//------------------------------// // Princess(es) // Story: A Three Foal Wish // by Seeking Dusk //------------------------------// ~Flare~ Silver was pacing, muttering nonsensical things as he did. So caught up in it he was that he would never notice the wall until it was inches from his muzzle, coming to a halt with a start, mutter something unkind about the wall before turning around and heading back the way he came. Only for the process to be repeated on the other side of the room when he met up on that wall. Proud and Flare sat on the couch watching his antics, giggling to themselves. After the eighth or so repetition of the process, Flare finally spoke up. “Do you know what the definition of insanity is? You’re providing a very good visual example of it.” Silver glared at him, snorted, and went right back to pacing, though he headed in the opposite direction of where he had been going before he stopped. “Pacing isn’t going to do anything,” Proud pointed out. “Aside from wear a groove in the ground before Twilight gets a chance to. Sit down and read a book or something.” They were waiting in the Library, hoping for news that the Princesses were coming. The hours following the song were awkward. Aunt Rain had to deal with the discomforting idea that her nephews were her nephews and more, the foals had to come to terms with actually being open about it with someone else. Well, that last part was mostly Silver. Proud was only too happy to gush and talk about everything, with Flare and Silver having to censor him a few times. Flare was ambivalent about it, but even he was more relaxed. For the time being, they stuck with their Equestrian names, since it made this easier, even if they were mostly thinking on their human memories. To be fair, Aunt Rain had been holding back on giving them her complete belief on the subject, but that changed when the Bearers of the Element of Harmony did return to the town, accompanied by not one, but two alicorns. Proud was a bit smug on that point. After that, it was simply a matter of having their Aunt use her connections with both the Militia and as a Royal Guard Reserve Officer to arrange for a meeting with the Princesses, citing a matter pertaining to Equestria’s National Security. Though, simply wasn’t quite the right word to use. In the end, it led to them waiting inside the Golden Oak’s Library, a pair of Royal Guards outside the doors, a full hour after the festivities started. Pinkie Pie apparently had contingency plans in place for emergency parties with several of her regular suppliers and cohorts, and it only took a few lines from the message she sent through Princess Celestia’s emergency channel with the guard. That they still weren’t sure how she co-opted it said much about her. “I don’t get how you can stay still,” Silver countered. “We are going to meet the Princess’ of the Day and the Night. And tell them that we are interdimensional travels who somehow turned out to be kids in this verse. What if she thinks we are a threat to her subjects? What if Luna thinks we are a threat to her subjects?” “You’re just nervous about meeting Best Princess, aren’t you?” Proud asked. Silver’s blush was all the answer they needed and they started laughing again. Silver grumbled but joined them on the couch instead of returning to his incessant pacing. “This is Celestia we're talking about. She's the kindest, wisest, smartest pony around.” “So…” Flare asked snickering some more at Proud’s praise of Celestia. “How much do we tell them?” A sober tension filled the air as each one of them thought about it, the mood taking a sharp turn. “I say we give them advice on the big stuff.” Proud’s response was quick, and he went on without much pause. “Lord Tirek, Discord, Chrysalis... Tell Luna that she's loved as much as she wanted to be in our world.” Proud tried listing off points on his fingers but forgot about the hooves in reflex and to list the points. “Oh... right. Well I can write a letter on the points we want to talk about.” Both Silver and Flare stared at Proud after he spoke. Seeing that Silver was busy gapping, Flare took up the dope slap duty; extending a wing and slapping Proud with it. “No, that’s the sort of thing we aren’t going to be telling them now. And what makes you think we’d be any good at advising them anyway? Didn’t you say Celestia was the wisest and smartest?” “Because we know stuff,” Proud countered, rubbing his head. Not that Flare had hit him very hard. “And why shouldn’t we? Also; Ow! Mom said it’s not okay to hit.” “Because we might just make things worse, duh. And we don’t know if everything we know is right, and we won’t know until it happens.” Silver paused. “That… sorta made sense. Okay, look. We can’t tell them anything specific. It could spiral out of control.” “But we can warn them,” Proud started. Flare cut him off with another slap. “Quiddit!” “No, Proud. They managed on their own the first time, they can do it again,” Flare said reassuringly, bumping Proud gently with his shoulder. “We just want to stay out of the way and get back home. We don’t even have to tell them about the show.” “No, we probably should,” Silver said from the other side. “We don’t tell them everything we learned from it, but we have to explain how we knew. It’s part of our validity.” Flare groaned and slumped some. “But the idea that they are a TV show…” “Ha! Something I want to do too!” Proud said happily, talking over Flare’s point, clapping his hooves together. Silver rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. “You’ll at least let me explain that part, right? No offense, but your explaining skills never amounted to much,” Silver responded. “Neither here nor back on earth side. You just asked questions. A lot of annoying questions. And it’s not so much telling them they are a TV show as it’s using technobabble and complex ideas like multiverse theory.” “Fine. So no to plot, yes to show, yes to human, yes to wishing,” Proud said, counting out on his hoof again. “And I guess any other general questions?” “What do you think they would ask?” Flare asked. “Maybe if we have plans to hurt anyone?” “Sure. They will undoubtedly uncover our dastardly scheme to overthrow Equestria’s current regime of nobles while masquerading as foals,” Silver said, grinning with malicious intent as he rubbed his hooves together and let a low evil laugh out. He paused, tapping the tips of his hooves together thoughtfully. “That’s actually not a bad idea.” “It would be best if you didn’t joke like that to the princess,” Rain said as she entered the room. “Princesses,” Silver corrected, “there are two of them now.” Rain hesitated and shook her head. “Of course. It will take some time to get used to. Of course, how it was unremarked all this time is a mystery. There are two alicorns on our flag for one thing…” “Retrospect,” Silver shrugged, hopping down from the couch. Proud was about to speak up that the Legend of Nightmare Moon was well known, if just an old ponies tale, but Silver cut him off. He settled for fuming a little. “And I’m not that bad. I have tact.” “Most of the time,” Flare muttered, thinking about the numerous times Silver demonstrated he didn’t have tact when he wanted to give someone a tongue lashing. Silver stuck his tongue out at him. “How soon should we expect th-” Flare’s words died on his tongue as the doors to the library opened once more, ushering in two immaculate beings. The most noticeable was Celestia. She was taller than any pony they could remember seeing before, her coat pure white, but having a faint glow and shimmer to it that was more magic than just health. Her mane and tail really were more ethereal than material, wafting gently in the breeze only it could feel, the rainbow of colours within rippling almost independently of the movements of her hair. Beside her was the Princess of the Night; Luna. Standing no taller than the average pony, she would have been unremarkable if it were not for her wings, horn and regalia. Beside her sister’s regal bearing and gentle confidence, she seems insecure and uncertain, almost hiding behind her bangs. “Princess,” Pure Rain said, bowing. Proud scrambled off his chair and bowed as well. Flare and Silver merely looked on with awe. Between the three of them, there wasn’t much in terms of reasons to bow instinctively, being too young to have picked up on that trait properly, but Proud also did consider Celestia his favourite character, and wanted to be a Royal Guard on top of that. Luna looked a slight bit miffed, but Celestia smiled. “Hello, my little ponies,” Proud squeed a bit at that. Celestia smiled at him and the other colts in turn. Luna eyed them curiously from behind her. “Princess Celestia ma’am! It’s an honour. I always wanted to meet you!” Proud said, starting to gush. “And Luna! Lots of people love and appreciate you and stuff! They were totally on your side when Pinkie was causing trouble.” Silver and Flare panicked as Proud spoke. As Silver lunged forward, yanking Proud back by his short tail, Flare slapped him over the head with a wing again. Proud’s attention focused on him, he narrowed his eyes and hiss under his breath. “What did we just talk about?” “Oops,” Proud blushed. Flare rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to give his brother another dope slap. “And mom said it's not okay to hit!” “Praythee, to which event doth thou refer?” Luna asked, perplexed. “Well, you see, when you, OW! Er… I mean Silver will cover that part,” Proud said, yelping when Silver bit his ear. He looked like he was suppressing another squee, though. “I suspect this is the matter of grave importance and National Security of which you were speaking when you requested this private meeting?” Celestia asked Rain with a bemused expression. “Yes, Princess,” Rain responded. It was strange how she balanced her typical distant demeanour with a respectful but in no way groveling one. “Though, it would be best if they explained it themselves.” “I see,” Celestia said, turning her attention once more to the foals. Luna’s never left in the first place, her expression that of one trying to decipher a puzzle. “I must say this does seem interesting. You have my attention, little ones.” Flare blanched a bit at the rap attention Celestia turned on them. “Silver, you’re up.” “Well Princess-es,” Silver said, swallowing nervously. He closed his eyes and licked his lips, and when he looked up again his eyes had more of his trademark cockiness back. “What do you know about alternate realities and universes?” ----- Flare could say one thing about Celestia, she was a rapt listener. She didn’t interrupt with needless exclamations, kept her attention focused and looked to be saving most of her questions in case they were answered in the ‘presentation’, or until the end. Luna was a bit lacking in that department, understandable considering her recent exile. Either way, the story got out, and even their Aunt became privy to a few more details that they haven’t seen fit or found the need to share when they explained it to her earlier. With the embargo on sharing future events that Flare and Silver imposed, they relied on recounting what they knew of the trials Nightmare Moon set up in the forest and the confrontation in the old castle as their proof this time. The expression on Luna’s face had Silver smirking smugly. “No, that cannot be. This cannot be. Such a thing is unnatural. Didst though not say there was no magic in thine world? How is it then that such an occurrence came to be?” It was far from the Royal Canterlot Voice that became so popular at her second appearance, but it was also far from the meek soft tone she had earlier. “Now, now, sister,” Celestia said to Luna, resting a wing on her shoulders. Luna calmed herself with visible effort. “No, this is quite the tale, and your telling of it does hold the ring of truth to it.” “So… does that mean you believe us?” Flare asked uncertainly. “I am inclined to,” Celestia responded. Proud cheered as Flare bumped hooves with Silver. Their elation was cut short at Celestia’s next comment. “However, it could still be fabricated. As my sister asked, how did you get here in the first place?” “The wish on the star?” Proud offered. “It’s the only thing we could think of.” “You mentioned that that was symbolic in human cultures,” Celestia commented. It turned out that Equestria didn’t have the same belief about the wish granting properties of falling stars, and Luna had gotten a somewhat pensive look at the idea. One she once again adopted. “Perhaps…” she started. The ponies in the room looked at Luna, silently urging her to continue her though. “We sensed something strange about thee when we first arrived. We believe it to be traces of magic on thy person. “Nor is it simply more magic than we wouldst expect mere foals to possess, it is rather magics of the stars themselves.” Luna looked down at the library floor. “Indeed, it is much like the magics we harnessed to enable our escape for thy seal, dear sister.” “So does that mean you can help us get home?” Proud asked. “We… are uncertain,” Luna admitted, looking away from them. “Sister, would you aide me in testing their memories? With their guardian’s permission.” Aunt Rain looked at her nephews. She had been mostly silent, being a spectator to the conversation as it played out. Flare and Proud looked at Silver. Silver looked back at them with his eyebrows raised. “What are y’all looking at me for? I dunno. Sure?” Aunt Rain smiled slightly and nodded at the Princesses. With the permission given, Luna focused, her horn glowing. Beside her, Celestia’s horn glowed as she added her magic to whatever spell Luna was working on. Flare felt his feathers pricking as if a strong storm was building, and Silver actual took a few steps backwards and a few books rattled on the shelves. There was bright flash, and for a few moments Flare felt something like a headache building. Shortly, it faded and the air returned to normal, Luna panting slightly from the exertion. “We are fine,” Luna insisted at Celestia’s unspoken question. She still sounded weary, but she waved away the concern; shuffling her wings and regaining a semblance of the mostly regal bearing she had when she entered. “What was that spell Princess Luna?” Flare asked, blinking away the spots in his vision. And here he though pegasi were good with bright lights. “T’was but a weak dream walking spell combined with divination magic. With it we touched several points in thy memories to confirm their veracity.” Luna looked a bit discomfited. “It is as you claimed; there are two sets of recollections within thy minds. There is also evidence of the Magic of the Stars within thee. Far more than we should in any earthbound creature save for the Beasts of the Constellations. It is correct to assume those still roam our lands, sister?” “Like ursa majors and minors?” Flare asked. They were the only things that would fit that definition. “Ah! They do. Marvelous!” Luna said, pleased that some things had not changed in her absence most likely. “And… is it possible to send us back?” Silver asked nervously, trying to put Luna back on track. “We… are unsure,” Luna admitted, her previous joy leaving her. “But you’re the princess of the night!” Proud butted in suddenly, waving his hoof in the air. He turned to the Solar Diarch. “Can you do it Celestia?” “No,” Luna said firmly, stomping her hoof and for a moment reminding them of Nightmare Moon. She looked slightly abashed when the non-alicorn ponies in the room flinched, but kept her stance. “It is outside of our sisters abilities. Much like how she cannot walk the dreams of our subjects, the Magic of the Stars is without her purview.” “She is correct, Proud Defender,” Celestia said. “Where as I could raise the moon for her, truly bringing the night sky to life was something I could never do in the thousand years of Luna’s absence. There are things my magic are incapable of, things I cannot fully understand. Luna’s destiny and power is intrinsically linked to the night. It is why she could use the stars to free herself.” Luna’s confidence slipped a little as her declaration turned into an admission. “And the elements stripped us of much of our power when they freed us of our madness. A spell to seek thy world of origin… the finesse, skill and power would be far beyond what we could perform relying simply on borrowed power. We recall sensing a burst of star magics as we worked toward breaking our seal, but thought nought of it till now. We are sorry, truly sorry, but there is nothing we can do, not until our power returns to us.” Flare felt the urge to start hyperventilating in response to the confusion of thought Luna’s response brought, but it was simple to get under control as he reminded himself of Luna’s predicament. Silver just sighed. From the corner of his eyes Flare could see him mouthing something, but it wasn’t audible. “But you’re the Princess…” Proud whimpered again. “You, the one Silver Prose,” Luna said softly. “Yes, Princess!” Silver yelped at being suddenly picked out but made a face and rolled his eyes at his reaction. “Sorry. Yes Princess?” “Thou has spoken of many worlds. In truth, we have had some experience with that field. Our sister, even more so.” “Experience… Right! Starswirl’s first mirror, right?” Silver said, after a moment’s thought. Celestia and Luna gapped at him. Silver wilted under their stare. “Um… classified? I won’t tell anyone.” “How doth thou know of that?” Luna demanded. Flare meeped as his wings popped out in fright, Proud swallowing nervously hopelessly looking and gesticulating at the other two. “Dimensional bleed through and ‘fictional’ productions!” Silver said quickly, backing away from her. Aunt Rain actually stepped forward and placed herself between Silver and Luna, matching the Princess’ glare with one of her own. “There is no need for that, Luna,” Celestia said soothingly, “likewise you, Pure Rain. You must understand the… shock of hearing a foal mention artifacts that have been locked away from centuries and kept as state secrets. They did explain how they possessed this otherworldly knowledge. Though I must ask again that such sensitive information not be spread.” “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Silver recited quickly, complete with motions. He giggled slightly. “Apologies, we were momentarily taken aback,” Luna said to Silver and the colts. “Pray tell us; what were those motions? What purpose did they serve?” “Um… you’ll find out eventually?” Silver said. Flare recovered enough to perform another wing dope slap, this time on Silver. “I suppose I’ll look forward to it,” Celestia said, shaking her head slightly. “It would still be best if none of you mention this to anyone. But what we learned is that there are many worlds, and it is quite easy to be lost among them without some reference.” “Verily. We suspect we can use thine memories and the signature of Star Magic that hast been imparted on thee to find whence thou camest once we return to our full powers.” “So you we just have to wait? Okay,” Proud said, almost a full turnaround from his previous reaction. “O... kay?” Luna echoed, confused. “We can’t really do anything else, Princess,” Proud admitted. “Asking you was more or less our only plan.” “It was?” Celestia asked. “Only feasible one,” Silver added. “I had three more, but they depended on spoilers, access we really wouldn’t be able to get and another wish.” “You never mentioned those,” Flare murmured at him. “Because they weren’t feasible,” Silver shrugged. “The Princesses was all I got that might work.” Celestia smiled at them. “I am pleased that you have such faith in us.” “Nothing’s more awesome than knowing Luna’s working on something for you,” Silver grinned. Luna blushed slightly. “We… are also pleased in thine faith. We will do our best not fail your expectations,” Luna said. “Still, you have given us much to contemplate,” Celestia said. “But we have already spent far too much time in this session, and many will be concerned.” Pure Rain nodded, speaking for the first time in a while. “I understand that Princess. Thank you for taking the time.” She looked at her nephews and hesitated. Finally, she asked a question she posed to them earlier. “Are they still my nephews, Princess Luna? You said you checked their story…” “Thy concern is commendable,” Luna said with a soft smile. “It is as they didst claim. They are both thine nephews inasmuch as they are the humans they recall. Both memories are real. However,” her tone shifted to one of warning. “We must warn thee to avoid allowing thine memories to become corrupted. The efforts thou hast taken these past days to keep distinct your sides are proper. We confess to lacking knowledge as to what mightst happen should they blend, but we advise against it.” “We’ll try, Princess,” Flare said, suddenly nervous about what could happen if ‘Flare’s’ memories and ‘James’’ memories combined, remember the headaches. “What do we do in the mean time?” “Until our power is restored, thou should continue thine life as thou would have. Thou art still foals in our land, and thy guardian stills stands with you,” Luna said, her regal bearing returning to her. “Pure Rain, Proud Defender, Silver Prose, Blue Flare; you represent something quite new to Equestria, and I confess to looking forward to what might come of it. Pure Rain, your concern for your family is touching, same for you three,” Celestia added to the foals with a smile. “I shall leave word with my faithful student that you may use Spike’s services to send messages to my sister and I. In fact, I quite look forward to anything you might say as you adjust.” “Princess, that is too much!” Pure Rain said, her eyes widening. “Nonsense,” Celestia said dismissively. “Now, we have much to do. I hope you enjoy the rest of the celebration, my little ponies.” With that last smile, Celestia lit her horn and whisked Luna and herself out of the library with a flash of teleportation magic. The dazed looks and stunned silence was broken by Proud. “We can send reports to Princess Celestia?” Proud exclaimed, all but buzzing from the ill-contained glee. “That is so awesome!” “A bit too Rainbow Dash,” Silver muttered. “Just a bit,” Flare agreed. Still, reports to the princess? About what? And how often? He shook his head to clear those thoughts, since they wouldn’t have much bearing on immediate events. “She knows how to make an exit, though,” Silver observed. “In all her, their, time of ruling, I would assume they picked up a few tricks here and there,” Aunt Rain remarked, still looking a bit on the shell-shocked side. “This will take some getting used to.” Aunt Rain still looked a bit shelled shocked. Flare trotted over and tapped her leg. “So; what happens now?” Aunt Rain looked taken aback, but her expression settled into a gentle smile. “I suppose we can head home. We have things to do.” “We do?” Proud asked, though he still buzzing with excitement over the pospects. “We do,” Aunt Rain confirmed; taking the chance to rest a hoof on Silver’s back. “For one; you three are still grounded.” “What?” all three yelped. “Timberwolves,” Aunt Rain said firmly. “You aren’t getting off lightly for that. But I suppose I could shorten the duration somewhat.” Aunt Rain said thoughtfully. “Still, there is one other major thing you have to prepare for. School starts in a few days, and you are still attending.”