The lonely freak of a mare, and the burnt husk of a stallion that shouldn't have met.

In a small, 2 bedroom cottage on the slightly larger scale of construction sat three of the most important ponies in all of Equestria with a cup of tea in their hooves. The current ruling alicorn of Equestria, Twilight Sparkle, sat at a table while her two former princesses, the retired Celestia and now retired Princess Cadence each drank from a matching cup. This ritual has become a time each alicorn looked forward to ever since they started the meeting once a month when time permitted, sometimes the former Princess Luna would join them, or it would only be Cadence and Celestia, but never all four at a given time.

The reasonings behind these ‘secretive’ meetings was nothing less than for these alicorns to keep in contact, and have a moment where they could be themselves; this of course has led to a sort of mini renaissance within this simple cottage where various topics of their discussions had bore enough fruit to be adapted into Equestria Proper.

One example of this was the off-hoof comment by Cadence when she mentioned how her daughter (current ruler of the Crystal Empire) Flurry Heart had been working with ‘Uncle Thorax’ on a special project involving the Crystal Heart. Their collaboration had led to a breakthrough using crystals as a potential storage device, and using love emotions as the test had yielded an interesting enough result for the pink alicorn to share them with her companions today.

“Did you really put one of those crystals in your tea?”

Cadence looked up at her sister-in-law with a relaxed look on her muzzle as she pondered her words, before eyes widening in realization she hadn’t explained the more popular use for the love crystal.

“Oh, of course! The trend hasn’t really left the Crystal Empire just yet, but the love crystals Flurry and Thorax managed to produce were refined enough to be produced on a semi productive scale. Originally these were meant for changelings, but it was discovered that love slowly seeps into whatever object is around them, and we’ve discovered ponies and other creatures benefit from them as well.”

“Really? What are some of the benefits?”

“A pep in your gallop!” Twilight and Cadence turned to where the kitchen was just as Celestia came back with a small serving plate of cucumber sandwiches cut into about a dozen single serving sizes. “ Cadence gave me a couple last month, and I’ve found wearing them as jewelry has brightened my day so much, that creatures comment that I glow! I haven't been this way in a long, long time…”

In any normal circumstance, ponies or creatures would have taken Celestia’s statement as one with a mortal life span would, which is in terms of decades- alicorns think differently.

Twilight and Cadence both stopped what they were doing to gaze upon their truly glowing (platonic) herd mate who had deposited the plate of sandwiches onto the table, but for a lack of better wording was still missing. Even as she sat down, her movements were more akin to a common craftspony going through the motions of their job they’ve done so much- her eyes were as still as a dull lake. The two alicorns shared a worried look as she was lost in a memory of another time, and begrudgingly held their voices until their mentor/mother figure could shake herself from its grip.

Twilight leaned closer to her pink furred relative.

“What do you think it's about? In my years under her wing, I’d never seen her fade out this badly.”

“I can’t really say Twilight. Even during my time growing up in Canterlot, Celestia would occasionally slip away to reminisce, but like yourself, I can’t recall a time she completely zoned out. It might be the crystal’s effect, but I can feel an overwhelming amount of love surrounding her at this very moment.”

“What does that mean?” Twilight asked, pushing the offered crystal away from her.

“One of two things Twilight: The crystals are more dangerous then we first imagined, or Celestia’s recalling very personal memories. If it's the latter…” Cadence leaned back in her chair while crossing her rear legs, and using her forehooves to prop up her thinking head. “...maybe she’s recalling an old love?”

Twilight’s ears pointed toward the sky as she considered her sister-in-law’s words, and then looked to her mentor who was so thoroughly entrenched within her mind was losing touch with the waking world- she was starting to drool. The latter becoming more plausible given what little they knew of Celestia’s life, and for a mare of such renown to not have any lovers would be a difficult notion to consider. Even she herself was seeing somepony in secret…

“How do we wake her out of it?” Cadence turned to her sister-in-law and hummed thoughtfully as she considered the state of her aunt, and the concentration of love hoping (if by chance) to discover an overlooked flaw. Yet before the two alicorns could come up with an appropriate solution, a wet snort caught their attention.

Looking across the table their surprise, while warranted , was quickly lost as they watched their retired mentor and aunt scoff and partially choke from the buildup of saliva as she came to.

Unsure what had happened, Celestia’s dull, and vacant look gradually slipped away as she absentmindedly used her left wing to wipe the drool off her mouth. It was only when she looked around the room did Celestia remember she was entertaining guests did the alicorn realize they saw everything. The three paragons of their respective talents stared at each other as they tried to summarize what had happened when white alicorn coughed into her hoof from embarrassment.

“Oh my, Cadence. That last one might have been a bit too strong.”

“A bit? Celestia, you completely left Equis! Cadence, are you sure these crystals are safe for non-changelings?”

“Until now, I was fairly positive they were ready for the eventual mass market, but now I’m going to recall them until more tests can be conducted. Thorax will be disappointed but will likely do the same for his kingdom as well. Celestia, do you mind if we perform a few non-invasive scans just to be certain you’re alright?”

“You certainly may Cadence, but I was only recalling a most wondrous memory. One I hadn’t visited in a long, long time.” Celestia nearly cooed as she began reminiscing once more, and with the love crystal’s effects still lingering meant the scans would do little good.

Even as Cadence tried the scans, the Alicorn of Love could only sense the love flowing from her aunt, and with its powerful ambiance contaminating the air around them, they could do little without the raw emotion overriding their results. Twilight even tried casing a few of her own scans, but they ended much the same with little distinction differentiating the two sets of scans. The current ruling Princess of Equestria slumped back into the custom wooden chair made especially for an alicorn up to her former mentor’s specifications with her forelegs crossed, her latest telling of her mood- stumped.

For Twilight Sparkle's Intelligence, ruling an entire nation while trying to draft a formal league involving every nation on Equis had consumed most of her time, and energy leaving the reigning monarch stretched thin on what could hold her focus. Even though this is for her former mentor, and friend, Twilight could sense this wasn’t a life threatening moment, and unintentionally treated it as nothing more than a distraction. Her fellow alicorns didn’t know of this new habit, and it would be several months before she finally caught herself treating her own friends and families for granted to make the necessary change.

“Her scans are normal for a pony madly in love, Celestia. By your Radiant Sun, and Luna’s Guiding Moon, you’re almost at the level Cadence gets when Hearts and Hooves day approaches, but not as dramatic.” Twilight felt herself smiling when she noticed her sister-in-law stick her tongue out, but left it like that. “If I may be forward for a moment Celestia, what were you recalling to invoke a reaction like that?”

This time both of the younger alicorns turned to obverse their mentor, former caretaker, and friend as she looked down at the spread of sandwiches, shifting her wings uncomfortably against her sides as the older alicorn fought some uncomfortable thoughts. Her magenta eyes glanced up at the two expecting alicorns, and accepting her defeat slumped forward enough to let her wings sag by her sides.

“A lot of things, girls. Memories I’ve kept to myself for many centuries out of fear if I should ever share them, I might lose them all. Some intimate , while most a reminder there’s more to life than merely existing. In fact, your courtship, dear niece of mine, reminded me so much of my youth, I had to distance myself from you in the weeks prior to the wedding to avoid it drowning my entire mind. It’s my fault you were captured by Chrysalis in the first place.”

“Celestia?” Cadence called out unsure how to feel with this news, as she’d always believed the former changeling queen had been more cunning, but to discover your aunt had left you open to attack? She couldn’t have known, but it helped to ruin her image of Celestia as this all powerful, all knowing pony.

“So that’s why you blew off my suspensions all those years ago? All this time I continued to believe I hadn’t proven myself enough to be taken seriously until getting my wings.”

“Twilight. Cadence. I’m aware of my mistakes over these long years, and the damage they’ve caused to ponies I’ve held dear, which was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to retire and live like a common pony. Losing Luna shook me to the core, and if it wasn’t for the crown upon my head I might have slinked off to some hole in the ground for the remainder of my days.”

The tone of their meeting quickly shifted after the impromptu confession leaving the two younger alicorns unsure what to do then sitting quietly as if the mood would suddenly revert back.

Celestia was looking down at the table, ashamed of the admittance, while Twilight looked to Cadence, who was trying not to wiggle uncomfortably in her chair. Being the (former) Princess of Love and now a full time relationship counselor had broadened her social skills enough to become accustomed to being the bearer of difficult secrets, yet to hear it coming from the one she looked up to left the mare feeling like a filly once more. So, it was Twilight to take charge of the situation by asking a simple question.

“What was the memory about? It must have been important for you to space out like you did,Celestia.” The question was innocent enough, but it offered all three alicorns something they desperately needed right now- an escape.

Celestia looked up from the untouched sandwiches trying to assess her former charges and fellow alicorns looking for any signs she could use to end the conversation and go hide, but could find none. She inhaled a needed breath of fresh air, and hummed it away as she began recalling that time so long ago…

“Have a sandwich while I put on another pot of tea, for this story is very close to me as it is a long one.”