//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: My Faithful Student // by FadFreaky //------------------------------// --Forty Years Later, High Queen Twilight Sparkle’s POV-- I yawn, waking up from my two and a half hour power nap. For the last 40 years I haven’t been gifted with very much continual sleep. Usually, it’s broken up by night duties and day duties. Lucky, all the edicts I’ve put in place have very much leaned things in my favor. I get every morning with my family like I always wanted. Celestia and Luna have grown so much over the past fortyish years, although I do suppose they couldn’t always stay tiny. Extending out my magic I vanish from bed, appearing directly in front of my mirror. After applying a liberal amount of makeup on my face I finally look semi acceptable. The lack of sleep has not been kind to my complexion. Lucky for me though, with all the power boosts I have found that I only need around half the sleep I used to for functioning. I smile at myself in the mirror before vanishing and appearing in the kitchen. Cooking for the princesses has become one of those little things that I do every day. It may be mundane, but it isn’t paperwork or going to war. That just in general makes it very enjoyable. I don’t mean to brag, but I think I finally figured out where Celestia learned all her pancake skills. As of recently though, my thoughts have been on going back. As of 39 years ago I could have left whenever I wanted. The return spell has been completed over and over now to the point where I could accurately return within the week I left. Yet two things have kept me here as always. Only by their say would I ever leave. The two princesses enter the room happily. Luna jumping giddily as she goes straight to eating. Celestia on the other hoof is frowning at her food as she thinks intensely about something. I just laugh a bit and appear suddenly next to Luna with a napkin. “Eat slower, the food isn’t trying to run away from you.” Luna replies with a full mouth of food. “Sorry mom. I just wanna make it to magic practice before Celestia.” Celestia snorts a bit with a small grin and just giggles. “Actually if you remember we do have something to say to Twilight before then.” Luna stops eating for a moment. “That’s today? But… My birthday is next week! Can’t we push it off till then?” I calmly eat my food while the two talk. Whatever they’re planning isn’t malicious or I would already know it. I’ve long enchanted the castle to scan for malicious intent, even if it sometimes goes off when the two are playing dodgeball or some other game outside. I still check every time it does though, or we might have another “Tennis” situation again. The two princesses finish talking and are eating quietly. After they have consumed their fill they both stand up. Celestia speaking up first. “Twilight. Uh, these last couple of years have been fantastic and even if I give you a tough time over it, you were still a great mom. But, we have been noticing that you’ve been more sad as of recently and well… We agreed to invoke what you told us fifteen years ago.” That’s correct, fifteen years ago I did tell them to tell me when they were ready to take over Equestria… “Are you two sure about this?” Luna then speaks, although she’s holding back some form of tears. “If you want to go home, back to your time. Please go. We’re ready to take over Equestria, if you’ll give her to us. We want you to be happy! Not so… half happy, half sad.” Luna bites her own lip. She clearly doesn’t want me to leave, but understands that it was going to happen eventually. I just sit there, slightly taken aback as both princesses look at me forlornly. They honestly surprised me with this. But, it doesn’t even slightly phase me emotionally. I curse myself mentally for being so headstrong. Celestia levitates my saddlebags that I brought with me oh so long ago into the room. I giggle a bit, not a true giggle as I tear up a little and allow some to escape. “Don’t cry, either of you. I’ll see you both again before you know it. Besides this means you two are gonna have foals for me in the future righttt?” I hug them both closely, wings and all, before taking my bags. Luna sputtering and blushing while Celestia is just giggling at the idea. I think to myself after the hug. ‘Future Celestia having foals. Rightttt.’ I giggle to myself on that thought. Only a little though as I tell the Princesses that I’ll be leaving in about two and a half hours. I leave the castle shortly after telling them that. I spend about two hours going out to see my friend’s ancestors. Saying goodbye to them. It wasn’t a huge thing, but it was heartfelt. Each one got a very personal goodbye from me. Afterwards, I return to the castle. The princesses waiting anxiously where I left them. Casting the return spell with my horn, a swirling blue and white portal appears. I look back at my fillies one last time. Opening my mouth to say. “Alright you two! Remember, bedtime is at ten pm! No late night snacking, and, Celestia! Be nice to your sister. Luna! Listen to your sister.” I hug them both tightly one last time. “I love you both. See you two soon.” Giving them both a kiss on the forehead I walk through the portal. Luna narrowly missing a jump into the portal as it closes. I believe in those two fillies. They’ll do great. Now I wait. The return trip will take about one hundred years in this magic tunnel. I exhale as the path home appears, rectangular panels lining the floor leading me home. I just smile and giggle to myself as I teleport to the end of the path. One hundred years is way too long, and I don’t want to wait. I exit the portal appearing back in a slightly familiar crystal tree house. I shake off the cobwebs that were forming in the room. According to the sun I have only been gone a week. I do suppose that’s long enough for dust to accumulate in this small ish room. Then I hear a “Who?” from behind me. Suddenly from the podium with a open book on it a slightly familiar owl flies up to me. Before landing on my back and giving my neck a hug. I smile a bit and nuzzle the owl. “I’m home… finally.” Setting my bags on the ground and using a wind based combat spell (only I really toned it down) I clean the room in an instant. After the owl ruffles his feathers a bit, we exit the room. I look around the castle, re-familiarizing myself with it. It’s extremely empty and quiet, but it’s home. I set my bags in the master bedroom before continuing exploring. It seems Spike isn’t around. While I am anxious to see him, I have two ponies to see first. I nuzzle the owl who immediately gets the idea. He flies off to spread the happy news through Fluttershy while I again vanish with no light or fanfare. Appearing just out of sight behind a painting in the throne room. Luckily, the princesses never found these old tunnels I made to sneak around the castle and now… I just have to... The random noble leaves, giving me my queue. I freeze time, something that I can only do for about three or four minutes at a time. It is a great asset in war though and a great asset when you need to clear a room. I put all the guards outside and appear in front of Celestia and Luna. Both of them look surprised, then look at each other and I just smile. “I’m back you two. Sorry I’m late!” There is a moment of silence before they both leap from their seats. Diving at me. Luna yelling quite loudly. “Mother!” While Celestia is just happy to see me return after a week of being missing. Always the tough one, guess some things never change. I get tackled, hugged, shaken and even looked over by the two over the course of twenty minutes. Both of them are tearing up and just extremely happy to see me. Honestly, I could never be more proud of my two fillies. They’ve lived longer than I have, seen so much more than I could imagine. I say to them with a bright smile and a very happy feeling in my chest. “I may not be the main leader of Equestria anymore. In fact, I don’t intend on making my title as Queen public. Either way, I could have never asked for a better pair to become the leaders of my nation. I’m proud of you both. Very much so.” I smile brightly and pull them into a tight hug. Everything is just perfect right now. I may not be at the top of the food chain in politics right now, but no mother in the universe is as proud as I am right now. --??? POV-- The Journal shuts with a magical glow around it. “So that is the secret of Princess Twilight… Oh I’m going to use this. And it won’t be pretty. I better continue my research though. Still another book to go. I will finish what you started ancestor. Equestria will thank me thousands of times over, and you will finally be given the notoriety you deserve!” the reader laughs intensely into the air before taking the book from its pedestal. Leaving the decrepit church that the book’s long rest began.