“Oh my, that’s another point for me, Tia!” The lunar alicorn grinned.
“I have a few tricks up my sleeve, sister. You haven’t bested me yet.” The solar alicorn replied back with a smile.
They were playing a particularly riveting game, neither side winning over the other.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
Celestia and Luna both looked up, surprised. They usually didn’t get visits this late at night.
“I’ll get it. Maybe a neighbor.”
Luna went to open the door, but Celestia somehow knew this wasn’t going to be good.
“Twilight? I’m surprised to see you here at this hour.” Luna paused for a moment and looked beside Twilight.
“And who is that in the cloak beside you? A new friend?”
Now Celestia was curious. She came up behind her sister and took in Twilight and the stranger.
Twilight looked nervous and irritated, as she glanced back at the two alicorns. Like she had a particularly difficult math problem to solve.
“Celestia, Luna, there’s a lot that needs to be explained tonight. Do you mind if we come in?”
Celestia beamed, “Of course, Twilight. You are always welcome here.” Her mane almost rippled back more fervently as she replied.
Luna nodded her approval and shut the door behind them.
“Would you like some tea?” Celestia chirped.
“No thank you. Just want to talk. It’s important.”
Luna and Celestia both gave concerned looks.
“Trouble in court? I know the feeling.” Luna remembered her day of switching roles with Celestia after Starlight Glimmer’s spell.
“No, nothing like that. I just have a few questions.”
Celestia looked at the stranger to Twilight’s right. She thought it may have something to do with them, her instincts were rarely wrong.
“Take a seat. And your friend…?” Celestia looked curiously at the cloaked figure.
“She is a bit shy and doesn’t want to reveal herself at the moment. Give her time.”
Both Celestia and Luna looked perplexed and wondered who this pony or perhaps even creature could be, but they decided not to comment further on it.
“My first question is this, did you plan for me to ascend the throne? I mean, before you wanted to retire?”
Celestia sighed. She had a good feeling she knew where this was going to lead. She was hoping she wouldn’t have to ever explain any of this to Twilight. Not so soon.
“Yes, Twilight. I did plan it. But I knew you would be ready to take over for me by then.”
The stranger in the cloak moved a few inches, but said nothing.
“Alright. I somewhat expected that reply. Now comes my next question: do you think there may have been something about your plan that may have gone wrong? Perhaps something you knew about but didn’t share with me?” Twilight’s brow furrowed as she looked directly in Celestia’s eyes, no longer the student but speaking on equal terms with her former teacher.
“Oh, Twilight.” Celestia’s words caught in her throat and she slowly closed her eyes and tried to find the words to say. She almost wanted to sob right there.
Luna looked at her sister and frowned. What had she kept from her? What could get her sister so shaken up?
“I didn’t think… I mean, I should have known a pony as brilliant as you may have noticed something. I can explain everything.”
Celestia let out a long withering breath and looked to the cloaked figure briefly. She didn’t even have to ask who it was.
“The day you received your cutie mark, I had a vision or a dream. I sometimes receive them, it’s a lesser known gift that I possess. In my vision, I saw several events that indicated a future of suffering and hardship. Ponies no longer trusted one another, enemies took over Equestria, and windigos snuffed out the last of ponykind. I could not let this future happen. Then I saw another future, one where all ponies and even other creatures live in harmony. You were there on the throne, no longer a filly but a fully grown alicorn princess. You ruled with friendship extended to all beings. Something I could never accomplish in over a thousand years of rule. After I awoke, I formed a plan. I could not tell you, or it would put that future in jeopardy. I began preparing you for this future, and I found Starswirl’s spell the key to this future. Once you were ready, I knew you would figure out how to solve it and become an alicorn. Unfortunately, I knew this spell may come at a cost.”
Luna’s interest piqued. Why had Celestia not told her about this? Of course, she knew about the plan with Starswirl’s spell, but not that it had a cost.
“What cost?” Twilight asked, knowing the answer will change her opinion of Celestia forever.
The cloaked figure leaned in, still concealing herself.
“Your cutie mark signals a great magic user, maybe even greater than Starswirl, but that alone doesn’t create an alicorn. Many don’t know about my past nor Luna’s, but we had to create entirely new magic to become alicorns. It was always our destiny. But your destiny was to be a great mage. If we were to go down the right path for Equestria you had to become an alicorn. If your destiny is not to be one, it is very difficult to ascend. But with Starswirl’s spell, it is possible. And the cost… which I’m sure you have figured out, is that you must make one with becoming an alicorn and creating new magic as their destiny. What Starswirl thought he did was create new magic to allow himself to become an alicorn. What the spell actually does is create a copy that redefines your destiny, and while you cannot change a cutie mark, you can create a new one. And… I’m so, so sorry Twilight.” Celestia bowed her head.
The cloaked figure walked toward Celestia and pulled down her hood. Tears falling, throat in a knot, all she could say was, “how could you do this to me?”
Luna was shocked. Celestia had even kept this from her, and she was now wondering what other secrets she kept in the thousand years she’s been ruling.
“Twilight, I’m sorry. I know that doesn’t make up for what I’ve done, but it was for the good of Equestria.”
“Forget the good of Equestria!” Scarred Twilight yelled. “I roamed the other side of the world for FIVE YEARS. I thought I would never see my friends again. I’d never see YOU again. Or Luna. Yet you threw me away, the filly you taught for years, just to be tossed aside.”
Celestia knew it would be hard. But this…
Robed Twilight continued,
“You never once talked to me about ANY of this! We could have found another way to save Equestria… all you had to do was trust me. As a friend.”
Alicorn Twilight spoke up, “What you did, Celestia, may have been right for Equestria, but as someone who knows friendship, you betrayed our trust.”
With that, both Twilights turned around and walked out the door, neither even saying a word of goodbye.
Celestia lowered herself to her belly and began sobbing.
Luna simply stared at her. She didn’t know her sister.