Ascend

by xTSGx

Travel.

“I still can't believe you're going to pass up an opportunity like this. You looked so much better with the wings.”

“Rarity! We've been over this. Do you really want me to get into the intricacies of why becoming an alicorn is a very, very bad idea and should be avoided, hidden, or reversed at all costs?”

The white unicorn levitated a length of golden fabric and expertly cut through it with a pair of scissors.

“Honestly, Twilight, you're blowing things out of proportion. So a few books you've read have spelled doom? I'm sure there are just as many that predict it will be the best thing to ever happen to Equestria.”

Twilight stabilized the mannequin the dress was on while Rarity sewed on the golden accents.

“So you're telling me that the constitutional scholars who have spent their whole lives studying these kinds of things are wrong.”

“That's exactly what I'm telling you. You're just like them: overthinking and overanalyzing things. What if they're wrong? What if this is exactly what Equestria needs?”

“Then Equestria can find somepony else.”

        Rarity got a devilish look in her eyes.

        “Say, Twilight.”

        “Yes.”

        “If—or should I say when—you develop a 'cure' for your condition, would it be possible to find out how, exactly, you became an alicorn?”

        “I don't know, it depends on a number of circumstances, like how much research I'm able to do, if Spike will let me test spells on him, whether or not Canterlot Grand National University will allow me to use their lab again after that incident with the Limburger cheese and sodium metal. More than likely, though, I'll have to figure out 'how' if I want to reverse it.”

        Rarity tried to act nonchalant.

        “Would you happen to be able to reveal 'how' to others—once you find out?”

        Twilight smirked, realizing what Rarity was getting at.

        “I don't know. The Princesses might not let me. It could be lost forever.”

        The white unicorn stooped down in front of Twilight.

        “Oh, Please! You must tell me! You must!”

        'That was easy.'

        “Okay, Rarity. If I figure it out, I'll tell you, but you need to weigh the ramifications of—”

        “Oh thank you, Twilight! You won't regret it.”

        'I hope not.'

        Rarity finished adjusting the collar.

        “That should do it.”

        Twilight examined the completed dress.

        “It looks great, Rarity. I couldn't have asked for a better dress. How much do I owe you?”

        Rarity began putting her various sewing tools in their proper places.

        “Now, Twilight, you should know by now that I'm not going to charge you.” Twilight opened her mouth to protest but Rarity continued, “And before you say anything, the advertising that it will generate in front of those MP's will be more than enough of a payment.”

        “If you insist.”

        After finishing with her organizing, Rarity walked over, took the dress off of the mannequin it was on, and put a hanger on it. She handed it to Twilight and the two made their way to the front door.

        “Do remember not to get it wet or too dry. And keep it out of the heat, and the cold for that matter. Whatever you do, keep it away from open flames. Those fabrics will light up faster than a...a...oh I'm simply dreadful with similes. You know what I mean.”

        Twilight made her way outside into the twilight of the evening.

        “I'll try. Thanks for everything, Rarity.”

        The two hugged.

        “No, thank you. Be careful in Canterlot.”

        “I will.”

        “Goodbye.”

        “Bye.”

        The purple unicorn made her way back to the library she called home.

        Twilight stepped out of the bathroom and headed into the bedroom. Several candles were lit which illuminated the room. Spike was already lying comfortably in his basket. His eyes were glued to the Marevel comic he held in his claws.

        “Alright, Spike, put the comic down. It's time for bed.”

        “But, Twilight, I'm just getting to the good part!”

        Twilight smiled as she snatched the comic from his hands and placed it on her dresser.

        “Well then you have something to look forward to the next time you read it. Now get to bed.”

        Spike pouted before he settled down in his basket.

        Satisfied that Spike would go to sleep without further protest, the purple alicorn turned her attention to her own bed.

        “Spike, what did you do with my blankets?”

        He lifted up his head from his pillow.

        “I didn't do anything with them. They weren't here when I came in so I thought you did something with them.”

        “Ugh! I don't have time for this! I need to be well rested so I can finish packing. The train leaves at noon and it takes six hours to get to Canterlot.”

        She looked around the room and saw a blanket neatly folded near the balcony door.

        'I don't remember a blanket being here.'

        Twilight shrugged, grabbed the blanket, and climbed into bed.

        “Goodnight, Spike.”

        Spike responded by snoring loudly.

        Twilight rolled her eyes and telekinetically extinguished the candles, plunging the room into darkness. She settled into bed and started drifting off to sleep. Something seemed to brush against her leg.

        'What was that?!'

        She quickly sat up and peered around the room. Unfortunately, all she could see was darkness.

        'Stupid rod cells.'

        After squinting into the darkness for several seconds, she once again curled into up into bed. Like before, just as she was falling asleep, something seemed to touch her leg.
        
        'What if it's a spider?'

        Twilight's eyes shot open. She leapt off the bed and charged a Dimensional Teleportation and Implosion Spell, ready to send the offending arachnid to a soon-to-be-collapsed pocket dimension.

        Her eyes furiously scoured the bed, which was illuminated in the dull purple glow from her spell, for signs of the creature. With no spider or other creepy crawly found, Twilight sighed, before depowering her spell and crawling back into bed.

        After a few unsuccessful attempts at getting comfortable, Twilight kicked the blanket in frustration, only for her hoof to go through a hole that had been flimsily covered by a piece of fabric.

        'Oh just perfect. At least you know what touched you.'

        Twilight finally got comfortable and drifted off to sleep...

        ...Only to be woken up by a bright flash of light and several panicked squeals.

        “What was that?!”

        Twilight drowsily got up and scanned the room.

        “I-I know y-you're here. Come out.”

        Her eyes darted around the room.

        “Twilihn, wahs gon' on?” Spike mumbled out in a half-asleep daze.

        The panicked purple pegacorn glanced at her radio alarm clock. It read 2:30.

        'It was probably just lightning from the last remnants of that storm. Just go back to sleep. You can figure it out in the morning. After you've gotten a full night of sleep.'

        “It's nothing, Spike. Go back to sleep.”

        Spike nodded drearily before settling back into bed. Twilight hopped into bed as well and, soon, entered a dreamless sleep.

        A few minutes later, as the sound of Twilight's snoring filled the bedroom; three small shadows crept their way silently to the balcony, and the rope that was attached to it.

        Spike rolled his eyes.

        “Don't give me that look! This is serious.”

        Twilight raced over to the pile of books and looked over their titles.

        “With all the hecticness lately, I haven't been able to study up on Parliament. I don't even know any of the complicated political questions they'll ask!”

        Twilight grabbed Bureau of Bureaucracy: A Comprehensive Guide to Equestrian Government, I Do Not Recall: How to Survive a Government Inquiry, and So You've Been Subpenaed to Testify Before Parliament: An Oddly Specific Book on How to Handle a Visit Before Equestria's Legislature from the pile and tossed them to Spike to pack.

        Spike looked over the last book.

        “I don't know about this one, Twilight. They misspelled 'subpoenaed'.”

        Twilight was in the middle of determining which of her quill collections she would take.

        “Since when did you care about spelling and grammar?”

        “Well, normally I don't, but when it's in the title—I mean, come on!”

        “Just pack it, Spike. I don't have time for this!” she looked up at the clock, “My train leaves in forty minutes! Where's Rarity's dress!”

        She ran upstairs.

        “Wait, Twilight! It's hanging in the kitchen, remember?”

        A flash of light came from the kitchen.

        “Thanks, Spike.”

        Twilight shot out of the kitchen with the dress suspended in her telekinesis. She neatly hooked the dress onto the coat rack by the front door before she grabbed a checklist and rushed over to her suitcase.

        “Okay, okay. Let's see. Books to study up on Parliament while on train ride, check. Personal hygiene supplies, check. Quill Collection B-4, check. Parchment for said Quill Collection, check. Socks, check. Sleeping mask, check. Alarm clock, check.” Twilight looked at a shoebox that was in her suitcase, “There's nothing on my checklist about a shoebox. What is this?”

        Spike hustled over.

        “Oh, I put that in there.”

        He opened it, revealing a paper bag, smelling salts, a stress ball, and the Condensed Abridged Encyclopedia of Equestrian History.

        “What is it?”

        “It's the Emergency Your Secret's Been Revealed Before Parliament Stress and Insanity Relief Kit.”

        Twilight stared.

        “See,” he held up the stress ball, “it's got everything you'll need if they find out.”

        She continued to stare.

        “A-And I was even able to get one of those ultra-condensed encyclopedias you like.”

        “Spike.”

        “I couldn't find the one on obscure rock formations, though.”

        “Spike!”

        “I hope it's not a proble—”

        “Spike!”

        He flinched and dropped the ball back into the box.

        “Y-Yes?”

        “What would possibly make you think this was a good idea? T-They aren't going to find out.”

        “B—”

        “No! There's no way it'll happen. The Wing-be-gone Spell's foalproof. Even if it's not, I'll be wearing Rarity's dress in case it does fail.” she lifted the box out of the suitcase and handed it to Spike, “So there's no need for this.”

        Spike bit his lip.

        “C'mon, Twilight. Can't you keep it in the suitcase, just in case?”

        “Absolutely not.”

        “Please? For me?”

        Spike widened his eyes and stared at Twilight.

        'No! Not that look. Come on, Twilight. You can resist it. Stay firm. Show that baby dragon who's in charge.'

        “Okay, Spike. For you.”

        Twilight levitated the box back into her suitcase.

        'At least we now know who's in charge.'

        As she was placing the box, and several more pairs of socks, into the suitcase, her head shot up.

        “Where's the train ticket!”

        Spike shrugged.

        “I don't know. You're the one who bought it.”

        Panic rapidly filled the purple unicorn.

        “I-I thought I gave it to you!”

        “You never gave me it.”

        Twilight rushed around the library, scouring all the surfaces for the elusive ticket.

        “Where is it? Where is it?!”

        “Just calm down, Twilight. You don't have to be there for another—” he looked up at the clock, “thirty five minutes.”

        Twilight stopped telekinetically lifting the kitchen table and three bookcases simultaneously and faced him.

        “Yes, but it takes ten minutes to get there and another five to board the train. That means I only have twenty minutes! Twenty minutes, Spike!”

        Spike happened to glance at the dress and noticed something pinned to it.

        “Huh.”

        He walked over and read the piece of paper.

        “Important: Remember that train ticket is in dress pocket. Do not forget or you'll freakout.”

        Twilight snatched the paper and grabbed the ticket from the dress's pocket.

        “I knew I shouldn't have used the Sprancerian Style. Spike, remind me to use the Palmare Method only from now on. It's much easier to read.”

        The purple unicorn returned to suitcase and zipped it up, tucking the ticket in one of its front pouches.

        “I think that's everything.”

        “Be careful, Twilight. Don't forget to stay calm and relaxed. You'll be back before you know it.”

        Twilight lifted up the suitcase and dress.

        “Okay, Spike. Don't burn the library down while I'm gone.”

        She and Spike hugged.

        “You don't have to worry about anything. The library's fireproof.”

        “Wait, how do you know?”

        “Um—uh—You better hurry, don't want to be late for the train ride.”

        Spike hastily opened the door and pushed Twilight out.

        “Bye, Twilight.”

        “Bye, Spike.”

        With the goodbyes out of the way, Twilight made her way to the train station.

        The Friendship Express jostled and rocked as it made its way along the Central Equestrian Railroad toward Canterlot. The train was surprisingly empty for the time of year. Twilight had the bench seat she was sitting on all to herself and there were only a handful of other ponies in her train car. Those ponies were also very quiet, allowing all the little groans, bangs, and whines that the train made to be clearly heard. All in all, a very peaceful and relaxing environment.

        'What do you mean 'Please see unabridged encyclopedia'!'

        Twilight stared down at the Condensed Abridged Encyclopedia of Equestrian History's article on alicorns, or should I say, lack of an article.

        'Your entire purpose is to give me quick, precise, necessary information about the subject I'm looking for; not some mediocre attempt to get me to buy the 'full' version of your book! What do you think this is, some kind of trial or demo?!'

        Twilight threw the book back into her suitcase.

        'Thanks a lot, Spike. 'Stress Reliever' my flank. Okay, calm down, Twilight.' she picked up Bureau of Bureaucracy, 'Just read a different book. You can look into alicorns after you've testified.'

        She opened the book and glanced at its index. Her eyes focused on “Chapter Five: Alicorns and Their History With Equestria's Government”.

        'N-No! You'll be arriving in Canterlot in less than five hours. You can study alicorns and their history after you've researched into Parliament.'

        She noticed the chapters were subdivided. Chapter five was divided into seven sections: “Rise of the Princesses”, “Consolidation of Power”, “Day and Night”, “Nightmare and the Regencies”, “Thousand Year Reign”, “Succession and Future”, “Alicorns in the Public's Consciousness”.

        'I don't have time to read all that. I'll only read one section.'

        Deciding on a section, Twilight flipped to “Succession and Future” and started reading.

        'One of the things which worry constitutional scholars the most is the fact that, under Article Six of Equestria's Constitution, only an alicorn may rule the country. With Princess Celestia being the only current alicorn, if something were to happen to her, it could trigger a crisis that would be unresolvable and would lead to civil unrest and disorder.

        'Several close calls over the years, most notably the Second Griffo-Equestrian War in 303, the Nobility Revolt of 503 and Lord Regent Hill Burrow's attempted regicide in 803, have made those worries all too close to becoming a reality. Currently, Princess Celestia is unconcerned about the lack of a second alicorn and has expressed her believe that the situation will “resolve itself” over time.

        'Constitutional scholars are quick to point out that Equestria is technically a diarchy; although what happened to the second diarch is unclear. Many historical records, including those relating to Equestria's rulers, were lost during renovations at the Canterlot Archives in 127 and 209. All attempts at recovering them have proven unsuccessful. Princess Celestia has also refused to elaborate on the matter, although her reactions to being asked have been described as being “extremely emotional”.

        'Because of the Alicorns' importance to Equestria and the world, the Alicorn Genetic Development Program was started with the goal of isolating the genes responsible for an Alicorn and breeding one to succeed Princess Celestia in the event of a tragedy that would incapacitate or, perish the thought, kill her.

        'In 966, the Cosmic Council granted authorization for the program to proceed. The Health Institute of Equestria, Canterlot Grand National University, and the Griffo-Minotaurian Imperial Academy of Sciences soon started work on the complicated and ambitious project. After five long years, the program was completed successfully with the pregnancy of Emerald Shimmer, a descendant of the long forgotten Crystal Ponies.

        'Shimmer later gave birth to a healthy alicorn foal, who was named Mi Amore Cadenza. Cadance's magic was tested using the Coruscant Scale, which confirmed her to be several levels above a unicorn. The program had been a success.

        'Sadly, it would prove to be the only success as shortly after Cadance's birth, the Imperial Academy of Sciences building that housed much of the research was destroyed by a fire under suspicious circumstances. With a successful form of succession in Cadance, interest within Equestria for reviving the program evaporated and no attempts have been made since.'

        'Cadance's birth will hopefully mark the end of worrying over the provisions contained within Article Si—'

        Twilight's concentration was broken when the train began its ascent of Mount Canterhorn as it chugged its way toward Canterlot.

        She closed the book and looked at it.

        'It must be an older version.'

        She put the book down and picked up I Do Not Recall: How to Survive a Government Inquiry.

        'You'll have plenty of time to research alicorns when you get back. Now's the time to cram for Parliament.'

        'It's important to keep in mind which Select Committee you're appearing before. Knowing all this procedural information and legal jargon is useless if you don't know which Committee you'll have to spout it to. There's quite a few of them. Please keep in mind that this list is ever changing and morphing as Parliament and its political parties vie for control.

        'First there's the—'

        Twilight was interrupted by a stewardess.

        “What would you like for your complementary lunch, miss?”

        “Lunch? Uh, what do you have?”

        “We have your choice of a hay sandwich and potato chips with a small cup of glazed peaches, or a small salad with either ranch or balsamic vinaigrette dressing and a piece of pita bread.”

        “I think I'll take the salad with ranch, please.”

        “Very good. I'll be back in a moment with your lunch.”

        Twilight looked back down at her book and tried to find where she had left off. Before she could, however, the stewardess returned with her salad.

        “Thank you.”

        “You're welcome.”

        The purple unicorn dug into her salad.

        'And that is why it is never a good idea to yodel your answers to the Ways and Means Committee. To this day, the City of Hooftucket pays 1.2% more in sales tax than other cities.'

        Twilight closed the book.

        'That's enough reading for now.'

        She stood up and stretched herself out, causing her joints to crack and pop. She then set the book down inside her suitcase and zipped it shut, opting to stare out the window at the mountain scenery as it rushed by.

        'It's been a hectic week, hasn't it?'

        She looked down at her wingless backside.

        'Once this nasty business with Parliament is done, you'll be able to figure something out. You'll have all the time in the world to research and study.'

She gazed back outside.

        'It's not too bad. You're secret's safe...for the most part.'

        The purple unicorn watched as the railroad signs and markers whizzed by.

        'Five of your friends know—I kind of feel sorry for Applejack. They'll be sure to keep your secret safe. And with your secret safe, you can find out how to reverse this.'

        Her lips curled up in a small smile.

        'You watch, it'll be something easy, like Magical Feedback from the Elements, or maybe it really was Discord getting one last little bit of revenge. Whatever it is, you'll be able to fix it.'

        She sighed.

        'When you do, you can get back to your boring, ordinary life; awaiting the next disaster that'll doom Equestria if you and your friends don't do something about it.'

        Twilight's ears perked and she glanced up as an announcement was made over the PA.

        “We are now arriving at the City of Canterlot. Please ensure that you are ready to disembark.”

        She looked out the window once more and sure enough, Canterlot could be seen rapidly approaching.

        'Just imagine: you're only a few days away from returning to your old life. No more nightmares. No more panicking over these stupid wings. No more worrying about Equestria.'

Twilight braced herself as the train began to slow down and make its way into Canterlot.

        'You'll finally be able to relax. Princess Celestia will be so happy that you were able to solve this problem all on your own.'

        The train continued to slow done as its inertia carried it through the heart of Canterlot.

        'Pinkie'll host a big party and you and your friends can laugh at the absurdity and ridiculousness of it all.'

        Twilight looked over to make sure all her belongings were there as the train made its approach to the station.

        'All you have to do is keep a level head.'

        The train gently pulled into the station.

        'All you have to do is make sure no pony else finds out and you'll be fine.'

        Twilight lurched forward slightly as the train came to a stop.

        “Now arriving at Canterlot Grand Station, Platform F. You may now disembark. Thank you for using the Central Equestrian Railroad: 'Your Gateway to Equestria and the World.'”

        Twilight picked up her suitcase and the dress and made her way off the train and onto the equally-as-dead-as-the-train platform.

        'All you have to do is survive Parliament.'