Chapter 5 – Why plan?
The morning sun hangs unusually high in the sky today, which would make you think that Twilight perhaps slept in a little later. But, seeing as how that is unlucky the next best thing is that the sun was just raised faster today.
This totally plausible fact tumbles in your head for a few moments, which is a decent break from the normal thoughts you have had since Rainbow came back to the house yesterday with everypony else. Truthfully when you first heard the idea of Luna being some bad pony you just shrugged it off, especially seeing as how Celestia's letter said that she still had Luna...But after hearing Twilight and her friends talk for the better part of the day you realized that the slightly socially awkward princess of the night whom you and Twilight had baby sit Violet a few times may have not been the nice and kind pony you took her for.
Still though, you have a weird feeling in the back of your mind about the whole situation.
You slowly start to drift from your thoughts as you turn your attention to the lavender mare beside you, "Hey Twilight, how come Celestia only got us tickets but not anypony else?"
The mare's locked stare to the castle's outer walls that continue to get closer and closer is broke for the moment as she turns her head to speak up, "The elements of harmony are no longer bound to me and my friends...Celestia most likely wants us because we were the last two ponies to have contact with them."
She nods her head to the satchel she has on around her as she continues, "...I just hope that all of my old reports on the magic of friendship will help with connecting the elements back to harmony."
You blink to the comment as you look over the bag, "What happens if they can't?"
Your words hold the mare’s attention as she shakes her head, “I don’t want to think about that right now.” Twilight slowly starts to turn her head back to the path in front of her as she continues, “It took over a thousand years for somepony to find the elements of harmony, and it was just by luck that me and my friends were able to connect to them.”
Twilight’s tone makes the words stick a little to your mind as you shake your head, “I don’t even think I believe in that kind of luck anymore.”
The strange confidence you have holds as Twilight turns her head back to you as you trail on, “You’ll get that crown back to whatever it needs to be.”
A slight smile comes up too Twilight’s face as she cocks her head, “I thought you were the negative one?”
You cock your own smile too the comment as you turn your head back to the castle that now lays only a few hooves from you.
However, your trot is brought to an end as an armored pegasus mare trots forward from the gate, “Halt, who goes there?”
Twilight takes a step forward as she speaks up, “Twilight Sparkle.”
The guard mare blinks to the name as she takes a step back from the middle of the drawbridge, “O-oh sorry Mrs.Sparkle, Celestia has been expecting you.”
Twilight nods her head to the comment as she starts forward, “Thank you.” You follow after her as you swing your head around the few guard ponies that seem to be going about their normal routines.
As the trot through the castle courtyard starts to come a little more towards the center you trot a little more next to the mare as you speak up, “Do you think Aerolight knows about everything?”
Your words slow the mare’s trot a little as she nods, “Of course, maybe we can stop by after this and see what he knows about Princess Luna.”
You nod to the comment as you move a little ahead of the mare and up the short staircase to open the door for the mare.
The normally expected gesture goes for the most part unnoticed by the mare as you trot in behind her.
The inside of the castle is definitely something you have become familiar with over the years, however that does not mean all of your old feelings are put to rest. Which really is no surprise, especially seeing as how nine out of ten castles you get summoned to always end up with some kind of problem.
But as you look around to the various guards, maid and random ponies that just trot around the halls you walk down you begin to allow your mind to rest.
You and Twilight's trot through the castle's hallways comes to its end as you both now stare to the closed doors of the throne room.
Twilight moves ahead of you as she sparks her horn to one of the doors and begins to move inside with a slight smile, "Princess."
The word brings your legs up a little faster as you move inside to stand next to the mare, all the while as you hold your eyes to the sight in front of you.
The stained glass windows light the room up with a colorful and cheerful lighting that even shines to the large throne towards the back of the room where the white mare sits. However, for the moment your eyes turn to the familiar crystal mare that stands a little next to the throne with a few pieces of papers floating to her magic.
However, as you stare to the two ponies you start to realize the one thing they have in common, they both look to be tired or stressed.
"Hello Twilight." Celestia's calm voice rolls from her seated position as she turns her head to the crystal pony next to her, "Starlight could you give us a moment please?"
The mare nods to the comment as she floats her papers from Celestia and begins to trot towards the throne room's door. But she gives a little pause to her trot as she gives you and Twilight a little nod hello, which you both return.
Her nod however does not hinder her pace as she moves out of the room and closes the doors behind her.
Just as the doors close Celestia's voice comes up, "Thank you for coming so fast Twilight."
Before the mare can really finish her sentence Twilight speaks up as she takes a little step forward, "What happened Princess, has Luna really turned?"
Celestia seems to hesitate for the moment as she speaks up, "Yes, and this is why I need your help." She does not move from the throne as her calm voice continues to ring out, "I have been able to break Discord's spell over the crown, but I fear my magic may not be enough to fully revert the crown back to its original state."
Twilight proudly holds her head up as she taps her hoof to the satchel around her, "Not to worry Princess, me and my friends were able to find our old friendship reports, with them we should be able to reconnect with the elements."
The words do not alter Celestia's expression a she just speaks up again, "I'm sorry Twilight but I have reason to believe the crown will only be reactivated with something of equal power."
Your ear flicks to the comment as you start to think a little, what could be as strong as the elements of harmony? You hold the thought as you try to remember everything you know about magic and how it affects literally everything. However, this thought only brings the idea that Celestia is about to ask you to find some element tree or something like that.
"...I need you to bring the Crystal Heart to the castle."
Celestia's words bring you back to reality as you now listen to Twilight's question, "The crystal heart?"
"Yes." Celestia nods her head as she continues, "The Crystal Heart is the only other easily obtained power source of harmony."
Twilight blinks to the comment as she cocks her head, "Princess are you sure it's safe to take the Crystal Heart from the city?"
The words quickly bring a response from Celestia as she speaks up, "I have been looking into magic and its effects on the ponies around it, and I believe that as long as we use the heart quickly and return it there will be no problem."
You slowly bring your voice out as you speak up, "What could happen to the Crystal Empire?"
Your words turn Celestia's head as she stares to you for a moment, but her silent stare is brought to an end as she nods, "The Crystal Empire would just feel a little different, but nothing of true concern."
Twilight now brings her voice up as she holds her voice to a respectful low, "Princess what if we were to take the crown to the empire instead?"
"No." Celestia shakes her head as she continues, "We can not risk somepony taking the crown, even in it's current state it could be used for the wrong reasons. At least with the Heart it is active, and will not allow itself to be used for anything other than its purpose."
Twilight slowly nods her head to the comment as she speaks up, "Yes Princess."
"Thank you Twilight, I know I knew I could trust you." Celestia holds a little smile as she bows her head a little, "Do make sure you send a letter when you have removed the Heart."
"Yes Princess."
As Twilight's words come down the lavender mare turns back to you as she begins to trot towards the doors, you follow her turned trot as you follow her out into the hallway.
However just as you close the doors behind you the crystal mare waiting outside comes towards you and Twilight with a little smile, "Well that was faster than I had expected..." The mare lowers her head a little as she continues a bit sheepish, "I trust the Princess has not asked something to hard."
You look over the mare's expression a little surprised. Sure it must be a bit disheartening for Celestia's newest errand pony to be passed up on one of Princess Do-nothing's little tasks, but it is not like these are the kind of things everypony should beg for.
Before you can bring your voice up Twilight speaks up, "Yes, but at least this way we can stop by and see Aerolight."
Starlight gives a little smile to the comment as she brings her voice out, "Do tell him I say hello, I we were going to catch up but...Not after yesterday."
Twilight cocks her head to the comment as she speak up, "Where you here yesterday?"
"Oh yes." Starlight's ears flop down a little as she continues, "I was the first pony to find Celestia and Luna after she must have changed....When I saw them Luna had taken the element of harmony crown." She shakes her head a little as she squints to the ground, "I just do not understand why the crown's magic would have lasted so long in Luna, especially if that was the only thing holding back Nightmare Moon?"
Twilight nods to the comment as she stays silent for the moment.
However, her silence brings the crystal mare's voice up as she brings her head back to a normal position, "Well I should get back to Princess Celestia, I have not yet finished showing her my report."
Twilight's expression changes a little to the comment as she nods, "Of course." You and her both take a step aside as the mare returns to the throne room.
To the absent hallway you and Twilight bring your trots up as you set out to the train you inevitably have to get back on.
- - -
(A few moments later)
The trot back through the castle only takes a few moments, however as you exit through the castle doors Twilight breaks her thinking silence, "We still have a little until we have to get to the next train, we should stop by and see-..."
"Twilight!"
A deep stallion's voice turns yours and Twilight's heads as you both turn to a decorative armored blue unicorn stallion trotting from a small group of guards in the courtyard.
Twilight sparks a smile to her face at the pony's sight as she speaks up, "StoneGem."
You look over the stallion with your own smile, but it starts to fade as you look over his up all night eyes.
Despite his expression he holds a cheerful tone as he stops his trot a little in front of you both, "I had figured Celestia would summon you two here." A slight sigh comes from the stallion as he nods, "At least I can rest a little easier tonight."
Twilight nods a little to the comment as she speaks up, "The Princess already knows how to help Luna..." Her ear flicks to her own words as she lowers her head a little, "How is she?"
StoneGem gives another little sigh as he speaks up, "She has refused to talk to anypony...I would take you to her, but Celestia has made it clear to everypony that no one is to see her with her presence."
Twilight cocks her head to the comment, but she holds her tongue as she speaks up with a different question, "Where is Aerolight today? We want to see him before we get going."
A slight chuckle comes up from StoneGem as he speaks up, "Aerolight asked to do the night shift tonight...It's a little unusual for him but I would guess it was because of the mare he had with him. Of course with the situation I still told him to stay alert and-..."
"What mare?" Twilight's voice comes up a little over StoneGem's as she awaits an answer.
StoneGem shrugs as he speaks up, "I'm not sure, some pegasus."
The words just bring Twilight's voice up a little more as she shakes her head, "Well what did she look like?"
StoneGem just blinks to the comment as he shrugs, "Sorry Twilight it's been a little hectic the last two days, I can't really keep track of Aerolight, and seeing as how he's matured over the last few months I don't need to." He turns his head back to the small group of ponies still in the courtyard as he speak up, "Sorry Twilight, but I need to get everypony on the same page today."
You nod to the stallion as you say good bye and begin to push the mare along, "Come on Twilight maybe Aerolight is busy."
Your words bring the mare's voice up as she blows a little to the comment, "Pfff, we can stop by for a moment, i'm sure he won't mind."
A slight smirk comes to your face as you nod your head, note to self, God Princess of the night may have turned evil and want to take over the world, son still more important... The thought holds a slight smile to your face as you turn an eye to the fast paced mare beside you, at least I corrupted her in a good way.
End of chapter 5