//------------------------------// // The Sun's Promise // Story: Little Keys // by Skijarama //------------------------------// Twilight couldn’t stop herself from letting out a loud sigh of relief as her old foalhood home came into view just ahead. It had only been a few months since she had last been there, but it had felt like years. All of her struggles with Midnight had made time feel as if it were crawling along at a snail’s pace, with her own anxiety, dread, fear, and swells of amplified anger making the feeling even worse. She looked back to Rainbow Dash with a weak smile, and the pegasus gave her an encouraging nod in turn. There was nothing else for it. Twilight took in a long, deep breath, then dropped down for a landing. Her hooves touched down gracefully on the stone street in front of the house. It looked the same as it always had. A wave of nostalgia swept over her, and she had to fight to keep herself from just throwing open the door and barging in. Whether this was her childhood home or not, she still had manners, darn it! Rainbow touched down beside her with a smile. “You’re getting faster there, Twi. Almost had me breaking a sweat!” Twilight turned back to Rainbow with a small, playful smirk. “I’m pretty sure I got here before you did,” she remarked. Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively. “Yeah, yeah. Look, I let you win. No way that’d happen if I were giving it my best.” Twilight snorted, giving Rainbow a challenging glare. “Oh, yeah? We’ll just have to test that later!” she declared, stomping a hoof for emphasis. Rainbow tossed her ponytail with a swing of her head and met the glare head-on with her trademark cocky grin. “Oh, you are on, egg-for-brains.” “Egg-for-what?!” Twilight asked with a scandalized gasp. That was a new one. Spike hopped down to the ground with an exasperated roll of his eyes. “Is this the part where I demand you two just kiss already, or what?” he asked knowingly. Twilight and Rainbow both went rigid and quiet at the unexpected remark, their cheeks tinting slightly red. Twilight recalled - with staggering clarity - what Spike was calling back to, and it was one of only a small number of memories she wished she hadn’t gotten back. Spike gave an evil little snicker at the awkward silence and marched up the steps for the door. “No? Then let’s go inside. I’m hungry!” he said before knocking three times. Rainbow and Twilight glanced at him, then at each other. Rainbow shuffled uneasily on her hooves, still clearly flustered. “W-we’ll finish this later,” she said under her breath, looking up and to the side innocently. Twilight rolled her eyes, not nearly as flustered as her girlfriend was. And besides, this presented a magnificent opportunity. After all, she needed to get Rainbow back for that ‘egg for brains’ comment… With deliberately exaggerated movements, Twilight sashayed up until she was right in front of Rainbow, the fur on their chests intermingling. Rainbow blinked and stared at her, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. Her cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of red from the sudden proximity. “...Uh.” Twilight didn’t give her a chance to formulate anything else. She darted in and planted the biggest, sloppiest kiss she could on Rainbow’s cheek, being sure to make a very loud smooching noise in the process. She felt Rainbow jump and give off a high-pitched, mouse-like squeak. Twilight withdrew with a cartoonish ‘mwah!’ and smirked at Rainbow. “Whose got eggs for brains, now?” she asked with a waggle of her eyebrows. Rainbow puffed up like an infuriated pigeon, her cheeks inflating with indignation. “Why you…” “Maybe I shoulda suggested you two get a room first,” Spike commented under his breath. It was at about this time that an audible click came from the door, and it swung open to reveal Night Light on the other side. He poked his head out, and a wide, ecstatic grin split his muzzle. “Twilight! Rainbow! There you are! How was the train ride- ...Um...” Twilight only then realized that she was still chest-to-chest with Rainbow, their muzzles mere inches apart, while Spike was the one at the door. She slowly turned her head to look at her father and was mortified to see his expression shifting from sheepish confusion to a large, knowing grin. “Do you two need some time alone?” he asked. “That’s what I thought!” Spike agreed, throwing his arms wide. Rainbow glared at Twilight, now having turned an impressive shade of tomato. “I am gonna get you for this.” Twilight gulped and nodded. “Go for it.” Night Light laughed in amusement at their expense. He then smiled down at Spike, and his smile went from predatory to affectionate. “Ah, Spike! You little rascal!” he cheered, pulling the dragon up into a tight hug. “How was the trip?” “Meh,” Spike replied, returning the hug. “Long and kinda quiet. Rarity’s off discussing business elsewhere in the city. She’ll be by later.” Night Light set Spike down. He stepped down the stairs, approaching Twilight as she and Rainbow re-established the concept of ‘personal space.’ Twilight felt her stomach clench involuntarily as he drew near, and her lips distorted into a nervous, wobbly smile. “Hey, dad…” she whispered, scuffing the floor idly with a hoof. “I’m… I’m home.” Night Light came to a stop at that, blinking. For a moment, he didn’t move or say a word. Then, his smile grew all the wider even as it started shaking, and his eyes shimmered with moisture. Twilight blinked, taken aback. Was he crying? But before she had a chance to think any more about it, Night Light was on her. His hooves flashed out and pulled her against him in a tight embrace, eliciting a startled yelp from her. “You are,” Night Light whispered to her, squeezing her close to his chest and resting his chin on her head. He was cradling her the same way he used to when she was just a little filly. “Welcome home, Twilight.” “Dad…?” Twilight replied in an equally hushed tone, though she didn’t resist the embrace at all. It felt good, honestly, being held like this. Night Light sniffled and whipped a hoof over his face. “Gah. S-stupid tears. S-sorry, sorry. Just…  Your mother and I have been waiting for you to be able to come home ever since… Well, you know,” he said, quickly forcing himself to regain his composure. “It’s been eating us up just as much as you. We’ve been worried about you. But this is a sign things are getting better!” Twilight stared at him for a moment before relaxing gratefully into his embrace again. “Yeah… I guess it is,” she whispered, taking a deep breath. A few seconds passed and she just savored the embrace of her father. Then a thought occurred to her, and she leaned back with a raised eyebrow. She looked past Night Light and towards the door. Why hadn’t Velvet come out yet? Surely she had heard the knocking, right? “Where’s mom?” She asked a second later, extracting herself from Night Light’s hooves. He looked almost disappointed that the hug had to end, but he turned back to the house all the same. “Ah, she’s inside with Celestia. She got here a little before you did,” he stated matter-of-factly. Suddenly, a whole new wave of anxiety and tension washed over Twilight. She went rigid on the spot, inhaling quietly. Celestia was here? Right now? Normally that thought would be enough to make Twilight excited, but now? “Mom’s here?” Rainbow asked in surprise, finally joining the discussion. She stepped forward, quirking a brow herself. “I’m guessing to check in with Twi personally?” “I think so, yes,” Night acknowledged. He turned for the door and beckoned them to follow him. “Come on, they’re waiting for us.” Twilight watched as Night Light stepped back inside, and Spike followed after him without a moment of hesitation. Twilight remained planted in place, though, going through her breathing exercise to chase away her nerves. Rainbow looked at her from the side, her eyes hardening with understanding. “Nervous?” she asked quietly. “Extremely,” Twilight confessed, setting her hoof back down and ruffling her wings. “The last time I saw her was back in the cave with the Tree of Harmony. When she and Luna…” She didn’t finish the sentence. She looked down, her ears drooping as guilt swelled in her heart over the morbid memory. “When they hurt you,” Midnight commented in a cold, quiet snarl. “When they cast you away out of fear and hatred. When they abandoned you when you needed them the most.” Twilight screwed her eyes shut. “Midnight, shut. Up,” she hissed through clenched teeth. Rainbow was instantly at her side, draping a wing over her shoulders. “I dunno what you’re saying, Midnight, but Twi’s right. Shut your trap!” she whispered into Twilight’s ear. Midnight scoffed in Twilight’s mind before apparating before her, standing in the door frame. She glowered over her shoulder into the house, visibly bristling with contempt. “Even after everything you’ve done, all the effort you’ve put in, she still doesn’t trust you. Why else would she have come here unless she was afraid you’d do something dangerous again?” “Because she cares about me!” Twilight spat, her wings twitching in anger on her back. “She’s my teacher! She was practically a second mother to me when I still lived in this city!” Midnight turned back to Twilight with a hard frown. She approached her with slow, methodical steps, the ominous, ghostly blue light in her eyes growing brighter as she drew closer. “And yet she cast you aside…” “Twi, look at me.” Twilight turned to face Rainbow reluctantly. The pegasus was staring back at her intensely. “Dash…” “Ignore her,” Rainbow whispered, pressing her forehead against Twilight’s. “Whatever she’s saying, just ignore her. It’s not worth it. We’re here to have fun and relax, remember?” Twilight took in another deep breath, offering up a small nod. She focused on her family waiting for her in there, and on the happiest memories she had with Celestia. After a moment, the burning in her skull faded away, and she felt Midnight vanishing into the depths of her mind. Twilight smiled. “Okay… I think I’m good. She’s gone.” Rainbow grinned. She pat Twilight on the back before taking her hoof and walking with her up the stairs and into the house. The second the door closed behind them, Twilight’s nose was hit with the unmistakable smell of some of Velvet’s freshly brewed tea, and she could hear voices from the dining room. She looked to Rainbow for support and got another nod. She took what comfort she could, shoved her anxiety aside, and stepped deeper into the house. The dining room was more or less the same as when it was the last time she had seen it. The only difference was that some of the older appliances had finally been replaced. Velvet was by the counter next to a slowly warming kettle, while Night Light and Spike were seated at the table, nursing mugs of the steaming liquid. And just across from them was… “Twilight!” Velvet suddenly cried out upon catching sight of Twilight. She sprung across the room, practically bouncing, and enveloped the startled alicorn in a warm hug before she even had a chance to react. “Oh, welcome home, sweetie! It’s so good to see you again!”  Rainbow, who was still draping a wing over Twilight’s back, was also caught in the embrace with a grunt of surprise. Twilight just smiled, returning the hug without hesitation. “Mom! It’s good to see you, too!” she greeted, idly noting the differences in her mother’s embrace versus her father’s. Velvet pulled back to smile at Rainbow. “And hello, Rainbow. Doing well, your highness?” “My lungs,” Rainbow wheezed once she was released, holding a hoof up to her chest. She shot Velvet a skeptical look. “You sure you didn’t turn into an Earth Pony or something?” Velvet just smirked and playfully punched Rainbow’s chest. “Nope. I’m just really happy to see my daughter!” A new voice joined them, one that made Twilight freeze for what felt like the thousandth time today. “As am I to see mine.” All eyes turned to the speaker, and for the first time in several months, Twilight beheld the radiant features of Princess Celestia. She was right there, walking forward with her trademarked motherly smile. Twilight’s heart skipped a beat, and she locked up, unsure of what to do. “Mom!” Rainbow greeted, jumping into the air with her wings and flying over to give Celestia a hug of her own. Celestia stepped back from the force of the embrace, laughing merrily. “It is good to see you again, Rainbow,” Celestia said, giving her daughter a nuzzle. “I trust you are doing well?” “As well as can be expected,” Rainbow said with a smile, drawing back. “I’m glad to hear it,” Celestia said. Her eyes then turned and locked onto Twilight. “And I am glad to see you, too, Twilight. It has been too long. How are you?” Twilight didn’t say something for a long moment. What was she supposed to say? Somehow a typical greeting just didn’t feel right. After everything that had happened, and the less-than-happy note their last meeting had ended on... “I… I’m alright,” she finally managed to force out. Celestia’s smile faltered. For several moments, she didn’t move. To Twilight’s surprise, the princess actually looked unsure of herself. A tense and heavy silence fell over the room before Celestia offered a slow nod. “I’m glad to hear it. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like a chance to speak with you privately later. After you’ve spent time with your family.” Twilight hesitated. She glanced over at her family. It was clear they could sense the underlying tension in the room, even if most of it was coming from Twilight herself. They were looking back and forth between the two alicorns with clear unease on their face, with Velvet’s eyes typically lingering longer on Twilight than on Celestia. Twilight didn’t want that discomfort to hang over them the whole time. As much as she wanted to prioritize spending time with her family… She turned back to Celestia and put on a small smile. “N-no. If it’s alright with you, maybe we could just get it out of the way now?” Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?” Twilight nodded. “I am.” Celestia looked towards Night Light and Velvet. Neither said anything, but they neither offered any protest. Celestia nodded over at them, then affixed Twilight with a warm smile. “If you wish. Come, then,” she beckoned with a wing and stepped out of the dining room. Twilight took a deep breath, casting a glance at the others. Her parents were clearly a touch uneasy, but Rainbow didn’t seem all that worried. She just smiled and nodded after Celestia. “Go on. We’ll be here.” Twilight nodded. “...Thanks,” she said quietly before following Celestia out of the room. The door led out into the household’s large front room. Celestia was already seated in one of the love seats situated around a coffee table set off to one side, nestled against the well. Twilight remembered sitting in one of those very spots not long after losing her memory. Celestia offered her a kind and patient smile, waiting for her to take a seat. Twilight took a deep breath to collect herself before taking the seat across from her teacher. Once she was seated, she stared ahead, meeting the taller alicorn’s gaze. “You don’t visit very often,” Twilight blurted out. Her eyes flew wide, and she quickly slapped her hooves over her muzzle to keep anything else from coming out. Where had that come from?! Celestia flinched at the remark, her ears lowering. “I… I know, Twilight. Forgive me. But you know how hectic and busy things can be up here. Especially in recent years, given all that has happened.” Twilight lowered her hooves, heaving a sigh of her own. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have said that. I know you’ve got a lot on your plate up here.” Celestia shook her head. “No, no, it’s fine. You don’t have to apologize,” she said softly. She looked at Twilight directly, her gentle, reassuring smile returning. That one look had served so often in the past to chase away Twilight’s fears and doubts, leaving her feeling safe and content. The effect had waned in time as Twilight grew more familiar with how fascinatingly - and annoyingly - complicated the world could sometimes be. A warm smile from a mother figure was not enough to make things better. Still, it helped her thoughts ease somewhat. “Luna has been keeping me appraised of your progress with Midnight,” Celestia said, sitting more upright. “If her reports are accurate, which I believe they are, then your progress has been most impressive.” Twilight looked to one side, her brow furrowing. Impressive? She sure didn’t feel that impressive. What progress she had made had been bought with metaphorical blood, and very real sweat and tears. “...It’s been a struggle,” Twilight admitted, slumping in her seat. “Sometimes, I feel like I’m beating my head against a brick wall.” Celestia smiled at the comment. “It is no easy thing you must do, Twilight. But I have faith in you. I always have.” Twilight looked up at Celestia again. “Heh. I thought I was the faithful one.” “Indeed,” Celestia’s smile grew a touch softer. “Perhaps too faithful, sometimes…” Twilight rolled her eyes, recalling a certain blunder on a test about corn. “Yeah yeah, you’re never going to let me live that down, are you?” The two shared a small laugh at that. It was strange. The more Twilight talked to Celestia, the easier it was to speak, to call on her words, and the more at ease she felt. Maybe she had been stressing herself out over nothing? But there was still something nagging at her, eating away at the back of her mind. Something she didn’t want to confront, or even acknowledge. But it had been brought to the forefront of her thoughts since the moment she learned Celestia was here. Midnight had made sure of that. With her smile faded and her laughter dying in her throat, Twilight turned to face Celestia directly. The serious look in her eyes immediately drew Celestia’s attention, and she sat upright, her ears facing forward to listen. Twilight took a moment, trying to think of how best to phrase her question. In the end, she settled on just being direct and honest with her concerns. She’d just got done teaching herself not to lie to herself, after all. “Celestia… Are you here because I’m a threat?” The silence that followed was beyond heavy. Twilight opened her eyes. She wilted on the spot when she saw the genuine hurt in Celestia’s eyes. The taller alicorn looked down and away, her ears drooping. “Twilight… I…” “Please, I need you to tell me the truth about this,” Twilight stated firmly, leaning forward in her chair. “...Why are you asking me this?” Celestia countered, her voice low and solemn. “What prompted it? If you are honest with your answer, I will be honest with mine.” Twilight hesitated for a moment. Off in the corner of her eye, she could see her shadowy devil glaring at her from the shadows cast by the stairwell heading upstairs. Her ghostly blue eyes stood out like a lighthouse in a dark storm. Twilight ignored her, focusing on Celestia. “...Midnight. It’s Midnight. She thinks you and Luna are afraid of me. She thinks you’re here now to spy on me. She’s been wrong about a lot of things, but she has been right, once or twice...” Celestia hummed, though Twilight could not see her face as her flowing mane drifted to obscure it. “And do you think she might be right this time?” “I don’t want to believe her,” Twilight said, looking down again. “But… After what I did...” She couldn’t finish. She looked down, closing her eyes. The memory of the horrible things she had done, of a Canterlot street riddled with the bodies of ponies who, mere moments prior, had screamed in terror and begged her to show mercy. She saw the frightened look on Spike’s face as he beheld her transformation, and the resignation on Rainbow’s as she had surrendered everything she knew in a last-ditch effort to stop Midnight’s rampage. “Oh, Twilight…” Celestia’s soft voice cut through the storm of terrible memories rampaging in her mind. Twilight looked up as Celestia stood and closed the distance between them. In moments, the taller pony was seated next to Twilight and pulling her into a warm, gentle embrace. Twilight buried her face into Celestia’s chest fur, shuddering. “It’s true, isn’t it?” she asked in a quiet whimper. “You’re afraid of me...” “No, Twilight,” Celestia assured her, holding her and squeezing her close. “Never. I could never be afraid of you… But I am afraid for you.” Twilight looked up into her mentor’s eyes, blinking. “Huh?” Celestia leaned down, offering Twilight an affectionate nuzzle. “I am afraid, yes… but not of you. I am afraid of what might happen if you turn back into Midnight. I am afraid of losing my wonderful, intelligent, faithful student to the monster that lurks in all of our hearts. I am afraid of what must be sacrificed to bring you back from that shadow. I am afraid that, if it happens again, it might be too late, and you’ll cross an edge you can never be pulled back from.” Celestia leaned back, smiling down into Twilight’s eyes with tears in her own. “I am not here because you are a threat Twilight… I am here because I care about you, and I want to do what I can, as your teacher, to guide you through this ordeal.” She looked up into Celestia’s eyes, and she found no lie in them. No deception, no hesitation. Just the love and dedication of an old mare who had taught her so much of what she knew, and who had practically raised her as a second mother for much of her life. Twilight’s lips curled up into a soft, trembling smile. “Do you really mean that?” she asked, though she knew the answer already. She just wanted to hear Celestia say it. “Everything you just said?” Celestia smiled and held Twilight closer. “Every word. I promise.” “Pinkie promise?” “Let’s not get crazy.” “Heh. Too late,” Twilight chuckled, snuggling into her teacher’s embrace even more. “...On that much,” Midnight muttered distantly. “We are in agreement.”