Cadence had barely gotten herself in order again before Celestia barged into the throne room.
“Auntie, already back? To what do I owe the pleasure?” she said, hoping she hadn’t overlooked any evidence of her mental breakdown.
If she figures this out, she will never let it go again.
“Don’t even try to pretend. I already heard about your mental-“
“You try to keep a calm head when you are being left in charge of what might have very well been the end of the world!” Cadence screamed. "When was the last time any interruption to the natural cycle happened?"
“About a thousand years ago, but that doesn’t matter.” Celestia gestured towards the throne. “That still doesn’t justify you failing our subjects.”
I didn’t fail anypony!
Celestia’s magic prevented her from opening her mouth to defend herself. “We are absolute monarchs. That not only means that we are in charge and have to always be there for our country no matter what but doing so is also one of our main justifications for our rule. Every success, as well as every failure, will directly be traced back to us. You should have been out there, showing presence! Show them that they can rely on you! Show them that you are there for them! That the situation is under control!
“Instead, you left doubts about our claim to power. Thanks to your failure, ponies may have lost confidence in us. They may now doubt if they can count on us as rulers to protect them. To be there for them. To put them above us.”
Then maybe you should have just left the sun up.
“This altercation today… I may have gotten out of it alive, yet there will be a day when that doesn't happen. As a fellow princess, you need to be ready for that day. If you feel you won’t be able to, you should consider stepping down.” Finally, Celestia allowed Cadence to speak.
You would like that, wouldn't you?
But she couldn’t ignore that Celestia’s words rang true. “Who will move the sun and moon when that happens? You never taught me how to do that!”
“I can't teach you… Even I am not powerful enough to move them on my own if it wasn't for the connection I have with them. Should I die, then you would need either a pony more powerful than we are or a pony who also has a connection with them. If you don’t have one, then you will have to assemble the unicorns again to move them like they did in the old days." Celestia walked towards the windows, her eyes wandering to where the moon would soon be. “Luckily, there will soon be another pony able to maintain the cycle. Maybe even two more."
Two more? Does she mean Twilight?
Princess Celestia turned towards the other ponies, who had watched the whole ordeal, visibly uncomfortable. “Tell the public that this was caused by a natural phenomenon found in the Badlands, shortly interfering with my magic. We have tracked down the cause and ensured it won't happen again. I want this story in every single publication by tomorrow, understood? Also, inform my ponies that I will publicly address them soon.”
All newspapers printing the same stories won’t be suspicious at all.
“As soon as you have done so, I want my guards back in the castle. I have found Twilight and Rainbow, and I want them guarded. They are my… guests, which means they have to be treated as such, but they are not allowed to leave the castle grounds. Consider it... as a form of house arrest."
More like prisoners, then.
“Now, I heard there have been problems with the military?” Celestia looked around the room.
The captain of her guard stepped forward. “Yes, when the sun disappeared, we tried contacting them but weren’t able to. Yet, as soon as it appeared again, all communication problems were miraculously gone. Worryingly, ESS and EBI reports indicate that by that time, a few army detachments had already started to make their way towards the major cities, including Canterlot.”
I really am that weak, am I?
An all-powerful, immortal being that is such a joke, even her own soldiers dare to turn against her, despite knowing I should easily be able to squash them.
“Then we can’t rely on them to help us. Inform them that I need all available forces at our borders in case any of our neighbouring nations get some ideas and that I want all high-ranking personnel in Canterlot for an emergency meeting. As soon as they have arrived, the ESS shall arrest them or hunt them down respectively. Should we discover that they indeed planned a coup, they will be dealt with accordingly.”
She claims that I am unfit to rule, but she doesn’t even allow me to get into a position where I would have the slightest chance to do so successfully.
“That also means that the guard will have to pick up the slack. Effective immediately, a state of emergency is in effect, with all it entails. I want the guard reserve to be activated. That should give you the necessary forces to keep things under control while also demonstrating to my subjects that we are actively taking measures. And remember, this is about appearance. Use the leeway I gave you to help my subjects. Make them feel safe, not frightened."
I never figured out the reason for that. Clearly, she isn’t worried that I will ever be able to oppose her.
Is it because of Luna? Is she worried I would steal Luna's position?
Or am I missing something?
"If you have nothing to add, you are dismissed." The ponies rushed out of the room to fulfil her orders.
Cadence and Celestia remained alone.
“You are really calling them “my subjects” right in front of me? You know what? Perhaps I am going to take you up on your offer. Perhaps I will step down.” The princess of love walked towards the doors as well.
Somewhere out there has to be a place where I am genuinely needed.
Celestia turned pale as a ghost. “You are going to do what! That’s not what I meant!”
***
Twilight used her magic to force all the doors open she encountered along her way.
Most of them were empty, yet a few of them did indeed contain castle staff.
The staff was, of course, surprised, having no time to react before Twilight moved on.
Most of them were simply left baffled by what they had seen. Yet, a few of them did indeed recognize the fillies, causing them to cry out for the guard or frantically run away to presumably alert them.
Still, until now, not a single one had shown up.
I wonder if the princess really is so bold that she doesn’t bother hiring any.
Then again, if that was the case, Twi wouldn't have encountered any during her second vision, and those workers wouldn't call out for guards.
Where are those bucking morons!
As if on cue, a few guards ran together with important-looking officials past them.
For a moment, one of the guards stopped, mustering them, a staring contest between him and Twilight ensuing.
Then to Rainbow's astonishment, he moved on as well.
I can't believe ponies have to pay taxes for them!
Twilight turned around, barging down the hallway the ponies had come from, reaching a set of fancy-looking doors and smashing them open.
They were greeted by princess Cadence and princess Celestia who immediately turned towards them.
Twi is smart! Surely she will realize that she should come up with an excuse and not stir up any of them!
“You!” Twilight menacingly closed the distance between herself and Cadence, who started walking backwards in response. “You lied to me! You used me! I trusted you! My family trusted you!”
Oh, Twi.
Pity formed on the pegasus face.
At least now I know what this is about.
“Twilight… what happened to you? Why are you covered in blood? What is-“
“Twilight, please. I already told you that I would address all your concerns.” Celestia looked at the furious filly with disappointment. "Right now, there is a government emergency that requires our-"
“I don’t care about your stupid emergency!” Twilight whirled a barrage of spells at the princesses.
Quickly Cadence fled behind the throne, earning her an eye roll from Celestia. The older princess simply cast a shield that protected both of them from Twilight's assault.
Next to Twilight, Rainbow stood motionless.
If the princess gets angry, then Twi will be done for.
Unless… she already hates me. Twi can get out of this!
I will just have to convince princess Celestia that this is solely my fault!
***
That’s what I deserve, isn’t it?
I should have never participated in this farce.
Cadence peeked from behind the huge throne.
Twilight was still whirling spell after spell at Celestia’s shield that didn’t even waver at the assault.
It didn’t deter the filly.
But there was another rainbow-coloured sight that caught Cadence's eye.
That must be who Twilight was looking for!
Despite her current situation, it filled Cadence with glee. It was just something that came with her being the princess of love.
Trying to verify her suspicion, she looked into both pony's emotions.
Aww. I can already see those two together! They would make such a cute couple!
To her relief, Rainbow, too, held feelings for Twilight.
It might not be love right now, but at least Twilight has a fighting chance.
She moved on to said filly, who was still trying her best to win an unwinnable fight.
The result shocked her to the core. Where previously there had been the same feelings Rainbow held, an innocent potential for love, love had now clearly formed.
It would still have been the innocent emotions of a small filly if it hadn’t been for the fact that deep down, small roots of dark and twisted emotions had formed. Pitch-black possessive emotions that Cadence had encountered before. And when she did, the results were never pretty.
That it was Twilight of all ponies who had started to develop these feelings troubled her deeply.
Calm down, Cadence! All you have to do is talk to her, and you should be more than able to fix this!
Well, that was if Twilight would give her a chance to do so. By now, the filly was standing on her last legs, still not bothering to stop.
More and more, said legs gave way until Twilight was lying on the ground, still shooting.
Then the spells stopped.
I can’t sense her emotions anymore!
Cadence darted from behind the throne towards Twilight.
But Celestia placed her wing in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. “Let her be. Maybe this will be a valuable lesson for her.”
A lesson?
“She isn’t-“
“She will be fine. Just give her a few moments.” Celestia placated her concerns.
And so, both of them watched as Rainbow frantically tried everything in her power to get Twilight to wake up again, whaling and cursing while also glancing at them with reproachful looks.
It broke Cadence's heart.
But what can I do? Not even Celestia can bring back the dead.
How could we have let her die like that? Why didn’t Celestia interfere?
Why isn’t she bothered?
Only because the shield was enhanced so that it wouldn’t let any sound through could Cadence stomach the scene at all.
How can she just look at that? Rainbow might have just lost the love of her life!
Suddenly Twilight's eyes flared open.
Instantly the filly received a slap from Rainbow, followed by a barrage of punches and presumably expletives.
“Is that the young love you always talk about?” Celestia asked a Cadence, that had trouble closing her mouth again.
She was dead! What is happening here?
It took some time, but finally, she was able to respond. “Aren’t we going to stop Rainbow?”
“Why would we? What is she going to do? Kill Twilight?” Celestia mused, seemingly enjoying the scene.
Yeah sure. That would be just her luck. Twilight and Rainbow separate without her having to do anything.
“I thought you had important government business to attend to?” Cadence tried again.
It did the trick. Celestia dispelled her barrier and separated Rainbow from Twilight.
Priorities.
“Dashie, I am sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you again! Please forgive me! I am begging you! I will do anything you want!” Twilight had practically resorted to howling, reminding the princesses more of a wounded animal. That Rainbow's assault might very well leave a few marks didn’t seem to bother her.
“You better believe I will take you up on that! And if you ever pull such a stunt again, I will remove that fancy horn of yours!” The previously mostly pristine-looking pegasus, too, now had blood all over her, a side effect of either throwing herself on Twilight or the punches she pulled.
Aww! She cares! Young couples are so cute!
Celestia didn’t share her enthusiasm. “If you even dare to touch her horn, I will try my luck and look for a new bearer! Is your featherbrain able to process that? Your death will be long and painful!”
For a moment, the room went silent, everypony looking at the red, rage-filled princess.
Why flip out like that because of what was obviously a joke?
To Celestia's dismay, it was the pony she once again had attempted to protect who voiced her disagreement first. "Bend a single one of her feathers, and you can go ahead and find two new bearers-”
“Twilight! She threatened to cut your-“
“And if she wants to do that, then that’s fine by me! Who are you to decide these things?” Twilight screamed at her, protectively grabbing Rainbow like she owned her.
That's Celestia for you. Everything always has to be about her. At least this time, she got the heat off of me in the process.
“If you think I will stand by while she hurts you, you are just plain wrong! We are talking about your horn, Twilight! If you let it get cut off, then it might very well be the end of the road for you!” Again, Celestia forcefully separated the two fillies.
“Get out of my life!” Twilight desperately cried out, longing for the pony she had been robbed of.
This is getting out of hoof!
Cadence looked over to her aunt. Twilight's words had caused Celestia to stop in her tracks, her face not portraying a single emotion.
Next thing she knew, her aunt violently pulled Twilight to herself, her horn lighting up with potent magic. Twilight's eyes rolled back.
“Twilight, no! Don’t hurt her! I did this to her! I convinced her to confront you after I woke up again! Take my memories instead!” Rainbow's words fell on deaf ears.
Memories?
Memories!
"Get off of her, you monster!" Twilight fell to the ground.
Wide-eyed princess Celestia stared at her niece.
Cadence had dared to attack her, a hole in the sun princess's wing providing evidence of the poorly targeted assault. It left the princess of love's mind blank, unable to compute what the body it controlled had done.
But her sudden act of aggression had done its job, causing Celestia to feel very uncomfortable. Despite what the other ponies in the room might have been thinking at the moment, she, in fact, didn't enjoy being in a room where everypony was against her.
"Princess Mi-" Celestia stopped. In the corner of her eyes, she could see the annoying pegasus attempting to flee the room with Twilight.
Having enough of the games played around her, the sun princess snapped, magic lashing out, pressing Rainbow and Cadence against the wall with all the might she could muster while not outright killing them.
When it disappeared, she and Twilight were already gone, thanks to a quick teleport.
I attacked her.
Still, Cadence had no time to think about the consequences she would have to face for that.
The moment she had pulled herself up again, Rainbow darted out of the room like a headless chicken.
“Wait for me! You don’t even know your way around!” The princess of love hurried after her.
***
“Go ahead, edit my memories. Just know that if I ever find out about it, I will not only personally render every single one of your stupid elements useless, but I will also dedicate my existence to making yours’s hell. And that is only if Rainbow is alive and unharmed when I regain them.” A mad grin of confidence had plastered itself on Twilight's face.
I have done it now, haven’t I?
In a couple of days, I turned all the remaining ponies I cared about against me, aside from Raven and Sneak.
That was still being generous, though, since she didn't actually care about Sneak. He was just the loyal pony she needed when things got dirty.
“This isn’t about Rainbow Dash.” Celestia let go of her. “It never was, nor will it ever be.”
“So, it’s about meee again!” The way Twilight emphasized the word me together with the still mad smile scared the troubled princess. If it had been any other pony, she would have immediately ordered them to receive a mental health evaluation. “It's always about meee! Meee! Meee! Meee!”
First Luna, now Twilight.
I should be the one up there.
“Yes, you. Why would I care about Rainbow Dash?” Celestia hoped to take some steam off Twilight. To get the filly back into a stable state of mind.
“Because of your precious siiister! The siiister you are willing to commit crimes against ponykind for!” Twilight resorted to rolling around the floor, pulling on her mane.
I would do the same for you.
I don’t want to lose either of you.
The princess used her magic to get Twilight on her hooves again while also stopping her from ruining her mane. "Yes. But if this was only about that, then I wouldn't have given a single buck about…” she stooped herself, trying again. “I would have just collected you back in the Forbidden Jungle without losing my cool. I would have never written that letter. I would-”
“You want me for yourself, don't you! An obedient tool! Control the next alicorn! Get that power for yourself.” The madness had disappeared. Twilight slumped down, cowering in front of the princess's feet. "You can have it," she whispered. "It can all be yours. Whatever you say, I will do. Just don’t take her away from me.”
All I wanted was for you to be happy.
I am sorry it took me so long to realize how wrong I had been going about it.
Celestia closed the distance between them, gently stroking the filly. “You truly love her, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Twilight admitted. “I know I can’t win against you. Please! Just allow me to live together with her! That’s all I need to be happy!” The purple unicorn had put Celestia's hoof aside to throw herself in front of her. “Please, don’t take away our memories! Don’t hurt her again! I won't snap at you again!”
Celestia was having none of it. She grabbed Twilight, sat her on her lap and continued the stroking while also enveloping her in a spell that finally got rid of the blood and injuries the filly was still covered in. “Why do you think I am against a potential relationship between you two?” she asked the now pristine-looking Twilight.
“I-“
It was a question the princess didn't need to hear an answer to. Not when she was well aware of why Twilight would believe such a thing. “I am old Twilight. Really old. I was born at a time when marriages were still being arranged. When foals not only didn't have a say in who they were going to marry but were also wed when they were still way too you. And although today that isn’t the case here anymore, there are still a good number of places out there operating with that system.” Celestia looked at Twilight, who did her best to pretend she wasn't enjoying the story.
She has the same look Luna always told me I had when somepony was giving me a fascinating lecture.
The thought filled the princess with happiness. “Twilight, two mares being in love… You have no idea what the punishment for that was during my time. It fills me with pride to say that today, you will not have to worry about that. Even if I am not that happy with your decision, you won't be killed for that. And for all my disagreements with Cadence, I will always be eternally grateful that she convinced me to finally go through with amending the equality bill.” Celestia sighed. "When you live as long as I do, you reach a point where the world changes so fast around you… Sometimes I just need time to… act on those changes. Time, my little ponies may not always have or are willing to give me.”
Twilight snuggled against her. “Then why?”
Celestia stared at her desk. “You are an alicorn Twilight. She isn’t.
“You are a princess. She is a commoner.
“You would have committed political suicide while also condemning yourself to a life of pain and suffering.”
“Would?” Twilight probed. Hope filled her.
It took me too long to realize, but you aren’t the problem.
“If you want to be together with Rainbow, then I will force every single government official, every single noble, every single one of our citizens, and if necessary, every single creature on this planet to accept that.” Princess Celestia assured the filly.
I was so devasted when they separated me from my first love.
How did I end up on the road to making the same mistake?
How did I end up choosing politics over Twilight?
“And you will transform her into an alicorn as well?” Twilight asked, big, pleading eyes staring at her.
Then again. It never was just about politics.
"I can't." The filly wanted to protest, but Celestia stopped her. “Not only do I not know how, but I also don’t think there is a way to do so. Alicorns are born. Those tales about ascension were made up by us along the way as further justification of our rule.”
“Why lie now? There has to be a way! Cadence ascended! I will as well!” Twilight argued.
This is our curse.
Forever alone.
“I suspect that there is an angle to Cadence's story we don't know about, she herself included.” Again she had to prevent Twilight from interrupting her. “Twilight, I simply can’t do what you are asking of me. If I could, I probably would have succumbed to the temptation at one point. Why do you think I crave my sister so deeply?” Celestia hugged her as tightly as she could. "Yes, there were political reasons, but they weren't the only ones. Like I said, I wanted to protect you from this.”
“Then I refuse to become an alicorn.” Fear had laced the young filly’s voice.
That would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Simply refuse. Let somepony else handle our responsibilities.
But it wasn’t how the world worked, nor were it the cards fate had dealt them, "Alicorns are born Twilight.” A golden wave engulfed the purple unicorn.
As if she already knew what had just happened, Twilight stood up and walked towards a mirror.
For a while, she just stared at her reflection. Or, more precisely, at the wings she could now see in it. “You may have given up, but I swear I will find a way to ascend her.” What was left unsaid were the consequences of failure.
You are smart. You may find a way.
Maybe, I could even force myself to look the other way if that happened.
And in the event you don't succeed, I will still be there for you.
“Do mom and dad know that I am an alicorn?” Twilight asked.
I can still back out! I don’t have to tell her everything! Things are going great as they are!
"Look at the desk." With those words, she had given Twilight the keys she needed to uncover her biggest secret.
Twilight went towards it, looking for what the princess meant. Opening drawers, a first clue appeared. It was a picture the princess knew all too well. A picture that shouldn’t exist.
I can’t believe that the only reason we took that image was so that I wouldn't forget what she looked like while also ensuring I would find her again in case she got lost.
Wide eyes examined it. The picture showed Twilight as a little newborn foal, with the princess holding her in her wings while lying in a hospital bed, not looking all that happy.
“This was after I applied the spell on you that hid your alicorn features. I have chosen the oldest ponies available and personally used the strongest memory-wiping spells known to ponykind before placing them as close to me as possible, enabling me to always keep an eye out for them. That I could pull all this off in secrecy was a true miracle,” Celestia explained.
And to be honest, I seriously considered liquidating all of the ponies involved.
Twilight put the picture away, continuing to rummage through the desk. The end result of her extensive search was a folder with her name on it, marked for Celestia’s eyes only.
Twilight opened it.
***
Incident Report No. 26-XXXX - Regarding Twilight N/A
Date: XX.XX.XXXX
Responsible Agency: Royal Guard – Solar Guard Division
Place of Incident: Royal Palace – Canterlot – Throne Room - Day Court
Priority: Low
Today on XX.XX.XXXX, an unknown unicorn mare, appeared during day court, carrying a foal with her (see picture attached), managing to slip through preliminary checks, providing what is currently assumed to be a false identity.
Upon being called on by the princess, she carefully approached the throne before throwing herself in front of it, begging Princess Celestia to take care of the little filly (see transcripts attached).
The mare claimed that she wouldn't be able to take care of the filly named Twilight since she had fallen ill with an incurable disease.
Against standard procedure, Princess Celestia took pity on the filly, deciding to take her in as a charge of the crown.
Once that decision had been announced, the mare quickly fled the courtroom. Respecting her wishes, Princess Celestia ordered the guard to allow her to escape. After the incident, court proceedings were disbanded for the day, and Twilight was quickly taken in by the princess.
Signed,
Sun Chaser
Captain of the Solar Guard
***
Twilight put the folder away again.
“This is the oldest official record about you that still exist. The mare in question was one of my ESS agents, who played her role perfectly,” Celestia explained the events that had been described. “By declaring you a charge of the crown, I made you desirable for the nobility. After that, finding a good family to take care of you became easy.”
Twilight trembled.
This must be hard for her to take in. I need to give her some time.
And I should be grateful that until now, she has taken everything far better than expected.
“You are lying.” Twilight grabbed the picture again, holding onto it for dear life.
Believing that the filly was in denial, the princess tried to reassure her. “Twilight, I-”
"You claim that you gave me away so I could live a normal life? Then why is it that in this picture, you don't look happy about my birth in the slightest? Why did I get born in the first place?” Twilight quickly elaborated. “We both know the answer, don’t we? Your letter said as much. You stated that my cutie mark proves that magic has chosen me like it once chose you. Is that why I am alive? Because you hoped that as your daughter, I would inherit your element? And then you gave me away because you couldn't actually be bothered to look after your tool, instead settling on collecting it when it was ready.” Tears streamed down her eyes, her gaze looking directly into Celestia’s soul. Then Twilight seemed to remember that she promised not the anger the princess anymore. "It's fine. I can live with that. Just don't try to pretend you care about me when you clearly just want my element,” she reassured Celestia.
It's not fine.
If only I could refute her words.
But Celestia couldn’t refute them. At least not without spinning a new web of lies, something she didn't want to do because even she had to admit that telling the truth for once was a relief.
I will have to find another way to make her forgive me.
“You are mostly right. For Centuries I tracked down potential bearers.” Celestia motioned for Twilight to sit down, indicating that another long story would follow. “For all of them, I regularly found potential candidates, with the exception of magic.
"Magic is the most crucial element, for reasons you will, unfortunately, have to figure out on your own. What mattered was that I simply couldn’t find a pony that could even remotely hope to get accepted by magic, and I was starting to get desperate. Luna's return came close, and I was going to face her with empty hooves.
"That was when I encountered what I thought was a lucky break. I noticed a young filly named Sunset Shimmer during one of the classes I gave. A filly who I thought had the potential to become a bearer." For a moment, Celestia's face wavered. The thought about what had become of Sunset Shimmer still filled her with regret.
Twilight just looked at the princess with a confused look, not understanding how that was relevant to her.
“I took her on as my personal student, and for a long-time, everything seemed to go great. She fully dedicated herself to her studies, always doing her best to please me.
“It was a façade. Too late did I discover that I had set Sunset on a path of destructive, selfish ambition.
“So, I did what I thought was best. I tried to knock that ego down a bit by revoking her position as my student, hoping it would lead to her remembering the pony she once was...”
Sunset saw herself as an alicorn.
She wasn’t born an alicorn.
Wouldn’t that mean…
“Princess? What happened to her?” Twilight asked, once again captivated by the insight she was receiving.
"She attacked the guards escorting her out of the castle, using an ancient magical artefact to flee into another world. For months I waited for her to come back.
“She… never did.” That had been ten years ago. Ten years where she had been fully ready to forgive her former student, just waiting for the day she would reappear.
And if I am not careful now, I will lose Twilight as well.
“When I realized that the best chance I had for a bearer of magic was gone, I freaked out.” Celestia shifted around, visibly uncomfortable with what she was going to say next. “I don’t actually know how the elements choose their bearer. I can just sense the strength of the connection a pony has with them. Still, like I said, I was desperate, which led to me coming up with a plan that I must admit shouldn't have worked.”
I just realized you told Rainbow that you changed the future, so I can't really be certain that everything is going to work out.
I will have to stay vigilant. The future won't save itself.
“If there was no viable candidate for magic, then I was forced to create one. Alas, the elements are tricky. They choose the bearers and probably won’t settle for a mindless drone I made. Also, unlike you, I never succeeded in creating life, meaning I would have to settle for… more conventual means.
"That is what I did. And thanks to you ending up as an alicorn, I was able to give magic a powerful pony. Yet, that alone wouldn't be enough. I also had to ensure that you would be interested, as well as skilled in magic, while also growing up to value… the values magic represents.
“For a while, I wasn't sure if it had worked. Yes, I could sense a weak connection with magic on you, meaning that you might be able to become a bearer, though uncertainty still filled me.
"That is why I was all the more astonished when in the end, magic not only granted you its mark but also directly connected you with the other bearers. It must have great faith in you.” The princess flashed Twilight an encouraging smile.
Although now that I think about it, it's awfully convenient that you started to receive your visions at the same time.
The story hadn't helped at all to better her image. “That answers why you did what you did, which I suppose I can understand if Luna is really such a huge threat while also being a pony you care about so much. What it fails to justify is why you choose to go about it in this heartless way.”
Oh, Twilight.
“You are a disgrace.” Celestia shocked the little filly. “You are not only evidence of my failure but also evidence that I broke my vow to the empress.”
“Disgrace… empress…” Twilight sobbed. The words had hurt deeply.
That’s what I thought about you.
Maybe I should be the one to receive a mental health evaluation.
"Yes. Part of it was that, at the time, I had indeed thought about you as a mere tool. Also, you have to realize that for a good time, I didn't even know if you would become an alicorn, meaning I was careful not to get attached. Last but not least, I was afraid that growing up in the palace would be bad for you. Worst case, you would end up like Sunset.
But all of that wouldn’t have stopped me.
“I like to say I would still have tried, even if it was out of pride alone. Unfortunately, I let my worries and a false sense of loyalty get the better of me.
“Twilight, what do you think happened to the other alicorns? Where did the first one stem from?” Celestia asked her.
"…" At first, Twilight stayed quiet, still deeply hurt about the insults she had received. "I don’t know. I always thought you ascended. I always thought you earned your position.”
I suppose the fact that power alone doesn't qualify one was the reason why we spun those tales in the first place.
“I wish that was the case, but sadly it isn’t. Think about it. Alicorns are immortal. If you could ascend into one, there would be a point where our ecosystem would collapse,” Celestia chastised her.
In response, Twilight just pointed at herself as if the princess was stupid.
That’s the whole point.
“I know Twilight. I will get to that.
“When I was young, I was told that the ancients created the first alicorns as test subjects. Apparently, they wanted to enhance themselves, as well as obtain magic for themselves. Probably immortality, too, while they were at it. In doing so, they set themselves on the path of extinction. One group of test subjects that took on the name alicorns was far more powerful than they anticipated. One of them broke out of containment, freeing the other subjects." The princess halted, making sure she had Twilight's attention. “If you take one thing away from my tale, then let it be that you should never meddle with things beyond your understanding and respect nature. The ancients, they had been on a brutal warpath with it, but now nature was able to strike back. The day those test subjects broke out was when the world of the ancients began to change.
"At first, nopony noticed. Presumably, the ones responsible never told anypony about what had happened at their research facility while still covertly hunting for our ancestors. But soon, their focus shifted. Pandora's box had been opened. Day by day, our ancestors could feel magic getting stronger until even those without a horn could use it. Potion magic, rune magic, every day, new forms sprung up. It was like magic had been waiting for the day it was freed.
"Unlike our ancestors, the ancients weren't able to sense the new force that was taking hold of their universe, but they could see the results. With magic roaming free, the world quickly changed to the ancient's disadvantage. The sensitive equipment they relied upon for everyday usage stopped working in droves. Entire climate zones and landscapes changed overnight, causing mass panic. For them, it was like the laws of nature were gone, never to return to how they knew them again.
“Yet, worst of all for them, the intelligence and magic our ancestors had been gifted with sprung over to all other living beings. The animals and plants surrounding them, having suffered so much under their rule, were now able to defend themselves. Sometimes even pets or plants they had willingly taken in lashed out. As you are aware, with the Everfree Forest, even a harmless-looking flower can be dangerous, as the ancients soon, too, discovered.
“Needless to say, their vulnerable societies quickly collapsed, but it wasn’t enough. The creatures they had hurt so much came to an understanding that the ancients were too much of a threat. What followed was a bloody pony hunt until not a single one of them was left. To this day, we are technically obligated to kill them on sight should we ever encounter one, by the pacts our ancestors made.
“The ancients weren’t willing to let themselves get killed, though and while a single alicorn could theoretically raze entire countries to the ground, the ancients were extremely smart. They may have been the only ones who were never able to take advantage of magic in the slightest, yet they used the creations their brains came up with to their advantage. It caused the vicious war for the planet to take many decades to conclude. In it, we alicorns emerged as the protectors of creaturekind. The ancients may have fought brutally to suppress us, but by the end, it had been no use. Once, they had the entire planet under their control. These days no evidence of their existence is left.
“What do you think happened next?” Celestia probed.
For all my failures, it is good to know that I can proudly state that my little ponies can walk the streets freely without having to worry about pain, death, or war.
“I suppose our ancestors would have to form a new civilization,” Twilight mused.
"You are correct. And in that new world order, the alicorns took charge. They helped rebuild. They looked out for their fellow companions. And eventually, they split up, each choosing races they would protect, with the most powerful alicorn becoming the de facto ruler of the planet. That dear Twilight was the empress.
Compared to her, Luna and I are nothing. Never trained in magic, born unusually weak.
"But things quickly became problematic. Against what our ancestors had imagined, they couldn't rebuild the advanced technology of the ancients, despite having magic, causing all of the knowledge to get lost quickly. Even worse, arguments came up fast about how the new world should look like.
“Most wanted to keep it simple, as to avoid straining the resources of mother nature again, but there were also those who disagreed.
"In the end, it was the empress who decided that we would live simply and that, for the most part, local rulers would get to set the rules since they knew better what their subjects needed.”
Her trust in them ruined it all, a mistake I won't make.
I will never allow a pony with the power to oppose me to remain unchecked.
"I frankly can't hold it against her, even if it led to disaster. At the time, she was busy figuring out how to control the celestial bodies. Previously they had moved on their own, but in what was believed to also be a side effect of the now widespread existence of magic, they had suddenly stopped.
“It took her some time, yet like always, she prevailed, mastering the art of moving them, and for a long time, peace and order roamed the lands.
“Tell me, Twilight. Do you see a problem with the brave new world our ancestors had created?” When she looked at the filly again, Celestia was surprised. Somehow Twilight had found a small notebook and writing utensils, apparently deciding that the tale was worth bringing down to paper.
I am going to hate myself for that.
To Twilight's dismay, her immaculate notes turned to ash. “You can’t write that down. I don't want our little ponies to know their past was this dark."
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,“ Twilight argued.
"Luckily, we remember history and are there for our little ponies to protect them from doing so," Celestia dismissed her concerns. "Now, do you have an answer for me?"
Remembering Celestia’s previous question, she answered. “I suppose it could become an issue when there are too many immortal beings on the planet.”
"You are not wrong, but that isn't what happened. It was more of a theoretical concern, the empress held, that would have eventually sprung up, yet never had a chance to do so.
"What happened, in reality, was that a fraction of alicorns emerged that held different values. They banded together and assembled the races they controlled.
“Their first attack failed. The empress survived, weakened. The country she lived in didn’t.“
I was so young when that happened.
“On that day, she had risen the sun for the last time, only barely managing to flee, with just two subjects remaining of her once great nation, the rest being either reduced to ash in the first attack or cut down afterwards." Celestia's eyes fixated on the purple fillies horn. "Remember Twilight, even alicorns can be killed if done right.
“The subjects she had left were two young fillies that had been brought to her for judgment, scheduled to be executed.”
She could have lived.
“Ironic, isn’t it? The scheduled execution saved their life since it allowed the empress to quickly teleport them with her." A tear had escaped Celestia's eyes despite her best efforts.
I was the one who helped her escape, despite it leading to Lunas and my arrest, condemning the only pony that ever managed to steal my heart to a gruesome death.
“You… But why? What did you do?” Twilight couldn’t believe her ears.
If I told you that, I would out myself as the biggest hypocrite in existence.
Which is why the princess moved on without clarification. “The conflict had forced all of us to choose sides. To the empress's horror, a good chunk of alicorns hadn't chosen hers, together with the races they led, despite her being the pony who initially freed them all.
“Needless to say, the subsequent centuries of our existence were ones with constant battling, an actual world war, aside from one area. The area the pony tribes lived in. The alicorns had declared it neutral territory so that the unicorns living in it could maintain the day and night cycle while they fought.
“It was a dark time, but luckily, I had my sister there with me, and the war also caused us to become quite close with the empress as well. As the last remaining subjects of her former country, she took a liking to us, pardoning us of our involvement in the resistance, starting to teach us about her ways of ruling.”
It should have been a warning sign to us.
"Wait just a second!" Twilight interrupted. "You were resistance fighters?"
Buck my life.
“Not really fighters. We just helped in some… public awareness campaigns while also using our connections to help them.”
Pain filled her head.
I shouldn’t think about these things.
“Look, Twilight, we were young and stupid. The empress was a benevolent leader, with us simply failing to realize that at the time.” Celestia saw that Twilight again opened her mouth to speak. “This isn’t what the story is about anyway! Do you want to hear it or not?” The filly may have still had questions but at least didn’t further voice them. “After centuries of fighting, the planet lay in ruins yet again. It was a shame since it had only just recovered from the previous conflict. Alas, only one continent even remained barely inhabitable, with both sides habituating one-half of it. It was then that the empress decided to end it.
“She assembled all the alicorns that were loyal to her, even the young ones deciding for one big attack that would finally turn the war in their favour, leaving only the foals behind, with Luna and me as their protectors.
“She never returned, a massive explosion in the distance indicating her fate.
"At the same time, a letter appeared in front of us. In it, the empress revealed that she had found a way to kill alicorns in mass. Deciding that for the good of creaturekind, she had to use it. The reason she left us alive was that she wasn't confident that the remaining creatures would recover and be able to live peacefully together on their own. She mandated that Luna and I were to become their new protectors. Once we had ensured that peace had returned to the planet, she allowed us to settle as long as we followed some basic rules.
“Obviously, we were to dedicate our lives to protecting nature and creaturekind, always maintaining the natural order and balance.
“We were also ordered to never let technology advance too much as to avoid the mistakes the ancients made.
“We were to ensure peace and harmony between the races preventing any wars from breaking out between them.
"But most importantly, we were forbidden from ever receiving children. With us, the alicorn race should have ended one day, hopefully with a planet whose inhabitants would be able to look out for themselves. Only that would have ensured that the world would never again be threatened by our power while also ensuring that the natural order would never be burdened by a race of immortal beings.
“That the empress trusted us with that was a major honour. Luna and I swore that we would never disappoint her.
"In the end, we both failed.
“That’s why I behaved the way I did with you. While Luna failed her when she fell victim to dark magic, I did so with you.
“I just hope you can forgive me one day. It took me too long to realize, but giving you away left my heart with an emptiness I previously only felt for… Luna. Despite what I previously said, you aren’t a disgrace. It was just a foolish thought I held at the time. I don’t regret having you and would do so again without any hesitation, even if it goes against the empress’s final wishes,” Celestia finished.
"The alicorn foals you and Luna were tasked to protect. What happened to them?” Twilight had a bad feeling.
Why do you have to be such an astute listener?
“The Empress had placed them into a protective barrier as well as a sleep spell. Shortly before the explosion happened, they disappeared into a teleportation field.
“I can only assume the worst,” the princess's face became dark.
But Twilight wasn’t finished with her uncomfortable line of questioning. “What about my father?”
Just close your eyes and get this done.
“I was afraid I would get to attached to him, so I destroyed all records while also erasing my own memories of him. I don't even know how I went about it anymore. All I know is that I chose your father based on criteria such as power, standing, connection to harmony, personality etc." The princess hadn't realized it, but she had indeed resorted to closing her eyes.
When she opened them again, Twilight stood right in front of her, handing her the picture. "I am sorry that your past has been this awful. Not everypony can be as lucky as I was, being gifted with a pony that opens their eyes.
"Regardless. I could have forgiven you for all of it because, in a way, I understand why you did it.” Twilight turned around, slowly making her way out of the room. “Like I said, when Luna returns, I will be there. Who knows, maybe I will even change my mind and become your student after all. Who else will teach me about alicorns? There is just one thing that will never happen. Never expect us to ever become a family. For that to happen, all you had to do was not give me away, and nothing will ever change that. Thanks to your actions, I now already have a family that is very dear to me." She turned around. "You will release them now that I have returned?"
I don’t want to.
Without any response, Twilight left the room.
And what you said isn’t true. She did open my eyes, a task even Luna failed at.
Celestia halted. Thinking back, it frankly made no sense how they went from burning hatred of the empress to endless worshipping.
I suppose along the way, we both just forgot our lessons.
***
I am Princess Celestia’s daughter.
I am a princess myself.
I am an alicorn.
Dashie isn’t.
I-
“Twi! Where are you?”
Dashie!
“Dashie, I am here!“ Twilight shouted while running in the direction of the voice.
“Twi!”
“Dashie!”
Both fillies threw themselves into each other's hooves as if they had been separated for decades.
“You have wings, Twi.” Rainbow pointed out.
I know.
“Did the princess turn you into an alicorn?” Rainbow tried again.
I wish.
“There… you… are.” Cadence turned the corner, completely out of breath. “How can somepony so young fly so fast?" she asked, still recovering.
"Hello, Cadence," Twilight spoke. The threatening tone from the throne room had returned. This time there would be no Celestia to intervene if things turned sour.
“Look, Twilight, I never wanted -“ Cadence halted, mouth hanging open. “- I… when… how…."
"Turns out I am princess Celestia's daughter. Didn't she tell you that when she asked you to spy on me?" Unknowingly Twilight rubbed salt in where it hurt most.
“She didn’t,” the princess of love confirmed, irked.
I hit right where it hurt.
Good.
Yet, she had this feeling that it was nothing compared to the next strike she would fire. “Oh, well. Now you know.” she shrugged. “I wonder what Shiny will say about all of this?”
"Twilight, don't do this! Please! I only did what I thought was necessary to protect this planet!" Sheer panic-filled Cadence.
That’s right.
I will hurt you all like you hurt me.
“Then we will just have to see if Shiny will think the same about this.” Twilight motioned for Rainbow to follow.
In the blink of an eye, Cadence stood in front of them. “Oh no, you don’t!”
Drats! It's the princess of love! Whatever shall I do?
Giggling escaped Twilight. “What are you going to do, Cadence? Kill me? I wonder what “mother” and Shiny would say about that?”
Twilight strolled past her, a worried Rainbow in tow.
“I know that she… I know I must have hurt you, but this isn’t the way! You know that! An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind!" Cadence again teleported in front of Twilight, kneeling before her. "Even if our friendship was fake initially, I quickly stopped pretending.”
…
She is right. Lashing out will not do anything for me. It will just create more misery.
“I know I should have told you what I knew sooner. I hope that one day you can forgive me for that,” genuine pleading eyes stared at Twilight. "The ends don't justify the means. I knew that yet still took part in all this."
Yes, yes. I get it. You want Shiny.
"I forgive you, Cadence. But just like I deserved to know, Shiny does too." Twilight tried to walk past her. However, Cadence's wing still held her back.
“What!” Twilight snapped.
“I need to talk to you about something else.” Cadence held firm. “Alone.”
Daring today, aren't we?
“Can’t it wait?” rolling eyes emphasized the question.
“It can’t,” the princess of love stressed.
“Fine! Dashie, could you please return to our room and look for Spike? I will come after you as soon as possible." Twilight gave her an apologetic look.
“Sure thing, Twi, if that’s what you want. Just be safe." The pegasus left, but not before giving Cadence a threatening look.
***
What have we done to you?
We are all just a bunch of monsters, aren’t we?
“Follow me, Twilight. We will need some privacy for this.” Cadence started to lead the filly towards her room, who followed her without acknowledgement.
Carefully, without alerting Twilight, she again activated her love magic.
As expected, the little filly’s heart was filled with pain and anger. Wounds that would take a long time to heal.
She might have claimed that she has forgiven me, but her heart says otherwise.
What she didn’t expect, though, was that the previously tiny roots of dark and twisted love had grown substantially in the short time Twilight had been gone.
What has she done to you?
Emergency intervention was needed.
Cadence opened her door, motioning for Twilight to come in.
I can still fix this. It’s not too late.
“Can you lie down on the bed for me?” Cadence pulled a chair next to it, sitting down, looking like a therapist.
"In case you haven't noticed, I am not in the mood for some stupid games!” Twilight angrily screamed.
I know, Twilight, but this cannot wait.
“Twilight, Rainbow might be in danger. I need you to work with me here.” It was a low blow, yet it seemed to do the job. Hesitantly, Twilight lay down.
“Ok, Twilight,” Cadence mustered the little filly, “Tell me, what do you feel for Rainbow?”
"Is that what this is about? Cadence, I know you are the princess of love, but can we please do this another time." Looking at her, Twilight quickly realized that Cadence, in fact, had no intentions of doing this some other time. "Celestia dammit! I love her, ok? Can I go now?"
At least she isn’t trying to lie to me.
“If Rainbow were to not return your feelings, what would-”
“Why wouldn’t she? Do you have a reason to believe that? Is there somepony else? Do-”
“Hypothetically, Twilight. And you know I don’t reveal other pony’s feelings.” Cadence chastised her.
This isn’t really encouraging.
Forcing herself to calm down, Twilight answered. “If Rainbow were to not return my feelings, I would simply work on myself until she does.”
“That’s admirable, but what if she falls in love with another pony. What if she simply isn’t a fillyfooler?" Cadence made sure to carefully examine Twilight's reaction.
“Umm…, well…, I mean…, I would have to make her…
“…
“I am sure I would find a way.” Was the answer Twilight settled on.
Let's try one more time. She may be able to see the problem with her statement on her own.
“Twilight, I know it hurts, but sometimes ponies don’t return our feelings. Now, Rainbow might very well feel the same way about you, but if she doesn't, you will have to accept that. She is her own pony, with her own feelings. You can't force her into loving you." Cadence's words put Twilight in distress.
“You can’t stop me! I am a princess now, too! I will make her mine using force if I have to! We are destined to be together!” Rage had once again taken Twilight, fear filling her that the princess of love would try to meddle should she attempt to do so.
I guess deep down, you are indeed Celestia's daughter, pulling the princess card like that.
“Even if it hurts her?” Cadence tried to confirm.
In response, Twilight looked away, not giving an answer.
That’s good. You are not too far gone.
Not yet.
"Twilight… sometimes love leads to heartbreak. Nothing will ever change that. If you genuinely care about Rainbow, you will do what's best for her, even if sometimes it will hurt you. Or do you believe she wouldn’t do the same for you?
"And even if she says yes, you must always remember that it doesn't mean you own her. If you don’t, you might very well hurt her deeply, using the love she holds for you to force her into a life of unhappiness.
“It would end up in heartbreak for both of you. I have seen it many times before, mostly with guards accompanying me.” The entire time Cadence spoke, Twilight had been continuing to look away, not acknowledging her at all.
She is an alicorn.
She is a princess.
She is right. If she decides to force Rainbow to love her, I will have trouble stopping her. Knowing Celestia, she might very well even side with her.
“I am going to use one of my spells on you, ok? I think it might help you in understanding-”
“Do it. I don’t want to hurt her…
“The way I just thought about her… the way I spoke about her… I no longer trust myself not to do so," resignation had gripped Twilight. Only now had she realized she was the danger to Rainbow that Cadence had spoken about initially.
Gently the princess of love's magic enveloped her.
***
"So, Twilight, what do you think about the dress – made for me? Rainbow looked at her expectantly.
Where am I? What happened?
“Who?” Twilight looked around, completely lost.
"You know -.” Rainbow eyes her worriedly. The fact that Twilight looked completely lost didn’t escape her.
“I just had the wildest dream ever.” Twilight rubbed her head with her wings.
Great. Of course, they were real.
“At first, I had this crazy vision, which resulted in us fleeing Equestria together. I fell in love with you, but then the princess caught us, revealing I was her daughter.
“And this was just the tip of the iceberg." Slowly Twilight collected her thoughts.
We are in a boutique.
“Oh, wow. Don’t tell that – or she might see you as a threat,” Rainbow laughed.
Just like that, Twilight's jealousy returned in full force.
“Why her! Why not me!” she shouted before she could realize what she was doing.
“Twi… I never knew you felt that way. You never gave me any hints about that.” Seeing her friend like that hurt Rainbow, but what was she supposed to do?
“Well, I did now! I love you, Dashie!” Twilight confessed.
Who cares if it's improper.
Who cares if I shouldn't be feeling that way.
Who cares if I am immortal and she isn't.
Too long have I done my best to suppress these feelings. This might be my last chance.
But Twilight had miscalculated, a slap bringing her quickly back to reality. “Well, I am sorry, Twilight, but I love -. We have already scheduled the wedding, and if you don't want to strain your friendship with us, you better not try such a stunt again!" Rainbow calmed down, realizing it must also be hard for her friend. "Twi, I can only imagine how much you must be hurting right now, but I have already made my decision."
It left Twilight with a choice.
She could accept her friend's decision, losing the love of her life in the process. All because she had been too scared to come forward.
Or she could use force.
…
…
…
She couldn’t decide.
***
Twilight's eyes snapped open again.
Time to see if it worked.
To her relief, it had indeed helped. The dark feelings Twilight held were still there, but they had been weakened severely.
“What was that spell?” Twilight asked while picking herself up.
“It conjures up a situation in which you are given the opportunity to act on the words you have just spoken.” Cadence began to explain. “Best case scenario, when confronted with "reality", you realize your misguidedness. Worst case scenario, you act on them, causing the spell to show you the consequences. The exact scenario is different for everypony. What did you see?”
"I don't want to talk about it." Twilight slowly wobbled her way towards the door. The events of the day had clearly taken their toll on her.
I will have to respect her privacy then.
“I understand, Twilight. Let me carry you to your room." Carefully she levitated the drained filly onto her back. “I think we have made good progress today. With a few more sessions, you won’t have to worry about this anymore." Once again, she received no acknowledgement.
***
“Solar guards had surrounded her. Her mother had been right. Revealing herself had been a mistake. The thought that a pony could love-" the door opened, signalling Twilight's return.
About time, Twi. Five more minutes, and I would have lost my cool.
“Look, Spike. There she is.” Rainbow put the book away so that the little baby dragon on her lap could see the purple filly.
Cadence, too tried walking in, but before she could do so, Twilight had already closed the door. Letting the filly get down from her back before opening the door had been a mistake.
I see things went well without me.
Twilight waltzed towards the bed, picking up the dragon already holding his arms out for her. She threw herself on the bed and began cuddling him.
Is she trying to murder me with cuteness, or what?
But Rainbow had no time to enjoy the scene. Twilight was obviously depressed, so she tried to distract her. "Princess Celestia has sent a servant with a bowl of gems to our room. Turns out dragons love to eat gems. She didn't specify, but I hope you being an alicorn means the crown foots the bill, or we are pretty much broke."
"She will." That was all Twilight said.
Ok, well. The next thing is bound to get her mind off things.
"When I returned, there was a book on the bed. You will never believe which one." The mentioning of an unusual book indeed caused Twilight to rear her head.
“Adventures of a Lonely Spy?” Twilight hopped out of bed, levitating Spike on her back again.
Score!
“Yes. I was reading it to little Spike. You know, two birds with one stone.” Rainbow confirmed.
“I don’t think that book was written with his age group in mind, Dashie.” An angry glare pierced Rainbow.
“Umm… There was also a note on it." She quickly changed the subject again. "I already destroyed it, but it said this is the copy I requested, with the rest following soon. So, I guess that means we will get out of here after all. Have to say, though, they were quick."
“We will see about that, Dashie.” Twilight wasn’t as happy as Rainbow had expected.
I suppose that now with our new situation, the deal we made isn't that good anymore.
For you, at least. The sooner I don't have to face your mother anymore, the better.
“Dashie… Princess Celestia said that alicorns are born. What if I fail to make you one?” Twilight had closed the distance, standing right in front of the pegasus.
She meant "you", as in me and the other bearers, right?
Right?
“I mean, that would be lame, but I wouldn’t be mad at you.
"Look, Twi, I know you are scared of losing us. However, realistically there is nothing we can do about that. We will always be there for you, though. You won't have to worry about that for a very long time, and even after that, we will never truly leave you." Twilight's heart shattered.
You know what! Screw that!
“I mean… we don’t have to become alicorns, do we?” Rainbow suggested, trying to cheer Twilight up again.
“You don’t?” the filly could see where her friend was going with that.
“We just care about the immortality aspect, right? That is bound to make things easier." She successfully salvaged the situation, a smile appearing on Twilight's face again.
That’s right. Smiling suits you way better.
“You are right, Dashie! I will look into that as soon as possible!” Twilight leaned forward and pressed her lips on Rainbows.
What is happening!
Only when she had run out of air did Twilight pull back, instead whispering into Rainbow's ear, "I will find a way to make you immortal, Dashie. You know why?”
Rainbow shook her head.
“Because I love you, that’s why,” Twilight confessed. “And I am not going to lose you.”
She loves me!
A short time ago, she didn’t even know two fillies could love each other!
"Twilight… I don't…." Rainbow was left speechless.
But Twilight just put one of her new wings on Rainbow's mouth. "It's alright. You don't have to return my feelings." With that, she left the room.
She kissed me.
She confessed to me.
She didn’t give me an opportunity to answer.
Everything had been going so quickly, even for Rainbow.
I don’t even really know her!
Rainbow was left so baffled that the thought of going after Twilight didn’t cross her mind.
Focus! There is only one question that matters!
Do I love her as well?
But to her dismay, she couldn't come up with an answer.
I suppose Twi does look cute.
And we did have pretty good chemistry between us.
We also pledged our loyalty towards each other.
We saved each other's lives.
She was ready to leave Equestria for me.
She had a vision with me.
Is that enough, though?
Rainbow tried to answer that question, but instead of a conclusion, more sinister thoughts came up.
I mean, a Rainbow-coloured pony being gay would be pretty cliché. I would never live it down.
Then again, if Twilight is princess Celestia’s daughter, then she should be royalty as well, so if I marry her, I wouldn't even be nobility. I would be straight-up royalty! Who would even dare to mock me then! I could have all of those bullies lined up and executed!
And as an alicorn, Twilight will be powerful. She could-
I don’t deserve her, do I?
Five minutes and I am already planning to take advantage of her.
A whirlwind of emotions grabbed her, unloading itself in the nearest appliances she could see.
Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
The outburst continued until nothing was left standing.
Bleeding hooves and wings would make it easy to pinpoint the destruction of property to her.
It's an easy question! Do I love her, or do I not?
The real her. Twilight, not princess Twilight.
She walked towards the windows, looking towards the distance.
A few hours ago, we were out there. Just Twilight and me against the rest of the world.
We planned to ascend ourselves.
We wanted to save the world.
We promised to always be there for each other.
Rainbow could see the scenes playing out before her eyes.
How they had travelled in the train cart, with her overhearing Twilight's thoughts.
How they made their trip together across the border.
How she had been there for Twilight in the changeling hive and how in return, Twilight had been there for her when she nearly died, even killing the goddess of the sun just for her.
But most importantly, Rainbow remembered how she had been ready to live the rest of her life with the purple filly, despite barely knowing her.
It’s a leap.
Out there is a pony destined for me.
A pony who Twilight more than likely wants dead.
A pony I should have fallen in love with instead.
Love.
Twilight opened her heart.
If she was going to say yes now, then she would have to stand by that decision. That much she owed her.
But what if that other pony showed up?
What if the feelings she held for the purple filly would suddenly disappear, replaced by love for the other pony?
What if one day she realized that Twilight had been a mistake if the emotions she felt for her hadn't been love in the first place?
It's a gamble.
A risk I am willing to handle?
Scenarios ran through her head while blood dripped down the floor quicker than she had anticipated. She would have to seek medical attention soon.
Sometimes we have to have belief.
Or else we will grieve.
And believe she did.
She believed that a future with Twilight would be a future of happiness.
Yet, she also believed that the pony out there was real.
But exchanging Twilight for that pony?
My heart doesn't even deny it one bit.
I just needed some more time to admit.
A smile filled her face. Twilight wouldn't always be there waiting for her.
That was ok, though. Twilight didn't need to because she had already reached a decision.
Out there had been a pony destined for me.
But now my heart is no longer free.
Her head became light.
It didn’t change the conviction that grabbed her, fueled by the future she was imagining.
A future where she and Twilight wouldn’t be friends on an adventure.
A future where they would be lovers.
I want… I want to make it real! I want to be with her! I want to live with her and love her forever!
I will make it real.
“I love you too, Twi.”