//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 // Story: To be Young Again // by Chatterjoy //------------------------------// Celestia had gone back to her room; the threat from the changelings had greatly disturbed her. The last thing she needed was for any enemy to decide to make a move. It was bad enough that Discord had come along. She had even found out that he had made Twilight invisible to her as well as her friends. Fortunately, the said filly had taught the mix match creature a lesson. The draconeques was sporting a huge bite mark on his paw, and Celestia had to do everything in her power to not glare smugly at the creature. A purple flash appeared in her room, and Twilight had landed nicely on her bed. The sounds coming from the filly's stomach proved to Celestia that Luna had not been able to feed Twilight, before the little filly got away. "Bad Twilight," Celestia scolded. The filly seemed to cringe and understand that she had done something bad. "Sowy," Twilight replied. Celestia allowed a look of surprise to cross her face. It seemed that Twilight was growing a little faster than normal fillies and Alicorns, being immortal; it seemed she was also growing faster than a normal Alicorn. At least in mind, Celestia had never heard of a filly learning so many words in such a short amount of time. "Guard!" Celestia called, and when the pegasus entered she pointed towards Twilight. "If you could be kind enough to get me another bottle please." The guard nodded and flew down the corridors at fast speeds, meanwhile Twilight had gotten her hooves on some pillows. Celestia gently smiled and rolled her eyes. The princess tried to pry the pillow away from Twilight's mouth, but the filly refused to let go. Celestia began to giggle and try a little harder; soon it became a game of tug-o-war. The pair was giggling like mad with Twilight pulling on the pillow with her mouth, and Celestia enveloping said pillow with her magic, as she tried to pry it from the filly's vice like hold. "Excuse me Princess," the guard from earlier said. He held a bottle; at the sight of food Twilight immediately let go of the pillow, and she enveloped the bottle in her own purple glow. When the glow overtook the bottle Celestia looked in wonder at the young filly that began to guzzle greedily when the bottle hit her lips. "I wonder Twilight, if you were able to do this when you were a unicorn filly, or does this have something to do with that age spell?" Celestia asked herself as she circled the filly and allowed her to rest her little head on Celestia's chest. The Princess shrugged her shoulders and curled around the nursing filly letting a well-deserved nap overtake her. When the Princess woke up the sun had barely moved; she had been asleep for maybe thirty minutes or so. Gasping as she remembered Twilight; Celestia looked next to her to see that the bottle had been moved to a table, and the filly was hugging a pillow. The Princess also noticed a little picture next to a pillow of her napping with a sleeping Twilight. Luna must have been here and decided not to disturb them. Celestia sighed in relief until a putrid scent hit her nose. Carefully removing herself from the dozing filly she quietly changed Twilight's diaper. Disposing of the ruined one; she stared longingly at Twilight. "I can't do it, tomorrow will be a good time to do it," the princess mumbled to herself. "Guard!" Celestia called again, as usual the guard outside her chambers answered her call, "I need you to contact Twilight Sparkle's parents, let them know what happened and tell them to be in the throne room tomorrow morning." At least to give me time to say goodbye. Celestia sighed sadly and the noise seemed to wake the filly. "Tia!" She cried lifting her hooves up in a wanting motion, "Up! Up!" Celestia graced her lips with a small smile and levitated the filly onto her back. "Up!" Twilight cried again waving her fore hooves excitedly. Celestia giggled a bit and with a small push of her wings she took lift off. "I hope the little darling is okay," Rarity said to her friends. The mane six were walking down the corridors. Every pony had eaten lunch, and they were taking a tour around the castle with Princess Luna. "The gardens are over there, you should really see the flowers in the moonlight!" Luna explained pointing outside the windows with her hooves. Fluttershy squealed in delight. "How wonderful!" She said in her soft voice as she watched the butterflies and other animals congregate in the gardens. "WEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" The mane six looked up to see Princess Celestia with a small purple filly on her back screaming in delight as the Sun Princess carefully flew around the castle. She took the turns gently and slowly, as not to lose their precious cargo. "Good afternoon, Luna, friends of Twilight Sparkle," Celestia said hovering above them and giggling with delight. "WEEEEEEEEE!" Twilight squealed. Luna had her mouth agape as did Rarity. "Sister! Thou told me to be careful with the young aged Twilight yet thou give her rides of flight! What is wrong with thou!" Luna screamed to her sister, "And why did thou not invite me?" Rarity had to restrain herself from face hoofing at the princesses, "What is wrong with the both of you! What if Twilight fell off!?" "Of all the things in the world. This is the worst. POSSIBLE! THING!" Rarity screamed mock fainting from a red couch; she pulled mysteriously out of nowhere. "Oh Rarity you are so random! Twilight is not going to fall off cause I'm sure the Princess would catch her! You silly filly!" Pinkie pie exclaimed bouncing around the white unicorn. "Awesome!" Shouted Rainbow Dash as she flew up to Princess Celestia, "Now you can chew her mane instead of mine!" The blue pegasus thumped her chest in pride of herself. Happy for once that she would not be the chew toy. Till said pegasus spun to look down on her friends putting her tail right next to the filly. "YOW!" Rainbow Dash screamed. "When are ya goin’ to learn sugar cube!" Applejack yelled up to the sore pegasus, "Don't put yourself within bitin’ distance of the filly!" Celestia gave Twilight a stern look, and the filly looked at her. Twilight seemed to think about it and reluctantly let go of Rainbow Dash's tail, "Sowy." "D’awwwwwwwww! So cute!" everyone cooed looking at Twilight. "Yeah, yeah she is not that cute!" mumbled the blue pegasus as she rubbed her abused rainbow colored tail. "Luna, if you could be in charge of the castle for a bit; I will be playing with Twilight," Celestia said glancing at Luna. Luna simply shrugged. "I have no problem with it, does thou hast any meetings for the rest of the day?" Celestia shook her head. Luna grinned widely, "Excellent, then I HEREBY DECREE DAY COURT ClOSED FOR THE REST OF THE DAY!" All the ponies gripped the floor with their hooves as best they can, but even then poor Pinkie Pie who was caught bouncing in the air was thrown back into a pillar by the sheer volume of Princess Luna's unexpected Canterlot Voice. Even Celestia had to put a little more force into her wing beats to not get pushed into the glass windows behind her. Twilight Sparkle, however, was not so lucky and was hanging onto Celestia's mane. The little filly couldn't hold on forever, and she was forced to let go till Celestia's magic enveloped her. After the force of the voice; Luna scrunched up and put her fore hooves to her mouth, "Sorry." Celestia was glaring so hard it was like the bright glare of the sun on an extremely hot sunny summer day. Actually, it was getting a little hot in the hallway. "LUNA! DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" Celestia said in her own Canterlot Voice. Since Twilight was behind her and enveloped in her magic the Princess had no need to worry that the filly would be flying off. Her sister and her subjects were another matter as the Pegasi joined Pinkie Pie on the wall. Rarity squealed as her hooves gave out, and she was about to impale the wall behind them till Applejack grabbed her with one of her fore hooves. "Ah got ya Rarity!" Applejack exclaimed trying to keep low to the ground to avoid joining the white unicorn and kissing the wall. Luna stood as tall as ever as her own fore hooves ached from trying not to move; her wings spread wide and flapping frantically. The top of her body was like a tree blowing in the hurricane, and her star filled mane and tail blew furiously. Finally, it was over and both sisters were glaring. Celestia's like a summer heat wave, and Luna's like an ice capped mountain. In fact it seemed a little colder on Luna's side of the hallway. The heat being given off of Celestia began to rapidly affect Twilight, and the poor filly began to cry; she was sweating more than a pig. The outburst seemed to shock the two sisters from their glaring contest, and the temperature of the room returned to normal. Celestia began rocking the filly back and forth to calm her down. The Princess didn't have anything to wipe the filly with and giving a quick apologetic look at Luna, who returned it, the Sun Princess teleported to her bath. Twilight had seemed to stop crying at least, though there was the occasional tear that slid down the filly's face, but other than that she was calm. Celestia removed Twilight's diaper and disposed of it, while at the same time using her magic to fill the tub with lukewarm water. With the tub filled Celestia gently lowered herself and the filly into the water. Twilight seemed to recall this feeling and relished in it. The Princess wasn't paying much attention as her thoughts seemed to be elsewhere; a gloomy look on her face. I'm the worst, I should have expected Luna to react that way, of course my sister would feel excited. A splash of water hit her face and the flustered Princess looked down at Twilight who began to play with her face. "Pffftbbbttt bleh bleh brrrrrgggg pfffbfbfbfbfb." Twilight repeated the funny noises she must have heard from Luna and Pinkie Pie. Celestia couldn't help but chuckle at the filly's exploits. The Princess copied Twilight noises and all; after the bath and being dried Celestia took Twilight to the gardens. The filly attempted to zip around with her wings, but Celestia gave a stern look and picked Twilight up, so now the filly was on her legs. Twilight seemed to get the message and attempted to walk. This time she got to three steps without falling, but Celestia had moved herself a little way away from the filly. Three steps were not enough to get to her. One, two, three, wobble, four, five, and then a fall. Twilight spit out some grass and looked up at Celestia's expectant eyes. A determined look crossed the filly's features, as she wobbly stood up again; she attempted to reach the solar Princess. A few more wobbles and some falls Twilight finally made it to Celestia. Celestia smiled and nuzzled the filly before walking away the same distance and turning to look expectantly at her. Twilight's face fell but was replaced with the determined look. Her steps became sturdier and her falls became less, as Celestia had her practice; soon Twilight was able to walk to Celestia without falling. During the practice session time had slipped away from the Princess, who was overjoyed at the fact that she taught Twilight how to walk. The Princess' internal clock started to tell Celestia that it was time to set the sun; a dark shadow loomed across her face, but enveloping her horn in her golden glow; the Solar Princess lowered the giant yellow sphere below the horizon. Turning to the east Celestia could see Luna's moon steadily rising above the horizon. It seemed brighter tonight even though it was just a half moon, and the stars seemed to twinkle and cast their starlight even more. Was tonight a special night? Twilight stood next to Celestia and let out a huge yawn; she almost toppled over if Celestia had not enveloped the filly into her magical grasp and set Twilight on her back. "I guess it is time for bed," Celestia murmured. The princess decided to walk to her chambers softly humming a lullaby to the already sleeping Twilight. It was Celestia’s own way to say goodbye. She passed guards who nodded to her, and Twilight's friends were already in bed. Luna would be in Night Court by now; even though Celestia knew that Luna rarely got visitors it would be rude if Celestia dropped in on her sister during 'her' time. Finally, Celestia reached her own chambers; baby toys were scattered everywhere. The princess couldn't recall when the filly actually used any of the toys, but it didn't matter; Celestia began to pack the toys into the boxes they came in. Twilight's parents most likely sold the filly's old toys and would need new ones. Twilight's pacifier lay on the star blanket. Cleaning the chew toy she gently put it in Twilight's mouth and almost immediately the filly began to chew and suckle on it. Celestia bent her legs underneath her as she began to curl into her bed. She levitated the filly under her wing and began to wrap and tuck the star blanket around Twilight. With a last sigh Celestia curled around the filly and fell asleep.