//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 - Resolution // Story: All the King's Mares (Book 1/3) // by AdrianJNovelle //------------------------------// It was a while before Twilight regained consciousness. It seemed that some time had passed - give or take several hours - before she woke up. The environment around her was warm: not hot, but warm. It was the heat of Tartarus which kept her warm through the night and let her know that she was still breathing despite having just survived the casting of a spell which very nearly killed her. She slowly opened her bruised eyes, finding herself in the center of the platform where her battle against King Sombra took place. The clouds had receded, revealing a bright, blue sky. She limped up, gradually crawling to her hooves. She stood upright, barely able to keep her balance. She took a brief look around Tartarus. It seemed just like a regular desert now: warm, dry, and calm. She started on her way back through the cave, down the mountain, across the valley, and then a straightaway path down to Ponyville. There, the instant one pony noticed her presence, the whole town erupted with animation. "Twilight! Twilight!" everyone shouted gaily. A mob of happy, excited ponies swarmed around her. Her friends and Spike inched their way to the front of the chaos. "Twilight! Oh my gosh!" Spike exclaimed. "Your horn! Are you alright? We thought you were dead!" "Hey, guys," Twilight said softly. "I'm fine. Really, I'm fine." She cringed from pain. "That's certainly hard to believe," said a familiar voice. The source was none other than Princess Celestia. "You don't look very well, Twilight." "I'm fine," replied the unicorn. She cringed again. "I wouldn't be telling you that if it wasn't true." "What happened to your horn? It's clean off your head!" Twilight glanced up her forehead. She sighed, looking down at the her hooves. "King Sombra crashed into me and smashed my horn...the pain was intense at the time...it doesn't hurt now, though." "Twilight, without your horn, you won't be able to cast spells. You will be as magical as an earth pony." "That's okay, Princess Celestia," Twilight's sincerity was undeniable. Her tone was so gentle and so quiet, you could feel the pain she was in. "No it's not!" protested the Princess. "You're my faithful student, and quite the magician. Hardly anypony in history has exceeded your potential in magic. And you don't wish to try to restore your horn? I'm sure there's something we can do!" "No...that's okay," repeated Twilight. "I don't need magic." Everypony gasped. "Don't need magic? Well what in Equestria do you mean by that?" "Because," Twilight began. "My job here in Ponyville was to learn about the magic of friendship. I am honored to have been studying that field with real unicorn magic since I moved here from Canterlot...It was the magic of my friendship which let me cast that spell. Right before I cast it, I could feel everyone in my heart contributing to my effort, even though you had all been brainwashed by King Sombra to kill me...I would not have survived that spell if you all had not done that...I would have lost my life...I literally owe my life to my friendship with everyone...and, for the safety I have received...I am more than willing to lose my horn at the cost of my study with magic; because I know that, no matter what, I will have the magic of my friendship to protect me." A tear rolled down several cheeks. "Very well, Twilight Sparkle," began Princess Celestia. "But will you at least allow me to perform a cosmetic spell to at least make your horn look healthy?" Twilight pondered that question. "...Yes, I would like that." "So, I guess that means I'm leaving Ponyville?" Twilight asked Princess Celestia later in the Canterlot Castle, after her horn was restored. "You would," began the Princess. "But it has occurred to me that there are perhaps more aspects of friendship to learn and study than what magic alone could ever teach you." "Oh? But...but I failed you, Princess." "Failed me? How so?" "I had to fight King Sombra alone, even though Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor were with me...I abandoned them...I-" Princess Celestia raised a hoof of silence. "I know you care about your friends...that is why you abandoned them." "I don't quite understand." "You knew that there was no way you could bring them to the battle. You went ahead and fought King Sombra because you knew that if you succeeded, you'd not only save your friends, but everyone in Equestria. I could not be prouder of you for your nobility, Twilight." Twilight blushed. "It is for that reason why I am not revoking you of your mission in Ponyville to study the magic of friendship. Without magic, you are a mere earth pony with a horn. Regardless, there is still plenty to learn, study, and discover about friendship, Twilight. You can spend your free time working on your friendships, studying astronomy as I know you do, and maybe even settle down, get married, and have some kids." "What? I feel as though that stopped making sense." Princess Celestia hestiated to continue. "Um...forget everything after astronomy. But you love to read and learn new things, Twilight: I have come to understand that losing your horn is probably not the worst thing to ever happen to you." "Well, I do love studying astronomy...but what about my cutie mark?" "What of it?" "It doesn't mean anything anymore!" "I beg to differ, Twilight." Princess Celestia leaned in. "Your cutie mark doesn't have to be referring to your special talent as being handy with your horn, but just plain magic in general. You're very magical, Twilight: don't ever forget that." "Hey, Twilie!" Shining Armor exclaimed from afar. Twilight excused herself from the Princess and lingered over to the window, where he, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Princess Cadence were standing below at the foot of Canterlot Castle. "Hey, Shining Armor, what's up?" "Pinkie Pie's throwing a I'm-glad-Twilight-isn't-dead party! And we can't start without you!" "I'll be right down!" Twilight returned to the Princess. "I don't suppose I can continue my training tomorrow?" The Princess smiled. "Take as long as you need," she replied. Twilight smiled back, said goodbye to the Princess, limped downstairs, and met up with her friends. They started off on their way back to Ponyville. "I'm so glad we could finally meet up when we're not in peril," laughed Princess Cadence, slowing down to match Twilight's pace. Twilight laughed and smiled.