“Again.”
Nyx panted as sweat dripped from her brow. It was early, the sun was barely up on what was to be such an important day. Yet here she was as she had been for the past few years now, up at dawn running drills. She had only just finished an obstacle course that, by now, she felt she could do with her eyes closed. Yet with that one word, her mentor urged her to run it again.
And Nyx obliged, shaking her head and charging towards the first obstacle. It was a series of six slanted platforms, each at a 45-degree angle. The technique was simple, to jump between each platform swiftly and accurately until she reached the highest point. Nyx made the first leap, keeping her wings tucked. Perhaps when she had started this course she had needed and was allowed to use them for assistance. But today, for this part of the course, she could rely only on the strength of her legs.
First platform, second, third. She made each leap with practiced efficiency. Her eyes moved between the coming platforms, but she couldn’t help but notice what was visible in her periphery as well. On the ground was her mentor, Tempest Shadow, keeping pace and watching. Nyx knew she was being judged for every move and every step.
Fourth, Fifth, Sixth. She left the slanted platforms behind and arrived at the top of a round log that was kept elevated a good dozen feet above the ground. The landing was precarious, a perch barely suitable for regular-sized pegasi. Yet, Nyx had to cling and find her balance on it. In the past years, she had grown into the mare she had once been, an alicorn of regal height and stature. Truly, the only thing that separated her from her original form as Nightmare Moon was her cutie mark and her mane, the latter of which had not become a magic cloud of dark space. It was still just her naturally purple hair, though she kept it cut to a modest length.
It was not efficient or practical to run obstacle courses with the kind of mane often expected of alicorn princesses.
From the top of that log, Nyx leaped and opened her wings, riding the updraft from a fan below. She controlled her rapid ascent, working to stay in the same place in the air as she was carried skyward. Soon, she had been brought to the aerial part of the course: a set of cloud rings. With a single great flap of her wings, Nyx urged herself forward, beginning to twist and flow through the tightly set hoops. Barrel rolls and hairpin turns all led to a single, hawk-like dive from the air back to the ground portion of the obstacle course.
Nyx went through the hoops without a single feather out of place but dared to glance towards the horizon once she began the hawk dive. In the distance stood the Crystal Empire, the glittering buildings and castle that had been Nyx’s home for the past few years. She had been staying with her aunt, uncle, and cousin as she fully devoted herself to training with Tempest Shadow.
Nyx swooped and landed, losing no momentum as she entered the sprint portion of the course. Her hooves thundered beneath her as she raced towards the next true obstacle, and at that moment her mind wandered back to that fateful day at the Crystal Empire’s stadium. She thought of the day she asked Tempest Shadow to be her mentor. For a while, it was a simple monthly visit. She would be given a training routine to perform while living with Twilight in Canterlot and attending school, and then she’d slip back to the empire for an intense training weekend and evaluation by Tempest.
But after years of that, once Nyx graduated primary school, she approached her mother, Twilight Sparkle, and made the request. Twilight had hoped Nyx would go into higher education, to attend the collegiate program at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. And truthfully, Nyx wanted that too, but only after she pursued another goal.
She finally admitted the training she had been doing under Tempest Shadow, and Twilight, in turn, admitted she had already known about it. It still took some convincing. It became rather apparent that Twilight wanted Nyx to go to Celestia’s School so she could stay in Canterlot while still pursuing her higher education. Still, eventually, Twilight agreed.
And thus Nyx found herself here, today, running the obstacle course for what could have been the last time. For today was the day of her final exam, and what a doozy of an exam it would be.
Nyx reached the end of the sprint section and refocused, coming upon the magic portion of course. First came the water sprayers. They poured water constantly, turning the firm dirt of the path into sloppy mud. Nyx cast out shield spells, a mix of bubbles and flat squares. Her bubbles encircled the sprayers, blocking the water flow, while Nyx ran up a staircase of the square shields. It all led to a circular platform a good six ponies across. Nyx reached the center of the platform and pressed a button. Beneath her, the mechanical marvel that was the platform began to sputter to life.
Wooden standees, portraying red silhouettes of different creatures, began to spring up. Normally, in such a setting, a unicorn might blast such opponents with magic. Nyx, however, began forming more shield bubbles. These shield bubbles were the size of buck balls, and soon Nyx was turning and twisting her body to kick at the spheres of energy.
With the same grueling efficiency Tempest once showed in kicking cursed spheres at the royalty of Equestria, Nyx kicked her shield bubbles at the targets, knocking the standees over. But she couldn’t kick freely, as among the targets were ones that had to be left untouched. Those standees portrayed the happy, cheering faces of the Flim Flam brothers, the now Equestria praised inventors who had put together this particular portion of Nyx’s obstacle course.
Still, Nyx hit each target in swift succession and, once she had knocked down twelve, she leaped from the platform back down to the dirt below. It was the final straightaway of the obstacle course, and she began powering down it. But, at the same time, the magic portion of the course was not complete.
Tempest was waiting at the finish line, her horn sparking with energy. She rolled her head back and then thrust it forward, shooting out a surge of her wild, untamed magic.
Nyx brought up a barrier spell in front of her in a swift response, the wild magic smashing against the barrier as Nyx continued to sprint forward. Tempest only relented the blast once Nyx was a few steps away, moving to one side and allowing the alicorn to run full speed across the finish line.
Once the course was done Nyx quickly slowed herself and eventually came to a stop, once more hanging her head to pant as the sweat dripped freely from her brow. She panted but also tried to listen. Her ears remained attentive in case Tempest muttered the single word that would demand Nyx run the course another time.
“That’s enough.”
Nyx felt her legs go a little limp. She gently let herself tip to one side. She flopped over onto her back. She let her legs float in the air as her wings splayed out beneath her, the cool ground feeling so good.
Tempest stepped over to look down at Nyx. “You were a little slow on the sprint sections.”
“Didn’t sleep well last night,” Nyx replied, trying to keep her words steady even as she worked to catch her breath.
“It’s natural to be nervous. It’s why I chose the games as your final test. You need a situation with real stakes to prove you can apply all I’ve taught you when it matters most.”
Nyx slowly rolled back over to her hooves and shifted up to a sitting position. She looked to the Crystal Empire glittering in the distance, and could already see pegasi and other winged creatures flitting about in the air. In the wind, she felt she could hear the crowd in the stadium.
“That and I know you’re not really that fond of being the center of attention.”
Nyx chuckled, a dry laugh mixed with a whine. When on the obstacle course she couldn’t think about it, couldn’t focus on it. But now, as she looked at the stadium in the distance, it was like it was transforming before her eyes. A place of joy and revelry for Equestria was morphing into a monster that she had to face head-on.
Nyx would almost prefer facing a Lupis Major again.
“It’s just three events. Three events in the Friendship Games,” Nyx said, trying to convince herself that it wasn’t really anything to worry about. Faking confidence was doing little to give her actual confidence.
“Skeet breaking to prove your magic and offensive techniques, the air duathlon to prove your flight, and the ground triathlon for your physical agility.”
Nyx worked to stand up, shaking out her legs. Standing next to Tempest, she couldn’t help but loom over her mentor. Yet Tempest, with her strong personality, always seemed more than capable at looking Nyx square in the eye, even from her shorter stature. “Still can’t believe you convinced them to let me compete.”
“With the wide range of creatures in the games, Ms. Harshwhinny's only concern was limiting your magic, and there are spells for that. Besides, having you just do the events in an exhibition format would defeat the purpose.”
Tempest moved forward, heading back towards the city at a trot. Nyx knew all too well it was Tempest beginning their cooldown, a properly paced jaunt back to the city from their training grounds on the outskirts. “I cannot throw you into a real battle, where lives are on the line. Whenever you face that situation for the first time, that will be the true final test of all I’ve taught you. But for me to feel confident you are ready to graduate, I still need you to pass a test that has real stakes.
“The pride of Equestria in the first Friendship Games seems rather appropriate.”
Nyx once more laughed, trying to cover up a nervous groan. “Lucky me that Mom decided to start such a noble tradition the same year I was due to graduate.”
~~~
The din of the crowd was unending as the stadium crew went about their task. With practiced efficiency, the obstacles for the air relay event were being shuffled and tucked away, clearing the field for the next event. The Crystal Stadium of the Crystal Empire was at capacity, and to sate demand, extra cloud seating had been assembled to float in the sky above.
“Next up, the finals for the Skeet Breaking.”
Voices raised in cheers all around the stadium, voices that belonged to ponies, griffons, hippogryphs, changelings, yaks, dragons, and more. All had been invited to the Friendship Games. Yes, Equestria’s time-honored tradition of the Equestria Games had now been expanded. Creatures from around the world came to compete and spectate, and the games themselves had ballooned as new events were introduced to honor the sports and traditions of other lands.
Truly, the games were a shining example of Twilight’s hopes and dreams for Equestria.
Twilight should have been enjoying it more. She was sitting next to Cadance in the royal box, surrounded by the leaders of so many now friendly nations. Everyone, creatures of every size and species, was enjoying themselves. The papers were heralding the games as one of the greatest things to ever be done, and all seemed eager for the tradition to continue. Each day of events had proceeded efficiently under the direction of Ms. Harshwhinny, who took on the added responsibility of an international sporting event like it was second nature.
Twilight should have been happy because the games weren’t the only thing going well. The diplomatic meetings that had been happening around the games were going smoothly too. In each conference, Twilight had helped to further strengthen the bonds of friendship between Equestria and its many allied nations.
Twilight should have been many things, but all she felt right now was nerves that originated from her maternal instincts.
Though this was not the final day of the games, today was the last day of Nyx’s test. So far, her daughter had been performing admirably. In the air duathlon and ground triathlon, Nyx had made it to the finals. She ended up not medaling, but for those two events, reaching the finals was the bar Tempest had set.
For Skeet Breaking, however, Tempest had set the bar higher. Nyx had to medal in this event to truly pass her test.
The Skeet Break was an adaptation of a dragon pastime that involved trying to blast rocks with fire breath. The version used for the games upped the difficulty by using a mechanical device to toss clay disks into the air, which the competitors had to blast down with a single shot from a single position. There were several dragon participants in the finals, but the other nations had fielded some strong competition as well. Equestria had a couple of unicorns make it to the finals. There was also an abyssinian and an avian who used specially designed crossbows. There was even a yak who had impressively brute-forced her way into the finals by headbutting large stones across the arena to break the skeets.
A small flair of music filled the stadium, indicating the arrival of the competitors. Twilight stood up from her seat, craning her neck to look down at the stadium and watch the incoming procession.
A few years ago, trying to see over the crowd would have been much more difficult. Now, however, Twilight was truly starting to reap the vertical benefits of being an alicorn. In the ten years since her coronation, she had grown a lot. She was now taller than Cadance used to be by a good few inches, though Cadance herself had also grown and now had the same regal stature as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
Really, despite her new height, Twilight was still the shortest of Equestria’s alicorns with the exception of the still school-aged Flurry Heart.
But her height relative to her peers didn’t matter at all at the moment as Twilight caught sight of Nyx entering the arena. Nyx strode in behind one of the dragon competitors, looking intently focused. Tempest Shadow was right beside Nyx as her officially registered coach, wearing a similar stern expression.
Even from this distance, Twilight felt she could see the influence of Tempest’s training. Beyond Nyx achieving the full stature one could expect of an alicorn, her build was athletic and strong. Twilight knew she and Cadance, in comparison, looked… royally pampered, to put it politely. Their long, flowing royal manes were also a stark contrast to the short, efficient mane Nyx kept.
Though, if Twilight was honest with herself, she was just grateful Nyx didn’t have her mane done up in a mohawk.
Still, no matter how serious the situation was, Twilight couldn’t help herself. Motherly instincts and nerves got the better of her. She put her forehooves in the air, keeping herself upright through her hind legs and wings, and she waved with her whole body! “You can do it Nyx!” she shouted. She didn’t use the Royal Canterlot Voice or any sort of vocal enhancement, but that didn’t stop her from getting a few surprised looks from the creatures sitting near the royal box.
And for a brief moment, Twilight saw Nyx glance up at the royal box. She couldn’t tell what expression Nyx had on her face, but just getting a glance from her daughter made Twilight feel a little better. Though Twilight also knew how nervous Nyx was. They had talked about it the night before, and in truth that had only caused Twilight's nerves to multiply.
It was the final test of Nyx’s final test. It was a final test squared!
“Twilight?”
“AH!” Twilight flinched, stumbling back into her seat and flopping down onto the cushion. She quickly looked in the direction of the creature that had touched her. She saw a forehoof on her shoulder and the foreleg attached to it. Yet, she couldn’t see the other pony. That was mostly because her outstretched wings had slapped the other pony in the head.
When Twilight was able to tuck her wing away, she saw the slightly startled face of her sister-in-law, Princess Cadance. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Cadance said as she removed her hoof from Twilight’s shoulder. “I know you really want Nyx to pass her test today. That and I know your own history with tests.”
“You’d think I’d finally be over it by now, but my daughter is going through her own final exam. On top of that, it’s in this big public setting. It’s giving me flashbacks to when the Crystal Empire first reappeared.”
“Well, at least Nyx’s goals are more clear-cut than yours were,” Cadance said as she looked back to the field. Twilight looked back down as well and saw the first skeet breaker was approaching the line. It was a unicorn from Manehatten. Though unicorn horns were normally blocked from any spell inside the arena, for this event each competitor could select a single spell of their choosing. The Manehattan unicorn was going with a basic blast spell, as was fairly common for any unicorn that participated in this event.
“And I’m sure Nyx will do just as well,” Cadance continued. “Besides, it’s not like the fate of an empire hangs in the balance.”
“For as nervous as I am, it feels like it could be,” Twilight said, trying to calm herself. The first competitor had finished and the next one stepped up. It was the yak, who brought with her a cart full of stones ready for headbutting. “I can’t wait for her to come back to Canterlot.”
“Shining and I are going to miss having her around. It’s been really nice getting to know her better the past few years. Helped us all feel closer as a family.”
Twilight turned and frowned at Cadance. “Oh, rub it in, why don’t ya?”
“You got to see all of us for Hearth’s Warming and the Festival of the Two Sisters every year.”
“That’s not enough,” Twilight whined.
Cadance brought a hoof up, trying to hide away a tiny flutter of laughter. “Well, I think Nyx is eager to be done with her training too. I know she’s going to give it her all.”
Twilight nodded, bringing her hooves to her face and gently slapping her cheeks. “I know and I know my friends have told me time and again it’s all part of growing up. That even though I wanted Nyx to go straight into higher education in Canterlot, it was better that I let Nyx go and focus on her training with Tempest. That it’s okay. That my parents went through the same thing with me when I moved out to focus on my studies with Princess Celestia. But Cadance, tell me again how my adoptive daughter, who liked to learn and ask questions, turned into such a guard brat like my brother?”
“Hey, I’m married to that guard brat,” Cadance said, using her wing to poke Twilight in the shoulder. “I do get what you’re saying, though. We can’t control who our children grow up to be. We can only help guide them, and I know you’re proud of how far Nyx has pushed herself. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t be as nervous as you are.”
“I guess. But now I’m also worried about what’s next for her. I mean, once she’s finished this training, what does she do with it? I know we talked about her going to college in Canterlot and moving into the castle with me and Spike, but I don’t think she knows what degree she’d want to pursue. And if she doesn’t want to do that anymore, then what does she do? Does she just go around fighting monsters around Equestria? That’s not exactly safe, and it’s not exactly full-time work anymore. Even the world-rescuing that my friends and I need to do hasn’t been as frequent lately.”
“I don’t know, but I also remember a certain someone was unsure about her future once upon a time. And I think me, Celestia, and Luna would give Nyx the same advice we gave you. Know that her time is coming soon, as the sun rises, so does the moon. As love and friendship exist in every heart, your daughter will play her part.”
Twilight smiled, her own mind tripping back down memory lane. “That seems so long ago now. Guess even princesses need a reminder about lessons they’ve learned from time to time.”
“That’s what friends, and sisters-in-law, are for.”
“Next up at the Skeet Break: Nyx Sparkle for Equestria!” The announcer’s voice came over the speakers, drawing Twilight’s attention back to the field. A bit of guilt sank into Twilight’s stomach. She had totally missed some of the other competitors. Still, the crowd of the stadium was cheering. They were cheering for Nyx, and that alone seemed to soothe some of Twilight’s nerves.
While some tabloids had been eager to print headlines about “Nightmare Moon’s Return,” most of the news had been questioning the fairness of an alicorn participating in the games. Still, Harshwhinny assured that Nyx’s abilities would be tested and limited if they believed they fell outside an acceptable range for a pony or the other competitors.
But for now, all that was in the past. All those things were hurdles Nyx had already crossed. Now it was just the final test of her final test.
“For those who did not see the qualifiers,” the announcer said, “Nyx Sparkle will be deviating from the usual blasting spell employed by unicorn competitors. She will instead be using a bubble shield spell.”
Nyx stepped forward to the blasting position, loosening up her body as she fluttered her wings and rolled her neck. The game’s official placed a metal ring on her horn and Nyx followed with a few test spell casts. She was able to make different bubble spheres appear around her and then disappear. When the game’s official was satisfied, he stepped back. A moment’s pause and Nyx stepped on a button near her hoof.
The button was connected through a few wires to the skeet throwers, inventions of Flim and Flam’s that clicked and whirred with an almost charismatic quality. Somewhere inside the device, a timer was counting down. Then one of the devices gave a loud shunk, wood and metal working together to catapult the clay skeet into the air.
Nyx formed her shield bubble, leaped, and spun herself around. One of her hind hooves caught her shield bubble. That powerful kick rocketed the bubble forward, sending it sailing across the field. It smashed the clay skeet cleanly out of the air.
Twilight noticed some movement in her periphery, and she glanced toward Cadance. Though her eyes soon drifted back to Nyx, she still spoke up. “Everything okay?
“Just remembering when Tempest launched those dark magic spheres at the first Festival of Friendship. I know Nyx has put a lot of effort into mixing Tempest’s offensive techniques with her defensive spell work, but… those techniques were perhaps the scariest of Tempest’s arsenal."
“Oh, I remember,” Twilight shivered a little herself as the darkness of that day bubbled up from her memories. “Tempest managed to hit Luna while she was flying away. I’m just relieved I was able to catch Luna before she hit the ground.”
“And that you were pushed out of the way of your own orb by that brave mail mare. Hard to know what would have happened if you and your friends hadn’t managed to get away.”
Twilight nodded, even as she watched Nyx accurately break two more skeets out of the air. “Whenever I think of that day, I can’t help but think of how it could have been avoided if things had gone better for Tempest. And I don’t mean if she had avoided breaking her horn. No, I mean that if she had felt she had friends to help her through such a traumatic experience. The Storm King may have still amassed an army, but Tempest was such a crucial part of his success. Just one little filly, without friendship, nearly conquered Equestria.
“Though I guess the same could be said of Starlight.”
Another set of skeets was blown away. Nyx, so far, was performing at least on par with the other competitors. It all came down to the last few launches, where the number and difficulty of the skeets noticeably increased. Twilight was inching forward in her seat, craning her neck and trying to get a better look at the action, even if the royal box was among the best seats in the stadium.
Soon enough, the final set came into play. Five skeets all launched at once, with varying heights, speeds, and spins. Nyx summoned five bubble spheres and began to kick them out towards the skeets. One skeet was smashed. Another burst apart soon after, and then another. Two left. Nyx summersault kicked another sphere, and the fourth skeet went down. But now the fifth skeet was nearing the end of its flight. Time was running out.
Nyx kicked another sphere. It sailed through the air, looking to be on target, but a slight error in its trajectory became apparent as it drew closer. The shield bubble ended up just nicking the skeet, altering its direction but not properly breaking it. Nyx quickly summoned another bubble shield and smashed it across the field, and this time the skeet broke cleanly. Still, there were groans of disappointment coming from the stand.
“That is a tough break. Nyx Sparkle’s perfect performance has been marred by a slight miss on the last skeet. She recovered, but that extra shot may very well keep her from medaling. Still, it was a stellar performance,” the announcer said. Those words managed to turn the crowd around and bring a round of cheers as Nyx departed the event.
Twilight was on her feet, forehooves on the guardrail that separated the royal box from the rest of the stadium. She watched Nyx leave the field, Tempest following a few steps behind, then quickly looked back at Cadance. “Wait, what happens now? Did she pass or fail?”
“I don’t know. I suppose it depends on what happens with the other competitors. I mean, even with a perfect score, Nyx could have lost when it came to the tiebreakers. This does hurt her…” Cadance fell silent. She then hung her head and waved a hoof. “Just go check on her already. I can cover for you.”
Twilight rushed in and gave Cadance a quick wing hug. Then, she was gone. Twilight moved as quickly as her hooves would allow as she left the royal box and began navigating the stadium’s corridors. Normally she’d just teleport, but even the alicorn royalty had to have their magic limited to ensure there was no cheating. Ms. Harshwhinny was very strict about that.
~~~
“She can explain!”
Nyx jumped, twisting her body and getting to her hooves as her horn started to flare with magic. She was not the only creature that had jumped. Many of the other competitors, coaches, and other creatures in the locker room were now all looking to the doors. Doors that had been thrown open as Princess Twilight Sparkle came bursting into the room.
Nyx felt the tension quickly flow out of her body. She dispelled the magic she had been about to conjure. “Mom, Tempest isn’t even here.”
Twilight blinked and began looking around at all the creatures she had so thoroughly scared. She flashed a smile and cleared her throat. “Sorry, sorry everyone… just… royal business.”
Those words seemed to satisfy most of the other creatures in the locker room. They went back about their business as Twilight quickly crossed the room. Before Nyx could really react or object, she found herself getting pulled into a foreleg hug by Twilight.
“Mom, Mom, it’s okay!” Nyx said though she didn’t make an effort to escape. While she was the taller and stronger of the two, Nyx knew it was rather futile to try and resist one of her mother’s hugs.
Twilight finally released Nyx but stayed close by. The concern on her face was unmistakable. “But what about your test?”
Nyx picked up a towel she had dropped on the ground when Twilight came storming in using her magic and began trying to dry off the sweat from the back of her head. It was a simple gesture, but even that simple thing was helping to keep Nyx’s mind from focusing on the test. “Tempest is out in the stadium watching the rest of the finals. She’s going to come back once the event is over… or once three other creatures manage to beat my score.”
“So the fact she’s not back yet is good, right? That means three creatures still haven’t beaten you!” Twilight turned her head and craned it out, trying to look at every door that led in and out of the locker room.
“Yeah, I suppose.”
Twilight looked back at Nyx. “You’re… very relaxed.”
“Because I can’t do anything about it now,” Nyx said as she finished toweling off. She picked up a water bottle and took a sip. “The test is taken. I’m worried about the results too. I’m trying really hard not to pace the floor. But I can’t do anything to change it now. I just… have to wait.”
Twilight brought up a forehoof and put it down. She nervously shuffled on her hooves before sighing and nodding her head. “You’re right. You’re right.” She brought a forehoof to her chest, drawing in a breath. She then released that breath as she extended that forehoof out in front of her slowly. “I’m sorry. I just… when you missed that last skeet and the announcer started talking about you not getting a medal I…”
“You Twilighted?”
“I may be the ruler of Equestria, but I’m still allowed to start Twilighting over my own daughter,” Twilight said, brow furrowed. Yet her expression soon softened into a smile as she went back up to Nyx and pulled her into another hug. “But still, you did so great. Even making it to the finals in the Friendship Games is such an accomplishment. I’m so proud.”
Nyx brought her hooves and hugged Twilight back, feeling some of her own still simmering nerves starting to fade away. “Thank you. Ugh, I still can’t believe I missed that last skeet like that. If I made a mistake like that on the obstacle course, Tempest would normally make me run it another five times.”
“Well, I think this proves that Tempest was right. The Friendship Games were a good testing ground, as it made you perform under pressure. And I still say you did great. If I was the one grading you, I’d say you passed with flying colors.”
“But you’re not the one grading her, Princess Twilight. I am.”
Nyx turned away from her mother, looking over to the mare slowly approaching them. Tempest's face was unreadable. Nyx could not tell if she was smiling or frowning, and thus, she could not discern a clue about her fate. All she could do was face the truth. “What is my final grade, Tempest?”
Tempest glanced between the pair of them, flicking her eyes back and forth a few times before speaking. “The gold medal is going to Martha Tumbletoss the diamond dog. She beat out Firewing the dragon in a final tie-breaker after both of them scored perfectly in the first round of finals.”
Nyx felt herself getting wrapped up in another hug of Twilight’s. This was less a comforting embrace and more a nervous squeeze. Twilight was holding onto Nyx as she braced for the news, and honestly, Nyx felt it was helping her keep calm as well. No matter the result, her mother was going to be there for her.
“And the bronze medal is going to a creature who scored a near-perfect round, who beat out the remaining competitors who all had at least two or more errors.”
Nyx smiled as she saw the truth Tempest was being torturously slow in revealing. At the same time, she felt Twilight's embrace growing tighter. She could only guess it was because Twilight was having the same realization. “That means…”
“Nyx Sparkle, you have passed your final test,” Tempest said, her lips finally cracking into a smile.
“You passed!” Twilight cheered. She released Nyx and began prancing about, her voice growing louder with each utterance of the phrase. “She passed! She PASSED!”
Tempest reached out and grabbed Twilight by the tail, yanking her back. “Yes, she did, now will you stop making fools of us all.”
Twilight blushed even as she slipped back over to Nyx, pulling her into another hug. “Right, sorry, but she passed!”
Tempest rolled her eyes and shook her head before focusing back on Nyx. “She did, and I’m proud to have had the opportunity to teach her. I know you plan to return to Canterlot after this, and I know your training routine may never be as intense as it has been the past few years. But I hope you continue to practice, hone, and improve everything I’ve taught you and put these techniques to good use protecting others.”
“Of course, and thank you again, Tempest. I’d hug you, but it seems I’m already occupied.” Nyx glanced down at her mother, still giving a proud mama-bear squeeze.
“If you really want to say thank you, you can do one thing for me.”
“What’s that?”
Tempest lifted a forehoof to point at Twilight. “Try to resist the 'royal alicorn' figure that your mother and aunt inherited from Celestia and Luna.”
“Hey!” Twilight said, loosening her grip on Nyx to glare at Tempest.
Nyx chuckled. “Well, maybe I could do the opposite and help my mother get into an exercise routine.”
Tempest’s smile cracked wider, and she began to laugh. Nyx began to laugh as well, light chuckles that only left Twilight pouting. “It’s not my fault. I have a lot of paperwork to do and the chef makes such good food! And do you know how many cake contests I had to continue because they were traditions started by Princess Celestia?”
Twilight’s protests only got Nyx and Tempest laughing a little louder, and soon even the Princess of Friendship was laughing along. The laughter was carrying away the nervous energy that had built up over the past days and even weeks.
For today, Nyx had passed her test.
~~~
“Yak still think smashing should be more than one event in Friendship Games!”
“You’re in third place as it is in the medal count. I think your yaks are doing just fine, though I wouldn’t get comfortable. My dragons will be coming to knock you down to fourth place tomorrow.”
“That’s unless the Mount Aris team swoops in and rises to the top. Tomorrow is some of our best events. Honey, we’ll be racking up the gold medals left and right.”
Flurry Heart stood with her mother, wearing a smile and listening in as Prince Rutherford, Dragon Lord Ember, and Queen Novo went on about how their teams were performing. Despite her smile, Flurry felt a crick in her neck forming looking up at the many tall creatures. Queen Novo and Prince Rutherford were at least reasonable. As long as Flurry had known them, they had been largely the same. Her mother had grown to match them but hadn’t gone much further than that.
Dragon Lord Ember, in contrast, always seemed to be taller every time Flurry Heart saw her. Ember was three heads taller than anyone else in the room. Trying to talk to her at all, for Flurry, ended up as a conversation with the Dragon Lord’s shins.
Though Flurry wouldn’t deny it was interesting how the dragons were actually NOT growing as monstrously large as they used to. She would bet it was because of their shift in focus to friendship instead of greedy hoarding. A dragon’s size was often partially influenced by the amount of wealth they possessed and how ferociously they sought to guard it. Honestly, she had a new book on dragons arriving next week that she was eager to dive into.
Still, as the conversation went on Flurry let her eyes wander and the smile on her face weakened. There were so many important creatures, leaders, and dignitaries that she all knew in some capacity. Other fillies and colts her age might find it overwhelming, but for her, it was just another diplomatic party. Just another chore.
Tonight was the last big diplomatic event before the end of the Friendship Games, the last Midway Meet & Greet. The leaders of the different kingdoms all attended along with top athletes. Though it was meant to be another diplomatic event, Flurry could tell it was mostly a chance for the dignitaries to take a break from the more sequestered diplomatic meetings. At this party, they were free to just talk about the Friendship Games themselves.
Looking across the room, Flurry could see different groups of dignitaries that were chatting. The Diamond Dog sisters Queen Ambrosia Muffinbuns and Queen Katherina Proudpaws were talking with the married couple of Princess Ocypete and Princess Celaeno. Their two nations had tied for 4th in the Skeet Breaking event and looked to be comparing notes on crossbow techniques with their respective athletes.
At the buffet table, the Abyssinia and changeling delegations appeared to be exchanging knowledge of a different matter. Capper, an acting diplomat to Equestria for his feline fellows, was regaling Pharnyx, prince of the changelings, with some tall tale that required a lot of pantomiming. At the same time Capper’s fellow diplomat and childhood friend, a two-tailed female abyssinian named Shadow, appeared to be talking magic with King Thorax. The Abyssinian kingdom had only regained its magic a decade ago, and many of them were still eager to learn all they could.
In the final major group, Flurry could see Aunt Twilight, her dad, her cousin Nyx, and the griffon delegation. Though Flurry couldn’t hear what was being said, she could tell by her aunt’s body language she was still gushing over Nyx 'graduating' from her lessons with Tempest. The griffon council was listening dutifully.
That delegation was led by Gilda, who had been a key actor in Griffonstone’s rejuvenation through the power of friendship. Flurry had even overheard from her mom and dad that there were talks of trying to restore the griffon monarchy with Gilda as the new queen. At the moment, however, Gilda seemed just to be struggling to look attentive as Twilight was droning on.
In all, Flurry would call it a very friendly party, and the social transactions were ongoing as one would expect. She herself was hoping to be able to slip over to talk with Aunt Twilight. She’d congratulate Nyx on medaling in the Skeet Break, and then maybe she could ask Aunt Twilight for some advice on a magic spell she was trying to master.
Hopefully Twilight wouldn’t ask why Flurry missed the Skeet Break finals, but Flurry was sure her aunt would understand that she had just gotten caught up in her studies.
After that, Flurry admittedly was wanting to go talk to Miss Shadow, the abyssinian delegate. The feline magic that had been rediscovered by their people was fascinating in its own right. Who would have thought having two tails would be a sign of magic? It was so strange compared to just having a horn in your forehead, though perhaps more subtle.
Then maybe after that—
“Flurry?”
Flurry winced. Someone had been talking to her and she hadn’t been listening. Flurry turned and craned her head back up, looking up at her mother and the other nearby leaders. “Sorry, I was just noticing how happy my Aunt Twilight is. What did you ask?”
“I was just asking how old you were. I’m afraid I’ve lost track,” Queen Novo said.
“I’m eleven,” Flurry answered. She knew how to handle polite chit-chat just fine. “Thank you so much for asking. And how is your daughter doing, Queen Novo?”
“Oh, Skystar is a bundle of energy as usual, though I’ll admit she’s rather jealous of her cousin Silver Stream. I would never have imagined she’d graduate from Twilight’s School of Friendship and then stay on to become one of its new professors.”
“Oh, that’s so wonderful for her. I’m sure she’ll be able to help a lot of creatures being a teacher at the school. She’ll make even more friends. Then those friends can in turn help her advance her career. Maybe she could open an additional campus of Twilight’s school at Mount Aris someday!”
“Oh, well… yes, I suppose all that could happen, though I think Silver Stream is just happy where she is right now.”
“Yes, I’m sure Silver Stream is just happy to be helping other creatures learn the magic of friendship.” Cadance had taken a step forward, smiling and laughing as if Flurry had just cracked a joke. Though Cadance then swiftly shifted her focus to Rutherford. “Still, I hear Yona is doing well too, Prince Rutherford. I hear she’s launching a multi-national fashion line with Rarity next week.”
Flurry recognized her mother’s tactic. A kind word, a reassurance, and then a change of subject. Flurry sighed and began to tune out the conversation again. There was a chance she and her mother would have a 'talk' about what she had said later, but considering how early it was in the evening, Flurry hoped it would just be forgotten.
It’s not like she said anything wrong.
~~~
“Twilight?”
Cadance knocked on the door to the guest room Twilight was using while staying in the Crystal Empire. Cadance knew Twilight could have been asleep already. It was getting pretty late and the party had ended a while ago. Still, Cadance found herself unable to rest. Her mind was constantly turning and broiling, refusing to calm down to let her sleep.
The door was silent and unmoving, and Cadance was beginning to fear that Twilight was asleep when, finally, she heard movement inside. The handle turned and the door opened, revealing Twilight standing on the other side. Cadance knew her sister-in-law well enough to immediately know something was wrong. Her mane was frazzled and, behind her, the room was stacked with books that Twilight had likely yanked from the castle library.
“Cadance, is everything okay?” Twilight asked as she used a forehoof to rub one of her eyes.
“I was about to ask you the same thing.” Cadance gestured to stacks of books. “Did something happen with the games?”
“No… but it did happen because of the games. Honestly, it would be nice to talk to someone else about it.” Twilight stepped back, letting Cadance come into the room before shutting the door. “You want some tea? The castle staff just brought it up.”
Cadance looked over to the tea set which, along with a piping hot pot of tea, also had a plate of cookies next to it. Cadance couldn’t deny it, it was an offer too enticing to pass up. “Yes, I do.”
Twilight shut the door and walked across the room, her magic reaching out and starting to tidy. The stacks of books were cleared from the table and set against one wall. The tea set with the plate of cookies came to rest at the center of the table while Twilight and Cadance each took a seat on one of the soft cushions. Cadance went about pouring the tea while Twilight set out saucers and plates.
“So, what’s going on?” Cadance asked once their refreshments were properly poured.
Twilight turned her head back to the stack of books, using her magic to fish out a single manila folder and bring it back to the table. “Nyx waited until after the party to tell me. It’s about the magic tests she underwent so she could participate in the games. Ms. Harshwhinny shared the results with her.”
Cadance took the folder from Twilight and cracked it open, glancing over the top page inside. While there were a lot of numbers she herself didn’t understand, the graphs seemed to indicate Nyx was above average. “This doesn’t look bad to me.”
“It wouldn’t be bad if Nyx was just a normal unicorn,” Twilight said as she took a cookie from the serving tray and placed it on her little plate. “In fact, it would be stellar if that was the case, but she’s an alicorn. She should have more magic than that.” Twilight produced another two folders.
Cadance opened these new folders, seeing they were the same tests but they had been performed on different creatures. One of them was familiar to Cadance. It was Flurry’s test from a few months earlier. The test was a normal part of tracking a unicorn's development, and Cadance remembered sharing it with Twilight, knowing her sister-in-law would be fascinated by the numbers. The results were record-breaking for a unicorn of Flurry's age.
The other folder had test results from Twilight. It looked like she had taken the test herself. Her results were even more staggering, beating out Flurry’s numbers. Some of that was to be expected. After all, Twilight was an adult and Flurry was just a filly, but it helped Cadance realize what was so abnormal about Nyx’s results.
“I think I understand what has you so worried,” Cadance said.
“Nyx didn’t even need her magic limited to compete in the Skeet Break. She was already within the tolerances that Ms. Harshwhinny and her committees had defined.” Twilight paused to lift and take a sip of her tea. It was a very brisk sip. Cadance could only guess it was driven by Twilight’s nervous energy. “I know that Luna took back her own magic after everything that happened. That’s what made Nyx a filly again, and it put her magic back down at what would be normal for a unicorn filly at that age. But I don’t know… with Nyx still having her horn and wings, I guess I expected her to grow back into her alicorn power by now. I guess I’m just worried this is a sign something is wrong.”
“I’m sure we can figure out what’s going on,” Cadance said, trying to be reassuring.
“Yes, and I’m grateful Nyx didn’t tell me until after the party. I would have been a wreck,” Twilight went to take a bite from one of the cookies. She sat and chewed, but then her brow furrowed. She looked back up at Cadance. “Wait, how did you know I was up and worrying about this?”
Cadance stared back at Twilight, then let her eyes fall to her own teacup. “Honestly, I came to talk to you because of something I’m worried about.”
“What is it?”
“Flurry… I don’t think Flurry has any friends, Twilight.”
Cadance heard a clatter, and when she looked up she saw Twilight’s partially eaten cookie had dropped back to her plate. “What?”
“She gets along with her tutors just fine. Wise Wand is always singing Flurry’s praises on how brilliant she is and how quickly she absorbs her lessons. It’s not that she’s being mean or impolite or ungrateful. But, as I was lying in bed, I realized I couldn’t name one creature that was Flurry’s age and her friend.
“And Shining and I have done playdates and parties, trying to help her make friends. She gets along with other fillies and colts just fine. She had dozens of little creatures at her last birthday party, and all of them seemed eager to be there. But she never asks to go visit them on her own. Either we’re invited to an event, or we’re inviting them. Flurry never wants to just go play with any of them of her own volition, but she never asks us to turn down an invitation.”
Cadance took a sip of her tea, trying to let its warm aromas and soothing flavor clear her mind. However, it was doing little to help. “She reminds me so much of you, but at the same time… it’s not like she doesn’t value friendship. I know she understands how important it is, but the way she talked about friendship earlier tonight wasn’t right. It was like she was focusing more on the reward. She spoke like it’s more important what someone gets out of friendship rather than the friendship itself. Add on top of that you mentioned Tempest and Starlight earlier and....”
Twilight winced. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you worry more.”
“It’s not your fault, you didn’t know this was bothering me,” Cadance said as she took a cookie from the tray and brought it to her mouth. Though these were made by some baker, Cadance could recognize one of Spike’s signature recipes anywhere. If Spike wasn’t an official friendship advisor and ambassador, Cadance imagined he’d have a heck of a career as a baker.
“What about Nyx?” Twilight asked. “Hasn’t Flurry been making friends with Nyx?”
“Nyx is maybe the closest thing to a friend Flurry has, but they’re also so far apart in age. I think Nyx does try to be like a big sister to Flurry, but Flurry doesn’t seem to value that relationship. She asks Nyx for magic advice and will watch her practice sometimes, but Flurry missed the Skeet Break finals. She doesn’t seem to feel bad about it, either. She was in her room trying to master short-range teleportation all day.”
“Teleportation? At her age? Wow, that’s kind of amazing. I wonder, could her magic still be getting limited by Fledgling’s Forbearance? Teleporting does take a pretty strong surge of magic, and that surge might be something that old spell is trying to curb and normalize. Maybe I should—”
“Twilight,” Cadance said, unable to keep a frown off her face.
Twilight winced and put on an apologetic smile. “Sorry. That’s not the important thing right now.”
“I don’t want to say I’m not grateful she’s so talented, but I’d honestly be happy if she was less of a prodigy if it meant she was having fun and playing with actual friends.”
“Maybe it will be okay?” Twilight lifted a forehoof to gesture to herself. “She could just be a late friendship bloomer, like me.”
“Maybe, but it’s such an important thing. Friendship has saved Equestria so many times, and a lack of friendship has caused it just as much trouble. I just wish I could know how worried I should be.”
“Yeah, I feel the same about Nyx’s magic,” Twilight said.
The pair sat in silence for a moment, sipping on their teas and nibbling on the cookies. Cadance just didn’t know what to say next, her mind reaching and grasping trying to find some solution to either dilemma.
“Well… there is one thing we could try,” Twilight said, finally breaking the silence. “But if we’re going to do it, we’d better start flying.”
~~~
Twilight and Cadance landed a while later on the balcony of The Castle of Friendship in Ponyville. It had been a long flight, even assisted by magic, but the pair of them had agreed it was worth it. Twilight’s horn flared, gently disengaging any magical alarms that would have otherwise triggered. She didn’t want to wake Starlight Glimmer just because she and Cadance were paranoid.
Into the castle they went, heading first to the central trunk library. They procured a single item from one of the display cases and then ascended back up to the castle proper. Within a few minutes, the pair silently slipped into the castle’s throne room.
Despite the fact Twilight had not lived there for years now, the throne room of the castle was still a place for her and her friends. The roots of the Golden Oaks Library still adorned the ceiling with chains of photo-filled gems dangling down as a gleaming chandelier. Truthfully, the number of gem strings had only increased as Twilight and her friends hung more memories from the library's old roots.
Still, Twilight and Cadance weren’t there for a trip down memory lane. Instead, they were there for the great magical artifact that rested just beneath the memory chandelier: the map table. For the past decade, the map table had continued to act in its mysterious ways, summoning creatures from across the lands to fix friendship problems.
Twilight went and to the table and took the throne that bore her cutie mark. Cadance went and sat on Applejack’s throne just to Twilight’s left. As they settled in, Twilight set down the item they had retrieved from the castle’s library. It was a chalkboard, wrapped in a gem frame with other gems studded into place.
It was the activation tool for a spell Starlight had cast upon the map table back before Twilight’s coronation as the primary ruler of Equestria. By writing a simple question on the chalkboard, you could use the table’s magic to glimpse alternate realities. It was developed to be a source of entertainment, a way for Twilight’s friends to see some of the crazy alternate futures she glimpsed when trying to stop Starlight from stopping the Rainboom.
Yet, of course, such an awesome power to glimpse what was or what could be couldn't be toyed with. They all learned that when Applejack broke into the castle to try and understand why the table showed so many alternate realities where her parents were dead.
And in time, they also learned the table seemed capable of limiting or denying requests. Or perhaps, more accurately, the table appeared to develop a resistance against Starlight’s spell as time went on. Now, the map table didn’t always answer a question if it was asked something serious, or something that could influence immediate events.
Twilight personally believed that it was the table making a decision. That it was deciding whether or not answering a question was really what was best for Equestria, much like how it decided what creatures were best suited to fix a friendship problem.
“I know I was the one to suggest this, but it might not even work,” Twilight said as she turned her head to the left to look at Cadance.
“If it doesn’t work then I think it’s a sign from the table that we don’t need to worry.” Cadance shifted in her seat. “Maybe we could start with your question about Nyx first.”
“Okay.” Twilight shook her shoulders, trying to get rid of the anxious energy building inside as she picked up the chalkboard. She picked up the piece of chalk they had brought with them from the library, and slowly began to spell out her question. “What is wrong with Nyx’s magic?”
Twilight knew that not phrasing the question as a what-if was already running the risk of the table not answering. Yet the chalkboard’s gem frame began to glow, and in turn, the glowing holographic map of Equestria began to fade away. The table was blank for just a moment before six points of light took shape.
Each point of light grew and morphed, each one eventually becoming what looked to be a tree. Each tree included not only the trunk and branches but also a vast root system. Tangled in the roots of every tree was a little ball of light.
No, Twilight realized that wasn’t accurate. There was one tree that didn’t have a little ball of light. Yet, before she could try and ponder that further, she saw equine figures start to appear next to each tree as each tree took on color. Twilight swiftly recognized that figure closest to her, which now stood next to a lavender tree, was a tiny copy of herself. The same could be said of the tree closest to Cadance. It was a pink tree with a tiny copy of Cadance standing in front of it.
Looking around the table, Twilight saw the trend continued. Each tree was accompanied by an alicorn. She could see Celestia, Luna, Flurry, and Nyx each standing near a tree of a similar color. She also quickly noticed that Nyx was standing next to the tree that didn’t have a little ball of light beneath its roots.
“Alicorn magic.”
Twilight looked over to Cadance, who had uttered the words breathlessly. “What was that?”
“Nyx isn’t as strong as she should be, Twilight, because she’s only an alicorn in body. She doesn’t have alicorn magic anymore,” Cadance said, pointing to where the orb of light should have been in the roots of Nyx’s hologram tree.
Twilight’s mind quickly latched on and saw the logic of Cadance’s theory. “When Tirek attacked the first time, he had to steal the magic from most of the ponies in Equestria before he could steal the magic from Celestia, Luna, and you. To prevent this, the three of you gave me your alicorn magic to try and hide it.”
As Twilight said her thoughts aloud, the map table seemed to react. The three orbs of light beneath the trees belonging to Cadance, Celestia, and Luna all moved over and crowded beneath Twilight’s tree, and her tree in turn glowed brightly.
Twilight licked her lips. Her mind was already working through additional theories, and she couldn’t help but wonder if saying them aloud would let the map table confirm her fears. “And… Nyx was born with fragments of Luna’s power, fragments of her alicorn magic. That’s why she was able to move the sun and moon.”
The map table shifted again. The balls of light returned to their respective owners, but then Luna’s ball of light broke into pieces. Some of the fragments went over to Nyx’s tree as the little hologram version of her lost its cutie mark.
“But when Luna turned Nyx back into a filly, she took that power back,” Twilight continued, and the map table reacted in turn. The fragments of light went back to Luna’s sphere, which returned to normal, resetting the map table to what it had been when the question was first asked.
“So that’s why her magic isn’t as strong as it should be,” Twilight said.
“But, that’s not a bad thing, is it?” Cadance said with a smile. “I mean, I’m sure Nyx wouldn’t be that disappointed to find out she isn't a full alicorn.”
“No, you’re right, I don’t think it’s that bad, but…” Twilight picked up the chalkboard, erasing the question she had asked. The map table, in turn, began showing the geography of Equestria once more.
“But…” Cadance drew out the word, leaning in towards Twilight slightly.
“But…” Twilight began writing on the board, saying aloud what she wrote. “What if Nyx doesn’t have alicorn magic?”
The chalkboard frame glowed once more, and the table reacted. The map faded, and in its place, it displayed the trees and tiny hologram alicorns again. However, this time there were only two pairs, and each pair took up more space on the table. It was Twilight and her tree, with the ball of light beneath, and Nyx and her tree, which was still lacking the spark of alicorn magic.
Nothing happened for a moment, but then the hologram Twilight began to cast a spell. As she did, the leaves on her tree began to fade and fall. Eventually, the hologram version of her collapsed, as if from over-exertion. Yet after a few seconds, the leaves on the tree returned and the hologram Twilight stood back up.
The hologram Nyx then began to do the same, pushing herself and burning magic. The leaves fell off her tree to the point it was as barren as Twilight’s had been. Then the hologram Nyx collapsed, just as Twilight had. Yet that was when things began to change. The leaves of Nyx’s tree were growing back much much more slowly, and the hologram Nyx was standing back up when, at most, a tenth of her tree's leaves had returned.
Yet the hologram Nyx began casting spells again. The leaves fell, but this time Nyx didn’t stop casting. It was like she was fighting something, and she couldn’t stop to rest. The hologram tree paired with the hologram Nyx began to look worse. Branches began to disappear as did some of the roots, then there was an audible crack.
The hologram tree related to Nyx had snapped at the trunk, toppled over, and was now fading away. The hologram of Nyx collapsed and soon began to unravel. Like she had been stitched of yarn, threads began to pull away from Nyx, parts of her body disappearing until nothing was left.
At that, the map table returned to normal. Twilight’s body was still as stone, yet her heart was racing. She gasped, sucking in a deep breath as she just realized that she had stopped breathing. “No…” She said, only to stand up and start shouting at the table. “No, no, no. That… that can’t be…”
“Twilight, Twilight, it will be alright.” Cadance was out of her seat and over next to Twilight, wrapping a wing around her.
“How, how can it be!?” Twilight felt rage flare in her heart. “Nyx just… unraveled like some cheap scarf!”
“She was pushing herself, Twilight. I think that’s what the map table was trying to warn us,” Cadance said in the practiced, calm, reassuring voice that Twilight knew so well from her days as a filly. “Nyx can’t push herself because… because... “ Cadance fell silent. Twilight could tell she was trying to understand what they had just witnessed. Trying to find the logic.
Twilight herself was racking her brain. What was going on? Why would…
“The spell,” Twilight said. “Nyx was born from Spell Nexus’s spell. She's a living breathing creature, but she was still made with magic. This might explain why she got so sick when Cozy Glow stole the magic from Equestria. Nyx’s body is still dependent on that spell to hold it together at some fundamental level. If she pushes herself too hard, burns through too much magic… she risks causing that spell to unravel.”
“Do you really think that’s it?”
“I… I don’t know. I’ll need to consult with Spell Nexus. As much as I’ve studied his work, there are still nuances of that spell I still don’t fully understand. It was, in so many ways, his magnum opus as a spell designer. But…” Twilight scrambled to pick up the chalkboard again and quickly wrote out another question.
“What if Nyx has alicorn magic?”
She watched intently, with Cadence still hugging her with a wing, as the map table did its little demonstration again. This time, beneath Nyx’s tree was a ball of light, a spark of alicorn magic. And this time, the hologram Nyx acted just like the hologram Twilight. She was able to cast spells until her tree was barren. She then passed out, but the tree recovered quickly.
Twilight found relief in that, her legs giving out a little as she leaned against Cadance. “But she will be okay if she has alicorn magic. She can be okay.” Twilight took a few ginger steps back and flopped back into her throne.
“It may not be easy, but I’m sure you and her can find a solution,” Cadance sat back down on Applejack’s throne. “Maybe Luna can give Nyx back a piece of her alicorn magic, make things like they were when Nyx was first born? Until then, Nyx just has to be careful and not strain her magic.”
“I don’t know if Luna can really break off a piece of her alicorn magic. It took getting blasted by the Elements of Harmony for it to happen in the first place, but there is a solution. And as long as there is a solution, we’ll be okay.” Twilight sank in her throne, melting into it as much as she could as she just took a moment to let the nervous energy flow out of her. “I don’t feel good, but I feel better.”
“Better is going to have to be good enough for tonight,” Cadance said.
Twilight nodded as she gently pushed the chalkboard across the table to Cadance. “Okay, your turn.”
Cadance looked down at the chalkboard but made no effort to pick it up. “I… I don’t know, maybe it would be better if I didn’t ask.”
“If that’s the case, the map table won’t answer your question.”
“Right.” After a few more moments of hesitation, Cadance picked up the chalkboard. She picked up the chalk as well, holding both in her magic before starting to write, speaking the words as she went. “What if Flurry Heart doesn’t make friends?”
The chalkboard’s frame glowed, and once more the map on the table faded. In its place formed a rocky, stony scene in hologram form. There were two creatures present, Dragon Lord Ember and Spike. They were standing next to one another, and soon someone else approached the table. It was an adult Flurry Heart, tall and regal… with wings that were still almost ridiculously too large for her alicorn frame.
Twilight watched with Cadance as the hologram Flurry Heart spoke with the hologram Ember and Spike. Things were strange. All the while, details began to fill in and appear. Flurry Heart was now the sole ruler of Equestria and was trying to get the Dragon Lands to fall under her rule. There was talk of poisoning griffons and ponies worshipping Flurry like a god.
Flurry Heart was pressuring Ember, using the word 'friendship' like it was a dagger to stab into someone's back. Ember was refusing and then things escalated. A crossbow bolt appeared out of nowhere. It dug deep into the table and smoked with unknown magic. Flurry cast a spell, calling forth dark crystals. It was the magic of King Sombra.
With murderous intent, the hologram Flurry took up the crossbow bolt and tried to use her magic to fire it at Ember, but other figures rushed in. They were armored ponies. Flurry blew them away with her wings like they were made of smoke. Yet the smoke swirled and struck back, knocking Flurry away before taking a firmer shape. It was Nyx, clad in bronze armor. Soon, the pair were visibly fighting, trading blows of magic.
“Stop!”
Cadance shouted at the table and it reacted. The holograms faded away, but before the map could return Cadance was already scribbling on the chalkboard again. “What if Flurry doesn’t make friends?”
She asked the same question, and the table began providing the same answer. Twilight tried to move closer to Cadance, but Cadance bellowed out another 'no' and repeated the cycle. Before she could make a fourth attempt, Twilight got in close. She hugged her sister-in-law with her forehooves and used her magic to push the chalkboard to the far side of the table.
“I’m sure it’s just a worst-case scenario,” Twilight said, trying to reassure Cadance.
“But what if it’s not? Twilight, what have I done? What will I do to fail Flurry like that? It’s not… no, it’s wrong. She’s just my little filly. She wouldn’t do any of that.”
Twilight felt Cadance hugging her back, starting to cry. Twilight made no effort to make her stop, just letting herself be a shoulder for Cadance to cry on. “I know, I know,” Twilight said, trying to be reassuring, even if she too was going to be haunted by what she had seen. Still, Cadance was barely reacting. Just crying and mumbling something.
Twilight dared to look over her shoulder and, after biting her lip, she retrieved the chalkboard. She held it gingerly, erasing Cadance’s last question and writing out a new one. “What if Flurry makes friends in the next few years?”
The table reacted once more, and the flickering of its light was enough to make Cadance glance up. The colors swirled for a moment, but then they saw the five figures standing and waving on some balcony. Twilight, now tall as Celestia, standing at the forefront of the balcony with an adult Flurry. Flurry was a little shorter than any other alicorn on that balcony but still had those massive wings. She was in a fancy dress instead of normal regalia, but still had a crown on her head.
Behind Twilight and Flurry stood Cadance and Nyx. Cadance looked much as she did now, while Nyx seemed to be wearing some subtle regalia of her own. Her mane was now magical and flowing, even if it was still cut short. Perhaps the most surprising was the fifth figure on the balcony, the fifth alicorn. It was Shining Armor, standing as the tallest of them next to Cadance, the both of them looking very proud.
Twilight felt Cadance almost go limp. She had to swiftly set down the chalkboard and use her magic to help get Cadance back on her hooves. All the while, Cadance was now smiling through her tears.
“It’s not too late, Twilight,” Cadance said, laughing and crying at the same time. "It’s not too late.”
“It’s not,” Twilight said, nodding her head even as she fought back a few relieved tears of her own. “Flurry will be okay, just like Nyx will be. We just have to figure out where to start.”
It was then Twilight heard a familiar sound, a swirling, light sound of magic that quickly made her look back at the table. The table had returned to displaying a map of Equestria and the surrounding lands. Above that map, two images appeared. One was a cutie mark, a blue shield that Twilight knew all too well. The other was a small picture of a little pony, one Twilight immediately recognized as Flurry Heart.
Those two images moved across the table, drifting from the Crystal Empire before coming to a stop and floating above a particular spot on the table. Twilight felt herself smiling as she reached out and hugged Cadance, who happily hugged her back.
They were unsure, and they couldn’t know what to expect. Yet that place was where the magic happened. A single town that, after one fateful summer sun celebration, became the place where the magic of friendship sprouted, where it blossomed, where it continued to grow. Where the fates of so many creatures weaved together to make strong bonds that stretched across nations.
They still had hope, because friendship was still magic.