Selected Correspondence of Twilight Sparkle and HRH Celestia
With thanks to the Canterlot National Archive for portions of this text. The following correspondence is included to provide background material for subsequent discussions and interviews and is published without correction. Further correspondence shall be included in later chapters to provide additional context.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today is a little difficult. Bellerophon let me know this morning that he’s earned enough money to purchase a small house in town. He’s going to be on Zweibrücker Road, near the park, so it’s not a long way from here, but I feel very odd that he’ll be leaving shortly.
Spike seems to be taking it better than I am. He’s spent the last few days complaining about hair in the shower stall. I’m not sure Bellerophon could even fit in there, and I have no idea when Spike started taking showers.
Rainbow Dash still spends almost every day with him, showing him around and introducing him to all those crazy sports she likes to play. Hoofball seems to be their favourite, though how he can stand to do something so violent with those delicate appendages of his, I really don’t know. Then again they seem to be more than capable of great strength, which is something I had planned on studying in more detail when the opportunity arose. Perhaps it still shall, but it will be more difficult once he’s out from under my roof.
Look at me rambling on like he’s already left! Perhaps this is a taste of how I’ll feel when Spike finally sets out on his own.
Your Faithful Student,
Twilight Sparkle
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
What you are experiencing is the same as any mentor figure towards a favoured student, or any parent toward a child. Or a pony toward any close friend whom circumstance takes away.
In other circumstances you may have felt compelled to ask him to leave, but the feelings would be the same. Remember that you are still his friend. Even if you grow distant, that which you shared in your time together with this human will enrich your life. I am sure he will appreciate any time you make for him, and I am equally sure he will make time for you.
If you wish to discuss this issue further, you are free to write or even visit any time. I am always here.
Princess Celestia
Dear Princess Celestia,
Lero continues to integrate well. He has finally completed his modifications to the house he purchased, even going so far as to make himself some very strange, very large furniture. It feels like being in a giant’s castle when I visit. You might feel at home there.
The others are cautious around him still, though in a good sort of way I suppose. Applejack has finally warmed to him after he fixed a hard-to-get leak on her roof but she still seems to be fairly stand-offish. I think he just confuses her. I know he confuses me at times, and I’ve spent a lot of time getting to know him.
Not as much as a certain pegasus, mind you. Rainbow Dash is spending more and more time with Lero these days. We all have our suspicions but it seems like Lero hasn’t noticed, and knowing Rainbow it’s likely she hasn’t noticed either. Applejack is talking about a pool on the outcome of their times together, which I think is a terrible thing to do to a friend. As such I’ve put myself down for no more than three bits on the spread.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I feel somewhat concerned that I did not pay attention to your previous mention of Bellerophon’s interaction with Rainbow Dash. They do appear to have become very close, if your prior correspondence is anything to go by.
Evidently Rainbow Dash has taken Bellerophon under her wing and considers herself to be his guardian and guide. It is admirable to see such dedication to a relative stranger, and I would expect nothing less from the Element of Loyalty herself. It is interesting that she should display any sort of attraction toward an alien creature, yet ultimately it is personality that defines such things.
This is a delicate situation, which I am sure you and your friends shall handle with same tact and sensitivity that I and my sister would surely display.
Princess Celestia
To our Friend, Twilight Sparkle,
We wish to enter this ‘pool’ of which you spoke, with an opening wager of ten bits on successful consummation within a month.
Cordially,
Princess Luna
Dear Princess Celestia,
They just told us. Applejack and I, that is. Today. It’s probably the most adorable situation I’ve seen since Spike discovered he had a tail. Lero and Rainbow were pretending to be just friends but it was so obvious that they were together, the way they were sitting even closer together than usual made it pretty easy for even I to see there was something definitely going on. And then they kissed.
I like to think I’m a tolerant mare but that was incredibly unusual to see. Still adorable.
We’ve promised not to tell anypony else, though I’m making an exception for you as this is more than relevant to my continued studies of friendship. Rainbow will surely understand.
In fact secrecy may explain some of their behaviour, such as the lack of obvious courtship, though it seemed obvious Lero had no idea what Applejack was talking about when she mentioned his not having a flower. It’s made me realise again just how alien Lero is; even the most isolated Griffons know about the flowers.
I will have to study this further at some point.
Your Faithful Student,
Twilight Sparkle.
P.S. I’ve enclosed a banker’s draft for Luna’s winnings.
Twilight,
I am not entirely sure how to react to this news, given the very secretive way they are going about their relationship, but I wish your friends all the very best. Please keep me informed of their progress. Given everything he has endured, I would dearly like to see Lero find happiness here.
I shall speak with Luna later.
Princess Celestia