//------------------------------//
// Chapter 12 
// Story: Star Wars, Episode Pony: Friendship is Magic 
// by Kendallonian 
//------------------------------//

Negotiation was surprisingly simple when you had a Jedi master ready to dispense righteous fury on one hoof, and a smiling pink pony offering cupcakes on the other. Having subdued the Ponies’ Sith leader helped too, Twilight supposed. Still, there was surprisingly little resistance given that these same ponies had been attacking her and her friends not that long ago.

Pinkie, of course, took every opportunity she could to learn each trooper’s designation and birthday, while also giving every single one of them, including Luna, a complimentary cupcake for all of their “welcome to Mos Poni” parties. When a few of them pointed out that they had not, in fact, been to the village, Pinkie winked and said “Then you all better come and make it official!”

That had all somehow merged into the festival that had already been in the works in Mos Poni and eventually turned into a massive celebration of Master Celestia and her long-lost sister. Twilight was finally able to sample the Apple family’s catering, which may have been the finest food she had ever tasted, or it may have just been a relief to be able to stop and enjoy anything at all after the long day they had had. Afterward twilight promised to try on some souvenir hats and accessories with Rarity, after which Rarity insisted on buying Twilight a sash to add a splash of purple to her robes. Later, when many of the younger ponies had gone to bed, Twilight had the joy of Hearing Fluttershy’s animal choir again; the singing may have sounded even sweeter than when Twilight had first heard it. 

Afterward, Twilight began to feel a pit in her stomach. It abated a bit when Rainbow challenged her to an apple-bobbing contest, then again when Pinkie blasted by on legs fuelled by sugar and enthusiasm, but it always came back. Soon enough Twilight excused herself and evacuated back to the building where she had slept the previous night.

Twilight flopped onto a semi-comfortable chair and stared at the ceiling, wondering.

After only a minute or two, the front door hissed, signalling the entry of another pony. When Twilight ventured a look, she saw Master Celestia’s warm smile.
“What troubles you, my student?” the white alicorn asked.

Twilight sighed, using the time to collect her thoughts into something more coherent.

“I… don’t know, exactly. Well, maybe I do. It’s just…” Twilight trailed off, unsure how to breach the subject. Celestia simply took a seat of her own, remaining completely silent while Twilight worked through her thoughts.

“Well…” Twilight said slowly. “I- I’m still a Jedi, right?”

“Correct.” Master Celestia said, encouraging her forward.

“But now… I have friends.” Twilight said

Celestia nodded.

“So… what do I do now?” Twilight asked. “I mean… when this festival is over, we’re both just going back to Canterscaunt, and I might never see any of them… ever again.”

Celestia nodded again, slower.

“That is one of the paths laid before you.” Celestia said vaguely. Twilight scrunched her muzzle.

“Is there another one?” Twilight asked.

“There are many, yes.” Celestia said. “Another path is not to become a Jedi; to leave your training and allow yourself to remain close to those you love.”

Twilight felt an altogether different pit in her stomach. She wanted to keep her new friends, but quitting the order? She had been raised within the temple since she was a filly; it had been her home since before she could remember, and yet Mos Poni was quickly becoming a sort of home for her, too.

Twilight let out a frustrated breath, placing her face in her hooves.

“Ugh… it’s an impossible choice.” Twilight said. “Do I really have to give one of them up?”

Celestia gave a sad sort of smile.

“There are often choices in our lives that require us to choose between two equally important parts of ourselves.” Celestia said. “But perhaps… not this time. Not yet, anyway.”

Twilight took a peek at her master out from behind her left hoof. Her one visible eye was confused, and perhaps skeptical.

Celestia gave a larger smile.

“I was only thinking that perhaps I might prolong our stay in Mos Poni for a time;” Celestia said; “we are, after all, nearly out on the frontier; who knows what trouble these ponies could get into without us around?”

Twilight stifled a bark of laughter. “Without us?” Twilight asked; “Look at all the trouble they got into with us!”

“Exactly.” Celestia winked. “I think it's best if we; you in particular; remained nearby, so we’d be ready to assist if something really urgent happened.”

Twilight stifled a giggle, then closed her eyes, sitting back into her chair, able to relax more than she had in a very, very long time.

“Thank you, Master Celestia.” Twilight said after a few moments.



THE END