me for a day! Try and act as I would in any situation and see how the things I had learnt during my time in Ponyville moulded me into the pony I am! Count this as an extra special friendship lesson from me to you! This is what you wanted right?”
“Well … erm …”
“Just give it a shot! And if anything goes wrong, hey, I’m sure we can fix anything if we put our minds together, literally!” she said with a wink.
“Well … if you put it that way …”
“Great! Let’s seal the deal!”
I raised Twilight’s right hoof and gave her an expectant smile. With trepidation, I took it, still weirded out by the fact that I am making this agreement with basically myself. But she, or I, was right. Where else am I going to get an opportunity like this to see what makes her tick?
“Alright, Twilight Glimmer.” I said grinning “I accept your offer! Teach away, teach!”
Both of us chuckled at that remark.
***
I looked across the balcony with extreme caution. The gentle breeze earlier that noon now felt like a cyclone ready to sweep me off my hooves and plunge myself to the earth below. The wings on my back didn’t give me that much confidence either. Though I had seen her fly many times, I doubted her muscle memory could help save me in this situation.
What are you waiting for?
I heard her voice in my head, acting as a sort of guide now that I am in her body, even though I knew it was my own thought as well. I put my own body to rest in my room so that I could focus on being just her for the day and now, I wanted to try something that I had always been curious about for a while: flying with the wings of an alicorn.
“I – I don’t know about this, Twilight.” I answered myself in her own voice “N-now that I’m up here looking down. I don’t know if I can do this …”
You have my magic too, y’know? Just catch and levitate yourself whenever you feel like you’re falling. It’s not that complicated!
“I know. But what if I panic? What if I crash and sprain your wing … or worse? In the past, hurting you is all I’ve ever wanted, but now? After all you’ve done for me? I don’t want to see you in the hospital because I essentially made you jump off of a balcony!”
Then don’t think about it! For the love of Celestia, you’re sounding like the real me more and more with each passing second! If you don’t do this now, you’ll never know what it’s like … ever! Take the leap of faith and trust me! I’ve had a lot of practice with my wings and I use them almost every day. Tell you what, if you fall, imagine me catching you in a burst of magic like a mother bird teaching her chicks how to fly. As a friend, I know there’s something inside of me that really wants to help you, so come on! Go for it!
With this last bit of encouragement … from myself pretending to be my mentor … I stepped onto the railing, closed my eyes and felt the crystal platform leave my hooves as gravity overcame me. With the wind rushing past my face as I fell, I tried flapping my borrowed wings hard. At first, nothing happened and I slowly began to panic. But something inside told me to keep trying, whether it’s the voice of my teacher or my own desperate thoughts trying to keep myself from meeting a sticky fate on the dirt below.
I continued flapping as hard as I could and slowly but surely, I felt my descent began to lose speed and eventually, I began to move upwards! Moreover, Twilight’s wings had slowed their desperate flapping and had begun to move in a sort of rhythm, pushing me ever higher with each flap. Fear turned to pure joy and excitement as I greeted the rushing wind, making my way towards a nearby cloud as I went. With little prior experience, I promptly crashed into the fluff, the softness cushioning my landing as I burst out laughing and whooping with mirth, laying down on the cloud as it passed by others just like it.
Soon, I was hopping from cloud to cloud, getting more used to my borrowed wings as I went. It was pure ecstasy as I joined the birds of the air soaring through the sky and seeing Ponyville down below, its residents now looking like ants going on their day-to-day business. I had even attempted to perform the stunts I had seen Rainbow Dash do to show off to her friends and sure enough, my gallivanting in the skies above the small town had caught the attention of the resident daredevil herself, who appeared next to me so fast that I had to catch myself from falling off of a nearby cloud.
“Hey, Twilight! Whatcha’ doin’?”
“R-Rainbow Dash! A-aren’t you supposed to be with the Wonderbolts today?”
“Spitfire gave us all an off-day, y’know, to rest for our next air show this weekend. So, I figured I’d hang around here! How about you? Still bored with us all going out on friendship missions?”
“I do not get bored! I have plenty of things to do today!”
“Is flying around aimlessly for the past few minutes on your schedule?”
“I-it relaxes the mind! Being a princess is stressful, y’know!”
“Sure … Tell you what, I believe you. Wanna race with me? Last one to Sugarcube Corner has to treat the other for lunch! Bet ya’ can’t beat me, Miss-Fly-To-Relax!”
With rising excitement in my voice, I replied “Oh, it. Is. On!”
The words barely exited my mouth as Rainbow disappeared in a streak of multicolour. Soon, we were speeding through the air, doing loop-the-loops, busting clouds and generally having a good time as we made our way to Ponyville’s most prominent bakery.
***
Spike burst out of the castle doors as soon as Rainbow Dash and I entered the grounds from our trip into town, each with a half-eaten bread roll in our hooves, and myself with a slightly sour look as I thought of the bits I had to fork over for Rainbow’s portion.
“Twilight! Twilight! Thank Celestia I found you! Why didn’t you tell me you went out?”
“Uh … sorry, Spike. I felt like going out for a quick flight would help clear my head. What’s the emergency?”
“It’s a letter from the princess!”
After looking at each other for a few moments, I left Rainbow to go pick up the sealed scroll Spike held in his claws with my magic. After carefully breaking the royal seal, I unfurled the piece of parchment and scanned its contents before reading it aloud:
My Faithful Student,
I hope you are doing well. If you are not busy, could you come to the royal palace today? There is something I would like to discuss with you.
Your Mentor,
Princess Celestia.
“Gee! That sounds important!” Rainbow muttered, looking over my shoulder.
“Would you be okay? You’ve been pretty loopy this morning.” Spike asked with concern.
I thought about it for a moment. The princess was expecting Twilight to come, but I wasn’t about to pass up another opportunity to experience her life even more … to understand her better, of course! Besides, if Twilight really was that loopy that morning, she’d appreciate the mental break.
“Don’t worry, Spike. I’ll be back before you know it! Watch the castle while I’m gone, okay?”
Spike nodded, still keeping that concerned look.
“Well, I’d love to tag along” Rainbow spoke up “But I’m thinking of checking up on Scootaloo and her friends today. They’re going hang-gliding!" she added with a grin "See ya later!”
With that said, all of us went our separate ways, Rainbow in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, Spike into the castle and myself flying towards Canterlot with a million questions in my head about what Princess Celestia wanted to see Twilight for today.
***
The princess greeted me with a warm smile as I landed in front of her at the gates of the Canterlot Royal Palace with a quick bow. As I looked up, I thought I could see a hint of … confusion? … in her eyes before they returned to their usual warm glow. With a raised hoof, she invited me in and together, we walked through the palace’s grand halls, floored with a bright red carpet, decorated by many priceless art pieces and flanked by guards everywhere we went. We walked in silence until we had reached one of the many meeting rooms dotting the palace where it seems like a heated discussion is being made by two stallions in neat outfits and neater comb-overs, who immediately rose and bowed as we entered. I was slightly taken aback by this, nearly forgetting that I was currently inhabiting the body of the Princess of Friendship.
“Mr Leafy Green of the Evergreen Grocery Store,” the princess addressed a greenish stallion with a turquoise mane and silver streaks “and Mr Tinker Bolt of the Playtime Toy Store” she motioned to a pinkish stallion sporting a dark orange mane “what issue do you wish to bring before me today?” she asked as we sat down on a red velvet couch opposite the two stallions, a tea set and a plate full of biscuits on the nearby coffee table.
“Your Majesty,” Mr Green started “you might be aware of the happenings going on downtown and have heard that the furniture store between our shops had just gone out of business?”
The princess nodded sagely.
“And now,” Mr Bolt continued “the lot had been put up for sale and both Mr Green and I each have the means and the desire to procure the extra space to expand our businesses.”
“But Mr Bolt” the greenish stallion glared at his acquaintance “had been doing everything he can to make sure the process of purchasing the lot would be as difficult for me as possible! I suspect he had been forging documents claiming prior ownership and swamping the Canterlot Department of Commerce with unnecessary red tape on my end!”
“Oh, as if you aren’t above making my attempt to buy out the lot harder for me as well!” the pinkish stallion sneered at his acquaintance “He had been threatening to entice my employees out of my business with higher pay if I would even think of obtaining the lot for my shop!”
“At some point, we decided that this stalemate shan’t go on any further and have decided to take this decision up to the top!” Mr Green stated “knowing Your Majesty’s better judgement would help solve this issue between the two of us.”
“So, Your Highness,” Mr Bolt chimed in “is it too much to ask for your opinion on who should own the lot between us?”
“Not at all, gentle-ponies …” the princess replied with a smile, though I could see the tiredness in her eyes from having to mitigate disputes like this every single day.
Her next words caught me off guard, though “… but this opinion will not be for me to give.” She then slowly turned to look at me expectantly.
“What?” I yelped, shocked.
“Pardon me, Your Majesty. But she is but a foal compared to Your Great Self!” Mr Green exclaimed.
“You cannot be serious, Princess! She may have been coronated for quite some time but I doubt she has the business sense, expertise or even experience to decide on matters like these!” Mr Bolt blurted.
“My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, is the most studious out of all of the students under my tutelage” Princess Celestia explained “So, if there is any topic that requires her attention, I trust that she has been well read on the subject. Furthermore, I have brought her here to grow her skills in decision-making, a very important skill if she were to assume a position of leadership someday” she added with a smile.
“Are you sure, Princess?” I asked, worried “this seems a little too out of my league.”
“I am sure, Twilight. After all, is this not unlike the friendship missions that you and your friends have been going on recently? Two disputing ponies in need of a mediator to solve their problems, is that not what you have been helping with all this time?”
I began to speak in protest but the Twilight in me pushed myself to at least give it a shot. The princess merely asked for my honest opinion and would surely rectify any terrible decision that I would be blabbing out in the future. I promptly nodded and asked the two shop owners for detailed information on their businesses, just at least so that I would know what was at stake before making any suggestion. I knew Twilight would have done the same if she were here.
And so, for the next hour, the two stallions explained in detail the nature of their businesses: how they were founded, what they were selling, and especially the noticeable rivalry between the two shops, with the poor owner of the furniture store caught in the crossfire of their excessive marketing campaigns. And the more I listened, the more I felt the conflict was personal rather than professional, the rivalry between the two shops existing more from the disdain their owners felt for each other rather than from the healthy competition that makes businesses grow. Neither shop was doing better or worse than the other and the uneasy feeling from their constant arguments had bled into their customers, who felt that they would be happier to shop at their stores if the feud wasn’t made too apparent. When they had finished, I was lost in thought. Princess Celestia was right, this was like one of Twilight’s friendship problems and she is good at solving those. So, what would Twilight say in this situation?
“Gentle-ponies,” I concluded my moment of contemplation “after much consideration, I have made my decision.”
The two stallions looked at me expectantly. Princess Celestia merely smiled and motioned for me to go on.
“I have decided that the owner of the lot should be … you” I pointed to the greenish stallion, who grinned widely while his acquaintance glowered at me. However, I was not finished.
“But after even further deliberation, I have also decided that the pony who should purchase the vacant lot should be you” I pointed to the pinkish stallion. All parties involved silently stared at me, confused, for about a few minutes, until it dawned on the two business owners what I had meant.
“You don’t mean …” Mr Green started.
“… a partnership?” Mr Bolt finished.
I nodded.
Both of them raised their voices in protest, each one trying to be heard over the other, as they insisted that they would never work with some-pony like their rival. It was followed by name-calling, various demeaning monikers hurled at each other and a thorough explanation of every single slight that one shop owner had brought upon the other during the run of their businesses. During this time, the princess sat silently and watched the scene unfold as I tried my very best to give my own explanation of the solution. If they were to work together, then both of their businesses would benefit from the expertise that the both of them would share and their customers would be grateful to them for it. Furthermore, the time spent being with each other instead of hiding away in their own separate shops would help them understand each other better and eventually dissolve the personal vendettas that they had against each other. Nevertheless, they were still stubborn in their refusal and as the arguments continued, my thoughts strayed with the increasing pressure and I felt myself wondering if I could use one of the spells from the book of influencing ponies to at least make them see eye-to-eye and make my life easier.
But then, I snapped out of it quickly. No, this is not what Twilight would have wanted. This is not how she solves friendship problems. If a resolution would come, it would be through words and diplomacy, not through spells and manipulation. If it would take longer and go through many roundabout ways before reaching its conclusion, so be it.
And so, I waited until the uproar died down before I gave one last attempt at imploring them to at least give the idea a shot, adding that the decision wouldn’t have to be made now and they could at least take a day to consider my suggestion. With that being said, I excused myself and left the room, collapsing on the floor with all of the previous stress being released once I was certain that I was out of earshot from the discussion altogether.
***
I eventually heard the doors to the meeting room open as both shopkeeper ponies stepped out of it, their heads raised proudly in a huff as they trotted away, not even bothering to glance at each other. After a few moments more, Princess Celestia emerged from the room and, noticing me peeking out from behind a corner, beckoned me to follow her. We walked in silence for quite some time before I spoke up.
“So, I take it that my decision was … unacceptable?”
“It could be. It is as you said, they just needed some time to think about it, so I sent them off to do so. If they were still not satisfied with your suggestion, then they would return tomorrow and I would give them my final decision.”
“It has to be the solution! It has to be! Twi - … I would have given the same answer if, for example, Rarity and Applejack somehow wanted to open their shops at the same place. Cooperation is the key, is it not?”
The princess nodded “To be honest, if you weren’t here, I would have given the same suggestion as well.”
“Really?”
She nodded again “And of course, being the decree of a long-ruling princess, they would have accepted it in a heartbeat, albeit with some reluctance. But, hearing it come from you? It would be a hard pill to swallow for them, but I am very impressed of the amount of thought you gave into solving this problem … and your restraint when things do not turn out the way you want them to …”
“What do you mean?”
“During the argument, I could see a faint glow coming from your horn, as if you were to cast a spell that would make the problem go away immediately. Imagine my relief when you reconsidered your action and decided to use words, not magic, for this particular problem. What example would you be setting for your own student, Starlight Glimmer, if you did?”
She said the name with such emphasis that I stared at the princess for a moment, trying not to give myself away. Did she know? I couldn’t tell. I tried playing it off.
“She … It would take some time for her to learn not to depend on magic as a sure-fire fix for every problem. I know she’s as gifted as I am, but it concerns me a lot.”
“And yet, she has been doing very well in that regard. I gathered that from reading your various letters to me about her progress in rehabilitating herself. I am very proud of you, both of you.”
I blushed when she said that. We walked for a certain amount of time until we had reached the front entrance to the royal palace, Celestia’s sun already sinking below the horizon and Luna’s moon rising from the other side.
“I suppose you should head home and rest now.” said the princess “Thank you for coming on such short notice.”
“Thank you, princess, for the lesson. I’m sure I won’t forget it!” I said before bowing and taking off into the sky, Ponyville-bound.
***
I sat upright on my own bed, idly flipping through the spell-book once more, stopping once my hoof had reached the page containing the Shared Mind spell. It wasn’t difficult to produce a counter-spell for the magic, seeing that the incantation to reverse it is on the very next page, though it left us both with headaches the following morning, typical of magic which influences the mind. When asked, subtly of course, Twilight didn’t seem to remember what had happened yesterday and luckily for me, Spike was quick to attribute it to loopiness from not having enough sleep the previous night.
I didn’t know what to think from the whole experience. On one hoof, I had gained a better understanding of my teacher by living her life and seeing how Princess Celestia’s lessons had influenced her. On the other hoof, it was robbing her from one day of her life and I was hesitant to do it again to another pony. Despite that, the desire to see the life through another pony’s eyes still lingered within me and I found myself copying the incantation and its reverse into my notebook … just in case.
I was soon interrupted out of my train of thought by a few knocks from the door as Spike came into the room, a letter in his claw. I thanked him for bringing it to me and sent him on his way before opening it and reading its contents:
To my Faithful Student’s Faithful Student,
I hope you are doing well. I am pleased to hear about your progress regarding your rehabilitation from your teacher, Twilight Sparkle, during my many correspondences with her. It seems she never misses the opportunity to give you high praise for how much you have improved during this time. She truly admires how you both have a shared passion and enthusiasm for learning and bettering oneself for the future. Seeing her pride for you reminds me of how proud I felt for her when I was in her position.
That being said, I couldn’t help but notice how similar the two of you are and have also wondered if you would become just like her if I were to be your tutor. Then again, I have seen another of my students turn astray and was only able to reunite with her through the actions of Twilight and her friends. I couldn’t explain it fully myself even if I wanted to, but although I am glad that my lessons had borne fruit, it seems like they weren’t enough to mould any-pony to become just as much the pinnacle of friendship as my faithful student. If you were to ask me, Twilight had earned her princess-hood because she actively tries to learn what it means to be a good friend, sending letters to myself or writing down in her journal every lesson that she had learned during her stay in Ponyville.
That isn’t to say that you cannot become just like her by emulating what she had just did. Just look at your own friends, Sunburst and Trixie, both of whom you have formed bonds with because of her encouragement! (Either directly or indirectly) But if you wish to have another piece of advice from myself, it is to not just look to her alone for guidance on how to be a better friend. It is this dependence on the approval of a sole mentor that would become one of the reasons why I had sent her to Ponyville, which is to find new teachers in the form of her friends. Life can bring you so many teachers if you know where to look for them and you might not like the lessons that they would impart onto you, but they would be sorely needed if you were to grow and thrive in this world.
I admire your curiosity and willingness in trying to understand other ponies in a deeper level to be better friends with them, though your methods of doing so may be … questionable, and I am proud of you for growing as much as you did. Keep up the good work and never lose that passion for learning!
Your Mentor’s Mentor,
Princess Celestia.
P.S: The two shop owner ponies had decided to take your advice and merge their shops into one big supermarket, using the purchased lot as a base for their expansion. Time will tell if their efforts would bear fruit and provide a joyful outcome.
As I folded the letter, I thought about the implications that have come with the princess’ message. Surely, she had already known that the Twilight that she had met yesterday was actually her protégé wearing a mask of her teacher and had tried to understand her reasons for her actions, even sharing my curiosity on her student’s personality as well. Nevertheless, I pondered upon her words while I looked out towards Ponyville in the light of a new dawn, thinking about the many teachers I could really learn from if I had the opportunity to step into their shoes for a single day. It was a good idea, but I decided to put it in the back of my mind for a while, at least until the shock of the experience I had yesterday had worn off.
As I passed the small shelf of books I had in my room, I couldn’t help but stop and stare at the unorganized mess that it contained. The books were shelved without a care for proper arrangement by author, size, or at least hard cover colour! No wonder I had several slight inconveniences whenever I tried to grab something to read! But no more! Quickly, I fired up my magic and with a flurry of pages, the books were sorted in alphabetical order from top to bottom. I smiled at my handiwork before confusion suddenly crossed my mind.
I had never cared about organizing books before.
Were those thoughts even mine?
Shaking it off, I exited my room to head to the dining hall for breakfast, eager to see what lessons, or teachers, life would have for me today.
