“Hi, we are terribly sorry for the inconvenience.” Offered a gray mare with violet and white candy-striped mane and tail as she entered the dining room where the class was. “My name is Twilight Velvet Sparkle, and I’m from the Home Office and I am Canterlot Castle’s Facilities Manager. It’s my responsibility to make sure everything within Canterlot Castle is run smoothly.”
By this time Nova had begun making little cloud balls by blowing her breath between her front hooves, and several of the other fillies watching her had found they could do it too.
“What… you’re making clouds?” Mrs Sparkle asked.
“I need a booster seat.” Nova offered as if it should have been obvious, and then got hit in the side of the face by a cloud ball one of the other foals had made. “Oh, it be on.” A moment later cloud balls were flying in every direction.
“Booster seats and food. Stat.” Mrs Chart suggested with a deadpan expression that suggested that she wasn’t about to try to rein them in.
“Um, guys…” Sunshine said as she looked up at the ceiling. A fair number of the little puffs they'd just made were floating to the top of the high ceiling room and were starting to form a proper cloud. “Maybe you should stop.”
“Booster seats.” Mrs Sparkle said and trotted out of the room. She returned in a surprisingly short time with a group of maids with books in hoof and auras, to be used as boosters. Foals were boosted up, chairs pushed in, and a short time later food was brought in blessedly putting an end to the cloud fight.
“About time.” Dash declared and started digging in the moment she got her food.
“Thank you for the food.” Nova said but decided to wait for everyone there to be served. Sunshine had little choice but to sit up when she’d been provided her boosters, and did the same as Nova.
“Some princess you are.” Gilda scolded Dash.
“Mmmm mMMm Mmmmm,” Dash replied crossly with her snoot full of food.
“She means wait until every pony is served.” Fluttershy scolded Dash.
“But I’m hungry.” Dash offered between mouthfuls.
“It’s that Borealis appetite.” Nova offered between bites. She then leaned over towards Gilda and whispered, “Your mom’s a better cook.”
Gilda shot her a look and nearly choked on more laughter, but it was true. The food they’d brought them had the distinct quality of being hurried.
The foals were all preoccupied with eating when a now far more presentable Princess Celestia looked in on them from out in the hall.
“She looks so much like Sunset I can see now why the Guards made the mistake and Sunset is certainly capable of an age reversal spell,” Celestia whispered. "And there she is, my sister's little princess. I can't help but wonder what she thinks of me what with the way they were treated today, all because one little filly looks a little too much like Sunset."
“In an odd sort of way she may well be, but all a pony has to do is watch them too know she’s not a stranger to the group.” Cadance offered. “If anything I get the feeling like Summer’s sort of a de facto leader of the class.”
“And I see Miss Dash.” Celestia offered as she looked over the students. “Would you believe that if not for the machinations of the Platinum nobility and I, not an alicorn, she would outrank me?”
“Are you serious?” Cadance asked.
“I made so many mistakes back then. Ruined hundreds of lives. I unwittingly allowed myself to be maneuvered into starting a manufactured civil war. I betrayed my sister and devastated her family all because I believed the lies being told me. And this, today, last night, it all proves I still haven't learned.”
“Princess? Surely it’s not as bad as it looks?” Cadance offered.
“Isn’t it? Sunset turned out the way she did because I was grooming her to take on Nightmare Moon instead of raising her to be a good pony.”
“Um, maybe we shouldn't be discussing this here?” Cadance suggested softly. She’d noticed that a certain mostly white filly had had one tufted ear trained on them only to have both ears go flat on Celestia’s last comment.
“Cadance…” Celestia began in a somewhat subdued tone not noticing the ear perking back up. “I need a way to undo what I did to my sister. I need a way to free her from the shadow that took her before the banishment wears off.”
“And what of the elements?”
“The elements rejected me, and now I realize that Sunset, as she is, would never be able to wield them either, even if we can retrieve her in time. I’m just going to have to place my hopes in some pony else.”
“Aunt Celestia…”
“Yes?”
“Leave these foals alone.”
“Cadance?”
“In fact, I’d like to go to flight camp.”
“Flight camp? If you want to get flight tips we have a training facility not far from Canterlot.”
“Aunt Celestia, what I want is to get out of Canterlot for a while.”
The two fell silent, neither wishing to say anything further. And then to Cadance’s surprise, the little filly who she knew as Summer’s sister and bore a striking resemblance to the young Princess Nova finished up her lunch, wiped her face, got down from her chair, and started for the hall.
“Nova?” Mrs Chart asked.
“I’m just going to have a look.” Nova offered as she trotted on past and out the door.
Nova stopped just outside the door and made a polite bow. “Princess Cadance, Aunt Tia. Yes, I am thy niece. At least I was, though I can't be sure if this is even my world anymore. I was so foolish as to jump right into the line of fire only to find myself so far from home I hadn't a clue where to even begin to look.” Celestia’s eyes widened. Nova’s tone was low but sharp. “You’ll forgive me for not making my presence known until now and my lack of proper etiquette. I'm not quite sure why I even decided to approach you here and now short of since you know who I am if you've got a mind to do something to me to finish what you started I'd rather you just get it over with and leave my friends out of it. What happened in the old palace is still fresh to me, the day we lost my mom. My family and everything I knew. With what I now know about the Platinum clan I can't very well put all the blame on you and find I'm counting my blessings for a moment of foolish behavior where I actually got it into my head I could force the Night Mare to return me, my mother." Nova thought it best to soften her tone and took a breath before continuing. "I've been taken in by a loving family and have endeavored to begin anew. And yet we come here for a class tour and get treated like we'd all somehow managed to betray you. I never betrayed you. And while I can't speak for others I think I can say with all certainty mother never intended to... Can you blame me for not doing everything in my power to return to you?” Nearby guards were looking daggers at Nova for her tone, but can't fathom why Princess Celestia is just standing there letting a foal give her a dressing down.
“No, I suppose not,” Celestia admitted dropping her ears. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything that happened. We were all betrayed, I just hadn't... I let myself be used and the blame rightly falls on me. No, I'm not going to do anything to you or your friends. When I look back at that horrible moment, your actions may well have bought me that precious moment I needed and if I'd know then what I know now I could have freed her from the shadow that took her. After I learned the truth I hated myself for it. Can you never forgive me?" Those guards close enough to hear now looked on with wide-eyed wonder and plenty of bewilderment.
“I’d actually thought maybe it’d be fine if I never saw you again. - I still love you though.” Nova offered with a deep sadness in her voice. “Yes, I have room in my heart for forgiveness. I doubt I could do anything else. Do you think you can save her?"
"If it is in my power, I will. But I fear I will need such avatars of virtue as the founders of Equestria to do it."
"Then for my mother's sake, I pray that such ponies step forward." Nova stretched up to whisper conspiratorially, "If Summer's prediction about the future holds true, two such champions are already known to me." Nova moved back, "Now if it’s alright, I’d like to have the same none status as Rainbow Dash. I don’t want ponies knowing I’m anything other than a fox pony. Especially the Canterlot elite. I have little reason to trust them, and neither do my new parents. I just want to live out my life in obscurity if that's not too much to ask.”
“Can’t say I blame you.” Cadance offered. “There’s a portrait of you in the Moon tower. That is you isn’t it?”
“It might be me. I mean, everything is so different. I mean, from my perspective the fight against the nightmare wasn’t that long ago and it seems I may have been better off for my folly if what I've gleaned out of history books is any indication. History books that haven't been carefully edited I'm told. As for the painting... I imagine there might be a few of those paintings floating around. Assuming my existence hadn’t been erased. I couldn't help but notice there's no Princess Nova mentioned in any of my history books. Kind of had me wondering if this was my world or not?”
“They tried,” Celestia admitted softly. "There are few books that say anything about Luna having a family."
“Princess Cadance,” Nova began a moment later. “I’m sure you’d be welcomed at the Mustang household. That is if you wanted to come for a visit? Let our family be your family.”
“Aunt Celestia, can I go? I’ll come back right after camp. I promise.”
“How soon did you want to go?” Celestia asked with a hint of reluctance. “Flight camp isn’t for a couple more weeks.”
“As soon as I can. I love you, but the atmosphere around here has been rather stifling, and I don’t expect it to get better any time soon.”
“She can come with us if she can get a travel bag and meet us at the bus before we go.” Nova offered with a hint of a smile. "You know, sneak out?"
“Princess Celestia?” Fleetfoot asked stepping out into the hall. “Miss Star isn’t bothering you is she?”
“Star?” Cadance asked.
“They have my name down as Bright Star.” Nova offered. “Officially, that is.”
“Ah, yes, that makes sense.” Celestia mused. “Miss Starry here was just negotiating an offer for Princess Cadance to come to visit her house. Do you think the Mustangs would mind having a visitor?”
“I’d think they’d be honored. Give Cadance a chance to get away from Canterlot for a while.” Fleetfoot offered cheerfully.
“Well, then, it’s decided. Cadance, go pack your bags.” Celestia offered cheerfully enough.
“Are you going to be alright without me?” Cadance asked.
“Yes, I’ll be fine. You go and have fun.”
“Thank you, Aunt Celestia,” Cadance replied, turned, and started to trot away.
“Do you need a hoof?” Nova asked and trotted after her.
“Sure, why not?” Cadance called and then the two joined up and trotted on down the hall.
“Um, excuse me, where’s my sister going?” Sunshine asked as she poked her head out the door. She looked at Princess Celestia and made a belated bow.
“Princess Cadance is going to join you till the end of flight camp.” Princess Celestia offered with a smile for Sunshine. And then she let a sigh slip as a look of sadness crossed her face.
“I’m not from this world, I suspect Cadance understood what I meant when I said that I hadn’t come here by choice.”
“Do you miss your family?” Celestia asked.
“I’m afraid they were about as dysfunctional as your own.” Sunshine offered with a wink and a smile.
“Sunshine?!” Fleetfoot protested. A gray mare with a black mane and a name tag that read Mrs Inkwell had joined her and was eyeing Summer cryptically.
“I do miss my mom.” Sunshine continued unabated. “I love my new family, but if you should happen to see Mrs Summers, and she wants to get out for a while, let her know her daughter wouldn't mind a visit now and then.” Sunshine bowed and then trotted back into the room to rejoin her friends.
“You seriously need to keep better track of where you drop your eggs.” Mrs Inkwell quipped.
“What?!” Fleetfoot exclaimed.
“Afraid that one came through Starswirl’s gate from another world.” Celestia offered. “Not the one here, but from her home, I gather. I swear I lose one and gain one I can’t even have. Yes, I am Mrs Summers. It's an alias I use when I sneak out. - And not a word about this to anyone. She’s better off where she is.”
“You’re Mrs …” Fleetfoot began but found herself being shushed by Princess Celestia. “Yes, Ma’am. Not a word.”
“Yes, I am. Only a hoof full of ponies know. I can’t very well be expected to be the paragon of virtue all the time, but I doubt the Nobility would see it that way. I’m a living breathing pony with the same needs as any other mare. Nor am I entirely to blame for how Sunset turned out. I thought I’d placed her in a good home and they dumped her into an orphanage the first chance they got but continued accepting the stipend they were getting. I just hope I get the opportunity to see her on the right track someday. Maybe she’ll find her home where she is now. As for what I said about Starswirl’s gate, that is for no one’s ears. If push comes to shove Summer Sunshine is Sunset’s little sister. It’s OK for academics to theorize about it, I just don’t want ponies knowing Starswirl created a working gate.”
“Something tells me Miss Summer doesn’t want to be associated with Sunset. If you’ll forgive me, you seem to be taking it all in stride.” Fleetfoot commented thinking to redirect the topic.
“I’ve run the gambit of emotions since last night and had a good cry just a little while ago. Just ask Cadance. She’s probably one of the few ponies capable of seeing through my mask. And I can’t help but think that maybe this needed to happen. Miss Nova gave me quite the dressing down. Ordinarily, I wouldn't have put up with that from a foal, but in her case I had it coming. I just wish I could have seen where I’d gone off track, again, and fixed it before it was too late. - So, do you think the foals would like to meet me?”
“I bet they’d be thrilled. The pail blue filly with the silver main is my Silver Lining.”
“She is a sweetie.” Celestia offered and entered the room.
Moments after entering the room Celestia heard the unmistakable sound of foals giggling. The trouble was that the moment she’d raised her head to take on that regal stance that was so much a part of the mask of Princess Celestia … everything went gray.
“Princess Celestia… you might be able to see better if you ducked down a bit.” Fleetfoot offered.
“It’s alright, I’m good, I’m good.” Celestia offered. She’d started to cry again and had decided to just stay that way until the dew could camouflage her tears. It took her a moment, and when she was satisfied she’d gotten a hold of her emotions she put on a smile for the foals and ducked down. Only Sunshine was keen enough to see through the mask, and when it was time to go she lingered just long enough to sneak in a hug.