//------------------------------//
// 11: Twilight Grows Up 
// Story: For the Good of Equestria: Shadows 
// by brokenimage321 
//------------------------------//

And so, the years roll on. 

Cadance becomes a benevolent ruler of the Crystal Empire, which exists on friendly, though not particularly close, terms with Equestria. She visits every so often, and her letters are increasingly warm, but, by and large, Cadance is no longer a part of either Luna's or Celestia's lives.

Twilight and her friends begin to grow up. Twilight finally completes her correspondence courses, and graduates from Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns with flying colors. Rainbow Dash applies for, and is accepted into, the Wonderbolts Reserve. Rarity has finally made it big, in no small part due to Celestia wearing a few of her dresses to important functions. Granny Smith passes away, but Applejack, who has basically been running the orchard herself for years, becomes a skilled apple farmer. Pinkie Pie opens her own shop in Canterlot, and leases the basement to Vinyl Scratch for her crazy parties. And Fluttershy is content just to stay at home, as always. 

Twilight applies to several colleges, and is accepted to the Crystal University, in the Crystal Empire. Crystal U has had a bit of a hard time finding its feet after the return of the Crystals--and is still a little old-fashioned, with things like oral exams and frequent, formalized debates--but has an impressive reputation as a center of learning. Twilight enters with a double major in History and Magical Studies. Though everyone in Ponyville is sad to see her go, they couldn't be happier for her. Celestia, too, is pleased--in fact, she feels it may have been her letter of recommendation that helped her get in--but she is strangely melancholy at her sending-off party.

Though the friends have grown up and gone their separate ways, they are still rather close; they often meet for lunch, or birthdays, or other important occasions, and keep in close contact via letter. Celestia is still able to call on them in emergencies, and even begins to send them out, two or three at a time, to act as her agents in sensitive matters: for example, Celestia sends Twilight to retrieve a magical artifact from an old Student of hers in an alternate dimension, and sends the six of them to investigate disturbing rumors of a Cutie Mark-obsessed cult, out in the badlands.

But this is not to say that things are peaceful--far from it. Celestia still has to tangle with a number of threats to peace and safety, most notably Lord Tirek, an ancient enemy of hers. Celestia had hoped to bring in some of her Students to help, but the situation became severe enough that she had to take matters into her own hooves. Though the battle was fierce, and devastated huge swaths of Canterlot, Tirek, ultimately, could not stand against the combined powers of the White War Goddess, the Queen of Fear, and the Crystal Empress. 

Celestia visits Twilight and her friends frequently, and they grow closer together. However, Celestia is most comfortable around Twilight, and finds herself able to open up more and more easily. She never really bares her soul to her, but she finds it easier to be genuine around her.