//------------------------------//
// II: Celestia's Visit 
// Story: Trinity 
// by MythrilMoth 
//------------------------------//

Princess Twilight Sparkle had just picked up her tea and settled in for an afternoon of light reading when Princess Celestia appeared in her study. "Twilight," she said in a breathless rush. "I need to speak to the Cutie Mark Crusaders at once."

Twilight very nearly spilled her tea. "Princess Celestia!" She turned around, setting her book and her cup aside. "Is something wrong?"

"No, just...unexpected," Celestia said. "Please, it's urgent."

Twilight frowned. "Alright, but it might take a little while to get them here. What's this about?"

Celestia took a deep breath, then smiled. "Something very unexpected...something that may very well be as important as your ascension."


* * * * *


It took half an hour for the two princesses to track the Crusaders down. They found them at Diamond Tiara's mansion, hanging out with their two newest friends and a crowd of their classmates by the pool.

Upon seeing the two princesses approach, the foals gasped and sent up a great cheer, crowding them. Celestia smiled out over the young ponies. "Good afternoon, my little ponies. I see you're enjoying a lovely day by the pool." She spread her wings. "I don't wish to disturb your little get-together, but I must speak with the Cutie Mark Crusaders for a little while."

The Crusaders looked at one another and blinked. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon exchanged a puzzled glance.

"We can use the atrium, Your Highness," Diamond Tiara said. She looked around at the crowd of schoolponies. "Alright, everypony! Be sure to keep things nice and clean out here! No using the pool as an outhouse!" She nodded to the Crusaders, who followed her around the side of the house; Silver Spoon followed behind them, with the two princesses bringing up the rear.

As Diamond Tiara led them to a spacious atrium lined with fancy columns, Celestia nodded to her. "Thank you...Diamond Tiara, was it? It's most gracious of you."

"Not at all, Your Highness," Diamond Tiara said, bowing. "Do you mind if Silver Spoon and I stay?"

"If it's alright with them," Celestia said, dipping her head to the Crusaders.

Apple Bloom nodded. "Sure, it don't bother me none."

"Me either," Sweetie Belle said.

"Whatever it is, we'd tell them sooner or later anyway," Scootaloo agreed. "Since we're friends now."

"And I'm delighted to hear that," Celestia said with a broad smile. She sat down; Twilight took a place at her side. "Very well. I'll get right to the point.

"I heard from Princess Twilight that there was an unusual magical reaction when you girls discovered your Cutie Marks. And I see that, aside from the slight difference in emblem, your marks are almost identical."

"Yeah. We figured out our special talent is helpin' other ponies figure out what they're supposed to be, what makes them happy," Sweetie Belle said.

Celestia smiled. "So I heard, and that is truly a remarkable special gift. But there is more to your destiny than you realize, my little ponies." She took a deep breath.

"There is a very rare type of magic that has not been seen in Equestria for thousands of moons. It is so rare that not even Starswirl the Bearded knew of its existence. I myself have only seen it take shape once in my lifetime." She swept her gaze over the three fillies. "It is called Trinity Magic, and you three have brought it back to Equestria."

Everypony blinked in confusion. "Trinity Magic?" Twilight asked. "I...I've never heard of it."

"Of course not, my student," Celestia said. "As I said, it has been thousands of moons since three ponies last possessed Trinity Magic." She stood and began to walk in a slow circle around the three fillies. "Trinity Magic...well, the simplest way to describe it is that it's very closely related to alicorn magic. Trinity Magic is created when an earth pony, a unicorn, and a pegasus find that they share a common bond of destiny." She stopped and looked at the Crusaders. "You fillies have shared a special bond of friendship for years. Now, you've learned that you share a bond of destiny. It is these bonds that have taken shape and created this rare type of magic."

The Crusaders looked at each other in confusion, then at their flanks. "So...we're like...some kind of mini-princesses?" Scootaloo asked.

Celestia chuckled. "Not quite, my little pony, but you do share something in common with Princess Twilight here." She looked over at Twilight. "Princess Twilight's role in Equestria is to spread the magic of friendship. Her friends are an important part of that role. She and her friends are the living spirits of the Elements of Harmony." She looked at the Crusaders. "The three of you have chosen your own destiny: the destiny of discovery. Of helping young ponies find their place in this world, just as the three of you have searched for your own destiny for so long." She smiled. "I heard that some time ago, you helped a pony named Troubleshoes discover the true meaning of his Cutie Mark, am I right?"

"Yeah, he thought it meant bad luck, an' we helped him see whut it really meant," Apple Bloom agreed.

"Well, that's part of what your new role in Equestria entails," Celestia said. "The three of you will not only be helping ponies who have not yet found their special talent, but also ponies who are living unfulfilled lives because they don't understand their own special talents—they don't truly understand what their Cutie Marks mean."

"Like me," Diamond Tiara said softly. "For so long, I didn't really understand...I thought what my mother wanted me to be was what I was supposed to be. Now I understand that..." She frowned. "That I can be a leader without demanding things for myself all the time. That I can act on behalf of others."

Celestia smiled. "That's very wise of you, my little pony." She looked back at the Crusaders. "You will be able to help ponies far and wide, both young and old, learn and grow and understand their own destines." She paused. "But there is much more to it than that."

"What else is there?" Scootaloo asked.

"Trinity Magic is a special form of the magic of friendship," Celestia said. "In many ways, it's similar to the Elements of Harmony, and it will only grow more powerful over time as you mature and grow and the bonds that unite you strengthen." She looked at each of the three fillies, then said, "By the time you have grown into mares, Princess Twilight may very well be calling upon you and the special power you possess to deal with the type of threat to Equestria I myself have asked her and her friends to face time and again."

Twilight looked mildly alarmed at this. "Are you serious?" she asked.

Celestia nodded. "Girls? I want you to stand flank to flank, close your eyes, and concentrate on your special talent. Think about what you've learned, think about the path you've chosen. Think about your strong friendship."

The Crusaders glanced at each other, shrugged, and did as instructed. For a long moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly, a wind stirred at their hooves. Bands of pinkish-red, light pink, and fuschia magic swirled around them, rising and falling and spinning and tilting. Then, with a loud, clear, ringing chime, a big, bright pink heart shot straight up into the air, hanging in the sky above Diamond Tiara's mansion. Inside it were the bright purple silhouettes of a music note and a lightning bolt.

The fillies opened their eyes, stepped away from each other, and stared at one another with wide eyes. "Whoa," Scootaloo said.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon stared at them with gaping jaws and wide eyes. Twilight Sparkle had a similar expression on her face. "Princess Celestia, what..." Twilight shook her head. "HOW?"

Celestia laughed. "Surely you of all ponies understand the magic of friendship when you see it, Twilight."

"Well, yeah, but..."

"As I said, Trinity Magic is extremely rare." Celestia shook her head. "I had honestly never expected to see it appear in Equestria again. Now that it has, I must prepare you three for what lies ahead."

"Umm...do we have to..." Sweetie Belle pawed the ground nervously. "Like, leave Ponyville or go on some epic journey or something?"

"No, my little pony," Celestia said. "Not as such. Not yet. Not for years, perhaps. But one day, your destinies will take you far across Equestria. For now, you need to learn how to fulfill your destinies, and I believe the best place for you to start is right here in Ponyville." She smiled. "There are some special magical artifacts I must retrieve from deep within the protected vaults in Canterlot. They're relics I created for the last ponies who possessed Trinity Magic. Once I return, I'll have much to teach you." She glanced over at Twilight. "Also, I believe that your map may very well summon these three fillies to help solve friendship problems. Problems that might just require their unique talents."

Twilight's ears wilted. "Greeeeat, MORE getting to sit around doing nothing while other ponies get to go off on friendship adventures." She shook her head. "Still, I can't be too upset about that. Not now. Not when these three finally found their destiny."

Celestia laughed lightly. "Alright, then. You girls go back to the party. Enjoy yourselves. You're only young once, so make the most of it. You have a long time ahead of you to worry about your destiny, after all."

"We've got all the time in the world," Scootaloo said with a grin. "Come on, girls! Let's hit the pool!"

"YEAH!" the other fillies chorused. They raced off, giggling.

Once the two princesses were alone, Twilight walked up beside Celestia. "This Trinity Magic..."

Celestia sighed and draped a wing over her. "Come with me to Canterlot. I have much to tell you."