A Canterlot 'Mending

by River Road


Acceptance (S)

I duck into a shadowed alcove and pull the cloak around me, holding my breath until the pair of guards passes and I can allow myself to relax a little. Just because I know what I need and where it is I can’t get careless. I was already almost spotted twice already since I arrived, and I’m not about to let myself get captured now that I've almost reached my goal.

Down one more short hallway and I’m at the small, inconspicuous door to what I remember to be a small study. I attempt a lockpicking spell, but it turns out the door is already open. After the last two years I can’t even say if that hints at a trap or if ponies are really that trusting and naïve. Maybe both.

I slip into the dark room and quietly close the door behind myself, then light my horn to shed soft orange light around myself, casting deep shadows around the room. A slim pedestal stands right ahead of me, a light crown resting on it with a star-cut amethyst as the centerpiece. The Element of Magic. I lick my lips and carefully step forward until I’m right in front of it, reaching out hesitantly with a hoof to–

“Just out of curiosity, what are you planning to do once you have it?”

I yelp and spin around to face the intruder while taking a step away from them, which leads to my flank bumping right into the pedestal. I let out another undignified yelp and quickly pounce it, wrapping both forelegs around the toppling block of marble to keep it from falling over and just barely catching the tip of the crown with my teeth.

I hear a melodic giggle from behind me and my face flushes as I remember that I’m supposed to be one of the greatest mages of my time which means using telekinesis should have been in the scope of my abilities. A lavender aura surrounds the crown and pedestal to gently pull them out of my grip and set them down again. I spit a little and stick my tongue out at the taste of cold metal and magic the crown left in my mouth, then turn around to frown at the pony.

I have to admit, seeing an alicorn about my own size and age standing across from me, wings spread and decked out in full royal regalia, leaves me speechless for a few seconds. I have more than enough experience in disrespecting authorities, though, so I shake it off quickly enough.

“You promised me not to tell anypony.”

Princess Queen (Doctor Princess Queen) Twilight Sparkle gives me a sly grin. “And I didn’t. But you weren’t really going to cross over into your home dimension and not even say hello, were you?” I glance away guiltily and she frowns. “Really, Sunset?”

“I didn’t want any trouble…”

She rolls her eyes. “Oh yes, because nothing says ‘no consequences’ like stealing a priceless and powerful magical artifact right out of the castle. If that was the reason, you wouldn’t have come over the moment the portal opened when we'd have three whole days to track you down again.”

She got me there. “I… I guess I didn’t feel up to facing anypony from home. Like I’d either break down crying or punch them in the face the moment I see them.”

“So, which one is it going to be?” She smirks and raises an eyebrow.

I take a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. “N-nothing, for now… No promises if you bring Pr- Celestia into this, though.”

“I told you, I’m the only one who knows that you’re here.” She lights her horn and two seat pillows appear, one right behind me. I sit down nervously, still tense and ready to hightail it out of here any second.

“So, this was a trap after all?” I look around cautiously, glancing back at the crown.

Twilight frowns at me. “If you hate conversation and socializing that much, I suppose. You helped me more than I can ever repay, and I’ve never even seen you. I barely know anything about you, the you you are now, not that rebellious teenager from thirty moons ago.” Only thirty moons on the other side of the mirror, at least, but we both know what she means. She glances past me towards the crown. “Besides, I really was curious. What would you want the Element of Magic for? It doesn’t work without the other five, and the world I assume you would be taking it back to doesn’t even have any magic in the first place.”

“It doesn’t work here.” I mumble. She already knows what I was trying to do, so I might as well come clean. “If one of the Elements is separated from the others, and I mean really no-dice whole-other-dimension separated, you can unlock its power without any other prerequisites.”

She nods. “I see. But wouldn’t it go dormant again when you take it back to Equestria? And over there it might be useful, but from what little you said about those humans’ technology a single source of magic would only get you so far.”

I fold my ears back and look away, not saying anything. I’d mostly ignored the flaws and risks in my plan, primarily because I just didn’t have any better options.

“Soooo…” I venture eventually. “I guess you’re a Princess of Equestria now. Or are you Queen of the Changelings?”

“Both, actually.” Twilight rubs her neck. “Though I’m not going to act on it, now that this whole mess is sorted out. I’m not a ruler, and I don’t want to be either. I’m either gonna move back to Ponyville to try and patch things up with my friends there, or I’ll let Spike handle the library in Ponyville and buy myself a house here in Canterlot, keep in touch with my other group of friends properly this time… or maybe I’ll just do both and move between Canterlot and Ponyville. It’s not that far, even less once I figure out how to use these things.” She spreads her wings and bends them forward slightly to look them over.

I stare at them, giving a wistful and maybe slightly bitter smile. “Yeah… must be great to have everything and not even need it…”

Twilight stares at me for a moment, then suddenly perks up. “Ah, that reminds me. I can’t believe I almost forgot…” She gets up and walks right past me, towards a back door behind the pedestal. Halfway through the door she stops, looking back at me over her shoulder. “Are you coming?”

I blink and get back to my hooves, cautiously following her into the next room. It’s completely empty save for some spell circles laid into the floor and five other unicorn mares each wearing a necklace around their neck and forming a circle.

Twilight takes the last remaining spot, levitating the crown with the Element of Magic onto her head. “I found Starswirl’s journal that you were talking about and made a new spell… several, really, but this one seems the safest for its purpose.”

My eyes widen as I realize what she is talking about and I look around at the necklaces again. “B-but… they’re not the Bearers, right? Are they even going to work?”

Twilight giggles. “They’re the Elements of Harmony, based on the power of friendship. What could be a better symbol of that than spreading that magic and sharing it with more ponies. Trust me, they’ve all shown the virtues of friendship in abundance.”

She looks at each of the other ponies in turn. “Colgate, who always wants everypony to have the brightest smile they can. Lyra, who doesn’t hide anything of herself from anypony, no matter how strange some of her interests may seem. Lemon Hearts, who loves to provide the best for ponies. Twinkleshine, who is always there when you need an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on. And Moondancer, who made the effort to open herself up to us and managed to forgive me and stand by my side even after I’d failed her.”

I look around again, panicking just a little. “B-but… are you sure this is okay? You’ve heard what I did, how I am. What if Celestia was right? What if I’m really not ready, what if I’ll never be? What if I don't deserve to be?!”

“Then that’s a problem we will handle if it comes up.” She giggles. "Besides, if you really go mad from power I'm pretty sure we can handle one more deranged alicorn. All in a day's work for Doctor Princess Queen Twilight Sparkle."

The necklaces and crown start to glow and flash as their Bearers are lifted up into the air. Twilight looks at me with white glowing eyes full of power and smirks, saying the last words I’ll hear in this life.

“Anyway, I’m basically gonna need you to die now.”