Twilight was halfway up the ladder, trying to find the spot for Principles of Astronomy, Vol. 1, when she heard a kind but eager voice say “Excuse me.”
Twilight sighed and glanced over her shoulder. “Just a sec—” she began. Then, slowly, she put the book down on top of the shelf and climbed down the ladder.
The library was nearly empty this time of day, save for the couple in front of her: a tall, slim stallion, with a milk-chocolate coat and a coffee-colored mane, and, beside him, a mare with a golden coat, ivory mane, and a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
Twilight tried not to stare, but there was something about them… especially the mare… she could swear she’d seen that look before, though she couldn’t place the face…
“How can I help you, miss…?” she asked.
“Poppy,” she said quickly. “The name’s Buttered Popcorn, but everyone calls me Poppy.”
She grinned. “And this handsome stud is—”
“Coffeebean,” he interjected.
Poppy shot him a look, but turned back to Twilight. “Coffeebean,” she repeated. “We were hoping that you could help us find a couple books.”
Twilight smiled, even as the wheels in her head frantically spun. “Of course,” she said. “That’s something of a specialty of mine. What are you looking for?”
“Oh,” Poppy said, “something on interior decorating.”
“Sure thing,” Twilight said. She turned and trotted a few shelves over, then retrieved a book. “What about this one? I don’t know much about the topic, but I hear Pastel Palette’s an expert.”
Poppy practically giggled as she accepted it. Coffeebean spoke up next.
“What about Qilinese cooking?” he said. “We tried some on our last trip to Manehattan, and I can’t wait to try some at home…”
Twilight nodded. “Got it. Try…” she stood on tip-toe and stuck her tongue between her teeth, then levitated a bright red book between the three of them. “Chow Mein’s Far East Eating. A little outdated, but the recipes are great—I’ve tried a few myself.”
“One more,” Poppy interrupted, practically bouncing in place.
Twilight looked at her and raised an eyebrow, but nodded.
“Do you have anything on…” Poppy glanced around, then leaned in close, eyes glittering. “Changeling culture and biology?”
Twilight blinked several times in quick succession. She hesitated, then leaned over so she could get a better look at the only other pony in the building.
“Oh, Mrs. Creamsicle?” she said, the faintest tremor in her voice.
Mrs. Creamsicle looked up. “Yes, Twilight, dear?”
“I’m so sorry to do this, Mrs. Creamsicle,” Twilight said, “but I’ve just had some very dear friends come in from out of town for an unexpected visit. If you wouldn’t mind…?”
Mrs. Creamsicle stared at her for a moment, then sniffed haughtily. She set down her book, then marched out of the library, slamming the door behind her. As soon as she had gone, Twilight turned to Poppy and Coffeebean.
“Princess Celestia?” she asked eagerly.
“Shh, shh,” Poppy-Celestia said urgently. “Not so loud—we’re technically still incognito…”
Twilight shrieked, and pulled her in for a hug. “It’s so good to see you!” she cried. “How are you?” Her eyes glittered as she held her at arm’s length. “You have some time, right? Tea and cookies?”
Poppy-Celestia looked over at Coffeebean. “Well…” she began.
But Twilight had already locked the front door and jogged upstairs to start the kettle going.
* * *
“It’s been six months already?” Twilight gasped.
Celestia, already back in her changeling form, nodded gravely. “Indeed,” she said, as she filled her cup from the teapot. “Time flies…”
Twilight shook her head. “What have you been doing? The papers…”
“Are nearly always wrong,” Celestia interjected, sliding the pot across the table back towards Twilight “I have been in Canterlot, mostly—still holding Court occasionally, but I’ve also been trying on different disguises when I can.” Her eyes twinkled. “It’s been a riot being my own spymaster, for once…”
“Spymaster?” Twilight gasped.
“Well… more of a spy-in-training, to be honest,” Celestia said. “I’ve tried to talk to a few ponies, figure out what they really want from their government, that sort of thing—but most of them picked up on my disguises even faster than you did.” She took a sip of her tea. “But hey, I’m learning.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “And how’s Princess Luna faring?” she asked carefully. “Is she…?”
“She actually seems to be enjoying herself,” Celestia said. “She’s been getting good at raising the sun… it’s actually been a pretty good experience for her, I think. Plus,” she smirked,” It’s her turn to pick up the slack. And no,” she added, “Lulu’s been good. No signs of… of well, Nightmare—”
“Of her Bad dreams,” Twilight finished.
“Bad dreams,” Celestia repeated, nodding gratefully. “She’s actually turning out to be a great Princess…” She sighed. “Almost makes me wish I would have given in a little, back in the day, back when we had our argument…”
Twilight nodded solemnly. For a moment, everyone was quiet.
Finally, Twilight cleared her throat. “And…?” she prompted.
“And what?” Celestia asked.
“And what about the rest?” Twilight asked. “No one’s seen you in months…”
“Oh, you know,” Celestia said evasively, as Twilight took a sip from her cup. “Touring the realm… observing my subjects… visiting other Changeling Hives…”
Twilight sprayed tea all over Celestia. Coffeebean gasped, and Twilight started to cough, as Celestia laughed a little.
“You what?” Twilight gasped finally.
“Meeting the other Changeling Hives,” Celestia repeated. “Luna’s idea, actually… If Chrysalis was crazy enough to attack us once, when our security was at its highest, then she’s probably going to be crazy enough to attack again. And, when that happens…”
“It’ll be helpful to have some allies,” Coffeebean interjected.
Twilight shot him a questioning look. “Who’s he, anyways?” she asked Celestia. “A diplomat or something…?”
Celestia grinned. “Not exactly,” she said. “If you please…?” she said, nudging Coffeebean.
Coffeebean nodded, then turned to grin at Twilight. Suddenly the room was filled with a flash of brilliant emerald light, and Twilight shrieked and fell off her chair.
She scrambled up onto her seat again, then stared. Sitting across from her was… well, he might have been a Changeling. He was the right shape, more-or-less, but his shell wasn’t black, like Celestia’s—instead, it was a brilliant, iridescent green. On his head, he had a horn, flanked by two grand, sweeping antlers.
“Twilight,” said Celestia, “meet Thorax.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Thorax said, extending a hoof.
Twilight gingerly took it.
“Thorax is… something of an oddity,” Celestia said. “He’s been preaching the radical idea that Changelings don’t need to consume love—they can share it instead. He’s been wandering from Hive to Hive too, spreading his message…”
“Mostly her idea,” he said with a smile. “Though not many listen,” he added.
Celestia nodded. “But he’s still been a valuable aide to me as I try to form some sort of alliance…” her eyes sparkled again. “One Queen to another.”
“Queen?” Twilight repeated. She paled a little, then looked from Celestia to Thorax and back. “You don’t mean you’re…?” She fell silent, and a furious blush spread across her cheeks.
Celestia chuckled. “No,” She reached out, took his hoof in hers, and squeezed it. “Not yet."
At this, it was Thorax’s turn to blush. Both Twilight and Celestia laughed.
* * *
The sun was beginning to set. Twilight and Celestia lay on one of the library’s balconies, side-by-side. Celestia had assumed the form of a sage-green earth pony with a pink mane, a dusty rose on her flank. Between them sat a pitcher of lemonade and a few cucumber sandwiches. Down below, Thorax, as a tall, lanky pegasus, was eagerly learning to play soccer from a small group of foals.
Twilight looked over at Celestia. She was smiling—watching Thorax and the foals just having fun (no one but her and Twilight had noticed that Thorax’s Cutie Mark had shifted to a soccer ball about ten minutes before).
Something about the sight made Twilight’s heart glow. She took a sip of the lemonade, then turned back to watch the game.
After a long moment, she sighed.
“Do you miss it?” she asked.
Celestia glanced up at her, then back down.
“...Yes,” she admitted, “sometimes.” She was quiet for a moment. “I mean… it’s always nice to know who’s going to be looking back at you in the mirror… and I kinda miss having a coat and a mane to brush…”
Twilight shot her an odd look, but Celestia’s gaze had turned inward.
“And…” Celestia continued slowly, “I… I liked being honest. I mean…” she hesitated. “I had my secrets, same as anypony… my mask that I never let anyone see… but…” she sighted. “That’s a different sort of life. Now I’m always afraid that I’m gonna forget who I am at any given moment… let slip that I’m a liar and a fraud… y’know…” she shrugged. “That sorta thing. But, to be honest…”
She fell quiet for a long time. When she spoke again, her voice was hushed.
“It’s… nice. I feel like, when I’m not me, ponies are honest with me. They don’t treat me as anything special. I feel like a real pony again… not just some figurehead. I feel like what I do, day-to-day, actually matters—like I can talk to people, and serve them, and help them, without them being afraid of me. Afraid of the stares.” She chuckled darkly. “No one wonders if the pretty little mare with the bright smile is going to clap them in irons, or banish them to the moon, or chop off their heads if they say the wrong thing. It’s…” she sighed. “...refreshing.”
Twilight nodded slowly. “I could see that,” she said gently.
Celestia shot her a crooked glance, then looked back down at Thorax. “Plus,” she said, “Y’know…”
Twilight looked down at Thorax as well. “Have you…?”
Celestia sniffed. “He’s been a perfect gentlecolt,” she said haughtily. “And that’s fine with me, to be honest. I have enough on my plate at the moment, without having to deal with…”
“That,” Twilight offered.
“That,” Celestia repeated. “But…” She sighed again—and Twilight caught the faintest note of dreamy longing. “...someday, maybe,” she finished.
Twilight shot her a grin. “You’ll need to invite me to the wedding,” she said.
Celestia returned the smile. “I will,” she said. “Maybe I’ll invite Queen Chrysalis, too—or, at least, send her a thank-you card.” Suddenly, Celestia grinned wickedly. “Do you want me to ask her for some of that Royal Jelly for you, too?”
Down below, Thorax, in the middle of a complicated dribble, heard a strange noise. He froze, heedless of the ball now rolling away towards the drainage ditch that marked the edge of their impromptu field. He looked up at the balcony, and saw Twilight sitting next to Celestia, both of them with their heads thrown back, laughing together. And, with the setting sun lighting up her face, Celestia looked beautiful as a dream.
As Thorax watched them, he felt a crooked grin creep across his face. Celestia had been so unhappy for so long—so worried about whether things could ever go back to the way they were, whether she could ever find acceptance again, whether she could ever help her little ponies the way she once had—
But now, that had all fallen away. Here she was, with her friends, simply being. And she was happy again.
She’d make it work. Somehow. She always had.
Thorax’s grin blossomed into a smile.
She was going to make an amazing Queen.