//------------------------------// // Chance // Story: Stars Relit // by Rocinante //------------------------------// “So, yesterday we took it easy with that cloud walking spell. How are you feeling?” Twilight asked. Evening fidgeted, not trying to conceal her boredom. “We’re fine.” “What are we practicing tonight?” Morning asked. “That was some pretty strange stuff you had us reading.” “Well, so far I have only seen you cast spells by-the-book,” Twilight said laying her saddlebag down. “You need to learn to take a spell, and make it your own.” The veil of boredom fell away from Evening, her ears perking up. “You alter spell patterns?” “Not all of them, but yes, I make adjustments that work better for me. My teleport spell is a great example.” Twilight vanished in a flash of light, reappearing behind the two. “I’m going to teach you the standard teleportation spell, then mine, then I want you two to make your own version.” The twins grinned ear to ear as Twilight levitated a paper to each of them. “Take a few moments and memorize this pattern.”  - - - PAMPF The twins appeared in a burst of light and sound in front of her. “Very good!” Twilight cheered, shielding her eyes from the glare of dawn; their two-hour session had stretched into the early morning hours. The two had mastered the spell in one night. While she had figured the spell out by merely watching Celestia, it was still a notable accomplishment. “So, are we going to learn your version now?” Evening asked. “I think it’s too late for any more practice,” Twilight said, eliciting an “Aww,” from the two. "But I’ll go ahead and give you the formula to study.” Two scrolls appeared in front of the twins. “On the condition that you promise not to try it without my supervision.” Taking the scrolls into their own levitation, they willed them to move, but found them held sound by Twilight. “Promise me,” Twilight said, looking more serious than normal. Glancing at each other they shrugged before sitting on their haunches and raising a foreleg. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” they sang, their hooves going through the ritual motions. Twilight dropped the scrolls, “Who— Where did you learn that?” Evening cocked her head at the question. “Learn what?” “Pinky's promise...” “The cupcake promise?” Evening asked. Twilight nodded. “We’ve always done that,” Morning said. Evening nodded in agreement with her twin. Twilight chuckled, breaking the awkward moment. "You heard your grandmother say that,” she said, waving a hoof in dismissal. “Pinkie foal sat her for Sweetie Belle. Careful with that promise, it's pretty serious." “Okay...” the two echoed, picking up the scrolls, and floating them over to a pair of saddlebags under a tree. "I guess we'll see you tonight then. We'll study your spell before class." A low hollow whine drew Twilight and Morning's attention to Evening, who held a hoof to her stomach with an embarrassed grin. "Sorry. Hungry," Evening said. Twilight laughed. "Come on, let's get some breakfast." Again the twins traded confused looks as their princess began walking towards the castle. With a mutual shrug they slung their packs on and hurried to catch up. Idly bantering about how she had checked their genealogy after their first meeting, Twilight led them through the garden and into the castle proper, past guards and through arches. In wide-eyed awe they followed their Princess through the private halls and courtyards of the castle, till they finally stopped at a simple wooden door. “Hmm, smells good,” Twilight said sniffing the air. The two guards flanking the door shifted their eyes between the Princess and the two students. “They’re with me,” Twilight answered the silent question as she pushed the door open. Evening and Morning followed close on Twilight’s flanks past the guards and into the room. “I brought guests,” Twilight called out. “Oh?” an unseen pony chimed. The twins peered around opposite sides of Twilight to see who had spoken. Celestia and Luna sat at a dining table that could have seated ten, Luna chewed politely while Celestia sat a cup down. Neither wore their regalia, it was a bizarre mix of casually homeyness and luxury. FLOMP The two unicorns threw themselves to the ground, bowing to the goddesses. “Twilight, you should warn ponies before you do that to them,” Luna said. With a few graceful strides she approached the prostrate ponies. “Rise and relax, you need not bow as such. Peers of the crown need only curtsy in public and nothing is expected in private.” “Peers of the crown?” Morning asked looking to Twilight as her and Evening eased back to their hooves. “Oh, well yea, you’re my apprentices. I gave you a title, so you’re part of the high court now." Twilight paused for a moment, then added, "Sorry.” as an oddly genuine apology. Celestia cleared her throat with a stern look. “Alright you two,” she said looking between Luna and Twilight. “You know the first rule of breakfast.” Luna and Twilight rolled their eyes in unison. “No talking about court,” they chanted. Smiling at the answer Celestia looked at the twins. “Now, I would love to finally met the two I have heard so much about. Please have a seat and help yourselves.” - - - Morning watched her sister talk with Luna; it amazed her how quickly she could become comfortable with ponies. Celestia and Luna were nice enough, but she could never imagine being so casual with them. Sure she could with Twilight, she had even slipped and called her “Twi” in the hospital. She was just glad Twilight had either not heard her, or chalked it up to delirium. “Everything ok there Morning?” Celestia asked, jolting her out of the trance. “Yes, Princess. I think so.” “Any homework from Twilight today?” Morning perked up at the reminder of the scroll in her bag. “Oh, yes! She gave us her teleport spell to learn.” Celestia facehoofed. “Ugh, Twilight. You are not to have them practice that anywhere near the castle.” Twilight looked up from her plate. “What? it’s not that bad.” “There is still a chunk of wall missing from my drawing room from the first time you cast that.” “Huh?” Morning asked. “I never taught her the teleport spell. She saw me cast it a few times and just invented a spell that looked the same. The early versions had a tendency to take anything near her along for the ride. She removed parts of the castle with it more than once.” Celestia said, giving Twilight a mischievous grin. Twilight looked down at her plate and stabbed at her meal with a fork. “I fixed that and you know it.” - - - “So what are we going to do for our spell?” Evening asked her sister. Walking through the bustling morning streets, normally their walk home was in the quiet pre-dawn hours. Celestia had offered them a carriage ride home, but they had refused it. Their home was close enough that it seemed silly to bother other ponies with carrying them there. Morning let out a slow yawn. “I’m ready for some sleep.” Opening her eyes from the yawn, a pony caught her eyes. Pointing to the rosy earthpony sitting at a street side diner, “Isn’t that Tranquility?” she asked. Evening strained her eyes on the pony, looking for her cutie mark. “It is!” Evening cheered, seeing the lotus cutie mark. Tranquility looked up from her coffee just in time to see her former wards rush up to her table. “Oh, I’m glad to see you’re feeling better. What in the world are you two doing out so early?” “Class ran late, then we stayed for breakfast,” Evening answered. “Well, I hope you two aren’t overdoing it again.” “We’re not,” Morning said. “We’re even taking one day a week off from now on. Are you about to go to work?” “MmHmm,” Tranquility nodded. “We really appreciate all you did for us. Could we treat you to lunch next week? ”Evening asked. “The day after Summer Sun maybe.” “You don’t have to do that. It’s my job.” Morning waved a hoof, dismissing the excuse. “You’re a good pony Tranquility, we’d like to get to know you better, be friends.” Looking down into her coffee, Tranquility blushed at the compliment. “I do have that day off...” “Great!” Evening cheered. “Lets meet here at noon then.”