//------------------------------// // A Royal Discovery // Story: Angels in Ponyville // by advocateofpants //------------------------------// It’s the middle of another day in the regal city of Canterlot, but the real activity is at Canterlot Castle, home to two of Equestria’s princesses—Luna and Celestia—and the town’s royal guard. The Canterlot Royal Summit has just wrapped up, and the castle is filled with the sound of the summit’s guests departing toward their respective homelands. Amidst farewells and diplomatic promises, the crowd of leaders diminishes little by little. After roughly an hour, the castle is back to its usual air of silence, mingled with a sense of accomplishment and, for a certain youthful princess, a strong desire to take a month-long nap. Somewhat thankful for the return of peace, the castle’s occupants—both permanent and temporary—turned to head back inside the ornate structure towering overhead. “I am so glad that’s over with!” cried Twilight Sparkle as she followed the corridor leading to the bedroom she used while at the castle. “I didn’t think it would ever end…” “Aw, cheer up, Twilight,” came the calm and reassuring voice of Spike, the young dragon Twilight had often called her “Number One Assistant.” “At least you don’t have any other tasks to worry about for a while.” “Please, Spike, I’m not in the mood for your jokes. I just want to get back to my room and lie down for a while,” the weary princess complained. “Yeesh, Twilight! I was only trying to help,” mumbled Spike, downcast. “I’m sorry, Spike,” Twilight apologized, “I guess all of the stress I’ve had to endure has finally caught up to me. I do appreciate your help. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” “Apology accepted!” Spike replied, happily. Upon arriving at her room, Twilight turned to one of the guards standing by the door, wearily gaining his attention. “Make sure everyone who passes by knows that I’m not to be disturbed. It’s been a long day—a long week, actually—and I need some time to myself.” To a spectator, it would sound like the order was one of arrogance, but it was acknowledged, regardless. “I understand, Your Highness. I’ll make sure you aren’t disturbed,” the guard replied, proudly. “See that you do,” Twilight yawned as she and Spike entered the room. Slowly, but surely, Twilight made her way over to the bed, lazily flopping down and covering herself with the soft bedsheets after reaching her destination. “So Twilight, while you’re napping, what do you want me to do?” Spike asked. “I don’t care, Spike… Just let me rest,” the half-asleep Twilight mumbled. “If it really means that much to you, why don’t you go see if Celestia or Luna or one of the guards needs anything.” “You got it!” Spike declared; his response was met with loud snores. As the young dragon happily skipped down the hall, he thought about his experiences as Twilight’s assistant—and in many ways, surrogate son or brother, depending on the perspective used—especially during the past week. As the debates between the Equestrian leadership trudged on, Spike could tell that his friend's mind was focused elsewhere; it didn’t take a scholar to guess that said focus was on the small town of Ponyville, her adopted home. “Twilight’s been holding a lot of stuff back,” Spike whispered to himself. “It always seemed that she was just sitting there and ignoring a lot of what was going on. Any time she actually did say something; it was only when she was directly addressed. I know Twilight wasn’t exactly a social butterfly, but give me a break…” Spike continued to think out loud as he made his way to the part of the castle occupied by Princess Celestia. He smiled upon arriving at his destination, and Twilight’s words from before echoed in his mind. If it really means that much to you, why don’t you go see if Celestia or Luna or one of the guards needs anything. Not wanting to let his friend down, Spike knocked on Celestia’s door. A yellow glow surrounded the door a short moment after the light taps from Spike, and a smile appeared on the young dragon’s face as the Princess of the Day appeared before him. “Hello, Spike! Come on in,” Celestia said, cheerfully. “Thanks, Princess!” Spike replied. The two made their way over to the fireplace, and Spike accepted Princess Celestia’s invitation to sit down. “So what brings you to see me?” Celestia asked as she levitated a steaming kettle and two small cups toward her and her guest. “Twilight did,” Spike answered. “Oh?” Celestia responded, a sense of curiosity filling the princess as she used her magic to pour some tea for herself and Spike. “Yeah,” Spike said as he carefully took the cup levitated in front of him. “Be careful; it’s still a bit hot,” Celestia warned. “Thanks. Anyway, Twilight’s exhausted from the royal summit; first thing she did was head straight back to her room, ask a guard to make sure she wasn’t disturbed, and fall asleep. I asked if there was anything she wanted me to do, and she just said to go see if you, Luna, or one of the guards needed anything. That’s why I’m here now,” Spike explained. “Interesting…” Celestia mused. “I know she’s been on a bit of a short fuse with all of these drawn-out meetings, but she should consider herself lucky she doesn’t have the kind of responsibilities me or my sister have. Still, I don’t blame her for wanting left alone; I could use some personal time, myself.” That last comment was made with a slight laugh, which faded almost as fast as it came. “I’m sorry if I don’t seem as cheerful as you do, Princess,” Spike said as he stared at the cup of tea in his hands. “That bit about seeing if you or someone else needed help was mostly out of sarcasm; Twilight was half-asleep when she got back to her room, and she had kind of snapped at me. The way she put it when I asked if there was anything I could do while she slept was ‘if it means that much to you…’ That was when she said that about helping someone else.” “I’m sorry,” Celestia apologized. “I’ll be sure to speak to her.” “Thanks, Princess,” Spike whispered. “With this summit out of the way, it’s back to business as usual, I’m afraid,” Celestia joked; her effort at humor elicited a smile from her former student’s young assistant. “While there are no pressing matters or deadlines to meet, I’d say you’ve done a great deal for me just by stopping by to visit. Twilight should be pleased to hear that.” “Thank you, Princess,” Spike said, proudly. “Twilight honestly needs to lighten up. We all know what happens when she gets herself all worked up like this.” “Yes, we do,” Celestia admitted; she thought back to the day when Spike sent her a letter saying that Twilight had gone insane worrying about getting a friendship report back to her teacher. “If only the others were here; they could help her feel better,” Spike observed. “Yeah…” Celestia whispered. “Unfortunately, I had to turn them away with this summit going on; sometimes, I wish I could just take these formalities to Tartarus and leave them there.” Spike stared wide-eyed at the princess’ last remark, but shook himself out of his daze before responding to the first thing she said. “Yeah, it destroyed Twilight to have to leave them behind, yet again.” “Are you surprised by my words, Spike?” Celestia asked, having noticed the young dragon’s hesitation. “Well, yeah… I mean, I’ve never heard you talk about royal business like that—actually, I’ve never heard you talk about anything like that.” The elder alicorn smirked. “You’ll find that I have a lot of rather…liberal…opinions about my responsibilities as princess. Yes, I do enjoy what I do…to a fault; I am seen as a mother figure by many, and I am respected, loved, revered, and even feared. However, there are times when I wish I could just cast my crown away and live a normal life. That’s why I take every chance I get to travel somewhere and mingle a bit. Another vice that comes with leading a kingdom is that there are a lot of regrets; I’ve had more failures than I care to remember, and I wish I could go back and erase them. Unfortunately, that’s not possible. Knowing that, I constantly have to put on a brave face and ignore the past the best that I can. I’m not perfect; I’ll be the first person to admit that—no one’s perfect.” “And…does Luna feel like this?” Spike asked, worried. “I’m sure she does,” Celestia answered. “She still has nightmares of her time as Nightmare Moon; if there’s anyone who regrets their past words and actions, it’s my sister. I am eternally grateful to Twilight and the others for bringing her back to me; I know I say that a lot, but there’s one debt I can never repay.” The two drank their tea in silence as Spike pondered Princess Celestia’s heartfelt confession. After draining the small china cup and placing it on the floor beside him, Spike sighed and cleared his throat, gaining the princess’ attention. “I have an idea of how we can help Twilight, aside from going home and seeing our friends again,” Spike said. “I believe I do as well,” Celestia said, calmly. “What do you suggest, Spike?” “Maybe if she had, like, a vacation or something; maybe go on a quiet camping trip in the woods,” Spike explained. “That sounds a bit like what I had in mind,” Celestia said with a smile. “I was thinking that she could use some time outdoors; she could head back to Ponyville if she wanted, but she deserves some time away from royal business—let her live a little!” “Great minds think alike, eh, Princess?” Spike remarked, cheerfully. “Indeed,” Celestia responded, happily. “That settles it, then; Twilight will get some of that personal time she desires. I think I’ll have her spend the day in the castle courtyard tomorrow.” “That sounds like an awesome idea!” Spike exclaimed. “I’ll go and let her know.” “Thank you, Spike,” Celestia said, politely, “and thanks for stopping by. I don’t really get the chance to socialize much.” “Any time, Princess! Bye!” Spike exclaimed, waving as he darted out of Celestia’s room and back toward Twilight’s room. “Twilight’s going to be so happy about this.” A while later, Spike had found his destination: Twilight’s room. The guard was still standing there, and upon noticing the young dragon, smiled calmly. “Hey, is Twilight still sleeping?” Spike asked. “As far as I know,” the guard replied, “but you should still be able to go in.” “Thanks!” Spike exclaimed as he opened the door and walked in. Sure enough, Twilight was still in bed, peacefully relinquishing a week’s worth of debates, conferences, and stress. Spike was hesitant to disturb his friend, but he was also anxious to pass along the plan he and Celestia had devised. After taking a deep breath, he carefully climbed onto the bed. “Hey, Twilight,” Spike whispered as he slowly nudged her shoulder. “Come on, wake up. I’ve got something really exciting to tell you.” There was a mumble and a shuffle of wings as Twilight slowly stirred in response to her young assistant’s presence. “Twilight, listen!” Spike said happily as he nudged Twilight a second time. “Celestia and I were talking about how stressed out you’ve been lately, and we came up with an idea that might make you feel better.” “I’m listening…” Twilight whispered through her fatigue. “Celestia decided to give you some time away from your royal duties, considering that there isn’t anything major for quite a while,” Spike explained. “What?” Twilight asked as she sat up, accidentally knocking Spike to the floor in the process. After standing up and brushing himself off, Spike continued. “Yeah, we were talking, and she decided to give you a bit of a vacation. You’ve earned it, Twilight. Also, before we head back to Ponyville, she wanted you to spend some time in the castle courtyard tomorrow. We both agree that you need some fresh air, and there’s no doubt that our friends are going crazy without us.” “Did she really say all of that?” Twilight asked. “Yeah, she did. After I left from here, I stopped by to visit her. She let me in, then we had tea, and then talked about some personal matters. We’ve both seen how worn out you are, so we wanted to try and help you,” Spike explained. “Very well, then,” Twilight sighed, “if she wants me to take some time off, then how can I refuse? It’ll be nice to get home and see our friends again; of course, it’ll be nice to get away from the castle for a while, anyway. I’ll take a walk through the courtyard tomorrow, but after that, we’re going home.” “Alright!” Spike exclaimed, victoriously. “I’ll have to let our friends know we’ll be coming home. No doubt Pinkie will want to have a big homecoming party for us,” Twilight said with the first trace of happiness she had all week. After walking over to her desk and shaking her head in an effort to wake up, Twilight levitated a piece of paper, a quill, and an ink bottle to the wooden surface in front of her, then sighed once she looked out the window. “Spike, how long have I been sleeping?” Twilight asked. “About a few hours,” Spike answered. “Why?” “Just curious,” Twilight replied, quietly. “Spike?” “Yes, Twilight?” Spike responded with a smile. “I’m sorry I was so rude to you before. You were only trying to help me, but I just dismissed it like it didn’t matter,” Twilight confessed. “Apology accepted!” Spike exclaimed. In response, he found himself pulled into a hug. “I really don’t know what I’d do without you,” Twilight whispered. “It’s nothing; the rest of our friends would likely say the same thing. Now hurry and get that letter to them,” Spike said with a laugh. With that, the room was filled with the sound of a quill scratching against paper. Moments later, Twilight was happily out the door with the message to her friends. On the way back from the post office, she passed by her former mentor, Princess Celestia. “Twilight!” Celestia called. “Hey, Princess,” Twilight replied. “Spike told me about the conversation you two had.” “So you know about tomorrow?” Celestia asked. “Yes, though I am also planning on returning to Ponyville tomorrow. I just got back from sending a letter to my friends to let them know I’ll be coming home,” Twilight confirmed. “That’s good. Spike was worried about you, as I was. So do you feel any better after taking a bit of a nap?” Celestia asked with a smile. “Yes, I do, actually,” Twilight replied, happily. “Thanks for asking.” “Since you don’t have anything else going on, what were you planning to do?” Celestia asked. “Well, first, I have to go let Spike know I got the letter to Ponyville. I have nothing going on after that,” Twilight admitted. “Mind if I walk with you?” Celestia asked. “Not at all, Princess,” Twilight replied with a bow. “It’s quite alright; there’s no need to be so formal. I was actually hoping to spend some time with you before you went home. Maybe you could share some of what’s on your mind,” Celestia interjected, laughing. “That sounds like a great idea,” Twilight admitted. With that, the two returned to Twilight’s room, and the two of them and Spike spent the rest of the day voicing their thoughts and concerns in regards to royal business, their home, their friends and family, and other such matters. When sunset arrived, Twilight and Spike were alone again, but their discussion continued long into the night. When the two had nothing more to say, they wished each other a good night, and were swiftly asleep. Like a peaceful interlude, night transitioned into day, greeting all the world’s inhabitants with its beauty. The first rays of the morning sun crept into Twilight’s bedroom window, calmly blanketing the sleeping princess with the promise of pleasant times ahead. On instinct, Twilight turned her back to the window and covered her eyes the best she could, but soon gave in to the dawn’s invitation. Lazily, she sat up and wiped her eyes. “What time is it?” she asked through a yawn. When she was slightly more awake, she looked around the room, noticing the sunrise poking through the window and Spike’s sleeping form. “It’s only dawn, but I’m already awake. Perfect…” Twilight mused, sarcastically. “Might as well get up, then.” After climbing out of bed, she made her way over to the vanity mirror and stared at her reflection. “It seems like yesterday that I was wondering through here as a student, but now look at me,” she whispered as she quietly brushed her mane. With each stroke of the brush, Twilight thought about her conversation with Princess Celestia. The elder princess had confided a lot to her throughout her youth, just as her parents and her brother often did. However, there were things Twilight had not expected to hear from the benevolent ruler. “I didn’t think I’d ever live to hear her say she actually hated being a princess,” she whispered. “But then again, didn’t I have those kinds of thoughts when I first became a princess? But what right do I have to compare myself to her? She’s lived generations longer than I have, and in that time, she’s had much more heartache and stress than I ever will. I can certainly say that I now have a much deeper sense of respect for her. It’s never easy to hold on to your emotions like that, and in most cases, doing so does so much more harm than good.” A while later, Twilight sat down the hairbrush and left the room, taking extra care not to disturb Spike. “Maybe if I go for a walk, I’ll be able to think a little better,” she said, pondering Celestia’s words and the grief behind them. Silently, Twilight followed the numerous corridors leading to the courtyard. As she stepped into the sunlight, her heart was restored, and her thoughts now turned to reuniting with her friends. With each step she took, the weight of the previous week’s events was replaced by the immense joy her friends granted, lifting her spirits higher than they had been in a while. As if on cue, Twilight spread her wings and lifted off toward the skies above Canterlot Castle. “Now this is more like it!” Twilight cheered as the wind drifted through her mane. As the thoughts of Ponyville flooded into her heart and mind, her speed and daring increased accordingly. Before long, she was doing flips, dives, and an assortment of other aerial stunts, mimicking her friend Rainbow Dash. When she was too exhausted to continue her impromptu performance, Twilight made a graceful landing by the ornate fountain resting in the middle of the courtyard, sat down at the fountain’s edge, and turned her gaze skyward. “That was impressive, Twilight!” came a voice from close by. “Huh? Who said that?” Twilight asked as she stood and searched for whoever addressed her. “I did,” the speaker replied. “Right over here.” “Oh, Princess Celestia! I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there,” Twilight admitted. “It’s quite alright,” the kindly princess replied. “So how long were you standing there?” Twilight asked. “Not long,” Celestia responded as she claimed a spot by the fountain; not far behind was Spike. “I see,” Twilight whispered. “The princess was right, Twilight,” Spike cut in. “That stuff you were doing was awesome! Rainbow Dash would be proud, and maybe even a bit jealous.” “Thanks, Spike,” Twilight replied, slightly embarrassed. “I think he has a point,” Celestia mused in agreement to Spike’s comment. “Keep that up, and the Wonderbolts will have to accept you by default.” “That would make Rainbow really jealous!” Spike laughed. “Yeah, it would,” Twilight replied, smiling, yet more embarrassed than before. “Although, if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t even be able to do half of that stuff.” “Sharing your gifts with others is but one mark of a true friendship,” Celestia said, meditatively. “I know she’d be thoroughly impressed with you if she saw what you did, and she’d be happy to hear your praise.” “I know,” Twilight replied, smiling. “I’m glad you agreed to my suggestion, Twilight,” Celestia said, happily. “Me, too,” Twilight admitted. “Although, I’m only out here now because I woke up early and couldn’t get back to sleep. I was thinking about the stuff we talked about last night, and I figured I’d feel a bit better if I went for a walk. Turns out, I was right! All of the thoughts I had about the summit and about our conversation went away, and I was suddenly having thoughts about going back home. As you can expect, things just went from there; looking forward to seeing my friends again just filled me with so much peace and joy that I had the urge to spread my wings and let loose a bit.” Celestia responded to Twilight’s enthusiastic testimony with a burst of the angelic laughter she was often known for, prompting a similar response from Spike. When the laughter faded, Celestia spoke again. “It’s a tremendous relief to see you so full of life again, Twilight,” she said with a smile. “Thank you, Princess,” Twilight replied. “Now, then, let’s get onto business,” Celestia said as she stared at her reflection in the water basin at the base of the fountain. “What do you mean?” Twilight asked. “I mentioned that I wanted you to spend some time in the courtyard before you went home, right?” Celestia asked. “Yeah, you did,” Twilight confirmed. “I was thinking about it last night, and I figured I’d show you some of the things out here that I personally enjoy,” Celestia explained, “that is, if you’re interested.” “You bet!” Twilight exclaimed. “It’s settled, then,” Celestia said, smiling. Wordlessly, the elder princess turned and walked away, prompting Twilight and Spike to follow her. As the three of them walked, they could hear the conversations of guards scattered around the area. Occasionally, they would stop to return greetings they were offered, but for the most part, the walk was uninterrupted. Twilight nervously looked around her as Celestia traversed a narrow path leading behind the castle, only stopping when her former mentor did. “Where are we?” Twilight asked, noticing the gate before them. “This leads to a secret part of the garden,” Celestia answered. “I’m among the few who know about it; there are times when I come here when I need to be alone for a while. Taking a walk or checking the scenery for a while is quite relaxing.” “I see…” Twilight whispered. “Although, I will admit that if you poke around enough, you may find yourself in the main part of the castle garden. Luckily, I haven’t had to worry about anyone sneaking up on me or something,” Celestia added with a laugh. Twilight stood patiently and silently as she witnessed the elder princess’s antics. Amid the silence that followed the laughter, Celestia calmly opened the gate to the garden. Twilight accepted the invitation to enter, and when they were all inside, Celestia closed the gate behind her. “So what is so interesting or relaxing about this place?” Twilight asked as she looked around. “This is a good place to just think about things or to vent your frustration,” Celestia explained. “Sometimes, I like to walk around and check out the plant life. Other times, I like to sit in the shade and listen to the birds; believe it or not, I’ve actually fallen asleep out here. That’s why I like it so much—no matter what kind of stress you’re feeling, just being here in such a peaceful and beautiful atmosphere makes it go away, or at least makes it easier to bear.” “I think I understand what you mean,” Twilight replied. “Don’t you have somewhere you like to go when you don’t want to be bothered?” Celestia asked. “Yeah, I do,” Twilight answered. “Sometimes, I just go to my room and lock the door behind me, though I usually do that when I’m angry or upset about something and I don’t want to end up doing something I regret. Of course, there have also been times when I just haven’t felt well; usually fatigue or something.” “That’s more or less what I see in this place,” Celestia clarified. “So you just sit here half the day, and suddenly you feel better?” Twilight asked, slightly surprised. “Yes,” Celestia confirmed. “Come on, let me show you around.” Twilight happily accepted the request, and turned to follow the elder princess around the garden, while Spike rode upon his friend’s back as he had done so many times before. Twilight was in awe of what beheld her: birds of all kinds flew overhead, singing their songs for all to hear and the fields of flowers filled the air with their pleasing scents, welcoming all who passed by. The setting was almost therapeutic. “There are no words…” Twilight whispered as she gazed upon the plant and animal life filling the peaceful haven around her. “Yeah…” Spike remarked; he, too, was rendered speechless by the remarkable sight. They walked in silence for a while longer, eventually taking a seat within the shade of a tall oak tree. As they watched the clouds drift by, the soft breeze of the wind eased all their sorrows with its gentle embrace. “Celestia, thank you so much for showing me this place,” Twilight said with a bow, tearing up in the process. “I haven’t felt this relaxed in ages.” “You are most welcome,” Celestia replied as she wiped the tears from her young friend’s eyes. “And if there’s ever a time when you’re feeling stressed out about something, and you want to come back here, just let me know, alright?” “I’ll keep that in mind,” Twilight whispered, slowly leaning in to hug the one who had done so much for her over the years. Celestia smiled as she returned the embrace. “You’ve grown so much since I’ve known you, Twilight,” the kindly princess whispered as she gently stroked the younger princess’s head, just as a mother would do for her child. Spike moved a bit closer to where the two princesses were seated and calmly patted Twilight on the back. “That’s my girl!” the young dragon declared. A short moment later, Twilight broke the embrace and backed away from Celestia. Feeling rejuvenated after a week of headaches and stress, Twilight turned to face her two friends and smiled. “Thanks for sticking by me, you two,” the young princess said, proudly. The two returned Twilight’s gratitude, and Celestia walked over to her friend. “Now then,” the elder alicorn began, “judging by the position of the sun, it looks like it’s about noon. I’m sure your friends have a lot planned for you, so I’ll let you get going. But as I said before, you’re welcome to visit anytime you need.” “Thanks,” Twilight replied as she and Spike turned to head back to the castle. However, before she reached the path, her attention drifted toward something close by. “What is it, Twilight?” Spike asked, concerned. “That statue over there,” Twilight answered, pointing at the object in question. “Princess, do you know what that is?” “You mean that statue?” Celestia asked, confused. “I can’t recall ever having any statues put out here, but I must say it does look beautiful, although a bit tragic as well.” Cautiously, she approached it, followed closely by Twilight and Spike. After closing the gap between them and the statue, they were able to discern its features fully. “This, Twilight, is what is known as an angel,” Celestia explained. “According to myths and legends, angels are said to watch over us and protect us.” “So angels aren’t to be feared?” Twilight asked. “That’s right,” Celestia answered. “Then why does it have its face covered?” Spike asked. “I don’t know,” Celestia admitted. “Maybe it’s supposed to represent an angel who tried to protect someone, but failed. She could be covering her face in a manner of grieving; it’s not uncommon for someone to do that in an effort to hide their tears.” “That’s amazing,” Twilight whispered. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” “It is really pretty,” Spike added. “What’s it made out of?” “It appears to be marble or something similar,” Celestia replied. “Just goes to show the care that was put into it.” “Even so, it looks a bit faded,” Twilight observed. “Any idea of how old it could be?” “Hard to say,” Celestia replied. “Statues like this can last hundreds of years under the right conditions. But even though it looks faded, the thing I find remarkable is that there aren’t any cracks or breaks in it.” “That is remarkable,” Twilight agreed. “Twilight?” Celestia whispered, smiling. “Yes?” Twilight asked. “What is it?” “How would you like to take this back home with you?” the elder princess offered. “Are you sure?” Twilight asked in response. “Of course,” Celestia confirmed. “Consider it a gift from me, in regards to the chaos that you’ve been through lately. I’m sure your Ponyville friends would like it, too.” “Yeah, Twilight!” Spike chimed in. “You could put it in the library, and it could be almost like a welcome mat or something. The others would love it!” “That does sound like a great idea,” the younger princess admitted. “Thank you, Celestia.” “It’s settled then!” the elder princess declared. “I’ll get this ready for you to take home, while you go and get your things packed.” With that, Twilight and Spike left to prepare for the train ride back to Ponyville, leaving Celestia alone with the angel statue. With a charge of her magic, the elder alicorn had set about preparing the statue for a long journey. Meanwhile, Twilight excitedly set about packing her suitcase as she anticipated the reunion with her friends. “They’ll probably be waiting for me back at the train station,” Twilight noted, “although, I have no idea if they’re here or still in Ponyville. In any case, I have everything I need, so let’s go.” With that, the two of them left the room behind, and turned to depart from the castle. As Twilight and Spike made their way toward the train station Twilight’s thoughts turned to the statue. She had read about statues that were built in honor of something or someone, as well as statues that were designed merely as an art project or part of a building, such as the alicorn statues lining the front entrance to the castle. However, she still couldn’t help but wonder what would prompt someone to design a statue in the form of an angel in grief. Twilight cast her concerns to the back of her mind as she approached the crowded platform of the Canterlot train station. Before entering the station terminal, she noticed Princess Celestia standing close by. Upon noticing the princess, Twilight waved and approached her. “Twilight, you made it,” Celestia noted. “Yeah, we’re here,” Twilight confirmed. “All I need to do is get the tickets. So where’s the statue?” “I’ve asked a few of the guards to drop it off at the library,” Celestia replied. “Thanks,” Twilight whispered, happily. “So why are you here, then?” “I just wanted to see you off,” the elder princess confessed. “I imagine it’ll be a while before I see you again.” “I see…” Twilight mused. “Well, take care of yourself until then.” “You, too,” Celestia replied. After a quick hug, Twilight went to get the train tickets while Spike stayed outside with Celestia. With that small task complete, Twilight returned outside and she and Spike awaited the arrival of their train home. After what felt like an eternity, it came. “All aboard for Ponyville!” shouted the conductor. After another exchange of farewells, Twilight and Spike boarded the train back to Ponyville, and again, Celestia was alone. As she watched the train vanish into the distance, the elder princess’s thoughts again turned to looking back on how much Twilight had grown over the years. When the train had disappeared fully, Celestia returned to the castle. “Now to get back to my usual boring routine,” she sarcastically muttered as she traversed the hallways leading to the throne room. However, as she walked, she would occasionally stop and look around, feeling as though she were being followed. When her panicked gaze yielded nothing unusual, Celestia resumed the walk to the throne room. “Must be losing my mind,” she whispered. After the nerve-wracking walk, Celestia had reached the castle’s throne room. However, before entering, the elder princess addressed the two guards stationed outside. “Guards, keep an eye out for anyone or anything suspicious,” she whispered as she looked around her. “Of course, Your Highness,” replied the first guard. “May I ask why, Your Highness?” asked the second guard. “Please don’t question me,” Celestia begged. “Just let me know if you find anything out of the ordinary.” “Understood,” the guard replied. It never hurts to be cautious, but at the same time, there’s no need to get them worked up over some silly feeling of mine, Celestia thought as she entered the throne room. As the elder princess followed the red carpet leading from the door to the two thrones at the back of the room, her thoughts lingered on her suspicions of being followed. However, her composure returned somewhat when her gaze met that of the alicorn seated in the shorter of the two thrones. “Luna,” Celestia whispered with a calm smile. “Celestia,” the younger alicorn replied. “I was getting worried, sister.” “I was spending some time with Twilight and Spike before they went home,” Celestia confessed as she sat in her own throne. “No harm done, then,” Luna said, smiling at her sister. “Anything eventful happen?” “Not really,” Celestia softly replied. “’Not really?’ What’s that supposed to mean?” Luna asked, suspicious of the tone of voice used to give the response. “Just as I said, Luna,” Celestia replied again, her tone a bit sharper. “Nothing exciting happened earlier.” “Celestia, you’re hiding something from me,” Luna said, a gaze of accusation upon her face. “Alright, fine!” Celestia spat, prompting the younger alicorn to flinch. Upon noticing her sister’s reaction, Celestia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she was calm, she spoke again. “I’m sorry about that, Luna.” “Don’t worry about it, sister,” Luna whispered, sadly. “It’s just that you seem a bit tense all of a sudden. I can’t help but worry about what might be bothering you.” “Shortly before Twilight and Spike left to return to Ponyville earlier, Twilight noticed a statue that I had never seen before,” Celestia explained. “I answered what questions I could about it, then I let her take it home as a gift from me.” “Well, that was nice of you,” Luna commented. “Yes, it was,” Celestia agreed. “However, this particular statue was one I had never noticed before. I should also point out that we were in the part of the garden that doesn’t normally have any statues. That’s the thing that makes it all so mysterious.” “What did it look like?” Luna asked with the same curious tone often used by Twilight. “It was an angel. She was bowing slightly, and her face was buried in her hands. Also, her wings were partially extended,” Celestia answered, reverently. “It was actually quite beautiful, in its own way.” “That does sound pretty,” Luna agreed. “I think you would’ve liked it. The thing is, it isn’t the angel that has me so tense. When I got back to the castle and started to head here, it felt like someone was following me. However, every time I looked behind me, there was nobody there,” Celestia confessed. “I asked the two guards outside to keep watch for anything or anyone suspicious, just to be safe.” “Well, I haven’t seen anything,” Luna replied. “Though, if I did, I’d definitely let you know.” “I know you would,” Celestia responded in gratitude. With that, the two sat in silence, their thoughts drifting back to the usual affairs at the castle. Moments later, the silence was broken. “Pardon me, Your Highness,” came a voice from nearby. “Which one?” Luna asked, trying and failing to stifle a laugh; a glare from Celestia silenced her, however. “Who’s there?” the elder princess demanded. “Show yourself!” “Very well,” the speaker from before replied. As requested, the mysterious visitor stepped toward the two alicorns, prompting the guards to assume a defensive stance. “Who are you?” Celestia asked as she motioned for the guards to relax. “Personally, I think a better question would be ‘what are you?’” Luna mumbled; again, she was silenced by a glare from Celestia. “Excellent questions, both of them,” replied the speaker, a youthful-looking man wearing a brown trench-coat over a business suit. “As far as what I am, I’m a Time Lord, straight out of the planet of Galifrey; about all I can say about that is that I travel throughout all periods of time and fix whatever things are broken there.” “Wait a minute… You are…human?” Luna asked. “Why, yes! Yes, I am, but only in appearance; outer appearance, to be exact,” the man explained. “The inside is an entirely different story, however.” “So what’s your name?” the younger alicorn asked, excitedly. “I’m the Doctor,” the man answered. “Doctor who?” Celestia asked, tensely. Luna couldn’t help but smile as a rhythmic science fiction tune played through her mind, among other things.