//------------------------------// // Confessions pt. 1 // Story: Prominence // by TheOldPonyFromScene24 //------------------------------// Eleven days had passed since Twilight had told her friends about her feelings for Prominence. Twelve days had passed since she'd begun to take action. What had begun as a small bundle of, in retrospect, not very romantic flowers and a trip to the Hay Burger, had expanded into a chain of little outings and gestures meant to open Celestia to the idea of romance with her former student. She seemed receptive. She had begun to react as if the gifts and gestures were from a suitor, not just a friend. Twilight was ready to declare her intentions. To that end, they wandered the paths of the Everfree Forest. Prominence wasn't taking it well. She jumped and started with every shift in the wind, head almost constantly darting around. “Are you sure we won't run into any monsters?” She asked in an incredibly loud whisper. Twilight smiled. When Celestia committed, she really committed. “I told you, Fluttershy had her animal friends keep their ears to the ground. No monsters should be anywhere near this path today. And if they were, I'm pretty certain I could handle it. Even if I couldn't, I set up a sigil in the foyer of the castle. I can perform a precise long distance teleportation at a moment's notice.” What she didn't tell her was that two other sigils in the kitchen would soon have dinner and dessert placed upon them, courtesy of Spike and Pinkie, to be teleported from, rather than to. Her range and precision had increased after her ascension, but teleporting things from out of town, unguided, was stretching it. Rainbow Dash, with her knowledge in the field, and Applejack, with a lifetime of personal experience, both assured her that there was almost no chance of any bad weather in the forest today. Rarity had been involved in nearly all of the planning of the confession, though she was often quick to butt heads over the choice of venue. Twilight had to constantly reassure her, but she didn't hold it against her. After all, it wasn't her fault she had to be kept in the dark. All of her friends were behind her. She could do this. Though it would have certainly helped if she could stop thinking of the consequences of a potential rejection. She looked over at Prominence, watching her reactions to the forest. Celestia felt ill at ease in the Everfree Forest. She had not trod upon this soil in a thousand years, well before the forest came to be here. The drastic differences between the area as it was in the past and as it was in the present, the sight of such massive change being solidified right before her eyes, always made her doubtful, regardless of the circumstance. What could she have done to prevent this dangerous place from sprouting in the middle of her kingdom? Had she made some wrong choice that lead to this? It was her duty, taking the helm of the world and steering her little ponies through the unknown of the future, but it was times like this that she wished she had a navigator. She stepped on a twig, and, as it snapped, she allowed her facade to let out a startled yelp. “What was that?” “That was you stepping on a twig.” Twilight told her, before holding up a hoof, her ears perked up and twitching around. “...Alright. It doesn't sound like you attracted any attention.” She lowered the hoof. “And try to relax. We're almost there. See how the trees come to a stop just up ahead?” As Twilight pointed toward what seemed to be a clearing, Prominence sprinted for it, eager to get out of this oppressive atmosphere. When she exited the trees, she could scarcely believe her eyes. Had this been their destination all along? Why would Twilight bring her here? “There it is. The ancient castle of the two sisters.” Twilight walked past her, smiling with pride as she spoke, before she noticed the look on Prominence's face. “Are you OK?” Celestia shook her head and adopted a more neutral expression. “Fine. I just...I was so certain that the surprise in the forest you were talking about was going to be this 'Zecora' I've heard about. I didn't expect this at all!” She added some enthusiasm to that last sentence. Twilight was excited about this, for whatever reason. She couldn't spoil it for her. Not after how sweet she'd been lately. Not with the feelings that were starting to grow within Celestia as a result of how sweet she'd been lately. Feelings that had been sparked by an offering of chicory flowers, and kindled further by several dozen other little gestures over the recent days. Feelings that, sadly, were certainly doomed to amount to nothing. Twilight nodded and began across the bridge. “It looks rickety, but I promise there's no danger here.” “Easy for you to say. You've got wings.” She forced the joke out, hoping to keep herself calm as they edged ever closer to their destination. That castle had been so beautiful once. They made it across the bridge, and into the doors of the palace. Doors which once opened so smoothly and soundlessly. Doors that now screamed in protest at motion. There were holes in the ceiling. Small mounds of rubble sat nearby. Too small to match the holes, likely due to the restoration efforts of Twilight and her friends, but, of course, most of those efforts had been focused on the library. “We're all alone.” Twilight said, drawing Celestia's attention. “There's nopony here that you have to pretend for.” She shook her head in response. “I...may take you up on that.” She couldn't bring herself to outright deny her, but without Prominence between herself and the building around her, she felt like she might collapse. Every hole. Every tattered tapestry. Every broken window. Every piece of debris. They all seemed to claw at her mind, trying to tear her down. Prominence, for now, was a place to hide from them. “Oh, uh, alright, then. But, um, can,” She paused and took a breath, trying to figure out how to express her question. “Can I talk to you, instead of her?” She received a small nod in response. “Alright. Well, right this way.” She led her onward to a dead end. “You know,” She said as a sconce on the wall began to glow, enveloped by a magenta field, “I was really surprised at how much of a fun house this was.” The sconce tilted downward, and a section of the wall slid away slowly, groaning at its own motion as it stirred up up a cloud of dust. Twilight coughed quietly as she walked through. As Prominence followed, her legs trembled. Her hooves felt like they were made of lead. That hidden door used to move so quickly. And how could it be considered hidden anymore? Anypony could follow one through if they heard this grating noise, or saw this cloud of dust. Celestia did her best to focus on Twilight. She seemed to be taking her to...the banquet hall? Twilight opened the last hidden door on the path, confirming Celestia's guess. “I didn't have time to really clean this place out, but we can at least do a little something about the dust. Brace yourself.” Her horn glowed and a short lived gale carried a massive cloud out a jagged hole in the wall. “You're probably wondering why I wanted to bring you here, huh?” Twilight asked as she made her way toward a table that was still in good condition, levitating some intact chairs over to it. Celestia wasn't wondering. She was just staring at the destroyed tables. The broken chairs. Her own seat, crumbled to a pile of refuse. Luna's seat beside it. 'Luna.' “This is a really special place for me...It's where I found the elements, where I realized that my friends were my friends, where I learned the secret of the keys...” She grimaced and mumbled, “Also where I got trapped in a comic book once.” She shook the odd memory out of her head. “And I know it's a special place for you. It was your home, after all. I thought it would be nice if we could come to a place that's meant so much to both of us,” She paused for just a moment as she climbed into her seat, “And share it with each other.” Her horn glowed as dinner appeared on the table. “Pasta with broccoli and white sauce. Your—at least, Prominence's favorite. Right?” She finally turned back to face Prominence. The pale pink pony was crumpled in a heap, trembling, mumbling frantically, tears streaming freely down her face. Twilight rushed to her side. “Celestia?!” She stared in surprise as she heard the words she muttered. “T-Twilight please I have to go please please get me out of here Twilight I can't be here” Her words came quicker and quicker, breaking down into incoherence. She felt the warmth of Twilight's wing on her back. She felt the tingle of long range teleportation, and immediately after, the twinge of short range teleportation. She slowly opened her eyes just in time to see the walls of her room glimmering with a sound proofing spell. Twilight turned her head, noticing two plates in her magical grip. “...Huh. I don't even remember picking those up.” She said, hoping to lighten the mood, but reconsidering it as Celestia slumped onto the bed, sniffling. She set the plates on the floor, off to the side. “Celestia...Are you alright?” She took a deep, shuddering breath. “No, Twilight. I'm not. I tried to be. I understand what you wanted to do. I just couldn't handle it. I see my home every night, when I visit it with Luna in my dreams. That wasn't my home. That was its scarred, bloated, decayed carcass.” She opened her eyes slowly and met Twilight's gaze. “That was where I lost her, Twilight. I'm sorry I ruined your plans, but...That was where I lost everything.” “But, but you seemed fine when you showed up after my friends and I got the elements and—” “Twilight! I had my sister in front of me for the first time in a thousand years! Do you really think I paid the least bit of attention to my surroundings!?” She watched as Twilight shrank away, flinching at her volume. “I'm sorry, but I do not need somepony telling me why they think I shouldn't feel the way I do. Not now.” She turned away from her, slowly closing her eyes. Twilight stared down at her hooves for a moment. She looked back up at Celestia. “Well,” She began, taking a deep breath. “What do you need?” Celestia's voice cracked as she spoke. “I think I need a hug,” She whimpered. After a moment, she felt the bed shift. She felt a leg rest across her back. She felt Twilight's heartbeat against her shoulder. “Thank you,” She whispered. “Any time.” They laid silently in bed for a short while, until that silence was broken by the sound of Twilight's stomach growling. Celestia, in spite of everything, couldn't help but let out a giggle. “I suppose I ruined your dinner plans...” She looked over at the plates on the floor, levitating them onto the bed, and both of them began eating, Twilight never once taking her leg off of Celestia. “Celestia,” Twilight began, “I'm really sorry about—” “Don't. It's not your fault. It's not mine either. This is nopony's fault. It is an unfortunate event culminating from poorly made assumptions, but there is no call to try to blame anypony for it, and attempting to place blame will fix nothing. Let's just try to move forward from this together. Please.” Centuries of well practiced diplomacy shone through her words, and Twilight eagerly gave into the temptation to accept them. Time passed slowly as they finished eating. Twilight set the empty plates on the night stand with her magic. After laying in peaceful silence for a while, she noticed Celestia fidgeting. Looking down, she found that she was sleeping, and from the look on her face, her dreams were anything but pleasant. Twilight pulled her in closer, hugging a bit tighter. “It's just a dream it's just a dream it's just a dream!” Luna yelled at Celestia over and over as both fled a giant Nightmare Moon, running down an endless corridor. “Dream about something else! Please!” “I'm trying! Can't you change this!? Alter my dream! Do something!” “You know it doesn't work like that!” Luna replied, Nightmare Moon bearing down on them. “Your subconscious has to receptive to my changes!” “She's getting closer!” Celestia shouted, turning and blasting at the nightmare, her magic having no effect. A brilliant light appeared a few yards down, and Nightmare Moon skidded to a halt. The princesses watched as the light resolved itself into six mares, each equipped with an Element of Harmony. Twilight stepped forward, raising her hoof into the air. The elements began glowing. Power flowed from them, surrounding Twilight's hoof in the form of a massive rainbow aura. She slowly drew her hoof back, coiling her other three legs. “Harmony...” She sprung forward, thrusting her hoof out and slamming it into Nightmare Moon's face. “CRUSHER!” Unbearably bright light blazed outward from the point of impact. Nightmare Moon was gone. “That can't be how it happened.” Celestia murmured, staring in disbelief. “It's how I remember it,” Luna shrugged. “You remember being punched in the face, hearing her scream 'harmony crusher,' and being disintegrated?” “Pretty vividly, yeah.” “You're messing with me.” “Maybe a little.” Twilight smiled. Tightening her hug seemed to do the trick. Celestia had calmed down. She started to release her hug, intending to go back to her own room, but noted Celestia's grimace as she did. “Oh, what the hell is this?” Luna demanded as she began transforming into Nightmare Moon. Celestia began to shrink back away from her nervously. “If she punches the real me this time, I will fly to Ponyville and slap you till you wake up. There was no reason for you to drag me into that chase, and I will not take a punch lying down.” Twilight once again tightened her hug. “That's much better.” Luna said, as she returned to her normal form. Twilight sighed. It looked like she was stuck here for the night. She reached out with her horn to pull the blanket up over the both of them, and to turn of the light. 'Well, that's alright. I don't mind laying in bed with her, I certainly don't mind the cuddling, and it's nice to be able to help Celestia get a good night's sleep. I almost feel like Luna, watching over somepony's dr-' “Uh-oh.” She said quietly, as her mind was drawn back to her own dreams. She'd been coping with them better and better, and they were less constant than they'd been at the outset, but when they occurred, there was usually at least some kind of evidence. What if Celestia woke to find her moaning, or, or gyrating in her sleep? Heavens forbid, what if she needed a new set of sheets? 'There's simply no other options. I'll have to stay up all night.' Twilight looked over to try and watch Prominence's expression. In the dark, there were no expressions to be seen. She looked around the room and found nothing to occupy her. Without a face to look at, without anypony to talk to, without any reciprocation to her cuddling, Twilight came to the realization that she was very bored. Comfortable in the warm bed, happy to have her leg around the pony she loved (and to have an excuse to keep it there), but very bored regardless. Still, there was nothing to be done. She was stuck. Celestia stirred. She let out a soft yawn. The blanket felt oddly heavy this morning, she noted. And only in the one spot, across her shoulders. It almost felt like a leg. It was then that her mind caught up to her. Twilight was there with her. She had been comforting her last night. She must have fallen asleep as well. She opened an eye and glanced over to find Twilight's head did not rest on the pillow beside hers. Looking up, she saw Twilight staring at the wall, her eyes bloodshot and her eyelids sagging. “Twilight?” She whispered, confused. “Oh!” Twilight's gaze slowly shifted from a spot on the wall to the pony she had her leg around. “Celestia! You're awa—” She gave a long, powerful yawn before continuing. “Awake!” “...So are you. In fact, I suspect you have been all night.” “Uh...” Twilight looked away. “Twilight, why would you stay up?” Twilight didn't look at her as she spoke. “I've been having,” She paused, looking for any word besides erotic, “Weird dreams for a while now...I didn't want to...um...upset you.” The best Celestia could figure was that Twilight was afraid of tossing, turning, and possibly elbowing her in the face in the middle of her thrashings. “If that's what you were worried about, why didn't you go to your own room?” “But...You were having a nightmare...” Twilight replied as she turned back to face her. "I couldn't leave you." Celestia just stared, dumbfounded. Her heart leaped at Twilight's words, the feelings that Twilight's actions had been fostering growing much more powerful, but she quickly quashed them. Twilight was only showing concern for a friend. This would not amount to anything. It couldn't. Celestia knew Twilight that well, at least. Still, she had watched over her. She had spent the whole night with her, at her own expense, making sure she was alright. Celestia couldn't stop herself blushing. “Thank you, Twilight. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you would watch over me like that. But I'm awake now, and you need your rest.” “But...the sun will be up soon.” “Take the morning off. You need your rest.” She insisted, starting to get up before remembering she was under Twilight's leg. Twilight removed the comforting appendage, before wincing and shaking it out. “I can't just 'take the morning off.' I've got responsibilities! Things to do!” She said, massaging her sore, stiff leg with her other hoof. “You can and will. Do you have any idea how much more harm you could do than good if you attempted to take care of those responsibilities without rest? The things you need to do can wait until you have a clear head.” Visions of an unrested Applejack wormed their way to the forefront of Twilight's weary mind. “...You're right...You're right. Just, please, make sure I'm up before lunch.” Celestia nodded. “That's the least I can do, after you watched over me all night.” She watched as Twilight's horn began glowing, and the princess beside her vanished in a flash of light. “Well, time for a shower, I suppose.” “She what.” Spike stared at Prominence in disbelief, in the middle of setting the table. “She's taking the morning off. She didn't get any sleep last night.” She answered calmly. Spike smiled. “Oh, yeah. Rainbow said that would happen.” He chuckled to himself, then paused and narrowed his eyes. “I have no idea what she meant.” “Why would Rainbow have thought that?” “Well, because of what happened at the castle.” Prominence's eyes briefly widened as she desperately pieced together a cover story. “We, um, never made it to the castle. I panicked. I, uh, kept thinking there were monsters around and I just couldn't handle it. So she brought me straight home.” “So...You two didn't talk about anything?” Spike asked, climbing into his seat. “No. Why?” Spike slid his plate out of the way, and allowed his head to fall against the table with a powerful thunk, before grumbling under his breath. “...Is something wrong?” Prominence asked, fidgeting awkwardly, the answer to her question painfully obvious. Spike looked up from the table and frowned, thinking on his response before giving it. “I just know she had something she really wanted to tell you. She must be pretty disappointed.” “She had something to tell me?” She raised an eyebrow, watching him quietly. Apparently he hadn't thought on his response quite long enough. Spike's eyes darted back and forth nervously. Sweat began to bead on his brow. He slowly picked up his plate, looked Prominence in the eyes, eased off his chair, and ran away with his breakfast as fast as his tiny little legs would carry him. “...I should really be more worried about what Twilight wants to tell me, and less worried about which of those two influenced the other to instinctively take their food when fleeing a situation,” Prominence mused. The same questions about the trip into the Everfree had been asked repeatedly over the course of one long morning, and now five ponies and a dragon were standing around, responding awkwardly to Prominence's presence, waiting for her to go back upstairs and wake Twilight up. Prominence nervously climbed the stairs, the other ponies having firmly embedded in her mind some anxiety over what Twilight might have wanted to discuss. After knocking on the door and receiving no answer, she slowly opened it and took a peek inside to find Twilight fast asleep. She made her way over to the bed, watching Twilight's face as she slept. She looked serene, and beautiful, but more than anything, she looked tired, still sporting pronounced bags that had formed under her eyes as a result of her vigil the night before. Prominence reached up and gently began to give her a light shove with a hoof. “Twilight?” “Gah!” Twilight's eyes shot open, and focused on Prominence. Her pupils shrank to pin pricks and she quickly examined her body and her bed for any evidence of what she was dreaming of, but when none was found, she slumped back and gave a relaxed sigh. And then she realized the questioning look on Prominence's face. “Oh, good, I'm...still a pony.” She said, hoping her unconvincing tone would be written off as just being tired. She watched Prominence with worry in her eyes over whether or not her guest would be convinced. “Uh, yes. I can confirm that.” Prominence replied, completely misinterpreting the look of worry. “Can...Can I ask what you were in your dream?” “No. So, lunch time?” Twilight said, quickly changing the subject as she climbed out of bed. “Just about.” She paused, closed the door with her magic, and cast the sound proofing spell. “Also, your friends are here, and they've been asking about yesterday. I've told them that I panicked before we ever got to our destination and that you had to get me out of there. Not too far from the truth.” “Right, right. Good thinking. I hadn't even considered a cover story.” “Neither had I, until Spike started questioning me at breakfast. They all seem disappointed that you didn't get a chance to talk to me about something.” “Right, well, like I said, lunch time, and since I missed breakfast I'm feeling pretty hungry, so we'd better go eat, plus my friends are all here, and it'd be rude to just ignore them so I should probably head downstairs now,” Twilight exited the room as she quickly rambled off her changes of subject. Prominence just stared after her for a moment, before taking a deep breath. 'If there was any doubt that she was going to try to do anything more than just bond with me last night, it's gone out the window. Whatever she had planned to tell me was a big deal to her, and I ruined it. I'll have to do whatever I can to make it up to her later. Wait, they're probably wondering why I'm still upstairs. Especially when I know there's lunch downstairs.' Celestia quickly hurried after Twilight as her need for introspection was overridden by her desire for food made by Spike. When she reached the others, however, her mind was back to thoughts that were less than food related, as they all stopped whispering to each other, and began staring at her. 'The last time I walked into a room and got that reaction, there was an attempt on my life. Of course, that'd just be silly.' Prominence paused for a moment, and cautiously glanced up to the ceiling. Satisfied that there were no assassins, she looked back to the group assembled. “Are you guys going to join us for lunch?” After the most suspicious looking exchange of glances she'd seen in a long time, and a nod from a very fidgety Twilight, Rainbow Dash answered. “No.” “...Okay then.” She followed Twilight into the dining room, but looked back through the door to see ten pony eyes and two dragon eyes staring at her, before Twilight closed the door and cast the sound proofing spell. “Why are they sticking around if they're not going to eat with us?” Twilight took a deep breath, climbing into her seat and staring at her plate. “After everything they've done to help me with this, they deserve to know how it turns out, and I may need them here if things go poorly.” Celestia took her seat to Twilight's left. “Alright, I know I'm being ridiculous, but you're all acting very suspicious and I've had some bad experiences in the past, so please, humor me. You're not trying to kill me, are you? If I take a bite of this, I'm not going to collapse to the floor, frothing at the mouth, or anything?” “What?! No! Absolutely not!” Twilight took a long, slow breath. “I guess that just goes to show I've put this off too long.” She looked up, and stared deeply into Prominence's eyes. She chewed her cheek for a moment, glancing away, trying to work up her resolve. “...Princess Celestia? I'm...” She took a long, slow breath. “I'm in love with you.” Celestia stared at Twilight. A million pieces fell into place. The puzzle was solved, but the answer didn't fit into the real world. This couldn't be the case. As she tried to comprehend what she'd been told, she began to panic. Emptiness surged into her mind. In the silence of her thoughts, a single powerful force took hold of her. She desperately clung to the one idea that made its way into her consciousness. She clung to her disbelief. “N-no you're not...” She said quietly, eyes wide, a nervous smile on her face. “I...What do you...” Twilight swallowed loudly as tears started to gather in her eyes. “...I see. Excuse me.” She quickly left her seat and headed toward the door, head down as her tears tumbled down her cheeks. She rushed past her friends, ignoring their attempts to talk to her, and hurried to her bedroom. “Oh, dear.” Rarity turned towards her friends. “Fluttershy, Spike, Pinkie, come with me. I believe this situation calls for some damage control. Rainbow, Applejack--” “We'll make sure Prominence is all right.” Applejack said, heading into the dining hall. Prominence continued to stare ahead at where Twilight was, trembling slightly. Applejack announced her presence, but no reaction was given. Rainbow waved a hoof in front of her face, and still, nothing. “Do you wanna do the honors?” “Better not. Ain't fair to hold it against her, but I'm not exactly happy with her, and the last thing either of them need is missing teeth thrown into the mix. She's all yours.” “Awesome! I always wanted to do this.” Rainbow Dash lifted off the ground and alighted on the table in front of Prominence, who simply stared through the gap in the pegasus' legs. “SNAP OUT OF IT!” And with that, she slapped Prominence across the face. “I...wuh?” She asked, snapped out of her daze as her hoof went to her stinging cheek. “Y'wanna tell us what went down here?” Applejack asked, moving in beside her, trying to remain sympathetic. “She told me she loved me,” She recalled, looking down at the table's surface. “I told her she didn't...” After a short moment of silence, Rainbow looked to Applejack. “Can I slap her again?” “I'd deserve nothing less, but it'll have to wait. First I have to try to fix this.” Prominence got up from the table, and began heading for the door, only to be cut off by a pair of ponies. “I'm not so sure that's a good idea.” Applejack said, frowning. “Girls, please,” The voice was not that of a timid servant. It was the strong, confident voice of a leader. Yet, as confident as it was, it was a voice full of pain and regret. “I have to try.” They stared at her in disbelief. Celestia couldn't keep waiting on their response. This had to be fixed as soon as possible, for Twilight's sake if not for her own selfish feelings. She circumvented the mares blocking her and hurried her way up the stairs and through the halls to find Twilight's door surrounded by other ponies. “Oh, dear, um, Prominence, I'm not entirely certain that this is the best—” With a flash of golden light, Prominence vanished, and reappeared inside Twilight's bedroom. The alicorn on the bed could scarcely look at her, her cheeks soaked with tears. Her heart broke to see her like this. She had intended to simply lay all her cards out on the table, work out why this wouldn't be a good idea with Twilight, and try to return to a close friendship as painlessly as possible. She came to explain everything. “I thought you were straight,” was all she could manage.