And that's how I became an alicorn,” Twilight finished explaining to the banner mares.
The last hour had been an amazing mishmash of conversational nuance. In other words, Twilight didn't want to boss them around, they insisted they were mere servants to be bossed, she insisted they were free individuals, they insisted they wanted to serve her, etc, etc. The back-and-forth could, quite unfortunately, have filled volumes. It ended with a very relaxing massage by two talented masseurs and a Twilight Sparkle who had given up on the argument.
The masseurs were leaving, having treated Chrysalis and Pinkie Pie as well. The banner mares refused. With Twilight having finished a less argumentative conversation with her new maids, she felt a little more at ease. There were logistics to be calculated involving the four new mares, but the purple queen was content to save it for later. She wanted to feel relaxed so long as she was supposed to be at one of the most relaxing places in the world. She wanted it and so she felt it. No worries.
She was standing now, not having returned to the pool as the ever-crazy Pinkie Pie took to doing. Instead, Twilight walked about the enclosed area. It was enclosed from the path up but open to the high-altitude air on the cliff side. This was where she took her fascination. She stepped to the very edge, not afraid of falling because of her levitation and teleportation magic. The view straight down was disorienting but gazing out straight outwards was breathtaking. The buildings surrounding the area appeared only as mountains and gave the sensation of being deep within a mountain ridge.
A cool night breeze came in and sifted through Twilight's mane. She breathed out to let all the remaining stress out of her system. Not even the sudden acquisition of four new maids could worry her now. With a little sparkle of serenity in her eye, she looked up higher to the stars and moon. They were indeed beautiful this night as they had been those months before when she looked up at them along with a broken Chrysalis.
Time had been kind to them and, though life had not necessarily been easy, she saw purpose in it all. She was who she was now because of what she had gone through herself, with her friends, and with her changeling. Who knew what tomorrow could bring if today felt so much like a dream. Her relationships were changing fast because of her hivemind, letting her know things she never would have before. Perhaps some of those friendships were destined to become something else even...
Twilight shook off her introspection, turned from the view at the edge, and made her way over to the supply shelves near the section door. As she walked over, she looked at each of the hanging flora along the way. By subconscious means, she mentally came up with the scientific classification and proper name for each one save a few she had never studied before. They must have been rare varieties – possibly foreign to Equestrian soil. She smiled when she saw a cluster of Luna's Blossom. She tried seeing if there were any oils or fragrances with the aroma of that flower when she reached the shelves.
“My queen?” Soir Soleil spoke up softly so as not to grate on her mistress' ears. She and her sisters had settled on addressing her as queen now that they better understood the circumstances. Twilight hadn't asked them to, but they all felt it was best and they all certainly felt that it was appropriate. Not one of them had a grain of dislike for their royal charge.
“Yes?” Twilight's voice came out as if she was in paradise, drifting on a cloud. She continued to stand near the supply stand, looking over the lotions.
“What about Chrysalis?” Soir asked with utter politeness. She was careful that she gave no impression of disliking the changeling because she honestly did not. What she experienced from the changeling invasion had been minimal to non-existent, so she and her sisters had little personal reason to dislike such beings. Her curiosity was still equal to that of her sisters, however.
“That,” Pinkie Pie called over from where she was across the spa, suddenly looking down the cliff's side, “is what we call a looong story.”
“Is not,” Chrysalis countered and pointed her nose up.
“It depends,” Twilight shrugged, “on how much context you want. I could just tell you that I found her by the roadside. Context, however, will make quite a bit of difference.”
“You raised her?” Minuit Soleil asked wide-eyed.
Chrysalis laughed openly.
“Context,” Twilight repeated monotone. “This is why.”
Pinkie Pie bounced over to them, taking Twilight's body language as a sign that they were leaving. It was easier than making a no-bake pie with the hivemind knowledge she had. “If a picture's worth a thousand words then a hivemind must be worth, like, a bazillion!” she waved her pink hooves in exaggeration.
“She is correct,” Chrysalis agreed as she stepped right up to Twilight. She gave her queen an affectionate nuzzle to which the mare returned with one raised brow. Twilight quickly comprehended that the gesture was gratuitous on Chrysalis' part. The changeling's jagged horn twinkled with the reception of emotional sustenance.
The banner mares stayed respectfully silent. They had actually been that way throughout most of their presence, minus the appearance. While they had indeed spoken on end for the previous hour, nearly all of it had been initiated and carried through by Twilight herself. As far as maids went, they were perfectly un-nosey even if they were dangerously enthusiastic. Especially the one named Midi.
“I have a way you may all know me better should you want to,” Twilight began addressing the Soleils again.
“Of course!” they all returned in more or less words.
“But it will have to wait,” she lost her smile upon seeing them disappointed. “I already have too much to get caught up on tonight. Maybe after we get back to Ponyville...I don't even want to think about how I'm going to house four new occupants in the library.”
The banner mares, on the other hoof, insisted they could work matters out themselves and their mistress need not concern herself over it. They traded more “Oh, but I couldn't” conversation as they made their way out of the spa and back down the mountain path.
Rarity was the second one out of the spa when Twilight came by. Rainbow Dash was, of course, first. Rarity would have been more spry if she wasn't so thoughtful. She had much on her mind and the last hour could have seen more talking in her group if she wasn't so mentally preoccupied.
Perhaps it was her nervousness to joining the hivemind tonight with Spike that had lead her to say all of those things she now felt very foalish for. “I feel I've neglected you” was one of the things that kept running through her head. How could she have said that out loud? And to Spike too! It was so direct and lacked even a molecule of tact. She would normally have phrased it differently. Definitely more articulately anyhow.
But that was not the only thing plaguing her and keeping her face appear morbid. She didn't feel as bad as her expression but she was still troubled nonetheless. The problem was that it wasn't just one thing. It was Spike being immortal, it was Twilight being immortal, it was being around the rescued changeling, it was all this business about Twilight's hivemind. She just didn't know what to do and felt more and more that her decisions were slap-dash efforts to keep herself from being left behind.
“Rarity...?” Spike spoke up in a hush, practically whispering it in her ear while standing on his tip-toes to do so.
“Hm? Yes?” she attempted breaking out of her thoughts as her body continued to follow Twilight and the rest of the group out.
“Are you okay?” Spike asked low again so only she could hear him.
“What do you mean? I am perfectly fine. This place has surpassed my expectations – no offense to the twins in Ponyville, mind you.”
“It's just that...well...you've been acting kind of strange,” the small dragon took the blunt route. It was something about him that Rarity both despised and loved at the same time. He often lacked social tact, but that was also one of his strengths. He would say things nopony else had the honesty or courage to.
“Just...trying to find myself, Spikey,” was her open reply.
“Aw, c'mon,” Direway playfully poked Flash Sentry in the side as the orange pony got out of the pool again. “You can tell me...”
“I'm not so sure about that,” Flash doubted with worry written all over his face. He promptly dried himself off.
“I'm safe. I can keep a secret,” the slightly older dark gray stallion insisted. “You have no idea what secrets I've held for others.”
The orange pegasus squinted at him and finished equipping his armor that he had left near the door with that of the others. “Like what?”
“If I told you then I wouldn't have kept the secrets now would I?” Direway winked at him.
“Whatever,” Flash rolled his eyes. He readjusted the straps that kept his armor in place, particularly the one that secured the breastplate. It was Twilight's star insignia which all four of their armor sets bore. He cherished wearing it because it was the very cutie mark of the one his affections lied with.
Centurion had already donned his again, much larger in size because of his muscular bulk. Direway was biding his time leisurely, still in the spa pool and playing with the water. “You know I didn't really wear armor much before I got this reassignment,” he noted as he watched his two armored comrades.
“That's right. Special Ops are usually in civilian clothes if any, right?” Flash remembered.
“The worst kind,” Centurion responded instead with a huff. “Dire would find any excuse he could to get up in the most ridiculous-”
“It's not my fault you have no adventurous spirit! Or that you didn't have my S.O. freedom!” Direway shouted over with a face that told he was messing with them.
The old pale red guard turned to the pool. “You saying that showgirl getup wasn't just the tiniest bit over the top?”
“Oh...that...” Direway giggled to himself as he remembered whatever situation had been referred to. Flash's mind ground to a halt trying to picture it.
“Yeah,” Centurion said as if to repeat the point. He said nothing else, apparently having said enough.
Flash's mouth was opening to ask for a desperate clarification when Centurion suddenly whirled towards the door. Flash did the same in time to see Midnight Strike's head appear around the outside of the door frame. The dark blue pegasus was fully armored and passed them a smirk, said nothing, and continued on past the door. That was their cue.
Centurion and Flash were already headed out the door when Direway zipped over to his carefully placed armor in one move. He grabbed a towel with one wing and began drying off quickly while armor clicked in place on his body – two particularly difficult things to do at the same time. He may not have been as familiar with the armor as his fellow guards but he knew enough about clothing to make up the difference. He was done and out the door right as the last of Twilight's party passed it, giving him an easy entry for rear-guard position.
The rocky mountain path felt less troublesome this time around since they had all relaxed. In fact, Direway was feeling a little sad at the prospect of leaving. As happy as he felt, he knew that guard duty back at Ponyville wouldn't even be a tenth as interesting as this place had been. Even if he wrote down everything he had seen here, the words would be as ash in comparison to the real thing.
Direway found himself following the pony currently at the back of the group. Interestingly enough, that happened to be one of the mares they had stopped going up to see Twilight. In front of her were the other three that looked exactly the same as her. Feeling emboldened by earlier relaxation and enjoyment, he dared to use the hivemind voice Twilight's friends had used before.
My queen, he spoke up mentally, are these mares to remain in your access?
It was a perfectly reasonable question and Midnight Strike backed him up in the unspoken and unseen conversation. They needed to know, as Twilight's protection, if these ponies were to remain in Twilight's confidence for room access and such.
Direway, Twilight addressed him back. They are...unique. Yes, allow them to enter my chambers. I'll give a proper introduction when we get back to Ponyville unless I can have them released. I'll give a rushed one for now. They're my new maids.
Direway failed to keep the first blurt of a chuckle from escaping him. The maid mare before him looked back with concern but said nothing. The stallion straightened his face to all seriousness, as would be expected of a guard.
They reached the end of the decline and walked back over the small wooden bridge, no easier to see in the still of the night. Twilight was ahead, talking to the intricately dressed unicorn from before. He waved something off and the purple alicorn's eyes widened a bit.
“Thank you,” she said to whatever it was. Her body movements indicated they were going to head back out of the grassy space and through the tight corridor leading out. Centurion and Midnight Strike had taken leading flank positions and angled back in towards the exit. That left Flash Sentry to fall back naturally with Direway.
The whole party, now rather large, started filing through the exit passage. That gave time for Flash Sentry to pass his co-guard a sideways look. Direway could tell everything that hadn't been voiced with that one expression. They were out of immediate earshot of anypony but the maids, which gave the senior of the two guards all the encouragement he needed.
“You want to know about the outfit, right?” Direway whispered to his side, not having lost much of his playful tone from earlier.
Flash was silent but nodded while he kept his attention both forward and to their rear flanks.
Unfortunately for the younger guard, Direway saw only an opportunity to dress-up the story. A little fun wouldn't hurt, right? Flash was prime material for spinning a yarn for...and falling head first for it.
“It all started when I was assigned to investigate a case involving the Royal Post.”
“Ugh,” Rainbow Dash moaned. “Finally. I just want to sleep.”
They had reached the castle again and were making their way down the grand halls towards their unique shared bedroom. Most of the chandeliers and hall lights were still lit even though it was so late and the mix of cool air and quiet atmosphere made the enormity of the place just a tad lonely. Or creepy.
“I can go another few hours!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed in boundless cheer, which was the only kind of cheer she ever seemed to have.
Two of the guards, Centurion and Flash Sentry, took their positions in the hallway outside the bedroom door as Twilight led the rest of her procession in. Most filtered around her, but she noticed the four Soleils stop at the door. One, which she believed to be Soir but wasn't sure, explained that they would be the ones to answer any of her service calls from then on. Apparently they had resting quarters elsewhere in the castle.
All Twilight got out was a tentative “okay” before all four of the sisters bowed and left. No doubt there was a new conversation to be had with Celestia on this matter. Even if Twilight had relented to be queen of her small pony-dominated hive, she wasn't going to use that as an excuse to attempt garnering servants. It wasn't her style.
“I'm going to go talk to Celestia about something,” she turned and addressed those in the room.
“Again?” Rainbow groaned as she pulled back the sheets on the bed.
“It'll only take a moment,” Twilight assured and saw Chrysalis nod quietly before grabbing Pinkie Pie and talking to her about her mechanical project. Rarity and Spike did something similar, only making small talk so as to not feel uncomfortable.
When Twilight stepped back out of the room, the two guards followed her down the hall. She was headed towards the upper story where she knew Celestia's room to be. It was a decently long walk in which she was alone in wide halls with only the two stallions with her. It might have made her nervous in other circumstances, but these two were her guards. She knew they'd go as far as sacrificing their lives for her safety if need be. Her own brother was still an honorary guard captain, after all.
Twilight was curious about the pastel red guard on her right and the orange one on her left. She hadn't connected to these two yet even though she had a little knowledge of them through the other two guards' minds. What was interesting was that they were polar opposites in so many ways. Centurion on her right was a large stallion and well toned even though his face showed the beginnings of age. He might have been a little bulkier than even Big Macintosh. His muscles were, however, not as extreme as Bulk Biceps' and his wings were of adequate proportion to enable easy flight – perhaps even on the large side, as Celestia's were.
Then there was the orange guard on her left with that closely kept electric blue mane and tail. He looked about a third as young as Centurion and nowhere near as heavily built. That was not to say he didn't have any muscle to him, but it was nothing that one wouldn't find on most guards. Something in his stance faltered when she looked at him, almost as if he was nervous under her gaze. She marked it up as her imagination. Who in all of Equestria would find a bookworm like her to be intimidating? Then again, she was still wearing her changeling-made royal horseshoes. Nopony would want to be kicked with those.
Her thoughts came to an end as she came into the hall of the princesses' bedrooms. She was surprised to see Princess Celestia already outside her door and talking to Princess Luna about something.
“Celestia,” Twilight hailed calm and even. “A word?”
The taller mare had seen Twilight approaching her from across the corridor. Celestia gestured to Luna beside her that she could go back to her room and leave Twilight to her. The approaching mare was alone save her guards, but Celestia had heard from her secret sources that Twilight's party had returned from the spa and settled back into the special guest quarters. The Mare of the Sun thus gathered that Twilight was approaching her alone now on account of the banner mares.
“Yes?” Celestia replied in perfect serenity.
“You sent the Soleils to me while I was at the spa, didn't you?”
Ah, the elder smiled. She was usually right. No shocks here. “Indeed I did,” she kept her serenity. “I believe they may be of assistance to you. They were helpful at the spa?”
Twilight saw the question was really more of a statement and she couldn't refute it. “Well, they did get a few things for me, helped us dry off, got me a piña colada...but that's not the point!” Twilight caught herself in time before she lost her reason for seeing the princess.
Celestia smiled a bit wider and tried to keep it from a stupid grin.
“I'm not some great pony that deserves a ton of servants,” the Element of Magic expressed insistently. “I'm nothing special...first the guards and now the maids?”
Celestia leaned down so her face was level with her former student's. She laid a forehoof on her shoulder and even giggled faintly. “Twilight Sparkle,” she said in a forward manner, “it is that very humility that makes you the great pony you are.”
Twilight blushed and averted her eyes.
“Even after everything you've been through, you have never lost your integrity. What you have done and are still doing with Chrysalis is something I myself may never have had the strength of character to do. And you've kept calm through it all.”
“Sort of,” Twilight muttered under her breath. She had a few stress-induced moments in the last few days.
“Don't belittle yourself, my little pony,” Celestia kept insisting.
“T-thank you for paying in advance for the trip, by the way,” Twilight turned softer and quite appreciative in an attempt to change the subject.
Celestia hardly needed it, though. “My sister and I have permanent payment there. It covers a few ponies extra, such as my court commissioner and you as well.”
Twilight backed away from her former teacher. “Still, I really do appreciate it.”
The white alicorn smiled.
There was clearly nothing she could do to convince Celestia the maids were not needed. At least not without garnering more embarrassing praise, which she couldn't bear to do. It felt like she might be giving up easy, but she was also just as tired as her friends were – save Pinkie. “I think I'm going to try getting some sleep now. The spa was so relaxing that I nearly fell asleep.”
Celestia giggled again. “I've actually done it before,” she admitted. “And it is quite late. Have pleasant dreams, Twilight.”
“I will,” the alicorn nodded. “You too, Celestia. I guess I don't need to wish Luna any good dreams.”
“No,” Celestia beamed. “You certainly don't.”
“Is everypony settled?” Twilight asked out into the large bedroom upon re-entering.
A chorus of replies came back. From the far side of the bed, Pinkie Pie and Chrysalis reported they were comfortable as they discussed something over a few scattered machinery parts. Rarity and Spike both nodded solemnly from their position near the top of the bed. They were a good pony's length apart and fidgeting nervously. To see Spike do such a thing wasn't strange but Rarity hardly ever looked this nervous. Twilight assured them both that there was no need to worry about connecting in the hivemind. It really wouldn't be too different from being on one of Fluttershy's picnics, she encouraged them. It would be perfectly calm and organized. But, having mentioned Fluttershy, Twilight felt herself missing the yellow pegasus even more.
Midnight Strike and Direway were absent but likely nearby, sleeping on their off hours. A knowing look from Chrysalis confirmed that they would have a proper hivemind connection. Twilight had noticed both Centurion and Flash Sentry snap a tired but clean salute from the hall on both sides of the room's door where she left them. She wanted a connection with them as well but figured it best to wait on that along with the Soleils. She was already adding Rarity and unlocking Spike and Chrysalis tonight. That was quite enough as it was.
For the first time in a while Twilight Sparkle felt as if she was on top of her game, so to speak. She had everything organized and all matters were scheduled to be taken care of in turn. She could do this. No problem. She even took to a little giddiness at the prospect of getting mental access to Chrysalis' magic. She didn't know the full span of what was possible yet but was quite eager to find out.
Rainbow Dash, already under the sheets and at the center of the floor-level bed, was not so patient. “You going to stand there all day making goofy faces or get in? I'm about to knock off here,” she yawned big and wide.
“Of course, Dashie,” Twilight beamed and trotted across the sheets. She had already used her magic to remove the black and green horseshoes. She had also removed the crown that Chrysalis had once again revealed atop her head when they had been returning to the castle. Twilight hid it again before having seen Celestia. The items were situated at the bottom of the steps leading up to the grand bed.
The pony queen slipped under the silky covers with ease and almost as much grace as Rarity. Pinkie Pie and Chrysalis took the moment to put the machinery aside and get settled under as well. Eventually, all of the occupants were tucked in and ready for sleep, Rainbow Dash being the closest to Twilight.
“Whoa!” the queen exclaimed as Rainbow instantly rolled across her side a full three-sixty degrees and wound up face to face with Twilight.
“Just collecting on that promise,” the Element of Loyalty explained.
There was a silent roll of the eyes as Chrysalis came up from the other side and touched Twilight's wings.
“What?” Twilight asked in reflex.
“You were laying on your feathers wrong,” Chrysalis said. “I fixed them.”
“Stay over there,” Rainbow warned.
Twilight sighed but kept her smile. “Alright you two. Chrysalis, thank you. Dashie, just relax. Everypony, goodnight.”
That was that, as the saying went. Rarity and Spike both closed their eyes but had no chance of actually falling asleep. Twilight had already anticipated this being the case and her horn was aglow with a sleeping spell to put over them. Pinkie was already snoring in spite of her prior claims.
The lavender aura leapt from Twilight's horn and swirled around the unicorn and dragon. It took a few natural seconds and then the breathing of the two settled into a healthy and rather quiet rhythm. She then looked back to Chrysalis behind her, who whispered that she'd keep the new ring cord in control so the new members would only reveal on her command.
Rainbow would have watched, but she was too busy snuggling into the sheets and resting her forehead against Twilight's chest. She could hear the beat of the alicorn's heart beneath the warm plush coat. Looking back up to the mare's face above hers, she saw Twilight smiling down at her. Two purple forehooves settled around her neck.
“Sweet dreams, Dashie,” the queen bequeathed, closed her eyes, and magically turned out the room's lights.
It was time to sleep.
And it was time to connect.