//------------------------------// // The Canterlot Court case part 4 // Story: The chef's student // by vincent789 //------------------------------// The following day arrived for Twilight and her family. Twilight felt well rested as she got a load of emotions off her back yesterday. Her father on the other hoof did not. He was anxious for the future of the law change he put in motion. And after a nice breakfast, Night left alongside Velvet and Shining for the court case. Leaving Twilight all alone at home. Twilight was casually looking around, attempting to find something she still had to do. Yesterday Celestia told her as they were teleporting that she and Trixie were going to attend the court case. Meaning Twilight would have to wait until afterwards. Twilight then moved to one of the bookshelves in search for a good book to read while waiting until someone unexpected knock on their door. Twilight moves towards the front door and opens it. Revealing a nervous looking Royal Chef. "Hey Royal! This is an pleasant surprise. Please come in!" Twilight said with an smile as she let Royal in. "Sorry for the surprise visit." Royal said. "It's fine. What is the matter? You look nervous." Twilight asked as she and Royal both took a seat in the living room. Twilight looked a bit worried. Royal is usually pretty calm. For him to be this nervous was worrying. "I just had a few questions..." Royal asked openly. "Sure! Ask away." Twilight said happily. "Do you know how to cook with love?" he asked suspiciously. Twilight's eyebrow rose at the oddly specific question, "Uh. It depends. Why?" she replied. "As in the emotion love inside the dish?" Royal asked a little bit more nervously. Then inside of Twilight's brain something clicked. 'Love? As a resource?' Twilight asked herself. "Come again?" Twilight asked as she was slowly catching on. Royal didn't respond as he looked seriously at Twilight. It was then that Twilight understood the question. "Are you a changeling?" Twilight asked dazed by these questions. "Yes. Please answer the question." Royal said not worried anymore. Twilight looked surprised at the bold answer, sighing, she thought about it. 'Hm. I have never tried to do that. But maybe.' Twilight thought as she entered the kitchen. Twilight grabs some cookies that she made some time ago. They were still fresh. "Try these. Do they contain it?" Twilight asked. Royal grabs a cookie and takes a bite, after a few seconds he responded with bad news. "No they do not contain love." he said somewhat disappointed. "Give me a few moments. I might be able to make some cookies that will contain some love in it." Twilight asked uncertain. "Sure. I will just read this book here." Royal said as he picks Twilight's book up from the couch. Meanwhile Twilight was truly uncertain if she was ready for such an difficult task. 'In order for these to contain love. I need to do a few things, I think.' Twilight thought as she casually grabs every ingredient necessary for a simple chocolate chip cookie. 'First my mindset. In order to have it fill with love I need to think why I am making these. I am making these so that whoever eat these will smile in happiness.' Twilight thought as she temporarily cringed at her own remark. 'Second, I have to care for each ingredient as if they were of highest quality and for an royalty.' Twilight thought as she calmly and carefully measured each ingredient. She put the flour through a sieve and finely crush some brown sugar using an pestle and mortar. She also sieved some salt and baking soda. 'These are for Royal and her family. I do not know who they are, but they are Royal's family. They deserve the best!' Twilight thought to herself. She added the brown sugar and the vanilla sugar into a bowl while also quickly melting some butter in a skillet. Pouring the molten butter with the sugar and mixing in into a whole. Once the sugar was molten she added a single egg and mixed it even further. 'Her queen might not like my kind. But I do not mind them. If they receive my cookies they will understand the love I feel for cooking for another.' Twilight thought as a smile graced her lips. Once the egg was properly mixed she added the flour with some baking soda and salt slowly while mixing. After a few moments of mixing she let the mixture cool down. 'We mustn't forget the chocolate. Chocolate is a romantic ingredient. Used in confectionery and the like.' Twilight said as she chop some pure chocolate. She adds it to the cookie dough and slowly mix it. After which she preheats her oven 170 degrees Celsius*. And removes a cooking tray out of the oven. She places a piece of baking paper on it and makes small balls for cookie dough with the chocolate on it. 'These cookies I will appropriately name. Love bird cookies.' Twilight thought with a loving and caring smile. She places the cookies in the oven for 15 minutes and decided that she had clean the kitchen up in the meantime. Once the cookies were finished. She cooled the down for a few minutes before casually walking back into the living room with a plate of freshly baked 'Love bird cookies'. "These special cookies are complete. I hope you and your queen will like them." Twilight said. Royal looks at the cookies and could feel the oozing love coming from them. It was a powerful amount of love that he could not resist. Grabbing one he took a bite and he just stared out of the window after taking a single bite. Twilight meanwhile put the cookies in a bag and placed it in front of Royal. "I thought you would hate me for being a changeling." Royal said out of nowhere. "Why would I hate you just because you are different?" Twilight asked in return. "Most would." Royal said as he took a second bite out of his cookie. "Royal. You are special to me. You introduced me into a world of food in a time where I only knew magic. You gave me a branch to think about." Twilight said lovingly. "But the branch is only a twig. It shouldn't make you change paths." Royal said in responds. "True. It was only a twig. But to me, it was another road to take. And I took it with your help." Twilight said. Royal smiled at Twilight, "You have grown wiser." he said smiling. "You made me take a road I was woefully unprepared to take. But so far, it was worth the risk!" Twilight said with a smile. "That is good." Royal said happily as he hugged Twilight. Twilight simply returned the hug. "I hope I get to one day meet you queen and serve her a dish she truly wanted. Somehow these cookies aren't what she most likely wants. But tell her, that the day I become an owner of my own restaurant will be the day I am ready to give her more than these." Twilight said confident. "I will inform her." Royal said, "I have to go, she is starting to get impatient." "I understand. Good luck and Royal if that is not enough. Next time she will have to come to be personally. Or I will only give those drones even more cookies." Twilight explained. "Sure." Royal said as he leaves the house satisfied. Once Royal was far away from Twilight's house. Twilight immediately started to research what changelings eat. To prepare for the day that she would meet and feed the queen of the nest. - Meanwhile in the court room - Vermouth and Elly were aggressively attacking Night with words that were unsafe for work. Meanwhile Trixie was using a silence dome over herself. She did not want to listen to the swearing of the two creatures. All the nobles look unimpressed at Vermouth and Elly. This is improper, even for the nobles. Celestia also looked quite unamused at the duo. "Enough!" Celestia shouted as she used her booming voice the shut the duo up. "Regardless if Twilight Sparkle should be present or not is not your concern! She is a filly. This court will not force a filly to be present. Besides she has already cut a deal with the opposing party. There is no reason to call forth the pony that has no reason to be called in for!" Celestia boomed. Vermouth and Elly looks surprised at Celestia. Even Night looked surprised at her. "What was the deal, your highness?" Night asked surprised. Celestia smiles at his direction, "The reason Twilight Sparkle started this attempt at changing the law is because there is too much false play on-going inside of the meat market. After looking at the evidence she had presented and cross-examining the evidence already held by the court did I deem this change in the law much more reasonable." Celestia stated. "What would the law change be like, your highness?" Vermouth requested. "I will create an organization that will better control the flow of meat products, that will prevent the sales and hunting of endangered species and inspect individuals to prevent false play. That is the chose act by the court. I will distribute Twilight's findings and we will do a fifteen minutes of recess." Celestia said as she lowered the hammer on the gravel. Vermouth and Elly immediately looked at the presented evidence. Their eyes grew wide, they did not know that the stories of abusing chickens by a farmer was true. Which enraged them and also impressed them. Twilight really did look at the right places and made them look guilty at Night Light. Night noticed the guilty looks simply smiled proudly at them. Celestia meanwhile removed the silence spell that Trixie had set up. Trixie looks at Celestia and saw that she mouthed "Twilight has won." at Trixie. Trixie simply smiled at Celestia and waited for recess to be over. After fifteen minutes had passed, everyone was seated back were they sat before recess started. "Does the court room accept these new findings?" Celestia asked both Night and her ministers that sat besides her. "It has." Night responded. "It has." said one of the ministers. "Does the court accept this compromise?" Celestia asked. "Of course. This is the best solution." Night stated. "We will. The benefits to the citizens and the benefits to the crown is too big. We will not refuse an opportunity such as this one." The minister close to Celestia stated. "Then this law will be change in two days. You will receive further information once more is available. This court is now out of session!" Celestia said as lowered the hammer and left with Trixie in tow. Everyone slowly left the court room. Most looked impressed and satisfied. Some of course weren't so happy like the once behind the strings. But they will come around to it. - Inside the castle - Celestia and Trixie were heading to the dining room and were getting ready to summon Twilight into the castle. "I read the evidence that Twi left you. I was most impressed by it." Trixie said respectfully. "I know you were. So was I. I just hope that she won't just barge into my room for it like last time." Celestia said with an smirk. "I did not know that Twilight was willing to break in just to apologize to someone." Trixie said somewhat unimpressed. "Well that is Twilight for you. Anyways I will send a guard out to summon her. Will you wait here? I have some paperwork to do really quick." Celestia said. "Sure. See you in a few minutes." Trixie said happily as she grabs one of her study books to read through while waiting. Meanwhile Twilight was about to start reading the book that Royal read for a few minutes when someone knocked on the door again. Twilight approached the door expecting it to be Night. But when she opened it, she saw a royal guard instead. "Princess Celestia has summoned you to the castle." He shouts. "Very well. Let's go." Twilight said as she walks off to the castle with an guarded escort. After a calming walk through the city, Twilight cleared her head. So much had happened over a decently short period of time. But it almost over. She still had to reveal the truth about Trixie's dad to Trixie and grant Celestia, Luna's law change demand letter. But generally Twilight felt that after this, time was going to speed up. Most of the long term projects were about to be finished and Twilight could really start focusing on her own future. After a long uneventful walk, Twilight had arrived at her destination. She was inside the castle, just outside of Celestia's personal dining room. Opening the door revealed an smiling Celestia and an excited Trixie. Twilight bowed before Celestia, "You summoned me, Celestia?" she asked. "I have. You can stand straight up. We have to talk about lots of things." Celestia said happily. "Very well. From the sound of your voice it suggests that I have won." Twilight said with an smirk. "You have. I thank you for the actions you undertook to get all the evidence you needed. You solidified a positive future for the meat industry." Celestia said with a hint of respect. "Some of these go back all the way since you found me hurt and broken on the street. Thank you." Trixie said gratefully. Twilight nodded, "Before I talk Trixie about her father, I have this letter for you." she said as she gave Celestia a letter with the royal seal on it. Celestia looked at the seal with an raised eyebrow and opened the letter. After reading it, a small tear fell from Celestia's eye. "Thank you. I will leave you alone with Trixie. I need to some work to get the law solidified. And some time alone is necessary for me too." Celestia said emotional. Before running off into her office. "From who was that letter?" Trixie asked confused. "Her dearest sisters." Twilight answered, which caused Trixie to look at her in surprise. "I see." Trixie said smiling. "Now about your father. I tracked him down. And he is currently in Canterlot. He owns, Donut bakeries. The bakery chain." Twilight said. "Wow. That explains my uncanny love for donuts." Trixie said impressed. "And he is also called appropriately named, Donut Lulamoon. That is your father. He is also my practical teacher at my school in Manehattan." Twilight explained. "I see. And let me guess. After today he will go back to Manehattan." Trixie guessed. "He is. Today is your last chance you can see him. Until he goes home. So please visit him. He is currently right here." Twilight said as she hooves over a business card from the specific bakery. "Thank you. I heard that Celestia wanted to talk with you. I will go visit it myself. You stay here, I need to chit-chat with my dad." Trixie said. "Before you go. It was a misunderstanding. He never held any debt. Some scumbags decided to force money out of him anyways. You and your father are safe." Twilight quickly added. Trixie looked with tears in her eyes at Twilight, "Thank you." she said before running off to see her father. "And with that I completed my promise with Trixie." Twilight said out-loud. "True. Which also means I have to move her soon to Ponyville." Celestia said as she walked into the room. She still had her reading glasses on her. "I see. She is coming, isn't she?" Twilight asked. "She is. I hope you can give her something to eat once she returns back to normal." Celestia said as she removes her glasses using her magic. "Then I will search for a way to return Moon Nightmare into her own body. Using food if that is even possible." Twilight said somewhat uncertain. "If it's you. Then it is possible." Celestia said boosting Twilight confidence. "Thank you. I won't be able to do it right away. But I will make it happen. After I have become a chef." Twilight said looking a bit dreamy at what her future might hold. "Good luck. I will be rooting for you." Celestia said excited. "I know you will. Next time we will meet. I am going to be a professional chef. And that means I won't be able to see for a long time." Twilight said somewhat saddened. "Don't worry. I am immortal. I can wait as long as I have to." Celestia said with confidence. "I hope that it won't be another thousand years then." Twilight said with an giggle. "Surely not." Celestia said as she shared a giggle. Twilight looked out of the window, "This view I won't be able to see. For a long time." she said somewhat disappointed. "You chose your road and I have chosen mine. We will meet, Twilight Sparkle. We always do. You and I are intertwined in fate. No matter which place or time or story. We are destined to be together." Celestia spoke wisely. "I know. Until that day will pass. See you then!" Twilight said as she shook Celestia's hoof. "For the future?" Celestia offered while showing a glass filled with bubbly lemonade. "For the future!" Twilight shouted as she grabs a glass and clink in with Celestia's glass.