What little time Twilight had left for her visit was spent in a pleasant blur. In the days that followed the party, She mostly spent her time visiting with her old friends from Celestia’s school. Minuette helped her track them down, and the old group spent plenty of time getting caught up.
Much to Twilight’s relief, there were no hard feelings. Her sudden departure was, in their words, ‘nothing they weren’t used to.’ It didn’t make her feel better about leaving them, as it was not okay that her being aloof was considered normal to them. But their high spirits more than made up for it. It felt like no time at all before their old friendship sparked back into life. The group even shared a box of donuts from Donut Joe’s. For old times’ sake.
Between all of that, there had of course been her date with Rainbow Dash. Just the two of them. Far away from the chaos and hubbub of their daily troubles. Far from the concerns of the chest or the Tree of Harmony. Far from her past mistakes. Just Twilight and her girlfriend, reading books, joking, and flirting.
It had all been so pleasant. Unfortunately, the few remaining days of her visit soon drew near their end. It still felt like there was so much left to do, ponies to see, places to show off to Rarity, or catching up to do with Spiracle and Thorax. Alas, such endeavors would have to wait until next month.
But there would be one last notable event before it came time for them to depart. This came in the form of a letter from none other than Princess Celestia, summoning both Twilight and Rainbow to join the royal sisters in the castle for a private dinner.
In all of the stress over what was happening with Moondancer, Twilight had completely forgotten that Celestia had promised to make time for them when they first arrived. It had come as such a surprise that, for a moment, she thought she was in trouble. She had been quick to calm herself down, however, reminding herself that this was simply meant to be a pleasant dinner, and a chance to catch up with friends and family.
“You delude yourself. They just want to see how easy you are to fool,” Midnight had sneered in response. Twilight had felt a tingle of irritation at that. But she wasn’t sure if it was in response to Midnight’s words, or something else. She had recalled with vivid clarity - and no small degree of shame - the night she dreamt of trying to strangle the life out of her mentor. The memory made her shiver.
Still, there was no refusing a summon from the princess. Especially not when you were on parole, Midnight was so keen to remind her.
And so it was that, as the sun was setting on their last full day in Canterlot, Twilight and Rainbow took off for the castle. Everypony else remained behind at Twilight’s parents’ place, leaving the two mares free to spread their wings and fly to their destination.
Twilight closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as they soared through the heavens. The cool night air did wonders to awaken her senses, and she took the chance to remind herself of all the proper etiquette for dealing with royalty.
Twilight glanced over at Rainbow. The Pegasus was giving her a sidelong glance, lips quirked up into a smirk. “You nervous or somethin'?” she called over.
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Heh. A little, maybe. I haven’t sat down in the castle in what feels like forever,” she replied, training her eyes ahead at Canterlot Castle. It still felt so large and imposing to her. Like a judge overseeing his court, gavel primed to slam down and administer justice.
Rainbow drifted closer to her side. “I gotcha. But hey, it’s mom. What’s the worst she can do?” she asked casually.
“Do you really want me to answer that?”
“Not particularly, no.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. She would have bumped Rainbow’s hip had they not been in the air right now.
The two didn’t say anything else for the remainder of their flight. Soon enough, they swooped down, coming to a landing in front of one of the many entrances to the castle. The two guards stationed in front briefly stiffened, then relaxed on recognizing Rainbow.
“Your Highness. We were told to expect you,” one of them said with a curt nod. “Do you require an escort?”
Rainbow shook her head. “Nah. At ease, boys. I got this.”
To their credit, the guards weren’t phased by Rainbow’s casual tone. They went right back to standing as still as a statue. Twilight always wondered how they did that for so long. Wouldn’t their legs get stiff?
She would ask Squall about it sometime.
Rainbow took the lead as the two entered the castle. But as they walked, Twilight’s pace slowed somewhat as she was hit by a wave of nostalgia. For a moment, she allowed herself to be lost in simpler times. When she was just a foal, messing around with Rainbow Dash in these long, elegant castle corridors. A time when everything was simple, and made sense, and neither of them had a coma tally next to their name.
The pair soon found themselves before the large double doors that led to one of the castle's numerous dining halls. Rainbow turned to Twilight, looking her up and down with narrowed eyes.
Twilight frowned. “What? What is it? Is there something on my face?” she asked, looking down at herself.
A moment later, Rainbow grinned. “Nah. Just making sure you look good,” she said before flashing Twilight a wink. “Which you always do.”
Twilight snorted in amusement. “Pfft. Charmer.”
“S’what I do.”
Twilight snickered. This time, she did bump her hip against Rainbow’s. She then turned her attention back to the door and, with only a moment of hesitation, knocked three times.
The voice of Princess Celestia came from the other side, warm and welcoming. “Enter.”
Twilight pushed the door open. All at once, her senses were assaulted with the telltale and familiar scent of the castle staff’s cooking. Twilight’s mouth was already watering long before she could even see the freshly prepared spread. The dining table in the heart of the room was loaded with a miniature banquet, more than enough for four ponies to absolutely stuff themselves. Mashed potatoes, rich salads, platters of fruits and vegetables, and even a scattered assortment of little cakes, cookies, bagels, and muffins.
It was all near the left half of the table. And there, at the end, seated side by side and waiting, were none other than Princesses Celestia and Luna.
Celestia stood as Twilight and Rainbow entered. Her face was warm with a gentle smile. “Twilight. Rainbow. Thank you for joining us,” she said as a way of greeting. She gave a polite nod of her head. “Please, take a seat.”
Twilight felt a lump form in her throat and a tingle of fire in the back of her scalp. She ignored both feelings and bowed her head. “Thank you for having us,” she said stiffly. A moment later, she righted her posture and gave a small smile. “It’s good to see you again, Princess.”
Celestia’s smile grew. She stepped approached Twilight and knelt down to wrap the smaller alicorn in a warm embrace. “And you as well, Twilight. How has your visit to Canterlot been treating you?”
Twilight was momentarily taken aback by the embrace, her eyes flying wide. A moment passed before she reached up to return the hug. But something stopped her.
“Don’t you dare.” Midnight seethed, apparating behind Celestia. “Don’t you dare give her the satisfaction.”
Twilight went stiff, the muscles in her hooves locking up. She realized with a surge of indignation and frustration what was happening. “Midnight. Let me go.”
Midnight stomped her hoof, her eyes flaring. “I will not sit here and let you indulge this harpy!” she shouted. “It is bad enough you came to this farce of a meal, I will not let you sully our dignity further by catering to her pretentious act of ‘compassion’!”
Twilight felt a surge of frustration but was quick to force it down. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Celestia slowly pulled out of the embrace, looking down at Twilight in confusion. “Is something wrong, Twilight?” she asked.
Twilight hesitated. She glanced past Celestia to where Midnight still stood. Her shadow’s glare was directed squarely at the taller mare. Twilight sagged. “Sorry… A certain somepony’s being an absolute killjoy.” she stated.
Celestia blinked. Rainbow, however, seemed to catch on. She followed Twilight’s line of sight before glaring at what, to her, would have been empty space. “Hey! Buzz off, Midnight!”
Luna sat upright, her expression hardening. Celestia paused, then closed her eyes. “I see,” was all she said before her smile returned. “You don’t need to explain it to me, Twilight. I understand.”
Twilight turned to her, confused. “Huh? But-”
Celestia raised a hoof, and Twilight’s words died in her throat. Celestia just smiled at her. She shook her head, the motion so subtle it was almost imperceptible. Without another word, she nodded for the table before turning to return to her seat.
Twilight watched as her mentor phased through Midnight. The apparition scowled at her as she passed, then turned back to Twilight. When she spoke, her words came in a low, savage snarl. “I will suffer only so much indignity. And don’t even think of being dishonest today. I won’t tolerate lies. Not at this table.”
With that, Midnight turned and walked to the far side of the table. There was no food there. No light save for that streaming in through the windows. And yet she stood out in Twilight’s vision perfectly as she took a seat directly across from Celestia. Her eyes remained glued onto the taller alicorn, narrowed with a hatred that made Twilight flinch away from her.
She felt Rainbow’s hoof on her back. “You okay?” she pegasus asked in a whisper.
Twilight nodded. “Yeah. I think so,” she said quietly. “But Midnight’s watching. I don’t think I can get rid of her this time.”
Rainbow shrugged. “Then we ignore her and talk over her. Easy,” she said. She gave Twilight a quick side hug, then guided her to the table.
Twilight hummed, allowing herself to be guided to her seat. She knew that it wouldn’t be that simple, but nonetheless, she appreciated the display of confidence.
Rainbow’s eyes fell on the spread of food as she sat down. For the first time, she seemed to realize how much food there was on display. “Oh! Holy cow, mom! Are you trying to make me fat?” she asked with a coy grin.
Celestia tittered. “Come now, Rainbow. I wouldn’t be able to put a pound on you if I tried,” she said in amusement.
Rainbow’s grin grew. “Ya know what? Challenge accepted.”
Celestia’s smile faded. “Wait, no, I wasn’t-”
Too late. Rainbow was already digging into the plate directly in front of her. Pasta and potato sandwiches. Of course.
Celestia sighed in defeat, then gave a defeated smile. “Of course… Just don’t choke, please.”
Rainbow declared something with confidence, but the words were lost in the chewed-up mush.
Celestia rolled her eyes, then turned to Twilight. “Well… My daughter’s refined table manners aside, it is good to see you again, Twilight. Please, eat, relax, and enjoy yourself.”
Twilight was quiet for a moment, quickly picking out a plate of hayburgers. “Thank you, Princess.”
Celestia nodded. “It is my pleasure. That said, you didn’t answer my question a moment ago. How has your return to Canterlot been?”
“Chaotic,” Twilight answered automatically. “Very, very chaotic. And more than a little eye-opening.”
Celestia quirked a brow. “Is that so? Then, please. Tell me everything.”
Twilight looked back up at her. “You mean you don’t know? I would have thought Luna would be keeping you up to speed,” she noted, giving the younger sister a questioning look.
Luna shook her head. “What we discuss in your dreams is to remain between you and I, Twilight Sparkle. Nopony hears of it without your permission. Not even my sister.”
Twilight was taken aback by that. For some reason, she had assumed that Celestia might have been an exception to that rule. “Oh…” she muttered, twirling her fork in the air with her magic as she went into thought. “Alright… Well, in that case…”
Twilight took a breath, then launched into the story. She started off slowly, a touch unsure. Her scalp still tingled every time she laid her eyes on Celestia. But the good food and the encouraging nods from Rainbow and Luna soon got Twilight into the swing of things. Bit by bit, she recounted the tale of her encounters with Moondancer.
Luna chimed in from time to time with her own observations, usually providing some limited perspective that Twilight did not have. All the while, Celestia listened with rapt attention, her eyes focused on Twilight, hard to read as ever.
When at last the story came to an end, Celestia’s expression had lowered. “I see,” she said softly. “I am glad that you and Moondancer were able to bury the hatchet. It sounds like it was quite the ordeal.”
Twilight nodded, looking down at her meal. She frowned, her appetite faltering in the wake of the story. “It was. I’m just glad everything worked out…”
A moment passed before Celestia lifted her head, her smile returning. “It did. In no small part due to you. You did well, Twilight. And, if I may say so, you look… lighter.”
“Lighter?”
Celestia’s smile grew. “When last we spoke, you were still under so much strain. You were weighed down. And not without reason. But much of that seems to have lifted… This return visit has been good for you in some ways, I feel.”
Twilight leaned back in her seat, surprised. “Is it really that obvious?”
Celestia hummed quietly, taking a small sip from her glass. Her eyes drifted up and down Twilight’s form for a moment before she spoke again. “No. Not obvious. But the signs are there, to one who knows to look.”
Twilight smiled softly, looking down at her food. “Well… thank you, Princess. It means a lot to me, to hear that from you.”
“I have had enough.”
Twilight jumped in place, startled by the sudden remark. She turned to Midnight as the apparition shot to her hooves, her eyes narrowed and teeth showing in a vicious snarl.
“I told you. I would only suffer so much indignation, and I would not tolerate lies!” she snapped, her wings flaring out in a dominating display. Twilight felt a thrill of fear on seeing the saber-like tips of her devil’s feathers.
Despite her anxiety, she was quick to compose herself. “What indignity? Celestia just complimented me, for crying out loud!”
Twilight blinked involuntarily. When her eyes opened, she almost let out a scream and flailed back in her seat. Midnight was in her face, pale wisps of ghostly magic bleeding out of her eyes and lashing at the air like a flag in a storm. “She said you were recovering. But she has failed to take responsibility for her role in putting you in this position in the first place!”
Twilight winced as a sharp, stabbing pain exploded through her skull, throbbing with every beat of her heart. Try as she might, she was unable to bite back a hiss of discomfort, and her hoof flew up to her temple.
Celestia frowned, leaning forward. “Twilight? What’s wrong?” she asked, setting down her silverware and standing up.
Rainbow was quick to catch on, her brow furrowing. “It’s Midnight, isn’t it?” she asked.
Twilight gave a stiff nod but wasn’t able to look away. Midnight’s glare had her transfixed.
“Celestia puts on a good show,” Midnight went on, turning her hateful glare on the alicorn in question. Even just looking at her sent Midnight’s eyes narrowing with disgust, and her pupils dilating with violent intent. “Pretending to be concerned for your wellbeing. She waxes poetic about your mental health. But you and I both know the truth, don’t we?”
Twilight’s eyes were glued to Midnight as her darker half stalked up to Celestia, fangs bared. Celestia, oblivious to the advance, just looked at Twilight in concern.
Midnight spat at her, though it passed harmlessly through her. “The moment - the second you stop pretending and show her what you really feel - what you really want - is the moment she’ll drop the act and cast you aside. Just like she did with her sister.”
“Don’t talk about her like that!” Twilight snapped out loud, unable to keep her response internalized.
“Twi?” Rainbow asked, alarmed. Her grip on Twilight tightened, but through the storm of pain in her skull and the pounding of her heart, Twilight could barely feel it.
Midnight threw her head back with a scathing laugh. “Hahaha! Oh, come on. Aren’t you the one who only recently learned to tell the truth? Why deny it, now?”
Celestia’s expression hardened. She looked to where Twilight was looking. Her expression slowly hardened as she stepped fully away from the table and slid her seat back into position. The message was clear. Dinner was over.
Rainbow shook Twilight gently. “Twi? Twi! C’mon Twilight, snap out of it! What’s she saying? Twilight!”
Midnight’s eyes flicked to glare at Twilight, but she said nothing. Twilight remained silent, a wave of uncertainty and fear taking a hold of her thoughts. She didn’t want to speak about the hateful things Midnight kept emphasizing about the pony she held in such high regard. She didn’t want to offend or antagonize Celestia or give her the wrong idea about where she was at. But at the same time…
Her mind wandered back to the last time she had held her tongue back in the Library. Until a gentle word from Applejack and the encouragement of her friends compelled her to speak the truth. Midnight was right. Celestia had a right to know. She had a right to defend herself against Midnight’s accusations directly. And so, with a deep breath, Twilight spoke.
“Midnight hates you. She hates you so much. F-for all the times you’ve lied, or hidden things from me. And…”
She trailed off as Celestia lifted her hoof in command for silence. All eyes were on her for several seconds, waiting for her to say something. Twilight fidgeted in her seat, only calmed by the presence of Rainbow’s hoof on her withers.
Finally, Celestia opened her eyes. “Stop, Twilight. If Midnight has words for me, then I would hear them from her lips.”
Twilight blinked. “Wha… huh?”
Midnight took a step back, and for the first time since Twilight had seen her, she looked uncomfortable. “You wouldn’t,” she seethed, her wings unfurling even wider.
Luna gave Celestia a sideways glance. “Sister, are you certain?” she asked.
Celestia nodded. Her eyes never left Twilight’s. “I am. Twilight? May I have your permission to do this?” she asked as she drew around the table. Her steps were short and measured, her eyes the definition of gentle, motherly compassion.
Twilight was quiet for several long seconds. Was that even possible? It was possible to enter into the minds of others, of course, she had done it and been on the receiving end of it, thanks to Celestia’s efforts to revive her. But could it be used to confront her own inner demon? If so…
Midnight silenced her train of thought with a furious shout. “No! No, you cannot! You do not have the right! This is my mind! It has suffered enough, and I will not let you tarnish it any further!” she roared, stomping her hoof. “You are NOT welcome!”
Another spike of pain went through Twilight’s skull, this one stronger than all the others. She felt a sudden rush of Midnight’s anger spilling into her veins, burning in her chest and her throat. She realized with a choking sound that it was the urge to scream.
“I… I d-don’t,” Twilight stammered. Her mind was screaming at her, torn in two separate directions and searing from the conflict. She screwed her eyes shut to try and focus and drown it all out, but it was no good. The fire in her mind, the rage she could feel pulsating from Midnight in rolling, chaotic waves killed any chance to be rational. Did she or didn’t she? She wanted to trust Celestia, she adored her. But she hated her, but she loved her, but she…
Rainbow’s hoof on her back wrapped farther around her. “Twi…? Isn’t it worth a shot?”
Twilight managed to open an eye, looking up into her lover’s face. “Rainbow?”
Rainbow gave her a small, tentative smile. Amid the storm of Midnight’s fury, and the tumult of Twilight’s own confused thoughts, she was able to find a moment of stability in that look. Rainbow leaned forward slightly, offering Twilight an encouraging nuzzle.“Maybe she can help you. Like you and Starlight helped me.”
Twilight swallowed heavily, but a moment later, she began to relax.
“I know you’re going to tell me no, but… I can do it.”
“What?” Rainbow asked, tightening her hold on Twilight.
Starlight flinched but was quick to elaborate. “Breaking Discord’s spell. I can do it. I… know more than I probably should about mind spells… I know you don’t trust me, Princess Rainbow Dash, and to be honest, there are a lot of problems with me. But I also know that you’re a good pony. And if I didn’t try to help you, I’d be falling into the same deadly pit I barely managed to dodge when I was just a filly. And that’s not to mention that… I… don’t have the same bias toward you that Twilight does. She won’t willingly cause you any pain because she loves you… but I don’t.”
Rainbow bared her teeth at Starlight for a moment, and Twilight felt certain she was about to snap at her. But then Rainbow closed her eyes, took a breath, and turned to face her. For a moment, the two were quiet, searching each other’s gazes for something to go off of.
Then, Rainbow asked her a simple question: “Do you trust her?”
“Huh?”
“Do you trust her?” Rainbow repeated, her grip getting tighter. “Yes or no, do you trust Starlight with this?”
Twilight was quiet for a moment, working her jaw up and down. A moment later, she nodded.
Rainbow slowly shifted to look at Starlight. “Alright… fine. If Twilight trusts you, then… Then that will have to be good enough for me. I trust Twilight not to lead me astray.”
Twilight actually managed to put on a small smile at the memory. “Heh… guess it’s my turn to trust her not to lead me astray, huh?” she thought.
Midnight turned to her, eyes wide with what looked like panic. “No! No! Don’t you DARE!”
Twilight, finally, managed to break through the storm in her mind and looked up at Celestia. The alicorn was still waiting for her, her eyes patient and her smile serene. Twilight nodded. “Do it.”
Celestia nodded gently, closed her eyes, and lit her horn with the gentle glow of her magic.
In the background of her awareness, Twilight could see and hear Midnight screaming and thrashing with impetuous rage, like an infant throwing a temper tantrum. But all of that was of no consequence when compared to Celestia’s serene face, and the sunlight that washed over her senses.
Twilight gasped in surprise as she opened her eyes. She wasn’t in the dining hall of Canterlot Castle anymore. Instead, she was standing in the middle of an expansive void of purple and pink mist. All around her, enormous leatherbound books drifted through the void, tethered to one another by long red ribbons. Most of the books were closed, but in those few that were open, she could see penciled-in illustrations of moments she remembered from her life.
She saw the day she first met Fluttershy in one such book, with paragraphs upon paragraphs written alongside it that described what she had felt and thought of the day. It was written in a cipher, but the meaning was perfectly clear to her eyes.
She knew this place. She felt a chill of discomfort, recalling the first memory she had lived with for so long after Celestia revived her, and of the blackened hoof that threatened to drag her beyond the threshold of death’s front door.
“I had hoped to never have to come here again,” Celestia’s voice suddenly said from Twilight’s right. Turning, she witnessed the alicorn stepping into her mind in a pale shimmer, followed closely by Princess Luna. Twilight tilted her head at the latter.
Luna gave her a nod. “You’ll forgive me for tagging along, but as you are my patient, I felt it only prudent to ensure my sister did not overstep her boundaries.”
Twilight wordlessly conceded the point with a nod before turning to look around. If Celestia was right, then somewhere in here, they would find…
“How dare you?”
A freezing wind washed over Twilight, making her shiver. Up ahead, a darkened tome, leaking ghostly mist, drifted out of the masses. The ribbons reaching from its spine were dark purple, eroded and tattered. The book snapped open, allowing pitch-black mist to pour out of its pages in a horrid gale. Twilight held her ground, as did the alicorns beside her, as the mist washed past them, redirected by some unseen barrier.
Within the shadows, Twilight saw Midnight’s ghostly eyes snap open. The mist dispersed, revealing the Fallen Alicorn in all her horrible glory. Her face contorted with unspeakable fury.
“How dare you?! This is our mind!” she bellowed. “Get out! GET OUT! You are not welcome here!”
Celestia did not flinch from the smaller alicorn’s tone. As Twilight turned to look into Celestia’s face, she expected to find loathing or contempt, or even just stalwart resolve. Instead, however, all she found was… pity?
“I do not make such an intrusion lightly. I can only hope she’ll forgive me for this liberty. But this has to be done, and I cannot allow you to poison my student’s mind with any more unneeded doubts.”
Midnight’s eye began to twitch. “Doubt? Doubt? You dare accuse me of sowing the seeds of doubt when it is you who violated the sanctity of my mind?! Oh, the nerve of you, Princess! But tell me this! Why, oh why, should I trust you?! At every turn, you have lied to me, hidden things from me, and used me like a tool to further your own ends!”
With every word, Midnight advanced, and her voice raised. “You knew the truth of the Flashes for years, and you lied to Rainbow and me! Even when I fell into a coma and saw your intentions for me, you still hid the truth from us! You lied, and it hurt us! It hurt your own daughter! You lied to me about Nightmare Moon, and threw me head-first into a situation I could never have been prepared for. I only managed to pull through because I got lucky and stumbled on the truth in some dusty history book!”
She was right up to Celestia by now, jabbing her hoof into Celestia’s face. “And then, and then, when I died, and you brought me back, did you tell me what had happened to me? NO! You were complicit in the lie of omission, just like your daughter! Just like everyone else! You were supposed to be BETTER than the rest of us, but you’re just as guilty as they are! And when I dared to find the truth out for myself because you were so determined to keep it from me, what did you do?! WHAT DID YOU DO?!”
Celestia didn’t even flinch as Midnight’s tirade went on. She just stared patiently into the outraged alicorn’s eyes. And the raw, unbridled indignation Midnight felt went beyond words. She ground her teeth together behind her lips. How dare Celestia treat her like this?! Starting at her like a foal throwing a tantrum, dodging all accountability! How dare she?!
Midnight jabbed her hoof into Celestia’s chest, so hard it may as well have been a punch. “YOU CAST ME ASIDE!” she screamed, her vision starting to blur with tears. “You left me there in that cave, and didn’t even raise your voice in objection when Luna banished me! You knew perfectly well what was going to happen to me because of your negligence, but you didn’t say a word! YOU ABANDONED ME!”
She was wiping a hoof over her eyes, now. And then she was hitting her again, every screaming accusation punctuated by her hooves slamming fruitlessly into Celestia’s chest. “I adore you! I’ve looked up to you my entire life, and you repay that with lies and manipulation! You say you care about me?! Then why don’t you ever SHOW it?! I’ll tell you why! Because you DON’T! I’m just another pawn on the board, aren’t I?! Another piece to move! And manipulate! And when my purpose is served, you’ll throw me away! If I dare to speak out or act in a way you don’t want, you’ll crush me underhoof! Just like you did with your SISTER!”
The moment those last words left Midnight’s mouth, she regretted them. Celestia’s expression darkened into something cold and ruthless, and she knew she had just crossed a line. Midnight stopped striking the taller mare, dropped back to the ground, and took several frightened steps back, suddenly feeling like an ant before a lion.
Celestia matched her retreat, eyes narrowing. “I would strongly encourage you to choose your next words with exceptional care, Twilight.”
For a moment, Midnight felt a surge of vindication. She put on a smirk, though her bravado was hindered by the quiver in her voice. “H-ha! See? I spill my heart, and you answer with a threat!”
Celestia was quiet for a moment. “...Is that truly what you think of me?” she asked softly.
Midnight blinked. “What? What are you-”
“Do you truly think so little of me that you believe I could ever threaten you, Twilight?” the alicorn cut her off. Midnight clamped her muzzle shut, humiliated by how swiftly she fell back into the position of the quiet, lectured foal.
Celestia lifted her eyes to stare into hers. “I am trying to stop you from saying something you can’t take back,” she said quietly. “Because some things… some thoughts… are best left unsaid.”
“You’re one to talk!” Midnight snapped. “Did you forget all the things you keep hiding from me?! And not just from me, but all of Equestria?!”
“I lie. It is true,” Celestia stated in a calm, even tone. “But not because I want to. I do so because I have to. And only when I have to. I have hidden things from the most important ponies in my life. But only to keep them safe. Never out of malice.”
Midnight backed away, and once again, Celestia matched her retreat step for step.
“I hid the Flashes from you because, as I said back then, I could not risk tampering with the course of history. My sister needed to be freed. You needed to acquire the Elements. Direct interference could have led to ramifications that would be impossible to control or predict. And more than that, I refused to take away control of your own destiny. A little nudge here and there to keep you and Rainbow on the right path, but the steps you were to take were yours and yours alone to decide.”
Midnight opened her mouth to speak, but Celestia kept going. “I never once told you that Nightmare Moon was fake, Twilight. But I did not vindicate your claims about her imminent return because I knew you would have thought about the impending threat in the wrong way. You needed friends to connect with the Elements and save my sister. That is why I sent you and Rainbow to Ponyville, to begin with. If I sent you there with the stated goal of stopping Nightmare, your approach would have been born out of malice, a mindset of conflict and war, rather than the camaraderie you formed with your friends.
“As for your death…” Celestia stopped her advance. She blinked, looking away. “...In truth, I was afraid. Just as afraid as Rainbow was. You were… vulnerable. You were confused and susceptible to outside influences. It had been my intention to trust in my daughter’s judgment when it came to you, as her bond with you was far stronger than mine. Unfortunately, she miscalculated. And by extension, so did I. I can never take back the pain that has caused you. And for that, I am sorry.
“I cannot blame you for doubting me, Twilight. I have lied to you in the past. And I may very well lie again. But on this point, I am telling the complete and total truth,” she said before coming to a stop and sitting down on her haunches. Midnight felt her heart beating in her chest as she stared into Celestia’s deceitful, familiar, disgusting, beautiful eyes. “I am here to help you in any way I can. It is my duty as your teacher and as your princess, and I will never forsake it. No matter what you do, what you say, or how you feel, you will always be near and dear to my heart, and I could never bring myself to wish you harm. I will stop you if that is what I must do. But I wish with all of my heart that it will never come to that.”
Twilight blinked, suddenly overcome by a wave of disorientation. She staggered to one side before falling over into Luna’s waiting hooves. Her mind was spinning, a jumbled mix of confused emotions and conflicting thoughts. What just happened? It was like she had just woken from a dream…
She looked up to see Midnight and Celestia staring at one another. But… hadn’t she just been standing there…?
Finally, Midnight scoffed and turned her back on Celestia. “Just… just get out,” she finally muttered in a low, crooked voice before walking away. “You can pour as much honey on your words as you like. But it doesn't change anything.”
Celestia sighed, rising back to her full height and turning to rejoin the others. “We’re done here,” she said as she came up to Twilight. “Thank you for hearing me out.”
“I… I feel strange,” Twilight mumbled, rubbing her temple. “What happened? It was like…”
Luna gave her a squeeze. “It is difficult to lie within one's own mind,” she said quietly. “And as such, broken things may speak as one.”
Twilight was quiet for a moment, allowing the ramifications to wash over her. Suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of exhaustion, she closed her eyes as she was pulled out of her own soul and back into the waking world.
Twilight slowly opened her eyes as she came to. The light from Celestia’s horn dimmed and winked away with a whisper of a sound. It was the strangest thing. Celestia looked so much more tired than she had before. Midnight was nowhere to be seen.
Rainbow’s hoof was on Twilight a moment later. “Are you okay?” she asked softly. “How’d it go?”
Twilight didn’t say anything at first. She looked at Rainbow, then back to Celestia and Luna. The other alicorn’s exchanged a glance of their own before turning expectantly to her. She met Celestia’s eyes. And, there, deep in her heart, she felt something. It had been tempered by her frustration and previous experiences, but it was unmistakably the love and adoration for her princess she had always felt.
Finally, Twilight put on a small smile. And Celestia smiled back.