“You must tell her, sister,” Said Luna, as she materialized in the astral plane, her hooves landing on the road of stars. Celestia had her back to her sister, and was watching Twilight’s Cutie Mark Event, and didn’t speak until Luna was alongside her.
“She never remembers, Luna. Not once has she ever remembered. Despite all my searching, all of our efforts, she never remembers.”
“True,” acquiesced Luna, “but that has not stopped you from trying for the last three ages. And you know as well as I that it is not a perfect process, but bits are slipping through. Her love of magic. Her obsession with Starswirl. Her sheer, raw power. You must tell her, sister. You must tell Twilight Sparkle who she has been. Even if the next time around, she has forgotten everything, no matter what she is, she will take a piece of Twilight Sparkle through with her, the same way she took a piece of Starswirl. The same way that she took a piece of Tirek.”
“I have failed her, Luna. I promised her that we would find a way to stop her curse. Now, I don’t know how many millennia later, and she’s still under the curse, and it’s getting worse. She used to have vauge visions about those things, but now? It’s barely noticeable.”
“Celestia,” began Luna, “I know. She was dear to us as well. But perhaps, with Twilight being an alicorn now, things will be different.”
Celestia sighed, and with a mental command, switched off the virtual screen, and with Luna alongside, she exited the astral plane, and reemerged in the physical plane, right in Canterlot Castle.
“You must go and talk to Twilight, sister. Before midnight, and the Fourth age begins,” said Luna, “Or we may lose her forever.”
****
“I’m what?!” said Twilight as she stood in the Golden Oak library, several books on preening orbiting around the newest alicorn, and Celestia offered a gentle smile.
“You are the latest in a long line of reincarnations, Twilight Sparkle. A long time ago, you were our friend, but you had a curse placed on you by an ancient and unknowable being, and you were cursed to ‘forever walk the earth, in all forms imaginable’, and we have been seeking a way to break you of the curse, to let you regain your true form, and all the knowledge that you have gained over your many lives.” Celestia looked out of the library’s windows, and saw the moon inexorably climbing towards its zenith.
“You have been many, Twilight. You were Tirek, when he attempted to rule Equestria. You were Starswirl the Bearded. You have been earth pony, pegasus and seapony. You have been every form, everything that has a brain.”
“But Princess,” began Twilight, and Celestia decided to let the title slide, “How do you know all of this?”
[Time]
“Your soul, Twilight. Your form may always be different, but your soul has never once changed. And your soul remembers who you have been. You just need to listen to it, and you will understand.” Another glance at the moon revealed that the time was almost upon her.
“Listen, Twilight. Something very unpleasant is going to happen when the moon is at full height, and the Fourth Age begins. I want you to remember what I have told you as best as you can, and I will try to find you in your next life if you do not succeed here.”
“What are you talking about?” The moon hit it’s zenith, and Celestia could hear Luna’s voice.
“I’m sorry, sister. I tried to delay as long as possible.”
“Well, at least Twilight knows now.”
***
The Fourth age of Equestria began with an explosion of magic from the Golden Oaks Library, as something came for Twilight Sparkle. She put up a good fight, shrouding her battle with the creature with pure magic, and Celestia could only watch. This was Twilight’s fight. She had to win, to break her own curse. The only question that was on Celestia’s mind was if, when the smoke of battle finally cleared, she would see a renewed Twilight, ready to be the Princess she was originally born to be...or a corpse to bury.