I was home.
"Back so soon, Twilight?" Cadence inquired, positioned in front of Celestia's gardened grave.
"So soon? What do you mean, Cadence?"
"You were gone for thirty seconds!" she exclaimed, getting up and approaching me.
"I was?"
"Yeah! I haven't even gone inside from when you left yet. How long did you think you were gone?"
To be honest, I had no idea. But let's just say that we both had a good laugh when I said.
"I don't know; a billion years, maybe."
"Time-travel does that kind of stuff to you..." the Princess remembered our conversation which apparently took place seconds ago. "So...with you coming home so soon and all...I guess this means you didn't find what you were looking for after all."
I shook my head. "Nope...I didn't, Princess. And I promised you I would return."
She smiled gently. "I'm just glad you're okay," she gave me a hug. "I will go and call the groundskeeper to water the garden...if you need me." She started on her way inside.
I was alone. In my moment of solitude, I cast a spell on myself which magically removed all of the debris on my body. I trotted over to the Princess's grave, and once again, paid my respects to her. After all this time - years it seemed - she was still in the ground, never to return to us.
I shed a single tear.
I suddenly started hearing distant voices in the back of my ears. They sounded familiar, as if I had heard them all the time. But there was no one around, as I learned when I scanned the area in front of me. Then I turned around, and saw the most spectacular scene I ever witnessed.
It was Princess Luna - bold and proud - stepping over the horizon into Canterlot. And trailing behind her: six grown-up familiar faces, and one large purple dragon with thick, green scales down his back.
I was paralyzed. I could not believe what I was seeing.
"Twilight! Twilight!" they exclaimed in unison, galloping towards me. "Twilight! Twilight!"
I was suddenly overwhelmed with attention, and was the center of a six-pony group hug.
"Oh, Twilight, we've missed you so much!" they said in unison.
"I don't understand..." I replied, still way too confused and overwhelmed to comprehend what was going on.
"You're welcome," remarked Princess Luna, approaching the circle of affection.
"You did this?" I inquired the Princess.
She nodded only once. "That I did. I wasn't gone for very long, Twilight Sparkle," she explained. "I only spent about two weeks in mourning, until I was finally ready to return to Canterlot able-bodied and able-minded, even if I could not return as the Princess of Equestria. But, on my way home, I discovered a letter you sent to one of your friends. Pardon my intrusion, but I knew that if your friends parted ways, the results would be catastrophic..."
"The Great Disaster," I mumbled.
"So, as former Princess of Equestria, I felt it was my obligation to gather up your friends, and return them as soon as possible."
Our interminable hug finally terminated. I began to approach the Princess, but was picked up by a large, green-bellied dragon who brought me to his lower neck in order to receive an inevitable hug.
"Am I still your number-one assistant?" he asked softly, his voice more masculine and darker.
"Of course you are," I smiled.
I retracted my hug, and he lowered me down to speak with the Princess.
I gave Princess Luna a hug of gratitude. She at first resisted, but then put her hoof around me.
"How come it took so long for you to do all this?" I inquired. "Not that I'm complaining or anything."
"I had no guidance in the matter," she answered. "I was completely alone, and had literally no idea where your friends were when I found your letter, so I was walking around Equestria blindfolded to my destinations. And even once I found one of your friends, it was not easy to coax them."
"You're kidding."
Princess Luna shook her head.
"I remember one of my letters to you, Twilight," Rarity began. "Said that nothing could keep us apart...I guess I sorta let you down and lied to you about that...If it wasn't for Luna visiting me in Manehattan and convincing me that my friendship was more important than fame, fortune and fashion, I'd probably still be sewing dresses and posing for headshots. The glamour life is a pretty one, indeed. But it is no substitute for our friendship, Twilight. And I'm sorry."
"You'd think I of all ponies would be the one to stay behind," Rainbow Dash said. She was dressed in a Wonderbolts costume, but other than that, looked the same. "But, I guess I just got caught up in the limelight as a Wonderbolt, and forgot that I was the Element of Loyalty. Some loyal friend I am. I'm sorry."
"Planning parties is tons of fun!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, wearing a baseball hat and a blouse. "I loved my job so much! I was surrounded by ponies and parties and balloons and candy all the time! But...no party is really much fun without your friends being there. Every party I planned was for just a bunch of strangers. Luna helped me realize that no party is worth throwing away a lifelong friendship with your pals. And I'm sorry about that."
"As much as I love the peacefulness, bliss, and serenity of my animal friends," began Fluttershy, decked out in some animal guru attire which, other than being brown of color and leather of material, I could not begin to describe. She had two or three necklaces of aqua, plum, and white beads around her neck. "I love the peacefulness, bliss, and serenity of my friendship more than that of my animal friends. Luna helped me realize that. And once I knew what I had done, I quit my job and followed her back here. I'm sorry my career ever had to come to that."
"Ah'm prob'ly duh pony who should be duh most apologetic," said Applejack. "Ah wadun't on any fancy-smancy bidness trip are anythin'. Ah wuz simply on an extended vacation. Ah wuz out in duh world, havin' duh time o' mah life. Duh other members o' duh Apple Family cov'red duh sellin' and disti'bution o' duh cider while we raked in duh money. Well, Ah say t' Tartarus wid all dat money! No amount o' money could eva replace duh value o' mah fre'dship wid you, Twilight. And...Ah'm sorry."
"Apologies accepted," I said, a tear falling down my cheek.
"And I'm sorry I assisted in keeping Rarity in Manehattan," Spike added. We all looked upwards at him. "I, uh, you know...married her, and such, and I think our marriage is part of the reason why she stayed. She was busy in Manehattan both keeping a successful fashion business with Hoity Toity and his company, and she was also spending any free time she had from the office with her new husband."
"We all were," Fluttershy said.
"All were what?" I asked.
"Spending any extra time we had with our new husbands."
"Husbands? You mean...you're all married?"
Everypony nodded.
"I have a husband and two children," Fluttershy admitted.
"Justa hus'and," Applejack remarked.
"Husband and a daughter," Rainbow Dash grunted.
"Just Spikey Wikey," said Rarity.
"Husband and four kids!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
"What? Where are they? What happened to them?"
"When we explained to them how urgent our departures were," Rarity explained. "They did not say a word about it. We had been with them for years, and they knew that this was important. Turns out we each told our own husband how much fun and pleasure we had being your friend, Twilight. And it didn't take us but five minutes to say goodbye to them and return here. We're all planning to have them relocate back here. We've had our time in the spotlight, pursuing our dream jobs, and being the worst friends imaginable...I think it's time I repay my debt - all of us repay our debts - to you, Twilight."
I smiled, a tear of happiness and contentment trickling down my cheek.
"I don't know what to say, girls."
"Then don't say anything," said Luna, stepping forth. "Their return had to be inevitable: there is no worse fate for Equestria than if the six of you were to part ways, be it peacefully like you did or maliciously."
"But why did you come back, Princess?" I inquired her. "You have nothing to gain outside of my friends and I all being together."
"I am the former Princess of Equestria," she explained promptly. "I must set an example for the rest of Equestria. Everypony understands that when you lose your beloved sister, a period of mourning is expected. But, soon, you have to get back on her hooves and take to the world. You cannot spend your whole life in mourning. If you did, you'd probably dig yourself down so deep, the only conceivable escape would be suicide."
She paused briefly.
"During my search for your friends, I visited a major library branch in another corner of Equestria, and I came across the Equestrian Declaration of Foundation. And, in my rereading of it, I came across a loophole. The Declaration, under the subsection regarding government, says, and I quote, 'A Princess must rule Equestria...' it doesn't say anything about there having to be exactly one Princess. In fact, I think there can be an infinite number of Princesses ruling Equestria, and it would not conflict with the Declaration. We don't need that many. But it does mean we can have two."
"Two Princesses?" I asked.
Luna nodded.
"But it also says that if a Princess is to resign her title as Princess of Equestria while in office, she cannot-"
"The Declaration does say that, Twilight Sparkle. However, it fails to say that just because a Princess resigns does not mean that she cannot reenter office as an adjunct. Cadence can still be Princess of Equestria, and since there can be two Princesses, I will resume my position as adjunct as I was when my sister was in power."
"Hooray!" I leapt to the Princess and gave her a congratulatory hug. As usual, she didn't seem to enjoy it much, but she gave in anyway.
"You shouldn't be celebrating me," she mumbled. "I think you'd rather be celebrating the return of your friends."
"Group hug!" they all exclaimed, running up to me only a moment after I finished my hug with Luna. Yes, there was some friendly kissing this time. But, hey, I haven't seen these girls in over twenty years. I thought nothing of it.
The group and I were immersed in our silent affection as we embraced each other simultaneously. I was the only one who uttered something for the moment.
"You guys mean everything to me."
After the hug, we all ran inside to tell Princess Cadence and Shining Armor the good news. Then we all had a huge "welcome back" party that, you guessed it, Pinkie Pie wanted to throw. The party was thrown that night, and lasted a few hours. After about an hour and a half, though, I felt I had had enough fun and excitement for one day, and I visited the Princess again.
I was once again alone, on my own, with nopony around but the dirt beneath my hooves and my plot, and the flowers which sang their silent songs in the night. All was still until I heard the gentle sound of hoofsteps coming up behind me, casting a dark shadow across Celestia's grave.
I turned my head. It was Princess Luna.
"Twilight Sparkle," she began. "Why aren't you at the party?"
"Why aren't you at the party?" I inquired.
The Princess glared at me.
"I'm sorry...it's just..."
"Yes?...What is it, Twilight Sparkle? Is something the matter?"
"Well, you see...I went on a trip of my own while you were out looking for my friends."
"Oh?"
I stood up and turned around. "Yeah, uh...I used my time-travel spell and traveled through time."
"Traveled through time? Now why in Equestria would you do that?"
"Because...I didn't know what to do or where to go or anything. Equestria was falling apart in my friends' absence and Princess Cadence blamed herself for everything, and at first I just wanted to see the ultimate fate of Equestria, but then I kept looking because if Equestria was gonna end up like that, I wanted to know where I belonged then. Where was I to go? Where did I end up going? What did I end up doing? Turns out I'm gonna be a wife and a mother and I'm gonna be very happy and successful in my life."
"Interesting, Twilight Sparkle...so did you end up finding what you needed?"
I shook my head. "No, Princess Luna...I didn't. Sure, I learned a little about my life in the future, but the future's subject to change. Nothing's set in stone, and so I only visited one possibility of what my life could be like, assuming I take the path I took then. But, in regard for why I even began my journey...I was fruitless in my efforts."
"How long were you gone?"
"According to Princess Cadence, thirty seconds."
"How long were you gone to you?"
"A few weeks, maybe."
"And did you jump often?"
"...Yeah...I did..."
The Princess shook her head. "Twilight, that is very dangerous. Sure, you're the highest-level unicorn and can do nearly anything you can imagine with your magic, but if you keep jumping around, you're gonna hurt yourself."
"I'm sorry, Princess."
"Hey, it's your body."
"I'm retiring from advanced spellcasting...In fact...in my old age of forty-one...I think I should retire altogether...I can spend my days with my friends and their families, and start a family of my own."
"But what about your search, Twilight Sparkle? Are you telling me you have no trouble with having gone through all that you've endured - and I don't even know the half of it based on what you've told me - for nothing?"
I did not know how to reply to that question. I really had gone through all that I did for nothing if I returned home empty-hooved. I..Ignored Luna's question, and simply continued with a sentence of my own.
"There is one thing..." I began. "At the end of my journey, I helped this mare named Claire from an unintended murder during the outbreak of a massacre. She told me that if I couldn't find what I was looking for there in the future, I should be looking here - in the present."
"Then perhaps she is correct."
"But where is there to look for what I desire, Princess Luna?"
"Well, what do you desire, Twilight Sparkle? Simply to understand who you are?"
"Yes! And where I belong in this world! My purpose in life - to master the art of magic as directed by my cutie mark - has been fulfilled since before I even began my journey through time. Now, I am a lone Mare, reunited with her friends, but still wandering in circles as for what I should do in my life."
"Let's not forget - you were Princess Celestia's most faithful student prior to her passing," said Luna. "And, even though she is gone, that purpose of your life has not technically been fulfilled."
My giant eyes widened. Claire was right! I didn't have to go through all that time-travel! What I desired was in front of me all the while! I may be a master magician, sure, but I'm also a scholar and a great learner. And there has been no better teacher out there for me than the beloved Princess Celestia. Even though she has passed away from her illness, that doesn't mean I'm not her student! It just means that she's not my teacher.
"Why don't you go write her a letter, Twilight Sparkle?" Luna asked. "I'm sure she'll be happy to hear from you."