Twilight stood amidst her castle library, taking in a deep breath of cool, calm, and collectedness and trying to find all the composure within herself.
''Okay, Twilight. You can do this. All you have to do is ask your mentor to come to relax with you alone so then you can start to ask her questions about why she did this to you. Make the environment comfortable and don't make her feel like she's being called out.''
The door of the library had creaked open which apparently knocked her out of her thoughts.
''Uh, Twilight?''
Ears perked and pinned, Twilight turned around to face the owner of that intimate voice.
''Hi, Spike. Why aren't you in bed still?''
''I, uh, couldn't sleep,'' Spike answered, coming inside with his blanket and pillow. ''Why are you not in bed?''
Twilight sighed. ''Spike, have I been too harsh on Celestia lately?''
Spike shrugged. ''I don't think so. I mean you never are towards Celestia, always so nervous and timid. Almost like Fluttershy but not like her.''
''That's true,'' Twilight took into acknowledgment. ''But I'm talking about our frequent visits ever since she bought up her and her sister's retirement until I declined it.''
''You've... changed,'' said Spike. ''But Celestia said she was proud of you. Not going to lie but I prefer this version of you better. You get to have your own opinions and don't always listen to your role model's standards.''
''Mhm, but how do you think Celestia really feels?'' Twilight asked. ''It's like she's wearing a mask, Spike.''
''No she's not,'' Spike replied, oblivious.
Twilight deadpanned. ''It's a metaphor, Spike.''
''Oh,'' he said. He walked towards two laid-out cushions and pushed them together to lay himself down with his pillow behind his head as well as his blanket draped over him. Meanwhile, Twilight resumed pacing around in circles. ''You know if you're that worried, you could always speak to her about it, right?''
''I was thinking about it,'' Twilight murmured. ''But then she'll just say 'I'm just proud of the pony you've become, Twilight' despite every time I see a frown on her face whenever I speak up.''
''Then go talk to her tomorrow and leave me out of it,'' said Spike, placing cucumbers on his eyes. ''But I suggest you go to sleep first. It's been another long day, Twi.''
Twilight took a breath. ''I know and thanks, Spike. I said this before but I'll repeat it; sometimes talking to a good friend is all it takes.''
Spike smiled and had that rang through his hazy mind as deja vu, slowly drifting off to sleep as well as Twilight snoring off to slumberland on top of him to join him.
The next day, Twilight and Spike had woken up due to the morning sunlight from their mentor's gleaming sun. They exited outside their castle and made their way over to the train station where they met a familiar stallion.
''Heya, Twilight! Hey, Spike!'' came the cheery voice as Twilight and Spike trotted onto the platform. ''Did Pinkie's Pinkie Sense warn you to come to welcome me for my arrival?''
''Actually no,'' said Twilight. ''We didn't even know you were coming here. Spike and I were actually heading off to Canterlot to talk with Princess Celestia.''
''What are you doing here, pal?'' Spike asked him.
Cheese Sandwich glanced from both sides to see everyone minding their business before turning back to the unicorn and the dragon. ''I came here because I want to ask Pinkie Pie if she's free tonight so I can finally have the guts to ask her a question.''
''And this question isn't by any chance a date, is it?'' Twilight guessed curiously.
''How'd you know?'' Cheese asked, gasping. ''Do unicorns have the sense too?''
Twilight chuckled. ''Not exactly. Just a lucky guess or perhaps obvious.''
But Cheese was oblivious and instead shook it off as the train arrived at a halt in front of the platform, making a squeaking sound against the tracks. Once they said goodbyes and departed ways, Twilight and Spike got onto the moving platform and the train started going through a tunnel at high speed once they got in.
''You know I still have wings, right?'' Spike reminded her.
''You know I gave mine up, right?'' Twilight also reminded him.
''Touche.''
Once the train arrived at their destination, Canterlot, Twilight and Spike hopped off and started trotting again to the castle being allowed in by the guards. Reaching the throne room, the doors opened to their arrival.
''As much as I love talking with you and your friends, Twilight, I fear this is getting a bit out of hoof. So what is it now that you want to talk about that I did wrong?''
Twilight's smile disappeared and released a sigh. ''Princess, I'm sorry. Can we talk alone in a comfortable environment? Just the two of us? Let's go to the spa since you're probably frazzled by all the work. I'm sure Luna won't mind taking over your duties for the day to make up for a lost time.''
Celestia's eyebrows furrowed. ''Twilight...''
''Argh, I don't think so,'' Luna said, noticing the hoof gesture from the unicorn and rolling her eyes. ''It'll be our pleasure,'' she corrected monotonously, exiting the throne room with Raven Inkwell on her side before the doors slammed shut behind them.
''Okay, Twilight,'' said Celestia. ''But I just want you to know that whatever you say I'm never, ever going to hate on you. I'm always on your side, you know that, right?''
''Yes, princess.'' Twilight nodded. But I'm still sorry for wanting answers for your actions. I know you were only doing what's best for me unless the rumors were really true...
At the Canterlot Royal Spa
Celestia's face was dug inside a pillow as a pony began massaging oil on her back with Spike merely resting in his seat with a robe on as well as cucumbers over his eyes, a pony was taking chunks from out of his feet, yelling out in pain.
''Twi...light...'' Spike wheezed before cooling down for a while until another yell occurred.
''Too much tension, Spike,'' Twilight murmured softly, sighing as the dryer went up to reveal her wavy wet mane, now having her hooves done by one of the spa ponies.
''Yeah, you're tensioning me,'' Spike muttered.
''So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about, Twilight?'' Celestia asked as she lifted up her face from her pillow for a while to speak.
''I...'' Twilight purred as the spa pony massaged the tension off her shoulders. ''You see. I just want to ask you how you feel about me finally speaking up and, well, ruining your plans.''
Celestia raised an eyebrow, then started laughing.
''Yep,'' said Spike. ''There we go again. Celestia laughing at Twilight for fretting over something so ridiculous.''
''That's enough, Spike,'' Celestia said softly after she finished her laughter. She turned to Twilight. ''Twilight, why would you fret over something like that? As I said before, I am—''
''—proud of the pony that I've become,'' Twilight bluntly finished off, frowning. ''I know, I know. But princess, I feel like there's something in between those lines like you're suddenly hiding your feelings. You never even have a response to my and my friends' points.''
Celestia sighed as they were transported to the steam room. The spa ponies spilled hot water amongst rocks to create a sense of fog into the room, steam seeping in. Towels were worn on their heads and bodies.
''Because you have such great points that make me realize my actions towards you were mistakes. If I had known you had friends here in Canterlot, then I would've pushed you to go to Moondancer's birthday party you were telling me about that you missed because of me.''
Twilight blinked, surprised by this response. ''I... Princess, but didn't you send me to Ponyville so that I could make some friends and find the elements of harmony with them?''
''Yes,'' she responded. ''I thought that having five ponies with you because of that cutie mark connecting to the tree of harmony that you all would be able to free my sister. But I also wanted you to make some friends. I didn't know you had Lyra Heartstrings, Minuette, Twinkle Shine, Lemon Hearts, and Moondancer as your friends here.''
Twilight's head hung low. ''...Because I didn't acknowledge them. I was more interested in books until you made me open up to the world and become adventurous with a group of lovely ponies. Don't get me wrong; my Canterlot friends are great, but Applejack and the others... it's like we're meant to be together.''
''Like they got their cutie marks at the same time by the same sonic rainboom Rainbow Dash pulled off to defend Fluttershy's honor!'' Spike added, getting in between the conversation.
Celestia smiled. ''For many years, I've doubted myself but it looks like I really did make a difference. Everyone expects me to be perfect that I try so hard...''
''I now know how you feel, princess,'' Twilight said, nodding. ''You don't have to try so hard for anyone,'' she assured her, nuzzling the alabaster alicorn. ''It's funny. You're our mentor, supposed to teach us but instead, we're teaching each other.''
The three of them laughed for a while before it died down.
''i didn't tell you the full story of Sunset Shimmer, now did I?'' Celestia asked, and when she received a shaking head, she continued, ''well, Sunset Shimmer had no family when she was young and I was the only one she had. I was so thrilled by the level of magic she had at such a young age like you that I thought she was able to free my sister but when I saw her cutie mark... my hope was lost.''
''I tried so hard, so hard to hide my despondency away that it ended up being obvious to Sunset. I was afraid of losing her; she was like a daughter to me much like how you are to me.''
Twilight's eyes melted. ''And Sunset and I could get along. I feel like we can understand each other.''
''I could guess,'' Celestia conceded. ''I don't want Sunset Shimmer to think you're somehow better than her just because you're suddenly more gifted. We're all gifted in our own way with different purposes.''
''Don't worry,'' Twilight assured her. ''She doesn't think lowly of you anymore. Trust me, I know. In fact, she asks me how you're doing every time we write to each other.''
Celestia smiled teary-eyed. ''Then tell her I'm okay but could be better with her along.''
When Twilight smiled back at her mentor and broke the embrace with her, she noticed the various pastel colors all swirling and mixing and floating around in the bathtub that they were in. Noticing how these colors were similar to her mentor's mane, she glanced up to see what she considered to be a surprise.
''Uh, Celestia?''
Celestia glanced up, then deadpanned. ''Oh, horsefeathers.''
''So thy are Raven Inkwell, the assistant for my sister,'' Luna pointed out. ''Pleasure into meeting thy.''
''Pleasure into meeting you, Your Highness,'' Raven said in turn, bowing a bob of her head before resettling her glasses above her muzzle.
''So what's there on the list?'' Luna asked, taking a peek over the checklist.
''Well, first she has to handle some dignities as part of her bonding with the other nations.''
''This could be fast and easy,'' she murmured in a low tone, and in a matter of time, she was in the throne room with various creatures bickering and arguing in front of her. ''Settle down, please.''
''Settle down?'' Princess Rutherford shouted in repetition, stamping his hoof to the floor creating a few cracks. ''Ponies want us yaks to settle down! Yaks good at settle down!''
''I'm pretty much settled down already,'' Thorax calmly said. ''All I need is for the griffons to stop trying to take down my changeling kingdom.''
''Only because one of you shapeshifters keep messing with ours first!'' Queen Gilda shouted out, the only reason she was called queen was finding the Idol of Boreas but instead of taking it home, restored light and love with the griffons thanks to the help of two friends.
''I seem to recall we're friends here,'' Dragon Lord Ember said to King Thorax. ''So how come your changeling army is transforming into my dragons and tearing down our land?''
''I had no idea,'' Thorax said. ''I'll make sure I give a stern talking to them.''
''You better! I'm on to you buster! We may have bonded under odd circumstances, but I can see through that obliviousness of a disguise you're wearing!'' Ember retorted in his face.
Prince Rutherford stomped his hooves. ''Yah! Yaks want to know why dragons harassing yaks!''
All of the other nations started bickering further with each other.
Luna turned to Raven. ''How does my sister handle this?''
''She tells them a rather Twilight-cringe friendship speech which eventually gets them to respect each other.''
''Then why are they bickering again?''
Raven shrugged. ''For a different reason?''
Luna sighed and touched her forehead. ''This is going to be a long day...''
Cheese Sandwich trotted through the streets of a town where he once found his inspiration from that led to him finding his life purpose. He trotted to Sugar Cube Corner and briefly adjusted the suit he got from visiting Rarity for advice.
''Okay. Cheese, you can do this,'' he said to himself, taking in a deep breath before knocking two times on the door instead of three because of bad luck (or was it 13?).
''Who is it~'' came a singsong voice which made him to glance up to see the beautiful face of the love of his life from the window upstairs. ''Cheese! What are you doing here? Hol' up. I'm coming downstairs.''
Before Cheese thought of waiting, the pink pony was already there in front of him wearing that beaming smile as always and that sky blue eyes of hers glimmering within the sunshine. If there were clouds in the sky making the day gloomy, Pinkie would be the sun in his eyes.
''Pinkie!'' he piped, away from his thoughts. ''My little joy buzzer, it's been such a long time!''
Pinkie giggled. ''I know it has. We haven't met face-to-face ever since that factory you owned for a while.''
''Yeah, never again!'' he conceded, laughing with her. ''Thanks for helping me find my life purpose again!''
Pinkie waved a hoof. ''Aw, shucks, it was nothing. Thank you for helping me find my life purpose!''
''I guess we both helped each other,'' Cheese said in turn, laughing for a while before straightening himself. ''But I came today to ask you something important.''
''Yeah?'' Pinkie pushed on.
''Pinkie, you've been inspiring me my whole life ever since I was a tiny winy colt! You're the jam in between my bread. The cheese in between my bread. So what I want to ask you is: will you be my special somepony?''
Pinkie gasped, but it wasn't her usual hyperactive one, no, it intertwined with the various emotions she was feeling at the same time, her heart having a little party as if she wanted this to come.
She yanked her forehooves around him.
''Of course I'll be your special somepony, silly!'' she replied, wearing the happiest smile she had ever worn. ''Wait 'til I tell Rarity I got one before her!''
Cheese chuckled. ''She acted quite like blue cheese.''
''Huh?'' She tilted her head.
''I mean!'' Cheese piped, grabbing his new marefriend's hoof. ''Come. Let's get inside for our first-ever date!''
Pinkie gasped, feeling so many things all at once. ''Yeah! Let's go. We'll have a cupcake and a cheese sandwich!''
''What? That's a little bit quick, Pinkie. I mean wanting to eat me? Let's maybe do that after the wedding.''
Pinkie giggled. ''No, silly! I meant the food!''
''Ohhh~'' Cheese laughed. ''Silly me. Well, let's go then!''