It’s a dark and stormy evening within the village of Ponyville, dark clouds above blotting out the sun’s light, pelting the village below with rain and occasional lightning. Wild winds blow through the streets, making signs outside of stores swing, sending leaves flying from their home trees, and instantly chilling anypony who dares open their home to the outside. Families gather around Monopony, getting into fights over the rules, some old mares sit on creaking chairs to read dusty old books, and the struggling writers all gather in the local cafe, the dark and rain being their muse.
Such a dreary day would bring anypony’s spirits down, but for Twilight Sparkle, the outside was a perfect match for her over the past few days. She lays on her bed, looking out a window at the sheets of rain, her mind lost in thoughts, too distracted to even light a candle. Spike had left earlier that day, wanting to help Rarity cut back a tree to a safe length for the storm, and was staying with her currently, leaving Twilight completely and utterly alone. In other words, a perfect target.
From within the room behind her comes a bright golden flash, a tall mare of a brilliant white coat appearing, looking over at Twilight and trotting closer to her. Celestia speaks with a small smile, “Is everything alright, my most faithful student? I haven’t received a letter from you for a week.”
Twilight sighs slightly, looking at the Princess through the window’s reflection, “I’m sorry, Princess, I meant to write today, but I forgot.”
Celestia trots closer, “That, my student, was a skilled avoidance of my question, not an answer. Are you alright? If this mood is because of the spell, then I will remove that book and never mention it again.” Not much to remove now.
Twilight frowns at the mention of the book, only to blink, and look around, “Wait, you mean you didn’t hear? Rainbow Dash said she was going to go tell you.”
Celestia smiles slightly, lowering herself to Twilight’s level, “I’m afraid I haven’t heard from Rainbow Dash since last Nightmare Night, my student. What is it she was supposed to tell me? Did something happen?” Oh, you don’t know the half of it, sister.
Twilight looks away, “I… Princess, look to the desk on your right.”
Celestia turns her head, seeing the broken book on a nearby desk. She blinks, her eyes widening and floating the book over to herself, “It… the book was destroyed? That…” She looks slightly away from it, “That wasn’t what was supposed to happen.” Oh, you don’t say? You have a habit for stating the obvious, Celestia, it makes you quite annoying.
Twilight frowns, quickly bowing her head, “I’m… I’m sorry, Princess! I failed you!”
Celestia looks over, “Twilight.” She raises a wing, placing it on Twilight’s mane and ruffling her mane, “You didn’t fail me at all, my faithful student. How did this happen? If this book drew you to frustration to drive your leg through it..”
Twilight looks at her past her wing, and shakes her head slightly, “It was Rainbow Dash. She… she was concerned about me not getting out and came crashing through my window, and impaled the book and… and I had just had a breakthrough.”
Celestia nods, “Mistakes happen, accidents sometimes will bring disaster, but you must not let this break your friendship with Rainbow Dash. What breakthrough?” The breakthrough was the book. Don’t you listen? The book was broken through.
Twilight nods slightly, “I know, Princess, I just… need some time to cool down about it.” She then slightly smiles, “I figured out what the spell was supposed to do.”
Celestia smiles widely, “Did you? What do you think it was supposed to do?”
Twilight weakly smiles back, “It was supposed to be a strengthening spell.” Her smile slowly grows stronger, “It was supposed to take the caster or the target of the spell and ascend them into a Spirit like Discord, or you and Princess Luna, not just in magical strength but in physical health and even immortality as well. I believe the spell’s origins to lay in both advanced Necromancy with many sigils taken from Enchantment and Restoration magic, Princess. I theorize that back in Starswirl’s times, darker magics such as Necromancy and Enchantment were much more commonplace and accepted, that or Starswirl might have possibly had friends with a sufficiently advanced understanding of Necromancy, perhaps this could help explain his oddly long life.”
Celestia smiles along, listening intently to Twilight’s speaking, “I can see you truly have thought much about this spell, my pupil, and your theories are correct. Back in the centuries before Discord’s rise, dark magic was seen like any other magic, and there were many heroic Necromancers, even one who was close friends with Starswirl. Sadly, as time has gone on, the corruptive elements of Dark Magic have only grown stronger, and the users more evil.” She nods, “But you have impressed me, my student, because you got correct what the spell does.”
Twilight smiles, only to pause and blink, “Wait… I thought it was unknown what the spell did?”
Celestia grins slightly, “Twilight, when Luna and I found the Elements of Harmony, and used their powers to defeat Discord, I was not the one who carried Honesty.”
Twilight frowns slightly, “So you knew what the answer was all along? But, the letter…” She trails off, only to then slightly smile, “It was a test.” Oh my Me, the mare who is famous for her tests gave you a test? Shock and awe.
Celestia smiles back, “Yes, my student, it was a test. The final test I give to my every pupil. I have cast the spell before, and I know well it’s upsides and downsides. My intentions were for you to complete the spell, and then to cast it, that it might have set into course a series of events that I have taught you for. The spell only responds to those it deems worthy, to those with the knowledge to put it together and cast it on themselves. All the years I spent teaching you magic, all the tests I have given you… Sombra, Discord, Nightmare Moon, Chrysalis, the little trials you have undergone with your friends, all your feats and accomplishments were supposed to end with the casting of that spell.”
Twilight looks at Celestia, “I… I was supposed to…” Supposed...
Celestia nods, “You were supposed to become an Alicorn, like Cadence before you, Princess Twilight Sparkle. However, with the book destroyed…”
Twilight looks over at the book, “I… I can’t cast the spell, I can’t become an alicorn.”
Celestia nods grimly, “You can’t become an alicorn. However… that does not mean you can’t be great.” She smiles slightly, “You are a unicorn on the level of Starswirl, and are much smarter than he ever was. You are an Element of Harmony, Bearer of Magic… future Archmage of Equestria.”
Her eyes widen, “Archmage of Equestria? But isn’t Sprig the Studious, the smartest stallion in all of Equestria, Archmage?”
Celestia smiles, “For now.” She stands up, “I have faith in you, my faithful student, and I know you can do anything you set your mind towards. I will give you a new project by next week. Until then, spend some time with your friends.”
Twilight nods, slightly smiling, “I will, Princess. I won’t let you down!”
Celestia grins, “That’s the spirit.” And, in a flash of golden light, she disappears.
Really, Celestia, Archmage of Equestria?
Do you think that simply saying things like you planned for them means they were actually planned?
Do you think you’ll get that far?
You won’t.