A Princess's Trials
by Present Perfect
Part 8: Canterlot
As Mount Canterlot rose before them, purple and majestic, Twilight couldn't hold back the tears.
After she'd come to grips with being summoned by the Cutie Map while nowhere near Equestria, the thought of finally returning there had helped stave off the anxiety. The airship journey across the Celestial Sea and northern Equestria had taken a few hours, but now here they were, home. They could have stopped in Manehattan or Baltimare or even Starlight's old village, and it wouldn't have mattered, because they were back in Equestria. Still, Twilight had requested they touch down at the palace, where she could get easily word to her friends that they were safe and sound.
And home.
"It's funny..."
Twilight nearly jumped over the rail. Tempest had materialized next to her somehow.
"The last time I entered Canterlot via airship," she continued, "I had meant to conquer it. Now, I would be surprised if they even had advanced word we're coming."
Twilight steadied her breathing via the Cadence Maneuver. "Well, the pirates did send someone out a little while ago to get airspace clearance."
Humming, Tempest rubbed the rail with one hoof. "It's just odd. The parallels and the differences."
Part of Twilight wanted to press Tempest for her exact meaning. Instead she asked, "Do you have any regrets?"
Tempest hummed again. She gazed out across the bowsprit to their right. Beyond and below, the forward scout was talking with a trio of pegasi in Royal Guard armor. As they watched, the scout waved back at the ship before winging his way back aboard. The guards followed, forming an escort around the bow.
"It's as the Captain said." Tempest stood, stoically tracking the pegasi with her eyes. "I did what I had to. Given the time, given the place, given our respective situations then and my position... My only real regret was underestimating you."
A little part of Twilight was proud to hear that, which surprised her. Another part of her shuddered. Had Tempest not underestimated her, could her friends have saved Equestria from the Storm King on their own? She settled on just being glad things didn't turn out worse than they had.
"But knowing what I know now," Tempest continued, her gaze alighting on Twilight, "I would have preferred Canterlot's first impression of me to have been more like this. Peaceful. Friendly. Less likely to be thwarted."
As they watched the palace airfield hove into view, Twilight could only smile.
The next few minutes were a blur for Twilight. The ship was guided down to a landing strip. They disembarked, bidding the pirates and Capper farewell.
And then she was caught up in a familiar, warm embrace, and her world was nothing but white feathers and the scent of tea. There was that other scent as well, the one she could never describe, which she only ever encountered in the palace. Twilight had always thought of it as the scent of wisdom. It certainly wasn't anything else recognizable.
"Oh, my faithful student," Celestia murmured breathlessly. "I'm so glad you're safe."
It was all Twilight could do to return the hug. "I'm just happy to be home, Celestia."
"I'm so sorry, Twilight."
They parted, Celestia with palpable unease, and Twilight could only wonder about that last pained whisper. Settling herself, Celestia gave a polite nod in Tempest and Skystar's direction.
"Captain Tempest, I hope you are well?"
Tempest saluted. "Well enough, Your Highness, thank you."
"And Princess Skystar. It's been some time since I last saw you!"
Skystar bounded over and gave Celestia a quick hug. "Hi, Cousin Celestia! Just wait'll you hear what we've been doing!"
With a wry chuckle, Celestia said, "Oh, I expect we'll have plenty of catching up to do. But first, come with me to the palace. The three of you will doubtless want to clean up and rest."
As they fell into step behind Celestia, Twilight grunted. "Well, I'm not sure how much time we have for resting right now. Tempest and I kind of got called on a friendship quest this morning, and we still have no idea where we're even supposed to go!" She made a gurgling noise in the back of her throat. "And I want to get ahold of my friends, I have to give you this evil arcane relic we found, I want to tell you about what happened just as much as Skystar does..."
"One thing at a time, Twilight," Celestia said with a soft laugh.
She brought them directly to the Royal Baths, taking the Crown of Sacanas along the way and passing it off to a guard captain to be stored with the rest of the dangerous relics. Twilight felt somehow disappointed that giving it over had come with no ceremony; they'd certainly been through enough to get it here. The feeling didn't last. The Princess bid them join her in the throne room after their cleanliness was overseen by the finest spa attendants in Equestria, and she turned her anticipation toward that.
As Twilight relaxed in the steaming, scented water, she reflected with no small amount of smugness that even her ever-stoic Captain had not objected even a tiny bit to being fussed over. She wasn't exactly splashing in the water like their hippogriff companion, but even the tireless Tempest Shadow had limits. More importantly, she was giving herself to them.
Twilight really wanted to be contacting her friends right now, but the royal spa ponies were just too darn good at their jobs for her to feel anxious about anything. She couldn't even muster disappointment at not having gotten her seapony tail back the moment she stepped into the water. Celestia was right: now that they were back in Equestria, there were no time tables or deadlines to be concerned about. She had all the time in the world to get herself back in order.
After a fiendishly short rest in the spa, they were dried and back on their way to the palace throne room. As they moved toward it, Twilight couldn't help but notice the presence of Storm Guards everywhere. They were repairing what minor damages remained on the walls and furnishings, as well as hauling large, broken chunks of marble out of the palace and cleaning up here and there.
And as they passed through hallways Twilight knew like the back of her hoof, every single one of those Guards stopped what they were doing and fell in line behind them. They moved unbidden and made no noise. The tiny feathers at the base of her wings stood on end, electrified.
Skystar stuck close to Twilight, though Tempest seemed unfazed. In fact, her only reaction was to declare that she would wait in the hall while Twilight and Skystar went into the throne room. Twilight was happy to leave her to whatever she planned. Her upcoming chat with Celestia promised a chance to get everything back in order, and nothing could keep her from it.
They were announced, and the great doors opened to give them entry.
"Twilight! Skystar!" called Celestia from across the room. Luna sat next to her on her own throne. "I trust you're feeling refreshed?"
"Yessss!" Skystar cheered, leaping into the air. Her enthusiasm dried up the moment a third figure emerged from behind the thrones, and she sank to her claws, deflating. "--Sssssoh. Hi, Mom."
Twilight started, rushing ahead a few paces. "Queen Novo? What are you doing here?"
"Twilight Sparkle!" Novo stalked down the steps from the dais, glaring daggers at Skystar, her voice hard. "I am three kinds of completely ticked off right now, and one of those is reserved entirely for myself!"
The words took a moment to sink in. "Wait, what?"
Novo stopped before them and lowered her head.
"Princess Twilight, I am so sorry. This is all my fault. I thought I'd been clear the trial and punishment were ceremonial, but obviously I was not." She let out a long breath, unable to meet Twilight's gaze. "Everything you've been through could have been avoided if I'd just swallowed my pride a little and made sure you were fully apprised of the situation first.
"I'd only intended for you and your captain to be in the Abyss for a day, after which we'd have escorted you back to Equestria. Had you stayed put, you'd have been perfectly safe, I swear. But not only did I not inform you of this properly, I have a sneaky suspicion someone gave you the wrong idea about my intentions..."
Novo moved past Twilight then, and Celestia and Luna came down from their thrones to join her in watching the Queen embrace her daughter tightly, much to Skystar's surprise and dismay.
"Young lady," said Novo, "you and I are going to have a long talk when we get home..." Her voice softened. "But I am so glad you're all right. Celestia wasn't the only one who was beside herself while you were missing."
Twilight looked to Celestia, who seemed to be intent on studying the frieze above the doors. "Beside yourself? Really?"
"Indeed, Twilight Sparkle," said Luna, moving up beside her to give her a brief one-winged hug. "My sister does care for you like family, after all." She smiled, and Twilight didn't miss the hint of smugness in it. "Worry causes her to act like a queasy mother hen. It is nevertheless admirable."
Celestia buffeted her sister with a wing. Luna only laughed.
"I was truly worried, Twilight. It seems our search parties were one step behind you the whole time you were missing." Celestia dipped her head. "And I, too, am sorry. I also could have told you about the situation ahead of time."
Twilight gave her an awkward smile. "It's all right," she said, pressing a wing against Celestia's chest. "I forgive you."
That was not something she would ever get used to.
"The one thing I don't get," the queen said, standing with an arm around an uncomfortable looking Skystar, "is how my search parties never found you. My soldiers are highly trained trackers. Hippogriffs can spot a minnow in a kelp forest!"
"That would be Tempest's doing, Your Majesty," said Twilight with a light chuckle. "Skystar and I were incapacitated, and Tempest was under the impression the guards were there to drag us back to the Abyss." Her ears folded back. "I just hope she didn't hurt them too badly."
Novo let out a long groan, covering her face with a claw. "I'll have to ask for casualty reports when I get back to Mount Aris." Whirling on Skystar, she growled, "Now what's this I just heard about you being 'incapacitated'?"
Skystar quailed, shrinking back onto her haunches. "I-I only poisoned myself once, I swear..."
Queen Novo gave a strained smile and hugged her daughter a little too tightly. "You are super-grounded when we get back."
"But, mom!" Skystar's ears drooped. "I know I'm not super-great at stuff, but I walked from the Dragon Lands to Equestria, and I didn't really get hurt, and I'm the Official Mount Aris Friendship Ambassador for the Dragon Lands now, and I didn't even complain once about how sore my claws were from walking, and don't you think I'm too old to be grounded?"
"We'll talk about it after you're done being grounded," said Novo. Then she froze, and one of her delicately plumed eyebrows lifted into the air as she gazed at her daughter anew. "Friendship Ambassador?"
"Yeah!" Skystar did a little hop. "And also we need to talk about the sad fish!"
Chuckling lightly, Celestia moved to Novo's side and nudged her gently with a wing. "I think it is safe to say my erstwhile cousin has learned a valuable lesson about displays of power."
The Queen had the decency to blush, ever so slightly.
Leaning down, Celestia murmured in Twilight's ear. "We had a bit of a talk before you all arrived."
Standing, she continued in her regular voice. "Now, to what I'm sure is the next question on your mind, Twilight. Spike has been keeping your friends in Ponyville up to date on your situation, ever since we learned of your disappearance from Novo. When your mark appeared on the Cutie Map, they were the first to let me know. They said they'd be catching the next train to Canterlot, so I expect you'll be seeing them soon."
Twilight let out a long breath, and a weight lifted from her shoulders. One less thing to worry about, one more thing to look forward to. "Thank you, Celestia," she said, giving her a grateful hug.
Outside the Canterlot throne room, twenty-six former Storm Guards ringed silently around Tempest Shadow, who recognized more than a few of them. They had never had names, per se, and many unfamiliar with the Storm King's people claimed they all looked the same, but she had known them. A leader did not forget the faces she led in battle and conquest. Those few she didn't recognize had burns on hair and flesh that disguised the subtle indicators of their identity. Many sported slings and other signs of medical treatment received sometime after the failed invasion. Trust Equestrians to show kindness to their enemies.
"What do you want?" she asked, though she knew full well the answer.
Once again, they were looking to her for leadership. She wasn't sure she was fit to provide it. And she was keenly aware that elite Royal Guards stood just behind her, before the doors of the throne room. Their eyes bore into the back of her head. There was no worse place to have an incident.
The Storm Guards exchanged murmurs in their bestial half-language. One stepped forward and dug something out of a satchel slung across his chest.
Tempest studied him. Like the others, he still wore his helm and mask. His kind tended to be fiercely protective of those masks; no surprise, as they were the single piece of property they had been allowed to own. In the particular highlights of this one's mane, though, she caught markings that she last saw crouched beside a yellow pony -- Fluttershy -- while he broke down in tears.
What a remarkable talent that mare had.
The Guard held up a bundle he had found in his bag and, at her nod, unwrapped it, handing it to her. She took it, and her breath caught in her throat.
It was a broken piece of the Storm King's petrified face.
His right eye was locked open in confused fury. A sliver of nostril and the upper part of a fang were the only other things that suggested this had once been a face. Nothing was left of the mouth that might have told her to set course for their next kingdom to conquer, or upbraided her for some imagined slight against his image. A familiar tightness clamped around her throat and for a moment, she couldn't move.
"Get that out of here!" she hissed, pressing the stone -- how she tried to tell herself it was just a stone -- back into the huge, meaty paw that had given it to her. "I don't want to see it!"
The Guard cringed as though struck. Tempest swept her gaze across the others. They likewise cowered, though their body language expressed not just fear but also sadness. Or was that disappointment?
"Listen to me," she said, struggling to keep her voice low, "I didn't come here for you. The army is dead, it's done for. I'm not your queen."
A chorus of dismayed murmurs ran through their group at that.
"What are you all doing here, anyway?"
The one who had given her that horrible piece of stone looked back at the others, then explained as best as it could that they had been helping to fix things, here in the palace and also in the city, and they were almost done. Trust Celestia, thought Tempest, to ensure that the homes of the populace were repaired before her own.
"That's good," she said, placing a hoof gently against the lead Guard's shoulder. "You've done well, and I'm proud of you." She looked to the rest of them, speaking as clearly and slowly as she could. "But we're done. I'm not your leader anymore, I'm not your commander. You're not soldiers. When you've finished here, you all should pack up and go home. Let them know what happened."
Her gaze turned to one of the stained glass windows lining the hallway. She didn't recognize the ponies depicted in it, but the poses suggested rejoicing after the defeat of some great evil.
"Find yourselves new lives to live, and live them in peace."
"Well said, Captain," said a soft voice behind her.
Tempest whirled to see Princesses Celestia, Luna, Twilight and Skystar, accompanied by Queen Novo, exiting the throne room doors.
"These creatures might have been intimidating in the field of battle," Celestia continued, "but they have since been a tremendous help in rebuilding Canterlot."
Bowing, Tempest said, "It pleases me to hear so, Your Highness."
Twilight took a few steps forward, and the Storm Guards all shied away from her, grunting fearfully. Concern writ large across her face, she asked, "I never got the time to find out before... What are you, exactly?"
"They are Storm King's people, Your Highness," said Tempest. "But half-breeds. It takes some effort to learn how they communicate. Mostly, they're used as shock troops and heavy laborers. They're just beasts, easily trained." She rubbed the nearest one's head. "As smart as dumb children, at best. But they're good boys."
The Guard cooed.
"They are under no obligation to stay once the repairs are complete," said Princess Celestia, moving up beside her.
Tempest turned to her, overwhelmed by anticipation.
"I fear they may not have much of a future here in Canterlot," Celestia said softly. "There have been... troubles with ponies out in the city. Mistrust has bred hate, I'm sorry to say. What they need is organization."
There it was. Tempest searched the Princess's eyes, finding nothing but matronly warmth and patience. The sheer love the Equestrian princess radiated at any moment was far too intense to behold for long.; Tempest had to avert her gaze. Instead, she studied the Guards, huddled together, regarding her with longing, like lost children in need of a mommy.
Her stomach squirmed. After all she had just been through, she had proven herself physically fit but otherwise in need of... remediation.
"I'm sorry," she said, voice grating a little in her throat. As she looked over the Guards, she could feel their disappointment mirroring itself in her heart. "I don't have what you need. There's no life for you here in Equestria. Finish your jobs and go home."
If Princess Celestia was likewise disappointed in her, she did not show it. Though she did seem to be waiting.
"But..." Now Tempest's eyes searched the marble tiled floor. It was cool beneath her unshod hooves. Her legs were starting to ache. "If you can find someone to write for you, you can send me letters at the Friendship Castle here in Equestria. Let me know what happens in the next step of your lives." She gave them a small smile. "I'd like that."
The Guards grunted happily and saluted. Celestia beamed at her.
"I shall see them transported safely back to their homelands once they've finished," she said. "The castle's staff includes at least one pony who can understand them."
Tempest bowed. "Thank you, Your Highness."
The Storm Guards lined up before Tempest, shuffling past her as she patted each one on the head. She ignored the assembled royals' amusement.
"And now," said Princess Celestia at length, "I think Twilight has a train to catch."
Twilight, Tempest and Skystar had barely gotten off the palace grounds before the question that had been plaguing Twilight for the past twenty minutes finally burst out of her.
"So what exactly are they half-breeds with?"
Without looking at her, Tempest said, "You don't want to know."
Twilight couldn't help but feel a tad condescended to.
"Let's just say," Tempest continued, "that Grubber is what you get from a three-quarters breed."
"Eww," said Skystar, sticking her tongue out.
Twilight wondered if seeing the Storm Guards again hadn't made Tempest nostalgic. Did she care about where her former lackey had gone off to? The little imp had disappeared after the invasion was stopped, and she herself hadn't thought about him since. Was he all right? She had no way to find out, but that didn't prevent the worry coming on all of a sudden.
She switched her train of thought. Since their visit to the palace, Skystar had been somewhat less excitable than usual. No doubt the specter of the grounding of a lifetime that awaited her when she got home was dampening her mood. Queen Novo had let her out with them on the condition they stay together, recognizing that Twilight's friends were Skystar's friends now, too.
The queen had also returned Tempest's armor. That had been something to see, her captain utterly speechless as the brash queen apologized to her for putting her through their ordeal before formally banishing her from Mount Aris and Seaquestria. When Novo had said back at Mount Aris that they would return her armor to her, she had meant when they left the next day. She'd been holding onto it personally ever since. Though, now that there was a promise of new armor on the horizon, Tempest had actually thought twice about putting it on; presently, she carried it through the streets in a bundle on her back.
Hopefully, the Royal Armorer would be able to get them a time estimate before they left. Or any kind of contact at all, since she'd not heard from them yet.
"Twilight Sparkle!"
Twilight jolted and turned to see a familiar yellow unicorn in thick horn-rimmed glasses walking with a pink-maned white unicorn.
"Moondancer! Twinkleshine!" With a broad grin, Twilight trotted over to them, her little party coming to a halt behind her.
The trio exchanged embraces. Twilight couldn't help noticing Moondancer lacked her usual barrettes. Mane long down her neck was quite a pleasing look on her, not least because it was clean and brushed.
"What are you doing in Canterlot?" asked Moondancer, smiling.
"It's a long story. But nevermind that, you look great!" Twilight exclaimed, with what she hoped was not too much enthusiasm. "How've you two been?"
"Oh, you know," said Twinkleshine, waving her hoof noncommittally. "Dangerous invasions aside, it's just the same old same old around here!"
Moondancer giggled and nudged Twinkleshine. "Since your last visit, Twilight, things have been so much better. I have friends now, and more importantly, I'm living life instead of hiding in my house or the library all day." She gave a happy sigh. "And I have you to thank."
"Oh, don't thank me, I--"
Twilight was cut off as a pair of warm, yellow lips pressed against hers. Stars exploded in her vision and her entire body went slack. Dimly, she became aware of Tempest yelling at somepony. It didn't seem that important at the moment.
When the kiss broke, Twilight plopped onto her haunches and stared straight ahead.
"Sweet Celestia, did that feel good!" crowed Moondancer, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. "You know, I set up that party to confess my feelings for you, Twilight, which is kind of why you not showing, you know, broke me?" She let out a hysterical giggle. "But it's all right now! I'm over that, and I'm actually glad nothing came of it because I was definitely not ready for a relationship back then. Anyway, thanks again, Twilight, I really owe you, and I totally forgive you, too. Hi, Twilight's friends, bye Twilight's friends!"
With that, she and Twinkleshine walked off, tails entwined.
"Buh," said Twilight Sparkle.
Three pairs of hooves approached her from behind. A high-pitched squeal suggested one of them belonged to Princess Skystar.
"I did not see that coming," said Tempest sardonically. "Rest assured, Your Highness, the interlopers have been dealt with."
"Buh," said Twilight.
"I had no idea you had a mare waiting for you at home!" Skystar bubbled. She hopped up and down in front of Twilight, eyes sparkling. "Oh, romance is so precious! I love it so much! But I think that one's taken, Twilight, so you'll have to find another one somewhere else."
"Buh."
Skystar wrapped an arm around Twilight's shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Don't worry, I can totally help you find one. I'm great with this stuff!"
Twilight at last shook her head, regaining some semblance of normal functionality. She looked back at her flank. Tempest and Skystar followed her gaze.
After a minute or so of nothing happening, Tempest asked, "Are you all right, Princess?"
Twilight gave her a desperate look.
"How was that not the friendship problem?"
As luck would have it, the train from Ponyville arrived shortly after they made it to the station, so they only had a few minutes to wait before the joyful reunion. Twilight broke down in tears during the group hug, and Fluttershy joined in for moral support. Rarity and Pinkie Pie went out of their way to welcome Tempest back, while Rainbow Dash gave her a grudging and half-hearted "Good job keeping Twilight safe, I guess."
Then there was Skystar.
In her defense, she waited until the pony pile had parted before shouting, "Pinkie!" tackling her to the ground and planting a big, sloppy kiss on her lips. Only Rarity took this as a positive, cooing while the others watched in surprised confusion. Twilight and Tempest shared a look of apprehension.
When the kiss broke, Pinkie looked up sadly into Skystar's eyes and patted her on the cheek.
"I'm happy to see you too, Skystar," she said with a sigh. "Come on, let's go find a quiet place where we can talk."
Skystar trotted off behind her, babbling at her in the way only the one person who hadn't gotten the hint could.
"Come on, girls," said Twilight, "let's give them some privacy and head back to the palace."
"The palace?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Aren't we catching the next train back to Ponyville?"
"Yes," said Rarity. "Spike and Starlight are dutifully holding down the fort at the castle, as it were, but they are expecting to see you home sooner than later."
"I'd love to go home right now," said Twilight, "but Tempest and I haven't found our friendship problem yet."
"Ohhhh!" said Twilight's friends, all together.
"Goodness, Twilight," said Fluttershy, "don't friendship problems usually show up right after you arrive where the map sent you?"
"We don't know where the problem is," said Tempest.
Twilight shook her head. "And it hasn't exactly been the first thing on my mind until now, either."
"Ya gonna tell us the whole story of what happened?" asked Applejack. "We've all been worried sick these past weeks."
"You got it, AJ." Twilight smiled, but it was short-lived.
Before she could say anything further, Princess Skystar flew past them, headed back to the palace in tears at breakneck speed. A short minute later, Pinkie Pie arrived behind them, her mane looking decidedly less poofy than usual. Fluttershy lent her a comforting hoof, and the others looked on with worried, sad expressions.
"I think I'd like to hear that story now," said Pinkie with a sniff.
It was late as they returned to Canterlot Castle, and rooms were arranged for all. Twilight and Tempest were reassured that Canterlot was indeed where their marks had appeared on the Cutie Map. Rarity promised to check on her Royal Armory contact in the morning, and the others bid each other good night.
Except, Twilight noticed, for Pinkie Pie, who had been moping about since the incident with Skystar. On her way to following Pinkie to her room, she was surprised by Queen Novo surging at her from around a corner like a wave over a rocky shore.
"Princess Twilight, could I have a moment of your time?"
Twilight shivered but gave a little bow of her head regardless. "Of course, Your Majesty."
Novo frowned. Somehow, Twilight got the impression it wasn't meant for her. "Did something happen to my daughter while you were out? She flew in here an hour ago, locked herself in her room and won't answer the door."
"As a matter of fact, Your Majesty," said Twilight, squaring her shoulders, "I was just about to go find out the answer to that question myself."
The queen followed her, though her confusion when they reached Pinkie's door was palpable.
"Come in," came Pinkie's soft voice at Twilight's knock. That was a good sign, at least.
The room was dark, save for the moonlight shining in through the large, open windows at the other end. Pinkie sat on a bench placed under one of the windows, gazing out at the night sky. The stained glass cast a shadow of wings stretched along her back.
"Hi, Twilight," said Pinkie, mustering a bare modicum of cheer. It waned when she noticed Twilight's companion. "Oh. Hello, Queen Novo. I'd say it was nice to see you again, but I figure you're probably mad at me."
"What?" The queen looked taken aback. "Why would I be mad at you?"
Pinkie heaved a tremendous sigh. "Because I made Skystar cry." She sniffled and scrubbed at her face. "When we got off the train, she was there with Twilight and Tempest, and then she kissed me. Again."
"Oh." Novo's eyebrows furrowed. "Oh."
"Yeah." Pinkie gave a halfhearted smile at nothing in particular. "So I had a little talk with her, and she said she loved me and had been waiting so long to see me again, and I just... I just don't feel the same way."
Pinkie turned toward them, her eyes filled with tears. "I don't feel the same way, and I told her so, and now she's sad, and it's all my fault!"
Twilight went to Pinkie, sitting on the bench and putting an arm around her, squeezing her tightly. Queen Novo, to her surprise, joined them, crouching down in front of the bench so she was eye-to-eye with Pinkie.
"Pinkie Pie, I want to apologize for my daughter's behavior," she said with a long-suffering sigh. "I don't know where that girl gets her ideas. I tried to do good by her, honestly I did, but she's just such an airhead sometimes." She drew a claw down her face. "All I can say is I hope living on land will change her for the better, so something like this doesn't happen again."
Twilight frowned. "With all due respect, Queen Novo, I think you're being a little hard on Skystar."
Novo and Pinkie turned at her, mirrored surprise on their faces.
"I mean, yes, she is a little childish, and she's got some strange ideas about how love works..." Twilight glanced out the window as a Night Guard flew past on patrol. "But she's really trying to figure out who she is, to find her place in the world. She loves finding the good in things, and she bounces back quickly from setbacks. She might grow up a little bit more if you treated her more like an adult." She snorted. "Give her some space to grow, is what I'm saying, just, you know, don't let her too far off the leash."
Novo responded with contemplative silence.
Finally, she stood with a long stretch, shaking her head. "Well, I don't know about you two, but I need some sleep! Good night Pinkie Pie, Your Highness."
"Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty..."
Twilight waited until the queen had left, then got down off the bench. The hour was late, and Novo was right; it was all she could do to suppress a yawn. But a pink hoof on her shoulder stopped her from going any further.
"Twilight?"
"Yeah, Pinkie?"
She turned and looked up into Pinkie's shimmering blue eyes. So rare was it to see Pinkie Pie as introspective as she had been this evening that Twilight wasn't about to leave her alone if she still needed comfort.
"Why do ponies fall in love?"
The question hit Twilight like a brick. Her thoughts immediately turned to Moondancer, the sudden kiss, and the sight of her and Twinkleshine walking much more closely together than she had first realized. Heat rose to her cheeks.
"I, that..." She coughed. Climbing back up onto the bench, she scooted close to Pinkie and said, "I don't really know. Love... well, romantic love isn't something I've ever really dealt with before."
Pinkie pressed herself close to Twilight and sniffled. "I hear ponies say all the time that the worst thing that ever happened to them was asking somepony they liked on a date, only to be told, 'We should just be friends.' But isn't being friends good? How come it's not enough?"
Twilight hugged Pinkie close as her tears started afresh. "Oh, Pinkie Pie..."
"Twilight, why doesn't Skystar want to just be my friend?" She broke down, sobbing into Twilight's shoulder.
Twilight was tired, and she had no idea how to answer any of Pinkie's questions. But her friend was hurting, and if there was one thing Twilight Sparkle knew how to do right, it was being there to help a friend in need.
"I don't think she doesn't want to be your friend, Pinkie," she said soothingly. "The whole time we were gone, she kept going on and on about how happy the thought of seeing you again made her. And, yeah, she has this crazy idea that the two of you are in love, but..."
She licked her lips. Turning Pinkie's head with her hoof, she looked into her friend's tear-filled eyes.
"I know you don't like seeing other ponies cry, Pinkie. I know you don't ever want to hurt them. But don't blame yourself, okay? Skystar's still young, and maybe she needed something like this to realize that her fantasies of romance are just fantasy." She smiled. "I think, if you can give her some time, she'll come around and be okay just being your friend."
Pinkie sniffled, and Twilight floated a hoofkerchief over from across the room for her to blow her nose.
"Do you really think so?"
"I do. You and I both know how strong friendship can be, after all."
Nodding, Pinkie wadded up the snotty cloth and let it fall to the floor. "I just always see romance and mushy stuff getting in the way of ponies being friends." Her voice grew small. "Sometimes I really, really hate it. I don't care about love, Twilight. Not the kissy-smoochy kind of love anyway. I just want to be everypony's friend and not have to worry about complicated stuff."
Twilight smiled, patting her on the back. "I'm happy to be your friend, Pinkie. And I know anypony who gives you chance is glad to have you as a friend, too."
All of a sudden, Pinkie threw her hooves around Twilight's neck. "I'm so glad you just want to be friends!"
Twilight laughed. "Me too, Pinkie Pie. Me too."