//------------------------------// // Moment to themselves. // Story: Twilight's Magic // by BubbleyBathTub //------------------------------// Celestia sat beside Twilight, sighing. Her student looked up at her hesitantly. "I'm sorry Twilight, I'm just-" the words stuck in her mouth. "under stress is all. I didn't mean to frighten you." Celestia's wing fell over her, and suddenly Twilight felt like a foal again, laying under the massive wing. So often they would get together in the night, as Celestia would read books near the fireplace. Now with so many disasters at hoof it felt there was no time to waste with such trivial things. "Celestia, I'm scared..." It was not often her title was dropped, and Celestia could feel the genuine concern ebbing from Twilight. She paused to compose herself. "I- I battled Nightmare Moon and- and Discord but then I had my friends and now I just don't know-" she broke into sobs. "but this time I DON'T KNOW! and I'm so scared!" As Twilight sobbed Celestia wing reached around and comforted her, as Twilight nestled into the feathers Celestia forgot how much of a mother she was to Twilight. She didn't mind when her white wings grew dirty. It was at long last when somepony broke the silence. "Tia, don't worry. I will oversee any more problems at the castle." She turned to leave. "Luna," she met her gaze. "you must get your sleep." "And you yours my dear sister. Tis' but one day, and you are long overdue for a nap." Celestia sighed as if to say something, but instead met Luna's eyes and nodded. Her midnight wings caught air as she gallantly flew into the distance. As Luna left Fluttershy suddenly realized herself. "Oh, um princess, I'm sure you came along time, and well, I was wondering if you would like some tea- I feel it relaxes me, and maybe you're overdue for a nap, not to say your lazy, your highness-" Celestia watched with a glint of laughter in her eyes, as she did when anypony was nervous around her. "I just mean that you seem a little high-strung, not to say you're mean or anything-" Celestia let out a small, terse chuckle. "Some tea would be lovely." "Okay." Fluttershy managed to squeak out. She zoomed to what Celestia would assume was the kitchen. Rarity yawned, stretching her shoulders, no doubt tired. Celestia's eyes met her's and they both stopped, staring at each other for some time. Rarity bowed. "Good day Princess." She shifted akwardly, trying to read Celestia's unmanagable face. She refrained from squinting, trying to try to get any reading from the Princess's face. Celestia chuckled, "I suppose it is." A moment paused, "So, I guess I have to back to my boutique, I do have dresses to sew and all kinds of things to do so..." Rarity slowly backed up to the door, giving the princess a terse bow before running outside. She sighed in relief, trotting contently to her house. "You do have the oddest choice in friends Twilight." Celestia looked down at her student, masquerading as somepony who wasn't tired beyond belief. Celestia sighed contently, bringing her head down on the floor. "What do say that we lay down on those fluffly pillows in the corner there and take a long, nice nap." "I never thought you would ask." Twilight stood, slightly limping to the pillows arranging some sort of nest around her. Celestia joined, and soon they both realized how exhausted they were. Fluttershy brought forth the tea, and after a single cup, they both had fallen fast asleep. Fluttershy left, no doubt to take care of her precious animals. Hours passed and soon the night rose as promised. Celestia dreamed with her sister, not as communication, but as she supposed normal ponies did, thinking of relatives deep into their dreams. Twilight dreamt of galloping in the sun, and for once, she did not have nightmares, not one in her slumber. The sun was bright and warm on her fur. The world seemed content at that moment, so still and silent as it let the ponies recover. Clouds passed as it did not rain and the worries of the world seemed so distant. They had stopped for the night. Silver Spoon readjusted her glasses, akwardly placing them as a hoof almost in disbelief of what she saw. "And this, my dear friend, is the army you will be feeding." The smooth and gentle voice had betrayed the words, so distant from the voice of war. It's warmth felt akward against the content of its meaning. Silver Spoon stared ahead. There had to have been hundreds, thousands of these soldiers, each one encased in alien, green goo. The world slowed as she counted them, almost obsessively until she no longer could distinguish how many were in the distance. They were all foals, small, petite things sucking their tails in their embryos. "How many?" the words were whispered. "Thirty thousand." it was said with a smile. The words rattled around in Silver Spoon's brain. Thirty thousand. Thirty thousand infants, each growing with no doubt tremendous amounts of love. Each one of these creatured devoured love. Each one of them gobbled it up as candy. How much love would they need to produce to feed so many? "Do- do I eat love?" A dry chuckle escaped the mares lips. "No, you make love silly. You are one of a kind, in that you can love. I want you to know that I'm showing you this, so you know you're on the winning team. We will win this war-" "What war?" Silver Spoon interrupted. "The war against Nightmare Moon."