//------------------------------// // Meanwhile // Story: Bitterness // by PLCTheCd //------------------------------// Meanwhile As they watched Twilight disappear in a flash of lavender light in front of their eyes. Everypony simply stood where they are until Princess Celestia got their attention. “Everyone back to the palace,” she called, “There are the nobles who might have many questions for me to answer.” This brought some of the ponies in disbelief. “With all due respect your highness but are we really going to leave her again?” Shining Armor protested. “Twilight might be in danger again, and I can’t let her down anymore.” “We must respect her wish to be left alone,” Princess Cadence said, placing her hoof on his shoulder. “If we chase her to the train station, it will only upset her even more.” “Your bride is correct,” Twilight Velvet added, stepping forward, “If you wish Twilight to speak to you again, you must give her breathing space.” The stallion simply lowered his head in defeat and sighed, “I guess the two of you are right.” “Of course, they are right,” Night Light interjected, walking next to his wife before turning to Twilight’s friends, “And that goes for the rest of you as well.” The mares simply nodded silently, even the boisterous Rainbow Dash and rambunctious Pinkie made a sound. “What about you two?” Spiked asked the couple, “You told me that you’re going to watch over me for the time being.” “Well yes that is true,” Night Light said to the baby dragon. “In the meantime, I will be heading to our room to think on what just happened.” The Patriarch then turns his attention to his wife, “What about you honey?” “I think that’s a good idea dear,” Twilight Velvet agreed to her husband before turning her attention towards Spike, “I too am exhausted from what has happened to our dear daughter,” “Yeah, I hope Twilight is fine wherever she is.” Spike said sadly. “Us too Spike,” She said, “Would you like some gems along the way?” “Yeah…” He accepted after a brief pause, “That might cheer me up.” “Well let’s go you two,” Night Light called before he turned to his son and her daughter’s friends. “Good luck to all of you, earn her trust again, and you will earn ours.” The remaining group watches as the three walks away from their sight. “Let’s go Aunt Celestia,” Princess Cadence reminded, “We might have to plan to earn Twilight’s trust again.” The Alicorn of the sun nodded, “Very well, the nobles might be there already.” As the group entered the palace, painful memories brought to the attention to everypony’s minds. While it was true that Twilight was acting irrational during the reception and during their captivity by Queen Chrysalis and her Changelings. Their own actions were no better, while they have every right to be angry at her, they could have done something different at their time. Shining Armor at least had an excuse since he was under Chrysalis’ spell, but that’s what it is...an excuse… As for the Mane Five and Princess Celestia? They could have expressed how disappointed and hurt they are from her actions, instead of leaving her all alone with simply “Let’s go check on the princess” and “You have a lot to think about” No one spoke for the entire time until they’ve entered the throne room where they came across a surprising visitor. “Greetings Sister,” Princess Luna called upon them, “I just returned from the train station, dissolving a squabble between our subjects, and I captured a Changeling spy along the way.” “That is indeed good news to hear,” Princess Celestia smiled before nuzzling her counterpart. “We must not make the same mistake again.” “What about the nobles?” Princess Cadence asked her aunt of the night, “They must be some word from them by now, and not good words either I bet” “No, my dear niece,” Luna shook her head as her mane waved gracefully like leaf in a wind. “But I doubt they will be staging any coups, or at least for the time being.” Twilight’s friends winced at Luna’s statement, as they thought to themselves. They could not have messed up that, badly did they? Princess Luna then spotted Twilight’s friends, the Alicorn of the moon remembered what Twilight had said to her. “Greetings friends of Twilight,” she beckons to them, “I met her at the train station, and she told me everything about you not needing her presence.” None of the Mane Five replied. Instead, Applejack lowered the brim of her Stetson, hiding her glancing eyes, Rarity stares at her hooves as if she needs a manicure, Fluttershy kicks the floor similar to the time she met Twilight for the first time, Pinkie Pie fidgets arounds like an impatient foal, and Rainbow Dash begins looking in every direction other than Luna’s. Princess Luna raised an eyebrow as she approaches Fluttershy. “I apologize if my actions during Nightmare Night frightened you.” She said to her. “The modern traditions and appliances are still foreign to me.” “N-n-no need for apologies…” Fluttershy stammered, finally gathering enough courage to see the Alicorn eye to eye. “I-I’m glad to see you again.” “Yes, but you all seem agitated when I mentioned Twilight by her name,” The Princess of the Night noticed, “Did all of you have a sudden change of heart after she left?” But before any of the mares could reply, Shining Armor replied in their behalf. “You…you might say that your highness,” He said with uneasiness in his tone, “Is...is this what she said to you?” Princess Luna did not reply but simply stares suspiciously, she recalls during the train station, Twilight Sparkle was acting suspicious as well. Particularly how Twilight is avoiding eye contact to her and the way she spoke. Now, everyone except her sister and niece is acting the same as the bearer of Friendship. “I should have known how suspicious Twilight was behaving when I encountered her in the train station.” She finally spoke, “At first, I assumed that she was a Changeling spy, but something else happened to Twilight before the invasion was it not?” “Yes sister,” Princess Celestia sighed, as everypony turned their attention towards her “Before the invasion, there was an incident during the reception.” “Ahh yes, now I remember that night,” Princess Luna nodded, “Before I departed Equestria for Griffonstone, I recalled Twilight galloping to the reception but I assumed that she was only late.” “Yes Luna,” Her sister said, walking close to her. “But that is not the reason why Twilight was galloping, and in fact, all of us have made a grave mistake that is responsible for the invasion.” Before Luna can reply or act, there was a knock at the door… A sense of dread flooded the room with anxiety followed suit. No one knew who was at the door. Angry nobles demanding the Princesses’ abdication? Changeling Assassins that somehow got through the security? Just where are the guards? “What’s this here about some darn Changeling Varmints attacking the weddin’?” Granny Smith clamored, “Now I have to get my old flank here to check on my own grandkids.” The door finally opens revealing, the matriarch of the Apple Family, along with Big Macintosh, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Then following after them are more familiar faces… “Hey there Dash,” Said a male voice, “Gotta see if a potential recruit is in good shape.” “S-Soarin’?” Rainbow Dash sputtered, seeing a member of the Wonderbolts again. “Hello sister,” Maud greeted in her monotone voice. “Mother and father asked me to visit you in Canterlot” As the new visitors came to see their loved ones, there were three that are already familiar. “We met them all along the way to our room,” Twilight Velvet said to them. “They were all looking for our daughter’s friends.” “Just what happened?” Luna asked her sister. “It…is a long story…” Celestia replied briefly, overwhelmed with the presence of new faces. “I believe they have time to listen.”