A Wish Come True

Joseph instinctively covers his eyes with his forearm before he opens them. Memories come flooding back. "..Ah...mahm...Sis, can you turn off the lights? I..." Joseph sits up, the green blanket sliding from his chest and piling at his waist. He looks down at himself. "...Fool me that many times...there's too much shame for me to carry."

"Oh good, you're awake." Joseph brings his eyes to his left. Sitting a few feet away with a small notepad floating beside her is Princess Celestia. She pushes her long, flowing mane out of the way so she can talk. "You've been sleeping for a while."

Joseph grabs the blanket piled at his waist and pulls it up to the bottom of his ribs. "Princess Celestia, what, uh...what are you doing here?" Joseph looks up at the ceiling. "Uh, I don't mean here, as in the palace. You're royalty, that's obvious. I mean here, in the nurse's office, yeah." Joseph rubs the back of his neck with his other hand. "Uh..."

Celestia chuckles. "You are confused. That is quite alright." Celestia places the notepad back on the desk in the room. "I have been meaning to speak with you..."

"Doohhh-kay," Joseph drools out.

Princess Celestia shakes her head. "No, not here." She stands up, making Joseph crane his neck to see her face. "Rise. We shall walk to a more private part of the palace."

Joseph nods and swings his feet off the small bed. He stands and stretches, but stops himself when he notices the Princess's eyebrow rising. "What?" he asks dumbly. He looks down. "Do I have somethi-" Joseph yelps midsentence and grabs the green blanket off the bed and holds it in front of him. "Where is my underwear!?" Joseph scans the floor. "Where are all my clothes!?"

Princess Celestia just warmly smiles. "Making such a big deal for something so small."

"I know when Doctor Hurts was-" Joseph stops himself. He closes his eyes down to slits and slowly turns his head to face the Princess. "...Did you just call me small?"

"No, I am not referring to you," Celestia corrects. "I mean, you fuss so much about clothing, something we only use for formal or special occasions."

Joseph rolls his eyes and he begins wrapping the blanket around his waist like a towel. "I would rather not go nude."

Celestia turns and head towards the door, which opens by itself. "If you haven't noticed young one, many ponies here are 'nude'."

Joseph walks after her, taking a left as she did. "Yeah, well, you ponies don't always have your genitalia exposed like my species."

Celestia chuckles again. "Do not worry. They are down in the lower quarters being washed."

"Then why did you take my shoes?" He grumbles to himself for a small amount of time. Joseph's mood fades after he looks out a nearby window, giving him a beautiful image of the landscape. He brings himself back to reality and hurries back to Celestia's side. "...So, can you tell me why we're headed so far into the palace?"

"In due time young one." Celestia takes another turn and begins walking down a long, curved hall.

Joseph follows. Looking around, this hallway seems more homely than the others. Small tables with placemats of sorts are places every thirty feet or so. Every once-in-a-while, one table would hold a candelabra. More and more paintings cover the walls in between the spaces where large royal flags hang. One painting is in oil and depicts Princess Celestia standing in a large wheat field. Another, all blues and purples, shows a silhouette looking at the moon. And another shows a happy town cheering for a pony, one who's features are painted so small he's just another in the crowd. They begin walking up red-carpeted stairs.

"Wow," Joseph says aloud. "...Pretty regal here."

After a minute or two, they reach the top of the staircase. Joseph doesn't notice that Princess Celestia has stopped in front of him and he bumps into her flanks. He jumps back a step and grabs the blanket around his waist. Celestia doesn't look phased. "Please, go in. We shall talk once we're inside."

Joseph looks ahead and sees a large red door in the wall. He creeps past the Princess and pushes it open. "Holy crap." Fine white carpet lines the floor, and red rugs with gold silk trimmings sit in various places. A large bed with four elongated posts that cast a red silk ceiling sit in the back of the room, right next to the glass doors leading to a patio overlooking the whole world. Large pale curtains line every window. Large comfort pillows sit together on the floor in front of a blazing fireplace.

Joseph takes a step and feels his feet sink into the carpet. "Where are we?"

Celestia walks past him and the door shuts with an audible boom. "My bedchamber." She heads towards the fireplace and turns on her feet. Slowly, she lowers herself onto her belly, but keeps her head up. "Please, sit." Celestia motions toward the pile of pillows next to her.

Joseph tightens the blanket around his waist and walk forward. He slowly descends and crosses his legs, then moves the blanket over them so his entire lower body is covered. "...Okay, what did you need to speak with me about?"

Celestia lowers her head a bit; she does so because, even when laying down and with him sitting, she is still taller than Joseph. "Joseph," she starts, "I have a very big favor to ask of you." The Princess waits a while before continuing. "Twilight Sparkle has already left for home after I assured her that you would be fine here. However, not all is well in her household. Feelings are being thrown, and many of them are negative."

Joseph raises an eyebrow, then reaches up and pulls at it absentmindedly with his left hand. "Twilight's depressed?"

Celestia nods. "Very. And seeing as how you are currently staying with her-, you are, correct?" Joseph nods, and Celestia continues. "Yes, seeing as how you are staying with Twilight, I ask of you this." Celestia leans forward so close that their faces are nearly touching. "Please do everything you can to comfort her. My pupil is going through a very tough time in her life and will need your help."

Joseph stares at the large Alicorn in front of him, and she returns his stare with one of her own. True sincerity flows behind her eyes. Joseph wets his lips. "O-of course. Twilight's my friend, and I've always been there for the few friends I had before, so it won't change here."

Celestia smiles and backs off. "Thank you Joseph King." She stands up, completely shadowing Joseph as she walks past him. "There is one more thing I wish for you to do. Come here." Joseph gingerly stands and follows the Princess to the far end of the room. She stops in front of a large dresser, from which a bright flash shines for a split second. Celestia turns to Joseph. "Here," is what she says as a red book floats forward. Joseph reaches for it and takes it from the air, looking it over. He notices the small details, like the gold corner guards and small impressions on the velvet cover.

"What is this?" Joseph asks.

"It is your assignment," Celestia explains. "While you stay with Twilight Sparkle, I wish for you to record every event of the day. In one year I will summon you to analyze the progress you have made." Princess Celestia leans forward, bringing her head down so once again, she can look Joseph in the eye. "I want you to record everything, rational and personal thoughts alike. Write honestly. Think of this as...a diary of some sorts...If you choose to accept."

Joseph opens his mouth to say something, but his voice squeaks and his obedient nature acquired from years of school and living with an older sibling kicks in. He simply nods. Joseph stands there, one hand holding the new book, one hand around the blanket wrapped around his waist, waiting.

Celestia has her horn glow and returns to her spot near the fire, horn still glowing. Joseph follows and resumes his sitting next to the pile of pillows. He watches the fire crackle and snap, the flames dancing, the shadows jumping.

Minutes later, the door creaks open and a pile of clothes float over to Joseph. Not just clothes, his clothes. "Oh, hey, thanks."

"It is no trouble," Princess Celestia says calmly. "I must say this, however, you will need to accept the fact the, as you put it, 'complete nudity' is a natural part of our society, but whatever makes you feel comfortable."

Joseph is already standing and dressed, save for the right sock he is pulling on now and slipping his shoe over it. "Thank you Princess Celestia. I guess I'll be returning to Twilight then."

"Oh! Before you go Joseph..." He stops in his tracks to look back at the white Alicorn. She continues, "I have something I wanted to present to you along with your assignment." Once again, her horn begins to glow. A blue box the size of a brick flies from under her bed and flings itself to Joseph. He catches it with his free hand, then sets the box on top of his book and shakes his hand. Celestia's smile fades a bit, but is still there. "In that box is a very special type of plant. If Twilight, or yourself, are feeling down, take a small piece of that plant and burn it. Take heed that you will only need a small amount at a time, no bigger than a small marble. That plant has been enchanted to last longer as well, so a small piece will burn for nearly an hour." Celestia closes her eyes. "I wish you good fortune in your endeavors Joseph King."

Joseph smiles and bows, though he's uncertain if she had seen. "Thank you Princess Celestia." He turns and exits the room, the door closing with a boom.

...

The train ride home, or at least to Ponyville, seemed to take forever. The ticket, courtesy of Princess Celestia, was for first class, and though it was a pleasant ride, Joseph could not stop thinking about Twilight. Depression, a very serious thing. It was a long ride of curiosity and worry.

The train jars to a stop and shakes Joseph back to reality. He stands, collects his things, and exits the train. The platform was relatively deserted seeing as how it was nearly nine pm, as told by the station's large clock. Joseph started towards the library's direction.

With no one, nopony, whatever... With no other living creature outside at the moment, Ponyville had lost its livelihood. Joseph begins to count his steps from the train station, but losses track around four-hundred. By then, he's in front of the library. The lights are off. Twilight must be asleep. Joseph opens the door and ducks through.

The tree house looks practically the same as when he left, which didn't surprise him. Joseph deposits his book on the coffee table in front of the couch and peels off his shirt. A creak from upstairs grabs his attention. "Twilight?" Joseph inches towards the stairs, the blue box still in his hands, and quietly takes the first step. Joseph reaches the top floor and looks around. Spike's little basket bed is empty, and Twilight is sitting on the edge of her bed looking out the window. The gloom of the moon is all that illuminates the upper floor. "Twilight?"

Twilight's ears flinch and she reaches up to her face with a hoof, keeping her back turned. "Oh, Joseph. Welcome back." Something was in her voice, a wavering of a sorts.

Joseph walks closer and rounds the end of the bed. "Twilight, are you okay?"

Twilight messes with her eyes again. "I'm okay, I'm...okay."

Joseph puts the blue box on the windowsill and sits down with Twilight. He notices the fur around her eyes and muzzle is messed. "You've been crying," he says.

Twilight just closes her eyes and tries to recompose herself. She fails. Another tear streams down the side of her face. "...I miss him so much." Joseph looks down at the foot of her bed, where he can see Spike's basket. Twilight grasps a shaky breath. "I've been away from him before, left him to house-sit, let him run errands, but...I've never m-m-missed him this much."

"Twilight..." Joseph tightens the grip he has on his own hands. "...Spike is...gone...isn't he?"

She nods. "A whole year without seeing him...It sounds..." Twilight stops her talking and suppresses a sob.

Joseph grimaces. He never did like to hear other people cry, least of all girls. "Twilight..." Joseph lets his hands separate. 'Please do everything you can to comfort her.' Joseph looks down at Twilight and put his arm around her, resting his hand on her shoulder. He pulls her close. "It's okay, just let it out."

Twilight presses her face into his bare chest and resumes her sobbing. Joseph brings his other arm protectively around her and begins to rock back and forth in a slight motion. With one hand on her back, and the other gently stroking her neck as he did when comforting his sister, Joseph closes his eyes and lets Twilight unload. "It's okay...it's okay..." he whispers. Twilight's back heaves as she sobs, but her crying stays relatively silent. Joseph leans forward and rests his chin on top of her head, being careful of her horn. "...If there is anything, anything you need from me Twilight, I'll be there for you."

Twilight's crying ceases after another half hour when sleep finally takes her. Joseph doesn't leave his perch on her bed. He's still sitting where he was, Twilight asleep, her head in his lap. He carefully rubs her neck, brushing strands of her mane back into place. "...Anything at all," he says softly.