All Good Things

by Jasmine_Vonstarlight

Chapter 6

“No, once again I state that she has not returned with malicious intentions!”

I’ve been at this since the moment I woke. My sister returns, and every pony in all of Equestria is up in an uproar. Most of them, simply out of fear, are causing this pandemonium, stating that it is the end of our country as we know it. Trying to assure them that she had changed is proving to be a difficult task. Even an interview with the Canterlot Herald, known for its loyalty to the royals, is proving to be skeptical.

“How well do we know that, Princess? How has Princess Luna proven herself as innocent to you?”

“You want to know how I know she is the cherub she is? She is my sister! The faint, trembling flower that I held in my own wings after a nightmare last night. The sister that I have lost two days worth of sleep over!”

“You seem very dedicated to your cause, princess. What is your motive here? You have already conducted several interviews with various press outlets today, and we have heard about the public address you are preparing”.

“My motive is simple, honestly. I want Equestria to know that the Luna that they knew on thousand years ago has returned, and the child that we all fell in love with is back. Nightmare Moon exists only in the minds of ponies who are prejudiced against the crown.”

“When do you think we could speak with Princess Luna?”

“Even if she wanted to come out and talk with the press, I highly doubt I would let a little filly into that kind of a spotlight”.

There was a noticeable pause after my statement. Perhaps I shouldn’t have let that slip.

“...did you say... a filly, your highness?”

“Yes, yes I did. You know the legend, correct? Luna turned into Nightmare Moon through her jealousy. My mages and I theorize that she has turned back into the age right before her jealousy started to take root, giving her another chance to live her life.”

“That is... astounding, Princess. Are there any chances we could see her?”

“I assume she will be out and about in Canterlot within a few days or weeks with her caretaker. When she advances to a proper ruling age, she will take to my side as co-ruler of Equestria. But right now, her main task is to enjoy her childhood, and cameras and interviewers are not part of that intention”.

“Alright then. Thank you for your time Princess”.

“Yes, thank you for another shot at setting things straight”.

I hate being assaulted by the press. All I wanted was to sit down for a Sweet Apple Acres cider and a sweet or two, and half of Canterlot is at my side, with a pads and pencils to boot. The media of Equestria has always been highly divided, fierce loyalists and independent zealots stumbling over each other, quite literally sometimes.
The royal guards push the remaining talking heads out of the store, and I slump my head onto the table. I feel like I lost my cool a tad there. That’ll be all over tomorrow’s headlines for sure. A guard comes to me with a paper with Luna plastered all over the cover.

“Your highness, you may want to see this”

“What now? … I didn’t mean to sound short, I’m not having the greatest of days”.

“Perfectly understandable, your highness” he reassures me.

I unfold the newsprint to see an article detailing yesterday’s event of Luna and I flying back to the castle. Complete with a full color picture of the sleeping Luna laying next to me, the article was calling me out for some sort of... conspiracy?
What sort of conspiracy would I be planning with Luna.

...seen early yesterday morning, soaring above the clouds. An obvious attempt to keep her agenda a secret safe from the prying eyes of us regular ponies. What is she planning to do with her sister? Is she conspiring to black out the sky once again? Whatever the reason, why should we harbor such a possible threat?
- Editor, Dirt Digger

What a nuisance, while I support all schools of thought when it comes to politics, these young, progressive, semi- anarchists are seriously starting to get the best of me. I can accept an attack on myself, but on a filly! That takes a certain lack of class, Luna really has changed... and to judge her as a fully grown mare is not even remotely fair to her.
I just want her to be happy...

“We should make our leave, gentlecolts”, I say to the guards as I finish the last bites of my well deserved break. Walking out, and as ponies start to notice me, a couple start galloping my way, questions foaming off their lips.
We take to the skies, making full haste back to the castle. I need to speak with my mages about that statement I’m giving later today, hopefully the subjects will listen to reason and science and not what the propaganda that alternative news sources spout.

I wonder how Luna is doing right now, I hope she likes Busy Body...

What am I so worried about, she’ll love him like a father. I just pray that she stays far away from the outside, though I trust him to follow through on my request.

“Your highness, shall we quell the paparazzis below?” asks a guard.

“No, unfortunately, it is their right. I can’t sacrifice our ponies freedom for the sake of my convenience”.

“A- as you wish... your highness”.

“What’s the matter, soldier?”

“Do you not want tabloid articles written about you? The less press about you and your sister I thought would be better”.

“I appreciate your concern soldier, you have just intentions, but the subjects’ freedom must be upheld”.

I fly above the main wall and towards the wizard’s tower of the castle. Looking down, I can’t see any press ponies that have infiltrated my walls, only guards, maids, and various citizens trotting towards the hospital. At least we have one safe haven.
I fly into the tower at a terminal velocity, scattering several scrolls, tomes, and manes on my way in.

“Gentlecoats, greetings”, I tell the mages in a defeated tone.

“Your highness! Welcome!” the archmage greets excitedly, without bowing and in a very casual manner. Mages and scholars around here have a tendency of letting their manes grow out and their clothes become undone, as they are fully entranced in their studies. And keeping themselves in proper order while practicing advanced magic is a very tall order.
The archmage’s name is Arcane Showers, and has a long unkempt grey mane, with a purple coat, and a constellation for a cutie mark. His eyes were always filled with an excited

“Long day already, Princess?”

“Most certainly, Showers”, I replies. Arcane Showers has been the pony to keep me sane for the past decades. He was the old, crazy scientists type, but at the same time, he provided a grandfatherly like attitude and wisdom. He was usually the first pony I would turn to the the midst of a complex political decision.

“Dealing with those damn reporters again I see?” he says with a chuckle, but a guard flinches and announces quite loudly,

“How DARE you use such unsophisticated speech around our fair...”

A string of expletives left my mouth in an annoyed fashion, causing Showers to roar with laughter. The guard replied with a quite “yes, your highness...” and fell back into his ranks.

“You all can head back to your posts now, I suppose”, I say with much exasperation. The guards fly off obediently, as I let out a massive sigh. Around me the other mages and students bustle around, researching alicorn lore and different again effects and spells.

“Anywho, my dear, we think that our previous theory is quite correct, the whole jealousy- taking- over- our- sweet- Luna- thingmawhut. In fact! We believe that Nightmare Moon acted more like a possession than an infection, trapping Luna within her own mind for all those years.” Showers proclaims hastily.

“So Luna, has been innocent this whole time? Was she conscious through all those thousand years, or was it like a coma?”

“WELL, we assume that it was, as you said, like coma. But, you know how someponies can fight their way out of a coma? Of course you do. We think that Luna would fall asleep for centuries on end, then wake up and try to tight to regain herself, but was supressed by the superior magic of Nightmare Moon.”

“So it wasn’t like she was fully awake for those thousand years?”

“Our research says not!”

“Oh thank goodness...” I say as I slump down on my haunches.

“So we plan on delivering this information to the inhabitants of Canterlot later this evening, will you kindly join me in presenting this information, Showers?”

“Of COURSE my lady, I would be honored!”

“I figured you don’t get out of the tower much... no offense.”

Arcane Showers reared up on his hind legs and let out a bellowing laugh, that extinguishes some of the candles as he falls back over himself.

“I MAY be an old, senile, pony, but dear princess! It will take MUCH more to insult me!” he shouts happily.

“Thank for your help, Showers. As always, I am in your debt. But on a brighter note, how are the new students at the CATP?”

The Canterlot Academy of Talented Ponies was an institute I set up many years ago and put my previous archmages in charge of. One could say it was my baby, and those fillies were my children. Arcane Showers, I believe, is the best headmaster the school has ever known. I frequently made visits during the students’ recess periods, much to their pleasure. I would trot into Shower’s office with fillies hanging off of me, and would be greeted with his traditional roar of laughter at the site.

“OH GOODNESS. The students this year are some of the MOST promising we’ve seen yet, my dear! I still remember that ONE student that you took in a while ago... Twilight was her name!”

“Yes, she is in Ponyville now... I couldn’t bear to see her buried in books without many friends to speak of.”

Arcane Showers looked around his hooves, to discover that he was up to his knees in tomes and scrolls.

“And what do you make of ME?!”, he shouted through a massive smile, as he followed with another hearty laugh. I could tell that one or two of the newer mages who weren’t used to his style were starting to become annoyed.

“I didn’t mean...”

“OH IT’S FINE, my dear! You take many things too seriously!”

“I’ve been trying to take your advice on loosening up, lately.” I retort quickly, trying to regain my footing in this discussion.

“And the pranks have been going well, I assume?”

A massive smirk plasters my face, dripping in mischievousness.

“I will take that as a yes, my dear” he responds with an evil grin.

“I should really get out of your mane, Showers” I say as I stand up to leave.

“As always, fly by anytime, my dear!”
“Oh, and one more thing, Showers!” I say quickly before I take off.

“ANYTHING, JUST NAME IT!”

“Do you think you could take in Lulu within the next couple weeks? I assume she will need to relearn her magical abilities. And if you could contact the flying coach as well, that would be fantastic.”

“That can be done!”

“Alright, thank you Showers, and good day mages.” I say as I launch myself away from the tower.

After we get Luna back into the swing of things, I will need to get Luna back up to snuff when it comes to basic knowledge of magic and flying. And as much as I fear the word, she will have to go back to...

School.

Even under the guidance and protection of myself, the royal guard, and Arcane Showers, I still worry for her. I don’t want her to go through the torment of her peers, but being the responsible pony I am, I know that she must learn that lesson most of all if she wants to rule at my side.

But still...

School...