//------------------------------// // Prologue: Ascension // Story: Royal Conflicts // by pabrony //------------------------------// From all of us together, together we're friends. With the marks of our destinies made one, there's magic without end. After a speech from Celestia in some alternate dimension, similar to the dreamscape, Twilight reappeared in Ponyville with wings. Wha-? Wings? What did she do to me? Am I-? It's not possible, Twilight thought as her friends marveled over her new features. "Wow. You look just like a princess," Fluttershy complimented. "That's because she is a princess." What?! Why? ran through Twilight's mind as a collective "Huh?!" came from the six ponies before Pinkie Pie did a spit-take. Princess Celestia then stated the reasons for promoting Twilight from student to princess. During which time Twilight began to worry about what was to be. "Does this mean I won't be your student anymore?" Twilight asked sadly. After a short pep talk and her mentor and friends bow to her, Twilight's spirits lifted a little bit. Maybe this won't be so bad. "Darling, will you please sit still so I can get this the fit properly," Rarity fussed at the newly crowned princess. "It's my coronation though," Twilight fretted. "What if something goes wrong? I might trip walking up the stairs. Or worse yet, run into somepony and knock them over. Or... or..." "Relax, darling, everything will be fine. Unless of course, you don't be still." "Why? What will happen then?" Rarity pulled a couple pins from the pincushion on her right leg and very carefully aimed them with her magic. "YEEOOUUCCHH!!" Twilight screamed at top of her lungs as Rarity put the pins back where she got them. "What was that for?!" "Terribly sorry, darling," Rarity said, stifling a giggle. "But I tried to warn you. I missed the fabric because of your wiggling." "But there wasn't any fabric anywhere near where you poked, no, stabbed me with the pins!" Twilight complained loudly. "See? That just proves my point about your squirming," Rarity giggled softly. "What's that sound coming from outside?" Twilight asked. Rarity playfully jabbed Twilight in the flank with a pin again as she looked out the window. She couldn't help but smile at the sight below her window. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy were standing around Rainbow Dash rolling on the ground in laughter. "What's so funny, darlings?" Rarity shouted. "Did... did y'all real... really jab Twi-Twilight with... with some pins?" Applejack laughed as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Well, I can't really say due to retailer-princess confidentiality reasons but-" Rarity paused before grinning from ear to ear, "YES!" The confirmation of Rainbow Dash's story caused the four laughing ponies to laugh even harder. Even Fluttershy had tears running down her face from laughing so hard. "What are they laughing at?" Twilight deadpanned. "Apparently Rainbow Dash saw me poke you with the pins and told the others," Rarity giggled. I wonder if the other princesses have this problem? Twilight wondered as the sound of her friends laughing continued outside. Twilight's coronation went off without a hitch. The ceremony, speech, parade, and reception all went flawlessly. The entire day was perfect. The next day was another story. "So what are you going to rule?" Pinkie Pie asked enthusiastically. "Nothing," Twilight said somewhat angrily after emerging from a private meeting with Celestia. "She said I haven't proven myself yet." "Seriously?!" her friends shouted in unison. "If you haven't proven yourself, then why the hay did she make you a princess?" Rainbow Dash wanted to know. "I don't know. That's what makes me so upset," Twilight said as the six ponies walked out of the castle toward the train station. "We defeated Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis and King Sombra under your leadership. What more do you need to need to do?" Rarity asked. "Well, technically Shining and Cadence beat Chrysalis and-" Twilight corrected. "I saved the Crystal Kingdom from King Sombra," interrupted Spike with a huge grin. "Ugh. We know, Spike," Twilight snapped as she rolled her eyes. "You remind us everytime somepony mentions King Sombra." Twilight was surrounded by a momentary silence as everypony stared at her. "Th-that outburst w-was because you're mad, right?" Fluttershy said quietly. Twilight stopped for a moment and sighed. "Yes. Yes, it was. I'm sorry, Spike," Twilight apologized. "It's just so... so..." "...Frustratin'?" Applejack suggested. "Yes, exactly," Twilight replied. "We were all there in Ponyville when she told me that I showed all qualities, including leadership, of a true princess. Right?" Her friends all nodded in agreement before resuming their trek to the train station. "You know, she could've at least given me a choice in the matter," Twilight continued to vent. "I mean, think about it. The only reason that this happened was because she sent that stupid spell book to me in the first place. I was set up. She knows my love for books and learning and took advantage it. And now... I'm a princess... that lives... in... A... LIBRARY! Whoever heard of a princess that lives in a library, for pony's sake?" "I can still throw a real 'Congratulations On Becoming A Princess' party, can't I?" Pinkie Pie asked weakly as Twilight caught her breath. "You sure can, Pinkie," Twilight said after regaining her composure. "Luna knows the Ponyville ponies deserve to celebrate this too. Not just the Canterlot nobility." "Are you upset Celestia made you princess, darling?" Rarity inquired. "A little. I mean, I can help out other ponies on a completely different level now, but to be honest, I never really wanted to be a princess in the first place." The group of friends finally made it to the train station, just as the train to Ponyville arrived. Had she known that she would be bowing to the entire city of Canterlot, Twilight would've either left earlier or booked a later train. There were two things she was certain of. Her crown was going into her saddlebag on the trip home and she was going to make one thing clear to the residents of Ponyville: no bowing to her.