* Chapter Three - Part 1*
After a few more minutes, Twilight had calmed down enough that, while still sniffling slightly, and having some glistening tears in the corner of her eyes, she could nevertheless form complete sentences yet again.
"W-what the hell was that? I've never felt so much energy in my entire life. T-that was absolutely overwhelming. Like trying to charge a 9V battery with a fusion reactor."
Giggling softly, Luna stepped up to speak. She had been standing patiently next to the other two alicorns and waited for the moment that both had finished their mutual assistance.
"That, my dear Twilight, was the true power that we alicorns possess. In your case, as the alicorn of magic - all the magical power the astral plane has to offer." Waving off with a hoof Luna continued. "But don't be shy, you are still extremely young for an alicorn. It wouldn't have been possible for you to be able to control all that magic without having slight hiccups in the first place anyway. So there is nothing to worry."
Luna inserted a short and dramatic pause after finishing the sentence. Whereby she was probably more sorting out her own thoughts.
"And even if it didn't feel like it. You had more control over that power than anyone else could claim. However, don't worry, you'll learn over the years how to master your role flawlessly and then something like this won't be able to happen to you so easily again."
Extending her Wing to Twilight and giving her an encouraging smile Luna continued. "Besides, with your intellect, I wouldn't be surprised if you found ways and means to revolutionize magic for all living beings now and in the future to come."
Visibly touched, Twilight once again flushed as red as a tomato and fanned her wings, to cool herself down. Whereaby she hastily replied to Luna. Her eyes sparkling like stars, with a sudden curiosity.
"Luna please. I'm just a normal pony who happens to have a slightly excessive passion for knowledge and books. Nothing more nothing less. What makes you think I could be able to revolutionize magic? Let alone that I am so overly cunning, like you seem to think I am?"
Having expected something like that. Luna moved in front of Twilight and looked deep into her dark purple eyes with a more than friendly grin. The eyes of the lavender mare burning with a depth, clarity and sharpness, not seen in many cases.
"Try to stay, like you already are. Your humbleness is truly impressive, and honestly, more should follow your ways. But back to the question. Simply for the reason that I have already experienced with my very own eyes what you are capable of." Somewhat more quietly, Luna also added. "And I saw your exam results for admission to my sister's school. I was more than aware that we alicorns possess stunning intellect. But I must say, I can do nothing but express you my full respect." Luna polite bowed her head to Twilight.
More than confused, Twilight first looked several times aimless left and right until she turned away from Luna and looked into Celestia's magenta eyes with newfound curiosity. Seemingly awaiting an answer.
"How? What? When? Now what is Luna talking about? What does she know that I don't?"
Briefly reconsidering her answer, with a slight frown of the brow, Celestia returned Twilight's just-asked question.
"Do you remember the day before your entrance exam to my school for gifted unicorns? I had asked if you were okay with an IQ test."
Eagerly nodding and grinning above both ears, Twilight answered Celestia almost immediately.
"Oh yes, you were overjoyed when the result came back and mentioned to me. "The result was by far overscale and in match with your expectations - which was actually already clear," Twilight added, slightly embarrassed. "I hadn't given it any thought at the time, though."
Tilting her head to the side in an uncommonly cute fashion, Twilight continued.
"Still, I'm curious all the same. There must have been something behind all of it. You wouldn’t have asked, if there wasn't a clear reason."
Somewhat taken by the sight Celestia found before her, she raised her own voice.
"Yes, sure, your absolutely right about your guess and I'll gladly tell you. As now you're definitely old and mature enough to understand the situation as well - well you were mature enough for it with an age of like 10 to be honest, but I wanted to wait just a few years more. It might have had influenced you for sure in some way. So I was obliged to hide the information as far as now."
Celestia gave Twilight a friendly and motherly but somewhat slightly guilty smile that demonstrated, that she only had the best of intentions. Even if she didn't feel one hundred percent well in doing so.
Clearing her throat, Celestia continued.
"As you probably didn´t expected, the results that came back could not be clearly identified because the index wasn´t high enough scaled. For that critical reason unfortunately, only a rough estimate could be given at the time. But even that was enough to prove me right."
Completely taken off guard, Twilight shouted in a voice close to the royal Canterlot voice. At the same time, she fluffed up her wings, the gust of wind generated knocking over the teapot on the nearby table.
Normally the teapot would have gone broken in hundreds of microscopic pieces, as it was on its way to the cold, hard, unforgiving polished marble ground. However, Twilight had the presence of mind to catch the teapot before it had time to spill any tea, get even close to the ground or tilt in the slightest way to be exact. Whereupon Twilight put the pot back in its old place, slightly embarrassed. Her cheeks heating a slight red.
"WHAT! But the scale goes up to 250! No way!"
"And the Institute's calculated result was 340-380. Extremely surreal for a pony. However, less so for an alicorn - even if it is still quite high. Our intelligence is extremely broad and has always gone beyond 250 for every four examples of our species We could argue how precise such a high stacked IQ is, but the sole point is we are far from dumb."
Celestia then lowered her head in Twilight's direction, brimming with great pride and slightly respectful.
"When I saw your result, I almost couldn't contain my enthusiasm. Because I knew, unlike the head of the administrative center, what the result meant for all of us - namely that in a few years another pony would be our equal. And my excitement was furthermore boosted, especially since it was you. As that made the whole thing even better, in as good as every regard."
Now slightly blushing, Celestia continued.
"Around one year before you became my student, I had already recognized something about you that I generally enjoyed from the start. No matter what would have been your future. I would have been proud, that my sun, as well as my sister's moon, in a certain way, were allowed to have the honor, to shine daily and at nighttime for a pony like you, and fill you with life, satisfaction and well-being."
Twilight fanned her wings in heated embarrassment, to cool herself off from Celestiaˋs praise. Voicing her thoughts however she did not and listened further to the older mare.
"As your parents were invited as high elite to all important events and attended them in most cases, I had seen you quite often among all the other nobles - And I must say. For a 6-year-old foal you were by far the most polite and friendly of all the attendees. Also, at that point, you had shown much better manners toward the servants and guards than I could say for most of the others present. And the guards voiced to me several times, they would be honored to stand to your attention if you needed them or got into any kind of danger or verbal fight.” Celestia smiled widely. "I have never told you this, as I am sure you were told it yourself many times when you were my student. But quite a few of the guards and servants came to me after the feasts to inquire if I could not repay you in some way for the kindness shown to them. "
Twilight probably hit a new record in red and it was said a few years later, that the color of her cheeks right now, was considered the new upper limit for red.
"That's why I had pulled your parents aside after one of the occasions, in a quiet moment, to make them a special offer largely to your favor - Well, I believe you can guess which one that was?" Celestia wanted to know, with an interested look to Twilight and turned to her as well. Extending a massive, white wing in the mares direction, to indicate that her response was more than welcomed.
Twilight scratched her chin with her hoof for a moment, deep in thoughts, thinking. Not three seconds later, she had a metaphorical light bulb brightening, which made her beaming wide above both ears.
"Ha! I think I know the answer. I'm assuming it had something to do with the school for gifted unicorns?! And you invited my parents to enroll me in your school. At least they told me later the princess, meaning you, had praised me for my extremely good magic skills and respect".
Proudly nodding and again beaming with pride, Celestia continued.
"How right you are, very well done. Yes, I had encouraged your parents to send a request about this matter directly to me, to cut through the usual bureaucratic red tape. To get you immediately a place in the school for the next year. I also praised them for what a wonderful daughter they had and that I believed she would do incredible things with her magic. As well as that I couldn't await the summer vacations to be over."
Deeply tomato-red, and once again fanning her wings to cool herself off, Twilight tried to believe Celestia's words just like that, but as expected, the youngest alicorn simply couldn't because of her well-known academic mind.
"I'm honored by the direct admission, really. But what´s more important, is the simple, but true fact that that´s impossible. No pony is capable of such a high IQ. The academics must have made a mistake," Twilight exclaimed enthusiastically, her wingtips twitching violently as some sparks of magic rippled through her prime feathers. The air around them glistened with potent pegasus magic that usually would have been invisible.
Shaking her head slightly in amusement, Celestia gave her answer to Twilight.
Twilight is, and always will be, simply Twilight. I hope she remains like that; modesty is not a bad aspect after all.
"Yes. In theory, you're right. But you forget that an Alicorn is not, in quotes, a normal pony. We have an elementary different set of rules, as I'm sure you've already noticed."
"He he, well you're right." Twilight admitted, slightly embarrassed, as she scratched the back of her head with a hoof.
Lifting her leg to indicate that she still had something to say, Celestia continued.
"Besides, I have an example to prove to you that the test is telling the truth."
"Oh? And what example would that be, Celestia?"
Twilight's eyes, meanwhile, literally had deformed into stars at the thought of a complicated task for her to solve. As well as that she also leaned forward expectantly, pricking up her ears to better understand the question. This time there was a subtle white glow emanating from her front hooves to the floor. Again, pegasus magic, which intuitively helped her to keep balanced, but all this had been only visible if one had looked precisely at the right time. So, like the last time with Twilight's prime feathers, it escaped the three alicorns so far.
Laughing again in amusement, Celestia held a hoof in front of her muzzle, to not come off as rude, and looked for a convenient question on short notice. Having found what she had seeked, she shook herself once short and as prior started to speak.
"Hrrhm, oh yes! Can you tell me what the arithmetic mean of the standard deviation for the median of 31.61 and the two quartiles of 7 and 9 are? Considering the boxplot of Y= [(91/1348 * X) * 3] - 47 of course." [That´s no actual question]
Briefly considering the solution path, and putting her thoughts as well as calculations into imaginary tables, formulas and equations in her mind’s eye Twilight happily gave her answer back to Celestia.
"Hmm. If I'm not mistaken, then the solution should be 2,378.75."
Also smiling, Celestia needed some more seconds until she joyfully could confirmed the result. "Absolutely right! Flawlessly done, I didn´t even expect you to have an answer that fast."
Twilight's look afterwards was very pleased but unsurprisingly uncomprehending otherwise.
"Ehhhh- I don't understand though, why this is supposed to prove to me that I, as an alicorn, have immense cognitive abilities beyond others. Even if that was a challenging task in itself – well for others." Added Twilight once again blushing tomatoe-red.
Almost overflowing with laughter, Celestia had to catch herself for a while. And Luna, who had been sitting quietly next to her the whole time, couldn't deny herself the joy either.
"Oh, that´s quite easy. This “simple” task, as you yourself described it, is known as the 'One Thousand Year Task.' This means that according to the current level of experience, a pony, that would be able to solve this task will not be born for around another 1,000 years or so. And on this specific task the 20 best minds of Equestria have been puzzling for more than 15 years by now. And you, Twilight, solved it in less than 10 seconds. If all that doesn't mean I am right, then my name is no longer Celestia Solaris Everfree the First."
The explanation was finished with an added massive laugh. And even Luna had to admit to her sister in thoughts, that she had outdone herself.
"You just had to do this sister, didn't you? - But Twilight dearest! If only you could see yourself right now. I've never seen a pony look as dopey as you currently do. Here! Please! Take! Look for yourself in the mirror."
Luna managed to express under now almost exisiven laughter, while she let herself fall backwards over her back. Her wings fully stretched far from her, trembling with excitement and the spasms of laughter that went through the body of the deep dark blue alicorn.
Grasping the mirror, Luna had created out of the dark colored magic, in her own brilliant raspberry magic, Twilight looked at her reflection in the small hoof mirror - And it was true, she had never seen a pony look as silly as she currently did.
"Har Har. Waaaaay funny."
Still, Twilight couldn't help but join in with the laughter of Luna and Celestia herself. Her own wings trembling soon afterwards with the same enjoyment as her two fellows. Once again, several whirring aspects of varying colors, the prime ones a pleasent white and blue, danced across the outermost prime and flight feathers of Twilight's massive wings.
Whereas no one of the three seemed to notice the occasion either this time, even if Twilight's ears twitched briefly in surprise from an odd feeling, for a fraction of a second. The mare, however, immediately dismissed the thought and continued laughing with the other mares.
Shortly after, all 3 princesses were lying on the floor next to each other, laughing their souls out. (Of course only metaphorically, don't worry!).
It took several minutes for all three to regain their composure to continue. Because every time one of them thought she had laughed enough, the laughter of the other two infected her again. So still giggling lightly, Celestia continued with her statement interrupted by given circumstances.
"Well then, I think that proves that point. But in all seriousness. Normally, the entrance test to the school for gifted unicorns is not the task of hatching a dragon egg either. Actually, the invited young unicorns should only write their own name, age and those of their parents with chalk on a blackboard. To test how persistent, they are in matters of prolonged control."
"But you had already shown more raw magic before your entrance test than my most gifted students after years of training. I have not come across a unicorn in the last 1000 years that had anywhere near as much magic as you had at the time. That is why I did instruct my examiners not to show any reaction. Unless you manage to hatch the egg, no matter what miracles you might perform with your magic."
"And I think you understand that I simply had to obtain a second additional result to ensure that you would one day become the fourth alicorn?"
Not missing any second, Twilight gave an understanding nod toward Celestia and therefore agreed with her.
"Sure, I don't think I would have done it any differently myself. In such an important situation, it's better to do one test too many than too few. Usually that's also no problem as everything goes well in tests, unless you experiment too wantonly with highly explosive substances and don't get the mixture right - And blow up your old lab in retrospect."
"What was that? I thought there was an unstable connection in the star constellations?!" replied Celestia with a veeeeeery curious look in Twilight's direction. She never truly believed Twilight made a mistake that day, as the Mare always had an understanding and controll of her own magic, that not many could claim - maybe even none. But she never tried to get the honest answer out of Twilight, as she suggested Twilight would have had a reason to not tell the full truth. Why should Twilight hide anything from her? She trusted her old mentor like Noone else...the same way she should have had trusted her student. Damm there was the guilt again, even now I'm not fully above the hill.
"Eh nothing! Twilight quickly deflected from the topic with a nervous look back and forth, and then turned to Luna.
"Luna? You two said you'd be willing to tell me more about an alicorn. Right?"
Slightly changing her sitting position to a more comfortable one, as Luna knew there was plenty to tell and enlighten in the next hours. She turned her attention fully to the younger alicorn, as she began to speak.
"This true my dear Twilight. There are quite some things you didn't know about alicorns until now. Since quite a few things had to remain in the dark for good reasons - But more about that later, before you ask. Fortunately, that is about to change as you are an alicorn now as well. It is only logical that we help you understand what our closest secrets are, what it means to be a true alicorn princess. And how to become a righteous and loved leader. Even though you've already got that last part down pretty well," Luna winked at Twilight.
"But first, come over here and join us." Luna prompted her lavender-coated fellow. Tapping one of her gold-framed hooves on one of the large white cushions near her, embroidered with a gold border and a sun in the center."
With a crimson stitch on the cheeks and swishing her tail while fluffing her feathers, as Twilight obviously was very nervous. Understandable, as she didn't really knew what she would learn in the next time. Twilight trotted over to Luna and Celestia and dropped onto the indicated pillow with an audible plop. Whereupon she slid back and forth a bit to get comfortable. Meanwhile, Luna grabbed a cup in her dark blue magic from the table and poured herself some tea. The task successfully completed, she turned back to Twilight to make sure she was ready to listen.
Assured that Twilight was ready, Luna also slid back and forth on her pillow and before she began to speak, took a big sip from her cup as she watched the slight rise of steam afterwards.
"Now Twilight the first interesting thing you should know about yourself as an alicorn is- "
However, an unexpected, soft exclamation from Twilight interrupted Luna. Looking up from her cup, Luna noticed that Twilight had stood up again and was now nervously looking back and forth between the other two princesses with a slightly uncertain look on her face. Her ears laid back and her right hoof pawing at the ground.
Having a slight premonition, but not wanting to let on anything. With a friendly smile, Luna encouraged the younger Alicorn to tell her what was bothering her.
"Yes Twilight? What's the issue? Go ahead, don't be shy, we're among like-minded friends here after all. Not in a political debate."
Visibly relaxing and also smiling broadly, Luna got her answer from Twilight.
"Ehhhm, well, I'm really quite embarrassed to ask this. But could I possibly have some more of that special tea? It was surprisingly delicious - considering what it contains." Afterwards, Twilight fell silent again and looked back and forth between the two of them, again a little more nervously. Visibly expecting both of them to laugh indignantly right away at such a curious idea.
As already mentioned, Luna had somehow expected it, so she answered in a calm and friendly voice.
"But of course, you can. I was already waiting for you to ask. I have to admit that I didn't think cyanide would taste so good with tea - well, I guess with immortality comes some interesting tastes." Laughed Luna fully now. "And as bitter as it sounds, no matter how justice and good natured you rule. There will always be other creatures or unlikely but not impossible - ponies, who are not pleased with you. And try to get you out of the way by more drastic means."
"You'll have to deal with that, at one point in time too, I sadly have to tell you. Therefor I hope not anytime soon, but be prepared for your food to taste surprisingly interesting when invited to meet other creatures," Luna finished, looking over at her sister who was also giggling noticeably.
Putting on an almost blank expression, Twilight posed her question to the other two mares. "So, you both want me to tell, that it will happen that other races will try to poison me and get me out of the way? Just because they don't like my opinion? - What the Hell? I tought, Equestria was a peacefull kingdom! As well as the other kingdoms, as we had good bounds with them, for partly even hundreds of years. Did I miss anything or what?"
This time it was Celestia who took the floor. More amused than serious.
"Oh, come on Twilight. It's not that bad. No, you definitely didn´t miss anything. Equestria and most of the other lands are as peaceful as we. Yes, even the dragonlands are friendlier than they were two hundred fifty years ago - well for dragon standarts at least. And the most important thing of all, it's worth the stress every time you get the completely stunned looks when you thank them for their hospitality after dinner and shorty afterwards are still able to stand up and walk without a hitch - Trust me when I tell you, you'll love it too." Celestia had to scratch her chin briefly. "The best part was that one time with the diamond dogs, but I can tell you about that later if you're still interested then."
Simply shaking her head and not wanting to dwell on it, as it couldn't be helped anyway, as it seemed, Twilight directed her eyes back at Luna.
While the other two were talking, Luna had gotten a new cup from the table with her magic and with a short heat spell brought the tea back to a good temperature. She filled the cup with freshly heated tea afterwards and held it close to Twilight. The newly heated tea giving of his charactesitic almond scent, and if one looked closely could now have seen a slight discoloration in the stronger light, the room was bathed in now, after the princesses had returned from there daily duty.
The light, was from several almost colorless crystals, which were distributed throughout the room suspended from the walls. These crystals were one of the most widespread techniques used to illuminate rooms after the sun had set. That these crystals, in Celestia's quarters, were infused with her own magic and additionally acted as catalysts for several of the protective spells was nevertheless special.
Nodding her thanks, Twilight took the cup in her own brilliant raspberry colored magic aura and once again sat down on the cushion, and as her first action after that, took 2 big sips from this cup. As she did so, her ears twitched slightly in delight at the pleasant taste.
"You're right - even if it most likely sounds quite morbid from the point of view of others, but I think this might become my new favorite kind of tea." Twilight had to laugh and Luna, as well as her sister Celestia, joined in as well.
Clearing her throat, a short time later, Luna took charge again. "Well then, as I said before I wanted to start explaining what is so special about us Alicorns. I guess we're all ready for me to continue now?" Luna looked around the room to get her answers from the other two alicorns.
After getting approval, she continued. "So where was I? Oh yes, the point stopped before was that one of the first interesting things that set us alicorns apart from others is our exceedingly well-developed minds. One of the topics we had already touched on earlier."
"And by that, I mean not only our more than above average intelligence, but much more that our whole minds are almost certainly even more immortal and powerful than our bodies. Because we are in all respects extremely well-armed against attacks on our mentality. And can endure strains that others could only dream of. Moreover, such a stable and strong mind is also necessary, because otherwise we would not be able to bear the thought of an endless life."
"As, unfortunately, a mortal mind couldn't be prepared for such a burden and will most likely drive everyone to pure madness at some point. But no worry, I can assure you, we will not suffer such a sad fate."
Luna started to encourage Twilight again, extending one of her dark blue hooves, using it to lift Twilight's chin further up. So that they could both look each other straight in the eyes. As Twilight had become a bit pensive and less cheerful during Luna's explanation, and had hung her head and ears slightly.
Not quite finished with her explanation, Luna continued. Hoping that after she was done, she would be able to assure Twilight 100% that immortality was actually more enjoyable than it might have sounded at first glance. A thought, Luna couldn't deny she would most likely have as well, in Twilight’s position.
„Nevertheless, I can perfectly understand your concern and maybe fright of Immortality. As it's a matter of fact, everypony around you ages, while you remain the picture of youth and beauty. Furthermore Immortality is often seen as a curse more than a blessing. And one could say our souls are bound with time. But I can assure you that you will realize in 50, 60 maybe some hundreds of years, that you are perfectly fine with living eternal. That's nothing extraordinary, just a thing of being an alicorn.” Tilting her head furthermore to Twilight to give her an encouraging smile Luna went on. “Thanks to this perk you will make decisions with a foresight of many generations of Pony’s. You just don´t look at now, but into the distant future to ensure the best choices for everypony. And that is what will make you a leader everyone can be proud, and some envious, off. Because our intelligence combined with the foresight of an alicorn is one of our strongest abilities.”
As it seemed, Luna's speech had managed to fully calm Twilight down once again. Because the mare had put up her ears delightedly and the slightly sad approach in her face had also disappeared.
Seeing this, Luna slightly changed her sitting position to look Twilight one again directly in the bright eyes, and confronted Twilight with a question.
“Tell me Twilight. What do you know about Alicorns yourself so far? - Regardless of what I just said.”
Twilight tapped her chin with a front hoof and considered her answers for a few seconds.
~~~ End of Chapter Three - Part 1 ~~~