//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Imperfect // by Phoenix Nebula //------------------------------// Imperfect Prologue: “No!” Twilight screamed as she forcefully stomped both front hooves on the cutie map. Her voice echoed throughout the throne room. “Are you kidding me? I’m not going to do it! Never!” “Twilight Sparkle, please, calm yourself…” said Luna, sitting in Fluttershy’s crystal throne, but the upset, young alicorn interrupted her. “Don’t tell me what to do!” she was furious, her eyes beaming with anger, shock and disbelief. “Twilie, please, just listen to…” Cadence’s calm voice came from the seat usually taken by Rainbow Dash during their Friendship Meetings. But this princess also couldn't finish her sentence, when the enraged lavender pony turned her murderous gaze towards her. “Shut up! You’re with them?! What would you do in my place? What if they would have chosen Flurry, not me, huh?!” she attacked her. This was enough for Cadence to become silent and look at her hooves, not being able to face her sister-in-law again. This was also enough for one alabaster alicorn to rise up from Pinkie Pie’s throne. “Princess Twilight Sparkle! Pull yourself together and stop behaving like a filly!” she thundered with her voice not-so-calm this time, but powerful and loud. Twilight just looked in her direction, gritting her teeth, her ears flopped down and pressing hard against her head. “Don't ‘princess’ me, Princess Celestia!” she huffed, looking like a frantic dragon, panting heavily. “What are you all thinking?! I am NOT” she stomped her right hoof on the map to emphasize her decision “doing this! Understand?! You are crazy! You are all freaking crazy!” her voice went a bit higher and turned into a loud squeak. Twilight turned around lightning her horn up and the crystal door flung open. Then she dashed out of the room, shutting the door right after the last hair in her tricolored tail. The princesses were speechless. “I think…” Cadence started hesitantly a few moments later, looking at the map with sad expression “...she didn't take it well…” “Oh, you think?” Luna asked sarcastically with an eye roll. “Auntie, please…” “We have to give her some time. She is just shocked.” Celestia sighed and sat in her temporary throne with three balloons atop of it. Sadness and worry were clearly visible on her face. She hid behind her wings, to not show the others how broken she was right now. She didn't want this, neither Cadence nor Luna. But it has to be done. And Twilight has to agree. She will be devastated and heartbroken, but there was no other option. The Sun Princess exhaled deeply and folded her wings near her sides, her face no longer showing any emotion except seriousness and dignity. “She will soon understand how important it is for Equestria. She is the Princess and she has responsibilities,” she said quietly. The other princesses hung their heads with sorrowful sighs and sadly nodded in agreement. Twilight was wandering through the corridors in her Friendship Castle. Thanks to Celestia there wasn’t anypony here except the four princesses. She had to cancel all her visits and shoo her friends, as well as Spike and Starlight, away so nopony could disturb their meeting. Thoughts were flowing through her mind like a turbulent river. She couldn't believe it. She was shocked and heartbroken. ‘How could they do this to me? Did they not care?’ she asked in her thoughts. Soon she was outside her bedchambers. Without hesitation, the lavender alicorn threw open the doors to her room with her magic. The mare entered the room quickly and shut it behind as soon as she passed the arch. Back in the throne room the three other princesses sat in silence. Each trying to decide what they needed to do about this situation. It wasn’t long before the youngest of the three stood up. “I’m going to talk to her” Cadence declared, making her way to the door of the throne room. “I do not think that is wise.” Luna attempted to deter her. However, the eldest Alicorn cut in. “I agree with Cadence sister. She is the closest to Twilight and will be the best chance. We have to persuade her to go through with this.” The alabaster mare argued. Luna looked at her sister for a moment before nodding in agreement. Cadence smiled at their approval before making her way out of the throne room, thinking how she can comfort her friend. The lavender alicorn laid down on her bed staring up at the ceiling, deep in thought. ‘Should I just accept it? Is it really that important…. don't I get a choice? Maybe this is only a bad dream… It has to be a bad dream!’ She wrapped herself in a yellow blanket and hugged a pillow, closing her eyes tightly. ‘I just have to wake up… wake up Twilight, wake up!” She felt tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. Was this her fate? That’s why she became a princess a few years ago? Was she really worth so little…? These thoughts that plagued her mind were cut off when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. “Twilight, it’s Cadence... Can I come in?” Came the voice of her sister-in-law. Twilight gave a sad sigh. She couldn’t avoid this, she knew she couldn’t. But she couldn’t also force herself to speak to them after all she heard. She wiped her eyes with a hoof, getting up and sitting on her bed. “Yes, you can...” she replied quietly. The door cracked open a bit and the pink alicorn peeked at younger pony, coming inside a moment later. “Hi.” Cadence said awkwardly as she closed the door behind her. “Hi.” The purple mare answered grumpily. She wasn’t even looking at her ‘sister’, her gaze focused on that really interesting fly on her bedside cabinet. The awkward tension in the room was suffocating. Eventually, Cadence gave a sad, deep sigh and hung her head low. “I’m sorry Twilight.” was all she said. Twilight’s annoyed frown soon melted to one of mild sadness, when she heard true sorrow in Cadence’s voice. “I can’t stay mad at you Cadie.” She said before laying back on her bed and staring up at the ceiling, embracing her pillow once again. “It’s just a lot to take in… I always thought I’d be marrying out of love not… politics.” She said dejectedly. “Who says you can’t learn to love him?” The pink mare said as she came to sit by next to the bed. “How can you be so sure about it?” “I’m the princess of love remember? I’m certain of it.” she added with sad smile. “Not every political marriage have to end like a nightmare.” “Is that why you didn’t reject the plan?” Twilight asked. She turned her head to the side to look at Cadence directly. “In a way it did. I don’t know how to explain it but... something told me that this was the right decision.” She said in a hushed tone. Twilight looked back at the ceiling. Once more mulling it over in her mind. “I still don’t know Cadence, it’s just so much to accept…. maybe I should talk with the other princesses too?” She asked herself more than she was asking Cadence. “I want to understand this whole situation…” “I can tell them. I think it would be a good idea to talk to each of us separately. Would that help?” she asked. The lavender alicorn didn’t say anything, just nodded. “Okay, I’ll be back.” Cadence stood back on all fours and she stroked gently Twilight’s mane, before she made her way to the door. She looked back at the mare on the bed once more before leaving and closing the door behind her. The pink alicorn re-entered the throne room to see the two other rulers discussing something. She didn’t hear what it was because it ended as soon as she walked in. She didn’t concern herself with it, her thoughts were still flowing around Twilight. Making her way over back over to the cutie map she sat back in the seat with the rainbow thunderbolt mark on it. “I was able to get her to open up and she is now willing to talk, but only one at a time.” She informed the other two alicorns. Immediately Celestia stood up to talk to her student, however, she was halted by Cadence. “I think it would be best if Luna went first. You were the one to tell her about this plan in the first place, she is upset with you the most and I feel it would be better if you let her talk to Luna first to help her try to accept it.” She said seriously. The eldest alicorn stared at the younger for a few moments before nodding and returning to her seat with a griefly sigh. Luna stood up and made her way out of the throne room without a word. Twilight’s thoughts were pulled once again, when she heard another knock on her bedroom door few minutes later. She sighed quietly. “Come in.” The mare answered. The door to her room opened and the alicorn of the night stepped in. She came up beside the bed and sat down. “Greetings Twilight.” She said regaly. If it weren't for the situation Twilight would have smiled at that. Luna still held on to some of her old habits, especially speaking ones. Twilight, however, was in no mood to smile. They remained there in silence for what felt like an eternity. Eventually one of them decided to speak up. “Luna…” Twilight started, but trailed off, still looking at her ceiling. “Yes, Twilight?” Luna replied encouraging her to speak. “I’m scared… what if it doesn’t work out? What if I mess up? What if I’m not good enough…”She paused and sucked in a breath,”...what if they don't accept me...?” There was a long pause as the princess of the night contemplating the question for a moment. “Twilight, my friend, you are asking the same questions I asked myself when I returned from my banishment.” Luna’s words made Twilight looked at her with concern. The princess noticed this and continued. “I was afraid I would not be able to complete my tasks and that I would ruin all the hard work my sister put in to build this nation. I was afraid I was not adequate. I was so afraid of failure that I created the Tantabus to remind myself to never fail again.” She paused to let the younger mare absorb the information. ”After you and your friends saved me from my own self-harm I learned that I am not perfect and I am going to make mistakes. The important thing is that I tried my best to complete my tasks. If I made a mistake I did what I could to make up for it and I moved on. You must learn to not fear failure, but to accept it and move past it.” She concluded. “But this won’t be your failure dear Twilight. It could be the start of a new period if your life.” Twilight mulled over this information for a few more moments before a small, but a genuine smile appeared on her muzzle. “Thank you Luna... I appreciate it, I really do.” She thanked. “Tis not a problem, you are a friend after all.” Luna returned the smile in kind. The lunar mare stood up and left the room without a word. Twilight felt like eons had passed before she heard the last knock on the door to her room. ”Come in,” she said. The door once again opened, but this time Celestia stepped in. The tension in the room returned immediately. The two mares locked gazes and kept eye contact as the elder made her way next to the bed, This time the younger mare sat up on the bed, putting her pillow and blanket away, but kept her gaze. Once the older alicorn sat down she spoke. “Twilight… I’m sorry for all of this…” She started softly, but was cut off by the lavender alicorn. “Why?” “Huh?” Celestia was a bit surprised by the abrupt question. “Why me? Why did you choose me?” She asked, her face showing no emotion. Celestia had to process the question for a moment. Eventually, she answered with a deep sigh. “After what happened with Chrysalis the nobles were in an uproar. They were demanding that we subjugate the changelings. I didn’t want to risk a war and the loss of thousands on both sides. I had to make a decision. The only available option was to marry the princess of friendship and harmony to the new king of the changelings. This would, in hope, preserve the peace. I’m sorry Twilight but I didn’t have any choice, politics are complicated. I couldn’t ignore the nobility or I’d risk looking like a tyrant.” Twilight’s ears perked up with surprise but quickly flopped down, when Twilight gritted her teeth. “So you want to use me like a bargaining chip, huh? To save your good image in the eyes of some wimpy, snobbish nobility!?” she hissed, her eyes filling with tears, hooves trembling. Celestia, shocked by her former student’s outburst, opened her muzzle to speak, but Twilight was on fire now. “That’s why you want to RUIN the rest of my LIFE?! I have to sacrifice myself, because YOU CAN’T?!” “Wait… No, it’s not like that! Twilight, please…” Celestia was on the edge now, seeing her dear student in this state was breaking her heart. “NO!” she yelled, hitting both hooves on her quilt. She was looking at her teacher, mentor, friend.. with grief and anger. “I-I won’t… do this! Find another pony for this role! M-maybe one of th-this stupid nobility, huh?! Maybe you or Luna?! I don’t w-want to… lost my life f-for nobility’s stupid w-whims! You won’t force me to do that!” Twilight was choking on her words, tears streamed down her cheeks like a waterfall. Then she felt two strong hooves pulling her close to the white alicorn and two enormous wings binding her in a warm hug. She wanted to run away from her, but the Sun Princess was stronger. There were no words, only quiet hushes from the older mare, and Twilight finally gave up, crying into Celestia’s neck. “I-I’m too weak… I can’t m-make this… I don’t want… “Shhhh… It’s okay… Twily, my dear” the lavender alicorn shivered being called by this pet name, but Celestia ignored this. “You… you misunderstood me… Can I… Can I explain now? Are you calm enough to hear me…?” she asked softly with a hint of hope in her voice. There was no regal Princess Celestia here. She was more than ever like a friend to Twilight now. The young mare nodded, sobbing quietly, as she wiped her eyes with a hoof and looked up, to see her teacher’s eyes were watery. She clenched her teeth to not to burst into tears once more. “The nobility want to subjugate the changelings as retribution, I didn’t want to force the changelings in serving us, so I tried to find a compromise. Sadly the only one I could get them to agree on is for you to marry their new king. If you decide to not marry him, then the nobility will take it upon themselves to mobilize an army and annex them, whether peacefully or not.” Twilight gasped silently, perking her ears up. Celestia nodded, confirming her unspoken question. “Many changelings would be thrown into the flames of war if they don’t surrender and, as you know, they’re not ready to face an attack of unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies. On top of that, I fear the nobility will attempt to exploit them if this comes to pass. They announced their country as peaceful, they still don’t have an army prepared to defend themselves. We want to prevent this… and as the princes of friendship, only you can do it…” “Celestia...” “Nopony said that life of a princess is an idyll.” she continued, caressing Twilight’s tousled mane to calm the younger mare. “We have to think for the whole nation. The common good is more important than the good of individuals… Sometimes we have to do something against us… even hurt those we love and care about… to safe our subjects…” Celestia’s heart was aching. She had to do this again. First, the banishment of Luna and now… one single tear flew down her cheek, as Twilight hugged her back. “D-do you understand now, my dear? You are the only hope for the changelings… and for Equestria...” “I understand…” she sobbed and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry I yelled and b-blame y-” “Decision is yours my dear… Forgive me if I made you think that I was forcing you…” “Is something wrong, darling?” Rarity’s voice pulled the lavender alicorn from her memories. Twilight blinked few times and looked at her friends’ worried faces. They were all with her, in the throne room. She was the one, who gathered them here. The Lavender mare inhaled and exhaled deeply, as was taught to her by Cadence, to calm her mind one more time. “It’s okay, I was just… carried away by my thoughts, that’s it… sorry...” she answered quietly with sad smile on her face. “What was the reason you brought us here together Twilight?” Fluttershy asked in her usual, calm voice, smiling encouragely. Pinkie Pie appeared out of nowhere and jumped onto the cutie map, searching for something on it with a magnifying glass. “Oooo, ooo! Is it new super-duper-fantastic friendship mission? Did the map called all of us AGAIN?! Do we have to fight another crazy unicorn who wants to ruin our timeline?” she grinned, jumping to other places on the map when Starlight’s magic aura finally caught her and sat her in her crystal throne. “Thanks Pinkie, remind me mooore of my past…” Twilight’s student said sarcastically with roll of her eyes, standing near Spike’s throne. “Whatever it is, can we mooove on, straight to the point? I have an important meeting with some awesome guys who trained Spitfire in her young at Wonderbolts Academy and I don’t want to miss it” Rainbow Dash said, hovering above the rest, waving her wings impatiently, ready to dash out the window and head to the place of her meeting. “Hold yur’ horses, Dash, you know that if Twilight asked all of us to be here it has to be more important than anythang ya’ll have goin’ on at the moment.” Applejack huffed at her pegasus friend. “So behave yur self!” “Said the one with dirty hind hooves on very important cutie map!” Rainbow accused the earth pony, pointing one of her hooves at Applejack’s. AJ quickly sat normally and hid her hind legs under the map with blush, looking at Rainbow with murderous gaze. “Guys, shut up already and let Twilight speak, for Celestia’s sake!” shouted Spike, seeing how much nervous his friend was. The princess of friendship was shaking slightly, looking down on her hooves with ears flopped down. The room momentally became silent, after few quiet “sorries”. Everypony was again concerned about her friend, waiting for her to speak. After few moments and few deep breaths Twilight stood up, but still was looking down. “There is no friendship mission today girls.” she started and gulped quietly. “I… I gathered you here to tell you something… very important…” All heads inched closer, to hear better what she had to say. Twilight finally raised her head with a deep inhale and opened her eyes. She looked at every one of her friend with dignity, but with sadness at the same time. “I’m marrying Thorax, the King of the Changelings.”