The Five will gather, the call is heard. To walk in her light, be willing to risk all for who they pledge. She to resist those who would stand by her side. In her heart she will know: let go of the Light of Harmony. When Magic calls they will rise.
To light our darkest hour.
The Final Verse of the Lost Prophecy.
Twilight Sparkle was exhausted. A week of court meetings with both Celestia and Luna had drained her energy. How they did it was beyond her. Maybe it was just a long experience?
But that was something for another day. For now, she and Spike were on their way home to Ponyville, in her very own train car. This was also something she could get used to. Her lack of flying skills among many other reasons.
But something else was on her mind at the moment. She had gotten a letter from the girls a few days ago saying that five new ponies had arrived in Ponyville. That was nothing new, and Twilight had wondered why her friends had sent a letter about it, and then she had read the rest of the letter.
They were asking for her specifically.
Why that sent her heart all a flutter she didn't know, but it felt right all the same, in a way she couldn't explain easily. But two things had stood out the most for her.
One of the ponies in question was a Crystal Pony, a filly about the same age as the CMC. She had come alone it seemed and Pinkie had been looking after her since she had arrived.
Pinkie had been vague on the details of why this pony was so far south of the Crystal Empire and had only said that Twilight would have to hear it for herself.
Another was a Chiroptera from Hollow Shades. The name had confused Twilight for a time until she had asked Luna, who said it was the "Proper name, thank you very much", for the ponies who made up her Night Guard. Bat ponies was a derogatory name that the rest of Equestria had given their kind.
As for why one would want to see her, Luna hadn't said. Twilight though had begun to notice that both she and Celestia seemed to be hiding something from her. What she didn't know, but she was determined to find out.
For the moment though her thoughts kept running over what five ponies she didn't know would want to see her about, never noticing her cutie mark glowing slightly.
Princess Celestia and Luna watched as the train disappeared into the distance. Though their outward appearance was calm, inside was a very different story. Another message had arrived that morning, right after Twilight had left, in fact, to say that the Five had gathered in Ponyville.
From what they knew so far, they already had some idea that there was more to them all being there at the same time and for the same reason: They wanted to see Twilight.
Celestia had been so giddy at the news that she had a little happy dance right there in her room, one that would have given any noble a heart attack, and as soon as she could she had gone to get Luna.
Now they stood on her balcony, their gazes turned toward Ponyville. Celestia was the first to break the silence. "All we can do now is hope Twilight can get along with them."
Luna rolled her eyes. "Tia, this is Twilight we're talking about, the friendliest pony we know." She paused before snickering. "That isn't pink."
Celestia chuckled as well. "True, but this is different. This goes beyond what she has with her fellow Element Bearers."
"You don't think she can let them go?" Luna asked.
Celestia shook her head. "I'm more afraid of what it will take for the Lost Chamber to reveal itself. You know what it will take for them to open it."
Luna nodded. "They must be willing to put their own lives on the line to protect Twilight. Risk death itself if it means she will live on. And Twilight herself..."
Celestia sighed. "Twilight must be willing. Really and truly be willing to let them. Not just for their own sake, but she must believe they care enough about her to risk it."
"And that is why you believed her fellow Element Bearers were not them?" Luna asked.
Celestia nodded. "Yes. That they love and care about her I do not question. The Elements of Harmony would not have chosen them otherwise."
Her gaze turned toward the north. "But I have seen too much that says they would not do it. Their first Grand Galloping Gala? I saw their subtext for wanting to come. Discord's return? He never should have been able to break them if their bond ran that deep."
Her gaze fell. "The Lesson Zero incident? That they ignored her all day says much." Her gaze hardened. "Cadance's wedding?"
Luna gulped. This was still a sore subject. "Tia you still don't blame yourself for that do you?"
Celestia shook her head. "No Luna. I've made peace with how much I failed that day." She smiled slightly. "No matter what Twilight says otherwise." Her dropped. "What I cannot forget is how her friends abandoned her for their selfish reasons."
Luna nodded, not willing to reopen old wounds, but she felt much the same as her sister did. "How do you think they will take this?"
Celestia grimaced. "I have no idea. They're good enough ponies that I do not think they will turn them away, or be averse to Twilight spending time with them."
"I hope." She thought.
Yes, Twilight thought, private train carriages for princesses were something she would use more often. Not only did she not have to worry about too much noise interrupting her reading, but it came with its own wait staff, one that didn't comment on her messy table manners.
She wondered if the Ponyville train station was big enough to hold it though, but if not she could always help fund expansion, among several other things. She knew for a fact that some businesses in town could use the help.
Spike was also loving it, but for other reasons. That morning Twilight had named him her seneschal. He'd had no idea what that meant until Celestia's own, Raven Inkwell, explained that it made him her head assistant. He'd been bouncing off the walls with pride ever since.
Okay, he was Twilight's only assistant at the moment, but still.
But Twilight's mind wasn't fully on her future plans, but on the five ponies waiting to see her in Ponyville. Every time she thought about it, her heart fluttered for some odd reason. Spike had done his best to help when she'd told him earlier.
Her current thoughts must've shown because he gave her a concerned look. "Come on Twilight. I thought you liked meeting new ponies?"
She sighed. "I do Spike, but this feels different. I don't know why, but it does."
He rolled his eyes. "Just don't get all mushy on me," he grumbled before perking up. "Hey, maybe they can be some new friends. You need some."
Twilight's glare could've melted steel. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
Spike was unapologetic though. "Twilight, you only hang out with the gang and no one else. Hay you didn't even notice that Lyra moved to Ponyville from Canterlot. I thought you two were friends?"
Twilight opened her mouth to argue that, but it died in her throat as she thought about what Spike had said.
He smirked. "That's what I thought." His tone softened a bit. "Com on Twi. I'm not saying you should stop hanging out with the girls, but spending time with other ponies might do you some good in the long run."
Twilight groaned in exasperation. "Okay fine. I spend a lot of time with just five ponies." She sighed. "Maybe it is time I get some new friends."
"That's the spirit!" Spike replied as the train began to slow down. He took a look outside. "And I think I see them now."
Twilight took a look out the window as well. She could see her friends waiting for her on the station platform looking rather excited, even for them.
Beside them were five ponies she didn't recognize, but could only guess were the ones that were looking for her. She was glad to notice that they were talking and laughing with her friends at some joke.
The sight made her all warm and fuzzy inside, in a way that didn't make sense, at least for now.
The Mane 5 waited as the train pulled into the station. Pinkie Pie could barely contain herself waiting for Twilight to get off. The girls put up with her incessant bouncing like they always had: Just ignoring it. But now they weren't the only ones waiting in the group now.
"Does she ever stop?" Orchid asked as the train doors opened and passengers began to disembark.
Rainbow chuckled. "Now you ask? Took you guys long enough."
Orchid shot her a glare while Applejack rolled her eyes. "Ignore her sugarcube. As for Pinkie, we just think it's natural for her."
"How is this natural?" Celestial asked gesturing at the bouncing ball of pink.
Rarity smiled. "it's best not to think about it, darling. We just chalk it up to Pinkie being Pinkie."
Crystal grinned. "I like it."
Everyone chuckled at that. Despite only knowing each other for just over a week now, they all felt like they had made new friends for life. It had taken a while of course for it to stick, but now it felt natural for everypony.
Applejack, Orchid, and Water Lilly had been trading stories back and forth of ponies they all knew from Appleloosa. It turned out to be quite a few it seemed.
Rarity had been delighted to hear stories Celestial had told her of the Las Pegasus strip and the various fashions therein, but even more so it seemed from Emerald about the fashions of the Chiroptera. She already had several ideas in the works based on what she knew.
Fluttershy had been delighted to hear all about the wildlife of Hollow Shades from Emerald, which differed quite a bit it seemed from the animals around Ponyville while also having some which were known around here.
Rainbow had been slower to come around, but once she saw Fluttershy really start to open up more, she relaxed. Or as much as she ever could at least.
And as it turned out, Crystal's parents were bakers in the Crystal Empire. She and Pinkie had been exchanging ideas all week and Pinkie was even thinking of trying some out at Sugarcube Corner. Crystal had the same idea and couldn't wait to tell her parents when she went home.
Yet, a small part of her was saying that she didn't belong with her parents anymore, and it was growing louder every day.
"I see her! I see her!" Pinkie suddenly exclaimed, making everypony jump. Looking in the direction she was pointing, sure enough, a lavender alicorn with a baby dragon at her side was coming their way.
All at once Crystal, Emerald, Celestial, Orchid, and Water Lilly had the strangest sensation come over them. When asked later what it felt like, they could only say it felt like they had finally found something they had been looking for their entire lives, but only now did they realize it and how much they had missed it.
Twilight herself on seeing them up close felt much the same. Something about them made her feel complete, and yet something was still missing. "They're not them." She thought. "Not even related. Maybe it was a pointless dream. They're gone."
Twilight stopped dead in her tracks. Where had that come from? Who were they?
The girls didn't seem to notice. "Welcome back Twilight. Enjoy your trip?" Fluttershy asked.
Twilight nodded, pushing those thoughts aside for now. "Yeah. They even gave me my own train carriage. As much as I don't want to flaunt my status, I could get used to that."
She shook her head before turning to the new ponies of the group and smiled. "Hello. Sorry for making you wait so long."
Crystal smiled. "No problem. I don't think any of us regret it. I mean, we all have new friends here. Right girls?" The rest of the group nodded also smiling.
Twilight grinned as well. "So then, you guys said you wanted to see me? Is there anything I can help you with? I can't do much, but I'll do what I can."
The girls shared a look. "That's the thing Your Highness," Emerald began.
Twilight held up a hoof. "Please. Call me Twilight. Any friends of the girls are friends of mine." She said with a larger smile.
That seemed to relax them somewhat. "Then, Twilight. We were hoping you could tell us," Water Lilly said.
Twilight was lost. "What do you mean?"
Celestial shook her head. "It started a week ago. We all had a sudden urge to be here, that we needed to be here. It was only after we first met that we were all called by the same thing." She nodded toward Pinkie. "Pinkie said we should ask you." She paused a moment as she and the girls shared a confused look. "And now that you're here, it feels like something I've we've all been looking for our entire lives has been found."
Twilight gasped as she suddenly remembered the dream from the week before. "The night of my coronation, I had a dream that called out to someone, five of them, and that-"
"They called back," the six of them finished together, before blinking in sudden confusion as to what they had just said as Twilight's Ponyville friends and Spike looked on in confusion.
"What does it all mean?" Crystal asked.
Twilight wracked her brain for an answer, but none was forthcoming. "I don't know, but." She paused as a thought came to her. "I know we can figure this out, together." She extended a hoof. "If you'll have me?"
For a moment no pony moved, but first Crystal and then finally Emerald, Celestial, Orchid, and Water Lilly each extended a hoof and touched it to Twilight's own.
As they touched, all felt something pass between them. That from here on, everything would be just fine. No matter what came their way, they would face it together.
In a place that existed outside of time and space, the Lost Chamber began to awaken from its long slumber. Inside, the Armor of Eternity too began to fully awaken as the First Seal was unlocked. "It has begun". She thought but then became worried about what she saw.
"No Twilight, you can't remember now. You risk unleashing a power you swore you would never use again." She slumped if it was possible. "Please, for all that you love, and everything you've worked for, don't remember now."
Several hours had passed since Twilight and Spike had returned to Ponyville, and now she couldn't help but give Crystal a surprised look while all three stood in the Main Reading Room of Golden Oaks Library. They hadn't even had time to unpack before she had shown up unexpectedly.
Her mind had been on the five new ponies ever since that first meeting, and they wouldn't leave her alone. Over a late lunch, the six of them had been properly introduced and once the initial formality had been thrown out, even if she'd been forced to make it an order for them to treat her like any other pony, they had been chatting like they had been old friends.
Twilight had been excited to learn that Crystal and Celestial loved books almost as much as she did, and that had given her the perfect chance to try something new, and put to rest an old irritation of hers.
Rainbow had been on the verge of calling all three of them eggheads when she had preempted her by making her first Royal Decree: The next time Rainbow Dash called anyone that, Pinkie Pie now had official royal permission to annoy Rainbow all she wanted and for as long as she wanted.
Pinkie's smile could've swallowed a pony's head while Rainbow looked like someone had told her both Tank and all the Wonderbolts had died at the same time.
Twilight hadn't done it out of anger, but frankly, she was sick and tired of Rainbow calling ponies that as if she was some sort of expert on the matter. Which she was not, no matter what she said.
But that was beside the point for the moment. Crystal had shown up a few minutes earlier and asked the last question Twilight had ever expected her to. "You want to stay with us?" She asked. They had a spare bedroom it was true but. "I thought you were staying with Pinkie?"
Crystal nodded. "I am but. I don't know. I just feel like finding a new place now."
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going back to the Crystal Empire? What about your parents?"
Crystal shook her head. "No, I'm not going back," She paused at what she was about to say. "My parents will be fine without me. I don't need them anymore."
Twilight felt her jaw drop in shock. For a moment, she felt a strand of fate wither and die while a new one took its place. Why she thought of it like that she didn't know, but it felt right.
She shook her head to clear her meandering thoughts. "I don't see why you can't, but I'll be writing Cadance to let your parents know where you are. After that is up to them."
Crystal nodded, but she felt sure now. She was where she belonged. Her old life was even now beginning to fade from her mind, even if she didn't know it at the time.
Later that night, after Crystal had been settled into the Guest Bedroom and all had fallen asleep, Twilight found herself having a strange dream.
She was floating in a black void, but in the distance, she could see a form that was a beautiful shade of white. Twilight couldn't make out much more detail than that, but when it spoke, it filled her with a joy she had never known before.
It seemed that she was already talking to someone, and to her shock, Twilight found that it was her. And then a new voice joined in. It was her own and yet, not hers at the same time. "Does she know?"
The figure shook her head. "No. That she was reborn into a multiverse she has no knowledge of, were the rules she had has known since her ascension do not exist? No, she doesn't, and it hurts me to lie to her."
Twilight felt the sadness in her own reply. "I don't like it either, but if it keeps the corruption that thrives in your own out of my own, then I will shoulder that burden. That is one universe I have never manifested in, and now I doubt I ever will."
Twilight was confused beyond belief. What the hay were these two talking about, and why was she listening in on it? And why did it feel like they knew she was there with them and didn't mind at all?
"You think something will find its way here?" The first asked.
"Amicitia found the crack between our two multiverses by accident, and the three that sprang from her sacrifice found it by following what they had retained from her. I worry what else could as well."
There was a short pause before she began speaking again. "Do not mistake our friendship for lack of conviction Fauna lUster. If I have to I will not hesitate to close that crack for good and destroy anything that has no right to exist that comes through. I will not repeat the same mistakes here."
"What mistakes?"
"You know what I speak of: The Lost Age, the Alicorn-Draconnequi War, and last but not least, how the Age of Wonders ended."
Before Twilight could hear more, a bright light filled her vision and she woke with a gasp in her bedroom, to find Crystal looking at her with a scared expression that washed away her tiredness. "Crystal, what's wrong?" She asked.
Crystal sniffed. "I had a bad dream and..." She ran a hoof along the floorboards.
Twilight smiled gently, glad that Spike was staying with the CMVC tonight. "Do you want to sleep with me tonight?"
Crystal nodded. Scooting over to give her more room, Twilight let Crystal up onto her bed. Snuggling into the blankets, she gave Twilight a thankful smile. "Thanks," she said.
Twilight only smiled as she lay back down and got comfortable once more, both soon passing into a deep slumber.
Sometime later, Twilight felt something wiggling under her wings, looking for something. Opening her eyes a little, she extended one wing and let Crystal underneath. The wiggling soon stopped and a faint contended sigh could be heard underneath it.
Rolling her eyes a little, Twilight lay back and down and soon passed into a dreamless slumber.
When Luna came to her in the middle of the night with a worried expression, Princess Celestia wasn't sure what to expect, but when Luna mentioned it had to do with the World Mirror, her concern grew.
But what was found in the mirror left them both lost and confused. "I don't get it. Has it ever done this before?" Luna asked.
Celestia shook her head as she ignited her horn. Her brow creased at what she found. "This can't be right," she muttered.
Luna's own brow rosed. "What?"
Celestia shook her head. "The magic that keeps the portal open, that sustains the mirror, it's gone."
Luna was taken aback by this. "What do you mean? Maybe it's just being blocked?"
Celestia shook her head. "No Luna. It is gone like it was never there, to begin with. This is just another regular mirror now."
Luna was shocked. "How? Why? How could something do that to the mirror? Not even Starswirl could dd anything to it, and he tried."
Celestia turned back to the door. "I'm not sure why, but I have an idea as to how might have done it."
"Where are you going?" Luna asked.
Celestia frowned as turned around. "To talk to my alternate on the other side and set in motion a plan I made many years ago."
Sometime later, Celestia lay on her bed once more, her Dimensional Crystal floating in her magic. Luckily it still worked even if the mirror no longer did. It was a bit of magic she rarely used, but it had its uses.
After a moment a face swam into view, one that always surprised her no matter how many times she saw it, a reaction the person on the other end shared as well. "Well, this is a surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure, Your Highness?" Principle Celestia asked in a neutral tone.
The princess smiled slightly. Straight to business as always. It was something she admired about her counterpart. "Something has happened here."
The principal's brows rose. "Something we should worry about? We have enough going on as it is. I don't think we can take anymore from your world."
The princess frowned. "What do you mean?"
The principal rubbed her forehead. "Magic has been popping up all over the city for the last week. For now, no one has been hurt or knows what it is." Her voice lowered. "But it's getting more and more powerful with each passing day. It feels like it is building to something, something big and we are just seeing the prelude."
The princess digested this. She didn't like this, not one bit, but there was little she could do. "No, there is nothing here you need to worry about." Her own voice dropped. "How is she?"
The principal smiled. She could feel there was a deep bond there, no matter what had happened that had sent her to this world. "Between trying to figure out what's going on and trying to help, she's doing well. She and her friends just started their own band." She chuckled. "From what I hear, she had to haggle with Miss. Rainbow Dash to be allowed to play guitar."
The princess chuckled. "That sounds like her alright." Her gaze dropped though. "Do you remember the folder I gave you when she came over?" The principal nodded. "Give it to her. It will help explain what is going on."
"Right now?" The principal asked.
The princess nodded. "Unless she is in class right this moment if you can. The sooner the better."
Her alternate nodded. "I'll see what I can do." Before the crystal winked off once more. Celestia sighed as she put it back in the secret compartment in her nightstand only she and Luna knew of. Settling back down on her bed, she let her thoughts wander.
The closing of the World Mirror worried her. The fact that the magic that sustained it had been cut off spoke of something not wanting it used. But why? And now magic had begun to appear in the other world. She knew enough of it to know magic didn't exist there normally, so what was bringing it there now?
She wasn't worried about her former student. The mare had always been resourceful and made do with what she had no matter what. Celestia was confident now would be no different.
Finally realizing how late it had become, she switched off the lights and soon passed into a peaceful slumber.
Principle Celestia looked at the now inert diamond on her desk for some time after the conversation with her alternate, lost in thought.
She had rarely received any calls from her pony counterpart, and she was glad for it. While they had always been on good terms with each other, seeing herself as a pony still freaked her out on some level. She could only guess the feeling was mutual to some degree.
And now magic had begun to appear all over the city. She and Luna had been able to keep the small incidents around the school hushed up and so far the school board didn't know about them, even though Super Intendant Faust seemed to know something, but it was hard to tell with her what she was thinking if she didn't say anything.
But there was no way they could keep this charade up for long. Crystal Prep had already begun to ask questions, and with the Friendship Games in a few months, they weren't taking any chances.
Which led to the next thing as she pulled open a bottom drawer of her desk and pulled out a rather thick folder with a stylized sunburst on it. It had arrived not long after a certain student had transferred in. She had always thought it was important, but she also never thought she'd have to give it to her.
Sighing she pressed the intercom button. "Sunset Shimmer. Please report to the principal's office immediately."
Over the next several days, Twilight made it a point to get to know each and every one of the new ponies she had met, made easier by the fact that Pinkie offered to help.
As she had promised, she had sent a letter to Cadance that morning explaining what was going on with Crystal. It helped that since reconnecting with her old foalsitter, Twilight had taught her how to get Dragonfire Mail.
Spike didn't seem to mind. Maybe he hadn't known her as Twilight had, but he too had fond memories of Cadance. She had been the one to look after him when Twilight was busy with school or private lessons with the princess.
To no one's surprise, Crystal's parents had indeed gone to Cadance once they realized she was gone. Twilight had made sure to say that she was indeed safe and sound with her. And then had come the hard part: Explaining to them that their daughter didn't want to come back home anytime soon.
Twilight had feared the worst once Spike had sent the letter on its way. Princess or not she would stand in her parent's way if they came to get Crystal. It wasn't her place to.
Their response had surprised everyone, even Crystal.
Twilight did her best not to gape at what the letter said. She reread it again, looked at Crystal, back at the letter, before sighing. "Well, I have good news," she finally said. "Your parents don't mind that you stay with me. In fact, they're sending all your stuff here on the next train."
Crystal blinked. "They are?"
Twilight nodded. "It should be here by tomorrow. From what they said they, don't expect to be seeing you again for a long time."
"Is that good?" Spike asked.
Twilight rubbed her snout. "I don't know," she smiled, pushing aside the good feeling the letter had given for the moment. "But fi you're going to be living with us, we need to set some ground rules now."
Crystal gulped. "Like what?"
Twilight's smile grew. She had heard that gulp. "First off, bedtime is later than ten o'clock. Reading later is fine, but your butt is in bed by then"
Crystal tried not to grin. That was an hour later than her usual bedtime, so she couldn't complain that much. Plus she was in a library. She'd never run out of things to read.
"Rule number two." Twilight continued, holding back a smirk. "Is my favorite. Try and make some friends around Ponyville. Don't spend all day inside."
Crystal blinked. "That's it?"
Twilight nodded. "Your mom said that you were homeschooled in the Crystal Empire, so you don't need to go to Ponyville Elementary."
"Speaking of which," Spike added, "if three fillies come up and ask you to join them in getting your cutie marks, just say no." He shuddered. "We have enough trouble with just three of them."
"Spike!" Twilight admonished with a glare.
Spike only shrugged. "What? Most of Ponyville is thinking the same thing with those three. They just won't say it in front of Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash."
Crystal wanted to ask what that all meant, but something told her she'd find out soon enough anyway. And it wasn't like she too didn't want to find her cutie mark. It was just that she knew that it would come in time. No use in trying to force it. Or at least that's how her mom and dad put it.
Later that morning, Twilight sat at a booth in Sugarcube Corner. Normally Spike would be with her, but he had gone out gem hunting with Rarity.
Twilight swore one of these days she would get him off his lazy scaly rear and confess to her. Holding them back wasn't doing them any good. That forced confession during his Greed Growth didn't count in her books.
But that was beside the point. Today was turning out differently from normal. Crystal had come with her, and the two of them had found Celestial sitting by herself. Well, that was a quick fix and a few minutes later all three of them were sitting together like old friends.
Watching them, Twilight couldn't help but let her mind wander. "They remind me so much of Amber and Ivy. Crystal and Amber are even the same age. What are the odds?" She thought before her mind came to a screeching halt.
There it was again, her mind going places she didn't understand. She didn't know anypony with those names, but why did it feel like she should? And why did it hurt so much when her mind went that way? A soul-crushing sadness that hurt far more than anything Twilight could ever remember feeling before.
For a brief moment faces and names flashed before her eyes. Beings, names. Friends of some forgotten age.
"But I will bring it back. The dream will live again, no matter how long it takes," Twilight said quietly, but loud enough that Celestial and Crystal both heard it.
"And you won't be alone," the two of them said together while all three shared a look. At that moment, something passed between them, but a moment later it was gone.
Twilight shook her head. "Sorry. What were we talking about again? I spaced out."
Celestial shook her head too. "You were saying that Crystal was staying with you and Spike now?"
Twilight nodded. "Yeah. Her parents said it's okay she does. What about you Celestial. When do you plan to go back? Your family must be worried by now."
Celestial let her gaze drop. "I don't have a family to go back to. My job was all I had, and I quit it, so I don't know when I'm going back, if at all."
Twilight was taken aback. "No family. But what about-"
Celestial shook her head. "I'm an orphan Twilight. I never knew my parents. The matron who ran the orphanage I grew up at said they found me as newborn filly on the front steps one morning and note that gave me my name, but that was it."
Twilight was shocked, as was Crystal. "Celestial, I'm, I'm so sorry," she said as she placed a hoof over hers, soon followed by Crystal.
Celestia smiled. "Don't be Twilight. Whatever else, I have good memories of the place. Our matron was a kindly mare, and we all had a similar story to tell." She shook her head. "In fact, it helped me find my way in life."
"How's that?" Crystal asked.
Celestial pointed to her flank and the microphone symbol on it. "I was always singing as a filly. Everyone loved it, so the matron got me an audition with one of the smaller clubs."
Twilight grinned. "I guess it worked out then?"
She nodded. "Yeah, once I got over the stagefright anyway. They liked it enough to offer me a gig, and I've been there ever since." She shrugged. "Or at least I was anyway."
"And your cutie mark??" Crystal asked.
Celestial smirked as she looked at Twilight again. "Got it the same day. The same day you and your friends did too Twilight. I looked it up later."
Twilight digested this. It wasn't unknown for that to happen. Just look at her and the girls, but she felt there was something more to it, but she pushed it aside as she looked at Crystal. "What about you Crystal?"
Crystal blinked. "What about me?"
Celestial rolled her eyes. "Come on I just gave my life story here, and we all know Twilight's by now." Twilight couldn't help but blush at this. "So spill. What was the Crystal Empire like before, you know? Friends, family, the good stuff."
She just shrugged. "It really wasn't that different from now. I mean, we had a different princess and all, but that was about it before." She rubbed her forelegs, feeling the ghosts of slave shackles.
Twilight laid a hoof over hers. "You don't have to talk about that. Some things are better left in the past." She smiled. "Your parents run a bakery right?"
Crystal sniffed before replying. "Yeah. It's kind of a family tradition. Mom and dad say we're the first one to open when the empire was founded."
"Is it?" Celestial asked.
Crystal threw her hooves in the air. "Hay if I know." She saw their looks. "What? I'm eight, what do you expect?" She smiled. "But I always loved the story." She giggled. "Princess Cadance always comes in if she has the chance. I think she likes us."
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Cadance always did have a sweet tooths" she giggled. "I blame her for mine."
That got Crystal and Celestial both giggling as well, and before long they were all laughing at the thought.
Darring Do wasn't sure what she was looking at, but she knew one thing for sure, no matter what her pride said: She had no bucking clue what she had found.
Her latest expedition had taken her to the Everfree Forest. Luckily she had avoided most of the resident monsters, and after hours of wandering with no destination in mind, she had come across a surprise.
In an unremarkable hillside, an opening led deeper into the earth. From the looks of it though, it wasn't a natural formation but had been crafted into this shape.
Now she was no expert on magic, but this level of craftsmanship was far and above the best unicorn magic she had ever seen. Not even the usual ruins she explored had been crafted to this degree. As far as she could tell, the tunnel had been carved from solid rock with no joints of any kind evident. The walls were as smooth as ice.
Alongside the entrance, a faded set of runes were vaguely evident. In all her years of archeology, she had never seen their kind before. They almost looked like the ones found in what was supposedly the village the Pillar of Equestria Rockhoof had once called home.
But these were far more ancient and far more elaborate.
Walking down the corridor, Darring was surprised to find it clean for apparently being buried for a long time. Along the walls, doors led off into who knew where at regular intervals, but she kept to the main path.
Finally, she came to a large domed chamber easily a mile across and again carved from solid rock. But it was what hung in the air above her that had her stumped, and made her realize she needed an outside opinion, no matter what her pride said.
"Just hope they don't blow my cover," she grumbled.
Celestia and Luna weren't sure why they had been called out to this part of the Everfree Forest for it was nowhere near their old castle or any other place they once knew.
But it was who had called them that surprised them the most. They, of course, knew who A.K. Yearling was and what she did, but for years had never said anything about it. There didn't seem a reason to. So for her to call them was unexpected.
It also made them wonder why she would be in the forest at all for there was nothing here to explore outside the castle ruins. As far as they knew anyway.
When they first saw the opening in the hillside their surprise grew. The faded runes on the lintel gave some idea of what it was, but they would not say for sure until they saw it all.
And then they came to the central room, and their jaws dropped in shock.
Floating above them was what looked like a giant wheel. Seventeen spheres floated around a central point, and inside those another nine rotated around a central sphere.
Each of the spheres was a different color: Indigo, jet, magenta, amethyst, olive, rust, russet, flame, diamond, saffron, gold, amber, opal, sapphire, leather brown, silver, fire emerald, moss granite, dark blue, pale blue, shinning white, cold ebony, a black spiral, and a white spiral.
"I, I don't believe it," Luna finally said after a few moments.
Celestia nodded. "It is real."
In the middle of the room, Darring heard them and turned around. "So you do you know what this thing is?"
Luna nodded. "It is the Celestial Orrery. What you see is every plane that exists in this universe. We are standing in the Grand Occulus."
Daring was confused. "You mean like, other planes of existence?"
Celestia nodded. "Indeed, but I never thought we would find it. I didn't even believe it existed."
"Why's that?" Daring asked.
Luna shook her head. "Because even to us this place was not even a myth. It was the ghost of a memory of a myth, taken from the very earliest ages of Equus."
Daring wanted to ask what that meant but decided not to. "So what does this place do?"
Celestia shrugged. "We do not know. It is said only the one called the Planeswalker will ever know how to use this."
"The who?"
"Tis one of the base translations of her name," Luna said. "The full is, something like 'She who walks the Endless Cycle and Herald of the Last Song'."
Darring nodded, not fully getting it but it sounded right. "And everyone else?"
Celestia chuckled. "No need to worry Miss. Yearling. No one you know is even a quarter strong enough or smart enough to mess with this."
A.K. made a mental note to include that in her next book, and to rub it in Ahuizotle and Caballeron's faces when she got the chance. "So what do we do with it then?" She asked.
Celestia and Luna looked around. "I say we leave it alone. It has been waiting for ages, it can wait a little longer," Celestia said.
Daring nodded. There was nothing here to steal, and if the princesses were right, and they usually were, no one would ever use this place for, whatever it did.
As the three of them left the way they had come, none of them noticed the spheres representing the planes begin to shift into a new pattern and a new door open on the far wall.
A few hours later Twilight sat alone with her thoughts, Crystal and Celestial having gone off some time before to get to know each other better. The sight made her all warm and fuzzy inside. It always made her glad to see other ponies making new friends, but this stood out somehow for her. Why she didn't know yet, but she felt it would come to her in time.
So caught up was she in her thoughts that she didn't notice somepony come up to her until someone said: "Is this seat taken?" Looking up she found Emerald, Orchid, and Water Lilly standing next to the booth.
She smiled. "No. Please." she gestured to the empty spots.
The girls took a seat. "We passed Crystal and Celestial on the way here. They said you looked like you needed somepony to talk to," Orchid said.
Twilight smirked. "They've been hanging out with Pinkie Pie a lot. She says the same thing too."
Water Lilly chuckled. "Well considering how much you used to avoid talking to anypony at all, maybe that's a good thing."
Twilight groaned. "Spike told that story didn't he?"
"Yup," Emerald replied with a chuckle. "Besides you're kind of famous. Even without those," She said, pointing to Twilight's wings.
Twilight frowned. "What do you mean?"
The girls shared a look. "You don't know?" Orchid asked.
"Know what?"
"Personal students of Princess Celestia are a rare thing," Water Lilly replied. "You were a talking point even before the whole Nightmare Moon thing. And that's not counting what happened to her last student."
Twilight felt her brows crease. "What last student? Princess's never mentioned anyone before me. And what happened to her?"
Emerald shrugged. "That's the thing. No one knows what happened to her. She just up and vanished one day."
Twilight felt there was more to it than that but she would ask Princess Celestia first. "So is that why you're here? Because of what I am?"
The girls threw up their hooves hearing the annoyance in that question. "No no! That had nothing to do with it!" Emerald said in a panic. "I didn't even care about that at all."
Orchid and Water Lilly both nodded. "Same here. Our parents always said not to judge a pony before you met them," Orchid said.
Twilight felt herself relax at that. "Sorry. It's just that ponies are already asking me to sign off on every little thing just because I'm a princess."
"Can you?" Water Lilly asked.
Twilight sighed. "Well yes. But anything big has to go to Celestia and Luna after me." She slumped in her seat. "I don't want ponies treating me differently now that I'm a princess." She waived her wings for a point. "Under all this, I'm still the same Twilight Sparkle I always was."
The girls all shared a look. They could feel how much ponies treating her differently was hurting Twilight. It didn't take much to see it. As one they all placed a hoof on Twilight's own. Twilight blinked in surprise at the gesture.
"You don't have to worry about that with us," Emerald said. "We barely know you yet."
"And besides, doing that just isn't right," Orchid said picking up where Emerald left off.
Water Lilly chuckled. "Besides, we already have everything we want. Why ask for more?"
That got a chuckle out of Twilight, one they all joined after a moment. It was a small step, but it helped ease Twilight's nerves quite a bit.
Underneath all that too, all three felt a new bond form.
In her isolation, the Armor of Eternity felt the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth seals unlock. If she could have, she would have smiled. As it was she couldn't, but the feeling was still the same.
Underneath that though, there was an undercurrent of fear for her master.
A shadow was growing in the north, unseen and unfelt. A shadow she knew all too well, but that wasn't possible.
"It can't be. He's been dead for millennia." She said as her entire form shuddered. If it was him, then all of Equus was in more danger now than it had ever been. And if he struck now, her sister wouldn't be able to help their master. She was only at half strength, and so was she for that matter.
Only when they were combined once more would She be able to defeat him. She had done it before.
If not, then all of Equus would be plunged into a new dark age that would never end.