"Welcome Princess, to the Shadow Realm."
That would have to be the last thing Twilight would have guessed this place to be. She was surrounded by an enormous forest absolutely teeming with life. She could hear birds chirping in the air and squirrels darting across the branches. The ferns at her feet rustled with the movements of small mammals, and somewhere nearby she thought she could hear a river babbling away. The light shining through the canopy of each tree was gentle and somehow distorted, as if there was some large mass of water overhead that the sun was shining through.
"Not quite what you expected, is it?"
Twilight slowly shook her head no, it was nothing like she would have imagined a place called the Shadow Realm to be.
"The Shadow Realm molds itself to reflect the mind of whoever enters it. Since I've already been here several times, it's focusing all of its attention on you. What you see around you is the reflection of the darkness within your very soul."
Twilight realized now then why this place seemed so strange yet so familiar. She'd seen it before. With a glance to the sky she searched as hard as she could, until she finally caught a glimmer through the tree branches. Water, she was in the forest on the ocean floor of her mind, but it looked nothing like how she'd seen it from above.
"How can my inner darkness look so....?"
"Beautiful? Why shouldn't it? Those who are evil are simply doing what they believe to be right. It doesn't see itself as evil after all, that's just the word others describe it by."
"You brought me here to face my inner darkness you said, but now that I'm looking at it, how am I supposed to do that?"
"Look behind you for that answer"
Where there had been a simple clearing in the woods now stood a rocky cave entrance, sticking out of the ground at a 35 degree angle. In the darkness of the tunnel, a faint light could be seen at the very end of it. Sombra strode up next to Twilight and gave her a comforting nuzzle. "You don't have to do this you know, you can still go back to your friends and your home. It's not too late, not until you step into that cave."
The concern in his words and in his eyes melted Twilight a little, and combined with his gentle touch helped replace her apprehension with happiness. She was making the right decision, she just knew it. "It's alright Sombra, I know that together we can..."
"I will not be able to assist you love, only you can pass over the cave's threshold. Only you can meet whatever waits you down there. Be very careful Twilight, you can still die in this place, and there is no way of knowing what you might come up against. I can only guarantee that when you come back up you won't be the internally divided princess anymore. The choices you make beneath, will define you for the rest of your life."
"I can do this, I know I can, and I think I already knew that I wouldn't come out of this unchanged. Just...promise me one thing? That you won't..."
"I already love you for everything you are Princess. Whichever side of you wins the battle below, I could never love you any less."
Twilight smiled, blushing a little but otherwise glowing with happiness. That was all that she needed to hear, and more. With a deep breath she smiled. She was ready, despite the cheeky voice in her mind that commented on the number of life-changing events happening to her beneath the ground recently. "I'll be back up soon, try not to wonder off." She said with a smirk.
"I have nowhere to go if not with you my love."
His unexpected romanticism caused her face to flush with blood once more, and after a long, passionate parting kiss (she had originally intended it to be a quick peck on the cheek, but her body had other had other ideas that gave it a mind of its own) Twilight took her first steps beneath the ground. On and on the tunnel stretched, the light at the end never growing any nearer, and the tunnel around her never changing. For all she knew she could have been walking in place for 5 minutes, 10, an hour, a week. Time had lost all meaning except for the rhythmic clopping of her hooves upon stone. After an eternity, or perhaps less than a day, she finally reached a wall of brilliant light. Without missing a beat Twilight strode calmly through to the other side, blinking furiously to adjust to the change in illumination.
What she saw once again reminded her about the foolish nature of preconceptions. She was back at her home, the Golden Oaks Library in Ponyville. Just behind her was her front door, now closed. She half expected to find Spike engulfed in one of his favorite comic books. Instead in the middle of the room was a rather large book fort, occupied by one decidedly smug Twilight Sparkle.
"Ah Twilight! We're just on time, quickly now into the fort, before the trolls and weedlesnips capture us for their nefarious purposes!"
Thoroughly bewildered, Twilight sat down midst the heavy fortification with Twilight, who seemed to be preoccupied with scanning the room for signs of danger and threateningly wielding a filly's picture book. Catching the look Twilight was giving her, she smiled winningly, "It's the best weapon in existence! Remember how the pen is mightier than the sword? Well, a picture is worth a thousand words, so that means this picture book is a weapon of mass destruction!"
"Who are you?"
Twilight looked at her in surprise, as if it should have been obvious. "We're Twilight Sparkle of course! That makes you the goody-four-shoes, and me the far less socially acceptable." Still maintaining the grin she hefted the book mightily over the wall and was rewarded by a bloodcurdling scream silenced by an explosion like dynamite. With a wet splat the upper half of a leg landed within the fort. "Drat, a femur. I've got quite a lot of those; trying to collect a full set." A magical flash later and the body part was gone, teleported away to who knew where.
"That can't be true, I would never take pleasure in...", Twilight motioned to the wet bloodstain on the floor, "whatever it is that you're doing."
"Oh but you do Twilight. We're more powerful than anypony out there, and deep down you love the feeling of exerting that power over others."
Looking for a way to fault her argument, Twilight's eyes lit up. "Not Sombra, we, I mean I'm not more powerful then him or the other princesses."
"Hmmm yes, Sombra is certainly our equal. We caught a real dreamboat didn't we?"
Twilight was most uncomfortable with the way Twilight's eyes gleamed with lusty satisfaction, so she quickly changed the topic. Other self or not, she absolutely did not want to see or hear that about her Sombra from anypony other than herself. "So, what happens next then, what are we supposed to do?"
"Now, we talk, fight, or do whatever works. One way or another, we're both trapped in this room until we are resolved. We're here because we are divided Twilight, and neither of us is ever going to leave this room again. Instead we'll finally be whole, complete, one with our self. It's up to us now to determine the truth of who it is we really want to be."
Hefting another picture book into the seemingly empty room, Twilight was rewarded with another scream and bloody body part.
"Oooooh, a scapula! Those are rare!"
****
Sombra's ears perked up at the sound of hoof-steps getting closer. From the depths of the cave entrance a regal purple form began to emerge. Twilight was clearly exhausted, and yet she still managed to exude an air of self-assuredness. She was somehow taller, and more vibrant before, and as she reached him her perfect smile lit up her eyes and his heart. He couldn't help but to feel a bit astonished, and perhaps dissapointed as well. After all his memories, his teachings, his inner demons; after having betrayed her very home, her friends, her country, and used black magic to the greatest level of mastery he'd seen since himself, still she had chosen to side with good.
"I'm back my King...what's wrong?"
"I must admit my heart is confused. I don't understand how you could have faced everything that I have faced, and still choose the side of light. What is to happen to us now? I'm unsure of how to proceed."
She smiled in response, warmer than the sun, "Then perhaps it is my turn to teach you my love. Let me show you how to embrace your evil and become even greater for it, how to take your knowledge of pain and use it to ease the pain of others."
"But I made a different choice than you my love, long ago I decided on my path, and that path lasts for a lifetime."
"And you have lived dozens of lifetimes in your centuries of darkness. I promised you that I would take the time to learn from you so that I could truly understand, and you would know it. Let me complete my promise my King, give me a chance to show you a path you haven't walked since Indigo Melody." Sombra winced visibly at the name, it was still painful to think about his beloved sister, even after so many years. "Besides, consider it my challenge to you. They say an old dog can't learn new tricks, and you're just about the oldest dog alive. Let's prove them all wrong."
Sombra was quiet, eyes downcast in contemplation, when suddenly he threw his head back in laughter. "Perhaps you know me even better than I know myself my Queen...."
"Challenge, accepted."
"Sweetie, please, you know I can do that by myself."
"Oh I know I know, but what if you strain yourself while walking down the stairs? What if while walking down the stairs you were to trip and fall! And what if I wasn't there to help and you just kept tumbling and tumbling getting more and more grievously wounded!? WHAT IF....."
Princess Cadence closed her eyes and took in a slow, deep breath, counting to three before releasing it. Shining meant well, he really did, but he still could be...difficult, at times. She thanked her lucky stars that she'd gotten special instruction from auntie Luna for situations just like this. Her cyan magic wafted from her horn like a thin tendril of smoke. Once it connected with Shining's horn, it disappeared and he stopped his frantic pacing. Doing his best not to wobble, Shining gave his wife an accusing, yet exhausted glare.
"I thought we agreed on no more drowsy spells."
"I'm sorry honey, but you simply must stop getting yourself worked up like that. I understand that you're stressed, anyone would be when they're going to become a father in just a few short months." Shining's eyes softened and fell upon her bulging belly. There was so much love bursting from those eyes, he hadn't even met his foal and already he would move the heavens for her. "And I know your first instinct is to do everything in your power to keep us safe. Just remember that I'm not as frail as I may seem sweetie. We can protect our foal together."
"You're right, I guess getting worked up runs in the family." He said with a sheepish grin, lying down on the bed next to her. His eyes lost their light suddenly and his ears drooped down to his skull as he realized what he'd just said.
"We'll find her, don't worry."
"She's been gone for nine months Cadence, that's nine months of Sombra poisoning her mind. How much can she take before we can't save her anymore?"
"She's strong and resourceful. Don't forget that it was her that made sure we even got to be married in the first place. She'll get through whatever torture he's putting her through. Then, when we find her it will be up to us to do our part and keep her safe."
"I guess you're right, again." This got him a loving nuzzle from Cadence, and in return she was rewarded with a smile creeping back onto his handsome muzzle.
"Please excuse the intrusion your highness, you have urgent mail from one 'Mrs. Sparkle'."
There in their bedroom doorway stood the amber coated mailpony, green hooves adorned with tiny metal wings to denote her station as the royal courier. Panting, she held a plain letter out in front of her, one adorned with a six pointed star upon a purple background.
"Twily..."
****
CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MAIL COURIERS YAY! Applejack paused mid-buck as she watched three little rascals come running across the orchard at her. Mailmares today huh? Well they certainly had the energy for it. Halfway across, Scootaloo stopped the three, and after a whispered conversation all three dashed off in different directions.
"Howdy there lil' sis, where'd your friends run off to in such a hurry?"
"We're delivering mail today Applejack! Scoots had the great idea of splitting up so we can get it done three times as fast! And you won't believe who sent yall a message!" Applejack reared up preparing to give her tree a mighty wallop as Applebloom took a scroll out from her saddlebags, only to freeze and nearly collapse to the ground in shock. The letter was adorned with a simple six pointed star set upon a purple background.
"You seem to be all sorts of excited to get a letter from Twilight finally, here let me read it to ya. Ehem, Dear Applejack..."
****
"...I hope you all can forgive me, and grant me a chance to explain my actions in person in the Canterlot throne room. If you can find it within your hearts, please meet me 9pm tonight. Thank you."
Rarity turned the letter over and back again. "That's it? No further explanation, just an apology and a summons?"
Sweetie Bell shrugged, "So will you be going?"
"Of course I will you silly filly. Twilight is our friend after all, it would be uncouth to refuse an invitation to mend bonds. If nothing else, we've certainly got a lot of questions we need to ask her."
****
As Scootaloo finished reciting Twilight's message for her, Rainbow Dash seemed completely unphased, never stopping her endless pushups. The room was dimly lit by a single candle in the corner and dirty window leading to the surface. If she looked hard enough, Rainbow could see the cloudless blue sky far far above. She would give anything to be able to melt into it once again.
Reaching back behind her, Rainbow itched at the surgical scar and nub of bone where her left wing should have been, the only remnants she had left of it. Sometimes she still felt a phantom feeling of muscle and sinew, attached to the feathers of what was the greatest flyer Equestria had ever seen. "Thanks kid, you'd better go finish with the rest of your mail. I've gotta get packed."
****
Together all five friends rode the afternoon train to Canterlot, nopony speaking a word. The same questions ran through each of their minds, the same doubts and betrayal. Each wished for nothing more than to find a way to distract them from their thoughts, but the fact remained, Twilight Sparkle was back after 9 long months, and she had a lot to answer for.
In the tallest spire of Canterlot Castle, Princess Celestia watched as the Friendship Express wormed its way through the mountains, Twilight's letter unfurled on the writing desk beside her.
"Sister please, we beg thee reconsider!" Last time she struck thee down and eloped with Sombra! For all we know this is but a trap!"
In a soft, subdued tone, just like a mother grasping at straws in her daughter's kidnapping, Celestia tried to assuage her sister's concerns. "If it were a trap, our perimeter spell would detain them, just like it did with Sombra before."
"It takes us all three to provide power for that spell. Cadence is nearly 10 months pregnant and is due any week now.and it has drawn on her more than she would care to admit. The perimeter spell is at its weakest, and only now does thy student step forward? How can we be certain our spell will work as expected, if in fact at all?"
"What would you have me do?"
"Turn her away, keep thyself and thy citizens safe and do not allow her access to this city. She cannot be trusted."
"Oh Lulu, I've already done that. She laid her heart our for me, told me that she loved him (whether it is deserved and reciprocated or not) and for it I drove her away. Don't you see? I forced her to choose between him and us, instead of listening to her when I should have. It's all my fault she disappeared in the first place, all my fault."
In that moment Luna saw just how emotionally exposed her sister was. Before her was not Princess Celestia, co-ruler of Equestria, goddess of the sun and bringer of peace and harmony. Instead it was just Tia, blaming herself like she always did and hurting miserably from the aching in her heart.
"Tia...I...I'm sorry. I just do not wish to see you hurt again. It scared me to find you beneath a building that day, barely conscious and coughing up blood. I don't know how you kept going the millennium I was banished, but I do not think I could be so strong. I do not believe I could carry on without you."
"Lulu I..."
Luna raised her hoof to silence her sister, she wasn't finished just yet. "But you are right, this is Twilight Sparkle we are talking about, and despite a pony's mistakes, I would be the element of hypocrisy if I were to say that she did not deserve this second chance tonight."
Hope glimmered in Celestia's eyes as they teared up. Moments later she was squeezing Luna tightly as she sobbed softly in release. "Thank you for understanding dear sister."
Luna smiled despite herself. "Come now Tia, let's get you cleaned up. Cadence and Shining Armor will be arriving soon, the time draws near for our 9 o'clock hearing. We can't meet our friends with a tear-stained coat now can we?"
Smiling gratefully, Celestia allowed herself to be herded into the royal bath, all the while Luna did the very best she could to ignore the feeling twisting away in her gut. "Please", she silently prayed, "Please let this night prove me wrong."
****
Somewhere in Canterlot a clock-tower tolled out 9 long peals.
It was time.
Twilight stood outside of Canterlot, taking in the sight of the beautiful city before her. Last time she'd been here was for her coronation, which seemed like an eternity ago. So much had happened since then, so many ponies she'd hurt along the way. It was time to stop hiding though, it was time to come home. She should have been nerve-wracked, quaking in apprehension of the reception she would receive. Instead she strangely calm, and perhaps even happy. Yes, she was ready.
A simple teleport later, and she was standing outside the throne room doors, easing them open as she greeted her friends and family for the first time in 9 long months. "Thank you all for coming, and allowing me this audience. It means so much to me that you would be here, even after all that I have done."
At first she was met with absolute silence, her friends uncertainly judging her sincerity, and her brother sitting nervously beside his plump wife. It was Celestia who first broke the silence. Twilight looked just like the day she left, so young and eager and innocent. "Twilight I...I'm so sorry for driving you away, I should have stopped and listened, I should have..." As she started to step off her podium to embrace the purple alicorn, Luna's wing suddenly held her back.
"Be still sister." Turning her piercing gaze on Twilight, she spoke again. "Do not think to fool us so easily, I can see that illusion charm in the air around you. Reveal to us what you are so sneakily hiding." Twilight's ears laid back against her skull in surprise at the thinly veiled hostility in Luna's tone. She supposed it was only to be expected, Luna would not be quick to trust her since she'd last buried her sister beneath Ponyville Town Hall. With a nod, Twilight complied.
The air next to her grew hazy like hot air rising off the land. From the wavy folds of air stepped King Sombra himself, as calmly as appearing from behind a curtain for his audience. "Sombra, I believe you already know everypony here, everypoy, meet King Sombra, my husband." There was a collective gasp of shock throughout the room. Twilight had actually married that monster?
"If you doubt our relationship like you have before, I believe princess Cadence can be of some assistance on the matter." It was Sombra who spoke this tame, looking pointedly at the curiously still pink alicorn."
Shining began to protest, "Don't drag my wife into..."
"They're telling the truth", Cadence interrupted. Finding the eyes of everypony in the room on her (all except for Luna's that is, who was still staring at Twilight) she elaborated. "I can feel it, between them. Their love is very real, and very strong. Though it may not make much sense now, they belong with each other as much as Shining and I do."
Luna took the shocked silence afterwards as her opportunity to speak once again. "Be that as it may, but I shall not ask you a third time Twilight Sparkle. There is still an illusion you are casting for our benefit. Release it, now."
Sheepish at being called out a second time, Twilight released her second and final illusion. Her form shimmered in the air, melting away to reveal the true Twilight beneath. She was equal in height to Sombra and Luna now, her proud horn protruding a full foot from her skull. Her wings had grown in size and grandeur, and her mane's colors stood out as somehow more real, more vibrant than ever before, billowing in a wind all its own. She was also very, very pregnant.
"When are you due?" Of course Cadence would ask that. "Within 2 months." She replied with a glowing smile.
"Wow Twi, you sure have changed a lot."
She turned to regard Applejack now, the first of her friends to have spoken up so far. After a moment she said ever so softly, "More than you can know Applejack, and yet very little at all." The rest of her friends remained in silent apprehension, still entirely unsure of what to think of the new Twilight. Pinkie's hair was stuck somewhere between its normal inflation and fully straight; Fluttershy was busy sticking halfway out behind Rarity, not entirely sure whether to hide or not. Then there was Rainbow.
Twilight gasped in pain and shock upon seeing the cyan pegasus. Her colors were dimmed, and her eyes as flat as her crushed dreams. "What happened to your wing?"
"You." The answer was blunt and to the point, and spoke volumes of pain and despair. "The doc did his best." she continued, "but while I was lying there my wound got infected. My left wing had the ability to mend bones and return to normal, except for the flesh eating bacteria that was spreading through it, and soon to be me as well. It was either lose the wing, or die, and the doc didn't really give me the option." The flat look in her eyes clearly spoke as to the option Rainbow would rather have taken, and it broke Twilight's heart.
"Rainbow I...I'm so sorry." Twilight secretly scanned her friend's scar with her magic. The memory was still there, nerve endings, a good supply of stem cells in the bone marrow. Noticing the glow of Twilight's horn, Luna narrowed her eyes in greater suspicion. "What are you casting Twilight?"
Ignoring Luna completely, Twilight addressed her friend. "Rainbow, I know this is more than I should have to ask of you after everything, but right now I really need you to trust me. What I'm about to do is going to hurt a lot, more than anything you've been through before." The dull look in her eyes receded, and Rainbow looked at her former friend with apprehension and curiosity. "What are you going to AAAaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Rainbow collapsed to the ground writhing in pain as her scar was split open, and from the open flesh a nub of bone stretched its way past her skin. Metacarpus, ulna, radius, all the bones were there, drenched in blood and still growing, stretching from Rainbow's body. As the skeleton finished reforming, flesh began to catch up, first came ropy sinews, then blood vessels and newly formed muscles. Over top it all a thin layer of skin appeared as last but not least Rainbow's feathers popped out of the flesh and aligned themselves.
It was done, Rainbow lay as pale as a blue pegasus can be, but whole again, flexing her brand new wing. Tears poured from her eyes, not of pain, but of sheer joy and the feeling of what can only be described as a miracle. She'd accepted the fact that her dreams, her future, her life as she knew it, had been snatched away; and yet here she was with those dreams given back to her on a silver platter. "I...I....Thank you, Twilight. Thank you."
Luna's look of suspicion had softened, replaced now by curiosity. "Where did you learn such a spell Twilight Sparkle? Not even the greatest doctors of Equestria working as a team could save her wing, let alone regrow it entirely."
"It's a spell I crafted myself, based on my lessons from Sombra."
All eyes turned to the him now, the question clearly evident in their eyes. Why would Sombra know advanced medical magic? "My Queen gives herself less credit than is due, as always. I merely guided her in the dark arts of destroying a living organism in practically ever way imaginable. It was her idea to take that knowledge and use it for healing instead of death. A concept that I had never considered before."
Remembering the ruler she was, Celestia regained her composure. "How can we be certain that you are reformed Sombra. Simply loving Twilight is not enough in its own merit."
"I suppose there's no way you really can know, and to be perfectly honest I couldn't give a shit about your opinion even if I wanted to." His tone earned him a smack from Twilight's tail, but then as he continued, a shy and approving kiss. "What you can believe in is Twilight here. I showed her everything I had, my darkest secrets, my greatest evil, and she took it all. Now here she stands before you, having conquered even the evil that is found inside. Something I know certain princesses still struggle with to this day." Luna winced, a flicker of guilt in her eyes. "Though I was loathe to admit it at first, I have a lot to learn from her. I can only promise that I will do my best, not for you, not for her friends nor anypony else, but for the pony that reminded me how to love with all my heart."
Celestia gave him a simple nod for his speech, understanding perfectly where he stood. To Twilight she gave her final statement. "I first agreed to your attempts to reform Sombra not truly believing it to be possible. Then acting upon this belief I forged his destruction, thinking to save you before you inevitably fell. Instead my foolishness drove you into having to make the choice between him and us, and it drove you away. I thought for sure I had lost you forever, and then you walked here into my halls just 9 months later successful in your task despite everything that you have had to endure. Your only mistake, is to think you have to ask for our forgiveness."
Stepping down from her throne, Celestia stood before the couple and after a brief pause, gave them the deepest bow she could physically manage. "We have such a great deal to learn from you Twilight, I can only hope that you, no, both of you, can forgive me."
"There's nothing to forgive Celestia, I for one got a great deal of satisfaction out of watching Twilight hand you your ample plot back to you on a silver platter 9 months ago." Sombra's remark earned him a horrified punch in the ribs by his wife, but it was well worth it, and after a moment even Celestia had to chuckle a little at the memory.
"And of course I forgive you Princess, even though there really isn't anything to forgive!!" Said Twilight with tears in her eyes. All of her friends were cheering, happiness upon their faces at having their friend really truly back. Everything had gone way better than expected. She was finally able to come home.
Far away in Ponyville, in a special vault the shattered remains of what once was the element of magic began to glow with inner light once more.
The Friendship Express train car was unbearably silent.
Twilight Sparkle shifted restlessly on her seat, in part due to the challenge posed by her distended belly in getting comfortable. Two seats in front of her gathered her PFFs. Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie clumped together on one seat, while Rainbow Dash Applejack and Spike spilled across the isle onto the seat across. The first three would contort their faces in a range of emotions, alluding the storm raging inside of them, opening their mouths as if to ask a question that was burning in their minds, but close them before a sound could come out. The last three remained stoic, trying to hide the fact that they were staring at her, and at him. They were apprehensive, the hesitation to trust, to feel for her again plainly written in their eyes.
Twilight shifted around again, her anxiety starting to get to her. Her friends had been genuinely happy to see her return, but what if they never fully forgave her? What if they could never fully come to trust her again, after what she'd done to them? What if... but that thought was soon cut off by the warmth of her husband's side as he slid closer to her. He had opted to lie down and relax for the train ride to ponyville, all but sleeping through it. He couldn't care less for how the others felt about him, he wouldn't bat an eye if they riled against him in anger, or if they showered him with friendship, they simply didn't matter to his happiness.
Now, he had is left eye cracked open to peer at her from that charming ruby iris of his. He said nothing, just looked up at her for a moment, before a hint of a smile graced his lips. Closing his eye once more he scooted even closer than before so that she could feel his warmth, his love, radiating throughout her body. Confound his tranquility, it had such a habit of spreading to her; she couldn't help but to feel relaxed, all warm and fuzzy inside, when he was so close like this. Looking back to her friends, took a quick breath and regained a mote of confidence. She could never earn their trust and friendship back if she paralyzed herself with 'what ifs'. It was time to take matters into her own hooves. As she opened her mouth to speak, Rainbow Dash decided to walk over to the seat directly in front of her and sit down.
"So am I going to have super powers or something?"
The question was so outlandish, so completely out of context, that it threw Twilight for a complete loop, wiping out all of her carefully constructed conversation topics. "I...huh?"
"Because if my left wing's gonna have super strength or speed now, I think I'd need my right wing fixed up too, gotta keep things balanced right?"
Twilight burst into laughter, it was too much for her to handle. All the stress she'd piled on herself about trying to make up to her friends and here Rainbow was asking her about magical modifications, just like the time she wanted Twilight to change her into a gryphon. Her laughs became intermingled with sobs so that she was making a hiccupy/gaspy sound. Sombra had cracked his eyes open again, wise enough from the past few months to remain as unobtrusive as possible, while simultaneously as supportive as possible for his wife's mood swings, though he doubted it to be entirely hormonal this time around.
"How, how can you...already..." was as much as Twilight could gasp out of her uncooperative mouth. Rainbow's eyes grew somber, there was so much pain left over still, a scar too deep for anything other than time. "I can't really forget what happened Twi, when I lost my wing I...look I'm not good at all this mushy stuff. I was broken, but now you're back and you've already fixed a part of me. Let's just call it even and start off a blank slate, deal?"
Twilight nodded happily, "Deal." Now her other friends came closer to join Rainbow. "Darling, I think what Rainbow is trying to say is that while you made a mistakes, we only got hurt because we made mistakes as well. If we had really listened to you that day, this whole mess could have been avoided in the first place. Funny how every time it turns out so disastrous hmm?"
"Rares got a point Sugarcube, my silly brother's still over the moon for that rag doll from the first time we didn't listen." That prompted a chuckle from the rest of her friends, and an embarrassed flush of blood from Twilight. Spike suddenly leapt up onto her seat to cling to her in a desperately needed hug. He looked just like he had 9 months ago, though perhaps was he just a little bit taller now? Those eyes when he turned them to her pierced her heart, filled with tears and somewhere between love, and fear. "I know you had to leave Twilight, but what took you so long?" It would seem the supply of liquid to her tear ducts were endless this night.
"Oh Spike, I'm so so sorry. I promise not to leave you, any of you ever again." He nodded in acceptance, for now that would have to do. "As for your question, well let's just say Applejack used to be the most stubborn pony I've ever known." Applejack gave an embarrassed cough and suddenly became extremely interested in the cushion she sat upon. Sombra for his part simply stuck his tongue cheekily at Twilight, which in turn naturally earned him a gentle elbow to the rib cage. Everypony was laughing now, the silence gone to be replaced by the old warmth of companionship. For the first time in more than a year, Twilight finally felt like everything was certainly fine.
****
Celestia watched from her tower as the Friendship Express chugged away into the distance. It added a sense of completeness to the day, a circle opened and closed with watching a train from her window. With a hint of déjà vu, her sister approached from behind, only to simply sit beside Celestia without a word, content to share her silent company.
"It's a beautiful night Lulu, though I suspect the new addition will greatly vex the royal astronomers and their maps."
"Their maps have been the same for generations, its about time those old geezers had some real work to do."
"Perhaps, though I doubt many will appreciate the irony of a star-shaped constellation."
They shared another chuckle together before settling down to watch Equestria rest peacefully in the gentle moonlight.
"I'm sorry Tia, for doubting her like that."
"No, you were right to do so. It was prudent to be distrustful, and Equestria couldn't afford both it's rulers throwing caution to the wind in favor of personal emotion. I just thank the stars that everything went better than we could have hoped."
Luna nibbled on her lip, uncertain of how to bring up her next topic of concern. "Thank you Tia, as I'm afraid I must be further practical tonight despite how much I would wish to join you in relaxed celebration of Twilight's return."
With a slight downturn of the corners of her lips, Celestia cocked her head and looked directly at Luna, giving her a small nod to show she held her full attention.
"Nopony is more relieved than I that Twilight has not only returned repentant, but having completed her original task and then some, however that poses a significant problem for Equestria that we have not foreseen. Sparkle is barely a month out from bearing foal, which means there is a royal family about to make root in Ponyville. Furthermore, 'reformed' though Sombra may be, some things never change about ponies. Though Sparkle may have somehow turned his energies toward the path of good rather than evil, Sombra has ever been an ambitious and power-hungry individual. What is to stop him from trying to claim the right to rule over the crystal ponies once more? And if we are to deny him there, will he really be content to live out as royalty only in name, in a small town in the country? Will Twilight?"
Celestia's frown deepened, troubled by the truth in her sister's words. With a deep sigh, she turned to look out upon her precious ponies once more. "I don't know the answer to any of those Lulu, it is worrisome indeed to think what unforeseen consequences their return may bring. We shall have to tread lightly, and watch closely; we must be there to help in any way we can to help guide them across each bridge we may come across. Other than that, all we can do is hope, and to believe in them both. Twilight's proven many times now that she can do anything at all that she puts her mind to, and she deserves our faith in her decisions."
For a moment, Luna said nothing as she absorbed her sister's response. Looking outside as well, she scooted closer to Tia to wrap a comforting wing around her, a gesture that was returned in kind. "You're right again Tia, Twilight certainly has proven her ability time and time again. I just simply cannot shake the feeling that whatever it is that she sets her mind upon next will have ripples that will permeate all of Equestria....
Perhaps even, the entire world."
