//------------------------------// // Conflicting Information // Story: The Young Princess of Aurora // by Changeling-Writer //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle trotted beside the lunar alicorn, the awkward silence that filled the air was only broken by the pair of metal clad hooves bothe of the royal pair. The lavender alicorn had no idea what to do. She had been following her mothers lead. The gem that sat dangling from her horn glowed softly, it had been how she followed her mother. The communication crystal was an amazing work of magic, allowing two unicorns to communicate telepathically. So her mother had been feeding her answers. The young alicorn did her best to look at the decorations of the halls as they moved. Her purple eyes looked over the tapistorys and stained glass windows of equestrian history. Twilight nearly jumped out of her coat when Luna finally spoke up. “Princess Twilight, if i may ask. Are you a scholarly mare? I remember your mother had a refrained curiosity.” “Y-yes Princess Luna. I have always had an interest in learning, one my mother has always been happy to feed if begrudgingly at times.” Twilight said with a refrained laugh. Just be polite, and smile. Don’t make mothers' jobs harder. The dark blue alicorn smiled playfully as she turned down a nondescript hallway. It looked like every other hall in the castle, albeit with less wall sized windows. It was odd, The Auroran castle wasn’t nearly as gilded or white. and not nearly as many stained glass windows. “I can understand that, a thirst for knowledge can sometimes be insatable. You must have been a little nightmare at five. Always asking questions.” Luna added with a subdued chuckle. Twilight blushed faintly, having had to suffer through embarrassing stories of her escapades as a child. She quickly changed the subject. “Yes, How far are we from our destination?” With all the tact of a Yack at a gala. “Were almost there, don’t worry. However there was one more question I wanted to ask. This is the first time in a long time that any royalty from Aurora has graced the castle.” Twilight knew the question that was coming, and she already had an answer for this situation. The lavender princess preempted the question. She smiled softly twitching her wings slightly. They were still odd, she never really used them other then maybe a short flight and using them for grabbing things. “My mother had wanted me to meet the only other pony centered kingdom, and the two Alicorns who ruled over their kingdom.” She Interrupted the question before it could come. “And I have always been interested in Equestria. It’s a kingdom so unlike my own.” “Ah, We will have to trade stories. Much like you, I have always been interested in Aurora. However we know little of your empire.” Luna said with a small smile, she couldn’t help but hope that this would be the beginning of a grand friendship between the two. “But anyways, Here we are Princess Twilight. The room of Artifacts.” It was with a flourish that the dark alicorn opened the rather normal looking doors. But inside was filled, time pieces of history filled the large room. all marking the age they had been forged. Paintings, sculptures, books, tapestries, and objects locked under glass cases standing on even more marble pillars. Luna moved into the room looking over the objects with the eyes of someone who had seen it all a thousand times. But Twilight's eyes were filled with interest and amazement. Before her lay thousands of years of history. All the stories she could learn, all the advances from the past that put their names in history forever. Ponies that she had to still learn about. “This is the staff of Star Swirl the Bearded, Left behind before he went missing. It is made from the same wood as the grand table in the dining hall. Which is one large uncut slab of wood." Luna began, a smile on her face as she fell into the history. “Daughter, how is your tour so far? Has Luna begun sprouting about the past already?" Twilight nearly jumped out of her skin as her mother's voice filled her head. Instead only her wings twitched. The communication stone hanging from her horn letting off a gentle flash. “Yes mother, she's showing me through the museum halls. How is your chat with Celestia?" Twilight responded, her attention now split between listening to Luna and her mother. She did her best to seem interested as she looked at whatever The night princess spoke about. “A very normal chat, peace and unity and all that. It's nothing I haven't heard before." Her mother's unamused voice covering whatever Luna had said about Star Swirl and his five companions. The lavender alicorn just nodded and smiled. Looking over the painting and the bust. "-It was after the carving of the staff that Clover the Clever and Star Swirl began enchanting and making it into a Spell assistant." Luna continued on with her history lesson, thankfully lost in the past of her own memories of the situation. “Well, as long as she talks for peace we should be fine. Unless you don't believe we could hold our own in a war. They're not nearly as technically advanced. Likely do to Celestia's image of a perfect world." Her mother responded, she could hear the sarcasm dripping from her words. It was a side effect of always having your mother able to talk straight into your head. “It is rather nice just looking, even if it is odd seeing a coal powered train in a place with nothing more then candles for lights.”Twilight smiled softly as she looked over Clover the Clevers first cape. It showed its age clearly, covered in stains and tares. It was hard to tell if it was really his cloak or not, seeing as it was just a weather worn black cloak. “Princess, I can’t help but notice that you're distracted. a bit for your thoughts?” Luna asked softly, moving to stand in front of the smaller alicorn. Her eyes were filled with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "It's nothing really, I was just wondering about that map. it seems far too large to actually help, and.” Twilight moved past princess Luna, a small frown pulling at her lips. it was wrong, the griffin empire was far too large, the Hippogriff kingdom was missing, and the Kingdom of Aurora was in the wrong spot. At least the Crystal Empire was marked, even if it was oddly shaped. “Ah, it was made nearly two centuries ago, and by a topographer that had little experience outside of Equestria and the Crystal Empire.” Luna spoke as her horn began to glow, then the map seemed to zoom into the Crystal Empire. Twilight couldn’t help but feel giddy. She neary prance up to the map, a smile on her lips. Her eyes sparkled as they danced over the enchanted map. Looking over the breathtaking detail of the lost empire. “Would you like to use it yourself? using the enchantment is quite easy, it’s a slightly modified teleconesses enchantment.” Luna said with a playful grin on her face seing the royal mare lose all her regal bearing over a magic map. Twilight did give her a chance, her magic moved over Luna's, quickly spotting the differences in the simple spell. It was nearly ripped out of the Lunar princesses' magic before it was swept away, dancing over the border of the crystal empire. Jumping from town to town as it moved closer to the center of Equestria. Until it landed over the Everfree. The once capital of Equestria, before it was destroyed due to natural disasters. It zoomed in closer and closer, untill she could see every street, every rooftop and it felt like she could see the ancient ponies moving up and down the streets. It was amazing, being able to see such details of the past. "Twily?" The voice spoke from behind her, making the distracted mare jump. Turning her head she saw the only other reason she wanted to come. Her cousin, Shiny.