Crescent looked out over the city of Canterlot from the roof of the castle. The wind ruffled through her fur, making it dance with each gust. Below her, she could see tiny ponies, small in the distance, trotting along with their daily duties.
It was a good place to sit and think, she had decided, so she did that.
That place also offered privacy. It was alone and quiet, save that wind, and she didn't mind the wind.
What she didn't expect was a large form to sit next to her. Though the wind played with her fur, her mane and tail seemed to ignore it, wafting with breezes that weren't there. "Good afternoon, little one." Celestia smiled so softly, a specialty of hers. "This isn't where I normally find you."
Crescent blinked up at the sunlight princess settling gracefully beside her, slender form cutting an elegant silhouette against the bright sky.
"Hi Auntie Tia," she replied, subdued. Normally Crescent would bound over to enthusiastically hug her beloved auntie, but today she just offered a small smile before gazing back out at the sprawling city vista.
Celestia's brow furrowed slightly. It wasn't like the bubbly little filly to be so quiet. "I hope I'm not intruding..." she began gently. "I merely wished to see if everything was alright. We've all noticed your shining spirit seems...clouded as of late."
She gently bumped Crescent's shoulder with a wing. "Would you like to talk about what's troubling you so?"
Crescent scuffed a hoof, sorting through the complex tangle of doubt and existential confusion swirling within. How could she voice something she barely understood herself?
"I just..." She struggled to find the words. "I thought I knew who I was. Luna's dream to help herself and everypony. But now..." Crescent peeked anxiously up at Celestia's kind rose eyes. "What if that's not my destiny anymore?" She dug her hooves into the roof tile. "Without that purpose, what am I but a copy?" Crescent's lip wobbled. "Maybe I shouldn't even be here..."
A gentle wing folded round her shaking form. "Oh Crescent, no. You must never think that." Celestia tilted her chin up tenderly. "From the very first day I saw you, you ensnared me, and every other pony you've come across. You are a delightful light, shining on us. I don't regret your being here."
Crescent dared a little smile. "You're being nice." She leaned against that enfolding wing. "You're good at being nice."
"It is, in part, my job." She curled the wing a little more firmly on Crescent. "But you are my niece, my beloved niece. I would like to hear the peals of your laughter through these halls, along with the ones you inspire so easily." She leaned in, nosing an ear. "And... I don't think you were wrong."
Crescent blinked at that. "What was I right about? I thought I was momma... She says I am not."
"Perhaps not." Celestia raised a hoof to her chest. "But you are still a reminder, a potent one, of the love I had, and still have, for my sister. You are still a reminder for Luna to love herself. You may not be exactly Luna, but you remain such a lovely reminder."
Crescent considered Celestia's words, comforted by the affectionate wing cocooning her. There was wisdom there - with time and growth had come change, but not utter dissolution of the bonds linking her birth to Luna's weary soul.
"I'm...still connected to her." Crescent traced a hoof through the cloud puffs overhead. "Like how the sky holds both sun and moon."
She offered her aunt a small but stronger smile. "I can remember the love that created me, even if I'm becoming my own pony too. And I can keep sharing that love!"
Her eyes shone eagerly with restored purpose. She may still be charting her own identity, but bringing joy through little acts of love - that resonated within as a destiny she could embrace regardless.
"Thanks Auntie." Crescent wrapped Celestia in an enthusiastic hug. "You always know how to make everypony feel better!"
Laughing, Celestia ruffled her niece's mane. "Well, I can hardly take all the credit when you do so much to lift my spirits in return."
She touched their horns fondly. "Never lose your wondrous gift for connection, little one. You may find it illuminates truths within yourself just as brightly."
With the sunlight princess's steady wisdom to guide her, Crescent felt the last remnants of turmoil fade. She would find her way one step at a time - with family to light the path. Celestia stood up gently. "Now... As lovely as the company, and the view, work ever calls to me. Would you care for a ride downstairs?"
Crescent squeaked happily at the idea and took a brief flight onto Celestia's back. Together, they soared from the roof to land at the front gate.
Celestia nodded to the two guards there. "Now, why don't you meet somepony new?"
"Who?" Crescent hopped free of Celestia, little wings fluttering. "Do you know somepony? Are they visiting?"
Celestia chuckled at the immediate return of Crescent's insatiable curiosity and energy. It was comforting to see her bright spirit unclouded once more.
"As it so happens, we are expecting a very important visit from royalty in a neighboring kingdom today," the sunlight princess revealed with a playful wink.
She stepped aside so Crescent could see the crystalline carriage now gliding through the castle gates, pulled by two elegant unicorn guards. "May I present Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Princess Flurry Heart of the Crystal Empire!"
Crescent's jaw dropped as the carriage door swung open to reveal the smiling figures of Cadance and Flurry Heart. She recognized her Auntie Cadance of course - but the little alicorn foal waving eagerly beside her was new!
"Surprise!" Cadance laughed, catching Crescent up in a hug. "When Auntie told me about her adorable little niece Crescent, Flurry and I just had to come meet you!"
"Play?! Yay, new friend!" Flurry cheered, doing enthusiastic loops around Crescent.
As the two fillies immediately dove into a game of magical tag, Luna joined her sister and Cadance to fondly observe their laughter. "Good job," she whispered to Celestia and Cadance. "Let's get to business before they remember us." The three nodded together and snuck away with little giggles.
Flurry succeeded at tackling Crescent to the ground with a squeal. "Caught ya!"
Crescent wriggled, but she had been caught. "Aw! You win." With the admission, Flurry let her up and the two smiled at one another, no hard feelings to be found. "What's your name?"
"Flurry Heart." Flurry pointed at herself. "Cadance is my momma."
"Luna's my momma." Crescent nodded firmly at that. "We have good mommas."
"Very good mommas." Flurry joined the nodding, in complete agreement with that idea. "Your mom watches dreams, right?"
"And your mom..." Crescent tapped at her chin, jostling those memories free. "She watches a whole city, and she... is in charge of love."
"Yep!" Flurry pounced on Crescent's back, just to bounce off of it, giggling. "She gives the best hugs."
"Best?" Crescent looked doubting at that. "I dunno... Momma and her sister give pretty good hugs..."
Flurry gasped in mock affront. "Nuh uh! My mom's hugs are the number one best, no question!" She tapped a tiny hoof as if that settled the matter definitively.
Crescent just giggled. "Okay, I bet your mom gives best crystal hugs! But here in Canterlot, my Auntie Tia and Mama Luna win!"
She playfully shouldered the little alicorn. "Buuut we gotta test for sure! C'mon, first one to gets Aunt Cadance's hugs wins!"
"You're on!" Flurry crowed, wings buzzing in anticipation. But before the fillies could zip off in search of Cadance...
"Oh no you don't!" With twin squeaks of surprise, they found themselves swept up in the golden glow of Celestia's magic. "I know where this is going, you little scamps."
She smirked as both fillies pouted. "There will be plenty of time for silly games later. For now, let's go join your mothers for a nice brunch together, hm?"
The foals exchanged sly glances behind the sun princess's back. Brunch first maybe - but their "best hug" competition was far from over!
Besides, Aunt 'Tia was bringing them right to where they wanted to be. Poor fool, playing right into their hooves.
The moment Celestia set them down, both raced to Cadance, hooves up and eyes so very large in silent plead for her to pick them up.
Cadance blinked at the double-teaming foal effort. "Oh dear... I'm not used to getting this twice at once." Still, she settled on her belly before the two. "Come here, you."
Crescent and Flurry shared a look and tried to redouble their wordless pleas to be held, arms shaking as they pouted.
Cadance inclined her head at the two. "Use your words, dearest ones. Why are you both doing that, when I only have two arms." Though a thought came to her. "Ah." Using magic, she snatched up both fillies into her waiting arms, hugging both at once in a warm exchange.
She put down the confused fillies. "Was that not what you wanted?" She looked to Celestia and Luna for help.
Luna prodded her little youthful copy. "What tomfoolery are you engaged in? Share."
Crescent wriggled in place before she flopped. "We wanted to see who could get hugged first, to prove who gave the best hugs."
Flurry nodded in agreement. "Momma gives the best!"
Cadance snickered gently. "Silly things, how would you getting a hug prove that I give better hugs?"
Crescent blinked, realizing how silly her logic had been. "Oh. Um..." She tapped at her chin. "Ah ha! Momma, Aunt Cadie, can you hug us both so we can decide?"
Luna, Celestia, and Cadance exchanged amused glances. Trust these two little mischief makers to turn affection into a contest!
"An intriguing proposal," chuckled Luna, her horn lighting up to sweep both fillies close. "But attempting to judge something as subjective as hug quality seems quite the impossible challenge!"
She rubbed her nose fondly against Crescent's. "Is not every embrace from one who cares for you special in its own way?"
But competitive little Flurry just wriggled in protest. "Yeah but some are more specially special! And my mom's crystal hugs sparkle the most!" She blinked innocently up at Luna. "No offense, Auntie Luna."
Cadance covered her mouth to restrain giggles. "She makes an excellent case. But while you two debate..."
Her own pink aura suddenly surrounded the foals, lifting them up for a fierce nuzzle. "I'll just give these sweeties more of my 'sparky' hugs whether they're the best or not!"
Soon all three princesses had a fillies squirming amidst a three-way tickle and hug war. Laughter rang out loud enough to turn heads across the castle grounds. Celestia just shook her head in amusement - she had a feeling this was merely the first of many escapades with Luna and Cadance's energetic daughters brightening their halls.
Free of the hugs, Flurry threw an arm over Crescent, hugging her. "How old are you? I'm three whole years!"
"Um..." Crescent frowned, thinking that. "That depends what you count at my first birthday."
Luna tilted her head. "What would you count as your first birthday?"
"I haven't had it yet." Crescent bounced with giddy anticipation. "I can't wait! Um, but I've seen a few years go by... But I was something else, something not nice. I don't want to count those."
Luna looked ready to argue, but she put it together and took it back. "Ah... I suppose ... Yes, it has not been a year since you became Crescent."
Flurry gazed with building confusion. "Before I was Flurry, I wasn't anything!"
Cadance wrapped a wing around Flurry. "That isn't true. Before you were Flurry, you were the love in my chest, the sparkle in my eyes, and the hope I held for tomorrow. When you came, I could see it all in the form of a little pony, and I was so happy."
"Aw!" Crescent bounced in place. "Your momma's pretty nice."