Nostalgia

Chapters

Family Reunion
Arriving at the Palace [REWRITE]
So Well Remembered
I Miss Her
The Luncheon [REWRITE]

Family Reunion

Twilight Sparkle levitated her bag as she prepared to get off the train as it pulled into the Canterlot train station. After receiving a letter informing her that Cadance and Shining Armor were finally returning to Canterlot she had decided to come home for a visit. It had been much to long since the whole family had been together.

“Spike we’re here, wake up,” said the excited unicorn as she nudged her sleeping companion.

“Mm, ten more minutes,” muttered the slumbering serpent child.

Twilight rolled her eyes and levitated him onto her back. She exited the car and stepped onto the platform. She had been told that somepony would be there to escort her home, although she could think of no reason she would need one. She studied enough maps of Canterlot as a filly that she could find home from just about anywhere in the city with her eyes closed, or rather with her eyes stuck in a book. She looked all around for a familiar face but saw none. After standing around and looking for some time she decided to just go home by herself. “Pst, Twily.” a hushed voice called out to her. She looked toward the source of the noise and saw a stallion wearing a trench coat, a hat, and dark sunglasses discreetly motioning for her to come toward him. She approached him suspiciously and tried to get a clear look at his face. Once she was close he lifted up his sunglasses to reveal himself to be none other than her big brother.

“Shini-mm.” she was silenced by a forceful hoof to her mouth.

“Twili don’t say my name, just walk.”

Twilight shoved his hoof away. “What is wrong with you?”

“I’ll explain latter, for now let’s just get away from here.”

Twilight sighed in frustration and followed her brother. “Why is it that picking me up at the train station has to be so cloak and dagger,” she said to herself. After they had left the station however Shining Armor seemed to relax a bit.

“Alright, we may speak some now, but be discrete.”

“Ok first off, what’s with the outfit?”

“I’m in disguise.”

“No duh Sherclop but why.” Twilight said. She was becoming ever more annoyed with her sibling’s behavior.

“I’m sorry, I guess none of this really makes sense to you. But surely you can understand my situation. I mean you’re Princess Celestia’s apprentice, one of the Elements of Harmony, and you with your friends have saved the world on multiple occasions. In other words, you’re pretty famous and probably get a lot of unwanted attention right?”

“Well, not really. Back in Ponyville everypony just sees me as the librarian.”

“Really, I guess that’s the advantage of living in a small town where everypony knows each other. Anyway, that’s not how it is in Canterlot. Every time I go out in public I get swarmed by ponies who want to meet me just because I'm royalty, and the incidents with the Changelings as well as Cadance and I aiding the Crystal Empire has everypony thinking that we’re some kind of national heroes, like you.”

“Well, it was you and Cadance that saved the day during the Changeling invasion so you are heroes.”

“The point though is that I can’t go out in public anymore without being surrounded by ponies who want to meet royalty. The worst part is that it’s almost always some rich ponies who want to do me favors or give me gifts so that I’ll use my position to help them get away with unethical business practices to boost profits or get out of paying their taxes. Either that or it’s just airheads who want to meet a famous pony."

“Wow, I can see how that would get real old real quick.”

“Yeah, but at least Cadance and I can find refuge in the palace every once in a while. But for Mom and Dad the whole ordeal has been a nightmare.”

“Really, they’ve not told me about any of that.”

“Yeah, but you know them. They never want to bother others with their problems. However they, like Cadance and me, have been constantly harassed by ponies who want to meet royalty for one reason or another. They even had strangers come to the house all hours of the night.”

“That’s horrible! Didn’t they try to get some kind of help?”

“There wasn’t much they could do. After all it’s not against the law to visit another pony. That’s why they eventually accepted Princess Celestia’s offer to have them moved to the Diamond Quarter.”

“What, they moved!?”

“Not so loud, yes they moved. Didn’t they tell you?”

“No, this is the first I’m hearing of this.”

“I’m sure they would have sent you a letter or something to let you know. Maybe it got lost in the mail, or wait don’t you normally get letters through Spike?”

“Only from Princess Celestia, she only enabled him to do that teleportation spell so that we would have a quick, immediate way to contact each other.”

“Well I’m sorry I just dropped it on you like that, but now you know.” The next few moments were spent in awkward silence. Shining Armor could clearly see his sister was down about the whole thing. “You know it really is a nice house that they’re in now.” he offered. “It’s a lot more spacious than the old place, and the Diamond Quarter isn’t nearly as crowded as our old neighborhood.”

“It won’t be the same.” muttered Twilight.

“Look, I know it won’t be exactly as it was but we’ll all still be together again, and OOF.”

Shining Armor had collided into a mare that had walked across their path. The force of the impact knocked his hat off. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” the mare stammered “I didn’t see anypo…OH MY GOSH, IT’S SHINING ARMOR!”

“Shining Armor’s here!” another mare’s voice cried out.

“He’s over there,” screamed yet another one.

Soon the whole boulevard was swarming with mares all united in their adoration of the unicorn prince. The air became filled with their screams.

“I can’t believe it, he’s here!”

“I love you Shining Armor!”

“Will you sign my flank!?”

Now that his cover was blown Shining Armor could only think of one thing to do. “Run Twilight Run!” he yelled as he bolted.

Twilight took off at full gallop after him. Spike was suddenly awoken by the commotion and was nearly thrown from his equine mistress. He only managed to avoid falling by holding tightly onto her mane.

The two siblings weaved their way through the streets and alleyways desperate to find some way to escape the ever-growing legions of screaming fan-fillies at their tails.

Later that evening in the Diamond Quarter Twilight Velvet stood waiting outside of her and her husband’s new home. “I wonder what could be taking them,” she muttered to herself. “They surly should have been here by now.” However her pondering was soon interrupted by a loud grating sound coming from the street in front of the house. She looked and saw a marehole cover being lifted up and scooted out of the way. The heads of Shining Armor, Twilight Sparkle, and Spike all cautiously poked out and surveyed the surrounding area.

“It looks like we made it,” whispered Shining Armor as he crawled out.

Twilight Velvet trotted over and yelled “what in the world were you doing in the sewers!?”

“Mother, you see I was recognized when I went to get Twilie and Spike, and hiding in the sewers was the only way I could think of to get away from…them.”

“Well you should have thought harder, just look at you. Ugg, you all smell terrible!”

“It’s good to see you to Mom,” Twilight Sparkle said in monotone.

“All three of you to the bathroom right now and clean up,” barked the menacing matriarch. “Go in through the back door and do not walk on the carpet!”

The three of them had spent a great deal of time in the bathroom showering and washing in the bathtub trying to get rid of the smell. Spike was leaning against the wall and waiting impatiently. “How long are you going to be?”

“I don’t know Spike” said Twilight poking her head out from the mass of bubbles in the bathtub. “Unlike you we have all this hair and fur we have to get the smell out of.”

“Aren't hair and fur the same thing” Shining Armor asked as he finished up his third shower.

“Well, yeah technically speaking yes. However unless we’re talking about our manes or tails mares prefer to say fur instead or hair.” said Twilight, embarrassed by the fact that her feminine sensitivities would ever get in the way of scientific practicality. “Geez Shining, I would have thought married life would teach you to be more sympathetic to women.”

“Yeah you’d think so,” he said nonchalantly. “Hey Spike, you think I got the smell all out yet?”

Spike sniffed at Shining Armor’s outstretched foreleg a couple of times before saying “you probably better take one more dip.”

“Again,” the stallion sighed. “Well, scoot over Twi.”

“There’s not enough room for both of us.” Twilight protested.

“Then get out; you’ve been in there long enough.”

A frustrated Twilight exited the bathtub as Shining Armor stepped into the soapy water infused with various shampoos. “Are you finished yet,” whined Spike.

“No Spike, I’m going to take one more shower at least.”

“Well, I don’t want to wait on you all day so I’m leaving.” With that he marched out of the bathroom.

“What’s up with him.” asked Shining Armor.

“He’s just grouchy because he stayed up way to late last night” Twilight replied as she stepped under the streams of hot water. “He was so excited about coming home for a visit that he couldn’t sleep last night. I wonder how’s he’s taking that whole new house thing?”

“Aw he’ll be fine. Any kid would love this house. There’s a big yard to play in, there’s plenty of things to do in the neighborhood, and there’s a pool table in the basement!”

“A pool table.” asked Twilight.

“Yeah Twilie, guys love pool, it’s just like one of those man things you know.”

“I guess I don’t.” she repliled.

After rinsing her main one last time she switched off the water. “I think I’m clean enough now, what do you think?” She walked over to her brother and allowed him to smell her fur.

“Yeah I think you’re good.”

“Alright, I guess I’ll go take a look around this new place,” she said with a noticeable hint of bitterness.

“Hey Twily, you do know that Mom and Dad wouldn’t intentionally keep you in the dark about something means so much to you right?”

Twilight, who had begun to towel off herself, replied “I know that Shiny, I’m not mad at them, not really.”

“I know you’re upset about this whole situation, and I completely understand. Just don’t take it out on them; they were upset too about being forced out of home they were perfectly happy with.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” said Twilight curtly as she tossed the towel to the side and marched out.

Twilight walked down the unfamiliar hallway until she reached the unfamiliar living room. There wasn’t anypony there but she heard sounds of life from the also unfamiliar dining room. There she saw Spike stuffing his face with all varieties of sweets while Twilight Velvet stood by with a delightful grin adorning her face.

“Spike, what do you think you’re doing,” cried Twilight Sparkle. Before she could get a reply or say anything else her mother rushed over and buried her snout into her daughter’s mane and began smelling for any odors which didn’t meet with her approval.

“Good, now you smell like my daughter again.” Twilight Velvet said with satisfaction.

“Mom did you give him all those sweets? You know that’s going to ruin his appetite at dinner, and he’s going to be bouncing of the walls when it’s time for him to go to bed.”

“Oh, it’ll be alright.”

“Well, then he’s not going to be sleeping in my room tonight, or rather wherever I’m going to be sleeping tonight.” said the younger Twilight.

“Don’t worry about that dear.” replied the elder Twilight who had completely missed the implication of her daughter’s peculiar phrasing of her statement. “He’s going to build himself a little fort in the living room.”

“Oh no, don’t let him do that.”

“It’s fine Twilight, let him have his fun.”

“Mom you don’t have to let him mess up the room like that.”

“Now Twilight he’s the closest thing I have to a grand baby so I’m going to spoil him.”

“Yeah mom.” Spike said through mouthful of cake “let Grangran have her fun.”

Twilight sighed in resignation and took comfort in the fact that she would not be the one having to deal with the sugared up dragon baby tonight.

“I know your brother and Cadance haven’t been married a year yet but with the way Princess Celestia keeps them busy I sometimes wonder if they’ll ever be able to just settle down and start a family.” mused Twilight Velvet. “I suppose one day we’ll have calmer times again when the whole world isn’t threatened every year or so and then they can think about such things, but I guess I shouldn’t complain though. I really do think married life has been good for Shining Armor don’t you?”

“Yes.” Twilight Sparkle responded “but when he has a wonderful mare like Cadance for a wife what else would you expect.”

“Your right, a good spouse like her makes all the difference. Speaking of which, Twilight when are you going to find yourself a nice stallion to settle down with?”

“Mom!”

“What, I just want to know if there’s somepony that’s caught your eye.”

“No I’m not interested in anypony right now so just drop it.”

“Hey what’s all the commotion about.” a now clean Shining Armor asked as he entered the room.

“Your sister’s upset because she can’t find herself a coltfriend.”

“No I’m not!” screamed Twilight Sparkle “She was…and then…AAAARRRGGGH.” The aggravated Twilight Sparkle stormed out of the room.

“Sweetheart, what’s the matter,” Twilight Velvet called out. “Is it your time of the month?”

“SHUT UP!”

“Actually now that I think about it that can’t be it otherwise she would have eaten all the chocolate in the house by now. You wouldn’t happen to know what the matter is would you Shining?”

“I might have a theory or two,” Shining Armor muttered.

Twilight left the house in a huff and decided to take a walk around the neighborhood to calm her nerves. She had grabbed a book from her bag in hopes of finding a nice, quiet place to read. She found however that walking in this environment wasn’t very relaxing. Back in Ponyville if ever she felt overly stressed she could go on a walk and have some time alone out in the fresh air to calm down. During her time living there she had become quite fond of country life. The ability to easily sneak off to be by herself suited her introverted nature. However she found no such peace could be found in the city where she could never really get away. Everywhere in the Diamond Quarter were cafés, shops, and large houses as well as other ponies out and about leaving not a private, lonely place anywhere. Twilight therefore decided to sit at a relatively quiet café to have a nice cup of tea while she read. She groaned in irritation when she realized that the title she had grabbed was ‘Hubris and Foredeeming’ by Mane Austin. She was in no mood for anything romantic after her mother had teased about her finding a good stallion which as far Twilight was concerned was the same as telling her to hurry up and get married. This whole mess started not long after Shining and Candance’s wedding. Her mother suddenly became very interested in what sort of stallions live in and around Ponyville and if she was on good terms with any of them, or what sort of men she would be interested in. Almost every letter from home she got would be filled with such questions from her mother. Twilight sighed as she laid her head down on the table. “Maybe it was mistake to come back.” she thought to herself.

Her head laid on the table for quite a period of time, she was beginning to feel very tiered. “I must say I didn’t think this would be where I would first see you today Twilight.” addressed a familiar voice.

Twilight lifted her head to see that it was indeed her father Nightlight. “Daddy,” she cried out as she jumped from her seat and wrapped her forelegs around his neck.

He returned the hug in his own fashion of squeezing her until she could hardly breathe. “It’s so good to see you again sweetheart; it feels like it’s been ages since you were home last.”

“I’ve missed you too.” said Twilight.

The tender moment passed and at last they released each other. “So Twilight, what are you doing here.” Nightlight asked. “I would have thought you’d be at the house.”

“I was, I just thought I would…go out for a while or something.” she said while forcing a smile.

“I see.” said Nightlight who at first looked puzzled but then began to chuckle a bit as he continued. “So your mother wasted no time telling you hurry up and find a husband did she?”

Twilight immediately dropped the insincere smile. “Yeah,” she mumbled.

Nightlight sat down at the table and gestured for Twilight to do likewise. “You know it seems like it’s been no time at all since your mother was worrying about you eating properly when you were a foal. You know for a while you would hardly eat anything at all and never on a regular schedule. Well this caused us a good deal worry because your brother actually had a very hefty appetite when he was a foal. Now we of course later learned that such eating habits aren’t all that unusual for young children. Even so your mother still worried constantly about you, that’s just how she is.”

“Where exactly are you going with this.” Twilight asked.

“Nowhere really, just taking a stroll down memory lane. I find myself doing that more and more as the years go by. If there is a point to be derived from my babbling it would be to try to understand where your mother’s coming from. The way she teases you is just her way of trying to get you to think about where you want to go in life, and in this case who you might want to share it with.”

“Why though? I am perfectly capable of managing my own life perfectly well.”

“She doesn’t doubt that at all. She just thinks that you just need a push in the right direction. You know you were always very shy when you were younger; you almost never spoke to any of the other foals without a bit of coaxing from your mother or me. Do you remember the first time you went to a public library? You didn’t want to go inside at first because of all the strange ponies in there and it took you mother ages to convince you that you would love it.”

“Well I’m not a foal anymore, I’m a grown mare and I don’t need to be led into making good decisions.” Nightlight was silent. “You know that don’t you.” Twilight asked.

“Twilight, I know fully well that you are a very intelligent adult and are ultimately the only one who knows what’s best for you. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t worry too.”

“But Daddy I have a great life already. I love living in Ponyville with my friends and I have a job I both enjoy and am well suited for.”

“Maybe but do you think the life you have in Ponyville is going to last forever? After all you and those friends of yours are still young. Although you might be content to spend the rest of your life there working as a librarian they might have other plans that might someday take them away from that town.”

Twilight remained silent for a moment before saying “It’s not really something I think about but I guess you’re right. I mean I don’t see Applejack or Fluttershy ever leaving Ponyville but I guess you have a point about the others. Both Rainbow Dash and Rarity plan to ultimately leave Ponyville and Pinkie Pie has complained about the lack of any kind of nightlife in such a small town. I suppose she’ll eventually decide to go live somewhere else as well.”

“I understand that you like living close to your friends, but if they’re the only thing keeping you there then it wouldn’t hurt to start planning for the future.” The whole conversation was driving Twilight ever deeper into depths of unhappiness. She hated thinking about the prospect of losing her friends. If Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie were to leave it would all but evaporate her social life. Even now it was rare to be able to spend quality time with Applejack as she was almost always preoccupied with running Sweet Apple Acres. Which left Fluttershy, and while Twilight loved her as dearly as any of her other friends, her naturally reserved nature and Fluttershy’s shyness made conversation between just the two of them often feel forced and awkward. She feared that without their mutual friends to help them open up that her friendship with her would eventually fade away. A chill ran down her spine and her chest became constricted in the coils of anxiety. She liked having time to be by herself, in fact she seemed to spend most of her time in solitude engaging in her studies or some other private interest. However there were few things that frightened her more than the thought of inescapable loneliness.

Nightlight saw clearly the state of distress the conversation had put his daughter in. “I’m sorry, don’t listen to me. You know I’ve always been much too pessimistic. We shouldn’t waist our time talking about such things now. We should be enjoying having the whole family being together again. If you’re finished with your tea we should go back to the house, try to patch things up between you and your mother and we’ll all have a nice time together.”

“Alright, better to have it done sooner than later I guess,” sighed Twilight. She downed the last of her tea and , levitating her book, began walking beside her father as they returned home.

Nightlight and Twilight had just entered the house when they heard the distraught voice of Twilight Velvet call out “Twilight is that you?” Within the moment she was at the door, “Oh baby I’m so sorry, it’s no wonder you were upset. After you left your brother told me that you never got our letter about us having to move.”

“She didn’t.” Nightlight asked, “Oh we should have known something was wrong when she made no mention of it in her letters home.”

Twilight had hoped that Shining Armor would have had the sense to keep his mouth shut. She could have done without any extra drama for today. “It’s not a big deal, it shocked me to find out just out of the blue like this but I understand that you had to so I’m not angry about it.”

“But baby this isn’t just nothing.” said Twilight Velvet.

“Yes it is,” snapped Twilight “It was a mistake, I didn’t get your letter for one reason or another and that’s all there is to it. So please let’s just drop it.” Her daughter’s sudden outburst caused Twilight Velvet to flinch in surprise. Twilight sighed and said “I’m sorry, it’s been a long day for me and I’m really tiered now.”

“Alright,” said Twilight Velvet softly. “If you’d like to rest before dinner I’ve set you up in the upstairs guest room. Let me show you where it’s at.” She led her daughter up the stairs and down the hallway. “Here we are.” she said, opening the door to the guest room. “I had your brother move your things up here; you of course may arrange anything to your liking.” Twilight Sparkle entered the room and collapsed onto the bed. Twilight Velvet stood in the door way for a moment, feeling that she ought to say something, but of course there was nothing to say. She sighed and closed the door.

“The guest room huh.” thought Twilight. “So I’m a guest now.”

Twilight laid in bed for a couple of hours, her head pounding from the stress of today’s events. “Everything bad just had to happen today didn’t it.” she complained to herself. Her one pony pity party was interrupted however by a knock at the door. “What is it,” Twilight mumbled.

“Twilight, its alright if I come in right?” spoke the familiar voice of Twilight’s foalsitter turned sister-in-law.

“Cadance” cried the purple unicorn as she leaped from the bed. “Sunshine, sunshine ladybugs awake. Clap your hooves and do a little shake.” The two broke out into giggles as they finished their characteristic song and dance. “Cadance I’m so glad to see you again!” exclaimed Twilight as she embraced her old friend.

Cadance returned the hug. “It’s good to see you too Twilight.” She let a moment pass before releasing the hug and saying “so I’ve heard you’ve had it pretty rough today.”

“Please Cadance let’s not talk about it everything there is to say about it has been said and I just want to put it behind me.”

“You say that, and yet you're still upset.”

“Well, yeah but it’s not like I’m just immediately fine with everything just because I understand why I can’t go home ever again.”

“Why do you say it like that? You’re home here with your family aren’t you?”

Twilight by this point was exhausted both physically and emotionally so that she no longer cared enough to restrain her emotions. “No I’m not,” she moaned pitifully. “My whole life in Canterlot was there. That’s where did all my studying when I wasn’t at the castle. It’s where You, Shining Armor, and I would always play together.”

“I know, I have a lot of great memories of that place as well. But when it comes down to it that house is just a building, even if it’s no longer a part of our lives we still have each other and those wonderful memories and that’s what’s important right?”

“Ugh,” Twilight exclaimed in frustration “I know you’re right. I shouldn’t be having a problem with this. After all moving was the most logical thing Mom and Dad could have done given their situation so I ought to be completely fine with the situation, but this…blows!” She threw herself onto the bed and buried her face in her pillow. “Ugh, why does my life have to suck,” she moaned.

Cadance tried to restrain a chuckle for her sake, but she just found it too funny to see Twilight acting like a little filly again. “I’m sorry Twilight, I’m sure everything will seem better once the shock of it all wears off.”

“Yeah maybe.” Twilight said lifting her head. “So what have you been doing since we last saw each other?” she added, wanting to change the subject.

“A whole lot of work,” sighed Cadance. “Shining and I have been busting our flanks trying to get the Crystal Empire in a position to be able to interact with the rest of the world but it’s been going slow.”'

“It has, but you and Shining Armor came back because you’ve finished your job there haven’t you?”

“No, the crystal ponies just don’t know how the world works anymore now that they’ve been left over a thousand years in the past. They won’t just learn how overnight.”

“So why were you able to come back?”

“Officially Shining and I are here with a representative for the crystal ponies. Given their situation they decided in a referendum to become a protectorate of Equestria for the time being. Once everything is in order we will presumably be going back as viceroys of Celestia and Luna."

“Oh,” Twilight said disappointedly. “Well I guess that’s understandable. After all Princess Luna had a rough start getting used to the new Equestria after she first came back, I can’t imagine what it’s been like for a whole civilization like that.”

“It’s funny that you should mention Luna, she’s actually the other reason we came back to Canterlot. You know her birthday is coming up, right?”

“Oh, it is coming up isn’t it, since she doesn’t ever make a big deal out of it I had forgotten. I guess I need to find a gift for her while I’m in town.”

“Maybe I'll go with you when you do." said Cadance. "Celestia wants me to help arrange a royal celebration that everypony observes like they do for her birthday. I could use a shopping spree to relax myself a little." Cadance giggled.

“I’m not so sure Princess Luna would like a big celebration like that. As far as I know the only social event she’s really participated in is Nightmare Night celebration in Ponyville.”

“Yes but she needs to participate in more social events like the Grand Galloping Gala, the Hearths Warming Eve Celebration, and her own birthday party if the ponies of Equestria are to accept her as a leader in her own right instead of just being Celestia’s little sister. Besides, while she hasn’t cared for such things since we’ve known her, according to Celestia she did enjoy these kind of special events back in the day.”

“Really, that’s just so hard to visualize.”

“Yes but if you think about what happened to her it is understandable that she’d be reluctant to waltz back into a social life.”

“I guess that makes sense, but how does Luna feel about all this?”

“She understands that she needs to go along with it but she still isn’t very enthused about the whole thing.”

“Oh that’s too bad. Hey maybe I can help with that, after all I did help her with getting use to Nightmare Night so I could try to help her with this.”

Cadance hesitated for a moment then said “I guess there wouldn’t be any problem with you helping out with organizing the event and prepping Luna. I know Celestia wouldn’t mind and Luna might like a friend, but are you sure you want to spend your time at the castle instead of with your family?”

“I’ll have plenty of time to spend with my family. Besides Dad still has to work during the day and if I stay here Mom is just going to keep telling me that I need to find a husband.”

Cadance giggled and said “Twilight, you know she’s just teasing you.”

“I don’t care. I don’t want to hear it, especially not from her.”

“Alright then,” replied Cadance, still giggling. “Anyway I came up here originally to tell you that dinner is ready, so we should probably head downstairs before my husband eats it all.”

Twilight jumped from the bed. “Absolutely no way that’s happening. After today I’m going to eat to my heart’s content and he’ll be lucky if I leave anything for him.” She marched out the door as if on a war path.

Cadance sighed with a grin. “I can’t believe how much of a child she still is.”

Arriving at the Palace [REWRITE]

Arriving at the Palace

“Twilight, it’s time to get ready to go.” Cadance’s voice called out as she knocked on Twilight’s door.

Twilight moaned and poked her head out from under the bed covers. She glanced out the window and gasped when she saw that is was already mid-morning. “Oh my gosh, I slept in!” She leapt out of bed and threw open the door. “Cadance I’m so sorry that I overslept.”

“Whoa, calm down Twilight. We still have another hour before we have to be there.”

“Really?” asked Twilight “but that’s so late in the morning”.

Cadance grinned and said “one of the perks of being a princess is that you set your own hours”.

Twilight allowed herself to relax a bit and walked out into the hallway and made began making her way to the upstairs bathroom. “Even so I shouldn’t have been so late in getting up; I never sleep in this late.”

“You don’t, but I would have thought being a librarian would have fairly comfortable hours, considering that you live in the library.”

“Well I’m not comfortable getting up so late. Unless I’m deathly ill I’m always up by five o’clock and the library is always open at six on the dot.” Twilight replied as she began to brush her teeth.

Cadance started at her for a moment. “Twilight, who in Equestria goes to the library at six in the morning?”

Twilight shrugged, “you never know, somepony may want to start the day with some research”.

“You are the only pony that would do that,” laughed Cadance.

Twilight scowled at Cadance before rinsing out her mouth. “I’m just being considerate. And I’m sure I’m not the only pony in Equestria who can appreciate a morning research project to begin their day. Why just last week I was starting out my morning with a bit of light reading with a book discussing the history and development of Haygelian metaphysics and it introduced a number of concepts that I hadn’t previously considered. Naturally I wanted to learn more so I grabbed all relevant material and spent the whole morning studying and critiquing it all. Oh it was so wonderful.”

“Uh-huh” was all Cadance could muster in response to Twilight’s idea of a fun little project. “Well I’ll leave you alone for now. There’s still some food left for you downstairs when you’re finished up here. After you’ve had breakfast we’ll be ready to go."

“Mmhm” Twilight responded as she was washing out her mouth.

Twilight was eating a quick breakfast in the kitchen although she took care to chew each bit forty times as she once read was healthiest. Cadance was also at the table doing a crossword puzzle while she waited for her to finish eating. Her mother then walked into the kitchen to get something to drink.

“Hey, has Daddy left yet.” she asked.

“Yes.” Twilight Velvet replied “he had an early morning class to teach today.”

“Oh, alright.” Twilight replied a little disappointed.

“Poor man, I don’t think he got any restful sleep last night.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well this news about you not getting our letter about the move has got him in the sulks, you know how he gets.” Twilight was indeed familiar with her father’s occasional bouts of depression and found it upsetting that she might have triggered this one. “That reminds me, Cadance, do you and Twilight have any plans for lunch?”

An aggravated looking Cadance looked up from her crossword and said “Not really, I guess that I would just have lunch with Celestia and Luna, assuming she chooses to join us.”

“In that case, Twilight, I was thinking that we might have lunch with your father to cheer him up a little, would that be alright with you?”

“Sure, I’ll be there.”

“Thank you Twilight, I had wanted to get your brother to join us as well but sadly he’ll be busy with the royal guard all day today so it’s just going to be the three of us. But that’s alright I suppose, it’s been too long since your father and I have been able to spend time with just you.”

Twilight nodded in agreement. She finished the last of her breakfast and said “I’m ready to go Cadance.”

“Alright,” Cadance replied as she stood up. “Do you still want to read this” she asked Twilight Velvet.

“I already have.” she responded.

“Good,” said Cadance as she chucked the newspaper into the trash quite forcefully. “Those puzzles cheat anyway, let’s go.”

“What do you mean, how could a puzzle cheat.” Twilight asked.

“For example, there was one asking for a six letter word and there were only four blocks. How is anypony supposed to solve a crossword like that?”

“Are you sure you weren’t mixing up the vertical and horizontal numbers?”

Cadance froze and it seemed as if every muscle in her body has stiffened as hard as a rock, her left eye began to twitch rapidly. She raised a foreleg to her chest and took a deep breath then slowly breathed out as she extended it outwards. Then, looking as bright and cheerful as ever, said “let’s go or we’ll be late” before trotting towards the front door.

Twilight looked over at her mother with a confused look. “What was that about?”

Twilight Velvet levitated the newspaper from the trash and into the recyclables before saying “From what I can gather she and your brother were playing twenty questions on the train ride from the Crystal Empire. Apparently she couldn’t get a fairly simple one and now she’s hypersensitive about anything which might suggest a lack of intelligence on her part.”

“Oh, well I better go, where will be having lunch at?”

“At that bistro on the university campus you use to go to all the time.”

“Alright, I’ll see you at lunch time.” Twilight then took off after Cadance.

Twilight and Cadance arrived at the palace grounds and the hustle and bustle of the staff preparing for the upcoming celebration. Both the gardens and the ballroom were a buzz of activity. Various ponies gave respectful bows to Cadance as they were going about their business. After working their way through the cleaning staff and construction workers they arrived in the throne room where Princess Celestia was busy attending to the day to day management of the palace affairs.

Celestia looked up from some paperwork to see who had entered “Ah, good morning Cadance, and Twilight what a pleasant surprise to see you today.”

“Good morning” the two of them replied.

“So what brings you to the palace today my faithful student?”

“I thought I could help with Princess Luna’s birthday party.”

“We would both love to have you involved in planning the party, but we already have plenty of ponies on the planning team so I’m afraid there’s nothing for you to do.”

Cadance approached the throne and whispered to Celestia “I told her of Luna’s uneasiness about the party; she wishes to help her to be personally prepared for it.”

Celestia nodded then turning back to Twilight said “on second thought I believe my sister is interested in an additional party advisor, somepony more familiar with contemporary celebrations. You would of course have to make your proposal to Princess Luna herself but I’m sure she would be happy to have you.”

They were interrupted by a unicorn stallion entering the room and greeted both of the Princesses. Twilight was struck with a sense of déjà vu by his presence. He had a periwinkle colored coat except for the area on his flanks where his cutie mark, which was a white comet, appeared, a mane the color of Royal Purple, and his eyes were silver. Twilight was certain she had seen him before, or at least somepony very similar to him, but she could not recall when and where she would have seen him. She was distracted from her train of thought when he began speaking with Cadance. “Princess Cadance, the planning committee has compiled a catalogue of formal ware for the Princess. I took the liberty of selecting a few designs I believe will best suit her taste if you care to look them over yourself.”

He levitated a folder to her but Cadance shook her head and said “That won’t be necessary, I trust your judgment.”

“Very well, I’ll just submit these for her to look over.”

“Before you go let me introduce you to Twilight Sparkle, a friend of Princess Luna’s, she's here to help her with preparing for the party” she said motioning toward Twilight.

The stallion looked toward her and Twilight could tell by the look in his eyes that he seemed to recognize her. “I knew that I’ve seen him somewhere before” she thought to herself.

“Twilight, this is Charming Comet, Princess Luna’s Aide-de-camp, you’ll be working with him, should the Princess decide she has need of your assistance that is.”

Charming Comet took Twilight’s hoof in own and giving it a kiss said “It would be an honor to work with a friend of the Princess.” Twilight said nothing but shook his hoof response. “I’ll be going to see Princess Luna presently if you care to follow me Miss Sparkle.”

“Twilight” called Princess Celestia as she descended from her throne “a moment please.” Twilight followed her to a corner of the room out of earshot of the other ponies in the room. “Twilight, I appreciate very much your offer to help Luna with her uneasiness over the party, but there’s something that needs to be understood. If anypony asks you your just serving as another party planner. You are not to discuss you true role nor may you discuss any problems or issues Luna have with anypony other than Comet, Cadance, or myself.”

“If you say so Princess, but why all the secrecy, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“It’s for Luna’s sake, the whole point of publicly celebrating of her birthday is to demonstrate that she is my equal in leadership and worthiness of respect. To do that the ponies of Equestria must believe that she fully meets any and all expectations they have of a princess. As it stands now her lack of visibility in leadership has served to hurt her credibility. Up to now we’ve been easily able to pass it off as her trying to catch up with the times, but we can only do that for so long, but back to the point. If word gets out that she is experiencing any kind of emotional or psychological setbacks the ponies will panic, they might think Nightmare Moon is returning, and things may get…violent.

“I’m sure it’s nothing like that, she’s just nervous and unsure of herself is all. It’s no different from that first Nightmare Night in Ponyville. She wasn’t sure of what to do but it wasn’t as if she was just miserable about being in there.”

“She tries never to show any weakness to anypony, but I know for a fact that she was a nervous wreck that night when she left. She’s been like that for just about every societal function in which she would be expected to play a prominent part in. She was never this way before so I’m worried that this is a symptom of something more serious.”

“Do you really think so? I mean it’s not unreasonable that she would have trouble adapting, she is a thousand years out of her element after all. Not even a pony like you or her would be able to do that overnight. Given the extreme nature of the situation she probably won’t fully readjust within a normal pony lifespan.”

“There’s more to it than just having trouble adapting, there are other things as well. It’s not just social events that she’s uncomfortable with. Since her return she’s become an almost total recluse. She spends almost all of her free time cloistered in her chambers, she hardly ever speaks to anypony outside of necessity, and whenever we are together there’s a tension between us that never use to be there.” Celestia became very sad looking and after a moment added “Though I suppose that shouldn’t be unexpected given what I did to her”.

It shocked Twilight to see her normally graceful and refined mentor this way. “But Princess Celestia, you only did what you had to do.”

Celestia looked directly at her. In her mentor’s eyes she saw what looked to be a flash of anger that was quickly suppressed by a patient understanding look. At last the white alicorn said “I’ve been telling myself that for a thousand years and yet...never mind. Regardless of the necessity of what I did was it still doesn’t change the fact that I hurt her badly. Not even I can imagine the sort of pain she’s been holding onto since her return." Celestia took a moment to regain her regal composure. “I’m sorry, I’m not supposed to be your client am I? Anyway just be aware that there’s more to this than simple shyness and that nopony else is not to know about it.”

Twilight was discomforted by Celestia’s unusual display of apparent uncertainty in herself. “Of course I’ll keep this a secret, and I’ll do whatever I can to have Princess Luna prepared for the party. Though if what you say is true then I’m not sure what I can do in such a short amount of time.”

“I know it a lot to be called on to work with all at once, but I have complete faith in your abilities. Now I must get back to work. If you need any assistance just ask Comet, he'll be able to help you with anything you may need.”

Celestia returned to her throne and to her work. Twilight walked back toward the center of the room where Cadance and the periwinkle unicorn had been talking. She was thinking over what Celestia had told her and planning out what sort of approach she should take. “Miss Sparkle.” said Luna’s Aide-de-camp “If you would follow me I’ll take you to Princess Luna now”. The two of them left the throne room and began to make their way toward the west wing of the palace where Luna’s chambers were located. “Princess Cadance filled me in on the situation, if you need any assistance at all don’t hesitate to ask me.”

“Thank you…um,” said Twilight forgetting his name for a moment. “I’m sorry, it’s Charming Comet right?”

“Please, just call me Comet. I don’t know about you but I find my first name to be rather pretentious.”

Twilight stifled a chuckle but couldn’t help but grin. This had been exactly what she had been thinking of his name herself. “Sorry.” she said when she noticed him looking at her.

"Don't be." he replied.

Twilight was again wondering about how familiar looking he seemed to her. Finally she said “I’m sorry, but you look familiar to me. Have we met before?”

Comet looked momentarily surprised to hear this. He then said “Sort of, but you won’t remember me.”

“What do you mean?”

“It was years ago, back when we were still children.”

“Go on.” Twilight goaded.

“I was a student at the Canterlot Magic Academy, and we bumped into each other a couple of times whenever you were there.”

“I guess that’s possible.” Twilight conceded. She had done quite a bit of studying at the Magic Academy when she first became Princess Celestia’s apprentice despite the fact that she was technically too young to enroll as a student. “Still I don’t get why you seem to remember me when I can’t quite remember you. I didn’t go to the academy all that often. Since I was learning directly from the princess herself I didn’t bother ever taking any classes, and after she granted me unlimited access to the royal library I never had any reason to back the academy again.”

“Well, you were Princess Celestia's personal protégé. You left a much bigger impression on us than I’m sure any of us at the academy left on you. Besides the two of us never really talked so I wouldn’t expect you to remember me at all. I’m honestly surprised you recognized the way I look, I recall you always having your eyes glued to a book.”

"I guess that's reasonable. Still it can't be just your appearance that's sparking my memory, are you sure we never talked or anything?"

Comet shook his head. "No, we never said anything of consequence to one another. Besides I'm sure that we're different people than what we were back then."

"Yeah" replied Twilight, knowing that this was certainly true in her case. After a brief silent Twilight said "So Comet, could you tell me a little about yourself? If we're going to be working together we should get to know each other, don't you think?"

"I suppose", he said. "Let's see, as you know I am Princess Luna's aide. I have served in that capacity for a little over a year now."

"I was thinking of something other than a job description."

"Such as?"

Twilight paused and thought a moment. She hadn't really thought about what she wanted to know about him specifically. The first thing she could think to ask about was his cutie mark, which was a white comet. "What about your cutie mark, what does it mean?"

Comet was silent for a moment, apparently thinking over how best to explain. At last he replied "I've always imagined comets as being kind of like explorers. They travel around the galaxy observing a learning about things we can only speculate about. Just like a comet is very good at learning about the cosmos I have a knack for gathering information. So I guess you could say my special talent is research."

"Really", Twilight asked rather intrigued. "What kind of research?"

“Well, all kinds or research. It’s not so much the subject matter that interests me it’s the thrill of gaining new knowledge and using it to improve myself, and perhaps even helping others to improve themselves.”

“I know exactly what you mean, I feel the same way!”

“So I've gathered", said Comet with a smile. "I've heard quite a bit of your infamous, midnight study binges, Miss Sparkle.

“Please just call me Twilight. It makes me uncomfortable when ponies call me Miss.”

“As you wish, Twilight", he said. He seemed to be as happy as her to do away with the formalities. We’ve almost arrived at Princess Luna’s private chambers; remember if there’s ever anything I can do to help you with the Princess don’t hesitate to ask.”

“I won’t”, she said. It was refreshing to meet somepony who shared her passion for learning. Although she knew that her friends and family loved her it was frustrating for her sometimes, knowing that they saw her love of learning and sharing her knowledge as an odd quirk. It was nice meeting someone who didn't think so. "I look forward to working with you."

“Likewise.” replied Comet.

With that Twilight refocused on task of preparing Princess Luna for the party. Twilight was hoping that it really only was nervousness that Luna was struggling with. She wasn’t certain she was even qualified to do the job if Luna really was suffering from the sort of issues the Celestia feared she was. She at last thought to herself “I’ll just have to cross that bridge when I come to it.”

So Well Remembered

Princess Celestia walked with her new apprentice in the royal gardens. The purple filly excitedly told her all about what she had learned from the book she had assigned her to read over the weekend. The princess was quite surprised at how quickly her young student had finished it. She had figured it would take a filly as young as her almost the whole month to read that particular book. But if there was one thing that Celestia had learned since taking Twilight Sparkle under her wing it was that the young unicorn was anything but ordinary. “Thank you so much for giving me that book to read” said Twilight.

“You’re very welcome Twilight” replied Celestia. “I’m pleased that you enjoyed it so much.”

“Do you think next time you could have more books I can read? Um…I don’t mean to sound demanding, it’s just that after I finished that one there wasn’t really anything for me to do for you until our next session and it seems incredibly inefficient for me to spend so much time doing nothing productive.”

Celestia was baffled that somepony so young could be such a workaholic. Celestia smiled and said “Twilight you shouldn’t think of your studies as a matter of production and efficiency.”

“But I want to be able to do more for you if I can and I know I can.”

“But it’s not about me. The reason you study is so that you can gain the knowledge you need to become what you’re meant to be. My only role is to guide you along that path. That being said I do think some accelerated study might be good for you so I will give you a few extra books for you to read. Are you sure you can handle the extra work?”

“Yes, I promise to do my best” proclaimed Twilight.

“I’m sure you will, for now let’s continue our walk. There are many plants which grow here in the garden that were mentioned in the book read. What can you tell me about them?”

The excited filly began looking around at the plants around them to find some to talk about. Oh, that one is a Hibiscus Alponacimus, it can be mixed with Malsprig extract to make a potion that can temporarily change the color of your coat and mane. Ooo, and over there is a…” she continued running up to one plant then the next tell all she had learned about its properties and what it could be used for. A smile was brought to Celestia’s face at seeing her student’s excitement at sharing all of her recently acquired knowledge. She had had to do quite a lot of smiling for nearly a thousand years, but this was one of the few times it was a sincere smile. Being the sole ruler of Equestria during that time tended to produce such levels of stress that would drive most insane, and on top of that it was a burden which she had to suffer alone. She had met and buried more friends and loved ones than can be believed. She made a point to experience the joys of friendship and the comfort of companions. But of course they would all die within a span of time which had come to be nearly nothing to her and these were particularly painful moments for her. She could take no comfort in believing that perhaps they might meet again in some unspecified and poorly understood afterlife as many did. Whether such a thing is true or not doesn’t matter to her as she will always remain behind. For her these ponies, who were so precious to her, are simply gone. However she refused to allow her pair control over her. She knew better than any other ever could what sort of monster one could become if one allowed her despair to rule her. She instead chose to continue trying to always live for the moments like these in the garden, feeling happy for her companion’s happiness. It is only a moment which will soon be over and with time may disappear completely from memory, and she will inevitably have to feel the pain of watching this one grow old and parish as so many have before and as many more will after. But it is precisely this which makes this moment with her so very pernicious. “Princess Celestia?”

“What is it Twilight?”

“What’s that thing” Twilight asked pointing toward a stone rotunda which was tucked away in some inconspicuous corner of the garden some distance.

Celestia felt a slight constriction around her heart. The memories associated with that structure dampened her mood. However she kept up a cheerful demeanor as she always did. “That’s a little building I had built a long time ago for somepony I care about very much, who had to go away a long time ago. I suppose you could say it’s something I owe her, or rather something she deserves to have when she comes back.”

“Is she going to come back anytime soon” Twilight asked while looking up at her mentor with eager eyes.

Celestia smiled her sincere smile again. She was reminded of the day when she first met Twilight after she had calmed her down enough for her to regain control of her magic. She had sensed that there was much more to this young filly than an unusually high amount of raw talent. What she had spent the past thousand years hoping and wishing for she could now say with confidence. “Yes, I have no doubt that she will come back very soon.”

I Miss Her

"That's odd" said Comet as he exited Luna's chambers. "That's odd she's usually in her quarters at this time of day."

"Maybe she went for a walk" offered Twilight.

"Not likely, she'd have half the court swarming around her withe petty petitions, or just to be able to tell their friends that they're a "friend" of one if the Princesses."

"Surely they have enough decency to leave her alone when she wishes to be."

"Keep in mind that this is the aristocracy we're talking about here, of course they have no decency." Twilight giggled uncomfortably. While she completely understood the admittedly well-deserved reputation of aristocrats, she was technically one as well. "Well were ever she is she can take care of herself I'm sure."

"So what should we do?"

"Sadly I have other duties to attend to. I only needed to give those designs to her to look over but I can just leave them here for her to look at later. If you'd like I could escort you to anywhere in the palace you'd like to go, the library perhaps?"

"No, don't let me delay you. Besides I know my way around the palace."

"Of course" replied Comet. "In that case I'll be off. It was nice speaking with you Twilight, we should do it again sometime."

"Yes, I'd like that. See you later then."

Comet went on his way while Twilight pondered on what she should do. "I can't really do what I'm here for if I can't find Princess Luna" she thought to herself. "There are some books in the royal library that I've been meaning to borrow so I guess I can just go do that and. . . wait a minute." She leaned out of a window she happened to be passing by and looked down into the garden below at the old rotunda. She was surprised to see that the door was ajar. "Why is the door open" she wondered aloud "nopony is allowed to in there, Princess Celestia herself said it was off limits." Intrigued Twilight decided that she ought to take a closer look. She took a moment to concentrate and then teleported to the ground. once she felt her hooves on the grass she took off at a gallop toward the rotunda. she slowed to a stop at the door and peered inside. when she saw that nopony was there she ventured to take a look inside. She was quite nervous as she took her first steps inside, she was technically disobeying her mentor after all, but she knew Princess Celestia would understand. The interior was dark except for the sunlight which crept in through the open door. It stretched out across the floor like a carpet and came to rest upon the wall at the opposing end of the structure. On this wall hung a tapestry which depicted a mare with a medium purple coat and a mane which looked like a sunset. Situated on the floor directly beneath the tapestry was a stone box. As Twilight approached it she realized that it was a sarcophagus. "Oh, I never considered that this might be a tomb" she thought aloud. She looked over the tapestry one last time, taking note of how well-crafted it was, before deciding that she should leave.

"Twilight Sparkle" a loud voice called from behind her. Twilight let loose a frightened yelp and spun around to see an equally surprised looking Princess Luna. Luna took a moment to clear her throat and, this time without the traditional Canterlot voice, "what are you doing here?"

"Princess Luna, I just came to see why the door to this rotunda was open since it supposed to be off limits" Twilight replied hastily.

"I see" said the night princess. "In that case I can assure you that nothing is amiss, it is my right to intrude here."

Twilight suddenly noticed that Luna was holding a bouquet of freshly cut flowers. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize that I was interrupting anything."

"Be at peace Twilight Sparkle, I am not offended" assured Luna as she walked past the unicorn. She laid her bouquet on top of the sarcophagus and after a short moment said "Truth be told it actually nice to see somepony else come here."

"Really, how so?"

"Well, I often feel sad that I'm the only one who remembers my dear friend or mourns her passing. I know it's silly of me to think this way seeing as neither you nor any other alive today ever knew her. After a thousand years even a pony as wonderful as her would be forgotten I suppose."

"That's not silly at all, especially if she was your friend. It's true that nopony alive today might have known her but I understand. I would feel bad too if nopony cared about somebody I cared for who had passed on."

"That's kind of you to say, but still I can't very well expect you to care about somepony who was long dead before your grandparents were even born."

Twilight approached the princess of the night and said "but you clearly care about her, and I'm your friend. Why don't you tell me a little about her, who was she, what was she like?"

For a few moments Luna seemed to be considering whether or not she really wanted to tell her about this particular part of her life, but she soon began to indulge the unicorn. "Well, her name was Midnight Sun and as you have probably gathered she was a very dear friend to me. You could say we had a relationship not unlike that which you have with my sister. At least up until the point I let myself become a monster and was banished for a thousand years. My sister was...kind enough to keep her remains so that I could properly mourn her passing in the event of my return."

It was clear to Twilight that this was a touchy subject for the princess of the night, one that also needed to be addressed. "Princess, you weren't yourself when you were Nightmare Moon, surely she wouldn't have blamed you for something you did when you weren't in your right mind."

"Twilight, do you know why I became Nightmare Moon?"

"I read that it was because you became bitter because everypony was afraid of your night and that you became jealous of the day."

"Yes, but Midnight Sun always enjoyed my nights. And I had other friends who liked me as well, but I couldn't be satisfied with that. I wanted everypony to love me and the night just as they loved Celestia and the day. There was no reason I shouldn't have been happy knowing that I had them as my friends. Instead I let my jealously, despair, and hatred take over and consume me, and not only did I betray my sister and all of Equestria but also her personally." It was a little unnerving for Twilight to see one of the princesses like this. Both Luna and Celestia were normally models of self-control. However Luna seemed to now be venting a great deal of pent up frustration. Luna suddenly appeared to become tiered and sad. "When I allowed those negative emotions to let me forget all the happiness we shared it said loader than any words ever could that our friendship had meant nothing to me."

"But that isn't the case at all" Twilight interjected. "If it meant nothing to you would you be out here now, laying flowers at her grave and telling me all about your regrets?"

"Then why did I do it? Why did I let my bitterness transform me if I valued her so much? When I was Nightmare Moon I would have seen everypony as my slave, including her."

Twilight was not entirely certain what the right way to respond was, but it was clear to her that Luna very much needed to hear something from a friend. "Princess Luna, you know my friend Pinkie Pie right?"

"The odd pink one who is fond of sweets, The Element of Laughter, yes I know her."

"You know last year for Hearth's Warming she gave me this rubber ball as a present. It was one of those balls that have cartoon characters all over it that only children, and apparently Pinkie Pie, would play with. On top of that I don't really care for that sort of playing so I just gave the ball to the Crusaders."

"Crusaders?"

"Oh, they're these three fillies from Ponyville. They call themselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They were the flower girls at Cadance and Shining Armor's wedding."

"Ah yes, I remember now. I believe I've met the orange one actually."

"Well anyways, I gave the ball to them and Pinkie Pie was very hurt that I gave away her present for me. I was irritated at her at first but I soon realized that had been careless. I didn't consider her feelings when I just gave away something she had hoped would make me happy. I then realized that I hadn't been open with her the way she had always been we me. If I had just allowed her to really get to know who I really am that whole mess could have been avoided. After I finally made up with Pinkie I decided that I would make the effort to get all of my friends to know me as well as possible and that I would try to get to know them as well as I could so that I would never carelessly hurt any of them again."

"A nice story Twilight though I'm afraid I don't see what point you were trying to make."

"The point is that I hurt somepony I care very much about because I was only thinking about my own feelings. The same as you."

Luna cocked an eyebrow and said "Twilight Sparkle, re gifting is hardly akin to enslaving the world.'

"True, the circumstances aren't exactly comparable but we still both hurt sompony because of carelessness, everyony has. And what happened can't be changed, but we can recognize these mistakes and make efforts to better ourselves. I can't change the fact that I hurt Pinkie and I'll always regret that I did it, but because of what I learned from that experience my relationship with all of my friends is stronger, and that's what's really important."

Luna sat in silence for a time. Eventually she said "I understand what you mean. I too wish to be a better princess than what I was, and even though I haven't been fully accepted by society as a whole yet I still feel that I am more appreciated than what I was because of my efforts. But...I still wish that could have had the chance to make things right with Midnight the same way you were able to do so with your friend."

"She was clearly a very dear friend to you. I may not know what sort of pony she was but I know you Princess Luna, I know what sort of ponies you like and dislike. I think a think a pony who could become that sort of friend to you would have understood that you felt alone and unloved by that world and that you wanted to reshape it into one that would give you the sort of appreciation that you so desperately wanted."

"I wasn't a reformer as Nightmare Moon, I was evil" Luna muttered.

"Maybe not, but as you well know bitterness will skew our values if we allow it to rule us. This is something you've learned from this experience and you’re a better pony because of it."

"I'm not so certain" said Luna more to herself than to Twilight.

"But you already said so yourself that you're trying to be a better princess than you were before. It's a good thing to always try to be better than what we were."

"But I still feel bitterness not just from back then but I also resent Celestia for stealing a thousand years away from me." At this point Luna looked as if she wanted to cry. "I feel so much anger at her and I know I shouldn't. I want us to be really sisters again, I really want things between us to be the way they use to be, but then all I can think of is that look on Midnight's face when she saw me as Nightmare Moon. I know Celestia had no other choice if she was to save Equestria, but when I think about how I never got to apologize to Midnight or any of my other friends for what I tried to do. I never got to apologize for hurting all of the ponies I was supposed to protect. I never got to be a real friend to Midnight, I didn't get to feel happy with her during her triumphs or to cry with her during her sorrows. I didn't get to comfort her in her old age or be by her side when she finally died. When I think that her last memory of me was of me as a monster...I can't forgive that."

Once again Twilight was at a loss as to what to say to defend her mentor, which was troubling to her. She then decided that it was best to change the subject for now. "So have you continued mourning for her over the past two years?"

Luna took a moment to calm herself after realizing how agitated she had become. She berated herself internally for obviously frightening the smaller unicorn, who had after all done nothing wrong. "Yes and no" she finally replied. After I had first returned I was here nearly every day, hoping beyond reason that she could somehow hear my apology. But I have tried to get back to some sort of normal life. I don't plan to spend the rest of eternity crying, and I know better than most that the only way one can truly atone for their mistakes to learn from them. But it's not only my regret that keeps returning me here. There are times when I miss her so badly that I can't stand it. The past few days have been like that for me. All the work that's being put into this upcoming celebration, on top of my normal duties, has been exhausting. It's times like these that make me want her with me for the sake of companionship. Out of all the friends and companions I've had over the course of my much too long life she was the one who gave me the most ease. When she was by my side everything was much less of a burden. So to answer your slightly veiled question, no I'm not so hung up on Midnight that I can't move on with my life. It's just that right now I really wish my friend was with me."

"I'm your friend" Twilight offered "and I don't want you to have to be alone though all this either. That's why I'm here."

Luna's expression softened. "Thank you, Twilight. For being a friend to me, and for tolerating all of my nonsense up to now."

"It's not nonsense at all! It's perfectly understandable that you would feel the way you do given the circumstances. Even the resentment you feel toward Princess Celestia" she reluctantly admitted. "But I know that she wants the two of you to be real sisters again just as much as you do. I know there are many things that you feel can't be forgiven, but Princess Celestia hasn't given up on you so please don't give up on her." Luna remained silent. She closed her eyes and raised a hoof to nurse her forehead as if she had a headache. Twilight was left to awkwardly fidget about. She suddenly noticed that the sunlight which creeped though the open door had shifted a great deal. "Oh goodness, how long have we been talking?"

Luna was pulled out of her little trance and replied "It's been a while, why do you ask?"

Twilight had walked over to the door and peered up toward the sky and saw that it was indeed almost midday. "I'm sorry Princess Luna, but I'm supposed to meet my parents somewhere in...well right now actually."

"It's quite alright Twilight Sparkle."

"Goodbye for now, I'll see you tomorrow" Twilight called out as she ran off.

Luna watched her until she had gone from sight and turned back toward the tapestry. '...Princess Celestia hasn't given up on you, so please don't give up on her.' Twilight's words ran though her head. She finally sighed and said "I wish I could believe that Twilight Sparkle, but she's already given up on me before."

The Luncheon [REWRITE]

The Luncheon

Twilight galloped through the University of Canterlot campus, making her way toward the square where she was to meet her parents for Lunch. She passed by the clock tower near the northern part of the campus and saw that she wasn't running as late as she thought she was. She therefore slowed to a comfortable trot and began to catch her breath. At this slower pace she was able to enjoy all the familiar sites of the university campus. While she had spent her foalhood learning almost exclusively from Princess Celestia she did take some supplementary magic lessons at the university's department of magic, at her mentors urging. Besides that the university had an extensive library which held some items which were not even available at the Royal Library in the palace. Not to mention that her father was a professor of astronomy and astrophysics there and the chance to bum a lunch off of him never hurt.

She arrived at the square and saw that it was, as always, a blur of activity. Ponies of all shapes, sizes and colors were eating lunch, just hanging out, or, as most seemed to be doing, rushing to and from classes. Twilight use to enjoy guessing what sort of classes any given student at the university was taking by looking at their cutie mark. For some it was very easy but there was always plenty of cutie marks with an abstract meaning behind it which made for a much greater challenge.

"Twilight, over here." called out the voice of Twilight's mother. Twilight looked around to see both her mother and father sitting at a table in front of the bistro she was to meet them at.

"Hello," she said as she approached. "Hey, where's Spike at," she asked as she looked around for him.

"He was still feeling sleepy this morning so he decided to stay at the house."

Twilight sighed. She knew that was exactly what was going to happen, but she held her tongue. "So, how's your morning been Daddy?"

"Can't complain I suppose." said Nightlight taking a drink of water. Although today is the due date for some research papers I assigned some of my classes and I'll have to get all of those graded in the next day or two so I'm certain to be miserable all night tonight," he added with a chuckle.

"You shouldn't set so many projects to be due all at once," Twilight Velvet chided. "It would make it much easier on you to space these things out more."

"I give all of those classes the same amount of time to complete a project, and besides that I would rather do it all at once and be done with it instead of dragging it out. That's how I am."

"Yes dear, I'm very familiar with your quirks after all this time," she replied shaking her head.

"I could help you grade them," offered Twilight Sparkle excitedly.

"That would be nice, but aren't you going to be busy enough yourself? Your mother tells me that you've gotten yourself involved with that business up at the palace."

"Yes, but I could still help."

"Thank you, but let's not think about work right now. Do you know what you want Twilight?"

"Yes, I'll have what I always get here." replied Twilight.

"No surprise there. Let's order then."

They placed their orders and proceeded with small talk while they waited for their food.

"So tell me Twilight," said Twilight Velvet at last. "What exactly is your involvement with the party? All I heard from Cadance was that you were going to be doing some sort of prep work with Princess Luna."

"That's right, I'm just helping the princess organize and prepare for everything."

"Hmm, I would have thought something like this would have had plenty of planning and organizing already."

"They thought that it would be good to have somepony who knows the princess on a personal level involved with the preparations."

"Oh, and the princess doesn't know anypony but you as of now?"

"Well, it's just that I have experience working with Princess Luna when it comes to such things," said Twilight as she thought of a way to change the subject. "So Mom, what did you do this morning after Cadance and I left?"

"Just a bit of writing, brainstorming, nothing really worth talking about, so what do you mean by experience? If you're referring to that one Nightmare Night you told us about one time that's not really much like planning a party is it?"

"Uh, brainstorming huh, are you working on a new Daring Do story?"

"Twilight, you know I don't like talking about a story before it's finished, and also hush I use a pen name for a reason. Now come on Twilight, quit dodging the question and tell us."

"Dear, why not just leave it alone," interrupted Nightlight.

"Oh, come on Nightlight I know you're just as curious as I am."

"Look, all I'm doing is working with Comet to help with the preparations, nothing all that interesting," said Twilight hoping end the subject of the party.

"Comet, who's Comet?"

"He's Princess Luna's aide."

"Really, that’s odd isn't it? An aide to one of the Princesses is usually a mare."

"Usually," said Nightlight shrugging his shoulders "but it's not like he's the first stallion to have the position."

"Well yes but it's still unusual. So you're working as his assistant will you? Helping out an old fellow who’s not quite as spray as he used to be?"

"What? Oh no, he's not old," replied Twilight, "maybe a little older than I am but he's still fairly young."

"Really? Now that really is unusual. The royal aides are almost always older ponies."

"Very odd indeed," said Nightlight in agreement. "Well I'm sure the Princess has her reasons for such an unusual pick."

"He must be new," said Twilight Velvet as she continued to think aloud. "I haven't heard of him before, he must have some impressive talents to have gained such a position at such a young age."

"I wouldn't know," said Twilight. "Today is the first time I've met him, and I only talked with him for a few minutes."

Twilight Velvet nodded as she took a sip of water from her glass. She lowered her glass and with a sly grin asked "is he handsome?"

Twilight glared at her for a moment before replying "yes Mother, he'd be considered to be quite handsome."

"Hmm, a good job and good looks to boot. I wonder if he has a very special somepony," pondered Twilight Velvet while glancing at her daughter with those scheming eyes.

"Maybe he does, I didn't probe him about his personal life" said Twilight quit irritably.

"If I had to guess I'd say he was probably already spoken for," said Nightlight hoping to change to a less bothersome subject.

"Why do you day that," asked Twilight Velvet.

Well, it's not the first time in history that one of the princesses has appointed a young, good looking stallion to a position that put him at her side as well as giving him complete access to her private chambers, if you take my meaning."

"Oh hush you," laughed Twilight Velvet. "Come on Nightlight, an aide de champ to one of the princesses does everything from managing their personal finances to deciding what they’re going to eat for their next meal. Do you honestly think Princess Luna would appoint somepony to a position like that just so she's have an opportunity to get him in bed?"

"Look, I'm sure the boy is perfectly qualified for his job. I'm just saying there are other factors which might have helped him along."

Twilight Velvet shook her head and then, looking over at her daughter, said "sometimes I think I married a gossipy, old mare with too much free time."

At that point the waiter arrived with their food. Twilight was glad to end the discussion for the moment. Sometimes it seemed that conversations with her parents, especially her mother, would always veer toward the most uncomfortable of subjects. She had of course heard all kinds of stories of the princesses occasionally taking lovers over the years and she knew that at least some of those stories were bound to be true. Even so that particular aspect of the princesses' lives were none of her nor anypony else's business. "I don't really think it's fair to either of them to say such things behind their backs."

Twilight Velvet sighed then said "yes I suppose you're right". "So Twilight, I thought that maybe the three of us should have a talk about your father and me moving to a new house."

Twilight had not been looking forward to this inevitable conversation, but knew very well that it was bound to come up eventually. "Like I said last night, there isn't really anything to talk about. Shining already told me all about it."

Nightlight cleared his throat and said "Even so this is the sort of thing which we should discuss".

"But I already understand that you had to leave because you were being harassed by royal chasers. I perfectly understand, and I would have done the same under those circumstances."

"But," Nightlight goaded.

Twilight hesitated for a long moment before saying "but I still don't like that you had to leave, and that I won't be going back to that house anymore. I know that it's silly to think this way, but that house is an important part of my life and I feel sad that it won't be a part of it any longer."

As the conversation progressed it became clear to Twilight that her parents really had nothing to say other than what she had already learned from her brother. Still she endured it. She could see that they both did feel badly about not making certain that she knew about the move and so felt the need to explain themselves even if there was nothing to explain. Twilight all the while smiled and gave them both assurances that all was well and that she would soon adjust.

Behind this facade of good feeling though there was a great deal of anger and resentment. 'Why am I feeling like this,' Twilight wondered to herself as continued smiling and nodding along with a conversation she was no longer paying attention to. 'It's not fair to feel this way towards them. I know they didn't mean to keep me in the dark,' she said over and over again to herself in an attempt to shake off the sensation of betrayal.

As they were all finishing their food Nightlight glanced at a nearby clock and said "I need to get back to work, thank you for the company. I'll see you both tonight," he said giving them each a kiss.

"See you later," said Twilight accepting hers on the cheek.

As Nightlight trotted away Twilight Velvet turned to her daughter and asked "Are you going back to the palace dear".

"Yes, I still want to discuss some things with Comet and Princess Luna."

"I think I'll walk with you for a while," she said joining her daughter's side. "It's not that far out of my way."

"Sure, I'll be glad for the company," said Twilight as she continued to maintain an appearance of agreeableness, though she was simultaneously trying to make sense of her sudden descent into emotional confusion. There was a sensation of some creature in her head lashing out in murderous rage against what it perceived to be insincere affection coming from her parents. It was a disturbing feeling which Twilight could scarcely understand.

"Is something wrong dear," asked Twilight Velvet.

"It's nothing Mom; I just have some things on my mind."

"I'll bet, working with royals is never a simple matter is it?"

"That's an understatement to be sure," replied Twilight recalling some of the more interesting lessons she learned under Celestia's tutelage.

"Well, just be careful not to overwork yourself. You and your father both are apt to do that and it makes me worry."

"You shouldn't, Daddy and I know how to handle heavy workloads."

"Oh I know you can Twilight; I just don't think it's healthy. I've already noticed a few grey hairs popping up in your father's mane and you'll be turning grey before your time as well if you keep pushing yourself the way you do."

"I'm fine Mom, I can handle my work," said Twilight reassuringly. "And Daddy looks just fine to me," she quickly added.

Twilight Velvet glanced toward her with an understanding look. "I know he's fine dear, I didn't mean it like that. I just don't think that your father handles the stress from his work as well as he says so I worry about him and about you as well. But if you say that you're handling yourself well I believe you. Princess Celestia tells me that you seem to be doing much better about such things since she had that discussion with you, you know after you had that little nervous breakdown and bewitched all those ponies."

Twilight recalled with embarrassment the time her mentor personally came to Ponyville to correct her ideas about deadlines. "H-how did you know about that?"

"Twilight you're my child and the princess respects that, and keeps your father and I updated about how you're doing."

"Oh." Twilight would have liked that to be an incident which would stay an unspoken secret among those who were present.

Twilight Velvet began to laugh as she recalled Princess Celestia's account of the incident. "I still can't believe that you seriously thought she'd send you back to magic kindergarten for not sending her a letter."

"Could we please not talk about that," said Twilight as her face began to turn red.

"Alright, alright." said Twilight Velvet. She took a moment to regain her composure before saying "At any rate I don't think I have to worry about something like that happening to you anymore."

"What do you mean anymore? You expect me to make a fool of myself like that?"

Twilight Velvet shrugged and replied "well you are your father's daughter aren't you". Twilight groaned in annoyance and began to walk away. "I'm joking Twilight," her mother said wrapping a hoof around her neck and pulling her back. "You shouldn't take things so personally." Twilight acknowledged her mother with an uninterpretable grunt but was no longer trying to walk in a different direction. "If you'll listen you'll see that I'm trying to give you a vote of confidence dear."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, I was going to say that I think you'll do a fine job working on whatever it is you're doing at the palace."

"I already said that I'm just help to prepare for the party."

"And I say that's a lot of malarkey. Any preparation and planning that needs to be done for an event like this has already been done five times over. So I know that they must be having you do something else. But I trust that you have good reasons for not telling your father and me so I won't press the issue."

Twilight groaned again. Her mother had always been able to read her like a book. She had thought that as she had gotten older that she had gotten better at concealing her inner thoughts and feelings. Apparently this was not the case. "Well, thank you for understanding."

"You're welcome, but as I was saying I'm sure you'll do a great job, especially with that Comet fellow giving you hoof. He sounds like he would be very helpful."

"Why do you say that? I didn't tell that much about him."

"Yes, but I noticed how your face seemed to light up when you mentioned him."

"What do you mean by that" Twilight asked suspiciously.

"Just that he seems to have made a good impression on you. You've always had good instincts, that's one thing you got from me at least, so it tells me that he must be something to look at. In a professional sense I mean," she added quickly when she saw her daughter's glare. "Seriously Twilight why must you get so angry whenever I talk about young men around you," asked Twilight Velvet.

"Because I don't like you trying to play matchmaker with me."

"Who said anything about matchmaking? I'm just curious about some of the stallions you associate with. Wait, does this mean you're interested in this boy?"

"That's what I'm talking about. 'Do you have a special sompony Twilight? When are you getting married Twilight?' That's all I ever hear from you anymore," Twilight said with a clear tone of aggravation.

The elder Twilight looked startled and confused by this sudden accusation from her daughter. "But Twilight, I don't understand why such questions upset you, I only ask because I want to keep in touch."

"What does keeping in touch have to do with telling me to hurry up and find a husband?"

"Wha...Twilight I'm joking with you when I talk in such a way, you should know that. I understand very well that you're still young and have other concerns at this point in your life. I'm certainly not trying to force you into anything you're not ready for."

However Twilight was done listening. She marched away and paid no heed to her mother's call's. When the elder twilight gave chase she teleported herself to the next block and was alone again.

Twilight expelled a deep, contented sigh. Her mother had been mocking her under the guise of 'joking' for what seemed like and eternity. It felt magnificent to finally call her out on it. However a dark cloud hung over her small victory that gave the atmosphere a bitter taste.