Ponyville was much quieter than it had been when they had left and there were guards posted on most corners, helping the citizens of the small town where they could. When the chariots touched down however, they drew the attention of everypony. The mayor was the first to approach as Twilight clambered down from the carriage and then helped the others down. She looked them over carefully, noting the jewellery that adorned each of them.
Then her attention was drawn to the carriage that came down behind them and her eyes widened when she saw who it was carrying. “P…Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon?”
“No.” Twilight corrected as they landed, “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The two sisters reunited once more.” The mayor nodded, still looking a little nervous as she canted over to the pair. Twilight could not help but wonder how long it would take poor Luna to live down her possessed form. She had a horrible feeling that it would take a very long time before she was allowed to forget what she had done. Even if she had not been in control for any of it.
The ponies of Ponyville emerged from their hiding places, as well as several members of the Apple family. A pair of young fillies, so young that they had not even gotten their cutie marks yet, rushed out of the crowd and hugged Rarity and Applejack.
One was a white unicorn who looked rather like Twilight would image a young Rarity would. Her mane and tail had a very similar curl to the mare who was probably her sister but were a combination of pale pink and lavender. The other was a yellow filly that Twilight recognised from the Apple family introductions. Though the earth pony was a similar pale yellow to Fluttershy with a reddish pink mane and tail, the former of whom was tied with a pink ribbon, her similar facial features and the accent the part-time Princess heard as the filly babbled at Applejack labelled her as Applebloom.
As the two older ponies reassured and hugged their younger sisters, Twilight approached her older brother, a little nervous as she watched him order his men to start withdrawing back to the palace in Canterlot. “Shiny?” She asked when he was not busy, “Will you stay? For the party, please?”
“Sure, Twily.” The older stallion nodded, nuzzling her and smiling, “But you still need to tell me what happened. Were you really an alicorn?”
“I…temporarily.” Twilight nodded, “I found out a lot today and I need to write it all down before I forget it, but apparently I was an alicorn a really long time ago but I sealed away some ancient power and accidently locked away my alicorn powers at the same. Now I’m just a unicorn.”
“Just a unicorn?” Shining Armour sounded offended, though he had an odd expression on his features that meant Twilight was not sure if he was angry or not. “There’s nothing wrong with being a unicorn.”
“You know I didn’t mean…I like being a unicorn!” Twilight told him, “That’s not what I meant. I don’t entirely understand this mess myself, yet. But I will and when I do, I’ll share everything with you, I promise.”
“You’d better, Twily.” Shining Armour nodded as they watched Princess Luna receive a crown of daisies from some of the younger ponies in town. The part-time Princess was pleased to see a surprised but delighted smile light up the younger alicorn’s features, helping the townsfolk around them relax.
“You know what this calls for?” Pinkie Pie asked, pulling the party cannon out of her hair and reloading it in less than a heartbeat. “A party!”
Twilight did not get a chance to warn her brother before Pinkie fired her cannon and she found herself smothered in his protective embrace as the explosion went off.
“Shiny! Shiny it’s okay, it’s just Pinkie Pie!” Twilight giggled at him, trying to push him away. “Her party cannon only shoots streams and confetti.”
“Seriously?” Shining Armour looked sceptical as he let go of her and stared around at the aforementioned items scattered everywhere. “How…?”
“It’s Pinkie Pie, I’m beginning to give up asking.” Twilight admitted with a slight laugh. “Come try the food, it’s gorgeous.” Twilight kept an eye on the party, enjoying it from the edges. Swiftly as more and more of the townsfolk joined in, used to Pinkie Pie’s impromptu parties, it became clear that the ponies were going to accept Princess Luna easily. Or at least it seemed that way. It was a load off of the purple unicorn’s mind.
Twilight slipped away to the Golden Oak Library when her brother was distracted by the arrival of the Wonderbolts and as she reached the door of the great tree, she could hear the party become even livelier. She looked back the way that she had come to find that Rainbow Dash had been unable to resist joining the impressive flying squad in the skies.
“Sorry everypony.” Twilight whispered as she slipped inside and put Spike to bed before she started packing up her things. She knew her brother and while he would let them rest for a little, if he had his way they would be headed back to Canterlot not long after sunrise tomorrow, if not at some point this afternoon. She fully planned on going back to enjoy the party for a little bit. After all she wanted to try and get permission to send everypony letters, but she did not want to end up rushing around at the last minute before they left and find out halfway home that she had forgotten something.
She was halfway done when the windows to the balcony opened with aid of a golden yellow light and Princess Celestia poked her head into the bedroom. “Twilight? May I come in?”
The unicorn in question jumped a mile, having been engrossed in making sure all the books she was packing were actually her own and not ones that had been pulled off of the library shelves in their desperate search for answers. She wheeled around and stared at the Princess, her mind blank for a moment or two before she nodded, “Y…Yes, of course.”
The Princess stepped into the room cautiously, as if she wasn’t certain that Twilight would really want her there, “You’re packing already? Are you so keen to leave Ponyville?”
“No.” Twilight sighed, “But I…” She trailed off, having never told the Princess about the bullying after the first few times and wondering how best to phrase it. Instead she changed the subject. “How’s Luna?”
“She’s much better, thanks to you. I left her with your friend, Pinkie Pie. She was saying something about Pin the Tail on the Donkey.” Celestia smiled when Twilight chuckled. The unicorn could just imagine her friend doing that, “She told me what happened and that the Shadows spoke to you. Do you want to talk about it?”
“I…” Twilight frowned slightly, “I don’t know how much to believe and how much was them trying to demoralise me.” She admitted as Celestia watched her pace back and forth. “You know then? About my other form?”
“I do, yes. I always knew you were something special, my dear student.” The Princess nodded, watching the agitated unicorn who was still wearing her crown as she walked around and around. “Now you know it too.”
“I don’t know anything.” Twilight objected, turning around to stare at her mentor, frustration clear, “Only what you told me in your letter and what the Shadows told me. How could I possibly have been an alicorn in the past when I’m not that old? I’m just…”
“Twilight, may I tell you a tale? It’s one you’ve never heard before.” The Princess asked in reply. “And it may help clear up a few things.” When Twilight nodded, Celestia trotted over to the bed, got settled and invited her student to join her in getting comfortable. Once she had followed directions, Celestia cast a spell that coated the floor in a mirror like surface that started showing images.
“A long time ago, back around the time that Equestria was founded, Luna and I were travelling, trying to make alliances with other Kingdoms. We went to many different countries to find new friends and eventually we went to Saddle Arabia.” Princess Celestia told her, the mirror surface flicking between images as she spoke, showing the Griffin Kingdoms, the Dragonlands and many more before finally settling on the sandy plains of Saddle Arabia.
“This was long before Luna first ran into the Shadows,” Celestia reassured her, “But while we were there, I asked about the former royal family of Equigypt, hoping that someone survived that I could offer asylum to. After all at the time we had many enemies and I thought that…well, it does not matter what I thought because we were taught that there were none left and more importantly, Luna and I were taught why.”
Twilight stared at Celestia for a moment, surprised, then she turned back to the mirrored surface, which was showing a unicorn dressed in Saddle Arabian silks, showing Celestia and Luna scrolls and artefacts.
The images continued to shift and change before her as they revealed a unicorn of pure white, surrounded by an insane inferno of Shadows, facing down a alicorn who looked a lot like her in shape and form and was wearing the puzzle, but whose wings were not damaged at all. Their surroundings were ruined, much like the Castle of the Two Sisters had been and when they could see through the gaps, they could see that the rest of the country was much the same way.
As the pictured warped, the Shadows around the unicorn became the demonic dragon like creature that had been revealed when Twilight had been fighting Nightmare Moon. Then there was a flash of magic from the alicorn and the demon and unicorn were sucked into something on the ground, while the alicorn’s image ripped into two. An alicorn and a unicorn who looked exactly like her. The alicorn was sucked into the puzzle while the unicorn collapsed and a stallion rushed to her side and started sobbing.
“According to the legends, the Princess killed herself to save what was left of her ponies, but she ripped her soul in two when she did so. It was believed that she was gone forever. By her own ponies’s traditions she had given up her rights to the afterlife and would either walk the path that some would call purgatory forever, or fade away to nothing. There was a chance, one slim chance that she might return one day, when the world needed her to face the darkness again and apparently,” Celestia said, turning away from the images, which faded away, and looking at Twilight, “That was what happened and I got very lucky.”
“Lucky?” Twilight asked, confused and still absorbing everything that Celestia had shown her, “What do you mean?”
“Luna heard what the Shadows said to you, she was aware for all of it. She just couldn’t do anything about it and if they’re Shadows are to be believed, I didn’t just get a very impressive student when you came to my school that morning, but I found my Equigyptian Princess.” Celestia sighed, “I thought I might have done when I saw you and saw your puzzle, but after Sunset Shimmer and my sister, I was so frightened that…”
“I understand.” Twilight offered, daring to nuzzle her teacher gently, able to see that the alicorn was just as tired as she was, and surprised and pleased that Celestia reciprocated, nuzzling her back in much the same way the Princess had nudged Luna earlier, “If I had not had my friends, it’s possible I would have fallen the same way.” She admitted, “You were right to keep it from me until I was old enough to understand the power I held.”
She felt the ruler of Equestria relax a little at that. “So you forgive me for keeping this from you for so long?”
“Of course.” Twilight nodded, a thoughtful expression taking over as she mulled over things, “Though I have to ask…what happens now? Now I know the truth about my puzzle, my past and my role as the Guardian of Shadows?”
“What do you want to happen, my faithful student?” Celestia asked her frankly, “For that’s the most important thing. Not what I want, or what you think is expected of you, but what you want for yourself.”
“I…I promised Luna that I would be there for her. I want to keep that promise.” Twilight told her, “But being lonely hurts. All the time, like there’s a hole in my chest that nothing can fill…” She trailed off, looking embarrassed. “Sorry, I shouldn’t…”
“No, please, tell me.” Celestia sounded pained, as if knowing that she had been failing Twilight much the same way that she had failed her sister physically hurt her, “I want to know.”
“I…I’ve been so alone. The other unicorns in school don’t like me, I’m too different.” Twilight told her bluntly, unable to stop herself now the dam had opened, “And I’ve had fun here, I’ve made friends here and now…I don’t want to give them up but I can’t expect you to come here to teach me or Luna to want to fly all of this way to visit so…I don’t have a choice, do I?”
“Sometime the hardest part about being a Princess is making the difficult choices.” Celestia told her student, “But, if you’ll trust me, I think I have a solution, but I need to speak to the mayor first.” Twilight blinked at her, wondering what she could possibly mean. “Shall we return to the party?”
“But don’t I need to pack?” Twilight asked, confused.
“I will send someone to assist you later, but I think Spike could probably do with some unbroken sleep.” The Princess told her, “Come on, we’ll walk back together.” She paused to consider Twilight properly, “You know, I believe that crown suits you.”
Twilight tried to ignore the blush that spread across her face at Celestia’s compliment and the Princess’s chuckle as they headed down and out, picking up a couple of cupcakes from the party that had been held in the library on their way out.
“So hungry.” Celestia admitted as she ate the slightly stale cupcake, “And this is still delicious.”
“Pinkie Pie does make great cupcakes.” Twilight agreed, still confused over what her tutor was up to and just as hungry as the alicorn next to her. “Just watch out if she sets out any drinks. She likes hot sauce and she got me with it the other day.”
The Princess let out a bright laugh at that, “I might have caught a couple of the servants doing something rather similar not that long ago. I think it might be a prank most ponies try at some point.”
“I wish I’d had some warning.” Twilight grumbled, remembering her horrendous overreaction, which had at least, resulted in her completing the puzzle. “I chugged the whole bottle before I realised what it was.” Celestia started laughing at that, embarrassing the unicorn further. Luckily she had stopped giggling before they reached the party and the Sun Goddess slipped away to talk to the mayor while Twilight was grabbed by Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie and dragged onto the dance floor.
Part of her mind stayed on Celestia’s words as she lost sight of the alicorn of the sun in the crowds, but she mostly lost herself in the fun of the celebrations. Her mind was completely diverted from everything the moment the buffet table was laid out and she and the other five who had traversed the Everfree Forest and completed Nightmare Moon’s Challenge dove on it with aplomb.
She was embarrassed of how high her plate was stacked until she saw Pinkie Pie was just about managing to keep a stack of cupcakes easily as tall as she was from tumbling everywhere. Luckily no pony said anything as the six of them retreated to a table safely away from the crowds around the hastily erected podium and dance floor.
“Rainbow Dash said you’d gone to the library.” Rarity commented, once they had eaten enough to stop being ravenous after their long adventure and could pace themselves between bites, “Does that mean you were packing?”
“She did?” Twilight blinked at them, having not thought any pony had seen her.
“Yeah, when I was flying with the Wonderbolts I saw you sneak off.” Dash commented, waving a hoof in her direction, “You weren’t thinking of sneaking off on us, were you?”
“No,” Twilight shook her head, letting out a soft sigh, “I was going to pack and get ready to go, but Princess Celestia and I talked and now I’m not sure what’s going on.”
“Ooooh!” Pinkie Pie’s squeal of delight attracted the attention of some of the surrounding crowds, “Does this mean you’ll be staying?”
“Maybe?” That was the best Twilight could offer. “She said she had to talk to the mayor, so she might let me stay but I don’t know, I don’t want to hold my breath.”
“It’s okay, I’ll do it for you.” Pinkie informed her, then took a deep breath and held it, causing Twilight to stare at her in astounded confusion as she tried to work out if the pink earth pony was serious.
“Oookay.” Applejack blinked at the extremely bouncy filly. She took a bite of her apple pie before she continued, “Well if yer are stayin’ in Ponyville or if yer ever visiting, then yer more than welcome ter stay with us if yer need to, there’s always room.”
“Thank you.” Twilight grinned at Applejack, grateful for the offer, “And the same goes for you girls, we might have to sleep in bundles on the floor, but you’re all more than welcome to sleep in my library with me in Canterlot if you ever visit me there.”
The fillies all started discussing slumber party plans at the same time, pleasing Twilight who had never actually had a slumber party before, only for the sound of a bell ringing to disturb their chatter. They turned towards the podium to discover that the mayor was stood upon it, looking a combination of delighted and nervous.
“Citizens of Ponyville, this Summer Sun Celebration has been full of trials and tribulations for all of us,” She said, “But I am proud that after the initial panic, we all pulled together to keep everything running while things were…unusual. Now however, we can finally relax and I can introduce Princess Celestia and, for the first time in a thousand years, Princess Luna. Please welcome them both to the stage.”
The applause that followed was a little hesitant to start with until Applejack and Rainbow Dash started whooping and hollering and then the crowd joined in, cheering and stomping their hooves on the ground as the two sisters stood together in public for the first time since Luna had fallen to the darkness of the Shadows.
“Fillies and Gentlecolts,” Princess Celestia started, looking around at the assembled faces, maintaining a benevolent smile and a calm demeanour as she spoke, “I must thank you for your patience over the last few days. I know that your plans did not go off quite as arranged but you all have managed magnificently.” That pleased the crowds who nudged and smiled and whispered pleased comments to each other. “There are a few ponies who, though, today would not have been possible without and I would like them to step forward please.”
The group at the table froze up as the Princess’s gaze turned to them and the crowd’s gaze followed. Fluttershy squeaked and hid behind Applejack as Princess Celestia gestured for them to come up to the podium.
Twilight herself only just managed a bit better as she led the group of six through the crowd, which parted for them, and up to the stand.
“Each of these ponies did something to help this event take place.” The Sun Goddess announced, “Fluttershy, organised the music for this wonderful event.” The yellow pegasus waved from behind Applejack but didn’t emerge otherwise, “Rarity did all the decorating in the hall and I do believe I saw her flitting around to make this square look beautiful too, despite being tired.” The white unicorn bowed and looked pleased at the round of applause, “Rainbow Dash cleared the skies and gave up this wonderfully cloud free day to play in.” Dash, who had already completed one thing she had always wanted to do today in getting to fly with the Wonderbolts, looked smug at the announcement, “Applejack and her family provided all the food you have been enjoying.” That got a rather loud round of applause, “While Pinkie Pie had been organising the whole thing and ensuring that each and every one of you has had fun.” Twilight chuckled as Pinkie bounced up and down on the spot at her round of applause.
“You know each and every one of the ponies I’ve introduced, but the sixth is new to Ponyville and that’s my private student, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight waved and scuffed her foot nervously as the crowd turned to stare at her, “I sent Twilight here to keep an eye on the party planning and she did her job most admirably, but when things went wrong, she and the others all went out of their way to do something extraordinary to fix a mistake made a thousand years ago.”
Twilight could not help but wonder where Princess Celestia was going with this and she could see the same questions in the looks the others were sharing.
“A thousand years ago yesterday, my sister was replaced by a dark monster who wanted to destroy Equestria and in my folly, I sent her away with the creature. Twilight and her friends did something this morning that I could not. They brought her back to me. Without them, there would be no sun for you to celebrate in this morning and we owe them all a great debt of gratitude.”
Twilight was stunned as Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and all the guards bowed to them. The citizens of Ponyville followed suit rather quickly, leaving the six who had traversed the forest staring at each other in shock.
“It is through their Unity and their Harmony that this came to pass and I would be a foal to split them up.” Princess Celestia announced as she straightened, making everypony’s heads come up to, “So it is with this and the happiness of my student in mind, that I have decided that from this day forth, I am assigning Twilight Sparkle to Ponyville, to continue her studies on the Magic of Friendship.”
The cheer from the crowd, who were relieved to have the Elements of Harmony staying with them, in Ponyville, were drowned out by the excited squeals of the group of the six fillies as they hugged each other, delighted that they were not going to be separated.
“I ask that you treat them with all the respect they deserve.” Princess Celestia continued, “No matter which shape or form you may come across them in.” She continued, obviously referring to the fact that Twilight could transform into an alicorn, “And to you girls, I say thank you, and do not hesitate to visit Canterlot whenever you like. I am certain that we will be seeing a lot of each other in the future.”
Applejack and Rainbow Dash saluted, while Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy bowed or nodded. Twilight, however had an entirely different and not completely dignified response and she hugged her teacher tightly, babbling her thanks, having been afraid that Celestia would abandon her if she chose to leave Canterlot.
“No, Twilight, thank you.” Celestia whispered back, hugging her too, “And I hope you’ll be happier here than you were in Canterlot.”
“I will.” Twilight promised, a bright grin on her face, though no one could see it, “I definitely will.”