Celestia looked over her sleeping student, a soft smile upon her face as she exited the hospital ward, leaving her in the care of the ever loyal pegasus in the room. Stifling a yawn, she turned to face her sister.
“How is she?”
Celestia sighed softly. “Physically? She’s going to be fine. Especially once she’s fully awake and we can do some tests so we know how to best treat her,” she explained. “Mentally?” she gave a helpless shrug.
Luna nodded. “Sister, I can’t tell you what I saw in Twilight’s dreams and memories, but...” Luna paused as she thought for the right word. “I hate to put it like this, but she’s broken. You know your student better than I do, but I know her well enough to know this. She’ll push on, pretending nothing is wrong, but she is broken.”
That received a nod and a sad look from the solar princess. “Yes... I know that all too well. Twilight is going to face many challenges, none of which I could have foreseen, many of which even now I cannot guess.”
“She’s already faced the first and come out of it for the better. She knows her friends are there for her, no matter what she is.”
That got a smile from Celestia. “Yes, I suppose so,” she said happily. “And tomorrow, her family is coming by.” She looked out the window that overlooked the gardens, the moon hanging in the sky.
Luna leaned against her sister softly for a moment, lending some of her comfort to Celestia.
“She will heal. Time has that strange habit, remember?”
Celestia stiffened, but not from her sister's touch. “I learned that lesson long ago,” she said, the bit of worry in her voice causing Luna some confusion.
“Luna, has Discord’s statue always faced that way?””
Twilight fumbled with her spoon for a moment, her magic weakened by both her time spent in a coma, and the new changeling part of her affecting it. The soup in the spoon stayed there, much to her happiness. She quickly swallowed her soup, smiling at her achievement as the door opened quickly.
She jumped softly as she looked to the door and quickly recognized the ponies walking through it.
“Mom! Dad!” She exclaimed happily, her soup being put on her bed stand by a helpful pegasus. A small patterning of feet was all the warning she had before a certain purple dragon heaved himself onto the bed and had her in a tight hug.
“Twilight!” Spike said, holding on tightly as he fought back tears. Twilight eyes filled with tears of her own as she held onto the small dragon, hugging tightly. It only took a few moments for her parents to rush to her side, soon enveloping the purple mare in a family hug.
Everyone there just took in the moment, finally reunited after so long. No one noticed as Dash silently exited the room, a small smile on her face.
After a minute, the hug ended, leaving the three ponies, and dragon, looking at one another. It wasn’t until Twilight rubbed at her eyes that she softly said the only thing that came to mind. “Hey mom, dad. Long time no see?” She tried to lighten the mood.
It worked, her dad chuckling as he smiled, his eyes still wet from the hug. “We’re just glad you’re back,” softly saying all that needed to be said, before he, too, tried to lighten the mood. “We’re just sorry we missed your birthday.”
Twilight stiffened slightly, her hooves tightening around Spike for a moment. Her eyes lit up in a soft panic for a moment before she relaxed and nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah. Knowing Pinkie, though, she’ll throw me a make-up party.” She said, chuckling and nuzzling Spike.
Her mother smiled softly at her as well, before giving a soft sniffle as she just looked at her daughter. Her eyes carried an undertone of the same emotion that Night Light’s did: worry for their daughter. There was another pause of silence before Spike buried himself deeper into her chest, his worried eyes hiding nothing as he looked up at her, his voice cracking slightly.
“I-I was so scared,” he muttered softly as he held her a little more tightly. “I woke up, you were gone... I thought we’d never see you again!” He finished, his voice louder now as he worked out his emotions. Twilight rubbed her eyes again to clear them before answering softly.
“It’s okay Spike. I’m back now, and I’m not going anyway anytime soon.” She said, determination in her voice as she looked up from Spike to her parents.
<You couldn’t stay before, why do you think you can now?>
Her eyes widened for a moment, before she closed them tightly and breathed deeply, trying to calm herself down. When she opened them, she saw her parents sharing a look between the two of them. She did her best the give them a reassuring smile despite her own uneasiness.
Deciding to move the conversation along before it stagnated, she asked a question that had been weighing on her mind. “How’s Shining?” she asks softly. To her great relief, Velvet’s smile didn’t waver.
“Shining is doing fine, Twilight. He was a bit shaken up and needed some time to recover all the magic he used out in the badlands, but he’s recovering,” she said happily, a chuckle from her mother surprising the daughter. “The doctor actually caught him trying to escape this morning.”
Twilight laughed at that as well, Night Light nodding along. “He said he was trying to make his way here, actually. Wanted to see his little sister again,” he said looking proud. “At least we know that he’s feeling better; it’s only the doctor’s orders keeping him in bed. And knowing you, it’ll only be a matter of time before you’re up and about!” He said, sounding hopeful and confident.
A sudden voice from the doorway caused all four of them to jump slightly as the princess walked in slowly. “And I would like to talk to all of you about what happens after that.” She said as she smiled softly at the four of them.
Twilight sat up a bit taller at the sight of the Princess, her mind racing as she tried to stand only to feel a soft pressure on her chest. Her father’s blue arm keeping her down as he looked worried.
“Princess!” she said, a bit of panic in her voice as she remembered the last time she had seen her mentor. “I’m so sor-” was all she got out before a different hoof booped her on the nose, a white one this time. She blinked as she looked up at the smiling Princess whose eyes held an inner sadness.
“Twilight, we both were emotionally stressed that night, and I know that I said some things that I’m going to regret for as long as I live. If you want to talk about this later, I’ll be all ears,” she said, looking a bit sad. “Just know that you have absolutely nothing to be sorry about.”
Despite her teacher’s calming words, Twilight’s ears drooped slightly as Spike gave her another tight hug. After a moment, Celestia continued. “For now, Twilight, I need to talk to your parents. We’ll be right back, I promise.”
As she left the small medical room, Velvet and Night Light looking at each other for a moment as well. “We’ll be right back honey,” Velvet promised with a kiss to her daughter’s forehead.
As they made their way outside, they were greeted by the rare sight of a worn down Celestia. Ever since Twilight had become Celestia’s pupil, she had grown quite close to her entire family, and may have been the only people besides Luna to see her like this.
Velvet sighed softly as she sat down with Celestia, knowing that the conversation they were about to have would not be a happy one.
“Well, Princess?” Night said softly, looking back at the now-closed door. “What happens next?”
Celestia sighed before looking up. “She can’t go back to Ponyville. You know that right?” she said as she looked up at the pair. “There are more tests that have to be run. Physical examinations, mental evaluations, and more...” She trailed off as she looked down.
“You’re not turning our daughter into an experiment, Celestia!” Velvet said, her voice cutting as her husband put a hoof on her shoulder, looking at the white mare who flinched at the smaller mare’s words.
“You know she’s right, Velvet. Twilight is still Twilight, but she’s gone through something nobody should have to.” He said softly to her, before speaking to Celestia. “But this isn’t permanent, right?” He asks for confirmation.
Her pause spoke more words than could be spoken, her mouth working for a moment before she managed to make a sound. “I can’t protect her in Ponyville.” she said softly. “This has taught me that much.”
Velvet and Night Light looked at her, not sure what to say to that. Even being close with the Princess, this was the first time either of them had seen her look... helpless. She looked up at them, sadly. “I know it has been a while since you had your child living with you, but I think Twilight would feel better at her home,” she suggested. “I was hoping she could stay with you for the time being, whenever she’s released from the medical ward.”
Velvet smiled softly at the Princess, before she nodded. “Princess, that’s not even a question we have to think about. Of course she can live with us,” Velvet said as she looked at her husband, who also nodded at the solar diarch.
Celestia smiled back at them, giving a hopeful look before sitting up taller, letting out a deep breath and regaining her royal presence. “Thank you, both of you.” She said with honesty in her voice. “And now I have to ask you if I can a moment to speak to Twilight privately.”
Seeing that Velvet was looking like she was about to protest, Night Light leaned on his wife and nodded the Princess. “Of course, Princess. Just... don’t take to long?”
Celestia nodded and smiled at them, standing from her seat and entering the medward. A muffled conversation later, Spike came wandering out and sat down next to his foster parents.
Twilight looked up at her teacher with bated breath, before Celestia let out one last sigh and looked down at her beloved student. “Oh Twilight... There is so much to discuss and talk about, but something more important has come up,” she said as she shifted slightly.
Twilight, more confused than anything by what she had just heard, spoke up. “What’s so important, Princess?” She asked as she struggled herself into a more upright position, her soup sitting forgotten on the bedside table.
With a silent look, Celestia’s horn sparked and a card appeared in front of Twilight, who took it in her own magical grasp and started to read it.
“I hate to show this to you so soon, and so suddenly, but... I have little choice in this matter. The letter is for you, and the spell on it would have forced its way to you eventually.” Celestia said as she seemed to glare at the letter.
Twilight’s eyes could only widen as she read it the letter, which looked more like a monopoly card if she was being honest. It read:
One Clue
To
Twilight Sparke
At 4 o’clock
In the Garden
It was even complete with a monopoly-style man that looked exactly like...
“Discord?” Twilight asked, worry in her voice as she tried to get out of bed. “The others!”
Celestia stepped forward, placing a calming hoof on her students shoulder. “Relax, Twilight, Discord is still a statue. It just appears his seal is not as solid as we once thought.”
Twilight moved to throw the card away, tired of all the villains trying to mess with her life when Celestia continued, making her pause.
“Your friend, Rainbow Dash, found an interesting theory in one of the library’s old books. One by Talented Tome, I believe,” she said as she looked down. “One suggesting that maybe Discord helped make changelings.”
“And if he’s offering me a hint...” she said as she flipped she card over to some new writing. “But it could be a trap-” she cut herself off as she read the card.
Note that I said Clue
Not Hint
Two totally different things
She rolled her eyes and sank back down into the bed, Celestia speaking up again.
“No one is going to force you to go,” she said softly, before Twilight shook her head.
“I’ll go. But if he thinks he’s just going to screw with my head, he’s wrong,” she said as she wrapped her blanket around herself.
“There’s nothing left to screw with...”