“Uh, I... I... eh,” Twilight responded.
“Thou must forgive my traveling companion,” Rarity interceded. “She hath used her skills to bring us a far way on our journey today, and I believe she hath overtaxed herself. Lady Rarity, at your service.” She bowed her head respectfully.
“Starswirl of Canterlot,” the wizard replied.
“Starswirl the-” Twilight began, her mind finally able to wrap around the situation, “th-the wizard,” she caught herself in time. No beard. Not yet. Of course not, silly. Everypony is young once. Even him. “I've heard thy name in my studies, 'tis an honor to make thine acquaintance. I am Twilight Sparkle.”
“The honor is mine,” Starswirl exchanged nods with her. “Always a pleasure to meet a fellow member of the academy. I must ask, in what tome had thou seen such spells?” He pointed to the sketches on the ground, now partially obscured by the settling dust from their spell. “I have some curiosities about weather spells, and perhaps it would aid my studies.”
“Ah, I... read it in our library, in a town on the western sea,” Twilight quickly fabricated. “Had I brought it with me, thou would be welcome to borrow it. Alas, we were forced to travel light and swift.”
“Always the books that get left behind,” Starswirl sighed, shaking his head with regret. “If it's not intruding, Lady,” he turned to Rarity, “what brings thee hither in such haste?”
“Well, we-” she looked to Twilight, who nodded reassuringly, “we seek a treaty with Princess Chrysalis, that we might aid each other in these troubled times.”
“Can anypony tell me why they're talking like Princess Luna?” Applejack whispered.
“That's how they talked back then, silly!” Pinkie Pie whispered back. “Or, back now?”
Twilight could barely hear them, so she was sure Starswirl couldn't. Still, his ears twitched a little as he said. “As fortune should have it, I happen to be part of the guard of an ambassadorial mission from Canterlot to Aurelia for the same purpose. Perhaps we should travel together?”
“So everypony talks that fancy stuff?” Rainbow Dash whispered.
“I don't think so,” Fluttershy whispered back. “When I was reading through the Hearth's Warming Eve script notes, it sounded like it was mostly leftover from the old Unicorn Kingdom.”
“Oh thank Celes-” Applejack began, slightly louder, before she noticed Twilight Sparkle glaring at them. The earth pony smiled reassuringly at her friend, dropping her whisper below what Twilight could hear.
“Lady, I suggest we take the offer,” Twilight Sparkle urged. For safety. And so we know the way. Yes, that's it. Nothing more. She wasn't fooling herself, and clearly Rarity could read her as well, and teased her by looking lost in thought, considering the offer.
“Since thou hast heard of this gentlecolt before, I will rely on thy judgment,” she finally answered. “Very well.”
“Excellent,” he said. “Gather your entourage,” he nodded to the others politely, “and follow me to the road.” He lifted the bundled cloak carefully and headed in the direction he and the dragon had come from. The others moved up to the unicorns, smiling broadly.
“Best get it out of yer system, sugarcube,” Applejack said evenly. And only then did Twilight realize how broadly she herself was smiling. She inhaled deeply.
“Omigosh it's Starswirl the Bearded except he's not bearded yet and he's like the greatest unicorn magician that ever existed and... and... he said I was impressive!” Twilight almost squeaked at the end.
“He seems very nice,” Fluttershy smiled.
“I like his bells!” Pinkie Pie added.
“He's a genuine gentlecolt of quality,” Rarity said blushing slightly. “We'd best catch up.”
“Whatever you say, Lady Rarity,” Iris Dash prodded with an exaggerated bow. Rainbow Dash grinned at the statement.
Rarity snapped her head forward, neck straight, horn high, and lips tight, refusing to take the bait.
The rounded a low hill and Twilight could see the procession ahead.
“Damn foal risks!” the lead guard shouted angrily at Starswirl, so that they could hear him even at a distance. “And for what?”
“Unless thou hast a dragon's egg of which I'm unaware, Captain,” Starswirl replied coolly, “Then I currently surpass thy count by two Rarities,” he flourished a bow as he stepped aside, allowing the captain to see their group.
Hearing the cue, Rarity further strained the formal stiffness of her posture as she approached, still managing to make it look natural and fluid, and the guard bowed. “Lady,” he said gruffly. He turned back to the wizard. “Still, you'll have to answer to her.”
“I will, when she returns to us,” Starswirl retorted, an edge to his voice that spoke of danger far greater then the tornado he'd just whipped up. Despite himself, the captain shifted nervously. Starswirl turned to Rarity, and shifted his expression back to such a welcoming one, Twilight wondered if she'd just imagined the menace in his voice. “Come, you all must meet the ambassadors.” He called ahead as the guards parted “I've brought thee gifts!”
“To what end? I'm not worthy of them,” a sullen voice muttered back.
Twilight stopped advancing immediately, one hoof in the air mid-step. The others tripped over each other at the sudden halt, confused. No, they wouldn't recognize that voice as easily. The voice that had been calm reassurance through her youth, the voice that guided her, buoyed her through failures, praised her through success. Yet, bitter beyond words - that was different.
So was her appearance. Her white fur seemed sallow and dusty. Her mane and tail were a dull gray, and her wings hung droopily at her sides. The sun that was her cutie mark was a dim, darkened bronze.
“Nonsense, Princess Celestia” Starswirl said, smiling reassuringly. “Thou hast always sought the egg of a rare creature, and few are more rare than this.” From his cloak, he produced the rescued egg, lavender with dark purple spots. He floated it over to her.
“How would we even open it?” Celestia muttered. “Worthless.” She stared down her nose at Starswirl. If he took the comment personally, he didn't show it. “We shall take it to His Majesty the king when we return to Canterlot.”
Suddenly, the egg glowed black and floated to a small black filly, who wrapped her hooves around it. Luna stuck her tongue out at her sister. The little alicorn also seem faded, more gray than black, and there wasn't a single twinkling in her mane. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, pounding her hooves against the ground in a silent pout.
“It's not right,” Twilight Sparkle said, barely failing to choke back the words.
“'Tis not,” Starswirl sighed, speaking just above a whisper. “I'm afraid Discord did what he could to restrict their power before he sent them on this foal's errand.” He stomped his hoof against the ground in anger. “He wrested the sun and moon from them, and those now dance at his whim like the rest of Equestria.”
“King Discord,” Celestia corrected sharply, scowling. “Take care to show a little respect to our king, lest you find yourself accused of treason!”
“Thou once thought otherwise,” Starswirl said in a low, even tone. “I daresay if not enchanted, thou would think so still, but alas,” he turned to Twilight again, before concluding, “I've not ever seen a spell like it.”
“I have,” Twilight interjected. Her horn was already glowing, the spell conjuring itself up in response to her emotions, through the throbbing pain of exhaustion. I can't see her this way!
“Hold on, there!” Applejack took a swing at her tail with her teeth, but Twilight Sparkle anticipated the intercession and teleported a half-step from the princess.
“Hold still, princess, this won't hurt.” As she moved in with her horn, Twilight was vaguely aware of the royal guard beginning to react to her sudden move. Starswirl was motionless on the edge of her vision, his expression a myriad of concerns, and she could hear him asking everypony to wait. Then, Twilight's horn made contact with Celestia, and she pushed the energy she had into the memory spell.
With her friends, she knew or could guess what memories played through their minds when she cast it. With this young princess, she had no idea what she was remembering. Come to think of it, I don't really know much about her future self's past at all, either. As she exhausted her magical energy, the throbbing pain became more of a searing one, interrupting her thoughts. She closed her eyes and focused everything on completing the spell. Her legs became wobbly, and she was about to collapse, when a head was suddenly supporting her side.
“That's enough, young one,” a gentle, familiar voice reassured her. Once she had her footing, Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes, and could see the reassuring smile of her young teacher, flowing pink mane above her friendly eyes. Her fur was pristine white and her cutie mark almost seemed to reflect the sun on the horizon, which seemed now to be shining directly at her with its full radiance, but nowhere else. “Everypony, hold!” She added, standing to full height, in what was unmistakably the Royal Canterlot Voice. In the confusion, the guards had tried to stop Twilight, and her friends had interceded on her behalf. Various scuffles froze where they were, at her command.
“Princess, these assassins-” The captain of the guard began, but stopped as he turned to face the princess. “Oh.” His sour face slowly softened, his mouth opening in awe.
“Thou hast returned to us, Dearest Highness,” Starswirl said. “All hail Princess Celestia!”
“Nay!” she said quickly as the entourage prepared to bow. “Save thy show of respect for this young wizard who has reminded us who we are! What is thy name, young one?”
“T-Twilight Sparkle.”
“Then, our thanks, Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia said, bowing to her. The entourage followed, and to avoid standing out, Twilight's friends all followed suit, though they shot Twilight glances that varied between confusion and irritation.
Twilight was overwhelmed by the moment, but once every head was down, she became more aware of a single filly next to her who wasn't bowing, but still glared at her, silent and sullen. “Thy gratitude is heartwarming beyond words,” she said weakly, “but premature.” She lit her horn again, feeling pain and heat all the down her flank this time, and she brought it to bear on young Luna. The spell began to work, but she could feel the light of her horn fading, until she felt another horn near hers, a familiar presence pushing a surge of power into her spell. It will be enough, and Twilight smiled gently before her consciousness faded away.