Chapter 3 – Welcome Home
“Did you know then?” Twilight Sparkle asked as the three stood in the darkness as the Princess of the Night took a break before playing another memory.
“That this young, orphaned pony named Twist would one day become the most feared creature in all of Equestria?” Celestia said, “No, Twilight. Although we have been blessed with many powers, the one that none of us possess is being able to look into the future. I believe that such an ability would be too great a gift.”
“I think it would be nice to know in advance of something happening,” the unicorn said.
“But what if you did have this ability, Twilight?” Luna interjected curtly, “What if you could see the future and know something bad was going to happen? You would be driven insane with worry as to when and how and why it would happen. Not to mention the overwhelming stress of trying to plan how to avert the event.”
Twilight thought back to the time when her “future self” visited her and how she became upset over what was actually a misunderstanding.
“I guess you’re right about it being an added worry if I were able to discern the future,” she said.
“Now you know, Twilight,” Luna continued, “just how my sister and I first discovered the colt that would become Discord. It is an irony I chose that particular pony to teach. Perhaps it was that his magical ability was so rare, or perhaps the poor colt looked so downtrodden with the life he had been given. I felt that perhaps somehow, as he aged, this colt would use his powers to change Equestria. Little did I realize how right I was, how he changed things -- but not in the way I hoped or imagined.”
“I remember the next day when my sister and I arrived with a royal carriage at the orphanage. The look on Twist’s face was utter joy. Stepping into that carriage with two princesses must have made him feel like he was a royal pony too. As we made our way through the streets of Ponytopia, Twist decided to give his brief fame a try. He would smile and wave to the ponies that passed by, some of them waving back. My sister and I couldn’t help but giggle at the colt’s antics. It was like the world was his oyster. and he could now have anything he wanted.”
Luna then reactivated the Memory Spell and brought forth a scene of the castle. Twilight watched as the carriage carrying the trio pulled up to the entrance, and two guards appeared to escort the two young Princesses and Twist.
“Welcome to your new home, Twist,” the younger Celestia said as, with a flash of her magic, she opened up the massive wooden doors. She and the younger Princess Luna stood back and motioned for the colt to go first. Twist’s face was frozen in wonder as he looked up at the massive structure. It was as if he were a pony waking up on Hearth’s Warming Day to a mountain of presents. He gazed at the grand foyer with sweeping curved staircases in awe.
“I think that we should give you a tour of your new home,” the younger Luna said. The two younger Alicorns brought the colt first to the throne room, replete with massive, high arched ceilings and stained glass windows. He approached the two thrones sitting on a raised platform. One was white and bore the symbol of the sun while the other was black and had the moon carved upon it. He spent several moments examining the thrones, then paused before turning around to face the Princesses.
“Can I… sit on them?”
The two Princesses looked at him, and then at each other, then both gave a nod to the pony in acceptance. The colt happily jumped up on the platform and climbed into Luna’s throne, a smile on his face at how comfortable it was. He then tried Celestia’s throne and was just as satisfied with the way it felt.
“Are you ready to see the rest of the castle?” the younger Luna asked.
“Yes,” Twist said as he left the throne and joined the Princesses. The three then toured other places like the ballroom, living quarters, dining halls and kitchens. Each room was more exciting than the last, though each differed in size and grandeur. It was clear that the reality that this was to be his new home hadn’t quite settled in. It was more like the young pony was touring a museum.
One room he was amazed at was the Princesses’ private study. As Twilight watched the scene, she too was amazed at the room. It was a large room with a fireplace with floor to ceiling shelves filled with books that wrapped around the entire perimeter. Although there were only a fraction of the books found in present-day Canterlot due to how new Equestria was, it was nonetheless an impressive sight. In the center were several tables and chairs.
“This is where I will be teaching you the non-magical studies,” the younger Princess Celestia remarked, “such as reading, math, and history.”
“You mean, both of you are teaching me?”
“Yes,” the younger Luna replied,” I at first had the idea to teach you everything, but then we decided that it was best that we co-teach. We rule together and we will teach together. That way, you will benefit from the knowledge and perspective of not one but two princesses.”
The thought that he would be taught by both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna awed Twist.
“So, can I read all these books?” he asked,
“Yes, Twist,” Celestia replied, “the castle is now as much your home as it is my sister’s and I, so you are free to study any of these books that you wish. I encourage you to expand your knowledge.”
The three then proceeded to another room that was unlike the study -- very open and sparsely furnished save for a few tables with an assortment of objects, books, and scrolls. “Here is where you will be learning magic from me,” the younger Luna explained.
The group then arrived at the last stop on the tour. “And these quarters are yours, Twist,” Luna said as she opened the door, “it’s just a guest suite, but you can decorate it as you wish.”
For ‘just’ a guest suite, it was enormous, with a huge bed and wooden furniture well padded with pillows and cushions, as well as a dressing room and garderobe. When Twist was told it was his, he started crying.
“Why are you crying?” the younger Princess Celestia asked him, “Is something wrong?”
“N-No, nothing’s wrong,” Twist replied, “I just never had a room all to myself, and never one as nice as this.” It was touching to see how a pony that had literally nothing was so excited and grateful about everything. The two Princesses, overcome by his overwhelming joy, gave him a comforting hug.