(Twilight)
***
A sphere of golden light emanated forty feet outward from her horn.
My light spell is a lot more powerful than I remember.
How did I survive that fall? It must have been close to 400 barrels, she thought, looking at the large hole in the forest canopy. There was also a slight depression in the soft soil at her hooves.
Wait, why am I wearing Celestia’s shoes…“In the name of Celestia why…why am I Celestia?”
“Did I just take the body of the ruler of Equestria?”
Either that or I possessed her body and any second now, Celestia is going to scream furiously at me and she will have to live in her mind, where she would hate me for all eternity.
“Celestia? Are you in there?”
Twilight stopped running in circles to listen closely…No answer. She let out a sigh, but the stress was still getting to her.
“It’s okay Twilight. This just means you’re probably the biggest criminal in all Equestria.” The crazed look from earlier that day crept back to her face.
“No, it was an accident. All I have to do is contact…me or Celestia me, and switch back. If she could forgive me for hypnotizing an entire town, then Celestia could forgive me for taking her body, right?”
The owl she was lamenting to just turned its head around and back. It gave a blank stare. “Oh what do you know?”
“Ah!” A crinkling sound made her jump, as a scroll materialized before her.
Princess Celestia…
…“Into an enormously huge, entire town in total chaos, Princess has to save the day problem!”
More craziness, that is just what I needed right now, Pinkie. Twilight was reading a PS about Spike and modesty when a second letter sailed in.
This isn’t Spike’s claw writing. It looks like…“Celestia’s!” She began to read, with eagerness and fear.
Twilight Sparkle,
Sometimes we can get caught up in the fear of current events and lose a chance to learn something. It is important to step back and take deep breaths.
“Today I learned, not to touch Celestia’s flank.” The alicorn started to breathe easier, as it didn’t look like Celestia would be sending her to the moon. I guess she can’t right now anyway, she thought letting out a short, hysterical giggle.
She continued reading.
Calmly understand the scope of things. Panic will only lead to more problems for both of us. I believe that you can raise the sun in my absence, and everything will be fine.
The next part of the letter contained diagrams, graphs and equations about the sun. It appeared to be instructions for positioning the large ball of plasma.
“Wait, she…I…want…raise…sun?”
A castle guard was posted on a balcony overlooking the forest. He spotted a golden globe of light expand out like a blinding explosion and then shrink below the tree line.
Remember what I just told you. Just take deep breaths. I have the utmost faith in you.
The words and the realization that Celestia knew something like that would happen was a slight comfort.
The specifics on how the sun and moon are moved by alicorn magic are in the Great Historical Magics wing of the Canterlot Archives. I will be back before Nightmare Night. Do your best to fulfill my duties while I find a way to Canterlot.
I am excited to share what we learn from this, once we meet again. For the time being, you may address letters to me as Twilight Sparkle.
Your dedicated teacher and mentor,
Celestia
PS: It is of the utmost importance that my sister knows nothing of this. In addition, the guards will probably be there soon; you should come up with a good excuse.
Huh? Excuse for what?
“Who is out here? Show yourself.” The male voice sounded oddly familiar.
Oh, That.
Think, think…Twilight racked her thoughts for a good excuse, but she couldn’t get her mind over the familiarity of the voice.
There was a rustling of foliage from many different sources and they seemed to be getting closer.
“I found some… Princess Celestia?” One of the royal guard was stunned.
He froze at the sight of the sun goddess, covered in dirt, with twigs and branches tucked in her normally perfect mane. His voice had trailed off at the mention of her name.
“What did you find, soldier…” A white stallion’s voice also trailed off, at the sight of the nervous disheveled form.
“Bro…Shining Armor, you’re blinding me with your magic.” That was close.
“Sincerest apologies, your highness, I just wasn’t expecting…this.” The captain of the guard gave a bow, jabbing his stupefied companion to do the same.
“What has happened here, your highness... if you don’t mind me asking of course?”
If I don’t tell them something they might suspect me, but he’s my brother. Could he tell if I lied?
I got it! I have to time it just right...
A dozen more guards filled the small clearing in the wood.
“I was flying back to the castle from Ponyville, when one of my shoes fell off into the wood.” Celestia’s form stomped at the ground with great force. The magically enhanced stomp caused them all to flinch. It was just enough time to pull of the teleportation of a small gold object.
“I have been growing more frustrated by the minute… oh, there it is.” She levitated the gold accessory from a spot nearby, slipping it on her back hoof.
Please don’t notice I started with four shoes.
“That would explain the why you were out here, but why are you so… um… covered in nature?”
“Yes, well… I dived after it, the shoe you see, and accidentally slammed into those tree branches there, and then I crash landed right there. ”
“And the flash of magic was…?”
“An expression of my utter rage and frustration at my own foolishness and inability to simply locate my lost shoe,” Twilight replied almost too casually.
“Right…well, do you require an escort to the castle your highness?
“No, that is not necessary. I have business at the Canterlot archives. You may return to your posts.”
Shining Armor saluted, and then departed with the rest of the guards.
Way to go, Twilight. That was the best you could come up with? She restrained herself from a face-hoof, settling with a mental one instead. If only my brother knew he was taking orders from his sister.
With a flash, she was at her old study with the scrolls and books she had picked up from the archives. Being a Princess made it easy to gain access to the restricted collections. By the look of the librarian, she did not appreciate her filthiness, but being a princess helped with that too. The large hourglass, the shelves of her book collection and the large glass window facing the castle were a comforting sight. No time for nostalgia. I must start studying. Twilight set down the two letters from earlier, on the end of the large desk.
In case somepony came looking for her, her study would be the last place anypony should look.
“Good evening, sister.”
Or so she thought.
“Eeep!” Twilight yelped. “I’m so sorry, Princess Luna.” This is bad, this is bad, this is bad. She has been around more than 1000 years. I have no hope of pretending to be her sibling.
The moon princess levitated the book off of her muzzle.
“We are sorry as well. ‘Princess Luna’ is such a formal greeting for us. Is it not, Tia?”
“Yes, well um…I suppose it is. How did you know I was here?”
“We know we can always find our sister here, when thou are…how you say, stressed out. Judging by thy trick thou pulled on the guards this evening, thou must be most upset. This hypothesis is supported by thy looks.” Luna pointed a hoof at Twilight, but was focusing on the book that had been flung in her face.
“What do you mean, ‘trick?’ I lost…”
“Thou lost thy shoe; we heard. Is that really the best excuse you could compose, for one of thy private tantrums?”
Celestia has tantrums? How do I respond to this kind of claim? Twilight was more confused than ever.
“It matters not; the guard could use the experience. What matters is our sister’s feelings. Dost thou already miss thy most faithful student? Why dost thou read a book written by thyself?”
I don’t know Celestia’s inner feelings, her psychology. She misses me...and let me see that book.
The book was jerked away from Luna’s grasp and sure enough, the inside cover of Magic Manipulation of Solar Celestial Bodies, had the princess’ name in gold lettering printed on it.
How did I miss that?
“Are those letters from Twilight Sparkle? We love reading about friendship.”
“Wait, no! Don’t read those.”
“Tia, what are thee… We accept thy challenge!” Out of panic, Twilight had surrounded Luna in a gold aura. A darker blue magic promptly covered the white alicorn.
The sisters were both levitated above the ground, having a sort of zero gravity struggle. Neither really had the advantage, while floating high above the floor. Repelling magic just sent them swirling around the room. Each thrown book or teleportation was countered with a shield spell or another teleportation.
This is madness.
“Ha, we are on top. This is the advantageous position. Submit to us Tia. Thou know’st what is coming is inevitable.”
“Never! I won’t let you. It’s a violation of privacy.
“Thou hast lost; do not deny us our spoils.”
“I can still do this!” Despite the announcement of the attack, a large text connected with the side of Luna’s head.
With magic basically useless, the fight for the letters had degraded into a physical wrestling match. Twilight clutched the letters with her gold magic, with all her might.
“Ha, now I’m on top!”
Luna was quiet and had her eyes closed. Oh no, I hurt her, Celestia is going to…“Ahh haha ha! Stop I…I can’t take it anymore!”
Celestias body lay panting from the massive tickling of wings. Luna began reading the letters nearby.
I’m sorry Celestia... I failed you.
“This is most amusing.” The moon princess laughed, in an almost evil tone. It was reminiscent of Nightmare Moon.
That’s it. I’m going to be banished. I hope it’s somewhere with books.
“Come, Sister. Let us partake in a warm bath of bubbles together. We are most… unclean. We must be going to bed and thou must return to thy duties.”
I should just run away. I can… She called me ‘Sister.’ She hasn’t figured it out? Wait... a bath with the princess? What in the hay is happening?
Twilight imagined the guards would be more shocked by the sight of the two unkempt, less than prestigious looking princesses. However, they only made quiet murmurs when they thought the royal pair was out of earshot.
Twilight read the letters over again, as they made their way to the royal chambers.
The first was the same as before, but the second had changed. It was no longer addressed to Twilight.
This looks like… my horn-writing?
Dear Princess Celestia,
Sometimes we can get caught up in thinking current events are more dire than they actually are. It is important to step back and take a deep breath, in order to gain a realistic and healthy scope of things. Panic only leads to more problems for everypony. Just believe that the sun will rise the next day and everything will be fine.
Speaking of the sun, I was wondering if the specifics on how the sun and moon are moved by alicorn magic could be in the Great Historical Magics wing of the Canterlot Archives?
Your most faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
PS: How is Princess Luna doing? I hope she does not think I am mad at her for the Nightmare Moon incident. A lot of ponies are still afraid of her. I can’t say I blame them. Don’t tell her I said that.
Instead of diagrams, graphs, and equations about the sun, there was a sketch of a pile of ponies fighting over a doll, with Big Macintosh at the top.
“Oh Sister, if what Twilight says is true, we must go and clear our name. Perhaps Nightmare Night, dear Tia? It is so responsible of thee to read through those books, before sending dangerous information to thy student.”
Twilight was barely listening. She was still reviewing the events of the past few hours. Wait... I still have to raise the sun.
To be continued
A barrel is the mid section of a pony, if you were curious.
Well there you have it. The next chapter will be about Celestia. I hope this is satisfying for everypony and I hope the teen tag makes sense now. Thanks to you all, for keeping this alive. This has been a major source of procrastination.