It had been a week since the coronation of Equestria´s newest princess, Twilight Sparkle. Said princess had returned to Ponyville in her library tree as her mentor, Princess Celestia, had told her to have some days off to relax and get more comfortable with her new alicorn body.
Twilight Sparkle had trained with Rainbow Dash how to fly, and since her crash on her coronation day, how to land properly, as well. Fluttershy was the most patient teacher the purple alicorn could ask for when giving advice on how to take care of her wings. With Applejack she participated in physical workouts on the farm's apple tree fields, whereas Rarity spent her time with her relaxing in the spa house. And Pinkie Pie made sure that everyday was a small party for the studious mare.
As the sun began to set, Twilight Sparkle was happily drinking some hot chocolate while reading a fascinating story about the history of the cheese roll. Spike was playing with Owlowiscious a fantasy game where he was the great dragon knight and the owl the evil supervillian, Dr. Who, who had taken the fair Lady Rarity as hostage.
Soon there would be an intense showdown between good and evil, between love and hate, between passion and cruelty; a fight ponies and dragons would tell their children eons later.
The fearless and handsome knight born of dragon blood but raised amongst ponies raised his mighty sword toward the vile creature, which looked down on him with a mysterious and condescending gaze. The defender of justice spoke in a booming voice to the monstrous bird, which held the most beautiful and elegant mare in Equestria in his beastly claws.
"Never will I let you have Lady Rarity, monster of the night. Be gone, or taste the steel of my sword!"
"Who who.” replied the owl, unfazed. He rolled his eyes, annoyed to have to play such a silly game. And why couldn’t he be the hero of justice, anyway?
"Come on Owlowiscious. You make an awesome villain. You just need to get more into the spirit of your character.” Spike said, as he tried to save the build-up of their epic battle.
"Who?” retorted Owlowiscious, closing one of his eyes and raising his feathered brow above the open one.
"Ugh, fine. I’ll give you five owl cookies before bed I go to bed instead of three…" Spike admitted his defeat with a grumpy sigh. It sure was hard to be a superhero when your villains wanted to get paid by you.
"WHOOOOOOOOOOOO~" A dramatic cry left the owl’s beak as he rose from his position up into the air; his wings spread far. His body covered the lamp’s light, shining a big, threatening shadow of the bird onto Spike. The little dragon grinned as his co-assistant got into the mood of the game.
"Yeah! That’s how it should… ahem… So be it, Dr. Who! Let our weapons speak to end our quarrel! ENGARDE!"
All in all, it was as peaceful as it could possibly be in the library.
Twilight watched with a content smile as her two assistants and good friends fought their destined battle over a white unicorn doll with a foam sword and a pillow. At first, she had feared how her life would change after she became an alicorn, and more importantly, a princess.
But for the most part all that changed was that she had grown a pair of wings and a few inches in height, which caused a little drama with Rarity because all her dresses had to be fixed; due the new wings and size. Plus, Rainbow was asking her everyday to come flying with her; which she conceded to every second day. While she understood that she only became an alicorn thanks to the power of their and Starswirl´s unfinished spell, she didn’t quite understand why her mentor had given her the title of princess.
Was this the goal of her studies all along? She had assumed that she was being trained to someday become an Archmage in Celestia´s service, but given what she had been told by the princess within the magical realm, Celestia had planned this development. She had already prepared for it, given how quickly the coronation was held. The purple ex-unicorn wondered if there was more to her title than she had considered, or if it was just that all alicorns had to be princesses, because everypony expected them to be?
She shook her head softly as a dragon’s battle cries and an owl’s taunts blared throughout the room. There was no need for her to worry about such things. After all, hadn’t she learned not to over think and worry too much about the future? Or how her mentor had told her the day she became an alicorn:
"There will be time for all of that later."
Right now, later included sitting in her beloved library surrounded by peace and the smell of hot, tasty chocolate. Life was good, and Twilight Sparkle celebrated it quietly by taking another sip of her quickly diminishing drink.
Meanwhile, the nearby battle between good and evil was pretty one-sided. Owlowiscious had been flying around the little dragon; easily evading his foam sword attacks while mocking him with the doll into his face before quickly maneuvering out of his weapon’s range. Spike grew tired and frustrated by the pace of the epic battle. He had imagined himself as a great and impressive figure in it, yet he was lead around by Owlowiscious and unable to change the direction of the fight. But he had an idea to turn the tides.
Just as Owlowiscious hung the doll before his face again, daring him to reach out and grab it like all his previous attempts, he swung his sword at the owl. As expected, the owl flew backwards, chuckling slightly at the useless efforts of his partner. Then, Spike’s pillow shield hit him in the face. The witty dragon knight had thrown his shield at his nemesis while he was flapping backwards, unable to change direction to avoid the incoming object.
Owlowiscious landed on his butt, shouting angrily. With a jump, Spike was on top of him; his sword raised to give the final blow, and hold the most wonderful lady of all in his strong arms. But Dr. Who was far from defeat.
"Who!"
His claw tightened around the doll, shaking it threateningly. Sir Spike’s eyes narrowed at this lowest of low behavior of his arch nemesis. Truly, Dr. Who was living scum. Yet he had to back down and ease the fear distinctly shining in the big blue eyes of his victim.
"Fear not, Princess of my heart! Not a hair of your mane nor of your coat shall be hurt, Lady Rarity. I promise you this by my name, Sir BUUURRRRPPP~" A green flame interrupted Sir Spike’s grand speech and a scroll bearing the royal emblem came to light and landed on the ground.
"Whohohohohohohoho!" Owlowiscious was rolling on the ground, a brown feather ball unable to stop his own laughter. Spike pouted; the game’s mood was completely destroyed, now. He had to save Lady Rarity another day. Yet when the little dragon thought about it, “Sir BUUURRRPPP” was, in fact, quite funny. He couldn’t help but grin himself as he called Twilight to whatever letter Celestia had sent. The alicorn giggled at what she had witnessed, and ruffled Spike’s green scales to cheer him up a bit.
"Thank you, Spike. Where would I be without you? You and Owlowiscious go ahead and help yourselves to some emeralds and owl cookies with some milk, and then get ready for bed, yes?"
Spike cheered at the prospect of emeralds, as did Owlowiscious for the cookies. As both left the main library for the kitchen, Twilight opened the letter with a happy smile, reading her mentor’s newest letter.
Dear Twilight,
I know this is on short notice, but by now you should be used to that quirk of mine.
Twilight snickered. It was a rare moment where Celestia would show her humorous side, and it was quite true that her teacher tended to leave her student little time to prepare whenever it came time for a new task.
Her eyes darted back to the letter.
Yet I need you and your friends to come to the Crystal Empire tomorrow. It is time that we educate you about your new role, both as alicorn and as princess.
I’ll await you there for dinner.
Luna and Cadance send their regards to you.
In deep affinity,
Princess Celestia
Twilight’s eyes grew double their size upon reading this message.
She’ll tell me. I get to know everything that I will have to do; my new tasks, duties, everything.
Twilight’s thoughts were racing as she felt her wings tingle, and began to raise and flap due to her excitement growing stronger and stronger with every passing second. She looked out the window, seeing the last rays of sunshine touching the roofs of Ponyville. There was still time to tell all the others to get ready to travel to the Crystal Empire tomorrow.
"Spike! I’ll go out and tell my friends that we’ll have to leave tomorrow for the Crystal Empire! Don’t eat too much or you’ll get a tummy ache like last time!"
"Mampf, this yumout Nomlestia’s Lettgulp?" Spike asked; mouth full of crunchy and sweet emeralds as he stood at the kitchen’s entry, looking to his friend, as she was about to leave the house.
"Yes, I’ll tell you as soon as I’m back. Get ready to make a list to pack for two, because you’ll come with me. I’m sure the crystal ponies will love to see their little hero return to them." Twilight replied with a motherly smile and sisterly wink as she saw her number one assistant grew three inches after hearing her words. With a few wing beats she was up in the air and away; those lessons with Rainbow truly were worth their time.
==========
Much later the next day, Twilight and Applejack were walking up the Crystal main street from the rail station to the Castle, where her big brother and Cadance lived. Spike and the other four had already taken an earlier train, while Applejack needed to finish her work on the farm. When she had told the farm pony of the news and heard that she wouldn’t be able to come, Twilight wouldn’t accept no for an answer.
The letter said all her friends; and so she would bring all her friends along. She decided to share a part of her work tomorrow morning to finish it sooner. Though all of their friends had offered to help them with the task, Twilight insisted that she and the Apple family would be enough to finish the work in time. Spike and the girls sans Applejack and herself should go ahead and bring the luggage to the Crystal Castle, and meet the Princesses there in case she and AJ ran late. Which, according to her calculations, was 98.7% unlikely.
After a short dispute during which Twilight had teased the others to use her royal powers to order them to go, which caused more laughter than she had expected, everypony agreed upon the plan, and thus the two of them arrived a couple hours later than the rest. Still, they had a great day and a fun travel, and both ponies were in high spirits.
"So, how ya feel about this sudden invitation, sugar cube? What do you expect will happen?” Applejack asked her alicorn friend. She was glad to see her so relaxed, as opposed to her agitation during earlier mentions of meeting Princess Celestia, or her having a new test or task for her.
"I am excited, but I’m a little nervous too." answered Twilight, truthfully. Unable to keep her happy tone down. She truly was optimistic about this. The whole time while she wasn’t busy with the girls or work she had been pondering what her teacher had in mind for her, as she was no longer a student, but a princess.
And finally, she would get her answers.
"And honestly, I don’t know. Maybe Princess Celestia will assign me some sort of area to manage over like Cadance has. Would be nice if my capitol gets to be Ponyville, there’s so much to do with the Mayor’s bureaucracy. Or explain to me how to move the planets around our world via magic. Or teach me the secrets and mysterious history of the alicorns. Or~"
Twilight chatted down all her thoughts and every idea that came to her mind, while Applejack snickered at her friend’s excitement. She was like a little filly on her way to her own birthday party.
Then they saw Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity standing at the castle gate, waving to them in an attempt to urge the two to hurry up. With a quick race, which Applejack easily won, they entered a big group hug; initiated, of course, by Pinkie. Twilight relished the warmth of her friends and the happiness she felt being near them. But there was somebody missing.
"Girls, where’s Spike?" She looked around, yet there was no sign of her purple dragon friend and number one assistant.
"He went into the castle to inform the guards that you’re coming, dear. They were waiting the whole day to welcome you; in a fitting manner for a princess, of course." Rarity said, explaining Spike’s absence. Twilight’s right ear fluttered nervously when she heard that. She was still uncomfortable with ponies bowing to her when she passed, or little children looking at her with wide eyes bathed in awe while their mothers explained to them what a great honor it was to meet "Princess Twilight," and what a great pony she was, and so on; all of which she couldn’t help but feel unworthy for.
All she had done so far was always done with the help of her friends at her side: Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis and Sombra, not to mention the many other adventures they had experienced. She wasn’t a great or amazing pony by any means, not without them. To get a welcome like Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and her old babysitter were used to was something Twilight felt unnecessary for her. Like she had told the masses of ponies at the balcony during her coronation, she wouldn’t be what she was today without her friends. That included Spike as well, who had been her first test and friend on her journey to where she was standing now.
Said dragon came from the Castle’s door, locking Twilight into a big hug before telling her that everything was ready, and the Princesses were waiting for her. With a deep breath and the encouraging looks of her friends at her back she entered the castle and walked through the rooms, which had been so busy a couple weeks ago, to keep an Equestrian games inspector happy. Just to find out she wasn’t the real one and had a really strong case of claustrophobia.
Her spirit rose from its slight low to a new height to this fun adventure with a good ending. She had been through far worse, had all her friends at her side, and would get all her questions answered, which she had brought with her luggage; a scroll with 1,001 questions written on it.
"Wooooh, I’m so nervouscited!" rejoiced the pink party pony, a huge grin splitting her face almost in half.
"You do realize that’s not a real word, right?" Applejack played along as the deadpanning straight-pony role. Twilight snickered at the short display of silliness before something other ponies would sweat buckets. Then it was time.
She opened the door with her magic and was greeted by two rows of Crystal Guards; blowing into their trumpets to give her a welcome fanfare. Yet not even a red carpet was laid before her, true there was one, but it didn’t look royal or expensive. Given the lack of decorations and ponies in the room, besides the guards, the princesses and her new big sister had arranged everything in a pretty modest welcome, according to her own, humble tastes.
A smile adorned Twilight’s lips as she walked past the proud looking guards, to stop a couple meters before the princesses, as usual princess welcome protocol demanded. A pegasus guard seemed to have the role of announcer for the day. That his coat was yellow and not white gave Twilight the hint that he must be the new Royal Guard Captain, as only the Captain would have kept his born coat color while the regular guards hid their identities behind the magic of their armor; appearing to be identical with their white coat, blue hair and blue eyes.
Even if it were an "unofficial" princess welcome, Twilight would follow the protocol she had memorized. So she waited for the Captain to announce her presence, which he did briefly.
"Your highnesses! Enter! Princess Twilight Sparkle!” stated a pleasing, masculine voice, treating it with all the seriousness it deserved, yet more happiness than it needed. Not that Twilight would nag about that, given how bubbly she felt inside. Then she couldn’t stop herself anymore.
"Cadance!"
"Twilight"
The purple and pink alicorns met between the guards and the two older Princesses and nuzzled each other happily. Twilight could tell that it itched in her old babysitter hooves to do their usual sunshine welcome dance, just like in hers. Normally such a childish welcome dance was the bane of every princess welcome protocol, but official or not, the protocol be damned. And so both princesses started their ritual.
"Sunshine, sunshine! Ladybug’s awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"
As always they would have their good laugh at the end of their so consistently performed ritual. Twilight’s friends were rolling their eyes at the typical happy filly behavior Twilight showed whenever she was with her old babysitter; now sister-in-law. The guards did their best to look unfazed while the two princesses shook their flanks, but the Captain had a slight blush and still an eye open in hopes of a continuation. He quickly closed it as he heard Princess Celestia lightly laugh as she stepped forward to greet Twilight Sparkle, too. Without any childish dance or fancy ritual.
"It’s so good to see you again, my faithful student! Though I suppose now I should call you my faithful princess, shouldn’t I?” Princess Celestia greeted her most faithful subject in her usual calm and regal voice.
"I’m overjoyed to see your being well before us, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna voiced her happiness upon seeing her purple friend, a bit too loud, maybe.
"Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! I’m so happy to see you!" Twilight gave a quick bow to both princesses, same as her friends did, behind her. She raised her head and looked expectantly at the white Alicorn.
"We have so much to discuss. But you had a long journey and a busy day, so I will explain everything after dinner. But may I introduce to you the new Captain of my royal guards, who will take your big brother’s place?" Celestia made an elegant hoof movement, rehearsed over a thousand years of politics and grand events, to let her newly appointed Captain speak for himself.
The blue haired pegasus stepped forward; his eyelids opened and revealed marine blue eyes, reminding Twilight of the wide, endless ocean. Just like Shining Armor, he had an aura, which projected confidence, authority, and a proud passion for his task as Royal Guard Captain. The new Captain of the Royal Guard seemed fairly young; so young that he might have even beat her brother’s record of as youngest Royal Guard ever to be promoted to Captain.
Twilight smiled at the thought of the first day she saw her big brother wearing the armor of the royal guard. His pride that was nothing compared to when he became Captain, and his happiness that day was nothing compared to the day he married Cadance. For a split second she wondered if she would ever find such happiness too, then the smooth voice of the guard before her ended her thought, abruptly.
"My name is Flash Sentry, your highness. I had the honor to serve under your brother for many years, and in those I had heard much about you, his little sister. It’s a joy to finally make your acquaintance." His words were suave, his tone gentle, and his smile spoke of the abundance of confidence he carried with him. Yet it was missing the cockiness or arrogance Twilight had initially awaited.
Ashamed of her harsh assumptions, she quickly covered them with a playful reply to his introduction.
"Oh, I hope my brother hasn’t told you too many horrible things about me. Where is he anyway?"
"Training the Crystal Empire athletes for the Equestria Games in a training camp- his specialty. And believe me, Princess; in no way has he spoken badly of you. In all training sessions he told us all of your grand achievements as a little girl and of your more recent, as well. All of the Royal Guards could list your accomplishments both chronologically and alphabetically."
Now Twilight was really embarrassed. She felt the grins of her friends and the smiles of the Princesses growing at her evident blush. Her mother would have had a field day if she had seen this.
"But I have to say, your brother wasn’t very honest with me. Same goes for the guards who had seen you before now. You’re not a beautiful gem, but a radiant star walking amongst us. I’m truly amazed to see that such a young and beautiful mare as yourself could handle all the adventures and achievements I’ve heard about you. It’s no wonder Prince Shining Armor is so proud of you."
Embarrassment was no word for Twilight’s current emotional state. If she could make herself invisible she would have done so immediately. She looked straight into the blue eyes of the Captain, her jaw slightly agape. The volume of sincerity she saw inside made her oddly nervous as she realized he really meant what he told her.
And so openly and honestly before the princesses and her friends, too.
She heard Rarity and Fluttershy do a simultaneous romantic sigh, Rainbow and Pinkie were quietly snickering and Applejack and Spike were in a small dispute if they should make fun of Twilight or to give the, for their taste, too straight-forward Captain a stern talking.
Meanwhile Twilight had managed to close her mouth, but now her head was as red as if her coat had changed from purple to tomato-red. Her ears were laid back on her head as their pointy ends were also flashing red. Her eyes were darting across the ground, unable to look into the captain’s eyes any longer. Her tail was waving nervously, while her wings were twitching erratically for some reason. Her voice seemed to have lost its way in her throat.
Finally she got a few softly spoken words out.
"Ehehe, uhm, t-thanks? I mean, I-I had a lot of help doing all that, s-so..." Twilight’s right foreleg was stroking her left nervously while she ended her sentence biting onto her lower lip in embarrassment, like she always did when she didn’t know what to say.
“Gosh, this is so awkward. I am a Princess of Equestria but a few words of praise and I flash up like a little schoolfilly.” Thankfully, the Princess spared her dignity as she stepped in, mirth clearly present in her voice and smile.
"Well, we shouldn’t let the dinner become cold, as it is ready to be served. Your friends will take you to the dining room. We’ll come as soon as you have finished to get to the matter of my summons."
Twilight gladly took this opportunity to fight back her blush as Flash Sentry stepped back into the row. With a bow to Celestia and a friendly smile toward Luna and Cadance, she left the throne room right behind her friends. The moment the big door closed behind her, the inevitable happened.
"Oh daaarling, did you see how he looked at you?"
"Mah word, he was quite an honest fellow."
"I’m gonna throw you two a paaaaaaarrrty!!!"
"Hmm, he really seemed nice, d-don’t you think so too?"
"Hehe, Flash and Egghead sitting in a tree. K-i-s-s-i-n-g~"
"I don’t like this guy.” grumped Spike; finally deciding he should have protected Twilight. Though he wasn´t quite sure how exactly or if she even needed his protection.
Twilight deadpanned in response to the expected reactions, then rolled her eyes, exaggerating in an attempt to hide how well they’d got under her skin with their teasing. Her empty stomach was helping her cause to undo her earlier embarrassment as well.
"Very funny, Rainbow. Girls, all he did was give me a little praise", she swiftly ignored the quiet "More like a little flirt." comment from Rarity, and continued, "and I didn’t reacted very professionally. It was nothing, so let us not blow it out of proportion and, let us never speak of it again. Now, where’s the dining room? I could eat a whole cart of food as hungry as I am now."
The five ponies and the dragon laughed internally at how obviously Twilight wanted to change the conversation topic, but they complied without any further comment and lead Twilight to a giant, where an even more gigantic banquet was awaiting the six ponies and the dragon. There were many carts filled with food arranged within the culinary assembly. Even food with crystals and jewels were made especially for Spike, the hero of Crystal Empire. With much gusto the seven began their newest adventure to devour all the food and beat their hunger into submission.
For some reason it ended with a big food fight, resulting in Cadance getting a cake to her face as she entered first of the three Princesses. Much to Luna’s dismay, who had wanted to double the fun with more cake being thrown around before her big sister stopped her.
This wasn´t quite how Twilight Sparkle had imagined the start of the session she planned to use to answer her various questions, but it was a start nonetheless. Soon everything would make sense. As soon as she got the pasta out of her hair…
==========
Later, after Twilight and the others had cleaned themselves and the servants were busy cleaning the mess they had left with the remains of the heavenly dinner, Princess Celestia could finally begin her explanation as to why she had called Twilight to come to the capital city of the Crystal Empire. They were in the throne room again without any guards, or others to listen in on their conversation. Only the stars and the moon Luna had raised were witnesses through the open windows as their light shined upon the gathered ponies, alicorns, and baby dragon.
"As you know Twilight, with the completion of Starswirl´s Spell and its successful use you have done something impossible. A pony becoming an alicorn. Now, as you may have heard, Cadance was a pony once too, a pegasus living in an earth pony settlement. Yet her transformation into an alicorn was of a different cause than yours. In her case a powerful artifact helped her to achieve alicorn status whereas in yours it was your own strength and wisdom coupled with the love and friendship of your friends.”
“My reason to call you was to explain to you what it means to be an alicorn, as well as what your new tasks will be as a princess of Equestria."
Twilight, as well as everypony else listened closely; hanging onto every movement of Celestia´s lips, so as not to miss a word she said. Many mysteries and rumors had been told and created throughout Equestria’s history about the alicorns, their history, and their powers. Cadance, however, looked only at Twilight, a slight and glimmering worry in her eyes that went unnoticed by the rest. Luna still pouted a bit because she had missed the fun of the food fight.
"First off, neither you nor Cadance are "true" Alicorns as you both are still mortal. You won’t live for thousand years like Luna and I have. You both are still missing a part yet needed to fully embrace your new powers and become alicorns through and through. I won’t tell you how Luna and I came to be, as it could be too great a hint for your task. I didn’t call you, however, to tell you to become an alicorn like us.”
“When that time comes it will be up to you to decide whenever to embrace it or to refuse it. What I want you to understand is that your magical powers have grown, and will continue to grow, just like Cadance´s powers over love.
“In some years you might become even more powerful than Luna, or me; but be aware that more power doesn’t mean more control. Just like you weren’t able to control your vast powers as a filly, there could come times where you will reach the limits of your power, trying to break it to make the impossible possible. If such a time comes… I hope that you have learned enough to be able to control yourself.”
“I don’t want to see you hurt by such a wonderful gift of and with the magic you command, Twilight."
The purple alicorn gulped a little and nodded solemnly in response. The seriousness in Celestia´s voice demanded that she would never forget what she had said in those halls. Celestia smiled, every time she saw her student she was brimming with pride and hope for her faithful subject.
She had fulfilled all tasks and hopes she had put onto the back of the once so tiny purple unicorn, and look how much she had grown! Sitting before her as an equal Princess, as an alicorn even. The white alicorn continued her explanation:
"Now to your task as Princess. As you had probably already expected, you will have new duties to carry out, expectations to meet and work to do. As you know, I haven’t left Equestria in the thousand years I reign over this marvelous country. Even from the far away Saddle Arabia the ambassadors have to come here if they want to see me. Same goes for all kings and queens. My task to move and control the sun is too important to ignore; same with the daily work a nation requires to remain in order. Luna is in the same predicament with her task of the stars and moon, as well as to patrol the dreams of our dear subjects.”
“Cadance had been a great help in the past, but now she has her own people to worry about; as well as a family she will take care of. I can’t wait to see some adorable grandchildren crawling over the grounds here."
The last sentence was a towards Cadance, who simply rolled her eyes. Twilight grinned, as it seemed Cadance had heard as much grandchildren talk as Shining had from their mother.
"I want you to take over Cadance´s old job: To be Equestria´s Royal Ambassador. You’ll have no planetary task nor have a land to rule, but you’re as much a princess as each of us; along with all the rights and honors that entails. You are more fit to represent Equestria than anypony else. Your power will be a reminder to our nation’s enemies not to underestimate us. Your kindness, honesty, loyalty, generosity and laughter will assure our friends and allies that they can always trust us, and that we want what’s best for everybody. In those thousand years it wasn´t always easy to keep peace around Equestria. In many parts of the world it looks far worse than here in our home.”
“There are wars with countless victims, slavery with so many broken souls and bodies, hatred of all kinds, and many dark secrets waiting to be released onto this world.”
“But there is also so much potential, hope and love out there, and I want you to find those places and to seed what you have learned here. With you at our side, you can make the world a better place. Equestria´s peace and happiness can be everywhere; an alicorn ruler isn’t needed for that. Just the lessons of friendship and love."
Twilight Sparkle was speechless. So this was why she hadn’t heard of Cadance for so long after she had entered the academy for magical gifted Unicorns. Her old babysitter was all around the world; wherever it was deemed necessary for her to spread love and friendship. And she was supposed to do the same?
The purple Alicorn gulped heavily. This surely was a heavy and important task. She heard her friends shuffle in uncertainty, but Celestia continued to talk, so she had no time to pay it much heed.
"To show that those lessons hold true meaning will mean both being yourself as well as letting others see you. A pony that became an alicorn due to what she learned, thanks to friendship will lead many to rethink whether or not money and weapons are everything you need to achieve power and personal happiness.”
“Your crown, the element of Magic, will be the representative of the Elements of Harmony. And harmony should make its way everywhere on the world, not just in Equestria. Your increased power as an alicorn will help you to overcome every hurdle raised, and your experience will help solve every problem thrown at you.”
“Ever since you were a little filly you were brimming with magical power and the talent to use it, but often your power was too much for the spells, and not even your talent could keep it in check. Like the need it, want it-spell, twice even you used it, and twice it was more powerful than the inventors had intended the spell to be. With the elements of harmony, with your friends’ friendship, you were able to hone control of your powers better than ever before under my guidance. Now that you have become an alicorn, thanks to their love to you, your bounds with each of them have strengthened to a point where you can use magic and fulfill spells you would have deemed impossible as my student. I’m sure that now the age-spell as well as many others would present less of a challenge to you than before."
Twilight remained silent. A feeling of dread made its way from her stomach, to her heart, to her head. A feeling that told her "See? I told you your worries weren’t unfounded!" Her worries were fully founded when Celestia used her magic to summon the "big crown thingy" as Twilight was calling it in a humorous manner. The words of her teacher when she felt the crown sit down on her head were like ice cubes in her stomach.
"Always wear this crown with pride, Twilight, for you will be the beacon of friendship and harmony to travel the lands, and teach all folk its joy and the power it holds. You will meet creatures so fantastic that no book has written about them, landscapes so beautiful like no picture can hold it, and people of all kinds who will become your friends.”
“I know you can do that." Celestia concluded her speech with a motherly smile directed toward her purple ex-student, bearing the crown of the Element of Magic.
"Uh-uhm, Princess?" Everything fit together before Twilight’s inner eye; her friends’ sudden uneasiness, Cadance´s constant look of worry, and Luna’s shift to a scientific expression. An expression as if she were directing an experiment and she couldn’t wait to see the results. And of course there was her old mentor’s never ending smile during her speech - she would mostly, if not always, go alone into these strange lands; nations of slavers and warmongers, of countries where money and weapons held higher value than friendship and peace. Sure, that was only the extreme portrayal, yet Twilight couldn’t help but see that Princess Celestia had sugarcoated her new tasks quite a bit.
"Yes? What is on your mind, my dear Twilight?” came the calm request of Equestria´s first Princess to encourage the fourth and newest Princess to speak everything from her soul.
And Twilight intended to do just that.
"I’m honored, truly honored, that you want to give me such an important duty. Ambassador of Equestria, bearer of friendship and missionary of harmony; all that sounds great, awesome and really amazing. And I can’t tell you how happy I am that you believe I’m up to all of these tasks. Heh, even I myself believe I could handle this. My hooves are trembling with excitement at the thought to leave Equestria and visit strange lands I have only ever read or heard about. To see folks, animals, and other creatures for real I would never have had the chance if I stayed in my library. To help everybody who needs whatever help I can offer to make their lives better. But..."
"But?"
"But there’s a catch there. Right, girls?" Twilight turned her head to watch her friends who all knew already what it would mean if their friend would take on this job. To leave for many week, months, maybe even years before she would come back, only to leave again shortly afterward for another journey beyond Equestria´s borders.
The five mares looked sadly at their purple friend.
"Sorry sugar cube, ah can’t leave the farm for too long."
"A world trip sounds awesome, I’m all up for that. But once I get more Wonderbolt training I had to stay in Equestria..."
"My animals could take care of themselves for a while, but if I’m not at home for too long, then I don’t want to think what could become of them. I’m sorry, Twilight."
"I would come with you, but I have to return home sooner or later, darling. Else my boutique’s reputation will crumble and disappear."
"A party in foreign lands sounds fun! But I’d miss the parties in Ponyville."
"I’ll never leave your side, Twilight! I am your number one assistant for a reason after all!"
Twilight smiled in reassurance at her friends.
"I know girls, don’t worry. And thank you so much Spike. Princess Celestia?"
"Yes?"
"Can I refuse the offer? If only if I don’t want to leave my friends?" Celestia smiled as she saw the evident worry to disappoint her teacher in her young student’s purple eyes. Together with her inherent curiosity to see the new and unknown fought an internal battle against the fear to leave her friends for such a long time and apprehension as to whether or not she was really able to handle all the expectations; not only from the Princess, but from herself as well.
"Of course you can. The question isn’t whenever you will refuse it or not, that’s up to you. The real question is, do you want to refuse?"
"...I don’t know." Everything inside Twilight Sparkle’s body was screaming to accept the offer of the new job as ambassador. She couldn’t let her mentor down after all those years. But her mind struggled with the consequences such a job would bring with it. Namely, hardly ever being at home. In Equestria. In Ponyville. With her friends.
"Twilight." Cadance had spoken up. "I was in your position almost a decade ago. I know how you feel. On one hoof you want to stay where you know everypony and everything; where your home is, where your heart had bound ties and where your loved ones live. But on the other you think about those whose names you haven’t heard nor faces seen and about the good you could do for them; about the lands you could see, the new culture to experience and much more. I’ve traveled many streets, many paths, and many fields in the world.”
“The experiences I had on those routes helped me become a better princess; a better pony. Yes, I was always away from home, but every year I came back for a little while and one year I never left Equestria again and stopped being Equestria’s ambassador for peace and harmony. That was when Shining Armor had proposed to me and I said yes." The pink Alicorn couldn’t hide her happy smile as she remembered the day that let her settle down for good in Equestria.
"You also won’t be away forever. You will come back to us. You will pay us visits; tell us stories about what you’ve seen, whom you have met, and all your adventures, and one day you will return and never leave. Equestria´s your home after all. I’m not saying that you should choose to accept this job, but I don’t think it will be as horrible and fearsome as you might imagine it is right now."
Cadance´s speech had been sincere. Twilight could feel that, despite being such a short speech, it was one rich with experience. It spoke of spices tasted like none existed in Equestria, of languages heard which she hadn’t read in any book in the academy, and of wonders of nature and magic seen that you could hardly describe to anyone who wasn’t there themselves. It was everything Twilight wanted to experience. But at the cost of not seeing all her friends for such a long time?
"What if something happens here? Then you would need all elements together to defend Equestria against whatever evil had befallen it."
Twilight’s question didn’t stop Celestia´s smile.
"A logical question. One I can answer you. I said your bounds with your friends had become stronger, didn’t I? Same goes for their powers; just as yours have grown, so have theirs. Till now the elements and the bearers had to be physically close together to work, but now there could be continents and oceans between you and you would still be able to use the magic of friendship just like your friends do as well. Your friendship had become that strong. Neither time nor distance can stand in its way."
"How can you know that for sure?"
"Your crown, Twilight. It’s not the same as your old one. Same goes for the necklaces of every other element. They all changed to show how the strength of your friendship grown even stronger. But if you don’t believe me, why not try it out?" Celestia´s tone hid a touch of sly humor. Twilight shook her head. She believed her mentor. It just took the wind out of another of her arguments.
She looked at Luna, hoping for some advice from her, something that would make it easier to decide to stay home or to accept to leave into foreign lands. Luna raised an eyebrow, her interested scientific expression changed to a colder, harder and stricter one. The expression she bore not that of a gentle alicorn, or a wise one, but the expression of a warrior princess.
"What do you hope me to say, Twilight Sparkle? Don’t go, because selflessness can’t protect you from pain or loneliness? Don’t stay, because you can’t escape blame nor wonder how it might have been if you had decided otherwise? Both paths have their thorns and little rills. I had chosen my own path back then just like my sister did, and we both lived with the decisions we made till now, and you will have to do the same. I can’t tell you which path to chose." She stood up and stretched her wings. "What I can tell you is to think. To think and decide with what decision you can live with, because you can take only one path at a time. Now, big sister, everything that needed to be said was said. I’ll leave for a flight in the night sky. Do you wish to join?"
"Certainly, Luna. Just a moment." Celestia stood up as well. From her sitting position Princess Celestia looked even more regal and larger than she usually was. An alicorn with a life span of over a thousand years stood before her, who had seen countless lives begin and end before her eyes. She felt so small and vulnerable in front of such a sage pony. She had been just a little pony a week ago. A unicorn whose greatest joy was to be with her friends, to make her mentor proud and to read and write a lot. And now she was supposed to be there not only for Equestria, but for the whole world? How could she even hope to do that?
The optimism she had held all day long and confidence diminished the more and more she thought about it. Celestia´s words pierced through Twilight’s rising insecurity.
"When I said, to help the world I did not mean that you should save it. The world can’t be saved because it is already saved daily. It’s saved everyday when a person awakes from his sleep, a child tells his parents that it loves them, a mother gives her baby a goodnight kiss, a stranger says hello to another stranger. What I want you to do is go and see the world that is not Equestria with your own eyes, feel it with your own senses. You feel insignificant in regards of yourself and the entire world, don’t you? That is understandable.”
“But my dear Twilight, what about Discord? Chrysalis? My own sister? And so many other stories I had told you myself, or you had learned of in class. Do you believe I’m fallible? The alicorn who ‘only’ has to take care of one nation and who can’t even do that properly without six little ponies saving the day for her?"
Twilight raised her head to disagree with what Celestia had said. Equestria had existed for a thousand years in peace and harmony; no other nation had such low crime rates, no other nation was richer, no other nation took care of its old, sick, young and minorities like Equestria. And that was all thanks to Princess Celestia. Ponykind could never repay her for what she had done for it. But just as she opened her mouth the words died in her throat as she saw the sadness and doubt in her mentor’s eyes.
This wasn´t about what she or anypony else thought about Celestia, this was what Celestia thought about herself. Her opinion couldn’t change it just like Celestia´s words couldn’t bring her to an easier decision.
"You will have as much time as you want to think about your answer, Twilight Sparkle. Take as much as you need to find one that you find satisfying and then stand up for it, no matter what. Because you will carry your decisions with you all your life. Make sure it’s one you can live with.
“I’ll see you in the morning. Good night to you, my dear Twilight." Celestia nuzzled Twilight’s neck affectionately, like a mother would her foal before she left the throne room with Luna.
Twilight felt the uneasiness in the room rise after the door closed. No-pony wanted to be the first to say anything, but everypony had something to say. A loud cough from Cadance broke the unpleasant silence.
"Well, it’s quite late and the early bird catches the worm, so why don’t we all go and hit the bed, hm?"
And the gates of Tartarus broke open.
"Y`all don’t need to go if ya don’t want to, sugar cube."
"Isn’t this just awesome? You can see all the ruins and jungles like Daring Do! If you go there will you take me with you? That would be so cool!"
"Indeed, I’d love to go with you to Prance. You won’t only see uncultivated lands, but also rather sophisticated ones. Ohhh, to walk in the street du mode, would be a dream come true!"
"I could take care of Spike if you do go, though I don’t want to see you leave us. I would miss you a lot, Twilight."
"If you go I will come with you, Twilight. Who else is going to write and send all the letters you will have to send out there? But I really don’t want to leave Ponyville and neither do I want you to go! I want us to stay here!"
"We can throw all the parties! I wonder how gryphons party? Or elephants! Do elephants party? Oh, oh, oh and I heard there are APE tribes in the deep jungle forests! They must make awesome fruit drinks! I’m so exciiiiiiteeeed!"
Arguments flew back and forth with Twilight in the middle of it all. It all entered her through one ear to leave the next second through the other.
They could come with her on some of her journeys. Not all of them, but still. There were dangers outside the border of Equestria, even greater than what they had faced here.
What about sickness? About marauders? About conflicts Twilight gets asked to end? There are too many risks involved in this offer for it to be acceptable.
What about the grand cities and amazing lands she could see, and the people she could meet? The reindeers in the northern ice lands, the Zebras in the southern savannas, the gryphons in their mountains, and the Minotaurs on their island? The mysterious lizard society in the jungle?
She could learn so much about their culture, their magic, and their daily life. Truly, it would be an experience Twilight would love to have. Why deny her all that?
What about the birthdays and parties she would miss here? What about them missing her, needing her in their daily lives? Is it that selfish to ask to be close to a friend of yours?
What if Twilight needed their help and had no means to contact them? Could they live with never seeing her again? With not being there for her when it counted the most?
But Twilight was strong and smart; she would always find a way. She would make new friends wherever she went who would help her, just like they would here in Equestria.
Such and many more arguments were discussed between Applejack, Rarity and Spike, Rainbow Dash and between Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. They all wanted the best for their friend, but they themselves didn’t quite know what the best was for Twilight. Though Rarity was sure that her curious friend would enjoy seeing the world and its wonders, she also knew that she herself would miss her greatly though there would be much in Ponyville that would remind her of her absent friend. Fluttershy wanted Twilight to stay, she felt that it wasn´t right of her to ask her friend to leave because she couldn’t cope with such a big change in her life.
Whatever it was that Twilight decided upon she would be okay with it. Or at least try to be. Pinkie Pie knew she would miss Twilight during her weekly parties in Ponyville and though her visits would surely be a great opportunity to throw a huge welcome party, she rather would be able to see her whenever she wanted to.
But then there were all the parties she could throw with new folks she had never seen before, and all the party customs she could learn from them. They all had conflicting feelings about Celestia´s offer about their friend’s future. As much as they wanted to, they couldn’t be a constant part of Twilight Sparkle’s life when she would fulfill her duties as ambassador in countries far away from Equestria. And as much as they wanted her near them, they couldn’t help but feel responsible if Twilight was missing out of some great experiences because of them.
But the one who had the biggest dispute was Twilight herself.
Her mind juggled the same problems, the same arguments, the same risks, and the same chances and opportunities everyone around her had already mentioned, and then some.
She was so rapt in thoughts she didn’t notice that Cadance had sat down at her side. Only when her hoof touched Twilight on her shoulder did she came out of the wild sea of her mind to the present.
"What do you think about it? What are your feelings about this?"
Cadance’s questions were spoken softly, showing deep care for her little sister-in-law and her understanding of what she was going through at this moment. It was enough to cause the others to stop and look at Twilight, waiting for her reply, what her answer would be.
"I really don’t know. You’re all right with what you said. I had read so much about the world and its inhabitants, but I've never left Canterlot, or its royal library. I was content to read and imagine what the world outside Equestria looked like. Never would I have thought that there would come a chance to go and see all of it. And then within such an important position. I could write my own books about my findings, my research and discoveries.”
“But then I wouldn’t see you as often as I want to. I would miss you all so much. And I would face so many challenges on my own, whereas before I always had you at my side. Challenges that might prove to be too much for me.”
“I don’t know if I want this or not."
Twilight let her head sink, the crown upon it felt so heavy at that moment.
Slowly she stood up, and so did everypony else. She wouldn’t come to a decision in this room, tossing all the arguments around in her head and listening to the others debate what would be best for her. Little feet carried a small purple body to her free side. Spike looked up to her with his big, shiny eyes. He looked to a certain place when she returned his gaze.
The place before the Crystal throne.
A hidden staircase, which lead down to a cellar with only one door; a door which showed ponies their worst fear in an attempt to keep them from entering. She remembered Spike’s greatest fear and her promise to him back then.
A warm smile crossed her face, banning the worry about her own future and replacing it with care for her little assistant.
"Don’t be silly, Spike. I promised you I’d never leave you. Even if I happen to go away, I’ll find a way to return to you. Whenever I take this job or not, it won’t change that." Spike’s face lit up with a happy grin. She rolled her eyes in response how adorable he was when worried, though he was the one telling her she worries too much. She grabbed him into a hug, but while Spike hugged her back there was still a small part of her thinking about how often she would be able to take Spike with her if she accepted or how often he might blame himself if she didn’t go, but later then wanted to.
The others smiled over the warm family scene before them.
"Don’t get all sappy on us, Twi. I don’t want to mop away your tears.” grinned Rainbow. Just another attempt to reassure her; similar to Spike’s attempt to remind her of the past rather than her future, but a welcome one anyway.
"Oh, I do remember you crying a couple tears when we got Applejack back.” Twilight returned the jab to her blue pegasus friend. Applejack and Rarity laughed at Rainbow’s mortified face.
"Yeah, I’m sure when Twilight goes on her many journeys, you’ll be the one who wants to cry the most, Dashie!” giggled Pinkie while bouncing up and down. So much for the distraction from the topic.
On their way to their chambers, the discussion had begun anew; this time, however, it was about Twilight and not her possible new job. It soon became a heated discussion; namely between Twilight and Rarity.
"All I’m saying is that you don’t seem to take your new position too seriously, Twilight." The Unicorn had started this new dispute by saying that their purple friend was taking her social change on too hastily. Which of course rubbed Twilight the wrong way. After all, she was only since a couple days not only a princess but also an alicorn. And wasn’t she supposed to be skilled in such positions?
"I take it very seriously, Rarity. Try becoming an alicorn and a princess in a matter of minutes and see how well you’d deal with it." She was annoyed that the flow of the conversation had changed. Now it seemed as though it was her fault that there hadn’t been a decision yet. What did they expect? That she jump up and down in joy and accept right away?
Then again, she had kind of accepted her "promotion" from student to princess pretty quickly. Back then, however, it felt right to agree to Celestia´s offer; right now Twilight could see herself being happy regardless of whether she refused her new job or accepted it. What was important was to make her friends happy, and so far the option to stay home was more likely to do so than leaving.
"Sure you do. Flying lessons, Apple farm work and spa time are what a princess does all the time. I see Luna in the spa every second week, after all." Rarity’s biting sarcasm hit the head of the nail. It was true, Twilight had to admit to herself, silently, that the past week she had been too busy focusing on her new body and on having a good time with her friends. But not worrying about the small stuff and playing with her friends were not part of a princess’s daily job. She hadn’t simply become a princess for her friends, after all.
"Lay off, Rarity! Twilight’s been doing great up till now, and she’ll make an awesome princess for sure; whether she accepts the offer or not.” Rainbow had flown down besides Twilight, glaring at her Unicorn friend.
"Easy, RD. Ah can see where Rare´s coming from. Twi will have to be there for many ponies from now on, not just us. That’s simply the responsibility of a princess.” Applejack had taken position before Rarity, returning Rainbow’s glowing glare with a calm stare. Rarity gladly took the verbal pass her farmer friend had given her.
"It’s like Applejack says: She’s not just our friend anymore. She’s also a princess of Equestria. A lot of ponies, young and old, will look up to you and your actions, Twilight. They will place their hopes on you and expect you to take away their fears. Even if you decide not to go, there will be many other duties here in Equestria, which will keep you, occupied, tasks we can’t always follow along.”
Will you refuse Princess Celestia again and again whenever she asks for your help because you want to spend time with us? What example would you make for the ponies out there? To refuse a position only you can take, to not only help Equestria and pony kind, but many nations besides our own and many folk besides ours, as well. Foreign children will follow your example after witnessing your deeds, families will have happier lives, thanks to your help, and people will rethink their current ways of living after meeting you.”
“You’re a princess now. Embrace it."
Twilight gritted her teeth; her frown growing deeper as she thought up arguments with which to defend herself, but the appearance of a yellow pegasus interrupted her train of thought.
"Now, Rarity. You’re not being very fair to Twilight here." Fluttershy moved up to Twilight’s free side, her head carefully nuzzling the purple alicorn´s neck. Twilight tensed up in response to her soft touch. "There’s nothing wrong with her looking out for our happiness as well as her own; nor can we expect her to act like a princess when she’s barely adjusted to it. This is the first time she will have to make a decision not as a pony, nor as a friend, but as a princess. To condemn her for not already taking a decision is simply unfair. Even the other princesses need time for heavy decisions, and this is a really difficult one. I know, you only worry about her, but you could have voiced it differently."
Fluttershy looked very disappointed at Rarity, which was enough to bring the discussion to an immediate halt.
Rarity nodded; an apologetic look in her eyes, feeling regret for her hasty accusations.
"I’m so, so, SO sorry, darling. Fluttershy is right. I shouldn’t have been so crass. What I wanted to tell you is that I know that you’ll make a good princess; a really good one. I just don’t want your decision being too heavily influenced by us. Can you forgive me?"
"I already have, Rarity." Twilight stepped away from Fluttershy’s side, stepped past Rainbow Dash and Applejack, and gave her apologetic friend a big hug. "You’re right after all. If I could I would take the offer while keeping you guys close to me all the time, but I don’t think you could leave Ponyville for months or years."
Five heads shook in response to her statement. Pinkie bounced wildly, smiling widely at the two hugging ponies, giving both a nearly crushing bear hug.
"Don’t ya worry too much! You’ll figure out what you want before you can say GROUP HUG!" And with that the other three ponies tackled the group. Spike and Cadance blinked blankly, before they looked at each other, grinned and joined the group hug.
Afterward, Twilight felt much better than when they had arrived at the sleeping chambers.
"Just sleep over it, Twilight. Tomorrow everything might already seem simpler." Cadance said with a reassuring smile; stroking the purple unicorn’s mane. Twilight smiled faintly and nodded before wishing the leaving princess a good night. Still in deep thoughts she entered her chamber with Spike, wishing the others a good night as well as they went into their assigned rooms.
Inside, Spike took out his own pillow he brought with him and made it all fluffy, and set for a good night’s sleep. His alicorn friend was standing before the mirror on the green commode in their room, looking into her reflection. Moonlight fell through the window, framing her face and coat in silver light. With a smile, she would have seemed breathtaking, but her expression was one of seriousness and worry, her mouth corner facing slightly down.
Did she see a princess in the mirror? Or a fraud who just acted like one, but wanted to run away and hide under a blanket?
'You’re a princess now. Embrace it.'
"Tsk!"
With her magic, she removed the crown from her head and laid it down on the commode. Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes and turned away from the mirror, another deep sigh leaving her mouth as she departed to her bed.
"Are you still thinking about what Celestia said?” Spike asked as she passed his little bed, fitting his size.
"Yes, there’s much too think about.” Twilight entered into her bed, the warmed up covers wrapped caressingly around her body. A wonderful feeling, yet still not enough to make her brain stop thinking about what had happened today. Seems like a sleepless night with lots of tossing and rolling around while she tormented herself awaited the purple princess.
"You can do everything, Twilight. Such a decision is a nampsy pansy game for you.” Spike’s yawned from the bed beside her; he snuggled deeper into his warm blanket, closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep. It sure was a long day for the baby dragon.
Twilight looked at the ceiling, hoping that the sweet arms of Morpheus would lead her quickly to the nightly realm of Luna with her dreams and nightmares. Even a nightmare was more preferable than thinking for hours and hours; not falling asleep, but not coming close to an answer either.
As princess, it was clear that the best decision would be to take the job as ambassador; to do good for the world and raise the reputation of Equestria while getting herself an experience she would never have if she only stayed at home.
As friend it was obvious she would have to refuse it, and stay with the girls and Spike, and to have a good and fun time with them, in a place she knew she would be happy.
And Twilight Sparkle, the pony now alicorn, wanted to do and have both. What an impossible wish.
Her eyes fluttered for a bit as her process of thinking slowed down. The good food coupled with the hard wood and the warm bed beat any resistance against her drowsiness, and soon she dozed off.
Twilight tossed around in her bed, as she was avoiding huge crowns falling from the sky, threatening to crush her. Just as a crown wall surrounded her with nowhere to go, and the last and biggest one going straight down for her, a scratching noise woke her up. Startled and somewhat glad to be awake, her head sprung up from the pillow and looked around for the source of the noise. With still sleepy eyes she noticed that the door was open, and a pony in a black coat stood there, caught in the act of leaving with the crown in her bag.
She got what?! That last observation awoke Twilight Sparkle completely.
"She got my crown!” she stated the obvious, pointing a hoof out to the thief who took this as a signal to run. Quickly, Twilight jumped out of her bed and pursued the burglar.
"Thief!" Spike awoke for a second, wondering why Lady Rarity was calling him a thief, before he decided she must have meant that he had stolen her heart, and went back into his dream world of brave dragon knights and gorgeous pony ladies.
Meanwhile, Twilight’s shouting coupled with the trampling of the two ponies in the corridor woke up the other five mares who, more or less awake, opened the doors, wondering why the hay it was so noisy at night. A passing pony clad in a black coat and Twilight hot on her tail answered that question. Immediately they followed after to catch the criminal.
Adrenaline filled Twilight’s blood, and she was more ready than ever to use her magic to stop the pony. She decided to teleport before her, cutting her way of escape off as her friends were right behind her. With the purple flash of the spell, she appeared before the cloaked pony.
"Stop!"
But the mare didn’t stop. She galloped even faster, her horn glowing with magic, and the next second Twi´s sight went dark as the pony disappeared right before her, flinging the black coat onto her face. Surprised, Twilight looked behind her back. A light orange-coated mare with a red mane and a yellow streak in it looked triumphantly back at her. Her turquoise-green eyes had a shimmer of arrogance glowing brightly in them. A pejorative sneer formed on her lips before she continued her escape as Twilight’s friends arrived at the scene.
Anger rose in Twilight Sparkle. She had been tricked the same way she had with Nightmare Moon. She didn’t waste much time wondering why this pony was able to teleport so swiftly, and instead chased after her. She ran faster and faster, gaining more ground on her prey. With a long jump, Twilight conquered the last meters between them and caught the thief in her forelegs.
The sudden force from behind surprised the unicorn; with a squeal, she fell onto the floor at full speed, with Twilight as extra luggage.
Both ponies were rolling on the ground, grunting and clutching onto each other. At their high speed they slid and crashed through a door. As they landed in an orange-purple mess, the female thief’s bag opened upon the last fall, and the crown flew out of it, through the air and then through a huge mirror, vanishing into it.
"T-the crown?" Twilight Sparkle was aghast, couldn’t believe that her crown, the Element of Magic, had just gone through the mirror and disappeared without leaving a trace.
This can’t be true! She thought, trying to comprehend what had just happened. A shove under her belly and a kick into her sides shifted her priorities of wondering to cringing at the breathtaking pain. The mare looked like she was just starting to deliver her blows but a quick glance to the door showed the other five girls to be there any second and ready to kick her flank for hurting their friend.
The unicorn thief jumped upon the stage, where the now glowing and sparkling mirror was mounted. She turned back to the still laid out alicorn and noticed her friends were now standing around her, blocking the only exit of the room. Or so they thought.
"Give up and I won’t hurt you too much, girl!" Rainbow shouted, enraged. If that criminal scum tried anything funny, she would be the one to deliver the hits, and her target wouldn’t be able to leave the bed for three days straight. The other four, even Fluttershy, who checked if their friend was alright, looked in agreement at the blue pegasus’ threat to the thief.
Yet the surrounded mare only laughed sassy.
"Like you could touch me at all, featherbrain! So much for being the old hag’s protégé. Say farewell to your crown and element, Twilight Sparkle!"
And with a final, mocking salute she jumped through the mirror after the lost crown.
"That little-! After her!" Rainbow wanted to follow the escaped criminal right away. But a tug on her tail prevented her from flying through the mirror. Applejack held her tail’s end between her teeth.
"What the hay, AJ?"
"Hold your horses, RD." the farmer pony grunted with effort as she held off against the impressive strength of Rainbow’s wings.
"Applejack is right, Rainbow. We don’t know what’s on the other side of this mirror. Go and tell the princesses what happened. Applejack, go and call the guards. Pinkie, get Spike and anything we might need to chase after her once we’ve informed the princesses. Rarity and Fluttershy, you stay with me in case she returns through the mirror again."
The girls all nodded with grim and serious expressions before they went on to do their assigned tasks.
A few minutes later, Twilight stood with her friends and the princesses in the lit room, which hosted the mirror, and explained what had just happened.
"-and then she jumped into the mirror as well." She never let her old mentor out of her sight, so the purple alicorn could see the recognition in her teacher’s eyes when she had described the female unicorn thief, and what she had been able to do with her magic. More than enough to raise her suspicion.
"Do you happen to know her, Princess Celestia? She looked really young, but her teleportation spell was flawless, and, besides me, only a hoofful of my academic teachers and the old archmages were capable of using this spell."
Celestia looked sadly towards the mirror before she answered her ex-student’s question.
"Yes, I do. She’s... another one of my mistakes. She was my personal student before you. A very talented one as well, though not as powerful as you. I had high expectations for her, but after a few years I had found out that she went behind my back, accessing the forbidden library to read about dark magic and other forbidden spells. I dismissed her from her position and threw her out of the academy. That was shortly before you took your dragon egg test.
Her name is Sunset Shimmer, a unicorn who yearns for power, and is starving for recognition and admiration. A mare that has no qualms about burning her schoolmates notes to let their marks dwindle to look better through their misery. A pony that believes herself to be perfect and that she should be treated as such.
And now she had taken hold of the Element of Magic, which means she will try to absorb its power, making herself stronger. Another dark spell, which should have never seen the light of day. I can only assume that she had help entering the castle, and that she had kept an eye on you for quite a while, waiting for the right opportunity to steal the crown. The captain and his guards are already searching through the castle to find any evidence of such a helper."
"What would become of the elements if the Element of Magic was broken?" Fluttershy asked, nervously.
"I don’t know. So far, all magical artifacts that were broken by this spell couldn’t be repaired. It might be different for the Elements of Harmony but, we can’t be sure of that." Everypony looked shocked at each other at that terrible news.
"What are we waiting for, then? Lets go and get Twi´s element back!" Rainbow said, already pushing Rarity and Fluttershy towards the mirror. Luna stepped in their way, much to Fluttershy’s relief.
"As much as I appreciate your enthusiasm for a new adventure, I don’t think that this is a wise action."
"And why exactly would that be so?" Rarity asked, curious as to why the important chase would be delayed.
"Because this mirror leads nowhere in Equestria, nor to any place on our planet. It leads to a whole new world.” Celestia explained. Everypony except the princesses gasped.
"Hold on a second!" Pinkie burst out, raising a hoof. "You’re telling me that this mirror leads to a parallel universe where all our genders are reversed and there’s a stallion version of all of us living there?" Celestia blinked twice while trying to process what her student’s pink friend had asked, enough time for her to retake her regal stance, and answer in a calm and controlled manner.
"I’m pretty sure that’s not the case, Pinkie Pie. Though I’m sure that there does exist such a world out there." Pinkie began to laugh.
"Can you imagine how silly that would be, princess? You probably have a beard as a guy, and my voice would sound so deep and everypony would look so weird as males." Pinkie’s remaining words went down in her giggles.
Applejack rolled her eyes in response to her friend’s randomness. This was too serious to crack a joke.
"So what? Just tell us what we need to know an' we’ll be on our way."
"I can’t, for I as well know next to nothing about the world across the mirror."
Again, everypony, even Luna and Cadance, gasped in surprise at Celestia’s admission. The white alicorn continued her explanation.
"I also don’t know much about this mirror. We found it in this very room after you girls had prevented the return of Sombra. Nopony could explain to us who had made it or why it was there, but what the crystal ponies could tell us is that it was a gateway into another world, and that nopony who had entered it had ever returned."
Nopony said anything. Rarity stepped further away from the mirror, and Fluttershy made herself small behind Applejack. Even Pinkie looked like she forgot how to laugh.
"I tried spells to see past the mirror, and flew items through it and tried to retrieve them - no success in either experiment. It’s why we can’t let you all go through this mirror, this portal into another world. Twilight Sparkle, I want you, and you alone, to retake your element."
"What?! What if Twilight can’t come back? You can’t do that!" Spike exclaimed indignantly. Twilight’s friends joined Spike’s chorus, refusing to accept such an order. No way they would let their friend go alone into a potentially dangerous world. The purple alicorn in question had remained silent throughout the explanations. She didn’t look surprised when she heard Celestia’s task for her. She had reached the same conclusion.
"Yes, Princess. I will bring back the crown without fail."
Her friends were looking at her as if all sanity had left her. Before they could question her as to what the hay she was thinking to believe they would let her go alone, Luna coughed loudly to gain their attention and dissipate their worries.
"My dear sister’s plan is just the logical conclusion of what we know. The magic of the Elements of Harmony only works when both the bearers of the elements and the elements themselves are together. With the Element of Magic missing, that circle is broken. We know nothing about this world, so we can’t risk all of our elements by sending you lot after the villain. We can’t send our guards, for they might not find a way back, whereas with Twilight Sparkle, as an alicorn, there’s a chance she’ll find one on her own after fulfilling her task. And she is a Princess of Equestria; a princess always needs to be ready to risk her own life and integrity instead of her subjects if she can do so.
“Twilight Sparkle stopped being our subject last week when her crown touched her head, you lot, however, are still mere citizens. Don’t dishonor her resolve by trying to change her mind. Trust her. Believe in her abilities. She will come back home to us."
Cadance spoke up after Luna had finished her piece. Her words were meant more for Twilight than for her friends.
"Twilight, you know how important this is. Retrieve your crown. Without it the other Elements of Harmony have no power, and Equestria is left without one of its most important means of defense. Remember all that you have learned up to now, those lessons will help you where your magic leaves you helpless. I know you will succeed, and come back home safely, and when you do, we’ll do our sunshine-greeting dance, like always. Just make sure to come back before Shining is finished with his training camp, else I have a lot of explaining to do a to why I let his little sister enter another world." Twilight smiled back at her sister-in-law.
The five ponies and the baby dragon, however, looked with concern to Twilight. Fluttershy’s eyes were watering as she stepped up to her friend and embraced her tightly.
"Please please please make sure to come back safely.” she whispered into her purple coat. "Promise me. Please."
"I will, I Pinkie promise you that." Twilight assured her friend, stirred by her and the others open displays. Nothing would be able to stop her from coming back home. That she was certain of.
"Good-bye then, Twilight."
All of her friends walked up to her, giving her a hug, making her promise not to do something stupid; to take care of herself, to give that arrogant thief a beating, and to try to throw a party there whenever she feels sad or lonely. Spike just hugged her, asking for no promise as everything had been said between them already. They all said their goodbyes, and stepped back.
Celestia used her magic to wrap Twilight’s bag onto the purple alicorn´s back.
"Do you understand the importance of your task?"
"I do."
"Very well. You’ll soon know more about this place than even I do. Whatever this new world holds for you, I’m sure you will master its challenges. I wish you the best of luck, and that you will return to us as soon as possible."
Twilight nodded solemnly, and walked up to the mirror. This was what she had been afraid of all day, and what she had anticipated at the same time. She would leave Equestria and see new lands, new folks, and new cultures. She just hadn’t expected that this decision would be taken out of her hoof and that it would be an entire world she would visit on her first journey outside Equestria´s borders.
She touched the mirror’s pane of magical glass. Waves rolled away from the point she had touched and a blinding light wrapped around her hoof. She looked back a last time.
She looked at her mentor, whom she had trusted and admired her entire life. Princess Celestia nodded with a serious expression, leaving no doubt that this was the best way to prevent a catastrophe. After a last smile toward her friends Twilight Sparkle entered the mirror with a deep breath and disappeared. Spike looked with anger at Celestia, as Twilight’s tail was about to follow the rest into the mirror. With three quick jumps he was at the mirror’s entry and jumped right behind his best friend.
"Geronimo!"
And off he went.
The princesses and the girls’ eyes went wide, and their jaws dropped at what had just happened.
"Did Spike just go through the mirror, despite everything we had said? And nopony stopped him?" Princess Celestia asked slowly for confirmation.
"Uhm, yes?” Cadance answered her aunt, unsure how she would react to that development.
"Well, maybe that’s for the best. This way Twilight won’t be all alone in a strange, new world." The white alicorn smiled as she looked at the seemingly harmless mirror.
==========
Twilight groaned. She felt like crap, her head thumped so badly she wished she had taken some medicine against headaches with her. All she could remember of the travel through the mirror’s gate was a blazing colorful beam that sucked her in, stretched her, swirled her around like crazy, and then left her unconscious. The pain was retreating already, so Twilight tried to open her eyes slowly.
After a couple blinks against the bright sun, she could see more clearly. And she saw a purple dog; a puppy, with green eyes, and a spiked collar around his neck looking a bit weirded out by her.
Puzzled by the striking resemblance, she reached out with her hooves to touch it, and stopped as her hooves came into her sight.
OH MY GOSH! MY HOOVES! WHAT HAPPEND TO MY HOOVES?! That thought elbowed all the pain from her head, as instead of two wonderful hooves she saw ten thin and long things attached to her body.
She did what everypony would do in such a situation his or her hooves had disappeared and been replaced by whatever those were.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH~"