Luna looked down over the royal gardens, watching Twilight’s students practice.
They were lathered in sweat, trading the gold, and silver balls back and forth in turn. The mind torturing exercise in control and concentration was strange, most unicorns would never need to synchronize that deeply with one another. For these two though, it was their special talent. They could blend their magic and cast a spell like they were one unicorn, a trick few could do.
For weeks now Twilight filled the breakfast conversation with stories of her apprentices. An hour reading, an hour of lecture and two hours of practice every night for the past month. Twilight told them to take the weekends to rest, but they refused. When she realized they were studying on their own, she decided to have class every day.
Also their inclination to try the biggest spells they could find was a bit dangerous to leave unsupervised.
“They refuse to be outdone by each other,” Twilight had said. “Any hint that one is getting better at something drives the other to try twice as hard.”
“They’re going to burn themselves out,” Celestia had warned.
“I can’t believe they haven’t already,” Twilight agreed, “You can’t tell them their limits! They’ll have to find it on their own. I’ll just have to patch them up when they do, and hope it doesn't kill their love of the art.”
Celestia had snickered at that exasperated rant. “Sounds familiar,” she told Twilight, poking her with a hoof.
A faint crackle perked Luna’s ears, she could see Twilight ready herself for something. As the two again traded the spheres, their rhythm halted, the crackling redoubled, then silenced as the orbs and unicorns both fell to the ground. Twilight caught the orbs to keep them from hitting her fainted students.
Luna stepped off her perch and glided down to the garden. “Magic fatigue to blackout, impressive,” Luna said landing next to the three. “Need help?”
“I’ve been expecting this. Lets get them to the infirmary.”
- - -
Consciousness slowly crept back into Evening. She was stretched out on something cool and soft. Cracking her eyes open, pain racked her head. “Ack,” she yelped, throwing a foreleg over her eyes, only to let out a groan of regret for both the outburst and the sudden movement.
There was a rustle of movement, even through her covered eyes she could sense the room darken. “There, sorry, I forgot how much light hurts,” a voice whispered. “Drinking too much apple brandy feels about the same, just so you know.”
Opening her eyes again, she found the windows covered and the lamps turned off. Just enough light seeped through the blinds to let her see Princess Twilight at the foot of her bed. She was in a hospital room and her sister was in a bed next to her, still asleep. ‘Score, I woke up first.’
“Thanks, Princess,” Evening rasped. “What happened?”
“Your bodies couldn’t keep up with your magic use, you both blacked out.”
“Oh,” Evening sighed.
“It’s not a bad thing. I’m impressed you held out so long.”
“I bet you never passed out...”
“They called me Twilight Coma in here,” Twilight said, obviously trying not to laugh.
“Really?”
“Yeah. By the way,” Twilight said, taking a seat next to the bed. “I’ve been wondering. You never did tell me why you wanted to cast the evocation of light for me.”
“We wanted you to see us.”
“So, you were hoping I would take you in?” Twilight asked.
“No!” Evening protested, instantly regretting her outburst. “Ow...” she lied back down, rubbing her temples. “We just wanted you to see us. The moment we heard you came back, it was all we could think about.”
“Why me, though? You two could have easily gotten into Celestia’s school. Luna even has a program now.”
Evening fidgeted in her bed. “We just wanted to do something special for you. You’ve been gone so long.”
With a slow deliberate motion, Morning rolled over to face Twilight and her sister. “Twi... Princess Twilight, You’ve been our hero since we were yearlings, our first book was about you. But, we didn’t know if we’d ever get to see you.”
“Mmmhmm,” Morning nodded. “We thought if we impressed you, you’d talk to us.”
“Well,” Twilight sighed. “It worked. You impressed me.”
The twins glowed under the praise. “So you’ll keep teaching us?” Morning asked.
“Of course I will. I told you six months, and I don’t go back on my word. Applejack and Dash both would have words with me if I broke a promise. Though, you two are on anti-magics for a few days, so no casting. But, we can still study. After you get a day's rest.”
“How long are we going to have to be here?” Evening asked.
Pacing over to her saddlebag, Twilight placed the book she had been reading back into it. “Two, maybe three days,” she answered. “I’ll bring you some books tomorrow. I’ve already sent a message to your parents.”
“Would you tell us a story about your friends?” Morning asked. “Please.”
Twilight looked back at the two, her gut turned at the request. She had been asked to play storyteller many times, and every time she had replied no.
“I...” Twilight mumbled before finding her voice. “Have you girls ever heard of the running of the leaves?”
The two shook their heads at the question.
“Well,” Twilight continued, turning back to face the two. “There is an old tradition in Ponyville. I think they still do it...”
- - -
“Those two are getting to her,” Celestia said, looking through the window in the door.
“I do not believe I have heard her speak of her friends since the last one passed,” Luna added. “It is good for her to talk of them. It will help her heal.”
With gentle steps, the two alicorns walked away from the door. Celestia nodded to her sister’s words. “I was worried she would use them to continue her search, but perhaps they will be what heals her.”
“You should invite them up to Cloudsdale for the Summer Sun.”
“That is a wonderful idea, Sister.”
- - -
“So I came cantering across the finish line, beating them both,” Twilight chuckled. “They ended up tying for last place. But, they got their argument out of their system. After that, Dash was probably Applejack’s closest friend.” A sad look crept over Twilight the story ending in abrupt silence.
Sudden raps on the door jolted Twilight from her melancholy. “Come in,” she answered.
A rose-coated earth pony with a blond mane eased the door open, a nurse's hat perched idly on her head. “How’s everypony doing in here?” she asked before stepping into the room.
“I’m fine,” Evening said.
“I’ll live,” Morning added.
The uniform that half covered her cutie mark, a white lotus on blue water, marked her as a nurse in training. Twilight guessed her about a year older than the twins.
“That’s the spirit,” the nurse said, it was an uplifting cheer, despite being said in a cool even tone. Turning around, she grabbed a cart in the hall and rolled it into the room. “I have food and presents,” she sang, bringing the cart to the foot of the beds. “My name is Tranquility, I’ll be your attendant. If you need anything, you just tell me,” she said, positioning little tables over the beds.
Humming a tune, Tranquility pulled dinner from her cart and laid it out for the two. Looking up from her task, she met Twilight’s eyes. “Would you like me to bring you something from the lunchroom?” she asked.
Twilight blinked, realizing the filly had ignored her up to that very moment. It was... refreshing. “No thank you. I was just about to leave.”
“Okay,” Tranquility smiled, cleaning up her cart. “But first I have something for you.” Pulling three identical boxes from her cart, she laid one beside Morning and Evening before handing the third to Twilight.
“Um, thanks?” Twilight said, taking the package in hoof from the nurse.
Tranquility cocked her head and smiled. “It’s not from me, but you’re welcome.”
Examining the gift she found the royal crest on the corner. This was from Celestia and Luna. “Oh, sorry. Still, thank-” Twilight cut herself off, realizing Tranquility had already left the room.
Looking back to the twins, Twilight giggled. They were eating with deliberate intent, trying to ignore the boxes next to them, all the while watching her with the corner of their eye. “You don’t have to wait for me,” she said, slowly removing the ribbon from the box.
The two wasted no time in reaching for their gifts: Evening tore into her box like a starved animal, while Morning took care to preserve the ribbon and seal.
A blue and yellow scarf, and two pieces of paper emerged from each box as they were opened. Taking up the scarf, Twilight found it to be heavy wool with the Wonderbolt’s logo embroidered into one end.
“Box seats to Cloudsdale’s Summer Sun Celebration, midnight to sunrise...” Evening said, blinking in disbelief.
“And a spell?” Morning said, holding up the other piece of paper, trying to make sense of the formula without the aid of her magic.
“It’s a cloud walking spell,” Twilight answered. ”I’ll teach it to you as soon as the doctors clear you.”
“You got a ticket, too. You're coming, right?” Evening asked.
“No... I haven’t been to a Wonderbolts since Dash...” Twilight faltered under the quivering stare of her students. Something in Evening’s eyes particularly stirred her.
“It’s... I... Okay, I’ll go.”