//------------------------------// // Compulsory Conversations // Story: Student of the Night // by Nadir //------------------------------// "So here we are again, it's always such a pleasure.” Luna spoke without turning, concentrating on the papers scattered in front of her. Her magic flicked a pen back and forth across the desk. The elevator had just clicked into place, the first time in three days that Twilight had seen Luna. Since she had sought her advice regarding Silverhorn, Luna had been swamped; the work had really piled up in the Queen’s absence, and upon her return, she needed to work overtime to catch up. Twilight understood, of course, but it was not an easy sacrifice. Both of them wanted more time for just the two of them. Although, Twilight was busy herself. She’d had a few ideas over the last few days. The populace hadn’t rallied behind Luna when she returned, a reality that bothered Twilight to no end. But, more than irritation, the situation was becoming dangerous. Luna was held in contempt at all levels of the city, and that did not bode well for the Queen’s position. Twilight still saw the issue as manageable, but they needed to act quickly. “I’m sorry for stealing more of your time, especially when you have so little of it to spare,” Twilight began, walking off the elevator into the room. Luna looked up from her paper with a sly smile, although the pen continued writing. “Dear Student, I may not have much time to myself, but I’ll gladly give you every second you wish for,” Luna finished, getting up from her desk and letting the magic fade from the pen. As she stood in a single, elegant motion, the long skirts of her lavender dress swept alongside her. Twilight swallow in desire. Although she had seen the Queen recently, Twilight was always stunned by her sheer majesty. “Now, how can I help you, love?” Luna asked as she went in for a hug. Twilight clear her throat before speaking. “Well, I was looking for some advice. You know of Fleur, right?” she asked tentatively, gauging Luna’s reaction. To her surprise, the foreleg Luna had lifted for an embrace dropped like a stone. In sharp contrast with her radiant looks, an ugly frown spread across her muzzle. “Oh yes, I know of Fleur. I believe we’ve talked about her before, have we not, Student?” Twilight nodded uneasily. She had been mentioned in passing, sure, but her name almost always appeared alongside others. She was just one of the ponies Twilight interacted with. This was the first time Twilight had brought her up alone, and she certainly hadn’t expected this reaction from her Queen. “Well, um, I’m sure that you’ve heard about my activism with her. I guess I’m just wondering what you think about it? I mean, do you approve? I feel like I’ve been making a real difference in the Empire, but you know how much I weigh your thoughts.” Luna’s mouth opened instantly before closing shut once more, stopping the gut reaction she almost blurted out. The room was silent for a moment as Luna puzzled out the proper way to voice her opinion. Eventually, she shook her head. “I can’t say that I hold any love for that mare. She’d likely say the same to you about me, I imagine.” Twilight almost interjected, but a look from Luna made her silent. “At best, she’s a thorn in my side, and at worse, she’s my greatest enemy in the court. Honestly, if it were up to me, I wouldn’t let you consort with her any longer, but I am your lover, not your keeper,” Luna answered bluntly. It almost made Twilight wonder what her unedited reaction would have been. Twilight stood silent, still processing what Luna had said. The Queen gave a soft sigh before closing the distance between the two of them. Her wingtip reached out, gently pressing underneath her Student’s chin, lifting Twilight’s eyes to hers. Luna started directly at her, forcing Twilight to look into that never-ending starfield. “And why do you ask, little one? Have you begun to have regrets? Worries? Hesitations? You know that I’m here for you, dear. Always,” Luna purred, causing Twilight to forget the bluntness from before. Twilight loved her so much. “Well, it’s not that I’m personally having doubts. Or maybe I am, I don’t know anymore,” Twilight admitted, a red blush covering her muzzle. “It’s just that during my lunch with Sunset, she told me what she thought of Fleur. Let’s just say she’s not her biggest fan, which got me thinking. At the time, I told her she was completely wrong, but, to be fair, she’s not the only one who doesn’t like my noble acquaintance. Cadence and Silverhorn were obviously ambivalent towards her, and now you are telling me the same thing. All that’s left is for Matron and Shining to tell me the same, and then all the ponies I know and trust will think that I’m being taken for a fool by Fleur. Have do I deal with that?” “Well, do you think your loved ones are seeing something that you simply can’t?” Luna asked. “Often, outside perspectives can be much more objective than our own.” Twilight paused, considering it for a second. “I mean, Fleur has been nothing but kind to me. But, if I’m being honest, while there are a lot of things that I agree with her on, the points where we disagree are just… ugh. For example, wanting to remove you from power. It’s just unthinkable; I mean, how foalish can she be! And it’s not like I have been able to convince her to budge on any of her other ridiculous points either, so I have to just accept her at her worse. And stuff like that is making it really hard for me to support her in any meaningful capacity. I help with the bills that I can stomach, and I appear at her pointless parties, but I’m not making the difference that I could be! I can’t help but think that maybe my efforts would be better spent if I distanced myself from Fleur a little bit. What do you think?” Luna didn’t answer right away. Looking up in her eyes, Twilight could almost see the wheels turning. After a minute, Luna began, “I would be lying if I said I would lose sleep over you cutting that mare out of your life forever. But, perhaps don’t be too quick to in getting rid of her.  Even if it’s just a little, you can learn from my mistakes and not make too many enemies. Just a light push could do it, like how you distanced yourself from Cadance,” Luna’s brow raised, giving Twilight a sly look. Twilight flushed and turned away, breaking Luna’s hold on her. She had not yet made up with Cadance, and she was sure that Luna disapproved. Consorting with Fleur while keeping Cadence at foreleg’s length was obviously a mark of foolishness in the Queen’s eyes. Twilight knew that Luna wasn’t being ridiculous, either. It wasn’t so long ago that she would have thought the same as her teacher. Luna let the look persist for a moment before dropping it and continuing on. “Anyway, I would advise using this as an opportunity to move on from your current predicament, one way or the other. I know that I have left you alone during one of the most important times as a Student, but it’s time for you to think about the future.  Do not waste your political capital in the service of other interests, not even my own. You must begin finding your own path.” Twilight breathed sharply. She hadn’t expected talking about the future. “But, what would that look like? It’s not like I’m a Goldenwing; I’m much more of a book pony. How can I change the Empire without the existing political parties?” “Some Students before you have used their positions to create or strengthen political parties, that is true, but those have been in positions of leadership within said parties. But, do not worry. There are plenty of ways. Others have gone outside the world of the court and have tried to make an impact elsewhere. Some have even spurned society all together, and have taken journeys throughout the world, hoping to discover the hidden truths of this world. Although, I hope you don’t wish to follow down their path, Student,” Luna winked playfully before continuing. Twilight blushed at Luna’s words. “I would never leave your side, Luna. Only death itself could separate us now.” The two exchanged a warm glance for a brief moment before Twilight continued. “I suppose there are plenty of options, but which one would be right for me? Do you have any suggestions about me, personally?” “Of course I do, dear Student, but I have found that my own expectations concerning former Students often misses the mark. You should be talking to another pony who has been in your horseshoes. You might want to reach out to my former Student, Midnight. She started the very test that brought you and I together. She’s the only living pony who can fully appreciate your position.” Twilight almost balked at the name. Midnight. She hadn’t thought about her in years, even though the mare was still living in the city. Ever since she had fallen for Luna, she hadn’t wanted to think of anypony else who had been in her positions. Only dark thoughts would greet her then. But, now, with the relationship cemented and her future uncertain, Twilight could no longer object. “That is a great idea, Luna. I think I’ll have a letter sent out today to set an appointment after we’re done here.” “Splendid, dear,” Luna said, flourishing her forehoof for another hug. “Now, come here. I want to feel you close to me.” Twilight happily obliged, sinking into her lovers forelegs. The two embraced for a moment in silence before the Student spoke again. “So, it seems as if we’ve found a path for me, but what about you?” Luna’s forelegs fell as her body became rigid. Twilight let her own hooves fall as Luna took a step back. “What do you mean, Student?” Luna asked, some steel slipping into her voice. Twilight swallowed. She had expected some resistance, but she hadn’t expected so much of it. “Well, it’s just that since you’ve been off to war, I’ve begun to notice things.” “And what things would those be?” Luna growled. Twilight cleared her throat, still put off balance by Luna’s anger. She really wished that her Queen wouldn’t take it so personally. “Well, I’ve begun to, um, notice the way the nobles speak about you. It’s, um, not great, to say the least.” “The nobles have always spoken poorly about anyone that they see as a threat to their own personal power, Twilight, and I am the greatest threat of all. If I wished, I could strip any of them of their titles and banish them from Equestria itself, so of course they will take any chance to weaken my position, even if it’s just gossip behind my back. It’s just the price of power. If I allowed their rumblings to put me off balance, I wouldn’t be very suited for ruling, now would I?” Twilight nodded slightly before working up the courage to object. “Well, it’s not just the nobles, Luna. You have to worry about the common ponies; so many of them think that you are to blame for all their misfortunes. I still talk with some of them, and besides the castle guards, none of them seem to like you, and-” “Being liked is not a requirement to rule, dear Student.” Luna quickly interjected, a clear defense. “Yes, I’ll concede that’s true, my Queen,” Twilight resumed, some nervousness being replaced by frustration. “But having a fulfilled populus is a basic, and the common ponies do not feel fulfilled under your rule. I think being liked would help change public opinion. Perhaps some sort of public service?” “Ha!” the Queen sneered. “No, the common ponies will twist whatever I do against me. They’re  almost as bad as nobles. They are always looking for a ways to bring to sling mud at me. One time, I frowned in front of an orphanage, and they blamed me for not getting enough funds to remain open. How long the common ponies blamed that one on me, even after I personally sorted out where the orphans would go. Ingrates.” Twilight sighed, tired. “I know you’ve had your differences, but I’ve heard how the city talks about you. And with so many nobles against you, your position as a lone timberwolf is no longer sustainable. Don’t you understand?” The kindness fled from Luna’s eyes, leaving only hardness. “What would you suggest then? With all your infinite wisdom, what’s the solution you’ve come to? What have I missed, dear Student?” “Turn to the nobles. In my heart, I think the common ponies would provide a stronger base of support, but the only way for you to reach them is with the support of the nobility. To do anything, you have to have them help, at least until you manage to win the support of the populus. Then, once you have them, you can decide how to move next.” Anger lept into Luna’s eyes. “You would have me break bread with the nobility? They are my enemies!” “They don’t have to be, Luna. They just want something from you, that’s all. You just need to learn to play the game.” “You talk to me of games?! This is not game, young Student. This is my Empire, the greatest that history has ever known, and I have been protecting it long before these ignorantly nobles drew their first breath, and I will be holding it up long after their bones turn to dust.” “I know it’s not an actual game,” Twilight cried exacerbated, “but if you keep going at this alone, you are only going to put your Empire in jeopardy. With everypony else against you, you just need another source of support, that’s all. I mean, if you refuse to work with the nobles, perhaps Celestia-” “I will never turn to my sister,” Luna snarled. “How could you be so foolish to suggest such a stupid idea? If I turn to her, my enemies will just use her against me. Everypony in this city has been looking for a way to tear me down for years, and you suggest that I show weakness by giving up power to my sister. Allowing her to be a useful idiot against me would surely mean the downfall I am so desperately trying to prevent. I will never allow others to ruin what I have built, not even you, dear Student.” Twilight gasped. For a couple tense moments, the only sound was Luna’s deep breathing as her last attack echoed silently in the room. After a while, the anger broke from Luna’s face. “I’m sorry, Twilight. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just that I’ve been very busy since my return, and I cannot spare a moment to turn my attention elsewhere. Please, just understand that. Now, I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” Hurt, Twilight didn’t fight Luna's request. With a flash of her horn, she was gone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Twilight stood outside the door of the Central Testing Center, ready to knock. Although it wasn’t too far from the castle, it was harder to find than she originally anticipated. She had been expecting some bureaucratic building, built like the other agency headquarters closer to the castle. Instead, she walked past the nondescript house twice before she finally caught sight of the small sign hanging by the door. It was small, much smaller than any other government building Twilight had seen. It was clearly a repurposed family home, the same size as the other buildings that were crammed on the street. Standing before it made her feel like she was asking for a cup of sugar rather than asking to speak with an agency head. With one last brush, Twilight straightened her overcoat and knocked on the door. After a moment, the door swung inward, revealing a gray unicorn with a white mane. He was clearly older than Twilight, but still young enough to be wrinkle free. With a slight smile, he said, “Hello, how may I help you?” Twilight cleared her throat. “I’m, um, Twilight Sparkle. I sent word down a day or two ago that I was going to come for a visit.” The gray unicorn’s eyes widened in recognition. “Yes, of course, Student Twilight. Student Midnight has been expecting you. Please, if you will,” he finished, with a flourish of his foreleg. Twilight entered the two-story foyer. A simple chandelier lit the room, providing just enough light to read easily. After shutting the door, the grey stallion signaled to the coat rack, asking for Twilight’s coat. Twilight lightly shook her head, preferring to keep her belongings close by. The grey stallion simply smiled and took the lead, nodding for Twilight to follow him up the stairs. As the two climbed, Twilight’s eyes were drawn to the walls. They were lined with newspaper articles, dating back a year or two before the first exam. Right before the first step was a grand frame dominated by a picture of a young, beautiful unicorn addressing a crowd with Luna at her side. The headline underneath identified it as Midnight’s announcement of the Exams. As Twilight climbed, the articles about Midnight were replaced by those about young unicorns who had met success after passing the Exam. At first, many of them were aids to various nobles, but as time went on, the successes grew grander and grander. At the top of the first landing, Twilight saw a giant picture of her younger self standing triumphantly on her flower platform from the Exam, underneath proclaiming her as the new Student of the Night. She couldn’t help blushing, remembering how forward she had been when she was young. Next to it, she saw a recent photo of Sunset and Shining in their Valkyrie armor, smiling broadly atop the boldfaced words of HEROES. A twinge of some indescribable emotion flickered through Twilight’s chest. Her brother and her friend… To see them like that felt odd to her, despite having seen them all armored up before. Was it regret? She wasn’t quite sure. Despite her youth, Twilight couldn’t shake the feeling that she should have helped with the war she practically started. If only. Those were the last two photos, leaving the rest of the climb bare, ready for more success stories. Once at the top of the stairs, the stallion lead Twilight down the hall to the door at the end. Standing before it, he knocked. “Come in,” a voiced called back. The grey unicorn opened the door and held it for the guest, signalling Twilight to enter before him. As she entered, Twilight was first drawn to the walls; they were covered with books and binders. In the center of the room was a coffee table surrounded by two half-circle couches, with just enough room between them for a pony to slide past. The only other piece of furniture was a solid oak desk and chair. The desk was covered with different books, files, newspapers, and the like. Seated in the chair was a slightly older version of the beautiful alicorn she saw in the first photograph. She was a deep blue that could only be called midnight paired with a black mane. The mane looked like it hadn’t been combed that day, and her clothes were not the highest fashion, but she wore a pair of glasses that made her look like the hot librarian Twilight always fantasized about. A sudden hot flash swam through the younger mare, though she quickly swallowed to force it back down. The mare looked up from her papers, revealing her sapphire eyes. With a smile, she said, “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Student Twilight.” As she got up from her desk, she turned towards the grey stallion. “Thank you, Snow Haze, that will be all for now. If there are any other visitors, though, please direct them to the downstairs waiting area.” With a nod, he left, closing the door softly behind him. “Please, Student Midnight, the pleasure is mine. Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me at so late a notice.” Twilight felt her cheeks blush as she looked into Midnight’s eyes. Damn hormones! “Oh, nonsense,” Midnight said, approaching Twilight from across the room. “If I couldn’t make time to help a junior, what kind of Student would I be?” As the distance closed, Midnight came in for a hug. Twilight, stunned by the sudden contact, stood rigid for a moment before lightly hugging back. She hoped that Midnight couldn’t tell how loud her heart was beating. After a few moments, the hug broke, although Midnight’s hoof still rested on Twilight’s shoulder. “Now, please, sit. I hope you like tea.” Twilight needed a second to actually process that request, her young mind still flustered from the sudden contact. “Oh, um, yes, tea would be just lovely.” Midnight sat down on one of the half couches, Twilight quickly taking the other. The two sat in silence as navy blue magic pour two cups of tea, giving Twilight a chance to examine the mare across from her. With the added years, she matured, looking more like Luna’s older sister rather than her former student. She was still one of the most beautiful ponies Twilight had ever seen, but, then again, the purple unicorn had a thing for older mares. In comparison, she felt youthful, clumsy, and all together much too bookish. It was a good thing that Student Midnight couldn’t read her mind as well as her face. Midnight’s magic slide the cup across the table towards Twilight, who then took it up with her own. “It’s appreciated, Student Midnight.” “Oh no, please, it’s just the two of us here. Just call me Midnight.” She finished her request with a stunning smile. Goddesses damn her heart, not to mention her other areas feeling oh so warm. Twilight took a sip from her cup to wet her throat. “If we’re going to go without titles, then please, feel free to call me Twilight.” “I think I will,” Midnight said, taking a sip from her own cup. “So, dear Twilight, how can I help you today?” “Well, I was hoping you could give me some advice about the role of a Student of the Night.” Midnight’s eyebrow raised in curiosity. “It feels like I’m at a crossroads. Before now, I’ve used my position to make what I considered to be a meaningful difference. But now, I feel like I’m no longer making an impact. I went to talk to the Queen about it, but Luna recommended that I get advice from a pony who has experienced what I’m going through. So, here I am.” Midnight chuckled softly to herself. “I won’t lie, I’ve eagerly awaited your visit to me, hoping for a question quite like this. Although, I have no experience with advice giving either, I’m afraid. The Student before me had gone on some sort of spiritual journey in the North, and the one before her died in war. This is a first for me as well.” Twilight couldn’t help blushing at the connotation. “I’m glad that I could be your first.” Midnight laughed aloud, with Twilight joining in after a moment’s hesitance. It took them quite a few precious seconds to compose themselves, all caught up in the moment. “So, are you looking to abdicate your position as Student of the Night? It’s a little early, but some have done great things after leaving early.” At the mention of leaving, Twilight stopped laughing abruptly, serious expression replacing the levity. “Wait, if I want to do something else, that means I have to leave? I- I hadn’t thought of that before. I would never want to leave Luna’s side if I can avoid it.” “Oh, no, no, of course not. Leaving the office of the Student is something that both you and Luna feel out. I mean, I was still Student for a couple of years after establishing the Exam. It was only after I found this place here that I finally took my leave.” Confusion crossed across Twilight’s face. “Not to put words in your mouth, but it sees like you really wanted to leave. Why is that?” She simply couldn’t fathom why anypony would consider leaving the Queen - didn’t she think the same as Twilight? Wasn’t the Student the pony who could best see Luna’s majesty? Midnight took another sip of tea before continuing. “Well, if I’m being honest, by the time I bought this building, it felt like Luna and I needed to part ways. She never spoke against my plan, but she was never truly for it. Other than the initial announcement, she stayed away, leaving me to fend for myself, and that puts a strain on any working relationship. Unlike you, Luna was around for the entirety of my early years, so when I started working on an Exam, Luna didn’t have much to teach me. Because of that, we were no longer Student and Teacher; we were just friends that lived on separate floors. There was nothing keeping us together any longer, so it made sense to make room for whoever came next.” “But, if that never happens to us, if Luna and I remain close, is there some set time that I have to leave? I know of Students that kept the position until their death, although most of those died young. I just want to know that I can stay with her if I want to.” Twilight shifted in her seat, a sudden attack of nerves making her want to move as much as she could. She felt like pacing, but hardly wanted to seem strange in front of the other. A flash of recognition fluttered across Midnight’s eyes. “Of course not, Twilight. The only two ponies that could tell you to leave are you and Luna. The Student of the Night is not a government role that needs to respond to changing times or traditions. It’s a bond between you and Luna. And remember, just because you’re a former Student doesn’t mean that you can no longer see the Queen. There have been many Students who have lived in the castle, serving as a mentor to the new Students. Only a Student knows the position; not even Luna can properly grasp what it means.” Twilight almost felt like crying. It was like Midnight saw all her fears and had an answer for each of them. She supposed it was true; only a fellow Student could understand. Cadence, Shining, Sunset, all of them could offer advice, but none could reach the crux of the issue. None of them could reach the forefront of it with such sharp eyes, such accuracy. It meant more to Twilight than she could possibly put into words. With tears in her eyes, Twilight managed to squeak out, “Thank you, Midnight.” “Of course, love,” Midnight responded, a warm smile on her muzzle. “Now, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what are you looking to do?” Twilight shifted again, sitting up more straight in the chair, regaining her former composure. She must put her emotions behind her - she could always cry later. “Well, recently, I’ve been caught between political parties. None of them seem to have the right answer, but I can tell they all think their way will help the Empire. I just wish that I could manage to pull them all together.” Midnight’s glass was placed back on the table as the blue unicorn pushed up her glasses. “You must have a defter hoof at politics than I ever did, but trying to bring all the conflicting parties together will only lead to heartbreak. Now, I’m sure Luna mentioned forming your own party, but, if she did, I must disagree with her. There have been Students who have done that, sure, but none of them have been anywhere near as young as you. And a political party is a lifetime effort, and at such as young age, I’d recommend against any sort of lifelong commitment.” Twilight felt like she should have been angry. Here was this unknown mare who was telling Twilight how to live her life, but the anger wasn’t there. It probably helped that she was so pretty, but she could only see the logic in it. “Well, it’s just that, since the war, I’ve been embroiled in politics, and I feel like I’ve gotten fairly good at it...” she started, carefully gauging Midnight’s reaction. “Oh Twilight, I know how good you’ve gotten. I may not have made it out of the office to visit, but I’ve certainly heard of the genius filly up at court. I just think that you should start elsewhere. Perhaps your studies? Is there anything you think is worth researching?” Midnight leaned forward on the table, propping her head up on her forehooves as if she were inspecting the filly before her. Twilight’s eyes dropped to her tea as she thought. “Well, besides my basic studies and court, I’ve also been helping Duke Silverhorn’s team with researching the plague, and that is certainly meaningful.” Midnight sat up in alert. “A cure for the plague? What a fantastic idea! It would be it’s own poetic justice, with a Student who suffered from the plague being the one to end it.” The smile Midnight broke alone was enough to convince Twilight of her truthfulness. “I mean, there’s no guarantees that I’ll have any impact-” “Nonsense, my dear. You are here to do meaningful things; I have a sense for these things. And nothing is more important than eradicating that dreadful disease!” Twilight couldn’t help but blush at the compliment. “T-thank you for those kind words, Midnight.” “I mean them, of course,” Midnight assured before polishing off the rest of her tea. As she was pouring another one for herself, she asked, “Well, I may not be the best research pony, but I wish you the best of luck. Is there anything else I can help you with?” Twilight downed the rest of her drink too. She was going to need it. Perhaps, in another time, she would have wished for something stronger than just tea. This subject brought her no end of grief. “Well, I was hoping that you could help me with the Queen.” Midnight filled Twilight’s cup once more before looking up once more. “Oh? Is she ill or is she in some sort of trouble?” Twilight took a sip from her fresh cup. “Well, yes, she’s in trouble. The problem is that she can’t see it.” Midnight’s confused look prompted Twilight to explain further. “Well, I mean, it’s about her position with everypony else. Don’t get me wrong, I think she’s the greatest pony in the world, but even I can see that’s not a widely held sentiment. I suppose, since you work with common ponies, I was wondering if you could tell me a bit more about her situation.” A look of knowing had replaced Midnight’s previous look. “You come from the lower district, you should know the public’s opinion about our Queen.” “Well, that’s true, but it’s been a long time since I’ve spent any meaningful time outside the inner wall. And now that I’ve been stuck with the world of politics and nobles, I fear that I may be a little too distant to know the truth.” Twilight looked a little longingly out the window, the castle still in the view beyond. A gilded cage, but a cage nonetheless. One that blinded Luna to the truth. “If I may be a little blunt, Twilight, I think the truth’s obvious to every pony other than Luna,” Midnight said, looking glumly at her junior. “No pony has planned any revolt yet, but almost no pony would stand against one. I can’t see how she survives this period of discontent.” Twilight couldn’t help but wince at the proclamation, almost feeling like it was a death knell for her plans already. “Well, I was thinking that Luna might do some sort of community service. Perhaps her involvement with future exams might help?” Twilight probed. Midnight sighed. “Well, our Exam has always been in an odd state with the common ponies. In a lot of ways, it’s been an important bridge between the two parts of the city. The issue is that it sets unicorns apart. I truly wish there was a way to work with other ponies, earth ponies in particular, but the only suggestions the nobles would allow would be some sort of gladiatorial arena.” Midnight paused to roll her eyes in frustration. “So, for now, I have to settle for what the upper crust will accept, which leaves so many angry at the test as a whole. Which means that they wouldn’t be much help with Luna’s reputation.” Twilight’s jaw clenched in frustration. “Of course, Midnight. That makes total sense. I just don’t know what I’m going to do. It would be so much easier if she could just see the danger she’s in, but she refuses to see it.” “I wasn’t Luna longest Student, but our time together was enough for me to get to know her. She’s a good pony, one of the greatest I have ever meet, but she’s complicated. Her emotions cloud her judgement, and things that everypony else can see appear to be fantasy to her,” Midnight explained, offering a sympathetic smile along with the word. “Yes, exactly!” Twilight exclaimed, before blushing. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, Luna is probably the most radiant pony I’ve ever known, but it’s nice that some other pony can both like her and see her flaws.” Midnight laughed once more, waving a hoof through the air and relaxing back into her seat. “I know exactly what you mean. So, is there anything else, Twilight? I’m glad to help with whatever I can.” “No, you’ve helped me more than I ever dared hoped. Besides, I have a dinner engagement I can’t be late for, but now that I’ve gotten a little direction, I have plenty to work on. But, I hope that I can turn to you for advice later on.” “Of course,” Midnight said, getting up from her seat to show Twilight out. As they reached the door, Twilight stopped in her tracks. “Before I go, I have to say something. I’m sorry.” “Sorry?” Midnight asked, puzzled, “Why, whatever for?” “Well, before this meeting, I had thought of you in an unkind light. I thought that you were one of the middling Students of the Night. I guess because I grew up on stories about Students like Goldenwing, it felt like your tests weren’t such a great accomplishment. But looking at my life now, I couldn’t imagine not being Luna’s Student, and the only reason I’m here is because you thought that common unicorns should have a chance. Really, you have been one of the most important ponies in my entire life, and I feel like I just needed to thank you for that.” A broad smile crossed Midnight’s muzzle as her sapphire eyes were submerged in tears. “Thank you, Twilight,” she said as her foreleg extended outwards once more. The two embraced, but this time, Twilight hugged back right away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The sun had almost set over Rising Moon Market when Twilight saw Matron coming from behind a tent, a large pack strapped across her back and a smaller one at her side. With a quick wave, she got the griffon's attention and walked towards her. Without a word of warning, Twilight took the larger bag in her magic, relieving Matron of the load. “Oh Matron, thank you so much for meeting me out here.” Matron brushed off her concern with the wave of her talon. “You’re doing me the favor, filly, not the other way around. Got casserole for dinner, but nothing for breakfast tomorrow. I hope I can still count on you to help me carry the food, or are you too important now?” Matron quipped, raising an eyebrow. Despite the gruff wording, Twilight could read that as a joke better than anyone. Twilight couldn’t help smiling. “Of course, Matron. I’ll never be too important to carry groceries, you know that.” “Good. Keep carrying that bag of oatmeal, and I’ll take these greens,” Matron ordered, already turning back towards the way to the orphanage. “So, I didn’t ask earlier, but why are you coming to dinner tonight? Sparkler, Citrus, and Lime are all busy. Figured there wouldn’t be nothin’ left for you down here at the orphanage.” Twilight walked on, fitting her hoofsteps into familiar holes, a path she’d walked a thousand times before. “Well, mostly for you. I was in the area anyways, went to go ask Student Midnight for advice,” she explained. “Oh yea? I heard she was still around. How was that? She better have been nice to you, girlie,” Matron practically accused, casting a firm, stern glance towards Twilight’s way. “Oh, don’t worry Matron, she was amazing. I can’t believe I hadn’t thought to talk to her before. She just got so much of what I was feeling. I suppose it’s because she’s done it before, but that didn’t stop it from being amazing. She just made me feel like I totally had it. All the challenges I was facing was just another exam that I could ace,” Twilight quickly assured the shorter griffin, a bit of a blush coming to her cheeks. Sometimes, opening up like this embarrassed her. Especially to Matron. “Damned right. You’d best tell me if you have any problems up there, you know. You’re a good filly, and if anypony gives you trouble I’ve got half a mind to go up there and let them know it myself,” Matron swore, and Twilight fully believed it. Twilight blushed as the orphanage came into view. Nostalgia bloomed in her chest, memories flowing through her mind. She’d spent years here, and while it’d been years since she’d fully lived here, she couldn’t help but remember it fondly. She’d hardly pass up Luna’s side for anything, but here wouldn’t be the worst fate. As Matron opened the door, a small, furry shape slammed into Matron, knocking her back a step. Matron grunted before wheezing out a response, “Down, Sherrington. It’s good to see you as well. Perhaps you’d like to say hello to our regal visitor as well, hmm?” she asked, giving Twilight a look. The brown fur stepped back from her hug, revealing a small, shaggy, horned creature. Hair covered where the eyes should have been, but Twilight could picture the nervousness that must have been in her eyes. The only response she gave was a shy smile before burying herself back into Matron. “A yak?” Twilight asked, flabbergasted at what she was seeing. She had no idea how a rare race like that found its way to this orphanage. “Yes, poor dear. She came to us just a week or so ago, and she hasn’t been comfortable without me nearby,” Matron said, gently brushing the yak’s head. Ah, there was that gentle side that Twilight always knew Matron had. “I mean, a yak orphan in the city? What happened? How did she get here?” Twilight rambled, almost flabbergasted that a yak could be here! Matron shrugged, starting to ease herself out of the tight hug. “Couldn’t tell ya. She’s damned shaken up though, still hasn’t spoken a single word since she got here. Whispered her name to me once, but that’s it. You know how that goes, though. Get that nervousness in their head and won’t break their silence,” Matron explained. With Sherrington close by Matron’s side, the trio continued inside and walked into the kitchen. Seated at the table with the worn kitchen cookbook was a small red unicorn with a pink mane. Without looking up from the page, he called out, “Welcome back, Matron.” Twilight levitated the oat bag to its designated cabinet as Matron scolded, “Marron Macaron, aren’t you going to say hello to our guest?” The small stallion looked up, and, catching sight of Twilight, his mouth dropped open. “Y-y-you’re the Student of the Night! Student Twilight!” he exclaimed, standing up in his chair. Twilight turned to the colt with a tiny frown, still not entirely used to her fame down in the lower cities. No matter how many times she got it, it would always take her by surprise to be recognized. “Please, just call me Twilight.” Matron gave her a small smile, obviously approving of her humility. As Matron placed her bag on the counter, she turned to the small stallion. “Now, are you going to stand there all day gawking, or are you going to get ready for dinner?” “Yea, Mini Macaron, are you going to stand there all day looking the fool?” Twilight turned around towards the dining room door for the source of the voice. At the door was a large, brown filly, with a sneer on her face. “Temblor, I don’t need your help with him,” Matron warned, a dangerous glint in her eye. The filly’s eyes fell, but the sneer was still there. “Now, both of you, tell the others to get washed up and sit down. The casserole will be out soon.” Matron said, raising an eyebrow. Both foals got the memo as they rushed out of the room, leaving Twilight and Matron alone once more. As the door swung shut, Twilight turned back towards her foster mother. “Is that alright, Matron? It seems like that filly’s bullying the unicorn.” Matron sighed. “Yea, I know. Temblor could certainly be better, but she could also be much worse. With all the different foals I have to take care of, to handle them, they gotta trust me, and they won’t trust a pony who’s too tough. Don’t worry about Macaron. The colt’s always in the kitchen, which means I’m usually nearby to give Temblor a knock if she goes too far,” Matron finished. She wrapped her claws in padding and reached down, pulling the steaming casserole from the oven. “I know you know what you’re doing, Matron. I can only imagine how hard it is to get all these young ones in line. Anyway, I was hoping we could talk about a couple of things, and other orphans might be...” Twilight said as Matron pulled out a second, smaller casserole pan and putting it on the kitchen table. “Yea, I know dear. I have it so we can sit by ourselves in the kitchen, so the foals won’t go bothering us. But for now, keep your muzzle out of the dining room. No reason for you to go stirring up the youngins. have to set up the dining room, and we’re still waiting on a couple more guests.” Twilight gave her a puzzled look. “Who-” “TANNER, JACK!” a voice called out. Twilight thought she recognized it as the filly from before. Surprise flashed across the purple unicorn’s face; she had never thought that the ponies Matron would invite would be those two. “It looks like they’ve finally shown up. Twilight, set the table for five, since Sherrington won’t eat unless she’s with me. And get the door, will you?” Matron picked up the large casserole dish and walked through the door that was held open by Twilight’s magic. Matron didn’t even wait for Twilight’s response before she walked through. As Twilight set about her work, she heard the dining room filled with mirth and good cheer. Tanner and Jack were apparently favorites in this house, despite her own bad memories of the two. She could even hear the voice of Marron Macaron among those clamoring to talk to them. Twilight thought about going out to see them, but with all the orphans, her entrance would just make the wait before dinner take even longer, and her stomach was already rumbling. Twilight set the table, poured water into the five glasses on the table, and sat down. Just as she was halfway through her glass, the door opened, and the two familiar earth ponies entered. She recognized them right away, although they had changed considerable. They were both much bigger than the last time she had seen them; nopony could mistake them for foals. When she had last seen them, they had looked like grunts next to Shining and Quaker, but now, they looked as if they could hold their own. At least for a little bit. Twilight rose from the table, nodding at each of them in turn. “Tanner, Jack,” she greeted, not quite smiling. “How are you two?” “Fine, Student Twilight,” Tanner answered back. Jack remained silent, but nodded in agreement. “Guys, you don’t have to call me ‘Student,’ just call me Twilight. It’s really just a position.” The two stallions nodded in agreement, but all three ponies stood rooted where they were. The tension in the air was palpable. Nopony knew how to properly react. After a moment, Matron came in with Sherrington glued to her side. “Ah, I see you three have all met again. Sit, eat.” Matron found her place at the table, prompting all her foster foals to sit down. Everyone sat in silence as she dished out servings of the spinach casserole. After all had some food in front of them, they began to eat. The room was quiet, with the only noise being muffled chewing and scraping silverware. As she first at, Twilight’s eyes darted between the two stallions across from her. She was unsure of how to talk to just Tanner and Jack; for most of her life, Quaker had been the intermediary. They had gone along with his bullying, although they did know when to apologize afterwards. Never during, but they did there best. She thought about letting bygones be bygones and ask them the same question she had been dying to ask Matron. As the eating began to slow down, Twilight finally worked up the courage to speak. “So, what are you two up to now? I’d guess something physical with the way you’ve grown.” The two stallions looked up in surprise; they had obviously expected Matron to speak first. “We, um, have an apprenticeship with Brown Hide, the local tanner,” Tanner responded. Twilight nodded her head absently. “Oh, that’s wonderful. How’s that? Do you like the work?” To Twilight’s surprise, Jack spoke up first. “I love the process, but all the learning makes it a lot less enjoyable.” “You have to learn how to walk before you can trot, you know that, Jack,” Matron scolded. Nopony was too old for her to teach. Jack cleared his throat, keeping back any objections. “Yes, Matron. You’re right. And other than the school stuff, it’s pretty great.” “That’s fantastic,” Twilight said. She took another bite of her food, trying to work up the courage before continuing. “And Quaker? Where’s he? I know he’s a soldier, but will he not be joining us?” The silence was accented by the dropping of silverware. Looking up, Twilight saw the incredulous looks on both Tanner and Jack’s faces. “Where do you think?” Jack asked. “He’s still holding the griffin capital. Not all the regiments have the privilege of returning home, especially the ones without royal connections.” Twilight kept her eyes up, the bite stinging, but not enough to make her quail. “I apologize, I was unaware his unit was still on deployment,” she answered, voice calm but restrained. The silence dominated once more as Twilight looked down at her plate. Only a couple of bites left, but she couldn’t work up the courage to be the first one to resume eating. Matron eventually took that burden on herself. “Twilight, what was it that you wanted to ask me? Speak up, or we’ll run out of dinner to eat.” Twilight looked over at Matron, who was wearing a gruff, but forgiving smile. The two boys had begun to eat once again. “Well, I have just come back from seeing Student Midnight, and she reminded me of how contentious Queen Luna is in the lower district. I have been thinking of trying to improve her image, and I thought that the best way would be talking with common ponies about their grievances towards the Queen. That way, we can come up with a way to properly address those issues.” Tanner spoke first, “With all due respect to your Queen, Twilight, I don’t think anything short of a miracle can fix what she’s done to this place.” Twilight breathed deep, trying to ignore the earth pony’s slight. “Your queen knows how the common ponies feel, Tanner, regardless of whether she’s actually harmed you or not, and she wants to change that. She knows how much she needs the common pony’s help, and she’s hoping to find out how to get it.” Jack let out a mean laugh. “Help her? That bitch won’t rest until all of us down here grovel or die, so why should we care what happens to her? It’s too bad that assassin failed, because the Empire would have been better with her in the ground.” He practically snarled out, muscles tensing. “Jack!” Matron snap. Twilight felt her hoof begin to reach for her disguised horn before she caught herself. All the anger that surged up dissipated with one, quick breath. In her earlier days, that would have been a strong enough goad. But now? She was beyond them. “No, Matron,” Twilight said, regaining her composure. “I’ve come to hear their grievances. But, I will not stay any longer and hear such slander, or else I shall have to take the law into my own hooves. Good night to you all,” Twilight finished, pushing her chair away from the table. Without another word, she took her leave, not even giving the others a chance to respond. As Twilight reached the door, she felt a fuzzy shape plow into her, pushing her slightly off balance. It was Sherrington. She didn’t say anything, just looked up at her, as the fur in front of her eyes fell to the side, showing two, large green eyes. After a moment, she broke off contact, rushing back into the orphanage, leaving Twilight confused and drained of her anger.