Fluttershy trotted through the town of Ponyville, a wicker basket filled with groceries clutched between her teeth. The week had been exceptionally easy for the animal caretaker – no quarrels, maladies, or frightening storms to set her little critters off. Now that she had picked up everything she needed at the market, her short to-do list was almost completed.
She only had one thing left to do for the day, and that was to visit Twilight’s library. The prospect of a peaceful night curled up with a fresh story sounded very appealing to her, and with her charges being so well-behaved, it was starting to look as if her perfect evening was set to be a reality. All she needed was a good book, and Fluttershy knew that there was nopony better to solve this issue than a certain lavender unicorn.
Fluttershy approached the giant library tree, and raised a hoof to knock at the door –
“UGH, SPIKE, YOU AREN’T TAKING ME SERIOUSLY!”
Startled, Fluttershy accidentally dropped her basket and flattened her ears to her head. She’d come at a bad time. It wouldn’t be a problem to ask Applejack or Rarity for a book, after all. She bent down to retrieve her groceries from the ground, but froze in horror as the sound of Twilight sobbing flowed from underneath the library door.
“Twilight…” Spike said, sounding exasperated. “You’re making such a big deal out of this! Your friends will understand. It’s not worth crying over, for Celestia’s sake!”
“Spike, you don’t understand! They’ll be so mad at me for not telling them sooner…”
Fluttershy hesitated awkwardly outside the door. A big part of her was urging her to open the door and comfort her friend, but if she was the reason Twilight was upset in the first place, then maybe it would be best to stay away. Uncertainty held her in place.
“Twilight, the princess obviously thinks that you’re the best pony for the job. I’m sure the others will support you. I mean, why wouldn’t they?”
“Oh Spike, but this is such a big responsibility… And you know that I hate seeming like a show-off…”
“Twilight, c’mon! Think about it! You’ve already told them about the princess coronation. If I were them, I’d almost be expecting something like this to happen. I mean, just look at you; you’re Princess Celestia’s personal student!”
“I just… I don’t know if I’m ready yet…”
Fluttershy gave a puzzled look at the door. Expecting it? A big responsibility? …The princess coronation?! Fluttershy’s hoof rocketed to her mouth just in time to supress her gasp of disbelief.
“Darling, what are you doing?” Fluttershy whirled around to see a familiar white unicorn walking towards her. “I was just passing by, and I must say, from an onlooker’s perspective it looks almost as if you’re eavesdropping.” Rarity raised an eyebrow.
“Rarity… I-I, um… I think there’s something you need to know about Twilight…” Fluttershy said softly, then quickly whispered her findings into her friend’s ear.
Rarity blinked several times and stared at Fluttershy. “Twilight’s a wh - !?” Fluttershy quickly pressed a hoof against the unicorn’s mouth, and glanced backwards at the library door to make sure they hadn’t been overheard.
“Rarity, please try to be quiet… I would feel so awful if Twilight found out I’d heard her… oh my goodness, I feel terrible already…” Fluttershy whimpered and kept her gaze focused downwards.
“Fluttershy,” Rarity started, this time keeping her voice appropriately low, “there’s no way Twilight could become a princess! That’s a title you are either born with or marry into, and unless she’s taken up a relationship with that foul excuse for a prince Celestia calls a nephew, then she simply is not fit to sit atop the throne.”
“Twilight, it doesn’t matter how high you sit on that throne! They’re your friends!” Spike groaned loudly from the other side of the door, causing Rarity’s jaw to drop. Wordlessly, Fluttershy and Rarity moved closer to the entrance in order to hear more.
“I know… I know… they won’t be jealous! Of course they won’t be jealous…” The panic in Twilight’s tone was painfully obvious. “They’re my friends… and Celestia chose me… oh, Spike, you don’t think even Rarity will be jealous of me? Princess Celestia could just have easily have picked her!”
Fluttershy and Rarity exchanged looks. “Me? A princess?” Rarity smiled at the thought. “Yes, yes, I can see that… ohh, just imagine the jewels on my crown…”
“Twilight!” Spike exclaimed. “Rarity may be more beautiful, but her magic isn’t nearly at the same level that yours is!”
“H-hey!” Twilight said indignantly.
Rarity blushed and giggled. “Oh Spikey…”
“Uh… not that you aren’t beautiful or anything Twilight…” Spike laughed nervously.
“Ugh. Forget it, Spike. More important issues at hoof… I guess I’m just worried that they’ll think differently of me. I mean, this is a pretty big deal, and it sort of came out of nowhere…”
“Oh Twilight…” Fluttershy looked sadly at the door. “I wish you would tell us yourself. Then you’d know that we’ll stick by you no matter what.”
“Are you certain?” Rarity asked, looking sideways at the yellow pegasus. “She’s right, you know: this is a big deal! She’ll have to move away to live in a castle… oh what I wouldn’t give for such a life… but still! We may never see Twilight again!”
Fluttershy realized with a pang of horror that Rarity was right. Tears filled her eyes, and the white unicorn hugged her friend in a comforting manner.
“C’mon Twilight, calm down!” Spike begged from within the library. “I mean, seriously, “Twilight Sparkle”? It’s like you were named for it or something.”
“That’s not funny, Spike.”
“Princess Twilight Sparkle…” Fluttershy murmured.
“A bit wordy, if you ask me,” Rarity added. “Still… it does make sense now that I think about it… Celestia represents the day, Luna represents the night… Twilight must represent the twilight!”
“Or maybe the stars? Um, because of her cutie mark…”
“Oh goodness, how could we have been so blind?!” Rarity wailed, a foreleg shooting dramatically to her forehead. “Oh Twilight! To have been befitted with such a stressful, but admittedly glamorous, fate! Oh, I hope you don’t forget about us little ponies when you’re gone!”
“…Rarity? Is that you?” Twilight's voice asked, and the sound of hooves approaching gradually increased in volume.
Rarity shrieked and pulled Fluttershy into a nearby bush just before Twilight opened the door. The purple unicorn looked around the area, seeming a bit confused. “Nevermind, Spike. I could have sworn I heard somepony out here…”
Fluttershy and Rarity let out a simultaneous sighs of relief. “What should we do?” Fluttershy whispered, her huge teal eyes giving away her fright.
“Emergency meeting.” Rarity decided. “You fly over to Sweet Apple Acres and inform Applejack. I’ll find Pinkie Pie. With any luck, one of us will spot Rainbow Dash along the way.”
Fluttershy nodded and hovered out of the bush, brushing the twigs and leaves out of her coat before speaking. “Got it.”
Rarity stepped out and took a few moments to make sure her mane was still perfect. “Okay, meet me back at my house once you’re finished!” With that, the two ponies took off in opposite directions.
…
“But Applejack!” Apple Bloom whined and gave her older sister the saddest expression she could muster. “Ah told Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo that Ah could crusade with them this afternoon!”
Applejack shook her head and pointed up at the apple-filled trees that surrounded them. “Ah told you that y’all could play this afternoon… but only if ya finished yer chores first!
“But that’s not fair!”
Applejack sighed. “Apple Bloom, yer old enough to understand that ya have responsibilities that need tah be taken care of first. C’mon now, y’still have lots of time to finish up, then you can go play.”
Apple Bloom grumbled something incoherent, then grabbed an empty apple bucket by the rope handle and tugged it towards a small apple tree. Before she could start bucking, a pegasus that Apple Bloom nearly mistook for Rainbow Dash based on her speed came whizzing towards them.
Fluttershy managed to break in the air and sunk to the ground in front of Applejack as she tried to catch her breath.
“Fluttershy?” A very surprised Applejack surveyed the newcomer worriedly. “Is somethin’ wrong?”
Fluttershy nodded, still gasping for air. “I… hope this… isn’t a… bad time…” The yellow pony managed to say between breaths.
“Course not, hun.” Applejack frowned. “What’s gotten ya all riled up?”
“It’s Twilight…” Fluttershy said anxiously. “She’s… she’s, um…” Fluttershy paused and looked uncertainly over at Apple Bloom.
Applejack opened her mouth to say something, but her younger sister beat her to it. “Yeah, yeah, Ah know… big pony talk…” she grumbled before trotting a little bit away.
Applejack smiled sadly at her younger sister before giving Fluttershy her full attention. “What were you sayin’ about Twi, sugarcube?”
“She’s… oh Applejack… she’s going to become a princess.” Fluttershy explained anxiously.
If it had been any other pony, Applejack might have assumed she was being pranked. However, Fluttershy being as innocent as apple pie instantly made everything very alarming. “A… a princess?! Wait, that princess coronation is for Twilight?!”
“A princess?” Apple Bloom popped out from behind a tree and stared at the older ponies wondrously.
Applejack groaned. “Apple Bloom, Ah told ya to…” She hesitated and looked over at Fluttershy, who had starting hovering in her anxiety. “Oh, forget it. Just make sure you finish those chores. C’mon, Fluttershy, let’s get movin’!”
As the two mares rushed off into town, Apple Bloom grinned and waved until they were out of sight. “Bye sis! I’ll just be here doin’ mah chores! …Wait until Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo here about this!” She giggled to herself before abandoning the apple bucket and racing off of the farm.
...
Fluttershy and Applejack reconvened at Carousel Boutique, where Rarity and Pinkie Pie were already waiting for them amidst the mannequins fitted with Rarity’s handiwork.
“No Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked. Fluttershy shook her head. “Oh well, I’m sure we’ll be able to find her later.”
“I dunno what all of you guys are so worried about!” Pinkie Pie giggled and jumped into the air. “Twilight’s gonna be a princess! Twilight’s gonna be a princess! Whee!” she sang and bounced around the boutique.
“Ah dunno y’all…” Applejack sighed. “Seems like a mighty big change. Ah need time to wrap mah head around it.”
“I don’t want Twilight to leave…” Fluttershy whimpered.
“Now now, girls, it’s important to understand the full implications of what’s going to happen.” Rarity climbed onto a wooden stool and cleared her throat. “If Twilight becomes a princess, it’s very likely she will live in Canterlot Castle… being attended to by only the most high class servants and protected by the royal guard themselves… eating nothing but the finest fruits and highest quality of hay…” Her eyes glazed over.
“Rarity! Focus!” Applejack snapped the white unicorn out of her daze.
“Erm, yes, yes of course…” Rarity blushed and stepped down from the stool. “My point is that there will be, er, many changes…”
Pinkie hopped on top of one of Rarity’s couches. “I wonder what it’ll be like for Twilight to fly!” she leapt off of the couch with a scream of delight.
The other three ponies exchanged confused looks before realizing the implication of Pinkie’s words. “Holy sweet Celestia, Twilight’s gonna sprout wings!” Applejack exclaimed.
“Oh, I didn’t even think!” Rarity’s eyes were huge, but her pupils had shrunk to the size of pinheads. “The only princesses that we know are alicorns! She must need to abilities of a pegasus to be able to perform her duties to their fullest extent!”
Pinkie Pie finally stopped bouncing and raised an eyebrow. “I still don’t get it. What’s the big deal? Twilight’s my friend, and if she wants to be a princess, then I’ll support her!”
“It’ll be awful, Pinkie Pie!” Rarity cried, her mane starting to get slightly frazzled in her panic.
“But… why?”
“Because! Just because!” Rarity screeched into Pinkie’s face, causing the surprised earth pony to flinch backwards.
“What if Twilight doesn’t want to be a princess?” Fluttershy timidly suggested.
Rarity gasped. “That’s it! She mustn’t want to; she was so worked up at the library! All we need to do is send a letter to Celestia explaining everything, and then it will all go back to normal!”
“C’mon y’all, let’s get Spike!” Applejack raced out of the door, with the other three right behind her.
…
“A princess?!” Sweetie Belle squeaked excitedly. The three crusaders were just outside of their clubhouse, excitedly listening to Apple Bloom recount Applejack’s run-in with Fluttershy.
“That is so totally cool!” Scootaloo agreed. “Who would’ve guessed Twilight would be a princess one day?”
“Ah know!” Apple Bloom agreed. “We should go visit her and ask for her autograph or somethin’ before it’s too late.”
“YEAH!” The cutie mark crusaders bumped hooves and raced into town.
Before they could get to the library, however, Scootaloo stopped in her tracks. “Rainbow Dash!” she called excitedly, waving a hoof frantically at the sky, where a certain blue pegasus’ favourite napping cloud hovered.
Rainbow Dash yawned and rolled onto her stomach. “Oh… hey kid.” Rainbow grinned at her biggest fan before sitting up and stretching. “What are you guys doing here?”
“We’re gonna go and get Twilight’s autograph before she moves to Canterlot!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
Rainbow Dash shot the unicorn filly an odd look before spreading her wings and hovering down in front of them. “Canterlot? Twilight’s not moving to Canterlot!’
“The princesses live in Canterlot, though.” Sweetie Belle tipped her head. “If she’s gonna be a princess, then she’ll probably move to Canterlot, right?”
Rainbow Dash stared at the three foals. “…Say what now?”
“Y’didn’t hear?” Apple Bloom asked, grinning at the fact that she knew more gossip than Rainbow did. “Fluttershy came by earlier and told Applejack all about it! She said Twilight’s gonna be a princess!”
“Whoa, whoa, hold up!” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Twilight would totally tell me something that important. Funny joke, but it’s not gonna work on me.”
The three crusaders looked at each other, then collectively shrugged. “If ya say so.” Apple Bloom said as the three fillies raced off towards the library.
Rainbow Dash watched the crusaders go, feeling a touch uncertain. Twilight would tell her before being pronounced a ruler of Equestria… wouldn’t she? The pegasus shook her head. Of course she would. Rainbow took off into the sky, hoping to catch sight of her other friends in order to sort this issue out.
Instead, she spotted Twilight and Spike walking through the center of the bustling market. Rainbow grinned – even better. As she touched down about twenty feet away from Twilight and opened her mouth to call to her, she was cut off by somepony else.
“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity hissed, causing Rainbow to turn in surprise. She found her other four friends pressed stealthily against the side of a brick building and gesturing frantically for her to join them.
“…What the hay?” Rainbow was becoming more confused by the second, but she trotted to her friends all the same.
Rarity peeked around the brick wall to make sure Twilight hadn’t spotted them, then turned to Rainbow Dash. “Where have you been?!”
Rainbow shrugged. “Napping.”
“Napping!? At a time like this? This is an emergency!”
“What? What’s going on?”
“Twilight’s gonna be a PRINCESS!” Pinkie Pie cheered before Rarity could dive over and cover her mouth.
Rarity sighed. "We've been trying to figure out a way to separate Spike from Twilight, but for now it's imperative to stay hidden."
Rainbow took a surprised step backwards, then hung her head. “So the kids weren’t kidding…” She exhaled sharply, rather ticked that Twilight hadn’t shared this information herself.
“The kids?” Applejack asked, then her eyes widened in realization. “Apple Bloom!” she growled. “Why that little… Disobeyin’ her own sister…!”
“I want a straight answer from Twilight herself.” Rainbow Dash announced, and her wings shot upwards in preparation for flight.
As Rainbow leapt into the air, a familiar tugging sensation at the base of her tail stopped her. Rainbow glanced behind in annoyance to see Applejack pulling her back to the ground.
“Just wait a moment!” Rarity scolded, and watched as Twilight and Spike walked dangerously close to where they were standing. “And be quiet!”
Twilight walked directly past them, and the group noticed that she was carrying a wicker grocery basket in her magical grasp. Fluttershy gave a very quiet “oh” of recognition.
“She’s not here, Spike,” Twilight said, looking puzzled. “This basket must be Fluttershy’s… who else would buy so much bunny feed? But why would she leave it outside of our door?”
“I dunno, Twilight. Maybe she’s trying to convince you to take in some of her animals or something?” Spike suggested jokingly.
Twilight shook her head. “No, that doesn’t make sense.” She sighed and looked at the ground. “I was kind of hoping I could tell her about everything that’s been going on…” Unbeknownst to Twilight, five sets of ears flicked curiously forward.
“Nah, don’t tell anyone!” Spike laughed. “I wanna see their faces at the ceremony! Haha!”
Applejack glared at the baby dragon. “That’s not funny, Spike,” she hissed, though said assistant could not hear her.
Twilight looked uncertain. “Well, maybe… but, I mean, they’ll recognize the magic I’ll be using almost immediately. They’ve never seen me do it, but, well… who would’ve guessed Trixie of all ponies would help me get noticed by Princess Celestia?"
“Trixie?” five ponies whispered at once, then quickly threw their hooves over their mouths and tried their best to stay quiet.
Spike shrugged. “Not me, but hey, crazier things have happened. But whatever… let’s go to Fluttershy’s cottage and see if she’s home.” Twilight nodded in agreement, and the two of them headed out of the marketplace.
“What does that magical fraud have to do with all of this?!” Rarity asked in horror.
Applejack tapped a hoof to her mouth in thought. “Maybe she’s gotta demonstrate real powerful magic, like those age spells Trixie was braggin’ about?”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Guys, she still hasn’t actually said she’s a princess yet! Why are you all freaking out?”
“Yeah!” Pinkie Pie agreed. “And even if she is, I’m sure the writers will be able to do a great job incorporating it into the show!” Her four friends turned to stare at her, and Pinkie Pie giggled. “Oopsies, I slipped…” They shook their heads at Pinkie’s nonsense, and decided not to comment.
Fluttershy stared in the direction Twilight was headed. “Um, do you think I should go home before she gets there…?”
“I’d prefer if we stayed together…” Rarity said as she led the group out of their hiding place and back into the busy market. To their surprise, they weren’t the only ponies who were giving the departing unicorn odd looks.
“Did you hear? Twilight Sparkle’s going to become an alicorn!”
“A princess, hoof-chosen by Celestia herself!”
“I know, isn’t it terrible? She was such a good librarian…”
Rainbow Dash looked around in disbelief. “How does everypony know about all of this?!” Her four friends looked away with guilty expressions painted on their faces.
“We may have… erm…” Rarity cleared her throat. “Mentioned it to a few other ponies in our haste for answers… and with Sweetie Belle and her friends in the know as well, I think we can make a few other assumptions…”
Rainbow groaned. News in a small town like Ponyville travelled like wildfire. “Are you kidding me? Twilight hasn’t even told us yet! We’re going off of stupid rumours!”
“Y’can’t deny it, Rainbow,” Applejack said. “Everything Twilight’s been sayin’ matches up…”
“Twilight would tell us!” Rainbow rounded on her friends, giving them an angry glare. “I can’t believe you guys don’t trust her! Some friends you are!” She extended her wings for flight again, but this time nopony moved to stop her. “I’m going to get answers myself!” With that, she flew off in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage.
…
Rainbow’s arial view allowed her to spot Twilight and Spike before they reached their destination. The pegasus adjusted her wings appropriately, then floated down to stand directly in front of them.
Twilight hesitated and raised a hoof from the dirt path in her uncertainty, but smiled at her friend all the same. “Oh, hello Rainbow Dash,” she said, but noticed her friend’s angry expression and frowned. “Is everything all right?”
Rainbow Dash snorted. “All right? Uh, no. Ponies have been saying crazy things about you, Twilight.”
Twilight and Spike exchanged looks. “Crazy… things?” Twilight asked, probing for more information.
“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, but was uncertain of how to word her question without sounding presumptuous. She thought for a few seconds, then decided. “Okay, Twilight… I gotta know: who’s the princess coronation for?”
Twilight shifted uncomfortably. “I’m not really supposed to tell anypony until the date gets closer…”
Rainbow’s eyes widened in disbelief. “T-Twilight!” she argued, pawing angrily at the ground. “I need to know. Right. Now.”
Twilight looked very concerned about her friend’s anxiety. “Okay, if it’s that important… but don’t tell anypony else, okay?” Rainbow Dash nodded vigorously. “It’s… for Princess Cadance,” she said in a low voice.
There was a long silence, then Rainbow let out a long groan. “Are you serious? She’s already a princess!”
“Well…” Twilight said, “only because of her lineage. The coronation is to give her the actual power that comes with being a princess – in this case, over the newly-liberalized Crystal Empire.”
“But…” Rainbow Dash struggled to comprehend everything that had just gone on. “What were all of those rumours about, then? What does Trixie have to do with all of this?”
Twilight blushed. “H-how did you - ?”
“No time!” Rainbow Dash interrupted, and hovered upwards in front of the floating grocery basket. “I’ll take this to Fluttershy’s house. You need to go back to the market and explain this to everypony. I’ll meet you there!” Before Twilight could argue, Rainbow had grabbed the floating grocery basket in her teeth and was gone.
Twilight glanced at Spike. “What do you suppose that was all about?”
Spike shrugged. “Dunno, but let’s go back to the market like Rainbow said.”
Twilight nodded slightly to show that she agreed. Though her friend’s behaviour left a lot unanswered, there wasn’t much she could do besides trust her.
As Twilight stepped into the marketplace, the head of every single pony turned to stare at her. Twilight and Spike stared back, feeling like they should say something, but not sure of what.
One pony suddenly sunk to the ground in an unmistakable bow. The others hurried to follow suit, and soon every single pony in the marketplace was silently bent forward.
Twilight turned around, expecting to see Princess Celestia standing behind her. When she saw that there was nopony there, she turned and stared at the slew of ponies bowing before her. “…Uh…” Twilight felt very uncomfortable, and had no idea what to say.
“Twilight!” Pinkie Pie jumped up over the crowd of ponies and waved frantically. Twilight could faintly make out Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity bowing near the back of the crowd. “Twilight! Ooh, can I be the first to say congratulations?! CONGRATULATIONS!!” Pinkie jumped up and spontaneously emitted confetti. With the look Twilight was giving her, she might as well have announced she was adopting a giraffe.
“I… I… what’s going on?!”
Three eager fillies rushed to the front of the crowd and presented Twilight with a pad of paper and a pencil. “Princess Twilight!” Apple Bloom addressed, then the three of them gave a quick bow. “Do y’think you could give us an autograph? Y’know, before you move to Canterlot?” The cutie mark crusaders beamed innocently up at Twilight.
“Apple Bloom!” Applejack’s voice emanated from the back of the hoard of ponies, and the yellow filly whirled around in panic.
“Oh horseapples!” she swore. Her eyes widened as she realized her mistake.
“APPLE BLOOM!”
Without another word, Apple Bloom was gone. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo glanced at one another, then chased after her.
Applejack was about to run off too, but Twilight called out to her. “A-Applejack!” The orange earth pony hesitated, but didn’t say anything. Twilight groaned in frustration. “Can somepony please tell me what’s going on?”
“Here! I’m here!” Rainbow Dash landed beside Twilight, much to her relief. “Guys, listen up!” she yelled. “Twilight’s not a princess!”
A wave of confused muttering washed over the crowd, and the ponies rose back onto their hooves.
“A princess?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow. “Why would you ever think I was a princess?”
“It was because of us, darling…” Twilight watched as Rarity led Fluttershy and Applejack to stand in front of her, all of them looking very ashamed.
“Rarity and I heard you talking to Spike in the library…” Fluttershy admitted, hanging her head.
Rarity nodded. “It was a bit presumptuous of us to assume such a thing… but… I have to ask: what in Equestria were you talking about?”
“You mean…” Spike glanced between Twilight and the others, trying to fit the pieces together. “When Twilight was freaking out because of the fireworks display?”
Five pairs of eyes stare at him in confusion. “Fireworks display?”
Twilight nodded and gave a modest smile. “I… well, remember when Trixie came to town? When I was working with Fluttershy’s animals to entertain the ponies from Saddle Arabia, and she set off those fireworks?” Her friends slowly nodded. “Well… Princess Celestia put me in charge of setting them off during the princess coronation. For Princess Cadance.”
Her friends let out a collective “oooohhhh…”
“It’s a pretty big deal!” Spike exclaimed, causing Twilight to blush. “I mean, it’ll be during the grand finale and everything! Twilight’ll be performing in front of hundreds of ponies, maybe even thousands!”
“But… what was all of that talk about the throne? And you thought I’d be jealous?” Rarity stuck her nose into the air. “I would never be jealous!” The others exchanged looks and laughed under their breath, causing Rarity to shoot them glares.
“I have to sit above Princess Cadance on the royal throne in order to get enough leverage to launch the fireworks safely. It’s… it’s a really simple spell; I’m sure you could do it, Rarity…” Twilight admitted, looking at the ground.
“It’s so cool when Twilight does it, though!” Spike exclaimed. “Twilight, show them!”
Twilight hesitated uncertainly. “I don’t know…”
“C’mon, Twilight!”
“Yeah, I wanna see, I wanna see!”
Her friends eagerly egged her on, causing Twilight to smile. “Well… okay, I’ll show you.” Her horn glowed its usual shade of purple before exploding with a loud bang and a bright flash of white light. Even in the daylight, Twilight’s magic was able to show off an impressive light display, with an entire spectrum of flashes flying and swirling around the whole sky. The crowd gave off a series of impressed cheers.
“Twilight Sparkle…” Spike giggled at how accurately the spell suited her name, causing Twilight to shoot him a glare as she finished.
“Ah’m so sorry, Twilight…” Applejack removed her hat and looked apologetically at the lavender mare. “If only we’d taken the time to check with you…”
“I shouldn’t have eavesdropped…” Fluttershy’s ears were pressed unhappily against her head. “I’m sorry…”
Twilight gave them a sad smile. “It’s okay, girls. I should have gone to you instead of driving Spike crazy with my worrying.”
“What are friends for?” Rainbow Dash asked, and put a foreleg around her friend’s neck. Twilight grinned back.
“And even if you did turn into a princess,” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Then that would be okay too! Because we’re friends no matter what!”
“You’re absolutely right, Pinkie.” Rarity agreed, staring guiltily at the ground. “If only I’d realized that sooner instead of making such a big fuss.”
Twilight smiled, then turned her attention to Spike. “This would make a great letter to the princess,” she pointed out, causing the baby dragon to nod and pick up the notepad and pencil that the cutie mark crusaders left behind.
…
‘…in summary, we learned that friends are ponies that can be trusted with our worries and secrets. I know now that friendship is strong enough to last through big changes, and that hiding these changes from each other will only make the situation worse rather than better.
Signed, your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle’
Princess Celestia was curled up peacefully in her personal tower as she read her student’s letter. “Twilight, a princess?” she asked herself out loud. And her friends were okay with it? She thought for a few moments, then smiled warmly. “What a wonderful idea…”