//------------------------------//
// The Proclamation 
// Story: A New Age 
// by Floofy Dragonpony 
//------------------------------//

     Princess Twilight stepped onto the balcony jutting out from the side of the castle. Every pony in the courtyard below stooped to one knee.
Bartleby, the princess' advisor, walked in front of her and looked down at the ponies assembled below. "Long live Princess Twilight!" he cried.
"Long live Princess Twilight," echoed the crowd. After saying this, they all stood.
"Princess Twilight would like to make an annou-"
"Out of the way, Bartleby," Princess Twilight said in a low voice. Although she had not spoken loudly, her voice echoed through the courtyard.
Looking slightly annoyed, Bartleby bowed low and stepped back, allowing Twilight to take his place.
Princess Twilight looked at all of the ponies gathered below her with her good eye. The other was scarred and milky white. "Ponies of Canterlot and beyond," she said, keeping her voice at the same, solemn volume as she had when addressing Bartleby. "I have called you here to make an announcement. Though the war was a long and hard one, I now return Equestria soldiers to you, no longer unsure volunteers, but proud victors."
As she said this, the doors below her opened, and a stream of stallions and mares poured out. There were a few joyous cries as old faces were found, and many hugs. Twilight watched this with a look of growing disapproval. "That is quite enough. If I may hold your attention, please. That is not all I have to say."
Hundreds of eyes stared at her, soldiers and citizens alike.
"Princess Celestia and Luna... Shall not be returning."
There were muffled gasps and cries from the crowd, but Princess Twilight silenced them with a hoof. "They have gone their separate ways, and it is highly unlikely they should ever return here."
Some ponies, at his point, turned to their friends who had been fighting in the war. What did Twilight mean? We're they to be ruler-less? The soldiers, who had been sworn to secrecy, kept silent.
"Who's going to raise the sun and moon, now?" a bold stallion called out.
Twilight looked at the outspoken pony and raised an eyebrow. "I will, of course. Celestia and Luna have been teaching me their duties."
"Well, okay, then, but what about a ruler? Somepony has to lead us."
"A constitutional Democracy!" a voice cried out, and there were a few snickers.
"I will, of course," Twilight replied, ignoring the laughter.
This statement fell upon silence.
Bartleby emerged from the castle- no pony had noticed him leave- bearing a purple pillow with a golden crown atop it. Twilight knelt to allow him to place it on her head, and something sinister flashed through his eyes. No one noticed, however. The look was gone as quickly as it had come. Bartleby nestled the crown atop her head gently, and Twilight rose.
"All hail Queen Twilight!" Bartleby shouted.
The crowd of ponies echoed him in a subdued tone.
"Queen?" the same stallion from earlier called. "Why 'Queen'? Why not 'Princess'?"
Twilight's ear flicked slightly in annoyance. "Celestia and Luna used the term 'Princess' because they were sharing the position. I call myself 'Queen' because I rule alone."
"Well, that's stupid. It's been that way forever! Celestia and Luna never..."
Twilight rose to her full height "Do I look like either Celestia or Luna to you?"
"... No?"
"That settles it, then," Twilight growled. She and the stallion stared one another down, until he finally broke the silence. "Where's Celestia?"
Twilight's ears flattened against her skull. "Would you prefer Celestia over me? Is that it?"
"No, but..."
"Guards," Bartleby said sternly.
There was a rattle of armor as the royal guard in the courtyard snapped to attention.
"Escort this stallion away. He's upsetting the Queen."
Two guards nodded and waded through the crowd toward to the pony in question.
"Hey!" the stallion cried. "This is an abuse of power! ABUSE OF POWER!!!!" The guards ignored him as they led him away
The crowd began to murmur again. Twilight, obviously much calmer, now, called for quiet. "I have but one more thing to say." The crowd, newly interested, went silent.
"As my first act as Queen..." Twilight paused, looking at everypony- "... I hereby outlaw friendship."

Twilight

The crowd before me erupted into a chorus of gasps and outraged cries. I kept my face impassive.
"You'll thank me for it one day," I said simply, and walked back into the castle that was now mine, leaving that slouch Bartleby to mop up whatever mess I had apparently created.
They just don't understand.
They have no idea what pain, what hardship friendship creates. The world would be better without it.
I had just saved all of Equestria.
And nopony, it appears, is grateful...
Stupid foals.
I bit my lip to keep from crying. My first day on the job, and already I was screwing things up.
Quickly, I tried to regain my composure, just in case any servants happened to be around. That Twilight, the old one who cried at the drop of a hat, was gone. I had a country that depended on me. I couldn't show weakness. But...
Looking around to be sure no one was nearby, I bolted to my excessively large bedroom and locked the door behind me, just as the sobs began to wrack my body. Oh, Celestia, Luna, I can't run Equestria without you... And especially not without...
I continued to sob silently, spiraling completely out of control.
Everypony is depending on me. I can't be like this, the rational part of my brain whispered. However, once the tears started coming, they were impossible to stop.
Oh, Celestia, why did you have to choose me...