//------------------------------//
// 08 : Friendships 
// Story: Not All That Sparkles Is Twilight 
// by Stellar Light Sparkle 
//------------------------------//

As Stellar walked with Luna out of Friendship Castle, Stellar said "I think I'll be staying here for a few days, Mistress, just to make sure that Twilight's okay, and that there's no more surprises." 
"I have no argument with that, my Apprentice." Luna replied. "Spells like those can be devious in their methods and effects. Keeping surveillance on your sister is not only a good idea, but I would think mandatory for a week... just to be sure the foal has not been affected already. Twilight is a powerful mage, but those spells are ages old and very sneaky." 
"Then I shall see you in a week's time, Mistress." Stellar said to her as they stood outside. 
"I shall pass on this to Captain Wingscythe as a special assignment, Stellar. Protecting the Princess of Friendship is well within the purview of the Royal Guard, after all." Luna smiled. 
"Stay well, Mistress." Stellar said, as Luna opened her wings and took off, the Nightwing Guards doing the same, and Stellar waited until they all vanished before heading back inside again. She made her way back to Twilight's room and smiled as she walked in. Twilight was lying on the bed again, relaxing and trying to get back to sleep, as Stellar retracted her Night Guard armor and approached her. "Getting comfy, Sis?" Stellar asked.
Twilight stretched. "Urgh, trying to." Twilight answered as Stellar nuzzled her. "Thanks, Sis. I am so glad you're here." She added as Stellar gently probed her womb again. 
"Just making sure I'm always looking out for you, Sis." Stellar replied as she nodded and ceased the scan. "She's okay." Stellar told Twilight as she walked around the bed and climbed in behind Twilight.
Twilight frowned a bit as Stellar settled in behind her. "Uh, you don't have to share my bed, you know." She told Stellar.
"The closer I am, the more chances I have to detect if anything's still lingering in you, Twi'." Stellar pointed out. "As Luna said, spells like the ones that were in you are the sneakiest sons-of-diamond-bitches sometimes, and I want our foal protected at all times. And if that means snuggling up to you to allow my senses to be alert to any such activity, then that's what I will do." She nuzzled Twilight's cheek from behind, getting a welcoming nicker from Twilight in return. "Besides, it does give us more time together."
"Mmmm... there is that." Twilight sighed happily as she almost felt Stellar's affection for her twin sister. "I don't know." She finally said. "You always come up with arguments that make sense. It's becoming an annoying habit." She looked up at Stellar with a grin.
"It's the only way to win an argument with you, Twi': Come up with something you can't argue with." Stellar reminded Twilight.
Twilight chuckled. "And I can't argue with that, either." She agreed as she settled down. "And could you settle in front of me, Sis? I prefer that to having you spooned up with me."
Stellar nodded and shifted to lie face-to-face with Twilight. "Okay, Sis. That better?" She asked, gently stroking a fore-hoof over Twilight's swollen belly.
"Mmm... yes, that is better." Twilight agreed. "Good night, Stellar."
"Good night, Twi' Sis." Stellar replied softly. "Sweet dreams."
Twilight smiled back at her twin sister, and the pair slowly drifted off to sleep. Twilight did dream again, but this time Stellar was there in their shared dreams, ready for anything...

=======

After breakfast the next morning, Stellar got Twilight bathed and groomed. "Come on, Twi'; ponies need to see you're okay, so we're going to go for a walk around Ponyville and spend time with our friends."
"Okay, okay." Twilight replied as she stretched. Her earth pony magic was starting to really kick in now, as she got used to being pregnant, and it didn't feel like she was carrying Applejack on her back anymore. Stellar could have sworn to herself that Twilight's legs were now as muscular as her own were, and once she'd gotten Twilight looking as pretty as she usually did, the sisters left Friendship Castle for the walk down to Ponyville. 
"I could fly you down there and we could just walk in from outside." Stellar suggested. 
"No. If I'm going to do this, then I'm going to do it properly from the outset." Twilight replied. "Besides, if I get too tired on the way back, then you can fly me home, can't you?" She said with a sly look.
Stellar chuckled. "Anytime, Sis." Stellar agreed. 
But Twilight did take it slow as they walked along, not wanting to strain herself before she was fully-used to being pregnant. Though she did admit that it got easier to walk as they got closer to Ponyville. "I think my body's really starting to adjust properly now." She commented to Stellar. 
Stellar smiled back. "That's good, Twi'. It shows how adaptable our alicorn bodies are, with all the magic we have at our disposal." 
Twilight nodded. "I wonder if Celestia ever had to adjust herself like this, for any reason?" She asked.
Stellar shrugged, but then thought on it. "I think I have seen her legs become a little thicker towards the end of the day, as opposed to the start of her shift." Stellar suggested. "There could be a lot of reasons for that, if it does happen, but adjusting for fatigue could be one of them."
Twilight nodded. "Yeah. That would be handy." She agreed. "I wonder how far we could adjust our physical forms?" She asked, more to herself than to Stellar. 
Stellar replied "Hey, leave that for after you give birth and recover, Sis. I don't think she'd appreciate you shifting around her before she's fully-formed and ready to come out."
Twilight looked at Stellar, but nodded. "Too true. I don't know nearly enough about having a foal to be messing about in any way that could be serious, like that." She admitted. 
"Maybe you could talk to Cadance." Stellar suggested. "After all, she's already had an alicorn foal. Perhaps she could offer some insights as to how it felt as Flurry Heart was developing inside her, especially as to any differences."
"That's a good idea." Twilight agreed. 
Then a shadow flew over them, and the sisters looked up to see Fluttershy flying over them. She rolled over and came down, landing in front of them. "Hello Twilight, Stellar." Fluttershy said in her quiet voice. 
"Hello, Fluttershy." Both Twins chorused, getting a quiet giggle from Fluttershy. "How have you been, Fluttershy?" Twilight asked. 
"I have been very well, Twilight. How are you getting along, being pregnant now?" Fluttershy asked as she looked Twilight over. 
Twilight smiled fondly at Fluttershy. "I've been okay. So has she." Twilight answered. 
"That is good, Twilight." Fluttershy nodded and smiled as she walked alongside Twilight. "I am glad to see you are coping so well with such an unexpected event as this."
Twilight shrugged. "Nothing I can do now but cope, Fluttershy." She pointed out. "I know I wasn't fully-aware of the consequences of my actions at the time... but I would not have done anything differently, save maybe trying more to save the mother."
Fluttershy smiled softly and moved to Twilight, nuzzling her gently. "I know." She replied. "You can do such amazing things, but you cannot do everything... yet." She counselled Twilight. 
Twilight welcomed the affection of her close friend, and said back. "I know, Fluttershy, I know." She sighed sadly. "But... I think I know how Celestia and Luna feel, every time one of their little ponies dies, even of old age." She told Fluttershy. "I felt the mother's death, almost as a pain in my spirit." Twilight revealed. "I can't help but feel sad for Celestia and Luna, if they get that many times every day." She sighed. 
"Death is a natural thing, Twilight, you know that." Fluttershy counselled further. "Even if you and Stellar are beyond it now, it will still happen. You will eventually need to accept it as just part of Life, or it will haunt you forever... and that is not natural."
Twlight just nodded, as Stellar looked out from the other side of Twilight. "That's uncommonly wise of you, Fluttershy." She said with a smile. "You are a lot more savvy than ponies give you credit for, I would say."
Fluttershy blushed. "Thank you, Stellar." She replied. 

= = = = =

The reception that the Sparkle Twins received as they walked into Ponyville out-shone almost every other time Twilight had returned to her adopted home town. Only her return as an Alicorn and Princess, and then the aftermath of the creation of Castle Friendship, out-did Ponyville's welcome for their pregnant Princess. 
"I don't think even Canterlot could throw this sort-of welcome if they announced that Celestia herself was pregnant." Stellar commented to Twilight as they moved past Sugarcube Corner, heading for the Town Hall. 
"You know, you might be right." Twilight grinned at Stellar, as they moved through the crowd gathering around them, Stellar having to take the vanguard and help Twilight get through. 
As Twilight and Stellar walked up the stairs of the town hall, the population of Ponyville gathered around the hall. Stellar got out the front ahead of Twilight and looked over the crowd. "Heya everypony!" She said with a big grin and a wave.
"HEYA STELLAR! HI TWILIGHT!" Came the reply from all the ponies there, Team Harmony in the front row with the Cutie Mark Crusaders standing with their older siblings. 
"Okay! By now you've either seen Twilight or heard that she's pregnant." Stellar said to them all. "For those who aren't sure if this if fact or rumor, it is true." Stellar added, and held out her forehoofs to silence the chatter. "Hang on! We'll answer questions later. Right now, I'm going to tell you what happened." Stellar said. She repeated to them the story of how Twilight got pregnant, and the fact that they had no idea who the mare was who was the mother, or the identity of the father. "We'll be passing out pictures of the mother, so if you might think you've seen her or maybe even met her, please, tell us. We need to know if she has any family that might be looking for her." Stellar explained. 
"Yes. We have to find out if the foal has any extended family, so please, if you do know her or may have seen her in the past, please, come forward and help the little one find their family again." Twilight urged her friends in Ponyville.
There was a lot of positive feedback from the entire crowd as the Twins stepped down from the stairs and moved amongst them. Twilight seemed to soak it up and grin back even brighter as she was surrounded by all her friends, not just Team Harmony. Stellar wondered if she was experiencing what Celestia called 'The Princess Link', the web of etherial, magical connections that allowed her to feel the love of her subjects, no matter where they were in Equestria. Certainly, Twilight was more Home here than anywhere else, and Ponyville's ponies considered her to be one of them. 'So why wouldn't she feel their love and friendship?' Stellar thought to herself. 'Maybe Twilight is Ponyville's Princess.'
Stellar, though, could only barely feel the ponies around her this way. Oh, the affection and friendship of all of the ponies around her could be felt... 'Heck, it's thick enough to cut using my sword.' She thought to herself. But it didn't have the same effect on her as it did Twilight. 'Maybe because this isn't my place.' Stellar surmised. 'Maybe I have yet to find my place in Equestria.' Then she smiled as Twilight was surrounded by a group of young foals, most under three. 'Ah, who cares? I can think about that later.' She thought as the foals came and greeted her as well.

= = = = =

Twilight had taken up sitting at one of the outdoor cafes, 'Holding Court' as Stellar put it, as every pony in Ponyville came by to see her and congratulate her... as well as to have a chance to get in a 'foal-snuggle', as Stellar had christened their habit of wanting to put their ears up against Twilight's swollen belly and croon to the foal. 
Twilight had become resigned to this, and now actually was enjoying the interaction, especially with the ponies around Ponyville she rarely interacted with. They all came, young and old, from a foal only born three weeks earlier, to Granny Smith and her cadre of old-timers, who were more than vocal in giving Twilight advice as they had their foal-snuggle. The little newborn was also encouraged to gently give Twilight a nuzzle, after checking out where one of her possible future playmates was comfortably enschonched. Twilight found that pretty much all of the cafe owners and others also wanted to shower her with little things, from free drinks to snacks, something that, while half-heartedly insisting they didn't have to, Twilight enjoyed in the spirit of Friendship that they were given. 
Even Zecora had come to town and presented herself to Twilight and Stellar. "Ah, such joy is found with you, even if her parents you aren't is true. This one will be drenched in Love and joy, from the hearts of all, every girl and boy." She stated to the happy Twins. 
"Thanks, Zecora." Twilight said, as the Zebra shamaness actually drew some designs on Twilight's belly. 
"To keep this little one healthy, these spells will; for with what has happened so far, assurance is demanded still. Bad things came with the good, but destroyed they now be; now things will go as they truly should, and a happy, healthy foal we shall see." Zecora reassured Twilight.
Stellar grinned. "Again, thanks, Zecora. With everything that's been going on, anything to help keep this little one safe and happy is more than welcome."
"Anytime." Zecora replied, grinning. "If my help you ever need, then there I shall be at speed." She said before going back to her shopping.
Even Mayor Mare stopped by and gave Twilight a very rare hug. "My dear, you do all us mares proud." She told Twilight. "You made a choice to save the life of one of our most precious ponies." She then looked sad and gently patted Twilight on the shoulder. "I know, because I know you, that your only regret was not saving her mother." Mayor Mare nodded commiseratorily. "We all understand that, and agree with you." 
"Thank you, Madam Mayor." Twilight replied, smiling at her. "And yes... you're starting to know me too well, as Stellar put it once."
Mayor Mare chuckled and nodded as she sat with Twilight. "You are our Princess, Twilight. Celestia and Luna are our rulers, but You are the princess we see almost every day, and who is a Ponyville Pony. And that makes you dearer to our hearts, and makes you one of Us." She stated. "Your love, devotion and caring nature is in-synch with everypony here, and encourages us to show all of those even more to others who don't have it as well as we do here, in Ponyville."
Twilight gave Mayor Mare another hug, then sat back as the states-mare rose to continue circulating through the gathered crowds.

= = = = =

Stellar, meanwhile, walked out amongst the crowd and looked carefully at several ponies that stood around, looking normal, most of them known to the citizens of Ponyville too. Even Tallmark, the taxi-carriage owner, nodded back to Stellar and signalled to her innocuously with the ear-flick code. Stellar knew they were all Guard reservists, returned to Ponyville or placed here to keep watch over Twilight from the first day Celestia had allowed her prize student to settle in Ponyville. Stellar nodded and moved to sit with him at a quiet table to one side.
"So, what's the word?" She asked Tallmark.
"So far, we haven't spotted anything unusual around Ponyville." Tallmark said. "We've put four new safe-houses in place, with another fifty guards moving in around them into some of the empty houses around the out-skirts of town, including some down near Sweet Apple Acres now." He detailed for Stellar. "We also have a new safety feature:  New teleport points inside the houses that lead directly to a secured room inside the Guard Compound within Crystal City. That way, if Twilight has to use one, it will not take her to Canterlot, which they'd probably expect. The other teleport points will lead to the secure area inside the Guard-compound in Canterlot, as usual." 
Stellar nodded. "Good idea." She agreed. "What about Fluttershy's house?" She asked. 
Tallmark nodded. "We dug her out a new cool-storage basement for her medicines and food stores. We also added another secure safe-room down there as well, with hidden teleport points."
Stellar grinned. "Excellent." She said. "Hopefully, we'll never have to use them, but it's reassuring that they're there."
"Yes, very much so." Tallmark agreed. "Are you expecting trouble?"
"I'm always expecting trouble. Any good Guard commander does, all the time." Stellar reminded Tallmark. "But I don't think it'll be from those that killed the mother of Twilight's foal. I doubt if they realise the foal survived. However, having said that, I have something for you and all the others." She handed Tallmark a scroll. "Get your ponies to paint these wards all around the safe-rooms and their homes, just as they appear on the diagrams." She explained. "They'll cancel out any Dark magic that anypony tries to use against them and inside them, as well as giving the caster something nasty to yell and scream about." Stellar grinned nastily. 
Tallmark chuckled. "I'll be sure to do that." He agreed. 
Stellar smiled at Tallmark. "Okay. I'll see you at the usual time." She rose as Tallmark's drink arrived, and Stellar headed back to where Twilight was still talking to her friends, with four Guards-ponies sitting around her without her even being aware of them.

= = = = =

As they headed back to Castle Friendship that afternoon, Twilight was feeling far better than she had been. The memories of the Nightmare and the Dark Magic were fading into the background, made insignificant by the overwhelming Love and affection of all her friends in Ponyville. She giggled and grinned at Stellar. "You were right, Sis." Twilight said. 
"I know, Twi'." Stellar replied. "Which 'Right' are we talking about here?" Stellar then asked.
Twilight gave Stellar a raspberry with her long tongue, then grinned again. "About coming into Ponyville." Twilight clarified. "I truly did need that over-positive reinforcement from everypony. I feel SO much better."
Stellar nodded. "Told you, Twi'." She agreed. "As the song goes: All you need is Love." 
Twilight nodded. "I don't know what song you're talking about, but it sounds like a good one." She replied. 
"If Vinyl Scratch ever manages to get that little machine she's working on, that will allow me to transfer songs I've got memorised into recordings using my horn, then I'll play it for you." Stellar promised. 
"I look forward to it." Twilight said as they reached the path to the castle. As they reached the stairs, the main door opened, to reveal Spike waiting for them. "Spike!" Twilight grinned as she approached her Number-One assistant and hugged him. 
"Heya Twilight, Stellar." He said. "Glad to see you home, Twi'. I have dinner ready." 
"Perfect!" Twilight replied with a massive grin. "The perfect way to end a wonderful day." She gave Spike a kiss on his cheek before putting him down, then walked inside. 
"Wow! She's really charged up with good feelings tonight." Spike commented to Stellar.
Stellar nodded. "Yep. And she needed it more than anything else, right now." She walked back in with Spike...

=======

Three weeks after leaving Equestria, Armus' yacht returned to the port that serviced Ballistar, Unicornia's capital. The reception he and Turquoise received on their arrival was something akin to what would normally have been showered on Celestia by the citizens of Canterlot, save there was a much darker feel to it, and more militaristic as well. Troops lined the streets and parts of the dock, keeping the populus under control, even as they gave a huge welcome to their Lord Exemplaris.  Anypony from elsewhere could have seen the tension on the ordinary ponies' faces, the fear in their eyes that they might not be as vocal as some guard-commander or sorceror might have liked. The only ones not showing that level of fear were the unicorns, genuinely welcoming their Lord back to his City. They knew they had little to fear as Lord and Lady Darkblood stepped off their yacht, waving to the crowd, and then were escorted to their carriage, to head for their home.
Turquoise was a little overwhelmed by the crowds. Her life before had been one of very little fanfare, just herself and her sister living together after their parents had died. The offer Lord Darkblood had made to them both was a dream come true for them: bear his children, and live in luxury for the rest of their lives. Turquoise sighed internally. She still wondered what had happened to Tourmaline. Armus had told her that she had been taken by the Royal Guard that night, before his people went to fetch her from where she'd been staying. She was worried that Armus hadn't mentioned anything about Tourmaline since just after their voyage had begun, but she'd kept silent, knowing better than to bother him when the mood wasn't right. 
The carriage carried them from the Docks to the Darkblood Mansion: a huge, sprawling estate in the heart of Ballistar, close to the Palace, the Hall of Sorcerors and the Temple of the Dark Gods. Turquoise had had no qualms about worshipping as Armus had instructed her, but she'd known Tourmaline hadn't liked the dark, somber worship rituals. Tourmaline preferred to stay worshipping the All-Mother, as Celestia and others called the one she said made all Life on Equis possible, as well as giving Ponies their magic as a gift, to help them survive against those who would have treated them no better than animals otherwise. 
As they approached the Darkblood estate, Armus looked at Turquoise. "How do you like our capital, My Love?" He asked her.
Turquoise turned, a grin on her face. "It's lovely, My Beloved... if a little dark. Do not the pegasi clear the skies?" She asked.
"They do, when it is permitted." Armus replied. "The aspects for this day require darkness, so the clouds have been put into place to shield us from Celestia's sun." He explained, scowling when he mentioned Celestia's name. 
"Ah, I see." Turquoise said as she nodded in agreement.
Armus gave Turquoise a smile. "It is good that you show proper respects to the Dark aspects, Turquoise." He told her. "I fear your sister's failure to submit to their worship might have left her vulnerable to certain... factions within the Equestrian government that might have been ready to move against us there." He sighed sadly as Turquoise looked back at Armus, frowning.
"Do you mean my sister is in danger?" Turquoise asked Armus.
Armus shook his head. "I fear the worst. There are those in the higher ranks of the Royal Guard and the nobility who would do anything at all to preserve Celestia's rule over Equestria, even to..." His voice seemed to falter him at that moment. "It... it is the fact that Tourmaline was taken that made me rush us away, that made me make absolutely sure neither one of us fell into their grasp, My Love." He looked at Turquoise with soft, sad eyes. "I could not bear the thought of losing both of you, if one was discovered..."
"And that's why you separated us that last month in Canterlot." Turquoise worked something out in her own mind.
"Yes." Armus confirmed. "I had heard rumors of this... that new Sparkle sister was a much greater menace than anything else within the halls of Canterlot. Prince insisted that he could destroy her and protect all of us, but she killed him most horribly..." Turquoise saw Armus shudder with remembered fear. " I tried to tell him taking her on, unknown as she was, was reckless, but he insisted that he had to make sure you and Tourmaline were safe. So he challenged her to a duel... and she killed him, when the duel was supposed to be to the first blood." 
Turquoise looked horrified. "Didn't Celestia do anything?" She asked.
Armus shook his head, looking at his fore-hoofs. "Not a thing. She even applauded when Stellar Sparkle raised her sword up in a victory move." Turquoise could see he was shaking with suppressed rage. "Only the thought of you two being left alone without my care stayed my hand in going down into the arena and trying to kill her that instant. And it was then that I knew we had to get out of Equestria as quickly as we could, before they came looking for us." Turquoise saw his eyes were all crunched up, tears rolling down his cheeks as she moved to hug him. "But they got Tourmaline. By all the Dark Gods, I wish it had been me they'd taken instead of her..." 
Turquoise hugged Armus to her, nuzzling and kissing him tenderly. "It's not your fault, Beloved. You did what you could to save us both." She reassured him. "And I have our foal, as safe now as we are." She reminded him.
Armus smiled at that. "Yes. We do have our sacred daughter safe now that we are here in Unicornia, where she can grow up free of the oppression that secretly fills the halls of that city of betrayers." He said, then held Turquoise to him, kissing her deeply. 
Turquoise kissed back, loving the passion that sometimes was aroused in Armus, as their carriage pulled in through the gates to her new home.

=======

Armus looked about as he travelled from his home through the streets of Ballistar the next day. He was surprised to see less troops on the streets than usual, but things seemed quieter than before he went away to Equestria this last time. Perhaps the crackdowns on dissent had been effective while he was away.
His coach pulled into a driveway before a very beautiful building made of fine granite, it's soft dark grey a distinct contrast to the beautiful white marble of Canterlot. Most buildings in Ballistar were made of the granite from local quarries, save for the black basalt used for the Temples of the Dark Gods. But the style of structure was no less ornate than Canterlot's famed structures, just with darker overtones.
Armus alighted from his coach dressed in robes of black with gold trim, showing his rank within the government of Unicornia, as well as his status of Lord Sorcerus Exemplaris. The guards outside his destination were dressed in black armor and bowed to him as he passed, one of the servants opening the grand bronze doors for him as he approached. Others in less-grand robes gathered in the corridors moved aside to allow him to pass, as Armus was the most powerful being in this building, as well as the de-facto government of Unicornia, the Concilium Sorceris. The building he was in was the Concilium's headquarters, attached to the main school of magic within Unicornia, the Hall of Sorcerors. 
He entered the Concilium's main chamber to see the forty male unicorns and forty female unicorns who were there, talking in groups together or sitting in the rows of seats surrounding the floor. Those out of their seats saw Armus enter and they concluded their talks and headed for their seats as Armus walked up to his central seat before the assembled Concilium members and sat down.
Once things had quietened down, Armus spoke. "I welcome you all to this meeting. And I thank you all for the very warm welcome myself and my wife received when we arrived home." He smiled at them all. "It is good to be back here in Unicornia again, after being away for so long." Then he sighed and his countenance turned serious. "I have both good news and bad news from this trip to Equestria." He told the assembled sorcerors. "The good news is my wife, Turquoise, is pregnant with an alicorn child." 
That got a lot of chatter and some applause from the assembled Concilium. There were some calls of "Congratulations!" from the seats. 
Armus held up a fore-hoof, and everypony went quiet again. "But there is much more bad news. There have also been several major setbacks and deaths." He waited for the chatter to die again, then went on. "My wife's sister, Tourmaline, who was also pregnant with an alicorn child, is dead, the child with her." He looked totally sad and somewhat dejected, as calls of sympathy came from the hall. "On top of that, my son, Prince, is also dead." Armus added, and the calls of confusion were elevated.
Armus eventually put his fore-hoof up again and gestured for silence, which came swiftly. "These deaths were a result of an event that happened the day before I left Canterlot. That day, Celestia announced there was a new alicorn in Equestria!" He announced, to consternation from the other sorcerors.
"Do you mean there are now four alicorns in Equestria?" One senior sorceror asked.
Armus nodded. "There are." He confirmed, to loud murmuring. "And what is worse, she is one of the Sparkle Family. Her name is Stellar Light Sparkle, and she was announced as Twilight Sparkle's twin sister." That got a massive response of disbelief. Armus held up a fore-hoof again, and although the silence was a little longer in coming, he did not chastise the other sorcerors. "I have seen her myself. She IS the spitting image of Twilight Sparkle, save for her cutie mark. I can only assume that they are sisters." The gathered sorcerors frowned, but nodded in agreement. "Along with her announcement, Celestia said that Stellar Light Sparkle was not to be crowned a princess, at her own request, stating that she did not feel she was qualified to be a princess. Instead, she was commisioned as a Lieutenant in the Lunar Guard and she was to be apprenticed to Luna to learn what she needed to learn to be a princess."
That got a lot of concerned talk. "So, this new alicorn is not a princess yet?" one of the senior female sorcerors asked. 
"Have they done the tests on her yet?" Another asked.
"According to Celestia, she passed all the tests." Armus told them. Then he sighed. "My son, Prince, was so outraged at this breach of proper protocol, and the privelages given to one of a minor House, that he protested. Before I could restrain him, he had challenged this Stellar Light Sparkle to a duel, using the ancient rules we put into place to make sure the Princesses could not just over-rule the nobility without question." He looked saddened. "I warned him he was being reckless, that we did not know the capabilities of this unknown alicorn, but he insisted that he could beat her. Since the Challenge was given, I could not refuse him his chance at her."
As Armus hung his head, one of the closer mares asked "She killed him, didn't she?"
Armus growled. "She spitted him like the griffons do deer." He revealed. "She used a great-sword the likes of which I had never seen before, after beating him to a pulp. Celestia did nothing to stop her, and even applauded after the deed was done and she'd claimed victory!" He looked furious. "I knew that this was the start of something sinister. I immediately left and headed for my train, sending teams of my experienced scouts and sorcerors to retrieve Turquoise and Tourmaline from where they'd been secreted. But the team bringing Tourmaline to my train was intercepted. I was told that both Sparkle Sisters were there, leading platoons of Lunar Guards. Somehow, they killed my sorcerors and Tourmaline." He shuddered, tears of rage and despair coming from his eyes. He took a deep, sobbing breath and said "Turquoise and I escaped, but..." 
Two of the younger female sorcerors daringly moved to him and hugged Armus, holding him close as he sobbed for a few minutes. After he composed himself, Armus looked at the pair with soft, sad eyes. "Thank you." He said softly to them. They nodded and moved away from him, back to their seats. He shook himself, then looked at them all. "Do we need any other reason to feel that there is something very wrong with the Royalty in Equestria?" He asked.
The shouts of "NO!" came from all there, multiple times. Armus eventually held up his fore-hoofs, and all fell silent. "I think you for your support." Armus said to them. "We shall keep our resolve strong! We will bring Equestria back to the way it should be governed, and free their unicorns from the oppression they face every day! When my daughter has grown and is capable of taking her rightful place as our ruler, we shall begin our quest to reunite our separated brethren with us!"
There were cheers of triumph and agreement with Armus, as he smiled at the other sorcerors. He stood and took their acclaims, until the assembly dissolved and he was surrounded on the floor of the Concilium.

= = = = =

As he headed home that afternoon, Armus was very pleased. The other members of the Concilium had acted exactly as he has wanted them to, although the sympathy from the two younger mares was... unexpected. He was surprised at that, but it had come at the best time, so he was sincerely grateful to them for their actions. It had played into his hoofs so perfectly, as had the responses from the rest of them. None of them would resist anything he put forward for this project now... indeed, many of them would actively aid him, just for the chance of aiding his revenge and gaining status within the Concilium for doing so. 
The pieces, for the moment, were in place. The next major move would come with the birth of Turquoise's daughter. Once she was accepted as a true alicorn by the Concilium, then he could begin the next phase of the Plan...

=======

Days turned to weeks, and Stellar made the easy teleport each day after her shift to have  breakfast with Twilight after she had breakfast with Luna and Celestia. She returned to Canterlot for Lunch with her parents after sleeping the morning away, and either spent time at Small Rings Foundry, learning how they worked and shaped metal or spent time with Velvet and Night Light in the afternoon. 
In the evenings, she either served with the Night Guard or stayed at Night Court with Luna, learning magic that Luna had very seldom taught to anypony else, and few these days knew. But a lot of off-duty Guards-ponies were surprised and pleased to sit, watching, as Luna and Stellar practised their skills in the Academy arena, making a splendid sight for those with time to watch. The legends of Luna's prowess as a warrior were faded and had only been revived after her return and her Nightmare Night appearances became a regular event. Those who now watched as Luna taught Stellar her way of fighting began to realise that the stories they had considered legends or myths had much more truth to them than anypony had ever considered.
Luna found that Stellar's skills with a sword were almost as good as her own, something she found new delight in, taking on one so skilled in single combat... even if it was all in fun, really. Luna found her own skills reviving as they sparred together. "Your skills are growing, Stellar Sparkle!" Luna yelled as their swords clanged, twisted, and spun. "You're really starting to handle your sword well with your magic."
"Thank you, Mistress Luna!" Stellar answered back as she flipped in mid-air over a thrust from Luna's sword, and her own sword slammed the Night-blade into the arena dirt. Stellar's great-sword was thicker in the blade than Luna's Night-blade, but no less as manoeuvrable in the capable grasp of an alicorn trained to use it. They also seemed equally sharp as well, when Luna tested Stellar's blade earlier that evening on an old anvil from the smithy in the Academy. The old anvil ended up sliced like fine, white bread under the assault from the two blades. But one thing Luna had noticed as the blades clashed. Her Night-blade had spells forged into it to heal cuts and strikes, while Stellar's had no such spells. However, it seemed the great-sword of Canopus Star did not need such spells: Its edge never seemed to dull or get chipped, yet it had regularly cut into the edge of her own. She felt that, with the right impact, her blade might actually fail against its incredible strength. 
"I had better be careful of that blade of yours, Stellar Sparkle, when we duel armor-to-sword." Luna said as she ducked under a slice from Stellar's weapon. "It seems that it can cut through almost anything, save the armor that goes with it." 
"It's because it's made of a metal called Adamant, Mistress." Stellar replied as she slapped Luna's blade away with a kick to the cross-guard. 
"Adamant!!" Luna was so surprised, she almost failed to dodge another strike from Stellar's sword. She growled as she launched herself off the arena floor and over the slicing blade, the red-and-gold sword parting her etherial tail for a moment. 
"And that's a strike!" Stellar called out, looking at the closest arena marshall, who raised a blue flag to confirm it.
Luna landed easily, but she was panting in a way she hadn't in ages. The grin on her panting face, however, told everypony who saw her that she had delighted in the match. "I think not!" She protested. "My tail is etherial."
"So? You claimed a strike earlier on when you shaved the ends of my tail hairs off." Stellar pointed out, panting as well as she landed facing Luna.
Luna looked at the Chief Marshall, who nodded and pointed his baton towards Stellar. She snorted, looking peeved, but then grinned and nodded. "So be it." She agreed. The pair moved together and shook hoofs, to cheering from the stands. The pair waved at the spectators, most of them being Royal Guards either having come off-duty or waiting for the next shift-change, the rest off-duty Palace staff. As they headed for the showers, Luna grinned at Stellar and patted her on the shoulder. "I have to admit, Stellar, I was wrong when I said I didn't want to fight in public with you." She then told Stellar. "Tonight was the most fun I have had since last Nightmare Night. To feel the adulation of the Guards who were watching us, the thrills they received as we sparred and fought... I had forgotten what it felt like to show everypony my skills so openly." Luna said.
Stellar nodded as her red-and-gold armor retracted off her body into Hammerspace. "Yes, there's nothing like performing in public, Mistress. It has a thrill that only those that do so understand." She answered as they exited the arena proper. "And it shows all your Guards and Celestia's that your skills are still exemplary, that you are still the Princess of the Blade as well as the Night."
Luna chuckled. "I had forgotten that old title." She replied to Stellar. "But the way you fight, you might earn that one for yourself, if your skills continue to improve and expand... and you finally take your crown." She added slyly.
Stellar laughed. "Maybe one day. It's not like Equestria doesn't have enough princesses already." She said as they entered the shower block.
Luna nodded. "That as may be, my apprentice. But sometimes, I feel as if the more we have, the less risk there is that Equestria will fall to those who are jealous of us or hate us for their own reasons." She sounded a little somber as they moved to the long stalls and started washing down. 
Stellar moaned with relief as the medium-hot water soaked through her sweat-matted coat. "We shall see, Mistress." Stellar answered simply, then ducked her head under the stream of water. Stellar did her special stretching routine under the spray, making sure she washed every part of her lovely body, then she offered "Shall I wash your back for you, Mistress?"
"Mmm... yes, please." Luna answered as she relaxed under the spray of her own shower. 
Stellar grabbed a soft-bristled brush with her magic and used it to scrub down Luna's shoulders and back, then gently over her rump and flanks. Luna actually moaned with pleasure at this, getting a grin from Stellar. Luna even relaxed her magic and allowed Stellar to brush through her now-normal mane and tail. "You look as if you're really enjoying this, Mistress." Stellar commented.
Luna sighed happily. "I have to admit, there are few pleasures in life I savor more than somepony else washing me down after a good workout, Stellar." Luna admitted. "My sister and I used to do this quite a lot, before we had to take up the aspects of the Sun and Moon, and our schedules changed so we were together a lot less often." Then Luna sighed sadly. Stellar moved to Luna under the spray and nuzzled the older alicorn in a very gentle manner. Luna smiled sadly and returned the caress. "Thank you, Stellar." Luna said to Stellar in a soft voice. 
"Something tells me part of the problem between you and Celestia before your Time-out was loneliness." Stellar replied in the same voice. "You two were apart far more than before... and you felt that the ordinary ponies were giving Celestia far more attention than they did to you." Stellar looked at Luna as she hung her head. "I'm right, am I not?" She pressed the tiniest amount.
Luna snorted, but then sighed again. "Your perspicacity is much better than most, Stellar Sparkle." Luna said back. Then she nodded. "Aye, you have a better grasp of what happened than even my sister at the time." Luna confirmed to Stellar. "I was a number of years younger than Celestia was, then. Our ages now do not matter as much, but back then... I just wanted things to be the same as they had been before we took up the reins of office. I wanted Celestia back with me... or others to be my friends, as I felt they were to Celestia." 
Stellar turned off the showers, and gently nuzzled Luna again. "Or maybe somepony close to you, that you could talk to and confide in." Stellar suggested as she dried them off with a simple spell, the water running off their bodies and down the drains as if it was alive. 
Luna took a deep breath, then slowly let it go. She gave Stellar a smile as she looked at the younger alicorn, who was closer to her size than Celestia was. "Yes... I could have used somepony like that, back then." She admitted, then her face fell again. "But being alone before I was sequestered on the Moon was nothing compared to being there, without anypony else, for a thousand years, Stellar." Luna said, then she sucked in a breath, her eyes brimming with tears. Stellar actually hugged Luna then, holding her with a fore-leg and a wing. "I should never have listened to the Nightmare!" Luna cried out, as Stellar held her tight. 
Others of Luna's retinue came trotting in at her outcry and, seeing Stellar holding a crying Luna, they moved selflessly and hugged their diarch as well, comforting her with their presence, their gestures and their Love, which Luna could feel was deep and true. She eventually stopped crying and nuzzled Stellar, then she looked at all the ponies around her. "I... I thank you... for your affection." Luna said to them in a halting voice.
Stellar just smiled at Luna. "You really don't get enough hugs, do you, Luna?" Stellar asked Luna. 
The other ponies moved back with Stellar, to give Luna some breathing room. Luna looked embarrassed, and still quite sad. "No..." She said almost in a whisper. 
Stellar gestured to the others and they all moved forward again and hugged Luna together, then they each gave Luna a hug and nuzzle one at a time, moving to a ring around her until all of them had given Luna a deep hug and nuzzle each. "Sometimes... we forget that those whom we place above us are still ordinary ponies that need to know, sometimes forcibly, that we still love them, on a more personal level than just as our Diarchs." Stellar said to Luna. "Sometimes we need to show those we love that they mean more to us than just as those we rely on to keep our world working. We need to give them the love of a friend, as a friend."
Luna gave a soft smile as she finally raised her head, her mane flowing out ethereally once again. "Yes... my friends." She simply stated, and all those there bowed to Luna, with loving smiles on their muzzles. "Celestia may think of Twilight as a surrogate daughter, Stellar... but would you be my friend? My close, personal friend, that does not have to stand back from me during the time I reign over Equestria?" Luna asked. "I could use such a friend now more than ever, I think."
"It would be more than an honor, more than a pleasure, more than a privilege." Stellar stated. She moved to Luna, pressed her nose gently to the Lunar Diarch's nose and touched her horn with her own. "I would love to be your friend, Luna."
"And I am honored, privileged and pleased to have you as my friend, Stellar." Luna said in her soft, personal voice. They looked at each other for a moment, then moved back and bowed to one another. 

"I am Stellar Light Sparkle... and I am, and shall always be, your friend."


"I am Luna of the House of Platinum... and I shall always be your friend."