11 - Repercussions (Part 1)
“Now tell us Twilight Sparkle,” Luna interjected suddenly with seriousness, “what dost thou know of thy new form?”
As Twilight tried to process the non-sequitur, she noted that the princess had cast a privacy charm as she spoke. The air around them now occasionally sparkled as the magic suffusing it interacted with the matter and energy contained within the effect. With only a cursory examination of the working, Twilight could tell that the spell was more complex than the privacy charms normally employed by unicorns as it still allowed outside sound in. She started to examine it further, thinking how it could be restructured to avoid the sparkling, when a hoof nudged her gently in the side.
Blushing, she let go of the formulas trying to take shape in her head and refocused on Luna. “Um…I have wings now?”
“Verily, that is so,” Princess Luna said with mirth. “Hast thou perhaps noticed aught else?”
“I’m half a hoof taller?” Twilight replied with a sheepish shrug, not quite understanding what the princess was getting at.
Princess Luna’s right fore-hoof raised from the ground and made it halfway to her face before she gave a sigh and let it return to the earth. “What of thy magic? Didst thou not take notice of anything else in battle with those fell creatures.”
Twilight frowned and, with some distaste, tried to remember how her magic felt underneath the fear and desperation of her emotions. After a moment, her eyes widened and she turned her concentration simultaneously inward and outward.
“I…I…it’s so…it’s too much…it’s me, but it isn’t me…Luna, what…why…why? I’m not me anymore!” Her breathing sped up and she half-reared in instinctive panic before she was wrapped in a fierce hug of strong legs and soft feathers. She returned the hug, desperate for the princess’ solid form and reassurance. She let her thoughts slip away and took slow deep breaths filtered through the reassuring scent of Luna’s fur. She wasn’t sure how long they kept that position before Luna spoke again.
“Be at ease, Twilight Sparkle. Thou art thyself, no magic hath changed that, but for both good and ill thou art now far more than thou were.” Princess Luna said calmly.
Twilight sniffled a little, confusion and shock morphing into tears. “I…I don’t understand, Princess.”
“Nay, nor do we. Nor do we think understanding is possible, but we shall tell thee what we ken.” Princess Luna paused as she disentangled herself from the hug and shifted her position on the grass so that she was laying directly beside Twilight. She gently stretched a wing over the smaller mare’s back and after a moment continued speaking.
“Didst thou ever think it queer that Equestria’s Sun doth orbit the planet? For the seasons to require management? For Night and Day and thus all life to be dependent on two individuals?”
“…No?”
Princess Luna let out a melancholy chuckle, “Ha, ha. Of course thou wouldst not, ’tis all thou hast ever known. But ’tis strange and even unnatural. Long ago, long enough that even we sometimes wonder if ’twere but an imagined fancy, Equestria much resembled this Earth. Night and Day, summer and winter, they came and went as they pleased, without need or warrant from those of us that lived with them. How do you suppose such a system as the one thou hast known could have formed naturally?”
Twilight hesitated and thought about it, and as soon as she thought about it the answer was obvious, it couldn’t. “I, it couldn’t. I, I, remember asking I think, when I was young, but the adults used the voice, and I stopped asking.”
“The voice?” Luna inquired.
“The one adults use when you’re being silly, or naive, or stupid and they don’t want to say so.”
“Ah, we know of this voice. Often we wonder how far our ponies might have progressed were it not for such.” Princess Luna replied.
“But, if,” Twilight paused and collected her thoughts and condensed them into the question she really wanted to ask. “What happened?”
“Many things,” Luna replied and a sad expression swept across her face before she caught it and turned it rueful. “Far too many to be told of before yon unguided sun finisheth its decent. We suppose all could be rendered such: Discord in his madness ripped all natural order asunder and Sister and I in our hubris thought we could mend it. Doth thou recall our words when thou used the Elements of Harmony in battle?”
Twilight thought back, but it was hard to remember. At the time she felt as if she was being stretched across some vast distance, too thin almost to retain coherent thought. “You said, something, you said that, that harmony doesn’t have or recognize boundaries? That if I didn’t stop…That if I didn’t stop I would change everything!” Twilight whipped her head around so that she could look directly in the Princess’ eyes.
“Aye, thou seest it clearly now. Would that there had been someone to share similar wisdom with us. No one and nothing touched by Harmony comes away unchanged. For all our years and experience it remains mostly inscrutable to us, but this we have seen. For those able to take up its mantle, its acts are influenced, but not governed, by their desires. Long ago, after living a long nightmare of chaos, we and our sister desired order.”
Twilight lay still, the revelations having stunned her into immobility. It was too much to take in. It upended all she thought she knew about her home, her history, the princesses, and magic itself. At the same time it explained so much, all those questions and niggling doubts, all of those things that didn’t quite fit together. It was like realizing who the culprit in a mystery was and seeing the whole story in a new light because of it. There were quite a few things she still didn’t understand, but one stood out to her. The question that started this conversation in the first place.
“Princess, I, I’m not sure what to say other than to thank you for saving me from making, I’m not sure mistake is a big enough word, but something like that. But what does that have to do with…” She trailed off and shook her wings in emphasis.
“Thou art welcome Twilight. Glad we are to return the favor of thine aid to us in our dark hour. For thy question, we must again plead ignorance and say that all we know comes from our and our sister’s deductions, with little bedrock upon which to build. We believe that a rare few individuals, through quirk of mind, luck, and circumstance are able to forge, through the use of the Elements, a deep connection to the fundaments of magic itself. Upon our transformation we were no longer as we were, for we were woven into the tapestry itself, with our talents the thread. Tell us, what hast thou learned in thy studies of friendship since our sister sent thee unto Ponyville?”
Twilight needed hardly a second before she answered. “That friendship is one of the most powerful forces there is. Not only in the way that true friendships better the lives of the ponies involved and touch the lives of those ponies and those ponies connected to them in innumerable ways, but even more than that, in a very real way, magic at its most fundamental is the connection between everything. That connections between ponies are perhaps the most powerful expression of magic that exists because it has to be consciously created. The emotions, thoughts, and will of the ponies creating that connection resonate with and amplifies magic. It breaks down all known theories of magic and physics. You get vastly more out than can be accounted for.”
She blushed a bit as she realized she had perhaps let herself get a little carried away in her enthusiasm for the topic, but Princess Luna simply smiled.
“A fine answer, and a far better one than we could have given. Now what dost thou believe the consequences would be if an individual held sway over such a force, such an idea, like we and our sister do over the Night and Day?”
“I can’t even begin to…” Twilight stopped talking and looked up at Luna, first with confusion that morphed into incredulity, then dread. Luna simply stared back at her.
“You can’t be…you can’t mean…no!”
“Harmony careth not for pony limitations. With those so bonded, it joineth to a pony’s talent and magic and weaveth it into the fundaments themselves. With thee it hath found a partner more suited than all I believe have come before. For is not thy talent magic, and thus as thou spoke, friendship and the connections between all things?”
“I, It, it’s just not possible. Princess, I’m, I’m just, well…me.” Twilight stated, trembling once more.
“Indeed, as we assured thee when thou looked upon thouself. However what thou art, can no longer, if it was ever applicable, be just anything. ’Tis a frightful responsibility Princess Twilight Sparkle, but we and Celestia will be with thee and assist thee all that we can.” Princess Luna replied tightening her one-winged hug.
“Princess? I’m not…Can, can I give…there’s no way back is there?”
“Can one unbirth a foal? Nay, Twilight. More years than can be reckoned were spent searching for such an answer. Once one has merged with the fundaments of the cosmos, thou art a part of its tapestry forever.”
“What if we die?” Twilight asked, the thought springing up immediately.
“Even Discord feared finding the answer to that question. The universe would continue, this we are certain of. As great as we may be, we are but one meager bit of it that happens to think about itself. However, what happens when a part of the universe, no matter how small, dies? We do not know Twilight Sparkle, but we fear the answer and least of all for our own continuance.”
“Why me?”
“Who else? Destiny, luck, duty, our sister’s meddling? All of these, none of them. In matters such as these, looking for an answer is a mummer’s folly. Know this though, as grateful as we are to be free of our madness and our lunar prison, and as necessary as it was, for we could not be held forever, neither Celestia nor ourselves would have set thee upon this path had other avenues been available. Celestia knew that shouldst thou succeed in using the Elements, ‘twould be the beginning of a journey that could not be un-tread. She knew and though her reasons for such and for not informing thee were sound, she knew also that ’twas a disservice to you. Guilt is heavy upon her withers, and our own, for what is necessary is not always what is right.”
“I…I need some time to think.” Twilight said, standing up suddenly and startling Luna into standing as well.
“Twilight we-“
“No, I need time to…absorb this. It’s too big. I know it’s real, but it’s going to take some time for me to accept it.” Twilight said cutting off Luna’s response. “But nothing you have said is going to make me any less your or Celestia’s friend.” She stepped forward and threw a quick wing hug around Luna before turning and trotting quickly out of the privacy spell’s influence. As she made her way further down the shore of the lake, she caught the briefest glimpse of tears forming in the princess’ eyes.
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Archaic puns, heh heh
This was really good. Maybe it was just a Q&A session between Luna and Twilight, but it was a damn good one. Liked the backstory, too, reminded me of Pericynthion. (Those of you who do not recognize this link should follow it.)
Nitpick:
"resonate with and amplify"
(or, if you must, "resonates with and amplifies"—point being plural agreement)
Love it
Thank you SO much for showing me WORM! Because I have read all of the site's 1mil+ fanfics, even ones that are not on the site like project horizons and most of the books 400k+ On the site and I needed something more to read
That would actually explain a lot about Equestria and it's quirks...
ALL HAIL OUR NEW FURRY OVERLORD!
Great work, keep it up.
Aah, there we go - I'm incredibly happy to see The Talk has arrived, and it did not disappoint. It's not all I hoped it to be, considering we have yet to see Twilight try and internalize and mull over all that was revealed just now (and that's going to be all sorts of bot interesting and sobering, no doubt), but I imagine that will still come - after all, Twilight certainly isn't fine.
I'm actually impressed Twilight had it in her to say she will remain Celestia's and Luna's friend regardless of what was said. Of course I would likely expect that to be the case anyway eventually, but literally seconds after the fact? I don't think I would have had it in me in the heat of the moment, and her trust was definitely betrayed somewhere down the line.
She had incredible amounts of power and responsibility dumped on her without her say-so and prior notice, along with a forced body change, and Celestia (just as Luna) knew all along that was going to be the case - worse, Celestia set her down this path realizing the likely consequences. She was used for the princess' schemes.
Obviously it wasn't done maliciously or with the slightest bit of ill intent, nothing of the sort. But then one is likely to treat the pieces of his own personal chess set with care and attention, even as you maneuver them to achieve your personal goals. And Twilight was definitely shuffled about as a piece to suit the goals of Celestia. As Luna noted, it might (or might not - there is no real way to know) have been necessary, but it was neither just nor right.
And a broken trust is a very hard thing to mend, or truly get over - because if Celestia (and Luna) kept this likely change from her, there is always going to be that nagging suspicion in the back of Twilight's head that's going to be asking: "What aren't they telling me now? What role could I be unwittingly playing in some hidden grand design this time, and what sort of implications will it have for me?"
Yes, Twilight will likely remain their friend regardless - but I don't expect that implicit trust and unconditional adoration she has always had for Celestia to ever quite reach her eyes again. She has always viewed the Princesses as something special and "perfect" - that, probably, isn't going to remain the case any more, because life will have taught her otherwise.
I think I'm actually going to be pretty disappointed if, after having some time to mull it over, she doesn't tell Luna "no" to the whole Princess business, because she actually doesn't seem to be the least bit happy about it. Her newfound body and cosmic powers (and all the inherent dangers and responsibilities those carry - which are incredibly vast and long reaching, if Luna's tale as to what Luna and Celestia managed to do to Equestria with a lesser and impersonal connection to Harmony is anything to go by) - fine, there is nothing to do but accept those, as those are beyond her ability to change.
But the title of Princess, assuming she doesn't want it - that is something she absolutely can say "no" to if she doesn't want it, and neither Celestia nor Luna has the right to demand it of her, never mind actually having a way to force it on her that doesn't end in a disaster if Twilight is adamant in going against it.
And after all the other things that have been forced on her by neither he choice nor consent, I imagine Twilight would want to at least retain control over this aspect of her life, rather than remain a chesspiece being led around by her nose to the very end. Being that much of a doormat shouldn't be in her nature, and I'd expect her to fight for what little freedom she can grasp within the machinations she has found herself in the middle of.
Yes, she would remain their friend - but I imagine it would be very important for her to show that she isn't just going to roll over, and that they have no right to expect her to. That's probably one "friendship lesson" Celestia needs to be made to learn and surmise this time.
Thank you ever so much for your updating this awesome fic.
6512650
Glad you liked it, there will indeed be more about Twilight dealing with these revelations.
For her statement about always being Luna and Celestia's friend, she's upset right now, but she's learned enough about friendship to know what needed to be said before she left to try and sort out her feelings. Luna has her own insecurities and Twilight is sensitive to that.
For the Princess title, it is less the fact of Luna or Celestia drafting her or foisting a title upon her and more the fact of this: when you are as powerful as Twilight has now become, you must acknowledge it in some way. If you don't choose a title for yourself, ponies will choose one for you.
It was also a way for Luna to cut through Twilight's confusion and point out in one word that How different things would now be for her. That Twilight now occupied the same pedestal as she did, and there is no way to avoid it.
6512848
True, whether she wants it or not, Twilight will have to acknowledge the fact that she is occupying an elevated position now, and that other ponies won't fail to acknowledge the fact.
I'm just not sure if she would be willing to accept the title of Princess right now (unless she has always harbored secret dreams of being one, but I kinda doubt that
) - both because of the political implications it carries that she likely doesn't want, and perhaps even more so because it would be another thing she would have allowed to hoist upon her without her consent - an issue that ought to be a pretty touchy subject for her right now.
Have her call herself a Grand Mage or something similar and distinctive enough that she may or may not have to invent for herself - both as a show that some things she will decide for herself (I imagine it's pretty important for her to create a feeling that she is actually in control of some part of how her life is unfolding before it spirals out of her reach completely), as an acknowledgement that she sees the issue and isn't going to hide from it, and as something of a pointed reminder that she won't accept everything simply being tossed her way and that she has a choice in the matter (I imagine that's important for her to affirm to herself right now).
And to add to that, even with all that's said and done, I don't imagine Twilight would be comfortable with viewing herself in the same light as the Princesses - or with other ponies placing her on said pedestal, something that the wings will likely make them want to do (like she has seen with people on Earth-Bet) so that's a chance to head off that issue by providing her own label.
Or something like that
Yes more updates! I'm loving the fact that you are making Twilight think about what it means to have the power of a "princess" and what it could mean for the future. I love the show but it seemed as if everything was accepted a little too fast and that the fact the she is now Princess Twilight is somewhat lost in the fact that barely anyone is acting any differently. Kudos to you! I can't wait to see how you have Twi progress and how she and Luna interact now that she is here too. Also it will be interesting to see how the world around them interacts with them as well, both political and the super power gang (good guys and bad guys).
Thank you for your hard work!
just waiting for MOAR!!
For the chapters prior to this: I am usually put off by the forum or disconnected, random seeming, interjections made by other perspectives or newspaper like third party comments/musings... but I think you did an admirable job in that respect. It felt like an organic outgrowth of slashdot/4chan. Good job.
6512848 So she can't go back?
The inherent contradiction though in her powers is that she is now the eternal goddess of friendship. What happens when you outlive every being you ever cared about? Celestial has that issue in many fics, with her faithful students as a way to fill the hole. Twi's power is so intrinsic to the concept that she might be unable to cope. Depressing to consider, but Worm is a dark place. Anyone have any opinions regarding this?