The dark purple mare sought out the Solar Princess but had great difficulty approaching her -- the ceremony was due to start momentarily as an entourage of ponies was making its way through the castle, though there was still enough time for a short conversation. Amethyst raised her right hoof as high as she could in an attempt to get the Alicorn's attention and she was immediately rewarded with her presence.
"I see you made it back, Amethyst -- and just in time, too! What you are about to witness is perhaps the most important event in your life. Tell me, did you find the answers you sought?"
"In a way, yes, your Majesty. Your counterpart gave me not just the answers I was after, but also some very important advice. What she told me has given me a new perspective on life and considerably greater respect for you in everything you do and why you do it. Therefore, I would like to humbly apologize to you, personally and in the strongest possible terms, for expressing a degree of resentment for your treatment of me. I now understand exactly why you do what it is you do and why you choose to do those things. Your Majesty, I am deeply humbled and extremely grateful to you for your generosity towards me."
Princess Celestia smiled very broadly at the purple mare. "My dear Amethyst Shadow! I am quite pleased to know you have finally come to realize precisely what I have been trying to do for you. I suspect my counterpart in the other timeline saw within you the same potential I do -- if that is the case, then what I would say to you is essentially the same as what she told you. I am also quite certain you understand fully, now, my reasons and motives for my actions. I was wondering how long it was going to take before you finally acknowledged this set of circumstances. I must admit, you have made me quite proud of you, Amethyst! Please understand that you must continue with your studies -- it is my belief that one day, you too will follow in Twilight's hoofsteps, perhaps even becoming an Alicorn yourself!"
The dark purple mare bowed deeply before the Alicorn. "Truly you humble me, your Majesty -- however, I must admit to no desire for that status. I have done too many things in the past to merit such a wondrous gift. Your counterpart asked me what I might do to keep my mind occupied for fifty or sixty centuries of life -- I can't even fathom living that long -- but if I were to live that long ... well ... I don't really know what I would do ..." she said as she let her words trail off softly.
"I see," she said somewhat tersely. "Twilight's entourage is here, so I must return to my platform to conduct the ceremony. You don't have to answer that question immediately, Amethyst -- I suspect my counterpart urged you to ponder the significance of such a long period of time. Thinking about it causes me to ponder my own long years." She then teleported to the dais to conduct the coronation ceremony for the newest Princess, Twilight Sparkle.
The lavender Alicorn was flanked by Royal Guardsponies, bearing flagpoles with banners adorned with the six-pointed purple star. Each successive row of ponies had similar poles with banners. Twilight was immediately followed by her brother and his wife, her parents, her friends from Ponyville, and numerous other ponies of notable status and relationship to the new Princess. Her wings were spread wide, causing Amethyst to blush slightly -- she seemed to understand the state of excitement her housemate was currently experiencing. Everypony was all smiles as this was one of the happiest moments in Equestrian history.
Normally, Amethyst would have been smiling as well -- but something was troubling her. She wondered why her housemate in the timeline twenty years into the future had not become an Alicorn herself, and was curious to find out about it. Without bothering to stay and watch the ceremony, the purple mare lit her horn once again with the pale orange aura, having tracked the future Twilight's magic signature. She blinked out of existence just as Twilight spotted her glowing white, then disappearing. The lavender Alicorn frowned upon seeing this.
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Amethyst reappeared in the throne room, the Solar Princess sitting lazily on her throne. Upon seeing the purple mare materialize before her, she raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Amethyst Shadow? What brings you back here? I thought -- wait, where is Galaxy? She is not with you?" the Alicorn queried, a worried look on her face.
"My daughter has traveled to the previous timeline I was in, your Majesty. She has taken a lover, who, as it turns out, is her biological father. I apologize for causing both of them such pain -- they did not know this fact until recently," the purple mare stated, bowing before the Alicorn, who raised an eyebrow at the mention of Galaxy and Right Face.
"There is no need for such formality, Amethyst. Is there a possibility of returning her to this timeline?"
"She has expressed a very strong desire to remain in the other timeline -- she has told me of very hard times in this timeline. I have traveled here in order to see Twilight and ask her a few questions, if I may."
"Suit yourself, Amethyst. I request you contact your daughter and have her return to me -- I have grown somewhat lonely in her absence."
"I thought she was in charge of the Library in Ponyville -- she wasn't staying here in the castle, was she? What about EJ? Is he here?"
"EJ is indeed in my castle, most likely in barracks right now. Your daughter was not living in my castle, though I am close enough to her to visit Ponyville quite frequently. I enjoy her companionship and desire her swift return."
"I will try to find her and relay that information, your Majesty. I apologize for my intrusion."
"There is no need to apologize, Amethyst. I would appreciate it if you would be kind enough to stay in this timeline," the Alicorn mused almost wistfully.
"I thought Twilight was your faithful student?"
"She was, Amethyst. That changed after the war, though. She seems so distant from me -- almost as though she no longer wishes to communicate with me," she replied, expressing a small degree of sadness.
"Perhaps I might be able to change her mind," the purple mare stated optimistically. Celestia chuckled almost sadly.
"Good luck, Amethyst, I hope you succeed in that endeavor."
The purple mare saluted the Alicorn and teleported to the Library to meet up with her ersatz housemate. She knocked on the door and was greeted by Spike once again.
"Whoa, Amethyst? What brings you back?" he asked.
"Spike -- I keep forgetting how much bigger you are here than in the previous timeline. I wish to speak to Twilight, if I may," she replied softly.
"She's upstairs, resting. Sure, come on in! What's been going on?"
"I've done quite a bit of traveling through time, Spike. I finally managed to make it back to my original timeline, twenty years in the past from this one, where Twilight was about to celebrate her coronation as a new Princess -- and that is why I wish to talk to her."
The dragon's jaw dropped at this mention and it took him a moment to regain his composure. "Twilight? A Princess?!" he asked in astonishment.
"Princess Celestia mentioned something about a spell Starswirl had been working on shortly before he died -- one he wasn't able to finish or something. I guess the younger Twilight managed to figure it out," the purple mare said, offering a smile. Upon hearing her name mentioned, the lavender unicorn slowly made her way down the stairs to meet them. A smile crossed her lips upon seeing the purple mare.
"Ammy! Been awhile, hasn't it?" she asked, smiling broadly.
"C'mon, Twi, she didn't leave all that long ago," Spike chided.
"Actually, Twi, it's been about nine months, so yeah, you're correct. I went back to the previous timeline, but Galaxy went back to meet me there, then she decided to stay. I just wanted to ask you why it was you haven't become an Alicorn, though your younger self already has," she mused, a thoughtful expression on her face.
The librarian exhaled a very heavy sigh. "Oh, Ammy. When you left that first time, about twenty years or so ago, you left your children behind. I tried to enlist the aid of some of my friends and other ponies to help me raise them, but with you gone, they became my responsibility. So I had to set my studies aside in order to raise them. I suppose I should be upset with you, but ... raising them has been satisfying for me. I hope you might stay with me in this timeline, Ammy -- I miss your company." Twilight's smile left her face and was replaced by a frown. The light shining through a window illustrated how hard the years had been on her.
"I am so sorry for making you do that, Twi. The reason why I need to stay in my original timeline is so I can raise EJ and Galaxy properly and be a good mother to them. I am so sorry for abandoning them and disrupting your studies. I think you deserve to be an Alicorn -- I think Princess Celestia said something about it being your destiny to become a Princess."
The lavender unicorn chuckled sadly. "I know she tried to help -- I needed it -- but those ... Griffons and Minotaurs ..." she muttered, tears starting to well up in her eyes.
"Perhaps you might ask the Princess about that spell Starswirl was working on -- perhaps it's not too late for you to become an Alicorn," the purple mare mused thoughtfully.
"You really think so? I hope you're right, Ammy! I'm going to ask her right now!" the librarian stated excitedly. The prospect was one which delighted her -- and it seemed to make her appear younger for a brief moment. "But ... what if something goes wrong? I hope I can work that spell properly."
"I can take you back to the throne room to meet up with the Princess," offered Amethyst. "If you succeed in this endeavor, you'll be able to keep her company for a very long time."
"Your offer sounds very tempting, Ammy -- okay, let's go!" the lavender mare chirped in happiness. Amethyst offered her left forehoof, which Twilight accepted in her right. The purple mare teleported the both of them to the throne room, the Solar Princess appearing somewhat bored, sitting with her hind legs draped across the right arm of her throne.
"I was wondering when you two were going to show up," she stated in mild bemusement. "Took you long enough."
"Princess! Where is that spell that Starswirl was working on before he died?" asked Twilight, excitement brimming in her eyes.
"Twilight, my faithful student --"
"I haven't been your student in the past eight years, Princess," the lavender unicorn stated flatly.
"I miss those days, Twilight. I miss your companionship. I shall fetch the spell for you immediately," the Alicorn stated, teleporting a book from her personal library to levitate just in front of the librarian. "In this book, you shall find the spell. I shall also provide you with the Elements of Harmony, though you will need to find your friends and have them assist you in this effort. One word of caution, Twilight -- Starswirl was unable to finish this spell because it killed him."
Both unicorns expressed shock at this mention.
"Your Majesty -- I had no idea it was that dangerous," Amethyst said softly.
"Princess, I shall do my best -- I've lived long enough and seen enough to know that even if I die trying, I am determined to finish Starswirl's work! You can count on me, Celestia!" the lavender unicorn exclaimed proudly.
Her excitement seemed to light a spark in the Alicorn, who smiled broadly for the first time in a very long time. "Twilight, you have no idea of just how happy your statement makes me. I look forward to seeing you when you succeed in this endeavor!"
"I do too, Princess! I have work to do! Ammy, please take me back to the Library!"
"But of course, Twi," the purple mare chuckled, teleporting them both back.
"Twilight, I have to go back to my timeline. I wish you best of luck with this -- I have faith in you, Twi, make me proud!"
The lavender mare chuckled. "Thanks, Ammy. Keep in touch, come back some time and say hi again!"
"I'll be sure to do that, Twi." The purple mare lit her horn again and cast the spell to travel back to her original timeline. Reality seemed to blink a couple of times for her before she materialized in front of the library. The town seemed to be deserted.
"Everypony's probably in Canterlot for Twilight's coronation," the purple mare thought to herself. She entered the library and went to the kitchen to fix herself something to eat, then upstairs to her room to get some sleep, even though it was late afternoon. She had been awake for nearly 24 hours, so sleep was beckoning her to its embrace.
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The purple mare was nudged awake by her grown daughter, who had teleported directly to her bedside. She turned over onto her other side, pulling the cover over her. Galaxy nudged her mother again, harder this time, the purple mare nearly falling out of her bed.
"What is it? This had better be real important --" Amethyst muttered as she turned back over to see who had woken her. "Galaxy? What is so important you had to come here?"
"Mama -- in my timeline, Twilight sent me to fetch you. She said something about a spell Starswirl had been working on, but she messed up -- and things have gotten really bad! You need to help us!"
"Let me guess -- Rarity messed up the weather, didn't she?" the purple mare asked flatly.
"Um, yeah -- but she messed up real bad!"
"And Twilight panicked, didn't she?"
"Yes, and that's why she sent me!"
"Why did you go back to your timeline? I thought you were happy in the other one -- speaking of which, how did you manage to get back to your original timeline?"
"I tracked Twilight's magic signature, duh!"
"I forgot you could do that, Galaxy. I guess we'd better get going then," the purple mare said somewhat glumly.