//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Simply Said // by EurekaStorm //------------------------------// "Oh, Celestia! They are adorable!" Princess Luna cooed at the sight of the two infant foals curled up on a blanket in front of her. They were both unicorns, one purple and the other blue. Celestia smiled as she saw how pleased her sister was with them, it had taken a great effort to even create them in the first place. Recently, Celestia had noticed her sister slipping back into the same depression that almost caused catastrophe a thousand years ago. When Celestia realized how lonely her sister was, she had given her sister a huge responsibility- running an orphanage. When the abandoned foals had taken to Luna so well, she had been so happy. The foals didn't judge her like some of the adult subjects did and both the foals and Luna benefitted from the attention. However, now, things were a bit different. Luna had found out she could never have foals of her own, which was something she began to long for after she started taking care of them. She had adopted a foal from her orphanage, but things had gone poorly. The foal had been very sick and wasn't going to live very long. When she found out about it, Celestia could see her sister break down as her adopted colt grew sicker and sicker. When he did perish, Celestia was afraid the sister she knew as Luna was going to "perish" as well. However, Luna went about her duties, but retired from her position at the orphanage and hired somepony else to take her place. She had put on a happy face, but Celestia could tell it continued to bother her deeply. When Celestia saw all the same signs of depression all over again, she feared the darkness may take her sister completely. It wouldn't be the first time she'd seen a pony succumb to such powerful depression, primarily if you were especially magical. But, then, she had an idea. With the help of many powerful unicorns, she put a mixture of her own DNA along with her sister's inside a surrogate. Everything went without a hitch, the mare gave birth to two healthy foals that were each a little part of both the royal sisters. Celestia was bringing them home for the first time and Luna couldn't have been more excited. In fact, she had been overly excited for months. "Don't wake them, Luna! Come, let's put them to sleep," Celestia carried the little ones with magic up to the nursery. Luna had designed it herself, painting one half of it like the night sky and the other like a bright sunny day. When Celestia had tucked the two of them together in the same crib, the sisters sat for a moment to take in the sight before them. They were now mothers. "Oh, Celestia, I'm so happy! Thank you, sister. This was a wonderful idea." "I'm also extremely happy. It will be nice to have little ones around the castle." The two royal sisters left the young foals to their nap and shut the door to the nursery. As they walked down the hallway, Luna began to wonder something. "Sister?" She asked. "Yes, Luna?" "If those foals were made from just our DNA, why aren't they alicorns?" "Actually," Celestia began. "They aren't made from just our DNA, we needed a stallion's as well. You and I may have been born alicorns, but even if they were conceived naturally, the chances of them coming out that way as well is still very rare. Even though they are our daughters, they will still both need to earn their ascension into alicorns." "I see. Well, this brings up another question..." "Yes, Luna?" "If they are both equally half of me and half of you-" "And a unicorn stallion. Starswirl the eighth's great grandson." "Ok, so they are- wait, seriously? Oh well- so they are half of me, half of you, and half Beard Dust's. Whatever, the question is, which will take after you and which will take after me? It isn't easy being a princess of the night and it takes a great heart to be the princess of the day." "Well, I was thinking we could teach them the basics of both solar and lunar magic, then let them decide which path is best." "You don't see any issues there?" "Of course not, they are our children, after all. Besides, I'm sure it will be rather easy, one will obviously excel more in one area than the other. They couldn't possibly both be experts at the same thing!" Celestia chuckled. "Well, that does make sense, I suppose. Alright, then." The two rounded a corner and were only a few feet from the throne room, where a select few guests were waiting to congratulate them. "Celestia, I have one more question." "Yes, Luna?" "What are we going to name them?" "I was thinking...Twilight Sparkle and Trixie Lulamoon..." A few years later. The young purple foal known as Twilight was extremely nervous. Just because she was the daughter of the Princesses did not mean she could just go to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. She still needed to pass two tests. Her sister, Trixie, was standing close by, also quivering. The two fillies looked at eachother and smiled, if only to try and show the other they weren't nervous. Twilight had no problem passing the written exam. She had always loved to read and found she had a deep passion for learning. Trixie, on the other hoof, was easily distracted. She had the magical ability, but she seemed more interested in the limelight of being the daughter of the Princesses than anything else. She liked to be the center of attention and often performed her magical skills in a spectacular way. Much like she were entertaining rather than just showing off. Twilight noticed her sister was having difficulty with the test when she saw a paper pegasus go flying around the room magically. Luckily, Twilight kicked Trixie in just enough time before the teacher overseeing the exam looked up. "Hey!" Trixie whispered, annoyed. Twilight rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to be embarrassed by having my sister fail..." She mumbled to Trixie, and leaned over so she could see the answers. "...Thanks, Twilight." "I love you, Trixie." Twilight smiled. "Love ya, too." After the two had handed the written test in, they headed down for the next part of the test, showing off their skills in magic. Outside, Celestia was walking by the school. She was also feeling a bit nervous, her two foals were growing up very differently. So far, Trixie was excelling in magical abilities, but she still couldn't control it right. Twilight, on the other hand, had everything Trixie did not in ability to focus and learn. When the building began to surge with electrical magic and a dragon's head exploded from the ceiling, she smiled. "Well, it looks like someone passed their test..." When she approached the exam room, she was surprised to see Twilight in there. With the unfocused raw energy flying around, she had assumed it was Trixie. She walked over to her daughter to calm her down. When Twilight saw her mother, the magic stopped. The teachers were turned back to normal from potted plants and the dragon shrunk back down to size. "Twilight!" "Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" "I had no idea you had such power inside of you! I'm quite proud!" "Huh?" "But you need to learn to tame these abilities through focused study." "Huh?" "What I'm saying is, you not only pass, but you have also earned your position as my protege!" "Really, Mom?" "Really." "YAAY!" Twilight jumped in the air, ecstatic that she had pleased her mother so much. "Oh, and one more thing..." "More?!" Celestia pointed to her dughter's flank. "My cutie mark? YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!" She began jumping excitedly around in circles. Celestia turned and walked out to her other daughter, that was now pouting outside, waiting her turn. "What's wrong, Trixie? Now, it's your turn!" "Oh, uh, y-yes mother." She said, trying to swallow her fear. The teachers were holding their heads and trying to recover from what had just happened. Twilight broke from her happy bouncing when she saw her sister walk in. "Oh, Trixie! LOOK! I got my cutie mark!" Trixie hugged her sister and tried to look as happy for her sister as possible. But, in truth, she was boiling with jealousy. She had thought for sure she would out-do Twilight on this part of the test. Just where had she gotten all that raw power from, anyway? Just a few nights ago she could just barely turn a page in her book! And she got her cutie mark, too? On top of everything? Ugh! Trixie watched as a new egg was pushed into the exam room and her sister went bouncing out of it. She sighed and stepped forward, readying herself. "I do hope you don't try and out-do your sister, I'm not sure we can handle anything else like that." One of the teachers commented, seeing the determined look on Trixie's face. But Trixie was too lost in thought, trying to figure out how to do exactly that. She needed to throw some intense power at this egg! She fired up her horn and concentrated, putting every ounce of magical energy she had into the egg. However, things didn't go at all like she planned. The egg exploded into a giant blue omlette and the carriage that held the egg began to grow. "Oh, no!" Trixie's eyes widened. She quickly fired more magic at it, trying to fix the mistake she made. The cart shrunk back and the egg's insides flew back into it and it lay back on the straw, looking as if it had never been unharmed. "Whew!" Trixie wiped her brow, thinking she had another shot to hatch the egg. However, the teachers were at wits end and tried to end to exam for Trixie, right then and there. "No, please! Please wait...watch this!" She tried one more time, now no longer trying to outdo Twilight, she couldn't bear the thought of not getting in at all! She concentrated and hit the egg with her magic one more time, but less intense. This time, the egg hatched a little blue and yellow dragon, just like the one Twilight had hatched. But, that was it, nothing spectacular like Twilight's had been. It was enough to pass, but that was it. She left the exam room, feeling humiliated. She barely passed the section of the test that she was supposed to be good at! Twilight was waiting for her and frowned when she saw her sister, almost in tears. "You didn't...fail, did you?" Trixie shook her head and bit back tears. "No, but I almost did! And...and I didn't get my cutie mark!" The blue filly burst out in tears as Twilight held her. Now that the real reason Trixie was upset had come out, Twilight felt a little badly for being so excited. "It's okay, Trixie. You'll get your mark real soon! I'll help you!" "R-really?" She sniffled. "Of course! I love you, Trixie! You're my sister!" "I love you, too, Twilight."