Spike seemed to zone out a moment with a sense of confusion. “ There are zebras here? Zecora’s here? Nobody said anything to me and I haven’t seen any zebras in the castle.” The girls became deflated as they groaned. Spike waved his hands desperately, “ But, that doesn’t mean anything! The castle is a big place and there are going to be a lot of guests. I’ve also been really busy. Heck, I didn’t even know Zecora was here.” This seemed to cheer the girls up momentarily. They were distracted by some rustling in the bushes. A quick glance was all the sound got, though. The garden was full of animals, after all. It could have been a squirrel or bird, but most likely anything they could see at any time in Ponyville. At least, that was the case unless it was something particularly special, like Celestia’s phoenix or…did Luna even have a pet? A sneeze is what finally alerted them that it wasn’t some little woodland creature. Though they all obviously turned to the bush, Scootaloo still felt the need to ask, “ Did you guys hear that?” “ Is it a big animal, you think?” Apple Bloom asked. “ Sounds like a pony sneeze,” Spike replied casually. He walked towards the bush and pushed the foliage aside to reveal a young foal… “ A zebra!” “ A zebra?!” The girls repeated with shock and hope. They nearly tackled the baby dragon to get a glimpse of the young zebra, not much older than they. “ It is! It is!” Apple Bloom cheered. “ It’s a zebra!” “ A zebra?” Came a new voice. The young zebra cowered in the bush, the girls perked their ears and spun around while Spike remained trampled beneath their hooves. Standing behind them was the night princess herself, Luna. She came closer and lowered her head. She gasped as quietly as possible as she noticed something strange about this zebra. Her heart skipped a beat and she wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad feeling just yet. “ A…horn…” The girls seemed confused and vocally made it obvious with a united, “ Huh?” The little zebra foal carefully lifted her head to look at them. Large magenta eyes took them in. Another united sound came when they noticed that she did, indeed, have a horn on her head. “ She’s a unicorn?” Sweetie Belle asked. “ Or…is she a zebra?” “ Can a zebra be a unicorn?” Scootaloo asked. “ I never saw anything like that before.” “ To be fair,” Apple Bloom chimed in, “ we never saw such a thing as a regular zebra either until we met Zecora.” Luna saw the fear in the filly’s eyes and felt sad for her. “ Come out of hiding, little one,” she coaxed. “ Who might you be? How did you get out here?” “ My…name is Trinkets,” she replied shyly. “ My family came here. My sister was in the library and I got really bored waiting for her. I guess I got lost when I wandered off.” “ You don’t have to be scared of us!” Apple Bloom announced. “ My name is Apple Bloom.” She then motioned her hoof to identify the other two. “ This is Sweetie Belle, and that’s Scootaloo…and we’re…” The three stood together to say, “ The Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Scootaloo added, “ We are on a never-ending quest to find our cutie marks!” Trinkets stepped out further and looked at her flank. Stripes, yes. Cutie mark? No. “ I’ve been trying to get mine too. Everyone in my family has theirs already. Some of my brothers and sisters aren’t that much older than I am and they have theirs already. Not me, though.” “ Zebras get cutie marks too?” Scootaloo asked. “ Well, duh, Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom huffed with an annoyed expression. “ Didn’t you notice Zecora’s cutie mark?” “ Are you…a pure zebra?” Luna asked. “ Or…do you have a pony parent?” “ My dad is a regular zebra. My mommy is like me. One of my step-mommies is special too, but different.” “ Who are your parents?” Luna asked almost with a sense of desperation. “ My daddy name is Chief Zulu. My mommy’s name is Monochrome.” Luna didn’t recognize those names. Perhaps, she was mistaken. But then again, it had been thousands of years, right? Descendants? Could it be? “ You sound like you have a big family,” Apple Bloom said. “ I do too. The Apple family is huge.” “ Our family is kinda big,” Trinkets admitted. “ Hey!” Sweetie Belle shouted. “ She doesn’t speak in rhyme! I just noticed that!” Trinkets sighed as she lowered her head. “ We do talk like that. At least, we do around my dad and my step-mommy, and sometimes my mommy. My dad is really strict about it. He says, since we can’t speak our ‘original’ tongue, we have to speak our ‘second tongue’ so people can understand. Of course, he said it in some rhyming way. But, when we are by ourselves, my brothers and sisters don’t normally talk that way.” Luna mulled over her words and still tried to place that familiarity. Her ears perked when she heard Trinkets name being called across the garden. “ Is that your sister I hear?” Trinkets perked her ears and nodded, “ Yes. I’m over here!” “ Trinkets! You heard what Mom and Dad said about running off!” The older filly called as she galloped closer to the group. She stopped suddenly and eyed Luna with a sense of astounding. The Cutie Mark Crusaders all felt their mouths drop. “ Twilight?” Apple Bloom whispered. They were very different from each other, Twilight Sparkle and this zebra, but there seemed to be some things about them that felt familiar. This zebra seemed a little taller than Twilight Sparkle, but has some studious facial features. Her eyes were blue and she wore a brown jacket with a red shirt underneath as well as a red ascot. But, like the little zebra, this larger zebra also had a unicorn horn. On her flank was a cutie mark of a tribal mask. It was something they had never seen before. She stayed in that odd position in Luna’s presence for what felt like forever. The alicorn shifted her eyes nervously as she waited for some sort of movement, but it didn’t come. “ Hello?” She finally ventured. “ Princess Luna?” She breathed. After a nervous nod, she let out a squeak of excitement. “ I’m Antiquity. I’m am so honored to meet you.” “ I… Thank you,” Luna replied with an unsure tone. “ Pleasure to meet you, Antiquity. Just…how many zebras are there here?” Antiquity, though she had no fingers, lifted her head and bounced her hoof in the air as she counted in her head. “ Seven zebras in my family. My family is bigger than that though. But, only seven of us are actually zebras.” “ Are there any more like you and your sister?” “ My brother and mother have horns, my step mother has wings as does her son and daughter.” “ Wings?!” Luna gasped. “ It’s a special trait. Zebras normally don’t have horns and wings. There are small tribes that do, but they are pretty small and the gene is a special one for either of the traits. Zebras are neither unicorns nor pegasi, so classification is complicated.” “ You seem to know your history well,” Luna remarked. “ So, if zebras don’t have horns or wings…how did your family get them if they are zebras?” Sweetie Belle asked. “ It’s a long story, but a really neat one,” Antiquity replied. “ I would like to hear it,” Luna said, much to Antiquity’s surprise. “ You would?!” “ It would be nice to hear these tales again…to see how well I remember them.” “ Ooh, I think I’d like to hear them too,” Fluttershy boldly chimed in. She had admittedly been eavesdropping for quite some time since Antiquity entered the scene. The girls seemed enthralled with the idea of some new and exciting stories. “ Will you tell us how you got your cutie mark too?” Apple Bloom asked. Antiquity couldn’t help but laugh. “ It wouldn’t be the first time I had to tell that story. Trinkets asked me the same thing not too long ago. But, the stories will have to wait. We have to get back in. Father wants us all to meet the new princess. Frankly, I’m happy to meet all the princesses, period.” Luna smiled. It was the first time she had smiled in a while. Perhaps, this Grand Galloping Gala event wouldn’t be a total loss, after all. For the first time in a long time, she felt excited. She even craved the moment in time when she would be just like those fillies: all snuggled up with pillows in a room while Antiquity told historical tales. She could connect, once again, to a world she once knew and ponies she once knew. She could feel it. “ Come, then. Let me escort you back. I look forward to meeting your family.” She led the way with a train of zebras and ponies behind her. Spike was grateful. After all, he’d been caught under the hooves of the Cutie Mark Crusaders since Trinkets’ discovery. Now he could finally recover. “ Be…right…there,” he forced out, though they couldn’t hear. They were already parading through the garden and towards the castle, passing flora, passing fauna, passing a sun dial, a gazebo, and a pillar with Pinkie Pie posed atop of it with a bird perched on her nose. * It was rather exciting to see three princesses all in a row to meet the diplomats from so far away. Not only was it exciting for the court, but for Twilight Sparkle as well. She was nervous She hadn’t really done any of the political stuff yet. Normally, Celestia entertained diplomats. However, Celestia had mentioned that these guests were not here to make an audience with all the princesses for no reason. It was to greet the newest one, as it meant something special to their culture. Funny. Zecora had never mentioned anything about her princessdom being important to her culture in any way. A generic fanfare played as the doors opened. A large zebra stallion marched forward as if he were a king. He had the Mohawk sort of mane that Zecora had. He was a bright white rather than a grey-tone with prominent black stripes and accusing brown eyes. On his rump, his cutie mark was a large Zebra Tribal Mask. About his neck, he wore some sort of choker with a stone, perhaps a mark of his authority. He didn’t smile. His face spoke volumes that this Zebra was not the friendliest or most humorous. He took himself too serious. It was too obvious. Flanking the stallion on each side, was a Zebra mare. To his right was a very tall and slender white Zebra with a very oriental stare. She had pink eyes, and a dread style of mane and tail. Her cutie mark was a wasp, though her large black and white wings detracted from it. After all, who ever heard of Zebras with wings? To make the situation stranger, on the stallion’s left was a grey-tone Zebra mare, smaller, more pony-sized, like Zecora. Her eyes were light blue; bright-eyed sort, she was. She had a modern scraggily cut mane and a Zebra-style tail. Rather than a status choker, she wore an ascott. Her cutie mark was a telescope. Perhaps she was an astronomer? She also had…a horn? She had a horn! Behind them came another procession of Zebras. To the left was a young Zebra colt, grey-toned with a horn. He wore glasses, though a mark on his face showed he normally wore goggles. He had an odd Zebra cut mane, though felt far more modern than the others. A gaming paddle cutie mark attested to that. Antiquity flanked the far right so that they could chorale the younger Zebra siblings: Trinkets,a young colt not much older than Trinkets with a rainbow confetti explosion cutie mark and a pair of black sneakers on his hind hooves and a pair of wings, and a “tween” filly with wings and a fan of cards for a cutie mark. Twilight Sparkle had never seen so many Zebras before! Luna peered off to the side, noticing Zecora speaking to another tall and slender individual and keeping foals close by. Perhaps, that’s what Antiquity meant about “more of them.” That lot…they were not “pure” Zebras. Those before them now…they were Zebras through and through. Twilight Sparkle’s shock was evident and she nearly exploded with a visible urge to ask a ton of questions. Luna didn’t feel that surprise. After all, she’d seen this before. In fact, all the princesses had, save the new one. However, aside from Trinkets and Antiquity, Luna had no idea who these individuals were. The Zebras bowed respectfully with the foals coaxed to do the same. Celestia smiled and gave Twilight Sparkle a nudge. The young princess was confused at first, and then stammered before she found her tongue. “ Welcome to Equestria! I am…Princess Twilight Sparkle! You…stand before me, the mighty Princess Celestia, and the…uhm…” She tapped her head with her hoof but felt an absence of words “ …Princess Luna.” Needless to say, that got an odd visual retort from the dark mare. “It was the least we could do,” the mighty stallion spoke as he rose and locked eyes with Twilight Sparkle. It immediately intimidated her, “ …to come all this way in order to meet you. Congratulations we offer to thee, now let me introduce my family…” “ Oh! Yes, please do!” She replied with enthusiasm. “ I am the head of this family crew. I am the Mighty Chief Zulu,” he stated. He motioned his head to his left, “ I bring your attention to my left side, in order to meet my first bride. She is the first I brought home; this is Lady Monochrome.” He then switched sides. “ Now to another love of my life, let me introduce my second wife. Speed and grace is her thing. This is my dear Lady Zing Wing.” “It is a pleasure to meet you,” Twilight Sparkle beamed, but then raised her gaze, as if to quietly remind Zulu about that mass of offspring behind him. He noticed. “ Behind me, from dams Monochrome and Zing Wing, I present to you my offspring. To the right is mighty stock. That is my eldest son, Static Shock. Beside him is the youngest of the boys. His name happens to be White Noise. Beside him, you should know, is my dear daughter, Tarot. Isn’t she a lovely sort? Tarot Promonition is her name, but we call her Tarot for short. The next one, smaller than my smallest son, is Trinkets, my youngest one. The last is the oldest one, you see. That is Lady Antiquity.” Twilight Sparkle leaned into Celestia and muttered, “ They all talk like that?” Celestia merely giggled and it was Luna who pulled Twilight Sparkle close. “ It’s called Second Tongue. They adopted it as a second language so that they could speak to ponies clearly.” She sat back, and the three princesses watched as the family bowed respectively. “ Uhm…it is a pleasure to meet all of you!” Twilight Sparkle called to them. “ I hope you enjoy your stay here in Canterlot. Anything you need, feel free to ask, if it will make you comfortable! I hope you enjoy the Grand Galloping Gala! I would love for my good friends to meet you and make new friends.” “ So it’s true,” Antiquity smiled. “ The Princess of the Magic of Friendship!” She gasped when her whole family looked to her. Zulu glared almost disapprovingly. “ Ah! Uhm… Sorry, I, uhm…let my Second Tongue slip.” She looked over to Static Shock who gave a nod. It was a pathetic save, but one nonetheless. * “ So, you’re a teacher?!” Twilight Sparkle squeed as she spoke to Monochrome. “ We’re ‘royal wives:’ Me, Nightsong, and Zing Wing, so we don’t have to do a thing,” she sighed. “ However, I tend to, myself, get very bored if I cannot go about my own accord.” “ Do you teach general knowledge, or is it just astronomy?” “ Observing stars is a passion of mine. I love to see them move and shine. I never could pinpoint why, but there is just something magical in the night sky.” “ I’m glad you can appreciate it,” Luna joined in, startling Twilight Sparkle a little. She was so quiet. “ Luna, Monochrome was telling me about her life where she is from. I love learning about new things!” “ Your love of learning, I can see,” Monochrome laughed. “ You should therefore meet Antiquity. She has a love of history. I bet she’s itching to get back to the library.” “ She sounds so cool!” “ She is cool!” Rainbow Dash added, also joining the conversation as she hovered overhead. “ I asked her about the record for the fastest flying Pegasus in history! I told her about my sonic rainboom and she agreed to test me! I could be in the Equestria Book of World Records!. That makes it 20% cooler! No! No! More!” “ I hope you all enjoy the Gala. Do you have anything like it where you are from?” Applejack interjected. This group was starting to grow. “ There is a lot worth jubilation,” Zecora answered. “ Zebras have lots of celebration. The meaning is as deep as it can go, for it is for things that happened long ago.” “ With the oncoming winter soon,” Monochrome added, “ We’d be celebrating the Festival of the Moon.” To that, Luna gave a soft smile. She remembered a time when she had seen those festivals, even though it wasn’t an Equestria celebration. It was important to these Zebras…just as important as the sun to the Equestria ponies. Luna began to wonder if she should simply go with the Zebras back to their land. At least she’d be appreciated. “ A moon festival?!” Rarity gasped, seeming to pop out of nowhere from behind Twilight Sparkle’s wing. “ Oh, the inspiration! The night sky could be a muse all on its own! How romantic!” “ Is there music?!” Rainbow Dash asked. “ Is there food?” From Applejack. “ Are there…animals?” Came the ever timid Fluttershy. “ Are their gems?!” Spike asked eagerly. However, the glares he got made him pout. “ Uh, I…mean.. I bet that is a gem of a story. Too bad…I…uhm…have other things to do…” and with that, he trudged himself away. “ Yes, yes, every one of those things,” Monochrome nodded. “ We feast, dance, play music, and sing. Where we come from, it’s very hot. Then the moon came so it was not. The sun never went down all the way. It just would go to dusk and stay. It could bring down great defeat. Even Zebras can only take so much heat.” Along the other side of the reception, Pinkie Pie examined the crowd, separate from her group, of which she had still yet to meet. Everyone seemed as she remembered. All these elite ponies…so stuffy and…fashionable. Yes! This is what Rarity liked! She remembered, now! She looked around! She had to have fun for Rarity’s sake! But, how would she…aha! She caught sight of Prince Blueblood and bounced towards him. This was the pony Rarity liked, right? Celestia’s nephew? Come to think of it…who was this brother or sister Celestia and Luna had that spawned this jerk? “ Hi!” She greeted. “ You’re Prince Blueblood, right?” He looked at her and arched a brow. He curled a smile and replied with a simple Mmhmm, though kept his snoot to the air. “ Oh, well, I’m Pinkie Pie.” “ Ah, yes,” he replied. “ You’re one of Princess Twilight Sparkle’s little friends.” “ Wow, what a great memory! Or, was it a guess? Was it a guess?” She asked with a hyper tone. She perked and leaned her face in quickly, much to his surprise as she sniffed the rose in his lapel. “ Oooooh, that’s nice! I got one too! Look! Look!” She urged, pointed to a flower on her chest…from nowhere. Blueblood seemed highly confused by this strange mare, but…what could it hurt? He leaned down to smell the daisy only to get shot in the face with a stream of water. “ What in Equestria…?!” He sputtered. “ It’s the oldest trick in the book!” She laughed. “ Well, I’m not sure which book. I’ve read a lot of books. Even some old books too. But I never saw that in a book.” “ How dare you…” “ Dare? Oh, Truth or Dare now?! Wow, you’re fun! Uhm… okay, okay. Truth! Rarity was so wrong about you!” “ Rarity?” Blueblood perked. That name sounded familiar. He scratched his chin with his hoof as he thought. Why was that familiar. “ Oh, you remember, don’t you?” Came the voice of Fancy Pants who had been eavesdropping. “ She’s the fashionista friend of the young princess. A unicorn, I think. Real darling mare. Fancy tastes, that one.” Blueblood looked through the crowd and noticed Rarity among her friends talking with two of Zulu’s wives. “ Rarity…” he then gasped, “ Rarity! Yes, I remember now. The rude one!” He looked down at Pinky Pie and frowned. “ You’re one of Rarity’s friends?” “ Yep! My turn! Truth or dare?!” She cheered. Blueblood sighed and tried to walk away, only to run straight into her nose. She was fast! If she were a unicorn, he’d attribute it to a blink, but Pinkie Pie was an earth pony. How in the world…? “ Now, now, don’t be like that!” Fancy Pants encouraged as he rolled his hoof. It was enough to get the small band to play. A bump pushed the regal white unicorn onto Pinkie Pie, who took hold of him. “ Ooooh! Dancing! Now you’re talking! Let’s boogie!” He didn’t have a chance to regain his footing before Pinkie Pie led in the most spastic dance she could muster. Dips and spins, Blueblood found the whole thing dizzying. After one particular spin, he slipped and crashed by a refreshment table. “ He’s tripping the lights fantastic!” Fancy Pants laughed. “ Especially the tripping part!” To that, Pinkie Pie laughed and bounded over to the fallen prince. “ Whattaya wanna do now, Prince Blueblood? Huh? Huh?” “ Grrr, I want you to get lost!” He spat as he struggled to get himself up. “ But I’ve been here a lot,” she argued. “ I can’t get lost! I know my way!” “ Oh, you rotten, stupid, ditzy…” “ Hey!” She gasped and shoved her face into his. “ Watch it, Buddy! Ditzy is not stupid! It’s mean to pick on ponies who aren’t even here to defend themselves! Especially if you’ve never met them!” “ What?” He was confused. There was a pony named Ditzy? Who? What? And now the rabid pink pony was angry. “ Get away from me! None of you Ponyville commoners know how to behave around royalty!” “ Actually, it’s the job of a gentlecolt to know how to address a lady,” came a stern voice. Blueblood looked aside and noticed the young Zebra colt glaring at him through his lenses. “ You don’t need to be rude.” “ We know exactly how to act around royalty!” Pinkie Pie announced. “ Twilight is a princess! Geez, even Princess Celestia and Luna don’t act as high and mighty as you. Princess Cadence either!” “ Oh, what a spoiled brat,” Static Shock teased. “ You’ve never had to work a day in your life, have you? Y’know, where I come from, the royal bloodlines aren’t enough. You gotta prove you’re worthy of the title.” “ So you’re a prince too?” Pinkie Pie asked, suddenly no longer interested in Blueblood. Static Shock frowned a moment and gave the table a kick with his hind hoof. A dessert landed on Blueblood, much to the unicorn’s shock. Before he could voice his outrage, the punch bowl was next, courtesy of Pinky Pie. “ Here’s something to wash it down!” While it caused a small scene, it seemed to go easily overlooked. Perhaps Blueblood had simply offended too many ponies that they felt this was his…just dessert. Static Shock and Pinkie Pie decided to separate from the snootiness and walked out to the balcony. “ I must say, that was one wild display.” “ You’re not rhyming,” Pinkie Pie observed. “ Ah, that’s something I only have to do around my parents,” he explained. “ There’s really no need for it these days. My dad though, he’s a stickler for traditions.” “ So, are you a prince?” She asked again. “ Sort of. Really, we don’t have kings and queens and such. We have chiefs, but they are like royalty. So, in some ways, we are like that, and in some ways not. Depends on how you look at it, I suppose.” “ What was your name again?” She asked with a smile. “ Static Shock.” He noticed her glancing at his cutie mark and smirked, “ Games…” “ Pinkie Pie! Parties!” She announced. “ So, why was somepony like you trying to hang out with a stuck up guy like that?” “ I lost my friends,” she explained. “ We were waiting so long that we froze! And when I came to, everyone was gone! So, I swore to have fun at the Gala for all my poor friends!” Static Shock was a bit confused at first, but remembered the small group with Twilight Sparkle about his family. He had to laugh a little, but recovered quickly. He didn’t want to be rude. “ That’s terrible,” he said, though with a smile. “ I hope you find your friends again. I bet they aren’t as far away as you think.” “ They’re great! Rainbow Dash is a Pegasus and she’s going to be a Wonder Bolt! I have to do something really Rainbow Dashy. Fluttershy is a Pegasus too and she loved animals. I was out in the garden pretending to be a statue so the birds would sit on me! Applejack, she’s an apple farmer! She’s really dedicated. Hmmm, I should make something apple-y for the Gala in her honor! Yeah! Apple cupcakes!” “ Well, you dumped the punch. Grapes are a big thing where I’m from. One of the many fruits. Why don’t we make an apple medley to drink at the Gala?” Static Shock suggested. “ Then, you can say you did it for your Applejack friend.” “ Ooooh, good idea!” She cheered. “ You have such great ideas!” She rubbed her head. “ Twilight Sparkle is still around, so I don’t have to do anything for her. Rarity, she’s a dress maker in Ponyville! She’s the best! She’s rather fancy, and she’s always wanted to hob nob with the prince. It didn’t quite turn out last time, so I thought I’d try it for her. Didn’t work out this time either,” she sighed. “ Bad taste in princes,” he joked. He listened as the music began to play again. The mess must have been cleaned up. He looked back and grinned. “ How about you hob nob with me for her? You seem like a lot of fun. Who need this uptight reception? Let’s go do something more exciting out in the garden.” “ Like a game?!” She beamed. “ Exactly. I can’t stay all proper and quiet any longer. I need to run and yell!” “ Then, let’s go!” She announced. * Celestia looked up into the sky at the bright full moon. Luna came to land in front of her with a sigh. She was a bit concerned at first, but when she saw Celestia smiling, she assumed all was indeed well. “ That is a beautiful moon,” she said. “ The Gala will be perfect. Get ready and come out to enjoy the evening.” “ I’m not really in the mood,” Luna sighed. To that, Celestia frowned. “ Why won’t you at least try and tell me what is wrong?” “ I’m not entirely sure,” she admitted. “ I’ve just had some old memories is all. They will pass, I’m sure. It was just a deep pit in my stomach before, but seeing so many Zebras…t just brings it up even more.” “ You are not sorry they are here, are you?” Celestia asked. “ They came to see Twilight. Now, they can see all the princesses of Equestria: You, me, Cadence, and now Twilight Sparkle. This is special to them. A new alicorn princess…” “ I remember,” Luna almost snapped. “ That’s part of the problem. I just have this longing nostalgia that I can’t get rid of. They are here. We are here, Cadence is here, Twilight is here… but none of us are princesses of their land. We aren’t the reason they are here. You know very well what happens when a pony ascends into an alicorn and takes a throne. You do remember, don’t you, Sister?” Celestia’s face softened after a moment of surprise. She spoke gently with a hint of understanding, “ I see. You are waiting for that to happen again. You are waiting for him, aren’t you?” “ Twilight needs to face him if she is going to retain her crown,” Luna stated. “ She ascended, but he needs to deem her worthy.” “ I am not worried,” Celestia replied. “ She is worthy.” “ She is so young.” “ We were young too, Sister,” Celestia reminded. “ Cadence was young too. Ascension happens when it happens. Destiny decides when a pony is ready to ascend into alicornhood.” She tilted her head curiously to the side. “ You will not rest until he comes, will you? You should know he comes when he comes. No one expects him…and no one even remembers him…except those Zebras.” “ They remember stories,” Luna insisted. “ Not like us. We saw him. I don’t even know when he left.” Celestia thought a long moment, drowning out the celebration sounds. “ He left…before Nightmare Moon. He appeared once more afterwards…for Starswirl the Bearded. He was not worthy, and he did not ascend. So, he left that poor unicorn in a state no one need know. It never left the room that day, to preserve what remained of Starswirl’s dignity.” Luna said nothing after that. She simply looked away. The thought ran through her mind. Twilight Sparkle was an alicorn and a princess by default per Celestia’s say so. In this world, all was right. But, it was the next world…that other world that had to recognize it as well. Twilight Sparkle was still vulnerable…completely as mortal as her unicorn self. Would he find her worthy? Would he deem her princess enough to take the reins of immortality as the alicorn rulers had done before her? To Be Continued…