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// Chapter 17, Princess Twilight and the 'Bond of Knowing' 
// Story: The Chronicles of Summer Rain, Vol. 2 -- Homecoming 
// by shysage 
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Shysage was not the kind of pony that went around constantly watching other ponies' Cutie Marks.

However, during his time in Equestria as a Canterlot Recorder, Shysage had developed a pretty good awareness for the types of situations that might precede or accompany radical or tumultous change.

This happened today.  Right now.

Princess Twilight and her girls were in the much larger library of her new Castle.  They were all working together to help Princess get a new shipment of books onto the mostly empty shelves, in just the right place.  Organization was important to this Princess.

Summer and Shysage had just arrived, delivering both the first volume of 'The Chronicles of Summer Rain', as well as the printed pages for a book containing the careful record of 'Summer's Dream'.

They both bowed, then Summer hugged Princess Twilight, then her sister.

Princess Twilight used her magic to take both items out of Shysage's shoulder bag, and lay them on the table.  Princess moved the Chronicles to the side, she had been there for most of what was included.  She did not feel the need to look at it just now.

Princess used her magic and picked up the stack of pages that was 'Summer's Dream', and noted that the front page included a specific caution, this work was not to be widely circulated.  Just the (now) 9 sets of Twins were the only ones who could read it.

Princess Twilight next looked at the table of contents, selected a chapter, then read for a few minutes.

Then she calmly folded the pages together, put them back on the table, then said "Girls, 'Summer's Dream' is here on the table in case any of you want to read it through.  I think it should stay here however.  And be careful, it is not bound yet."

Princess Twilight then grabbed a few more new books from a box, and was using her magic to carefully place each one on the shelf where she wanted them.

Applejack walked over to the table, opened 'Summer's Dream' up to a random spot somewhere in the middle, and then began to read.

Within half a minute, Applejack was hysterical.  She was sobbing loudly, and wouldn't, couldn't stop.

Shysage knew this could be an identifying moment, and watched Princess Twilight.

Right where she was, Princess Twilight, sideways to Shysage, and facing a shelf full of books, simply looked up, then stared off into the distance briefly.

Then her Cutie Mark changed over the course of maybe 10 seconds.  The five smaller stars shifted so they were all over the points of the big star, and a sixth star was added above the now vacent spot above one point of the big star.

It had happened...  Princess Twilight knew...

It wasn't obvious immediately, but over the course of the next two days, Princess Twilight pursued a specific course that could only come from a deep connection with the very realm of Equestria.  Princess Twilight knew what to do.  She knew exactly what to do.  The coming days would prove this.

Shysage had worked mostly with Princess Celestia until recently.  He could count on Princess Celestia generally knowing what was best for the realm.  She just knew.

Shysage was also fairly sure that Princess Luna possessed a connection somewhat similar to the Twins 'Soul-Link', but with the entire realm of Equestria.

Twilight had been made a Princess, and began working through a process of becoming one, even though for the most part it had been a hit or miss proposition.  She tried, learned, and grew.

But that all changed today.  Right now.

It was difficult to say whether the realm of Equestria reached out and claimed Princess Twilight for this honor, or whether Princess Twilight finally reached far enough into the realm to get plugged in.  Either way, it didn't matter, the result would be the same...

That very moment, signified by the subtle change of her Cutie Mark, Princess Twilight became heir to the

'Bond of Knowing'.  

She was now indissolubly linked to the needs of Equestria.  She just knew.

Princess Twilight's transition into 'Princess-ness' was now complete.

The events that occurred over the next two days would simply show the completeness of this bond.





Princess Twilight quickly set the last book where it belonged

Then she said calmly "Girls can you please come help me with Applejack?"

Then Princess walked over, and used her magic to pick the pages of 'Summer's Dream' up, and carefully slid them back into Shysage's shoulder bag, saying "Shysage take these and keep them for now.  You will need them tomorrow."

Princess Twilight gently hugged Applejack a minute, then backed off a little and looked her in the eye, then said quietly "You had the same dream didn't you?  It was from your prespective and not Summer's, but it was the same dream.  You had forgotten the details until just now, right?"

Applejack immediately calmed down, and nodded yes.

Princess Twilight asked one of the guards to find Spike for her, and to tell Spike she needed him.

The stage would soon be set.

Princess Twilight became Shysage's Princess on the spot.