//------------------------------//
// First Steps 
// Story: Twilight's Reign 
// by James Pwyll 
//------------------------------//

"Come on now, Luster. You can do it. Just one hoof in front of the other." Twilight, kneeling down on one side of her personal chambers, watched with both concern and eagerness as Luster, the young filly who had recently entered into her care, wobbled on shaky legs on the other side of the room. Though seeming about as aware of her surrounding as any other young pony that age, the filly nevertheless found herself looking to Twilight, smiling as she did so. Twilight smiled back, silently encouraging her ward to approach her. After several minutes of simply standing there, Luster eventually did as her carer instructed, placing one hoof carefully in front of the other. Twilight, her ears perking up, watched with growing excitement as it looked like Luster might finally achieve this milestone in her development. Unfortunately, that excitement dwindled rapidly when the milestone was cut short, with Luster's legs finally giving out and leaving her falling face-first into the soft carpet of the chambers. But thankfully, there was no torrent of tears on the child's part, merely puffed-up cheeks to show her annoyance. Twilight, giggling slightly, walked on over before using her magic to levitate Luster over to her so she could carry her. "Don't you worry, Luster. You'll get there eventually."

Luster smiled again, giving the usual, happy, babyish sounds she normally did, but it was around here that Twilight's chamber door opened to reveal her oldest friend, Spike, entering. As per usual at this time of day, he was carrying a number of papers, and he smiled as soon as he saw the carried child. "So, did she make it this time?"

Twilight shook her head, setting Luster down gently. "Afraid not. Still, she'll get there sooner or later."

Spike nodded, setting the papers over by Twilight's desk before wiping the sweat from his brow. "Definitely a lot here today."

Twilight gave the papers a quick glance. "Anything out of the ordinary?"

To that, Spike shrugged. "Normal stuff. Schedules for public appearances, reports from the Wonderbolt squadrons, that sort of things." Then, he snapped his fingers. "Oh! And one other thing!" He rummaged through the paper until he came to one sheet in particular, whipping it out of the pile and walking over to Twilight with it. "A request for you. Seems some ponies want permission to have a new train station built. Needs royal approval before they can start."

Twilight accepted the paper, an as-yet unsigned royal permission for construction. "Where's the request from?"

Spike wandered on over to a map of Equestria that Twilight had hanging on her walls, scratching his head as he looked it over. "Er, some place called...Zeffy High, I think?"

Twilight smiled to him. "Zephyr Heights. It's a getaway resort for pegasi up in the mountains. Usually not that many ponies up there, but a few have started to live up there permanently, so the numbers are on the rise certainly."

Spike looked back to her, arching an eyebrow. "Is a tiny place like that really worth putting in the effort to make a station for?"

Twilight responded to that by wagging her hoof to him. "Don' forget, Ponyville was also a small and out-of-the-way place. And if they were allowed to have a station, I see no reason why the Heights shouldn't be either."

To that, Spike folded his arms. "True..." He grimaced slightly. "Not sure if it's something they really need though."

Twilight considered that, then looked down to Luster, who had taken to trying to reach up for the big pile of papers. Smirking slightly, Twilight once more levitated the filly over to her. "Well then, let's see if our friend here can break the tie." She glanced at her young friend. "Luster? Do you think Zephyr Heights should get a new train station?"

Luster looked to her, blinking blankly a couple of times, before smiling and laughing happily while patting the request form. Spike, seeing that, chuckled. "Well, guess it's two against one. A station it is." After seeing the filly be set down again, Spike looked to her with curiosity. "So, how's she doing?"

Twilight gently tussled Luster's mane before answering. "I'd say she's doing well. After what she went through I'd have expected her to be traumatized beyond belief. But she seems to have escaped all that." A sad look came to her. "I knew little of her parents, so I won't be able to tell her much about what they were like when she eventually asks questions about them."

Spike nodded solemnly. "I know." Then, he perked up shortly afterwards. "Then again, I was able to go through life without really needed to know much about my family, so I'm sure Luster will be fine with that too, especially if it's you that's looking after her." The two looked to each other fondly, and for a moment they were content to simply watch as Luster played with a few of her toys, simple wooden cubes with letters on, seeing her try to spell out words. Then, after a time, Spike noticed Twilight looking deep in thought, and gave a long sigh. "Okay, I see where this is going."

Twilight took on a confused expression after that. "I'm sorry?"

Spike gestured to the little filly. "The way you look to her. It's the exact same way Celestia used to look at you." He stepped closer to her. "I realise you've spent a lot of your time as princess trying to live up to her example, so I have to assume you've been thinking about doing with another pony what was done when Celestia took you under her wing."

Looking out of her window, Twilight answered. "I already did that with Starlight, remember?"

A nod from Spike. "Yes, but that was different. Starlight was less of an apprentice and more of a peer you helped along the way. And while you both became teachers, it's clear that the school of friendship is where she's going to belong."

Twilight resumed her earlier smirk. "Look at you, talking all fancy all of a sudden."

Spike rolled his eyes, but kept his smile as he did so. "You know I'm right. You and Luster is much more like what you went through. A young filly, taken in by the princess in some way, like a second mother. And I bet you already plan on giving her special magic lessons when she's old enough."

His alicorn friend could not deny that, as one look to the side showed the big selection of magical tomes she'd already gathered for herself in the corner of her study. "You know me well, Spike." She looked back to him and nodded. "You're right. That plan was in the back of my mind when I first decided to take her in, and it's still there now."

Stepping over to Luster, Spike got to one knee as he watched her play with her aforementioned blocks. "So, you seeing a future princess of Equestria here?"

Twilight too sat beside the child, contemplating her future. "Hard to say. I want to believe that I can choose a capable leader for the future just as Celestia thought she did when she chose me. But at the same time...trying to plan a child's entire future is a big thing. I was almost afraid to do it."

Spike looked to his companion again. "You're the only parent Luster has, Twilight. Guiding her is sort of in the job description."

A long sigh from the princess. "You're not wrong. And if I'm lucky Luster will grow into a fine young mare. One who can do great things and try to make friends just as I once did. Leadership? Only time will tell. But...one can always hope, right?"

Spike smiled back, looking to Luster just in time to see the latter actually manage to spell the word "Twilight" with her blocks. Seeing that, the little dragon's smile widened. "Well, she's got the smarts for it at least."

Twilight allowed herself a quick giggle. "Well, maybe following in my hoofsteps isn't such a far-fetched idea after all then."