Sun and Moon Asunder

by Mixer


Dawn and Dusk

Twilight Sparkle was sitting in the middle of the floor, several books arrayed around her, some suspended in the air by a violet hue, when a knock came at the door.

“Spike, can you get the door?” she called to her assistant, who was balancing on the top of a ladder.

“Give me just... one... second...” he said as he placed a book on a high shelf. After the book was in it’s place and Spike was safely back on the ladder, he climbed down and went to the door.

Spike opened the door just as Ink Well was about to knock again. “Good Morning Spike.”

“Oh, hey Ink Well,” Spike replied, stepping out of the way to let him in.

He walked into the library and cleared his throat to get Twilight’s attention. “Miss Sparkle, the princess would like to see you in the throne room.”

Twilight set the books she was holding with magic into neat little piles and stood up. “She wants to see me in the throne room? Did she say why?”

“I’m afraid not, though I suppose it has something to do with the upcoming Summer Sun Celebration.”

“This the 1000th anniversary since Equestria was split, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Miss Sparkle.”

“A thousand years...” Twilight said, losing herself in thought. A cough from Ink Well brought her back to reality.

“I expect she is awaiting your arrival.”

Twilight took the hint and grabbed Spike with magic as she passed him, setting him on her back as she headed towards the throne room.

“I wonder what she wants,” Spike said.

“Maybe she has an assignment for me,” Twilight speculated.

“Well, you’re her star pupil.”

Twilight gasped, “What if it is really important?”

“What?”

“What if I’m graduating? What if there’s an exam!”

“Twilight, I don’t think that the Princess wants to give you a test...”

Twilight and Spike went back and forth as they walked to the throne room but stopped before the double doors.

The guards nodded at Twilight.

“The Princess is expecting you,” one said.

Twilight pushed open one of the doors and went inside and walked towards the center of the room.

“Good morning, Twilight,” Princess Celestia said from her golden throne.

Twilight gave a small bow, “Good morning, Princess. You wanted to see me?”

Celestia nodded, “Yes.”

She got up from her throne and motioned for Twilight to follow her as she headed towards a side door.

For being a thousand years old, Castle Everfree was still kept in surprisingly good condition. Since it’s construction there have also been many additions and renovations made. There was only one room that had been untouched by architects or time was the throne room.

Twilight pushed the old wooden door open and stepped into the throne room.

Sitting upon her golden throne was Princess Celestia, while a second, smaller throne sat as it always did, without anypony to occupy it.

“Good morning Twilight,” Celestia said to her student.

“Good morning, Princess. Ink Well said that you wanted to speak to me?”

Celestia nodded, “Yes, there is something important we must discuss. Alone.”

Twilight looked at Spike and he climbed off of her back and looked nervously at Twilight.

“It’s okay, Spike,” Celestia said to the baby dragon, “It will take but a moment.”

He looked once between Celsetia and Twilight before heading to the door and slipping out.

Celestia gestured with a hoof and the guards that were posted filed out.

“Princess, what’s going on?” Twilight asked.

“I have received a scroll from my sister,” Celestia said gravely.

Twilight gasped, “Princess Luna?”

Celestia gave a slight wince at the name, “Yes. She will be sending a delegation of ponies from Shadow Veil to observe the Summer Sun Celebration.”

“What? Why would they be so interested in the Summer Sun Celebration? Don’t they celebrate the night, not the day?” Twilight asked, firing off questions as they popped into her head.

Celestia held up a hoof to stem her student’s tide of curiosity. “I do not know why they have taken a sudden interest, but my sister’s own student will be accompanying the delegation.”

“Princess Luna has a personal student? Like me?” Twilight asked, now even more curious. This was something she had never read in any of her books.

Again, a look of pain flashed across Celestia’s features. “Yes. She has a student and I imagine she is somewhat like yourself. I would like the two of you to get acquainted while the delegation is here.”

“Get acquainted?” Twilight asked.

“Yes. You should try making friends, and with somepony so like yourself, it should be easy,” Celestia said, a warm smile gracing her face.

Twilight scrabbled a hoof against the floor. “Friends?”

Celestia gave a warm laugh, “Yes. And before you ask, there isn’t a book about making friends in the library.”

Twilight gave a sheepish smile as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Y-yes. Princess.”

Celestia smiled and stamped her hoof against the floor, summoning the guards back into the room. “You should go prepare, my faithful student.”

Twilight bowed her head, “Yes, Princess.”

She straightened and started trotting back towards the library where her room was. She would have to go back over the etiquette books, and the manual on formal attire, and-

“Hey, what’s going on? Why the rush?” Spike asked, running and huffing along side Twilight.

Twilight swallowed. “I have to make friends...”

Spike stopped in his tracks. “What?” he said flatly.

“Princess Celestia said I have to make a friend,” Twilight said, stopping and turning to face her assistant.

Spike did not look amused. “You mean to say that the princess had to talk to you about making friends?” he accused.

Twilight frowned, “It’s not just that, I have to make friends with Princess Luna’s personal student.

“WHAT? You’re making friends with-”

Twilight, cut him off my covering his mouth with her hoof. “Shh! There must be a reason she wanted our meeting to be private...”

Spike nodded and stayed silent, a hoof still jammed in his face.

“Maybe she want’s me to secretly make sure she’s not a spy? No... she would have told me... Maybe she wants to improve relations with Shadow Veil? Or maybe...”

“Tiluf...”

“What?”

Spike pointed at Twilight’s hoof, still stubbornly clinging to the dragon’s snout.

“Or she could just want you to make friends,” Spike said. “Since when has the princess ever lied to you?”

“I guess you’re right...”

Spike perked up, “But if you’re going to have company then you might want to clean up your room.”

“What? But the library looks fine,” Twilight protested.

Spike facepalmed. “Not that room, your room. You know, the one with a bed in it?”

Twilight rarely slept in it, but it was a little cluttered. “Maybe you’re right, it has been a while since I organized my room.”

Spike began walking. “Well, we should get started then.”

Twilight picked him up with magic and brought him close before teleporting the both of them to the library.

Twilight trotted up a flight of stairs and came to a door with her cutie mark on it. “Well, let’s get started.”

As soon as she turned the handle with her hoof, the door flung open and an avalanche of books fell on top of her.

Spike rushed over to the pile of books that had buried Twilight. “Twilight! Are you alright?”

She poked her head out of the pile and sneezed. “This might be harder than I though...”